I got some bad news guys and girls.
I'm going on holiday for three weeks, and I won't have access to the internet. I'm updating now cause i'm gone on friday.

So here you go, my final story for now enjoy

THE TRANSFER
(Or Carlos gets mouthy)

"Reports, reports, reports," Carlos sighed as he filled in the piece of paper in front of him, "Life seems to be nothing but reports these days, not that I mind the peace and quiet,"

It had been three months since Carlos and crew had returned from the Dark Rift. Maria seemed to be more at ease and less shy of people than before, making new friends with people such as Mr. Blakeney. The Dark Rift had been called off limits when they had got back, to make sure no one found the lost continent of the Black Civilisation.

Now, Carlos sat in his office, filling out his monthly report to Armada Command, informing them of how everything was status quo, or as the men called it, dead boring.

Esperanza had been quiet for the past several months, with the War focused mainly in Mid-Ocean, life in the colony seemed to be more like a typical Mid Ocean Civilian town than a Valuan Outpost.

The fleet continued to patrol, the Surprise however hadn't been out since the Dark Rift incitement.

"It's coming to the end though," Carlos mused to himself as he swivelled his chair around to look out of his window at the orange sky.

He had been reading his weekly report that he got from the front, and Valua was loosing, that much was plain and simple. The Nasr Kingdom was slowly pushing the Armada back to home soil. The Valuan fleet had been pushed and shoved off Sailor's Island, and he had heard that Nasrean shipyards were working overtime producing high calibre vessels for a final assault against the capital city.

Carlos knew one thing though, if Valua fell, Esperanza would surly follow suit, as would any of the other outlying colonies of the Empire.

At that moment, a knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Yes?"

He didn't turn as the pine door creaked open, he just continued to stare out over what many officers called his "Mini Empire."

"Commander Meridian?" a shy, and slightly familiar female voice asked.

"Yes?" Carlos still didn't turn around, "Do whom do I have the pleasure?"

He heard the clack of metal on metal as whoever it was gave the formal salute, "Captain Jennifer Desoto, Captain of the Orion, the Second Flagship of the Fourth Fleet and Vice Captain to Admiral Mackenzie. HAIL VALUA!"

Carlos finally turned around, a intrigued look on face as he eyed the brown haired, blue eyed woman standing before him.

"Valua rule the skies. You look somewhat familiar, have I threatened you before?"

Desoto blinked, "N-no…I don't think so…I've never been out this far," she stuttered, "I'm here on behalf of Admiral Mackenzie, He's slightly tied up at the moment."

"Oh really?"

Jenny smiled slightly, "The Andromeda is a large ship sir. One can't simply dock it at your tiny Docking berths!"

Carlos shrugged, "Well, I'll give you that. I take it that you have a message for me then?"

Jenny nodded, "Admiral Mackenzie requests a meeting with you, I'm not entirely sure what it's about, but I believe you may be being relocated to a more suitable vessel nearer Valuan airspace."

Carlos smirked, "There's a lot of long words in that sentence Captain, and I'm only a lowly Valuan officer. What do you think he wants to talk to me about?"

Jenny raised an eyebrow, knowing full well the Commander was toying with her, "I think he wants to talk to you about you being moved to a ship on the front line."

Carlos smiled before going back to his report, "In that case you can tell the Admiral I'm disinclined to acquiesce to his request," he looked up again, another smirk on his face, "Means no,"

Jenny's eyes widened in alarm.

"You're turning down a chance to meet one of the Admiral's of the fleet?"

"Exactly,"

"But exactly how many times do you actually get to talk an Admiral?"

Carlos paused for a minute, "Let's see now, I've met Lord Admiral Galcian once, I had the pleasure of dining with Admiral Aubrey twice, my father was a helmsman under Admiral Mendosa, so I met the man quite a few times, I've brought Admiral Alfonso to his knees twice when we were at the Academy, I met Admiral Deloco when he came to do his annual check up on the outposts offensives and defences last month, and I'm a very good friend of Admiral Gregorio." He smiled at the open mouthed Captain in front of him, "As you can see, I've met quite a few Admiral's in my career,"

"No joke," Jenny said faintly, before shaking it off, "but Commander, Esperanza is a back water outpost. You haven't seen a proper battle since the Battle for Esperanza last year."

