Prologue: Bounded by Iron and Blood
Equestria’s Battleship
Prologue: Bounded by Iron and Blood
Date - 10 / 21 / 1010 ALB
Day - Monday
Time - 0600
Location - Olenian Ocean
Ship - ERNS Star Swirl
‘Blood… Blood has been spilled on Equestria soil for the first time in hundreds of years. Nopony predicted an attack from the Changelings for some time now. But they attack with an armada. Battleships and Carriers that wiped out most of our strongest Battleships. Submarines devastated our trade with the Commonwealth of New Mareland. The ponies lost Acornage in hours, with their Heavy tanks piercing through the ponies like butter. We were not prepared for this war….’
‘Heh, war… sounds like a foreign word… War to the ponies has been a foreign concept to us as if it had never occurred to us that something like this could happen. Even though we had a considerable force, most of our commanders and chiefs were seriously inexperienced in the situation. Barely any of their ground forces are a threat to the Changelings. Those bugs can change to look like us, and the ponies wouldn’t even know.’
‘It’s been worse on the seas. The Changelings may not have the size of the Equestrian fleet, but they took us by surprise by attacking one of our ports in Las Pegasus with most of the Equestrian fleet stationed there. A few months into the war, the ponies planted their hoofs into the ground and held the line, stopping the Changeling's assault upon Equestria. Though it looked good on the front, the same couldn’t be said on the seas.’
‘The Equestrians were losing badly; they couldn’t get a fix on any of the Changeling's ships. And even if they did, they were still too green. They had no actual experience in a war before, as the Changelings went to war with the Kingdom of Olenia. They had experience…. Though to say it was all bad news would be an understatement.’
‘Reports would come into the Naval commander's desk about two mysterious ships, they weren’t a part of any country he’s ever seen. In the confrontations that the ponies could gather reports on. It was clearly a Battleship and a Heavy Cruiser. The Battleship was brandishing four dual barrel batteries that would shread through Changling ships like butter and secondaries that are just as deadly up close. Its armor was thick and tough, taking on almost anything the Changelings could throw at it. And it was just as fast as a light Battlecruiser and Destroyer, some saying it was going 32 knots (36 mph).'
‘The Heavy Cruiser, on the other hand, was like a mini battleship in its own right. It had four dual-barrel batteries like the Battleship with various secondaries. It also brandishes four torpedo launchers. Its armor seemed thick, and the cruiser's speeds matched the Battleships at 32 knots.'
‘Though the weirdest thing that would come in as soon as the battle ended, the ships would slip away into a fog. Not even the best rangefinders on any of the Equestrian fleet could spot them. And next to that, they couldn’t spot any personnel on the ships. It was as if the ships were sentient, but that was brushed off as an insane theory.'
“Captain Cyno Mam!” a voice called out. Breaking the pony's thoughts as she looked up to see a younger pony dressed in a first officer uniform. He saluted in the presence of the captain.
“At ease, what is it, Stronghammer?” Cyno asked the young pony as he loosened his posture and set a note on the desk. Cyno looked at this, puzzled, picking the note up before looking back at Stronghammer. “What is this?”
“We’ve got a lead on the unknown Battleship and Heavy Cruiser, Mam.” This caught Cyno’s attention, and he curiously looked at the note. “We believe we know where they’re heading.” Cyno gave Stronghammer a look that persisted as a ‘Go on…’. “We think the two ships are heading for a Changeling battle group, which is believed to be patrolling in the Viking Sea.” Stronghammer finished as Cyno was taking in information.
Cyno nodded before getting up from her desk. “Go radio ENRS Celestia and the rest of the ships in our area and tell the helmsman to set a course for that Changeling battle group. We’re going hunting!” Cyno order. Stronghammer did a quick salute before sprinting off towards the bridge.
Cyno smiled as she looked out a porthole and saw the sea. “Time I get a glimpse of these ships for myself.”
Date - 10 / 21 / 1010 ALB
Day - Monday
Time - 0730
Location - Viking Sea
Ship - Unknown
https://youtu.be/d3cGdprDjvc
I groggily opened my eyes, a light above me briefly blinding me. A series of cracks go off as I sit up from bed. A sigh of satisfaction escapes my mouth as I get up from bed and look at a mirror across the room. Seeing a tall woman with long blond hair and dark blue eyes staring back. Tired ones at that…
I stretch one more time before leaving the room and entering a corridor. Heading towards the bathroom, humming to the song playing through the ship’s intercom. I got to the restroom, brushed my teeth, and returned to my room.
