Dust and Echoes (RWBY/Halo)
Chapter 13: To Boldly Go
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Patch Island
Kingdom of Vale, Sanus, Remnant, Oum System
February 15th, 70 AGW 11:15 AM (Remnant Calendar)
Qrow studied the information on his scroll intensely, trying his best to absorb each and every detail that was laid out in front of him. It was a copy of the data that the UNSC had shared with all four headmasters and the chieftain of Menagerie, detailing just what, exactly, they were up against. He had known for months now that the UNSC was at war with someone and had feared Remnant would be drawn into it, but he thought the Covenant was just another space-faring human civilization. It already happened once, so the precedent was made. But Qrow, and everyone else, was completely wrong.
The Covenant was indeed another spacefaring civilization, but it had nothing to do with humans. Instead, it was a collection of aliens all unified under a single religion and wanting nothing more than the total eradication of humanity. It sounded far-fetched, but Qrow recognized the tone in Ozpin's voice. His mentor was scared, and that terrified Qrow more than anything. If the great Ozpin was scared of what the UNSC told them, Qrow had no reason to doubt it any more than he did. Of course, most of him hoped that the UNSC was grossly misstating the threat the Covenant posed to them, but that was why he and others were going out to see for themselves. In many ways, Qrow supposed it was the most important mission he'd ever been given, so he had to make sure he was as fully prepared as possible.
"What are these things?" Taiyang asked as he walked over to hand Qrow a bottle of beer.
The veteran Huntsman eagerly took the offered beverage and downed a swig, then rotated his scroll over so that Tai could see the screen clearly. It was a pyramid-shaped diagram that was wide at the base and narrow at the top, divided out into squares that each housed a unique creature. Given how the Covenant was apparently a caste-based hierarchy, he supposed the data's organization served to illustrate their stratified society.
"Member species of the Covenant, supposedly," Qrow answered, "as well as what the UNSC knows about them."
"Certainly a lot more alien than the UNSC is," Taiyang stated, then frowned and pointed at a diminutive alien at the bottom of the screen. "Mind sharing the details?"
"Don't see why not," Qrow replied, then tapped the icon and enlarged the image. It was replaced by a full-body avatar capable of being rotated, accompanied by a short paragraph of information about the species itself.
"This little bastard's called a…Unn-goy? Uggoy? I don't know, the UNSC calls them Grunts. According to this, they're the mainline fighters of the Covenant, although from what the UNSC says they're mostly used as cannon fodder. Poorly armed, poorly trained, but able to overwhelm people with sheer numbers," Qrow explained as both he and Tai read the accompanying data. "Forces of Grunts numbering in the thousands isn't uncommon, apparently."
"What's with the tanks on their backs?" Tai asked, pointing to the pointed apparatus strapped to their backs and connected to gas masks over their faces.
"Says they don't breathe oxygen like we do," Qrow said after glancing at the data, then chuckled. "Little fartsuckers breathe methane, instead."
Despite the seriousness of the situation, both Huntsmen couldn't help but chuckle. Then their expressions hardened, and Tai tapped the screen back to the home page.
"What's this bird-looking thing? A…Kig-Yar?" Tai asked as he tapped the image in question. As the data came up, he raised an eyebrow and remarked, "They call them Jackals? Those things don't look like dogs at all. More like if a bird just stood up, lost its feathers and picked up a gun."
"Apparently it's because these guys are scavengers and pirates. They like to comb the battlefield for anything they can get their hands on. It's how they and the UNSC first met, actually. Jackal pirates were raiding human freighters," Qrow explained, then moved the accompanying paragraph down. "They're also not the strongest, physically, but are very quick, agile, and have excellent eyesight, making them perfectly suited for scouts and snipers. Says here that there are three main types of 'em. Most Jackals go into combat armed lightly with pistols and wrist-mounted plasma shields that are practically impervious to small-arms fire. Others forgo the shield entirely in favor of long-range weaponry, turning them into snipers. Finally, there's a distinct subspecies of Jackal called Skirmishers that are far stronger and more durable, so the Covenant use them as shock troops."
"Certainly look tougher," Taiyang remarked as an image of a Skirmisher came up.
While the Jackal looked skinny and more reptilian than avian, with a narrow head and beak with bulbous eyes, the Skirmisher was stockier, its muscles more densely packed, and it was covered in a thick black plumage. Its mouth was far more beak-like than the Jackal's, and it had some bony coverings that added supplemental protection. On the Skirmisher's wrists were a pair of energy gauntlets. It didn't form a full shield like its smaller cousin's, but when both of them were brought together it could still form an adequate defense against small-arms fire.
Moving on, they went back to the home screen and pulled up the next alien. Unlike the arthropod-like Grunt or avian Jackal, this creature was clearly insectoid in origin. It reminded both Huntsmen of Lancers, somewhat, only instead of having a massive stinger it chose to drop the black and white paintjob, its stinger, and a pair of legs in favor of a light green exoskeleton, an upright if slightly hunched over posture, and being able to hold guns.
"The Yanme'e, or Drones as the UNSC like to call them," Qrow said after reading the accompanying data. "Little buggers can fly around nimbly at high-speeds and are strong enough to carry a fully-armed marine off the ground and rip them apart. The Covenant likes to use them in aerial ambushes and swarms, but for the most part they're used as engineers and mechanics."
"I don't know if I'd trust my truck getting repaired by a bug," Taiyang joked, and Qrow nodded in agreement.
He then went back to the home page and moved to a floating creature that looked more like a balloon come to life than an actual animal. Its back was bulbous, filled with gas that allowed it to float around. Three pairs of eyes were along the sides of its light-blue, wormlike head, and several dexterous tendrils extended downward off its body.
"What's that thing?" Taiyang asked, leaning in to get a closer look.
"That is a Huragok, or Engineer," Qrow revealed, then narrowed his eyes as he read further along. "Hold on, how does that…? Apparently, this gasbag is actually an artificial lifeform the Covenant use to maintain their equipment."
"What, like a living robot?" Taiyang asked, his eyes widening. "The Covenant can make those?"
"No, apparently the Covenant just found them. The Engineers were made by the Forerunners."
"…What's a Forerunner?"
"Right, I forgot to tell you that," Qrow admitted, then sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Supposedly, the Forerunners were a race of highly advanced aliens that ruled the galaxy a hundred-thousand years ago, then suddenly disappeared for seemingly no reason and left their creations behind. The Covenant believe they went on something called the 'Great Journey' and became gods, and they hope to follow in their footsteps. Apparently their entire society revolves around that goal."
