Corridors of Power (New)
Corridors of Power
General James Ironwood sat at his desk in his office aboard the Valiant, reading through a report on some field exercises carried out in Atlas: the Sixth Battalion going up against the Fifth and Eighth. Even when he was in Vale, he was still the commander of the entire Atlesian military, and all the business of that vast, grand combined arms institution found its way eventually to his desk.
He was about to add his comments to the report – to the effect that the Sixth had done a lot better than they deserved and the Fifth and Eighth had done much worse than they should have and a lot of that was down to the leadership of the opposing forces – when he was distracted by a ping from the Valiant's CIC; he pressed a button on the left-hand corner of his desk. "Ironwood."
"General, this is the bridge," the voice of Winter Schnee entered the ready room. "We're being hailed, sir; it’s Twilight Sparkle."
Ironwood sat up a little straighter at his desk; he was at once attentive and a little concerned, if only because of the possibility that RSPT and SAPR had gotten into trouble in Mountain Glenn. "Comms to my location, Schnee."
"Yes sir."
A moment later, and it was Twilight's voice that was floating into his office. "General? General Ironwood, can you hear me?"
Ironwood frowned. Twilight sounded downright alarmed about something. He kept his own voice calm in consequence. "I'm here, Twilight; you're coming in loud and clear."
"Oh, thank goodness," Twilight sighed. "It's… it's good to hear your voice, sir."
"And better to hear yours," Ironwood said. "What's going on? Are you all right?"
“I’m fine, sir,” Twilight said quickly. “And so is Team Tsunami. Unfortunately, from what I understand, Penny hasn’t been so lucky.”
'Penny?” Ironwood repeated. “What happened?”
“Why don’t I patch you through to The B- I mean, to Team Rosepetal’s airship, sir,” Twilight said. “Professor Goodwitch is quite anxious to talk to you.”
That’s a first, the stray thought, disconnected from what was going on, flitted through Ironwood’s mind without ever approaching his mouth. “Very well, Twilight, put her through.”
“Just a moment, sir,” Twilight said.
Ironwood waited, and as he waited, his cybernetic hand, concealed beneath a white glove, clenched into a fist upon his desk. Penny. Penny was… what? Dead? Damaged? As wide-eyed as any ingénue, and he had thrown her into the front lines of this war.
I should have kept her in reserve.
She would have hated that.
She wasn’t ready for this.
She was created for this.
That doesn’t mean she was ready.
"James, this is Glynda," Glynda said, her voice suddenly entering his office over the channel. "Can you get Professor Ozpin on the line? He needs to hear this information as much as you."
"Understood," Ironwood said. Now it was the turn of his organic hand to curl into a fist on his knee. Whatever was going on, whatever they had to say, whatever had happened down in Mountain Glenn, it was obviously not good news they had to share, a fact which did nothing to make him less anxious for the fate of Rainbow Dash, not to mention Ciel. And Penny, whatever had befallen her. He pressed the button to hail the CIC again. "Bridge, this is General Ironwood; I need Professor Ozpin patched in immediately."
"Affirmative, sir."
There was a moment’s delay before the projector on Ironwood’s desk automatically turned on, projecting the face of Professor Ozpin on the holographic screen, looking ever so slightly down upon the seated Ironwood.
The old man smiled genially. “James. Always a pleasure to see you.”
“It’s good to hear your voice, Professor,” Glynda said.
Ironwood would give Ozpin this: he had one hell of a poker face. He didn’t react at all to the sound of Glynda’s voice. “Glynda. Likewise. Am I to take it that your mission in Mountain Glenn was concluded and you are on your way back?”
“You’re half right, Professor,” Glynda said, sounding a little weary. “We are on our way back, but the mission is not over yet. And it may end in a White Fang attack on Vale larger than anything we’ve seen before.”
Professor Ozpin nodded, looking for all the world as though this was not news to him at all. He really would be terrible to play cards against. It was a good thing that Ironwood wasn’t a gambling man.
“Perhaps you’d better explain a little further,” Ozpin said.
“We’ve recovered Fluttershy, sir, unharmed,” Twilight put in. “And Applejack has been released as well, although she’s still with Rainbow Dash-”
“It is good that you found your friends unharmed,” Ozpin said. “But right now, I must confess that it is your warning that concerns me more. Please go on.”
“The White Fang,” Twilight said. “There is a base in Mountain Glenn, and it must be a pretty big base as well, just like we thought there might be, only we didn’t expect that there’d be a train, and I guess we should have expected that too, because the White Fang have stolen trains in the past, and why wouldn’t they hang onto them, except what would a terrorist group need with a train-”
“Twilight,” Ironwood said firmly. “Calm down. Focus.”
He could hear Twilight’s breathing on the other side of the line. “Right. Sorry. Focus. Focus.”
“Perhaps you’d better explain, Glynda?” Ozpin suggested.
“From what Rainbow Dash was able to tell us, the White Fang plan to use the old Mountain Glenn subway tunnel,” Glynda said. “They have a train prepared, and they mean to either use the train to smash through the barrier used to seal the tunnel or blow the barrier up with the stolen dust and use the train to carry their forces – including, it seems, the weapons they stole from your forces, James – into the heart of Vale.”
“Arrogant bastards,” Ironwood muttered. It was an audacious plan, he’d give them that, but to do this while his fleet was in the air above? Did they think that his forces were here just for show? It was one thing to slip robberies past them, but quite another to think that they could force an action like this and win against his troops, with all their airships in support. It was an arrogance that verged on impertinent.
Ozpin closed his eyes. He seemed to age ten or even twenty years in that single moment. “The Mountain Glenn subway. Of course. I should have known. Why didn’t I see?” He opened his eyes again. “Glynda, you said that Miss Dash reported this?”
