Chapter 19: The Beginnings of Diplomacy
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"We're approaching the designated point in sub-orbit over Menagerie right now." Their pilot relayed over the armored transport's intercom less than an hour later, the tinny speaker's very nearly inaudible crackle making her more sensitive ears ache. She ignore it, though, listening as the woman went on, "Upper-atmosphere cloud build-up looks like a storm, though."
"What's that mean?" Yang murmured quietly, one hand gripping her bicep while she grit her teeth. "Please tell me you aren't saying we can't go down…"
"She isn't." Kelly grunted, sitting by the door and running a rag gently over her shotgun. She didn't even bother turning to look at them as she explained, "Upper-atmo cloud build-up means moisture, heavy winds and ionization. Lightning, too, if your luck is particularly bad."
"Good thing we left your uncle behind…"
"Yeah, if he was here we'd end up getting the full lightning rod treatment." The blonde chuckled, shaking her head and slowly massaging her bicep.
"Pelicans are rated for atmospheric reentry and exit." Kelly went on simply, "Turbulence will be more intense, though. And the air-pressure regulation might fail, with the rapid pressure differentials going through the cloud layers."
"Oh." Lavender eyes turned to her and Yang frowned, worried, "Blake, will you…"
"I'll be okay. It'll hurt a bit, my ears will probably pop and ring, but…" She shrugged and forced a resigned kind of smile, ears flicking anxious as she looked between the other two women, "Just part of being a Faunus like me and flying. You… You just get used to it."
"You should have informed us." Kelly sighed, sliding her shotgun off her lap and, without looking, locking it into a holster beside her. "UNSC Air-Space Force flight helmets have their own atmo-regulator, if you put on the full harness. We could have gotten you one of those to wear, as we transitioned."
"I…" Blake sighed and shrugged, "I didn't really think about it, before we left. I was more worried about…"
"Me." Yang growled angrily, scowling at her, "I don't need you to baby me, Blake. We've been over this-"
"I'm not!" Blake rushed to argue as the Pelican began to tremor gently. Re-entry proper, she supposed, ignoring it in favor of laying a hand on Yang's knee and reassuring her, "I was just- Just distracted. Between you and your arm, and how much pain you were in, and taking all of… This to my parents, I just…"
"Tunnel vision." The Spartan across from them filled them in, nodding and offering a curt wave, folding her arms in the same motion, and adding, "Yep. Still here."
"Y-Yeah…" They'd gotten so caught up with the burgeoning argument that, somehow, they'd forgotten the massive woman was right there, watching them. Pushing on, Blake said, "I just got tunnel vision and- Ah!"
The pain came on suddenly and sharply, her feline ears flattening against her head as her fingers dug into her scalp and she doubled over, head between her knees. She felt hands on her, two armored and one not, but she couldn't hear what was being said to her. As sharp as the pain was, and good Grimm it was, it faded quickly, the ringing going with it as the air pressure inside the cabin stabilised.
As it faded, she heard Kelly's voice trail in, "-in a second. Just keep her steady until it does. Her balance will be shot."
"Got it." Yang said from her seat beside her, good arm slung over her back to hold her to keep her steady.
"You good now, Belladonna?" The Spartan's visor was in her face, the wide, bronze front reflecting a distorted face back at her as she looked to it. She nodded and sat up, the Spartan rising with her, large, armored hands on her shoulders easing her back against her seat, "We're through the storm now, so you should be fine."
"Yeah." And that meant they were descending, so, "Yang, how's your arm?"
"It… Doesn't hurt anymore!" The blonde smiled, reaching up to pull her prosthetic off the rack above her. Smiling, she pressed it onto the bracketed connector and twisted it, latching it on and activating the limb. Its fingers spasmed as it came online, but after a second it curled into a fist and Yang smiled, "Brothers, that is so much better, holy shit…"
"Any problems with it?" The Spartan asked quietly as she stood and stepped back, easing into her seat.
"Nah." Yang shook her head, working the fingers of the hand into and out of a fist, and then alternating holding some fingers out and curling others in. Testing it, she said, "I mean, it's a bit sluggish, yeah. But I'm pretty sure that's normal. It took a few minutes to get running right when I first put it on, too."
"Good." The Spartan nodded, "Because Frederic needs your partner in the cockpit, to show us a good place to land."
Menagerie didn't have an air-dock big enough for the Pelican, Blake knew, and even if it had they had no way of getting in touch with the air controllers there to get a spot. And since Blake did not want to land the heavy transport on something, she directed them to the wide beach, near the fisheries and jetties. The craft came down gently, the nose just barely in the water, as Menagerie's guards formed a loose, unsure perimeter.