Once I got there, I went to the closet and opened the door, looking to see my uniform. Smiling, I took it and changed into it, taking off my PJs. ‘Wish I had more to wear than my uniform….’ I thought. Afterward, I grabbed a map of Equis’s oceans and a pencil before going to the ship’s kitchen.
Grabbing the kettle, filling it with water, and then putting it on the stove. Turning up the heat, I looked at the map I picked up in my room. ‘That Changeling Battle Group should be nearby….’ I thought as I crossed out a section of the Viking Sea.
I leaned against the counter as I began to cross out more sections. Soon the kettle started to whistle. Turning off the heat and grabbing a cup from the cupboard. I headed for the pantry and grabbed a bag of ground coffee beans, pouring a little into the cup. Then, pour in the hot water before stirring it.
I grabbed my coffee and started making my way toward the bridge. Making my way outside, I breathe in the saltwater and smile. The breeze felt nice as I walked along the starboard, briefly examining the 15-inch guns on deck. Noticing that they were starting to look worse.
I frowned at that, ‘They’re starting to look worse and worse with every encounter….’ I thought. It won’t be long before I’ll have to make myself known to the ponies. I looked away and made my way to the bridge, sipping my coffee.
“You should take better care of yourself, Ja?” I turned around to see a white-haired woman with fire-like eyes. “We wouldn’t want the great Bismarck falling to these shapeshifters, would we?”
“Prinz Eugen, why aren’t you at your post?”
“Well, while you were getting your beauty sleep, I’ve found the Changeling group that’s been causing trouble for those equines.” Prinz Eugen explained as she walked up to me with a piece of paper. “They’re currently 30km out. They haven’t spotted us just yet.”
“Good,” I say as I take the paper from the Heavy Cruiser. I took a sip of my coffee and…
PING!
I felt the radar pinpoint a vessel far out. I huffed as I set down my coffee and closed my eyes. I soon saw out of the rangefinder and looked at my surroundings. All I saw was the ocean for a bit, but then I saw multiple ships out 15km. I hummed as I saw briefly that it was the Equestrian Royal Navy.
“Looks like they’ve also picked up on the Changling group.” Prinz Eugen said. I was thinking the same as I opened my eyes again. Pondering for a moment, I thought of contacting them. It will let them know I’m not hostile. I soon shook my head, rather not get involved with the ponies. I’m fine with just myself and Eugen.
“Eugen, head back to your post and be ready for battle,” I ordered.
“As you wish, Kommandant,” She said with a tease. She then headed for the ship's starboard side and jumped into the water. Skating across it like ice, back onto her ship.
I head to the headmen’s post and start steering the ship away from The Equestria’s, making sure to stay out of sight. I take a look at the information Eugen gave me. The changeling battle group consisted of 2 Battleships, 2 Battlecruisers, 3 Heavy Cruisers and 6 Destroyers.
‘Looks like Eugen was right. But at this distance, they would definitely have found the Ponies…’ I curse under my breath, quickly opening my eyes and setting a course to intercept the Changelings before they can get in range of the Ponies. ‘Gotta get their attention…’ I then looked out of the bridge at the front 15-inch battery. Pondering momentarily, I left the bridge and went to the bow.
“Well then, let's make some noise...” I said, raising my hand and pointing it to the Changeling fleet. In synchronization, the 2 forward-facing batteries followed my hand, aiming straight for the Changelings. I was smirking as I could feel the cannons reloading with HE Shells.
“FIRE!”
The two batteries roared to life as 4 HE Shells fired from their cannons, flying at terrifying velocities. The sound was almost deafening. This was sure to get the Changeling's attention, but it was also a double-edged sword. The Ponies will definitely notice the sound of Battleship batteries going off; they’ll be looking for me shortly. But all that matters now is that I’ve gotten the Changeling’s attention.
“It’s time to have some fun…”
Author's Note
Wow, a side project everyone!
This had been in the works for a while, and this was more of a test and a way to give me a quick break from Equestria's Divine God and to figure out how to write Equestria's Responsible Vigilante... I still sorta am...
But I hope ya like this, all be it a short chapter. Maybe will continue this story when I get out of this writers block... and figure out adult life...
Catch ya later!
