//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Rhumbline // Story: The Ties that Bind // by Birdco //------------------------------// The Ties That Bind By Birdco Pre-read by: Fyre~medi, Rokas, Inko21, Yoshimon1 “Never mind your happiness; do your duty.”  - Pacer Dressage Chapter 2: Rhumbline Rhumbline grabbed the cargo boom’s vang line firmly in his teeth, and he pulled hard.  The familiar taste of hemp mixed with sweat greeted his tongue as he hauled the boom into its new position.  The makeshift sail snapped as it caught the wind fully, and Rhumbline felt his airship surge under his hooves. “Is that better Joe?” Rhumbline called back to the pilothouse after securing the line to the cleat.  The blue stallion tested the tension of the line with his hoof, and was rewarded with a clear tone in the line. “She’s handlin’ alot better on the helm, Cap’n” Joe called back through an open porthole.  The white and brown stallion was a capable deckhoof, and a decent helmspony he had found running a scow out of Trottingham.  Rhumbline had gone to the docks looking to hire somepony to help run his newly purchased airship who would work for less than the unicorns out of Canterlot charged.  Joe had been looking to change his scenery, and relocated with his family to Ponyville on the promise of work on the Dodo.  Joe had made the transition from boats to airships well, and Rhumbline had come to trust Joe at the helm in all but the most difficult situations. Now if I can only convince him to sign a contract, instead of signing on voyage to voyage Rhumbline thought.  Joe’s lack of commitment was a constant concern, because at anytime Rhumbline might be left short for a voyage, and be forced to hire expensive, short term help.  Rhumbline knew Joe’s reasons for not committing, but the Dodo’s Captain held out hope that his deckhoof would come around. Rhumbline looked again towards the Ponyville pass at the two specks in the air over the forest.  He had seen them a few minutes earlier, when he first went forward to set the sail, but hadn’t taken much notice at the time.  Ponyville was a very diverse town, and there were almost always pegasi flying above it.  But now he took notice, since the pair was clearly flying over the forest, apparently towards his airship. Pegasi did not venture far over the Everfree forest lightly, since the forest was vast and the skies above dangerous, especially at night. Rhumbline glanced at the lazy motion of the forest canopy below, and at the rapidly descending sun in the west, and was reminded of the seriousness of the situation.  He trotted over to the engine-room's vent, and yelled below.  “Kayleigh, we need to get out of the forest before dark, and I can’t do that without my engines.” “Captain, a pin sheared on the main drive, and now the whole main actuator is out of alignment” A feminine voice replied faintly from the vent.  “I got the parts, but it’s gonna take me awhile to get everything lined back up again.” Rhumbline sighed.  Though the Dodo was a well built airship, its engines had been nothing but problems as of late.  It didn’t help he couldn’t afford an experienced engineer.  Kayleigh had a real talent with machines, but she was young, and had no education in airship engineering.  But she was family, and she worked for cheap. Rhumbline glanced back at the pair of flying creatures.  They were clearly coming towards the Dodo.  Since the pair seemed to come from Ponyville they probably weren’t dangerous, but a pony could never be sure over the Everfree Forest. “Do what you can, Kayleigh,” Rhumbline yelled into the vent. “I’ll be down to help out after I deal with our guests.” “Guests?” The voice called back.  “Are these good guests, or bad guests?” “Don’t worry about it Kayleigh, just fix the engine.” Rhumbline replied.  His reply was greeted by the sharp metallic sound of hammer hitting engine.  Rhumbline took a deep breath to rebuke his engineer through the vent, then he stopped and let the breath out. ‘This is probably one of the few situations that buckin’ hammer is the right tool,’ Rhumbline thought.  Kayleigh was the type to resort to brute force in repairs when she got frustrated, which occurred with unsettling frequency. “Cap’n, did ya say somethin’ about guests?” Joe called nervously from the pilothouse.  Joe was always nervous over the forest, ever since a manticore decided to check them out a few voyages ago.  