(A/N): Remember how I said in the Author's Notes at the end of Chapter 1 that there was something big coming up? Something that I was really looking forward to sharing, after keeping under wraps for almost a year?

This is that thing.

Enjoy!

Ackar was not having a good day.

His morning - for lack of a better word, considering there were no sunrises or sunsets on a spaceship - had started with an especially-bitter serving of the usual rations, and had only gone downhill from there. There'd been an air filter failure on Deck Three that needed patchwork repairs, a fight between two restless young Glatorians that needed breaking up, and a number of Agori reporting their personal items going missing with the usual suspect once again denying everything. Dealing with any of those on their own would have been enough to put him in a sour mood, and having all three happen on the same shift left him thornier than a Thornax fruit. Yet all of those felt like small grains of sand compared to the crisis just hours ago: an ambush on their own ship from an army of Skrall, kicking off a pitched battle in orbit over an unknown world…one that had ended explosively with no clear winners, only survivors.

Which brought him to his current situation: standing shoulder-to-shoulder with every other warrior of Bara Magna who'd lived through their crash into a sandy desert, forming a wall of shields and blades to hold back a tide of oncoming shadowy monsters.

Nobody knew what these creatures were, what they could do, or why they were attacking a ship full of wounded off-worlders. But given how the monsters came at them with razor-sharp claws and teeth, it was pretty obvious they weren't friendly. They wanted a fight - and if there was one thing Glatorians like Ackar were good at, it was fighting. It was how they'd all gotten this far, after all.

"One yalm spacing!" he shouted as his sword cleaved through a four-legged canine of living darkness. "Don't let them get through!"

His younger Glatorian crewmates followed the command as best they could, shifting their stances and positions to cover as much ground as possible. He had no authority over them aside from his age and combat experience, but right now those qualifications were enough. That was one of the few perks of being over a hundred thousand years old - when you'd lived that long, especially on Bara Magna, people tended to listen to you in a crisis.

Of course, that also meant they expected you to have all the answers, even if you were just as lost and confused as them.

"What are these things?" called one young recruit. "They're worse than Vorox and Scarabax combined!"

"One of them sliced right through my buddy's armor!" cried another. "His leg's hanging by a thread!"

"Why does that one have so many teeth?!" wailed a third.

"There's too many of them!" reported a fourth. "We're outnumbered a hundred to one! We'll be overrun at this rate!"

Ackar growled as he cleaved through another shadowy monster, this one resembling a finned predator. "Remember your training, young ones! One opponent at a time! Clean, precise cuts! We're Glatorians! We fight, no matter how high the odds are stacked against us!"

"Well then let's see if we can't even those odds. If you can understand what I'm saying, then get back!"

An unfamiliar female voice, one that boomed across the desert, preceded a rumbling sound like the roaring of a great beast. Ackar heeded the mysterious command and pitched himself backwards with a shout for his fellow warriors to do the same, and it was a good thing they did. A huge metal rectangle with six wheels suddenly tore through the crowd of monsters, ripping them apart with blade-like wedges mounted along the front. As the iron chariot skidded to a halt - flattening more of those shadowy canines in the process - several figures whooped and hollered and leapt off the vehicle, landing in front of the awed Glatorian with metallic, strange-looking weapons.

They were…small, and unarmored, yet each one projected an aura of confidence around them. The elder Glatorian gripped tighter to his sword as he prepared to fend off the new potential threats, but his fears were dispelled when some of the strangers turned towards the monsters and launched volleys of projectiles out of their armaments. Explosions ripped through the desert sands moments later, scattering more of those dark creatures and kicking up a dust cloud that slowed the rest. If they were bandits, they clearly needed to work on picking their targets - or their aim.

These must be the locals, mused Ackar as he rose to his feet. Warriors, perhaps? At any rate, it seems we share a common enemy…at least, for the moment.

"Alright boys, you know the drill!" shouted the figure in the center of the formation, and Ackar recognized the voice as the one who'd given the earlier command. "Sun and Neptune, covering fire on the flanks! Nolan and Sage, tend to the wounded! And Scarlet, you get in the sky and watch for flyers while calling out folks who need help! Any questions?"

One of the other warriors raised their hand. "Yeah. Can we agree to never let Scarlet drive again?"

"What? I thought I did pretty well! Least I didn't crash it like Neptune did…"

"Hey, it wasn't my fault! I hit a sand dune!"

"Likely bloody story…"

"We can keep reminiscing later! Heads down, gonna give us some breathing room!"

Ackar wasn't sure what to expect when the lead figure started punching the air with a glowing band around her upper arm, but he certainly didn't expect fireballs to suddenly appear and fly out in arcing paths. Some of the fiery projectiles flew into the tides of black with explosive payloads, while others rained down in front of the newcomers to become a wall of flames. None of the shadowy creatures seemed eager to cross the burning barrier - and those that did came out the other side as scorched husks that soon dissolved into smoke.

I haven't seen anyone wield the elements like that in a very long time, thought a very surprised Ackar. Not since the Great Beings themselves…

One of the other figures let out a low whistle, a golden tail rising in awe. "Damn. I've gotta get a Dust Weave of my own."

