A Story of Kalathanon

by Kalathanon

The Second book in the Kalathanon Series that started with The Legend of Spyro: The Kalathanon Files. New faces include, David Web, RWBY, Ezio, some D3, Firefly, Borderlands, and more.

57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Setting Up for the Stage

Character Soap

"Rayon, Blitz, good to see you two," Soap said the morning after Roman, of all people, called for a massive move by DC to attack the Markers that were still on Remnant. "You two ready to fly?"

"We are ready for something sure," Blitz said, "I think flying is somehow only part of it."

"Observant," Reinhardt remarked, "I suspect there will be flying, fighting, exploding, the usual fare for a DC operation."

"And yet that does not make me any more comfortable with the idea," Jackson said, "We were there when Roman took out that train station. Those demons are a nightmare straight out of Hell."

"So is the one that created them," Soap said, "That is why we are going to go remove their protection, so to speak. Personally I'll just kill any that get in my way."

"That is all well and good for the demon hunter," Price said, "What about us normal people?"

"I figured you would do what you always do," Soap replied, "Stay behind me and kill anything I miss."

"Sounds like my job with Blitz," Rayon said.

"I'll bet yours is harder then," Lucas said, "Soap almost never leaves anything standing."

"You two bull-pups going at it again," Ghost asked as he and Anjali joined the group.

"It's what happens when you leave us alone," Blitz said.

"And now that you are here we can get on with this mission," Soap said, "Mount up, Ray we're on you. We're headed north west to Vacuo. "

"Aslir are you tracking me," Jackson asked into a headset. "Okay good, keep on me we will probably be facing resistance when we arrive."

"He up to date," Soap asked.

"Yeah he knows the plan," Jackson confirmed as Ray and Blitz took off. The wind kept conversation on the trip to a minimum and after two hours they arrived.

"Good and it's only six AM," Soap said, "the other groups should be checking in." He flipped out a panel on the designator and saw that the other teams were in position or almost in position. "Okay we're green. Ray, Blitz, search for a Marker from the air, we will keep an eye out down here."

"Aslir is searching as well," Jackson said, "He is using ground penetrating radar to see if it is in a cave system under us."

"If the demons have the ability to cloak an entire farm, then one Marker is not going to be a problem for them," Price said, "We are going to have to comb the area."

"Why can't these thing just be labeled," Katarina asked, "It would make this so much easier."

"That it would," Lucas agreed, "But since it is not labeled we might as well fan out."

"Actually the Marker is labeled with a very specific energy signature," Reinhardt said, "One that I can lock onto and... there!" His gauntlet started glowing on one side. "This way!" The fighter mage took off down the mountain.

"A tracking gauntlet," Soap remarked with a smirk, "That is handy."

"Man, we have got to get you out of Yang's bar," Ghost said as everyone started to follow Reinhardt, "that was cringe worthy."

"Aren't you the one always complaining about my serious mood," Soap stated.

"No that is me and I prefer that over the puns," Price said.

"Why are there no birds," Anjali asked.

"Because there are no animals around here at all," Lucas said, "something is watching us."

"Good," Soap said, "We are on the right track."

"Of course we are," Reinhardt said, "I'm tracking the Marker."

"Can you tell how far away it is," Price asked.

"To some degree, the glow gets brighter as we get closer," Reinhardt replied, "Watch out for that branch." Soap ducked under the mentioned limb as he slid down the incline after Reinhardt. The crashing of Lucas coming down behind him told Soap the the warrior had cleared the path.

"Your a trailblazer now," Soap asked.

"It's a benefit of having a shield," Lucas said as he swiped the twigs and other plant life off his shield.

"Thank you for that," Katarina remarked as she slid out of the shield shaped tunnel of brush. Ghost, Anjali, Jackson and Price were out a few moments later. "Are we close yet?"

"Should be," Reinhardt said.

"Blitz, Ray," Soap said into his comm, "Are you two still over head?"

"Yeah we're here," Ray replied, "Lost you all for a bit in the trees but we see you now. There appears to be some sort of clearing up ahead, a likely spot for a Marker, especially if it is cloaked."

"Jackson," Soap asked.

"Aslir agrees with Ray," Jackson said, "I'll call him down in the clearing. You all probably want to watch this." Soap looked up to see a bright glow falling towards them. About a hundred feet off the ground it uncurled into Aslir. The mech landed in a cloud of dust and leaves before standing up and loading it's massive cannon.

"Wow you really did get an upgrade," Price remarked.

"Of course," Aslir said, "I designed this frame myself."

"And the cannon," Ghost asked.

"Standard AA design with sights added to it for ground targeting," Aslir replied.

"So do we even need to be here," Lucas asked.

"Yeah," Soap said, "You do. Reinhardt, where is this marker?"

"Should be right in front of us," Reinhardt said as Ray and Blitz landed in the clearing.

"Then it probably is," Ray said, "Cloaking right?"

"Right," Soap commented as he walked out into the clearing. After about thirty yards the atmosphere changed and instead of the peaceful clearing there was a giant structure with the Marker standing tall in it's center. Jackson came up beside him in Aslir.

"Well there it is," Jackson said, "Want to bet there are going to be a million guards converging on use once we blow it?"

"You mean the million guards that just showed up," Katarina said as she fired her rifle, "Demons incoming!"

Soap tossed the designator to Price before chambering his CAR-15, drawing his six inch knife and charging the demons. Jackson and Aslir were right beside Soap and Lucas was following them. Reinhardt was laying down entropic traps for the demons to trigger while Ghost and Anjali were burning a path through the demons. Katarina and Price were backing off to get an angle on the Marker. Soap dropped six demons of the warped shade variant before he heard Lucas' sword and shield lay into the fray. Jackson and Aslir had punched through the line and were heading to a group of five Pride demons that were sending blood-stones hurtling towards Reinhardt as he, Ghost and Anjali were covering the entrance.

Blitz and Ray plowed through over head and laid waste to a swath of demons with their potent breath. Soap ducked under a fire ball and stabbed the offending demon in the throat while taking out another three with his gun as Soap spun himself and the demon around using it like a flesh shield against a bolt of arcane energy that a desire demon threw his way. Soap dispatched the desire demon with a bullet to her head. He then threw the dead shade aside and used his knife to block the attacks from an abomination before decapitating it. Katarina ran through with Price as they headed away from the Marker. Her twin sawed off shotguns made short work of the demons in the two's way and Price used his EBR to take out any remaining demons. Ray and Blitz made another pass and picked up Reinhardt, Ghost and Anjali since the demon attack against their flank was being broken due to intense fires and huge patches of ground that were rigged to explode anything that walked across it. Jackson and Aslir grabbed Soap as they headed away from the Marker. Ray snatched up Katarina and Price as Lucas was added to Soap's ledge atop Aslir. And the group put distance between themselves and the Marker.

"Did you get it," Soap asked Price through the comm.

"Hah did I," Price said, "Look behind you."

Looking back Soap saw a rain of lasers crashing down onto the Marker and an explosion soon followed signaling the destruction of the Marker. All the demons that were still pursuing the team reeled at this and suddenly dissolved.

"What the," Blitz muttered.

"It would seem that the Marker was not only jamming the demons' presence but sustaining their flesh," Aslir said, "It is not connected to their hardware however, which is reactivating."

"Oh come on," Soap said, "Isn't that a little old by now, robots inside creatures?" A moment later and the newly reactivated robots were annihilated by a flood of Rubys that swept through then returned to their patrol of the planet in a flash.

"Well it is good to see that she really does work," Anjali remarked. "Shall we see how the other teams are doing?"

Character Spyro

Spyro and Cynder were waiting outside of John and Cortana's place for Halo and Bad Co. to come out. Spyro was checking the blades on his armor to make sure they were still sharp while Cynder was sharpening her tail scythe.

"So," Cynder commented.

"So... what," Spyro asked.

"Roman called this hunt did he," Cynder asked, "Seems odd for him to care enough to do that."

"It does seem out of character for him," Spyro agreed, "But Malafor helping us is out of character for him when we first added him and the Primes to DC's ranks."

"Fair enough but he has come around pretty quickly," Cynder said, "Why it was many years into K and C's break before the Primes really became normal."

"I have a feeling that Roman has a code of some sort that he follows," Spyro said as he gave up on scanning the armor's claws, "He has an air of... superiority that only comes from a hard set belief in something. If that is a code of ethic, or human supremacy, or professionalism, I can't say, I don't know the man well enough to judge."

"True we have only known of him for almost half a year," Cynder agreed, "Maybe he never really was as bad as everyone thought, he just did bad things?"

"Okay that is sarcastic," Spyro said with a chuckle, "No I think his history is accurate, I just don't think it reflects him anymore."

"Hey guys morning," Preston said as he ran up to the two from the road behind them.

