Chapter 130: Ironish Incident III
Part 1: He gets himself hurt a lot, doesn't he?
TIME: 07:22 GMT
DATE: War Day 1002/33 Lunaris, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Temporary CAG Command Area, Royal College of Dublin
I sat up suddenly. Bolt upright.
Golden: "Oi! Mate!" He put his hooves on me and bid me lay back in the bed. "Relax, mate. Ya almost di'in't make it that time." He nodded. "CODY! HE'S AWAKE!"
K: "I need a report." I said, realizing how WEAK I felt.
Dr. Allcome: "That can wait, while I get your vitals." He said, pacing in, and taking my vital signs. "Your lack of resistance to magic really endangered you this time - not that you'd listen if I told you not to do it." He smiled.
Applejack came in the room next, and slithered into bed on my opposite side.
Dr. Allcome: "..ah, well, I think you'll be okay. Your pulse just shot up ten beats a minute with Jackie clinging to you." He chuckled. "BP is 124/82, Pulse is 100, respirations 18 and normal." He nodded. "You're physically okay. How do you feel?"
K: "Hungry. Horny. Thankful. Physically weak, though." I shrugged. "Honey, what happened?"
Sunset: "..you saved Ancient Twilight, Gusty, and Firefly is what happened." She paced in, with a bandage on her foreleg.
Dr. Whooves: "AH! Up and at 'em, are we?" He trotted in with breakfast on a tray - English Muffins with eggs, 'Canadian Bacon,' and sausage.
The English muffins and their toppings looked and smelled MYSTERIOUSLY LIKE McDONALD'S EGG McMUFFINS!
K: "Home made?" I grinned at him.
Derpy: "Ehhh.. as close as my Muffin GETS to home made." She giggled.
K: "Okay, so, what happened?" I looked at Senior Colonel Derpy.
Derpy: "After the magical blast, everything started unzipping. Like, the world did." She looked down. "We.. WE are the reason for the Ley Lines, or, the very start of them. And Nightshade was the one that created Changelings. When we.. uh.. ex-fil'd the area and started traveling forwards in time, we got to see that all of Ponyland's enemies started crawling out of the wood work, and started fighting everything all over the place. Putting them down caused immense strain on the world.. the amount of magic used. The Second Rainbow was destroyed completely, 9770 years ago, severing that dimension from this one. The Ley Lines slowly grew over the next several centuries.. until they became what they are today. Unlocking that.. that event.. seeing it through.. K, the Ley Line Barriers are still slowly expanding. The rate is 25mm per century, or a quarter millimeter a year. They've slowed incredibly, but.. it's still happening." She shrugged.
Katrina: "Our being there prevented Twilight, Gusty, and Firefly from being killed. Galactica Spark of that time frame was the one that found us. She.." She cleared her throat. "..we also now know why she destroyed the Flutter Ponies. She blamed Norpheus for the disaster. For cracking the world like an egg. She.. she said a lot of horribly.. hurtful things before she killed him. And.. and the other Flutter Ponies. All she could reach, in one burst of rage, before her foals being in danger, stopped her, and forced her to leave." She cleared her throat. "At least now, we know the truth."
Sunset: "It's just a guess, K, but Gusty is VERY important in our history - we aren't sure when she died, and there's been some confusion if we were talking about Gusty or her daughter Gusty.. you DID help cement the fact that she survived what we consider the beginning of the end of Dream Valley, now. I'm betting she was about 40 when we met her.. given her magic.. she probably lived at least another hundred or so years." She nodded to me.
Broken: "Oh! K!" He came in with a Full Ambler on a breakfast tray, kinda overflowing. "Ah.. whae Sunset was sayin' - I found information that Gusty - or her daughter - was around maybe.. a thousand years after ye met her?" He nodded to Sunset.
Sunset: "It's.. possible.. for us ponies to live exceptionally long lives under the right circumstances." She shrugged her wings. "I'm also thinking that it was a line of Gustys. Gusty 1 was the one we met, Gusty 2 was her daughter, and on down the line until they.. just didn't have another Gusty. But, either way, our actions there allowed Gusty 1 to live a very long time, and she's likely the one involved in certain specific legends about 'the time after rainbows' that started the decline of Dream Valley's civilization."
Norfy: "Hey, K." He came in with a third breakfast tray, and coffee. "OH! I see Doc already got you hooked up." He set the tray aside. "So.. how was I?" He said, gently pulling his hair back around his horn, and revealing that one twist of his spire was now sparkly.
K: "The best, man." I nodded. "You didn't question anything, you just.. trusted me." I smiled.
Rainbow Dash: "Oh, REALLY?" She came in with YET ANOTHER breakfast tray. "Huh.. looks like you're already fed. Oh, well." She smiled. "Didja see me? Was I still.." She struck a pose. "..SO awesome?" And smiled.
K: "Yes, and yes. Firefly said that danger was her life. It fits. She trusted me, too." I nodded.
