Semper Pie

by deathtap

Mission 2, Part 5: The Belly of the Beast

The ship was in utter chaos. The crew and the Watu were at odds with one another, some not sure whose orders to follow, others in full conflict against one another. The Eleonora had never been attacked before and despite the numerous drills and training exercises, there was no semblance of order. There were confusing orders going back and forth through the communication pipes. The Watu still had some semblance of control, but mostly because they were all lined up trying to get at the attackers, who had somehow flipped their airship upside down.

Blood stood on the bridge, or what was left of it with a dark expression on his face. How had Wish manage to slip away from him and his Watu? She was here just moments before, but they had gone. But where? He was the captain of the Eleonora, not her. He was in command of this ship. Not. Her.

He slammed his hoof down. The fate of thousands rested in his hooves, or did they rest in whoever instigated this? That was what was bothering him. He was not in control.

The sound of hoof steps sounded from behind him.

"What is it?"

"Sir, slaves are being freed below. We have not yet found the source."

Blood growled and turned around. "Find Wish. It could be her doing."

"Yes, sir!" the Watu saluted and darted off.

A flash of light appeared behind him and the being bowed. Striker, a pitch black unicorn had teleported to the deck. "Sir, reports are streaming in from all over that ship that the slaves are being set free one after the other. They are causing problems as we have to reassign our forces to prevent them from overrunning the ship."

"They have organized?"

"Small packs of diamond dogs have formed and are actually fighting back. We've managed to put down any pack large enough to be threatening, but as more are freed more are becoming braver. We will have to... use deadly force if this keeps up, otherwise we're going to lose control of the Eleonora."

"We have the bridge. What can they do?"

"Sir, orders are being given to other crew to help maintain the sails and cannons. We've been following those orders and have been able to keep the slaves away from any weapons caches."

"Wish?"

"No, sir. The voice is of her first mate, sir. I don't know his name, but he is... useful. For now."

"Where is he issuing the orders?"

"From the flag bridge, sir. It's seven levels below here, sir. Shall we intervene?"

It was a difficult decision. If they were helping regain control of the situation they were in, then it might have been better leaving them alone. But if he did, would it undermine his newly acquired authority towards the crew?

"Or shall we start... reducing the number of slaves."

Another difficult decision. Their lord and master would not be impressed if they lost too many of their shipment, but even a dragon could be killed if enough ants were thrown at it. It might have been better to make a slight loss.

"Do what you must to retain order and take back the ship. Keep casualties to a minimum. For the diamond dogs, slay any alpha that dares defy us. The rest, use whatever means. Find those that are freeing them and bring him to me. Dead or alive."

"Alive, sir?"

Blood smiled. It was a cruel smile, a smile that Striker knew all too well for he had seen it many times in the past. As far as he was concerned, Blood lived for killing. He loved it. He was a natural and relished taking another being's life. He had killed far too many slaves and many of his own Watu. Essentially those who dared defied him did not live for very long.

Striker was also one of the few ponies that knew his real name was not Blood. It was the name he gave himself because of his coat. Not many remembered his real name, but those that did never rarely lived for very long either. He had abandoned his past, and that name a long time ago.

"I will bring them to you alive if possible, sir." Striker was engulfed in a flash of light as he teleported away.

---

"Free! Free! I is free!" a diamond dog shouted as he flailed his arms through the air and rushed outside of Zecora's cell.

"Cease and desist, release us I insist!" Zecora shouted after the dog, but he was already gone. "Will one of you please, go and find the keys!"

She had shouted at several of them to let them out, but they did not have keys. Instead of freeing his comrades, the dogs usually just ran about in a mad frenzy. It was irritating. She understood that these particular breed of dogs probably would not have known how to open the locked cage, and by the looks of things it was doubtful that they could bite through them either. The locks on the doors were pretty thick.

Iron paced along the cage, a expression of deep concentration on his face.

"What's eating you?" Providence asked.

The rhino glanced at her. "I'm trying not to get excited. I don't want to think about-"

"Hey," a voice hissed interrupting him.

They all looked to see Voltic standing just beyond the cell doors.

"What is it, fox? Don't you have other places to be? Won't the slaves kill you if they see you?"

The fox made a face, but did not say anything. Something that looked like a long stick appeared from the shadows behind him and shoved his shoulder. It was too dark to see who or what it was.

