//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Adventures Aboard the R.E.S. Rising Moon // by LunaDeluxe //------------------------------// Chapter 3 Day 4 Late Night Thunderlane lifted his telescope up to his eye and stared out into the clouds, but whatever he had seen was gone. He moved to the starboard side of the forecastle to get a better look at the shadow he had seen drifting behind the clouds. He looked back at the few ponies on the deck wondering if any of them had seen the shadow, but nopony else seemed to have noticed. Perhaps the moonlight was just playing tricks on his eyes. He turned back to the bow just as several flashes of light inside the clouds, followed a few seconds later by dozens of dull booms, broke the calm he had been enjoying moments before. "Everypony hit the deck!" Thunderlane shouted as he dove behind the foremast. He curled up and covered his head with his hooves as the deck of the Rising Moon was struck with heavy round shot, tearing through sails, masts and railings, sending shrapnel spinning through the air and across the deck. Thunderlane gasped in shock as searing pain shot up his left leg. Blood dropped down onto his snout, then, after a few seconds, the shot stopped slamming into the deck and Thunderlane stood up to examine his leg. There were two large shards of wood embedded in his lower leg, with blood seeping out of the wound and dripping onto the deck. The shrapnel didn’t seem too deep, so he set his hoof down and tried to put pressure on it. Pain shot up his leg again and spots danced across his vision. He grimaced and lifted it back up, then peered around the splintered mast. Just off the starboard bow, a mare-of-war glided out from between two clouds. It was a small warship, with two decks of cannons lining its dark hull, sails up at full with no flag flying over it. The ship was coming about, bringing its port guns to bear for another broadside. Thunderlane spun around and hopped through the air, spreading his wings; he glided to the stairs ready to raise the alarm. As he reached the rail he saw that it wouldn't be necessary as the crew was already flooding onto the weather deck. Several rushed to the limp bodies of the crew who were on the deck for the first attack. Most were strewn about the ship, wounded or dead. Captain Cloud stepped out of his cabin, coat halfway on and hat tilted to the side on his head, and looked around the deck then spoke. "Somepony get these wounded below; everypony else, to battle stations. Lieutenant, I need a damage report." Everypony on deck scrambled to follow their orders. Captain Cloud stepped around a pile of wreckage and galloped to the stairs leading up to the forecastle. He called out as he climbed the stairs, "Thunderlane, who is attacking us?" “Mare-of-war, sir, flying no colors, a two decker. She fired on us from behind heavy cloud cover, five points off starboard bow,” Thunderlane said as he gestured with his wing towards the bank clouds the ship had been lurking in. The captain thought for a moment, glancing back and forth between the aggressor and the clouds ahead of them. His thoughts were interrupted by one of the midship ponies calling below deck to run out the guns. Cloud rushed over to the railing and shouted down to the crew. “Belay that order! There are too many villages in this area, we can’t fire back here. We’ll have to draw them away.” He turned back to Thunderlane and noticed his wounded leg. “Are you still able to fly?” he asked. “Yes, captain," Thunderlane said, stretching out his wings. “Where do you need me?” “We won’t be able to make it to those clouds before their second broadside; let’s try to be in them before the third.” Cloud stepped back to the rail and called out to the crew below him, “Bring us to full canvas; we’re making a run for the clouds.” He turned back to Thunderlane, “Gather your weather team and bring that cloud cover to us. I'll send marines to you as soon as possible.” “Aye, captain,” Thunderlane hurried down the stairs and began searching for his team within the crowd on deck. He spotted Silver Wing and April Shower almost immediately, the siblings were standing next to the main mast. He called out to them from halfway down the stairs and waved them over with his wing. He limped to the bottom of the stairs as they pushed their way through the crowd. “We need to find Morning Star and Sapphire Sky; we have a job to do,” Thunderlane said as he reached the deck. A couple of marines armed with muskets rushed past Thunderlane and up the stairs. “Morning Star got hi-” Silver began to say as the dull roar of cannons boomed out, somewhat closer than before. The crew dove for cover wherever they could find it. Thunderlane and his team huddled against the wall of the forecastle and covered their heads as the lead balls soared past and ripped apart the deck