I Want To Be A Turk!
Chapter 37 – Heidegger
1 February 0002, 1700 hours
While Leia was back home in Icicle Inn, her mother, a willowy woman of sixty, fussed about Leia so much that she could hardly find time to herself. Not that she minded, it was the first time she returned home since she first entered Shinra more than three years ago. Leia was tied down with the responsibilities of a Turk and didn't have time to return home in the Northern Continent, unlike her other colleagues who lived not more than a few hours away from Midgar. Finally, her opportunity came when Tseng offered her a long-overdue vacation. Three weeks away from Shinra and being a Turk, Leia thought that her long-deserved break could replenish her energy.
Shortly after her ad-hoc mission to save Meia and KK from the AVALANCHE base a few hours from her town, she received a short but direct message from Haato on Veld's departure. Since then, Leia could barely enjoy her holiday. A dozen questions filled her mind and what frustrated her most was that she couldn't get the full answers that she needed. Haato did his best to answer her questions but Leia didn't pursue the questions further. She would much rather get her questions answered face-to-face, when she returned.
Now, summoned together with Tseng, Reno and Rude, Leia paced in the Turks Lounge anxiously, wondering why their new head specifically chose to meet them first. The air was tense and none of them spoke. Then Leia broke the silence by asking if they could just go on without Veld.
Reno stared at her emotionlessly. "… We're under the command of one of the department heads."
"Department heads…" Leia repeated. She already didn't like the sound of this.
Sighing, Tseng explained. "We're to follow the orders of whoever is placed in charge of us. That's all there is to it. It doesn't matter who it is."
Leia fell silent at his words. Usually she didn't mind leadership change, as long as the organisation is improving and moving in a good direction.
"Gya haa haaaa!" The laugh echoed before the figure appeared at the doorway.
Leia stared at the newcomer. Good Gaia. She groaned inwardly. Anyone but him…! She peeked at the rest. The other three Turks looked unruffled, though Leia knew better.
Heidegger walked in. He was well-built man with a well-grown beard and a well-known (awful) reputation to match. "Good. You're all here." He paced a little in front of them. "From this day on, I'm in charge of you lot." Not waiting for their response, Heidegger continued. "You've been nothing but trouble from the start. I'd say your old boss couldn't keep you in line."
Leia inwardly was thankful that Meia was not here. She couldn't imagine the catastrophe that will follow after if quick-tempered Meia heard Heidegger slander Veld's name.
The head of Public Safety Maintenance cleared his throat in a self-dignified manner. "Things will be different under MY leadership. It's not for nothing I'm in charge of the Public Safety Maintenance Department."
Reno snorted, which quickly turned into a cough. Leia raised an eyebrow at him in amusement and Reno narrowed his eyes at her. Even our professional Reno couldn't hold his pokerface. The dislike is obvious.
Heidegger was still talking. "… Your orders." Leia straightened up and listened to his instructions. "It appears that AVALANCHE is heading for Junon. I want all of you to patrol the city. If there's anything suspicious, let me know immediately. I'll call on the army to take over from there."
What?
"Yes sir." Leia replied, her heart feeling sore at his decision.
Heidegger was not done. "The army will take care of anything that happens in Junon, but I can't deploy them if there isn't a reason to." Tseng looked as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed his saliva and stared ahead. "I want the troops to get out there as quickly as possible. I don't want to hear any complaining – that's all you Turks are good for, anyway." He ended with a disgusting smile.
Leia heard some shuffling and from the corner of her eye, she saw Rude holding Reno back with a hand. In three words, Reno is pissed.
Heidegger is not interested in using us?
With that maniacal horse laugh, Heidegger left the lounge.
1720 hours
Shortly after he met the four Turks due for Junon, Heidegger gathered the remaining nine Turks in his office, where he simply told them to 'stay out of his way'.
"He'd do best to stay out of our way." Rod mumbled when they left the conference room. "I see why he's so disliked among everyone. There's nothing lovable in that hairy face of his."
Meia giggled despite the dreadful atmosphere. "Brother Rod, you better not let him hear that!" She pulled him towards the elevator. "I'm going to the lounge to send the Junon team off, wanna come?" Rod shrugged and followed her.
