AUTHOR'S NOTES: A somewhat short chapter tonight. I'd hoped to get to some action, but between some character development for Ren, Yang and Cinder, plus Salem dropping some foreshadowing, we'll have to get to the big Penny fight next time. Some of Ren and Pyrrha's dialogue is taken from the RWBY JNPR Anthology manga, which is very, very good.
Wroclaw Airfield Barracks
Wroclaw, Republic of Poland
2 September 2001
To say that the atmosphere in the small barracks bunk bay was thick with tension was a vast understatement. Pyrrha sat on one bunk, drying her hair with one towel, while she wore another; they had brought no clothes with them, naturally. Ren lay back on another, staring at the ceiling in sullen silence. They were the only ones present: the bay acted as Wroclaw's transient aircrew quarters.
The door banged open, causing them both to jump. "Got some food!" Yang came in with three styrofoam containers in her artificial hand and three cans of soda in the other. "It's cold, but I've got some kielbasa, some pumpernickel bread, and some Cokes! Mmm mmm!" She set one down on the bunk she'd taken, set another next to Pyrrha, who thanked her with a nod, then set one down next to Ren.
He glanced at the container, then got out of bed. "I'm not hungry." He stalked out the door of the barracks.
Yang watched him sit down under a light, his head hanging down. "Went to a lot of trouble to get that," she grumbled. "Never thought I'd see Ren acting like a total asshole."
"He's under a lot of stress right now," Pyrrha said.
"Hm." Yang went back to her bunk and sat down, opening the container and making herself a sandwich. "He still didn't need to say that to you. You've had it rough, Pyrrha. Saying you have a death wish because of Jaune…"
Pyrrha finished drying her hair, turned around, dropped the towel, and got dressed in her flight suit again. "Sometimes I wonder if I do," she said quietly. "I thought I'd come to terms with Jaune, but…after…"
"After Clover threw you over." Yang munched on the sandwich. "You really believe Arashikaze ordered him to get close to you?"
"Yes." Her fists clenched, then relaxed. "I was a fool, Yang. This was not the time for some…some fling."
"Oh, I don't know, Pyrrha," Yang argued. "Ruby hooked up with Oscar." She shook her head. "Still can't believe that happened…Weiss has been making goo-goo eyes at Marrow, of all people; Ren and Nora are Ren and Nora…hell, you and me are about the only two people who weren't hooking up with someone." She smiled. "If you don't count me groping Blake the other morning by accident." Despite herself, Pyrrha laughed, which had been Yang's intention. "It's wartime, Pyr. People are going to be screwing everywhere. Tomorrow we must die and all that crap."
Pyrrha turned around and zipped up the flight suit. "It still doesn't make it right, Yang. Clover…it would have complicated things."
Yang heard the wistfulness in Pyrrha's voice, a sorrow for what might have been. Geez, she's got to be feeling like hell, Yang thought as she ate, and Pyrrha stared down at the floor, lost in thought. She falls in love with Jaune, and he gets killed. Then she gets close to Clover, and he gets killed. She's probably thinking she's cursed or something. It made her think of her own relationship with Blake. Blake's my best friend. I love her like a sister, but…damn. I keep staring at her. I keep thinking about her stretching naked yesterday. Why the hell do I find that so frigging erotic? I'm not a lesbian; I love dudes. I love that feeling when… Yang felt the heat rising on her face, and elsewhere. Okay, better quit thinking about that, otherwise I'm going to have to excuse myself here. But it doesn't make any sense. She stared at Pyrrha's body, which the flight suit could not disguise. I'm not attracted to Pyrrha. She's beautiful, but I don't want to sleep with her. And I kind of want to with Blake. She took a big bite of the kielbasa. I'm okay with being bi, I guess, assuming I am or something. But Blake…nah. She was banging Adam and Sun. She doesn't want me, and I can't blame her. She held up her artificial arm. Stop it, Yang. You're still a whole woman. People don't even notice this thing. Blake certainly wouldn't.
"Pyrrha," Yang said solemnly, "we need to get laid."
