Chapter 5
First Contact
There was a blue flash and a silver grey formed appeared suddenly. Several tubes sprung forth from the vessel and rushed towards the planet circled by a broken moon. The vessel moved forward all standard running lights doused
"Probes away." Yara reported
The ship moved into the dark side of the moon and landed with a noticeable bump on its surface
"Shall we raise the blast doors?" Jaune asked
"No the little monsters will just come at us through the airvents." Katya said starting powering down and stand by sequence
True to prediction they heard small feet charging to the bridge minutes later. Soon the deck was awash with exited children many holding on to a stuffed animal of some sort as they surrounded the four in a pack. A sharp whistle sounded and a tousled haired Monica entered tying a gown as she moved
"Settle down children. I am sure we will have answers soon." She said sternly
Jaune led the way to the secondary bridge where several monitors were already showing images from the probes. He moved to a central monitor and started playback from a probe. The large group gasped as they saw the broken moon
"Yes this what Remnant looks like from space." Jaune confirmed
He let the recording progress
"We fired the probes to create a map of the planet we can use. Since you have no satellites we can not simply slice in and find the data. With our map we should be able to find your homes." He explained
Yara knelt down to the childrens level
"It will take time to make the map but there is something you could do to help." She said
"How?" Eager cries came from several voices
"We need you to go and get dressed and have breakfast. Then once you are done and helped clean up we need you to write down everything you know of Vale and Fort Freedom to make it easier for us to see where it is. Any buildings that you can describe." Yara replied
There was another rush as they exited en masse. For once not moaning about an early morning. Yara got up with a chuckle
"Well that bought us some time." She said
"What did you not tell them?" Monica asked crossing her arms
"The probes in the atmosphere will quickly map the planet for us, pinpointing places will be a bit harder. Our problem is finding what is going on, on the surface." Jaune replied
Yara pointed to a large tower like structure.
"We are detecting signals from four of these but till we have direct access we do not have much to go on. You were gone for close to three months by your reckoning so your knowledge on current affaisrs is as goodas ours."
"We also need to know what was said in the reports about you and the kids. We can not just fly down and surprise everybody." Jaune added
Katya took Monica's hand
"As much as we would like to just do that we have to be careful. How will the parents react will they be trusting or attack us. We are not from here after all."
"Not mentioning that your planet is not ready to know what is out there." Yara added
Hina took her other hand
" Be honest do you think your planet is ready for what is out there? Or can they be trusted to be responsible with the knowledge that there is more out there. Can you honestly say this Atlas or the other Kingdoms will not try and gain advantage over the others, how long before they demand access to technology or worse weapons they can not be trusted with. Never mind what this White Fang will do to get an edge."
Jaune sat down in a chair
"This is not us being melodramatic. Civilizations have destroyed themselves like that before. And your planet has already had bad experiences with other species, once that comes out demands for weapons or protection will be made. And you know not all can be trusted, especially politicians."
Monica looked to the side and nodded
"I see your point. What do you want to do?"
"Get information slip down to the planet and somehow make contact with someone you trust to help us contact the parents. From there we will have to see." Jaune answered
"We know it is not much of a plan but it us all we got so far." Hina shrugged
Monica though for a moment
"My grandfather ran the junkyard outside of Fort Freedom. We may be able to hide the Bantha there and get information from him directly. The last time I was there he was starting to cut up a crashed Atlas air ship so the bantha will not stand out that much between that and the other junk " She suggested
The other four shared a look
"It can work and if we go in at night we should not be seen. And since they are so low tech we likely do not have to worry about detection." Yara said
"I will try not to take offence to that. Poor savage uncivilized creature from a backwater planet that I am." Monica remarked dryly
The heard the ravaging horde rush towards the galley. They all sighed, it was going to be a very long day
Jaune was curiously studying the creature that had knocked Monica down and was now trying to enthusiastically truing to lick her to death, making yapping sounds its tail swinging wildly. Nor many planets had pet species and even fewer were canine. They were mostly found on agricultural planets as working animals. He looked up to where Yara had scrambled up a pile of junk and was now hissing at the animal
"It is just a dog." He said with a sigh
"It is just making you think that, The moment you turn your back you will be like poor Monica only worse." Yara hissed back
Jaune turned his head as he heard a noise and slowly raised his hands.
