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Ambassador to the Archipelago


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After a forty-eight hour layover in Para that would see a full maintenance check done on South Africa's chariot of diplomacy, the "flying circus" would depart the New World to begin its tour in the Far Eastern lands, flying across South America and going "feet wet" over the Pacific Ocean. The first visit to the Far East would see Adolph Paton en route to the island nation of Selenarctos, one of the oldest nations in the region and one well respected by the global community for its longevity and steady oversight of the East Indies and Oceanic Region alongside other notable nations in the region.

 

"I have always heard that Manila was a lovely city, very colorful if my recollection serves me well," remarked Adolph, looking across his desk at his Zawilza, his ever-attentive chief of staff, as one of the planes' flight attendants, Elizabeth Atwater, served them tea.

 

"If I may interject sir, it is quite the city, and during my time as a civilian flight attendant, spent many a night in layover there, it is quite the vibrant city as of my last memory of it," responded Atwater, with a smile, as she poured tea for Zawilza. "And there is no shortage of beaches either."

 

"Quite," nodded Adolph, thanking her with a nod and a smile as he sipped the hot tea gingerly.

 

"It would be quite the accomplishment to succeed in walking away from Selenarctos with a diplomatic arrangement that benefited us both," said Zawilza, as the flight attendant excused herself from the office. "Selenarctos and Tianxia both have significant influence within the Indonesian and Oceanic realm, and establishing an understanding with them both puts a foot in the door for trade and commerce into the region. A successful parlay with both could lead to mutually beneficial arrangements, and even possibly a strategic one in the future."

 

"I see you didn't spend the last two days sleeping."

 

"You're the face man, Mr. President, you're the one who has to do the talking and know the facts, I'm the one that gets you them."

 

"And I thank you for that, I better see you take at least eight hours of sleep on this flight, you're looking a little strung out Roland," said Adolph, as he looked at the briefing packet in front of him.

 

"Sir, I can sl-."

 

"I don't want to make that an executive order," chuckled Adolph, as he nodded for Zawilza to take his leave and get some sleep in the aircraft's berthing quarters. Zawilza only grinned, and would adjust his sport coat, before nodding at the President, and taking a step out the door. Adolph would smile lightly, as his eyes swiveled to look out the window at the pristine waters of the Pacific Ocean, it would be his first trip to Asia, and he hoped to make the best of it...

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A crisp, cloudless day greeted the President's plane as it approached Selenarctos. Long before the green coastline came into view though, the thin white ribbon of Selenarctos' orbital launch loop greeted the approaching jet, well above it's cruising altitude at nearly eighty kilometers and retreating slowly southward as the plane flew on to Manila.

Continuing eastward, the plane would begin to descend but just as the green coastline appeared in front of the plane, the aircraft controller from Manila redirected the plane north to avoid Naga City Commmonwealth airspace, flying north, then due east on approach to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.

Rural farmland quickly gave way to the outskirts of Manila, dense heavy industry that formed the foundation of the greater Manila economy, and with it the fine industrial particulate pollutants. A strong wind from the north had cleared some of the worst of Manila's smog out for the moment, but a scattering of heavy metals and the newest emissions provided a slight haze.

Descending lower as they moved towards the city's center, Manila's industry became mixed then replaced with high density housing: apartment buildings of various displaying levels of affluence grew from a handful to dozens of stories with alarming speed before giving way entirely to Manila's commercial center: skyscrapers standing as massive monuments to Selenarctos' economic and technological prowess.

Then the plane was on the ground, Manila flight control routing the South African plane through others waiting on the runway and on to NAIA's diplomatic receiving terminal. Down the ramp, the arriving head of state was greeted by a polished honor guard from the 16th Mechanized, complete with a sergeant in full dress uniform whirling a Kampilan combat sword up into a salute, the tip of the sword's blade singing through the terminal's cool, dry air. Dr. Odon Zelaya, the Secretary of the Economy stepped forward, offering a half bow and handshake--Selenarctos' culturally mixed greeting--to the arriving man. "Welcome to Selenarctos Mr. President. I hope your stay is both productive and enjoyable," A photographer snapped several pictures of both men as the Secretary spoke. "If your flight was not too arduous, our first destination is an industrial complex not far from here where the Artega Group has setup a demonstration of their Advanced Manufacturing Techniques. The route there should provide excellent views of downtown Manila, and President Romero will meet us at the Capital Building afterwards."

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The sight of the launch loop itself was testament enough to the prowess of Selenarctos, but as the government airliner made landfall and closed in Manila, it was clear that Selenarctos had done very well for itself throughout the years of sovereignty it enjoyed. The towering spires of commerce and residence mixed in the city's center mixed with the outskirts that were full of the fires of industry. It was a land that had arguably reached its peak in the world, and the grandeur of the city was a blatant testament to that true fact.

 

Having thankfully been rerouted ahead of a number of flights that were departing or incoming to Manila, Adolph Paton and his delegation, after the long flight from South America, would be thankful just to be on the ground again as the aircraft taxied up to the gate. Not only was the views from the aircraft exquisite, but the exclusive receiving terminal and the honor guard that populated it. He would offer a salute to the honor guard, and was thoroughly impressed with the reception given to him, by both the smart-dressed modern soldiers, as well as the sergeant offering a salute with a more traditional Filipino weapon.

 

"Well met, sir," responded Adolph, with a firm handshake, and taken a little aback by the additional bow, which he tentatively returned, as news cameras flashed and sounded around them as they greeted one another. "I daresay as much time spent on the ground at this point, is welcome in any way, I had plenty of rest on the long flight from South America. A tour of one of your factories would certainly be a welcome departure from the flying can that brought us here," he responded, upon Zelaya's offer of showing the President to an industrial facility. "I look forward to learning more about the beautiful country I only caught a glimpse of from the sky."

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"Of course--El Nido on Palawan is particularly beautiful this time of year, if you'll accept my oppinion. I can arrange for accommodations if you would like to take a break from your busy safari schedule," Dr. Zelaya escorted Adolph past the newsmen as he spoke, the welcoming party breaking apart as the leaders stepped onto an escalator that took them down underneath the diplomatic receiving terminal. Below, a parking garage with a line of armored limousines awaited them. Members of the Presidential Security Group clad in their distinctive SCUs stepped respectfully to attention as the leaders approached, holding open a doors for the President's staff and a deputy to Dr. Zelaya's Department of Economics who joined them.

