NES2 VI - Last Semblance of Order.
- Thread starter das
- Start date
silver 2039
Deity
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
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- 16,208
Hahah....thats pretty ominious...I would be worried now.
Symphony D.
Deity
OOC: If you mean Taiwan, I already occupy it by force, so it's a given I would keep it. Listing every territory I intend to have is such a bother. It's on the periphery anyway.das said:OOC: Thlayli will hate me, but Symphony, you seem to forgetting a certain little island.
If you mean some other island, I have had my eye on Hainan...
Milos Columbo was a very important man now. Several sections reported to him, and even more on a "dotted line" basis. A mark of how important he was could be the dinner parties he attended: four in the last month. Another could be his salary: 70% higher than the average for men of his age and comparative position. Naturally, working for the most important company between Europe and Asia could be key. Now he was dithering over something that the Byzantine Army had done. Those military gorillas, burning and pillaging wherever they wish! He composed himself.
"And that's what we want there: a trade center, a nice port to replace the one destroyed." That was pretty civil...
"Well, as you know, all personnel from your Spalatum office were evacuated with all of their equipment at state expense. Couldn't they set up in Dyrrachium or another port?"
"The problem with that is that we can't simply move all of those resources and ties with companies."
"Others are facing the same problems as you: if you set up a Dyrrachium office, you'll probably be first to take advantage of things and first to get business on the Byzantine parts of the Adriatic working again."
"Take advantage of what? What makes Dyrrachium better?"
"Well, the imperial government has been investing in the port for quite some time. We've gotten the harbor enlarged and a breakwater installed, and there are more wharfs and warehouses in which to store things. Theres even a port authority that weve gotten up and running. There are excellent rail connections to the rest of the Empire, too.
If we move our operations to Dyrrachium, can you guarantee our protection? The C & O doesnt want pirates, even in the pacified Mediterranean.
The Second Fleet has a few elements based out of the port as well. Thats enough ships and cannon to protect shipping, especially in the Mediterranean, even on your scale. We do recommend, if you havent already, putting at least ten guns on your merchantmen. You never know who might be out there, trying to take a potshot at your ships.
Thank you for your suggestion: Ill bring it up at the next Board meeting. We have an accord. In fact, there is already a Dyrrachium office. Itll be somewhat enlarged over the next few months, Im sure.
Naturally, if youre to handle the trade for the southern Adriatic. Its quite a gateway.
That it is. Well, Ill let you get back to your generaling, Strategos ?
Kounabi. Im part of the Varangian Army Group command Thank you for your time.
And you for yours.
The bemedalled general stood up with Columbo and shook his hand, then exited the large office, putting on his hat as he left. The C & O man sat there, pondering things for awhile, then turned his chair to face the window as the general left the building, making for the main street of Orchomenus. He called in a scribe and had him jot down the orders making Dyrrachium the center of C & O operations in the west, complete with a regional headquarters to replace the one at Spalatum. Turning back to the desk, he lit his pipe, filled with course French tobacco from the New World, and stared at the myriad documents littering his desk. Then he got back to work. For a few hours he dictated to his scribe, filling in the details for the Dyrrachium move, then sent him off just in time for an appointment at sixteen hours.
Show him in.
The man that came in quickly doffed his pith helmet (an odd accoutrement, Columbo mused) and smiled as the executive stood up. Shaking hands, the two exchanged minor pleasantries:
Mister Columbo, I am gratified that you have allowed me an audience.
Yes, Professor Strathiakis, it was a rather interesting request youve made, but Ill be happy to hear it. Please sit down: would you like something to drink? We have tea, saved up from before the Chinese war started. Or would you prefer something a little stronger?
No, thank you sir. I expect Ill be too busy talking to drink.
If thats your wish. Now, tell me about this unusual proposal you have. Columbo sat back in his chair and looked at the professor expectantly.
Well, as you know, there was recently an odd find made by a shepherd near Serdica.
Yes, I recall. A giant bone, I believe.
Yes. Larger than that of anything that lives in the Empire. Just a single bone, which we in Constantinople believe to be the femur of some enormous creature.
A giant, to be sure. But where would you find such a beast?
Thats the purpose of my request, good sir. I will get to that later, though, as I must fill you in. Now, this bone was far too large to be that of an African elephant, or a giraffe, or such.
Indeed?
Yes. The professor leaned in conspiratorially. In fact, it is larger than that of any creature that is known to walk this Earth.
