The Marine

Sitting in his office, Bill went over his financial reports and realized they had done quite well for themselves.

After speaking to Sentomaru, Bill had been given the exact details on what obligations were to the Science Division.

There were only two financial terms for him to keep his Commission.

Firstly, while there were no expectations of revenue during his first two years of operation, he was expected to turn in 200m each year after that with new revenue evaluations occurring at five-year intervals.

This was not bad he thought, as in about five months he and his crew had gained around 400m Beli despite only traveling to set locations. Even if he removed the enormous profits that he had gained from Bear King, he would still have been able to make 100m Beli this year quite easily.

He couldn’t say where he would be in five years, but he was relatively sure in the knowledge he would last at least that long.

More interesting was the second condition set.

That was, in addition to that lump sum already due, the Science Division would demand 20% of his Departments total profits at the end of the year.

These profits were totaled after all expenses were paid, and because of that caveat, Bill thought it didn’t make sense for this worlds business practices to be so much more modern than its government.

In his last life, Bill had been a self-employed plumber until a knee injury he sustained became too much to handle and he switched to teaching English at a public High School.

So even though he was never a huge businessman, Bill knew the fundamentals of business and that’s why he questioned this second financial obligation the Science Division had given him.

This was due to the fact that successful businesses almost never had actual cash profits and the tax code was built around that idea.

To put it simply, after paying expenses a successful business would reinvest the capital back into the company.

This reinvestment was a tax write-off and not having physical money was of no consequence because as the company reinvested in itself, its credit would expand.

So, thinking back to when he started his plumbing business, the first year he paid no taxes because he bought a used van. The second year he paid no taxes because he bought a new truck. The third year he paid no taxes because he bought an expensive pipe-cutting tool, and so it went every year.

On one hand, Bill and his family never had much cash – but on the other hand their net worth, and so their line of credit, expanded year after year.

This was how successful businesses got large, and it was a thoroughly modern concept that was contradicted by this worlds antiquated system of government.

Because doing business this way was not common in the history of Earth.

In the past when systems of government were immature, princes would give out monopoly rights to various merchant guilds. Those merchant guilds would pay their dues directly to that sovereign and so would have the power of law behind them.

In theory this was a good system because those merchant guilds could regulate the industries that they knew better than the central authorities, who often had little actual knowledge of what went on outside their direct holdings.

In addition, because merchant guilds were almost always invested in a single kind of product it was thought that they would best ensure quality standards while simultaneously guarding the interests of the working masses that worked in whichever field controlled by the monopoly.

In practice though, this system destroyed competition as it became illegal for other similar shops to open up. It destroyed innovation because when there’s no competition there’s no need to take risks to be more efficient. Finally, it stimulated corruption due to the need to bribe those guild officials whenever the need arose – as they were now empowered by law.

Thinking about these two kinds of economic philosophies, Bill just shook his head when he considered the way in which the World Government functioned.

His only reasonable explanation was that either banking was predatory to the average merchant, or this loophole was only obvious to him as a person who knew modern economic theory.

‘But enough of that.’ Thought he, finishing his financial report.

His department had 264m Beli in cash while he had about 20m on hand.

After recruiting a hundred Mates they were now paying out 1.2m Beli in salaries with 200k Beli in supplies each month.

And those numbers would need to at least double to just fill key jobs on their current ships.

Running different scenarios through his head, he was sure there was a fortune to be made by connecting otherwise disparate islands and opening up their markets, but that wouldn’t do any good if he couldn’t first set down his Departments’ roots.

After all, Bill knew that even if what he was doing was technically legal, he was still in the Marines and Marineford could call on ships in the Science Division just as easily as they could regular navy vessels. So, he couldn’t just have a merchant fleet sailing under Marine flags risk free.

Also, this wasn’t Earth. His merchant ships would need escorts and those escorts would have to come from somewhere.

In the future he would set up factories in various kingdoms that would produce products that had high turn over rates but low individual profit, but Bill had decided to do this with his own money and not out of his Department’s budget.

Until then Bill needed to worry about more immediate concerns like how he would get arms and training for his new recruits.

Then there were the estimated costs for building the town and his laboratory on Little East Blue island.

Shaking his head, Bill considered the costs of shipping iron and steel to be unrealistic. He had thought before but while the location of Little East Blue was good for a command center, it was not a good location for starting a production facility.

Tapping his finger on his desk, Bill leaned back and thought.

By this time, it was around 7:30 in the morning and as Bill was leaning back going back and forth with the ideas in his head there was a knock at his door.

Calling the person in, Yoko charged inside with Carol quietly behind her.

The two girls were of similar age and so had become friends during the month and a half that Bill had been in the hospital.

“Bill!” Said Yoko and she continued energetically: “Tell Carol about Clockwork Island, she doesn’t believe that island way into the sky!”

As she spoke Yoko raised up her arms to indicate how tall it was, and Bill listening to her just started laughing.

“Hahaha, yeah it was pretty amazing, wasn’t it?”

When she had said this, it reminded him of the mountain of steel that they had left behind in the wreckage. Bill hadn’t thought to remember it after everything that had happened with the refugees but now felt silly.

Buying metal for Little East Blue island? Not a chance!

