CHAPTER 13: OPERATION NO FREE LUNCH
0400 Hours, September 15, 2557 (Military Calendar) / Unknown System, Planet Remnant, Continent of Sanas
The Master Chief found himself sleeping a lot less lately, but all of the time he spent awake was time spent either preparing Ruby for her next phase in training doing his own personal training with his ability as well as reviewing everything and anything that he felt was relevant to the current mission at hand.
One thing that he had been rolling around in Spartan 117's head as of late was what to do with his recruit once she had "graduated" from his boot camp. There was no doubt in his mind that the girl was going to pass whatever obstacle he threw at her. She had proven it many times over that despite some of her civilian habits being present, she possessed plenty of discipline, mettel, and talent to overcome whatever might come her way.
John did know for sure that once she completed training, he would have to let her in on the many secrets and inner works of the UNSC. Although she did well to hold her tongue now, their earlier days of training involved her asking questions during her free time. Usually, he would answer with a true, but vague statement. That would have to end soon; if she was to trust him in combat, then she would need to know certain things about the UNSC.
Of course, this brought up concerns about what information he was entitled to reveal to her according to regulations. For example, the true nature of the Spartan-II program was classified at the highest level. Few knew the full story and fewer were still alive to go into detail about the finer details. When thinking about it logically, there was no reason for Ruby to know anything about the Spartan-II's beyond surface-level information that any UNSC serviceman could find out through word of mouth or common knowledge. That being said, she had asked many questions about his origins and he had failed to provide satisfactory answers in all instances. His main point of concern was that she would internalize these questions and continue to ask him.
For now, the Master Chief had decided that should he express any sort of hesitation at sharing information with Ruby, then it was best that he not reveal it at all. Only when his mind was clear of any reasons to withhold information would he then be inclined to speak.
The Spartan also had to take into account what he would need to show the silver-eyed girl in order for her to be able to fully process and accept what she had become a part of. He needed her on the same page as him in all things. Thus, carefully selecting what she was to read and review was critical. Fortunately, MJOLNIR contained his entire service record and even his prior training on Reach, both in video format as well as official documented reports. He just needed to select the most ideal material for her to consume.
Next up on his list of things to do after Ruby's transition into service would be her rank. Normally, a recruit in the Navy would be given the rank of Seaman Recruit. Higher ranks could be awarded based on performance and other factors during the course of training. However, in terms of the Spartan-II's, considering that they spent about eight years in training before departing on their first official mission, they were all given the rank of Petty Officer Third Class. It seemed only appropriate for him to apply that rank in this instance.
And John felt within his authority to grant that rank. Most of his career had seen him with the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer with the express purpose of making sure that junior enlisted and other non-commissioned officers would respond to his orders and advice. Just last night, however, as he was reviewing his own record, he came upon a somewhat surprising revelation.
Apparently, during his time spent in cryostasis aboard the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn, he had unceremoniously been given the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy. Even now as he was separated from any UNSC forces of any kind, his official rank was given as such. With this unique rank came with its responsibilities. He, in essence, was the voice and representative of all UNSC Navy enlisted servicemen and women. It also meant that all Navy enlisted were to respect his authority and experience.
Personally, the Master Chief didn't feel the need for such a rank, at least not for any bragging rights, but right now, he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. If he had authority over all enlisted in the Navy, then he felt comfortable at giving Ruby the rank of Petty Officer Third Class.
Other things to consider was how to best utilize her skills in combat. The spartan would most definitely assign her as a designated marksman. Her accuracy and precision were top notch and he knew that every pull of the trigger was meant to kill. He had been training her exclusively with the M392 DMR and the SRS99D Sniper Rifle, but today seemed like a good time to bust out the BR55 Battle Rifle. Once her proficiency with all three weapons was determined, he would assign her the one that best-suited her wants and needs.
In terms of gear, he was working on that as well. His summoning ability allowed him to materialize more than just weapons. He was hoping to be able to outfit Ruby with an ODST Battle Dress Uniform. It was the closest thing to MJOLNIR that a non-augmented person could wear. Plus, some of the parts could work in conjunction with MJOLNIR, so in the event of armor damage, he could properly assess and make repairs where necessary. The only thing that he needed were his recruit's exact measurements, something that he had yet to do. That was something he would get done today as well.
