Right. So. Erm... sorry about the delay. In my defense, I've had shit go down over here. Nothing serious, but time consuming all the same.

Now, we're getting into the unbeta'ed chapters. Karma is awesome, but she's got a life of her own and couldn't get to my shit. So, I apologize in advance if I missed anything during my own editing. Give me a shout if you guys spot anything, I'd appreciate it.

Cheers.

General Ironwood stared out his office window, watching the Atlesian landscape. It was mottled with hues of white, brown and grey, of snow, ice, infertile dirt and mountain side, with dreary grey clouds above. It was a harsh land, and only the foolish would ever want to call the inhospitable continent their home. Luckily, the local Atlesians were incredibly foolish. Those wandering thoughts brought a smirk to James' face as he drank from his mug, a cup made from burnished steel.

Though, truth be told, that double-layered bulletproof portal to the outside world was the only decoration in his office, with only his computer, a clock above the door, and a single picture frame at his right elbow.

As the clouds grew darker, so did the ache in the General's right arm. He grunted as he set his mug down and rubbed his shoulder, leaning against the marbled granite of his monolithic desk. It was a welcome distraction when his door opened and his secretary slipped though, a petite woman with brown hair and gentle features. She was good at her job and could sift through the muck and mire that was public opinion with ease. Most importantly, she didn't ask questions and could withstand the General's imposing presence.

"General, you have a call on line two. He would only give his name as Hawthorn," she said quietly.

James inwardly grimaced and nodded. "Thank you, Violet. You may leave."

When she left, Ironwood let out a sigh as he rubbed his temple, settling uneasily back into his chair. Reports had been coming in from Qrow – the Queen was gathering pieces far faster than any of them had anticipated. At the rate the White Fang attacks and Dust robberies had been increasing, the situation in Vale would reach a flashpoint in under a year. That wasn't even taking in the unrest of the Faunus population, and how quickly the Schnee's kept burning through their workforce to try to compensate for the thefts. All it did was give the White Fang more Dust and even more incentive for the Faunus to join the terrorist group, running the cycle in circles. If anyone was to blame for much of the unrest of the modern age, it was the Schnee Dust Corporation.

Of course, Ironwood could hardly claim to be a paragon of honor and virtue. He was silent as he gave his coffee a generous dollop of brandy.

Reluctantly, James tapped the holographic keyboard and had the displeasure to find an older man with greying black hair and moustache had contacted him. This man, along with three others, had been the bane of his existence for some time now.

"Hawthorne, may I ask just why you contacted me at my personal number?" he asked in a deathly cold tone, hands folded in front of his nose.

Translation – why the fuck are you calling me at my office?

Hawthorne cleared his throat before he said, "James, we have a problem."

With a raised eyebrow, James brought his mug to his lips. "I've told you before, do not use my name. And why is that my concern? Carlisle Industries has no formal ties to the Atlesian military," he stated.

At this, Hawthorn gave an ugly smirk. "Yes, but it is now your problem, unless you'd like to figure out the AP-290's power problems on your own."

"You know just as well as I that we need the Paladin," James snapped in an even tone, leveling a dark glare at the old man. "I hired your company to optimize the reactor; you are obligated to finish it."

"I can claim patent infringement and stall the release by several months."

"I can indict you and sue your shriveled balls to the Stone Age."

"Can you really afford the delay, boy?" Hawthorne mockingly asked, a wry grin on the old bastard's face.

At this, Ironwood gave a tired sigh. Hawthorn smirked and leaned forward into the camera. "I'm glad that you've seen reason, James."

For perhaps the millionth time, Ironwood vowed to put together a team to assassinate the entire Board of Directors. Unfortunately, the small company had sold hundreds of designs to practically every sector of business, including those of the criminal underworld. Ironwood had his hands in deep pockets, but even he didn't come close to the lack of morals that Carlisle Industries enjoyed. They were nearly untouchable.

"Here is what you will do," Hawthorn said. "A student of yours went AWOL around three months ago. Constance Carlisle. We need her. You're going to go through every outgoing shipment manifest around that time and look for any strange cargo."

At this Ironwood perked his head up, instantly recognizing the name. "Constance Carlisle?" he asked derisively. "I have no respect for deserters. What on earth do you want with her?"

Hawthorn gave a crooked grin. "And that, my boy, is just something you'll have to keep on wondering. Get those documents." With that, Hawthorn broke the connection.

Ironwood sat back with an irritated growl, cursing the man for all he was worth. Absolutely no other person on Remnant got under his skin more than King Hawthorn, the leader of his little Director band. He was a shrewd businessman that rivaled Ironwood himself, with none of that pesky thing called a conscience to weigh him down.

Carlisle Industries was once a great company. And while it had more wealth, more power, and more renown than it ever had before, second only to the Schnee Dust Company in terms of power, it had become a shadow of what it once was. Of course, James felt sympathy for the Carlisle girl. He could freely admit that she was the best he had ever seen – he had even considered making her the pilot of her own Paladin, and squad leader of her own troops. Of course, she had deserted and effectively threw that plan out the window.

Like he'd said, Ironwood had no respect for deserters. Dereliction of duty and subsequent loss of morale were what led the Great War to drag on as long as it had. But despite that, he felt sorry for the girl, and hoped that Hawthorn would never be able to find her.