"You sound like you enjoy war Captain," Carlos said mildly as he continued his report, enjoying the stunned silence that radiated off her, "All that bloodshed and loss of life, people shooting each other for borders, land and sky," he looked up at Jenny, "I like my assignment here Captain Desoto, This "backwater outpost" as you put it. It's a haven from those battle on the front line. I like peace Captain, I despise war, which is why I let anybody use this Outpost. Now, if you want to put that on my record, then so be it, but unless Admiral Mackenzie wants to come down here and reassign me himself, I bid you good day,"

Jenny stared at him with wide eyes, her mouth open. She suddenly clenched her teeth, before thumping her chest.

"HAIL VALUA!" she cried, before turning on her heel and leaving the office, slamming the door behind her.

Carlos paused for a second, making sure she was gone, before he delved into a side draw of his desk.

He pulled out a picture, taken roughly thirteen years ago.

It had been taken on one of those rare occasions, when he had been forced to go with his father on board ship. He had only been three at the time, but from what his father had told him, the eldest daughter of the Admiral had found him wondering around the ship after accidentally breaking out of his quarters.

Practically falling for him on first sight, the girl had taken her back to the Admiral's quarters and proceeded to play with him until The Admiral had found him and sent him straight back to his father with a strong reprimand.

The picture was of him and her on the floor of her room, playing with some old blocks that the girl had found at the bottom of her trunk.

He studied the girls face long and hard, comparing it to the imaginary photo of the Captain a moment ago.

It was then that he realised where he had seen her before, a person he had not expected to see, a person who he had thought dead.

"Mendosa," he whispered quietly.

Quarter of an hour later Carlos's door opened and closed curtly for the second time that day. The young commander didn't have to look up to know who it was.

"Good evening Admiral," he said casually as he continued to write, "You'll forgive me if I don't salute but I'm in the middle of a very important report to Armada Command."

Mackenzie's eyes narrowed to slits, "I take it you know why I'm here Commander Meridian?"

"If what Captain Desoto told me was true you want to transfer me out of here."

"That is correct. As an Admiral of the fleet on behalf of Admiral Aubrey, you are to be reassigned to the H.M.S. Lynx currently patrolling Mid-Ocean as her new First Officer."

"Is there any particular reason?"

Mackenzie eyed Carlos dangerously, "You are a fine officer in the Navy. You managed to fight off the Nasreans at the Battle of Esperanza with no back up whatsoever. Armada Command feels you would be better suited on a ship of the line, not sitting on your armoured ass writing out reports."

"Ah-huh," Carlos dipped his pen in the ink well as he continued to write, "and what's the real reason?"

Mackenzie frowned, "I'm afraid I don't follow."

"I know the Armada is aware that I had a Nasrean Frigate in Dry dock last week, and the Blue Rogue vessel Claudia in here the week before that,"

He finally looked up at the Admiral.

"Don't get me wrong sir," he said calmly, "I'm not siding with Nasr or the Blue Rogues, I just don't like where this war is heading. The Claudia was forced to come here because she had been caught in the cross fire during the Battle for Maramba. The Frigate was blown down here by the Dark Rift when we tried to take it again. I helped those ships and I got them on there way. The Captain of the Frigate now says he owes me a life debt. Now I don't know about you, but I find that knowing that I saved peoples lives instead of blowing them out of the skies is much more satisfying.

"So give it to me straight or get out of my office Admiral, What's the real reason that Armada Command wants me on the Front Line?"

Daniel tried to hold Carlos's gaze, before narrowing his eyes again.

"If you want me to be frank Commander," he growled coldly, "Then fine, so be it. For some time now Armada Command has noticed that you have been assisting the enemy, and I'm not just talking about last week. For sometime now Valua has been hearing you have been assisting not just the Nasreans, but the Blue Rogues and the Ixa'takans that were sent her to do your bidding,"

"I Don't believe in slavery Admiral," Carlos began, only for Mackenzie to cut him off.

