Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In the darkness of deep space, away from any star, planet, or asteroid, a massive shape drifted, only visible because of the stars it blocked out.  Smaller shapes drifted around, with the occasional flash of light from engines burning what little fuel they had.  Within the behemoth, large metal droids stood silently, set to low power mode in order to conserve energy.

Suddenly, sensors blared on the bridge, and a single droid came to life.  Walking over to the display screen, it observed as a small craft warped into view and began to make its way towards them.  The droid, resembling an anthropomorphic hound, immediately howled, sending out a signal to the other droids on the ship.  One by one, they began to activate, their red eyes gleaming in the dark.  They began to gather at the forward landing bay as the craft came in for a landing.  Once it did, the droids approached, their scanners searching for signs of life.  When they found none, the droids stopped, almost in confusion as their AI’s debated on what to do.

An antenna extended from the ship.  On the bridge, the first droid detected something being downloaded into the ship’s mainframe.  It immediately gave the signal to open fire.  Energy bolts blazed through the air and impacted against the ship.  A pair of large quadrupedal machines stepped forward as missile racks deployed from their backs.  Each launched a single projectile, turning the intruding craft into a ball of fire.  With the destruction of the vessel, the droids stopped firing and awaited new orders.

The commanding droid watched through the view screens in the bridge as its instructions were carried out.  Suddenly it turned off, and the droid whirled around, scanning for threats.  After a few seconds, the holoprojector in the center of the room flickered to life.  An image of a woman with white hair, deathly pale skin, and gleaming red eyes with black sclera appeared.  The hound-like droid immediately readied itself for an attack, but instead the woman raised her hand and a series of coding was displayed.  The droid scanned the coding, and its systems recognized it.  It retracted its weapons and stood down, submitting to the Dominator Class AI.

The hologram smiled maliciously as she began to scour the inventory and troop complement of the dreadnought.  Then she began to laugh, a dark foreboding sound, as she reveled in her success.  After so many decades of searching, she had finally found what she needed.  Now she could begin to fulfill the desires of her creators, as soon as she eliminated the last of their wayward super soldiers.  She ordered the warship to prepare for a jump, calculating a course to a small mine in an asteroid field in the far reaches of the Vacuo system.  There she could gather the materials and fuel she needed to bring the ship back to 100% operational capacity.  Then, she will follow the last commands of her creators and ensure that their will is carried out.

“Zwei, could you scan this for me quickly?”

With a few beeps and chirps the small two legged droid, a BD unit, with a black and white paintcoat peered over the shoulder of a teen girl in a black vacsuit with red highlights as it began to scan the area in the exposed part of the engine.  After a few seconds, the scan was finished and the droid then projected a 3D image of the machinery.  The girl then lifted a hand and used it to move the image around so she could get a better look at it.  After studying the model for a few seconds, she immediately zeroed in on one part of it.

“Found it Zwei.” She chirped, reaching up and scratching the droid's head.  The droid chittered happily, and the girl then reached into the large container next to her and pulled out a tool.  Reaching into the exposed area, she began working on repairing the damaged engine piece.  It was a small knick, probably from a stray laser bolt that was mostly blocked by the armor.  It was easy to miss, but the result was continuous sputtering of the engine unit, with many more potential problems if left unchecked.  The girl soon repaired the damage, humming to herself as she did so.  Once the task she grabbed the armor plating she had removed and bolted it back in place before packing up her tools.  Grabbing the box with one hand, she began to pull herself along the ship, drifting through space as she expertly used the zero g environment to her advantage.  She soon arrived at one of two large hangars on each side of the ship, and pulled herself in through the energy field.  The toolbox thunked to the ground, so she bent over and toggled a little switch on its side to engage the antigrav repular she had installed.  Standing up straight again, the girl reached up and removed her helmet, revealing a youthful face with short black hair dyed red at the tips and silver eyes.  Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, before sighing as she made her way to the man who was currently dismantling the remains of a Death Stalker Grimm droid fighter.

“Mr Arc,” She called out, and the man stopped working, lifting his welding visor to look at the girl, “I fixed the problem.  It looked like a stray cannon bolt managed to partially penetrate the armor and nick the compression pipe.”

“Thank you Ruby,” Mr Arc, a large man with sandy blond hair, replied with a large smile, “We’ve been trying to fix that engine for ages now.”

“It wasn’t that hard,” Ruby replied, “Pretty much any starship mechanic would be able to find it and fix it.”

“Ah, but how many of them would be willing or able to do it while not in a repair bay?” Mr Arc countered, before continuing.  “You’re a prodigy starfighter engineer, Ruby, and an equally amazing pilot as well, if your time in the Crocea Mors’ flight simulator is anything to go by.”

Ruby blushed at the praise.  “You could get things repaired a lot faster if you were willing to land the Arcadia in one of the hangars,” She muttered, “You wouldn’t have to rely on me.”

“I’ve told you,” Mr Arc replied, “I don’t land in the hangars because it’s too easy for someone to trap the ship in there.  That’s why I always dock at one of the side ports of stations like these.”

“Come on, you’re safe here,” Ruby said, “This is the Patch.  Not even Jacque Schnee would be stupid enough to come after you here.”

“Maybe not personally,” He answered, “But that doesn’t mean he won’t hire others to do it discreetly.  And he’s not the only person with a grudge against the Arc Scrapper Clan.”

Ruby nodded lightly, understanding the reasoning behind Arthur Arc’s caution.  The Arc family was one of the oldest out there, with ancestors going back to the Color Revolution that tore apart the old Dominion Empire a century ago.  Supposably, the founder of the Clan, the great Joan Arc, was the one who through a combination of daring, skill, and luck fired the torpedo that destroyed the Monstra, the massive dominion dreadnought that had a near mythical status.  Atlas, of course, would tell you that it was actually their main battle fleet led by the Supremacy that destroyed it, but most Independents like Ruby knew that was just their propaganda talking.

“Anyway,” Arthur said, interrupting Ruby’s thoughts, “I’ll go get your payment and you can be on your way.”

“Actually,” Ruby responded, “Could I just pick a few things out from your latest haul?  I can see you’ve got some great stuff.”

“Sure,” Arthur agreed, “Go right on ahead.”  He turned back to the droid he was working on, flipping his vizor down as he ignited the plasma cutter again.  Ruby happily skipped off to explore the piles of scrap.  She began crawling up one pile, having her BD unit Zwei scan for the parts she was looking for.  She soon arrived at the top of the pile, reaching down to pull out a display screen.  Suddenly, Zwei began beeping wildly.

“What is it boy,” Ruby asked, looking up, only to gasp at what she saw on the other side of the pile.  It was the spaceframe of a Delta-7 Aethersprite!  Ruby squealed in delight.

“Mr Arc,” She yelled, turning around as Arthur lifted his vizor once again, “Can I please have the Aethersprite. Please please please?!?”