Pyrrha smiled. "Maybe so."
Yang ate quietly for a bit, as Pyrrha finally began to make herself a sandwich as well. "Pyr…do you think she thinks less of me for not going along with the Salem thing?"
Pyrrha shook her head. "Ruby is your sister. She's always going to love you, even when you disagree."
"Yeah," Yang sighed, even though it wasn't Ruby she was talking about. She finished off the kielbasa. "We probably should get some sleep. Those mechanics out there looked like they were using beer cans to fix my bird…and if it works, I am totally okay with it." She cracked open the soda.
"What about Oscar?" Pyrrha said. None of them had wanted to discuss their missing friend.
"I don't know," Yang admitted. "That damn Night Raven is practically invisible to the AWACS. No way they got a trace on the bastard. Oscar could be anywhere."
"There has to be a reason he was captured and not one of us. Salem didn't just order that Faunus to grab someone random from the squadron. Oscar was targeted."
"I wish I knew." Yang remembered Copper Baxter staring down at her, and his weird hesitation over silver eyes. It had saved her life, but that was more mysterious than him kidnapping Oscar.
"Well…" Pyrrha got up, grabbed her dinner and Ren's, and walked towards the door. "I'll go make sure Ren doesn't brood himself to death. Get some sleep if you can."
"Yeah. Darkest before the dawn, right?" Yang kicked off her flight boots and lay back on the bunk. She couldn't help thinking about what her uncle Qrow used to say to that: it's always darkest before it gets pitch black.
Ren didn't look up as Pyrrha sat down next to him, handing him the food. "Peace offering?"
He let out a long breath, then opened the container. "Thank you."
"Thank Yang. She scrounged it from somewhere." Pyrrha shooed away some flies and began eating.
Ren did the same. It was silent for a few minutes as they ate. Ren surprised himself by eating his food rather quickly; he was hungrier than he'd thought, and used to eating quickly. He finished the sandwich, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and leaned back against the lamppost to sip his Coke. "I'm sorry for what I said. I was very much out of line."
"Yes, you were. Even if you were telling the truth." Pyrrha leaned back as well. "I won't lie to you, Ren. You know how bad off I was. You saw that for yourself." She looked at her wrists; there were still scars there, from where she had tried to slice them. Either Yang had never noticed or was too discreet to mention them; the scars were usually hidden behind her sleeves. "I thought…maybe…after killing Cinder, or thinking I'd killed Cinder, and seeing Jaune's statue in Algeria, that it might be enough to finally put him behind me, to give Jaune peace. And then Clover…just brought it all back, twice as worse." She looked at him. "I don't have a death wish, Ren. I just want to kill Salem, and her entire faction. And if that means my life for hers, it is an exchange I will gladly make." Ren gave her a concerned look, but Pyrrha held up a hand. "Enough about me. What is going on with you?"
Ren hesitated to answer, but finally gave in. He needed to talk with someone too. "Pyrrha…" He wasn't sure how to begin; Ren had never been good about talking about his feelings. Men did not do that. Men were like his father: stoic, uncomplaining, defenders of the innocent. Talking about feelings was dishonorable and weak. Then he felt her hand on his shoulder, warm. She was the closest friend he'd ever had, besides Nora. "It's about Nora…as you might have guessed."
"You're fighting with each other," she observed.
"Yes…and no." Ren stared at the dark night sky. "I still love her. But since we got here…I don't know what it is. I think it's seeing all those refugees when we fly. I've been there, Pyrrha. I was once one of them. I know what it's like to lose everything, to have no home, to sleep under this." He motioned at the sky. "And in much worse weather. And I know what it's like to go hungry. Nora and I…we used to steal food together." He smiled in remembrance. "We were actually pretty good at it." Ren stared at his hands. "It's made me remember what it was like. And that scares me."
He turned to look at Pyrrha, and she was surprised to see Ren's eyes shining. "Nora and I worked hard, Pyrrha. We put ourselves through college, then flight school. At any step of the way, we could have lost our dream. Nora was all right with that—she said she could be a housewife, if it came down to it—but she wanted to fight too. More than me, I think. She wanted to fight the GRIMM, make them hurt for what they did to us. And now…now we've lost it all."
