Chapter 37

Sith spies were caught in Mantle trying to sneak among the refugees. Weiss, Blake, Nora, and Pyrrha took the three of them down. Nora discovered she could use electric judgment. One of the spies revealed everything that Sun has been put through while a Prisoner for Salem.

Blake was struggling hearing what Sun had to go through. She was angry that the Sith could be so cruel, but she was also angry that she wasn't able to stop Sun from sacrificing himself. She was pushing herself harder in the training room that day than she should have. She knew that. And so did Yang when she walked in.

Blake was attacking one of the wing chun dummies letting her frustrations out. She had been going at it for a while, ignoring the sting in her hands as she kept hitting it. Yang watched Blake. Blake tried to ignore Yang. But the bright blonde hair made that hard.

"Your hands are bleeding." Yang said. Blake didn't say anything she didn't even acknowledge Yang.

"You need to stop." Yang said.

"I can't stand being useless!" Blake said. She let out a punch, but this time she felt a massive jolt of pain. She grunted and stepped back. She stepped back, seeing the blood on her hands. She clenched her fists. She was still so weak. She wanted to force her hand to get better. She wanted the pain to stop.

"This isn't our fault." Yang said. Blake heard the word. Our. She had forgotten that Yang was there too. That Yang had to see it happen as well.

"How have you been holding up so well?" Blake asked.

"Sun was my friend. Don't forget about that for one second." Yang said. Blake turned to her. She remembered how she used to complain that Sun and Yang should have been siblings since they were almost the same person. That just got them more riled up with whatever they were doing.

"We're not…" Blake wanted to say they weren't doing enough. Yang knew it as well. But she also knew that was a lie. A lie that was meant to make it easier for Blake to accept that this nightmare was happening, and no one besides Salem was to blame.

"How much longer can he hold out for?" Blake asked. Blake wanted to get him back. Learning that he loved her had made things a little different. She had no idea if she loved him the same. She wanted him as a good friend. She wanted him to be back so he could finally stop hurting. She wanted to kill Kaiser for putting Sun through this Hell.

"I don't know." Yang said. Blake gritted her teeth and Yang wrapped her arms around Blake. Blake let the tears fall. She told herself she had nothing to cry about. That it was Sun who had any reason to cry. Yang ran her hand through Blake's hair.

"It's not your fault." Yang said. Those simple words shattered her.

Ironwood asked Oscar to meet him in his office, and Ruby went with him, as far as the reception area. Qrow and Winter showed up. Not together, thankfully, or Ruby would have to have separated them. When Qrow saw Ruby he questioned her.

"What are you doing here?" Qrow asked.

"Waiting for Oscar." Ruby said.

"Why? He can handle this on his own." Qrow said.

Ruby wondered if Uncle Qrow knew. He had been out for a while recently again. He might not have heard yet about her and Oscar.

"It's what I should do." Ruby said.

"What aren't you telling me?" Qrow asked.

"I think they're waiting for you." Ruby said.

"Since when did you hide things from me?" Qrow asked.

He went into the meeting. Ironwood had the other generals of the Alliance fleet, and the headmasters of Beacon and Shade academies in there, most in Hologram form.

"Everyone's here now." Ironwood said.

"What's going on Jimmy?" Qrow asked. Ironwood placed the relic on the table.

"We have two questions left, correct Ozpin?" Ironwood asked.

"There should be." Oscar said. He didn't let Ozpin take control. But he did let Ozpin speak.

"Have you asked before how to kill Salem?" Ironwood asked.

"I guess you're referring to why Ozpin brought up Emperor Vitiate." Oscar said.

"Yes…" Ironwood said. "Is he in charge right now?"

"I'd rather him not be. But I'll repeat what he tells me." Oscar said.

"Why make yourself the middleman?" Winter asked.

"I don't like when he takes over." Oscar said. There would be no debate. Oscar was not letting Ozpin take over. And there wasn't anything they could do to stop him.

"Fine." Ironwood said. "So you haven't asked how to kill Salem then?"

"No. Each time Ozpin was about to ask, he had to use the lamp to solve a problem of the day." Oscar asked.

"How bad did things get that you needed all three questions?" Glynda Goodwitch said over hologram.

"No one ever told Ozpin that there were three questions, and she really wasn't keen on giving that information to him. As a joke." Oscar said.

"She?" Kaelen Rahal asked. He was also attending through hologram.

"Yes, she. Just like a Holocron has a personality stored inside, so does the relic. But she's… Ozpin, just say she's a pain in the ass." Oscar said. "Ozpin, they've all heard way worse. I don't care this is a meeting."

"It strange to see Ozpin's new body be so different from him." Glynda said.

"My name is Oscar Pine." Oscar said. "I am not Ozpin."

'Oscar, please let me take over.' Ozpin said.

'Are you saying I shouldn't correct them? I'm not you.' Oscar thought to Ozpin.

"Let's get back to the Lamp. Are we going to ask it if Salem can be killed?" Qrow asked. He had spent the most time with the kid out of everyone here. He hadn't really seen him say that before. Maybe he and Ozpin had gotten in a fight.

"Would we be able to learn how to kill her from the lamp?" Ironwood asked.

"Ozpin doesn't know. I say give it a shot. Ozpin says that it won't be a straightforward answer." Oscar said.

"Can you tell us how to unlock the relic?" Winter asked.

"Ozpin says he'll give it once you are all completely sure you know what you want to ask. That he wants to make sure you all agree to the question. We only got two of them." Oscar said.

"Don't we already have the question?" Erynn Locke said.

"There's an opportunity cost here. If you ask now, you can get the answer, and have one question left, but that means that you only have one question left, but still one question left. But if we ask a question before that, then ask the main question, the Relic will have to recharge. The Sith won't get the chance to get the relic." Oscar said.

"Was that you or Ozpin?" Ironwood asked.

"Bit of both. Ozpin says not to be reckless. He also says that you should try to word the question very carefully because she enjoys playing games and messing with whoever asks her a question." Oscar said.

"What was the question going to be?" Theodore, headmaster of Shade Academy, asked.

"How do we kill Salem." Ironwood said.

"I can see a problem there. See, Salem can technically already die. But her magic rebuilds her body." Oscar said.

"How does that count as killing her?" Ahsa asked.

"When you get your head cut off, I count that as killing her. But then she can just pick her head back up." Oscar said. "Ozpin says one of the past lives learned that the hard way."

"She can't be physically killed then?" Glynda asked.

"Not like you or me. Ozpin believes she has anchors here that keep her alive. And with her ability to transfer bodies, she has become almost unkillable. But no one lives forever, and no one is truly unkillable." Oscar said.

"So you aren't going to tell us how to open it because we need a better question." Ironwood was confirming.

"Better worded. It's a great question. We only got two shots at this." Oscar said.

The meeting didn't last much longer than that. Oscar left the room first, annoyed at them. They all saw him as Ozpin. He was Oscar.

'You need to understand…' Ozpin started.

'That they don't see me?' Oscar asked.

"Oscar, you made it." Ruby said. Oscar's bad mood shifted.

"Yeah." Oscar said.

"What's wrong?" Ruby asked.

"They only see me as him." Oscar said.

Kaiser looked at the group that would attack Atlas today in the skirmish. The goal was to leave Atlas with another cut. Hopefully, take out a few more Jedi. This was probably going to be the main way they were going to attack before the next large attack. They were trying to get Atlas to never know what was going to happen next.

Requiem was looking over the Sith they were sending. Ferox would lead the attack. Salem ordered that directly. She told him to kill Mace Windu. He thought she was saying he could do it. He knew that was her telling him to die trying.

Memores used what he learned from the enemy, but he also had a few breakthroughs in translating more texts. He found three useful ships. They were easier to produce than the other ships from the Republic. They were older models put seemed to still be in use from an area in the outer rim. The original models were called the Dagger, which he was currently creating a few of, with some additions from the other ships. He took inspiration from the V-19 starfighters and their ability to twist their wings. He had the cockpit stay still while everything else could move. He was able to have the ships change between attack, defense, and speed because of this. These ships could speed in and make hit-and-runs before leaving.

The second ship he found was one that he had to alter. The Dianoga. He had to switch how they flew. The originals had four long wings. It gave them four weapon systems but made it easier to hit and kill. He took out the bottom wing and replaced it with a mini shield generator and a missile port. It was meant for dogfights. Their lesser weight made the ships faster, and they were able to take a few hits.

