Chapters "There shall be order!" Luna banged her gavel on the table. Those present settled down. "Now, Rear Admiral, is it true that you attacked Port Crescent unprovoked?"
"Griffin recon was out playing chicken with our flyers."
The stuffy room began to fill again with loud yells, and the Princess had to bang her gavel again. "And where is the evidence to that?"
The doors slammed open and a green unicorn trotted in with a stack of paper in her magical grasp. "This, Princess. " Dawn seethed. Clearly, she had a bone to pick with the alicorn.
"And what, may I ask, is that, Major?"
"The AUtomated RecOnnaissance and j-staRs Advisory, or A.U.R.O.R.A. systems report from 8:30 A.M to 7:45 P.M. Canterlot Standard Time, Sagittarius the Fifteenth, 2189 A.C."
"We-"
"A.U.R.O.R.A. systems report: 8:37:34 A.M Canterlot Standard Time, Sagittarius the Fifteenth, 2189 A.C. Two griffin flyers inbound for interception of the Subjugator class Ignus II at coordinates 3421'4321'5234' and carrying P.R. equipment. 9:13:45 A.M Canterlot Standard Time, Sagittarius the Fifteenth, 2189 A.C. Two griffin flyers intercept the Subjugator class Ignus II at coordinates 3421'4321'5234' and carrying P.R. equipment. Begins to taunt us with their middle and pinkie talons." Dawn cleared her throat. "9:28:21 A.M Canterlot Standard Time, Sagittarius the Fifteenth, 2189 A.C. Two griffin flyers intercepted the Subjugator class Ignus II at coordinates 3421'4321'5234' and carrying P.R. equipment. Continues to taunt us with their middle and pinkie talons. Flyers launched to told them to, I quote, 'buck off.' 9:42:41 A.M Canterlot Standard Time, Sagittarius the Fifteenth, 2189 A.C. Two griffin flyers intercepted the Subjugator class Ignus II at coordinates 3421'4321'5234' and carrying P.R. equipment. Took pictures while still taunting us with middle and pinkie talons. Finally leave after showing us their rear ends and saying that Elita's mother was a hamster and her father smelt of elderberries."
"And what if that is a-"
"Perhaps, then, Princess , you would like to hear the J-STARS report?" Another massive stack of paper found itself before Luna. "Perhaps the DRADIS contact or the CBDR?" The unicorn gave Luna a predatory smile as she slammed yet another stack of paper onto the ground.
Fie... The blue alicorn thought. "Very well then. I shall present this as legitimate information that, Sir Knight Brimestone is a free pony..." I don't like that Dawn...I shall investigate into her later...
Elita rolled upside down, diving at Pier 86 in Manehattan. The original Ignus had been converted to a museum ship, and so had the Wraith, both still held up by their original helium. After giving Wraith a nod, she landed on the deck of the Ignus.
"Hey, Seafire."
"You're late, Ellie."
They held the tense standoff for a moment, then broke into laughter.
"I haven't seen you for so long!"
"You've grown so much!"
"You sound like my mother!"
They finally broke apart, and Elita led Seafire below decks.
The bat pony sighed as she registered the row of paintings, each with their own spotlight.
"Sir Hanscock, entertainer extraordinaire and pegasus ace..." She traced a hoof over a red stallion, his forehooves folded and two machine guns strapped to him, one over his head, the other over his right shoulder.
"Major Apollo, Constellation flight suit tester..." Apollo was wearing a white prototype flight suit, the same used Elita and her friends on the Ignus in the Second Griffin War.
"Squadron Leader Duxford...triple ace and griffin weapons flight tester..." She stopped at a painting at the other end. "And...me." Elita sighed.
"You told me about the story of VooDoo, Elita." Seafire reminded. The pegasus unfolded a wing. It was a beautiful thing, each feather overlapping to create a unique elliptical shape. It allowed her to fly at incredibly low speeds, because the wingtips stalled first, which gave her time to correct her flight. "El. You're one of my best friends, okay? I don't want to remember you as the pony that wallowed in her self pity to the end of her life."
