Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Cold Compassion. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth do.

(Atlas, Alsius.)

Slater didn't pay attention to Winter's Summons. He was a soldier, he had seen Winter fight, there was no point in watching it again. He was happy that Winter showed concern for his issues.

"Slater, what time is it?" Winter asked. Slater brought up his scroll and tucked his legs under him.

"We're supposed to be at the hospital already… Hmm." Slater looked at a message from General Ironwood and a report from the Ace-Ops.

"Damn it, Robyn." He cursed while Winter and Weiss began to walk towards him.

Slater didn't like Robyn's interference in the Amity Project. He understood they were under strict orders to stay tight lipped.

He was assured by General Ironwood that he would talk to her if Slater's idea didn't work. He had half a mind to confront the Happy Huntress leader.

"I got your craft spun up. I've also alerted the troops you're be arriving," Slater pointed out. He moved the message from General Ironwood to his private terminal.

"We need to get moving then." Winter stated. The trio walked towards the doors.

"General Ironwood has spent a lot of time in his office." Weiss stated. Winter hummed at this and looked at her sister.

"He's the general. He's been busy planning Amity Tower and directing matters." Winter put in as they entered the hanger.

"With all due respect, Weiss? A general isn't always on the front lines. He's letting his troops do the grunt work. Winter is the second highest officer in the military, she's in command if General Ironwood is out." Slater said before Winter and Weiss entered Winter's ship.

He entered behind them as the hatch sealed up and the ship flew out of the hanger towards the hospital.

Weiss looked at the 2 specialists who did nothing at the moment. slater put down his scroll and pocketed it.

"Robyn caused trouble with the convoy. Clover just reported in the convoy got through. She knows about the mine base." Slater reported, Winter cursed under her breath.

"She keeps this up and she'll be put in the crosshairs." Winter muttered. Slater hummed.

"Robyn Hill? The politician?" Weiss asked, a nod.

"Yes, I found tracks at the mine. She had her men spy on us. We're going to need more security at the mine." Slater said, one of the pilots spoke up.

"We're arriving at M3 now, ma'am. I'm going to have us land at the Atlas Landing pad." The ship put down on the landing pad where a group of Atlesian soldiers greeted them.

"How much security does Mantle have?" Weiss asked while they walked inside. Winter hummed; Slater looked at the hospital staff.

"The General put anything we didn't need to defend Atlas in Mantle. If Amity Arena falls, Salem will blow through Atlas." Slater put in while they passed through a visiting area and then past 2 more soldiers.

They arrived outside the room with 4 AK-200s guarding the door. Slater turned to Weiss.

"Come with me, only Winter is allowed in the room." Slater stated and walked away to the viewing platform as Winter entered.

The room was also soundproofed, another precaution against Fria thinking of someone besides Winter.

"Doesn't this seem a bit inhumane?" Weiss asked, Slater nodded.

"Yes." He said while Winter took a seat next to Fria.

"You don't agree with things in Mantle right now, do you?" Weiss asked, another nod.

"Yes, Robyn has reasons to dislike Atlas. I'm working on a plan to make sure the Amity Tower can proceed. I dislike not telling Robyn and the kingdom, but Salem has already proven she can get into Haven and Vale." Slater said, he put his scroll away.

"I dislike how things are now, Weiss. We can't help everyone though. I do agree things could be better." He said, Weiss hummed.

"You and Winter are always together; you probably share the same room if Atlas has the same rooms as ours." Weiss stated, she glared at Slater at this.

"We do." Slater said, Winter looked ready to leave at this point. Weiss saw Slater's face flush slightly at this before he turned away.

"I enjoy her company, Weiss. She's fun when she isn't acting so prim and proper. She's always business related to the point I think I should keep a photo album of how many times she tells a damn joke and smiles." He muttered, the door opened and Winter walked in.

"I got a message from General Ironwood. He's going to make a decision tomorrow to send shipments of Arachna Mines, Burrow Guns, Beam Turrets and a squad of AP-290s to guard the wall." Slater said, Weiss raised an eyebrow.

"You requested military surplus for the Mantle Wall?" Winter turned to Slater.

"You asked General Ironwood to divert…" Winter said, Slater shook his head.

"I asked for that much surplus because it will stop Robyn from messing with the project. She tries to raid more trucks like she did in the past? We won't get the tower done… And if we lose the tower? All of Remnant is cut off and Salem will kill everyone. We need communications back, Atlas has dozens of factories, their remake the surplus in bulk in 4 days or so? Rough estimate." Slater stated, Winter turned to Fria's room.

"Fria doesn't have long left, until then? We have to make sure nobody else gets her powers. Only a Maiden will be able to stand up to Cinder… To Salem." Winter stated, Weiss looked between the duo.

"Ironwood has been grooming you for this your entire life, hasn't he?" Weiss asked her older sister.

Weiss didn't get an answer. She didn't need one, Weiss hummed.

