The locals must have gone insane. That was Shell's first thought. Why else would they leave the valley and sit on a hill. They were going to be cut off and attacked from all sides. It was simple logic… So how were they winning?

Looking through the binoculars she watched another pack of Beowolves charge the hilltop. Several hundred meters short they were cut down by a bust of fire. What were they using? Simple bullets would have been fine but that looked like explosions mixed in. Did they have that much fire dust they could waste it on Grimm?

She panned up looking at the hill. Around the outside were several rings of strange robots. They had rolled into place as a ball before transforming. One half of their body split into eight legs which the machines now rested on. Why would anyone build such a thing?

Behind the ring of floating half spheres was a set of androids. But she'd never seen ones like these. Most were human sized armed with small arms. She might have thought they were a modified set of Atlesian Knights. Their heads reminded her of Otis. Perhaps they were from the same production line? Could these ones turn invisible too?

Then there were the big ones. Twice the bulk of any normal person. The things carried large weapons with two hands like they were nothing. Was this some experimental unit? Perhaps with all the dust they might be using they were working with the SDC testing designs?

Behind the machines were the humans. They had a ring of trucks around the base of the hill. Most seemed with a small turret fixed to the roof of their cabs. A few had large mounts on their rear, their crews firing off at any large groups. Others had Troops firing from the back of the truck bed with rifles.

Further up was a line of snipers. But strangely they were not all human. Some of the human sized machines were there as well. These ones had a different head. One large optic was centered in their head. Their weapons were strange. Instead of a flash of orange or red they seemed to flicker with electricity as they fired. She hadn't believed an android sniper was possible but here was a line of them picking off Grimm with ease.

At the top of the hill was a vehicle unlike the rest. It was green whilst nearly everything else was blue. On its back was a large turret with a set of auto cannons. She'd only seen them fire once when a Nevermore came around the coast. The Grimm had come apart in a heartbeat.

'What are those?' Mahogany muttered looking though his own set of binoculars.
'Where?' Shell asked. Panning across the hill for what he was seeing.
'That truck coming up the road.'

Shell tracked up the road. Coming along at great speed was a strange looking vehicle. It had six wheels. Two at the front and one at the back on each side. She couldn't see any kind of door or hatch for the crew though. The machine had a curved body that seemed almost like a shell of some sort. At its front was a large shovel blade for some reason. Following it was more of the regular looking trucks with more troops both human and android. At the rear was another of the curved trucks.

As they watched another group of Grimm tried to attack the incoming vehicles. The strange machines revealed they were also armed. Gun turrets set onto their sides opened fire. As it passed the Grimm a third turret hidden from view added its own fire to the defense.

As they reached the hill one of the vehicles moved out of the way letting the newcomers inside the ring of metal. The trucks pulled to one side then opened. A series of panels retracted into the body then the front dropped down forming a ramp. Several armored figures ran down and moved off taking positions alongside their comrades.

The crew. At least she assumed those still inside were the crew. Were not dressed like the others. They were wearing what looked like leather with armored plates layered over it. They exchanged words with one of the armored guards. Then nodded and returned to their vehicle. A few moments later the front returned to its curved shape. And the machine began to turn around heading back up the road. Then she noticed a set of lights coming the other way.

'More of them?' Mahogany asked.
'I don't know.' Shell replied. Trying to pick out the shape.
The curved trucks darted round the newcomer. The scale had to be wrong. That thing was taking up the whole road. There was no way something that big could move.

Davis's radio bleeped with another call from Captain Shell. He turned to face his CO. 'Captain Johnson. We've got a call from the civilians.'
Johnson nodded, keeping his gaze on the display as he lay out the movements for the company. 'See what they want. We're almost ready to go.'
Davis nodded and stepped away from the planning table. 'This is Davis.'
'Lieutenant. What are those things coming out of the valley?'
Davis turned and looked up the valley. 'Ah the Behemoth is here.'

