Captain's CYOA: Fair Winds and Following Seas Thread 3

You start seeking out Lt. Wilko, asking a few of the passing crew to see where you might find him at this time in the day, and are soon making your way to the forward gun battery, the one that had one of the guns removed, the one that fell.

Apparently he's been looking over every inch of the battery and muttering to yourself. With that in mind you adjust your saddlebags and make your way to the forward battery.

When you step inside, you find him intently gazing up into the breech of one of the guns, a big frown on his face. "Lt. Wilko?" You call out, making him blink in surprise and whip his head around, smacking against the breech with a ringing 'thunk'.

You wince in pain as he cradles his head in his hooves. "Owwwwwwwww... s-sorry Skipper."

You wave off the apology. "Come on down Wilko. Let's a have a talk, I need to get to know the only other Officer on staff right now. Are you ok?"

Wilko climbs down from the ladder he was sitting on, rubbing his head a few times before trotting over to you. "Fine... just knocked the stuffing out of me. How can I help you sir?"

Where to begin really... how does one go about prying into someone's background without having it volunteered?

>>29684878
Start by asking him when he was posted here.

>>29684987
"So, when did you end up on the Risen Glory Wilko?" You ask, taking one of the seats sitting around, Wilko doing the same.

"About a week and a half out skipper." Wilko says, sounding a bit more confident now that it's just you and him talking.

"Really? No other deployments then?" You ask, curious.

"No Sir, this is my first duty station. I was top in my class at Officer Candidate School, which is probably why I'm an L-T..."

You ponder that for a moment before asking, "Are you happy?"

"Absolutely, this is exactly what I wanted!" Wilko says, a little smile on his face.

You hum, tilting your head. "I bet there's a story there."

He shakes his head, his short brown mane shaking about. “Nothing to tell. Really. Hated apples and Appleoosa. Kept thinking about the big world outside that little valley, and if I wanted to see it, I needed an education. Took to it like Braeburn did to stallions. Graduated all the schools top of the class. Picked up my first while still in school, and of course, you had my paperwork for this one, Sir,” he said, pointing to the railroad tracks he was now wearing. “Thought I was headed someplace wild, when they kicked me to the pier here. Barely had time to unpack and settle in a couple of days when the gun…”

You wince, wanting to ask him more about Appleoosa (funny, you feel like the 'A' should be drawn out more for some reason) when he mention's the Gun. Should you keep asking him about his personal life or move on to work related topics?

>>29685200
This Braeburn sounds like an interesting character, I do not mind the stallions myself.

>>29685200
He did give us a perfect segue.

>>29685287
1) That has nothing to do with anything
2) We're a professional and that kinda shit only causes trouble
3) That's a good way to make the situation very weird, derailing the whole conversation
4) Put it back in your pants and use start using the head upstairs

>>29685200
Ah, what exactly happened to the gun?

>>29685287
You raise an amused eyebrow. "Braeburn I'm guessing is the... town bicycle among the stallions?"

Wilko blinks and then blushes, ducking his head. "Oh jeeze. You didn't hear me say that, ya' hear? That's between him 'n his partners, n' no one else."

You laugh it off, waving a hoof, glancing around to make sure nopony else was around. "No, no, it's fine. I wouldn't tell anypony else anyway." You chuckle. "Besides, nopony can be -this- pretty without having at least one set of rumors like that sparked up around you."

You gesture to yourself and Wilko blushes again. "Y-yeah... I was meaning to ask about that... d-do you just like wearing guyliner or..,?"

You groan and hang your head again. "For the love of... it's NATURAL! It's my actual fur color!" You say, rubbing your forehead with a hoof. "If the colts and fillies back home weren't bad enough about it."

Wilko holds up his hooves. "S-sorry, sorry! But I mean, it is kind of interesting. It just... raises questions, you know?"

You chuckle, and wink at Wilko. "Unless the question is 'Dinner and a movie' or something, I'm not sure I want to hear it."

Wilko flushes red. "O-oh my."

You giggle a bit at his blush and shake your head. "Relax Wilko, I'm not about to pounce your something like that. I like mares and stallions myself, but I'm not about to start playing around in the chain of command. It's not good business and creates more trouble then it's worth."

He relaxes, rubbing the back of his head. "Y-yeah, a-anyway... um... w-what were we talking about?"

>>29685345
[Sorry, I couldn't resist. Flirting when relaxed and comfortable is a perfectly normal thing to do, especially when you can play it off right.]

>>29685364
The gun.

>>29685374
It's alright, I just hate anons trying to shoehorn lewds and relationships into EVERY quest.

>>29685345
I mostly just said it because the qm mentioned in /cyoa/ that we were bisexual and I wanted to get that established properly early.
>>29685374
I liked it.

>>29685364
The gun I suppose found anything of note.

>>29685374
I think it was fine if you had had us actually decided on a relationship it might have been a problem but we explicitly said we had no plans

>>29685393
>>29685377
>>29685357
You quickly sober up and turn your attention the open breeches for the guns. "What happened to the Gun yesterday? In fact, what were you looking into just now before I distracted you Wilko?"

The Earth Pony blinks before letting out a depressed little sigh. “Sensitive subject, I know. What about the gun?” You ask.

“Sir…the gun. It was breaking, or something. They had the turret trained out abeam on preventative maintenance, when the gun…slumped.”

“What do you mean by, ‘slumped’, Wilko?”

“She started to droop, all on her own! The breech was locked in zero horizontal, the gun properly set. Sir. I checked before they started. I got called below on an emergency…”

You blink, and then pull the reports out of your saddlebags and flip through them. "This was about the time I arrived as well, and according to the maintenance reports, that when the float gas cryo separator failed. According to CMC Bellows report, the compressor shattered, started spitting fanblades out and into the ballistic safety blanket.”

Wilko nods. "Aye sir, that's about the long and short of it. I had just finished helping CMC get everything shut off so she could swap it with the compressor she fixed and made my way back up to the weather deck when..."

You sigh. "When the gun dropped."

You both frown and you look at him. "Wilko, where they reinstalling the barrel at that point?"

"Aye sir."

"I didn't get a very good look at it... what's the damage look like?"

Wilko taps his chin before sighing. "Best you see it for yourself Skipper. Lets get CMC Bellows and I'll take you to the Weather Deck."

Interesting. You wonder why he wants CMC Bellows along. Should you ask, or should you just follow along?

>>29685420
Lets just follow along.

>>29684829

>>29685424
You follow Wilko as he takes you about the ship, getting CMC Bellows before leading the both of you up to the weather deck, and out to the front of the forward battery... where the gun fell.

"Unbelievable." You sigh, as you look at the breech end of the sixteen incher, a twisted mass of fractured metal.

“Nae, Sir…she fought it. Look here,” Bellows said as she pointed with a wing, her other carrying the clipboard, now with a mass of reports stuffed under the spring. Bellows was an inveterate note taker. Wilko had a similar one, also collected from various division representatives that had come by as the you all had made your way to the breech.

Bellows leaned forwards and her hoof traced along a large crack parallel with the casing. The crack was beside a second one, with the metal between collapsing along into the bore.

“Sir…she stood as long as she could. The fracturin'- the casing cracked from the strain supportin’ her. If this was neglect or corrosion, it would have been in one spot, and the gun would have folded at the weak point. This, this, and this? Stress fractures. One tiny crack. Pressure and time builds. More appear from the stress. The weakening builds, causes more cracking. They run parallel with the barrel…”

She looks a little closer before her wings flare out. “Aye, thot’s it! The liner…it’s missing…” she said, eyes wide in shock.

You frown, your horn lighting up. It's time to put your cutie mark to work. You need to inspect this crack, to figure out exactly what happened.

The questions is, do you start from the breech out, or barrel in?

>>29692611
Barrel in.

>>29692611
Of course it is. Can't have any problems on the ship not related to sabotage.
>>29692723
this.

rump

>>29694732

>>29692723
>>29693112
You carefully start inspecting the barrel end of the breech. Now that you're able to really look at it, you're able to let your magic 'feel' along the breech.

