A burst of bright light followed by an explosion of heat was what the sleeping crew felt and seen as they were jolted awake. The force of the explosion came next as a sound wave flowed off the water and into the camp. Opening her eyes Poppy looked towards the source of the commotion. What she discovered as she looked out into the small cove where the Crystal Palace had been docked was a fireball that was climbing high into the night sky. Looking back to Contrail for answers Poppy instead discovered fear written all over her face. When Contrail offered no answers, Poppy looked towards the captain's tent. He was just stumbling out of his tent when she spotted him. He was scrambling to try and put on his uniform. Poppy swiveled her ears listening for his voice. The captain was shouting out orders to the lieutenant. The orders came fast and she only caught snippets of his order.
The lieutenant snapped off a quick salute after which he turned around shouting out orders of his own. In the short distance to the shore the lieutenant was joined by four other ponies. The group of five pushed off from the shore. The crew made quick work of rowing out to the burning hulk of the Crystal Palace. The long boat disappeared from sight as it pulled up alongside the Crystal Palace so Poppy turned her attention back towards the captain. She found him talking to Commander Contrail who had trotted over to him without Poppy noticing. Poppy listened in on the conversation. She heard the captain ordering the commander to help relay messages between the stricken ship and its crew and the shore. Commander Contrail saluted before leaping into the air and flying out towards the Crystal Palace.
By now the fire looked like an inferno as the flames licked up the sides of the main mast and igniting the large sails which burned with an intensity of a small sun. The remaining crew on shore watched in horror as the embroidered sail with the crystal princess's cutie mark fell to the sea as its mast snapped. The loud cracking sound reverberating across the beach.
Waiting for word from Commander Contrail was agonizing. Time seemed to slow until Poppy noticed the small long boat coming back to shore. The boat slowly made its way back through the darkness, a small light at its bow let Poppy follow it in the darkness of the cove. Poppy watched as the lieutenant and one crew ponies stepped off. The lieutenant said nothing as the crew gathered around him instead Poppy watched as he pushed his way up to the captain. She noticed as he walked by the camp fire his normally light grey coat was covered in ash and black soot. The captain met the lieutenant about halfway up the beach.
“Captain a small amount of the ship's munition stores have exploded. First officer True North has indicated that the fire is under control and damage is severe, but the damage is above the water line. Commander North said that firefighting efforts are making progress, but he is still not sure what the extent of the damage will be until the fire is out.”
The captain listened to the report nodding along. Once the lieutenant had finished giving his report the captain gathered the crew together around the campfire. Poppy looked around at the faces of her fellow ponies. Their faces all looked as Contrails had a mix of fear and confusion. Poppy listened as the captain recited the report to the crew.
No pony went back to sleep that night. Most took seats around the bonfire, each talking quietly to each other. The lieutenant came out of his tent carrying a guitar. Poppy watched as he lit up his horn as he sat down, he began to strum on the instrument. The tune he began to play was haunting. Poppy thought it matched everyponys mood perfectly. The crew all sat heads hung low as they listened to him play. Slowly each pony joined the Seargent in song. As the chorus came around even Poppy found herself joining in.
“Some where over the rainbow. Blue birds fly.”
The ponies all sang. Their voices in unison as they filled the night sky. The sounds were dark and macabre but it was how every pony felt. The song continued into the night as the ship burned. The song came to an end and the night once again was filled with only the sounds of the campfire crackling.
Poppy looked out once more to the Crystal Palace. The fire had begun to die down and the occasional explosions from the stores of gunpower had stopped. Looking up into the night sky Poppy could still see Contrail circling over the Crystal Palace. She had made a few reports to the captain on the last one Poppy had a chance to see her as she walked by. Her fur was black and stained and Poppy could see the exhaustion in her eyes. Poppy had given her some water before watching her jump up into the sky where she still flew even now. She missed the pegasus warmth but knew her duty came first so she sat and watched as the flames of the ship receded.