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Darkened Skies	By : Cynthia Category: Final Fantasy VII > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 949 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all characters are the property of Square Enix. I do not profit from this fanfiction, it’s for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter List
- 26
- 27
- 28
"Darkened Skies"
Chapter twenty-seven: The hunt
A Final Fantasy 7 AU fanfiction
~***********************************~

Author's note: I think I've been watching too much "Buffy" and "Angel". I keep picturing Reeve walking in the forefront of the SOLDIER operatives in slow motion, with the dramatic trenchcoat, the breeze blowing in his hair and a kick-ass expression on his face. Thank you, Joss Whedon.
*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all related characters belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.
~**************************************~

Two days later, in Rocket Town:
"Ah! Goddammit! Shera, this damned thing is still busted!"
Cid ducked out from under the control panel at the pilot's seat and waved his pliers threateningly at it. He came close to hitting the panel in frustration, but his common sense kicked in at the last minute and he put the tool down, instead. He heard his wife coming up the steps outside the big rocket, and he could smell the hot chocolate before she stepped through the cockpit door.
"Take a break, Cid," admonished the rocket scientist gently. Her brown eyes were calm behind her round glasses, unthreatened by the angry scowl on his dirt-smudged face. She offered the mug to him with a coaxing smile. "Here. I brought you a hot drink."
Cid stuck his slim cigar into the corner of his mouth and puffed on it. "You ought to be working on those engines, not making goddamned hot chocolate!"
She nodded, still calm in the face of his ranting. "I'll get back to it after you've taken a break and had some hot chocolate, Cid. I promise. The rocket isn't going to go anywhere, in the meantime."
Grumbling, he took the drink from her. He snubbed his cigar out in the ashtray he'd put by the control panel and he sipped the heated beverage gingerly. When it didn't scald his tongue, he grunted in approval and took a heftier swallow.
"ShinRa tried to contact you again, while I was brewing the water," Shera informed him, leaning against the open doorway of the aircraft.
"You didn't answer my phone, did ya?"
"Of course not." Cid had issues with anyone answering his calls except for him, and she knew better than to get him on another tangent. "But I do think you should respond the next time, or return their calls. They've been trying to reach you since you got here, and it could be important." She produced his phone from the pocket of her lab coat, and she offered it to him.
Cid looked at the device, scowling. "Keeping tabs on me. Rufus Shinra's a control freak. The only reason they keep calling is 'cause I didn't snatch you and come right back. They can wait. I've got to spend some time with the old girl, here." He patted the pilot seat of the rocket meaningfully.
Shera smiled tolerantly. "Still, they pay our salary. You should at least check in with them."
Cid put the phone down. "Don't tell me what to do, woman."
"I’m not telling," She corrected benignly, "I'm only suggesting."
Shera stepped closer to him, completely at ease with his gruff manner where most people would flee his presence when he used that tone of voice with them. She reached up and brushed her thumb against a sooty smear on his jaw, wiping it away.
"I'd never tell you what to do, Cid."
His hands settled on her waist, the rough work gloves soiling her lab coat. Neither of them cared. "That's right," he muttered. "I tell you what to do."
"Yes, you do," she agreed, humoring him.
She rubbed a soft, smooth cheek against the rough stubble lining his jaw, like a cat marking her scent. She placed a soft, tickling kiss under his right ear, provoking him to put his arms around her and draw her closer. Her scent was a mixture of the smell of machinery and delicate, feminine perfume—a big turn-on for a man like Cid Highwind.
"What do you say we shut this door for a while," he suggested, his voice suddenly husky as he started to reach for said door.
Shera kissed his earlobe. "We could do that. I wish you would consider finding out what ShinRa wants first, though."
For all his crude mannerisms and meanness, Cid was just as susceptible to his hormones and female powers of persuasion as the next man. "All right, dammit. I'll call them, if it'll make you shut up about it. Get ready to shut that door when I'm finished, though."
He contradicted his harsh words by giving her a little smooch on the lips, before releasing her and picking the phone up. He grumbled as he flipped it open and prepared to dial, but then the familiar sound of ShinRa choppers approaching in the distance reached his ears. Cid put the phone away and reached for the half-smoked cigar he'd put out in the ashtray a moment ago. He re-lit it and took a puff.
"Sounds like they lost patience. ShinRa's heading this way. Go get some tea ready, woman." He gave her a little swat on the butt, leaving a trace of a dirty handprint on the back of her lab coat. She gave a little gasp and he grinned around his cigar as he watched her go.
~************************~

