Paris Temps

[maddox]

1917 HY01  fast forward.

Gunnery Sergeant Pappas, I believed your orders were " to test the new techniques and weapons to the bone"

Yes Admiral Geon, and I am doing so to the fullest extent to my capacity.

deep sigh
You know how I treat my crews - hard, but fair.  How in the Republic's name can you think I would condemn killing or horrendously crippling citizens of France?

Admiral, how else could I get the rules and exercises about gas attacks worked out?  I didn't see any other way. And after all, all people involved were volunteers.

You asked for volunteers in the state labor prison coalmines, a place I know first hand, luckily briefly, all too well. Anybody with 2 brain cells would have accepted your offer. Because those people don't know the horrors of modern chemical warfare. Chlorine is bad, but Tiamat is worse, ways worse.
Sorry admiral, if I exceeded my authority. But I acted within orders. Also, if you want to talk to professor Haber, he's the brain after the experiments. I just did what was ordered.  The new training is very effective.  The men can be protected against chlorine inside 10 seconds with the lightweight gasmasks, and those work fine against the respiratory and ocular damage Tiamat induces.  Unfortunately, the full protective gear is too bulky and to cumbersome taking up to 1 minute to done on, and robbing the marines of any tactical mobility. We're working on a chemical antidote, but up to now, only showering and more showering seems to help, if the afflicted person knows it in time.
Wait to long, and the skin will blister, and the blisters will putrefy. This information is utterly useful for the army too.
Did you read my report on the decontamination procedure we invented for ships covered in Tiamat? It takes a 1 hp powered pump per 50m² of wooden or 30m² of steel deck to be cleaned in. 

Yes yes, I did read that too.  And I agree, the troop ships will get that equipment.  It also can double as firefighting, pumping, riot control, and troop decon equipment.
But Pappas, don't use human guinea pigs anymore. There are pigs enough in the world, and if I had my way, politicians would be on the list too.

As you order Admiral Geon.


with thanks to Borys for spelling check and changing some wording.

[ctwaterman]

*Quietly hides the few politicians necessary to the functioning of the Empire*  :)

Those not deemed necessary to the proper functioning of the Empire or of France are left to the Tender Mercy of Gunnery Sgt. Pappas... ::)

[maddox]

Gunnery sergeant Pappas is very generously sharing the information with the Italian mobile warfare engineers....

[maddox]

DeCreme training center, Fortress Ouest at the foot of the Pyrenese mountains.

(a man is scaling a concrete wall, others are waiting to repeat the exercise)
Sergeant, why are my training weight braces heavier than those of Jean?

(in a friendly, almost fatherly tone)
Afu, you're 192 cm tall, weight 135 kg in your stockings, in other words, you're build like a brick outhouse or should be a fat slug, you don't look like a slug. If you would have read the manual on your training uniform, you would know that the training weight is 50% of body weight, or 55 kg whatever is heavier. Jean is 162 cm, weights 70 kg  and still manages to carry his load, without asking questions.

Yes, but he was a 140mm gunner, he's used to trow 65 kg of shell and propellant, I never got out of the stokehold, because I'm to big for the  140mm guns.

DID YOU VOLUNTEER FOR THIS DUTY? THERE IS NOTHING IN THE BOOK ABOUT COMPLAINING, SO WEAR THE TRAINING WEIGTH AND GIVE ME 20 LAPS AROUND THE FIELD.

[maddox]

Related to this posting.

Monsieur Grange, you asked me to join you for this working lunch.

Yes Michael, I did. I have a load of questions. Concerning the situation in the Confederate States of America.

What can you tell me about these reports.

• Our trade with the CSA is dropped with 6%.
• We have about 20 000 people that were residents in the CSA with French papers returning to Glorious France, or moving to the UNK or Quebec.
  
• The military command is reporting a 25% increase in barfights between sailors and army men in the ports of call. De damage reports and refunds for those are getting idioticaly.
• And, to make it more interesting, you applied for the change from CSA civilian to French nationality, your motivation is "scholar pursuits".