"What are you talking about?" Pyrrha asked.
"What's happened since we got here, Pyrrha. I think Ironwood is right. I don't think we can hold Poland. I hate to see all these people lose their homes, but it's better than seeing Salem kill them, or enslave them. Someone has to be making all these GRIMM. But Ruby, Yang, Blake—they all disobeyed orders. They lied to the general. And Nora supported them."
"They had good reasons to lie to Ironwood," Pyrrha told him.
"Did they? Ironwood told Robyn about the Commando Solo eventually, and Oscar told Ironwood about JINN. They were hiding the truth for nothing, because they refused to trust the officers placed in command over them. Once more, Ironwood is right. Any military is based on trust, and if that trust is lost, then it falls apart. And like the fool I am, I went along with it. The CUAF will more than likely court-martial me, the same as our air forces will do to all of us." He touched the wings sewn onto his flight suit. "Everything I worked for to get these was for nothing, Pyrrha."
Pyrrha shook her head. "Ren, listen to me. Yes, Ruby was wrong, and so were Yang and Blake. But so was Ironwood! His orders were lunatic. Order us out of the theater when we're some of the most experienced pilots he has? When we know the truth about Salem and what she really wants? What good can we do this fight if we're at Lakenheath or back in the United States?" Pyrrha thumped the ground with a fist in frustration. "He could have punished us after the battle was over."
"Both sides are wrong and both sides are right," Ren mused quietly.
"It's a nightmare," Pyrrha agreed. "You must pick your nightmare side. If Ruby's plan works, then all of this will be forgotten. Even if it doesn't, it's better than just sitting on our ass. I've had quite enough of that." She stared at him. "So when are you going to get to the real reason you're upset, Ren?"
Ren thunked his head against the lamppost. "Women's intuition?"
"Something like that."
Ren nodded. "I am worried about our careers, Pyrrha. But yes, I'm also worried about Nora. I watched my father die. I didn't see Jaune die, but I watched him fly away for the last time. I don't think I could handle it, if…if something happened to Nora. I love her. I want to protect her. She would say that she doesn't need protecting, and she's probably right. But I am desperately afraid something is going to happen to her." He looked at his hands, which had a slight tremble—for Ren, it was a violent display of emotion. "We had a bit of a scare a week or so ago. Nora thought she might be pregnant."
Pyrrha smiled. "Yes, I know. She came to me about it. Irregular periods; it's a product of combat stress. I've had the same problem."
"She was all right with it, Pyrrha. She wants our child. I want to have children with her. I want to watch them grow up, be the father to them that my father never had a chance to be with me. I don't want them to live in a world with Salem. I don't want a visit from the chaplain saying that Nora has died. I especially don't want her to have a visit from one." His hands clenched to fists. "So you see my dilemma, my friend. I love Nora dearly. I want to make her my wife, as soon as possible. But I do not want to make her a widow."
"Then you must quit flying."
"And if I do that…I have wasted all that I have done for my life. I was born to be a fighter pilot, as were you. And I will not ask Nora to do the same, for the same reasons." He sighed. "That is where I am, Pyrrha. Stuck on the horns of a problem that I cannot solve. And I'm afraid…I've driven her away somewhat. I'm just so…afraid. Yes, we use protection, but accidents happen, and if Nora…if Nora should…" He couldn't finish the sentence. "So I am afraid, and a coward."
Pyrrha reached over and hugged Ren. "You are far from a coward. But you need to speak with Nora. Talk to her, because you still can. I can't talk to Jaune anymore. I wish I could, more than anything—even if it was just to fight. That's an order, Captain."
Ren was quiet for awhile. "You're right." He leaned against her. "Thank you, my friend. You're one of the best, Pyrrha."
"I try."
Ren got up. "You try pretty well."
