Chapter Two: Plans and Revelations
Winter Schnee stood stock-still in the ornate lobby, hands clasped behind her back, as she waited. Poised near the doorway to the meeting room, she resisted the urge to pace. It wouldn't do to show impatience.
She succeeded, mostly. Her upbringing and education had taught her to keep her feelings close, something only reinforced by military service. Still, there were times when it was tested: when aggravated by that drunk Qrow, for instance; or when she'd returned from Mistral only to find her sister Weiss had just fled there looking for her. She'd been sorely tempted to storm her way back to Mistral, border closures and orders be damned.
And then there was now, when the fate of Remnant may have almost literally fallen into their hands, and yet she couldn't tell the General because he was kept in some meeting. A little exasperation was forgivable, or so she thought.
For the moment, she chose to channel such feelings into her demeanour. She'd seen a few glares from some of the others waiting in this lobby. She wasn't sure if it was because of the uniform, or her family; her white hair, as white as the long coat of her uniform, gave the latter away. Neither would be new. Of course, considering a few of those waiting were likely to be staffers to the other members of the council, it might have something to do with her association with General Ironwood specifically. Again, it wouldn't be the first time, nor the last.
The lobby was silent, save for the ticking of a clock, an antique Mantlean timepiece. The other aides and the rest of the coterie of hangers-on were quiet too, saved for the occasional hushed murmur when they exchanged a word or two. Aside from Winter herself and the two guards that stood either side of the mahogany doors, they were seated on the couches that lined the walls of the lobby. Their eyes for the most part remained on their Scrolls, doubtless checking communiques or such like, although from time to time they'd look up, glancing at Winter herself or at the doorway that lay between them and their masters.
At last, the silence was as the door handles turned and the latch retracted. Everyone's eyes turned to the doors as they stood, and the doors swung open. First to leave were several figures in suits, snowflake pins prominent on their lapels. Winter took some small amusement in their disgruntled expressions as they swiftly departed, a few lackeys following in their wake.
Councilman Sleet was next, followed by Councilwoman Camilla. Neither seemed particularly happy as they exchanged a few brief whispers on passing through the doors. Their staff converged on them, and the two turned their attention to their respective aides. A few more glares aimed in Winter's direction suggested her superior was making no friends with the other councillors this day. She remained standing, unmoved, as the two parties eventually left.
Finally, one remaining figure emerged from the meeting room, clad in the formal whites and blues of the Atlesian military. Head bowed, forehead furrowed, of all those to leave the room General Ironwood seemed least happy of them all.
"Sir," she called out.
"Winter," he looked up at her with sharp yet tired eyes. "I wasn't expecting you here."
"I had some important news, sir," she said as she fell in alongside him, glancing at those ahead in the corridor sufficient to show that they needed to wait until the other parties had dispersed "How was it?"
The General didn't reply, but simply sighed, pinching his nose with his hand.
"I see," she said.
"The SDC are pushing for more concessions, unless we drop the embargo," he explained.
The snowflake pins had told her the meeting had involved them. Them being the Schnee Dust Corporation, meaning Jacques Schnee, her father. She gritted her teeth. As if that man deserved either that title or the family name. "And the council?" she asked.
"Sleet and Camilla are minded to listen. I'm not. We're deadlocked. At least for the moment."
Two votes apiece: Sleet and Camilla had one each, while the General held two, as both headmaster of Atlas Academy and General of the Atlesian Military. Of course, the Atlesian Council normally had five seats, but one seat was temporarily vacant. But it wouldn't be for long.
"Until the election in Mantle?"
"Precisely."
"Robyn Hill isn't likely to offer the SDC too much help."
"No, but she's likely to push for the end of the embargo too, and for disclosure of any projects we need resources for." Ironwood said. Winter needed little clarification as to which project he was worried about. "But you're right that she's not likely to give the SDC much joy. Which is why it seems Jacques has decided to run himself."
Winter clenched her fists, unable to restrain the reaction. She forced it away, but General Ironwood had already noticed, turning to her with a raised eyebrow.
"My apologies sir," she quickly said.
He raised a placating hand. "Sorry to be the bearer of bad news."
"You're not responsible for my father, sir."
"In this case, I rather am. It's my measures he's opposing, after all."
"Hill's still the favourite to win."
"She is, but politics is an unpredictable business. One I have little patience for when it gets in the way of what needs to be done." An edge entered his tone at the last, but he shook his head as if dismissing it. He stopped walking, and glanced up and down the corridor, making sure none was in sight. He turned to her again. "So why the need to meet me immediately after the meeting?"
"Clover reports success in Mantle, but also says he's picked up a bottle of your favourite whiskey…" she said evenly.
She saw his eyes widen as the codeword hit home. A codeword they had never imagined using in this context.
