Celestia and Luna were. To say shocked would be putting it lightly. Running into Taylor in the sky while they were on the way to Baltimore for the Navy admiralty board meeting, had meant that the usual boring meetings were going to be exciting today.
“This is going to be a rather exciting meeting Sister!” Luna cheers happily.
“Did you know that Taylor could fly?” Celestia asks
“Um, Princess Celestia, this has been the 5th time that you have asked that question,” Taylor says
Taylor jumps a little as she is picked up in the Princess of the Sun’s magic.
“Of course, I am going to ask that question. I mean, you have no wings, there is no horn so it can't be levitation. How are you capable of flying?” Celestia asks clearly having a mental breakdown.
“Magic!” Taylor says with a smirk
The carriage suddenly turned towards the dirt runway at the base and began its descent.
“Sister, are you ready for this?” Luna asks struggling to speak modern equish.
“I wasn’t before however I am now,” Celestia says looking at Taylor.
“I got this don’t you worry,” Taylor says full of energy
“You can not threaten them,” Luna says
Taylor stills as the Chariot descends touching the ground.
“I wasn’t gonna threaten them… the fact that you think I would do something so barbaric… Are implied threats allowed?” Taylor asks
“No” Luna
“Yes” Celestia
Taylor sits down on the now still chariot.
“I am receiving mixed messages here,” Taylor says
Celestia looks at Luna who looks back at her.
“Fine implied problems and general threats are okay, however, a threat towards their career or health is not okay,” Luna says giving in to her older sister's demands.
“Then I for sure have this in the bag,” Taylor says taking a step off of the chariot
“Good let us go then, can't have the old fogies waiting too long,” Celestia says
Luna snorts before looking at Celestia.
“Are you sure that is something we should be saying, sister?”
“I think Luna is right there you are both ancient, and I’m probably older than them myself,” Taylor says with a smirk
“Grounded,” Celestia says
Taylor freezes before her head snaps back around to look at the sun princess.
“Grounded? You can’t do that you’re not my mom.” Taylor says in panic causing Luna to laugh.
In truth, the two were nearing the building in which the meeting was to be held so as much fun as the by-play was it couldn’t continue.
“Game faces you two we are almost there,” Luna says
Celestia and Taylor’s focus comes back and Celestia kicks open the door.
“Esteemed admirals, we gather here today to discuss a new monitor design that we believe holds great potential to enhance Equestria's naval defense capabilities,” Celestia says with a smile
Taylor stands there shell-shocked by the change in demeanor and the completely different image she has of the princess.
“Indeed, this new design has been meticulously crafted with advanced magical and engineering expertise to provide a cutting-edge defensive solution for our kingdom,” Luna says following her sister’s example.
“It was made by a filly.” Admiral Bluewater says
“I’m older than you,” Taylor says sitting down at the table with all of the Admrials
“This design is bad. I barely agreed to the flat tops because we needed ample space for some pegasi to land at speed.” Captain Swift Wing says
“The flat tops had a rudimentary steam engine at best. I mean it is a miracle that you managed to make those things work.” Taylor retorts
“How is this any different from the steam engine powering the flat top?” Swift Wing asks
“Actually the steam engine in the ironclad was a massive improvement from the one on the flat top. So much so that I wish to actually dry doc the flat tops and replace the engines.” Admiral High Tide says
“Thank you although I would be willing to argue that this steam engine is even better,” Taylor says with a smile glad that the old Admiral she met when she first showed up is jumping in to defend her.
“Really? What is the improvement?” High Tide asks
All of the other admirals go silent letting the oldest and most experienced among them talk.
“Well now that you ask. Esteemed admirals, one of the most crucial advancements in the proposed new monitor design is the transition from a traditional vertical triple expansion engine to an advanced geared steam turbine.” Taylor says grinning happy to talk about mechanics.
“We asked about the advantages and the improvements. Not the new name or how advanced it is.” Swift Wing says snarkily
Luna glares at the pegasus ready to step in however Taylor speaks up first.
