Ruby, Weiss, Yang, and Blake look amongst themselves in light confusion as what to do next.
A voice over the bay's loudspeaker says, Yang to bay 5-D. Yang to 5-D.
Blake says, let's just see what they want. I'll catch up to you guys later. Blake heads down the bay to her station, while a voice is saying over the intercom, Blake to bay 7-D. Blake to 7-D.
The intercom blares with, Ruby Rose to bay 9-D. Ruby to bay 9-D.
Yang, Ruby, and Weiss travel down the bay slowly in a tight pack, surveying the surroundings, looking for their destination.
A whistle is heard to their right. Ruby nearly jumps out of her armor in surprise, and says, oh! That's me. Ruby breaks off, and heads towards the armor station surrounded by ODST.
Blake arrives at her station. Technicians inspect her armor, and after a moment ask, what's wrong?
Blake says, my cloaking has a long delay. And it's inconsistent. I'd like it to activate sooner.
The technicians remove her pylons, and insert new pylons. They say, here. We believe that a new power supply was needed. Fluctuations in power were a factor. As always, please exercise caution when new hardware is installed.
Blake momentarily activates her cloaking, and removes her helmet, and scans around the bay.
Blake says, it's fine. Though it's transition isn't as clear as before. The cloaking was rapid, responsive, and instantaneous before. What happened?
The technicians look puzzled, and one say we'll run a full diagnostic. We'll power you down. Hang tight.
Blake takes notice of Ruby across the bay suspended in the armor station, and shouts, hey Ruby! Isn't your suit fine? What're those for?
Ruby looks over to her left, and sees a crate of replacement parts colored red. Ruby shouts back, uh, my armor isn't supposed to be repaired. Just replaced. That's what they just told me. I just eject pieces, and new ones are put on!
A loud crash is heard nearby. Ruby and Blake snap their attention over to Yang, who is telling at the technicians.
Yang says, if I wanted to, I could shatter this flimsy armor in an instant. Make it stronger next time. I only fought twice. How did I manage to damage this hunk of junk anyways?
A nearby Spartan II, sitting on an ammo crate hears this comment, and scoffs loudly, and saying, you couldn't do squat to that armor, young lady. Besides, you never underwent our training. Don't rely on armor. It's a fatal mistake.
Yang grabs her left wrist, rotating it, saying, I have my own training, and no. None in armor. But I'm a hell of a lot stronger than this armor.
The Spartan II shakes his head.
Yang slowly struts towards him, saying en route, how about it? Test your armor against me.
Weiss, locked up in the armor station, shouts, Yang, you're as hot-headed as always, but not this reckless. He's a trained soldier!
The Spartan II nods his head in Weiss' direction, quietly saying, best listen to your friend there.
Yang boastfully says, stand up!
Ruby says, oh, no. Yang don't do this you're going to get us all in trouble.
Blake frantically looks at the technicians while they have their heads down, and asks them, arent you guys going to do anything?
One nearest to Blake says, scuffles are common. Besides, we're not allowed to intervene. What could I do anyways? It's best if she learns the hard way what it means to be a Spartan.
The Spartan II cracks his neck, while standing up, saying, I'm telling ya. This is a mistake. I don't want to break you, kid.
Yang looks up at the imposing Spartan towering over her, and confidentially demands, go ahead. You get a free first hit. Who knows, you might get lucky and make me move a foot out of place.
Blake shouts, now you're just being brainless, Yang!
The Spartan II looks at Blake for a moment, before looking down at Yang, and says, suit yourself. He lifts both his hands above his head, forming an axe strike, and immediately sweeps downwards, striking the top of Yang's head, jetting her to the ground, forcing her to land on one knee. The Spartan II asks, satisfied yet?
Ruby shouts out, Yang! Yang, are you alright? You didn't have to actually hit her, you know?!
The Spartan II Siya back down, while looking at Ruby, saying, hey! Be quiet kid. She made her decision. He looks back at Yang, whom is still on one knee panting heavily, and asks, are you satisfied?
Yang abruptly stops panting, and erupts upwards in a charge, and meets the Spartan II with a right hook in the chest, sending him flying to the ground, Yang slams her boot down on his chest, in a flash of sparks, and says, no, but thanks for asking. She quickly releases her pinning of him, and storms deeper into the ship.
The Spartan II coughs, as he gets up, asking, what the hell is her problem?
The bay's loudspeaker activates, and Fleet Admiral Schneider growls with, Yang Xiao Long, get your ass to my bridge at once. UNSC personal, escort Yang Xiao Long to me at once. Fireteam Chromatic. Get your asses ready, and get on your feet. Your first official deployment is a go. As of today, the UNSC has declared war on our enemy.
Weiss' heart sinks like a stone, and she lashes out, while struggling in her powered down armor, saying, what? You can't declare war on us! Get me out of this thing! You can't do that!
Blake, and Ruby look at Weiss with a look of nigh disgust. Ruby asks Weiss, what do you mean?
Ryan Schneider calmly asks over the loudspeaker, Schnee...what. The. Hell. Are you on about? The Promethean Knights, as they're called, are our enemy, in case you've forgotten. Do you need a psyche evaluation?
Blake, with a very surprised expression, says, Weiss...
Weiss looks down, and quietly says, power me back on. Please. And Blake. I know... I know.
Weiss' power is restored, and she hops out, slapping her helmet back on, saying sheepishly, let's go.
Blake's eyes follow Weiss' movement heading to the bridge elevator. Blake hesitates for a moment, and says, let me out.
