I week later than what I initially hoped for this chapter. Things last weekend were... bad. On so many levels. But it's here now so better late than never.

Summer stepped forward and brought Ruby into a hug. "I thought I'd have to go out and find you. Glad that's not the case. This is a big planet."

Ruby blinked over her mother's shoulder and finally returned the gesture. As her brain slowly registered what was going on, she tightened her grip and felt her eyes grow watery. It was her, dirty snow-white cape and all. "Hi, mom."

Her mom laughed and pulled away before Ruby's grip became too strong. Summer turned away and walked back to the giant beetle robot. "Glad you're here. I've been trying to get this thing working for the past week. The wires are all shot and the hydraulics are leaking. I've never been able to work robots that well. This was always your kind of thing." She turned around, still with a smile on her face, but that fell away when she locked eyes with Ruby. "Everything okay?"

"You… you're dead. You're gone."

Her mom sighed. "I have been gone a while, haven't I? But with possible time dilation… how long has it been?"

"Forty years," Ruby breathed. Summer's jaw and arms dropped. "They killed you forty years ago."

"Forty years." Summer crossed her arms and shook her head. "I've only been here a year. That's some time dilation." She smiled at Ruby. "You don't look a day older. Cerise has worked wonders for you." She paused. "You said 'they' killed me. Who's they? Grimm? Those thugs in Vacuo STRQ was going after?"

"The Nevermores," Ruby breathed. Summer's eyes narrowed just a bit. "The Nevermores killed you in Fort Castle forty years ago."

"What?" Summer looked past Ruby and she picked up a hefty wrench. Ruby heard a weapon tick behind her. "I remember taking some pretty hard hits that day, but as you can see, I'm not dead."

Ruby sighed. The rational part of her brain knew this wasn't the mother she knew, though that thought wouldn't have been rational a year ago. "Mom, how much of the Ancient Language do you know?"

Her mom inclined her head. "You know I'm fluent."

"That'll make things a little easier. Do you know about Tenga's Tower and the library inside?" Ruby paused until her mom nodded. "Have you seen other versions of Remmartian history books?"

"Yes." Summer relaxed and let her wrench hang by her side. "I was with Yang and Halcyon when they first went in."

"You're not the first one I've met from a different Remnant. There's a bunch with XCOM now, one that will be soon, and one that's leading a camp near here. All our timelines are pretty different, but we're still on the same side." Ruby gave her mom a sad smile. "Like I said, for me, you died in Fort Castle. It is really good to see you again, mom."

Summer sighed and set her wrench down. "Stand down, Bob. She's not one of those blob monsters. Get back to the two outside and make sure their needs are met. Then get to the mainframe, see if all the gunfire attracted any attention." The weapon clicked again behind Ruby and footsteps faded away. Summer returned the sad smile. "So, I'm dead where you're from. Was I the Winter Maiden too?"

"Yes, you were, and now I am. In other words, I had you in my head a lot longer than I would have otherwise." Ruby gave a mirthless laugh. "Now we have two Winter Maidens in the same place. I guess that doesn't mean that it the time-space continuum."

"You say I'm dead. That's a break already. We're fine." Summer gestured at the beetle bot. "You want to see if you can help me now?"

Ruby looked between her mom and the beetle bot. "Mom, you don't know how much I'd love to, but I can't. I'm here on a mission with the local Resistance to scavenge supplies to fix a tank, gather medical equipment, and other miscellaneous things. We've got most of the stuff on our list, but I'm still the only one that can fix the tank. I've got less than a week to do it."

Her mom waved her off. "I can take care of the supplies. Our MECs control the city and can do much more than the ones ADVENT has. They can get you what you need. I can even give the camp a couple." Summer shook her head. "But time is something I can't do." She snorted. "Why don't you leave the tank for the camp to tear down and repurpose?"

"Same problem. I'm the only one that remotely knows how to do it right." Ruby shifted on her feet. "Plus, Viki's the camp leader. I've never disappointed her before and I won't stop now."