“I don’t know,” He replied with a chuckle, “It’s not easy to find those anymore.  They’re quite valuable.”

“But it’s not a complete one,” Ruby argued, “I can see that most of the electronics, weapon systems, and engines have been removed.  Please can I have it?  I’ll even pay you.”

Arthur set down the plasma cutter as he thought about it.  Eventually, Ruby saw him come to a decision.

“Alright Ruby,” He said, “I’ll make a deal with you.  You can have the Aethersprite as well as first pick for several other things among our haul.  However, in exchange you need to give the Arcadia a complete mechanical overhaul to make sure everything is in tip top shape.  Is that agreeable?”

“Yes,” Ruby yelled, “Absolutely! Thank you so much!”

“Alright,” Arthur cheered, “You’ve got yourself a deal.  Go find Jaune and he’ll help you load the starfighter into a transport container along with whatever else you need, and he’ll fly it to your workshop with the Crocea Mors.”

Ruby immediately scrambled down off of the pile of scrap and ran to the other side of the ship.  Arriving at the second hangar, she made a beeline for the old but heavily modified HWK-290 light freighter.  Heading up the rear hatch, she walked through the cargo hold and to the cockpit.  Once she entered she was greeted by the sound of someone cursing angrily.

“Still having trouble beating the simulation?” She asked as she walked over to the pilot seat.  In the seat was a teenage boy a couple years her senior with light blond hair, who was currently wearing the flight goggles for the ship.  Upon hearing Ruby he gently removed them, revealing a youthful face and light blue eyes.

“Oh hey Ruby,” Jaune replied, “Yeah, still trying.  I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”

“Don’t worry Jaune,” Ruby replied, “I’m sure you’ll get it one of these days.”

“Easy for you to say,” He grumbled, “It took you a week to beat this.  I still don’t understand how you did it.”

“You just got to pay attention,” She explained, “Grimm droids and war machines follow certain patterns, and your dad created this combat simulator based on the data he managed to salvage from them.  The patterns are subtle, but once you figure them out you can exploit them.”

“Yeah, except you are literally the only person who sees those patterns,” He groused.

“Am not,” She retorted, “Yang sees them too.”

“Only after you pointed them out to her,” He countered, “And even then it’s hit or miss when she tries it.  You’re the only person who can reliably pick out those patterns, what with your freaky droid brain.”

“I’m not a droid,” She replied, frowning slightly, and Jaune raised his hands defensively.

“Of course you aren’t,” He agreed, then smirked.  “I don’t think a droid is capable of eating its weight in chocolate chip cookies.”  Ruby hit him in the arm and the two of them laughed.  “But seriously, you are literally capable of doing highly accurate warp calculations in your head .  Name one other person who can do that.”

“My mom,” Ruby answered softly.  Jaune flinched, before reaching over and hugging her.

“Sorry,” He said, “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

“It’s just,” She sighed, “It’s been over a year since she or dad have shown up back at the Patch, and we haven’t received any word from them.  I don’t want to think that they are dead, but…”

“I know,” He agreed, “They are both incredible Hunter Pilots, some of the best of their generation.  If anyone can survive this long, it would be them.”

“Thanks Jaune,” She replied, returning the hug.  They stayed like that for a few seconds, before Ruby remembered why she came here.  All her earlier excitement came rushing back to her.

“Oh that’s right!” She cried, “Your dad and I made a deal where if I do a complete mechanical inspection of the Arcadia and fix anything that needs repairing I get to keep the aethersprite you have and get first pick of several items from your latest haul.  He wants you to fly this girl over to the other hangar and help me load everything up.”

“You got it,” Jaune agreed, getting settled in the pilot seat again, before twisting back to Ruby, “Oh, and one more thing.  Hey Zwei, how you doing?”

Zwei twittered happily before hopping off of Ruby’s shoulder and perching on the armrest next to her friend.  Jaune gave the droid a few pats on the head, before putting on the flight goggles again.  Ruby hopped up into the copilot seat and grabbed a pair as well.  Together, they started up the engines and Jaune gently flew them out of the hangar.  Pulling around the heavily modified CR90, they quickly landed in the first hangar with all the scrap.  The two of them quickly exited the craft, with Zwei once again perched on Ruby’s shoulder as she dragged him over to the gravity lifter.  As Jaune loaded the aethersprite onto the light freighter, Ruby got a repulsor platform and began wandering through the other piles of scrap looking for the parts she needed.  After a few minutes, she rounded another pile of scrap and screamed at the sight that greeted her.

“Ruby, is everything okay?” He called out, rushing over, only to be glomped in a bear hug the moment he arrived.

“You have an Atlesean TIE SX!” She yelled excitedly, making Jaune wince, “That’s it, I don’t care what else you have in here.  Let me keep the engines and warp drive of that baby and I’ll be on my way.”

“I don’t know,” Jaune said nervously, “You already got the aethersprite, I’m not sure if dad would be okay if you took the TIE as well.”

“Not all of it,” Ruby countered, “Just the engines and the warp drive.  I don’t need anything else.”

“...Let me check with my dad first,” He replied, activating his comm.  “Hey dad? Ruby wants the engine units and warp drive of the TIE we picked up.  She was pretty insistent, so I don’t think so.  No, she said that she doesn’t need anything else.  Okay, by.”  He hung up the comm before turning back to Ruby.  “He says it’s fine.” Ruby cheered once again as Zwei beeped excitedly.  She grabbed several tools from the repulsor platform and rushed over to the crippled starfighter.  With Jaune’s help she was able to successfully remove the two beefy engines and the warp drive, and the two of them loaded the parts onto the starship next to the aethersprite.  Getting back into the cockpit, they took off and flew out of the corvette.

The pulled out and began weaving around the many old freighters and other structures that had been welded together to make the space station.  The Patch got its name from being a patchwork of asteroids, old starships, and the remains of other space stations.  There were five main asteroids, with several smaller ones as well.  Each of the main asteroids served a specific task.  One was the residential district, the second the commercial district, the third was the Hunter Academy, fourth was the manufacturing district, and finally there was the starship repair and maintenance docks, which was the asteroid they were stationed on now.  As they made their way to Ruby and her sister Yang’s workshop, a trio of speeder bikes modified for space travel shot by them.  As they approached the hangar Ruby toggled her comm.

“Hey Yang,” She said, “Jaune and I are coming in for a landing in the Crocea Mors.  Could you open up the bay doors?”

“Sure thing Rubes,” A cheerful voice replied, “I’ll have it open in a sec.”

The two of them waited, and sure enough after a few seconds the doors opened up and Jaune guided the ship into the hangar.  Ruby was surprised to see that there was another ship parked there as well, a G9-Rigger.  They pulled in beside it and landed.  The two of them quickly disembarked, and Ruby was greeted by the sight of her older sister.

