A Matter of Spirit | By : gcpeifer Category: Final Fantasy VII > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 824 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7, neither the story nor anything else (exept my OCs) and I don't make any profit by writing this. |
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7, neither the story nor anything else (exept my OCs) and I don't make any profit by writing this.
Author's note: Yes, I know I changed Cloud's date of birth. But well, this is an AU... Warnings: Medical stuff and and a spicy lemon at the end of the chapter. Chapter 7: Changing Destiny It was Tseng who suggested to meet in a small Costa-Del-Solian-style bar under the plate. Lazard took place where his guests were already waiting. The "Argenta Luna" was still in sector six, near Wall market, but closer to the train graveyard, where sector seven began. Sephiroth, Genesis and Tseng were already seated in a booth , a couple of moments later the Director arrived. A waitress approached them and asked them for their orders. Without any further comments, Lazard and Tseng ordered plain water, while Genesis demanded a Tequila Sunrise and Sephiroth nothing. "So, did you read the papers I sent you ?", Lazard asked them after the waitress hurried away obviously intimidated by the four stern looking men. Sephiroth nodded curtly, but Genesis queried: " I bet there's more about than just an ecological problem, so serious as this might be. So, what's going on?" "Later," said Tseng. "I suggested this place for a meeting, not for the actual discussion which will take place at... another location. I'm afraid I have to ask you for your trust. But we need certain technical devices to communicate with the other person." Muteness returned again when the waitress served their drinks and the men payed the bill. Sephiroth and Genesis immediatly understood. Tseng would bring them to one of the safe houses - the best kept secrets of the Turks. "There's a Van waiting for us in the alley behind the bar," Tseng said. Sephiroth replied calmly: "And this Van won't have any windows, I suppose." When the leader of the Turks nodded, the General continued: "If it weren't for Lazard and the fact that the Commanders and myself noticed certain...differences in the leadership of ShinRa, I'd refuse. But as the situation is..." Genesis nodded: "I agree. This whole situation feels like we're all sitting on a ticking time-bomb. So, well, for now we'll trust you. "Very well then, " said Tseng after they'd finished their drinks more or less, " I'll go first, together with Sephiroth. Then, after a couple of minutes like we discussed, Lazard, you will follow with Genesis as you know the positition of the Van. Agreed ?" It was on the tip of Genesis's tongue to make a remark about cheap spy movies, if he weren't fully aware of the seriousness of the situation. So he simply nodded. After a ride of at least half an hour in the (as already assumed) windowless Van which seemingly was additioningly soundproof, they arrived in a underground garage of that sort which existed probably hundredfold in upper Midgar. The Van stopped immediatly before the door which led to the elevators. When they reached the twenty-fourth floor, it stopped and Tseng led them through a dim corridor to the featureless door of an apartment. The door was opened and Elena let them in. Obviously this wasn't an actual safe house, but more a improvised communication center of the Turks as the only equipment of the room was a table, some chairs and a big screen at the wall. As soon as they took place, Rufus face appeared on the screen. But instead of the cool unmoving business man's face they were used to, the VP looked tired and even slightly haggard. The VP began without the usual formalities: " Thank you for your appearance, gentlemen. Let's get right to the point. As you already know from the papers you received, we have to face a couple of serious problems which might lead to a desaster in the future: For the continent as well as for ShinRa. First, the ecological problem caused by the draining of the Mako stream, second my father's state of mind, third , the fact that Hojo is aquiring enormous amounts of money. Obviously he's working on a secret project nobody knows about exept him and, probably, my father. Tseng, did you find out something already?" "Nothing until now. Like we assumed, hacking Hojos files is a real challenge. My best experts are working around the clock, but, as I said it might take some time." Sephiroth interrupted all of a sudden: " Maybe you should search for answers at other places." The four other men looked surprised at the silver-haired fighter. "Please, explain yourself, General," Rufus said. "As you know, in my childhood and youth I was taught by a lot of instructors. As SOLDIER was quite new at that time, most of them were what is referred now as regulars. One of them I met a few hours ago. We talked about the cost savings and he complained that this would affect the moral of the troopers...Nothing what I didn't know about already. But then he said something interesting: During the last few months, an increasing amount of troopers had gone MIA. Far more than in the time before. As we all know, nowadays the regulars are regarded more or less as cannon fodder. When they die, their corpses are usually found on the battlefield. They normally don't go on missions like SOLDIERs, so cases of MIA were rather rare events. But my source said that in the last four months they had more than twenty cases of MIA, while formerly they had maybe six or seven troopers reported as MIA in