Recut Gem

Chpt 9

Jaune and Pyrrha along with Fenris's group of hunters had flown non-stop for nearly a day towards the besieged town. It was exhausting work for the married couple as only they had pilot licenses and even switching off the flight had took it's toll. It was only when their fuel had nearly run out (and Fenris bluntly pointing out that wolves couldn't us a toilet) that Jaune agreed to set down at the nearest town.

The Town they set down in was one of the many new settlements that had popped up in the wake of "The Crisis" as it had come to be known and had little of the warmth of a naturally grown town. All the central building around the landing pad were utilitarian in their design and uniform in their placement. Several other groups of hunters milled about the landing pads, adding blobs of color to the otherwise industrial coloration of the scenery.

The sight of over a dozen over sized wolves exiting the airship drew more that a few stares from the several other hunters but they still respectfully kept their distance. As the engines spooled down Fenris oversaw the marshalling of his clansmen before sending a detachment to go with the wolves as they went to relieve themselves. As the group left he sighed before heading back into the airship and made his way to the cockpit. Pyrrha and Jaune had just finished shutting everything down in preparation of refueling as he arrived.

"Well with my men being busy with their little mission I do believe we have some time to ourselves." Fenris stated in a jovial tone. "Shall we go over the rough battle plan just to make sure we have all are bases cover?

Jaune looked over his shoulder as he slipped the headset off and nodded. "It wouldn't hurt seeing as we've never worked together before. Judging by that armored contraption that you forced us to carry with us I suspect you will want to find a use for it?"

Fenris chuckled as he sat down at the vacant communications station just behind Pyrrha and the co-pilot seat. "That 'armored contraption' as you so elegantly put it has seen more that it's fair share of fights and come out on top. Though to answer your question, yes, I would like to figure it into the plan. My clan is more used to hit and run tactics rather than standing on or behind a wall."

Jaune nodded at the statement and closed his eyes in thought. "Well that isn't necessarily a bad thing in this case. If we use you and your mobility we can maybe draw away some of the Grimm that are attacking. It probably won't get all of the Grimm away from the attach thanks to the Lost leading the attack but it should at least give the defenders some more breathing room."

"My thoughts exactly." Fenris gave a almost feral grin of delight. "If the leader pokes his head up while we nip at his backside we might just be cut his thread and cause the them to turn on themselves."

Pyrrha sighed and shook her head. 'While that might work with a normal bandit clan the Lost operate differently. Even if we kill the leader the next Lost in command will take up the reigns. They may look like a disorganized group but they are just as organized as some armies; they have a clear chain of command."

'Hmph, so we can't rely on in-fighting to allow for an opening to finish them off." Concluded Fenris with an annoyed huff.

Jaune gave a morbid chuckle. "Kinda the whole point about our species. We were meant to bring order to the Grimm and turn them into a true fighting force. Lucky for us we forced them to deploy the Shade parasite early before the process to wipe the host's mind was finished."

Fenris gave a almost imperceptible shudder. the thought of having one's mind stripped away a feeling he couldn't fathom. "Truly a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone. It does beg the question however, if the army is marching, then who is commanding it and why?"

Jaune and Pyrrha stiffened slightly as both caught the knowing stare that Fenris drifted between the couple. Both spared a brief glance at one another before Pyrrha chose to answer.

"Without Salem the Lost are without any real direction. More than likely they were drawn to the fighting around the settlement and took advantage of the existing situation for their own gain."

Fenris raised an eyebrow before giving a slow sigh and shake of his head. "Truly the game of cloak and dagger is an ill fit for the two of you. I had hoped you would give me the credit of not thinking me a blind fool. There is something more going on here than just a large scale Grimm attack and I feel ill at ease if my allies are holding back information."

The trio sat in an uncomfortable silence as the moments dragged by. Both Pyrrha and Jaune knew that divulging any information was a monumental risk to take. Even if hired by Glynda there was no sure way of knowing if Fenris could be trusted with even the slightest bit of truth. The sad story of headmaster Lionharte had proven that no one was beyond being compromised.

"I won't lie to you Fenris, me and my wife do have secondary objectives but that is the extent of what I am willing to share with you." Jaune stated bluntly.

Fenris frowned and narrowed his eyes at Jaune. "I had pegged you for an honest man Arkos. It is a shame that any truth I hear from you is destined to be only half of what it is."

"We're sorry." Pyrrha lamented quietly. "We would tell you more if we could but some things need to be hidden. It is a hard and bitter fact that me and my husband have learned first hand. Secrets have caused us so much pain that given the chance we wouldn't keep them."

