Chapter 88 - Remnant - Breaking Wave
Year 73VE, November
Cover Art by Mi Chumi
"And you're confident that my offices at the Academy are clear?"
James Ironwood was, again, blurring the lines between his two roles, which he detested doing. Yet here he was, dressed as Headmaster and seated in the bowels of Atlas Academy. But the woman who sat opposite him was one of his Atlas Specialists. Helena Nikos was Team November's technical expert, one of a handful of people whom he trusted completely.
Which left the question of ability.
"As confident as I can be about anything, sir. The gadgets that Dr. Buyanto provided me are significantly above my pay grade, but you said you believe he's trustworthy…" Foxtrot let the words hang in the air.
Behind the small wooden desk, Ironwood frowned. That assumption was something he'd spent some days mulling over. And it was a large part of his current problem.
Who do you trust, when you learn how thoroughly your own operational security has been compromised?
He'd always had a love-hate relationship with Atlas Military Intelligence. On the one hand, he knew as well as the next Colonel that to make decisions and protect any organization, you needed information, and at times you needed to keep information secret. If his being in command of Atlesian special forces hadn't, being hand-picked as Headmaster, and therefore one of Ozpin's Inner Circle years ago certainly had.
He'd also not put it above AMI to gather internal intelligence on the military itself. Considering past history of the Kingdom's armed forces, he could theoretically understand the need to keep a finger on the pulse of the military hierarchy, to detect potential bad actors before they rose far enough into the ranks to become a threat to the Kingdom's stability or civilian rule.
But the fact that they would monitor his Specialists, would consider using him and then 'removing' one of his students to protect the information discovered, that had shaken him. The fact that he did, in fact, have information and hold conversations that must not be shared with the broader Atlas government, for example those pertaining to Salem's existence, increased his concern to the point where he now considered his prior risk thresholds unacceptable.
Who do you trust? Who can you trust? Trust to be trustworthy, and capable of accepting the reality of the situation, and capable of protecting themselves.
Those who were trustworthy were many. His staff at the Academy, the people he worked with on a daily basis, hell even the military Hierarchy of Atlas was generally trustworthy.
But who could be trusted with the safety of his own communications? That was a much smaller group of people.
He trusted Ozpin and the other members of their Inner Circle, because they collectively knew who they fought, and the stakes. That included his Adjunct and Secretary at the Academy, Stephanie Santiago. The knowledge that AMI was both a necessity and a potential risk would not surprise them.
He trusted Team November, without hesitation, including young Winter Schnee, to the limit of their abilities. And that was the key. Foxtrot was good, but Atlas Military Intelligence made this their business.
Which left Pietro Polendina and Jade Buyanto. He trusted in Jade Buyanto's abilities. The man was the premier expert in his field, and he was capable of creating devices that would detect rogue listening and recording devices.
Which left the question of whether he could be trusted in intent.
And James' only assurance there was the simple fact that Pietro Polendina trusted Jade Buyanto with something as sensitive as Project P.E.N.N.Y. And James Ironwood trusted Pietro Polendina, for a very specific reason.
Some Years Prior
James Ironwood, newly minted Headmaster of Atlas Academy, flexed the fingers of his prosthetic hand, and marveled at the tactile feedback. The smoothness of its response to his effortless, almost negligent commands. It had been a long road to get to this point. They had not yet perfected the skin that would cover its mechanisms so that it would match his own in texture and resilience, but the clear membrane that covered it would do for now.
He looked up, and gave Pietro Polendina, the man who over the course of two years had literally rebuilt a large portion of his body, who had given him his functionality back and who had just finished running diagnostics and made some subtle adjustments, a warm smile as the man began gathering his tools and diagnostic instrumentation. "Pietro, I can't tell you how incredible it feels to have… such a natural-feeling prosthetic after the previous versions."
Polendina frowned. "Yes well, James, I daresay there's still significant room for improvement. Many of the innovations in this version are still… hmm… crude to say the least."
Ironwood laughed. "Oh really?"
Polendina joined him, chuckling. "Apologies, you witness the scientist's curse," he rubbed his eyes. "Nothing is ever good enough, because perfection doesn't exist. It's a goal to be forever pursued and never reached."
Now that, I can understand, Ironwood mused.
Polendina paused, suddenly appearing unsure of himself. "Though I admit that I do have an ulterior motive for this particular visit, beyond evaluating your prosthetics' performance."
"Oh?"
