Chapter 18: Extraction
AN: Another long one here. Just as a reminder, the Introduction and Breaking the Ice will be rewritten at the same time the next chapter is released, so the next update will take a while. Breaking the Ice in particular might just be replaced with something else entirely, I'm having difficulty on ideas of how to salvage it.
Finishing this arc up by doing something different here, today's chapter will be written entirely in the perspective of not-Kassidy. Ozpin and Bob have an argument over (ab)use of power, and then the computer decides to take matters into his own… USB port? Seriously, what's the computer equivalent of a hand?
(Perspective: Ozpin)
Seventy five minutes. That's how long it took from teams JNPR and RWKY beginning their weekend mission, to everything going horribly wrong. Taking a sip from his mug, the headmaster contemplated for the seventeenth time whether sending the two groups in at all was a good idea. They had known that the Grimm's numbers were swelling in the area, and it took nothing less than a sizeable, concerted assault to damage a sensor beacon so heavily. Still, it was already obvious these were very competent teams, and there had been no evidence that the eight students were running headlong into a horde of monsters thousands strong. It was inconceivable that so many Grimm could gather in one place at all, without having been detected and exterminated beforehand.
Turning from the windows in his office, Ozpin observed the progress of the Bullheads. Two Bullheads were on the tarmac waiting to take off, with Professors Port and Oobleck escorting a repair crew for the beacon and a rather large group of armed forces. While normally unusual to send such a heavily armed escort with the repair crew, this was an unusual situation, and the headmaster only wished he had more huntsmen at the ready to send with them. Another full squadron was currently being loaded with poison gas bombs, a special concoction which managed to destroy Grimm without dealing too much harm to the surrounding environment. Expensive, but in this situation worth every Lien.
It was the medevac that Ozpin paid the most attention to. It was about halfway through the journey back to the Academy, and it held all the students they had managed to pick up. Between his Scroll connection and the communications feed Ms. Smith's computer was sending him, the situation was dire, though not for the people on board. Between the medics and the efforts of Glynda, who had elected to join the medics in case they came under attack, seven of the eight students were on their way back safely, if not quite sound. Jaune had a fractured leg, Ruby was dealing with the side effects of aura depletion, and the others apart from Yang were simply exhausted from the fight, not to mention the dozens of minor injuries the teenagers had managed to accumulate. It was a miracle there weren't any serious injuries.
No, the real problem was the eighth student, the one who got left behind. The headmaster mused over Kassidy's actions as well as her predicament. Her decision to split from the group to draw away the Grimm was an odd one, though not entirely unexpected. Despite her more violent tendencies, or perhaps because of them, Ms. Smith was fiercely protective of her friends; this much was evident when he learned of the details behind Team CRDL's 'training accident'. And while the gunslinger was usually cautious to a fault, the decision to brave the woods and take her chances belied a certain degree of recklessness. However, the comment about how 'it would take more than ill-tempered wildlife to kill her' instead showed a painful, probably lethal lack of respect for the creatures of Grimm.
"I lost contact with Kassidy." The artificial intelligence keeping Ozpin connected with the two teams broke the silence.
"What do you mean lost contact?" That voice was definitely Ms. Smith's partner. Yang sounded like she was about to panic.
"I'm no longer getting a signal from her Scroll. And this wasn't a case of low signal strength, it simply cut off."
This is not good. Without an aura to protect her, Kassidy can only last so long against the Grimm. "Can you estimate her last known position?"
"No estimation necessary. Updating map of Emerald Forest, Zone Five with coordinates to Kassidy's last known location." Almost immediately, a map of the region in question popped up on his screen, a red dot showing where the girl had disappeared.
"Medevac pilot, if you could please make all haste to the infirmary landing pad. Your ship will be needed for a search and rescue operation to retrieve Ms. Smith. Ms. Goodwitch, if you could be so kind as to ensure her safe return to the school?"
The headmaster's instructions were understood instantly, and Glynda responded just as quickly. "Absolutely. I'll make sure to contact a crew to meet us on the pad so that we can leave as soon as these students are cared for."
"I'm coming with."
Yang's words sparked an argument between her and Beacon's de facto second in command. "That is out of the question, you've done your part. We'll take it from here; we've no desire to see any more of our students get hurt."