"Further more, we've heard the Officers and civilians that do come back from here give it nick names such as the Meridian Empire or the Esperanza Alliance. It suggests to us that you might be thinking of breaking away in the unlikely event that Valua falls. You are being assigned under a capable and loyal officer you we can keep an eye on you,"

"BULLSHIT!"

Daniel blinked in surprise as Carlos thumped his hand down his desk, "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me, I said that's bullshit!" Carlos snarled, "Now I may aid the Nasrean government and the Blue Rouges form time to time, and I even freed the Ixa'takans, but I would NEVER abandon the Empire, no matter how ridiculous this war with Nasr is. Now I won't lie to you Admiral, I Loathe Valua with a passion. I lived the best years of my life on the streets because of this accursed war, hell, the house I lived in before that was a joke compared to what Upper city citizens have. Fancy multi story residences, delicious food every day. I spent five years of my life scavenging through dustbins, five years trying to work for a warm bed and a good meal when I could. I know you and your family used to live Lower City, I've read you record. I know you were pulled up to the ranks of the Upper City after the first Battle of the Grand Line. I know what your father did so you could live in Upper City, and that just makes me hate Valua even more.

I won't deny that many a day goes by when I think about breaking away, but one thing keeps me from doing that Admiral, and it's not that the Armada would come down on me like a ton of bricks.

I have a sense of loyalty Admiral, but not to the Empire, to my friends. If I broke away from Valua, I would let down Admiral Gregorio, who put his trust in me to do this assignment. I would let down Belleza Rodriguez, who raised me for five years like I was her own flesh and blood. I would let down the officers and crew who serve under me, and I'm not willing let those people down Admiral.

Now you and I both know that Mid-Ocean is a death trap for Valuan ships. The Nasr Kingdom has taken most of our colonies there. The Valuan Armada just wants to get rid of me in case I do try break away. But here is my answer to them. I am staying here, and if you want me to move, then you'll have to burn this colony down to the ground."

Mackenzie's eye were now so narrow they were slits.

"Commander Meridian," he snarled, "The only thing standing between you and the brig is the fact that Admiral Gregorio is one of your closest friends. The Lynx will be here in three days, You will designate a new Chief of Operations for Cape Victory in that time or I will come back and I will pick a new one myself. Am I clear?"

"As mud, sir,"

Mackenzie glowered at the commander as he went back to his work, before turning around and heading for the door.

"Oh Admiral?" Carlos called as the man lay a hand on the door handle, "Are you aware that your Vice Captain is Piastol Mendosa?"

Daniel froze, before slowly turning around slowly, "what do you mean?"

"At first I thought it was strange," Carlos said calmly as he dipped his pen in the in the well and continued to write, "I knew her face from somewhere before but I just couldn't place it. Then it hit me. I remember a long time ago when I was very young I was forced to go with my father to Ixa'taka, seeing my mother was working overtime and the Rodriguez's already had Belleza to worry about. I was a bit of an adventurer at the time, and somehow managed to break out of my father's quarters. Piastol found me wondering the corridors and took to me at once."

Without looking up he took the picture from his drawer and slid it towards the visitor.

"I'm not sure how but this picture was taken with a fairly new invention called a camera. Anyone you know?"

Daniel slowly walked back to the desk and picked up the photo. His eyes widened for a moment, before narrowing again.

"You lie," he whispered, "This is a forgery,"

"As our conversation has shown, I don't lie," Carlos said calmly, "And as for forgery, I assure you no one in Esperanza has the skills to do something as fine as this."

Daniel lay the photo down carefully on the desk before walking towards the door again.

"If it is Piastol I suggest you look in the locket she always has around her neck," Carlos called to his retreating back, "The same picture is in there."

Mackenzie turned around at the door, thumping his chest so hard Carlos swore he heard his ribs crack.

"HAIL VALUA!" he cried.

"Valua rust in peace," Carlos called to his report, "Which if my weekly report is accurate it will soon,"

Mackenzie glared at him for a moment longer, before turning and slamming the door behind him.

Again I'm sorry i won't be able to update for a while, but fear not! I will return after the hols

Have a good summer!

Dearing