Voltic clicked his tongue and shrugged the poke off. "Okay, okay. I'm opening it. Just so you know, the reason why the dogs aren't attacking me is because I'm helping free them, okay? I wasn't lying when I said I wanted out of this mess." He reached forward and unlatched the lock.

As soon as he did the rhino burst through the doors taking the fox in his giant hand and holding him in the air squeezing him with all his might. "Tell me why I should let you live?"

The fox croaked, unable to say anything.

"Because he willfully led me to you," a cold voice said from the shadows, "after freeing others along the way."

At those words Iron let go of Voltic sending him crashing onto the floor. He gulped in air as the rhino's grip was relinquished.

"I do not know who are you, but I am grateful," Iron said.

"Don't be. I didn't come here for you."

"Then me?" Lang asked standing next to the rhino.

"No."

"M-me?" a timid voice asked as Lucky cautiously stepped out from his cell.

"No."

"Then the pegasus?"

"No. I came for her." The stick appeared again from the shadow, gesturing at the space between them all. They all turned to look at the zebra behind them. Zecora walked by the others and stood in front of them all and held her breath. She still could not believe it and her eyes widened as the figure in the shadow moved slowly into the light.

The helm and plume appeared first, the red feathers rolling along the criniere seemed to spring to life like fire. The red streak ended at the base of his neck where it attached itself to the body armor. Little hoops held the feathers in place on each segmented plate. Then he raised his head, which covered with a champron his entire face, save for the eyes. Those cold, hard eyes did not need armor to protect them. Then he took another step forward, as cautious as the ones before. His forehoof was wrapped in an iron gauntlet from the joint down, leather bindings kept it in place and as he took the next stop so that his entire front half was now in the light, the peytral across his chest revealed the emblem none of them could miss.

"What's a Border Guard doing this far away from Equestria?" Iron asked staring in shock at the stallion.

"My mission."

"Your... mission?" Lang laughed quietly, amused by the answer. "You attacked the most heavily guarded slave ship known in our lands just to free one zebra? That was your mission?"

"No."

"Then what?" Lang asked. "What is your mission?"

The pony did not reply.

"Semper, why have you come? What is it that I have done?" Zecora asked. She could not meet his eyes. Her heart was beating so hard in her chest.

Providence looked at the stallion. "Semper..." she whispered, letting the name sink in. "Strange name."

"Because I insisted on finding you. Because of who you are. I'm here to take you back home."

Zecora's face flushed at those words. "If what you say is true, then I will go with you."

Semper held out a hoof. "Let us go."

The zebra reached out to him but was cut off by Lucky who dove at the Guard's other hoof. He pressed himself right up against his knees, tears flowing from his eyes. She understood why. This was a Guard of the very nation he was taken from and he was here for her, not him. The Guard was a symbol of hope and protection. Who else besides this single stallion could they turn to?

"Please! You have to help us! There's nobody else that can!" Lucky shouted. "I don't wanna be a slave!"

"That does not concern me."

Lucky raised himself to Semper's chest. "You cannot come in here and leave us! You must take us with you!"

"He's right, you know. You can't waltz in here and leave without helping." Providence hovered in the air flew forwards and jabbed Semper in the chest. "That's totally wrong." She then promptly folded her hooves in front of her.

Zecora walked up and put herself between Semper and her new friends. "Semper Pie, they are correct, leaving without them I must object. My time with them has been very, very short, but they are friends you must help escort."

There was a long moment of silence. The tension was building up, and the sounds of fighting came from everywhere. It might have only been for a few seconds, but it felt like hours before the stallion replied.

"No."

"N-no?" the all said at the same time.

"I cannot lead you all to safety. However, I can assist in your escape. The best way is for you all to make your way to the bridge of the Eleonora and wait there. I will cause enough... distractions for you to get there safely. On the bridge you must activate the order to abandon ship. Only then will you have a chance to get away from here. You must get to a lifeboat and head home."

Lang stroked his beard and nodded. "Your plan sounds feasible, but suicide for you. You forget that the master of this vessel isn't like us. He's a dragon, and dragons are a league unto their own. From what I hear he slumbers for the duration of this trip, but should he awaken..."

This failed to interest the Guard as he took a step back into the shadows.

"Get to the bridge and secure it. Do not worry about the dragon."

"Are you mad? We have to worry about him the most!" the giraffe exclaimed swinging his arm in a wide motion.

