On Waldenburg Spaceport, one of the largest on Planet Holstein, was the nexus of most agricultural industries on the planet for transportation to outer space, most of it's cargo going to Mainz before being shipped to other regions of Rheinland, or even to other houses, depending on the clients.
A few blocks away from one of the shipping terminals, on a rented medium size office, was the branch of the Takarabune Company in Rheinland. It employed about 20 people, from native rheinlanders to resident kusarians of the system, with only one or two new interns sent from the main office in Shikoku.
The office dealt with the arrival of new shipments of the Takarabune to Rheinland, as well with the purchase of commodities to be sent back to Kusarian markets.
At the prime position, Hebishima looked with a troubled face at the semester reports of the company activities. While the demand for Blue Jillies was still increasing by a small percentage, the the increased prices for Holstein Cigars and the reduced sales at home where creating some clouds on the projection figures for the end of the year.
Furthermore, he had noticed that fewer transports of the Company were being assigned to come to the Rheinland sector, but he wasn't sure that the main office had noticed the drop in business volume being made with the local partners.
No, he thought, the reason was probably something else. Whatever The Fisherman planned, it was always with great consideration of the scarce resources the company could dispose of. "Could be related with the Unioners turning silent again...." he mused.
The wall clock chimed the 4th hour in the afternoon, and his computer terminal made the hourly checkup on several programs.
Updated prices, reports of another delivery of Kyushu Rice to Baden Baden, maintenance schedule.... and a new message from the Chief Supervisor.
Hebishima sense something strange about the timing of a message from the Fisherman, and tensed a little as he moved to open the new neural net message.
Instead of a video message, a simple text message addressed to him was present. As he began to read, his troubled expression turned serious.
"To Hebishima
Operation Doitsu no Yari has not achieved the expected results, and operations have been reduced to the minimum as you have noticed.
Today, our patrons decided to not expend more resources on this scenario, and shifted their focus back to Home services.
The Rehinland branch is to cease functions within the next week, sell all non essential assets, and return to Ksuari.
I leave the details to you Hebishima. Let me know when the last ship departs, and when you will arrive.
Thank you for all the hard work.
The Fisherman"
Hebishima was appalled with the sudden decision. He had hoped that the business at home were going well enough to keep sustaining the expanding operation abroad. That the Supervisor and the patrons themselves abandoned the pretensions of establishing a permanent presence in Rheinland meant that their presence within Kusari was being contested.
"Now was not he time to consider that, however." He thought, while making a list of the first files to pack, as well as to how to deal with each employee of the branch.
Most of the Rheinlanders worked since the creation of the office, but he doubted most of them would be able to adapt to the stiff corporate world in New Tokyo or Honshu, if the Fisherman decided not to post them somewhere in Junyo.
The Kusarians were well established in Rheinland, and even fewer would want to return to Kusari anytime soon. Having them stay in Rheinland would be better for both sides, he considered.
Closing his computer, he picked up his coat, and after talking to some of the staff about the recent Big Dragon transport, he headed out to a meeting on the other side of the city.