Georg Paulsen was moving his Heavy Tanker in position to dock on Dortmund station.
It was a hard flight. Everywhere he and his crew were moving in Liberty, they were treated like enemies.
They had to wait several hours each time before they got a docking or landing permission. They had to halt for every patrol to be scanned and got no or bad drinks in the bars and in almost every shop they had to pay double the price for goods, than before. Everywhere they felt the extreme change for the worse in relations between Rheinland and Liberty. Paulsen and his crew just were about to fulfill the contract between Liberty Navy and ALG for the recycling of poisoned trash and scrap. Very often he was thinking 'Shall they suffocate in their trash'. On the other hand. Liberty's trash is the life essence of ALG. Without it he and his crew would not have their jobs.
The Tanker was in position and the autopilot would finish the docking procedure. There was a lot of traffic around Dortmund and Essen. Many ALG transports had docked on Dortmund.
A final bump and the Tanker was docked safely. Georg opened the Cargo gates, so droids and tugs could unload the scrap, while his crew connected the hoses and locks to pump the poisoned trash into the tanks of Dortmund. Finally he loaded the flight recorder up into his handheld and remembered the only attack by terrorists. A group of 3 light fighters with Xeno IFF were attacking near the Bering JG in Texas, so he was sending a distress call. A Liberty police squad came by, but changed there course, when they noticed the ALG IFF of the Tanker. Fortunatly the Tanker is a massive and well armoured ship and the attack was uncoordinated, so they reached the gate and jumped to Bering with no harm taken.
Georg turned of the ships reactor, went to his quarter and was packing his things. He and his crew would now have three days of, before transporting high temperature alloy and ship hull parts to Kusari. A flight he was in joy for. Kusari was and is completely different to Liberty and he felt in love with this colony. A very clean and disciplined one. Sure they have their own political problems too, but which colony has not. The Kusari are very reserved to foreigners, but treating them with respect. Especially, as soon as they recognize that they do the same hard job for a living. On Yukawa shipyard he established good relations to Kishiro and one of their representatives invited him to an evening meal with his family. An honour and a great sign of respect.
Georg was waiting till the unloading procedure was finished and his crew members have left the ship. He wished them a nice, but short vacation. For himself he had planned to to went to Hamburg, to visit his fathers grave and to get some rest, by camping in Hamburgs wildlife park.
When he was going through the station to give his transporting datas to his disponent, he noticed an unnormal high activity and got the confirmation by his disponent. Also an order to go immediately to the conference room, where a special meeting was taken place.
The ALG's director, Karl Stuermer, was staying at the podium, while the room was already filled with many first class traders, like Georg, and representatives. Many traders were looking like they just have arrived from their tour, as Georg had and it was very loud, because of many discussions.
"Well, now that Herr Paulsen has joined us, we can start", the ALG director opened the meeting.
Suddenly there was silence and Georg was in doubt if they really have waited for him, while some unfriendly pairs of eyes rested on him.
Karl Stuermer continued "Ladies and gentleman, as you all know, the relations between Rheinland and Liberty are very strained. Our contracts there are in danger now. In really grave danger.
The ALG's success is that we have developed very progressive recycling and production methods with the main part recycling. We get the trash and scrap very cheap and are able to change them into high quality industrial goods, which we can sell then with a good profit. In the past Kusari and Liberty were happy that we have taken care about their trash, while in Bretonia BMM slowly starts to do the same. Thanks to the excellent negotiation skills of Georg Paulsen, we now have some new recycling contracts with Kusari, especially the KNF."
The ALG director started to applaude and all others followed, while Georg tried to mime the untouchable. But his face was taken the color of a boiled lobster.
The ALG director continued, "This will be a great help for us, because we still have the contracts with Liberty Navy and Universal Shipping, but i don't know how long these contracts will stay. Yes the new contracts with Kusari will help us much, but they will not equal the loose of the Liberty ones. This would be a great setback for the ALG and an advantage for Daumann with their unhuman and inconsiderate production attitudes and methods."
Karl Stuermer made a short break and was taking a gulp of water.
"The head of the ALG already made decisions to avoid a setback. We have enforced our connections and relations to Krueger Mining and soon we will start many new joint ventures. So we will have an easier access to the minerals and metals Krueger is mining. We also made an agreement with Rheinland Military which is setting us in the postion beeing the lonely company, providing the most shipbuilding components, while Republican Shipping will deliver everything else. Nevertheless we will get a shortage of recyclable materials. This is the point ladies and gentleman you have to take care. Everyone of you is not a trader only. You all are a kind of representatives and your goal must be to get as many contracts as possible. I'm sure we can establish a stronger presence in Kusari, since our relations to the GMG were grown well. And i'm sure we can set a foot in the door of the bretonian market, because BMM is not really an opponent in recycling."
