It took a few minutes, but eventually the ponies were roaming around the room like it was nothing, checking out the weapons behind the chained doors of the armory walls.

“Wow, this is a lot of stuff, and you said everyone on board has at least one of these, uh… guns?” Asked a purple Unicorn. I looked over to her across the room.

“Yes, mostly everyone on this ship carries a weapon,” I point to the weapons as I sound off their names, “M1911s, Browning Air Rifles, Thompson Machine Pistols, and one of the more deadly fire arms, the Trench Gun.” I turn around to see the six of them closely examining each gun.

“Interesting, really I mean it, these are pretty cool, for alien weapons but, uh, how do they work?” Asked a rather unimpressed Rainbow maned Colored Pegasus. I looked over to her with a smirk on my face.

“You really want to know huh?” She shook her head as twilight looked up at her and looked over at me. She hoof palmed and shook her head.

“Follow me.” Saying this I motion for them to follow as I walk down the room to a door with a huge lock on it. I take out the keys again and find the correct one. I slid it in the lock and turn it. It clicks open. I push the door open and turn to my left to flick on the light switch. The lights flicker to life illuminating the room. It was the firing range. I walk over to the the first booth.

“Whats this place?” Came a rather excited voice from the back. I turn to find a bouncing pink pony.

“This, is the firing range.” I say as I reposition myself.

“Alright, this is gonna be loud, try to pay attention.”

I slid my colt out of my holster, It’s silver sights reflected of the light of the room. The sights was completely spit shine clean, it’s brown pistol grip was clean and fit perfectly in my hand. I rose the gun to my eye and looked down the sights. I extended my arm to their full length and put my left hand around my right hand, thumb resting on top of my other. The gun felt right, perfect sights, perfect weight, perfect shape. I turn back to see all the ponies looking at my raised weapon.

“Like I said, this is gonna be loud, so, cover your ears.” They do as I ask and cover their ears, but keep their eyes on the gun. I turn back and aim down the sights looking at the target on the wall in front of me. My finger slides from the resting position and relocates to the trigger. I close my left eye aim down the sights. My finger tightens and finally the trigger is pulled, unleashing ear piercing BANG. The recoil wasn't a problem for me so I take the gun down and slid it back into my holster. I look down range at my target, theres a hole straight the center. I laugh at my accuracy.

“Still on point, so what do you think of that, alien weapon, Dash?” I look over to find a Jaw dropped Pegasus looking at the bullet hole.

“DEAR CELESTIA, THAT WAS LOUD!” screamed a purple unicorn. I cover my ears to shield them from her voice.

“WHY ARE YOU YELLING!” I scream back. She gives me a confused look.

“WHAAAT?”

“NEVERMIND!” I scream back and throw arms down. Suddenly the sound of running feet approach the doorway, a man rushes in the door weapon in his hand.

“What the hells going on! I heard gunfire!” Came Charlie holding the pistol with a pirm grip.

“Nothing! I was just showing the ponies what a gun is.” He holstered his gun and looked over to the group of startled ponies and laughed.

“They thought it wasn't going to be loud huh?” Now I laugh.

“Nope. I told them to cover their ears.” Applejack was the first to snap out of it.

“So, they all sound like that?” She asks motioning toward the armory.

“Yeah, but not all are the same frequency, some are louder and some are lower.” Charlie looks over at the target on the far wall of the room, and raises a brow.

“So, you did that?” He asks pointing to the steaming hole.

“Yeah? What about it?” I ask crossing my arms, He chuckles back.

“Nothing, I’m just saying that, I can do better.” He now crosses his arms and looks back at me. The ponies took hint at the rising conflict and begin to shift to the back of the room, but Fluttershy is already at the far corner of the room shivering.

“Heh, heh heh, prove it.” My voice shifts from playful to serious as my stare focuses in on his. A smile appears on his face as his brows lower. He quickly whips his hand right hand around to his holster and grips the handle on his pistol and whips it out, and then extends his arm to it full length and pulls the trigger. All of this was in one fluid motion as the gun fired sending a different round down range. It hit the target.

What really surprised me was that, he was still looking at me, he didn’t even aim. I focus on his gun, a jet black pistol with a different looking handle and grip, the back sights were illuminated with two green dots. The whole gun looked foreign to me.

“This, is a beretta M9 semi-automatic pistol, it fires a 9mm round, the future standard model used by the United States Military.” He says showing off the gun by spinning it on his finger.

“What happened to the M1911?” I ask looking down to my own. He rolls his eyes and chuckles.

“Don’t worry, we still use it, it’s just not standard issue anymore.” Putting a finger to his chin and rolling his pupils upward like he’s looking at his forehead. “Actually, some soldiers prefer the 1911 over the 9mm, fancy that.” I look down to my, now proud looking gun, and spin it on the trigger and slip it back in it’s holster.