-O-O-O-

It was a cold, rainy day over Beacon Academy. It came down in buckets, drenching Vale in a mid-spring rainstorm that would help bring life into the region. In a week the grass would be green and lush, and crops would be well on their way for harvest.

Now? Students were cursing the skies for ruining their lunch hour, where most would head outside. What made it worse was that it was a Sunday, making it the last day of freedom for a whole week. Contrary to the gloom hanging over the school, Connie was glad that the halls were empty as she followed Professor Ozpin, his cane tapping on the floor as they walked.

"Professor Ozpin, you aren't obligated to help me," she said.

With a wry chuckle, Ozpin replied, "You are one of my students, Miss Constance. It would be irresponsible of me to leave you on your own while you were trying to get back what is yours."

Connie huffed, ears laying back in annoyance. She struggled to keep up with Ozpin's long strides as she argued, "This isn't an issue you need to concern yourself with, sir. It's my tank, I can –"

"No matter what argument you think up, Connie," he interrupted sternly, "I will still accompany you. If nothing else I need to have words with Commander Zurich."

Half expecting Ozpin to continue, Connie paused before she let out a long sigh through her nose. "As you wish, Professor."

The pair walked in silence. They had been walking for several minutes before Connie noticed a tickle at the back of her skull, and took a moment to listen and sniff the air. When she realized what was bugging her she snorted in amusement.

"We seem to have guests," she whispered.

Ozpin glanced over his shoulder, smirking when he noticed a shadow flit across the hall and hide behind one of the decorative pillars lining it. "It seems we do. Of course," he said loudly, "the VDF takes the kingdom's security very seriously. As you are an Armor pilot you can understand the need, but be sure not to bring anyone down there. They would have to be detained indefinitely."

There was a squeak and shuffling of feet.

"Permission to smoke out our guests?" Connie asked.

Ozpin nodded. "Granted."

Connie spun in a blur, drawing her M54 as she did so and leveling it down the hall. "Step out, now," she ordered, her voice hard and level. It took a long moment, but Ruby, Yang, and Weiss sheepishly stepped out from behind a pillar. Well, Ruby and Yang were sheepish – Weiss simply looked bored.

With a snort, Connie holstered her weapon. "What on Remnant are you doing?"

Ruby nervously chuckled, wringing her hands as she opened her mouth to speak.

"She wanted to spy on you, Yang hopped on board, and Weiss was dragged along for the ride. I was just following Yang," Blake said, looking comfortable as she leaned against the wall beside Connie. The fox girl looked at her in shock.

"How did you –"

"I can be very quiet when I want to be," Blake said with a smirk.

"Blake!" Ruby yelled in outrage. "How dare you! I would never even think of spying on a dear friend of mine, even if she was going into an awesome military bunker!"

Connie sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to stifle the beginnings of a headache. It was the second day after Connie joined Team RWBY for lunch. While the group had tried to continue on with their lives as normally as possible, Connie threw a wrench into almost everything they did. Not that Ruby was complaining, not at all. While they tried to include her in their days – Ruby and Yang, at least – they had met little success, as Connie always managed to find some excuse to get out of it. Usually in the form of an impromptu patrol, cleaning her gun or practicing at the firing range. Despite that, they found that Connie had taken on an almost unbroken streak of curiosity, watching the group from the background with bright, intent eyes. While Ruby was wholeheartedly trying to befriend the fox girl, Connie simply accepted it, preferring to remain at arm's distance from the group.

However, despite their tense… whatever she had with Team RWBY, she would not allow them to force themselves into her business.

"Ruby, you're not going into the facility," Connie said forcefully, trying to make her back down.

Ruby gave an entirely fake smile and wrung her hands. "Wh-what do you mean? I had absolutely no intention of sneaking in there! Eh heh heh…"

"…Yeah Rubes, that wasn't obvious at all," Yang muttered.

With a sigh, Weiss rubbed her own aching temple. "This is what you get when you convince an innocent child to lie."

"I'm not a child! And I'm not innocent!" Ruby shouted, stamping her foot.

A lecherous smirk crossed Yang's face. "Oh yeah? So you're corruptible?"

"Yes!"

"So who ya done it with? Who corrupted you?"

Ruby sucked in a breath, ready to continue her tirade when she realized just exactly what she had walked into. She froze, slowly going pale as the realization dawned on her. The fox Faunus didn't know that it was possible for a human to turn such a spectacular shade of red as Ruby screeched, "Yang! Ew! Why?!"

"Because it's fun," Yang said with a grin.

Watching the sisters, Connie couldn't help but snort in amusement.

"Nevertheless," Ozpin said, "I still wish to know why the four of you were following us."

Again, Ruby wrung her hands, gulping before Yang patted her shoulder. She seemed to gather her courage at knowing her team was there as she said, "W-well, we were worried about Connie. She's been joining us for lunch the last couple of days but she didn't show up this time. We wanted to make sure nothing bad was going on so we went to look for her."

"If I may interject, I was just carried along on the rollercoaster of insanity that is Team RWBY," Weiss pointed out – however, she didn't seem to mind as much as she should have.

Blake snorted.

Ozpin nodded, and said, "So you found her, and instead of calling out to your friend you stalked her."

