Quality

April 15

Sofia shut her eyes tight and furrowed her brow in a futile attempt to block the world from her senses. Somewhere nearby, her alarm clock was sounding off the most unnatural chime. It was loud and annoying, beeping incessantly like record stuck on repeat. The sound was horrendously grating, as though the sounds itself was a tormented voice in her head beseeching for its suffering to end. The saving grace of it all was that she knew, after only a matter of moments, the alarm clock would turn itself off eventually. If only that was the reality she lived in.

“We're here~!” Sergeant Espress rang, the mocha earth pony waking up Lieutenant Sofia with a sonorous tune.

“Get back to sleep,” Sofia ordered tiredly. The lieutenant was certain she was just teasing around again, as she opened her eyes she saw outside was still a dark sky devoid of light. it did not appear to be morning at all, though she thought it could just be her eyes still adjusting.

Aboard the autochariot, the two ponies flew above the cool ocean towards the airport of Mareland, with the sunrise barely visible on the unobstructed horizon. It signaled that it was morning undoubtedly, but gave no indication of their location other than ‘above the ocean’.

The beige unicorn rubbed her eyes and scanned the cabin of the autochariot. spotting Espress, her companion of mocha coat and crimson and magenta mane, on the other side of the vehicle, she noticed both of them were still wearing their combat uniforms, still dusty and dirty from their most recent mission.

“What time is it?” Sofia asked, sitting up on the bench, a hard slab of metal cold to the touch. It was a wonder how she managed to fall asleep on it.

“Five thirty exactly!” Espress answered loudly against the thrum of the engine. “My internal clock is pretty accurate.”

“You need to give me an accurate reading, sergeant. The captain doesn't have the patience for tardiness,” Sofia reminded, squinting at the mocha pony who was barely visible in the dim of early morning. “What happened to your watch?”

“I like how we're named seahorses but our watches don’t even have any waterproofing. I know funding is hard to come by, but this is just kind of sad now.”

Sofia sighed, brushing a stand of purple and blue mane off her face. Remembering the headset on her neck, she put it on and brought its microphone to her muzzle. “Pilot, what time is it?”

In a matter of factly tone the pilot responded, “Five thirty, ma'am.”

Sofia paused briefly, before turning to her cohort who wore a cheeky grin on her face and said, “We're late then.”

“Late for what? The captain’s probably just calling us for a well-done hoofshake!” Espress replied, referring to their mission the previous night.

“If that were the case then he very well owes us more than one well-done hoofshake,” Sofia deadpanned.

After a few more exchanges between the pilot and the airport, the craft finally began its descent onto the ground.

The advancements of the last few decades have been staggering, conquering the limitations that magic had. One such advancement is the creation of the autochariot , an agile transport vehicle that needed no wings to fly. Instead it was powered by a crystal rotor and was capable of airlifting a maximum of six personnel, excluding the two pilots. The aircraft had been regarded for it efficiency and effectiveness, widely used among all branches of the Canterlot services.

Despite this, they were never really built with comfort in mind. The seats were cold stiff and the cabin was not padded against the noise of the rotors above and the engine behind. The only cushioning they had were the furs on their person.

“Sure hope it'd be quick, though. I'm itching to go take a nap.”

“You mean to tell me that for the entire flight, you didn’t bother to get any sleep?”

“No, I couldn't bother. We spend hours in this thing, and not even a pillow!” Espress complained. “No way am I sleeping here.”

Lieutenant Sofia silently agreed, but from her cheerful demeanor it appeared that the mocha pony did not need the sleep. Sofia opened the sliding door 0f the cabin of their craft as it settled directly on a designated landing pad, the earth inching closer and closer.

Finally, the two seahorses disembarked from their aircraft and stepped onto the vast, concrete field of Mareland airport. From the ground it looked as though the runway stretched indefinitely towards both ends. It would take the better part of the morning to walk from their landing pad to the captain's office. Thankfully, a cart awaited them just a few paces away, along with it's driver and the Seahorse Captain's secretary, Miss Emerald.

“Good morning, Lieutenant. I'm here to take you to Captain Sound,” Emerald announced against the still humming craft close behind. True to her name, she wore a coat of green and a mane of chartreuse.

“Just her then? See you around!” Espress cheered.

“Get in, Sergeant,” Sofia and Emerald said in unison.

While airports were nothing spectacular, the Mareland Airport was notable as the birthplace of modern aviation, The first jets taking off on this very runway. Jets were massive, intricate machinery that flew faster than any feather-winged creature could. No longer were the skies reserved for pegasi and their cities. Modern aircraft allowed unicorns and earth ponies take to the air as well, and even larger ones could carry hundreds of ponies across vast stretches of land without the need for rest. All this pioneered on the once barren strip of land on the edge of Baltimare.

Nowadays the airport has mostly been used as a travel airport, a gateway to the East that sat on the coast of Equestria and serviced commercial flights across the sea to foreign lands. Being a military base that it still technically was, it also saw the landing and arrival of naval personnel, of which both arrivals were.

The early morning ride to the office was unsurprisingly uneventful, the airport hours away from becoming the bustling hub it usually was. Along the way was the sight of facilities belonging to the Navy, including officer's dorms, drydocks and hangars. The secretary took an especially scenic route, right on the wide open runway, splashed with the colors of the sunrise.

“So Emerald, know what we're in for?” Espress asked.

“The Captain didn't say, the only things he really tells me are orders and opinions, only one of which I pay attention to,” Emerald replied.

“He doesn't need to tell you for you to know. You handle his books after all.”

“Those books don't contain any confidentials,” Emerald asserted. “And definitely not going to bother again. If you remember, the last time you pestered me for your performance report I had to make a false request from the director.”

