Arpeggio of Blue Steel: New Horizons

Equestrian Aircraft Carrier; CENS Sovereign (CV-6)
Equestrian Commonwealth 2nd Hoofcific Fleet
8th Equestrian Surface Action Group ‘Omega’
San Maresisco Naval Base, San Maresisco
Equestrian Commonwealth of the Erabus Continent, Unity
August, 12th 1298
Equestrian/Fog War year: 53

It’s hard to believe that approximately half a century ago Equestria was reliving the days that defined the ‘Golden Age of Sail’ and the maritime giants were thriving economically from the industrial revolution that had made waves around the world of Unity. Once, the vast oceans of Unity were open for traders, pirates and holiday-goers to travel about in beautifully crafted ocean liners, tall ships and Trans-Continental Zeppelins. The 'Old Equestrian Navy' was the embodiment of security and peacekeeping throughout the waters of the Erabus Continent, home the Equine nations of Equestria, the Crystal Empire, Appleloosa and Staliongrad. Acting as a deterrence against potential foes and keeping plundering pirates from causing mischief on shipping the Equestrian Continental Fleet was once the largest and mightiest naval armada to sail the oceans of Unity.

The Equestrian Navy along with her allied navies brought peace and security to Unity’s oceans… That was till the day the ‘Equestrian Fleet of Fog’ appeared. Vast fleets of technologically superior sentient warships began appearing from deep below the ocean surface, their origin or who created them is a mystery but their objective is clear; To destroy all shipping, blockade and isolate all nations.

They began to simultaneously attack military ships, chase civilian vessels to the nearest landmasses and shoot down zeppelins as they rapidly gained naval superiority over Unity’s naval forces. In a desperate bid for peace, Princess Celestia sends the Equestrian Continental Fleet along with the Elements of Harmony to track down the Fog fleet where they would later encounter the Fog Supreme Flagships, whose names to this day strike fear wherever they go, Tyrant and Armageddon. The elements, led by Princess Twilight proceeded to negotiate with the capital ships, but the sentient ships refused to look past the ‘Admiralty Code’ and accept any form peace.

This left the girls no choice but to use the Elements of Harmony in an attempt to deactivate the sentient fleet but Tyrant saw this coming and raised her klein field in time to block the attack. The sister-ship, Armageddon retaliated by unleashing the most powerful weapon possessed by the Fleet of Fog, the Super-Graviton Cannon. The destructive force unleased by this super weapon destroyed the Elements of Harmony and killing three of the element bearers; Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity. The other three; Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy plummeted into the Hoofcific as the Equestrian Continental Fleet found itself surrounded by the Fog and was ultimately destroyed. Princess Twilight would later be captured by Tyrant while Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and some survivors of the fleet were picked up by a Fog Torpedo Cruiser and taken back to Equestria.

Tyrant sends an ultimatum to Celestia declaring that the element bearers and her fleet has been defeated and any further attempts of negotiation will see coastal cities being razed. Infuriated and devastated by the loss of all but two of the elements, Celestia declares a state of war against the Fog and an international state of emergency, inviting the leaders of the Erabus continent to Canterlot where the famed ‘United Nations of Erabus’ (UNE) was founded to unite the various nations of the Erabus continent under the banner of the 'New Equestrian Commonwealth'. Following the founding, Celestia accidentally makes contact with Earth using the Crystal Mirror where she learns that Humanity is also at war with the more advanced Earth based Fleet of Fog. Celestia explained the current situation her world faces to which the humans were shocked about the existence of the Equestrian Fleet of Fog and the dire situation of the UNE faces.

One human nation, the United States of America offered to send blueprints and preserved technology of their greatest warships and help the UNE industrialise to build the facilities and the ships that would revolutionise Equestria's Navy. Celestia couldn’t thank the Humans enough as this would give the UNE a fighting chance to turn the tide and retake Unity’s oceans.

All that happened fifty years ago.

‘Hard to believe it’s been that long already…’ Admiral Ruby thought to herself as she stood alone on one of many massive piers of the San Maresisco Naval Base that is called home by the majority of the Equestrian Commonwealth Hoofcific Fleet.

Admiral Ruby New Moon, unlike many Equestrian maritime commanders before her, is a battle-hardened veteran who spent her entire navy career fighting the Fog since the destruction of the old fleet, often regarded as the 'toughest son of a bitch to walk the plains of Unity'. In the years since she was rescued Ruby underwent retraining as an officer for the re-labelled ‘Equestrian Commonwealth Navy’ prior to its modernisation. As soon as Equestria started pumping out its first modern destroyers, Ruby was immediately assigned to one which would be known as the ‘Retribution’. What made Ruby unique as a commander is she likes to lead from the front unlike the majority from Hoofcific Command. Not because the place is infested with the pesky aristocratic Canterlot stickups, but her heart belongs to the seas.