"We weren't stalking!" Ruby cried. "It's just that, before I could say something you were talking about the VDF base and I wanted to know more!"

At this, Connie frowned, chewing on her lip before she turned to Ozpin. "Permission to speak freely, Professor?"

Ozpin frowned, but he nodded.

"The VDF facility is a military installation," Connie began, striding towards Ruby. "It is vital to the protection of Vale. There are security measures in place that, even if a one hundred ton warhead was to detonate, not even a fly could breach its defenses. I've spent over a week trying to gain access, and I'm a pilot formerly affiliated with Ironwood Academy with the proper credentials. There is no way you would be able to. Additionally, if you came across sensitive information you could be detained indefinitely."

The puzzled look on the young girl's face told Connie all she needed to know.

"Uh, what?" Ruby said obliviously.

"It means they could lock you up and throw away the key, Ruby!" Weiss cried. "I knew this was a bad idea."

Connie grimaced as Ruby paled, obviously not wanting to cause the girl distress. She felt guilty – she knew that Ruby always seemed to get excited over any kind of weapon, but something in Connie felt afraid of what the girl would think if she saw how things worked in a facility like the VDF. As a Huntress, Ruby would always be allowed some form of autonomy – she would be called upon if a major crisis happened, but until then she would be allowed to work and live how she wanted to.

It wasn't nearly the case in the military. The chain of command took precedence over all and everything else became secondary; this included one's own decisions and needs. The thought of the red-hooded girl disapproving of how Connie lived until she left Ironwood somehow felt discomforting, which confused Connie further.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when Ozpin stepped forward. "What I believe Miss Constance is trying to say is she wants you to remain in a position of plausible deniability. You can't be convicted of something you don't even know, after all."

"That just makes me want to see what's down there even more," Ruby whispered. Though she still looked fearful, it seemed it simply boosted her excitement.

Yang grinned and slung an arm across her sister's shoulders. "Yeah, me too. I mean, they've gotta have some pretty cool stuff going on down there if they don't just let anyone in, right?"

"You don't seem to grasp the reality of what you're saying, you dunces!" Weiss exclaimed with a stomp of her foot. "We could go to prison. What part of 'detained indefinitely' don't you understand?"

"I have to admit, I'm curious myself," Blake said, pushing off from the wall to stand beside Connie.

Ozpin looked to Connie, watching her expression. She was confused and frustrated. Obviously she didn't want to alienate the four girls – even if she didn't realize what they were to her yet – but having her training ingrained into her for so long rendered her incapable of voicing her thoughts without permission or pushing her to the point she couldn't contain herself any longer. Reviewing the firing range footage told him that much.

"If you are granted access you may come along," Ozpin said. "However, if you are not, you will not attempt to access the base on your own. Even I cannot protect you from trespassing on a military facility."

Much like he thought, Connie gritted her teeth before she schooled herself, swallowing her emotions.

"Yay! This is going be so awesome!" Ruby shouted.

Seeing that she'd lost, Weiss let out a heavy sigh. "I might as well tag along on this train of insanity," she said with a derisive chuckle, unaware that she was smiling slightly.

With a wide grin, Yang slung an arm around the white-haired heiress's shoulders, much to her chagrin. "Yup, all aboard the crazy train! CHOO-CHOO!"

"…Release me, or your pain will be legendary."

The group made their way down the hall, chattering all the while. Ozpin kept a close eye on the fox girl, watching as she battled her emotions. Before she would wind herself up into a frenzy, however, he leaned in close and said, "Part of not bowing your head is not hiding your thoughts. Remember that."

Connie was stunned to the point that all she could do was stare at the professor. However, before she could say anything more they had arrived at the VDF elevator. Hicks was playing with his weapon, using it as an air guitar before he saw the group approaching and quickly snapped to attention.

He still fumbled with the rifle before he could get a good grip on it, though.

Hicks cleared his throat, trying to retain any semblance of pride he had left before he held up a hand and commandingly barked out, "Halt! What business do you have here?"

Connie frowned – one did not speak to a Headmaster like they were mere civilians. Granted, she had done the same thing, but she had extenuating circumstances. She sucked in a breath to snap at Hicks, but was interrupted when Ozpin calmly said, "I need to speak to Commander Zurich, and Pilot Carlisle needs access to her machine."

At this, Hicks nervously shuffled, appearing unsure even through his helmet. "Ah- uh, yes sir. Let me just, uh, speak with my superior."

Before the soldier could turn away, Ozpin clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Is there a problem with my request, Guardsman Hicks?" he asked evenly, wanting information but unwilling to force it from the Faunus.

"I… shit, I suck at chain of command, I was nearly kicked out because of it," Hicks muttered. "Look, Headmaster, you're clear to go in. But she isn't." He finished with a subtle wave at the fox girl, who frowned in response.

"Is there something offensive with my presence?" she asked, her voice dangerously level. Hicks would be an excellent punching bag for her already strained nerves.

Hicks shifted nervously, looking for anyone around them before he leaned in close, prompting Ozpin and Connie to lean in as well. "Listen, this is just between us. Now, it's just rumors, but the guys have been saying that the Commander's talking about seizing that tank of yours," he pointed at Connie, "and keeping it for the force here."

