Chapter 29: Race for the Huge Materia and the Attack on Meteor.
(Link and everyone is gathered in the operations room on the Highwind. Link stands at the head of the table, and tells everyone of what happened with him and Cloud at the Northern Crater, of Cloud's death and how Link obtained his sword.)
Link: Guys... I'm sorry. I don't know what to say...
Red XIII: Don't say anything, Link. All you've been doing is apologizing.
(He nods to Red, then looks down at his feet.)
Link: There is no longer a Hyrule for me to return to... I failed to protect my home... and I let down those I cared about and I lost the Master Sword in the process. I was so ashamed of being so weak, so I went to the graveyard in Kakariko Village... Believe it or not... I tried to end it all... That's when the shadows started to take over my mind and creat an illusion of myself made up of what I had seen in my life... Then somehow Hojo was able to pull me over to earth... after obtaining Ganondorf's dying body. And here, I kept up the charade of my 'life' as if it were true...
(He straightens and nods.)
Barret: Illusion, huh...? Pretty damn strong for a 'lusion, I'd say.
(He nods to Barret.)
Link: I am a Hylian... from Hyrule. I don't know what Hojo was planning on doing with me... but apparently it was just the same procedure they use when creating members of SOLDIER. (He shrugs) Cloud once told me... that someone in SOLDIER isn't simply exposed to Mako energy. Their bodies are actually injected with Jenova cells... For better or for worse, only the strong can enter SOLDIER. It has nothing to do with the Jenova Reunion. But weak people... get lost in the whole thing.
(He looks up.)
Link: My inability as a 'Hero', my pride, Ganondorf's shadow powers, and the powers of Twilight, combined with my own weaknesses are what created me. The Link everyone knew... (He shakes his head sadly.) But I'm not going to be controlled by the Shadows anymore! I will be what the Goddesses of Hyrule wanted, The Hero of Twilight.
Tifa: You're sure messed up, Link. But I love you regardless!
Barret: That means there ain't no difference from before!
(Link rubs his head.)
Cait Sith: By the way, Link. What are you going to do now? Don't tell me you're going to leave the ship?
Link: I'm part of the reason why Meteor is falling towards us. (He nods) That's why I have to do everything in my power to fight this thing. Ganondorf wont get away this time, Shinra will fall.
Barret: Good! Then you're gonna keep fightin' to save the planet!
Link: Heh, It's like you always told me, Barret.
Barret: Oh, uh, you mean that!
Red XIII: What? I don't understand!
(All speak in unison.)
Link: There ain't no gettin' offa this train we on!
Tifa: There ain't no gettin' offa this train we on!
Barret: The train we on don't make no stops!
(They all cheer and run out of the operation room. Link stays behind. He turns to face the wall behind him, sighs, and shakes his head.)
Link: Midna, Zelda … Everyone. I miss you, but I can't be held down by the past any longer. I will finally avenge your deaths.
(With that Link leaves. On the way out, the pilot by the door stops him.)
Pilot: Link, I was deeply moved by your story! I'm really a weak person and so I could really understand how you feel, Link! No one knows when the fighting will begin. But let's get ready!
(Link chooses his party and leaves the operation room, heading for the bridge. When he arrives, the rest of the party is assembled there.)
Cait Sith: Listen, Link. We're right in the middle of the mission for the Huge Materia, right? I know this is kinda outta the blue, but there's a underwater reactor at Junon. As far as I can see, that's the only one left. That's that. Let's go!
Barret: C'mon, Link! Don't screw around! We're goin' to Junon, boyeee!
Cait Sith: This's kinda on the spur of the moment, but shouldn't we get to Junon!
Red XIII: I'm glad you're back with us!
Tifa: Let's do our best, Link!
Cid: I know how tough it is bein' a leader, because I've been one. I always forget who has what materia.
(Link and the others travel to Junon. Priscilla approaches Link.)
Priscilla: Who are you-? (She does a little hop) Link! Stupid jerk! Look how much you made me worry! Were you at the Lifestream?
Link: Yeah, I was there for awhile it seems...
Priscilla: You've gotta be more careful! Because you're going to marry me one day!