"I could strike a bargain."
"With who?"
"Hades."
Seafire groaned loudly. It took a moment for the echos to stop, before she plucked a feather and gave it to the bat pony. "Chin up. Tomorrow's a new day, and maybe you can even get a god to actually help you."
The two smiled a farewell at each other, and Seafire turned and trotted away, leaving Elita to her thoughts.
"Ellie, checking in."
"Thundercheif, checking in."
"Boxer, checking in."
"FiFi, checking in."
"Very well, patrol set for the north..."
"..."
"Ellie, griffin ambush!"
"Evasive maneuvers! Remember what I taught you!"
"I'm hit!"
"Boxer, try to make a soft landing and-"
"Aaaaaah!"
"Fifi, escort Boxer to the ground!"
"On it, Ellie!"
"Thundercheif, on-"
"My wing's cut off! I'm losing altitude quick!"
"THUNDERCHEIF!"
The bat pony recovered from the memory. I asked for all four of you to be on this wall. She thought. Nope, they said no. I had to force you to share space with selfish kill-hungry me. She traced each of her wingmares, one bat pony and two pegasi. The had just split formation, eight griffins firing away. Green swashes of paint represented the griffin bullets, and the blue dots the Equestrian military mana fire.
"I promise, if war comes to our land again, I shall avenge you tenfold." She sneaked Seafire's feather behind the painting. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
The day started out quite normal, really. As Elita went through her standard morning routine, with Seafire crashing into her room (again). The two had a standard breakfast, before Rolling Thunder and Halberd came aboard for a tour.
Stormchaser, Dawn, and Tornado had met up in the Blue Moon Cafe to...well...gossip, like all mares.
"Oh, so you managed to save good ol' Brimestone?" Stormchaser asked.
"Only because I don't like Princess Luna...."
"Oh? You know the fandom is going to kick your ass until you explain your logic, right?" Tornado took a sip of her jasmine tea. "Even then, a lot of them will still hate you."
Dawn ducked her head. "I'm sorry, but...our relationship...it's just broken."
"She's only been back for two decades, how did she manage to cross you?"
"Oh, it's a long story ..."
Elita's mother gave a warm smile. "You don't have to worry, you can tell us."
"No...it-"
"She doesn't mean to pry." Tornado chugged her tea. "Ack. Not strong enough. THREE SHOTS OF VODKA!"
As the three mares in the cafe continued to talk, Elita was still showing the two stallions the latest tech in the fleet.
"Well, we do tend to rely more on the flyers now. I just feel sorry for the zebras. Their skyships don't even have anti-flyer guns on them."
Halberd laughed at that. "Wow! That-"
"-Is just freaking stupid!" Rolling Thunder finished as he slapped his old friend's back. That was stopped when the lookout burst into the room.
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"Griffins on the horizon!"
"FULL REVERSE, GET US OUT OF HERE!"
"AURORA contacts!"
"Action stations!"
Thunder and Halberd looked at Elita with looks of anticipation.
"At the wheel, dad! Thunder, man the J-STARS!"
"Yes ma'am!" They shouted in unison as Elita turned away, trying not to think that she just gave an order to her father.
They closed in. Bombs fell just where the Ignus was a moment ago. G-Rockets streaked in, the smaller Admiral class destroyers ripped apart instantly. The massive Queen Adora V class Super Dreadnoughts took more before they, too, fell to the preying birds of war. The Subjugator class actually had more Anti Flyer Point Defense guns than the specifications asked for, and the Ignus found itself in a stalemate with the marauding griffins.
More ships were blown up. Solstice Crown and Seafire ran up the pagoda mast to Elita's station.
"What's going on?" Seafire practically screamed in Elita's face.
"It's a surprise attack, courtesy of the damn griffins! I need you to follow Tyranis and keep some of the griffins away, all clear?"
"Got it!" Seafire's elliptical wing wasn't the only thing that was special about her. Her wing's thickest point was the middle, allowing her to go faster. Separate feathers, while they were good for slow speed maneuvering, tended to rip off at high speeds. If Rainbow Dash had Seafire's wings, she could probably make a double rainboom.
