Author's Notes:
So it begins. There's still a bit of intrigue and build-up left before the big climax. A couple of the fights will also be covered. I hope you look forward to the climax of this arc!
Also, I saw a review that said the last chapter was the end of the arc? Not true, but it does mark the beginning of the climax of the arc. There's still around 15ish chapters left remaining.
Also, I've ended each arc with a specific naming convention. I'll let you figure out what it is.
Enjoy!
"Text/Messages"
"Speech"
Disclaimer: I do not own Fallout, RWBY, or any associated characters
Remnants of a Courier
Arc 4: Chaos Theory
Chapter 76: Honor the Rising Sun
Operation Rising Sun was set to begin by the end of the day. And while weather reports showed a possible storm on the horizon, it wasn't anything that would impede his soldiers.
In the three days that passed since his departure from Beacon, Six laid low. They had of course raided his apartment and Beacon room but found nothing. He would be a fool to keep anything incriminating in either place. They had also sent someone to retrieve Logarius' body. But most importantly, they had been unable to track him down. After all, Six just had to change his clothes and his face was unrecognizable. And with Voidwalkers owned under Jeremy, they had no grounds to search Voidwalker facilities for him.
The small amount of time he had was spent in the workshop preparing or refining contingencies for the operation. And his work had born fruit.
Smokeless gunpowder was his once more. He just had to find the right subsect of Acid Dust compatible with what he wanted. Tests so far had shown no distinguishable differences between his new rounds and the old ones from Earth. Of course, he hadn't tested it on Grimm yet. The hope was they would be just as capable as gunpowder bullets from his world while maintaining the same effectiveness against Grimm.
So far he only created a handful of prototypes for his Voidwalkers which would be put into the hands of his Aura squad.
His research wasn't the only thing he had been keeping up with. Ozpin and James were frustrated with his escape, and now they knew there had to be others in Vale who helped him. While his Voidwalker agent at Beacon was under scrutiny, the man hadn't done anything wrong. While he wouldn't be able to do anything until shit fell apart in Vale, the man would be useful during the operation.
Frustration was mounting for the General and the only thing keeping his wrath from descending on Vale and tearing it apart in search of the Mimic was Ozpin. The ever level-headed former Headmaster kept that anger in check just enough.
As for his cohorts, Roman was still laying low in his cell aboard the airship. He hadn't received any word from the man which wasn't surprising. The conman would wait until the last moment before deciding where his loyalties lie. They of course would be with Six in the end.
Adam had been furious with him at first but after learning of the truth behind the slavers, was more than happy with the outcome. More humans dead and Faunus set free. He was only irritated that Six hadn't brought him and the White Fang along. It would have been prudent to have reinforcements but time was of the essence. Not to mention the White Fang were known for being sloppy and Six was too angry to wait.
The most interesting update was from Cinder herself. Six had suspected she would come to kill him after that little incident. Instead, she had sent a simple encrypted message to him. It still boiled his blood when he read it over again.
"You ran off your leash again. Not to worry, we already know the way to get where we want. You also provided records on everyone we needed before you made your escape. With everything else in place, and you causing so many negative emotions in Vale, I can forgive these little tantrums. Just sit back and enjoy the show."
It sounded dismissive of his actions which he didn't like. But he was satisfied that she wasn't trying to kill him. He still had to act fast as Six had no doubt she would attempt to kill him after the Festival to tie up loose ends.
Now he had one last task to complete. The Festival was set to start in just a couple hours and before that, he needed to have one last discussion with his Voidwalkers.
Six stepped into the small room he had set up to act as a video conference meeting room. One large Scroll was set up to record him and his voice before broadcasting it over the encrypted channel to the other bases they had. And he was supposed to go live… Now.
Pressing a button on the Scroll, several camera feeds fizzled into view, one of each of his bases currently filled with his soldiers. Every last soldier minus the one at Beacon was present and watching.
"You've all read the reports," Six began as he stood with his arms behind his back on the stage. "But I'll reiterate it one last time before the operation begins."
"By the day's end, there may be an attack on Vale. A terrorist attack the size of which has never been seen before. We trust that with the information provided by us, Vale and Atlas will pull together and stop this before it begins."
