Rise of the Steel Fleet

by Storm Seas

Time For a Refit!

Manehatten Naval Ship Yard, Dry Dock Three
HEMS Schornhorse

I guess I should get used to the fact that whenever I set hoof aboard the Schornhorse that it won't be feeling that slight, ever so present feeling of a ship floating. I haven't felt that slight sensation for three months now and it was driving me stir crazy. The Schornhorse was in for a refit, and only after her first mission. I guess I could be happy about it but the hard fact was I had damaged her and now she was getting repaired.

Considering the fire we had come under, the Schornhorse had taken it and dished it back out. Of the twenty or so hits on our main belt, none punched through. And those that had gotten through one layer of the upper belt, didn't make it through the secondary armor plates. the major exception to this was the hole in the starboard auxiliary generator room and boiler room four. There a single 12 in Changeling shell would have scored a critically damaging hit if it wasn't for the heroic efforts of Lieutenant Mesh and her damage control parties. Unfortunately, that hole needed a dry dock to patch, and while that was being fixed, the Admiralty saw no reason why not to go ahead and give the Schornhorse better armor while she was out of the water.

I ducked as a yard dog swung down from the scaffolding erected around the aft funnel and deck house all the way to the back of Turret Three. This was also a new addition that the Admiralty though should be added, an Airship hanger for a new class of small fighter ships that could be inflated and deflated for easier storage and transport. Also the aft deck house was being raised and enlarged to hold another fifty ponies, all for the maintenance and upkeep of the airship and the two flights of Air force Pegasus that we would now carry aboard to fight off an enemy air attack. I waved off the yard dogs apologies and he saluted, albeit sloppily, and returned to his work.

I climbed the stairs through the tiers of pipe and steel plates that were forming the hangers as I looked for a certain mare. She had sent a telegram that I needed to see something before it was to late and I jumped from the yard masters building to the ship in seconds, but now as I ducked and weaved through the maze that sprung up on my ship, I felt disoriented till a hoof popped out of a siding and grabbed my mane.

"Here Captain." a smiling Lyra said as a rubbed the back of my head.

"Ouch, you could have just called my name." I said.

"Well I did and well you didn't hear me the first or second times so I just grabbed you. Any who this is what I wanted to show you." she motioned with on hoof under the canvas cover that was plastered up along the starboard quarter of the funnel. A yard dog stood to one side letting me see the bent and mutilated funnel and a small opening that had been cut out of it on its back curve. Farther forward was a familiar hole of a shell hit and I wondered why I needed to see this particular shell hit.

I ducked low to enter into the funnel. Scaffolding had been erected inside the funnel among the twisted pipes and sheered metal that was common place when a shell passed through a lightly armored place. I looked up and down and noticed that there was no exit hole. I stared in astonishment as I realized that I was looking at an almost intact Changeling shell. I side stepped it and gathered a magic pulse and directed the spell at the inert shell. I concentrated as a mental image of its construct and lines filled my head. I shook off the vision and returned to the land of the living.

“We need this shell, get it out as best as you can, and get it to the Research and Development building stat.” I turned and left the funnel, Lyra close behind. The shell had dis-settled me and I made for my ready room, leaving the rest of the refit review for another time. I entered my day room and turned to Lyra.

“Why are we sending that shell to the R&D ponies?” she asked

“It’s not normal,” I responded, “It has a core of a crystal, not explosives, and the metal is of a make I can’t identify, like it was made somewhere not in Equestria.”

“You mean that the Changelings aren’t from this world?”Lyra asked in disbelief.

“Maybe, I can’t be certain, but I’m positive that nopony could have made that shell using normal means, it’s too perfect.”I hoofed the back of my head. “The thing is we have a valuable insight into how the Changelings sunk the Canterlot in such a small amount of time, and how they are able to deal so much damage to us, even though we use very similar guns.”

“That is except for us! Nopony has the equivalent firepower we have at our disposal!” Lyra instantly perked up.

“Yes, but there will be a time when we will be out classed, I just hope it’s not too soon.” I smiled weakly and continued to trot around the room’s desk when a loud knocking sounded form the door.

“Captain Stormy Day and Colonel Light Streak to see the Captain!” The Mareine guard called out.

“Enter” I said.

The door swung open and I couldn’t help but smile as a two blue Pegasus entered my ready room. One was slightly stockier then the one who followed but the huge grin that plastered my older brother’s face made it obvious something good was ahoof.

“Captin Stormy Say, HEMAS Pegasus, reportin', Sairr!” The dark blue Pegasus saluted in perfect naval form.

“Commander Light Streak, Chief Flight Officer, HEMAS Pegasus, reporting, Sir!” The light blue one snapped off a slightly less than perfect naval salute, but then he went into the Air Force first.

“Welcome aboard. I’m Captain Storm Seas, this is my exec, Commander Lyra Heartstrings. To what do we have the pleasure of your company?” I asked.

“Th' Admiralty has dispatched orders fur us tae be yer escort in th' airr fur yer next deployment. We thooght tae come an' check in wi' ye.” Captain Day stated manner of flactly.

“I haven’t received any new orders from the Admiralty. Last I heard we still had two weeks to finish our work here.” I looked sideways at Lyra who just shrugged.