“Yes, Professor,” Glynda said. “After Miss Polendina was… injured; I escorted her and Miss Soleil back to the airship. I was ready to return to the students, but I was informed that it was too late.”
“Soleil,” Ironwood said. “Is she-?”
“I am fine, sir,” Ciel cut in. “My aura was not broken and is recovering presently. Although it was my duty to assist Penny back to the airship, I will be fit to return to action once she is safely ensconced aboard ship.”
“I’m glad to hear it, Soleil,” Ironwood said. “What’s Penny’s condition?”
“I fear I am scarcely qualified to say, sir, but she can no longer speak, and her motor functions are impaired.”
“I’ll know more when I can examine her, sir, but it sounds like she might need to head home for repairs,” Twilight said.
“Understood,” Ironwood growled. “Twilight, where’s Dash? Where’s the rest of the expedition?”
Twilight was silent for a moment. “Trying to derail the train and block the tunnel so that the White Fang can’t get through to Vale, sir. But I don’t know if they’ll do it, and even if they do… they’ll be stuck down there with the White Fang, won’t they? They talked about getting out through the emergency hatches, but then there are the grimm to think about-”
“Rainbow Dash did the right thing,” Ironwood said. It was a noble thing to die for Atlas, and sometimes, it was an unfortunate necessity to do that noble thing, as much as it grieved those left behind. “Lulamoon, can you hear me?”
“Loud and clear, sir,” Trixie said in a voice devoid of her usual rolling r’s.
“Return to the Valiant at best speed; I’ll have further orders for your team once you get here. Twilight, when you arrive, I want you to disembark and wait for Penny. Glynda, I need you to head for my ship too, so we can get Penny onboard. I can give you another airship to head back to Beacon from there. Soleil, you’ll get your orders aboard ship as well.”
“Yes, sir,” Twilight said, her voice subdued.
“Understood, sir,” Ciel said.
“Roger that, sir,” said Trixie.
“Thank you, James,” added Glynda.
“General,” Twilight said. “If… if they do stop the train, then-”
“Then we’ll get them out,” Ironwood said. “You have my word on that: no one left behind.”
“Thank you, sir, that means a lot to hear you say it,” Twilight said. “But… if they don’t stop it-”
“Then we’ll take care of it,” Ironwood assured her. “Come home, Twilight, and leave the rest to us.”
“Glynda, we will speak more on your return,” Ozpin said. “As I’m sure you understand, I have preparations to make.”
“Of course, Professor. I hope to see you soon.”
“Likewise.”
“Goodbye, sir.”
“Goodbye, Twilight,” Ironwood said. “Ironwood out.” He severed the connection, leaving only Ozpin on the line, his head bowed and his eyes closed.
“I have grown old, James,” Ozpin admitted. “When I was a younger man, I would have seen this coming.”
“We don’t have time for self-doubt, Oz,” Ironwood said. “Not until we’ve settled this.”
“I sent Summer’s only child into desperate peril from which she may not return,” Ozpin said. “I risked my Fall candidate, and for what? For something I should have seen the moment I heard the name 'Mountain Glenn.' Is it just that this body is old, or are all my years catching up to me?”
“Oz!” Ironwood barked. “We don’t have time for this. And besides, don’t count our teams out just yet. Give them the credit they deserve.”
Ozpin was silent for a moment, before a slight smile creased his aged face. “Yes. Yes, of course, you are right, James; we are talking about a collection of exceptionally talented students. And you are even more right that I have no time to doubt myself. I must inform Councillor Aris at once. No doubt, she will petition your assistance as soon as she learns what is happening.”
“Just in case she doesn’t, I’d like to be included in that call myself,” Ironwood said. He had not forgotten the way that Councillor Aris had tied his hands over the Emerald Forest incident, and certainly, he had not forgiven her for it. This time, he wasn’t going to take no for an answer, even if he had to disobey her instructions. He’d go to his own Council if he had to; he should probably inform them about this anyway. An attack on Vale was something they’d want to hear about from him, not from the news.
“Of course,” Ozpin said. “That will be… efficient.” He looked Ironwood in the eye. “If you want to say ‘I told you so,’ James, just say it,” he said. “Smugness doesn’t become a man in your position.”
“No,” Ironwood said, “it doesn’t.” However, his desire to be the bigger man was not quite able to drive all uncharitable thoughts out of his head.
I warned you this would happen. I told you she was coming for us. And they’re coming, all right; they’re coming right into the heart of Vale.
He couldn’t help but wonder if his adversaries – Cinder Fall, or perhaps even Salem herself – knew something that he didn’t. It seemed such a quixotic venture, even with the element of surprise on their side, did they really think that a single attack would bring down the entire kingdom? Did they really esteem his troops so lightly that they thought that the White Fang could beat them in a conventional battle?
Did they have something up their sleeves that he didn’t know about yet? Something that Dash hadn’t seen?
Ironwood frowned. He had told Ozpin that they didn’t have the luxury of doubt, and he’d meant it. He couldn’t worry that he might be playing into the hands of the enemy, he couldn’t plan based on what ifs or maybes, he couldn’t look for the worst. He could only analyse the information in front of him and act upon it.
And the information before him said that Vale was in danger, and his soldiers were needed to defend it.
Rainbow Dash, if the gods give a damn, I hope they’re watching over you.
“I’m contacting the First Councillor now,” Ozpin said, glancing away from Ironwood and clearly looking at something on his desk. Ironwood caught a brief glimpse of Ozpin’s fingers moving, presumably typing something. There was a moment’s pause before another window opened up on Ironwood’s desk, presenting the bust of First Councillor Novo Aris.