The third ship he found was based on the MorningStar-A starfighter. He found what he believed were two other versions of this ship. He still hadn't found a bomber. He was beginning to wonder if they were going to have to convert the N-1 into a bomber. The MorningStar-A was bulkier and able to take some damage. It was an average ship, probably going to be used during the dog fights.

He needed to come up with new names for these. He added some Remnant flair to the ships as well. Each one could use dust flares and can use dust weapons. These were the first wave. They each had parts that were bathed in the dark liquid that Salem marks her Sith in so the Grimm wouldn't attack them. These were fast enough that they could move in the Grimm. These early models weren't meant to be able to stand alone.

Still needed names. He could just call them models A, B, and C. But he didn't want to. Salem would give them names from one of the many dead languages she knew. He really didn't want to call them something he would have to explain every time. He could call them the Tri-Wing series. His personal favorite was the Dagger. He could just name them after weapons.

Kaiser was looking around the launching point of their men. Atlas hadn't found them. They were too distracted recently to go after them having to deal with all the refugees. He found a spot where he hoped they could start digging. He had a droid start digging, going two hundred meters down before leveling out and digging toward the mines. He needed to see if his idea would work.

They would be digging the entire time the fight was happening. He just needed it to go to one of the mines. He would go to other possible locations and do the same thing. They needed as much access to the mines as possible. They were the key to getting into the city. He wanted them to become large enough that they would be able to send people down there eventually, but the mines would have to be enlarged before he would trust that the Sith could actually make it up to the surface. They were going to have to be quite about it as well.

Kaiser saw the Sith forces start moving out now. Kaiser watched as the forces left. They were told this was going to be a hit-and-run. They were told that this was meant to poke at the defenses. They were told that they were one of many cuts the Alliance would receive.

He knew some would be stupid and stay in for longer than needed. The Sith army taught them to take out the enemy first. That was the old way of doing things. That led to such high casualties in Hellio, Vale, and Mistral. Kaiser and Requiem agreed that was an outdated idea that did far more damage than good.

They were on the move.

They had mixed the teams today for their patrols. They were trying to make sure every member of teams RRWBY and JNPOR would be able to work well together as a duo. Ruby and Jaune were on a team today as they were walking around the perimeter of the southern sector.

"You know Ruby, I've always wondered about your shatterpoint ability… how does that affect your eyesight? Like is it a constant thing and completely changes how you see the world, or is it something that you can turn on and off?" Jaune asked.

"I can turn it off and on. Thankfully. It would be so hectic if I couldn't." Ruby said. She was flipping her off-hand lightsaber in the air. "Okay, I say I can turn it off and on but it's more like shifting how I focus rather than flipping a switch."

"What do you see when it's on then?" Jaune asked.

"Everything has… cracks. Weak points. Fault lines. Sometimes it's obvious, like a broken building that's one push away from collapsing. Other times, it's more subtle… people have shatterpoints too." Ruby explained.

"Really?" Jaune asked.

"Not all the time, but if I really focus, I can see when someone is at a breaking point. Physically or emotionally." Ruby said looking far off. "I don't like using it like that, though. Feels like I'm looking at something I shouldn't."

"That sounds like a burden." Jaune said.

"It's useful, but it can be overwhelming. That's why I don't use it all the time… otherwise, everything just looks broken, and that's not a great way to live." Ruby said. She picked up a rock. She used shatterpoint on it. She brought her finger down at a point. Jaune watched as the rock split open.

"That's what I can do to rocks. To objects. I've used it to destroy a lightsaber or two in the past. But with people… it looks different. Yeah, I can see that if I kicked up right next to your knee right now you would collapse, but I also see something…deeper." Ruby said.

"Please don't kick me." Jaune said.

"I know you have an emotional shatterpoint, but I haven't looked into it. I could probably have shatterpoint reveal to me something I could use against you. But the thought haunts me." Ruby said.

"It is a great responsibility." Jaune said.

"What about you? What's battle meditation like for you?" Ruby asked. Jaune scratched at his chin.

"Honestly? It's like…" Jaune was trying to figure out how to put the feelings into words. "It's like I can feel everyone around me. Their emotions, their focus, their intent. And when I really concentrate, I can connect all of us together, like we're moving as one."

"I never really grasped the connecting our minds together thing. Like, is it reading our minds?" Ruby asked.

"I find that because of how close all of us are and how long we have all known each other, our minds have started to react on similar frequencies. And I stay at the center of that. So I can send messages from any one of us, have it go through me, and it ends up going to who it was meant for. When everyone is close, It happens so fast I don't even have time to recognize it." Jaune said.

"Kind of like a CCT." Ruby said.

"If that helps." Jaune said.

Weiss and Nora were paired together. They were in the northern sector of Mantle. Weiss was trying hard with Nora. They were friends after all. But… Weiss could admit to herself that she didn't exactly like how different they were. Nora just had too much energy for her. Or perhaps, Weiss thought after a second, she didn't have enough energy for her.

Weiss was looking out where the Sith came from last time. Nora was standing over her. They were on a roof and she was lying down with a pair of Micro binoculars at the fields outside of Mantle. There were still downed walkers and tanks from the Sith attack. And there were the pillboxes she was just barely able to make out at this angle.

"Nora… any reason you're standing right over me?" Weiss asked.

"Sorry." Nora said. Weiss let out a sigh.

"No. That was rude." Weiss said. "I'm just not used to all of… your energy."

"Not a lot of people are. I get it." Nora sat down next to Weiss. "I know I'm a lot to deal with."

"Nora, I didn't mean…" Weiss started. She moved the binoculars away and looked at Nora.

"It's fine. We are probably the two most different people on our teams." Nora said.

"Nora… I never got to say how impressive you were taking down that spy." Weiss said. Weiss shouldn't have complained. She knew she was just as hard to deal with as Nora, just in the opposite direction. And she was genuinely impressed by her stopping the spy when no one else could.

"Thanks. I've been practicing with Plo Koon to refine that ability." Nora held up her hand and tiny golden sparks flew up.

"Do you think you would be able to use it against a Sith?" Weiss asked.

"Right now, I'd probably need more time to train with it. What about you, you got any hidden Jedi abilities that are super rare? We seem to be collecting them." Nora said.

"I don't think so. I have my glyphs and summons." Weiss said.

"I bet you haven't discovered it yet." Nora said. Weiss felt her earrings glow. She was confused. She looked at them, and it was gone.

"Hey… I was wondering… should I get some earrings? I mean, you guys all have some, and they look really cute…" Nora said.

"Yes." Weiss said. "We can get you a piercing after patrol."

Yang and Ren were a team. They were in the Eastern Sector.

"So… Ren." Yang started. She really didn't know what to talk about with Ren.

"Yes?" Ren asked.

"I see you a lot drinking tea." Yang cringed. Really, that was the best she could do?

"I do. I find creating my own blends quite relaxing." Ren said.

"What?" Yang said. She just thought he really liked tea. "You make your own tea blends?"

"Yes. Store-brand stuff is cheap. They don't bring out the flavors of the tea." Ren said.

"Wait, do you do stuff like matcha?" Yang asked.

"Do you mean the blend itself, or the ceremony around it?" Ren asked.

"Do you know the ceremony?" Yang asked.

"Yes." Ren said with a smirk.

"Wait, how come you've never done it before then?" Yang asked.

"No one ever asked." Ren said.

"Because we didn't know!" Yang said.

"You know now." Ren said.

"So… is making tea your version of Rosa's baking?" Yang asked.

"Moving meditation you mean? Probably." Ren said. "I've got a batch I made yesterday in that thermos." Ren pointed to the thermos behind them.

"We've gotten really comfortable without the Sith attacking." Yang said.

"They are probably going to attack again soon." Ren said.

"What makes you say that?" Yang said as she poured some tea into the cap of the thermos. Ren reached into his bag and pulled out a cup, and poured some for himself.

"You… carry that around with you everywhere?" Yang asked.

"Yes." Ren took a sip.

Oscar and Blake were in the center of Mantle. They were watching over the refugees. More had come in from some of the outlining settlements. Some were seeing more Grimm lately and fled before they were overrun.

Blake was moving stealthily through the crowds. Oscar on the other hand stood out with his red, green, orange, and white. Blake didn't see anything that really concerned her. Oscar was ahead of her, not taking a route that took her through a massive crowd. He was there to attract attention. She was there to blend in.