As he worked quietly, John could hear the distinctive snoring that was coming from Yang Xiao Long, and there lied his most pressing impediment to his mission.
The elder of the two sisters absolutely would not leave them alone no matter what they did. It didn't matter what they said or did; the blonde girl would come back even more determined than before. At a certain point, both he and Ruby had come to the conclusion that it was better to just leave the tagalong alone and pretend that she didn't exist. That only served to anger the brawler, who had ramped up her interruptions.
Annoyances aside, in a way, the Master Chief could wholeheartedly respect Xiao Long's perseverance when it came to family. It was admirable how much the older sister wanted to stick close to her family. In any other setting, it might even evoke an emotional response, but right now, none of that mattered.
As things stood, Spartan 117 had to deal with Yang once and for all. He wouldn't resort to any extreme methods seeing as he might lose Ruby's cooperation. No matter how much his trainee dismissed her half-sister, it was clear to see that the two of them shared a strong bond. He wasn't about to risk a potential mental problem caused by his own hands. He had to play this another way.
The only way he could ever see this arrangement working is if he gave Xiao Long a hard choice: either she would agree to partake in training or she would receive an even more harsh lesson, perhaps one that would leave her permanently unable to pursue both himself and his student. Neither choice was of much appeal to him, but the former was looking to be the superior choice.
The main drawback to the first choice was that Ruby would no doubt not care for the arrangement, but that was inconsequential in the end. Many times in the field, John had encountered all sorts of men and women who held grudges and dislikes of each other, yet were still able to act professionally and save the lives of all their comrades. As another form of test for his first recruit, she would have to 'embrace the suck' as the saying went and get along with Yang Xiao Long whether she liked it or not.
This had been put together rather hastily all things considered, but it seemed to be the only thing to do, at least that's what his gut instinct told him.
The Master Chief briefly stopped what he was doing and considered how he was going to get the blonde to agree to this arrangement. At best, they had a truce of sorts. As long as neither directly interfered with each other, things were fine. That meant the only reliable way to get through Xiao Long would be to employ Ruby's help.
Make that two things that the silver-eyed girl would have to contend with.
Hopefully, this entire situation would be dealt with swiftly. More bodies to train meant more work to do.
Halo - - - RWBY
1200 Hours, September 16, 2557 (Military Calendar)
Although moments to speak privately between herself and the Master Chief weren't happening often thanks to Yang, Ruby had some stealth reconnaissance training from her CO and used them accordingly. Also, wherever they made camp for the night, the senior NCO made sure to designate a spot for just the two of them to converse.
The girl possessing black hair with red tips had just got done talking with the Master Chief. Apparently, he had been mulling over ways to manage Yang and the ultimate solution he decided on was having her elder half-sister join them in training.
His reasoning for this was quite simple. The blonde girl was becoming too much of a nuisance. At this point, her presence presented more of a threat to their training and environment more than a benefit. There was also the fact that they were providing her food and water and protection out of respect and decency. Now the foot had to be put down; either the brawler had to make herself useful and contribute in some way or she would be forced to leave for good. The second option would probably involve permanent physical damage.
As much as the silver-eyed girl wished that Yang would go away, Ruby couldn't bring herself to bring real harm to her sister. Try as she might to bury the feelings that she had for her family, they wouldn't go away. Years of being together couldn't be erased simply because she had been gone for a little more than a month. She would never admit it out loud, but the younger sister still loved her older sibling.
That being said, Ruby was reluctant to bring Yang into the fold. Yang was nothing if not overprotective. She always had been for as long as memory served. Ruby didn't mind the familial love, but the overprotectiveness was frustrating not to mention annoying. She wasn't some damsel in distress. She hadn't been ever since she chose to pick up a weapon and fight, but that didn't matter. Yang babied her too much and frankly speaking, Ruby was getting tired of it.
But as much as the trainee wanted to voice these complaints and concerns, she didn't. The Master Chief made it clear that it was either this or taking extreme measures. Sucking up whatever feelings she had on the matter, the silver-eyed girl complied with the order given to her. His authority and his word were law to him.