In the lounge, Meia stared at Rude, Reno and Leia getting ready. She absent-mindedly drew circles on the floor with her toe. "Just the four of you to Junon?" She asked quietly. Reno didn't reply, he only adjusted his goggles and checked his equipment. She pursed her lips and looked around. "Where's Brother Tseng?"
Leia nodded and replied, "Yep. Just the four of us. Tseng will be back soon." Glancing at Reno, she added. "Reno is still a little sore from the meeting."
"That asshole thinks that we're useless!" Reno hissed.
"… We'll do our jobs and prove him wrong." Rude cut in calmly.
Rod scoffed. "Trust Rude to see situations in such an objective light."
"That doesn't mean that he doesn't agree with me." Reno quipped.
Tseng walked into the Turks Lounge, his face solemn. "Brother Tseng?" Meia asked.
"Veld is not budging." He said to them. "I tried to tell him to appeal to President Shinra, but he won't listen."
Reno shrugged. "Boss has his own orders to listen to, yo." He said stoically.
"The information leak wasn't his fault." Rod argued.
Tseng pushed a stray strand of hair behind. "Veld said that the information on SOLDIER whereabouts is confidential. It is revealed only to the Turks and the higher executives."
"Still…" Meia glanced at Tseng. "It's unfair treatment. Brother Veld is being punished for something he didn't do, and Mr. Heidegger is not treating us with… enough… respect." She flushed. "I apologise for such disrespectful words." She kept her head down, for it was Tseng who often taught her the hard way of behaving appropriately and not emotionally in certain situations. The leader of the Turks frowned at Meia but merely waved her words off. Meia tried to hide a smile at the thought that Tseng was not too bothered by her comments on Heidegger. She rubbed her chin with a finger. "Isn't it strange that AVALANCHE could get hold of SOLDIER whereabouts?" She thought hard when she piped, "Cassie..."
Reno perked a little and stared at her. "What about her?"
"... I just remembered that I need to return her the book that she lent me a few weeks ago." She grinned.
"What a random thought." Reno scoffed. "Utterly unrelated."
Tseng looked at Meia and raised his eyebrows. Meia flushed and gave an apologetic smile. Truth was, in June last year, Cassie was given a mission to protect a scientist containing a data disc containing information on SOLDIER. Her mission failed and the disc landed in the hands of AVALANCHE. Only Tseng and Veld knew officially. Meia well... She was the only one who remembered the details of every mission that each Turk took, and pieced two and two together.
She stared at the floor, thinking back on the events that happened shortly after Veld was transferred to another department...
Meia barged into Tseng's space, where his desk was at.
"May I help you, Meia?" The solemn Turk looked at her quizzically.
"... Cassie." She said softly.
Tseng frowned at her unclear motive. "What about her?"
"She... The mission on 28th June 0001..." Meia listed the mission details perfectly as if she was the one executing the mission herself. "Sister Cassie was protecting a disc containing SOLDIER information... right?" She stared at Tseng, realisation barely masked on her face. "We never asked if the mission was a success... we never asked any Turk that question because it was taken for granted that every mission we embark on must be a success." She placed her hands on the table. "She... Did that mission have anything to do with the information leak?"
Tseng pinched the area between his eyebrows at her words. "I forget how nosy you are." He said with an air of resignation. "... This information is only made known to Veld and myself."
Meia beamed at the news. "Then let us tell President Shinra about this! Then it wouldn't be Brother Veld's fault that the information is leaked!"
"But did you realise what the consequences may lead to?"
Meia thought for a brief moment and somewhere in her brain clicked a terrifying truth. "... Sister Cassie will be killed."
Nodding, Tseng added. "President Shinra isn't so willing to kill Veld because he has served the company for many years and has knowledge that makes him indispensible..." He folded his arms and said, "I doubt I can say the same for Cassie."
"But... But Brother Veld-"
"Veld can take care of himself. We need to take care of ourselves first. Besides, there was information in AVALANCHE'S hands that were not in the disk... It's likely that Cassie is not to blame for the information leak." Tseng pursed his lips into a tight line. "Whatever discussion we have here... didn't happen."