"Viki?" Summer smiled again, this time with all the warmth in the world. "I bet that's the best run Resistance camp on the planet."

"I've only seen a couple, but since no one tried to kill Nalia at hers, it's definitely the best I've seen."

"That is definitely a plus." Summer shook her head. "What kind of idiot would try to kill a dragon?"

"That's another thing. Nalia's a Viper now. Something ADVENT did to her."

Summer gave Ruby a look. "Okay. Explain. From the beginning."

So Ruby did. She explained everything from waking up in the ADVENT pod to the mission in Detroit. As expected, when she explained the thing in her head and the two doubtful prognoses, her mom hugged her tight and swore she'd do whatever she could to help. Somewhere in the explanation, Ruby started looking over the insides of the beetle bot. It had been so long since she talked to her mom. She never had a conversation with her where her mom didn't know everything already. She was so easy to talk to.

After Ruby caught her mom up on her time with XCOM, she went in the other direction and caught her up on major life events back on Remnant. Her mom never interrupted, but she did make comments on a few things. Summer really liked how Yang took over the motherly role well and sounded like she wanted to punch Raven in the face for not being there. She made a few confused noises on some things, things that were probably different for her.

"And that's about when I was brought here," Ruby said as she slammed a panel shut. "Not the worst life, but there were definitely things that could have gone better."

"Some things did for my Ruby." Summer smirked at the Ruby in front of her. "I thought you said you wouldn't help with this thing."

"I guess the time got away from me." Ruby smiled at her mom. "Sorry if I talked your ears off."

"Oh, you're fine. I haven't had many people to talk to in a year." Summer jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "You want something to eat? My MECs manage to sneak a few crates of food off trucks every week when they drop off in London and Toronto."

"Can't say no to that." Ruby walked in lock step with her mom toward one of the tunnels. "I take it since you were there my whole life, I wasn't very… clingy?"

"I take it you were to the me in your head?"

"Well, you were Yang's and my hero. Supermom. Like Yang says, you were the baker of cookies and slayer of giant monsters."

Summer laughed. "I suppose she does, though the Yang I know uses that for you around Angel and Crey."

Ruby waved her off. "Viki's the much better baker, and all-around chef.

"Hmmm…" Summer shook her head. "The Viki I know is so nice and a good businesswoman and logistician, but her cookies leave something to be desired." She clenched her fists. "Then again, the Viki I knew grew up completely different."

"In what way?"

Summer sighed. "Aarons parents faked their and Viki's deaths. They escaped to Farthen Dûr and joined the Varden."

Ruby stopped in her tracks as she stared at her mom. "They're… alive? Viki was never…" She didn't need to finish.

Her mom turned around and nodded. "Yes. I wish you could have met them. They are such nice people."

"What were they like? All three of them?"

"Well, they're businesspeople, and they're good enough at their jobs to run the Alagaësian Customs Authority. Viki Helps out with the Riders' logistics. I believe she's second in command there, unless she's jumped since I've come here. As people," Summer's smile grew, "they are all so nice. His parents are more supportive of their kids than many Remmartian parents. Viki, if she doesn't like someone or someone doesn't like her, I'm pretty sure they killed someone."

"That bit's my Viki too, and now I know one that's a bit of a badass." Ruby's eyes fell to the floor. "That's what she would have become? I should have asked Weiss to do more. Viki would have gotten back on the right path."

"Hey." Hands grabbed Ruby's shoulders and squeezed. Ruby looked up and into her mom's eyes. "Who knows how Viki should have grown up? She and her family shouldn't have had to leave Teirm. By all rights, Aaron and Nalia shouldn't have made it to Remnant, and who knows what Remnant would look like if that never happened. I know for sure you and Aaron would never have met, Cerise wouldn't have hatched for you, and Angel and Crey wouldn't have been born.

"You did what you could by the sound of it, your Viki turned out to be an amazing person as well and that's something to be happy about, not that she didn't turn out a different way." Summer paused. "My Ruby has occasional confidence problems too. The difference is you didn't have me to talk some sense into you."

