The REDS of war

Volume Seven Chapter One

Manta airships patrol the skies around the City of Atlas, keeping in communication with each other over radio. As Maria Calavera pilots the group's stolen Manta toward the city, they receive radio contact. The voice of an Atlas Air Traffic controller. "Manta 5-1. Welcome home. Please continue your approach to Atlas docking bay Omega-12. A security team will meet you there. Over."

Ruby Rose and the others aboard Manta 5-1 look around at the large military air fleet surrounding the kingdom's capital.

"I don't understand. What's happening here?" Ruby asks.

"I don't know." Qrow says, his voice fucked from not drinking alcohol.

"But we are here. Rei got the lamp to Atlas, so I guess we land and get some answers." Jaune says.

"I'm not so sure. I've never seen our forces deployed so aggressively before. If we land in a stolen ship, there's no way the security team will let us anywhere near Ironwood. They might even take me back to my father." Weiss says worried. Blake Belladonna gains a saddened look, while Ruby and Yang Xiao Long look at each other, uncertain of what to do.

"So...?"

Weiss, having gotten an idea, suddenly looks up. "Winter!" Weiss brings out her Scroll. She turns to Maria. "Put some distance between us and the fleet."

"You don't have to tell me twice." As Weiss walks to the back of the ship, Maria steers the ship toward Mantle. As people wander the streets of Mantle, the group looks over the city through the Manta's windows. They fly past a giant screen on the side of a skyscraper. Ironwood's voice comes from the screen, catching Ruby and Yang's attention.

"...cannot express our appreciation enough. Many describe these as uncertain times, and while that may be the case for the rest of the world, I can tell you what is certain. The Kingdom of Atlas will remain strong, and it will remain safe. That is my promise."

Ruby and Yang look saddened. Yang says quietly. "General Ironwood. He looks..."

"Tired." Ruby says.

"James, what have you been doing?"

Four Atlesian Knight-200s are seen walking down a street in Mantle, while civilians around them complain about their presence.

"Ugh, not these again."

"Why can't they just leave us be?"

A small drone floats along a sidewalk, while a pair of small children hide in an alley. One of the children picks up a rock and throws it at the drone, which spins around to look, prompting the children to hide against the wall. Weiss sadly stares out of Manta 5-1's window with her Scroll in her palm. Her Scroll is set to call Winter, who does not answer.

"This isn't right. None of this is right." Weiss says. Once again, the stolen Manta receives contact over the radio.

"Manta 5-1, we've noticed a detour in your route. You are to make your way to docking bay Omega 12 immediately. Do you copy? Over."

"We're kind of running out of time here, kids."

"We need to ditch the ship." Yang says.

"Agreed. Get lost in Mantle and buy ourselves some time." Qrow says.

"I'm telling you, Dusk or my sister can take us to Ironwood."

Blake, who has been staring out of a window, looks over her shoulder and speaks up. "Uh, Weiss?"

Weiss walks over to Blake's side and looks out the window with her as a familiar voice plays from a giant screen.

"A reminder. Failure to cooperate with Atlas military personnel is a punishable offense. If your sector is under lockdown..." Winter speaks on the screen.