for a second time. After a moment, the roar of the cannon fire was replaced with the screams of the wounded. Thunderlane took his hooves away from his face and looked at the grim scene on the deck. The ponies mostly free of injury began carrying the dead and wounded below deck. “By the alicorns, Thunderlane, you’re hurt!” April Shower leaned over to look at Thunderlane’s leg more closely. His leg was trembling but it was not bleeding as freely as before; the area around the wound was now swollen and he had lost most of the feeling below his knee. “You need to get below and get tended to.” Thunderlane lifted his leg to examine it. “No, we have a job to do. I’ll get it checked out when we get back. Now where are the others?” “Morning Star was hit by the first broadside. Sapphire Sky carried him down to the doctor; she should be up here any moment,” April said, still eyeing Thunderlane’s leg. “We don’t have time to wait for her. We need to get this done now; follow me, I'll explain on the way.” Thunderlane turned around and climbed back up to the forecastle. Captain Cloud was no longer on the deck but there were several crew members attending to various assignments and marines moving to the railings. Thunderlane hobbled to the bowsprit and leaped over the side of the ship. ~~~~~ Twilight raised her head from her pillow, a low rumbling rousing her from sleep. She blinked several times and yawned. She lifted the covers off of her with her magic and stepped onto the floor, making her bed neatly and quickly. Then she opened her door and stepped out next to Rainbow Dash in the hallway. Luna was standing just outside her door with Dusk Mail, one of her bat winged guards, ears pricked up and rotating slightly. Captain Cloud burst from the great cabin, hat in his mouth, coat askew on his back, and sword dangling at his side, and sped towards the door to the weather deck. “Shtay ‘n your rooms,” He said through a mouthful of hat. “Captain, what’s happening?” Twilight asked as he passed. “I don’t know yet, stay in your rooms,” he replied, straightening his bicorn on his head, as he opened the door and stepped out onto the deck. Luna looked at Twilight and said, “It sounded like cannons. I think we are under attack.” She turned and walked back into her room. At the word 'cannons' Twilight's heart skipped a beat and her eyes widened. She could see Luna through the door rummaging through a chest of her belongings. After a few seconds, she pulled out a vest and began strapping it on. Twilight walked over to Luna’s door. “Wh- what are you doing?” she asked, choking down the lump in her throat. The vest was on now and Luna was sliding two flintlock pistols into the holsters on front of the vest. There were two more pistols on her sides, just under her wings. “I’m going out there to help,” Luna replied. She walked past Twilight and down the hallway. Dusk Mail followed close behind, but made no attempt to stop her. “But the captain said to stay here. It’s not safe.” Twilight trotted behind Luna a few paces as she spoke. “That’s why I have these,” Luna shook one of the ornately carved pistols in the air in front of Twilight, “I've been around a long time Twilight; don’t worry, I can handle myself, and they may need the help. Stay in your room until it's safe. Rainbow, make sure she stays there.” “Um, yes ma’am,” Rainbow slung her musket over her shoulder and motioned to Twilight, “C’mon Twi.” As Twilight stepped back into her room, Rainbow turned to Dusk Mail and asked, “Hey, Dusk, if you get the chance, could you send someone to let us know what’s going on?” “Sure thing; we’ll let you know as soon as possible,” he replied as he followed Luna onto the deck. “Thanks,” she turned around to face Twilight. They could hear ponies shouting on the deck, but couldn’t tell what they were saying. Screams were carried up from below them, muffled by the thick floors. Twilight cringed at the sounds, her heart racing. She looked to Rainbow Dash for reassurance. She looked at Twilight and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Don’t worry Twi; we’re gonna be fine,” she said, confidently. ~~~~~ Thunderlane maneuvered around the massive cloud, followed by April and Silver, slowly pushing it back towards the ship with the wind from their wings. The Rising Moon was at full sail now, gliding silently towards the clouds. Their aggressor was trying to cut them off, coming in perpendicularly from their starboard side, about a kilometer away, and pelting them with shot from their bow chasers. The Rising Moon would easily be able to make it to the cloud cover before the mare-of-war could reach them, but they were still within easy range of her cannons. Thunderlane called out a warning to his team as half a dozen dark, winged shapes broke off from the hostile ship, and then started flying towards the weather