Going For Broke

[Wesker]

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Marie held back the urge to chuckle at LeBlanc's little outburst, "oh a military briefing" she thought to herself as she held together a straight face. Then the reality of the situation sunk in, catching her attention at the mention of Charlotte DeFrance. Marie pressed her palms and hips against the table slightly as she leaned forward, studying the hologram while she listened to LeBlanc. As she listened to the briefing she immediately got a negative impression. Sure, the daughter of the King was something to anxious over at minimum, but captured by a Maltese Raiding party? In open space in Lorraine just a few Kilometers from a Royal Navy installation? That didn't make sense in the slightest. How did they get past Luneville undetected? How did they get BACK undetected? The Council and the Corse were no friends of the Maltese, which further made any chance of it being a "typical raiding party" unlikely, given they had a slight grip on the system. That, or the Royal Navy's ability to protect their most precious individuals had diminished, greatly. Marie once again resisted the urge to chuckle at the mention of Lebeau, who hadn't been seen on the front doing anything important for almost a year. Now that a career changing moment has presented itself, he's decided to step in? What a joke. Either way, the situation was a challenge, but nothing she and Avignon couldn't accomplish. Marie looked at Avignon, who's chatter had ceased even after LeBlanc finished her briefing. LeBlanc was looking at her as was Avignon, fine, it was time to speak up.

They're likely expecting us. There's no way this was just some ordinary raiding party, how did the Maltese get past Luneville? She pointed to the minefield in Lorraine, then dragged her hand up to the left as she continued to speak. All the way to to the lanes connecting Lyonnais and Metz. That's where she must've been taken, unless the King or the Royal Navy has some reason for the princess of Gallia to be in the southeastern half of the system, littered with council and brigand patrols. Her facial expression turned a bit surprised as she looked at LeBlanc while continuing to speak. Both of which mind you, are no friends of the Maltese, unless they started sleeping together recently. There's no way a casual Maltese raiding party would just happen to sneak past Luneville, capture a transport, and bring it BACK without being detected by Luneville. Which just happened to be the Princess's vessel. Maltese raiding parties have always been stopped by Luneville's guards. How they were eluded twice and how Princess's guard squadron was defeated by a bunch of rock-rats and bandits is beyond me.

She paused for a second, both LeBlanc and Avignon kept their eyes on her.

Marechal, I'm not in the position to give you orders, but I would strongly advise you begin interrogating everyone with knowledge of the Princess's whereabouts and destination that day. It might be a long list, but if someone did indeed tip off the Maltese, which at this point seems likely, they might prove essential in locating her beyond Omicron-80, which we don't have mapped unless the ONI is keeping secrets from us.

She paused again briefly before speaking up again.

That being said, the Maltese will almost certainly be expecting us. Even if the Royal Navy truly lacked the means to defend the Princess from a bunch of rock-rats and bandits, as you said they've held her hostage for 48 hours. If they haven't yet, they will soon realize her value to the Crown. We need more resources, we can obviously accomplish this with the resources you mentioned, but as you said it would take hours for Valors to traverse the Omicron 80 system as well as assemble them in tau-37. A larger force of Obstinates should punch through to Omicron-80 first, followed by the Valors. While the 3rd fleet bottlenecks the installations, the Obstinates of the first and secondary fleet should push forward towards the VIP's last known location followed by the Valors. She grabbed some of the painted obstinates and moved her valor, the Chant, and the Valenciennes behind the obstinates near the tau-37 Jumphole. If the Obstinates and the Valors move at once and we end up walking into a trap, we'll be caught off guard together and risk more casualties, as well critical damage to the Valors. Bomber's might sound more convenient for flushing out any Maltese traps, but chances are the Maltese will be waiting for capital vessels to strike at rather than a squadron of bombers or gunboats. Of course, some Obstinates should also remain behind with the Valors, but a fraction of the amount that should be moving ahead of the Valors. She moved up around some of the Bretonian vessels next to the Gallic fleet on either side to demostrate what exactly she was saying. If the Obstinates move up first, they'll be the ones to draw out or flush out any Maltese ambushes. So the Valors can mop them without taking any serious damage. If they aren't expecting us, Obstinates will still be capable of mopping any Maltese force along the line to the VIP's last known location. However, I'm still quite positive the Maltese have ambushes planned out for us, for the reasons I just stated. Maybe not 3 Valors, but I wouldn't take lightly to these rock-rats and bandits if they managed to take the Princess of Gallia right out of our hands in broad daylight. The strategy certainly poses a risk to the Obstinate fleet, but its a risk we'll have to take if we wish to hasten the advance of the Valors through Omicron-80, which will hasten the return of Mademoiselle DeFrance. She let go of each of the vessels and gave them back to their owners.

Marie looked up at both the Officers who remained silent, her plan was a risky one, but it was the fastest means of safely getting the Valors to this hidden jumphole. That way, the Valors would be untouched in the face of the Malta's larger defense force, which would obviously be within this hidden system.

I do hope you take my recommendation into consideration Marechal. She stepped back and folded her arms, waiting for someone else to speak up.

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