From here on in, no more time jumps, no more years of training. This is where it really begins. Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Radiation

The transport chopper's massive rotors sounded miraculously quiet in the small briefing room behind the cockpit. Unlike the outdated models used by Line Ark, the GA chopper was spacious enough to fit Crescent Rose completely inside it when lying down, which meant I could get out and walk around inside before we reached the mission area. They had arrived early this morning, flying straight to the hangar to pick me up. A uniformed man ushered me inside the dimly lit, cavernous quadrotor, and they wheeled in Crescent Rose just behind me. Fiona Jarnefeldt was waiting at the briefing table.

She hadn't changed much since I had first seen her in Aspina, stepping from that old helicopter. Her brown hair was still cut in the same short fashion as mine, and her blue eyes were brimming with intelligence. During the LYNX War she had served as an operator for Hector, monitoring him on missions and providing him with intel and support. Throughout their time spent together, they had developed an attraction to each other, and when we were all finally safe at Line Ark, Fiona had moved in with him. Hector spoke often of her kindness and grace under pressure, and his desire to shelter her from the wars, despite her excellent skills as an operator. She had known Joshua before the war as well, and mourned his loss greatly. Today, she was tagging along in my chopper to see me off on the maiden voyage of Crescent Rose.

"How are you feeling Ruby?" she asked softly. Through a year of training, Yang's warning still stuck with me. And to be honest, I was worried she had gotten it completely right. Nothing can really prepare you for what's out there. What you have to do, it's not like the simulators.

"I guess I'm a little nervous. It's my first mission, so I can't mess up now, can I?" I replied with a shaky smile. No matter how talented I was, I could freeze up at a critical moment, or read a situation incorrectly. Simulators couldn't account for every scenario, I had to be at the top of my game today, I couldn't let anything slip. Fiona gave me a reassuring look before directing my attention to a monitor suspended above us on the wall.

"You'll do fine, don't worry. I'll play back the briefing from Collared." She said before pressing a button on a tiny, hand-held remote. The monitor flashed to life, and I stared at it from across the table. A series of images began to appear, and a man's voice came through the speakers.

"Here's your mission. The client is GA America. The objective is the Interior Union force based at the Mimir Naval Port." it declared. A slightly fuzzy photo from a reconnaissance drone showed a very large station, filled with ships of all sizes and normals on the perimeter docks. It was situated in a massive ravine, with walls of solid rock stretching high into the air, effectively shielding the site from bombardment. The entire area was a hidden channel, easily blockaded and defended from another navy. But not from a NEXT.

"You are to launch a preemptive strike against the 3rd fleet while it is in port. The Interior Union has been leaning towards an alliance with Algebra, and GA wants to send them a warning as a deterrent. Don't let up on the attack until ordered to withdraw. The more damage and destruction you cause, the better your pay will be. This information is unconfirmed, but we believe a new-model Arms Fort is in dock for maintenance and supply. If it's there, don't let it get away. The client is offering a special bonus for its elimination." The voice droned.

"Well, that's about it. This is a good deal for the right LYNX." It finished. The screen went dark again. A simple search and destroy job against an obsolete force. The monitor was right. This would be easy.

"It's straightforward enough. Just be careful out there." Fiona said. "Usually the first mission is easy. Think of it like an exhibition for the companies. Show them what you've got." She smiled soothingly, and gently cradled my sweating hands. "Above all else, come home to us safely. You're more important than the mission."

"Thanks, Ms. Jarnefeldt. I'll do my best."

"I know you will. And please, call me Fiona."

The roar of displaced water seemed faint through the audio receptors of Crescent Rose. Salty waves kicked up around my feet as boosters tore into the surface of the ocean. Just ahead was the entrance to the Mimir Canyon. The cliffs reached up even higher into the air than in the pictures, and like I had imagined, the narrow entrance was guarded.

Four ships were stationed outside the pass, three battleships and a large aircraft carrier. Once, a force like this would have been enough to take an entire island. Now, the only thing navies had on their side were numbers. Which was why those numbers had to be lessened before they could be deployed. Thinning the herd before it stampedes.

"Fiona, can you hear me?" I asked without taking my eyes off of the ships. "I'm getting a lot of contacts on my radar, and I can't tell where the Arms Fort is." One of the unfortunate side effects of my specialized radar unit was that with the increased range, I could see enemies all over the place, making it hard to pick out just one. And with the promise of extra pay, I should definitely prioritize the vulnerable Arms Fort.