The General looked at her incredulously. "In Mantle? From the infiltrators?"
"Yes. He believes this particular bottle comes from Mistral." From Haven.
"But that doesn't…" He ran his hand through his dark beard. "Is Clover sure?"
"He's confident. He'll be depositing the 'bottle' in your office now." One look at his face was enough to tell her she'd anticipated his next request. "I have transport waiting for you."
-000-
The General had been silent, focused, on their trip back to the Academy. Winter had anticipated this too, and likewise had expected the driven nature of his strides towards his office. They'd exchanged few words, save for discussion of safer topics.
That changed as the doors to the elevator leading to his office slid shut.
"Where is it?" the General asked, turning to Winter sharply.
"Secured in your desk safe, sir. I've just had confirmation from Clover."
The General shook his head in seeming incredulity. "I know he's lucky, but to simply stumble across the Relic of Knowledge in Mantle?!" he chuckled. It was an unfamiliar sound: he'd given little sign of being amused by anything since the fall of Beacon.
"What does it actually do?" Winter asked.
"Answer any three questions every century. About anything."
"That could be useful."
"Or dangerous, should an enemy get hold of it," he pointed out. "As it is, I don't know how to use it. Whether that's true of our adversaries… well that's a risk I don't want to take."
"Which raises the question of how it got here."
"Indeed." The General stroked his beard in thought. "It might have been obtained during the White Fang attack on Haven. But if so, why bring it here? We're missing something."
Winter was about to answer, but the doors slid open once more. Penny was waiting for them, her eyes seeming to dance with excitement, but she simply fell into step with them as they made their way out into the hall beyond.
"Is the council likely to discuss the SDC's motion again?" she asked, moving back onto safer ground as they moved towards the short flight of steps that led to the General's office.
"Not until after the election, I hope," the General said as he turned towards the short flight of steps to their goal. "If I have to sit through one more meeting like that…"
"Oh, you're here!" Penny suddenly cried out to a group just entering the hallway.
They turned and saw a motley group flanked by guards, and then Winter realised she recognised some of the group. There was Qrow Branwen, all dark features and rough stubble, there was Ruby Rose with her red-tipped hair and silver eyes, and long blonde hair and jet black framed with cat ears betrayed the other two members of Weiss's team too.
And then a figure stepped out, with hair as white as her own, and called out to her. "Winter!"
"Weiss?!" Winter gasped. Despite herself she rushed forwards, past the guards flanking them, and took her sisters hands. Here was her baby sister, now more a woman than ever.
It was then that she noticed her sister's hands were bound, cuffed together by gravity bolas, as indeed were all her friends. These were the infiltrators? She turned to the guards. "Remove these restraints immediately," she ordered in a chill tone.
"Uh, of course, ma'am!" The guards set to, taking to the change of orders quickly. Winter glanced over the remainder of the group as the guards removed their cuffs. In addition to Qrow and Weiss's team, there was some young lad who looked Whitley's age, and another pair of trainees, a tall blond boy and a redheaded girl who looked like – no, she was – the former champion of Mistral.
"Clover said they didn't seem like enemy agents," she explained to the General. "So I directed they be brought here. Though if I'd known…" she shot a glance at Penny, who clearly had known. Then again, Penny likely didn't know her friends had been arrested and brought here.
"If we'd known, we'd have done many things differently. Still, this is a welcome surprise," the General said, with apparent relief in his voice. He gestured towards the short flight of stairs. "Please, come into my office. I'm sure we have much to discuss."
-000-
It was another sudden reversal of events: But a short while ago they'd been prisoners, hands bound, headed to some unknown destination in the city in the clouds. Now they'd been set free and ushered into the very place that they'd originally planned on when they'd set out from Argus.
Pyrrha couldn't help but think they could have skipped a few steps had they simply landed at Atlas in the first place. Still, she knew the question that ran through the heads of her friends. Could General Ironwood be trusted? Ruby, she knew, felt they should be careful about what they shared. Pyrrha wasn't sure.
The General himself did seem to have aged since they'd seen him at Beacon, although the beard suited him, lending him gravitas. His office into which they now walked seemed incredibly spacious for one man, with a large open space between the pillared walls and bookcases on either side. The wide floor was decorated with golden stars in the pattern of constellations, save for a large circle in the centre upon which the seal of Atlas was depicted. Finally, at the other end of the room, there was a wide, semi-circular glass bay upon which the General's desk sat upon a dais, behind which the night sky could be seen.
"It's good to see you again. All of you," the General said as he stepped onto the dais and rounded his desk.
"Yeah, it really felt like it," complained Qrow, rubbing his wrists.
"My apologies." The General sighed as he sat down, before he rested his arms on his desk and steepled his hands together. "When an unauthorised ship ignored hails to make a run into Mantle, we feared the worst. At the very least, we thought the ship was stolen."