You pull a grease-pen from Bellows' coveralls and start marking spots on the breech and barrel screw- “Not quite missing, COB… Chunks were removed from the outside diameter of the liner…here, here…here…here, and here.” He pointed to the circles. “Right where your cracking happened…"

Bellows pales. “Yon gun generates 40,000 pounds a square inch on firin’, Sir. No liner…no rifling…projectile may jump the gaps, but the pressures…” she said fearfully.

“And I’ll bet a year’s pay the outer tube has chunks inside the bore ripped out as well. Some rig tore this gun up. Sabotaged it, like your compressors. Everypony would be fixated on the fart room, while they killed themselves firing this gun.”

You frown and tap your hoof on the deck. "But why is everything going off -now-?"

She sighs, rubbing the back of her head. "If I would wager a guess, Skipper, I'd say tha' they mistimed it. Bad luck for their plans but good fortune for us."

You bite your lower lip. Wind, wave, weather and tide held enough disaster for sailors, not to mention battle. The Risen Glory wasn't even combat ready right now. Why was 'Captain' Cross going to the trouble of sabotaging her -now-? And in what could be considered an overdone fashion.

You don't like the connections you're making. “Wilko…break out a deck gang and the crane. I’m going to look over every gun on this boat. I flag it, you pull it. Master Chief, put a guard on the gun houses and the mounts for the smaller deck guns. Marines. Call Olympia by land line for the manpower. Anyone argues, tell them they can take it up with Princess Celestia, and they better be packed for a week on the Moon. I’m gonna need her help to fix them, at least in securing the manpower."
(c)

>>29696798
"Make berthing space for twenty of the Palace Guard, this will take some time to heal up and the Guard will need to be here to secure the boat.”

“Twenty?” Wilko says apprehensively.

“She should bring the whole bucking battalion, the Wonderbolts, and two-thirds of the Armory, but she won’t. I know her. She can kill almost anything on this planet,ifshe gets them first. She may not get the chance if they get lucky. Up to us to even the odds up.”

“Who, Sir, if I may ask?”

“Someone or somepony that would blow up a sixteen and send us into the ground. How many hooves would be on this ship? Several hundred? The Pegs may get off, rescue all they could, plus any reaching the parachutes, but…”
You duck your head, letting out a slow hiss between your teeth before staring down Wilko. “Sixty to seventy-five percent casualties. That'd be just the gun blowing up.”

Wilko shivers, his tail flicking nervously. “But... who would do that? D-did Cross set this up?”

You grunt, shaking your head as you turn, trotting away from the gun, Wilko and Bellows quickly falling in. “That, Wilko, is the million bit question. And I'm going to get my answer, and his head on my sword, hopefully in that order...”

In the meantime, you've got to prep for Princess Arrival, and make sure the landlines are working. Hopefully those haven't been sabotaged either. Do you let Wilko handle making the call over the coms and make an announcement for the boat over the 1MC later, make an announcement now, or start prepping for Princess arrival?

[Another option on the table, due to the time involved is a fast forwards of about a day and a half]

>>29696842
Make an announcement now while Wilko handles the call.
No timeskip.

You trot towards one of the pipe-tube systems, and rap it a few times with your hoof to make sure it's ringing throughout the ship, Bellows following close behind.

After clearing your throat, you step up to the pipe and bellow as clearly as you can into the pipe. "NOW HEAR THIS. This is acting Captain Fair Winds. Risen Glory, it is currently 0715, and cleaning stations will start in fifteen minutes time, and I have a special request of you all today, after further investigation into the state of our ship. The damages are more extensive then originally thought, and as such, drastic measures will have to take place in order to get the Risen Glory back to her standard, and back into the sky."

You shake your head a bit before you continue, "Yesterday I told the Working Party that I would kill 'em if I had to call REN Bu Ships or a Princess to get the ship fixed, and I retract that statement because I honestly can't blame any of you for the current state of the Risen Glory. All I ask is that as her crew you remember that We Do Not Give Up The Ship, and to put some extra spit n' shine into cleaning stations today, as we'll most likely be getting a royal visit some time today or tomorrow. Chiefs, take charge, Division LCPO's to the Chiefs mess for debrief, ten minutes."

You put the cap back on the pipe and turn to Bellows. "Well, how was that?"

Bellows nods approvingly. "Sounded very moto Skipper. Ye' need to see the Chiefs?"

"Yes, I had a thought earlier that I need the Chief's Mess's assistance with." You say.

Bellows pauses for a moment. "If you'd like, Skipper, I could take the message to the mess, and you can get on with the preparations for arrival. I'm sure you have other things you need to do."

She's got a good point. Should you explain your rack-search plan to Bellows and leave the COB in charge of it, or do it yourself?

>>29697699
[Weird. it didn't link your post. Well, here's a proper linking then.]

>>29699125
Let bellows handle it.

>>29699125
>>29699223
This. Make sure everyone on the ship is preparing for her arrival.

>>29698487

>>29700773

>>29699223
>>29700047
You quickly explain what you want the Chiefs to do, inspecting the racks of everyone on the ship, and ask Bellows to supervise it, showing her the envelope with the blueprints, and then reminding her to check -every- rack, empty ones too.

She salutes and carries on, and then you start making your way around the boat to prep for the arrival of a Princess and her Entourage.

You let out an annoyed huff, wishing that you'd at least get a response as quickly as possible so that you can at least know how many ponies you need to prep for.

Stupid Dragonfire lighter being good for only one message. Celestia could get a message to you with her own magic, but obviously she's still taking some time to think about it.

You look around, wondering what all you should do. How do you make the boat look at best it can for a Princess?

>>29701870
Fuck we don't know we never had to make the engines look pretty.

panic at the realization we are clearly not ready for this if we cannot even prepare a boat for a royal visit.

>>29702725
The exact opposite of this post

>>29701870
Honestly, it doesn't really matter. If Princess Celestia saw the ship's condition, she'll know just how bad the situation is.
Seems like most we can do is just make sure the ship is clean and organized right now.

>>29704777

>>29702725 >>29703861 >>29703916

Quietly, you make your way back to your room...

And proceed to panic.

A royal visit?! You've never had to deal with the actual PRINCESS coming to your ship! You specifically asked for them and you KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO COME BECAUSE THAT'S JUST WHAT CELESTIA WOULD DO.

You feel your mane becoming unbound and force yourself still, glaring at yourself in the mirror before re-braiding and binding your mane, ignoring the smoldering of the few embers your panic attack sparked up, and quickly glance around the room.

Nothing's on fire this time... good!

You let out the breath you didn't realize you were holding as you swiftly calm down, considering the facts.

You can't fix everything. Not yet. You need help and more ponies for that. A crew that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will help you get, or at the very least, let you browbeat the Rear Echelon Desk Jockeys into getting for you.

REMFs can be motivated to do work, you just need someone with more rank then them to lean on them and threaten their jobs if they don't.

You let out a calming sigh, and look at yourself a bit in the mirror, tilting your head left and right.

Goddess you look a mess. You sigh, hanging your head a bit as you sit down in front of the mirror, contemplating everything that needs to be accomplished and what you've gotten done so far.

You close your eyes and let out a deep breath.

There's nothing you can do at this point in time, and quite frankly... nopony is expecting you -to- do anything till the Princesses come.

So... what now? What should you do now, while you've literally got time to kill?

>>29705688
Start thinking about where any attacks are likely to come from if whoever is behind this all decides to replace sabotage with taking the ship out while it is weak.

>>29705688
Hug our pillow.

>>29705746
>>29705863
You sigh, sitting down as you start thinking about the possibly of the boat being attacked while in dry dock.

It's possible, but thanks to your actions last night, unlikely. EUP Olympia is on high alert right now, and their patrols will let you know well in advance if the ship is about to be under attack.

As well, you sent Lt. Wilko off to deliver a few more messages, so you'll have Marines on hoof to assist, which is always good. Most of the time Battleships didn't have a Marine Component, due to having enough pegasi on crew to have an actual airforce compliment, but those rough n' tumble Uni's, Ground Pounder's and Pegi are trained for ship to ship combat, raiding and defending, so it'll be a balm to have them on hoof.

You take off your uniform after some consideration. You don't have anywhere to go or anything to do, so you decide to just relax a bit...

