Chapter 56 You Call This An Ambush?
Character Issac
Issac looked over the displays on the Pillar II as they maintained orbit above Serra. Carver was beside him running through the various deployments that DC was making on the planet below. Captain Jack was to their left at the helm, making sure that the Pillar II stayed behind the Necromorph Moon's approach.
"I don't like this," Issac said, "The Moon's rarely work in such a direct fashion."
"They did on Persephany," Carver said.
"It may have just been an act of opportunity," Issac replied, "They were on their way to meet up with Magog."
"You think they were just passing through, collecting what they could off of the Reavers' kills," Carver questioned, "Why would they need to do that, what risk could they be facing that would make them act so recklessly. Adam might have been able to destroy them all if they had not warped away."
"That is what worries me," Issac stated, "The Moons are a lot like Doug, what sort of threat would cause them to form an allegiance with Magog in the first place, what is so terrifying that even the Necromorphs are running scared?" Carver remained quite after that, his silence showing that he agreed with Issac. "Still no word about Ellie either, I hope she is..."
"She can't be dead," Carver said, "I know her too well for that, if the Necromorphs are about then she will not be far behind."
"Yeah and with an army to boot right," Issac said, "Hey Jack we've got a signal, the Moon is inside the solar system probably only a few minutes out."
"Right charging the cannons," Jack said as he began piloting the ship out to the side of Serra that the Necromorphs were approaching from.
"Wait they are slowing down," Issac said a few moments later as he continued to watch the Moon's progress.
"Why would they slow down," Carver asked, "There is no way can can sense us from there."
"Issac give me some more information," Jack said.
Issac watched the Necromorph come to a stop about half way to Serra from the edge of the system. "That's no Moon," Issac said, "we have to get visual on that object now!"
"On it," Jack said as he threw the Pillar II to full throttle. They shot out from behind Serra like a lightening bolt and swung around towards the object.
"Stop just inside visual range," Carver yelled. A moment later they came to a grinding halt that knocked Issac and the rest of the crew on the bridge to the floor. When he got up Issac saw the Moon on the screen. It looked like a Necromorph Moon but there were a lot of black spots across the surface and they were getting bigger.
"Is it dying," Carver asked.
"I don't know," Issac replied, "This isn't right as long as the Necromorphs have mass they don't die naturally."
"Then something must be killing it," Jack said.
Issac and Carver looked at each other. "What could kill a Moon," Carver asked.
"It would have to be something that the Necromorphs couldn't transform," Issac said, "It would have to have perfect body chemistry, an almost invincible exoskeleton, the ability to thrive on meat alone, or worse yet the ability to merge the Necromorph traits with it's own traits..."
"Like Lambent can," Carver muttered.
"I don't see any weak points on it," Issac said, "Jack can we get a deep scan of this thing?"
"Sure can," Jack said. After a moment the screen to Issac's right displayed the results of a deep surface scan. Issac looked it over and immediately noted several things that were very wrong.
"Jack this is showing that the interior of that Moon is mostly hollow," Issac said, "It should be filled with Necromorph mass."
"Maybe that is why it is dying," Carver said.
"I doubt it," Issac replied, "Look there is structure to the hollows. It's like something is growing inside the Moon."
"What could get inside a Moon and then start growing it's way out," Carver asked.
"Maybe it was something it ate," Jack suggested. The three looked between each other as they all realized that the explanation was the best one they had.
"I don't want to meet whatever is capable of turning Necromorphs into itself," Carver said.
"Jack shoot it," Issac said, "use the most powerful thing you've got."
"High density MAC blast coming up," Jack said, "Fire."
Issac watched the attack connect with one of the black areas of the Moon. It punctured the area releasing a yellowish-green liquid that cut off after Necromorph tissue moved in to close the hole.
"Captain I detect high levels of acidity in that fluid," the engineer chief, a woman by the name of Kara, reported.
"Jack we have movement from the Moon," Carver said, "That blast woke something up."
"I'm getting us out of here for the moment," Jack said as he moved the Pillar II out of the way of the acid spray.
"Necromorphs don't shoot acid, nor are they immune to it," Issac said, "Whatever that thing is it is not a Necromorph."
"Just has many of the properties of a Necromorph," Carver remarked, "Fantastic." As soon as he finished speaking the Moon disappeared from the scanner.
"Issac, Carver, what happened," Jack asked.
"I don't know," Issac replied after looking over the sensor data. "It didn't warp anywhere, it's like it just stopped emitting any kind of signature."
"Can we get visual on it," Carver asked.
"I think it might have visual on us," Jack replied as the Pillar started to back away from a massive, chitinous, creature with Necromorph tentacles, a cylindrical head with fearsome maw, two arms with clawed hands, two spiny legs with hand-like feet and claws, a long tail with a scythe shaped spine on it's tip and four large spines coming out of it's back.
"What is that," Carver exclaimed.
"Whatever it is it isn't friendly," Issac said, "Jack, shoot it." Jack did so and the twelve foot tall creature exploded into a mist of the acidic fluid.
"Acid blood," Jack stated, "That isn't good."
"What is not good is that we picked up a signature for just a second there when you killed that creature," Carver said, "It came from the Moon."
"What type of signal," Issac asked.
"That is the troubling part," Carver said, "It was sound."
"In a vacuum," Jack asked, "How is that possible?"
"A large enough expansion of anything would show up as sound in space," Carver said, "The strength of this one would indicate that the Moon exploded, but if it had we would have seen that even from here."
"Um Sir," Kara said as she stood up from her monitor and pointed out the front of the Bridge, "I think that might have happened."
Issac, Carver and Jack looked out the window to see a wave of the chitinous creatures coming towards them. Behind the wave of creatures was a single overpowering sight of just the head of one of the creatures coming into view. The head was as large as three of the other creatures put together, then a second one appeared.
"I'll alert Fenix that we have some really nasty customers incoming," Carver said.
"I'll start shooting," Jack said.
"K needs to know what he and the rest will be jumping on," Issac said, "I'll inform him of these new abominations."
"No need to do that Issac," Arizona said over the comms, "Doug and I have run into these Xenomorphs before... fighting them is how we met. You and Carver get suited up and meet us in space, we need to kill those things before they reach the planet, or at least kill as many as we can. You two are our experts on the Necromorphs which the Xenomorphs have taken the traits of, your knowledge and ours combined should be able to find and exploit any weakness in this new form."
Issac and Carver looked between each other then loaded their weapons and activated their suits. "Where do you want us to meet you," Issac asked.
"On the top of the Pillar II," Doug said, "Also Jack keep shooting."
"Oh I am trust me," Jack said as another MAC round fired out of the cannon.
Issac and Carver headed to the maintenance elevator that would take them to the hull of the ship. Outside Doug and Arizona were waiting for them.
"Glad you made it," Arizona said via the comms, "Before we go jumping out there to blast these guys what are the main weaknesses of the Necromorphs?"
"The limbs usually, or large, yellow, nerve clusters," Carver said, "What about the Xenomorphs?"
"The chitin will shatter if it is subject to drastic temperature changes, or it used to," Doug said, "Now though I don't know if that is the case seeing how easily they are surviving the cold of space."
"Your doing fine," Issac commented, "What else?"
"Impacts that puncture their armor send a spurt of their blood out wards, in space we could use that to alter their course," Arizona said, "But then we risk running into the acid. Fire has always been something that would cook them in their shells so any laser weapons might be more effective than regular projectile weapons."