Rhumbline pointed his hoof towards the pair flying towards the Airship.  They were close enough that Rhumbline’s trained eyes could pick out details.  Both were pegasi, the larger one, white with a gray mane was probably an older stallion, the smaller one, gray with a white mane, was definitely a mare. “I see em’ Cap’n” Joe said, after looking hard where Rhumbline had indicated for a few moments.  “What do you think they are coming here for?” “I don’t know,” Rhumbline said absentmindedly, but he was beginning to have suspicions.  He was pretty sure who the white stallion was.  After a dragon rampaged through Ponyville last week, and Spike admitted to the community that it had been him, he had been suspecting he might be getting a visit. “It’s not that I didn’t know my release from Celestia’s service had conditions,” Rhumbline muttered to himself, walking forward towards the cargo boom.  The sail didn’t need to be checked, but Rhumbline wanted to think without Joe interrupting with more questions.   Rhumbline looked over his ship noting the patched balloon, the stay lines that were starting to show wear, and the deck planking that he should have replaced long ago.  The Dodo was a good ship, but she was old, and Rhumbline wasn’t bringing in enough money to adequately maintain her. Normally a cargo airship this size would be operating as a liner, working fixed routes between locations that were not connected by rail or ship.  To operate as a tramp merchant, a captain needed good business sense, connections, and the ability to find out profitable markets that were underserved by cheaper means of transport. Rhumbline wasn’t a merchant, and he hadn’t been in the business long enough to build many connections.  These two handicaps alone should have bankrupted him long ago.  The only thing he had going for him is that his mother, Starline, had taken him all over the world in her journeys, and made sure Rhumbline learned everything he could about the places and creatures they met.  The only reason he was still in business was his ability to match up underserved communities with goods that they needed or wanted.  In his holds were Elderberry wine and fine wool cloth from the Sheepland islands, which he got in return for simple household appliances and tools he picked up relatively cheaply from Stalliongrad.  This should make him a decent profit in Canterlot on the goods but, with the cost of fuel, his loan payments, and the salaries for his crew, there was little left over for himself, or for maintenance.   Rhumbline operated the Dodo with a skeleton crew to keep his costs down.  Normally a liner this size would be crewed by seven, two unicorn engineers, three helmsponies, a pegasus weather scout, and the Captain.  The Dodo operated with three, Kayleigh, Joe and Rhumbline.  All three took turns at the helm, and Rhumbline helped Kayleigh with the engineering work that didn’t involve the magic of the ships main drive. “Not enough” Rhumbline muttered to himself, fiddling absentmindedly with the lines to the makeshift sail.  Not enough for what he was certain the two pegasai were coming to tell him.  They were close enough that he knew who they were; Guard Captain Perseus and his sister-in-law Winter Gale.  Both were maneuvering to land on the deck of the Dodo. Rhumbline walked back to the open deck between the cargo hatch and the pilothouse as the two Pegasi came in for a landing.  Rhumbline steeled himself for his first glimpse of his old comrade. It wouldn’t do for Perseus to see him wince when Rhumbline looked at his face. It wasn’t that Perseus scarred face bothered him.   Rhumbline actually thought it complemented the old warhorse.  It was the memory of what Perseus looked like before his wounds had been magically healed that bothered Rhumbline.  He was a young colt at the time but that memory was one he could not forget. “Welcome aboard the Dodo, Guard Captain”  Rhumbline said warmly to the old white pegasus and gave a curt nod to the grey mare, who returned a piercing glare.  He didn’t dislike his sister-in-law on principle, but he wasn’t in the mood for her loathing right now. “Rhumbline.  Friend.  Thanks for having me on-board your fine ship.  How have things been?” Perseus asked congenially, having always been one to indulge in small talk before getting around a difficult business. “Perseus, I have a good idea why you are here.” Rhumbline replied in a more serious tone, “I don’t want to be rude, but I really need to help my engineer fix the main drive.  