Chapter 214: | 214 | TIMESKIP: Part Two - Trade and Economy
Economy was a complex yet simple matter. It stands upon the foundation of logistics, manufacturing, and trust. The United World Government had become the economic powerhouse of the sea region of Terra. Not merely because of their unrivalled naval power, but through their fleet of cargo ships.
After the establishment of the UWG, the fleet admiral introduced the Atlas Corporation. A massive private company under the grasped of the United World Government. The reason for the divide of state-owned enterprises was to assure they wouldn't be affected by the prescribed tariffs of their supposed neighbors.
Whether it'd be what remained of the allied islands, or the factions outside of the sea region.
However, most importantly, within the Atlas Corporation was the donated cargo ships of the fleet admiral. The cargo ships were generally classified as container ships, ensuring the deliverance of goods between islands.
The Atlas Corporation has also purchased private ports in the islands of the Archipelago and the Southern Austerus, securing the proper trade of goods. The private ports were quickly constructed, bringing about the influence of the corporation into the allied islands.
And the sway of the United World Government into the surroundings as a whole.
Anyhow, like before with the United Navy, the Atlas Corporation purchases the goods of local merchants with respectable prices, transporting them back to the United World Government after confirming their contents.
These goods would be sold to the wider population of the UWG, a bit costlier than the local prices of whence it came from. Some goods from the allied islands were popular, whether it'd be the products of tribes in the Archipelago or the archaic hunting bows of Austerus.
Not only that, the Atlas Corporation also offered products to the locals of the allied islands. From the commodity of hygiene and beauty care products, to the farming fertilizers and pesticides that assured the growth of crops.
The circulation of goods proved worthwhile, advancing the economy of the United World Government into greater heights than ever before.
However, the United World Government hadn't remained passive after its establishment. It had donated schools into the lands of the Archipelago and the vast landscape of Austerus. The pursuit of knowledge was of importance in regards to the government of the two allied islands.
The Pelagus Union, was a nation established under the league of five tribes within the Archipelago of Islands. Its president was the leader of the Liberation Front, Hermona, becoming the first human leader of a beastfolk population. Without slavery, of course.
The Union was fairly an influential country within the sea region of Terra. It might be the second behind the United World Government, above the Bestian Confederacy in terms of stability and population satisfaction.
President Hermona had led the population of the Union to build a great country. With the knowledge of the United World Government seeding into the population, it had become the second-most democratic nation in the sea region.
According to the Pelagus Government, the terms of a president merely lasted a decade, signifying change in the following decade, bringing forth to a new era. At the moment, President Hermona was the authority of the Pelagus Union with Leonidas as her Chief of Staff and Tora as the Secretary of Defense.
Her party was the Liberation Front Party, a namesake of the revolutionaries that fought against the control of the Colonial Dominion of Terra. It was the most popular party in the Pelagus Union, and the only one with real authority.
However, there was a reason why the Pelagus Union maintained its independence from the United World Government. They didn't choose to be disjoined from the World Government. They had propose the idea over and over again, understanding the importance of the UWG in their society.
Unfortunately, the United World Government had declined their offers to join as despite their economic stability and a satisfied populace, the Pelagus Union was currently at war against the Dominion of Tier.
The Dominion of Tier was a troublesome country constructed by the unification of the two tribes that decided to separate from the Liberation Front and the Pelagus Union. These two tribes were the rat and crocodile beastfolks, whose leaders were disgruntled with the laws forced upon them.
Some intelligence say that slavery towards humanity was legal in the Dominion of Tier, however, no one in the country would actively practice slavery. After all, a giant loomed over them, the United World Government.
The UWG has maintained its stance of sapient freedom, signifying the clear disdain over slavery regardless of the reasons. The Prime Minister of the United World Government had personally warned the Dominion to stay clear of Crimes against Sapience.
Otherwise, the military might would befall before the country.
The supreme leaders of the Dominion understood the power that the UWG held. They had seen what it was capable before as the United Navy. With it growing ever stronger now, it was difficult to imagine standing against it.
