Chapter 16

While enjoyable the lunch break was short. Blake and Sun had work that night, so with a quick farewell and a few handshakes, everyone had gone on their ways, the pair taking the leftover pizza with them. The rest of the day had gone smoothly for Ruby, though after a few more hours her leg had begun to slightly ache. An aspirin was the solution, and the problem quickly left her mind. Eventually Weiss bid her farewell and good day, and Ruby headed home, just in time to meet Blake and Sun as they left. Ruby hugged them both, then reheated what was left of her pizza and curled up on the couch to watch some television. Sleep came easy.

The next day promised to be far more boring. It was back to business as usual. Wednesdays were not generally busy, and sure enough Ruby spent most of the time at her desk. She passed the time chatting with Penny or reading engineering articles online. She hoped Coco might visit to break up the monotony, but her new friend failed to materialize. With no plans made by lunchtime, Ruby headed to the cafeteria alone. She decided to be adventurous, anything to spice up the day, and ordered some of the fresh steak on offer.

Though she was tempted to eat the appetizing meal right then and there, Ruby decided to take her lunch back to her desk. She grabbed a drink and some plastic utensils and headed back up the elevator. The steak happened to taste even better than it looked, and Ruby was disappointed when the elevator chimed. She put her meal aside and prepared to greet the guest. Happily it was Ren. Carrying a nondescript bag, walked over to Ruby's desk. "Hello Ruby."

"Hey Ren." Ruby chirped. She glanced over to her lunch. It was a little impolite but… "Do you mind if I keep eating while we talk?"

"Go ahead." Ren allowed. "I was just bringing Weiss her lunch."

"Oh...I was wondering why that wasn't on the schedule for me today." Ruby noted. She pressed the button on her intercom. "Weiss, Ren is here."

"Just a moment." Weiss replied.

"How are you Ren?" Ruby asked. "How's Pyrrha doing?"

"We're both doing very well." Ren replied. "How are you?"

"Really good." Ruby cheered. "Yesterday was pretty fun...and this steak is incredible."

"The food here really is amazing." Ren observed. "About yesterday, Pyrrha and I wanted to apologize for not being there. Pyrrha was busy with her SFO duties, and I didn't feel right coming without her."

"Oh, it's no big deal." Ruby waved his apology away. "I totally understand."

"In any case, we'd like to invite you and your roommates to dinner this Sunday to make up for our absence." Ren offered. "Nothing fancy, just some home cooking at our apartment."

"That sounds cool." Ruby agreed. "I don't think Blake and Sun have any plans. Should we bring anything?"

Ren shook his head. "Pyrrha and I will do all the cooking. But if you feel compelled, Pyrrha has a soft spot for white wine."

"I'm in for sure." Ruby grinned. It was funny, in just a few weeks of living in Atlas, she had been more social than in years back on Patch. She liked it. If only she could share it with Yang too.

"I'll text you our address and the time we think we'll be ready, that's-" He started, cut off by the sound of Weiss' door opening.

"Sorry for the wait." Weiss apologized. "I was on the phone with an investor. Come on in."

"Talk to you later." Ruby gave Ren a quick wave.

Ren smiled. "Always a pleasure."

Ruby returned her focus to her meal, a great relief. It would be a crime to let food this good get cold. Much to her annoyance, she only got in a few bites before the elevator chimed again. She quickly slid her food aside and made sure there was nothing on her face. The elevator doors slid aside to reveal a middle-aged man of average height, dressed in a military-like uniform. Ruby noticed a small metal implant above his eye, clear evidence that he was fitted with older generation cybernetics. He approached the desk with perfect posture and a grim expression.

"How can I help you?" Ruby asked, as cheerfully as she could manage. The man was so serious, it was unnerving. Worse was that he completely ignored Ruby, looking to Penny's screen instead. It was as if Ruby did not even exist.

"General Ironwood, sir." Penny spoke up, her little avatar snapping into a military salute.

"Hello Penny." Ironwood responded. "I have urgent news for Ms. Schnee."

"I'll let her know right away." Penny promised.

In moments Ren exited Weiss' office. He stood aside as the general headed in, giving a small bow as he passed. Ironwood barely acknowledged the gesture. Ruby waited for the the office door to close and lock. "I guess he's a big deal." She suggested.