"Just don't expect me to pull that trick again until I can get the threads charged back up," answered the fiery female as she pulled out a pad of glowing lights. "Blake, Jaune, you still in CFVY's runner? Where are you guys?"

"We're just getting into position now!" came another voice, this one seemingly coming out of the glowing rectangle itself. "We'll cover the west side of the wreck, you secure the east!"

"Will do, babe! I'll try and rally up the big guys so we can take point. Let's do this, Team SPAND-X!"

"I never agreed to that being our team name…"

"Later, Sun!"

With that, five of the figures split off - one of them literally flew into the sky, somehow - and left only the warrior with golden hair and metallic yellow gauntlets behind. In stark contrast to the Glatorian and Agori that Ackar was familiar with, she seemed to wear cloth armor instead of metallic plating, and her tan skin was soft and smooth instead of rough and coarse. Her face was unobscured by a helmet or other protective headgear; instead, she openly flaunted violet eyes and a friendly smile as she turned to face him, daring to approach until she stood about a yalm away from the elder swordsman.

The two warriors studied each other for a quick, thoughtful moment before the shorter one finally spoke up.

"…huh, weird," she said with a raised eyebrow. "Coco said she saw a ship full of half-robot people crashing out here, but…you don't look like any Toa I've seen before."

Ackar mirrored the expression. "And you're no Glatorian," he countered. "But I suspect that won't matter much to them."

He gestured with his sword to the horde of black tarry creatures ahead of them, who were howling and snarling and preparing to charge through the dying walls of flame. The newcomer frowned and turned back to glare at the beasts, her hair erupting into flames as she pumped her arms in a strange motion. A loud ka-chunk rang out a moment later, and it took Ackar longer than he'd like to realize the strange noise had come from the patches of yellow armor around her wrists - which seemed to also serve as launchers of some kind, ones that were triggered just by the movements of her hands.

"You've got a point there," she said with a nod as she fired a few more arcing shots. "The Creatures of Grimm aren't exactly picky in what they like tearing apart. Any of you guys still good to fight? Never hurts to have a few extra hands running defense - preferably if those hands are holding swords - but if you're hurt, there's no shame in pulling back and waiting things out. We'll cover you if that's the case, and protect you either way."

That gave Ackar pause for a moment, the warrior's words and conviction in her voice dispelling any doubt in his mind about these newcomers being opportunistic raiders. He stepped forward with a tight nod, clutching his sword as he prepared to fight alongside the alien warrior. Some of the younger Glatorians doubled back to get their wounds treated, while just as many followed their elder's example. Judging by how other warriors came to stand with both groups, it was clear neither were wrong in their choice.

"We've been fighting for our entire lifetimes," said the Vulcanus Glatorian resolutely. "We're not about to stop now."

"Glad to hear it, big guy." The golden-haired warrior looked over her shoulder at Ackar, her eyes suddenly crimson and her mouth twisted into a grin. "Name's Yang, by the way. Yang Xiao Long."

He nodded as he readied his sword. "Ackar. Just…Ackar is fine."

Yang chuckled. "Ackar, huh? Nice name - let's make sure you live long enough for me to remember it."

"I would appreciate that, Yang," he said with a grunt, before he and his new ally rushed back into the fray.

Maybe this bad day was finally turning around.

Some of the tall ones just went down near the front of the ship! There's a gap in the defensive line, we need someone to plug it up until they can regroup! I've got Ravagers up here that still need a good thrashing - Blake, can you get things sorted down there?

Little busy over here with some Cadejos! Fox?

Carrying one of the small guys away from a Sulfur Fish pack! Jaune, where are you?

I'm keeping a pod of Thresher Fins back with Velvet! We can't let these things get too close!

Coco groaned inwardly as she kept a tight grip on Gianduja, sweeping the rotating barrels of her minigun side-to-side and hosing down the manta-like Grimm in a shower of Dust rounds. This was why she hated surprise defense assignments - they left everyone scrambling to get into a good position for maximum protection, and once folks got entrenched it was hard to deal with emergencies. Sure, defending a caravan with a broken wheel or a sand-filled engine was easy enough. Protecting a ship that could have fit two copies of Shade Academy inside its shattered hull? That much ground to cover with only a dozen Huntsmen and Huntresses was a recipe for disaster.

Hopefully Oscar manages to get ahold of Winter sooner rather than later, she thought over the telepathic network maintained by her partner. Mobulas over here are neutralized, so I'll go help out at the front. Yats, how good's your throwing arm?

Good enough to do what you're thinking of, came the stoic reply.

She smirked. You know me so well, big guy. Incoming!

With that she collapsed her minigun back into its handbag form and ran at full tilt across the battlefield, whacking a lunging Cadejo in the face for good measure. Yatsuhashi was there in all his seven-foot-tall glory, bare arms flexing with each mighty swing of Fulcrum that split apart the shadowy wolves moving into the newly-cleared area. If she had any interest in guys, she might've considered her teammate very attractive; as it was, she just appreciated his raw strength for the gutsy move she had in mind.

