AN:

AN:
With Volume 5 now finished, and 6 ostensibly on the way within the year, I'm certain the question has entered your minds: What stance, if any, will this story take on the events depicted?

All I'll say is give it due time.

Also: Apologies for the delay, I'm adapting to my new work schedule. Had 3 back-to-back 12 hour training shifts, and coming up I'm starting my 3AM-3AM 24 Hr shift.
So... Yeah, once I got done with the former I did a whole lot of sleep and prep for the latter.

Chapter 32

For the first time, Aldric found himself on the less sneaky end of Ozpin's subverting his Radar Pulse.

Once he was ready and fully disguised as Drake, Ozpin placed his hand on Aldric's shoulder. One moment, they were staring down Amber's cryo pods, and the next, they found themselves in a much more sterile and uniform office. Gone was the large, looming, curved architecture of the vault, and missing was the organic curves and wide windows of Ozpin's office; here to replace all of it was a single cuboid room, with sterile white and blue lighting, straight lines, and not a single window to be seen.

Did I just teleport? Aldric blinked, I'd say I'm pretty goddamn certain we've figured that out to be impossible... But Ozpin's magic. He heard a door open; both he and Ozpin about-faced, to see James Ironwood entering the office, a tablet-scroll cradled in his elbow.

Ironwood looked up upon entry, and his eyes snapped from Ozpin to Aldric, their dull look indicating that he seemed to both be surprised and unsurprised at their sudden appearance.

"Great to see my heightened security is doing its job." The man with the iron jaw deadpanned, as he hit a button on his scroll and killed the screen. "I'm glad to see you got my message." He turned his steely gaze down to Aldric, there being a solid foot in difference between their height.

"It is good to see you, General." Said Ozpin, "though I wish it were under better circumstances." He gave Aldric's shoulder a pat, "this is the interested party I mentioned, earlier this week."

"Hm." Ironwood grunted, and extended his hand to Aldric, who noted that it was the General's cybernetic half. "General James Ironwood. You're the one who gave us the tip about the bomb in Anima." He said, not as a question, but a fact.

"One in the same." Aldric extended his own, correctly predicting that the General had intended to give a handshake a few steps above 'firm', considering the pressure he felt on his metal hand. "Wish I was wrong." They shook. "Drake."

"Good grip, Drake." Said the General, "how briefed are you on what happened yesterday?" He asked, indicating the two sit at his desk.

"He knows as much as you told me, General." Said Ozpin, as the three sat. "We would both greatly appreciate a more thorough understanding of the day's events." He said, leaning his cane on the chair.

Ironwood nodded, as he retrieved his revolver from its holster in his coat, and set it on the desk, alongside his scroll. "At nineteen-thirty hours yesterday night, our perimeter defenses detected thirty two aerial Grimm, of from Griffin size to Nevermore, inbound to Atlas city. We scrambled two strike groups to respond as per standard procedure, but as they approached and got a better radar visual, they reported another radar contact, flying in a pattern similar to that of a escape and evasion formation." He explained, folding his hands on his desk, "and no sooner had they gotten a visual on them than did the contacts fly straight past them, faster than anything on record, even a frigate."

"Wasn't Grimm?"

Ironwood shook his head, "no, the Grimm we detected were still a good half mile behind them. It wasn't until these contacts turned around and engaged the Grimm that we figured out they were similar to bullheads and fighter ships, but far faster than anything we've built before. We tried contacting them but they never responded, even when we used less advanced solutions. They just fought the Grimm... Up until the Grimm were dead, and then those sixteen fightercraft engaged us." He explained, anger seeping into his tone. "But despite the fact that they didn't have any laser munitions whatsoever, they managed to eliminate five of our naval ships with nothing but missiles and conventional ammunition before we took them down. Whenever we got a missile lock on them they sprayed some of flare shower into the air and the missiles would either miss entirely or detonate prematurely; we took down at least two of them with our laser cannons, but once they figured out how they were losing their numbers the used their higher speeds to outmaneuver us and keep out of our range."

"How'd you win?"

"A third battle group took them down from longer ranges." Ironwood responded, with a firm nod. "They were fast enough to close in on the ships they were dogfighting, but once we had the range advantage there wasn't a thing they could do."

It made sense to Aldric: If fighter jets knew how to outrun light, Earth wouldn't be the only place with terrans; though that still left him the question of how exactly the ships at closer range still didn't tear through the fighters. A laser cannon should literally just be point, shoot, dead.