Emerald took a right turn at the end of the runway, entering the restricted section of the airport and nearing their destination. Driving was not precisely the job she was paid to do, but she did so anyway. She was the secretary to the seahorse captain after all, keeping reports checked and orders filed. And while her position was non-uniformed personnel, her versatility allowed her to dip her hooves into the most tangled of naval bureaucracy. In essence, she ran the Seahorse Division more so than the captain.

Espress fanned a hoof at Emerald from the back seat. “It was an interesting night for both of us. I got a stellar report and you got a stellar infraction.”

“You're unbearable, sergeant,” Emerald scorned. “Either way, best if you heard it from the captain himself.”

The Parliament of Canterlot, every the tight pocketed institute that it was, found every way to reduce as much cost as possible in every sector of the government.

In this regard, the headquarters of the Seahorse Division was once the old terminal of the airport, only a few hangars away from the new one. It was a crumbling structure as old as the city, cracks and vines festering on its walls. But still it stood by its foundations, and that was the only fact that mattered to the treasury.

Emerald stopped the cart in front of the building, an ornate house of marble and mortar from the old days. Espress hopped out the vehicle, eager to be sent into the abyss once more. Sofia stepped out daintily, Emerald taking her time parking the cart nearby before following after.

The facade of the Seahorse Division was an arched doorway and an intricate marble statue of two royal guards crossing spears atop a set of wooden doors. A tourist might have stopped to take pictures of what is essentially a piece of pre-industrial Equestria, but having been in the building countless times, the group climbed the steps and entered unceremoniously.

The doors opened up to a wide concourse, with two stairwells flanking the entrance that led to the second floor, architecture that was entirely derived from the airport entrance that it once was. The first floor was a small set of offices, an intricate, well-lubricated machine that kept the Seahorse Division running.

The Seahorse Division was a regiment of the Navy, and its main function was to conduct operations in places where the Navy, under normal circumstances, cannot. In recent times they have been tasked to operate where the Navy should not, such as foreign territories and seas. Their operators are highly trained and highly effective, able to work in conditions that would grind any lesser creature to fine dust. Lieutenant Sofia had been one for almost four years at this point. Sergeant Espress on the other hoof, had been one for about six months.

Because of the elite training of its constituents, the Seahorse Division is mostly commissioned by Canterlot for secret operations. For any endeavor that the military demands discretion for, the seahorses are sent to deal with.

Seahorses were also known to be excellent monster hunters. The vast oceans are home to giant leviathans and serpents, all a threat to maritime trade as they prey on defenseless cargo ships. Consequently, Seahorses are deployed to exterminate said creatures from time to time.

But for the most part, their work are activities conducted outside Canterlot and inside jurisdictions of other governments, working within other territories that would certainly cause row should their actions be discovered. The ponies within this archaic building have worked tirelessly to make sure that would never happen.

At the moment the offices appear to be empty. Not unusual at this time of the day, but within the offices were boxes piled with ponies’ belongings. Supplies were secured into crates and some posters were being let down. It was clear the office was being evacuated of personnel in a bureaucratic fashion.

“What happened here?” Sofia inquired.

“Are we getting fired? Is that why we're here?” Espress asked apprehensively.

“I told you, the captain will explain himself,” Emerald replied.

The secretary led the seahorses upstairs and through a wide hallway, the door to the captain's office sitting just in the middle. Doors in this building were reminiscent to those of old police stations, a wooden door with a stained opaque window and the occupant's name in white written on it. Emerald did not need to knock, pushing the doors open casually.

Inside was a spacious and comfortable room, with certainly enough concessions to drown out the noise of the airport nearby. A couch lay against the wall and a coffee table sat in front of it, there was an alcove full of file cabinets and unsorted paper trays, and a small kitchen space, consisting of just a microwave, cupboard and fridge. The office was close to being called an apartment at that point.

The secretary returned to her desk just beside the door to the actual office of the captain. Fitting her headphones in, she spoke, “They're here, captain.”

A second later, the two entered the office, its air cured with the scent of early morning coffee.

“Sir,” Sofia saluted.

“Morning, Captain!” Espress quipped.

“Great morning, yes. Now be at ease,” Captain Sound was the picture of a stallion raised by the sea. His coat was turquoise of color, with a faded brown mane that covered his head and chin, streaks of white dyed in from his days sailing the salty oceans.

“I've received a report this morning about another successful mission, yes. Another warship, the victim to a mutiny, retrieved with the suspect crew arrested. Thanks in part - well let’s be honest and say - entirely to your unit, the 12th seahorses.”

“Thank you, sir,” Sofia replied.

“Damn right. You owe me a new hoofwatch.”

“Such a loss indeed, yes. But we have a more concerning loss. We've seen an unusual pattern of casualties in all your previous missions.”

“Your unit has incurred tremendous loss. Four killed, twenty-eight000 wounded in almost all operations this year. This is certainly unsurprising numbers but compared to other units this is still alarming.”

“Sir, given the nature of operations assigned to this unit specifically, casualties are expected.”

“It does sound bad. But we had to retake a destroyer, beach a pirate ship, kill a kraken…” Espress listed. “Lots of shooting on our part, basically.”

“I suppose that is the inevitable, yes,” What Captain Sound intended to bring up was that while Seahorses did indeed get hurt in their line of work, it seemed only Sofia and Espress would make it out alright, while everypony else does not. “Be that as it may, we have reached the point where the rate of recruitment is lower than the rate of which we incur losses, due in large part of the current crisis to our borders. The Navy has decided to suspend all non- essential naval operations, including the Seahorse Division.”

“What?” Espress asked incredulously.

Sofia blinked several times, “Excuse me?”

“Unfortunately, yes. As you're well aware funding for the naval services, ours included, are still getting cut back. Your watch will have to wait, Espress.”

Lieutenant Sofia looked down on the table, unsure of what this could mean. It was either she was getting reassigned or relieved. Neither was particularly preferable to the other.

Espress on the other hoof, was not taking any of it. “I just got here, captain! You can't seriously be firing us now!”