After she left the group, she was starting to make her way back to Oscar when she saw something strange. There was a girl talking to Oscar. She was around his age, a little bit shorter, and if Blake was reading it right, thought he was cute. And Oscar didn't realize it.

He was trying to explain where the place she was looking for was. Oscar didn't see the signs of flirting. He was trying to help.

Blake stepped forward next to Oscar. The girl saw her and almost ran away.

"Oscar, what are you doing?" Blake asked.

"Hey Blake. Do you know where the Sunrider hotel is?" Oscar asked. Blake gave the directions. The girl had a blush on her face as she looked at Blake. Blake saw the calculations in the poor girl's head and decided that it wasn't worth it to try to get Oscar after all.

"Thank you." She said and went in that direction.

"Oscar… you can still feel other people's emotions, right?" Blake asked.

"Yeah, but I've… Rosa said I capped the ability." Oscar said. "I don't feel everything all at once."

"I think you should really start using that ability more with strangers." Blake said.

"Why?" Oscar asked.

"She was trying to flirt." Blake said.

"What?" Oscar said. He barely just started dating Ruby, and now he was getting hit on by others? Did... did he miss girls hitting on him when he was younger? How many times?

"You don't know how girls flirt." Blake said.

"What part of that was flirting?" Oscar asked.

"You need to learn some body language." Blake said.

"If I'm with Ruby, why do I need to learn how others flirt?" Oscar asked.

"So you can shut it down." Blake said.

Rosa was with Pyrrha. They were in the Western Sector on patrol. Rosa was reaching out to the feelings of people around her. She wasn't feeling anything in particular. There was nothing here. She stopped and let out a sigh.

"Nothing?" Pyrrha asked.

"No." Rosa said. Rosa didn't say anything for a second.

"Is there something wrong?" Pyrrha asked.

"It's… I saw Maku last night. I don't really know why, but it may have to do with Sun." Rosa said.

"What did Maku say?" Pyrrha asked.

"He said… I'd never be like you all. That I will never overcome my darkness." Rosa said.

"You are fighting that darkness." Pyrrha said.

"But I'm not like you all. I'm not a Jedi." Rosa said.

"Rosa… you can rejoin the Jedi at any time." Pyrrha said. Rosa sighed.

"I don't fit in. Not anymore." Rosa said.

"Says who?" Pyrrha asked.

Rosa turned her head and saw Grimm moving in. There were troop transports that burst from the forests that surrounded Atlas.

"We're under attack!" Rosa said.

The Sith forces were moving toward the city. They came out of nowhere, undetected, so the defenses weren't ready for them. There was a delay before the first shots were fired. Groups of Grimm burst through the woods running side by side with the Sith troops.

Rosa felt Jaune sending reports from all the other groups. It was happening everywhere. General Fordo was out checking on the defenses of the cities further from Atlas. Rosa cursed before taking out her lightsabers and rushing to meet the Sith. There were clones that rushed to the controls of the bridge and started to process to bring them up.

Pyrrha took out her blaster and fired at a Grimm. It kept running.

"Damn. They were charged." Pyrrha said.

"Great." Rosa said.

General Ironwood got in contact with Jaune as soon as the alerts happened. This was a terrible day to send everyone away. Did the Sith know he sent Winter, Qrow, Fordo, and the Mandalorians to bolster the defenses of the outlining cities?

He still had the Fifth Fleet with him. He didn't want to reveal what Amity Arena could do yet.

Karel Allusis and Bora Lone entered his office.

"I assume you know about the Sith." Karel asked.

"Just found out. Why are you two here?" Ironwood asked.

"Master Cyprus didn't like everyone leaving. She convinced Winter to keep us here." Karel said.

"I've got my two apprentices and he's got his padawan. Who else do we have?" Bora asked.

"Teams RRWBY, JNPOR, Master Windu, Arslan, Neo…" Ironwood said. "And now, hopefully, you."

"Jaune Arc's on JNPOR, right? He's going to have to be the strategic mind of this operation." Karel said.

"I just gave him active authority to move the troops." Ironwood said.

Jaune looked at the scene around him. He didn't like the lack of prep time, but he could handle this. Mace Windu called him on his Commlink.

"Knight Arc, do you need to get to a good vantage point?" Mace asked.

"It would help. You got something?" Jaune asked. He heard the screeching of one of the Jedi starfighter overhead.

"My astromech will get you to where you need to go." Mace said as he landed the ship in the middle of the street. Jaune looked at the ship.

"I have no idea how to fly that thing!" Jaune said.

"Don't worry about that." Mace said. "You need to get the best information you can. The ship will move to the sectors."

"Jaune, you can hold this over Yang's head forever. You get to fly one of these before she does." Ruby said. Jaune looked at Ruby. That offer was just far too tempting to let go by.

"Alright." Jaune said. Mace had wished he would have done it for better reasons. But he got in the starfighter.

Jaune lifted up quickly. Mace stood next to Ruby.

"I feel a powerful Sith wants to kill me personally." Mace admitted.

"And they're coming this way?" Ruby asked.

"I felt him this way." Mace said.

Ruby took out her lightsabers and got ready for a fight.

Jaune got a good look at the battlefield. The enemy was attacking the four sectors again. They were moving with the transports that moved a little too fast for the turrets. The roads were being raised at each point they still existed.

The droid started chirping. Jaune looked at the text coming on screen. The droid used an alphabet he could read thankfully.

"I want you to mark each enemy transport you see and send the data to Atlas, and the Fifth Fleet." Jaune said. "Then I want you to connect me with Master Windu and the members of team JNPOR and RRWBY."

The droid did it.

Weiss saw the movement in the forests before the others. She got up quickly and put away the micro binoculars.

"Nora, we got contact." Weiss said.

She quickly made a Manticore summon and had Nora get on. They moved quickly to the bridge. They saw clones and Alliance defense forces gathering. They were quick… but they could have been quicker.

Weiss saw the Sith moving in close. Weiss saw a squad of Y-Wings fly out of the Venators and fly toward the Sith troop transports. The pillboxes started firing at the bombers as soon as they left the shielding. There was a lucky shot on one of the Y-Wings and Weiss felt the pilot get killed before the bomber started falling down. It crashed.

"Shields!" Jaune shouted out. The Y-Wings were already slow ships but putting up the shields made them slower. It would take a lot of skill to be able to hit one of the Transports now. Half of the bombers broke off and went for the pillboxes while the other half stayed on the transports.

The troops gathered at the front and started opening fire at the transports. The turrets were taking risky shots to try to get at the transports, and they were even lucky with a few hits. But the transports were able to get to the front lines.

The first into the city were Sith. Weiss and Nora had their lightsabers ready. Weiss rushed in and immediately started fighting the Sith. Her Makashi was excellent as she had been honing it to her best. Nora was beside her and ready for the fight ahead of them. Nora had been able to cover a lot of what Weiss couldn't. Weiss jumped back and created a summon, a Beringel. It rushed into battle against the Sith.

A group of the overcharged Grimm burst through the shields. The defenders had to move back.

"We need some help in the Northern Section." Weiss said.

"Oscar and Blake are on their way. We have other Jedi moving to bolster the other sectors right now." Jaune said.

The Astromech in the ship angled the ship and told Jaune to fire. He did, and the blasts slammed into the Grimm and Sith forces. Weiss and Nora felt the impact of the blasts. They jumped back to get out of the way.

"Um… You guys good down there?" Jaune asked.

"Wait… you're in the ship?" Weiss asked.

Jaune's mental link worked so well with all the Knights that they almost forgot they weren't physically next to each other talking.

"Mostly the droid." Jaune said.

"Fuck off! I wanted to fly one of those!" Yang said.

"Yang, Focus." Blake said.

Weiss looked out and saw there were some Grimm still crawling toward them, only half of their body remaining. The alliance forces left the cover they had taken and had started shooting the Grimm that made it through.

"I think this street is going to be clear soon." Nora said.

"The droid says it trying to fire only where it's needed most." Jaune said.

Mace and Ruby were holding the line while the troops were moving to better positions. Mace discovered that these supercharged Grimm were giving him darkness to use just like Sith would. He was focusing more on the strength of his strikes while Ruby was focusing on the speed of her strikes.