"The Necromorphs were also weak against fire," Issac said, "Maybe that weakness is amplified in this combination of the two?"
"Even if it is we have noting that burns in space," Doug said, "Lasers or plasma is our best option."
"How are we going to move around out there," Carver asked.
"With these," Arizona said as she handed each of them a jet pack, "Some Freelancer stuff for your use."
"Streamlined," Carver remarked as he put the pack on, "Good."
"With Necromorphs the lesser forms are controlled by the larger ones," Issac said, "I bet if we take out the biggest ones the smaller ones will become disorganized."
"Maybe, the Xenomorphs function a bit differently, if their queen is killed or missing then another one takes it's place," Doug said.
"Don't forget the Necromorphs can regenerate themselves," Carver said, "Remember the Hunter that Yang killed?"
"But she did kill it," Arizona said, "Look there is one of the big ones heading this way. Lets see if we can't crack it open. Not literally of course that would probably melt us." Doug led them with his juggernaut form. It didn't take long for Issac to realize that the Necro-Xeno whatever they weres, did not have any maneuverability in space. An ability that Issac and the rest did posses thanks to the jet packs. It also didn't take long for them to realize that the big ones were actually the mid sized ones and that the big one was half the size of the moon that it used to form. This gigantic Morpher was able to move through space, much like the Necromorph Moons could. It had a massive hole in its shoulder from where Jack had hit it with the MAC cannon but that hole was already being healed by the Necromorphs' regeneration abilities. Issac, Carver, Arizona and Doug had knocked back or blasted the Morphs that they had encountered up to this point. Jack was still shooting those nearing the Pillar II but most of the creatures survived and were being picked up by the Mother Moon as it were.
"Issac," Arizona called, "How do we kill a Moon?"
"We crashed the one we killed into a planet," Issac said, "I don't recommend we do that here."
"No, and the Queen is not a Moon," Doug said, "But still something of equal or greater force can crush the Moons... and something that punctures the exoskeleton of a Xenomorph causes it to soot a jet of it's blood out."
"So we need a giant harpoon of some kind," Carver said, "Punch it through and the creature blows itself away from Serra."
"It would lodge in the biomass and get stuck we would probably only enrage it," Issac said.
"Not with acid blood it wont," Arizona stated, "But we don't have anything nearly big enough to punch into that."
"Yes we do," Doug said, "But Jack wont like it."
"The Pillar II," Issac stated, "It would be big enough. Not planet sized certainly but a smaller hole should mean a more powerful jet of blood right?"
"Lets not forget that thing is moving," Carver said, "It may be slow but it is moving."
"I wonder if it can counteract the blood spray," Doug mused.
"The Moons could so I assume this creature can as well," Issac said, "Heads up those creatures are coming back." All the Xenomorphs that had been gathered by the giant one were jumping off of it to try another attack against the group. The smaller ones were faster than the big one probably because the Queen had to act as the spring board for all of the rest and that slowed her down. Issac spun his plasma cutter to it's sideways firing position and took one of the incoming aliens' heads off. He was running out of ammo with only fifty shots left but Issac was more concerned with the movement of the Queen. There was no reason it couldn't be moving much faster than it was currently. In fact it could have reached the planet by now if it wanted to. Issac kept looking at the hole in the crest of the creature and he couldn't help but think that Jack's MAC blast had something to do with the Queen's hesitant approach.
"Jack," Issac said, "Try blasting that giant one with another of those high density rounds. Take out a leg or something."
"I would but we have something else coming into play," Jack said, "Another ship I don't recognize it as one of ours."
"I need visual on that ship," Doug said, "Send us images of it if you can."
"No need we have a hail coming in," Jack said, "I'll path it through to Fenix planet side and to you all."
"This is Captain Jack of the Pillar II," Jack answered the hail, "We recommend you stay away from this side of the planet we have some really unpleasant visitors over here."
"This is Ellie Langford of the USM Executioner," Ellie said, "We're here to kill the half breed Necromorphs that you are engaging."
"Ellie," Issac exclaimed.
"Issac," Ellie said in shock, "You're here... is Carver?"
"I'm here," Carver said, "Glad to have you back."
"You know these two," another woman asked on the comms.
"Ellen," Arizona asked, "Is that you?"
"Who..." the other woman started, "Arizona? You're alive, but how?"
"I'm how," Doug answered, "So your the one who locked down that planet with those Xenomorphs and us on it."
"At my directive," Arizona said, "Yup that's her, that is Ellen Ripley."
"Sounds like we have the ace team for dealing with this new life form then," Jack remarked, "So can we kill it first and get to catching up later?"
"Oh we are going to kill it alright," Fenix said as a massive ship rose up from Serra's surface. "Meet the first ever Serrian Paladin and his state of the art destroyer." The ship was much like those that Brian commanded with a tentacle like design and the chainsaws on the two largest tentacles but this one also had legs and arms like a humanoid.
"That is a bad ass looking ship," Carver remarked as Fenix flew past and drove his massive chainsaw tentacles into the Queen/Moon.
"Careful the acid will," Ellen started.
"No it won't," Fenix replied, "Serra has her own highly acidic substances and we've got counter measures to those already."
"Watch out for the Necromorphs that will be swarming you," Issac advised as he continued to blast more of the creatures as they flew off of the Queen-Moon.
"I've got some who are dealing with that," Fenix said.
"Delta right," Issac asked.
"Right," Anya answered.
"Issac how many people did you get to help fight these things," Ellie asked.
"I had nothing to do with them finding me," Issac said, "This is all just circumstantial."
"Or it could be that they rescued us from a temple on a God forsaken planet and then got attacked by Necromorphs themselves," Carver said, "What about you how did you and Ellen meet up?"
"It's a long story okay," Ellie said, "We can tell you all later."
"Right," Issac said as he dodged several spikes that one of the Xeno-Necromorphs shot at him, "Also they can shoot those spikes still." Issac proceeded to blast the offending creature into several pieces after which he noted he was out of ammo. "Carver you have any extra clips?"
"I'm on my last one," Carver replied, "Doug, Arizona if you two can hold your own for a few we can be back with more rounds."
"I don't think that is going to be necessary," Doug said, "Fenix get out of the way, the Ark is here."
"Um is it safe for us to be out here with that much radiation," Arizona asked.
"We will be fine," Doug said.
"Radiation," Issac asked, "What radiation?"
"From the glassing beam," Doug said, "Watch."
Fenix kicked off of the Moon-Queen and flew away from the enraged creature as the Ark came in over head of it. Compared to the Ark the Moon-Queen was small, so when a huge beam of radiation fired from the planet sized hole in the Ark's center the creature was turned to ash in a matter of moments.
"Dear God what was that," Ellen asked.
"That was my Ark glassing that monster," Doug said, "We can talk about it later. For now I believe the threat to be past... if only momentarily. Come let us meet with the rest of DC that is on the surface of the planet."
"How many of you are there," Ellen asked.
"More of them than we can learn the names of in what two months," Carver said.
"About three hundred or so," Issac said, "Only a few of them are here on Serra, but several of the more prominent members are present today."
"Is there a suitable place to dock," Ellie asked.
"Follow Fenix and Jack in they can show you where to land," Arizona said.
"How are we getting down there," Issac asked.
"By getting back on board before I leave you," Jack said as the Pillar II slowly moved up beside them. Carver fired his last shot at a still twitching Xeno-Necromorph before heading to the landing bay that was coming into view. Issac followed Carver and Doug and Arizona followed him. An hour and a half later and Issac, Carver, Jack, Doug, Arizona, Fenix, Anya and Delta, RWBY, RAIM, Geyser, Krista, Zar, Flame and Ember were all gathered outside the city of New Haven to meet with Ellie and Ellen.
