Gateway CEO and Board Chair Sir Alisdair Buchanan entered the Kensington press room and stepped up to the podium.
As all of you are aware, recent events in Bretonia have thrown our political system into some turmoil. Commodore Mountbatten has made claim to the Crown, and it appears some of the navy and others have followed suit. It is no secret to any thinking person that the priorities and values espoused by Mountbatten correspond in large part to our own here at Gateway. However, we cannot and will not jump to conclusions regarding these matters without careful inquiry.
As one of Bretonias leading firms, Gateway will await the conclusion of the Parliamentary investigation into Mountbattens claims. If the commodore is proved correct, Gateway will honor Parliaments findings, though we will be committed to as peaceful transition of power as possible. We encourage Parliament and the government of Prime Minister Worthington to work toward this end as well, provided the investigation concludes in Mountbattens favor.
Until then, we remain law-abiding citizens and a law-abiding corporation, acting with all due respect to Her Majesty, Queen Carina. However, we will take no action against Commodore Mountbatten or his allies. Indeed, we will willingly listen to both sides and consider their arguments carefully and with due seriousness.
Ultimately, in all things, we remain the servants of Bretonia.
As if we didn't have enough trouble... and now, a new King? Oh, how I dislike press conferences...
Joshua looked over his brand-new, dark blue trenchcoat, the Commissioner's badge sparkling at the revers. After a short sigh, he turned around the corner and entered the large press room at the BPA's headquarters.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen."
Joshua made a pause, waiting for the reporters and cameramen to calm down. He glanced to his right, where Vimes stood, who gave a short nod back to Joshua.
"Alright, ladies, gentlemen, I'd like your attention.
After getting the Bretonia-wide broadcast of Commodore Lord George Mountbatten's "Royal Edict", you surely expect some statements.
Well, let me begin with the fact that Commodore Mountbatten did only mention one new pledge of loyalty towards him, and that pledge concerns the Armed Forces.
Seemingly, we, the Bretonia Police Authority, were left out here. Nevertheless, the BPA will remain loyal to Her Majesty until She, the House of Lords and the House of Commons together agree on a new head to place Bretonia's Crown on.
Let me also say that the BPA intends to and will intervene, should it come to brawls between pro-King and pro-Queen parties. Our job is to keep Bretonia safe, and unnecessary fights between fellow Bretonians or - as some overhasty reporters already called it - a civil war pose a serious threat to a nation which already is struggling strainedly against a strong enemy.
Ladies, gentlemen, thank you for your attention.
Good evening."
Joshua looked at the horde of journalists, silenced by his short, uninterrupted speech. He turned around and, shortly chuckling to himself, left the room. The door closed and he took the way back to his office.
After issuing my Edict declaring my claim to the throne of Bretonia, the leadership of the Armed Forces pledged to follow me, as I had commanded. Upon receiving their invitation to come to New London for my coronation, I pondered on what to do. I could accept their invitation at face value, and come to New London as invited. Alternately, I could take the more cautious route and send in people loyal to me to make sure that the invitation was an honest one. After conferring with my senior advisers, I chose the second course.
It seems that I was not in error to suspect treachery. Upon arriving in New London orbit, a battlegroup loyal to Carina immediately opened fire on the Destroyer HMS Blackpool and it's escort. The HMS Blackpool had been temporarily retagged to appear as the HMS Sovereign. After a heavy firefight, the Blackpool was destroyed. My condolences go out to the families of the men and women who served on that fine vessel. Their sacrifice will not be in vain, of that I assure you.
I had hoped that my claim could be authenticated, and a peaceful transition would take place. It has become clear to me that Carina, while not personally responsible for the crimes against my family, is perfectly willing to continue this lie to the Bretonian people. I desire no bloodshed, but I've made my claim to the throne, and I will not be so easily dissuaded.
From this moment forward, any Armed Forces vessels and bases that have not sworn an oath to serve me, or at least declared that they will remain neutral until this situation is resolved, will be treated as enemies of the Crown. Corporate and Civilian ships as well as ships of the Bretonia Police Authority, regardless of their stance in the current conflict, will be treated as neutral by Royal Forces unless they open fire on a Loyalist ship. <span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%]
George R.
My People, I am the Queen of Bretonia, Empress of the Taus, Sovereign of the stars of Dundee, Chester, Lewis, Orkney, Inverness, Poole and Salisbury, and I am no pretender. My bloodline is not one of Pretenders, it is the Royal House of Bretonia, as descended from the great Kings of yore. George Mountbatten is a pretender who has violated the sanctity of the Cambridge records to implant false documents as to his Peerage. Rest assured that this insult to the Realm will be put down in good time.
New London - 817 A.S. - A Parliamentary investigation was recently begun following the actions of Lord Mountbatten, and his alleged claim to the throne. It was hoped by people on both sides of the issue that this investigation would settle the matter once and for all, and that no more blood would be shed in battles like the one recently fought in the skies of New London.
Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case. Earlier today, the Committee tasked with investigating Lord Mountbatten's claim released it's report, claiming that the results of the investigation were inconclusive. According to report, Genealogy records from before the sleeper ship Bretonia departed from Earth were missing from the data archives. The report stated that this was probably the result of data corruption during the journey from Earth, as this was not the only data lost in such a manner. The report did not rule out sabotage, however. Whether such sabotage was carried out by ancestors of Queen Carina, as alleged by those loyal to Lord Mountbatten, or if they were deleted more recently, as those loyal to the Crown have stated, was not able to be determined.
Unfortunately, a fast solution to the problem of who is the true Sovereign of Bretonia does not appear likely. BBC will follow this story as it continues to develop.
