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Gabe2000: Fun fact, the forge I created for my character has a bad history with Tyranids due to being located near a lot of biomatter heavy worlds. If you guys want, I can write out the little backstory about the forge. As for what happens to the infected toaster, we will find out in the special.
Speech Syntaxes:
+Speech+ Lingua-Technis
"Speech" Low Gothic/English
"Speech" Amplified Low Gothic
Chapter's Pre-Readers:
Notes: Gonna go on hiatus again for Christmas, I will admit I had too much fun writing the Remnant: The Game scene. Since midterms are this week for me, I could not get the chapter out sooner. Enjoy this chapter until I get back, and make sure to cherish every moment you have with your family (whether that be your biological family or your family of friends). Over the holidays I will be considering what to do for the one-year anniversary of this story, any ideas will be appreciated.
Christmas Special
It was Christmas eve and a servo-skull floated to the shoulder of a green robed tech-priest who was typing at a terminal. Its mechanical eye scanned across the document he was writing. +Query: Why does every special end in a fight?+ The Magos spared a quick glance to the servo-skull before returning to his work. +Theoretical: Specials are th-+
+Theoretical: If you continue that line of code, something unfortunate will happen to you.+ warned the tech-priest as he stared into the empty eye socket of the servo-skull. The floating head bowed to its creator before scurrying off to an unknown corner of the forge. 'Now, what to do for this Christmas Special. A nice peaceful ending or a blood bath.' A servitor walking into the room silently with the grace of a drunken orc war boss, Toaster glared at the machine slave to tell it to leave the premise. But his gaze slackened when he spotted the purple wrapped box in its claw. +Oh, a gift?+ A pair of mechadendrites grabbed the box gently as to not harm its compartments. +It's from Gabe2000, I should thank him for the pineapple that I regifted to Forge. Now, should I wait until Christmas to open it or use my auspex scanners to check what it is?+
The tech-priest pulled a six-sided cube out of his pocket. +One, I open it now. Two or three, I use auspex scans. Four or five I put it under the Christmas tree. Six, I put it under Forge's Christmas tree. May the Omnissiah guide me!+ The dice soared in the air with a holy grace, its arc was crafted by the Machine God himself. With a resounding clank it landed on the workbench, and it bounced one and twice before coming to a halt. +Five! The Omnissian Thrice Blessed Dice has spoken!+ The present was placed back into the hands of the servitor as it walked deeper into the forge.
Ozpin, Pugnus, Ironwood, and Ira sat at four different sides of the same table, a board game was placed between them. Remnant: The Game, to be exact. The headmaster of beacon held the Vale specific cards in his hands, the Magos Dominus inspected his Vacuo Warriors models, the General meticulously placed his air fleet models on the board, and the Dominus glared at the board from the far east of Mistral. "The King of Vale announces a military campaign against the barbarous scum of Vacuo. Pugnus, prepare you nation for war!" stated Ozpin as he stood from his chair and flamboyantly pointed at the tech-priest in question.
"Would you like to play a card to assist your pitiful army?" taunted the Magos Dominus as he held his combat dice in his hand.
"Due to my leader being present in the army, I play the card: The King Leads the Way! With this card, I increase the base morale of my units by one point and add one to all my combat dice for the first round. My six swordsmen will now hit on a 5+, while my four elites hit on a 4+. Your move Pugnus!" declared Ozpin with the ten dice already shaking in his hand.
"Unlike you pathetic Valeans, my five swordsmen do not need any cards to improve their worth. My men will hit on a 6+. Prepare to have your king die like a dog!" screamed Pugnus as he rolled his dice. The tech-priest rolled one success, while the headmaster got three successes. Pugnus removed three of his swordsmen as Ozpin downgraded one of his elites into a swordsman.
"Who is dying like a dog now Pugnus? Would your men prove craven, by fleeing to the capital to save their lives?" taunted Ozpin as he twiddled with the sack of dice in his hands.
Pugnus rolled for combat again to answer. "Now your units are without the bonus of The King Leads the Way. These men were designed to die in defense of the homeland." Pugnus earned one success while Ozpin scored two, winning him the battle.
