Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. I wish I did. All characters, terms, and settings are property of Rooster Teeth. This is just a Fan creation. No profits are had. So enjoy this detour into my odd fascination with irrational Ships.

Chapter 10

After Ironwood dismissed everyone, citing a desire to reflect alone, Jaune, Ruby, Qrow, and Winter stood outside his office in silence. Ironwood has just told them that he had a contingency plan for if he died and where it left them. Jaune was certain that they were all reeling for different, personal reasons, but he was in shock that Ironwood had considered him to lead the Beacon alumni.

"I, yeah, I'm gonna go get some coffee." Jaune said breaking the tense silence. "Anyone want some coffee? No, you know what? I'm just say it. Do we all want to sit down and discuss this like the supposedly professional we are?!" Jaune didn't even know he was angry, but something had certainly snapped inside him and he now was almost shouting.

Everyone just stared at him in shock. Ruby looked to Qrow, who in turn looked to Winter, who then looked back to Jaune. "That sounds, reasonable." Winter said before face palming. "My office isn't too far. This way."

A few moments later the four stood in Winter's office, still too overwhelmed to initiate the difficult conversation they all knew they had to speak about. The only sound was a coffee maker Winter had turned on when they entered. Ironwood had basically told them that he had planned for his own demise. If that should happen, then they'd be elevated to the task of fighting Salem.

Winter, in charge of Atlas most skilled and effective Team. Jaune would lead his friends into the clawing and gnashing darkness with Ruby as his second. Qrow, to replace James as General of the Atlesian forces.

"Why would the general say those things?" Ruby said finally breaking the silence. "Is, is he planning on dying? Should we be worried?" She rubbed her eyes with a sleeve.

Winter frowned and shook her head slightly. "I don't think the general is, as you say, planning on dying. I believe his assessment and contingency plan is meant to reassure him." Winter said leaning against her desk. "To put into action what will happen to the Kingdom should he no longer be there to protect it. I think that he needs to know that everything will be in skilled hands, should the unthinkable happen."

"Qrow. You've know him the longest. Thoughts?" Jaune asked chiming in.

There was a slight chuckle from Qrow at the prompt. "Yeah. I've known James a long time. Since the Vytal Festival back in our time at Beacon and Atlas respectively." Qrow said with a smile. "I first met him after the singles rounds. Team STRQ had made it all the way, no surprise, and it was James and Raven set to finish the tournament. Tai suggested the night before that we watch James' previous fights to see if we could get a leg up on the competition. Summer suggested we watch for his semblance, which no one had seen during the whole tournament. She was convinced that he had to have been using it to get that far. Raven disagreed, said that she wasn't using hers so no one needed a semblance to just be that good. We ended up spending the entire evening reviewing the footage, just to see how good he was. Tai and Summer were impressed. Raven, not so much. When the time finally came, Raven was better, but not by much. We had always gauged how good someone was if they staked up to me or Rae. Ironwood was something else though."

Qrow reached for his breast pocket but stopped halfway there. Winter appeared next to him and handed him a coffee. "Thanks. Where was I? Right. By the end of it, he was out of ammo and Raven was out of blades. Frustrated, Raven just pummelled him into submission until he was in the red. Afterwards Summer, suggested, that we break bread with the second place team from Atlas. I may or may not have smuggled in a few choice bottles of contraband. Don't remember much from that evening, but I do remember James saying something along the lines of "Well, I'm glad to see that Beacon is producing amazing Huntresses and Huntsmen. If the worse should come to pass, then at least I can rest assured that Team STRQ will be up to the task." Mind you without the slurring and rambling"

"When James gets introspective, its rather nihilistic. He prepares for a world without him." Qrow said before sipping on his coffee. "What I think this is, is that things have been going so well of late that James finally doesn't have enough monumental distractions to keep him busy and not thinking about himself."

Jaune nodded. "So what you're saying is that we don't have to worry that he's going to do something rash and out of character?" He asked accepting a coffee from Winter. "Thanks."

"Miss Rose, the cream and sugars are in abundance." Winter said handing over another cup to Ruby. "Weiss may have mentioned it, once or twice."

Ruby smiled as she accepted the coffee. "Nice Weiss strikes again."

"No. I don't think we have to worry. At least not about James doing something reckless." Qrow said taking a seat on a window sill, looking out at Atlas. "But Tyrian is here in Atlas, or at least in Mantle. Yang, Blake, and I will see if Robin Hill can be, persuaded to intervene on the matter. But that's a problem for tomorrow. Right now I want to talk about something James said." Qrow finished his coffee and set it down on a tray next to the coffee maker before pouring himself a second cup.

"Are you two okay with what James said about you?" Qrow asking Jaune and Ruby. "The idea of reorganizing your two teams into one larger team is one things, but, well being told your shortcomings like that and who he thinks should be in charge and why can be kind of, jarring." Qrow put a hand on Ruby's shoulder then looking to Jaune sympathetically.

Ruby awkwardly rolled her shoulders in a vague shrug. "I'm okay, I guess." Ruby said. "He wasn't wrong. I kind of do need the help sometimes from the team. I just always thought it was part of being a good leader, to ask for their input and taking advice. If I just did everything on my own, then I wouldn't be appreciating them, right?"

"That's a good way of looking at it Ruby." Jaune said placing a hand on Ruby's over shoulder. "I can't say for certain who's the better leader. I don't want the job. So I say we don't cross that bridge unless we have to." He smiled at her. "Since we are talking about it, Winter, Qrow? Anything you want to share with the class about your, theoretical promotions?"

Winter set down her coffee, untouched. "My position at head of the Ace Ops is the least jarring of our, theoretical promotions, as you put it." Winter said checking her scroll before setting it down. "I have the position and clearances to do the job. Though I lack experience in leading such a team. Of all of the general's decisions, the one I'm having the hardest time coming to terms with is the one regarding you Qrow. No offence, but Headmaster of Atlas isn't such a trivial position that can just be given away regardless of their renown and skill."

Qrow scowled ever so slightly. "You're right. I'm not the man for the job." Qrow said nonchalantly. "Sure, I can teach at Signal, but that's leagues different from running Atlas Academy. Plus, I don't think the silver spoons would stand for someone of my, character sitting in that chair. Dashing rogue I may be, my last name is still Branwen."

Ruby and Jaune chuckled at the 'dashing rogue' comment. "But the conversation is moot. Unless James is planning on kicking the bucket, we stay the course." Qrow said heading towards the door. "We take down Tyrian and whom ever else is in Mantle. We finish Amity and unite the world against Salem."

"I'm gonna check in with Yang and her not-girlfriend, maybe make a plan for tomorrow. I'm sure you Atlas folk have a file on Robyn Hill." Qrow said nodding at Winter before turning his attention to Ruby. "Catch you later kid."

Ruby smiled and waved. "I better go find Weiss and Penny. Catch you later." Ruby said as she finger gunned at Jaune and Winter.

After a moment of silence Jaune began chuckling under his breath. "So, I guess you're officially part of the team." Jaune said with a smile. "We should tell Ren and Nora, they're gonna want to consider new team names. Not really sure how a W and an S will work, but I'm sure we'll figure it out."

Winter smiled ever so slightly. "I'm not sure that would be appropriate, given that my position as your fourth is temporary." Winter said slightly morose and forlorn.

"Well..." Jaune said, slightly cringing in embarrassment and leaning his head to one side. "What if it didn't have to be? What if, we wanted you to stay on the team? What if I wanted you to be on the team?"

A/N: CLIFFHANGER! Are, are these feels? All Aboard! This ship is getting ready to depart! As always Like, Comment, and Subscribe.