"So who is going to start this disaster off then," Roman asked with a wave of his cane.
"I suppose I should," Issac said, "Ellie is the leader in knowledge of the Necromorphs, she led our team when we first discovered the Moons, and how to fight them. I've know her for a long time, fought the Necromorphs alongside her many times and she is the main reason I am as sane as I am."
"Issac, thank you," Ellie said, "He is right, after the Moon over Tau Volantis was destroyed I returned to Earth to gather a team to come back and find him and Carver. Instead I found Ellen and the Xenomorphs, or the necrotic twisted things that we just fought in orbit at least. The USM Executioner is the ship that EarthGov gave me for the mission, but after finding Ellen and hearing her tales of the Xenomorphs, I may have stolen the ship and headed out to find Issac and Carver. Now we are here."
"What are the Xenomorphs exactly," Flame asked.
"They are an organic weapon," Ellen said, "Almost perfect in design and function, able to adapt to the environment of the hosts that they use as food for their embryos by copying the genes of the hosts into themselves, thus the Xeno-Necromorphs. They posses a hyper intelligence, allowing them to learn to use just about anything around them, from electronics to chemicals... anything that they see used against them they can use against their attackers. Their exoskeleton is a carbon-silicon mix that stops everything from small arms fire to explosions to blades. If you get past that their acid blood dissolves most substances, there are a few ways to treat metals to stave off the acidic nature of their blood but once the base that is used to counter act the blood is used up it will still destroy the object. They are aware of the usefulness of their blood too, using it to melt through barriers or as a weapon, as if their claws, tails and twin jaws are not enough."
"And now they have the regenerative properties of the Necromorphs along with spike throwing and stabbing tentacles," Cole said, "Well so do I, lets go punch these guys."
"Are you forgetting the acid blood already," Arizona asked.
"No he is not," Lambent said as one of his many forms walked up to the group, "Much like the Necromorphs I have regenerative properties It is what was built into the ship Fenix used and it is enough to counteract the acid from these creature's blood. But only in those, like Cole, who I have enough of a presence in."
"What about energy shields," Weiss asked, "Our suits have those would those not stop the blood?"
"It should," Ellen said, "There is an easy way to find out."
"Short of putting their blood on the shields I don't see how we will know for sure," Dom said, "But I think I see what your getting at. If the energy shields dissipate the acid then your Aura should as well right?"
"In theory," Blake said.
"Do you have this Aura right now," Ellen asked.
"We always have Aura," Ruby said, "Why do you have any blood?"
Ellen looked around for a moment before picking up a piece of shattered glass and cutting her finger with it. Issac raised an eyebrow as the green acid blood of the Xenomorphs dripped from her finger and sizzled on the ground.
"What are you," Ember asked.
"I may be part Xenomorph Queen myself," Ellen said, "So who is brave enough to test if their Aura can stop this acid?"
"I'll do it," Yang said. Ruby looked like she was going to object but Yang touched the acid blood before she could. "Whoa that stuff packs a punch." Yang lit up with fire after touching the blood. "It must be able to dissolve a steel beam in a matter of seconds, took enough of my Aura to power me up just by touching it."
"I wish you wouldn't do things like that," Junior said.
"Why because one of these days she will bit off more than she can chew," Issac said, "Welcome to my world with Ellie there."
"Wait you two were a thing," Adam asked.
"Yes and then me and Carver were a 'thing,'" Ellie said, "Now we are just very close friends, with very powerful enemies."
"Speaking of which," Issac said, "If your Aura did neutralize the acid then energy shields should as well, an asset that most of DC has if I am not mistaken."
"Yeah but how does Aura compare with shields," Ruby asked, "We don't really have any common measurements for the two."
"Maybe you do," Adam said, "Shade is you, a different version of you sure but she has Aura same as you do and she has been working with shielding technology for a much longer time."
"How long would it take for the Raven to get here," Arizona asked.
"Three hours," Doug answered.
Issac shook his head before grabbing Ellen's still blood tipped hand. His shields flashed and lost about a quarter of their strength. "Okay that took about a hundred Joules out of my shield, Ellen how many ounces do you think that was?"
"Maybe two," Ellen said, "I like the initiative, but that could have turned out badly for you."
"So could have a lot of things," Issac said, "Basic math then would put each ounce of blood at fifty Joules of shield energy to neutralize. My suit only has about four hundred at max charge, but I hear that most of the other DC members with shields run in the tens of thousands and Aura seems even stronger."
"So energy is an effective barrier against the Xenomorphs' most effective weapon," Ellen said, "Good. Now what about the Necromorph side of this equation?"
"As long as I am nearby I can deal with that side," Lambent said.
"True but apart from us no one in DC has Cole's ability," Sam said, "Any other ideas?"
"In our experience shields seem to work marginally effectively against the lesser Necromorph forms," Ellie said, "The larger ones are more problematic however."
"But brute force can beat them," Krista said, "Even with their new skin."
"We are assuming of course that these Xeno-Necromorphs were not the only ones like them and if so then they will be acquiring new traits with each species they come across," Arizona said.
"Then we can not allow them to take anyone from Remnant," Roman said, "They do that and they might get Aura and Semblance."
"Or any from Avalar," Zar mentioned, "These creatures with draconic traits would be a nightmare."
"How about we don't let them take anyone from anywhere," Issac said, "If they are working with Magog then we know where to look for them... fallen Remnant."
Character Carolina
Carolina woke up to York idly stroking her as the two lay in their bed. She brushed his hand away as she sat up and leaned against him.
"Well hello lovely," York said as he embraced her, "Sleep well?"
"Oddly yes," Carolina answered, "Ever since joining up with DC and coming to terms with the fact my parents are now AI I've been..."
"At peace," York offered.
"I guess so," she agreed, "You help a lot you know, though you've made a mess of my hair."
"What can I say I started lower but eventually I worked my up to you hair," York said. Carolina laughed as she rolled out of bed and pushed York off too. "Wahh hey I was up before you this time."
"Come on with RWBY and RAIM gone off to Serra today we are helping JNPR comb the south farming region for Grimm or any other disturbances."
"I know, I just didn't want to wake you," York said, "You get so little sleep usually..."
"Because we are usually busy," Carolina said, "Now lets wash up and get suited up, it should be an interesting day."
"Always business with you isn't it," York said as he picked himself up. The Freelancers were staying at Beacon since the Invention was being borrowed by Ironwood. Carolina and York ended up in the RWBYs' building since Blake and Sun were out with the team. The temporarily empty building was perfect for meeting up with JNPR who was right down the road. A half hour later and Carolina, York, Delta and Sigma met up with JNPR outside the team's living quarters.
"Good morning," Pyrrha greeted the four as the teams met up.
"And to you Pyrrha," Delta replied.
"So why send eight people to look around the farms," Carolina asked as the two squads started walking to the airfield. "Wasn't Velvet patrolling those areas by herself just recently?"
"Yeah, she was but with the increased threat of Necromorphs and who knows what else Ozpin wants to up the patrols around the city outskirts," Jaune said, "And with DC we have enough people to do that, so thanks for coming along."
"If it means getting to put down some of our enemies then I am glad to come along," Sigma commented.
"Agreed," Carolina added. They reached the airfield shortly after the conversation died down and boarded a Bullhead that took them to the south end of Vale's farming land. "I didn't see many houses out here," Carolina remarked as they got off.
