CYTM38

=Chapter 38=
==Can you tell me where can we start over?==
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===Overview: 3058===
Kowloon did not participate in the Coventry Relief.  In large part, this is due to the extant forces available.  While Kowloon's coast guard was developing a black-naval force, the equipment was judged unready for prime time by both LAAF and local officials, being short both on hulls, and on crews for those hulls.  The closest they got to participation were a few contracted transport ships being chopped to support ground forces, and additional picket duty for the 2nd Squadron, defending worlds like Melissia and Inarcs from possible threats from the Jade Falcons.  (a threat that consistently failed to materialize).
This did however, free the "Kowloon MTM" to assist the LAAF in anti-piracy operations along the periphery front. Albeit again mostly in the form of providing transportation for LAAF Regulars formations and supply logistics.  The small 'cutter' combat ships were judged to be next to useless for national service by LAAF authority. So, nobody really paid much in the way of attention as 1st Squadron moved against known Bandit groups. As the ships were used to conduct surveillance and strike missions before being replaced by 3rd Squadron, with 2nd standing down and 1st going to relieve them on picket.
The 2nd Squadron then moved to conducting "tactical exercises" and further training duty.
By August of 3058, the 4th Squadron was activated, entering the rotation.  By then, the Coventry emergency was over with.
Merchants in the Coventry province found their insurance premiums were lower on routes with Coast Guard cutters doing picket and escort. As piracy along those routes, along with accidents lowered to levels not seen since before the outbreak of the First Succession War, and the rates dedicated mercenaries can charge began to drop as well, as risk assessments began to dry up, encouraging more mercenary units to either move deeper into the Periphery looking for work, or closer to the core and the Free Worlds League Front.
This is what happens when someone starts paying serious attention to improving your internal trade and transport infrastructure.
In July of 3058, Kowloon's "Coast Guard" began opening inspection and repair stations in neighboring systems. Aggressively enforcing inspection regimens along with aggressively offering reduced cost and free maintenance to independent flagged transport captains.  This move has begun reducing the available transport assets for the remaining bandit kingdoms and pirate groups on that side of the Inner Sphere. As costs and insurance premiums for independent haulers are going down to the point that single-ship outfits can actually afford insurance (thus, opening more cargo jobs of a legitimate nature for more profit than the illegitimate traffic, such as pirate transport, was paying-and at significantly reduced risk.)
None of this, of course, is noticed on Tharkad or New Avalon.  The increased tax revenues aren't going to be seen until the end of the Fiscal year. A reduction in emergency calls along one portion of the realm isn't something seen as significant in the middle of a major military crisis.
This isn't to say nobody is noticing the steady increase in law and order, economic activity, and attendant local prosperity increases.  Just that it's not viewed at Mount Asgard as important enough to include in briefings to the Archon.
After all, Katherine Steiner-Davion has more important things to consider.
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