"He's head of the Atlesian General Staff." Ren confirmed. "He sometimes comes in to get his prosthetics adjusted but...I've never seen him quite like this."

"You mean scary?" Ruby asked.

"That's a word for it." Ren stated. "He usually acts a little more...human...for lack of a better term. There must be something going on."

"Like what?" Ruby asked. "A problem with one of the defense contracts?"

"Maybe but…" Ren trailed off. "I shouldn't speculate." He glanced at the clock behind Ruby's desk. "Well, I should get going. It was good to see you again."

"Yeah, you should stop by more often." Ruby suggested.

"I think I might." Ren nodded. He pressed the elevator button, and the doors slid open immediately. "Have a good day."

"You too!" Ruby cheered. With Ren gone, she returned to her meal once again. Unfortunately it was no longer hot. It was still good though. Just as she was finishing up, Weiss' office door opened and the general walked out, looking a bit unnerved. He said nothing to Penny or Ruby as he boarded the elevator and departed.

Ruby did not have long to dwell on the strange encounter. Moments later, Weiss emerged from her office and approached her. "Ruby...clear my schedule tomorrow, from 10 AM to 1 PM for a press conference." Weiss instructed. She looked pale, and her voice lacked its usual firmness.

"Sure...uh...Weiss, are you okay?" Ruby asked.

"I'm...no." Weiss admitted. "But don't worry about it."

"Is there anything I can do-" Ruby started.

"Don't worry about it." Weiss insisted. "Penny, send a company-wide email regarding our policy on interactions with the press."

"Yes Ms. Schnee." Penny's avatar nodded. Ruby's scroll immediately buzzed to indicate receipt of said email.

"Weiss, what's-" Ruby tried again, only to be cut off once more.

"I have important matters to attend to." Weiss declared. With that she returned to her office.

"Penny, what's happening?" Ruby inquired, hoping to get some kind of information.

"I am forbidden to divulge the contents of any conversations taking place within Ms. Schnee's office, unless specifically authorized to do so by the chairwoman herself." Penny noted. "But do not worry, I am sure Weiss will inform you soon."

"I hope so Penny." Ruby sighed. "She looked so...not like her. I just want to help."

Despite Weiss' command that Ruby not worry, she could not help but do so. Ruby had never seen her boss in such a state, and from what she knew about her, it was far from her normal character. Whatever was going on must have been serious. Her worry was only compounded by her ignorance. If Weiss had only been willing to tell her what was wrong...but no. Now her mind jumped from worst case scenario to worst case scenario. She mentioned the situation and the press conference to Blake and Sun when she got home, but they could offer no real comfort. Sleep did not come easy.

Ruby had never dreaded going to work. Whether it be at the SDC, her job as a barista, or the other part time jobs she had occupied over the years, she had never experienced such a sense of foreboding. Her commute seemed to take longer than usual, and her leg ached for no apparent reason. The bright, sunny, unseasonably warm weather seemed a cruel juxtaposition with her inner turmoil. Her mind raced even as she rode the elevator up to the top floor. Normally Penny would have greeted her, but there was only the gentle hum of the machine and the buzz of the fluorescent lights.

With a chime, the elevator came to a halt and the doors slid open. Ruby was greeted with an unusual sight. Weiss paced before Ruby's desk, staring at a collection of papers in hand, hair somewhat unkempt, not a touch of makeup on her face. When she heard the elevator she turned, greeting Ruby with bloodshot eyes and a weak smile.

"Gods Weiss, are you okay?!" Ruby blurted.

"Do I look that bad?" Weiss managed. "I guess I'll get my money's worth out of the makeup artists."

"Weiss...please tell me what's wrong." Ruby beseeched.

Weiss nodded as Ruby approached. The girl stopped just short of laying a hand on her boss' shoulder. "My sister is...missing in action." Weiss admitted. "Her airship was shot down and...well, nothing's definite, but it's suspected that the White Fang has her."

"I...I'm so sorry." Ruby stammered. "Is there...is there anything I can do? Anything at all."

"Not re...yes actually." Weiss nodded, flicking through the mess of papers she carried. "Can you introduce me at the press conference? I'd have someone from Media Relations do it, but they're going to need to focus on dealing with the press, and I don't want-"

"Yes." Ruby agreed. "I'll do it." She paused. "Uh...what do I have to do?"

