Chapter 47 Which Way to Split
Character Starkiller
"Well welcome home Star," K said as they looked out the window of the Pestilence. Below them Juno Eclipse was waving at them and directing them towards a landing pad outside the growing metropolis of Endor. Juno was nearly six feet tall with sandy, blond hair, blue eyes and a commanding air that hung about her. Dressed in an all black leather flight suit, the commanding air was easy to pull off. The door next to Star and K opened as the Pestilence docked and Star, in his typical overly dramatic display of force power, launched himself out of the doorway to hover above Juno before lowering himself down to the ground. He was immediately enveloped in a hug and a kiss from his wife, which he returned.
"How long was I gone," He asked as Juno let him go.
"Oh for me you were only gone for the afternoon," Juno replied, "I have a feeling that for you it's been longer though. Your eyes give it away."
"What those black orbs, I doubt you could tell anything from them," Rahm Kota said as the blind Jedi Master walked over to them, "What did you ride in on a giant worm?"
"Doug is not a worm," Star replied, "Though through the Force the ship does make him look like one, almost."
"Doug huh," Kota muttered, "Odd name, for a spaceship. Oh you've brought that K fellow back to haven't you."
"Glad to be viewed by you again," K said, as he and C came up beside Star, "Juno, Told you we would bring him back."
"Yes you did," Juno remarked, "I know Jedi can live for a long time but just how long have you been gone this time you don't look a day older, other than your eyes being... more peaceful."
"About a year and a half this time," Star replied, "About my aging. Juno I don't age, the Leviathans of DC exude life making the members immortal."
"Never aging huh," Kota remarked, "That is a long time to be stuck with that baby face."
"Baby face," C asked.
"I think it's cute," Juno said.
"Who might you be," Kota asked, "Last time K didn't bring any of his friends. Not that I am complaining mind you, showed up, saved Starkiller after we had escaped the Death Star then followed up by making the Sith disappear."
"And that was the next point I was going to bring up," Star muttered as Qui-gon Jin exited the ship.
"Well now there is a face I recognize," Qui-gon remarked, "Rahm Kota."
"Qui-gon," Kota exclaimed, "You disappeared on Naboo almost forty years ago."
"Yes I'm afraid we may have caused that," K said, "and the new woman is my wife Celantra."
"So your the one that came back from the dead then," Juno asked confused.
"If I could count the number of times we have all been dead in one form or another," C started.
"Don't bother," Star said, "I was practically there and I don't really understand how we all survived the battles we've been through. Right now we might have a bigger issue on our hands. Kota have you been feeling anything odd through the force?"
"Oh so you didn't come back just to see me then," Juno stated.
"Trust me young one he came back for you," C said, "Otherwise I don't know if he would have cared enough to notice anything at all."
"You've been gone for a few hours tops," Kota said, "Only thing I've felt was being a little hungry... wait are you talking about that ripple?"
"Ripple," K asked.
"An event in the force that echoes itself," Qui-gon explained, "It can mean just about anything from the birth of twins, to the reemergence of some lost power, to the collapse of a star."
"With the Sith we knew working for Adam now," Star mused, "Would someone discovering their code cause such a ripple?"
"If that person was Force sensitive yes," Kota said, There are not many of us left out there though."
"Not many that we know of," K added, "These ripples, I assume how far they can be felt is based on the magnitude of the event?"
"That is the theory," Qui-gon said, "Since none have ever been seen from the Force side of the event we can not be sure. I think I see what you are getting at. How powerful would the event have to be to echo through to another universe?"
"Events don't cross the universes," Doug said as he slid one of his serpent forms up next to them, "Beings do." This put everyone into a silence for a minute.
"Doug ready Delta and the Wagons, alert Ivan that we will probably need his skills," K said, "Leave the others under cover, we want to have a few ace cards if we need them."
"On it," Doug said, "Sparks of course is not happy he is not going in with the main team."
"Then he can be unhappy," K said, "James just finished talking with me and Roland before we left about an old friend of ours, Coris. He is one of the few beings powerful enough to echo his arrival across a universe."
"Lets hope he is friendly," Star said.
"Yeah about that," C said, "Coris disappeared after the Leviathan Giant war. He was a very depressed and angry person when he left I don't know how his mental state will be now... what was that?" A ripple pulsed through the air causing the six of them to shiver.
"That ripple was much more powerful," Kota remarked.
"I'm not even force sensitive and I felt it," Juno added.
"That's because the ripple created a physical disturbance," Star stated, "Has that ever happened before?"
"Only for one person we know of," Kota said, "He was an exile from the order, a void in the force. He echoed everything that happened to him. It was said that he could cause physical disturbances from across the galaxy."
"Even Revan isn't that powerful," Qui-gon added, "Or Adam or whatever he calls himself these days."
"Wait do you mean the Revan, as in Darth Revan, as in the Hero of the Mandalorian wars Revan," Juno asked.
"Uh yeah he does," Star said.
"You've met him," Kota asked, "How?"
"You really don't want to know," K said, "What did you say about this exile being a void in the force?"
"Even we don't know about it clearly," Qui-gon said, "All the records that we have say that he echoed death, a despair, back out into the force. Where a life should have been able to be felt there was simply nothing."
"What death did he echo," Star asked.
"Presumably the deaths of all those killed in the last battle of the Mandalorian War," Kota said.
"K how many deaths were there in the Leviathan Giant war," Star asked. K just looked at him.
"That is really bad isn't it," Juno remarked.
"If echoes in the force are real, and if Coris is echoing all the deaths of the War and if it is him at all," K clarified, "Then yes it is potentially really, really, really bad."
"Potentially," Doug asked.
"Well Coris might be friendly towards us," C said, "After all he and Roland were best friends." A wave of force knocked everyone around them down, K, C and Doug included. Star was up first to check on Juno then the rest of the crew and the pedestrians that were affected by the blast.
"That was no random event something was targeting us," Qui-gon said, "K what if this Coris is not friendly?"
They looked to K who was being helped up by C, he seemed more disoriented than the rest as he looked around confused.