So please, just give me the letter.” The white stallions blue eyes widened slightly at the response, but he smiled.  “I guess you have been expecting this”.  Perseus pulled a scroll from where it was tucked into his flight harness, and held it out for Rhumbline  The Dodo’s captain took the scroll in his mouth, placed it respectfully on the ground, and unrolled it with his hooves. The letters flowing script, familiar from both his commissioning letter and the letter releasing him from service, told him everything he needed to know.  Yet Rhumbline read the letter anyway, out of respect for its author.   Captain Rhumbline, I hope this letter finds you well.  It is with regret that I now must ask you to remember the promise you made the day I released you from your oath of service.  Events have transpired that require me to ask you to repeat the voyage you made twenty years ago, this time with my student Twilight Sparkle, and her companion Spike. I wish to emphasize that you are free to refuse this request.  I do not desire to lay a task of this magnitude on anypony against their will.  However, as you are aware, you are uniquely qualified for this task among all the airship captains who currently ply the skies.   You will be compensated at a level commensurate with the risk I am asking you to take, should you chose to accept this task.         Princess Celestia Rhumbline lifted one of his hooves, and the scroll rolled back up.  He known this letter would eventually come after that little purple dragon had rampaged through the town.  His only surprise was that it took the princess so long to write it.  Rhumbline looked up from the scroll at the pony who had brought it to him.  “Why did it take the Princess so long to ask?” Perseus frowned slightly.  “There are some things I can’t discuss, even with old friends, Rhumbline.  Though I can say the reasons why you left the Princess’ service weighed on her mind during the deliberations.”   “I’m certain they did.”  Rhumbline replied quietly, looking at Perseus and trying to avoid the piercing stare of his sister-in-law.  There was much that Rhumbline wanted to say to his old friend and sometimes mentor, but Winter’s presence made that impossible.  While she was well heeled in the presence of her commander, the visible loathing in her eyes stifled any conversation.  “This is a lot the Princess is asking of me.” “My age hasn’t addled my memory that much, Rhumbline. I remember the voyage.” Perseus replied thoughtfully. “I’m guessing we are the only ones still around who do.”  Rhumbline added quietly.  It was a powerful memory, not only for what transpired on that voyage, but for what it meant to him.  It was the greatest voyage he had ever been on, and it was the last one he took with his mother.  Before the voyage, he had been content to serve in his mother’s shadow, and to take what ever life handed to him.  Afterward, he set out to make his own life.  That drive brought him command of a royal airship, a wife, and finally the freedom to wander the world on his own.     Perseus nodded.  “Cid is too old to remember much of anything anymore, and your mother and Windwalker have both passed.  We were the youngest ponies on that voyage. Rhumbline gave a quick chuckle.  “I’d never though I’d hear you call yourself the youngest at anything, you old warhorse.”  Rhumbline was just a foal when he first saw Perseus onboard the HMAS Luna, the airship under his mother’s command, as a green recruit standing guard outside the royal cabin on one of Celestia’s tours of Equestria.   “Hmm.. it’s been a while,” Perseus smiled after a short pause.  He then relaxed his mouth, and looked keenly at Rhumbline. “So what do you say?” Rhumbline furrowed his brow.  “I’m not sure the Dodo can make the trip, She’s not a young ship and this is a bit outside her designed use.”  The Dodo was not built as a long haul airship and her design range was only about 30,000 furlongs.  The trip the Princess was asking him to make was nearly five times that.  “The Sandpiper isn’t available, is she?” “Airships carrying the royal seal are not an option.”  Perseus replied matter-of-factly, “The Kirin royalty are still upset about the last trip.” “Kirin?” Winter asked.  