At the Threshold of Atlas Base
The group gathered in a tight cluster outside the conscription meeting room, their expressions a mix of apprehension and determination. Yang, her brow furrowed, broke the silence. "Ruby, are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked, glancing around at the weary faces of Team RWBY, Oscar, Qrow, and Team JNPR as they prepared to head to the Atlas Base.
Ruby Rose instinctively took Rinko's place—at least, temporarily.
Ruby sighed, running a hand through her hair as she tried to mask the uncertainty in her eyes.
"Look," she began, her voice quiet but resolute. "Rinko has gone through so much for us. He led us through Mistral when things were falling apart, keeping us together even when everything seemed lost. This is the least we could do for him—especially while he's recuperating in the hospital."
She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Once we explain our situation to the leader at the Atlas Base, we should be able to get clearance. By the time Rinko is discharged, we'll already have made progress on the way to Atlas."
Blake crossed her arms, still uneasy. "But what if they don't listen? What if our excuses aren't good enough?"
Ruby's gaze hardened as she met Yang's eyes. "Then we do what we have to do. Weiss is here, right? Maybe with her name, we could get a passage to Atlas. We've come a long way, why stop now? We know the stakes—Atlas needs us, and we need to get to Atlas to secure everything that's at risk."
Jaune stepped forward, nodding in agreement. "We trust Rinko's judgment. He wouldn't have led us through Mistral if he didn't know what he was doing. We owe it to him—and to everyone counting on us—to at least try."
Blake's voice was soft but measured, "We need to act as a team. Once we present our case, we'll show that we're not just a group of renegades but a dedicated force ready to do what's necessary."
Rinko, though still recovering, had often been the steady presence that held the group together. His calm, calculated leadership during their darkest hours had given them hope. Now, even in the midst of uncertainty, his example resonated with them.
Ruby's voice softened, almost a whisper, "We can't let this opportunity slip away. We have to take this chance—for him, for all of us."
Yang nodded slowly, the fire in her eyes rekindling. "Alright then. Let's get our act together and head over to Atlas Base. We do this as a team."
The group fell into a determined silence, each member steeling themselves for the negotiations ahead. With Ruby's words echoing in their minds, they set off toward the base, knowing that every step forward was a tribute to Rinko's unyielding strength and their shared commitment to a brighter future.
Atlas Base
Commander Cordovin strode through the stark, metallic hallways of the base, her boots clicking against the polished floor with sharp precision. Every step exuded authority as soldiers snapped to attention and saluted her passage. She barely registered their gestures—her thoughts were consumed by the matter at hand.
Reaching a reinforced door at the corridor's end, she maintained her brisk pace. The base's automated sensors detected her presence, and with a soft, almost whisper-like hiss, the doors slid open to reveal the interior of a well-secured meeting room.
Inside, standing at rigid attention, were Tweedledee and Tweedledum—her ever-reliable subordinates. Their eyes flickered with brief acknowledgment before they resumed their silent vigil, ready to relay any news.
A clipped voice broke the silence. "Commander Cordovin, we've received reports of a Schnee in front of our base."
At the mention of the name, Cordovin's mind raced. 'A Schnee?' she thought sharply, and a memory of Winter flickered uncomfortably at the edges of her thoughts. 'Winter... What on Remnant is she doing in Argus?'
"Then let's not waste any more seconds, let's meet the Schnee." She said as she straightened her coat for the confrontation.
After a few minutes of walking, they went to a meeting room. Cordovin's eyes were closed, preparing for her to formally greet what she thought was Winter, but when the doors fully opened, her face died down of energy.
"Oh.. I see." She said as she assessed the room. Team RWBY, Team JNPR, Oscar, and Qrow were seated.
"Dee! Dumly!" she barked.
"Yes, ma'am!" Tweedledee and Tweedledum replied in unison, their voices crisp and formal.
"Identify these individuals," she demanded.
Ruby stepped forward, her voice tentative. "We are—"
"Did I ask you?" Cordovin interrupted sharply, causing Ruby to flinch and hesitate.
"Answer me," the Commander ordered, and both soldiers quickly responded, "Qrow Branwen, Weiss Schnee, and her guest, ma'am."
Cordovin's gaze shifted to Qrow. "Hmm... Qrow Branwen?" she said, turning her attention to him.
Qrow, arms crossed, produced his Huntsman license adorned with the Atlas insignia. "Look, Commander, I'm a friend of General Ironwood," he slurred, a trace of alcohol still lingering on him.
