To: Commander Hartman

[Alley]

****INCOMING TRANSMISSION****

COMM ID: Colonel Henri Lavalle
TARGET ID: Commander Jane Hartman
SUBJECT: Changes
ENCRYPTION: High
PRIORITY: High

Commander Hartman.

There is a time when one must understand where he stands, and decide what path he has to take. That time, is today.

The Princess is still at the hospital, and none knows when she will wake up, or if she ever will. Her baby is due in two weeks, and the doctors are not confident about the outcome. They believe only one of the two will survive, and I am in no position to take that decision.

Meanwhile, we still have an influx of gallic refugees and someone must take care of it. That person, is me.

I suppose you wonder why I'm telling you all of this, considering we've rarely met.

My father always told me you can get a good idea of who you're dealing with the first time you see them and look straight into their eyes, getting a glimpse of their soul. It never failed me, but I still checked your service records. It confirmed me what I saw in you.

As of today, you are the new Commander of the Battleship Normandie. The second in command, the Commander Winterfield, and the Libertonian-Gallic crew of the Normandie have been informed of this choice a few minutes ago.

The Normandie doesn't need a commander that never faced war or has not seen further than the bridge of his previous capital ship. It needs someone like you, someone that came from the very bottom of the ladder and has seen it all.

Good luck, Colonel Hartman.

Henri Lavalle,
Commander of the Normandie.

****TRANSMISSION TERMINATED****

---

Alley was right.

[Melanie Tyler]

****INCOMING TRANSMISSION****

COMM ID: Commander Jane Hartman
TARGET ID: Colonel Henri Lavalle
SUBJECT: Re: Changes
ENCRYPTION: High
PRIORITY: High

Colonel,

To say your message came as a surprise would be an understatement. I've made no secret of my opinion on the Gallic presence in Liberty, and the Navy. I believed that bringing the Princess and Normandie to Liberty jeopardized the safety of the Republic. That no two people, no matter how important, were worth risking dragging this house into another war.

I'm still not convinced I was wrong.

However; regardless of the reasons that bought you here, you and your crew, have worked for the betterment of this house. Fighting for a country so foreign to your own cannot have been easy and, for that, you have my respect, though it was a rare occasion when we met in space.

We Libertonians are very fond of talking about our freedom, but only a handful would sacrifice everything to defend it, as the crew of Normandie have. Leaving behind their homes and family for a Republic they had never seen based on nothing more then principle was a remarkable move. Your Princess must have been a remarkable woman to inspire that. I never met her. It seems to have been my loss. In any event, it would be an honor serve alongside the crew of Normandie. You've given me an opportunity to leave behind an office aboard Missouri, and for that I'm grateful. I can't promise to lead that crew as de France would have, even as you have. We're very different people. I will; however, do my utmost to uphold the values they sacrificed so much to defend.

I'll make arrangements for the transfer as soon as possible.

I wish you luck Colonel, we both have a long road to travel, and yours may be the hardest of all.

Hartman, out.

****TRANSMISSION TERMINATED****

---

| Character Sheet | Mel's Theme | Feedback |

This character is retired.