But before Ruby could do anything, she practiced what she was going to say. She had no doubt that whatever came out of her mouth, Yang would eat it up because there was nothing that her big sister wouldn't do for her baby sister. That was how it always worked and many times over, the younger had used that to her advantage. Now, she was about to do the same thing again, but in a completely different context.
Once this was done, they could all get on with it.
"Yang. We need to talk." Ruby noticed the blonde toying with her weapon. "And please be careful with my SRS99D."
"Let's just pretend that I don't know what you're talking about." Yang perked up at the company. "So what's up, little sis? You finally come to your senses."
"Shut up and let me speak." Ruby made it clear that she wasn't in the mood for pointless chatter. "If you want to stay with us, then fine, but we need to lay a few ground rules."
"Ground rules?" Yang scoffed. "I don't have to-"
"You will follow these rules." Ruby interrupted, raising her voice. "Either you do or we take you down and you never see us again."
"Look, I stopped being a total bitch." Yang pointed out. "What more do you want from me?"
It was true that the brawler had been unusually more silent than usual. The hostility towards the Master Chief had subsided considerably, but it was still there.
"If you insist on staying here, then you need to pull your weight." Ruby crossed her arms. "And you're going to do that by training."
"With you?" Yang raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound too bad."
"Believe me, it's not as fun as it looks." Ruby shook her head. "And don't think for a minute that you'll be using your aura or your semblance. It's all about your baseline physical and mental abilities."
"Tch, piece of cake." Yang again dismissed the warnings. "I'm an unarmed fighter. I can handle being a little physical. Besides, I didn't agree to be a drone like you did. I'm here to bring you home, whatever I have to do."
"And if you don't fix the attitude right now, then we're going to kick your ass for our own reasons." Ruby threw back. "I'll say it again: will you comply or not?"
"Nope." Yang didn't appear the least moved. "I'm here to look after you, not play soldier."
Ruby gave a look. "This is Navy training, not Army training."
"Whatever." Yang didn't care. "And seriously, the Navy? We ain't anywhere near water."
"I don't care what you think." Ruby drawled. "If you're not going to train, get out."
"What, are you going to make me?" Yang challenged.
It was faint, but the brawler's fists were shaking a little bit. No matter how much the blonde was putting on a tough act, the fact of the matter was that she wouldn't be able to bring herself to attack her younger sister.
The girl with silver eyes, however, had no such reservations as she drew her M6D sidearm from her side and aimed it squarely between Yang's eyes.
"I won't ask again." Ruby took aim. "Either get with the program or get lost. It's your choice."
Yang narrowed her eyes. "You can't be-"
Ruby adjusted her aim so that the bullet that she discharged from the handgun whizzed past Yang's ear, taking with it several strands of blonde hair. For a moment, there was shock on Yang's face, but soon her mind caught up.
So it appeared there were things that her older sister wouldn't listen to. So much for listening to everything.
"Why you little brat." Yang's eyes lit up in anger and her aura flared. "You think you're so tough. Huh?!"
Ruby said nothing, instead firing another shot, this time aiming straight and true. Now that Yang's aura was up, there was no need to hesitate. The next shot impacted right in the center of her forehead, causing yellow aura to flare up and protect its wielder from damage.
"RUBY!" Yang stepped forward ready to act. "What the fu-"
The fifteen-year old used her semblance to near-instantaneously appear behind her sister's back, then used the butt of her sidearm to strike at the back of the leg, causing the blonde to fall to one knee.
"Fall in line." Ruby repeated. "Or things won't end well for you."
"I'm trying to save you!" Yang shouted in defiance. "Not become a slave myself!"
"I say again." Ruby jammed the barrel of her weapon into the back of the brawler's head in order to intimidate. "Fall in line or leave."
"What, you're just going to shoot me?" Yang's fear was evident.
"I'm thinking about it." Ruby threatened.
This was getting out of hand real quick. The silver-eyed teenager had come here to convince her sister to join them peacefully. Now she was making use of potentially deadly force in order to force compliance. Her bitterness towards this whole situation certainly wasn't doing anyone favors.
Her wording needed to change.
Breathe in.
Breath out.
The M6D was lowered and placed back in its holster and Ruby moved herself to stand in front of Yang before lowering herself to her own knees and grasping the older girl's chin in her hand.