Mace brought his lightsaber up, slashing the head off a Grimm when he felt the presence that was coming for him. Ruby just finished slicing the head off a Grimm when she landed and looked up. There was a Sith with a massive hammer on his back walking towards them. A Grimm got in his way before he brought the hammer around and smashed the head off the Grimm.

"Jedi Master Mace Windu. Salem wants you dead. And she sent soon to be Dark Council member Darth Ferox to deal with you." Ferox said as an introduction.

"He's getting right to the point." Ruby said.

"I see you have the Silver-Eyed Jedi with you. Salem would love to meet her as well. Perhaps she'd but you in the same cell as Sun." Ferox said.

"Are you all talk?" Ruby asked.

Ferox cracked his neck. He swung the hammer behind him, ripping another Grimm in half. He spun the hammer before placing it back on his shoulder.

"Ruby, I'll fight him. There are other Sith around." Mace said.

"Master, you sure?" Ruby asked.

"Yes." Mace said.

"I'll be back if you need me." Ruby said.

"He will, but you won't be able to change anything." Ferox said. Ruby was already gone. Rose petals fell down behind her. Mace brought his lightsaber up. He didn't move. He just listened to his heartbeat and the hum of his lightsaber. Ferox was the first to move.

He rushed in throwing the hammer along the ground. He took out his lightsaber while using the force to drag the hammer toward Mace. Mace brought his hand forward, breaking a part of the ground as the hammer moved along. It shocked Ferox and disrupted his focus long enough that the hammer went flying.

Ferox wanted to get the hammer back, but he had to focus on Mace. Ferox brought this lightsaber down and scowled at Mace.

"You're going to pay for that." Ferox said.

"I highly doubt that." Mace said.

Ferox was strong. He was very strong. But he was no Kar Vastor.

Ruby turned the corner and sighed. There were a dozen supercharged Grimm and two Sith, with a group of Sith troops moving in that direction. They were tearing apart the droids the alliance had holding them back. Ruby wished fully could control her silver eyes right now. That would deal with the biggest problem she had. One of the Grimm finally noticed her. She held her lightsabers out.

"Need any help?" Ruby heard. She looked behind her and saw Jedi Knight Karel Allusis with his blue lightsaber.

"You're… Karel right?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah." Karel said. He stood next to Ruby. A rocket slammed into the head of one of the Grimm. Ruby felt Alice and Onyx. She didn't even know they were in Atlas! A spear made out of light slammed into the head of one of the Grimm.

"Alice!" Ruby shouted as Alice dropped down and pulled her spear out of the head of the Grimm. Alice grabbed a grenade and placed it into the head of the Grimm before jumping off and rolling next to Ruby. Alice stood up and gave Ruby a hug.

"So good to see you." Alice said. She turned around and changed the light for her weapon. She slashed at another Grimm. Two Chakrams slammed into the neck of another Grimm, slowly cutting through until the head was cut off. Onyx dropped down and caught them.

"I can't believe we just barely kept missing each other." Onyx said. Karel was fighting one of the Sith. More of them were coming.

"We got this way." Ruby looked up and saw Rouge dropping down. More than one of her in fact. She was fighting the Sith and Sith troops. Ruby brought her lightsaber up and blocked a shot.

"We're in Atlas after we deal with them all." Ruby said.

Yang brought her lightsaber up with one hand before punching the Sith with Ember Celica. They had an aura, so they weren't killed by that. She stepped back and watched as Ren jumped down from above and drove his knee into the Sith. The Sith went backward and fell. He brought his lightsaber up to block Yang's next strike put a blaster bolt went through his heart.

"We finally made it." Cross said.

"Good. We got a ton more." Yang said.

Rosa was trying to help Pyrrha, but she more often than not didn't need her help. Rosa just had to trust Pyrrha and focus on the Sith and Grimm that were coming after her. She brought her hand up and sent out force lightning. A Grimm had snuck up behind her and she needed something to stop it.

Rosa knew she had been training herself to view this ability as a tool. That she needed something quick and powerful to give her a second.

But there was still a voice of doubt in the back of her mind. She couldn't have atoned for what she did if she still used the dark side like this. She stopped using it and brought her green lightsaber up, slamming it into the head of the Ursa.

Pyrrha felt the dark side behind her. She heard the sound of force lightning. She didn't like it when Rosa used it. She could feel that it was still affecting her spirit. Her calling upon the dark side had been like her picking at a scab. But she had to focus. She was fighting against a Sith using an aggressive fighting form.

Pyrrha leaned on her defensive prowess to come up with a plan. This Sith was a bit more skilled than the average Sith. He was also about to receive backup from three more Sith. Pyrrha was alone at the moment trying to figure out what she should do. She could handle them, but there were also the Grimm around which she was more worried about.

"Oscar, are you able to break off from Blake and get to Pyrrha and Rosa?" Jaune asked.

"Yeah. What are we seeing over there?" Oscar asked.

"Grimm. Supercharged and flooding the streets. A few Sith." Pyrrha said.

"Got it." Oscar said.

Blake turned to Oscar and nodded his head. He broke off and went toward Pyrrha and Rosa. Blake continued toward Weiss and Nora.

Ren and Yang were holding off the Grimm pretty well. Team Epsilon was a major help against them. The Alliance defense forces were all aiming at the head of the Grimm after Yang and Ren established that was the way to kill them.

The Grimm were started to lower in their sector. There were still Sith and Sith troops. Yang and Ren still had to deflect shots made at them. They were still having to fight. But they were working well together. Probably because their own partners had similar enough styles.

Yang created a line of fire that slammed into a Grimm before Cy fired a grenade into its chest. Yang threw a thumbs-up at him before running off to go fight the next enemy. Ren was fighting his way through a squad of Sith troops. Ren was blocking the strikes when he noticed Tip standing above the squad of troops on the roof of one the buildings. He dropped a flash grenade. Ren jumped back to get away from it. Tip dropped down, slamming into one of the Sith troops, bringing the wrist blade out, killing the troop he landed on.

Tip raised his blaster and fired as they were recovering. He took out four more of them before they were even able to do anything. He pulled out his pistol and fired at two that were running back. He took them down before they were able to get to cover.

Despite the efforts of the knights and their allies, the regular alliance troops were being pushed back. The supercharged Grimm were causing problems. It took too many troops to deal with a single Grimm, and it took too long.

The Sith forces were pushing the troops back as well. All the Jedi were in the front lines. They were mostly dealing with the Grimm, but some were having to fight the Sith. The Jedi were fighting about evenly with the Sith and the Grimm, but they were getting overrun. Mace's starfighter kept turning and Jaune kept firing to break up any groups too big. Jaune realized something though. These were the only reinforcements the Sith had. At this point in the last battle they already sent out the first two waves and were about to send the third wave.

"Send the Fifth fleet a message. Tell them that the Sith are all here. We don't need to hold anything back." Jaune said.

"How do you know?" The droid asked. Jaune saw the Y-wings returning. They lost a few from each squad, but they still had most of them. That was good at least.

"They're trying to overwhelm us by making us think there are going to be more than there are. They haven't sent anyone else." Jaune explained. Everyone heard that and Jaune felt the difference in all of them.

"We got this then." Nora said.

"Yes." Jaune said.

But why did they do this? What was their target? Jaune tried to think about what they hoped to get out of this. He remembered this was a siege. Was this just to take away some of their limited resources?

Were they going for a war of attrition? Were they trying to kill us with a thousand cuts? Or were they planting people here? It could be a few of those. They would want there to be Sith spies in Atlas and Mantle. They probably want to get the shields down. But they would have to find them. They lost the ability to sneak into the bay again like last time. They had sensors placed in there that would give them a warning if they were going to try that. They were also starting to put some other defensive measures in the bay itself.

Jaune was trying to figure out what the Sith were planning with this attack. It could be a bit of everything he was thinking.

"Jaune Arc, This is Ironwood. Am I reading these reports right? Are they retreating?" Ironwood asked.

"Um…" Jaune didn't even notice. He looked around and saw that there were fewer Sith forces now. He could only feel a few dozen Sith now.

"Do you still have Sith around you everyone?" Jaune asked everyone.

"We still have them." Pyrrha said.

"Fighting two right now." Ruby sent back.

"We're pretty clear with Sith. But we got a fuck ton of Grimm." Yang said.

"Language!" Weiss sent to Yang.

"We got a couple." Nora sent back.

