Blackwing's Legacy

Since the early days of the Twilight Cartel’s rise to power, there has been an upsurge in the rate of technological advances, leading onto many utilities and new inventions around Equestria. One of the biggest was the airship, which was initially a simple base, with a balloon attached for lift, with pegasi pushing it. Needless to say this didn’t last long, and the pegasi got too tired; too fast. Shortly afterward the general state of tech began to get more intricate and also started to involved magic to an extent. It is said that the Twilight princess (as she came to be known) was responsible for the modern day airships. My own airship is a bit more complex than a simple stock or factory built airship though.

My ship consists of four decks, not including the command and main decks. In descending order: the crew deck;crew bedrooms, mess hall and prep rooms - along with launch stations for boarding ops. Below this is the main gunnery deck, although there are guns mounted to the top deck too - its just that there is more in this deck. The guns on board are mostly used for damaging crew on other ships, as more often than not we capture our prey, and resell the vessels. Although some batteries on board are intended solely for pure damage to the ship; and they can be very dangerous to fire if you aren’t versed in their use, as I learnt when I first tried. The Spirit’s engine room is next; it’s a place full of just as much charred and blackened machinery as the gun deck, and even more smoke. Lastly we have my favourite, and where I sometimes go to blow off steam - the observation deck. This deck is nice and easy, on the very bottom of the ship, a medium sized deck with a large reinforced glass floor (blast shutters included) which provides a great view of the land below, funnily enough though - we also make use of it as a cargo bay; as the ship did not have one when I acquired it. Transport between floors is achieved via turbolifts, which are located at intervals throughout the decks.

At current, I was just stepping out of my private turbolift - shaking my wings to better position my pistols on my flanks, as I made my way toward my team’s door, which slid open at my approach. I trotted in to the sight of my team; one pegasus, a unicorn - the only one on board actually - and an earth pony. This team wasn’t any old random pick, it was actually my personal cadre of friends and companions; whom have been with me over a bundle of months; years in one case, and ponies I consider to be family. In fact, the pegasus had been with me the longest. He went by the name Tararus Haralson, and he was a burly grey pegasus with a red mane, with black highlights. He was unusually tall for a pegasus, and possessed a truly fearful amount of strength. He was in essence, my oldest friend, and had been with me since the start of this endeavor. As soon as I had decided to up and leave Canterlot for the pirating business - if it could be called that - he made it clear he was going to follow along. His loyalty came from when we were young, and he had not been the best flier - we had been practicing around Canterlot’s rim, and he had fallen as a result of overextending. I myself was not the best flier, but I had no choice, and dived after him. If it had not been for the help of a certain rainbow maned pegasus, who helped me catch him, he wouldn’t be at my side now. He still believes I saved his life single-hoofedly, as he had been out cold when we got him back to Canterlot, and despite what I’ve said he keeps his views the same.

Beside Tartarus sat Flinnt, the only unicorn on board, and my main gunman - due to his expertise with lifting powers. He was an exceptional loader for the batteries, and he could manipulate the gun controls on the gun command deck like nopony else. He also had the best aim using his telekinetic prowess with his pistols. Flinnt was also a relatively old member of my core team, and I had met him at Peragus, gaining his trust over several incidents and events. Regardless of his past as a Cartel soldier, I still respected him and trusted his choices. He came second in rank to Tartarus - who was my first mate. Lastly, the earth pony we knew as Sammy; she was our newest addition - very recent in fact, only a few months serving - and also our most volatile. She has a sketchy past, even to me; and she doesn’t open up much. We found her aboard one of Cartel ships we usually plunder on this route, and she offered up her services: which entails aerial combat and a fleet foot. Sammy wears a technological marvel on her back, that allows her the ability of flight, much like the rest of us - including Flinnt, who can levitate himself, and several objects at once. Sammy’s pack has a sort of hover capability, which she herself has modified for speed, utilising her knowledge of magi-technology for a great result. Sam is more or less a walking robot dressed as a pony, and its evident from the way she adds extra mods and weapons to the pack every so often, such as the rocket pod, which sadly doesn’t hold much, and is dangerously unreliable - as well as a form of ‘momentum-reduction field’ that is intended to activate in the event of an emergency or if she is in danger of falling. My friends sat in the middle of the room, looking at their gear and checking its condition prior to the boarding op. I made my way over, lifting my helmet visor and grinning at the team as I approached. The team stood to attention, Sammy having a bit of difficulty standing in her heavy pack as she did so.

“Afternoon all!”, I grinned again, “We ready to get this show on the road then? ‘Cause if we are, we’re launching in ten!”

A cough from Tartarus, looming above the rest of us, “Yes cap’n! We’re all set, and raring to go.”

I took a quick glance out the porthole, starboard side, at the enemy ship, which was getting very close to the Spirit. “Alright then, we may have to board quicker than I thought, it seems in all the time it took my slow flank to get here, the ship’s almost in boarding range!” I chuckled as I walked across to the boarding hatch, opening it. “Sammy, if you would?” I motioned to the boarding pod, and she nodded. “Yes sir, won’t be a minute!” She stepped in, looking over the various gauges and dials, flicking systems on and off, making the process look much more complex than preparing a boarding pod really is. But that’s what Sammy was good at, so I guess that’s a given.