"K are you alright," C asked.
"Hmm let me think about that," came K's voice from behind Star. They turned around to see the shimmering out line of K in his Leviathan form flickering and pulsing behind them.
"K," C exclaimed as she moved from his body to him. "How are, but you're right there!"
"Not any more I'm afraid," another voice said from K's body. It was lighter, calmer than K's.
"Coris," K and C yelled.
"Whoa I wasn't planning on possessing anyone's body," Coris quickly explained, "I just needed to warn you about Malachor V!" K swatted at Coris causing his body to shiver before K let out a low growl.
"I am not happy about this," K snarled.
"Okay I know this situation isn't ideal but as I was traveling through the dimensional time rifts trying to relocate my body I ran across a most unusual reading from this planet," Coris said, "It is a cracked and shattered mess that is falling in on itself, but I think there is something at its heart that is alive and very, VERY, malevolent."
"Malachor V," Star muttered, "The Exile was there when it was crushed, that is what he echoed, Revan was there too, both gained enormous power from that place. The old Sith records consider it a revered training ground, much like Korriban." This statement seemed to allay K's anger enough to allow Coris to continue as the former Leviathan was about to slap his inhabited body again.
"Well I don't know the history of the planet," Coris continued, "But even as a ghost that place was spooking me. I tried contacting Roland then James and then you two showed up in this universe so I figured you heard me and came to help."
"Well we did in a way," C said, "James did get a message from you and was asking about you before we left but it was Star and Qui-gon who brought us here. They probably sensed whatever you found on this Malachor V."
"The Sith most likely have better records of that place then the Jedi do," Kota said, "They all up and disappeared though."
"Yeah they went to follow a Magog named Cinder who now helps us and the Sith now are led by the reincarnated Revan. We know him as Adam, or the nicer version of K's bad side," Doug said.
"See this is why I would rather not let you out even if you are going to come right back," Juno said, "I leave you with them for what a few months and this is what you bring to our doorstep?"
"Well to be fair this was already at your doorstep," Coris added, "K I am really sorry about this."
"Can we build him a robot body to inhabit or something," K asked.
"No that only works for AIs," Qui-gon replied, "It seems you are stuck for now."
"Well not entirely," C said.
"What do you mean," Star asked.
"C and I are mates remember," K said, "I could live in her mind and body while mine is... occupied. Only thing is since the last time we did that was when..." He trailed off so no one could make out what he was saying.
"We didn't get that," Kota said.
"The last time we melded like that was when he was Condemnation and I was Succubus," C said. "So if we meld now it will take some time to revert to our normal forms again."
"But it would give K another body then right," Juno asked.
"I... huh I didn't think about that," K said, "It just might."
"Well okay hop in love but everyone else be ready my Succubus form is much bigger than this one, taller anyways."
K jumped into C and in a flash the two were one being, one very enchanting being.
Character Tyreal
"Here we are," Del Rio announced over the intercoms, "Sanctuary rests right below us. Pelicans are preparing to bring your people down now."
"Thank you captain," Tyreal said from Del Rio's left as the two stood on the bridge looking over the planet below. "What do your scans detect?"
"Nothing," Del Rio replied, "They read nothing at all down there."
"That is troubling," Tyreal stated, "I can see why you want us to go first. How do you want us to communicate with the ship once we are on the planet?"
"I've given Beth, Lil, and Tom some radios powerful enough to reach the ship from anywhere on the planet as long as we stay in orbit," Del Rio replied, "If those break you can always send one of your kind back up here to give an in person update."
"I will probably stick with the radios unless any ionic interference remains from Mephisto's curtain," Tyreal said, "It would seem likely though since your scans are not responsive. Yet I have a feeling that something is off."
"I always expect something to be off," Del Rio said.
"I have to admit, your constant suspicions have kept us alive," Lasky stated, "Pelicans are ready to depart."
"I'll be in touch," Tyreal said as he followed Lasky out to the Pelicans.
"You two get along really well considering," Lasky remarked.
"What do you mean," Tyreal asked.
"The Captain is rarely as nice to even the higher up brass as he is to you," Lasky said, "Just wondering what gives."
"Del Rio and I share the same outlook on life," Tyreal replied as he more fully understood the question, "We are both people of duty and honor, we have responsibilities and we keep them, we have rules and we follow them. I admit it is not a perfect system, but no individual has a perfect system."
"Right just God has that huh," Lasky finished, "Now that you mention it you do act a lot like him. I guess I just have a different system than the two of you."
"You trust your instincts, as do many in DC," Tyreal said, "It is not any better or worse than our way of looking at the world, it is just your way."
"Are you always this wise and counseling," Lasky asked as they walked into the hangar where the rest of DC's Sanctuary members were gathered.
"No normally I am more preachy and arrogant," Tyreal replied jokingly.
"You sure you are not human behind that cloak," Lasky asked, "Cause you sure seem like it to me."
"My time with DC has shown me that everyone has a little bit of humanity in them," Tyreal said as he walked over to Auriel and Mephisto. "Where are the Pelicans going to land?"
"We will be putting down on the plateau over looking the city you called Westmarch," Lasky said.
"I know the place," Tyreal said, "We will portal in ahead of you to make sure the area is safe."
"How dangerous could it be," Mephisto scoffed, "We were the biggest threat to Sanctuary and now we are on your side."
"So there was a vacuum on both sides," Tyreal said, "I suspect new powers have risen to fill the rolls."
"I second that," Diablo remarked as he came up behind them. Tyreal was always amazed at how stealthy the big guy could be when he wanted to, maybe that was a part of why Diablo was so feared. "Listen to the soul-stones something is happening down there, something big."
"They have been unstable of late," Mephisto consented, "Perhaps another stone is trying to communicate with ours?"
"I would not know of such a stone," Tyreal said before the two could ask, "I only made the three."
"Didn't one of your Horadrim attempt to make a massive one though," Auriel added.
"Zoltun Kuul," Tyreal stated, "He tried but he was stopped before he could finish his work."