You glance around. Nope. Nopony there. The door to your cabin is locked and the porthole is covered.

You grab your pillow and hug it tightly, burying your head in it.

The urge to rant and scream into the pillow in frustration is great, but you don't need to do that. Those feelings will pass, through your hoof or horn and into the traitors and -those- bastards.

Eventually.

But for now, having something to hold feels nice.

>>29705917
Just wait for now.

>>29705917
Continue hugging the pillow while we do other stuff.
If nothing needs to be done, look for something to read to pass the time? Play chess alone? Masturbate?

>>29705917
Nothing NEEDS to be done, but we can at least make sure to be able to put our best hoof forward once the princesses arrive. Blow off some steam and than get ourself cleaned up. The ship looking bad is excusable, but us looking bad is an insult.

>>29705956
>>29705962
>>29707236
You bite your lip in thought as you look at yourself in the mirror again and then sigh, and start undoing the braid for your mane.

You really should shower. You don't know if the Princesses are going to arrive today or not, but there's no excuse for not properly grooming yourself, one way or another, and you're not really needed for anything right now.

And uh... maybe take some time to take care of yourself.

You blush a bit at the thought as you let your mane hang as it will, finishing undoing your braid. A few more practiced tugs with your magic do the same with your tail, and you lift it just a touch to keep it from dragging on the floor as you move to the door next to your closet and open the door to your private Head.

Bath or shower... You blink at the bathtub/shower combination. What a luxury. You should have made officer sooner, even if you're not sure which to choose.

>>29707978
Shower.

>>29708002
You sigh, shaking your mane out a bit as your horn lights up, and your aura grasps your body wash and mane n' tail shampoo and floats them after you as you step through the door, before closing it firmly, and starting up the shower.

Soon, steam fills the room as you get the proper mixture of hot and cold water to get just the right temperature, and you step into the water, letting out a soft breath as the heat strikes your coat before soaking into it.

Glorious. That's better.

You shudder a bit as you move so that your neck and shoulders are directly in the stream before you settle onto your haunches, just letting the water roll down your body, closing your eyes.

The water won't wash away the pain, but at least it will clean you and it's heat, while fleeting, is soothing as it rolls down your body.

You hum a little, feeling a urge to sing a bit in the shower, but you shake it after a moment and start letting the water soak your mane.

[Sing in the shower, or think deep shower thoughts?]

>>29712246
Ah, no one will hear anyway, sing.

>>29712246
Wonder if the crew showers are working. So far every piece of sabotage we have seen has been to weaken the ship but sabotage of moral can be just as important and fucking with bathing is one way to so that.

>>29712269
>>29712595
Hmmm, that's something else to add to the list, you muse as you stand up again, feeling the urge to tap a hoof for a light beat, not really thinking about it as you contemplate the ship and her crew.

Crew moral was... not exactly at an all time high, but it wasn't as bad as it could be, and hygiene seems fine, but you should make sure to inspect the berthing heads to make sure the crew showers are working.

You start humming, your ear flicking as a half remembered song starts playing in your head. Oh, how did it go again?

Your ears flick as you try to remember the song, that bubbly urge floating along in your head.

[What to sing? Genre or an actual song]

>>29712651
Blues or folk?

>>29712682
The lyrics click in your head, and you can almost hear the guitar softly strumming in your head.

"In the early morning rain with a dollar in my hand
With an aching in my heart and my pockets full of sand
Now, I'm a long way from home and I miss my loved ones so
In the early morning rain with no place to go~"

You're swaying to the beat, your eyes closed as you clean yourself, feeling something else cleaning away you let yourself sing.

"Out on runway number nine the Glory's set to go
But, I'm stuck here in the grass where the cold wind blows
Now, the liquor tasted good and the women all were fast
Well, there she goes, my friend, well she's going down at last

Hear the mighty engines roar - see the silver bird on high
She's away and westward bound - far above the clouds she'll fly

There the morning rain don't fall and the sun always shines
She'll be flying over my home in about three hours time

This old airport's got me down - it's no earthly good to me
'cause I'm stuck here on the ground as cold and drunk as I can be
You can't jump a flight one-way like you can a freight train
So, I'd best be on my way in the early morning rain

You can't jump a flight one-way like you can a freight train
So, I'd best be on my way in the early morning rain..."

You feel the song start to die out, the last cord of the song thrumming in your heart, softly holding your hoof to your chest.

You're not crying. It's just the water from the shower.

Right...?

>>29712811
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pqttl9aWm0 ]

>>29712811
Right, totally, it's just water from the shower getting into the eyes. Just let it out.

>>29712811
Think about how much the song makes you miss her.

>>29712849
>>29712990
You're not crying, you're not crying.

Oh... Celestia buck it, you're crying damn it.

You let the water wash the tears away as you think.

Blond. Blue. Purple.

Blond. Blue. Purple.

Blood. Blazes. Perpetrators.

Hate.

Hate.

HATE.

You feel the tears stream as you grit your teeth, your hooves coming up to the side of your head and gripping it.

"S-stop... stop. STOP!"

The words are unbidden and unwanted, and you can taste your own pain in them.

"STOP TORTURING ME WITH MY FAMILY DAMN IT! STOP IT!"

You slam a hoof into the tub, sobbing now as you duck, letting the water wash over you.

Let it out.

It's ok.

Let it out.

Memories of a blond maned mare and blue-furred stallion lovingly holding you as they show you to a lavender filly.

A warm home, with a crackling f-fire.

Momma... Daddy...

F-fire.

Fire.

FIRE.

Your eyes open wide and you look around in a panic. Fire! There's a fire! Soot, ash, smoke, screaming! Fire!

>>29713021
Is there even anything that we can do in this state?

>>29713066
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

Can't save them.

Can't stop them.

Gone.

Gone.

GONE.

You're laying in the tub, the shower water running over you again.

You slowly, shakily get to your hooves, and turn the water off before pulling a towel over to yourself, slowly drying off.

You feel drained.

And maybe more then a little refreshed.

But mostly drained.

There wasn't anything you could do.

It wasn't your fault.

It wasn't your fault you couldn't catch them.

It wasn't your fault that the firefighters were able to nab you before you could charge into the house.

It wasn't their fault that those bastards set up your family to die.

You let out a mournful laugh.

It's not your fault you've been set up to fail.

You stand there, slightly damn but quickly drying.

Now what.

>>29713091
Go distract ourselves with other things, check the time. If there's time, go check for other things on the ship that could've been sabotaged, like the crew showers.

>>29713091
Lets check on those crew showers.

>>29713135
>>29713137
You let out a huff, and start rebraiding your mane and tail, closing your eyes.

Don't think about it.

You finish drying off while rebraiding, and put on a clean uniform, setting the one you were wearing into a laundry basket. You'll wash it later.

Glancing at the time, you hum in amusement. Your little 'episode' only took an hour. Good. Plenty of time.

You quickly make your way through the skin of the boat, trotting down P-ways till you reach the crew showers, and you're honestly a little impressed with what you've found.

The crew showers are a communal shower, much like locker room showers. It's a single large room, and as you look them over and experimentally turn a few on and off, inspecting the water by catching it in a glass cup and looking at the shower heads and piping, the showers are pristine.

You'll have to find the Hull Technicians, HT's, later, and congratulate them on a job well done.

You make your way out and then hum in thought. Well, the showers are good to go. Maybe you should just settle down and read a book or something. You don't really have any other work to do.

>>29714816
Lets try interacting with the crew a bit instead.

>>29714816
>>29714924 This.

[Apparently my day is going to be a bit more chaotic then usual, expect a update much later tonight.]

>>29714924
This.

>>29717092

>>29714924
>>29714991
>>29716074
You decide that your next plan of action will actually be to interact with the deckplate workforce, talk to the crew and get to know some of the ponies under your command. Not an uncommon action for the Captain of a ship, so as the temporary skipper of the boat, that would be exactly what you should do.

You frown, wondering where to start. You're an engineer after all, so that's your most comfortable area, talking to HT's, power plants and the like, but maybe you should start by talking with a different shop, there's plenty of options.