"Hey Preston," Cynder said, "Were you out running?"

"We all were," Preston said, "Red's idea, we run to stay in shape and we get up early to do so." As Preston was speaking Haggard ran up followed by Redford and Sweetwater.

"Ah good your here," Hags said, "I do like flying on you two. What is HC up to?"

"They are not with you," Spyro asked.

"No they were still in the house when we left," Red said, "I would say they were asleep but I don't think Cortana actually sleeps."

"Wait are you saying that Chief is sleeping in," Spyro asked.

"Possibly," Sweets replied between breaths.

"Hi guys sorry we are a little late," Johnson said as he and Arbiter joined the team, "Had to help Cortana get John out of bed." That was just too much for Cynder as she started giggling.

"Sorry that is just a funny mental picture," Cynder remarked.

"You know what else is pretty funny," Red said as he laughed to himself, "A full grown dragoness giggling."

"Oh shut it you," Cynder snapped.

"And that is from all the time you spend with Weiss," Preston remarked.

"Ah... crap I am starting to sound like Weiss," Cynder stated in realization, "Oh well that happens when friends spend time together."

"Okay we're here," Chief said as he and Cortana walked to the group with the ACU, "so who is riding who, we are going to Atlas."

"I would just like to let everyone know," Cynder said an hour later, "I hate the cold."

"Noted, and seconded," Red said.

"It would be in a frozen mountain range," Johnson added, "Good thing I don't get cold."

"Yeah brag about those Flood enhancements," Hags said, "As I recall you didn't like them when you first got them."

"Well sure I didn't I had just finished fighting the Flood," Johnson said, "But Doug is a good guy."

"Did any of you get the device from Roman," Spyro asked.

"Got it," Hags said, "You think I would leave the key to a massive explosion behind?"

"Yeah good point did I even need to ask," Spyro chuckled.

"Not really," Cortana said, "And even if he didn't have it my nano-cloud would dissolve the Marker in a few seconds."

"Show off," Preston teased.

"I don't mind," John said. Leaving everyone quiet for a minute.

"Wait did he just," Cynder thought to Spyro.

"If it was anyone else I'd say he just complemented Cortana on her body," Spyro thought back, "But this is John we're talking about, do you think he is like that?"

"Unfortunately it looks like the Marker may be a little harder to take out than expected," Cortana said cutting off their thoughts. "I think that is a Reaper it is mounted on." Below them the unmistakable form of a Harbinger class Reaper rose up from the mountain top and started shooting at them. "It's not a real one though these shots are too sloppy," Cortana quickly added, "Just a machine that looks like a Reaper."

"Yeah K wouldn't let anything under his control be this bad as shooting," Spyro said.

"I don't know have you ever taken him to a range and given him a gun," Sweets said, "The guy can't hit to save his life if he is not using those soul-swords of his. C on the other hand..."

"Wait you got the two of them to go to a shooting range with you," Spyro asked as he swooped under a laser beam. "How?"

"We just asked them to," Preston said.

"I almost got a lock," Hags said, "No wait lost it, crap. We're moving around too much to use this thing." Hags then pulled out his Pyrolauncher and sent three blasts at the Reaper. Let's just do this the old fashioned way."

"I'm good with that," John said as he walked out of the ACU and stood on Cortana's shoulder. "But I'm going to have to use some new guns, I just can't help it." Chief had a massive cannon placed over his shoulder.

"What is," Cynder started but the thrum of the cannon going off stopped her question. Spyro watched as four balls of fire swirled around each other before impacting the Reaper and lighting the entire machine on fire, this effect then exploded when Haggard's munitions hit the Reaper.

"That. Is. Awesome," Hags commented.

"Not to be a downer here but that didn't destroy it and now it is taking off," Johnson said, "can you guys stop playing around and just kill this thing?"

"On it," Cortana said as she blasted the Reaper with her nano-cloud. "Actually scratch that, don't got it. The shields on that thing are overloading the nanobots."

Spyro just shook his head as he charged up all of his powers at once. A maelstrom of fire, ice, earth and lightening slammed into the Reaper knocking it from the sky as it tried to escape. "Hold on you guys," Spyro said to bad Co. he then dove onto the Reaper and grabbed a hold of the large back portion of the machine, pinning it to the ground.

"Target it now," Spyro said.

"Got it," Hags stated a few seconds later, "Uh we probably want to move."

"Can't That designator is designed to lock onto the coordinates of the planet, if the Reaper moves it will avoid the shots," Sweets said, "Oh no."

"Cynder get them off me," Spyro thought.

"Way ahead of you," Cynder yelled as she swooped in and plucked the four men off of Spyro's back. Spyro was monitoring the distance the the lasers had to impact and a few seconds before they hit he pushed off of the Reaper and flew out of the direct impact zone. Of course the resulting explosion still knocked him from the sky causing him to crash into the mountain and cause an avalanche that buried him.

"Spyro," Cynder thought to him, "Spyro are you okay?"

"Yeah, just give me a second to restart the suit," Spyro replied. After a couple of seconds the armor rebooted and Spyro stuck his head out of the snowbank he got covered in to see Cynder, Bad Co. and Halo Co. all scrambling to get to him. Spyro used his powers over ice to blast all the snow and ice off of him.

"Oh you didn't," Johnson exclaimed right before they were all covered in a layer of snow.

"Everybody all right," Redford asked. He had avoided the second avalanche by taking cover behind Cortana's ACU which was only partially buried.

"We're okay," Preston said, "Actually I think Hags is having fun."

"Ah-hahaha," Haggard yelled as he bust out of the snow a second after Spyro did. "Whoo!"

"Okay let's leave before we bring the entire mountain down," Cynder said, "Almost two hundred years and you can still be so..."

"I get it," Spyro said, "I don't want to talk about it."

"This is why I love hanging out with you guys," Hags said as he stood on top of a mound of snow. The mound soon reveal itself to be Johnson who promptly threw Hags back into the snow. Hags hit Johnson in the head with a snow ball and that started a snow war which lasted for another hour. Spyro won of course since he could control ice, but it was still the most fun he or any of them had had in a while.

Character Harold

"EDI start engine prep and get everyone to meet me in the war room," Harold said as he got out of bed. He quickly turned and kissed Tali while she was still asleep, "Give Tali a few more minutes then get her up." Harold took a two minute shower and threw his jeans and N7 hoodie on over a black shirt. He was leaving the cabin as Tali was getting up to EDI's alarm going off.

"Commander, Wrex and Grunt are already in the war room, Ash and Garrus are on their way, James is down in the shuttle bay with Cortez and Jack, Javik and Liarra are finishing breakfast, Legion is coming up from my AI core, Mordin is in the med bay and Joker is on the bridge. I expect everyone to be in attendance within five minutes," EDI said as Harold made his way down the elevator and to the war room.

"Good, good," Harold said as he exited the elevator and headed to the war room. Legion was right behind him, arriving only seconds after Harold had entered the room.

"Shepard, Legion," Grunt greeted, "I hear we finally get to bash some heads again! Ha-ha!" Grunt punctuated this statement with two fists that he shook in the air triumphantly.

"That is correct," EDI said as she walked her robot body into the room.

"The interesting thing is that Roman Torchwick set this mission up," Harold said.

"Oh yeah the brawler type guy in the suit," Wrex remarked, "has his own team of misfits or something right?"

"That is one way to put it," Harold said.

"Shepard Commander," Legion said, "Criminal Torchwick is on file for many illegal activities within and surrounding Vale. Is it viable to listen to his plan if we wish to remain in favor with the city?"

"He is okay by K," Harold said, "I would rather wait a few minutes however for everyone to get here and address any concerns all at once."

"What concerns can there be," Javik asked as he and Liarra walked in, "We go to the marker, blow it up and then leave. Maybe go get something to eat after wards, how do you feel about sushi?"

"You know they have a really great sushi place on the Citadel maybe we can try it sometime," Garrus said as he walked in, "Ash will be here in a second, or maybe two."

"Two seconds unlikely," Mordin said as he walked in followed by James and Jack. "Ash was not directly behind us so arrival withing the specified time is improbable."

"And yet you managed to say all that in under a second," Ash said as she ran in, "Sorry commander."

"Cortez not coming up," Harold asked.

"Nah he is prepping the Kodiak," Jack said, "So I hear Roman hatched this plan. I like him he seems violent."

"That is not the most encouraging description," Tali said as she entered, "Harold you could have gotten me up sooner you know."

"It's fine I just walked in myself," Ash said.

"It was more like running in," Wrex remarked. "So what have we got?"