The alicorn and pegasus took off, quickly catching the attention of several griffins.
"Break left, I'll take right, Solstice!"
"You got it!"
They crossed paths, the griffins following. "Okay, I need you to fly over the north sector, I'll check the south. Try to stay alive, I need you to play chicken later!" Seafire ordered.
"It's you who needs to worry!" The alicorn stallion called as he did as he was told.
Seafire rolled inverted and pulled up, then pulled out (upside down) over Victory Lane. Merchants dove for cover as griffin tracer fire shot up fine silks and food. "Hey!" A voice came over the communicator crystal. "Looks like you're in a pickle?"
"Celestia dammit you, Moskit! I don't have time for this!"
"Oh come on, we're just trying to help you!" Another voice came over the crystal.
"If you want to help, Razor, get some guns in the Canterlot Tower!"
"That's a lot of stairs..." Moskit muttered.
"Don't worry, I won't be there for a while!" Seafire answered as she pulled back up. The griffins close behind, she turned back. "Solstice!"
"Yes?" He asked.
"Break when I tell you."
"Got it." He gritted his teeth. "Now?"
"Not yet..."
"Now?"
"Wait....wait..."
"Please?"
"Aaaand...NOW!" They turned into each other, barely missing. The griffins weren't so lucky. Several were downed by their gunfire and being rammed, but one still stuck true to Seafire's tail. "Razor, you better be ready in that tower!"
"We do, get over here now!"
"I am, I am!" The pegasus turned to the watchtower, still dodging the tracer fire. "Hnnnngggg..."
"Hold your fire..." Moskit ordered. "Hold your fire..."
Seafire swung around.
"FIRE!" The griffin was torn apart by the group of changeling fire from the tower and slammed into a ship hangar with a Fletcher Shock class escort destroyer. The magazines ignited, creating a massive fireball over the city.
"Let's head over battleship row!"
"Or what's left of it..." Seafire was right. Queen Adora V, Prince of Whales, and the Subjugator class cruiser Cloak had left along with several Admiral class destroyers, leaving Triton, Utahana and Arakia to their demise. The Big U had completely rolled over, and the latter had blown up in the center, killing the crew instantly.
The ponies who were still alive cheered as they saw the two ponies shooting back at the griffins.
"Yeah! Get those bastards!"
"How you like somepony shooting back at you?"
"SHIT!" Elita yelled as she saw the griffin Ibis class battlestations Atlantia and Pacifica poke over the mountain. "All ahead, flank speed, full starboard!"
"Anton and Bruno turrets aim for the Pacifica! Ceaser, Dora, go for Atlantia!"
The turrets aimed at their guns at their targets...and fired.
"We can't stand toe to toe with two battlestations, Elita!" Dawn yelled. As the Ignus II flew over the city proper earlier, the crew dropped a line for the three mares to climb up.
"Solstice, Seafire, do you copy?"
"Yes, loud and clear!"
"Return to ship, NOW!"
"Got it!"
"Incoming warheads!" The two griffin ships had fired their missile compliment.
"Come on...come on..."
The rockets closed in.
"Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"They're on, they're on!"
"Teleport us out, anywhere!"
The white energy enclosed the Ignus, and in a loud electrical fizzle, it shrunk. The rockets barreled through where the ship was only a second ago, late in doing their deed.
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"Move!" Twilight pushed through the Skyship Celestia's flight deck. Fluffle Puff, Dan, and Chrysalis where following close behind.
"Hey, Twilight!" A southern drawl called out.
"Oh, Applejack, I'm so glad you're okay! What happened to the other girls?"
"For all I know, Rainbows still trying to buck those griffins. Everypony else is on the Detrot Cruiser."
"So, Rainbow's gone, but everypony else is okay?"
"Eeyup." Big Mac came around the corner. "Rounded up half of Equestria onto these ships."
The princess looked out at the anchored craft. "Captain!"
"Yes?" A yellow earth pony with a brown mane walked over. "Can I help you?"
"Have you contacted to every surviving Equestrian ship?"
