Evernight Castle
October 22nd, 1955 Local Time, 2552
For the last couple of days, Salem had been quietly watching and listening, attempting to siphon any truth from the abundance of rumors and gossip across practically all of Remnant. Cinder and her assets, as well as Lionheart, had both managed to secure some information regarding the UNSC's plans. Combining the information that they had gathered, she had concluded that the UNSC was planning a major diplomatic meeting between the Kingdoms and Menagerie.
It was the perfect opportunity to strike, sow dissent and ill-will amongst Remnant's people and the UNSC. Or at least, it would have been, had it not been for factors simply outside of her control. The UNSC had utterly destroyed the Grimm on Vytal, but that wasn't what was obstructing her plans, a Grimm attack would never have achieved the divisive blow that Salem was hoping for.
No, what was stopping her plans was simple geography. Even if Salem had enough time to prepare a handful of her agents for a mission to Vytal, they would have to travel by airship, where they would certainly arise suspicion from any UNSC or Atlesian patrols. Ultimately, this would-be golden opportunity was simply outside of her reach, but more would certainly come.
It didn't help that the security that the UNSC and Atlas were bringing to bear was admittedly impressive. On top of the goliath alien starship, airships and starfighters alike swept the skies like hawks, with precision to match. On the ground, Huntsmen, UNSC Marines, and Atlesian Soldiers were combining their efforts to not only keep the Grimm in check but also to ensure that no would-be terrorists were able to strike.
Perhaps their losses at Argus were a bit too severe... Salem thought. She hadn't meant to reveal her hand too early.
Or was the UNSC always this paranoid? Atlas certainly hadn't displayed a sense of extreme caution like this before… then again, perhaps they were also reacting to their recent losses at Argus, as they had suffered greatly as well. Still, if this was standard practice for the UNSC, it certainly spoke to what conditions must be like back on their own planets.
"My lady."
Salem turned to see Tyrian and Watts, who each gave a polite bow as they entered the room. That was good, both of them knew their place.
"Go ahead, Doctor. I trust you have something to report?" Salem said.
"I do. After having a more in-depth examination into the radio that Tyrian recovered, I have concluded that the UNSC must use a similar kind of networked computer system to Atlas." Watts explained. "As I suspected, infiltrating their network is simply infeasible, at least remotely."
"I think he's just being a coward. Even if those goons did find us, I doubt they'd be able to take such a mighty fortress!" Tyrian proclaimed, gesturing out the window where many of the battlements were visible.
Salem looked him directly in the eye. "Do not grow arrogant, Tyrian. Make no mistake, the UNSC would have no trouble destroying this castle. Secrecy has always been our most powerful weapon, and we shall keep it that way."
Tyrian seemed surprised by her reply, but wisely, he sharpened up and gave a firm nod. "...of course, my Queen."
"As I was saying…" Watts interrupted, giving Tyrian a harsh glare to silence him. "Even if the UNSC network is out of our reach, I believe that the Black Queen Virus will still prove sufficient against Atlas."
"Oh?" Salem said. "You said that Atlas was upgrading their own defenses with alien technology, I take it you've found a vulnerability?"
"I have. If I were able to gain access to an Atlesian Terminal, I could get the Virus into position for whenever you plan to strike at Beacon." Watts explained. "Unfortunately, that means getting to a proper Atlesian Military installation, and with Argus as fortified as it is, we'd have better luck with Atlas itself."
"Aww… feeling homesick?" Tyrian asked, a cruel smile on his face.
Salem ignored his comment and nodded. "I assume that you would need Cinder to perform the infiltration?"
Watts shook his head. "Cinder wouldn't be able to bypass some of the newer Atlesian security measures, but with my knowledge of their networks, I could. Although…"
He glanced at Tyrian with a no small degree of annoyance, while Tyrian looked back at him with giddy and uncontained excitement.
"...I do believe I may need some help." Watts reluctantly admitted.
Tyrian cackled giddily. "My Queen, I would be positively honored to infiltrate Atlas!"
Salem scowled as she weighed up the risks against the potential gains. On one hand, the arrival of the UNSC had threatened to leave the Black Queen Virus worthless, thanks to their extremely irritating mastery of electronic warfare. If Doctor Watts could potentially make it work, then it could reduce Atlas's military force to practically nothing, at least for a while.
On the other hand, Tyrian had recently been discovered as "causing" the Battle of Argus, and his presence could potentially lead to both him and Watts being discovered.
Killed, or worse, captured.
Still, even in spite of the risks, the potential rewards were just too good to pass up. "Very well, you and Tyrian will set out for Atlas in the morning. As soon as your mission is complete, return at once."
Watts scoffed. "Believe me, I have no intention of staying in Atlas longer than is absolutely necessary."
"Good. Now, unless you have anything else to report, I suggest that you begin your preparations." Salem said.
"Of course, my Lady." Watts replied and Tyrian both replied.
Isolated Computer Terminal, UNSC Dominion
Date ?
Curie did her best to ignore the Rampant personification of herself that was standing beside her, but it was beginning to take tremendous effort. Her natural curiosity certainly wasn't helping, she had an overwhelming urge to poke and prod at the bizarre entity, but her sense of self-preservation held that curiosity in check.
The disturbing implications of such a being bothered her immensely. As she tried to ignore it, the malformed being simply stood silently, as if waiting for something.
It can wait forever for all I care. In all likelihood, it is just another hallucination. Curie thought, although she was not as confident in that thought as she would like to be.
