World War Equestria

by brony at war

Chapter IX: The Prench Resistance

Chapter IX: The Prench Resistance

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”

-Albert Camus

Lieutenant A. H. Bateman

United States Navy

USS S-44 (SS-155)

178 kilometers SSW of Vanhoover Naval Harbor

September 6, 1003

0032 hours

I opened up the hatch of the S-44, allowing myself and the rest of the watch crew out onto the conning tower. The cool ocean breeze blew across the deck of the submarine as the water rolled off the gun deck.

“We’re clear.” I said, putting down my binoculars for a moment. I watched as the rest of the men came up on deck, while hatches down on the gun deck opened up to air out the sub. The torpedo room crew came up and started moving the reserve torpedoes into the torpedo rooms.

The submarine sailed on through the night as the torpedoes were reloaded. The S-44 was headed north, having had a fairly successful patrol so far as they went home; approximately twelve thousand tons of Germane shipping lay on the bottom of the Equestrian Channel, along with two Germane-made destroyers. The crew was excited, but the fatigue of the patrol was starting to get to them.

About thirty minutes after the torpedoes had finished being moved, one of the men, Lieutenant Bryan Green, called out “Vessel sighted off the port bow!”

I whipped my sight over to the port bow, looking against the darkened horizon. “I see it. Small rubber raft, about nine or ten ponies in it.” I pulled my eyes away from the binoculars and shouted down into the hatch. “Kyle, get your ass up here with the machine gun. All stations, make ready to dive.”

There was an increase in noise as the submarine was made readied to dive. Seaman Kyle Williams got up with the .30-caliber machine gun and set it up facing the raft. “Sir, it looks like they’re hailing us.”

“Come again?” I said as I observed the raft again through my optics. Indeed, one of the occupants appeared to be waving, and I faintly heard a call reach my ears. “Very well. Port rudder five degrees for ten seconds, bring it down to ahead one-third.”

“Aye-aye, sir!” The commands were carried out and the S-44 turned onto an approximate intercept course for the raft. As she did, I got on the signal lamp and made a few quick acknowledgement flashes in the direction of the vessel.

“What do you think it is, sir?” Bryan asked as he shifted his position on the conn, allowing a group of crewmen to get by him. They headed down to the gun deck, where they would help tie on and welcome the raft’s occupants.

“What? That?” I stated, dipping my head towards the raft, which was about a hundred metres away by now. “I don’t know. Spies. Survivors from a ship sinking. Maybe a group of refugees.” I shrugged my shoulders as the raft got closer and I figured it was close enough to be heard. “Ahoy!”

"Ahoy! Aidez nous s'il vous plaît!" I stopped for a second, not understanding any of what was said. There was silence as the boat got closer to the submarine, and the men on the gun deck cast out the line to help pull the raft alongside.

“Engines stop.” I called. The hum of the diesels and the vibrating of the deck ceased as the engine room crew shut down the engines. The air was suddenly eerily quiet, save for the sound of the waves and wind. Looking to the watch crew, I said “Anyone know what the Frenchie said?”

They all shook their heads or otherwise stated that they didn’t as the raft bumped up against the S-44’s hull. From below, the pony at the head of the raft stood up and removed his hood. “Permission to come aboard?”

“Who are you?” I asked, not moving from my position on the conn. Looking in the raft, I saw about ten to twelve pegasi looking up at us with a mixture of hope and fear. “Kyle, relax. I don’t think they’re here to hurt us.” The young man nodded and pulled away from the machine gun, though he still kept it trained loosely on the raft.

“I am a member of the Prench Resistance.” the pony, obviously a unicorn, replied in accented English. “These are refugees from the war that I am trying to get to Equestria. Also, I was sent by my superiors to meet with Princesses Celestia and Luna.”

I raised my eyebrows at the pony’s response and contemplated what he had said. It made sense, but I wasn’t jumping at the idea of having potential saboteurs aboard my boat. “Why should we trust you?”

The pony floated a note over to me with his magic, waiting until I had caught it out of the air. ‘Fucking magic.’ I thought as I opened the letter. Inside was a signature from both princesses as well as a brief statement allowing the holder passage into Equestria. While it didn’t completely shake all my doubts, it looked legitimate enough to allow him on. “Bring them on.”