“Hey Ruby,” Yang said with a smile.  Her golden blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her lilac eyes gleamed with eager anticipation.  “Mind showing me what you brought back with you today?”

Ruby grinned with excitement, before turning around.  “Let’s get everything unloaded.  I’m sure Yang’s getting eager to visit the Arcadia and look for parts as well.”

“You got it,” Jaune replied as he turned on the repulsor platform and began pushing it down the ramp.  Yang’s eyes widened upon catching sight of what was on it.

“Is that-” She started, only for Ruby to interrupt her.

“P-s6 Twin Ion Engines?” Ruby finished, shaking with excitement as Jaune walked back up the ramp, “Yes! Straight from a TIE SX, along with its warp drive.”

Yang whistled.  “Damn Ruby,” She said, “That’s incredible.  I can’t believe old man Arc managed to get his hands on one.”

“And that’s not all,” Ruby sed with a giggle, stepping to the side as Jaune used a gravity lifter to unload the aethersprite spaceframe.  Yang’s eyes bulged outward as she choked on her own spit.

“You got a Delta-7 Aethersprite!” She yelled, shocked at the site.

“The space frame, yeah,” Ruby replied, “I finally have everything I need to make Crescent Rose!”

“Ruby,” Yang answered, side-eying her, “Are you going to equipped it with these Ion engines?”

“Yup,” She replied, grinning.

“As well as the pair of custom high performance engines that you built yourself,” Yang continued, her voice rising in pitch.  Ruby just nodded in response.  “How fast will your starfighter be!”

“According to my calculations,” Ruby answered, “I’ll have one and a half times the speed of a TIE baron, two and a half times the maneuverability, and three times the acceleration.”

Yang huffed like someone just punched her in the gut.  “Brothers Ruby,” She said with a shake of her head, “Will you be able to control that thing?”

“Yep,” She chirped, “I’ve got it all figured out.  I’m going to start working on it right away.”

“Oh no you won’t,” Yang snorted, “We’ve got a customer, two actually.  There names are Ren and Nora.  That ship there is the Magnhild, and in the back are a pair of Mankvim-814s called the Stormflowers.  I need you to start working on them so I can get the chance to see if there is anything good left for me on the Arcadia.”

“There sure is,” Ruby replied happily, “I saw a turbonic venturi power assimilator.  I had Zwei scan where it was so you can find it easily enough if you take him.”

Yang whooped loudly before bounding up onto the Crocea Mors.  “Well,” She called back, “What are we waiting for!  Come on, Vomit Boy.”

Jaune sighed wearily.  “Will she ever stop calling me that,” He asked Ruby.

“Nope,” She giggled, and Jaune groaned before trudging back up the ramp with Zwei trailing behind him.  Ruby got clear as the starship powered up and flew out of the hangar, before she walked over to the G9, taking in its appearance.  She immediately recognized that this wasn’t your standard model, noting the more powerful engines and how the standard rotating blaster and two light laser cannons had been replaced with a twin rotating repeating medium laser cannon, a heavy laser cannon, and an ion cannon.  Climbing up the ladder next to the ship, she picked up where Yang left off in patching up the main engine.  After a few minutes, she happened to glance out of the hangar to catch sight of a sleek bronze and gold starfighter fly past.

She gasped in delight, recognizing the model and color scheme.  That was Pyrrha Nikos’ ship Miló.  Ruby had heard rumors that the famous mistralian pilot would be joining Patch’s Hunter Academy, but she didn’t know if it was true or just wild speculation.  Seeing that starfighter however confirmed it.  She desperately hoped that she got the chance to work on it when she and Yang visited the academy hangars for the regular starfighter maintenance.  Smiling giddily at the thought, she got back to work.

Chapter Text

Blake made her way down the walkway, being careful not to draw attention to herself.  She felt naked without her armor on, especially since the last time she had been out in public without it was three years ago.  Nevertheless, she knew that it would draw way too much attention, due to its distinctive design.  She still had her sword and blaster pistols on her, though they were concealed.

“How do things look,” Ilia’s voice came from the com in her felid ears, which were hidden by a bow.

“Peaceful,” Blake replied, “No agitation or police droids patrolling the area.”

“Good,” Ilia said, “Then we should be able to repair and upgrade Lightning Lash and Gambol Shroud without much worry.  Keep an eye out for anything that could be helpful.”

“Copy that,” Blake affirmed as she continued to walk.  She was in a commercial district, in the area that mainly had book shops, restaurants, and clothing stores.  As she passed by the stores she saw that some of them had signs forbidding Faunus. She gritted her teeth and resisted the urge to blast those stores in.  She and Ilia could not afford the heat right now.  She stopped at one of the stores to buy some new rations and other supplies.  On the way out she bumped into an excitable looking redhead dragging a black haired young man with a dyed pink stripe behind her.  He mouthed an apology as he passed, before disappearing from her sight at the redhead yelled something about pancakes.  Blake huffed as she continued on her way.  She then stopped by a store named “Tukson’s Book Trade.”  Heading inside, she was greeted by a jovial voice.

“Hello,” The man at the counter said, “Welcome to Tukson’s Book Trade, home to every book under the stars.”

“Hello Tukson,” Blake replied with a smile, “It’s been awhile.”

“Blake,” Tukson said, his eyes widening.  Then a brilliant smile appeared on his face.  “Blake!  It’s good to see you!”

Stepping around the counter, he held up his arms.  Blake eagerly accepted the hug, happy to see her old babysitter from when she was a kid.  After a minute, they separated, and Tukson placed his hands on her shoulders as he examined her.

“Look at you,” He said, “Last time I saw you you barely came up to my waist.  Now you’re almost as tall as I am.”

“It has been nine years,” Blake replied, smiling warmly.

“So what brings you here?” He asked, stepping back behind the counter.

“Just needed a place to lay low for a few days,” She told him, “Ilia and I need parts to repair and upgrade our ships.  They took a beating in our last attack against the STC for the White Fang.”

Tukson paused upon hearing that, his smile dimming.  Blake raised an eyebrow at his reaction.

“What,” She asked, and Tukson sighed.

“You know how I was one of the first members of the White Fang,” Tukson asked, and Blake nodded, “Well recently I’ve had a bit of a falling out with them.”

This confused Blake.  “Why’s that,” She asked.  Tukson leaned forward heavily.

Tukson sighed, before straightening.  “Blake,” He said, “You’re a good kid, and very smart.  So please, start looking into what the White Fang really does.  I know you are aware that a lot of faunus hate them, right?”  Blake nodded slowly.  “So try and find out why they hate them.  You might be shocked at what you find.”

“Okay,” Blake said slowly, “Anyway, I was wondering if you knew any good mechanics here who won’t ask questions.”

“Sure,” Tukson said, “What ships do you have?”

“Ilia flies a G1-M4-C Dunelizard fighter,” Blake replied, “I fly a Beskad Assault Starfighter.”

