Chapter 4:
Ironwood had just spent the half hour bringing Ozpin up to speed on the mine incident, to which he still did not have much knowledge. All he knew was that shortly after the call was abruptly cut off, Captain Phoebus' body had appeared in the room out of thin air, and the computer specialist had been reduced to a hysterical heap. Soon after, the backup squad arrived and evacuated the two soldiers to safety, and helped patch up Phoebus on their way to the hospital. The initial diagnosis from the medical officers onboard the bullhead reported multiple shattered bones and organs, a gash to the back of the head, but worst of all was that his spinal cord was completely severed from his lower body. While they said it was too early to make a positive diagnosis, they said Phoebus would most likely be paralyzed for the rest of his life. The specialist, White, was completely traumatized by the events that occurred, and for some reason the Atlesian Knights that accompanied the soldiers sent White into a nervous meltdown, telling the soldiers to shoot the robots before they shot them.
After finishing his report, the atmosphere in Headmaster Ozpin's clock tower office was so tense you could cut it with a knife. Ironwood looked at Ozpin, who now had a serious but worried expression on his face. Glynda as well looked concerned about the situation, as there was so much about what transpired at the mine that they did not know about.
"What do you make if this, Ozpin?" asked Ironwood. The Headmaster was pondering the situation himself before he was interrupted and looked up from his desk to properly speak to his friend. "Whatever happened down there in that mine, these events may not be exclusive to just Atlas. We may have to assume that whoever or whatever attacked those soldiers have greater plans for Remnant as a whole," Ozpin examined.
"Phoebus was one of my best men, with his abilities he could have become a special operative easily. Whoever he went up against must have had some form of advanced combat training. We'll be able to know the full extent of his condition once the doctors finish the x-rays at the hospital." Ironwood said, downcast at the situation. Phoebus had a promising career ahead of him, but now that future had been completely dismantled by his severe injuries. "On the other hand, Lt. White, while completely unscathed, is still completely incoherent, breaking down at even the slightest provocation. The doctors are assuming this to be some form of post-traumatic stress. For the time being, we are giving White time to recuperate, and we will be able to speak with him later this week, possibly."
"Well that's all fine and good, but I think it's time we discuss our next objective," stated Glynda.
"Indeed, and while I would like to know more about who we are up against, I have a feeling that time is of the essence," Ozpin said.
"As do I," Ironwood said. "I believe it is safe to assume that our enemies haven't abandoned the structure. Phoebus' injuries are evidence to their ferocity, which could mean they are guarding something down there. Right now, they are at a strategic disadvantage, so I say we take this opportunity to strike," he stated, eager to go on the offensive.
However, both Ozpin and Glynda were reluctant to go along with Ironwood's request."James, while I don't believe we should rush into a fight without all information available, I say we should hold off for now," Ironwood was about to argue, " but we should at the least send in a scouting party to do reconnaissance." At this Ironwood sighed, "Don't cause a panic, right?" he inquired to the headmaster. If one looked closely, they could see Ozpin's face muscles shape into a faint smile. "You're catching on, General." While Ironwood wanted to put this problem down like a rabid dog, he knew Ozpin would not concede to such a plan that required absolute force without proper intel to ensure their success and safety.
"I'll send the order, the team should arrive around midnight," Ironwood said as he dialed a number on his scroll. While the Breach of Vale had been a horrible catastrophe, they had the brave hunters and huntresses defending them from the Grimm invasion. If he could prevent another catastrophe like that, Ironwood would do everything in his power to ensure their enemies were destroyed.
—
Back in the Hall, Bane scrutinized the list of potential founders carefully. It was their mission to prepare this new world for their Society's return, and only those with great power, intelligence, and cunning could help lay these foundations for their future. As he thought, Bane remembered his time in The Hall's mindscape, where he had trained himself until his awakening earlier today. Not only were the residents of the Hall allowed to train their bodies and minds in this virtual reality, they were able to interact and learn about each other, as they had done when they were children. Bane remembered one man in particular, who he knew he could trust with his endeavor. At that moment, Computo got right up in Bane's face.