"Any project can be finished once it is started, "Lasky remarked, "Pelicans are ready, all of you big guys going down via the portal?"
"We are," Lilith said as she, Inarius, Baal, Malafor, Hadriel, and Orthino joined Tyreal, Diablo, Auriel, and Mephisto.
"Ha that should be quite the welcoming party," Lasky said as he went to direct the Pelicans, "See you all ground side then."
"You two are glowing this morning," Auriel remarked at Lilith and Inarius.
"It was an exciting trip," Inarius replied with a chuckle.
"Right," Tyreal commented as he opened the portal in front of them, "Lets go. If your soul-stones are picking up something then that could mean that someone finished Kuul's work. A soul-stone capable of trapping angles and demons alike. I don't guess I need to explain more."
Baal's growl and headlong charge through the portal gave Tyreal his answer as the rest followed the Prime through the portal. Tyreal stepped through to look out upon a sea of chaos. Below them the city was under siege by the legions of Death itself. From the armored Death Maidens who were turning the living into undead thralls to the massive Executioners that were living battering rams, the City of Westmarch was under a full blown siege and it was loosing.
"Elements," Orthino breathed, "what is happening down there?"
"Someone has taken up the mantle of Death and is now waging war against Sanctuary," Mephisto informed him, "Who or why we can only guess at, but that city will have answers."
"Then lets go save a city," Tyreal said as he ran to the edge of the cliff and took flight towards the walls.
Character Ruby Rose
Ruby awoke to find herself in her room at Beacon's living quarters. She remembered saving Weiss from the assassin bot's strikes and getting stabbed herself in the process, then she recalled that they went to Club RWBY until she collapsed while dancing with Scooter. "Heh I guess I wasn't as recovered as I thought," Ruby thought as she came fully awake. She felt a warm pressure on her chest and looked down to see Scooter's face. He was fast asleep in his chair, head resting on her stomach, "So cute," mouth hanging slightly open allowing for soft snoring and some drool, "Oh gross," to escape. Even in his sleep one hand still held onto one of hers, almost like he was willing her to be okay.
Ruby reached up with her hand that wasn't locked in Scooter's iron grip and ran her fingers through his short brown hair before caressing his cheek.
"I love you Scooter," She whispered to him. Ruby had never had any trouble letting people know she cared for them, be it taking two swords to the gut for them or dealing with a pool of drool building up on her PJs but for Scooter she felt like there was more to it than the love she had for her friends, or her Dad, or Yang, or even her Mom. Scooter had spent more time with Ruby since they had met then he had with his own friends, they had built the Rose Mobile together, possibly discovered a new use for Dust, were working on miniaturizing digi-struct technology, and had a fun time doing it. They were both a little awkward, okay a lot awkward at times, but had an undefeated cheery attitude.
What Ruby thought was most important was Scooter didn't keep anything from her, it was Scooter who first told her about his porn problem, it was Scooter who freely admitted to her he had never even gotten to kiss a girl until she had kissed him at the Fried Fillet, It was Scooter who had brought her to his cabin on the Hunter to let her see him trashing his, um, personal magazine collection. No Scooter was an open book for her, there was no deception in him, he was... Ruby didn't really know how to describe him, simple maybe, honest. Yes that was it he was simple and honest, a bit straight forward at times, like when he asked her if she would, well, sleep with him right in front of Lao and Summer. Summer quickly informed him that there would be no, "Sex with any daughter of mine until there is a wedding." Then Summer quickly added, "Although after wards if I end up with a few grand kids that would be very nice." While Ruby was thinking Scooter woke up.
"Hey angle," Scooter mumbled as he woke up and sucked in the remaining drool on his tongue, "You gave us all quite the scare."
"Which time when I got stabbed or when I fainted," Ruby said teasing him.
"Ha," Scooter remarked as his face lit up, "I guess you got us good with both of those stunts, just try not to go doing anything like that again."
"I'll try but I can't guarantee that Weiss or Blake or Yang won't go getting themselves into trouble and need me to come save them with some thrilling heroics," Ruby said, "Did you stay up all night in that chair?"
"Yeah well until I fell asleep on you I guess," Scooter replied as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"You could have gotten in the bed," Ruby said, "I wouldn't have minded."
"No can do Rubabe," Scooter insisted, "Summer said no getting under the covers with you until they have us one of them weddings or something."
"Or something," Ruby asked.
"Well back on Pandora most of the time people got married simply by promising to be with each other until the end," Scooter said, "We never really had much time to hold events like that ceremony for Sun and Blake, though there was that one time with those Goliaths... That didn't end well. Still something like what your two friends had would be nice, it would be the first time I would actually have been at an event that was a little upscale."
"Speaking of our friends," Ruby said, "Where are they?"
"Yang and Blake are downstairs with Junior. Weiss, her father, Cinder, James and Bartholomew are in the labs doing some testing on Dust," Scooter replied.
"Wait did I hear that right," Ruby asked, "Cinder, Abrams and Weiss are in the same room and we can't hear them yelling from here?"
"Yeah whatever James found has got them so interested in it they don't seem to care who they are working with right now," Scooter answered, "Weiss did say you were to go see here there when you felt like it, oh and your parents are in Vale restocking your fridge and pantry, I might have eaten most of the food, well, me and Yang and Junior might have eaten most of the food."
"You are cute when you ramble," Ruby said as she got out of bed and took off her drool soaked sleep shirt, "Not so much when you are drooling on me though." Despite the comment she wrapped him in a hug and kissed him before shooing him downstairs to go get some food while she went into her bathroom to shower. Twenty minutes later Ruby came down stairs in her traditional, black and red dress and cape with Crescent Rose strapped to her back.
"Ruby," Yang exclaimed as she bear hugged her, "I'm so glad you are okay."
"You always are," Blake remarked, "It is good to see you up after yesterday and last night."
"That Xavier must do some amazing work," Junior stated, "You don't even look pale... well no more than you normally do anyways."
"I told you all she was fine," Scooter said as he shoveled another spoonful of cereal into his mouth, "This stuff is good what is it?"