Norfy, immediately, put on an act of being loopy and crazy, and leaned in on Rainbow Dash.
Norfy: "WWEEeeee! IiiiinnnNNnnNN! LOOOOOVE!" And made a goofy face.
WE ALL laughed at that one.
K: "Alright, alright, it's New Year's - everyone take today and tomorrow off. Did we get anything from the college?" I nodded to Dr. Allcome.
Dr. Allcome: "Yes, but nothing earth shattering. I'd say our next move is Jupiter and Roam." He shrugged.
K: "Send word to Mama Veloce and Admiral Tortellini we'll be heading there in three days." I nodded to everyone. "My only remaining question is - did Norpheus actually have that immense level of power? That's.. beyond an Alicorn." I shrugged.
Sunset: "It's more that Nightshade tapped into Tirek's power directly, with Tirek being sealed away and helpless to stop him - and to do so, he would have had to connect directly into one of the Ley Lines while it was still.. uhnm.. un-erupted? I guess would be the best word. The feedback from the Sword of Rainbow's Light powered by the Harmony Stone, and all of Norpheus' energy like that.. is what did it." She frowned a bit. "I.. I will say that Galactica killing him was.. more that she finished him off." She shrugged her wings again. "I could feel his magic, K. It was gone. He traded his LIFE FORCE to cast Total Flutter - and I'm guessing that's exactly what it does."
K: "Forbidden magic." I nodded. "I want all this on paper and sent to Celestia, Luna, and Cadence. If they can remember or discern anything from it, we need to know." I then grabbed a spare tray, and started picking a few breakfast items. "Now, then. If you don't mind, I'd like to eat."
Dr. Allcome: "Food and rest, General, as usual." He shot a look to Applejack. "And I MEAN rest. No hanky-panky until he's feeling better, okay?" Then, smirked, and departed, as did the others.
Derpy: "I'm just glad you're okay!" She beamed a grin.. then lowered her head. "You two are my best friends."
K: "Same, Derpy." I nodded to her.
What was unsaid was how distraught she was. How, after the magical explosion, I'd been thrown back into the rim of the crater created by the blast, literally SMOKING. My clothes and tactical gear had caught alight from the magical feedback, my Grant rifle partially MELTED.. and Derpy had been the first one to get to me.. and how she thought, at first, that I was actually dead.
That she'd cried.
Until Sunset performed CPR on me (which is why my ribs hurt) and got my heart beating again.
Since I was 10,000 years in the past, the Galactica Spark from present day, could not intervene. However, Galactica from the past made sure I was healed ENOUGH to not be in danger of dying.
Applejack made it abundantly clear: I needed some kind of protection, and they'd find it. Because if I lit off a super high end spell like that again, it stood the immense risk of killing me outright.
I reminded her, that I would gladly, if it meant saving them.
We cuddled and ate.. every bite.
[End of Part 1]
Part 2: Electric Avenue
TIME: 23:44 GMT
DATE: War Day 1002/33 Lunaris, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Henstead Hotel, Dublin, Ironland
We were in the ball room. It was a fantastic, if low key, celebration. No formal uniforms, I insisted. We were dressed down for the occasion. No business would be discussed, no nothing, but having fun.
Sunset: "WOO HOO!!" She sailed across the ball room.. uhm.. she wasn't fully sober.
Steela: "Ahahah!" She charged after her and caught her.
Neither was Steela.
Actually, most everyone was a few drinks in, but me. Remember: I don't drink alcohol.
Fluttershy: "..and the most lovely little raccoon was curled up in the basket.." She was going on about something, with Golden, chugging his 4th beer, nodding, humming, and listening - hanging on her every word.
Applejack: "Ah'm sure glad we k'n cut loose a little." She beamed a grin. "Mmm.. jes' yew 'n me later, yew got me?" She nuzzled me.
K: "No problem, my love." I skritched her ears as we walked around, catching parts of conversations.
Dusk: "..and then the Ambassador told her that there was no way he'd be caught dead at that place. It was a strip club, you see.." He grinned.
Rarity: "Mmm.. fascinating, darling." She was grinning back at him.
Trixie: "I bet he WAS going there!" She giggled, half drunk already.
Everyone was socializing. It was wonderful to see. The chance to relax in the middle of a war. We knew Tirek was making his moves, but we also knew, we would be able to respond to whatever they were. He couldn't really catch us completely flat footed any more - we had trained armies, fleets, air forces, and they were trained and re-trained by veterans. All that knowledge was being re-infused into the forces that would resist him.
K: "May I have this dance, honey?" I held out my hands to her, as the radio started playing some music fit to dance to.
Applejack: "Aw.." She blushed deeply, but rose up and took my hands in her hooves.
We danced together for two songs.. the first one was a slower dance song, that reminded me of "Fly Me To The Moon." The second was a bit faster, and I was able to twirl her a few times. Mind, she was wearing a simple denim skirt and a green blouse.. as I've said before, ANY clothes, she considered heavy flirting. Even her combat uniforms. The skirt was.. special.
