"Well" Ozpin thought grimly as he went over his weekly report, "I suppose that the apocalypse is never where one should expect good news"
They were running out of water. They were not yet out of water, a fact he was always sure to remind the other members of staff when they asked, but they couldn't hold out forever. At their current rate of consumption they would only last 5 months now. Thankfully, he'd had the foresight to stockpile a large amount but they could no longer make new, drinkable, water.
Ozpin rubbed his head and sighed, he had known that the water chip would eventually be a problem, but there wasn't time to create a viable solution before they closed the vaults. Now his lack of creativity and foresight was coming back to haunt him.
Compounding this, Qrow was missing. 4 weeks past his assigned check-in date and there was no sign of him. Already tensions were begging to ride amongst the inhabitants. Between the new water rationing in effect and the disappearance of their head of security rumors were starting to spread.
"Fear. It always comes back to fear doesn't it?" He reached over to the vaut-wide intercom and switched it on, "Would Miss Goodwitch and Dr. Oobleck please head to the overseer's office at their earliest convenience?" Letting go of the button he sat hunched over the various notes, reports, and schematics on his desk. Despite calling the two of them in, he knew what their answer was going to be. He'd been dreading asking for days now but they no longer had a choice.
Minutes later, Glynda Goodwitch walked in followed shortly by Dr. Bartholomew Ooblwck. His second in command and the head of engineering respectively. He motioned for them to sit and began to speak.
"As you both know, our situation has become more, tenuous, so to speak. We need a new water chip and we also need to send out another expedition to find Qrow. He hasn't checked in."
At his words, Glynda sat up straighter and narrowed her eyes, "How late is he Ozpin?"
"4 weeks now"
Glynda shot to her feet and slammed her hands down on his desk, "Dammit Ozpin! What the hell is wrong with you? We need to know when things like this come up! Your incessant need to keep things close to your chest is going to get us all killed on day you selfish egotistical moron!"
As her tirade came to a pause Oobleck cleared his throat " While Miss Goodwitch may be slightly more vulgar in her phrasing of both you and our situation, she is no less correct. You should have let us know about this ahead of time, Ozpin."
He nodded his head in agreement, " You are both correct, I apologize. But my shortcomings aside, we are still presented with two major problems. We need a team skilled enough to survive out in the wasteland, and someone who has the proper technical know how to find us either a water chip, or a suitable replacement for the purifier. Knowing this you are both the most likely candidates and yet the obvious problem arises here."
"You need us both here right now lest things get worse right?" Glynda finished for him.
"Yes you need Miss Goodwitch here to take care of the populous in the absence of Mr Branwen and me here to try and jury rig any potential temporary solution for the purifier. So what is the solution you plan on presenting to us Ozpin?" Oobleck added
Ozpin stood up and walked over to the atrium window, looking down at the small groups of people walking around, sitting with friends,and living their lives in relative peace. His eyes focused on a particular trio sitting at a table near the far end. Two blondes and a redhead sat talking with each other. Ozpin turned back to his most trusted allies with sadness and trepidation in his eyes.
"Tell me, how are both of your apprentices faring in their lessons?"
Their eyes grew wide and Glynda fell back down to her chair. "Ozpin no! Surely you can't actually be suggesting this, right?"
"This does seem to be a highly risky choice, Ozpin. But logically speaking i do see the merit behind it"
Glynda turned on him now, "Bartholomew what the hell do you mean?"
"Fact number one: We need to stay here to keep the vault running. Fact number two: the only people with even a fraction of the necessary skills and knowledge to complete this mission are the girls we have spent years training. The logical conclusion is simple, if unsettling."
Glnda looked torn. She knew they were both right and yet a part of her still wouldn't let it go. "You know you might just be sending them their deaths out there."
Ozpin turned to look at her, the haunted gaze of a man who had lived too long reminding her that yes, he did know. "If I don't, I might just be condemning us all to die anyway."