Chapter Text
7th of May, 1995
The cold wind rolled through the valley, producing a whooshing noise that was echoed by the chasm that served as the only interesting thing in the flat desert of snow. A hovertruck glided through the air, entering the chasm, manouvering through the twists and turns of the rocky outcroppings before landing on a metal platform that extended from a structure built into the stone. The craft's hind ramp opened, and from it slowly descended a figure. It approached the guard that was stationed outside the door that led to the inside of the structure.
"Mister Schnee! Uh, w-we weren't expecting a visit from you!"
"Not to worry, this isn't a surprise inspection. But I will need you to open the door."
"Uh, y-yes, sir!"
The guard rumagged through their pockets, eventually finding what they were looking for: a keycard. They slid the card through the scanning device, causing the door to slide away, allowing Mister Schnee to go inside.
"ALL WORKERS, BE ADVISED: THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE SCHNEE STAR COMPANY IS VISITING. BE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOUR OR YOUR WORK CONTRACT WILL BE EXTENDED FOR AN ADDITIONAL 20 WEEKS," blared the intercom as soon as the doors closed.
On their way through the facility, Jacques passed various workers who paused to give him salutes. He ignored all that, and proceeded to the area which was marked with an overhead sign that read 'Mines'. Descending the stairs, he saw miners operating power tools on multicoloured crystals that lined the walls of the cavern. The workers came in all sorts of shapes: some had cat ears, others deer horns, and there was even one with skin that changed colours from beige to red when he was hit with a rock that fell from the ceiling. Jacques sneered at the sight before him. Even though his company had employed Faunus as part of the new Harmony Act, it still didn't change the fact that the Faunus are, always were and always will be, an inferior race to Mankind. At least, that's what it seemed like to Jacques.
Finally, he came before a mining area that had been obstructed by Schnee-made combat droids. The blocky machines recognized the CEO of the SSC, moving aside to reveal a long corridor that had been carved into the stone. A minute of walking later, he came upon a single individual that was looking at something on his workbench.
Jacques spoke: "Doctor Pietro Polendina."
Pietro looked up from his bench. The light from one of the lamps that lined the cavern walls highlighted his dark skin and dark red hair.
"Oh, Mister Schnee! I wasn't expecting you so soon!"
"Have you forgotten who has access to the fastest hovertech in the entire solar system?"
Pietro adopted an embarassed expression. After all, he designed that hovertech specifically for the Schnee Star Company. He tended to forget things like that, it wasn't easy working directly for Jacques Schnee.
"Ahem. Well, anyways, now that you're here, allow me to tell you-"
"Why I had to skip a trade agreement about ownership of a particularly mineral-rich piece of Remnant's moon that could have increased the Company's yearly income by 15%? Yes, go on ahead, offer me an explanation, otherwise that little Project P.E.N.N.Y. of yours is going into the trash bin, where it belongs!"
Pietro made a quiet gasp. This wasn't the first time Jacques had threatened to compromise his work, but he had never been so bold as to claim to be willing to harm his proudest achievement. No matter, Pietro thought. I never dissapoint.
Pietro moved aside so that Jacques could take a good look at the thing on Pietro's desk. It was...
A hand.
The initial shock of seeing a hand not attached to a body took Jacques completely by surprise. After reeling from the sudden revelation, he realised that the hand actually was attached to something, the wall of the cavern. In fact, upon closer examination, he could see that it was partially see-through and green, like green opal. Finally, he noticed it was a left hand.
"This, this thing, it isn't some fluke of nature, is it?"
"I'm afraid not, sir. I checked the fingers, and they have fully-formed fingerprints. Whatever this is, it isn't natural. Or, at least, not in the sense we might think of."
Jacques stood in silence. The hand was outstretched, with fingers pointing forwards. Almost like it was reaching out to something, or someone?
"I apologise for my tone earlier," Jacques uttered. "Clearly, your outrageous claims that whatever it is you've found is of incredible interest have been proven true once again. Heh, is there any promise you can't deliver on?"
Pietro smiled.
"Well, I can't break the laws of physics, if that's what you mean!"