"Get to the bridge." With that the Guard stepped back into the darkness and the sounds of his hoof falls faded quickly in the distance.

"H-h-he's insane!" Lucky turned his head to look to the others standing behind him from the floor. "Right?"

They all nodded as one, except for a zebra who stared at the spot where she had last seen him.

"He is Semper Pie. He will do, or he will die."

---

The group of Watu warriors were galloping down the hall. Their orders were simple: find and capture or kill the one causing all the ruckus in the decks below so that the Watu could concentrate on the crashed ship above. Leading this group was Striker who had more to prove than the others there.

He used to be famous back in Equestria. A famous hoofball player that had a magnificent career ahead of him, only he was too proud and stupid. When his team had lost the cup he took it out on his family. Not many unicorns can claim to have the power and stamina of an earth pony, but Striker had it. That also had ultimately been his undoing. In a fit of drunken rage, he had killed a fellow teammate by kicking him in the neck. The trial was swift and he soon found himself wandering through an unknown, hostile land. Eventually he ran into a group of ponies who were interested in selling him as a slave.

He had killed once before, how hard could it be to do so again?

With the ferocity of a dragon, Striker killed his would-be foalnappers with his bare hooves. He had incidentally made a name for himself and soon joined a mercenary group. Over time he had found a home on the Eleonora. A home for ponies and other kinds of creatures like him. Lost, with no other place to go, they all forged an uncomfortable living by obeying orders blindly. When one of them died, it might have been mentioned in passing but quickly forgotten. This was what it meant to be a Watu Wakali warrior. Life was a luxury they could no longer afford.

"Sir," a purple pegasus said, "there is rumor that a single pony is freeing the slaves as he or she made their way into the rear holds of the ship."

"Great. What does that idiot think he's doing? That's where the ursas and timberwolves are kept, right?" Striker asked. He already knew the answer, but he was optimistic.

"Yes, sir."

He sighed and put his sword into its scabbard across his flank. "What's the status of the ship on the hull?"

"Don't know, sir. The communication tubes have been damaged, so it's hard to find one that works. Orders from above are coming in via runners to areas that need it but the slaves are a nuisance. They keep ganging up and either killing or forcing the runners to turn back."

"Does anyone know how many of them are there causing all this ruckus?" Striker asked.

The purple pony rubbed the back of his head. "Rumor is... one, sir."

Striker refused to believe that nonsense. "Okay, let's all head for the stern. Round up any Watu on the way. We might have to kill a few ursas and timberwolves, but make sure that whoever is causing this does not get out of that hold alive or is wrapped in chains. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" the Watu shouted.

"Let's move out!"

---

The ursas were tearing the hold apart. They might have been small cubs, but each one was big enough to take out every Watu there. One was a headache, two was an annoyance, but three was ridiculous. They had no reason to worry about the timberwolves, for they had long since fled from the ursas and their wrath as soon and as quickly as they could.

Striker dodged a paw as it swiped across the gangway he was on, slicing through the chains holding it up. It flipped over and fell, but his strong legs allowed him to make a quick getaway as he dove for the next gangway rolling head over tail until he came to a perfect stop. He turned around to see one of the other Watu get bitten in half.

Streams of arrows showered the entire room as the Watu tried to bring at least one of the ursas down. They had lost seven so far, an unacceptable number. The Watu that were killed were not fit enough to call themselves Watu; at least that was what he told himself to justify leading them to their deaths. How else could he cope with the loss? This was not the life he wanted. This was not the life he deserved.

A flash of red from his side made him stop. A moment later and he would have been skewered.

Raising his shield up, he blocked the spear point that aimed straight for his heart. Striker slid backwards and drew his blade with his magic as he took the shield in hoof and the spear in the other. Three weapons against one.

"So, you're the troublemaker, eh? Why don't you come into the light, so I can see your face."

The pony did as he was asked. The red plume flowing from his helm was unmistakable. Other Watu that had seen him froze for a second before continuing dodging the ursas.

"A Border Guard? Here?" Striker smirked and laughed quietly. "Really? You're the one causing all this? Impossible. Why have the Guard attacked this ship? Why is Equestria suddenly taking an interest of things outside her borders? How many of you are there?"

No response.

"I said how many of you are there?" Striker shouted.

"More than enough," came the reply.

