Steampunk's Story
Chapter 1: Airship Pirates
"Looks like she doesn't see us yet cap'n, continue on course?" The helmsmare, True Heading, said as the airship Luna's Lament came in low over the equestrian seas, a large gaudy luxury steamship lit up brightly as it sailed through the night. It was a bright contrast to the sleek blue skinned 255 meter airship that was running without any lights showing on the exterior.
"Carry on course, ready the forward antimagic batteries and somepony make sure there are no pegasi in the air this time. Last thing we need is somepony ending up in our props again." I said earning a chuckle from the crew as they were reminded of an idiot pegasus who tried to stop the airship only to end up getting his tail cut off by one of the seven foot propellers that moved the giant helium filled structure through the air.
"Aye cap'n." The helmsmare said as I pulled down a communication tube from the rack above my head.
"How's things lookin' back there Ropes?" I spoke into the tube
"Looks good back here Cap'n. The crew's all ready to go for the usual."
"Sounds good Ropes lad! Remember to remind Thuderbolt back there not to set fire to the Lament this time, we need her intact to get away." I called out loudly.
"Aye-aye sir." I hear ropes call back over a fainter "Aw shove it up yer flank Steam." From Thunderbolt.
"I'm headin back to join the boarding crew, ship's yours until I return Cipher." I said to a brown and white spotted mare who was lounging in a chair slightly behind where I was standing.
"Aye Cap'n." She said as she stood and took the platform I had formerly been occupying. "First mate has the bridge. Steady as she goes." I heard as I stepped through the wooden door at the back of the bridge and made my way through the living quarters to the cargo holds.
I lit up a cigar as I stepped into the hold. "All hands ready to board?" I yelled as I stepped in.
"AYE CAP'N" The response came.
"Very well then." I said pulling down the speaking tube with my hoof. "Distance to the ship bridge?"
"We're closin in fast, pegasi can probably deploy in around thirty seconds." Cipher replied.
"Aye, understood." I replied. "They seen us yet?"
"Doesn't look like it... no wait one of those nobles is pointing and yelling. We're spotted." I heard heading call back, having heard the question. "You should see this'un cap'n, 'is eyes are the size of dinner plates!"
"Keep her on target, tell the forward batteries to fire at will and knock out any defenses they see. Tell the port and starboard batteries to arm up. I'm opening the cargo bays." I said.
"Aye Cap'n." Cipher replied.
"Open the bay doors!" I yelled out. "Pegasi, Griffons and Changelings ready to board! We're spotted so be ready for some resistance." I said as I checked my dagger and clockwork pistol. I gave my wings a flap and rose off of the floor. "Once Cipher gives the order the rest of ya join us down there we'll soften em up for ya. Rember, we're only hear to take the cargo of magicite, not to kill em, avoid bloodshed if ya can!" I yelled out as the massive doors in the floor slid away revealing the sea below. I looked over my motley crew of various races from ponykind to changelings to even a gorgon. We were an intimidating bunch, that's for sure. I donned my tinted flight goggles "By the moon's light, let's give em a fright!" I yelled as I dived out of the bay doors and flew towards the ship, the other thirty of our fliers followed suit with a loud yell. I pressed a small gem on the leather choker I wore around my neck activating a voice amplification spell as I neared the ship.
"Stand down and prepare to be boarded. If ya fight back we won't hesitate to follow suit!" I yelled as I saw the lights aboard the Lament come on, two spotlights on the bottom of our ship lighting up our emblem, a deep blue crescent moon encircling a teardrop. I could see a good deal of the steamship's crew agreeing with me, but as usual there were a few ponies who opened fire with various ordinance as we neared. The mostly magical weapons were neutralized with a single hit from the antimagic batteries on the front of the lament as we swooped in, myself and a few designated crew members landing just outside the bridge. I kicked open the door after I deactivated the amplification spell. "Evening gentlecolts." I said, grinning. "This ship is ours for the next hour or so. You have something we want."
"And who the bloody hell are you? Do you even know whose ship you're boarding?" The portly captain barked at me. The Unicorn stallion was clearly one of pedigree and not a captain who had earned his rank, probably from a wealthy family.
"Can you believe this one mates?" I said as one of the crew of the ship tried to draw his pistol, only to have four pointed at him by my crew. "He doesn't even know who's ship he's sailing."
That earned some laughter from my crew, and even some of the ship's crew who clearly didn't favor the captain.
"I'll have you know that I am Prince Blueblood of the Royal Family, and that you are boarding my ship." He said walking up to me. "And I will not be talked down to by some ruffian such as yourself." I could see the two members of the ship's crew that recognized my airship from the information wanted posters were looking rather worried.
