To Do One's Duty

---The following is a copy of the address delivered by The Right Honourable David Cameron MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, to the members of the House of Commons in the weeks following the disastrous first days of the Abyssal offensives across various parts of the British Isles.---


To you, Mister Speaker, and to the Members of the House:

A pleasant afternoon to you all.

First and foremost, I would like to commend you all in your dedication to duty as Members of Parliament, continuing to go about your work even as the din of battle comes ever closer to these hallowed Chambers. Let me daresay that your presence today is a reassuring testament that the Crown can rely on its loyal subjects to be at their posts at all times, steadfast in their role of keeping the government going amidst these trying times. Yet, we must not forget that in the past few days, some of your number fell to these continuous attacks, either as hapless victims caught in the crossfire, or as uncommon heroes who gave the last ounce of their lives to protect their constituents. MPs Curtiss, Horton, Arondale, McLaughlin, Farrow, Jenner. We remember them today, and I am certain that the House will continue to hold their names in honoured memory, long after this conflict is over.

These are indeed dark days that we face. Not a few days ago you, as Members of Parliament, were discussing further means to make every bit of our national budget count, laying out a new roadmap for the educational reform plan, and finalising the exit policy for dealing with the refugees from the Middle East who wish to acquire permanent residence after their asylum status expires in a few months. Yet now, we are faced with a dire challenge to the very existence of our island nation itself. It cannot be argued that all of us were caught unawares by such a malevolent and devious force, so sudden in its arrival, so swift in its assault. Playing the blame game at this point is of no value to us now; instead, we must seek to enact decisive action against the looming threat.

I need not remind you, ladies and gentlemen, of the heavy toll the past few weeks have enacted upon the British people. In just a matter of days—in some parts of the Realm, hours even—a great deal of this nation’s economic infrastructure was laid waste. Vital exports, ready to be shipped out, were ripped apart and made worthless. Homes and lives, built upon years of toil and dedication, reduced to rubble by a few well-placed shells fired from eldritch guns. Who can forget the devastation of the various districts sprawled alongside the Thames? Who can forget the destruction wrought upon the shipbuilding facilities of Barrow-upon-Furness, Belfast, and Liverpool? Worst yet, who can forget the leveling of Brighton Beach which, at the time of the attack, was hosting a fete for the local children?

I could go on and on about how much devastation our beloved Isles have sustained in the past few weeks, but I fear that they are merely the first of many more indiscriminate attacks by the dark beings that suddenly appeared on that fine dusk not too long ago. They are entities of the strangest kind: nightmarish and paradoxical at the same time. They are wrought in iron, flames, and flesh, something that cannot be, and yet here they are, our darkest fears made manifest. We have yet to face any of their kind before, and yet, a good number of them have taken the form of fighting ships of old: torpedo rams clad in some form of ungodly armour, battleships from the days of the First Earl Jellicoe, coastal craft from the days of Dynamo. And let’s not forget, that leading these devious and malevolent packs are beings that defy all logic of existence and creation: women of various appearances, fused to ghastly-looking weapons and masts like armoured sirens at the vanguard of a dark force from the deep. It is quite fitting, indeed, that they are being called ‘Abyssals’, monsters that come forth and ravage all that we hold dear, only to return to the dark depths from whence they came once their lust for rampage is satisfied…

These abominations continue to wage war upon us as we speak. For what reason or purpose, we do not know. Even at this late hour, we have yet to decipher their motivation for laying siege to our Realm, and to any nation across the world that has a coast. Some consider them as a new form of calamity, brought upon us by some undetermined process that has been going on behind the scenes for the longest time. Others see them as a weapon created by human hands, developed by madmen as a sort of revenge on a planet that has overlooked their twisted genius. Still others see them as nothing more than harbingers of the End Times, rising from the depths as prophesied in the Good Book.

We, as a nation, are yet again pushed into a situation where we are at the brink. The Abyssals, by some form of tactical foresight or sheer instinct, have clamped down many of our vital sea routes, denying our citizens vital and life-sustaining commodities, and our industries crucial raw materials. Many of our prosperous coastal towns and cities lay in ruins and abandoned. Our forces are stretched too thin, facing the enemy to the point of exhaustion, a stance they have maintained since the first shots were exchanged at Portsmouth. The danger to our very existence as a nation is real, and once again, as it was seven decades ago, that danger hits home.

