AUTHOR'S NOTES: Really nothing to add on this chapter...it's pretty self-explanatory!

Commanding Officer's Office, Joint Base Beacon

Wisconsin, United States of Canada

12 May 2001

"There goes someone with a lot to prove to herself," Rissa Arashikaze said towards the door that Yang had just shut.

Ozpin smiled as Glynda finally took her seat. "What do you know about her, Deputy Director of Intelligence of the Central Intelligence Agency?"

Rissa returned the smile. "Yang Xiao Long, daughter of Raven Branwen and Taiyang Xiao Long, both formerly of the United States Air Force. Raven went rogue to steal the Night Raven project soon after Yang was born. Taiyang resigned his commission to take care of his infant daughter, began a relationship with Captain Summer Rose a year later, married a year after that, and they had a second child, Ruby Rose. Major Rose disappeared over the Sea of Japan when Yang was five, though the family was told that she died over the Pacific Northwest in interests of operational security. No body was ever found, and Summer Rose is still officially listed as Missing in Action; Taiyang has refused to change her status to KIA, although he stands to get a lot more in survivor's benefits if he does. Yang Xiao Long, in an effort to emulate Summer Rose, joined the USAF at 17 through special dispensation, was near the top of her class at the USAF Academy, one of the youngest pilots ever to attend Fighter Weapons School, and was given the honor of being lead pilot on the Silent Eagle project. She is 5 foot 8 inches tall, weighs approximately 110 pounds, and has had no serious relationships."

Ironwood leaned back in his chair. "Damn. I guess I need to quit making fun of the CIA."

"We keep tabs on everyone associated with Team Strike, since they were made aware of the Maidens. We have to assume that their children might know something as well. Luckily, Taiyang has made it simple for us by marrying the only two female members of Strike."

"Tai would be very discreet about such things," Ozpin said. "I'm certain neither Captain Long nor Lieutenant Rose are aware of the Maidens."

"We at the CIA don't take chances, until we do," Rissa replied.

"Isn't it illegal for the CIA to spy on American citizens?" Glynda asked. Rissa only laughed.

"As interesting as it is, learning about how the CIA regularly breaks Federal laws," Ironwood put in, "I assume that's not what you wanted to brief us about, Miss Arashikaze."

"No. There's no easy way to say this. Ruth Lionheart was murdered." She told them what had been found in the autopsy. Ozpin sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose under his glasses, while Glynda and Ironwood were clearly shocked.

"But why?" Glynda asked softly. "Ruth was a junior officer. She didn't know anything! She had secret clearance only!"

"I don't know the why, Colonel Goodwitch. Only the how. But if you'd like me to speculate…" Rissa let out a breath. "Barring personal reasons—someone Lionheart pissed off enough to kill her, or an affair of the heart, such as breaking up with someone—my guess is that Lionheart wasn't killed for something she knew, but for something she learned. Something she wasn't supposed to know."

"Like what?" Glynda asked.

"If I knew that, Colonel, I'd be already violating a Federal law by beating the shit out of whoever killed her. There are some people I enjoy doing 'enhanced interrogation' on." Rissa shook her head. "I never met Ruth Lionheart, but I wished I had."

"She had no enemies, and though base scuttlebutt has it that she had a one-night stand with Lieutenant Vasillas, he doesn't seem the type to kill her," Ozpin said.

"That really would be out of my jurisdiction," Rissa replied. "Unfortunately, it also leaves you with a base full of suspects. I can run profiles on everyone at Vytal, but it'll take some time."

"What's the price?" Ironwood asked.

Rissa smiled. "No price, General. Sometimes we'll do things for free."

"Hmm." Ironwood clearly didn't believe her. "What about her own flight?" Rissa turned to Ozpin, who read off the names: "Major Cinder Fall, USAF; Lieutenant Emerald Sustrai, Spanish Ejercito del Aire; Lieutenant Mercury Black, USAF."

"None of them ring a bell."

"Black got in big trouble after he got drunk and sexually harrassed Oberleutnant Weiss Schnee at the Spring Formal," Ironwood prompted.

"General, if he'd been sexually harassing Lionheart," Rissa returned, "then yes, he'd be suspect number one. But you say it was the Schnee heiress—excuse me, former heiress; Jacques Schnee cut off her funds a few days ago—so we're back to square one." Rissa spread her hands. "And again, this is OSI's baliwick, not mine. I've turned over a handwritten autopsy report to them; Doctor Butcher will simply report cause of death as 'natural causes.' I don't have the time to take over the investigation, and even if I did, I'd be openly breaking the law. I will definitely do those background checks, if you like, but I'm afraid my involvement ends here. It has to."

Ozpin put up his hands. "Easy, Rissa. We're all friends here."

"Of course. I apologize for my tone, General."