"Victor Nevarez," Dr. Zelaya introduced the young Filipino man, "He knows much more of the history of the area we'll be driving through than I do, so I'll defer the details to of our surroundings to him if you have any questions. Ninoy Aquino International Airport is near the heart of downtown Manila, the area that has seen greatest growth over the last decade and a half. National government policy has focused heavily on economic development in Manila. Your plane arrived from the East, correct? Below as you first approached was the Manilan industrial base that drives our high-tech exports. The Selenarctos government spends a significant portion of it's budget on research and development of new technologies; the Orbital Launch Loop is but a single example, though a large and obvious one, that developed our manufacturing base for advanced materials. The launch loop was fabulously expensive when the late President Diokno commissioned its construction, but the infrastructure it produced: thanks to Diokno's investment the new factories, technologies, and skilled workers easily transitioned over to consumer production. The Manila skyline would have been nearly impossible a decade ago if they were built with steel, but carbon-carbon polymers and a dozen other developments well beyond my level of expertise make our newest constructions lighter and stronger than any before."

As soon as everyone was on board, the line of limousines drove out through the garage's heavy sealed door. A pair of Terrex APCs joined the convoy, one at either end, as they pulled onto the streets and each limousine's air conditioning system switched on, quietly supplying the occupants with cool, air conditioned, pollution-free air. Outside the street had been cleared of cars in preparation for the convoy's passage but the sidewalks were packed with pedestrians. Filipino remained the dominant ethnic group in Selenarctos by a large margin, but the streets were mixed with a scattering of Asians, Indians, and Caucasians too. Western-style business suits dominated the professional crowd, as they did around the world, and a western-Filipino style mix worn by the leisurely crowd added to the mass. On all but the occasional tourist or unfortunate street person, a small face mask over the nose and mouth linked the crowd together. From simple disposable masks to expensive microfilter masks with a clear polycarbonate window over the mouth, people dressed for the air quality. Even today, when air was uncharacteristically clean, a slight haze was still visible above the city if one looked closely.

The convoy's path carried them south away from downtown Manila and onto a raised three-lane highway, cleared of cars like the streets behind them. The streets passing under them were filled with cars, bikes, mopeds, and people in a gridlock that stretched across the city. The buildings the streets served mirrored the citizen's eclectic mix. Traditional colored brick, stone and wood buildings stood side-by-side with brick, metal and glass buildings built during economic boom of the Central Government's early years, sealed polymer buildings built more recently, and even a few colonial buildings still standing in a estimate to the Spaniards quaint style. Throughout the city new buildings were being built and old ones torn down or renovated as the flow of money, status and style advanced in circles.

Finally the convoy pulled off the highway and into an industrial district where rows of factories and warehouses stretched to the horizon. Utilitarian concrete and polymer buildings stood five to six stories around them, some even taller. Some of the factories were offline right now, Victor Nevarez explained, regearing for a new production line of microchips. They factory they would be visiting had just finished refitting and was put back online last month. They would arrive in just a few more minutes, Nevarez assured the President, and then he would have a chance to stretch his legs.

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"I might have to take you up on that offer on going to Palawan, Doctor Zelaya," said Adolph, with a grin as they broke through the ranks of media taking snapshots and rolling film to an escalator that broke them away from the throng of the initial greeting party. "Its been a long couple weeks." he added, as they arrived at the bottom of the escalator to the sight of a group of armored limousines that appeared to be very well afforded with some of the heaviest protection he had seen to date during his 'safari'.

 

"Its a pleasure, Mr. Nevarez," nodded Adolph, greeting the aide that Zelaya introduced to him as their government 'tour guide' of sorts, as they all piled into the group of vehicles that had been afforded to them.

 

Adolph would listen attentively to Zelaya's explanation of the area around Manila, and the route that the South Africans had taken over the city before arriving at the airport. He nodded at certain times to affirm he was listening as the convoy got underway, and he smiled lightly at the explanations provided by Zelaya. "The progress your nation now sees right now, is certainly the result of careful planning over time, there is no doubt about that. Your late President's push for technological prowess certainly shows, Doctor Zelaya, South Africa is looking for a similar approach when it comes to new industries as we push economic growth within our own borders. Improvements in manufacturing certainly can produce many notable wonders, just one of which being that launch loop of yours, which I may have to get the South African Space Agency interested in possibly looking into working cooperatively with you in some future endeavors."

 

As they passed out of the dimness of the parking garage, Adolph was not completely unsurprised to be afforded further protection of two armored personnel carriers, as security was similarly tight for many government officials in his home country as well. The throngs of pedestrians that lined the streets as they passed, and the masks they were, were stalwart reminders of the cost of progress. Selenarctos was certainly high in its class in technological advancement, but all progress came with a cost, and the sheer numbers of individuals living in Manila alone probably added to the weight of impact it brought on the air there. Nonetheless, he was quite attentive to notice the variety of styles, as well as cultures represented on the sidewalks of Manila, the a mixing pot of bustling individuals, many not paying attention to the convoy that moved quickly onto a raised highway above the throngs of traffic that surrounded them.

 

As Nevarez spoke of the industrial facilities that surrounded them as they entered a more production-based center of the city, Adolph would nod lightly as he listened to the aide speak of the industries that seemed to stretch across this portion of the town. "I must say I am very thoroughly impressed," he said, as he noted the re-tooling efforts being made. After nodding his thanks to Nevarez at a assurance that they would be stopping shortly, he would ask of the two officials, "What would you say is Selenarctos is most important export right now? And perhaps what kind of goods and services that it requires from international sources, if any?"

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"I'm sure our space program would be interested," Dr. Zelaya nodded to Adolph's suggestion of a cooperative endeavor. "Basic research in space has diminished around the world in recent years, and it would be a shame if the trend continued."