Ruby stared for a second more before nodding. "Thanks, mom." She pulled out of her mom's hands. "You always take things to their extremes?"

"When needed. I also like throwing people's logic back at them." Summer's smirk returned. "Politicians everywhere hate me."

"I guess that's one thing that's the same everywhere," Ruby laughed. "Now where's the food?"

"Another thing that's always the same." Summer waved Ruby forward again and led the way through the tunnels. After a few turns, she pushed into a room labeled 'Security Center.' Inside, a couple rows of computer screens hung on the walls or ceiling or stood on tables. Lieutenant Bob sat with Malik and Spook near the back of the room, all of them had drinks of some kind. "I thought I said you should help these two with their supplies?"

"I did," Bob said. "We loaded up what we could from here and I sent a couple patrols out to the hospitals to get the remaining things. We're just waiting on them. Might be able to sneak a few MECs into the back or strap them to the roof."

"How'd you get this many MECs working for you, anyway?" Malik asked. "More importantly, what do you need them for?"

Lieutenant Bob leaned back in his chair and brought his hands behind his head. "About six months ago, I figured out how to hack these things without ADVENT knowing about it. Summer here figured out how to do it on a massive scale."

"Something Angel came up with after a few of our logistics robots got hacked," Summer said. "I just applied it on a much larger scale. I think I made her proud."

Ruby blinked at her mom. That didn't happen on the Remnant she knew. "A little more explanation, please?"

"To put it in simple terms," Bob started, "the boxes fry any prior hardware and programming and replaces them with itself. They essentially become the new brain for the MEC. One thing it does is mandate that any and all orders need to come verbally, whether by radio or in person. No hacking from a distance." He winced. "As of now, anyway. Who knows what's going to happen when ADVENT finds out about these?" His wince turned into a smirk. "But for that, they need to get close. All our MECs are set to attack ADVENT forces and facilities. Our factory is pumping out fifty of these things a day. Once activated, they'll attack any ADVENT they're with. I was able to increase their accuracy so they'll fight harder than any ADVENT has. If any survive, they will seek out Resistance camps and attempt to join, if they're not riddled with holes themselves." He shrugged. "Of course, easier said than done."

"Despite all this, we think it will only work once on this scale," Summer said. "This is just one of over twenty factories, though I think I heard about one in Japan that went offline almost as soon as it was built. Either way, our MECs will be completely outnumbered and outgunned. I'm guessing only a few hundred will survive worldwide.

"As for what we're doing with these, there are two ADVENT facilities within a hundred miles of here." Summer stepped to one of the computers, hit a few keys, and a map of the area appeared on one of the screens. Two red circles appeared and flashed. "The one in London is a research facility of some kind. Haven't been able to get inside to figure that out. The security at this one is pretty light, as in no heavy armor.

"This one, though…" Summer zoomed in on the dot about halfway between London and Detroit. A ground level picture appeared on screen and Ruby clenched her fists. Those walkers looked easy to trip or tip over, but something about them felt off. "No less than two Sectopods guarding the place at one time, not to mention all the other ground troops. I've also seen something that looked like a floating golf ball with an eye." Summer faced Ruby. "The Sectopod you saw out on the field is invasion era. It's slower and can take more of a hit, but these newer ones can almost run and can level a city block with a couple shots."

"Son of a…" Malik leaned forward in his chair. "That's some New York City bullshit right there."

"What the hell are they protecting?" Spook asked.

Summer glanced at Spook, then locked eyes with Ruby. "Only troops go in, but other people come out."

Ruby stiffened. 'Us?' she mouthed. Her mom blinked once.

"Abduction site?" Malik asked, not seeing what subtle motions of the mother and daughter. "Processing facility? Getting people underground?"

"There's nothing on the existing maps," Bob started, "but ADVENT could have dug something without us noticing."

"Whatever's going on in there," Ruby started, "ADVENT doesn't want us to know about it." She stepped toward the image of the facility. "That means I want to know what's inside." She glanced at her mom. "I don't suppose you can send secure transmissions from here?"