"Sounds an awful lot like something we know," Taiyang pointed out, narrowing his eyes.
Qrow stared right back then slowly nodded, adding, "Yeah, we've already made that connection. No idea what it means, if it does at all, but it's concerning, nonetheless. Anyway, it looks like the Engineers were made by the Forerunners to repair and maintain their stuff, and when the Covenant started using them they just kept doing what they were made to do. They don't fight, and instead just…float around the battlefield repairing any technology they come across, human and Covenant. Sometimes they're modified to give Covenant forces remote shielding, but otherwise don't do much."
"I see. When then, guess Engineer is as good a name for them as any," Taiyang remarked, and Qrow nodded before moving on to the next step in the Covenant hierarchy.
"What the Hell is that?" Taiyang demanded, recoiling at the sight of the next creature.
Qrow grimaced, agreeing with Taiyang's assessment wholeheartedly. It was a hulking monstrosity, what looked to be a mass of worms housed in dark blue armor. Its left arm was covered in an angular shield while its right housed a green-colored plasma cannon. Most of its body was covered except for the back and 'head,' and even that was mostly covered by spiky armor that had to be knocked off before anything could penetrate into its orange flesh.
"These big bastards are…I'm not even going to try to pronounce their real names, they're called Hunters," Qrow declared, then furrowed his brow and clenched his fist tightly. "Colonies of worms housed inside two pairs of armor or large vehicles. Outfitted with nearly impenetrable armor and a fuel rod cannon, they're the Covenant's primary anti-armor infantry."
"Infantry? They look like walking tanks!" Taiyang pointed out.
"Looks like they literally are," Qrow said, then scratched his head. "What I don't get is why they're called Hunters. Hunters are supposed to be nimble and quiet so as to not scare their prey. Looks like these things would be heard from a mile away."
"Well…UNSC vehicles are named after animals and these things are meant to destroy armor," Taiyang suggested. Both men fell silent for a moment, pondering the word choice, then nodded in mutual agreement before moving on.
Qrow pulled up the next creature, and grimaced at the sight. It was a large, ape or bear-like being covered in thick fur. Any skin that was exposed revealed itself to be thick, grey hide that reminded him of a rhino. Its nose was sunken into its skull, more of a pair of nostrils than what humans had, and its hands had three fingers and an opposable thumb. Large fangs sprouted out of its mouth, and its eyes housed a sense of savagery that put all others to shame. But what disturbed him the most, when compared to the rest of the aliens making up the Covenant, was just how human it looked. Qrow supposed it was due to the fact that it was clearly mammalian, while the rest weren't.
"This is a Jiral..han…forget it, a Brute," Qrow explained, his frown growing deeper as he continued to read. "From what limited intelligence the UNSC has been able to gather, the Brutes were the latest species to enter the Covenant only a few decades before first contact at Harvest. They're by far the strongest creature in the Covenant military, capable of ripping apart tanks with their bare hands and surviving small-arms fire just from the thickness of their fur and hides alone."
"Gods above…" Taiyang remarked as he read along, noticing the details on how they fought, their weapons and tactics, and most importantly, the sheer brutality they brought onto the battlefield. "They're savages…"
"That they are," Qrow replied as he looked at the bayonetted spike rifle the Brutes preferred to go into combat with.
Uniquely, Brutes tended to use their own designs rather than what the rest of the Covenant used. Multi-shot grenade launchers with an underside bayonet, bladed hammers capable of using projected gravitational force when striking, large one-wheeled vehicles that tore up the ground as they traversed. The only 'normal,' for lack of a better word, Covenant weapon they typically used was a red plasma rifle that apparently fired cooler red bolts but at a faster rate of fire.
"You said the Covenant was a caste-based hierarchy. Are these the head honchos?" Taiyang asked, but Qrow shook his head and pulled up the next creature.
"No," he answered. "According to this, that position, at least militarily, belongs to these guys. The…Sangheili, otherwise known as Elites. Interestingly, the Brutes and Elites do not like each other at all, and the Brutes have been jockeying for their position ever since they joined. Brute-led ships are a thing, but they tend to be underequipped when compared to Elite-controlled vessels."
Just like the Brutes, the Elite towered over the average human being. Standing on two digitigrade legs that ended in hooves, the reptilian humanoid's most striking feature was its quadruple-hinged mandible jaws. Its hands were tetradactyl, with two fingers and two thumbs, one on each side of the appendage. Its body was covered in dark grey or black scales, and they could see the muscles that spoke of the power they held.
"These…. Elites, they lead the Covenant military. Their generals, admirals, all the way down to squad leaders. All the other members of the Covenant military follow their lead," Qrow explained. "They're the best equipped, all given a full-body energy shield and armor capable of protecting themselves from small-arms fire and the best weapons the Covenant bring to the field, as well as the best training. Entire squads of marines can go up against a single Elite and it'll have a decent chance of winning. Their only real drawback is their sense of 'honor' and stagnant battlefield tactics."
"So, they're overly rigid?" Taiyang asked, and Qrow nodded.
"Yep, but they have so many other advantages it practically doesn't even matter. Any victories the UNSC gets are pyrrhic, at best."
"Well, that's not terrifying at all," Taiyang remarked, then looked back at the scroll. "Are the Elites in charge of the entire Covenant?"
"Yes and no, apparently," Qrow said as he pulled up the last species, a frail-looking creature with a long serpentine neck, gold skin that was wrinkled and hung off their bodies in places, and a pair of forward set eyes that had a sense of arrogance to them. "According to this, the Elites share the position of top dog in the Covenant with the Prophets. While the Elites control the military, the Prophets control all religious, political, and scientific matters. They lead the Covenant towards the Great Journey, while the Elites serve as their protectors."
"That sounds like a lop-sided arrangement if I've ever heard one," Taiyang stated through narrow eyes, and Qrow nodded in complete agreement. Whatever relationship the Elites thought they had with the Prophets, it was obvious where the real power lied. Something that the UNSC readily recognized, judging by the tone of the report.
"Is that all of them?" Taiyang asked, and Qrow nodded as he closed his scroll. Sighing deeply, Taiyang Xiao Long fell back into his chair and took a swig of his beer, then asked, "What do you make of this, Qrow?"
