Joseph sat in his office reading the newspaper, the budget had passed. without the need for his intervention he added and chuckled to himself. He continued to read about how prices of oil were increasing which was good news for the country but didn’t interest him much, all though he did want to increase his wealth. Instead he focused more on the smuggling operation happening to the south. He had requested for his men to handle the situation but the president instead was going to the minister of defense, the former cartel boss .He was unsure where her loyalties lay but in order to maintain the relationship he had been building with the president he subsided. He called in his Deputy Antonio who arrived minutes later. “Antonio, begin the recruitment of another unit of police ” he hushed, making sure others couldn’t hear me.

Antonio nodded and began writing out the details such as some names of new recruits and the new name, there was already Task Force Alpha and Task Force Hunter. The new one would be called Task Force Phoenix. “Antonio, I also want TF Alpha to head southwest to the province of Carantas. The province has a good central location to the outer west provinces and would be a good place to set up. Furthermore, once TF Phoenix is up and running I want them moved to the east to the province of Urganus first and then have them move to the coastal province further eastward (Tartenus). Should the military fail I want our many ready to jump in and finish the smugglers.” Antonio nodded “Anything else sure? Shall TF Hunters maintain position in the capitol?” Joseph nodded and then waved him away.

After Antonio left, Joseph stood up and headed outside his office to the balcony. He had a beautiful view of the city and more importantly of the ocean. Money couldn’t even begin to buy a position like this, he was doing something far greater with plans. He smiled and smelled the cool breeze of change.

The economy of Melizea, always based off the oil that it could produce and the people that it could attract to its beaches, would once more live up to what was expected of its exports. Despite the generous offer from the Arkanian Federation, President Saavedra had believed that the exports to the world market would benefit Melizean interests far more than cheaper construction materials that could be produced from home. As such, President Saavedra would make efforts to move oil from the countryside in order to be properly exported before the prices dropped too much as a result of the COVID 19 scare that seemed to be gripping the east. However, the president did release a statement regarding the subject of Melizean-Arkanian relations.

"It is not my intention to ignore the generous deal of our neighbor, however, I must put forth the interests of the nation as a whole before looking to make deals with individual countries. As such, I do hope that this does not put a damper on our relations with the Arkanian Federation."

Later, came the topic of Balruban Smuggler Crisis, which saw much attention from the issue being placed onto President Saavedra, who had very quickly stated that, "these smuggles will be brought to swift justice by the Minister of Defense, Isabella Cortez. It is under her supervision that we will end this crisis before it gets out of hand." However, he refuse to answer questions on how these events would play into the Melizean-Balruban relations in the near future of dealing with future issues such as this. While President Saavedra offered a brief insight as to how the issue will end, little else can be gathered other than pure speculation as to what is to be done regarding the smuggling crisis. Though, it is noted that President Saavedra is taking a more active stance against these smugglers than his predecessors had, marking a sound change in the countries leadership.

While sitting in her awesome desk in the Captial Ms. Cortez the one and only got a communique from her boss, her over lord President Diego. It was an official document unlike the scribbled messages passed by her guerillas sometimes stained with others blood. It was a detailed order to simply and ultimately destory the Balruban Smugglers. A smile crossed her face as the tables had simply turned, the criminals would be dealt with - Melizean style of course. She opended a drawer by her side as she removed a few dossiers - it was those who served in the MAF below her. A few generals and a admiral, their contact information were one of the few bits of information she saw about them. Picking up the phone she made a call, well a few calls to be specific.

Pepe had spent some days working in his office, speaking to those assigned underneath and above him as he took in everything he could. To be honest, he had been extremely surprised when the call came that the new President, whom Pepe did not particularly like, had decided to offer leadership over the Department of Industry and Production. It was a surprising gesture, but an interesting one. The economy was perhaps the greatest thing underlying Melizea, since it was in fact the people as a whole. If the economy, the real economy, did well, so did the people. The People were the path forward, Pepe had written many times in his papers. And if Pepe did this job well, if the economy did well as a response, perhaps Pepe could catapult himself and his ideals onto the Melizean political stage in full.

Or at least, the thought crossed his mind for a moment before he shrugged, looked down at his papers, and decided to do his absolute best job at helping Melizea and the People in this capacity.

Pepe had gathered what economic information he could muster as well as information gained from speaking to other in government. There were clear and necessary to satisfy demands for food, as a hungry population was an angry population. Currently, there were plenty of goods waiting to be delivered, a job handled by Transportation. Hmm... I have little doubt infrastructure is a major economic bottleneck. I need to figure out how to help address that, ruminated Pepe, At the same time, we need to feed the people and supply oil for our economy and income. Any oil that gets to the docks by the end of 2020 will also be sold, so I can rely on that to take care of moving that product.