Summer nodded at the one other door in the room. "Former emergency communications room right through those doors. You can call whoever you want in there without ADVENT noticing."

"Okay. Let's get the Avenger on the horn." Ruby walked into the room and stared at yet another screen. Her mom followed her in and closed the door. "You're sure that's the place we came from?"

"The one I came from, at least." Summer typed a few things on a keyboard. "Not sure about anyone else."

"That's a good enough place to start."

Summer stopped typing when a big red 'Confirm' button was highlighted on the screen. "You're sure we can trust these people? I've dealt with MOCX a few times. They're not nice people."

"From everything I've seen and heard, XCOM is the good guys. If not, we have a lot of people on the inside to make it so."

Her mom gave her a look. "Since when are you in favor of hostile takeovers… besides Galbatorix, of course."

"We're doing the same to ADVENT. If I thought Deynor was just another tyrant, I wouldn't have allowed him to take the throne. I'm not going to hand Earth over to people that could hurt them even more."

Summer nodded. "I suppose there's a timeline or two out there with Queen Ruby." She hit the enter key and stepped back. After a few seconds, she glanced at Ruby. "Besides Cerise, what are you hoping to find there?"

"Aaron. Nalia says it feels like he's here. Well, more like it feels like it does when one of them's on Remnant and the other's in Alagaësia, but faded. If and when we find him, I am going to hug him and not let go of him for a long while." Ruby blinked away some of the water in her eyes, "He lost me too. I doubt he'll mind too much." She paused as something else came to mind. "I lost you at Fort Castle. I take it they never made the connection?"

Her mom scowled and glared at the screen in front of her. Summer clenched her fists and fury radiated off her. Ruby never saw her that angry in her head. She wasn't aware her mom could get that angry. "Unfortunately, that was the same for me. For you, did Raven stay in touch with Qrow after I started helping her?"

"Not that I know of."

"Well, he brought the cavalry in time to save my life," Summer winced, "but not much else. From what you said the fight was mostly the same. The bastard tried to make me hurt before killing me with Sun's Light, but Qrow brought in Oz, Glynda, Barty, and half the Huntsmen in Vale. I heard he even called James. James couldn't make it, but he used his connections to make me whole again."

Ruby looked her mom up and down. "Whole?"

Summer sighed and her tension evaporated off her. She gave Ruby a sad smile and raised her left arm to point at her right eye. The pupil in question dilated fully, contracted, then the iris around it shifted through all colors of the rainbow before resting back on silver. Ruby's jaw dropped. "Yeah," her mom breathed. She held her left arm horizontally and her hand retracted and flipped around to reveal a gun. "You can't see it, but I've got something in my lower back that lets me feel and move my legs." Ruby looked at her own bionic arm then back to her mom. "You're not the only cyborg in the family. I think that helped you out when it happened to you. I like your tech much better than my originals."

"I suppose it would." Ruby lowered her arm. "After that, did Raven still stay away or did she stay close?"

"She was practically my butler for the next year, well after I could walk and fight on my own again." Summer tilted her head back and closed her eyes. "Yang was so confused at first, but the first time Yang called Raven mom…" She smiled joyfully. "If Grimm could die from happiness, Vale would have been safe for a year. She's never got used to Yang's puns though. They still make her groan."

"Still?" Ruby blinked. "You, Raven, who else is still alive where you're from?"

Summer sighed and shook her head. "Halcyon, Blake, Vert, Tai… Aaron."

Ruby didn't know how to take that. She just sighed and shook her head. "It sounds like you're from the best timeline."

Her mom messed up her face. "I'd hardly call a timeline where two of my girls and a granddaughter were kidnapped and tortured the 'best.'"

"Point." Ruby paused. "What happened to Yang?"

"Weiss, actually. Tai and I practically adopted your team, except Aaron. That would have gotten weird. We saw the signs early."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Everyone but us…"

A tone sounded in the room and the screen flickered as it switched to display the one answering the call. It was just someone on the Avenger's bridge crew. The woman blinked and looked between Ruby and Summer. She turned around and called, "Central, I've got Sergeant Rose and… someone who looks a lot like her."