"Earth to Bane, you still in there?" the AI asked. Bane tried swatting the drone out of the air, but moved back and dodged the attempted slap. "Good to know. So while you were zoning out, I was busy compiling a list of potential candidates who could guarantee an absolutely decimating campaign against this world unopposed. Take a look." The drone then projected the list, containing many heavy hitters and evil geniuses alike. While Bane saw their potential, he did not know them well, and therefore, could not completely trust them to have the best interests of the Society in mind.
"No," Bane harshly stated, "One does not truly conquer land through force alone, and I have no confidence that with legacies such as theirs or if they would put aside their own agendas for the benefit of their comrades. I require teammates who can see the bigger picture, comrades whom I can trust."
Computo was silent for a second, taking a moment to process the paradoxical statement Bane uttered from his mouth. "Trust? On a team of supervillains? You've got to be joking, right?"
Bane turned his head sharply toward the drone, eyes narrowing. "If we are too busy secretly plotting our own conquests and stabbing each other in the back, the Society will never achieve their true goal. It would be a return to the strife and conflict our parents resolved before our birth. Do you want to fail, Computo?" Bane coldly asked.
"No," said Computo, "but my candidates will lead to the most direct and fastest route to victory. They could take on any Earth hero or army-"
"Except this isn't Earth anymore is it?" Bane interjected, "The world we were born into is not the same one we have awakened in. Or have you forgotten the Deicide already?" Bane said as a sudden chill filled the atmosphere of the room. "There are too many unknowns at play, so we cannot charge in believing the same rules apply. I need a team who is going to be able to adapt to this new world, not destroy it."
Computo's drone body floated there for a minute longer, then it retracted the projection. "Alright," the AI asked begrudgingly, "Who did you have in mind?" At this, Bane searched through the database and began compiling a list. Once he found one particular name, Bane sent the candidate's pod number to Computo. The AI examined his choice before saying, "Him?"
"His father was a brilliant man," Bane said, a bit of admiration evident in his voice, "He helped design the Hall, so if anyone can maintain its complex facilities and systems, it's him."
Computo was silent as he sent off the signal to retrieve the stasis pod. Five minutes later, a hatch opened in the ceiling above them, as mechanical arms lowered the pod into the center of the meeting room. When the pod safely reached the ground, Bane got up from his pedestal and approached it as the occupant inside began to awaken. The hatch flew open as steam poured out of the center, and the man sat upright, still dazed and confused. He was a decently built man, around 5'8, appearing around 24 years of age, wearing a suit identical to Bane's. One unique trait of the man was his large, hawkish nose, and short, dirty blonde hair that seemed to stick out like he had just been scratching his scalp. As he was sitting up, he began reaching around his pod, searching for something. At that moment, a small compartment on the inside of the pod opened, revealing a pair of bifocal glasses. Hearing the sound of the compartment opening, the man's hand instinctively reached out and retrieved the glasses, and placed them on his face. Being able to see clearly now, the man began to cautiously examine the room around him.
"Wha, What's going on?" the man asked, quickly taking in his surroundings, blue eyes searching for a threat that wasn't there.
"Hello, my friend." the man jumped as he heard a deep voice come from behind him. Although, the voice was also quite familiar to him. The man slowly turned around and saw a tan-skinned man towering over him, with green eyes that were serious, but at the same time welcoming. The green-eyed man reached his hand out to him to help him out of his pod, to which he accepted. The man pulled him out of his now former abode and helped him stand up.
Bane looked down at his friend and said, "It's good to see Ebenezer," extending his fist towards his friend.
"Likewise, Bane," said Ebenezer reciprocating the friendly gesture with a fist bump. "Now I assume since you brought me out of suspended animation, that our time has come."
"Indeed." Bane stated simply, "A company of soldiers breached The Hall's outer defenses earlier. I was able to dispatch them with relative ease." said Bane before Computo interjected.
"Illogical, we shared the task." Computo robotically stated. Bane turned to the drone once again with a glint of annoyance in his eyes. "You only hastened the task, and I was fully capable of handling them on my own." his voice barely above a snarl. Ebenezer stared quizzically at the duo, curious about the events that transpired to his awakening. After this, Bane turned back to face Ebenezer again and continued. "Anyway, now we must gather teammates who will help us explore and conquer this new world."