Cid wasn't expecting five choppers and a small army to land outside his hometown. He approached the outskirts with a frown on his lips and he lit a fresh cigar, watching SOLDIER operatives and some regular MP's exit the aircrafts. They unloaded ground-to-air rocket launchers from one of the smaller combat choppers, and Cid's eyebrows went up. Reeve Tuesti approached with all four SOLDIER officers flanking him. He trod over the grassy plains with a brisk walk, his long black coat flapping dramatically at his booted ankles. Reeve looked pissed off, and as he closed the distance and stopped before the pilot, he demonstrated why.
"Start answering your fucking phone for a change, Highwind. We've been trying to contact you since yesterday!"
A bit startled by the unusual outburst from a man who typically kept his swearing on the mild side, Cid tapped some ash off his stogy and looked around at the regiment Tuesti had brought with him. "You people have been buzzing me ever since I left, actually," corrected Cid. "I figured it was just Rufus trying to push me to hurry up and get back with Shera. What the hell's going on?"
"We believe a large threat could be coming this way," explained Reeve, his dark eyes scouring the horizon in an anxious manner. "We've tried contacting the mayor, but there hasn't been an answer."
Cid snorted. "Big surprise. The mayor's an old lush, and he's probably passed out drunk in his house. What kind of threat are we talking about, here? Fleeing Deepground insurgents or something?"
"Worse," answered Reeve. "That's why we've been trying to reach you, in lieu of the mayor. We were hoping you could organize an evacuation, or at least get people into underground shelter, if available. Since we had no luck on that front, I contacted the nearest radio stations in the area and convinced them to put out an emergency broadcast for Rocket Town and all nearby settlements."
"Haven't you seen the news?" Zack prompted with raised eyebrows, "or even heard it on the radio?"
Cid took a puff of his cigar, unnerved in spite of himself by their actions and the urgency in their words. "Kid, I've been working on Shinra no. 26 since I got here, and my wife's been helping me. The Space Program might have cut funding, but we're going to make damned sure that rocket is flight ready when the president makes good on his promise to open the project again."
"There doesn't seem to be any activity in the village," observed Sephiroth with narrowed eyes as he looked at the town. "Aside from a few of Captain Highwind's people, if the uniforms are any indication."
"Then the word must have gotten out to the rest of the town," guessed Zack. "I sure hope they've got a good place to hide."
"There may still be time to get the town evacuated," suggested Angeal. "I checked the population count on the way here, and the entire town could possibly fit in an airship the size of the Highwind. We could give up one of the transport choppers we came with and fit all of our fighters in the remaining four for the journey back, if we manage to take the target down. Those of us with wings could even fly back ourselves to save space."
"Town's been dying since the rocket launch failed," grumbled Cid. "Nobody wants to hang around this dump and most families got out of dodge as soon as they had the opportunity."
Genesis stared at Angeal with an offended expression, ignoring Cid's comment about the population. "Are you actually suggesting that the three of us fly all the way back to Junon harbor, when this is finished?"
Angeal shrugged. "It beats walking. We'll need to take regular rest breaks and our progress will be slower than the aircrafts, but it's doable. It won't kill us to give up our seats, Gen, but it might kill someone else if there isn't enough room to take all of the civilians to safety."
"Would one of y'all just tell me what the hell is going on?" Demanded Cid again, before the redhead could answer. The other MP's and SOLDIER operatives had set up barricades and they awaited orders by the line of aircrafts. "What are we dealing with, here?"
Reeve produced his satellite phone and he fiddled with it, before showing it to Cid. The pilot watched in confusion as the device played the news footage from Icicle Inn on the screen. "What the hell is that?"
Reeve hesitated, glancing at his companions. "We haven't settled on an identity, yet. All we know is that ShinRa didn't create it and we don't know of any other nations or organizations with the technology to do so, either."
Sephiroth took it from there. "We sent teams to investigate and prepared to deal with the threat, but by the time our people arrived, the target had moved on off-shore. Coastal units have been searching for it ever since, and one of the ShinRa Navy subs finally encountered it yesterday. Before the submarine and its crew were obliterated, they reported that the target was moving toward the shore to the north of this town, and reports of a sighting from an offshore oilrig confirmed it. It's on a direct course for Rocket Town."
"We were going to intercept it," Reeve sighed, "but since we couldn't reach you to orchestrate an evacuation, here we are."
Reeve stared at the image on the phone, and he dropped his cigar on the ground and put it out with the heel of his boot. "You're saying that thing's coming to chomp down on my town next?"
"It took you long enough to arrive at that conclusion," remarked Genesis caustically.
Cid didn't even react to the snarky comment. He turned and jogged into town, hollering over his shoulder for them to follow him. He didn't look to see if they complied.
~**********************************~