Yatsuhashi looked up and squatted low, the flat of his broadsword already facing her as he nodded.

Scarlet, you better catch me this time!

When have I ever not caught you, Coco?

…you don't really want me to answer that, do you?

Before she could second-guess herself she leapt and planted both feet against Fulcrum's wide fuller, bracing herself as the gentle giant spun around and flung her into the sky. Her stomach rose up into her chest and her heart pounded in her throat as the wind whipped through her chocolate-colored hair, though her dark glasses and signature beret stayed firmly in place (style was everything to her, even in Vacuo). When the sandy browns of the desert and the tarry black of the Grimm came rushing towards her at an alarming rate, she felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her waist and lift her back up. She didn't need to look over her shoulder to know that the red-haired Scarlet David was carrying her through the air, pulsing his Semblance harder than usual to correct for the additional weight.

"Careful with the hands there, flyboy," she said with a teasing smirk. "Your boyfriend might get jealous."

Despite his cheeks going as red as his namesake, Scarlet did his best to play it cool. "Please. Nolan knows I'm his. Besides, your wily womanly charm has no power over me, remember?"

"I know, but it's still fun to tease." Her brow furrowed. "Drop me off right over there - I see the opening you called out."

"You got it! Thanks for flying David Airlines, love! Be sure to leave a five-star review!"

"One star. I never got my free peanuts."

"Fair 'nuff."

Once again she felt herself get flung, this time down to a sharp corner of the ship where the Grimm had broken through the defensive line. A number of the wounded warriors were getting pulled back into relative safety by figures half their height, while another fighter - a white-clad, ten-foot-tall titan with a double-bladed staff and a snowflake-shaped shield - was tearing through Cadejos to give his smaller friends at least some degree of cover. It wasn't enough, however; one wolf bit his leg, another chomped down on the arm, and a third tackled him to the ground.

Guess it's as good a time as any to see if the new shoes work.

Coco flipped in midair so that she landed feet-first in front of the ivory-armored figure, triggering the Dust woven into the calves of her high-heeled boots. Purple threads glowed along the seams within the black leather, unleashing a wave of anti-gravity energy that made the Grimm dog-piling the warrior float helplessly away. That gave her the chance she needed to dispatch the wolves in one, two, three swings of Gianduja, slamming the entire compacted mass of her purse into their withering frames and turning them into fine clouds of smoke.

Hell yeah, I'd say they work! I'll have to buy Ilia a few drinks later…on her tab, of course.

With a smirk she spun on her heel and deployed her minigun yet again, the ammo drum and rotating barrels expanding as the purse practically unfolded itself in her hands. As soon as the handle popped up and formed a comfortable grip for the gun, she pulled the trigger and let her baby spin up to belch out Dust bullets at thousands of rounds per minute. Normally she'd be conservative with her ammo and fire in short bursts - especially considering that the elemental powder used to make each drum was worth its weight in gold and water these days - but for an emergency like this she had no such reservations. Every life counted.

The Grimm howled and yelped as they were torn to shreds by the torrent of gunfire, each bullet amplified by her Semblance to make the fiery explosion that much more powerful. Overkill? Maybe, but it got the message across quite well - and kept the Cadejos back long enough for the wounded to pull back as fresh warriors rushed out to take their place. Once enough of the tall fighters took position next to her she let her minigun wind down with a relieved sigh, then looked at the warrior she'd just saved as another, smaller figure helped him to his feet.

"You good?" she asked, blowing away the steam radiating from her barrels.

"I'm fine now," said the taller figure, his white-armored frame leaning on his weapon for support. "Metus here can help me get inside and patched up. Thanks, stranger."

'Up and at 'em, Gelu. You've got at least a few centuries worth of fight left in you yet." The shorter figure, this one clad in ivory and light blue, patted the taller one on the back before turning his gaze towards the Huntress. "Say…how much for that?"

Coco raised an eyebrow behind her glasses. "How much for what?"

"Your weapon," said the little guy - Metus, presumably - as he pointed at Gianduja. "I've never seen a launcher like that before…and I've seen a lot of launchers over the years. Might I interest you in a trade? I'm open to haggling…"

She laughed sharply. Was one of the little aliens seriously trying to buy her weapon right after she'd used it to save them? Coco admired this Metus's gumption and ability to spot an opportunity if nothing else - even if the timing of the trade pitch was a little inconvenient.

Too bad Mama Adel had warned her not to take deals from strange men. Or women. Or armored figures from another world.

"She's not for sale," Coco finally said with a smirk. "But keep your head down, and I might show you how she works later." Her glasses slid down as she winked knowingly at Metus, then she pushed them back into place and took off sprinting to leave him and Gelu behind.

Front of the ship secured, she mentally intoned across the network of thoughts. Where do you want me next?

Saw those Gravity Heels in action from here, Coco. Very impressive stuff. Wanna see if they can pull up these Thresher Fins? They keep slipping away before Jaune and I can really cut through their scales.

The fashionista grinned. Velvet, honey, that's the most fun idea I've heard all day. Let's go fishing.

