A hush falls over the Whitehall press conference, as the Acting Fleet Admiral Sir Jack Fraser, Duke of Norfolk emerged from a side office, portfolio in hand.
He takes his place at the podium, formally opening the portfolio and looks up at the cameras.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of Bretonia, an emergency session of the War Cabinet has just concluded where dire news was delivered.
LD-14 in Leeds has fallen to the Kusari horde.
Forces, stretched thin by the recent Rheinland border skirmish has left the Bretonian Armed Forces, the Admiralty, and the Bretonian Cabinet with tough choices to make. The choice was made, either loose as single station, or loose an entire star system.
In following what has become known collectively as the Ralston Doctrine, I ordered our forces to fall back in Leeds to more defensible positions Luring the Kusari into what is now an untenable situation. For too long the front lines of the Kusari conflict have been static, the Kusari have entrenched themselves into positions that have made it extremely difficult to route them out. By breaking those lines, and forcing the Kusari to advance, they are now in a precarious position, their ships are exposed, and the resulting chaos of their sudden shift in logistical needs have presented us with a rare opportunity.
We are now in a position to face an enemy in the open, they have reached too far, and are exposed.
For this plan to work, for us to be able to drive the Kusari out of Leeds once and for all, I must call upon ever ounce of reserve that Bretonia has left.
We require war materials brought to our fleets at Leeds.
Nuclear armaments
Military Vehicles
Food supplies
MOX
Hfuel
Anything that can be bought, stolen, or begged for needs to be brought to the Kusari Front.
Operation Vocare Ad Regnum will require the very best of our merchant marine, our strategic and tactical forces, and our intelligence agencies. We must not allow the Kusari the option of fortifying their new gains, nor must we allow them the opportunity to fall back.
We are now in the final phase of this war, we have sacrifice a bishop in the hopes of obtaining a checkmate, see to it that our knights are supported.
David Tanner from The Times. Admiral, it has been admitted publically in the past that we have a massive trade deficit with Liberty and we only have a tentative line of trade with the Rheinlanders. Further more, as Bretonia tot's up the expenses that the border skirmish has cost her - We have now been faced with the loss of one of our primary production and export stations.
My question is in two parts, first would the Admiral state how this latest round of supply begging will be funded and second, with us drawing on reserves almost on a daily basis - What chance do we have of retaking the station, especially as we have made little apparent headway with Stokes?
"These events have forced us to dig even deeper into Federal reserves, reserves that are... stretched to the breaking point. We are in a situation where we must break the Leeds stalemate or face a complete and utter economic collapse."
He looked frank and serious.
"Bretonia is dangling over a cliff, holding onto a few tufts of grass, praying that it can last just that little bit longer... and I am not about to allow our nation to fall into the jaws of the Kusari."
Resting his hands on the podium he looked at the camera.
"This is do or die, for you and I... which is why we now find ourselves facing a new adversary seeking to rape the Tau systems which are Bretonian territory. Terrorizing not just our miners, but those of the Colonial Remnant and other allies..."
He drew upright, "There are rumours that our Privateers have... discovered that threat and are even now making their move to open up an ... alternate revenue stream. A new type of wealth that will give us the push we need to oust the Kusari. I cannot discuss this further... but the Interdiction Wing has clearance to do what must be done to secure the funds for the Crown."
"To that end I am officially stepping down from my post as Lord Privateer, and disavowing all further knowledge of what the Interdiction Wing does. They are declared rogues and renegades, because they must do what must be done once more, for Queen and Country."
"Bowex and BMM are also authourized to act as they see fit to generate financial capital that will keep this nation soldiering onwards. This is the Bretonian spirit at work, the resolute and unyielding spirit of a people that will not go quietly into the night. We will not die without a fight! The Kusari will not win, the darkness to the North will not win, at the end of it all, when the morning comes after this long night... Good guys win, bad guys loose, and Bretonia WILL PREVAIL!"
"Sir Frasier, Charles Morgan, Interspace News.
If the Bretonian Treasury is low on funds, will you also be considering foreign sources of investment in the corporations of the Crown? Will you be issuing a war bonds programme, or putting forth a public offering for Bowex or BMM stock to raise capital? Will any new war taxes or tariffs be raised? How is this likely to affect Bretonian fuel prices, with the main source of MOX now in Kusari hands? Are there any plans, emergency or otherwise, to enable a fuel rationing programme? And how does the Crown feel about their sole remaining source of fuel being a House with which they only just finished a war?"
gone four years, first day back: Zoners still getting shot in Theta :|
"I want to first indicate that while we are in a dark situation with the treasury, we are not, at this time, considering making national enterprises available upon the public market. However, we are in a discussion with Synthfoods concerning alternatives to the food rationing issues."
"A war bond program is already in effect, and I can confirm that my personal finances have been placed into the program, along with a great number of other government officials. We are all in this together, and the money will be meaningless should Bretonia fall. The incentive being, that we are as committed as the rest of our people to retaking our homeland."
"As for fuel, a bitter as the situation is, we have continuing deals with the Gas Miner's Guild, as well as with Rheinland fuel producers... and I can confirm that there is a third, classified, source of fuel that I am not at liberty to discuss."
"Tireless work by our own shipping corporations, as well as the assistance of other parties who have elected to remain nameless, have placed an ease on the fuel crisis."
"I would like to take this time to categorically deny the rumours that we are looking to the Outcasts for alternative engine technology, such rumours are baseless lies and totally without merit."
"I can confirm that, for the moment, the Bretonian Armed Forces is limiting the application of Battleship assets to help preserve the fuel situation. However, we are increasing bomber patrols to ensure that any threat is adequately dealt with."
"As for Rheinland, there may be issues that still remain to be resolved, however they rely upon us for raw materials as much as we rely upon them for refined goods. And while there may be disagreements, at the end of the day, we both know on what side our bread is buttered."