Striker opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by the pony's sudden lunge. The speed of the spear's strike threw him off guard as his shield blocked it in the nick of time. Two figures charged past him as he fell backwards on his rear. If it had not been for these two, Specter and Bell, he knew that it would have been over for him. The two Watu fought the Guard straight on, barely able to push him back. The way the Guard moved, it was unreal. He dodged the blades of Bell's dual scimitars while fending off Specter's great axe at the same time managing to block off stray shots by other Watu firing crossbow bolts in his general direction.

Who was this pony?

"Specter, get down!" The white and brow spotted pony did as he was ordered and ducked just as Striker aimed his crossbow.

The Guard moved to the side, parrying Bell's blades and slugging her face with his left hoof stunning her from the impact. The magical glow that enveloped the blades flickered out and clanged to the floor before being pulled to the side so that her body was now between the Guard and the two of them. This all took place just as Striker pulled the trigger sending the arrow flying right into Bell's back. She let out a squeal of anguish as the bolt pierced her through the back right where her hear was, but before she had time to react the Guard swung the dying pony to the left, who tumbled over the railing of the gangway towards the bottom of the hull far below. If the fall did not kill her, the ravaging wild creatures would.

"Specter, no!" Striker shouted, but his voice fell on deaf ears as the larger stallion charged the Guard roaring with rage. He swung his great axe in a wide circle cutting the chains of the gangway they were on. A suicide move, for sure, to take himself and the intruder out at the same time. Bell and Specter had always been very close. Too close, in Striker's professional opinion, but they each did their job and they did it well so nobody really complained about it.

The Guard was not one to fall so easily. Moving under one of the wide swings of the axe, he closed the distance quickly placing his hoof on Specter's outstretched forelegs. Then, with a small dagger, he stabbed Specter multiple times causing him to lean over him.

Striker had not been idle during this time, and had reloaded his crossbow. The only problem was now he had no shot. Not with Specter slumped over the Guard like that.

The Guard picked up the Watu, who had dropped his axe, and charged towards Striker who was trying to find a way to hit a mark. Something. Anything. He had a taste of what close combat was like with this stallion and he was not about to relive that experience again. He knew that he would not last half a minute.

The hoof. He aimed and fired. He saw the bolt enter, but the Guard did not so much as flinch as he literally threw Specter onto him. The sudden weight of the bigger pony with armor made Striker fall on his haunches as he had nowhere to dodge. He watched with dread as the Guard stood there standing over him under the dead pony.

Lowering himself till he was just inches from Striker's face, the Guard ripped the bolt out from his hoof.

"You dropped this."

Before Striker could react, the Guard took the bolt and shoved it into his exposed neck. He struggled as the bolt went deeper into his flesh. He tried to kick out to get away from the torturous agony he was experiencing, but it was pointless. He could not move because of Specter's corpse laying over him. Then he felt a jolt and a crack as the Guard snapped the bolt in half. The motion blacked Striker out for what must have been seconds because he looked up to the stallion running towards the nearest exit.

Strangely, a part of him actually wanted to wish that crazy Guard well. In retrospect, Striker understood that he was the bad guy. After all, he was the one that was guarding a ship full of slaves going to another kingdom. This was his time. He had a chance at life and blew it in a big way.

No. He was not going to die. Not here, not now. He gritted his teeth and tried to shove Specter off of him.

A bright yellow pegasus landed next to him. She tried to pull Specter off but failed. After that she leaned over and studied the wound on his neck. She took something out and put pressure on it.

"Sir, don't move." Jewel shouted above the din of the roaring ursas.

Striker looked into her big dark green eyes. She was new. One of those Exilees, ponies born from exiled parents of Equestria. How had she got involved with this? Perhaps a huge debt that needed to be settled, or maybe she was an orphan that had made a really bad career choice. Or maybe a good one. Life expectancy outside of the kingdom was very, very short. It was especially short if you were on your own.

"Go after that Guard!" he had wanted to shout, but his he found that he could not. It was hard enough to breathe, let alone whisper.

"I need a medic over here!"

It took a few moments, but one of the Watu medics did reach him. He looked at Striker, then at Jewel and shook his head. "His carotid artery has been punctured. He won't last much longer without a donor, and I don't have a list of compatible ponies, and even if we did, we're in the middle of a fight here! Leave him!"