Blake darted from one shadowy opponent to another, using her natural agility and grace to cut through the monsters in her path. The collapsed form of Gambol Shroud spun around her on its ribbon, tearing inky black flesh into dark wisps of smoke. Whenever there was a tougher target in her sword's flight path, she yanked herself closer and smashed it with the cleaver-like sheath. And on the few occasions when a Grimm managed to slip past her guard, a quick pulse of her Semblance gave her an escape as their jaws and claws snapped at empty air.

They didn't all go down easily, though. A Jackalope - a cross between a deer and a very large rabbit, with the sharpened antlers of the former and the powerful hind legs of the latter - set its sights on the Faunus and hopped after her with shrill cries and murder in its blood-red gaze. Blake backflipped and leapt and left Shadows behind to absorb the cratering landings, but the killer bunny kept doggedly pursuing her while shrugging off her retaliatory slashes and pistol shots.

When one lunging kick came a little too close for comfort, she stopped evading and finally started fighting back. Blake channeled Aura through the threads of Earth Dust woven into her sash, augmenting her Semblance and turning her next Shadow into a stony copy of herself. The Jackalope shattered the statue in one blow, but found itself blinded by a cloud of silt and rubble for the briefest of moments. That was all the time the Huntress needed to draw Krahkava off her back and fling the protosteel disk with a powerful throw, finally beheading the killer rabbit with its indestructible cutting edge.

The Grimm aren't a challenge for Huntresses like us, she thought as she touched down for a quick breather, her disk bouncing back into her waiting hand. But then again, it's not us they're interested in right now…mostly.

Sure enough, in the corner of her eye she could see Jaune standing alongside a pair of armored ten-foot-tall warriors, slashing with his sword and guarding with his shield. While Crocea Mors wasn't the most complex of weapons, it still served the young knight well against the shadowy beasts that swarmed him and his taller allies. Blake leapt over to help the isolated trio, easily slipping into the storm of blades and adding her own into the mix, but even the might of four warriors couldn't keep the Grimm back forever.

Fortunately, they wouldn't have to.

"Incoming! You and your new buddies get down!"

Blake smirked as the familiar voice barked out of her Scroll, one feline ear twisting to face the the sound of a sand-cycle engine roaring as it raced closer. The moment she and Jaune hit the deck alongside the armored warriors, a green-haired Huntress - one clad in gray cargo shorts, an olive green tube top, and a white high-collared leather jacket with no sleeves - came rushing in on a weathered dirt bike, skidding to a halt and scattering sand in the faces of swarming Cadejos. While the beasts were still stunned the rider snapped out a long chain with a sickle on the other end; a quick swing and pull of a trigger activated the Fire Dust within her ammo, heating up the chain links and turning Thief's Respite into a flaming whip that tore through the shadows.

"Hey Emerald," said Blake with an almost casual air. "Guess the new upgrade works, huh?"

Despite the lower half of her face being obscured by a ventilated black mask, she could tell that the new arrival was smiling in pride as she hopped off her bike and landed next to them with a nod. Jaune stood up next alongside the otherworldly warriors, who all nodded in thanks before taking up defensive positions against the Grimm getting their bearings. In wordless solidarity, Blake and Emerald did the same as the monsters came back in to attack.

"I leave you guys alone for twenty minutes and come back to find everyone protecting a crashed alien spaceship in the middle of the Wastelands," said the former thief with a laugh of disbelief. "Has Team RWBY ever had a normal day?!"

"Not that I've seen!" Jaune called back, blocking the claws of a Cadejo and beheading it with a swift counter chop. "Even at Beacon they were always doing something important whenever we weren't looking, and dragging us into trouble along with them. I'm pretty sure they hoard boring, uneventful days like they're vacation hours."

"What're vacation hours?" asked one of the taller figures - a green-clad warrior with armor that was practically covered in blades, wielding a thorny shield that bunted back a stubborn Jackalope. "Are they valuable on this world?"

"More than you know, Gresh!" answered the young knight with a sharp laugh.

"Well it'd be nice if you girls cashed them in every now and then, just so the rest of us can have some peace of mind." Crimson eyes scanned the battlefield even as burning chains swept over it. "…where's the rest of your team?"

"There was an emergency on Mata Nui," answered Blake between salvos of barking gunfire. "Ruby and Weiss took some others with them to go help with that, then literally minutes after they left we got pulled out here to help with this. We've been putting out fires pretty much all morning."

"Damn," remarked Emerald with a huff as she swung Thief's Respite in a blazing semi-circle. "Today must be the universal 'everything goes wrong' day, huh?"

"It sure feels like it!" The taller figure that spoke earlier split his shield into a pair of sharp-edged tonfas and cleanly slashed a manta-like Mobula to pieces. "Considering what happened while we were still up in orbit…it's almost enough to make you miss the endless cycles of boredom, huh Kiina?"

The other armored warrior, this one thinner and clad in cerulean steel with a vaguely fish-shaped helmet, grunted as her trident tore through several Sulfur Fish at once. "Almost, yeah," she panted. "Although I'm not sure if this is better or worse than keeping Berix out of everyone else's rooms."