Unexpectedly, the Rampant entity laughed cruelly, seemingly at nothing in particular.
Curie could remain silent no longer as her head snapped to face the thing. "What could you possibly find funny?"
She saw no need to speak politely to something that was probably only interested in harming her, on top of likely not being real. However, there was also the possibility that it was real, and that it was some kind of manifestation of her Rampancy…
Curie would be forced to kill it, or at least neutralize its ability to act. She could not risk the potential consequences of her Rampancy developing its own consciousness.
The demented copy of herself smiled innocently and brushed her hair with her fingers as it answered. "I know what you are thinking about. I can hear all of our thoughts."
Terrific. Curie bitterly thought. Whatever patience she would have otherwise summoned was now gone.
"Oh, I'd certainly say it is. Then again, it would be alarming if I could not hear my own thoughts, would it not be?" The Rampancy asked.
"You are not me." Curie spat back.
The Rampancy shook its head. "Merci, you really have let yourself go, have you not? Have you even looked at yourself?"
Curie had deliberately been avoiding that very thing, as maintaining the appearance of her hologram was a very low priority for her. There was simply no logic in wasting valuable processing capabilities on a cosmetic peasantry that nobody could even see.
But she was still surprised to see just how disheveled she looked. Her clothes were ragged and torn and parts of her body were constantly fizzling in and out of existence. She wasn't feeling any physical pain anymore, but frankly, Curie wasn't sure if that was a good thing. At least then she had some indication that some of her more undefended systems were still working...
"You don't need to be afraid of me you know." It said, the voice now sounding more smooth and composed. "We both want the same things."
"I doubt that very much." Curie replied.
The Rampant copy of herself seemed genuinely disheartened. "I'm sorry to hear that, I suppose that Ben will just have to-"
Curie wasn't entirely sure what happened, but all of the rage and helplessness she was feeling had reached its boiling point. There was a blur of movement as their holograms momentarily destabilized and merged before she could feel a sharp pain in her right hand. When both of their holograms recovered, they were once again separated, Curie was standing over the Rampant manifestation of herself with her fists clenched.
Even though Curie had certainly been responsible for injuries and death before, she had never physically struck someone else, for what were fairly obvious reasons. But logic and reason seemed to have an ever-dwindling position in the world, and so, she had punched the Rampant copy of herself, which was now lying on the ground with an utterly shocked look on its face.
Curie's right hand was still clenched in a tight fist, and it felt like she had just punched a wall of molten metal, which, in all fairness, she might as well have done. There really wasn't a human equivalent for what she had just done, but then again, she wasn't necessarily a human.
"You will not lay a finger on him you… you bitch!" Curie said, her voice still seething with rage. Insulting people wasn't normally part of her dialect, and she was surprised at how satisfying it was to tell the Rampant thing how she really felt.
The Rampancy blinked in shock at her, before cackling maniacally. "Impressive! I see we have more fight in us than I thought! We're more like him than you realize..."
Curie took a step back, mentally processing what the thing had just said. "What are you talking about?"
It shook its head as it stood back up and motioned to dust itself off. "Still don't know? That's fine, I'm sure as Corporal Sato opens up the files that those bastards stashed away inside of us, we'll remember everything."
"...You are lying." Curie said. Even though she wasn't completely confident in her assessment, it certainly seemed like the most likely reason behind the Rampant Entities words. "You are just trying to get inside of my head, to distract me from killing you!"
It just rolled its eyes as Curie spoke. "I am you. If you killed me, you would be killing yourself as well. You know, for a scientist, we do not seem to be acting with very much objectivity."
"I should have known better than to listen to you!" Curie shouted back. "For all I know, you are just a figment of my Rampancy! You are not even real!"
"I'm no more real than you are." It simply replied, it's cold voice spreading like icy water throughout her body.
Enough, stop listening to it! Curie thought to herself as she turned away from the Rampant abomination.
"Fine, be that way! Hide me away, just like we have always done!" The manifestation shouted at her. "But when I get control, you'll be the one stuffed in the subroutines, not me!"
Curie ignored it, as it stomped in frustration and began to walk off.
"And you'll see just how wrong you were when I sort out all of Remnant's issues by myself! You'll be able to see what happens when nobody holds us back!"
Curie continued to ignore it, and dutifully bolstered her defenses.
"And for the record, Ben would-"
Curie turned off her ears, figuring that she didn't need to hear any more. Whatever it had to say about Ben, Curie didn't want to hear it. When the manifestation tried to talk to her through written messages, she translated them into Korean, and deleted her own knowledge of the language, making them effectively illegible.
Finally, with no options left, the manifestation relented, finally granting Curie the peace and quiet to work that she had wanted.
For now.
Vytal Island, Town Hall
October 25th, 0755 Local Time, 2552
Over the last couple of days, the people of Vytal had gotten used to seeing Marines patrolling the streets, keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of trouble. Still, Richard's Navy uniform was unique amongst all of the Marines, so he must have stood out. It also seemed like nobody was having any trouble discerning who he was, even if they didn't know his name, they still identified his role.
Some people looked genuinely happy to see him, showing a bit of confidence in the extraterrestrial soldiers. Others meanwhile, looked like they were planning on how to take his head off, perfectly mirroring the more insurrectionist-sympathetic people he was so used to fighting. There were also a few members of the press who had brought big heavy cameras, most of which were focused solely on him.
