Summer held unto her two daughters for a few more minutes before she calmed down and released them. She saw that the tow had grown up to beautiful young women. Yang looked almost like a carbon copy of Raven when they were young with her father's colors. Ruby was the same with herself, and it was almost like dealing with her clone again, only not evil and racist.
It was then she took note of the other three occupants in the room, two of them she recognized instantly. "Qrow? Tai?!" She said in shock. The two-man hadn't changed much in her time away but the differences where there. Qrow looked more his age with the look in his eyes that she'd seen one too many times. Tai too, but now sported a soul patch. That needed to go.
"You have no idea how good it feels to see you again, Sum," Qrow said as the two-man of team STRQ walked op to the bed. Summer turned to look at her old friends.
"Qrow, Tai…" Summer spoke there names again. She saw a sea of emotions play out across there faces.
"Summer…I…" Taiyang stuttered before taking a deep breath and looking at her, happiness slowly filling his features. "Words can't describe how great it is to see you again."
Summer felt her heart swell as she reached out, and the three held each other's hands. There will be a lot of words to be exchanged later in privet between the three.
"Excuse me, Miss Rose?" Said the third man that she did not recognize but wore a white Doctor's coat. "My name is Dr. Wilson. I'm part of the staff here at Vale General, where you are currently act."
"Nice to meet you doc." Summer greeted back.
"Now I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to go over you a bit before you go have a full-blown reunion with your loved ones." The Doctor explained. "I'm sorry if it does but know that I'm only during this for both your sake and there's. We do not want you crashing due to a medical issue that we did not foresee." Summer agreed and began the slow process of a physical.
After nearly half an hour of the Doc doing his check's, he wrote it all down. He also explained how she was found after a freak lightning storm came out of nowhere and the VDF found her right outside Vale and brought her to where she was now. When he was finished, he excused himself and walked out of the room, leaving her with her family. She felt like a repeat of her reunion of her old team after her 'death' from the Collectors. It was then that she decided to break the ice.
"I understand that my being back has caused a lot of pain to resurface. Just know I'll try to answer your questions as best I can." She assured them.
"Mom, where have you been?!" Ruby asked from right off the bat with her father behind her.
"We all thought you died," Yang said with Qrow nodded from behind her.
Summer had to stop and think. She tried to remember how she ended up off-world but was drawing a big blank from her memories. "I just want you all to know that I've been through a lot before I somehow ended up back in Vale. As to what happened Ruby, I have no godly idea…I honestly don't know. I don't even remember what I was doing before whatever happened to me. I was confused for a long time as to how everything went down."
"But why did it take you so long to get back? Couldn't you get a ride back to Vale or go to the nearest village that has a connection to the CCT?" Yang asked.
Summer had to think of how to word this without sounding crazy. As far as she knew, her homeworld didn't have connections with the rest of the galaxy, making this a first contact situation. Then again, this is her family she was talking to, so she decided to kick the rules to the curb again. Wouldn't be the first time she did something behind the council's back or their approval. Then a thought occurred.
"The answer is easy to explain but hard to digest, girls. I was no longer on Remnant." She said simply.
Seeing the looks of disbelief on their faces. Summer lifted her left hand up, and she sent a mental command to the Omi-tool that was embedded in her hand. She smiled as the familiar orange holographic glow from her that formed around her hand and wrist. The four had varied looks of surprise when they saw that.
Summer saw this and smiled. Seeing something as common as an Omi-tool get such looks was a little funny to her. "Before we begin, let me point out the obvious, this is an Omni-tool. Omni-tools are handy little handheld devices that combine a computer microframe, sensor analysis pack, and mini-facturing fabricator. Versatile and reliable, an omni-tool can be used to analyze and adjust the functionality of most standard equipment, including weapons and armor. They are standard issue with soldiers, colonist, and anyone willing to fly out into the unknown." Summer explained. She then pushed a few buttons and a holographic form of a planet that was not Remnant. "This is Elysium, a human colony located in the Vetus system within the Petra nebula. With reasons beyond my own, I was suddenly just there during a massive pirate attack."
Her family was stunned as they looked at the hologram floating over the hand. Surprisingly it was Ruby that bounced back to what she just said. "Wait, humans? We haven't even left our world, let alone colonized other worlds, and you fought pirates? Like 'Argh, I will be taking your bootie,' pirates?" Her youngest said, getting a short bark of laughter out of her.
"Pirates in the movies are not like the ones out in the galaxy, little red." Summer said as she patted her youngest's head, much to everyone's amusement.
"Plus, that's also a good question." Summer said as she tried to remember from the history of humanity. "I don't know how to explain it, the ones I've met have records of evolution on the Human Alliance homeworld of Earth where it stated that they evolved there."
If I ever see Javik again, I'm going have a few words with him. Maybe his people relocated some humans to this Remnant. There may even be a Prothean outpost somewhere on this world that the people here haven't discover yet. Summer thought to herself.