Leaning back in his chair, Pepe looked out the window whilst packing some herbs into his pipe, I know we have plenty of goods currently waiting to be shipped, but I need to know other information as well. The barely middle-aged Latin man lit his pipe, took a long, slow drag, and contemplated the situation, exhaling lightly.

It was decided a simple, safe course of action would be taken. All industries in Melizea would produce goods, resulting in addition food, construction materials, and oil. Pepe couldn't find papers related to food consumption in Melizea, so decided more is never a bad thing in that case. Construction materials were produced as well because Pepe had little doubt they would be needed for infrastructure improvements. And oil, well, oil, was mainly to earn money. The more wealth Melizea brought to it, in Pepe's mind, the faster Melizea could rapidly industrialize and modernize. And the sooner its people would be freed physically and intellectually. To press Melizean Industrialization, Pepe decided to spend the Department's budget building another Factory in the Capitol, resulting in a total of three in the Capitol.

In addition to this, Pepe ordered his righthand subordinate, Julio De'Sal, to organize a think tank of economic advisors that would organize data to give the Department of Industry and Production a number of statistics such as food consumption in Melizea and oil consumption.

Alonso would do what he could but realistically he couldn't appease everyone. Rubbing the temple as he looked over what was needed. The military force that was being deployed was excessive, at least in his mind but it was his job to make sure they got what they needed. Taking a sip of Peruvian whiskey as he looked at the map. He would have to make sure that both the airforce and navy received their share to continue operation.

The trains would be working over time. The national rail would be collecting the six units oil and two units of food. The Ferocarilles rail would do the same picking up four of oil two units if good and two construction materials. The trains would also deliver food to the needed cities with the capital taking precedence. A truck fleet would collect food and distribute it in the west.

The command bunker had grown increasingly more tense and more professional as the aircraft dispatched for the airstrike grew closer to their target. To be specific the 1st Strike Wing, being comprised of old British Harrier jump jets inherited after the cold war.
“We’re entering AO now, commencing combat patrol.” came over the comms. A large screen depicted the radar image of the aircraft, several of the comms operators were smoking giving an acrid cloud to the otherwise cool interior of the bunker.
“There they are! I can see camouflage tarpaulins covering creates or something and there are six trucks parked in a pool. Permission to engage?”
“Any civilian structures present?”
“Yes there are bunkhouses and a large villa General.”
“Commence strafing run on the vehicles, mission kill them before they can exit the AO.”
“Copy that General.”
The sound of engines re-vectoring came over the open radio. Then the unmistakable buzz of auto cannon fire from harriers.
“Vehicles are trying to flee the area, there are technicals and trucks.”
“Strafe them, but watch for collateral damage on the buildings.”
“Copy that”
Then more buzzing and the sound of engines.
“How does it look now, are there any civilians?”
“No General, i can only see a few, they must all be taking cover in the bunkhouses”
“Good, i want you to hit those tarpaulins with the missiles. Over.”
“Copy that, im coming around again.”
“At your leisure”
“Fox 1 away, Fox 2 away. Target destroyed.”
“Good, return to base.”
“Is the leaflet unit in position?”
“Yes general, we are in position.”
“Commence leaflet drop, then return to base.”
There, as clean a mission as any Ferdinand had ever completed. The leaflets were a nice touch, he had had them printed by the news paper “O Grito” before the mission was launched. He pulled out a copy he had and read the message.

"Attention Smugglers - you are encircled by the Melizean Armed Forces. Drop your arms and surrender to the nearest army unit.

Atleast Ferdinand would not have to go to sleep tonight worrying about civilians caught in the crossfire. He could sleep with a clean conscience.

Marcela was on the backseat of a car she was moving to another state of the nation mainly in part of being close to the man she was in command after all a leader should be in the front lines close to the soldiers not hidden behind a desk in the capital as the driver took her to her destination Marcela picked the dossier sent by the minister of defense she at first thought of the idea of having a cartel leader as the minister of defense as something scary she took a sight and started reading it.

After reading it she then picked her phone and then called someone she then said “i need you to send division 1 and 2 for a march with their equipment give then everything they need and also tell then to be ready” She then calls off continue to look at the landscape through the window of the car she thought to herself for a moment taking the army to deal with smugglers a little overreaction on her opinion mainly because of the armies has been mainly used to defend against invaders not deal with criminals, "Things are bad" She whispered to herself.

A new day, a new government in Melizea.

