Once the glass stopped falling they gave it a minute more just to be safe. Then the hatches were opened and they looked out over a changed landscape. The sands around them looked like the surface of another world.
Pockmarked with craters, each having a small piece of roughly rounded glass inside, where they hadn't broken up. The UIR crews got to checking the sails and hulls for damage. Whilst their equipment was made for desert combat no one had factored in being inside something like that.
'What was that?' Weiss asked, looking around them.
'Glass hail,' Hickman said, 'Hit a lot of sand with a lot of heat and pressure super fast. Turn it into glass whilst blasting it away from the impact point. Stuff cools mid air and comes down like bullets if it's fast enough.'
Yang stood shaking her head, 'You said it was a Hammer strike. But how could it cause this? I watched some of those clips from when you guys arrived. It was nothing like… That'
'There's a long technical name for how it works,' Figroua said looking towards where the strike point had been, 'But the short version is a two parter. First the Hammer can join beams together to boost output, second is that all those records you might have seen, the Hammer was in tactical mode.'
'So what caused… This?' Ruby asked.
'Strategic mode,' Hickman said with a nod, 'Dial the output up to max and thing is like pointing the sun at the target. Times that by four and you get a whole lot of destruction.'
'Your assessments are correct,' Čierna said joining them, 'Part of our Airfleet was trying to attack a Hive, which seems to have been the target of that strike. We just heard back from them, their reports say the same, someone has an active Hammer of Dawn system. And they didn't just use it here.'
'Your ships okay?' Figroua asked.
'They've suffered damage but were on the edge of the blast,' Čierna said, clearly not wanting to say more.
'What did you mean whoever built it didn't just use it here?' Blake asked.
'There are reports coming in from across Remnant. The Hammers have been striking all over Sanus. Swarm strongholds and smaller hives blasted to rubble and ash.'
'What about Anima? Or Solitas?' Raven asked, her eyes narrowed.
'Nothing so far. Seems they were focusing on the main battle grounds,' Čierna said shaking her head, 'Good news is the platforms have stood down for the moment.'
'You're sure about that? Seemed quite active before,' Qrow said slinking over.
'We know they're there and we can see they've all extended their radiators to dump heat and their solar panels for recharging. That sort of surge firing likely used up most of their capacity both in terms of power and heat,' Cernia said with a shrug.
'Great, so they're just up there watching us run around till they've cooled off and charged up,' Hickman said, looking up as if he could see them, 'Ours or yours?'
'Yours,' Čierna said her eyes narrowed.
'Whoever built them is about to get a very pissed off call from our boss. Might even match the lightshow we just got,' Hickman said, trying to inject some humour.
'Do you ever shut up?' Raven asked.
'Do you ever lighten up?' Hickman returned.
'Huh. He's got you there sis,' Qrow snorted.
Raven scowled, 'Don't you get it? Whoever's behind all of this just won. We can't do anything against those things! And what you're making jokes?'
'They have not won,' Čierna said, venom in her voice.
'Oh really? What are you going to do? Stand there and make them vaporise you out of stubbornness. How many of you do they have to kill before you give up? You Serans are all stupid as a kettle made of fire dust,' Raven spat.
'We stood against the COG last time they had a Hammer of Dawn. My people survived their Hammer striking our world till the ash made a year long winter. We'll do so again. Of that I have no doubt,' Čierna said leaning into Raven's face, 'You are only here because you may be valuable. But insult my people's spirit again and I'll demonstrate how close to the edge of death you can be kept without its release. Am I clear?'
Čierna kept her gaze locked with Ravens. Letting the sheer focus and intent in her mind show. The former Bandit queen looked away first, storming off without admitting she'd been cowed into compliance.
'We will be leaving as soon as the crews make any repairs,' Čierna announced, walking away, 'I'm sure the Premiar will want to see you once we arrive.'
With that threat made they waited till the skiffs were deemed safe and set out once more. Rather than head to the UIR capital itself though they were met by a flight of heavy lift helicopters.
