Chapter 12: More Than Capable

"Commodore Hooves to the Command Room. Commodore Hooves to the Command Room," the intercom said breaking the silence of the Mess Hall.

The Commodore walked out of the the deserted room and entered the metal-grated hallway. It was not completely vacant, in fact the hall had several members of the security team hurrying down it. Commodore Hooves tried to see what the rush was but by the time she opened her mouth the guards had already passed her by.

Commodore Hooves rounded a corner and saw a group of the maintenance crew trotting in the same direction as the security team. This time the Commodore managed to flag down a certain one-eyed mechanic.

"What do you want now?" Jenkins said.

"I want to know why there is such an unscheduled rush of personal on my vessel. Can you tell me what has gotten everypony so spooked?" the Commodore inquired.

"I believe you are wanted in the Command Room, Ma'ma. I think the Captain could explain what is going on better than a filthy gear-head could," Jenkins replied.

"Look, I am sorry some harsh words were exchanged in the Mess Hall. Those remarks were out of line and I made them in anger about not getting the results I came for. Its been a long day or days because at this point I am not even sure how long I have been at it. I would appreciate if you could explain what is going on in terms your daft Commodore could understand," Commodore Hooves explained.

"I forgive your comments, Ma'am. We all say things we probably shouldn't have. I don't know much about the current situation except that one of the reactor coolant pipes is malfunctioning," Jenkins said.

"Commodore Hooves to the Command Room Immediately. Captain Robertson urgently requests the presence of Commodore Hooves in the Command Room immediately," the intercom blared.

The Commodore started towards the Command Room while slowly picking up pace. The Command Room door opened and to everyone's surprise the Commodore walked in. The Commodore was confused about the shocked reactions from the crew members but it soon became clear enough to her. On the balcony overlooking the control room Captain Robertson was talking to another Commodore Hooves.

The Commodore was beside herself for a moment and who could blame her? It is not everyday you get to see yourself in third-person. The Commodore began to sweat nervously and started to twitch a little. Her face scrunched up and could only be described as a face of pure constipation. It wasn't the Commodore's bowels that were troubling her but instead it was her mind. Commodore Hooves once listened to a radio program about a species of aliens coming down to earth and taking over the bodies of ponies. What if she was really inside a spacecraft? What if she is already dead and is now a ghost? What if she was never even the real Commodore Hooves to begin with?

Frightened, the Commodore reached for her sidearm but it was still in her coat. The coat that the other Commodore Hooves was wearing! The members of the crew still were in a shocked silence but a few of the engineers towards the back of the room started to reach for blunt objects.

"Captain! Captain! We have an imposter in the control room! I don't know what to make of it, Sir!" a frightened crew member shouted up to the Captain.

"That is good. It is as I expected boys! We have ourselves a changeling," The Captain Hollered while looking mighty pleased with himself.

"Don't worry Robertson, I'll make short work of this," The Commodore Hooves with the coat said as she pulled out the sidearm.

The Captain said nothing but pulled the gun out of the Commodore with the coat's hands and pushed her off the balcony railing. The recently repaired monitor which bore the blunt of the Commodore's earlier fall was once again flattened against the body of a Commodore.

"Members of the crew do not interfere or the you will be brought before Celestia herself for treason. Commodores! I want a fair fight to resolve the confusion on my ship about who the Commodore is. So if the real Commodore Hooves could please beat the other one senseless then I would be most obliged," The Captain proclaimed in his best wrestling announcer voice.

The Commodore in the coat wasted no time in getting on her feet and reached for a shard of glass that was sticking out of the monitor. Commodore Hooves realized her earlier superstitions were rubbish since she very well knew that a fall from the balcony is not something one can walk away from. The fake Commodore (Commodore Hooves decided it was not time for philosophical debates on the subjectivity of what is real and fake) was intent on ending the scuffle swiftly and flew overhead to stab the real Commodore. Thanks to some quick thinking and careful execution, the real Commodore threw herself into a steel support pole accidentally. The fake Commodore couldn't quite strike the real Commodore now that a pole was in the way. Commodore Hooves crawled underneath a navigational desk and reached onto the tabletop for an object to defend herself. She grasped onto something and pulled it down with her. The real Commodore's efforts yielded her a humble ruler.