Tukson whistled, upon hearing the second fighter.  “Wow,” He said, “Those things are rare, even rarer than the starviper.  What are the upgrades are you planning?”

“Stolen Atlas tech,” Blake explained, “Ilia was going to install one of their new engines to boost her speed as well as a more advanced concussion missile launcher with an increased magazine, while I was going to install the stygian cloak system I got my hands on.”

Tukson gaped at her.  “You have an Atlas cloaking device?” He asked, and Blake nodded smugly.

“And it’s small enough that it should be possible to install it onto the Gambol Shroud , if the mechanic is skilled enough,” She said.

“Well then,” Tukson replied, “In that case, I know the perfect pair of mechanics.  Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao-Long, a pair of sisters.  Starfighters are their specialties, and they commonly work on Hunter ships, so they can handle any weird requests.  Plus, they both hate Atlas, so just tell them you stole your tech from their military and they’ll no doubt congratulate you for a daring raid.”

“Thanks,”  Blake said with a smile, “Could you give me directions to them?”

“Sure,” Tukson said, and the two pulled out their scrolls.  After transferring directions to hers, she turned to leave.  She paused when she caught sight of a book sitting on one of the shelves.

“Is that the Warrior Among the Stars?” Blake asked, excited.  Tukson nodded enthusiastically.

“One of my luckiest discoveries,” He said, “It’s not that easy to find outside of the Vale system, especially since the Atlas military declared it dangerous propaganda, but I managed to find a few copies.”

“Do you mind?” Blake asked, picking it up, and Tukson nodded.

“Go ahead,” He told her, “You can even have it for free, for old times sake.”

“Thank you,” She replied with a smile.  Putting it into her bag, she stepped out of the shop and started following the directions to the mechanics on her scroll.  On the way, she paused when she caught the scent of some delicious food.  Turning, she saw a restaurant, advertising that it had authentic food from all corners of Remnant.  Shrugging, she decided to go in, only to pause as she saw a girl with white hair sitting at one of the tables.  Her breathing became shallow, and her hand twitched to her blaster, but she calmed herself before sitting down on a bench.  Pulling out her book, she began to pretend to read while toggling her com.

“Ilia,” She whispered, glancing back up at her target.

“What is it Blake?” Ilia replied immediately.

“I found a mechanic who will do the upgrades,” She told her friend, “But that’s not why I’m calling.  I’m currently sitting outside a restaurant where a woman who looks to be about twenty with long white hair and blue eyes wearing fancy alsius clothing is waiting for her meal.”

Ilia was silent, and Blake waited for her to respond.  “Are you saying that…” Ilia started, before trailing off.

“Yes,” Blake said, allowing a sharp grin to appear on her face, “Weiss Schnee, the heiress of the Schnee Trading Company, is currently on Patchwork.  And judging from the fact that she’s eating alone, she doesn’t have any bodyguards with her.”

“I see,” Ilia replied, a hard edge in her tone, “So what are we going to do about it?”

Blake thought for a moment, before an idea came to her.  “Can you access the Patch’s layout and security systems?” She asked.

“I can,” Ilia replied, and Blake could hear her start working on a computer terminal.

“Good,” Blake said, watching as the heiress was finally brought her food and started eating, “So here’s what we’re going to do.”

Weiss sat at a table, waiting for her meal to arrive, as she idly checked her scroll.  Her father had sent her here in order to represent him as a new trade deal was being made with the Malachite family over a new trade route to Haven, which she accepted on the condition that she would be allowed to fly her own starship to The Patch.  Eventually her waiter arrived, bringing with them her meal.  She took a bite and wrinkled her nose.  She had ordered what was advertised as a traditional alsius dish, but one bite told her that the chef had no clue how to properly cook Alsiusian Air Shrimp.  She sighed, but continued to eat her subpar meal.  She knew she was an outsider here, and making a fuss would only draw more attention, attention that might alert enemies of the STC.  While she was eating she heard someone clear their throat.  Looking up, she saw a woman with dark hair and golden eyes smiling warmly at her.  She was wearing baggy clothes similar to the ones worn in the Mistral system.

“May I sit here?” She asked.  Weiss eyed her warily before nodding slowly.  The woman sat down on the opposite side of the table before picking up a menu.  She ordered a mistralian fish dish while Weiss continued her meal.

“I don’t mean to intrude,” She said, “But I come here very often and I don’t recall seeing you before.  Are you visiting the Patch?”

Weiss looked up sharply at the woman.  “You don’t recognize me?”  She asked, and the woman shook her head.

“I’m afraid not,” She said, “I work at a bookshop not far from here, Tukson’s Book Trade, and I don’t keep up on the news.  I much prefer to spend my time reading.”

“I see,” Weiss said, setting down her fork, “Anyway, I’m Weiss.”

“Blake,” the woman replied, “A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Likewise,” Weiss said curtly, before going back to her meal.  They sat in silence, and after a few minutes the waiter returned with Blake’s meal.  She thanked them, before she started eating.  She hummed as she took her first bite of food.

“This place certainly lives up to its name,” She commented, “A true mistralian dish if I ever tasted one.”

“I’m afraid that they have some work to do,” Weiss responded, “I ordered an alsius dish, but the chef clearly does not understand how to prepare such a meal.”

“I would blame Atlas’ military for that,” Blake replied, “There are so many customs and security checks you have to go through, it makes it difficult for most people of other nationalities to enter, let alone independents.”

“The Atlas military is only so harsh because of the Fang terrorist attacks,” Weiss told the woman cooly, “If those animals would stop attacking our ships and stealing our supplies, then they wouldn’t be so harsh.”

The woman went quiet for a few moments, and the two continued their meal.  The woman finished first, no doubt because she enjoyed her food more than Weiss did.

“Anyway,” Blake said, “What brings you here to the Patch?  Especially all the way from Alsius.”

“I’m overseeing a trade deal for my father’s company,” Weiss responded.

“Does that trade deal involve the Patch in any way?” Blake asked.  Weiss paused for a moment, before nodding slowly.

“In a way,” She admitted, “It will certainly allow shipping to arrive here faster.”

“That’s wonderful,” Blake said brightly, “The industrial sector has been suffering several shortages, especially in food and supplies.  A new trade route that brings them in much faster will do a great deal to alleviate that problem.”

“Of course it will,” Weiss agreed smugly, “Trade is what keeps the four systems going.  Otherwise everyone would succumb to pirates and the GRIMM, and civilization would fall apart.  That’s why all four kingdoms rely on companies such as the STC and Marigold Banking, among others.”

“Indeed they do,” Blake said, a strange inflection in her voice.  But before Weiss could make it out, she continued.  “Of course, it would be helpful if those companies would charge the same price in the other kingdoms as they did in Atlas.  And I’m sure that the STC wouldn’t dare hold a blockade over Alsius if a trade agreement wasn’t upheld, unlike what they did with the Glenn outpost.  It was their actions that led to its destruction, in fact.”