Link: Uh... Tifa... A little help with this one.
Tifa: (giggles) I think you can handle it.
(The party heads to the north end of the city, where a Shinra guard stands watch over a sliding door to the elevator.)
Guard: If you want to get on the elevator that badly, give me 10 gil!
Link: Fine...
(The door slides open)
Guard: Hurry up and get in!
(The team enters the elevator. Link presses a switch and is lifted to the next floor. The team arrives in the heart of Military Base Junon, where Cloud once dressed as a guard to greet Rufus. They head to the long street in the middle of the base. Link stops and shrugs.)
Link: I may be mistaken, but... Doesn't it feel like we're missing something?
Tifa: Like what, love?
Link: I'm not really sure...
(The team continues further into the base, reaching an underground path where a red officer trains a horde of blue grunts. He turns to face Link.)
Officer: All right! Let's see how hard you trained!
(The soldiers turn in perfect sync away from the officer, his back still turned.)
Officer: Attention! Charge-! (They rush off in the other direction. The officer turns) He... hey-! That's the Underwater Reactor! Come back!
(He runs after them. Link shrugs and continues toward the reactor. He enters an elevator at the end of the underground path. A woman stands looking uninterested in one corner; two guards in the rear raise their guns.)
Soldier 1: How 'bout, whoever stays alive, gets to take her out?
Soldier 2: All right, you're on! But... What if both of us...
Soldier 1: Whoa! Don't even talk about that!
Link: (Sighs) These guys are pathetic...
(The party defeats the guards just as the elevator stops at the ground floor. The woman stands, waiting for her floor.)
Woman: ...gulp... (Great... there went two perfectly good men!)
(The party walks past her out of the elevator. Another guard comes rushing up to them. A barking dog stands in the door behind him.)
Guard: OK! Back to work! Back to work!
(Another follows him.)
Guard: Yawn... I'm sleepy! For Junon!
(They defeat the two guards and continue toward the reactor. Traversing a series of hallways and taking another elevator, they arrives at the ocean and walk through a glass, Sea World-esque tunnel, through which they can see dolphins and schools of fish swim past. At the end is a small room lined with glass tubes filled with water. Tifa presses a switch on the wall; the door seals shut and the tubes empty of water. When they exits the room they arrive at a lower floor with another elevator. The team come to a narrow wire walkway; behind them is a Shinra submarine docked. A mechanical arm trolleys through the huge warehouse, above them. The team continues past it, reaching another room.
Shinra guards patrol all around. Link and the others attempt to sneak by, but one guard catches them as they walk past.)
Guard: You, you're Link!
Link: Does everyone know me know?
Tifa: It seems that way doesn't it.
(The team defeats the guard and continue onward; two more guards accost them.)
Guard: You are NOT getting this Huge Materia!
Barret: Yo! This is startin' to get old.
(The guards fall quickly but two more catch them at the exit.)
Guard: So you WERE after the Huge Materia!
Link: Yeah, you gotta problem with that! Outta my way!
(After defeating the last of the guards Link and the team exit the room. They all end up on another narrow wire walkway. A huge metal pod stands near it. At the top is the Huge Materia.)
Link: Is that it! The Huge Materia!
Cid: Yeah, thats the Huge Materia alright!
(They all look on as the mechanical arm finally arrives at its destination. It lowers, picks up the Materia, and trundles off.)
Tifa: They're gonna take it on that submarine!
Cid: That's what you think! ^%$#!
(They rush into the next room. The Shinra submarine is docked here. Reno stands here, his back turned to them.)
Link: We make it in time?
(They all watch as the arm slowly lowers the Huge Materia into a port on the sub's deck. The porthole closes it inside. Link runs forward, up to Reno.)
Reno: What are you doing? Help load.
Link: I'd rather not. How 'bout I bust you up for what Shinra did to me and Cloud.
(He turns and finally sees them.)
Reno: Link!
Cid: You know I don't work for cheap!
Tifa: Looks like we barely made it.
Link: You can either give us the Huge Materia … or else. What's it gonna be?
Reno: Unfortunately, I don't have time to deal with you.
(A huge, oddly simian robot lumbers out from the shadows.)
