Message Class: Textual
Encryption: Ceylon
To: Crayter Republic Military
From: Admiral, Harold Sommerville, BAF
To our esteemed allies,
I bid you good day. It is my hope that the situation in Coronado has stabilized after the recent incident; Bretonia remains a stalwart ally of the Republic and will dispatch any assistance should it be further needed.
I write to Your Excellencies here, today, to bring news of the latest decisions of the Admiralty Board, and to expand upon our plans for the Tau region. Of foremost importance is that, as matters currently stand, it appears increasingly clear that New Tokyo and Manhattan will soon be engaged in open, total war, on a scale never-before seen. Though Bretonia has repeatedly tried, together with our other partners, to seek a solution to their dispute, these diplomatic maneuvers have all but failed. I will leave the topic of the conflict itself aside for now, and focus on the most critical subject, that being the status of the Taus.
With Kusari's attention drawn away, it falls upon our shoulders to ensure that the Gallic Navy does not restart the conflict in the region; to that end, I inform you that work has resumed on significantly fortifying the orbit of Planet Harris with mines and defence platforms. We are also looking into augmenting the planet's potential as a fortress by constructing a network of surface and underground supply depots to be used in case of war. The crew of the HMS Livingston will also be instructed to begin training on deep space operations, with the knowledge on Gallic Navy formations and tactics gained in the Edinburgh liberation to be put to use. In a similar manner, crews aboard the reactivated HMS Harlow will undergo extensive training to facilitate operations behind enemy lines.
In spite of the fact that the situation surrounding Planet Harris is stable, and that efforts are well underway to reinforce the garrison, the same cannot be said about the one in Tau-23. Regarding the status of Scalpay Outpost and the captured Gallic Jump Gate in the system, the 9th Counter Fleet, under HMS Ark Royal, has begun receiving shipments of explosives and mines as we intend to also fortify our forward position in that area. It is also our intention to rig the Jump Gate with explosives, and to scuttle it should Gallic Navy forces make any attempt to break through into Tau-31.
With these preparations for the defence of the Taus underway, the BAF will divert a force under the command of HMS Collingwood to Holman Junction to act as the linchpin of our joint efforts, with vessels temporarily redirected from the Dublin front. Operations are scheduled to begin as soon as the following week, 09/03/836.
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