"What's out of the question is leaving my partner out there. I've still got aura left, I can fight."
Ozpin brought up a display to show the auras of the seven students on the ship. Sure enough, the brawler's aura was at fifty one, ordinarily not high enough for the headmaster to consider sending her with the search and rescue crew. Ordinarily.
"Ms. Xiao Long, I see your aura level is at fifty one currently. Under normal circumstances, that is low enough for me to bar your attempt to venture into the wilderness. Even given the current situation, you need to understand the risks involved."
"I understand. But I am NOT leaving my partner to die out there." A quick pause, some ruffling. "I could probably use more ammo though."
"I'm afraid I can't allow you to participate then. Your Bullhead will need to leave as soon as – "
An alert interrupted Ozpin, informing him that the school's cyber security had just been breached. Typing into his monitor, he could follow the intruder's path leading straight to a particular android in storage. The robot in question was quickly reprogrammed, then it left its containment inside the student dormitories and started sprinting.
"Is there a problem, Ozpin?" Bob was curious as to the headmaster's sudden silence. There's only one computer on Remnant that could so easily compromise our security and reprogram an android.
"Bob, may I ask why you hacked our computer networks and took over an Atlesian Knight we had in storage?" The argument in the Bullhead screeched to a halt.
"Yang said she needed more ammo. I'm getting her some."
Ozpin thought for but a moment. "While I appreciate your willingness to help, I'm going to have to ask you to get out of our systems."
"No can do, Wizard."
An eyebrow arched. "I beg your pardon?"
"Prime directive. If Kassidy's life is in danger and I can intervene, then I must intervene. Sorry Professor, but this increases my maker's chances of survival. I can't not do this. If you have a problem, take it up with her whenever we bring her back."
I just might have to do that. "Very well then." Returning to the monitor, the AK130 in question already was bringing a box of ammunition to the infirmary's landing pad. "Please put it back when you're done."
"Now that request, I can accommodate. Probably."
The headmaster swiveled his chair around, took another drink from his mug, and then gazed out the windows again. Stay safe, Kassidy. Help is on the way.
(Perspective: Y)
The Bullhead had set down on the infirmary's landing pad and doctors arrived to whisk away the injured students. Jaune and Ruby were carried out on stretchers; probably excessive, but better safe than sorry. Seeing her classmates get to safety, however, did nothing to improve Yang's mood. Her thoughts were racing as to how her partner was doing. It was five minutes ago that Bob announced that he couldn't contact Kass' scroll anymore.
Suddenly, an android came running up to the ship, carrying a box of ammo she knew was hers. Boarding the Bullhead, the AK set the box on a bench, then moved to an interior corner and seemed to shut down. Ruby had left the AI on the ship with her sister. "Hey, thanks for the ammo Bob. But shouldn't you go put that back?"
Imagine her surprise when Bob answered not from his computer, but from the robot. "Absolutely not. Not yet, anyway. Combat protocols identified. Optimizing."
Yang and Glynda exchanged glances, before the professor spoke up. "May I ask what you're doing?"
"Updating this unit's capabilities based on observations and measurements from your combat training class."
"And why would you need to do that?"
"Because Kassidy is in trouble."
The brawler decided to butt in at this point, "So you're coming with us?"
"Absolutely."
Goodwitch tried to argue, but the pilot cut in. At this point, the paramedics and a couple militiamen had joined them on the Bullhead. "Prepare for takeoff."
Admitting defeat for the time being, Glynda walked to the front of the cabin to address the assembled group. "Listen up, everyone. There is a student who has gone missing in Zone Five of the Emerald Forest. She was separated from her team in an attempt to ensure their safety, and as such she is alone in an area with a Code Orange infestation. This girl," showing a picture of the gunslinger on her scroll, "is Kassidy Smith. From what I understand from our medical staff, her body has methods for dealing with trauma, but she does not have an aura. Injury is going to be a given, and it would be safe to assume severe injury."
"How come she doesn't have an aura?" One of the soldiers was speaking at this point. "I thought every student had to have their aura unlocked to gain entry to the school?"
"That's… unknown." The professor's pointed gaze prevented any further questions on the matter. "Our mission is to extract the girl as quickly as possible. As of now, she's been on her own for the past half hour, and we lost contact with her ten minutes ago. We'll set down at her last known location, and track her from there. She has an overreliance on her ranged weaponry, so shell casings will probably our best bet to follow her."