"Dried spinach flakes with kale and tuna," Blake replied, "It's my cereal of choice."
Scooter froze mid bit while he was trying to decide if Blake was being serious or not. This just happened to coincide with Lao, Summer and Sun returning to the building with Sun exclaiming from the door, "Hey Blake they were having a sale on that tuna based cereal you like, I picked up three more boxes!"
"Bring them into the kitchen then," Blake said as they all looked back to Scooter who was now seriously reading the box of the cereal, "I think we've found another who likes it as much as I do."
"Really who," Sun asked as the three entered the kitchen, "Hey Ruby you're up!"
Lao bear hugged Ruby when he saw her, once again crushing the air from her lungs, "Yang definitely learned how to hug from Dad," Ruby thought as she recovered in Summer's much gentler embrace.
"I admit keeping the two of you alive this long has been an act of God," Summer stated as she and Ruby broke their hug. "Now I am due on weddings for my daughters."
"Mom, I am already married," Yang pointed out as she held up her and Junior's hands with their rings on them.
"Yes, but I never got to have a ceremony," Summer said, "Besides outside of DC and a few of your close associates no one even knows about it. You didn't even tell your family until a few months ago."
"To be fair she did marry an information broker," Junior said, "I have ways of keeping secrets."
"I'm not sure if I am ready for that," Ruby said startled.
"Yeah I don't want to have our relationship end like so many of my mother's did," Scooter added.
"You really never are," Sun said surprising everyone with the seriousness in his normally laid back voice, "Just look at Blake and me. It's been over four years since I fell in love with her and even at that I still wonder at times if I am doing right by her. I don't think it is about being ready for everything that could happen but being determined enough to keep your promise despite what may or may not happen."
"Wow Sun that was deep for you," Yang commented before getting slapped by Blake, "Oh I mean uh, yeah what Sun said."
"Why don't you go think on it while Weiss catches you up with what they have been doing with the Dust in the lab," Blake said, "I'm sure she will be glad to see you are okay."
"Yeah, I hope she isn't blaming herself for this, again," Ruby said, "Come on Scooter... how many bowls of that have you eaten?" Scooter was opening up another box of Blake's cereal when Ruby called everyone's attention to him. Now he sheepishly closed the box up and mumbled something indecipherable as he hurried out the door.
"Blake I am sorry about that," Ruby apologized for Scooter, "He does get carried away sometimes when he finds a food he likes."
"Don't worry about it," Blake said with her one sided smile, "I'm just glad I'm not the only one who likes this stuff now."
"Be careful Precious," Lao said as Ruby left to guide Scooter to the lab. She met up with him outside the building.
"So how many bowls did you eat," Ruby asked again.
"I lost count after six or seven," Scooter replied, "Who knew that tuna and vegetables could taste so good?" An awkward silence fell between the two as they tried to think about way to broach the subject that had been weighing on them for several months now, and that Summer seemed intent to continue prodding until she got an answer. Ruby decided to just go for it.
"What are you thinking," she asked Scooter as they walked through Beacon's greenery.
Scooter's face fell at that question and Ruby thought for a second he wouldn't reply but then he said, "Oh you know, how much I love you, how I don't want us to break up or nothing, don't want to break your heart or anything if we don't work out..."
"Scooter," Ruby said as she placed a finger on his mouth to quiet him, "In a few months you've managed to work your way so deep into my heart that I... I. I think I love you more than Mom even. I trust you Scooter, do you trust me?" Ruby had been worried about if she really did love Scooter more than her family or her team, after all she nearly died to save Weiss and that would have left Scooter without her. Ruby concluded that her love for him was, while not necessarily greater than that which she had for her family and team, different. A bonding kind of love that would, in time grow to something more than her love for her family and teammates could.
"Well you haven't failed to get back up for me yet," Scooter remarked as they reached the door to the labs. "It's not my trust in you that I worry about, it's my trust in me."
Ruby looked at him sadly for a moment finally realizing where Scooter's trepidation was stemming from. "You know," Ruby said as an idea came to her, "Mom said that you couldn't sleep with me until we were married, Abrams, Ozpin, or Burnie could file the marriage license and..."
"No," Scooter interrupted, "I'm pretty sure Summer would be mad if we did that, It would seem like going behind her back or something."
"Now do you see why I trust you," Ruby said as Scooter produced the response she had hopped for.
Scooter got quiet as he thought about his reaction and Ruby led them to the lab where she could hear Weiss and Bartholomew yelling back and forth about something. As they got closer she could make out the words of their argument.
"There is no way Dust can be alive," Weiss exclaimed as Ruby and Scooter entered the lab to find equipment of all types scattered about with Dust in them. Abrams, Cinder and James were standing in the corner to Ruby's right while Weiss and Bartholomew were occupying the center of the room and arguing. Ruby and Scooter moved over to the less volatile three as they continued to watch the spectacle between the two in the middle of the room.
"The Dust itself is not alive per say," Bartholomew counted as he zipped over to one of the laser spectrometers to pull up a display to show Weiss, "It has the capability for housing life within it, like it is a discarded shell of some creature waiting to be inhabited."
"What does this have to do with it degenerating," Weiss responded.
"Without the home keeper to keep things in repair the house breaks down," Bartholomew replied, "simply put the Dust of Remnant has been without it's repair man for a long time and is near to collapsing."
"All of our technology is built on Dust," Weiss yelled, "If it collapses, well we will still have the Ark and DC but the damage will be staggering!"
"We are aware daughter," Abrams said as he interjected his voice into the argument, "But James seems to think he knows how to fix it and Ruby is here to see you."
"Well he'd bett, Ruby!" Weiss said as she dropped her argument and walked over to her partner with a scowl. "That was foolish and reckless, you could have been killed!"
"Weiss I," Ruby started upset that her partner was mad at her.
"Ah ah ah," Weiss pressed on with a wave of her hand, "It was stupid, but." Weiss' voice became much softer at this point, "You saved my life, again."
"It's what we do," Ruby said as she placed a hand on Weiss' shoulder, "Besides I'm pretty sure I still owe you for saving me a few times."
