The briefing room was bustling with noise and movement as the VATF waited to get their assignments from their commanding officer. Winter sat in the far back corner of the room, away from the rowdy soldiers she had been working with for the last three months. Despite Jaune's kind words about her being "one of them now," she still felt alone in this crowded room. The only one she considered a friend was Jaune. Samuel was fine in small doses, as his brash behavior often picked away at Winter's nerves. Rita was alright, but her insistent need to spar often got annoying. V was the only one other than Lt Arc that Winter could hold a conversation with. More often than not, if Jaune was preoccupied, Winter was in the infirmary talking to V or helping her in any way she could. That's not to say Winter wasn't enjoying her time with the VATF. In the three short months she'd been assigned to the unit they had conducted operations all over Vacuo and Vale, hitting as many high value targets as they could.
In the middle of Winter's thoughts, the door to the briefing room bust open and in walked Lt Arc followed by his right-hand man Samuel Winchester. Despite the near constant fighting Jaune had a jovial air about him that drew those around him closer. The man's hair had grown since she first met him, no longer was it short and faded. Now it reached his ears, and the top of his neck. He also had stubble forming along his jaw line and upper lip giving him a five o'clock shadow. Samuel on the other hand looked like he hadn't shaved since they arrived in Vacuo. A thick brown bear covered his jaw and mouth and his hair had grown out considerably.
"Attention!" One of the men yelled. Everyone stood ramrod straight awaiting their orders from the CO.
"At ease everyone." Jaune said in his authoritative tone.
"Listen up." Jaune said as he took his place behind the podium at the front of the room.
"We have reports of small groups of White Fang members operating in small villages in the surrounding area. Now I know this is nothing unusual. But, they have been causing upheaval for the mining towns and we can't allow their actions to cut off the rest of the kingdom from its dust supply. So, in order to combat the separate cells operating in the area the VATF will be splitting up to take control of the mines."
No one in the room said anything. They were too engaged in what their CO was saying.
"These will be the teams." Jaune said once again, holding up a piece of paper.
"Alpha, Bravo, and Echo will be team one. Corporal Obsidian will be the acting officer in charge of the teams going to cite one. Teams Charlie, Delta, and Foxtrot you will be at cite two and I will be accompanying you. Specialist Schnee will also be joining us at cite two." Jaune nodded to Winter in the back corner.
"At this time does anyone have any questions?"
Alpha's squad leader raised his hand and said, "What kind of resistance are we expecting when we arrive?"
Jaune looked at the man with his piercing cerulean eyes and said, "Unknown."
At this point everyone started looking to their left and right, some made uncomfortable faces, but none spoke.
"The intelligence we received from the towns in question was vague and otherwise unhelpful. I know that's not what you want to hear. After all it sounds like an ambush to me too." Jaune said, forcing all eyes back to himself.
"But, it is our duty to protect the people from those who would cause them harm. That being said, load up with enough weapons and ammunition to level the towns if things go sideways. I will try and get recon on the two cites to get a better picture. Although I would have all of you plan for the worst and hope for the best."
"Are there any more questions?" This time no one spoke.
"Very well you're all dismissed, we leave in the morning."
With that Jaune stepped out from behind the podium and made his way for the door Samuel hot on his heels. Once again everyone stood at attention, but unlike before a sense of gloom hung in the air.
As the sun rose in the morning and cast away the lingering darkness of the night, the soldiers of the VATF began to load themselves and their equipment onto the awaiting bullheads. Jaune oversaw the men and made sure everything was in order before he sent his soldiers out on their mission. From behind him came a figure in white, and as he turned he saw the figure shine with the rising sun on its back, to him it looked like an angel.
"I'm ready to go sir." Winter said as she stood before Jaune. Her rapier was hanging from her hip and she wore a pristine, white Atlas backpack with her family's insignia on the side.
Jaune looked at the woman and asked, "You sure you should be wearing that symbol on your gear?"
"I hardly think I will make any significant difference." Winter stated haughtily.
"And why is that?"
"Because every faunus, White Fang or not, knows my family, and what we look like. I hardly think showing pride in my family's insignia will get myself any less animosity from the faunus community."
Jaune had to concede his point at that. If it wasn't her symbol that got her spotted then it would surely be her dazzling white hair, along with her imperious attitude. Jaune just shrugged and Winter moved past him and towards the bullhead.
Looking at the flying monstrosity before him Jaune sighed and resigned himself to the four-hour long flight to their destination. He really wished the meds didn't make him drowsy as he hated emptying the contents of his stomach every time they flew to a new destination. 'Oh well, such is life,' thought Jaune as he picked up his weapon and pack and headed for the bullhead and his next mission.
