*: Grand Marchale - Lucie LeBlanc. From: Your best Admiral ever!

[Wesker]

Royal Naval Battleship Vauquelin Royale, Orkney
24. Julliet, 743 AGS

Sender: Alice Marie
Recipient: Grand Marchale Lucie LeBlanc, Gallic Royal Navy
Topic: Recent Events, catching up with your best Admiral.

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Bonjour Grand Marchale, my respects -

*The video image of Alice appears. Her hair looking even redder than before. She takes a second to smile at the camera after formally addressing LeBlanc before continuing*

Bonjour, Bonjour! It's me! Alice! It's so good to finally see LaFlamme dead, and the whole group of us back together! I can't believe Gilbert hasn't died of heart disease, it looks like he weighs as much as my Lynx now! I feel bad for the deckies that have to maintain his STIDD chair by the Helm, it's probably broken more than once!

And Minori... *She says glancing in a separate direction. Likely a file or terminal.* I think you must suspect what I suspect by now... she's likely a spy for the Kusarians! I'm going to keep an eye on her...

Anywho, now that LaFlamme is dead I can finally leave that wasteland in Champagne. I'll have a full report at your desk on the whole fiasco but since you uh... well... uh... I don't know what you did - but there was no one in charge, and everyone else took a vacation while King Charles got kicked out of office. But yeah, since no one was around I figured working our way out from the inside was best, but that was until you called everyone back.

Moving on though. Being your best Admiral, fleet advisor, intelligence officer, I've been in the loop with all the drama that has unfolded and is unfolding in case you need to catch up.

*Alice's face turned from one of enthusiasm to one of slight confusion as she continued.* I... well... I don't know what it is we're doing yet. But! I trust you have it all figured out or soon will. If you need any help planning on how to go forward from where we are - you can always reach out to me.


On a personal note as well, if you ever want someone to chat with outside of being the greatest boss in history - I'm always free. I can't imagine Gilbert or Augustin would be good drinking partners. Non, we both know I've got the better personality. There are a few sweet spots on Aquitaine you have to try sometime!

Finally, I would like to formally express my appreciation for your willingness to re-instate me as Admiral. *She said with the voice of a robotic JO.*

ps: I'm engaged!

Honneur et patrie, valeur et discipline,

Very Respectfully -

Alice Marie
Head of the Marie Family
Admiral
Gallic Royal Navy

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I don't think he'll pass the PHA this year.

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[Omi]

Royal Naval Flagship Chant du Cygne, Brittany
28. juillet, 743 AGS

Sender: Grande Maréchale Lucie LeBlanc, Royal Navy of the Kingdom of Gallia
Recipient: Admiral Alice Marie, Royal Naval High Command
Topic: Re: Recent Events

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Amiral Marie,

I have no intention of encouraging your inane attempts at humour. You will keep personal business off of official channels in future.

Whatever your thoughts on Maréchal Lebeau, he and I have been hard at work coordinating our recent intervention into the affairs of the homeland -- far more than I can say for you. I should expect a much more solid performance in the weeks and months to come -- the Royal Vauquelin is a fine ship with a distinguished history, and I will not have her squandered under the command of a captain who has forgotten her place in the greater scheme of things.

You'll mind your tone and employ the appropriate level of respect when speaking of your superiors in future, even on a one-to-one line; and you'll stop with your persecution of our remaining Legionnaires as well. Despite my initial misgivings about the project, it appears some of our Sirian elements do in fact have an admirable sense of loyalty -- perhaps even devotion, if you could venture to call it such.

The fiasco at Leeds and mismanagement of our remaining forces by our brothers-in-arms have left us in dire straits, to say nothing of the fact that Gallia herself has been breached for the first time in eight hundred years. You already know where I expect our efforts to be focused; coordinate those elements under your command in and around Gallia proper and the bordering Tau systems as per your standing orders.

I will address the only remaining part of your message that is neither banal small talk nor obsequious fawning and reiterate my desire that yes: you will have a full, formal, clear and concise report on your activities in Champagne across my desk before the end of the week, or I will be passing your case the good maréchal's way instead. Be assured that he has even less patience for these sorts of things than I do.