"Don't." Blake said quietly when Kelly reached for the button that lowered the ramp, the other two Spartans behind her and Yang. "Not until you see my parents. Do you, uh, know what they look like?"
"Roland pulled pictures from the local network as soon as he managed a stable connection." Frederic said in answer, "World leaders, influential businessmen, known radicals, the like. Your parents included."
"As…?"
"As profiles forward to us." Frederic answered evasively, pointing a finger at the armored hull to their right. Where seats and racks were. "Hull cameras show a large man matching your father's general appearance speaking to well-decorated local guards over there."
"Then he's here." And as ever, going to see her parents brought a wave of… Anxiety and fear. Emotions she was sure she'd probably never really get over. She felt a cold hand in hers, fingers lacing through her own, and turned to her partner, "Thanks."
"No prob." She smiled, shooting her a wink, "Maybe put in a good word with your folks for me, though, hm?"
"I will." She smiled, turning to the waiting Spartan and nodding. "Let's do this, then."
With a single button push, the ramp began to lower, and Menagerie's tropical heat blasted in on them. With it came the smells of the sea-side, salt on the breeze and the smell of the fish on the docks. She closed her eyes and took a deeper breath and caught the scent and taste, just barely, of fruits and flowers on her tongue.
It was an old habit of hers, to just take in all of the smells and let it center herself. But no one, even the Spartans, rushed her down the ramp until she was ready.
"Do not let go of my hand, Yang." Blake asked quietly as they descended the ramp, the heavy boots of the Spartans thunking heavily behind them as they went. "I'm about to introduce my parents to magic and aliens, and I need the support."
"Whatever you need." The woman answered, cool metal fingers squeezing her hand reassuringly. "I'm right here, Blakey."
And somehow, that was all she found she needed to smile.
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"You know of my people?" The question was a foolish one, the militant man had a Spartan identification code for honor's sake, but it spilled from his mouth regardless.
"Your people, and what they've done to mine, yes." The General ground out, eyes narrow and hard as he met Thel's own, wider ones. Slowly, he turned his look on the Spartan again and reiterated, "Why would a Spartan be standing shoulder to shoulder with An Elite? That armor looks ornate, too. I know ornate armor indicates a high rank, so he should be at the top of your hit list."
"He would be, Sir, if the war was ongoing." The Spartan answered after a moment, sliding into an ease stance, "The Arbiter and the Sangheili assisted the UNSC in ending the war a few years ago, General."
"The Heirarchs of the Covenant betrayed my people, ordered them massacred to the last." Thel addendum drawing the man's narrow gaze back to him. Pursing his mandibles he went on, bowing his head slightly, "In the Great Schism which followed, the stark truth of the Heirarch's deceptions was laid bare."
"In response," the Demon added, "the Elites rallied to defend two worlds. Sanghelios, their homeworld, and Earth."
"With your permissions, Master Chief, I can put together an information packet detailing the events of the Battle of Earth." Roland offered quietly, "The connection is stable enough for a small briefing packet, at least."
"Time estimate?"
"Three seconds to compile, forty-two to upload, on this connection."
"Hm." The Spartan nodded, permitting the AI to compile the files, and asked, "General?"
The man hummed in thought, the fingers of one hand drumming out a heavy beat on the desk he was sitting at. Finally, the man sighed, "What I know of you is a heavily classified matter, one classified to only the Council. Strictly speaking, I don't know you, so I can't order my fleet to stand down while I peruse some packet of information you can't prove. I've just authorized warning shots across your ship's top."
"Roland?"
"I'm detecting missile locks- Launches, actually." The AI answered quickly, "Calculating trajectories… Minimum of ten meters over the top of our hull, right along the spine of the ship. AMS is online, Sir."
"Intercept the missiles." The Master Chief ordered, hesitating a moment before adding, "And prime our own missiles as well."
"Spartan..."
"I won't allow you to fire on my ship for politics, General." The Spartan grunted simply, cutting the other man off before he could argue. "Roland, target four of the Atlesian vessels. Aim for crippling shots, I don't want to destroy them outright if we-"
"Nope, nope, nope!" And suddenly, there was Ruby, flitting around past the Spartan and pointing a long, thin finger up and into his face. The Spartan physically recoiled, uncurling from his ease position slightly, one hand hovering instinctively close to his sidearm, "You are escalating, Mister! Pointing guns at each other is not a good way of making friends!"