This isn’t the first time she was placed in command of a taskforce, her fame as a high profile commander came from her role in leading Equestria’s elite taskforce formally known as the ‘Destroyermares Squadron’. The Destroyermares were a thorn in the Fog’s side, having scored major victories for the commonwealth among a string of costly defeats. Ever since the loss of the squadron at the ‘Battle of the Crystal Canals’, Ruby has been carrying the legacy of the Destroyermares on her shoulders all the way up to this point. Now at the age of seventy three, time has started to catch up on the aging navy veteran. Ruby plans to retire from the navy two years from now if the Fog doesn’t give her a permanent retirement first. Hell, she would rather fight the fog to the end than retire from her post. But she knows Celestia wouldn’t let her go down like that, neither would Solar Eclipse.

Speaking of which, Ruby found herself looking back over her right shoulder towards one of the other ships moored along the pier with her fleet. Unlike the others this ship stood out like a sore hoof. Her light Wave-Force armoured hull and superstructure shinned a glossy glow from Celestia’s rising sun decorated in a unique Fog pattern that glows like neon. Large, deadly torpedo launchers line her mid-section in five by five configuration tallying up to twenty five torpedoes per broadside. Some of the key features of an Equestrian Fog Torpedo Cruiser based on the IJN Kitakami.

“Good morning admiral.” An android like voice greeted Ruby.

Whipping her head to the source her sudden shock was instantly extinguished when her lips curled into a heart-warming motherly smile as she spots Solar Eclipse, the Mental Model of the Equestrian Fog Torpedo Cruiser in question.

Solar’s mental model appears as an Alicorn with a Crystalized horn, a six meter wing-span and her mane and tail is made up of pure Graviton energy. She sports a curvy figure that young mares could dream of, her wave-force armoured skin is coated in a digital hexagon camouflage pattern with a carbon fibre finish and is decorated in the same fog symbols shared from her ship. Her eyes are as white as snow with a venomous reptilian iris coated in blood red. Her distinctive feature that makes her standout amongst the fog is she has a cutie mark which is a holographical projection of her hull number in light blue (CL-25), which is projected off her flanks.

“Good morning, Solar Eclipse. Sleep well?” Ruby returned the greeting in a motherly tone.

“The Fog never rests, Admiral.” Solar replied. “Not until we are sunk.”

“Indeed.” Ruby silently nodded in agreement as Solar joined her side. Solar Eclipse towered over Ruby like every other Alicorn, she’s a hoof taller than Celestia when the two first met after Solar surrendered herself to the Commonwealth after rescuing Ruby and several sailors following the ‘Battle of the Crystal Canals’ that saw the destruction of Ruby’s ‘Destroyermares Squadron’. It wasn’t the first time Solar rescued Ruby. The two spent the next minute taking in the colossal mass in front of them that is Equestria’s newest Aircraft Carrier and Ruby’s new flagship, the Sovereign (CV-6).

The Sovereign is the sixth fleet carrier and the first of its class of the Equestrian Commonwealth Navy. Based on the American Midway-class Equestrian architects, engineers, and builders with the aid of human advisors were able to alter the base design to suit Equestria’s needs and operating parameters along with a wide variety of other human-leased designs varying from destroyers to cruisers, battleships, submarines, and naval utility/support vessels from various other countries.

Joining the Sovereign and Solar Eclipse is Equestria’s first Battleship, the Verdon (BB-1) which is based on the famed Iowa-class battleship of the United States Navy. The battleship wields the most advanced, sophisticated Fire-Control systems, state of the art Electronic-Warfare suites, excellent armour layout and the biggest guns in the fleet; nine 16”/.50 calibre, Mk.7 naval guns. Making up the rest of Ruby’s fleet are two Sydneigh-class Heavy Cruisers; Sydneigh (CA-12) and Canterlot (CA-15). Both of which are based on the Des Moines-class which were built with unique “Auto-Loading” guns that can fire up to roughly ninety rounds per minute at full broadside.

Making up the fleet’s screening force are three destroyers' two Skippy-class Hybrid-Destroyers; Blackmane (DD-156), and Boxer (DD-160). The Skippy-class were built on an enlarged Gearing-class design which saw the ships outfitted with various weapons systems from the nineteen forties, fifties and sixties eras. The third destroyer is one of the last surviving Tigershark-class Destroyers in service; the Hammerhead (DD-100) which was based on the Fletcher-class that was chosen as the first modern Equestrian ships to be constructed and brought into service roughly thirty years ago.