“Indeed, sir,” Sofia agreed. “From your own words our operations have been success after success all throughout. What reason does the Navy have to disassemble the Division?”

“Non-essential, yeah right,” Espress scoffed.

“I'm sorry, yes. The Navy is broke, our neighbors on the west are breathing down our necks waiting to see when the next disaster pops up. We can no longer operate without scrutiny from the government and public. And most importantly we can no longer risk lives fighting pirates and monsters. Our focuses have turned closer to home now.”

“Yeah sure, the one time the west gets a crisis, it’s got to patch it up like a spurting vein,” Espress rambled. “ Meanwhile, the east is hemorrhaging blood, and everytime the cut heals, some pirate or mutiny just picks the scab off.”

“The number of incidents involving pirates have barely been reduced by over the past year, sir. And definitely not because nopony is doing anything about it. What do you make of that?” Sofia asked.

Their apprehensions were not without basis. Canterlot’s relationship with the lands of the east have been non-negotiable at best. States such as Britame, Witherland and the former Hooviet Union lay claim the the entire East Ocean, as well as most of the Frozen North. A claim the Western States like Canterlot would not be bothered by, if not for the many gem deposits there.

“Look, yes. Even I have no idea why ships are going rogue or why pirates are making a comeback these days. At the moment we can only hope to stay away from those people problems for as long as possible. The county has curbed its exports to the east, reducing the need for our naval protection in this region. As far as the Navy is concerned, it's the East’s problem now.”

He was right, of course. For the longest time Canterlot led the cleansing of the ocean, fixing the messes of others. Perhaps it was time to tidy its own place up.

“As of this morning the Seahorse Division is no longer in operation. You are to hoof your badges to me right now.”

A moment passed before Sofia complied, taking off the brass seal from the clip of her right uniform pocket and levitating it to Captain Sound’s desk. Espress relinquished hers as well, all droopy eared. The room felt just a little somber, Espress sighing loudly and Sofia glancing at her and then at the desk where their badges lay.

“Guess it's time to take a vacation then,” Espress said.

“My thoughts exactly,” Captain Sound agreed. “which brings us to why I called you here, yes.”

Both seahorses looked up, confused and curious. Apparently they were not called here just to get fired.

“I've received a dispatch from the Admiral of the Eastern Fleet and Commander of the Tide, Captain Arkansas. He has requested a Seahorse unit to conduct an operation of utmost importance with utmost secrecy. And given your record, he predictably requested the 12th specifically.”

“Ohh, Sofie knows all there is to know about secrecy. I still don't even know when her birthday is.”

“The Tide, sir. Is that right?” Sofia asked. She suddenly felt a shiver around her beige coat.

“Yes, the largest ship of the world. a perfect spot for a vacation, If I may say.” The captain slinked into his seat, clutching his mug protectively. Nipping a sip, he continued. “you are too fly yourselves over to Captain Ark’s ship, just a number of miles off the coast. He will give you your orders from there.”

“What after this?” Espress asked

“A long vacation for me if I'm lucky, though somewhere less other than the Tide would be preferable,” Captain Sound smiled, finishing his coffee with a hum. “As for you, all Seahorses will be reassigned back to the service they volunteered from. Sergeant Espress, you’ll be reassigned back to the Manehattan Police Department. Lieutenant Sofia, since Maritime Academy graduates are hard to find these days, I find it best to transfer you to the Western Fleet, as a tactical officer to the commodore there.”

Going back to being a cop wasn't the last thing Espress wanted, but it also wasn't the first. She wanted to learn more than just how to chase some petty crook down Mane Street, hence why she joined the Seahorse Division in the first place.

A tactical officer, on the other hoof, was something Sofia did not have to think too much about. Implementing certain methods of the Seahorse Division to a regular naval unit could certainly enhance its efficiency. And more importantly, enforcing obedience and discipline is one thing to think about, since many a ship should have fallen under mutiny in recent times.

“Oh, one more thing, yes,” Captain Sound said, leaning both hooves onto his worn desk. “Of course, all other Seahorse units are being disbanded. But a unit must have at least three operators to be considered one. Hence, I've requested a volunteer from the other units to join you. Sergeant Messerschmitt will be meeting you at your autochariot at noon.”

“Understood, sir,” Sofia said.

“Thank you for your efforts, both of you. We've accomplished more than any other time before either of you came on board.” Captain Sound leaned back into his seat, relaxing contemplatively. “Time to take a break, yes.”

“Anytime, captain,” Espress said resigned. “Of course, you know where to find me when you need me!”

“No, Miss Emerald does. But I'lll keep that in mind.”

Captain Sound saluted the two mares, which they promptly returned.

Sofia sighed as she stepped out the building. Espress had disappeared from her superior’s sights once again after they left the office, presumably leaving the airport to pursue the acquisition of liquor in the city.

Were it be any other pony, such deeds would have had them reprimanded, transferred from her unit or even court martialed for petty insubordination. But Sergeant Espress proved herself an invaluable asset to every operation since joining half a year before, following orders without question despite her unorthodox methods used to execute them.

Espress was a Manehattan police officer who had a penchant for going beyond protocol when it came to apprehending criminals. They always seem to end in some wild chase or nasty assault, which does result in an arrest but at the hefty expense of the city, who regularly had to clean up the mess she left behind.

The department suggested she join the Seahorse Division, based on her exceptional fighting skills, though that could just be the most obvious reason for getting rid of her. Being the adventurous mare that she was, she signed on without question.

After six months at Seahorse School, she was assigned to then Staff Sergeant Sofia within the 12th Seahorses Unit. Another six months later and the unit would claim success in all operations they had undertaken.

But just like her time at the department, all this was at the cost of a higher number of casualties.

Sofia more or less of expected this predicament. The more souls she lost on each mission, the less likely ponies would volunteer for them.