"But yea there is another human race out there Ruby." Summer's expression then turned dark as the women got series. "And seeing a pirate raid in real life was something they don't show on the big screen. When they attacked, it wasn't just pirates I was dealing with, but slavers to all under the control of several batarian Warlords."
This shocked everyone again as they looked at Summer. She then explained everything that happened while the attack was happening. How she unarmed and was using everything at her disposal from looting fallen gear to coronating with survivors to either evacuate area's or produce a counterattack on the enemy and met up with the Alliance military for a counterattack that drove the invaders off the planet.
Summers saw her old teammates of STRQ look at her with a sense of familiarity. She was a leader before she became displaced in the universe, and those skills were what kept her alive today now that her memories returned, which was something that Summer needed to address for later.
When Summer got finished her story about the Blitz, Ruby and Yang looked like they had stars in there in their eyes.
"After that, when the Alliance was finished and brought me aboard one of their ships, I realized something important happened to me that would haunt me till today…"
"What happened?" Yang said that was also the thought of everyone's mind.
"I couldn't remember my name…" She said lamely.
"WHAT?!" Everyone said at once.
"I couldn't remember my own name, I remembered my first name, but when I tried giving my last name, I couldn't give it. Before the attack, I could only remember my first name and how to fight, nothing else. Remnant, being a huntress, being a mother…" Everyone was silent for a moment as Summer tried to form words this topic. "I couldn't remember…like everything important to me was suppressed."
"Something made you forgot about us?" Ruby said, with a look that Summer had only seen herself do. A face saying "I'm gonna kick your ass, that's not telling it's a fact." Seeing it on her daughter both made her a little scared that she saw it herself and proud that her Ruby can pull off a look like that. Summers crew said that she made those faces that sent chills through the air. Example of this was when they confronted the batarian extremist that was trying to send an asteroid to Terra Nova. Or when she nearly killed the director of Project Overlord, Dr. Archer, after finding out what he did to his brother.
"It was difficult not remembering anything about my past. Luck was on my side when I made a new friend that I would entrust my life too for the rest of my life. A lieutenant David Anderson, an officer with the Alliance military." This looked like it made Qrow shift and as he made a face.
"You made friends with military type's Sum, that must have been fun for yea," Qrow said as he shook his.
Summer didn't like where he was taking this. "He defended me Qrow. I was lost and without a purpose and would have been swept aside and set as a dangerous person. Instead, he offered me a chance to prove myself, gave me a chance to put my skills where I'm needed and put me on a path for one of the greatest rides of my life."
Her words seemed to move Qrow into an uncomfortable position as he shifted in his spot. Taiyang came quick to his partners' rescue. "Qrow been having issues with people from Atlas lately. He doesn't really like military types," He explained.
Summer shifted slightly in her bed. "That's too bad because I'm also one."
"What?" Said the two adults as they were clearly not expecting that.
"Yep," Summer said, with a popping 'P.' "Anderson, gave me a chance not to become a threat in the eyes of the galaxy and got me a spot in the Alliance's N7 program, which is like their version of Huntsman. Put me through some of the hardest training of my life. What I remember back in Beacon doesn't compare."
The two adults' faces were comical with their jaws drop, Yang blinked with a surprised look on her face, and Ruby had a look of wonder on her face.
"That's surprising Summer, I remember you didn't have a grudge with the military but had no drive to support them either," Tai said.
Thinking back Summer tried to remember what she was like, but with her memories still jumbled, it was hard to tell. "I've changed a lot, Tai, especially in the last few years."
"We know Summer," Qrow said, confusing the three girls in the room.
"You do?" Yang said.
"The Doc pulled the two of us aside for a moment and told us about your physical condition," Qrow said making the Alliance officer twitch as she knows where this conversation was going.
"He said you have surgery's done all over your body Summer. He found an ungodly amount of implants in you, and that's got us worried. "Taiyang said with hurt filled voice. "What the hell did they do to you?"
Summer was quiet, that question was bound to happen, but she'd somewhat hoped it wasn't this quick. She sighed as she thought about how to word this, knowing this would be a topic that could be considered borderline insanity. "That question is not going to come with a simple answer and to explain all of it will probably take days in detail. Trying to simplify it would only confuse you and everyone here. Do you really want to know?"
Looks of uncertainty were all around her, but one by one they all to nodded their heads. Summer combed her hair back with her hand, trying to think on how to start off. "A few years ago, I was given over command of my first ship, the Normandy-SR1," She began as she typed in her Omi-tool bringing out the image of the first Normandy. A feeling of longing briefly past through her at the sight of her first ship.
"You were space a captain mom?! Wait you said 'first' did that mean you captain more than one ship?" Ruby said in aw.