"I hear you Ruby. I don't have a visual from the chopper, or from our own radar readings. The canyon is causing a lot of interference, but once you get inside I can follow your camera feed and sync our radars. As soon as I have a location, I'll let you know."

"Thanks," I said, drawing a deep breath. "Alright, this is Crescent Rose, commencing mission."

In a blur of red and black, I was off, speeding over the water. My arms tensed up as I raided my weapons, chambering a sniper round and twisting the still sheathed blade into its straight position. I focused on the targets ahead. Compared to a NEXT, all of their armaments were small bore, their main cannons would have less effect than the guns of a Muscle Tracer. But this meant the same mob tactics applied to them. As long as I didn't get caught in-between multiple streams of concentrated fire, there was little the battleships could do to stop me. This would indeed be easy.

Muzzle flashes and the familiar patter of machine gun fire greeted me as I entered combat range. The guns had horrible tracking abilities, and it was simple for me to lazily drift left and right around their fire during my approach. I raised the sniper and took aim at the rightmost outlying battleship. With the single exception that I was preparing to eliminate, the navy was organized in a line parallel to the port's entrance. Bad move.

With a flash and a sharp crack, I sent a sniper round downrange at the battleship. It struck the main command tower, tearing a hole through multiple decks with the screech of metal. The bullet must have gone all the way through and struck the reactor behind the tower, as a large gas explosion erupted from the ship. Fractures spread along the hull as the fire traveled across the decks, and with a groan, it caved in two. The melting wreck sank into the ocean in the corner of my vision, and I wasted no time moving on to the other three ships.

The scythe unfolded from my arm, and I rotated the blade back inwards. Reaching out as far as I could to my side, I lined the blade up with the lower hulls of my targets. Bullets whizzed by closer than ever, but none of them touched me. With a Quickboost forwards to gain some momentum, I drew the scythe through the first battleship, creating a massive gash in the side that was quickly filling with water as the metal collapsed in on itself. Bold gunners who weren't abandoning ship continued to fire at this near point-blank range, but to no avail. No matter their aim, the cannons simply weren't able to keep up with my speed. I had Dr. Marsh to thank for that. At the cost of a higher energy drain, we had replaced the old boosters of White Glint with some more powerful ones. This meant I couldn't stay in the air or boost around as much as Joshua, but I was even faster overall. Officially my NEXT was Crescent Rose, but my black and red color scheme and the blur seen by my opponents led to the nickname "Red Wraith"…which was pretty cool, to be honest. But I still liked Crescent Rose better.

When the scythe emerged from the back of the its first victim, I Quickboosted again to gain more speed, quickly carving through the second battleship. An explosion rocked the boat as I ripped open the hull in a flash. The measly Interior Union defense force sank into the foaming water as I approached the carrier. I could see small transport helicopters just spinning up their blades in an effort to escape. Those pilots were pretty quick to already be in their choppers. It had only been seconds since I started my assault, but it took a couple minutes to prepare a helicopter for flight. I didn't have time to stop and think as the ship began to fall on its side, capsizing into the cold sea of Mimir.

"Ruby, there are two normals emerging from the Port entrance. There appear to be more inside, along with a multitude of MTs. The Interior Union knows you're here now, and your intentions. Get ready for a fight." Fiona commed. I turned to face the canyon opening in time to see two Aldra model Goppert G3 normals raise their weapons as they hovered low to the water. These normals were armed with basic laser rifles and a shield, and were more heavily armored than some of the newer, faster models in circulation. But they still posed little threat.

"Thanks Fiona, I'm on them."

With a burst of speed, I jetted around the Gopperts, outflanking their thick shields and targeting the vulnerable sides. Bright blue lasers hissed past me, but unlike the battleships, the normals were actually able to follow me to some extent. I had to boost out of the way of the second volley, but by the time the pilots were taking aim again, I was out of their line of fire. A burst of energy from my back, a few swipes of the arm, and the two Gopperts dropped heavily into the ocean with a splash, sparks flying from bisected torsos. I turned and dashed through the canyon opening, boxed in by the massive, sheer rock faces.

