A Glimpse of Freedom
"Don't you see what this means? It's a new world."
Heart of darkness, mother of all things, won't you show us what truth is and lies not?
The screen was dark when they started, and Paine had been under the impression that they had it all figured out. It came to life and a chill of interest came over the group with only to be crushed by the disappointment of static. The disappointment was audible, then scuffling and sounds of annoyance came from the genius Shinra.
"What's the matter? Having trouble?" Rikku said coyly.
"Gimme a break," He responded and continued to press numerous controls on the consol before him. Paine sighed; she still had to deal with frustration no matter what.
"I thought you had it fixed?" Buddy inquired to which Shinra did not even honor with a reply.
"Shinra?" Yuna said, the only voice that didn't hold some ire.
"This sphere is incredibly old. The computer is having trouble reading the information on it because it's…" He trailed off.
"…Old?" Rikku said. And Paine was sure if she could have seen his face, Shinra would have been scowling. Static and then suddenly it cleared and there it was the swiveling motion of the original recorder. It window, or some thing like that, but they could see the beach outside it. At least to them it looked like a beach. Then it went black the audio of the sphere moaned with noise as though it had been wounded in battle. "Awe." Rikku exclaimed beating her fists into the floor.
"Just a second I'm taking the footage back to when I think the recorder was next activated.
Paine breathed in but not of boredom, but of impatience. She suddenly had the thought that perhaps there was some great secret on that sphere. A great secret? "Freedom," she said almost, but didn't now she said it. It was almost. It was almost just the sound of her lungs breathing in air. Tidus heard her, but said nothing. Shock and jock, and then there was the light of the seen they had just witnessed.
"There," a voice said. It was one of the same men from before. "Hey Blaze! I got it to turn on again. I thought that the battery was dead or something. But no, I'm stupid apparently. "
The camera swung up, and there he was again. The man with red eyes Paine had seen.
"Apparently?" He stated mockingly. Red eyes turned toward the window, starring into far off worlds.
"C'mon. I just got this thing. Someone has to record the big event. This is a big assignment for us."
The other laughed.
"Okay it might not be a big assignment for you, but it is for me. You there was a big gap between the first an second generations my friend," the camera shifted and suddenly the group could see out the passing window. Beautiful and white surf, it was stunningly familiar to the Island they were on at that moment.
"Are they flying?" Yuna said. Paine for a moment thought the comment foolish until noticed Yuna was right. The image seemed like it had bee shot from the inside of an airship.
"They're defiantly on some sort of airship," Buddy said.
"I wish we could get a better look at it," Tidus remarked.
The camera jerked, static invading for a moment as the picture suddenly lurched toward the window. Recorded sounds of unrest could be heard over the audio. "God dammit Riley."
"I'm sorry Blaze. I just want to get a better look at the ship as we approach. Didn't mean to step on you."
"I kind of want to see it to, you know," the soldier Blaze said, sounding somewhat unhappy.
"You will. You can watch the record later. Ha. Oh yeah!" Something was appearing. Buildings, structures, dark shapes of yore in the distance.
"Whoa, hey Shinra can you enlarge that part?" Buddy asked.
The sphere stopped as the fingers of flames went to work. "I can just give me second." The screen blinked, black as night to bright as day and suddenly the dark shaped were enlarged to take up the full size of the Gullwings sphere-screen.
Paine felt a twitch of wonder in her see knew to genuinely her own. Her own wonder at seeing the past come alive. "It's…"
"It's like…Zanarkand," Yuna said over everyone.
"Yeah it is." Rikku affirmed.
"Sort off." They all turned to Tidus who had spoken up. "I mean yeah it kind resembles Zanarkand, but it's just…"
"A little different," Paine finished.
"Yeah."
Indeed, there similar, and from the distance they did look the same. But those buildings had a different feel, a different soul. They seemed more industrial, less focused on aesthetics and more on function. Paine could see some of that. And see guessed that place upon the screen was a military base, which she would be correct.
"Well this sphere predates most things we found. Who knows? Maybe it predates even Zanarkand," Buddy stated, and everyone murmured with interest at the thought. Before Zanarkand? No one, nothing they knew stretched back that far in time. The possibility unto itself was dangerous. But what else could be more exciting?
"Maybe…" Paine said. "Let's keep watching." Everyone echoed in agreement.
The sphere screen returned to normal, normal view for the recorder that is. And a moment later the story was rolling again. Images of the ancient structures persisted.
"There it is! Ain't she beautiful Blaze!"
"Yeah, like you have never seen Rigley Base before," he said sarcastically.
"So? That was back when I was just an enlistee. Now I am actually somewhat important."
"Semi-important," he said.
"Don't you lord your rank over me." The camera jerked back toward him, the man with red eyes. "I've been a centurion for over three years now and I…whoa" The voice stopped and a roar similar to that of the Celsius' engines could be heard over the audio. The ship was turning very quickly.
