9/12/97...

Eqestrian Seas…

1200 hours

“Attention all crew members, this is your captain speaking, keep your hands close at arms, we are now in enemy territory, when we fall under attack, man your stations.” I click off the radio and slip it into the holster.

I pivot on my left heel and walk out of the wheel house and now stand on the balcony of the bridge. I rest my arms on the surprisingly cold railing and cross my legs. I look out over the open water in front of me. To my left, the Yarnell was slightly ahead, breaking the calm waves as the ripples hit my own and cancel out. Down below me foot steps mixed with hoof steps echoed off the iron walls of the ship. The wind picked up as the seagulls flew above me as they swarmed around the two ships. I take off my captain's cap and grip it in my left hand as I lean closer to the railing, taking in everything around me.

The beauty of the open crystal clear and sky blue waters, the smell of the salty sea as the waves push the intoxicating smell up towards my nose. The motion of the ship as it bounds through the water as it feels stuck in place as the waves pass underneath. It is always a grand feeling, the feeling of the ship sailing along as it’s lazily push by the current of the sea. A voice spoke behind me.

“Beautiful, isn't it.” A soft but proud and regal voice spoke up. I turn to find Celestia walking up the stairs behind me. I turn around and stand up and fit my cap back on my head.

“Very, ma’am, the open waters calling to you as you sail into the unknown, nothing much like it.” She moves closer to the railing I was leaning on and looks herself.

“Yes, you’re quite right. I always loved the sea, it’s endless nature, it’s hidden world below. every bit about it is grand. But, I am loyal to the sun and it’s bright beauty.” She says while looking over to me as I find myself lost in the oceans waves. I snap back when I hear her stop taking.

“Uh, yes, the ocean is beautiful, but without the sun, it’s beauty would be for nothing if you couldn’t see it.” I look over to celestia as I see her face grow from happy, to worried.

“Whats wrong, you seem troubled?” I ask placing a hand on her shoulder blade. She looks back up to me and open her mouth but nothing comes out. She closes her mouth and looks around like she lost her words, then opens her mouth again.

“This ship, we are searching for, why, why is it dangerous?” I remove my hand from her shoulder and grow a shocked look on my face.

“Uh, princess…” I start to say as I point to the main battery cannon of my ship. “You see that?” She follows my finger and looks at the triple gunned 8in. barrells of the weapon.

“Yes, why?” I lower my arm and place both on her shoulders, “Just imagine those, but, two times bigger.” Her eyes widen. “The Missouri, has nine of those, and more, she has more shielding than me and the Yarnell combined, she is the ultimate killing machine. If she were to fall into the wrong hands, they would destroy me, you, and charlie.” Her eyes are now full like the moon. “And then, they’ll go for land next.” She then puts a hoof to my mouth.

“I understand, I understand completely, we need to find it, NOW.” She turns to walk off but I stop her, by putting my hand on her shoulder again.

“I know, we just need some time and enough clues to lead us to her resting place, trust me princess, I won’t let any harm come to you and your ponies, you can count on me, to god and my country, I won’t sleep, until I find that damn ship.” She smiles and looks over the yarnell. “And if, IF, anyone has taken her, I won’t stop until the thieves are brought to justice, i'll catch em so fast their heads will spin.” At that last note she laughs a little.

“Thank you John, I knew I could count on you.” Now it was my turn to smile.

“It’s my honor princess.” I take a bow as I say the last part. She walks off down toward the lower decks. I pick myself up and resume my position at the railing. I look over to the bridge of the yarnell and see Charlie doing the same, except, he was looking back at me. He waves, I wave back. He points ahead and I look.

He’s pointing slightly to the right and I couldn’t see so I enter the wheel house and come out the other side. I saw what he was looking at. A large land mass maybe even a continent. It looked different then Equestria. It was flatter and covered in sand, the buildings were made out a different brick. It kind of looked like some eastern country, like Iraq or Iran. I run back to the other side and try to talk to him. I point behind me and raise a brow then point to my ship then his then again point to the coast. He Nodded. I gave him a thumbs up and enter the wheel house.

“Attention, this is our first stop, that country over there, lower speed, turn hard to port, and prepare to dock.” I barked to the sailors on the bridge, “You,” I pointed to a sailor. He saluted, “Go down into the deck and gather the elements and the princesses, were going to need them to dock.” He salutes again and runs off. I shift over to the P.A. system and flick it on,

“Attention, all Marine personnel, report top side for docking, bring your weapons. Attention all remaining sailors aboard, remain on high alert, I’m stepping off.” I switch of the Mic and walk over to a chair in the corner of the room, a holster and revolver lay on the seat. I click it on and make my way down to the lower decks once again and arrive just in time to see Charlie and his own Marines, Preparing some sort of life raft.

Five minutes have gone bye and the Boston and the Yarnell have reached the reef of the main land, we can't go any further. My Marines are fitted with their rifles and pistols and, so is Charlie’s. I wave to him, he waves back, I point to the raft and then point to my marines, then me. He understands, he shakes yes and launches the raft, Maines in tow. The raft was some sort of, motorized lightweight craft. It skipped along the waves toward the Boston as my men prepped a ladder on the side of the of the ship, to sort of meet them halfway.

Then, I hear it again, the whooshing of the propeller blades, of the Hawk. It takes off from the rear and begins to fly over toward us. The marines from the Yarnell arrive under the ladder and my marines begin to load. But when they see and hear the chopper, they begin moving faster.

“Hey, John!” Charlie yells up. I lean over the edge and call back.

“What?”

“That chopper, is for you and some of the ponies, you know, the one’s who can’t fly…” I look back to the elements and the princesses and nod a little in understanding.

“Okay, Ill let them know.” I back off from the railing just to see the last of the Marines exit the deck. I make my way over to the the group, they all look over to me with wondering eyes.