"W-what? I can't do that! He needs our help!" Jewel retorted.

"Fine, you can stay here and die, but the ursas have overrun this hold and our forces are split. We can't hold out, so we're flooding this hold and drowning those damned beasts. You stay, you die."

"W-who ordered that?"

"Who else. Get with the program, missy. We're not Guards, we're Watu. What we do has no honor. We live to serve a slave trading dragon! Our lives are meaningless!"

Jewel narrowed her eyes. "Is it meaningless to care for others?"

"Out here? Yes! Your choice, but I'm not staying." The medic got up to leave.

"Then at least help me push the dead one off."

The medic thought about it, but nodded. He helped push the body of Specter off and fled. Jewel pulled Striker on top of her using her wings. She hoisted the weak unicorn onto her back and marched slowly towards the same exit the Guard had left minutes before.

By the time she went through they had already started flooding the hold as the loading doors were opened on the far side. The sudden rush of sea water swept away the ursas flushing them out into the darkness of the sea. Striker heard their voices fade as the warmth of darkness took him.

It was a terrible day.

---

"Run that by me again." Blood turned around slowly at the reporting officer. He made no sign that the action intimidated him.

"A Border Guard is causing all this, sir. He was cornered in the lower holds before we flooded it."

"A Border Guard? Are you tell me that just one Border Guard is causing all this trouble?" This time it was Blood's smile that made the reporting officer take a step back. "Tell the Watu to take their time in taking down that ship. Tell the unicorns to start casting fire spells at anything on that ship that can burn."

"Yes, sir!"

"I've got a Border Guard to find."

Blood marched through the corridors leading towards the lower decks. As he approached the entrance, he noted that the Watu here were having too much fun. He waited for a moment before he coughed, which made all of them spin around and salute.

"What's going on here?"

"Hunting, sir."

"Slaves, sir."

"Easy targets, sir."

"How many have you killed?" Blood asked as he peered inside the hall that led downwards.

Neither of them answered.

"No matter, I want you three to come with me. We're going Guard hunting."

The three looked to each other, and nodded. These three were notorious for their cruelty. They were banished not too long ago and were eager to join the Watu after some demonstrations of their skills. They were natural killers. Hardhearted and brutal. The only problem was that they were bullies. Blood understood that and he did not think much of them because of it. Any show of defiance or authority had these three cowering in the corner begging for their mother's teat. As far as he was concerned, they were expendable.

They were perfect for his use.

Comments

[CIA]

Semper is the definition of a O.P.A., One Pony Army.

[BeauZoe]

Aww... I feel bad for the Ursas. Flooding the front hold can't possibly be good for the Eleonora either, right?

And the lighting on the Eleonora is terrible. Semper keeps finding these deep shadows to pop out from.

[deathtap]

3030388 I imagined myself on a slave ship. What would it be like? So, I imagined a really large cargo ship with cells hastily built into it to keep the prisoners locked up, and lighting enough so that you could see where to go, but nothing too expensive because that would be a waste of money.

So, in my mind, the ship's interior is dark because of that. Especially the lower you go.

[Mossy Mare]

"Does anyone know how many of them are there causing all this ruckus?" Striker asked.
The purple pony rubbed the back of his head. "Rumor is... one, sir."
One Riot, One Ranger!

"This was not the life he wanted. This was not the life her deserved."

[Noctus Umbra]

3731517 THANK YOU FOR THAT REFERENCE! THAT WAS AMAZING!

[Emperor]

Three ursa minors? Somehow I imagine the dragon boss is going to have his claws full with taking them out if he ever gets off his butt and wakes up.

I hadn't realised that Semper had taken his guard outfit with him, so having that would allow others to identify him as a Border Guard I guess (well, those who know that his outfit marks him as a Border Guard, in any case).

Honestly, there'll be a lot of repercussions from this mission. If the Eleonora is sunk or captured, there goes the single largest ship being used to transport slaves, for one. With the amount of mooks that have gotten killed in the last few chapters, the pool of mercenaries that are available to hire or press into service has also been drastically reduced.

[AyanamiRei]

What is interesting is how the story does NOT focus so much on Semper himself, but his actions and how they effect everyone else. It's a great way to balance out having such an OP Pony.

Also, I imagine that after all this, Equestria is NOT going to exile so many ponies, since it turns out that they just turn into ruthless slavers. At least that's my hope anyhow.