Late summer 2038 a video transmission is sent through the satellite network around Earth. While it appears on the internet and is easily intercepted by any radio dish pointing towards one of the relay satellites, many less organised places of the planet may lack an access to those forms of media.
From Antarctica, Prime Minister Avaron Romenel holds a speech in this video message. Romenel is a tall but thin man of Argentinian origin, sitting in a spacous but metallic looking office without windows.
"This is an official statement of the Antarctican Harbour, broadcasted via the global satellite network and the internet. I am Prime Minister Avaron Romenel and in agreement with the Antarctican Harbour states and their representatives, our nation publicly announces the annexation of the amazonian region." Romenel pauses at this point, letting the message sink into the listeners. His firm and deep voice pronounces the English he speaks with a slight accent. "During the past one and a half year, our forces have already surveyed the Brazilian situation and the Antarctican government can assure those whom fanatically defend human rights without proof of their infringement that no unnecessary harm will come to any local inhabitant.
Our reports clearly show how most - up to ninety percent - of the Brazilian inhabitants have abandoned larger cities and live in tribes or clans throughout the many forests. These people will be unharmed and left to themselves, while the Antarctican Harbour will take possession of the abandoned cities, industrial installations and close-by agricultural areas. The few inhabitants of these cities are invited but not obliged to join the Antarctican Harbour as provincial inhabitants and benefit from the technology and advancement we will bring to the region. While tribes will be peacefully encouraged to leave Antarctican territory with practical gifts such as food and minor industrial goods, they will not be forced to do so under any circumstances.
The initial extend of the Amazonian Exclave will be from the amazonian bay, following the major river streams up until Manaus and extending a hundred kilometres into the land both north and south. Most of this territory will not be touched by industry or military and no tribes will need to be relocated as Antarctica has no interest in harming the rainforest.
To satisfy international demands - or rather those of the American Dominion -
some entirely defensive and lightly armoured troops may remain in the region for the next few years to come and move freely to oversee any of our military operations and lend humanitarian aid where they deem necessary - yet, political inspectors would be a much more diplomatic way to check up on us. We will oblige to any such inspectations on our military efforts, but must dicline insight into any industrial or scientific complexes. Any finds will need to be evaluated throughly, as the uncivilised nature of the region will not be allowed to blame the Antarctican Harbour military for some - or any - tribal wars.
Furthermore, the Antarctican Harbour does not announce the annexation but the claim of all of the Brazilian territory between the new Amazonian Exclave and the Brazilian Exclave - with the exclusion of the Dutch area and a fifty kilometre neutral zone around them.
Enclosed with this message is an unencrypted file showing the extend of this territorial claim. Antarctican ground troops will cross the Amazon in late january." With these final words, the message ends abrupt.
Reasons for the Antarctican Harbour to annex the region seem clear. After previous trade offers the world could have anticipated that Antarctica would look for industrial capacities and more natural ressources. As many airports ceased to operate, the best way to reach industry from another continent was by boat, so extending the Antarctican territory along a river seemed logical. However, the amazonian region is primary a rainforest and few large cities contain industrial installations, most of which are based on consumer goods or electronics. Other industry includes a large mining sector settled on the Marajó island, producing iron, aluminium and various ores of both. Annexing this land seems like a low-risk low-wield operation for Antarctica, due to the tribal nature of most local inhabitants and the moderate industrialisation.
As the year nears its end, a large wet navy cargo fleet departs from Antarctica, bound to arrive in the amazon bay with its military escorts sometime spring.