He let his view strafe over the gathered ALG members. "As funny as it may sound, but the war for trash has began and we all must asure, ALG will be the winner. Not only for ALG, also for Rheinland to avoid business crashes like right after the terrible Eighty Year War."
The ALG director was ending his speach and a promotion of five firts class traders to new representatives followed. One of them, Georg Paulsen.
A last time Karl Stuermer was begging for attention. "Ladies and gentleman please contact your disponents, because of new tasks and changed transportation routes. Thats it. I wish you all good luck in your efforts."
The meeting was over and all left and the assembly room. Georg too.
"Herr Paulsen, one moment please", he heard the voice of Karl Stuermer and so he was waiting, while the ALG director was coming closer.
"Herr Paulsen i want you in my bureau tomorrow at 08.00 am. I have to speak with you about a very delicate task."
Georg, who was very tired after his flight was awake now. 'A delicate task? Sounds like out of books.' he was thinking. "Herr Stuermer i wanted to visit my fathers grave tomorrow. Couldn't that wait one day?. One day will not decide your war for trash. Its been a while i visited his grave and you know from a former speak, how close my father was to me."
Karl Stuermer faced a smile. "Always straight and honest, as usual."
"And never give up" added Georg. "A motto my father teached me."
"O.k. You have deserved a day off. So in two days, same time 08.00 am."
"Thank you Herr Stuermer."
They had a handshaking and Georg left the room to get the transport to Hamburg, but this 'Delicate Task' thing was not going out of his mind.
to be continued......
Note: "Herr" is a german adress, like "Mister" in english.
Georg was entering the bureau rooms of Dortmund. "Good Morning Frau Schmidt", he adressed his greetings to the assistant of the ALG director.
She was busy and had the back to Georg, but was turning arround imediately after his greeting. "Huh, must that be, Her Paulsen. You have scared me to death."
He faced a smile. "I'm sorry. It will not happen twice."
"Ja. You say that every time, when you have done this."
"Really? Seems i have forgotten it. Well, i'm getting old", he was kidding. "By the way, i have a meeting with Herr Stuermer at 08.00."
"Ja, i know. He is in his office and is waiting for you. You can go in."
So he smiled again, "Thanks Frau Schmidt." and entered the directors office, after knocking on the door.
Karl Stuermer was ending a holo call and stood up from his chair. "Ah, Herr Paulsen. Good morning."
"Good morning Herr Stuermer."
With a hand move the director was pointing to a chair. "Please take a seat. I'm with you in a moment."
So Georg was sitting down, while Karl Stuermer went to his office door and opened it again. "Frau Schmidt. I want to be not disturbed for the next hour at no circumstances. Even if a whole Hessian fleet is attacking Dortmund!"
"Jawohl Herr Stuermer. Got it."
"Thanks"
He was closing the door and went back to his desk and taken a seat on his chair.
"Herr Paulsen, you are looking well rested."
Georg lifted one eyebrow "I have tried to make the best of my day off. It was a short time to chill, but it has helped much."
"Ja, i know about the Liberty tours. Its not only you, who has to suffer. All crews on these tours, forgive me my words, are pissed off. I know times, these tours were beloved. Short and not to dangerous. Times have changed, but enough of this. I heard you are reunited with your family" Karl Stuermer was changing the
topic.
Georg had to smile "Well, reunited might be the wrong term. I have met my wife and brother several times on New London, while on the Bretonia Tour. I missed her and my children very much and next time i will meet my children too. I'm a bit anxiuos how my son will react, when he see me, hm."
"Head up Herr Paulsen, i'm sure you make it. I must say, the first time i have read your datas i was in doubt and thinking to fire the head of the employments office, after fireing you. You have prooved me wrong and today i'm proud to call you a well serving ALG employee. Good god, you were running through the ranks, but you have deserved every promotion and as i told on the meeting, your behavior to Kusari authorities has given us more opportunities. I never thought that we could ever get the same contract for Yokohama shipyard as we have for Yukawa shipyard. Today i'm optimistic we can also get a contract for all Kusari Battleships. I wish all our employees would act like you."
Karl Stuermer was taking a deep breath, while Georg had to smile once more.
"Thank you for praising me Herr Stuermer, but i cannot believe, you wanted to speak with me, just to praise me and to talk about my family. If i remember correct, you have spoken about, well, a delicate task."
The ALG director was shaking his head, but also with a smile. "Why all the time you must be so direct? You have deserved the praises and promotions. Enjoy it."
"Well, first i'm a, how to say, traditional Rheinlander? Means i don't like smalltalk. Second, the only thing that counts for me, is my family. Third, we are here for waste and not time disposal. I have wasted to much time when i layed down in my depressions and been selfish."
