Men o' War

This article is about the genetic memory. You may be looking for the similarly named class of warship.

Men o' War was a virtual representation of one of Shay Cormac's genetic memories stored in the Helix, relived by a research analyst through the Animus.

Description

Following his official induction into the Templar Order, Shay was given his next mission by Haytham Kenway, Grand Master of the Colonial Templars.

Dialogue

Following the induction, Haytham spoke with Shay personally outside the mansion.

• Haytham: Shay Cormac. I hear you are the Templars' new don of Precursor archaeology.
• Shay: I'm no expert, sir. I just witnessed what the Assassins can do with those damned sites...

Haytham showed to Shay the Grand Temple Key.

• Haytham: I have spent years investigating Precursor leads. Tell me what you've seen.
• Shay: Well, I know both the Assassins and Templars are looking for Pieces of Eden. Powerful weapons, mind-controlling Apples, but this time it's different. We haven't found an apple, but... a tree. These Temples hold the earth together like roots. Disturb them, and Haiti falls or... Lisbon. Or any other place the Manuscript shows.
• Haytham: And the Assassins are blindly interfering with these structures?
• Shay: Aye. And if we don't stop them, they'll continue destroying cities.
• Haytham: I see... We have intelligence of Assassin activity near Louisbourg fortress. We'll be meeting with a Royal Navy officer, James Cook. He recently gained a commission that could be strategically valuable. Gist has the charts.
• Shay: Very well. I'll depart shortly.

Haytham stopped Shay.

• Haytham: Colonel Monro spoke highly of you, Shay. He was convinced you could become the best among us. I expect you will not disappoint.
• Shay: I don't plan to, sir.

Their conversation finished, Shay set sail for the North Atlantic, where he would meet with Cook.

Shay sailing to the meeting location

• Shay: Gist, do you know why the Grand Master is so interested in Captain Cook?
• Gist: Well, sir, he's very intelligent and ambitious. His knowledge of seamanship is second-to-none! And if I trust my favourite barmaid in Halifax, he also just became captain of his own man-o-war. He's also an expert at deciphering secret codes... A man with such a skill is certainly an asset to our cause.
• Shay: The kind of fellow we should welcome in the Order, then?
• Gist: Well... He's a friend of mine, but the man has an annoying habit of strict honesty and a total lack of anything resembling guile. Makes it a little hard to keep secret business secret, especially when his mathematical brain is clever at cracking codes. Consider him an ally, but watch what you say around him.
• Shay: Duly noted.
• Gist: I've heard Louisbourg could be a lynchpin in the war. If the Royal Navy can take that fort, it'll be clear sailing down the Saint Lawrence.
• Shay: Then onto Quebec and Montreal... The tide is turning.
• Gist: General Wolfe will give that craven Montcalm a right thrashing.
• Shay: I've been looking forward to that since Fort William Henry.
• Gist: With this bloody war over, we'll finally bring order to this damned continent!
• Shay: I fear it will take more than that, friend.

Gist spotted Cook's ship.

• Gist: There she is! The HMS Pembroke. Captain James Cook's ship.
• Shay: She's a beauty.
• Gist: Man-o-war. Fully armed. We should bring the Morrigan alongside, Master Kenway will surely be waiting.

Shay and Gist joined Haytham and Cook aboard the HMS Pembroke.

Shay being introduced to Captain Cook

• Cook: Welcome aboard, gentlemen.
• Gist: Good to see you again, Captain.
• Haytham: Captain Shay Cormac. Captain James Cook.
• Cook: Pleased to make your acquaintance.
• Shay: Pleasure's mine, sir.
• Haytham: Captain Cook uncovered a rather distressing stratagem, which I fear confirms our own intelligence.
• Cook: Indeed, as we speak, a Royal Navy fleet is on its way to Louisbourg. However, the French have drawn up a preemptive strike against it. If they launch this attack...
• Haytham: Obviously we cannot allow that to happen. Gentlemen, the Battle of Louisbourg could very well be the turning point which will finally bring this war to a close.
• Shay: I don't know about you, but I've had enough of war.
• Cook: Then may I suggest you take the wheel, Captain Cormac? I think you might enjoy piloting a vessel with real... firepower.
• Shay: I believe I shall, Captain.

They sailed towards Louisbourg.

Shay sailing the HMS Pembroke into battle

• Cook: Wolfe, Lawrence and Whitmore lead the three divisions of the Royal Navy.
• Shay: Who's their commander?
• Cook: Major General Amherst himself, back from Hanover.
• Haytham: You take an interest in the war, Shay?
• Shay: Wouldn't want to disappoint you, sir.

Suddenly, one of their allies was sunk by mortar fire.

• Gist: Enemy ahead!
• Crew member: They're hit!
• Shay: Damn it! We cannot let any through!
• Cook: It is imperative we stop those ships, Captain. The outcome of the war may depend on it.
• Haytham: Make good use of your own mortars, Shay. They will prove crucial if we are to succeed.

Shay defeated the first wave of ships, though a new fleet of ships, headed by the Experto Crede, soon appeared.

Experto Crede leading the fireships

• Cook: Dear God! Fireships! Should they break through they will devastate our fleet!
• Shay: Then we better not let that happen.
• Gist: I recognize that vessel, sir. It's the Experto Crede.

However, the Experto Crede did not engage them, simply sailing past.

• Haytham: Adéwalé! How fortunate he is that we have other priorities.
• Shay: Agreed, we have to get rid of those fireships.

Shay sank the first fireships.

• Crew member: More fireships!
• Cook: I believe Master Kenway is correct, Captain. Mortars would prove most advantageous right now.
• Gist: Another wave of fireships, Captain!
  We should fire our mortars, Captain.
  We're right in their path! We have to sink that fireship or get out of their way!

Shay sank the rest of the fireships.

• Gist: More enemy ships, sir! And more fireships!
• Cook: This is hopeless. Perhaps it would be wiser to fall back.
• Shay: War and wisdom don't always mix, Captain. This isn't over yet, lads! Man the cannons!

French ships being shelled by the Royal Navy

Shay managed to defeat the next wave, though the remaining French fleet was approaching quickly. However, they were stopped in their tracks by the appearance of the Royal Navy, causing the tide of battle to turn.

• Cook: There's the Royal Navy! We cleared the way just in time, Captain Cormac.
• Gist: The tide of war is turning!
• Shay: That was quite the crack, wasn't it?
• Haytham: It is too soon for celebrations. Adéwalé is still out there.
• Shay: I'm sure we'll get another turn to dance with him, Master Kenway.

Outcome

Shay succeeded in foiling the preemptive strike planned by the Assassins, allowing the Royal Navy's siege of Louisbourg to continue unimpeded.

Gallery

• 
  Haytham telling Shay about his own Precursor research
• 
  Shay telling Haytham about the seismic temples
• 
  Haytham telling Shay about James Cook
• 
  Cook telling the Templars about the upcoming battle
• 
  HMS Pembroke firing at the French ships
• 
  Adéwalé at the Experto Crede's helm
• 
  HMS Pembroke firing at the Experto Crede
• 
  French ships sailing against the HMS Pembroke
• 
  Royal Navy ships joining the battle

References

• Assassin's Creed: Rogue