Battleship of Equestria

by MorgothII

Battleground Los Pegasus, Beach Assualt, and Aftermath

Battleship of Equestria Chapter Ten: Battleground Los Pegasus, Beach Assault and Aftermath

May 8th, 1942 9:10 PM

Los Pegasus Beach Defense Line…

The night sky that Luna had created now looks more like a dawn. Fire from burning ships leaps higher and higher. But on the beaches there is a similar story as well. Three hundred of the Carolean transports had managed to land, for a grand total of roughly 240,000 warriors. The 100,000 ponies stand strong. Luna feels pride at how each soldier refuse to even flinch, let alone break. Of course, several thousand Caroleans had already fallen to the various traps that Luna and Jacob had designed and placed. Fire pits of tar illuminate the beach, charred corpses a testimony to the firestorm created when Luna had the unicorns of the Royal Guard use their magic to create sparks that had set the flammable liquids ablaze. More Caroleans had fallen to hidden spikes. And finally, ten thousand Caroleans had perished when a massive set of explosives designed by her lover had wiped out the front wave.

But now the enemy has closed to close-quarters. Hand-to-hoof combat breaks out, swords slashing, spears thrusting, unicorn magic setting Caroleans on fire. After inflicting severe losses at both lines, the front two lines had been pulled back. Roughly five thousand ponies had fallen by now, and many more wounded. But still the ponies stand strong.

"Forward warriors of Equestria! Show no fear!" Luna commands in her Royal Canterlot voice. Beside her Satsuma draws his sword, ready to protect the princess. Then they both see a familiar sight: The USS Fuso. "Jacob is here!" Luna says with a smirk, knowing how the royal-blue alicorn's ability to turn the tide somehow. Then her cerulean eyes widen as she eyes the unofficial flagship of Equestria. Satsuma mutters something in his native tongue, sword lowering ever so slightly.

The battleship looks like hell. Her hull has several holes, and the rear superimposed turret is pointing to starboard and blackened by what could have only been fire. The third turret directly behind the bridge is also stuck pointing to the right, though it doesn't appear badly damage. Luna turns to the SNLF private. "Quick, ask Jacob if his ship is in danger of sinking," The midnight-blue alicorn says, hoping that her love is okay. She barely listens to the conversation he has on his radio. "She's fine. Captain Jacob is as well. Pissed off as all hell, but fine. He's landing a shore party to it the enemy's rear. Jacob also suggests that we push forward at the same time," Satsuma says quickly. The princess of the night nods. "Then by all means, sound the charge!"

Luna takes one last look at Fuso. Knowing her lover, there is no doubt that Jacob will be leading the landing party. One of his most admirable traits is how he would always charge in with his men and not stay to the rear. 'Stay safe, my love,' Luna thinks as she heads to the trenches to rally the soldiers of Equestria.

9:15 PM

(Jacob's POV)

I crouch near the front of the motorized launch that I am on. Surrounding me are battle-hardened American Marines and Japanese Special Naval Landing Force marines. I stand behind a loaded Type 92 7.7mm heavy machine gun. All the lead boats have either a similar machine gun or an M1919 .30 caliber. The plan is to use the machine guns to spray the back of the Caroleans as we land ashore and clear a landing zone for the following boats. I had personally assigned myself the machine gun on this boat. The tripod has been set up and I now pull the handle that will allow me to move the gun to the left or right on its limited traverse. An earth pony private named Hondo serves as my loader.

"Easy boys," I say quietly as we grow closer to the burning beach. Despite the multitude of burning or beached ships there is still room for my smaller boats to disembark their fighting cargo. Behind me I listen to the clicks as the safeties of firearms are turned off. Rifle bolts slid backwards and chamber a new round. Pistols are cocked. I start to hold my breath as we glide closer and closer. Now I start to see crowds of Caroleans become clearer. I gesture with one of my hoofs to cut off the engine, which is done. I return my grip to the machine gun, my magic ready to press down on the trigger between the two handles. The other boats that have engines do the same, gliding inward using the leftover momentum.