The mining town of Batnah could be seen in the distance by the VATF as their neared their destination. The town was located in a natural defensive position as it was flanked on three out of four sides by a mountain that was the dust mine. Batnah was small in comparison to some other villages Jaune had been in in the last three months. He figured the number of inhabitants of the village to be less than five hundred. As the Batnah drew closer Jaune heard over his headset that the bullhead would be landing in approximately five minutes. With that Jaune waved his hand and got everyone's attention and held up five fingers. Every other soldier mimicked Jaune's hand sign and held up five fingers making sure they all knew when they'd be landing. After the predicted amount of time the bullhead lurched forward and the ramp at the back of the craft opened. Soldiers began pouring out and set up security in a crescent moon pattern, Winter, being the only one not brandishing a gun, stayed close to Jaune as he took his position and waved the bullhead off.
Once the bullhead was safely underway the VATF plus Winter moved to the gate of the town and were greeted by two burly men holding spears. Jaune walked up to the men and told them he was there to see the mayor of the town. One of the guards called in Jaune's presence on the radio and a few minutes later Jaune and his soldiers were given the green light to enter the town of Batnah. As the soldiers moved through the city they were greeted by a marketplace filled with people, who only gave the soldiers a passing glance.
After moving through the marketplace, the VATF kept walking until they came upon a fairly large mansion in the residential part of the town. As the soldiers drew closer a formation of guards came walking up to them in a defensive position. Once the two groups were within twenty feet of each other a jovial voice echoed out from the group of guards. The guards split and out popped a ridiculously overweight man in fancy clothes. The man's black hair was graying on the sides and at the top a few long strands were combed over his otherwise bald head.
"Oh, thank goodness you are here." The plump man said as he pranced closer to Jaune.
"It's just been awful, simply dreadful. These savage faunus are putting the mine at risk, you simply have to stop them."
Jaune looked at the paunchy man with a feeling of disgust. His plump face was drenched in sweat from the Vacuan heat, and as Samuel would so tactfully say, he had more chins than a Mistrilian phone book.
"We're here to help sir." Jaune said, with a forced smile. "But, you need to tell us what the situation is before we can do anything."
"Oh, of course. Of course, right this way good sir." The man placed his hand on Jaune's back and guided him towards his mansion like home.
The majority of the men stayed at the entrance of the home with the guards while Jaune, Samuel, and Winter followed the plump mayor to his private office.
"My name is Kasal, Marcus Kasal. Mayor of this fine little mining town. And it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." The now named Mayor Kasal said as he gave a theatrical bow.
"Ms. Schnee it is an honor to have one such as you in our humble little town. I hope everything you see if to your satisfaction." Kasal said, as he gave Winter a lecherous smile.
"Ahem," Jaune cleared his throat and said, "With all the formalities out of the way can you tell us what the problem is here?"
"Oh, of course my boy, of course. You see those dreadful faunus are stirring up a rebellion at the mine and I can't have that. I also have reason to believe the leader of the group is working for the White Fang."
"On what grounds do you make those accusations?" Samuel added with slight anger in his voice.
"Oh, my boy they attacked and killed my guards at the mine. Drove out the one's they didn't kill and have taken control of the whole mining facility."
The two soldiers and a specialist shared an unconvincing look at one another. The three were trying to figure out what to say until they heard an explosion coming from outside. The three jumped to their feet while the Mayor cowered under his desk. Jaune and company ran to the window to see a plume of smoke rising from what they believed to be the mining area. The mayor, once he was sure he wasn't in any danger, scurried up to the three and tried to use Samuel as a shield.
"You see, it's those revolting faunus they are attacking again. They are probably trying to build a bomb or something with all the dust down there."
Jaune looked at the others unconvinced, but if the White Fang were up to something at the mine it was his job to stop them.
Jaune turned around and looked to Samuel. "Round up the men we are headed down there, we leave in five."
The scenery on the way down to the mining area was a complete contrast to the living area they had just come from. No longer were the houses well maintained, instead most of the living quarters they saw were little more than dilapidated shacks. As Jaune walked past another small shack he was greeted by an open area with a large hole in the mountain not a hundred feet from his current position. 'That must be the entrance to the mine.' Jaune thought.
As Jaune cleared the shack a loud crack was heard and splinters from the shack pelted Jaune in the face as he dove for cover. Checking himself to make sure he hadn't been hit he signaled for Samuel to take a group of men and flank the shooters position. Samuel nodded and took Charlie squad and began to loop around the small shacks towards what he thought was the shooters last known location. At the same time Jaune ordered the remaining two squads to open fire at the shooter to keep their heads down. After about ten seconds Jaune ordered his men to cease fire so they wouldn't hit Samuel and Charlie squad. A few seconds past, then a few seconds became a minute before Samuel came over the radio and told Jaune the coast was clear, and that he needed him to get over there ASAP.