You mentally run down the list, just to make sure you're covering every aspect of the boat- Administration, Supply, Navigation/Bridge team, Security/Deck to Deck combat force, boatswain's/Deck Crew, Gunnery department, and Electricians.

Quite a few departments to visit, but you've literally got all day to visit.

[Should we do interpersonal visits, were we'll stop by each stop, meet one or two ponies and get an overview of what each one does, or more in-depth visits to one or two shops and just gloss over the others?]

>>29719238
Go semi in depth with the enginers and then do the meeting one or 2 ponies in each department.

>>29719284
You make your way around a few different shops, having a talk with a few ponies that really stuck in your mind.

GM2 Smoking Barrel, or 'Smokes' as her friends called her, was the best Gunner on the boat, not only being the team leader for one of the turrets, but adapt in running the machines so well that she could do it by herself if he so desired, and a deft hoof with a repeater rifle, made particularly impressive considering she was a Earth Pony and most repeaters were made with unicorn operators in mind, and a crack shot with just about any ballistic weapon you could name.

In admin, you were introduced to the pegasi who had bolted from the working party, YN3 Willow Breeze. Her cutiemark was actually in weather making, in particularly kicking up strong gusts of wind, but she didn't enjoy the Combat Weather team duties and stuck to administration.

You also met QMSN (Seaman) Chipped Stone from your Bridge team. A tall, strong stallion, the quiet kind that was a gentle giant. He had a very large family, six sisters, all in the Navy, but they were all sea-going sailors. He didn't get to see 'em often but you were convinced that as the youngest brother, he was pretty relieved about that.

You met up with the Security team again, getting to know MA1 Seastone Cuffs, a take-no-nonsense mare with a 9th Dan in the Still Way, the only real Unicorn martial art. She used to be a Recruit Drill Commander, and turned many civilian ponies into true sailors, and her Trainee, MASR (Seaman Recruit) Rough Tumble, who, oddly enough, was a Pegasi. He was pretty fast with his wings though, and was very swift on his hooves or in flight, and versed in both of the Pegasi martial arts forms, and even had a black belt in Shattered Hoof, the first of three Earth Pony martial arts, which required some serious physical strength to be able to perform without seriously injuring yourself.

(c)

>>29719679
Among the Deck Crew you met BM1 Heavy Buffer, a salty ol' sailor of 17 years service, who was a serious perfectionist of a unicorn, and unsurprisingly, an artist. He kept the Deck Crew running like a well oiled machine, keeping much of the boat spotless. The Risen Glory might be a bit beat up and having to deal with the sabotage, but with Heavy Buffer running the Deck Crew, you were very convinced that the Glory's rough spots would buff out in the end.

In Supply you met LS3 Pixie Dust, a unicorn mare with a head for numbers that absolutely terrified you. She glanced at you and was able to give you not only accurate accounts of your total height, weight, horn length, and age but was able to tell simply from the angles and geometry of your body a rough estimate on how often you usually got your flank looked over by mares and stallions alike. Considering that number was in the high 80th percentile, she really unnerved you, especially when she started looking very, very intently at your chest and shoulders.

After that harrowing experience, you finally made it down to Engineering, and let out a sigh of relief. Home sweet home.

You double-checked your braids to make sure you were gear-safe before making your way inside, where the power plant engineers were hard at work, going over every inch of a layout for the four big prop screws that provided the thrust and steering for the Risen Glory, as well as arguing over bits and pieces of the lift-gas mechanisms.

You look around the plant, and just feel at ease. The smell of grease and oil hung heavy in the air, and just from a glance you could tell that the machinery was well cared for and, after it was looked over for sabotage, ready for taking the Glory back to her place of dominating the airspace she was in. Yes, it was good to be back.

You look at the group of ponies arguing over the schematics at a large, slightly burnt work work bench and wonder how to let them know you're here without spooking them. (f)

>>29719721
Say something about how well things seem to be going down here.

>>29721028

>>29719735
You smirk a little.

Things are going well... but if you want to be accepted by Engineers, you gotta speak engineer.

"The buck are you greasemonkies doing huddling around plans and having a Goddess-Damned wank instead of working? The gears ain't gonna grind on their own."

The ponies all freeze at the new voice and turn as a group, before snapping to attention. You wave a hoof to stop them. "At Ease, I'm not about to have you idiots waste good oil locking up your joints. I need you all actively ready to do what we do best."

The ponies all start to relax, but they lean in when you say that, and one of them gives you a wide grin, a grease stain across her left cheek and a bit of soot in her mane showing exactly what she's been doing recently. "And... what... would that be, Skipper?"

You smirk back. "We Keep The Fleet."

"OORAH!" The ponies chorus back, and you grin widely. Yep, it's good to be home.

You fall in among your fellow maintainers, looking over the plans they had been arguing over. "So what seems to be the problems, and have you tried hitting it with a wrench?"

"Aye sir." The greased-pony says as she leans over the plans, pointing out a crank-shaft near the blades. "This shaft is loose, and for some reason we can't get it to tighten up. We think it's because one of the gears is loose, but Locktight thinks it's because it's the wrong part."

You hum, tapping a hoof to your chin. You could try to help a bit, not like you got much else to do, but you shouldn't interfere. You came down here to meet the ponies after all, not do their jobs.

>>29722191
Has it been worked on recently? Could be another sabotage.

>>29722318
You jolt a bit at the thought before you look at the group. "When was the last time this Engine Pod worked on?"

The grease-covered pony rubs her head before a stallion steps forwards. He's got much more grease on his coveralls, but his face, mane, and fur is almost pristine. You note his rank- MM1 (Machinest's Mate).

Here's the shop LPO. "MM1 Differential Gap, pleasure to meet you Skipper." He says in introduction before rolling right back into the technical discussion. "This pod was actually why the Glory's in dry dock. She was worked on before we all came to the Glory, so all I have to go off of is the technical records."

"So it could be sabotage." You muse quietly, looking at the schematic. The particular shaft that they're pointing at has to be a very specific size or it can break loose and damage the props, which would possibly leave the Risen Glory dead in the sky.

"Possibly sir, or maybe they ended up getting the wrong part and threw it in. The maintenance record is spotty as Tartarus. I've got two of my team taking the shaft out now so we can check part numbers and get a better look at it."

You nod, frowning as you look at the schematics. Missing pieces of an Engine Pod, or an Engine Pod being put together incorrectly... that's almost as dangerous as a back-firing gun, just with more ponies surviving as the lift-gas plant would keep the boat afloat. Your frown deepens as you close your eyes and bow your head in thought. Should you inspect the pod yourself? Do you really need to?

>>29722487
I am sure these fine engineers can manage.

>>29722487
Just make sure they contact us when they looked it over. Only get involved if they can't find the problem themselves.

He really... slow

>>29723015
>>29723105
You bump hooves with MM1, giving him a smirk. "Well, if for some reason you can't seem to fix it, maybe I'll come down from my Ivory Tower and do it for you."

This earns a round of laughter from the crew, and you feel at ease. These are your kind of ponies, and you spend some time mingling with them, talking about this and that and getting a good feel for the ship, subtly using your aura and your special talent to really get an in-depth look at power plant and float gas mechanisms.

Everything is very well maintained and cared for. The only reason that this ship can't dominate the skies is because of the sabotage and lack of crew. At least you know one thing is fine with the boat.

You feel your stomach roll a little and feel the urge to let out an annoyed sigh, though you keep it off your face as you make your excuses to leave.

It appears your stomach has decided it's time for lunch, and you've got quite the selection of places to eat- The Wardroom, the Mess Deck, or the Chief's Mess.

>>29725995
>The Wardroom
The who in the what now.

>>29726032
[Wardroom- the Officers Mess Deck.]

>>29726105
Do that then.

>>29725995
>>29726140
Seconding. We can ask the Officers how their preperations are doing. We already know, but it doesn't hurt to make them feel important.

>>29726140
>>29727477
You make your way to the Wardroom.

Considering it's chow time, you should see Wilko and Doc, and it'll be nice to not have to deal with a room full of ponies, just two ponies.

Trotting in you find Lt. Wilko and LCMD Quick Time just sitting down to eat, and after grabbing a pre-made plate, one of three considering that there are only three officers on the boat right now, you trot over to them and sit. "Gentlecolts."

