<h4>Chapter 614: Bridgehead (4)</h4>
The Aegis destroyer Aleksandar 1001 and 1002 left Greend and sailed through the Arctic Ocean and the Mediterranean to the sea off Arirang Ind in the Sea of the Aegean Sea.
Arirang Ind was a Mediterranean bridgehead and served as the headquarters of the Kazakh Royal Navy as it was owned by the royal family.
The two Aegis destroyers proudly entered the port with the Kazakh g, as it was negotiated with the Greek government to use the ind as a naval base for the Kazakh royal family.
The destroyers were being anchored at the dock with the help of a tugboat. Large ships needed help from tugboats to prevent them from damaging the hull while trying to reach the dock.
“Wow! The boats at the Arirang Wharf off the Ural River dock themselves without tugboats, but these destroyers are indeed huge.”
Cho Chul-hwan expressed his admiration for the destroyers being docked at the pier with the help of a tugboat.
“If you see a multi-purposending ship, you’ll faint.”
“What made you think you’re going to build a vessel of 30,000 tons in weight? My head spins when I think of the cost of maintenance. Compared to the Army, the Navy is just a big headache.”
“There’s nothing like a ship that can transport huge troops at once. And if you carry about ten Apache attack helicopters there, it’s like carrying the firepower of several army divisions.”
“This will only do a favor for the U.S. or European countries. If there is a conflict zone, they will ask for our help.”
The internationalmunity required countries to y a role ording to its level of economic power or force. The higher the status of a nation, the more natural it was to be demanded to y a role as a member of the internationalmunity.
However, socialist countries such as China and Russia were subject to criticism because they are solely for their own interests.
“I have that in mind, too. If we act loyally as a member of the U.N. then, it won’t ignore us when something happens to uster.”
“That’s a good idea. But I’m worried about Russia, but what can we do?”
“We should avoid conflict areas involving Russia as much as possible. Considering that 30 percent of the Kazakh poption is Russian, we have to maintain an inseparable rtionship with Russia.”
When the ship was docked, the ind’s guards and a handful of residents weed Youngho and his Navy.
The people living on Arirang Ind were the existing Greek residents and families of the members of the Royal Bodyguards.
As the number ofmercial owners increased, kindergartens and mini elementary and secondary schools opened for the children of the Royal Bodyguards and residents. Then the native Greek people who were engaged in fishing soon opened restaurants, shops, and taverns to continue their livelihood.
The entire atmosphere of the ind soon became lively.
Residents who had lived for a long time enjoyed the most benefits when the ind became the property of Kazakhstan’s royal family.
They were allowed unlimited use of drinking water and electricity, which had been cited as the biggest inconvenience. And with the establishment of educational facilities, they were able to escape the economic difficulties of sending their children tond.
Various amenities and medical services for the Royal Bodyguards were also avable for them. The Kazakh royal family also promised to provide some money for education if the ind’s children went to higher schools onnd.
This series of measures was intended to induce favoritism for the Kazakh royal family.
The Aegean Sea had a myriad of inds, and the water was very precious except for the residents of a few inds. Most of the Aegean inds were made up of rocks, and did not have much precipitation, which caused water shortages.
Besides the water shortage, the life far fromnd was bound to have difficulties in ess to many resources.
Arirang Ind overcame its natural environment with desalination facilities and was envied by other inders. The ind residents expressed gratitude saying that the poor life that has been epted as fate for generations now felt rewarded.
Such a word had spread out making the ind famous for a source of drinking water.
These days, people from nearby inds came to Arirang Ind to get water if the water supply ship did note on time from thend.
***
“Your Highness, that’s the ind you see over there.”
Park Sung-won, the director of the Arirang Ind base, was exining to Youngho, pointing to the ind across the street.
He was looking through a telescope at the highest point of the ind because an ind one kilometer away from Arirang Ind was on the market.
“It’s a little bigger than Arirang Ind. How’s the situation on the ind?”
“There are 854 residents in 257 families. They’re suffering from drinking water shortage these days.”
“Some residents may have private property. Is there a way to solve it?”
“I’ve been in touch with the inders and they said they would agree to the sale without condition if the Kazakh royal family is the buyer.”
“For sale without condition? That’s great. Is the harbor a private property for the residents?”
“Yes. Even if you buy all thend owned by the Greek government, it’s hard to use a port without the consent of the residents.”
As the Kazakh royal family’s desalination system made Arirang Ind better, it seemed that the residents of the neighboring ind favored the Kazakh royal family as they suffered from continuous drought due to the recent abnormal temperatures. Although they had requested for drinking water to the Greek government, it was a difficult favor to do as the government struggled financially.
“Great. Go ahead with the purchase of the ind.”
The pier on Arirang Ind was small and slightly damaged to be used as the headquarters of the Oceanic Navy, so this was a chance to have an ind twice the size of Arirang Ind.
Youngho’s group traveled to Meltemi Ind near Arirang Ind.
It was a kilometer away from Arirang Ind, so it took less than five minutes on a speedboat.
When they arrived at the ind, all but a few elderly people came out and weed them.
A dark brown-haired man in his 50s, the chief of the ind named Lajos, greeted Youngho with great respect. The weight of the Duke of the Kazakh royal family was making Lajos pay respect to Youngho.
“Chief, please make yourself at home. Formality makes me ufortable.”
“Oh, how can I? Your Highness, it’s an honor to have youe to our ind.”
“I visited because I heard that you’re suffering from drinking water shortage these days. I want to help.”
“The director of the base is helping us out. All thanks to you, Your Highness. On behalf of the vige, thank you again.”
“Oh, there’s no need to. We Kazakhs always help our neighbors in need. I’d be criticized if I try to show off for giving you a little water.”
Word hovered in his mouth that he hade to buy the ind, but Youngho did not say so.
“I’m so embarrassed because we get not only drinking water but also daily necessities. I will repay you for this kindness in some way someday.”
“This hospitality alone is a great treat.”
“Since you’vee all the way here to the ind, I’d like to make a difficult request.”
The words Youngho was looking forward to finally popped out of Lajos’ mouth.
For them, the fate of the ind depended on the decision of the Kazakh royal family. It was because they had no idea how long the drought wouldst.
“If there’s any other inconvenience, I’ll help you out as much as I can. Please feel free to ask.”
“Are you not interested in our ind?”
“I think the ind is very beautiful.”
“Meltemi Ind has a muchrger bay than Arirang Ind, which is good to use as a port. Also, there is plenty of fish in the area.”
Chief was trying hard to promote the ind to Youngho.
“I really liked the harbor with the wide bay. The vigers also seem so kind that I felt sofortable.”
“With all due respect, it would be an honor if you bought our ind.”
“Are you going to offer me such a beautiful ind like this?”
“I bragged about the ind a little while ago, but it’s hard for us to stand on our own terms. If you would let our people continue to live here like the residents of Arirang Ind, we will support the Kazakh royal family with all our hearts.”
On the way back, Youngho took a quick tour of the ind on a speedboat.
As he circled around Meltemi Ind, a smile did not leave his mouth.
The more he looked, the more he liked the ind.
Now, the Kazakh Navy could finally make a proper bridgehead in the Aegean Sea.
It was a bit of a hassle to ept the inders, but on the other hand, it seemed to be better in terms of sentiment than to fill the ind with all military families only.
Maintaining the residents was beneficial because they could be used as a card to persuade the Greek government when purchasing the ind.
There was no reason for the Greek government to refuse it because it also needed the Kazakh royal family to serve as a buffer for the Aegean Sea.
Turkey, which had always threatened Greece, would refrain from provocations as the Kazakh royal family was in the middle.