"As far as commodities, Selenarctos' largest exports are manufactured goods, industrial chemicals and electronics. The Artega Group's Advanced Manufacturing Technique is very important in our ongoing industrial modernization and development. Greater Manila ranks near the top for industrial output per worker, and we'll see why shortly. To feed the industry and infrastructure development, Selenarctos imports most of our previous metals. The Philippine islands, and Luzon in particular, possess huge reserves of coal, iron, and aluminum but little gold or platinum. We rely on imports for these as well as oil and rare earth metals, all of which are quite costly. We also import a fair amount of grains, meats and other staple foods that grow poorly in our climate."

As they arrived at their destination, the convoy of limousines pulled off the road, through a plain metal gate and into a parking lot in front of a grey building set apart from the others around it only by the presence of the parking lot that, in hindsight, the other builds lacked. A faint breeze rose from the ground as the stepped out of the cars, filtered air passed through tiny holes in the pavement ensured the air around them was fresh and clean, and the picket Presidential Security Group team maintained a respectful distance at the edges of the parking lot.

"Allow me to introduce Mr. Pedrozo Toro, a senior systems engineer with the Artega Group," Dr. Zelaya said by way of introduction to the man who greeted them at the building's entrance. Pedrozo wore a plain grey business suit with a small corporate logo over the left breast pocket that became visible as he preformed a short half bow and offered a handshake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. President, and on behalf of the Artega Group please allow me to welcome you to Factory 100." Pedrozo waved everyone through a pair of automatic doors to the factory's interior. The inside was clean and white, like a fancy hospital, and Pedrozo continued speaking as they passed through the otherwise-empty lobby. "Factory 100 is one of our demonstration factories. Factory 100 deviates slightly from the standard layout slightly to better show off our Advanced Manufacturing Technique, but otherwise is entirely functional: the main production floors finished reassembly last month and is currently manufacturing a line of computer chips for Electric Horizon."

Up a pair of escalators, the hallway opened up with windows on both sides. Their hallway was near the room's ceiling, and below them glossy machinery stretched wall to wall. Pedrozo paused here as he spoke. "Below us is one of Factory 100's production floors. There are eight such floors in Factory 100 alone, six running at full capacity like this one. If you look closely, you'll notice that--unlike most factories you may be familiar with--there are no workers present. The production floor has been sealed and running around the clock since chip production began a month ago, entirely automated. Automation is essential to the Artega Group's Advanced Manufacturing Technique: extensive investment in robotics, not just in the assembly line, but throughout the process allows us to maximize efficiency and flexibility. From the time a wafer arrives to the time it leaves, a production line, it is handled entirely by machined. This shouldn't come as a surprise: chip production has required this for a long time, but we've pushed this automation even further. Installation, calibration, and maintenance are all handled by robots. The factory can run night and day without stopping for weekends, shift changes, wage disputes, even injuries or damage to the machines is handled automatically. When faults are detected or yields drop below expected levels portions of the line can be disabled and products redirected to other lines while the machines are fixed or replaced. Not only is this highly efficient, but the reduction of human intervention allows us to remove nearly all organic contaminates from the production floor. This means better chips, higher yields, and cheaper products."

Pedrozo led the group past the windows, continuing down the hallway and around a corner to a second set of windows. A nearly identical room greeted the group below them, but instead of crowded machines the floor was nearly empty. A pair of large, white boxes opposite each other, each nearly eight meters tall with the Artega Group logo embossed into their front, and around the base small wheeled robots carried parts out of them and organized these on the floor. "I mentioned even installation was automated: each production floor begins like the one below you now. Along walls are a pair of Artega Group three dimensional printer. Capable of printing plastic, steel, polymers, titanium, liquids, and just about anything else a factory might want to use, they are one of the Artega Group's most important developments and closely guarded secrets.

"Now, this is usually the point when I am why we don't produce goods straight from the printers? Two reasons: money and money. Each fab is fabulously expensive and, while the printer's flexibility is unmatched, they are slow. To this day no one has bested the assembly line in terms of speed and efficiency. At the Artega Group, we've mastered a hybrid approach between 3D printing and the assembly line. The entire production floor, all of the machinery on it, the robots that assemble and maintain it, and replacement parts as they are needed are produced right on the floor by our printers. Production begins when the printers are installed, connected to raw material feeds, and told what to build. Once the printer has the plans, the rest is automatic. We don't need an assembly line to build our assembly line, we don't need a warehouse storing unused machinery or spare parts when something breaks, and we don't need to wait for shipping times. As long as our factories are supplied with raw materials they will continue to maintain themselves and produce goods until someone tells them to stop."

Pedrozo continue once more to a new set of windows, these alive with robots cutting and hauling machinery off of the production floor. "Finally, at the end of a production line's useful life, the old machinery is cut up and hauled off for recycling. As soon as the floor is clear construction of a new production line can begin, or in many cases it begins even as the old machinery is still being torn out. Because everything in the production floor is produced on site, what we can build is only limited by the size of the building.

"Our Advanced Manufacturing Technique fits with the Artega Group's business model even though we do not specifically build consumer goods because we lease our production floors to other companies. The floors here in Factory 100 were leased to Electric Horizon. Once an agreement was reached, we worked with their engineers to co-developed an assembly line that meet their needs. Then they purchased a number of production floors, we fed instructions into the printers, and the rest handled itself. The finished lines have been operational for a month and will keep producing for another four before Electric Horizon's lease ends. After that, they might continue to produce computer chips, cars or kitchen appliances depending on who leases the space. Besides Electric Horizon, the Artega group has major contracts with nearly every large manufacturer in Greater Manila including Ersch Electronics, Hernandes-Segura Systems, General Metals and Bulldog Armored Vehicles, with whom we produce the Selenarctos Air Force's most advanced F-X Strike Fighter," Pedrozo finished with a small dramatic flourish.

"This concludes our tour of Factory 100. We'll be passing back above each of the production floors you've seen; feel free to take your time and ask any questions you may have as we do, and please take one of my business cards," Pedrozo passed them out to the South African visitors, "I or one of my colleagues will be available at any time if you have more questions or need to reach the Artega Group in the future."

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"I will certainly refer SASA to you to look into possible orbital-associated ventures in the future, they are looking for viable means to put equipment into space without the use of pad-launched booster rockets," replied Paton, as they proceeded through Manila into a more industrialized portion of the city. "I agree that there has certainly been a drop in space-related news and developments, despite the advantages in science and communications that orbital assets provide."

