The Wilted Rose

Chapter 8: Welcome to Mantle

Border of Atlas

10:03 PM

3 years to the fall

Y/n pov

Holy shit did it get cold fast! I know its a tundra but holy crap man! We had been traveling for a few hours. In that time, Roy and I have smoothed out the details of how we're going to do this. The general consensus is to play along with whoever we're working with and when its time, we pull the rug out from under them. Now, that wont stop the attempts on their lives. The only way to do that is to find some use for Jacques. As much as I want to just cut him loose, that wouldn't save the rest of them.

We also have to worry about the fact that we're walking into not only a kingdom, but the most militaristic one on remnant. Now, I knew absolutely nothing about Atlas. I knew who ran the show there and that was it. Roy however did know a bit more. He had explained that the kingdom was essentially a military state with a mandatory conscription of anyone turning 18. The Huntsman academy here was also a military branch, called specialists. That was a terrifying thought that Huntsmen had access to military assets. What would happen if a man like Tai got his hands on something like a army of Knights?

The council was mostly useless since the only ones who had any substantial pull was Ironwood himself and Roman Sionis. Speaking of those two, Ironwood had a military contract out with Sionis. The deal was that the metal used in any and all military assets. The reason was because during the smelting process, Sionis mixes the metal with a specific amount of dust to give it a extra coat dust resistance. Infusing dust into clothing was a practice that dated back quite a long time. But infusing metal with it? People thought it was impossible for the longest time because of the volatility of dust to begin with. Sionis however decided to say "Fuck safety" and tossed a shit ton of dust of all kinds in and watched the magic happen. 

It occurred to me that the dossier on Sionis didn't list his semblance. That was a strange detail to miss, especially for the League. I pushed it out of my mind as I heard a radio call in the cockpit. I guess we just entered Atlesian airspace. Lets hope the pilot can talk his way in. Atlas military or not, the guy on the radio seemed jumpy, and that made ME jumpy.

Radio: Yeti-1, You have re-entered Atlas airspace undocumented. Please state your business.

Pilot: Yeti-1 to control tower, I have important cargo to deliver in Mantle. Requesting clearance to land at Fortuna air base for offload.

Radio: ...Yeti-1, We don't have any notices for a delivery for Fortuna air base. What cargo are you bringing in?

I was starting to get nervous. This guy had weapons, dust and other basic supplies loaded into the bullhead. The problem was that apparently, someone dropped the ball. Things were going from bad to worse with each passing second. The pilot was also beginning to look a bit nervous. I honestly couldn't blame him, if they start shooting and they manage to hit the dust. Well, dust is about what we'll be. 

Pilot: Yeti-1 to control, It was a emergency request for a offload of dust and ammunition. 

Radio: Yeti-1, Dock at Atlas academy and submit to a search of your vessel.

...Oh shit. Roy and I exchanged looks. If we were caught, then we'd be thrown into the stockade. That was not something either of us wanted to experience. Prison was bad enough but being placed into a military holding facility? Yeah, they can keep that shit. Roy quickly walked to the cockpit.

Roy: Can you fly us low to the rooftops?

Pilot: Yeah, why?

Roy: We're going to jump.