"Yes I have a… rather unusual question to ask you. One that has begun to nag at me most troublingly. It's become quite a distraction." And with that, Dr. Polendina, Atlas' premier scientist in the area of prosthetics and automation, explained his conundrum to James Ironwood, latest keeper of many deep and dangerous truths.
It had apparently begun as an offshoot of Polendina's research into power sources for a next-generation Atlesian airship. He had been playing around with modeling, and had on a whim created a model for Atlas itself.
And the conclusion his model provided had been anomalous.
. . .
It was well-known that Gravity Dust occurred naturally, but could also be synthesized artificially. And it was, in fact, produced by a handful of Dust refiners, including the Megoliath in the room, the Schnee Dust Company. It was also well-known what the functional characteristics of passive Gravity Dust were. That is to say, how much a given mass of gravity dust would distort the gravitational field of a given mass of attached matter. A high school student could roughly calculate that by merely observing the floating islands of Lake Matsu and comparing those to the size of the embedded Gravity Dust crystals present in each.
And what Polendina's exercise, for his own amusement, had found was that the raw mass of passive Gravity Dust required to hold Atlas in place above the surface of Remnant was more than the total amount of naturally-occurring and synthetic capacity of all known Dust manufacturing.
This, Polendina explained, was no surprise, because it was also well-established that Gravity Dust could also be changed to an active state by the introduction of an external power source, including Aura or other Dust sources. The activation of Gravity Dust in this manner could dramatically increase or change its field effects in a very predictable ways that made it exceptionally useful in weaponry and in global transportation, from the augmented rails of the Argus Limited, to the streetcars that plied the more affluent cities of Remnant, to the private, commercial, and above all military airships that plied Remnant's skies.
As Polendina, in the way of many scientists, continued to lay out the path of his analysis, James Ironwood felt his stomach dropping, though he worked hard to keep his expression neutral. He could see the direction the tracks of this conversation were heading, and he had slowly dimming hope that it might be derailed, at this point.
"And my curiosity having been thoroughly set alight at this point," Polendina chuckled at himself self-deprecatingly, "and having due to my trusted position access to information that no one else in Atlas could possibly draw from, I… perhaps spent more time than was justifiable, or reasonable, refining my model." He gave Ironwood a careful look. "And I reached a rather troubling conclusion."
"And that is?" Ironwood asked quietly.
"That while it is theoretically possible, within the estimated upper range of available Gravity Dust, to provide enough power to activate that dust and maintain Atlas position in the skies of Solitas, the amount of power required was an order of magnitude greater than even the most liberal estimates of Atlesian mining and refining capacity could support." He shook his head. "Fire Dust. Lightning Dust. Any known combinations. It simply would not be enough. Not even if we stripped all other use."
He gestured around them, "And yet here we sit, inside this technological wonder, that scientifically cannot work." His eyes roamed over Ironwood's face. "And as a scientist, I cannot tell you how much that realization shook me."
"Well, Pietro, I-"
"I'm not finished," and Ironwood was surprised by the tone of his interruption. "I… continued to dig into the matter. Seeking an explanation. I found, James, that the energy source for Atlas was, during its construction, integrated into the structure of this very Academy. And further, I determined that no one outside the Academy actually understands how it works, nor has enough information to determine why it should not work. Your average Atlesian Engineer would likely just assume it was some classified technology they didn't have access to."
"Have you considered that possibility?"
"James, there is no classified technology that could generate those levels of power now, and certainly it didn't exist when Atlas was created." Polendina stood and began pacing. "It would defy all known laws of Dust Dynamics!" He paused. "And before you say that perhaps there is someone who specializes in Dust Dynamics, someone who knows more than I do, that is likely. But I know these people personally. I studied under Doctor Niccolite prior to his retirement." His eyes bore into Ironwood's "No such novel physical law exists, now or then."
Slowly, Ironwood let his shoulders drop. And here it is.
Polendina slowly returned to his seat, and lowered himself back down. "James. I believe that… Atlas Academy has a secret. A conundrum. An anomaly."
"And you believe that I hold the answer to this riddle."
"I'm confident that if anyone does, it's the current Headmaster of Atlas Academy."
To say that Ironwood had been placed in a pretty pickle would be understating the matter. Polendina was a senior member of a critical team of researchers who were progressing Atlesian technology rapidly. His inventions were already making a difference in the life and death struggle against the Grimm. If he decided to force the matter, to threaten to go to the Atlesian military hierarchy… or worse merely to voice his questions to the scientific community… he would be listened to.