But obviously, if they were not able to handle the duties required of them, they should not have volunteered in the first place. These new recruits buckle under the slightest of pressure, getting themselves hurt at even the most minor of fights. Only Espress had proven herself a capable seahorse, and as a result only the two of them make it out unscathed. Her job did not include being the caretaker of a seahorse, a pony expected to give their most optimal performance at each operation. Otherwise she might as well be an actual caretaker.

Either way, it mattered little. The Navy was sinking regardless, the conflicts from within the continent shifting any resources that had to internal affairs. At times like these, the need for bureaucrats far outweigh the need for soldiers.

Emerald offered to drive Sofia to her dorm, which she casually accepted.

“So I guess we'll all be out of the job soon, lieutenant,” the green mare lamented, driving her cart at a low speed along the edge of the runway.

“Indeed. The Captain was even nice enough to pick out a vacation spot for us. How nice,” Sofia said sarcastically.

“Heh, sounds like fun. Well, I doubt it's any inconvenience, since it’s your last mission for a long while. ”

“Any inconvenience? Clearly you haven’t been on a chariot with Sergeant Espress. The sound she makes when eating echoes twofold inside a cabin.”

Emerald giggled. “Your sacrifice is honorable, lieutenant. Where is that sea monster anyway?”

Sofia could think of a few places, though she patently did not care at the moment. They passed by a passenger plane wheeling to the terminal as the day begins for the normal traveling pony.

Emerald drove away from the airport until they reached the edge of the base, away from the hum of jets flying and landing. She stopped in front of a concrete dormitory, a more recent construction; white, boxy and featureless.

“Here we are, ma'am.”

“Thank you,” Sofia stepped out of the cart and brushed her black and blue uniform up lightly with a hoof.

“You know, I think I'll join the air service. With all my experience keeping the captain's station afloat, I bet I can fly a jet,” Emerald smiled.

“Best of luck on that,” Sofia replied. “Also, please find Espress for me. We leave at noon.”

“She got out again? Darn it. I swear I'll mail her back in a glass bottle when I find her.”

At noon, the 12th seahorses assembled back at the landing pad, their autochariot sitting idly amidst the gentle breeze created by jets flying in the near distance.

Espress clutched a liquor bottle on a hoof and carried a pillow and blanket on her back. Beside her was their new recruit, Sergeant Messerschmitt. Both stood at attention after their commanding officer, waiting for the autochariot to finish getting clearance.

“Did Emerald find you at a homeless shelter this time, Sergeant?” Sofia asked Espress.

“Just getting prepared, Sofie. Just like you said,” the mocha pony smiled, tucking the spirit in the pocket of her uniform.

The lieutenant walked toward and in front of the new volunteer. He was a mud green pegasus stallion, with a mane of desert and mahogany brown. He currently wore the standard seahorse uniform, but like theirs, it was missing a badge. He promptly presented a salute, Sofia returning the gesture.

“Sergeant Messerschmitt, reporting for duty, Lieutenant,” The stallion recited tactfully.

"That's a mouthful, no way am I gonna bother calling you that. Is Mez fine?” Espress asked.

“Yes, Sergeant,” the pegasus answered plainly.

Sofia continued, “You may refer to me as Lieutenant or Ma'am, Sergeant. Sergeant Espress, you can refer to whatever gets her attention.”

Espress sniggered. “I don't really care, but call me princess and I'll break your wings.”

Sofia observed him for a moment. The stallion was a Seahorse she, but he looked as though he had barely been in a fight. And Sofia of all ponies could tell. “You were with the 11th seahorses. How many operations have you undertaken, Sergeant?”

“This would be first, ma'am.”

“What? Then why'd you volunteer?”

“Wel, because this would also be my last, ma'am,” Mez replied, reminding everypony of the disbanding of the Division.

Right, Sofia thought. Another hot-shot way over their head. She considered phoning Emerald to get an ambulance ready on the airport by tomorrow, though she presumed a day with Espress with hopefully put him on sick leave immediately.

Espress nudged the pegasus, grinning toothily. “Some work experience to squeeze into the resumé, yeah? I get you. Work experience is pretty much mandatory now, and a reliable reference is hard to come by.”

Sofia glazed at Espress with a tired look, then turned to Mez. “In that regard, I wouldn’t recommend placing Sergeant Espress as a reference though, knowing what profane obscenities she comes up with.”

“Understood, ma'am.”

With the autochariot cleared, the group began boarding one by one into it. The door slid in and the noise began to reverberate inside. They promptly donned their provided headsets and waited for the craft to take off, delays in taking off almost always inevitable. A few minutes later they lifted off the airport and began their flight through the coast and over water.

The cabin felt more crowded now with three bodies within it. And with Espress being one of them, the noise even more pronounced. Thankfully, their headsets allowed them communicate through the radio without having to shout whatever it was they were saying. The flight from the airport to the carrier would take only about half an hour, but given the state of the interior, every second was a struggle to get comfy.

Espress propped her pillow against the end of the bench and leaned against it, Mez on the other end and Sofia on the other side facing them.

“So, usually how this goes is a brief introduction,” Espress said. “So tell us about yourself, Mez. And I’ll tell you about us.”

“I can introduce myself, Sergeant,” Sofia said.

“Yeah, but you always leave it the best bits,” Espress replied quickly. “Mez, Meet the legendary Aya Sofia, The Ghost of East Oceans. At least that’s what ponies in the East started calling her.” Mez curbed his compulsion to ask how she got the name. “I’m not sure if it’s because of her coat or her talent. Either way they’re not wrong. Sofie can be very stealthy.”

Sofia rolled her eyes. Meanwhile the stallion cleared his throat and began, “Well uhm… My name is Messerschmitt, Ma’am, hailing from Canterlot City. My cutie mark is an eagle with pointed wings.”

“But that’s name’s Germane, right?” Espress asked.

“Yes it is, ma’am.” he replied. “My parents are from there.”

