//------------------------------// // Aftermath, Offers, Family, and Rebuilding // Story: Battleship of Equestria // by MorgothII //------------------------------// Battleship of Equestria Chapter Twenty: Aftermath, Offers, Family, and Rebuilding June 20th, 1942 2:48 PM (Jacob's POV) I stand awkwardly on the bridge of the now-freed USS Fuso. The former Japanese super-dreadnought had been pulled off of the beach by the rest of the fleet and a fair amount of magic. Right now she is being made ready for a trip up the river towards the Baltimare Naval Yard, where she will be fully repaired, possibly for the last time. After all, the war had been one, even at such a heavy cost. The battle had been won, but at a very heavy cost. Luna's section had suffered the worst. A quarter of her ponies were dead, and another five thousand were badly hurt. Total casualties on land were roughly a quarter of the entire army dead and roughly a sixth of the rest wounded. Most of our bombs and other ammunition had been expended, with little left in reserve. Not that it should be a problem of course. However bad the number of dead from land battle is, the Royal Equestrian Navy is in a far worse state. My dear friend and former executive officer James Froster and the entire crew of the small protected cruiser RES Starswirl are at the top of the list of sunken ships. Fuso will survive, but will be out for at least several months as her bow and turrets are repaired or replaced. The Soviet destroyer Smyshlyonyi is intact, with her captain, Warrant Officer Sergei Rushenkov, reporting that they had only a quarter of munitions left and three torpedoes left, and of course, no casualties. The new Equestrian flagship, RES Dragon, is still afloat and commanded by the increasingly lucky Captain (now Commodore) Salty Wave. As with the now-badly damaged Fuso, our fleet wouldn't have lasted another battle. We have only a hundred frigates left in sailing condition out of the three hundred we had only days before. The rest are either beached, sunk, or in the process of being abandoned. The ironclads did much better, especially once Rushenkov and Froster destroyed the former German pre-Dreadnought SMS Pommern. Sixty are still around afloat, a testament to the strength of their iron-coated hulls. Only ten of the gunboats survived the fierce battle. As for the smaller auxiliary craft, all of the ten hospital boats are intact, though we have yet to receive a full head count of the smaller vessels and perhaps we never will. I lost about two hundred and thirty of the damn best men, mares, and stallions I have ever met and been honored with leading them. From a command viewpoint, the greatest effect of the heavy loss of life was that I had lost nearly all of my senior officers. The only two left are my gunnery officer Fuji and the quiet and rarely seen chief engineer, Takashi Atago. I have no executive officer because I refuse to remove either of the two Japanese men from their current posts. It might be a while before I can find suitable candidates, but as there isn't a war going on anymore, the topic is less of a pressing issue. The Carolean army had fled upon seeing the death of their master and generals. Many had fled into the ocean and drowned. Even more of the Carolean ground troops had been slaughtered in the chaotic rout by the rightfully vengeful ponies and bison. Some did escape, but with no weapons or leaders they would be of no threat. The same can be said of Henry's fleet. Despite the lack of Fuso's fourteen-inch guns, the fleet I had helped create proved its worth a thousand times over, despite the heavy losses in both ships and life. Save for a small handful of the lighter frigates, all of Cluny's warships and more importantly, his massive ships-of-the-line, had been sent to the bottom of the South Luna Ocean. The survivors previously mentioned had been hounded relentlessly by our Russian destroyer. In fact, five minutes ago Rushenkov reported the destruction of the last of the enemy warships, and thus ending the last remnants of Henry and Cluny from the sea. I wince as I move to my cabin. To my surprise, it had been untouched during the duel with the Arizona. My wounds hurt like all hell, but they will heal by December at the latest. I remember how I had woken up to the sight of a sleeping Luna next to the hospital bed I had been placed in, her head resting on my torso in exhaustion. She had awakened instantly when she felt the movement of my body and had put me in such an embrace that I was half-surprise to not have any broken ribs. After talking and crying over the hell we both went through and survived, I had brought up a subject that had been bothering me for quite some time now. Rainbow Dash had mentioned how her wing-pony Lightning Dust had appeared to have neither a home nor a job (or at least, not a well-paying one) when Dash had found and recruited her, as well as the incident at the Wonderbolt Academy that had ended the friendship of the two mares. Thankfully it had been fixed, but I had asked Spitfire about this a week ago. Lightning Dust had been given a 'dishonorable' discharge for her part in said incident. The captain of the Wonderbolts then went on to mention that she wished that she had some way to remove the career death-sentence once she saw that Lightning really had changed her ways and her rapid growth in maturity, but not even Princess Celestia or the love of my life can remove it. A 'dishonorable' discharge meant that no pony would trust her with a job that would be able to actually sustain her. In a way, the spunky turquoise mare reminds me of what I remember of my little brother back home, both could be reckless but also carefree. They were also both burdened by a troubled life. I tried my best for my brother. I will do my best for the young pegasus. I had talked to Luna about my plan and she had agreed to it whole-heartedly. Now it is time for me to visit the wounded Dust. She and the others form Ponyville and from the woods were in the mess hall (which had been turned into a medic bay) and the medic bay, unless they had been in critical condition and thus had been placed on one of the five hospital ships that had left the evening of the battle. It was time to give her the chance of getting a new start. 