Ruby is released, and puts her helmet on, while remaining stationary. She activates VISR, catching just a glimpse of Weiss, who is highlighted red. Ruby deactivates VISR, double taking what she saw. Ruby lifts her left hand to her helmet and says, Blake. You should only be able to hear me right now. I turned on VISR to check the layout of the ship...and well...something... interesting happened.
Blake raises her right hand to her ear piece and responds with, yes, what? Yang trying to blow a hole in the hull?
Ruby pauses, and after a moment says, Weiss came up red in my IFF.
Blake pauses as well, and says in disbelief, that's scary. Have it fixed later. Look, I'll head to the bridge. Let's not keep the angry guy waiting.
Ruby cuts the line of communication, and catches up with Blake to the elevator.
As the elevator ascends, and faint flashes of light pass on their visors through the shutters in silence, Ruby asks, is everything going Ok, you think?
Blake, asks in return, what? Is what going Ok? Yang may be punished, or something. But she will be fine.
Ruby in light confusion asks in correction, no. I meant. I meant, everything. This was exciting. But now it doesn't feel right.
Blake says, "now" when did it ever. Weiss and Yang are acting strange. And I have questions of my own, too. Look, we're here. Another time, Ruby.
Blake and Ruby step forward, aside Weiss and Yang, with Schneider in front facing them, appearing as if he's going to make a speech, while having a pair of Spartans at his side.
Schneider proudly says, Good. You're here. Alright! Listen up. From this moment onwards, we are officially at war. We must impend this upon our foes. This machination referred to only as Promethean Knights. Thus, impart them with might. Your previous deployments were to gather intelligence. But this enemy has an unknown capability, so we cannot wait. I will send detachments of troops across Remnant. Atlas will be secured first. Then the Menagerie. Vale, and then, Mistral. Vacuo is seemingly a dead zone. Certain parts of Vale are dead too. Currently, we are above Mistral outskirts... Ms Schnee. Xiao Long. This is your stop. We have a small outpost there. You will be assisted by ODST, as they've secured an area below. Do...do you two have any questions?
Weiss lowers her head, while Yang asks, yeah, why are we working in pairs different from how we normal do? And why split us up? I nearly was killed last time.
Schneider says, oh, you say you were fine. You all must be challenged, as well as get training in the process. Now, head down to the outpost.
Schneider looks up, and shouts to the ship's AI, Samantha! Charter a course for Vacuo. Engage on my command.
Weiss hesitantly heads into the elevator, silent.
Yang shifts her attention between Weiss, and Schneider, before doing the same.
As the elevator door shuts, Yang quietly asks Weiss, what's wrong? You're worrying us.
Weiss, still having her head down, lazily cocks it, slowly asking, what do you mean us? Nothing is wrong Yang. Absolutely nothing. If anything, something is wrong with you. After what you pulled by picking a fight.
Yang puts her hand on Weiss' shoulder, and points at her with her other, saying, what I did was impulse. What you said was concerning. Weiss. You can tell me.
Weiss double taps the side of her helmet with her index and middle finger, dispelling the gold colored tint of the visor, showing her face through the smokey tinted visor. Weiss says in anguish, Yang, I think that the U.N.S.C has something against Atlas. Admiral Schneider has been saying very rude things to me. He doesn't seem to like me. Is it because I'm a Schnee, or because if I'm Atlesian?
The elevator blinds rack open, and Yang takes a step out, saying, you're both tech power houses, right? Perhaps it's them being offended or shrewd.
Weiss struts out, saying, yeah, that is certainly a possibility.
Weiss double taps the side of her helmet, returning the visor to its gold color, and says, and you, Yang? Your turn now. What's bothering you?
Yang continues heading down the bay, towards the lift, while Weiss trails close behind. Yang inhales, and states, remember during our mission to Mountain Glenn, how Oobleck asked us why do we want to be Huntresses? I told him. My answer was, that I wanted to explore the world. Be free. Helping along the way is nice too, ya know?
Weiss exclaims, but that's exactly what we're doing. Exploring Remnant, and helping people.
Yang brings her fist up, looking at it, saying, but I'm in a cage, Weiss. There are strings attached. An angle. You see? This is not how someone should live.
They both approach the lift, and Weiss slams the release button, sending it down.
Weiss says, I understand, Yang. I get it. But for now, we have a job to do. And from the looks of it, it's the dead of night. And for once, we actually have backup.
Yang looks ahead at the swampy U.N.S.C outpost, seeing various ODST soldiers gearing up, and moving cargo.
They both reluctantly step off the lift. Some ODST take casual notice to them.
A more elaborate looking ODST eyes them, shouting, Chromatic, over here!
Weiss and Blake rush over to the calling ODST member. He extends his hand to Weiss, saying, welcome. Both of you. Now, you two gentlemen are Spartan IV's correct? Welcome to the fold.
Weiss abruptly crosses her arms, saying, gentlemen? Oh no. Not today. Nope. Yang...
The ODST flustered says, oh! I had no idea. Ms. Truly sorry.
Yang places her hands on her helmet and slowly looks around at the observing ODST, and pulls off her helmet, letting her golden hair fall freely. Sbe discards her helmet at her feet.
A wave of cat-calling and whistles are heard around the site. Yang, with her eyes closed, says, take it easy, boys.
The ODST in charge raises his arm, signaling the rest to stop. He says, again, my apologies. We will be moving out within an hour. Gear up if you need to. We'll be launching an assault on the Prometheans then. They're about five klicks west of here. You'll be our support.
Yang asks, "klicks?"
Weiss says, a Klick is 1,000 meters. So that's about 3 miles. Fairly close actually
The ODST soldier yells, gear up! We're out in an hour. Chromatic is here as backup!