“Well, that’s nice. As it happens I have a native friend for you right here so you don’t get homesick.” Espress produced the bottle of liquor from the pockets of her uniform. “Meet my good friend, Jägermeister. We go way back, lots of memories.”

“Imbibe at your own risk, sergeant,” Sofia levitated the bottle back into her subordinate’s pockets. “I’m not keen on fishing you out the ocean if you fall off the cabin drunk.”

“Sure, lieutenant,” Espress replied, before looking back to Mez.

“Anyway, in case you forgot, name's Espress. My cutie mark is a cup of coffee. I'm sure it means something, but I kind of forget from time to time. I like candy, drinks and pretty views of the city,” The sergeant recited, uncorking the bottle that was on her pocket. She took a large swig of the alcohol within and continued, “And together, we form the 12th seahorses! Plus present company, of course.”

The newcomer nodded and shuffled in his seat, sweating presumably from the heat.

“Are you anxious, Sergeant?” Sofia asked as she continued to read his file, not even bothering to look up.

“I'm… not used to flying, ma'am,” Mez replied timidly. When he saw Sofia looking at him with wide-eyed astonishment, he quickly appended his statement. “I mean, flying inside a chariot. It feels confining and not at all what I’m used to when above ground.”

“Hey, if you puke on me I'm throwing you out the door,” Espress warned.

“I'm a pegasus, ma'am.”

“Yeah well, either way you won’t get away with that. Now chill, we don't even know what we're in for yet.”

“That might be hard to do, ma’am. I’ve been told that seahorse missions are extremely dangerous.”

Sofia interjected. “They are, but if I were you I'd rather not die nauseated. Fly outside and get some fresh air if you need to.”

“I'll be able to deal with it, ma'am.”

“What were you before you volunteered anyway?” Espress asked.

“Coast Guard, ma'am,” Mez replied. Few assignments are as coveted and scorned as Coast Guard duty. The good thing was that there was nothing to do, the bad thing was that there was nothing to do. A pony would sooner dive into the cold sea and drown themselves than spend an entire day staring at the uneventful horizon.

“Yeah, you'll be fine. This isn’t so different from what you’re used to. The only difference is that we look for trouble, instead of it finding us.”

“Understood, ma'am.”

“Oh hey, look at that!” Espress exclaimed. Pointing outside, they could already see their destination. On the edge of the gentle horizon sat still the Tide, the largest warship in the world. Even from a far distance, her silhouette dominated the landscape, shimmering in the high noon heat.

“Wow, isn’t that a picturesque ship,” Espress remarked.

Sofia watched the Tide as it got closer. “Piped hallways, cramped rooms, surrounded by an endless expanse of water. Very picturesque.”

“Ah right, you're more of an interpersonal type. Getting up close and physical with other ponies, that kind of thing. We could definitely socialize with the crew if that interests you more. They might have stories to tell.”

Sofia rolled her eyes. Whatever story they had to tell, both of them probably had a more interesting one.

They flew for another five minutes before they were close enough to appreciate the entirely if the vessel. The Tide was indeed massive. The deck spanned almost a kilometer long, and upon it were dozens of ponies and aircraft, moving and shuffling along as if the ship itself were a breathing creature.

It was unthinkable to think the carrier was born from the lack of support from the government. At the time the ship was conceived the Parliament of Canterlot, ever frugal of their bits, allocated a budget that barely allowed for the construction of three new ships to catch up with the growing naval might of overseas territories. After carriers proved to be a significant force on the sea, the Navy believed it wise to construct one large formidable ship, instead of a small, crudely-shaped fleet that would require more maintenance and personnel.

A successful investment among other things, as the Tide remains afloat after two decades of service.

The autochariot, after confirming its identity and intention, descended on a landing spot on the ship among other unwieldy chariots. The rest of the deck was littered with aircraft of varying size and use, as well as ponies walking and flying to and from.

Espress stretched out as she disembarked, a ride on a chariot stiffening even the most flexible of bodies. The craft’s rotors slowed to a halt, its noise replaced by the bustle of a giant warship. As the seahorses stepped out onto the same, an officer appeared to meet them.

“Good morning, ma'am,” The unit was greeted by a pegasus mare who wore a rather formal uniform, at least more formal than what one might expect from the crew of a warship. “I'm Sergeant Sue Nami, the public relations officer! I'm here to take you to the captain. He's at his mess hall and lunch is almost ready.”

Looking back at her two teammates, Sofia ordered, “Let's get this over with.”

“What, no sightseeing tour first? I'd love to see the inside of the ship,” Espress said.

“Straight to the captain, miss Nami. I’d rather we not stay longer than we need to.”

“Easy for you to say, you've been here before,” Espress pointed out. “When was that again?”

Sofia did not reply. Her last visit to the ship involved a fiasco in the mess hall that required more than one bath afterwards. The sanitation of the ship has been under her scrutiny ever since. The officer led them inside through the superstructure, into a maze of metal corridors lined with pipes and doors. Sofia followed close behind, her two subordinates on her tail.

While the outside was vast, the interior was even more so. Sailors walked and talked past them, entering and leaving rooms of various purposes. One room was full of ponies engaged in some board game. Another was full of knitting tools and crude sweaters. But there was also the undeniable scent of tobacco and narcotic in the air.

“This looks nice. Hey Sofie, we should definitely take our vacation here!” Espress exclaimed.

“I will not allow you to plan my vacation. And definitely not here,” Sofia said flatly.

Espress scoffed. “Please, I'm sure if you just asked me to plan your vacation, you'd actually relax.”

“You once suggested skydiving, an activity that we very much engage in when not on vacation,” Sofia kept her gaze straight, more so just to diffuse the conversation than to watch out for stray pipes that they might bump into. “I find that reason enough for me to assume I won't find leisure in the things you find relaxing.”

Walking past a dormitory room, they spot a young sailor hastily hiding a smoking implement under his bunk sheets, but his zoned-out expression is not as easily blanketed.