3:00 PM Fuso's Medical Section… Rainbow Dash nudges a slightly drowsy Lightning Dust. The two friends had been talking about tricks they wanted to try out and sharing stories of their fillyhoods for the past two or three hours. It had been a normal routine since her wing was bandaged. The doctors and medics all confirmed that Lightning would make a full recovery within a month or so. So that was one less problem for her to worry about, along with having to pay for the whole thing as she had been injured in the line of duty. In addition, as Lightning was no longer in serious danger from bleeding out, she had been moved to one of the makeshift rooms for single occupant use. From the looks of it, she had been assigned to what appears to have been some sort of mailroom. Of course, it has been cleaned up and gave a semi-comforting vibe despite the Spartan living conditions. In fact, the only things in the room are her cot that had been moved from the medic bay and a small nightstand. But for Dust, who had been used to having much less, the two simple pieces of furniture was more than enough. "You know, you could stay with me, Scootaloo, and tank in my house once it is repaired. And I could talk to Spitfire and try to get her to allow you back into the Wonderbolts?" Rainbow offers her wing-pony. Lightning Dust offers a weak smile from her hospital bed before replying. "Thanks, Dash. But don't sweat it for now." Lightning closes her eyes for a little bit, her meds causing her to begin to fall asleep. She barely manages to register in her brain the sound of the door in her room being opened, but just chalks it up to one of the medical staff simply popping their head in to check on her. What she hears next jolts her back into full awareness. "Miss Dust?" The former Wonderbolt trainee's eyes snap open. She stares speechlessly at the sight before her. Even if the royal blue coat, brown eyes, white (albeit slightly dirty and torn despite being worked on by Rarity after the battle) naval uniform, and of course his alicorn status, the scar behind his right eye is a dead giveaway. The turquoise mare tries to stand up in her bed, delivering a crisp salute despite the brief flash of pain in her. "C-Captain Jacob, sir!" She manages to say. The commander-in-chief of the Equestrian military flashes the mare a look of concern. "At ease, Miss Dust. I just came in to talk to you, not cause you more pain," He urges the former daredevil. Lightning grins sheepishly as she lies back down. "Not to be rude or anything sir, but what do I owe this pleasure?" Jacob looks up and down at her for a moment before speaking. "As you are probably aware, the military will be heavily reduced due to a need to rebuild and return to farming and controlling the weather due to our losses. So to be blunt, you are going to be given an honorable discharge. I have spoken to Spitfire, Luna, and Princess Celestia. While they wish it could be otherwise, you can't join the Wonderbolts due to what you had done previously." He pauses and raises a hoof as Lightning opens her mouth in protest. "They understand and are in fact glad you have changed for the better, but they can't change the rules. However, they did agree to an alternative that I hope you might like. I want to offer you command of the USS Fuso's aviation department." Jacob chuckles at her slack-jaw expression. "B-but what about Rainbow Dash?" She asks. After all, shouldn't the cyan mare be the better choice? Jacob shakes his head briefly before answering. "Rainbow Dash is an equally great flier. However, she is already occupied with being a Wonderbolt, the Element of Loyalty, and taking care of both her little sister, pet tortoise, and rebuilding her house. As her friend, that is extremely unreasonable for me to even think of giving her this request, let alone offer it to her. But you actually need this job. Do you know just what I am offering you?" the royal-blue alicorn asks in a calm tone, gazing at her with warmth in his brown eyes. He manages to still a slight sigh threatening to escape from his lips as LD stares at him hesitantly. "I am offering you more than just a simple job. I am offering you an officer's commission and pay rate, three meals a day, a home, and friends and a chance at a real family." Dust's eyes widen even more as she fully realizes what he is saying. She already figured that Spitfire and possibly Dash had spilt the beans about her previous status of being an orphan. But surely Equestria's greatest hero isn't offering what she thinks he is. …is he? "Captain, sir, I'm not sure I completely understand what you are saying," The reformed daredevil finally admits to the alicorn stallion. This time the American does sigh aloud. "May I correctly presume that you know of how Scootaloo and Dash became sisters when she took the filly under her wing?" He pauses before continuing once he sees a silent nod from the injured pegasus. "I am offering a similar thing. Of course, it can't be a brother-sister relationship because of the fact that I am twenty-five, almost twenty-six in fact, and you are nineteen. You have managed to get by one way or another for all those years, whether you were in an orphanage or on the streets. But that came at a cost. You have potential but no proper mentor, and you need to be able to rely on others just as you and Rainbow Dash have come to rely on each other." Jacob then pauses for a minute for Lightning's brain to fully register what he is saying before he continues once more. "Of course, the choice is up to you. I will respect it no matter what. But I will not force my offer onto you. Take as long as you need, Miss Dust." With that, Lightning watches as the famous alicorn turns around and starts to walk towards her door. Her mind races with excitement at what he is actually offering. A chance to have a family. Not the kind that friends form from time to time, but an honest-to-Celestia family. With that single though, LD decides that she has only one choice. "Wait!" She shouts, blushing in slight embarrassment at the echo inside a room that has metal walls and no carpet. Jacob stops and turns around, a calm expression still on his face. "Yes?" Lightning gulps slightly before continuing. 