"Personally? Trying my best to dismiss it all," Qrow admitted, then Taiyang narrowed his gaze and leaned forward.
"But you can't," Tai declared, and after a moment, Qrow nodded.
"…No, I can't. Neither can Ozpin for that matter." Qrow looked around the room, grateful that Ruby and Yang were back at school, thus leaving the two men completely alone. He then added, "If the UNSC is being honest about even half of what they're saying, Tai, things are going to get bad. Real bad."
"As bad as Salem?"
"Maybe worse, I don't know," Qrow admitted, running his hand through his spiky hair. "Either way, I'm gonna be gone for a while. A year, at most, not including travel time through slipspace."
"Hey, at least you'll get to go up into space. That's exciting, at least," Tai offered.
"Have you heard how Ozpin and Glynda described it? They said it was like going on the rockiest, most intense roller coaster that had been juiced up on steroids. I can't say I'm looking forward to that."
"Yes, yes, but consider this: you'll get to go into space, and the girls can gush all over you."
Qrow smiled then held up his beer bottle, remarking, "You do make a convincing argument."
"It's what I do," Taiyang joked back, then he and Qrow clinked their bottles together before downing a drink. After wiping away the excess from his lips, Taiyang became serious once more, then asked, "When are you heading out?"
"Three days from now," Qrow said. "They're splitting us up into two ships, just in case something goes wrong. No need to put all our eggs in one basket."
"Fair enough. What ship are you going on?"
"The UNSC Midsummer Night, a frigate commanded by some guy named Keyes," Qrow answered, then shrugged. "I'll be joining Vale's Huntsmen along with fighters from Atlas and Menagerie. Mistral's and Vacuo's are going on the other ship."
"We'll be sure to see you off," Tai replied, then frowned. "The girls aren't saying much, but they're scared."
"You haven't told them about the Covenant, have you?"
"No, not at all, but they know you're going into space for a while. That makes them nervous."
Qrow nodded, then softly declared, "Don't worry, good-old Uncle Qrow's not going anywhere, and I'll be back before they know it."
"You better. They've…we've already lost too much," Taiyang admitted.
Qrow sat there in silence for a while, not knowing what to say about that, and he frowned before taking another drink of his beer. Team STRQ had suffered immensely since their graduation from Beacon, Taiyang especially. Qrow supposed his sister leaving them was the first nail, but Summer's death was what truly tore them apart. Only recently did Taiyang finally pick up the pieces of his life, and he didn't want to think about what would happen if Qrow failed to return. It was something that was always at the back of his mind whenever he went on missions, which drove him to present himself as so brash and irreverent whenever he returned. No need to worry about "Cool Uncle Qrow" after all, he'd always come back no matter what kind of trouble he got himself into.
Qrow's thoughts were broken as he saw a black figure flutter past the window near the trees surrounding the cottage. It was brief and from the corner of his eye, but it caught both his and Tai's attention regardless. Whatever it was, it was long gone now, but as they saw a black feather slowly drift down towards the grassy ground, they immediately knew who was listening in.
February 18th, 70 AGW 6:30 AM (Remnant Calendar)
In the wee hours of the morning, the inhabitants of the Xiao Long home were awoken by the sound of a Pelican touching down. The aircraft's arrival signaled that it was time for Qrow to go. He hadn't bothered changing into nightwear the night before, and he had already packed his bag which meant he was ready to leave in just a few minutes. Qrow waited for Tai and his nieces to wake up first, though, and now all three were standing outside in the cold as the sun slowly rose over the horizon.
"Hey, don't worry, kiddo," Qrow insisted as he rubbed the top of Ruby's head. "I'll be back before you know it."
"…You better," Yang grumbled, crossing her arms while trying her best to maintain her tough image. It didn't fool anyone, though. It was obvious just how scared she was for her uncle. Ruby didn't even both trying to hide it, with the poor girl about to break into tears. It was why Qrow was focusing so much on her, as she clearly needed it the most.
"Do…" Ruby sniffled then rubbed her eyes with her strawberry-pattern pajama sleeve, "do you have to go?"
Qrow slowly nodded, then said, "Yeah, I do. It's really important, Ruby."
Ruby tearfully looked up at her uncle, then sniffled before adopting a serious expression. She then declared, "Then you bring something back when you get home! I wanna show off to my friends!"
The veteran Huntsman couldn't help but chuckle as he ruffled Ruby's hair once more, then he replied, "Don't worry, I will."
Ruby looked up at her beloved uncle, then smiled before quickly wrapping herself around him in a tight hug. Soon Yang joined them, and Qrow hugged them tightly as though it would be the last time he'd get the chance to do so. He prayed to the Gods that wouldn't be the case, but this was a mission unlike anything he'd ever been on. There was no telling what awaited him once he left Remnant's atmosphere. In more ways than one, he was about to enter a brand new world.
Finally, after several minutes, Qrow disentangled himself from Ruby and Yang then rose to his feet. The two girls went back to their father, gripping his hands tightly as Qrow turned around and walked back to the Pelican. Waiting just outside the troop bay, he was greeted by someone who had become somewhat of a familiar face over the past few months, much to his surprise.
"They're gonna be fine, don't worry," Sergeant Avery Johnson told the Huntsman as he drew close. Qrow looked at the man then nodded before stepping onto the aircraft, but before Johnson could follow him, he heard Yang's voice ring out.
"You bring back my uncle, you hear me!" Yang shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth to act as a makeshift megaphone. Johnson looked towards the girls and upon seeing how serious Yang was looking, he couldn't help but laugh.
"Don't worry, ma'am. I'll hold his hand," Johnson declared. This seemed to please the blonde girl, who nodded as she crossed her arms again. Johnson then looked at their father before giving a quick nod, then got inside the aircraft and took a seat opposite Qrow. The troop bay door sealed shut, then the VTOL aircraft rose high into the air and flew off towards the open ocean in the east.
"Remind me again why you had to pick me up?" Qrow asked as the Pelican continued its flight. "Couldn't a Bullhead have worked just as well?"
"Right now, Branwen, secrecy is of the utmost importance," Johnson answered, settling in and pulling out a cigar. He offered it to Qrow who declined with a wave of his hand, then Johnson shrugged before lighting it and taking a few quick puffs. Breathing out a faint cloud of smoke, Johnson added, "No offense, but we can trust our people to keep their mouths shut a lot more than yours."