The aircraft were huge with their bulky bodies carried by their two rotors, one forward with another at the back, even just coming in to land kicked up a small storm. In preparation the skiff crews had packed the sails. The helicopters lowered ramps at their rears as they came in, a member of the aircrew in each running over the moment the craft touched down.
Each one was pulling a tow cable which was attached to a skiff before being retracted to pull the sand skimming craft into the cargo bays of their assigned transports. The whole process left their guests feeling like they were in the way, none of the crews were speaking to them. More than once they call caught a look being thrown their way.
Once the skiffs were tied down they were called aboard. Shown to a set of seats along the walls of the hold and strapped in. The flight took a couple of hours still even with the speed the transports could manage.
'Hey. Looks like we've picked up a friend,' Qrow muttered looking out the window behind him.
The others looked as well, desperate for something to break up the flight. Flying alongside them was a smaller helicopter. It wasn't a transport that was clear by the chin turret and loaded hard-points under its pylons.
It had two rotors as well but these two were spinning through each other. The twin blades gave it an agile look. It's two crew were looking over at them, each one had their own glass dome one behind the other.
'Hmm. Khimera scout,' Figroua said with a nod.
'That's a scout?' Raven asked mockingly, 'It's quite well armed to just be looking.'
'Of course. After all it's meant to kill thing's it finds as well,' Hickman said with a shrug.
'Great. More people are guarding us,' Yang sighed.
'We're certainly getting quite a following,' Blake said with a tilt of her head.
'Something is wrong,' Čierna said walking down from the cockpit, 'Once we land you need to follow my orders exactly.'
'What's going on?' Figueroa asked.
'Our long range radar is being jammed from the south,' Čierna growled, checking her Markza and cocking it.
'You think it's the Swarm? This close?'
'It's not them, the jamming is directional and matches the signature of a COG system. I believe your friend in yellow is on his way,' Čierna said walking towards the exit ramp.
'Jaune? Where would he get that kind of equipment?' Nora muttered.
'If it's him we'll stop him, but let us talk to him first,' Ren said, getting up as well.
Čierna looked back at the pair of them, 'You may, if he gets to Nou Berephus alive.'
They wondered what she meant for a moment then looked out the windows. The last time any of them had seen the UIR capital it was under construction. Now it was more like Phoenix Bay, but far more militarised.
The city proper was surrounded by a curtain wall much like the COG capital. But with it being on the same landmass as a number of battles the Union had fortified their city. Outside the wall were vast lines of desert marked by gun emplacements and bunkers.
Coming into the airbase they could see a number of landing areas, hangers and support facilities. All reinforced and ringed by their own defences. It was like a fortress, yet on the ground they could see troops moving around taking up positions.
The ramp dropped and they followed Čierna out to the sound of orders blaring over the PA system. Officers shouting to their NCOs. Topped off with the NCOs shouting to the troops.
An officer ran over calling out to Čierna but before they could say anything proper a siren started wailing. Then more and more sirens started screaming. All around them the troops rushed from their positions into the bunkers.
'That is the air raid alarm, missiles are incoming! Get into cover!' Čierna cried running towards the nearest shelter.
Missiles flew into the air tearing over the airbase and off towards the horizon. Then the first few ribbons of tracers started to rise adding their flak bursts to the defence. Hickman looked back then stopped in his tracks.
'Frankie! Look!' He shouted.
'What are yo-' Figueroa's shout died as she saw what he was looking at, 'Stop! Those aren't ground attack missiles!'
They all slowed and looked at what the two Onyx were. Over the port in the distance was a long strange cloud, it stretched out over the sea towards the horizon. It was shiny in some areas, matte in others and a few parts were even glowing as if lit from inside. With each passing second a missile would burst from the end and fly for a few seconds before being struck by the UIR defences.
But for those few seconds it was letting out little bursts of stuff. Which in turn made the cloud grow just that little bit closer, somewhat wider and kept its strange opaque nature consistent. Hickman nodded to Figueroa.