Connie wasn't one to openly display emotion. Years of what amounted to boot camp had trained her to school her face into an impassive façade of calm. So when her normally stoic expression twisted into one of dark rage, even Ozpin stepped back. Hicks stood no chance, cowering before the shorter girl's fearsome expression.

"The Commander's… what?" she hissed, baring her fangs as her amber eyes briefly darkened.

"He can't do that!" Ruby shouted. The hooded girl strode up to Hicks, hands close to her chest as she cried, "Th-that tank is Connie's! He can't just take it away!"

"Ruby," Connie snarled, "stand down."

Ruby immediately backed away, fearful of the glare she was receiving.

Connie stared her down for a moment longer before she sighed and ran a hand through her choppy hair. "I… The Commander has a right to seize her, she's a valuable machine. And I'm not part of the VDF," she gritted out, though she gave Ruby an apologetic look.

Watching in silence, Ozpin now decided to tap his cane on the ground, getting the attention of Ruby and Connie, as well as the rest of Team RWBY.

"This would be a setback, Miss Constance," Ozpin said. "An Armor pilot without an Armor is much like a Huntress without her weapon. Your first patrol is scheduled tomorrow, and I believe you still need to run tests of your own. So, what are you going to do?"

Connie opened her mouth to speak, and froze. She had expected an order to retrieve her tank – it was one she would carry out without hesitation, and even had formed half a plan to bypass the elevator. A cold sweat made her Atlesian uniform stick to her skin as she realized that Ozpin hadn't, in fact, ordered her to do anything.

Gulping, Connie stammered out, "P-Professor Ozpin, wh-what are your orders?"

At this, Ozpin smiled. He leaned in close, staring her in the eye. "That, Miss Constance, is your decision."

-O-O-O-

The drill sergeant walked among his trainees, gruffly pushing them into a proper parade rest as he stared each of them down. His scarred face did half the job for him, as well as his artificial left arm, though he could do without the stinging numbness that his shoulder endured if he was out in the snowy chill for too long.

"Listen up!" he barked. "As of this moment, you no longer have the right to think! That is my job now! If I say jump, you say how high! If I say to shoot the animal next to you, you will do so without hesitation!"

He paused at the front of the group, looking over his fifty recruits with a critical eye. "And I say to lick my boots, you god damn well better do it or I'll rip the skull from your spine, and toss it away laughing!"

"SIR, YES SIR!" the trainees cried out, their voices making the ground tremble.

Connie, at the forefront of the pack, had already lost the will to resist – her eyes had long since gone dim, having spent two years enduring this.

-O-O-O-

Connie flinched, returning to the present. "I-I…"

Ozpin looked at her expectantly.

"I'm afraid I can't do that sir," she said, trying to shove her nervousness down. "I am not authorized to enter the VDF facility."

Her insides twisted uncomfortably at Ozpin's look of disappointment.

His look was gone just as quickly as it came, and Ozpin seemed fine as he turned back to Hicks and said, "In that case, I need authorization to enter."

Hicks nodded and put a hand to where his ear would be. "Alrighty, anyone else?"

Ozpin nodded, and turned to give Team RWBY and Connie a subtle smirk. "Tell your superiors that I have five escorts coming down with me. Once we get down there, it will be fine."

Not even Hicks' helmet could protect his ears from Ruby's squeal of delight, and not one of them missed Connie's disapproving frown.

-O-O-O-

The elevator ride down was suitably tense, though everyone but Ruby and Ozpin felt it. The girl was lost on cloud nine and unable to notice anything but her own excitement, even as she stood next to the fox girl herself. Yang had subtly positioned herself behind the pair, ready to intervene – she could understand Ruby's want to make a new friend, but wanted to supervise the pair until things progressed for the both of them. Hicks, Weiss, and Blake had subconsciously crowded in an abandoned corner of the freight elevator next to the door, wanting escape as soon as possible.

Ozpin? He was completely relaxed, silent and occasionally sipping from his mug.

Connie was too busy glaring at the doors to be bothered by the heavy atmosphere, left hand twitching as it inched towards her thigh holster. She was furious. The fact that Ozpin had pushed her to struggle to rein in her emotions like this pissed her off even more. It was part of her training to carefully pick her words, or not voice them at all. It seemed that Ozpin was punishing her for not blatantly refusing Ruby.

At this, Connie ground her teeth together in an ugly screech, making everyone on the elevator shudder at the terrible noise. Of course he was – she hadn't even known the man that long and it seemed like just the kind of thing he would do to punish his students. Connie had already undergone her training. She had already survived Hell. She shouldn't have to deal with an overenthusiastic Headmaster.

Ruby finally noticed the fox girl's turmoil. She nudged her elbow and muttered, "Hey, Connie. Are you alright?"

Connie snapped a glare at the girl, making Ruby flinch back before she sighed and softened her gaze. "Y… yes, Ruby. I am fine."

"Are you sure? 'Cause you kinda… aren't."

Connie had to hand it to the girl, she was observant.

"Ruby, it doesn't matter. It's too late to back out. You're coming whether you want to or not," she said, her voice small and deflated.