"Cid, what on earth?"
"Pack some shit," ordered the blond man as he charged into the little house they shared and ushered Shera out of the kitchen.
The teakettle was beginning to whistle and Shera resisted her husband. She looked at the men that came in behind him and her eyes widened when she recognized General Sephiroth. "Wait," she sputtered in confusion. "Our guests…th-the tea!"
"Forget about the goddamned tea!" Cid pushed her toward the bedroom and when she stumbled, the young Soldier with the ebony, spiked hair blurted a protest.
"Hey man, take it easy on her!"
Cid turned to look at the young man. "What'd you say, Junior?"
The SOLDIER operative wasn't intimidated. He crossed toned, powerful arms over his chest and glared at Cid levelly, his amethyst gaze hard and gem-like. "I said take it easy, Highwind. Where I’m from, you don't push girls around like that."
"She's my wife, kid. Stay out of it."
He blinked. "Sooo…because you two are married, I should just stand by and watch you manhandle her? I don't think so, pal."
The big Soldier behind him put a hand on the spiky-haired one's shoulder, his chiseled features stern but quietly proud. "Easy, Zack."
Recognizing the name, Shera quickly intervened before her husband and the attractive young Soldier could go to blows over it. "It's okay, Lt. Fair," she promised, stepping in front of Cid to block his way. "Cid would never hurt me, I promise. He's just wound up about something. Can one of you please tell me what's happening?"
"I told you to pack," Cid barked, "not ask questions! Keep it to the essentials and get yer ass on the Highwind!"
Reeve Tuesti stepped in front of Zack as the young man bristled again at Cid's abusive tone. "I wish we had time for an extended explanation, Mrs. Highwind, but we really do need to move quickly. There is a creature heading this way that we suspect to be a WEAPON. I don't know if you're familiar with the term, but—"
"I'm familiar with it, Commissioner Tuesti," she assured him, her face draining of color. After what happened with Omega, it wasn't so difficult to believe that another of the planet's guardians had woken up. "Is it attempting to finish what Omega started?"
"No Ma'am. This one's only goal seems to be to destroy." Reeve's dark eyes were unsettled, and one could only guess what might be going though that eccentric mind of his. "As I said, we suspect it's a WEAPON, but we can't know for certain until we've encountered it. We need to try and evacuate this town before it arrives. Your cooperation would be appreciated."
"I…I'll go and pack some things," she said faintly. She looked at her husband. "Cid, the teakettle is boiling. Why don't you serve our guests while I pack?"
"Weren't you listening, Shera? There's no damned time for—"
"Serve…the…tea."
Her lips barely moved as she said it, and her face felt frozen. Her husband noticed her frigid composure and for once, he backed down and humored her. "You just worry about packing and getting your butt on the Highwind," he said, "and I'll serve the goddamned tea."
~******************************~

Conducting the evacuation wasn't a simple matter, but they hadn't expected it to be. They split up and went door to door while Cid and his crew got the airship ready and Shera packed. Ushering people onto the Highwind without provoking a panic was a test of every social art they possessed, but between them all, they managed to get most of the town packed up and boarded within the hour. Reeve's charisma and social skills coaxed the reluctant. Zack's boyish charm and friendly nature inspired trust and affection. Angeal's calm and steadiness made people feel safe. As for Sephiroth and Genesis, people did as they directed simply because they were too afraid to piss them off with a refusal.
Zack came jogging over to Angeal and Genesis in the city square after trying the mayor's house. "No good. I've knocked and knocked, but he's not answering. Permission to break down the door?"
Angeal nodded and the two of them followed Zack to the mayor's home. They stood back and allowed Zack to kick the door in, and as soon as they walked through the threshold, the smell hit them. Zack gagged and Angeal hastily covered his mouth and nose with his hand. Genesis promptly manifested his wing and flapped it to fan some fresh air in.
The stench prompted Genesis to utter an expletitive most foul, to his own ears. "Ugh…Minerva's tits, that's disgusting!"
Realizing he'd just objectified his own goddess, he swore again and shut his eyes, silently begging her forgiveness. "Zack…find the mayor before this stench makes me spraypaint this place with my bile."
"Or before your poetry makes me puke," Zack coughed. He stepped around the coffee table and froze. "Never mind…I found him. He's right here on the floor."
Genesis and Angeal joined him to look. There, sprawled on the floor by the ratty couch amidst empty liquor bottles, was the mayor. He was a middle-aged man with sallow skin and a heavy paunch. His watery blue eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, and his mouth was slack and still. In one hand, he held a nearly empty bottle of whisky. In the other, he held a photo of himself at a younger age, standing beside a smiling woman in white. It appeared to be a photo of him and his wife on their wedding day.
"Sir?" Zack said, squatting down. He poked at him gently, grimacing at the smell wafting up from him. He looked up at his companions. "He's…um…pretty out of it."
Genesis visibly grappled with his own disgust and squatted down on the man's other side, to feel his throat. "This man is dead," he announced, "and he's probably been so for more than a day."
At that moment, Shera came through the door looking for them. "Mayor Owens? Did you find him?"
"You may not want to come in here, Mrs. Highwind," Angeal warned her. "I'm afraid he's been deceased for a while."
She saw the body on the floor before the big Soldier could block her vision, and her expression fell to sadness, without revealing any surprise. "That poor man. He's been so unhappy since his wife died. Can we determine the cause of death?"
Genesis sighed and looked around. "Going by the evidence, we can probably assume this was brought on by alcohol poisoning, a heart attack or a stroke. It doesn't matter now. We can't do anything for him."
"We should wrap him up and bring him with, nonetheless," insisted Shera. "He deserves proper burial."
There was a distant rumble, and the ground trembled slightly.
"We don't have time for that," Genesis informed the woman. "He's gone. We have to focus on getting the rest of this town evacuated."
She shook her head. "The mayor had his problems, but he was a good man. I can't just leave him lying there like that!"
Another, louder rumble made the pendulum light hanging from the ceiling wobble.
"I can start wrapping him up," Zack offered solicitously. "We don't have time for anything fancy, but that throw on the couch might do the trick for now."
"Thank you," sighed Shera, reaching for the item.
She stumbled a little as another rumble sounded, and she stopped and stared at the men as it occurred to all of them that thunder wasn't the culprit. The disturbance was rhythmic, like footsteps. Dust drifted down from the ceiling and plaster broke free to land in Shera's bound hair as another stomp shook the ground. She lost her balance, but Angeal quickly righted her and his dark blue eyes gazed steadily into hers as he nodded in the direction of the body and asked a low, urgent question.
"Mrs. Highwind, does that man have family that you know of?"
She shook her head. "Not anymore, no."
"Then I'm afraid we have to leave him." Angeal glanced at Genesis, his jaw tense. "Funerals are more for the living than the dead."
Genesis nodded in agreement and he braced himself as another stomp shook the ground. "Why do I get the feeling—" He started to say, but Reeve's shouts from the street interrupted him.
"It's coming! Get Shera aboard the Highwind and assemble for the attack right now!"
~*******************************~