Reno: My priority is the Huge Materia!
(Reno runs off. The robot assumes a fighting stance.)
(The team destroys the Carry Armor, After the battle, Link looks up to see that the sub has departed.)
Link: Damn! The submarine!
Tifa: We have to go after it!
Cid: Hold your horses! Let's get it from them!
(Link transforms into his wolf form and rushes across the docking bay to another submarine on the other side. A bevy of Shinra soldiers all dash randomly around the deck. The team then wades through them.)
Guard: Y, you! You're not taking over this ship!
(They fight their way through the guards and climb onto the deck of the submarine and drops down the porthole
to the interior. Three guards stand on either side. One raises his gun.)
Guard 1: You want the Sub? Just try an' take it!
(Link draws the Ultima Buster Sword and turns to the other guards)
Tifa: Thats...
Cid: ..A big ass sword!
Guard 2: Um... sir! Maybe we shouldn't piss them off...
(They tear through the three guards and run forward into the cockpit. A red officer stands behind the captain's chair; two blue guards leap up from their navigation seats. The officer starts shaking his head)
Officer: NO, NO! This is terrible! (He runs to the other guards) We don't have much time left! I don't want to die!
(One guard turns to him)
Guard 1: There's still so much more I've got to do! I never even got to do my special victory dance in battle!
Officer: All right! Then make this your first victory! Go on, show 'em!
(The guards raise their guns)
Guard 1: Yes, sir!
Officer: Remember your last training. Begin!
(They twirl their guns)
Guards 1 and 2: Yes, sir!
(The officer turns)
Officer: I'm back! An' now I got no regrets! ATT-ACK!
Link: This is just too tedious.. Let's just take them prisoner.
(The guards sit down in the corner of the cockpit. Everyone runs to the navigation controls. Link turns away)
Link: Sorry, but I can't take it anymore. The lack of space, the shaking, the roar of the engine...
(He kneels on the ground)
Tifa: What are we going to do... We stole a submarine but can't pilot it.
Cid: Hunka junk... just gotta do this!
(Cid fiddles with the controls. A red light starts flashing and he jumps up, startled)
Cid: SEE! Now you take over!
(Link stands)
Link: Fine... I DO feel a little better driving. No sweat. Just leave everything to me.
Tifa: You can do it, Link. I believe in you.
Cid: I'll be watchin' from here!
(Link walks up to the control panel.)
Link: Alright... Lets see... (He hops into the captain's chair) Everything seems set... I think. This switch...?
(He presses it)
Computer: Main screen: ON. Change the screen mode.
(Link manages to pilot the submarine, sinking the red target sub.)
Link: Phew-! We did it!
Tifa: Nice job!
Cid: Not bad for someone who ain't ever driven a sub before.
Link: Yeah... this is the first time i've even seen a submarine. Anyway, the Huge Materia should be at the bottom of the sea by now. Let's continue the search...
(The radio emits a blare of static, then emits a voice.)
Radio: All Shinra Submarine Units, do you read...? ...All Shinra Submarine Units, do you read...?
Cloud: Hmm...? ...Must be from Shinra.
Radio: ...Report, No. 2...
Tifa: No. 2 ...I saw that written at the dock! They must mean this sub.
Link: Alright. (He picks up the radio.) This is Shinra No. 2... Everything's normal.
Radio: ...Roger ...Your next mission is ...Return to Junon Dock ...We will transport the Huge Materia from the airport ...Those without other assignments will report for guard duty... That is all. Over and out...
Link: Junon Airport... We should make it if we hurry. Forget about the Huge Materia for now. We're climbing!
Cid: The airport? No sweat!
(The team takes their newly aquired sub and climbs to the surface and docks at Junon. They enter Junon and take the elevator up into the base and heads to the airport arriving just in time to see the Gelnika take off from the runway and fly off.)
Link: Damn! Their getting away with the Huge Materia.
Tifa: Can't we go after it?
Cid: Where's that thing headed?
Link: Where else … Rocket Town!
(They rush out of Junon and fly the Highwind to Rocket Town.)
Man: The Shinra serious 'bout launching that piece of crap rocket? But why now...?
