TITLE: Cradle
AUTHOR: Allocin
SUMMARY: It's been three years since Omega, four since Bahamat SIN and the almost-return of Sephiroth, six since Meteor very nearly destroyed Planet. Things are finally starting to look up – no new, Mako-enhanced threat has emerged in the last twelve months, and the citizens of Planet can at last get on with the business of living. The problem is, when people start planning for the future, there is inevitably a difference in opinion. For some, stability comes from sound governance. For others, from devout religious belief in the strength of the Planet. And for a select few? Treachery, kidnapping, and theft are the only way to live.
RATING: PG (rating to go up later ... probably)
CATEGORIES: Action, Family, Politics, Spiritual
CHARACTERS: Cloud/Tifa, Marlene, Denzel, Rufus, Turks, AVALANCHE, OCs, Shelke
A/N: I began this story for NaNoWriMo 2007. I wrote about 33k and then ran out of steam. A year later I dug it out from my harddrive, brushed the dust off, and continued it for NaNo 2008. Will it require NaNo 2009 to be finished? NaNo 2010? Who knows?
DISCLAIMER: CoFFVII is owned in its entirety by Square Enix. I make no profit and intend no offense from this derivitive work of fiction. Please don't sue.

Chapter One: To Sea

The sound of the horn thundered through the air, a deep baritone bellow that thrummed every bone of the gathered spectators. Port Junon had never been so busy. There was not a foot of space left along the quayside railings as people from all over the eastern continent crowded the docks that were home to the Intrepid. Vendors peddled cheap souvenirs, handmade shell necklaces and little wooden boats with garish paint still tacky to the touch. Every other stall sold fish – steamed, smoked, or grilled – and mussels, candied apples to follow and cheap cider to wash it all down. The tang of the ocean weaved through and beneath the smell of greasy food, sea salt thick on everyone's tongues. It was a full-blown festival in honour of the Intrepid. Junon's salty blood was in her steel, and it was with bittersweet joy that those who built her, keel to flagpole, celebrated her very first launch.

Marlene dragged her father by his good hand through the crowd of passengers blocking the steps up to the poopdeck, and leaned far over the rails to scan the sea of upturned faces below. She had to squint in the blinding sunlight, one hand raised to shield her eyes. "I can't see them!" she cried in dismay. Barret, standing behind her, pointed towards a street lamp set further back along the main road, where an identifiable tuft of spiky blond hair stood out amongst the crowd. "Cloud!" Marlene called, waving her arm. "Tifa! Over here!"

"Hey, Spiky!" Barret's voice boomed over the cacophony around them, just before the engines grumbled to life. There was a slight shuffle as people turned to see who the domineering man had called. Marlene laughed and waved again, delighted, when Denzel's head suddenly appeared above everybody else's; she could just make out that he was balancing precariously with one foot braced against the street lamp and one hand on Cloud's shoulder. The Intrepid sounded her horn again, scattering the few gulls that had flown back to the huge chimney towering over the harbour. The whole ship rattled, engines shuddering into higher gear as – slowly but surely – she inched away from the shore.

"We're moving!" Marlene cried, delighted, clapping her hands. All around her people were waving fervent goodbye to those left on land. Excited chatter buzzed through the air as the vessel gained gradual speed, moving laboriously out of the port. Marlene cast one last look over the crowd at the harbour, but she couldn't see Denzel or Cloud anymore.

"C'mon, kid. Let's go further up," Barret said. She nodded, beaming at him. He passed through the mass of passengers with ease, and she followed in his wake. The bow was much less densely packed as everyone was at the stern watching Junon fade into the distance. A strong wind blew from the north, warm and moist. Marlene braced her arms against the railing and turned her face into the breeze. The spray as the ship cut through the waves glued to her lips and eyelashes. Barret wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into his side with a happy sigh. "Alrigh'?" he asked in a soft voice. She nodded.

"I can't wait until we get to Wutai," she said. Her father laughed.

"We only jus' set off!" he said with a grin. Marlene smiled up at him. The sky arched overhead in purest blue, without even a hint of a cloud; the ocean was choppy beneath their keel. Passengers vanished below to find their rooms and explore the rest of the ship open to them, leaving the deck mostly clear, but Marlene was content to stay here for now, just soaking up the sunlight in the comfort of her father's arms.