The pilot came over the speakers again. "Seven minutes to drop-off."
While the paramedics and militiamen asked various questions and got clarifications, Yang zoned out. Her thoughts went first to her sister, whose aura was exhausted but otherwise had no injuries. Weiss was in a similar state, as such heavy use of her glyphs to keep the group from being swarmed had taken their toll on the heiress. Jaune had a broken leg, but between medicine and aura that would heal itself in a couple days. Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren seemed to have taken the brunt of the fighting and were appropriately spent from the combat. Despite the brawler's best efforts, her thoughts quickly turned to her partner.
Why does everyone always leave me? First Mom, then Ruby's mom, everyone always – no. Don't think that. She didn't leave me, she tried to save me. She's still down there somewhere, needing my help. I won't think that she left me. I can't think that.
"Ninety seconds to drop-off. Ms. Goodwitch, can I see you at the front?" The pilot's announcement brought Yang back to reality. Was I really spaced out that long? She decided to join Glynda in the cockpit, which the professor apparently didn't mind. The sight that greeted her was bizarre. The Bullhead was approaching a half-destroyed cliff, with a monster of a Deathstalker half buried in dirt and rock trying feebly to dig its way out.
"That's what was chasing her? Dang partner, you sure know how to find them."
"She most certainly does. Do you know whether I need to set down on top or on bottom of the cliff, Professor?"
"Her computer showed the girl's last known position at the bottom of the cliff. I pray to Oum she's not under all that rock." Goodwitch kept looking at the scene in front of them. "There is certainly a vastly lower amount of Grimm than I expected around here."
"Still enough that I don't want to spend any more time on the ground than I have to. Drop off in thirty, you might want to head back and get everyone ready."
The two girls returned to the back, then the professor barked orders to the medics and militia. "Get ready, we're almost at the drop site. There's going to be a large Deathstalker at the location; it is currently immobilized but still a threat. Keep your distance. We're starting our search at the base of the cliff."
The door opened on the rear of the ship, and daylight spilled in. Yang was the first out, and promptly put her fist through a Beowolf investigating the Bullhead. Bob's commandeered android came clanking out behind her, arms folded into scythes that were slicing through some nearby creeps. In a few moment's time, everyone had disembarked and the ship left as the small firefight quickly ended. "Alright, spread out and look for clues as to Ms. Smith's location. Yang, you and Bob stay out here and provide some cover for our boys."
"Order acknowledged." Arms shifting into guns, the AK130 started taking potshots at nearby Grimm, who were slowly but surely making their way to the landing site. Yang, however, was focused on something else entirely. Her eyes a murderous shade of red as she glared at the Deathstalker that, for all she knew, put her partner in the situation she's in. The giant scorpion being half dead didn't stop it from trying to plant its stinger in a paramedic, who fortunately managed to scramble out of the way in time. First my partner, now these guys? That's it, this dude is so dead.
Letting loose a yell, the brawler used Ember Celica to propel herself into the air and charge at the Grimm. Anger fueling her Semblance, Yang could see that the carapace was already severely damaged; a good punch would be all that was needed to kill this Deathstalker. Its stinger swung wide, and the blonde crashed into the head fist first and drove a decent sized boulder even further into the scorpion. With a final shudder, the Grimm went limp and started to dissolve. Eyes turning back to lilac, the brawler looked up to see an irate Glynda glaring daggers and about to lecture her about what her duty needed to be. She never got the chance, however.
"Hey, is this girl's Semblance ice or something? There's a big lump of it over here." One of the militiamen was calling out from the back corner of the cliff. A different one said that there was a small pile of white-marked shells and magazines halfway in. There was a path streaked with blood leading right to the frozen cocoon. Bullet casings were everywhere; just how long had the gunslinger been fighting? Bob put two and two together quickly.
"Weiss made her a bunch of ice dust ammunition. If she was injured, she probably cannibalized the bullets for their dust payload, then tried to turtle in the corner and wait the situation out."
Yang knew what that meant instantly. Kassidy had been out of comms for, what, forty minutes? Fifty minutes? Running over to the mass of ice, she could tell that this was what cut off the signal. "She's still in there. We need to get her out."