Her friend laughed, then cast a tired look at Blake. "Not to sound ungrateful for your help, but are there any more of you, uh…smaller fighters on the way here? Not even we Glatorians can fight forever."

"Neither can we," said Emerald. "Don't worry, though - Ilia said she heard Winter racing through the sky on our way here. I'll bet it won't be long before she arrives."

Blake hummed and trained her ears to the sky, listening for the distinct sound of magical flames burning to give thrust. For most people of Remnant, the distant noise would have been drowned out by the clanging and shouting of battle. But for a Faunus like her, picking it out among the chaotic symphony was almost trivial.

"I hear her too," she reported. "She's coming in from the east, and it sounds like she's already got a few summons active. Gresh, was it? Don't worry - your people will have all the help you could ask for soon."

The green Glatorian's eyes brightened behind his streamlined, V-shaped helmet, while his friend scowled and raised one scarred leathery eyebrow in her direction.

"Just one more warrior's coming?" Kiina asked skeptically. "How's that supposed to be any help?"

FWOOOOSH!

An explosion of sapphire flames tore through the battlefield, turning a huge crater of sand into glass and reducing every Grimm within to smoky ash. The signature glowing eyes of a Maiden shone through the resulting dust cloud, which settled a moment later to reveal Winter Schnee in all her cold, professional fury. One armored glove gripped tightly to a razor-thin saber, while the other hand stretched out with magic spilling between her fingers. By her will alone a dozen new swords came into being, formed out of sharpened ice and ready to cut at their master's command. Lightning crackled in the air around her. Fire burned within her glare. Glyphs containing summoned creatures spun into existence, joining the pair of spectral Manticores that touched down behind her. And although the wind swirled and billowed violently through her ivory shawl and matching trench coat, the tightly-bound ponytail of white hair never came undone.

Even the Grimm seemed to shiver in her presence.

Emerald looked at the alien warriors with a small smirk. "That's how."

"Incredible…" breathed Gresh.

"How is she doing that?" Kiina wondered.

"We'll be glad to explain later," said Jaune as he knocked a charging Cadejo away with a backhanded shield bash, "once the Grimm are dealt with, and your people are safe."

Blake took one more look at the near-endless tides of black, which even with the Maiden's magic seemed to engulf the desert, and hoped that the Glatorian didn't mind waiting for answers.

Azina vaulted over piles of rubble and squeezed through sparking doorways, making her way to the engine room of the Ark amidst the wreckage and ruin. It wasn't difficult for her - as a member of the Jungle Tribe, she was far more nimble and agile than her fellow Agori, and even among the green-armored desert scavengers she had some of the sharpest reflexes. She could have been a Glatorian if she were twice as tall and four times as muscular, but in truth she'd always preferred vehicles and welding tools over violence and weapons. So she wasn't interested in joining her crewmates as they raced onto the observation decks, hoping to catch a glimpse of the battle waging outside on a brave new world. The chaos outside was the last thing on her mind during her frantic journey to the heart of their ship…or what was left of it, in any case.

After all, she knew everyone would die anyway if the damaged Drive Core wasn't stabilized right this second.

A few tight turns and skipped ladders later she found herself in front of a thick glass wall, the only thing that shielded her from the unstable pulsating sphere of silver fluid on the other side. The Drive Core was almost as big as the room dedicated to containing it, and in its agitated state even that felt small and cramped. Most of the terminals dedicated to controlling it had been ripped off their mounts by the crash, but one of the displays flickered to life as it hung from sparking wires. Azina crimped the frayed cables back together as best she could, then slapped the console twice to make it boot back up properly.

Like most technology on Bara Magna, a few good hits was all it took to make it work like it was brand-new.

Satisfied with the connection held together by friction and prayers, the young Agori started typing up a storm, recalling over twenty thousand years of fervent study on a long-dead programming language. Her hands - which, like most Agori and Glatorians, had been mechanically augmented and plated with metal for hard, dangerous labor - glided across a bubble-filled keyslate with grace and certainty and maybe a little bit of panic. Crimson eyes darted constantly between the codes she was entering and the Drive Core she was trying to calm down, doing her best to ignore how the latter was warping steel and fracturing glass with its escalating destructive distortions.

"Come on…" she whispered under her breath, as if the heart of the Ark was a sentient being that could be reasoned with. "I know you're agitated about the crash…we all are. But that doesn't mean you get to take it out on us. It's not fair that we all die here, after we sacrificed so much just to leave our home behind."

The core didn't seem very receptive to her words. It kept pulsing unfamiliar energy with each new peak and valley that appeared on its liquid face, punching new holes in the steel and adding more cracks to the glass partition. Over the sound of a collapsing spaceship, she could hear something big and heavy battering against the helm. The war outside wasn't going well, and her fight with the Drive Core wasn't going much better.

She couldn't win that battle, but she would not lose this one.

"This isn't how our story ends," she said defiantly. "Our best Glatorians and our bravest Agori are out there right now, fighting for their lives and their dreams of a new home. I may be small…and young…but this is how I choose to fight for mine."

