This 'story' came out of a really interesting discussion on the Genesis Awards forums - Reno and the Destruction of Sector Seven.

If you like Final Fantasy (well - you're reading this, so...) and you've never visited the Genesis Awards site - do! Lots of interesting discussions and ideas - some serious, some funny. Give it a go! www. genesisawards. net (only without the spaces of course). Click on 'forums'.

This thread - started by CameoAmalthea - is all about Reno's level of responsibility for the destruction of Sector Seven. Is he solely to blame because he pressed the button? Is he partly to blame? Is it all president Shinra's fault?

Why do we care? What kind of Reno do we imagine would be capable of doing such evil? Is he inhuman? A psychopath? Just a normal (ish) person following orders?

What I love about writing Reno is there are so many different possible versions of him. I don't personally see him as a psychopath, for example - but it was disturbingly fun to write him as one! So here are just a few possible versions of Reno, and how he might have felt during and after the dropping of the plate. Do any of them fit with your version of Reno? Or do you have multiple versions too? I'd love to know...

His Infinite Variety

Reno Reporting

Mission Report.

12.15.07

Reno.

Jumped from helicopter onto plate support pillar platform. Activated emergency plate release system. Engaged members of Avalanche: Strife, Lockheart and Wallace, sustaining injuries as per medical report (attached), in order to prevent attempted deactivation of EPRS. At T - 5s disengaged and jumped from platform to helicopter. Administered first aid, while observing from cabin window that the mission had been successfully accomplished.

Recommendations: enhanced weaponry in any future encounters with surviving Avalanche personnel esp. against fire magic. Restore materia. Possibility of increased materia slots in EMR?

x-x-x

Reno Defiant

Extract from Court Records: Shin-Ra versus the people of Gaia 03.02.2011

Defence Attorney Phoebe Vaughn - summation in defence of Department of Administrative Research (Turk) Second in Command, Reno (no other name known).

Ms. Vaughn:

Members of the jury - you may ask – and certainly the tabloids and much of the media have been asking – how is it possible to mount a defence of a crime that left thousands dead? I make no attempt to deny the heinous nature of the crime, or the almost unimaginable degree of suffering it caused. The official casualty figures put the death toll at seventeen thousand, six hundred and seventy four. Of course, this can only ever be an estimate. And then there are the wounded and the bereaved to consider… Not hard then, to understand why so many are baying for the defendant's blood. Retribution is a very human need, and naturally we normal people see this act as inhuman – something, we would like to think, of which we would, ourselves, be incapable.

The prisoner in the dock is accused of seventeen thousand, six hundred and seventy four murders. Death, for such a crime, seems too little, doesn't it? If he could die seventeen thousand, six hundred and seventy four times – would that settle the score? Would we be even? Perhaps you would say yes. It seems natural, doesn't it? Just? An eye for an eye – a life for a life, or lives. And yet… is anything that simple? This man was following orders given to him by Director Tseng, who was following orders given to him by President Shinra, now deceased.

We all know that to plead 'following orders' is no longer a defence under law. Again, as normal human beings, we would like to think that we would act differently in such circumstances – that we would chose even death rather than commit such an atrocity. But truthfully – I can't say how I would behave if disobeying my orders would cost me my life. And make no mistake – in the Department of Administrative Research, more commonly known as The Turks, to disobey a direct order, at the time of the Sector Seven Incident, was death. Numerous studies have shown that the vast majority of people will act as directed in such circumstances – it's a matter of simple survival.

But, more than this, I wish to argue that this man is a victim of Shinra, as surely as those who died under the plate were victims. Taken from a life of desperate poverty in the slums when he was still a child, Reno was indoctrinated into the code of the Turks. Before his sixteenth birthday, he was already an assassin. He never had the opportunity to develop an ethical code other than the one Shin-Ra gave him. Shin-Ra's training programme for the Turks was subtle and efficient – a combination of kindness and brutality – carrot and stick. Failure to carry out orders meant death – but the rewards were considerable. In Reno's case – a new life, immeasurably superior to anything he'd known before. Money, the kudos of the uniform, the illusion of control for a boy who had never known any. In my opinion the Turks should be seen as a kind of family: each new recruit was assigned a regular partner who would become a friend and mentor. Loyalty to the group, and to one's partner – that was the only code of honour – no wider ethical considerations were allowed. To challenge orders – to act against the group – that was treason, and punishable by death.

That upbringing, I would suggest, was nothing short of child abuse.

Given that abusive upbringing, when Reno was given the order to release the Sector Seven plate, his compliance was inevitable. He may have pressed the button – but the responsibility lies with those who kidnapped him as a child and turned him into what he is.