Jaune ran over to Samuel's position and was shocked at what he saw. Two faunus children were sitting on the ground with their hands bound behind their backs.
"What the hell is this?" Jaune asked in utter confusion.
"These are our shooters, sir." Samuel said in a voice that mixed anger and sorrow.
Jaune bent over to talk to the kids, when he did so the two faunus children tried their hardest to scoot away from the armed blonde.
"Hey, hey, easy now you two." Jaune said in a soothing tone. "We aren't going to hurt you, this was probably a misunderstanding and I apologize." Jaune showed his hands to the two trying to make them relax.
"Do you two have names?"
The two looked at each other for a second before a high-pitched voice responded to Jaune. "Sif, my name is Sif." She had two wolf like ears that were laying back against her head. She looked at Jaune with a mix of fear and hatred in her eyes.
Jaune nodded, "What about you bud, do you have a name?" Jaune asked the second trembling faunus.
The boy refused to meet Jaune's eye and continued to look at the ground. The girl next to him nudged the boy and told him to stop being such a wimp.
"You can't show these humans you're afraid of them." Sif told the boy. "The moment you show fear is the moment they own you."
The female faunus' words confused Jaune. They weren't here to enslave the faunus, they were here to stop a White Fang rebellion.
"P…Pellius. My name is Pellius." The boy answered in a meek voice. He too, had ears on top of his head but instead of wolf ears he had mice ears that splayed off to the side.
As Jaune was about to say more to the two scared faunus children Samuel pulled him up to his feet. It was at this point Jaune heard the sounds of an angry mob approaching his position and was forced by Samuel to get into a defensible position. A member of Charlie squad grabbed the kids and pulled them behind cover too.
As the mob drew closer the VATF took up firing positions in the shacks and behind anything hard enough to stop a bullet. Once the crowd reached about fifty feet from their position Jaune began to see what he was dealing with.
The faunus workers looked like they hadn't eaten in weeks, all were skinny and their hair was mangled, their clothes ragged. They were a hodgepodge of different faunus species and Jaune couldn't begin to try and sort them all out. When they tried to come closer a shot rang out a few dozen feet from where the angry faunus were charging.
Jaune shouted at the mob of faunus, "Stop moving forward, if you advance any further we will open fire."
"You would kill innocents no matter the cause, you filthy racists." One of the men in the group of workers shouted back at Jaune.
An older man came forward, his long gray hair and beard blew wildly in the wind. "You come here and take my people hostage and you expect us to sit back and do nothing?"
"We did not attack your people unprovoked." Jaune stated. "When we came down here one of these two fired a shot at my head."
"It was a shame they missed!" Added one of the belligerent faunus.
"We won't." One of Jaune's men yelled. Jaune turned his head and gave the man a murderous glare which he quickly backed down from.
At that the faunus started yelling at the soldiers demanding they return the children and that they leave this place before things get ugly. Jaune trying to mediate had finally had enough. He pulled his defender service pistol out of its holster and fired one round into the air silencing everyone so he could talk.
"This is a misunderstanding. We did not mean to take your children hostage, we simply came down to see what caused the explosion we heard."
"If you mean that then give us our kids back." A woman in the mob yelled.
"How do I know you won't shoot me when I bring them out?"
The older gray man simply said, "You don't."
Jaune was quiet for a while he looked over to Samuel only to see a conflicted look on his face. He didn't want to kill these people, none of the VATF did. So, Jaune decided to take a leap of faith. He grabbed the two kids and along with them walked out from behind cover. He kept walking until he was halfway between his soldiers and the mob. Then, Jaune stopped and bent down to cut the flex cuffs off the two faunus children. The two leapt up and ran over to the assembly of faunus where they were greeted by the group. The one called Sif ran up to the old man and hugged his right leg.
"There, your kids are safe. Now can I please talk to the person in charge."
Jaune stood there, completely in the open. If one of these faunus wanted to they could shoot Jaune in the head and there was nothing he could do about it. However, once he detached the young Sif from his leg, the old man walked out to meet Jaune, a spear now slung over his right shoulder.
"Thank you for returning the children, I trust they weren't harmed." The man asked Jaune warily.
"Of course not, once we took their weapons and restrained them no harm came to them. You have my word." Jaune looked the man in the eyes as he said this his right-hand balling into a fist and striking his chest.
