Merchant Marines

The six sovereigns and three ambassadors immediately legitimatized the Merchant Marines.

Back on Earth, the Merchant Marines were a quasi-branch of the United States Navy. Merchant Marines operated on private and government-owned merchant vessels.

The public-private partnership worked to transport commerce, goods, and services around the U.S.

In peacetime and in times of war the Merchant Marines were called upon to deliver military personnel and goods to the military.

In Fermion, there were no military ships available. All the military ships were currently docked in the Azures Islands or had sunk during the sea wyvern attack. Which meant private vessels would be responsible for transporting goods and services.

The private shipping companies could profit, but the margins would be tight. The prevailing payment would be 40 gold and 50 silvers for each transporting goods to Azures Island.

Not much incentive for Will's international shipping company, but for smaller shipping companies this was a veritable gold mine.

To ensure a company's losses were minimized they needed to either sell shares, take out risky loans, or purchase risk insurance.

Naturally, the Silver Phoenix Shipping Company operated the largest shipping insurance company in the world.

Headmaster Puller was thrilled when Will approached him about headquartering the Fermion Merchant Marine branch at the Marine Academy. That was exactly the kind of good news and reputation builder he needed.

With the sovereigns and surviving Marine Academy Headmasters on board, gave each kingdom's representative their orders. Casting [Gate], Earl von Mueller and the representatives return to the empire. After they left, Will teleported himself, Micheal, and Nisha home to Gadreel.

Knowing his orders, Micheal immediately informed Sasha of their return, before summoning Miles to the manor.

"Well, that was faster than I expected," Elizabeth laughed as she walked into Will's office.

"Yes, I rather hoped I was returning with good news," replied Will.

"How is it?" She asked.

Will retold the events as he wrote the article to hand to Diego.

Elizabeth could hardly believe the horrendous events. Will could imagine how was horrorstruck the kingdom would be after reading his article.

Soon Miles rushed through the door wearing his old uniform and servants carrying his luggage.

"Miles, reporting for duty sir," he saluted.

"Welcome back my Staff Sergeant," Will smiled.

"I've been promoted?" Miles smiled.

"You have. Now let's go," Will said casting [Gate] to Tirana, Duress, and finally back to the Azures Islands.

Kurosawa, Mei, and Elliot were integral in making sure Merchant Marine vessels made their way to Azure Island to drop military supplies.

Moreover, the Marine Academy Deputy Headmaster was responsible for providing marines to transport and protect the ships.

Every representative was tasked to establish a supply pipeline to their territories' coast for the Merchant Marines to transport to the Azures Island's main port.

It was a 14-day trip from Fermion to Azures Island and the army was scheduled to leave in 10 days. If this worked out, in 10 days Azures Island would turn into an important supply waypoint. Six ships would arrive in the harbor and one supply ship would depart for Qhosnir.

With five kingdoms and the empire supplying goods to the main island, the army should be well fed and rested when it touched down in the Qhosnir Empire. Daily supply ships would sustain the army during the war.

And if the humans won, the supply ships could keep traveling further down the coast until they won.

In the Azures Island warehouse, Miles shuffled the papers before him, ordering them from least to most important. Putting together a team, Miles loaded all the goods into the warehouse and alphabetized them, and entered them into his inventory sheet.

To pay for the supplies, Will advised the kings and emperor to issue war bonds. War bonds are debt security issued by a government to finance military operations during times of war.

They are also a means to control inflation by removing money from circulation during wartime. But because war bonds offered an APR below the market rate, the king and emperor would have to make making emotional appeals to patriotism to lend the kingdom or empire money.

With Will serving as Allied Quartermaster Commander, most of the grunt work fell on Miles' shoulders. Serving under Miles were each kingdom's or empire's Field Quartermaster Commanders.

Once again, Grace vont Allen and Sarah Taylor served as Fermion's Field Quartermasters. This marked their third time working under Will's command. With their and Baron von Mueller's help, this proceeded smoothly.

Nevertheless, the allied army was severely under-resourced and underfed. There was a backlog of request items and eleven hundred unread requisition orders.

Each requisition order had to be vetted and authorized before a purchasing order was issued. The prudent policy minimized redundancies and overspending.

***

Over the next eight days, the demoralized allied army regrouped and prepared to leave for the Yangtze River.

The Allied Army needed to arrive before the demons. If they delayed their arrival by even a day, that might cost victory. The first victory, that what was at stake. All the citizens of Terra had known so far was defeat.

During that time the Allied Engineer Commander was responsible for repairing the ships. The Allied Infantry and Signal Commanders prepared their men for war, and the Allied Intelligence Commander already sent his spies ahead to Qhosnir.

As the Supreme Allied Commander, Imperial Prince Lukas met daily with his commanders, royalty, and ambassadors.

The soldiers and Azures Island residents called the daily meeting the Strategic Summit. Everyone knew it was they who evaluated their strategy.

"Commander von Weber, how are the repairs going?" Prince Lukas asked.

"Supreme Commander, I'm working my men day and night. I'm not sure all the ships shall be 100% repaired, but they'll float!" replied the Engineer Commander.

Commanders von Vogel and Koch any updates?" checked Prince Lukas.

"Supreme Commander all the troops are still demoralized. We have to do something to raise morale," Infantry Commander von Vogel replied.

"By now the men are rested and fed. They lived through a bloody battle. Nothing can raise their morale except revenge. Once we kill a demon their spirit shall be renewed," advised Sage Thaddeus:

"Is that your opinion, or the recommendation of the Allied Mage Guild?" Prince Lukas checked.

The Mage Guild was a separate entity from the Allied Army. Mages would never let body strengtheners oversee themselves. Thus, the Allied Mage Guild worked alongside the army but did not fall under it.

The Allied Mage Guild governed as an oligarchy. Three sages, two from the empire and Thaddeus Ming governed the mages participating in the war.

"That's my personal opinion," Sage Thaddeus shrugged.

"The Allied Mage Guild has no official position," Sage Einstein declared.

"Does anyone else have an idea?" Prince Lukas asked.

"…"

You can always bring in whores," suggest a general from the Kingdom of Sabsta.

Hearing the joke everyone laughed.

Whores could release stress, but they could also cause sickness.

"Then we shall accept Sage Thaddeus' advice," Prince Lukas stated.

"Have we heard anything from the Qhosnir, yet?" asked the King of Kur.

"We have. They've yet to engage with the demon army," Prince Lukas said cheerfully.

"And who is expected to lead the conjoined armies?" the King of Kur asked the question everyone wondered.

"Command shall be split. I shall lead this army and the Emperor of Qhosnir his," explained Prince Lukas.

Hearing that some people winced. Combining leadership only brought disarray and miscommunication. There was a reason why most armies had a sole commander.

"Write to the Qhosnir Emperor and demand sole military authority," Sage Thaddeus suggested.

"We agree," said the three ambassadors and three kings.

"I'm inclined to agree," nodded Sage Einstein.

"And what say our representatives from the Kingdom of Fermion?" asked the crown prince.

"Naturally, we agree as well," King Roland announced.

"Then it's unanimous. I shall express our demands," decreed Crown Prince Lukas.

"Moving on, Commander von Ballard, how fares our supply route," Prince Lukas asked his master sincerely.

"We should see the first supply ships arrive tomorrow. As long as we defend this island, our Allied Army can count on consistent supplies," replied Will.

"Good, we set sail for the Qhosnir Empire in two days. Gentlemen we leave for war!" commanded Prince Lukas.