Humanity.
A simple word, to most humans. A useless word, for in the end, most humans would rather define themselves as being Vytalian, or Atlasian. Or any number of other nations spread across the galaxy, great and small. Some even choose to ignore such claims altogether, and say they are frontiersman, brave souls willing to risk their lives on the border planets, facing out against the often starless nights into the inky blackness that exists beyond. But occasionally the word humanity is still used. When discussing events thousands of years passed, lost to the memories of any living human. Such is the inevitable change of languages. What was once a word that unified all under its banner is now ignored.
Faunas.
Another word, so easily ignored. And yet, it is far closer to the meaning that humanity once had than anything used nowadays. All faunas fall under its banner, all claim themselves as part of a unified front. Even the word Menagerie holds little more meaning to them than as a gathering place. A prison, some might say. A home, others claim. But regardless, when asked, many of those bearing the signs of bestial ancestry claim themselves Faunas, not Menagerian, or whatever word could be used to describe them. And so another takes up the mantle of unified front.
These musing are not meant as anything more than simple thoughts. I am not so brazen as to assume I will make any significant mark on the galaxy than as a shadow to a far greater man. It is his vision I support, however much it irks me to carry out some of that tasks he demands of me. It is his hope that I believe will bear fruit, however much it seems he might have gone insane. It is his DREAM that I wish will someday come to pass, so that once again, humanity will mean something again. Will unify, as it once did. Just as the word Faunas does now.
Someday, I hope another word replaces both, to encompass both races, so that not only will humanity and faunas stand proudly, but that they will do so together, shoulder to shoulder, and face whatever the future brings as brothers, if not in blood or origin, but in spirit and ideal.
And perhaps the time to begin realizing that dream is now.
- The personal musings of Captain Glynda Goodwitch
Ruby woke the day after the Beacon's release from the construction yard, feeling both very tired and very worried. The former was the fault of the latter, she'd barely gotten a wink of sleep all night, intent as she was on what was worrying her. As for what was worrying the young girl, Ruby was certain it waited for her just outside her door, tapping its foot in irritation and impatience, likely ready to jump down her throat as soon as she took a step outside. Which is why, even as Ruby started to get ready for the day ahead, she deliberately took her time, going through the morning rituals as sluggishly as she could. Eventually, however, she couldn't put off the inevitable, and Ruby pulled on a red hoodie before opening the door to her room. As expected, someone immediately jumped down her throat, although it wasn't who she expected.
"Finally! We have things to do today, you know. You would think she would have some sense of urgency!"
Weiss Schnee, the white-haired girl from the day previously, stormed off, apparently intent on leading the way to wherever they were supposed to be going. Blake followed along behind silently, leaving Yang and Ruby to stare after them. The younger cringed slightly as the elder glanced at her, but to her surprise the only thing she received was a shrug of confusion.
"Wonder who shoved the stick up her as-"
"YANG!"
"Alright. Alright... I know. No swearing in front of baby Ruby."
"I'm not a baby!"
"Certainly acting like it. Come on, little sis, let's get going. Lot's to do today, after all."
Yang wrapped an arm around Ruby's shoulders, not so gently leading her down the corridor. After a few minutes of walking, the pair arrived at a small dining area, which provided meals for everyone who worked and slept within this section of the ship. Most that were already here seemed to be just getting up as well, or in some cases just getting ready to go to sleep. Ruby supposed it was just about time for the change of shift, those working the "night" hours changing places with those of the "day". The two siblings quickly retrieved something to eat before sitting down with their two teammates, Blake already having opened up a book while absent-mindedly nibbling at her food, and Weiss slowly but steadily eating in measured bites. The same could not be said of Ruby or Yang, who quickly scarfed down the food like it would be their last meal, much to the distaste of Weiss. Still, all were interrupted as a very nervous looking bunny-eared young woman entered the room, eeped softly to herself, then quickly and quietly made her way over to their table and sat, visibly shaking in fright. For a moment, there was only silence, then Yang decided to jump in, already having a clue as to what was going on.
"Heya, Velvet. Feeling alright this morning?"