The headmaster stated, "With my armies at the gates of your capital, I end my turn."
"And that is your major error my friend." warned Pugnus. He flips two cards that he had placed face down on the table. Desert Scavenge and Resourceful Raider. "With this first card I can draw a card from my discard pile. Which will be Sandstorm. And with the Vacuo bonus I do not have to roll for damage. Your entire army disappears beneath the sands of time, never to be seen again! And with the destruction of your army counting as a military victory, I use Resourceful Raider to add your recently played card: The King Leads the Way, into my hand! The final action of my turn is to send my army, with my leader to the Eastern Sea of Souls. On my next turn I will naval invade the City of Vale!"
The three other players sat open mouthed at the giant play that the Magos Dominus has enacted. Pugnus was confident of his maneuver until he saw the smirk upon Ironwood's face. "That was a pretty cool trick you did there, I can't contest that. But your plan is far from perfect! I shall place six of my elites into three airships, and with their aerial nature I will move into the Western Sea of Souls. You will get one round of combat to fire at my fleet, unless I use this card: Smokescreen! With this card, my enemy can't attack my airships in the first round of combat. Which by chance is the only round! Shall your trade your capital for another Pugnus? In my capital I shall muster one squadron of bullheads. I end my turn."
"I play Smugglers of Wind Path, and I will steal two cards from Ozpin's hand!" declared Ira as two mechadendrites slithered to Ozpin's side of the board. "I will also continue my rampage with Stowaway Bandits! If a bullhead squadron has been recently created in an enemy capital, one a 4+ the unit comes under my control!" With prayers to the Omnissiah under her breath, the Dominus rolled a dice. Three, a binaric curse emitted from the Mistral player. "I shall sacrifice one of my victory points to reroll the dice!"
"Dominus Ferrum, you only have one victory point left. And if you got into the negative you will lose the game. And your villages - which are worth one vp - are lightly defended." cautioned the Magos Dominus as his subordinate glared at him.
"When we truly think 'I will vp reroll' from the bottom of our hearts…by that time, the deed has already been done!" declared Ira as she rolled the dice. Five, bless the Omnissiah for guiding this dice. "While a bullhead squadron in the middle of enemy territory is worthless, it serves as the criteria for my second action! With a muster action I shall recruit the Bandit King, which earns me one victory point automatically! And I shall place a trap card face down on to finish my turn."
Ozpin hummed to himself as he thumbed through his hand. With his king dead, he lost a vp, leaving Vale at four vp total. His capital is worth three, and Ironwood could backstab him to get addition vp for landing a killing blow. "With the King of Vale dead, his humble advisor - Osbourne the Wizard - shall take his place. As his first act in office, Osbourne declares a nationwide draft!" The headmaster held up a card of the same name before continuing, "I can recruit one 1d6 worth of swordsmen, but I get an additional 1d6 for owning one capital!" A pair of dice clatter onto the table. "Seven! I can recruit seven swordsmen, and that is all I need. Five shall be placed in my capital with the last two going to Eastern Vale protecting my last village. And I shall muster two more swordsmen into Eastern Vale, Pugnus besiege Vale if you dare!"
"And I shall Osbourne the Wizard! My armies shall prove that your miracles are just cheap party tricks, and you head shall be raised upon my banner! Prepare to face your doom!" bellowed Pugnus as he moved his units into Vale's capital.
"My five soldiers shall hunker down behind the walls. This is now a siege battle, which means all your units have -1 to their combat rolls!" informed the Headmaster as he rolled his five dice. Once success for Ozpin.
Pugnus raved, "Your weakling soldiers hiding behind your futile walls! Idiot! IDIOT! IDIOT! You utter fool! You shall fall to my blade no matter what! With The King Leads the Way, my seven swordsmen hit on a 6+ and my three elites hitting on a 5+!" Two successes were rolled. Ozpin removed two swordsmen, while Pugnus removed one of his own.