Cordovin raised an eyebrow, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "How could a man who reeks of alcohol be friends with the General?" she scoffed, eyeing the license critically. "It could be a fake. With Mistral and Vale communications in disarray, forged documents run rampant."
Weiss grumbled, "But you can't fake being a Schnee."
"Ah, but I recognize you," Cordovin replied coolly. "You're the runaway brat."
At that, Weiss's eye twitched, and she sighed to calm herself. "Regardless, my companions and I seek passage to Atlas. My family's reputation should make that arrangement feasible."
Cordovin's gaze shifted between Weiss and the rest of the group before returning to Weiss. "We're extremely busy here, Miss Schnee. As you may know, Atlas is in the process of withdrawing to the homeland. Under normal circumstances, securing passage would be routine, but right now all transportation is fully committed and Atlas's borders are closed to civilians. I must regretfully inform you that your request cannot be fulfilled."
Ruby's voice cut in, tentative yet insistent. "Um... High Leader?"
Cordovin arched an eyebrow and corrected, "Commander. Commander Cordovin. I don't believe we've had the pleasure, Miss...?"
"Ruby Rose, leader of Team RWBY, and we have an important message for General Ironwood," Ruby announced firmly, her tone edged with urgency.
Cordovin feigned interest, her eyes glinting with amusement as she brushed a hand nonchalantly along the side of her shoulder. "Oh dear, an important message? I find that quite ridiculous," she drawled, her tone laced with condescension. "However, if you do have important information, I would be more than happy to pass it along in our next communique with Central Command."
Before Ruby could protest further, Qrow interjected with a gruff laugh. "Unfortunately, it's classified. Ironwood's ears are the only ones that get to hear it."
A brief, charged silence fell over the room. Ruby's eyes flashed with frustration while Cordovin's smirk deepened, her gaze flicking between the determined leader and the surly veteran.
"Classified, you say?" Cordovin pressed, leaning forward slightly, her tone now sharpened with curiosity and a hint of challenge. "And you expect me to trust that your little secret is for the good of the Kingdom?"
Ruby's jaw tightened as she met the Commander's unyielding stare. "It's... more than that," she said, her voice steadying despite the rising tension. "It's not just any secret—it's a secret even Ozpin died for."
Qrow snorted, though his tone betrayed a grudging respect for Ruby's conviction. "That's right. We don't flout protocol for fun. This is for the good of Remnant—though I can't say I'd appreciate Ironwood sticking his nose in our business any more than you do."
Cordovin folded her arms, her eyes narrowing as she regarded the assembled group. "So, you're telling me that a circus of children—and a huntsman who reeks of booze—are entrusted with information that only the General should hear?" Her voice dripped with incredulity. "I assure you, I take my orders very seriously."
Ruby stepped forward, her expression hardening into one of fierce determination. "We understand your skepticism, Commander. But we're asking you to have faith in our judgment. What we carry isn't a petty secret; it's crucial to the future of Remnant. Delaying this information could jeopardize everything. This isn't about personal pride—it's a matter of survival."
Cordovin scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You're asking me to have faith in you, yet you refuse to let me hear your little secret? Funny how that works. Either way, it's not my concern, and I have a very busy schedule." With a dismissive gesture, she barked, "Dee, Dumly, lead these guests to the door."
"Yes, Ma'am!" Tweedledee and Tweedledum replied in unison.
"Wait!" Ruby's voice rang out again, halting Cordovin's retreat.
At that moment, Qrow strode up and grabbed Ruby's shoulder. "C'mon, kid. She ain't worth our time—"
His words were abruptly cut off by Ruby's sharp retort, "Uncle Qrow." Stunned, Qrow released her, stepping back with a conflicted frown.
Ruby turned to face Cordovin, her eyes blazing with determination as she took a deep, steadying breath. For a long, breathless moment, the air in the room seemed to vibrate with unspoken tension. Every eye—Cordovin's calculating stare, the anxious gazes of Team JNPR, Oscar's quiet scrutiny, and even the indifferent looks from Tweedledee and Tweedledum—fixed on her.
Then, with a trembling resolve, Ruby spoke. "Fine, we'll tell you."
A murmur of surprise rippled through the room. "Ruby...?" Yang whispered, barely audible amid the heavy silence.
"You sure?" Blake asked from across the table, her tone laced with concern as she watched Ruby's trembling hands.
Ruby exhaled slowly, her fingers clenching the edge of the table as if they could anchor her resolve. "It's the only way," she murmured, steeling herself for what was to come.