Ruby gave an awkward laugh at that point, as Pyrrha found herself awkwardly looking Jaune, who reddened in embarrassment.
"We… kind of did…" Ruby admitted.
"You what?!" Winter whirled on her sister. "You stole an Atlesian airship? How could you have been so irresponsible?! What if you'd been–"
Weiss moved forwards and threw her arms around her sister, hugging tightly. "I'm sorry for worrying you," she said softly. "It didn't look like we had any other choice."
The woman clearly looked surprised, but gradually managed to return the hug in an awkward but apparently genuine show of affection.
"Perhaps it didn't," Winter conceded.
"Very heartwarming," Qrow rolled his eyes, before looking at General Ironwood. "But we have something confidential to talk about if you get my drift."
"Oh, you mean like the relics?" Winter smirked.
"Or the Maidens?" added Penny, far more innocently
Qrow's head turned between the two before snapping back towards Ironwood. "You told them?!"
"I had to!" Ironwood snapped back. "With Ozpin dead, I needed people around me I could trust, so I told them. The Ace Ops too. Just like you told these trainees."
"You try stopping them," Qrow grumbled. "They already in, so I had to."
"Precisely," Ironwood replied. "They needed to know what they were getting involved in."
"Speaking of that…" Ruby awkwardly raised her hand. "What about the Atlas relic? And the Winter Maiden?"
"The Staff of Creation is secure inside the vault," the General replied. "As for the Winter Maiden…" his eyes flickered towards Winter.
"She is secure, and in a stable condition," the white-haired woman declared.
"Hold up, 'stable condition'?" Yang raised her voice as she stepped forwards. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Qrow raised a hand. "Settle down, Firecracker. She's uh, not exactly a spring chicken."
Old and infirm then, Pyrrha realised. They'd be looking for another Maiden. She didn't miss the fact that Qrow hadn't taken his eyes off Winter even as he replied to Yang, nor the little nod he gave her. She clearly had some role in this, and would be an obvious candidate: she was the right sort of age, and from her position as the General's aide-de-camp was presumably trusted and capable.
Perhaps I am just glad it is not my destiny this time. Winter was welcome to it. She didn't know what to make of Weiss's sister. Outwardly, her cold demeanour was reminiscent of Weiss when she'd arrived at Beacon. But whereas Weiss had been prickly and entitled – qualities she'd outgrown – there seemed to be something else going on with the older sibling. Something else driving her.
"Of course, I have a question in return," General Ironwood said mildly. He reached down, apparently tapping at something before pulling an object up. He placed it on his desk, letting their eyes fall upon the Lamp of Knowledge. "How did you end up bringing Haven's relic here?"
Qrow gave a long sigh of his own. "I guess you never got that letter," he muttered.
"Salem sent Cinder Fall to take the relic," Ruby piped up. "With the help of the White Fang. We managed to stop her, but, er…"
"Spring was compromised," Qrow said. "She opened the vault, and left without closing it. Getting it here seemed the best way of keeping it safe. Especially since Leonardo betrayed us."
Ironwood leaned back in his chair, and to Pyrrha's surprise, merely let out a sigh. "Leonardo was the traitor," he said to himself.
Yang looked at him incredulously. "You knew?!"
"That we had one? I suspected," General Ironwood replied. "Salem's agents knew too much: someone has to clue them into Amber in the first place. Add the way they infiltrated Beacon as students…" he trailed off.
"Why didn't you tell us?!" Qrow demanded.
"Tell who?" Ironwood said. "You'd have told me I was being paranoid, and Glynda would have said I needed to show more trust. And you were the two I did trust; if I'd trusted anyone else in the group, I'd have ended up telling him. And I couldn't risk telling anyone what I've been planning since."
"And what are you planning, James? The Dust embargo? That fleet out there? That ain't normal."
"They are, and no, it isn't normal," Ironwood admitted, "and I know how it must look, especially after your dealings with Lionheart–"
"Then why keep it up?" asked Blake.
"Because I had to keep Salem from infiltrating the kingdom," Ironwood said, bringing his hands down to the table with a smack. "And I needed the military here, for what's to come."
"For what to come?" Qrow tilted his head.
General Ironwood stood, reaching for a panel of buttons set into the surface of his desk, pressing one. As he made his way around the desk, shutters rolled down the windows, blocking out the ambient light from the night sky. The lights inside dimmed, while the large circle displayed on the floor began to rise.
The group scattered out of the way. Perhaps the room's less spacious than it looks, Pyrrha realised. The circle twisted, segments sliding out as it turned.