"That's because there are only a few who would live this far away from the city, but they have the most space for farm land," Ren said, "It makes for a dangerous lifestyle but each of these farms' owners are much wealthier than their abodes suggest."
"The abodes suggest that they are abandoned," Delta said, "I detect no life signs around us."
"They probably don't live here D," York said, "But you would think that there would be a caretaker or someone right?"
"Right," Jaune agreed, "Lets go take a look see if we can find anyone."
"My brother is right," Sigma said, "There are no human life signs around here, no Fanus either. We would best be served by looking for evidence of what happened instead of looking for those who are no longer here."
"York, Delta keep an eye out for trouble, Sigma lets go check the house," Carolina said.
"We will check the barns and other outlying structures," Jaune said as the group split into four teams.
The house was a single story, ranch style, abode that was about forty feet wide and a hundred feet long. It appeared to be in perfect condition, no broken glass, no damage to the walls, it even looked like it had been cleaned earlier that morning since there were no spiderwebs on the overhang that covered the porch. Carolina stopped at the door and looked around.
"York, anything out there," she asked via radio.
"I don't see anything and D doesn't have anything on his sensors yet," York replied.
"Well Sigma what do you think," Carolina asked.
"I think we would be better served by getting closer to the door," Sigma replied.
"The door is right in front of us," Carolina replied annoyed.
"If you call twenty feet right in front of us then maybe so," Sigma said, "But we cannot open it from here."
"Wait, twenty feet," Carolina asked.
"Yes," Sigma said, "wait why, don't you see it?"
"I see a door that is about twenty inches from me not feet," Carolina said as she reached for the handle. Her hand passed through it causing the doorknob to flash like it was a hologram. "What the, Sigma is there something right in front of us?"
"No there is not," Sigma replied after a second, "there is nothing between us and the house." Carolina nodded and then stepped through the door. Once behind the illusion she could see the real house, it was a twenty by fifty of the illusion and it definitely had been abandoned for a while. It had spiders all over the porch ceiling but other than that it seemed to be in good condition, with no broken windows or damage to the actual structure.
"Sigma mark this spot," Carolina said, "There is some sort of hologram or illusion here that keeps people from seeing the real house."
"Marked," Sigma acknowledged, "That explains your confusion, it would seem whatever is causing this disturbance does not affect AI."
"Jaune, Ren, York, keep an eye out for illusions," Carolina said, "The house was cloaked in one."
"Understood," Ren confirmed, "We are experiencing the same thing at the stables."
"And at the barns," Jaune added.
"If they can cloak a building then they can cloak whoever is keeping people from finding out about it," York said, "We still don't have anything on our sensors but I have a feeling that we will pretty soon."
"Unless whoever made this is finished with it," Carolina said, "Keep any out for any movement, we are going into the house."
"The door is locked," Sigma said.
"Then unlock it," Carolina replied.
"Back up then," Sigma said as he drew his Brute Shot. An explosion later and they were in. "I detect three heat signatures but they are electrical in nature not living."
"If I recall Ruby encountered a particularly nasty robot assassin not long ago," Carolina said, "I wouldn't trust anything right now."
"They appear to be the source of the holograms," Sigma said, "We should probably shut them down."
"Let me guess you want to do it," Carolina said.
"You know me so well," Sigma said as he moved into the house. Carolina followed him in. The house was covered in a layer of dust like it had been empty for several weeks. While Sigma went to destroy the devices Carolina searched through the rooms to see if there was any evidence regarding what happened at this house. After several minutes Sigma returned with one of the devices deactivated.
"See if you can tell anything from this," he said as he threw it to Carolina. She caught the device, which was about the size of a football but flat and with a magnetic side so it could be applied to metal surfaces.
"This is like Mother's cloaking equipment," Carolina remarked after looking it over, "Only more advanced."
"My thoughts exactly," Sigma said as he went invisible. "I got one for me too. Just put it on your armor and it will do the rest."
Carolina studied the device for a few seconds longer before attaching it to her back. Her visor pulled up the device's capabilities as it integrated with her armor. A spike of pain cause Carolina to go rigid for a few moments before her HUD displayed neural integration complete. "You could have warned me about that," she snapped.
"I did not know it would be painful, for me it was more like a device driver install," Sigma said
"Yeah well next time you hand me something that links with my brain... wait device drivers," Carolina asked.
"Mainly the feeds from the ships," Sigma said, "Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, USB drivers, the power cords for this suit, you get the idea."
"You use social media," Carolina asked surprised.
"Why not? I can process in one second more than most people can in one hour," Sigma said with a shrug.
"You are definitely different than I remember you," Carolina remarked before following the instructions that the device gave her during the neural integration to turn it on. "How do I look?"
"Almost completely invisible except for a very slight heat signature," Sigma said, "Hold up, Delta just picked up contacts... there seem to be a lot of them."
"Let's get back out there then," Carolina said as she headed for the hole that was the door and raised her rifle. York tumbled past her as he was flung by a large pride abomination. "What are these guys doing here," Carolina thought as she rolled out of the way of Delta who was also flung towards the house. "Oh right the Magog is the same creature but in a different Cinder, I guess it would be able to summon these demons. Either way they die just as easily."
"York, Delta are you two okay," Carolina asked.
"Yeah, yeah we're fine," York said as he got up and looked around, "Where are you two?"
"Right here," Carolina said as she put a hand on his shoulder, "Invisibility has it's disadvantages I guess. Now let's kill that... oh." In the few seconds that it took for Carolina and York to talk the Pride demon had been joined by seven others and a swarm of lesser demons.
"Whee," Nora yelled as she slammed into one of the demons sending it reeling. "Come on guys we've got a fight on our hands!" Three grenade explosions later and Nora had taken out another eight of the lesser demons and had made her way to the roof of the house where she began raining down grenades. Sigma joined her in the bombardment while Pyrrha was picking off more of the lesser demons with Akouo. Delta and Ren added their SMGs to the fray as Carolina dove into the middle of the battle an invisible dervish of bullets, shock batons, knives and death. Jaune came charging through her path but seemed to jump over her as if he knew she was there, before heading to one of the Pride demons. York had added his rifle to the battle by this point and Carolina decided that the lesser demons were going to be cleared out quite quickly. She turned her attention to the Pride demons that were converging on Jaune. Where most warriors who charge headlong into almost certain death would be putting on some false bravado Jaune was methodically slashing his way through the eight demons without so much as getting touched. Carolina put fifteen rounds into one of the demon's heads causing it to rear back and collapse to the ground. Jaune used the dead demon to jump onto the shoulders of another one and bury his sword into it's skull. Ren and Delta broke through the last of the lesser demons and funneled their fire onto the Pride demons, dropping two more. Pyrrha snipped one that was about to crush Jaune as he deflected a blow that was meant for Delta. Nora then stunned and subsequently killed the demon that was readying a fireball to hurl at Pyrrha and Sigma came out of nowhere and decapitated the last Pride demon with the blade of his grenade launcher.
"Well that was interesting," Sigma said as he uncloaked himself, "Ren."
"Sigma," Ren acknowledged, "Your timing was perfect."
"Of course it was. I was going to say you have excellent taste in friends," Sigma said, "Nora, a pleasure."
"Grenades," Nora yelled with an fist pump followed by a laugh.
"Carolina," York asked.
"Oh right sorry," Carolina said as she uncloaked as well, "I actually forgot about that. Speaking of which, Jaune you seemed to know where I was... how?"