Cordialement,

Grande Maréchale Lucie LeBlanc
Duchesse de Languedoc et Maine
Gallic Royal Navy

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[Wesker]

Royal Naval Battleship Vauquelin Royale, Orkney
29. Julliet, 743 AGS

Sender: Alice Marie
Recipient: Grand Marchale Lucie LeBlanc, Gallic Royal Navy
Topic: Report on LaFlamme's demise..

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Bonjour Grand Marshal,

*The camera captures Alice sitting down, typing behind a monitor before finally turning over to face the Camera.*

I've paid my respect where it's due, worry not, worry not. But humor is good for the soul, at least bits and pieces here and there.

Without venturing too much further on that topic though, the reason I've asked for guidance for the first time since my contract began is that; well Grand Marshal: Everyone but me has been missing in action since 741. Not to contrast with orders or attempt an argument, but there wasn't much of anything or anyone ever.

I'm sure you've got that all figured out by now though. What matters now is that we're all back.

As far as the situation in Gallia goes, personally - I think this would be the wrong time to try and make a move on the Kusarians. As an admiral, General, and strategist as highlighted in my command and field service records - I must advise you that now is not the right time. I know you, the good Marshal, and the rest of command would consider burning me alive for even recommending this take on the situation, but please believe me when I say I have both ours and Gallia's interests at heart. Let me continue quickly before you read the report:

We do not possess the manpower, supplies, funding, materials, and general resources we once had under the unified kingdom. We're in the shoes of our former adversaries now, and if we go headfirst with even the slightest bit of manpower it could certainly cost us in the long run. This is a fight that can only be won by first using words, the violence comes later.

So with that in mind, let me go ahead and drop this proposal here:

Let the Kusarians and confederates fight their war, one will tire out eventually and give way. Of course, we can poke our heads in here and there making the right impression. However, the war will leave both sides crippled in the long run, and it's at that moment that Gallia would be better suited to pacify completely. In the event the Kusarians aren't in over their heads, violence would come first. But either outcome of this leaves us with the correct opening. For now, I'd advise we take the time to fully prepare everything we'll need and beyond that. I would be more than willing to look into PR requests, striking diplomatic ties, etc. I cannot stress enough that holding our own should be the priority.

*Alice stops to take a drink of water or wine. The camera couldn't quite capture the pigmentation. It looked enough like water that one would have a hard time guessing. As soon as she finished the drink she pressed a button on the keyboard and turned back to the camera.*

Aaaaaaand there we are. You should be getting the full report of the events below. In the event you consider my proposal sound, I would be more than willing to look into our first choice in PR.

REPORT ON EVENTS 742 AGS.

Narration: Admiral Alice Roxanne Marie - Gallic Royal Navy

JUL 15 742 AGS:
Following the cessation order on the advance in California and the abrupt decision to annihilate the Bretonians, I recalled the R.N.S-Vauquelin Royale to Leeds. Both knowing the decision and overall strategy was poorly planned and would be horribly executed, the impending doom of the Royal Navy's fleet forced me to consider any other option for preserving narration by the Monarchy back home. Failure on the front would mean loss of public approval and doubt in the Monarchy's potential back home. Up until this point the Monarchy had suppressed interior conflict with violence, but that would ultimately fail in the event of such a horrific failure. I decided at this point that the best way to destroy the largest threat to Monarchy's existence was to do it from the inside.

NOTE: Analysis of the advancement strategy into New London is poor for numerous reasons: Poor supply lines, Rogue elements along supply routes, Kusari Empire Reformation, Ill investments into relations with Rheinland, and overall ignorance of the Council forces back home. The Royal Navy had streamlined all it's military assets on a blitz strategy, please remember that we live in 743 A.G.S and not in the age of castles, bows, and catapults.

JUL 25 742 AGS:
The RNS-Hellequinn (Perilous) was destroyed under my narrative in an attempt to fake my death. My death was announced by my XO at the time: Bernard Francis. I turned up back home, attempting to force my family to vacate my estate and packing all essential supplies and documents that would be detrimental if lost. Riots and looting back home had begun to turn up even close to the Noble Estates. I decided at this point to begin a transition to the Democratic movement and join up as a defector inside the Council with the intent of killing its leadership and movement from the inside. I knew if I could break through to the command on the other side where my new loyalties were - they wouldn't refuse the help.