The officer in question started slightly, then nodded quietly. Silence continued after that, and Yang frowned slightly. That was not the response she'd been going for.
"Ooookay. Welp, what can we help you with?"
The question seemed to shock Velvet from her speechlessness, and almost immediately, she sat up a little, back straightening as her mind focused on something other than the startling number of humans that surrounded her. Even if her response was just a tad bit too loud.
"I-I'm supposed to help you get ready for our departure, as well as get you access to the parts of the ship you'll need! We'll be setting off as soon as you're ready, so please take your time and-"
"Alright! Alright! We get it, Velv, no need to be so loud! And calm down, Rubes, it's just a tour!"
"O-Oh... I-I'm sorry..."
"Just a tour?! JUST A TOUR?! It's a tour of the greatest ship ever built since the Remnant! Just a tour..."
"Sheesh. My bad, didn't know I was on the 'Greatest ship since the Remnant'. Don't worry about it, Velv, I'm sure you're just feeling a little nervous with having such an awesome pilot around again, right?"
"... Miss Blake?"
Yang's smile froze on her face in shock, even as Ruby nearly choked on her meal as she tried to hold in her laughter, Blake quietly smirked, face hidden by her book, and Weiss frowned in thought. So her rival wasn't Yang, the renowned bounty hunter, but Blake, the unknown? Still, Yang recovered quickly, faking a laugh as she wrapped in arm around the bunny-eared officer. Before she could get much farther, however, Ruby slammed an empty glass onto the table, smiling happily with a milk mustache adorning her lip.
"I'm done! Let's go!"
Ruby was up and moving before she'd even finished speaking, grabbing hold of Yang and dragging her towards the door, which happened to drag Velvet along with the pair. Weiss gaped in shock, THAT girl had been the first to fight off Grimm in a hunter? The heiress quickly corrected her expression, wiping away the signs of her disbelief and standing up to follow the quickly moving group. Hopefully there was some level of maturity around somewhere. Blake merely closed her book and silently followed along behind, already well acquainted with Yang's special brand of hyperactivity. It seemed it ran in the family.
The group's first stop(after they'd finally managed to get Ruby to stop trying to charge aimlessly through the ship and let Velvet do her job), was the Administrative Department, a rather bland section of the ship in Ruby's opinion. At least until she'd received her personal scroll, granting her access to sections of the ship other weren't allowed to go. It was one of the things Ruby would have lorded over her older sister, if Yang hadn't received a similar badge not even seconds later. Still, Ruby happily gushed over the item, it was, after all, an ID badge, phone, camera, and keycard all rolled into one device, and each was coded to respond to their unique fingerprints. Not to mention you could customize them further by adding programs from the ships on board library, all for free. You might as well have set Ruby loose in a candy store and told her she could have it all. Thankfully, Yang was slightly more level-headed thanks to her age, willing at least to curb her own enthusiasm until she got back to the privacy of her own room.
The group continued on however, going through a series of areas in the ship, some necessary and some that Velvet(after reviewing their individual files) thought the girls might enjoy. These included the on board library(containing, much to Blake's muted delight, both digital and paper copies of nearly every book imaginable, and capable of retrieving any new releases whenever required), the fitness center(Yang could barely contain her excitement, it took a lot of work to keep her amazing figure after all), a complete spa with qualified staff(Weiss was still less than impressed, proclaiming it only 'adequate') and (much to Ruby's ever growing and barely contained joy) the engineering bays, where new "toys" were constantly being cooked up, tested and maintained for use against whatever enemies the Beacon would eventually face. Through out the trip, the rabbit-eared lieutenant quickly became more comfortable with the entire group, aided along in the process by the lack of any large concentrations of potentially racist humans.
Even with all the more interesting places to see, there were the stops that were all business. The medical bays, where each received a complete physical to ensure they were all healthy. A psychologist, to ensure they were mentally stable. Numerous stops to various administrative sections, each logging them into a completely different system. Eventually Velvet ushered them into a storage room, and the quartermaster quickly took measurements of each girl. Stacks of equipment were quickly acquired and roughly shoved into provided bags, which were just as roughly shoved into the girl's hands. Weiss, although not the first to break from her shock and suddenly being required to actually carry something(however horrible the very idea was that she should have to carry ANYTHING), was the first to speak up, wondering aloud what all these things were actually for. Velvet was happy to answer.