"But he-"
"Ah bup bup bup!" She cut the Spartan off, lips pursed and eyes glaring as best as she could, "It takes two to tango, and just because Ironwood is being totally ridiculous, that doesn't mean you need to point a gun back at him! Or, well, a lot of guns. Which are missiles, not guns, but- You get the point!"
"Do not look to me for aid in this, Demon." Thel rumbled when the Spartan turned a look on him. Folding his arms, he flicked his gaze to the General, "I was about to step in myself, to end this nonsense and push us to proper contact."
"...Roland, has the AMS dealt with the missile launches?"
"Just about to, Sir." Roland murmured before his avatar blinked and he nodded, "Missiles popped, Chief. And, uh, if I get a vote, here, then I strongly suggest setting aside the whole 'Elite onboard' thing until the General reads the packet. Which I just sent him."
"Seconded!" Nora added brightly, leaning out from behind her frowning team leader. Her smile vanished, though, as she pointed at the General, "I think you need to remember what happened the last time you didn't trust us, Mister General."
"Yeah." Ruby nodded, turning to him and folding her small arms over her equally small chets, "Last time you didn't trust us, you made my sister a, uh- Weiss?"
"Pariah." The Schnee sighed, "He made her a pariah."
"Yeah, that." Ruby nodded, "And that ended up with Beacon falling. So maybe this time you should just… Trust me. My team."
"I have my own teams to trust, Miss Rose." Ironwood pointed out, folding his hands on the table in front of him. Turning a look on the Spartan standing behind her he added, frowning deeply, "My contact is among the reasons I doubt your claim. State your name and rank, Please."
"Reason?"
"I have my own files." The General answered evasively, "For now, in the interests of cooperation, I'm going to ask you to trust me."
"Master Chief Petty Officer J-S-0117-B1." The Demon answered simply, "Now, stand your fleet down."
"Level your vessel out and turn it around, engines towards us." The General grunted shortly, "You do that, and I can send out a yellow alert stand-to order, and assert that you have made contact. For now," he added levelly, meeting Ruby's frowning face, "I'll let the Elite's presence go. So long as he disarms when you come onto Atlesian or Mantle grounds."
"I will submit." He nodded, subtly flicking a meaningful gaze to the Spartan as he did and then meeting the General's gaze as he straightened. "Aside from my blade. I will retain some basic means of self-defense, if you do not mind over much. Monsters traipse your surface mostly freely, so you will understand my desire."
"...Fine." He nodded, "I'm presuming you're referring to an Energy Sword?"
"Indeed I do, General." He nodded, plucking the weapon from his thigh and igniting it. The warm orange lit the room around them pleasantly and, of worth here as his overtures had been with Cordovin, drew the General's more militant eye. "The Prophet's Bane. The very blade which ended the Prophet who ordered the war with the UNSC, and the slaughter of so many innocents."
"An impressive weapon." The man nodded, gaze flicking from the orange edge to Thel's eyes, "And an equally impressive story. So long as it's true."
"My word is all I have to show that it is." The Arbiter shrugged, letting the light of the Bane finally die and replacing the sword on his hip. "Alas, but I do not think you will accept my word. Honorable and trusted though it is in the ears of a UNSC commander, I get the impression that your information is somewhat out of date."
"In fairness, it is a couple decades old." The general nodded and then sighed, shaking his head tiredly, "We can cover the matter in detail, but my contact didn't say anything about a 'Battle of Earth'."
"For now," Ruby pressed, "we need a ride down, to Atlas. We, uh, don't have a shuttle up here."
"I can make room behind the fleet, at a battleship dock, for your craft. It's a bit big, but…" Ironwood shrugged, "It should work well enough. We keep out battleship docks with plenty of space around them, for maintenance vessels to do their work."
"The Black Sun has interests it can't pursue in-atmosphere." The Chief grunted, shaking his head tightly, "Once we disembark, it will return to orbit."
"We need it to find our way home, if it is able." The Arbiter explained simply, when the Spartan did not. Gesturing at the ship around him he went on, "This is certainly not a warship of my people, I'm sure you have noticed. Suffice to say for now that we did not come here by choice."
"And my job is finding a way back." Roland added, asking, "Chief, do you want me to forward the briefing packet from earlier to the General, too?"
"Do it." The Spartan nodded, reiterating, "We need a shuttle, General. Can you provide us with one?"
"I'll have one of my people on their way to rendezvous with you inside twenty minutes." The man nodded, "Whoever is your navigator, I will be forwarding coordinates in half that. Head there, a shuttle will be ready to meet you."
