At the sight of the senior officer, several adjutants and clerks from both armies clustered at his customary table by the fire, scattered to safer environs. One skinny aide lingered, scribbling furiously, drafting one communique or another no doubt covering ad nauseum whatever inane drivel bureaucrats prattle on about to while away their time. Eventually, the aide raised his head from his pile of parchment, and decided to relocate to another table.
The grognard raised a hand in a subtle gesture and Helga quickly brought two pints to the table. A few coalition enlistment forms and half- written messages remained strewn about, and were swiftly gathered up and tossed in to re-stoke the fire. The Marechal turned back and raised a pint. To no one in particular, he said, " To Marechal Hamilton, a man of honor and principle. His contributions have been enormous and his loss to the Armee will be keenly felt."
After a brief moment, he drank , put the cup down and raised a salute.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rich, very sorry to see you leave the club. Perhaps one day you will return (always going to try to be optimistic). The contributions go back far, to the early days of the club, the start of the Ecole de Mars and countless other tasks the games as well as the relationship between the NWC and HPS/JTS. While I am sad to see a distinguished officer like you depart, I know you acted according to your principles.
Cheers! To Marechal Hamilton, huzzah!
_________________ Marechal Jeff Bardon Duc de Castiglione et Prince de Wagram Commandant de la Garde Imperiale
|