With that, Ruby reached into the depths of her cloak and produced a small, ornate object.
The Relic of Knowledge—a gleaming lamp with an impossibly smooth surface that shimmered with a subtle, ethereal blue light—rested in her palm. Its glow was gentle yet insistent, casting eerie, shifting reflections on the faces around her.
Team JNPR and Oscar exchanged uncertain, wide-eyed glances, their breaths catching as they beheld the object.
"Kid..." Qrow's gravelly voice cut through the charged silence, his eyes conflicted as they flickered between the relic and Ruby's determined gaze. His tone was heavy with reproach, yet tinged with reluctant admiration—a silent acknowledgment of the risk Ruby had taken.
Cordovin leaned in, her voice icily measured. "What exactly is this? A lamp? Is that your little secret?" She gestured dismissively as if the object were nothing more than a trinket.
Ruby's voice was steady, though her heart pounded in her ears. "We can't disclose all the details," she replied, "but this is the very secret that Ozpin died protecting. I'm certain that General Ironwood would want it secured."
For a long, measured moment, Commander Cordovin studied the Relic of Knowledge. Its soft, blue light danced across her chiseled features, casting ephemeral shadows that shifted with each subtle movement. A low hum—barely more than a whisper—escaped her lips as she scrutinized the object with a critical, unyielding gaze.
"You are very adamant about this," she finally commented, her tone both cool and inquisitive. With deliberate steps, she moved closer to the table, bending slightly to inspect the lamp more closely, her eyes narrowing as if weighing its very essence.
Ruby's voice cut in, steady despite the urgency in her tone. "We've walked all the way from Vale—and we even stopped a rebellion in Mistral—just to protect this," she declared, her eyes shining with a mix of pride and desperation.
Before Qrow could interject, his gravelly tone laden with his trademark skepticism, Ruby shot him a sharp look. "I'm sorry, Uncle Qrow, but your way wasn't working, and we're running out of time. We can't afford to linger here; if we do, Grimm will overrun Argus. What other choice do we have?"
The tension in the room tightened like a drawn bowstring. Commander Cordovin straightened, her eyes flicking from the softly glowing Relic of Knowledge to the determined faces before her.
"Hmm, how persistent," she said, her voice measured yet edged with challenge. "I must remind you that I cannot verify any of the claims you've just made."
For a moment, her tone softened ever so slightly, as if she were weighing the gravity behind Ruby's plea.
"But... I am prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt."
A heavy silence fell over the room, thick with anticipation, before Cordovin continued, "And only you, Miss Rose." She took a seat at the long table, leaning on her elbows as she addressed the assembled team. "There was no exaggeration about our transports to Atlas. We need every available hand to ensure that our withdrawal is executed smoothly and efficiently. So..." She paused, blinking slowly, her composure unyielding. "I will be willing to arrange passage for you all to Atlas in exchange for your assistance in pulling out our forces."
Their eyes widened, and a flicker of hope passed among them.
"T-that's great!" Ruby managed, her voice trembling between relief and lingering uncertainty.
Cordovin raised a hand to silence any premature celebration. "I'm not done yet." Her tone turned icy as she leaned forward, the light from the Relic dancing across her steely features. "Until such time, this... thing... will remain here—locked and secured at Atlas Base."
A chill ran down Ruby's spine, and shock rippled through the team.
"You can't be serious!" Nora blurted, her hands clenching against the table as if to brace herself.
"I'm always serious," Cordovin replied briskly, her words leaving no room for negotiation.
Yang's mechanical arm whirred as she flexed her clenched fist. "You're asking us to just—just leave it here?" she snapped. "Do you have any idea what you're saying?"
Cordovin met Yang's glare with unwavering confidence. "I know exactly what I'm saying," she declared. Her tone was absolute, the command echoing off the polished walls.
Qrow gritted his teeth, his voice low and bitter. "Lady, you can't do that!"
Cordovin raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Why not? If this lamp is as valuable as you claim, then it should be kept secure—right here in my base. Atlas Base. We have the tightest security in Argus. If you want to go to Atlas, you must play by my rules."
Ruby's heart pounded in her chest as her fingers tightened into a fist. Her silver eyes darted anxiously toward her friends—Yang's jaw set in silent frustration, Weiss's arms crossed with barely contained tension, and Qrow's expression betraying a reluctant exasperation.
At that moment, Ruby's mind raced. They had risked their lives for this relic. Could they risk leaving it behind? And yet, perhaps it was the only way to guarantee their safe passage to Atlas.