Ironwood had a feeling that it was a 'sorry if you were offended' apology rather than a sincere one, but he accepted it with a nod and put his hand out. "We appreciate the effort, Miss Arashikaze."

Mollified, Rissa took the hand. "There's one other thing I can do. I have to go to the UK, and I could accompany the body back to Leonardo Lionheart. Maybe he can give me a few leads. I'll also talk to my counterpart in MI6. It's a long shot, but I have to talk to him anyway about these Huntsmen disappearing over Poland all of a sudden." She got up from the seat. "Anyway…that's my report. Now if none of you mind, I promised Doctor Butcher that I would accompany him into Wisconsin Dells to get extremely drunk and forget we just discovered a murder."

"One moment, Rissa, if you don't mind." Ozpin motioned her back down. "As I said—or at least inferred—the other day, I have a candidate to replace Amber. She's strong, intelligent, caring, skilled, and as of tomorrow, will become a naturalized American citizen. I'd very much like your opinion on her." He started to get up, but Glynda did it for him, walked to the door, and opened it. Rissa got to her feet at the tall woman that almost hesitantly walked in. "Rissa Arashikaze, this is Major Pyrrha Nikos."

Building 111713 (Officers' Club)

Joint Base Beacon, Wisconsin, United States of Canada

12 May 2001

Yang got back to the O'Club and went downstairs to the stag bar. Weiss was waiting for her at the top of the stairs, still in her flight suit as well. She ostentatiously checked out Yang's rear end. "Well. I see some of it is still there."

The blonde slapped her butt—Yang's, not Weiss'. "Nah. Goodwitch gave me the red-ass, but even she thought it was cool." They entered the bar, only to find Funky Flight waiting for them. Neon marched up to Yang, even though the latter had a good six inches on her. "You!" she shouted.

Yang really didn't feel like having to go back to Ozpin's office to explain why she'd demolished Neon Katt, but she was prepared to make the sacrifice. "What's up, Shorty?"

"You beat us! You beat Funky! And that flying through the mountains! That was…" Neon's scowl changed instantly to a grin, and she took Yang's hands in hers. "…amazing! I've never seen anything like it! I was so intent on seeing if you were going to buy the farm that I couldn't take the shot!"

"We nearly bought the farm!" Kobalt added. "I had to yell at you to watch for the mountains!" Yang thought the backseater looked a little pale.

"Nahhh." Neon waved it off. "Anyway, let me buy you a drink."

"Does that include Schnee heiresses?" Weiss smiled, but she was staring at Flynt.

"It does," he answered, and stuck out a hand. "That turn you did was damn tight. All I could do to stay with you. And then you dragged me in front of her." He laughed. "Lose sight, lose the fight."

"I was yelling at you to check six," Kobalt said. Weiss was starting to think Kobalt's main job in Funky Flight was to be the only sane man.

"Yeah, man, I just thought I had an extra second to fire and clear." He shrugged, though everyone knew that, had this been a real battle, Flynt, Weiss, Neon and Kobalt might be dead. Still, that was why they trained. "Ah well. Losers buy. C'mon, Schnee."

"Weiss," she corrected. "Call me Weiss."

He nodded and smiled. "Gotcha…Weiss."

They went up to the bar, and Yang had just ordered a beer when Ruby and Blake came bounding through the door—Ruby bounded; Blake just walked. The younger sister ran up and hugged Yang. "Hey, you won! Congrats!"

"I'd like to say it twernt' nothin'," Yang replied, "but these guys gave us one hell of a run." She scooted Ruby over towards Funky. "Funky Flight, this is my little sister Ruby."

Flynt looked at her over his sunglasses, which he had left on despite being inside a dim bar. "No offense, but is she old enough to be in here?"

"Not technically," Ruby told him with a smile, but then she casually looked at the ace board behind the bar. Flynt followed her eyes, looked back to Ruby, then looked at the board again. "Oh," he said. "That Ruby Rose. I thought you'd be taller."

"Yeah, I get that a lot."

Blake, who had detoured to the little fighter pilot's room, came out and was introduced as well. Neon gave a start at the sight of her, but said nothing, though she continued to stare. Mainly to get the pink-haired girl to stop looking at her, Blake asked them to break down the dogfight, although she'd watched it on TV, with real-time camera pod footage. She'd overheard one of the TV crews crowing that it was some of the best footage they'd ever captured. Very quickly, the pilots were leaning against the bar rather than sitting, and hands flew intercepts and climbed and dived. Blake knew the old adage that if a fighter pilot's hands were tied, they could not speak.