"What's Wutai like?" she asked. Barret made a considering noise deep in his chest that she could feel against her head.

"It's old. None of this new crap like in Edge or Junon. Wutai's got history and culture. And they're very proud people. Ya gotta be real careful not to insult someone from Wutai or they'll pick a fight with ya." Marlene thought he sounded almost admiring.

"Did you ever have to fight them?" she said with a frown. Barret's arm squeezed her shoulders.

"Heh. Once. But you can ask Yuffie 'bout that when we get there." He laughed, and Marlene couldn't help but grin at the sound. "Now c'mon. Let's go find our room before some asshole steals it from us."

It was exceedingly cramped below deck. TheIntrepid was actually a privately-owned cargo ship, with comparatively few rooms set aside for the number of passengers on board. Marlene was struck by an almost paralysing bout of claustrophobia, but she took a deep breath of the metallic air and looked up at her father, whose shoulders brushed the walls as he strode ahead, and felt the corridor expand outwards again. She had to hurry to catch up, passing people and signs in a continual blur.

"Here ya are!" Barret said, in front of a door no different to any of the others along the hallway. Marlene was slightly out of breath when she reached him. She peered into the cabin. A small circular window let in minimal light, illuminating two narrow cots and a tiny bedside table between them. The room was clean, though, and all they would be doing was sleeping in it. But, as Marlene sat on one of the beds and found it more like a wooden bench with thin blankets, she thought even that might not be much consolation.

"It's not much," Barret said upon catching sight of her expression, "but this is one of the best rooms on the ship. There's way worse than this two decks down." Marlene gave him an impish grin.

"You spoil me," she said with a laugh.

"Nothin's too good for my little girl. I just wish they had beds that a guy like me could sleep in. We're not all as tiny as Chocobo-head," Barret said, scowling. Marlene whipped a hand over her mouth to smother her giggles.

"Dad! You shouldn't say that about Cloud!" But her eyes were twinkling.

"What? It's true!" Barret declared, gesticulating wildly. "If I was built like a little girl then we wouldn't have a problem here, huh?" To prove the point, he collapsed onto the bed, and nearly fell off as the combined weight of his leg and metal arm worked against him. Marlene couldn't help herself; she threw herself backwards and laughed long and loud at her father's antics. Barret grinned widely as he watched her.

Eventually, with their small amount of luggage stowed in what crannies could be found in the cabin and after a rousing game of cards, they made their way to the mess hall. It was already crowded with families and crewmen alike. Clutching her father's hand, Marlene forced herself not to think about the smallness of the room, and how they were stuffed in like sardines in a can. The lurch and roll of the ship didn't help.

"Mr Wallace, sir! Over here!" A thin man in a suit waved at them from a smaller table furthest from the lunch line. Barret made his way over, half-lifting Marlene as he steered around the tightly-packed tables. "We've saved you a seat here, Mr Wallace, right next to the captain. Everyone, I'd like to introduce Barret Wallace." Marlene hid behind her father's legs in a way she hadn't since she was very small when the seated guests turned to look at them.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr Wallace," the captain said as he stood and bowed. Marlene quickly slipped into a seat between her father and a woman with bushy red hair while her father was introduced to everyone. "And who is your glamorous companion?" the captain asked, once they were seated again.

"This is Marlene, my daughter," Barret said proudly. Red flooded Marlene's cheeks as the entire table eyed her curiously. Thankfully, no one wanted to spend time talking to a little girl when there were more important things to debate, and it was with some bewilderment that Marlene listened to her father discuss oil, politics, and trade, his coarse tone authoritative. She was used to the discussions AVALANCHE had had at Tifa's Seventh Heaven, when Barret was leader and the fate of the world had rested on his shoulders. But it was something completely different to hear him talk about things that didn't involve bombs, and to have other people listen to him with respect and consideration. It didn't just feel like she was on a ship at sea; it felt like she was a world away from the bar back in Edge, where Tifa worried about the price of wholesale ale and Cloud occasionally grumbled about an awkward delivery to some far-flung reach of the planet, and all she and Denzel had to talk about was school and the poor selection of cartoons shown on Edge's one and only television network.