Mac: "Hey, Brother!" He was lounging with Cheerilee.
K: "Hey, Bro." I came over and sat next to him.
Mac: "Cheerilee'n'I wanna git married." He blushed a bit.
Cheerilee: "Given my promotion to lead the Rangers, I want to.." She blushed, also. "..make sure we're wed."
K: "Mhm." I slid a hand under her uniform. "..you should never have been in the East Indies."
Cheerilee: "K!" She gently, but not really objectionably, swatted my arm. "I.. I just wasn't.. sure."
K: "You're at least three months in." I frowned at her. "You knew! And you did it anyway." I chuckled, though. "I just can't keep you down, can I?"
Cheerilee: "Mmm." She cocked a brow at me. "Ever since I had to help save Applebloom and her friends, I knew I'd have to lead and fight." She shook her head. "I'll do anything for my students, so we can go back to coloring and recess.." She smiled a bit, wistfully. "..you think I can go back to teaching after the war?"
K: "I think you'll make a great teacher again, Cheerilee." I nodded to her. "If the kids are good, you can tell war stories. If they're bad, you can Smoke them." I grinned widely, cheekily.
Cheerilee: "Oh, K!" She gently kicked my hip with her back leg a bit, laughing.
K: "So, Mac.. can I have the honor of being Best Human?" I tilted my head. "It's a bit out of tradition to ask one's brother-in-law, but not terribly so."
Mac: "Can't think of anyone else'd want." He nodded, half closing his eyes. "R'member how we were.. gosh.. five years ago, almost, eh?"
K: "No kidding." I nodded back. "We're bros, now."
Mac: "E'Yup. F'rever." He nodded firmly.
K: "I really hope I get to stay here with all of you." I said, patting his shoulder.
I got up, and walked over to the window with Applejack. Some sporadic fireworks were going off.
K: "Man.." I smiled a bit, seeing the clock. "Almost 1005, honey."
Applejack: "Mmmhmm.." She slid her forelegs up under my arms, and pulled me in close. "Think we can make out for two minutes?"
K: "Try and stop me." I grinned, eyebrows wiggling, as I went in for a kiss.
All: "FIVE.. FOUR.. THREE.. TWO.. ONE! HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!"
A new year. Would it be that this is the last year of the war? I'd love that to be so, but World War II lasted 2190 days, we just barely hit 1,000 - and we hadn't even started our offensive, yet.
K: *Ahem* I paced to about the center of the room. "Let me see if I can sing this acapella and remember all the words." I shrugged. "Generation 3." I nodded to Cheerilee.
Cheerilee: "K?" She looked up, happy tears in her eyes.
K: "My Little Pony, My Little Pony..
...take me with you to Ponyville.
My Little Pony, My Little Pony..
We'll have fun, I know we will.
Laughing and singing,
Every day bringing,
Something new that we can share!
My Little Pony, My Little Pony..
Hurry and soon we'll be there!
My Little Pony, My Little Pony..
Every day is a dream come true.
My Little Pony, My Little Pony..
How I love to play with you!
No way of knowing,
Where we'll be going,
Our adventures never end!
My Little Pony, MYY Little Pony..
I'm so glad you're my friends!
We'll plan a party with Pinkie Pie.. (I pointed at Rose Pompadour)
And watch her balloons lift her up to the sky!
Scootaloo will show us games to play,
And Toola-Roola will be painting away.. (I pointed at her)
Rainbow Dash always dresses in style! (I pointed at her, and she turned BEET RED, with Rarity giggling next to her)
Sweetie Belle's magic brings a great big smile! (Rarity puffed herself up a bit)
I hope we hear a story from Cheerilee.. (I pointed to her, and she kissed Big Mac)
..or a beautiful Starsong melody.
(Everyone got a bit choked up at that)
'Cause we're all pony pals! Never far apart! You will always have a place in MY heart!
(There was a brief applause)
My Little Pony, My Little Pony..
I wonder what we'll do today?
My Little Pony, My Little Pony..
How I love the way we play! (I drew the Sword of Rainbow's Light and pointed it at the ceiling)
No way of knowing,
Where we'll be going,
Our adventures never end!
My Little Pony, MYY Little Pony..
I'm so glad you're my friends!"
(Theme Song to "My Little Pony" 2003, Copyright Hasbro)
There was thunderous applause at the end of the song.
I really was glad they were my friends.. after all.. Friendship is Magic.
[End of Part 2]
Part 3: New Year, New Friends
TIME: 07:22 GMT
DATE: War Day 1003/1 Primaus, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: Dublin, Ironland
The day after the party was pretty relaxing. I woke up that morning with the harem all around me, and Toola Roola added. She was cuddled to my leg. Less out of lust and more out of not wanting to sleep alone.