"You're right, Bane." Ebenezer said, "However, I believe our immediate priority should be moving the Hall. It's obvious to assume that these soldiers represent a much larger army. Therefore, they may return to this location to strike, seeing how we are exposed at the moment. Before we revive anyone else, we must ensure the security of our base and that there will be no potential interruptions during our comrades' reawakening." While Bane was skeptical that the Atlesian Army would be able to breach the Hall a second time, he knew it was best not to take that chance. "Agreed." Bane simply said, "We'll reconvene on the matter once we relocate."
"Excellent," Ebenezer said, a confident smirk spreading across his face. He then turned toward Computo's drone. "To properly conduct this Boom Tube jump, we will need to have a lay of the land to gain more accurate latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates. Computo, we need to launch the spy satellite into orbit as soon as possible. While I go prep the satellite for take off, I need you to divert all available power to the Boom Tube generators."
"Diverting power now," Computo automatically said as the lights began to flicker, "While I initially had my doubts about your usefulness, I concede that you are not a half as bad as I supposed you were."
"What can I say," Ebenezer said pridefully, pushing his glasses to the bridge of his nose, " Us Sivana's are just full of surprises."
—
A starry and peaceful sky graced the tundras of Atlas this night, and the only sound was the howling of the frigid arctic winds that washed over the land like a frozen wave. The silence was shattered as a singular Bullhead drop ship flew quickly overhead towards its destination. On board, a squad of soldiers sat quietly, checking their equipment before they landed. It was then their captain entered from the cockpit and addressed his soldiers.
"Alright men listen up!" said Captain Archibald to his squad.
His men looked at him with attentive eyes, waiting for their orders. Their squad had been assigned a special recon mission that afternoon by General Ironwood himself. They were being sent to a Schnee Dust Company mine in the northern area of Atlas. Their mission was to observe the area and report back to General Ironwood about the unknown enemies that were hiding inside the mine. Apparently, they had appeared from within a structure that was discovered in the mine about two weeks ago, and Captain Phoebus and one other soldier barely made out with their lives. The rest of the squad was not present when the two survivors were found in the communication facility of the complex and were assumed dead.
"We're about an hour out, so get prepared to drop. Once we have boots on the ground, we'll head to the southern ridge overlooking the mine and set up camp there. Remember, we have been instructed only to engage if the enemy engages us first." As Archibald finished preparing his team, one of the pilots called out to him. "Captain, you're going to want to see this." At this, Archibald rushed back to the cockpit, wondering what had caught their attention so suddenly. As he entered the room, he was about to clarify what they needed him for, before he looked out the glass and saw what they were concerned about.
Even from miles away, one could easily make out the streak of fire and light racing towards the heavens. At first, Archibald and the pilots assumed the enemy had somehow locked on to their position and launched a missile at them, but the object continued skyward. Archibald's expression hardened as he turned to the pilot. "This as fast as this thing can fly?" He asked in a serious tone. "No sir," responded the pilot.
"Step on it, something's happening down there, and any minute we aren't there is time wasted. Get us there faster, while I alert command about this."
—
"Why didn't you inform me that we were underneath several miles of rock before I tried launching our precious satellite into orbit?!" Ebenezer exasperatedly asked. Prepping the rocket for takeoff was no problem for him, but almost destroying their only means of long-range teleportation was something that sent the mad scientist into a panicked and furious frenzy. He glared at both his comrades through the screen, as Bane's mask kept him from seeing his expression, while Computo couldn't emote, for he was a mere AI. It was then, Computo spoke up.
"You ran off before we could explain more about our situation. Before you launched the satellite, I activated the laser drills surrounding the missile ports to guarantee safe passage. I assumed a man of your supposed intellect would be able to handle this problem by yourself. My intervention was logical and necessary." Computo stated, before adding. "Plus, your reaction was priceless," as he pulled up a video of Ebenezer screaming in terror as the satellite rushed to its hypothetical doom.
Ebenezer began seething with rage, as his knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists.
Before Ebenezer could go on a vicious tirade against the AI, Bane intervened. "Despite leaving out crucial information that could have endangered our plans, the satellite has been launched and will soon be active. What we need to do now is get the satellite online so we can find a hidden location to relocate the Hall. Ebenezer, how much longer until the satellite breaks through the stratosphere?" Bane authoritatively said.