"Looks like we're on the final approach," another voice said, not from either of those men though. Paine and everyone heard it, it was definitely feminine. The camera jerked and suddenly a young woman, at least se looked young, with dark hair and in full uniform like the other two soldiers stood there.
"Major," the soldier with red eyes said. "It's good to see you again."
"Major? Is that a name?" Rikku inquire.
"You too Blaze. You both can sit down," her hasil eyes met the camera as she joined them. "Nice camera Commander."
"Who is she?" Yuna wondered.
"Thank you ma'm," the voice behind the camera said. "You know this captain here doesn't really appreciate it."
"Yes he never found any technology amazing. Even when I worked with him," she turned to him smiling slyly, but with a faint air of nostalgia. She turned back to the camera extending her hand. "Lt. Commander Riley isn't it?"
A hand appeared from the bottom of the screen meeting the "Major's."
"Yes ma'm. You must be Major Ishida."
"Yes," she responded. "Elaine Ishida."
"That's her name!" Brother shouted.
"Would you shut up?" Rikku chastised.
"I'm kind of surprised to see you here," she said to the soldier with red eyes. "Or anywhere in the military anymore."
"They won't let me retire," he said, somewhat reluctantly.
"Yeah, they won't let any of us do that. Not while there's a war anyway," she looked away. "You should know better than that."
"A war?" Buddy was saying. "Do they mean the machina war a thousand years."
"It has to be. What other war was there?" Rikku said.
"Yeah," Paine said. But she felt like they were missing everything that was said on the sphere. "But those buildings don't look like anything from Bevelle."
"I have to record this. The two of you…" The voice from behind the camera was saying.
"Can't you turn that off now?" The soldier with red eyes said with a groan.
"No way. I never thought I would meet one of you guys. But look at me now! I'm sitting with two of the Five. The fighting Five. My mother is going to love this."
The "major" was laughing. "You're one of the Second Generation?"
"Yes ma'm. On assignment with the Captain right here."
"That's good…for you too," she said to the soldier with red eyes. He heard. Paine could see some reaction behind his eyes. But he just kept starring out if the window pretending the other two were not there. "C'mon Blaze. I know you're excited about this." Still no response.
"He's not always like this maim," the voice behind the camera said.
"Just when he's annoyed…or embarrassed."
The soldier shook his head. "Major, I just want to get a look at the ship as we come in."
"Another ship?" It was Buddy.
"Of course you do," the "major" said.
"We're here," the soldier said. Loud sounds from invisible engines came over the audio. The camera swerved and new images out of the recorded window came into Spira.
"All right," the voice behind said. The camera zoomed in and out, trying to focus on a hulking mass in the distance. Focus and unfocused, and sounds of fury and frustration came over the audio. "C'mon…there!" And suddenly things became clear.
Paine's mouth opened slightly, shaping to very faintest sense of a smile. A sounds and questions of the sight echoed through the bridge of the Celsius, a great ship, but of the likes they were seeing on the viewer. It was alien in most of their senses, but they knew it was a ship and they knew it flew in the air.
"There it is everyone! That's it! The Freedom. That's our ship Blaze." The flying transport moved closer, till the camera could no longer take it. "Aw damn!" And the image went to static and the group was riled with requests to bring it back up.
"Hey Shinra, can you bring that back?" Tidus asked.
"That's all I could out of the sphere now. There may be more, just give me sometime."
"You said there was 'nineteen hours,'" Paine said.
"Yes, but not all the video is in good condition. Some of it is just too corrupted to see."
"That ship though…it was…" Yuna began.
"Massive. I don't know, but it could have been three or four times as large as the Celsius," Buddy said.
"That's preposterous!" Brother shouted. "Nothing that big can fly."
"How do you know?" Paine asked, to which Brother glared with annoyance.
"I just know!"
"My analyses did indicate it was a ship, and definitely a warship at that," Shinra said out of nowhere.
"A ship like that? Can you imagine what someone could do with that power?" Yuna said.
"I don't want to," Tidus responded.
"So what does it mean?" Paine inquired to which to entire group fell silent.
"We don't really know," Buddy claimed.
"Yeah," Paine said, and she left the bridge. "Call me if you manage to get more out of it." The sphere that is, or anything of the other twelve.
Paine felt a bit tired. Maybe it was watching the sphere that drained her or just having to deal with all the "Gullwings" on the bridge. It didn't matter, nothing mattered then except that she got some rest. She needed it. That day had brought into her mind a lot of information and frustration. Time was only was the cure to that. She could only be thankful for one thing. She wasn't hearing any voices. She reached the lift and road down to the warm greetings of a Celsius bed. And sleep came quick, and silence evermore.
Oh darkness bright, won't you give me a black dream tonight?
(A/N) I really need feedback people, so a review would be pretty well appreciated. I may even return the favor for those who do review. I'm just saying.
-Stonehenge.