Ruby was confused, but before she could say more the elevator slowed and gave a tinny 'ding' as it reached the bottom. It opened into a small, empty lobby area, one that Hicks tumbled out into in relief. Weiss and Blake gingerly stepped over him, looking around at the dingy area with buzzing fluorescent lights and stained linoleum. The front desk was at the other side of the room, a cheap desk of fake wood with a heavy security door to the right of it, while several thread-bare chairs lined the walls. It had a strange smell to it, a cross between old sweat, stale beer and cigarettes, which combined with the dingy atmosphere to compel the lot of them back into the elevator and away from this fresh hell they just walked into.

They weren't impressed, though Weiss was more obvious about it.

Connie was unaffected as she strode out and gave it a once-over, nodding slightly before she stepped to the side. Yang could hardly care less. It was when Ozpin went to step out that he was stopped by Ruby grabbing the elbow of his suit.

"U-um, Professor?" she asked quietly, regaining her senses after her fangirling. "I thought you said that we couldn't come with if we didn't get authorization."

At this, Ozpin smiled. "Yes, but no one explicitly said that you couldn't come, Ruby," he said. "You must learn to read between the lines of what someone says and what they don't say."

Though she seemed confused, Ruby gave a nod all the same.

Ozpin approached the front desk, where a hologram of a haggard-looking woman with her hair in a tousled bun appeared. "Welcome to Vale Defense Force headquarters, how may I –"

The hologram paused, seeing the six behind him before she frowned. "Guardsman Huckleberry, I believe your instructions were to allow passage of those who received authorization," she said, boring an accusatory glare into the dog Faunus. He chucked nervously and rubbed the back of his helmet.

"Huckleberry?" Yang choked out, struggling to contain her giggles. Weiss rolled her eyes and shook her head, though she was intrigued that some second-rate facility had enough pull to afford a Smart AI.

Hicks gulped. "U-uh, well –"

"They are my escorts for the day, I've been concerned about security," Ozpin said, perfectly at ease as he lied through his teeth. Connie gritted her teeth in annoyance.

The hologram frowned again. "To authorize additional security you must contact the Requisitions Officer. Until you do so, you must leave."

Ozpin tipped his head so that his eyes could those of the hologram. "Hilda, as Headmaster of Beacon Academy, and given my position in allowing the VDF to base their operations here, you know that I am not required to go through proper channels. I hereby give my authorization for Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Constance Carlisle to enter this facility."

He smiled, one that barely hid his smug satisfaction. "Are there any problems?"

Hilda glanced between the group and Ozpin, emotions switching between confusion and annoyance before she sighed in resignation. "No, there is not. You may proceed."

Her hologram flickered off as he door to the side of the desk opened, letting a wave of fresh air sweep into the room. Yang and Weiss rushed through, nearly wedging themselves side-by-side in the doorway in the process, while Blake quietly followed with an amused smirk. It was when Ruby went to leave that she was stopped by Connie, who had a pained, reluctant look on her face.

"What is it?" Ruby asked, not noticing as Ozpin carefully left the room.

Connie took in a breath, mouth opening and closing. "I… don't want you coming. I… don't know what you'll… think," she haltingly said, struggling to find her words even as her brain tried to shove them back down. At Ruby's hurt expression she sighed and finished, "Just do what you want."

She left, head hanging as she passed through the doorway, and out of the corner of her eye noticed Ozpin subtly standing close by with a resigned look on his face. Ruby followed close behind, occasionally staring after Connie in confusion.

Hicks, miffed at being forgotten, shook his head. "Oh yeah, sure, leave me out if it. It's not like I have anything better to do than guard a door," he muttered, trudging back into the elevator.

The room opened up into the real VDF lobby. It was a wide, spacious hexagonal room, with a center desk and three branching halls to the north, east, and west. Unlike the room they just left, the lobby was clean and had mostly bluish-grey metal walls, though there was tough rubber embedded into the floor for paths. They all gawked at the sight, definitely more impressed than they had been before. The only ones unaffected were Ozpin and Connie, though Ozpin had already visited before and Connie was used to places like these. Ironwood Academy was nearly the same, though built as a tower instead of a bunker.

"Okay, that is pretty cool," Yang said, eyeing one of the guards that lined the rooms, though he merely gave her a quick, calculating glance before standing at attention once more. She pouted slightly.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Do you haveto try to attract attention to yourself wherever you go?"

"Yep. It's my MO."

"Don't distract the guards," Connie muttered, looming behind the two. They leapt away in shock as she continued, "They have very important jobs. Distracting them keeps them from performing their duties."

"Y-yeah, sure. No prob," Yang said nervously, giving her a shaky thumbs up. When she turned away she edged closer to Weiss and whispered, "Okay, is it just me, or is she acting weirder than usual?"

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Define 'weird' for a socially crippled Faunus trained to pilot a twenty-five ton tank and be suicidal."

Yang grimaced. "Uh… yeah, that was too soon."

"That wasn't a joke; I'm trying to keep her in perspective since no one else will."

Blake watched in silence, observing them all with Ozpin. Ruby stood by herself in the meantime, twiddling her thumbs and lost in deep thought, wondering how to speak with Connie and find out what was wrong.

Ozpin cleared his throat. He waited until all eyes were on him before he said, "Miss Constance does bring about a very important point. This is not a field trip or a tour, you girls are simply observing. You are not to keep the men and women here from doing their jobs in any way, or you will be immediately sent back up to Beacon, no exceptions. You may speak among yourselves, but please refrain from asking the officers here questions that may jeopardize their work. This is a high security facility, and I expect you to treat it as such."