At this, Ebenezer took a few deep breaths and calmed down enough to think coherently again. He would deal with this matter later, right now he had a job to do. "The satellite will reach orbit in about 10 minutes, and will be online 5 minutes afterward."
"Good," said Bane, before turning his attention to their AI companion. "Computo, are there any problems with the Boom Tube Generator?"
"No, they are showing optimal levels of stability, but we have another problem on our hands," Computo said as he brought up an image of an airship approaching the mine. "The perimeter drones I sent topside earlier picked up this ship about an hour ago and have been tracking its progress. They will arrive at our location in about 45 minutes, so I suggest we hasten our efforts to relocate."
Bane and Ebenezer silently nodded as they returned to the tasks at hand. All he could do was wait until the satellite made orbit, and Ebenezer hated feeling useless and powerless. The enemy was almost at their doorstep, and he couldn't do anything but wait. After what seemed like an hour, the satellite finally reached its optimal position in orbit. At this, Ebenezer began furiously typing away at his keyboard, as the feed from the satellite was brought up on the screen, giving Ebenezer a clear view of the new world. "Alright, the satellite is online," Ebenezer said quickly. "We only have a limited range of location as of this moment, but I can safely transport us outside of the country we are currently in. Bane, I am sending you the feed, and I know we are in a bit of rush, but try to pick an isolated location. Computo, when Bane and I come to a consensus, we'll send you the coordinates. Once you've locked on to the coordinates, activate the Boom Tube Generator immediately!"
The feed from the satellite soon showed up on Bane's screen, as he scrutinized it for a proper location. It appeared that they were currently located in the northern hemisphere of the planet, on an arctic landmass. Directly south of them were signs of civilization, and even further was a secluded island far off the coast. There were several smaller islands just off the coast of the island, and it appeared that no one was currently inhabiting them at this moment. "I believe I have found a suitable location," Bane said as he sent the coordinates off to Ebenezer for a consensus. Ebenezer quickly looked over the location, "No signs of civilization, fairly isolated, but also pretty close to a larger landmass. It fills all our immediate requirements so I agree," Ebenezer said. "Computo, I am sending you the coordinates now. Bane you might want to hold onto something this is going to be a bumpy ride." As Ebenezer said this, Computo had locked onto the island's coordinates and had activated the Boom Tube Generator. A low hum reverberated through the Hall, as a light started to envelop the entire structure. "Transporting in T-minus 10 seconds," Computo stated.
—
As the bullhead landed on the cold ground near the southern ridge of the mining complex, Archibald's squad exited the vehicle and began rushing towards the ridge with their equipment. "Alright men," shouted the captain, "While the rest of you set up camp, myself and two others are going down to take a closer look at the mine. Lt. Finch, I need you to set up communications right no-" Archibald would have finished his command, but the ground began to shake violently. A great tremor shook the land, and the mine began to collapse. Suddenly, a bright light began to emanate from the entrance to the mine, which grew in intensity along with the tremors. As the squad of soldiers fell to the ground, clinging to the rock for dear life, the tremor built to a climax as loud noise echoed across the landscape.
BOOM
With a final flash of light, the mine imploded in on itself, as the entire complex crumbled and fell apart. Once the tremors finally stopped, Captain Archibald got back to his feet and rushed towards what remained of the southern ridge to see what had happened. Once he reached the edge, his jaw dropped in shock as he saw the devastation that had occurred. There was not a single building left standing, and you couldn't even tell that there was a mine there anymore. The gaping hole in the center of the complex seemed to go on for miles. As the rest of his squad got up, they saw their captain standing in a complete daze. Lt. Finch hurried over to his captain as he looked over the devastation.
"What do we do now, sir?" asked Finch, completely at a loss for words to describe the situation. After a minute, Archibald finally responded. "I'm going to put in a call to the General to inform him, he's not going to be happy about this," Archibald said dumbfounded. Suddenly, he began to chuckle a little bit, as Finch wondered if his Captain had just lost his mind.