Members of the Jury, before you reach what would seem to be the natural verdict in this case – before you give in to the all too human need for vengeance – for the perceived restoration of balance – I would ask each of you to ponder this question, and please, try to answer it honestly, in your own conscience: if I had lived Reno's life, would I have pressed that button?

Judge Jeffreys: The prisoner wishes to speak?

Reno: Yeah, I wish to speak. Well. Thanks for all that psychobabble bullshit, Lady, but that's all it is, yo. Bull. Shit. I ain't no victim of nothing. Yeah, Shin-Ra gave me a place to be, and a job to do. Taught me stuff. How to fly helicopters, how to fight clean as well as the dirty I grew up with. How to kill a man a hundred different ways and leave no evidence. I did it all, and I never questioned it – you're right about that. Because it was my job.

But that don't mean I didn't understand what I was doin', yeah? If I was stupid, they wouldn't've recruited me. Every target I ever killed, I knew what they'd done against Shin-Ra, and I made judgements in my head, yo – whether they deserved to die or not. If they did, I killed them. If they didn't, I killed them. That was what I was paid for. Comes to Sector Seven – same thing. Some people under all that shit that came down deserved to be dead – most didn't. Most were just like me, yo – just like I used to be. Living their lives – getting what they could when they could – some of them I most likely knew when I was a kid. Didn't matter. I still pressed the button – I still killed them. No one gets in the way of Reno and the Turks. I had a mission. I completed the mission. End of.

Ms. Vaughn: But you felt you had no choice. You felt your duty compelled you to obey your superior's orders.

Reno: I had the same choice everyone has: do, or don't do. I did. Why? Maybe the stuff you said – maybe not. Maybe I just like blowing shit up. Whatever – I did it, and I don't need some do-gooder lawyer who wants to make a name for herself in the trial of the century tryin' to make fucking excuses for me. This is pointless. I'm not askin' anyone to defend what I did, okay? I did it.

Ms. Vaughn: But you feel remorse now, don't you? If you could turn back time…

Reno: The fuck? If I had the same orders, I'd do the same job. And remorse? Nope. Not gonna bring one person back – not worth wallowing in, yo.

Ms. Vaughn: But, if you could bring them back, you would, wouldn't you?

Reno: Don't reckon I would, thinking about it.

Ms. Vaughn: But – why?

Reno: Reckon they'd be kinda gross, by now.

(At this point Judge Jefferys was forced to intervene following threats and abuse from the public gallery.)

Ms. Vaughn: I put it to you that you're deliberately sabotaging your own defence because you feel you deserve to die.

Reno: Like I said – deserve, or don't deserve – we all die. Sooner or later – what's the fucking difference?

Ms. Vaughn: And yet – as a Turk, you must have had a strong survival instinct.

Reno. Yeah – well – while there's a choice between him an' me, it's always gonna be me, yo.

Ms. Vaughn: In which case, you should be pleading your case: there are mitigating circumstances – you were a child when you were recruited – indoctrinated into a brutal regime where the only choice was kill or be killed…

Reno: Look – lady – I know you think you're doing this for the best. And maybe, if I thought for one second that all this shit was gonna made any difference, I'd be playin' along, yo? But we were all dead, the minute that bastard Reeve had us arrested. You know it – I know it. Maybe argue this way for Elena, yeah? She's still young. Rest of us – it's over – so why lie?

You want the truth? Yes – there are days I think about it. And if I could change things – seriously? Maybe I would. But I can't. I did it. I don't need you arguing the toss. Look – I have the right to dismiss my defence, yeah?"

Ms. Vaughn: Well – yes, but…

Reno: Right. So – I dismiss my defence.

I did it. I dropped the plate. I'm guilty, yo. Guilty as hell. I made my choices and I knew what I was doing. I knew it was wrong, and I did it. And you – jury - don't take any notice of her little sob story either: I'm not like any of you people. I could've said no: I'm used to facing death. I didn't press the button because I was scared to die – I did it because it was my job to do it; that's all there was to it.

Well - I've said all I've got to say. Can't make it any easier for you: I'm guilty – I admit it – you can find me guilty without bothering your spotless consciences, yo. That's all, folks.

The defendant was found guilty on all counts, and sentenced to death by lethal injection.

Sentence overturned following retrial of 2.5.12 under New Shin-Ra Law. Full pardon granted to all defendants in the original case by Rufus Shinra (Pres.) on the eve of the execution of the traitor Reeve Tuesti.

Reno was reinstated as Second in Command of the D. A. R. (Turks) as of 2.6.12.

x-x-x

Reno Psychopathic

You know how they say that people look like ants when you see them from the top of high buildings? That's because they are ants, yo. Most people don't get it – don't understand anything. I understand, because I'm clever and I know what it takes to get to the top of the anthill.

