* * *

At 1100 hours, the open-air parade ground of Camp Melusine was a sea of uniforms. Officers, recruits, and staff stood in formation, creating a very real sense of dread. Adélard and his squad joined the crowd, their eyes scanning for any clue as to the nature of the meeting. It was then that they noticed all the flags at the compound were at half-mast. 

Jojo nudged Noel, pointing at the lowered flags. "Something really bad has happened." Noel grimly nodded. "Heard!" 

Whispers and speculations spread like wildfire among the gathered personnel. The mood shifted from curiosity to somber expectation as Commander Ross stepped onto the makeshift podium, flanked by senior officers. 

"Parade rest." Ross ordered, his voice resonating through the open-air parade ground. 

The formation physically relaxed slightly, although the tension remained and was obvious. The commander took a moment to look over the assembled faces before speaking again. 

"This morning, we received reports of a horrendous attack on France.” He began, his tone heavy. Murmurs spread through the crowd but quickly died down as Ross continued.  

"A La Fayette-class French frigate, the Frégate Légère, was struck by two ballistic missiles while patrolling the Red Sea, protecting the waterway.”  

A collective gasp rippled through the ranks, followed by a stunned silence. Ross's eyes swept over the crowd, meeting the gazes of his men before continuing. 

“The missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen. Of the 153 men aboard, 31 have perished. 68 are injured, and the frigate is currently limping back to Toulon." 

Ross’s face was set in an unreadable mask as he continued. “Captain André Benoit, a respected naval officer and a close personal friend of mine, was killed during the attack. I can assure you that every effort internationally is being made to locate those responsible and bring them to justice." 

Adélard exchanged a glance with Nickalos, their faces reflecting the shock that mirrored those around them. 

Ross continued, his voice steady despite the evident emotion. "Captain Benoit was an exemplary officer whose dedication and bravery were unmatched. His loss is a profound blow to us all. In honor of his service and of all the brave sailors aboard who lost their lives today, we will observe a moment of silence." 

Heads bowed, the compound fell silent, each person reflecting on the sacrifices that came with their duty. As the moment passed, Ross raised his head, his voice resolute. 

"We will honor Captain Benoit’s memory by continuing our mission with the same dedication and courage he exemplified. France is not a set of lines on a map. France is an ideal, a state of mind, in which citizens, not governments, are empowered to dictate their own future. We will not rest, we will not be distracted, and we will not negotiate away this loss.” The commander said, raising his voice with an undeniable tone of anger. “We will find the bastards responsible, no matter how long it takes. There is no place on this earth they can hide that we will not discover.”