Unless... Aldric nodded; "took down ships and avoided weapons by going for engines." He ascertained.

Ironwood gave Aldric an impressed nod, "smart man. Even I didn't figure that out until how sixteen fighter craft would have been capable of that until I was given the after-action reports. Despite having no energy weaponry to speak of, they made up for it through sheer explosives. Not a single dust round anywhere in the wreckages."

"You said you found survivors, in those wreckages." Ozpin intoned.

"We did, but they aren't giving us anything except their names, ranks, and serial numbers."

"Let me talk to them." Never did Aldric feel more validated for always carrying his wallet around with him on an alien planet, than he did right now.

Oh, and Ozpin had Earth tech with him, something the pilots most likely wouldn't have had with them in their jets. Both together, and Aldric may be able to convince them of where he came from.

Ironwood frowned at Aldric, but Ozpin came to his defense. "I can vouch for him, James." He said, "of everyone in our inner circle, he may be the most qualified to do so."

"And what would make you so uniquely qualified?"

"The ships that you shot down. Looked like avian creatures, right?" Aldric began. "Gray. With wings. Two immobile thrusters on the back. The missiles were loaded underneath the wings. Canopies with the pilots at the front; when they lost control of their ships, they ejected from the seat and were brought back down to the ground via parachute." He indicated his chest, "had patches on their uniforms. Camouflage you've never seen before. No armor plating period. Written text unlike anything on record. Vehicles were powered through fossil fuels - gasoline and oil - and not Dust.

"Uniquely qualified because I'm from same planet as them." Aldric finished. "Not. This. One." Thank God for war movies!

Ironwood leaned back in his chair, recognition flashing through his eyes, as he turned to Ozpin. "Is he saying what I think he is?"

"I felt he made his point quite clearly." Ozpin deadpanned, suppressing a grin. "Am I to conclude that you had doubts as to what I told you of my origins?" A beat, "until now, that is?" He let the grin appear.

"I've learned through a long military career that a healthy amount of skepticism goes a long way." Ironwood said, shaking his head. "I believed you when you said you were the man who gave the four Maidens their powers, but when you brought up this 'other Remnant' business..." He gave Aldric a firm look, "are you telling me that these soldiers were from Rome?"

Oh... So close. "No." Said Aldric, "been long time since Rome."

"And how are you and they even here?" Ironwood asked, "and why did they attack my kingdom?" He leaned forward, planting a fist on his desk. "I lost a lot of men and women to them."

"Ancient dust. I don't know. I don't know. I'm sorry." Aldric responded, in order.

"Please, James." Said Ozpin, "he is here to help."

Ironwood sighed, but nodded nonetheless. "Follow me." He said, getting to his feet.

He then guided them out of his office and through what Aldric was somewhat certain was Atlas Academy. Much like his office, the academy was almost strictly utilitarian, no wasted space, no warm colors, no needless decorations. The only things that broke this mold were the high, vaulted ceilings and the Atlesian flags draped over the walls. The General led the Headmaster and the spy through his academy and outside, revealing to Aldric that much unlike Ozpin, whose office was at the height of Beacon Tower, Ironwood's was deep in the center of the heavily fortified, and eerily silent Academy.

"The entire city has more or less been on lockdown until we can be certain that another attack like yesterday's wouldn't happen again." Ironwood supplied, as they made their way towards Atlas Tower.

"And what of your students?" Asked a frowning Ozpin.

"They're ready for war." Ironwood said, though his tone suggested he didn't necessarily approve of the sentiment; and when Aldric pointed that out, Ironwood followed up with, "even if we assume that this 'Earth' has so little dust that we will never have to worry about armies of Wizards and Maidens, they have a weapon whose detonation was felt all the way from Anima, and sixteen fighter craft took down almost a third of their number of full-sized naval vessels." He frowned, "and my gut tells me that neither our side nor theirs has all the facts in this."

"Trust your gut." Aldric said. "And explanation simple: Enormous airships with lot of guns. Powerful, but limited. Terrans moved away from sheer firepower almost a century ago."

"To what?" Ironwood asked.

Aldric exchanged a look with Ozpin, who nodded, appearing to also be curious. "Aircraft carriers." Aldric responded, "aircraft are cheaper to build and arm. Have longer range. Can project force where ships can't. Can scout ahead of their ships, and faster at that. Load them with explosives, and..."