 

"South Africa has mixed economy that is moving towards heavy industrial development, but we also have significant mineral extraction and refinement industries that fuel that industry, as well as the ability to easily supply the needs of other nations. The Northern Territory of Angola provides us with a fuel source, and South Africa is also stable in terms of agriculture, perhaps we may be able to work out an arrangement later on. We're looking for developing partnerships abroad, and it sounds as though we may have a good match to your own nation's import needs."

 

Paton would look around interestedly as the armored limousines would pull into a parking facility in the industrial district, and the door would be opened for the two officials. Paton would find the breeze of fresh air to be welcome in the heavy air of the parking lot that was dominated by factories that surrounded them. He noted that the security teams and their armored vehicles kept their distance, trying to evoke a sense of distance between themselves and the President, but also an aura of security that made him feel relaxed in the monolithic city that was Manila. Having observed the customary greeting that Selenarctos incorporated now, he would greet the Artega Senior Systems Engineer with a similar gesture of his own, and a polite smile.

 

"Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Toro," nodded Paton, as Toro ushered them into the production facility, that seemed to be more like a hospital than a factory, and the interior appeared to be quite cleaner than any South African facility he had frequented. He would listen attentively to Toro's explanation of the manufacturing process that he saw before him, and his eyes seemed to widen as he looked at the production facility. The complete automation of the production process was astounding, even to the technologically-savvy President who was known for being on his tablet computer during cabinet meetings. The self-sufficiency of the facility itself also was impressive in and of itself, being able to "print" out its own spare parts, and replace assemblies with complete automation, with very limited intervention.

 

"I'm guessing that although there is limited human intervention in the facility during the production process, you have to have significant need for industrial computer programmers whilst reconfiguring for new orders?" asked Paton, when Toro paused for a moment. "This kind of hybridization of the assembly line and the use of 3D printing, a topic I have very little knowledge in, seems to be a very impressive way of managing a facility such as this."

 

Paton wasn't completely overwhelmed by the degree of automation set before him, but his eyes seemed to light up at the possibilities that such technology and means of production could yield. It was an industry that he could see South Africa being interested in, but he also had to take into account some of the realities of his up-and-coming nation. That said, he would be very attentive as Toro went over the basics of production setup and re-engineering for the facility, as well as the customers that were associated with the company. Instead of being a fixed production line that built only a certain line of products, it basically was an all-purpose line that seemed to be very economical. The South African staffers that were following seemed to be chattering excitedly as well about the facility they had been introduced to.

 

As they finished up their tour, Paton would smile enthusiastically at Toro as they began making their way back through the process again, after taking the Toro's card, and thanking him profusely for the tour. "The systems at work here are simply wondrous, and the techniques and processes certainly make this a very multifaceted facility, which is a key to your ventures' success. Does your company provide three-dimensional printing fabricators itself? I think there may be some South African firms who could be interested in similar production techniques."

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Pedrozo Toro answered the President's questions about the factory, "Yes, the design and installation instructions to the printers and assembly robots were all created manually. Since them we have developed a set of algorithms that allow recursive assembly of almost any layout you can imagine. The layout itself must be manually designed however, and the process is particularly labor intensive.

"Generally when Artega and a client enter into a leasing agreement, their industrial engineers work with a team of our own system engineers to design the production floor. In simple cases, if a floor needs an industrial crane for example, the design team pulls a model from one of our databases and sends the design the printer. For more complex endeavors or designs that must be developed from scratch, the design process can take months before the plans are ready to be sent to a printer. We've developed a series of software routines that help optimize floor layout for efficiency, but as you probably surmised the process requires a highly skilled labor force. Once the floor design is finished though, we can replicate the design in a single factory or a dozen as fast as we can supply them with raw materials."

Dr. Odon Zelaya took advantage of Toro's pause to continue, "In recent years, the supply of skilled workers coming from Greater Manila has been insufficient to meet the demand. We've implemented a series of education programs to train future generations and my office has worked closely with the Department of Humanities to modernize our immigration policy. Initially we added a fast track for anyone of at least one-eighth Filipino heritage living abroad who wished to return to Selenarctos. More recently, we've streamlined the process for companies to sponsor non-Filipino work visas and next year skilled workers will be able to apply for a work visa in Greater Manila without any sponsorship at all."

Toro nodded in agreement, "Yes, even in the Artega Group our employees are still a majority Filipino with no show signs of changing soon, but the new perspectives and ideas brought with the influx of other nationalities in recent years has been greatly beneficial.

"Traditionally no, the Argeta group has not sold standalone printers. There are a few exceptions of course, mostly to the Selenarctos Department of Security and a few academic institutions for special purposes, but as I briefly touched upon the Artega Group does not sell goods or commodities. I encourage you to pursue a relationship with the Artega Group if companies would be interested in partnering to develop Advanced Manufacturing Technique factories in South Africa. As this would be our first implementation outside of Greater Manila, the Selenarctos Government and Artega must work out any special circumstances but the obstacle is by no means insurmountable."

Once all of the South African President's questions were answered, the group returned to the parking lot where the limousines waiting. When everyone was once again seated, the convoy reformed and followed the same route they'd come on. Little had changed during their time in the factory: the streets were still just as crowed, the people still just as numerous as ever. Instead of taking the exit to the airport the convoy continued on into the heart of downtown Manila, threading between the massive polymer buildings until they urban jungle began to thin and, abruptly, ended. From the elevated highway they could see beyond the busy harbors, past the silt-laden shore-waters and out into the sapphire blue waters of the Manila Bay. Sun glistened off the white caps as the wind pushed up the surf, jostling past the large cargo ships carrying goods to and from the heart of Manila.

The view did not last long, for a short time later the convoy exited the highway down a ramp and back to street level, the water and polymer skyscrapers of earlier replaced by stone buildings of a distinctly classical style set amidst brick streets with only a few tourists wandering about. At last the convoy arrived at the Capital Building of Selenarctos, home to the Office of the President, and circled around the front to enter near the rear of the complex through a pair of guarded gates. The convoy came to a stop in an underground parking garage through a large heavy door that sealed behind the convoy, not unlike the one below the airport's diplomat terminal.