Sadly, though, the Dominion of Tier had declared war against the Pelagus Union. Not giving it a chance to join the ranks of the United World Government, in fear of having the UWG in their borders.
Clashes between the seas were the usual in the Island Archipelago. Beastfolk Pirates seemed to reign supreme as there were rarely UWG ships patrolling the waters that wasn't theirs. This brought about a greater rift between the island nations, escalating the conflict into a full-blown war.
War was officially declared from the government of the Pelagus Union towards the ruling party of the Dominion of Tier. It originated from the fact that an island village had been massacred by the invading parties of the Dominion.
The island village was burned from evening to dawn, living nothing but crumbled ashes behind. The blackened corpses reminded anyone that perceives it the horrors of what came along in that very night.
President Hermona declared the formation of the Union Military and Navy, which had been secretly built up and supported by the United World Government. Many personnel in the Union Navy had been directly trained in the naval academies of Dawn City, signifying the closeness of the two neighbors.
The Union Military and Navy were also sold WW2-era vehicles from steel battleships to Sherman tanks. That's right. The United World Government had opened the military industry, focused in selling arms to allies or neutral parties.
These armaments were usually of past eras, which was perfect for the Beastfolks to adapt. After all, the operation of advanced modern warships required years of dedication in the naval subject of warfare. Because of how simple to maintain these old technologies were, it was easier for newly-established nations to operate.
At any rate, the Dominion of Tier were in for troubling conflict.
...
Somewhere in the Island Archipelago, a Black Hawk soared through the skies, carrying Navy SEALs directly deployed from UNS Jaeger of the Blue Seas. They were sent on a confidential operation, dealing complications that the Dominion have brought to their lands.
Inside the interiors of the Black Hawk, First-Class Petty Officer Ben gazed upon the tablet in his hands, reading through the information written on it. The operation was completely confidential as it would complicate the position of the United World Government if brought to light.
He was the squad leader of SEAL Team 3, designated in the nuclear carrier, Trident of Neptune. Their mission was of sensitive matters as such it must be quick and stealthy as to not complicate the situation.
"Let us start with debriefing." Ben calmly announced, attracting the attention of his colleagues. A calm yet serious expression consumed his face as he continued. "Our intelligence has discovered a suspicious activity in the northernmost island of the Dominion."
"They were discreet in their actions, and there were also traces of magicraft. Our reconnaissance drones have discovered the existence of unrecorded ports that popped up out of nowhere. And in these ports were warships from a nearby neighbor, the Colonial Dominion of Mavors."
"According to our evidences, it is clear that the Dominion of Tier has positioned themselves with Mavors, signifying where they wanted their future to be headed." He halted for a short moment, making sure his men could take in the information efficiently.
"Our operation is codenamed Carnwennan with the directives of assuring the non-existential status of the port. The discreet ports that facilitates the trade between the Dominion of Tier and the Colonial Dominion of Mavors must be erased from the map."
"SEAL Team 3 has been sent, with operatives ranging over a hundred. We are amongst them, and we will be handling a port northwest from our location along with another squad from the Special Response Division." Upon hearing the Special Response Unit, some of the Navy SEALs grunted.
The Special Response Division was amongst the special forces of the United World Government. They originated from the Special Response Unit, led by Lieutenant Colonel Laplace. Who had, after the final battle between the Colonial Dominion and the United Navy, been promoted into Major General.
The capabilities of Major General Laplace couldn't be underestimated. She was considered to be the strongest sword of the fleet admiral, and his lover.
The SRD had become quite a legend in the population of the United World Government, leaving some special task forces a bit annoyed since the division appeared to be always in the spotlight. At any rate, there was nothing he could do about it.
The Special Response Division had been tasked to deal with magicraft and its users. It was the reason of their creation and why they had been trained through a death training by the Dragon of Liberation. It was to fight against people that didn't make sense.
"Nonetheless, we must keep our attention towards our targets. Everyone in the port that isn't ours and hostiles must be eliminated. No witness must remain. And the cargos inside the ports must be transported out as quick as possible."
"Understood!?"
The Navy SEALs gave their organization's respective salute.