"Well your weapons are not cloaked when they are firing," Jaune said, "Not completely that is. When you spar with Pyrrha all the time you have to find creative ways to counter new things. As soon as I saw your weapons flashing about on the field I jumped over them. I figured you were connected to them."
"That is quick thinking," Delta complimented, "I would have done the same."
"Hey Delta see what you make of this thing," Carolina said as she detached the cloaking unit from her suit and handed it to him.
"This appears to be a Reaper enhanced version of our current stealth technology," Delta said after a few moments.
"I came to the same conclusion," Sigma confirmed, "Carolina?"
"I was worried you would say that," Carolina said, "Let's get this report filed and go meet with Shepard, Anders, and Dad."
"Oh joy," York remarked, "Well there goes the rest of the day and it looked so promising too."
"How is it that something K already dominated keeps showing up to attack us," Ren asked.
"Reapers are machines and where one of them exists more can be created and programmed to do whatever the creator wants," Delta said.
"Do you four want to tell Ozpin about this and invite him to our meeting," Carolina asked.
"Ozpin is up with Ironwood looking over the Invention but Glynda is here we will talk with her," Jaune said, "For now lets go check on the other farms just to make sure there is nothing else to add to this report." The next farm was ten miles away and it's residents reported that they had not noticed any unusual activity around their place. After warning them about the farm to the south the group moved on to the next farm. After four hours and six farm visits that reported nothing out of place Carolina called for the Pelican to come pick them up.
"Nothing, no readings on the scans, no eye witnesses, no one seems to have any idea about how the demons got here, or this technology of even if there are other threats laying in wait," Carolina raged.
"No one knows what happened to the people at that farm either," Pyrrha stated.
"That is my point," Carolina commented as she calmed down and took a seat in the Pelican, "What happened to those people?"
"Demon possession seems the most likely," Anders said an hour later as the two teams, Glynda, Anders, Shepard and Church were meeting in the Normandy.
"Wait so does that mean..." Nora started.
"It means the demons that were guarding the device were the farm workers yes," Anders said sadly.
"Then we have avenged their deaths," Sigma said, "By killing those creatures who would use their bodies as tools for destruction."
"It was the greatest kindness you could have given them," Anders said.
"What concerns me is the Reaper tech you found in the house," Shepard said as he finished uploading a scan of Carolina's device to Harbinger. "Harbinger what do you make of this?"
"It is Reaper in origin," Harbinger stated through the comms after a few moments. "However it has been modified and dramatically upgraded in it's performance. This tech is on the cutting edge of what even we are capable of... without Dust that is."
"Dust why does it always come back to Dust," Jaune commented.
"Didn't Shade say that her Remnant didn't have Coris though," Church asked.
"She said that true but it may still have Dust," Pyrrha said, "It could be that their Dust is running out though if their version of Coris never returned to reactivate it. I am led to believe that they didn't have Adam though, in any version."
"What ever their situation is Magog-Cinder seems to have enough Dust to make devices that are capable of tricking all our orbital scanners," Harbinger mentioned.
"I didn't even think of that," Carolina exclaimed, "What if this is not an isolated incident. What if there are many of these demon havens all across Remnant?"
"Then logic would dictate that you create a distraction to weaken your foe's forces and then you activate all of your units at once," Delta said, "Much like the attempt on Serra with the Necromorphs which we know are not strong enough to best Lambent."
"Guys you all seem to be forgetting that there are a few million Ruby's protecting this planet," Nora said, "If those guys come out of hiding she will wipe them off the planet."
"So that is what they are doing then," Carolina stated, "They don't plan on coming out of hiding. Harbinger you said none of your scanners picked up readings of demons from orbit? Shepard what about the Normandy? If our scans can not detect these creatures while these devices cloak them then can the Rubys detect them?"
"It would seem logical to assume that if the other Rubys are in orbit or at about the same distance, that they would not notice these cloaked threats," Ren remarked.
"Then we need to search these encampments out and destroy them before they have time to get bigger," Glynda said, "Harbinger can you develop a counter measure to these devices?"
"Give me the devices, Dust and a few hours and I will have something for you," Harbinger said.
"What are you thinking," Carolina asked as she handed the device back to Shepard so he could give it to Harbinger.
"I am thinking that Cinder's FAUN project is building the most advanced warship we have ever seen and that if we have a counter measure to this cloaking technology we can integrate it with the ship," Glynda said, "If you all will excuse me I need to make a few calls." Glynda walked out of the war room and left the ship while furiously pressing buttons on her scroll.
"Well until that countermeasure is developed and put in place we will have to resort to the old fashioned way of doing things," York said, "So who is up for a good search and destroy?"
JNPR all smirked at that statement causing Carolina to wonder what their history was with the phrase but Jaune gave the thumbs up signaling that they would be ready tomorrow to head out to find any more of the demons' encampments.
"A suggestion," Harbinger said as Carolina started to leave, "Javik should accompany you all tomorrow, other than Shepard here his people put up the best fight against us. He could help with any of our repurposed tech that you find."
"Why not just come down with us yourself," Carolina asked.
"I would be far to obvious for the stealth that you prefer," Harbinger said, "However I may be able to assist you through remote control of one of my smaller preserved ones."
"Preserved ones," Carolina asked.
"It is what he calls those that he remakes as Reapers," Shepard said, "It is the reason they were built, or the twisted version of it anyways, to find a way to preserve all life in the galaxy."
"If they are on our side why not let them help," Carolina said, "Sure meet up with us outside JNPR's building in the morning. Shepard if Javik is willing to work with us then he can meet us there as well."
"I will have a Banshee there," Harbinger said as Carolina and her team left. The next morning Carolina, York, Delta and Sigma found both Harbinger and Javik outside JNPR's building. Harbinger was controlling a Banshee, which looked like a mummified, cyborg, Assari that was now also glowing with yellow lines of power as Harbinger exerted his control over it. The two were standing with their backs to each other and with their arms crossed.
"It took you long enough," Javik said as he turned towards them, "Shall we get this hunt underway?"
"We are not going to have a problem with the two of you working together are we," Carolina asked.
"K has no quarrel with Javik so I have no quarrel with Javik," Harbinger said as his freakish form turned towards them, "He hates me however, he still sees my preservation of his kind as an abomination."
"Those creatures you turned my kind into are no longer my kind," Javik said, "I am the last of the Prothians. I can put my quarrel with you aside for this mission however and seeing you enslaved to K does bring me some peace of mind."
"It is not slavery, it is simply the fulfillment of my reason for being," Harbinger said, "K is a part of us and we of him, you have an odd understanding of freedom I think."
"So long as you two are actually talking through your differences I am good with you," Carolina said, "Now where is JNPR?"
"Up here," Nora called out as a Bullhead flew overhead and came in for a pick up, "Get in, and what is that thing?"
"Just one of Harbinger's Reapers," Carolina yelled over the engines of the Bullhead, "He is coming with us on this mission."
"It looks more like a she," Nora remarked, "Or an it."
"We Reapers have no gender," Harbinger said.
"Definitely sounds like Harbinger though," Nora added, "Well glad to have you with us, Javik nice to see you out again. Well come on get in we have a lot of ground to cover and hopefully a lot of stuff to blow up!
"I thank you for your friendliness," Javik said, "I have been keeping to myself, perhaps to much of late."
"Everyone needs time to themselves," Harbinger said, "You have more reason to seek solitude than most."
"Don't patronize me," Javik stated, "Into the ship I want to get this over with."