"Yara we have company, no sudden moves." He cautioned
"That's right boy, keep your hands where I can see them and get whoever is down there to stop messing with my dog with that semblance. Should have been torn apart by now if not for messing with its head." A voice came
"See I was right, vicious attack animals." Yara hissed softly
Monica sat up and pushed the exuberant dog aside
"Grandpa, put down that gun and give me a hug." She demanded
"Bambi?" Came the confused and hopefull reply
Monica stood up
"I am a little bit old to be called Bambi,gramps." She replied
The older male stepped forward his antlers much more pronounced than Monica's the rifle lowering with each step. She nodded at him
"Yes, it is me and just this once you can call me Bambi." She said opening her arms wide
The old man rushed her and crushed her against him. The two cried softly in each others arms as the held on for dear life. The dog gambolling around their legs. Yara slowly climbed down ready to scamper up the junk pile again at a moments notice
Yara was perched on a chair giving distrustfull looks at the dog sprawled over the laps of the figures on the couch. They had moved into the comfortable heavily reinforced trailer the older man used as a home, the old man refusing to let go of his granddaughter for a moment. Gruffly he had introduced himself as Brian Greengrass to the other two
Monica had taken a while before explaining the situation to her grandfather. She had to repeat her tale twice and it had taken taking him to the ship and into space to prove their story. They had made it back before dawn broke and Katya and Hina had taken the ship back to the Dawn to await the next part, and mostly to ride herd on the kids, The old man leaned back thinking about their situation before looking towards the two outsiders
"Quite a pickle you got yourself into." He finally said
"That is quite true. Sir." Jaune replied
"Ain't no sir son, I work for a living." Brian responded
He studied them a bit longer
"You folk seem alright, most would have just kept on going and delivered that cargo and pretended to forget about it. Shows you have moral and backbone and in these parts both are respected. Plus you brought my Bambi back so I guess I owe you for that" He said
Brian stroked his grey stubble before proceeding to speak his mind
"Trying to contact each set of parents will not work, it will take to long. You will have to do them all at once and have the kids there to even give you a chance of being believed. No way they are just going to take your word for it that the kids are safe. And you have to do it soon, the fourth month mark is in a few days."
Monica gasped at that. The other two shared a confused glance before looking towards the natives
"I take that is somehow important." Yara said
"It is, under Vale law if no signs is found of a missing person for four months they are declared dead. And with old Barney being found dead in the bus and no one to say otherwise the new constable out of Vale decided to log the incident as a bandit raid and has been sitting on the docket ever since." Brian explained
Something in the mans tone alerted them that their was some disgruntlement there. Brian saw their guarded looks and snorted
"I had better explain that then. The constabulary is from the capital, officially they are here to police the settlement ever since the Colour War, to enforce the laws of Vale. Traditionally we are a self governed territory and the imposition in our matters did not go well. If not for the old Arc and his son and later grandson allowing them in and to stay they would have been kicked out long ago, by order of the first king after the new regency the Arc family had been declared to be the governors of this area under the king or queens command. And like cockroaches once they get in a place they ain't getting out. Mostly they stay in their office and collect their paycheque and let the militia do their thing. However the new guy is from some high profile Vale Council family and has been rocking the boat. By law they are responsible for the investigation."
"And instead of doing his job, he is playing politics." Jaune summed up
"Bastard went out took one look and declared it a bandit raid and started the clock on the four months. Then he happily updated Vale and sat back." Brian spat into a spittoon
"Who is this new constable?" Monica asked
"Some bastard named Winchester. Been getting or trying to get into everyones business here especially if you are a Faunus. The Arc had to crack down on him a few times already. Think the man is close to telling them to bugger back to Vale, not that we would be complaining. With his own kid missing he can not interfere with them while a family member is under investigation. Another old law from the last king."