"EDI bring up the map," Harold said as he walked to the holographic projector in the middle of the room. A projection of Remnant appeared above the table with nine points highlighted across the planet. Harold pointed to one that was in the middle of the desert of Menagerie. "Somewhere in this area of desert is a Marker. That marker is creating a jamming frequency that hides demons from Ruby's protective grid. We are to go to this area, locate the marker and paint it with this target designator. Then the Sith fleet will destroy it. Failing that we get creative. If it is underground or otherwise obstructed from an orbital bombardment, then we bring in explosives."

"And the other Markers are being dealt with by other teams," James asked.

"Right," Harold said.

"Well let's go then," Grunt exclaimed, "I want to be back in time for lunch!"

"Maybe we can go on a picnic," Garrus said, "The desert should remind you of home."

Grunt and Wrex laughed at that as everyone left the war room and headed to the shuttle bay.

"Commander if you can't get that device to work just have us blast the Marker with our cannons," Joker chimed in over the radio.

"I'll keep it in mind," Harold said. "Take us down."

The Normandy descended towards the desert below them and the front hatch opened to let the team out. "You all come back in one piece okay Commander," Joker said as the Normandy returned to the sky.

"We will, Jeff," EDI said.

"Well yeah you will you're in the ship," Joker said.

Harold smirked as he looked around. He saw nothing but flat desert for miles in all directions. "EDI can you get a fix on this Marker," he asked.

"One moment," EDI replied before looking over to him, "We are above it."

"Underground," Jack exclaimed as she stomped her foot, "I hate going underground. It reminds me too much of those Collector things' home. Let's go blow it up!"

"You know I really like how you think," James said. "But what are we going to... oh."

Jack answered his question by sending a massive shock wave into the ground starting a chain reaction of collapsing events to reveal a massive cave system. A cave system that the entire team fell right into the middle of.

"Ah thanks Jack I really needed that," Ash said as the group picked themselves up.

"What's that noise," Javik asked as the sound of scraping met Harold's ears.

"Sounds like sand shifting," Mordin said, "No, to constant, scales maybe, but of what?"

"Maybe of that," Tali said as she pointed to a huge King Taijitu that was rising up from the tunnel floor.

"It would be a giant snake den wouldn't it," Wrex stated, "And look what is under it."

Under the head of the Taijitu was the distinctive twin spires of a marker.

"Nothing fun is ever easy," Harold said as he deployed his combat drone, "Well what are you all just standing there for? Kill it."

Liarra started the fire fight by weakening the Grimm's armor with a warp. Javik detonated the warp effect with a smash as he intercepted the snake's lunge towards Liarra. Harold set the Grimm on fire with an incinerate which EDI followed up with an overload causing a massive explosion. Tali and Shepard's drones caught the Grimm's attention with their rockets, allowing Grunt to get on top of the creature. The Taijitu's other head came around towards Grunt but was intercepted by Jack who was laying into it with her Crusader shotgun and biotics. Tali was firing her Paladin pistol to distract the snake while Wrex got on the other head. Harold was putting plenty of rounds of his own into the Grimm, knocking off chunks of armor with each shot of his Black Widow sniper rifle. The two Krogan were putting point blank rounds from their massive shotguns into the Taijitu's heads while the rest of the team kept up the fire. Javik's particle beam scorched a huge line down the side of the Grimm which started smoldering. Ash added to the inferno with her incendiary grenades. Harold put three more rounds into the Taijitu's heads before the Grimm screamed on last time and collapsed.

"Well, that was fun," Tali stated.

"Sure," Harold said, "Now to destroy the … wait did it just land on the Marker?"

"Aye yup," Wrex said.

"Well we could just wait for the body to dissolve," James said.

"Or we could just blast the entire area with that laser designator," EDI said.

The crew all looked between each other, exchanging nods and shrugs.

"Legion," Harold asked.

"Target locked," Legion said after a few seconds, "Warning: the blast will destroy any creatures within it's radius. Addendum: we are within it's blast radius."

"That doesn't sound good," Liarra stated.

"Run," Harold yelled, "Joker get us out of here."

"On my way commander," Joker replied as the Normandy burst through a cloud above them. "I'm going to scoop you all up so get ready to jump!"

"You've got to be," Ash started but the hatch on the Normandy opened up behind them as it came skimming right across the ground. The team jumped and landed on top of each other in the shuttle bay as the Normandy pulled up throwing them all safely inside, well maybe safely was not the right word but they were inside the ship as the sound of explosions raining down where the Marker used to be echoed up from outside.

"Nice catch Joker," Harold said, "You too EDI, I know you helped with that."

"Maybe just a little," EDI agreed.

"Thanks Commander," Joker said, "Take a look out side it's quite the show."

Looking out the still open hatch Harold saw the desert exploding in showers of light as the Sith fleet bombarded the area.

"EDI, Legion, Mordin, can you all confirm that the Marker is destroyed," Harold asked.

"Checking," EDI said, "I do not detect any residual energy signatures."

"We confirm," Legion added.

Mordin looked up from his omni-tool and smiled, "The Marker has been destroyed."

"Good," Harold said, "now about that picnic." That caused the crew to laugh as they returned to their normal stations on the ship.

Character Malcolm

"Alright, G, N, good to see you two joining us for this," Mal said as the two mercs entered Serenity.

"Well we heard Jayne was sticking it out with Weiss," G said, "So we figured you could use someone who knows how to shoot."

"Someone other than the captain and me you mean," Zoe said, "and Book and River."

"Right," N said before G could say something else.

"Come on in then we got some planning to do, in case this laser pointer doesn't work," Mal said as he led them into the kitchen/ad hock planing room. "Wash what have we got to work with here?"

"The Marker is in the desert south east of Vacuo," Simon said, "Doug has narrowed the location down to a ten mile square but the marker could be anywhere within those ten miles, even underground."

"Like the one that Yang encountered," Book said, "We will need GPR if we ever want to locate this thing. I doubt that it will just be sitting around in the desert."

"Actually Issac said that he had found several markers that were just sitting on the surface of planets," Mal said, "deserts, both hot and cold, seem to be the spots that the Markers are located on the surface instead of underground."

"Then let's get moving," G said, "If it is on the surface we can be done with this quickly and if not, I have some ordinance that will make just as big a crater as the orbital strike would."

"My thoughts exactly," Mal said, "Wash get us in the air, "Kaylee grab your gear if this thing is not on the surface then we will need to see under ground. Simon where is River?"

"She is up on the bridge," Simon replied, "We are ready to go."

"Good," Mal said, "Okay everyone to the cargo bay. He stopped Simon however so he could talk to him. "Hey how is River doing, she seems to have stabilized after DC helped us out against the Reavers."

"You've noticed it too," Simon stated, "I had though that maybe I was just tricking myself but she does seem to be free of the dreams and paranoia that would terrorize her. She is still the most dangerous person on this ship but River is as close to her old self as we are likely to ever see."

Mal put a hand on Simon's shoulder and nodded. "I wish I could have met her before the damned Alliance got a hold of her. She is a good kid."

"Not so much of a child any more I don't think," Simon added as he left for the cargo bay. Mal headed to the bridge where Wash and River were laughing about some wise crack that Wash must have made.

"If you two are done chatting can we get moving," Mal asked as he interrupted their conversation.

"Sorry Captain," Wash said as the Serenity's engines powered up and they started heading towards their destination. The three remained silent for a few moments before Mal asked, "So what were you laughing about?"

"My comparison of the Alliance to the fatherless child of a purebred female canine," River stated.

"Wait for it," Wash said as Mal quirked his eyebrow at the odd statement. Then he got it and a smile crossed his face.

"Clever," Mal said as he left the two to their piloting. They were getting close to the landing zone as Mal left to go make sure the Mules were fueled up and ready to go. He still had the remnants of a smile on his face as Mal entered the cargo bay.

"You seem cheerful considering we are about to go blow something up," Book said.

"Maybe that is why he is cheerful," G stated.

"Do you ever think about stuff other than what you will blow up next, or the next gun fight you will be in," N asked.

"They sometimes think about food," Zoe said as she finished loading her shotgun and moved on to her rifle.

"Okay, Simon have you loaded up some med supplies for us," Mal asked.

"In the trailer," Simon answered.

"Okay good. Stay here with Wash I want the two of you to keep an eye on the ship," Mal said, "Keep River here with you, since you will need someone who can fight if the Serenity is attacked. Book you and Kaylee are going to be on tech so you drive the Mule with the trailer attached to it. Zoe you're riding with N, G you're with me. We've saved our galaxy with DC's help it's time to help save some of their worlds... also they pay us so if anyone dies I get their share of the payment."

G laughed at that as he got on the back of Mal's Mule and mounted a chain gun to it. "I'd like to see anything even get close to us with this. Exploding, incendiary rounds, they make real short work of anything that gets in the way."

"That's not fair you can't one up me on my own ship," Mal stated as he got in the driver's seat.

