Chapter 6

Professor Ozpin sat at his desk, thumbing through his scroll. With each flick, a new set of mission requests came up on the screen. Even though most of his first year students weren't ready for full-time missions, he still had to think ahead for when that day would come. He had before him a stack of copy paper for sorting through each of the missions, based on the perceived difficulty and the urgency of the request. He usually sent urgent matters to one of the upper-division teams, such as that led by Miss Adel. Most missions, however, were either local chores or expeditionary adventures to clear out Grimm in a given area. He could collect all the data on one of his larger computers, but writing them down on scratch paper was sufficient for now. His scroll, while useful, was a bit unwieldy for this type of task.

Ozpin freed his right hand and took a last sip from his personal mug. He already had his fourth cup for the day; any more and he would be staying up until five in the morning. The coffee was a brand peculiar to the island of Tefnut, far south of Vytal. Doctor Oobleck had introduced him to the blend, and now he couldn't get enough of it.

As he set the cup down, the headmaster took a brief glance at the silver picture frame behind it. In it, was a picture of Ozpin, Glynda Goodwitch, and James Ironwood back from when they were younger. The right side of the photo had been torn off about a quarter of the way in. There was no use looking at it now; it would only be a distraction.

A ding came from the right elevator, and Ozpin looked up as a mustachioed man stepped into the office. "Shouldn't you be teaching class right around now?"

"Perhaps, my good friend Professor Ozpin, but for now I have this period free for my own leisure." The portly man swung his fist across his broad chest, wearing that all too jovial look on his face. Professor Port certainly was an able hunter, and his knowledge of Grimm biology was unmatched, but he seemed to enjoy his job a bit too much. While there was nothing wrong with his enthusiasm, he could get carried away at times. The only reason Ozpin ever let the man become assistant director was that Dr. Oobleck was unwilling to accept the position himself. "Besides, the Defense Minister is here to see you."

Great. Just what I need, another vulture gunning after my job. "Alright, send him up."

"As you wish, Headmaster." The assistant director stepped back into the elevator and then descended. It would be another minute or two before the elevator would return, considering how high up Ozpin's office was.

It was the middle elevator that came up instead. When the doors opened, a brown-haired man with two white streaks curving along the sides of his forehead stepped out, flanked by two guards in Atlasian-grade armor. Once he was out, Paul Oberstein held his right hand up, signaling his guards to return to the elevator. Like most government officials, the man simply wore a black suit, coupled with a dark red tie. Unlike the outlandish outfits most of Beacon's students commonly wore, the Defense Minister's outfit was simple and to the point.

Ozpin arched his fingers, remaining firmly in place, "Well, Defense Minster Oberstein, isn't this a pleasant surprise?"

"Do you really think I would travel all the way here just to listen to your sarcasm? How trite." Once Oberstein stepped past the interior portico, he looked up past the ceiling, gazing at the massive gears hanging from above.

"So, what did you come here for?" The Defense Minister would probably make up any sort of excuse for his visit here, if only to show his own superiority.

"Headmaster Ozpin, do you have somewhere… private where we can talk?"

The professor raised his eyebrow at the question. "You're standing in my office, Minister Oberstein. What makes you think it could get more private than this?" That wasn't quite true. There was still The Bunker, of course, but there was no way he was letting Defense Minister Oberstein set foot inside it.

"The glass windows and ceiling leave me with little confidence, professor. Tell me, what do you remember of the Invasion of Atlas three years ago?"

Ozpin tried remembering those events from three years ago. Most of what had happened had been obscured by media coverage, so many things were uncertain. But regardless of that, one thing was certain. Atlas's military hegemony had been toppled by a power that had come into existence only years before. In just those few weeks, the impossible had become reality.

First, Jotunheim's ships had taken Atlas's patrol fleets and shipyards by surprise, wiping out over half their whole armada. General Ironwood's forces had been ambushed while on a mission in Vacuo. The media says otherwise, but Ozpin didn't believe a word of what they said. Ironwood had fought hard just to link up with Vale's main army, but Vacuo harassed him at every turn. Shortly after, Jotunheim's forces steamrolled over what was left of Atlas's land forces and took over the capital.

"It's the cause of this whole mess, if that's what you're saying," remarked Ozpin.

"That wasn't quite what I was getting at. How do you think that someone such as King Reinhard had won against even Atlas's might?"