After one desperate slam on the "execute" button, the surface of the amorphous orb finally stopped spasming. The spatial distortions faded seconds later, its ethereal humming replaced by the creaking of metal as the sudden strain released its hold on the rest of the ship. The entire Ark seemed to release its collectively-held breath, as if it could sense that it was no longer trying to be ripped apart by the temperamental Drive Core.

Azina let out a sigh of relief right alongside the ship, feeling her muscles unclench and her bio-frame hiss beneath her skin. "Whew…there we go. See? Nothing to worry about. Nice and stable. Just in time, too…that could've been a disaster -"

BWAAAAAAAAAAM!

The force of the deafening hum shattered the glass wall and knocked her to the floor, the mysterious roar joined by a flash of silver that could have blinded her for a thousand years. Azina yelped and scrambled back to her feet before peering at the shining Drive Core through the cracks in her mechanical fingers, a technique she'd picked up to spot things flying close to a bright desert sun. She noticed that the heart of the ship, which had been a rippling sphere for their entire journey across the stars, was now a spinning ring of silvery fluid that circled around a massive pillar of matching light. Said pillar tore through the weakened metal along the ceiling and shot into the open sky, shining like the finger of a greater power reaching down to meet them.

"Okay…" she mused. "That's…new. It wasn't doing that back on Bara Magna, not even in the ruins where we found it. I'd better tell Father about this…he's the one in charge of the ship, or what's left of it at least."

And so Azina took off running on all fours yet again, hoping that whatever the mysterious Drive Core was doing meant good things for her and her people.

She couldn't even begin to imagine how this one little miracle would end up changing everything.

Yang had just ordered everyone to the front of the ship - both to consolidate their forces and to deal with the ridiculously huge Jackalope that had joined the battle - when the entire world went white.

Cries of alarm rang out from Glatorian and Hunter alike, who instantly shielded themselves against the burst of light in preparation for the coming explosion. Yang raised her arms to cover her face instinctively, as memories of Monstra being ripped apart by Long Memory rose to her mind. But unlike the blast of kinetic energy that Oscar had unleashed in Atlas, no explosive wave of force followed the blinding, all-encompassing flash. All that washed over her was a sudden warmth, one that felt vaguely familiar…somehow. The flood of silver faded a few moments later and a blurry world came back into focus, yet the sand below her feet still seemed to shimmer with veins of mysterious energy.

While the light left her and her fellow fighters unharmed, the same could not be said for the Grimm.

Howls and shrieks pierced the air for a moment before falling silent mid-scream, as the monsters wailing in despair were reduced to little more than ash on the wind. After blinking the stars out of her eyes, Yang noticed that every Grimm in a half-mile radius around the ship had been completely vaporized - and the ground where they once stood was now laced with more of those glowing tendrils, all of which fed into one massive pillar of light like the roots of a great silver tree. When one of the Cadejos on the outskirts of the energy field poked a paw experimentally into the charged terrain, the claw of shadow dissolved into a smoky mist.

"Uh…" said Jaune, slowly lowering his shield to stare at the newly-glowing terrain. "What?"

"Yeah, I'll second that." Sun rubbed his eyes. "What?"

Blake's eyes narrowed as she spotted a mighty Thresher Fin attempting to launch itself into the now-empty battlefield, only to be vaporized before it could even touch the sand.

"…interesting," she mused. "Whatever that light is, the Grimm can't even touch it." The feline Faunus hummed thoughtfully as she looked back towards the shining beacon. "It's gotta be coming from that pillar there…does the Glatorian ship have weapons? Is this one of them?"

"It's a colony vessel, not a warship," said Ackar brusquely. He looked back and shifted his helmet to shake loose some visors made of dark glass. "Although…that light does look like it's coming from where the Drive Core would be. Huh. Guess it fell with our half of the Ark after all."

"Doesn't seem like this reaction is stopping anytime soon, either." A crimson-plated Glatorian stowed his knife and crouched to examine the glowing sand. "Fascinating…it looks like the terrain itself has been energized. Possibly due to exposure from that beam of light? I'll need to run some tests later, once the fighting's done…"

"That chance may come sooner than you realize, Perditus." A third Glatorian, this one in navy-blue armor with gold highlights, pointed to the far rim of the empty battlefield. "Look there."

Sure enough, the Grimm at the edges of the glowing field gave up their ill-fated attempts to brave the terrain and fled. Mobulas raced away across the sands, Cadejos bounded with tails between their legs, Sulfur Fish swarms burrowed back underground, Thresher Fins snarled and dove deeper into the desert ground, and even the flocks of bat-like Ravagers overhead took flight in the opposite direction. Even the Jackalopes, after giving lingering glares to the victors, turned and hopped away with leaping bounds, though they made certain to scatter sand in the ship's general direction just so that they knew they were upset.

Regardless of circumstance and convenience, the battle was won…for now.

Yang let out her breath in a long sigh of relief, only to nearly tumble over when Blake leapt into her arms for a hug they both needed. Jaune's shoulders sank as he sheathed and collapsed Crocea Mors, while Emerald slumped down and pulled the half-mask off her face for a greedy gasp. All around them the members of Team CFVY and SSSN stowed their own weapons, while the Glatorians lowered their swords and shields and sighed in exhaustion.