Six raised a hand and finger as he continued.
"But, on the chance that they fail. That this does begin. We will be ready."
They would fail. Six didn't give them enough information to do anything but. Instead, he had drip-fed them just enough to hinder Cinder and let him thrive. And with the social media campaign he was running with people like Lilith Blade via his Beholder Initiative, he'd slander Vale and Atlas' representatives before even beginning his campaign.
The screen changed from his form to that of a map of Vale. Centered around the Residential District–Which was on the Southeast side of Vale–was a triangular position. The Voidwalker bases made up the three points of the triangle, with Junior's reinforced club in the center of it.
"First and foremost is the preservation of human and Faunus life." As Six spoke, a circular perimeter was formed around the bases. Streets and choke points were highlighted along with sniper nests. "We will secure these points to keep the roads and rooftops safe from Grimm. Civilians will immediately begin running to our safe haven. This perimeter must be formed within the first twenty minutes. Make sure to use the designated vehicles and Huntsman support for quick deployment."
Jet Cernunn. He had only spoken to the man a few times since their fight, but a Huntsman's might and mobility would be crucial for this. Even if the Voidwalkers didn't fully trust him yet. Despite that, Six pressed on in his speech.
His tone changed to a lower, more threatening one as he continued, "If any White Fang are encountered, do not fire unless fired upon. We don't have the firepower to deal with the White Fang and the Grimm. And if any White Fang send civilians our way, bring them in."
The screen changed again to that of the Emperor-Class Battleship, the Emperor Maxim. Its giant bulk and firepower an impressive sight to any on Remnant. The star of Atlas' fleet.
"Since we believe that the enemy may have compromised Atlas' systems, any and all androids should be treated as potentially hostile. Moreover, without the automated systems to defend themselves and keep them afloat, the airships stationed over Vale may very well fall into the city. I don't need to say this, but we can't allow this to happen. The casualties would number in the thousands, potentially tens of thousands."
The screen flashed again and showed Epsilon squad on the screen, their uniforms making them identical to their brethren.
"To this end, Epsilon squad has been fitted with experimental anti-armor rounds. They will be leading a division of you onto the Emperor Maxim using the bullheads we have while the rest of you set up the perimeter. Their defenses won't be a problem as the enemy will have disabled them."
A blueprint of the ship's layout was then displayed for the soldiers in each base.
"The objective will be to restart the ship's systems using a portable drive. This should return control to the correct hands." His hands. "Since all other ships use the Emperor Maxim as a command center, we should be able to override any interference. With that done, we should regain control of the airship's systems and the androids. With the androids helping, running the ship's systems with a small contingent of Voidwalkers should prove manageable."
"Take note," Six warned again as the screen switched back to him. "That there will likely be some resistance from Atlas soldiers. They're just doing their jobs. Unless your life is threatened, always use non-lethal force. These are people like you and me doing their jobs."
An image of their defensive perimeter displayed for the Voidwalkers again, except this time there was a large battleship centered on the map.
"With this firepower, we'll control the air once more and we can send our Bullheads to reinforce our perimeter. Given the projected time frame of acceptable losses, this needs to be done within the first sixty minute mark. Meaning I expect the airship to be under control and perimeter established by the hour mark."
Red arrows appeared on the map, slowly encroaching inward on their perimeter.
"What comes next will be a game of endurance while Atlas and Vale get their shit together. We need to only buy time long enough for them to get into gear. If need be, I will begin ordering commands from the Emperor Maxim."
All of this had been covered in the briefing he sent out earlier that day so they all remained stoic. However, he imagined such a proclamation got a good reaction out of them at first. He wasn't lying about needing to take command. But in reality, he was doing it to gain control of the armed forces in the area for what came after the attack.
"We have several fallback points set," Six said as several smaller circles appeared, slowly encroaching on their bases. "To avoid casualties we'll fall back as needed in waves using vehicles for quick support."
"If the White Fang come and need assistance or wish to support us, contact the Major or Captain. If they're not available, make your best judgment call on whether they're trustworthy. Just remember, we'll need as many able bodies as possible."
Six was hoping they'd do the majority of the legwork when it came to disrupting Council plans. Then when the White Fang inevitably fell apart, they'd come running to him.