Summer nodded. "Good ears Ruby, I hope you're using those while you and Yang are in school. But Yea, my time in the Alliance propelled me to be a ship captain of a small stealth frigate. The Normandy was home to me for a time as I led her in many engagements against terrorists, monsters, salvers, merc bands, and much more." She started. Memories of before her death brought her some joy. Back when things were so much simpler. "Then one day out on portal we came under fire in a surprise attack. It ended up getting destroyed, and I got spaced…not a fun experience I can tell you that. Most of those implants you saw were from the multiple surgeries to put me back together.
"How bad were you hurt, mom?" Yang asked as she leaned forward.
"I was in bad shape, Yang. Really bad. Was under the knife for two years and essentially dead to the world around me. Like one moment I'm floating in space with a front-row seat, watching the destruction of my ship the next I'm waking up a hospital bed."
"That must have been confusing." Qrow quipped.
"Very," Summer nodded in agreement. "But yeah, there is a lot of parts keeping me together. Telling how each piece works will all probably go over everyone's head."
"I guess," Qrow said in agreement.
"Anyway," Summer said with a smile that threatened to tear her face in half. "My turn to ask questions. I've been gone for so long that I missed a bunch of important things! Like does Ruby have a boyfriend and did Tai here get with another girl? I'm brimming with questions that need to be answered here!"
"Dad didn't get together with another chick and Ruby's less interested in the opposite sex and more into weapons," Yang fired off one after the other.
Summer looked at her oldest for a moment then turned to Ruby and Tai. "Huh…I was half expecting you to find someone new to support yourself and the girls, Tai."
Tai looked down with shame. "After you went missing Summer and declared dead to the world, I pretty much shut down. Lost my drive to do anything, turned to drink for a while… I was not in a good place."
"Aw Tai…" Summer said dejectedly. He didn't need to say. She'd see it happen to others more than she'd like.
"I'm fine now, Summer. I got my head out of my rear and my priorities straight. Yang here was stronger than me for most of those days." The father praised his oldest.
Summer saw Yang looked away in sadness most likely looking back in those dark times. Summer reached out held Yang's giving the young women a comforting smile to which brought one I return.
"What else has happened?" Summer asked.
"Yang and Ruby got into Beacon together and are on the same team," Qrow told her.
Summer had to blink for a sec as she had to think about what her friend just said. "Wait a moment. How did that happen? Ruby is younger than Yang."
"Ruby got admitted two years early on her performance and got herself recognized by stopping a Dust robbery. Ozpin let her and made her the leader of her team after initiation," he explained.
"Team RWBY all the way!" Yang said as she crossed over the bed and brought Ruby into a hug, much to Ruby's annoyance but Summer could see a smile on the red hair girls face.
Summer reached out and pulled the two of them into another hug. "I'm so proud of you two! I wonder if they have it recorded. I wanna watch how you all did," she said before breaking the hug.
Before anything else could be said, Dr. Wilson returned. "Hello everyone, I regret to inform you all that Visiting hours are ending, and I'll have to ask you all to leave."
"What? NO!" Ruby shouted while going back to hug her mother. "I don't want to leave!"
"Hey, Doc, how long do I have to stay here for?" Summer asked.
"Now that your awake, personally a week to recover. But knowing you Huntsman another day of observation to diagnose your injuries to make sure you have nothing else becomes a problem." He explained.
"Come on, girls. Let's give your mother some time to rest," Tai said as he and Qrow left with the later giving a smile before leaving. Ruby hadn't moved from her spot from her mother.
"Ruby, I'm not going anywhere," Summer assures her.
"You're staying, aren't you?" Ruby said in a sad tone. Summer found herself on the receiving end of the puppy dog eyes. The effect was gut-punching to the Spector.
"After missing this much of your life. I'm not going anywhere," Summer said after giving her daughter and stepdaughter one last hug. A deep feeling of 'Home' filled Summer's heart, one where she only felt when on the Normandy's CIC. The three broke, and the two Beacon students left with smiles on their faces.
Summer watched her family leave with only herself in bed. Usually after something like this, she would go back to her ship and rest in her cabin. With no ship to go back to and not having to rely on her usual Doctor, she would need to stay around just to make sure she was ok.
Thinking back to her last moments on the Citadel Summer had to wonder just how she got to Remnant from Earth? The last thing she remembered was the floor falling under her. The Doc said she was found during a freak lightning storm, must have been the Crucible during and must have fallen in the energy stream and sent her here. But sending her to Remnant, what are the odds?
All of a sudden, the N7 felt a muscle twitch in the back of her head, that six sense that she was being watched from afar. A glance at her room showed no cameras so turned her eyes towards the only window in her room.
There she saw a single black raven sitting on the window ledge looking back at her. Summer stared into the birds red eyes for a full minute. Summer closed her eyes as more memories surfaced before looking back, seeing the bird flying out into the distance.
"Raven…"