crew. Thunderlane facehoofed, sending a jolt of pain through his left leg, as he realized he didn’t have a weapon; he hadn't had time to put on any wing blades, and he hadn't been carrying a sword or musket while on watch. He glanced around to his team and saw that April and Silver both had wing blades on. Well I guess we aren't totally helpless. He thought with a frown, then glanced at the Rising Moon.C'mon Captain, those marines would be useful anytime now! He looked back to the mare-of-war to see another two dozen of its crew soar off from the other side of the ship, making for the Rising Moon. ~~~~~ “To arms! Prepare to repel boarders!” Captain Cloud shouted over the din on deck. “Rolling Thunder, I want sharpshooters to the tops and the rest of your marines stationed at the starboard rail. Keep them off the ship, if you can.” Rolling Thunder, the lieutenant in charge of the marines, relayed the orders to his men, sending two squads of Marines to take up positions on the starboard rails, muskets in hoof, and several more soared to the yards and the crow's nest. Lightning Dust rushed out from below deck with Spitfire, Rapidfire, and Fleet Foot, along with half of Luna’s guards. Soarin remained where he stood, at the door to the officer’s quarters. Spitfire trotted to where the captain was calling out orders, next to the main mast and asked, "How can we help?" Captain Cloud turned his attention to her and said, "A detachment of their crew is headed for our weather team and I need them to be defended, but I need my marines here to repel the incoming attackers." He pointed to the bank of clouds that Thunderlane, April, and Silver were orbiting. Lightning could see several dark shapes approaching them from the enemy ship. "Go and make sure they get that cloud cover here safely.” Spitfire nodded and turned to her team. Lightning Dust's heart began to race. My first battle, she thought, Now's my chance to show them what I can do! "Did ya hear me, newbie?" Spitfire said, smacking a hoof over the back of Lightning's head, sending a ringing through her helmet. "Sorry, ma'am!" She replied, blushing. "I said stay here with Soarin and guard the Princess. Nopony gets through there; you got that?" Spitfire said, pointing to the entrance to the VIP's quarters. "But..." Lightning Dust trailed off as Spitfire gave her a hard glare, "Understood, ma'am." "Good," Spitfire led the others across the ship and they took to the air. Lightning turned and trotted over to Soarin, taking up a position in front of the doors. Scowling, she checked that her wing blades were secured one last time and then unslung her musket from her back. She hung her head as she watched Spitfire, Rapidfire, and Fleet Foot soar towards the real action. Maybe some will get past the marines, she thought. She straightened herself and stood tall, ready for action. The mare-of-war's bow chasers flashed, sending ponies scrambling for cover. Lightning raised her head after the balls had whizzed past, narrowly missing their mark. She craned her neck to see the enemy ship better over the crowd of marines at the rail. The ship was significantly larger than the Rising Moon and was getting closer. Its own weather team pumping air into its sails from behind the ship. ~~~~~ Thunderlane smiled when he saw reinforcements on their way from the Rising Moon. Unfortunately, the enemy was going to arrive before the marines would. He continued flapping his wings, propelling the clouds to the Rising Moon. The enemy was close enough now for him to see that they were griffons, not pegasi as he had originally assumed. They were wearing light chain mail and leather jerkins, and they were armed with muskets and pikes. He continued maneuvering the cloud towards the ship as the griffons approached. Once the griffons were within thirty meters, he called out to April and Silver. "Form up tight, don't let them separate us!" They flew to him and hovered at his flanks. The griffons angled upward to come at them from above. Thunderlane flew up, his wingponies right beside him, trying to keep level with the griffons to reduce their advantage. The griffons dove, closing the distance between the two groups. Thunderlane tried to shift out of their path, but wasn’t fast enough. The leader slammed into his back, reversing his momentum and driving him downward. Thunderlane angled his wings, spinning upside down and throwing the griffon from his back. He dashed into the griffon's stomach and made a grab for his pike, wrapping his hoof around the middle of the weapon. He twisted and yanked it halfway out of the griffon's grasp. One talon still on the end of the pike, the griffon used his free hand to punch Thunderlane in the gut, driving the air from his lungs. Thunderlane buckled over for a moment and the griffon scored him with the claws on his back legs, and knocked the weapon