From my own experience I can say that the free press in the States is writing a lot of rubbish that is very anti French. And the congress is going for it, to gain popularity by Joe Public.  The masses of people want a boogieman. Previously it was the United Norman Kingdom. But that changed  from the moment France started working on the relations big time.  The Statue of Liberty in New Orleans was the sealing of that agreement, and the works from Theodore Roosevelt together with  President Wilson cumulated in the Nassau Treaty.

And then it was Gran Colombia.  But their defence of peace weakened that "threat".  So, my dads, and my view is, that the politicians are aiming at the country that is least likely to go to war over it.

And why would the CSA politicians over there destroy their best defence against "predators"? 

I don't know Monsieur Grange.  That's to far out of my experience. But I know that the public is agreeing with the newspapers, and Congress.

Thank you Michael. And congratulations for your engagement with Mademoiselle Caroline. As a token of my joy, here is your new identity card, Monsieur l'ingenieur radiologique Michael Henry.

But, but, I need 2 more years according to the rules. 

I know, but on radiation and radioactive materials, you're one of the best in France, madame Curie told me that she learns as much  of you as you do from her. So, that degree is honnestly yours. Now to finish your degree in civil enginering, and you're on the fast track for a government job. Perfectly now you're a French citizen.

How can I thank you?

Simple, be yourself. But if you allow me, let me organise the wedding together with your parents and Carolines mom.

A young, big black man show a faint smile and 1 single tear twinkles in the suns light.

[Guinness]

The military command is reporting a 25% increase in barfights between sailors and army men in the ports of call. De damage reports and refunds for those are getting idioticaly.

Wow, the French bureaucrats keep metrics on everything.

[TexanCowboy]

Gah!!!! Everyone hates me!  ;D ;D ;D

[maddox]

OOC
No, why would I hate you TexanCowboy? 
That last bit is just a further part of a story arc that is running a tad longer.

[Borys]

Gah!!!! Everyone hates me!  ;D ;D ;D

Yes. You are Desertfox's long lost win :D
Borys

[Sachmle]

Gah!!!! Everyone hates me!  ;D ;D ;D

Yes. You are Desertfox's long lost win :D
Borys

Epic spelling fail

[Borys]

LOL!
How silly of me :)
Borys

[maddox]

DeCreme training center, Fortress Ouest at the foot of the Pyrenese mountains.

The office of "Gunny" pappas

private Sing,enter, and at ease.

YES SIR,

Why do you believe you don't have to wear your training weights?

Sir I'm wearing my mandated training weight of 55 kg, Sir.

Where is the backpack then?  Or did you eat lead this morning for breakfast. If so, I hope you didn't have a shit recently.

Sir, I did not have a shit since breakfast, didn't have the time for it. And I did not eat lead Sir. Breakfast was the normal marine chow Sir.

Care to explain the abcense of your training weight then.

Sir, I'm wearing the mandated 55kg of training weight.

Recrute Sing, you know the penalty on "non complaince?

Sir,yes Sir.

So, if you're so sure that you're wearing the training weights, without the issued backpack, how are you doing it? I don't want to trow the book at you, but cheaters ain't allowed in training. On the other hand, the scales do tell us that you're 55 kg over the medical report of 2 weeks ago. It's the lack of backpack that raises the question.

Sir, permission to explain completely and freely?

Yes.

The current rules do not mandate the bulky stone filled backpack. Albeit I realise we'll hump it on the field in real situation. The things the training backpack does in promote endurance, torso and leg muscles. With my background, the fact we did learn to make our own uniforms and my personal intention to develop stronger arms I asked a blacksmith in the village to fashion me a pair of heavy kara's, bracelets.

I'm aware of your 5 kakkars, private Sing, that is why the rules do not forbid those. During the Kolkatan-Bharat war I fought alongside with your fellow lions. But still steel arm bracelets does not explain the 55 kg.

Sir, that does not Sir.

Dispence with the sir for the moment. Just explain.

Currently my uniform is covering my Kara's, but also greaves, a 4 piece torso weight based on Italian Condottieri breast and back plate that doesn't reduce agility. It totals the 55 kg, and an expance of 5 months of training income.

You're meaning,because the annoyance of a bulky backpack, you spend your entire duty pay to recreate a very heavy medevil armor?

Yes sir, and we're working on a new version.

"We? And what "new" version?