"Highwind, what the hell are you planning?" Reeve demanded when he realized that Cid was handing control of his ship over to one of his training pilots.
"I'm gonna help you people take that big tin can down, that's what I'm planning!" He turned his attention to the young pilot. "Kid, listen up…don't look at him, look at me!"
The shaken young trainee gulped and looked away from Reeve, nodding at Cid convulsively. "Y-yes sir, Captain Sir."
Cid motioned at the control platform. "Now listen here, I've set her on a course straight for Junon Harbor. All you've got to do is maintain speed and altitude, understand?"
Again, the trainee nodded. His brown eyes were wide with terror, beneath the uniform cap he wore on his head. "B-but what if I have to dodge something?"
"Then you hit this switch to turn off the autopilot and you dodge it," answered Cid, "and when you're out of hot water, you turn it back on. You know the drill, kid! Time to put your training to good use! Shera will help you if you get stuck, and—"
"I'm staying here with you."
Cid stared at his wife. "The hell you are! You're taking this boat out of here with everyone else!"
"Not if you intend to carry through with your plan," she insisted stubbornly. "You need me, Cid. You'll never get that thing calibrated right for launch, without my help."
Cid groped his mussed, straw-colored hair with his gloved hands, as if fighting back the urge to shake her silly. "Are you really gonna pull this shit again, woman? We've done this before and—"
"—And after the launch failed, you found out I was right," she interrupted, raising her voice just enough to be heard over the noise of the scrambling crew and the engines. "Cid, you have to trust me! I can help you make this work! Otherwise, give it up and fly the Highwind yourself, because I won't budge on this."
Reeve looked between the two of them as they glared at one another. "Would one of you mind telling me what this plan is, exactly? And while you're at it, you might want to get over this lover's spat and decide what you're going to do. The target is going to be in range in less than ten minutes and this airship needs to take off and get scarce while it still can."
~*********************************~