"Understood." The Demon nodded, "Until then, General."
The man nodded and reached forward, ending the video call from his end. Roland switched the viewscreans off inside the same moment, brightening the lights of the room to replace what had been lost in the absence of the General's own lighting.
"Well, aside from the missiles getting shot at us, I'd say that went… Alright." Jaune sighed, shaking his head and turning to leave, "Just once, I'd like to not have to deal with all the dick measuring when we meet new people. Just once!"
The Spartan and Ruby watched him leave, and his team with them, before the Arbiter murmured, "I suppose we ought to head to the Pelican Bay, and wait for our shuttle."
"Yeah." The Demon nodded, paying Ruby an appraising look and then moving to follow the others, "Roland, handle the details."
"Aye, Sir." The AI nodded, giving Ruby a smile and a wink as the lot of them moved to follow and then adding, more quietly, "Pretty badass, snapping on a Spartan like that, Little Red."
"R-Really?" The Huntress squeaked, cheeks flushing just a bit, while she fidgeted with her fingers, "I-I was just, you know, trying to fix the argument. N-Nothin' super special, or anything like that."
"I thought it was pretty special." The AI smiled, bobbing his avatar's head towards the door, "Get going, now, but you keep that fire lit, Ruby. If you do, you're gonna go far, kid."
Blushing, the red reaper nodded and flashed ahead, leaving the lot of them behind along with a flurry of red petals. The Schnee among them sighed, shook her head, hiked her skirt, and took off to follow while Thel laughed.
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As soon as he saw her, Yang saw Blake's father's face split in a wide, happy smile. "Blake!"
"And here he comes…" Yang heard her partner sigh, just as her father broke away from the cadre of guards and came jogging towards them, grinning all the while. He crossed the thirty or so feet of open, empty sand in long, eager strides. As he closed on them, Blake sighed, "Dad, please, don't freak out about me- Eep!"
"Blake! You're home, and so early!" Her partner's father crowed brightly, his great arms swallowing her as he hoisted her high in what would have been a bone crushing hug if not for her Aura.
As it was, it looked like it was only a bruising hug.
"I a-am!" She grunted, her arms pinned to her side making it just a bit harder for Yang to keep her grip on her hand. Harder, but not impossible, even if Yang had to scoot side-to-side to keep a comfortable grip as her father rocked her back and forth. "R-Ribs breaking! Lungs…. Collapsing!"
"That's pretty weird, Blakey." Yang snarked beside her, still stubbornly holding her hand while the Spartans watched on silently. "Your Aura is still up, so he should be able to hug you even tighter than this."
"What?" Blake blinked, "N-No, I-"
"You're right!" The man laughed, squeezing her even tighter and, more than conscious of the onlookers, shouting, "Ahhh, I missed you, Blake!"
"I saw you less than a month ago, Daddy!" Blake protested, wriggling and flailing in a desperate attempt to escape the great man's equally great grip. "C'mon, Dad! Let me… Down!"
"Ahhh, fine, if that's what you really want." The Chieftain laughed, letting her drop unceremoniously and laughing as she tried not to lose her footing in the loose sand.
Laughing, Yang yanked the Faunus straight, before she could fall, and joked, "I thought cats always landed on their feet?"
Only just after the words left her mouth did she remember where they were and clamp her mouth shut. Mouth pinched shut and eyes squinting like she was smelling onions, she did the only reasonable thing. And froze up entirely.
"Yang!" Blake laughed, yanking her hand free to flick her nose playfully, cocking a hip and shaking her head tiredly. Sweet, bright little laugh betrayed her chiding tone, though, as she went on, "I told you not to say things like that, Tides! What is wrong with you, honestly?"
"I-I dunno." She laughed, more than aware of the Faunus eyes on her, and the awkward laughter echoing from the curious, concerned crowd. Laughing, she waved her prosthetic in front of her and tried, "I, uh, guess I lost some brain-cells with this arm!"
"Oh Tides, why…" Blake sighed, palming her face and asking, quietly, "Dad, I brought people to meet you. It's important, and we have a lot to go over, so can we… Head to the house?"
"Of course." Ghira nodded, eyeing the Spartans and turning to call out, "They're friends of my daughter's! Get along, I know you all have better things to do than gawk at an airship with a broken comm-link!"
"Thanks…"
"Of course, Blake." Ghira grunted, waving a couple of guards over and grunting to the larger trio, "My men will keep watch on your, er… Ship. No one will lay a finger on it that you don't want to."