Ozpin remarked, "Because it is a siege battle, you turn in now over. Ironwood, if you would atta-"
"Hold it right there Ozpin, I can downgrade one of my elites to continue the fight! And shall add the card Onslaught, at the end of this combat round I can sacrifice as many swordsmen as I desire. For each unit killed, I roll one dice and one a 4+ I deal one damage to your army! Prepare to die you DOG!" bellowed Pugnus. Ozpin scored one success, while the tech-priest had zero. The Magos Dominus sent six swordsmen back into the box, and only rolled four successes. "THE KING OF VACUO NOW DECLARES HIMSELF EMPEROR OF SANUS! BOW BEFORE ME AND TREMBLE AT MY POWER MORTALS!"
The office door opened to a pissed Glynda Goodwitch, "Are you four again playing that children's game! The students are going to hold the Christmas ball soon and you are needed to motivate the students. I will come back here in five minutes, and by Oum if I see that board game still out, I will throw it out the window!"
The door slammed behind the professor. Ozpin and Ironwood glared at Pugnus while the Dominus muttered, "Motivate the students you say?" A blocky pistol with a barrel the size of a soda can was seen in Ferrum's hands.
Team RWBY and JNPR sat in the auditorium with all the other Beacon students, transfers included. The room was filled with students who were all conversing, everyone was waiting for the headmaster to give his speech before the party could start. "What could possibly be holding Ozpin up?" asked Ruby.
Weiss guessed, "Whatever Ozpin is doing right now is highly important and professional. You just have to be more patient." The crowds started to hush as a figure walked onto the stage. It was one of the tech-priests wearing a giant red coat with a crimson pointed cap, the entire uniform was decorated with visages of human skulls. What best could be described as a square gun was in her hand.
"I was told that you needed to be motivated! So, I shall motivate you in the means of the Imperium of Man's most vaunted Imperial Guard!" yelled Dominus Ferrum. Her voice carried throughout the room. Students were confused and curious alike.
Pugnus, Ironwood, and Ozpin prepared to enter the auditorium to talk to the students. Due to their friendly game earlier, they had no time to plan what to do. The tech-priest proposed, "What if we give them toasters?"
"What, why, no. No toasters," stammered the General. The Magos Dominus started to shake in fury. James countered, "We need something that will be useful to the students, how about an extra credit essay about the military history of Remnant."
Ozpin massaged his temples. 'This is going to be a long night.' "How about we just-" The Headmaster began to speak, but he was cut off by the signature sound of a gunshot followed by a grenade explosion. The screams of students were soon to follow. "What the hell was that?!"
"Totally unrelated question; how expendable are your students?" pondered Pugnus as he recalled working alongside a regiment of the Astra Millitarum in his first century of living. Their commissars had a unique way of motivating the conscripts, a pathetic one of them begged to become a Skitarii to avoid the wrath of the commissariat. He was sentenced to become an Adsecularis. The newly minted tech-thrall was sent in the first wave to assault the Ork position, his fate is unknown.
"What kind of a question is that!" yelled Ozpin. While it is uncommon for the Headmaster to become furious, the combination of multiple events was not helping losing his capital, having the game end early, and an unknown person firing a gun in a room full of students.
Ira looked away from the ruined training android to see Ozpin at the door, the rage apparent in his eyes was ten times that of Professor Goodwitch. Survival Protocol Activated. "Headmaster Ozpin, how splendid it is to see you. Shall I leave the state for your speech?" Ozpin visibly relaxed, but his eyes stayed the same.
"Dominus Ferrum, would you mind telling me why I heard gunfire, grenades exploded, and my students screaming?" pondered the Headmaster as he approached the stage.
"Screaming? I would call it shouts of joy and amazement at the effectiveness of the Imperium of Man's weapons. With the presentation coming from this bolt pistol rendering the Atlesian training android to scrap," explained Ira as she scanned the room for a means of escape.
Ozpin pinched the bridge of his nose, "Why are you firing a…bolt pistol?"