Weiss found the paper for which she was searching. "You'll just step up to the podium and read this." She handed Ruby the sheet, a brief and generic statement typed on it.

"Yeah, I can do that." Ruby nodded, looking over the page. "Is there anything else?"

"No, not really, just…" Weiss sighed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Taxing, everything is taxing and it's not liable to get any better." She complained, rubbing her eyes. She looked miserable - as miserable as a missing sister should make someone, and then some.

Ruby decided to take a chance. "Would...you like a hug?"

"Huh?" Weiss blinked.

"Hug?" Ruby repeated, holding her arms out in offer.

Weiss stared at Ruby for several moments before huffing, a tired smile growing on her face. "Yes, I would appreciate a hug." She stepped forward, and Ruby did not hesitate to wrap her in a tight embrace.

"You'll get through this." Ruby encouraged. Weiss slumped into her.

"I will." Weiss stated, less than convincingly. Ruby released her and Weiss took a step back, eyes a little glassier than they were before. "Alright. I need to put the finishing touches on my speech. Just wait here, read over your statement, and when they're ready for you I'll call you down to makeup."

"Makeup?" Ruby quirked her brow.

"You'll want to look your best for the cameras." Weiss half-heartedly chuckled. She ducked into her office, leaving Ruby alone, standing before her desk.

"Are you okay Ruby?" Penny asked after a few moments passed.

Ruby sighed. "I just realized what I agreed to."

"Do you have a fear of public speaking?" Penny inquired.

"No, not really." Ruby replied. "I was always alright talking to my class at uni. Being up in front of cameras is a little intimidating."

"I'm sure you can do it!" Penny encouraged.

"Yeah...I can." Ruby stated, less than convincingly.

Even as Ruby went through makeup, she did not quite believe what she was about to do. Sure, she had never had trouble with public speaking before, but this was a different situation from what she had faced in the past. Speaking to two dozen uninterested students or giving a pep talk to the track team was one thing. Giving a speech - even a short, prepared statement - to the press, with their cameras and bright lights, was quite another. As she waited for the press conference to begin, she stared at her statement. It was only after some time that she realized she was not actually reading it. This was going to be rough. Hopefully she would not embarrass herself. That would be a win in this situation for sure.

"Hey Red, you okay?" Coco's voice cut through Ruby's clouded thoughts. "If you stare at that paper any harder you'll burn a hole through it."

"Oh...yeah...I'm fine, totally fine." Ruby lied badly.

"Good joke Red." Coco smirked. "You know, I can read the statement if you want."

"No, no, I promised Weiss I would do it." Ruby shook her head. "It's my responsibility."

"Well, don't sweat it." Coco advised. "It's not that big a deal. No one's gonna' remember what you say up there. You could walk out there naked and sing Vale's national anthem and you wouldn't even make the nightly news. They're all here to see Weiss."

"I know but...how can you not be intimidated by all that?" Ruby gestured to the curtain before her. The media was already setting up on the other side.

"It probably helps that I totally bombed my first press conference." Coco shrugged.

"I find that hard to believe." Ruby challenged.

"It's true." Coco insisted. "It wasn't even a big thing. Just a little speech to some local news folks. I got up there, started talking...it hit me how important it was to make a good first impression and my mouth went dry. I could barely speak, I'm talking completely tongue-tied. I would have killed for a glass of water, but I just had to stand there and fumble my way through. The next day I was all over the internet, the butt of jokes on late-night television, the whole deal. I'm kinda' surprised you've never seen it."

"I was never a fan of cringe videos." Ruby noted. "Laughing at someone else's pain just feels wrong, and I tend to put myself in their shoes anyway."

"You bleeding heart you." Coco smirked. "Anyway, for my next public appearance, I was sure to have a bottle of water, just in case. I always have one with me when I speak to the media. I don't even need it anymore. It's almost like a good luck charm now."

"Maybe I should bring one." Ruby thought aloud.

"Way ahead of you." Coco pulled a mini water bottle from her pocket and handed it to Ruby. She glanced up at the clock. "Looks like it's time."

"Crap." Ruby sighed.