She wondered silently how Rinko would handle this predicament, knowing that his calm, calculated nature often balanced her impulsive determination.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Ruby closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her resolve. When she finally lifted her head, her gaze locked onto Cordovin's with unwavering determination.
"We'll do it," she said firmly.
A charged silence fell once more as every eye in the room fixed on her words. The Relic of Knowledge, now sitting illuminated on the table, pulsed gently—a beacon of hope and a symbol of sacrifice. In that breathless, pivotal moment, the fate of their journey to Atlas—and perhaps the future of Remnant—rested on Ruby's bold declaration.
A smirk tugged at Cordovin's lips as if she had expected this outcome. "Good."
Outside
Outside, the heavy steel doors of the base slid shut behind them with a resonant, mechanical hiss—a sound that punctuated the weight of what had just transpired.
The crisp evening air greeted them as they emerged into a space where the sky was darkening with the deep, shifting hues of twilight. Despite the openness outside, an unmistakable tension clung to the group like a second skin.
Team RWBY, Team JNPR, and Oscar trudged along in near silence, their boots crunching methodically on the sidewalk. The distant hum of Atlassian aircraft resonated overhead, a constant reminder of the power and order of the military world they had just been forced to join. Yet none of them seemed to register it; their minds were too occupied with the implications of their new reality.
Qrow lingered at the far back, his eyes narrowed in suspicion and his mood as dark as the night. His gut churned with mistrust—he couldn't shake the feeling that Commander Cordovin was not to be trusted.
Leaving the Relic of Knowledge behind would be a gut punch for Qrow. He has spent his life fighting for Ozpin's cause, ensuring the Relics don't fall into the wrong hands. And now?
They've handed one over to an Atlas commander who doesn't even believe in their cause.
"Atleast we have a plan now." Blake muttered
After several long, heavy minutes, Yang finally broke the silence. She threw a hand casually behind her head and exhaled sharply. "Okay... what just happened?" Her voice was laced with both confusion and a desperate need for clarity.
Ruby, walking a few paces ahead, didn't respond immediately. Her gaze was fixed intently on the small keycard in her hand—a keycard that now bore her name in bold letters: Ruby Rose, Temporary Atlesian Operative.
The weight of that title, unexpected and unwelcome, pressed on her heart. Apparently, Cordovin had chosen to see her as the leader of the group instead of Qrow or anyone else.
Breaking the quiet, Blake's voice came out dryly, "I think Ruby just got us enlisted."
"Well, actually," Pyrrha interjected, her tone mild but resolute, "it's conscription."
A heavy groan escaped Weiss, thick with exasperation and sorrow. "This is exactly why Rinko and I traveled across an entire continent—to avoid... this!" she declared, rubbing her face in frustration as if trying to wipe away the bitter taste of their fate. "We left Atlas only to end up trapped in a system that treats us like expendable pawns!"
Her words resonated in the cool evening air, and for a moment, the rest of the team fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts.
Weiss continued, her voice trembling just enough to betray the deep disappointment beneath her measured tone. "I never imagined our journey would lead us into this bureaucratic mess. All we wanted was to secure our future, to protect Remnant. And now, instead of forging our own path, we're forced to follow orders like we're nothing more than conscripts."
Pyrrha's steady gaze met Weiss's as she added, "We must remember, though, that even within these constraints, It is still temporary. We can still make a difference. Our dedication isn't diminished by a title or a chain of command. It's our actions that define us."
A profound silence settled over the group as each member nodded slowly. Their eyes, filled with a quiet determination, spoke volumes about their resolve. In that charged moment, despite the heavy burden of conscription, they all understood that they still had the power to shape their own future.
Breaking the reflective silence, Qrow grumbled, "Hmph... I'm going this way. I'm gonna need a drink."
With that, he turned sharply, his boots echoing down the road as he diverged from the group. His tone, laced with weary sarcasm, barely concealed the frustration and resignation beneath.
"Uncle Qrow..." Ruby muttered under her breath, her voice a mix of concern and disapproval. The team watched as Qrow, seemingly lost in his own thoughts, took a long, deliberate swig from his battered metal flask. The gesture was almost ritualistic—a desperate attempt to drown his doubts in the bitterness of alcohol.
As Qrow walked away into the dim light, the remaining members exchanged glances, their expressions reflecting both worry and a shared, unspoken understanding of the cost their journey was already imposing on them.
[End]