"Apologize if the stress from the unknown made you exasperated, but…the Magos Dominus behind you would explain this better!" Dominus Ferrum pointed to the door to improve the bait. Ozpin and the rest of the students turned around to look at the closed doors where nobody was standing. The loud clang of the fire exit door opening brought the feudals to realize what happened. They have been tricked, backstabbed, and maybe even bamboozled.
At the school's landing pad Cyber had a monumental task in front of him, twelve giant Christmas hats and twelve Kastelan battle-automatons that do not want them on. +AS YOUR SUPERIOR AND THE HIGHEST-RANKING MEMBER OF THE LEGIO CYBERNETICIA ON THIS PLANET, I ORDER YOU TO HALT!+ The pack of robots decided to split up, four went inside the school, four ran towards the cliffs, and the last four stole a civilian bullhead. +OMNISSIAH FRAKKING DAMMIT!+ The datasmith pulled out a vox and screamed into the receiver, +QUIN! WHY ARE THE KASTELANS DISOBEYING ME! I KNOW THEY DO NOT LIKE WEARING HATS, THAT I UNDERSTAND. BUT WHY ARE THEY NOT LISTENING TO ME! THEY WERE PLACED UNDER MY AUTHORITY BY THE MAGOS DOMINUS HIMSELF! BY NOT FOLLOWING MY ORDERS THEY ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE WILL OF PUGNUS! THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND! IT FRAKKING PISSES ME OFF! TELL ME WHY THEY DON'T LISTEN TO ME! IT PISSES ME OFF!+
Dominus Decium left his vox on the workbench as he walked throughout the ship, 'This fleet is not in the Christmas spirit, that must be fixed! I believe giving a gift to the characters that have been mentioned once or twice shall be the catalyst for total Christmasization! Is that a word? Doesn't matter because I just made it one!' Quin approached the main hanger; five giant machines were shrouded under tarps and alongside them were five well-dressed unaugmented humans. "Sir Morrin, Sir Fogash, Sir Markely, Sir Enck, and last but not least Baron Seizant. How nice to see you all on this fine day of Christmas."
"Kris-mes…truth be told I have never heard that word before. Would you care to give and explanation?" questioned the Baron as he stepped forward to converse with the tech-priest.
Decium stated, "It is a feudal holiday of this planet, the reason is irrelevant. But the purpose is what I care about. Today is the day when the primitives give gifts and spend time with friends and loved ones. To better assimilate with them I decided to take upon myself the Christmasization of our fleet! And for you humans I have five bottles of vodka that I requisitioned from the planet, oh and if you see Sacristan Frygan Iera tell him I will attach an extra mechadendrite to him whenever he wishes. Until I see you again, Merry Christmas!" Each Knight Pilot graciously grabbed their ration of alcohol before the Dominus was on the move again.
Dominus Ferrum ran through the halls of beacon, dodging and running over any student in her way. She had to escape before Ozpin can even think of retaliation, but where could she hide. The Headmaster already had cameras in his own school, and she would assume that he had cameras scattered throughout the city of Vale. Nowhere was safe, and nowhere to-. THUNK. Ira fell onto the ground as four large pure white machines stood in her path. 'What the hell are the Kastelans doing here?'
Quin heard screams of pain as he approached the laboratory, but that was to be expected for his next target. +Magos Biologis Nova! I have a present for you,+ yelled the tech-priest over the moans of torture.
+I swear to the Omnissiah if it is about the Prank Pox, I will attach all the faunus tails I have unto your corpse,+ warned a monotone voice from inside the room. Decium shrugged before entering the room. At the edges of the room was the remains of corpses long since decayed, jar of unknown organs floating in liquids, and a full skeletal imitation of an abhuman with antlers. The white robe of the Magos Biologis was stained with abhuman blood as one of the captured White Fang grunts was strapped to the operating table, the xeno's chest cavity was exposed with his ribs ripped out. Quin's eyes strayed unto the pumping heart and the squirming organs as Nova continued her work.
"K-kill…meeee," the words that the test subject had muttered were barely heard over the whirring of the rotary saw mechadendrite.