"Alrigh', Marlene?" Barret murmured during a lull in the conversation. She nodded bashfully, looked up at him through her eyelashes. It was humid and smelly in the room, and she felt the claustrophobia creeping in on her again. A dark hand patted her gently on the head. "Don' worry. We're gonna go up on deck after dinner, okay kid?"

"Okay," she said in a small voice.

Eventually, the meal ended. Marlene raced to the door and waited there, shifting from foot to foot, until her father had made his goodbyes and joined her. Then she all but dragged him upstairs, bursting out of the door into a blast of wind. It was still daylight, as they were sailing west, but there was a chill here on the open ocean that made goosebumps break out across her arms. Letting go of her father's hand, Marlene ran to the railings to catch the full force of the wind and sea spray

"Marlene?" Barret asked quietly as he stepped up beside her.

"I'm fine," she assured him, smiling for his benefit. He turned and rested against the railings, facing away from the strong gale.

"Crowded down in that room, huh? Like being in a tin can or somethin'." He looked sideways down at her. "I'm sure glad we're up 'ere now." Marlene nodded once, still drawing calming breaths of the salty air. The sun was ahead of the ship now, swinging fat and low in the sky and tinging the frothy water with green and gold. She admired the view for a long moment, before finally turning to face her father. "Better now?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'll be okay," she answered.

"Good," he said, and clapped a hand to her shoulder. "'Cos we've got a long way to go before we reach Wutai." Marlene sighed to herself. It was a wonderful treat to sail on the Intrepid with her father, but she selfishly wished that there weren't so many passengers on board so that she could enjoy the next two weeks more easily.

The thought followed her as she accompanied her father to their cabin, through several games of cards, as she brushed her teeth in the crowded, steamy bathroom shared by all the women and children on their deck, and finally to bed. Her father tucked her in tight beneath the thin blankets, and even gave her is own to ward off the chill. She was really too old for bedtime stories, but it was so rare for Barret to be there as she went to sleep that Marlene didn't mind being treated like a little kid at all.

"Now you jus' rest yerself, an' I'll see ya in the mornin'," Barret murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Marlene, snuggled under piles of blankets, was fast falling asleep despite the uncomfortable bed by the time the door closed behind him.

Her dreams were always odd, as she supposed dreams were for everybody. But that night she dreamed of strange fields of black flowers that advanced and retreated like waves on a beach. The dark sky glittered with gem-like stars, and weaving between them all were strands of brilliant green. Marlene walked through the flowers lapping at her feet, and heard them crunch like broken glass beneath her. Breathing was difficult, as if the air was too thick to move easily in her lungs, and the vapour she expired crystallised into the glimmer of materia. Hazy and indistinct, like the blur of fumes over the old Midgar Mako reactors, the horizon shifted in and out of focus as if the whole planet were responding to the pull of the tides. A shadowy figure appeared in the distance, their outline melting into airy shimmers. She wondered if this person knew where she was, why she was there, but the closer she ran, the easier it was to see that the silhouette was only herself.

It took five days for the Intrepid to reach Costa del Sol. Marlene spent as much time as possible up on deck, until her skin began to harden against the abrasive sea salt and her hair was hopelessly tangled. In between the business meetings and the oddly formal dinners, she and her father had the days to themselves, and Marlene relished it. She loved playing card games with Barret, or listening to his stories, or reading to him from some of the books she'd brought. But she was glad to see the golden coast of the western continent, and the sprawling resorts hugging the shore. Barret had said the Intrepid was there to pick up more passengers – the thought of which made Marlene shudder – and drop off some of the cargo. Trade between the two continents had been difficult the last few years, which Marlene knew had given Cloud a lot of business, but it was hoped that the revitalisation of the Junon docks would allow for easier transport now. Or at least, that was what her father had told her. He wasn't much involved in the business side of oil drilling, but he'd explained what he could.

"You comin' ashore with me?" Barret asked, appearing at her side.

"Uh huh!" Marlene could hardly contain her enthusiasm. Anything to get away from the crowd of passengers stuffed into the tiny areas not designated for cargo. It would be nice to stand on solid ground too, after the bout of seasickness she'd suffered on the second night. Barret laughed and hugged her once around the shoulders.