Suddenly a regular Carolean turns around, spotting my boat. Well, surprise motherfucker. "NOW! OPEN FIRE!" I shout, using my magic to amplify my voice as I press down, opening fire. The Type 92 has a thirty-round strip magazine inserted from the side, similar to the French Hotchkiss machine guns the design was based on. The first three rounds catch the stunned Carolean on his chest dead-center, knocking him backwards. I continue firing, other Type 92s joining in. The air quickly fills with their distinctive sound characteristic when one is fired and gave it the nickname "woodpecker" after the stuttering sound made. The M1919 light machine guns also open fire with faster burst due to having a longer ammo feed.

The deadly arcs of 7.7mm and .30 caliber bullets rake through the stunned and unaware rearguard like a scythe through a field of wheat. Hondo works frantically loading strip after strip in an effort to minimize the period between the last round in the old magazine being fired and a new round being chambered. As I feel the boat lurch forward, the bottom caught on the sand of the beach, I stop firing. I had left my rifle in my cabin, having seen no need to bring it this time. I draw my academy sword and my M1911 Colt. I raise the pistol in the air and point my sword towards the beach. "BANZAI!" I shriek. Despite being American, I, along with many of my Marines had picked up the habit of shouting the shorthand version of the Japanese war cry.

I leap off the boat and gallop forward. I slam into a stunned Carolean whose face goes slack as I withdraw the saber impaling his gut. I then slam the blade through the skull of a second, barely missing the bony horn in the center. A spear lunges at me, forcing me to leave the blade in the lifeless skull as I leap backwards. I fire my .45 twice, pulverizing the snarling face. I charge to retrieve my sword, killing a duo of swordsmen as they try to cut me off with the rest of the magazine. After reloading, I use my magic to hold the bloodied sword into the air.

Now my men also crash into the disorganized ranks. A Japanese pegasus uses his back legs to crush the exposed throat of a Carolean about to take flight before spinning around and plunging the bayonet he had mounted to his Type 100 submachine gun. He pulls the trigger, blasting the chest to a bloody pulp with a short burst. A Carolean archer takes aim behind the SNLF member. A coarse shout is followed by the sound of a shoulder impacting flesh as an American unicorn body slams the archer before stomping on the throat, crushing it. Straightening up, the private first class fires a well-aimed round from his M1903 Springfield, drilling a hole into the right eye of an axe-wielder. A second Marine mows down dozens of foes with his Browning Automatic Rifle, a SNFL unicorn providing cover fire when the American reloads with his Type 38 Arisaka bolt action rifle, focusing mostly on archers trying to hit the Marine when he reloads with a twenty-round magazine each time.

I watch these scenes and more with pride. I couldn't ask for better men to fight alongside. So far we have taken only a few wounded, nothing fatal. I understand that this is just temporary, and thus decide to push my advantage while it is still strong. "Forward!" I cry, decapitating a spear-wielder who was about to impale a Marine who had been knocked down. As I help him up I fire several shots at the incoming Caroleans. "STRIKE HARD FOR FREEDOM!" I spread my wings in an intimidation tactic as I continue my charge.

A Carolean swings a jagged saber at my throat, trying to slit it. I parry it with my own and try to make a return stroke, which is blocked in return. As we use our strength to push against the other, I resort to a dirty trick. I bring my Colt up and fire a single shot directly underneath the lower jaw, sending the .45 ACP round straight through the weak flesh of the roof of the mouth into the brain. I continue slashing through the lines, leaving bodies behind in my wake.

