The Albatros And The Pirates Of Galguduud

As he exited the elevator there was a young woman waiting for him.

“Good morning Mr. Reyes,” she greeted him. “Welcome. This way please.”

Twenty-something, tall and thin, although he noticed thankfully as Marianne turned to go, not as thin as some women like to be. Blonde, blue eyes, clear skin and delicate features. She had on cute glasses, the kind that some call “sexy secretary glasses”. She could have probably been a model if she had wanted to. She was the stereotypical Nordic woman many Latin men dream about. She was wearing a skirt, blouse and heels that said: I’m working, I’m a professional, but I still like to look good.

Reyes followed her through a wide hallway that was decorated with good taste and class. It was obvious Mr. Gotthelf liked taking care of himself and enjoyed the good things in life. Reyes thought he recognized the style of a famous painter in one of the paintings on the walls.

At the end of the hallway just after a desk with two computers and a number of telephones that must belong to Marianne there was a mahogany door at which the secretary called before entering. She announced in German, “Herr Reyes.”

After that she stepped aside and let the Spaniard in. The office had the same style as the hallway. Reyes was sure it was worth more than his entire chalet on the outskirts of Madrid. And he also liked taking good care of himself.

At the back of the room behind an oak desk and sitting on a leather chair Gotthelf watched him collected. When he rose to greet him Reyes noticed the chair was custom made. He had heard about those but had never seen one. They would take the customer’s measurements to get the shape of the body and then would make a chair to fit. For the owner it would be the most comfortable chair in the world, whereas for anyone else it would feel as uncomfortable as a torture chair. Reyes initially dismissed how expensive he thought he remembered they were but when he looked around the office he reconsidered. If there was a man who could afford it, it was Gotthelf.

“Welcome to Zurich Mr. Reyes! I hope you had a pleasant flight.”

“Yes, it went smoothly,” he answered.

Flying first class usually has that advantage.

“First of all, I want to apologize for asking you to get here so suddenly,” the magnate said. “But if I’m not mistaken, you won’t regret your decision.”

“No worries,” answered Reyes, “one gets used to traveling.” And then he thought, and of course, you don’t regret making me come here.

“I’m sure. Have a seat please,” Gotthelf said pointing at one of the sofas on one side of the office. “Would you care for a drink?”

“Yes, thank you. Whiskey?”

Gotthelf stared at him for a second but gave him a glass without making any comment. He didn’t drink anything.

Reyes was glad Gotthelf had chosen the sofas instead of the chairs with the desk in between. Without the physical obstacle of the desk and in the comfort of the sofas the conversation would be less formal. And with a superb whiskey in his hand it would be an absolute pleasure.

“Let me get to the point then,” Gotthelf said. “I guess that after our conversation yesterday you know why you are here. I would like to hear your thoughts on the subject.”

“Very well Mr. Gotthelf. Alps Tankers has had to pay three substantial ransoms within the last two years to save a few ships and crews that were captured by Somali pirates. You paid the ransoms promptly to avoid complications as was the case with the sailor in the first one, the Aletschhorn if I remember correctly.

Gotthelf nodded, encouraging him to continue.

“In all three instances the pirates have displayed means and abilities that until now have not been attributed to them and they have made no mistakes that we know of. This indicates that they have specialized training and direction. In addition, they have specific material and human means.”

Gotthelf continued nodding while Reyes was getting to the point that both of them knew was baffling them.

“And for whatever reason or chance, your ships seem to be their preferred targets,” Reyes finished, looking for some reaction on the face his listener.

But there was none. He would make a great poker player, Reyes thought.

“Up until now,” Gotthelf said, “I’m in complete agreement with you. And forgive me if I’m congratulating myself but it’s not every day one comes to the same conclusions as the greatest expert on the subject. The only thing I would add is that the prompt payments not only prevents casualties, but also tons of crude spilled in the ocean and too much negative publicity for my company. I prefer to pay quickly so that those vultures from the news networks don’t have time to have a feast at the expense of my tragedy. The oil sheikhs don’t want to hear that their transporter has problems,” he added. “Most of all, I appreciate that you, even though you haven’t said it in so many words, also sense that there’s something else besides pirates behind all this.”