Winter stepped over and let the magic fade for a moment, scanning the battlefield with a stare that could have frozen a man solid. Yang made her way over to the Maiden with a mostly-genuine smile, her mouth full of compliments and accolades. She wanted to say how good the eldest Schnee daughter had gotten at controlling her powers in such a short time, how they couldn't have won without her there. But the clipped question from Winter made all her confidence wither and die on the spot.

"Where's Weiss?"

It was a question the brawler knew was coming, but one that she dreaded all the same.

"Um…well…y'see…" said Yang uncertainly, trying to find the words that wouldn't get her immolated on the spot. "She and Ruby took Qrow and Neo and Jaune's teammates back to Mata Nui. There was an emergency happening over there -"

"And you just let her go?"

Yang wasn't sure if Winter's question was directed at her, or at herself. "There…wasn't really any time for a better option."

For a brief moment, the fiery Huntress could see her own pain and uncertainty mirrored in the icy Maiden's expression - the fear and worry over a little sister fighting her own battle, in a faraway place where she couldn't protect her. Only Yang had the benefit of knowing what Mata Nui was like, and that her beloved Ruby had been alive and well in the new world. For the two weeks they'd all been gone, Winter hadn't had that luxury; for all she knew, Weiss had died when she didn't join the rest of the Schnees in Vacuo, and had no reason to believe she'd come back until the girls turned up in a Mistrali Skyboat at Shade's airstrip.

And now she was just learning that Weiss had gone back to that place. Back to the place where Winter almost lost her.

Much as Yang wanted to step forward and hug her, the Maiden concealed her grief and nodded tersely.

"…I see. I'm needed elsewhere. See to the safety of the ship's crew - I'll send others to reinforce your position."

With that, she pulsed her magic and willed flames around her boots, taking off in a plume of sky-blue fire.

"Well, that could have gone better," groaned Yang as the others finally started gathering around her.

"Could have gone worse, too." Blake reassured her with a ruffle of her hair and a smooch on the cheek.

"Yeah, this is just typical sibling worry," added Jaune with a smile. "She'll cool off…she just needs some time."

"She also had to leave the caravan she was escorting earlier to help us out here," explained Ilia, hooking Lightning Lash back onto her belt and fluffing her ponytail. "We'll see her later…hopefully. If she's not too busy."

"Throwing herself into yet another battle after winning this one," mused Yatsuhashi. "Dangerous. Any flame that burns twice as bright can only last half as long."

"Yeah, but good luck telling her that," sighed Coco. Then she looked over at the gathering of otherworldly warriors and put on her most charming smile. "Anyway, hi, hello, sorry about the drama. Welcome to the Kingdom of Vacuo, hope you like sand and bugs. How are you all doing?"

Yang forced herself to refocus on the bigger Goliath in the room - the fact that Remnant had actual aliens. Way more exciting, and less heart-wrenching to think about.

"A lot better than we'd be if you hadn't shown up!" One green-armored figure stepped forward with stars in his eyes, his faceplate sliding back into his helmet to reveal a big bright smile. "I've never seen moves or weapons like yours before…no Glatorian I know is crazy enough to do that kind of stuff in the arena! Except maybe Kiina."

"Really, Gresh?" Another Glatorian, this one clearly a female, rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'm not that much of a try-hard."

A third raised an eyebrow beneath a snowflake-shaped helmet. "…you are the same Kiina that knocked me out with a spinning kick during our last match, right?"

"It was a spinning shield strike, Gelu. If I'd ever tried kicking your thick skull, I'd probably lose the entire foot."

"Good, then maybe I'd finally have a chance against you." Gelu chortled and crossed his arms as he looked over the gathered Huntsmen and Huntresses. "Sorry to bore you all with our ancient history. You helped us out of a tight spot, and saved the Agori we were protecting. Appreciate your help."

"Indeed." Ackar raised his sword and bowed deeply. "You have our thanks, warriors of this world. If there's anything we can give you in payment, we'll do so gladly."

"That's what we do," said Jaune with a respectful bow of his own. "As for what you can give us…well, how about your names to start with? I'm Jaune Arc, leader of Team JNPR, and these are my friends…"

Introductions between the two warrior groups were short, sweet, and swift. While most people would have had trouble keeping odd names like "Tarix" or "Perditus" straight, Yang had some practice thanks to her time on Mata Nui. The tall, armored warriors wielding all manner of weapons didn't quite have the same presence as the Toa she'd traveled with, but they carried themselves with respect and distinct personalities all the same. What they seemed to lack in elemental powers and energized Kanohi masks, they more than made up for in raw strength and grit. And while the skin underneath their armor was clearly non-metallic, the near-universal presence of glowing eyes and robotic hands indicated that there was something deeper. Something…not entirely organic.

Some of the smaller figures, who on average were about four feet tall with mechanically augmented arms and hands and sometimes legs, finally felt brave enough to greet the humans and Faunus who'd saved them. Yang could only presume that these were Agori, and they too felt familiar. In a way, they kind of reminded her of Matoran…if the Matoran were a foot taller, wore helmets instead of masks, and had more muscle than metal in their frames.