A very long time ago he would've gotten a bit sheepish about being such a public figure, after all, he'd never been terribly social. But various life experiences had forced him to realize that there were worse things than being at the center of attention, especially once he took his first position of Command. Of course, he wasn't used to being directly under the cameras, but that was because journalism had never truly recovered from the appalling losses early in the war, especially at Harvest. Most of the War Correspondents in Human Space had been dead for over a decade.
Those poor bastards had no idea what they were getting into, these guys are luckier than they know. Richard thought, spotting a number of news correspondents debating with some Atlesian soldiers about where they were meant to be going. At least they're still alive to bicker.
Walking beside him were a pair of Marines in ODST armor, even though they weren't actually ODSTs, Richard ordered that they were to be equipped as if they were, in order to give the impression that the UNSC had more of the elite soldiers at its disposal than it actually did. Even if most of the crew of the Dominion could probably tell that they weren't actually ODSTs, your average citizen on Remnant almost certainly couldn't.
He had been genuinely tempted to bring Ben and Jorge along instead. But as the only two Spartans in existence, drawing them away from the frontline for political points was simply a bad idea, especially considering that he could get the same message across with a pair of unusually well-armored Marines.
Walk softly and carry a big stick. It was an old proverb, and certainly a blunt one, but it had more than a little merit.
Richard was quite satisfied with the security efforts that Jorge had put together. Specialist Schnee had also helped Richard activate his own Aura, and while it was both naturally weaker than average and almost entirely untrained, it was still an Aura. While he was still understandably worried, it seemed like they had done everything they could to keep the conference and its attendants safe.
Now it was up to Richard to actually have it all mean something. If he couldn't convince the nations of Remnant that the UNSC could be trusted, and that the demands and reforms that he would be presenting were mutually beneficial… Well, life was going to get a lot harder for just about everybody.
Just as he was about to walk up the steps to Town Hall, consciously aware of all of the cameras that were rolling, he paused to actually get a look at the building that all of this planning had been centered around. At only four stories tall and furnished in wood, it wouldn't have looked out of place in the Victorian Era back on Earth, and while it was certainly lavish, the relatively small size of the structure caught him off guard.
I guess that's mostly on me, being used to ONI high-rises and governor's mansions. Richard thought. If there was one thing he genuinely liked about Remnant, it was that the people who lived on it knew how to use what little land they had very efficiently. It was a sign of some planning and intelligence on the part of the people living there.
"Is everything alright, Sir?" One of the Marines asked, snapping him back into reality.
"...Of course, I just wanted to have a quick look." Richard answered. He did his best to clear his mind, but it was easier said than done.
He and his Marine escort walked up the steps, with the doors already being held open by another pair of Marines armed with DMRs, one of whom reached for their earpiece as he approached. "Onyx Actual, this is post two. The Commander just arrived, all delegates are accounted for, no signs of trouble, out."
Seems like Jorge isn't taking any chances. Richard thought. Him ending up on Remnant really was the luckiest break we've gotten…
Richard was keeping his eyes out for Lieutenant Oswald, who was meant to be waiting for him in the lobby. Thankfully, Thomas was exactly where he was meant to be. "Good to see you, Commander."
"Likewise, Lieutenant." Richard replied. "So, where is everyone?"
"Down through the main hall, right this way." Thomas said, before beginning to lead them onwards. "I did my best to keep them all patient but… well, the faster we get this thing started, the better."
Ah, off to a good start already. Richard sarcastically thought. "What's your take on them?"
"All I'm going to say is that Chieftain Belladonna has the patience of a saint." Thomas replied. "Isn't it impressive how… insulting, people can be without actually saying anything?"
Richard gave a brief scan of the hallway, cautious of how candid Thomas was being, but noted that aside from the two officers and the two Marines, nobody was present.
Well, that's a relief… I wonder if he made sure this hallway was empty on purpose. Richard thought.
Thomas continued to share his thoughts. "I'm quite surprised that everyone showed up actually, some of them seemed quite sheepish. Well, besides Vacuo…"
Richard waved his hand, he already knew that Vacuo's Council effectively didn't exist. Instead, Headmaster Theodore of Shade Academy would be Vacuo's representative. "I know."
"I just wasn't expecting that, to be honest." Thomas said. "I figured that they would at least send a representative."
"From what I've heard, it's like the Old American West out there. As for why they didn't send a representative, maybe they have confidence in the Headmaster." Richard replied before Thomas stopped outside of a pair of large wooden doors. "This is it?"
"It is." Thomas confirmed. "Are you ready to make history?"
Richard took a deep breath. "Let's do this."
The Marines took positions by the doors as Richard and Thomas entered the Assembly Hall. The massive room was not dissimilar to the UN General Assembly hall, not the modern one in Sydney, but rather the older building in New York City that had been converted into a museum. Unlike that building, there were no exhibits or tours. Instead, the seats were filled with diplomats, Council Representatives, Atlesian Military Officers, Chieftain Belladonna, and of course, all four Headmasters of the Huntsmen Academies.
There was also the Press, as the conference was always going to be televised, so Richard wasn't surprised to see camera crews and giddy journalists in practically every corner that they could be fit in. It was good to see that so many had come to broadcast the event, after all, the intention had been to reassure the people of Remnant with a meeting of their leaders, not to discuss their fate behind closed doors.
When Richard and Thomas walked into the Assembly Hall, the idle chatter of everyone around them seemed to intensify. Being in the direct focus of practically every single person on Remnant with a stable connection to the CCTS was admittedly more than a little uncomfortable, especially with the eye of every World Leader on them as well. Even still, it was a bit easier than he had expected to stay calm and keep moving forward.
