AN: Hiya, here's chapter 2, this chapter contains a fair bit of world building and Crimson pondering things but Fear Not! the next chapter shall have some action :D (There is a short teaser at the bottom)

Thank you for the favs, follows and reviews! They really encourage and motivate me to continue the story. Thank you BlazefireDrago, Vangour, Drow79 (I like your story), MajesticHippo, Xenocanaan, chaosrin for reviewing. I definitely appreciate (and read) them even if I don't always manage to respond to them.

As usual I would appreciate any advice, since this is only my 2nd fanfic.

Enjoy!

Only Human Chapter 2

It was quiet, with the only sounds being those of my footsteps and the soft 'shwish' sounds the automated doors would make as they parted in front of me.

Then again, it was 2am in the morning.

Being an android meant that I didn't need any sleep. Actually, I was pretty sure I didn't need stuff like air, water and food either.

After the attack, I was given a quick debrief, which mainly consisted of what exactly had happened and how I needed to be careful. They didn't exactly state why I needed as much how I should be more careful but it didn't take a genius to figure out why.

Firstly, the building had been compromised once already, what was there to say that it couldn't happen a second time? Worst still, the circumstances that had allowed the White Fang to gain entrance were… suspicious, to say the least. They had managed to sneak in by uploading a virus which had managed to take the security system within a few minutes, while avoiding detection. Either they had gotten hold of an exceptionally brilliant computer expert (mind you the security was built by the best minds in Remnant) or something very fishy was going on.

Secondly, they had known exactly when and where to target. It was unclear who or what exactly they were targeting, but I wasn't sure what was worse:

Possibly having the White Fang actively gunning for me or the fact that there was most likely a bad information leak at best and a spy amidst us at worst.

But it was just conjecture at this point. If there had been a spy, he or she had been very good, because there hadn't even been a single indication of any espionage.

I was unsettled, but I had agreed to let General Ironwood handle the situation… It wouldn't be good for me to go around scaring off the probable spy by sniffing around too much.

I was broken out of my reverie when a pair of feet appeared in front of me.

I stopped and looked up.

"Hi Penny... Not sleeping?"

Much like me, Penny didn't need to sleep at all, however, she did occasionally need recharges and would plug into a terminal and go into stasis mode. Penny mentioned that she often did it even if she had plenty of power left since she was so bored.

It made sense I supposed, someone as energetic as her would feel pretty lonely with no one to talk to.

"Nope sis, I was bored and kinda wanted to talk to you... If thats alright with you, I mean..."

I took the cold logical part of my mind that was protesting that I had no time nor need for this conversation and ruthlessly pushed it out of my mind, shouting "Nobody asked you!" as I slammed the door on it.

Yeah, I have a vivid imagination...

Then I hugged her (again).

I mean Penny seemed like the person that would need a lot of hugs... And she happened to be cute... And adorable...

But jokes aside, Penny's self confidence was non-existent when it came to dealing with those who she liked. When she interacted with strangers she would be her cheerful and awkward self, however, when it came to those who opinions truly mattered to Penny, she would be more shy and hesitant.

It was probably because her friends meant the world to her.

I ruffled her hair affectionately (which was quite a challenge, considering I wasn't that much taller than her) and answered.

"Of course my little angel, though you know that you don't need to ask for permission right?"

Angel? Oh that must have slipped out… I used to call my little sis angel since she was so cute and kind... I wonder how she's doing… I miss her so so much...

"Awesome! There's just one thing though..."

I tilted my head curiously.

"What is it Penny?"

"I'm not an angel."

I sweatdropped.

"Oh. Erm... It's a form of endearment, Penny. Like when someone who loves you gives you an affectionate nickname."

Penny seemed to ponder it for a moment.

"Does that make you a big angel? Cause that would be awesome and cool-"

"I'm not sure if it works that way Penny..."

"-and it'll be sweet! So I can call you that right?"

