Sailing away from Ruluka Island on a large Marine Galleon, a cowboy-hat wearing Lieutenant let out an unintentional sigh.
“You’re letting him work you too hard.” Said a feminine voice from behind him, who wasn’t immediately responded too.
But after gazing into the horizon for a while, she was answered by a dismissive shake of the head: “I don’t reckon that to be true, the Captain has his own responsibilities, and it can’t be said he asks any of us to do anything that he wouldn’t do himself.”
“But these are his ideals.” Fia said as a matter of fact, then continued: “and poorly executed ones at that.”
Shrugging his shoulders, Ranse turned and looked at the young woman, his brown hair having grown longer than he was used to made him brush it off to the side.
Showing off a million-dollar smile, like an old western hero, he said back: “Well that can hardly be blamed on him, Clockwork Island and Little East Blue was just bad medicine. Even still, look at what we’ve done in just a couple of years.”
This much was true by regular Marine standards, although Fia knew that Ranse must also understand that for them it wasn’t quite the same. The fact was that their initial group of five had more battle strength than most battleship squadrons used in the Lower Blue’s.
But she wouldn’t argue that point, and looking at the young man in front of her said: “Well, I still think he’s put too much on you. Look at all this.” she waved a hand around: “He left you in charge of hundreds of people and the recruits and even the captured pirates back on Hannibal!”
Looking confused for a second, Ranse asked quietly: “Fia, what’s wrong? Why’re you bringing this up now. It’s not like you to be bellyaching.”
“I don’t know.” She said after a moments of silence, then continued: “I just feel like it’s not right, that’s all, and I had to say it out loud.”
Smiling again, Ranse pulled her by the shoulder beside him then turned back around to the horizon.
“In a couple of months, we’ll be back in New Haven, then we’ll be able to take it a little easier for a while.”
After Ranse said this, the two continued to talk for a period of time. They discussed the Swordsmen Instructor that Sasha and recruited, along with the general Department plans.
They would expand first expand operations into the East Blue.
That body of water had yielded the most contacts of anywhere they had gone. With Nelson’s influence at Frauce Kingdom, they also had ‘ins’ with the Conomi and Polestar Islands along with several smaller towns on route to those larger locations. This coupled to the location of New Haven would ensure that things would start progressing steadily once negotiations were finalized.
It was hoped by all parties involved that Hannibal would be the last major military operation their Department would have to be a part of and from here on out they could focus on their business plans.
Whatever the future would hold, for now this was their main course of action.
After a while the two Lieutenants split up to do their own work, Ranse passed by Henzo and his five young friends, greeted them, and then went into the Victory’s Medical Bay.
This space was a very important and heavily used part of the ship, but there was only one single long-term patient here.
Behind false walls to give a sense of privacy, Ranse poked his head and looking at a man reading a book asked: “How’re you doin partner?”
Closing the book, the pink haired man looked up and answered neutrally: “Not bad, I can move a little more every day.” Giving a smile and taking a chair, Ranse sat across from the man on the bed.
Across from him was naturally Shuraiya Bascud, the Bounty Hunter who had informed them about the Dead End Race and who had broken his back during the operation.
By pure chance Bascud had been reunited with his ‘dead’ sister, who as a baby had been rescued by a slave of Gasparde, and since the old former slave had some mechanical skill, he joined the Science Division on an eight-year contract – earning the trio the right to travel back to New Haven.
The injury would take many months to heal naturally, and while Ranse had come to visit the patient from time to time, this time he was here for a different reason.
The Procurement Department under Captain Ox never set out to be a massive military force, but the realities of the world required some amount of power for safety if nothing else. This was why despite being a technical department, it was decided to have 20% of their current force of Marines to be trained as an elite fighting force.
Furthermore, this was why they would have a Sword Instructor at all. It was common knowledge that only very small percentage of people could become powerful swordsmen, but they were willing to use the resources to hopefully find a few diamonds in the rough.
And like the Sword Instructor was important, any good lawman would understand the need for proper intel, and with a very successful Bounty Hunter falling in their lap and grateful to them, Ranse knew that they couldn’t let him go.
So, Ranse had convinced Bill that they needed to have an Intelligence operation and now was going to recruit who they would have to lead that branch.