"Master Windu is still fighting that Ferox guy." Ruby said.

"Got it." Jaune said.

"We're seeing less of them. I'm wondering if they're just trying to so small skirmishes to weaken our defense before they launch some large-scale attacks." Jaune said to Ironwood.

"I hope not. But you might be right." Ironwood said.

Mace was surprised at the endurance of this Sith. He was able to withstand a few of his strongest strikes. It was an impressive feat that most Sith couldn't match. But his strength was not overwhelming. Mace was in control here. He wasn't using his dominating strength yet.

Ferox brought his lightsaber back. He smirked. Mace did a backflip feeling the hammer coming back to Ferox's hand.

"Damn. Thought I had you with that." Ferox said.

Mace didn't say anything. Ferox glared at him and activated his semblance as he slammed his hammer into the ground. There was a massive shockwave that shattered the street. Mace raised his hand and created a force bubble. The debris crashing into the bubble and broke.

Mace rushed forward. He brought his lightsaber forward. Ferox brought down the hammer and blocked the lightsaber strike. Mace jumped back. He activated his shatterpoint. Mace rushed in and blocked the attacks from the hammer and the lightsaber. He noticed how he had his hammer in his dominate hand. It was his main weapon. Mace knew that his lightsaber was a weapon of last resort.

Mace brought his hand down sent a massive force push against the ground, sending Ferox back. He was still holding onto his hammer. He had a few ways to handle this. He saw a shatterpoint in the hammer. It was right next to the center. He had to play a mind game with Ferox. It wouldn't be hard.

Mace could use his lightsaber to destroy the hammer, but that would leave him open. Ferox still had those powerful strikes. He had to keep him from doing that. It did too much property damage. He brought his hand to the ground and grabbed all the small shards of stones and sent them forward at Ferox. He just needed Ferox to be kept busy. Mace spun and but his hand on the pommel of his lightsaber. He plunged it forward. Ferox blocked the strike. He blocked it perfectly in the center. Mace kept pressing the lightsaber into the hammer. He could feel the structure of the metal just starting to give way. Ferox laughed. Mace took a step back and sent one tiny pebble right at the shatterpoint. Ferox didn't even see it. But Mace did. There was the smallest of cracks. Ferox was about to use his semblance again. Mace was about to rush in, when he saw rose petals in the air. He smiled as he saw Ruby's lightsaber slam into the shatterpoint. The hammer shattered.

Ruby landed and jumped back.

"The rest of the area's clear of Sith Master." Ruby said.

"Good." Mace said.

Ferox watched as his hammer broke. He didn't understand how that was possible. But his eyes weren't lying to him. He was holding the handle of the hammer and slammed it in the ground.

"You Bitch." Ferox said. He brought his hands forward and clapped. Mace realized his semblance didn't have anything to do with his hammer. He raised a force shield for both of them.

There was structural damage to the entire road, and to many of the buildings behind them. Mace dropped the force shield after everything stopped moving. Ferox rushed forward Mace made a swipe at Ferox. He clapped at Mace, which he didn't see coming. Mace was sent back. He felt his cloak rip off him, and his robe sustain some damage. He landed on the ground and spun. He used the force to lessen the impact, but it still hurt.

Ruby saw Mace go flying back. She turned on one of her Silver lightsabers. She was going to need as much control as she could get for this fight. Ferox sliced at Ruby, but she blocked it. She started using his darkness to fuel herself. She felt the creation of the feedback loop. She felt the power flowing through her and her muscles. She felt his strength. She saw his semblance. But she knew she couldn't lose focus even once.

She blocked a strike and used his strength to move to a better position. She was pushed in the air until her feet touched a wall. She used it to push off and jump behind him. Ferox brought his lightsaber around to block the strike. Ruby was still moving. She use using her speed. She was enjoying this fight. She was using some of the principles of Ataru, mostly the acrobatics. She was trying to move so fast that she would overwhelm her opponent. She felt his darkness and she felt that power her.

Mace got up and watched Ruby. Her strikes had power behind them. She would break through the defenses of most. But he had a stronger defense than most. Ruby was similar in speed to Mace. He watched her as she used Vaapad. She was getting better.

"Ruby. You are my legacy." Mace said. He wouldn't admit it to her yet. She needed to get better. She reminded him so much of Depa. But… there were differences. Depa had darkness in her. As did Mace. Mace sent her to Haruun Kal. Mace had made that mistake. That planet was darkness. In some sense this world was just as dark as Haruun Kal. But in another sense, it was light as Illum. He wondered if planets like Ossus and Tython were this filled with the light.

He still feared that Ruby could fall. But he feared that as much as he fears his own fall. He knows the temptation of the dark side. And he knows she has felt it. But he has hope that there will be one student who will not give in. Ruby was his hope now. Her inner light shined so bright that he had hope she could learn Vaapad. And she was.

Ruby was moving faster than Ferox. She was almost moving faster than he could block. She had gotten some small strikes on him, but she hadn't been fast enough to get a final blow on him.

But she knew she would.

She saw a shatterpoint now. She shifted her aim ever so slightly from where it was and she saw it. It wasn't a deep strike. But she got it. She saw that she had just reopened an old wound in his side.

That was enough to slow him down. With one final spin in the air, she brought her lightsaber up, and through Ferox's chest. He let out a pained grunt. Ruby took her lightsaber out and saw as Ferox collapsed. Mace had just gotten up.

"Master, are you alright?" Ruby asked.

"Fine. That was good work. Once you get stronger… few will be able to stand against you." Mace said. He was holding onto his side.

"Master!" Ruby said. She ran up to Mace and grabbed a hold of him. He grunted in pain.

"Just a bruised rib. It will be fine." Mace said.

"You don't have a semblance. You need to be more careful. You aren't young anymore." Ruby said.

"I'm not that old Ruby." Mace said.

"You are more than three times my age." Ruby said. Mace let out a laugh at that.

"You are trying to make me feel old then." Mace said.

Oscar had finally arrived and immediately started fighting a Sith. And almost as fast, he defeated the Sith. He wasn't expecting a young man to tackle him into the ground, and he really didn't expect to hit is head against a wall. It was enough of a distraction to allow Pyrrha to quickly take care of two of the Sith she was still dealing with. Rosa spun around and threw her Red blade, slamming into the body of the last Sith in the area.

The Grimm were starting to decrease. Rosa was taking a few deep breaths as she grabbed her lightsaber. Oscar actually grabbed the pair of handcuffs he had on him for their patrol and locked the Sith in them.

"Got one alive." Oscar said.

"Why did you tackle him?" Pyrrha asked.

"He didn't see it coming, did he?" Oscar asked.

"…He's got you there." Rosa said.

Beat got with his men. The Sith troops were gone. There was a surge of Grimm that covered their escape. Tip held a Sith lightsaber in his hands.

"Got one." Tip said. Ren and Yang ran over to them. Tip tossed them the Sith blade, which Ren sliced in half in the air.

"How many did we lose here?" Yang asked.

"About forty-seven alliance troops, thirteen clones, and two Jedi." Cross listed off.

"That's about the average from the other sectors. That's ten Jedi in total. We're thinking about seventy clones, no commandos, and around two or three hundred regulars." Cy reported.

"Plus the five Y-Wings we lost." Beat add in.

"That's… not a lot. It's not great, but it really could have been a lot worse." Yang said.

After the skirmish was over Kaiser got the report back. Ferox was dead, or captured, but this was Ferox. He was probably dead. The first droid hit a mineshaft. It was one that collapsed, and there was a skeleton or two in there. They could dig out this part of the mine, but they had other options. They could send bomb droids through this hole and start blowing up parts of the mine.

The other droids were making good progress. One of them found a pocket of natural gas and created a spark. Thankfully, one of the Y-Wings dropped a bomb just overhead. So they wouldn't look for that.

One of them found an unmarked mass grave. They stopped that one and were checking how old the bones were. There was a chance this could be a sight of a battle. And if it was, there was a good chance there was a lightsaber somewhere in there. Perhaps a few. And if there were lightsabers, there was a good chance there were going to be a few ancient talismans.

The droids were having to move slower now that the battle wasn't raging on overhead. They needed to keep the droids from being spotted. The droids were making slow progress now. But they lost an acceptable amount of troops and Sith. The enemy lost a few hundred troops. He knew this would be the way the war went for a while. Few large attacks, mostly skirmishes.