free from both of their grips, sending it careening towards the ground. Thunderlane gasped in pain, retreating through the air to catch his breath, but the griffon stayed right on top of him. The griffon grabbed Thunderlane with his talons and dug them into his shoulder, then pulled their faces close together and struck at Thunderlane’s eyes with his beak. Thunderlane shoved his right hoof between himself and the griffon, calling out in agony and exertion as he tried to pry his enemy away from his face, but his talons were dug in too deep; he was barely able to save himself from being blinded. The griffon pinned Thunderlane's left wing to his side with his back claw, ripping out some of his feathers. Without the extra lift, the two plunged through the air. Thunderlane heart raced and his body shook as his adrenaline kicked in; he twisted and jerked violently, trying to dislodge the griffon's claw from his shoulder. Desperate, he lifted his left foreleg and slammed the wooden spike into the eye socket of the griffons helmet. They screamed in unison, blood gushing from under the griffon's helm as he jerked his head away from Thunderlane. The splinter was ripped from Thunderlane's arm sending another vicious wave of pain through it. The griffon fell limp and plummeted through the air. Safe for the moment, Thunderlane looked up. Their escort had already engaged the griffons freeing the weather team to go back to their task. The last three griffons broke off and flew back to their ship. Thunderlane struggled to fly back up to his team. Spitfire glided over to him and said, "you're all clear; we'll stay and keep any other attackers at bay." Thunderlane nodded and flew back over to the cloud bank. "Good job not getting separated," April said, smirking. "Don't get cheeky, get to work," Thunderlane replied, smiling through the pain. They flew around the cloud and continued their task. ~~~~~ Musket balls plinked off the deck next to Lightning Dust, making her duck for cover behind the stairs. The squadron of griffons passed low over the ship, firing into the crew. Several marines leaped into the air, tackling some of the griffons to the deck, or following them over the side. Chaos erupted over the ship as the bulk of the boarding party landed on the deck. The marines fired a volley into their group and then charged into them with their bayonets. Lightning started towards the fight but was stopped by Soarin's hoof on her shoulder, "They can handle it," he said, "Our job is defending this door; no one gets in. If you want to help, pick them off from here." He turned back and fired his musket at one of the nearby griffons. Lightning kicked the ground and stepped back to her place, scowling; she locked her musket into the firing harness wrapped around her shoulder and cocked the hammer, sliding her right hoof into the weapon’s trigger before shifting her body to aim at the closest griffon. She pushed the trigger, sending a spark into the breech. A moment later, the muzzle flashed and the butt kicked into her shoulder. The griffon fell limp and slumped to the deck. Lightning smiled and pulled the weapon out of the harness to reload. ~~~~~ Twilight was standing in her doorway next to Rainbow, listening to the sounds of battle on the deck. She folded her ears back to try to drown out the sound and fidgeted back and forth on her hooves nervously. "How do you think it's going?" she asked. "I can’t tell..." Rainbow said after a moment. She had her ears perked up, twitching every few moments. They jumped in unison at the sound of shattering glass. The sound had come from the great cabin, muffled by the sound of musket fire and the clash of steel just outside. Rainbow waved Twilight back into her room and then aimed her musket at the door as she inched closer to it. Twilight was standing at the entry to her room, peering around the corner at Rainbow. They heard a clutter from inside, a dull thump and then rushed footsteps. Then the door burst open; a griffon jumped into view, a pistol sweeping the hallway in his right hand, a large axe slung over his shoulder. Rainbow yelped and discharged her musket in a panic before she could harness it; the shot went wide but hit one of his outstretched wings as he spun around to face them. He squawked out in pain and folded up his injured wing. He grinned wickedly when he spotted Twilight. She froze as he leveled his pistol at her head and pulled the trigger. The flared and the muzzle spat fire, but in the wrong direction. The musket ball impacted in the door frame, half a meter above Twilight's head. Rainbow had smacked his pistol with the butt of her musket, sending it spinning to the floor. He had his axe unslung before Rainbow could follow up with another attack and swung it over his head, putting his full weight behind the blow. Rainbow lifted her musket and