8517. The Falklands Task Force Veterans are hereby allowed and encouraged to visit said islands and play their respects to the casualties and survivors. Also, the pending lawsuit by the Argentine government is no longer pending.

Portsmouth

Admiral Graham rubbed his temples as he waited for his next vistor, sighing internally as a bit of grey hair stuck to his hand.

"Blimey, I'm getting too old for this." he said to himself.

The door opened to reveal the King George V and Simon Piedmont, the current Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom.

"Ah, Simon. I take it your visit has something to do with the Task Force?" said Graham's as KGV closed the door.

"Unfortunately, Admiral." sighed the minister. 'I'm afraid that the Argentine ambassador is currently waiting outside your door. He seems rather impatient so I'll only occupy you for a minute."

"I assume the PM has made a decision regarding Plymouth and her organization?"

"Yes, she has." said Prescott. "As far as His Majesty's government is concerned, HMS Plymouth and her compatriots are British citizens, and as the Falklands are British territory, we have no right nor desire to interfere with their right of free travel."

"But?"

"As they are Navy personnel on active duty, you as their commanding officer ultimately have to approve their leave. Whether or not you allow them to leave is up to you, but I have a good feeling I know what you're going to say to them James."

"You're damned right on that one." said Graham.

"Haven't changed a bit, old man." laughed Prescott. "Go easy on the ambassador."

"I'll try."

Prescott left the office, and immediately a man in his late thirties took his place.

"Admiral Graham?" he asked with only a trace of an accent.

"Ambassador Gutierrez, I presume?"

"Yes, Admiral. I think we both know why I'm here."

"Your government's protest about less than a dozen or so people going to honor those who died in the Falklands War? Or is this about the articles in Buenos Aires calling them ship-sluts and demons? Because if it's about the latter, I am more than ready to accept an apology."

"The government of Argentina does not prevent people from speaking their minds, admiral. As for the former, yes, I am here to officially protest your government's, and by extension, your own reckless handling of the personnel under your command. We feel that if this group was to visit the Malvinas, it will make the already fragile dispute over their sovereignty even worse."

"Last I checked, there is no dispute over the islands." retorted James.

"The sovereignty of the Malvinas has been in dispute for decades!" raged the ambassador.

"Plenty of veteran groups have visited the islands before. No one in your government ever protested them."

"Because none of them had superhuman strength or abilities." replied the ambassador. "Not to mention none of them carried out war crimes against sailors of the Argentine Navy."

"If you are referring to Conqueror's presence in this group, may I point out the fact that she engaged the Belgrano on orders sent by the Admiralty, and everybody, including the Argentine Navy, regards it as an legitimate attack." bristled Graham. "Furthermore, their abilities notwithstanding, they are all British citizens, and they have every right to visit British territory."

"In that case, I will inform my government of your decision, and that will should pursue another option to prevent them from going. Our foreign office is already prepared to file suit with yours, and the U.N." said the Ambassador. "I should have expected it, really. Neither you, nor your personnel have any idea what the war in 1982 cost for far too many."

"I would reconsider that, Ambassador. Those girls might have been steel back in 1982, but they were all alive. They fought just as hard for the islands as any other soldier or sailor. And several of them never made it home. As for me, in 1982, I was a signals officer on HMS Invincible." said Graham. The ambassador's eyes widened, but Graham continued. "My younger brother was on Illustrious, and my oldest, well, he died on Coventry."

He stood up, and continued. "I fully intend to allow those sailors to visit the Falklands, and if your government takes action against them for trying to honor their dead, than I may decide that it is time to redeploy our forces in the South Atlantic."

"What do you mean?" asked the ambassador.

Graham simply shrugged. "Currently, we have one carrier, four battleships, thirteen cruisers, and around thirty-odd destroyers currently tasked with assisting the Argentine fleet defend your country's coastline. If your government is determined to go through with this absurdity, than I feel it is time to reduce that number."

"You're bluffing." said the ambassador.

"Whether or not I'm bluffing is not the question you should be asking." said Graham. "It's whether or not your government can afford to risk that I'm not."

As the ambassador stood there, Graham went to his door and opened it. "Thank you for the visit, Ambassador. I'm sorry I have to cut things short, but I have some leaves to approve."