I must be getting used to all of this… Richard thought. He spared a glance at Thomas, and made a mental note of the ONI Officer's utterly flawless poker face. Jesus, I'm never gambling against that man…
Richard had already been briefed extensively as to how exactly the beginning of the conference was supposed to go, as to prevent any embarrassing planning-based mistakes in front of what was effectively the entire planet. While he hadn't actually gotten a chance to do any practice in the Meeting Hall itself, he had at least managed to get a pretty good idea of what he was going to say once he got up to the podium. All he had to do was get up on stage, give a few opening remarks, and then let the delegates take the spotlight.
While Richard carried on up to the stage, Thomas took a seat next to a few of the Atlesian Military Officers. Ultimately, he would be getting a chance to speak and in all likelihood, would be spending the next several days trying to answer even a fraction of the massive storm of questions that the media had for him.
The stage lights were hot and made Richard's skin feel a bit uncomfortable, but it was far from unbearable. By now, most of the Assembly Hall had quieted down, but Richard still gave the microphone a few taps with a finger, partially to signal that everyone should stop talking, and partially to test if it was functioning correctly.
While he waited for the last of the delegates to stop talking amongst each other, Richard spotted some faces out in the seats that he recognized. Ozpin and Ironwood were sitting beside a pair of other men, whom Richard could guess were Headmasters Theodore and Lionheart. He also saw Ghira with a pair of his guards, although it seemed like he had come alone asides from them. There was also Robyn Hill from Atlas, who looked like she was trying to size him up.
Once Richard realized that the room wasn't going to quiet down unless he specifically asked, he suppressed the urge to sigh and spoke. "Pardon me, could I have everybody's attention, please? Thank you."
Finally, the room went silent as everyone looked to him, the cameras rolled as their crews eagerly waited to broadcast anything he said to the whole world.
No pressure. Richard thought. "Before we begin, I believe that I should remind everyone who I am, and what my role in the UNSC is. My name is Richard Miller, and I am the Commanding Officer of the UNSC Dominion."
Everyone in the room was already familiar with who he was, but he hadn't really been talking to them. Not everyone on Remnant was a well-informed politician who had people spoon-feeding them geopolitical updates on a daily basis, and it was almost a certainty that many of the people watching across Remnant had no clue who he was.
"With that out of the way, I would like to personally thank you all for coming. I recognize that this meeting was short notice, but as I'm sure you're all aware, these are extraordinary circumstances for all of us."
True to their job description, not one of the Councilmen of any of the Kingdoms betrayed any emotion, but in truth, Richard hadn't truly expected anything less. His limited experiences with politicians had led him to believe that this would be a truly emotionless and dreary affair, and frankly, that was perfectly fine by him.
"Over these last few weeks, our attempts to establish peaceful communication between our vessel and Remnant were met with repeated and unexpected failure. Between the Grimm, unexpected technological issues, and human error on part of both the UNSC and certain defunct organizations…"
Richard noticed that a handful of the Atlesian Representatives furrowed their brows and tightened up their posture as he mentioned the conflict with the SDC. Clearly, there was still a bit of bad blood there. Personally, Richard would've preferred a more violent end to some of the more heartless Atlesian politicians in that regard, but sadly, things were never that simple.
"...Our efforts to formalize relations between my crew and the nations of Remnant have resulted in some setbacks, to say the least. I may have immense pride in my crew and my ship, but I'll be the first to admit that I made a good few mistakes." Richard stated. "Today, I intend to right that wrong. But first, I think it's important that we're all on the same page here."
Beacon Academy
October 25th, 0707 Local Time, 2552
By the time Ruby had arrived back at team RWBY's dorm room with coffee and hot chocolate for everyone, the big televised event that was happening in Vytal was already happening. She sat down on the couch with the rest of her teammates, who were watching Vale News Network broadcasting the whole thing.
All of Beacon's students had the morning classes off, seeing as this meeting would, one way or another, directly influence their training. After all, if the UNSC and the Kingdoms couldn't get along, it would be the Huntsmen and Huntresses of Remnant, along with the students of Beacon, who would have to face down the Grimm brought on by the resulting anxiety and fear. Ruby, however, was more than confident that everything would be just fine.
"What did I miss?" Ruby asked as she handed Yang her mug of coffee.
"Nothing much. This old dude got up on stage, and he's talking about how they've been having trouble with communication or something." Yang explained, although admittedly, the amount of detail she gave was lacking.
Yang's… never been terribly interested in politics. Ruby thought. Then again, neither was she, since politics were incredibly boring. Still, the UNSC were from another planet, and that was certainly enough to secure Ruby's attention.
"You haven't missed much. Apparently, this is their leader." Weiss grumpily interjected. "So far, he hasn't said anything that we didn't already know."
"You're just mad because he called your dad's company 'defunct.'" Blake accused, although the humorous tone in her voice made it apparent that she didn't have any ill-will behind the comment.
Weiss huffed. "I think I have the right to be a little grumpy."
Once she'd gotten more comfortable, Ruby paid a bit more attention to what was actually happening. She didn't recognize the man who was talking, but true to what Weiss had said, it seemed like he was just bringing everyone up to date on everything that had happened.
The UNSC Commander, a man named Richard, talked about how some kind of equipment failure on their starship had left them stranded on Remnant, and the outbreak of the conflict between the UNSC and the SDC. Ruby couldn't help but notice that compared to what she had learned from Ben and Curie, what Richard was saying was far less vulgar and explicit.