Councillor Aris wrapped one of the locks of fuchsia hair that fell between her eyebrows around her finger. “Ozpin, I seem to recall when I took office you saying something to the effect that you and I wouldn’t be seeing very much of one another.”
“Madame Councillor-” Ozpin began.
“‘You might even forget that I exist’ were, I recall, your exact words,” Councillor Aris growled. “I can’t help but notice that that ceased to be true some time ago.”
“Madame Councillor,” Ozpin said firmly, “there will be time to apologise for the way in which I have burdened you with my presence this year, but now is not the time. We have reason to believe that Vale may soon come under serious attack by the White Fang.”
“'Serious attack'?” Councillor Aris repeated. She tugged at the lock of hair. “What does that mean? Do you have intelligence about another bomb threat?”
“I’m afraid it’s rather more serious than that,” Ozpin said gravely. “The White Fang have assembled an army, equipped with stolen dust and Atlesian military equipment, and we believe that they plan to use the Mountain Glenn tunnel to bypass Vale’s defences and attack into the heart of the city.”
Councillor Aris stared at them both, her wide magenta eyes flickering, sometimes looking at Ironwood, sometimes – he guessed – looking at Ozpin. “You believe?” she said weakly.
“We sent a reconnaissance team to investigate reports of White Fang activity at Mountain Glenn,” Ironwood said. “They’ve just reported back.”
“Reports?” Councillor Aris repeated. “You had reports? Reports which you didn’t share with me.”
“We’re sharing them now,” Ironwood pointed out.
“Now that Vale is about to fall under attack!” Councillor Aris yelled, slamming the flat of her hand down onto her desk. “You should have informed me the moment you received this intelligence and told me what you intended to do about it, not kept me in the dark until the last possible moment!”
“Madame Councillor,” Ozpin said, “we hardly have time-”
“Do not tell me that we do not have time!” Councillor Aris snarled. “You…” She took a deep breath and mastered herself with a visible effort. “Do not imagine that I will allow this to stand, Professor Ozpin; you serve at the pleasure of the Council-”
“I will be happy to account for my conduct before the Council,” Ozpin said, not sounding particularly enthusiastic about the idea. “When the crisis is over.”
Councillor Aris closed her eyes. “God,” she whispered. “Let me get General Seaspray on the line.”
Her fingers flew, and soon, another window appeared floating above Ironwood’s desk, this one bearing the face of General Seaspray, commander of the Valish Defence Forces.
“General Ironwood,” he said courteously. “Professor Ozpin. Madame Councillor.” He hesitated a moment. “Is something amiss?”
“You could say that,” Councillor Aris growled. “One of you repeat what you just told me.”
“A force of White Fang, exact strength unknown but substantial, and unfortunately armed in part with stolen Atlesian military equipment including prototypes of our latest battlemech, are poised to carry out an assault into Vale itself,” Ironwood said. “Using the Mountain Glenn subway tunnels to pass under the Red Line. We have a team trying to stop them, but no guarantee that they will be successful.”
General Seaspray was very still. When he spoke, his voice was soft and quiet. “I see. Thank you for informing me, General Ironwood.” He paused. “Better late than never.”
“Can you beat them, General?” Councillor Aris asked.
“Of c-” Ironwood began.
“General Seaspray,” Councillor Aris interrupted. “Vale will be defended first and foremost by its own soldiers.”
General Seaspray looked somewhat uncomfortable. “We… we will, of course, obey any orders from the Council, Madame Councillor, but… with all due respect, I would prefer to defer to General Ironwood. His forces are better trained and rather better equipped.”
Councillor Aris stared out of the screen, but not at Ironwood; presumably, she was staring at General Seaspray, for whom Ironwood was not without sympathy. Certainly, he had more sympathy for his Valish counterpart than for the politician whom he served.
Councillor Aris said, “Are you telling me that our troops are unable to defend their own homes?”
“Most of my forces are trained to man the walls of the Red Line and fend off grimm from the security of that position,” General Seaspray replied. “I have a few more versatile units, but none with expertise in house to house fighting against an enemy that can shoot back. I fear that fighting in the midst of Vale itself might not stiffen their resolve so much as weaken morale. Not to mention that we don’t have any airships available to provide support, while General Ironwood has a great many.”
“None?” Councillor Aris demanded. “What about the Warrior? It was over the city just a few months ago when the grimm horde approached.”
“It developed engine troubles last week and had to go back to the yard in Alexandria for repairs,” General Seaspray explained. “Royal Sovereign is also in the yards for its triennial refit, Monarch is being rebuilt, and Defender was damaged in a collision with a civilian airship. The only warship presently at readiness is the Terror, and she’s eight hours south of here at best speed.”
Once again, Ironwood was not without sympathy for his beleaguered counterpart. It sounded as though his fleet had had terrible luck at the worst possible time to have it. But, with the greatest degree of sympathy, that was why it was wise to have more than five ships – and possibly not have two of them laid up for major work at the same time.
Councillor Aris looked down at her hands for a moment, stretching her fingers out across her desk. “I see,” she said softly. Her dignity hung off her like tattered shreds as she looked up and at Ironwood. “General Ironwood,” he said, “it seems that Vale looks to you and your… goodwill forces. I believe you were about to tell me that you could beat these people.”
“Without a doubt, Madame Councillor,” Ironwood said. “They might have our weapons, but they don’t have our resolve. Ozpin, where does the tunnel end? Where are they going to come up?”
Ozpin thought about it for a moment. “Lost Valley Square. When the tunnel was sealed, the subway station was demolished and paved over. It’s a plaza now.”
