Ruby inhaled sharply as she pushed through the door of the command hall, her boots clopping along the floor with hurried steps. Several sets of footsteps moved along behind her with equal speed and urgency, though she paid them absolutely no mind as she continued to walk. Upon entering the rather spacious shack, she found entirely the wrong silhouette waiting for her hunched over the table upon which a map of Sanus was spread out.

"Ah, Miss Rose! And Mr. Lie and Miss Valkyrie!" Peter Port boomed as he straightened up and threw his arms out to the sides.

Somehow, the age lines upon his face seemed even deeper than they had been before, and not even his new full beard could hide them completely. Professor Port's hair was a bit longer as well, draping down past his eyes and giving him the appearance of a disheveled vagrant. The blades of Blowhard were just barely visible behind his head as the weapon's barrel peeked out from behind his rounded belly at a diagonal.

"Professor? It's great to see you again, but… where's Cardin? And CFVY?" Ruby questioned as her party fanned out behind her to occupy the room.

"CFVY's gonna be late, since they were running recon this morning," Roman answered from his place leaning against the wall behind Professor Port. His arms were folded across his chest and his fringe covered his missing eye entirely. A lit cigarette held within his fingers lazily trailed smoke up into the air. "Cardin? Dunno. Probably resolving some dispute out in town. He should be here shortly."

"Yes indeed," Professor Port agreed. "He's taken on several roles here in Styx, acting as an enforcer. A bit of a coping mechanism, perhaps."

"That might be a good thing," Sage offered as he moved to physically block the door. "We want to discuss something before he gets here."

Professor Port furrowed his brows as he looked at the green-haired boy, wracking his brain.

"Is it… Sage? From Team SSSN?" He returned the nod that Sage offered before walking around the table and bracing a hand casually on the side of the wood. "Good to see you as well. What is it that you wish to discuss?"

"Listen, I can't get into specifics," Ruby began as she took a nervous glance over her shoulder to check the door, "but we were up talking basically all last night, and… I think we should move out for the lakeside resort and the mall. Like… now. Planning is all well and good, but I have a feeling that… um… that the grimm have a plan of their own, and we're playing catchup. You were trying to plan around disadvantageous numbers, but with us here, that's no longer as big of an issue. We can move out… so I think we should."

"By 'the grimm' having a plan, I would assume that you mean Salem?" Professor Port asked, chuckling to himself as he reveled in the group's reactions. "Yes, we know of her. After the truth about Ozpin's resurrection leaked out on account of Roman, Glynda sat all of the professors down together and told us everything she knows. Cardin and CFVY are not yet aware… but I'll explain that during this meeting. I think it's only fair."

"It would be much appreciated if you did," Ren agreed. "If you already know about Salem and the relics, though, then you should see why we feel the need to get moving… especially when we're carrying a replica of one."

Professor Port watched with curiosity as Ruby unlatched the replica lamp from her belt and placed it upon the table with a soft thud.

"…hrm. And you're positive that that's a replica, and a bait-and-switch wasn't pulled by our dear headmaster? Wouldn't that be a twist?"

"It wasn't," Oscar reassured with a pointed look at Professor Port. "He's… mentally rolling his eyes within my head right now. I'm not sure how I know that, but I do."

"Well, one way to find out," Roman announced as he pushed off the wall and took a drag from his cigarette while approaching the table. "Yo, Jinn?"

A moment of silence passed in the room as the group waited for something, anything to happen. Sage was the first to speak as he cleared his throat and raised a brow.

"…who's 'Jinn'? Or are you asking for alcohol?"

"According to Goodwitch, Jinn's the spirit living in the real lamp," Roman explained as he stuffed his unoccupied hand into his pocket. "That thing's a fake, alright. A blue-skinned and big-titted bitch is supposed to jump out and offer to answer questions when you invoke her name."

"That is… not how I would have explained it," Professor Port added with a huff. "Though he is technically correct."

"…and we weren't told this explicitly… why?" Nora lamented with a frown as she turned toward Oscar. "What if we needed knowledge of how the lamp works to pass it off as a fake more convincingly?"

Oscar furrowed his brows and looked down to the floor a moment before looking up at Nora.

"…he isn't answering."

"Typical," Sage remarked. "But anyway, you see our point, right? Salem's clearly got a plan. We have objectives, even if we don't have our step-by-step worked out just yet. It's time to move and level the playing field before we get run over by our better-prepared opponent."

"You may in fact be correct," Professor Port agreed with a nod. "Though, I do still believe that there is merit in planning and behaving reactively. Perhaps we should send a team to each defense point and hold back a few individuals halfway between the two. Then, once we ascertain where reinforcements are needed most, we can send them along as backup… including myself and Barty."

"You're coming with us?" Ruby asked. "Really?"

"Of course I am!" Professor Port answered as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We could move out as soon as tomorrow, really- leave Glynda behind along with a decent number of defenders, and split our offense into three parties, the third going where they're needed. We now have more than enough people to work with."

"Then let's do it," Ruby said with a nod.

Everyone in the room jumped as a heavy sound impacted the door, followed by a string of curses.

"…I'm supposed to be the blind one," Fox quipped from the other side of the wood. "Use doors much?"