a whole year, and it were usually the older ones. But these troopers who disappeared through these last four months were without any exeption young men between thirteen and twenty years." "Maybe they had gone in fact AWOL and Heidegger wanted to cover up the fact that there was a problem with the moral of his troops?", asked Lazard. The General shook his head: " They found bloodstained parts of fatigues - parts with names, dog tags, and body parts like a foot or a hand - things by which the troopers could be identificated easily - but never the actual bodies. A trooper who plans to go AWOL would either try to leave as few traces as possible or he would fake his death. But in no way he would cut of his hand, " Sephiroth looked into the cam, "Knowing Hojo's methods, and adding to this the fact that his budget has been increased considerably by the President, I would assume that he's aquiring new subjects." The VP nodded: " This would explain the enormous arise in Hojo's budget. Tseng, I know that you're busy, but please would you try to hack Heidegger's files too?" "Yes, Sir. Heidegger isn't as half as intelligent as Hojo, so this shouldn't be a problem." "And now to the fourth - and most urgent matter," said Rufus. His voice was as cool like usually, but his eyes spoke volumes. " Reno. I'm sure, everybody of you knows what he means to me. But right know, his life is threatened," the VP hesitated for a moment, then he continued, " You probably know that a TURK is to be executed when he's determined as unreliable or mental instabile. Last week, Reno suffered a mental breakdown due to events of his past. And my father...well nothing he would like to do better than to give the order to execute him, - especially now as he knows that the surrogate mother is pregnant with my child. This was the condition under which he allowed me the relationship with Reno. But now, as the baby is on the way, he doesn't have any reason anymore to...accept this. He could force the TURKs to hand him out the baby, discard me and then kill Reno. But, Tseng, you said that there might be a chance to prevent this...." "Yes, Sir. And that's why I demanded Genesis's part taking in this meeting." "Me? Why?," asked the Commander and gave Tseng a mistrustful glare - and then he exchanged a look with Sephiroth. He didn't really trusted the Turks, exept Reno. And they owed Reno a lot. Without him they wouldn't have had a chance to arrive in time to resque Angeal, Zack and the others from the Koibito. "Because you have the best diplomatic relations to Wutai we've got at this point of time," the leader of the TURKs said, " See, when the father of the current President initiated the Department of Administrative Research, he determined the rules for them. He was a very foreseing man and wanted to avoid any murders due to struggle for power among the family. So he decided that the TURKS were allowed to kill anyone - exept a ShinRa, even when a ShinRa gave the order to do so. On the contrary, they have strict order to keep every ShinRa safe - whatever it may take. So, if Rufus and Reno would be married by law, the President could do nothing against him anymore." "But there aren't any legal marriage ceremonies between same sex partners on the continents existing," remarked Lazard. "Not on the continents - but in Wutai. We have a very ancient tradition of marriages between men. If the wedding would take place in the palace of Wutai, under the auspices of Lord Uero, and possibly with the presence of the media, nobody could deny the legitimacy of that marriage," Tseng said. "You overestimate my diplomatic influence," Genesis stated, "True, Lord Uero and me are in a slightly friendly relationship. But he's very well aware that he's a ruler by grace of President ShinRa . With Godo, it would have been simple, a bag full of Gil and he would have agreed. But Uero - that's another story." "Maybe you should take Corporal Strife with you, " said Lazard. "Cloud ? But why?" "Since he came out of his shell, thanks to Lt. Hunter , I noticed that he's very charming in an innocent way. He's a beautiful young man with an irrestibile smile and - most important - he doesn't have any history in Wutai. He'd never hurt any Wutaians ever before. I'm sure he'll win the hearts of the members of theWutaian court in no time," said the SOLDIER Director. Genesis jumped off his seat, angry, looking like he was ready to throttle Lazard: "Lazard! You can't be serious! Do you really think of me that way? That I'll offer Cloud to them like a cute little virgin bride? Or should I better say a whore?" The Director lifted his hand in an attempt to appease the Commander of the Second Class "Please calm down, Genesis! I never meant it that way. If you declare that Cloud is a virgin and that he's, according to our law, not at a legal age, they will understand and respect this!", said Lazard. "And what about his mentor? Lt. Hunter was raped in Wutai!," shouted the redhead, " What do you think he will do when he learns that his protegé shall be the kingpin in a charme offensive?" "Genesis, please! I ensure you that Hunter is free to accompany and watch over Strife at every moment, may it be at day or night. And like I said, Cloud won't be involved in any dubious actions. You could claim that you brought him with you to give him the opportunity to learn more about the Wutaian language and culture, " the Director tried to assuage the furious Commander. "He could represent the future, Commander Rhapsodos. A friendlier, more respectful and less agressive ShinRa. When I take my father's place, I plan to change many things. And in