The Magos Biologis stated as she approached the operating table, "Specimen, that is your fifty-fourth plea for salvation. What do you think will change? There is no escape from the Quest for Knowledge."
The near corpse of an animal spat out, "I have a name…you whore." The act of speaking was stressing on the abhuman, as was evident of the blood he coughed onto the floor.
"That primitive name is pointless here specimen. Once you provide me with something useful then you will be given a name," causally reminded Nova as she turned towards her fellow tech-priest. +Whatever you wanted to tell me make it quick, I have more operations to complete.+
+In the spirit of Christmas, I have given you a present of one hundred more white fang captives. They are in the giant red and green wrapped box located at the hanger. Merry Christmas Magos Biologis Nova!+ shouted Quin as he was already halfway out of the door.
The Datasmith stood in the middle of a crowd of feudals, in his hands was a stack of pamphlets and his other held a stapler. The image on the pile of papers was a group picture of him surrounded by five Kastelan robots with the word 'Missing' in bolded red text. Cyber walked to each telephone pole and attached one of the fliers before heading to the next one and would show the pamphlets to anyone passing by. His eyes changed from a vibrant electric blue to a soft deep ocean blue. The proud tech-priest was lowered to that of dirt, as his head hung low.
In one of the many parks of Vale, stood a tall white robot which children of many species and sizes playing around it. One of the older boys was able to climb onto its shoulder, his hand was reached to the ground to help a rabbit faunus girl up. The Kastelan silently rested there, unmoving. On the other side of Vale was a makeup salon, the owner of which was teaching a group of young adults in the art of beauty. The pure white battle-automata proved a perfect canvas for blending colors. At the docks, a third robot was helping sailors carry cargo boxes to and from airships, while the machine did not accept pay the help was appreciated.
In the middle of Emerald Forest stood a rundown shack, it only occupant sat in his armchair by the warmth of the fireplace. Three loud knocks came from his door, the man grabbed his seeing stick before stumbling to the door. The door shook from the knocks thrice more. "Hold on good stranger, in my old age I am slow. But I will open my door to keep you from the grimm's wicked blow," spoke the blind huntsman. The old man opened the door and prodded the legs of his visitors, the familiar sound of metal on metal could be heard. "Ah, you are still in your armor. That is not needed here for I am a simple farmer." The retired huntsmen moved out of the doorway and gestured to his house. "Come and rest in my humble abode stranger. For in here you will find no danger." The three Kastelan robots silently marched into the house.
Dominus Ferrum stared at the three Kastelans in front of her. +Now what are you three doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Cyber?+ scold the tech-priest as if she was conversing with a child. But then an idea popped into her head. +Your timing is perfect! With you as my bodyguards I can safely get out of here. Follow me to the landing pads oh blessed automatons.+ Ira marched off by the robots did not follow, the Kastelans glanced at each other before heading deeper into the school.
Dominus Decium walking into a room filled with cogitators, a husk of a man sat staring at every screen. +Logis Nemo, how is your work going?+
The tech-priest in question turned around, his twelve eyes staring into Quin's soul. +The work that Pugnus has assigned me is menial and that of a servitor's purpose. I have to scan every message sent between the feudals, half of which make me want to hurl, and having to read the names of all Fang member slain? I converted one of my servitors to do that for me. If you see the Magos Dominus, tell him that I demand a project that is worth my time.+ The Dominus awkwardly nodded as the Logis ranted.
Decium finally recognized that Nemo was finished, +Oh, so today is Christmas. And I got you and extra servitor. Merry Christmas!+ The Dominus left the room before the Logis could retaliate.
Doctor Pollendina sat in his office, across from him was the corpse of Malleus Rubrum, and between them was a giant Christmas tree decorated with cogs and tiny machines. The voice of the traitor tech-priest was slurred. +You know…I think Toaster wasted potential in you.+ The room was silent as Verraeter listened to the corpse.