By now the enemy has started fighting back more effectively. A Marine lets out a disgusting gurgling noise as blood stains his lips, a hoof raised to the black-feathered arrow protruding from his throat. The SNLF submachine gunner grunts as a scimitar slices his back open and then falls silent as the same blade is thrust right between the shoulder blades, the tip poking through the collar bone. With a howl of rage I lower my head and charge his killer, a winged Carolean. The victorious fiend turns around is surprise as I draw closer. In a panic, he unleashes a set of wild blows that are easily blocked by my own sword. I take in the sound of my horn being thrust into the stomach. Once it is inside, I activate my magic, super-heating the vital organs.

As more soldiers push on, I continue to encourage my comrades. "Come on, we gotta link up with Luna and the others!" I howl, picking up a spear and taking to the air. Using my magic, I holster my pistol and throw the spear, striking down yet another Carolean. I pause to take a quick look at the dead we have lost. About twelve uniformed bodies lie motionless on the hellish picture the beach has become this night. At least this time we will (hopefully) have bodies to properly bury, which we hadn't been able to do for those lost during the epic rescue of Princess Twilight Sparkles and the other survivors of the brutal burning and sacking of Ponyville at the start of this conflict.

I dive back down, flying low to the ground. I swing my saber to the left and right, hacking and slashing at any exposed faces. If they are not killed, then they are wounded and unable to defend themselves properly, thus leaving them as an easier target for my force to slay. I charge up my horn and fire several large bolts of magic, each hitting a large mass. The effects remind me of grenades. Those not killed by the impact or shrapnel are badly wounded. To my disgust, the Caroleans simply ignore those who have limbs blown off or are wounded in a manner that isn't fatal but renders them unable to stand are simply walked over or even trampled to death by their own comrades as they rush in to fight.

Soon, however, we get bogged down in close quarters combat. We move forward at a painfully slow rate, fighting tooth and nail for every inch of beach, the sand drenched in blood. I feel my lust for battle taking over as a Marine is knocked off his hooves and butchered by a dozen Caroleans. With a roar I draw their attention. As they charge forward I check my current number of rounds in the magazine loaded in my Colt, finding one already chambered and one other. I take careful aim, holding my breath so as to not distract my magic. I fire twice. The first Carolean falls backwards with a hole in the center of his forehead as the majority of his head at the rear bursts backwards from the exiting bullet, while a second takes the round through the base of the jaw on the left side and exiting through the right side of his neck, sending him spinning to the ground backwards. Out of rounds for my current magazine and with little practical time to reload it, I holster the pistol and charge the ten remaining oncoming foes.

I leap forward slashing open the chest of the first duo to reach me, delivering the fatal blow in a single stroke to each. Then I bury my blade deep into the chest of a third in a diagonal manner, quickly withdrawing it as another two, both with the small horns approach. I duck under the blow of the first Carolean and I kneel on one knee, quickly thrusting my saber deep into the chest of the second one. Withdrawing the academy sword, I spin on the back of my heels just as the Carolean behind me does the same. With his jaw open in shock, I slam my sword into the base of his throat, burying the blade all the way to the hilt. A cry behind me alerts me to yet another danger as a sixth Carolean, one whose left wing is damaged, charges forward. I quickly spin around and grab his shoulder with one hoof, pulling the stunned creature closer to me. With a sickening squish, my blade thoroughly impales his chest.

Pushing the corpse away, I leap forward. Another horned Carolean tries to slash at me. In a single motion I parry the blade and ram my own sword into his guts, using my magical grip I use to wield my weapons to slice it open, brining the dying warrior to his knees. I ignore him as I continue fighting his remaining comrades. The eighth Carolean stomps forward with his broken sword raise over his head in a two-handed grip, leaving his bare chest exposed briefly. I continue my forward momentum and close the gap between us. I thrust my saber into his chest, puncturing his heart. I turn to the side slightly as I withdraw my blade, not missing a beat. A ninth Carolean tried to brain me with a club in the meantime, but I ignore him as I imagine lightly flick my wrist while using my magic, slitting open the killer's throat.