And yet he was demanding an explanation that was fraught with danger for both himself and Atlas at large. But Ironwood knew by now that the man before him would not be mollified by claims of classified information, or vague explanations, or assurances that he didn't need to worry about it.
"And if I am… unable… to provide you this explanation? What will you do then?"
He saw the older man's expression at his very specific choice of words. "James… I would like to think that you and I have come to know each other well, during our work. I believe you to be an honorable man. One dedicated to the good of our Kingdom's citizens. Before I agreed to work on your prosthetics, I read the reports regarding how, as Deputy Headmaster, you threw yourself into harm's way to protect your students and civilians." His rich voice softened. "It's one of the reasons I agreed to personally oversee your recovery in the first place." He glanced at Ironwood's hand. "I would like to believe we're… allies in this, if not friends." He leaned forward. "I won't threaten you, James. Nor will I involve others if you refuse me. But… it will eat at me for the rest of my life. I have few vices, James. One of them is a nearly debilitating curiosity. It's something that has served me well in my career." He chuckled ruefully. "I'm not sure how a willful refusal to satisfy that curiosity will impact our ability to work together in the future."
James Ironwood felt the impact of his words.
Not what I expected.
He stared at Pietro. A man who, he realized, he was indebted to. A man who had made it his personal mission to see James restored to a fully-functional member of Atlesian society over the last several years.
Who was asking for his trust in return.
James Ironwood made a decision.
Very slowly, and very carefully, James Ironwood explained Atlas' true power source to Pietro Polendina, and watched his… friend's face go slack with the knowledge. Partial, incomplete, knowledge. But enough.
Magic. An ancient Relic, discovered long ago and kept secret and safe by this very institution. Magic that could fashion one, and only one, device or mechanism. Anything that man could imagine and clearly define and document could be created.
But only one. And only one at a time. The creation of a new device would cause the near-immediate dissolution of the original.
"But that means…" Pietro's dark face paled, "that if this Relic were taken and used… the power source would cease to exist and…" He performed some calculations on the fly. "The Gravity Dust would become de-activated within thirty-five to forty minutes. The results would be-"
"Catastrophic. And now you understand why this knowledge is guarded jealously. So jealously that the Atlas Council themselves are unaware of it. Only the Academy Headmasters," and a few others he added silently, "are told this, handed down one to the next. It is a sacred duty, Pietro, to protect both the secret and its source. To protect Atlas."
And to his relief, Pietro both accepted the explanation, and never again brought the matter up. He was a man of science, not magic. What desire did he have to delve into the occult? Let Ironwood bear this burden.
And over the years, their working relationship, their friendship, continued to strengthen, to the point that when Ironwood found himself troubled by the dangers that the Winter Maiden's security represented, he went to the one man in Atlas he knew he could trust with his fears. The one man who had proven completely trustworthy.
And from that conversation had been born Project P.E.N.N.Y.
"Yes," James Ironwood finally replied to Specialist Helena Nikos. "Yes, I do. If Dr. Polendina vouches for him, and Dr. Buyanto says that his devices are sufficient to detect intrusion, then they are."
Foxtrot nodded slowly, accepting her superior's judgment. "Then that just leaves external communications. Dr. Buyanto said… well he was very insistent that we should be paranoid about our CCT communications, Sir. He wouldn't say why but… I got the impression it wasn't just AMI he's concerned about."
Ironwood's eyes narrowed. "Is that so?"
"Yessir. Though when I pressed him, he clammed up." She grinned. "These egg-heads aren't so good at hiding their emotions, though. I could tell I hit a nerve."
"Alright. And I'll take that under advisement as well. What about direct Tower-to-Tower communications?"
"Not sure, sir. Like I said, he got really cagey. I'd put a question mark on it until you can talk to him directly."
Which was a problem, because at this moment, James needed to speak with the rest of the Headmasters, and sooner rather than later. Which left… "Looks like I'll be taking a trip to Vale, then. Continue your work on my Atlas Headquarters offices, as well as Team November's residences and equipment. I want AMI blind to us from here on out. Am I clear?"
"Crystal, sir," Foxtrot said, nodding once.
And when I come back from Vale, Ironwood thought, Dr. Buyanto and I are going to have a long conversation, with Pietro there.
Argus – The Dread Basement
"I suppose you are all wondering why I called you here today," Pete drawled.
