Destiny No More

Chapter 46

Ironwood led her through the ship, navigating the corridors with a practiced ease. She was grateful for his guidance, as she was unsure if she would have been able to find her way through the ship alone. Before long, they stood outside an armory and Pyrrha once again found herself amazed at how much they managed to fit on the comparatively smaller ship. She almost longed to see what a proper one would be like, knowing from her past life the sheer firepower that they could bring to bear.

"There are a few people I plan to involve in our Campaign," Ironwood spoke as he walked through the armoury door, the guard posted inside saluting as he walked past. "But most are in Atlas at the moment. We had to act quickly when Qrow and Winter stopped reporting, and I took only those who were ready."

Pyrrha nodded her head along in understanding, even if the General was looking ahead of her. The mission to save Qrow and Winter had been rushed on their end, and it only made sense that it was the same for Ironwood and his men. It had been a stroke of luck that Taiyang had been available to help her in the first place, and she didn't dare think of what might have happened had he not been there.

"It will take time for them to get here, until then, we will be working with limited manpower." Ironwood walked through the armory quickly, moving in the direction of a door in the back further guarded by two soldiers who made him provide identification before entering despite the fact that they surely knew who he was. "That being said, we will have to manage with what we have."

"I just don't know what you want from me." Pyrrha shrugged softly. "I'll help in any way I can but... even with the Fall Maiden powers I couldn't beat Hazel or Tyrian."

"I don't want you with us for your combat abilities." Ironwood stopped and turned to look at her, setting a hand down on her shoulder. "And despite how poorly you think you did, try to remember who is and isn't alive. You're not a Huntress yet, but when you are, I have no doubt you'll be more than capable of beating anyone Salem throws at you."

Pyrrha smiled softly, but was unable to meet the General's eyes; she hadn't ever been very good at accepting praise. "Then why am I here?"

"You currently know more about our enemy than anyone else." He explained. "Your knowledge of the future will be invaluable in making our next move." He smiled softly. "I won't ask you to stay on the sidelines if you want to get back into the fight. Just know that you will always have Atlas right behind you."

Turning back around he stepped through the door and they entered a smaller room with a table in the center and lockers lining the walls, Ironwood stopping at the entrance to allow her a moment to look around. She spotted the holographic projector on the table and assumed this was a planning room. Around the table stood three individuals, two of whom Pyrrha easily recognized, but the third still looked familiar.

Winter was gesturing at something on the projection, asking Qrow a question that caused him to shake his head. She couldn't hear his response from so far away, but she easily recognized the look of Winter rolling her eyes.

The third man noticed them first, looking up from the projection and offering a soft smile. "Sir, I'm glad to see you brought company."

"Miss Nikos, this is Specialist Clover Ebi." Ironwood stepped forward, gesturing for Pyrrha to step forward. "He was that operative that found you and Callows in Mistral."

Pyrrha finally remembered, the actual end of that fight having felt more like a distant nightmare as the venom had been wreaking havoc on her body and mind. She hadn't seen him during her stay in the ship's medical bay, and the thought hadn't occurred to her to find and thank him. Something she was grateful to be able to rectify.