Rumbling out of the pass was a massive bulldozer. The machine was leveling the road as it moved. Atop its armored cabin was a remote weapon station. Every so often a quick burst of fire would be let off as the machine advanced.
'What are you planning to use that for?' Shell asked.
'Well the front door is out so we're going in through one of the breaches in the harbor walls.'
'You can't just charge in the harbor. If the Grimm swarm you'll be killed.'
'We've been tracking the battle. So far the fighting has died down for the most part. Our best guess is we've taken out most of these things in the area.'
'You're sure?'
'Intel might have no clue what's going on with the weather. But their count matches mine. We've been letting these things come at us for hours and their numbers keep dropping.'
'That might just be a break in their numbers. More will come.'
'Perhaps but if this is as quiet as it gets we need to move now.'

Davis had operational command of the troops going into the harbor. A force would stay on the hill for observation and support but the main group was coming with him. They marched in alongside the Behemoth. Some of the other vehicles were there to add their own fire to the force.

They reached the breach in the perimeter wall. Each chunk of concrete was as big as a good sized truck. There must have been a few dozen tones of rubble in the way. The Behemoth squared up and began to move forward.
The machines had been designed to clear paths for armored columns. It barely slowed with the obstruction.

Shell watched in shock as the machine pushed its way into the harbor. It's bulk was too great for the gap. But its blade simply tore the breach wider. What sort of work could need something like that?

A flicker in the shadows drew her eye.
'Look out!'

At Shell's warning the Gears swung their weapons round. Searching for targets. They were just through the wall. On some kind of service road. Either side of them were rows of warehouses and smaller buildings.
'Call out as you see them.' Davis ordered over the radio. 'Shell where are they?'
'Moving between the buildings.'
'Ok then w-' Davis cut off as one of the Gears was struck by something. 'Cover!'

He hadn't needed to shout. Reflexes and training had the unit in cover before the words left his mouth. Peeking out from their cover the Gears swept the shadows with torches.
'Will he live?' Davis asked a medic dragging the downed Gear into cover.
'Should do. Whatever that was, his armor took the blow.'
'Contact!' A Gear to the left shouted. Following the words with a burst from his Lancer.

Davis only saw it for a second. He was sure it was a wolf thing like the others. But far bigger. Why did this one run though? The other things had come right at them.
'Keep your eyes peeled. W-' Davis started.
'Contact right side!' Another Gear shouted. His rounds chased the monster back behind another warehouse.
'Left side on the roof!' Another shouted.
Davis threw himself to the ground as a chunk of concrete smashed into where he'd been standing.
'How'd that thing move so fast?' One of the Gears whispered.
'Because there's more than one.' Davis whispered. The shoe dropping.
'What do we do?' One of the others hissed.
Davis thought for a second. These things were big, fast and smart enough to plan an ambush. What would their next course of action be?
'Secure the entry point. They'll try to cut us off.'

On the heel of his words one of the Gears guarding the breach shouted and fired. One of the big wolves leapt from the wall. It had been creeping along the wall out of sight. Upon landing it lashed out sending Gears in all directions before darting away. Several Gears began to break cover moving away from each other.
'Its trying to break us apart. Group up by squad. Get some Trackers out there to scout and keep the place locked down.' Davis shouted.
At his order the Gears drew closer. They'd be more vulnerable to another area attack but getting picked off one by one wasn't an option.

The Trackers were brought up and released into the breach. The spheres rolled into junctions and choke points. Then unfolded onto their guard mode. Sensors on each limb and their middle scanned their surroundings. The things had 360 degree vision. Before they even got in place one of the big wolves darted out and slashed at one that was traveling. The Tracker sensed the threat and promptly detonated its payload. Its attacker fell back, one clawed hand missing.

'Yeah that's right run you runts!' A Gear shouted.
'Lopez Get down you idiot.'
'Why we got them on the ru-' The Lopez began before his squad mate tackled him.
Another chunk of concrete tore over head and hit one of the lights on the Behemoth. The lamp was made of sterner stuff and kept the surrounding area well lit.
'They're going for the lights. How do they know to hit the lights!' One of the Gears shouted. Starting to panic.
'Get a hold of yourself.' Davis snapped.
'Ge-' The Gears words were cut off as a piece of metal slammed into his back.
'Medic!' Davis shouted. Pulling the wounded Gear into cover. They didn't have enough Trackers to secure a perimeter. And even if they did these things were climbing the damned walls. They had no air cover. Or did they?
'Otis are you there?' Davis called.
A cheer full beep came over the radio.
'Get over here I need some eyes.'
Another cheerful beep. A few moments later Davis could see the icon for Otis on his HUD. Once he was close enough the display showed an outline of the JACK even as it was cloaked.
'Get close to one of the things. We'll do the rest.'

