Sunken Horizons

by Goldenwing

Supplement: Whitehorn's Notes RE: The Butcher of Berchninny

Author's Note:

This chapter is purely SUPPLEMENTAL. The content contained herein is not necessary for the enjoyment of the central story, and is intended only for readers that desire some extra context for the setting. Feel free to skip this chapter. You can always come back later.

After hearing of the assassination of Prince Silverblood at the hooves of Crazy Rich's prize airship captain, Sea Sabre, I've reached out to my contacts in select relevant locations and have made an intriguing discovery regarding her past. Although I was already passingly familiar with her role in the Berchninny Civil War from talking to Crazy, I have reason to suspect that the official story is not entirely aligned with the truth. The archived citation for the Gilded Blue Ribbon awarded to her during the war describes her as refusing an order to retreat for some larger strategic purpose, but writings from one of her surviving troops implies the decision was more out of stubbornness than self-sacrifice.

A Trooper Velvet Crunch writes that then-Lieutenant Sea Sabre "was convinced that we could weather the storm" and "feared we'd get the worst of it if we retreated with the others." Was this a case of self-motivated insubordination instead of valor? Whatever the case, the official record—copy attached below—depicts her as a heroine crucial to a subsequent victory. I wonder if she sees herself the same way; I've found a report indicating that only seven ponies survived from her platoon, which numbered forty strong on paper. Further, she missed the award ceremony, and there's no record of her ever showing up to claim the medal.

For exceptional heroism and dauntlessness fighting under the flag of Berchninny and the eyes of the Sisters as leader of 2nd Platoon, Solar Company of the City, in the battle for the Port District on August 8th, 662 Anno Caeli. Assigned to hold while under accurate and intensive fire from rebel artillery, Lt. Sea Sabre directed her platoon in the organization of a strongpoint within and around a Lunar church. When subsequent infantry assault following the bombardment was determined too effective to hold, she volunteered her platoon to act as a screening force so the rest of the Solar Company could withdraw, refusing orders to retreat with the rest of the injured unit lest it be decimated by pursuing forces. Lt. Sea Sabre ran across open ground in order to more precisely direct fire from her squads, stalling the rebel advance and forcing the enemy to contend with her position directly. She led an ad-hoc team of melee combatants to repel multiple charges across four hours, ignoring her own wounds to cover her own casualties while they were removed to a safer position. When rebel forces surrounded the church and established a trio of gatling gun positions, Lt. Sea Sabre alone charged out of the cover of the church with no regard for her own life and killed the squad operating one of the guns, dragging it back for her own troops to use. Through her unparalleled skill, tactical acumen, and unblinking determination in the face of overwhelming enemy forces, Lt. Sea Sabre's platoon enabled the Solar Company to regroup and retake their original positions, relieving her troops, before driving the exhausted rebels out of the area. She is a shining example of what it means to be a soldier and a citizen.

Comments

[ponepony]

After hearing of the assassination of Prince Silverblood at the hooves of Crazy Rich's prize airship captain, Sea Sabre,

So she gets the blame for Rainbow's actions. I wonder who dies next.

[Turquoise pony]

The powers-that-be may think rainbow is too valuable to be put out of commission with a massive prize on her head.
Sea Sabre being the captain is an easy scapegoat.