"It's your gear. Gas masks, filters, light-weight body armor, magazine pouches, first-aid kits, all sorts of things you might need. Most of it will be stored aboard your ships, but we have to follow regulation for it all. You don't get to keep it if you leave."
Ruby's face fell at that, and only fell further when they were presented with actual PAPER documents to sign for all the gear they were receiving. About half way through the process, however, they were interrupted by the arrival of more gear. Ruby groaned, already thinking of having to write more, but Velvet was quick to point out that THESE particular pieces of equipment they were allowed to keep. Curiosity got the better of the group, and they were rewarded when the garments were unfolded and presented to each.
Personalized flight suits. The garments were color coded, matching the paint jobs of the craft they were meant to be worn in. Each, according to the small manual that came with them, was made of carbon-fibers treated with highly concentrated dust. In theory, the suits could survive re-entry without damage, as well as a number of other environmental hazards of space flight. On top of all that, each contained a built in computer, which allowed the suit to regulate body heat, monitor the bio-signs of the wearer and even allow basic locator functions if necessary. In short, they were the most advanced space suits currently in existence, something that had only just been cleared for production. Ruby practically fainted on the spot, much to Yang's amusement and Weiss' annoyance.
"And we get to KEEP these?"
"Th-That's correct, Ms. Rose. The Vice Admiral was very clear on that point."
"This is sooooo~ AWESOME!"
"Geez, Rubes. It's just a suit. A nice suit, but still..."
"JUST A SUIT!? It's not JUST as su-"
"Yeah, we know Rubes. Come on, we'd better get this stuff back to our rooms."
"Ah... Um..."
"Hm? What's up, Velv?"
"We um... actually have one more stop to make, Ms. Xiao Long. If you all follow me."
The lieutenant led the group through corridors once again, at first seeming to lead them back to their rooms after all, only to turn in the opposite direction at the final corridor and lead them to an entirely separate door. As the group stepped into the darkened area beyond the door, only Blake's eyes found why Velvet had brought them there, and the faunas woman's golden eyes widened in surprise. It's true she'd seen Hunters before, Adam's and her own specifically, but what was in front of her... Velvet smiled slightly to herself, she'd caught the small start of surprise from her fellow faunas. Now for the others. She strode over to a panel to the side and tapped a few keys, turning on the lights within the room and revealing its contents to the human members of the small group. She was greeted with gasps and squeals of delight.
The room she'd brought them to was none other than the hangar for the four Hunter craft aboard the Beacon. Each had been provided with its own resting place, a bay complete with everything the craft might need, from fueling pumps to armament stands. It was impressive, to say the least, being one of the largest hangars and by default one of the largest rooms aboard the ship. Each ship was already in its bay, placed their carefully by the engineering staff that Velvet kindly forgot to mention had only gotten off shift an hour before their arrival. ALL of them. The engineers had been as bad as Ruby when they'd heard they'd been selected to work as the personal maintenance crews for the Hunters. Practically a dream come true.
"I thought you might like to see them. And know how to reach them when you need to. You know... just in ca-"
Velvet was interrupted by a loud thumping sound, and she blinked as Yang started laughing again. Ruby, perhaps overwhelmed by the sheer, in her own words, "AWESOME", had fainted, crumpling to the ground in a heap, a massive, idiotic grin plastered across her face. Blake herself bit back a small chuckle, while Weiss could only stare in utter shock. This girl was utterly insane. How was it she even managed to function on a daily basis? And was she really going to be required to trust this girl with her own life? Thankfully, Ruby was awake and moving again quickly, apologizing profusely for both interrupting and causing a scene. Velvet waved away the apology, instead focusing on the sudden beep that came from the small scrolled attached at her hip. The officer was quick to check and respond to the message, before returning her attention to her charges and bowing, an awkward smile appearing on her face.
