Southampton Shipyard.
The fleet was formed next to the dirty, busy, effective shipbuilding station where almost all of Bretonia's fleet had been constructed.
If it weren't for this place, Bretonia would have long ago become a Kusari Province.
A monster was about to be birthed by the mighty station, one of the Dunkirk class. This one was to be provided to the Fleet Admiral as his Flagship.
Today was the HMS Regina's birthday.
Hundreds of other ships fired a volley in salute. Dozens of Terawatts of blazing flame greeted the new vessel as she slowly came around and flew in front of the line of ships, dressed in good order, in order of Wings.
(They all aimed high..)
They had rushed the construction of this ship. After the fall of Upper Leeds, the ship was needed to bolster the defenses, and to tell the truth, to bolster the morale of the pilots and the nation they defended.
It meant that her armour wasn't fully optimized, and her weapons were not yet fully functional, but she was would shortly be ready enough for battle, and her Master was sufficiently healed as well.
The BAF Marchpast played over the speakers, and Fleet Admiral Nelles stood stiffly in salute. He was using his left arm, not, for obvious reasons, his right one. It was burned up with the Haida. Luckily, it affected his piloting only somewhat, since he was always a southpaw.
The Fleet Admiral was thinking of that lost ship and crew, but his outward appearance gave no inkling of the emotion inside him.
Nelles continued to stand to, receiving the Fleet's salute, and the flypast was over soon.
And it would be time now, to get back to the work of winning back Leeds, and all points "north".
Comm. ID: Admiral Sir Andrew Stuart
To: BAF High Command
CC: BAF Public Relations
---Transmission Initiated---
Well, that may be one of our most glorious endeavours to date, folks!
We came.
We saw.
We robbed the place blind!
So, after the devastating punishment laid onto the Kusari aggressors in Leeds this evening, my band of merry men and I slipped behind their blitzkrieg assault, and proceeded to stop their whole economy. Glorious.
Maggie Hacket, Finn Hopkins, the Saint George (under Captain Wright) and myself sneaked into New Tokyo via Kyushu and Hokkaido, looting as we went.
We were set upon by various folks, like Kishiro escorts, KNF pilots and even Farmer's Alliance, who now seem to like foreign traders.
Well, we shot some folk up in New Tokyo, but myself and our gunboat were getting hassled a fair bit, so we had the genius idea of retreating. Retreating forwards! Into Honshu! Maggie and Finn held the fort, outnumbered, slowly winning, whilst we besieged their jumpgate... on the other side...
Dozens of trade ships were either robbed or destroyed, leaving Kusari with millions upon millions of credits missing, and ourselves with a wee bonus.
On the way home, we burned as we fell back, taking out some foolishly aggressive transport and its bomber escorts, damaging trade lanes and all sorts.
So, asymmetrical maneuver warfare... that's where victory lies, folks. Who's winning now, eh?
Kaching!
-Andy out!
---Transmission Terminated---
Comm ID: Ensign John Galt
To: BAF Headquarters
After Action Report.
After reporting for duty, I found a Hogosha Gunboat, Desert Snow, engaged with Ens. Gilead in a templar, off Leeds. I switched to a Challenger, and engaged and destroyed the gunboat; he was slow with the turrets.
He was convicted but let off with only a warning and a suspended sentence, from what I heard later, in Leeds. Lawyers.
We need to train for fights against capships, I believe. We do not have gunboats in the sim, in Salisbury. A cruiser will be even better, I think.
Forwarded to the HQ for consideration and action.
Signing off (time for the crumpets)
Galt.
To: All BAF Officers
Comm. ID: Admiral Sir Andrew Stuart
---Transmission Initiated--
Okay, after Classified W-3, some horrible things have come to light.
As many of you know, the Nomads, a dangerous alien race bent on humanity's extinction, attempted to take the place of many officials in the other three Houses just over twenty years ago. We were lucky, although Glasgow was attacked by Rheinland vessels, as many of you remember.
Now, that is mere background.
Right now, people infected by these aliens seem to be offering diplomatic overtures to our officers.
Now, this may be insubordinate on my part, but if I hear of anyone dealing with these freaks in any manner other than violence, with intent to kill, I shall have them shot for High Treason. Not just against the Crown, but against all humanity. Even the yellow, slant-eyed part of it. I don't care what rank you are, who your mummy and daddy are, or even if you're my best friend. Making friends with aliens that want to end the human race is a capital offence. Period.
These squid-loving monsters' words are poison. Eradicate them. To do anything else can only bring catastrophe, I'm afraid.
-Sir Andrew Stuart, Knight of the Realm, Bretonian Armed Forces Admiral, Commander of the HMS Stirling
---Transmission Terminated---
To: All BAF Officers
Comm. ID: Fleet Admiral Percy Nelles
---Transmission Initiated--
Sir Andrew, as always, uses colourful language.
But the essence of his statement is sound. These "Wilde" contacted me tonight during their invasion of Cambridge.
Apparently they believe we have an artifact of theirs, at Cambridge Research Station.
Perhaps we should give them the Artifact.
Oh wait, did I say "Artifact"? I meant Supernova. So sorry. Been into this excellant Brandy.
Can you correct that statement? Oh, its already sent? Oh bloody h...
-Fleet Admiral Percy Nelles, Commander, Bretonian Armed Forces
---Transmission Terminated---
**We share with All...**
**-human- violence...distractedminds, so frail...We Hunt, We Destroy...-humans- End**
**We see Fear...-Humans- scurry in selfpreservation...Evil, thoughts of self overall**
**-Humans- cannot Comprehend Allness, yet seek to fight...We pity**
To: Fleet Admiral Nelles
Comm. ID: Andy
---Transmission Initiated---
Aye, we were forced ta fall back earlier, but did enough damage to prevent any of them getting out of the ice field in the north of the system.
I refuse to give them anyhing they want, because they'll only put it to nefarious ends, and probably turn it into some sort of monster and/or superweapon.
That, we can't be having, eh?
Anyway, I'm going to see about contacting some professor sorts at the Research Institute, and find out about their contacts in certain organsisations. Get some information and techniques on weeding out alien bodysnatchers.
On a related note, going to contact some Blood Dragon operatives in New Ping Pong and see if they can do the same back home.
And if they say anything nice, or apparently reasonable, think of them as like those Peace Movement politicians! Sure, they sound good, but they're sympathisin' with the enemy and well all know it!
Your pal,
Andy Stuart
---Transmission Terminated---
To: BAF High Command
Comm. ID: A. Goodman
---Transmission Initiated
Sir's I'll be coming back on duty either tomorrow or Tuesday. See's seven days off from the front lines and the daily crap we have to deal with, due to medical reasons, has been a great resting time. Since most of that time I was out of it. Anyway's if you chap's need a full report on why I was off duty for so long, just send a reply back.
---Transmission Terminated
' Wrote:To: BAF High Command
Comm. ID: A. Goodman
---Transmission Initiated
Sir's I'll be coming back on duty either tomorrow or Tuesday. See's seven days off from the front lines and the daily crap we have to deal with, due to medical reasons, has been a great resting time. Since most of that time I was out of it. Anyway's if you chap's need a full report on why I was off duty for so long, just send a reply back.
---Transmission Terminated
To: A. Goodman
Comm. ID: Admiral Stuart
---Transmission Initiated---
No need for the medical rundown, I've already had a word with your doctor, and I don't think I need to tell everyone about that horrible case of the clap you picked up on yer off hours.
We'll say it was a fractured pelvis and maybe there won't be so many questions.
-Andy Stuart
---Transmission Terminated---