Punishment
The ride was long.
That was the best way to describe it, and perhaps the only way. His wrists hurt, bound behind him not by rope or even handcuffs; the former could be cut and the latter could be picked. Instead a plastic zip-tie had been used to bind his wrists together painfully. The soldiers didn't care about comfort after beating and blindfolding him. They barely even helped him into the back of the truck that he now sat in the back of along with several of his co-conspirators. The wooden bench under his rear hurt after awhile, before his legs eventually went numb.
Slick Talker was not happy about what had become of his life. The Unicorn Stallion had been quite happy with the mares he had serving him, the flow of bits from rich and influential customers, and their protection for his illicit sex trade. It was not beyond reason that the Guard had learned about his operation in a small town just outside of Trottingham. Anypony could have squealed to the authorities about its location and times it was open. The problem, however, was why they had raided it. There was no evidence he was doing anything illegal, and the Nobles on his payroll should have kept the authorities from doing anything, or at least providing advanced warning.
Sure, he did some rather evil things. Many of the mares had been lured to serve through promises of pay, or even a better life. Many that resisted had been hooked on drugs to keep them compliant. And yes, he may have set his eyes upon a white unicorn mare with a brilliant violet mane, but what the whorse could do with her mouth after being drugged up on the proper cocktail was worth the risk! It was her own fault for trying to pass herself off as a Lady when she herself was only a dressmaker from the small town of Ponyville.
It was a shock when the growl of tracked vehicles came from outside his establishment before the front and rear doors simultaneously blew inward. The blasts were quickly followed by groups of dark-shaded Earth Ponies in camouflage fatigues and brandishing assault rifles. They were not kind, not identifying themselves as they grabbed everypony within reach and either forced them to the floor, or struck them with their weapons when they refused to comply. The few muscle ponies he had hired as guards were gunned down without warning when they sprang to Slick's defense.
Naturally he had demanded his Lawyer and complained about his treatment. The soldier that bound him just hit him over the head, growling; "silence, scum!" with a heavy Germane accent. After the magic suppressor was installed on his horn, he was blindfolded and led outside. He was roughly grabbed by another who examined him, then said simply; "Truck A." Every time he opened his mouth from then on, he was hit with a rifle butt or a closed fist.
He demanded to know what was going on, braving the blows from the abusive soldiers. By now his custom three-piece suit was a mess, and he kept idly wondering how much he was going to squeeze out of the government to pay for the cleaning bill. It wasn't until he was left alone in the back of the truck he had an idea of what was going on. He heard shouts and references to a 'Truck B' and a 'Truck C'. He thought idly of what the truck he was on was for.
A pony beside him whispered to him; "Slick? That you?"
"Split Take? Yeah, it's me. Who are these ponies?"
Split was one of Slick's 'employees' in charge of running the business' finances. Collecting payments, and in place of them, blackmail material as required. "I got a glimpse of an Officer's Uniform. We're in deep, Slick. They're not Royal Guard."
"What?" That much was obvious; Cops or Royal Guard wouldn't be this brutal.
"These guys are Germane-SS."
Slick frowned under his blindfold. What were the elite soldiers of Germaneigh doing inside Equestria? "Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I heard rumors that after the Changling invasion, Princess Celestia asked the dependencies to send soldiers to help out the Guard. They call it the Equestria Intervention Force. Germaneigh was the first to join up by sending a detachment of their elite guard."
"So, what? We'll just have to hold on until we can talk to a lawyer."
"I don't think so... There are rumors about these guys, Slick. We're in deep..."
The ride after that was long, silent, and boring. A guard that was riding at the tailgate reached over to slap anyone that whispered. The truck bumped and rattled along dirt trails after leaving the Trottingham highway, preventing Slim from having even the faintest clue where they were going. He could hear snoring at one point as a fellow passenger fell asleep - only to receive a slap from a guard.
The agonizing wait eventually came to an end. Shouts from outside could be heard when the engine was turned off, followed by the clang of the tailgate dropping. The prisoners were herded off, soldiers yelling commands for them to march across rough ground through tall grass. Eventually he stepped on something else; it felt like loose dirt.
"Halt!" The officer shouted.
A soldier turned them to face back toward the truck, and the blindfolds were ripped off allowing them to see.
He and his senior-most advisers stood in a line in the middle of a grass field. Behind them a large ditch had been dug by a tractor parked nearby, black-uniformed combat engineers leaning against it watching the proceedings. Before the dozen prisoners were a squad of stormtroopers facing them with their rifles at their sides. A group of officers, mostly Unicorns including an SS General and a senior Royal Guard officer, stood near a staff car, conferring over a list.