"Look, we're getting nowhere arguing like this. You want to make sure that I'm safe." Ruby decided to make an appeal. "I want to finish this training and move on with life. We can do what we both want and not kill each other in the process."
"You've got a real funny way of showing it, Rubes." Yang wasn't amused. "First you shoot me, then you play nice."
"As much as I hate you being here, I don't hate you." Ruby had a grave expression adorned on her features. "And I don't want to keep pounding you. What would dad say if he saw us like this?"
That question was more than enough to get a reaction out of Yang. The brawler went through a myriad of emotions, which manifested as small, but visible changes in her own expressions. This was a step in the right direction.
"So you want a truce." Yang appeared to have finally come to her own decision. "What does that look like?"
"Simple." Ruby softened her face slightly. "You do as the Master Chief says, you get to stay with us and you won't have to risk bodily harm from either of us. Training-wise, I'm sure the Chief's got something lined up already."
Now they were getting somewhere.
RWBY - - - Halo
0530 Hours, September 17, 2557 (Military Calendar)
Yang felt like she was making a deal with the devil, but once she reminded herself of why she was out here in the first place, she could make peace with the fact that she had sold her soul. If it was to ensure the safety of her baby sister, then any sacrifice was worth it. That was what family did for each other, even if said family was acting like a spoiled and unreasonable child. Or maybe this was a phase.
Whatever the case, the brawler decided that anything was better than the pre-existing status quo that had been going on for nearly a week. After their talk, she had been given the rest of the day to herself in order to prepare, but like she had proclaimed before, a little physical training wasn't what bothered her. She was going to ace this thing and do whatever else she needed in order to find a way to get Ruby out of this hellhole.
There wasn't a plan so to speak. As far as the buxom beauty was concerned, she would make it up as she went along. She was never the type of girl that chose to devise a strategy of her own will. Bashing through obstacles with brute force had always been her way of doing things. It was aggravating that this time around, things weren't going as she had envisioned. She had underestimated the entire situation.
As much as she didn't care to strategize, it looked like Yang was going to have to be a little smarter about this than usual. Playing it by ear wasn't going to be enough. She had to look for opportunities to exploit, anything to get her sister away from all of this. Ruby just wasn't meant for this sort of thing.
Even though her stance on the Master Chief had softened slightly, it didn't change her opinion that his way of doing things didn't suit her baby sister. Going through with this meant that the silver-eyed girl wouldn't ever be the same again. Their entire dynamic wouldn't be the same. The entire situation wasn't salvageable, but maybe there were pieces that could be put back together and with time away from it all, healing could take place, both physically and mentally.
However, at the same time, there was a growing dark feeling in the back of the blonde brawler's mind. While she did consistently view Ruby's mentality as naive, she didn't believe her sister to be stupid. The former aspiring huntress had always strived to become a huntress, the ultimate epitome of being a heroine. For the longest time, that dream seemed less like a dream and more like a destiny for the speedster. The idea that Ruby could have doubts about her dream let alone abandon it entirely was laughable.
But reality appeared to tell otherwise. Yang could only surmise that something had broken her half-sister so thoroughly that this was the result: a shadow.
And now the buxom beauty herself was about to find out how that shadow of her sister was being trained.
"MOVE FASTER! WE DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!" The robot was now screaming, which had to mean he was indeed a living person. "HURRY IT UP!"
At first, it was easy. Calisthenic exercises by themselves weren't particularly tough. She went through a couple hundred of each unique movement given to her. She had done this type of thing before in her training. Hell, she still did it in order to keep herself in top physical form. That wasn't the problem.
What was problematic was the fact that she was being given no breaks. Absolutely no breaks were being given in-between exercises, a fact that she knew was not a good thing in the long run when it came to building up greater strength and endurance, but it would seem that conventional fitness wisdom didn't apply now.
"I SAID MOVE FASTER, RECRUIT!" The Chief barked at her. "IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE ROUTINE, THEN YOU CAN DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN PROPERLY!"
Man, Yang hated his guts right about now. It was bad enough that she had to be woken up at 4:30 in the morning just to deal with all of this bullshit. Now she was being treated like a child and that was more than a little degrading to her pride as a warrior.
Why was she doing this again?