Two minutes later she pops her enamored head out; “All’s fine with her, cap, we’re ready to go whenever you please.” she said - eagerness painted on her features. “Good work, Sam! You alright there Flinnt? You seem awfully quiet today.” Flinnt, who was staring out the window at the ship, turns his head, “Sorry captain, it’s just...something feels off, you know? I know you probably think this is odd, but I think you might want to send out a few more squads too. To be on the safe side.” I glance again at the ship outside, “Well, I suppose so. It can’t really hurt to. Alright, Sammy, send a message to the command deck to organise a few more squads - maybe the guys who need some experience, yeah? It’d be good for them.” Sammy retreats into the pod, sending the orders up to the other officers using the local intercom.

I perform one more check on my guns and pack before I feel that all too familiar crash of metal on metal as the ships collide - the slam reverberates across the ship - making me stumble slightly. Ten seconds later the close quarters boarding pods on other parts of the ship launch, the panel on the wall across from me showing pods 4 through 7 having launched, three ponies in each. I look at my team. They look at me. We smile. “Let’s go, we got this!” I yell, flying across the ship floor into the pod, the other two hot on my heels.

“Sammy, launch in 5,4,3,” the engines start - the dock prepares to drop the pod into the void, “2, 1. GO!” with an almighty hiss and vibration the pod breaks free of the dock, thrusting forward at the whim of Sammy, who sat behind the controls. “All good, sir! Thrusters fine, 23 meters to enemy ship, 1 minute to contact.” She lets out a little chuckle, clearly enjoying control over the machinery at her hooves. I watch the countdown on the dash, 30 seconds remaining. The pod’s grapple hooks: large metal claws with heated tips for latching onto metal extend, the pod slowing slightly. In front of us the enemy ship hangs in the sky, dominating the view just like Haralson in the small, cramped pod. 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Impact. Sammy activates the pod shield to absorb most of the backlash, as the grapples clamp down on the hull, and the hull-cutter emerges from the nose of the craft to do its work. The laser tool begins to slice away the outer hull, just as the other three pods are doing now. The front of the pod - the glass viewport - now recedes, being replaced by a small hatch, just outside of which is a gangplank, for access to the ship after the cutter finishes. A light flashes to show that it has finished, and I nod to the team. “Open her up Flinnt.” He moves, unhitching the latch on the doorway with his telekinesis, before stepping out before us and hopping down into the enemy ship.

Tartarus and I move out onto the tiny bridge too, hovering over it and providing cover from any aggressors that may be above whilst Sammy makes her own way across. We follow, alert and ready. We emerge into what could be described as the cargo bay, as we were surrounded in no small part by crates and metal chests. I glanced quickly around to make sure we were alone before issuing my orders. “Right, looks like the cargo bay, Flinnt, go and secure the deck, make sure no one else is around, take Sammy with you and see if you can’t find a panel or something she can interface with. Haralson, you’re with me, and we’ll be moving up to try and locate the crew decks.” I move to leave, before being stopped abruptly by Flinnt, “Captain, before you go. Before you arrived, I had a quick look around; mind you, it was very quick, but still. I think it’d be worth mentioning I found something that might be of interest. A cargo.” he said, sounding slightly flustered. “Well, alright, but quickly.”

Flinnt led us across the room, the crates and boxes going on for what seemed like miles in every direction. We arrived at a large purple, metallic chest. It had the Twilight Cartel insignia on it. Instantly I moved to it, inspecting it. “This is a high value property of the Cartel, sir. Back when I was a soldier we had these listed as high priority targets to be protected. Usually chests such as this - called Twilight Lock Boxes - contain dangerous or valuable items within. They also usually had heavy escorts...” He looked around suddenly, a scraping noise making us all jump. A lift had just opened, and within it stood a group of six Cartel guards - unicorns in heavy gold and purple armor, magi-weapons floating at their sides. “Oh Celestia damn it all. This is all I need.” I said, gritting my teeth. They yelled out, rushing out of the lift, and taking up positions either side. Flinnt, always the soldier, had already popped off a dozen shots at the nearest, clipping him and getting a hit on the magi-weapon he wielded. The rest of us moved to find cover. “Hey Flinnt! Got any of those experimental weapons you were testing?” I shouted to him, not caring if the Cartel ponies heard. “Sure do, cap!” was his reply, before I heard a small explosion in the direction of the guards, followed by a hoarse cry from two. “Haha! That’ll give ‘em something to think about!” Flinnt laughed, pulling more of the black ball-like objects from his armor, and throwing them.

Tartarus and I broke from cover, followed by Sammy on her hover-pack, and we engaged them from above whilst Flinnt took shots at them from cover, killing two more outright. Sammy had some sort of afterburn on her pack, and she decided to use it to brutal, but great effect in setting the enemy guards that remained alight. The air stank of burning fur and melted gold. The smoke was becoming quite stagnant, and heavy. When the last of the guards fell we landed, moving back toward the Lock Box. “Well, that went well.” I sighed. I knew there was going to be more guards, as per Flinnt’s warning, and he usually wasn’t wrong. He made to say again, but I stopped him, nodding to him that I knew. “Sammy, got anything that can lift this Box out of here?” I asked the earth pony. “Um. No, sorry captain, for once I don’t have anything for the job.” She mumbled, disappointed in her lack of helpfulness in the matter. “That’s fine. Tartarus, you may have to carry it then.” Haralson moved across to it, and we helped him lift it up, placing it on his back, before clamping it down to his armor. He was strong, so I doubted he would have much issue carrying it. The only issue here was now we only had two fliers. On a ship full of Cartel and sailor pegasi. I thanked him again, and we made our way to the tubolifts, our new destination the command room, where we could get more control of the situation.