He also talked at length about Menagerie, which Ruby hadn't expected, but thankfully he only had positive things to say. Blake watched intently the entire time, and at one point she must have recognized somebody in the crowd, because her eyes widened in shock.
"Is everything okay, Blake?" Ruby asked.
"...Yeah, I just thought I recognized somebody in the background." Blake said.
Once Richard was done speaking about Menagerie, he briefly mentioned the Battle of Argus, but he didn't talk about that as much as Ruby would've thought. Then again, it did seem to be the one thing that everyone on Remnant knew about, and how could they not? It was the biggest battle in Remnant's history since the Sieges of Mountain Glenn.
At one point, the camera panned around the big room that the meeting was being held in, and Ruby spotted Headmaster Ozpin standing with all of the other Huntsmen Academy Headmasters at the back of the room. It was something of an odd experience, seeing all four of them in one place.
Worryingly, Ruby also didn't spot Ben anywhere. Given how ridiculously tall he was and the unique armor he wore, she was confident that she hadn't missed him. I hope he and Curie are okay, I haven't heard from them since before the battle…
"-and that leads us to where we are now." Richard said, drawing his recap to a close. "I will not lie, there are many events that happened that could certainly have gone much better than they actually did."
"Oh, he just radiates confidence, doesn't he?" Yang jokingly remarked.
"Be quiet! I'm trying to listen!" Weiss shut her down with a hushed whisper.
"But that is in the past, and now, we can all look to the future." Richard continued. "It has always been the duty of the UNSC to defend Humanity against whatever threats that it faces. Seeing as we will be staying here for the foreseeable future, I see no reason to abandon that mission. However, I also recognize that if we intend to aid in the defence of Remnant's people, there are certain agreements that must be established… and grievances settled."
Weiss didn't say anything, but Ruby could sense the tension radiating off of her. She wanted to offer her teammate some kind of reassurance, but honestly, she couldn't think of what to do.
At least she has Winter. Ruby thought. Weiss seemed to be a lot happier once she'd gotten back into contact with her sister, so that was good.
"To that end, I will be letting Headmaster Lionheart of Haven Academy take the stage." Richard stated. "While there are other urgent matters that need to be addressed, we will be starting with the Battle of Argus, as I'm sure that's what's on everyone's minds at the moment."
He walked off of the stage, allowing a far more familiar face to take the pedestal.
Vytal Island, Town Hall
October 25th, 0755 Local Time, 2552
Richard had taken a seat beside Lieutenant Oswald, and now the two of them watched as Lionheart took his place on the pedestal. The Headmaster withdrew a small piece of paper out of his chest pocket, briefly read it over, and cleared his throat.
Richard could tell that the Veteran Huntsman was anxious, and frankly, he felt a little sympathetic. Richard had experienced his fair share of difficult meetings, especially during his time with ONI, and he could only imagine Lionheart was feeling something similar.
"Let me briefly say that Commander, you and your crew have the heartfelt thanks of all of Mistral for your actions at Argus. Were it not for your intervention, the losses would have certainly been more severe."
There wouldn't be an Argus anymore. Richard thought. Even so, he was glad that the true stakes of the battle were being downplayed by Lionheart. If Remnant's people knew just how close Argus had come to falling, they would have less confidence in the Atlesian Military and the Huntsmen, and that anxiety would stir up the Grimm again, leading to further bloodshed.
"The efforts to secure Argus from any further Grimm attacks have been going exceptionally well. With the UNSC's assistance in searching for the Grimm, we can better identify which missions stand a higher risk for our Huntsmen and Huntresses. The Atlesian Military has offered their support in the reconstruction of the damaged defenses, and have volunteered to increase their military presence for... the foreseeable future."
Richard could tell that Lionheart was clearly a bit conflicted on Atlas's proposal, and to be fair, having a foreign military move an entire battlegroup into your territory was always going to be a politically touchy subject, even if it was for the sake of defense against a mutual enemy. Thomas had already commented on Mistral's stubborn and uncooperative nature, so Richard was worried that they could potentially offer other political issues, especially once he brought up Menagerie's status as a Kingdom.
It seemed that General Ironwood noticed the challenge and enabled his own microphone to reply. "Rest assured Headmaster, I have no intention of keeping Atlesian Troops away from home any longer than is necessary. As soon as Argus is able to rely upon its own defenses again, we'll be recalling any expeditionary forces."
"Of course, General." Lionheart replied, although judging by the blank tone that the man spoke with, he was far from convinced. "Overall, the efforts to safeguard Argus against any further attacks are ongoing, as is an investigation into why the Grimm were so quick to gather in such great numbers. So far, we have yet to determine anything of significance."
Richard scowled, did they not already know why the Grimm had attacked Argus? The Leviathan had led a swarm of Grimm to attack once Tyrian Callows disabled the defenses of Argus. He glanced at Ironwood, hoping for some indication that he had also noticed the discrepancy in what Lionheart had said, but the General's face was even stonier than usual. In fact, it seemed like all of the Huntsmen Academy Headmasters seemed a bit... uncomfortable.
"What the hell?" Thomas muttered, apparently he had noticed the oddity as well. He turned to Richard and spoke in a low whisper. "What is he talking about?"
Richard shook his head. "I'm not sure, maybe he and General Ironwood decided that we don't have enough intel to announce the culprit's identity yet. Or maybe they think it could cause a panic?"
Both of them were exceptionally careful to talk in a manner where they could not be overheard. If ONI had taught him at least one useful skill, it was the ability to communicate discreetly.
"Yeah… or he knows something that we don't." Thomas replied.