Leaving the garage everyone passed through a security checkpoint where everyone received a quick iris scan and unannounced millimeter wavelength back scatter scan through the walls. Members of the Presidential Security Group manning the checkpoint would eye the South African President's security guards warily if any were present, but would not ask them to hand over weapons before allowing them to pass. Once clear, Dr. Zelaya led the way into the Capital Building's main rotunda, where footsteps echoed off the smooth marble floor up into the domed roof above them. In the center stood President Hygin Romero hands clasped behind his back when Adolph Paton arrived. "Welcome to Selenarctos Mr. President, I hope your stay has been enjoyable thus far."


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Selenarctos Capital Building

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President Hygin Romero

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Paton would nod as Toro took his time going into depth about the process of setting up such a facility, and he looked thoroughly impressed by the sensibility and potential such a regime held for any nation that could utilize this sort of system. "And I'm sure as your clientele numbers increase, you have an exponential number of components stored in the database that you can interchangeably use," said Paton, having deduced such information from Toro's explanations. "This is a truly remarkable facility, Mr. Toro, something that I'm sure your government takes great pride in," he said, with a sideways glance and grin at Zelaya.

Listening to Zelaya's explanation on immigration reforms taking place, Paton would rest an arm against his chest, and rubbed at his chin, looking attentive, but also appearing to be in thought. When Toro spoke again of a possible partnership, he looked to be certainly considering the idea, and he nodded lightly as he folded his arms. "I'm sure that some firms from South Africa would certainly be willing to look into this type of manufacturing technique, and if such a partnership is forged, and is being developed, it might be wise to take the government up on its work visa offer, to train workers for work in future South African facilities," he noted. "Of course, such an idea is only spur of the moment right now, but such an advanced assembly line would be attractive to many firms in South Africa."

 

Paton would heartily and sincerely think Toro profusely for his firm allowing the tour of the wondrous facility, before being ushered back into the confines of the limousines that would bear them back into what seemed to be the commercial center of Manila. Paton would enjoy the views the raised highway gave them of Manila Bay, the seemingly pristine waters a highway of their own, a hub of commercial maritime activity. He appeared to be relaxed, although weary from his travels, with a youthful exuberance still in his eyes as the limousine passed into a part of the city that seemed to be a much more historical district.

 

The South African leader would seem very interested at the style of buildings that seemed to develop around them, the classical architecture and skilled masonry work evident in the buildings that dominated this part of Manila. He likened the district to be much like the historical districts of the old Colonial Cape Town, which were built in similar fashion to the city around him. The architecture around him seemed to be European in style, but infused well into capital of the Far Eastern powerhouse. Upon arriving in at the Capital Building, and admiring it for a few seconds as the convoy looped around it, Paton would step out of the car with an energetic spring in his step, and pass through security without incident.

 

Admiring the interior of the building as they walked, Paton would zero in on the man waiting for them in the main rotunda of the capital building, recognizing him from his diplomatic brief. He would step forward and offered to shake Romero's hand firmly, "A pleasure, President Romero, Dr. Zelaya has been most accommodating, and my regards to the Artega Group for their wonderful tour, it has been all quite wonderful thus far."

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"I'm glad to hear that," President Hygin Romero paused with the South African President while the presidential photographer took a quick shot of both leaders, then President Romero waved Paton through into his office, "I've been to Factory 100 a few times myself and each time I'm sure they've rearranged the place to make it even more impressive." The President's office was rather mild for a man of his position: natural light illuminated the room through tall windows, falling on the President's polished wooden desk and a set of chairs and sofas in a loose circle in front of it.

"You chose an opportune time to visit, Mr. President: it's a rare afternoon that we escape the Manila thundershowers. What do you say we move our meeting to the gardens?" President Romero waved to his personal assistant Ed Alfaro, a Filipino man in his early twenties.

"Certainly Mr. President, I'll tell your kitchen staff to bring refreshments to you there."

"And no doubt my security group too," President Romero laughed as Ed left the room. "They're a good bunch, all of them. God knows they're the ones who really run things around here. But to the gardens, it is." President Romero pressed lightly one of the window panes and the section slid open smoothly, forming a doorway onto the patio. Like the parking lot at Factory 100, fresh filtered air blew ever so slightly up through the cracks in the stone patio and walking paths leading deeper into the gardens, pushing ambient air out of the garden. Even so, the afternoon's heat and humidity were apparent, though not uncomfortable, as President Romero chose a path--seemingly at random--and led the way past brilliant examples of tropical trees, shrubs, flowers, and orchids. At the edge, carefully hidden in all but a few spots by greenery, the was surrounded by a wall just tall enough to block the view of nearby buildings.

A short walk through the garden brought the three men--President Romero, Paton and Dr. Odon Zelaya in the rear--to a wooden table and chairs under the shade of palm trees by the edge of a small pond. President Romero offered a chair to Paton and Dr. Zelaya, then took the remaining one himself. Ed returned while the men exchanged pleasantries carrying a tray of Lumpia Shanghai, Filipino spring rolls stuffed with pork and fried vegetables, and offered fruit beverages, water, and tea. "Or something a little stronger if you prefer," President Romero added with a conspiratorial wink as he accepted a cup of tea.

President Romero continued after Ed retreated. "You've been to quite a few countries so far and still have several left to visit, if I remember correctly-- quite an accomplishment. Quite tiring too I know from my own presidential tour and yours is even longer. Sadly you've only had the chance to see a small fraction of Greater Manila in your time here, but I've lived here for years and the city still surprises me. Cities tend to have a special flavor to them, no? Manila's flavor changes as suddenly as her weather, sometimes faster. One day might be like today: sunny and humid, but quite nice to enjoy an afternoon in the shade of a park somewhere. The next day the park is packed with people for a festival or celebration in the midst of a downpour. Next week the park might be torn down and relocated a dozen blocks away to make room for a new highrise. I met with a group of construction workers who specialize in that last week. Moving parks! The grass, the trees, everything! They pull it up, haul it through Manila traffic on the back of trucks, and plant it in the ground again.

"But you didn't come to Selenarctos to hear of relocating a park or spend time puttering around in factories. Men in our position rarely have the time or opportunity for such endeavors. So Mr. President, what did you come to Selenarctos for? Trade, resources, technology, people, or something else? The Selenarctos military intentionally maintains a low visibility but our tools for to wage war are by no means second-rate. Our Peacekeeping Force is perhaps the most experienced in the world today with roots reaching back decades to the Oceanic Union Pact, and our position throughout Oceania sits along some of the world's busiest trade routes. How can South Africa help Selenarctos and what can Selenarctos do for South Africa?"