All for Ruby. Yang reminded herself of the ultimate goal. If I do this, Ruby will respect me again, and then we're out of here.
Speaking of her younger sister, out of the corner of her eye, the blonde brawler caught glimpses of the girl doing her own drills. It looked like Ruby had all but immersed herself into this new environment without so much as a look of complaint. Nothing but a mask of determination and focus could be spotted. Occasionally, the fifteen-year old would pause to see what was going on, stare for a few moments, then get back to work.
It hurt Yang that she was being looked at so indifferently.
"MAYBE I WASN'T CLEAR ENOUGH THE FIRST TIME!" The Master Chief towered over. "YOUR ONLY CONCERN IS YOURSELF RIGHT NOW! FIX YOUR ATTITUDE, OR I WILL FIX IT FOR YOU!"
Right, she had to concentrate on here and now. There would be time to think about how to get through this alive and sane with Ruby by her side. She just had to power through this and everything would turn out okay.
The next half an hour was spent going through all sorts of exercises, some of them familiar to her, others not so much. She was given no time for rest, only pushed further and harder.
Yang wouldn't relent no matter what. Although saving Ruby was the most important thing right now, her pride was also on the line as well. She fancied herself a combatant that could get through any physical challenge. She was, after all, the very best in her class at Signal Academy. This was merely another challenge for her to overcome, as much of a drag as it was. She was no quitter, which was why she always won.
"PICK IT UP! SOMETIME TODAY!" Again, the guy in massive armor was not making a good case for himself. "I'VE SEEN BETTER FROM CHILDREN!"
Okay, that was something that really got on her nerves. Nobody was better than her, least of all children. Did this guy get off on testing her? If that was the case, then he was doing a hell of a job provoking her.
How long could she hold it in?
Yang gritted her teeth and cleared her mind. No, she had to keep going. No matter what he said or what he did, she had to meet and surpass what he expected. Maybe then, he would be given a legitimate reason to fear her.
It must be nice to be Ruby right now. Yang could only complain mentally. She doesn't have to get yelled at right now. She's got the fun stuff.
The blonde brawler didn't have long to muse on her situation and its unfairness. The next obstacle was on its way. Now they were running and both of them were out on a flat field. Frankly, she was amazed that he was able to keep up with her in such heavy-looking armor. No, he wasn't just keeping up. He was surpassing her.
Seriously? Yang could only wonder. How?
Was he using aura? No, it didn't look like it. She had detected no traces of any aura usage and the buxom beauty knew what to look for. She couldn't see any glow, she couldn't detect any energy, and she couldn't sense anything unusual. It was just him and some armor. Either she was being duped big time or he really was that physically capable.
Either choice meant that he was really good.
"I SAID MARCH, NOT JOG!" Behind that golden visor, she could only imagine what was going on. "WE CAN ALWAYS GO TWENTY KILOMETERS IF YOU'RE SO RELAXED!"
Yang banished any further distractions from her head. No more complaining, no more wandering, and no more hesitation. She was being tested, that much she was sure of. All she needed to do was focus on the here and now. Then she could figure out the finer details regarding her and Ruby's exit.
Whoever this guy was, he wasn't about to take away a part of her family. Nobody came between her and Ruby, not now, not ever. She was willing to do anything to protect those that she loved, even join the enemy if that's what it took.
Now she had to prove that to her baby sister. Rebellious or not, this wasn't the right way. Abandoning family was never the right way.
Just fifteen more kilos.
RWBY - - - Halo
2300 Hours
The Master Chief had to admit that in terms of pure physical ability, Yang Xiao Long far surpassed her younger sister. To that end, he intentionally drew out her physical training in order to drain her. It had taken a lot of effort on his part, but after a few hours of continuous exercise without rest, she was finally exhausted.
He needed to break her in because he was fully aware that she was resisting him. Even if she followed as he said, there was a look in her eye that spoke of her disliking of the situation and most likely him by extension. Her unrestrained emotions didn't intimidate him in the least, but they certainly did remind him of someone.
Kelly-087 had similar problems with controlling her emotions. In fact, the rabbit of the Spartan-II's was among the few that was initially resistant to complying with orders in the early days of training. It had taken many years to finally get herself to stop fighting and listen to her superiors, but even during their bouts with the Insurrection and during the war with the Covenant, she displayed moments of highly-intense emotional outbursts. Perhaps to a normal person, these were only subtle shows, but for the disciplined and controlled Spartan-II's, these displays were considered highly emotional.