(The team heads north, to the old rocket. Steam emanates from the engines; the Shinra are about to launch. Two guards standing by the stairs to the launch platform spot them.)
Guard: Those terrorists are here!
(They defeat the guards and run up the stairs. More guards wait on the launch platform at the top.)
Guard: Don't let them get any further! Everyone, ATTACK-!
(After defeating these guards they run up to the platform. The last three guards attack)
Guard" Urrrgh, you're not going anywhere! Uh un, nowhere!
(The last three guards fall with ease)
Cid: Goddammit, what the hell do they think they're gonna do to my rocket! I'm outta here, Link! I'm gonna kick those $^%$# Shinra right out of my rocket!
Link: Cid … Wait!
(Link climbs the ladder to the top of the rocket. Rude, flanked by two guards, stands outside the rocket's door.)
Rude: ...you again? (He steps forward) ...We will eliminate everyone who gets in Shinra's way.
(The team fights and defeats Rude and his guards, afterward, Rude collapses on the walkway.)
Rude: ...they got us.
(The team strolls right over Rude and enters the rocket. Another guard is \waiting inside.)
Guard: You... you! Why are you here? Rude of the Turks should've been here!
(Link motions to behind him, outside the rocket)
Link;: Sounds like a personal problem... cuz those guys are over there.
Guard: Oh man... the Turks, being done in like that... But, I won't let you through!
Tifa: Link, theres no time.
Link: Yeah … I know.
(Link draws the Ultima Buster, and in one fluid motion, takes down the guards, causing them to collapse on the floor. Link and Tifa walk past into the rocket control room. Cid's mechanics all scurry about, fixing and adjusting things.)
Cid: Hey! What the hell're you guys doin'!
(They all turn to face him.)
Mechanic 1: Hey! Just when I thought somethin' was goin' on, you came back!
Mechanic 2: Listen to me, Captain. We're gonna launch this rocket!
Cid: Huh? What are you talkin' 'bout?
Mechanic 3: We're gonna load a Materia bomb in this and blow up Meteor.
Mechanic 1: Our rocket's gonna save the planet!
Mechanic 3: Urrrrgh. Man this is so COOL!
Link: Wait a minute!
(Cid angrily turns to face him)
Cid: Shut up! Just shut the hell up!
(He turns back to the mechanics. Link shrugs)
Cid: How's the rocket?
Mechanic 1: It's pretty much OK. But... We planned to run it into Meteor on Auto-Pilot, but the most important device is broken.
Cid: Broken? How's the repair goin'?
Mechanic 2: Shera's doin' it...
Cid : Oh great! What a buncha wizards you guys are! She's gonna take a 100 years! (He laughs) I'm gonna take over, so don't worry about the Auto-Pilot! Hey, go ahead! Go tell everyone!
(They all nod)
Mechanic 2: All right, Captain. Good luck.
(They run off.)
Link: Cid, What the hell are you doing!
(Cid turns to him.)
Link: There are generations of knowledge and wisdom inside the Materia. We need it to keep Ganondorf from destroying the world! So, there's no way that we can lose the Huge Materia. You understand that, right?
(Cid shakes his head.)
Cid: Yeah, I understand. I understand that Materia is precious, and I also understand what you're thinking. But listen. I don't give a rat's ass whether it's science or magical power.
(He nods)
Cid: No. I guess if I had to choose, I'd rather put my money on the power of science. Humans who used to only roam around on the ground are able to fly now! And finally, we're about to go into outer space. Science is a "Power" created and developed by humans. And science just might be what saves this planet.
(He raises a fist.)
Cid: I was able to earn my living thanks to science. So to me, there's nothing greater!
(He lowers it.)
Cid: Now quit your worrying 'bout what Shinra's gonna do! I don't want to regret not having done something later.
(Cloud reaches toward him.)
Link: But, Cid... I know im not human and all... but
(Cid angrily pushes him away.)
Cid: Shut the hell up! I don't wanna hear it! (He hitches his pants up.) Alright, time to get back to work! Anyone who ain't involved, get the hell outta here!
(The rocket engines turn on. Cid looks around, startled)
Cid: What the hell...? What the hell happened?