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Paton would smile warmly in his handshake with Romero, as the photographer snapped a Polaroid for posterity, and Paton would follow Romero into his counterparts' office. The office was one that Paton could relate with, and reminded him of his own office in South Africa, with lots of natural lighting and seemingly simpler than some of the quite extravagant offices and residences he had seen. But when Romero offered a chance to escape the indoors to the gardens, Paton's demeanor seemed to light up even more.

 

"Yes, any time that I can spend outside, I must say, is quite cherished at this point," responded Paton, adding quickly, "That is not to say that your office is a perfectly suitable place to conduct discussions, but I myself prefer a soiree outside than inside."

 

Chuckling lightly at Romero's commentary about the security forces and their show of protection during his visit so far, Paton would follow the President out into the gardens, taking his time to look around jungle that sat outside of Romero's office. He found himself envious of such a display of foliage that was available, having little in the way of such a garden at the Presidential Residence in Capetown. He made a mental note to suggest such a thing when he rendezvoused with Zawilza on the airliner once again. The walk would be one made in relative silence, and Paton would heave sighs of the air that was particularly refreshing, before they reached their destination; a table surrounded by some chairs in the midst of the large and expansive gardens.

 

Paton would gladly sample the food that was set out for the trio of men as they sat down and exchanged a few words of lighthearted banter and small talk, and, being the avid tea drinker that he was, take to the delights of a steaming pot that was set down. He would thank the Presidential aide for his indulgence, and then seem to relax as he sipped the steaming cup that we had poured himself.

 

"Although I don't think I can find a South African equal to moving parks, I must say that South Africa has begun to show real signs of life as its new lease on life begins again. The cities are starting to swell with those looking for work, and new migrations have begun to push urban populations up, and such movements have given us a chance to expand some areas for game reserves for South Africa's flora and fauna alike. I can't say that there is humidity like this in Cape Town, even being on the coast, it is quite dry on an average day, though I must say that Manila's temperatures and climate have much in common with that of South America's Para," he responded, before listening politely to Romero press on to more businesslike talk.

 

"Well, in making your nation one of our many stops on this diplomatic tour, we at least hoped to establish at least a semblance of friendship and a possibly a basis for further friendly relations, but I don't see why that initial goal can't be expanded upon. Our nation is looking to establish partnerships with relevant nations throughout the world, we understand how close the world is in this globalized society, and although we look stridently at regional relations, we put an equal footing into expanding our outlook to the wider world. I believe that Selenarctos and South Africa have a relevant reason to increase cooperation between one another; we both have resources and goods that match with the economy of the other well. Not only that, we also have theater-wide interests in mind; the Indian Ocean is a body of water that conveys goods to your nation and ours alike, and it is a region that is South Africa has vested interests in ensuring stability and friendly relations with other regional actors," responded Paton, in a confident and polite tone.

 

"Not to mention, earlier, Dr. Zelaya and I hinted at possible cooperation with over the use of Selenarctos wondrous space launch facilities."

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  • 2 weeks later...

President Hygin Romero responded positively "A trade agreement would be an excellent first step, I believe. If you do not object, I would suggest a mutual elimination of tariffs to promote the flow of goods and materials between South Africa and Greater Manila. Incentives to promote the use of each others port facilities and improved waterway access are easy for my government to implement as well, and we can push a referendum through the SPF to extend the measure to the Selenarctos Protectorate Zones as well.

"As for space facilities, you need only ask. These days the Orbital Launch Loop keeps Freeside and the civilian satellite business happy, but in a busy month it won't reach twenty-five percent capacity. We don't do as many rocket or shuttle launches anymore if you're looking but a more flexible launch profile, but the Selenarctos Space Consortium remains one of the most experienced designers of near earth and extended-range space craft: they built Selenarctos' Mars Rockets that carried our astronauts to Mars and back, and the Kaptan orbital relay vessel that carries cargo from the top of the Orbital Launch Loop's orbit profile all the way to Freeside at an Earth-Lunar Lagrange point. If you ever find the time by the way, I highly recommend you take the time to visit Freeside. It's the largest off-planet habitat currently in existence, and completely terraformed inside. An excellent place to visit, if Manila's a little to dense for you or you want an exotic location that's out of this world--quite literally."

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Paton would stroke at some of the short scruff that had formed on his chin as Romero spoke, and he nodded lightly, "I believe, given the great potential for our economies to weave our demands and supplies together, I feel as though we can surely reduce our tariffs to nil. Essentially, in the South African Parliament, we could certainly push through Selenarctos as a most favored nation status, which will promote trade and commerce further between our two nations. I don't see why our customs and immigration services could improve their connections with one another that would speed up customs checks on vessels in ports either, perhaps providing one another with information on expected arrivals as well as cargo manifests before they even reach the ports themselves."

 

"Such a networking between such services could provide the basis for a basic cooperative security agreement that could include other facets as well," he added, as he leaned back in his chair again.

 

"I'm sure the South African Space Agency will take you up on that offer, we're just finalizing the construction and testing of our newest launch facilities, including government and private-run bases. There are a number of government agencies and private customers who have a large backlog of satellite launches and orbital tests that need to be conducted, and it'd certainly be useful to utilize your launch loop. And I'm not averse to seeing us pay to see that backlog reduced by a significant amount," chuckled Paton, as he would sample a bit of spring roll.

 

"I would very much like to be able to take such an orbital tour that you speak of, probably at a later date, of course, when I have a little more time, but it sounds quite fascinating, and I'm quite interested in the wonders of science, even if it may have not been what I went to school for. The technological prowess the world has been able to develop in recent years is quite astounding, like your manufacturing facility that utilized three-dimensional printing, its mind-blowing, to say the very least."