When Slick began to demand an explanation, the Lieutenant standing to one side barked for him to remain silent.
Beside him, Split Take nudged his shoulder, nodding toward the Lieutenant when he glanced at his superiors.
"Slick." He whispered. "The band around his forearm."
There was a black band around the lieutenant's left cuff that was a shade darker than the rest of the uniform top. It had bright silver etching and a word embroidered in the same color; 'Totenkopf'.
Slick took the time to quietly mutter back; "What does it mean?"
The officers broke up from their conference, one spoke with the Lieutenant briefly before glancing at the rifle squad. The stormtroopers stood at attention.
Split muttered two words in shocked awe; 'Death Squad'.
The Lieutenant read from a clipboard he had been handed; "By order of our beloved Führer, Her Royal Highness the Princess Celestia, you have been found guilty of High Treason against the Crown and Ponykind. The sentence for your heinous crimes has but one punishment; Summary Execution! My Faust have mercy upon your souls!"
Slick could feel his heart dropping from his chest, the fur under his pressed suit feeling very, very cold. His crimes had come back to haunt him. All his arrogance, his belief that by paying off the elites he could do what he wanted, with any mare that he wanted, had been cast away by a ruler who would do literally anything to protect Her Little Ponies.
"Bereit!" The soldiers brought their weapons up, as one working the bolts to chamber a round.
"Richten Sie!" The rifles were aimed. The commands came quickly, the soldiers performing their task as if it was an everyday occurrence.
"FEUER!"
The rifles roared.
Slick Talker knew no more.
Author's Note
A random thought I had long ago about how I would love to handle some of the more evil monsters and bad guys I've seen in many a dark fic. Fighting evil... by showing them what true evil is... rather ironic, isn't it?
I can think of no other group that is more evil than these guys.
Edit: This is the story that caused me to write this.
Blut und Eisen
The soft click-clack of booted heels on the marble floor announced his presence before he came into view. Clad in the signature black uniform of the SS, Brigadier General De'Trotter marched through the corridors of Canterlot Palace. Fresh from overseeing the execution of Slick Talker and his chief lieutenants, he had flown to Canterlot to personally report the success of his mission. His officer's cap tucked under one arm, the dark blue Unicorn Stallion knew exactly where he was going. Even the Royal Guards posted at the important intersections snapped to attention upon seeing the numerous decorations he wore on his chest, each one earned in blood on the battlefield. He was stopped only by two guards blocking the door he sought to enter.
"Good Morning, General. Papers, please." The Sergeant in the khaki uniform of the Royal Guard greeted the decorated officer while his partner hefted his Thompson sub-machine gun, ready to bring it up and cut the General down should he prove to be a threat.
The General gave no reaction, not even a frown; the two were only loyally doing their duty for the Führer after all. He reached into his uniform top and produced the small passport-like booklet that contained his identification and security clearance. The General did give a nod of approval when the Sergeant held it up to compare the picture and description with the stallion's face and the cutie mark on the side of his neck.
"Good Day, General." The Sergeant gave the identification back and stepped aside, the Corporal opening the door.
"Heil Sol, Feldwebel." The General returned, holding up a hand in salute before stepping inside the room.
Inside he found several ponies, three of whom he expected. At the head of the table in the meeting room was a black unicorn mare in a smart business suit; Lady Blackmoon was the Ambassador of Germaneigh to Equestria and his immediate superior. To her immediate left was General Voss, the Pegasus stallion in the grey fatigues of the Germane Army in charge of the 22nd Infantry Division (Motorized) assigned to Central Equestria. Beside him in his tan dress uniform was Colonel White Knight, Captain of the Royal Guard who replaced Prince Shining Armor. What was unexpected was the woman at the foot of the table directly opposite Blackmoon.
De'Trotter stepped up to the table and clicked his heels together. "Heil Sol, Prinzessen Twilight." He raised his right arm straight to salute the Führer's Faithful Student.
"Hail the Sun, General." She returned, casually holding up the palm of her right hand facing him. Only when she dropped it did he lower his salute. "I understand you have just returned from Trottingham?"
"Jawohl, Meine Prinzessen." He replied smartly.
"And your report, Brigadeführer?" The Ambassador continued.
