Destiny No More

Chapter 40

Ironwood gripped his cybernetic hand tightly behind his back, taking some small comfort from the impossible task of trying to crush the metal with his organic hand. He always hated waiting, no matter how many times he had to do it; waiting for his soldiers to return was always a taxing and exhausting endeavor. Most of the time, he wouldn't know how the operation truly went until he was given a chance to debrief them. While they may have accomplished their mission goals they might have lost too much in the process.

It was moments like this that he missed being able to go out into the field himself. The thrill of the fight aside, he preferred to lead from the front. In the midst of battle, the uncertainty and political backstabbing seemed to fall away; everything always seemed so clear. He could rally anyone to his cause, because in that single moment they could assess whether he was being genuine or not. Sadly that opportunity was lost to him.

Being a General meant trusting his men to see the mission through and expecting them to return. It meant waiting to see if they had succeeded, or if everything had ended in disaster. All the while he was forced to keep a calm expression, lest he ruin the morale of his soldiers left behind. It wouldn't do for the rank and file to see their General so concerned, they had to have the utmost trust and confidence in him, and so he was forced to hide his own doubt or concern for a trusted few.

But gods, the waiting... He would have given up his position in a heartbeat if he knew there was someone more qualified to take his place. To be able to go and fight the enemy of mankind instead of sitting back and watching the battle play out, it made him miss the simplicity of his youth. Being ordered was far easier then being the one giving them, not that he had ever understood that back then. He was eager to climb the ranks, driven to see himself at the head of Atlas. He often wondered where that drive had gone.

The weather seemed to reflect his mood perfectly; though he wasn't usually one for superstition, the bleak world around him was a cause for concern. It felt all too familiar to the countless nights he had spent awake, waiting on soldiers that were never coming home. That had been why he had sent Clover, skepticism or not, they would need his luck if only to offset Qrow's. One of his best and brightest was in danger, and despite his often antagonistic nature, Ironwood would never wish harm on Qrow either.

Clover had radioed ahead to have medical personnel on standby, and while it wasn't ideal, it meant that they were at least alive. He had been light on the details, partly due to the time sensitive nature of medical evacuations, but mostly due to the importance of secrecy. They would have an incredibly small window to make their move before word reached Lionheart, he only hoped that Winter and Qrow had managed to find evidence concrete enough for him to reasonably act on.

He had no intention of letting Lionheart go, regardless of what they could find. There was enough circumstantial evidence for Ironwood to launch a formal inquiry, but by the time results came of that, he would have vanished. Ironwood planned to make his move tonight, it was just a matter of whether or not he would be able to legally justify it. Much of his own response would depend on the state of Qrow and Winter when they arrived.

"I'm sure they will be alright." Glynda spoke softly from beside him, having joined him only minutes after he received the call that they were on their way back. He had passed word along to her and, judging by the state of her hair and the look in her eyes, she had been asleep when he had called. She hid it well however, no doubt used to sleepless nights; Beacon didn't run itself and knowing Ozpin... Well, he wouldn't leave the paperwork to him either. "Qrow is stubborn."

"As is Winter, in her own way." Ironwood couldn't help the slight smile that worked its way onto his face. Winter had been the best risk he had ever taken, allowing her into his ranks had earned the ire of the SDC for several years and driven a noticeable wedge between Jacques and Atlas, but it had proven worth it. She had proven herself a dozen times over and earned her place as a Specialist. More than that, she often helped to keep him grounded, despite her own insistence on professionalism, he viewed her more as a friend than a subordinate.