"Never heard of ya, perhaps you've heard of me?" I said. "The name is Brass Gear, or as any air or seafarer who has earned their keep knows me, Steampunk. I'm the Captain of the Luna's Lament and the only stallion in this room who has earned the position of captain by the sounds of things." I said, earning another chuckle as Blueblood's eyes went wide. "Now are ya gonna fight me for your ship or are ya gonna go hide in a corner like the blubbering idiot you are and save me some time and effort, because we're here for the magicite in your holds and most of your crew has shown their intelligence and surrendered." I said, spotting the rest of the boarding crew as they were lowered down on ropes from the bottom of the Lament.
"Stand down Blueblood." I heard a mare say from a small office behind the golden maned stallion. A purple mare stepped out as she levitated him out from in front of me. "I'll handle this." she said. "By order of her highness Princess Celestia you are under arrest Brass Gear." she said as I spotted her cutie mark, a six pointed star with smaller ones around it.
"Ah, Twilight Sparkle, now you I've heard of." I said with a chuckle. "However I'm afraid I cannot oblige your request, I have a ship to run ya see. I take it your mentor sent you to protect the cargo?"
"Yes and I intend to do my job." She said as she prepared to cast a spell.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, I've left orders to sink this vessel if I don't make it back." I said with a grin. "That and the antimagic cannons aboard my ship can easily negate your magic if they pick it up so let's save eachother some pain shall we?"
"What in Celestia's name would you want with six tonnes of Magicite anyhow?" She said after stopping her spell after a few tense moments.
"Sell it mostly, the rest we use to power our ships electrical systems." I said. "And these six tonnes of Magicite happen to be bought from a former colleague of mine who I really wish to spite. Did you know Lord Rhinestone is a former air pirate?" I said with a chuckle at her expression. "He left my crew and gave our location to Celestia, she almost had us too if it hadn't been for the antimagic cannons."
"I remember her saying something about that." Twilight said as I spotted the first crate being lifted out of the holds.
"Don't worry, we're only taking two of the six tonnes, gotta keep the Lament afloat as much as Equestria needs the other four tonnes to run her industry." I said as the door banged open behind us, two of my crew dragging a third in.
"Now what's all this then?" I asked turning to them.
"Caught him rummaging through the passenger cabins. Seems he thought a few baubles were worth breaking orders." Shining Gem, our resident gorgon, said as her tail curled around the roughed up griffon, holding him in place.
"Well it seems you can return to Canterlot with something aside from a story Miss Sparkle." I said. "Although Celestia will have to undo the petrification." I said as I nodded to Gem, causing the griffon to really start to panic. Gem nodded back and took the griffon outside where there was a flash before he was brought back in, now made of white marble, his face frozen in a look of horror.
"Gah, he could have at least had the decency to pose." I muttered.
"T-that's barbaric..." Blublood exclaimed looking at the petrified griffon.
"No, not really, he's still alive just slightly incapacitated." I said.
"It's not that bad." Twilight said. "I've been on the receiving end of a cockatrice, although I've never seen a gorgon before." She said at my raised eyebrow.
"Nasty buggers, been there myself." I said with a chuckle. "Gem here fixed that for me. As you can probably tell we follow a rather strict policy involved around taking personal belongings within my crew."
"Yes. Actually, may I have a word with you outside?" the purple mare said, nodding to the door.
"I suppose you may." I said nodding to my crew members who let us through. "I hope this isn't another attempt to save the cargo." I said once the door closed behind us.
"In reality, I'm actually here to contact you." She said, drawing and envelope from an inside pocket of the vest she was wearing. "Luna sends her regards, and Celestia sends a job."
"Old Sunny must be in a bit of a spot if she needs me to help with a job." I said with a chuckle. "She picked the right lure though."
"That she did, although don't tell Blueblood that. Actually if you could lock him in the hold and toss the key away I would be grateful, he's and incompetent captain and nothing but a pain in my flank."
"I think I could manage that." I said with a chuckle. "You live in Ponyville right?" I asked.
"Yes, why?"
"My first mate, Cipher, her brother lives there in the orphanage. His name's Pipsqueak."
"Pip's sister is a airship pirate?" She said before starting to laugh.
"Yes, she is." I said. "What's so funny?"
"Every Nightmare Night he dresses up as a Pirate and he was always saying his sister was one, even though she disappeared years ago." She said. "We all thought he was just making it up."
"Really now?" I said chuckling as I looked over the letter. "I may have to arrange a reunion between them." I said. "This job will be taking us over Ponyville from the looks of things."
"Just so long as you guys don't wreck the town that shouldn't be a problem." She said. "Although Pinkie will probably want to throw your crew a huge party."
"We may look like a rough bunch but that's only from constantly being airborne. Not much clean water to clean up with aboard the ship and the purifier uses a lot of energy to run. Most of the airship's systems run on steam in stead of electricity, and we just use the leftover water to drink actually." I said with a chuckle. "Sure there's the occasional shipwide brawl when someone gets drunk but..." I said with a chuckle. "I'd offer you a ride but I doubt Blueblood would spin that correctly."
"That's true... and I'd rather ride with a bunch of airborne pirates than that oaf." Twilight said. "It would be more interesting than being with all these boring nobles." She said, nodding to the frightened crowd on the deck.