used the barrel to deflect the strike. The axe angled to the side as it scraped off the edge of the barrel and suck into the wood of the deck. Rainbow brought the butt of the rifle up in an arc towards his head. The griffon took one talon off his weapon grabbed her wrist, halting its momentum, and slammed it twice against the wall, releasing her grip on the musket. She shifted her body, pulling away from his grasp and swung her left wingblade towards his throat but he ducked under the blow and smashed his armored talon into Rainbow's cheek, sending her careening across the floor and knocking her helmet to the ground. While she was stunned he yanked the axe out from the deck then started towards her. Twilight was transfixed, too terrified to move as the griffon advanced on Rainbow, axe raised. Rainbow had started standing up and dodged backwards just in time as the griffon made a swing with the axe, almost decapitating her, landing the axe in the wall. She deftly spun around and bucked the griffon in the chest with all the strength she could muster. There was a loud crack and he was sent skidding backwards through the hall, leaving the axe embedded in the wall. He dug his talons into the wood to steady himself and coughed a mouthful of blood onto the floor, grasping at his chest and trying to catch his breath. Rainbow charged him. She braced her back legs and ducked, avoiding his high strike and then drove her head into his sternum, pinning him to the wall, just next to Twilight's door. She grunted in pain as the griffon dug his knee into her stomach. He kicked her twice before she was able to get her rear hoof over his paw and pin it to the ground. She pounded her right hoof into his clavicle, stunning him for a moment, then slung him to the right and away from his intended target. She dashed towards him again, scooping up her musket on the way, and leaped into the air, bayonet pointed for his chest. He rolled and kicked the musket to the side, sending Rainbow tumbling at an awkward angle onto the floor. He pounced on top of her, drawing a dirk from his belt and then driving towards her throat. She pulled her hooves up just in time, holding them in a cross under his wrists, keeping the dagger just centimeters from her neck. Her arms started to weaken and the knife dropped closer, she could feel the tip pricking her skin. She tried to use her back legs to kick the griffon off but he had them pinned to the ground. She couldn't hold the dirk there much longer. It sank into her skin slowly and she screamed, the griffon grinned cruelly as he pushed the dagger further in. Twilight, broken from her stupor by Rainbow's scream, saw that her friend was pinned to the ground. "NO!" she cried as she sprang forward, charging the griffon and slamming into him with all the force she could put behind her slender frame. She felt something wrench in her shoulder as she carried the griffon off of Rainbow and into the wall. She slumped to the floor, crying out from the intense pain in her shoulder, as Rainbow jumped to her hooves instantly, a long, bloody gash marring her neck. She spread her wings and thrust the tips of her wingblades into the dazed griffon, her left in his throat and right in his sternum, and held him against the wall with her forehooves. The griffon coughed, sending a spray of blood from his neck into Rainbow's face. His feet scrambled weakly against the floor and his convulsions became less frantic as the life drained out of him. Rainbow looked straight into his bright yellow eyes as he fell limp. She held him against the wall for a moment, stunned, simply staring into his now empty face. She let out a massive gasp. Twilight stirred beside her, drawing her attention away from the body. She pulled her blades out and let the body fall to the floor. She rushed over to Twilight and knelt down next to her. "Are you alright?" she asked. Twilight looked at the body, her face twisted in disgust. She gagged, then turned and retched on the floor, narrowly missing her forehooves. She sat for moment trembling before she responded. "I hurt my shoulder," she said, her voice quivering. She prodded it tenderly, tears in her eyes. She looked up at Rainbow and gasped. "Rainbow you're covered in blood! You need to get to the doctor!" "I'm not leaving your side until this fight is over." She replied, voice shaking. “But you need to-” “It’s not up for discussion, come on, let’s get you back in your room.” Twilight looked up at Rainbow with concern in her eyes and tried to stand. Rainbow helped her up and then supported her as she walked back to her room. Twilight glanced at the body again as they passed by. His face was contorted and blood oozed out of his numerous wounds. Twilight grimaced and turned away, then limped into her room, closing the door halfway. Rainbow trotted over to her musket and