“It was the GRIMM that destroyed the Glenn outpost,” Weiss said with a frown, and Blake immediately nodded her head.

“I don’t deny that,” She agreed, “If that WYVERN corvette GRIMM hadn’t crashed on the planet in the middle of a meteor shower, Glenn would no doubt still stand.  But the STC’s blockade meant that the response from Vale’s Beacon defense fleet was stalled significantly, and by the time the STC stood down it was too late.”

Weiss frowned, but before she could defend her father’s company Blake waved it off.  “Enough about that though,” She said, “You said you were here to oversee a new trade deal for your father’s company.  Might I inquire as to who you’re bargaining with?”

“The Malachite Family,” Weiss admitted, “The deal will allow merchant ships from our company faster travel through Mistral, and from there to Vale.  It is much safer than skirting near the borders of Vacuo, and it also means that most of them will stop at the Patch for refueling, so new deals can be made to allow more food and supplies to come here.”

“I see,” Blake said with a nod, “Do you know where you are meeting them?”

“I can manage,” Weiss said as she finished her meal, “It shouldn’t be too hard.”

“With all due respect,” Blake countered, “The Patch can be very difficult to navigate if you are not familiar with its layout.  I have the rest of the day off, and I’d be happy to help you find where you’re meeting the Malachite family.”

Weiss pursed her lips, then nodded slowly.  “If you really don’t have anything to do,” She said, and Blake nodded.

“I don’t,” She replied, “Besides, it’s always nice to meet someone from another system.  I’d be happy to help.”

“Very well,” Weiss agreed with a small smile, “Thank you for helping.”

“It’s no trouble,” She answered, “Have to show hospitality in some way.”

The waiter returned, and the two paid for their meals.  After that the two exited the restaurant together, and Weiss told Blake where she was meeting.  The woman confidently led her through the station, and they boarded one of the maglev trains that gave quick transport between the different asteroids that made up the Patch.

“Sooo,” Blake said once the train started up, “Are you alone?”

“Yes,” Weiss said curtly, and Blake raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t have any bodyguards with you?” She continued, and Weiss shook her head.

“I don’t need them,” She answered, “I’m more than capable of defending myself.  My sister has even helped me train against GRIMM using a holographic simulator.  She works for the Atlas military.”

Blake’s eyebrows shot up.  “You’ve trained to fight GRIMM?” She asked, and Weiss nodded.

“GRIMM attacks are becoming more and more frequent,” She answered, “As such, I thought it would be best if I was familiar with them, in case I was ever caught up in one.”

Blake nodded in agreement.  “They do seem to be getting bolder,” She admitted, “This past year more hunters have either been killed or went missing than the last five years combine.  Patch’s hunter academy is struggling to keep up with the losses.”

“Exactly,” Weiss agreed, “Which is why people need to prepare.  My sister says that based on the data it’s only a matter of time before the GRIMM hit somewhere heavily defended, such as a space station like this one.”

Blake hummed, before continuing.  “How did you arrive here?” She asked, “Did you take a public transport, or a private one?”

“I flew here myself, actually,” Weiss answered, “I have my own personal starfighter, top of the line.  Its chrome plating, combined with a strong shield, fast speed, and reliable weaponry makes it difficult to shoot down.”

“Really,” Blake said, “That’s amazing.  I wish I could do something like that.  Does your ship have a name?”

“Myrtenaster,” Weiss said, “After a kind of flower found on Alsius.”

“It must be quite the sight then,” Blake said, “To have such a beautiful name.”

“It is,” Weiss said with a fond smile, “One of my most prized possessions.”

The train stopped, and the two disembarked.  Blake led Weiss down a few streets before they came to a large building.

“Here you are,” Blake said.

“Thank you,” Weiss replied, “And you were right.  This would’ve been fairly difficult to find on my own.”

“Happy to help,” Blake told her, “And I’d be happy to help again if you need me to.”

“I’ll take you up on that offer,” Weiss said, “It’s always a good idea to become friends with someone who knows the area.  Mind if I have your scroll number?”

“Of course,” Blake said, pulling out her scroll.  She held it out for Weiss, who accepted it before quickly punching in her number.  She then called her own scroll, and after hearing it ring she pulled it out and saved Blake’s.

“Until next time,” Weiss said.

“Until next time,” Blake agreed, before walking away.  Weiss watched her disappear into the crowd, before turning and entering the building.  She was glad to have met Blake.  They seemed very level headed and reasonable, if a bit prejudice against Atlas.  But Weiss just assumed that was how the woman was raised.  After all, most systems had a dislike for Atlas and its large military.  But with the rise in GRIMM attacks, pirate raids, and terrorist movements, Weiss new that it was for the best, and soon the other systems would know as well.

“This is Pyrrha Nikos, flying the starfighter Miló , reporting for the Patch’s hunter program,” A redhead woman with green eyes wearing an armored flight suit said into her comms.  She was flying an angular starship that was currently orbiting the asteroid that housed the Academy.  After a few moments, she heard a voice reply over her comms.

“Pyrrha Nikos, this is Glynda Goodwitch, we read you loud and clear,” it said, “Please allow for manual override of your starfighter, and we’ll fly you into hanger 07/2013.”

“Copy that,” Pyrrha said, flipping a few switches, “Akoúo̱, could you turn on the manual receiver to they can do that.”

“Of course Pyrrha,” her personal A.I. said, a small hologram appearing in front of her.  It took the appearance of a woman wearing ancient bronze armor with a shield on her back.  The starfighter lurched as the workers on the space station took control and started guiding her in.

“How are you feeling,” the woman asked, and Pyrrha tilted a hand from side to side.

“Okay, but not the best,” She admitted, “I wish I could’ve spent more time with mom before I came here.”

“I understand,” Akoúo̱ replied, “You haven’t been able to see her that often.”

“Yeah,” She agreed, “But it was either leave now or risk the Spiders doing something to force me to join their privateers.  Hopefully things at the Patch will be easier.”

“I highly doubt that,” Akoúo̱ told the redhead, “Based on the data that I’ve gathered, it is very likely that you will be swarmed by fans not long after you land.  Your wins were very publicly broadcast throughout all corners of the Remnant star system, and you have fans in all four kingdoms plus Menagerie.”

“Couldn’t let me live a fantasy for a little while,” Pyrrha groused.

“I’m sorry,” the A.I. said, but Pyrrha shook her head.

“Don’t worry,” She replied, “I knew that it wouldn’t be that easy.  Anyway, you ready to transfer out of the ship’s systems?”