I got that. Part of the whole harem thing, now, was that none of us wanted to be alone. I knew Steela took her job too seriously to leave me alone. Sunset just wanted Cock Options, but she appreciated Dusty and Applejack's company. AJ was my wife. Dusty was.. every day, more and more likely, her future wife if something happened to me. Even if not, Dusty was very attached to us.
Applejack: "Mornin' sugah." She smooched me. "We doin' anythin' today, honeybun?" She stretched. "Ah wants breakfast."
K: "That's a plan. I also want to see Gorge, later, and discuss what's gone on here." I shrugged. "Wakies, ladies."
Toola: "Urerhhrhrh.. noooooo.. head hurty.." She whined.
Steela: "Mm." She stretched, and shook herself a bit. "Hangover? I has no such troubles."
Sunset: "Hoowww..? You got drunker'n me!" She rubbed her head.
Steela: "Am built different." She grinned, mischievously.
Sunset: "Maaan.. fuck that." She crawled out of bed, and looked herself in the mirror, casting a spell on herself. "Mmm.. better." She shook her head, still, and went for the bathroom. "Need shower."
She levitated Toola to come with her.
K: "Hey, I guess, if you've got Alicorn magic, you may as well use it." I shrugged, and got out of bed as well.
AJ and I occupied the other bathroom in our suite. Dusty joined us. Steela joined Sunset.
After that, we went to breakfast in the dining hall at the hotel. Everyone was down there in various states of dress and hung-over-ness.
Broken and Golden both looked fresh as daisys, with clean chins and clean, full uniforms.
Broken: "Ah! Come haev breakfast with us!" He motioned us over.
Mary: "AYE!" She was giddy.
Dusk: "Mmmm.." He winced, squinting. "..keep it down, huh?"
K: "Ahh.. I see you're not one for the heavy drink, eh, Dusk?" I said, getting a table close to them all, with the girls not far behind.
Rarity: "He's handling it.." She was smiling - no booze for her! Not with the babies. The baby transfer was happening today, too.
K: "You're going back on duty after Luna gets done, Rarity?" I nodded to her.
Rarity: "Fully.. not that this war has allowed me to enjoy my status as a pregnant mare, any." She frowned. "I expected more hoof rubs, and less bullets."
Trixie: "Eh, could be worse." She snorted. "At least you're intact."
K: "How're you holding up, Trixie?" I nodded to her.
Trixie: "Fan-bucking-tastic." She growled a bit.
K: "Hangover?" I shrugged.
Trixie: "Hangover." She nodded.
It was interesting to me that, when she was like this, her whole persona as a Stage Mare was discarded, and her real personality as a sardonic, sarcastic, acerbic, realist came out. She was "just done" with a lot of society's bullshit, even before the Ursa incident. And now? Well, she had something going for her, but still...
Ask her and she'll tell you, life isn't rainbows and butterflies. She'd been on the worst ends of it, several times.
Later on that same day, we all went shopping. It wasn't much, but it was a nice tag-on for the whole New Years' event. We had a lot of fun doing it, though, and I could see Trixie finally enjoying what it meant to be accepted by the herd.
All in all, though, Ironland had proven to have a lot of information, but no real action. That was both good and bad.
TIME: 18:44 GMT
K: "So, the way I figure it, we're probably going to be back." I shrugged.
Gorge Fairlane: "You're sure of it?" He tilted his head.
K: "Yep." I nodded.
Cosmic: "We have a history of busting up every place we visit. We didn't do a thing here, but see some unfortunate graves, and discover a very unfortunate fact of the family connected to it." He shrugged.
Lyra: "AYE! An' while I loved seein' me couzins, I k'n guarantee, havin' been wi' K as long as I has.. we're comin' back. Somethin' here, hasn't been found properly, yet." She nodded.
Dusk: "I'm going to agree. I haven't been with this outfit for very long, but I've experienced the same things. Something's here, it's just not urgent, nor is it apparent, yet." He shrugged a bit.
Twilight Sentry: "Agreed." She sighed. "Raven and I are going to take a flight to Roam in the morning, and meet you all there. I want to connect with the Roaman government and touch base with them." She nodded to Raven.
Raven Inkswell: "I'm kind of excited. I mean, you all made me come out of my shell, and now.. I want to do things for Equestria, that I know I can do." She smiled broadly.
K: "I'm eager for it." I shrugged. "We'll leave, day after tomorrow."
Dusk: "Sounds good. I'll make sure everything's ready." He nodded.
K: "Twi, take The Lads with you." I pointed to Norfy, Cosmic, and Gaze. "Security. And, if anything goes wrong on the arrival end, I have three expert officers watching my back." I nodded. "Not like this time, when we trusted local forces." I looked to Gorge. "Present company excepted - nothing happened here."
Gorge: "No offense taken." He nodded.
So.. now Roam. And a meeting with Jupiter.
TIME: 09:56 GMT
DATE: War Day 1005/3 Primaus, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: Dublin Dockyards
We were preparing to depart. Nothing serious had actually happened IN Ironland, though my trip to the past had unlocked some core memories in certain people. The Princesses had sent a letter back, saying they remembered being almost killed by an erupting Ley Line as foals, but the memories were scarce.
