Nordwind PMC HQ

The technological gap between the equipment and the very architecture in the main base of Nordwind PMC was made clear as the bullhead passed through the main gate and landed onto the tarmac. The structure was a base that used to belong to Atlas during the Great War, dilapidated and worn down throughout the centuries, it has now been rejuvenated and now active once more.

Surrounded by an all encompassing shield generator, it was a fortress that seemed to be nearly impenetrable.

Nordwind mercenaries were busy all over the airfield, moving crates of supplies and marching in formation with their squadrons. Atlesian Knights with tan colouring also stood guard at various points around the base, rifles at the ready at a moment's notice.

Out of the bullhead came a few mercenaries carrying out the crates of stolen dust, followed by both Rio and Foehn.

"That went well." Rio said.

"Couldn't agree more." His boss replied, "Team RWBY doesn't appear for months and then they decide to show their faces once we are in the middle of a heist. I wouldn't be surprised if the entire train just exploded there and then with the amount of luck we had."

"Now that they're back, what do we do?" Rio asked, arms crossed and with a curious tone.

"We stay the course no matter what. We continue on with the plan..." Foehn answered firmly, "I won't be like Ironwood, I will not hesitate for a second to do what needs to be done."

"Kill the girls if they show up?..." Rio asked, taking out Pulsar and twirling it around. "I'm already eager for a rematch with that kitty cat."

"In due time, Rio. In due time." Foehn assured, "But when that time comes. We'll rip them to pieces for what they did to Atlas, and I will enjoy doing that..."

Rio sheathed his blade when a Nordwind soldier approached the two higher ranking members, giving them a quick and urgent salute.

"Commander, sir! Report from Captain Junkers from Frija! Two huntsman infiltrators defeated and repelled, minimal damage to the city but-"

He was interrupted by a hefty sigh from Foehn.

"Can't I ever leave that blockhead by himself for just one gods-damn day?." Foehn grumbled to himself before turning to the soldier. "Get more men and weapons to Frija, gotta help the 'Winter Storm' keep his cool..."

"Does that mean me?" Rio asked, only for Foehn to raise his hand against him.

"I need you here Reyes, we'll send Keisa instead." He assured.

"Keisa, the dry, chilly wind of Mantle, right?" Rio inquired.

"You watch the weather forecast, congratulations Reyes." The sound of clacking heels made themselves known behind Rio, who turned around to see a light blue-haired woman donning an Atlesian Officer's uniform, a custom cap atop her head. Her very stance was pure elegance and refined professionalism,

"Lieutenant Kira Aya..." Rio greeted, though she stepped right past him and stopped right in front of Foehn, much to Rio's annoyance.

"What is it you need me for now, Commander?" She asked, hands to her hips. "Grimm, insurgents? A bit of both?"

"Different one this time, you gotta help the 'Winter Storm' hold down Frija. Increased huntsman activity in our sectors, blatant violators of the agreements established with Vacuo."

"And what do I get in return?..." Kira asked him, cocking her head to the right a little. "A raise in my pay check? A heroes welcome? The precious love of the people."

She chuckled sarcastically, though Foehn remained unmoved by her.

"You get the chance for retribution towards the people who took your family's legacy from you." He assured her, "It's Team RWBY, the bitches are back again."

Kira's expression stiffened, everything came back to llher. What eclipsed it all were those little pathetic brats who had ruined both her and her aspirations, a chuckle escaped her as her smirk widened into a grin.

"Is there anything else I should know?" She questioned, to which Foehn replied with a shake of his head.

"Alright, I bite." She shrugged, maintaining her stiff and stoic posture. Yet underneath, she was thrilled and ecstatic about the mere idea of finally facing and destroying those that took her family's name away from her. Those that just couldn't allow her to live up to her full potential.

"Let's go hunting for some milkmaids." Kira boasted to herself, heading off to her airship surrounded by her very own personal guard of Atlesian Knights.

"Anyways, how much gravity dust were we able to snatch from that train?" Rio turned to Foehn.

"It's enough, alls I'm saying." Foehn replied, "We'll have him up and running for weeks with the amount we were able to nab. All in all, this was a good day, Reyes..."

***

"That was reckless of you girls." Qrow explained, arms crossed as he sternly glared at Team RWBY. "Brave but reckless."

Ruby still had that nasty wound on her side from the strike with the mercenaries' potent electrobatons. Yang was out of commission for a while as she sat down defeated, left without her right arm once more.

Weiss and Blake sat beside their teammates with downtrodden expressions, all of them knew that despite their best efforts they had completely failed to prevent Nordwind from stealing the dust shipment. With nothing to show for it except a wounded team leader and Yang with one less arm once again.

On the table in front of them sat the device that was strapped to the belts of the Nordwind mercenaries. Within the transparent container, the mysterious liquid glowed with a dull hue, and thanks to Sun and Neptune ratifying their experiences from Freija they now knew what new technology they were dealing with.

