//------------------------------// // Would you like gin with your ice? // Story: The Detective // by Uncle Knot //------------------------------// Getting teleported twice in the same day can be most distressing. Not only do your ears pop, but your bladder feels the urge to leak Sunset Shimmer’s aim was a bit off, yes I was back about the steam ship but in a place I hadn’t been before. My first business was to find any member of the crew, tell them to tell the Captain I was back and to meet me on the bridge. As luck would have it, I was in the crew quarters and finding some pony to help me was very easy. However, most not knowing who I was confused me with a confused passenger who had lost her way. Saying things like “This is the crew quarters, passengers are not allow”, “No we can’t take you to the bridge” “Passengers are not allowed on the bridge” “No I don’t know where the captain is” “You should seek the purser’s office in the morning mam” And with that last ‘mam’ I was out of the crew quarters I had to find the Captain or the bridge quickly. I raced to an upper deck and looked for the iceberg. I could not see it but I knew it was there. The stars were very bright and the air was getting colder. I looked aft and up. Captain shimmer had abandoned her stealth mode. The airship flying lights were on and a spotlight was directed in front of us. The last of Trixie’s fireworks were also flashing, yet again as I ascended the stairs I could not see any sign of an iceberg. Could I be wrong about Captain Capella, could he be using his siren song on us to hide the iceberg? Above me Flash Sentry dived down to the ship. Trusting to his eyesight I followed him to the bridge, and arrived a few moments later. I burst into the bridge to discover a red faced Flash Sentry faced off against Captain Capella with Flash screaming about the iceberg. “Calm down Flash” I said “Capella is on our side” “But nothing is happening” exclaimed the exasperated Flash “Calm yourself Sentry” said Captain Capella “and I’ll explain” then continuing the Captain said “Helm operation what was my last order?” “Hard to port, reverse engines” said the helm pony “And have you complied?” asked the Captain “Of course Captain” said the helm pony “But nothing is happening!” exclaimed Flash “It takes a long time for a ship this big to turn” said Captain Capella “How much distance between us and the iceberg?” “So you believe me?” asked Flash “about a mile” “I see” said the Captain grimly, then ringing the claxton announced “ALL HANDS TO STATIONS, THIS IS NOT A DRILL, ALL HANDS TO STATIONS” “How long will it take to turn?” I asked “Too long” said Captain Capella “We should be able to see it” said Flash “I have a theory about that” said Capella “just as in a desert the heat creates a mirage of a body of water. Perhaps the cold does the exact opposite and removes from sight what is there” I didn’t comment; my eyes were fixed on the compass, my whole being willed that needle to turn. Still the ship surged onward. Trixie had ceased her fireworks show, but Shimmer’s airship and her spotlight were fixed ahead of us and pointing at a doom we could not even see. Did I imagine it or did the compass needle just move? “Forward lookout reports iceberg straight ahead” “I still can’t see it” said Flash I wasn’t imagining it, the compass needle was moving. We were turning. I glanced up, just in time and just like magic, the iceberg that wasn’t there came into view. Could something so small sink the ship? But wait, I know that most of it was under water, but what I had thought to be all of it – wasn’t. Still more of it appeared, growing bigger and bigger. This huge ship felt very tiny to me. We were turning away but not quick enough. We were going to hit it. The Captain’s eyes were looking upon our doom with a deadly gaze as if he could melt it with a look. I shuddered as I heard the iceberg scraping the hull of the steam ship like nails upon a black board. The piercing noise grated upon my ears as the ice tore through the metal ship. Whistles sounded in the bridge signaling damage from the different sections. Screams could be heard coming from the communication tubes. As a section would report damage, Captain Capella would call for an evacuation of the affected area and a sealing of water tight doors. “Section 3 compromised” came the first damage report. I could have left the bridge now that my job was done, but curiosity stayed my hooves. “Section 5 compromised” came a second damage report. I understood that the ship had 14 compartments with the odd number ones on the starboard side. Beads of sweat gathered on Flash Sentry’s brow. Captain Capella, grim faced, listen quietly to the damage reports. I would latter learn of the quiet calculations he was making. How many lives would be lost? How many could be saved? Captain Capella knew that the loss of 4 or more sections would doom the ship. “Section compromised” came a 3rd damage report. I wanted to ask what I could do, but I could see now was not the time to ask. Flash looked to me expectantly. I cautioned him to wait a little longer with a stern look, he took the hint. The long moments dragged on. The Captain bellowed “ALL STARBOARD SECTIONS REPORT” “Section 1 secure” came the answer “Section 3 taking in water, bilge pumps will be overwhelmed” “Section 5 taking in water, bilge pumps overwhelmed” “Section 7 reports flooding, pumps overwhelmed water tight doors secure “Section 9 secure” “Section 11 secure” “Starboard engines room secure” I heard a sigh of relief, was that the Captain’s or mine?