In the middle of it, the door opened to admit, to Ruby's surprise, Penny Polendina and Ciel Soleil, the woman that had met Penny in the park that night she had confessed what she really was to Ruby. Penny stared around the bar in wonderment—she'd clearly never been in one—and then saw her friend. She dashed forward, and Ruby was reminded of the clone's enhanced strength as she hugged Ruby with enough force to leave bruises. "Ruby, my friend!" She dropped her and bowed to the other pilots. "Salutations, fellow pilots!"

They all stared at her. If Ruby appeared too young to be in a bar, this freckled girl with the reddish hair was even more so; she wore a flight suit, but looked more like a kid playing dress-up than an actual pilot. "Are you for real?" Flynt asked.

Ruby, seeing Penny about to explain that she was indeed real, which might lead to awkward moments and questions, intercepted her. "Penny's the pilot of the B-1 that's on the transient ramp."

"Oh," Neon and Kobalt said simutaneously, and Ruby could see their demeanors instantly change: bomber pilot. Someone who had no business being in a fighter pilot bar. Bombers dropped bombs, which clearly any fool could do; one could hardly miss the earth. Fighter pilots were the knights of the air. Nobody made movies about bomber pilots, everyone knew that.

Yang watched with amusement. "She's the one responsible for the Lake Michigan Massacre." She stepped over and put an arm around Penny. "This girl shot down 20 planes that night."

Penny regarded her boots and actually turned a bit red. "Actually, it was only 13."

Funky Flight looked at each other, then at her. "Seriously?" Neon asked.

"Oh yeah," Blake confirmed. "I was there. It looked like something out of an anime. AMRAAMs flying everywhere." She thumbed at Penny. "That B-1 of hers looks like a bomber, but it's a missile platform. They figure out how to put Phoenixes on that thing, and we're out of business, Neon."

Penny opened her mouth—her B-1 could carry Phoenixes—but Ciel threw her a warning look. "Ne le dis pas," she said, in Cajun French.

"Well, well," Flynt grinned. "Bonjour, Capitaine Soleil. Thought I recognized you."

"You would've recognized me sooner if you'd take off those damn sunglasses," Ciel replied, with a smile. "How you been, garcon de jazz?"

"You two know each other?" Weiss asked.

"We were in the Coonass Militia together," Flynt said. "In the 159th at New Orleans." He ushered her to a bar seat. "She used to call me Jazz Boy like it's an insult, but she's always borrowing my Miles Davis CDs. You got orders to Eglin, though—Systems Command."

Penny stepped forward. "Oh. She's assigned to me—with me," she corrected, then hiccupped. "Excuse me. She helps me run checks on my B-1, flies chase plane, that sort of thing."

"Sounds boring," Flynt said.

"I've had worse jobs." They fell into conversation, and Penny looked at Ruby. "I came to find you, my friend, because I've gotten permission to show you my B-1 from General Ironwood!"

Ciel instantly turned towards them. "As long as Lieutenant Rose doesn't touch anything, and doesn't tell anyone what she sees in there." Ruby noted Ciel had some rather hard blue eyes. "And isn't in there for more than five minutes. Understood?" She began to get up from the bar stool, but Penny pushed her back. "C'mon, Ciel," she pleaded. "You don't have to follow me all the time."

Ruby tried to help. "Captain, I've got top secret clearance. You can check my file."

Ciel hesitated. "Well…all right. I want you back here in thirty minutes, Penny."

"Certainly!" Penny chirped, and she waved Ruby out the door like two girls going to a sleepover. "Let's go!"

"Are you her mother?" Flynt laughed as he signaled for a beer.

"Feels like it sometimes," Ciel sighed.

Ruby managed to get Penny to stop dragging her towards the flightline. "Easy!" she giggled. "It's not going to fly away, is it?"

"Well, actually," Penny said, lowering her voice, "it can act autonomously. Project Paladin is actually fully capable of flying a mission completely by itself, including weapons release. However, it's not very smart. That's where I come in. But if something happened to me, it could be guided back to base, even if I was knocked out or…well, you know."

"Kind of creepy," Ruby commented.

"Yeah. But they had to do something. Someone stole the prototype, so instead of the really cool brand new aircraft I was going to get, I got the B-1 instead. Not that there's anything wrong with the Lancer."

"The Bone," Ruby smiled, using the nickname given to the B-1—a play on its designation of B-One.

"Meh, I don't like that. Lancer sounds more heroic."

"Hey, girls!" They turned as Emerald Sustrai ran towards them.

"Oh, hey, Em!" Ruby greeted her. They hadn't seen each other since the funeral. "Heard you beat up on Coffee Flight. Coco was super pissed."

Emerald shrugged. "Tough kitty toenails. She made a mistake, let me get in her blind spot, and that was that. Where you headed?"

"I'm taking Ruby to check out my B-1," Penny replied. "Want to tag along?"

