Relic of the Future: Chapter 18

"You are Jaune Ashari, up until three months ago a Specialist of Atlas, no?"

"I am…"

"Then you are the correct person, sir. You see, although this lists you as a non-exec board member, the account was only created two and a half months ago when your name and image appeared in the newspapers. Our customer saw you, recognised you, and opened this account in your name – saying that your services up until that point had not been paid, and that you would receive that which you were owed."

Again, nothing came to mind. Jaune sat in silence, hoping something would make the answer more apparent.

"You might also be pleased to know that your legal team has been busy in Atlas. While I cannot comment on work not yet completed, we are convinced that your name will be cleared of any responsibility for the White Fang's actions within weeks."

"I have a legal team?" Jaune spluttered.

"Not you, sir, RTE's legal team. The CEO was quite upset to hear of your good name being besmirched. I hear he has put quite the pressure on Atlas to drop any charges, and considering the stranglehold RTE has on the market, Atlas is all but certain to fold."

"Sorry, but I've been out of the loop for the past few months," Jaune admitted. "I'm not sure I've heard of this RTE before, which is a little odd given that I apparently work for them now." Even if, as the man said, he'd been doing so unpaid up until two months ago. "Who is RTE?"

"Why, it's only the greatest electronics company in Remnant to date," Alasdair said happily. "Rashem Telecommunications and Electronics. They're a relatively new company, they came out of Vacuo two years back and have quite frankly revolutionised the market. Their CEO Rashem Annar is one of the wealthiest men on Remnant."

Rashem.

Why did that sound familiar?

"And you said they work in electronics?"

"Scrolls mostly," Alasdair said, "Though they're moving into other electronics now considering the technological advantage they have over much of the competition. Why, their scrolls are considered to be the only ones anyone with a single shred of sense will buy nowadays. Look." Alasdair reached into his suit pocket and brought forth one such scroll, one that Jaune recognised immediately.

It was the same scroll he'd had in Beacon.

In Beacon a whole six years from now.

It was the scroll he'd sold to a simple street peddler in Vacuo, back before he realised he'd come ten years into the past. He'd been sent back, and literally given technology ten years before its time to some random guy.

You know, I really am bad at the whole `not changing the past` thing. I failed at that long before I adopted Emerald, came to Atlas or caused the White Fang to emerge early. Bloody hell…

"I remember him," Jaune said hoarsely. "Rashem and I go a way back. I didn't realise he still remembered me, though. Or that he'd open an account for me."

This was good in a way. If his account was being watched, then suddenly having another would help him get around that. Since it was a business account, it wouldn't even be in his name, but rather something like RTE or similar. How useful it was would depend on how much it had, since he'd accrued a good two-hundred thousand lien working for Ironwood.

"How much is in the account?"

"Currently, sir, there is six point four million lien."

Well… That was… a thing. That was definitely a thing. Maybe he could afford to buy Emerald more than just a cake for her next birthday. Maybe she'd like a fucking private Bullhead or something. Or her own personal island. Six million lien. What the hell.

—Relic of the Future: Chapter 18