"Skipper." "Sir." They greet you as you let your shoulders slump just a bit and let out a sigh.

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown, aye sir." Wilko says with a straight face, making you blink in surprise as you look at him.

Did Lt. Wilko just crack a joke?

>>29728647
I belive he did.
Say indeed.

>>29728748
You slowly raise an eyebrow, before letting out an amused huff. "Indeed." You droll, in a very passable impression of a Canterlot Noble, earning a round of laughter from Wilko and Quick Time.

You join them in laughter for a few moments before turning to your meal. The ice effectively broken, the three of you sit in comfortable silence before you break that, curious about how preparations are going.

"Wilko, Time, tell me, how are preparations going. Are we going to be ready for a royal visits, obvious deficits aside?"

Wilko blinks before swallowing a bite of his meal and leans back, humming. "Well sir, we're going to look as good as we ever can outside of repainting the hull, which we just don't have enough ponies for."

You nod in agreement, letting out a sigh before looking to Doc. "What do you think, Commander?"

Time sighs, rubbing his chin. "I wish I could say otherwise, but I doubt there is much we can do at this point, Skipper. We just don't have enough resources and time to truly make ourselves presentable for the Princess. Honestly, at this point in time, I'd recommend letting the crew go, so they can clean uniforms, polish armor, that kind of thing. Not much else we can do."

You frown, looking down in thought. Letting the crew rest would be great for moral, and give some time to put some spit and polish to the ponies themselves. Maybe letting up from the lockdown would help?

But if you keep them through a normal workshift, they'd still have time to spit and polish, and clean themselves, and you could be sure that they've checked the ship for sabotage.

>>29728931
Any way we can compromise between the two? Both improving moral and checking for sabotage is important right now, so I'd rather not go to heavily for one or the other.

>>29728931
Let them go for a couple hours anypony who does not come back will be a clue.

Bump for shore leave.

>>29729036
>>29729132
>>29730759
You duck your head in thought before nodding to yourself.

Time to put that plan to action.

"Thanks for the recommendation, Doc. Gentlecolts." You excuse yourself, getting up, not even thinking about what you ate as you quickly trot off.

~1400 - The Bridge~

You step up to the pipes and lightly tap on them to ensure they're working before clearing your throat.

"Risen Glory, this is Acting Captain Fair Winds speaking. I want to thank you all for the hard work you've been doing so far. At this point in time, the Risen Glory is looking as good as we can get her till Bu Ships and the Princesses get here, so with that in mind, I've decided to lift the Lockdown, with a reminder that there will be an all hooves muster completed before and after Liberty, to be completed by 1430 today, and by 0700 tomorrow. With that in mind... Risen Glory! LIBERTY CALL, LIBERTY CALL! Liberty Call for all hooves E6 and above! Watch, take control."

You step away as you hear a cheer rise up all over the boat, smirking to yourself.

If that doesn't raise moral, nothing will, and the all hooves muster will ensure that you'll swiftly catch anypony that is secretly working for 'Captain' Cross and the AWOL officers.

You salute the Watch, who salutes back before taking over her duties as you trot off to your cabin to get out of uniform. A break for yourself sounds nice too.

-1445-

Out of your uniform and your mane and tail done in a high ponytail in order to keep it from dragging on the ground, you show your ID to the Quarterdeck watch and make your way off the boat, down to the dock and trot into town. EUP Olympia is a bustling town, even if it's a military one, so there's plenty to do. Now where to start your liberty?

>>29731959
Library.

>>29731959
Getting a map of the area so we'll know our way around sounds like a good idea.

>>29732072
>>29732429
You honestly don't know much about the place, except for how to get from the chariot drop off point to the docks, so the best call right now?

Hit the Library and find a map!

Now if only you can find a library.

You frown, looking around for a big tree of some kind or another before blushing. Oh, right, big town/city, not little town. They wouldn't have their library in a tree like your hometown.

You start looking for the library and after about fifteen minutes of wandering, you find it and step inside, and start looking for a map, quickly finding one of the area, with notable landmarks.

>>29732689
Wait where were we from. Cannot be ponyvile unless my estimate of how far in the future this is set is way off wouldn't the treebury have been destroyed before we were born.

See if we can find where any conspirators are likely to meet up before running away.

>>29732874
Didn't we already figure out that it was some town across the border?

>>29733236
Well ultimate destination.
Still it is a longshot.
>>29732874
If we cannot think of anything let's just read a book.

>>29732874
>>29733236
>>29733352
You were born and raised in a small coastal town on the northern east coast of Equestria. Your library tree was a beautiful pine that to this day the smell of makes you think of being curled up against you mother...

You feel a little pang of hurt but ignore it as you continue to look around the map.

If you were a conspirator, especially a enlisted one, the first place you'd go, and most likely the place you'd slip away from, would be a bar or pub.

After all, you need a bucking drink, and if sailors can be said to have one love in their life beyond the skies and the ocean, it's booze, and lots of it.

You also see Griffinstone, which is a whopping fifteen minutes away through Noones Land- a little more wild then normal Forest for Equestria, known for having a few manticores and several cockatrice, another nickname that the forest had been given was 'The Statue Woods', for obvious reasons.

You sigh before you start looking for a interesting book to read. You're overthinking this quite a bit, and you already mentioned the meet-up-point and Griffinstone in your report, so it's not like you need to go charging off to find it.

>>29735066
Read a revenge story. As in the sweet revenge you will seek once this boat is dealt with.

>>29734101

Bump for eggheadery.

>>29735675
Revenge... revenge stories are always nice.

Not really a 'revenge' section in the library though, making you frown.

Besides, your plans are good enough for your revenge story. You'll be living it after all.

>>29737871
How about a mystery novel?

>>29737871
Ask to see the local history section.

>>29737895
>>29738091
[Anyone want to second one of these or have another idea?]

>>29738266
We could learn about a local mystery that seems an interesting compromise.

>>29738391
I should clarify I am
>>29738091

Bump for sending traitors to the mooooooooon.

I'll give ya a bump from 10.

>>29738391
>>29737895
>>29738091
[Works for me!]
You rub your chin in thought, and then blink in surprise as you notice a small display off to the side of the fiction and history section, set between the both of them.

Trotting over, you sit in front of the display and idly read through it- Apparently, EUP Olympia is home to one of the strangest strings of attempted murders of all time, where someone attempted to kill sixteen ponies via petrifying them.

Supposedly, the ponies were all fine afterwords minus one unfortunate soul, but the unusual part is that all sixteen ponies were in locked rooms, with locked windows or no windows, when they were petrified, and the only way ponies found out they were in the rooms were by breaking the doors down.

Supposedly, only one of the 'victims' didn't survive the ordeal, a Ensign Blue Bell, who was petrified mid-step and unbalanced when the door to his hotel room was opened, and the rescue team wasn't fast enough to catch him before he ah... shattered.

You hum at the story. Pretty interesting for something that occurred over twenty years ago.

>>29741307
With the ship the state it is in hope we do not get a copycat killer at some point soon.
Try and find more on this mystery if we cannot go get some restraunt food and then head back to the ship

>>29741520
The idea of a copy-cat killer chills you to the bone, and you shudder at the idea, shaking your head.

Of course, it took place almost twenty years ago, so you doubt it'll happen.

You search the library for more info, but unfortunately aren't able to find anything before you trot out of the library and look for somewhere to eat.

There's three big eateries in Olympia- The Drunken Sailor, EUP Olympia's best pub, well known for it's great food and greater selection of alcohols.

Penne Time, a Bitalian place that was quite popular for it's large variety of delicious pastas.

And finally, Hayburger, one of the most well known fast-food chains in Equestria.

>>29741863
>Hayburger
In case of a tie I am happy to change my vote to Penne Time.

>>29741863
Penne Time, pastas are great.
How much money do we have anyway?

>>29743103

>>29742128
>>29743516
You don't bother thinking about bits.

You don't need to worry about such things. Not after ten years honorable service and not spending much money on anything over that last ten years.

You hum. Pasta sounds really good right about now.

