HEMS Schornhorse
48 Kn M South East of the Dragon Mark Straight
The tension in the ward room was palpable as I entered with the Admiral. We had spent a few hours beforehoof going over the details of our rushed deployment from Manehattan to our current position. I stood by the Exec as we waited for the Admiral to seat himself. He glanced around the table at my senior officers and nodded.
"Fillies, Gentlecolts, We have a very delicate situation on our hands." his high class accent floated out his words on a silver tongue. "As of 08:56 yesterday, Royal Air force scout patrols spotted a task-force of Changeling ships leaving their anchorage in the fjords where they have been stationed for some months now. We don't know when they left, we guess only hours before the patrol arrived, which means that they could be heading any direction. It is both the Feeling of the Princess and the Admiralty that they intend to move into our waters and hold Manehattan as a first strike. That is the obvious objective, so we have been cut orders to prevent them from entering our territory and if need show force. We are however not to fire fires and to avoid action at all costs. We don't want to be the aggressors here. That's the situation, any questions?"
"One, Sir." Muleheim spoke up, "how many ships are talking about?"
"That last flight two days ago confirmed the presence of four Changeling Dreadnoughts, two Super-dreadnoughts and eight smaller broadside ironclads with numerous small craft, presumably landing craft." Blue blood let the words fall on the table as silence reigned supreme.
The Schornhorse had left Manehattan harbor with only four other ships. the Super-dreadnought Canterlot, the Dreadnought Equestria, and the cruisers Honesty and Harmony. That meant the Admiralty was either insane or had great faith in the ships they had deployed. I looked around the table to see the reactions of the others. Lieutenant Mesh's wings twitched, in obvious anger but under tight control, The Exec was looking around too and caught my eye. She had kept a calm face but i saw the unrest in her eyes as well. The only pony or mule that wasn't at all jittery was our esteemed Admiral. he looked around the table again and again as if the reality of our mission meant nothing out of the ordinary was seriously happening and this was just another cruise on the high seas.
"I believe that is all the information I have for you at the moment, should the situation change I'll let you know Captain," He nodded at me.
"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir" I heard my self reply.
"Well then I need to attend to other things, Thank you for your time," he said rising. the entire table stood as he left and I trotted around the room to the door and magicked it close. I then returned to the seat the Admiral had vacated and sat. the room lose some of its tension but now was replaced with anxious fear.
"Well there we have it." I said and looked over at the Exec. "What is our status as of this moment?"
"We're fully combat capable, Sir" Heartstrings answered. "Lieutenant Mesh has done an amazing job with Turbine Three. It shouldn't be a problem now but we are still woefully green, sir. And its mostly in our equipment. we haven't fully tested all of the systems and I really don't want to go into action against for ships of the line with that kind of knowledge."
"I understand your concerns and I took it up with the Admiral last night and he knows that. He actually won't be having the Schornhorse even in the fight if he can help it." I knew the reaction that news was going to have, not just with my officers, but with the whole crew. I waited as the order the room has kept broke out into open argument.
"What they hay are we supposed to do then!!"
"We showed them we're capable!"
"I know!" I shouted and the table instantly died, "I know what that means, and I warn each of you not to tell a single soul what you have just heard. We will follow are orders and we will still prove to the Admiral that we are, in fact, fully capable, is that under stood?"
"Yes, sir." the low reply came.
"Then I strongly suggest that....." I was cut of by a loud knock on the door. A signalmare poked her head in the room.
"Message for the Captain, it's from the Harmony, sir." she magicked the paper into my reach. I took hold of it and read the words scrawled upon the page.
'Harmony to Schornhorse
Multiple contacts bearing 1-2-5 West Southwest. presumed hostile fleet. speed 18 Knts. Advise Admiral BB for orders.'
I held the paper a second longer and handed it back.
"Get this to the Admiral now." I told the Signalmare. She nodded and rushed off.
"Sound General Quarters." I said calmly and stood up as Lieutenant Heartstrings pulled the wardroom switch for the GQ alarm. The loud Klaxon blared out as I along with Lyra magic jumped to the bridge. I shook me head to clear the remaining buzz of the magic and quickly looked at the plot in front of me.
Because of the Admiral's decision to not use the Schorhorse in the line of battle, we sailed roughly a mile due south of the Canterlot. that was a two fold purpose, one to keep the Schornhorse from engaging, and two to her her from being engaged. The two cruiser of our escort screen, the Harmony and the Honesty, we space at the tips of the line with a four mile gap between them and the core element. I knew the arrangement was sound yet I couldn't get a certain nagging feeling that today was not a day for the Schorhorse, the newest warship in Her Majesties service, to play the observer.
"All stationed manned and ready, Sir" Lyra said from her post near the com board.
"Thank you lieutenant, I'm taking us to battle stations." I said as I magicked the captains com to my mouth, "All Hand, CLear For Action! Starboard side!" I tapped a switch for the Gunnery Director, "Keep us for and aft Trotter. no sense in making the show if we're not to engage."
"Aye, Sir!" the reply came.
"Well we're as ready as we're going to be."I murmured taking my binoculars out and walking to the starboard bridge wing and pointing them to the horizon. "I just hope we survive the day..."