"These here are the civilian ships, the Ignus and the Wraith are being towed to the city outskirts. They should be he-and here they are."
Two grey balloons, one with a phoenix, the other with Ceberus. Their gleaming golden hulls outshone the other ships in the fleet, and the Skyship Celestia, once the greatest warship in the spiral, found itself humbled by the mana tubes proudly displayed on the Ignus' flanks.
The Wraith was pulled alongside the Celestia, and a white pegasus came down the gangplank.
"Light Shine..." He whispered. "The legend?"
"That would be me, yes." Said pony answered.
Sunbeam nodded. "Princess, I am formally ask you to re-commission the brig-sloop-of-war Wraith and frigate Ignus."
"Granted."
"Thank you, ma'am."
"Lieutenant commander?" Light asked. "The Skyship Celestia is in much better condi-"
"There's no time to transfer the guns, Shine. Besides, where would it go? Celestia is classified as a zeppelin; a ship in the sky with no magical assistance. It takes much more helium to keep it up. There's no way it can hold up these guns."
The earth pony sighed. "True...Well, we do have a pair of twenty millimeter Buckors anti-flyer guns, so I guess that's enough..."
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The Ignus' bridge was a bustle of activity, Sunbeam at the center, shouting orders. Razor and Moskit were helping him with the workload of re-converting the craft back into a warship.
"Sir, engine room reporting a go." The latter changeling reported.
"Very well, start up the engines, Mister Moskit. Let's give her a small nudge, see if she's still the ship we love." Sunbeam smiled.
"All ahead, half speed!" He grabbed the throttle marker, pulled it back, then pushed it to the appropriate mark.
The two paddle propellers, a last minute add-on before the Second Griffin War ended, began to spin for the first time in over two decades. The warship began to push forward slightly.
"If only Elita was here to see this..." Sunbeam mused.
"Yes..." Razor sighed. "She was a good mare, wasn't she."
"If only I was brave enough to ask her to a date..." The Lt. Commander sighed.
Grey smoke began to pour out of the cowling nacelles, trailing out behind her like a ribbon.
"Wraith reports ready!"
"Tell them to start up as well."
"Yes sir!"
The rest of the fleet drew up their anchors; The Cloud Nine, which was built out of the wrecked Cloudstation Nine, leading the formation. Ignus and Wraith hung at the middle, the Ignus' flyers and Goldendart Mk. IX's coming out of her belly flight pod. After they launched, it retracted back into it's hull.
"83 knots, sir!"
Sunbeam smiled. "Very well. Take her out, Razor."
In the Hall of the Mountain King
A yellow alicorn with red hooves and wings walked through a dark cave. Her mane was fire, and it cast long, eerie shadows across the area, but she didn't seemed to bothered. Coming to a dead end, she cast a quick spell, and the rock parted for her.
"WHO DARES ENTE- " A fat, grey, old centaur turned around. "Oh! Flare! Where've you been in the past-gosh, eight centuries?"
"I had some...business to attend to." The alicorn spoke.
"Busy, eh?" He stroked his dirty beard.
"Well, you've just been sitting here, collecting dust with your old tomes, haven't you?" Flare smiled slyly.
"Dammit, clever as always...Just your voice isn't as squeaky as it was."
"Then how would you describe it then?"
"Low? Velvety? Filled with sexual insinuation?"
Black smoke began to pour out of Flare's ears.
"Boy, that went from zero to a hundred fast..." He stopped. "Wait, do you even remember my name?"
"Ken....taro, I believe?"
"Yes!" The centaur clapped his hands, whooping that the young goddess still remembered him fully.
"Is Glaive still fine?"
"Follow me." Flare obliged, and the two began to take a winding path through the ancient library. Ancient tomes turned to jarred exotic plants, then to animals. In a damp corner, a bat pony stallion floated in water, seemingly in complete peace. "Here he is." Kentaro lifted Flare up the the huge shelf, allowing her access.
For a long time, she just stood there, looking at Glaive, reminiscing over times long gone. She didn't notice the single teal eye spying on her the whole time.
Elita stood in front of her mirror, looking at herself.