You trot down the street, passing by the bar, ignoring the wolf-whistles you hear as you trot pass, and make your way into Penne Time.

"Good Afternoon Madam, how many today?" The hostess asks you, with an elegant curtsy. The restaurant feels as elegant as her curtsy, in a good way- It feels homey enough to know you're in for a good meal, but high class enough that you know you're in good company if you were bringing somepony with you or if you were brought here by somepony. But that's not the case today.

"Table for one please." You say, the mare blinking at your voice before blushing in embarrassment.

"Ah! Pardon, Monsieur, I could not tell-"

"Please, lets just move past it." You say, waving a hoof. "My mother felt the same way when I was born."

Another day, another pony mistaking you for a mare...

The hostess takes you to a table, and curtsy's again before leaving you with a menu.

>>29744451
Buy the most expensive thing on the menu.

>>29744451
I'm thinking, a nice brocolli cheese alfredo. And a white wine.

>>29744517
["What's this it looks like a normal beer?" She said "Nah it's Orphan Tears."]

You idly look through the menu before your eyes are drawn to a delicious pasta experience-

The Six Cheese Fettuccine with White Truffle.

Your mouth waters just a light bit. White Truffle? You -love- White Truffle. It's hard to get and to come by, and the season for it is short, no matter how hard the Pegasi, Earth Ponies and Unicorns that try to extend that season in the areas near EUP Olympia they grow, but oh, the aroma, the -taste-.

You must. Have. It.

The waitress comes by and you immediately place your order. "I'll have the large six cheese fettuccine and white truffle, a bottle of your finest red Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, Barolo if you have it, as old as you can find."

The waitress gapes. "S-sir... that would cost-"

You hold up your hoof. "I can pay. Oh, and a side salad, rose petals and the lightest vinaigrette you have, thank you."

The waitress, still gaping, copies down the order and then totters off, looking a little shell shocked as you smile to yourself, envisioning the meal you're about to indulge in.

>>29744726
[Ahhhhhhhh, crap. My timing is horrible, Should have refreshed before I posted, my bad.]

>>29744729
Prepare to eat this meal like you will eat the basterds who killed your family.

>>29744729
Nothing to do, so check out the decor?

>>29744776
Anon, don't ruin a good meal with thoughts like that.

>>29744776
>>29744778
>>29744787
You quickly duck the thoughts of revenge and anger in favor of basking in the lovely decor of the restaurant. It reminds you of the wide, sloping streets of Bitaly, and the friendly, welcoming ponies that live there, teasing and temping with delicious food, drink, and sweets.

You sigh in remembrance as your wine is brought out with the bottle, the Manager greeting you personally with the wine bottle and you give him a tip, and he happily sets up a small bit for you to taste first, to ensure authenticity and that the bottle hadn't been opened.

The wine is that lovely clear-red that a proper Barolo red should be, almost like the glass is actually a red-tint and the wine itself is clear, and has a rich, soothing taste and aroma that you know will complement your meal greatly. You offer your compliments as you twitch and ear and listen, sighing in fond memories of your first several years in the Navy, being stationed in Bitaly and working in her airdocks.

>>29744817
Wait for our food.

>>29744731
What's funny here is how close you came. And a red wine sounds good too.

>>29744817
Wait and evesdrop on the other diners, I guess. Sip at the wine and savor.

>>29744871
>>29744914
You hum to yourself as you poor a full glass of wine and slowly ease yourself into it, drinking it slowly, really savoring the taste as you settle in and listen to the rest of the restaurant.

Unfortunately, nothing of note is going on, though you did hear one mare chastise her stallion for looking at you. Whoops.

You blink and turn your head as a wonderful smell hits you and you lick your lips, watching as your food is brought out to you. There it is... fat slices of White Truffle cover the pasta, and the plate is nice and large with a proper amount of food for somepony to eat. This isn't something you pick at, for eat at a fancy party, this is a meal.

And you can't wait to enjoy it.

>>29746534
Slowly eat the food, gotta savor the taste.

>>29746534
Dig in.
Not so fast that you look like a pig but decently fast.

>>29746584
>>29746589
You take your time as you eat, but before we get to that... you linger on that very first bite.

Perfectly balanced on the fork, just enough truffle and noodle and sauce to really settle in your mouth and let each flavor wash over your tongue.

And it's -glorious-.

You slowly work through the dish, really taking your time to enjoy every element of the meal, working through the plate slowly enough to enjoy but fast enough to keep it from getting cool, and making quick work of your wine as well.

Glorious.

>>29746788
Once we have finished eating pay and head back to the ship.

Wow, page 10.

>>29747764

>>29746788
Ask for the recipe so this gloriousness wont' be lost

>>29748479

>>29747051
>>29748869
As you're finishing up your meal, you smile and ask the waitress to meet with the cook. The cook comes out and you have a quick, rapid conversation with him in Bitalian, and are able to get the recipe in short order.

You settle up your substantial bill and leave a fine tip for the waitress before stepping out into the setting sun. It's only 1800- plenty of time before it gets really late, and though you're a little tispy after that whole bottle of wine, you're positive that you could drink a lot more without much issue, but either way you start walking back towards the boat, a pleased smile on your face.

That was very relaxing, and it sure makes you feel better.

>>29750401
When we get back to the boat go find out how those engine inspections went.

[Unfortunately, I'm gonna be stuck on a pause till late tomorrow, so... keep the thread alive, I guess? If people have other ideas for things to do out in town, or on the way to the boat, feel free to throw 'em in.]

>>29746788
Am I the only one that was thinking of this the entire time? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qx2lMaMsl8

>>29751660

>>29753043

>>29753667

>>29754861

>>29750656
You let out a sigh as you make your way back onto the boat, passing through the Quarterdeck with no issue, and make your way down towards the Power Plant.

You don't actually go in, but knock firmly on the hatch to the spaces.

After waiting for a few moments, you have MM1 Differential Gap standing in front of you.

He gives you a smirk and you grin back before you smack hooves together. "Skipper."

"MM1, just the pony I was looking for. How did that pod maintenance go? Is my ship gonna run how she's supposed to?"

The engineer nods firmly. "Aye sir, I've taken to bunkin' here in the powerplant till this whole situation is over, so that nopony could get to any of the innerworkin's. They might be able to have a go at the outside, maybe get at the crankshaft or the screw-caps if they can get past the Marines and Air Patrol, but these engines will do exactly what you need 'em to do sir."

He blinks and then looks you up and down before letting out a chuckle. "Why Sir, did you let yourself get wine'd and dine'd by some lonely stud out in town? You look all gussied up."

>>29756323
Careful what you say your hoof might think you are flirting with me.

>>29756349
Oops hit send to early
Apend and get jealous at the end of that.

>>29756323
We do? We did went to a nice restaurant, by ourselves....
But it's how we normally dress.

>>29756323
Forgot your name

>>29756323
He's a mechanic, so he's our kinda guy, but is he our... Type? If he's a go, then all systems go for flirt, but keep it on the down-low until the princesses have finished examining the ship.

>>29756349
>>29756383
>>29757150
Hmmm. Not your type, even if he's got the brains to be your type, but hey, driving ponies to distraction for your own amusement has always been a fun little game. Now then, where to start... ah!

You smirk, fluttering your eyelashes a bit. "No, just lonely ol' me on my own~ I always look this good."

You notice his jaw slip a bit. Hook.

"Just... promise me one thing if you're going to flirt with me?" You ask softly, breathy, really leading him on, watching as his jaw drops a bit more before taking it home.

"Think about Missus Hoof... it might think you're flirting with me and get jealous~" You finish with that sultry look turning to a smirk, turning with a tail flick.

"Have a good night MM1!"

"Abuh... whu... wa..."

Line aaaaaaaaaaaand?

"... DAMN IT!"

Sinker. Game, set match. Ahhhhhhh, that felt good, nothing quite like driving ponies to distraction.

>>29758009

>>29758549
Lets go to our room and right down that recipe we were given.

>>29758998
*write down.

>>29758998
You swiftly make your way to your room, and after stepping inside, locking the door, and letting your mane and tail down, you stretch, letting out a happy sigh as you set your sword, sheathed, on the table, and then pull out a quill and a note-sized sheet of paper and quickly jot down the recipe, licking your lips at the idea of enjoying this again at some point.