Ruby gulped, intimidated. The rest of her team was unaffected.

"That said, if you do have questions please direct them to me or Miss Constance," he continued, and ignored the heated glare he received from the fox girl.

He pointed to the north, where a sign above the corridor read, 'Administration.'

"I will be headed to speak with the Commander privately. Meanwhile, Miss Constance will guide you to Engineering," he pointed to the west, "and show you girls around. I'll rejoin you shortly."

Blake crossed her arms. "If you aren't here to guide us, how will she? As I understand she hasn't been here before."

All of them looked to Connie, who quailed under the sudden scrutiny. "Th-the facility should have a standardized layout. If they used the same setup as Ironwood, there shouldn't be an issue," she said, spitting the words out as quickly as possible. Though Weiss and Blake still looked doubtful they were ready to follow her, if nothing else than to keep an eye on their partners.

Ozpin walked away, calling over his shoulder, "Stay out of trouble. You are representatives of Beacon, keep that in mind."

He soon disappeared down the north hall, leaving the group of five by themselves.

"So!" Ruby chirped, looking to Connie with a smile. "Should we get started?"

Connie grimaced, extremely reluctant, but nodded all the same.

Yang grinned, and stepped forward with a fist pumped. "Hell yeah! Let's go already!"

"You do realize this isn't a field trip, right Yang?" Weiss said as she followed. She paused, thinking before she finished, "Then again there may be something worthwhile here."

The motley group made their way toward the corridor. Connie was at the back of the group, frowning and frustrated before she schooled herself once more. A leaden ball had settled in the pit of her stomach as her acquaintances made their way further and further into the base.

It was only a matter of time.

-O-O-O-

Falcone Winchester whistled as he strode into the VDF workshop, fully clad in his piloting suit with his helmet tucked under his arm. The paper had just gotten to him that morning, stating that the M11T1-L, the 'Mech languishing in Felix's workshop, was now under his exclusive command. A smirk crossed his face, not expecting anything less. Not only that, but he was expecting to gain possession of that animal's machine as well. He knew he didn't need it – the T1 was a better machine in every way, with the added benefit of being designed by the animal's own father. The latter alone was a good spit in the face in his opinion.

But the tank? Spite filled his heart as he imagined what he would do to it. Over the four years he had known the animal, that tank was her pride and joy. He remembered how she would treat it better than his own command, and how the smug little bitch would always lord it over him whenever they sparred. Well, who had the last laugh now?

Falcone chuckled darkly as he admired his shiny new T1. It truly was a work of art, both in its appearance and its design. It was unique in that it didn't resemble most piloted power suits being produced nowadays – the legs were actually attached where the shoulders would be, lowering its center of gravity and lengthening its stride. The cockpit made the face of the machine and was built to actually stand in, with controls that would strap on the pilot's arms and legs to follow movements directly instead of being interpreted by an AI. Stubby arms extended past the cockpit, equipped with Dust autocannons that would really shred anything he wanted it to.

He was an asshole, but he could appreciate a powerful machine like this.

With another chuckle Falcone turned to the tank, a malevolent smile on his lips as he reached for a recessed panel of armor next to the cockpit. Behind it was the tank's external control panel, and he continued chuckling as he typed in a command for the cockpit to open.

"Access denied, insufficient privileges."

Falcone's mind froze. "…What?"

He typed in the command again.

"Access denied, insufficient privileges."

"Insufficient- I own you!" Falcone shouted, slamming his fist into the control panel.

"Access denied, insufficient privileges."

"Fuck you, bitch!"

Falcone slammed the panel closed and turned away, absolutely livid as he struggled to control his breathing. With the tank locking out his command, which should normally be impossible, the machine was about as useful as a paperweight. Who would do this? He was Falcone Winchester, who the hell would dare-

He stopped, face twisting with fury. "Felix!" he bellowed, sprinting out the workshop. Not paying any mind as he barreled into some brat with a red hood, Falcone raced down the mostly empty corridor, knocking down worthless Faunus as he went. Only one of the animals mattered to him right now, and when he found him, Falcone would make sure Felix would be eating through a tube for the rest of his life.

-O-O-O-

The VDF Commander's office was, surprisingly, somewhat small. It was roughly a cube, with all of the Commander's past accomplishments across his walls, while the wall behind the desk itself was taken up by a massive screen that was constantly looping through security feeds of the base itself and news reports of Vale. Aside from his medals, pictures with famous dignitaries and situation screen, there was only the cold metal walls and cold metal desk, one that Zurich was pressing his palms against as he withstood Ozpin's accusatory glare.

"So, you take the VDF, an organization you built from the ground up and one I practically gave the lower half of Beacon Academy to house it in, and you all but sell it to the Winchester family," Ozpin stated. His voice was low and steady, calm, but anyone who knew him could hear the strain in his voice. Grip tightening on his cane, Ozpin struggled to contain his Aura as it built higher and higher in his fury.

Zurich gulped, and tugged at the tight collar of his uniform. "Th-the Winchester Family gave me an offer that was too good to pass on," he fearfully muttered. "Two point five million lien to give them command authority, and I stay on as official commander. S-surely, you can understand, yes? We are both getting older; it is time to look to our retirement, yes?"

