[Slokais]

Ibrahim Kamza had gathered his cabinet into the National Palace of Mallacaland, as the Parliament had been damaged during the coup attempt by the so-called "King Abdin III". For now, he held meetings in the same room where 8 months earlier a new constitution was written for Mallacaland by a transitional government. Today his government that was made up of various left-wing parties was meeting to ratify a deal with Procura Energy, which was helpful against the Mid-2021 Coup and wanted to extract natural gas from offshore deposits in Mallacaland waters. Since then the country was stable though outside of Mallacaland City became dangerous and basic services were lacking in many places. The country was at a point, where their funds would run out causing famine and another collapse. Stores were re-opening but costs were high as many goods were rare and had to be imported from elsewhere. Most people were still in poverty as schools and universities remained closed due to a shortage of teachers. Mallacaland needed this deal for their future.

"Good day everyone, please have a seat," Ibrahim Kamza said.
“Well, I am all for this Procura Deal,” said the Minister of Defense
“Though we must consider the environmental damage,” said the Minister for Environment
“Indeed, although I agree fossil fuels are harmful, we will not only gain a new source of revenue but an important economically,” said Minister of Treasury,
“Personally, we must balance interests,” said Ibrahim Kamza
“In what way?”
“We agree to their contract, but leave the ability to renegotiate it in future,” the Prime Minister said as he for a paper with the contact on it.
“Were letting ourselves become a banana republic with this contact” said the Minister of Labor, said shaking his head
“Again, we need to have limits, we still want control over what they do,” said Ibrahim Kamza, putting the document into a projector
“Here is the whole thing,” he said

This contract details the agreement between the government of the Republic of Mallacaland and Procura Energy Corporation in regards to Procura’s extraction of natural gas in the Mallacaland Sea.

The rest of the 12-page document detailed some working and profit agreements with the government, but overall it was clear on the boundaries. However, one line stuck out “Procura has the ability to grow their production to other areas”.
“What do other areas mean?” said the Labor Minister
“Yeah, we’re going to have to clarify that it means other natural gas reserve areas,” said the Prime Minister
“So I guess we sign off on this version”
“I see no objections,” said the Minister of Defense

Ibrahim Kamza looked out over the city, the streets were quiet, checkpoints and security were everywhere, the Port of Mallacaland remained quiet with only the few relief ships coming with supplies. The call to prayer cut through the silence of the city, the Muezzin’s voice coming from various loudspeakers through the city. Hopefully, this deal would bring prosperity and hope to a country that badly needed it, and maybe this whole situation that had begun a year ago would end. Whatever this was for better or for worse had changed Mallacaland for good.