El Tercio Corazon Negro
By
UCSBdad
Disclaimer: I don't own Castle as I don't own many things. Rating: K Time: An AU future
Author's note: This story is set in the same fictional universe as my story Vengeance, but none of the characters from that story appear here.
Epilogue
Ten days later, Colonel Esposito held a staff meeting in the officers' mess of the Valeria Victrix. The ship's captain, Salzberg, and his officers were there as well as all of the officers of the regiment. They were seated at a series of tables arranged in a U shape with Colonel Esposito at the head. There were bottles of rum on each table and an empty glass in front of each man.
"Gentlemen," Esposito said with smile," our last payment has been posted to our bank, so we are now in better financial shape than we've ever been."
There was a round of cheers at that news.
"Now, I will tell you what comes next. I have been in contact with virtually all of you, so you should have some good idea about what I'm going to say."
"First, our new ship, now named Valeria Victrix II. It will be taking Elder von Demming and his people back to Eden and carrying the company we left there back to Pomerania. I hope they tracked down the few pirates who escaped us, but if they didn't it's no longer anything to do with us. As Elder von Demming keeps reminding us."
There was laughter.
"The Pomeranian Navy will be escorting the Valeria Victrix II with a frigate. They also plan to send a frigate to look at Eden for a few days every three or four months. Not that that's going to keep any pirates away. It's little more than public relations work for Pomerania."
"The Valeria Victrix II is larger than this ship, and a bit faster, and it's in pretty fair shape. But it's been gutted inside to carry pirates, slaves and loot. It lacks our repair shops, ammunition storage magazines, hospital and so much more. Accordingly, we'll sell the ship when it returns from Eden. We will remove its weapons first. They have one missile launcher that is compatible with ours and they have five missile reloads. They have six 155 mm rail guns we can use, and a lot of light weapons, mostly 25mm, we can also use. Captain Salzberg has told me they also have an Amagi electronic warfare suite which we can also use."
"Next, while our new ship is away at Eden, we'll be going to Las Cruces colony to recruit. Our companies are under a hundred men apiece now. We should be able to recruit between six and eight hundred veterans for our companies. Since our new men will need to be equipped and armed, we'll next head for Transit. I'd like to add two new companies to the regiment. One, a battery of artillery. Our 75mm infantry guns are good, but really too light. And I'd like to add a company of helicopters. Enough to lift two platoons or so, and do some medical evacuation. We'll look around on Transit for any people we can pick up and we'll see if there's any equipment we might buy. We also hope to recruit a few ship's officers and technical ratings."
"When we sell our new ship, we'll be doing some work on this ship here on Pomerania. The FTL engine and power core needs an overhaul as do our ship's computers. There are many, many minor things that need to be fixed or upgraded."
Captain Llanes raised his hand. "I hope that means the heads on deck ten will finally be properly fixed?"
Esposito smiled. "I promise you, Juan, I won't let the yard dogs do anything else until they're fixed to your satisfaction."
"Lastly, the troops have done an excellent job, and I'm granting everyone a bonus of three months' pay."
That brought cheers.
"Now, gentlemen, charge your glasses and we'll drink a toast to Valeria Victrix and her men. May they continue to stand against chaos as our namesake did over two millennia ago."
The End
Author's notes: I know I said in Vengeance that one of Kate Beckett's team named Esposito was executed, but with humanity spread out over hundreds or perhaps thousands of planets, there must be many people named Esposito.
Legion XX Valeria Victrix, (Valorous and victorious.) may have been the last Roman Legion in Britain before being overwhelmed by the chaos that followed the collapse of the Roman Empire.
This is not one of the stories I had in mind as sequels to Vengeance and I may still write those. I am working on the continued adventures of Lord and Lady Castle in Renaissance Italy, but as of right now, they're in Castile with the Black Prince. I'm also working of Deadly Planets, the sequel to Deadly Planet. Yes, Caskett has found more unpleasant places to go.
Now, go wash your hands.