They DID recall some things about meeting Twilight, Gusty, and Firefly, however. They also confirmed Sunset's theory that "Gusty" as history knows her, is an incredibly rare case of a parent producing an "identical" (same cutie mark and name) offspring. "Gusty" had been a line of not three, but FOUR unicorn mares.. how long they lasted, and what they all did, they couldn't rightly recall, but they were certain that my intervention had "preserved" a better outcome for them.
Without me, I can only imagine that Gusty the Second would have had a harder, more depressing life.
I made a difference. WE made a difference.
And now.. we needed to find Jupiter.
I was helping Sea Swirl load some provisions into the Shark, as she'd be leaving port first, when Gorge came trotting up.
Gorge Fairlane: "General." He stopped and nodded to Sea Swirl. "Ma'am."
Sea Swirl: "Sir." She nodded back.
Gorge Fairlane: "General K.. ah.." He ducked his head away a bit. "..I need to ask you a favor."
K: "Shoot." I nodded.
Gorge Fairlane: "I have.. ah.. a pony that.." He cleared his throat. "I need to get him out of Ironland."
K: "So, tell me-" I started
Rainbow McSherbet: "Is this him!?" He trotted up - a dark tan pony with grayish hair, a tricorne, and a.. is that a pigeon?!
K: "I'm.. General K, yes." I nodded to him.
Rainbow McSherbet: "Cap'n Rainbow McSherbet!" He bowed a bit.
K: "Pleasure." I nodded to him. "Captain?" I asked Gorge.
Gorge Fairlane: "Captain McSherbet fancies himself a Pirate of Pirates. That is, he chases after high seas bullies. His ship.. well, he had several party canons aboard." He nodded.
Rainbow McSherbet: "Twelve gun, she had." He nodded. "She.. ah.. took some damage in a recent storm.." He leaned his head to the side.
K: "I like him." I nodded with a smile.
Gorge Fairlane: "It's just that.. if Tirek's fleet were to come around.." He leaned in, so only I could hear. "..everyone likes him, but he's not trained for fighting.. we're kind of afraid Tirek's troops would do him in."
K: "I get it." I nodded. "Captain." I nodded to Rainbow McSherbet.
Rainbow McSherbet: "Yes, sir?" He grinned at me (and the pigeon copied him).
K: "Welcome aboard. You'll be a member of CAG and we'll get you into the Equestrian Navy." I nodded to him. "After you're fully trained, we'll see about making the Captainship permanent and find you a proper command."
Rainbow McSherbet: "I've been sailing most of my life, General." He nodded to me, with surety. "I'm sure I can handle it."
Sea Swirl: "Ohh.. I've heard about you before!" She smiled. "You busted up that ship with 12 Diamond Dogs on it that was robbing people near Baltimare a few years ago - tied them up and decorated their ship - The Black Diamond - with party streamers."
Rainbow McSherbet: "We sure did!" He beamed a grin. "And it was 18, not 12." He beamed a grin, and tapped his fore hooves.
I motioned for him to come with, and he did. We got aboard the Weather Rock, and I located Dusk.
K: "Dusk? Got another one for you - Rainbow McSherbet." I nodded, and jerked a thumb at him.
Rainbow, happy guy that he was, was beaming a smile a mile wide, behind me.
Dusk: "Oh?" He slowly craned his neck to the side, seeing his artificial rear leg. "Ah." He nodded to him. "You sure you want to sign on? This isn't going to be easy - you'll have to actually hurt and kill things. Sentient things." He nodded, wisely.
Rainbow McSherbet: "I.." He looked down, then back to his leg, then realized Dusk's issue wasn't with THAT.. then looked at him with a steely gaze of determination. "I want the world to be like it once was. Happy. Fun. With pranks and adventures that don't end in death. I can't get there by dreaming about it. I can't get there by pretending this isn't happening." He rubbed his right foreleg with his left fetlock. "I-I know.. I haven't.. gone that far. Ever. But.." He shrugged a little. "..someone has to. So we can be happy again. All the time." And he nodded, firmly.
Dusk: "Alright." He nodded back. "Come with me."
K: "Teach'em good, Dusk." I smirked.
Dusk: "Between me and Derpy, he'll have quite the education." He nodded, taking Rainbow McSherbet back to the rear of the ship, where he'd made his impromptu training area.
Well, another friend. Lovely! The more the merrier. And he seems like an unflappably happy lil' guy. The perfect cheerleader, tempered with just enough realistic perspective on life. I had a feeling he'd be a GREAT addition.
Now.. off to Roam, I supposed.
This was going to be an interesting journey.
Once we were all aboard, we headed out. I noted that Dusk stuck to Rainbow like glue. The guy needed the added harshness to his perspective, but Dusk took care to make sure he got his training in. As expected, he could already swim pretty well, and his Naval-side training wasn't much more than brushing him up on how the ERN does things.
