The Assembly Chamber

[Luminium]

---

CHIEF CAMILLE O'REILLY

---

It took several minutes before the Chancellor's aide managed to shout the room into a semblance of order. Most of the pilots lounging in the room got up to their feet, whether to curse the last speaker or to restrain their comrades from joining the disturbance. One of them took up the podium, scowling as she made it past Ewan's crew. Her red hair was tied back, and a tiny golden ornament pinned to her collar denoted her as a squadron leader. She was young, barely in her twenties, but her demeanour was tense, like a tightened coil barely kept from springing outwards.

"Our movement started with Arranmore," she spoke in a measured tone. "Our Founders fought and bled for it. I was born on that rock, and I'll die before I will let the royal bastards dig their grubby hands into it."

Camille pointedly did not look at Ewan as she said her piece. Something about his words struck a nerve.

"We fought hard to throw off the BMM yoke, harder than anyone else. Graves is a testament to that. And we continue to fight today so others can throw it off, too. And if Lisburn needs help today, we should do what we can for them. Would we have made it this far without their help, their shipments, their patrols? Maybe. Probably not. I'm not the one that makes these sorts of judgements, anyway."

She paused. Some of those present were nodding along, while others were grumbling and glaring at her, the upstart whelp.

"But what we are now is a long way from becoming some sort of popular revolution, ready to sweep all of Sprague, a whole bloody planet. We're barely holding on to what we've got, and the worst is yet to come. If we lose Dublin now, all its resources and all the work of our forebears will be gone. What will become of our revolution then?"

The grumbling got louder, but she continued.

"I think we ought to fortify Dublin while working on a safe way to get supplies in past the blockade, as we have been doing. Once we have that, we can focus on Lisburn and Sprague. But if Fleet Command was to order me to reinforce Lisburn Rock tomorrow, I'll do it."

She looked around at the gathered faces and stared directly into the camera.

"And so should any of you. Long live Free Dublin." Camille stepped down from the podium.