Jacques turned to him, clearly unamused by what Pietro thought was a good joke.
"I'll hold you to that," he grumbled.
Then, the hand twitched. In doing so, it produced a cracking noise that prompted both of the men present to turn their heads like deers in headlights. The hand continued moving, closing into a fist. Then, it retreated into the wall, and burst into a shower of dirt and rocks that overturned Pietro's workbench. When everything calmed down, a figure stepped into the light of the lamps. It was a Human woman, as green as the hand. She seemed to be surrounded by an ethereal presence that resonated through the air.
Jacques recoiled in pain. He felt as if a liquid had entered his body and began dissolving his entire organ structure. Pietro, on the other hand, felt a calming sensation, like a breeze that was at just the right temperature to make him feel safe and loved. Then, just as suddenly as it began, it stopped. The two men noticed that the woman was gone, while sounds of weapons fire echoed through the hall. Jacques ran towards the source, Pietro moving after him. They came to the entry to the tunnel, only to find the combat droids that were guarding it laying on the floor in pieces that seemed like they were forcibly removed with a blowtorch, the metal on them still melting from what must have been an immensly powerful heat attack.
"INTRUDER ALE-", sounded the intercom before being interrupted by static, and then silence. Shouting could be heard from the upper level, and then a great crunching noise filled the air. Jacques and Pietro had just made it to the upper level, where they saw that the woman had torn the door to the outside from its frame. They saw her break the glass of Jacques' hovertruck, throw the pilot within onto the platform, and then enter inside herself. The craft took off shortly after, on a course to the city of Atlas, the capital of the Federal Union. Thinking quickly, Jacques took out his communicator, a blocky machine that looked like a beige-coloured brick. He typed in a number, and pressed it near his ear. From the other side came a gruff, tired-sounding voice.
"This is Amity Military Base, how can I help you, Mister Schnee?"
"My hovercraft has just been taken by an unknown individual while I was visiting the gemstone mine in your area. I need you to launch a missile and destroy it!"
A few moments passed, nobody saying anything. Then came the response.
"Mister Schnee, we have confirmation. We'll have the bogey down in no time."
In the wilderness of the continent of Solitas, where the Federal Union of Atlas was, a metal hatch opened inside the missile silo of Amity Military Base. The warhead, 7 meters in length, launched itself at tremendous speeds through the air. Its locking mechanism detected the hovertruck that was registered as belonging to Jacques Schnee. Usually, missiles are equipped with computer chips that connect to the locking mechanism that ensure that the missile does not strike civilians or such infrastructure. However, this was a Knight-class Armor Penetrating Warhead, an Atlesian design, which had no such restriction, in clear violation of the Haven Accords of 1995. There was a reason this was the first time that this particular missile was used for the first time since its inception.
The missile hit the hovertruck, causing an explosion that was so bright it could be seen from Atlas itself. The wreckage came crashing down into the snow, leaving behind a trail of smoke. The craft buried itself in the snow.
Meanwhile, back at the platform, Pietro came behind Jacques.
"Uh, mister Schnee?"
Jacques turned to face him.
"The press is going to kill us."
From the wreckage, the woman emerged unscathed. She was no longer made of crystal, but of flesh and blood. Having access to the sapient lifeforms on this planet helped her formalize her form. The last time she had met the natives of this world, she was being persecuted for being a monster of Grimm, whatever that was supposed to be. That was about 800 planetary rotations ago, if her senses were to be trusted. She turned to survey the damage done to the craft. Artificial materials, jet engines, and now appearently rocket-propelled explosives. The natives sure have advanced over the centuries. Now, she finally had enough genetic data to form her own identity. She just needed a name now.
She sincerely doubted that the Angel of Darkness, Lady Justice or even just Bob were going to be appropriate, if the paranoid feelings of all the natives she has met so far were anything to go by. She would have to think of something else. What was the name that was given to her by that little boy she had met 800 years ago, who showed her to his fellow villagers who didn't take kindly to her? What was it...
Robyn. Robyn Hill.
There we go, she thought to herself. The sound of approaching hovercraft was heard in the distance. Time to take my leave. First, to find shelter. Then, some clothes.