Artificial aura generators which were fuelled by a liquid composition of hard light dust and energy dust, successfully generating a synthetic protective barrier around the wearer of such a device. While it was nothing like genuine aura, which could heal the wounds of the person it guarded, it was nonetheless a next-generation level of protection afforded for Nordwind forces. Effectively equalizing their ground with huntsmen and huntresses, allowing them to take hits that otherwise would have knocked them out of the fight.

"These guys aren't any fairy tale bad guys. These are battle-hardened war veterans from Atlas, people who have taken their military experience and are now using it against you. And it isn't just to beat you, or humiliate you. It is to kill you, plain and simple." Qrow scolded, arms still crossed.

"I-I just thought that they could be reasoned with..." Ruby tried to explain, while she still winced every time her hand held her torso.

"We saw how far they were willing to go... Just be glad you didn't see it Ruby." Blake said. "A huntress, attacked them out of rage, they'd killed her entire team. And that big armoured guy... the leader, He executed her without a second thought..."

"Ulrich Foehn, it seems you've met him..." Qrow spoke up. "Former Commander of Atlesian Special Ground Services, a total of 57 official combat deployments under his belt. Reprimanded dozens of times due to a number of Faunus civilians dying under his watch."

"Why am I not surprised?..." Blake shook her head sadly.

"Why wasn't he removed from his position... surely Ironwood would have known..." Weiss asked.

"He was, a few months before the battle of Atlas. though after that he was allowed to establish a private security called Vivictus. Once Atlas fell, the army collapsed and most fled. Vivictus was rebranded, and their numbers now lie in the thousands..." Qrow explained further.

"He wasn't alone... there was another guy with him. He had a blue sword, very skilled... probably the best fighter I've ever seen in my life..." Blake said, with a hint of awe simply by recalling her fight with him.

"Rio Reyes, that slimy little piece of work." Nora butted in, as both she and Ren arrived. "Quite the friendly guy!"

"We were overjoyed when we heard the news, I couldn't believe it at first." Ren smiled, "We all thought we'd lost you forever in there."

"It's good to be back Ren." Blake replied, "Now, about Reyes?"

"Some big important guy in Nordwind, you look like you already met him." Nora then eyed Yang's dismembered arm. "Hey, easy gain, easy loss."

"Aw shut up Nora." Yang shook her head with a smirk and a sigh.

"We don't know much about Reyes, no record from any huntsman academies, the guy seems to be a wandering nomad. A desperado wannabe." Qrow informed. "Plenty of others like him in Nordwind, high ranking operatives who all answer to Foehn."

'So he's entirely self taught?...' Blake thought to herself. Her thoughts harkened back to Adam, who would continuously training into the late hours of the night with Wilt and Blush as she watched from the sidelines. Watching his every move, down to the most minute details as he cut down countless wooden logs.

"Now this... this is a surprise for me." Qrow picked up the strange artificial aura device, inspecting it closely as he sighed.

"I knew that they were working on some sort of device to help protect their soldiers. I didn't actually think that they had the means to pull it off, turns out I was wrong."

"So that's it?... Aura is just obsolete now?" Ruby asked.

"It isn't hard to beat those guys, even with these things. Don't worry sis, we're not out of the game just yet." Yang asserted. "It's those batons I'm worried about, I mean, look what they did to Ruby. She still hasn't healed yet..."

"I'm fine Yang, really..." Ruby assured her sister before Qrow tossed her some bandages.

"Don't have to be tough all the time Ruby." He said plainly.

She chuckled, pressing the bandages around her torso as she began to wrap it around herself.

"Wait... this device. It generates aura... right?" Jaune said, stepping forth. "Although it's artificial, our own aura is the Manifestation of our own souls. The aura of the Nordwind soldiers are subpar compared to ours, but this helps to enhance theirs to become equal to ours."

"What are you suggesting Jaune?" Blake asked curiously, "We can use Nordwind's own devices to enhance our own aura?"

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting, Blake," Jaune replied, picking up the vat of fluid and giving it to Ruby. "You up for it, Ruby?"

"Couldn't hurt to try..." She replied, taking it into her hand.

"Plastic..." Ruby commented, holding the container in her hand. It felt like putty in her hands thanks to the material and the fluids within. Knowing that she's have to find a way to get the liquid out somehow, she squeezed it hard and caused it to rupture. The liquid within the container splattered all over her, being caught and absorbed by her aura as she began to glow red.

Ruby's eyes widened as she felt the side of the stomach, feeling her boosted aura begin to quickly heal the wound inflicted by the Nordwind soldiers' electrobaton. Jaune's theory had worked, the artificial aura capsules could be used to give their own aura a boost. Fully rejuvinating it and allowing moderate wounds to be healed quicker.

"Looks like Nordwind's made one bad miscalculation..." Yang boasted, attempting to use her stub to reach for her pocket. Only to find that she had forgotten that she was missing her mechanical arm, so she grabbed her aviator sunglasses with her left hand and placed them on.

"... That'll surely hand them a defeat!" She raised an eyebrow as she smirked at all her friends, awaiting a chuckle or two.

Even Ruby shook her head in disapproval, meanwhile Blake facepalmed so hard she almost bruised her own forehead. Yang just shrugged as she scoffed at her friends.

"Killjoys."