"I am Captain Klars Abou, Commander of the
Saturnian Combined Strike Team, now acting
as Commander of the INOR Combined Fleet, or
what's left of it. I make this statement of my own
free will. The original mission given to me by my
President was to join with other military forces
of INOR to take and hold the Slingshot Terminals
hostage as insurance for an outcome in negotiations
that would be favorable to INOR.
"The mission to take the Terminals has failed. We
were attacked and defeated by the military forces
of the United Inner Planetary System. We were
betrayed by the Plutonians. The Commander of
the UIPS Military Space Force has ordered all our
warships, except those of Planet Pluto, to return
to their home stations. The INOR military forces,
at the outset, had neither strategic nor tactical
plans for the confrontation that we have
experienced. Our forces are in utter disarray; we
have no choice but to comply with the orders of the
UIPS Fleet Commander. I have therefore directed
the dissolution of the INOR Combined Fleet and
ordered the vessels to return home. The UIPS fleet
commander has granted us leave to use the spunnel
system for this purpose."
Captain Abou's features faded. An ominous quiet
descended on the conference room. Narval, stricken
and silent, remained half-standing, looking from
the tank to Camari, and at the faces of his
co-conspirators. Camari returned Narval's gape
impassively.
There was more. Drummer's features replaced
those of Captain Abou. His features were stern
and his head shook slightly with tension and anger.
However, his voice was grave and measured in tone,
deep and vibrant.
"Leaders of Solar Governments. To those who do
not recognize me, I am Deke Drummer, formerly
an advisor to Reen Narval and, also formerly the
Commander of the INOR Combined Fleet. I confirm
Captain Abou's words. The mission against Slingshot
failed. The reasons are many, but failure is the
fact. You now have the task, at your convocation,
to seek solutions to our common problems through
other means.
"All military forces and government administrators
of Planet Pluto are under my command. I proclaim
the Government of Reen Narval is fallen. I have
established myself as Regent over Planet Pluto
until a lawful President is chosen by the will of
our people. I hereby declare Reen Narval persona
non grata on Planet Pluto, and have instructed my
warships to attack and destroy his vessel should
he enter Plutonian jurisdiction. I remind you all that
Narval came to Planet Pluto as a criminal outcast
from Callisto. I suggest to the President of
Callisto that he take custody of Narval and deal
with him on the basis of the crimes he committed
within Callistonian jurisdictions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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