Ironwood frowned up at the sky, Aldric imagined the General was reliving the previous day's battle. "Sixteen cheap fightercraft can destroy five priceless airships."

"Long before other naval vessels could enter gun range. Thus, tactic became: Use planes to scout out enemy fleet. Destroy their carriers. Protect your own at all costs." Aldric nodded, "had a global war. Air power was often deciding factor over which navy beat which." A beat, "anything more than that, can't say. Liked physics and science more than history of war."

"And we see how useful that is."

Don't pull out the lightsaber, don't pull out the lightsaber, don't put the jarhead in his fucking place with a stick of plasma in his ass. Aldric let out a long, quiet sigh, and Ozpin kept his expression neutral. "Physics and science why you felt that bomb from Anima."

That actually got Ozpin to purse his lips, as he tried not to smile, and Ironwood looked down. "You know what that was?"

"Yes."

Silence.

"And?"

"Don't need two worlds under threat of those weapons." Aldric responded, as they reached the tower, and entered an elevator, descending to its third basement floor, where Aldric saw dozens of jail cells; he'd give Atlas some props, actually - they hid their vault by making it seem that the 'secret' was where they kept their POW's.

"Who's side are you on, Drake?" Ironwood demanded, giving Aldric an accusatory glare.

"The side that defeats the White Witch." Was Aldric's response. "Guarantee war against Remnant and Earth is what she wants. Tell you concept of that bomb, you create it, both sides wipe eachother out." He said, "Mutually Assured Destruction."

"That sounds barbaric."

"That's why my planet still exists." Aldric said, as the elevator 'dinged', and let them off.

Ironwood brought them through the secure areas, past the guards, and towards the cells. "They have similar ranks to our own. You'll find the highest ranking officer in this cell here." He said, nodding to the one they were approaching.

"Want visual surveillance equipment disabled." Aldric requested, as he held his hand out to Ozpin, "tablet, please."

Ozpin didn't question him, and produced it from thin air, but Ironwood argued. "Why?"

"His identity." Said Ozpin, as Aldric stuffed the tablet into one of his pockets. "He's playing a much more dangerous game than all of us, and his anonymity is what allows him to play it without risk of bias from our side."

"Bias?" Ironwood looked down to Aldric, "are you spying on Salem?"

"Technically spying on you." Aldric deadpanned, as Ironwood passed his scroll over the door, it unlocked, and the three entered the cell.

There was a two-way mirror that greeted them, allowing them to see inside the prisoner's cell. The man, who appeared to be in his early thirties, had his arms chained behind his back and was currently pacing back and forth in his cell. Ironwood resisted turning off the cameras and audio equipment inside, but eventually acquiesced when Ozpin requested he do so, and once they confirmed the room was silent, Aldric nodded.

"Wish me luck." He lifted his hand and rapped his knuckles against the prisoner's door, specifically to the tune of 'shave and a haircut', and it got the immediate attention of the man inside, as Aldric opened the door with a loud 'thud' of a latch being undone, and walked on in.

"Evening." Aldric greeted, as he pulled up a chair.

"Captain Dale Evans." Said the man, dropping onto his bed with an unamused huff. "Four Eight Eight Three Nine Eight Zero Nine Three Two."

"Fascinating." Said Aldric, as he slid off his shemagh, making sure his back was turned to the General watching from behind the mirror. "Air force?" He asked, as he released the clasps on his mask.

"Captain Dale Evans." Was his response, along with the number Aldric was frankly amazed he'd had memorized; Aldric could barely remember his social security number.

"Interesting." Aldric pried the voice modulator from his throat, "what if I gave you my name?" He said, cracking his neck, and sliding the tablet out of one pocket, and his wallet out of the other. "Look here." He said, displaying his ID, and Evans frowned after learning forward and reading the name printed on the plastic card. "I was on Continental Flight Six Three Six." He said, casually, retrieving the RWBY SD card from his strong box, and sliding it into the tablet.

Evans blinked at that.