' Wrote:My People, I am the Queen of Bretonia, Empress of the Taus, Sovereign of the stars of Dundee, Chester, Lewis, Orkney, Inverness, Poole and Salisbury, and I am no pretender. My bloodline is not one of Pretenders, it is the Royal House of Bretonia, as descended from the great Kings of yore. George Mountbatten is a pretender who has violated the sanctity of the Cambridge records to implant false documents as to his Peerage. Rest assured that this insult to the Realm will be put down in good time.
Carina I.
*Intercepted internal Comm chatter - Battleship Essex*
"....Empress of the Taus, huh.. She's obviously not been reading the battle reports from up there..."
"...So she throws a bunch of titles and some meaningless blather at us, and that makes her the rightful Queen?..."
"...Violated Cambridge records? Who did that?...."
"...Insult to the realm? Here's an insult for you! *upraised finger*..."
"...so she makes this statement, then Parliament comes out and doesn't even back her up! I'll bet she felt stupid. *group laughter*..."
Egad. Is this the "Monty" Mountbatten I was at Eton with? Old "Bumfluff" himself? Flew with the auxulliary balloon corps on Harris? Liked to knit scarves?
Correct me if i'm wrong but wasn't he killed in a debagging ceremony that went wrong on Hapstead Heath? They had to have the closed casket because of the turnip? Had a deathly fear of goats?
Sir Roger Brinkley, I'm afraid that was my cousin you're thinking of. I do believe we met at his funeral. He was a rather odd sort, wasn't he? Still, he was a good chap, and it was a shame that his oddities were the death of him.
Planet Cambridge, a remote Palais above a small valley
"Good evening father!"
Harold McNeal calmly entered the library of Sir Charles, Knight Commander of the Bretonian Empire and Member of the House of Lords.
Standing at the large windows, his father turned around. The evening sun was throwing long shadows into the usualy bright room. A small flame was already playing with the wood in the fireplace.
"Good evening my son, have seat" Sir Charles waved him over to the big old comfortable lounge chairs.
Harold sat down, like in the early days in his life, when he watched from here how his father made decisions for thousands of people.
"Of course you are aware of the current political events?" It was not a question. Harold nodded quietly.
As an officer of the Royal Reserve Fleet, he was perfectly briefed on all events concerning the safety and stability of the Bretonian Nation.
"We soldiers feel uneasy about the current events. They are destabilizing our command structure and affecting directly the efficiancy of our armed forces."
A deep sigh came from his father as he sat down, too.
"Indeed they do, and even more than that. They are destabilizing our whole political and policy making structures. We politicians feel uneasy, too." Sir Charles was thinking about the discussions he had this morning with the senior deans of the university.
Both sat in assuring silence.
"We must give our best, to solve this situation. As long as we are occupied with ourselves, we are unable to care for our own safety." Sir Charles was searching behind the eyes of his son. "Regardless of the outcome, your loyality and that of our whole armed forces must be clearly stated and communicated to our people."
Harold straightend his back. "There is no question of loyality! Father, I promise you!"
"Easy, son, easy. Those words are easy to say, but sooner or later it will be hard to act accordingly."
"I promise you father, that there will be no shot between bretonian soldiers! We are to saveguard the Bretonian Nation and not to shoot each other."
"Better don't promise, what you can not provide..." Sir Charles softend his voice "but I am very proud of your personal position." He smiled.
"So what will you and your fellow soldiers do?" Harold folded his hands. "The planning staff in my wing has analyzed our most probable options." Harold felt relieved, finally he had something clear.
"Option A: The supposed king will give up his claims, or Queen Carina will resign. This will lead to a stable transfer of government and this not the concern of the armed forces."
"George will change the strategic objectives of our forces?" His father inquired. "We will obey them as always!" That was a clear statement. Sir Charles knew exactly what this meant to his son. Of course he knew that his son symphatized with the Gaians, like most young people on Cambridge do. But in the same move, his son was truely disgusted by the Mollys and their claims.
Harold continued:
"Option B: The supposed king or Queen Carina will be criminalized, well that's something for the BPA."
"This could lead to Bretonian blood to be shed" his father inquired again. "So even more a job for the BPA and not the armed forces".
"Option C: One of both parties will align with foreign powers and call for support, or foreign powers will intervene without authorization. In this case we will counter any foreign movement and neutralize their military capabilities"
The language of a soldier.
"But this will make bretonians into traitors?" Sir Charles inquired again. "Justice is not the task of the forces, that's what we have judges and courts for." His son was again very clear in his answer.
Silence.
Sir Charles nodded thoughtfully. "Your sister indicated that at least Kusari is preparing for Option C. And it would surprise me if the corsairs would not think along the same lines"
Harold was shocked. Of course! His sister was working for the foreign ministry and keeping up the remaining diplomatic relations to the Kusari government - one day there will be peace again between both states. And of course, the KNF would try to use any weakness. Their general staff was very professional, they would right now be very busy to adapt their war strategy.
A light knock at the door indicated that Daniel, the old butler of the family had prepared the dinner. Harolds mind jumped back to the old day of his childhood, when Daniel explained the stars and their meaning to him.
"Well, thank you Daniel." His father rose to his feet. "Come, Harold. It is time." He smiled like in the old days "Did you wash your hands, yet? Your mother would be very harsh with me, if I would not remind you." He turned and followed the butler to the dinner room.
Harold remained seated for another second. The picture of his grandfather was looking down at him. Old and wise.
How many lessons more would there be for him to learn?
Character 1: Biography of H.McNeal (BAF) Character 2: V.Bontainer (ALG) Character 3: Y.A.Renkov (CIV, still undecided, yet) Character 4: P.Decker (CIV, will work in the mining business)
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