"Then you have my thanks in that regard. Now why have you come here? Is it to place us back into captivity?"
"What do you mean captivity?" Jaune caused incredulously. "We were told by Mayor Kasal that the White Fang had taken over the mine and had killed some of his guards."
The man's face twisted into a look of disgust and rage. "White Fang." The man hissed with venom in his voice. "Those scum have done nothing but damage the reputation of faunus everywhere with their militant tactics." The man spit on the ground to the side of Jaune.
"The only thing worse than the White Fang is that monster this town calls a Mayor." The man said with utter distain.
"How is he a monster? From what I saw he's a little racist but he's hardly a monster."
"You have just gotten here, plus you are not a faunus, my boy. If you were I don't expect he would have treated you with such hospitality."
"What has he done to you that makes him a monster Mr?" Jaune motioned for the man in front of him to identify himself.
"Chin, Chin-Ho is my name, and what may I ask is yours?"
"Lieutenant Jaune Arc with the Valian Anti-Terrorism Task Force."
Chin stood there with his mouth agape. "They sent the VATF to silence us? We have done nothing wrong!" The man was quaking in fear, and the mob behind him seemed to grow even more restless.
"Relax Chin, we aren't here to silence anyone. We just wanted the White Fang who operated out of this town. I want to know what is going on around here, and you look like a man who could give me some answers."
Chin-Ho swallowed a mouth full of saliva and said, "Where do you want me to start, Mr. Arc?"
"From the beginning."
Jaune sat at a table with Chin-Ho from within the main building in the mining area. The old dilapidated building had bedrolls strung out all over the floor. Jaune assumed this was where the majority of the faunus were living. The roof had holes in various places and there was mold growing in the corners of the building, the state in which these people had to live brought a scowl to Jaune's usually happy face.
"I can see the anger on your face my boy." Chin-Ho stated to Jaune. "We have lived like this since as long as I can remember."
"Why though?" Asked Jaune in a dumbfounded tone. "Why would you choose to live and work here why don't you just leave?"
"You say that like we have a choice my boy." Chin said with a saddened voice.
"These people have been abducted from various villages in order to work in the dust mines, all so Mayor Kasal can make a profit." Chin spit the word profit, like mere money could be worth the lives of so many of his friends.
"I was abducted, along with my family, about fifteen years ago. At the time my youngest daughter was pregnant with young Sif. Those monsters forced her to work till her hands and feet bled." Tears began to form in the corners of Chin's eyes.
"They worked her, and the rest of our family to the bone, every day with barely any food or rest. It was a miracle that she was able to bring Sif into this world." Jaune was lost in thought, how could being born into slavery be a miracle?
"My daughter died giving birth to Sif. When the child was born we had to hide her away as we were not allowed to birth children. For years we hid her and Pellius from the guards and that bastard Kasal."
"Then a few weeks ago, a guard noticed Sif and Pellius playing and told Kasal. He ordered the two be captured and killed. We could not allow that to happen. So, when the guards came we picked up out mining tools and attacked them, stole their weapons and took over the mine. You must understand Lt Arc if we did nothing our children would have been murdered."
"Are Sif and Pellius the only children at the mine?" Jaune asked the older man.
"No."
"How many?"
"Dozens."
Jaune raised his hand and cupped his chin as he thought of his next question.
"What about the explosion from before?"
"Those were the big dust powered mining tools. We gathered up everything we could and set fire dust to destroy the equipment."
"I have a Specialist with the Atlas Military with me, she happens to be an expert with dust. Do you mind if I send her to investigate the explosion?"
"Of course not. Let me know what they look like and my people will take them to the cite."
"There's something you should know. Her name is Winter Schnee."
The man was taken aback at hearing the Schnee name. His face began to twist into one of anger until Jaune began speaking.
"She is not a member of the SDC. She gave up all ties to the Schnee family when she joined the military, I would bet my life that she will be just as angry as I am when she hears this news."
The man's face was unreadable, years of slavery by a man who payed by the SDC brought out a fierce distrust. But, in the end he tried to put his anger aside for the good of his people.
"She will have unlimited access to the mining facility." Chin said to Jaune with an exhausted sigh.
"Excellent once she has completed her inspection I will talk to the Mayor."
Tears once again welled up in the man's eyes but he held them back. "Thank you, Lt Arc you have no idea what this means to me and my people."
Roughly twenty minutes later after Chin had told his people to let Winter examine the explosion cite she returned.
"They are telling the truth. The mining tools, the fire dust, everything. They even showed me where the explosion originated from and how the fire spread. These people are telling the truth Jaune." Winter said as she placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder then left the room.