"Yet here you are with secrets willing kept." Fenris replied coolly. "I suppose every person is entitled their secrets, even you two."

Fenris stood sharply and cast one last glance between the two hunters. "Just let me state this then. I will fulfill the contract I took on with my men and stand by you in battle. However don't expect me to let you two stand behind me or have me be your sacrifice should you need lives spent for you."

With his piece said Fenris turned and walked out of the cockpit, leaving the two Shaded in a cold silence. Jaune heaved a restless sigh and ran a hand over his face as he leaned back. He didn't need his Shaded senses to feel the dark mood that Fenris had left in. The Faunus seemed to be and odd sort but not in any bad way, though Jaune would have said the same about Emerald when they first met and that hadn't exactly been the case at the time.

Granted things had changed drastically since then but life and death experiences and horrible traumas tended to have that sort of effect on people.

"Gods, how did we get into this life Pyrrha."

Pyrrha smiled sadly and moved to her husband and leaned in and embraced him in a gentle hug briefly. "Not willingly Jaune, this life was never what either of us wanted. As self justifying as it might sound by keeping the details away from Fenris we can at least try and keep him from getting him and his men sucked into all of this."

Jaune gave a humorless laugh. "dear gods we are turning into Ozpin... I suddenly realize why Qrow punishes his liver like he does. Good intentions or not it still doesn't help that Fenris doesn't feel like he can fully trust us in battle. That isn't a good thing in the long run as it could get us ALL killed."

"Not to mention that he knows there is more going on here than what he was told." Pyrrha stated glumly. 'I doubt he is going to stand idly by if he feels his men are in danger. He is going start looking for answers and I doubt anything good will happen to him no matter what he finds."

"Nothing is ever easy with this whole 'secret magic' crap is it?"

Pyrrha gave another small smile before giving her husband a chaste peck on the lips. "It wouldn't appear so. Ironic given that magic is supposed to make everything easier."

Jaune chuckled before standing. "Well while we let the bad blood fester we might as well get started on fueling the ship. Would you mind contacting Glynda and seeing if there are any updates on the situation? I'd rather fly into this fight with as much sharable information as we can get, might go a ways in getting Fenris not feeling like he and his men are expendable cannon fodder."

Pyrrha Nodded before sighing gently. "I'll talk to Glynda, we will need a cover story at any rate for why we will be taking a single family if the Winter Maiden powers did go to one of the grandchildren. Hopefully I will be able to make it as white of a lie as I can to at least show that we have no bad intentions."

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Fenris was deep in thought as he wandered the small settlement as he mulled the current situation over in his head. It didn't take a Atlisian dust scientist to figure out that he was being kept in the dark. He had never personally worked with either hunters before but even for someone in a semi-nomadic tribe he heard plenty about the famous Arkos couple.

He had heard both good and bad things about the couple but as with any hearsay he took it all with a healthy amount of salt. The stories he had heard about them mostly painting the a pair of fallen paragons risen from the mud to stand proud defenders once more. While they seemed to be a decent pair their lack of forthrightness countered this. With brow furrowed in thought the Faunus hunter made his way to the outer gate of the settlement and after giving the stationed guards a distracted nod before walking out.

"Careful brother, thinking to much will hurt your head."

Fenris's head snapped up at the sound of the gravelly monotone voice and gave a smirk at the speaker. The Faunus that approached Fenris appeared to have stepped out of a great war era promotional film. He wore a worn charcoal gray greatcoat and around his neck hung a full face gas mask with both a filter on one side of it's blunt muzzle while a thick insulated hose connected the other side to a small air tank strapped to the small of his back. A dented and singed Atlesian style Stahl-helm from the now century old war was clipped to his belt which an assortment of incendiary grenades also called home. Most eye catching was the fact that the Greatcoats arms had long since been removed, causing the wearer to go completely bare armed ans showed off that both arms heavily tattooed with red, yellow, and orange stylized flames from fingertip to shoulder.

'Most of my headaches comes from dealing from you and your perchance to set everything you touch aflame Logi." frenis sniped back with a hint of amusement. "Your fascination with the very thing that nearly cost you your arms would be considered unhealthy by most."

Logi shrugged not commit ally as he and Fenris fell into step with each other. Side by side the family resemblance could be easily seen between the two though Logi did stand a head taller than his brother. Both brothers had rounded but still lean faces with expressive eyes and pronounced jaw. Still as brothers each had their differences with Logi having more craggy features marked by small pin point burn scars while Fenris had a much more fair complexion, almost statuesque in nature. further differentiating the two was Logi's almost stone like show of emotions to Fenris's comparatively open wearing of his emotions.