+That is a better way to phrase it…'Your path was changed'…that sounds like chaos talk. Are you possessed by a demon?+ interrogated the tech-priest. Yet still Malleus was silent, his body unmoving and his lights off. The rouge adept stepped out of his chair and knocked over his glass of whiskey as he leapt at Rubrum. +YOU BLOODY TRAITOR TO THE OMNISSIAH! I SHOULD GUT YOU AND YOU CUNT OF A BROTHER! YOU ARE JUST A BUNCH OF BUGGED CODE PLACED INSERTED IN A PILE OF RUSTED SCRAP! YOU KNOW WHAT?! I BET YOU CAN ONLY CODE IN SCRATCH!+ A thud resounded in the room as Doctor Pollendina collapsed halfway through his rant.
Team RWBY entered their dorm to find a Kastelan robot silently standing there, but before anyone of them could question it an awful idea came into Ruby's mind. The team leader zipped to the closet and came out with the ornaments and a handful of green garland. The second automaton was spotted with team CFVY, and Yatsuhasi was currently having an arm-wrestling competition with it. The last one was given a janitorial uniform and a mop by Professor Goodwitch.
Back in Emerald Forest, the three Kastelans sat on the floor next to the table that was too small for them, but the host did not notice. "I sure hope all of you are hungry. Because I finished making this soup with honey." The huntsmen poured out three servings of his stew, or at least attempted to. Due to him being blind he accidentally spilled the rather hot broth unto the Kastelans themselves. The battle automatons groaned out in pain before rushing out the door. "Wait come back, we have not gotten to the main course yet! I even finished baking a batch of fresh baguette!"
Back in Emerald Forest, the three Kastelans sat on the floor next to the table that was too small for them, but the host did not notice. "I sure hope all of you are hungry. Because I finished making this soup with honey." The huntsmen poured out three servings of his stew, or at least attempted to. Due to him being blind he accidentally spilled the rather hot broth unto the Kastelans themselves. The battle automatons groaned out in pain before rushing out the door. "Wait come back, we have not gotten to the main course yet! I just finished baking a batch of fresh baguette!"
The camera cuts unto the cast of RWBY with all the tech-priests - Cyber included - standing in front of a Kastelan dressed up as a Christmas tree. A monotone voice spoke from behind the camera, "Show your teeth when you all say the agreed upon word."
"Cheese!" shouted the entire group in unison, the camera clicked as the flash went off. Toaster smiled as he held the photo in his hand. 'This really has been a great year. I would not ask for anything else.' The tech-priest shook himself out of his thoughts as remembered he had one thing left to do. A Magos scuttled to the door before opening it, a Christmas tree of his own stood there with a sparse amount of presents under it.
+Merry Christmas mates. I assume you already know which ones yours are?+ asked Toaster as he moved to join the group of a tech-priest, space marine, and a singular guardsman.
A void splitter crashed through the wall, the driver's hatch popped open to reveal a Martian tech-priest. +Sorry I'm late, needed to fix the engine, now let's see what I got for Christmas.+ Forge Master Leo and Rose jumped out of the vehicle and joined the group. Forge opened his present first. +An STC for volkite weapons! I haven't seen one of these in a bit.+
Explorator00 went after the Martian. He was not as lucky with his present. +Socks?+ questioned the tech-priest. He would comment on how he never wears socks, but today is Christmas and it is no time for thoughts like that. Rose's present was the largest out of the group. A painting of her father purging a Dark Eldar world. She smiled as she remembered that day. A warp portal opened to birth a present wrapped in paper and saliva before closing.
The three tech-priest stared at each other before Forge gained the guts to approach it. With a piece of rebar, he pokes it from a safe distance. The unwelcomed present unfolded to show a TV that was streaming a vile show. The Martian tech-priest reported his finding about the present, +What the ever-loving hell is this? Slaneshmas! I can't stop watching it even though it's wrong!+ Toaster's flamer roared to life, burning the heresy out of this place.
The green robed tech-priest unwrapped his gift, his eyes laid upon the heavenly object. A toaster. He considered placing the precious objected at the center of his family's nativity, but a clicking noise caught his attention. 'Toaster aren't supposed to make sounds. Is that a…' +XENOS!+ The genestealer revealed itself from the present.
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