This time it was Reyes’ turn to nod his head, and smile slightly. He liked the way the conversation was going. Gotthelf steered away from ambiguity and analogies, he spoke clearly and directly, wasn’t afraid to speak his mind and looked you in the eyes when he did so.

“Well, Mr. Gotthelf,” Reyes said. “Now that we have established some context I would like to know, what exactly is it you want from me?” he asked, anxious to finally know the reason for his possible recruitment. Rather, probable, he thought while he smiled inwardly.

Gotthelf smiled from ear to ear. It was funny how his eyes almost disappeared. Then he said, “I’m guessing you’re a little lost.” And when Reyes tilted his head slightly, he added, “Do you know what Morgan, Drake, Lafitte, Surcouf and your countrymen Íñigo de Artieta and Mateo Mainery have in common?”

Reyes, even more confused now than before had to say no, to which Gotthelf replied, “Neither did I, until just now. The truth is, I’ve never been a fan of history but when this idea popped in my head I did some research on the internet and found out that many years ago war wasn’t limited to regular armies, there were also some men that were dedicated to fighting for money.”

During the next few minutes he explained his idea like a child when he proudly shows off a new bike. When he finished he asked, “What do you think?”

“Well Mr. Gotthelf, it’s certainly an unusual idea.”

Reyes tried to think as quickly as he could.

“The first thing you will need,” he continued, “is someone with knowledge of maritime and international law. You’ll need to find out whether it can be done and if so, how? Second, you’ll need someone who can provide you with a ship and crew, besides a clever mind to organize it all.”

Gotthelf smiled.

“I was hoping that could be you,” he said.

“Me?” Reyes exclaimed surprised.

He certainly hadn’t seen it coming. During the last few minutes he was thinking Gotthelf wanted his opinion and then he would hire people to carry out the project. Reyes wasn’t a doer. He was a thinker. He came up with ideas and others carried them out.

“You don’t think you’re the man for the job?” Gotthelf asked. He seemed to be able to read Reyes’ mind. “Nonetheless, I think you’re the ideal man. Obviously you’ve never done anything like this before but with your experience and knowledge on the subject I think you are, without a doubt, the best choice. Besides, as I’m sure you can imagine, my secretary has investigated you and I don’t think anyone has more contacts than you do in the field where I need them. You have worked for practically every organization and government that could require your services. And judging from the contract offers you’re still getting, you haven’t exactly left a bad taste in anyone’s mouth.

Reyes couldn’t believe that for the second day in a row Gotthelf had convinced him before even speaking a word. Was it because it was Gotthelf, or was it due to the novelty of what he proposed? In any case, Reyes knew that in his search for new adventures and challenges he would never find one as appealing as this one.

“What do you say?” Gotthelf asked.

“I’m in,” Reyes replied not missing a beat.

They shook hands smiling and Reyes couldn’t help saying, “Mr. Gotthelf, when we talked earlier I said you would need a lawyer and a coordinator. However, you’re also going to need a lot of money.”

“This is a lot better than having to continue paying all those ransoms,” Gotthelf said as he looked him in the eyes.

Reyes had to admit Gotthelf was right. Besides, he thought, money is probably going to be the least of our problems.

“Very well Mr. Reyes, I’ll be busy the rest of the day. How about we see each other again in the morning? That way you’ll have time to think and tomorrow we can make more definite plans. I went ahead and had my secretary give you an advance on your fees. I figured you wouldn’t turn down my offer. I hope you’ll be pleased.”

Reyes had no doubt it would be so and it must have shown in his expression because Gotthelf continued, “Tomorrow then. I hope you have a great day. And, welcome aboard!” he said in a theatrical voice obviously pleased with his pun.

