Cold Fire

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Cold Fire
Technical information
Description	Locate Chevalier de la Vérendrye's expedition and kill him.
Appearance	Assassin's Creed: Rogue
Memory type	Main
Full sync conditions	Do not collide with any icebergs. Do not take any damage.
Historical information
Source	Shay Cormac
Location	North Atlantic
Date	1760

Cold Fire was a virtual representation of one of Shay Cormac's genetic memories stored in the Helix, relived by a research analyst in 2014 through the Animus Omega.

Description

With Chevalier's encoded maps in his possession, Shay consulted James Cook to uncover the destination of the Assassins' expedition.

Dialogue

Shay met up with Cook in the North Atlantic.

• Cook: Master Cormac! I didn't expect to see you again so soon.
• Shay: I found de la Vérendrye's travel plans, but the devil used some kind of code. I—I can't figure it out. Maybe you'll have better luck?
• Cook: How strange... It is a very old cipher. I have seen it once before. I could draw you a map...
• Shay: Or... you could accompany me. Help me find de la Vérendrye.
• Cook: An urgent matter then. Very well. We shall sail together again.

With Cook aboard, Shay and Christopher Gist set out to locate the expedition fleet.

• Gist: I gather you have some history with our friend de la Vérendrye.
• Shay: A history of instant loathing. I should have known not to trust... my friends who embraced such a wretch.
• Cook: My goodness, what could this fellow have done to inspire such enmity? I know him only as one of a family of explorers, extending the boundaries of the known world.
• Gist: From the brief encounters I've had with him, I can tell you he's an irascible person.
• Shay: That's a polite way of saying he's a cantankerous bastard.
• Cook: But do his actions surpass his words?
• Gist: I suspect history will believe so, my dear Cook.
• Shay: The actions that enter the history books in any case. Master Cook, how far south have you travelled?

The Morrigan sailing through the snowstorm

• Cook: Oh, not far. Only about Nantucket, really.
• Gist: I knew a man from there... But that's another matter. Have you not even been to the West Indies?
• Cook: Not yet. But the West Indies are well-mapped already.
• Shay: Ah, you're looking for a challenge, are you?
• Cook: Well, frankly, yes. My skills are better suited to newly-discovered regions, like Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Shay: Say I saw a map... I can't say from where.
• Cook: A delicate matter? Diplomatic perhaps?
• Shay: You get my meaning. On this map, there were lands I think no man has seen. Well, no man from our Empire at least.
• Cook: A land no man has seen... You have me intrigued, where is it?
• Shay: South of the Japans and China. As far east of Madagascar as Lisbon is from Boston.
• Cook: But... there's nothing there. And it would take an unusually provisioned ship to even attempt that journey.
• Gist: I think we know a group that might sponsor such a voyage...
• Shay: I'll tell you more later, Captain Cook. A man could make his name with such a daring discovery.

Cannon fire echoed.

• Gist: Did you hear that?
• Shay: Cannon fire. Deep within the fog.
• Cook: Could it be de la Vérendrye?
• Shay: Perhaps. This is a secret expedition. They won't be keen to leave any witnesses to their voyage.

They located the fleet.

The Morrigan engaging the Assassin ships

• Crew member: Ship ahoy!
• Gist: A fleet, Captain. We've found them.
• Cook: Let us hope we are not too late. They have us at a serious disadvantage.
• Shay: We're gaining on them. The Morrigan won't let us down.

They managed to sink the fleet.

• Crew member: This snow has been sent to bedevil us.
• Shay: It won't slow us down for long. And perhaps it will help us take them by surprise.

Suddenly, Gist spotted incoming mortar fire.

• Gist: Brace!
• Cook: It's an ambush!
• Shay: Steady the ship!

The attack rocked the Morrigan, though her crew managed to regain their footing.

• Shay: Where are they?!
• Gist: They're within mortar range. That's all I know.

Though hampered by the blizzard, they located their attacker.

The Morrigan engaging the Gerfaut

• Cook: It's the Gerfaut!
• Gist: Irksome to the last. De la Vérendrye must have stayed behind to stop us.
• Shay: And no doubt volunteered for the job.

They engaged the Gerfaut in naval combat and incapacitated her.

• Gist: Don't sink her! We still need de La Vérendrye's charts!
• Shay: She's dead in the water! Prepare for boarding!

Shay boarded the Gerfaut.

• Chevalier: So you think you can best me, boy?
  Je me suis longuement entraîné avec mon fusil, je tirerai dans le mille cette fois-ci. (I've been practicing my aim, I'll get a bullseye this time.)
  You have gone soft, Shay!
  Is that all a Templar can do?
  Give up your foolish quest!
  You will die in these waters!
  No one will remember your name! Mine will be legend!
  The Assassins will make sure you are forgotten!

Shay defeated Chevalier.

Chevalier's final moments

• Chevalier: So, cabbage farmer, are you still convinced the Templars are right?
• Shay: Convinced to the end.

Chevalier attempted to strike Shay, though the Templar retaliated with a punch to the stomach. While Chevalier doubled over in pain, Shay picked up a map, detailing another route.

• Shay: You bastard! Achilles and Liam have already headed north!
• Chevalier: Hope was right... I do make... a good... distraction.

In a fit of frustration, Shay threw Chevalier overboard, into the icy depths. Later, back on the Morrigan, Cook prepared to leave.

• Shay: Thanks for your help, Captain Cook.
• Cook: You are welcome, Captain Cormac. Sailing with you is certainly... interesting.
• Gist: Trouble does seem to find us, it's true.
• Cook: Tell me the truth... Are you fellows with a larger organization? The Board of Admiralty. You take your orders directly from His Majesty, don't you?
• Gist: We couldn't tell you even if we were.
• Shay: You should have these maps. De la Vérendrye won't need them anymore. We'll contact you in regards to sponsoring future voyages, Captain.
• Cook: Much obliged.

Outcome

Shay assassinated Chevalier, but learned he had only been a distraction, giving Achilles and Liam time to reach the Precursor site.

Trivia

• Gist's mention of a man from Nantucket is a reference to an opening line used in many limericks.
• In the first conversation with Captain Cook, the implication of the land Shay mentions in the East is Australia, a country that Cook would discover in 1770.
• When observing the Gerfaut through the spyglass, a regular Gang member is at the helm rather than Chevalier but when boarding the Gerfaut, the gang member is changed to Chevalier.

Gallery

Shay inviting Cook aboard the Morrigan

Shay dueling Chevalier

Cook questioning Shay and Gist's true allegiance

Shay giving Chevalier's maps to Cook

References

• Assassin's Creed: Rogue