Brian pulled his granddaughter close
"However that miserable prick can be usefull now. Iknow how to get him to call a general meeting of the parents. By the law a family can ask for early conclision and young Blacks parents had been waiting on a large insurance policy on their kid. I can suggest to them to pressure Winchester to call for early conclusion."
"Why not do it yourself?" Jaune asked
Brian pointed to his antlers and got another set of confused looks
"I am faunus, Winchester hates the fact that we breathe. The only thing he hates more than faunus is the Arc family"
"Oh." Jaune and Yara echoed
Jonathan Arc resisted the urge to check his watch again as they waited for Winchester to appear, he kept his arms around Juniper's shoulders. His wife once lively blue eyes had lost their healthy glow in the last months, their daughter deaths being a blow she could not recover from. Like him she had given up hope that little Marigold was still alive. He was concerned for her each day seeming to lose more of herself. This firmed his belief of relocating to Vale to be a good thing, quality psychiatric help not being something to be found in the outer settlements, Fort Freedom being no exception despite being one of the largest settlements outside of Vale.
He noticed that old Greengrass seemed to be excited as well as the Blacks, the sudden assembly making more sense now. It was common knowledge that the Blacks had been banking on an insurance payout on their son. The father had been heard to comment that finally the brat was good for something. Though Greengrass's reaction was strange it was known he doted on his granddaughter, having practically raised her as the mother had run of to Vale and the father worked for the railways
The door burst open and Winchester and two cronies staggered into the school gym acting as if they owned the place. The Blacks seemed more excited, yet Greengrass's expression turned maliciously delighted. Johnathan frowned his senses as a Huntsman triggered by this response, something was going to happen
Winchester barged up to the podium normally used by the headmaster and a crony placed a pile of files before him with an inkpad and stamp
Winchester gave them a phony look of sympathy
"Four months ago this community was saddened and shocked by the loss of several of its children. Despite vigorous investigation we, the constabulary, have found no trace of them."
Jonathans free arm shot out to restrain doctor Hopps from angrily getting up and retorting. He shook his head at the man and only a long friendship between the families had the man conceding to Jonathans unspoken order. From the corner of his eyes Jonathan noted Winchesters poorly hidden glee at this reaction. Letting go of his friends arm Jonathan gave his attention back to Winchester
"But in thinking of the victims we must also think of their families and with great reluctance I close the files on these young lives, We will issue the death certificates immediately." Winchester continued
Greengrass whistled sharply as Winchester was about to dramatically apply the stamp to a file. Jonathan had a suspicion to whom the top file belonged. A door to the side opened and there was a rush of movement, the air filled with happy cries.
Jonathan and Juniper were rocked back by contact with a blonde missile. Beside them doctor Hopps got hopped upon. Happy reunions were taking place across the gym
"Where is the brat?" A voice came out
Alvin and Jennifer Black were looking around for their son Colin. Two more figures entered the room. Colin was held firmly by the missing teacher Monica Greengrass
"He is alive." She told the parents curtly
"Get over here boy" Alvin demanded harshly
"No, I will not return a child to an abusive environment." Monica said firmly
"You little faunus bitch…" Jennifer started saying
Her head rocked back and she dropped to the ground cradling her broken nose. Alvin spun to Winchester and his cronies.
"what am I paying you for, do something." He demanded
The cronies rushed forward only to fall as a chair suddenly moved into their path. Winchester suddenly stopped trying to get his side arm and looked cross eyed at something against his head. Jonathan unleashed an Aura Pulse and two previously unseen forms were highlighted. Two armoured figures slowly came into view, blue lights running across their forms from the Aura Pulse.
The one standing over Jennifer had cat ears on her helmet, a tail was swishing behind her excitedly. The second figure had a handgun of some sort trained on the downed cronies, A serrated blade extended from his armour and the tip right between Winchesters eyes. Greengrass walked up to Black
"What did your wife call my little girl?" He demanded
Alvin did not get to answer before he was floored hard by the muscular older man. Jonathan whistled to get everyones attention. Four Militia members burst into the room from the front door in response to the noise from within.