"Yeah." Aldric nodded, "I got the same reaction from a buddy of yours..." A quick application of his radar pulse let him see the nametag of another one of the pilots, "Teresa Evans." He arced an eyebrow, "that a coincidence?" But he shook his head, and powered on the tablet. "Never mind." He made eye contact with Evans, "I've been stuck on this planet for a little over six months, now... And while I have learned some crazy shit in that time, I'm pretty sure we didn't crack the secrets to interstellar travel that fast... So you can imagine my utter surprise when I hear about a bunch of fighter jets showing up in a world where they don't exist... Shooting down what everyone really wanted zeppelins to turn out to be..." A pause, "you know, before Hindenburg." He shoved his thumb over his shoulder, "these people have it easy, let me tell you. They got half of their problems solved for them, what with that Dust nonsense. Us?" He waved his hand back and forth between the two of them. "We had to boil ourselves with steam and blow ourselves up with hydrogen to get where we are." Aldric yawned, "did the new Black Panther movie come out while I was gone? I really wanted to see that fucking thing. Chadwick Boseman was the biggest badass in Civil War. Even outshined Spiderman.

"Want me to keep going?" Aldric asked, "I've got a hell of a point to make about the Cold War, I could talk your ears off about Batman v Superman... Or we can agree we're both from Earth." And to finally prove his point, Aldric turned the tablet around and, though the speakers were muted, had RWBY playing, because Aldric was willing to bet all of the Garden coins Mercury had given him that the pilots had been made to memorize the show before they were told to fly through a wormhole. "And that we have the best kind of entertainment."

Evans was silent for a long time, long enough that Ironwood turned to Ozpin and said something to the effect of they were wasting their time, though Aldric couldn't read lips well enough to know exactly what was said.

Before Ozpin could defend him again, Evans spoke. "We... Didn't know anyone had survived." He said, an astonished, and partially horrified, expression on his face. "How many are you?"

Aldric killed the screen, "I don't know." He said, "but that you recognized what I just showed you means you were briefed on it."

He nodded, "once we realized what was happening - really realized it - we eminent domained the shit out of that company -"

"And let me stop you before you get going too far. There are four people present right now, three of them know what it was I just showed you. Me, you, and..." Aldric pantomimed taking a sip from a coffee cup. "The man behind the curtain, we'll call him." He said, "if ever a wiz there was."

Evans understood it well enough, and nodded. "The fourth being the General, out of the loop."

"The fourth being the General, out of the loop." Aldric nodded, "so try to keep that specifically vague. That's information that can't be allowed to spread, and I hope I don't need to explain why." Ironwood got pissed about that, but while Ozpin physically held him back from storming into the cell, Aldric used his semblance to keep the door shut and locked, and did a little damage control. "But the fact does remain that you bombed five Atlesian ships, despite ostensibly knowing that they should have been helping you... And no one on this end knows why, myself included. So how about we start there?" Aldric suggested, "tell us how things started on Earth, and bring us to you and the others getting to Atlas."

Ironwood calmed down, still fuming angry, but able to keep it in check to hear what it was Evans had to say.

Evans let out a long sigh, "there was your flight." He said, "NORAD, the CIA, the NSA - everyone who could have been involved with it picked up on it. Biggest investigation since Nine-Eleven, but it was NASA that finally figured out that a wormhole opened up off the coast of California." He began, "they couldn't figure out where or when in this universe - if it even was this universe - you were sent, so you were declared dead by means of a freak of nature. An act of god, some were calling it.

"Then, a few weeks later... Another one opens up. This one stayed open for a few days... We were hoping you'd all come back, but that's... Not what we got." He shook his head, "the Grimm from this world. Started pouring through by the thousands. The Navy bought the mainland a day, but had to break off or risk one of the carriers getting destroyed. We evacuated the coastlines and prepared for the invasion... And spent a good three months fighting for Los Angeles. But the Grimm just never stopped."

Aldric concurred, "it was a Nevermore that made sure so few people survived my flight. If it hadn't crashed into us, the pilots could've landed. Things might've turned out different on both sides."

Evans nodded, "three months, we spent fighting for LA. The Federal Government seized all of that company's assets and employees, last I heard they're still trying to figure out what's happening and if we're at war with the planet, or... You know." He explained, "and last week... We dropped the bomb. Four of them."

Aldric frowned, "you nuked LA?"

"NASA figured out another wormhole was about to open. If it did and brought more Grimm, that city would be gone. The choice was made under the idea that all of the wormholes were being focused around that region... I think I remember someone saying something about it being easier to open a wormhole in an area where it's already been opened before, but that's beyond me. All I know is that they decided to drop the nuke because we captured a live Grimm and exposed it to radiation, and they're just as susceptible to it as we are. A bit more, even." He explained, "so we dropped the bomb and basically poisoned the entire area, such that if more wormholes opened..." He waved his hand in a circular area.

"You'd have a radioactive minefield to thin the herd." Aldric nodded.