Her stare had been easing throughout the conversation, and now her eyes were following the conversation. “They look like a cross between a Deer and a Dragon, but they aren’t related to either.”  Rhumbline replied, giving Winter a quick glance and turning back to Perseus.  “If I am going to do this, I need time to prepare.  I have a lot of repairs to make, plus some modifications.  I’d also need to come up with a cargo” “Cargo?”  Winter retorted sharply.  “You’re supposed to be transporting passengers to...  somewhere.  Why do you need a cargo?” “He needs to keep up appearances, Winter,” Perseus replied sharply. “They also don’t take bits where we are going,”  Rhumbline added.   I also need some way to make money off this trip, Rhumbline thought.  Unless the Princess Celestia is going to pay me some princely sum, there is no way this is going to be a money making proposition. “I’ll need to be paid in advance, and I’ll need some help finding a suitable Pegasus scout,”  Rhumbline continued.  The scout would be tough.  Not only did Rhumbline need to find a pegasus that was skilled in reading the weather, this pegasus needed to be a strong flier.  The toughest part to fill was that the pegasus would need to go to where Rhumbline was headed, and this was not something you could tell by meeting somepony on the street. “Payment in advance is not a problem, The Princess is aware of your...  Financial difficulties,” Perseus replied. “And Winter will be your scout.” “What?!” The Gray pegasus mare exclaimed. Turning her head so quickly that her rough cut mane swished in the wind. Rhumbline snorted.  “Good one Perseus...  Wait, you’re serious, aren’t you?”   The white stallion’s commanding gaze at his sister-in-law was all the answer he needed.  Rhumbline almost voiced a quick complaint, but held his tongue.  Winter was as skilled at reading the weather as most trained weather mares.  By all rights she should have followed her father into the weather control bureau, but she had idolized Autumn so much that she went into the guard instead.  She was a skilled flier, and had done an excellent job of scouting onboard the HMAS Sandpiper, the airship Rhumbline commanded in service to Celestia’s. The Sandpiper was a small, fast airship, built to ferry diplomats and diplomatic messages to the other kingdoms throughout the world.  It was his first command, and the only one he held in his service to Celestia.  While the Sandpiper did not have the prestige of the grander royal airships like the HMAS Luna, it suited him. Whenever the Sandpiper was on a diplomatic mission, the royal guard always sent one or two pegasus guards with it to scout and provide protection.  This was how he had first met Autumn and it was on one of these voyages that they had fallen in love.   In the year after Autumn left the guard, Winter had been assigned to more of these voyages than was strictly proper, given the normal rotation of guards through the task.  Rhumbline had assumed that it was Perseus trying to help Winter get over her feelings of betrayal.  While Winter was always professional on the voyages, the trips were not pleasant for either pony.  “Winter would be a good choice,” Rhumbline said diplomatically, giving her sister-in-law an appraising look that she returned with a frown.  “Was this your decision or was it  Princess Celestia’s?” “All orders to the guard are mine, even if it originally came from one of the Princesses,” Perseus replied noncommittally.  “Although, I’m surprised you were so open to the suggestion.” “I have no problems working with Winter, her skills are perfect for the job.” Rhumbline replied to Perseus.  He turned his attention to Winter, giving her a hard look.  “As long as you remember the rules.” “You gave up your commission when you left the Their Majesties’ service.” Winter snarled. “Winter. My ship, my mission, my command.”  Rhumbline said sternly, holding his glare at the mare and taking a step forward.  He was a full head taller then Winter, and probably weighed 10 stone more than her.   Rhumbline’s lifetime of hard work on the deck of an airship had left him strong and lean. Winter stared back at Rhumbline defiantly but held her tongue.  Rhumbline knew Winter would be too disciplined to defy an order from the guard captain and she would carry out that duty honorably.  However, she could be more trouble than she was worth unless she recognized who was in charge.  