'I only know two things that carry missiles like that. Agent and Operator,' He said looking to Čierna.
'What sort of craft are they?' Čierna asked quickly.
'Airships. Onyx guard modified Emissary-Class. And that,' Hickman said pointing to the cloud, 'Is how they're meant to cover their approach to denied airspace. Mess of smoke, chaff and flares to prevent them from being shot down on the way in. Our attempt to make the same Ink the Locust and Swarm use.'
'Garayaz!' Čierna cursed before shouting into her helmet radio, 'All units this is Major Čierna. Be advised an airship may be approaching through the countermeasure cloud. Be ready for aerial bombardment and assault.'
'You've got to hit it now! If it gets behind your defences you won't be able to stop it,' Figueroa shouted.
'The anti-air systems lack the punch we'd need. They're trying to get the coastal battery to fire but they can't hit what they can't see. Damn it all, the airfleet is in dock undergoing repairs and the navy is busy sweeping the deep waters.'
'So you're totally vulnerable to this kind of an attack? How much do you want to bet the damage from that Hammer strike was intentional?' Qrow asked, confident he knew the answer.
A series of echoing thunder-like booms from the cliffs facing out to sea made it clear the coastal guns were not waiting for a clear shot. Vast parts of the disruptive cloud were suddenly punched aside as massive shells whipped through pulling some of the concealment away. Then for a moment they caught a shape as the prow of the airship poked through one of the cleared sections.
Even as the guns were no doubt adjusting the ship lept forwards. The sudden change of such a mass pushing the remnants of the scrambling cloud ahead of it. With any trace of cover now literally blown the ship lit off its barriers gaining a shimmering orange aura as it bore down on them.
'They're not firing. Oh crap they're not firing,' Hickman muttered.
'That's good right?' Weiss asked.
'Sure. It just means they don't think they need to attack. Which is way more scary.'
'Oh… Ah.'
A low rumble came over the airbase as the ship slowed above them. Parts of its shield flickered off as drop pods fell from deployment hatches. The DeeBees inside stepped out as their capsules broke open after impact.
Something passed overhead, they couldn't see it to start with but the down-wash and howl of an engine made it clear something was above them. With a familiar crackling of the air a COG Dragonfly de-cloaked. The sliding door facing them slid open to reveal a gear in full heavy plate with yellow trim.
Jaune stepped from the airship and landed with an audible thump on a patch of sand by the runway. This time he had both his Lancer and Snub along with Crocea Mors. They all drew their weapons.
'I'm here to take you all into custody. You can come peacefully or I can use force,' He said, looking across the group at them all.
'You are violating the airspace and territory of the Union of Independent Republics. Lay down your arms and surrender,' Čierna ordered as the UIR troopers took up firing positions.
'These people are suspected of being involved in the killing of First Minister Alexander Emmerich. If you act to protect them it will be seen as the UIR sponsoring his assassination. You have ten seconds to comply. Or myself and these MPs will have to take whatever actions are needed to take them into custody,' Jaune said, nodding to the DeeBees around him on the sand.
'They are MPs, why would they send MP units?' Hickman muttered.
'You're annoyed they're not trying to kill us?' Figueroa hissed back.
'Both of you be quiet,' Čierna snapped before turning back to Jaune, 'You have five seconds to order a withdrawal. Or we will take whatever actions are needed to neutralise you.'
'Please wait!' Ruby shouted, running between them all and holding up her hands, 'Just please wait. Stop with all the countdowns and the threats. Jaune we went to Beacon together. You can't really believe that we had anything to do with assassinating the leader of the COG right?'
'I have my orders, Ruby. I'm in no position to refuse them. Just surrender peacefully and we can all leave without any violence,' Jaune said, holding out a hand.
'Jaune is us. Come on, what's wrong with you?' Nora said, stomping her foot, 'We're your friends. Think of what Pyrrha would think if she knew you were doing this. It would break her heart.'
'Don't bring her into this. Pyrrha is just fine where she is,' Jaune said tensing up, 'Time's almost up. So are we doing this the easy way or the hard way?'
