"Caroline Cordovin? Do you read me?"
Kali paused, holding the receiver on the console of her command ship and awaiting a response. The silence continued for long enough that she began to fear the worst. It was supposed to be two days before they provided reinforcements down in Argus… but it had been somewhat longer. Three or four, at least… but the faunus had lost count. Rushing in wouldn't have done anyone any favors, but the time had come.
"…Cordovin?" Kali tried again, holding down the button on the side of the small intercom. "Come in?"
There was another momentary pause, during which a chill ran down Kali's spine as Amaya gave her a judgmental look. Suddenly, a voice crackled all around the cockpit of the aircraft, and it sounded less than amused.
"Where the hell have you people been?" Caroline Cordovin asked. "We've barely been holding on. We're running out of ammunition to hold the command center a-"
"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Kali interrupted. "But have you looked toward Atlas? The city is gone, and so is the vast majority of Salem's invasion force. We had to wait for a window of opportunity, and the time is now. We're coming to save you and yours, and then… we're pushing toward Mantle, unless they liberate the city first and come to us. It's time for us to begin the counteroffensive."
"So there's a chance," Caroline said, sounding almost in disbelief.
"More than a chance," Kali reassured. "We've got this. The entirety of the Black Claw and the Dragnets are here to free Argus and fight off the grimm. We'll have it done in a matter of days."
"The…" Caroline began, before letting out a sigh. "…how the mighty have fallen. Fine. Get your asses over here. Focus on the civilians, I've still got some fight left in me yet. We'll make a concentrated push to get out to the streets now that we have you drawing some heat from my headquarters. Keep us posted of your movements, and I'll do the same."
"You got it," Kali acknowledged before disconnecting the call. She flicked her eyes to one of the onboard readouts before turning them down to the city below, where multiple columns of smoke were rising. "Barely three in the afternoon. Let's aim for making contact with her by… eight?"
"I think we can do it," Amaya said confidently as she unsheathed her hookswords and headed for the door to the cockpit. "Let's get moving already."
Kali drew her gold-plated lugers with a smirk and cracked her neck, following the bat faunus out into the main section of the ship.
"Yeah. Let's."
Clover Ebi sat in a cushioned chair that had been moved into General Ironwood's office, his eyes on the array of holographic monitors showing drone footage of Mantle down below. Nearly every single one was displaying a live feed of the fighting going on down on the ground, and the grimm were largely being routed by the counter-invasion force. There were a few packs of larger grimm roaming about being taken down slowly, and an oddly small number of alphas and new strains of the creatures to be seen. The notion unsettled Clover more than if the fight had been going badly or seemed desperate- in fact, he couldn't help but think that the effort to take back Mantle was going too well.
"Goliaths down," Marrow's voice declared, echoing throughout the room. "All major threats in Frostflow Park have been neutralized, construction of the temporary main base is well underway, and a perimeter is being established by Coco and Neptune. We'll be ready to move out to our quadrants within a few hours."
"Excellent work, Marrow," James praised as he stood before the projections. "But I'm going to order you to slow down. We've been monitoring the movements of the grimm, and they're not responding to our efforts. They seem wholly uninterested in what we're doing, and they're not converging on Frostflow to stop you. They're just… wandering. Only the ones that saw you drop in bothered to investigate, and those we're watching elsewhere in the city don't appear to have any sort of defined objective."
"That… doesn't sound like the grimm at all," Marrow pointed out. "They're usually swift and direct in their approach at attacking whatever Salem wants them to."
"Correct," James agreed. "That being said, with the intel I've received from Glynda out in Sanus, their behavior here makes some measure of sense. Apparently, Astrid has ordered all grimm on the continent to pull out for a period of two months, while Glynda tries to locate the Crown to offer to Salem. Obviously, she's not going to do that, but… Salem is changing tactics. If her personal focus is elsewhere, then her grimm will follow suit. Now may be our only chance to mop them up while they're distracted."
"…huh. Then maybe we should make a big push right now, a-"
"No," James interrupted. "Now, you rest. You let the automatons finish constructing a field HQ, you get what sleep you can, and you go over the plan again with everyone above the rank and file. The grimm may or may not be easing up, but that doesn't mean we can get sloppy. Mistakes can still get us all killed. Order your men to pull back and recover for the remainder of the night. Post guards and patrols in shifts, and otherwise, don't push to expand. That's an order, Amin."
Marrow hesitated before letting a sigh come over the line.
"…yes, Sir. I just think th-"
"Hey, Marrow," Clover said, finally joining the conversation. His voice was a bit weaker than usual and carried a bit of strain with it. "Can you hear me?"
"…Clover…?"
"Yeah, I'm here," the leader of the Aces announced. "Listen to General Ironwood. I know you're probably running on adrenaline and desperation to take our homes back right now- I watched you take down those goliaths, and you're making me proud out there. That being said, don't forget that you should take what rest you can when the opportunity arises. Post guards, and we'll continue to monitor the situation from up here with our drones and alert you to any emergencies. You may be the leader, but you're still part of a team. One of the most functional and efficient teams on Remnant. Act like it."