The final Carolean stands in front of me, stunned by the speed and relative ease I had had in dispatching his now-deceased comrades. Taking advantage of this, I leap into the air to cover the distance and ready my sword. The Carolean has now recovered and prepares to deliver his own counter blow with a dangerous-looking axe. As I begin to land, I thrust my sword directly into the center of his collar bone, nicking both the bone and blade while severing vital blood veins. I push the dying foe into the sand, the blade sinking into the soft sand. I plant my hooves over the lifeless chest as I yank the holt with my alicorn magic, freeing my dripping sword.

Both sides were stunned at the fury of my attack, though my side recovers quickly. Once again having the advantage of shock, we push onward. We become like a hurricane, a storm of bullets, swords, bayonets, and the occasional bolt of my alicorn magic. Caroleans are cut down where they stand or when they try to flee. The enemy shows no quarter even to their own, it seems, for those trying to flee are engaged by their comrades behind them. We still suffer losses, however. As a Marine reloads his Springfield, a hail of arrows hit his chest, creating the image of a pincushion.

A cry of alarm from the rear of my force gains my immediate attention. Glancing over my shoulder, I see that the enemy is now trying to move around either side and get behind us. I decide to take a calculated risk. "MEN! FORM A SQUARE! FRONT ROW WILL BE RIFLEMEN WITH BAYONETS, SECOND WILL BE THOSE WITH AUTOMATIC! MOVE ON THE DOUBLE!" Despite the fact that I had just issued a tactic from the Napoleonic era, my men follow orders from one they fully trust. I stand in the center of a human square, now able to fight securely from all sides. Oncoming Caroleans are unable to stop their charging and slam into the walls of bayonets that stab and thrust with viciously, inflicting many a cruel wound.

'Damn!' I think to myself, reloading my Colt yet again. 'Luna my dear, you better be heading this way! We're kinda bogged down for now, and we can't hold them off with gunfire forever!' With that I urge my men to move forward again the instant we gain a pause. Until we meet up with friendly forces, I guess we will have to use a combination of forming a square and briefly advancing before repeating the process. I have little doubt that it will a slow processes the closer we get to the front.

Over the next half-hour, my prediction is proven correct. Despite having a few instances where I called in direct fire support using the radio Private Burns is carrying to clear the flanks and create breakthroughs for us to pour through, the enemy puts up a stouter resistance the closer we get to our destination. I start to wonder if we will make it in time before being overwhelmed when I hear it. The sound of hooves pounding through the soft sand, and the blowing of trumpets. "Company halt!" I order as some of my men start cheering, also recognizing the meaning of those sounds. I turn to three submachine gunners standing by me, each assigned a special task in combat. "Break out the standards!" I shout, desiring to make the enemy realize just who he has fucked with.

With deep throaty cheers, three flags are raised on poles made from converted stretcher poles. The plain white flag with a large red circle of my Japanese defectors, the Stars and Stripes, and the newest addition, the flag of the two princess sisters to represent our alliance with Equestria. The effect of this display of unity proves fruitful. My riflemen shout insults and taunts as they work their bolt-actions, while light machine gunners and submachine gunners switch with the rear, providing a near-constant source of deadly hail to stall the thinning number of charging Caroleans at the rear. I leap over the front rank and join in the fighting, fueled by a burning desire, lust, to kill a hundred of Cluny's monsters for every single comrade lost since Ponyville.

I hack and slash with my sword. My pistol barks like a mad dog eight times, seven rounds having killed a single foe, with the eighth round having killed three Caroleans who had foolishly lined up behind one another. Unable to reload, I use my magic to swing it as a close-range club, one strike causing a Carolean to spit out shattered teeth amid globs of reddish-black blood. "CAPTAIN!" A voice with a mild southern accent shouts out, followed by several cracks of a rifle. I look up to see the body of a Carolean falling backwards instead of slamming his now-discarded axe into my neck. Several American Marines in the front break rank in a desire to assist me. I turn to the speaker. "Thank you, ah?" In the fog of combat the name of the earth pony slips my mind. "It's okay Captain. Private First Class Billy Franklin, sir." I nod. "Well, again you have my thanks Private Franklin. Now, let's get those bastards!"