"And we had a second objective: When the second wormhole opened, we sent another nuke through it." A pause, "did it make it?"

At this, Aldric shrugged. "Remnant isn't quite as advanced in planetary monitoring as Earth is." He said, "satellites, all that stuff, it doesn't exist here." Evans was nodding as he said this, "and their internet is... It's the calculator to our supercomputer. They don't have a freeflow of information like we do." He said, "all that to say: We're pretty sure it did, but we have no idea if it hit her base of operations, had any effect whatsoever, or just got dumped on a random spot and blew up." Though he was damn certain there were already scouts checking the area out, and he was curious as to the results himself: If the wormholes had been opened from Salem's domain, there could be the slightest chance they could track her down and bring the fight to her before Beacon ever got attacked.

Fat chance, he knew, but it felt good to dream.

Evans was disappointed at this, letting out a sigh. "Hm." He grunted, nodding as he stared off into the distance for a moment. "Well, what we know from our end is that when we launched those bombs, the wormhole vanished. Air strikes and mortar fire kept the Grimm from getting outside of the exclusion zone, and we effectively set up a blockade around the entire area.

"And then another one opened up two days ago, and it stayed open. Longer than the last one."

"Is it still?"

"It was yesterday when we went through." Said Evans, as Aldric sensed Ironwood immediately whipping out his scroll and making a call, no doubt to send airships to scout the continent, and see if they couldn't find the wormhole. "When it didn't close, we started making plans for potential incursions into Remnant. But when we sent a few drones through, something else came back." He nodded to the two-way mirror. "It was one of their airships." Ironwood stopped cold.

"I highly doubt Atlas sent a huge Starship Enterprise over to your end." Aldric deadpanned. "I can see the General right now, and he doubts it even more than I."

Evans blinked, "you can see him?"

"I'll show you mine when you're done showing me yours." Aldric said, "how did you figure out it was Atlesian, specifically?"

"After we shoved ten million dollars worth of cruise missiles up its ass, it survived the crash landing and we boarded it. It was filled with their androids. That company helped us translate their language and we found written and vetted orders from the top."

The wall shook a bit from Ironwood angrily planting his fist on a table leaned up against it. Aldric, meanwhile, was feeling his blood run cold, all but certain this was proof of both that Salem wanted to ignite a war between Earth and Remnant, and that at least one Master had survived on Salem's end, and had far more control over their abilities than Aldric did. Instead of minor weapons and trinkets from fiction, whoever this was was building Salem a fucking false-flag army. Sure, Roosterteeth could shout until they were blue in the face that no one on Remnant would do something this monumentally stupid, or self-defeating, but evidence was piling up against it. As far as the UN knew, something had changed, and now Remnant was launching incursions onto Earth. This was no longer a matter of state security, but global security. Their very species could be at risk.

So of course they'd start hitting back.

"Do you believe that?" Aldric asked.

"I believe one million, ninety three thousand people are dead, and the evidence points to it being a state-sponsored attack." Evans argued.

"You're in the military, Captain. Are you really going to tell me that the official story is always the correct one? Especially with what we know?" Aldric pressed, before he let out a long sigh. "I can tell you beyond the shadow of a doubt that there was no such order given. That, until you dropped the bomb a week ago, only a handful of people over here even knew our world existed. That there's only one person who wants to see humanity die. That by pursuing this war, you're playing into her hand."

"Be that as it may, kid - where's your evidence?" He asked. "We have a ship, with orders, and soldiers, that all point to this being a state sponsored, sanctioned, attack. Not just on my country, but on my planet - our planet." He stressed. "Data that suggests their war went bad."

The air of 'Uh, what?' seemed to be shared by all three of them, even Ironwood stopped trying to put his fist through the table at this.

So that's her play... "Go on."

Evans was frowning now, "no, I'm done with you." He said, "it's clear whose side you're on."

"I'm not on any 'side', Evans. I was the first casualty in this war, remember? I was on the flight she took. I just want to avoid a needless war."

"Captain Dale Evans." He said, swinging his feet onto his cot, "Four Eight Eight Three Nine Eight Zero Nine Three Two."

"Evans, a lot of lives on both ends depend on us knowing as much as we possibly can, going forward." Aldric stressed.

But, Evans laid back on his cot, "Captain Dale Evans."

"Don't give me that, Evans. I can see it in your eyes - you know something's not on the up and up."

"Four Eight Eight Three Nine Eight Zero Nine Three Two."