"Right. Sorry, Clover…"
"Don't be," Clover insisted. "Again- you're doing me proud, and you've proven yourself over and over again to be an essential member of the Ace Ops. Just don't get caught up in the rush of battle. Take it slow. We'll call you again later tonight to check in, alright?"
"Alright. Thank you. I'll… round everyone up and do my own check-ins. Hear from you soon?"
"Soon," James confirmed. "Godspeed."
The call disconnected, leaving the two men alone in the office at the top of the tower.
"…he really is a cut above," Clover said pensively as he leaned back into the chair. His chest was still wrapped in several layers of thick gauze, and even the act of breathing looked to be somewhat painful. "If I really can't get back out on the battlefield after this injury, he would be my pick to lead the Aces."
James kept his hands clasped behind his back as he focused upon the monitors, watching an aerial view of Marrow rounding up those near the half-constructed HQ and making some sort of announcement.
"…mine, too…"
"We got orders to pull back, so… it sounds like my two favorite ladies get the rest of the night off."
"I'm going to be worrying about you either way," Weiss replied with a sigh as she gave Marrow's holographic face a frown. "I'm glad to hear that you get can get some rest, though. I don't want you to push yourself too hard down there."
"…we're your two favorites?" Medulla questioned, getting a sudden panicked look from Marrow. "So, Weiss just immediately outranks your sisters, now? For shame, Marrow."
"I-I didn't mean…!" Marrow started, wiping a hand down his face. "They're all still… uh…"
"Relax. I'm not serious," Medulla relented with a smirk. "Weiss had better be your second favorite already, if you two are serious about this relationship. We've been talking about you in between calls, you know. It sounds to me like you've been treating her right."
Even through a mostly monochromatic hologram, Weiss could tell that Marrow had gone pale.
"Mom… you didn't tell her about…"
"About what, Marrow?" Medulla asked, leaning backward in her computer chair and folding her arms behind her head. "About my profession? I absolutely did. Is she not honorary family, at this point?"
"…I kept it as clean as she would allow me," Weiss reassured with a sheepish grin.
"That's not saying much," Marrow grumbled with a bit of side eye. "Can we please change topics? How are the kids, speaking of?"
"They're quite fine," Medulla answered. "Your father and some of the staff here at the mansion are keeping them occupied with their studies and whatever else. This whole arrangement of occupying the Schnee mansion is working out quite well. We'll be making a call to Jacques soon to let him see the utter chaos our family is sewing throughout the place."
"Cool, cool. Wish I could be there for that. The way things are going, I might actually be home within a few we-"
A chime echoed from a piece of equipment at Weiss' control center, ringing in time with a blinking green button labeled CALL. Weiss offered Marrow an apologetic look at the interruption and jabbed the button.
"Sorry, it's coming from somewhere in the house. Hello?"
"Miss Schnee, you have a visitor," came Klein's voice. "They're here at the front door."
Weiss quirked a brow and gave Medulla a questioning look.
"…what? You think I had another kid, or something? I like sex, but not that much."
"…moving on. Who is it?"
"I've no idea. I don't recognize them, but they do have the energy of the sort you've been associating with, lately."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Weiss asked rhetorically as she rose from her chair. "Never mind. I'm coming."
Weiss quite nearly missed the catch as Medulla tossed Myrtenaster to her from its place leaning beside the array of computers.
"…you weren't actually about to answer the door unarmed, were you?" the faunus questioned. "What if it's an undesirable?"
Weiss simply stared for a moment, holding her weapon by the handle after catching it.
"…you are a very interesting woman, you know that? I'll be right back."
Weiss left the office without another word, a sudden nervousness in her chest as she ran through the list of possible suspects. There really weren't many she would expect to drop by the mansion, and the list of who could do such a thing with so much going on was equally short. Weiss continued to wrack her brain as she made the long trek to the front lobby, where Klein waited by the massive double doors that marked the main entrance.
"Miss Schnee, do be careful?" Klein requested as he stepped aside from his place in front of the entranceway. "They're likely a friend of yours, but… this one seems more dangerous than the others I've met."
"Thank you, Klein, but I can handle myself," Weiss replied as she moved to open the door. "Though I'm not sure who… could…"
On the other side of the door stood Cinnamon Shoal, wearing her snow-patterned camouflage jumpsuit and combat boots. The woman was boredly inspecting her nails as she waited to be seen, and dropped her hand as Weiss finally appeared in the doorway.
"…Schnee. It's been a while since we've had a chance to talk. Came to offer some help with your monitoring equipment, and lend an ear if you need one, what with everything going on. Can I come in?"
Weiss took a moment to look the woman over in disbelief. Where she was normally annoyed by default, the faunus was instead earnest and almost pleasant sounding in her tone. It was unusual and disconcerting… and yet Weiss couldn't help but feel like the offer was genuine.
"…I suppose? I… could use another ally, right about now…"
"You and me both," Cinnamon agreed as she stepped inside the lobby. "Maybe more, if this goes well."
Author's Note:
Things are looking up on all sides. That can only mean one thing…
-RD