"I'll buy the drinks when we get back," Carolina offered as they all got in.
"I would take you up on that but my tastes are probably too expensive for you," Ren said.
"Uh, yeah and it's really not a good idea for me to drink," Jaune said, "I do enough crazy stuff on my own without help from some drink."
"If I may," Delta asked, "Where are we going to go to look for more of these bases?"
"Everywhere we can think to look for them," Pyrrha said, "Places that are out of the way and are not frequented much are the first stop on the list."
"There must be a lot of those on this world," York said, "I mean you only have four cities."
"Each the size of a small continent," Sigma added.
"It is true," Jaune said, "Each city has enough internal support that it can support itself, even with food and water."
"Then why attack the outlying farms," Carolina asked, "Surely Magog knows how the cities are constructed, seeing as he and the other Cinder took over the alternate Remnant."
"It would be logical that there would be demons placed within key spots near the city, probably withing the walls or very close to them," Delta said.
"Mountain Glen matches that perfectly, for Vale at least," Nora said, "Usually some really nasty stuff around there though. Even Goliaths frequent the area to look for weakness in the city's defense."
"Goliaths," Carolina asked.
"Massive Grimm," Pyrrha said, "You will probably see them from the walls of the ruins."
"I really should be making attempts to preserve these Grimm, some of the Fanus too," Harbinger said.
"No," JNPR stated, "Well not Fanus at least," Jaune continued, "If you want to take some of the Grimm and make them work for us, go ahead and try. I warn you they sort of... decay very quickly when they die, like the inside of them evaporates or something."
"I believe Aurora is actually already working on an idea to bring some of the Grimm to our side," Delta said, "Like she did with Midnight."
"Ruins are just up ahead," Ren said, "We should get ready to depart."
Carolina moved to the hatch of the Bullhead. Looking to her left she saw Delta and Sigma, to her right was York. Carolina quickly ducked as the hatch opened and Nora jumped over her to land on the building below. "Well so much for the majestic entry to the ruined city," Javik commented.
"Shame," Sigma said, "It would have made for a great poster of us."
"Are you sure you're an AI," Harbinger asked.
"We are all more than just AI," Delta said, "Sigma more than most of us though."
"I am Meta," Sigma stated as he jumped out of the Bullhead. Carolina rolled her eyes before jumping out after him with the rest of the team following her.
"Sage pull the Bullhead back, go get some fuel for it and such," Jaune said into his scroll.
"Rodger that," Sage replied as the VTOL headed back towards Vale, "I'll be back to pick you all up in a few hours, hope you find what you're looking for."
"Yeah you know somehow I don't think I want to find what we are looking for," York said, "Not this close to the city anyways."
"If we do then we kill it and end the threat," Harbinger said, "If not we move on to the next most likely location and see if a threat exists there."
"Harbinger you're an entire nation of Reapers, why not be searching for these outposts with all of your people," Delta asked.
"Because I need information on how to find these places," Harbinger said, "AI do not see the distortions as flesh creatures do. I need to know how to identify these threats before I can deconstruct them."
"You need our eyes to see this why not just take those too," Javik scoffed.
"It is not your eyes," Harbinger said, "I need your soul to be able to process information as you do. It is the one thing we can not preserve."
"Then you are not preserving the entity if you can not preserve it's soul," Ren said, "Our soul is us, not these bodies. For millions of years you have been slaughtering entire civilizations and not preserving the very piece that makes them what they are... you failed your own goal."
"Yes," Harbinger said as he looked over the edge of the building, "K made us all see."
"Area looks clear," Nora reported happily as she skipped over to Carolina, Jaune and Javik.
"Clear is not what we are looking for," Carolina said, "Lets move out see what we can find."
"I'd say look for large groupings of Grimm," Pyrrha said, "They are attracted to the same traits that the demons we are hunting embody."
"Don't forget the undercity," Ren said.
"None of us even know how to get..." Jaune started, "Roman and Adam would know the layout better than any of us."
"Harbinger can you get RAIM to join us," Carolina asked.
"I will send a Harvester to pick them up," Harbinger said, "It only takes thirty minutes for it to fly here but how long it takes to get RAIM's cooperation is another matter."
"Just get them here," Carolina said, "In the meantime lets move, there is a lot of ground up here to cover too. Jaune take your team west, cover that side of the ruins, Harbinger go with them. Javik, your with us we're heading east. Harbinger when your Harvester gets here let us know and we will all meet by it."
"Understood," Harbinger said as JNPR hopped off the building. The Banshee warped after them a moment later.
"That is a helpful trait," York remarked.
"That is why Harbinger choose that form to use here," Javik stated, "Now let us go hunt some demons."
Character Roman
"You think there is what in our old base," Roman asked Harbinger, or Harbinger's Harvester anyways.
"Demons," he, it, replied, "Powerful ones."
"And there is no one better to go investigate it than us," Roman remarked, "Of course not..." Roman and Adam were at the .N. complex which was starting to become an active place now that people were actually in it. Cinder's bet on Yang and Blake had paid off as now White Fang support was being thrown into the project. "Well I certainly could use a reason to get out of here. No offense Adam but I hate these guys."
"I know," Adam said, "But hate them or not you can't deny their productivity. Moroni and Imhotep are on their way out, we can go as soon as you're ready."
"Then climb aboard," the Harvester said, "I will take you to Harbinger, he is with JNPR out in the ruins. Carolina and her team are also present as is the Prothian."
"Javik is there," Adam asked, "With you?"
"It is best that the two teams have separated for now," the Reaper replied, "Javik's hate for us is deeply ingrained in him."
"We know the feeling," Moroni said as he and Imhotep walked out of the building to join their team.
"Right well those caverns wont search themselves," Roman said, "Imhotep lift us onto he Reaper."
"Hold on I don't have any safeties for the transport of organics," the Harvester said as it took off. Roman felt the weight of Imhotep's power holding him and the team onto the Reaper as they flew towards the ruins of Mountain Glen.
"Demons," Moroni stated, "any idea what kind?"
"The variants from Thedas," the Reaper answered.
"Definitely connected with Magog then," Adam said.
"They stand against us and they will die," Imhotep commented.
"It's another fight at least," Roman said, "We may as well enjoy it right?"
"You like fighting don't you," Moroni said.
"When it comes down to it, yes," Roman replied, "But I prefer if my jobs go smoothly and without incident. These demons are an incident and will be dealt with."
"You are ruthless I'll give you that," Imhotep said.
"I get a job, I do the job, I get paid for the job," Roman said, "In this case my jobs come from DC now and the pay is much better than what Cinder paid."
"Whatever your reasons," Adam said, "Your determination is paying off for the Fanus. My people are starting to become respected. We still are not on an even level with Humans but the progress is stepping up, mostly thanks to DC, Cinder, and you."
"Me," Roman questioned, "I don't see how."
"You instilled your drive into the White Fang," Adam said, "If you had not led them while working for Cinder, they would not be as structured as they are now. Also the quick change of power from you, to Gerald, to Barry and Elisa helped. If Gerald had remained the leader I think he would have destroyed the organization."
"We have arrived," the Harvester announced as it landed beside JNPR and Harbinger.
"Good you're here," Harbinger said, "I will signal the others to meet up with us to begin clearing the underground."
"Have you cleared the surface yet," Roman asked.
"A few Grimm but no demons that we could find," Jaune replied.