"Well, at least there is one good thing about this," Archibald said, as Finch gawked at him perplexed. "What's that, sir?" Finch asked. Archibald finally looked at him and said, "I'm not the one who has to tell what just happened to Mr. Schnee." Imagining the businessman's reaction to these events, Finch went white and nodded his head in agreement.
—
Another day of Vytal Festival preparations done, Ironwood was more than ready to retire to his quarters. He couldn't very well do his job properly if he neglected sleep, now could he? As he was about to excuse himself from Ozpin's office, a call appeared on his scroll. His eyes widened, it was from central command. He thought it was too soon for the recon team to be calling in, as he imagined the worst case scenarios that might occur.
"Is something wrong, James?" Ozpin asked slight concern showing on his face.
"I believe it's from the recon team," James said, worry evident in his voice.
"It's too early for them to check in, they only landed half an hour ago," said Glynda. Ozpin, always the calm and cool type, tried to diffuse the situation.
"No need to jump to conclusions, perhaps they're just checking in to keep you updated on their progress," Ozpin suggested. While this calmed Ironwood a bit, he was still concerned. His gut was telling him something was terribly wrong, as he answered the call. He placed his scroll on Ozpin's console as the call was transferred to a larger screen, as the image of a young woman appeared.
"Good evening General Ironwood," said the communications officer, "Sorry to disturb you this late, but the reconnaissance team you sent to the mine has just checked in, and they said it was imperative that they inform you directly." From the way it sounded, the trio assumed the soldiers had discovered something major about their new enemy or the operation had already gone horribly wrong.
"Thank you, officer," General Ironwood said, "you can put them through." At this, the officer typed in some commands on her computer, and her image was replaced by Captain Archibald, who had a dazed and confused look on his face that only caused further concern for Ironwood and company.
"Captain Archibald, what is it you have to report?" Ironwood questioned.
"Sir, after we touched down, a large tremor passed through the area. My men and I were knocked to the ground, but we could see a light emanating from the mine. After about 10 minutes, there was a loud bang, and the mine collapsed in on itself. However, I have something else to report." Everyone in the room was wondering how this could possibly get any worse, as not only was Ironwood going to have to tell Jaques that one of his mines was decimated, but they still had no information on the structure or its inhabitants.
Because Ironwood was stuck in a shocked stupor, Ozpin continued the conversation. "What else, Captain?"
"Well Headmaster, the structure is..uh..it's..well.." it appeared that Archibald was having trouble coming up with words to describe the structure's current status. Finally, Archibald took a deep breath, and simply said,
"It's gone."
The moment the words left Archibald's mouth, all sound in Ozpin's office ceased. Ozpin's and Glynda's glasses almost fell off the bridge of their nose, their mouths so slightly hanging open. After three minutes of uncomfortable silence, Ironwood said, "What?"
"The structure, sir," Archibald said, concern growing on his face, "It's no longer in the mine."
After a moment to fully process the information he was given, Ironwood put a brave expression on his face and said, "Thank you for informing us Captain, we will call you at a later date for more specifics. For now, you and your men should head back to base."
"Yes, sir. Have a good night, sir," Archibald said as the call ended. Now, without being in the presence of his soldiers, Ironwood pinched the bridge of his nose to alleviate some of his anxiety, but to no avail. This anxiety was shared with his two companions, who all had the same question on their minds. How does a structure that huge just disappear, and where on Remnant did it go?
—
The island of Vytal, where the Great War that almost doomed Remnant came to an end, where the ideas for the huntsmen academies were first thought up and established, and where the longest time of peace in the history of the world began. Certainly, the events that transpired on this small island has played a pivotal role in the life of every person now living. Despite such a high pedigree, no buildings, monuments, or villages had been constructed to honor such a sacred site. Now, just off the coast of the main island, there are several smaller islands, all of which have been rarely trodden upon. Now, the island of Vytal will play such a role again, for, on the northernmost isle, an explosion of light and sound emanated. The event only lasted for a moment, and in its place stood the Hall, finally free of its underground prison. On the inside, in the meeting hall, Bane, Ebenezer, and Computo had reconvened to discuss the matter of choosing their teammates. Bane, who had already compiled a list of potential candidates, had sent it over to Ebenezer for his approval. Ebenezer, quickly scrutinized the profiles and abilities of these people, with an interested, yet puzzled look on his face.
