Empire of the Ring

“I don’t know if Kaliyev will like to receive used equipment.”

“There are not enough agents in the Police Intelligence Department to operate the new equipment. The police agents also received job training at the Intelligence Service, so it would be easier to use familiar equipment. We are supposed to share the information anyway, so I’m planning to send our agents to the police, too.”

The fact that the Intelligence Service had changed so proactively toward the Police Intelligence was probably due to its unexpectedly great capabilities. If it was no help to the Intelligence Service, Park Jong-il would have never cooperated with the police organization.

“If the heads of the two organizations agreed so, it’s a desirable situation for the nation. Make the most of the police organization.”

“The Intelligence Service has made a hundred concessions. It’s not a good organization, but we work together because it has a lot of manpower. Do you know how hard it was to train them this time?”

“Since there is no organization that has domestic information like the police, cooperate with it well. The National Police Agency is below the Intelligence Service in rank anyway.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“By the way, how’s China’s recent move?”

“It’s as quiet as a mouse.”

The Kazakh government did not protest against the Chinese government even after discovering it had been controlling some civic groups to shake Kazakhstan.

China would not have admitted it anyway.

Kazakhstan was also engaged in intelligence activities against China, so both countries were the same.

China should be ashamed to be caught spying in Kazakhstan.

If it were a decent intelligence organization, it should not have been caught so easily.

On the other hand, Kazakh agents, which were active in Xinjiang Uyghur, had never been discovered by Chinese police.

It was something to be complimented. Although the Chinese government allowed part of the capitalist system through reform and openness, China was still a closed socialist country. In other words, it was a difficult environment for foreign intelligence organizations to step in.

If Kazakhstan’s Intelligence Service had not been caught while working in such a place, it was quite an achievement.

***

Zeynep, who went to do medical service, returned to the royal territory.

The media companies that accompanied the hospital ship made headlines for its medical service activities.

The Kazakh people were also very proud of the fact that Kazakhstan had become a country that could help other countries.

Zeynep’s hospital ship was able to reach the Caspian Sea through the expanded Volga-Don Canal.

If the Volga-Don Canal had not been expanded and opened, it would have been forced to operate from either the port of Copenhagen in Denmark or the port of Piraeus in Greece as its parent port, but there was no need to suffer such inconvenience.

There was no room to step on the docks of royal territory with crowds welcoming the medical volunteer staff.

“Doctor, thank you for your hard work.”

“Oh, it wasn’t hard work at all. In fact, it was like going on a cruise. The princess and the medical staff did a lot of hard work.”

He was tanner but looked healthier than before he left the country.

His good complexion was proof that the trip had been rewarding even though long-term life on the ship and medical activities in a foreign country were never easy.

“I heard you’ve done a great job.”

“The princess has done a great job. The government of Madagascar was very grateful. It’s because we not only provided medical service to the residents who had no medical benefits but also our Navy had cleared all the pirates that operated in the surrounding waters.”

“I’ve also been briefed about pirates in the waters of Madagascar.”

“Madagascar is also not a safe zone as pirate mother ships are becoming larger these days. Although our Navy has wiped out all of them this time, I think we should continue to pay attention to them. I don’t think it’s going to be completely eradicated until African countries get back to normal.”

Due to the pirates who approached the hospital ship as a target of hijacking, the Kazakh Navy had eradicated Somali pirates as well as the pirates in eastern Africa.

In eastern African waters, the Kazakh Navy was so notorious as to be called the grim reaper.

“I’ll have to talk to the admiral.”

“He’s done an amazing job this time.”

Getting off the ship, Zeynep was as lively as a fish in the water.

She greeted her nephew and nieces with hugs and kisses as they had not met in a long time.

“Great job.”

“Well, it was a good experience. I’m not even tired. Maybe it’s because I did something worthwhile.”

“Wasn’t the hospital ship uncomfortable to stay in?”

“It’s quite comfortable like a hotel. The medical staff is very satisfied.”

“If there’s anything to improve, tell me. We can improve it in our Royal Shipyard.”

“Instead, give the captain of the frigate and the soldiers a special break. They were supposed to rest at the Greek base, but they worked hard to escort us to the Caspian Sea.”