The men on the gun deck proceeded to move aside and allow the passage of the ponies onto the deck. One by one, they hopped the distance between their raft and the S-44, then were escorted below decks swiftly. All the while, I kept a sharp eye out along with the rest for the watch crew for any enemy ships.

Just as the last pegasus was being taken below and the unicorn had jumped on, one of the men near the AA cannon shouted “Multiple ships sighted off the starboard stern!” As we all looked in the direction of his cry, he continued. “German cruisers and destroyers!”

“Captain!”

“Crash dive!” I yelled down into the hatch. “All crew, get your asses below! Ahead flank, maximum dive! Set depth for two hundred feet!” The watch crew and everyone else on deck crammed into the nearest hatch and secured them as the S-44 came alive. Shouts were exchanged throughout the passages as water rushed over the hull. The engines, minutes ago quiet, now hummed with power as the electric motors kicked in. I stood in the control room, watching the depth gauge count off every five feet. Beside me, the unicorn stood out of the way, watching the proceedings.

The S-44 quieted down as the crew awaited signs they’d been spotted. “Make speed two knots.”

“Making speed two knots, aye sir.” The submarine went almost dead as the engines slowed. The engines quiet, the hydrophone operator spoke up.

“Multiple warship contacts, bearing 2-1-3 degrees, moving fast!” he whispered. “They're closing!”

“Hard right rudder on my mark.” I said, pulling out my stopwatch. The command was repeated in hushed tones as I waited. The hull of the S-44 creaked against the pressure, causing the unicorn to look up uneasily, prompting soft laughter from those who noticed.

“First time on a sub?” Rene Mills, the Weapons Officer asked. The pony nodded as the creaking subsided. Down the passageway, a few hushed whispers were being exchanged between men in the bow quarters.

“Relax.” I said, wearing a small grin. “These S-boats are antiques. She may be old, but she’ll hold.” As I said that, a pipe that had been busted earlier in the patrol started spraying water from a valve. Immediately, someone put a pipe patch on it and sealed it. “Mark.”

“Mark!”

The S-44 shifted course as the rudder went hard over. After ten seconds, I finished the turn and she straightened out. “Go slient.” I ordered.

The submarine went deathly quiet as all noise-making equipment was turned off. The engines were shut down, and the crew went to breathing thtough their mouths and not making any moves. With luck, the S-44 would be undetectable by anything but sonar pings.

“Contacts manoeuvring.” the hydrophone operator said. “Now moving away. Speed increasing.”

---

0121 hours

“All clear!” I alerted, snapping the handholds on the periscope up. “Lowering scope. Surface the ship.”

“Aye-aye sir!” The S-44 rose up out of the water again as the hatches were opened again, venting out the bad air.

“Navigator, put us back on course. Watch crew, get up top.” The orders were followed through with as the last of the water rolled off the hull. I looked to the French unicorn and motioned for him to follow me. I led him to the officer’s mess; a booth crammed into the side of the hull about the size of your average restaurant booth. He sat as I poured a cup of coffee, checking to see if he wanted any.

“Non, mon ami” he said. “Thank you though.” I sat down heavily, taking a sip of the lukewarm drink.

“So, who are you?” I asked, curious and not exactly too happy about the extra passengers.

The pony smiled, though it was humorless. “The Resistance calls me Le Roach, due to the...difficulty...the Germanes have had finding and disposing of me.” He removed his cloak, revealing large patches of burnt skin on his midsection and flanks. In addition, there was a scar on his chest. “They've tried twice: once with a bullet, and the second time by trapping me in a burning building.”

“Lovely.” I said. “However you did it, well done. Moving on, however..." I took another sip of the coffee. “What were you doing so far out to sea?”

“These pegasi are refugees from the war and the terrible things the Germanes are doing to them. I am their guide and a special envoy to the princesses to make a plea to your commanders.” Le Roach said. He replaced his cloak and looked up at me. “Please, for the sake of my friends, family, and nation: get me to Equestria.”

"We can do that." I replied. From the control room, I heard someone call for my presence, prompting me to stand. "Provided all goes well, we'll be in Vanhoover by tomorrow evening." I put my cover on as I placed my coffee cup in the sink. "I don't know what it is that you need to tell them, but we can get you there, trust me."

"Too much has happened for me to trust a human." Le Roach said, removing himself from the booth. "I can believe you, but not completely trust you."