picked it up, then went back to Twilight's door and started reloading, taking a paper cartridge from a pouch on her belt and tearing off a small piece to prime the flashpan. She dropped the cartridge as she tried to slide it into the muzzle as her hooves were shaking fiercely and were slick with the griffon's blood. She set the musket down and wiped her hooves on the floor. Blood dripped down from her neck onto her armor and legs, staining her azure coat with spots of red. She tried to ignore the searing pain in her neck, but it soon became too much. She reached down to her waist and used her teeth to open one of the pouches on her belt. She pulled out a field dressing and started wrapping it around her wound. When she finished, she sat back against the wall next to Twilight's door and looked across the hall at the griffon for a moment. She shuddered andpicked her gun back up and finished reloading it. ~~~~~ Cloud frowned, gritting his teeth, as Luna and her guards cut a swath through the band of griffons on the deck. Luna fired her ornately carved pistols in quick succession, sliding each one back into its holster as it was discharged. When they were all empty, she picked up a nearby cutlass with her magic and yanked another out of a startled griffon's claw, then jumped back into the fray. Cloud scowled, then turned and ran up to the forecastle. The Wonderbolts had driven off the griffons that were attacking his weather team, and the Rising Moon was now scarcely one hundred meters from the relative safety of the cloud bank. The enemy ship's captain knew they were going to escape, but he seemed determined to do as much damage as possible before they did. Their ship was coming about to make another broadside, becoming parallel to the Rising Moon. The remainder of the boarding party began to retreat, breaking away from combat and flying back to their own ship, bringing a cheer from the Rising Moon's crew, and a flurry of hurled insults and curses chased the griffons back to their ship. The mare-of-war was almost at a good firing angle as the bow of the Rising Moon became covered in the clouds, cutting off Cloud's view of the enemy ship. He shouted for the crew to take cover just as the enemy ship fired a wild broadside. Most of the shot sailed wide or low, dozens of balls whizzed past the ship, which was now fully covered by the clouds. "Quiet! Everypony quiet! No bells or calls!" Cloud said as he rushed down onto the quarter deck then up the aft castle and to the taffrail. He peered over the top, but couldn't see anything through the fog. Several more balls soared through the air, presumably from the griffon's chasers. The crew had fallen silent, save for the sound their hooves made on the deck as they went to their stations. Cloud smiled. With the ship behind them and the natural wind in their favor, they would be well away before the mare-of-war would be able to catch them in this seemingly interminable mass of clouds. Hopefully their luck would hold until they reached the ocean, where they could fight back. ~~~~~ Lightning watched the griffons fly away with a disappointed scowl. She unharnessed her musket and sighed, turning to Soarin. "I'm gonna go check on the Princess, unless there's something you need me here for," she said. He nodded and began to trot away. "No, go ahead. I'm gonna find the others." "Alright," Lightning Dust pushed open the door to the VIP rooms and walked down the hall. As she neared the intersection, she saw a pool of blood seeping around the corner. She gasped and rushed down the hall, turned the corner and nearly tripped over Rainbow Dash. She was holding a wound on her neck and her eyes were closed, sweat plastering her mane to her face. She was covered in blood. "Rainbow!" Lightning exclaimed, barely glancing at the dead griffon heaped against the wall. She knelt down and felt her cheek. Rainbow's eyes fluttered open and she scrambled to her hooves, wincing in pain. "Oh, you're alright." "Yeah, well, not fine but I'll live," Rainbow replied with a weak grin. "What happened out there?" She tried to take a step, then stumbled. Lightning caught her and lifted her upright; she moved Rainbow's hoof away from the wound to look at it. The bandage she had placed on it was soaked through with blood which was dripping onto the floor. Rainbow's eyes were hazy and unfocused. "I'll tell you later; you need to get to the doctor, now." Lightning set Rainbow on the floor and scampered to Twilight's door and pushed it open. Twilight looked up from where she was sitting on the bed. "Rainbow's hurt, bad. I'm taking her down to the doctor. I need you to come with me; we can't leave you alone." Twilight nodded, hopped off the bed and followed Lightning into the hallway. Lightning lifted Rainbow up and heaved her onto her back. Twilight gasped upon seeing Rainbow's condition. "She