The methods of distinguis.h.i.+ng Kurds were several, such as whether they could speak the Kurdish language and the dark blondes and blue eyes that were characteristic of Kurds only.

Even this had a problem, though, with the majority of Kurds having been lived in Syria for long, they married Syrians, and their unique characteristics had faded, and many of them did not even know their own language.

So far, there was no such problem as the Kurds who had moved before were the Kurds in northern Syria, and the Kurds who lived inland moved on a village-by-village basis.

"I'm sorry. We can't issue you a certificate of migration."

"What do you mean? My family must be Kurdish. Before the civil war, he definitely lived in the North."

"I can't help you because you don't have any Kurdish characteristics."

"What am I supposed to do when my family members had been married to Syrians for generations?"

"If your claim turns out to be false, you will be deported from Kazakhstan."

"It's so unfair. I want you to do a medical test and prove that I'm a Kurdish descent."

"OK. I'll issue you a certificate of migration first."

While most Syrians were quickly exposed with a few words of conversation, some had argued strongly that they were Kurdish as in the case of marriage with Kurds, they could be recognized as Kurds.

***

"There is a very slim chance that the person who just stepped out is Kurdish."

"Then why did you issue the migration certificate?"

"He must be desperate to leave Syria to be insisting like that. If his family can't get on the s.h.i.+p today, they'll go be stowaways. I couldn't put him to death, so I issued a certificate. If they live in the royal territory, their children will also have a marriage relations.h.i.+p with Kurds, and that will naturally make them Kurdish."

Those who wished to leave Syria would risk their lives to go to Europe putting themselves on a stowaway s.h.i.+p, and most of them often were abandoned in the Mediterranean Sea and became fish feed before they even reached their destination.

Even if they got lucky and arrived in Greece or Italy, they would be cla.s.sified as illegal immigrants and were locked up in prison camps and deported later.

"If they're caught in the royal territory, they'll be sent back."

"That's their luck. If they have any exceptional skills, they'll be recognized as refugees."

"When I was living in Syria, I hated the fact that I was Kurdish, but now I am proud to be Kurdish."

"Of course. We should be proud. The Kurds in Syria are blessed. Especially for us, we should be grateful to death. We were chosen as intelligence agents, and we could help other Kurds. If we hadn't migrated in the early days, our bodies would be rolling around on the ground in a valley of northern Syria by now."

Some talented former Kurdish militia members were selected and hired as intelligence agents, and it was their case.

To work in Syria, they had to be able to speak French, so the Kurds were the only alternative as they knew the local situation well.

The activities of Kurdish intelligence agents were s.h.i.+ning everywhere.

In addition to helping their countrymen, Kurdish intelligence agents were willing to risk their lives.

"This will be the last withdrawal."

"The royal family says this is their last chance. I was told to drag any Kurds even by force, so let's finish the screening and return to Aleppo."

"So are we going to be stationed in the Al-Hasakah area, too?"

"I think the royal family gave up Al-Hasakah because the hard-liners are adamant."

"Oh! What a bunch of stupid people. With less than half a million inhabitants, will the Kurdistan Regional Government be maintained?"

"They've got an oil field, so they'll hold up for a while. I doubt the Syrian government will allow it, though. The Kurds in Aleppo have all moved out, so the Royal Bodyguards will be withdrawn soon."

Al-Hasakah was a transportation hub with a river, where Syria and Iraq bordered each other. Since a large-size oil field was found here recently funding hard-liners' activities, but it was also an area where free Syrian forces, which were funded by Turkey, and Kurdish hard-liners were battling every day.

***

"Make sure the oil pipes are properly connected. The U.S. Navy is watching, so move fast."

The captain of the Naval fleet, Victor Jun, was commanding naval soldiers from the bridge of Aegis destroyer 1001.

On the outside of Latakia, two Aegis destroyers and three frigates belonging to the Kazakh royal family were receiving refueling from the U.S. Navy's 6th Fleet oil supply s.h.i.+p.

Oil could also be supplied at the port of Latakia, but the reason for the oil supply from the U.S. Navy supply s.h.i.+p was part of the maritime exercise.

It was the first time for vessels to fluctuate due to waves to maintain a certain distance and receive oil supplies, so soldiers were very nervous.

"Chief, I've completed the fleet's oil supply."

"Then let's get s.h.i.+ps 901 and 902 on the move. 15 car ferries just left from the Port of Latakia, so tell them to escort the ferries to the Sea of Azov."

"We're not escorting them just to the Black Sea? They said the Russian patrol boats no longer bother them."

"How can we believe what the Russian government says? You can't rest until those ferries get into the ca.n.a.l, so make sure we watch the whole process."

The Azov Sea was a Russian sea area next to Crimea in the northern part of the Black Sea.

Russian patrol boats were taking little money from Turkish s.h.i.+pping companies entering the Azov Sea.

That was why the Kazakh naval vessels were escorting the car ferries as the Russian patrol boats would not dare bother the Kazakh Navy.

Originally, the navy could not enter the Black Sea unless it belonged to the Black Sea coast country, but the Kazakh Navy was recognized as an observer state to enter and exit the Black Sea.

"They're not beggars, and I don't know why they do that."

"This is the last week, so we won't have anything to do with those patrol boats in the future. When I meet them in the Mediterranean, I'll teach them a lesson."

Captain Jun was gnas.h.i.+ng his teeth.

As it was nasty for the Russian patrol boats to collect tolls on car ferries with migrants on it.

"Car ferries departing tomorrow morning will be escorted by vessel 903, and we will return to Arirang Island."

"Captain, the U.S. Navy has not arrived in the Syrian waters yet."

"Just ignore it. It's not our fault that the U.S. Navy is late, again."

The Kazakh Navy was supposed to wait until an Aegis destroyer from the U.S. Mediterranean Fleet s.h.i.+fted the mission to the U.S., but it had not arrived yet even after the promised time had far pa.s.sed.

Captain Jun was trying to leave without waiting, as the U.S. Navy broke the mission s.h.i.+ft time every time.

"Don't we have to let them know that we're getting out of the Port of Latakia?"

"That won't make any difference. Just notify the U.S. military supply s.h.i.+p and leave. Our mission has been roughly completed, and we don't have anything to see here from now."

"Our guards haven't pulled out from there yet."

"We're supposed to pa.s.s through the Turkish border without using the sea route, so we can pick it up from Georgia."

The Royal Bodyguards in Aleppo decided to withdraw by land a month from now.

That was because most of the Kurds living in Syria had moved to Kazakhstan.

"Prepare for departure!"

"Aye, aye, sir! Each department, get ready to sail! 15 minutes before departure!"

Soon afterward, the sound of the wars.h.i.+p's distinctive whistle sound echoed in the outer port.

Moments later, two Royal Navy's Aegis destroyers slowly exited the port of Latakia.