"Mal, we're touching done in ten," Wash said. Zoe opened the door as the Serenity touched down and the three teams drove out. Simon closed the door as the Serenity took off again and covered them from the air.

"Okay Kaylee start up your gadgets everyone else look for two intertwining spires, either black or red," Mal said, "that will be the Marker."

"We should spread out," Zoe said, "To get the best visual coverage of the area."

"The GPR only covers a few miles at a time," Kaylee said, "we will have to stay in a three mile radius of each other if we want to use it."

"Then we stay in a three mile radius," Book said, "going farther out than that would bring trouble for keeping lines of sight to the other teams."

"I want one team on that ridge at all times," Mal said as he pointed out the ridge that ran through the desert, "Book, Kaylee that will be you two. Zoe, N, I want you on the north side of that ridge , G and myself will take this side of the ridge. I shouldn't have to say it but first one to spot the Marker calls everyone over to it. Let's go." Mal gunned the Mule and the ATV took off across the desert.

"It's pretty cold for a desert," G said as the two drove along the sandy dunes.

"Well it is about eight in the morning here," Mal said. "It probably doesn't get warm until later in the day."

"Why can't these places just be warm all the time," G muttered.

"Also we are pretty far south," Mal added, "it's bound to be colder here than close to the equator."

"Captain the ridge is coming back down to your level ahead," Kaylee said via radio, "I haven't seen anything on the GPR and Zoe has not noticed the marker either. Should we turn around and make another pass?"

Mal checked the trip monitor and saw that they had gone ten miles in the thirty minutes they had been driving. "Yeah everyone swing around so we stay in formation and can cover another third of the hot zone for this thing."

"On it," N acknowledged.

"Coming around Mal," Book said, "Wait I see something off in the distance. Kaylee can you make out what that is?"

"Not clearly from here but it is in the right area to be the Marker," Kaylee said, "Captain you may have a better view of it from where you are at."

"If it is back east then the sun in my eyes that direction I can't see anything," Mal replied.

"Captain we are at the top of the ridge," Zoe said, "I see the object, it is certainly not a natural formation."

"Worth investigating at least," G commented.

"Okay everyone head to the object," Mal said, "Book, stay up on the ridge and guide us to it since the sun is going to be in our eyes for a while yet."

"Will do Mal," Book replied, "N and Zoe are headed down to the site now, just stay within site of us and you should arrive at it in a few minutes."

Six minutes later and the object was visible through the glare of the sun. It was definitely the Marker they were looking for. Zoe and N were already parked just ahead and Mal pulled up beside them. Kaylee and Book arrived a few seconds later.

"So that is it," N asked, "Seems pointless to put it out here."

"Why do I get the feeling that this is too easy," Zoe asked.

"Wash land behind us," Mal said, "I want to lock this thing and fly away."

"Coming in now," Wash said. Behind them the Serenity landed and the cargo bay opened. Mal targeted the marker for the Sith to destroy and the three teams drove into the Serenity before the lasers reached the planet.

"Wash get us out of here," Mal said over the comms once they were aboard. As the Serenity started taking off the ridge that was to their north started to rise up as well. "Oh that can't be good."

"Hive-mind," Kaylee shouted as the sand and rock of the desert rolled off of the massive creature and the head and tentacles started to move towards the Serenity.

"Wash fly us through where those lasers are going to be hitting," Mal ordered.

"What are you crazy," Wash said.

"Either that or we all get eaten by a Necromorph," Mal said, "Now fly."

"Leaf on the wind, leaf on the wind, leaf on the wind," Wash chanted as he turned towards the incoming lasers. The Serenity flew over the Marker with the Hive-mind right on their tail when the first laser struck. Zoe, G, Book and Mal were firing their weapons at the tentacles that were getting to close, blowing up the weak spots and keeping them off the Serenity. Wash and River were making Serenity dance between the incoming lasers that were now slamming into the Hive-mind. A few seconds and one very high pitched shriek later and the Hive-mind collapsed onto the Marker causing it to explode.

"Well that is one way to do it," G remarked as he and Mal looked out of the cargo bay at the rain of lasers that was still hammering the ground where the marker used to be.

"I don't know," Mal said, "I could have used more explosions."

Character Cinder

"Roman... You have an uncanny ability to get into trouble that you can't handle," Cinder stated firmly as she grabbed her daggers off a shelf in her office at the FAUN HQ.

"I didn't get into this I just discovered it," Roman said, "You're technically to blame for this, becoming that Magog and dragging DC here and all their enemies."

"That Magog would have gotten out eventually," Cinder replied as she rolled her eyes, "technically I saved the planet."

"No one else seems to see it that way," Roman said.

Cinder looked down as a hint of sorrow passed across her face before she shook it off and walked out to meet up with Roman and the rest. "There is one who understands," Cinder said, "You'll never guess who either."

"Ruby," Emerald stated as Cinder and Roman walked outside to meet with them and their dragon transports.

"How did," Cinder started before she smiled, "I guess she has not been as quite about that as I thought."

"No, she has been but I have a lot of information about what goes on around this city," Emerald said, "We are probably the only ones who know."

"So where are our rides," Mercury asked.

"Check the sky," Malafor said as he and Ignitus came in for a landing, "You're lucky, you got the best dragons in this company."

"Do you even know where we are going," Mercury asked.

"Doubtful," Imhotep remarked.

"You are lucky that you didn't place bets on that," Ignitus said, "I've got the location marked on my armor's HUD. Looks like the Marker is west of us in the middle of that dragon shaped continent."

"It's called," Emerald started.

"Hey let them figure it out for themselves," Adam said, "It sticks better that way."

"Enough," Cinder ordered, "These Markers are not something to be played with. One of them almost killed Yang, a feat that you all know none of us ever managed to accomplish. So quit your joking and your bickering. We are all highly skilled and trained, it's time we started to actually make a difference."

"Yeah because you know we weren't doing that earlier," Mercury said.

"No, we were not," Cinder said, "The Magog tried to and failed. Now we are going to show it what success looks like."

"I do like the sound of that," Roman agreed.

"Then get on," Malafor said, "Change seems to come quickly when DC gets involved."

"So it would seem," Cinder agreed as she, Emerald and Mercury got on the semi-molten dragon. "Why did they send you?"

"I may not be easy to ride on but if it comes down to it I can melt the Marker," Malafor said, "Same reasoning behind Ignitus coming."

"Okay lets go," Roman called from Ignitus' back where RAIM was sitting.

The two dragons took off with their teams and headed for the Marker. Cinder noticed that even though the lava that made up the bottom two thirds of Malafor's body was liquid it did not seem to flow unless he was moving. She didn't know if that was going to be useful but since there was nothing better to do than observe her ride, Cinder figured why not? It was only about seven when the mountains came into view.

"The marker is somewhere in those foot hills," Emerald asked.

"So we've been told," Mercury stated, "It doesn't look like a fun area to search."

"If we are lucky then that will mean that the Grimm will be less inclined to search there as well," Cinder said.

"I hate to think about it if we are unlucky," Emerald commented.

Hold onto something we're going in for a landing," Malafor said, "It sometimes gets... um... flame-ish."

"Flame... ish," Cinder repeated as she rolled her eyes. She then put fire wards over herself, Mercury and Emerald. As he had said Malafor's wings lit up with fire as he pumped them downwards to land. The several fire tornadoes that spun off of his wing tips set several trees in the immediate area ablaze.

"Don't tell me you two are competing already," Roman remarked as he and his team got off of Ignitus.

"Well I wasn't but, if you would want me to," Cinder said smoothly as a massive fire ball appeared in her hand.

"Oh no, no no no, that's fine let's just save the fire for the Marker," Roman said quickly. "Speaking of which, do we know which way to go to find this thing or do we just have to guess?"

"I've got our solution for that," Emerald said as she pulled out her scroll. "These markers seem to give off an energy signature, now I can use our scrolls to back track the signal to it's source and with the five scrolls we have I can get us within a hundred feet of the Marker. The only thing is I think the Marker will know when we trace it so we can expect resistance all the way to it."

"I'm up for a fight," Malafor stated, "I say we do this the loud way."

"It will also be the faster way," Cinder stated, "Trace the Marker."

"Tracing," Emerald said as Cinder felt her scroll vibrate, "And... done. The Marker is to our east about three valleys over."

"I sense Necromorphs," Imhotep said, "They seem to be aware of our presence and intent."

"How many are there," Ignitus asked.

"I'd put their numbers around a thousand or so," Imhotep said.

"Get back on then," Ignitus said, "We can scope the area out from the air and if the Marker is not in our line of sight we can land and go from there."

Cinder jumped back on Malafor followed by her team and the two dragons made a quick flyover of the hills that the marker could be located on.

"I don't see it from here," Ignitus said as they scanned the four hills that were within Emerald's range.