'Jaune ple-' Ruby stopped as he drew his Snub and aimed it right at her.
'I'm sorry about this. I really am,' Jaune said, firing.
The round hit Ruby right in the chest, her aura flaring and reinforcing the body-armor she'd been given when they'd reunited back at the COG airbase. It stopped the round but not the mental shock, Jaune had shot her with only a moment's hesitation. She dropped onto her back as all hell broke loose.
Both sides opened fire, the UIR with their live rounds and the MP DeeBees with Shock enforcers, the airbase becoming lit by tracers. Overhead Agent started dropping more pods even as the AA guns started seeking weak points in its barriers. Yang however was blind to the battle itself, she'd fired Ember Celica behind her and was flying at Jaune in a rage.
She'd protected Ruby for years. From Grimm, bullies and thugs alike. Yet of all people to hurt her little sister it was Jaune, goofy kind Jaune.
In her rage she poured her aura into her attack bringing her fist forward as hard as she could. Jaune raised Crocea Mors's shield and let the blow land. Barely moving an inch on the sand as his own aura helped him absorb the blow.
Those who'd seen Yang fight before had about half a second to let that sink in. He'd taken a full on hit from one of their best brawlers and hadn't even shifted his stance. Then the pommel of Crocea Mors struck Yang across the side of her helmet sending her sprawling over the sand with her aura broken.
'Detain the-' Jaune started to order before a hand shot out of the sand grabbing his leg.
None of them had wondered why the UIR had left so much of their base unpaved. It wasn't because of a lack of materials. It was a feature of their base design to let what Čierna called Robotníks and were nicknamed the Sandmen.
Nearly every DeeBee found itself being attacked from below by their modified counterparts from the UIR. The ambushers pulled some down trapping them whilst others burst up out of the sand to grapple and drive built in pile bunkers into the COG machines. Jaune was distracted slashing into the metal hands reaching out for him.
'Go go!' Čierna shouted, turning and sprinting away.
'What? We have them!' Raven cried.
'That airship is dropping the next wave on the runway and we won't have the numbers to stop them. We have to run!'
'Not without Yang!' Raven yelled running to help her daughter.
'Oh now she cares. Come on help her out,' Qrow called.
Nora cackled as the shock rounds hit her and simply made her stronger. She ran ahead of Raven, battering a path through the DeeBees to reach Yang with Ren and Qrow keeping the rough path clear. The two Onyx were at the back with Čierna showing that a solid rifle drill could cut a swath as swift as any other weapon. Weiss was sending more of her summons to join the fray as Ruby was helped up by Blake.
'We have got to stop meeting like this,' Blake said.
'Really? Jokes now?' Ruby grunted.
'Sorry,' Blake said, 'I'm really not good with timing.'
'Clearly,' Weiss said before snapping off a shot with her Boltok.
As Ruby looked across the chaos they'd caused she saw Jaune as the centre carving his own path towards the runway. More DeeBees were grouping up on it. If they met up he'd lead a charge and they'd be done for.
She unfolded Crescent Rose and took aim. She'd just have to break his aura, then he'd be out and not a threat. Lining up her sights as Blake covered her she fired Crocea Mors's shield when he battered back one of the UIR androids.
The shot was down right perfect to her. A dead on strike and with his aura up and clearly stopping the impact it should have been a massive chunk of his reserves gone. Except he didn't slow down, in fact he didn't even seem to react the way someone should do when their aura was depleting.
If anything he seemed to be getting more powerful with each strike both those he made and those he took. Ruby cycled the bolt and fired again, and again, over and over till she needed to reload.
Nobody should take this much. She was using high caliber rounds at range that could have no effect on speed and power of the rounds. This was the same stuff she'd blown Bewolfs in half with back home, how was he still going?
'What is wrong with him?' Wiess shouted.
'I don't know. I don't want to hurt him,' Ruby yelled back.
'I'm not sure he's of the same feeling,' Blake said as Jaune roared towards them.