AUG 17 742
The final attempt to eradicate New London is underway, the R.N.S-Vauquelin Royale is left to protect Issoudun. Council and new confederate vessels move with force into Provence, Picardy, and I'll De France. Seeing the potential for victory in Provence I temporarily vacated my little "mission" to help defend at Provence under a different rank. The effort to defend Provence was a success at first and the Council forces were crippled attempting to take the system - which at that point was the best we could hope for.

SEP 27 742
Pierre LaFlamme -head of the Council- is killed, though sadly not by myself. At this point though, it was quite obvious that taking down the command structure wouldn't yield the results necessary to stop the rioting or revolting. The Monarchy continued to use violence as a means to an end, and the ridiculous excuse for a strategy on the frontlines would only serve to further destroy the Crown's reputation. At this point, I decided to return to Issoudun, taking part in the attempt to preserve fleet assets in Cortez.


SUMMARY: Both my plan, and the Crown's were a failure in the end. With no command structure and direction from the year prior, I had no influence on the greater scale of things. I made the choice on my own accord, with the Crown's interests at heart. I accept whatever penalties this may entail if any at all.

FInal request: Just don't burn me alive.

Honneur et patrie, valeur et discipline,

Very Respectfully -

Alice Marie
Head of the Marie Family
Admiral
Gallic Royal Navy

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[Omi]

Royal Naval Flagship Chant du Cygne, Brittany
03. août, 743 AGS

Sender: Grande Maréchale Lucie LeBlanc, Royal Navy of the Kingdom of Gallia
Recipient: Admiral Alice Marie, Royal Naval High Command
Topic: Re: Re: Recent Events

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Amiral Marie,

Your valuable input only seconds my own opinions, at least to some extent. I have no intention of keeping our lighter assets free from overt intervention in Dauphine and Burgundy -- something I know for a fact you have seen by now. The Sisteron and Rocroi have proven excellent bases of operation from which to launch small-scale attacks on both Kusarian and Confederate forces, and so far our strike wings are recording exceptional performances across the board against both sides, with limited support from the Chant and Vauquelin where necessary to shore up their ability to ingress and egress.

I am well aware that we cannot enter into a prolonged struggle or direct engagement with either the Confederal Navy or the Kusarians, but what I intend for us to continue doing is acting to whittle down both sides in concert. As of yet, the Kusarians have proven themselves by far the stronger power in this opening series of manoeuvres, and it is for that reason that our recorded kills on foreign assets far outnumber those on turncoats from the Royal Navy's own fleets. I will be appraising the balance of power along with the maréchal and yourself in the near future as the situation develops, of course, and we will adjust our target prioritisation as necessary in order to draw out the conflict as long as possible.

It should go without saying that I expect any strike wings you dispatch to ignore domestic corporate assets, should they or indeed their security wings show themselves in the field at any juncture. This goes beyond a 'return fire if fired upon' doctrine; I want conflict with the ex-Crown corporations avoided if at all possible. Those supporting the Confederate regime are our targets within Gallia; precious little more, and I won't tolerate them being given any more of a propaganda angle against us just because someone couldn't mind their trigger discipline.

As for the matter of the Hebrides' defence, I am well assured that other major components acting within the remnants of our Kingdom have that as their primary priority, and thus I am loath to look to interfere in that area of things. My primary concern is, in fact, that I fear they plan to form a state-in-exile for something longer than a mere transitory period, which I find unacceptable. A defensive doctrine cannot endure in the face of an assault on Gallia proper; this is our time to intervene and make what play we can to strengthen our position within Gallia herself.

I would be very interested to know your thoughts on potential contacts outside the other factions loyal to the Crown. I have had a few speculative ideas myself, in truth, but putting them into practice may be far from easy. I want a brief outline of any ventures you intend to undertake run by me directly before you put them into motion.

Cordialement,

Grande Maréchale Lucie LeBlanc
Duchesse de Languedoc et Maine
Gallic Royal Navy

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