"Enemies sighted on starboard beam!"
"Fire the Artemis! Full blast, sta'board!"
BOOM!
Red and orange flowers blossomed along the Waster's hull, the sound of loose wood and steel accompanying the explosion rocking the airship as it passed by, its leather balloon burning with vigor as the Griffons aboard the vessel struggled to extinguish the impressive work of gunpowder.
"Direct hit, Cap'n! Direct hit, they're goin' down!"
"Ha ha, take a look at 'em!"
The Waster, its massive hull aflame, suddenly lurched forward like a sick canine, a monstrous creaking signaling its accelerating descent into the abyss, the horrendous screams of its rapidly burning crew dying out with them as the airship disappeared into the fog below, the crew still flying above them waiting anxiously for the confirming sound all had grown accustomed to, their ears erect and their bodies consistently alert in case of further relent.
A low explosion sounded out from below them, barely audible against the wind racing against their airship, the low breeze barely fazing the ship and its powerful engines as it hovered in midair, the crew aboard celebrating another successful kill, slapping each other on the back and shouting words of approval to the Captain currently wiping her brow, a single hoof remaining on the steering wheel.
"That's another win fer the Pyramidion, Captain! Pinkie, scratch another tally on th' Post!"
"Aye aye!"
Laughing, the goggled pink mare hopped off of the Artemis cannon, her hooves clopping loudly on the steel floor of the airship as she trotted happily to the large wooden column standing idly in the middle of the vessel and giving a smile of glee. Sticking her tongue out, she stood on her hind legs and coiled a hoof around the old, vintage knife stabbed lightly into the timber, examining the collection of marks already marred along the scaffolding's length.
Quickly adding another jagged line, the mare replaced the knife into its hole, raised a hoof to her mouth, and turned her head toward the helm, shouting, "That's twenty-eight for the Pyramidion, Captain!"
"That's a wrap, crew!" the mare called, lighting her horn and adjusting the polished goggles atop her head, "Pinkie! Check around, make sure there aren't any flankers!"
"Aye aye, Captain!" Pinkie replied, reaching into her armored tunic and pulling out her spyglass, trotting quickly up to the bow. Refracting the monocular, she brought the eyepiece up to her sapphire eyes, proceeding to scan the surrounding area for remaining opposition.
"Applejack!"
Appearing from behind the main engine, the orange mare, wrench in mouth and oil-stained goggles obscuring her vision, stood at attention, "Yeb bayub?"
"How's the engine going?"
Spitting the wrench out onto the floor, the engineer raised her goggles onto her forehead, "It's workin', that's fer sure. Couplin's spittin' like a pig stock in there, though."
"Can it be fixed?"
Giving an estranged look toward the motor, she looked back toward the Captain with a simple, "O' course," adding with a smile, "you've got me workin' on it after all."
Giving a short laugh of confirmation, the pilot raised a hoof to speak, but was cut off by a bright, energetic voice from the left hull, unaffected by the wind blowing across the airship's occupants, "Airship, Captain! Forty miles, port side, port side!"
"Get working on that engine, AJ, we might need to get out of here fast!" the orange mare gave a quick nod before bending her head to the ground, retrieving the wrench from the floor, before throwing both hooves against the motor and slamming the wrench against its surface.
"Pinkie, friend or foe?"
Standing alone, clinging to the ropes attached to the armored balloon above, the pink mare, spyglass raised, called, "Doesn't look like one of ours, Captain!"