"You know, I don't think thats such a good idea... "

"Pretty please?" Penny pleaded, her eyes wide and shiny from the full force of the puppy dog look she was bringing to bear on me.

I covered my eyes with my hand and looked away.

Must... Resist...

After a moment of silence, I cracked a gap between my fingers and peered out.

If anything Penny's eyes only seemed to widen even further.

Was that even possible?

I groaned.

"Fine. But you should only call me th-"

—Before I was promptly glomped by Penny, both of us falling to the ground with a THUNK!

'She sure picks up fast...' I thought wryly.

"Yay! Big angel sis!"

"Hey um, lil angel I have some important things to do now... Maybe we can talk tomor— later today?"

"Aww... " Penny gave me one last pleading look but I gently shook my head.

"Alright then. I'll see you later sis!"

As Penny walked off, I eyed the vaguely human-shaped dent on the metal floor before I quickly walked off.

I didn't see anything.

"Level 17: Facility Library," The lift announced with a soft chime.

The lift doors parted and I stepped out, feeling a draft of cold air breeze by me.

Steel gray bookshelves lined the aisles while in the centre, there was a circular data terminal where the librarians usually sat. The central terminal was surrounded by other smaller terminals arrayed in a circle, black screens indicating they were not in use.

Predictably, the library looked empty under the dimmed lights and a quick scan confirmed it.

Let's see... Main server access point... Ah, there it is.

Walking over to the librarian's desk, I easily vaulted over it, before settling comfortably into the plush chair.

My hand glided across the smooth steel and a screen flared into existence.

[ID: _ Password: _ ]

I frowned.

Troublesome.

Then again, if there hadn't been any security... I'd be seriously worried.

Let's see, how to access the main server...

'I'll need to directly interface with the system first.'

Hmm… Ah! That would do nicely.

I rested my hand over the scroll scanner of the terminal and reached out mentally.

[Link established]

[Welcome to the Atlas Library central database, please state the title you seek]

I easily bypassed the meagre defences on the computer to gain access to the Library database. But that wasn't what I was after... I needed to have access to the main database in order to find the answers I needed.

I needed to know how things worked here, how dust, aura and semblance all functioned as well as general information on anything Remnant, really. Even RWBY's World of Remnant series had been remarkably information scarce, especially for a series dedicated to world building.

More importantly, I needed information concerning Project CRIMSON, what was its purpose? What was I? In RWBY, there hadn't been any mention of me, only Penny and she had been the first synthetic entity to generate aura. So was I the second? Third? Was I the prototype or the refined version?

Then there was Aura. Aura was said to be connected to your soul, which was why Machines and Grimm normally didn't have any. I remembered the way my body seemed to dissolve in that void... Was it my soul entering Crimson's body? I wasn't sure, but I intended to find out.

Why didn't I just ask General Ironwood or my Father? It was much easier and much less risky... But it wouldn't yield the info I needed.

I mean I had been operational for less than 1 day, who would entrust sensitive info to me?

I certainly wouldn't. Plus, how would I explain the whole reincarnation thing?

[Connected to Atlas central database. Beginning verification process.]

This was where it would start to get tricky.

The main database appeared to be protected layers over layers of firewalls, with all of them shifting and changing randomly, while there appeared to be some kind of code that eliminated any foreign program it detected.

Remnant's technology was actually fairly similar to Earth's technology, or rather what earth's technology could look like after a few decades or so. But other than that, Remnant technology was a lot more… crisp and efficient, for lack of better words. It was very practical and I supposed that was the result of the unique circumstances.

On both Remnant and Earth technology was used to better life, whether extending it, making it easier, more comfortable or more secure. The motivation behind this need for technology was the difference.

Back on Earth, technology was definitely a huge part of life but it wasn't absolutely essential, you could (and some still did) survive without technology. But here in Remnant… the advanced tools of humans, the massive constructed barriers and the coordination between Kingdoms were the only thing standing between a relatively safe life for the majority and meeting a grisly end at the hands of a Grimm.