The real question here would be how to transport the huge amount of material across the Calm Belt!

“Hey, are you listening?” brought back to reality Bill focused on Yoko and Carol before saying.

“Thanks to you I just remembered something really important!”

After he said this Bill stood up and started for the door and after being asked where he was going replied: “I need to see Captain Smoker.”

Yoko: “You’re going into town! Can we come?!”

Turning his head, Bill said that he didn’t mind but Carol had to go ask her dad. The girl said her dad never minded her playing in town, but Bill told her to go ask anyway.

As the two kids ran off, Bill walked into the dining area and mingled around with the old men who were playing checkers and talking about the weather.

“Yeah, it seems like it’s getting hotter every year.” Said Bill, who spoke on instinct more than any actual factual observation.

“Bububu, My my Captain! I didn’t think you’ve had that many years to go off of!”

Laughing back “I guess I don’t.” the girls came back followed by Masterson.

Giving Bill a salute the Marine sniper said: “Sir, my daughter says you’re going in town. I’ll come with you as an escort.”

Shrugging his shoulders, Bill said he didn’t mind but didn’t think it would be necessary – which was good enough for Masterson to invite himself.

As the four walked through the dockyard Bill and Masterson walked in front and the girls followed behind them.

Masterson: “Ah, Captain, there was something I needed to bring up.”

Hearing this, Bill asked his new recruit what the matter was. He had noticed that since he had awoken from the hospital that Masterson had been much more formal than before.

Masterson: “Well, you see, a condition for my contract was schooling for Carol… but it’s been over a month, and nothing seems to have been done.”

“Ah” said Bill understanding and then continued: “The Science Division recruits at fifteen, we will have schools on our home island but that will obviously take about a year to properly set up… Hm.”

Looking up Bill then turned his head and asked: “Carol, is there anything particular you’re interested in?”

The two girls had been talking, but as kids do, they had become quiet in order to hear the adult’s conversion.

Carol: “I think I want to be a doctor, but I like building blocks too…”

Seeing the girl trail off in thought, Bill turned back to Masterson and said: “Well, I can put her with Miyagi. Yoko studies with him sometimes learning about botany. I’ll also see if I can’t organize something with the old men back at the warehouse. Jenkins was a foreman and one of the Rivet Rifle’s designers, I’d think he’d be qualified to teach some math and basic problem solving.”

Masterson seemed happy with this and as they walked to the Marine branch, they spoke about the Rivet Rifle and other Clockwork Island inventions.

Walking inside, Bill found Tashigi leaning sideways on the reception desk talking to the man behind it.

The foursome was quickly noticed, and the swordswoman walked over to greet them, she would have fallen but Bill caught her.”

Tashigi: “S.sorry!”

 “Not at all!” said Bill

“I was just looking for Captain Smoker, is he here by chance?”

Of course, Bill could have focused and found Smokers exact location. Opening his ‘Mind’s Eye’ he could detect the locations of Devil Fruit users around him immediately.

But he restrained himself as soon as he discovered this newfound ability. Bill believed in privacy and would not take the chance to spy on someone when it was uncalled for.

To his question, Tashigi looked downcast but said to wait there. Turning around she went up the stairs and Bill assumed Smoker’s office.

After waiting for several minutes, Masterson said that he’d take the girls around the nearby shops, and it wasn’t too much longer after that when Tashigi had returned.

The woman’s face was downcast, but before Bill could inquire, she said: “He said he’s ready to see you… Captain Ox, please help the Captain if you can…”

Nodding slowly, Bill walked up the steps and found Smoker’s door slightly ajar. Holding the handle, which was tiny in his hands, with his left he knocked with his right.

“Come in…” said a voice and upon entering the room Bill saw the man it originated from.

Smoker looked thin, almost as if he hadn’t eaten for a month.

There were papers and books strewn across his office and looked down Bill saw one titled ‘Mind and Body’ and another titled ‘Unbreakable Will.’

Walking slowly, Bill came to take the chair across from the melancholic Captain, seeing the book closest to him titled ‘Haki and its Uses’.

Seeing at Smoker didn’t seem to want to go first, Bill offered: “Is everything all right here?”

First scanning the room with his eyes, Smoker then looked back and said: “Yeah, everything is just fine. Just peachy.”

Bill: “Well, that’s good. I came here to collect Nelson Royale but also with a request that I was hoping you’d be able to help with.”

Not blinking, Smoker looked at Bill and answered back: “And what would that be, ‘Black Stone’?”

This was the first time Bill had ever been called by his new moniker. He didn’t really like it but thought it could be worse.

“I was hoping to borrow one of your sloops for a few weeks and also get back the Eternal Pose to Clockwork Island.”

Leaning forward a bit, Smoker grabbed a cigar and as he inhaled life seemed to come back to him.

“You want to borrow a sloop? I don’t have one, but you can be granted a caravel, even better.

But I have a request for you, and if you help me, you can have the vessel as a sign of my gratitude.”

Then taking a deep puff of his cigar, Smoker began to light a second off the first.

After this was done, he sat back and despite the life in his eyes Bill could see the gauntness in his cheeks.

“Tell me how you use Haki, Black Stone.”

Hearing this, everything became clear, and Bill unconsciously frowned.