Yet I see this not as a reason to lose fate, but as a chance for the good people of these Islands to once again show the world what the true British Fighting Spirit can do. We have the odds stacked considerably against us; then again, it is by these odds that our dogged determination shines through. Let us not forget the exploits of the Defence of Portsmouth on Day Zero where, hopelessly outnumbered and with nary a chance to regroup or consolidate their forces, the valiant men and women of the Navy faced the Abyssals on near-equal footing, making the most of their capabilities and demonstrating the finest form any fighting man or woman in the Armed Services can muster. Let us not forget the aviators of the Royal Air Force, whose daring and intrepid spirit drives them to continuously face withering fire from the hellish anti-aircraft batteries in order to assist their beleaguered compatriots on the ground. Let us not forget the troops of the Army, who faced off with the Abyssals on several occasions even if they fought on terms that would put any battle-hardened rifle regiment in a serious disadvantage. Let us not forget the various elements of law enforcement who contribute to the fighting cause by maintaining order, conducting rescue work, assisting in evacuations and, if needed, taking part in direct combat with the enemy.

Above all this, Let us not forget the contribution of the greatest asset of these Isles: the British People. In the face of death and destruction, in the face of all the carnage, in the face of the uncertain future that lies ahead, they continue to stand together. Their tenacity as a people emulates the same tenacity that held the Empire together in the dark days of the Second World War, and their unwavering faith in our troops and our drive for ultimate victory fuels the fire of courage that burns within each serviceman and woman committed to the defence of the Realm. That fate is not misplaced, for now more than ever, we have the opportunity to fight back and gain the inevitable triumph.

It is as clear as day to us now that, just as there have arisen from the Abyss the dark manifestations of war vessels long lost to the sea, there are also those same beings who, by some fortunate circumstance, have chosen to fight alongside us in our struggle for survival. We are quite fortunate, indeed, that they manifested at the nick of time, providing relief to our battered forces when they needed it the most. I am pleased to report that similar manifestations of these ‘ship-girls’ have been confirmed, not only across the Commonwealth, but in many other nations affected by the Abyssal menace.

In light of all this, however, I urge you all: let us not be complacent. Now, more than ever, we must stand fast as a people, united in the common cause of peace and survival. I urge our fighting men and women to never let down their guard, even as we gain new allies in the fight. Remember that in the near future, you may be called upon to strike at the heart of the enemy directly, and so you must be ready at all times for that inevitability. I urge you to work closely with our ‘ship-girls’, that we may be able to make the most out of their services to the Realm. Finally, I urge our people: never lose hope. Never let the light flicker and die. You have been an important part of this fight we are in, and your continued orderly conduct, as is typical of what the world views as the Stiff Upper Lip, will be as much an important asset for us as every weapon we have at our disposal. If you wish to fight, however, I urge you to do so as an official member of the Armed Services, so that you will be provided with proper training in that regard.

To our ‘ship-girls’, I extend my greatest gratitude on behalf of the Crown, the Realm, and the British People. In this dark hour you came to our aid, bearing the torch of hope for us all. We have no right to demand your services, and yet you are here now, standing ready to fight for Britain as you once did in your previous lives. I will not forget that, the Crown will not forget that, and most important of all, the People will not forget that. We welcome you into our fold once more, and rest assured that we shall stand together with you until the day of victory, and beyond.

Britain Expects Every Briton to Do His Duty. Therefore let us move forward as one people, one nation, one United Kingdom, playing our own assigned roles, determined to fight it out to the bitter end. Together with our greater family in the Commonwealth, together with our neighbours in Europe, and together with all the other nations of the world, let us move forward. Let us rise from the ashes of fear and death, and spread the blazing wings of a Reborn Britain. Let us push the dark forces back into the Abyss, and seal them there forevermore. With our spirits aflame with courage, let us grasp the ultimate victory.

Godspeed to us all.