A squad of UIR rifles opened up on him. Heavy rounds from their Markzas slowing him more by volume of fire then damage. Jaune kept Crocea Mors's shield up and marched into the volleys like it was a strong wind.
'He's on something,' Qrow shouted, 'Something must be boosting his aura.'
'Stim! That lunatic must be on a near constant Stim feed!' Figueroa shouted as she changed the mag in her Lancer.
'Great so he's got a fucking magic barrier that makes him nearly invincible and we can't hurt him till he runs out. How much Stim is in our armour reserve anyway?' Hickman yelled before popping up to add his own fire to the battle.
'Enough for about six doses, five seconds or so each. But he would have used that up by now. Of course if they switched out the water hump with a reservoir he could have enough for ten minutes,' Figueroa replied.
'So, run?' Hickman asked as Raven returned with Yang leaning on her for support.
'Run.' Qrow agreed as they all bolted for the hangers.
'Come on. There's an airship in hangar twenty two,' Čierna yelled as they sprinted along.
Behind them the advancing ranks of DeeBees kept pushing after them. The UIR reinforcements were arriving, but couldn't use their heavy weapons without risking killing their own people. Instead it became a strange series of overlapping battles.
Team RWBY and their allies trying to escape Jaune, who was chasing them as fast as he could with the Union troops slowing him down. They were trying to bring more troops to the fight faster than the airship overhead could drop DeeBees, which was rapidly using up its supply of both machines and drop pods. And all the while the UIR was trying to drive the airship off, without dropping it on their own people.
Reaching the hangar they found six mistral airships with their sails folded. Each was being prepared by its ground crew. Čierna barked a set of orders then waved them towards one, Yang had recovered enough she pushed Raven off and stumbled along by herself.
'The others will take off with us and then split up. They won't know which one you're aboard,' Čierna said heading towards the ramp.
'Provided they don't opt to blow us out of the sky,' Hickman grumbled.
'You said it yourself, they're not using their main guns. They must want to capture you or you'd already be dead. Now let's get you away from my people before you bring any more danger down on us.'
They boarded and felt the craft lift off before the ramp was even up. The pilot headed for the hangar doors which were opening, revealing Jaune standing outside with what was left of his troops. They opened fire pelting the airship with gel rounds, which did no real damage but were intimidating all the same.
A few rounds from Jaune's weapons struck the cockpit glass, which the UIR had swapped out for a much more resilient Searan version. It spider webbed with cracks but didn't break as they nearly rammed him down and turned to make their escape. Already Agent was moving to try and chase them but as the airships split off it was clear that any further action was just a risk for a dwindling chance at any form of victory.
The ship launched another wave of missiles loaded with countermeasures filling the air around it with a new sensor obscuring cloud before breaking off. The UIR coastal guns harried its withdrawal but only getting a glancing hit as it surged its engines again and fled the battle space. They watched as Nou Berephus shrank away, another place they'd been forced to flee with still no idea why.
'What happened to Jaune?' Ruby asked as Čierna finished speaking into her radio.
'Same as last time. He vanished into thin air. Seems he was the only flesh and blood on their side and the remaining COG units self-destructed once he left,' Čierna replied with a bitter tone, 'We can't keep you here. The risk of collateral damage is too great. We need to send you somewhere they won't be able to find you.'
'We can't go to Atlas. They know we wanted to go there, they'll be waiting for us along that route,' Weiss muttered.
'Mistral isn't an option either, the COG is heavily involved with them. We'd be handed over the moment we arrived,' Raven said, folding her arms.
'Vale's too far away, we'd never reach it and they're fighting the Swarm, Vacuo has the same problem,' Ren pointed out.
'We could go to Menagerie,' Blake said quietly.
'Huh it is out of the way,' Figueroa noted.
'But they're close to the COG as well aren't they?' Ruby asked.
'No… Their deal makes them equals. And uh… We can trust the leadership not to betray us,' Blake said, shuffling slightly.
'Alright then time to meet Blake's parents!' Yang shouted, making the other kids groan.