REVIEWS:
.suarez- Yes, but chapters will take time as I have other stories that require attention and not just this one.
The first thing Summer saw was darkness as she exited the dimensional tunnel. From the looks of things, she and her army of sorts were in a large prairie of some kind. It was clearly big enough to house them all.
To her mild surprise, it was nighttime. Knowing there was one way of know if the portal had really worked she looked up. Summer's eyes widened before she fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. "Summer/My Lady!" came the cry of Daniels and Dixon.
They, along with Adler rushed to her side. "Are you alright Commissar Rose?" Daniels asked. "It worked." Summer said sobbing her words. Daniels looked up. "Shattered moon." He muttered before remembering Summer's stories of remnant.
The Kriegsman captain turned to the rest of the Korps and expeditionary force. "Men, a shattered moon gazes down at us men! We're on Remnant!" he called out. As one, the Kriegsmen troopers gave off celebratory yells which confused those whom hadn't fought alongside summer for as long as the 863rd Death Korps had.
Daniels then placed a hand of summer's shoulder gaining her attention. "We're with you to the end Commissar Rose." He said. "We'll set up camp here for now. I don't know where we are exactly in remnant." Summer said.
"You heard her. Lay out your rolls. Its too late to set up the tents." Daniels ordered. "Summer, before you met us where in Remnant were you exactly?" Adler asked. "In the Grimm lands, but now, I don't know."
Daniels scanned the area. "I'll take some men to scout ahead tomorrow." He said. "better take a Space Marine or two with you in case you encounter an Ursa or worse, a nuckelavee." Daniels nodded before leaving his longtime friend's side.
"Commissar, your urn." Dixon said offering the silver urn to summer. "Thank you Dixon." The huntress commissar said taking it. Looking down at it, summer smiled. "Nearly there Nick." She whispered before sitting down. Summer looked up at the moon happily. She was nearly home.
THE NEXT DAY
Daniels did as he promised and headed off with a squad of Kriegsmen followed by Dixon and a terminator space marine. "He'll be fine summer. Dixon's with him." Adler reassured her. "it's not that it I don't believe in their abilities Adler, it's the Grimm I'm worried about." Summer said before looking in the direction Daniels' squad went.
MEANWHILE
"So, captain. What's your relationship with her ladyship?" Dixon asked. While he wasn't like the more fanatical members of the Order, he did share their view of Summer being a great leader. He didn't worship her like the fanatics did. Daniels looked to the marine.
"She and I are comrades in arms. Before you ask. She's already married." The Kriegsman captain said giving the marine a cold glare. "careful sergeant. We both know the reputation he has." The terminator marine said.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps caught their footsteps. Glancing forward, they saw what appeared to be a villager. He froze at the sight of the group.
"Easy. We won't hurt you." Daniels said attempting to calm the man. "Why are you running?" Dixon asked. "bandits in my village. That way." He said pointing the direction he'd come. Daniels nodded.
"A-9869. Contact base camp. We're assisting a nearby village besieged by bandits. We will need reinforcements should Grimm arrive in huge numbers. Let's move people!" His orders complete, Daniels began to hustle towards the village praying that they weren't too late.
In the Village
A woman and child cowered as a member of the Branwen tribe aimed their weapon at them. "So, what do we do to them? I say we kill them." he asked his companion. "You heard what Raven said, no killing." His companion said.
"I don't give a shit. I'm-." the first bandit didn't finish his sentence as a loud cannon-like gunshot sounded off as blood erupted from his chest leaving a grapefruit sized hole(1). "The hell!" His companion exclaimed before what sounded like a war cry rang out. "Death to the interlopers!" the last thing the bandit saw was a red flash before everything went dark.
The woman fearfully watched as two people entered the village via the woods. One was clad in red armor and was roughly eight feet tall(A/N: yes space marines are canonically 8 feet tall) while the other was wearing and old school military and had a red shoulder pad and was far shorter than his companion.
They were followed by another beast of a man in red armor and men similar to the one with the red shoulder pad. "Are you alright?" the taller of the two asked. "Yes, but my husband. He's been taken to the plaza. I think the tribe was using us to force him and several others to join."
"Tribe?" the man with single red pauldron asked. The woman nodded. "The Branwen tribe."
Daniels' eyes widened at what the woman said. "Captain?" Dixon asked. "We have an extra objective. If you see a black-haired woman with a ponytail wearing red armor... shoot to detain." The 863rd members looked at each other and nodded. they knew who Daniels was describing.
Daniels looked back at the mother and child "get to cover, stay hidden." The woman nodded.
Dixon looked at his superior. "Branwen tribe sir?" he asked. "It's name derives from the family that founded it. And its currently leader, Raven Branwen, was once the teammate of Commissar Rose. We are to capture her for a reunion." Daniels said.
