The airship touched finally touched down after 17 hours of continuous flight, and Jay looked around, the boredom she had been combatting suddenly lifted in favour of curiosity and anxiety to get off the cramped vessel. As she gazed around the ship, she found her companions and elders were all still fast asleep, with even Oolong having entered a power-saving rest mode. This was unsurprising to her, as she was the only one who had fallen asleep at the beginning of the trip. She pulled her scroll from her pocket, quickly doing the math in her head. They set out at around 1 in the afternoon, so it would be around 6 in the morning back at Nikos. A glance at her scroll, which had adjusted for the time zones they had crossed, greeted her with a time of just after 9 in the morning. She grinned at the screen of her scroll, the portrait used for Alice's aura meter having been updated by her, using a picture with her eyes open. Only her scroll had it, but she really enjoyed it. She thought of how her relationship with Alice had helped her become so much more comfortable with herself. Jay now rarely wore sleeves, seeming to truly enjoy exposing her scarred, muscley arms to others. Thoughts of that first date in the cafe always brought smiles to Jay's face, over a month later.
The back door to the airship opened, the noise rousing Jaune from his loud snoring. He looked around, seeing everyone asleep, before turning to Jay. "Good morning, Ms. Merletta. I'd, uh, advise you to cover your ears," Jaune said, before grabbing his sheathed sword by it's handle in both hands. Jay quickly did as she was told before he hit the sword against the metal floor as hard as he could, the harsh sound echoing through the compact area of the airship. Everyone except for Professor Wukong was quickly roused from sleep, the still sleeping faunus quickly awoken by a swift swat to the back of his head by Jaune. "Okay, everyone, we've arrived at the forward base to meet with General Schnee. Hop off the ship, it's time to go!"
The crew exited the airship with a mix of mutters and attentiveness, while Jaune walked to Oolong as they moved towards the General's base.
"Oolong, how is your battery?" Jaune asked.
"I am currently at just under half capacity," Oolong answered. "If they have a stable source of electricity, I should be fine to operate by this evening."
"Good to hear."
As the elders walked in the front, Jay fell back to Alice, watching her observe the area. "You alright, babe?" she said, looking down at her tired girlfriend. "That was kinda a rude awakening, huh?"
"You can say that again," Alice replied before succumbing to a yawn, the noise high pitched and barely audible, Jay blushing at the cute action. "I only hope they have coffee."
"I'm still mad you got me hooked on that sludge, y'know?"
"It's not my fault you insist on drinking it black."
"Yeah, well all the sugar and additives you put in yours aren't very good for those muscles you're so fond of." Jay relished in the slight flush the comment got out of Alice. "I mean, I know you're working with at least a third less muscle mass, but seriously, those cups of ichor you brew every morning are horrible for you."
"Well, the key is it getting me through the morning. Have to get it down somehow." She shrugged, before elbowing Jay's arm. "Plus, I've got something better to get me through the days."
Jay smiled, red creeping it's way back onto her face. "Aww, that's sweet."
"Unlike your coffee."
The two laughed, before being interrupted by a tired Jahim from behind them. "Yeah, uh, if you two could wait until we're all fully awake, that'd be awesome."
The two stifled their laughter to quiet giggling as the group entered the large warehouse that had been turned into a makeshift base. There was still some time until they were scheduled to meet the General, so Team SAJJ retired to a side room, coffee in all but Donovan's hands as they sat around each other, and begun to wonder what lied ahead of them.
At promptly 10 o'clock sharp, the group entered the General's chamber, Weiss and Jaune standing at the head of the group. Weiss stood as tall as she could, propped upon her cane without any wavering in her posture as she looked at her sister for the first time in more than two decades. Jaune's hand was firmly on the grip of his sword as he stood near Weiss, clearly not trusting of the General just yet. It was only when the doors behind the 8 of them shut that the General finally rose from her seat.
Winter Schnee was far different than the last any of them had seen her, that first day of the Vytal Tournament so many years ago. She wore armour resembling that of a knight's plate armour, thin and contoured to her form, with some metal framework articulating underneath. Jay noted the telltale whirring of external power armour similar to her own coming from the suit. The left shoulder plate flared upward, resembling a wing, and a rapier sat at her hip. The only thing exposed was her head, her hair tied in a short bun, and her face as unblemished as it was stern and observing. She walked around her desk, stopping in front of Weiss. She eyed her sister up and down briefly, her eye lingering on the prosthetic leg.
"Sister," Winter finally said, her voice softly hoarse, a result of aging.
"Hello, Winter," Weiss said, extending one hand for a handshake, the other remaining firmly planted on her cane. "It is good to see you after all this ti-"
Weiss was cut off by an abrupt hug from Winter, the latter foregoing the former's handshake.
"You're here…"
"I got your message," Weiss said, smiling as she reciprocated the hug with her free arm.
"I'm just glad you're alright," Winter said, releasing Weiss from the hug, a smile gracing her features as well. "The Atlesian file on you stops after you left. I was wondering how you had fared, I was unable to do anything but send word. You look well."
"You look better. You're nearly 50 yet you look better than I do." She laughed shortly.
"May I ask how…" Winter said, her eyes drifting again to the metal limb Weiss now relied on. "It was missing when you returned to reclaim the SD...RDC. I never found out how it occurred."
"Adam Taurus dropped a cargo container containing an old Paladin suit on it," Weiss said, the grip on the top of her cane tightening. "I was forced to self-amputate and continue the battle. I only recently obtained the prosthetic. I figured if my son was going to fight, I shouldn't let myself rot on the sidelines."
"Son?" Winter's eyes went wide, and Weiss allowed herself a much longer bout of laughter.
"Yes, a son, and I have a daughter as well. It seems we have plenty to catch up on."
"Yes, plenty." Winter said, before snapping her attention to two soldiers flanking the door, both of whom were in a state of bewilderment at seeing the General smile for such a long period. Winter's face promptly snapped back to stern, before she begun barking orders. "You two! Prepare a separate barracks for the 8 of them. They're here to aid the effort."
The two soldiers hurriedly saluted in response before running out of the room. Winter turned her attention now to Jaune, who had relaxed his grip somewhat. "Mr. Arc."
"General. It's good to see your motive wasn't sour."
"And I am glad that you yourself decided to come. If the files are not lying, you will prove a tremendous asset with that semblance you possess." Winter's eyes drifted to SAJJ, standing in the back of the room. "Though, I question your choice in bringing children to a warzone."
"With all due respect, general, it wasn't too much further into the three of ours own first year that we were thrown into the Fall. I don't plan on sending anyone into that kind of environment without proper experience. This is merely a touch more… hands on than what we usually do."
Winter's eyes narrowed, before her gaze relented. "Very well. I will respect your judgment. Just know that they're your responsibility, Arc."
"I'm well aware."
Winter turned her head to address the whole group. "You all will not be asked to do combat your first day here, but I expect you all to make yourselves useful on base. Assist anywhere that it's necessary." She turned to her sister. "Weiss, I would like to catch up over tea, if that is acceptable."
"Yes, that would be lovely." Weiss said.
"The rest of you are dismissed." Winter said. The 7 of them left the room, before looking around at everything to be done, and splitting off to assist in any way they could. By the time they retired to their barracks, they were all tired and dirty, save for Weiss and Oolong, the former enjoying the company of her sister, while the latter merely charged for the day. The remainder of the group merely fell into their beds, aiming to get plenty of sleep for their first day of combat tomorrow.