Coco grabbed Ruby by the shoulders, looking her in the eyes over her sunglasses. "You're a beautiful, strong woman Ruby Rose. You get out there and own that crowd! Knock 'em dead!"

Ruby nodded and met Coco's smile with one of her own, though her stomach still churned. Coco stepped aside and pulled back the curtain slightly, allowing Ruby to walk through. She strode up to the podium, placed the water bottle on the edge, and the paper with her statement in the center. The din of quiet conversation that had filled the room faded to silence. Ruby looked up and was shocked by the sight before her. There were dozens of reporters, maybe 50, plus at least 10 video cameras, not to mention all the still cameras arranged on tripods around the room. It felt as though the air had been sucked from her lungs, and her breakfast threatened to make a surprise appearance.

Ruby closed her eyes and did her best to take a deep breath. It was shaky, but something. She grabbed the water bottle, fumbled to remove the cap, then took a long sip. Better. She looked at the crowd once more. They looked barely interested. Coco was right, they were only there for Weiss. Ruby was just there to handle the formalities they had all probably heard before. No big deal. She cleared her throat and went for it.

"In a few moments, Weiss Schnee, chairwoman and CEO of the SDC, will give a brief statement." Ruby was surprised by how clear and strong her speech was. Maybe Coco had drugged the water bottle. "She will not be answering any questions at present. All inquiries should be directed to the SDC Media Relations Department. The SDC thanks you for your cooperation."

Ruby took another deep breath, grabbed her paper and water bottle, and walked off stage, ducking behind the curtain.

"See, that wasn't so bad." Coco met her. "You did great."

"It...crap." Ruby dropped her things and rushed off. Her breakfast was definitely making a comeback.

"Huh, maybe it was." Coco shrugged. She looked around, quickly locating Weiss, and rushed over to meet her before she took the stage. "You got this." She encouraged. "Get out there and kick some ass."

"Thanks Coco." Weiss offered a smile.

"Anytime babe." Coco slapped Weiss on the rear as she passed, heading for the podium.

Weiss took nothing with her to the podium. She had never needed water during a speech, and she had committed her statement to memory. She was unlikely to keep entirely to the script anyway. She had been careful to remain impassive, even as she took a series of deep breaths in preparation for her speech. She had spoken to the media many times, more than she could count, but this would surely be her toughtest talk yet.

"On behalf of the SDC and the Schnee family, I thank you all for being here today, and apologize for the short notice. I've called you all here today to announce that Winter Schnee, my sister, has gone missing in action in Mistral. During a classified mission, her airship was shot down by White Fang forces and crashed in enemy territory. She is presumed to be a prisoner of the White Fang, though there has been no confirmation of her status as of yet." There were some gasps and looks of shock from the crowd. Weiss was not surprised. She felt much the same way.

"Currently, rescue and recovery efforts are underway." Weiss continued. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Winter and all the members of her unit, as well as their families. My sister could have lived a life of luxury and leisure, but she chose to put herself at risk for the greater good. She has always been an inspiration to me, and I love her dearly." Weiss paused once more. "We will not allow these events to interfere with the important strides the SDC is making toward peace and equality. The upcoming gala, benefiting Schnee Faunus Outreach, will go forward as planned. The company's charitable work in the Faunus community will continue as normal. We recognize that the vast majority of Faunus are good, honest people, who want nothing more than lives of peace and prosperity for themselves and their families. We will continue to help them achieve that goal."

It was time for the important part. "I would like to offer a message directly to the White Fang. We...I will not negotiate. I will not compromise. I will not stop striving for peace. There will be peace, unity and equality between humans and Faunus, I will see to that." Weiss took a series of deep breaths to calm herself. "Thank you. The SDC and Atlesian military will provide more information as it becomes available."

Weiss rushed off stage as flash bulbs popped and reporters shouted questions. A member of the Media Relations Department took the stage immediately to deal with the crowd. Slipping behind the curtain, Weiss was met by Velvet and an immediate embrace. "You did great." Velvet praised. "I'm so proud of you."

Weiss allowed herself to slump into Velvet's arms. The fatigue eating away at her will threatened to release a torrent of volatile emotions. She clung to her friend and begged them to hold fast, if only for one more day.