Our trip to Roam was set to take three days.
I had no idea we were literally on a collision course with fate, or that we were going to end up in the largest sea battle in the war.
[End of Part 3]
Part 4: Naval Battle of the Mareterranian Sea, Pt. 1
TIME: 01:22 GMT
DATE: War Day 1006/4 Primaus, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: HMS Weather Rock, Mareterranian Sea, north of Ambleon
VADM Whitecap: PA> "GENERAL QUARTERS, GENERAL QUARTERS. ALL HANDS, MAN YOUR BATTLESTATIONS. SURFACE CONTACTS INBOUND."
The alarm klaxon made me dive out of bed with the rest of the girls, and struggle to get my feet into my boots. A dozen times I've been to battle, and not once was I going to get used to this.
Cinching up my boots, I got my jacket, and tactical suspenders on. Grant passed to me by Sunset's magic, was hefted over my shoulder. I grabbed for my life vest, and threw it on. Properly dressed, we raced to the bridge.
K: "Admiral! REPORT!" I called out as I crested the edge of the bridge stairs, only to have a MASSIVE impact shudder my flagship, and almost throw me to the deck. "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!"
I dragged myself to my feet, and looked down and back towards the midsection of the ship, seeing a shell hole that had blown away the 2nd 5-inch gun mount, just below the stack, right over where the CAG quarters were. No penetration into the superstructure, but that 5-inch gun was gone.
VADM Whitecap: "General - it's Tirek! The fleet is HUGE! At least three times the size of the one the Neighponese faced in the East Indies. They came out of nowhere - we didn't spot them until the first shells were inbound. We think they came around the coast of Sardineigha." He nodded. "We're falling back towards Ambleon - we've sent a radio message to them, and Blue Squadron is making steam to intercept us about three quarters of the way there."
K: "We're THAT outmatched?!" I looked right at him.
VADM Whitecap: "Twelve enemy Battleships, twenty eight Cruisers, thirty two Destroyers." He frowned.
Applejack: "An' in the darkness, we cain't use air power." She whinnied.
VADM Whitecap: "No kidding." He shrugged.
K: "Alright. Get us out of here. Withdraw and cede the field. Whatever Tirek wants out here, we don't have the numbers to take him." I shook my head. "We have one battleship, one carrier, six cruisers, and four destroyers."
Steela: "Is very bad odds." She scowled.
Dusk: "This is a very.. bad situation." He patted Rainbow on the back.
Rainbow McSherbet: "Wow. My first day of work, and I get a full Naval Battle!?" He tapped his hooves. "You all spoil me!"
Lyra: "E's daft, this'n!" She giggled, though. "But 'e's got tha's spirit!"
Rarity: "I would like more than the spirit - I would like a better chance." She snorted.
Sunset: "Where the BLUE FUCK is he getting ships like this?! The STEEL ALONE would be a MASSIVE cost!" She snorted.
K: "I have no idea." I shook my head. "We're about at their maximum range, yes?"
VADM Whitecap: "Yes." He nodded. "Should we give 'em a few long range shots?"
K: "Go for it. Just a little, to discourage pursuit s-"
Another massive impact, along the aft quarter of the ship.
PO2 Flametoggle: "HIT TO THE HANGAR DECK! We're on FIRE!" She called out.
K: "FUCK!" I shook my head. "All ahead emergency speed! GET OUT OF RANGE!"
VADM Whitecap: "Aye! And damage control to the Hangar Deck!" He nodded to the comspony and our orders were relayed.
Capt. Northern Star: "Sir, the enemy's fire is focused purely on US, sir!" She looked at the fire plotting table.
K: "Lovely. This is an assassination attempt!" I frowned.
Sunset: "What do we do?!" She shrugged.
K: "Well, they hit the hangar deck, it's not like I can escape by myself - not that I would." I frowned. "Not that they'd even know."
Applejack: "Ah think runnin's 'bout all we CAN do!" She scowled.
Spike: "No it isn't!" He came running up the steps, a bit singed, but otherwise okay.
K: "What are you doing here?!" I called out to him.
Spike: "Ah.. uh.. Mom and I had.. an argument.. kinda.. I told her I wanted to be my own person. Not, like, in her shadow any more." He made a bit of a face.
K: "I understand. Spike, you ARE coming of ag-"
Capt. Northern Star: "...General." She tugged my sleeve. "Ahead."
I turned to look ahead of us. The enemy had worked a fleet behind us. Just enough to make escape impossible.
K: "Numbers." I nodded to them.
Capt. Northern Star: "Destroyers report three enemy battleships, twelve cruisers, ten destroyers. Destroyers are in front, and preparing for a torpedo strike." She shrugged. "I think.. we're in.. trouble. Sir."
K: "That's just enough to stop us. Hammer and Anvil." I shook my head. "And the Ambleonians are too far away." I looked at Spike. "We have one chance."