He honestly couldn't say. Not everyone had all the facts straight, so a full analysis of the war was next to impossible. But still, that wasn't to say he was completely in the dark about the whole situation. Ozpin was the headmaster of Beacon after all. "From what I've heard, there was a sudden disappearance of most of Atlas's high command just before Reinhard's surprise attack on the Atlasian fleets."

"Your memory serves you quite well. It is true that King Reinhard's military genius greatly contributed to his victory over Atlas in its prime, but his victory was not granted by the sole virtue of his shrewd intellect. The disappearance did play an important part in Reinhard's victory, but there was also the near simultaneous destruction of Atlas's power grid and the cross-continental transmission system at around the same time." This, he hadn't heard of before. It certainly explained why Atlas barely put up any resistance, even with its mechanized armies. "Even with King Reinhard's capabilities, I don't think he could have pulled off an operation of that scale."

But Ozpin knew of someone who could. How she pulled it off was another matter entirely.

"I don't think you came here to lecture me on history. What exactly are you getting at?" The headmaster already had a rough idea of what the Defense Minister wanted, but Ozpin wanted to hear it out of his mouth first.

The Defense Minister did something… unexpected to say the least. He stepped in front of Ozpin's desk and then set his scroll on the table.

"I beg your pardon?" Was this supposed to be some calculated move designed to gain his trust? He wouldn't have any of it.

"I take it you have a secure place where you can store this?"

"A safe perhaps? Maybe, why do you ask?"

"It is a simple precaution and nothing more. I would suggest that you do the same for your device." He's paranoid, that's certain. Ozpin would see where this small talk would go.

Ozpin reached his fingers for a touchscreen embedded underneath the right arm of his chair, typing in some arcane code from muscle memory. A small drawer opened out from one of the flat columns embedded into the wall. There were a number of similar compartments scattered throughout the room, most of which were empty.

It wasn't one of the most advanced security systems - any fool who could find the seams could force it open with enough strength or the right equipment - but it would suffice for now. The only reason he installed the things was that having secret compartments open by his command looked kinda cool, like something out of a spy movie. If there was anything in which Professor Ozpin was unmatched, it was style. Everything, from his snazzy outfit to his sweet clockwork furniture, was designed with the greatest aesthetic quality in mind. Hell, it was part of the reason he made Ruby Rose the leader of team SLVR.

He hated to admit it, but his sense of style made him something of a badass. Not that he wasn't one already.

While Ozpin was absorbed in thought, he vaguely saw Oberstein's hand reach over the desk. "Your scroll." No feeling behind those eyes.

The headmaster pushed himself off his chair and began walking toward the open compartment. Oberstein was only a few steps behind him. He thinks we're being watched. It was reasonable to assume that someone could have tapped into their scrolls, given how important the two men were to Vale's security. That was why Ozpin never left anything personal on it. Mission requests, of course, were public knowledge, if one knew how to look for them. Anything that required a bit more discretion or confidentiality was usually conveyed through other means. A man such as Oberstein would have likely understood this as well, which was why he was going through all this baggage.

As Ozpin stood by the open drawer, he let the Defense Minister place his scroll in first. He doesn't mean to inspect mine first. Once the Headmaster's deactivated scroll was in the compartment, he shoved it back into the jutting column. Micro-scale hologram projectors concealed the seams from the naked eye, though Ozpin had memorized the positions of all the compartments.

"Impressive," Oberstein commented with his characteristically dull tone. It was nothing all that impressive. The technology was widely used for designing the many transformable weapons Ozpin was used to seeing. It gave them an overall cleaner appearance, otherwise they would look like messes of gaps and lines wherever each individual component met, showing just how imperfect each weapon really was. Hell, the same sort of tech was used for their scrolls.

"So, why are you here?"

The Defense Minister strode around the room, scanning every square inch along the walls, floors and ceiling. Considering the artificial nature of his eyes, no detail would escape him outside of inattention and carelessness, two qualities which Oberstein lacked. "Three cameras. Professor Ozpin, which of your staff presides over this school's security?"

"A trusted friend of mine." Specifically, Ironwood and Ozpin's pet project, Penny. Though incomplete, Penny was their personal little secret, something he would never share with the likes of someone like Oberstein.

"How do you know we can trust this friend of yours?"

"I'd rather not go into details, but I assure you this person can be trusted."

"Headmaster Ozpin, as Vale's Defense Minister, it is within my interest to know everything and anything that pertains to our security as a state. Even though the hunting academies have traditionally acted independently, they are vital to our nation's security. As such, the supervision of this nation's hunting academies fall…"

"I have had enough of this."