"Weapons down everyone." He ordered sternly
He pointed to Winchester and his men and to the two downed Blacks
"Put them in the cells till we get an answer to the allegations of abuse and corruptiom."
" Yes sir." One Militia man responded
The two armoured figures moved to stand together close to miss Greengrass and master Black and incidentally the door. Jonathan looked to where Juniper was desperately holding on to Mari, something he wanted badly to join in, but as the governor he had other work to do first, silently he cursed his families strong rules about duty. He turned his attention to the two figures
"Around here we do not hide our faces." He said
"And sometimes staying hidden is the best option for some." The man replied
More militia entered the room weapons ready and some appeared to stand behind the open door to the room the children had come from. Jonathan unsheathed the sword on his back
"I am afraid I must insist." He said
"No pointing weapons at family." Mari called out breaking free from Juniper
The kids broke free from their families to stand protectively in front of the figures
"Marigold Fleur Arc, get back here and explain yourself." Juniper demanded
"No! Daddy always say you do not point weapons at your family. Jaune is my brother." Mari said crossing her arms
The man lifted his helmet , revealing blue eyes and a mop of blonde yellow. He looked like a clean shaven much younger version of Jonathan with Junipers eyes. He pushed Mari towards Juniper
"All of you go to your parents, me and Yara will be fine." He said soothingly
The woman beside him lifted her helmet and rubbed her ears, her cat ears her hair cut short in a pixie cut. Jonathan saw no secondary ears before he noticed her slitted pupils.
"What in the names of the damned brothers are going on here?" He demanded
The man lifted his hands to shoulder level
"We come in peace take us to your leaders." He said
Yara started snickering as did Monica and the children, Violet giving him a double thumbs up. Jonathan wanted to roll his eyes as the cheesy line made famous by one of the few science fiction movies ever made about space invaders
"Now all we need is a poorly disguised robot and the joke will be complete." Brandon Hopps remarked from around Jade Hopps
Jade pointed to the corner of the room where an overturned dustbin stood. An overturned dustbin not covering the ground
Saphron Arc scowled as she saw the caller id on her scroll, beside her, her pregnant wife Terra grumbled as she was woken from her midday nap Saphron rubbed her hair.
"Sleep some more baby, it is nothing important." She said gently
She considered rejecting the call as she had done so many times before, the most recent time had resulted in her boss informing her in front of her coworkers of her youngest sisters disappearance. The gentleness was gone as she answered
"How can the greatest disappointment to the name of Arc be of service today?" She snapped
"Saphron, please…"A pained response came
" Please what? If you do not have news about Mari I am hanging up." Saphron said
"She is back. We need you and…Terra to come home." Juniper said
Saphron lowered her scroll and took a few deep breaths
"Why? You made it perfectly clear my wife is not welcome in your home. Or do you need living examples of how not to live for the rest? Are you not scared we will infect them with our disease?" She demanded
"Saph. i will say it again I am sorry for my words. I spoke in fear and anger." Juniper said softly
"Give Mari my love and regards." Saphron aid preparing to end the call
"It is about your brother as well. Please just come home."
Saphron closed the connection. Tears rolling down her face
"Of all the low underhanded…" She started
She felt Terra wiping her tears away. Followed by featherlight kisses on her face
"I am here baby, let it all out."
Juniper lowered her scroll and looked to where Mari was asleep on Jonathan's lap
"She hanged up." Juniper reported
"We knew that would be her likely response. I will go to Vale and speak to Derrick. He will be able to get her to come." Jonathan replied
"Yes she always loved and listened to her uncle." Juniper nodded
"Juni, she loves you still, she is just…"
Juniper lifted her hand
"No, I and my issues drove our daughter away. I killed any affection she might have had for me. I will try my best to stay out of the way should Derrick get her to come."