Now I can see other ponies in the distance, also giving the dwindling Caroleans hell. I hear the shouts and cries of combat. The dull thud of bodies crashing to the sand, and the clashing and clanging of cold steel. Then I hear a voice that I have come to love the most. "ONWARDS BRAVE PONIES!" I CHUCKLE AT HEARING Luna's loud Royal Canterlot voice. From what Twilight and Luna told me, it had caused quite a problem in Ponyville during Luna's first visit for Nightmare Night.

Sure enough, I see the princess of the night flying in the air, fighting off a dozen aerial Caroleans with ease. I turn to the Marines around me. "You boys can handle things down here for a bit?" I ask, tensing up in anticipation of joining the dogfight above. Word really has spread quickly about my relationship with Luna, for I receive many a cheeky grin. "Don't worry sir. We got this," Burns reassures me, the radioman fighting a smile. I playfully sigh, deciding to allow my men this moment of humor amidst a gruesome battle. Then I spread my wings and rise up into the sky.

As I draw closer I see that Luna has finished off most of her opponents with relative ease. However, while she is engaged in a duel with a rather skillful fighter, a wounded Carolean sneaks towards her, one arm across his chest to cover his wound and the other hand holding a wicked-looking shiv. "Luna!" I warn as I rush forward through the sky. The midnight-blue alicorn turns around to see the hideous face of her would-be attacker go limp as I withdraw my saber, allowing the lifeless body to plummet to the ground.

We briefly look at each other. We're both panting but still eager to fight. We're covered in blood that is not our own. "Luna. Let's push them back to the water. I have boats with machine guns there. Let's have the sea-life dine well tonight!" I suggest, shouting over the noise of war. Luna nods, her cerulean eyes blazing. "Then let's make it so my love."

May 9th 7:30 AM

(Jacob's POV)

Dawn brings the full carnage of the fierce battle to light. Burnt-out hulks litter the shore and shallows. Most are of the enemy, mainly their transports. However, there are some of our own among the wrecks. The frigates RES Ponyville and RES Dream had been beached, crippled but able to be repaired. Canterlot had been utterly destroyed. Dawn was a structural wreck, her hull taking on more water than the surviving crew can bail out. She won't be able to be hulled off the beach. Crystal Empire had lost most of her cannons from several deadly broadsides, along with her captain and a quarter of her crew. Dusk had been boarded by two Carolean ships-of-the-line, but her brave crew had detonated the powder magazine, their self-sacrifice denying the enemy a prize and disabling her two tormentors. Vanhoover was sinking, her crew being taken aboard the battered Hurricane and Hooves. Los Pegasus, or what's left of her after taking three torpedoes from the sunken Blütcher, was lying at the bottom of the South Luna Ocean, along with her entire crew. Dragon and Baltimare were the least damage and undamaged ships, respectively.

All along the beach are corpses of friend and foe alike. Some have washed ashore, victims of the ferocious naval battle. Some float just beyond the sand, bobbing in the water as the scavengers of both the air and sea begin their gruesome work. Thirteen thousand pony soldiers had died on this beach. I had lost twenty Marines and ten SNLF members, and another forty non-fatally injured, the wounds varying from light scratches to stab wounds. The Caroleans that had made it ashore were slaughtered. A victory we have won, but a costly one.

Luna trots up, standing right next to me. "How are you doing Jacob?" The alicorn asks quietly. I grunt before responding, still staring out at the sea. "Alive. Tired as all hell. Pissed off about my ship." Luna follows my gaze to the sight of the wounded USS Fuso. "How bad was the damage?" She asks, understanding how much my ship and her crew mean to me. As much as Luna is my love, Fuso and her crew are my family. My real family. "She's going to be in the new dry dock that we just finished on the eastern coastline for about a month, maybe more. She will make the trip through the river easily. In addition to needing to repair the torpedo damage to the hull, she going to need to have three of her 6-inch guns on the starboard side replaced, once they are finished testing. The hole in the roof of Turret No. 3 will need to be fixed. The worst damage was to the rear super-firing turret will need to be completely replaced by the prototype the weapons factory has just completed. And just to top that off, I am going to need time and possibly even volunteers to replace the entire turret crew, not to mention the hundred dead sailors, mostly my original crew. Damn it all," I finish bitterly.