"Alrighty then." Reno's dead voice broke Meia's train of thoughts. "Chopper's waiting." He beckoned the three of them to the elevator. As they entered, he yawned. "Junon can't get any more exciting than this." He said with a flat tone.
"Come back safely." Meia waved, but only Leia managed to wave back before the elevator doors closed, leaving Rod and Meia at the lift lobby of Floor 56.
Rod turned to Meia. "Well, I'm free now so I'm gonna head back and slee-" He was interrupted by messages from both their PHSes.
Meia reached for her PHS and she checked her mail. It was from Mason: Meet in the lounge in 10 minutes' time. Orders from Heidegger… And you aren't going to like it.
"Ah hell." Both of them cursed simultaneously.
Lower Junon, 1815 hours
The streets of Junon looked drenched with orange paint as the setting sun shone its refracted rays on the port city. Stopping at an alleyway, Reno checked for signs of activity. Once he ensured that it was safe, he dialed a new number… to Heidegger. "Reno here. I'm in Lower Junon."
Reno must admit that he wasn't used to hearing Heidegger's voice over the phone. "Patrol the area. That's all I want you do to." He said.
"Wai – Is that it?" He dropped his jaw at his instructions.
"What? Do you have a problem?"
Reno bit his lower lip and took a few deep breaths to regulate his emotions again. "… Nothing in particular."
"If there's any trouble, call me immediately so I can release the troops. Gya haa haa!"
As he hung up, Reno slapped his forehead. Oh, geez. This guy can't be serious. He thought. He flipped his PHS shut and tapped his shoulder with his EMR. Was the disgusting laugh even necessary?
Right Junon, 1820 hours
Rude glanced at his quiet surroundings and tugged at his gloves. For once he felt that there was no need to report to his new leader, but orders are orders. He flipped open his PHS and dialed the number to Heidegger's office. "This is Rude. I've reached R-Junon."
Rude thought that Heidegger's voice sounded a little bored. "You stay there and patrol the area."
I bet Reno must be tearing his hair out from the boredom. He thought.
"Hey!" Heidegger yelled rudely. "Can you hear me?"
"I can hear you."
"Call me if you find anything suspicious."
Veld never had any problems with my silence. Rude frowned.
"… Yes sir."
Rude flipped his PHS shut before he risked the chance of hearing the annoying laugh.
"I… swear…" Rod cursed under his breath. "If I'm immune to punishment, I'll kill Heidegger a hundred times over."
Meia shook her head. "The task is not so bad." She whispered to him.
"Are you kidding me?" Rod stared at her. "I'm a rookie (though being in the Turks for a year hardly counts as one), but I know very well the quality of jobs and special assignments that only the Turks get to do." Rod mumbled at his clipboard. "Helping scientists run tests on the SOLDIERS is NOT one of them."
Metres away, Alana glanced at Rod's empty report. "Please do not be distracted by your complaints, Rod." She said politely, though her tone was dry and displeased as well. "If the Turks are given a job, we do it. No matter how dirty, how mundane it is."
"Beats what the rest are doing now, isn't it?" Meia tried to offer the brighter side of the situation. At least they are able to watch countless SOLDIER fight against simulated monsters. More brain food for me. She thought gleefully, observing how easily they adapt to environmental changes and the different physical features of the monsters.
The rest of the Turks were sent to the Shinra libraries and archives to sort and organize material. The Turk Archives has always been meticulously arranged and sorted out, thanks to Leia's minor clean-streak. Once in a while, Leia would gather Meia and KK to the Archives and they would spend a day returning papers and files to their respective places. I suppose the other deapartments aren't as efficient as us.
"This is preposterous." Rod complained. "I didn't become a Turk to do administration. Heidegger is taunting our existence."
"Not surprising." An arrogant voice spoke behind them. They turned to face some SOLDIER 2nd Class who just exited the modulation room. "The Turks are pretty useless, if you were to ask me. Maybe just that they look nice in their suits." They grinned crudely as they checked out Alana.
Alana turned back to her report and ignored their crass advances, but Rod didn't take it too well in his stride. He stood up and challenged them to repeat what they said. "Brother Rod!" Meia exclaimed.
