"Un trône pour le roi" (An Enclave story)

[Wolfs Ghost]

A Throne for the King
Un trône pour le roi
Sister story: "Entrée vers l'inconnu"

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Aquitaine System, deep space
Aboard the RES Royale DeFrance II
0800 hrs.

Several men and women stood at attention around a communication terminal. All of them were dressed in dark black marine armor and had their weapons slung across their bodies. They bore absolutely no markings what-so-ever, a unique departure from the typical royal guard combat armor, which typically was a mark of distinction for anyone who considered themselves loyal to the Kingdom of Gallia, and to that of the royal family. These men and women were former members of the Gallic Royal Navy and Special Operations forces who were essentially the best of the best that the crown had to offer, highly trained, brutal, and fanatically loyal. These particular soldiers were of a small detachment from the Prince's personal guard, and today they were on assignment. Before them stood the Prince himself, although through a video feed on a separate transport - which itself was on the way to Tau-29, and behind him stood a couple more soldiers of his royal guard, also listening to the briefing despite them not being assigned to the combat deployment. The men on the destroyer listened intently as the Prince spoke.

"The Enclave isn't aware of this assignment, and I would like to keep it that way. Capitaine Jacques Luc has been given instructions to ensure that the destroyer goes dark upon it placing the planet between you and Orthez. I know you all are the best men and women my guard has to offer so I'm expecting this assignment to go smoothly. While being bored in my flights I stumbled across a derelict station. My brief scans indicated that the station is rather old, though some power supply was running as it had an active scanner suite. I don't believe the station is entirely derelict, so that's what we're going to find out. This station also doesn't exist in any Enclave records, nor previous Gallic Royal Navy records, which surprises me because of how long we've had this system conquered, and quite frankly... I want it." Joseph paused, glancing down at the watch he wore for a brief moment before returning his attention back on the men before him. Deep down inside he hoped this wasn't a suicide mission that he was sending them on. A few very fine individuals that he got to know personally during their service to him and his family. But, this is what they signed up for, and he knew they would accomplish the task.

"Upon landing on this presumed derelict station, Alpha team you are to secure the hangar bay, and then proceed to the generator rooms and life support systems. Bravo team will secure the command deck, and Charlie will begin sweeping the station in its entirety. Once Alpha and Bravo have secured their objectives, they will join Charlie in sweeping the remainder of the station and habitation decks. Your IFF huds are connected directly to the command and control deck of the Royale DeFrance, so Jacques will see everything that you see. Should you come across squatters, Enclave personnel, or anyone really... kill them. No one leaves this station alive unless it's you."

Joseph paused again, taking in a deep breath - he hated this part. "In the event that seventy-five percent of your effective fighting force is compromised, the Royale DeFrance has orders to destroy the station. You will receive a warning before her guns begin battering the station, if you are not aboard the shuttle to leave, you will be left behind. So make sure you're careful clearing your corridors and rooms. Again, I want this station, and I want it intact. Do I make myself clear?"

Several of the men and women nodded quietly, only one of them actually spoke up. "Oui, your highness. We'll ensure that your will is carried out here, and we're all aware of the consequences should this assignment head south." The woman smiled softly, "It won't of course. Jacques has informed us that we're a few minutes out from the target. So we'll have to cut this briefing short, my lord. Bonne chance with your endeavor, and I hope that you'll be able to bring your cousin back to Aquitaine safely and with out incident." She finished, continuing to smile.

Joseph locked eyes with her, "Tres bien, Commandant. Upon your successful capture of the station, a transport by the classification Germinal will make its way to the station, and bring additional personnel to secure it. Once it is ours, then I'll make an announcement of our hold of the station to the Enclave." Shortly after finishing his sentence, the transmission cut.

"Commandant, we've successfully placed the planet between us and the listening post. We're beginning to move into combat readiness, and long range sensors have been shut down. To them it looks like we've jumped out of the system, should mask our approach to the station as well unless someone is looking directly out of a view port."

"Merci, Capitaine. Please keep the current vector as we approach, it should give the shuttle a good trajectory for our landing plans." The woman said aloud, responding directly into a comm link as she placed her helmet on, the visor lit up and began running a diagnostics sweep. While this happened, she went on checking over the various bits of armor attached to her ensuring her EVA suit was fully sealed, and then double checked her weaponry, a standard issued Gallic laser rifle - conventional ballistic weapons weren't favored when aboard a ship or station as the bullet could penetrate an outer wall and decompress the entire structure, something she had witnessed before during a raid on a Gallic transport which was carrying two VIPs of a more militant arm of the Council who had at the time called themselves the Republique de Gaul. Fortunately the only survivors of were the marines who had boarded the transport, of which she had been one of them. At the time she had relished in watching the Amiral of the Republique gasp for oxygen and beg for his life as he suffocated. To this day she still remembers the event, and it makes her smile every time.

As soon as she was finished prepping her equipment, she glanced up to watch the rest of her marines finishing their own readiness checks. Second nature and instinctual they moved quickly and efficiently without fumbling through the process. Had there been any rookies in the room, they would be staring slack-jaw in envy at how well timed and exact these members of the royal guard were. After all, this sort of efficiency only came through strict training and years of multiple tours through various different branches of the Royal Navy, and even special forces. None of them were strangers to their equipment.

Green pips and outlines of her fellow marines began appearing on her visor as the system finalized it's diagnostics, and just in time too as the comm-link crackled to life in her ear. "We're on the final approach. Saddle up and be prepared to launch the shuttle."

"Alright branleurs, you heard the Capitaine! Let's move!" She barked, gesturing her fellow soldiers away from the ready room, and towards the Royale DeFrance's hangar bay where a shuttle awaited them.