Thats impossible! An entire race cannot just die! He would not allow it! Columbo was stunned. What is this mad professor suggesting?
No, of course not! How revolting! I believe that, not dead, but hidden these beasts are, and I propose to mount an expedition to find them. The other sat back, having gone and said his piece. He looked at Columbo expectantly.
What I dont know what to say! This is strange, abnormal, weird! I how do you propose to mount this expedition? With our money?
Yes. But there is an obvious difficulty: where did such a race go, and why? Why no longer here? It must have occurred during the time of the pharaohs of Egypt, or the despots of Sumer, something from a very long time ago. Their great size must have made them great predators upon this earth, and only an organized humanity could have pushed them away. The bone does not look like that of a hairy creature, more like that of a reptile, like a gigantic lizard. I and my colleagues at the university have dubbed these enormous beasts Dinosauria.[1] We need to look for clues, and they may be in the ground. As these creatures moved away from Byzantium, they must have gone somewhere. And on such a long journey, some must have died, and left skeletons buried in the rock of the Earth. I propose to follow these beasts, looking in canyons and ravines, where the rock is worn away, so it will be easier to find them. Exhausted by his miniature speech, the university man sat back again.
An agitated Columbo began to calm down, recollecting his thoughts. It didnt seem too bad, and in such a place as Byzantium, it might be profitable to invest in the sciences, to get more knowledgeable people, who would then work for the largest company in Eastern Europe. How much money?
In the beginning? Only about ten thousand. To pay the workers and buy equipment. Transportation is but a minor issue: the university provides the ship, but not the money for everything else. Thats why I came to you.
This is extraordinary Ill clear it with the Board, presenting your case favorably, of course. But its so strange that it might not be accepted.
As long as you just get my case to the Board, Im happy.
All right then, Professor, well try to get you your funding. Have a nice evening, sir. The two rose and shook hands, then the professor was shown out. Columbo remained standing, thinking to himself. Two very odd proposals today very strange.
[1] = Since Dinosauria is a Greek word (or amalgamation thereof), there was obviously no need for the Professor to translate it to Columbo: Greek is their native tongue. So Ill do it down here: deinos is terrible, fearsome, formidable, etc., and saura is lizard or reptile. Thus, terrible lizard. I think that its rather apt that Greeks discover Dinosauria, dont you?
"And that's what we want there: a trade center, a nice port to replace the one destroyed." That was pretty civil...
"Well, as you know, all personnel from your Spalatum office were evacuated with all of their equipment at state expense. Couldn't they set up in Dyrrachium or another port?"
"The problem with that is that we can't simply move all of those resources and ties with companies."
"Others are facing the same problems as you: if you set up a Dyrrachium office, you'll probably be first to take advantage of things and first to get business on the Byzantine parts of the Adriatic working again."
"Take advantage of what? What makes Dyrrachium better?"
"Well, the imperial government has been investing in the port for quite some time. We've gotten the harbor enlarged and a breakwater installed, and there are more wharfs and warehouses in which to store things. Theres even a port authority that weve gotten up and running. There are excellent rail connections to the rest of the Empire, too.
If we move our operations to Dyrrachium, can you guarantee our protection? The C & O doesnt want pirates, even in the pacified Mediterranean.
The Second Fleet has a few elements based out of the port as well. Thats enough ships and cannon to protect shipping, especially in the Mediterranean, even on your scale. We do recommend, if you havent already, putting at least ten guns on your merchantmen. You never know who might be out there, trying to take a potshot at your ships.
Thank you for your suggestion: Ill bring it up at the next Board meeting. We have an accord. In fact, there is already a Dyrrachium office. Itll be somewhat enlarged over the next few months, Im sure.
Naturally, if youre to handle the trade for the southern Adriatic. Its quite a gateway.
That it is. Well, Ill let you get back to your generaling, Strategos ?
Kounabi. Im part of the Varangian Army Group command Thank you for your time.
And you for yours.
The bemedalled general stood up with Columbo and shook his hand, then exited the large office, putting on his hat as he left. The C & O man sat there, pondering things for awhile, then turned his chair to face the window as the general left the building, making for the main street of Orchomenus. He called in a scribe and had him jot down the orders making Dyrrachium the center of C & O operations in the west, complete with a regional headquarters to replace the one at Spalatum. Turning back to the desk, he lit his pipe, filled with course French tobacco from the New World, and stared at the myriad documents littering his desk. Then he got back to work. For a few hours he dictated to his scribe, filling in the details for the Dyrrachium move, then sent him off just in time for an appointment at sixteen hours.