Weiss looked like she was going to say something when Scooter asked, "What was all that about this Dust stuff being alive or broken or something?"
"It was alive and that is why it is broken," Cinder summarized, "Dust as we know it is the cast off remnants of some massive life form. These bits continued to multiply until it finally ran out of energy due to the original being having left this planet."
"Oh," Weiss stated, "Well that makes much more sense, Bartholomew why didn't you just say that? Uh Professor?"
"Looks like he stepped out to get more coffee," Abrams remarked, "Ruby You have my gratitude for saving my daughter. If you ever need anything from the Schnee Corporation, or myself, just ask."
"I saved my partner," Ruby replied, "That is all I need. So you said James has an idea about how to fix the Dust?"
"I do," James said, "I've traced the genetic code in the dust, I believe it came from Coris. We bring him back here, he can reactivate the Dust."
"So where is Coris then," Scooter asked.
Character Harold Shepard
"So Sanctuary is under siege, With Atlas, Torgue and Hyperion gone the Bandit manufacturing company has started a crusade to conquer a star system, Adam's wife is still missing, and now this dark energy is causing entropy to speed up and might cause this universe to collapse," Harold said after EDI presented him with the various reports from across their universe. "Liarra can you get me all relevant information on this dark energy, Garrus do a missing persons check for Ms. Adams, Tali signal the fleets we may be needed to help Torgue sort out his unruly competition I hear they have some really advanced tech, possibly Reaper in origin."
"How would this Bandit corporation even get Reaper tech," Ash asked, "I mean wouldn't they have to capture a Reaper to do that?"
"That is why I'm asking for the fleets," Harold said, "While you all are doing that I will take Legion and Vega down to Sanctuary with me to help with their operations. Tyreal has informed me he has a base set up in the city of Westmarch so I will be there until we decide which way to split first. Omni me when we have found something."
"Be careful Harold," Tali said as they all left the war room to go about their various tasks.
"I will," Harold replied. He joined up with Legion and Vega at the Kodiak shortly after.
"So what is the plan for when we get down there," Vega asked.
"We recommend shooting everything," Legion stated as he loaded his sniper rifle.
"From the sound of it that is basically what we will be doing," Harold said, "Just don't shoot the people we are trying to protect."
"Okay Captain," Cortez said, "We're ready to go, I got the turret installed so we can make a hot landing if we need to."
"From the sound of it that might just happen," Harold said, "Vega you can have the turret, Legion cover me. Let's get down there."
Cortez started up the Kodiak and they got in. Vega got on the turret and Legion plugged his Javelin sniper into an ammo container. The Javelin was a unique weapon, relying on a highly metallic fluid that is propelled with magnetism to near light speed. This formed what is essentially a metal laser that would shear through anything in its way. The down side is each miss was extremely expensive due to ammo constraints, fortunately Legion never misses. The Kodiak shook as they hit the atmosphere and Harold readied his Reegar Carbine. The electric pulse shotgun quickly became Harold's favorite weapon once Tali introduced him to it.
"Okay we are above the city," Cortez said, "It looks like they still have assailants in the streets, Vega get that turret out and lets help them."
"Open the door and bring us down low," Harold said, "I see Leah, Cain and Ezio in the street below us I'm going to go help them."
"Right," Cortez replied.
"We request that you drop us off on the building above them on your way back up," Legion said.
"Rodger," Cortez said as the door opened and Harold got out of the shuttle.
"Cain over here," Harold called as he ran towards the three. He deployed his combat drone as he ran so it could engage targets as he passed them. He cleared an ally that was crawling with ghosts in one clip of his Reegar and his drone felled eight skeletons that were lining up shots against Leah in one missile.
"Harold," Ezio called, "Good to see you." A blast from Legion's sniper tore through a large brute of a creature that smashed it's way out of a house, dropping it in one shot. "And even better to see you brought friends." Vega had laid down a killing field by this point to allow them some time to converse and get the situation detailed out. "Whatever these creature are they don't seem to be affected by normal attacks. Cain, Lil, Xarle, Tom any of the casters really have had the easiest go of it, but against physical attacks these reapers are almost immune."
"What did you call them," Harold asked.
"Reapers," Ezio said, "Not like your big AI ones, more like the Grimm Reaper."
"I guess that is a fitting name," Harold admitted as he reloaded, "Well this happens to shoot electricity so lets go kill us some of these guys."
"Glad to see you here," Cain said as he and Leah walked over after having finished off the last of the ghosts that were haunting the road. "Tyreal needs us push towards the King's manor there is a soul crucible there that we must destroy before it converts the whole city."
"Do we know who is behind this yet," Harold asked.
"No Tyreal is working on that but we've only been here a few hours and whoever this is has taken precautions to not be identified," Leah said.
"Well that is always a good start," Harold remarked sarcastically. "Cortez, Vega, Legion we're moving out, keep over watch for us."
"We acknowledge directive Shepard Commander," Legion replied as he jumped across to the roof of another building.
"Rodger," Cortez replied.
"I have to say I was half expecting," Harold started when Diablo busted through a building with a roar as he smashed a death maiden through the wall. "Well there he is."
"You were expecting him to follow us around weren't you," Cain remarked.
"I really did," Harold confirmed.
"Maltheal," Diablo roared, "It's Maltheal who is controlling the forces of death!"
"The lost Arch-angle of wisdom," Cain asked, "Why would he do such a... of course! With out the Angeris Council or the Primes to stand in his way he probably saw this as the perfect time to end all traces of the demons. Since Sanctuary's inhabitants are descended from angles and demons he probably believes we must be destroyed as well."
"Can you explain while we move," Harold asked, "If this crucible is converting the city into those reaper things we need to stop it."
"Get on," Diablo said, "I can get us to the manor faster than if we walk."