He hoped that the spies had gotten into the city without too much trouble. He wanted to infest the underworld.

Ironwood looked at everything. The Sith hadn't sent a vast majority of their forces. They barely sent any of their forces today.

"Jaune Arc was right. You know it." The AI Ironwood said. He did know Jaune was right.

"We need to find the bases. As many of them as possible." Ironwood said.

Ironwood didn't want a prolonged war. He knew that the Sith were preparing for something. He also knew that every skirmish left them with deaths he couldn't afford to keep having. He had already shipped out many of the droids that Amity Arena had made. He was trying to bolster the defenses of the Kingdom as a whole. He hoped his efforts weren't in vain.

Ruby waited in front of Atlas for Alice and Onyx to arrive. She was so excited for them to meet Oscar. She knew they would flip when she told them. They had no idea about Oscar, mainly because she hadn't had time to call them. Ruby didn't tell Oscar what she was planning, just said it would be a great surprise for him.

She saw the ship coming toward Atlas. She grabbed Oscar's hand and couldn't wait to tell her friends the news!

"What's got you so excited?" Oscar asked.

"Fine, I'll tell you. My best friends from Patch are on that ship. You remember me telling you about Alice and Onyx? It's them." Ruby said.

"Oh, and you want me to meet them?" Oscar asked.

"Of course! They probably won't believe me when I tell them I have a boyfriend now." Ruby said. Oscar blushed at that. They didn't talk too much about that. But hearing her be so excited to show him off, and to show him off to her best friends, that was something he wasn't expecting to hear. But he was glad. She almost tore his arm off when she saw them.

"Come on. You're going to love them." Ruby said. Oscar shook his head. Sometimes he forgot that Ruby was almost two years older than him.

"It is closer to a year and a half." Ozpin said.

"Not my point." Oscar said in his head. Ruby was so happy to show Oscar this part of her life. He wondered how he would react if he brought her to the farm. Would he be as excited? How would he react if he introduced her to Aunt Em?

He wondered how Aunt Em would like Ruby. Aunt Em would probably tease him some. He had never had a girlfriend before Ruby. He never really talked about crushes with her. He wondered if she would be worried for him or if she would believe he was in safe hands. He believed she would be happy for him no matter what.

It might be awkward once she learned Ruby's connection to Qrow.

Ruby saw Alice and Onyx as soon as they got off the ship. She waved to them and they started moving forward. They noticed that Ruby was dragging Oscar with her. She stopped and presented Oscar to them.

"Alice, Onyx, I'm so happy you're all here. This is the newest member of out group. His name is Oscar Pine." Ruby said.

"Hello." Oscar said, not really knowing what to do in this situation. He noticed they saw his lightsaber.

"You're a Jedi?" Onyx asked.

"Yeah. I'm a Jedi knight, like Ruby." Oscar said. Alice and Onyx looked at Ruby. Had she forgotten to tell them that detail?

"It happened when we were in Menagerie. Not Oscar. He was with his aunt back in Mistral." Ruby said.

"Is that wood on your lightsaber?" Alice asked.

"Oh, yeah." Oscar grabbed his lightsaber and showed it to the two of them. He turned it on and they saw the deep emerald color coming from it. He turned it off before offering them to hold it.

"That color. We've seen Green, but not one like that." Onyx said. He examined the blade in his hands, examining the craftsmenship.

"This is good." Onyx said. He handed it to Alice.

"This wood is hard enough to be used in a lightsaber. Where'd you find it?" Alice asked.

"It was from a tree near the farm. The wood gives me a connection to plant life no matter where I am. Even here." Oscar said.

"What forms do you know?" Alice asked handing him the lightsaber back.

"I know some Shii-Cho, and both types of form V. But I really excel in Makashi, Soresu, and Ataru. It's a benefit of the flash training I got from Ozpin." Oscar said.

"What?" They both said.

"I think we should wait till we get inside to go over all of that. Long story." Oscar said.

"That reminds me, you've got to meet a bunch of people inside." Ruby said. "But… before we do there is one more thing you should know…"

"And that would be?" Alice asked folding her arms.

"Oscar's… my boyfriend." Ruby said. Ruby and Oscar had a blush on their faces.

Karel, Bora, and Rouge sat with Ironwood.

"The Sith surprised us today." Karel said.

"They did." Ironwood said. "They need what we have in Atlas right now, as I am sure you of all people know."

"Yes." Karel said. "I know the dangers of keeping two relics and two maidens under the same roof. And I know that the Sith must have already infiltrated the underworld. You have your team. They've done a lot of good."

"They have given us the location of one of the bases, and stopped multiple assassination attempts on key figures without anyone noticing." Ironwood said.

"I've found a few leads of Sith activity. The Sith sent in far more than the three spies you caught recently. The Sith are lurking in places where their work can be done. Casinos, clubs, bars, those places." Karel said.

"And they've been trying to find some Mandalorian allies. Most clans are neutral or against the Sith, but there are still some that are looking to kill the Jedi." Bora said.

"Do you believe any of the Mandalorians here fit into that?" Ironwood asked.

"Not clans Emir or Khan. But there are some others out there. Clan Rook has been known to work for the Sith." Bora said.

"Clan Rook?" Ironwood asked.

"One of the many clans on Remnant. They are the most outspoken for fighting for the Sith. But there are others. We haven't seen or heard from them in a while. We've begun to wonder if they have joined the Sith troops here." Bora said.

"Which means we should start expecting to see them." Ironwood said.

"Whatever you have protecting the shields, you need to keep those secure." Karel said.

"I already know that. Do you have anything on Sith movements?" Ironwood asked.

"We've heard rumors that the Sith have started to crack some Republic intelligence that was on the downed Venator in Mount Glenn. They were also saying that the Sith were creating prototypes of fighters. But that was all we got from Darin." Bora said.

"Which probably aren't rumors." Ironwood said. "We've been trying to create starfighters ourselves so elevate the pressure on the clone pilots We can't rely on them forever. They are a finite resource." Ironwood said.

"We need to go to the underworld." Karel said.

Ruby brought Alice and Onyx inside and showed them around with Oscar. Oscar could tell they had a lot of questions for him. They were probably going to want to know how he and Ruby finally got together.

They went to one of the many lounge areas in the school and sat down. Ruby looked between everyone with a smile on her face.

"Well… any questions?" Ruby asked.

"About a million." Alice said.

"Yeah. You've never shown real interest in people before. How did this happen?" Onyx asked.

"I had the crush first. It started back in Mistral. I mean just look at her. And she's an amazing person. And so strong." Oscar said. He was trying to get Ruby to blush. He probably got her. But he also got himself.

"I probably started liking Oscar like that in Argus but didn't realize it until we got here. I kind of did something bad and hurt him. It was a bit awkward at first and I kept screaming at myself in my head and really tested our bonds. There was this Sith Lady named Luctus who actually came really close to killing us because we got so distracted by our emotions. But we made it through together. That was probably when it started." Ruby said.

"Come on, tell me more." Alice said. "That obviously wasn't when you confessed. You had to have a lot of time to let that sink in. Tell me more."

"There was the supercharged Leviathan. It was getting close to destroying Argus, but because of my eyes, I was the only hope of saving the city. Which I did! With Oscar's help and total faith in me." Ruby smiled at Oscar. "Then he taught me to dance."

"Finally know now." Alice said. Onyx wasn't fully listening. It was like he was making calculations in his head.

"Then there's this woman named Neo who started flirting with Oscar and that pissed me off. I had to get Oscar out of there. That's when I had to face facts." Ruby said.

"Vale, Menagerie, Mistral, Argus, and Atlas. That is one hell of a trip." Onyx said.

"Yeah. It's real crazy." Ruby said.

"And you found someone along the way. A farm boy no less." Alice said.

"And?" Ruby asked.

"I never would have guessed." Alice said.

"Well… she never guessed even after you took her on two dates." Onyx said.

"Yeah, that's kind of the shock of this too. She's hopeless when it comes to romance." Alice said.

"Hey, I'm right here." Ruby said.

"Let me guess, it was one of the most painfully awkward times when she knew but said nothing." Onyx said.

"Hey." Ruby said.

"Painful for everyone around us. You should have heard my dormmate Rosa when we finally confessed." Oscar said with a smile.

"Rosa? She's here? I thought…" Alice said. "I mean… we heard she was taken by the Sith."