"That doesn't bug you at all?" Weiss asked. Winter frowned and Slater pulled up his Scroll to turn back to Winter's appointments.

"It did at first, but I understand now. We're at war, Salem has a maiden, we need a counter." Winter stated. Slater opted to be silent, he could already tell the sisters wouldn't get along.

"But he chose your destiny for you, without your input… Same for…" Weiss started to say before Winter spoke up.

"I'm choosing my destiny now. Ive made my path my own, I'm happy for it. it has nothing to do with Jacques or General Ironwood. Slater, why did you take this job?" Winter asked, Slater sighed.

"I wish you left me out of this. I choose this, you're going to be the Winter Maiden and General Ironwood assumed that we'd balance each other out… I feel like I should start acting like myself, I'm going to do it tomorrow. I chose this Winter, not just because I was ordered. Weiss, we're soldiers, we might hate our orders, but without a chain of command? We aren't a military. You might not like things…" He said before Winter nodded.

"But we chose to fight in the General's Army." She said. before Weiss could respond, a message arrived on Slater and Winter's scrolls.

"Speaking of Jacques…" She muttered before she pulled up the video.

"Is that father?" Weiss asked while Slater noted the news on the ticker.

A murder, the wall was brought up, Grimm attacks.

"I will be opposing General Ironwood and his pathetic embargo if I am elected councilmen. These criminal measures are going against the very kingdom and I cannot in good conscience…" He rambled on as Winter clutched the scroll.

"When has ANYTHING been about your damn conscience?!" She hissed with a growl.

"With no shipments in or out, I know the strain is insufferable. My family has been suffering the same as you." Winter heard her father spit out. She growled more; Jacques could care about no one who wasn't himself.

"I am shutting down all non-mandatory SDC operations. I hope you ask yourselves before the vote if you can truly trust Robyn Hill to stand up to General Ironwood… To get your jobs back, I will restart our factories if I am elected…" Winter shut her Scroll down and Slater stopped the recording the second he went silent.

"What is he doing?" Weiss asked, Slater answered her question before Winter could.

"Destroying Atlas… Winter, what should I do?" He asked. Winter rubbed at her temples.

"We're returning to the academy. Slater, I'm going to report to General Ironwood and ask if we can step up the reinforcements for the wall. My father is going to use anything he can to limit Ironwood's chances. We need to reevaluate our options. Weiss, you're going to Team RWBY." Winter ordered. Slater knew that they Jacques was up to something.

They made their way back to the craft before boarding it. Winter turned to Slater.

"I'll be in our dorm if you need us. I think I'm going to need to sleep if I'm going to help you well." He said. the ship set down.

"Weiss, go find team RWBY. Father just made me and Slater's job harder." Winter put in; Slater walked inside the school. Weiss spilt off from them while Slater and Winter continued further inside.

"I'll be in our dorm if you need me. I have a bad feeling we're going to be at War soon. just like Vale." Slater pointed out again before walking towards their dorm.

They had millions of soldiers in Atlas, but Salem had countless Grimm and an inner circle.

"We're going to get through this." Winter put in. Slater turned to her and tucked his scroll away for the moment.

"Are you trying to convince me? Or comfort yourself?" He asked, Winter frowned and turned to walk away.

"I'd like to tell you more about my father. I saw your reaction to Jacque's announcement. I think we both need a talk. I'm always here if you need me." Slater vanished around the corner.

Winter didn't have a response for her second in command. She went to go and report to General Ironwood.

She had no idea that Slater's idea would be the reason Robyn trusted them long enough to defeat Salem's inner circle and fight off the Grimm.

She had no idea the fight with Cinder within 2 weeks would change her relationship with Slater.

She worried for her officer. Winter was much too professorial to keep friends; most people disliked her cold and proper to believe people liked her.

Slater was one of the first people to seem to enjoy her company for a reason other than being commanded to.

She… Didn't know how to respond to his care for her emotions. She composed herself and continued her path towards the office.

She said nothing. She made sure to mentally log in the suggestion that she would take Slater up on his suggestion to talk.

That was probably something both could do with. All she did was focus on her issues and her war.

Yes, Vale did fall. But Atlas didn't yet fall. She should be focusing on herself. She kept stressing over the details and trying to handle everything at once? She'd be too tense and tired to handle an actual issue if it arose.

She opened the door to Ironwood's office and walked inside, she slowly composed herself once more.

She slowly walked towards the desk where Atla's leader sat as he turned to look at her.

"Sir, about Slater's plan?" She asked, Ironwood hummed.

"Tell him I'm approving it and having the supplies visited tomorrow. you have tomorrow off. We're regrouping, Winter. I don't need anyone tired when we regroup." Ironwood stated.

Author Notes

Phew, another chapter done! I want to point out that next chapter is going to take place during Winter's brief scene in night off. After that will be 2 non story chapters and then go to Worse Case Scenario and then 3 more non story chapters. Until Saturday or so. Lighting Wolf out!

Ps: Winter's fight with Cinder will be the start of her relationship with Slater.