Reyes was already headed for the door when he heard, “By the way Mr. Reyes, your stay here in Switzerland is on me. I hope you enjoy it.”

Reyes smiled and tilted his head slightly in acknowledgment. This was going to be fun.

#

The next morning, Reyes arrived on time at Gotthelf’s office wearing the same gleaming shoes but a different suit, shirt, and tie. He was on time, and full of uncertainties and questions. The day before, he had spent the afternoon thinking about Gotthelf’s plan. Admittedly, the plan was innovative, clever, and bold, but it was going to require a lot of work and improvisation. Worst of all, there were a lot of things he was going to need and he didn’t know how or even if they could be obtained. He was also aware of the fact that there were more things to do that he hadn’t thought about.

One of the conveniences of his job was that he didn’t need to spend the day in front of the computer. He had taken advantage of this to walk around the historic quarter. Streets like Bahnhofstrasse were proof of why the city’s third source of income was tourism. He also walked by the Grossmünster cathedral commissioned by Charlemagne a thousand years ago.

His first concern was the possible legal complications. Reyes hoped Gotthelf wasn’t expecting him to deal with legal matters as well. Of course, he had studied some law and knew more than was necessary to carry out his work. But what Gotthelf was proposing was so innovative that any government, organization or court would initially be reluctant.

They would need someone not only well versed in law but also bold and with the ability to do research on the laws of various countries. They might also need someone with the skills to negotiate with more than one government.

From the start, these had been the things that were outside of his field of expertise. The rest of the plan would be his responsibility. He had spent the remainder of the previous afternoon thinking about what would be his first and most important steps.

Obviously, the first thing would be the ship. It hadn’t taken him long to decide that probably the most adequate ship would be the type the navy used. Evidently they would have no need for the type of equipment used in high intensity conflicts such as 3D radars, missiles, and anti-submarine warfare systems. They needed an off-shore patrol vessel designed specifically for fighting piracy. A vessel with high cruising speed, good surface radar, lightweight and portable weaponry, a helicopter, and smaller fast boats with the capacity to transport a good boarding team.

Maybe he was being too ambitious but that was the only way to get anywhere. Like Joe Namath once said, “If you aren’t going all the way, why go at all?”

In addition to all that, they were going to need a shipyard to make the necessary modifications to the ship. This would be especially necessary if he was forced to go to plan B: convert a fishing or merchant ship. Initially, he had discarded that option because he knew it wouldn’t work. Complex things such as ships only perform well when they are used for the purpose that they were designed for. Besides, it would be nearly impossible for him to find a ship that met all the requirements he needed. It wasn’t as easy as mounting some sensors and weapons on a deck.

The last resort, an idea he almost dismissed, was to start from scratch. Design and commission the ship themselves. He knew that would take at least a few years and he was sure Mr. Gotthelf was not willing to wait that long.

Reyes knew he had come to a dead end. Both of the secondary options were impractical at best. As for the main idea, anyone with half a brain knew that Western navies don’t go around selling their ships to private enterprises, much less their modern ships.

And that, thought Reyes as he entered the sumptuous office, was just the first of their problems. He hadn’t even started thinking about the crew or supplies.

Gotthelf was waiting for him. He quickly introduced his companion.

“This is Ronnie Egger, my lawyer,” he said. “I’ve been telling him about our idea and he thinks it can be done.”

Egger was about five or six years younger than Gotthelf, short, chubby, and with a baker’s face. The wrinkles on his face denoted he was a person who laughed easily, and something behind his glasses said, I’m friendly, likable; I like peace and quiet.

“Ronnie has been with me since I started my businesses,” Gotthelf said. He’s gotten me out of trouble more than once and even though he’s never wanted to belong to a law firm, he has won all the lawsuits we’ve had. Maybe his loyalty has to do with how much I pay him,” Gotthelf smiled. “Though I think it may have more to do with stability.”

Reyes shook hands with the shyster, relieved to find out Gotthelf had been having the same thoughts. They needed a law professional. And if Gotthelf thought Egger was the man for the job, then he was probably right. After all, for the rest of the work Gotthelf had chosen him.

