Tying loose ends

[Darius]

18th of March, 829 AS, Planet New London, Kingdom of Bretonia

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The headquarters of the Security Bureau were abuzz with activity. From fighters patrolling the skies of New London, to the sound of the soldiers' boots, all branches of the military of Bretonia were present at the scene. Nonetheless, the events that took place several days prior still haunted the Armed Forces and populace alike.

In complete antithesis of the recent matters, a number of key members of the intelligence agency and the military surrounded a large, rectangular table in the middle of the meeting room. Sitting, in front of them, the chief of the intelligence agency, dressed in high uniform, swept his eyes across the gathered crowd for a last time before addressing them, in a confident tone.

"Gentlemen", began the Chief, rallying the attention of all participants.

"Our Kingdom still stands, but it has been weakened by both the incompetency of the Fleet Admiral and the intervention of outside influences, most notably the Republic of Liberty", he took a small break, ensuring that his words were understood.

"The Fleet Admiral has been assassinated and while we certainly mourn his death, our Kingdom must endure this loss and continue onto the path to prosperity. To that end, to guarantee the stability of our proud House, the Defence Bureau will take command of all branches of the Bretonian Armed Forces. Our units are already in place to do so within 48 hours.", the Chief took another small break, viewing the obvious surprise of the onlookers. To avoid any questions, he continued shortly thereafter, providing them with an explanation for what he had just said.

"We must ensure thoroughly that the people remain calm now more than ever. However, bandits and terrorists that attempt to spread lies, provoke panic and most importantly, sow chaos on our worlds are punished accordingly. Thus, I advise all participants to the meeting that they carry on their duty better than ever. The future of our proud House depends entirely on us." The generels started applauding, visibly moved by the adress of the Bureau Chief. The rag-tag crown of yes-men had played their role in securing a part of the power, unbeknownst to the rest.

"I will address the public, today, after the end of the discussion concerning important state matters with representatives of the Goverment. It is with much hope and determination that we shall carry out the mentioned orders and bring peace and stability to Bretonia once more. Good luck, for the people have put theirs hope in us."

The patriotic, nonetheless short, speech to his most trusted generals gathered their full support. Unfortunately for many, this marked only the beginning of the hard times for the citizenry. Within hours, dozens of Police and military gunboats were dispatched to all Planets, with brutal crackdowns starting against anyone daring to spread rumours about the death of the Fleet Admiral Spencer or other military operations. A new age had begun.

Yet the Kingdom shall endure.