'Come on Dust, you can do this!' "I-I would be honored to accept you offer. Thank you so much, father." Lightning looks down slightly as she deals with a sudden surge of both giddiness and slight embarrassment. 'Where did that come from?' The turquoise mare thinks to herself. She used the right term, but maybe it was too earlier to call him that? The former Wonderbolt cadet had never been able to call someone that word. 'Oh man, please don't let it be that I just messed up! It hasn't even been half a bucking day!' She mentally curses. A warm and feathery envelopment around her shoulders makes LD look upwards. Jacob looks down at her with one of the widest and most compassionate smiles the bold flyer had ever seen on either his face, or on any other faces for that matter. The American captain had placed one of his alicorn wings around Lightning Dust in a gentle hug. "Thank you, my daughter," He says gently. My daughter Never in her wildest dreams did Lightning Dust ever expect to hear those two words. The mare feels several small tear drops fall down her cheeks, but for once she lets it be. The last time she had cried was when she had been kicked out of the Wonderbolt Academy and by herself. This time it is a much happier occasion. For the first time in her life, Lightning feels like she truly belongs somewhere. The two embrace each other as they enjoy a moment of true peace long deserved. Jacob remembers what Luna had said to him before she left to discuss the future of Equestria with her sister and fellow princesses. I will be honored to have this Lightning Dust as our daughter. June 28th 8:28 AM Ponyville… (Jacob's POV) I stare down at the assembled crowd of men, stallions, and mares. Earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi who await yet another speech from their victorious commander-in-chief, a post that had been made official last night. Behind me, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Starlight Glimmer, and my soon-to-be wife and daughter smile encouragingly at me when I glance backwards. I really do hate how I am always the one chosen to give these speeches. At least I can admit that there is one pleasant difference for this one. This one is not for war, but for something much better. While Fuso was being repaired under the watchful eyes of Fuji and the engineering department, I had asked my crew if they were willing to embark on a special mission of sorts for the duration of repairs. It seemed fitting to repair the town that had brought us together. The remains of the Carolean fort had been torn down and burned, along with the rotten and skeletal remains of our would-be killers. The bodies of the fallen defenders of the pleasant town had already been buried with honor and respect last week by the rearguard. Only one building is left amid the burnt ruins of the town that is entirely intact and not ransacked: Twilight's Castle of Friendship. The youngest of the four princesses had told me when we had rescued her that she and Starlight had placed a powerful spell of protection over the crystal tree-like structure. But now it is time to give inspiration and motivation once more. I step forward and clear my throat. I am still getting used to how quiet crowds become when I am about to speak, but I refuse to delay the beginning of my speech. I use my magic to perform the mundane task of amplifying my voice, though only at a quarter of my normal volume due to a much smaller crowd. Plus it isn't like I am going to be giving a war speech…for once. "Men and ponies! We have won back this land! The price for destroying your homes, our homes, has been paid two hundred fold despite the losses of beloved friends and family! Let us continue to honor this most noble of sacrifices by rebuilding that which Cluny tried to destroy! We will make Ponyville a place of harmony and friendship once more! And I promise you as a friend that I will die before allowing Ponyville to ever be invaded again! Once the town has been rebuilt, I shall be putting my headquarters nearby, as well as a naval base for the USS Fuso! We have been through the gates of Hell and Tarturus and have emerged as brothers and sisters! Our bonds of friendship and loyalty are unbreakable! So let us step forward into the future holding hooves! Let us enter a time of peace!" At this, cheers of encouragement bounce around the square below the balcony of the castle where we stand. I raise my hoof for silence, a request quickly granted. I gaze down with bubbling pride at the crowd as I deliver my final part of the speech. "So let's get busy!" 11:11 PM Cluny's Island… The once-occupied black iron citadel that had served as both Cluny's prison and headquarters is battered by a storm of wind, rain, and lights. By the water's edge at the abandoned shipyard, a series of portals appear. Three submarines, two destroyers, and a large cruiser suddenly appear in the water, manned by stunned ponies. A second set of portals appear on the land and ponies appear, stunned. Two infantry divisions complete with artillery, half-tracks, and a few armored vehicles of various sorts has arrived on the island. The commander looks around as he straightens his officer's cap, the silvery Death's Head skull slightly marred by dust. He brushes his collar lapel. The distinctive SS ruins are seen clearly. Once more the remote and desolate island is home to killers and murders. The Waffen-SS has arrived.