The fake Commodore dragged the real Commodore out from underneath the table. Commodore Hooves quickly swatted the ruler into the fake Commodore's face. Unfortunately, the Equestrian Navy is rather cheap when it comes to twelve inch rulers. The ruler snapped into two with the same force of a filly gingerly bopping you in the snout. The fake Commodore pinned Commodore Hooves down and started to whale on her before the fake Commodore was gripped around the neck and tossed aside.

"Crewman Jenkins! I saw that and so help me I will grind your head against the lavatory floor until I can see me reflection! Stand aside lad, it is important that I find out who the real Commodore Hooves is," the Captain ordered.

"But sir! I swear that she is the real Commodore Hooves. I saw her earlier today with me own ey's," Jenkins shouted.

"Then why did you throw her aside then?" Captain Robertson asked.

"Captain, I hope you don't whip my hide for this but you're is thick as a cold morning fog. The Commodore cowering under the table is the real one. My lads can attest to seeing her without her coat this morning in the Mess. Also isn't her pitiful defense proof enough of her inexperience in the service?" Jenkins answered.

"If I may interject, I am not cowering I am in a tactical retreat! I was doing fine before Jenkins joined in. A gesture which I am grateful for but not in need of," Commodore Hooves said as she popped her head out from under the table she crawled back under.

"That sounds like the Commodore alright. Crewmen, restrain the second Commodore!" The Captain ordered.

The sailors tied the fake Commodore to the steel pole and helped Commodore Hooves to her hooves. The Captain walked down to the lower level and looked the imposter straight in the eyes.

"Next few minutes of your life can be very painful or somewhat pleasant by comparison. All you need to do answer some simple questions. Can you show me your true form?" The Captain said to the fake Commodore.

The fake Commodore quickly flashed into a changeling drone. It snarled dismissively at the captain and looked down to the side.

"Good, now where are you from?" The Captain inquired.

"Awshü-itvu shiqest liva peia," the drone answered.

"What kind of country is Awshü-itvu shiqest liva peia? Do they speak the Princess's English over there?" The Captain frustratedly asked.

"I am sorry Captain. It was my impression that you new the phrase 'I hail the UFFE' in Chrysalish. Your ignorance on my kind has been noted and I will speak in your inferior tongues," the drone scorned.

"I see. You are going to have to tune down that superiority complex before I start to paint the floors green or whatever color you bleed in. I find it funny that a self-respecting gentlecolt like yourself would be kicking around the UFFE. Don't you know that the UFFE is a whole continent away from your Queen?" the Captain stated.

"Despite whatever form I may take all changelings are essentially asexual. Please address me as an it or better yet, Buzrial since that is my given name. If you are wondering why I am away from my queen then you have never seen the cruelties the UFFE impose on my people. Whatever flag flies above you pony folk matters not. In essence you are all the same, expansionist pigs that are forcing your government on the last free tribes in Equestria!" Buzrial said.

"Your Queen offers you nothing but slavery and blinds you from reality. All I hear out of your mouth is words but not answers. Why are you on my submarine?" Captain Robertson asked.

"It is not my choice. The destruction of your vessel is the bounty for my freedom. I implore you to let me finish the job or end my suffering. The thought of being banished from my hive any longer is more painful than any torture you could muster, Captain," Buzrial cried.

"Then I guess that will be your punishment. Get real comfortable on that pole, Buzrial. You won't be leaving it until we get to port," Captain Robertson snickered.

"There is an alternative plan in place, Captain. My capture does not guarantee your safe passage!" Buzrial shouted.

"I think you will find that we are more than Capable, Buzrial," The Captain said.