"I have a small matter that the Council needs to vote on. One of my men, Adamo Locotes, one of our younger Scourge's Mates has bought, yes bought, a Zoner Battlestar and wants to make it an addition to our fleet."
Most of the Elders were surprised but interested. A few of them had heard of this upstart, and scowled, which didn't go unnoticed to Asno.
"Hear me out, please. It seems his grandfather's dying wish was for his grandson to one day command a battleship for the Corsair nation. Adamo wanting to respect that, applied for command of a Legate, but it seems he was denied, twice, by the administration. His pride prevented him from asking me or any of the other OPG Elders for a favour, which is why we only hear of this recently."
He took a sip of water.
"Adamo took everything he had, all his savings, his house, everything save the clothes on his back, and gambled it, twice, in a desperate attempt at a sliver of a chance of winning the money to pay for his own battleship. It seems the gods pitied him, or maybe he hornswaggled it, I don't know. He got the money he needed, went to the Zoners, and picked up a rather decrepit old Battlestar. And now he's back at Crete, asking for permission to fly it as a Corsair."
Asno got up, leaning forward slightly, supported by his hands on the table.
"I ask all of you, not to see that ship as an abomination or an insult to Corsair shipbuilding or Corsair pride, but rather as a legend. One of loyalty, the loyalty of a man who took fate into his own hands, and risked everything he had to grant the wish of his dying grandfather. Such boldness should never go punished, and for one, he has my full backing."