Oberstein stood there for a moment, taken aback by the headmaster's sudden outburst. "What?"

Ozpin pointed back to the compartment. "Take your scroll and get out. I have been the headmaster of Beacon for over fifteen years. I do not care if your position as Vale's Defense Minister gives you the right or jurisdiction, you are not taking this school away from me!"

Oberstein's voice grew stern. "Headmaster Ozpin…"

"The other schools will back me up on this, and you'll have every hunter and huntress who has passed through these halls wanting you dead. This is a war you will not win, Oberstein." Even now, subduing the man would not be much of a problem. Although Ozpin didn't know the man's semblance, he knew Oberstein wasn't much of a fighter, though what would happen afterward was another story.

As the professor reached over his chair, the brown-haired man turned around, and held his arms behind his back. "Forgive me, Headmaster, I have… overstepped my boundaries." He's… sorry? What Ozpin had said was tantamount to treason. Even Ironwood would have recognized it as such. Even though Oberstein was a cold and heartless man, he should have been outraged by the professor's remarks. Why was he apologizing now? "It is a shame that you would be willing to plunge this country once more into chaos for the sake of your own pride. Would you really wish for something like that?"

No. Nobody would wish for that, especially not after all those years of bloodshed. "That was careless of me."

"Weak as I may be, I do not fear for my own life but for the fact it would bring about the disintegration of this land we hold dear. I apologize if I have not been forthright in my intentions. Ever since my youth, I have always been mistrustful of those whose power only derives from strength or bloodline." Oberstein had originally migrated from Mistral back from when the kingdom was still whole. He was most likely referring to High Lord Braunschweig, whose reign had produced many unpleasant rumors and tales. That the kingdom would undergo rebellion was a surprise to no one, though nobody could have predicted just how dramatic the consequences would be.

Oberstein continued, turning to the mechanism to the right of the room. "Although I may have harbored ambitions from time to time, I have always acted in the best interests of Vale. As someone who is tasked with defending the kingdoms from the Grimm, you must understand this." The Defense Minister turned around to face the headmaster. "That is why I believe a partnership would be in our best interests."

It was… unexpected to say the least. The man had not shown any inkling to work with Ozpin except as his civilian supervisor and state-designated supplier. Although he may have been trying to build up to this proposal through his discussion of Vale's situation, the Defense Minister was not known for working face-to-face with people.

Ozpin brought his hands over his desk and clasped them together. "Okay, I'm listening."

One of Oberstein's eyebrows raised up. "How… sudden."

"A man needs to be flexible in his options. So, what exactly do you have in mind?"

"Tell me, professor, why do you think I brought up the Invasion of Atlas?"

"Simple. You think that we're next in line for the gauntlet."

"Your skills at induction are most impressive. If we hope to prevent something like the slaughter of Atlas's high command, we must prepare ourselves for it. Even in our current situation, our grasp on the city is tenuous at best."

"I know what you mean," said Ozpin.

Specifically, Oberstein was referring to the rising Guilds that occupied the outer districts of Vale. After the forces of Jotunheim and Vacuo had occupied the main city, many of the districts had been placed under the control of the eponymous guilds, many of which were nothing more than glorified bands of thugs and organized crime syndicates.

Although Ozpin had not observed this personally, it was a widely known fact that many of the members of Vale's Police Department were corrupt, especially in districts that were controlled by the Guilds. Furthermore, even when sufficient proof was available, the Vale Police Department lacked the manpower to conduct a raid on any of the Guild buildings, many of which dealt in arms manufacturing. Plus, they weren't exactly known for their competence. It was a miracle that the police managed to nab even one of the ringleaders.

The Defense Minister cleared his throat, "I had known that much of the city had fallen under the rule of crime lords and corporatism, but until a few days ago, I had not known just how widespread the problem was. It was one of your students in particular who made me understand just how deep this city has fallen into anarchy." He was, of course, referring to the pet shop incident, where Nora Valkyrie had assaulted the store owner and unleashed a bunch of wild animals into the local mall.

"So," said Ozpin, "where do I fit in all of this?"

"I mean to relocate my headquarters here. The headquarters in the city is no longer safe. Several of my staff have died under… unfortunate circumstances. If we wish to regain the city from Guild control, then it would be in our best interests to centralize our efforts here."

"Sort of like what Yang did?"

"That is my intention."