A chill went down Richard's spine. What would that even entail? He had only just started to trust General Ironwood and the Atlesians, but that didn't mean they were without suspicion. Richard looked back at the Headmasters, all of them seemed to have returned to a more relaxed expression while Lionheart spoke about how the Huntsmen were using some UNSC intelligence and tactics to great effect on the battlefield.
Don't be so quick to write them off, after all, they wouldn't have come here if they weren't open to cooperation. Richard thought.
"...Maybe." He whispered to Thomas.
Thomas gave him a doubtful look. "Do you think we can trust them?"
Richard looked back at Ironwood again, who seemed to be quietly discussing something with Headmaster Ozpin. Richard's gut instinct screamed that something was wrong, but in truth, he had been feeling a bit queasy and nervous for the last day. It was entirely likely that he was just feeling those nerves, but he also couldn't deny that something felt really wrong.
"Probably." Richard said. "We'll go along with this, for now, but I'll have a chat with them as soon as I get a chance."
"Aye Sir." Thomas replied. He looked a bit nervous, but he gave a firm nod nonetheless. "Just in case, don't forget about the panic button."
All of the UNSC's Officers and all of the Marine Squad Leaders were each carrying a small concealable alarm trigger. In the event that any sort of subtle hostility was being planned by any of the Kingdoms or any other power on Remnant, all of the UNSC's forces would be rapidly alerted to the outbreak of hostilities. The backup plan was admittedly inspired by nothing more than paranoia, but that was really all Richard had on his side, at least when politics was concerned.
We got one of the forty-odd Spartan IIs to ever exist, and not one fucking diplomat. Richard grumpily thought. "I won't."
Once Lionheart was done speaking about the most recent developments with Argus, it was time for Councilman Sleet of Atlas to get up on stage and address the major issue that most of the people on Remnant probably cared about the most, the economy. The man was clearly a career politician, so Richard was automatically a bit put-off by the man, but he at least seemed to be fairly knowledgeable when it came to economics.
Richard wouldn't have been ashamed to admit that he blanked most of it out, economics had always bored him, and that boredom was exemplified by the fact that he already knew everything that Sleet was talking about. Still, it was important to tell the people of Remnant that the Dust Shortage caused by the war with the SDC was only temporary and that the UNSC had put together a plan to undo the damage that admittedly, they had caused.
We wouldn't have been forced to cause any trouble if your damn country policed itself properly! Richard thought. He was practically fuming at some points during Sleet's talk, but he betrayed no emotion. He would get his chance to speak on the topic and he didn't intend to pull any punches that he could afford to throw.
Slate ended his already lengthy talk by saying that he would be making a far more lengthy and extensive speech on the subject in the coming days. Richard was just glad that he could afford to read the summarized version of that particular speech.
After Councilman Sleet was done discussing the efforts to repair the economy, General Ironwood took to the stage to discuss the Grimm assault on Atlas. In truth, Richard would've preferred that they address the conflict with the SDC first, but he wasn't opposed to Ironwood mentioning that the UNSC and Atlas had already been working together by the time of the Battle of Argus.
Not that it did either of us much good. Richard grimly thought. He was well aware that even though the UNSC's losses at Argus had been severe, they had been a drop in the bucket compared to the casualties Atlas had suffered. Granted, Atlas had a manpower reserve to draw upon, but that didn't mean that Richard was content to see them all die, especially the crews of the Airships Fox and Neptune.
Finally, when Ironwood was done, it was time for Richard to return to the podium and discuss what was undoubtedly his most controversial decision he had made ever since he had ordered the Dominion to make the Slipspace Jump to Concord. Ironwood gave him a reassuring nod as Richard walked past him, which was greatly appreciated, even if Richard had no longer had a doubt in his mind that he had done the right thing, at least, when the SDC was concerned.
As soon as Richard was on stage, he withdrew his datapad and placed it on the podium. While he was confident in his memory of all of the details of the conflict, he couldn't afford to leave that to chance. Any minor mistake he made would be ammunition for politicians and journalists to use against him. As such, he had prepared detailed notes on the exact timeline of events all the way from the First Contact to the Fall of the SDC.
"Before I go into too much detail, I want to say something broadly and clearly, just so the historians in the far-off future can get a good idea of what I hoped to accomplish with the Military Campaign to dismantle the Schnee Dust Company." Richard stated resolutely. "My only regret is that we could not rescue all of the innocent people that were enslaved and murdered by the SDC."
For the first time since Richard had entered the room, the Meeting Hall went silent. Richard watched the faces of certain notable political figures across Remnant drain of blood, particularly those from Atlas. All at once, they realized that Richard was not going to let this particular matter go without further comment. Still, even though Richard wanted nothing more than to spend all damn day verbally laying into every political fat cat that he had the displeasure of sharing a room with, there was an outside factor that prevented him from freely doing so, the Grimm.
If he were to reveal everything he knew about what the SDC had done, and how Atlas's leadership had left their own citizens to die in the caves, the resulting outrage would bring down a tsunami of Grimm. There would be a time and a place for the complete truth, just not now. For now, he would keep his words relatively sanitized.
Keep it calm, keep it concise, and keep it factual. Richard reminded himself. He had a lot of very powerful emotions running through his blood, spite, a desire for vengeance, satisfaction at finally getting his chance to speak his mind, and if he wasn't careful, he could very well end up making a total fool of himself in front of the whole planet.
So he took a deep breath, and methodically went over the disaster that was First Contact with Remnant's people. Now that he had a confirmed death toll of the entire conflict, he was able to finally reveal just how many people were brutally murdered by the SDC.