A few seconds later, the crewman slid out of her chair and Bradford took her place. "Sergeant Rose, and… I'm guessing your mother. I hope you have a good reason for breaking radio silence."

"I do." Ruby nodded at her mom. "She's found a few ADVENT facilities nearby and the ability to take them down."

Central leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "You're sure about this?"

"Positive. We've got locations and a rough number of hostiles. We just don't have a timeframe of when things need to get done."

Bradford stared for another second before glancing over his right shoulder. "Commander?"

"I heard." The Commander stepped into frame behind Central. "What do you have, Rose?"

Ruby nodded at her mom and stepped back. Summer stood in front of the screen and camera. She tapped a few things on the keyboard in front of her and the maps popped back up. She ran through the same explanation she and Bob did in the other room. The two on screen didn't react at all to the fact that there could be hundreds of MECs on their side. When they saw the Sectopods though, the Commander grimaced and Central swore.

"We don't have the weaponry to put a dent in those things," Central said.

"I've seen recordings," the Commander said. "These new ones can be at least damaged by traditional small arms. Our old laser weaponry didn't do much against the old ones, but these might actually do something."

"My lasers have punched holes in creatures the size of a building," Ruby said. "Their hide is typically as thick as a battleship's. They can do some damage against those walkers."

Her mom made a thinking noise. "Maybe. I've been watching them for a while. Whatever those things are made of, it's not titanium. Those things are probably harder to break than your weapons."

Ruby gave her mom a look. "Angel's took a point-blank atomic blast and kept on working."

Summer shook her head. "With more wards and energy placed on it than any other weapon in history." Ruby nodded but froze her head after a second. The way she said that… Did she know about the Eldunarí? Ruby never even told her dad about them.

"What can you tell us about these facilities?" the Commander asked.

"The less guarded one, not much. Just that not much comes and goes, only what looks like fresh bodies and supplies for that many people. The one with the Sectopods, that's one place where they're getting people from other worlds."

Both men on the Avenger stiffened. "One place?" Central asked.

"I can't rule out that there are other facilities with the same purpose. Besides, this place doesn't have a room big enough to house a dragon Nalia's size. There's got to be another place somewhere."

"And you're planning on attacking these places," the Commander stated. "Why call us?"

"It's quite simple. My tech guy can't be in two places at once. Not only that, but I can't make use of the intel he gets out of the place by myself. I figure the people who have a massive flying airship that can get anywhere in the world in a matter of hours can make better use of it."

"Are you sure you two aren't letting personal feelings compromise your judgement?" the Commander asked. "Both of you have every reason to want to attack this place."

"I'd be lying if I said that wasn't true." Summer scowled. "But we just know a handful of people that have come out of there. Who knows how many people they've gone through in there?"

"Also," Ruby started, "if this is the place that brought Yang here, there could be a valuable piece of Rider technology we don't want in ADVENT's possession. Frankly, it's already spent too much time in their hands. They can use so much of what's inside against us."

The Commander focused his eyes on Ruby. "How bad is it?"

"They use it right, they could kill everyone in XCOM without firing a shot. They could kill a lot of people without firing a shot."

Central grimaced. "That still doesn't change the fact that we don't have the weaponry that can crack those Sectopods."

"Actually," Ruby started, "we've got two things. I just need to get the tank up and running again." She glanced at her mom. "How long until your Sectopod is up and running?" The Commander's and Central's jaws dropped.

"Just have to get the big gun online. Help me with that and you might get a few ideas for the tank's cannon."

"And if these things aren't enough…" Ruby smirked at her mom and Summer returned it.

"Death by a thousand paper cuts," the mother and daughter said at the same time.

"You have a Sectopod?" the Commander asked in disbelief.

"An Invasion Era one, yes." Summer nodded. "Ruby helped with one of the legs so it's mobile now. Just got to put on the finishing touches and it will be fully functional." She paused. "There's something else you should know. I know this sounds crazy, but I'm being chased by a tall purple ninja lady. She can hit hard and disappear in the blink of an eye."