(The radio comes on. It emits a blare of static)
Palmer: Hey-hey!
Link: It's tubby!
(Cid runs over to the radio.)
Cid: Palmer! What the hell did'ya do!
Palmer: They said they finished repairing the Auto-Pilot. So, I laun-ched it!
Cid: Goddamn Shera! Why'd she pick today to get fast!
(He punches some buttons on the control panel.)
Cid: DAMN! Won't even budge! It's completely locked up!
Palmer: Hey-hey-hey! Almost lift off!
Cid: What the! No countdown! It just don't seem the same without it!
Palmer: Hey! Hey-hey! Blast-off!
(The rocket's engines continue to steam as the timer counts down from 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. The engines starts spinning and burning, emitting a blast of air that sends trees, tires, everything that is not tied down blowing out of the city. The engines spin faster and faster until they create enough lift to send the rocket into space, leaving a trail of exhaust.)
Cid: I finally made it... outer space...
Link: (Looking out the window) So... this is space. I wish I could've seen Hyrule like this...
(Cid scratches his head and looks at the controls.)
Cid: Let's see, how's the course set...?
(He punches some buttons and taps his foot as a depiction of the rocket's course appears on the monitor. A dotted line travels from the green circle of the planet to the red circle of Meteor.)
Cid: Yup, it's headed for a collision course with Meteor.
Tifa: Can't we do something? If it goes on, we're...
(Cid presses more buttons. A red message appears on the screen. He kicks
the panel.)
Cid: That Palmer went outta his way to lock the Auto-Pilot device. We might not be able to change the course.
Link: So... This the end?
(Cid turns to him)
Cid: Huh? What the hell're you sayin'? You're still young, and you give up that easily?
(He shakes his head)
Cid: I'm not gonna crash into Meteor. (He turns and presses more buttons.) Just watch.
(An array of red lines and messages appears. Cid turns.)
Cid: I keep an Escape Pod on the rocket just for emergencies like this.
(He goes over to a hatch on one wall and turns some dials.)
Cid: I deciphered the lock code on the Escape Pod. We'll bail right before we crash into Meteor.
(Tifa walks forward.)
Tifa: Hey, what about the Huge Materia?
Link: Yeah, we ain't leaving without it.
Cid: ...
(He nods)
Cid: If you want the Materia, do whatever you want! The Materia should be there after you climb that ladder.
Link: You sure about this?
(Cid shakes his head.)
Cid: I dunno... I know what I said a minute ago. (He turns his head upward.) But maybe all that I really wanted was just to go into outer space. (He looks down again.) So, why don't you all do whatever you think is right?
(They climb the ladder to a room at the tip of the rocket. The Huge Materia is sitting in a glass case in the center.)
Link: There's the Huge Materia...
(He walks to the glass case.)
Cid: It's structured so that the lock can be opened if we enter the passcode from this control panel. (Cloud operates the panel.)
Enter Passcode
Cid: Hey, Link, you know how to use it, right? Everytime it says, 'Enter Passcode,' push one of those buttons. If you punch in the right code, it'll unlock and you can get
the Huge Materia!
(Link looks at him.)
Link: So, what's the code?
(Cid shrugs.)
Cid: I dunno. Just try and punch in the code randomly.
Link: Right... well, here goes nothin'.
(Link turns his head back to the panel. He enters a random passcode.)
Passcode Error
Unauthorized User Identified
Protection System will activate in 3 minutes
Cid: Seems like you missed the code!
Link: No shit Sherlock!
Cid: If we don't enter the correct passcode before the Protection System activates, we won't be able to get the Materia back!
(With some marginally helpful clues from Cid,Link manages to enter the correct passcode)
Passcode Confirmed
Identified as an Authorized User
Unlocked
(The glass case opens.)
Cid: Alright, Link! It's unlocked! (He nods.) Yup, my great advice saved the day.
(Link grabs the Huge then climb down the ladder, then exit through the cockpit, and down to the oxygen-tank room. As they pass through, one of the oxygen tanks sparks, then explodes. The area goes white, Shera, who is in some other room in the rocket, working on some repairs hears the explosion and rushes out. Linkand Tifa are ducking and covering their heads. The tank that exploded is emitting dense smoke. A huge chunk of metal from it is now on the floor. Cid's leg is pinned under it.)