"Evans, we could send you back."

"Captain."

"Do you want more cities to get nuked?"

"Dale."

"Who'd you lose, Evans? A spouse, or a child?"

"Evans." He growled through gritted teeth.

Bingo. "Would they want you to allow billions to senselessly die in their name?"

"Four Eight Eight..."

"Because if you pursue this war, it will only hurt us both."

"Three Nine Eight..."

"The Grimm will literally feed on the despair this war will generate, and it will only make it easier for her to wipe all of us out when we're done!"

"Zero Nine Three Two."

God damn it... Aldric sighed, "fine, Evans." He said, "but I don't know when, or even if, I'll ever return." He said, fastening the voice modulator back to his throat. "I am the friendliest face you will ever see on this planet." On went his mask, "If you don't help me, you won't be treated like a person, you'll be treated as a prisoner of war..."And he tied the shemagh around his head, "On a planet with no Geneva Convention."

Evans remained silent, and Aldric sighed, getting to his feet, and turning back to the door.

Once in the room with Ozpin and Ironwood, the Atlesian General was on him like white on rice. "What is it you're hiding from me?!"

"James, please -"

"This is a war now, Ozpin! The pilot just said it!" Ironwood hollered, "what is it you showed him on your scroll? What is eminent domain? What company did they do it to? Why?!"

"James, Mister Drake is -"

"I know he's our ally!" Ironwood rounded on Ozpin, "I know we didn't do a damn thing to them, but an entire planet just declared war on us and he's making it seem like they have intel!" He turned to Aldric, "I can have you detained if I must!"

Aldric met Ironwood's appropriately iron gaze with one of his own, "do you know how easy it is for plasma to cut through metal?"

Ironwood's glare turned livid, "are you -"

Zhoom. "Do you want to find out?" Aldric asked, the room bathed in the blue glow of his saber and filled with the sound of its hum; even Evans seemed to hear it activate, as his head briefly shot up.

The room was silent, save for the hum of his blade, as Ozpin eyed the both of them warily, and Ironwood's glare turned down to Aldric's weapon.

"I'm sorry, did I break your concentration?" Aldric demanded, "Ironwood, what country are you from?"

The question out of left field left Ironwood momentarily stunned, "what?"

Thank god. This might actually work. "What isn't a country I've ever heard of. Do they speak English in What?"

Even Ozpin was staring at him funny, his perplexed look mirroring Ironwood's. "Excuse me?"

"ENGLISH motherfucker, do you speak it?!" Aldric roared, his scrambled voice filling the room; he was damn glad he had a mask to cover his face - he was losing the fight to keep the smile down.

"Of course, but what does -"

Aldric pointed into the cell with his blade, "then you understood what all we just said!" Zip. "And you know damn well and good that detaining me will solve just as many problems as going in there and beating that man within an inch of his life." He growled. "There are things I can't tell you. Doing what I do - as I do it - necessitates that secrets have to be kept. For fuck's sake -" He indicated his face, before clipping the saber back onto his belt. "I would've thought this would be indicative enough of that.

"Let me ask you a question - knowing the sheer destructive capacity of your entire military right now, would you go back in time a million years ago and give all of that power to the people of Remnant?" Ironwood paused at that, "the answer is 'no', because not only did they not earn that might, but they wouldn't respect or understand it either, and giving them those secrets would cause more damage and create more problems than it would solve." He said, crossing his arms. "The information I have from Earth is the exact same thing. Remnant is, in many places, more advanced than us. But in many others it lags behind - and there is no better way of explaining this than to go back to our brief discussion on your naval doctrine.

"The concept of an aircraft carrier befuddled you, and I can guarantee just as ideas came into your mind of how you could adapt that idea, so too would it fail miserably because you wouldn't know how to handle it." Aldric explained, "and not for bad reason, either - the way Remnant's navies and Earth's navies work are alien to eachother, and so are the way our respective species developed combat tactics with them. The idea never occurred to you simply because it was never necessary. And if you tried to adapt it immediately, as I know you considered, it would fail miserably because you don't fully understand the concept, and therein lays my point: I keep secrets because it's necessary. I don't tell you things because I don't think you are ready for them."

"You are literally a child!" Ironwood protested.

"And of the two of us, who has convinced the enemy that he's completely on their side?" Aldric asked, "who has managed to craft an alliance with so many disparate entities that he functionally commands an army? Who has had access to his species' entire stored catalogue of knowledge for his entire life?" He pressed. "Who has literally lived in a world powerful enough to destroy itself?" He shook his head, "and besides. We're both asking the wrong questions. We're having the wrong conversation."