The narrow pass opened up into a large bay area, filled to the brim with warships and fuel tankers. I could see another passage off to my right that must have continued deeper into the port. Before I moved on, I needed to clear everything out. I burst forward and rotated to face the nearest fuel tanker.

A single, well placed shot ignited the fuel and sent a roaring, oily fireball into the sky, which quickly enveloped two other ships that happened to be too close. In response, I was met with a wall of return fire from the remaining vessels, as they quickly tried to pull away from their docks. None of them got far. Switching to my chain missiles, I fired a barrage at the two closest tankers and watched as twin explosions covered an entire section of the port. No more gunfire came from the smoke.

"This area is clear Ruby, keep going."

"Roger." I replied, turning towards the pass I had seen earlier. I rushed inside, and soon came upon an old submarine trying desperately to escape the port. It was outdated even by naval standards, and looked like it could be sunk with a strong tap on the hull. But a scythe swipe across the exposed conning tower worked as well. The long, black relic vanished under the waves without a trace, and I continued onwards through the canyon.

Another normal fell between the cliffs to a combination of rifle fire and particle blade. Small submarine hangars adorned the sides of the rock face, and it was easy enough to fire a couple shots in as I sped past, intent on finishing this mission quickly.

As I emerged from the narrow crevice, another large docking area lay open before me. This one was much more heavily guarded. MTs opened fire from across the bay, and battleships began strafing the area with lances of cannon shells, filling the air with gun smoke and metal. There were even more fuel tankers in this area, and the port to my left was easily devastated with a few shots. The entire area erupted into flames that spread over the water as oil spilled into the sea, and the heat actually began to cause damage to my hull. Quickly I moved away from the wreckage and turned my attention to the other staging area.

This must have been the hub of the Union's activities. A large fleet was scattered throughout the open bay, guns all pointed in my direction. Carriers and escort ships peeked out from hangars in the rock walls on either side, and two battleships sat front and center in the water. Protruding from one side of the canyon wall was an expansive docking facility, with storage buildings and personnel quarters dwarfed behind large cargo cranes and another tanker being serviced. GA had picked the right time to attack, with all this fuel lying around. It barely took any effort to destroy this place.

The battleships in this area were higher quality models than the ones I had faced earlier, and dozens of guns released a steel cloud in my direction. The sheer volume of fire made dodging everything impossible, so I threw myself out of the way of the worst of it. The green flare of my primal armor protected me from most of the damage, but the force of impact still caused some damage to Crescent Rose. I could feel them along my left arm and chest, little tiny pinpricks like I was being bitten at by insects.

My rifle spat out four rounds with deadly efficiency, igniting all the tankers in the area until it looked like the sea would evaporate in the inferno. Internal fires erupted through most of the fleet, as reactors either collapsed from the force of the gas explosions or overheated from the flames. Ships capsized onto the dock and lay beached, bleeding oil and fire. Others splintered apart into the churning waves. Within seconds, the ocean was littered with the sinking, dying skeletons of a dozen warships.

"Keep moving into the main hangar. The Arms Fort has to be inside."

I coasted past the devastated port and under the low ceiling of the entryway to the main hangar. The tunnel was carved directly into the cliff, and more Muscle Tracers lined pathways on the side, barely emerging from the water. Sniper fire sent them careening into the channel before they could get a shot off, and I drew closer to the end of the passage. A massive, metallic, and menacing vessel filled the tunnel exit.

"There, that's the Arms Fort! A sea-based Stigro model! Destroy it, quickly!"

The immense vehicle was barely contained in the main hangar, which stretched high up into the thick rock above. Stigro cut an impressive figure, with streamlined fins and hydrofoils holding up the main body. Its light brown surface was covered by intake and dispersal vents, and pockets of missile launchers dotted the upper structure. In the front, sitting just above the water line, was a huge laser blade. The Stigro was designed with speed in mind, to quickly cut down entire enemy fleets in seconds using the wide laser, wiping them away like one might wipe out a footprint in sand. The entire upper body was as tall as Crescent Rose, and most of the superstructure was devoted to the powerful generator and rockets that could propel the Stigro at speeds that eluded even the fastest NEXTs. But this meant armor was lacking, and the massive generator would rupture under any kind of abnormal stress. For example, the explosions from the three fuel tankers behind it. The Interior Union really needed to establish better safety protocols.