Roman looked around the area they were in. He recognized it as the south eastern quarter of the ruins, there was once an entrance to the White Fang base down this way but RWBY had closed it off years ago. "Imhotep are you feeling like being a bulldozer for us today, maybe move a collapsed building or two for us so we can get underground?"
"If that is what is needed I will do it," Imhotep said with a curt nod of his head.
"Do you four always wear suits," Nora asked.
"I will summon my armor from time to time but usually we have the suits yes," Moroni replied.
"Carolina and her team are just a few minutes away," Harbinger stated, "If we need to move some things then we should do so now."
"Imhotep, see those two buildings laying across each other," Roman asked.
"Of course," Imhotep replied.
"Can you move them," Roman asked, "Underneath them is the way down."
"Which section is on top of the entrance," Moroni asked.
"The middle of both buildings is right on the shaft that leads down," Adam said.
Moroni nodded and summoned his flaming ax. Four quick, flying strikes later and the buildings were separated enough for Imhotep to move without any trouble.
"What are you guys... oh," York said as his group joined them.
"Looks like we have our way down," Carolina stated, "RAIM, you're in front now. You know the area best after all."
"Then I get to call the shots," Roman said.
"That seems fair," Sigma said, "It is your neck that is sticking out the farthest."
"You don't know Roman if you are willing to let him lead," Ren said.
"Shut it," Roman snapped, "I led the White Fang, unofficially, for years. Beyond that I have plenty of operations that I've directed and went perfectly smoothly before you all got involved."
"Besides, It does not seem like you get a choice," Javik stated, "If you want to go down there and not get lost then you will have to let him lead."
"He has a cane that shoots explosives, how bad can it be," Nora stated.
"Okay now I am worried about this, and not because of the tunnels," Harbinger said.
"Screw this," Roman said, "My old base is being rifled through by demons I am not going to just stand around while they have their fun down there. So either you all can follow me or you can stay here! RAIM lets go." As Roman led his team into the underground systems he was actually surprised to see that Jaune was rallying his team and following them in. Carolina and her team were right beside Roman while the rest of his team were to his left. Roman led them past many a decrepit structure before he noticed something that was off about the section of the sub-city that they were in.
"That building used to have a door in the front of it," Adam stated, "What walled it off?"
"The door is there," Delta said, "You are seeing the result of one of the demons' illusion generators."
"Now the question is do the demons come out after the device triggers some sort of alarm or are they already around here somewhere waiting to see if we go in," Pyrrha said.
"In either case disrupting the field will bring the cowards to us," Javik said as he stepped through the wall. He soon returned by being knocked back out of the building and slamming into Harbinger. "Look out it's come this way." Javik punctuated this statement by firing his particle beam weapon into the wall. The radiation of the weapon's beam disrupted the illusion and a Reaper enhanced Pride demon could be seen smashing it's way towards them.
"Well that is big," Roman remarked as he raised Melodic Cudgel. "Harbinger can you give us any advice on killing it?"
"Other than to do it fast since I detect many more creatures with this energy signature converging on us," Harbinger said, "That power node on it's chest is probably vulnerable once you take it's shields down."
"Great it has energy shields," Moroni remarked.
"We can deal with that," Roman said. "Adam?"
"Gladly," Adam stated as the demon burst out of the building. In a flash Adam had rushed into the demon and struck it multiple times with Wilt. Adam then exploded in a red Force pulse that knocked out the shields of the demon. The demon responded by punching Adam back into a wall.
"Hit the power node," Roman yelled as he fired, "Now!" The demon took hits from everything from swords, to bullets, to grenades to blasts of dark energy before the node exploded, knocking everyone to their knees.
"This is going to take more fire power than we have right now," Sigma said, "I detect the signatures that Harbinger mentioned, brother can you confirm?"
"Confirming forty nine unique power signatures converging on our position. Time to arrival, four minutes," Delta said.
"We have to get back up and close off that hole," York said. Roman however realized what the demons were up to.
"No, the demons will use the trains to get into Vale," Roman said, "Either we take down those tunnels or an army can get into the city without any resistance. I know they can do that, it was what we tried to do almost five years ago. Only this time we are the only ones in the position to stop them."
"I have warned K," Harbinger said, "He will be sending reinforcements to my position. I will have to remain here, you go on to the train rails, stop the demons."
"You can't single handedly take on fifty of those monsters," Jaune said, "You'll get destroyed and then our back up wont know where we are. JNPR is staying to help until the back up arrives."
"As will we," Carolina said, "Javik go with RAIM, stop the trains, stop the demons."
"Consider it done," Javik said, "Hurry and lead on to the rails, if you are right then we probably do not have much time."
Roman jerked his head to to indicate a passage that ran between some buildings to his right before he ducked into the ally, RAIM and Javik running behind him. Farther back Roman heard the beginnings of a fight, he briefly wondered how the other teams planned to take the shields down, but he figured Harbinger could counter his own tech and kept running. Roman led his team through three more allies, two buildings, over a ridge, a river, and along the side of a chasm before they arrived at the train depot. Sure enough Reaper enhanced demons, the lesser abominations this time, were working on getting a train car full of the cyborg Pride demons to run.
"Oh no you don't," Roman hissed, "If I can't get this plan to work I sure as Hell am not going to let some scum demons get it to work. Javik, Imhotep, Moroni, stop those little guys from fixing that power station. Adam, let's go say hello to our guests."
"Gladly," Adam said as he switched his Grimm mask for his Revan mask, "Let them taste the might of the undying Sith lord."
"Always knew I liked you for a reason," Roman remarked as he fired a round from Melodic Cudgel into the demons on the train. To Roman's surprise the demons didn't leave the train to come after him and Adam, instead they just snarled at them. One of the demons started charging up a spell of some kind that was being infused with energy from the Reaper parts. Javik, Moroni, and Imhotep were attacking the abominations that were trying to get the train system online, but power was already restored and it would only be a few moments before the train could depart.
"Roman, power me up," Adam stated. Roman complied by firing seven rounds from Melodic Cudgel at him, allowing Adam to store up the power. When the demon fired it's attack, Adam captured it and flung it back at the train car full of demons. The resulting explosion threw everyone back from the train and started a cave in. Javik used his biotics to keep the cave roof from crushing him, while Imhotep used his own powers to achieve the same effect for him and Moroni. Adam and Roman met up with the three as they all ran back towards JNPR's location.
"The cave in is getting in front of us," Javik yelled.
"Imhotep hold it off," Roman ordered.
"I am holding it off," Imhotep said, "The entire city above us is coming down, even I have my limits."
"Only because you limit yourself," Javik said as he grabbed Imhotep's shoulder. Above them Roman saw the entire ceiling of the cave system start to glow green along the cracks that were expanding out from the train yard. Javik then threw a ball of blue energy at the glowing cracks causing a massive chain reaction of explosions that cut the cave in off and dropped a huge section of the city above down into the cavern behind them. RAIM just looked at the Prothian. "What? You would have thought of that too if you were not primitives."
"Uh Cherub," Moroni stated as he took off his suit jacket to reveal his wings.
"You were not holding the roof up were you," Javik reminded him, "Now we should check on our comrades, they may still be under attack from the demons."
"Oh I'm sure they have found some way to kill the demons," Roman said as they resumed their run. Five minutes later Roman was proved right as he and his team exited the ally where they had left the others and saw not only, JNPR, Harbinger and Carolina's team but TF 141, Bad Co., Tyreal, Rayon, Blitz, Charolite, and Bartholomew. There was also a very large pile of dead, Reaper enhanced, demons laying about.