Strangely enough, Yang wasn't the only one that reminded him of someone in his spartan family.
Ruby Rose was far more willing to accept that she had weaknesses that needeed to be either subdued or eliminated entirely. Her strengths were more mental than physical. Although her physical abilities were growing by the day, the fifteen-year old was far more capable as a strategist and tactician. She may yet even hold the potential to lead with her clear head and dedication to achieving great results.
Fred-104 also these traits. He too was a natural leader, being tactically competent and strategially competent. He placed the most value on the mind above all other things. That was what enabled him to win his battles and come out alive alongside the spartans and other UNSC servicemen he led. He was also able to put aside his feelings and discomforts in favor of achieving the mission by any means necessary, but he wasn't completely professional all the time. Occasionally, he was known to crack jokes or make quips.
Drawing these parallels, Spartan 117 felt like he might have a better grasp on dealing with these two girls personaliy-wise, at least he would in Xiao Long's case. For now, he would see the effects of continually increasing pressure on the blonde girl were. He had a feeling that only with unyielding force was he going to have a shot at getting her under control. As for Ruby, now might be a good time to introduce some leadership training and see if she responded positively or not.
As always, John found himself on watch as he witnessed the two teenage girls slumbering, one quietly, the other very loudly. Despite them both conducting individual exercises, they were both exhausted. As soon as they relaxed their bodies, they were instantly asleep.
It seemed like tonight was going to be a steady night as virtually all nights in the past, but just like he always did, he briefly left his two trainees to check the perimeter for any signs of danger, be it Grimm or otherwise.
The first few minutes of patrolling turned up nothing unusual. Aside from the sounds of nature and the wildlife surrounding him, there was nothing that could be considered a threat. Being this far into the mountains, Grimm attacks were extremely rare. The terrain acted as a barrier to keep the monsters far away from Vale's east side.
Then the Master Chief, by chance, looked down at his armored boots. His eyes focused for a moment. He paused in thought as he realized that something was laying there, something that didn't belong in this environment.
Taking a knee, the spartan took his left hand off his weapon and gingerly picked up the out of place item. Careful not to crush the small item with his hands, he brought it up to his visor to inspect it.
In his hand was a worn black ribbon with much wear and tear.
And it appeared to be recently discarded.
THIS IS A GENERAL REMINDER TO ALL OF MY READERS. I WILL BE LEAVING FOR BASIC COMBAT TRAINING ON AUGUST 4TH. JULY, THIS MONTH, WILL BE THE LAST MONTH THAT I POST CHAPTERS FOR ANY OF MY STORIES. UPDATES WILL RESUME IF AND WHEN I AM ABLE. UNTIL THAT DAY COMES, EXPECT NO FURTHER UPDATES FROM THIS STORY.
ALSO, WHILE I'M GONE, I'LL PROBABLY DEVELOP SOME NEW IDEAS ABOUT STORIES, NEW AND EXISTING. I'VE GOT SOME IDEAS CURRENTLY ON MY PROFILE PAGE. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ANY OF THEM, MAKE THAT INTEREST KNOWN BY VOTING ON THE POLE WHICH IS ALSO ON MY PROFILE PAGE.
Now for this chapter's notes.
Getting Yang into the groove of this story will take time. Unlike Ruby, she's still intact mentally speaking, which means she's going to fight back as much as she can. The question is this: will she be able to stay in the game long enough to do what she wants?
Ruby continues to be resistant to any form of contact with her sister outside of necessary contact. She still has some healing to do and her state of mind could get better or worse depending on what happens next. Maybe her old self isn't completely lost.
And the Master Chief begins to draw some parallels between the company he now keeps and the people he once considered to be family. To that extent, he seems to have a better grasp on how to mold two moody teen girls into the special operators that he intends to make them into.
Finally, I think most of you can take a guess at what's to come down the line, or should I say, "who's" to come down the line.
Thoughts? Reviews and feedback are always appreciated.
Thanks for reading and I hope to see you all on the flip side.
-Ktyou