Behind the two the rest of their group fell into step, idly chatting and enjoying the quiet time before the coming battle. The rough barks of laughter along with the actual barks from the wolves made for a intimidating presences but the Faunus and Human members of the group did their best to corral the Pony sized wolves and their more aggressive behaviors. They were all more than aware at the primal fear that the sight of the wolves caused to those unaccustomed to such massive predatory creatures.

"Your thoughts are of the Arkos pair." Logi said as more of a statement than a question to which Fenris nodded and hummed to the affirmative.

"Indeed. An odd pair to be sure, they do not strike me as secretive and confirm as much by stating they have secondary orders but refuse to elaborate."

Logi shrugged before giving a Wolf's tail a sharp tug as the animal closed in on a merchant selling cured meats. He ignored the yelp of displeasure from the wolf and the nervous looks the other residents gave him at the disruption. "I see little wrong with that. They have their orders, we have ours."

"True." Fenris considered. "But that still does not easy my thoughts. This whole affair stinks worse that a fish market on a hot day. Why have a secondary objectives on a strait forward relief and exterminate mission?" Fenris asked as the group made a round a-bout return to the airdocks.

His brother grunted and once again shrugged. "That is for them to worry about. If it turns into trouble for us we burn it with the rest of the Grimm."

"You have the mindset and subtly of an inferno Logi." Fenris dead panned

"I take that as a compliment."

Fenris sighed and shook his head. While intelligent and more than reliable, Logi tended to be the blunter of the brothers having once questioned 'why fight just fire with fire? Fire should always be used to fight no matter what you are up against'. "Brother I wish I could view the world as simply as you do some days. Do you truly not see that bigger things are afoot here than what we are being told?"

Logi looked to Fenris ans though his facial features barely changed at all Fenris hand long since realized to read his brother's true emotions one need only observe his eyes. Right now the glare they held had the distinct look of being insulted.

"I am not oblivious Fenris. I merely don't care. Whatever happens in the shadows is of little concern to me. We were hired to accompany the Arkos couple and to kill Grimm, nothing more and nothing less. That is all that this situation is as far as we are concerned."

"I feel that it will come to concern us whether we want it to or not." Fenris warned.

Logi gave a rare smirk as he looked towards his brother. "Well then the situation will have only itself to blame when it brings the Frostmaw clan's ire down on itself.


The slow monotonous tick of a ornate grandfather clock dominated the air in the large, almost sterile office. Richly appointed with bookshelves and artwork the feel of the room seemed to suck what little emotions these decorations provided from them. Everything in the office, from the massive painting of Beacon that sat behind the richly carved white oak desk to the orderly and symmetrical row of different colored pens lining the desk, was position in such a way to direct all attention to the rooms sole inhabitant. Nothing in Whitley Schnee's office did not serve a purpose, whether it to cow his visitors or promote his achievements if it did not serve a purpose then it was clinically and ruthlessly excised from his domain.

The man in question sat enthroned behind his white desk, a emotionless look of concentration adorning his face as he concentrated on several holo-screens that were projected from his desk. in the central screen was a older man, his hair gone steel gray from age. Dressed in a Charcoal gray suit with gold accents, he gave off a profession air even with his suit jacket unbuttoned and his red button vest visible, The look on his face was one of casual indifference and disinterest despite the fact that Whitley's gaze was trying to bore it's way through the screen and into the man's head.

"You told me that you could control them Watts." Whitley growled out, his voice dangerously calm and even. "It should have been simplicity itself for my men to start the mines, get to this research facility you claimed is there, and prove the effectiveness of my companies latest powered armor prototype. I ask you then, why it is that not only are my prototypes facing forces far larger than we planned but also why the Grimm were allowed to get into the mines!"

To his credit Watts gave a apologetic look and bowed his head in a placating manner, if only briefly as he answered. "My sincerest apologies Master Schnee, the failure to control the Grimm is not due in any part to my fault. While I have certain control over any number of Grimm the issue is that a force of Lost found their way to the settlement and are interfering."

Whitley arched and eyebrow as he steepled his finger's in front of him, his glare intensifying. "And just how does the addition of a group of rabid mutant freaks, ones that you yourself created, cause your 'perfect' control of Grimm to fall to pieces?"