De'Trotter nodded, setting his hat down on the table before him, covered in scattered maps of suspect areas. "The operation was a complete success." He began, switching to Equestrian for the sake of Twilight and the Guard Captain. "The brothel was exactly where the information said it was. We stormed it and cleared all four floors and the basement. We captured at least two dozen Slavers, and rescued an equal number of mares being held there."
"And Slick Talker?" Twilight asked, a glare on her face.
He waited a moment before replying. "He... will no longer be a problem." The Führer had said that as the Princess of Friendship, despite her experience she was not comfortable with the extreme actions that needed to be taken in war.
"Where is he being held?" When she didn't immediately get a reply and glanced at the Ambassador. "I want answers from him! I want to know why he did what he did to Rarity!"
Again, she was greeted with silence. "I assure you, Princess..." Blackmoon leaned on the table. "... that if the General says that Slick Talker will no longer be able to hurt ponies, you can believe it."
"I still want to talk to him."
There was silence for a few moments. Before Twilight could make another demand a smooth, soft voice emerged from the doorway; "That will be quite impossible, Twilight."
Everypony in the room turned to the source, all but Twilight snapping to attention as the white-furred Goddess entered. Her matching pearl white dress flowing around her perfect body, wings folded over her shoulders like a cape, multi-colored hair swirling behind her in an invisible solar wind. The two Germane officers saluted The Leader immediately, the one who blessed each Germane Emperor whom assumed the Throne of Germaneigh since the defeat of Discord and the re-founding of Equestria and its dependent crowns.
Princess Celestia returned the salute just as casually as Twilight had before walking toward her former student. Twilight started around the table to greet her mentor; "Princess! W-what do you mean?"
"Slick Talker is dead, Twilight." The Goddess of the sun replied in her motherly voice.
"W-what? Did he resist the soldiers?" She blinked in confusion.
"General De'Trotter?" Magenta eyes turned to regard the stallion.
"Nein, Meine Führer." He shook his head. "The only dead during the assault were his guards. We captured him and his senior lieutenants alive."
"Then where are they?" Twilight demanded.
"They have been... dealt with... as per standard operating procedures for Tier-One Targets. I personally observed the proceedings." He licked his lips nervously.
"Twilight." The Leader's voice spoke in her caring tone; "Just as you could not befriend or redeem Tirek... there are some ponies that are the same way. Like Starlight Glimmer, they are corrupt and twisted to the core. They could not be imprisoned." She held up a hand to forestall Twilight's rebuttal. "... and Tartarus is not meant for mortal ponies. The only way to deal with such, I am afraid, is to kill them."
"K-kill them? KILL THEM?!" Twilight exclaimed.
"Princess Twilight..." Blackmoon started.
"You are telling me that after capturing Slick Talker you EXECUTED him?!" She glared at De'Trotter who remained stock still, accepting her wrath. The quick mind that granted him his rapid rise through the ranks was working on how to defuse the young Princess.
"Twilight, that is enough!" The ruler of Equestria started.
"No! That is just WRONG!"
De'Trotter settled on a course; “War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.” Eyes turned toward him. "Trotkin, The Two Towers. I assume you've read that book, Frau Prinzessen?" At her nod, he continued; "With all do respect, there are some ponies out there you can't redeem like you did Discord. Some ponies whom are so evil they just don't care. You can't stop them by conventional means. Can you do it? Can you hold a gun to somepony's head and blow his brains out because you know if you don't, he will just escape and harm another of your friends?"
"But there are other ways! Friendship-"
"No!" He cut her off. "There are no other choices; either you pull the trigger, or you let him take Lady Rarity back to rape and abuse her again! One or the other - decide!"
She stuttered a moment, and looked at Celestia for help. The Führer closed her eyes with a heavy sigh, not saying anything.
De'Trotter continued; "You can't make that choice, can you? You're an Element of Harmony - the Princess of Friendship - so I know that you can't. That is what we are here for. It is the purpose of soldiers like myself. It is our job to do what needs to be done, so you don't have to deal with the guilt. We take on that weight and carry it so you don't have to. If, Faust forbid, we are wrong then it is also our responsibility to bear the punishment. If that makes us monsters, then so be it, because it prevents you from becoming one."
She finally spoke; "It is still wrong..."
"And you are right." He walked toward her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It means that you are still you and that I have done my job, by removing a threat to Harmony without letting you taint your hands... or your soul..."
The white Goddess wrapped her arms and wings around Twilight, holding her close. There was silence in the meeting room for at least a full minute before she smiled. "Well said, General."
"Danke, Meine Führer!" De'Trotter snapped to attention.