"Until now, Ozpin has had us fight this war in secret," Ironwood said, walking over. "He believed it best to keep the veneer of peace. I can't say if that was right or not. But what is clear, with the fall of Beacon, is that Salem is acting far more aggressively than she has before. In the space of just over a year, she's shut down two huntsmen academies. She's left two entire kingdoms – fully half of humanity – teetering on the brink and brought down the CCT system. And she's come far too close to her real goal. It's doubtful she'll stop there. And so we find ourselves needing a new approach."
The mechanism settled into the form of a table, and as the General reached it, he pulled out a small remote. With a click, the holographic display in the table sprang to life, projecting a blue floating image over the table, one which illuminated the darkened room. An image that was all too familiar to Pyrrha's eyes.
"Amity Colosseum…" Jaune breathed. Pyrrha felt his eyes drift in her direction.
She remembered the floating arena well. A supposed symbol of peace, which travelled from kingdom to kingdom in turn, hosting the bi-annual Vytal Festival tournaments. The place in which one Pyrrha Nikos, in the very last fight of the very last tournament, had unwittingly torn Penny Polendina apart in front of the entire world. Pyrrha dared not turn to look at the android girl.
"When the Beacon CCT fell and took global communications with it, I knew we needed something else," General Ironwood said. "Amity was always intended to bring the nations together. It did so before through games and culture. I have a different method in mind, but one which will serve the same purpose."
He clicked the remote again, and the image changed, the Amity Colosseum now appearing with a distinctive tower upon the top, the characteristic shape of a CCT tower.
"Isn't it wonderful!" Penny said, enthusiasm seeping through her tone, and Pyrrha felt her tension ebb at the girl's happy voice. "By building a new tower on top of Amity, we can restore communication across the entire planet!"
"And by launching the tower high up into the atmosphere, we can keep the tower permanently out of the reach of Grimm," added Winter. "It'll be invulnerable to attack and allow us to keep global communications running even if another tower were destroyed."
"That is wonderful," Pyrrha heard Ruby murmur.
"It's impressive, but you don't need the entire air fleet for this, James…" Qrow said.
"I might do, if she finds out about it first," replied the General. "But what I really need them for is the next part… when I finally tell the people about Salem."
There was an audible intake of breath. He's going to do what? Pyrrha thought.
"That's why you need the troops!" Qrow realised. "For the panic!"
"And the resulting Grimm," Ironwood answered. "They'll be attracted to the fear, but I believe we can be ready to stop them. And once Atlas is secure, I'll use Amity to spread the truth to the rest of Remnant."
"It'll be chaos!" Weiss said. "The Grimm will be everywhere!"
"But Atlas will stand ready to assist," replied Winter. "And with communication restored, we'll be able to coordinate a response."
Qrow shook his head. "Oz kept this secret for a lifetime… many lifetimes."
"And if we keep trying to keep this secret, it will kill us all," Ironwood replied. "Ozpin managed to keep victory from her grasp for many years, but each time she retreated to the shadows and came back stronger. Now she's tilted the balance against us, and if we don't stop her for good, eventually she'll win. But by restoring communications, and telling the world the truth about Salem, we can unite the world against her. We can stop her trying to turn humanity against each other, and together we can destroy her!"
The last phrase echoed in Pyrrha's mind as the General clicked the remote again. The table began to retract the way it came, the lights brightened, and the shutters began to slide open, but all Pyrrha could focus on was the one thing it was clear the General did not know.
Salem could not be killed.
She glanced at the others, to see if they would say anything, yet they all seemed at a loss of words too. She knew Ruby wanted them to be careful about what they said, and that the others were minded to follow, but surely this was different? Could they let him strive vainly to do the undoable?
She thought of the train journey to Argus. Of their anger that Ozpin had omitted to tell them that the relic they were carrying attracted Grimm. Of the lives that put in jeopardy – theirs and the civilian passengers – because Ozpin refused to tell them what they were facing. She thought to of the dangerous invitation she'd received to become the Fall Maiden. A conversation and decision she'd reflect again and again since, with many different conclusions, but one in which she now knew she hadn't been told enough.
If we'd known, we'd have done many things differently. The General's words from earlier. They needed to know what they were getting involved in.
…If we keep trying to keep this secret, it will kill us all.
Could they let him risk not only himself, but the entire kingdom, on something they knew was impossible?
She stepped forwards.
"General, I can't comment on the virtues of your plan," she began. "Restoring global communications sounds good. Perhaps telling the truth about Salem is the right thing to do. But there's something else you should know first."
"What is it, Miss Nikos?" Ironwood asked, his eyes falling upon her. She could feel the eyes of the others fixed likewise. I'm sorry, but this is the right thing to do.
"Salem cannot be destroyed," she said.
Ironwood looked at her for a full moment before speaking in a stilted tone. "And how would you know this?"