“Okay, so, listen up. The Yarnell has sent us a Hawk, the Black Hawk, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, rarity, and Twilight are getting in, the Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy will fly along side, along with the princesses, Okay?” They starting looking at each other as the sound of the chopper grows closer by the second. Then they all look back and nod, “Yes.”

“Good, get ready.”

“One question…” Came a voice in the back, it was rarity.

“Yes?” I say fixing my eyes on to hers.”

“Is it safe?” She asks as her eyes pan back and forth nervously. First I was at a loss of words, I quickly searched my mind for any kind of info I was told about it. Finally I came out with a half-assed answer,

“Ehhh, sure?” My face said it all. It said, ‘I don’t know.” and she saw it. She then grew a little uneasy as the chopper appeared overhead.

“Well, it looks safe ta’ me, so, I ain't got no problem with it.” Said Applejack as she moved up closer to me.

“Yeah, Charlie nor John would put us into any danger.” Came Twilight.

“Yes, you’re right, I would never put you in harms way.” I said reinsuring. The chopper began to ascend closer to the deck and it and a large door were nearly parallel. The door slid open and revealed a Marine, he waved us over.

“Alright, lets move it!” I said making my way against the current of the Helis blades. I jump in and take a seat, followed by, Applejack, Rarity, and then Twilight. As everyone got situated in there seats, I signaled for them to close the door. As the chopper lifted, I felt the g-force as the current of gravity felt stronger. I lean over to a window and see Rainbow and Luna on my side, below them, the Raft took off after us as it flew along the water.

It took as about three minutes to reach land, as the chopper landed a huge weight was lifted off me as I suddenly felt like a feather, as did everypony else. The sudden lift of gravity felt strange, but of course it was my first time in a chopper. The door slid open and the Marine got out and signaled for us to follow. We came out in suit, we stepped off together and crowded around the marine. Then the door behind us closed and the chopper took off. The princesses and the pegasi land next to us, and the raft of marines arrived on shore.

After the raft was pulled ashore and the marines were ready to move, we began the short walk toward the town Charlie spotted off shore. As we walked I looked at Charlies marines, and then back to mine.

They looked so different, there weapons were black and longer than my my mens weapons. Some had different looking parts like tubes or handles and scopes. Part of me kind of liked them, the other part feared them. The walk there felt longer than it had to be, it was because the sun was beating so hard down upon us, it felt like we weren’t moving at all. But eventually, we reached the sandy entrance of the city.

“Alright everyone listen up, we need to go in here and find the local sailors, they are the one’s that would know if the have seen our ship, Princesses, can you find the city capital and ask for shipping records?” I ask. Luna stepped forward, a little annoyed.

“Who put thou in charge of us?” Luna said with a glaze look in her eye. “You are nothing more than a sailor, a man of the sea. If anyone should be in charge it should be me and my sister. So, if you think your more important than us? Thou are mistaken.” First I was taken off guard by her hostility, I didn’t expect her to reject my command. Then I wanted to punch her dead square in the face for giving me lip Now it was my turn to be the cocky one. I put on my best death stare and looked right into her eyes.

“Because, it’s a human made ship, and plus I know who to ask, and where to find additional information, you be lucky you have me, I know how a sailor thinks. So sorry to impose but, if you have a better idea then, please speak up.” Everything fell quiet from a few seconds. “No. Sorry.” Luna said backing up slowly to rejoin her sister. But I stopped her again.

“Don’t be sorry, I would know how you feel if someone below me gave me orders.” Her ears perked up. “But, I’m pretty sure I know more about ships than you and Celestia combined. No offence.” She turned to face me again.

“Non taken, and, you are quite right, I do know nothing, and,” Looking back to her sister who I could see shrugging her shoulders. “I’m sure she doesn’t either. Sorry, I shouldn’t have been so hostile and judged you based on who you are. It’s just that, me and sis have been the ones leading the pack.” I could see where this was going, but Luna beat me to it. “I guess I’m not a good follower.”

I look over the group of ponies and humans, most of them wearing the same, “Uh, awkward time to be here at the moment.” Faces. I shrugged and the whole lot of humans shrugged back. I turn back to luna and pat her on the shoulder. “Sometimes, you just gotta listen to the ones below you, cause most of the time they are correct in what they’re saying.”

Luna’s head picked up and gave a understanding nod. “Alright, we’ll locate the town hall.” A smile appeared on mine and her face.

“Thats the spirit. The rest of the ponies except for, uh,” I needed someone in the air looking for sailors in the streets,

“Fluttershy, find out anything you can find down by the docking areas, Charlie,” He moved forward, I motioned for him to come closer. “Follow the ponies, they might need help, okay.” He nodded and motioned for his men. Alright everyone else on me.”

Fluttershy singled herself out and made her way over to me. “Uh, J-john? why do you need me, if it’s alright to ask.” She asked quietly. I kneeled down to her height so I could talk to her better.

“Well flutters, I sort of need your help in locating pony sailors from above in the sky.” She grew a puzzled look on her face as her eyes darted around as if she was searching for something. Then as if some one zapped her, her face lit up. “Oh, I have an Idea!”

“Alright what is it?” I say moving closer.

“I could talk the sea birds that live in the surrounding areas, they’ll know if they’ve seen the ship!”

“Wait you can do that, talk to birds?” she nodded.

“Okay, thats pretty cool, thanks that’ll help us out alot.”

“Oh, you're welcome.” She said with a smile.

After the ponies were split up, Princesses were to investigate main hall, the element and Charlies marines were to help them, and me and my marines were going to go around town and ask anyone if they saw anything, we moved so that everyone was in a legit group.

“Alright everyone, LET'S GO FIND US A SHIP!” I yelled as everyone scattered into the village entrance.