Appropriately named, given that Vale seems to have tried hard to forget all about Mountain Glenn, Ironwood thought. “Madame Councillor, I recommend that you declare a state of emergency and evacuate everyone in a… twelve block radius of that plaza and all districts sitting directly on top of the subway line. We’ll contain them within a tighter radius than that, but with bullets flying, it’s best to be on the safe side.”
“I’ll get the police on it,” Councillor Aris murmured, sounding defeated by the weaknesses of the Valish forces before the White Fang had even arrived.
“My students may be able to assist in that,” Ozpin said.
Councillor Aris nodded. “I’m sure that will be welcome,” she whispered.
“We should also bear in mind,” Ozpin continued, “that the evacuations, even the declarations of a state of emergency, will undoubtedly cause panic amongst the population, and that kind of panic may bring the grimm.”
“My troops may not be able to fight the White Fang in the streets, but they can hold the Red Line if the grimm come that way,” General Seaspray vowed.
“What about the people living beyond the Red Line?” Ironwood asked. “My units have been working to improve the Green Line, but if I’m going to fight a battle inside Vale, I may need to pull them inside. Do you have any troops that can push out to relieve my men on the outer defences?”
General Seaspray considered that. “I’ve got the King’s Own Patch Light Infantry and the Lifeguards; I’ll move them out to form a front line. If you need any additional infantry, General, I can let you have the Mount Aris Light Dragoons. They’re our airborne unit, and probably the best I’ve got.”
“I appreciate that, General; they’ll be welcome,” Ironwood said. He wouldn’t deploy them unless he had to, but it was a courteous gesture and deserved a courteous response.
“Then I’ll tell Colonel Sky Beak to report to you,” General Seaspray said. “He’s a good man; you can rely on him.”
“I’ll bear that in mind,” Ironwood said. “I can give you two cruisers to cover your men on the Green Line and a carrier with its air group.”
“Much obliged to you, General Ironwood,” General Seaspray said.
“And I… I will convene the Council in emergency session,” Councillor Aris said, still sounding dull and almost dead inside. “Are you all clear on what must be done?”
“I think so, Madame Councillor,” Ironwood replied. “Ma’am, everything is going to be all right. You can depend on us.”
“Can I?” Councillor Aris asked. “Can I depend on you, General Ironwood, Professor Ozpin? Can I depend on you?”
“You can depend upon my men,” Ironwood declared. “You don’t have to approve of my decisions, but don’t doubt my people. They’ll get it done, every time. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Councillor, I need to start issuing orders.”
“As do I,” General Seaspray added. “Madame Councillor.”
“General Seaspray, General Ironwood… Professor,” Councillor Aris added, with extra venom upon Oz’s title.
The images of General Seaspray and Councillor Aris disappeared, leaving Ozpin and Ironwood alone again.
“I never imagined it would come to this,” Ozpin murmured.
“There’s nothing to worry about, Oz,” Ironwood told him. “We can do this.”
Ozpin almost smiled. “You sound so wonderfully reassuring when you say that, James. You must teach me how you do it.”
“I’d be glad too,” Ironwood replied. “But right now, I really do have to go.”
“Good luck, James,” Ozpin said, before his face disappeared as he too hung up the call.
“I don’t need luck,” Ironwood declared. “I’ve got my men.”
He strode out of his office, briskly – and a little brusquely – returning the salute of the guard outside, and made his way swiftly onto the bridge. The door slid open to admit him onto the Valiant’s CIC.
“General on deck!”
The call, accompanied by a shrill whistle from the Petty Officer standing just beside the door, brought everyone on the bridge out of their seats and standing to attention, all their eyes turned towards him.
“Easy, ladies and gentlemen,” Ironwood said, walking towards the port display readouts, where a map of Remnant displayed the locations of major Atlesian military units and bases, side-by-side with a map of the city of Vale and its immediate environs, as well as any grimm activity - no major concentrations yet - as well as a pair of lines, one green and one red, that marked the location of Vale’s lines of fortifications, the complete and the incomplete.
They still marked the best locations to stop any grimm attack on the perimeter dead, and Oz was right: the panic caused by an evacuation of the threatened city districts would attract grimm like a bear to honey.
First things first.
“Bring the ship to general quarters,” Ironwood said, without turning away from the maps. “Signal the fleet to do likewise. This is not a drill, people; the Kingdom of Vale is about to come under attack by the White Fang, and we must be ready when it does.”
“Yes, sir,” Lieutenant des Voeux acknowledged. Nobody questioned his orders, nobody asked why he thought there was about to be a White Fang attack on Vale; they simply obeyed his orders and trusted that he knew something they didn’t. “Signalling the fleet now. General Quarters; all hands, the ship is now going to General Quarters: all personnel to your stations and prepare for enemy contact. Fore and up on the starboard side, down and aft on the port side. Load all weapons and prepare all airships for immediate take-off. Security teams stand by to repel boarders. Infantry stand-by for ground deployment. Prep all medical bays to receive casualties. The ship is going to General Quarters; this is not a drill. Repeat, this is not a drill.”
The warning klaxon rang throughout the ship.
“Open a line to the Gallant,” Ironwood said.
“Aye aye, sir.” There was a moment’s pause. “Channel open.”
“Major Rouge, this is General Ironwood; do you read me?”
“Loud and clear, sir,” replied the voice of Major Horatia Rouge, CO aboard the Gallant.