Spike: "Call Leviathan?" He looked up at me.
K: "Yes, and call him against that larger fleet behind us." I looked out the front of the bridge. "We'll have to engage that fleet. Numbers be damned, safety be damned, order Zephyr to launch all aircraft! We don't have any choice!" I grabbed Spike's hand. "Come on! We need to even the odds!"
I ran down the stairs again, heading for the aft section of the ship. It was going to be a very close call on all of this - Hammer and Anvil tactics? Tirek was getting smart. Or, he had a smart admiral. Said admiral needed to be eliminated to prevent things like this from happening again.
We got down to the aft section of the ship, exiting past "Y" turret, which was firing as fast as possible, along with "X" turret, to try and discourage enemy fire.
We got to the edge of the ship.
Sunset: "This is crazy." She whinnied.
Applejack: "How'ya think I feel!?" She skidded to a stop. "Do yer business, Spike!"
Spike: "Oh.. okay." He sighed. "I summon you from a place far beyond, across the winds and across the seas, help me now in my hour of need! LEVIATHAN, KING OF THE SEAS, HEAR MY CALL!"
For a moment, there was a dead silence. Absolutely no sound, not even from the 16-inch guns firing. Then, the seas themselves arose behind us, with us at the rear of the formation as we were. That growing "mountain" of water.. and the head that came out of it.. Leviathan answered.
His head came fully out of the water, like a small island. I could SEE the enemy fleet start to panic, start to try and change course. The rains came a moment later. Torrential downpours as the skies opened up into a tropical storm, instantly.
Leviathan GRINNED at the sight of the steel cans containing Tirek's minions. Using his magic to raise the oceans into a massive cresting wave.. the water rose up over THREE HUNDRED FEET.. and he sent this deluge of water, like a wall of concrete, right down on top of the enemy fleet's heads.. the ships were crushed under the tens of thousands of tons of water that impacted them from above. Only the pointy wrecks of a few ships were still visible, as the waters leveled out.
Thousands of Tirek's troops were just sucked under the ocean.. dragged down to their watery grave.. along with their ships, broken like small toys. And as the waves flattened, as though they'd never happened, the head of Leviathan slid slowly beneath the seas once more.
We had taken one step towards keeping our promise to him.
Really, my other option would have been to use the Daybreaker Device on the enemy fleet, and tip my hand to Tirek that I had access to them. That wasn't a very good option, though, hence why I didn't say anything.
K: "Let's get back to the bridge - we haven't won yet!" I said, leading the way, as the Damage Control Parties finished extinguishing the flames at the back of the ship.
Now, we had to fight our way to safety - one way or another. This was not going to be an easy battle. We were still outnumbered. But, we were facing far better odds, and for the most part, still had almost all of our fighting strength.
[End of Part 4]
Part 5: Naval Battle of the Mareterranian Sea, Pt. 2
TIME: 01:33 GMT
DATE: War Day 1006/4 Primaus, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: HMS Weather Rock, Mareterranian Sea, north of Ambleon
I got back up to the bridge, with Spike, AJ, and Sunset in tow. Smolder hugged him immediately - he was out of breath.
VADM Whitecap: "Well, that makes the odds more even - our air strike is on the way with AP Bombs. We figured that was the best bet. Torpedoes in the dark is a bad idea." He nodded.
K: "Good call." I shrugged.
VADM Whitecap: "..what are our odds?" He asked me, suddenly.
K: "We're going to lose a few ships." I nodded. "As soon as Zephyr runs out of aircraft, have her book it back to Equestria. One escort."
VADM Whitecap: "Good idea." He sighed. "The Carrier is the most valuable ship. And the most vulnerable."
Capt. Northern Star: C> "Zephyr - Orders are: When strike aircraft are depleted, retreat to Home Port. Mudbriar - Escort Zephyr. All other ships, form up for surface action." She called into the mic.
VADM Whitecap: "How do you want to play this?" He nodded to me.
K: "Line by line. Destroyers form up, launch torpedo strikes in the dark, hope for a hit. Swing around to the left flank of the enemy fleet and try again. Cruisers form up a battle line with us in the rear, and advance, then split to the right with us, and our two Light Cruisers going left to support the Destroyers. We'll swing around the rear of the formation and make a break for Plymouth. I have no idea where Shark is, or if she even made it." I shrugged.
VADM Whitecap: "Alright." He nodded. "If you think that's best."
K: "We're getting too close to them for anything else. There might be worse out there past the wrecked super-fleet. We need a larger force if we're going to try and get to Roam. It's clear Tirek has made a base somewhere and they'll need to be removed." I shrugged. "Which means we'll need Marines again."
VADM Whitecap: "You're right, of course." He frowned.
K: "Alright, let's do this." I looked to Applejack. "Just in case, get everything of ours that's important, packed into watertight canisters. Burn the code books, and secure anything that's top secret." I nodded to Dusk. "Go with her."
Dusk: "Yes, K." He nodded to Applejack. "Come on."