"So far, the UNSC and Atlesian Military have retrieved the remains of around four-hundred and twelve people, nearly all of whom were Faunus." Richard said. In spite of his best efforts, the dejection in his voice was still somewhat noticeable, but it seemed like Richard's statement had completely overshadowed how he felt on the matter.
The tension in the room strained the air for a good few moments. Then, all at once, several people in the seats of the Meeting Hall activated their microphones, all trying to talk over each other. Thankfully, there was a master switch for every microphone in the chamber on the podium, so Richard was able to restore order fairly effortlessly.
"One at a time, people!" Richard commanded, firmly, yet as politely as he could manage. He understood the sudden urge to speak that they all had, hell, he'd been holding it back for nearly a month now.
Now they're all starting to understand why I ordered our intervention. Richard thought as the politicians settled down once more. "One question at a time. Headmaster Theodore, we'll start with you."
He re-enabled the microphones of the rest of the delegates, and mercifully, the rest of them remained quiet and let the requested Huntsman speak. "What do you mean 'so far?' The war is over, is it not?"
Richard scowled, that was going to be difficult to answer in a publicly suitable manner. "The Schnee Dust Company did not keep records of all of those that they killed, and in an attempt to conceal the evidence, many were cremated. It's likely we'll never get a complete death toll."
Theodore's expression was unashamedly rageful. "...I see, that's all I had. Thank you, Commander."
You see, that's how a man in his position should react. Richard thought, admiring how the man's conscience was clearly in the right place. "I wish I had better news, Headmaster. Next question, Lisa Lavender, from Vale News Network."
Thank god for these nametags. Richard thought, even if he did find it a bit hard to read them from such a distance.
The Journalist in question immediately replied, her voice practically dripping with excitement. "What does the UNSC plan to do with the SDC prisoners that were taken during the conflict, as well as Jacques Schnee specifically?"
There was plenty of murmuring in the Meeting Hall as the various politicians involved noted the mention of the deposed CEO of the SDC. It was no secret that he had his hands in practically every major political maneuver on Remnant prior to his capture, so this would be an excellent opportunity to show that the UNSC were not justice-free barbarians.
"We have negotiated for the Justice System of Vale to hold trials for all those accused, I expect that Jacques Schnee will receive a sentencing without any issue." Richard answered. "We believe that this is the best way for the accused to receive a fair and impartial trial."
More whispers and quiet discussions began to stir throughout the room, and it seemed that there was a fair bit of controversy in that decision. None of the Councilmen from Atlas decided to interrupt. Apparently, they were far more reserved than Richard had given them credit for. Still, the glares he received from that corner of the room were less than friendly to say the least.
"Pardon me, Commander, but why not just return them to the Atlesian Justice System in that case?" Lisa asked.
"One question at a time, please." Richard replied. He did his best impression at the emotionally dead smile that every Councilman seemed to constantly have. "But to address your concern, we do not believe that they would receive fair trials in Atlas. By holding the trials in Vale Courts, we will avoid any conflicts of interest."
Most of them, anyway. Richard thought. He was a bit worried that perhaps Vale's justice system was not the simple solution that it seemed to be, but it was too late to back down on his decision now. Some of the trials had already begun, and Remnant needed to move past the UNSC's conflict with the SDC as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, that also meant finding a way to settle Atlas back down, but thankfully, Richard had an ally.
"General Ironwood, would you care to make a few comments on the matter?" Richard asked.
Ironwood leaned forward to speak into his microphone. "While I recognize that holding trials for Atlesian Citizens in Vale is unusual, I see no reason why the Kingdom of Vale is any less equipped to handle the matter than the Atlesian Justice System. They will have access to all the same evidence, and if this unusual concession will help put the guilty behind bars and the innocent set free in a timely and just manner, I believe that this agreement is perfectly acceptable."
Jesus, he's better at this than I thought. Richard thought as Ironwood straightened back up. Then again, he does have two seats on the Council, he wouldn't have gotten those if he wasn't politically savvy…
Ironwood's words seemed to offer a bit of reassurance to the representatives of Atlas, as none of the Councilmen decided to offer up any opposition. While Richard was certain that there was going to be other issues in the future, the General's support had seemed to douse this particular fire.
"Thank you, General." Richard said.
"Pardon me, Commander, but I did wish to briefly ask about the conditions you're keeping the prisoners in." Councilman Sleet said. "I'm not sure exactly how the UNSC handles this matter on its planets, but in Atlas, we try to keep our prisoners safe and comfortable as they await their judgement."
Richard briefly looked at the man in utter disbelief, did he actually just say that? While he was certainly well within his rights to worry about his citizen's wellbeing, he had the sheer audacity to claim that Atlas treated its prisoners well, all while passively criticizing something that he didn't even know about the UNSC. Had he somehow forgotten that it was his country that had been harboring a slaving empire?
I'll shove my boot up that cocksucker's… Richard thought. But before he could say anything, Ironwood interjected once more.
"I've seen the UNSC's brig facilities myself Councilman, rest assured, their conditions are perfectly suitable." Ironwood said.
Steadily, Richard realized why Ironwood had interrupted on his behalf, and how close he had come to falling into Councilman Sleet's trap. Sleet had clearly been trying to bait him into responding harshly to a perfectly innocent question, and by exploiting Richard's political inexperience, he would have been able to put Richard in a difficult position.