Zack, Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis were about ten yards ahead of the barricade set up by the regular militia, prepared to move in on the approaching menace first, to provide a distraction for the ranged attackers. Reeve came up between Sephiroth and Angeal, holding up a scanning device and fiddling with it as he watched the towering creature approach.
"Imagine unwrapping a holiday present and getting something like this, as a kid," he murmured. "It would be cool, until it started blowing everything up."
The SOLDIER officers stared at him. Angeal was the first to say something. "Commissioner, is there a reason you're standing here with us, when you should be back there under cover? If we can't hold the line, you need to escape."
"I'm aware of the escape plan," assured Reeve. "I just wanted to try and get some readings, before it moves into range. Big surprise; I'm getting jack shit."
"I'm not sure readings are the things you should be focusing on," Angeal said, keeping his eyes fixated on the target. "Commissioner, I think you should get back behind the barricades and be ready to activate the mainframe defenses."
"I will," promised Reeve. "In just a moment."
"You'll do it now." Sephiroth turned his head to look the older man in the eye, his feline gaze stern and cold on him.
Strangely enough, Reeve didn't find Sephiroth's gaze any more intimidating than Vincent's. "In a minute, General. I think I should inform you that Captain Highwind is—"
At that moment, there was an enormous grinding, groaning sound from within the town, where the rocket launch pad was located. Sephiroth and the others turned to see Shinra no. 26 tilting slowly but surely towards the threat on the horizon.
Sephiroth frowned at the spectacle and he looked at Reeve. "Is there a reason why Shinra no. 26 is rotating on its launch pad and pointing this way, Mr. Tuesti?"
Reeve glanced over his shoulder at the town, where the rocket it was named after was slowly pivoting on the base of its pad. By the looks of it, the rusty old thing might drop without warning at any given time and crush anything beneath it.
"Captain Highwind insists on giving Shinra no. 26 the launch denied to her, for so many years."
Zack's eyes bugged out. "Now?" He made a wild gesture at the gigantic creature, looming larger with each passing moment. "He wants to try and go on a space trip now, when we're about to go up against Shiva knows what? Is he out of his fucking mind?"
"Permission to put a stop to this madness, General," sighed Angeal, looking to Sephiroth.
Sephiroth hesitated, and he looked between the creature approaching in the distance and the rocket, still pivoting on its stand. "I'll allow it."
Angeal started off, but Sephiroth stalled him with a gloved hand on his bicep. "You misunderstand," explained the general when the bigger man gave him a confused look. "I meant that I'll allow the rocket plan. The rest of us are to adhere to the original plan. Reeve, get back behind the barricades and instruct from there. If we fail to hold the line against this creature, retreat."
"Absolutely," agreed the engineer. He gave the creature approaching one last, curious look. "We do need samples, you know."
"You're starting to sound like Hojo," warned Genesis cryptically, overhearing, "best you step lightly, Reeve."
"I assure you, I have no interest in filling that man's shoes," Reeve muttered. "You should know better than to think I'd march to his tune. I'm just saying—" he motioned at the massive body tromping their way, "—this thing is un-scannable. In our current state, if there are more of them, we have no way to detect them via normal tracking. We need more information."
Sephiroth sighed. "I see. Are there any particular areas of interest to you?"
Reeve looked up at the creature again, inadvertently taking a step back as its next stomp reminded him that objects in mirrors were closer than they appeared…quite literally. "Well," he gasped, "any samples would help, but if I were a guessing man, the brain might be the way to go."
"Are we even sure that thing has a brain?" Zack rubbed his chin and stared at the creature thoughtfully.
"Something is running the show," insisted Reeve. "Whether it's an organic brain or big computer chip, I'd like it intact."
"We'll see what we can do," assured Sephiroth. "Now get behind the barricades and be prepared to link with your chopper's mainframe quickly, should this end badly."
Satisfied that the SOLDIER operatives would do their best to procure the sample for him, Reeve did as he was told.
~*******************************~

Together, the four officers began their advance on the creature closing in on the town. So far, it didn't appear to be making any aggressive moves, but they knew those weapon panels on its shoulders could open up at any moment.
"Try to lure it away from Rocket Town," instructed Sephiroth as he tested his communication headset. "If we can spare the settlement from destruction, we should do so. Stay alert and don't make yourself too attractive as a target. We work together. If anyone begins taking too much heat, the rest of us should concentrate on drawing its fire. When I signal the ranged team to attack, I want you all to get out of the way so as to provide them with a clear, unobstructed shot. Is any of that unclear, Zackary?"
The raven-haired man raised his eyebrows. "Why are you singling me out? I know how to follow directions. Gen's the hot-head of this group."
"I stand corrected," allowed Sephiroth. His emerald gaze shifted to Genesis. "Was any of that unclear to you, Rhapsodos?"
Genesis smirked at him. "I'm aware of the situation, General." He drew his blade and looked up at the creature as he manifested his wing. It apparently noticed them and began to take an interest, moving a little faster, now. "He who collects the most body parts wins."
"This isn't a competition," admonished Angeal, shouting after the redhead as Genesis took to the air. "He's going to get himself killed," he muttered in closing, before taking flight to follow the other man.
"Aw, man," Zack complained when his mentor and Sephiroth took off, leaving him alone on the plain. He readied his sword and began to run, again envying his companions for their powers of flight—even if they thought of themselves as monsters. "Sure would be handy to have a wing or two of my own, so I could keep up with you guys."
Up ahead of him, Genesis had finished closing the distance and he was preparing to engage the target. Evidently recognizing the threat, the creature opened its weapon panels and backed up. Genesis didn't allow time for the lasers to power up. He dove in with his sword leading the way and he slashed at the left shoulder panel, cutting a gash in it. The creature swatted at him and clipped him in passing, but he rolled with the hit and stayed in the sky.
Angeal activated a Barrier spell around himself as he joined his companion, practicing more caution than Genesis. He tossed a second Barrier spell up around both of his companions and Sephiroth gave him a nod of thanks, before igniting a Fire spell against their opponent. The flames didn't seem to trouble the creature overly, but the general's primary intent was to seek out and identify possible weaknesses. Sephiroth avoided a retaliatory beam of white-hot energy, fired from the creature's hand. The panels on its shoulders lit up and the general was forced to take further evasive action as hundreds of little beams streaked through the air at him.
Angeal came in behind the creature as it turned, taking advantage of its distraction. As it pivoted on its feet in its attempt to shoot Sephiroth down from the sky, Angeal cracked the Buster Sword violently against the back of its head. The hit was actually hard enough to make the creature stagger, and it sufficiently got its attention. It struck out at Angeal and knocked him away before he could avoid it. The big man flew backwards and skidded on the ground, leaving a gouge in the earth in his wake. Zack ran over to him and helped him back to his feet, while Genesis attacked the beast furiously, using both sword and materia.
"You okay?" Zack asked as Angeal got to his feet and shook his head to clear it. The younger man steadied him until he caught his balance.
"Fine," assured Angeal.
He looked up at the spectacle of Sephiroth and Genesis playing tag team against the target. Genesis cried out when an energy blast clipped his wing in passing, and some scorched feathers floated to the ground. Angeal wasted no time getting back up into the air and he closed in on the target again, concern for his lover hastening his advance. Zack charged in behind him, yelling wildly as he closed in on the creature. Unlike his comrades, he couldn't physically reach higher than the creature's kneecaps, but his powerful leap propelled him straight and true, and he drove his sword into the target's calf with enough force to pierce it. Zack clung to the hilt of his weapon as the creature tried to shake him off, stubbornly maintaining his hold.
Determining that they had the creature's full attention, Sephiroth decided it was time to prepare the ranged teams to fire their arsenal and hopefully end this swiftly. He checked the progress of the rocket pad while his companions fought on, trying to determine whether it would be ready to launch as planned.
"Highwind, do you copy?" he asked over the frequency.
~**********************************~

