We emerged from the heavy clouds and all gasped at what we saw.
Massive airships, our war ships, deployed in mass. Circling all around atlas. Many small transport ships flew to and from the docking bays on the warships.
"My god" I say "what's going on?" Ruby asked "I don't know" qrow said "but we are here. We got the lamp to atlas I say we land and get some answers" jaune said.
"No way" I said as I turn to the. "I've never seen any of our forces deployed so aggressively like this before, there's no way we can land in a stolen airship, not possible"
Weiss followed my statement "Plus if we do they won't let us anywhere near ironwood, and I might be taken back to-" I shushed her "that's not happening" I said as she nodded.
"Weiss, call Winter she might be able to help" I said as Weiss got on her scroll "Maria, get us some distance away from the fleet"
Maria nodded "Don't have to tell me twice" maria pulled the stick as the ship turned and changed course. We started flying above mantle, just below atlas.
"God damn" I said. "Mantle looks...broken" I shudder. "It's ok" Ruby says as she rubs my back. Just as we flew low we passed by a large hologram video of Ironwood.
"...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."
"Ironwood...he looks..." Yang said "Tired" Ruby answered I scowled when I saw his big face on the Video "Whats your plan?" I ask the video like Ironwood would respond.
I looked down from the windshield. Drones controlled the street, atlas a droids patrolled every corner. Children his in alleys, civilians got angry "not this again!" "Let us be man!"
"This is all so wrong" weiss says. "None of this is right" I nod as I look at Maria we need-" I was cut off.
"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."
"To ditch this ship" yang finished.
"Let's get lost in mantle, we can figure out a game plan from there" I say as Maria nods "I'm telling you winter can help us" I shake my head as I grab Weiss's shoulder "I guess not" I say as we look at a screen with winter.
"Failure to cooperate with Atlas military personnel is a punishable offense. If your sector is under lockdown..."
"Winter." Weiss said. "Right." I sighed as I looked at Maria "Set us down somewhere, I'm gonna try and get ahold of my mom"
"That's right we should be in range now." Jaune said. "No answer" I say as my mom doesn't pick up the phone. "Rainn always was bad at answering calls" qrow said
---
After landing the stolen Manta in Mantle, Maria cautiously exits an alley by slowly shuffling along with her cane. When she sees the coast is clear, she picks up her cane and walks normally, and everyone else exits the alley with her. In the distance, a small group of Atlas soldiers run down a street in the direction that Maria and the others came from.
"It landed over there, let's go!"
The group begins walking through Mantle together. Trucks drive past, and Atlesian Knight-200s stand on various sidewalks. A small child places a poster of a white-haired woman on a street lamp. There is a hologram board displaying news articles with the following headlines:
