Rising Storms in South

Dutch-Occupied Indian Territory, Barracks in Goa, Afternoon on April 3rd, 1557.

In a wide-open training ground, the sounds of drills and shouts of men filled the air. Despite the harsh afternoon sun, the soldiers practiced their line formations in rows and columns, undeterred by the heat. In the distance, some men were seen practicing gunshots. A few meters away, under the shade of a lone tree, a table and chair had been set up. Admiral Jan van Linschoten, in his military uniform, sat reading some documents.

Shortly after, a man in his mid-thirties, holding the rank of Major General, approached.

He greeted the admiral with a salute. "Admiral Linschoten, Sir. Major General Arjan der Meer, reporting."