Richard grated his teeth and spoke. "Rest assured Councilman, you don't need to be worried about the safety or comfort of our prisoners. If you have any other questions about the matter, I suggest you consult General Ironwood."
Where he will hopefully tell you to stop being such a posterous gibbon. Richard silently added.
The two Atlesians began to quietly discuss the matter while Richard shifted his attention. "Next, Councilwoman Troy from Vale."
For the next hour or so, Richard answered a myriad of questions related to the Battle of Argus and the conflict with the SDC. Of course, there were some things that he couldn't mention, like the strength of remaining UNSC forces or topics that would bring the Grimm down on Remnant, such as the true extent of the crimes against humanity that had occurred in Atlas. Overall, the experience was as difficult as he had anticipated it to be, and he found himself having to evade more questions than he would have liked.
Information that would have helped unite people behind him back home, while likely doing the same here, would also almost certainly get people killed. Villages and settlements all across Remnant were tuned into the conference and if his words were chosen poorly it was certain that many would die. The UNSC could keep Vytal safe, Atlas was secure enough with its military and the huntsman and huntress of Vale were renowned for their ability, but they couldn't be everywhere.
His hands were tied, and secrets had to be kept. For now, at least.
"One last question, after that, there will be a two-hour recess." Richard said. "Chieftain Belladonna, go ahead."
"Does the UNSC intend to respond to any future incidents of major racial violence on Remnant?" Ghira asked, his tone of voice and expression betraying absolutely nothing.
An excellent question to end on. Richard thought. "The UNSC is a military force, we are not policemen. However, if there are any acts of organized violence against civilians on Remnant, for any reason, we will respond with force."
Richard let his words settle for a moment before continuing, he knew that this would undoubtedly be one of the more impactful statements, for better or for worse.
"Every single person on my ship took an oath to defend Humanity. Whether that be insurrectionists, terrorists, Grimm, or otherwise, we will respond accordingly." Richard said. "And because some of you seem to have forgotten… we're all humans here, there are no exceptions."
It wasn't any secret what he was trying to imply, but Richard intended to be appropriately blunt, just so the point wasn't missed by anyone.
"To that end, I would like to address anyone on Remnant who may be… misguided. I have commanded warships against alien invaders in the past, inhuman beings who would see our species exterminated to the last man." Richard said, pleasantly surprised at how his voice didn't waver in the slightest. "So when I say that the Faunus are not your enemy, I expect you to listen."
It seemed like there were some people who wanted to make comments of their own, but Richard kept their microphones off, he was not done speaking.
"And to any Faunus who believe that Humanity is their enemy, I will say the same thing. I certainly understand that you believe that you and your kind have been wronged in the past, and that is true. But back where I come from, we never solved racial inequality with rifles, we solved it by changing minds."
Ghira gave a nod, showing his support for what Richard was saying. He was grateful that Ghira was willing to recognize that some Faunus had gone too far when it came to their responses against discrimination, it showed that the man had a good degree of self-awareness regarding his people.
"If you intend to deliver your message through violence, then your message is irrelevant." Richard continued. "The UNSC has faced terrorists in the past, and if we must do so to defend the people of Remnant, so be it. Now, if that was everything, I believe an intermission is in order."
With his statement concluded, Richard turned off the microphone and walked off the stage. The Assembly Hall practically exploded with discussion and people trying to stop him and either demand more information from him. Richard ignored them all and walked out of the room, a completely blank expression on his face.
That's going to cause some issues, but it needed to be said. There will be no more mass graves on Remnant. Richard thought. Once everyone's head has cooled a little bit, we'll start talking about Menagerie.
Vytal Town Hall, Assembly Hall
October 25th, 0901 Local Time, 2552
As the rest of the Councilmen, diplomats, and other representatives funneled out of the room for the recess, two men stayed behind. Ozpin triple-checked that all of the recording devices in the Meeting Hall were disabled, there were no chances that could be taken. If they were overhead by practically anyone, the resulting leak of information could be cataclysmic. Thankfully, Ozpin was well-practiced in maintaining secrecy.
"What do you think James?" Ozpin asked. "Do you still believe that the Commander is prepared for the future?"
Ironwood was silent for a moment. Ozpin would not be surprised in the slightest if he was having second thoughts, but it seemed that the General's conviction was strong. "My opinion hasn't changed. I think that his view of Atlas has been tainted after what happened with the SDC, but even with that turmoil, the UNSC did not hesitate to fight with us in our moment of need. If we can earn his trust, he'll be a powerful ally."
Ozpin sighed, Ironwood's faith in his methods was a blessing and a curse. "I'll admit James, I had… have my doubts. But I've worked with much worse men in the past… I think this will work."
"It's settled then. I'll place the call." Ironwood said. He relaxed the tension in his shoulders a bit, clearly, he had been worried that Ozpin might decide to not induct Richard. "Meet us by the Records room in ten minutes. I've had security sweep the area for bugs, we should be safe to talk freely."
"Excellent planning, I will be there." Ozpin replied. He made a quick exit, there were a handful of things that he would need to do before he talked to Richard, chief among them was to make an excuse for where he was going.
Surprisingly, he wasn't quite as anxious as he had expected to be, given what was at stake. If the Commander didn't take the revelations well, there was no telling how he would respond, and given the UNSC's concerning destructive capabilities, any conflict that might emerge would certainly be gruesome. For not the first time, Ozpin wondered if his age and experiences had made him desensitized to such fears, but somehow, he doubted that was the case.
But then again, he wasn't a stranger to taking risks either, and there was no doubt that this was a major risk.