We exit the firing range, ponies in tow, and make our way to the top deck, the sun never looked so bright. I shield my eyes from the light as I move over to the port side and look over the city infront of me. I heard Charlie talking behind me, but I didn’t pay much mind. Charlie’s footsteps camp up from behind me.

“You know,” He started as I look over my shoulder, “I envy you, john.” Now I turn around and lean backwards.

“Why’s that?” I ask, now interested.

“You, get to command this,” He turns to his right and extends his arm to the main battery cannons. “Get to command that,” taking his other arm, pointing to the Yarnell. I look behind him as the ponies talk amongst themselves. “A missle cruiser.” I raise an eyebrow.

“Da’ hell, is a, Missile Cruiser?”I ask now almost standing at attention. He looks at me dropping his arm.

“Wait, I never showed you did I?” He asks getting closer to the Gangway. He’s stopped by a familiar face. Celestia was walking up and must have overheard us, and she’s still wearing her helmet.

“Show us what Charles?” She asks, sporting the same, questioning expression I am right now.

“Yeah, show us what?” Now facing him face to face. We stared at the man as he quickly glanced between me and the princess.

“Jesus, follow me.” He said walking past the princess down the Gangway. We followed in suit as he lead us to the Yarnell. The gangway leading up I looked over the side to the dock below as the ponies were gathering around by the bottom. We walked on to the deck of the Cruiser, the ship felt, just like mine. The same color, wooden decks, swept clean, flags flying high in the harbor sky as the American flag stood upon the rest like a beacon light. we continued until we reach a, strange looking mounted gun. It was gray, like the ships paint, it held what looked like rockets in special holders. It looked, so, strange to me.

“This,” Placing his hand to the bottom section. “This, is the RIM-67 Standard Missile Launcher. This baby can fire a Missile at Land, Air, and seaborne targets. It’s amazing what this thing can do.” Celestia moved closer.

“What, what does it do?” she said inspecting the rockets. He crosses his arms and leans back on the base.

“Well, those missiles right there can be fired off the ship and target an enemy, and destroy them with brutal force.” God he’s full of himself. Celestia backs up from the launcher and puts a hoof to her chin and begins to tap slowly.

“So, what size ship are we talking here?” I didn’t notice it before, but behind the princess, Twilight was taking notes, she must have been here the entire time.

“Well, it can destroy almost any size ship, it’s just the bigger it is, the longer it’s going to take. But, if it’s some sort of long boat, like the vikings, one should do it… this is a missile were talking about, an explosive, airborne, projectile.” He said looking over to the princess again.

“Come on, i have more to showcase…” saying that, he motioned with his right arm and walked off, again, we followed. He showed us some many new things, some were so foreign I could literally feel my brain melt out of awe. He went in this order,

One, ARSOC Heavyweight Sub destroyer

Eight, RGM-84 Harpoon missiles

Six, 12.75 in. torpedo tubes

and maybe the most strange looking…

Their, Two Phalanx CIWS “Mini Guns.” That was an understatement.

As the tour finished, twilight had at least Five scroll tucked away into her sack and me and everyone else was at a loss of words. Reaching the gangway once again, Charlie leans on the railing.

“So old timer… what do you think of the new navy? No more battleships, just us, cruisers and destroyers.” I look over to him and shake my head and laugh a little.

“I ain’t old yet…” I say joining him on the railing.

“Heh, right…” He says back

12:45 pm…

So, are we ready?” Asks the princess with a raised brow. Me her and princess luna join us on the bridge of the Boston as we're poisoned outwards towards the open sea that lay before us. The Yarnell’s the same way. I look over to the Yarnell’s bridge as I can see Charlie doing the same thing I’m doing, looking at me back. He sends over a thumbs up and I send back the same.

“Yep. Lets get a move on, oh by the way where’s the elements?” I ask looking at the princess.

“Right here.” Came A rather eager and heroic voice. It was Twilight. I could feel a smile appear on my face as I motion with my arm and point my finger towards the open water in front of me.

“Lets do it! All engines, ahead full!” I say to a sailor, “Aye aye captain” Our horn blares right above us as I could feel the ship lurch forward. Another ship horn sounds off after ours as the Yarnell begins after us. The search has begun. The search for a ghost ship that worth more than money can buy. A ship that, if used correctly, can level a whole navy. A ship, that holds a small space in our American hearts.

We, are on the hunt, for the “Mighty Mo.” Looking over to the future ship and back to mine, a sudden spark of pride shined, as a song pushed it's way into my head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acnt3r6z5ns

"50 years from me to him, and can still kick ass."