Espress snickered. “Well, the entire point of taking a vacation is doing something you like. Ponies do stuff like bowling or shopping when on vacation. You went ahead and took a course on ancient military history.”

The group and their lead climbed down another set of stairs, scooting past incoming sailors, cigar smoke still billowing from their snouts. The vessel was rampant with that much contraband, it was more appropriate to call it an airship.

“So guess what? You sure love your job. Why not do something related to it,” Espress justified.

“I do my job exceptionally because if I didn't, I would be out of a job,” Sofia replied, waving a puff of smoke off her face.

“Fine. after this, you're planning our vacation. Any place you wanna go or anything you wanna do, I'm down for it.”

Sofia simply maintained her vision forward as they neared their destination. Nami directed the seahorses through decks of narrow passages and staircases, Sofia and Mez following diligently while Espress poked through every open door. Oddly, none of the occupants complained. The crew of the ship had gotten used to their constant lack of privacy that it bothered them none.1

“The work of our captain, you see. He’s recently shortened the workday once again, and as a result you'll see more ponies it and about in the hallways and spaces,” The seahorses noticed that quick, and Sofia half expected Nami to shake her head at the problem. “Ever since Captain Ark took the helm, spirits and activities have been high! Unbelievable how much change he could bring in just two years.”

“And unbelievable how much he could get away with,” Sofia added with a hint of contempt.

“It’s quite alright, ma'am. Before Captain Ark, morale and recruitment was severely low, to the point where the ship was threatened to be decommissioned. I don't doubt his leadership one bit.”

Sofia remarked,“Right, a crew stung up high to their muzzles. Just what you want the state of your warship to be on.”

“Well if it works, can't go wrong with it,” Espress said.

“They’re only ever good at keeping the crew complacent, not alert. What if an attack were to occur right this moment. Will a band of stoned sailors be able to retaliate?”

“Well,” Nami began. “The Tide has never been in a fight in a long time, but even the most ruthless pirate ship wouldn't dare engage such a titanic.”

Regardless, Sofia though. the thought of having to entrust this ship with any operation other than a cruise was a shivering notion. She'd never met the captain in person, though given the state of the ship it was best if she kept that from being a reality as much as she could.

Along the way they passed more spaces, each having its own distinct odor of smoke and sweat. It seemed everypony was under the spell of Captain Ark’s method of leadership, if leadership was even the term for it.

After coming down a flight of stairs, they reached the crew quarters of the ship, close to the stern where it was warmest, the engine room was just two more decks directly below. On the end of a corridor was the door to the captain’s quarters.

“Here we are, ma'am,” Nami stopped. “Have any of you met our captain before?”

All said no. Espress said some variation of it.

“Well, you might find him to be a bit eccentric. Nothing that should make you uncomfortable maybe, just a little weirded out.”

Sofia wanted to ask her to elaborate, but quickly disregarded it. There was no point in wasting time on anything other than the mission at motion. “This shouldn't take long, we'll most likely be in and out before we should notice.”

Nami smiled sheepishly. “That may be the one thing I doubt about our captain.”

The Navy tended to harbor the most uncharacteristic of characters, ponies mad enough to venture into the ocean, miles away from the safe grip of soil and surrounded by nothing but cold water leagues deep.

Captain Ark was one such individual. When he first came on board, none were too sure if he really graduated from the academy or if they fished him out from the sea and said screw it. But judging from morale of the ship, he was doing one fine job of being the skipper.

As they stepped in, Captain Ark swiveled his chair to face them. “Good morning, Nami! You've brought me gifts, am I right?”

“Yessir!” Nami replied enthusiastically.

Entering the quarters, one would think they were suddenly transported away from the musty, hot atmosphere of the ship and into the cool, highland habitat of Canterlot.

The room was significantly more spacious than every other space they've seen so far. The air was well ventilated and the portholes allowed for ample sunlight. It was, to Sofia, a room fit for a monarch, not a captain of a warship. The pony himself sat at the end of a long table, a banquet prepared on it.

“As the captain of the Tide, I bid you welcome,” The skipper rose from his red, cushioned seat and bowed. He spoke in a droning, slurry voice, almost as if drunk.

“Sir, may I present Lieutenant Sofia and her second in command, Sergeant Espress,” Nami announced, bowing regally as if the entire function of their presence was a royal visit of some sort. “Oh, and...uhm…”

“Sergeant Mez, miss,” Mez replied.

“Indeed! The Ghost of East Oceans and her trusty coffee-fueled companion, in the flesh!” Captain Ark said, astonished. “I heard even the monsters of the sea seem away from you.”

“Sir,” The lieutenant saluted dutifully, Espress and Mez following their superior's cue.

“Sit now! lunch is on me,” the captain of the Tide insisted. His banquet again put even a princess’ own preparations to shame. There were baskets of fruit and muffins, salads and pastries stacked plated professionally. It was almost fair for Sofia to think this was probably why funds were disappearing.

The lieutenant recited, “Sir, we're here under the instruction of the Seahorse Division head to await your orders.”

Captain Ark smiled, his eyes that of a waxed moon. “And my orders are to sit, my dear. Try Rella’s muffins, fresh from the oven.”

Given their setting, anything considered fresh was immediately put into question. The skipper himself was not much worse for wear. He was an aged soul, as old as Captain Sound from the looks of it. He seemed endearing and casual, though it could just be because he had guests aboard. Nami had mentioned all those nice things about him, and to outsiders like Sofia, she merely has her doubts.

His strong, earth pony build was coated with a rich burgundy brown, almost red. His mane was white and combed back, a tuft of it on his muzzle, fashioning a mustache. His accent was quite northern, a level of diction described as posh and disciplined.

“Don't mind if I do, captain!” Espress wasted no time in taking her pick of the banquet, Mez following after like a shadow.