I'm gonna tell you a secret now, about something I did. Listen. Oh yeah – but if I tell you, I may have to kill you, in case you tell anyone else.

Just kidding!

This is part of the secret: I know how to get whatever I want. See – most people are stupid. They're just too easy! It's so easy to get them to do what you want – they just believe whatever you tell them. Like with women. See – I like women. A lot. I like picking them up – I like fucking them – I like taking them off other guys, because I can. What I don't like, is when they hang around after, and they're all like whine, whine, whine – don't you want me Reno? Don't you love me Reno? No. I don't. And I tell them, love's not a real thing – it's just what stupid people want to believe in, because they don't want to admit that it's all about sex. Then they start to cry and look ugly and I get bored and move on. There are always more women.

At work I have to pretend more. I have to make out like I like everyone, so they're fooled – so they let me do the stuff I want to do. Rude is boring as fuck, yo, but he's good in a fight, and he watches my back. Elena's weak, which means she'd most likely do anything for me. Tseng's bossy and uptight – but he knows I can always get the job done, and that's why I stick with him – he got me my promotion, and he'll keep helping me, right up until I take his job.

Rufus thinks he's as clever as me. Ha! He was born with his power and money – I had to work for mine.

This job can be boring – that's the trouble. Couple of times, way back, I got too bored and killed a couple of people I shouldn't've killed, according to the boss. Veld – stupid bastard – was all worked up about it for some reason. Now I'm more careful where I have my fun.

Sometimes, though, the job itself is fun.

That day – when I decided to drop the Sector Seven plate – I was really bored. Then the President sends this order and Tseng's all dithery for some reason – not his usual bossy self – and it's all, "Who's going to do it?" And I'm like – making out like it's serious, because I can see they all seem to think so – "I'll do it. It's my place as second in department". So Tseng's all, "Are you sure, Reno? Coming from the slums…" And I'm thinking – yeah – so I know what a shit-hole Sector Seven is, and dropping the fucking plate on it is doing it a favour, yo! But what I say is - all serious-like – "Yes – I can do it. I think it should be me."

So I get to jump from the helicopter, and press the plate release button, and fight with Chocobo-head and his dumb Avalanche friends. And the Lockheart chick with the massive tits, is going, "We have to stop it!" and I'm telling her, "It's too late, bitch. Nothing stops Reno, yo!" Then I jump over the rail, back into the helicopter, and even though the bastards have injured me, I'm still laughing, because that was more exciting than anything I've done for a long time.

So, we fly away, and out of the window I can see the whole fucking plate crashing down – and there're explosions and this amazing sound – and I think of all those stupid ant people down there not knowing what hit them – living their pathetic little lives in the dark, and not being clever enough to get out like I did. And it's so fucking funny. If I was on my own I would've laughed myself sick – but Tseng and Rude are weird about what's funny and what isn't, so I just smile to myself, and look out of the window, at everything burning.

So – that's my secret. That's what I did.

Now, I'm afraid, I'm going to have to kill you.

What?

Yeah – I know I said I was kidding. But – you know how it is. Sometimes I get bored and I make stuff up.

Where do you think you're going? I'm Reno of the Turks! You can't outrun me!

x-x-x

Reno Resigned

Reno watches from the helicopter as the Sector Seven central support pillar buckles and crumbles, blocks of concrete falling haphazard as a landslide – a man-made avalanche of stone and metal signalling the beginning of the end to those beneath. For the privileged people who live above the plate, the first indication of doom is a trembling in the solid plate beneath them – a minor-seeming earthquake.

There are not many citizens at home on the Sector Seven plate today. Fortuitously, many of the Shin-Ra employees found themselves unexpectedly called in to work by their heads of department. Some families were even warned – those close to the president, who can be trusted to say nothing.

Even so – there are enough. The school has been effectively evacuated - a group trip to see Loveless in Sector Eight – which, as any investigation will discover, has been arranged for months. Or so the computer booking files will confirm.

About the hospital, there is nothing to be done.

In the slums, people are going about their normal lives. Some have heard rumours – Avalanche has given warnings – but most choose not to believe that anything will happen.

The helicopter slips sideways out from under the plate seconds before it begins to fall.

Reno watches as the whole sector crashes towards the ground in an instant, leaving a neat, triangular hole in the plate. For a moment, he can see quite clearly the buildings, intact, on the upper plate – a car still moving on a road – a shop, a café, an office.

Then it's all gone – fractured – and there is only fire, and smoke, and dust and dust and dust.

Beneath, surely no one can have survived?

Reno hopes no one has survived.

Even in death, he thinks, those on the upper plate maintain their position above the slum-dwellers.

It doesn't matter. They're equally dead.

Soon – a few days, if these injuries aren't treated quickly – or a few months –or a few years – and he will be dead too.