Ironwood frowned, "how so?"

"Let me ask you something." Aldric began, "you picked up on my implication that we had intelligence on Remnant, but the entire time I was in there... Did it ever occur to you that the terrans are acting on it?"

"They shot down five of our ships and knew where our kingdom was!"

But Ozpin picked up on Aldric's train of thought, "I think he's referring to a far bigger picture, General."

"I'm wondering if the war they declared on Remnant wasn't because they had to." Aldric said, leaning against the table and looking into the cell, where Evans appeared to have fallen asleep. "Because there is all of this evidence pointing to an organized invasion from another planet, that they can't just let it slide and expect to stay in power." He looked at Ironwood from over his shoulder, "so they declared their war... But are investigating the circumstances leading to it at the same time."

As he cooled down, Ironwood's frown turned from one of anger, to one of thought, as he considered Aldric's words.

"I'm wondering if the attack force was sent both as a means of retaliation, if they were right and this was an act of war... And as a means of distraction, if they were wrong, and there is a grander game being played." He said, turning around and leaning his back against the table. "Think about it. We don't know how she got the ship and the androids, but we know at this point she desperately wants our planets to tear eachother apart, likely so she can finish us both off when we're weak. The terrans may not know this, but they have to suspect it. But they have the advantage, in that there is no way she knows they have the information they do."

His meaning dawned on Ironwood. "They attack us and pursue this war to make her think her plan is working... And send investigative squads during the chaos, so they can locate her."

"And there's no better proof of this than the fact that they only shot down those ships. They didn't actively try to destroy them." Aldric finished. "They were holding back."

"But how would they investigate this... Ostensibly from the other side of the universe?"

"The long game, General." Aldric responded. "The people they sent to make the investigations probably don't expect to go home soon... If at all." He said, "and if I had to guess how specifically they intend to conduct the investigation..." He shook his head, "the terrans can get to space. You can't. If we're correct in these assumptions, I'm willing to guarantee you that they had rockets flying through that wormhole, with space shuttles piggy backing the whole way through." He pointed to the roof, "that somewhere up there... Right now... There are terrans, sitting in a tin can, far above the world, doing what always comes first in a war."

"Information gathering." Ironwood nodded, brows furrowed in a tight frown. "But that means your people will be killing mine for no other reason than to serve as a distraction."

"Au contraire." Said Aldric, "this is a planet they have zero stake in. If they really wanted you all dead, they would have sent more of those bombs through. Or worse."

"Worse than a bomb whose detonation we could feel on the other side of the planet?" Ironwood sounded skeptical.

"Yes." Aldric deadpanned. "When I said we could destroy our world, I wasn't speaking in metaphor, and I wasn't excluding yours." Aldric affirmed.

Ironwood sighed. "I'm sorry, Drake." He said, straightening his posture. "I shouldn't have threatened you like that. It's been a very long two days."

"Reciprocated and agreed."

"I concur." Said Ozpin, "now, should we bring him up to speed on what we were doing as he was questioning his fellow man?"

Ironwood nodded, "come." He said, guiding them out of the cramped room. "I sent word for an entire recon group to start combing Solitas. If the wormhole he spoke of is still there, we will find it." He explained, giving a salute to the guard as they passed him by. "Perhaps we can send word through it... Try to open up a less violent dialogue with these 'terrans'."

"That would be for the best, General." Said Ozpin, "though I fear she has learned from her first mistake, and will seldom, if ever, keep those doorways to Earth open and stationary for very long."

"If that was her intention in the first place." Ironwood mused, "the attack in Anima could very well have been meant for her to draw them into destroying something valuable. Unfortunately the continent has been dark ever since, so until we fix the CCT Tower, information in and out will be slow."

"Something to consider is that she may have escalated her plans." Aldric voiced. "Sped them up with the resources she has available to her now. She may very well be tracking all four Maidens and be readying herself to attack every academy in one massive coup-de-grace."

"You don't know?" Ironwood questioned.

"He and the woman who crippled Amber are merely small parts in her grand game, Ironwood." Ozpin interjected, "it is not impossible that she has specifically compartmentalized these things, such that the loss or capture of one arm does not immediately jeopardize the others."

"To wit: Haven't even seen her in person."