Raven watched her men hold a few civilians at gun point while the others plundered the houses. Summer's disappearance changed her. She wasn't the light hearted bandit leader she once was, but that didn't mean she was open to killing innocent people. She still had some standards.
"Raven, it appears that one got away." Vernal, her second in command, said. "Doesn't matter. We'll be gone before any kind of response is made." Raven made no comment. What would Summer think. She'd most likely be disappointed in her.
The secret maiden clenched a fist. If only she hadn't run during the fight twelve years ago, then maybe… a gunshot rang out. "For the Commissar!" a muffled voice yelled out.
Raven and vernal ducked into cover as gunfire erupted and multiple tribe members fell. Some bleeding, others had burnt and smoking holes in their chests. "who the fuck are these guys and how'd they find out?" Vernal muttered. "Most likely the escaped villager." Raven said mentally smirking.
Her apprentice Vernal may be, but the woman has yet to understand the other standards besides the tribe's motto. "Damn it. I knew we should have killed those who'd run." Vernal said. Raven frown and was about to speak when a rifle barrel prodded Vernal's face.
"Is that so?" a muffled voice said. raven followed the rifle barrel and saw the owner of the gun. He wore an old school military great coat, gas mask, and helmet. He looked at her. "Ms. Branwen I presume" the soldier said. Raven nodded.
"Don't move OR try and reach for your weapon. Either of you." The maiden knew this would most likely wouldn't be a fight she'd be able to win as a behemoth of a man joined the soldier.
Raven noticed Vernal reach for something. The woman saw her leader looking at her. Raven shook her head dissuading the woman from doing something brash.
"Captain, I found her. Evidently she has a friend." B-6867 called out while keeping his eyes on Raven and his lasrifle on her accomplice. "So, You're the famous Raven Branwen I've been told of." Daniels said.
He watched Raven frown. "I know what you're thinking. How the hell does he know who I am. The answer's quite simple. Common associate. But that's all I'm saying." Daniels said making the maiden raise an eyebrow.
"Captain, the Commissar will be arriving shortly." A-9869 said. "Good. Be sure to tell her that it'll be a half STRQ reunion for her." Daniels said motioning towards raven. The radioman's eyes widened. "Yes sir." Before he could radio in, Daniels stopped him. "I want it to be a surprise for her." He said once again motioning towards Raven. The Radioman nodded and left.
30 MINUTES LATER
Raven glanced around at the defeated looks of the surviving members of the tribe. Which sadly was only five. The rest were slaughtered by the men in great coats and the two in red armor. She, along with vernal were part of those five.
Meanwhile the village chief was feverously thanking Daniels for saving his town. Daniels, on the other hand, merely stated that it was their duty to protect the innocent.
As one of the two hulking men walked past, Raven couldn't help but muse that the silver rose on his chest armor seemed eerily familiar
She was brought out of her musing as what appeared to be a bullhead land in the village plaza. "Raven," Vernal whispered. "When their leader gets close I'll stab them and we'll make a break for it." Raven shook her head. "No." she said catching her second in command off guard. The maiden once again glanced at the hulking men. 'That's definitely Summer's emblem. But how?"
The tribe leader watched as four hulking men, one of which wasn't wearing a helmet and appeared to be an aging man, exit the craft they stood on either side of the ramp whilst Daniels stood at attention.
Raven's eyes widened in shock as their 'Commissar' exited the Bullhead. She definitely fit the military officer bill with her appearance. However, while she wore a mask like the men who slaughtered her tribe, it was what she was wearing WITH her military uniform. A snow-white cloak with red inside. There was only one person that she knew wore a unique cloak like that. 'No, it can't be.' Raven thought.
Summer glanced at the collateral devastation Daniels' group caused. Granted, it wasn't intentional and several men were already getting to work on repairing the damage caused by both him and the tribe of bandits. She turned her attention to Raven.
"Does she know?" summer whispered to Daniels. "No. I made sure she didn't overhear A-9869 when he radioed in. Ready for a partial reunion?" Summer took a deep breath and approached the weary ex-huntress and her apprentice.
"Raven Branwen, we meet face to face. It's been a while" Summer said. the ravenette frowned. "A while?" she scoffed. "I don't know who the fuck you are." The commissar decided to humor her "such a filthy mouth Rae. I thought you were more well-mannered than this."
Raven blinked owlishly in surprised. No one called her Rae except her brother, Tai, and… 'no, she can't be.' The maiden thought as the commissar handed her hat to Daniels.
The ex-huntress covered her mouth as tears threatened to fall down her face as the commissar fully removed her mask. "It's been a while Raven. Lets catch up." Summer said smiling at her old friend
A/N: Chapter 6 in the bag everyone. Didn't expect me to not only bring in Raven this early did you? Now you're thinking what's going to happen to her and Vernal now that the tribe's all but wiped out? That'll be answered next chapter. As always read and review. That being said… peace.