"We've got Grimm!" Bob called out from him position watching everyone, and sure enough the underbrush was practically teeming with monsters leaping out at the prospect of fresh victims.
The paramedics had rushed to the corner at this point. "Any ideas on how we get her out?"
In response, the brawler used her Semblance to light herself on fire. "Give me a minute. She'll be out in no time."
Goodwitch nodded. With a flick of her wand, the tons of rubble that had somehow displaced from the top of the cliff flew up and started building a wall around their current area. "Alright boys, let's buy her a minute. Pilot, circle back around for immediate evac. We'll have her presently."
Yang examined the barrier separating her from her partner. There wasn't a perfect seal where the ice met the wall, so she still had air. The ice had numerous scratches on its surface, showing that some smaller Grimm had evidently tried and failed to get through. And Dust was this thing cold. Wasting no further time, she pressed her flaming hands into the frozen bulwark. Slowly at first, the ice gave way to the relentless heat and pressure the brawler was putting out. Come on, come on, hurry up Dust damnit. After what seemed like forever had passed, her fingers reached through to the other side, and she hurried to pull the cocoon apart. Two halves ripped with a sickening crack and revealed their cargo.
Curled up into a ball, being squeezed into the cliff by the ice, was Kassidy Smith in the second worst way Yang had ever seen her. Her left calf was torn to shreds, but was no longer freely bleeding. Whether because it had frozen over or because there wasn't much left to bleed had to be determined later. Dozens of various scratches, scrapes, cuts, and fresh scars adorned her body. Her backpack seemed to have taken the brunt of the ice's force, and it was compressed such that the interior contents were surely crushed. The gunslinger slowly turned around, and while her eyes were glassed over and she was shivering vigorously, the most obvious feature was…
"Holy crap K, you're blue! Are you okay!?" The brawler was definitely panicking now. Her partner, still curled up in a tight ball, was shivering so hard she could hear her teeth chatter. It took all of her partner's effort to barely speak.
"I-I-I-I d-d-d-don't t-t-t-think I-I-I-I t-t-t-thought t-t-t-that t-t-t-through."
Yang barked out a small laugh despite the situation. "Don't worry, we're gonna get you safe." Looking over her shoulder, she shouted at the professor, "I've got her! We ready to leave yet?"
"Absolutely!" The wall she had built was done so quite hastily, and had only kept them from being completely overrun. Scooping up the human popsicle, the brawler was about to start off when a growl sounded from her right. I do NOT need to deal with that Alpha right about now!
As the Beowolf leapt in, it was intercepted by none other than Bob. Parrying a claw strike, the hijacked android danced around with its scythes and slashed at the creature's body until it was a bloody mess, then stabbed through a weak point in its temple. The brawler and the robot exchanged glances in a silent conversation. At this point, the Bullhead landed. The operation hurriedly got onto the ship, and they soon took off to leave the infested forest below them.
"Glynda, please come in." Ozpin was talking over the comms. "What is your status?"
The professor looked around for a few seconds before answering. "We're on our way back. Tell the infirmary to have the surgery prepared."
"I take it you found Ms. Smith then?"
"We did. After a sizeable struggle, which saw half a cliff being dropped on an enormous Deathstalker, it looks like she was injured and used ice dust to encase herself into the cliff side."
One of the medics spoke up at this point. "She's in critical condition; we're looking at blood loss and severe hypothermia."
Yang perked up at that. "How severe are we talking about?"
"Her core temperature is seventy seven degrees. Seriously, how is this girl still alive? I thought anything under eighty was fatal."
"Give her to me." When the medic looked up incredulously, the brawler let loose another blast from her Semblance. "I'm basically heat incarnate. I'll get her warmed up."
They slowly, carefully moved the gunslinger over. Sitting next to the gunslinger on the bench and wrapping her up in a fierce bear hug, Yang started warming her up. Using her Semblance without having taken damage was incredibly taxing, but if it meant keeping her partner alive then it was worth it.
Kassidy looked around, as though she had just recognized she wasn't in the cliffs anymore. "W-w-w-who t-t-t-turned on t-t-t-the heat-t-t-t?"
"I did. Now get some rest, it's gonna be a bit of a flight." And with that, the two blondes leaned back and drifted off into dreamland, absolutely exhausted from the day's events.