"Heck yeah!" Emerald exclaimed. "I've been wanting to get a closer look. We don't get many bombers in Spain."

They walked onto the transient ramp, where the sleek B-1 was the only occupant. Even as short as Ruby was, she had to bend over to walk under her F-16's nose, but the B-1 towered over all of them. Penny was able to stand on tiptoes and turn the handle that dropped the crew hatch. It descended, extending a ladder, and Penny bounded up. Once in the cockpit, she motioned Ruby to climb up. "I can fit two people up here, but not three," she told Emerald. "Besides, you don't have clearance. I hate to be mean, but can you stay down there?"

"Sure. I'll just walk around a bit."

"That's okay." Penny turned, squeezed past Ruby, and sat in the seat. Emerald did not move from her position underneath the landing gear, where neither of the other girls could see her, and kept her ears open.

"Just a single seat," Ruby observed. "And the cockpit's completely different." She had seen pictures of the B-1's cockpit before, but this looked almost nothing like it.

"Yep!" Penny said happily. "Actually, this cockpit is based on the Silent Eagle's. Your sister doesn't know it, but she's been doing research for me!" Penny laughed. "It takes four people to fly a normal B-1B, but they've automated most of it with Project Paladin. And since my bird is not really a bomber anymore, we eliminated most of that stuff."

"You can't drop bombs at all?"

"I can, but the primary purpose of my aircraft is to engage GRIMM swarms with multiple missiles." Penny looked a little sad. "Eventually, the plan is to convert the entire B-1 force to Paladins, but they'll be drones. There might be a single airborne controller, but most of them will be controlled from the ground…and I doubt I'll be the airborne controller. I suppose they'll have me testing other stuff by then."

"But with your enhanced stuff, you'll get to test out all the really cool aircraft," Ruby said, trying to cheer her up. "Heck, I bet you can take more than this baby can dish out."

It worked. Penny beamed. "Oh yes! I'm rated to 12 Gs. Being in the centrifuge is fun!" Ruby smiled, but her stomach lurched at the thought of having to go through centrifuge training again. Being whipped around in a box until she passed out was not her idea of fun.

Penny started pointing out equipment to Ruby. "I can't tell you what most of this stuff does, but either you can figure it out or even I don't know what it does." She hiccupped. "Anyway, I've got the same radar as the F-15SE, with an enhanced version of the AWG-9 system used in the F-14D, augmented with DUST. The latter was installed by Weiss' dad's company! I'm compatible with Future Warrior too, so if the Army picked up GRIMM like Death Stalkers, they can link to my onboard computer and feed me targeting data!" Penny grinned. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Way cool, Penny. Can I…?" Ruby motioned at the seat. Penny nodded and got up, squeezing into one corner of the cockpit as Ruby sat down. The cockpit was very well laid out ergonomically, with everything within arm's reach, the stick between the pilot's legs rather than a side-stick like the F-16. Visibility from the cockpit wasn't great and Ruby thought to herself that she wouldn't want to take a B-1 into a dogfight, but for standing off and wiping out GRIMM hordes, it would be a very useful instrument. "Uh, Penny?" Ruby patted the seat. "Where's the ejection handles?"

"Oh." Penny gave her a weak smile. "Um…there aren't any."

"What? How the hell do you bail out?"

"Well…" Penny pointed towards the crew hatch. "Manually. I can also jettison the overhead hatch and bail out that way."

"You'd never clear the tail if you went out up there—" Ruby pointed "—and you'd never have time to unstrap and go out the bottom!"

Penny nodded. "Uh huh." She put a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Ruby," she said in hushed tones, "remember. I'm expendable. I'm considered part of a weapons system. If Crescent Rose goes down, no one cares about the CPU that runs it. If I die, well…there are others."

Ruby shook her head. "No. That's bullshit. Penny, you are a human being!"

She shrugged. "I try to look at it this way, Ruby. I'm a test pilot. Chuck Yeager couldn't bail out of the X-1 if something went wrong. Scott Crossfield couldn't get out of the D-558-2. So I'm just following in their footsteps." Penny gave her a gentle shove. "Before we get sad, let's get out of here. Emerald's probably bored out of her mind." Gingerly, they both climbed out of the cockpit and back onto terra firma. Emerald had quickly moved back to the closed bomb bay, as if she was coming back from the tail.

"One hell of an airplane," Emerald commented. "How does one person do the work of four?"

"A lot of automation," Penny replied, not knowing that Emerald had heard everything—except the part about being expendable.

"Thanks for the tour," Ruby said.

"Same here, even if I didn't get to see the inside. Not one little peek?" Emerald asked. Penny sadly shook her head, and the other girl shrugged. "Nada. I'll buy you a drink."

"Um…I'm actually too young," Penny said, truthfully.

"Then I'll buy you a Coke."