"Neither do we," Malafor said, "I see a fair amount of those undead though."

"Well to get rid of them we have to land and destroy this Marker," Mercury said, "Once we find it that is."

"Maybe inside a cave or under an overhang that we can't see from up here," Cinder suggested, "Either way we have to go down there. Malafor do you think you can get even more flame-ish when you land this time?"

"To clear out those things," Malafor stated "Easy."

"I can add time distortion to our landing as well," Ignitus said, "It should give us a few extra minutes to proceed before the Necromorphs are on us."

"Take us in," Cinder said, "Emerald now that we are closer can you get us a more accurate reading on this Marker's location?"

"I should be able to," Emerald said as she held on through Malafor's landing. This time it scorched the earth for a hundred feet in all directions that same area was then covered by a blue bubble that slowed the Necromorphs down to a crawl that were moving through it. "Okay give me a second." Cinder felt her scroll vibrate again and Emerald nodded. "The Marker is fifty feet to our right and about thirty feet underground."

"If we are looking for a cave entrance it might open miles away from here," Adam said.

"Then we don't look for an entrance," Moroni stated as he smashed the ground with his ax. A fissure opened up that extended from the Cherub to the point that Emerald had indicated. "We make an entrance."

"That is not big enough to have the Sith ships strike it," Cinder stated, "Roman have your team go with Ignitus and kill those Necromorphs trying to claw their way here while they are slowed. Mercury you and Emerald go with them. Malafor you and me are going to melt this thing." The rest of the team nodded and spread out to kill the crippled Necromorphs.

"How do you want to do this," Malafor asked as he surveyed the Marker in the fissure with Cinder.

The crack left the Marker exposed but barely. The Sith lasers would not destroy it completely, but a high level of concentrated heat would melt the structure. Cinder looked at Malafor's mostly Molten body and got an idea.

"How is your lava held in place," she asked.

"By my convexity energy," Malafor said, "You're think about pouring my body into that hole?"

"Only until we melt the Marker,"Cinder said, "I can keep it hot enough for you to reclaim once it is melted."

Malafor glared at her form a few moments before most of him literally drained out of the shell that was his body and formed a pool around the bottom third of the Marker. Cinder immediately started to pour fire on Malafor to keep him molten. Part of the lava pool formed the vague likeness of his head and snarled up at her. "This is a terrible idea, human."

"It's working isn't it," Cinder replied as the marker started melting and sinking into the pool that was Malafor. "Besides if you absorb a Marker maybe you will be able to exert control over the Necromorphs."

Malafor disappeared back into his lava pool as the Marker finished melting. In a few moments the structure was gone and Malafor was seemingly sucked back up into his body-shell.

"Now let's see if you are right," Malafor said as he walked into the Necromorphs and they all stopped fighting with the rest of the team and assembled around Malafor. With a snort from Malafor they all dissolved into pools of liquid flesh. "Lucky for you you are right. It seems I can command them."

"Hmm," Cinder sighed amused, "Not bad for a terrible idea."

Character Roland

"Lily, you ready for this," Roland asked as the two walked through the Hunter.

"What to fight a marker or time a group phase-shift so we don't all get squish on impact after being fired out of those cannons," Lily asked.

"Both I guess," Roland clarified.

"Totally," Lily answered, "I don't think we did anything this crazy since the assault on General Knox's base. So many explosives."

"And Brick tried to punch them all," Roland said with a chuckle remembering the event, "Ah good times."

"Oh I'm sure he will like getting shot out of a cannon just as much," Lily said, "Is it locked onto our target?"

"Yes I just checked with Moxie," Roland said, "she and Tina are going to be firing the guns. We are headed for a location that is south west of Vale, near their border with Vacuo."

"Right," Lily said as they entered the firing chamber where the rest of their friends had gathered. "So I'll go first, and phase you all as you come through the cannon."

"I'll be right behind you," Roland said, "And don't worry about catching me, I can land it."

"If you say so dragon boy," Lily remarked as she jumped into the canon.

"Lily be careful," Mordi said. The cannon firing cut him off.

"Lilith," Roland asked on the ECHO comms.

"Hey I'm down here," Lily replied, "Come on down, it's a nice place. Temperate, nice mountainside view, Grimm. Correction, burning Grimm."

"Hah," Maya commented, "She never can leave any of the fun to us can she?"

"Nope," Roland said as he got into the cannon, "Maya you coming down next."

"Right," the Siren answered before the cannon fired Roland from the ship to the ground. Roland projected his Leviathan form around himself so he mostly glided down to Lily. Maya came after him then Krieg, Sal, Zer0, Mordi, Bloodwing, Brick, Ax and Gaige.

"Show off," Gaige said to Roland.

"You're one to talk," Brick said.

"Come on everyone we've got to find this Marker and nail it with this," Roland said as he held the target designator, "Now lets get to searching. Dad, Mom are you there?"

"We're just a couple minutes out," K replied, "Heading down your way from Atlas. We will meet up with you when we arrive. Go ahead and start searching for that Marker."

"You know it is really weird when you shift into that mind speech thing you do in the middle of a sentence," Lily said.

"Yeah sorry," Roland said, "It is just natural for me, it's like using both or your hands at the same time, but for me it is methods of communication. Okay, Team Vets will circle around the east side of this mountain Team Noobs will circle west, and Team Mech Death will make their way to the top of the mountain."

"I still must disagree with our team name," Zer0 stated as he was a part of Team Noobs.

"Bloody Murder," Krieg yelled.

"He says it is a running joke," Maya interpreted, "If we do better then the old guys and we have a terrible name then it is even more humiliating for them."

"He said all that in two words," Brick asked.

"Krieg is more of an impressionist," Maya said, "Also his brain is mostly disconnected from his body so forming any coherent sentence is almost impossible."

"Monkey doodle flabber jab," Krieg stated as he threw his arms into the air.

"He says exactly," Maya relayed.

"I still disagree," Zer0 said but he went with Maya, Krieg and Sal around to the west side anyway. An explosion from above him and Ax and Gaige yelling at each other told Roland that Mech Death was already on it's way. He, Lily, Mordi, Bloodwing and Brick took off to the east in search of the Marker.

"Dad if you and Mom will follow Ax and Gaige that would be great, they are on a two person team right now and the others are four or five strong," Roland thought to K.

"We will keep an eye on them," K replied as his and C's shadows passed over Roland's group.

"We're a mess aren't we," Mordi stated as they climbed over a boulder. "Your a human Leviathan that is married to a Siren, my Blood here is back from the dead and can talk. I ain't drunk, or any of us for that matter, and Brick is not punching everything that moves. What happened to the good old days of fighting giant corporations and making off with tons of loot?"

"Well I died too if memory serves," Roland said, "Maybe the good old days are not all that they are cracked up to be."

"True," Bloodwing said as she flew back to the group, "I spotted a twin spire that might be this Marker. It isn't a natural formation anyway."

"Good work Blood," Mordi said, "Show us."

"We're just trying to make Krieg eat those words aren't we," Brick said as he shoved a boulder out of their way and down the side of the ridge.

"Pretty much," Lily said, "I am not getting out done by a team named Noobs."

"Look out," Roland yelled as he saw a mechanized Pride demon hurl a blood-stone at Brick. Brick roared and punched the spell back at it's caster, knocking the Pride demon back down the ridge and into his friends.

"Well it looks like we found us some sport," Mordi said, "Blood let's do this!" The ring of his sniper rifle followed Mordi's statement and a Rage demon ceased to be. Roland deployed his newly amped up turrets. It was a combination of the best features of his old turret design and Ax's new design, with a few additions. The additions included two missile batteries a double barrel turret head and a pulse scanner so the turret can fire missiles over cover and obstacles to hit obstructed targets. Also Roland had two of them. The turrets kept the lesser demons suppressed while Roland and his team focused on the Pride demons. Lily took out two of them with her phase warping abilities and fire and poison and large SMGs. Roland had to smile, watching his wife work her magic was always something special. Mordi and Bloodwing shot and tore two more of the Pride demons apart. Roland nuked two more with rockets and Brick was content to punch the demons to death. Okay he was laughing like a maniac and beating every demon withing his reach to death with the heads of the Pride demons he had killed, by ripping off their heads.

With the demons dealt with Team Vets resumed their advance on the Marker. When they got there however Team Mech Death, K and C were sitting around where the Marker used to be and were laughing it up to one of Gaige's outlandish tales of scientific wizardry.

"Ah come on did we miss out on all the fun," Lily asked as they walked up.

"Hey kids," C said, "If you mean sit around while K melts the marker with his mind then yes you missed that. If you mean hearing how Gaige got suspended from kindergarten because she made a mostly functional rocket that almost blew the building up, then also yes. The last one was much more entertaining."