Like many of his fellows in the President's cabinet, Phillipe had spent the day settling in to his new office and exploring the grounds of his ministry building as the newly appointed Minister of Energy. The bespectacled gentleman found himself wandering the old building's gardens as evening fell, a long coat wrapped tightly about him as he cast his gaze over the greenery. With a cigarette nestled between his fingers, it's glowing end bloomed orange with every drag her took, a grey spiral of smoke coiling around his head like a halo.

It was little known that the capital city of Melizea was not actually connected to the national grid, reliant instead on local generators and closed circuits. Most in the city proper would not have noticed of course, the wealth and resources plentiful enough to have overcome the issue but it was much more keenly felt in the city outskirts. No longer, however, for he had decided his first act as Minister would be to bring power and light to the capital. In due time power lines would dress the horizon, the streets and homes would be aglow.

And he, well, he would be the man to have made it so.

Nothing new was coming to the old man the military had their plans and it would be without Rodrigo this time around, which was reassuring because he did not want to chase down some old smugglers. He wanted to stack the bodies of rebels, dissenters and the other kinds of folks that would want to see Melizea fall. He simply sad down in his chair at the capital as he opened a fine bottle of Balruban wine thinking to himself. To the smugglers who were about to be splats on the ground he thought as he sipped from his chalice which was just a wine glass, he let out a yawn afterwards. Today would be a good day.

January 6th, 2021

Minister of Industry Pepe's Office, São Cristovão

Pepe sat at his desk, pouring over a map of Melizea, planning potential moves for the coming year. Whilst 2020 had seen the Ministry of Industry do fairly well, unfortunately a gaff by the Ministry of Transport had resulted in some unintended events in the nation. The officer frowned subtly as he recounted the losses incurred by that misunderstanding.

A knock at his door, to which Pepe welcomed, "Come in." Lieutenant Juarez's head, a scrawny tree of a man, peered in, "Colonel, the first COVID-19K mutation was reported by the Arkanians."

Much of the color flushed from Colonel Pepe's face, "Juarez, you're certain?" Juarez solemnly nodded, causing his superior to take in a long, deep breath. As Pepe exhaled, he brought his fingers to his temples, "Lord, give Melizea the strength to pull through what comes ahead. This goddamn disease will probably be spreading rampantly here within weeks or God forbid, days... Return to what you were doing, Juarez."

After the man had left, the Colonel leaned back, looking once more at the map of Melizea. In Pepe's mind, there seemed only one solution. It was a hard pill to swallow, but now was probably the last moment Melizea would get to attempt to cut itself off from the world and this new disease. The Colonel picked up the phone and dialed the President's Office. A secretary answered, "The President is not immediately available. Can I take a message?"

Pepe took a breath, "Yes, please ensure he listens to the actual recording of this call. Prrrresidente Saavedra, this is Colonel Caraballo, Minister of Industry. It was reported today by the Arkanians that the first COVID-19K infection was confirmed in their nation. Considering how incredibly rapidly this new disease has spread, I believe it is mathematically certain that this disease will hit our nation within weeks, maybe days. I genuinely believe it is in the best, long-term interest of the nation to close the borders immediately. Or if not immediately, consider ordering the Secret Police, Army, Air Force, and Navy to move quickly to secure the routes into the nation by land, sea, and air, before an official announcement in order to get ahead of the likely panicked movements of peoples and goods. Please let me know by communication or official announcement your plan or opinion with regards to this matter. Thank you."

The Colonel had little idea what the President's opinion on this matter was, but he hoped they would soon find out.

Written upon a paper presented secretly before the cabinet members is a paper inscribed with the words of Colonel Pepe, "With President Saavedra becoming indisposed, his delegation to me the position of Acting President, or Acting Presidente, as I prefer, comes with great responsibility. Until President Saavedra is once more capable of taking the helm, I shall hold this position until the end of his term, at which point I shall release my position to whomever wins the next election. Thus, I lay out my proposed budget for 2021:

Proposed 2021 Budget

• Ministry of Security - $2
• Ministry of Defense - $5
• Ministry of Transport - $5
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs - $2
• Ministry of Energy - $5
• Ministry of Industry - $5

My logic is simple;

I do not believe the Ministry of Security is in dire need of more money, as they shall receive double their budget from the previous year. I have appropriately allocated more funds to Defense in accordance with our increased income because he who wants peace must prepare for war.

The Ministry of Transport receives more funds because we need to develop Melizea's infrastructure and logistics capabilities far beyond what it is currently if we wish for Melizea to compete on the world stage to any extent. The same goes for the Ministries of Energy and Industry. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is receiving double its budget from last year, and I know although it is less, I would not be surprised if we were to close the borders very soon, so foreign relations are likely to become less important.

Thank you for your time, Gentlemen and Ladies, Acting President Pepe"