Ad Victoriam

[Darius]

12th of July, 829 AS, Planet Carlisle, Kingdom of Bretonia

---

Many months had passed since the Gallic onslaught in Sirius, yet the Bretonian Empire and Crayter Republic had survived the test of time and emerged as the victors. The vanquished, now lay in ruins... and the day of greatest importance for the young Coronado based Republic had yet to materialize. No longer faced with the prospect of rebuilding in their distant systems, the Republic put their hopes to come on an agreement with the Great House of Bretonia to further secure their holdings. A noble cause, yet certainly not without its' troubles.

The Bretonian representatives arrived first, on the 6th. Crayter's own delegation arrived only on the 8th, in the very same vessel that brought the refugees from the war-torn Vespucci system back to their homeland. Welcomed with a great fanfare, the Crayterian officials were set to meet within the following days, after some rest.

Representing Her Majesty's interests at the summit, the ever-ambitious Captain Horatio Bartholomew was set to convince the young Republic to accept the Kingdoms' demands and offer Bretonia's assistance with their grandiose plans to regain hegemony over the Taus. Assisting him was Director Victor Steiner, a figure as mysterious as he was charismatic, sharing much of the desire to strengthen Bretonia's position and come to better terms with the Crayterians.

Despite leading an important meeting, Horatio acted with tact and caution, in stark contrast to the majority of the officers in the Royal Navy, whom had much disregard for such state matters. Furthermore, being a relative of the Admiral and a faithful advisor to the Admiralty, he was able to use his personal connections as a tool to pursue goals benefitting Bretonia at the cost of her allies, something that was noticed as much by the Admiral himself since the change in power. Nevertheless, Horatio was to carry out only what he had been asked to propose, a sign of his everlasting loyalty to the Kingdom and to his superiors.

The spacious assembly hall of Stainton Palace, the imposing building in which the meeting took place, now held all the representatives and their staff. In antithesis to Tarbert Mansion, the room was decorated not with flowers, but with painting depicting Bretonia's past and countless victories against the Crowns' enemies. To the right side of the capacious halls, a large hologram projector was attached to the wall, and, at the opposite end of the room, two large windows with sight over Carlisle's developing cities allowed for a rare perspective of a flourishing society. Carefully selected by the government for such conventions, the palace was the ideal location to inspire awe into the Kingdom's devoted allies and pose as a reminder that Bretonia still held firm control over the region.

Ending the initial hours worth of rest and after several visits to locations adjacent to the palace, the representatives now gathered in the main hall to sit down and begin their conference in ernest. Once the Bretonians had assumed their seats, the Republic's own delegation was escorted to the meeting conference hall by a pair of Royal Guards, dressed in their symbolic red coats. The Bretonian delegation waited patiently as their guests footsteps grew louder and louder.