Jaune was seething, that piece of shit Mayor had the nerve to do this to these people. Not only has he falsely reported a White Fang attack, but he has violated the treaty signed after the Human-Faunus War. That fat fuck has committed crimes against the people of Remnant and brought in him and his men to kill these innocent people.
Jaune shot out of his seat his chair falling to the floor as he looked at the beaten old faunus that sat in front of him.
"I will get you justice Chin, you have my word as an Arc." Jaune stuck out his hand for the older man to shake.
Chin took the hand firmly in his own and shook it, tears no longer able to be held back.
Jaune, despite his current mood tried to remain calm as he walked into the mansion that housed Mayor Kasal. Alongside him were Samuel and Winter. As Jaune walked into the private office he was at before he saw Kasal sitting behind his desk in his large leather armchair.
"Ah, my boy you're back. I hope everything went according to plan." The evil bastard said with glee in his eyes.
"Almost Mayor." Jaune said putting up a calm front and turning to face a window, he couldn't snap this man in half, at least not yet. "The faunus have been subdued and your operations should be able to being again soon."
"That is wonderful news, wonderful news." The fat man bounced in his seat.
"There is one thing I still need for my investigation however." Jaune said as he turned to face the man.
"Oh, and what might that be?" Kasal was still smiling ear to ear. 'Let's see if you're still smiling after this you piece of shit.' Thought Jaune.
"I'm going to need the hiring notices of all the workers in the mine. Some were killed you see and we need to be able to verify who they were so we can notify next of kin."
The man's smile vanished and his eyes became wide as he looked from his left to his right nervously.
"That won't be a problem, will it Mr. Kasal?" Winter asked in an authoritative tone.
"Umm, uh, no, of course not. Let me just run and grab them for you." The man began to get out of his seat until a titan like and was placed on his shoulder forcing him back into his chair.
"I'm sure one of your assistants can get it for you Mr. Mayor." Samuel said in a voice dripping with anger.
"What is the meaning of this? Get your hands off me." The man tried to free himself but Samuel was too strong.
"The meaning of this, Mr. Mayor." Jaune said as he stood in front of the pudgy man. "Is that you have violated the Human-Faunus War treaty."
"I have done no sure thing." The disgusting man tried to say but Jaune cut him off.
"I hear by state, that no man, woman, or child. Whether he or she be faunus or human, shall be property of another. As such, restrictions on any races ability to bear children is found unlawful. Any attempts to break these law, set forth after this day of September 9th , 2001 shall be sentenced to death or life imprisonment, by the Kingdom by which the offender was found guilty. Given power by the Four Kingdoms of Remnant." Jaune stated the brief definition of the law as he looked down at the man with disgust in his eyes.
"You enslaved those people and brought us in to silence them when they rebelled!" Jaune roared in complete unadulterated anger. "Tell me right now why I shouldn't march you outside and place you in front of a firing squad?"
Kasal began weeping and blubbering, "Please don't kill me I'll give you anything you want. Money? I have lots of it I'll give you half of everything I have."
Jaune looked at the man with murderous intent.
"All I have?"
Jaune couldn't take it anymore his fist lashed out and flattened the obese mayor's nose. Blood cascaded down his face and he began to wail even louder. Jaune then lifted the man out from behind his desk and held him in mid-air by his collar.
"You think you can bribe me?" Jaune asked with venom seeping through his teeth. "You think you can do what you did and not face the consequences?"
Jaune threw the man at the wall and every picture frame fell from its hanging place. Jaune's leg shot forward and caught the man in the ribcage forcing him to expel all the air in his lunges and roll onto his back. Jaune then sat on top of the man and began raining punches down on his face. Blow, after blow, more blood splayed out from the man's face as Jaune pummeled the monster laying at his mercy. As Jaune was about to throw another punch into the man's face a hand wrapped around his wrist and stopped his attack.
Jaune's head whipped around to face the person that dared stop him from ridding the world of this monster. There, before Jaune's eyes he saw Winter holding his wrist, a tear in her eye begging him to stop. Jaune then looked at what he had done and was disgusted with himself. The man was a monster, yes. But, Jaune shouldn't have lost control like that it dropped him down to Kasal's level.
He stood from his position atop Kasal and hugged Winter.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lost control."
"Shh, everything is alright now." Winter said as she tried to calm an overly emotional Jaune Arc.
Jaune regained his composure and turned to Samuel who had a look of concern on his face and gave him a weak smile.
"Sergeant, arrest this man. I have a plan for him."
"Yes sir, Lt Arc." Samuel began to take out flex cuffs and bind Kasal's hands behind his back.