"I copy you," Cid answered, grimacing as he pulled a lever into place. "We're about to fire her up. I got a nice, clear shot at this bitch and I don't want it to go to waste!"
"Missile team, prepare to launch on my mark," said the general. "I'll have my men out of the way in ten seconds. Fire everything you have at the target when I give the signal. Captain Highwind, good luck."
Cid puffed on his cigar and switched the intercom on. "Shera, what's your status? We ready to go or what?"
Her voice crackled over the system. "All engines are secure. I'm on my way out, now. How is the autopilot system?"
Cid fooled around with the controls. "She's cooperating with me so far. Her trajectory might be a little off, but we don't need pinpoint precision…just need to hit the fucker."
"Just make sure you aren't on board when we launch, Cid. I know you wanted to ride the rocket, but this is going to be a one-way trip."
"I ain't interested in blowing myself up, woman," he assured her. "You just get your fanny out of that engine room and away from the launch pad. I'll be out soon enough."
~*******************************~

"Look out, Zack!"
The warning came just as a giant, chitin-armored fist came down. Zack rolled away, and he winced as it struck the spot he'd just been standing in. Cracks spread out like a web, the earth breaking open under the force of the blow. While it was still recovering, Zack took advantage of its stooped position and he sprinted right up the creature's arm and onto its back. He plunged his sword down where the shoulder met the arm and he yelled. The creature straightened up and tried to swat at him, but Sephiroth came swooping in at that moment and the razor blade of his masamune sliced one of the creature's claws right off. Zack stabbed again, and yet again before the roaring monstrosity finally shook him off its back.
"Enough," announced Sephiroth. "Fall back, men. This is our chance to give our companions the opportunity they need to finish this. Do not remain within the blast radius when those missiles start to fire. Get clear and stay back, until our ranged units have unloaded all of their ammunition."
"Understood," answered Genesis.
"Affirmative," said Angeal. He grabbed Zack on his way as he flew out of range, and the younger Soldier clamored onto his back with his help, riding the big man away from the target.
"All units, you have a go," Sephiroth informed over the frequency. "Weapons free."
~*********************************~

Reeve squinted against the sunlight, shielding his eyes from the rays as he stood behind the barricades and watched the missiles arch through the sky toward the target. The creature roared angrily as its prey fled, and it seemed unaware of the new peril fast approaching it as it took chase after them. The ground shook so badly with the creature's angry stomps that Reeve almost fell against one of the MP's manning the missile launchers. He caught himself and hastily apologized to the woman when he accidentally touched her ass.
"Sorry, that wasn't deliberate," he excused, blushing through his beard as she glared at him through the protective visor on her helmet. He dug his mechanized goggles out and put them on, so that he could monitor the situation more closely. The first missile hit and exploded with a resounding "boom" as it struck the creature's torso. The hit sufficiently distracted the creature from going after the SOLDIER operatives, and as it turned to face the barricade in the distance, five more missiles struck it.
"Damn, that thing is tough," observed Reeve with a frown when the smoke cleared enough for him to see that it was still standing. The ranged team was hastily reloading the launchers and the ground trembled even more as Shinra no. 26 ignited in town. Reeve twisted around to look as the rocket started to launch, and he hoped to hell it wouldn't fizzle out on its way to its target and land on him and the other people behind the barricade.
"Fire!"
More missiles streaked out, just as the creature's weapon panels began to light up ominously. Reeve gritted his teeth and took a step backward, toward the chopper. "I think maybe it's time for me to get inside and activate my control panel," he informed his companions. "Remember not to cross the barricade. My shield has a limited range and if you're not inside of it when it goes off, well…you'll be toast."
Just before he ducked into the chopper to get in his control chair, Reeve saw a piece of the creature's armor drop to the ground, cracked open by the missile assaults. At least they were making a dent.
~******************************~