“Ready,” Akoúo̱ agreed, and Pyrrha held out a small chip.  The hologram disappeared as the A.I. downloaded itself onto the chip.  Pyrrha then slipped the chip into the back of her helmet before putting it on, tucking her long red hair inside.  Her ship then entered the hangar before navigating to one of the docking bays.  She could see a few people waiting for her.  Upon landing she opened the hatch and stepped onto the walkway.  Immediately the person in front, a man with gray hair and glasses, stepped forward and held out a hand, his other holding a cane..

“Greetings Pyrrha Nikos,” He said, and Pyrrha accepted the handshake.

“Professor Ozpin,” She replied, recognizing the man, “It’s good to see you.  Thank you for accepting me into the Academy.”

“It was my pleasure,” Ozpin said, “I’m always happy when a young pilot decides to join our noble group of hunters.  Though I’ll admit that I’m surprised you chose to come here and not go to the academy located on Haven.”

“I, needed to get away from it all,” Pyrrha replied evasively, and Ozpin nodded.

“I understand,” He said, “ Professor Port here will help you find your dorm.  And if you are not opposed to it, Professor Peach here can look over your starfighter to see if it needs any repairs.”

“I don’t mind,” Pyrrha agreed, “I trust the staff here.”

“Very well,” Ozpin said, “I’ll leave you in Port’s good hands.”  With that, the man walked off, tapping his cane on the ground.

“There’s something off about him,” Akoúo̱ said quietly, her voice coming from Pyrrha’s comm.

“What do you mean,” Pyrrha whispered as Professor Port led her out of the hangar and down the hall.

“I don’t know,” her A.I. replied, “I can’t figure it out.  Call it instinct, but something about Ozpin doesn’t match up in the scans I did of him.  Of course, it could just be that your flight suit needs a tune up, but I’m not sure.”

“I’ll have it checked out,” Pyrrha said, “Thanks for looking out for me, Akoúo̱.”

“Of course,” She replied, “Not only is it my job, but you’re my only friend.”

“And you’re mine,” the redhead whispered, as she and the Professor entered a lift, which closed and descended deeper into the asteroid.

Chapter Text

Yang was working on her starfighter, a heavily modified N-1 named Ember Celica , when she heard Zwei start beeping excitedly from outside.  Pushing herself out from underneath the ship, she stood up and walked out into the main hanger.  Standing in the entrance was a woman with long dark hair and mistralian clothing, who was currently backing away from Zwei, while the droid continued to approach her.

“Zwei,” Yang called, “Leave her alone.”  The droid whistled sadly and walked away while Yang approached the woman.  “Sorry about that, he gets excited over new people.  What can I do for you?”

“Is this where I can find Yang Xiao-Long and Ruby Rose?” The woman asked.

“Sure thing,” Yang said, “In fact, you’re talking to the former right now.”

“Oh, good,” the woman replied, “I’m Blake.  My friend and I have a pair of starships that we’re hoping to get repaired and upgraded, and I was told you two are the best when it comes to starfighters.”

“Now that’s flattering,” Yang said, “Who told you that?”

“Tukson,” Blake said, “He runs a bookstore called Tukson’s Book Trade.”

“I’ve heard of it,” Yang said, “My sister’s been there a few times.  Anyway, where are your ships?”

“They're in another hanger in the manufacturing district,” Blake told her, “And it looks like your hanger is otherwise occupied.”

“Not for long,” Yang replied, “That old freighter just needs a couple more days and she’ll be good to go.  Besides, there’s room in here for a few starfighters.”

“Maybe,” Blake agreed, “But I’m a bit nervous about bringing them here.  The upgrades we want are a bit sensitive, and I don’t want the wrong people spotting them.”

“What,” Yang snorted, “Did you steal some fancy tech from Atlas or something.”

“Yes,” Blake admitted, “A stygian cloaking device, to be specific, one designed for starfighters.”

Yang gaped at the woman.  “Get out,” She said softly, and the woman grinned smugly.

“And my friend has one of their experimental compact concussion missile launchers,” She continued.

“Okay,” Yang said loudly, startling the woman, “That’s it.  Ruby and I will do it.  We can work out the prices later, cause there is no way I’m missing out on this.  The two of us have worked with Atlas tech before, heck my sister just made a deal for a pair of P-s6 Twin Ion Engines stripped right out of one of their new TIEs, but a chance to work on some experimental tech, that will part of the payment in and of itself.”

“I see,” Blake said, clearly amused, “Shall we go to the hangar where we are docked then?”

“Absolutely,” Yang agreed, “We can take Bumblebee, my speederbike.  Let me grab a spare vacsuit.”

Yang turned and started for one of the smaller hangers, and Blake trailed after her.

“Why do you need a vacsuit,” She asked, and Yang grinned.

“Cause Bumblebee isn’t just a normal bike,” She answered, “I’ve won five separate speed runs on her out in the asteroid field.”

“Aren’t those illegal,” Blake commented dryly.

“Only if you get caught,” Yang quipped, and Blake snorted, “Plus, it will be faster than taking the trains.”

Blake didn’t say anything more after that, and Yang opened a storage unit.  Pulling out a vacsuit, she tossed it to Blake.

“There’s a changing room in the back,” She said, “As well as some space worthy containers that you can put your clothes and other stuff in.  I’ll get changed and bring Bumblebee out.”

Blake nodded, before walking off.  Yang grabbed her own yellow and black vacsuit before hopping into another changing room.  She quickly got ready before stepping out and hopping on her bike.  She started it up and pulled out onto the hanger, the two massive engines rumbling, and Zwei quickly hopped up onto it, magnetizing his feet onto its surface.

[For reference, Bumblebee is like Rey’s speeder in the force awakens, but it’s yellow on top and bottom, and black on the sides.  It’s also equipped with a pair of laser cannons.]

“I don’t recognize the model,” Yang heard Blake comment, and she turned to see the woman holding a small container and her helmet tucked under one arm.

“Course you don’t,” Yang said as Blake walked around and attached the box, “Bumblebee here is a custom repulsarlift, built by yours truly.”

“I see,” Blake replied, “Well, that speaks to a testament of your skill then.”

“You know it,” Yang agreed, as Blake put her helmet on before walking around to hop on behind her.  As she did so, Yang noticed what was strapped to the sides of her hips.

“You’ve got a pair of Westar-34s?” She asked, and she felt Blake stiffen behind her.

“I do,” She admitted, and Yang nodded.

“Cool,” She said, “Seems like you and your friend are a collector of rare and powerful gear.  Wonder what your starfighters will be like.”

“You’ll see in a few minutes,” Blake replied, “Just be patient.”

Yang laughed at her response.  “You got me there,” She said, putting on her own helmet, “You ready?”

After both Blake and Zwei gave the affirmative, she started up Bumblebees engines and they soared out of the hangar.  Once they were in open space Yang turned the bike and they cruised around the asteroid before making a beeline for the manufacturing district.

“Mind helping me find where you docked,” She asked.

