[783, springtime]

Beside him, there was a man standing in the typical Port Aurora business attire. His frock was black and wooly, his shirt was a bright green and painfully starched, his spectacles had fogged, and his frown was set almost permanently into his skinny face.

“That can’t be all.”

“Exactly my thoughts when I saw your final payment.”

Burgher Limoen craned his head slowly, and looked at his business partner: Master Borrio, of the Leicherbacher, Gamnadon, and Ostar Shipyarding Consortium.

“Care to elaborate?” William Limoen said.

“Certainly, Burgher. The Limoen Bank and Trading Company neglected to pay for sixty-nine of your one hundred fifty ordered ships. Of these, twenty-six were Type 3 Galleys, twenty-four were Type 5 Middle-ships, and nineteen were Type 6 Carracks.” Borrio somehow frowned even more, “Due to the lack of capital delivered.”

This… this…

…this was to be expected. As furious as Limoen was, he knew precisely the reason why. Bourgfeld must’ve abandoned this venture, taking his capital with him. Gottfriet and Reinhardt had been lying through their rotten teeth all along, clear to see. It was a shame about Reinhardt, he’d formerly been a much more agreeable fellow. Much more agreeable than Gottfriet anyways. And Stadtler had been having financial issues; Limoen had little doubt he’d see news of Stadtler’s bankruptcy on his desk when he returned to his office.

All in all, he was more than half the gilders short. And more than half the gilders short meant a fleet of only 81 ships instead of the full 150.

However, Limoen could still get out of this.

“What about a long-term payment arrangement?”

Borrio scorned once more, “Burgher, the Boccio Shipyarding Company would refuse such an arrangement. In the past, the Limoen Bank and Trading Company has made similar arrangements. All have resulted in defaulting due to unforeseen circumstances, such as loss of Colonies, change in debtage-law, and suspected embezzlement.”

Well, the clerk had a point. Limoen had done all those things: he’d used the loss of the colonies to stop paying debts, he’d bribe officials to change laws to get him out of debts, he’d embezzled, he exposed embezzlement, and he framed people of embezzlement. But he’d done it for the good of the country, and wasn’t that a good justification?

No, he supposed it wasn’t. He wished his company had the capital once more to simply buy the ships outright, but the financial

“Perhaps if some laws were to change regarding, how soon would you be able to supply me with ships?” Borrio curled his bald lip downwards once more. “Such talk is illegal by Port Aurora Charter of Business Amendment 19, subsection A.” Of course he knew the subsection, Limoen thought as Borrio continued, “In any event, work would continue to encounter halts, from carnatak-“

“The plague is over, do not give me that damn excuse. I know Carnatak! Do you not see it on my face?” roared Limoen from his rickety wheeled-chair. He must’ve been quite the show, but it Limoen hated his new chair-ridden stature. The Boccio bastard looked appalled for a moment, as this small man (who was no less than the Burgher of the place where Boccio worked) had the gall to interrupt him. He repeated, frowning even more,

“In any event, work would continue to encounter halts, from carnatak faith influencing worker strikes,” said Boccio, scorning Limoen even more, “and lack of finances.”

Damn the New World, Damn Carnatak, Damn the workers, and Damn you, Boccio. Limoen thought to himself that he would destroy all the following. He would need capital, and for that he would need time, but this would have to do for now. 44 galleys, 26 Middle-ships, and 11 Carracks, all good for war.

“And of the merchant ships completed?”

“The Limoen Bank and Trading Company has received the documents of all 700 ships ordered this morning.”

It was something, something enough to rebuild capital. And besides, building all those ships had meant building up shipyards.

“One final matter, Master Borrio. I have received news of a new Type 16 vessel. I would like to barter for 3, in addition to the remainder of the ships. In exchange, I will arrange for choice lumberyards and acreage for new shipyard sites to be allotted for Masters Leicherbacher, Gamnadon, and Ostar. Do we have an accord?”

Borrio scorned once more, “Trade Officials do not hold the rank to agree to business transactions, merely to negotiate. This offer will be relayed to the Masters Leicherbacher, Gamnadon, and Ostar. The Limoen Bank and Trading Company will have a response within 4 business days.”

Limoen sighed. Borrio would need to be fired as soon as possible.

[M] We have 44 War Galleys, 26 Ships of medium-size (between a galley and a carrack, I don't know what this ship would be called) and 11 Carracks. Also, we have a large amount of trader ships, across Glimmer's ports.