“I thought it would be appropriate that Ronnie was present. He’ll need to know exactly what we plan to do. In addition, he can answer our legal questions.”

I couldn’t agree more, Reyes thought. No doubt he’ll be a great help.

“So, you don’t think we’re crazy?” Reyes asked the lawyer. “You really think we can do this?”

“Obviously, it won’t be easy,” Egger answered. “We’re going to have to do some digging around, maybe even some wheeling and dealing. And why not? Even nowadays there are companies like Blackwater and its successors that are dedicated to providing the type of services that could be defined as mercenary. Why not at sea? The first thing that came to mind when Mr. Gotthelf explained the plan to me was probably the same thing you thought about. We’re going to need permission to work in Somali territory. And we’ll also need a letter of marque.”

Reyes smiled inwardly. He knew that if he hadn’t had the foresight to look up the term he would have been caught unawares. But just the day before he had looked up how to say patente de corso in English.

“As you can imagine,” the lawyer continued, “the European countries refused to hire corsairs, in the Paris Declaration of 1856 to be exact. And other countries also refused, such as the United States in the Hague Conferences in 1899 and 1907. Therefore, we can rule out any Western country’s support of our proposed measures. If they were in favor of our ideas they would just carry them out by their own means.”

Egger paused. It seemed he wanted to make sure they understood how complicated the situation was.

“It seems we’ve come to a dead end,” the lawyer smiled. “However, we may be able to kill two birds with one stone.”

Another pause.

“The Somali government is the only one that’s able to give us not only the go-ahead to work within their territory, but also the letter of marque.”

Once again Egger paused in a way that Reyes now understood as his way of making the subject more dramatic.

“No doubt gentlemen,” Egger continued once his audience had assimilated his proposal, “you may be asking yourselves if I’m forgetting that Somalia is, after all, a failed State and that the government barely has any power. Be that as it may, the new government is starting to be recognized by the Western countries. This, together with a little bit of positive publicity, will put the Westerners on our side and we won’t have any opposition at all. We need to show them that after all, Somalia is not doing anything other than protecting its own interests.”

Reyes was beginning to like Egger’s plan. But there was still a problem.

“Do we have the means to get in contact with and negotiate with the Somali government?” he asked Gotthelf.

Gotthelf smiled and said, “Leave that to me.”

And for the second time that morning, a feeling of relief. They had their law man and a negotiator for the upper echelons. It looks like now it’s my turn to put my hand to the plow, he thought.

Once the legal matter was resolved Reyes knew it was his turn.

“As far as I’m concerned Mr. Gotthelf,” he said, “I think I have a first draft of what we’re going to need.”

He went on to explain what type of ship he thought was ideal and the different options he was considering. To conclude he said, “I think my work here is done so, if it’s okay with you, I’ll return to Spain where I have the appropriate contacts for the work I’m about to do.”

Chapter Two

One week later, at his home in Las Rozas, Reyes closed his Mac Book exhausted. As soon as he had arrived in Madrid he had called all his contacts in the small world of naval construction. They weren’t few and until now he had not received one positive response. Some had given him the runaround as soon as they heard what he wanted. Others had promised to look into it and then had called him a few days later to tell him that what he wanted was not feasible. And the last group was made up of those who hadn’t replied yet.

At this point he was barely holding out hope. Everything had seemed so simple in Gotthelf’s office, or at least possible. But now he was facing the harsh reality. Pure logic dictates that the market doesn’t offer goods that have never been requested.

However, he wasn’t one to give up so easily and while he waited for good news or a brilliant idea he had moved on to the second part of his project: getting a crew.

Just like with the ship, common sense dictated that he would find the most qualified people in the military sector. But, same as with the ship he knew it wasn’t going to be feasible. He knew enough soldiers to know that their great sense of duty and service to their country would keep them from engaging in such an enterprise like the one he was proposing, especially the officers. Maybe he could convince a couple here or there but they wouldn’t be the best and he needed really good people.