"Tell me about it, I was born in Canterlot so I know what you're talking about." I said with a chuckle.
"Actually, my assistant, Spike, can you have him brought here? He's the only dragon aboard and he's in on things, although he may not seem it." She said with a smirk.
"Of course." I said, spotting the teenaged dragon among the crowd below after, harassing my crew. "Sharpclaw, Nightwing, bring that dragon up here!" I yelled down. "I wish to have a word with him."
The two griffons nodded, quickly picking up the young dragon in their talons and flying them up to us. "Thank you, inform the crew that we may have an extra passenger or two, but please do it discretely." I said with a smirk. "Miss Sparkle may be coming along for the ride again."
"Will do cap'n, and evening Mam." Sharpclaw said, tipping his hat to Twilight before flying off.
"I am always astounded by how a bunch of pirates can be so polite." Spike said with a chuckle. "What's up Steam?"
"Oh the usual, flyin' round the world, plundering unsuspecting ships, air or sea, and in general having a jolly good time." I said chuckling. "Yourself?"
"Eh, can't complain, helped Twi take out three more global threats and recently got signed on to the royal guard." Spike said with a chuckle.
"Pretty much the same aside from the guard thing for me, I've been working on some new spells, namely one that clones me, it takes a lot of magic though." She said with a smirk. "To get rid of it all I have to do is touch it after that point, and don't worry, I've made sure the clone won't try to take my place." She said with a chuckle.
"So there would be a way for you to tag along." I said with a smirk.
"I suppose, however spike would have to stay behind." Twilight said.
"I'm on vacation right now, I don't care either way. Besides, someone has to make sure dumbass in there doesn't catch on." Spike said pointing to the bridge door.
"Well then, clone yerself then teleport down to the hold, we'll hide ya in a crate and hoist ya up unless you wish to try teleportin' up to the Lament." I said. "I'll admit, I will miss having the whole royal guard chasing after us, that's always a fun experience." I laughed at Twilight's reaction. "Really now Miss Sparkle, you think my idea of fun is anywhere near normal?"
"Fair enough." She said as she cast the spell, an exact copy of herself appearing with a pop to her right without any kind of bright flash.
"Working on your stealth casting I see." I said with a chuckle. "Off to the hold with ya. Sharpclaw! Escort this lad below decks and make sure he won't trouble us while we work!" I called down. "He's gonna probably tie ya up in that fancy restaurant down there, however think of it as a grand prank on the nobles." I said with a chuckle as Twilight disappeared with a pop.
"I like your style, perhaps I can tag along one day?" He said as Sharpclaw landed.
"One day kid, one day. Tie him to a chair in that fancy restaurant, we're prankin' the nobles." I said.
"Aye Cap'n." He said, picking up spike and taking off, the dragon pretending to put up a fight.
"Now as for you Miss Clone." I said with a smirk.
"Don't worry, I'll keep up the ruse." She said before nodding to the door to the bridge. "Shall we?"
"Let's. Official story is that I was monologuing and generally being a giant ham." I said, hoofing the door open. "Git in there. We're done here boys, you two without wings off to the ropes with ya and let the crew know we're casting off. Fliers depart once the Lament is clear."
"Aye Cap'n." Gem and the unicorn she entered with said before giving a sharp salute and heading off. "As for you Blueblood..."
"Prince..." I heard him mutter.
"I'll call ya a prince when you've earned that title, birthright holds no grounds to those who work for a living." I said. "As for you, I think you need a little lesson in humility, boys, to the holds with him." I said chuckling darkly as the white unicorn was dragged off. "Lock him in the dirtiest crate or cage you can find, and keep the key."
"What! You can't do this to me I'm the neph-" his words were cut off by the slamming of the door.
"I think I just did you all a favor with that one." I said as the crew visibly relaxed.
"I think we'll take a day to find him, he's been drinking enough to keep him hydrated." The first mate said, enticing a laugh from the bridge crew.
"Really? He's that bad?"
"Yeah..." She said, remembering who she was speaking to.
"In any case, I'll be off. Best luck on the way back to port. There's a large storm about twenty miles northeast, we spotted it flying in and it looked like it may cross your bow, keep an eye out for it." I said, tipping my hat before stepping outside as the last of the non flying crew was reeled into the Lament, and the two crew who had locked up Blueblood flew out of the holds. "Alright crew! Return to the Lament, we're done here!" I yelled as I took off myself, smiling as my crew lifted off and few up to the lament, the cargo doors slamming behind us. "Good haul out there." I said as I landed.
"I must admit Steam, you have this operation down to a science." Twilight said, trotting over to me.
"What can I say, I've done this before." I said with a smirk. "Anyhow, Gem, you mind taking Miss Sparkle to the guest cabin, she will be along with us until Ponyville. We have another job from Old Sunny." I said, the crew giving a cheer before heading off to their business.