Applejack: "A'hm comin' - ah don't like it, but ah'm comin'." She dashed back down the stairs with Dusk and Rarity.
We charged forwards, as planned. The Destroyers made their drop - all three of them - and pulled away. We could see explosions in the darkness, telling us we made hits.
Capt. Northern Star: "Two ships hit.. cruisers. Out of action by the look of it." She nodded.
K: "Alright, our turn. I want those guns worked as hard as possible. They'll be targeting us by preference, try to zig-zag as best you can!" I instructed the helmspony.
VADM Whitecap: "Capital Ships - advance to contact! I want those cruisers suppressed as best as possible! Main guns, target the enemy battleships!" He called out.
As our main force advanced, we zig-zagged towards the enemy line, allowing our rear turrets some chance to get some action. The shell volume varied, but our crews were well trained. That didn't stop the enemy from firing back.. Las Pegasus was soon hit four times. She lost her forward turrets, though, her magazine wasn't hit. She took a hit to the stern, and I saw her depth charge rack explode.
Ozarka was hit next. Five hits, one from one of the Battleships. She shrugged off the smaller hits like a prize fighter, but the Battleship shell landed in her hangar deck, and caused a huge explosion. As I found out later, they were in the middle of securing the hangar deck when it happened - and the hull of the hangar deck was not proofed to 12-inch AP shells. The fire quickly spread, and she was soon dead in the water at an angle to the enemy fleet. She continued to fire all guns, but I heard over the radio that her captain ordered the crew to abandon ship.
As the Destroyers made their second run, I saw one of them - Bucker - immediately take shots from the enemy Cruisers, and while she launched her torpedoes, she was quickly swarmed by enemy shells. She exploded in the water.
In return, our action cost the enemy most of their Destroyers from high caliber gun fire from our Cruisers, and five Cruisers knocked out by torpedo fire.
Just as I thought things were going to get a lot worse, I saw torpedo impacts from one of the enemy cruisers in the center of its formation.
K: "IT'S THE SHARK!" I called out. "PRAISE CELESTIA!" I laughed.
The enemy was now down to 6 cruisers, 3 Destroyers, and its 3 Battleships. In return we had 1 Battleship, 1 Heavy Cruiser, 2 Light Cruisers, and 2 Destroyers. The air strikes had done enough damage and dispersed most of the enemy vessels well enough for us to get in close, and damaged several enemy cruisers and one of the Battleships enough to give us the time we'd needed to get this far.
We just needed to go the rest of the way.
I could almost hear the shell screeches as the enemy vessels started to focus fire on us. Impacts were all over the place as they closed range, despite our zig-zag pattern. Weather Rock fired back as best as it could, focusing fire on the enemy battleships, chasing shell flashes.
We took another hit port-side aft and lost the #4 5-inch turret on that side. Two more shells hit the hull, but were deflected into the ocean. Another shell plunged into the deck by "A" Turret, but failed to detonate.
We turned broadside to the main source of shell flashes, and let rip with a full broadside of our own, and while I could see explosions, I couldn't tell if they were debilitating hits. Two shells hit Baleston amidships, and she slowed. Her engines were hit, and she lost 10 knots off her top speed.
Again, mobility was key, here.
K: "We can't stop for them right now. We'll come back with the Ambleonian Fleet and pick them up." I gestured.
VADM Whitecap: "I don't like it, but you're right." He frowned. "We're almost to the flank of the enemy formation."
K: "Not much longer, now, and we'll be in the clear and can make a run for it." I nodded.
VADM Whitecap: "Not much longer." He nodded.
Okemos was hit next, having put itself between us and the remaining enemy Destroyers. Three torpedo hits to her aft section, three shells from 5-inch guns, but she tore up the attackers with her 6-inch guns, sinking the remaining enemy destroyers by herself. She, too, was slowed and fell behind.
K: "What's left." I stated, not asked.
VADM Whitecap: "Michigami, Starswirl City, Braeburn, Briareus." He nodded. "And us."
Capt. Northern Star: "Two enemy Battleships, four enemy Cruisers."
K: "We're not going to get around them." I frowned. "The cruisers are moving to the flank to block us, and the Battleships are trying to cut in close."
VADM Whitecap: "So, fight or die?" He shrugged.
K: "They would have withdrawn if they didn't think they had an advantage. That means there's a reserve fleet between us and Roam is my guess." I nodded. "We're going to flee, but not the way they expect - set course for Sicily, best possible speed. Inform the Ambleonians and Roam what's up - they and the Prench will have to sweep the oceans for whatever Tirek has left. Order all ships to withdraw east, not south."
VADM Whitecap: "Well, we gave a good account of ourselves. Alright. M-"
I didn't see, or even feel the explosion that hit the bridge. I just remember Admiral Whitecap turning away from me to issue their orders.. and then.. whiteness once again.
And YET AGAIN.. I thought that was it.
It wasn't.
{End of Chapter 130}