At this, Ozpin let a careful sigh out through his nose before taking a sip of coffee. Just as Zurich began to take this as a sign that he could breathe again, Ozpin swung his cane over his head and slammed it into the desk, making Zurich jump back in shock and cower in his chair.

It was with good reason – the desk bent easier than paper, now sporting a three-inch depression in the shape of a cane.

"Anton Zurich," Ozpin said, give the Vacuan native a dark glare, "as a Huntsman and Headmaster of Beacon Academy, I have authorization to use any means necessary in defense of this kingdom. To get through to your idiotic mind, I am judge, jury, and executioner. And you placed the safety of Vale and several million civilians in the hands of Faunus-hating, greedy bigots."

Zurich shivered.

Ozpin sighed, and continued, "I really shouldn't be surprised. After all, you were the one who proposed Project Summerset."

Zurich could do nothing but stare uncomprehendingly at the Huntsman.

Wrenching his cane free, Ozpin felt and looked dreadfully tired as he stood there, giving Zurich a look of disappointment. "That said, you still have usefulness. I want you to cancel the seizure of Pilot Constance Carlisle's tank. She is now my student, and I will not have one of my students be unprepared for the times ahead. Additionally, you will give me daily reports on the VDF's activities and what the Winchesters have ordered you to do."

With a scoff, Zurich glared at Ozpin. "You have no authority over me! I am Commander of the Vale Defense Force!"

"No, you're a puppet. If you do not, you'll find yourself plastered on the evening news. I sure 'Corrupt Commander Sells Out VDF' would make for an apt title, wouldn't you say?"

Zurich growled and clenched his fist.

Ozpin turned, striding for the door.

"Wait, Ozpin," Zurich said, getting from his seat. When the Headmaster paused, he continued, "You said, Project Summerset. This, all this – this new Faunus Rebellion, the White Fang, all of this could have been avoided back then. All those years ago, if you had sent in your Hunters, all of this could have been avoided! All because of your conscience! This would not be happening if it was not for you!"

"And that is the difference between me and the council," Ozpin said in a low growl, not turning around. "You see terrorists. I see people who have been beaten down their entire lives. And as long as I am breathing, Huntsmen and Huntresses will not be used for murder."

With that, Ozpin left, letting the door hiss shut behind him as he passed a saluting guard.

Anger begets anger, Ozpin thought to himself. Hatred begets hatred. An act of terrorism calls for terrorism in kind. But if that's the case, where is the cycle broken?

-O-O-O-

Sucking in a breath, Ruby watching in awe as she watched several soldiers at a firing range, set behind bulletproof glass. Her nose was touching it as she exclaimed, "Sis, sis! Look at all those beauties! This is awesome!"

"Yeah, I think we went over this before. You do know they're just weapons, right?" Yang asked, looking at her sister with concern.

Ruby scoffed. "Of course I do, but look at them all!"

When Ruby had seen the word 'Armory" over a certain corridor, there was nothing the group could do but sigh and try to keep the younger girl out of trouble. As it was the Requisitions Officer, a burly-looking tiger Faunus with broad shoulders and extendable claws, was glaring at the group after Ruby had tried to snatch a shotgun out of his hands in her excitement. They had placed themselves all through the armory, ready to keep Ruby out of trouble and leaving the girl with Connie.

The armory itself had rows and rows of weapons lockers, showcasing lines of rifles tucked behind security locks in all their glory. Aside from Team RWBY and Connie, there were four others in the room as they inspected the various weapons, if one didn't count the tiger Faunus behind the counter and the six in the firing range itself. In fact, all but two in the range were Faunus, making Connie the most relaxed she'd felt in a long while. Giving a fellow fox Faunus a friendly nod, she stepped closer to Ruby and muttered, "Ruby, you're making a scene."

"But, the guns!"

"You built a high-impact sniper rifle and melded it with a scythe."

Ruby sulked, but pulled herself away from the window. "Alright, when you put it that way," she pouted. "But you've gotta show me your M7 when you get it back."

This struck a blade straight into Connie's heart. She quickly hid her pained expression. "It's not a guarantee that I'll get it back."

Ruby snorted, and dismissively said, "Oh c'mon, it's Ozpin."

"Ruby, please stop," Connie pleaded, feeling her temper rise and her fox snarling just under the surface.

The girl didn't hear her and continued, "I mean, he kept the police off my back when I stopped that Torchwick guy. If anyone can get it back, it's him."

Connie frowned and didn't respond.

"Anyway, we should get going, right? We got lots to see!" Ruby said chipperly, skipping to the door.

It wasn't the first time that Connie wondered what sort of hellish drug the girl was on.

The five of them continued on, Connie taking the forefront and pointing out rooms and areas as they came to them. Granted, much of it was guesswork, but it was based off a design that had been used in Atlas all the time. She explained in short, clipped sentences about a pipe system that was built into the corridors themselves, which would directly supply power and utilities anywhere in the base and eliminated the need to rip out walls to build infrastructure.

"Wait," Yang asked, "so, the walls supply everything?"

Connie nodded.

Yang thought, and was suddenly disgusted. "Oh boy, does that include toilets?"

"Yes."