"From the relic," she said, realising he'd have to know the news came from an unimpeachable source. "We were working with Ozpin–"
"You've seen him?!" Ironwood asked with sudden desperation.
"He's… he's in my head," Oscar volunteered. Pyrrha winced a little; she hadn't meant to put Oscar on the spot.
"I'm so glad you're here," Ironwood said eagerly, moving swiftly to Oscar's side and kneeling to look him in the eye. "What do you–"
"He's not exactly here right now," Oscar said. "Sorry."
Ironwood's face fell. "That's not normal." He looked towards Pyrrha again. "What happened?"
"It was Professor Ozpin who advised us to take the relic to Atlas," she admitted. "However, he concealed the fact that the relic attracted Grimm from us. When Grimm attacked the train to Argus, there was an argument." She glanced at the others to see them staring back. And yet she needed one of them to fill in the blanks. "Team JNPR wasn't there for the next part, but…"
"We were worried about what else he hadn't told us," Weiss stepped in. "Oscar managed to tell us how the relic worked, and so we used it to ask what Ozpin was hiding from us."
Ironwood stood once more, his face an unreadable mask. "And that's what you found out?"
Qrow barked a short, bitter laugh.
Weiss pursed her lips for a moment, doubtless trying to organise her thoughts. "We were shown… the spirit of the lamp showed us a vision, one containing so much that I don't know where to begin. Salem's story, Ozpin's too. We were shown she was cursed by the Gods with immortality, and how he was sent back by the God of light. We saw how they lived for a while as husband and wife, before it all ended horribly."
Ironwood's eyes widened.
Weiss continued. "We saw how in the end he tried to gather the relics to use them against Salem, and how he asked the spirit of the lamp how he could kill her. And she told him he couldn't."
Ironwood looked almost without seeing, and then slowly turned and made his way to his desk. Pulling out his chair, he suddenly sat down heavily. Planting his elbows on the desk, he placed his head in his hands.
"I told Glynda he was hiding something…. but all this!" he said quietly to himself. "Why didn't he tell us?"
"He was worried we'd betray him like Professor Lionheart did," Ruby said softly. "Especially when we found out he didn't have a plan against Salem."
"Well, that now makes two of us," Ironwood said with a hollow chuckle, before setting his jaw. "But I am not Lionheart." He looked back up towards the group before him. "What happened to Ozpin?"
"Everyone was upset," Oscar said. "Including Ozpin. He locked himself away."
"We'll have to encourage him to come out, then," Ironwood replied. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then reopened them. "I'd be worried about using up a question, but perhaps that was the best question to ask after all."
"I'm sorry," Ruby said.
"Don't be, it's far better to know this than not. Better to know now than to waste lives trying to kill her and find out it doesn't work."
"Sir," Winter stepped forward. "The Amity plan is still viable. Even if our final objective is out of reach, restoring global communications would still be a step forward. Even revealing Salem's existence may still be worthwhile."
The General was silent for a moment, then seemed to draw himself up as he looked towards Winter. "It might be," he conceded. "Even if it's not the panacea we're looking for. Though I'm not sure we could share this latest news with the public. I'm… I'm going to need time to consider this. In the meantime, if those who saw this vision could provide a report of what they can recall, I'd be grateful."
"You want the full story?" asked Yang.
"I'm curious, but the details may be vital. Maybe there's some other way forward. Or perhaps there's some loophole in what Ozpin asked, and the answer he got. There could be some other way of defeating her permanently." He paused, seemingly caught in thought for a second. "Does the relic have any more questions left?"
Pyrrha glanced at Ruby, who looked back at her. Pyrrha kept her gaze even, hoping her unspoken message was clear.
"There is one left," Ruby eventually answered. "We don't know who asked the first question. Do you want to use the last question now?"
"No," Ironwood shook his head. "With one question left, we have to be sure the question we ask is worth it. If we don't get the wording right, we might just waste it."
Ruby nodded. "So, what should we do with the relic now?"
"The Winter Maiden's condition means we can't place it within the vault, not at the moment anyway," he replied. "For the time being, I think it's best if it's kept in a safe in here. I can increase security around my own office without attracting too much attention, and the fewer people who even get a hint of it, the better. With one question left, I don't think we can risk it being carried about and seen by any passers-by." He seemed to catch sight of Ruby's uneasiness, and so addressed her directly. "Miss Rose, I promise you I won't use it without consulting all of you. You deserve it for your efforts."
"And what do we do tonight?" asked Blake.
"It's late," the General said. "I… I have some thinking to do, but I'm sure you all want some rest. Penny, why don't you find our guests some accommodation in the visitor dormitories?"
Penny looked positively overjoyed. "Come on!" she said, grabbing hold of Ruby's arm and gesturing for the others to follow. "It'll be just like Beacon again!"