Here we are, limited supplies, limited crew, limited ammunition. She thought bitterly. Maybe it was better for us to die along with our families, rather than out here, in the emptiness of the north.
The mid-aged mare took out her old dogfighting suit. It was tight in all the wrong places. Damnation, I'm getting fat.
There was a knock at the door. "Commander? You're needed on the bridge."
"Coming, Jotunn. Give me a moment."
"Yes, ma'am." She listened to his hoofsteps as they became softer and softer.
"Well, it's not like I'll live forever..." The bat pony finally sighed.
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As the knife-like bow of the Ignus cut through the top of the cloud layer, flyers and Goldendarts escorted the warship to the inevitable battle.
"Fire control from level four reports go." One pony reported.
"Navigation and rangefinding, also a go."
The Equestrians had used pagoda masts on their capital ships as apposed the standard tripod mast; they were mocked by other countries, claiming them to be top heavy and called "Hearths Warming Trees." They were deemed necessary by all the ship companies that built Celestia's Royal Sky navy, and fitted with watch points, powerful searchlights (for night fighting), and spotting points.
"AURORA contacts! CBDR, bearing oh-five-eight-three, closing in at 73 knots!"
"Evasive action, bring all the main guns to bear." Two griffin corvettes came into view, apparently caught with their pants down. Anton and Bruno turrets fired on the first, Caesar and Dora at the second. Eight blue orbs streaked out from the muzzles, each hitting their mark. Unlike the Imperial Star Destroyers, though, the armor actually, you know, deflected some of the gunfire.
Griffins began to swarm out of the belly like hornets, rolling, maneuvering with the intent to destroy the Ignus and her crew. A strange new gun sprouted from positions along the main superstructure of the battleship.
Flyers and Goldendarts were flung out of the flight deck, zooming to meet their thunder. The Phalanx guns traversed and fired a string of deadly mana at the incoming griffins, shredding most even before they were in firing range of the ponies. Starting off the air battle with the Goldendarts firing off their burst rockets and taking several more of the hybrids, before the mana from pegasus, aircraft, and bat pony rushed to meet the griffins, firing their green tracer fire.
The Ignus continued to stave off attacks from the corvettes, making sure that her flyers were free to help in the assault on the enemy. The griffin assault became frantic frenzy of poorly concentrated gunfire and suicide griffins. One of the corvettes imploded in on itself.
"Griffins retreating!" Dawn called out from her station.
"Prepare jump sequence, recall our flyers." Elita ordered softly. The ponies didn't have a chance to carry out the order, though. A new ship exited a nearby windlane and almost immediately began firing off rockets and shells at the fast battleship.
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The last corvette was ripped apart from another salvo thanks to the Ignus, but the cruiser continued to pepper the Ignus with gunfire. Weary flyers were forced to continue the fight, while nearly burnt-down gun barrels continued to fire.
"Fire on Deck C!" An voice came over the ship intercom.
"Get a damage control team there now!" Elita ordered. Nopony carried out that order.
"This is the X.O. You heard her, get some ponies down there!"
Elita smiled at Hoofy. Helpful in times like these. "Spin up the drives! Recall our flyers, but hold up the flak screen!"
Flyers and Goldendarts thumped back on the runway deck, which slid into the hull with a screech. The flak guns fired another salvo, before returning to their teleport positions. Rockets came screaming in, but once again, Ignus teleported away before they could hit.
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Mealtimes usually was divided into two groups, so one could always get some guns firing at an incoming surprise attack. Luncheon on Sagittarius the Twenty ninth, 2189, was completely different, though. To celebrate their tactical victory, Elita had allowed everypony to come to one of the three lavish mess halls any time.
She herself sat along with her friends and family, chatting happily as if it were a pleasure cruise.
A slight bit miffing. Dawn noted, as she sat alone, munching on her hay burger. Moskit and Razor were joking about a new changeling supership, and Seafire and her husband having an "I love you more" fight. ("No, Silverbird, I love you more!") Halberd and Rolling Thunder were reminiscing over their First War tales, and Galica and Leonia still talking about their loss in the Spiral Grand Prix.