"When Vale and Atlas decide to get their shit in gear, we'll work in tandem to push the Grimm back. This will hopefully be within the first few hours." As he spoke, the perimeter expanded as blue lines showed where the Voidwalkers would be pushing. "Once we've forced the Grimm out of the city, we maintain positions on the walls in rotating eight hour shifts as Vale and Atlas reorganize themselves." As Six reorganizes them.
And here was the true selling point, the reason Six had not only chosen the most skilled soldiers but also the ones with the right psyche profile. Ones likely to fall in line and obey, ones that were motivated by both money, loyalty, and a sense of pride in their work. Six provided all of these.
"None of you have turned traitor since I announced myself. I'm proud to say that you are not only the most elite fighting force on Remnant but loyal too. Which is why, once your families come back from their safe havens outside Vale, I will make you an offer. One I would like you all to think over."
The screen shifted one last time to a pay chart and benefits package. Something House would approve of no doubt. Six even recalled a bit of conversation from him.
"Do the smart thing and work for me."
Honestly, the only thing Six regretted about House was making him indisposed to the general public before asking questions about Pre-war America.
"After this operation is over, any and all of you are free to walk away as you see fit. I will give you a bonus of twice your annual income for services rendered. No strings attached." Six couldn't help but smile under his helmet as he continued, "For those that wish to stay after…"
The chart climbed at a staggering rate and he heard a couple audible gasps through the Scroll. Still, no one moved from their positions.
"You see that you and I are of a different stripe, don't you? We don't have to dream that we're important. We are." He paused for a moment, letting his words sink before reeling them in. "I will quadruple your pay in the coming days. You will serve as my private task force in what is to come. In the reconstruction efforts of Vale, you will all be more important than ever. We will be a remedy to Vale's derailment."
Six paused to catch his breath. From everything he monitored with the Overseer, not one of them had betrayed him, just as their psyche profiles predicted. He was lucky he stopped recruiting when Ozpin and James began trying to weasel their way in. As for their cost, they were more than worth it.
"Help me help Vale, your families and friends, our Kingdom. Show Remnant that lone Huntsman are outdated. That we are the future. That you are the future."
The Courier nodded his head at his soldiers before he finished, "I'll leave you to make your decisions. Briefing concluded."
With a quick click, he turned the broadcast off. He felt drained but good about the speech. With this, everything was in place. He just needed to be at the stadium in a few hours.
Time to grab his equipment and get in place.
"It seems like we have another astonishing bout ahead of us, wouldn't you agree professor?" Port acting as one of two commentators queried his compatriot; his other commentator, Oobleck.
"Doctor," Oobleck was quick to correct. "And yes Peter, I think it's safe to say, this match may be one of the closest we've seen in the four-on-four round of the tournament."
"For those of you just now joining us," Port continued, addressing the listeners. "Welcome to the Vytal Festival Tournament! Coming live from the Amity Colosseum."
Six idly tapped his foot as he watched the production from his Pip-Boy. The Festival was in full swing now and he was currently cooped up in the security room with Gratius, the man who snuck him into Beacon. It was easy enough to do given he had a man on the inside and insider information on the Academy.
The plan was to interrupt the event whenever Cinder sprung her plan. He'd activate his own scheme, taking over everything he could while gaining the trust of the people. Once done, he'd secure Beacon and stop Cinder before moving to reinforce his Voidwalkers in the city.
While the two professors continued rambling on about the tournament's rules as team RWBY fought their opponents for the round. He tuned them out to focus on the fight itself.
Team ABRN, Six wasn't well informed about this team. They seemed inconsequential to Cinder's schemes and didn't stand out in the tournament. Still, they had lasted a few minutes against team RWBY, so that was commendable.
Gratius seemed to completely ignore the fight, probably nerves, as he stared at the monitors surveying Beacon. As long as his boss was happy he was too. Though, the Faunus treated him differently now that he knew the truth. It was to be expected.
But like many of the Voidwalkers, Gratius was a consummate professional. He continued his work, even if he didn't know the true end goal.