"Yeah we've heard that that one a couple of times," Roland said, "Never gets old though, where are the others?"

"Oh they came bay a few minutes ago but when they saw that the Marker was already destroyed Zer0 muttered something about stupidest name and stormed off," K said, "The rest followed him and said they would call for an air lift back to the Hunter."

Roland just laughed at that, he knew exactly what set Zer0 off and he loved it that the assassin lost his cool over a video game based team name.

Character Ruby

"I'm so excited," Ruby said as she bounced on her toes. "after we take out these Markers, DC is going to take a few weeks to determine the best course of action to take against the invasions that are coming against their other planets. We will have enough time for the wedding party."

"Our families are working diligently on the preparations," Weiss said, "So can we focus on the mission for now?"

"Right sorry," Ruby said as she looked over the group. She and Scooter were there in addition to Weiss, Jayne, Blake, Sun, Yang, Junior, Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora and Ren. "Okay our target is on the other side of the snow capped mountains to the south west. It is just above the subalpine zone on the far south west side. Terrador and Zora will be arriving soon to take us there. Once we get there, we have to find the Marker, so Sis you take point on that since you're immune to it. Then we lock a target on it with this device and let the fleet above the planet do it's thing."

"And this is Roman's idea," Blake asked.

"Trust us we were there when he suggested it and we were surprised at how much sense it made," Jaune said.

"Look the guy may not be the best crook but he is actually pretty intelligent," Junior said, "So where are the dragons?"

"Probably outside," Weiss said, "My house is big but it is not big enough for dragons." Ruby looked out the window to see Terrador and Zora land in the yard.

"Cool, let's go," Ruby said as she waved them all towards their rides.

"Good day little ones," Zora greeted, "Good day Ruby, Yang."

"What's with the special attention," Yang asked.

"Zora sees people by the size of their spirit," Terrador said, "It is a unique gift."

"And since Aura is spirit and you two have the most out of all of us you get singled out," Weiss commented, "I get it, but could you just say good day everyone?"

"Yeah make it a little less awkward please," Ruby said, "You know for everyone."

"Oh of course," Zora said, "I apologize if I embarrassed you, I am not that good at social... well at social anything I guess."

"And Storm takes after you in a very big way," Jayne said.

"Actually she takes more after me," Terrador said, "But I'm not good at social niceties either. Now you all know how to get to where we are going I hope."

"We do," Jaune said, "We will ride on Zora and RWBY was going to ride on you, that way we can direct you both to the Marker."

"Or at least to it's general location," Pyrrha said, "Once there we will have to either figure out a way to pinpoint it's location or we will have to search for it."

"How large is the area to search," Zora asked.

"About ten square miles," Blake said, "Even on you two it would be difficult to search because of all the glare we will be facing from the ice."

"Guys don't worry I've got this," Yang said as she put on her sunglasses. "Also since I had a Marker in my head I can track it's signal back to it. I'll admit, it will be nice to be able to go to sleep and not have that annoying back ground droning that these Markers make."

"You didn't mention that they were keeping you up," Junior said.

"There wasn't much you could have done about it," Yang said, "Well except what you do every night to help me get to sleep." Everyone just looked at Yang waiting for more information. "What back massages put me in a restful mood, especially after dancing it up on the floor."

"Wait you give Sis a back massage every night," Ruby asked as the groups mounted up, "And you haven't pulled out any of her hair yet?"

"It was either get good at massaging her back or go for a ride on her motorcycle every night," Junior said, "I am not getting on any bike that Yang is driving every night, just special ones and after I've had enough drinks that I am not thinking to clearly."

"Hey you guys wait up," Neptune yelled as he, Scarlet, and Sage ran up to them "Heard you were going after some undead creating Marker or something, figured you could use a few extra hands."

"Sure," Sun said, "Hope on up with JNPR, we're kind of full here."

"You're flying in on dragons," Scarlet asked with a smirk, "I have to try this." Once the rest of Sun's team was on Zora they were off and headed for the chilly mountain tops south west of Beacon.

"Are you okay," Ruby asked Yang as they drew closer to their destination.

"Yeah, it's just... I don't know something feels off with the Marker signal," Yang said, "Like there are, oh."

"What does that mean," Weiss asked.

"There are two Markers," Yang said.

"How," Sun asked.

"Well they are probably on two sides of the same mountain," Scooter said, "That would account for the ten mile discrepancy in the readings."

"Because two markers are that close to each other," Junior said, "Okay what two points in this mountain range are ten miles apart from each other?"

"Which of the almost infinite pairs of points are ten miles apart," Blake said, "I don't think we have that much time. We do have the ten mile box though..."

"Then they have to be along the edges of the box," Terrador said, "that is basic math."

"We've got two teams we can split up and search for the Markers twice as fast," Ruby said, "Get in close to JNPR and SNSS, I'll throw them the target locator."

"What if they miss, or you miss," Terrador asked.

"Pyrrha won't miss," Ruby stated. Terrador harrumphed and flew in close. "Pyrrha catch," Ruby yelled, making sure she had the other woman's attention before throwing the device.

"I got it," Pyrrha yelled back. Then via the omni-tool, "What do you want us to do with it?"

"We've got two Markers in our region," Ruby said, "Somewhere along the perimeter of the search box. You all will head north and cover that side and then head south along the west side. We will cover the east side and head west along the south side. Together we can take these markers out pretty quickly."

"And trust me you want to take them out from orbit," Yang added as she leaned into the omni-tool's video range. "I can take ours out no problem."

"Right you're immune to them," Pyrrha said, "Okay we'll contact you if anything comes up."

Ruby ended the communication then turned to Sun, "Hey are you okay letting your team go in without you?"

"Not even a consideration," Sun said, "Yeah their my friends but, Blake is my wife I'm with her."

"That is so terribly responsible of you," Weiss said, "It's good to see you growing up."

"That was kind of mean," Blake said with a glare towards Weiss.

"It was a complement," Weiss said, "Sun is acting responsibly now, oh don't look at me like that!"

"Enough you two can we argue about this after we live through it and get paid," Jayne said.

"See? Sensible," Weiss stated, "Well most of the time."

"You do have to be a little crazy to stay sane it seems," Ruby said as she looked at her sister and Junior. "Okay, Terrador can I feed information to your suit?"

"Yes, here let me open a port for you, just plug in the scroll," Terrador said. Ruby saw the opened ports and plugged in. "Okay I've got it, uploading the map data to Zora. Good timing too we're just about ready to break off. I'd hold onto something." Everyone either grabbed onto a piece of the armor that was available or onto someone who was holding onto the armor as Terrador banked away from Zora and the teams split up. Ruby laughed as she looked back to see the team. Junior was wrapped around Yang while his eyes were twice their normal size through the duration of the turn.

"Whoo," Yang yelled, "I love flying with you guys."

"Never invite me on one of these again," Junior said. "I am quite happy with my feet firmly planted on the ground."

"Jayne does Vera have a scope," Ruby asked, "You know a good one?"

"Course she does what do you think I am an animal," Jayne replied as he brought his weapon up.

"Good help me scan the mountain sides for this Marker," Ruby said as she brought up Crescent Rose.

"Why can't I help do that," Scooter asked.

"Because your weapon of choice is either running people over or a wrench," Weiss said, "Same reason I won't be much help finding this thing from up here."

"Hey I see it," Junior yelled as he was looking through the scope on his batzooka. "Thanks for the tip dear."

"Any time," Yang said as she put her hands behind her head and leaned back into Junior. "Wellph ah, that's one back rub for me tonight."

"Wait if you knew where it was the whole time why didn't you just say so," Sun asked.

"Eh' we were heading in the right direction anyway and I figured I'd help Junior find it first," Yang answered, "Oh should probably tell JNPR that they are getting close to their marker." Yang opened up her scroll and sent them a message.

"You know it is fairly small I could probably just blast it with a boulder," Terrador said.

"No you don't want to risk it getting into your head," Yang said, "I told the others to target that thing and get as far away from it as possible. We don't have a target designator so I'll just go down there and punch it."

"What that is your plan," Ruby exclaimed, "Not going to happen, no way. We are going to be there with you if you go down there!"

"No really I think I can take out the entire thing in one shot," Terrador said as he started circling the Marker.

"We are too close," Yang objected, "It might infect any of you... or all of you! Then you will black out and we will all fall to our deaths and..." Yang was interrupted by the sound of rockets being fired.

"I got it," Junior said as three volleys of rockets made their way towards the Marker. "If it makes up for it I'll give you more than a back rub tonight." Ruby thought that Yang was going to punch him but instead of her fist connecting with Junior's face Yang pressed a finger to his nose and hissed icily.

"You better consider yourself very lucky that I do not punch family," Yang stated with extra emphasis on the last four words. Junior nodded vigorously as he put his batzooka away.

