The Fox of France

While Pauline played the role of a priestess in Athens, a two-masted sailboat flying the French flag sailed along the route from Spain to Naples.

Captain Mustafa, a short Spaniard weathered by the sea's constant embrace, stood near the stern, his face lined like a withered orange due to the sea breeze. The waters had been turbulent lately; the Barbary pirates were striking more frequently.

"It's fortunate our mast flies the flag of France," Mustafa reassured himself.

Formerly a second mate on a larger vessel, Mustafa had engaged in smuggling to France during the First Coalition, earning some money. Eventually, with French ships switching to newer models, he sold off his old vessels cheaply and acquired his current two-masted ship.

Though aging and ill-suited for transatlantic voyages, the ship managed well in the Mediterranean basin. However, compared to the faster clippers, this slower vessel faced greater danger, especially from Barbary pirate attacks.

So, Mustafa registered his ship under a French shipping company, obtaining the right to legally fly the French flag. These pagan pirates generally refrained from attacking vessels bearing the French flag due to well-known reasons.

Despite the agreement between Barbary pirates and the Spanish after the latter's fleet bombarded Tripoli, pledging no further assaults on Spanish coasts or intercepting their vessels, it didn't guarantee safety. At most, it decreased the probability of raids.

While the likelihood of Spanish vessels being plundered decreased, if an attack occurred, the consequences were severe. Before reaching agreements, pirates would take Spanish ships and crew to North Africa, demanding ransom. Now, openly violating those terms would provoke retaliation. Hence, post-attack, pirates tended to take the ships but disposed of the crew to avoid repercussions. A missing ship in the Mediterranean held numerous possibilities.

Nevertheless, ships flying the French flag received more courteous treatment, given the long-standing rapport forged through battles.

Though Mustafa's ship was among the most vulnerable—Barbary pirates couldn't catch the faster clippers—there were more clippers sailing the seas now. Despite being pricier, their transportation efficiency and safety made them preferable.

Some pirates owned clippers too, but these couldn't carry cannons, nor could they access Greek fire, resorting to primitive skirmishes. Moreover, clipper-wielding pirates couldn't engage armed merchant vessels. Thus, clipper-using pirates were rare.

"Captain, starboard! Eastwards on starboard!" shouted the lookout from the mast.

Mustafa hurried to the starboard side. "Where?"

"Eight o'clock, there's a person waving!" exclaimed the lookout.

A few hundred meters away, Mustafa spotted the person clutching a barrel, frantically signaling.

"Shipwreck or attacked by pirates?" Mustafa pondered, ordering the crew to lower a boat to rescue the person.

The crew swiftly lifted the stranded person, a sailor from the French ship Tulip. "What happened on your ship?" Mustafa inquired.

"I'm from the Tulip, a French merchant ship. We were just attacked by Barbary pirates... these waters are extremely dangerous..."

According to the sailor, their vessel had been attacked half a day ago. Initially spotting two pirate ships, they hadn't panicked, believing Barbary pirates seldom attacked French-flagged ships. However, the pirates closed in rapidly.

Initially, the crew thought the pirates hadn't noticed their flag or someone had hung it incorrectly. However, despite the correct flag placement, the pirates approached. The captain ordered resistance.

"Captain Delon told us if the Barbary pirates really attacked us, they wouldn't dare demand ransom from the French or admit to such acts. They'd resort to killing us all. So, we had to resist..." the sailor recounted.

However, years of safety in the Mediterranean had led the French merchant ships to reduce their cannons for increased cargo. This made them feeble against the pirates. Laden heavily with goods and employing old vessel designs, despite dumping cargo, they couldn't escape. In the ensuing chaos, the sailor fell overboard, unnoticed amidst the intense fight. He was uncertain of the battle's outcome.

Mustafa felt anxious upon hearing the sailor's account, fearing a similar fate. However, luck was on his side, and he safely reached Naples. With a French consulate present, he rushed there with the rescued sailor. Using the telegraph, the consulate reported the incident to the French Foreign Ministry, quickly reaching Napoleon.

"They attacked French ships?" Napoleon exclaimed upon receiving the report, slamming his desk. "Excellent! I've been waiting to address them! Quick, summon General Carnot and Admiral Treveil to me. We must prepare for military action!"

An hour later, Carnot and Rear Admiral Treveil arrived at the government office.

Sitting in Napoleon's office, he asked, "You must have heard on your way here. I want to understand, if we engage the Barbary pirates in war, can we conclude it before the Olympics?"

"It's challenging," Treveil began. "If the Barbary pirates confront us directly, wiping them out won't take a morning. But if they evade, locating them in the vast sea will take time. I fear we can't finish before the Olympics."

"What about a direct assault on their ports?" Napoleon inquired.

"Your Excellency," Carnot interjected, "before we plan for war, we need to define what we aim to achieve. Only then can we answer this effectively."

Napoleon nodded. "General Carnot, we need a foothold in North Africa and a range of economic and political privileges—port usage rights, merchandise sales rights."

Carnot, after a moment's thought, said, "Your Excellency, forgive my candor. Achieving these goals involves not just military but political strategies. I believe completing such a task before the Olympics is impossible. However, delaying slightly, preparing for war diplomatically post-Olympics, seems more prudent."

Napoleon pondered and agreed with Carnot, recognizing the logic. He turned to Carnot and Treveil, saying, "This will be our first war after years of peace, and though our adversaries are mere Barbary pirates, we must execute it brilliantly. We need to impress the rest of Europe. Our victory must be spectacular!"