Sofia, who's orders now void against the Commodore of the Eastern Fleet, reluctantly pulled a chair and sat down on the end of the table, exactly the opposite from where the captain sat. everypony else did the same, with Espress on her right side and Mez on her left. Nami meanwhile walked around and poured everypony a cup of coffee before sitting down herself beside Espress, who was now busying herself onto a blueberry muffin.

“At ease, all of you. I despise formalities. In this room, we're more like friends.”

“I'll keep that in mind, sir,” That Sofia did. Mez took the safe bet and remained in his superior's lead, mirroring her movements.

“We're just waiting for somepony, she'll be here… well fifteen minutes ago. Nevertheless I'm glad she's late, more time for breakfast for the lot of you!”

“Still, a concise meeting is preferable, sir,” Sofia stated.

“She's probably just lost again, always insisting she could find her way just fine. I trust your journey here was alright, though,” the skipper said anyway.

“Feels right at home here!” Espress commented, just before devouring a strawberry shortcake.

“Glad ya think so, lass,” Ark replied. His accent was suddenly southern now, with the ever familiar twang of the tongue. “Only makes sense to make yerself at home when yer miles away from it.”

“Ohh, where you from, captain?” Espress asked amiably.

“Why, the green orchards of Ponyville, my dear. Yes, the land where only the greenest grow,” Ark replied with a hint of pride in his voice.

"I see you brought the cultivated agriculture aboard as well, sir,” Sofia asked nonchalantly.

The skipper smiled. “Darn right! Gotta stick to yer roots if yer meanin’ to travel far, like the wide, open ocean.”

“What about you, lieutenant?” The skipper asked in his usual accent. “Where did you grow up?”

Sofia could not help but look at Captain Ark with an exasperated stare. “Sir, may I suggest we move on to our orders?”

“Ah, you have suggestions?” The skipper asked quizzically. “Very well. My crew have talked about repainting the ship. What color do you think goes with Navy blue?”

Sofia blinked, baffled at this point by the apathy of the captain towards the matter at hoof, a matter she knew nothing about still because the Caption Ark continues to stall the briefing. She replied icily,”I suggest you take them off whatever narcotics you have been injecting into them, sir.”

“Hmm, you know that's exactly what my XO tells me,” Captain Ark replied.

“But I'll tell ya what I tell him,” He continued, taking a rather distended accent that is associated with folk living in the bayous. “you be worryin’ too much about de workin’s in. But I am not blind to da workin’s out.”

Sofia raised a brow, both at his fluctuating accent and his incoherent sentence.“Excuse me?”

“De price of keepn’ a place like dis runnin’ is marvelous. The Navy’s broke, dry as de rock of de moon. Nothin’ to do out here but to watch de waves splash against hardened steel. Boredom stings somethen’ fierce, lady.”

“So your solution is to keep them sedated, sir?”

“Nay, my solution's to keep 'em happy!” The skipper lifted his mug and flashed a quick toast, before dipping a cheese stick into his coffee and biting into it whole. Sofia winced.

“I'm sure you're well aware of our predicament, ships of our Navy going rogue, sea serpents are more angsty than usual, 0” The skipper was back to his usual accent.

“And that it's broke, gotta keep reminding ourselves of that,” Espress added.

“Well, as the captain of the Tide, the most powerful warship in the world, I can't let that same fate befall the vessel,” The skipper scratched his chin idly. “It's no longer an exception, it's a necessity. I found recreational drugs particularly effective in staving off the disease of insubordination and boredom rampant in our Navy. Like a machine the crew need to be maintained properly, in order for it to work as intended.”

“Work,” Sofia reiterated. “ Right, sir.”

Ark merely smiled. Sofia still did not purchase to the idea. Insubordination was a problem, yes. But it was a problem that could be solved if he could enforced proper protocols, ensured obedience aboard the vessel and was vigilant of his crew. But obviously he couldn't, so instead, Captain Ark took the easy solution and chose instead to sedate his crew like a circus lion. It was a clear lack of decisiveness that a captain should not have.

A moment later, a lime green coated unicorn came in, as sweaty as the crew that ran the place. She stopped at the doorway to catch her breath and trotted inside timidly.

“Sorry captain, got a little lost there…” The mare said, brushing her light yellow mane from her face.

“There your are !” Ark waved at the newcomer and motioned his hoof at an empty seat, beside Mez.

“Thank you, sorry again,” The green pony did not wear anything the Navy would distribute. Instead she was dressed in a blue blouse and a white skirt, more fitting for a receptionist.

“Lieutenant, zis here is miss Mayfix,” The skipper began. He was Germane now. “An engineer for the Baltimare Arcane Institute.”

A few greetings were exchanged before Mayfix took her seat beside Mez. Finally the briefing could begin, the captain clearing his throat and leaning into his seat to get comfortable.

“Let me preface zis by saying all information is confidential and straight from the top.”

“And this operation is cleared by Canterlot, sir?” Sofia asked.

“Ja, zis mission is of national security! Canterlot wants it done!” Captain Ark punctuated. He stood up from his seat and walked over to the other end of the table. At first Sofia thought he was going closer to talk to her, but instead he merely fished out a grape bunch from a nearby bowl and trotted back to his chair.

“Last night,” the skipper began, “Ve received a report that a prototype veapon built by the Baltimare Arcane Institute, the company that has developed the veapons of our warships, has been stolen. The perpetrators are currently unknown, though we have a good idea of vere it is.”

“There have been no marked containers leaving the city by road, so it is believed our veapon has been moved by ship. The manifest of the port of Baltimare show nothing shipped by the institute, though it does mention zat a container from a Hoofgang Company, a veapons manufacturer in Germaneigh, was shipped zis morning.”

The skipper took a sip of what looked like orange juice, but upon further inspection, the liquid was apple cider. “After ve covertly analyzed the radiation levels of the container, ve strongly believe that this is te veapon, packaged in another state’s seal to deter any immediate action on Canterlot’s part. And a clever move, on the robber’s part. Our relationship vith Germaneigh has been rocky enough as it is, if they catch us opening their mail, it vill surely paint us in a bad light.”