The others filtered after Penny, Pyrrha just behind them, as they left the General, Winter and Qrow in the office. As they left, Pyrrha could just about hear the General whisper some parting words.
"I sure hope not."
-000-
Jaune picked idly at the food before him. They'd all been most tired by the time Penny had finished her impromptu tour and fallen asleep almost immediately. Now they ate a late breakfast in the Academy's mess hall but, for all his hunger, all Jaune could do was prod at the bacon before him.
"You okay, Jaune?" Ruby asked from near the head of the table.
"Uh, yeah," he said, shaking his head, and forcing himself to take a bite. His stomach appreciated it, even if his thoughts were elsewhere… on the two vacant seats they'd left empty as if by habit, expecting them to be filled.
It was silly, really. Ren and Nora were capable of looking after themselves, and were probably in a safer spot than the rest of them were. But he couldn't help but worry: ever since Beacon, he'd worried for his friends, even if he was the weakest of them all, the one who'd snuck in with a combination of ignorance and false transcripts. The thought of being helpless – stuck in a tree as he'd once put it – while his friends fought for their lives horrified him. And since Beacon they'd risked so much. He'd nearly lost Pyrrha twice. Now he had his semblance, and it could do so much to help… but it could only heal or protect those close by him. He'd nearly not been close enough for Nora.
"Kids," Qrow appeared, grunting at them with a nod, with a tray of food in his hand. He drew one of the empty chairs in question and sat, before turning his entire attention to the food before him. Jaune briefly wondered if he'd gone back on the resolution he'd made in Argus.
"Uncle Qrow, have you heard anything?" asked Ruby from near the head of the table.
"No more than you have, pipsqueak," Qrow replied, looking up with an alert look that dispelled any fears. "I imagine we've left them a lot to think about."
"Yeah, I suppose. I just want to know what comes next," Ruby lamented.
"I was thinking about that too," Pyrrha admitted from beside Jaune. "If…" she glanced around the room, aware of the need to be circumspect, "if the General presses ahead, I think we should help."
Jaune nodded. He didn't know about revealing Salem to the public, but if she'd gone to so much effort to bring the CCT network down, putting it back must frustrate her somehow. "I think so too," he said, glancing at Pyrrha. Her eyes seemed a little lighter at his response, perhaps because they weren't arguing for once. Perhaps we can put those days behind us.
Qrow's eyes flickered up and narrowed. "Well, maybe we won't have long to find out."
Jaune turned to follow Qrow's gaze, to see five distinctive figures in customised Atlesian uniforms. It was the team from last night. As they neared the table, their leader – a tall, brown-haired man in a sleeveless uniform, raised both hands as if to placate them..
"It's okay, we just wanted to see how you were doing," he said. "Maybe we can clear the air a little and introduce ourselves? I'd like to chalk up last night to a misunderstanding."
"You could have asked," observed Weiss.
"And you could have listened to air traffic control," he replied with an easy smile. "Like I said, a misunderstanding."
"So, you're the Ace Ops?" Qrow said between bites. "The General's 'elite'?"
"We'd like to think so. I'm Clover. This here is Elm and Vine," he nodded to the taller pair on his right, then to the pair on the left. "And this is Harriet and Marrow."
"Good to meet you–" Ruby said, before the tall, muscular woman – Elm – cut her off by grabbing her proffered hand in an enthusiastic grip.
"I'm so sorry!" she said as she pumped the arm vigorously.
"That's… okay," Ruby said, with uncertain glances at Oscar and Weiss either side of her. "I can see why it looked suspicious."
"Yeah, what was it you said, Clover?" the spike-haired woman – Harriet – said. "They're either agents of Salem and know what they're doing, or they don't?"
"Not exactly what I said, Hare," Clover chided, before turning back with a smile. "The General has mentioned you've seen some action against our enemies. Any stories you'd mind sharing with us?"
"Well, I suppose we could," Yang said as a grin took form.
As the other end of the table fell into conversation, Jaune looked at the aloof pair before him. Harriet still seemed a little prickly, so he glanced at her taller partner, a dark-skinned man with black-green hair, and a distinctively canine tail.
"You were the one who took me down last night," Jaune remembered. "That was… pretty efficient."
"Well, that's how we handle things in the Ace Ops," Marrow boasted. "Cool and efficient."
Harriet gave a snort, but Pyrrha giggled. Surprised, Jaune shot her a quizzical look.
"What's so funny?" Marrow asked, some insecurity seeping into his voice.
"Oh, don't worry," Pyrrha reassured him. "It's just you remind me a little of the first time I met Jaune."
Jaune groaned, thinking back. Listening to his dad's rather regrettable advice, his attempt at false bravado, approaching Weiss before initiation…
Marrow looked between the two of them. "I take it that's not a good thing?"