"That thing's about to fire on our people," Zack informed his mentor, looking over his shoulder at the dwindling creature. "Maybe we ought to try and draw its attention again!"
"We have to trust Reeve to handle it," Angeal reminded him. "Highwind's rocket is about to launch and if we go back to engage that thing again, we'll be flying in the line of fire. Stick to the plan, Zack."
The smaller man sighed. "I sure hope his gadgets work like he says they will, or we're gonna lose a lot of people."
"Tuesti has good reason to make it work," Genesis called out. "His life is on the line if he fails and you can count on self preservation to boost his determination. The man wants to live as much as the rest of us."
"More than," agreed Sephiroth tonelessly.
Zack frowned at him. Even in the heat of battle, he could sense the apathy in the general's tone. He might not be suicidal anymore, but Sephiroth didn't give a damn whether he lived or died. Ever mindful of his friend's state of mind and desiring to see them happy, Zack wondered what, if anything, he could do to boost Sephiroth's spirits. When a slew of energy bolts shot over he and the other SOLDIER operatives, Zack's thoughts were torn away from Sephiroth's mental state. He yelled a curse as the lasers closed in on the ground team up ahead, and he uttered a prayer under his breath for Reeve and the missile team.
~*****************************~

"Fuck. Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-FUCK!"
The brutal string of swearing echoed inside the cabin of the aircraft. Reeve dove for his control seat and plugged in. His hands were shaking and it took a couple of tries for him to select the proper data sequence via the sensitive touch panels on the arms of the chair. His pupils dilated as he communicated with the mainframe and his circuit-grafted fingers tapped in the code.
"Come on, baby," he muttered, sweat beading his brow. "Work for Daddy. Don't glitch out on me now."
The scintillating shield manifested and spread out, covering the area surrounding the chopper in a protective bubble. Looking at the monitor attached to his seat, Reeve could see that one of the other choppers was outside the safety zone and he cursed again. There was no help for it…he couldn't expand the shield any further without weakening it, and it was better to lose an aircraft than human lives. Reeve clenched his jaw and looked around furtively as the first explosions went off, crackling as they hit the force shield. The kinetic energy lit the area up, and the ground shook as the engineer's invention repelled the enemy fire.
"Shield's holding," announced Reeve over the frequency. "I don't know how many more direct hits we can take, though. Captain Highwind, tell me you're ready to go on your end. We've got a short window of opportunity, here."
His answer came in the form of the noise from the rocket engines, soaring overhead. Reeve grabbed the arms of his chair and braced himself, picturing the rusty old rocket falling right out of the sky to flatten him.
"Keep going," he muttered, looking at the monitor again to see what was going on outside. He adjusted the angle of the camera and he watched with a sigh of relief as the streaking trail of ignition painted a smoky line across the blue sky. The target in the distance was readying another volley of energy blasts and Reeve took a steadying breath, hoping their attack would strike before the creature could fire off another round.
"Shinra no. 26 is away," Cid's voice announced. "And she's a beut! Look at her go!"
The impact was spectacular. It seemed to be a direct hit, and for a moment, all Reeve could make out were explosions. The remaining missiles streaked in to join the rocket, and the noise was deafening. "What's the status?" Reeve asked over the communications. "Can anyone confirm whether the target is still intact or not?"
~********************************~

"I'll fly closer for confirmation," Sephiroth decided. He looked at his companions, now standing behind the barricade with the others, within the protective energy shield. "Stay here and be prepared to move in on it again. If this attack didn't finish it off, it will be up to us. There's nothing more the regular militia can do, here."
"What about the choppers?" Zack asked. "They could shoot at it from the air, right?"
"After what we've seen so far, it would probably be a waste of ammo," replied the general. "Ordinary bullets can barely scratch this thing. The aircrafts' rockets should be saved as a last resort. If we can't take this creature down, I want the rest of this team to retreat while we distract it."
The general's black wing manifested then, but before he could take to the air, something large came whistling overhead.
"Heads up!" Zack hollered upon identifying it as a piece of the creature's body. It was a bit ironic that the body part in question appeared to be…a head.
Everyone scattered as the thing landed with a crash and rolled into the barricades. It hit the remains of the chopper they lost in the first wave of laser fire and it came to a stop. Genesis peered out over the plains and he raised a brow. "I think we can safely categorize this enemy as 'deceased'."
The others looked out as well to see the enormous body falling slowly, bringing up a fresh cloud of dirt as it hit the earth.
"Reeve, you can deactivate the shield, now," Sephiroth said over the transmission. "Target is neutralized. Good work, everyone."
Reeve came out of his chopper again after the bubble dissipated, and he looked a bit startled when he saw the lifeless head of the creature amidst the shrapnel that was once a helicopter. Genesis pointed at it with his sword.
"Well, you wanted a brain sample. I suggest you begin carving."
~*****************************~