The Palace of Culture and Science
The Ruins of Warsaw, Republic of Poland
2 September 2001
Cinder Fall stopped short of her destination, the locked steel door to the prison cell deep beneath the Palace. It had been installed by the KGB decades before, before the Third World War, where Polish dissidents could be quietly dealt with. From the noise she heard, Oscar Pine was being similarly dealt with. It brought back remembered pain for Cinder, when her stepmother had "dealt with" her. She had been careful not to leave any scars on Cinder; her scars were far deeper than physical ones. Even with half her face and an arm gone, Cinder would never compare her injuries to the psychological ones inflicted on her as a child.
The door clanged open, startling Cinder out of her thoughts, and Salem stepped out. She moved aside for Hazel, who stomped out, his wrapped hands dripping with blood. He moved past Cinder, roughly shouldering her aside, a look of utter rage on his face, sweat pouring off of him, and headed down the hall. Salem watched him go, then put her head back in the cell. "I suggest you rethink your resistance, Oscar. Everyone has a breaking point. I will find yours. It would be best to give me what I want, while you've still got some teeth left and the ability to father children." She shut the door. "Ah, Cinder. Did you need something? Have you seen my Hound? He is supposed to be here by now."
"No, Your Grace." She thought about looking at Oscar, but thought better of it, and followed Salem down the hallway. "He didn't break?"
Salem shook her head. "No. It's my fault. Hazel lost his temper and just started beating him. The problem is, he exhausted himself." She glanced back towards the cell door. "There are other, far more effective ways of torture besides simply beating someone." She shrugged. "As I said, was there something you needed?"
"Yes, I want to search for Penny Polendina. Bring her down, perhaps even get the Winter Maiden for us. I think—"
Salem suddenly whirled on her. "You think! You want!" Cinder shrank back against the brick walled passage, shocked by the sudden display of temper. "As if you've done something that warrants me caring about either of those activities!" She turned and resumed walking, her cloak billowing out behind her.
Cinder followed. "But, Your Grace…we're just sitting and waiting. As long as Polendina controls the Winter Maiden, she is a threat—"
"I will tell you when and where you are needed," Salem said evenly, not even sparing Cinder a glance.
"Your Grace—"
Salem stopped. "I would like to think I have shown a great deal of patience over my many years walking this planet, but I do so hate repeating myself. You will remain here. Is that perfectly clear, Cinder?" She looked over her shoulder. "There are other cells down here besides Oscar's."
Cinder bowed her head. "Of course. Perfectly clear, Your Grace. Without you, I am nothing."
"And you can stop that as well. I do not abide what my dear Ozpin would call a kiss-ass. Ah, there you are." The last was in reference to the Hound, who arrived and came to attention in front of Salem. "I want you to guard Oscar Pine's room for now. Do not let him sleep. If he requests water, there is some in the bathroom he can drink—fill a water bottle. If he wants food, ignore him. Above all, do not let him sleep. You are not to touch him, but banging on the door should be sufficient. Am I understood? Repeat back my instructions."
The Hound did so, exactly. "Mistress, about the silver-eyed girl. I saw her sister at Swidwin. Would you like me to go after her? I will need a new team."
"Not at the moment." The Hound came to attention again, and moved between Salem and Cinder, headed for Oscar's cell.
Salem watched him go. "The cloning process is not exact," she told Cinder. "It produces morons who cannot think for themselves. Perfect little Communists that my former masters would've liked, but just barely adequate for my purposes. And he was the only one of the clones to live. The others died quickly, or…well. It was quite a mess." She motioned Cinder to follow. "And that is why I want Penny Polendina alive if it all possible, Cinder. I want to find out how Dr. Polendina made her. Penny thinks for herself, is her own person." Cinder recognized the contradiction in Salem's words: she wanted clones who could think for themselves, but demanded her minions not think at all. "Do you want to make yourself useful, Cinder?"
"Of course, Your Grace."
