One Little Victory

One Little Victory 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

Shay and Liam set out to meet with one of their allies, who had information on the whereabouts of the Templar Samuel Smith.

Dialogue

Shay and Liam were sailing in the North Atlantic near Burgeo.

• Liam: It's so grim about the Homestead now that Miss Abigail and little Connor have passed.
• Shay: Aye. I've seen Achilles crying.
• Liam: Why shouldn't he?
• Shay: It's just that... he doesn't look sad. He looks furious. It's unsettling.
• Liam: He's struggling with the loss. We all are.
• Shay: I know. But it's been months... and we've done little but search for this blasted Manuscript and box!
• Liam: Le Chasseur has a lead on the box. We're to meet him and Chevalier in Saint John's.
• Shay: Chevalier, too? No hope of cheering me up, then. When Achilles said whoever had the artifacts could access sites of great power, what did he mean?
• Liam: I'm not sure I understand it myself, Shay. I had a long talk with Adéwalé about that. He believes the box can be activated to, well, project words or images...
• Shay: Like a magic lantern?
• Liam: What do you mean?
• Shay: You know, the magic lantern shows Father Connolly put on in the church basement. The box had a candle in it, I think. He put these little glass plates in front. Then we'd see images projected on the wall, like cathedrals in Rome, bright and near as big as life!
• Liam: Ah yeah. I suppose it is... Except that it interprets the strange language of the manuscript too. If the plate were of a banner in Latin, we'd see it in English.
• Shay: How is that possible?
• Liam: Who knows. I fear we might never truly understand how any of the Pieces of Eden work.

Some time passed.

Shay sailing for St. John's

• Shay: Where in the world has the most beautiful girls?
• Liam: I suppose it depends on your vision of beauty. A damsel from Corfu and one from Oslo are as different as chalk and cheese but, both can be lovely.
• Shay: You see, opinions like that give a man a reputation for wisdom.
• Liam: Yeah, thank you.
• Shay: I would have just said Havana. The girls there have lusty buttocks and bosoms and feel no shame in putting them on display! But that's no slight against our lasses from home.
• Liam: I suppose...
• Shay: I think Galway has the nicest ones, fair and modest, always willing to spot you a penny for an ale.
• Liam: You don't say.
• Shay: And then there's the maids I met in Lisbon. Destined for the convent they were, dark-eyed and kindly-dispositioned. If only I spoke Portuguese... Not that we spent much of our nights talking.
• Liam: Opinions like that give a man an entirely different reputation.

The pair neared St. John's.

• Liam: We're almost there, Captain. Le Chasseur will be expecting us.
• Shay: And Chevalier.
• Liam: Ah, a small price to pay for a lead on the Precursor box.

Shay went ashore and joined Chevalier and Le Chasseur at the settlement's lighthouse.

Shay asking Chevalier about the Gerfaut

• Shay: Chevalier! What happened to your vessel?
• Chevalier: I got myself into a bit of a scrape. Sent three ships in all hands to their watery graves, Le Gerfaut nearly followed them down.
• Shay: I trust your fate has been better, Le Chasseur.
• Le Chasseur: Indeed. My sources informed me that Samuel Smith has searched far and wide, looking for answers on how to make that strange box work. He just returned from Europe.
• Shay: Where is he now?
• Le Chasseur: Refitting his schooner. If you hurry, you can catch him... there.

Le Chasseur handed Shay a map, which Chevalier promptly took.

• Le Chasseur: Oh, remember those blueprints? Well, I had an engineer build that marvelous weapon for your ship. Master Puckle's gun fires more shots than an artillery brigade, and twice as fast.
• Shay: Many thanks!
• Le Chasseur: Anything for my hooded friends.

After Le Chasseur departed, Shay had the Puckle gun installed on the Morrigan. He then set out with Liam and Chevalier to locate Smith's schooner, the Equitas.

• Shay: Captain?
• Chevalier: I will join you on this voyage.
• Shay: Then shall we, gentlemen?
• Chevalier: You are in a jovial mood, Shay.
• Shay: Why shouldn't I be? I have a new weapon, and will soon have the chance to use it. Besides, Templars are usually well guarded, and I'm sure that Smith fellow is no exception.
• Liam: I also took the liberty of ordering some improvements. The Morrigan now has a ram that can cut through ice itself.
• Chevalier: I have heard of such technology but never witnessed its operation.
• Liam: What about Smith then? Is he close by?
• Shay: Aye, he sails these very waters. And he may have the Precursor box.
• Liam: Then let's find him!