Turning back to the screen, Six saw Blake engage the one with a skateboard, deftly parrying her blows before forcing her opponent back. In a straight-up fight, it appeared Blake had the advantage, even causing her opponent to fall flat on her butt.
That wasn't their strongest fighter however. Six watched the monk-looking woman on team ABRN parry one of Yang's punches before kicking the blonde back a dozen yards. She skidded along the ground, moving across the arena from the "lava" section to the "ice" section.
The arena itself was one of the most impressive things Six had seen in terms of engineering. A truly remarkable feat even given Remnant's technology.
Amity Arena was a massive floating island that served as the stage for the tournament. He wasn't aware of all the specifications, but Gravity Dust was used to elevate the arena, just like Atlas' airships.
Not only that, but the stage was ever-shifting, ever-changing. The current one now was impressive enough, boasting four individual sections ranging from woodlands to volcanic areas. Each would test the participant's skills differently.
By far the most impressive feature was that after their fight, the arena would shift, replacing the damaged parts with something entirely new. The four sections would lower and rotate out, seemingly modular. Truly a marvelous feat of engineering.
While he was distracted, the skateboard girl was launched out of the arena. It looked like team RWBY took the lead.
Six couldn't help but be astonished by Weiss' sheer firepower in her Semblance as she summoned a fist of ice to restrict two of her opponents before swiftly shifting it into a ball. She then proceeded to ROLL her opponents away. Between that display of power and the sheer versatility of her glyphs, Six personally believed that she had the strongest Semblance out of team RWBY.
Still, team ABRN wasn't out of the fight yet. Their last member, the female monk, jumped in front of it before planting her feet, taking a long breath in, and striking the ice ball when it came in range. The thing shattered from the sheer force and Six hoped such a strike never hit him. It could very well kill him outright.
Weiss' control over her Semblance had improved. He was proud to see her improving every day, getting one step closer to her goal. Not that he expected anything less from her. Maybe this was what being a teacher felt like? Pride?
It was a shame he couldn't have stayed at Beacon longer, but fate had forced him out. Soon, he could return if everything went well. Though probably not in a teaching capacity.
There was a cold pit in his stomach at the thought. He hoped it went that way. No, no. It had to.
Team RWBY used their superior teamwork and Yang's firepower to knock all three of Team ABRN's remaining members out of the ring as Blake flung the blonde at them. Not a bad strategy but also risky and too 'stylish' for Six.
So far, RWBY had passed with ease, along with Cinder's team of course. He had kept monitoring their team and the "random" lottery system was pitting them against harder teams, trying to knock them out. It failed of course. They were assholes but also competent when it came to fighting. They might very well be the toughest team in the tournament.
Neo even had the audacity to message him. "Did you root for me? ;)"
No, he had prayed for her downfall. But whatever Gods were in this world were cruel and chose her success instead.
With the match finished, the commentators announced Team RWBY's victory in way too many words. After a bit to let the teams clear the stage, the arena changed. The four platforms shifted before being replaced by white plain floors. On the new platforms sat a coffin and several small memorials. Six blinked, having not seen this on the itinerary.
"Dear listeners and viewers," Oobleck began. "We'd like to take a moment to remember the lives lost during the Mountain Glenn Breach Incident, please share a moment of silence for the brave heroes and unfortunate souls who gave their lives that day to protect Vale."
A somber mood filled the stadium as silence reigned. This was a somber but necessary reminder of the horrors of this world. Of the sacrifices made by good people to stop bad things from happening. It also reminded Six of his own role in that tragedy. He wouldn't put their sacrifices to waste.
Once the small ceremony was over, the stage shifted once again as they began getting everything ready for the next match. All Six had left to do was wait now.
He took a sip of soda, artificial grape flavoring filling his mouth. It was terrible, and he loved it.
Author's Notes:
We've finally made it to the beginning of Volume III of RWBY. It's been a long road. At the time of me writing this, a little under five and half years. It's been a long ride and we're finally going to start getting into the first major climax of this story. I hope I make you all proud.
Update, this is me proofreading this chapter 8 months later. What a sappy nerd I am for writing "make you all proud" haha.
Update 2, this is me getting this chapter prepped for upload 9 months later. It feels like I've been writing this story for so long I'm lost in the sauce.