//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 Aboard the Malachite // Story: DARING DO AND THE COMPASS OF DISCORD // by De Writer //------------------------------// As Daring Do leaped down the gangway, Amber was up by the launch’s controls, conferring with the pilot. Lines cast off, the stern pushed down in the water as the powerful screws shoved the boat toward the Malachite at the head of an arrow like wake! Amber inquired, “What is our situation, Midshipdog?” “Supreme Matriarch, the Zebra Confederation warship, Das Capitin, a light cruiser, has refused to acknowledge signals from the Harbor Authority. Her main guns are all rotated to fire starboard. She is maintaining a fifteen knot speed in civilian waters near to a charted harbor in violation of maritime law. Her present course will require her to make a port turn across the harbor mouth, bringing her guns to bear on our position.” Soberly, Amber stated, “Very concise. Do not waste time trying to load the launch. You and your mate take it back to the docks.” She was using a mounted Magic Net mirror on the launch’s dash to call ahead. “Captain! This is Amber. If you have not already done so, jettison the anchor. We do not have the time to lift the hook. “Set flank speed in a starboard turn toward the center of the harbor basin. Be anywhere but at your anchorage when Das Capitin crosses the harbor mouth. Leave the boarding stair down for now. We will catch you and board. The launch and crew are returning to dock!” Turning to her companions, Amber told them, “Doctor Do, Morail, Withers, we are going to have to jump for the boarding stair while both ship and boat are in motion. If you do not wish to try it, stay here and return to the dock with the launch.” A crewdog of the Malachite was down on the landing stage of the boarding stair. He had a rope with float and harness attached. He cast it across the gap between vessels with practiced skill. Amber quickly strapped herself into the harness and jumped! She crossed the space of roiling water and landed on the stage. She doffed the harness and began to sprint up the stairs, calling over her shoulder as she went, “Morail next! This is her vengeance!” Withers and Daring Do swiftly buckled Morail in to the harness and steadied her for her leap. She hit the landing stage and bounced off the side of the ship, nearly falling into the water! The crewdog caught her and quickly stripped off the harness. As Morail was charging up the boarding stair, the harness was cast back to the launch. Daring Do demanded, “You take this jump, Withers! I have a better way!” While Withers was leaping, Daring Do spread her wings and flew up to the Malachite’s deck. She greeted Withers as he came to the top of the stair and a crewdog led them into the ship. Up in the bridge, Amber absently greeted Morail. “” Amber was wearing a set of things looking like earmuffs. One had a strip with a knob on it that was placed just below Amber’s mouth. The whole set was connected by a wire to the complex panel in front of her. There was a glowing, ever changing, diagram on what appeared to be a large Magic Net mirror. Amber was touching parts of the diagram fleetingly. Finally, she spoke, seemingly to nodog. “” Turning to Morail, Amber pointed to a bank of pushbuttons next to the mirror with the diagram on it. “” Morail nodded, then spoke when she realized that Amber’s whole attention was on the diagram before her. “” She took her place beside the Supreme Matriarch of all Diamond Dogs. Daring Do and Withers were shown into a large wardroom deep in the Malachite’s hull. There, a waiting crewdog assisted them to get into flotation gear like all of the other assembled non combatant crew. All eyes were on a chalk board at the end of the room. A ranking crewdog was updating a diagram of the position of the ships. The harbor and adjacent coastline were indicated as well. The crewdog was listening to an earmuff like headset. He nodded and started to re draw the location of the Das Capitin. Even through the thick layers of the Malachite’s steel, they heard the deep booming roar of heavy guns that were not their own! ~~ ~~ ~~ The Royal Guard seated Otar, Ambassador of the Zebra Confederation, politely but firmly not allowing any other action. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia sat across the polished expanse of the conference table. He returned their glare with one of his own. “Your guards violated our Embassy and dragged me here! What is the meaning of this outrage?” Princess Celestia replied coolly, “We are trying to avoid simply declaring war on the Zebra Confederation. Your instant presence was required. The Equestrian Defense Bureau has been put onto war alert. We have launched three Hunter Destroyer ships of our navy from the Baltimare naval base with orders to stop or sink a vessel of your navy.” The Ambassador’s jaw dropped. “This is insane! What possible cause have you and which ship is it?” Grimly, Princess Celestia informed him, “It is the light cruiser Das Capitin, bow number 17. She entered the Harbor Control Zone of our port Milestago at a speed of over 15 knots, driving straight in on this course. All of her main guns are aimed for a point blank starboard broadside.” Princess Luna pushed two papers over to the Ambassador. “Here, Otar. One is the Milestago control area chart with the current course and position of the Das Capitin. The other declares that the ship bearing that name and bow number 17 is a stateless pirate, subject to all lawful penalties of piracy. “If you sign it and the ship does not fire into our territory, we will cancel it. If the ship fires into our territory we WILL destroy it by any means necessary. If that paper is NOT SIGNED BEFORE IT FIRES, our two nations will be at war. It is that simple.” Jaw set in anger, Otar slashed his signature across the bottom of the sheet. Looking up, he stated, “Because of political problems that we are having with them, our consulate in Milestago has been watching the Diamond Dog vessel Malachite. She is at anchor in the roadstead and does not appear to have steam up. I fear that she will not be able to maneuver to safety in time if she is the target of this strike.” Celestia gave him a calculating glare and stated in flat tones, “We are about to find out. Das Capitin has initiated her port turn that will bring her guns to bear on our harbor entrance.” Luna, still concentrating on a Magic Net mirror, reported, “I have ordered our Coastal Defense Fortress at Milestago to open fire.” She paused. “The first salvo missed. They are reloading now but will not be in time to prevent the Das Capitin from firing into the port.” Otar was gazing at the chart, which showed the potentially deadly provocation. He shuddered. This cold, calculating, near war on his nation was more than he had bargained for. Celestia was checking a Magic Net mirror too. She declared, “Das Capitin has fired into our roadstead inside of the harbor. We have severe damage reports coming in.” ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ Amber was waiting with false calm for the action to begin. She explained, “We must let them fire first, Morail. The instant that they do, hit our broadside button.” “I understand, Amb…” Morail interrupted herself by hitting the firing button! The Das Capitin’s guns flared and then hid her in smoke! The roar of the point blank broadside reached them and then came back, echoing off the hills around Milestago! The Malachite rolled under the recoil as her broadside roared out to the enemy! Amber was cursing quietly because the smoke was making it difficult to ascertain damage. She reached over and hit a button on the control board. Into her headset thing she spoke, “All turrets! Independent fire. 200s go for their turrets. Try to get those guns out of action! 125s, aim for the bridge or any other targets of opportunity.” ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ Luna looked up with haunted eyes. “They fired at the Malachite’s moorage position. Malachite, in spite of no smoke, apparently had steam up. She jettisoned her anchor and moved. The Das Capitin’s broadside hit our port facilities. At least one shell ricocheted upward and landed in a residential area, where it exploded. “It appears that the Malachite fired back but due to gunsmoke and haze in the battle zone, we have no damage reports for either vessel. Wait, um, I have a report of severe damage to a ship, I am not sure yet which one.” Celestia replied, “I am getting preliminary civilian damage reports. The Cormorant was tied up to a dock and was hit. She is in a sinking condition. We have three docks damaged and two warehouses. We are certain of six dead in the dock area but more are expected. “The wild shell hit an apartment complex. It is burning. Efforts are being made to contain the fire. We have no reports of how many civilian casualties there are, only that we are certain that there are some.” Otar hid his head in his hooves and said, “Things like this are not supposed to happen.” ~~ ~~ ~~ Luna looked across the table with some compassion. “We know that all too well. This is WHY there are laws and treaties between nations.” A Guard Sargent entered and gave the Princesses a sheaf of papers. In a voice shaking with emotion, the Sargent requested, “Ma'ams, may I be given detached duty to Milestago? I have family there. I cannot reach them by Magic Net. I fear the worst.” Celestia regarded him quietly for a moment before replying, “Not yet, Sargent Thornburn. The reason that you cannot contact them is that we have ordered the Magic Net shut down except for military and diplomatic codes. Wait until the attack is over and communications are back. If you still cannot reach them, then, of course you may. I will see to your orders personally.” He withdrew, nodding, “I understand, Princess. Thank you.” Luna was sorting through the papers, which had a number of images. She showed Celestia. Look, Sister. Two turrets out of action, the bridge looks to be destroyed.” Celestia pointed to another, “Look at the size of that hull breach! That is not smoke coming out of it. Steam. They have lost at least one boiler. It looks like they are taking water.” Luna took a deep breath. “I have a realtime report. They have started a starboard turn at flank speed. They are trying to ground the ship before it goes down. That means that they have no time to abandon ship.” The Zebra Confederation Ambassador looked up. “We have political differences with the Diamond Dogs, that is true. I know that Supreme Matriarch Amber was aboard. I hope that she survives because I also know that she was your friend.” ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ Amber was nearly glowing with excitement as she gave her orders to keep the Das Capitin in sight. The Malachite was not only rolling to the recoil of main guns, the ship was charging across the harbor entrance, but not entering that trap. The Das Capitin fired a second full broadside! As the ship rolled from the recoil, a gaping hole in her side was revealed! Suddenly one of her stern turrets jolted hugely, its gun barrels flying up and the tips slamming down onto the deck. Fire bloomed as the bridge erupted from a hit just under it! The Malachite shuddered from a hit by one of the Das Capitin’s shells! The rest of the broadside screamed across the bay and into Milestago! Amber coolly spoke into her headset, “Damage Contol, report! How bad are we hit?” As a background to her request and its answer, the Malachite’s turret guns continued to rain shells at the crippled Das Capitin! Morail reported, “Amber! Das Capitin is turning towards shore! We are losing sight of her!” The Malachite’s guns fell silent. Morail asked quietly, “Is it over? How badly were we hit? How many casualties do we have?” Amber hugged Morail and replied, “It is over. I have just reported through the Magic Net to Canterlot. From the Princesses, I learned that the Das Capitin hit a shingle beach at flank speed and broke in two. The Princesses already have Pegatroopers securing the prisoners and assisting the survivors off of the wreck. “We were hit in unoccupied crew quarters. The shell, due to improper seating of the fuse, failed to explode. Damage Control is starting to repair the damage. We were very lucky. We do have two injured crew in the infirmary.” She paused and gave Morail an enormous grin. “The Zebra Confederation Ambassador already signed a paper declaring the Das Capitin to be a stateless pirate in order to avoid war with Equestria. Guess who has already filed a salvage claim on her?”