The Assassins located the Equitas.

The Morrigan pursuing the Equitas

• Shay: There he is!
• Chevalier: Most fortunate timing. Lady Luck never ceases to smile on you.
• Shay: He's seen us. Give chase!
• Chevalier: But hold your fire! We must not damage the box or risk losing it to the sea.

His warning came too late, as Shay had already ordered his crew to prime and fire the Puckle guns to blow up naval mines released behind the Equitas. In their eagerness to test the guns, his crew accidentally grazed Smith's ship, prompting to Chevalier to reprimand their captain.

• Chevalier: Careful, you simpleton! You will destroy the box!

Discontent with the Morrigan's pace, he complained about its capabilities.

• Chevalier: Can't this bucket go any faster?
• Shay: At least my ship is still sea-worthy, Chevalier.
• Liam: Our target's a smart man, but out of his element here.
• Chevalier: Samuel Smith is the Templars' treasurer. What he's doing in these waters is beyond me.
• Shay: Maybe he came here to meet someone... Or ran into your pirates. He's refitting his ship, so something must have happened.
• Chevalier: If one of my allies attacked him, I would have known about it.
• Liam: Well he's back from a long voyage. Now's our chance to get him.
• Chevalier: Smith controls most of the Templars' wealth, doesn't he? With him out of the way...
• Shay: Washington entrusted the Precursor box to him. He probably still has it.
• Liam: Shay's right. The box comes first.
• Shay: So we can't sink him. We'll have to board his ship, or force him to beach.

The Morrigan fell too far behind the Equitas.

• Chevalier: Enough! This is not a game, cabbage farmer!
• Crewman: We can't risk loosing the Precursor box, Capt'n!

The Equitas cut a path through a sheet of ice.

• Liam: Look, Captain! He's cutting through the ice!
• Chevalier: It seems you are not the only one equipped with such a ram, Shay.
• Shay: Let us hope ours fares just as well.

The Morrigan followed suit, but was slowed down, allowing the Equitas to get ahead.

The Morrigan cutting through an ice sheet

• Liam: It worked! The way is clear!
• Chevalier: Once more your fortune holds. But do not waste time congratulating yourself. Smith is getting away.

Suddenly, a small fleet of enemy ships appeared.

• Liam: It's an ambush!
• Chevalier: Envoyez ces diables en enfer! (Send these devils to hell!) Smith must not escape!

Shay sank the enemy brig.

• Liam: I don't see Smith's ship!
• Shay: Let's get rid of these distractions first. We'll find him.

Shay sank the remaining gunboats.

• Liam: There's Smith! He's moving again!
• Chevalier: No doubt he hoped to be a spectator to your demise.
• Shay: I'm glad to disappoint him. And he's still within reach.

The Morrigan sailing through the burning oil patches

The Assassins managed to catch up to their target, who attempted to deter his pursuers using burning oil.

• Liam: What wickedness is this?
• Chevalier: Another Templar tactic. They can cover whole stretches of oceans with their flames.
• Liam: Careful, Shay. We could be burnt to cinders.
• Shay: It's nothing more than a last desperate throw of the dice. He knows we have him.

Having survived the burning oil, the Assassins reached Terra Nova.

• Liam: And now we know where he was headed. The bastard has an encampment here.
• Chevalier: Follow him on land! Do not even think of firing the ship's weapons near that precious box!
• Shay: I'll take care of this.

Shay went ashore and tracked down Smith.

• Smith: This will be your end, Assassin!
  You will regret this!
  Think of what you're doing, Assassin! Your Brotherhood is using you!

Shay confronted Smith's men.

• Smith: Kill him!
  Somebody stop him!
  What are you waiting for? Finish him now!

Shay assassinating Smith

Shay assassinated Smith.

• Smith: This cannot be... No! Do you even know what that is?
• Shay: An ancient artifact, a treasure from Those Who Came Before.
• Smith: Yes... It matters not... Some of the greatest scientific minds of all Europe could not... make it... work...
• Shay: Now all I need is the Manuscript and all shall be revealed.

Outcome

Shay assassinated Samuel Smith and retrieved the Precursor box.

Gallery

• 
  Le Chasseur informing the Assassins of Smith's whereabouts
• 
  Liam and a crewman installing a puckle gun
• 
  The Morrigan sinking the enemy brig
• 
  Smith's final moments

References

• Assassin's Creed: Rogue

fr:Une maigre victoire