“I saw that Adelle began sitting in for some of the Navigation classes.” Ranse started to break the ice by reminding Bascud exactly what they had to offer.
Smiling at the mention of his sister, Bascud replied: “She’s been in a lot of the technical classes, but isn’t happy that Biera wants her to go to regular school once we get to New Haven.”
“Good!’ Ranse said excitedly, and then continued: “If there’s one thing that the Science Division has going for it, it’s definitely books! And as Dr. Vegapunk himself says, you can never have too many technicians.”
“Haha, I’d say, even though the old man and I would like it, she’s too feisty to turn into any kind of technician. Heh, unless there’s a technician needed to taste honey.”
Nodding his head to this, Ranse first spoke about food and then continued to speak tangentially in praise of New Haven and the Science Division’s goal.
“You know, Dr. Vegapunks dream is to provide free energy for the entire world, and that’s just fine, but Bill’s dream is a little different.
Giving Ranse a look that said, ‘what’s that?’ the cowboy continued: “Bill’s dream is to make it where no one’s got to be poor if’n they don’t want to be.”
Laughing out loud at this, Bascud started to cough and then moan in pain from the movement: “O’o’oh god, you bastard, don’t make me laugh like that!
I don’t know anything about science, but I know about being poor. No more poor people? that’s not a dream, it’s a fantasy. Giving people the option to be rich or poor.. heh.”
Shrugging his shoulders in response, Ranse just answered: “It’s not just a single choice to stop being poor, and Bill ain’t sayin that everyone’ll be rich. Only that he wants to create a system that creates value.
Not everyone has to be rich for less people to be poor.”
Having lived a hard life, Bascud could only shake his head, but to not estrange the person in front of him, he asked: “And how does he plan to do that?”
With this question, Ranse knew that he would get him and started to explain their development plans.
“Ya see.” He started “We originally had the ideas to sell things that would make the lives of everyday people easier. Back then we figured that would give people more time to do other things.”
This was the original idea for the washing machines and other time-saving inventions that Bill had envisioned. Having himself lived through the era between 1930 to 2020 Bill had witnessed firsthand how much better life had become thanks to microwaves, ovens, and other modern appliances.
“But.” He continued: “We eventually learned that it was impossible, from our home base we couldn’t supply the large area that we needed and still make money.”
“So?” Bascud asked, and Ranse resumed: “So then we had to come up with a new plan, one that will assuredly work better.”
After that, Ranse described what their plans had become.
To say nothing of Island Nobility, even most island mayors didn’t want the Science Division for anything besides building weapons or infrastructure. Since weapons were not an option, Bill decided to leverage infrastructure projects with the rights to build manufacturing at the same time.
With supervisors from the Science Division, they would hire laborers from the local population and train them in the skills needed for whatever factory they had built.
Then over the course of a few years, once the projects were completed and their contracts were set to expire, they would sell the factories off to the workers.
What made this so profitable was that firstly the islands themselves would be paying for costs of the new laborers, and secondly that they would nearly eliminate the costs for dangerous shipping.
Bills first idea was to create convoys that went island-to-island for trading, but now it was to create central hubs of economic activity and have the new businesses go themselves to neighboring islands for resources.
This process was already slowly happening, but while most of the world was stuck in 1600-1700’s era technology the Science Division had access to technology hundreds of years more advanced than that.
With this outrageous advantage, Bill knew he could supercharge a technological revolution!
Vegapunk wanted free energy for everyone, but what did that matter if people still relied on charcoal and wood to melt their alloys or heat their homes?
After staying silent for a while, Bascud said: “That’s sounds interesting, I hope you can succeed, I really do.”
Then, dropping the bomb he had come for Ranse leaned over and spoke.
“That’s going to be hard, without you.”
Walking out of the Medical Bay sometime later, Ranse smirked. Sasha had gotten them a Swordsmen Instructor, but he?
He got them the beginnings of an Intelligence operation.
UberNuber If you enjoy the fanfic hit the heart icon and consider leaving a rating!
Over the years there had been a change to the plans!