Rhumbline held his gaze.   “Yes, sir,” Winter finally replied, with the barest hit of resignation in her voice.  Her blue eyes still bored into Rhumbline but he knew that he had won. “You see Perseus, there was no reason for you to be surprised, Winter and I can work together fine.” Rhumbline said with mock cheer, taking a step back and relaxing. Perseus frowned.  “I’m not sure I like you intimidating one of my guards, Rhumbline.”   “My ship, my command.  It applies to everypony, even you, friend.”  Rhumbline replied with a smile. ”The only ponies I take orders from on my ship are the Princesses, and maybe, on occasion, Prince Blueblood.” The White stallion let a small grin appear on his mouth. “I see why Blueblood never liked you.  So is this a yes?” “It’s a maybe.” Rhumbline replied quickly.  “Let me think about it while I help my engineer beat the ship’s engine into submission.  There is food and drink in the galley, help yourselves and relax.  We are heading to Canterlot, so you won’t lose too much time if you relax here.” Perseus nodded, and Rhumbline headed below to help Kayleigh with the engine. --- The hamlet of Ponyville glided below.  The Dodo cruised under the power of her engines, a quiet thrum of the engines the only sound of her passage.   The lamplight from inside the homes was starting to show in the failing light of evening.  Rhumbline imagined that Palette was below, waving at him as the Dodo passed overhead.  Pip was probably doing the same thing for Joe. Rhumbline sighed.  This was supposed to be the last voyage before Hearth’s Warming and he was finally going to get some time home with his family.   “It’s amazing what ponies will sacrifice for duty,” Rhumbline muttered. Perseus, who was looking over the rail with Rhumbline, nodded.  “It’s the story of our lives, friend.  Though I thought our voyage cured you of any particular attachment to duty” “Just like it cured you?” Rhumbline chuckled.  “We were both blindly attached to duty.  Me to my mother and the Airship service, and you to defending the Princess.” “And in opening my eyes to that blindness, Baolong allowed me to better carry out my duties to the Princess.”  Perseus muttered thoughtfully, his eyes looking off in the distance.  “Much as it did for you, in your own way.”   “What do you think Winter will choose as a gift for Baolong?” Rhumbline asked quietly.  Perseus had sent Winter ahead to inform Princess Celestia of Rhumbline’s decision and to get herself ready for the voyage.  Up on the Dodo’s Fo’c’sle with nopony around to overhear them, the secret they shared no longer held them to silence, and they could speak freely.  Just the mention of that name, the first time Rhumbline had mentioned it since his mother had died, was refreshing.   “I’m not sure.  She doesn’t have much in the way of possessions.  I’m really don’t know what she would come up with that is of great personal significance to her,”  Perseus replied, continuing to gaze at the world passing below.  “How about your crew?  How do you think they will react?” Rhumbline rubbed his chin, ”I think they will be confused, but they are a good crew, and will do what will need to be done.”  Though it would be an interesting discussion, especially with Kayleigh.  That mare could be so full of questions, she always wanted to know why. “I’m sorry I couldn’t have done this task for you, Rhumbline.” Perseus said in a voice barley over a whisper.  “But I don’t remember the way, and my duties, for as long as I still have them, require me to stay here.” “I am sorry that you can’t come with me, Perseus.”  Rhumbline replied warmly. “We both could use help understanding the changes in our lives.  I’m just afraid what that help will cost.”  Rhumbline’s voice trailed off.  Because of Baolong, he recognized his potential and became not only Earth pony airship captain but a husband and father as well.  Yet, his path in life had cost Autumn a promising career in the Royal guard where she would have likely became guard captain.  His path also ultimately drove him from the Royal service, and caused him to rack up a huge debt in order to be the family pony he wanted to be, yet still fly the skies that he loved.         Rhumbline’s ears perked as he heard the light clopping of hooves on the deck astern of him, and he sighed.  Rhumbline wanted to speak more with Perseus about their shared secret, but their promise to Baolong demanded silence infront of outsiders.   