“Of course! If you’ll flip to page 10 of the packet in front of you. It’ll all be listed out and explained so well that even a kindergartner could understand it.” Taylor says looking directly into the eyes of Swift Wing.
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Page 10
Advantages of Geared Steam Turbine:
Efficiency: Geared steam turbines are known for their higher efficiency compared to triple expansion engines. They operate at higher speeds and are better suited for generating electricity in power plants or propulsion in marine applications. This efficiency can lead to lower fuel consumption and operational costs.
Compact Design: Geared steam turbines have a more compact design compared to triple expansion engines. They can deliver the same power output with a smaller physical footprint, making them suitable for installations with space constraints.
High Power-to-Weight Ratio: Geared turbines have a higher power-to-weight ratio, which means they can deliver more power for a given weight of the machinery. This characteristic is advantageous in applications where weight is a critical factor, such as in aircraft propulsion.
Smooth Operation: Geared steam turbines operate at higher rotational speeds, resulting in smoother and quieter operations compared to triple expansion engines, which can have more vibrations and noise due to the reciprocating motion of their pistons.
Simplicity and Maintenance: Geared turbines have a simpler design with fewer moving parts compared to triple expansion engines. This simplicity often translates to lower maintenance requirements and reduced downtime, contributing to higher reliability and availability.
Flexibility: Geared turbines can be designed to work with a variety of steam conditions and can handle changes in load more effectively than triple-expansion engines. This flexibility makes them suitable for different power generation or propulsion scenarios.
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“Alright though… Is this going to obsolete our current engines? I mean we have produced so many of them already which we are still building ships for.” High Tide asks
Celestia smiles at High Tide the pony was almost a god when it came to budgeting and planning.
“For larger and faster warships yes though if you turn to page 21 and skip past all of the diagrams you’ll see the advantages of the current engine,” Taylor says
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Page 21
Advantages of Vertical Triple Expansion Engine:
Fuel Flexibility: Triple expansion engines can use a wide range of fuels, including coal, oil, and gas. They are versatile and can adapt to different fuel sources, making them more suitable for applications where fuel availability might be limited.
Cost: In some cases, the initial cost of installing a triple expansion engine may be lower than that of a geared steam turbine, especially for smaller-scale applications.
Low-Speed Applications: Triple expansion engines are well-suited for low-speed applications, such as driving ships or powering machinery in specific industrial settings. Their design is optimized for producing high torque at low speeds.
Reliability: Triple expansion engines have been used for many decades and have a proven track record of reliability, particularly in marine applications.
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“Ultimately, the choice between the two engines depends on the specific requirements of the ship and under which scenarios we would be using them. Although I personally prefer the high-speed efficiency of the turbines for deep-sea cruising.” Taylor says
Celestia looks over at Luna and whispers to her.
“When did she put out the info packets? Actually, when did she make those? She only found out about the meeting today.”
“I have got absolutely no clue although it was funny,” Luna responds
“You have certainly given us much to discuss and debate… Thank you for your time Lady Fletcher.” Admiral High Tide says bowing his head.
“I prefer Taylor from Friends Sir High Tide,” Taylor responds
“Then Taylor feel free to call me Tide.” High Tide says
“Alright, I expect a report to the crown based on your decisions and good facts and reasonings behind those choices,” Celestia says
“If you feel the need for practical testing before you implement some of the new advances and wish to start building out a fleet of these new ships. We fully support that decision so, just make sure to file the expense reports properly.” Luna says
The pair of princesses and Luna’s student walk out of the meeting room leaving a stunned admiralty behind.
“I can not believe a Filly gave you a dressing down!” Bluewater shouts at Swift Wing laughing.
“She talked circles around me… This is why I hate politics.” Swift Wing says with a sigh.
“You did well, You are still learning captain. Although next time a pony that looks like a little filly lays a verbal minefield don't step in it… Did anypony else notice when she managed to place the packets in front of us all or did none of us catch it?”
“I don’t think anypony here did sir,” Bluewater says