"Interesting choices, Bane," Ebenezer said quizzically. "These probably wouldn't have been my first choice, and I will admit, I do see their potential, but why these three?"
"I was wondering that myself? Earlier, you said you wanted people who would be able to adapt to this world. So tell me, what makes these individuals qualify?" Computo asked, eager to learn Bane's answer.
Bane took a moment to prepare and then began to explain his decisions. "I have seen their potential first hand. When we were in the mindscape, Ebenezer, we were given vast resources to enable and enhance our being. Our predecessors added this feature to The Hall because when we were eventually awakened, they wanted us to be ready. These individuals used their time wisely, gaining knowledge in a number of fields and enhancing their physical abilities as well. Even though they are not a part of the premiere legacies the Society has, I believe that based on the determination they have shown in the mindscape, these individuals can take on the challenges this world has to offer." Ebenezer was about to interject, until Bane said, "I'm not done. Be patient." Ebenezer shut his mouth, ready for what else Bane had to say. "These candidates also have unique skills as criminals that more accurately showcase the types of people the society has accepted into their ranks. Our organization was never just made up of brain dead tanks and scientists with delusions of grandeur. Their ranks also consisted of artful thieves, skilled assassins, silver-tongued devils, and dark sorcerers. To fully equip ourselves for our campaign, we will require our entire arsenal." As Bane finished his explanation, he could see that Ebenezer was thinking over what he had just said. After about a few moments, a glint appeared in Ebenezer's eye, as a slight grin graced his face.
"You made a good point there Bane," Ebenezer said, "but if you don't mind, I would like to add one more candidate to the list." Bane, while curious what his friend was plotting, saw no reason that Ebenezer shouldn't be allowed to choose someone. "Fair enough, what is their pod number?" Bane questioned, ready to type in the number on his screen. Ebenezer snickered, "She doesn't have one." Even under his mask, Bane's eyes gave away his confusion at this statement. "Then where is she?" he asked curiously. "In the armory," Ebenezer said as his grin grew. Bane's expression grew more surprised, his mind coming to only one conclusion as to what his friend was considering making their ally. "An android?" Bane asked. "One in particular," Ebenezer said, sending the android's profile over to Bane's screen.
As Bane began to carefully look at the profile, Ebenezer kept talking. "She was rebuilt sometime after her initial destruction at the hands of one of the later incarnations of the Outsiders by my grandfather and T.O. Morrow. While it was unfortunate that her family couldn't be salvaged, she has more than proved her continued value to the Society. After repairing and upgrading her, she now wields the force of several nuclear warheads, but there are limiters that only allow her to access a certain amount of power, based on the type of combat situations she encounters. She would make an excellent ace in the hole if we ever found ourselves in jam. Not to mention the possibilities for coercion and infiltration." As Ebenezer was finished explaining, Bane looked up from his screen, a serious expression on his face, but strangely there was also humor. "I thought that was what you were for." stated Bane. Ebenezer put on a humble facade, wagging his finger. "No my friend, she will your ace in the whole," his face darkened as his grin became more ominous, "I will be your last resort." After a moment, Bane chuckled as he knowingly nodded his head. He then turned his head to Computo's drone. "Computo, awaken these three individuals from suspended animation and bring android designate, "Sis," online," Bane authoritatively asked. Computo didn't respond at first but quickly sent the awakening signal to the respective stasis pods. "Pods 256, 401, and 143 are being transported down here, but it will take me a little more time to get Sis back online." As Computo said this, three hatches opened in the ceiling above as robotic arms lowered the stasis pods to the floor. As the pods opened, the occupants began to stir, and soon stood up and exited their pods.
"I-I'm out? Why?" asked the only man, nervousness, and confusion obvious in his voice.
"Is it not obvious, you land rat, we have finally been summoned, " spat one of the women, who gave off a regal and superior vibe. The man looked highly offended by that particular comment and was about to throw an insult back at his transgressor before the other woman interjected.
"Indeed," the man and woman both turned to face her as she said this, " and I believe we have them to thank for our awakening." She said as she gestured towards Bane and Ebenezer. As the two others turned their attention toward their benefactors, Bane smiled and greeted them.
"Welcome my friends, we have much work to do."