"That was so disgusting." Zack wiped his hands on his pants for about the fiftieth time, grimacing as the MP's loaded up various bits of the creature for study.
"I think it's interesting, how it has both mechanical and organic properties," Reeve said absently, holding up a jar with a chunk of flesh in it. "The brain appeared to be similar to ours. Unfortunately, I'm going to need the assistance of the science team to come up with anything conclusive. I'd much rather work with Hollander, but Hojo's input could be invaluable, in the interest of finding answers sooner. I can't really split hairs. We need to know if this thing really was a WEAPON.
Shera regarded the sample with intrigue. "And what if it is?"
"If it is, then there could be more of them, somewhere in the world."
"I'm sure if there are, they'll make their presence well-known, soon enough," Genesis observed. He kicked aside a stray piece of the creature's armor, lying in the dirt next to a missile launcher. "This thing wasn't exactly subtle."
"And if there are more of them," Angeal murmured, "we could be in for another catastrophe. Look at the firepower it took for us to take this one out. I don't even want to imagine another one like this, attacking one of the bigger cities."
"I think it may be time to discuss emergency shelter options with the president," Reeve sighed. "I've been putting it off, but Rufus needs to know what I've been working on."
"And what if he orders you to stop?" Genesis asked.
"He isn't like his old man," explained Reeve. "He may not be happy to learn I've been using my company budget to design a defense compound instead of weapons, but Rufus isn't as concerned with money as his father was. I think he can be reasoned with and convinced that we're better off putting safety before aggression."
"I think you're confusing Rufus with Lazard," Zack said dryly, leaning back against one of the choppers. "The whole reason you've been keeping this hush-hush is because the president is so aggressive."
"And we may be thankful for that, some day," answered Reeve. "Rufus is a decisive leader, even if he isn't a compassionate one. I don't have a choice, now." He looked at the sample jar again, narrowing his eyes on it. "With aggressors like this on the loose, none of us have many choices."
Nobody argued with that.
~*****************************~

A few days later after settling the new refugees in and conducting research, Reeve convinced President Shinra to go with him and Lazard to Modeoheim. He told him that he had an important breakthrough to share with him and it was related to national security. The look on the president's face as they rode in the chopper said that he was getting very suspicious.
"I'd like you to tell me exactly what this 'breakthrough' is, gentlemen," advised Rufus. "I'm not fond of being kept in the dark on matters of the state."
Lazard and Reeve glanced at each other. "It's better to show you, trust me," answered the older man. "Any attempt I make to explain it will fall short, without a visual."
"You'll need to see it to believe it," agreed Lazard.
"So you're in on it, whatever 'it' is," reasoned the president, narrowing gray eyes at his half-sibling. "How quickly you form alliances behind my back."
"We aren't planning to overthrow you," Reeve sighed, exasperated. "This has nothing to do with a coup against you, Mr. President. This has to do with the future safety of the masses. We've confirmed that the creature we brought down outside Rocket Town was a WEAPON, as suspected. Destroying just one of them took a pretty massive effort. Imagine what we'll be up against if more than one were to converge on our cities."
"I understand that," snapped Rufus, "and while I agree the situation demands added security measures, I can't imagine what you could possibly show me in Modeoheim that will make any difference."
"You'll see," promised Reeve, smirking. "And I think you'll be impressed."
~****************************~

Rufus wasn't impressed.
"I'm not impressed. Anyone could have come up with the idea to hide in a cave system. I fail to see what's so special about this."
Reeve walked through the abandoned city, coaxing the blond man to follow him. Lazard fell into step with him, looking around with interest. This would actually be the first time the SOLDIER director got to see the results of Reeve's recent efforts for himself.
"The cave system itself isn't what makes this special," insisted Reeve. He fished out a remote from his blazer and activated it. Rufus gave a little start as hidden panels slid open on the mountainside, to reveal the solar cells beneath it. The president frowned up at them. "Solar panels?" he guessed.
Reeve nodded. "And that's just the beginning. On the other side of the mountain, there's a cavern big enough to serve as an airport. I have people working on building a panel to conceal it, now."
They approached the entrance to the cave system, where a few staff members were working on a massive gate. Reeve turned around and walked backwards, urging Rufus to keep following him. "Wait until you see the hydroponic gardens we've started to grow. I'll give you a complete tour of the facility, and then you can decide whether or not it's been a wasted effort. I think by the time we've finished here, you'll agree this is a worthwhile endeavor."
"Don't hold your breath," warned Rufus. "It takes more than an automated panel system to impress me."
Reeve's confident expression didn't falter.
~*************************************~

-To be continued
- 26
- 27
- 28
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