Central stiffened. "The Assassin's hunting you?"

"Yeah. Ruby told me about the Hunter. Something tells me I'd rather fight him." Summer glanced at Ruby. "She calls me Avatar too."

"What?" Ruby blinked. "You too?"

"Unfortunately." Summer returned her attention to the two on the screen. "I don't suppose either of you know what that means?"

"Only theories," the Commander said. "None of them are good."

"I have to hope that they think we're the same person. I mean, look at our faces." Summer gestured between herself and Ruby. "Besides her pointed ears, shortened hair, and slightly slanted eyes, we look the same." Ruby felt a little extra warmth in her chest after that. Summer lowered her arms and shook her head. "But something tells me it's not that easy."

Central looked over his shoulder at the Commander. "Your orders?"

The Commander stared for a few more seconds before nodding. "Sergeant, you better have both those things working when we get there at the end of the week. We're going whether they're ready or not."

Ruby nodded. "Will do. I'll have them running like they're just off the assembly line."

"I'll hold you to that." The Commander looked off to the side before facing his camera again. "You have your orders. Avenger out." Central hit something on their end and the screen went dark.

Summer faced Ruby and crossed her arms. "What did Yang have with her? You didn't mention that."

Ruby sighed. She'd had to explain her way around this a few times. "Remember what I said about Mecha Halcyon? Yang said she had his Core with her when she came here."

"That'll do it." Summer nodded. "I take it he can't help with magic like he could have as an Eldunarí?"

"No, just Aura boo-" Ruby blinked and straightened. "You know?"

Summer shrugged. "It was a bit of an accident. A newer pair got overconfident and were grounded by a swarm of Nevermores. I was first on the scene. I thought it was just a huge piece of onyx. I learned really quick that wasn't the case."

Ruby blinked and sighed. "You knew in my head too. That'll be easier to keep track of. Anyway, no. If anything, he can help with Yang's Aura, but not much. That transfer has never been strong."

"Got it." Summer turned her head toward the field then back toward Ruby. "You said you didn't have your weapons with you when you were brought here?"

"They were on Cerise' saddle. Why would I take them into the grocery store?" Ruby scowled. "Won't make that mistake again."

"I can help with part of that." Summer shrugged and her cape flapped off her shoulders. "Might take a bit longer than it normally would, but I can make you something nice." She held her hands together, palm up. Her eyes glowed white and a cool breeze blew through the room. Slowly but surely, ice grew in her hands. It took a familiar shape and turned red and black. Ruby couldn't stop from gasping as the light dimmed in the room. Her mom created Máni Bláto from ice.

"Mom," Ruby breathed, "thank you, but none of my Aura or wards are active. I'll get frostbite."

Her mom cocked her head. "Don't tell me you never figured out how to make warm ice." Summer thumbed a button on the weapon and it expanded into its shortened claymore form. She reached forward and rested the flat of the blade on Ruby's shoulder. It just felt like cool metal through her clothes, not ice. "See? Just like it should be." She withdrew the blade and offered Ruby the hilt. "Just don't try to block plasma shots. I don't think that will turn out too well."

Ruby grabbed the hilt of her weapon. It felt just like her actual sword. "How did you get this so close?"

Summer shrugged. "I've had to use Máni Bláto at points, just like you've used Sun's Light… well, my Ruby did anyway."

"A few times. That was more Yang's thing." Ruby shifted her weapon to scythe form and held the ice weapon in both hands. She couldn't help smiling. Holding her weapon made her feel a little bit better. "Hello, old friend." She compacted her weapon and clipped it to her belt. The weight there felt as comfortable as it did in her hands.

Ruby nodded and faced her mom. "Well, we have a mission now. Let's get to work."

Facility assault time! though this will be more like a Blacksite/Forge/other special assault.

Since my Bison are out (one of the bad things I mentioned before...) Go Bearkats. Beat the Bunnies to a pulp!