Beside him, Sophia groaned and covered her face. "Seriously?"
Pete pouted at his partner. "I don't get to have nearly as much fun as I used to, let me have this."
"Fine. But I'm the one that called them all here, you're just-"
"The figurehead, right. And the fucker that has actually managed to make all this bullshit you useless functionaries have been doing profitable."
Reggie Cass smiled a little at that, even as Garek and Selene traded looks.
It was, surprisingly, true. It had turned out that Pete had a remarkable eye for actual business opportunities, and he'd taken his role as 'coordinator' for all their various shell companies seriously, providing some prodding and analysis to the others regarding… actual business decisions over the last several years. Decisions that had turned what had previously been nothing more than shell companies created to mask their money laundering into actual operating businesses. Businesses that were making actual money. On top of that, the expenses they were covering to keep Cove "Aura Training Center" functioning had dwindled to a relative trickle mostly covering Dust imports, once the admittedly massive up-front costs had been covered. Chieftain Ursulus, it seemed, was determined that Menagerie should stand on its own as quickly as possible.
Oh their staffing, consulting, and security services weren't making quite enough to cover all of their side projects, for example supplementing Tribal Protection Services income and paying for Rashem's Watts-Free components. Not yet. But it was allowing them to bank cash against the day that Dr. Polendina's funds dried up.
"Fine. Yes. You're the one doing all the real work," Sophia snarked.
He shook his head, leaning back in his comfortable and rather expensive chair. In front of him on the table, his BOSS mug steamed. "I'm the one making the real work produce real profit," Pete corrected. "But you were saying, oh my doe-eyed one."
Sophia glared at him until he blushed. "As I was saying. I got word from Dr. P that corroborates what Reggie told us. Atlas Military Intelligence has or is preparing to brief the Atlas Council about Menagerie, and apparently Ironwood is now paranoid about communications and is flying to Vale for an emergency meeting of the Academy Headmasters."
"That part about paranoia is good, right?" Garek asked, eyeballing Pete, who just grinned.
"Not if it is… due to Watts," Selene cautioned.
"Right. According to Dr. P, they advised Ironwood that his communications might not be secure, but they took pains to attribute it to Atlas Military Intelligence snooping," Sophia explained.
Pete's eyes narrowed. "You think he'll buy that?"
"He's pretty pissed off at them, according to Charlie. He might." Reggie chimed in.
They all absorbed that before Pete spoke up again. "So… my gut tells me that this is Ironwood trying to get ahead of events in Menagerie. Anybody disagree?" There were head shakes around the table. "And that means Lionheart has to… make some decisions, right? What's our play here?"
It took an hour for them to set some general recommendations, before Garek was tasked with making several calls. The first was to Haven Academy Headmaster Leonardo Lionheart, followed by a secure conference call that added in the Head of the White Fang and the Chieftain of Menagerie.
Beacon
It had taken a frustrating three days for Ironwood to coordinate the schedules of the four Headmasters such that all could attend. Three days to ensure their Deputies would have matters under control and they could travel to Beacon Academy.
Three days during which the Atlas Council, with himself in attendance as a voting representative of Atlas Academy, delayed, raged, debated, and ranted over the watered-down report that had made its way from Tortuga Mellon, through Winter's careful filtering, then Ironwood and Colonel Breck, to be filtered further by AMI to General Cinerus and finally delivered to the Council itself, where Ironwood was again involved.
He marveled at the elegance with which AMI had massaged the information they'd received. And based on the reactions he was seeing, he'd made the right choice in providing that first level of filtering. The mood of the Atlas Council was, in general, already irrationally angry and worried enough. Had they received the full brunt of Mellon's observations…
Well that didn't bear thinking about at this point. He'd successfully blunted that danger. And now he had to take steps to further mitigate potential damage. He'd managed, barely, to get the Council to hold off on any final decision until after he'd consulted with the other Academies.
Barely.
. . .
"James, you requested this meeting. You said it was both urgent, and sensitive, and should be discussed in person," Ozpin said, gesturing to him.
Present at the meeting were Ozpin, himself, Leonardo Lionheart, and Theodore Storm, as well as Ozpin's Deputy Glynda Goodwitch. The others' deputies, Stephanie Santiago in Atlas, Gilda Vermilion in Haven, and Xanthe Rumpole in Shade, had remained at their schools to hold down the fort.