"None taken," Qrow replied, understanding exactly where the marine sergeant was coming from if not for the exact same reason. Johnson was clearly concerned about media leaks, but Qrow was far more concerned about more insidious actors finding out about what they were embarking on. If Salem found out about the Covenant, there was no telling what she might do.
The two men settled into the turbulent roar of the flight, neither feeling the need to strike up conversation. A few times Johnson cracked a joke, but Qrow just responded with noncommittal grunts, too occupied with gripping his seat harness to do much else. He supposed plenty of his fellow Huntsmen were acting the same, both due to the importance of this mission as well as the fact that they were going into space. Qrow wasn't ashamed to admit that he was nervous. If something went wrong, there would be nothing he could do. When the marine sergeant's cigar suddenly slipped out of his fingers, popping up into the air before falling to the floor, Qrow redoubled his efforts in keeping his Semblance contained. The last thing anyone needed was for a horrible case of bad-luck to knock them out of the sky.
Johnson didn't hold his reticence against him. The relative silence didn't last long, however, as about half-an-hour into it they began to slow down. Both Qrow and Johnson recognized what this meant, and soon the Pelican entered one of the hangar bays of the UNSC Midsummer Night.
According to the data the UNSC had shared, the Midsummer Night was a modified Stalwart-class light frigate equipped with stealth capabilities. This meant it was perfectly suited for the needs of this mission, especially since they weren't meant to actively engage in combat. The Huntsmen and Huntresses were only meant to observe, but if they had to get into a fight, the Midsummer Night was capable of defending itself.
When the Pelican finally landed, Qrow and Johnson stood up as the bay doors opened. Johnson led the way while saying, "Alright then, let's get this show on the road."
"The sooner the better," Qrow added as both men got off the aircraft.
They were greeted by an assorted compliment of UNSC personnel, mostly marines and naval officers. Standing at the front of the group was a middle-aged man wearing a light grey uniform with black shoulder patches and trim. On his left breast was an assortment of medals, while the right displayed his name as "Cmdr. Keyes." Keyes' hair was black, but grey streaks were beginning to emerge that only highlighted the wrinkles on his face. Despite it all, however, Keyes looked sharp and focused, studying Qrow Branwen and the other arrivals as more Pelicans touched down and Johnson walked up to rejoin him.
The rest of Vale's group were the first to arrive. Qrow didn't recognize any of them, nor did he really care. He was far more interested in the fact that he apparently got a flight all to himself. Qrow wondered if that was because he was further out than the rest of Vale's chosen Huntsmen, or if the UNSC had caught wind of his close relationship with Ozpin and as such marked him for special treatment.
Either way, he filed the information away for later as the next Pelican arrived, this one containing the Huntsmen from Atlas. There were four of them, all clad in stark-white and blue-trimmed uniforms that signified them as the Atlesian Ace-Ops. Qrow supposed that wasn't too much of a surprise. The Ace-Ops were, after all, the best of the best in the entire Atlesian military, handpicked by Ironwood himself to go on some of the most dangerous missions on the planet. Clearly they knew it, too, and all of them held a sense of arrogance that seemed natural to Atlesians. At the same time, Qrow couldn't help but notice that Commander Keyes glanced at the Ace-Ops a few times, but he chalked it up to recognizing their military nature then moved on.
Finally, the flight from Menagerie arrived. The only person he recognized getting off the flight was Sienna Khan, the second-in-command of the White Fang and arguably their best fighter. Though that wasn't exactly a high bar for the peaceful activists. The rest of her fighters were all Faunus, as he expected. One was covered in reptilian skin, another had a pair of mouse ears atop her head, and another had feathers on his head instead of hair. The UNSC troops sent them curious looks, most of them having never seen a Faunus before, but the fighters from Menagerie paid them no heed to instead join the others in the middle of the hangar.
Sienna's presence was a mixed bag in Qrow's opinion. On the one hand, the fact that the UNSC had made such a conscious effort to reach out to the Faunus through the White Fang was only a good thing. It certainly spoke to their moral character, at least part of it. But, on the other hand, Sienna had openly been calling for more extreme measures to ensure Faunus equality in the world. While Ghira Belladonna wanted to use words and rhetoric to win over the hearts and minds of others to defeat anti-Faunus bigotry, Sienna was more than happy to push back and retaliate against it. Qrow understood exactly where she was coming from, and in many ways was sympathetic. Some people, no matter how much you tried, wouldn't get the memo any other way. But using violence to obtain goals, no matter how just, opened the door for darker impulses to take hold. Violence tended to be corruptive, and he didn't want to think about what the White Fang might turn into if they opened that box.
Lining up in front of the commander and the UNSC personnel, the Huntsmen and Huntresses from Vale, Atlas, and Menagerie waited in place. Qrow was slightly hunched over, his hands in his pockets as he surveyed the room. The Ace-Ops were standing straight up, their arms tightly clasped against their sides as though they were addressing General Ironwood. Sienna was leaning her weight on one leg for the most part, otherwise crossing her arms while raising an eyebrow towards the UNSC. Everyone else was mixed, some more lackadaisical and casual while others were more serious. Commander Keyes studied them all intently, then walked forward and began to address them.
"My name is Commander Jacob Keyes," he began, pacing back and forth along the line. Qrow couldn't help but notice that one of the UNSC's bulky pistols was strapped to a hip-mounted holster, but Keyes kept his arms folded behind his back.
"On behalf of the entire UNSC, I thank you all for joining us," Keyes continued. "I won't lie to you. What you are about to embark on will be the most difficult and dangerous mission you will have ever faced. The Covenant are not like the Grimm. They are a threat unlike anything you have ever seen before, one driving humanity closer to extinction each and every day. As commander of the UNSC Midsummer Night, I will do my best to ensure that you all survive to come home to your families and kingdoms, but I will make you no promises. There is a chance you will die on this mission, either in the void of space or on alien soil farther away from home than anyone in Remnant's history. If that doesn't sit right with you, then you are free to go without judgement."
No one moved a muscle. Instead, everyone stared at Commander Keyes while allowing the gravity of the situation to take hold. Qrow couldn't help but feel his impression of the commander rise. Anyone else would've given a canned speech filled with propaganda or mindless platitudes meant to put their minds at ease, but instead he treated them like the warriors they were and gave it to them straight. There was a chance of them dying on this mission. While any mission on Remnant carried that risk, that was when they were fighting the Grimm, a threat they had trained for years to face. Huntsmen and Huntresses knew how to fight the Grimm, but they couldn't say the same about the Covenant. They had never fought them before, and based off his own experiences when fighting his fellow man, he could tell fighting the Covenant was going to be something far different than what he was used to.