"Is there something around for her to fight," Blake asked.

"Doesn't seem like it," Terrador said, "I'm not picking up anything on the motion trackers, I guess Ruby's defense grid wiped out anything that was being cloaked by the Marker."

"We should probably go link back up with the others then," Ruby said, "The only way the Ruby-net would work in this area is if both markers had been eliminated. Also we may want to find a fairly large Grimm for Yang to strangle... Sis can be hard to deal with when she is mad. Yang please don't accidentally melt any of us."

"Don't worry Ruby," Yang said, "I'm fine. Really. None of you were harmed so maybe I was just being paranoid."

"No you were affected by one of these thing you've a right to be concerned by them," Junior said, "I was there when it got you. I was the one who carried you to Verdant. I was only a few feet father away from that Marker and it was only able to get you. They seem to be able to instantly affect people who are very close to them. Now prolonged exposure seems to allow for control at a greater distance but none of us have been exposed to these things for that long." The group was silent for a while at this thought.

"Well he is an information broker," Blake stated, "Are we really surprised that he does know some things from time to time?"

"No," Ruby said, "But maybe Junior hit on the real reason these Markers were here. Control over a distance after a period of exposure to the signals." That statement really put the team in a state of quite for the return trip.

Character Carter

"Cloak," Carter asked as he stuck his head into their room on the Pillar II, "Nope. Probably in the gym..." On the way Carter ran into Vince and Carl.

"Hey boss," Carl said, "Can you believe this? We're getting to go on a mission of our own."

"It's not just Four," Carter said, "Xavier, Cain, David and Nikki are coming with us. Have you been filled in on where we are heading?"

"Not yet sir," Vince said, "Any news?"

"Yes, we are being deployed to the north west region of Mistral," Carter said, "Hey hold up a sec." He stuck his head into the gym and yelled for Cloak. After getting no response Carter continued to walk with his team. "The Marker seems to be located in an area of rolling hills and grassy meadows, should be easy to find."

"Unless it is underground," Cloak said as she dropped in on them and gave Carter a kiss and a hug, "Sorry for the insubordination but if you don't like it you can throw me out."

"Ha I'm more worried that you will give these two ideas," Carter said.

"No need to worry about that," Vince said, "You may look human but you are a dragon."

"Yeah we're not into cross species relationships, or gay stuff," Carl added.

"And that is why I like you guys," Cloak said, "Hey are we going to change back or is everyone riding in on X?"

"I figure we will all go on X," Carter said, "He is picking up Cain, David and Nikki now and since I have a feeling that this Marker is not just going to be sitting around in the open the human body is much more adapt at getting to hard to reach places."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Carl said, "Is X meeting us here or on the planet?"

"On the planet, at the airstrip," Carter said, "that is why we are headed to the hangar. Vince you're piloting."

"On it boss," Vince said as he headed for the cockpit. The rest of the team got in the back once the hatch was let down. "Arriving at Beacon airstrip in five."

"Good," Carter said as he put his helmet on. He saw he had a message from David saying that they had been picked up and were waiting at the airfield. "Our friends are waiting for us."

"I hear that Roman fellow got this idea to take out these Markers," Carl said. "Isn't he..."

"A professional thief," Cloak said, "Sure, but you were a professional enforcer, Vince was a technician I was a ghost. Carter only recruited the best, we are the best, and if Roman is good enough for Carter to agree to this then we are good enough to do it."

"I think he meant why are we working for a thief," Carter said, "Not everyone is as comfortable with their past as you are."

"I never hurt anyone," Cloak said, "Well not permanently. Even my power is based on not being there, absence. Yours is fear, mastermind, we would make a really good crime team you know."

"I brought you all out of that life," Carter said, "Are you really so eager to go back to it?"

"Of course not," Cloak stated, "But the facts remain, the four of us have abilities that would let us get into just about anything undetected."

"Okay everyone out," Vince said, "We've got four people waiting on us."

"I hate to state the obvious but if we are in a Pelican and the others on on X why don't we just drive the Pelican in," Carl suggested. Carter and Cloak looked between each other before nodding at the idea.

"I guess we get so stuck on riding dragon back we overlook the simple things," Carter said, "I'll go see if the rest want to ride with us, be back in a moment." Carter exited the Pelican and headed over to Xavier and company.

"Ha it looks like we're back," Carter said to his friend as he ran over to the group. "We're taking the Pelican in with us. Anyone want a ride?"

"I think I am fine," Cain said, "I've gotten used to riding on your kind. It seems somewhat safer than the machines."

"We will all stick together," Nikki said, "Two teams should make it faster to find and destroy this Marker anyways."

"Okay fist group to find the Marker either hits it with the laser or calls us to hit it with the laser," Carter said.

"You've got a Pelican that can shoot missiles," David said, "Why not give us the designator and if you find it you just blow it up?"

"You know that is twice that something very obvious has had to be pointed out to me," Carter said, "Here take the laser, X do you know where we are going?"

"I'll follow you to the general area but once there we can search for this Marker on our own," Xavier said.

"Okay then lets go," Carter said as he returned to the Pelican. "Vince get us airborne. Xavier's team is staying on him for this run." The Pelican started lifting off as Carter jumped into the back of it and the cargo door closed.

"Smooth," Cloak said, "So we're off then?"

"Yeah we've got a two hour flight ahead of us," Carter said, "So find something to do."

It was two in the morning when they arrived at the hot zone. The lights from the Pelican were the only source of illumination in the misty morning over the rolling hills of Mistral's north west region.

"David, are you on this channel," Carter asked.

"I'm here," David answered "Really hard to see anything out here right now so we will just stay with you all."

"Understood," Carter said as he sat down behind Vince in the co pilot's chair, "Follow us in then and stay out of the light. It is bad enough that we are making ourselves a massive target for anything down there by having our lamps on. Vince what are we looking at down here?"

"Scanners are not picking up much in this mist. That fog could be hiding just about anything in it," Vince replied, "If we go up above it we won't be able to find the Marker, but down here in it we are sitting ducks."

"Noted," Carter said, "I'll have Carl cover the hatch. Me and Cloak are going to get out on top, maybe our suits' motion trackers can pick up something that the ship's sensors can not."

"Right," Vince sad, "Oh and boss, don't fall we are still three hundred feet up."

"Three hundred feet is nothing to this armor," Carter said, "But thanks for the warning." Carter returned to the cargo bay and nodded for Carl to watch the doors. "Cloak come on we're headed up top."

"Awesome," Cloak said, "Let me guess we're the bait or something like that?"

"Well it wasn't my first thought but that can work too if the situation calls for it," Carter said as he climbed up the ladder to the top of the Pelican. Cloak reached down and helped him up once Carter had gotten to the top of the ladder. "Thanks. Okay see anything on your motion tracker?"

"Nothing yet," Cloak replied as the two turned on the lamps on their helmets. "No visuals either." The mist was really heavy, a low hanging cloud that came in off the inland sea and met with the ocean air. The two's lights didn't do much but reflect off the fog, making it harder to see.

"That doesn't work," Carter stated as he turned his lights off. "You would think with all this technology we could invent a light that cuts through fog. X you out there?"

"We're behind you, just following the lights," Xavier said, "Speaking of which are you two on top of the Pelican?"

"Uh, yes... yes we are," Carter replied as a blip flashed on his HUD, "Hey hold that thought. Cloak are you seeing?"

"Something on the motion tracker," Cloak said, "Yup."

"Vince steer us a little south," Carter said, "Lights off if you..." A massive fist slamming into the Pelican interrupted carter as they lost control and crashed down to the hills below. "Vince, Carl are you two okay? Cloak are you with me?"

"I'm here babe," Cloak replied, "Just got thrown onto the other side of the Pelican is all."

"Hey boss," Carl responded as the hatch on the back of the Pelican was kicked off and the other two members of Four emerged.

"So definitely hostiles around here then," Vince said as he loaded a 40mm grenade launcher. "Big enough to take down our Pelican too."

"Carter are you all okay," Xavier asked, "Cause we could really use your help if your still alive."

"We're fine thanks for the concern," Carter replied, "That thing going after you now?"

"Yeah," X replied, "I'm leading it away from your group try and find the Marker and destroy it. I think I saw a structure to your east as you were crashing. Go check it out and then get back to me."

"Sounds like they are in the middle of it," Cloak said.

"They are giving us a chance to get close to the marker," Carter said, "X said it was east so lets go. The sooner we deal with it the sooner we can go help them."

The group headed east and soon found the marker, they had actually landed only a few hundred feet from it. The Marker spiraled up in front of them both appearing from and disappearing into the mists.

"Vince got a good idea on how to take this thing out," Carter asked.

"Other than hitting the supports with grenades," Vince said as he hefted his weapon, "No."