"Acknowledged." Frederic grunted, the ramp rising seemingly of its own accord. "Thank you, for your hospitality."
"Any friend of Blake's." The large man grunted, smiling and tucking his thumbs into the belt of his trousers. Nodding back the way he'd come from he asked, "Shall we, then?"
"Of course." The Spartan nodded, looking between the large Faunus and his daughter slowly. "Lead the way."
While Blake's father led them through Menagerie's tight, cluttered and crowded streets and avenues, the Spartans stuck close to him. Their heads were eternal swivels, surveying the terrain and the people both, it looked like. It was like they were protecting him, in spite of the armed guards that led the way ahead of even Blake's dad himself. Their weapons stayed stowed, of course.
But somehow, that didn't make Yang feel less like they could, and would, rip someone's head off if they felt a need.
"Hey." Yang turned to her partner, walking beside her with her fingers wrapped tightly around her hand. "You okay?"
"Yep!" Yang laughed, "Why wouldn't I be?"
"People aren't exactly being very friendly to you…"
"Yeah, noticed that." Yang had seen more than a few glares and fearful stares from those they were passing by, as she took in the sights of what she was pretty sure no Human had ever seen. Still, though, "S'not like they don't have good reasons."
"But, Yang…"
"I don't mind." She smiled, squeezing her partner's hand reassuringly. "I don't like it, but… Hey, do me a favor?"
"Anything." Blake assured her seriously, eyes hard like amber shards. "Just name it."
And boy oh boy was that a good look on Blake's face…
"Keep holding my hand, okay?" She smiled, holding up their joined hands and watching the blush play across Blake's face. "I can handle all the angry stares in the world as long as you keep holding my hand. 'Kay?"
"Yeah." She smiled, "I'll do that."
"Thanks, Blakey." Yang smiled, putting on as bright a smile as she could. Blake returned it and Yang felt that… Odd kind of calm that Blake could put on her, sometimes, when she relaxed just right. Seeing a chance, though, she leaned close suddenly, the Faunus stiffening as she whispered straight into a flicking ear. "But Kitty Cat, you should know that promising to do anything for someone is dangerous~!"
"I-I-I-" The Faunus stammered, earning a bright laugh from Yang as she stepped away, tugging both their arms out straight and smiling widely. The smile proved infectious, as one spread across Blake's red face, and Yang laughed, "Just teasing you, Princess Belladonna!"
"I am not a princess, Yang!"
"Technically, you're the heir to the Chieftainship." Ghira called over his shoulder, having apparently been listening the whole time. Smiling widely as Yang yanked her partner in and threw her arm over her shoulders, "So, technically, calling you the Princess of Menagerie isn't exactly wrong. As long as the council of peers doesn't vote No Confidence when I retire and hand you the crown."
"Grimm Tides, I hate you both…" In spite of her words, Blake's hand went up, grabbing onto Yang's and letting both rest on her shoulder. Smiling still, she growled in faux-anger, "All of my hate!"
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To all the theorists in my Reviews, I love ya. You were so close to being on the money!
Proper details on the Spartan ident-code will be gone over in the next chapter. For now, though, Ironwood isn't a Spartan. I won't explain anything beyond that.
Also, a mostly easy going, bright and happy chapter. Yay!
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Simple Christian :
So…. That was a review. I'll answer what points and questions I can, without padding the word count. Hope you understand abbreviating my response. XD
So there's a handful of reasons Yang's, er, actions in the Fall aren't brought up much. First is the Fall itself, which kind of over-rode Yang's supposed accident. Second was that Cinder is known to have been involved, and her team is actively Wanted at least in Mistral which is the region this occurs in. So why would people still put Yang down for what seems a ploy by Cinder? Cordovin only mentioned it to be a cunt, here.
As for Cordovin, even awful racists can do their jobs.. Even if maybe governing ought not be one of them. They can even be heroic! So long as we remember who they really were.
I used 'Sun' as a generic name. There is zero importance to that name, I promise.
Hope you keep enjoying the fic! There's a Supporters list if you like it a lot~ XD
Sleeping Moon :
I post this on AO3 and Webnovel, but do not know of the other sites you mention. Aside from QQ which, currently, I have no intention on posting this on.
Brother Bov :
It isn't, but that is a great story in and of itself.
Steelrain66 :
I don't intend for the Spirit to appear in this fic. I have separate ideas for them in an unrelated story, and don't want to risk mixing it up.
Green the Ryno :
I will (hopefully) be able to explain Irondaddy's reasoning on that front!
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