Perhaps he will die heroically – standing up for what he knows is right - refusing an order like this one?

No. He'll die as he has lived – pointlessly, violently.

In a hundred years everyone alive now in Gaia will be dead, give or take a few aberrations.

Everything all these people ever were, or thought, or dreamed, or hoped for… gone.

So none of it matters, really. What he is – what he's done, today – it will all pass away. Time is inexorable; death inevitable.

Really – there's no point in tears, or regret: those things make no difference.

But damn this smoke, rising from the Hell he has created! How it gets in his eyes.

How it makes them water.

Reno swears softly, and pulls his goggles over his eyes. Glancing at Rude, who is piloting the helicopter with steady hands, Reno says, "Always knew they'd come in handy one day, eh, partner?"

Rude turns the helicopter away from Sector Seven – approaches the Shin-Ra building flying high over Sector One.

"You need a doctor," Rude tells him. "But you're going to be okay."

"Yeah," Reno agrees. "I'll be okay."

"You'll be back at work before you know it."

"I…"

"Reno?"

"Yeah. I'll be back. I'm a Turk, yo! What else am I gonna do? It's not like any of it matters anyway." Reno turns to look back, but thinks better of it. "Fuck it, Rude – when I'm better it's your round, man."

"It's my round," Rude agrees, "Partner."

x-x-x

Reno Dissolving

Looking out of the windows on this side of the building you can see straight down through the missing section and into the rubble. I don't look out of the window much – not when any of the others are here – because I know what they're thinking. Elena – all big eyes and soft voice, trying to be nice, so bad at hiding what she's feeling. Thinking all the time about how she would feel if she'd been the one…

Rude knows me well. Said nothing about it – smuggled this bottle of whiskey past Tseng – promised to give my message to fucking Avalanche if he meets them before I do, because this mess is down to them and next time I meet them I'm making damn sure I have enhanced weapons, and they're going to pay…

For what they made us do. What they made me do.

Rude, man, this is good stuff!

Only… nobody made me do anything, did they? I could say I had no choice – but I didn't even object, so how can I be sure? I could say I did it for us – to save us from Heidegger, and the President's fury. That… would only be partly true.

Tseng's the hardest to deal with. He looks at me like he knows. He would have done it, if he hadn't needed to go after Aerith. He would have done it – I know that. Rude – I'm not sure. Elena – I think she might have refused. Tseng would have done it, without hesitating, just like me.

Just like me.

Because it was my job. Tseng was busy – I'm second in department – so…

My job.

And on the way there, in the chopper… weird not to be the pilot for once… flying over the plate with its neat lines, neat segments, clean streets… and the rotors singing don't think, don't think, don't think…

Under the plate it's all twilight and I remember when that was home, but –

Don't think, don't think, don't think…

it isn't any more – it's nothing – it's over

How much have I had? Who fucking cares?

Like – you know the first time you kill someone? Squeeze the trigger… and it's so damned easy. So, you're thinking, next time – or when it's someone else – or when it's hand-to-hand and personal… But it never gets any harder when you're in the moment, and it's only afterwards –

But don't think.

This was easy, too. Blame it on the adrenaline? I don't know. But I'm jumping from the chopper – right between three members of Avalanche – and they can't stop me because I'm there, and it's done, and it's all too late.

Should be too late. But there's just a chance they could somehow disarm – and so I do what I have to do, and fight them until it's really too late – and then I'm out and over the barrier, and I catch the skids of the chopper – and fuck, it hurts, because they beat me up pretty bad – but Tseng hauls me in, and I don't know why – if it's the blood all over me, or the look in my eyes, or what we've done, or what he's doing to the Cetra girl – but I've never seen him so angry.

So then, he's shouting at Strife and Wallace and Lockheart, and the Cetra calls some message down to them, and the boss backhands her hard so she falls back into the chopper and I see her face, and she's so fucking calm. She looks at me, like she knows everything and I swear she smiles. She crawls back past me, and shouts down to Avalanche to get out of there, and Tseng's fucking laughing at them and all I can think is this is crazy – what the fuck?

Then we're out from under – and beneath us everything's falling…

And that's when I start thinking, and I can't stop.

Look down there now. It's fine to look – there's nobody here but me and you, my almost empty friend. An empty space – neat edges – like I cut it out real careful, not blew it all to hell. But down there – underneath – there's rubble of concrete and metal and bodies of people I killed for a reason I don't get, and didn't even fucking ask.

Drop the plate.

Yes, Sir.

Didn't think.

Empty. Fuck it.

I'd say I'm sorry but…

I'm sorry.

I am sorry.

Shit! Windows don't even fucking open!

If I can sleep…

I'm sorry.

Didn't think.

Can't fucking stop thinking.

Thanks for reading.