"I should think not," muttered Weiss from the other side of Pyrrha.
"No, it's not," Jaune agreed with reddened cheeks.
"It had its moments," Pyrrha said, bumping Jaune's shoulder with her own. She then looked at him, almost shyly. "Though things are better without the act."
"'No schemes, no pick-up lines, just be honest?'" he quoted, turning to look back at her. As he did so, his eyes caught on her own.
"Something like that," she said softly.
He gazed at her for a moment, not wanting to turn away from those emerald orbs, before he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked to see it was Marrow's tail, wagging. Harriet simply smirked, and Weiss looked on with a raised eyebrow from beside them.
"Don't let us interrupt you," the man teased with a wry smile.
They blushed, and looked away from each other. "So er… yes," Jaune deflected. "Putting on a front is bad! Just be yourself!"
"But I wasn't–" Marrow protested but was cut off by Harriet.
"The kid's got a point, rookie," she said, rolling her eyes.
Marrow's tail briefly drooped as his shoulders slumped, but then visibly pulled himself up.
"So, what are your names?" he asked. He looked at the white-haired girl next to Pyrrha. "Weiss Schnee, I presume?"
"I am," Weiss, replied, apparently unperturbed at being so easily recognised. Marrow turned to the others.
"Jaune Arc," Jaune offered.
"John?" asked Marrow.
"Jaune," he repeated, emphasising the pronunciation.
"Juan?"
"Now you're just doing this deliberately," Jaune muttered, as Marrow laughed.
"And I'm Pyrrha," his partner offered.
"Pyrrha Nikos?" Harriet spoke up. "I thought I recognised you. What was it they called you on the tournament circuit, 'The Invincible Girl'?"
Pyrrha's smile froze. "I've been called that," she admitted with a fixed expression.
"Well, you kids all went down easily enough last night," Harriet said, "but perhaps you'd like a rematch?"
Jaune felt a momentary impulse to take offense on Pyrrha's behalf, but then he saw her false smile crack with a flash of real interest.
"I'm sure that can be arranged," she replied with a gleam in her eye.
"Hey, Hare!" Elm called over from the other end of the table. "Not everything has to be a competition!"
"There's nothing wrong with a bit of a contest!" Harriet shot back.
"I honestly don't mind," Pyrrha said.
"See, she doesn't mind!" Harriet called back.
"As long as it's within reason," Clover ordered. "We're all on the same side here. Hopefully we'll get the chance to work together."
"You think so?" asked Ruby.
"Well, I don't know what the General's planning, but–" Clover began.
"She might," Qrow spoke up, gesturing towards someone behind them. That person being Winter Schnee.
Winter approached the table with a distinctly un-casual bearing. Dressed as she was the day before in an immaculate white and blue uniform, her eyes seemed hard as they swept over the group. Seeing her again, Jaune could see the familial resemblance to Weiss, though she was significantly taller than her sister and while she shared her distinctive white hair, Winter's dark eyebrows appeared to lend her gaze greater force.
"Clover, Qrow," Winter greeted them, a slight edge on the second name. "The General would like to see you now. He'd also like to see the team leaders." She glanced at Ruby and Jaune in turn, making clear who she meant.
Jaune stood. Though worded as such, it didn't sound like a request. He glanced at Pyrrha, an unspoken question on his lips. She nodded, setting her seal on their earlier discussion.
It was time to find out what came next.
-000-
General James Ironwood looked through the window once more, watching the city below. He often found himself doing this. He'd done it last night. He'd been doing it this morning when Winter entered the office. He supposed he couldn't blame her when she'd carefully asked whether he'd actually left his office. He had, actually. He remembered the need for rest. But sleep, even when it came, seemed to do little to stop what he saw whenever he closed his eyes.
He looked once more. He did it to reassure himself, that Atlas was still stood. That it wasn't like Beacon, or Vale. That it wasn't in flames.
…Sometimes he feared he could see the flames even when his eyes were open.
He wrenched such feelings aside and steeled himself. It took a flash of his semblance, but he took control of himself once more. He felt his fists unclench and fresh air enter his lungs (his real one at least, though the artificial one did its work) as he took several calmer breaths. He didn't like to do it, but he'd needed to more and more, just to push forward. For he had to. If not he, then whom?
For one thing was beyond doubt: Salem was coming. And they weren't ready. They'd made so many mistakes at Beacon. He'd made so many mistakes at Beacon. Between Ozpin's passivity and tools he'd brought turning against them, Beacon had burned. They could avoid the former, but the latter was still a risk. They'd tried to patch code, lock down what they could, but until they knew who had done it and how, they were still vulnerable. And yesterday he found out that even the slender hope he'd placed on the one plan he had was in vain. He hadn't known nearly enough.
