South China Sea, Approaching Manila
July 1836
The journey east had settled into a rhythm by the time the Rivoli entered the warmer waters of the South China Sea.
Days at sea had a way of losing their edges. Morning inspections led into midday briefings, then into reports, route corrections, maintenance reviews, and evening watches. Nothing aboard the battlecruiser was left to chance. Every shift, every signal, every adjustment in heading was carried out with the same controlled precision that had defined the ship from the moment she left Brest. For Guizot, that order was reassuring. It reminded him that this mission, though diplomatic in appearance, was still anchored by force, preparation, and the machinery of the state.
