Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Cold Compassion. Enjoy the 1500-word chapter. I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth do.
(Atlas, SDC Mine Number Two.)
The Manta flew over the small convoy before it set down outside the mine. The door was pulled open and 3 Atlesian soldiers and Slater piled out.
"Area is secure," Slater heard before Winter stepped out of the ship, helped by Slater.
"I see RWBY are as effective as the Ace Ops. I'll make another note, Winter? Your aware you have another meeting with Fria later, right?" He asked before Ironwood walked out of a car.
"Thank you for reminding me." She stated. She walked up to General Ironwood.
"Sir, the area is done, Slater took the liberty of ordering for reinforcements. He also took the liberty calling the Ace Ops to inform them you wished to meet with them and of your arrival." Winter said, Slater continued to make notes.
"I'm just doing my duty, ma'am," Slater said. He moved his Scroll behind his back and saluted the man as more soldiers rushed in.
"Winter, set up a perimeter and lock things down. I'm going to talk with the Ace-Ops." He ordered. Winter and Slater watched their commander lead the reinforcements.
"Slater, follow me. I need you to make notes on the mine while we're inside." Slater heard from Winter and nodded.
"I'm already coming. what do you want me to start taking notes of?" Slater asked. he followed the Brigadier General inside the mine, awaiting her instructions.
"I need you to record the schematics on the mine." She ordered. he typed in a few commands and started to scan for the mine.
"My family used to run this mine till the storm forced us to abandon it." Winter stated before Slater leaned on the wall.
"I am aware. I looked up your record before I was escorted to you. General Ironwood thought it would be best if I familiarized myself with you. You joined the academy at 16?" Slater asked, Winter hummed.
"My father is…" She started to say before she heard shouting. She instantly winced and say Slater wince again, like he was recalling another bad memory.
"Slater?" She asked. he winced and then turned to the side. Winter reached towards him.
"I refuse to do that, dad…" Slater said, staring off into space, Winter slowly reached for him.
The second her fingers brushed his shoulder, he grabbed Umbra.
"NO!" Slater screamed and fell back. the yelling died down as Weiss leapt into the talk. Winter was still too far away to hear anything but faint whispers from their distance.
"Slater." Winter said, she kneeled down to his level as he panted.
"Are you ok?" Winter asked. Slater blinked and slowly lifted his head to look at Winter. He hummed.
"Yes," He said simply. Winter watched Slater walk to a rock before sitting down. He grabbed his scroll and put it down next to him while he rubbed his temples.
"Slater. You've shown discomfort around the mention of your father. You just had an episode which is the last straw. You will tell me if you don't wish to have it reported to General Ironwood." Winter stated, Slater sighed.
"I don't have a good relationship with my father. He's actually one of the reasons I joined the military." Slater cracked his neck while Winter walked to him.
"I'm sure Ironwood told you my relationship with Jacques?" Winter asked. Slater allowed her to sit next to him.
"That he is in your own words 'a scum sucking asshole?'" Winter nodded. Slater hummed.
"My father used to insult me; I was born smart. I was smart enough to be considered a genius when I was 10. My father hated people being smarter than him in Atlas." Slater put in, he turned to look at Winter.
"The fact that a kid born from an unwed marriage in Vale was as smart as him? My father couldn't stand it. he never hit me, but don't make you think that mean he had some form of mercy. He did it purely because he considered violence below him. I got insulted, told I'd never amount to anything. He'd treat me like I was a burden to him, he bullied his only son because his son showed his intelligence." Slater stated, Winter frowned.
Winter hated her father. The man treated his children as trophies, he would manipulate them, make them dependent on him. she knew Jacques would have crafted Winter into a human as bad as him if she stayed.
"I'm… Sorry to hear that." Winter said. She put a hand on Slater's shoulder. he smiled and nodded.
"I never hit back. I just took pride in being smart. He took General Ironwood being dissatisfied with his work horribly. He left. He had lost it on me after he found out I respected General Ironwood enough to want to join the military. I don't like to bring it up, there's countless people who have abusive parents." He stated, Winter bonked his head.
"You imbecile! Slater, you shouldn't feel the need to withhold information like that. I might be your commander, that doesn't mean I'm above helping out another soldier with their issues." She stated before getting up.
"I'm sorry I didn't mention it before, ma'am." He said, Winter winced.
"Winter. Call me Winter, all my friends call me Winter. I am going to talk to Weiss. You download the schematics and make sure we have troops stationed here. I will meet you at the Manta. We will talk more about this when we arrive " Winter stated. Slater hummed and blinked before she left the room.
Slater blinked before walking out of the room. He walked toward the mouth of the cave.
He leaned on the Manta before starting to do Winter's research. He continued to look over his scroll while he sent orders to an AK-200 group.
He knew as the launch area for the Amity Communication Tower, they needed a lot of security.
"Hmm. I wonder what I can do to speed up supplies for the tower." He stated before noting there was a group of tracks. He walked towards them before bending down.
"Bipedal boot prints? These tracks belong to someone like a Human or Faunus… and they don't look like they belong to Atlesian soldiers or team RWBY or Penny." Slater said before he got a message from Winter.
"Report back to the academy, I will meet you at the dorm." He read before spotting Winter with her scroll at the entrance of the mine.
"Understood… Winter." He said with a smile and went to the Manta before opening the door.
"We're returning to the academy now. Winter said to return for her after she's done." He ordered. The 2 pilots nodded and allowed him aboard before powering up the engines.
Slater took his seat in the Manta before remembering Winter had left her personal craft at the academy. He chuckled before the VTOL craft turned and sped off for the capital city of the kingdom.
He wondered what would become of the Kingdom. he didn't agree in keeping Robyn out of the loop.
"She'd act in her own methods if she knew. She has no loyalty to Atlas right now and a wild card like her? I might hate keeping Mantle in the fire, but if they knew, it would spread. Information in the hands of the enemy? We can't risk it, as much as Mantle's Grimm need extermination… Hmm, I might have an idea to try and deal with that." He said before flexing his pinky.
His gloves moved his scroll to the military surplus of Atlas. Atlas was a kingdom that prided itself on production among many things.
"Yes, I believe if I can talk to General Ironwood, that might calm Mantle." He stated. He wrote a quick message to General Ironwood with his idea and a simple request for approval.
"Tomorrow is another trip to see Fria." He said. he knew the weight of Winter getting the Winter Maiden powers.
"One life… For countless others, I'm sorry, Fria… I'll make sure they remember your life." He said. the Manta costed towards Atlas.
He knew very well that they'd be making hard choices. No war was won without being willing to make calls nobody wanted to make. It was one reason nobody wanted war.
The manta put down at the school. He walked towards the general's office to ask if his solution to the supply concerns would be handled.
He hummed and got another message from Winter.
Author Notes
Phew, another chapter done! I want to point after next chapter I will be putting several non-show chapters. I am not trying to rush the romance. Next chapter will be tomorrow so and will show Slater, Winter and Weiss going to the hospital in Sparks. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!
Ps: Willow's chapter is being moved to Monday or so and will be 1500 or so words.