Ironwood nodded. "First I should explain the reason for requesting an in-person meeting rather than holding this via CCT secure channel," he said, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. And with that, James described his experience with Atlas Military Intelligence's snooping, as well as his concerns that there might be additional actors attempting to listen in on their communications.
"This could be very problematic," Ozpin said gravely. "If we cannot rely on CCT Communications, not even direct tower-to-tower security… the consequences for coordination are concerning." Ozpin peered over his glasses at Ironwood. "And you have no indication from your… resources… who these additional actors might be?"
"They were unwilling to say at this time, only that they had found evidence of someone monitoring some communications, and that they were very concerned, and could not guarantee that direct tower-to-tower was immune to being monitored." He examined his prosthetic hand, hidden beneath layers of artificial skin and mundane glove. "I've asked them to look into it more carefully and provide me additional information, and they have promised to do so."
"Well that's a pain, definitely," Theodore interjected, hands interlinked in front of him as he glared at his gloves. "But it's not like we've had any sensitive topics to discuss in a while, right? We can still focus on our core job of training and protecting our students."
"Unless it is one of Salem's agents who is doing it," Opzin replied. "In which case, this may be an attempt to lay ground work for some future move. I will reinforce, therefore, that no matters regarding the Relics, nor Maidens, are to be discussed over CCT Network."
"Not like there's been anything to talk about." Theodore muttered. "Just training and teaching." His fingers unlinked, and his fists flexed. "I liked it better when there was something to do!" Ironwood saw Lionheart's eyes glitter and the lion faunus nodded in agreement with Theodore's sentiment.
"Be very careful what you wish for, my friend," Ozpin intoned sagely, "You might obtain it. But regardless, this leaves the reason you wished to meet with us at all."
Ironwood nodded. "A grave matter. Something that impacts not only the Academies, but the stability of the four Kingdoms."
Ozpin went still. There were few things that he could imagine would meet those criteria, and would induce James to request a meeting of all of the Academies. And he feared he knew exactly what that topic was.
"Go on."
"It has come to the attention of Atlas Military Intelligence that Menagerie has built a facility, styled as an Aura Training Center, along with a modern CCT Relay. I was able to interdict some of that intelligence, downplay it, for now. The Atlas Council has already received this report, and is considering their response." He met the eyes of each of the people at the table. "I have convinced them to delay acatoin until we are able to provide them the Academies' position on this matter. We need to ensure we set a unified message regarding this in the short term, and we need to be prepared when the full details emerge."
Opzin sighed. "This is consistent with what we have learned as well."
"You… knew already?"
"A portion of it. We had two students apply to Beacon the previous year. They are completing their first year now. Both of them had parents that attended Beacon, but both had, most recently, resided in Menagerie, and listed this Training Center on their resumes. And we have at least one more applicant this year, as well."
"And you didn't see fit to tell me?" Ironwood felt the urge to stand. To get in Ozpin's face. Why the hell had he not been told?
"I sent Qrow Branwen to investigate, and he indicated that the Faunus were, at least for the time being, attempting to be restrained in how they advertised this facility." The immortal frowned. "Based on the information gathered, my impression was that they were attempting to discourage their students from studying outside Menagerie, and I was under the impression that no one from that program had applied to Atlas Academy. Thus I did not see the need to spread the word further at that time."
"How competent are these students?" Theodore asked, eagerly. "How large is the facility? Shade is always eager for additional talent!"
"As far as I know, only three students sought to study abroad last year. Two at Beacon, and one at Haven. The two at Beacon have been superb."
At the mention of Haven, Ironwood struggled to quell the feeling of double betrayal. "You too, Leo?"
"Me too, James." All eyes turned toward Lionheart. "And my student was also quite superb. Though we've had to have words with her a few times about her… chattering about the Menagerie program, especially to her Atlesian teammate."
That was more than Ironwood could handle. He did stand, then, and paced in front of the others who were assembled. "Did neither of you understand how potentially explosive this is? Had I not been aware enough to intercept this report, had it gone directly to the Atlas Council, the consequences could have been an international incident!"
"Because Atlas can't stomach successful Faunus?" Lionheart snapped, eyes narrowed.
"Leo, you know as well as I do the fault lines within our Kingdoms. We don't have to like these fault lines, but we are forced to deal with them, for the good of Remnant. Because we all know who will exploit any conflict. Our best defense is stability!"
If anything, that caused Lionheart's expression to sour rather than mollify him. "And so we accept the status quo, regardless of who is harmed?"