Hot alloys and oils from the detonating ships spread across the bottom of Stigro, and the concussive force from the reaction released a powerful shockwave that spread like wildfire. It slammed into me and actually pushed me back a little, causing some damage to my hull, but nothing major. Still I cringed. Staying this close to an explosion I caused was careless. I needed to watch what I was doing more carefully.

In any case, the Stigro was much closer, and it absorbed most of the blast with its thrusters and engine, which caught fire and exploded in a bright, orange ball of gas. The main generator groaned and died, and Stigro was wracked with internal detonations and fires as floors collapsed on themselves and mechanical systems fell apart. The majestic, floating fortress began to sink into the Ocean as the hydrofoils holding it afloat split in two, filling the foaming waters with scraps of metal.

"Good job, that's our bonus covered."

"Great! So what's left?"

"Scans say there are a few more ships at the entrance to the main hangar. It should be to your left, you can't miss it. It's where the Stigro entered, so it will be large."

"I see it, thanks."

The few remaining carriers and escort battleships of the rag tag 3rd Interior Union fleet were little trouble. Just a well placed shot to the generator here, and a couple scythe strikes there, and I was surrounded by wreckage in seconds.

"Excellent work, Ruby. GA thinks this will suffice, and they seemed very pleased that you took out the Arms Fort. It's time to come home. Please head back to the drop off point, so we can pick you up."

"On my way!" I replied with giddy excitement. I let out a pent up sigh of relief as I backtracked through the Mimir Naval Port. My first mission was officially completed, and with a near perfect performance, if I do say so myself. Of course, none of my other missions would be this easy. The Interior Union had practically helped me destroy their docks with all of the fuel tankers lying around. If anything, it was a sloppy practice and they needed to-

I froze as I passed by the main docking area I had seen before. The flames had started to subside, and survivors were running back and forth from the supply hangars that had been spared to the burning docks. The people looked so tiny from up here, but Crescent Rose's camera could zoom in with remarkable quality. I shouldn't have, but I did.

Nothing can really prepare you for what's out there. What you have to do, it's not like the simulators.

I found it hard to draw breath as I watched people run towards the fire to pull friends and crew members from the beached ships. Valiant souls unleashed torrents of foam from hoses connected to the remaining buildings as the fire crept inward. Fiery ghosts stumbled from the ship, looking almost like people as they fell to their knees and burned. A man sat amidst them, leaning over one of the charred, ruined forms, with his hands reaching for its neck. He pulled away with two minuscule, silvery ovals, which he clutched to his chest so hard it appeared that he meant to embed them into his skin. People rushed around him, calling out instructions and warnings, spraying chemical foam into the wreckage, pulling injured people to safety. None of them ever stopped to look up, but this one man did. He looked straight up at me, looming over everything like some god of war, surveying his art. Sunlight glinted from two thin, wet lines on his face, before he closed his eyes and turned his head downwards. I felt my stomach beginning to churn, and my heart pumped in my chest only with great effort. An indescribable feeling of tightness and despair gripped me, and I realized I was unable to move.

What I have to do.

"…Ruby, respond! What are you doing? Get out of there, the Interior Union will have reinforcements arriving any minute!"

"Fiona, they…" I started to respond. But the voice had not been Fiona's. It was a man's, someone who I was very familiar with.

"Ruby, please, I know what you're going through and I can help. But only if you get to the transport right now! Fiona can't wait any longer."

"Hector…it's…it's…"

It's not like the simulators.

That night was rough. Most of it I spent in the bathroom, wiping my face and sitting against the wall near the toilet, in case I lost control of my stomach again. The door was shut to stifle the crying sounds, but I knew my parents were awake in their bed, listening to their little girl weeping and trying to close her eyes.

But I couldn't. The man and his friend would come back every time I did. Flames danced under my eyelids, and I would burn to death if I let them fill my vision.

I didn't get any sleep at all, and the only reason I knew it was daytime was when my father knocked on the door.

"Ruby, I'm coming in, okay?"

I choked out a yes, before sliding myself around to face the entrance to our room. My parents stood in the frame, still in their pajamas. Mother spoke first, her voice quivering. I could see she had been crying too.

"Please, baby, talk to us. We love you no matter what."