"Well, then let us come to the reason for this meeting." Stuermers face was becoming very serious "What we will speak about now, will never leave the walls here." He was entering some values on his desk and a holographic sheet showed up above the desk.
"What you can see here, Herr Paulsen, are the profit diagrams of our contracts."
Georg, who had some knowledges about economy, already had noticed it. "And?"
"You see the growing line at the very top? This is our contract with Liberty."
Georges eyes were becoming a bit wider. "I had no imagination, this contract would be that profitable."
"Ja. When it comes to waste, no one does notice, how important it can be. You can see all other contracts too."
Georg noticed the other very slow growing lines at the bottom.
Karl Stuermer continued. "Even if we summarize all other contracts, together they just are a bit more than half as worth as the Liberty contract."
"Whats about the Rheinland contract?"
"It isn't on this sheet, because we make no profit with, but you can imagine now the setback, when we loose the Liberty one."
"Sorry Herr Stuermer, but you mean, if we loose the Liberty one.", Georg was breaking the director.
"No,....., no, when we lose the Liberty one. When you was comming into my office i finshed a call, i had with our bureau on planet Manhattan. They were contacted by the Liberty gouvernement, because a request, what a conventional punishment would cost, when they cut the contract before the official end."
"Sorry, Herr Stuermer, to break you again, but why should they. As far as i have seen on my Tours, they have no possibility to recycle their own waste, except that one prison in Texas. In contrary they would been rather in need of a bigger contract with us."
"Don't worry Herr Paulsen i'm aware of the huge scrap fields in Texas and New York and the recycling possibilities of Liberty. Personally i guess, Liberty is preparing for an armed conflict."
Georg was sceptikal. "Do you really think. I mean, i've heard the rumors on both side of the border, also have read the news in the daily posts and yes, i felt the new hostile attitudes to Rheinland companies, but all of this is far away from an armed conflict or a war. Additionally i hope our gouvernement can lay down the crisis with political ways, because Rheinland cannot afford another war. Even today we have still to suffer under the results of the Eighty Year war, the Nomad crisis and the recent heavy border conflict with Corsairs."
The ALG director could not agree. "Call me a pessimist, but we will get an armed conflict, not a full scale war maybe, but an armed conflict, and i think Liberty doesn't take care, if Rheinland can afford such a conflict, but this is staying outside of our possibilities to take influence. It is the part of Daumann, but they are interested in Daumann only. They will make high profits with a war, by building warships.
Never mind, we have to ensure the surviving of ALG, to keep our employees and to provide the Oder shipyard with all supplies, they need. Fortunatly, our good connections to IMG and Gateway Shipping may help a bit. They have offered to ship the waste from Liberty to Rheinland via Bretonia, in the worst case. A verry expansive solution i may add, but we are in need for."
Georg looked at his director "If it is really that bad, what can we do?"
"Thats why you are here. The delicate task." The ALG director made another break, while Georg, verry curious, just looked at him.
"Before i continue, Herr Paulsen, let us something make clear again. I will state my intention and explain the task, i'm in hope you take. Right after you can decide, if you want to take it or not. Your decision, wether pro or contra will have no influence to your contract. If you don't agree, you will forget immediately what you have heard and this meeting never has taken place."
The ALG director lifted his eyebrows and his eyes were questioning Georg.
"No problem Herr Stuermer. I got the picture."
Georgs face was verry serious now too. The speech of the ALG director could have one meaning only. Something illegal.
The ALG director pressed his fingertips to each other. "Good. You have seen the diagram. If we cannot compensate the loss of the Liberty contract, we must quit a lot of jobs. I want to avoid this at all costs. I'm not a samaritan, but i have to take care about the future of ALG and in connection the future of Rheinland. We are on the best way to take away the burdens of the Eighty Year war. An upcoming conflict would be a terrible setback for Rheinland. Ok. the farmers in Stuttgart might be happy to chase away Synth Foods once and for all."
Georg was laughing about the last comment.
"Never mind", the ALG director continued. "Rheinland may come over this setback very quick, as soon as this conflict will end, but only if the Rheinland economy remains strong enough. ALG is becoming the upper hand to Daumann, which is good for the economy. We have doubled the number of employees in the last two years. It stops hopeless people in joining the Red Hessians or Bundschuh and less pirates and terrorists are always good for the economy and of course our own profits. Fortunately we don't have the problems, like Daumann and Republican Shipping have, but we will, if we are forced to quit jobs. Thats why the head of the ALG is looking for alternatives. We already made contracts with a few Freelancers, to benefit from their contacts and established small tours to Zoner stations, but this is not enough. Now we have choosen you to be the first of a new ALG division we want to set up."
"Why me?"