Ruby’s first ship was also a Tigershark-class Destroyer named the Retribution (DD-86) which is now her Cutie Mark which she illegally changed from her old one after the ‘Battle of the Crystal Canals’. A blacked out silhouette of the destroyer with words written underneath; “CENS Retribution (DD-86), ‘Destroyermares’ Sqd.”

The legacy of the Retribution had not gone unoticed since the loss of the destroyer, today also marks the commisioning of Equestria’s new Battlecruiser C.E.N.S Retribution II (CB-1), which had been renamed from Blue Blood in honour of Ruby’s destroyer. Based on the Alaska-class, Retribution II wields the largest guns for a cruiser, nine 12” guns, formidable anti-air setup, “and her size alone could easily be mistaken for a battleship.”, as a jounalist from a major media group described her. The Retribution II will be placed under Ruby’s command once she is commissioned as of this morning.

As the two enjoyed the sights, they were approached by the Supreme Commander of the Commonwealth Fleets, Princess Luna. Accompanying her is one of the human advisors from Earth. Ruby and Solar immediately stood at attention.

“Good morning Admiral Ruby and Solar Eclipse. How thy Celestia’s seas fare?” Luna greeted the two with a salute.

“Its fair seas as far as the eye can see, Supreme Commander Luna!” Ruby replied, her focus shifted to the human. “Who’s the gentleman with the stars?”

“Admiral Andrew Williams, United States Navy.” The human commander replied. “On behalf of my people, it’s an honour to meet the famed ‘Destroyermare’, your actions out at sea have gotten a lot of attention back on Earth.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Andrew, and I can assure you I’m no celebrity or a hero. I’m just doing my part for my country and Ponykind.” Ruby dismissed Andrew’s compliment.

“Aren’t we all?” Andrew agreed.

“So, what can we do for you?” Solar asked.

“It’s in relation to you, Solar Eclipse.” Luna replied.

Solar was surprised from Luna’s response. “Me?”

“The humans have developed a special weapon that they believe will end the war with the Fog once and for all.” Luna revealed. “They call it the Vibration Warhead Torpedo.”

“The vibration what-now?” Ruby said with sudden confusion.

“Vibration Warhead Torpedo.” Andrew repeated. “It’s our adaption from the Fleet of Fog’s Corrosive Torpedoes.”

“Interesting, how does it work?” Ruby asked with renowned interest.

“The basic idea behind the Vibration Warhead Torpedo is that any physical existence, be it more conventional materials used by us or the nanomaterials of the Fleet of Fog, will crumble when it vibrates at its own fundamental frequency. The warhead of this torpedo attaches itself to the hull of the target and, after analysing it, starts vibrating at this fundamental frequency, leading to the resonance disaster. This is due to the warhead containing Somnium, creating an effect much like that of a Corrosive Warhead Torpedo.” Andrew explained.

“Impressive.” Ruby admired the handiwork of the torpedo.

“It is, huh.” Andrew agreed. “However, the only weak point that prevents this warhead from being truly effective against the Equestrian Fleet of Fog is the fact that it still needs to get inside the Klein field deployed by the vessel's Wave-Force Armor. The warhead is useless if it cannot come in contact with its target. Although theoretically it is still achievable if the ship's Klein field has almost reaches saturation point and a Vibration Warhead Torpedo is launched afterwards, the torpedo itself generates an energy field with the ability to penetrate a Klein field. Although probably a weak one that is equipped on screening ships within the Fog.”

“I see, it sounds quite effective against screening ships but not so much against capital ships. So when does the Equestrian Commonwealth get to try out these new toys?” Ruby asked with a sly grin.

“They’re ready to be fielded as we speak. But, all current torpedo capable Equestrian ships will need to be refitted with special launchers to accommodate and launch the torpedoes. So far the only ship in the Equestrian fleet that can be loaded right now is Solar Eclipse.” Andrew replied.

“I understand now.” Solar Eclipse acknowledged. “When do I load up?”

“They’re on a barge heading this way as we speak, it should arrive within the hour.” Luna estimates.

“Thank you, I shall begin loading preparations immediately.” Solar thanked both Andrew and Luna before teleporting onto her ship. Luna then turned to Ruby.

“Fleet deployment briefing will be at oh nine hundred. Have your fleet captains assembled by then. You’re Dismissed, Admiral.” Luna salutes the veteran.

“Yes, ma’am!” Ruby returns her salute before parting ways.

“It was nice meeting you again, Admiral Ruby. I hope we meet again.” Andrew extended his hand to offer a handshake.

“The same goes to you too, Admiral Andrew.” Ruby accepts the human’s handshake before giving each other a brief salute and parted ways.