They couldn't argue the point so soon the four were perched atop Diablo's back and shoulders, clinging precariously to spines as Diablo ran through the streets and some times a building or two. They gathered Xarle and Blood-Raven as they went. Xarle was extraordinary to watch as he seamlessly would morph the energy he just used for one spell into another then another. Between him, Diablo's immense power, and Blood-Raven's own considerable skills, Harold was able to conserve his ammunition for fighting whatever was at the manor. Vega and Legion were still raining death from the skies as the group traveled. They arrived at the manor in ten minutes to find three people running out of the doors. Two of them were armored men with shields and axes, one was an armored woman with a massive, flaming, hammer. The woman turned around as reapers started to pour out of the manor. She projected a waved of energy that smashed the reapers against each other all the way back up the stairs leading to the doors before slamming the doors shut and causing the locks to drop down sealing the creatures in. A moment later the manor exploded sending glass and bits of rock out in all directions. Diablo took the brunt of the shock wave but Harold still felt like he had been kicked by a horse after the blast.
The Kodiak landed near them in an ally and Legion fell off the building he was perched on to land beside Diablo. Harold dropped off the Prime to help Legion up. After doing so he looked over to the Kodiak to see Vega and Cortez working on one of the thrusters. Turning back he saw Cain and Ezio over by the three from the manor. Cain waved him over so he walked over to them while Legion went to help repair the Kodiak. As he got closer he was able to make out the features of the three from the manor. Of the two men one was taller with an angular face and brown hair and eyes while the other, while slightly shorter was more muscular with black hair and gray eyes. The woman had hair that was almost as white as C or Weiss' but was slightly more sandy with blue eyes. She was taller than both men but slender, though her weapon spoke to the strength she must have to wield such a mace.
"Harold meet King Justinian the Forth," Cain introduced the taller of the two men.
"It's an honor," Harold said as he shook hands with the king, noting the firm grip of an expert fighter in the King's handshake.
"Likewise," Justinian replied, "I take it you are the owner of the contraption that fell from the sky?"
"The Kodiak," Harold supplied, "Yes I am."
"And the even bigger ships that are in our skies," Justinian continued.
"Only the Normandy," Harold replied, "The smallest of the rest."
"Your Lordship," Ezio interjected, "If I may, Your captain and the Arch-angle Tyreal are rallying the troops in the courtyard outside of the large church in the city center. If the crucible is destroyed we should return there."
"Good," Justinian said as he pointed towards the Kodiak, "First though I must ask, is that really Diablo over there?"
"Yeah that would be Dad," Leah said, "He is not nearly as vile as he was."
"I would have to assume so since he is helping you all," Justinian remarked, "Well Kormac, Eirena, there is your answer to what happened to the demons."
The two with the King just looked between each other before the woman, Eirena, remarked, "That was certainly not the explanation we thought we would get."
"You said that the captain and an angle were gathering warriors in the courtyard of the church," Kormac said, "We should head there now and figure out what to do about these creatures."
"It looks like you all will have to make it there on your own," Harold said as his omni-tool lit up, "I have to get back to my ship and see to some other matters." He answered Tali as he walked towards the Kodiak.
"Harold, we've got something but your not going to like it," Tali said.
"Like it or no I need to hear it," Harold said.
"We found a trace of Ms. Adams," Tali went on, "She was last seen on Eden helping the resistance there fight the Reaper forces in the last days of the war, but a few months ago she showed up on the Citadel. Only thing is there is no trail on how she got there from Eden."
"If she is half as good of an engineer as Gregory getting to the Citadel wouldn't have been a problem for her," Shepard started, "But she would have had to check in at one of the security stations if she came in through legal means... I think I see your point. We should head to the Citadel and see what we can dig up from there, I'll be back on board as soon as we reboot this engine."
"Did you damage the Kodiak again," Tali teased, "I guess you and I will just have to spend another late night fixing it, alone."
"Tali," Harold said softly, "Maybe another time. I'll be on board soon go ahead and chart the course to the Citadel."
Character K/C
"I am not happy about this at all," K said again. Soon after he and C joined their souls in her body K realized he was just a voice in C's head, much like Sparks was to him when he and Sparks got to share his body.
"I am," C purred at him, "Do you know how long it has been since you and me melded like this?"
"No I thought that was the point," K replied, "But I'm here if you need me and you are the better of us socially anyways."
"True you are a self inflated, mega ego, ten year old most of the time," C said flatly, "But you're mine and that is what counts."
With K and C in the same form they had unleashed C's long suppressed Succubus form which she had carried since her own fall from grace. They stood about thirty feet tall, half of which was the very draconian legs, had a one hundred and eighty foot wingspan, a twenty foot long tail, three crown-like horns on their smooth, rounded head. Long golden hair that flowed down to their knees, sparkling emerald eyes, C's very full lips which covered the very sharp K-like fangs in their mouth. From the waist up instead of the very evident scales that covered the clawed legs there was a very fine set of scales that mimicked the skin underneath it or could be changed to any color desired, C was sporting all white-green to symbolize the two of them being together as of now, it also covered up the very outstanding assets of their current form.
K had never been in C's head while she was a succubus, they had each had a body and their souls would flow between the two forms. He was amazed at how any of the succubi ever got anything done being this turned on all the time. Indeed it seemed as if the succubus form itself was just permanently set to super on. He reasoned that since this was how the succubi must feel all the time they probably wouldn't take note of it, like how he didn't really take note of being able to see atoms interacting with each other or how he didn't have to think about flying. Either way he was stuck inside C's body until their forms separated or he figured out how to get back into his body which Coris was currently inhabiting.
"So let me get this straight," Kota said as they traveled through space in the Pestilence, "We are just going to show up at Korriban and hope there are no Sith there?"
"Yes," K/C confirmed, "You all agreed that the Sith have the better records of Malachor V so we are going to go borrow those records."
They were all sitting around in a large hangar bay as the trip would only be a few hours. Juno had parked the Rouge Shadow, her and Star's personal ship, in the hangar and she and Kota had been introduced to Legolas, Gandalf and Gimli soon after. The trio then promptly wanted an explanation as to K and C's condition and about Coris and the situation with Malachor V. It had taken thirty minutes to get everything straight and then another ten convincing everyone that going to Korriban was, at least, not their worst option.