"Shut up, it's locked or some shit," Coco answered before jiggling the handle furiously. "Hey! Who the hell locked this!? I didn't even know it had a lock!"

Sage smirked and stepped aside, causing Coco to come stumbling through the door as she rammed her shoulder into the portal. Without missing a beat, she adjusted her sunglasses and beret as her team and Cardin filed into the room behind her.

"…you saw nothing."

"You're not wrong."

"Shut up, Fox," Coco ordered before she marched up to Professor Port. "We're here. What's going on? Just more planning?"

"Planning was the plan," Professor Port started before reaching up and stroking his beard. "But Miss Rose has brought up a different possibility- pressing the advantage while we have the opportunity. We may be moving out tomorrow."

"Good," Cardin replied immediately. "I want to get out there and start killing grimm. We know our targets, we know our enemy, and we know what we're capable of. I was going to argue the same thing."

"Actually…" Ruby said hesitantly, "you guys… don't know our enemy. Not entirely."

"I'm pretty sure we do," Coco rebuked as she moved to sit upon the edge of the war table. "We've seen damn near every species of grimm on record out in The Badlands. We know what we're up against."

"Don't be so quick to assume," Roman warned. "We'll give you the details in a minute, but first- if we're all-in on moving forward with this plan, let's talk tactics. Let's talk teams. Little Red and her crew don't need the second half of this conversation, but they do need sleep."

"…we look that bad?" Nora asked, sounding defeated.

"You did say you were up all night talking," Professor Port pointed out. "It certainly shows. I agree with Roman- let us divide into teams and go from there."

"Shouldn't we just keep the teams we have right now?" Sage asked. "Send us one way, CFVY another, and put the professors and Cardin waiting in the wings to provide backup as needed?"

"No way," Cardin insisted as he stepped forward. "I'm going to the frontlines, Beacon might need some of us as defenders, and semblance synergy is important, especially taking into account the terrain and shelter at our objectives. We need to think this through."

"Well said, young man," Professor Port praised. "The question is really where to begin?"

"I'll go to the resort," Ruby offered. "Cardin said it would be harder to defend if it gets swarmed, and my eyes will buy us time if we need to escape… or they could potentially wipe out entire waves, if I have time to train them in transit and upon arrival. Oscar… will you come with me?"

Oscar closed his eyes, concentrating upon the voice within his head.

"Ozpin… he's leaving it up to me. He says that it might be a good idea for him to stay at Beacon, since he knows things about the school that might help to save people in the event of an attack… but he could also help you with your eyes if I come along to the lake. I'll go with you, Ruby."

"If you're spearheading the effort at the lakeside, then I'll handle the mall," Roman declared. "If Neo's out there and either of our parties runs into her on the way, then we can talk her down. If it's you, then call me, and I'll handle it. Besides… I know the mall well. Lots of open areas for big artillery and fortifying it should be easy. That could also mean a bigger swarm of grimm, though. We'll need firepower."

"If we're bringing artillery, then I should follow you," Velvet reasoned. "I can copy cannons, turrets, whatever we need. Yatsu, would you come along with me?"

"Of course. We're partners, after all," Yatsuhashi reassured. "We've been working together closely since Year One… and wide-open spaces are better for my weaponry."

"Mine, too," Sage agreed. "I'll join the mall crew, if that's alright."

"It is," Ruby replied. "I hate to put this on you, Ren, but your semblance… it may be the best getaway strategy we have, if things go south. Would you and Nora go with the professors and be our backup?"

"The only thing you're putting on us is what we signed up for to begin with," Ren reasoned. "We would be happy to provide backup to whichever group needs it."

"And if we hear nothing, then we'll split two and two and come running to help kick some ass," Nora said with a wink.

"Then Fox and I will go with you, Ruby," Coco said with a sense of finality. "Numbers even out, and we're both good in tight hallways and small rooms. You take the lead on this one, kid. Cardin?"

Cardin watched as the teams moved to stand near each other. After only a few seconds of thinking, he strode over and stood next to Ruby.

"I'm with you."

"That… came together surprisingly easily," Ruby admitted. "And it sounds solid. I think we've got a good shot at holding both points, provided we get there before the grimm."

"Well, neither area is being actively monitored, so the quicker we get there, the better those odds are," Professor Port reminded. "I like this approach… though we'll still need defenders at Beacon. Maybe I'll ask Barty to stay behind… or maybe Glynda will be alright with what we have here. I'll talk to her. For now, you all should get some rest- you'll need it. CFVY and Cardin, hang back a moment."

"Thanks, Professor," Ruby offered as she made her way to the door. "We'll sort ourselves out and be ready to go. Dawn?"

"Dawn," Professor Port confirmed. He returned the waves that Ruby's team offered him as they left the shack, and then moved to stand behind the war table once again. With a deep, ragged breath and exhale, he ran a hand through his hair and shook his head as CFVY and Cardin looked at him expectantly. "It's time that you learn of why the grimm are moving as through they're being guided by someone. In truth… they are."

Author's Note:

Isn't it convenient that the defense raids, Blake's crew heading for Argus, and the election in Atlas are all about to happen right around the same time? That's because all three will go great and be resolved in a single chapter, with no incidents whatsoever!

-RD