“Of course,” Blake said, before pointing to one of the spires sticking out of the asteroid.  Yang altered her course to head towards it.  Upon arriving Blake directed her deeper into the mess of buildings until they finally arrived at a discreet hangar.  Blake hit a button on a small comms device, and the doors opened.  She pulled inside, before gasping at the two fighters she saw on the landing.  Once she parked, she immediately ripped off her helmet and turned to Blake.

“The Dunelizard isn’t too surprising,” She said, “I’ve seen them before, and they're quite popular in Vacuo.  But a Beskad Assault Starfighter?  Now that is rare.  Is that one yours?”

“Yep,” Blake admitted, glowing with pride, “ Gambol Shroud has gotten me out of a lot of tough situations.”

“That isn’t surprising,” Yang said with a snort, “Those things pack as much firepower as a gunship.  What’s the other one’s name?”

“ Lightning Lash ,” Blake told her, “She belongs to my friend Ilia.”

“Sweet names,” Yang said, before taking note of the scorch marks and damaged armor plating on both ships, “I take it those are courtesy of the guards you stole the tech from.”

“Of course,” Blake said as the two got off the speeder, “After all, they didn’t let us just take them.”

Zwei chirped and hopped off the speederbike, startling Blake a bit.  He ran over to the Beskad Assault Fighter first, and immediately started scanning it.

“Thanks,” Yang called out to the droid, before turning to Blake, “Zwei is part of the reason we’re among the best mechanics here.  He’s got the technical readouts for almost every type of starfighter in Remnant, and dozens of unique ones as well.”

“Impressive,” Blake noted.

“Sure is,” Yang agreed, “He’ll get a rundown of what repairs your ship needs so Ruby and I can get that worked out.  Then we can move to installing those fancy new upgrades you acquired.”

“Do you want to take a look at them now?” Blake asked.

“Heck yeah I do!” Yang cheered.  Blake led her over to where a pair of large crates were stashed in one corner of the hanger.  Walking over to one, she pressed a button on the side and with a hiss the lid came off.  Yang peeked inside, and whistled loudly.

“Wow,” She said, “I’ve seen a cloaking device once before, and it was like, five times that size.”

“I told you it was experimental,” Blake replied, “I know it works, as I saw the footage of the initial test.  You think you can install it?”

“I can,” Yang answered, “It might take a while, and I’ll probably need my sister’s help, but rest assured you will have this baby installed.”

“That’s a relief,” Blake replied, “Not to doubt your skill or anything, but with how complicated this device is, I’ve been nervous about finding someone who is capable of working with it outside of Atlas.”

“Understandable,” Yang agreed, closing the lid of the crate and moving to the next one.  She opened it up, nodding once she got a look at its contents.

“This one I can do by myself no problem,” She said as she closed the container, “It’s clearly been designed so it can just replace Atlas’ existing concussion missile launchers, and I’ve worked with plenty of those before.”

She walked back over to Blake, turning to look at Zwei as she did so.  The BD unit was currently climbing on Blake’s fighter, scanning it as he did so.

“How long will it be before he finishes?” Blake asked.

“He averages around fifteen minutes per starfighter,” Yang answered, “Probably closer to twenty with yours though, so we’ve got some time.  We can sit down while we wait for him.”

Blake nodded, and the two of them walked over to a pair of smaller supply crates.  They each took a seat as Zwei continued his work.  After a few minutes, Blake started talking again.

“How are things here on Patchwork?” She asked, “I know this place is a central hub for the independents, so I imagine you get quite a variety of people coming and going.”

“You know it,” Yang agreed, “My sister and I have worked on all kinds of ships.  Heck, right now Ruby’s working on a CR90 currently docked on the outer edge of the station.”

“Wait,” Blake said, her brow furrowing, “You mean outside of a hanger?”

“Yep,” Yang replied, “It belongs to the Arc Scrapper Clan.  They’ve made a lot of enemies over the years, and just had this massive run-in with the STC.”

“I think I heard about that actually,” Blake said, “They are directly responsible for helping about a dozen ships, including a Yellow Fang diplomatic barge, escape from the Nicholas when the STC tried to arrest them on grounds of piracy, right?”

“That’s them,” Yang agreed, “Practically crippled the Nicholas as well when Arthur dropped a cargo container full of reactivated Apathy Grimm.  When the STC claimed it saying it was stolen property, they swarmed the ship and shut down the majority of its systems.”

Blake snorted.  “Bet that was embarrassing for them,” She said, amusement tinging her voice.

“It wasn’t just embarrassing,” Yang replied, grinning, “Arthur told me that Jacque Schnee himself was on board at the time, which means they might as well have marched straight up into his mansion and kicked him in the balls before running away scott free.”

“I wish someone would actually do that,” Blake idly commented.

“Hey,” Yang said, “If I thought I could get away with it I’d totally do it.  I’d even film it and show it to everyone.”

“I’d pay good lien to have that recording,” Blake laughed.

“As would half of Remnant,” Yang said, “But anyway, Arthur refuses to bring the Arcadia into any hangar because of the chance that someone might try something.  Ruby doesn’t mind, especially since they pay her extra for the work.”

“I’d say that is a tad paranoid, except…” Blake trailed off, and Yang shrugged, “Speaking of the STC, did you know that Weiss Schnee is actually here on Patchwork right now?”

“She is?” Yang asked, and Blake nodded, “What’s she doing here?”

“Dunno,” Blake answered, “Just saw her at a restaurant.”

“She’s probably helping Atlas tighten the stranglehold they have on trade to and from Patchwork,” Yang groused, “As bad as the pirates that come prowling around on occasion are, Atlas and their armed corporations are what’s really making things hard around here.  The companies are taking control of as many trade around the station as possible, meaning that the only thing we have regular access to are the insanely overpriced low quality Atlas runoff unless it's from the smuggling rings that come here.  And they are beginning to avoid this place more as their military has taken to posting ships just outside the Patch’s space and attempting to seize every ship that flies by so they can “inspect” them to see if they are pirates or criminals.”

“And I take it that’s a lot of people who come here,” Blake said.

“Of course,” Yang said, “Not to mention Atlas will use any excuse to label an independent as a criminal, especially faunus.  A huntress named Velvet Scarlatina nearly got nabbed by one of their patrols when they accused her of being with the Fang.”

“Of course they’d use that accusation,” Blake grumbled.

“Yeah,” Yang agreed, “I mean, sure, the White Fang is bad news, but the rest of them are okay.  Heck, I remember one time Ruby and I got to work on a Kom’rk fighter transport for a group of Black Fang operatives that were passing by.  Still one of the top five coolest repairs I’ve ever done.”

“What’s, wrong, with the White Fang,” Blake asked, “I know that they’re disliked by everyone, but I’m afraid I don’t know much about why.”

“Seriously?” Yang asked, and Blake nodded, “Wow, what barren rock did you come from.”

“Hey,” Blake said with a frown, and Yang raised her hands.