"Go to the command post and inform them to execute Operation Venus. I think it's time." Salem paused. "I suppose you should know. Operation Venus is pulling back the GRIMM on the southern flank. Even I do not have infinite resources, and I need to shorten my lines to transfer some of my GRIMM to the north. The NATO forces on the northern sector are proving themselves rather stubborn. Ironwood is retreating towards the Oder, but he's being damned methodical about it. We'll see if he can resist an open invitation to attack."
"But won't that weaken our southern flank?"
Salem sighed. "Cinder, when will you realize that what the master seems to do and what they intend are as different as white knight to black bishop? I have something very special planned for Ironwood's forces if they take the bait." She smiled. "Poor James Ironwood. He thought he was ahead of me by taking a nuclear warhead from the mine at Belchatow. He should have gone deeper."
Cinder delivered the message as ordered. The radioman took it, read it back to her to make sure, and then nodded. "It will be done immediately, Comrade Fall. Is there anything else?"
The archaic Soviet form of address had taken some getting used to, and it amused her. You can take Salem out of the USSR, Cinder thought, but you can't entirely take the USSR out of Salem. "Actually, there is, ah, Comrade Sergeant. Can you track Penny Polendina's B-1?" She wasn't sure if Salem had told her people about the Winter Maiden; now was not the time to find out.
"Yes, Comrade Fall. It's rather easy to do so; she has the only B-1 in Europe, oddly enough."
"Excellent. Mistress Salem has instructed me to tell you that I am to be informed immediately if she is airborne," Cinder lied.
"Yes, Comrade Fall. Immediately." The radioman came to attention and went back into the command post.
Cinder left and went searching for Neo. One wing of the labyrinthine complex below the Palace was set up as a barracks; Neo had been given a room of her own. Cinder knocked on the door; it was a few moments before Neo answered. "I need to talk to you." Neo gestured for her to come in. The room was spartan, but it was nice enough, and Neo, dressed in her pajamas, sat on the bed and yawned. Cinder yawned as well, and remembered that it would not be long before dawn. Being underground had thrown off her internal clock. "Did Salem pay you?"
Neo nodded happily. "She's very generous, your mistress," the assassin answered.
"I'm surprised you're still here."
Neo grinned. "Silly. Business before pleasure. I still have to kill Ruby Rose."
"And me."
"And you…maybe." Neo shrugged. "I haven't made up my mind yet on that one."
"I suppose that's progress. How do you feel about not necessarily killing Ruby, but…killing one of her best friends?"
Neo's eyes lit up. "Sounds like fun. Who?"
"Penny Polendina. She survived your shot to the head."
Neo's grin disappeared. "She did? That offends me on a professional level. I don't like my targets getting second chances."
"I'm going to be notified if Penny takes off in her B-1, and I want another crack at her. I can't take her alone—I tried that—but between the two of us, I think we have a good shot at it. Did Salem give you an aircraft?"
Neo soured. "Yes. A crappy antique MiG-17." Another shrug. "It's in good enough shape, but it's still a MiG-17. I want my Hawk back," she pouted.
You can want in one hand and shit in the other and see which one fills up first, Cinder almost said, one of the few sayings of her stepmother she'd actually liked. "In your hands, it might be enough." Cinder sat in the room's one chair. "Salem has ordered me to only fly when she says to, but she doesn't know Ruby's bunch like I do. They won't just abandon their misguided attempt to save the world—" There was a knock at the door. Neo gave a growl and hopped to her feet, then went over and flung open the door, nearly depositing Emerald Sustrai on her face. Cinder raised her remaining eyebrow. "Emerald?"
"I, uh, overheard what you were…" Emerald stepped into the room. "Okay, okay…I was passing by and heard your voice, Cinder. Whatever you're planning, I want in."
"Why?" Neo demanded.
"I'm getting stir crazy just sitting here." Cinder was sure that was not the real reason. "I can help," Emerald practically pleaded. "I won't tell anyone."
"Do you have an aircraft?"
"Yeah. Salem found me another Mirage somewhere." Emerald looked a bit pained. "It's a Mirage III, but it's been upgraded."
Cinder gave it some thought, then slowly smiled. "Of course, Emerald. The more the merrier."