I feel something warm and slightly feathery bringing me closer. Luna nuzzles her head against mine. "I'm sorry my love," The princess of the night says sadly. I say nothing, just trying to enjoy this moment of affection. Then she stops and takes a small step back. "So was it Henry you fought?" She asks, her voice containing some hope. I shake my head. "No. He sent a coded message saying that he was only sending me a challenge in the form of fighting an iron ship. He's planning something. And that means I must stop him before it is too late. This land has already suffered enough. I will do anything I can to stop this hell." Luna blinks at this, a sage look coming to her face. "So that means that you are still intent to defeat your brother, even if one or both of you die. While I wish we had another way, as lovers I will do everything I can accomplish within my powers as the princess of the night to help you," She says stubbornly. I know by now that there will be no way to get her to change her mind.

"Thank you my dear," I say to the alicorn I have become smitten with, my voice barely a whisper as I lean closer. I plant a gentle kiss onto her lips. After a few seconds we once again separate, looking at one another with love in our eyes. "We better report to Canterlot," I say reluctantly, knowing that my duty requires me to continue assisting the noble fight. Luna smiles coyly at me. "I'm sure my sister won't mind if we had to go…elsewhere," She says with a slight smile. I blink before giving a hearty laugh, which Luna joins in. I never expected to hear that from Luna so soon! Whether she is serious or not, it feels good to laugh at something. And not just a forced laugh or as a result of some form of grim humor. An honest-to-earth playfully moment.

A scroll with Celestia's royal seal appears before Luna. With a raised eyebrow, my lover reads the scroll once, twice, thrice. As she starts to read it for a fourth time, my patience finally gives way. "What is it? Is something wrong?" Luna smiles at me. "Not quite. It appears that my sister and your crew have decided that we both have a day or two off while we are here at Los Pegasus. My sister already has a room at one of the best hotels here," She says, slightly stunned.

I blink. My men did what now? I know they are loyal to me, but I wasn't expecting them to be willing to go to such extremes. "Are you sure that they are making the right choice?" I ask, slightly hesitant despite the thrill of spending some quiet time with Luna. "We're outnumbered by the other three princesses AND your crew. Also, I think it will be a nice thing to take a break. I doubt that we have to worry about any more offensive operations for at least a week. The garrison at Vanhoover is still holding strong behind the massive stone walls, despite being under constant attack. In fact, Celestia and Cadence are planning a joint operation to relieve the city. Please?" Luna says, giving me a cute pout.

I try to resist. Key word being try. After a minute of trying to keep u my defenses, I sigh in defeat. "As long as it is only a day or two…" I say, having mixed feeling about this. Normally I would be all for this, but my caution is a result from the recent events of this war. Still, maybe a short break would be the best. If both of us are unable to take a single break, we would eventually collapse or worse, make critical mistakes while fighting. And that is not acceptable. At all.

"Alright, alright. You win. I can't deny that I am very much thrilled by this golden opportunity to spend some personal time with Your Highness," I say teasingly. Luna snorts slightly. "We are delighted that thou will spend time with us," She says, playfully reverting back to how she originally spoke after returning to Ponyville for that interesting Nightmare Night Twilight and the girls had told me about.

With that, the two of us casually trot towards the completely intact city of Los Pegasus, eager for this long-awaited alone time for us to share at lovers.