He also knew that the most important ones were the captain and his officers. Most would want to select their own men. That was a good thing for two reasons: It would make for a united and committed crew. And second, it would relieve Reyes of an important burden of the job. A job he knew the future ship’s captain, if he ever found him, would be much better qualified than him to carry out. He was a strategist. He wasn’t used to working with such detail. And what better person than the one who was going to be in charge to select his own people?

It had been quite a few days since he had started looking for his future captain. After ruling out the military sector he had begun looking among the staff of shipping companies and related corporations with no success. Most of them had no experience in anything related. Which was, Reyes thought grimly, absolutely logical. Most of the very few that had experience (all of them from the Navy), had terrific contracts and awesome jobs that they were obviously not going to quit. The rest weren’t really good enough, or they were too old, or retired, or in one case, completely crazy.

For the first time since everything had started Reyes really thought that he was not going to make it. It was just too difficult.

However, he had never given up on something and this was not going to be the first time. That’s why he kept looking and making phone calls, moving heaven and earth and even underground. He was sure that by now all of Spain knew he was planning on putting together a ship to take to Somalia and hunt pirates. Maybe a little publicity couldn’t hurt, he thought.

That morning Gotthelf had called to inform him that the conversations with the Somali vice-president, whom he evidently knew, were going well and that Egger was starting to prepare drafts of the necessary documents. However, now they needed something more tangible in terms of the ship. In other words, they had done their part and the only thing left to do was his part.

Defeated and exhausted he went to bed. While he dozed off he thought that maybe the next day when his mind was fresh he would come up with a masterful idea.

#

At ten the next morning the previous night’s hope had vanished completely. After getting up early, showering and having a breakfast of coffee and toast, he had tackled the work with lots of energy. But now two hours of negative results had put him in a bad mood. There was just no way.

Then the phone rang.

Expecting another negative response in a list that seemed never-ending he picked up the phone.

“Yes.”

“Good morning, Jaime Reyes? My name is Felipe Nieto from Navantia in Cadiz.

“Hello Felipe, it’s me. How may I help you?”

Navantia in Cadiz. If he remembered correctly they had already responded with a resounding ‘no’ about a week ago. What could they possibly want?

On the other end of the line, a voice undeniably from Cadiz answered.

“Listen, when you told me about your project I honestly told you that we couldn’t do anything for you. To tell you the truth, I got the impression you weren’t surprised to hear that.”

Reyes let him keep talking.

“But the situation has changed considerably. As I’m sure you know, Portugal is going through some bad economic times and it seems as if in the last few months it’s gotten considerably worse.”

Reyes remained silent. He still didn’t see what all that had to do with this project. Felipe didn’t seem discouraged by the silence and continued.

“The thing is that our neighbors canceled the payments on all three BAMs they had ordered and, I must add, almost finished.”

Suddenly it seemed that time stood still. With that entire preamble, there must be a reason why they called him.

A million possibilities went through his head. BAMs (Maritime Action Ships) or Buques de Acción Marítima were Meteoro-class offshore patrol vessels designed in Spain. After the initial delivery of the first series to the Spanish Navy Portugal had ordered a few units from Navantia. And since the Spanish government benefited if the shipbuilders continued getting contracts, they agreed to sell their technology to those who, after all, were their allies and neighbors.

At just under three hundred and ten feet in length, reduced crew, capability to operate with just about any helicopter and a multitude of light weapons, it was the perfect ship for his project. And that was only what he could remember off the top of his head.

After pausing long enough for Reyes to assimilate the news, Felipe continued.

“After the shock from the news wore off a little I went to the director and told him about our conversation last week. He’s willing to listen to your proposal and, maybe I shouldn’t be saying this but, probably quite eager to get rid of those three ships.”

Reyes couldn’t believe his luck. He tried to calm himself and in doing so he realized that there may still be an obstacle to overcome.