seemed fine a minute ago! It was just a small cut!" Twilight gasped. She hobbled ahead and opened the door for them. The deck was covered in ponies clearing away wreckage and moving bodies. Twilight couldn’t even see the bow of the ship due to the heavy clouds surrounding them. The report of the enemies’ guns firing wildly into the fog sounded far in the distance, the shot didn't even pass remotely close to the Rising Moon. Luna rushed over to them as they stepped out onto the deck, eyebrows furrowed. She had small flecks of blood across her cheek and her vest was torn in a few places but it seemed she was unhurt. "What happened? How'd she get hurt? Are you okay, Twilight?" She asked without taking a pause. "I'm fine," Twilight replied quietly. "A griffon broke through the windows in the back of the ship and came in through the great cabin. He tried to shoot me but Rainbow stopped him. He pinned her to the ground and cut her neck, I pushed him off and she killed him. I didn't think it was this bad at first; she seemed fine, so I went back into my room." "Get her to the doctor, Lightning. We need to speak with the captain," Luna said as she began to walk away, motioning to Twilight to follow her. Twilight took a step after Luna and said, "I want to go with Rainbow and make sure she's okay," Luna looked at Rainbow and then at Twilight's worried expression. Luna's hard gaze softened a little and she relented. "Alright, come find us as soon as you can," Luna said. "Thank you, Luna." Twilight helped Lightning support Rainbow's weight and they carried her down to the berth deck. The deck was crowded with all of the ponies resting after the battle, and moonlight was streaming in through the brand new holes in the side of the ship. Agonized moans drifted across the deck from the infirmary. A few ponies offered limp salutes as they pushed their way through the crowd towards the bow, Twilight hobbling along behind Lightning Dust. When they reached the infirmary, they found a room full of wounded ponies either recovering or waiting for treatment. Lightning carried Rainbow over to the only empty table left and laid her gently onto its surface, Twilight followed her across the sand covered floor. Twilight looked around for the doctor and found him at the opposite end of the room next to a violet mare with a yellow mane, who Twilight assumed was his apprentice. They were amputating a white pony's right foreleg. Twilight looked away, trying to swallow the knot in her throat. Lightning trotted over to him to wait to get the doctor's attention. Twilight stood next to Rainbow, gazing over her limp form. She was breathing shallowly and she had passed out. Seeing her friend this way sent a pang through her chest. A few moments later Lightning Dust came back over to her. "Sarge says it's going to be a while but this is the last urgent patient. He should be able to check out Rainbow next," Lightning said as she sat down next to Twilight. "Okay," Twilight said as she put a hoof on Rainbow's cheek; she was shivering and pouring sweat. Twilight tried to wipe some of the blood off Rainbow's face but only succeeded in smearing it into sticky clumps. She pulled her hoof back and poked at the floor, frowning. "Hey, Rainbow's gonna be fine," she said plainly. "There's no need for that pouting. Look, why don't you go sit down; I'll stay here and let you know as soon as something changes." Twilight hesitated, glancing at Rainbow again; then she sighed and stood up. "Alright." She limped to the side of the room and found an empty spot next to the wall and sat down. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, absently rubbing her throbbing shoulder. "Twilight, are you hurt?" someone beside her asked. She looked over to her right see Thunderlane, his left arm wrapped in blood stained gauze, resting in a sling, and a few wet bandages were stuck to right flank and shoulder. She gasped at his appearance and worry furrowed her brow. “Thunderlane! You look terrible, what happened?” “We ran into some griffons while moving clouds, but I’m fine, most of my wounds are superficial, even if they don’t feel like it,” he said, shaking his head dismissively. “Were you hurt during the fight?” "Oh, no. Well, yes, but that's not why I'm here. Rainbow got wounded protecting me from a griffon," she replied. "How'd a griffon get that far into the ship?" he asked wrinkling his brow. "He broke in through the captain's room." She looked back over at Rainbow and sighed. "How did you get hurt? Where did you get hurt? You look fine," he asked, concern edging his voice. "The griffon had Rainbow pinned to the ground and I hurt my shoulder tackling him off," she said, massaging her shoulder with her hoof, nursing the sharp pain that still called her joint home. Drawing attention to it made her realise just how acute the pain