Bascud (reminder)
Spoiler [collapse]Adelle
Spoiler [collapse]
Sailing away from Ruluka Island on a large Marine Galleon, a cowboy-hat wearing Lieutenant let out an unintentional sigh.
“You’re letting him work you too hard.” Said a feminine voice from behind him, who wasn’t immediately responded too.
But after gazing into the horizon for a while, she was answered by a dismissive shake of the head: “I don’t reckon that to be true, the Captain has his own responsibilities, and it can’t be said he asks any of us to do anything that he wouldn’t do himself.”
“But these are his ideals.” Fia said as a matter of fact, then continued: “and poorly executed ones at that.”
Shrugging his shoulders, Ranse turned and looked at the young woman, his brown hair having grown longer than he was used to made him brush it off to the side.
Showing off a million-dollar smile, like an old western hero, he said back: “Well that can hardly be blamed on him, Clockwork Island and Little East Blue was just bad medicine. Even still, look at what we’ve done in just a couple of years.”
This much was true by regular Marine standards, although Fia knew that Ranse must also understand that for them it wasn’t quite the same. The fact was that their initial group of five had more battle strength than most battleship squadrons used in the Lower Blue’s.
But she wouldn’t argue that point, and looking at the young man in front of her said: “Well, I still think he’s put too much on you. Look at all this.” she waved a hand around: “He left you in charge of hundreds of people and the recruits and even the captured pirates back on Hannibal!”
Looking confused for a second, Ranse asked quietly: “Fia, what’s wrong? Why’re you bringing this up now. It’s not like you to be bellyaching.”
“I don’t know.” She said after a moments of silence, then continued: “I just feel like it’s not right, that’s all, and I had to say it out loud.”
Smiling again, Ranse pulled her by the shoulder beside him then turned back around to the horizon.
“In a couple of months, we’ll be back in New Haven, then we’ll be able to take it a little easier for a while.”
After Ranse said this, the two continued to talk for a period of time. They discussed the Swordsmen Instructor that Sasha and recruited, along with the general Department plans.
They would expand first expand operations into the East Blue.
That body of water had yielded the most contacts of anywhere they had gone. With Nelson’s influence at Frauce Kingdom, they also had ‘ins’ with the Conomi and Polestar Islands along with several smaller towns on route to those larger locations. This coupled to the location of New Haven would ensure that things would start progressing steadily once negotiations were finalized.
It was hoped by all parties involved that Hannibal would be the last major military operation their Department would have to be a part of and from here on out they could focus on their business plans.
Whatever the future would hold, for now this was their main course of action.
After a while the two Lieutenants split up to do their own work, Ranse passed by Henzo and his five young friends, greeted them, and then went into the Victory’s Medical Bay.
This space was a very important and heavily used part of the ship, but there was only one single long-term patient here.
Behind false walls to give a sense of privacy, Ranse poked his head and looking at a man reading a book asked: “How’re you doin partner?”
Closing the book, the pink haired man looked up and answered neutrally: “Not bad, I can move a little more every day.” Giving a smile and taking a chair, Ranse sat across from the man on the bed.
Across from him was naturally Shuraiya Bascud, the Bounty Hunter who had informed them about the Dead End Race and who had broken his back during the operation.
By pure chance Bascud had been reunited with his ‘dead’ sister, who as a baby had been rescued by a slave of Gasparde, and since the old former slave had some mechanical skill, he joined the Science Division on an eight-year contract – earning the trio the right to travel back to New Haven.
The injury would take many months to heal naturally, and while Ranse had come to visit the patient from time to time, this time he was here for a different reason.
The Procurement Department under Captain Ox never set out to be a massive military force, but the realities of the world required some amount of power for safety if nothing else. This was why despite being a technical department, it was decided to have 20% of their current force of Marines to be trained as an elite fighting force.
Furthermore, this was why they would have a Sword Instructor at all. It was common knowledge that only very small percentage of people could become powerful swordsmen, but they were willing to use the resources to hopefully find a few diamonds in the rough.
And like the Sword Instructor was important, any good lawman would understand the need for proper intel, and with a very successful Bounty Hunter falling in their lap and grateful to them, Ranse knew that they couldn’t let him go.
So, Ranse had convinced Bill that they needed to have an Intelligence operation and now was going to recruit who they would have to lead that branch.