>>29761565
Check the time are the crew due back yet.

>>29761574
You glance at the clock on the wall.

It's currently 2113- the crew isn't due back till tomorrow morning- 0700 for muster.

You let out a pleased sigh, and lean back in your chair. Good. Everything seems to be going well, now hopefully you'll get a response from the Princesses soon and you'll have word on what to do next. In the meantime, you've got some time to just relax before you go to bed.

>>29761612
Might as well make a list of things to be done for tomorrow or something.

>>29761612
I am a little worried about that murder mystery if somepony wanted to fuck with moral a copycat attack would do a very good job of it.

Look through the crew records to see if anybody was stationed in this town at the time. one of the victims was a sailor so we know a ship was likely docked at the time.

>>29761637
To clarify we go ask them about it if we can find somebody.

>>29761637
>>29761634
You are just about to start setting up a to-do list before you're distracted by thoughts of the Shattered Peace killer and the idea of a copycat.

You swim in your thoughts for a moment before groaning and thumping your head off the desk- Nopony that's currently on the boat would have been stationed here during that time, as those murder attempts (and one... success) occurred over twenty years ago. The oldest career military pony on the boat is CMC Bellows, with a whopping 18 years active service, and she's been with the Risen Glory for a total of six.

Stupid alcohol, it's driving you to distraction.

You frown, trying to remember what you were going to do before having the 'aha' moment.

A to-do list.

Right, so... what do you need to do tomorrow, or what should be on the list?

>>29761646
Brush up on royal protocol even if the princesses themselves do not care those watching us will.

>>29761646
The most obvious objective is that we need to check if anyone isn't back by morning.
It's unlikely that something else would get sabotaged at this point, but it wouldn't hurt to double check the essentials keeping the ship flying.

>>29761646
We still need to comend the people responsible on the excelent state of the showers.

>>29761657
>>29761671
>>29761726
You hum, starting to write things down.

1. Commend the HT Ponies for the excellent work for keeping all the piping running perfectly, and keeping the crew showers in such a wonderful state.
2. Check the muster to see who checked in on time or didn't show/muster on time.

After a moment of thought, you look up in thought before wiping the page clean with a burst of magic, taking the still wet ink off the page and putting it back in your inkwell before writing again, flipping those two around.

Much better.

You then add,

3. Brush up on Royal Protocol- The Princesses need to be treated properly in front of the escort, no acting like a wild animal like you did last time.

Hmmm, that's pretty good, but is there anything you're forgetting?

>>29761786
Make sure we eat. It would be easy to get caught up in everything that is happening and we do not want to be distracted by hunger while we are dealing with the princesses.

>>29761786
A good evening stress-reliever?

>>29761851
>>29762515
You frown.

Food is important.

4. Remember to take your meals.

You tap your chin, and frown. Do you even have a way to relieve stress right now for late-night/ in the evenings?

>>29763686
We should get some sword practice in. That might be relaximg.

>>29764821

>>29764245
You nod and add that to your list.

5. Sword Practice (for relaxation)

You let out a pleased huff, capping your inkwell and cleaning your quill. That's done.

Maybe sleep would be good unless there's something else you need to do before bed. You're feelin' pretty out there now and a soft yawn makes itself known as you stretch, idly running a hoof through your mane.

>>29768296
Go sleep.

>>29768308
You make your way over to your rack and turn back the covers before crawling in and settling down, hugging a pillow close before letting out a peaceful sigh.

Tomorrow is another day. Good Night.

[END OF DAY 2]

{Thank you to the few players I have, I appreciate your input and hope I'm not boring or frustrating you with my erratic update schedule- Next post will be later tonight, no input is required for this post... unless you want to see something in particular in a dream sequence or have questions about something.}

>>29768702
Forgot your name

>>29768773
[Goddess DAMN it. Fucking namefagging, you either forget to remove it or put the damn thing on, anyway, >>29768702 this post is accurate, my apologizes for forgetting my name.]

>>29768702
We should dream about that murder mystery.

>>29769533

Bump for murder dreams

>>29770692

>>29770001
>>29771521
[Ya'll are really hung up on this thing that isn't plot relevant and doesn't matter at all, but hey, I'm game.]

~Several Hours later~
You snap awake, rolling to your hooves and stumbling for a moment, caught in the sheets as you try to get to a combat position, your horn glowing brightly, snorting in panic.

Slowly, ever so slowly, you calm down, groaning and hanging your head.

A nightmare. Too much bucking wine.

You were just about to get the ship underway when a Pegasi slammed into your side, taking you off the ship and slamming you into the docks below, pinning you on your back with a hoof on your throat, when he unslung a sack from his back and opened it to reveal the eyes of a cockatrice gazing straight into you.

The mental pain that you conjured for being turned into stone shook you to the core, and you shake it off after a few moments. Imagine every part of your being on fire and in pain, but you can't do anything about it or even scream in agony.

You shiver. Well, that's an effective way to wake the buck up, you suppose, though you look at the clock and groan. It's only 0300, you have plenty of time to sleep still, but you're not quite sure if you want to.

>>29772476
>Ya'll are really hung up on this thing that isn't plot relevant and doesn't matter at all
Always remember your players are Sheogorath.
May as well take the time to brush up on royal protocol now.

>>29772476
I'd say go for a sweep for evil-doers on ship, Go for a security sweep because 3AM is prime time for evil-doers, then if nothing, back to bed.

>>29772582
[point]
>>29773894
[Anyone want to second one of these two posts for what to do?]

>>29772582
This

>>29772582
>>29774597
You sigh, hanging your head a bit.

Not being fully rested was surely going to come back and bite you in the flank later, but you might as well use the time. The royal protocols might even be boring enough to chase away the nightmare.

Your horn lights up without a second thought, swiftly pulling out a tome from your closet, and the book floats into the light- "Officer and a Gentlepony: Rules and Regulations for Officers" You read to yourself, opening the book and quickly jumping to the dog-eared chapter for royal summons/meetings and proper protocol for welcoming the Princesses to the boat.

It doesn't take long to re-familiarize yourself with Royal Protocol, most Ponies with a formal education know them, both for being able to greet the Princesses if they visit most of the cities, but also so that if you need to go the royal court for some reason you have a fair idea of what to do.

Pretty much the same here. The only complaint that you might have is that you'll have to wear your dress blues again.

Stupid silver horseshoes.

>>29774720
Just think sure the horseshoes are annoying but putting them on is still one step closer to getting off this ship and onto our revenge.

>>29774750
Now that is something you can agree to.

You sight, stretching a bit and checking the clock. That didn't take long at all and you feel tired again. Maybe you'll be able to finish sleeping now.

>>29774858
Go to sleep little fucboi

>>29774890
You get back into bed, yawning and grabbing your pillow again before settling in and quickly falling back asleep.

Your alarm will ring soon, but you've got enough time to hit REM sleep and another dream before you need to awaken.

>>29774900
Dream a pleasant dream of that traitor in the brig getting sent not to the moon, as you kind of promised him protection from that but to the sun instead.

Bump for sun dreams.

>>29776730

>>29777475

>>29778532

>>29779502

10

>>29775146
>>29775875
"Very well, for your crimes, Prisoner Seventeen, you are hereby sentenced to BANISHMENT TO THE MOON for the rest of your mortal existence!" Celestia calls, slamming her hoof like a gavel as you wait in eager anticipation for the next part.

"But... You were promised a lighter punishment for surrendering critical information. As such, your punishment time is shortened to about a second..." Prisoner Seventeen's face lights up, "On the sun." Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand there it goes.

You sigh approvingly at a job well done before your alarm coaxes you out of bed, and you stretch a bit, hugging your pillow still.

You feel much better then when you woke up earlier. It's finally time to start your day.

Should you take a shower and start getting uniform ready, or is there something else you need to do to start the morning?

>>29780574
>Should you take a shower and start getting uniform ready
this
then get in touch with the chiefs to see if anybody did not come back.
make sure to commend the ht chief on the showers and tell him to pass the commendation onto the ponies under him

>>29780574
Kiss and fluff our pillow.
Might as well start getting ready.