My platoonmates, and a more modern version. This version is not easy to maintain. The rust spots come out fast trough the fabric of my uniform and are very difficult to wash out. And we tried simular plates during shooting excersizes.  It won't protect against our rifles at any reasonable range, but it does a handy job against any revolver outside the very powerfull versions and older rifles at combat range.

I see. I will think over it. Your creativity won't be unrewarded.But for now, I order you to wear a backpack with the same volume as your fellow marines. As you say, you will wear a bulky backpack in the field, so it isn't a bad option to train with it. We'll talk further about this. Dismissed.

[maddox]

A timejump.  Related to this posting.


Monsieur Grange, what's this about unequal treatment of blacks and whites in the CSA?

How do you mean Premier, isn't that common knowledge?

How can we accept a treaty with biassed people? Not only are they laughing with all the past achivements, ignore the Treaty we have, and now the relevation that previous French Civilians were denied their rights. How could Premier Palpaté accept that?

That I can answer. His objective was to stir more problems in the Carribean, to cover for his El Dorado project.
Unfortunatly for him, Gran Colombia didn't go for it. Rather the opposite, Paixhans and Capet made sure of that.

You mean, Palpaté sold Haïti for a pittance (OOC info $36), just to stir problems up?

Yes Premier. For example, the neglected naval infrastructure in Port au Prince (size 1 naval port: 1 slip, 1 dock size 1 now in disreapier after 10 years of neglect) had a serious value.

I want a full report on that hidious practice, and on how bad our people were treated in Haiti.  
And get me Minister Capet asap.

[maddox]

Dodge the Torpedo

[maddox]

Paris, late 1917, Hotel Napoleon, the lounge

Ah minister Lebrun,  thanks for joining me on this gentle evening.

Premier Galpoux, it's a pleasure to do so.
Garçon, that gentle cocktail from last week.
the bartender starts to mix up a non colored liquid from an equaly unmarked bottle with the expensive and strong liquors Grand Marnier and Cointreau, , sets aside the shaker and gets a large fluted champagne glass, uses lime to moisten the edge, gets a nice sugar rim on it.
Takes the shaker and vigorously shakes the mixture. Poors it in the glass, and tops of to the rim with champagne doux. In other words, a tart, sweet but very potent cocktail.80 proof at least

Lebrun, tomorow I have to adress parliament, and one of the questions will be why a defense corps if going to be split up in 22 parts. Care to explain?

Yes Premier, you know that we started a dual program to provide the military scouting on the coasts of France. One had as result that we now have a fleet of 37 modern destroyers but also a series of coastal airship bases that cover the complete coast. Those 15 coastal airship bases are now being expanded with naval facilities to provide supplies and limited repair capacity for our coast guarding forces. In the end, it's the navies wish to have all our coasts defended by such bases.
The army agrees ,and pointed out that those facilities are ideal targets for raiding. So we are working on a multi pronged defence for those. Building Fortresses like we're doing at Djibouti is too expensive. Nor can we provide a full battlefleet for each of them. But what we can do is station enough troops there to make an raid on those facilities cost-ineffective. Each of the facilities will get a small base, for about a 1000 men. Those men will be drawn for the 6th corps. Meaning we have 15000 men dispersed over those facilities, and we forsee crosstraining those, so they can help the airship base, but also the naval facilities with daily chores. The other men of the corps will be rotated over the bases to have a good ratio on active/inactive duty personel. Also, at random a base will get reinforcements for a random time, to confuse  potential raiders.
At the start, only a few older, 155mm artillery pieces will be placed in earth rivetments, but we hope we can get funding for more advanced, dedicated coastal defense infrastructure.

Lebrun, thanks for the clarification.
Garçon, could you prepare me the cocktail ambassador Molari brought us a few weeks ago.

The bartender, a tad busy, asks for aid from the kitchen. A tiny grey haired but still beautifull woman shows up, in the typical French maid garb, pushing a cart, a heater, 3 bottles and a large triangular glass stand proud on that. She mixes up Cognac, Cointreau and a blue liquor in equal parts and warms those up gently. Heady fumes arise. When the first bubbles arise, she pours the mixture in the glass, and graciously delivers it to the Premier, brushing his arm with her proud assets. An inviting smile accompagnies that.