“Well, Ah guess we got here tae quick, streak. ye short-cut was a short-cut after all.” Day turned to look at my still grinning brother.

“As I said it would be, sir.” He said, still wearing that insufferable grin, but it had changed to the ‘Ha, told you’ grin.

“Well 'at ye did.” He turned back and cleared his throat,” As Ah said th' admiralty has assigned Air Task Force Segasus tae th' Schornhorse an' 'er escortin' elements on deployment tae Mareway Islain tae defend against any attack from th' gyphons, dragons, ur both.”

“Wait, did you say Task Force Pegasus? As in the Angels of Stalliongrad Task Force Pegasus?” Lyra asked.

“Wa aye, 'at woods be us.” Day answered, “We waur their lest hope an' we took th' opportunity when it presented itself tae us. just doin' uir duty, ye understand.”

“Yes, we’re well acquainted with that concept.” Lyra said solemnly, “I thought you guys were still stuck up in Cloudsdale for repairs.”

“Nae, we got aff better than th' others..” He saddened for a brief second, ” Anyway, yoo’ll hae th' Pegasus an' 'er sisters Alicorn an' Cloodsdale alang wi' three ay th' new air destroyers an' th' brain new air-battleship, Coltago, as yer air escort complement.”

“It’ll be great to have you along; so much as you don’t go zapping my rump Streak.” I said looking at my older brother.

“I have no clue what you mean, sir.” His grin widened.

“Sure you don’t,” I smiled at him, “but if I so much as feel a wisp of static, I’ll personally fire you from the guns, is that understood?”

“That would be the best launch I’ll have ever gotten, sir”

“Weel 'en Ah hink we’ll be gonnae, by yer lave, sair.?” Day asked.

“Of course,” I saluted in return to their salutes, as they left I then turned to Lyra, “I still have to check on Boiler Four, so I’ll follow you there.” I motioned with a hoof towards the door.

“Aye, sir.” She smiled.

Author's Note:

OKAY! That took way to long but then I had other things on my mind. Anywho, there is somepony I'll like to thank for the help in this Chapter. He goes by the call-sign Foal244 and this is the debut of his OC, Captain Stormy Day. he has been creating some of the background story work for the Air Force and Army while I'm still figuring out the Navy. So big hurrah for him and his work!

Enjoy and as always, Schornhorse Immer Voran!

Comments

[Foal244]

thanks for the recognition, Storm

[Storm Seas]

3425755
Welcome, Mate!

[Omega sin]

3425758gentalmen it is good to see you

[Truly Luminous]

Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer,
To add something more to this wonderful year;
To honour we call you, as freemen not slaves,
For who are so free as the sons of the waves?
Chorus:
Heart of oak are our ships, jolly tars are our men,
We always are ready; steady, boys, steady!
We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again.
We ne'er see our foes but we wish them to stay,
They never see us but they wish us away;
If they run, why we follow, and run them ashore,
For if they won't fight us, what can we do more?
(Chorus)
They say they'll invade us these terrible foe,
They frighten our women, our children, our beaus,
But if should their flat bottoms, in darkness set oar,
Still Britons they'll find to receive them on shore.
(Chorus X2)

Britannia triumphant her ships rule the seas,
Her watch word is justice her password is free,
So come cheer up my lad, with one heart let us sing,
Our soldiers, our sailors, our statesmen, our queen.

The Royal Navy March Past. Sing it loud lads, sing it loud.

[DrWhooves007]

Scharnhorst class
Class : Scharnhorst, Gneisenau. Launched 1936
Dimensions : Length - 235m/770ft 8in
Beam - 30m/98ft
Draught - 8m/27ft
Displacement : 35,400 tonnes/34,841 tons
Armament : Main - 9 X 280mm/11in guns
Secondary - 12 X 150mm/6in, 14 X 105mm/4.13in, 16 X 37mm/1.46in,
and 8 X 20mm/0.79in guns
Machinery : 12 boilers, 3 shafts
123,041kW/165,000shp
Speed : 32 knots
Complement : 1,669 men

[DrWhooves007]

3259458
Yamato class
Class : Yamato, Mushasi, Shinano. Launched 1940-4
Dimensions : Length - 256m/839ft 9in
Beam - 37m/121ft
Draught - 10.5m/34ft
Displacement : 63,315 tonnes/62,315 tons
Armament : Main - 9 X 455mm/18in guns
Secondary - 12 X 155mm/6.1in, 12 X 125mm/5in, and 24 X 25mm/1.in guns
Machinery : 12 boilers, 4 shafts
111,855kW/150,000shp
Speed : 27 knots
Complement : 2,500 men

[DrWhooves007]

3259458 Days of battleships has passed, now it's the age of aviation

[PonyStemCell]

Well, those battle scenes sure gave me some tingles... Thumps up!

[Carolusrex1]

Moar please

[Dodger2525]

Great story idea! Bit rushed in the telling, but still got some good details in. The possible aliens reference in the end..... please don't. The movie Battleship was not very good for a reason.

[Lerd_Gamer]

Soooo....when is the Hood gonna get sunk. Can't wait for that Bismarck to just start coming around in the sequel.

[GeorgeOfTheJungle]

Why would they make such a large ship with such a small armament? 380s, even twelve of them, are very small for a ship of that size.