And Solstice-
"Hello, Major. You seem awfully contemplative." The dark blue alicorn that resembled Princess Luna said from behind Dawn. The green unicorn jumped.
"Sir! You scared me!" She squeaked.
"Just call Solstice, my lady."
My lady. Is he trying to court me? "Oh, why thank you." She feigned a smile, and to her pleasure, noticed that he didn't seem to realize she was playing with him.
"Perhaps you would join me for dinner tonight?"
"That would be lovely." She responded, still maintaining the humorless smile.
The alicorn trotted back to his table. Poor chap, if only he knew...
Star Chaser manned the wireless, working overtime (again). Tapping away, he sent the same message over and over: Royal Defense Ship Ignus II calling to all allied ships, send coordinates and authentication code 09IEWGJIWE. He stopped and listened.
Royal Changeling Sky Navy Battle-Wagon Ambrosie, coordinates 4802'3949'3032' going down. Repeat, Royal Changeling Sky Navy Battle-Wagon Ambrosie, coordinates 4802'3949'3032' going down. We shall fight to the last shell. Star wrote the message down on a piece of parchment, rolled it up, then ran off to find his commander. He went outside on the deck to get to her cabin quicker, allowing him to appreciate Luna's beautiful night.
Knocking on Elita's door, he waited apprehensively. When she finally came to the door, he handed the message to the commander. She took one look at the note. "Perhaps I should consider letting you work longer shifts."
Less than a quarter of an hour later, the Ignus was ready to investigate the mysterious message. Making her way some ways away from the mountain town, she teleported to the coordinates. It placed her over a dark ocean, several burning bits drifting around the general vicinity. A bronze bell fell onto the bridge wing of the main bridge. Dawn went over and picked it up in her orange glow.
"C.R.S.N. Ambrosie." She read. "BB 18340."
Everypony turned to the highest ranking officer in view. "What happened here?" Elita muttered, completely unaware that the ship intercom was on.
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"Standby enemy suppression barrage." A grey bat pony ordered through the communicator gem. Outside of the bridge, turrets came to life as they pointed their barrels at the Port Crescent fort.
Griffins wearing drab flight suits rolled into the attack.
"Incoming seventy one griffin flyers closing in at vector mark one seven three." A green unicorn with a blazing orange mane called out from the second bridge.
"Enemy suppression fire, all batteries execute." Brimestone ordered.
"All batteries, commence firing." Elita relayed.
There was a tense pause. Then the main turrets began to absorb white particles into their muzzles.
*Sh....Z-Z-Z-Z-Z!*
One after another, blue orbs were flung at the incoming hybrids. The smaller guns shot their own red energy spheres, lighting up the dark sky.
The lightning bombs carried under the griffins were detonated, and they quickly turned away. Griffin rockets fired from the fort itself were also kept at bay.
"All decks, switch on emergency power systems." The unicorn shouted out. "Perimeter established!"
"Launch all flyers!" Elita yelled.
"Flyers, clear to launch!"
Bat ponies and pegasi swarmed out of the hatches, carrying hoof blades.
"Flyers in position!"
"Signal flyers to engage only fighters and avoid the fort's firing solution, execute!"
The hoof blades began to fling energy at the surprised birds, who were wielding fire-sticks. They charged in head on, whittling down each other's numbers.
"Incoming warheads!"
The Ignus II shook as three rockets hit her hull.
"Anton, Bruno, Caesar, Dora, focus on the enemy fortifications!" The four main double turrets adjusted their angle, then began to pound at the shore positions.
The griffin's movements began to become more frantic, all the while, their base was slowly decimated by particle cannon fire.
"The Griffins are retreating, recall all flyers and begin teleport sequence!"
The ponies broke off engagement and began to dive back to their ship. The magical generator powered up to a higher setting for the teleportation engine to run.
Missiles and griffins streaked in towards the iron ship. Hooves thumped on the aft gun deck of the ironclad.
"Flyers secure, sequence finished."
Elita nodded at Brimestone. "Jump!"