“I want you to take your ship and the Resolution to Mountain Glenn immediately; there may be Atlesian and Valish huntsmen trapped in the main subway tunnel to Vale, or they may have escaped and signal you from the city; either way, you are to rescue and recover them with all despatch. Acknowledge.” He was taking a bit of a risk on this; a more cautious commander would have recalled the two ships he had sent out – half of his Fourth Battle Squadron, nearly a quarter of his fleet – to Vale at best speed to bolster his forces for when or if the grimm attack materialised. Certainly, if it had only been a case of possibly pounding on the White Fang as they tried to run, he wouldn’t have bothered. But he had given his word to Twilight, and even if he had not, it wasn’t in his nature to abandon his troops in a situation like this.
If Dash and the others did succeed in stopping the train, then he wasn’t about to leave them in a grimm-infested ruin to die.
“Acknowledged, General. Laying in a course now.”
“Godspeed, Gallant. Ironwood out.” Ironwood took pause for a moment, studying the map and visualising in his mind’s eye what it actually looked like in terms of streets, buildings, and the fields beyond. “Signal the Vigilant: she and Courageous are to take position on the Green Line and support Valish troops that will begin moving up to take position overhead shortly. The Nicholas Schnee is to deploy its combat airships to support that effort as well. All battalion Skyrays are to be despatched and all infantry units deployed on the Green Line are to be airlifted back to Vale immediately. I want the First Battalion to form a defensive perimeter…” Ironwood studied the map, looking for the best position to deploy his infantry; he didn’t want too many side-streets and back alleys to defend, but at the same time, he didn’t want to position his men right on top of the White Fang when they emerged; he wanted space to unleash his airpower before he sent the ground troops in, and that meant allowing the enemy freedom to reach the surface. “Four blocks out from Lost Valley Square. Lock it down; I don’t want anyone able to get out. The remaining rifle companies of the Fourth Battalion will hold in reserve and wait for my orders to deploy. Cruisers of the First Squadron are to achieve main battery firing angles over Lost Valley Square and hold position. I want all airships aboard the Colton prepped and ready to launch and all Skygraspers loaded with androids.”
“Understood, sir. Issuing your orders now.”
“Fitzjames, bring the Valiant into position to bring our main battery to bear in support of the First Squadron,” Ironwood ordered.
“Aye aye, sir,” confirmed Captain Fitzjames, commanding officer aboard the Valiant. “Laying in the course now.”
Winter stepped a little closer to Ironwood’s side. “This is to do with Rosepetal’s mission, isn’t it sir?”
“Affirmative,” Ironwood murmured.
Winter hesitated for a moment. “And, sir?”
“Penny has been damaged,” Ironwood said quietly. “Twilight and Soleil are on their way back. Dash is either still in the subway tunnel or else somewhere in the city ruins with Miss Belladonna and Team Sapphire.”
“I see,” Winter whispered. “Is there anything I can do, sir?”
Ironwood looked at her. “Take the Valiant’s Specialist squad, head down there, and present yourself to Major Hancock.”
“Immediately, sir.”
“And des Voeux, get the Atlas Council on the line,” Ironwood commanded. “They’re going to need to know about this too.”
Novo Aris had made… very little secret, in the scheme of things, of the fact that she had come from a privileged background. She was an Aris of Mount Aris, with all that implied – and it implied a fair amount when they had named the town after your family – but despite all the advantages that had offered her in terms of doors opened, opportunities offered, introductions to and recommendations from all the right people, that did not mean that she was a stranger to adversity in her career. The first time she had contested for the alderman’s position of a ward, she had been defeated; she had won the second time around but lost the seat just three years later as the Social Democrats swept to a landslide victory. She had fought to get back into the Chamber of Aldermen at the next election, then gotten pregnant with Skystar and discovered that as an Alderman, she had no legal rights to any sort of maternity arrangements; she had been forced to waddle about the Chamber like a sweating duck, nine months pregnant, putting aside her discomfort for the sake of the party and the knife-edge votes where no one could afford to be absent.
Despite her background, she had had to fight every step of the way: to get back into the Chamber of Aldermen, to become leader of the Liberal Conservatives, to rid the party of its ‘nasty’ image rooted in a narrow base and narrower sympathies, and finally, to be elected not only to the Council but to the leadership of the Council. And she had done all of that while burying a husband and raising a daughter. She was not a stranger to reversals of fortune.
So why now did she feel so utterly defeated?
She wanted to scream, she wanted to howl, she wanted to throw things, she wanted to tear her office into pieces in her frustration, she wanted to tear her hair out, she wanted to run to the nearest religious house and demand to know why this was happening to her?
She wanted to put her head into her hands and weep.
It was the powerlessness, she realised; she hadn’t felt like this since her husband’s waning days, in the last days when it had become clear that no amount of busying herself searching for experimental treatments, no amount of phone calls with top Atlesian doctors, no amount of fight or fundraising or… anything, really, would be enough; the last days when it had become undeniable that her husband and the father of her child was going to die and there was nothing she could do except sit by his bedside and hold his hand while he slipped away from her.
She had never felt so helpless before or since. Though some of her misfortunes had been out of her hands, there had always been something she could do about them: she could institute better conditions for those who came after her, she could change the values of the party so that it won elections again, she could campaign hard, she could fight and change her fortune – and that of the kingdom – for the better.
But now… now, in the face of the shocks of this year, she felt again as she had felt when her husband had left her: helpless, powerless to help herself, powerless to do anything.
She hadn’t been able to stop the robberies, she hadn’t been able to stop the grimm from massing in the Emerald Forest, and she couldn’t stop the White Fang now.
All she could do was trust that General Ironwood’s Atlesian troops lived up to their vaunted reputation.
And this is what I’ll be remembered for. Not for the thriving economy, not for our welfare programs, not for anything that I actually did or could have done, not even for hosting a successful Vytal Festival. No, when people think of Novo Aris, they will remember that I was First Councillor when the White Fang ran riot and the grimm threatened the outlying settlements of Vale.