"You know kid I like their style," Kota remarked to Star who just groaned.
"Even if there are these Sith there I would let them have a good taste of my ax," Gimli stated as he hefted the weapon he spoke of.
"And they would probably quickly lob it in half with their light-sabers," Gandalf added, "Technologically we are outmatched in this realm."
"Well I hope these might change that," Juno said as she carried out an assortment of weapons from the Shadow's armory. K recognized many of them from his and Star's adventures during the war.
"You kept them," K asked through C.
"What are they," Coris asked as he looked over the assortment of weapons. Spread out on a crate and a box were various styles of vibroblades, Coreallian weave axes, laser pistols and rifles of the highest quality and even an ancient staff that was used by the first Sith Lord of the second cycle.
"The laser weapons are fairly evident," Juno explained, "The blades, axes and... that staff, they are constructed in such a way that when they meet a light-saber they bend the energy of the saber back against itself, thus allowing you to block them. The staff can also act as a power enhancer when the Force is directed through it."
"Do you think it would work for similar powers to the Force," Gandalf said as he picked up the engraved, black and red staff.
"It would," C affirmed after looking the staff over, "Though it lingers with the vile deeds that it was use to commit."
"Then we may as well add some good ones to it's history," Gandalf said as he took the staff.
Legolas took two laser pistols and a rifle and Gimli, being the ever prepared Dwarf he is took all the other weapons available.
"We have arrived," Doug said, "I detect life on the planet but nothing as advanced as the Sith, there are still many dangerous creatures there however."
"Fine with us take us in," K/C said. As they descended through the atmosphere Star directed them to the main starport on the planet. They arrived to find themselves in a ghost town. There were star-ships sitting in the docks ready to depart, some with half finished repairs, even half eaten lunches laying around. It was as if there were people actively flowing through the spaceport until just a day or two ago.
"I thought you said the Sith left," Qui-gon remarked seeing a glass of water that had yet to evaporate in the heat. "It would appear as though they had just left."
"We figured they would have either followed Cinder and left for Remnant or headed out into deep space," Star said, "But then why would they have not finished the repairs and left so many useable ships?"
"Maybe they had to leave in a hurry," Legolas said.
"That is what worries me," Gimli commented.
As the team continued to talk and make their way towards the central Sith academy where they hopped some records would be left K heard something that made him, and consequently C, get chills. An emergency broadcast from a rigged data recorder. Normally this wouldn't bother K considering the state the planet was in, but this data recorder was from Earth, not Shepard's Earth, Ezio's Earth and from thousands of years in the future. What made it worse, K knew the voice on the recorder, Issac Clark. C must have recognized the implications of the device being here as she instantly moved them over to it and picked it up.
"Ellie, If you can hear this, I don't know where we are but something happened at the end of the Convergence Event. Carver and I have hidden in the large temple structure to the north. We see evidence of Necromorphs everywhere but we can not find any markers that would lead to an outbreak. Or even any living Necromorphs." The message then replayed a few seconds later.
"K you recognize this don't you," Coris remarked, "I can see it in your two's eyes."
"In Ezio's earth, around twenty-five hundred AD, Humanity came across creatures that became know as Necromorphs. An alien life form that would take dead flesh and regenerate it making massive amounts of this necrotic flesh it would eventually pull it all together to form an entire moon. Like Doug with his Gravemind only far worse."
"I recall your memories of these creatures," Doug interjected, "You never met this Issac in person but your fight ran parallel with his against these creatures. Unlike me however these creatures can transmit themselves via constructs called markers. It was Issac, if I recall, along with that Carver he mentioned and Ellie who did most of the work against the Markers and researched them. If they are here somehow we should find them."
"He said they had gone to the temple, that is also the most likely place for any information on Malachor V," Star said, "We should head there first."
The group rushed up the desert road from the spaceport to the academy. Noting all the while the half stripped corpses littering the desert. Once they got inside the academy proper they were faced with three options, go down to the basement to search for information and the two men, search their current floor, or search the upper levels.
"Well which way do we want to split this search up," K asked.
Character Fiona
Fi was floating in the water at the bottom of the cliffs that Beacon stood atop. The sun was warm on her back and wings and the water was cool and had just the right amount of movement to keep it fresh. She was, finally, relaxing like she had been telling herself she would once they got a chance. Fi looked up as a splash of water hit her back, Shelly was chasing fish through the straight and generally causing disturbances but this just caused Fi to laugh. It seemed that DC was actually taking a break, or at least they were. Sure the Grimm were still numerous but they were easy enough to take out with the suits that Sarge had built. Everything seemed to be good, until an explosion shook her out of her thoughts and she saw Mom and Dad heading towards Beacon.
"Why can't it ever just stay peaceful," Fi sighed as she took to the air and followed her parents towards the academy. "Mom, Dad, what happened?"
"Don't know yet dear but we will soon enough," Cynder replied. They landed outside the labs where firefighters were already spraying down the area. Off to the side was the suit covered Weiss, Abrams, Bartholomew, Ruby, Cinder and Scooter.
"What happened," Fi asked Abrams.
"We were trying to identify where the source of Dust is when the test substance became unstable," Abrams replied, "James threw us out of the room and blocked most of the explosion. As you can see however we are not entirely unphased, and I've no idea the condition James is in."
"Well we are getting him out of there," Spyro stated as ice started swirling around him, "Who else is in the structure?"
"No one," Bartholomew said, "I used my position as a teacher here to access the labs no one else would have been inside."
"How many times have we've heard that and it be wrong," Cynder said, "Lets go see what we can find."
"You probably shouldn't go in there," Weiss said, "Dust fire is very volatile your magic might set off another explosion."
"What causes these secondary explosions," Fi asked.
"Dust acts both as the fuel and conduit for channeling power coming in contact with unstable Dust can set off it's innate power by reacting with your Aura," Cinder said, "It makes for great landmines."
"I won't set it off," Fi said, "My shadow cloak will allow me to move right through and my fire affinity will allow me to withstand the heat, I can go in and see about James."