"I've got one," Carl said, "We get that big fleshy thing to hit it for us."

Carter thought about it before calling X. "Hey we need you to bring that creature your leading around over here and get it to smash the Marker."

"Okay but be ready to fight it," X said, "It is a cross between the Necromorphs and a flesh golem."

"Great," Carter remarked, "An undead made of reanimated flesh that has a mind of it's own. We'll deal with it when it gets here."

"On our way," X said.

"Aren't all undead reanimated flesh," Cloak asked.

"Not like the Necromorphs are," Undead use dead and dying organics for hosts, the creatures themselves are actually spirits. Necromorphs turn the dead flesh into a living organic soup that they then reconstruct into their forms. Thus the almost unkillable hunter forms."

"Okay I see why having the two together might be bad," Vince said, "And now we are bringing one of these things to us."

"About that I have an idea," Cloak said, "Give me a few minutes and I'll see what I can do."

"Okay yeah we'll just act as bait for the... uh for that I guess," Carter said as the massive form of the Necro-flesh golem emerged from the mist. It was mostly arms, two giant limbs that were several hundred feet long, attached to a bloated orb shaped body with a large mouth on it. The arms seemed to be where the sensory gathering organs were located as the creature swung them out in an arc before shifting positions and heading for Carter and team.

"Well that is slightly disconcerting," Carl said. "Hey maybe we can get it to just run over the Marker for us."

"I don't think that is going to work," Carter said as he dove out of the way of a strike from one of the arms, "That thing is part Necromorph it probably is here to guard the Marker. David see if you guys can get close enough to target the Marker, then come pick us up."

"We're on it," David replied

"Uh boss that thing is coming this way," Vince said.

"Right let's get over to the Marker," Carter said, "We will meet with X there to get picked up."

The flesh golem brought it's massive fists down towards the team as they ran to the Marker. Carter blasted the arms back with a fear shell allowing Four the time needed to reach the Marker.

"Okay now what," Carl asked.

"Yeah I didn't get that far into the plan," Carter admitted, "Cloak?"

"I've got you covered," Cloak said as she stepped forward and pulled out a grenade. She charged it up with a silver-gray mist and threw it at the creature. The golem caught the grenade and was bringing it to it's mouth when the bomb detonated, shredding most of the massive limb. The golem roared and reeled at the loss of it's limb but even as it was shaking off the shock of the detonation the arm began to grow back. "Okay maybe I don't got you covered."

"Terrific," Carter stated before he and the others were plucked from the ground by X and carried off into the early morning. Behind them the sounds of explosions leveling the Marker, a few hills and the creature echoed across the hills as the team headed away from the strike zone. "X you've got some good timing there."

"That is one reason you've lived this long," the elder dragon replied with a chuckle, "Nice move with the grenade."

"Thanks," Cloak said.

Character Church

"So Roman suggest we should attack something and you think it is a good idea," Church asked Carolina.

"Yes, I do," Carolina replied, "Besides the facts back him up. Even if it was not Roman who suggested it this strike would happen."

"No I get it but, Roman, really," Church continued, "I mean yeah he has that cane explosive thing but this actually seems like the man has some sense. Up to this point his actions seem more like he is fanatical."

"He has a code or something I'm sure," Carolina said as she and her father walked through the Infinity. "Everyone ready in the hangar?"

"As far as I know yeah," Church said, "Do you have the laser thing?"

"The target designator," Carolina asked as she held it up, "Yes, I have it."

"Well you don't have to be like that about it," Church remarked as they walked into the hangar. Inside was Tex, York, North, South, Carver, Wyoming, Maine, CT, Rodger, the Reds, Church's Blues, Washington, Delta, Omega, Sigma, Theta, and Gamma.

"It's nice to have a team again isn't it," Carolina remarked.

"Yeah it is," Church agreed before switching to his speaker phone, "Okay everyone ready up, get to your Pelicans and lets go we are heading to the south eastern part of Mistral, a glacier to be specific."

"You know we don't have the best track record with glaciers," Sarge said.

"That is why we are bringing everybody," Church replied, "Now one last thing, Caboose?"

"I already went to the restroom, yes," Caboose said.

"Uh, not what I was going to ask," Church said. "Do you have any grenades?"

"Seven boxes, but only Doughnut is supposed to use them," Caboose answered.

"Okay good," Church said with a sigh, "Doughnut don't let him out of your sight."

"I'll keep my eyes glued to him," Doughnut said happily.

"How do you manage to make everything sound gay," Rodger asked.

"I don't try to," Doughnut said, "Maybe you all just have sick minds?"

"Guys seriously," Carolina said, "Pelicans... Now!"

"Thanks Carolina," Church said as everyone scrambled into the Pelicans. Sarge was using his new shield Pelican and they had two heavy assault Pelicans and the rest were the normal transport variant. "Those guys would have talked until the other teams came to do the mission for us."

"I know," Carolina said, "Still they have survived with DC this long even despite that." She waved towards a Pelican that Delta, York and Tex had entered, "Shall we?"

Church nodded and led the way to the Pelican. "Okay we go in find this Marker and blow it up," Church said, "Nothing special on the surface but knowing us all like I do I'm sure we will get nailed by something or the world will start to explode or there will be a giant mech-Grimm thing guarding the Marker. So Carolina, you York and D are to make sure that the laser targets the Marker. The rest of us I am bringing to deal with whatever crazy scenario we find ourselves in. Most of DC is not used to dealing with the completely stupid but we've been doing that for years so let's go show them how it's done."

"Nice speech but you didn't have your helmet set to broadcast to the team," Tex said.

"It wasn't meant for the team," Church said, "Like I said I am using them as highly competent cannon fodder. It's the one thing we are good at. It's you Freelancers that are good at actually doing stuff. Anyway We should be there soon the Infinity was orbiting just above the inland sea."

"Arrival in one minute and seventeen seconds," Delta confirmed. "Warning I detect high levels of concentrated radiation. This is abnormal for this region and is most likely the result of an attempt to guard the Marker."

"Hey Florida," Church said.

"Yes," the pilot said.

"Do we have a visual on the drop zone," Church asked.

"We will once we get through the clouds," Florida replied, "Which is right a bout now... oh man that is a big thing."

"Thing? What thing," Church asked as he got up and walked into the cockpit, "Oh."

Guarding the Marker was a massive Goliath with more cybernetics than Jensen. Rockets were already firing at them from the twin missile racks on the elephant-like creature's back. It's trunk fired lasers at the team and a flack cannon was peppering them as they tried to get closer to the Marker. Sarge's shield Pelican rendered the rockets useless and the shields on the rockets absorbed the lasers and diverted the cannon fire.

"I'll be that thing actually works," Church remarked as Sarge's Pelican opened up a path through the incoming projectiles. "Carolina I'm opening the back door get a lock on that thing."

"The Grimm or the marker," Carolina asked.

"The Marker," Church replied, "Actually no the Grimm, wait no the Marker."

"If I may the target designator is a coordinate lock on system we will hit both the Marker and it's guardian by targeting either one," Delta said.

"Hey um Church," Caboose said on the radio, "Uh we might be kinda crashing... you know just a little."

"We are going to die," Tucker yelled.

"Target locked," Carolina said.

"Oh great," Church exclaimed, " Florida get us over to Caboose's Pelican. Sarge pop a bunch of those shields around us, we've got to get Caboose, Tucker, and Jr. out of there."

"Ah yeah I had a feeling that you would be doing that," Sarge said, "I saw their wing light on fire and everything, hit by that laser beam. Doughnut will keep you covered."

"Sir the cyborg thing is aiming at us," Florida said as he landed beside the crashed Pelican. Two bubble shields expanded over the crash site as Caboose, Tucker and Jr. made their way from the ruined Pelican to Church's. "And now giant lasers from space are heading towards us too."

"We're in," Jr. said.

"Go," Church told Florida. The pilot flew them up and away from the Marker and the giant Grimm as the explosions of the orbital strike rocked the ship. "Nice work everybody. Carolina were we the first ones done?"

"Hard to say," Carolina replied, "all the other teams checked in at about the same time we did. But they all started on time so I'd say we finished faster than they did."

"I'd count that as a win," Tex said.

"You know we almost had that Grimm killed," Wyoming said over the radio, "You just had to call I the air strike and take it didn't you?"

"Yeah kind of," York replied, "Hey who want's breakfast?"

"I'm in," Carolina said.

"Well you all go on ahead then," Church said, "We've got to go help Ironwood with his ship. You know so we can have ours back."

"Also you don't eat," Delta said, "None of us do."

"Yeah makes the social situations a little awkward," Church agreed as he got the confirmation that all Markers were destroyed and that Ruby's defense grid was fully operational. "Hey we've got us a safe world at last."

"Except for the Grimm," Tex said.

"Right except for them," Church agreed.