AUTHOR'S NOTES: Somewhat short chapter this time around; I'll make it up with a longer one next time.

The French Aeronavale really was still using F-8s in 2001.

Ruby got to the flightline as Sun Flight taxied past. She threw Sun a wave, and watched in satisfaction as the FCK-1 went past, followed by Neptune's F-18, Scarlet's Lavi, and Sage's F-104. That wasn't what she was here for, however. That came when it was Indigo's turn. Ruby's reaction to the sight of Nebula's F-8E Crusader was the same as Gwen Darcy's reaction to Sun's abs. "Ooo," she cooed. The F-8 was long gone from American inventories, but the French Aeronavale still had a few. It was ancient, predating the Third World War, but in the hands of a good pilot, it was still competitive. It was likely the last time she would ever see one, as the Aeronavale was slated to replace them with Dassault Rafales soon. Compared to the F-8, Dew's F-15 and Octavia's F-16 was old hat, though Ruby noticed that Octavia was flying the same model of F-16 as Crescent Rose. The sight of Gwen's Harrier GR.7 gave her a start; Ruby would never look at Harriers without thinking of Roman Torchwick.

"There you are." Ruby turned and saw Weiss standing next to her. "I thought you were coming with me to say hello to my sister."

"I am, I am!" Ruby told her. "Just had to see that F-8!"

Weiss did not share Ruby's appreciation of aviation history; to her, the Crusader was an outdated relic that would be meat for her Typhoon. "Are you coming or not?"

"Yeah, yeah." Ruby followed Weiss towards the transient ramp, where a C-130 was parked, the Klong shuttle that had brought Winter back from a long flight to Germany. Beyond the C-130 was the now-familiar shape of Penny's B-1, back for the rest of Vytal Flag.

Winter was standing near the ramp of the C-130, watching as boxes and crates were unloaded. She turned at the approach of Ruby and Weiss. "Winter!" Weiss called out happily. The elder Schnee sister graced her with a frosty glare. Weiss instantly came to attention and saluted her sister. "Oberst Schnee."

"Oberleutnant Schnee." Weiss elbowed Ruby, who came to attention and saluted as well. "Lieutenant Rose." Now that the military proprieties were finished, Winter motioned to the crates. "IRIS missiles for you, Oberleutnant, to replace the ones you fired over La Crosse. We also have much to talk about, as soon as this is finished."

"Shopkeeper has a new rice bowl on his menu—" Ruby began.

"Alone."

Ruby swallowed. Weiss felt sorry for her friend; unlike Ruby, she could tell when Winter was agitated: she tended to hide within the knowable rules and traditions of the military. When they were children, Weiss always knew her sister was upset when she became flawlessly formal and completely controlled. It was a cold rage that froze rather than melted. "Okay—er, yes, ma'am, Colonel. I will, er, reconvene with you both at a later…" Ruby's memory for formalities faltered under that glacial stare. "Junction—er, juncture. Yeah, juncture." She decided now would be a good time to go say hi to Penny, and walked around the C-130 towards the B-1.

"It went badly?" Weiss asked in a low voice.

"It went as well as it usually does," Winter answered.

"Badly," Weiss confirmed. She stood in silence until the last of the crates were loaded on a truck. Satisfied, Winter turned and began walking towards the terminal, with Weiss falling in behind and to her sister's right.

"Hey. Ice Queen."

Both Schnees turned at that. Weiss did not recognize the tall man, though he wore a USAF flight suit that had seen better days, faded and worn. His graying black hair was tousled, and he needed a shave. There was no rank on his shoulders, nor was there a nametape or wings. "Excuse me?" Weiss demanded. "Who are you talking to?"

The man stepped forward to within arm's length of them, and, to Weiss' surprise, he stuck a hand in her face. "Not you, Princess. I'm talking to her." He gave her a lopsided smile. "Hello, Winter."

Winter's hands clenched into fists inside their gloves. "Qrow Branwen."

"You remembered," Qrow replied.

"You're hard to forget."

"Thanks!" His smile grow wider.

"It wasn't a compliment." Winter's hands went to the small of her back. "I don't have time for your immature games, Major." She emphasized his rank.

Weiss finally got over her shock at the tall man's temerity. Now that he was close to her, her nose wrinkled with the smell of an unwashed flight suit and strong liquor; she thought this Qrow Branwen smelled like a wino. "You know each other?" she asked, which was something of a dumb question.

"Unfortunately." Without taking her eyes off Qrow, Winter said, "Major Branwen, this is my younger sister, Oberleutnant Weiss Schnee."