"I'm sorry, but the tour will have to end here. Captain Goodwitch wants to see you about setting up a schedule of some kind for the next few days. We'll drop you things off, and then I'll take you to the conference room. If that's alright with you?"
There were no objections, it wasn't like the girls had much of a choice unfortunately. Ruby, however, filled the short walk with her rambled gushing over the four ancient machines. Yang paid only half of her attention to her sister, having long grown used to dealing with her, while the rest paid her no mind at all, either do to lack of interest or just general disdain. Either way, Yang couldn't help but reflect that this time period was likely the most rest they were going to get for a very long while.
Across the ship, within an officer's mess hall that sat secluded away from the lower enlisted and anyone else that might come poking around, a certain blonde haired lieutenant was finally sitting down after pulling an all-nighter, wanting to ensure that the men he'd placed on security were in fact doing their jobs correctly. As expected, there hadn't been any glaring issues, but it was also only the first day, and the men had been instructed to treat the girls, if they even came into contact with them, as more precious than high-grade dust. Still, Juane's thoughts were far more interested in the bed that waited for him after he finished eating, and not on the security detail he'd just finished organizing. Idly, his mind supplied that it might be easier on everybody if he put three shifts into place instead of two, but he quickly banished the thought. Work time was over, now was the time to be getting ready for precious sleep.
The young lieutenant sat alone, as he usually did, as every other officer avoided him, believing him to be a walking bad-luck charm. Thankfully, there were a few that were willing to ignore all the bad publicity he'd received at the academy, one of which because she simply didn't seem to understand what everyone was talking about, the other because he didn't seem to care. The sound of his name being called out from across the hall alerted him to their arrival, and Juane raised his gaze from his food to greet them, only to find a third member of their group, following along a little uncertainly behind them. He waited till they'd retrieved their food and sat down before prying, but as soon as they were settled he found he couldn't really contain himself.
"Hey guys... So, uh... who's this?"
"This is the most AMAZING helmsman ever! Helmswoman? Helmswoman!"
"Ah... I don't think-"
"Like, she could probably get the Beacon through an asteroid field if she wanted to! With her feet!"
"Nora."
"Yeah, Ren?"
"I don't think it would be wise to fly with your feet."
"Oh! You're right! How would she brace for impacts? I didn't think of that... we should make her a harness! That would be totally cool! Then she could fly with her feet!"
Jaune sighed, then turned to Ren, looking for the answer to his actual question. As if anticipating the question, Ren spoke up, choosing to ignore his friend's rambling.
"Lieutenant Pyrrha Nikos."
"Hello." The woman supplied, giving the man a brief wave.
"She's the primary helmsman on board, and probably the most experienced officer out of all of us."
"I wouldn't say most experienced. I served as a cadet during my time with the Mystral Navy, that's all."
Juane smiled lamely, even as his mind tried to supply him with what was so important about the Mystral Navy. He remembered hearing about them from somewhere, but unfortunately he couldn't come up with anything. He frowned slightly, something Ren caught almost instantly, before shaking the expression away. Well, it wasn't like she was going to stick around him long anyway. Might as well just accept that fact and treat her like anyone else, expecting the inevitable rejection later.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Miss Nikos. I'm sure we're in good hands if they're trusting the ship to you."
"Just Pyrrha is fine."
"Alright then. I'm Juane Arc, but just Juane is fine."
The young woman blinked slightly in surprise, as if expecting a different reaction, but Juane missed the change in expression completely, focused as he became on getting food into his stomach and back to his waiting bed. The group ate silently, with the exception of Nora, who was as boisterous as ever, until Juane finally finished his meal and stood, collecting his plates to be deposited elsewhere.
"Nice to see you guys, and it was nice meeting you, Pyrrha. Wish I could stay longer, but I hear a bed calling my name. See you around."
The blonde officer was gone before anyone could do anything more than give a brief "goodbye" back. Still, Pyrrha watched his retreating back until he left the room, and turned with a slight frown to the other officers sitting at the table. Truthfully, she's already heard the rumors from a number of other officers she interacted with, especially the ones that warned her away from the supposed "walking calamity" that was one Juane Arc. She had not expected him to be quite so coordinated, or even remotely pleasant to be around. Ren, in his seemingly all knowing way, was already answering her question before it even began to leave her mouth.