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"Excellent. I'll leave the details for our staffs to work out amoungst themselves, but I'm glad to

see the potential recognized. And perhaps if all goes well, a stronger bond could be forged between

our nations; a security arrangement, as you put it, would be the next great step. But for your

space program, I'll have Ed provide your staff the names and people to contact for our launch loop

as well as several advisors to assist development of your space program."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. President," President Hygin Romero rose and shook the other

man's hand once they had finished. "I hope the rest of your tour goes equally well; Selenarctos

welcomes your return any time you wish to grant her your presence." Ed Alfaro met them back in the

Office of the President and passed the South African President several business cards of people

associated with the Selenarctos Space Program, each finely printed in electronic ink that drew power from ambient radio waves in the air to

transition between various addresses and methods of reaching the card's owner.

Leaving Hygin Romero behind in his office, Dr. Odon Zelaya walked with Adolph Paton back through the Main Rotunda, out through the security checkpoint and down to the Capital Building's garage where the convoy waited.

"So have you made up your mind, Mr. President?" Dr. Zelaya asked as they walked, "A day or two on the beaches of El Nido, Palawan under the tropical sun admiring the waters and limestone cliffs to relax and restore your composure--do not worry about the cost, of course-- or is it straight back into the fray and on to your next destination? I'll need to know by the time we reach the airport, as sometimes these treaty discussions can take several days to finish," he finished with a grin.

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Paton would nod in thanks, and respond to Romero, "Thank you having me to your nation, and for what I believe we have achieved today in bringing our countries closer together. I look forward to our increased cooperation, as well as possibly expanding our relationship in the future, maybe next time, you shall be able to enjoy the charms that South Africa has to offer you?"

 

He would shake the man's hand, with a firm grip, and would graciously accept the business cards that he would distribute widely to various corporations as well as the Commissioner of the South African Space Agency, who would surely be in contact shortly with Selenarctos. He would then join Zelaya in the tromp back down to the armored convoy in the garage. When Zelaya queried him over his next plan of action, Paton seemed to consider the question for a moment, before looking at Zelaya.

 

"I think, Doctor Zelaya, that after two weeks on the fly, I will gladly take up your offer of two days at El Nido, I can't think of any other possible way to spend it," he said, finally looking at the Selenarctan official.

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"That's wonderful, trust me that you won't regret it. My staff took the liberty of filing two flight plans just in case, so to El Nido Regional Airport it is." The convoy, filled once more, looped around the garage and out the same door it came in. Outside, they passed once more through lightly populated brick streets of the downtown capital (though if the South African President possessed a construction background he might have come to suspect that the traditional bricks were, in fact, manufactured from an industrial ceramic to support the weight of the APCs that drove them often), and back into the bustle of Manila. Surrounded on both sides by the tall polymer buildings and pedestrians hugging the side walk on both sides, there were few differences to mark the passage of time from morning to afternoon and now early evening. If one looked out the armored limousines' windows at just the right time though, when they were turning a corner or had a line of sight past the trailing Terrex, once could see Manila reclaiming the streets behind them as people, cars, and mopeds streamed back onto the road blocked off for the South African President's motorcade even before the barricades had been removed.

In the Diplomatic Receiving Terminal of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport once more, Dr. Odon Zelaya said his farewells. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. President. Best wishes to you and to South Africa, and we'll have a draft of the treaty ready to sign when your plane returns to Manila to refuel."

The President's plane was directed to a runway without any waiting, and short flight to saw only a light rain shower passing over Mindoro. El Nido Regional Airport was a small affair, serving only light tourism since the San Vincente International Airport was expanded to accommodate people and cargo for the Space Program, but a handful of resort staff had driven over to assist the President and his staff with their luggage. The resort was a small but classy affair with several small cabins stretching out over the water, all reserved for the President's visit, and furnished with all the latest Selenarctan luxury goods. The next morning, the sun rising slowly over the island, Adolph was greeted by the clear by clear blue waters, a sky to match, pristine white sand beaches that made El Nido one of the best vacation spots in Selenarctos, and huge limestone cliffs that made it by far the most unique. And above the beaches and cliffs to the south making attempt to hide its presence rose the thin white ribbon of the Orbital Launch Loop glistening brightly in the early morning sun.

El-nido-palawan-beach.jpg

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"It will be good to get some time to relax and enjoy some time away from my plane for a couple days, and thank you for setting the flight plan up ahead of time. Definitely saves my foreign service personnel some time from doing it themselves," remarked Paton, gratefully, as they loaded up again into the convoy. The South African leader would excuse himself for a moment, while he would make contact with the flight crew and his Chief of Staff, alerting them to the changes in schedule and what the President's intent was. After he did that, he seemed to relax back into his seat in the armored limousine, enjoying watching the bustling city continue on, almost as if they were not there. Selenarctos was certainly a nation that had found itself locked in a globalized society, its capital was a bustling testament to that.

 

Finding themselves back at the airport, Paton would shake Zelaya's hand firmly as the A380 began readying itself for the short trip to Palawan. "Likewise, Doctor Zelaya, I daresay I look forward to seeing you again in the future, thank you for all that you have presented to me on this trip, it was quite enlightening. I look forward to further cooperation between our two countries, and look forward to the treaty that you present us when I return in a few days' time."

 

Paton would board the plane at a brisk pace, heading to his on board office to quickly begin making notes on his visit, and would split that time between looking out the windows as the plane lifted off without any delay, and headed for Palawan. He spent most of the trip either looking out the windows of the hulking airliner, or making notes, and reflecting on the trip through Manila and meeting the Selenarctan Officials. Once at El Nido, the South African staff would assist their Selenarctan counterparts greatly in loading luggage and any needed essentials before being carted over to resort that had been afforded to them. The staffers and personnel of the South African diplomatic mission would give the President his space, only interrupting his peace and quiet to report anything that might be amiss or need his immediate attention. He would even get to sleep at a reasonable hour, and true to form, rise early with the sun, and take to the waters early to swim in the shimmering dawn. If there was any decision that he made that was right in the past two weeks, accepting Zelaya's invitation to enjoy the charms of Palawan was one of them. As the water seemed to clear his mind of the stress the past two weeks, he couldn't find words for expressing gratitude for this layover in the Western Pacific paradise.