I wasn't so sure that they could. My parents were very compassionate, but they weren't there at Mimir. They didn't know exactly what I saw. What I did.

"I love you too, I just… Oh god, I'm a monster." My crying began anew.

"No sweetie, no no no, you aren't, you aren't. " Mother crouched down to my level and wrapped me up in a hug. I felt some scattered tears fall onto my back. "Don't ever say that."

"All those ships, gone… each one had hundreds of people… and the port was on fire… people were burning…all my fault, everything." I sniffled as my eyes grew even more red.

"Ruby, I don't-"

A knock on the apartment door snapped away my mother's attention, and mine for a brief moment. My father walked over to the door and threw it open, to reveal the trademark faded olive trench coat.

"Taiyang, Summer," Hector nodded to my parents. My father stepped back from the door, and my mother reluctantly stood up. I followed suit, albeit unsteadily. His kind, silver eyes seemed to radiate understanding and concern, and I knew he was here to talk. "Could I speak with Ruby, please?"

My parents turned to me as one, and I nodded my approval. With a final rub on my shoulder, my mother stepped out into the hall, and my father followed her before closing the door. Hector and I stood alone inside the room. He motioned me to sit down on the worn sofa.

"How are you holding up?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Not that well, I guess," I sniffled a little. "I always knew I would have to kill but-"

"The simulators don't show you what it really looks like, do they?"

"No, they don't. I thought that Yang's warning all those years ago meant that the simulators couldn't replicate real human skill. But that's not what she meant."

"At first glance, destroying a muscle tracer, or normal, or a battleship seems like nothing. There is so much metal around the human element that we tend to forget it exists." Hector said. We sat close together, leaning on each other's shoulders as we stared at the blank news screen. "It's not often that you'll see on the personal level the destruction you've caused, but it's always there, and it's something we have to learn to live with. But that doesn't mean we're evil, it doesn't make us murderers. We do what we do because it's our job and there is no other solution."

I looked over at him as my tears began to dry.

"You're a good person Ruby, and I know that if there was another way you would take it. But we're committed to our paths now, and we can't turn back. We will take many lives in our fight to survive, but never once in human history has one group profited without the expense of another. It is a sacrifice we have to make to protect those we care about, and you must be confident in your beliefs or else hesitation will get you killed."

Hector turned to look at me with a grim smile on his face, one of determination and trust.

"Remember what we're fighting for. Freedom, justice, family, and friends. I have complete faith in you, and I know you're capable of great things." He gently massage my shoulder before standing. The gesture was well meaning, and I started to feel better.

"If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me." He said, starting for the door. "Oh, and when you're given a mission without very specific guidelines, usually you can bend the rules a little bit. Most of the time, companies will be happy even if you just cripple a force and not outright destroy it; Sinking ships with minimal damage for example, or destroying production lines instead of an entire factory. I mean, what are they going to do? Yell at someone in a NEXT?" He scoffed. I fell back in the sofa and laughed, and Hector smiled widely. It felt good to be thinking more lightly now.

"Thanks for everything Hector, I'm glad you came by. If you would, let Professor Ozpin know I'll be ready for my next mission soon. And tell Fiona I said hi, and thanks."

"I will, Ruby."

In a few short seconds, he was gone, and my parents were back in the room fretting over me. It took a little convincing, but I assured them I was fine, and the rest of the day I spent in the loving care of my own charges, those who I had to protect. Everyone in this city, who had lost so much and suffered under the rule of the corporations, I had to protect. I wouldn't let them down.

That night, sleep came easier. When I shut my eyes and the fires came back, I wasn't afraid. It was an undesirable by-product of war, and something I never wished to see again. But I knew I might, and I would just have to steel myself for when that time came. I can't say I always thought twice about taking a life, but when I did the act I firmly believed in all my heart that there was no alternative.

There would always be war, and there would always be casualties. For now, the only thing that mattered was that Line Ark was not one of them. As the fires subsided and the images began to fade, I drifted peacefully into a deep and dreamless slumber.

First mission complete! Ruby's career is just beginning, and this hasn't even scratched the surface of her experiences and abilities.

For all of you who played ACfA, I hope I'm not alone in thinking that the IU really has some lax safety protocols with all the fuel tankers lying around.

But I digress, I hope you all liked it!

Chapter 8 "I Burn" will be out ASAP.