September 21th, 2013...

Equestria, Manehatten, USS Boston, Main Captain's Quarters...

POV: Captain John Carson…

8:15am…

The conference at the LOEN couldn’t have gone any better. The Equestrian and Griffon government’s have decided to work together until we’ve located the Missouri and have it returned to an Equestrian port. After that, they’ll hold another conference on what to do with the Griffon Pirates, but until then, any Griffon Pirate that is seen on open waters is fair game for engagement. Though everything went according to plan, I still can’t help but feel like the talks went a little too well. There were barely any objections, and all the votes that were ordered were almost completely swung to one side, our side. I don’t know why, it just didn’t feel right. It was all going a little too, “according to plan,” for my taste, so, after we left the conference, I made sure to keep an eye out for suspicious activity. I even went and appointed Lt. Junior Grade Dale O’Maley as head of a small recon group that would keep an eye out for anything strange that might happen to us on our mission.

Dale is a good man, and an even better sailor. I trust him, not that don’t trust anyone else, but, I trust him for this job, and this job only. Once he set himself up with a small team, I gave him his orders, in person, on the bridge of the Boston.

“If you spot anything, and I mean anything, out of place, not put away, or not same way you left it, you report it to me, or the Vice Captain, understood?” He saluted, turned, and headed from the bridge, his team following behind him. Let’s just hope it’s my nerves, and not something serious, because the last thing we need right now is a saboteur among us. Our mission is to begin, ASAP. I have ordered my men to stay on alert at all times, and be ready to leave port at any moment. We secured a head count and made sure everyone was on board earlier today, right after breakfast.

I look to my watch underneath my tan on duty uniform, it was nearly 8:00 in morning, we were to set sail at 0830, and be out crawling along the southern shore at 0900. I still remember our game plan. Charlie, Me, and the Princesses, formulated a plan of attack. It went like this…

We will leave the Manehatten port at 0830 hours today, with me taking the role of lead ship. We are then to head south on bearing 1-8-0, and trail along the coast until we reach Saddle Arabia. Once we arrive, we are to hold our position outside of their main capital city, and allow a group of Equestrian scouts to search the main capital for a, “contact,” that has visual proof of the Missouri passing through the area. Once that is complete we will follow the lead, apprehend the ship, and take it back to port. Simple on paper, but complicated in practice. I leave my quarters in my tan captain's uniform, my tie pinned to the dress shirt, my day caps black rim shined to perfection, and my dress shoes freshly polished.

“Attention all hands, this is final warning, prepare for departure in 15 minutes, please head to your assigned positions immediately and report to your superior if you have any questions, that is all,” A voice said, coming over the ship's announcement system. It echoed through the halls as sailors passed by me in a variety of uniforms, Medical personnel, weapons control staff, communication officers, everyone rushed about heading to their departure positions, men manning weapons, and others taking note of supplies. I made my way to the upper structure of the Boston, entering the bridge. Sailors stood about, talking over maps, holding charting equipment, they talked and ordered each other around. And their in the center orchestrating all of it was Vice Captain, Donald Richardson, he turned around and watched me as I entered through the bulkhead.

“Captain on deck!” He shouted. All heads turned to me and dropped what their were doing, becoming straight and uniform. They all saluted with pride, the room buzzed with anticipation. I nodded,

“At ease men.” They all lowered their arms and stood with their hands behind their back. Richardson stood forward in front of me.

“Course is charted sir, and Charlie has given me the okay, he’s ready to depart. Engines are holding and ready, all weapon systems are online, and the scouts are reporting calm seas and open skies,” He beamed with pride, “We couldn’t have picked a better day to start our mission,” He was right, I had to agree with him, the perfect day, the beginning of the end.

“Yes, you’re right Vice, gentlemen, today begins a new page in human history, a page that must never leave Equestria, I hope you’re all prepared for that” I walked with hands behind my back to the center of the bridge, all eyes following me, all confused over what I had just said. I was about so say some more things that I’ve had sometime to think about. Some might even say, I’ve had forever to think about. I turn around and pick up the Ship phone and turn it general. Now everyone on board the ship can hear me.

“I hope you men, have made peace with the Ponies, and Charlie's sailors. For what happens in Equestria must stay in Equestria. Our world must not hear of our exploits on this planet. When it is our time to leave we will do so quickly and efficiently. When we leave we will have our memories wiped and and our lives restored, because god knows how much damage we’ve caused back on Earth already. Humanity must be saved from itself, from us. This whole thing was never meant to happen, so we will act as if it never did. Now I know, some of you may not be okay with this, and I understand, before now I may have made some friends, some very close to me. But I give this warning to everyone, don’t get attached. We are here professionally, and we will leave professionally. The bonds we make here must be temporary, if not, non existent. Because when it comes time to leave, we must do it then, and now, to limit our time here in this world as much as possible. Of course I'm not implying the Equestrians have been unkind to us, but. I am implying that Earth's timeline must be restored as quickly as possible,” The men around me looked at each other, all nodding together in agreement.

“Don’t just do for yourself, do it for your grandchildren, and their grandchildren. Let them live just the way they are right now, unchanged and unbroken,” I look around at the men on the bridge, their faces all drawn up in smiles and hearty grins, arms crossed or weapons in hand.

“We hold the fate of the world in our hands gentlemen, let's bring it back together. That is all, prepare for departure god bless us, and god bless the United States of America,” I hung the phone back onto the wall, as a chorus of claps came from everyone on the bridge.

“Well spoken sir!” Came the Vice. I nodded as I took the helm. A sailor entered the bridge and stopped at the doorway,”

“The Equestrian Forces are on board sir, orders?” I looked over at him and gave him a slight nod,

“Excellent, show them to their quarters, and get them squared away, we’re pulling away.” He saluted and exited back the way he came. I turned back to the bridge forward windows as I looked out over the bow.

“Engines, set course east, bearing 0-9-0, half speed,” I requested. A voice came from behind me,

“Aye aye Captain!” I picked up the hand held radio next to me and flicked it on.

“Charlie, do you read me, over?” I asked, a short pause came, then he answered.

“I read you, how did your speech go?” He asked.

“It went well, I think, I hope, did you say what I told you to say?” I asked back. He came back with a laugh in his voice,

“Yeah, message received alright, are we pulling away?” He asked. I heard the engines of the Boston rev as if he told them to,

“Yes we are Captian, yes we are, we are exiting bearing 0-9-0, East until we exit the yard, then we’ll head south on 1-8-0, remember the plan?” I asked.

“Yes, yes I know, trust me I know,” He came back with annoyance. I had drilled our combat plan into his head about a million times since the LOEN conference. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.

“Good, now hold it close, this mission, I want it over ASAP, I just wanna make that very clear,” I said back.

“Yes, I got it! Don’t worry, this will be a cakewalk, trust me,” I nodded, and gave a little chuckle.

“I’ll hold you to it Charlie, I’ll hold you to it,” I said back. I rested the radio back onto the consul and watched as the Boston picked up speed as it turned away from port. I half to admit, though our relationship is professional, Charlie knows how to make it not that, in many ways, yet still get things done. He amazes me like that, he speaks softly and with such drollery, yet when the time comes, he acts, just like me.

And I think it might be growing on me.

Author's Notes:

IT'S BACK BABY LETS GET IT ON!

~ Calex Winteridge