After a few moments, Commander Keyes nodded then began to pace once again. Continuing his speech, he said, "I thought you all would refuse. Good, that proves you have the spirit and strength to do what needs to be done. I suppose, as Huntsmen and Huntresses, you've already been doing that, and while the Grimm and Covenant are two entirely different entities, they are still existential threats to both of us. Like the Grimm, it is not through strength of arms that will win the day. It is only through unity and strength of character that we will emerge victorious.
"Which is why you are here. Only together can humanity survive the Covenant and the Grimm. Are there any questions?"
Keyes looked around the gathered Huntsmen and Huntresses, then one of the Ace-Ops raised her hand. Keyes gestured towards her, and she declared, "Specialist Harriet Bree, Atlesian Ace Operatives. All of our weapons run off of Dust, which does not work outside of Remnant's atmosphere. If it comes down to it, how will we be able to defend ourselves?"
Keyes nodded as it was a fair question, then answered, "During cryosleep, the Night's technicians will be modifying your weapons to accommodate UNSC munitions. With your permission, of course. Otherwise, we plan on running through several of our weapons to supplement your own."
Qrow nodded in understanding, although he wasn't particularly pleased on having anyone touch Harbinger. While his scythe's shotgun took 8-guage shells, much like the UNSC used, they weren't exactly identical. He couldn't assume he could just swap a Remnant 8-guage for a UNSC one. Even a millimeter of difference would render them incompatible. Hopefully, the changes wouldn't have to be extensive, and he planned on inspecting it thoroughly once they were done. Then, to his surprise, Commander Keyes pulled out his pistol and held it up for everyone to see.
"Let's start now, actually. This here is the M6D Personal Defense Weapon System, otherwise known as a magnum," Keyes explained as he paced back and forth, holding the weapon flat. "It fires a .50 caliber semi-armor piercing, high-explosive magnum round at an effective range of 122 meters at 3.5 rounds per second. While its effectiveness against shields is limited, its stopping power cannot be denied."
Keyes stopped his pacing in front of the Ace-Ops, then looked at them. His face scrunched up as though he was trying to decide something. Qrow and everyone else wondered what he was going to do, then to everyone's surprise he gripped the magnum, aimed it right behind the Ace-Ops, and fired a single round. Everyone jumped, but before they could react they saw a young woman in her mid-twenties, no more than two years younger than Qrow himself, with long blue hair tied up in cord stumble back out of thin air, gripping her face that had just been shot.
"Thought I saw something," Keyes calmly remarked as everyone in the room reacted, pulling out their weapons and aiming them at the woman. Three others appeared as well after some kind of invisible bubble collapsed, all of them roughly the same age and holding their hands up in a placating gesture, but no one was amused.
"God, that hurt!" the woman who was shot groaned as she rubbed her nose, thankful that her Aura had taken the blow.
"Good," Keyes replied as UNSC marines encircled the women. "Now then, mind telling me exactly who you are and why you are on my ship?"
Drawing closer, Qrow was able to see the four women more clearly. They were all part of the same team, wearing the same symbol of a robin whose wings were raised upwards. One of the women was a sheep faunus with bushy white hair and sheep ears poking out from the side of her head. She was the shortest of the bunch, but didn't seem afraid. In contrast, the tallest of them was a large woman with dark skin and broad shoulders, tattoos on her forehead, nose, and neck who seemed more irritated than anything. The woman with blue hair was finally recomposing herself, still showing some surprise, while the light blonde woman with tan skin at the front of the group remained calm and composed despite the precarious position she found herself in.
"Apologies, Commander," the woman said, keeping her eyes focused on Commander Keyes entirely. "Believe me, I did not wish to be introduced this way, but unfortunately my hand was forced. My name is Robyn Hill, and these are my Happy Huntresses. Fiona Thyme, Joanna Greenleaf, and May Marigold. We're here to represent Mantle in…whatever this is."
Commander Jacob Keyes stared down Robyn Hill, who met his gaze equally despite the fact that she and her Huntresses were surrounded by hundreds of guns, both from his marines as well as the Huntsmen and Huntresses who were purposefully brought on board.
"Robyn, what have you done?" the apparent leader of the Ace-Ops, a man named Clover Ebi, asked. With his arms exposed and short, neatly spiked brown hair, he was nearly picture perfect as the head of the Ace-Ops. Why he was using a fishing pole as his weapon was anyone's guess, but Keyes decided to ignore it for the more pressing matter. At the same time, he silently sent a message to Shakespeare, the Midsummer Night's onboard AI, to pull everything he could about Robyn Hill and her compatriots.
"Indeed, Ms. Hill. You and your 'Happy Huntresses' have broken into a UNSC military vessel. It would be within my rights to have you all executed," he pointed out, trying to remain calm despite the anger in his voice.
"How did you even find out about this? This mission was top secret," Clover pointed out, and Robyn looked at him.
"I have contacts everywhere, Clover. Just because I didn't join the military like you doesn't mean I'm blind," Robyn answered. "They let me know something was going down, that the kingdoms were gathering Huntsmen and Huntresses to go with the UNSC on some off-world mission. A mission that affects everybody, and once again Atlas decided to completely forget about Mantle despite my attempts to get representation on this mission. When General Ironwood denied everything then refused my calls, I took action."
Robyn looked around the room once again, then admitted, "In hindsight, probably not the best move."
"No kidding," Johnson mumbled, keeping his assault rifle trained on the four Huntresses. "Unless you were planning to stay as invisible stowaways for a whole year."
"Commander Keyes, our sincerest apologies for our lack of security," Vine Zeki, another member of the Ace-Ops, said while keeping his eyes and his chakram-like weapon focused on the Happy Huntresses. "Allow us to return to Atlas so that they may be placed in custody."
Keyes kept his magnum trained on them, tempted to accept Zeki's offer and wash his hands of the entire situation, but at the same time his gaze briefly shifted towards May Marigold. Thoughts began to swirl in his head, and while keeping his pistol aimed at Robyn, he asked her, "May, was it? I take it you were the one who made them invisible?"