"I guess you were not kidding about reinforcements," Adam said to Harbinger.
"I do not joke," Harbinger said, "Joking is for organics..."
"Then why did that sound sarcastic," Roman interrupted, "I know sarcasm when I hear it. The train yard is now under several blocks of city, I don't think we will have to be worried about anything getting into Vale through it."
"It is simply amazing how much DC has changed everything they touch," Bartholomew remarked rapidly, "Why just a few months ago you would probably have still been trying to use the trains for your own plans, now you are helping destroy them to save the city."
"I can't make any money selling illegal goods to people who are dead," Roman replied quickly, but he could feel that he didn't really mean it. At least not as much as he would have just a few months ago. "Besides, it was Javik who collapsed three city blocks on top of the trains."
"The amount of force that would require is tremendous," Charolite remarked as Moroni picked her up and put her on his shoulder, "Steve is disinclined to believe you did it by yourself."
"Well, Roman and Adam started the collapse, Imhotep maintained it long enough for me to use a critical point to cut it off and I chained my biotics causing implosions of dark energy," Javik said, "I actually expended very little effort to do it."
"You don't find that having the ghost of your friend in your head is a little weird," York asked.
"You're one to talk," Charolite replied, "Didn't Delta used to be in your head?"
"Okay sure but that was," York started, "Never mind. What I am wondering about now is why didn't any of the other Rubys come in to help kill these things, they were not hidden like the others were."
"What if the invisibility and the jamming from the Ruby-net are different," Sigma suggested.
"Ruby-net," Soap asked, "Really?"
"I don't know it kind of makes sense," Jackson said.
"It does," Rayon said, "being invisible would not stop the Rubys from detecting the demons. For that the demons would have to know what frequency the Rubys scan Remnant at and jam it in such a way that everything appears normal."
"Then we should probably talk to Shade," Adam said, "If these Reaper-Demons are with Magog, the it would be Shade's Aura that the Magog-Cinder knows and is likely what the jammer is based off of."
"Then where do we find Shade," Roman asked.
"The Raven, where else," Adam said.
"Then we will go meet with her," Roman said.
"We should remain here," Javik said as he walked over to JNPR, "In case more of those things crawl out of the rubble."
"And if we find that the jammer is somewhere down here you all will already be in position to destroy it," Moroni said, "Good thinking."
"Just don't cause Shade to get mad at you," Charolite said as she jumped off of Moroni's shoulder. "Just signal us when you have located the jammer."
"Right," Imhotep said, "Now how to get to the Raven."
"Easy," Adam said, "This is Darth Revan send a pick up to these coordinates, room for four... Destination, Raven. A shuttle will be here in six minutes, we should be outside when it arrives." Roman nodded and led his team out from the cave-city.
"And now it is raining," Roman remarked, "I just got this suit cleaned."
"Don't you have a closet full of those," Imhotep asked.
"Well yes, but it costs fifty Lien a pop to steam clean these things," Roman countered.
"For someone without a steady income you have expensive tastes," Moroni said.
"You should wait until he is in a sushi bar," Adam said, "Then you will see expensive."
"Here's the shuttle so you all can stop chatting and we can go figure out this jammer thing," Roman said as a mid sized troop transport came in to land beside RAIM.
"Welcome aboard sir," the pilot said as RAIM boarded the transport, "ETA to the Raven is eight minutes. Should I notify Maven or Shade that you are coming?"
"Yes," Adam said, "We need to speak to Shade."
"The call is away, Shade will meet you in the hangar," the pilot said. The rest of the trip was spent in silence. The pilot being separated from the cargo area made talking pointless. They arrived without incident and met Shade in the hangar.
"Adam," Shade greeted, "RAIM, I hear we have trouble."
"It would seem so," Adam said, "We think that something is jamming the Ruby-net that Ruby put in place around Remnant. You are the only Ruby that the Magog-Cinder would have had extended experience with so it seem likely that the jammer is based off of your Aura frequency."
"Of course," Shade said as she led them out of the hangar and towards a meeting room. "You will want to get a reading of my Aura so you can pinpoint the jamming device."
"That is as good a plan as any," Roman said, "Your Remnant wouldn't happen to have developed Scrolls would it?"
"Indeed we did," Shade said as she closed the door to the chamber she had brought them to. "This is my meditation chamber. You four are the first people to enter it besides me since it was finished." Shade walked to a spire in the middle of the room and opened a compartment within it. She then turned back towards them with Scroll in hand. "take the data from my Scroll it will give you the readings you need to locate your devices. If you need help destroying them take this and paint the target, then the Raven will fire on it with our orbital cannons." Shade handed Adam a laser targeting device which he handed to Roman.
"Thank you Shade," Roman said as he looked over the device, "Do you have the facilities to scan the entire planet for your Aura?"
"We do," Shade said, "Follow me." While they headed to the bridge Shade explained how the scan worked. "Between the Raven, Hemorrhage, and Domination we can triangulate any point on the planet. Once I input the frequency to search for the three ships will located it and send us the coordinates for any positions that the frequency is detected. Roman if you would just scan the Scroll on that panel over there I will connect us to the other ships."
"Shade," Maven greeted as they arrived on the Bridge, "RAIM, How is your search going?"
"Hopefully about to get much better," Roman said as he swiped the Scroll across the reader. "Can you get a fix on anything emitting that frequency?"
"Hmm... Yes we have one, no wait we have several, it looks like there are nine different sites across the planet that are generating that Aura."
"Nine sites," Moroni commented, "That is going to be annoying."
"Save the data and give them a copy," Shade said, "Roman, we will sync the fleet up to that target designator. All you have to do is get a lock on the target for three seconds and we will have targeting priority for the fleet."
"That is assuming you have a clear shot at the target," Adam said, "If they are underground or obstructed in some way we will have to find another means of destroying the... wait I've seen this pattern before."
"It looks like the pattern of the Markers that the Necromorphs left," Maven said, "Here let me overlay the data." The map of the planet flashed up on the holographic display in the middle of the room and the nav points for the jammers and the Markers were over laid on the map.
"Well that is not good," Imhotep remarked as the points lined up.
"The Necromorphs are transmitting a jamming signal from their markers," Roman stated, "I guess it is time to destroy them."
"You will probably need to gather a team to deal with these things if they are not within bombardment range," Shade said.
"There is the four of us obviously," Roman said, "Who all is back from the Serra mission?"
"Still just us and RWBY," Moroni said.
"Okay, We have a group over in Mountain Glen still," Roman said, "We will use them, get RWBY on board and Cinder, Ozpin, and Ironwood. Shade do you have more of these target designators?"
"I do but for the fleet to focus fire I recommend only using one of them at a time," Shade said, "You want to have nine different groups strike these jammers almost simultaneously don't you?"
"Got it," Roman said, "We have Legion 141, RWBY and JNPR, Shepard's crew, Mal's crew, us with Cinder, Mercury and Emerald, Roland and his friends, Bad Co. and Halo Company, Carter's company, and Carolina and the Freelancers. They should be more than enough to take out a few markers, especially when they are flying in on dragon back."
"Which dragons do you think you can get to help," Maven asked.
"Spyro and Cynder work well with Bad Co. and Halo Company," Moroni said, "As for the others, I guess we will just take volunteers."
"It sounds like you have a lot of work to do then," Shade said, "I will ready the fleet you get me those targets."
"We will show these demons they can't fool us," Roman said as RAIM turned to leave, "Moroni contact Charolite and tell her to get everyone to the FAUN complex. We will stage our strikes from there."