Ironwood halted in front of his compatriot, and his voice lowered. "No. No, we do make changes. Slowly. And you know damn well that I've been working, hard, to promote Faunus membership in both the ranks of Atlas Huntsmen and in the Specialists."
And that, at least, did seem to ease some of the tension he saw on Lionheart's face. "Indeed, James. Indeed. No. I don't think we can fault you. But you are not the problem."
"James. Leo." Ozpin interjected smoothly. "If we could draw the discussion back to the matter at hand." He gestured at the Atlesian. "James, what reaction do you anticipate from Atlas, and what do you propose we do to assist in mitigation?"
"And is it possible for us to recruit additional applicants?" Theodore asked, unwilling to let go of that thread.
"Theo," Ironwood fought to keep the disbelief off his face. Theodore was an incredible Huntsman, a fierce and fearless warrior, and exceptionally devoted to and protective of his students. But he also tended to be a very… linear thinker rather than conspiratorial. It sometimes made for some tiring conversations.
"James, I understand the problems you face, but they aren't Shade's problems. We need Huntsmen, more than the rest of you. I can't ignore a potential source of strong candidates. And Shade is very welcoming of Faunus."
"Shade welcomes anyone that doesn't mind getting fleeced," Ironwood heard Glynda mutter quietly. But that was unfair. The truth was, after Menagerie itself, Shade was likely the most difficult Kingdom to survive in. Huntsmen were spread thin, and had a higher than average mortality rate and a higher than average rate of 'self retirement' where they decided to take their skills and use them in less altruistic ways.
"As I said, we can discuss that later," Ozpin tried again, and after a moment Theodore shrugged. " James. You were saying."
"Yes. I propose that we, collectively, send a message to Menagerie and the four Kingdoms. A message that walks a fine line. I… agree that we can't and should not prevent Menagerie from training Huntsmen-level Aura users, nor should we turn away Faunus who apply to our Academies. But we also need to recognize the delicate political balance we have managed to achieve with the four Kingdoms and Menagerie. And the impact on what Remnant's progress if that balance is disturbed."
He glanced around to see how that message had been received, and found them all thoughtful, though Lionheart appeared the least receptive. "And the definition of this..." Lionheart said sourly, "fine line?"
"By recognizing Cove as a legitimate Combat School, but stating that we do not recognize the validity of any graduates of that Aura Training Center as properly licensed Huntsmen in the four Kingdoms." Lionheart frowned, eyes glinting, as Ironwood continued. "And also, that the Academies make no objections when the Kingdom of Atlas places a technology embargo on Menagerie."
"Preposterous!" Lionheart barked.
Ironwood's face went stony. "Frankly, Leo, I agree with you. I'm not asking us to endorse the actions of the Atlas Council, only that I am able to tell the Council that we will not object to it." His hands fisted. "Not because I agree with their reaction. It's not only counterproductive, it's small-minded. But I'm trying to prevent an escalation here, not endorsing a policy." He tried again, seeking to make his counterpart understand. "The Council is seriously considering a full embargo and sanctions, Leo."
Ozpin considered the range of distasteful options before him and which ones would provide the least opportunity for Salem. "This seems… unpleasant but prudent, for the sake of stability."
And at his words, Ironwood breathed a sigh of relief. Ozpin's endorsement was as good as a decision, most of the time.
And then Lionheart's voice cut through like a slap in the face. "No. No, it isn't," Lionheart shook his head in complete rejection. "And I will not agree to it."
. . .
Lionheart felt like he had been waiting for this moment for years, for a decade.
Three years ago, he would have sat here, in this room, and accepted whatever they decided. Why bother pushing back, when there was no point? Why not assume that this was Ozpin and James' problem to deal with, and not something that mattered to him.
But that Leonardo Lionheart was not present in this room. This Lionheart had… dreams. Hopes. Intentions. And he'd be damned if he let this pass.
"And I will not agree to it," the words felt incredible leaving his mouth, and he had the satisfaction of seeing Ironwood step back as if struck, even as Glynda and Theodore's eyes widened.
Yes. This is how it should be. This is how I should be. He continued, voice shaking with raw passion. "We sit here and banter about the good of Remnant, while day by day, we…" he struggled with the awareness that he wasn't just talking about them, but himself as well, "…compromise our personal morals, our ethics."
"Leo-" Ozpin, attempted, placating.