With a less than cheerful beep Otis began to move. Searching the roof's and spaces. Davis watched the bot move near silently along. Then it stopped and a click came over the Radio.
'Charlie and Golf. Move around to the left. Echo and Hotel take the right. Keep a rolling perimeter of Trackers. We'll corner these things and take them one by one.'

The Gears boxed the thing inside a garage of some kind. Corrugated metal walls and a broken rolling door made up the front. To one side was a broken wooden door. The Gears surrounded the building with a double ring. One group faced out the other faced in.
'Trackers clear that building.' Davis whispered into his radio.
At the command a group of Trackers switched to travel mode and rolled under the damaged front door. There were a few tense moments of silence. Followed by a roar that was cut short by a series of explosions from inside the garage.
'One down.' Davis muttered.

The next hour or so was a cat and mouse game. Or more accuracy. A contain and fill the building with explosive robots game. If the things ran they got chased. If they fought they got blown up or riddled with bullets. One tried to run across the rooftops and found out about the Deadeyes now on top of the wall. Finally they had the pack down to a group of three hiding in a warehouse by the end of it. Upon sending in the Trackers however they came up empty.

'Where the hell could they have gone?' Davis asked as the Gears swept the place. A Tracker shuffled out of the way as he walked into the room. There were containers stacked around them. Mixes of colors and markings. The Gears searched them but came up empty. They checked the offices even though the door was far to small for the things to fit inside. Still nothing.

'Over here!' A Gear shouted.
They formed up around a section of the floor. A section that opened. Beneath the trapdoor was a carved tunnel at its end was what looked like a sewage pipe.
'Smugglers tunnel.' The Gear noted.
'Any Idea where it leads?' Said Davis
'We've sent Trackers. Looks like one side goes down to the water line. The other leads out under the wall.'
'They got away.' Davis said. Punching his palm.

With the main danger cleared the COG forces swept the rest of the harbor. A few more Grimm had gone to ground and had to be routed out the hard way. After that it was a case of getting guards posted on the walls to cover the approaches. And getting the gates working.
Over the next few hours the COG moved into the harbor proper. Once they were confident in their position and gave the clear signal further reinforcements were sent along. Including one very happy certified Lambent free huntress.

A day or so later the sky began to clear the cargo ship from Vacuo that had turned away as the storm began had returned to its course. There had been no contact with the Pearl of the Sea nor the Journey bound. But as it began to move past the southern part of the Dragons tail its CCT relay reported contact with both ships. Messages from both ships began to filter thorough. The two distress calls were sent first but cut off as the cargo ship drifted out of range.

Several teams of Huntsmen received the call to aid the ships. They boarded their airships and set out. Some for the duty they had sworn to uphold. Others because they knew it was the right thing to to. And those who were eyeing up the rewards on the Pearl's prepaid contract for aid.

Their arrival was greeted not with calls of joy. But alerts of controlled airspace and assigned flight paths. Most were confused. Who had beat them all there? The various teams were guided into the harbor. Where a stretch of open ground was being used as a landing pad.

All around were armored soldiers and androids. Fixing parts of the outer wall. Going out on or returning from patrols. A convoy of trucks rolled into the harbor uploading supplies. This place was marked as abandoned on the map. So who were all these people?

Captain Ivor was brought in to explain the alert had been cancelled. Many of the Huntsmen objected saying they had responded in good faith. If the job had been completed they were due to be paid a share for their work. Ivor pointed out they would need to prove they had been involved in the battle. If they wanted to challenge his decision they could take it up with the Pearl's owners. But they'd better have good lawyers.

Before the disagreement over payment could get any worse all the scrolls in the room began to play a tone. A CCT relay had come into range and every scroll on the island was about to connect to the global network.

Several hundred kilometers away an Atlesian airship that had been dispatched came into range. Following protocol its CCT system was set to link civilian and huntsmen channels. This would allow it to pass messages on from people in the area. Normally this was done to help people stay calm and contact loved ones. Helping lower any negative emotions. Occasionally there was confusion as to the events that had taken place. This time the news was more confusing then normal.