May Marigold looked at Commander Keyes then nodded. She replied, "Yes, my Semblance can make myself and a small group of people near me invisible. Eyes, cameras, thermals, everything. Frankly, I'm surprised you even saw me. No one else has."
"I have good eyes on me," Keyes admitted, then shifted his attention back towards Robyn as Shakespeare finally sent him the gathered information on her and her compatriots.
Bringing his datapad up to his face, he quickly read the gathered intelligence. What he saw was impressive. Robyn, Fiona, Joanna, and May had all graduated several years before from Atlas Academy at the top of their class. They were considered to be shoe-ins for the upper echelons of the Atlesian Military, which most of their fellow students joined after graduation. But, to everyone's surprise and Atlas' disappointment, they instead chose not to in favor of becoming Huntresses focusing on servicing Mantle. They had only been active for a few years, but already they had carved a significant reputation among the Mantlese citizens as defenders of the people.
"Miss Hill, you're saying you're here to represent Mantle," Jacob Keyes pointed out. "Mind clarifying what you mean by that?"
"Yes, please," Elm Ederne, a large woman who made up the last of the Ace-Ops, remarked, holding her hammer at the ready. "General Ironwood selected us to represent Atlas on this mission."
"He did, yes, but do you represent Mantle, too?" Robyn asked, and Elm shot her head back in offense.
"What? Of course we do! Mantle is a part of Atlas!"
"And I suppose that's why you're being deployed with the approval of the elected representatives of the entire Kingdom's Council then, right? Oh wait, I forgot, they don't know about this secret mission of yours and the only authority you're answering to is your precious General Ironwood," Robyn retorted, narrowing her eyes towards the Ace-Ops. "First he controls the military, now the Academy, and now he's making special arrangements with the UNSC behind the rest of our backs? All of Atlas' attention and resources go into the city of Atlas, while the only attention Mantle gets is the occasional updating of our heating grid. Tell me, when was the last time any of you Ace-Ops even set foot in Mantle?"
Clover, Elm, Harriet and Vine narrowed their eyes. After a few moments, Clover sighed and shook his head in resignation while Harriet outwardly scowled and clenched her fists, but Jacob's expression softened somewhat. The UNSC was more than aware, and concerned, about the stark inequality present between Atlas and Mantle. Mantle used to be the seat of the entire kingdom, but after the Great War, the city of Atlas was erected and risen into the sky. It was meant to serve as an uplifting symbol for the defeated nation, but after only a few short years all of the resources and wealth flocked away from Mantle and into Atlas. While Atlas itself became incredibly wealthy and secure, Mantle became poor and downtrodden, only meant to serve Atlas with raw materials while they got the scraps left behind. It reminded Keyes and the UNSC far too much about the environment that gave birth to the Insurrection all those decades ago, where the Inner Colonies held all the wealth and power while the Outer Colonies supplied much needed raw materials. As their own experience proved, it was a dynamic that proved impossible to maintain.
Robyn seemed to recognize the look on Jacob's face, and she seized the moment to continue her pitch, "Commander, believe me when I say that we did not want to do this. My first attempt was to reach out to General Ironwood, but he dismissed my concerns about Mantle not being properly represented while denying any off-world mission was taking place. I tried reaching out to the UNSC directly, but I was blocked from doing so. Sneaking in was the only option we had left. By sending only the Ace-Ops, none of whom are from Mantle, we are once again being viewed as an afterthought."
"That's not true, Robyn," Clover pleaded. "That is not what General Ironwood was saying when he picked us. His only concern was picking people he trusted completely for a mission this important."
"And I don't think he intended to," Robyn admitted, turning her head towards Clover. "But the problem, intentional or not, is that's the message Ironwood sent to the people of Mantle. A message that Atlas has been sending for decades. Most of our leaders are from Atlas, most of our businesses are owned by Atlesians, and any policies enacted primarily benefit Atlas. By sending only the Ace-Ops on this highly important, and top-secret, mission, General Ironwood is basically telling Mantle that he doesn't trust them enough to bring them to the table. All I'm asking is for you to show us otherwise."
Jacob Keyes narrowed his eyes, then asked, "So what is it that you want?"
"To represent Mantle on this mission," Robyn answered, then pointed at the datapad. "I know that you've read our files, so you'll see that all of us are highly trained and skilled Huntresses on par with the Ace-Ops. The only real difference between us and them is that they have fancier equipment. More importantly, we're a voice that Mantle explicitly trusts. If we tell Mantle that this…Covenant is real and that we need to cooperate with the UNSC to survive, they'll trust us a lot more than General Ironwood."
"…Hmm," Jacob hummed, still keeping his pistol trained on Robyn.
He looked back at May Marigold, thinking about the applications of her invisibility Semblance. It was able to get them past both the Ace-Ops and the UNSC marines sent to recover them from Atlas. While part of him was worried about how, exactly, they found out about this meeting in the first place, given who was currently in Atlas he had a fair idea as to who sent them his way. Something this convoluted certainly seemed like her style, especially if she came to some of the same conclusions he had.
Robyn then gestured towards Fiona, who nodded towards her leader and held out her hand. A shimmering gold light then came out, and to his surprise a vial of refined Dust powder emerged. Fiona said, "Ms. Bree mentioned how Dust doesn't work outside of atmosphere. Well, my Semblance allows me to hold objects in pocket dimensions. I don't know if it'll work, but it's possible that we can store all the Dust munitions we need in there for our use, bypassing that limitation entirely."
Everyone stared at Fiona as she returned the Dust to her pocket dimension. Her file had talked about how she was able to make them, but seeing them in action up close was something entirely different. Jacob ran through his options, trying to determine what was the best course of action. On the one hand, Robyn and the Happy Huntresses had snuck onto a UNSC military vessel without authorization, which was a serious offense. He would be well within his rights to simply absolve himself of the matter and let the Ace-Ops arrest them, but the more he thought about it, the more he thought about the benefits of letting them stay.
Robyn was right, the disparity between Mantle and Atlas was too big to ignore. The Insurrection taught the UNSC that more than once, and it was only due to the Covenant's arrival that those issues were swept aside, if only temporarily. While the UNSC certainly couldn't say that all of their issues were anywhere near being resolved, that didn't preclude them from making apt observations. Mantle was hurting, even now, and having a popular and well-respected face to represent them would do well to bolster the UNSC's image. It was the same train of thought the UNSC followed in inviting the White Fang along with the other four kingdoms, regardless of local disputes of legitimacy and sovereignty. By having Robyn join in, Keyes would be effectively telling Mantle that the UNSC considered them equal to Atlas, making them much more amenable to their needs.