"The good news at least is that we know Haven is still operational, as of this morning." Ironwood assured, "but even then, what do we do?" Ironwood asked, as they entered the elevator. "We can't just cancel the Vytal festival and lock down our borders. She'd know we're onto her, and the questions she would ask would be unpleasant." He glanced down at Aldric, who didn't budge. "And even the Atlesian fleet isn't large enough to lock down every academy."

"If I had a week I couldn't explain all the reasons why that would be a bad idea."

"And do you have a better one?"

"Mister Drake and I have been creating a minor menagerie of plans and contingencies for when we believe she would most likely launch her attack. Be it single-bladed, or multi-faceted." Ozpin said.

"The endgoal being my being brought into her inner circle. Being allowed to see her in person and being able to locate where it is she hangs her coat."

Ironwood nodded, "and then we would strike."

"Then we would strike." Said Aldric.

"And what of the other Masters, Ozpin?" Ironwood pressed, as they came to a halt in front of Atlas Academy's main doors.

Ozpin let out a long sigh, "that, I'm afraid, is something we will not necessarily be able to plan for." He said, "we do not know their numbers, nor their location, nor even the extent of their loyalty to her." He said, "for all we know, there are four other Masters out there, working just as diligently as Mister Drake, here, at subverting her. But so too could all of them be completely loyal to they who saved them from their crash, especially when gifted with the magnificent powers they possess." He nodded, "we will have to deal with them on a case by case basis... And Mister Drake suggested we operate under the assumption that the terran bomb wasn't able to kill any of them, meaning we have four other Masters to contend with, in addition to the one who stole, and intends to reunite, Amber's abilities."

"In the meantime, the absolute best we can do is prepare." Said Aldric, "fix your ships... Build as many as you can. Arm and train your soldiers. Do what you can to warn the other countries. Locate and watch the other Maidens. A war on two fronts is coming, and fast." He emphasized, before turning to Ozpin. "Tell the others that the game has changed. Tell them of what we face. You both lead Academies, and the year just started. It would not be impossible to galvanize your students now, while the time is young."

"And what would you be doing, Mister Drake?" Ironwood asked, looming over Aldric, his posture ramrod straight and his steely gaze pouring over him.

Aldric picked up the saber again, holding aloft it in his palm. "With the prospect of as many as four others like me, drawing from the same sources I do..." He clenched his fist over the deadly weapon. "I intend to build my arsenal. Make contingencies. Master my powers... Cement alliances... And, if at all possible... Chart my way back home. Maybe confirm some theories while I'm there, or at least burn their resources for as long as I can." He slid the saber back where it belonged.

Ironwood nodded, giving each of them a firm handshake. "I think we're done here, then." He said, "I'll give you everything I learn in Anima... And I wish you luck in your endeavors."

And with another pat on the shoulder, Aldric and Ozpin were back in the latter's office. It was clear by the way the air felt between them that there wasn't much else that needed to be said, tonight. Much like last week, they each needed time to digest the information they had gathered, and to adapt their plans to it all.

"I assume we'll get to work on my powers next week." Aldric deadpanned, to which Ozpin nodded. "One last thing then, before I go." He began, "as this little... Fifth column of mine, has begun to grow, I've begun to call it the Watchmen."

"As in... Who watches them?"

Aldric nodded, "it consists of those who either know my goals, know where I'm from, or both." He said, "I wouldn't consider Ironwood to be apart of it... Due primarily to the fact that he's a soldier, first and foremost. Sees the entire world from behind the barrel of his gun... As evidenced by his bullheaded thought process, when I got Evans talking. That's why I chose my words carefully while we spoke, never revealed to him Earth's 'prophet', touched on yours and I's plan, or things of that nature." Ozpin didn't appear to fully agree with his reasoning, but nor did he say anything that would indicate he disagreed, either. "At the moment, I would think our little group consists of you and I, Qrow, Adam Taurus, and Roman Torchwick... The latter, of whom, I got into the same room together, just this morning.

"Things are picking up speed, Ozpin." He explained, "I can tell the tides are changing and things are moving faster than ever. Every day it seems like what was earth-shattering the day before is nothing special at all. I worry that this 'calm' before the storm may be even shorter than what our 'prophet' would have us believe. Just as you thought it prudent to let Qrow in on my last little secret... I think it would be prudent to get all of the Watchmen on the same page. Now, more than ever.

"So what would you say to me setting up a meeting between you, Qrow, myself, Torchwick, and Taurus?"