"He's not anywhere near as bad as anyone makes him out to be. Trust me Pyrrha, he's definitely not as... suited... to the military life, at least in most ways. But if you stick around him awhile, he'll grow on you."
Pyrrha's frown only deepened at that, glancing once again at the doorway the blonde officer had left through. For a moment she considered dismissing him entirely, then she took a deep breath and decided that if her fellow bridge officers trusted him, she would as well. It was the least she could do, even if only in consideration for her coworkers. Hopefully it would turn out better than any of her previous attempts at friendship.
Three Days Later...
Rear Admiral Ozpin was seated in his personal office aboard the Beacon, going over another series of both congratulatory letters and requests(read demands) from the various governments throughout the galaxy. It wasn't the first time that Ozpin was grateful he had managed to build his cherished dream without the any major aid from any one particular government. It meant that the vessel had more or less managed to gain some measure of freedom, allowing the old officer to focus on problems he saw as important over issues of who owned what system. It helped that the Schnee Dust Company had backed him considerably, and while Albert was indeed a shrewd businessman, he was also an old friend. He knew the dangers that were coming, had been one of the first to voice(albeit behind close doors) his support, and Ozpin could not be more grateful. If only he wasn't quite so intent on seeming the cold-hearted bastard to his own children...
The Admiral's work was interrupted as his XO barged in, her dress uniform pristine as always, not a single medal or fold of clothing out of place. It almost made him wish for the good old days, when the pair had only a cruiser to worry over, and Goodwitch had been as awkward as he'd felt. Always fussing over this detail or that.
"Good morning, sir... Your medals are off by a centimeter."
Then again, it seemed some things never changed.
"Hardly a major concern, Glynda. I suppose you've come to give your daily report?"
"I have. If I may?"
"Please."
"All systems aboard the ship are showing green, although we've yet tax the systems to their limits. It is estimated that given another month, any wrinkles that may exist can be ironed out, and we will be fully operational at that time. As for our four passengers... Their training began a few days ago, as you are well aware, however, as can be expected, they have little coordination with each other."
"A few days will do little to change that."
"Agreed. However, I thought it might be better to change their training program from a four-ship team to two pairs."
"Your basis?"
"It is my opinion that they each seem to offset the areas another is lacking. I would like to test my training program on them before having you make a final decision, but I truly believe this will turn out for the better."
"... You may proceed. However, you'll have to put their training on hold for a short while."
"May I ask why, Ozpin?"
"Because amongst all these political squabbles is an actual cry for help. One of the Frontier systems sent out a call for aid, and it has made its way to us."
"You can't be thinking of ignoring the mandatory systems checks and going to the Frontier, of all places."
"I can and I am. Alert the bridge to begin preparations. Let our four Hunters know that they'll be going through their first real combat together as well."
"Ozpin, they aren't ready!"
"We both know that we have little time to make them 'ready', Glynda. And we both know that nothing prepares a person for the horrors and stress of war than war itself."
"But-"
"Now is not the time, Captain."
Glynda shut her mouth at the use of her formal rank, cutting off her protests, before turning on her heel and striding away to carry out his orders. Ozpin allowed himself a moment to show his true feelings on the matter, the grief and pain he felt at forcing this one men and women who were so young. But then his face became a mask of indifference as he hardened his heart once again. He had always advised Albert to allow his feelings to show to his daughters, Weiss especially. Such a hypocrite he was. But then, he supposed that was the way the world worked, in the end. As it always must. He had a threat far greater than anything this galaxy had seen in a very long time. If he was to become a tyrant, so bit it.
As long as he could ensure the future, Ozpin would bear any evil levied against him.
Author's Note- Well, it has been quite a while since I've posted something... Can't really give a good reason for that either, other than a general lack of proper writing mood and equally troublesome work related dealings. Regardless, hopefully I can get back into a schedule of some kind again.
As always, comments, questions, concerns, gripes, moans, complaints, encouragements, criticisms and whatever else you'd like are always welcome.
Until next time, keep dreaming.