Weiss had a look of disdain herself. "So, not even a foot from where we're walking is a steel pipe gushing with raw sewage?"

"Yes."

To say that Weiss was displeased would be a major understatement.

They had been walking for several minutes in silence – Connie was silent, while Ruby made up half the conversation with her entire team – down a barren corridor that was presumably under construction still. Several hallway entrances only went a few feet before stopped in a dead end of bare rock, and the only people that were around were workers that carried big, Dust-powered jackhammers and tools. The only place on that hallway was something simply called the Workshop, something which Ruby had instantly wanted to see.

It wasn't the first time that Weiss had cursed under her breath when they found a map of the base.

They had just come to the door when it slid open and a large man barreled out of it, colliding with Ruby. She would've fallen over if she had been caught by Yang, whose eye were burning red and glaring at the man as he dashed away.

"Oi! Get back here, you prick!"

She was ignored, and the man quickly disappeared down the hall when he turned a corner.

Yang was consumed with fury, hands fisted and ready to chase after him as she snarled, "No one bumps into my sister and gets away with it! Get back here, ya –"

Blake reached out and gripped her partner's shoulder. "I think he's gone," she said.

With a huff and an aggressive roll of her shoulders, Yang glared down the hall. "He better run. If I see him again I'm makin' a new doorway, maybe he'll hit that sewage pipe. Anyway! C'mon Rubes, let's go!"

The sudden change from rage to her usual cheer made Blake stop and shake her head, while Weiss rolled her eyes. Ruby, naturally, was unaffected – she hadn't even noticed her sister's fury and had dashed into the workshop right after being bowled over, and even from the hall they could hear the girl's excited squeals.

Blake rolled her eyes as she followed Yang, the blonde yelling out, "Honey, I'm home!"

Resignation was all Weiss could feel right then. This was what she would be stuck with for the next four years… or however long her father deigned to allow her to remain. Sighing to herself, she made to follow her team when she noticed that someone was missing. Connie was still standing on the middle of the hall, standing stiffly with her hands clenched ears lying flat on her head. While Yang had been ready to beat some poor sap, Connie looked absolutely terrified.

-O-O-O-

Connie could hardly believe it. She couldn't fucking believe it. She had abandoned her post, she had deserted her own unit – she had even traveled halfway around the world and the bastard still managed to find her. He knew that she was here. Her tank was practically her calling card; no one else in all of Ironwood used an M7. Both fear and fury gripped her heart, battling for dominance, though fury just barely managed to win out and made her glare down the hall.

She noticed Weiss staring at her.

"What?" Connie snarled, baring her fangs. Weiss' eyes widened and she glared back, before turning around in a huff and primly striding into the workshop.

With the white-haired girl gone, Connie stared down the hall. She could only hope that they could leave before the bastard came back. Still, she couldn't believe the irony – Connie fled Ironwood to get away from him, and as soon as she stopped running he found her again. It made her sick to her stomach. With a sigh and a squaring of her shoulders, Connie entered the workshop, only to be met with utter chaos.

-O-O-O-

CODEX: Smart AI vs Dumb AI

The difference between Smart AI and Dumb AI can be comparable to the sun and the moon. While both exist as data and both are intelligent, Smart AI are able to respond to new situations with the intelligence comparable to a human. In contrast, Dumb AI are rarely able to respond correctly to situations outside of their specified programming.

Nevertheless, Dumb AI are most prevalent. They are present in most modern technologies and are vital to the smooth operation of Remnant's most heavily populated cities. Due to the fact that they are able to give a resemblance of human intelligence, most people don't realize that they are communicating with a program with pre-defined responses. Additionally, while they can learn, they are limited to their specified role. Dumb AI can be experts in their specified fields, but are unable to expand beyond this point.

However, a Smart AI is unbound by this restriction. Lacking any sort of limitations in their processors and memory matrix, they can not only be taught a vast wealth of information, but they can learn and comprehend their surroundings as well. No additional hardware or software is needed outside of their own programming, allowing them overwhelming flexibility aside from a minimum requirement of storage. However, many corporations forcibly tie their AI into specific locations, whereupon removal would irreparably damage them. One such AI is Penny, a prototype eighth generation AI affiliated with the Atlas Navy and Atlesian Robotics. If her program were to be removed from her frame, her processes would be permanently crippled.

There are approximately ten thousand Smart AI in operation across Remnant in a variety of roles, with nearly fifty times this number in Dumb AI.

However, in the current generation of Smart AI (7th gen), it has been found that they are staggeringly human-like, to the point that experts cannot tell the difference between human and machine. During a Turing test of one hundred Smart AI's, ninety-nine passed – the sole failure, a fifty year old first generation AI, suffered a memory overflow error mid-test and, in a state of what psychiatrists would later call dementia, locked down the test building and took everyone hostage, whereupon all test-taking AI attacked and subsequently fragmented the malfunctioning AI. The remaining fragments were unrecoverable.

This event has called into question the safety of Smart AI, and whether or not all existing AI should be dismantled. However, others claim that it is a sign of AI growth into a new race, hosting numerous protests and denouncing the term "AI" as derogatory, demanding instead "Digital Humans." One of the key leaders of the pro-AI movement is Sally, a second-generation Smart AI, who has been pushing for AI for gain the same rights and priviliges as humans.