“Canterlot has therefore concluded that the veapon must be dismantled in transit,” Captain Ark concluded. “Lest it fall in the hooves of the wrong ponies.”

Sofia thought so. The last thing Canterlot wanted was to have another of its ordnance used against them, and it was getting quite tired of that happening.

Ark resumed, “Miss Mayfix here is an expert in reverse engineering. She vill tell you what you're dealing vith.”

“Uhm, yes,” Mayfix gingerly took her cue and stood up from her seat. She magically laid out a parchment with a diagram in front of her, presumably a diagram of the weapon in question. “The armament is a four-ton arcanomagnetic bomb, the most powerful of its type.”

Espress paused her orange juice sipping and burped. “You sure we need to hear this?

“And here I thought you enjoyed all things that explode,” Sofia mentioned.

“I do, but I mean, unless we need to use the thing, I don't think we need to know how it works.”

Sofia swirled her mug of coffee. “Yes you don't, thankfully.”

Mayfix continued. “Well, if you helps, it works by releasing a surge of magic energy in its effective radius of twenty five miles, shorting out and disabling almost every arcane powered device, including unicorns who might be casting any spells at the moment of detonation. The blast leaves behind dangerous radiation and heat that could last for days.”

She motioned at the paper and pointed at specific sections of the diagram, as if anypony was paying attention. “The primary component of the bomb makes use of special elements, rather than the typical firepowder or compressed gems. When these elements react with each other, they release a massive amount of energy in the form of unstable arcane electricity, equal to the magic output of a hundred unicorns within their entire lifespan. These elements are highly radioactive and is the cause to why the blast zone becomes radioactive after detonation. This radiation was also we were able to find the bomb while it was in bring shipped. If not for it, the container would have slipped past us.”

Sofia preferred not to admit it to herself, but even she grew bored for a moment there.

“The thing you'll be after is the green core of the bomb. You'll have to dismantle the bomb and retrieve it. The trigger works like any other bomb though, so you only have to obtain the green core and leave the shell to render the bomb inert.”

“Once out of the shell though, the core must be handled with great care. The contents are highly reactive, so a serious nudge could be enough to set it off prematurely.”

“How will we know if we have acquired the core properly then, miss?” Mez inquired, finally asking the questions Espress was not too curious for.

“It should umm... glow green, sergeant,” Mayfix replied. “If it's not then something is about to go horribly wrong.”

“That's very educational,” Sofia commented sarcastically. “But this seems to be a task more appropriate for a unit of engineers than a unit of seahorses. If you couldn't tell, none of us have the knowledge to properly disassemble an arcanomagnetic bomb, much less a prototype.”

“We could just take it back then,” Espress suggested. “But I'm pretty sure it’s gonna take more than the three of us to carry a four-ton piece of metal, even with Sofie’s magic.”

“This technology is too sensitive to be handled without the supervision of the proper personnel, miss,” Mez added.

“Correct!” Ark exclaimed. “That is why miss Mayfix is coming vith you.”

All eyes turned to the captain with stoked disbelief.

“I… I am?” Mayfix asked shakily.

“Only you have the knowledge to conduct the most important part of zis mission, disarming the bomb.”

“Are… are you sure, sir?” Mayfix added.

“He is most definitely not. We don’t allow civilians involvement in any seahorse operation, no matter the circumstance,” Sofia asserted.

The skipper returned to his Canterlot-refined accent. “She’s the pony for the job, my dear! And besides, a little team building is always a good thing.”

Sofia leaned into the table, facing down the captain. “Policy dictates that no non-uniform personnel are to be involved in missions in order to maintain absolute secrecy. You will be placing the Seahorse Division on high alert.”

“So far as the Navy is concerned, that Division has been in shutdown since this morning. Hence your policies are no longer in effect. The policies of the Tide are in use now, and I make them!”

The lieutenant furrowed her brow. He was right if course, but carrying a civilian around was still risky and detrimental, hence why a policy was in place.

“This mission is very important, not just to Canterlot but to the entire world!” Ark said, clasping his hooves together. Sofia agreed of course, given the consequences. But00 right now their chances of a successful mission have been lowered drastically. Keeping a rookie alive was hard enough as it was, a receptionist would be twice as much work. “It's a risk we should be willing to take. And I know seahorses are all about taking risks.”

All evidence pointed to the affirmative. Whatever this weapon was, it should not fall into eager hooves. Sofia conceded with a sigh, “Of course, sir.”

“Miss Mayfix, a great responsibility has been laid upon you,” Captain Ark said dramatically. “I hope you will be ready to participate in this mission?”

Mayfix looked at the skipper, then at Sofia, clearly expecting her to do something about it. Her breathing became laboured and for a moment she looked as though she would faint, but was able to get under control and simple nodded, “Yes, sir...”

“We’ll get it done!” Espress exclaimed.

Sofia looked at Mayfix, expressionless. “We’ll have an expert along, after all.”

“It's settled then! Your mission is to find this weapon and disable it,” Ark waved his hoof, holding up a cookie and biting into it with a loud crunch. “Shimfle!”

Sofia looked at the captain, then at Mayfix, who was now sweating even more than when she first came into the room, and back at her side of the table, her plate untouched. Nami quietly sipped her tea. Mez was looking at her, as if waiting for further orders. Espress seemed lost for words, though the cause for that was her face being stuffed with food again. She sighed. It was very possible her last mission would be marred by the casualty of an unlucky receptionist, and that was assuming Sergeant Mez does not get himself hurt as well. “We accept, sir.”

“Perfect,” Captain Ark concluded. “Any questions?”

While she had none, Sofia noticed Espress pointing at her plate, her muzzle peppered with crumbs. With a gulp, the mocha pony inquired, “You gonna eat that?”