"I know what you're going to say," Leo snapped, eliciting a gasp from Glynda, "and frankly, it's grown old. Yes, we know Salem is out there. And we know that she will exploit any conflict. Any fault line. And as a result, we've grown..." he scanned their faces, "satisfied with maintaining the status quo. Relying on the fault lines that we know!" He slammed a meaty fist on the arm of his chair. "And frankly, I've realized that is a mistake. It breeds… hopelessness. And hopelessness creates desperation. And desperation eats at you like a cancer. It causes good people to do things they never imagined," his voice dropped further, so that they had to struggle to hear his next works. "…unless someone happens to come along with a message of hope."
He locked eyes, one at a time, lingering longest on Ironwood. "And that's what Menagerie has found, James. Hope. And you," he pointed an accusing finger at his Atlesian counterpart, "think that by taking that away from them, or at least attempting to stifle it, you can 'protect them' from the actions of bigots." He had the satisfaction of seeing James flinch at that, and he softened his tone. "James, I call them what they are. And you know, in your heart, that it's true. If not the Council themselves, then the powerful people whose interests they represent, with whom they're complicit."
Ironwood absorbed that, and then sighed. "Perhaps that is true. But Leo, be reasonable."
Lionheart stood, and walked up to the Atlesian, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, I am reasonable, James. I've been reasonable. And now, I'm being both reasonable and I'm placing myself, and my reputation, on the line. For a better future."
. . .
Behind Ironwood, Ozpin blinked. Inside he felt a stirring. This was… the Lionheart of old. The one I fought next to on the field of battle, willing to face any foe head-on.
He realized, with a shock, that he had not seen this man in many years.
Where had that man been? He shook his head. "What, exactly, are you proposing, Leo," he asked carefully.
"I'm saying that I will not accept this proposal, for two reasons. The first is that if any Huntsman from Menagerie wishes to help us save Remnant, to hunt Grimm in Mistral, I will grant them a license without hesitation if they graduated from Breakwater."
"Break… you mean this Aura Training Center?" Ironwood replied, hoping that he had misheard.
Ozpin could only watch, dread realization creeping over him. "No, James. I mean Breakwater Academy. They intend to announce it come January."
For the first time that day, Ozpin was unable to control his expression. "How do you know this, Leo."
"Because they approached me to be its first Headmaster."
The room dissolved into an uproar of questions and accusations.
"When were you planning on telling us this!" / "You can't! The politics alone would-" / "What about the security of Haven? Your obligation to those students!" / "Disastrous consequences!"
And there, in the midst of the storm, Leonardo Lionheart stood his ground.
Late the next day, a conference call was initiated from Beacon via one of The Lone Huntsmen's secure scrolls.
"Leo… damn you look like hell," Menagerie's Chieftain muttered, and Ghira Belladonna nodded in agreement.
And it was true. Leonardo's eyes were bloodshot, and his face haggard. "It's been a challenging two days, Ursulus. A challenging two days indeed." He shook his head. "You should see the other combatants."
Garek barely dared ask the question. "What was the result, Leo?"
"A lot of yelling. Appeals to authority. Perhaps some pleading from time to time. A not insignificant amount of alcohol and far too little sleep as well." He chuckled tiredly, rubbing his beard. "In the end, I was able to hold my ground, and they realized that I wouldn't be moved," the satisfaction on his face breaking through the exhaustion spoke volumes. "And we were able to begin actual negotiations," he shook his head. "James was not pleased with the result, and nor will you be fully, which I suppose means we accomplished something reasonable."
"How displeased, exactly," Ursulus asked warily.
"I agreed to Ironwood's proposal that no graduates of Cove's Huntsman-level program will be considered legitimately licensed in the four kingdoms, and the Academies will, as he requested, remain silent in the face of a technology embargo by Atlas." He took a deep breath. "And I agreed that I will defer the role of Breakwater Academy's Headmaster, and its announcement as such, until after the 75th Vytal Festival next year."
"Fuck," Garek muttered. Cinder's and Sarah are going to be impossible to deal with over that.
"And what did you get, in return for these concessions, that we are going to find worth all of that," Ghira asked tensely.
Lionheart's smile was all teeth. "That any graduate of our Academy-level program will be granted, upon request, an immediate Huntsman's license by any of the four formal Academies they please." He let that sink in. "And that each existing Academy will reach out to their kingdom's Combat Schools and solicit additional instructors to reduce the strain on our staffing, as well as provide a stipend out of their own budget, for the next four years at least."