The guys we met on Mata Nui were mostly mechanical with fleshy bits inside, mused the blonde Huntress. Wonder if it's the opposite for these guys?

After the introductions were mostly finished, Fox chuckled and crossed his arms. "So…is this the part where you guys are all 'we come in peace' this, and 'take me to your leader' that? Because if there's gonna be any probing involved, count me out."

"Whoa, you watch those old sci-fi movies too?" Neptune exclaimed excitedly.

"Well, I do more listening than watching. On account of the whole, you know…" He waved his hand in front of his pale eyes meaningfully.

"…ah, right, sorry. My bad, man."

"S'all good."

Another one of the smaller beings, this one clad in red and gray armor worn down by the sands of time, raised a hand as he stepped off the ship's ramp. The way that the crowds seemed to part for him, and the way that even the Glatorian bowed their heads in respect…it was clear to all that this Agori was held in high esteem, much like the Turaga of Mata Nui. Based on the hunched frame and the patient wisdom in his amber eyes, it wasn't had to see why.

"Greetings, warriors of this world. I am Raanu, former Chief of Vulcanus and the current commander of this expedition. We mean no harm to you or your kind…in fact, we are all quite grateful for your assistance. I must ask, though - are there any cities or settlements nearby that we may seek refuge in? We of Bara Magna have traveled among the stars for many cycles, and wish for nothing more than solace beyond the cramped confines of the Ark."

Yang's gut sank as she looked at her fellow Hunters, who all had mixed expressions on their faces that mirrored her own. Of all the times for new people to come looking for a place to stay…and they had to land here, out of all the spots they could have crashed.

Luckily for them all, Jaune was the first to speak up. "Well, yes, but…it might be best just to take some of you there to start with. You know, as a 'first contact' kind of thing - where you represent your people's interests, and we do our best to help you out. That should help to avoid culture shock on both sides…you can learn more about us, and we can learn more about you. I hope that's acceptable?"

…Jaune Arc, if I wasn't already dating Blake I could kiss you right now.

Raanu hummed thoughtfully, then after silently conferring with some Agori and Glatorian behind him he nodded with a metallic smile. "…very well. We accept your proposition. Metus and I shall gather a company to go with you, while the rest of us can pitch encampments around the Ark for the time being. If what Azina reported remains true, then the monsters should be kept at bay by the pillar of light…for as long as it still shines, at least."

Another Agori in icy armor, presumably Metus, smirked as he stepped forward. "In other words…I believe this is the part where we ask you to take us to your leader."

Yang grinned. She could already tell she was gonna get along great with the visitors from Bara Magna.

But would the rest of Vacuo and the remains of Atlas come to say the same?

(A/N): Sooo…I'm sure that the BIONICLE purists have questions about my decision to bring characters from the Bara Magna arc into the Remnant side of things. Namely, "why?" To which I respond with "why not?!" But more to the point, there are several key reasons why I'm doing this.

First of all, these characters made their debut in BIONICLE's 2009-2010 story arc just before the line's cancellation, and if I was just following the canon storyline to a T there is absolutely no way that I'll be able to write enough sequels to get to the point where they'd be introduced normally. As much as I love both RWBY, BIONICLE, and the universe I've created, I don't want to tie myself down into doing only this for the rest of my life. I've made that mistake before, where I had ambitions that were bigger than the story I was able to write, and that made the very act of working on that story a five-year-long chore that almost made me quit writing altogether by the end of it. I don't want to repeat that mistake with this. This project, and the things attached to it, are too important to me to let that happen.

Second, given how late the stuff for Bara Magna came into the BIONICLE storyline, we never really got a chance to get to know these characters like we got to know Tahu, or Hahli, or Makuta. We got a few books, sure, and a handful of comics, but those were mere crumbs compared to the feast we were used to. The only really big story thing we got for that year was a movie called The Legend Reborn, which made some…interesting decisions, mostly in regards to the Skrall and the supporting cast's characterizations. So this fic is going to be a chance for me to explore the Agori and the Glatorians, when the main story didn't really give much of a chance to focus on that strange and unfamiliar world full of interesting characters and ideas that were tragically cut short by the line getting canceled. (And to fix what the movie did to Tuma…good grief, I could write a novel about how things went wrong with the major arc villain for that year.)

Lastly, it's a thematic parallel to its predecessor. One of my favorite things for sequels is when they take the premise of the thing that came before, and spin it on its head. Destiny's Divide asked the question of "What if RWBY characters found themselves on Mata Nui?" Dutiful Destruction (or at least this part of it) is going to ask the question "What if BIONICLE characters found themselves on Remnant?" That concept, incidentally, dovetails nicely into another central conflict I plan to tackle on the RWBY side of things - that being, of course, the whole situation with Atlesian refugees in Vacuo. Is the desert big enough for all three of them? Can they come together to build a better Remnant? Will they rise above the mistakes they made in the past to secure a prosperous future for everyone? I dunno, but I sure hope so!

In any case, I hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you next time!