Weiss decided to be neighborly, and besides, he did technically outrank her. She came to attention and gave him a parade-ground salute. Qrow did not even glance at her, but tossed off the most half-assed salute Weiss had ever seen, and she roomed with Yang Xiao Long. "Another Schnee. The most powerful family in Europe." Sarcasm fairly dripped from his lips.

"Why, you—" Weiss began, but Winter held up a hand. "Oberleutnant," she said, "you need to go. Major Branwen and I have unfinished business."

Weiss backed off a few steps. "That's right," Qrow said. "Listen to big sister. She'll protect you. Just like her boss. Just like her family."

Winter's lips peeled back in a feral snarl. "You complete bastard," she snapped. "One more thing about my family and I will drop you right here."

Qrow stepped back and raised his hands. "Oh, shit, I'm scared!" He leered at her. "If only you had an airplane, Winter. I heard they gave you a wing back in Krautland, but you didn't bring anything with you but this trash-hauler." He thumbed at the C-130. "Hell, I heard you were riding around in BUFFs. You a bomber puke now because you can't handle fighters?"

"Oh, I can get a fighter," Winter growled. "I can borrow Myrtenaster from my sister. It was mine, after all."

"Don't even know what the hell that is."

"It's a Typhoon, moron." She made a great show of looking around. "Speaking of aircraft, Major, I don't see yours." She gave him a cold smile. "Oh, that's right. You're still flying that F-117, aren't you? Fighter in name only?"

Qrow bristled. "You know it's been modded."

"With what? A wet bar?" Winter snorted. "Why don't you get in your Wobbling Goblin—"

"Nighthawk," Qrow interrupted.

She ignored the correction. "—and I'll borrow Weiss' Typhoon. We'll go up and have ourselves a nice little fight. I'll even spot you actives and go guns only, because it would give me great pleasure to ventilate your ass."

Qrow's smirk returned. "Always knew you couldn't keep your eyes off my ass."

Winter made a sputtering noise, and her hands came up as if to strangle Qrow. "I swear to God I'm going to—"

"Oberst Schnee!"

Winter instantly turned and came to attention, as did Weiss as Lieutenant General James Ironwood strode towards them. He returned their salutes. In his wake was Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch, the former using his cane as a walking stick and the latter looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. "What do you think you're doing, Oberst?"

Winter hesitated. "He started it, sir," she finally said, and instantly wished she hadn't.

Ironwood faced Qrow. "What the hell are you doing here, Branwen?"

"Could be asking you the same thing, Jimmy." Qrow only kept that maddening smirk on his face.

Before another fight could stop, Ozpin intervened. "Shall we have this discussion in my office, ladies and gentlemen?" He nodded to the men and women who had been unloading the C-130, watching the altercation and now at attention. "Carry on, working party." As they went back to work, Ozpin smiled at Qrow, nodded, and turned around in the general direction of his office. Goodwitch spared Qrow a withering stare, and followed her commander. After a moment, Ironwood, Winter, and Qrow did as well.

Ruby, who had come back around the C-130 after finding Penny nowhere near the B-1, suddenly spotted him. "Uncle Qrow!" she said happily. She ran towards him, only to skid to a halt and come to attention at the sight of Ironwood. The general's expression softened a bit, he returned her salute, and gave her a quick nod. She finished making her way to her uncle. "When did you get here? Why didn't you come see me? Are you here to see me?"

"Just a bit ago."

Ruby's eyes widened. "Did you bring your F-117?" She looked around frantically, as if the stealth aircraft had somehow magically appeared while she was searching for Penny.

"It's parked on the other side, down by the bomb bunkers. Oz—Captain Ozpin's orders." He grinned at her. "We can go check it out later, but first…" Qrow lowered his voice. "I think I'm in trouble."

"Shit, Uncle, when aren't you—" Ruby turned red. "Oh, sorry, Uncle, didn't mean to cuss."

He ruffled her hair affectionately. "Ah, you're old enough now. Besides, I heard you tied one on a few weeks ago." He bent down and gave her a quick peck on the forehead. "I gotta go, but after Ironwood bites a few chunks out of my ass, we'll catch up—you, me and Yang."

"Heck yeah!" They exchanged a fist-bump, and Qrow walked off, slightly hunched over as was typical.

Weiss came up to stand next to Ruby. "He's your uncle?" At her happy nod, she stared at him walking away. "Suddenly you make sense."

"Whatevs. He'd kick your sister's ass."

Weiss didn't feel like being drawn into a debate. She knew her conversation with Winter about her family would have to wait. "He needs to stop staring at my sister's ass. Dirty old man." She ignored Ruby sticking her tongue out, and couldn't resist a wave as Winter glanced back at them. Her sister didn't return the wave, but Weiss could swear that the elder Schnee was suddenly in a better mood.