Garek gave a low whistle, and even Ursulus looked pleased at that.
"And on top of that, privately, I specifically requested Ms. Rose and Mr. Xiao-Long from Signal. That was… a bitter pill for Ozpin to swallow, but he agreed that I could approach them." If anything, his smile widened. "I believe he will be shocked when they agree. And I have a few thoughts on who I might recruit from Sanctum, as well."
Holy shit, Garek thought. He's going to ask for Regalia, I just know it.
"I see by your expression that you aren't displeased, Garek." Lionheart continued smoothly. Though you may be, when you find out what I'm volunteering you for at Cove.
"Oh hell no. This is… freaking incredible."
"It's a beginning," Ursulus warned. "Things are going to get rough for us here," but he didn't look afraid, he looked resolute. "It's a good thing that we've been preparing. We should be able to ride this out, if we're careful."
Ghira shook his head. "I'm afraid you are all misreading the real danger here. It's not the Atlas Council that will be the issue, embargo or not. It's the reaction among the populations of Atlas and Mistral. There will be anger and emboldened attacks, regardless of what the Atlas Council does, and it won't be limited to those two Kingdoms, either."
That sobered them. "Way to bring the temperature down, Belladonna." His old face showed his concern. "Are your folks ready?"
"We've been prepared for months now. It will likely be ugly. But at least now…" Ghira's eyes searched the distance. "Once I believed that our hope was to educate the humans, build ties, and help our people survive in the Four Kingdoms. I believed that Menagerie was a haven only for the most fragile or those who had lost hope." He met their eyes. "But I'm beginning to believe that if one of the Kingdoms will not treat us as equals, then perhaps we should instead show them what life without us is like."
Ursulus nodded. "Menagerie will welcome them, Ghira. We have the resources, now, embargo or no embargo. And soon, we'll have enough Huntsmen that we can start thinking about new settlements."
Ghira shook his head sadly. "I had hoped, but maybe it's time for a different dream. I'll spread the word to be prepared."
Far away, in a distant lab, Doctor Arthur Watts reviewed the condensed reports that his crawling spider-scripts had captured in their electronic webs and delivered to him. And one item in particular stuck out.
The Atlas Council was apparently in an uproar, and conflict was brewing between Atlas and Menagerie.
Olive eyes aglow, he felt the corners of his mouth turn up.
It was the feeling of opportunity, opening its arms wide to him.
[A/N] So many lovely reviews from the previous chapter! I am so happy that you found my portrayal of Penny Polendina's 'emergence' enjoyable! Thanks to GreenEyesOrigamiDragon, AtomicR4y, AgentDraakis, Salutations (guest), Rookie80, Blooming Mind, Shadowstorm-Vash, and Eltrio chou! That's a LOT of reviews for one of my story chapters, and it was just awesome!
To respond to your reviews:
Eltriochou: Thank you so much for the encouragement, and I can promise a happy ending for our little Grimmling, but at a cost of course!
Shadow: I dunno what would happen without a soul attached, something between Penny and Skynet? ;-)
Blooming: I tried so hard to find something that started with a "Y" and in the end, that's the best I could do. lol
Rookie: Ironwood is still heavily focused on protecting the Winter Maiden powers, rather than Menagerie. His primary concern with Menagerie is how Atlas elites will overreact.
Salutations (Guest): You made my week with your awesome review!
AgentD: What til you see what happens when she starts meeting other people!
Atomic: She is indeed her own special creature!
GreenEyes: Yep, I talked a lot with Bryon and got permission to use his concept, and his subroutines, though I added some more and my own spin on this very early implementation of them.
And for this chapter, things should begin to speed up a bit. The pieces are in place. The board is set. Fault lines are defined and straining under the stresses of competing interests. How will the Red Claw react to the expected increase in conflict between humans and faunus? How will the Academies weather the storm? Menagerie?
I'm having a lot of fun writing Lionheart as a freaking badass in his element, and I think he's having a blast as well. I almost feel sorry for Ironwood here. Poor man's just trying to do his job and navigate the bullshittery of Atlesian power games as best he can. Good thing he has Pietro on his side.
Oh and did you notice that Buyanto managed, without bringing Watts into it, to put a bug in Ironwood's ear about risky comms? Looks like AMI did something worthwhile after all. Stupid bastards (nah, you'll see later, they aren't all bad).
Hope you enjoyed!