Then there was the issue of Robyn's Happy Huntresses themselves. Their records didn't lie, and all of them were highly skilled and accomplished Huntresses. If the Midsummer Night was forced to engage the Covenant, having them around might prove to be a useful asset. Being able to turn invisible was an advantage Covenant Stealth Elites had exploited time and again across the war, and despite the UNSC's best efforts, so far they hadn't managed to crack it. But now here was a woman able to do that by, as Catherine so eloquently put it, thinking really hard. Not just herself, but others as well. The prospect of giving the Covenant a taste of their own medicine was almost salivating, but not as much as the potential of being able to use Dust weapons outside of Remnant should the need arise. Right now, neither the UNSC nor Remnant knew if Dust failed to work outside of Remnant's atmosphere due to a unique quirk to the planet or if any planetary body would work. If Fiona's Semblance could bypass the restriction created from Remnant's atmosphere, they could find out for sure. That discovery, alone, would make it worth it. Besides, they already knew about the mission's existence and about the Covenant. Secrecy was still of the utmost importance, and having the Happy Huntresses imprisoned back in Atlas was no guarantee that further leaks would cease. Keeping them close by would ensure that wouldn't happen, at least until they were ready.
Slowly, Jacob Keyes realized that, while not ideal, the UNSC had more to gain by accepting Robyn's offer than by turning her away. It would give them four additional assets for the field, extend an olive branch to Mantle, and allow them to cheaply test something that the UNSC desperately wanted to know.
That didn't mean, however, that he could conveniently ignore the probable cons of this course of action. Despite Robyn's unofficial clout and her arguments for why her team's presence was no less legitimate than any of the other groups here, they still weren't actually operating with the backing of a legitimate authority. Unless he gave his own, and through him, the UNSC's.
Moreover, General Ironwood was quickly proving to be one of the UNSC's most accommodating and influential contacts among Remnant's leaders, and his lack of response to Robyn's initial requests made his disapproval of their involvement implicitly clear. To then go over his head by taking on the Happy Huntresses regardless could prove to be quite the slap in his face. Jacob could hardly be called an expert in Atlesian politics, and for all he knew any goodwill he gained with Mantle would be matched by an equal loss in Atlas. Though he was willing to wager that they had already earned enough regard with the General for him to let this relatively minor snub slide after the news reached him, probably with some kind of appeasement attached for the diplomats to handle.
"…Alright, but I'll have to clear it with the Admiral first," Keyes remarked, lowering his weapon. Everyone, even the Happy Huntresses and most definitely the Ace-Ops, looked at him in surprise, although both Johnson and Qrow had clearly come to the exact same conclusion he did.
"Commander, you can't be serious?" Harriet asked, her eyes wide.
"Yes, I am," Keyes confirmed, glancing at the specialist from the corner of his eye.
"Sir, I understand that this is your ship, but I must protest this course of action," Clover said. "I'm not going to dispute Robyn's credentials, and her Happy Huntresses would bring much to the field if needed, but the fact remains that she inserted herself onto this mission without proper authorization nor approval. She represents a massive security risk that needs to be properly dealt with."
"I understand and respect those concerns," Keyes replied as he holstered his sidearm. "But I believe that, in this situation, we stand more to gain by allowing this one-time exception to the norm than by strictly following protocol. If you're worried about your Ace-Ops, Specialist, do know that I will take full responsibility for this."
The Ace-Ops looked at each other, clearly wanting to protest further, but after a moment Clover sighed and nodded. "Of course, sir. This is your ship and I'll respect your decision, but I don't think the General will be as inclined to agree."
Keyes nodded back in understanding, then turned his head back towards the Happy Huntresses, "Welcome aboard, Miss Hill."
Robyn smiled, happy that her concerns were being properly addressed, but before she could say anything, though, Keyes added, "Still, the fact remains that you still broke into my ship, Miss Hill. That's a gross violation of UNSC law. As such, you and your Happy Huntresses are effectively under arrest for the duration of this mission and will be placed under constant guard and supervision at all times. Specialist Ebi, can I trust the Ace-Ops to handle that responsibility?"
While the Ace-Ops were clearly uncomfortable with the change in plans, they nodded in agreement, nonetheless. Keyes nodded back, then turned towards Robyn Hill and gave her a harsh glare. With his voice low, he growled, "Give me any reason to believe that you'll put the mission in jeopardy and I will throw you out the airlock myself. Got it?"
Robyn stared at the commander for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "Of course, Commander, and thank you for understanding. I'll be honest, I didn't think you'd accept."
"You made a sound argument, if not delivered correctly," he admitted, then straightened himself once again. He turned back towards the gathered Huntsmen, Huntresses, and marines, then ordered, "All hands, dismissed. Sergeant Johnson, please escort the Huntsmen and Huntresses to their assigned cryobays. Once we reach orbit, we'll go into freeze and set off towards Harvest. Miss Hill, please follow me towards the bridge so that I may bring you and your Huntresses up to speed."
The marines saluted, then everyone went off to perform their assigned duties. The hangar bay doors slowly sealed shut, then the Midsummer Night began to climb through the atmosphere towards the outer reaches of space.
"So, quick question," Qrow called out as he and the others followed Johnson. "What did the good commander mean by 'cryobay?'"
[~][~]
Hello, everyone, and welcome to the latest chapter of Dust and Echoes! Special thanks to Jesse K and NaanContributor for their help in bringing this to life.
Qrow's mission to verifying whether or not the Covenant exists is now underway, if with a little unexpected change of plans. How will this unfold? You guys will have to wait and see, but I'm personally very exited to finally be diving into the real meat of the story. Things are going to be very exciting.
Now, onto the Q&A:
SFMC: Thank you, glad you're enjoying the story so far. As for downplaying UNSC capabilities, I'm trying to avoid what a lot of Halo crossovers do and show the UNSC as some unstoppable juggernaut of a polity. In the original Halo trilogy, which this story is largely set in, the UNSC are underdogs and I intend to follow that. Plus they were acting largely in the dark against things they really had no experience against while trying to stay as diplomatic as possible. Hence no orbital bombardments or free use of WMDs.