Her gaze fell down to the picture of Skystar on her desk. Skystar. Oh, God, where was Skystar? Where was the attack? Lost Valley Square, that was what Ozpin had said. Novo brought up the keypad on her desk, trembling fingers flying across it as she typed in her daughter’s name.
As the computer built into her desk began to search for a connection, Novo noticed her hands shaking.
She clenched them into fists in a vain effort to prevent it.
Skystar answered, a bright smile upon her face that seemed almost indecent in the circumstances. “Hey, Mom!” she greeted brightly, before noticing the look on her mother’s face. “Is everything okay?”
“Where are you?” Novo demanded bluntly.
Skystar frowned. “I’m at the Limehouse shopping mall, why?”
“Listen to me,” Novo said. “I need you to get down here right away. And I also need you to call your Aunt Ocean and tell her to bring Silverstream and Terramar here as well. I’d call myself, but I’ll be too busy.”
“You want us all to come down to the Palace?” Skystar asked. “Why? Mom, what’s going on?”
“Just do it!” Novo snapped. She took a deep breath. “Please, Skystar, trust me. And do it right now.”
Skystar looked a little concerned now – not nearly as concerned as she would have been if she’d known what Novo knew – but she nodded. “Okay, Mom, right away.”
“Good girl,” Novo said, forcing a smile onto her face. “I’ll see you when you get here, but now, I have work to do.” She hung up, and then stood up.
She felt… not better, perhaps, but calling her daughter, doing that one thing to keep her safe, had reminded her that she was not completely helpless in this situation. If she could not affect the battle that might soon break out, that didn’t mean that there was nothing she could do.
She threw open the door to her office and strode out, nearly colliding with Aspen in the corridor.
“Excuse me there, Novo,” he said, backing away from her, a smile upon his face that made his emerald eyes glimmer slightly. “I mean Madame Councillor, of course.”
That was an old game between them, to pretend even now to be unsure of where the boundary lay between her old friend from university and her political subordinate, but she had no time for it now.
“Aspen, I’m about to declare a state of emergency. I need you to order the police to start evacuating everyone in a twelve block radius of Lost Valley Square and to coordinate with Professor Ozpin for assistance from his students. Then join me in Council chambers; we’re having an emergency session.”
“To discuss the emergency, one assumes,” Aspen muttered. “What’s going on?”
“The White Fang are about to attack,” Novo said. “They have an army, and it seems they are going to come up from underground using the old Mountain Glenn tunnels.”
Aspen’s eyes widened, all joy departing from them. “The White Fang,” he murmured. “How did we find out about this?”
“Professor Ozpin and General Ironwood suspected that something was up, and sent in a scouting party to investigate,” Novo growled.
“What? And they’re only now-”
“We can discuss Ozpin’s future later,” Novo said. “For now… we have work of our own to do.”
Aspen cleared his throat. “Of course. I’ll get in touch with the Commissioner immediately. Does Seaspray know about this?”
“Seaspray has delegated our defences to General Ironwood and the Atlesian expedition,” Novo informed him tartly. “Apparently, our troops aren’t good enough, and we don’t have enough ships. He didn’t mention reductions in the defence estimates, but… I could take the implication.”
“Ironwood?” Aspen snapped.
“I’m not enamoured with the man myself,” Novo said. “But right now, he might be our best hope. Talk to the police, then join me in chambers.”
“At once,” Aspen said.
"Forgive my lateness, gentlemen," Cadance said as she strode into the Council Chamber. "The traffic was particularly bad."
The chamber in which the Atlesian council met to debate, discuss, and ultimately govern the nation was a semi-circular one, and at this moment dimly lit with only a few green footlights to provide illumination as Cadance climbed up onto the dais. Said dais took up the north side of the chamber, with a semi-circular table of pristine white set upon it, glowing faintly in the low light. The flat and southern side of the chamber was taken up with an enormous screen displaying the image of General Ironwood, his head and shoulders taking up almost the entire frame – although it was just possible to make out that he was on the bridge of one of his warships.
"Councillor Cadenza," General Ironwood acknowledged her with a nod of his head. "It's good to see you again."
"Likewise, General," Cadance said as she sat down, smoothing out her navy blue skirt with her hands as she did so. "Would somebody mind filling me in on anything that I've missed?"
"As I was just informing the council," General Ironwood said, "we have received credible intelligence that an effort is underway by the White Fang to breach the defences of Vale and launch a large-scale attack into the city itself."
“'A large-scale attack'?” Cadance repeated. “What kind of scale are we discussing here, General?”
“The exact numbers are unknown,” General Ironwood replied. “But we anticipate hundreds of enemy combatants, if not over a thousand, well-supplied with dust and military equipment.”
Cadance could not restrain the gasp that rose her lips in response to this. The operation surrounding her wedding was still – until now, it seemed – the largest and the most complex operation ever carried out by the White Fang, and that had involved fifty terrorists at most. To go from that to hundreds, possibly thousands of people… how? And why? Were they really hoping to bring down an entire kingdom? Did they really think they could?
“The Valish Council has requested my assistance and that of my forces in dealing with this threat,” General Ironwood continued. “I have, of course, agreed, and ships and troops are moving into position now to counter what we believe to be the location of the attack. I thought it best to inform the Council, both in case I need to call upon additional ships and units and because this will undoubtedly end up on the news in any case.”
Cadance placed her hands on the white table. It was cool beneath her palms. "It seems so incredible that even the White Fang would try to do this; General, can you say where this intelligence has come from?"
General Ironwood was silent for a moment. “We received a message from an insurrectionist, Cinder Fall, with ties to the White Fang. In that message she… invited us to Mountain Glenn. Discussion with the incarcerated criminal Roman Torchwick further suggested that there might be a White Fang base in the area.”