Combining Oberstein's resources with Ozpin's academy of hunters would probably be the most effective method from wresting the city from the influence of the Guilds, but it would raise too much attention. Although Ozpin could probably save his own hide, he couldn't say the same about the safety of his own students. It was one thing to die defending the realm against the threat of the Grimm, but it was another to die because of some messy plot one had nothing to do with.

Ozpin adjusted his glasses for a second, "I don't think that's going to work, Minister Oberstein."

"I am certain it wouldn't. Our enemy would have no choice but to make their move early if we made our alliance public. That is why I am placing you under arrest."

"What?"

Oberstein held his left hand out in front. "At least, that is what the public will think. Now, earlier I had asked you if there was somewhere more private we could talk. Obviously, there is such a location."

"What makes you think that?"

"There is nothing that escapes my attention. Now, I was hoping to make use of that location for our future meetings. Professor Ozpin, would you be kind enough to show me where that is?"

"You are one lucky man." Normally, Ozpin wouldn't be willing to reveal his secret bunker to outsiders, especially not to someone like Oberstein, but considering how unusual this whole situation was, he figured that he would play along. The professor reached down the left side of his chair and entered in a different code on the screen underneath. "You might want to step off to the side."

The Defense Minister nodded and then stepped to the left side of the desk. A faint whirring could be heard from deep underneath the room. Many seconds later, a circular hatch hidden in the center of the room opened up, revealing a network of girders, redundant wires, and machinery formed into the wall within the circular opening. Behind this stood a layer of concrete, followed by an unseen layer of material designed to insulate any sound within from the rest of Beacon. Shortly after the center of the room had split open, a circular platform surrounded by aluminum railing rose up until it ran flush with the rest of the floor. A gap had been left in the railing to load passengers onto it, and opposite this opening stood a switch with only two buttons, labeled "0" and "1" respectively.

Ozpin and Oberstein stepped onto the platform. The headmaster pressed the button labeled "0," causing the elevator to begin its descent. As the hatch began to close from above, thousands of light emitting diodes zoomed past the two men as they went further down into the shaft. Much of the ground underneath Beacon had been dug out to make room for shelter in the event of an emergency. It had been useful when the school had fallen under siege, when many of the city's residents had taken refuge. Even so, not many knew about Ozpin's own personal shelter, delving hundreds of feet deeper than the rest of the underground complex. The only clue to its very existence was a conspicuously large pillar running through the center of the whole academy. Most people assumed it was meant to support Beacon's central tower.

About thirty seconds later, Ozpin felt the platform push up from underneath him as the elevator slowed its descent and pressed up against the shock absorber below. When he turned away from the switch, the professor saw a tile-laden hall through which stood an iron door and a camera lodged within the ceiling, surrounded by a ring of speakers.

As soon as the two men stepped off the platform, Penny's voice greeted them, "Greetings, father! Who is this strange man?"

"Is that a child?" Oberstein remarked.

"Not exactly," said Professor Ozpin, adjusting his glasses. "Penny, this is Defense Minister Oberstein."

"Salutations, Defense Minister Oberstein! Father says you are not a very nice person! Father says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers, but seeing as you are a fellow robot, you should be my friend! We can paint our nails, try on clothes together, and talk about cute boys!"

Suffice to say, Penny still had several bugs to work out in her programming.

Still, seeing the look on Oberstein's face was well worth it. Ozpin should have thought about bringing him down here sooner. For the first time, the headmaster had felt like he had real power over the man, seeing him seething in dissatisfaction.

The Defense Minster clutched his forehead while squinting his eyes in pain. "To think the first fully functional AI would turn out like this. Remind me to reduce the state's spending on any research related to the field, if this is what the best minds can come up with. I regret having pressed the issue against you, Professor Ozpin. I should have trusted your judgment from the start."

"What? All you wanted to do was make sure our security team could be trusted. It's natural that you'd want to inspect things yourself."

Oberstein simply looked away, his teeth still clenched. "This is… atrocious."

"Father…" Penny intruded, "should I leave the two of you alone?"

"Maybe," said Ozpin as he turned to the camera, "father's got work stuff he's got to take care of."

"Okay…"

Oberstein closed his eyes and then raised his hand. Ozpin wasn't sure if Penny would understand the gesture, but he could still feel her presence nearby. "That won't be necessary. As much as I would rather not admit it, your input as an AI might prove useful in our discussions to come."

"So… does this mean you don't hate me after all?"