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The next two days at El Nido, for the President, were spent in almost absolute seclusion, with his staffers only interrupting him with urgent business, which only amounted to two incidents that were then quickly smoothed over. Much of Adolph Paton's time on Palawan would be spent digesting the pages of the diplomatic and strategic text, Dreadnought, along with sampling local cuisine and taking frequent dips into the ocean. It was by the end of those two days that Adolph Paton knew if he stayed in the paradise any longer, he'd probably lose complete focus and just want to resign then and there. However reluctantly he felt about leaving, by early morning of their third day, the South African delegation would be loading its luggage on board its transport, and readying to head back to Manila to top off on fuel.

 

As the aircraft lifted off from Palawan, Paton would be briefed on two requests that had come in from South Africa during his time spent at the resort, one had been wired from the South African Armed Services, the other from South African Space Agency. As the aircraft flew back to Manila, he would consult some of his advisers along the way, before making a decision to green light the requests and make them known to the Selenarctos officials that would hopefully be waiting for him upon arrival. He looked forward to seeing his counterparts again, as he wanted to personally thank them for their hospitality during his stay.

 

As the aircraft moved towards Manila, the pilots would put in a call to Air Traffic Control, and await directions.

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Pollution over Manila was thickening when the South African President's plane returned to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the result of a shift in winds that stalled the prevailing westwardly wind. Save for that and the time of day, Adolph's return looked not dissimilar from his arrival. Thy Bay of Manila remained abuzz with cargo ships coming and going. The airport was filled with planes, loading and unloading or queued for the runway-- a queue the President's plane whisked pasted to the Diplomatic Receiving Terminal once again. The honor guard and reporters were gone however, replaced by President Hygin Romero, Dr. Zelaya and a few of President Romero's staff.

"Welcome back, Mr. President," President Romero greeted Adolph, "I hope your stay in El Nido was relaxing and memorable. My staff prepared a treaty draft while you were away, for your consideration. The provisions shall promote trade and friendship between our nations, a relationship I hope grows in the years to come." President Romero slid the draft across the table, printed on heavy synthetic stock that would not yellow or degrade with age and offered a pen, "Do you find the terms acceptable?"

A treaty of trade and international friendship between Selenarctos and South Africa.

Article I: Sovereignty

Selenarctos and South Africa agree to respect the sovereign territory, rights and integrity of the other.

Article II: Trade

Selenarctos and South Africa agree to a mutual reduction of tariffs. Both signatories agree to take further steps to promote trade between each other including improved port, water and air access. Optionally, the signatories may choose to wave advanced visa requirements to promote the flow of people and ideas for business and tourism.

Article III: Non Aggression

Selenarctos and South Africa agree to refrain from hostile actions and negative rhetoric against the people and government of each other. Furthermore, both nations agree to recognize and conduct diplomatic relations with only the legitimate government of the other. In the event that a dispute should arise, Selenarctos and South Africa agree to solve the problem without resorting to threats or use of force.

Article VI: Sunset

Should either nation wish to discontinue this agreement, they shall notify the other (OOC: 7 days) in advance of this treaty's expiration.


Signed for Selenarctos,
Hygin Romero, President of Selenarctos

Signed for South Africa,
Adolph Paton, President of South Africa

Edited by iKrolm
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As the plane once again made an approach to Manila, Paton would watch out the window as they passed over Manila Bay, seemingly the same as he left it, the large cargo ships slowly navigating around the ports, the light sheen of smog. He would smile wistfully as the plane would make a prioritized landing at the airport, and would be directed once again to the diplomatic terminal. As the flight crew arranged a topping off of the fuel, he would disembark with what seemed to be a more energetic bounce in his step, and he would smile would when he saw his hosts.

 

"A pleasure to be back, President Romero," responded Paton, offering a handshake and a bow to the other leader. "I must say that you were quite right about El Nido, Dr. Zelaya, and thank you all for allowing me the opportunity to enjoy it. Its probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, hands down." He would smile around the group, before reviewing the treaty that was set before him on some expensive-looking paper, and his eyes seemed to scan the paper slowly.

 

"I certainly think this is an agreement that provides us with a basis to work off of for future cooperation, no problem," he stated, looking between the group, before picking up the offered pen, and affixing his name on it. As he did so, one of his aides would present Dr. Zelaya with a note from the South African government, one part of the note indicated that the South African Armed Services was looking to purchase up to two hundred MLRS systems from a foreign buyer, with the option to build spare parts and extra vehicles in their own country. Another part of the note detailed information from the South African Space Agency, and requesting Selenarctos' help in clearing a backlog of thirty satellite launches, which would be paid for by South Africa.

 

Signed for South Africa,

 

Adolph Paton

President of South Africa

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"Too the beginnings of fruitful relationship, and may it only grow stronger." President Hygin Romero shook Adolph's hand after the other man finished signing. "And good luck with the rest of your tour, Mr. President."

Within a few days, the Selenarctos Space Program would contact South Africa to discuss the launch of their satellites. If all went well, all thirty could be placed in orbit over the next six months.

Bulldog Armored Vehicles, too, would contact the South African military to discuss the sale of the 200 MLRS vehicles plus ammunition. At a unit price of 2,400,000NSC each, the total would come to 480,000,000 (Four hundred eighty million National Selenarctan Coins) plus an additional 50,000,000NSC for the license to build more and a reoccuring payment of 120,000NSC per unit constructed.

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"Thank you, President Romero, I hope we meet again in the future, maybe to perhaps expanding this agreement to include additional amendments," responded Paton, with a smile on his face. "Perhaps, the next time, it'll be in Cape Town where we meet, and I'll be able to offer a similar tour that you gave to me," he remarked, as his staffers began saying their good byes with their counterparts from Selenarctos.

 

---

 

The South African Space Agency would respond to the query that sought discussion from Selenarctos about the South African satellites, and it would request details on what needed to be paid. Whilst this was going on, completed satellites would begin the transfer process, being brought from a secure manufacturing storage facility to the port of Durban, where they would begin to be carefully loaded onto ships for the journey to Selenarctos.

 

---

 

After garnering a response from Bulldog Armored Vehicles over a proposed cost for the MLRS, the South African Armed Services (SAAS) would respond that it would take the deal, and elected to pay the lump sum for the initial order of vehicles, as well as the production rights costs. The SAAS would also message Bulldog about the possibility of paying for the recurring production prices over a quarterly basis, for all the vehicles produced in the preceding quarter.

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