We had different reasons. Your negotiation skills, your military experience and we know about your recent two runs to Crete."
The ALG director smiled, when he was seeing the surprised face of Georg Paulsen.
"Sorry, Herr Stuermer, but a buddy of mine told me about a distress call from Corsairs. They had or still have a food shortage and i cannot stay beside, when children suffer starvation. So i supported them with food."
The ALG director made a calm down hand move. "No need to appologize for. In contrary, maybe you was able to make the first step to get good relations to the Corsairs. Reinforce them! The relations and the contacts!"
It was taken a while, til Georg noticed the importance of this casual spoken words. "What? This would be treason. The Rheinland gouvernement would terminate ALG for and Daumann would help gladly with.
You can't be serious with your suggestion. RM recently had heavy fights with corsair invaders and you want to deal with them? It is a great difference between helping their children with delivering foods and supporting them fully, with all they need to strike against Rheinland."
Karl Stuermer was focusing Georg. "Herr Paulsen, open your eyes! We have to look forward. What do you think is more important for Rheinland. A remaining strong ALG or a tiny bit better supported opponent? I beg you, the support we can serve with, will be an unnoticable addition to the Corsair efforts, but it will be a great benefit for ALG and as you may remember, Corsairs are enemies of the scourge of Rheinland, the Red Hessians."
"Sure you could be right, but i'm not happy with and in doubt that the benefit will be that great to keep ALG strong", Georg was countering.
"Don't be scared, this would be the first step only. Once you have established good relations to Corsairs, you might get access to more contacts in the Border- and Edge Worlds. I have knowledge about a mysterious group out there, which has good relations to Corsairs, The Order."
"Never heard about."
"Really? Hm, I cannot provide exact informations about them, but i know they are existing."
Georg was thinking for a minute. "Good, let us imagine i agree with, how it will be handled? Because Rheinland governement nevertheless will consider it as treason."
"Well, you and maybe some others will get new employment contracts. Like in your trial periode, you will have the status of a subcontractor. Therefore you will get a neutral Trader ID as replacement for the ALG ID.
You will have, of course, normal tours furthermore, but they are planned to give you a lot of time between them. In this time you would go for this special task, being responsible to yourself officially. Inofficially the head of ALG wants to be informed about your progressions. This special task will be out of books. I will try to use all the influence we have to cover this operation from behind and to subpress upcoming rumors about. For everything else you are on your own."
"Hm. i must agree. It sounds well thought and i see no problems with Rheinland authorities, because i never will lay my hands on contraband. Also there are Zoner stations between Rheinland and Corsair territory. This way i can support Zoners too, which may result in further contracts with Zoners." Georg smiled. "And it will satisfy my curiosity, because all the time i'm curious what might be out there."
The ALG director was becoming hopeful. "So you do agree and take this task?"
"Why not, but there is something to be sorted out before, because it will affect my private life. First, there is my family. As you know its a hard time for me and my family. Second. You have said, wether i do agree or not, it will not have an effect to my job. So why should i take the risk?"
"In the best interest for your family, don't tell any details and , of course, you will benefit from. You will be a subcontractor, means you keep a certain percentage of the profit and if everything is going well, i vote for that you will become the head of this special division. Additionally you can consider your operations as a kind of patriotism."
"Patriotism? About the promotion i'm not sure, because at the moment i like to fly my transport. Gives me a feeling of freedom, but it may come a time i prefer a quiet desk job."
Georg stood up and was holding his hand towards the director, which also stood up and was taking the hand and with a handshaking they finalized their agreement.
"Btw, Herr Paulsen, a desk job isn't as quiet as you think. Its a very stressful job. I can't say how relieved i am, that you take this task. I have full faith in you and i'm sure will not disappoint the ALG. You never know, maybe one day even the Rheinland governement will benefit from the new relations."
"Ja, Herr Stuermer, maybe they will."
"Oh, a word of advise at last. It would be better to get another transport. Your Heavy Tanker will remain for the standard tours, along with your former crew. Your brother has a garage at New London? Maybe he can help you with."
"I'm sure he can. I will contact him. Can't wait to see what pile of scrap he will find."
At the end both were talking about the details and soon Georg left the directors office with mixed feelings. Once he was fighting against Corsairs in its RM time, he now must do all what is possible to get their confidence. He was hoping that everything really would go well. He was also concerned, how his wife may react, but the ALG director was right. It is really a subtile kind of patriotism to go that way and not everyone will recognize it.
The assistant of Karl Stuermer had the back to Georg once more. "Have a good day", he said loud and once more, Frau Schmidt was scared.
"Get out", she was screaming with a smile.
Georg went to his small quarter on Dortmund station. There, he started the Neural Net and was uploading the private communication frequence of his brother. A few seconds later, Georg saw the familiar face.