this case, I could offer one thing in which Lord Uero for sure would be interested in : Independence." "You really plan to retreat the forces from Wutai?", asked Genesis disbelievingly. "Yes. There'll be no need anymore for Wutai's Mako sources anymore. If our plans turn out to be successful, then Wutai will be a souvereign nation again." said the VP. "But for the time being, Lord Uero will have to deal with your father. But well, I'll try my very best," sighed Genesis. "I agree, " Sephiroth said calmly, "But under one condition, Tseng." "Which would that be, General?" the leader of the Turks asked. "I want you to find out why Hollander lyed about Strife's Mako level." Genesis gaped at Sephiroth: "He did ...what? Seph, does that mean that Cloud's Mako level isn't as high as Hollander claimed?" The General looked at his lover pensively: "No, on the contrary. It's at least similar to your's or Angeal's level at the point of time when you joined ShinRa." "How comes that you know about this, General?", asked Tseng. "I beg for your understanding, but I don't want to endanger my source of information, Tseng" The leader of the Turks sighed: "Very well then. As you granted Commander Rhapsodos the allowance at least to try to talk with Uero, I will do my best to get into Hollanders database. General, did you find anything in Strive's file about his origins? " "Not very much, "said Sephiroth, " Date of birth 21-3-86, Place of birth: Niebelheim, born illegitime, Name of the mother: Elanor Strife, Name of the father: unknown. When Cloud was asked about his father during the assessment center, he told the officer that his mother never disclosed him his name, only that he died when Cloud was a baby. That's all we know so far." "So we have to send an undercover agent to Niebelheim too. I'll have to think about which of my men would fit in such a rural community...," said Tseng. Sephiroth shrugged: " What about if the chopper with Genesis, Strife and Hunter has to have a short stop at Niebelheim. With the support - and maybe a bit of intimidation provided by Genesis and Hunter, they could maybe find out a bit more. What do you think, Tseng?" "Good idea, General. Do you think that Strife will be able to stand the pressure? As far as I know, the whole village was against him?" "He won't be alone. And I'm sure that Hunter as well as Genesis would enjoy to frighten some of the villagers." Genesis grinned ferously: " I will make use of Rapier until we'll know the truth!" "No, Commander Rhapsodos," said the General," The last thing we would need concerning this matter is a massacre. This would only make known our...investigations to people...Well, people who shouldn't know about what we're doing. Understand?" "Understood, Sir!", nodded Genesis, now every inch of him just being Commander Rhapsodos, "Very well, " sighed the leader of theTurks, "I'll provide you with a chopper which is equipped with a small time fuze, just enough for a emergency landing, but not enough to endanger your lifes. Shotgun has experience with this. She should be able to procure two or three hours in Niebelheim for you. Do you agree, Mr. Vice-President?" Rufus nodded from the screen. "Agreed. So when would you be able to travel to Wutai?" The Commander of the Second Class tilted his head : " I think, we should start at the second of November. Even if it may looks to everyone as I could make a trip to Wutai whenever I want to - I can ensure you that this isn't the case, especially as this mission will probably take more than two or three days. As a matter of fact, I have to attend six important meetings during the next three weeks. One of them, by they way will be the monthly SOLDIER Meeting with your father, which will include discussing Hunter's monthly rapport about Cloud's progress. What's your opinion? How should we proceed with it? Do you think your father knows about Cloud's real Mako level?" The VP shrugged: "I'm sorry, but I can't tell for sure what my father knows about. You're probably all aware of the fact that he doesn't really trust me anymore. But my guess is that, as Hollander isn't among his closest trustees for years now and the good doctor has every reason to hold a grudge against my father, I'd think that he told him the official result. It would be the most rational thing to do because if he reveiled Strive's true Mako level, I have no doubt that my father would assign Strife to Hojo - which would be the very last thing Hollander wanted. So, I think you should proceed as with the rapports before - only that you add this time that it would be for Strife's benefit if he would get some experience with Wutaian culture." Genesis sighed: " Very well. Concerning the length of my abidance...As you know , your father every time demands of me to find some Wutaian... works of arts for him." "You mean his porn, " the VP smiled dryly. "Yes," Genesis smirked,"I think he has practically every Hetero and Yuri Manga now what you can buy on the market. So I'll tell him that this time I'll need a couple of weeks more to find what he wants," replied Genesis. "Very well then. Will you inform me when you leave?" Genesis nodded. "Tseng will inform you. And, Sir? Would you please tell Reno from all of us that he should get well better soon?" For the first time Rufus showed a real smile: "I'll do. Thank you very much." Sephiroth nodded: " Dr. Martin will arrive at noon tomorrow. I know that he'll be able to help your future husband." "Thank you to you too. General," Rufus said, "We should quit this communication now. Until later then."
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