It was better to know, he told himself. But it was a bitter pill, nonetheless.
He heard the door to his office open and turned, looking at those who'd arrived. Qrow Branwen, frequently frustrating, but a talented huntsman and now a reassuring presence. Clover Ebi: skilled, reliable, and lucky. Winter, his right arm, one he'd come to depend on almost as much as the protheses that'd replaced the real right side of his body. And finally, the two trainee leaders: Ruby Rose, a heroic young prodigy he'd already met, and finally Jaune Arc, the unknown quantity.
"We're continuing the Amity project," he announced. "It may not offer the solution I was looking for, but our enemies destroyed Beacon's CCT for a reason. It must somehow be a threat to Salem's plans, so restoring global communications is a priority."
"Does that mean you're going to tell everyone about Salem?" asked Ruby.
"I'm not sure," he sighed, clasping his hands behind his back. "I'm still convinced that if we do not change our approach, it will kill us. But if we tell everything we now know, we may risk overwhelming panic, even defection. But perhaps that's a decision we can make at a later date."
"Does this mean any change in how we're allocating resources?" Clover asked. "Or the Dust embargo or border closure? We may not be able to placate Robyn, but it may make the situation in Mantle easier."
"We can look at rebalancing some resources," Ironwood replied, turning and pacing as he spoke. "It would delay Amity somewhat, but perhaps the pay-off would be worth it. She'll come for us sooner or later, Amity or not. As for the embargo or reopening the border…"
He pinched his nose in thought, closing his eyes. For a second, he contemplated both options, but then felt a sudden clench of his stomach. He had to restrain a shudder as he thought about leaving themselves exposed like that, leaving themselves as open as…
"No," he said curtly, turning back towards them as he used his semblance to clamp down his fears, to force himself to be able to make any decision. "No, we can't risk it. If we're right, then she'll move against us the moment she learns about Amity, and if we relax those measures, she will hear about it. We're not ready, and until Amity is finally aloft, it is vulnerable." He took a breath. "Once Amity is up and secure, we can end the embargo and reopen the border, but not before."
Clover and Winter nodded, accepting the order. Qrow kept his own counsel.
"So, what about us?" asked Ruby. "Why are we here?"
"Because, Miss Rose, Qrow, Mister Arc," Ironwood looked at each in turn, "I'd really appreciate your help. You know what's at stake. You've fought Salem's agents at Beacon and Haven. Sooner or later, she will strike here for the relics. And while it may not be able to accomplish all that I'd hoped it would, I believe the Amity project can help."
"We're in." The words came quickly and for a moment he thought Ruby Rose had spoken them, until he realised the other trainee present had beaten her to the punch. "Pyrrha and I discussed it," the blond boy continued. "We both think this can help."
"We'll do it too," Ruby added.
"If my nieces are here, you can count me in too," Qrow said. "Besides, I can hardly leave saving the world up to you, James."
"Of course not," Ironwood replied with a smile. It reminded him of their old exchanges, but there was no heat to it. "I'm glad you're all with us. We'll need to work together to have any hope of defeating Salem."
"So where do we begin?" Ruby asked enthusiastically.
"Well, first we need to bring your equipment up to standard. I had Doctor Polendina call this morning. He made quite an appeal on your behalf, until I assured him we'd resolved any misunderstandings. Since he's so eager to help out, let's see about making sure you have the best equipment Atlas has to offer first."
Ruby gave a whispered cheer. Arc seemed oddly pensive, but it didn't look like he was turning down the offer. "And then?" he asked.
"And then we clear the launch site for Amity," Ironwood said, gesturing at Clover.
"SDC Mine #2," Clover added. "It's remote, and the mine still has untouched Dust we're told we'll need for the launch. Our forces had cleared the immediate area, but a Petra Gigas retreated into the mines, meaning its canny and old."
"I'd like you all to go in alongside the Ace Ops and clear the mine," Ironwood explained. "Clover can coordinate the planning, but this is an opportunity for you all to work together and become acquainted. And if there's any further questions–"
"General?" asked Ruby.
"Yes, Miss Rose?"
She looked up at him, a determined glint in her silver eyes. "No matter what we've learned… I don't think we should give up on defeating Salem. For good I mean."
A slight smile came to Ironwood's lips. He was reminded of the time when she'd stood in Ozpin's office, younger even then she was now, after she alone had faced their infiltrator in the CCT. He'd told her then she'd done exactly as a huntress should, and he was heartened to see she still had the same instinct.
"Neither do I, Miss Rose. Neither do I."
Author's Note:
Continuing the update, once again some passages will be unchanged or lightly touched, while others have undergone a more thorough revision. For those comparing this to the show, here we see the first big deviation caused by Pyrrha's presence.