"She's with us. She's on our side." Ruby said.

"Our side? You make it sound like she ever wasn't." Onyx said.

"She is on our side." Ruby said.

Rosa found herself, Arslan, and Neo called into Ironwood's office. He looked at the three women in front of him. He knew the mission he was going to send them on.

"I need the three of you to complete a mission for me. There will be risk involved." Ironwood said.

"When doesn't a mission have risk?" Rosa asked.

"Rosa, I need you to use all the skills you learned as a padawan. I'm sending you into an intelligence-gathering mission. I'm sending you to the Malachite Crown Casino." Ironwood said. It was one of the Casinos in Mantle. It was a high-end place. Neo knew it well. Rosa knew of it. Arslan had no idea.

"Why are you making it sound dangerous?" Arslan asked.

"Because it is. It appears to us that the owner of the casino has hired some Mandalorian hired guards. We worry they are from Clan Rook, who are for the Sith. There are a few other clans they could be. We fear that they are harboring Sith spies and perhaps some Sith sympathizers. They are a risk that we cannot allow within the city. The Sith may send armies, but they won't be the reason we lose. We need those shields to stay up. If even one falls, I fear we will lose this war." Ironwood said.

"We got it." Rosa said.

"Neo, you know the casino well enough. You'll be going in first. You need to check the place out and place any bugs you can. Roman and his team will be around to get you out if anything happens." Ironwood said. Neo nodded her head.

"Arslan, you will arrive with Rosa. You will be her backup. You two should figure out a role that fits." Ironwood said.

"Understood." Arslan said.

"I have good information that a man going by the alias of Golden Saint Wolke, obviously not his real name, is a player, and rumored owner of the casino in question." Ironwood said. Rosa listened intently to the mission. Her head was already going into everything she would need.

Rosa sat in Arslan and Neo's room. They already established that Neo was going to take point. Rosa was establishing what Arslan's infiltration skills were like. She wasn't trained more than just the basics. This would be a trial by fire. And it would mean that they were going to have to give her a role that wasn't intensive. She was going to have to be a guard. So either she had to be obviously a bodyguard or be attached to Rosa at the hip. The bodyguard would put the other guards on high alert.

"We can't have you be a bodyguard." Rosa said.

"What?" Arslan said.

"Not an obvious one. We can't have you be an independent agent from me. You don't have the skills to do that yet." Rosa said. She brought her thumb to her mouth and chewed on the tip of her fingernail.

"What am I supposed to do then?" Arslan asked.

"You're probably going to have to be my date." Rosa said. Arslan gave Rosa a confused look.

"Why that?" Arslan asked.

"You might not like this… but you are going to be arm candy for me." Rosa said. Arslan folded her arms and gave Rosa a glare.

"Oh, I'm sorry, do you know how to handle high-stakes games of sabacc? Do you know how to interrogate someone while they don't even realize?" Rosa snapped. Arslan flinched back. Rosa saw the look on her face and let out a sigh.

"Sorry." Rosa said.

"You bring up fair points." Arslan said. "I don't like to be treated like I can't do anything."

"That's what I want them to see. I know you're a capable fighter. But I need you with me not as a fighter. I need them to think that you're little more than an accessory to me so that you can hide the truth of how badass you are from them. Use it as a tool against them." Rosa said.

"I get it." Arslan said.

"That… does bring us to the next thing we have to talk about. With this kind of role… we might have too…" Rosa didn't want Arslan to think she was trying to take advantage of the situation. Rosa respected Arslan a lot, and thought they were starting to become friends.

"Kiss." Rosa said. Neo smirked at Arslan.

"Excuse me?" Arslan said confused.

"I know, I know. But it's part of the role. It does give me a chance to transfer information along since I can't connect to your mind like Jaune connects to ours." Rosa said.

"It's for the mission." Neo signed. "I've done it before."

"You were also a crime lord before. Not exactly the most trustworthy voice here." Arslan said.

"It is just for the mission. Please understand I am not trying to take advantage of this. It could just be quick pecks on the cheek." Rosa said.

Arslan looked at Rosa. She was trying to find any deceit in her eyes.

"If it helps you feel better, I am asexual." Rosa said. Arslan widened her eye for a moment, then shook her head.

"Thank you for telling me. And thank you for understanding why this is so strange to me." Arslan said.

"Any time." Rosa said.

Ruby was practicing her Vaapad. She was trying to get stronger. She was training herself so that she wouldn't find herself lacking when it came down to the most important things. Sweat stuck to her hair, which stuck to her head. Mace didn't have to face that problem. He watched as Ruby was going through the motions of Vaapad again and again.

His mind went back to before the Masters went to Argus. He had taken a detour to Patch. He needed to meet with Taiyang and give him a warning about Ruby.

Mace walked up to the homely log cabin. He went to the door, knowing this was the address Ruby and Yang had as their home on their Beacon records. He didn't want to ask Ruby to avoid worrying her. He knocked on the door. He felt two people inside. It was odd since he remembered Ruby saying it was only her father and their pet. He stood there as the door opened. Mace got a good look at Tai. He stood tall and had a laid back aura around him, but Mace could sense the countless battles he had been in.

"Is something wrong with the girls?" Tai asked. He saw that Mace was a Jedi, but it didn't seem he recognized Mace.

"No. They are perfectly safe right now." Mace said.

"Good." Tai let out a sigh. "So… why are you hear then?"

"I am here to talk to you about Ruby. I am her Jedi Master, Mace Windu." Mace introduced himself. Tai recognized the name. Mace saw the second person in the house. She was Raven Branwen. He hadn't seen her in person, but he had seen her in pictures before.

"I thought you just said she wasn't in trouble." Tai said.

"She isn't. Not right now." Mace said.

"Why did you say it like that?" Tai asked.

"Ruby Rose has my full faith." Mace said. Tai realized that Mace was still standing on his front porch and he let Mace in. Mace sat down on a couch and waited for Tai to sit. Tai asked if he wanted anything to drink. Mace refused.

"So what is this about?" Tai asked.

"Have either of you heard of Vaapad?" Mace asked.

"No." Tai said.

"It sounds familiar but I don't know what it is." Raven said. "But it sounds dangerous."

"It is." Mace said. He looked at both of them. Tai brought his hands together. Raven was interested in learning about Vaapad and had a slight concern for Ruby. Not like a mother would, but probably a concern of how it will affect Tai.

"Vaapad is not just a form of lightsaber combat… it is a mindset. A state of being. It is meant for those who walk the edge of darkness, who can channel their opponent's hate and not fall to it themselves." Mace explained.

"You taught Ruby this?" Tai asked.

"Yes." Mace said. He could sense that Tai didn't like that answer. But he hid it well.

"I believe she won't fall to Vaapad. She is unlike everyone else I have taught it to." Mace said.

"I've never heard of Vaapad." Raven said.

"I doubt you would. I created it. I am currently the only living master of Vaapad. Ruby is the most promising student of the art and will likely be the only person I trust to pass on the knowledge." Mace said.

"You said living master." Raven said.

"Yes. Vaapad is a branch of Juyo. It uses the darkness of the enemy to create a superconducting loop. Half of the loop comes from within. The other half comes from the enemy. It is a state of mind that led through the penumbra of the dark side, requiring the user to enjoy the fight and relish the satisfaction of winning. We accept the fury of our opponents but don't allow that to overtake us. Vaapad requires a constant and sizable stream of Force use from the user, with a barely contained explosion of Force power." Mace explained. He actually remembered the picture that Ruby drew of what she saw as she entered Vaapad. He handed it to Tai. It looked like an infinity sign made of water. There were notes from Ruby explaining what she felt. She handed it to Windu when she was trying to explain what she felt the first time she entered this state.

"And you thought my daughter should learn that?" Tai asked. Mace stared directly into his eyes. He needed Tai to believe him, so Ruby would get full faith in herself.

"Because she can handle it." Mace said.

"Can handle it? Or has to handle it?" Tai asked.

"Both." Mace said.

"I fought Ruby recently. I felt the power of the dark side in her as she attacked me. I felt her flirting with the darkness." Raven said.

"And she was pulled back. You and your brother were both almost consumed as well." Mace said. Tai looked at her. He hadn't heard that.

"You sound like you truly believe that Ruby will be okay." Raven said.