***

“You mean no more guards are needed for the hospital ship?”

“Yes, Your Highness. As a matter of fact, there was a situation.”

Lieutenant Colonel Ivanov, the commander of the frigate, the Ural, elaborated on what happened when the vessel was getting an oil supply at the Gulf of Aden.

Youngho had already been reported by Admiral Jun.

“That means the troops on the hospital ship are enough.”

“With the royal guards on the hospital ship, even pirates can’t be a threat. If you arm the patient transport helicopter on it, you will be able to handle even small combat ships.”

The hospital ship was equipped with a helicopter for transporting emergency patients.

Ivanov wanted to utilize the helicopter for defense.

“It’s for transport. You want to arm it”

“If the ship does volunteer work in a dangerous area, the helicopter can be used for reconnaissance purposes. Most of the areas where the hospital ships operate are unsafe. We need a multi-purpose helicopter to prepare for that. I’m telling you this because we’ve put our anti-submarine helicopters in the volunteer medical community, and they’ve worked better than we thought.”

The deployment of the newest frigate to escort the hospital ship was rather too much, as it was like a small Aegis destroyer.

“Is there any other reason?”

“No, Your Highness. I’ve discussed it with the commander of the fleet. It’s inefficient to have a warship following a hospital ship when it’s supposed to be a part of the fleet operation. And there’s also the hassle of having to move along with the supply ship because the frigate has a short range. It’s especially dangerous because it’s defenseless when it’s being supplied with gas.”

“Hmm! I see, there was such a problem. But I can’t help feeling uneasy.”

“We’ve seen the activities of the Royal bodyguards, so I think they are enough to protect the hospital ship.”

“Thank you for your opinion. Let’s try to use the new frigate more efficiently then. But I heard there’s a portable missile on pirate ships. Can you combat that with a 20-millimeter machine gun?”

“It’s quite possible. It would almost perfect the defense if the goalkeeper mechanic was installed.”

“The moment you arm the ship, it’ll be classified as a warship.”

“It’s such a big ship that there are plenty of places to hide. You don’t have to expose them.”

The goalkeeper was a defensive weapon that could neutralize even ship-to-ship missiles. There was no reason to decline it if the ship could be armed secretively.

“Oh! That’ll do.”

“And we’d like you to deploy additional troops to escort the traveling medics to remote areas. Although Madagascar is a safe zone, there have been cases where indigenous people who live far from civilization are hostile to health care workers.”

“You mean one platoon is not enough.”

“No, it’s not. There’s plenty of room on the hospital ship, so it’ll be safe to carry two platoon soldiers and three or four light armored vehicles.”

The hospital ship had a separate entrance to and from the side of the ship for ambulances. Lieutenant Colonel Ivanov was trying to use it.

“But is Madagascar dangerous enough to mobilize light armored vehicles?”

Youngho was surprised to hear him.

If it was dangerous enough to mobilize light armored vehicles, medical service should not be given in the area. He did not want to expose Zeynep and the medical staff to danger.

“It is because there are many unpaved roads and a lot of times, you have to cross a river. The light-armored vehicle is the only thing that will protect the medics and soldiers, and the radius of activity will be extended much more.”

“Oh! That’s what it was for. But how do you know all that in detail?”

“I heard that Princess Zeynep was participating in a long-distance volunteer work, so I went to the expedition with the crew of the Ural. That’s why I’m reporting to you based on my short experience. If we minimize the armament of the light armored vehicles produced in the royal territory and convert them into a space for medical personnel, we can ensure the princess and their safety wherever they go.”

Ivanov was saying what Youngho liked to hear.

He was speaking the truth.

Light armored vehicles were not too expensive and did not take up a lot of space, either.

While Zeynep would not accompany remote trips every time, there was nothing more than a light armored vehicle for the safety of the physically weak medical staff.

“As I talked to you today, I guess I can stop worrying about the hospital ship. You’ve been having a hard time escorting it, so I’ll give the crew of the Ural a special week off. When the vacation is over, return to Arirang Island. I’ll look forward to the future of the Mediterranean mobile fleet.”

“Thank you. Your Highness, I will show the world the power of the Kazakh Royal Navy. You can look forward to it.”

Ivanov walked out of the office with a splendid salute.