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[b][h3]Federated States of the Atlantic[/h3][/b][/center]

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[b]City Hall, Hamilton, Bermuda[/b]

Samuel Kipps, Chancellor of the FSA, slammed his fist down on the table.

"Silence!" he bellowed, stunning Felicity Spencer, the representative of the FSA Nova Scotia Company, into silence.

Darren Smith, the coordinator of the FSA Caribbean Company, stopped mid sentence, his mouth hanging open. There was an audible [i]snap[/i] as he brought his jaws together again, a look of frustration carved on his face.

"I demand that you discuss theses issues like Britons, not some Hispanic peasant of the Canaries! You know that these problems are important to the security and growth of the Federated States." snapped the Chancellor sharply.

"If I may remind you, [i]Chancellor[/i] Kipps, the Caribbean Company is currently the most competitive and prosperous of the National Companies. We have virtually eliminated competition from the mainland American powers in the sugar trade. Currently, we are in the process of bringing the Turks and Caicos Islands under the influence of the Company, and thus the FSA. Furthermore, it was we that funded your efforts to rise to your position in the current government. Are you sure you want to throw that away, [i]Chancellor[/i]?"

Kipps fumed in silence. Cursed be the Burmudian bureaucracy, and the fuzzy borders between the Companies and the Government! Such a system was altogether too corrupt and inefficient for the liking of the Chancellor.

"I... understand your point..." Kipps hissed through his teeth. 

Felicity Spencer's eyes opened wide.

"You don't mean to tell me that you are going to bend to the will of this man?" she almost shrieked. "You know very well that our entire national wood supply comes through Nova Scotian ports. Without funding, this route is in jeopardy."

"Oh, and you think the Caribbean Company can found a subsidiary Company of the Mississippi without those funds then, do you?" retorted Smith. "I'm sure the people will enjoy admiring your nice wooden ships as they [i]starve[/i] to death when our wheat imports fail to meet demand."

"Why you..."

"Silence!" Kipps shouted again. "I know you both have issues, [i]genuine[/i] issues, which must both be attended to." He paused briefly, and lifted a sheet of paper to the light.

"While you two were [i]discussing[/i] your differences, I had time to draft a compromise. We can work out the details later, but this is the outline of my plan: funding will go to the Nova Scotia Company for the repair of another dock in Halifax - that should maintain the current wood import rate required, if we cut down on supplies to the Azores. And instead of funding the Caribbean Company to found a company based around the Mississippi, the government will allow new entrepreneurs from the Hispanic regions to set up a new, independent company. And don't - " Kipps raised a hand to silence the rising wrath of Darren Smith " - even think about complaining to your superiors, or I will allow the Nova Scotian Company to create a subsidiary company in New England to secure food supplies from there instead. You can't threaten me, or I will go over to Nova Scotia. To sweeten the deal, the government will issue a decree concerning the annexation of the Turks and Caicos Islands as soon as you have brought them under your sway."

Smith raised a half-impressed eyebrow. Felicity Spencer look aghast.

"I'm listening..." they spoke in unison.