Cyberpunk1-009: Normally she isn't, but in this case she made an exception. Otherwise, yes it's just Ackerson. As for the UNSC's relationship with Remnant, including the Faunus, I intend to show that in the story proper. I'm also glad you enjoyed the Blue Team vs Haki fight. She was only in the story for two chapters, but she served her purpose well and I'm glad that people got so attached to her in such a short amount of time. I'm also glad you've been enjoying the pace of the story. We're working very hard to make sure everything flows smoothly and makes sense. The last thing we want is to rush things and create plot holes. Why do you think we're only now getting into the Covenant? I wanted to build up to that. If this story was structured like a season of RWBY, we'd have just passed the mid-season finale. Now we're diving into the second half of season 1, which has large implications for the future.
Alien Ghoul: You'll have to wait and see exactly what the Brothers were in this story.
FloridaMan722: Glad you've been enjoying the story so far, and yeah we have a lot in store. As for interactions with Salem, you're gonna have to wait and see.
Ghostly: How Remnant reacts to the Covenant's existence will be shown in due time, don't worry.
Shadowwolf1997: Glad you're enjoying the story so far.
Mr. SALTY: You guys will have to wait and see whether or not I show that glorious moment.
NexusPrime42: Well, they're not having a good time at the moment, I'll tell you that.
BOOTYboy: I've been a fan of Halo since Halo 3. It was the first one I ever played, and even now Halo is my favorite sci-fi franchise. The characters, the universe, everything. I'm also a massive fan of RWBY, so I really wanted to cross them over. So far, I think it's worked out tremendously, and I'm glad so many people enjoy it.
franco1234: Remember, though, the UNSC has no idea the Great Schism is even a possibility, and really what they're looking for is the creation of time. Yes, the war is really won out in space, but battles on the ground are equally important. Some of the most pivotal moments in the war were fought primarily on the ground, which the Huntsmen and Huntresses would be a tremendous boon towards. That being said, don't expect things to just turn around for the UNSC. They're still losing by the time RWBY enters Beacon, they're just losing at a slower pace.
phoenix emperor 23: Summer, unless the show proves otherwise (which is very unlikely), is dead. So no.
Mr. Salty: Happy to hear it!
Guest (1): Yeah, had this been before the Covenant, things might have gone very differently. Same as if the Insurrectionists found Remnant first. Luckily for everyone, though, they met how and when they did. That isn't to say things are going to go completely smooth, though. There's going to be tension.
SPRTN544: That they did, and they did not take it very well. I mean, how else would you react to hearing about a genocidal collective of aliens who want to wipe you out just because you exist? Frankly, how they reacted was the best they could in this situation. And yeah, expect to see UNSC/Remnant personnel interactions in the story where appropriate. Some will be good, some will be bad, it's just how it is.
Guest (2): You'll have to wait and see if the Flood are involved in this story.
War: Lord Hood isn't part of the Security Council yet because Cole's still alive. He rose to Cole's position after his death. As for Osman, she's still Parangosky's protege, and the Security Council I showed was the one from during the war for the most part.
Evinco: You'll have to wait and see.
Proto 150: Try not to ask about future events in the story. You're not going to get an answer beyond "Wait and see."
roting-CORPSE: You'll have to wait and see if that happens.
mellra: Yeah, don't expect things to follow canon 1 to 1. Especially the RWBY side of things, as so much has changed from the beginning due to the UNSC's arrival. As for other Halo characters, yes they will appear as needed.
shados960: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter so much. It was a very important one to really show just what was going to happen next. One of the things I really like to do in my stories is show characters sitting around and talking/discussing/planning things out rather than just doing. It allows me to really dive into their characters, beliefs, motivations, etc. Plus it makes the world seem more alive. And yeah, how the leaders of Remnant reacted to the Covenant's existence was the real deal. So far they've only gotten hints about them, but now they know the truth and it was far worse than anything they expected. Them wanting to verify the UNSC's word was a very understandable reaction, and sets into motion the chain of events regarding the rest of this arc.
I Am The Prophet: Yes, there will be, and no I am not leaving out the Master Chief. He's one of the main characters in this story, but the SPARTANs are still classified at the moment. As such, for this arc and for a while don't expect a lot of SPARTAN/Huntsmen interactions. They'll come in, but later.
BlackDevil1942: You'll have to wait and see how Salem reacts to all of this.
The-Killer40513: Yes, but at the moment the Atlesian Knight program is fairly new.
EvaShinobiKaiserKnight: You will have to wait and see.
Jackboot: Oh, ONI definitely going to be up to some shit. But remember, like the pre-Karen Traviss ONI, here they're the token evil teammate of humanity. They'll do some horrendous stuff, but all in the name of ensuring humanity's survival. They won't do evil thins for the lolz, essentially.
ShinP: Yep, that is on the way.
naufalrakha0104: Nope, Aura and Semblances are unaffected. Dust, however, is an open question.
23debal01: Please try to avoid double-posting the same review in the future. Also, I don't take requests for my stories. Whether or not characters get something or do something will happen because I want it to for the sake of the story.
GXY-2013: Winter's still fairly young at this point and hasn't entered the Atlesian military yet. That's still a few years away.
AXL999: It's definitely dangerous, that's for sure.
SulliMike23: Remember, the Grimm and the Covenant are two entirely different kinds of threats. They're dangerous, but in different ways.
Strike Wyvern: Oh yeah, things are definitely going to get interesting.
Sigma-del-Prisium: Yep, the UNSC is pulling out all the stops here. They really want Remnant on their side, and are willing to give quite a lot to ensure it happens. Things are changing, and you guys will have to wait and see what forms that takes.
D. : Yep, they're going into space now. Fun times ahead.
axel100: Yeah, the UNSC knows a lot and shared it with Remnant's leaders for the purposes of this mission, but they don't know everything.
Steelrain66: We actually don't know how old Winter is compared to Weiss. Personally, I say 5 to 10 years older, but definitely much younger than Qrow. Regardless, she's not in the military just yet, and won't be for a while.
shadyxlr: Yep, things are picking up. We're now diving into the real meat of this story, and I can't wait to show you all what's in store.
Jack Smith1: My preferred type of fanfiction are crossovers, and I like to really explore every facet of it. Can't say what other types of crossovers I plan to do, though.
Vein Bloodborne: Yep, and what they'll find will shock them.
Major Simi: There's always a bigger fish.
That's it for this time. I hope you all enjoy and let us know what you think!