9:45 AM

USS Fuso's Medical Bay…

"I'll kill every last one of those buckers," Rainbow Dash hisses, eyes narrowed in rage upon seeing the condition of her friend, Applejack. The Element of Loyalty, along with her wing-pony and now friend once more Lightning Dust, had flown at top speed to the damaged battleship as soon as word had arrived to the airstrip this morning, waking up all the tired pegasi who had been resting at the time. The night's battle and the role they had played in it had left all exhausted. Only two of the volunteers had died, one from a hail of arrows when she strayed too close to a transport. The second had disappeared, possibly having been killed by an explosion that was seen from the ship he had just hit.

"Dash, calm down. Ah'll be fine," The Element of Honesty says, trying to pacify her adventures friend. Lightning Dust just stands by the door, making sure none of the fillies who had snuck aboard were nearby. "Fine?" An incredulous Dash half-shouts, half-shrieks. The cyan-colored mare is gripped in anger. 'First Ponyville is destroyed, and all my friends nearly died. Then poor Derpy got killed, along with that new guy, Dream. Now Applejack almost bought it, and instead has a broken leg! Buck it!' She thinks to herself. Rainbow takes a deep breath, trying to not scream any more. "I'm sorry Applejack. I guess I kind of over-reacted. Just still on edge from last night, you know?"

The orange earth pony farmer nods half-heartedly. She's willing to accept the obvious lie just to keep the medical bay quiet. There is an awkward silence now. Finally RD breaks it. "I'm going to check on Scootaloo," The adventurous mare says. After exchanging good-byes, she trots into the hallway, Lightning behind her, eyeing her cautiously. 'Buck. Normally I like being daring and all, but I think Dash is going to need watching. As I learned the hard way, there is a limit to turning a blind eye to such acts,' The reformed daredevil mare decides.

10:34 PM

Uncharted area inside the Slaver's Citadel

Gu'klas stands at attention, his rigid posture not moving, giving the impression of a demented statue. In front his master Cluny the Slaver glares down at the alicorn in front of him with his one good eye. "You wasted one of your ships just for a fucking taunt?! Despite knowing that I will no longer risk opening any more portals for now? I already promised you justice when I saved your miserable hide, and this is how you repay me?!" Spittle flies out of the fallen unicorn's mouth as he rants. Henry Holman simply stares nonchalantly, unafraid of the Slaver's wrath.

"Yes. And it wasn't a waste. For one thing, it proved a theory of mine. Second, enough damage was inflicted on my 'brother's' precious battleship to put it out of commission for at least a month, maybe more. That means that our biggest naval threat is out of the picture for now," The traitorous younger brother replies in an even tone. Cluny eyes one of his two main military commanders, rage still present in his eyes and body language, but also the slightest evidence of mild curiosity.

"What is this 'theory' of yours?" The unicorn says, his tone indicating that despite the phrasing, it is a demand, not a question. Henry now smiles at this. "That Jacob is intent on either 'saving' or destroying me. He abandoned the main battle to engage my armored cruiser, allowing for more transports to land. We can use this sometime to help further the Grand Plan," Henry says wickedly. Cluny nods at this, slightly pacified at this. "So be it. Do not do that ever again without my permission, however. We've inflicted heavy losses this time. Let's press those ponies even harder. Gu'klas, have your reinforcements you requested all you expected?" The Carolean general nods. "Yes, my lord. I have hidden the warriors so as to deceive the city's defenders that they face the same amount of attackers."

Again Cluny nods. "Excellent work general. General Henry, you will take Gu'klas back to his post and assist him in ending the siege in two days. Keep your ship out of sight until then. I want the enemy to know true fear, learning that their warship is no longer the only one present. The lost cruiser may have damaged it, but your ship will sink it! Now, go!" Cluny orders, turning around. The two generals bow to their ruler. Then Cluny the Slaver's long rat-like tail flicks slightly, indicating that they are dismissed.

As they depart, Henry's lips form a sinister sneer, the dark alicorn's thoughts filled with malicious delight. 'Oh, how I will make you bleed, brother dearest.'