So yeah, when your own life was at stake, one tended to be much much more motivated to make technology as good as it could possibly get. The survival mindset from the early days when dust had been first discovered showed even now, in the design of Remnant's technology. The tech was designed to be easily utilised by anyone, while the tech itself was extremely foolproof, I mean... the failsafes had failsafes for Oum's sake.

Breaking into the main server was... surprisingly easy... Well for me at least. I mean, when you had enormous processing capabilities on par with a supercomputer and a variety of hacking tools to crack the system, normal anti-hacking measures just wouldn't cut it. On top of that, as an AI of sorts, I was (as a certain light blue AI had said) 'literally made out of numbers", so understanding systems came naturally.

Outwardly, I was completely still and unmoving, staring with unblinking eyes into space.

Inwardly, however... I was playing the equivalent of virtual chess with the defensive programs, except that I had 2 moves to their every 1 move. It wasn't a fair battle. But all was fair in Love and War. And this was War.

I smiled and leaned back to rest my head on the back of the chair.

Checkmate.

I had managed to convince the code that terminated any foreign objects from the system to treat the defensive programs it was guarding as a foreign object.

So it was now undermining the entire system and causing it to collapse unto itself.

Now what was it Cinder had said...?

"It's not about overpowering an enemy. It's about taking away what power they have." (With my evil sewing needle! Muahhaha)

Well, her idea certainly had merit, I mused.

[Welcome to the Atlas Central Database. Attempts to access restricted files without proper clearance will be logged and reported.]

I was in. Time to get some answers.

[Search: Project Crimson]

[Error. No matches found]

I enlarged the search parameters to encompass the entire database and tried again.

[Error. No matches found]

Impossible. I had ensured that I had complete access to the database and any project as major as the one that created me would surely leave some traces.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I tried searching for Penny instead.

[Penny: The first synthetic being capable of generating aura. Created by Dr Polendina and his team as part of a joint project between Atlas and the Schnee Dust Company to produce a prototype for the Aura Enhancing Generation-Integration System or AEGIS. Unit shows tremendous combat potential due to application of aura. Field shows much promise, however, Dr Polendina is adamant about not rushing the research or producing more units and is unlikely to change his mind.]

And yet I was here, newly built.

What had caused him to change his mind?

I shook my head. There wasn't any use thinking about it, I would find out... eventually.

I tapped my chin thoughtfully.

Could it be the reason that I couldn't find anything was precisely because there was nothing here to find?

I wouldn't put it past the Atlas military or the SDC (Schnee Dust Company) to have stashed their most sensitive secrets in a much more isolated and secure location, kind of like a secret vault of sorts. The absence of any specific test data related to Penny pointed to that as well. As a prototype, Penny's data would definitely be recorded down and stored in order to improve subsequent models, yet the only information on Penny was rather general.

Actually now that I thought it about, it would be surprising if they didn't have a multitude of these, considering the dirty secrets I was sure that the SDC and Atlas would have.

Dirty secrets? I was pretty sure that the Schnee Dust Company had plenty of those if even Weiss had commented on it being in a morally grey area. And then Atlas pretty much went hand-in-hand with the SDC, being the SDC's stronghold of power.

Whelp. Looks like this was all I was going to get out of the system for now.

After creating a connection so I could remotely access the Atlas database anytime, I waved the terminal off before vaulting over and walking towards the exit.

As the doors closed behind me, I disabled the looping I had placed the security camera's on since I had first entered the library.

I was never there.

Next chapter: Long, snow white hair flowed behind her as she lithely dodged the swing, cartwheeling out of the way. Rising into a textbook perfect stance, she parried and countered with a blindingly fast riposte.

AN: Did you guys like the teaser? Hope you enjoyed the chapter! The next chapter may take slightly longer as I will likely focus on my other story for now, then switch back to this one after that chapter is done. Can't neglect either ;D