Everyone looked to Spyro and Cynder to confirm, which irked Fi a little but she knew it was just because they didn't want her to get hurt so she let it go, this time. Spyro nodded and Fi dashed into the hole in the building that the fire was making larger by the second. Even with her fire resistances Fi could feel the discomfort of the heat in the place as the ceiling and walls snapped and collapsed around her making her passage through the inferno easier. Her shadow cloak worked just as she said it would allowing her to pass through areas of Dust without setting it off. She pushed her way through a hallway that hadn't fully finished burning and into a scorched lab. There was equipment laying scattered everywhere from the blast and buried in a corner under most of the ceiling was James.
He was definitely unconscious, otherwise the gravity manipulator would have easily gotten out from under the debris. Fi tried to get him out from under the collapsed ceiling with no success. He was jammed under a very thick metal beam. It wasn't hot enough to bend out of the way and not light enough for her to remove it. Fi considered her options and quickly decided to risk using her powers to heat the beam up enough to bend out of the way. Her guess that the Dust in this section had burned itself out was correct as her flame breath didn't cause the massive explosion she was half expecting. Once she had gotten the beam pushed up and out of the way Fi was able to drag James out of the room and back through the building. In total it took her ten minuets to get in and out of the fire and while not physically harmed Fi was quite thirsty from being in such dry air. When she got back outside a crowd of DC members had gathered to see about their friends. Yang and the rest from their building had come over, Daemon and Janell had followed Ghost and Anjali over, Jayne and Mal were trying to hid their concern by 'admiring' the fire show. Ozpin had come by to inspect the damage, both to his building and his friends. Xavier was there to tend to anyone who need his healing skill, which Fi was fairly sure James did.
"Oh dear these burns are deep," Xavier remarked upon looking over the very crispy James, "Nothing a Leviathan can't recover from but even with my healing he is going to be sore for a while, since the nerves are still sensitive I can repair the damage but they will have to calm down on their own."
"Why couldn't you just heal the nerves," Ruby asked, "You did for me."
"True but yours were damaged," Xavier said, "James' are just fine, it is like the fire did it's best to avoid doing any permanent harm to him."
"What, how," Daemon asked. "Fire shouldn't care about what fuels it."
"Normal fire wouldn't," Abrams said, "But if Dust really is from this Coris fellow then maybe he caused it to avoid killing or maiming his friend."
"Okay what," Spyro asked.
"We think Dust is the remnants of a Leviathan, Coris, in this case," Bartholomew said, "James rekindled my theory about it's organic origin, thus why it is such a good conductor of Aura and is so powerful as a fuel. This Coris is the source of Dust, it has been replicating itself for thousands of years on the energy he left in it but now it is slowing down, Dust is running out of energy and I believe the only way to restore the energy to it is to bring Coris back here."
"So you were trying to find where he is when the lab exploded on you," Fi summarized, "You must have been channeling enough power through the Dust to destabilize it... Why would you need to channel that much power unless you were trying to track him through another dimension. Oh."
"And didn't K and Tyreal take all of our dimensional traveling abilities with them when they left," Blake said.
"They did," Janell replied, "Except for Doug on the Ark, but we need that here to continue creating the supply lines to the remote parts of Remnant."
"Correct it will be a crucial part of the Fanus Acceptance and Understanding Network, or FAUN," Sun added, "One of Cinder's better ideas really."
"You have an idea to help equalize the Fanus," Fi asked, "Forgive me, but that seems a little out of character for you."
"For Magog me yes," Cinder said, "Just normal criminal me, no. The more profitable everyone becomes the more there is for organizations like mine to pick up."
"And there goes that illusion," Ghost laughed. Cinder shot a fireball at him which he shrugged off.
"Archon remember," Anjali said.
"Okay I've done what I can for James," Xavier announced, "He will probably be in quite a bit of pain still when he wakes up though so if we want to move him anywhere I suggest we do that now."
"We can't leave him here," Fi said.
"Yeah you're not," James wheezed as he pushed himself up with a silent snarl. "Ah, note to self don't stand in exploding buildings. Where are... oh good at least you all got out in one piece, more or less."
"Yeah though these cloths are pretty much ruined," Weiss said, "This is the third set that I've gone through with you all in a few months, normally three sets would last a couple of years!"
"Weiss," Ruby exclaimed embarrassed, "James just saved us from an awful lot of pain at the least, considering what the fire did to him, I'd rather not think what it would have done to us!"
"I agree," Ozpin remarked, "On behalf of Beacon I thank you for protecting our Hunters and Huntresses, and Mr. Schnee. Abrams I am sorry that you or anyone came to harm here but I must ask why were you all in the labs?"
"My idea," James said, "Trying to find the origin of Dust."
"I see," Ozpin said, "I am truly sorry that you came to harm but there is a reason that I lock the labs down when either myself or Peach is not here to observe the experiments. Bartholomew I assume you let them in?"
"Yes sir I did and we made some very interesting discoveries," Bartholomew answered, "I can actually Cinder can sum it up the best so you may want to speak with her to get the details."
As Ozpin drew several of the lab group off to speak with them, Fi sat down beside James. "So how do you feel," she asked.
"It hurts to talk," James said, "and I'm really thirsty."
"Me too," Fi said, "That fire sucks the moisture right out from you."
"You were in the fire," James asked with a cough, Fi got the impression that that really hurt as he winced before laying his head back down.
"I went in to get you out," Fi said, "My shadow cloak allowed me to not set off any more explosions and my fire affinity kept me from getting as crispy as you."
"Appreciated," James said, "We should probably get either Cortana or Riza to fix the building."
"We will," Fi said, "First we are going to get you hydrated and to a more comfortable area."
James nodded as he pushed himself up, mostly with his gravity control, "Okay lets go back to Abram's flat I hear it is big and has its own pool."
"Letting you in my pool is the least I can do," Abrams said, "Follow me if you will." With that the gathering made their way from the labs to the edge of Beacon where they caught an airship to the Schnee estate.