"Get yer stuff then. Might as well stay in a room made for normal-sized people if we're gonna be here overnight." Beaming, Marlene nodded and dashed off to pack her things. Costa del Sol approached fast, harbour piers thrusting prominently into the sea, and she wanted to be the first person off the ship if she could.

The crewmen were already calling out greetings and orders to the dockhands by the time she joined her father and the other passengers against the starboard railings. Gawking locals and camera-toting tourists swarmed the quay to see the Intrepid. They coasted into port with nary a hitch, and before Marlene knew it the anchor had dropped, the ropes were tied off, and the passengers herded towards the gangplank. Barret kept hold of her hand as they stepped ashore, allowing Marlene to stare around in wonder without having to worry about getting lost.

Swinging cranes and sailors with bulging muscles were already busy hauling cargo off the Intrepid. The smoke from the chimney sank down to the streets without the strong breeze of the open ocean to brush it away, lending everything a smoggy grey tint. Marlene had seen pictures of Costa del Sol in travel magazines in Edge, of glorious beaches and an inviting sea. But these docks reminded Marlene strongly of Port Junon, only with every smell and colour baked into the stones by the same holiday sun that attracted so many tourists. The sea salt, the fishy stench, even the oil and rust from the docked boats was superheated to a hazy film that clogged her throat.

"Mr Wallace! Mr Wallace!" a weedy voice called from behind. Marlene craned her head to look, but Barret tugged her quickly across the street and around a corner.

"Can't stand them suck-ups any longer," he groused. Bemused, Marlene could only try to match his long strides through endless winding back alleys. Before long, they had passed through the commercial district of Costa del Sol and were rapidly heading towards the outer skirts of the tourist area. They walked for what seemed like ages, until Marlene's legs shook after so long cooped up on the ship. She was going to ask for a break when her father stopped outside a modest little inn. "This'll do," he said shortly, and they entered.

What Marlene noticed first were the fans circulating wafts of cool air that tickled the back of her sweaty neck. She was used to the humid warmth of Edge summertime, not oceanic stickiness under the pounding sun like here in Costa del Sol. She licked the salt from her upper lip and tried to ignore the drops of sweat trickling down the back of her dress.

"Go grab a seat," Barret instructed. Marlene was only too happy to oblige, trudging to the nearest armchair and plonking her holdall on the floor. The bell pinged once under her father's heavy hand. Marlene tried to relax in the chair, but her arms and legs kept sticking to the leather, and she could feel the throb of her heartbeat in her face now that she was out of the sun. Additionally, there was a funny smell to the room, like herbs or incense, that made her want to sneeze. Altogether she was feeling rather cross, though she tried not to let it show in her expression. Her father had gone out of his way to bring her on this trip, and she wouldn't let a little discomfort ruin that. Still, she hoped their room for the night would have soft pillows and a powerful fan.

The woman that came through the hanging beads over the door frame behind the desk was short and wrinkly, with curly grey hair and glasses that magnified her myopic eyes. Marlene could see her father tapping his fingers against his gun arm as the owner wrote them into her ledger with painstaking care, searched intensely through the keys nailed to the wall behind her, and finally shuffled around the desk to lead them down an ill-lit corridor to their room.

"Enjoy your stay," the woman rasped in a hoarse voice, and closed the door. Tossing her bag down, Marlene threw herself on the bed under the window and was ecstatic to find that it bounced. And there were pillows! And even a mint sweet, which she quickly unwrapped to eat. The incense smell permeated even this room – clinging especially to the sheets – but when her father turned on the large fan positioned in the far corner, Marlene decided she really didn't care. This was good enough.

"Happy now?" Barret asked, amused. She grinned at him. "And look!" he added. He laid with deliberate dramatics on the second bed, stretching his arms and legs for extra effect. "The beds fit normal people!" He winked.

"Daaaaad!" Marlene giggled.

"Alrigh', alrigh'. Don't pick on Mr Spiky Head. Gotcha." He stretched and sat up, muffling a yawn with his good hand. "You hungry kid?"

"Starving," Marlene said. She hurried to the door, waited impatiently for her father to get up off the bed, and linked arms with him as they left the inn.