“Sounds like a trap,” drawled Councillor Bradley from where he sat at the centre of the curving table. Standing not quite six feet tall, with a face lined and wrinkled by the years and white hair cut very close to his scalp, Bradley was the Father of the Council, which denoted his seniority in years – for thirty-eight years, he had held his seat, nearly half the lifetime of the kingdom and more than half the time that Atlas had been in the air – but did not give him any especial powers or privilege. Nevertheless, he had lived through a great deal; he was the only member of the Council who had been born in the Kingdom of Mantle, and the weight of his experience meant that he bore listening to.
In this case, Cadance was inclined to agree with him: it did sound like a trap.
“Nevertheless,” General Ironwood said, “rather than risk the consequences of ignoring this, Professor Ozpin and I despatched a joint reconnaissance expedition, consisting of the Valish Team Sapphire, the Atlesian Team Rosepetal, and ancillary Blake Belladonna to investigate. Elements of that expedition have now reported back-”
“'Team Rosepetal'?” interrupted Councillor Camilla, a slightly plump, dark-skinned woman whose dark hair, bound in a wide bun at the nape of her neck, was beginning to give way to grey. “Isn’t that the team deployed around Doctor Polendina’s experiment?”
“Penny Polendina is a member of Team Rosepetal, yes,” General Ironwood said impassively.
“Do you mean to tell us that you sent our massively experimental, massively expensive R&D project into a trap?!” demanded Councillor Sleet, a pinch-faced man whose face was largely concealed behind a very large, very square pair of glasses. “What were you thinking?”
Cadance was almost inclined to wonder that herself, although in her case, her concern was more for Twilight than for Penny. What had General Ironwood been thinking, sending Twilight into such a situation?
And what had he meant when he said that ‘some elements’ of the expedition had reported back with information about a grimm attack on Vale? What about the other elements that had not reported back? Were they lost? Was Twilight…? The mere thought was enough to chill Cadance’s heart, and the thought of how her husband would take it… Shining Armour loved his sister so much; if any harm came to her… it would haunt them both until the end of their days.
Please, let it not be so.
“I was thinking that this situation required the best I could find,” General Ironwood said. “I believe the fact that they have uncovered the enemy plot in time for us to take steps to thwart it bears out my decision and my assessment of the abilities of my team.”
“Events are not sufficiently far along to judge the consequences of your actions, General Ironwood,” Camilla declared.
“Either for your team, for Vale, or for your career, for that matter,” Sleet muttered.
“Now, folks, let’s all calm down just a little,” Bradley said. “We built the darn thing so that she could fight, after all, not so we could lock her in a box at the fairground.”
“I’m inclined to say,” added Councillor Ivy Brown, a woman only a couple of years younger than Cadance herself, with hair that was – judging by the hints of brown at the roots – dyed green to match her eyes, “that if Vale is saved by the contribution of Penny Polendina, then it will have the been worth the expense based on that alone.”
“That’s a matter of opinion,” Sleet said.
“General,” Cadance said. “What…?” She took a moment to collect herself. It wouldn’t do – nor would it do much for her standing on the council – if she yelled out ‘what do you know about Twilight? Is she okay?’ much as she might want to. She smoothed out her skirt again and with one hand slightly adjusted her jacket. “What is the status of the team you sent to Mountain Glenn?”
General Ironwood took a deep breath. “Penny has been damaged,” he began.
“Oh, for the love of-” Sleet cried.
“But we believe that she can be repaired,” General Ironwood continued. “She was escorted from the battlefield by Cadet Soleil and is on her way back to my ship as we speak, along with an Atlesian citizen rescued from captivity, Tech Specialist Twilight Sparkle, and Team Tsunami who were acting as a mission reserve.” General Ironwood glanced at Cadance, and she was sure that he had only mentioned Twilight in order to assuage her concerns.
She was grateful for that, but it was not her only concern. “So the only member of Team Rosepetal unaccounted for is Rainbow Dash.”
General Ironwood clenched his jaw. “The last report from Rainbow Dash was that she was attempting to prevent the White Fang from opening a way into Vale. Her survival at the present time is neither guaranteed nor determined.”
Cadance sighed. “I see,” she murmured. “Thank you for your candour, General.” She had hoped for Rainbow Dash’s help carrying forward the investigation into SDC working practices, but if Rainbow did not survive… then Cadance would have to ensure that she uncovered the truth anyway, in Rainbow’s name.
“Perhaps,” Councillor Sleet said, “we should discuss the wisdom of retreat at this time.”
“'Retreat'?” General Ironwood said, as a frown disfigured his face. “Councillor, Vale has requested our assistance.”
“Which does not bind us to give it to them,” Sleet replied. “Why can the Valish not defend their own kingdom? Would they come to our aid if we were in need?”
“That’s a ridiculous question,” Cadance said. “Atlas has the most advanced military in Remnant.”
“A fact which the other kingdoms exploit to avoid spending on their own defence!” Sleet declared. “Why should we fight for Vale when Vale cannot fight for itself? If the White Fang are victorious, then we will have lost ships and men, and for what?”
“Councillors, I have no intention of losing this battle,” General Ironwood declared. “Preparations are well underway, the White Fang have no idea that we have been forewarned of their assault, and if they break through, I will give them a shock that they will not see coming, and I promise that it will be the last thing they see.”
“At what cost?” asked Camilla.
“What cost to our reputation, Chancellor, if we turn and run?” Cadance demanded. She rose to her feet so that all could see her and she could speak without looking so awkward. “If we abandon Vale, why should Mistral or Vacuo ever trust us again?”