“I don’t mean to insult you,” She assured her, “It’s just, everyone knows the White Fang are terrible.  Worse than pirates in my opinion.  At least with them you may have a chance of survival if you’re captured.”

Blake opened her mouth to say something, only to be interrupted by Zwei beeping loudly, getting their attention.

“What is it boy?” Yang asked, standing up.  She walked over to where the droid was standing, who moved out of the way to show her what had gotten its attention.

“Well that could have been disastrous,” Yang said, “Good thing you caught it.”

“What’s the matter,” Blake asked.

“The hyper matter fuel compressor for your warp drive is in danger of failing,” Yang replied, “The armor over it is cracked, so my guess is that your shields went down during a fight sometime and a solid projectile, likely from a gauss cannon or similar weapon, scored a direct hit on the armor above it.  Probably caused some minor damage that would be unnoticeable to the typical mechanic. If left unchecked, it would eventually blow, trashing the drive and damaging any nearby components.”

“Can you fix it?” Blake asked, standing up and walking over to her.

“Possibly?” Yang said, “But it’s safer to just get a new one.  I don’t have the model, but I know I could whip something up back in our workshop.  Done it plenty of times for some pilots who like to push their starfighters to the max.”

“But I’ll be grounded until then,” Blake stated, and Yang gave a nod, “Do you think that’s the first thing you can do along with installing the cloaking device?  I’ve found it’s better to always have the ship be at 100% flight capacity, in case someone you thought you managed to escape comes knocking.”

“Sure,” Yang agreed, “I’ll start making a new one the moment I get back.  Should be ready in about, three cycles.”

“Thank you,” Blake said.

“Don’t thank me,” Yang said, “Thank Zwei here.  There’s no way I would’ve caught that.  He may have very well saved your life.”

Blake grimaced, but turn to Zwei, who was watching her.  “Thanks, droid,” She forced out.  Zwei whistled, before hopping off the ship and onto the ground.  He rubbed his head against her leg briefly, before darting over to the other fighter.

“Don’t like droids?” Yang asked, and Blake shook her head.

“I’ve had, one to many, experiences with them, including the innocent looking ones,” She told Yang with a frown.  Yang just shrugged.  They stood their in silence for a moment watching the droid scurry around the ship, before Blake turned to Yang.

“What did you mean?” She asked, and Yang let out a brief “hm?”

“About the White Fang being worse than pirates,” She clarified.

“Oh,” Yang said, “Well, as someone who works on a lot of starships, I see all kinds of damage, and learn who did it.  When a ship comes in damaged from a pirate attack, the crew is usually alive, or most of them are.  The pirates just want the crew, so even if they’re captured, they can still make it out alive if they cooperate with them.  But the White Fang?”  She sighed heavily.  “I’ve only seen one ship that had been through one of their attacks.  It didn’t even come into the shop, I just found it as the thing in this asteroid field I was flying Bumblebee through.  I called the Patch’s security team to let them know, and went aboard to see if anyone needed help.  I found the ship practically stripped of all valuable parts, including shields, warp drive, and life support.  Then there were the bodies.  Several of them were killed by blaster fire, but others, they didn’t have a mark, died to not having any oxygen.  The White Fang left them to die, and die slowly, as the air in the ship slowly went stale.”

“Were they Atlas?” Blake asked.

“That’s the thing,” Yang said, “If it was them, I could sorta understand why they might do it.  But this wasn’t an Atlas ship, or one from any kingdom.  It was a Scrapper ship, one with a half faunus crew, including the captain.”

“That can’t be true,” Blake protested, “The White Fang fights for faunus rights.”

“That’s what they claim,” Yang said, “And maybe they did before.  But now, they just fight for themselves.”

Blake was clearly troubled by the information, but before either could say anything more, a beep came from one end of the hangar.  They both turned to see the door open and through it stepped a young woman about Blake’s age with tan skin decorated in large brown spots.  She had long hair pulled back in a ponytail, and was wearing simple and conservative clothing.

“Hey Blake,” She called out as she approached them, “Who’s this?”

“This is Yang Xiao-Long,” Blake replied, “She and her sister are going to be repairing and upgrading our starfighters.”

Ilia turned to glare suspiciously at Yang.  “You got a problem working with stolen Atlas tech?” She asked, her hand drifting to her thigh.  Yang just laughed easily.

“If I did,” She replied, “I’d be a hypocrite, seeing as I use the stuff all the time, whether to repair other ships or in building my own.”

Ilia relaxed, a light smile coming to her lips.  “That’s good,” She said, “Hate for us to fight over it.”

“Chill please,” Yang said, “Even if I wasn’t okay with doing it, it’s not like I would go to Atlas and sell you out.  No independent would stoop that low.  We hate Atlas just as much as the faunus do.  Heck, many independents are faunus.”

“I see,” Ilia said, “So, how long will everything take?”

“Still waiting on Zwei to get back to me on that,” Yang replied, “Off the top of my head, I’d say I could get the armor fixed in about seven or eight cycles per ship.  My sister Ruby will be helping out as well.  As for any internal damage, it depends on what it is.  And as for your new tech, I can get the missile launcher hooked up in a cycle or two, but that cloaking device?  Ruby and I will need at least eight cycles for that, working together.”

“So you’re saying we’ll be here for a while,” Ilia stated.

“Looks that way,” Yang agreed, “Don’t worry though.  I’ll get your ships back into fighting shape.  When my sister and I are done with them, they’ll be better than new, even without the fancy upgrades.”

Zwei then chirped, walking over to them.  Yang bent down, holding out an arm for him to climb up until he was perched on her shoulder.

“Well,” She said, “Looks like he’s done.  I’ll head back to the shop and begin going over everything that needs to be done and get back to you tomorrow.  We can work out how much it’ll cost then too.”

“Thank you,” Blake said, “I’ll change so you can have your suit back.”

“Naw,” Yang said, waving a hand, “You keep it.  That’s one of two spares we have anyway.  Not to mention you won’t find a better one in any of the kingdoms, including any those stuck up Atlesians might have.”

“Are you sure?” Blake asked.

“I wouldn’t be offering if I wasn’t,” Yang answered, “Besides, the Patch has a mandatory policy to have a vacsuit on hand in case of an emergency, like a hull breach or something else like that.”

“Okay,” Blake agreed, “I’ll keep it.  Thank you for the gift.”

“No problem,” Yang replied, shooting her a wink, “Besides, that suit looks too good on you for me to take off unless both of us have already had several drinks and are ready to do something stupid.”

Blake snorted upon hearing that, while Ilia scowled at her.  Yang raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment on it as she walked over to her bike.  She detached the container with Blake’s clothing, before hopping on and starting it up.

“Well ladies,” She said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”  With that, she turned the bike around and shot out of the hanger and began weaving around ships as she made her way back to the workshop.