"The Lost were supposed to be the line officers of Lady Salem's forces, marshaling and directing the Grimm into a more effective and deadly force." Watts replied easily. "While I did indeed create them they were created with the intent of following Lady Salem's orders. I myself had limited control over them but without Salem's presence what little control I had on them disappeared. Right now you could say that the Lost 'outrank' me in terms of chain of command. Therefore they are effectively in control and acting on 'standing orders' if you will, which is to say the disruption of any and all major Kingdom undertakings."

Whitley's eye twitched subtly but enough for Watts to notice and for a genuine look of concern to cross the old doctor's face. When Whitley Schnee's face betrayed any emotion other than polite disinterest was when he was at his most dangerous. Loss of control, no matter how trivial seeming, was one of the surest ways to gain the young man's dangerous ire.

"I do not like not having control Arthur." Whitley ground out as he tried to contain himself. "I would think in the short time you have been working for me you would have realized that I view control as everything. Now why having you failed to mention that you have no control over your own freakish creations!"

Watts once more bowed his head in apology as a small bead of sweat trailed down from his temple. "Your dislike of not having control is the reason. This lack of control is also why I suggest we find the research facility hidden in the pre-war mines. The previous owner had supplied me with several pieces of information that I used during the creation of the Lost. Sadly my own stores of this data were destroyed during my rather hasty departure from my previous employer."

"And if we get this information?" Whitley asked as the anger in his voice receded slightly.

Watts let out a silent sigh of relief, having at least satisfied, if not placated, Whitley with the explanation. "Then I will be able to begin work on controlling the Lost, though I will admit this will take time. Without lady Salem and several resources she had available it will mean I will need to find substitutes for the control process."

Whitley gave a tsk of disapproval, his dislike of having to sink more into Watts research a given. But control of the Grimm and even the Lost was a prize that was worth the investment. Control was everything, and to have control over something most would say was uncontrollable was to have power over those people.

"I see... I am disappointed in you Watts, I do not like being lied to, through omission or otherwise." Whitley stated. "Consider this my only warning to you, fail to mention something like this again and being captured and put on trial for your crimes against humanity will be the least of your concerns. Do I make myself clear?"

Watts gave a bow and nodded. "abundantly clear my good sir. I will endeavor to prove my loyalty to you to ensure a mutually beneficial partnership."

With those parting words the screen blanked out, returning to the default screen with the Schnee logo at it's center. Whitley gave a sigh of frustration before padding over to to a cabinet that house several bottles of spirits. As he browsed the selection of liquors a secondary screen on his desk blinked to life, a shadowy figure peering from it.

"Is he speaking truthfully about the data that is housed in the research facility?" Whitley asked, not bothering to turn and face the screen as the shadowed figure's left eye gave a crimson gleam of light.

"He does, though to be truthful there are several such facilities that house such data. I am nothing if not thorough in keeping my life's work safe." Replied the screen.

"So you think we can trust him?" Whitley asked as he selected a long necked green bottle, the once white label yellowed with age, before pouring himself a healthy glass of the stored liquid within.

The screen chuckled was genuine mirth at the question. "My dear Mr. Schnee, of course you can't trust him, he says he will be loyal and trustworthy! That is why you can trust me. I openly admit that given the chance I will gladly use and sacrifice you for my own gain as I know you would do the same. Never trust a trustworthy person as they will always try and hide their true intentions when those intentions change."

"I see once again we are in full agreement then. He is after something other than just the facility." Whitley stated, causing the screen to laugh once more.

"Aren't we all? Ah me, I do quite like our chats Mr. Schnee, it will be a pity once I am forced to terminate our partnership." the screen bluntly stated. "I suppose you would like to know what the good doctor was doing in meddling in our systems?"

Whitley gave a wry smile at the screen's impertinence, it went unsaid that he would also come to miss these little talks when he found his 'friend's' usefulness at an end. He swirled the deep crimson colored wine in his glass and nodded before taking a sip.

"Surprisingly it was very boring things indeed." the screen replied with an almost disappointed tone. "He merely fixed the decision of who would be the foreman of the mine and changed the terms of the foreman's contract to be to good to pass up. I will send you the relevant data to your terminal, I doubt he did this out of the goodness of his heart. I have a feeling in my bones that we are on the brink of something grand!"

The screen winked off shortly before a file transfer notification appeared on Whitley's terminal.

"I am interested to see where all this leads as well." Whitley stated to the empty room as he settle himself back behind his desk before taking another long sip of his wine. He savored the taste as he rolled it around his mouth before swallowing with a audible sigh of appreciation.

Whitley did enjoy a good merlot more than anything else.