>>29780636
>>29780662
You blink at the odd thought but shrug, making your bed and fluffing your pillow with a burst of magic as you trot to your bathroom to shower, letting out a pleased sigh at the warm water.

Yep. You've got to find the HT Chief today and congratulate him and his team. Mmmmm, hot water.

You finish up quickly though, well aware that you'll need to check in on the Chiefs by 0730, and it's nearing 0650.

You step back into your room, quick-drying yourself with a few well applied spells, and quickly taming your mane into a crisp, proper bun to tuck under your cover for your Dress Blues, letting out a little annoyed sigh at it.

Stupid Silver horseshoes.

You quickly get yourself all 'gussied up', making sure the brass is polished and make sure everything you wear made of metal reflects your face from at least six paces away.

You mentally hope nopony is working aloft today- you might blind them just trotting on the weather deck.

With that, you make your way out of your room, fully dressed and ready to face the day, and start making your way towards the bridge. That's where the muster reports will be, so that's where the Chiefs will be.

You hum. Coffee and a Muffin on the way, or skip it for later?

>>29781250
Food first.

>>29781250
>skip it for later

Bah, to avoid us having conflicting thoughts I'll change my vote from >>29781286 to >>29781300

>>29781318
Nah I will change my vote I am not attached to the no food.

>>29781371
I imagine this will only result in Fair trotting in and out of the mess hall repeatedly.

>>29781398
I am pretty sure we have 3 players I am sure there will be a tiebreaker soon.

Thinking about it we made a specific note to eat so I am changing my vote from changing to eating to break a tie to changing it to eating because I think it is a good idea.

>>29781300
>>29781318
You feel the urge to get something to eat, but getting your information takes priority, so you ignore the light complaint from your stomach, and quickly trot to the Bridge.

You arrive to a call of 'ATTENTION ON DECK' from the Watch, causing the Chief's and CMC Bellows snap to attention after turning to face you.

A gentle hoof-wave and a "Carry On" gets everypony to relax, and you step up to Bellows. "Master Chief, how did the Muster go?"

"All personnel present or accounted for, Skipper." Bellows says, showing you a three-ringed clipboard with several sheets of paper and checked off names.

You nod. "Very good, anything else to report?"

CMC Bellows shakes her head no. "No Sir, though I believe the Watch has a message for you."

You nod, looking around at the Chiefs that are standing by. Should you dismiss them right away after congratulating the HT LCPO, or get your message first?

[FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.

I DID IT AGAIN.

I'm sorry guys, I need to remember to hit the freakin' update button before I post.]

>>29781490
>dismiss them right away after congratulating the HT LCPO
We can wait a few moments for our message.

>>29781500
Don't worry it was just food.

>>29781500
>not having the thread auto update
It's alright.

>>29781500
Get your shit man.

>>29781535
Life is hard

>>29781512
You turn to the Chiefs, and quickly pick out the HT Chief by his Rating Badge- A crossed Maul and Hammer over a 90 degree ruler.

"Chief, I wanted to extend my personal thanks and a Bravo-Zulu to you and your crew. During my tour of the boat yesterday, I inspected the crew showers and they were by and far the best showers I've seen in the fleet. Exemplary work, please pass it along to your workers."

The Chief grins and salutes you before he and the rest of the Chiefs leave and you turn to the Watch, who hoofs over your message. You frown at it before nodding.

"Arrival Time: 1000- HRH P.C."

Celestia decided to come personally it appears. Unsurprising because the Risen Glory is truly her ship. Celestia is the one who pushed for a Battleship in the first place.

You sigh, shaking the thought before setting the missive alight and vanishing the ashes. You thank the Watch and he returns to scanning the area.

That's handled, and you now have some time before the Princess arrives. Maybe now is a good time for breakfast, an actual sit down kind.

>>29784783
Foooooooood

>>29784916
Yessssssssss, foooooooooooooooood.

You resist the urge to groan out the word like you did when you were a colt, wiggling your lip at your mother when you did so, who would always laugh and set up a plate of something good for you to eat, and make your way down to the Galley.

A private meal today, or do you feel like talking with anypony, you muse as you make your way to the head of the chow line, idly examining breakfast options.

>>29785002
>A private meal today
We cannot get caught up talking right now.

>>29785013
You nod to yourself as you collect a banana-nut muffin and a omelette, and make your way to the Captain's wardroom, his personal eating room, and settle in.

A cup of coffee made and food in front of you, you are now free to muse life, the universe, and everything while being careful to ensure you don't scuff your shoes or spill food on yourself.

A gentle burst of magic makes your Dress Blues protected from accidental food strikes, and then you begin your meal. What deep thoughts are you thinking today?

>>29785167
the murder mystery
nah we had our fun with that let's drop it for now . wonder if you will be able to keep your promise to the prisoners to keep him off the moon.

>>29785240
*prisoner
I wish we had plural but I am sure we will soon (or at least a lot of dead traitors.

bemp

>>29786350

the princess is coming.

>>29785240
You muse as you gaze out over the deck of the Risen Glory.

To be honest, it really was quite the promise you made Prisoner Seventeen- Banishment/Executions were the de-facto go to for traitors to Equestria, and it wasn't the Princesses that usually did it. No, it was a full mages circle of unicorns that usually enacted the punishment of Banishment/Executions, usually into actual space, not so far as the Moon, though Princess Luna had been campaigning quite a bit to prevent Space/Moon banishment's recently.

Something about not wanting to ruin the tranquility of her Night's Sky and something about bad feelings. You weren't part of that particular conversation but you heard some of it while she was yelling about it in Canterlot when you were there, so you're inclined to believe she knows what she's talking about.

You tilt your head back a bit, closing your eyes as you continue to think, pondering how it would feel for a moment.

Deep thoughts, but really... would it be a nightmare, or proper moment of blissful peace before you went to meet Faust?

>>29788200
Does not matter in the end really. we are not a filthy traitor so we will never know.

>>29788214
You feel yourself puff up a bit in pride and in the knowledge that you aren't a traitor and never will be one. The world may not be black and white, just shades of Gray, but at least you know where your loyalty lies.

You nod your head and open your eyes, looking back to the rest of the bridge. Nothing else for it you suppose. No more deep thoughts to be had here, might as well go to the Quarterdeck and standby for the Princess and her Entourage unless you're forgetting anything.

>>29788288
No I think that is everything.

Wonder where all the other players have been last few updates

>>29788336
You nod to yourself before trotting off the bridge, informing the watch to carry on after he calls the room to attention again, and make your way to the Quarterdeck.

You make good time, and check your pocket-watch. About forty-five minutes or so till the Princess arrives.

You look to the Quarterdeck watch and blink in surprise. Lt. Wilko and Seaman Apprentice Shanty are standing the watch. "Good Morning Wilko, Shanty." You say, nodding to the two ponies, who stand straight and salute you, and you salute back.

"Good Morning Skipper! What brings you to the Quarterdeck?" Shanty asks cheerily as you drop your salute.

You should probably inform Wilko of the Princess being on the way, but should you inform Shanty or make it a surprise?

>>29788901
[I dunno. It is pretty late at night, but I always post around this time...]

>>29788907
We already mentioned princesses would probably be showing up at some point when we lifted the lockdown. would not be much of a surprise anyway so we may as well tell her.

>>29788939
You shove the idea of surprise Princess aside for another day before you speak up. "Princess Celestia should be arriving by the top of the hour, so I'm gussied and ready to welcome her and the Entourage to the Risen Glory."

"Cor! That's pretty awesome Skipper! You gonna do anything special to greet her?" Shanty asks, dancing on the tips of her hooves in her excitement, looking really really happy to meet the Princess, with good reason.

You were, once upon a time, just as excited as she was, and her enthusiasm returns the smile that you were about to lose to your face as you avoid thinking about what killed that excitement and optimism from your life. Time to settle in and wait.

[Unless the players have a better idea, of course]

>>29789020
Just the standard greetings expected of me seaman I made sure to brush up on them would not do to have me mess up in front of the escort.
ask them how they enjoyed there leave.

>>29790281