Cid : Grrrgh! Damn! My leg's stuck in the debris...
(Cloud and Tifa stand up.)
Link: Cid, hold on. Tifa help me out here!
(Link and Tifa start trying to lift the chunk of metal.)
Tifa: ..I can't! It's so heavy, I can't lift it...
Cid: Don't worry 'bout me. Hurry up and go! If you don't hurry, the Rocket's gonna crash into Meteor!
(Link looks up at Cid.)
Link: I'm not losing any more friends Cid...
(He goes back to trying to free Cid.)
Cid: You ^%#&%...! No time to worry 'bout other people!
(Cloud looks up.)
Link: (trying to lift the pipe) I'm … not... giving... up! I can't... I won't!
(Cid wipes his eyes with one glove.)
Cid: You're stupid. You're really $#&^%$* stupid. (He holds his head in one hand.) Tank Number 8 blew up... So Tank Number 8... really was malfunctioning...
(He leans back, looking up at the ceiling.)
Cid: Shera... You were right.
(He covers his face again. He is close to crying.)
Cid: But, ...this is the end for me.
(A door slides open at one end of the room.)
Shera: Don't say that, Cid.
(Shera enters the room. Cid looks up.)
Cid: Huh! Shera!
Shera: I tagged along. I'm coming to help you.
(She helps Link and Tifa lift the chunk of metal.)
Cid: You stupid &$#&%*%&%#!
(The others continue to struggle with the metal.)
Cid: ...Sorry.
(with Shera's help, Cid was freed from the fallen pipe. Later, A circular portal slides open and Shera and Link walk through it.)
Shera: The Escape Pod is this way. Please hurry.
(They all continue to the escape pod. Shera turns to them, waiting for them to enter.)
Shera: Hurry. I'm going to detach the Escape Pod.
(Cid hops down into the pod.)
Cid: Hey, Shera! Does this Pod really fly?
Shera: It'll be OK. I've been checking it till now.
(Cid rubs the back of his head.)
Cid: ...Then I'm relieved.
(Shera looks down.)
Shera: ...Thanks.
(The outer shell of the rocket tears away in one spot and the escape pod tumbles out. One piece of the rocket still attached falls away, leaving the pod, a sphere, floating back towards the planet. Inside the pod, Cid is peering out of the viewport with wonder.)
Cid: So this is... outer space... Man... it's the real thing... I'm really here in outer space...
(He looks back in the direction of the rocket as the blue curve of the
planet's surface comes into view.)
Cid: So long, Shinra No. 26...
(The escape pod hurtles back to the planet, a small flame forming around it as it re-enters the atmosphere. The team looks out the port window just in time to see the rocket heading straight for Meteor. It shrinks to a pinpoint as it plummets toward the surface of Meteor. They collide in space with a blinding flash of light. Meanwhile, at the Shinra building, the light from the explosion lights the area up like fire; the people standing in the road all duck in fear. Even Cosmo Canyon is bathed in the blinding light. Bugenhagen, floats next to his model of the planet. The tiny replica of Meteor hovering above it also explodes in a light just as bright as that outdoors. Bugenhagen throws his arm over his eyes until the light fades. Back at Shinra HQ, the people slowly stand up as the light fades. One person frantically points at the sky. Huge fragments of the rock orbit above the surface of Meteor, creating electrical sparks along the dry stone. Some of them crash into one another in huge explosions. The rocket crashed into Meteor, causing great damage to one side of it, but it was not enough. Meteor still hangs in the sky. The entire village at Cosmo Canyon is silent and still, save the windmills which still turn expectantly. The scene changes back to Bugenhagen's lab. He floats next to the model of the planet, shaking his head sadly as the tiny Meteor still hovers above it. The scene changes again to the exterior of the Shinra building. The people in the street begin to realize what has happened. One young girl begins to cry; others just shake their heads; one falls to his knees in the street, futilely beating his fist on the asphalt in anger and attack on Meteor had failed.)