Show him in.
The man that came in quickly doffed his pith helmet (an odd accoutrement, Columbo mused) and smiled as the executive stood up. Shaking hands, the two exchanged minor pleasantries:
Mister Columbo, I am gratified that you have allowed me an audience.
Yes, Professor Strathiakis, it was a rather interesting request youve made, but Ill be happy to hear it. Please sit down: would you like something to drink? We have tea, saved up from before the Chinese war started. Or would you prefer something a little stronger?
No, thank you sir. I expect Ill be too busy talking to drink.
If thats your wish. Now, tell me about this unusual proposal you have. Columbo sat back in his chair and looked at the professor expectantly.
Well, as you know, there was recently an odd find made by a shepherd near Serdica.
Yes, I recall. A giant bone, I believe.
Yes. Larger than that of anything that lives in the Empire. Just a single bone, which we in Constantinople believe to be the femur of some enormous creature.
A giant, to be sure. But where would you find such a beast?
Thats the purpose of my request, good sir. I will get to that later, though, as I must fill you in. Now, this bone was far too large to be that of an African elephant, or a giraffe, or such.
Indeed?
Yes. The professor leaned in conspiratorially. In fact, it is larger than that of any creature that is known to walk this Earth.
Thats impossible! An entire race cannot just die! He would not allow it! Columbo was stunned. What is this mad professor suggesting?
No, of course not! How revolting! I believe that, not dead, but hidden these beasts are, and I propose to mount an expedition to find them. The other sat back, having gone and said his piece. He looked at Columbo expectantly.
What I dont know what to say! This is strange, abnormal, weird! I how do you propose to mount this expedition? With our money?
Yes. But there is an obvious difficulty: where did such a race go, and why? Why no longer here? It must have occurred during the time of the pharaohs of Egypt, or the despots of Sumer, something from a very long time ago. Their great size must have made them great predators upon this earth, and only an organized humanity could have pushed them away. The bone does not look like that of a hairy creature, more like that of a reptile, like a gigantic lizard. I and my colleagues at the university have dubbed these enormous beasts Dinosauria.[1] We need to look for clues, and they may be in the ground. As these creatures moved away from Byzantium, they must have gone somewhere. And on such a long journey, some must have died, and left skeletons buried in the rock of the Earth. I propose to follow these beasts, looking in canyons and ravines, where the rock is worn away, so it will be easier to find them. Exhausted by his miniature speech, the university man sat back again.
An agitated Columbo began to calm down, recollecting his thoughts. It didnt seem too bad, and in such a place as Byzantium, it might be profitable to invest in the sciences, to get more knowledgeable people, who would then work for the largest company in Eastern Europe. How much money?
In the beginning? Only about ten thousand. To pay the workers and buy equipment. Transportation is but a minor issue: the university provides the ship, but not the money for everything else. Thats why I came to you.
This is extraordinary Ill clear it with the Board, presenting your case favorably, of course. But its so strange that it might not be accepted.
As long as you just get my case to the Board, Im happy.
All right then, Professor, well try to get you your funding. Have a nice evening, sir. The two rose and shook hands, then the professor was shown out. Columbo remained standing, thinking to himself. Two very odd proposals today very strange.
[1] = Since Dinosauria is a Greek word (or amalgamation thereof), there was obviously no need for the Professor to translate it to Columbo: Greek is their native tongue. So Ill do it down here: deinos is terrible, fearsome, formidable, etc., and saura is lizard or reptile. Thus, terrible lizard. I think that its rather apt that Greeks discover Dinosauria, dont you?
Wubba360
Emperor
So far no.
Kentharu
Zebra Commander
wubba is being a big meanie to little ol' ken 
Wubba360
Emperor
This war is about principles. And Sennar is a mockery to Africa. It is a backwards nation faliing apart and has proved to be inefficient. They sought at one point to challenge my people and everyday continue to a make a mockery of my people. To have peace not only will we force the current borders upon you but a redesign in Sennar's government. The future will reveal our questions.
Kentharu
Zebra Commander
shut the hell up wubba, war is no way to fix africa you MORON, if you look at the current situation then it would seem clear that it is NOT the way, i was doing fine on my own alright, shut it you stupid git
Kentharu
Zebra Commander
it was OOC for me
North King
blech
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2004
- Messages
- 18,165
Kentharu, no offense, really, but... Don't complain about it. Write kickarse orders and, well, kick his arse. 
May the best NESer win.
May the best NESer win.