Across Remnant a new wave of messages traveled across the airwaves. Chasing the news of the two ships being trapped and in danger. People cheered at the discovery of the ship's survival against the odds. Friends and family of those believed missing wept as they received calls and heard their voices.

Then the other messages were received. Speaking of storm that had driven them to seek shelter. The Grimm that threatened to destroy them. And the strange soldiers that had saved them all. Some dismissed the messages as moments of delirium. Brought on by the stress of the situation.

But then the videos came through. The world saw a Sea Feilong cut in half in a single stroke. A line of soldiers in armor never seen before fighting their way down a hill side and into the harbor. Their battles against the Grimm and victory over them.
Most were happy to dismiss these as heavy armed guards of some kind.

But strangers said they were from another world. Their behavior and technology seemed to back up their claim. They said they were the Coalition of Ordered Governments.

Speculation ran wild. Was this a lost kingdom? Some army of Bandits claiming legitimacy? Who could say? The councils convened to discuss the news.

Within Atlas General Ironwood sat his eyes glued to the screens before him. Where had these troops come from? What weapons were they wielding? What kind of threat did they pose to the Kingdom? Perhaps Ozpin would know? He checked his scroll awaiting a call.

At Haven Professor Lionheart cancelled his appointments. He gave a short speech to the students and staff then returned to his office. He looked from his scroll to the small alcove set into the wall. One way or another he would receive his orders in due time.

Looking out from his office in Shade Professor Theodore watched as the city of Vacuo carried on. His students would have questions, even the staff. But Oz would know what to do. He tucked his scroll into his pocket and went to speak with his students.

At the top of Beacon tower. The man known as Professor Ozpin looked at the videos. He looked at their weapons, uniforms and insignia. Then he looked at the storm. He sipped lightly from his cup. Then reached into his desk pulling out a scroll with a single number loaded into it. He'd thought the man's story was mad when he'd met him a lifetime ago. But every story had a grain of truth to it as he well knew.

Seated on a throne made of dark purple crystal Salem gazed into the Seer she was using to scry. The loss of any old Grimm truly wasn't an issue. But several of those now lost had been key to limiting the Kingdom's growth. Regardless of whatever this new kingdom declared her plans would simply be adjusted. The goals remained the same. To bring an end to this world she so despised.

A few days later the Councils announced they would be opening dialog with the so called COG. If needed then they would send aid to this new kingdom. Surely no-one could survive the perils of the world without the kingdom's aid. Then they began to argue over who would represent them.

Of course the headmasters had already agreed to send a few advisers. The councils agreed it was a great idea and went back to their discussions. The academy's chose a few trusted Huntsmen and contacted the COG. After a brief set of discutssions they agreed to host a few parties of Huntsmen to help with their situation.

The advisers' arrival was more organized than the huntsmen teams that had come before. They were directed to their landing area. An honor guard of Gears formed either side of the craft and presented arms. Davis stood by the end. Checked his dress uniform was clear of ceases and stood to attention.

The engines wound down and a ramp lowered. A woman marched down. She had white hair and blue eyes. Was dressed in a white uniform of some kind. At her side was a sword. She looked like some officer from an old painting had decided to step out and see the world.
'Specialist Schnee.' She announced. 'Here on behalf of Atlas academy.'
'Lieutenant Davis. COG Army. We've been expecting you.' He looked back up the ramp. 'Weren't there two of you coming?'
Schnee's eyes narrowed.
'A moment please.' She said. Then turned and walked back into the aircraft. After a few moments, and what sounded like a smash. She returned with a man who looked like he'd forgotten to clean up... a few days ago by the smell.

He had black hair with a touch of grey. Was wearing a cape over a dress shirt with a few stains of dubious origin on it. Some kind of sword strapped to his lower back.
'Qrow Branwen. Not happy to be here.' The man said. Squinting in the sunlight.
Schnee shot him a look.
'Oh right.' Branwen said. 'Here on behalf of Vale academy.'
Davis nodded and gestured to the waiting Packhorse. 'This way please.'
'This thing better have a Mini-bar.' Branwen mumbled.

Schnee was glaring at him so hard Davis could feel it from behind them. He couldn't wait to get clear of these two. Hopefully the next lot would be less of a hassle.