Rhumbline looked back to see Kayleigh walking forward to join them.  Her yellow coat was coated with engine grease and Rhumbline figured she was leaving hoofprints on the Dodo’s deck.  Her purple mane was an unruly mass of curls, held in place with equal helpings of sweat and engine oil. “How’s the engine behaving, Kayleigh?”  Rhumbline called. “Well enough,” Kayleigh’s cheery voice replied as she came over to the rail to stand next to the two stallions.  “At least well enough to get us to port.” “How long do you think you will need to complete the repairs and modifications we talked about?” Rhumbline asked.  He had a long discussion with her between hammer blows over what would be needed to get the Dodo ready for the voyage.  He had an idea how to extend the Dodo’s range and Kayleigh had the plan needed to carry it out. “A week if it’s just me, Captain,” Kayleigh replied,  She scratched her mane with a greasy hoof, leaving it even more tangled than it was before.  “Maybe four days if we bring in somepony who knows what they are doing to help.” Rhumbline furrowed his brow as he looked back over the rail.  The light was fading fast and he would need to take the helm from Joe.  Joe hadn’t yet mastered navigating solely by the magical navigational compass and the approach to Canterlot was dangerous at night, especially for the inexperienced.  But first, he needed to let Perseus know when he would be ready.  It would be a decision between speed and cost. “Bring in the help, Kayleigh.”  Rhumbline grumbled.  The sooner he got started on the voyage, the more likely he would have it finished before the worst of the winter weather set in.  Rhumbline raised his head and looked at Perseus.  “Tell the Princess that we will be in Ponyville to pick up Twilight Sparkle in five days, and we will leave first thing in the morning of the sixth.” Perseus nodded and took a step back from the rail, getting ready to fly.  “Friend, if I don’t see you before you depart, have a safe voyage.”  Rhumbline gave his friend a nod and a wave, and the white stallion took off from the Fo’c’sle, headed off towards Canterlot. Rhumbline turned to head towards the pilot house, but he stopped after a few steps, and turned back to his engineer.  “Do you think your mother is going to try to get me arrested for kidnapping again?  We are going to be in Canterlot for a lot longer than normal.” Kayleigh gave a quick laugh. “Probably Captain, though I don’t think it will work.   I’m sure I’ve convinced the Canterlot police that I am old enough to make my own decisions.  But, I’m going to stop by home tonight and let them know I am alright.” Rhumbline nodded.  “That’s fine.  Just be sure to be back first thing in the morning.  Tell your father that his cousin would like to have him over for dinner before I leave.” “You got it, Captain,” Kayleigh’s cheery voice replied as Rhumbline walked back to the pilothouse.  It was nearly dark and Joe gets really nervous when he can’t see where he was going.  Joe tried to put on a brave face, but Rhumbline could tell a lot about working an Airship scared him.  Rhumbline didn’t think any less of Joe for his fear, It’s a normal reaction for an earth pony, who always felt better when they had four hooves firmly on the ground.   “I was startin’ ta get worried that you forgot ‘bout me Cap’n.” Joe said with relief as Rhumbline opened the door to the pilot house. “I wouldn’t forget about you Joe.”  Rhumbline replied as he navigated the dark pilothouse to the helm.  Joe moved aside to let Rhumbline take control of the airship.  Rhumbline took a quick look at the position of the red, green and blue beams of light in the crystal display of the navigational compass and adjusted the Dodo’s course slightly to starboard to regain track.  That done, he turned to Joe. “So, will you be joining me on this next voyage?” “I was hopin’ to get some time with Pip and Estella.  But you pay well enough, an’ I might find some nice hearth’s warmin’ gifts on the far side of the world.”  Joe replied, a hint of resignation in his voice. He donned his hat, and walked towards the door.   “Glad to have you for another voyage, Joe.”  Rhumbline replied, watching the white and brown stallion headed  out the door, and trotted forward to talk with Kayleigh as they prepared the Dodo for what would be a busy couple of days in Canterlot.