"Because I do." Mace said. He saw so much of Depa in Ruby. He had to hold himself back for her sake, and that made him worry sometimes that he was being too harsh with her. He wanted what was best for her. And he knew that right now, that meant holding back. But with them, he didn't need to hold back.

"Ruby has more light in her than any Jedi I have ever trained. It is not just optimism… it is a core part of who she is. She does not fight for herself. She fights for others. And because of that, she will always be tested." Mace said.

"You mean the dark side." Tai said. He brought his hands up to cover his mouth.

"Yes. She has had only the briefest brushes with the dark side. She is not afraid of it's power unlike most. That is her greatest strength... and her greatest danger." Mace said.

"You're talking from experience." Tai said.

"Yes." Mace said.

The images of what he had seen, what he almost had done, on Haruun Kal flashed in his mind. Depa flashed in his mind. Her fall to the dark side. His near fall to the dark side. Images of all those who died. He saw Kar Vastor in his mind.

"I have seen what the dark side does to those who walk too close." Mace's voice was almost haunted. Sora, Depa, and even Quinlan all fell. Anakin had been far too comfortable with the dark. The darkness was in him. It always was.

"Ruby is strong, but she is not invincible. I will do everything in my power to ensure she never falls. Her friends with her will never let her fall. Rosa Reidan will not let her fall." Mace said. He didn't know if Tai learned Rosa had returned. His eyes opened wide.

"You know Rosa?" Raven asked.

"Yang and Ruby brought her over for a few weeks after their first semester." Tai said. "I thought she was a Sith. How do you know her?"

"She kicked my ass with the rest of her team. I would have told you if I knew you knew her." Raven said.

"I trust Ruby. I know she's strong. But she's still my little girl. I can't just hear all this and not worry." Tai said turning back to Mace. Mace placed his hand on Tai's shoulder.

"Your concern is justified. But I did not make this decision lightly. She has earned this training. And I will not let her face its burden alone." Mace said.

Tai looked into Mace's eyes. He saw something there. Did he know that he saw Ruby as a granddaughter? Mace couldn't know.

"You really care about her, don't you?" Tai asked. Mace shook his head.

"More than you know." Mace said.

He brought his hand back. Tai understood him.

"Why did you start training Ruby?" Tai asked.

"Her and I share a rare force ability that is extremely powerful. Shatterpoint." Mace said.

They talked for longer about Ruby.

Mace saw Ruby finishing her next sequence. She was breathing heavily.

"Good, Ruby." Mace said. She sat down. Her face was red and covered in sweat. She looked up at Mace.

"The worst… part is… the burning." Ruby said. That got a brief laugh from Mace.

"The pain doesn't like to leave." Mace said. Ruby got her breath back.

"You've been watching me for a while, Master Windu, What's on your mind?" Ruby asked. Mace stepped down into the training arena. He sat down so he was eye level with Ruby.

"Vaapad is not just a technique, Ruby. It is a state of mind. A path that walks the edge of darkness." Mace said. Ruby brought her hand back through her hair and looked at him.

"Master Windu, I know what you're going to say…" Ruby started before Mace brought his hand up to cut her off.

"I don't believe you'll fall. If I did, I never would have trained you in Vaapad." Mace said. Ruby just stared at him. She wasn't expecting that confession out of him.

"But I do know the struggle." Mace continued. "Not in theory. Not in lectures from Jedi Masters. I know the pull of the dark side because I have stood on the edge of it. Because I have let it in… and had to fight every day to keep it from consuming me."

Ruby was surprised at this greater confession.

"Master?" Ruby started.

"I trained Depa Billaba, my Padawan. She was like you in many ways… strong, brave, a natural talent in the Force. She went to Haruun Kal, my homeworld, during the Clone Wars on my orders. A place where war and the dark side thrived like a sickness in the air. I may be just as much at fault for what she did there as she." Mace said. Ruby had heard him talk about Depa before in loving ways. She might as well have been his daughter. He was proud of her in ways that Ruby wanted him to be proud of her. But this was different. This was almost painful for Mace to talk about. Perhaps it was.

"The Korunnai, my people, were warriors. They fought to survive, and they hated weakness. In that jungle, I saw horrors that tested every belief I held as a Jedi. And Depa…" Mace's voice grew more quiet. Like he could barely utter the words aloud, like holding them back might have somehow changed fate. "She was consumed by it. The war broke her, twisted her sense of justice into something cruel. She lost herself to darkness, and in the end, I had to stop her myself."

Ruby didn't know what to tell Mace. She wasn't Depa. She put her hand on his, and he gave her a reassuring look telling her he was fine. Or however close to fine one could get in this situation.

"Vaapad is dangerous because it allows you to channel your opponent's darkness, to redirect it… but it does not protect you from its influence. You are young, Ruby, but you have already suffered much. And I know suffering. I know how pain can make anger seem justified. How rage can make justice feel like vengeance." Mace said. Ruby had a look to her face now. He didn't mean to scare her from using Vaapad. But he needed her to fully understand what the dangers were. He looked directly into those silver eyes. She needed to know this.

"I don't fear you, Ruby. I trust you. But I also know what you face. And you need to understand that even if you never fall... you will always fight that battle." Mace said. He could feel the trust he had in her fully come over her. She understood what he was saying.

"If you ever struggle with the darkness, Ruby... know that I will help you. Know that your friends will help you. You will not face that battle alone." Mace said. Ruby smiled at him.

"I know. My friends are the best." Ruby said.

He wanted to tell her how proud he was of her. How much he placed his hope in her. Even after he was no longer her master since she was a knight, he still cared deeply for her.

It was a dangerous feeling. Attachment led to clouded judgment. He had seen what excessive pride and emotional bonds could do to Jedi, how they could blind a Master to a student's flaws until it was too late. He had held back his praise for Ruby, not because she did not deserve it, but because he feared what too much praise might do.

Was he too harsh? He stood up.

"Now, Ruby, you've had a good break. Again. Faster this time." Mace said.

She was young but already carried more weight than many Jedi twice her age. She had grown into a warrior, strong enough to wield Vaapad, wise enough to resist its temptations. But he knew that confidence, unchecked, could lead to arrogance.

She finished the sequence and turned to him.

"You're improving." Mace said.

She beamed at the simple words. That much praise was safe.

Author's Notes: We got the next chapter focusing on Rosa and the Casino. There will be a lot of skirmishes that happen and we might even skip over a few. The adults need to come up with the right question before Oscar will allow them to use the lamp. They need to learn how to kill Salem once and for all.

We spent a lot of time at the end there on Mace's view of Ruby. We talked a lot about the dangers of Vaapad. I see Vaapad as being one of the best tools against the dark side there is, but it is a high risk, high reward kind of thing.

Last chapter was a dark chapter. This chapter wasn't that dark, because we needed a break from that. But just as we saw the darkness of Salem last chapter, next chapter we'll be seeing the darkness of Maku, even this long after his death.

We got 3 reviews from last time. The first from Guest, and the other two from CT7567Rules.

We'll do guest first.

The Bad Batch will not be the ones to save Sun. That doesn't have the emotional payoffs that we're looking for here. It would be bad storytelling to have the Bad Batch save Sun.

Now, CT7567Rules's review of chapter 35,

I don't know for sure what Krell was planning. And those three ship types are here. Just need a good name for them.

Chapter 36.

I am grateful that chapter had the intended effect. Salem is evil. She is demonic. She got a lot of time in the spot light last chapter. This version of Salem is the darkest one that I've written (Technically I've written 3 versions of her, but barely for the Heart of Death series. I know that I need to redo Remnant Rebels. I also will probably make a few short stories for that verse. SonicXBen and I worked a lot on that series, and I was handed the reigns for it, but I don't know what to do for that series.)

I posted a chapter in the Jedi Hunter Series. Technically, that would be what I'm known for, but I need to do a lot of work on that series. The first story needs to be completely rewritten. I didn't even know how to have the breaks when I wrote that.

Sorry, got side tracked.

It's not going to be the Bad Batch or Delta Squad who saves Sun. But he does need to be saved. I need the emotional payoffs that will come about with Sun's saving. I can tell you privately if you want to know what's going to happen.

That's a good semblance.

Thank you all for reviewing. Reviewing does help me understand what everyone wants to read and it helps me know if I'm doing a good job. Thanks to anyone who leaves a review, and I ask that if you like this story to leave one.

Follow and Favorite as well.

May the Force be With You

-DragonZlayerx12