really was. Thunderlane looked over at the doctor, who was still busy with the amputation. "Well, the doc is going to be a while. Here, let me have a look," he said. She scooted closer to him and leaned over. He placed his right hoof on her shoulder and gently slid it over her upper back and shoulder, prodding here and there. He stopped when she gasped in pain. "You dislocated it," Thunderlane said. "I can reset it if you want, but it's going to hurt." "Alright, go ahead," she replied. Thunderlane placed his hooves on her shoulder and her elbow. "Ok, on three: one," and then he twisted her arm sharply and shoved it upwards. Twilight yelped in pain and clenched her teeth, trying not to cry out, as the joint clicked back into place. The relief was almost immediate. "You said on three!" Twilight growled quietly, rotating her arm experimentally. Thunderlane grinned at her smugly as she frowned at him, cheeks flushed. "Thank you," she said, grudgingly, her shoulder was completely free of discomfort. "No problem; I've had to reset my own shoulder a couple times. The pain should be gone now," Thundelane said as he leaned back against the wall smiling. Twilight looked at his bandaged leg. "Why are you still in here if you've already been treated?" she asked. "See that guy over there, the one getting his leg cut off?" Thunderlane asked, smile fading from his face as he pointed to the far side of the room where the pony was being operated on. "He's on my weather team, he got hit by the first broadside. I'd be over there with him but the Sarge told me to stay out of the way." "I'm so sorry." "Don't worry about it, he'll be fine. They’ll slap on a wooden leg and he'll walk with a 'bit' of a limp, but he'll make it." “Where is all the medical equipment? Do they not store it on this deck?” Twilight asked, noticing a lack of any sort of modern technology. “Oh, no. None of that stuff works on a ship like this. Most of it is too large to be used here or the crystals in the terilev generators causes too much interference for them to be used accurately. We have to settle for outdated methods.” “How outdated?” Twilight asked, swallowing nervously. “Oh it’s not that bad. We still get all the modern medicine we need, just not the x-ray machines or heart monitors, nothing powered by magic really,” Thunderlane said. He chuckled and then added, “I think the sarge prefers it this way though. I once heard him swear by the power of leeches and blood-letting.” “I don’t think that makes me feel better…” “Don’t worry, he’s the best surgeon in the Navy. Rainbow will be fine,” he reassured her. Twilight smiled thankfully and turned her attention back to the Sarge’s operation. As they were watching, the doctor stepped back from the table and trotted around to where Rainbow Dash was resting, his apprentice staying with the other pony to finish up. "Oh, I have to go," Twilight said as she stood up. "Of course," Thunderlane said as Twilight rushed over to the table. The doctor was peeling back the bandage that Rainbow had put on. The jagged cut oozed blood. The Sarge took a rag out of his apron and began cleaning the wound, pushing Twilight back gently with his hoof when she tried to get a better look. "Gandering at her insides will not make this go any faster or help her heal. I assure you, she will be fine. This doesn't seem to be too deep, but she has lost quite a bit of blood; I'll just give her some stitches and a bandage and she will be right as rain in no time," he said, looking at Twilight like one would a disobedient foal. "Daisy, more sutures here, if you please," the doctor called across the room as Twilight went back to her spot next to Thunderlane and sat down. He whispered words of encouragement to his instruments as he began sewing up the wound. Lightning Dust trotted over and sat down next to Twilight. "Is it just me or does the Sarge seem a bit... off?" she said, eyeing Sergeant Stethoscope. "If you’re that good, you earn the right to be a bit weird. I've never seen anypony handle a surgery like him, and he doesn't have any magic to help. He does it all with his hooves," Thunderlane replied, a defensive tone sneaking into his voice. Spitfire and Soarin trotted into the infirmary. They looked around the room for a moment before spotting Twilight by the far wall. Twilight stood up and met them halfway across the room. "Luna told us we'd find you down here. The captain needs to speak with you; you too Thunderlane; all officers to the great cabin," she said. Then she turned to Lightning Dust, "Lightning, you're relieved; stay here with Dash, let one of us know as soon as she's awake." "Aye, aye, ma'am," she replied, snapping to attention. Thunderlane stood up and limped over to them. Twilight turned around and gave Rainbow one last concerned look as she and Thunderlane followed Spitfire out of the infirmary.