“I saw that Adelle began sitting in for some of the Navigation classes.” Ranse started to break the ice by reminding Bascud exactly what they had to offer.
Smiling at the mention of his sister, Bascud replied: “She’s been in a lot of the technical classes, but isn’t happy that Biera wants her to go to regular school once we get to New Haven.”
“Good!’ Ranse said excitedly, and then continued: “If there’s one thing that the Science Division has going for it, it’s definitely books! And as Dr. Vegapunk himself says, you can never have too many technicians.”
“Haha, I’d say, even though the old man and I would like it, she’s too feisty to turn into any kind of technician. Heh, unless there’s a technician needed to taste honey.”
Nodding his head to this, Ranse first spoke about food and then continued to speak tangentially in praise of New Haven and the Science Division’s goal.
“You know, Dr. Vegapunks dream is to provide free energy for the entire world, and that’s just fine, but Bill’s dream is a little different.
Giving Ranse a look that said, ‘what’s that?’ the cowboy continued: “Bill’s dream is to make it where no one’s got to be poor if’n they don’t want to be.”
Laughing out loud at this, Bascud started to cough and then moan in pain from the movement: “O’o’oh god, you bastard, don’t make me laugh like that!
I don’t know anything about science, but I know about being poor. No more poor people? that’s not a dream, it’s a fantasy. Giving people the option to be rich or poor.. heh.”
Shrugging his shoulders in response, Ranse just answered: “It’s not just a single choice to stop being poor, and Bill ain’t sayin that everyone’ll be rich. Only that he wants to create a system that creates value.
Not everyone has to be rich for less people to be poor.”
Having lived a hard life, Bascud could only shake his head, but to not estrange the person in front of him, he asked: “And how does he plan to do that?”
With this question, Ranse knew that he would get him and started to explain their development plans.
“Ya see.” He started “We originally had the ideas to sell things that would make the lives of everyday people easier. Back then we figured that would give people more time to do other things.”
This was the original idea for the washing machines and other time-saving inventions that Bill had envisioned. Having himself lived through the era between 1930 to 2020 Bill had witnessed firsthand how much better life had become thanks to microwaves, ovens, and other modern appliances.
“But.” He continued: “We eventually learned that it was impossible, from our home base we couldn’t supply the large area that we needed and still make money.”
“So?” Bascud asked, and Ranse resumed: “So then we had to come up with a new plan, one that will assuredly work better.”
After that, Ranse described what their plans had become.
To say nothing of Island Nobility, even most island mayors didn’t want the Science Division for anything besides building weapons or infrastructure. Since weapons were not an option, Bill decided to leverage infrastructure projects with the rights to build manufacturing at the same time.
With supervisors from the Science Division, they would hire laborers from the local population and train them in the skills needed for whatever factory they had built.
Then over the course of a few years, once the projects were completed and their contracts were set to expire, they would sell the factories off to the workers.
What made this so profitable was that firstly the islands themselves would be paying for costs of the new laborers, and secondly that they would nearly eliminate the costs for dangerous shipping.
Bills first idea was to create convoys that went island-to-island for trading, but now it was to create central hubs of economic activity and have the new businesses go themselves to neighboring islands for resources.
This process was already slowly happening, but while most of the world was stuck in 1600-1700’s era technology the Science Division had access to technology hundreds of years more advanced than that.
With this outrageous advantage, Bill knew he could supercharge a technological revolution!
Vegapunk wanted free energy for everyone, but what did that matter if people still relied on charcoal and wood to melt their alloys or heat their homes?
After staying silent for a while, Bascud said: “That’s sounds interesting, I hope you can succeed, I really do.”
Then, dropping the bomb he had come for Ranse leaned over and spoke.
“That’s going to be hard, without you.”
Walking out of the Medical Bay sometime later, Ranse smirked. Sasha had gotten them a Swordsmen Instructor, but he?
He got them the beginnings of an Intelligence operation.
UberNuber If you enjoy the fanfic hit the heart icon and consider leaving a rating!
Over the years there had been a change to the plans!
Bascud (reminder)
Spoiler [collapse]Adelle
Spoiler [collapse]