Still holding the shocked Twilight, the Führer glanced at General Voss. "Can I assume you have taken security measures for Twilight's other friends?"
"Ja, Meine Führer." He snapped to attention, then used a wing to shift the maps on the table. "As per Case Green we have deployed units to assist local security forces in Canterlot, Ponyville, and the surrounding areas. I have assigned the 153rd Panzergrenadier Regiment the area around Ponyville." He drew a feather along the road leading from Canterlot into Ponyville, to the town square, then south past Sweet Apple Acres. "They have secured the main avenues of approach cutting the road both east and south with PaK nests covered by Machine Guns. Strongpoints are at the east entrance to the town and the bridges across the river..." He tapped where the road from Canterlot entered the town and several points along the river cutting through town. He, then indicated several other locations as he identified them; "We also have strongpoints at the train station where the 239th Pioneer Battalion has established a supply depot, the town square where 326th FlaK Battalion have emplaced a Heavy Flak Battery consisting of 2 cm Flakvierling with a number of 8.8 cm guns spread around town and the Saddle Lake dam, and on the east side of town by the Everfree Forest where the 206th Artillery have emplaced a battery of 10 cm Field Howitzers."
"And south of the river?" The Führer asked.
"My southern flank across the river is held by the 3rd Parachute Regiment of the Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger whom have dug in along the river, the southern highway, and has occupied Sweet Apple Acres itself. As per Case Moon Fall should we be forced to evacuate the other Aspects of Harmony we can move across the river using these bridges, destroy them, and then the Paratroopers will cover our withdrawal to the south where the 9th Panzer Division is stationed."
"Princess;" White Knight spoke for the first time, "is all this security necessary? General De'Trotter has informed us that Slick Talker is done."
"I have learned to be more cautious after being laid low by the Changling Queen, my little pony." She gave a slight smile down at Twilight who blushed then buried her head into her mentor's generous bosom. "Plus, there are Slick Talker's benefactors to consider before declaring victory. Which, I refuse to do so prematurely. General De'Trotter?"
"Ja, Meine Führer?"
"Are your people in position in Canterlot?"
"Ja, Meine Führer!"
"Elaborate for the Captain of my guard." She indicated the maps with a wing.
The SS Officer stepped forward. "I have been given command of a personal battlegroup to serve at Den Fuehrer's Will from the 3rd SS-Panzer Division consisting of SS-Panzergrenadiers from the 74th reconnaissance battalion. Heavy vehicles are impractical within Canterlot itself, so I am going in with light halftracks and light armored cars, supported by three Marder-III self-propelled guns from the 3rd SS-Panzerjäger battalion. The records we retrieved from Slick Talker's headquarters confirmed that he had paid off a number of government officials and nobles to avoid prosecution." He looked around the room. "These bribes included not only money, but access to slaves." He pointedly looked at Princess Twilight. "... which may have included Lady Rarity..."
She only shivered, still held in the Sun Goddess' embrace.
He continued quickly; "We have identified several noble houses in question, and their members who partook of which brand of bribe. Slick Talker's financial adviser kept excellent records. My units are assuming position within the city, while the town guard and the Royal Guard-" He nodded to indicate White Knight, "- are being reinforced by the 6th SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment and fighters from the 1st Jagdgeschwader in preventing escape once we begin the roundups. Our Gestapo and Totenkopf detachments are standing by, awaiting the Führer's orders on what to do with those we capture."
The Alicorn in question looked down at Twilight who looked up, wide-eyed. "I will... hold off on making the final decision at this time, General. You may proceed with the round up." She looked at the SS General. "Ensure you secure as much evidence as possible. I want none to escape to harm my little ponies again!"
De'Trotter clicked his heels together. "It will be done, Meine Führer!" He smiled.
She held up a hand, palm toward him. "You are dismissed, General."
He snapped an arm up in salute, and once she lowered hers, he did so as well before retrieving his hat and stomping out to carry out the task.
He had sworn to serve the Führer in all things; She who rose the sun, She who brought life to the world. Without Celestia there was no sun, and thus no life. Ensuring that she was happy and could continue to guide and lead ponies was a great honor.
Killing anypony or anything that kept her from such a great task was a small price to pay for the continued survival of his race.
Author's Note
Some have questioned the ethics of this old idea that I have had. This isn't about politics, or racism; this is simple pragmatism taken to the extreme. Kill or be killed; there is no third option.
In my opinion any who would harm the cute ponies - especially Fluttershy - deserves to have a jackboot shoved up their plot.
