Honneur, Loyauté, et Trahison

[RNS-Paris]

New London system, Paris, September 18, 819 A.S.

The Count was alone in his quarters... it had been 5 months since the last word from the Bretonian Admiralty. He sat there near his bed, a gun at his side. He was beginning to think that they've forgotten him but having nothing lose, he bid his time on this one chance.He thought, 'Maybe they were just focusing on the war... Maybe. Just Maybe they're preoccupied with other matters.' The thought of shooting himself was out of the question, but it was all too easy. The temptation to end it all was catching up on him. But then he remembered, 'La manière d'un lâche sur'. He'd rather die a heroic death, fighting for a noble cause than choosing the easiest way out.

Instead of wasting time, he kept training the men... It was in this moment that he realized that these Bretonians were no different than his countrymen. In war, you don't fight for your family, your country, nor for any of those ideals that serve to strengthen one's resolve through war. You fight for your life. But there's something more to that.... there comes a time when a soldier fights for his comrade's life.

In these months of waiting, the new crew that had replaced most of the Paris' old crew grew stronger in bond. The first few weeks under Count Dupont were the most trying. Some of the crew wanted to bail out as soon as they could. They at first distrusted the frog, but as time spent under his command passed by, they gradually understood the Count's situation and as such thought of their own 'what if' scenarios. This time, everyone was in equal footing. There was no racial difference nor there was a division of nobility. The Count's title meant nothing special, for he held no estates, no subjects, no guards, no servants... everything was lost when he defected.

The count shook his head and holstered the gun back to its place. He preparing to return to the Bridge when a voice rang...

Citizens of Gallia,

The holoscreen inside his quarters came alive, he was startled to see such a transmission, since the count ordered a total communications blackout to the outside, but then his aide, Jacques, suddenly entered to explain....

"Capitaine, you 'ave to see this..."

Code:

I stand before you today, as the harbinger of good tidings. Leeds has finally fallen to our forces. A frontal assault, many months in the making was executed without flaw, and their defenses were obliterated. Our forces are now in control of the Leeds system, and only scattered fighting on the planet itself remains to be resolved.

But we did not triumph without loss, however. Battleship Villeneuve, leading the assault was destroyed by the Bretonian Battleship Derby in a suicidal attack, ensuring the destruction of both ships. Their sacrifice shall not go in vain, and we shall soon end this conflict once and for all.

But our work is not yet done. As we have carried on to this day, every man and woman in the Kingdom will need to put their best effort, from the lowliest deck hand to the corporate executive to ensure that our war effort is not hindered.

But celebrate, for today is a day of victory.

After the holoscreen transmission, Jacques hands a datapad to the count, "Capitaine, it is true... Leeds 'as fallen... the Bretonians are being pushed back.", one can sense the trembling feeling in the aide's voice.



The count flicks through a few screens without surprised on his face, it was as if he expected this to happen.

"There's no time zhen, we 'ave to act quickly... wid or witdout zhe approval of zhe Admirale....", he hands the datapad back to Jacques who gives a quick salute and leaves immediately, the count ponders for a moment then follows suit.

Fois de cautionnement

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