Oberstein gave no response to that question. Instead, he continued, "Headmaster, you shall be using these quarters while the public thinks I have you detained. Judging by what you have said so far, you should be able to monitor the whole academy from here."

"So you're putting me on guard duty?" said Ozpin. "That sounds like fun."

"Spare me your sarcasm. While I shall take the nominal position of headmaster for the time being, I shall leave most of the specifics of running the place to you. Of course, if you would be willing to consider it, I would be more than pleased to take some of the the more mundane duties off your hands." While Ozpin wasn't too pleased with the idea of Oberstein becoming Beacon's headmaster, the man did know how to strike a deal. Considering he had become Beacon's headmaster to lead the fight against the Grimm, paperwork had never been his idea of an ideal job.

Ozpin leaned up against the door, resting his knuckles up against his chin. "Hmm… I can't say I quite like the idea of that. I consider my position as Beacon's headmaster to be an important duty. I don't see any reason why I should give it up so easily."

"Consider this nothing more than a temporary vacation. In any case, it will help convince our enemies of our mutual hostility. While some of our more intelligent adversaries might see right through this, we may be able to lure some of our enemies out into the opening. Seeing our weakness, they may try to attack the academy directly, not knowing about your presence. Professor Ozpin, you know about the Benthic Terminal, correct?

"In a sense." The Benthic Terminal referred to the deeper, underground portion of the Internet that was usually ignored by most search engines. Most of it was devoted to hosting child pornography, but a good portion of it was also used for illegal arms trading, exchanging government secrets, black market dealing, and other illicit activities. While many people were unaware of the Benthic Terminal's existence, it was no secret that most of the worlds' governments used it to further their own ends, considering how vital it was to national security. "Why?"

"Some of our specialists picked up a few interesting tidbits here and there. Specifically, a certain group of terrorists wants you dead."

"I can't imagine why." Seeing as Ozpin was an important figure in guaranteeing Vale's security, it was no surprise that people would choose to target him. There's no way these men work for Cinder. If she wanted him dead, she probably would have made an attempt on his life already, and she definitely wouldn't be trying to discuss the details of her plan on some shady website or forum. It just wasn't her way of doing things, though Ozpin wouldn't put it past the woman to use this to divert attention from her real plans. She was that crafty.

The Defense Minister continued. "We've been seeing an unusually large amount of dust and weapons shipments in the city's Western districts. We think they may have ties to Rubinsky General Enterprises." Ozpin had met the man once. Adrian Rubinsky was the CEO of his titular company, which had overtaken the Schnee Dust Company as the world's leading Dust supplier. Furthermore, he was also one of the founding members of the Northwestern Trade Organization. Another conniving bastard in this snake-filled cesspit. "They seem to fear your academy of hunters, especially since your efforts to root out criminal threats seem to have grown more vigilant. If they think they can kill you in one shot, they may be willing to risk coming out of hiding."

"So you're sending out a decoy?"

"It is… a tragic waste of life, but I believe we can save more people in the long run if we strike before their threat grows beyond our control." Ozpin couldn't agree more, but then again he was used to sending his students off to their deaths, both in their missions and during the entrance exam. Though unfortunate, it was a necessary sacrifice for the security of the realm.

"That all sounds fine and dandy," said the headmaster, "but there's one big problem with your plan."

"Oh, and what would that be?"

"My students. They're not just going to stand by while you keep me in custody."

Oberstein closed his eyes, pointing his finger up. "Don't think I haven't considered that factor in my calculations. I am very well aware of the tenacity that your students possess, which is why they will be useful in eliminating our enemies. That is part of the reason I have sought your help. As Beacon's headmaster, it is your duty to guide the students that you raise to whatever paths in life they follow. In a sense, you are like a shepherd to a flock of willing sheep. So, I ask of you Professor Ozpin, will you play the role of the shepherd and guide your sheep to safety?"

Ozpin pressed his spectacles up and grinned. "I don't think that should be too much of a problem."

A/N: Hello anyone who's reading this. After six long chapters, we finally get to the kick-off point mentioned in the summary. I don't know if I've portrayed Ozpin and Oberstein's characters correctly, or if Ozpin eases up to Oberstein too quickly. But anyway, shit is finally happening. If anyone has any ideas on where this story is gong to go or anything else, feel free to comment on them. It might help me prevent the characters from derping later on, even though this whole scheme seems kinda contrived and derpy as well. Hope you enjoyed reading this!