Bradley looked at her for a moment. “Councillor Cadenza, perhaps you might like to clarify?”
“The alliance of the four kingdoms is founded upon the strength of Atlas,” Cadance said. “We protect the world and in so doing maintain its harmony. We make sacrifices for the sake of others, and those are sacrifices that we make willingly because we believe in what we’re doing for the good of Remnant and because we know that nobody else would take up the sword and shield that we set down. Nobody else would aid their neighbours as we do.
“We are the shield of Remnant. We have taken up that duty before the world. But that shield will be broken the moment that the world finds out that we turned our back on Vale when it needed us the most.
“Everything depends on the strength of Atlas: the single market, the world economy, peace and harmony and life itself. Do we really dare put all of that at risk because we’re afraid? Because we’re afraid of a battle that our own commander assures us can be won?”
The other members of the Council were silent for a moment.
Bradley was quiet for a moment. “We do trade a great deal with Vale. If we lost that, I suppose I’d have old Jacques Schnee hollerin’ in my ear about all the lien he’s lost. Not to mention that we’ve let it a little late to get his kid out. And I suppose it’s the right thing to do, standing by an ally. You really think you can win this, General?”
“Yes, Councillor,” Ironwood said. “Without a doubt.”
“Then you’d better do it then,” Bradly said. “If you need reinforcements from nearby units you can draw on them. You’d better be sure about this.”
General Ironwood glanced at Cadance as she sat down. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes told her ‘thank you.’
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I am truly glad to see a few things from Councilor Aris' perspective, it shows a lot of insight of the reasons behind her decisions. But that does not make them good decisions.
That's not how it works, Councilor! This is not a matter of secrecy because of Salem. It was an ongoing investigation to verify the accuracy of some intel provided by two extremely disreputable sources. That's why only scouts were sent to confirm that there even was a White Fang presence, instead of a military airfleet based on potentially fraudulent intel by two known saboteurs. No disrespect or insubordination was involved.
(Check the ending of the chapter "Objective Received" for more info)
First of all, Ozpin is a member of the Council. While he is expected to uphold his duties all the same as a member, he is not their subordinate. He has as much authority and discretion to act as any single member does.
Second of all, not even thirty seconds in, and Novo is already unfairly looking for someone to cast the blame on before she thinks of taking action. How wonderful. More importantly, it has just been amply demonstrated that there is nothing that the Vale Council could have done even if they were informed prematurely of these rumors; they have no actionable military forces available... other than Ozpin and his students. What are they going to do anyway? Strip away Vale's last available and competent form of defense after a major attack? Oh wait, that's exactly what they did to poor Ozpin in canon.
I also can't help but notice that Novo's first thoughts were to blame someone while Councilwoman Cadence's first thoughts were of others.
If it wasn't because she intented this speech to help Vale, i would scream of rage regarding such arrogance.
10998652
It is a bit absurd to talk as if they were the only ones who could care about the safety of Remnant in general, specially when there is no way that Atlas isn't benefitting from such deal.
If Atlas was truly doing it for altruism then they would have starved themselves by spreading their strength so thin.
10998753
Agreed. Their ideal of protecting Remnant is mostly out of pride for their own strength rather than truly noble altruism.
10998833
Which by itself is not really a problem. Protecting the world is an extremely expensive endeavor and the first duty of any kingdom should be their own people. No kingdom should take the mantle if they can't get any benefit from it, and if having the power to make such deals feeds your ego that is both unsurprising and not that much of a problem unless pride gives way to entitlement and unreasonable demands.
Well intentioned naivete is more dangerous in comparison, not only because it shows a lack of self-awareness that can allow people with less morals abuse the situation, it also shows a misunderstanding of what is fueling such mission. Being unaware of what fills your cup means that you will be taken by surprise when it dries out.
10998871
Not only that, but they act like the others kingdoms and their peoples were beneath them.
At best it's like the US with Europe, at worst, well, it is far away from the abomination of the "White man burden" idea, but it's still messed up and with a idea of superiority for everyone of Atlas rather than only the ruling class, for example, the british governement is the dog of the US one, but i doubt the US people think like that for the british peoples.
You know, i wonder if Gilda wouldn't try to make the White fang members surrender or even help the civilians to escape the Grimms.
They had been betrayed, and are now led by someone who always doubted the plan, both for practical and moral reasons.
Why helping the civilians escape ? Because it would put them in a better light and thus lighter sentences, and also i think it could allow them more easily the possibility to surrender to Valish authorities, because Vale would be better than to surrender to the most anti-Faunus kingdom.
And this chapter made me even more disgusted of the idea of Blake in Atlas.
11001408
Surrender? Definitely, if running away is impossible.
Helping evacuate? No. Not because Gilda would want everyone to die to the Grimm, but because they would just get in the way. They caused this, no-one is going to see them in a better light if they try to help the evacuation and people are definitely not going to trust the WF offers, so they would actually slow down any evacuation attempt they added themselves into.
11001524
That's a excellent point.
Would they fight the Grimms though in your opinion ?
11001554
They don't have an option about fighting the Grimm, they are the closest ones to them and the first ones to get the hit. Not fighting the Grimm would imply either let themselves die, get captured or getting away. Getting captured is the most likely outcome, the defenders are not going to let them free or believe any offer to fight back the Grimm together, and if they somehow get a chance to run away they will do so in a heartbeat.
11001641
This is a excellent point.
Thank you very much for the discussions
, if you know others great crossovers with Sunset i hadn't read (and i usually post many comments on the ones i read, so it can be easy to see) please send them to me in PMs.
God, i just love Ironwood. He is just the best character... after Jaune, in this fic.