"I said, I challenge you to say that again." Rod repeated, his voice low and threatening.
"What's the meaning of this?" Professor Timothy stepped in. "I do not tolerate violence in my lab. Bring your noise outside."
"With pleasure." Rod glared at them. Throwing his clipboard onto the floor, he walked out. Meia stared at Alana for help, but she shrugged and said that she doesn't involve herself in petty fights like these. Shaking her head, Meia ran out of the SOLDIER Training Room.
Rod stretched his neck lazily. "It's kinda unfair if we use Materia or weapons. I say we go fists?" He raised an eyebrow at them.
The SOLDIERS threw their swords on the floor. "Don't act cocky, kid." They sneered. "Two Mako-powered men against one, what are your odds of surviving?"
Without warning, Rod took the first strike. The men moved together in coordination, as if they had a single mind. Their attacks and defenses were seamlessly and well-rehearsed. Meia knew immediately that the two SOLDIERS have been working together for a really long time, in order to build such rapport.
However, Rod was surprisingly agile enough to dodge their coordinated attacks. He smirked as he side stepped the two men who came at him in different directions. Meia smiled, realizing that she didn't need to worry about Rodzen at all. He seemed to be capable of tackling two 2nd Class SOLDIERS very well. His unarmed fighting skills were almost as good as Leia.
I never thought Brother Rod was that good in unarmed combat. Meia thought. Then again, he lived as a gangster in the slums. Surely he has to fight well in order to be the leader of the delinquents. Yet he lost to Brother Reno…
Meia raised her eyebrows and wondered just how strong could Reno and his mentor, Rude, get. Then there was Tseng and Veld and… Meia shook her head. She is the smallest fry of them all. There will always be room for improvement.
Finally, Rod knocked one of the SOLDIERS unconscious when he elbowed the SOLDIER's nape. The man fell and his partner cried in concern. "I suggest that before I render you unconscious," Rod said seriously. "You give up the fight and carry your partner to the infirmary."
The surviving SOLDIER scoffed. "As if I would!" With a cry, the SOLDIER flicked a switchblade from his hand. Before Meia could cry out a warning, the man drove the blade into Rod's side.
"Urk!" Rod clutched his waist and the SOLDIER took the opportunity to kick Rod onto the floor.
"That's cheating!" Meia yelled at the SOLDIER.
"Cheating shouldn't be such a surprise to you." He sneered. "After all, you Turks are so capable such underhanded measures."
Meia roared and ran towards him, rearing her fist for a punch. Ignoring the shouts from Rod, she rammed her fist against his helmet… but it did nothing to the SOLDIER. Meia jumped back, grabbing her hand. She growled at the pain, but her tears fell uncontrollably.
"Meia!" Rod shouted again. "You idiot!"
"Tch, is that all the strength you have?" The SOLDIER leered. "A kid like you shouldn't even be here-"
"Blizzara!" She yelled at him.
Frost first came but before the SOLDIER could react, the water vapour from the air quickly gathered on his body and solidified in a matter of seconds. The man yelled for help but he only saw fury flashing in her eyes.
Rod grabbed his EMR ready to smash the ice that was already freezing halfway up of the SOLDIER'S chest when someone behind shouted. "Fire!" The ice began to melt, the water flowed smoothly down the SOLDIER'S body and became a puddle of water again.
"Meia!" Meia felt a strong pair of arms holding her from moving. It was Kunsel's voice. "What the hell are you doing?"
"No one slanders the Turks' name and gets away with it!" She said venomously, glaring at the shivering SOLDIER.
"Calm down!" Kunsel yelled into her ear, dragging her further from the SOLDIER. "Your hot temper is really getting you nowhere!" Meia growled and struggled against him in vain.
Zack Fair, the one who cast 'Fire' on the SOLDIER, ran to him and checked for any injuries. "Dominic, are you alright?" He asked concernedly, but Rod sensed a tone of amusement in the SOLDIER 1st Class' voice. Dominic muttered that he was fine, though he clearly looked stunned at the speed of Meia's magic formation. Zack chuckled. "Meia doesn't have a good punch, but it'll do you some good to not compete with her in magic." He glanced at Rod and cast "Cure" on his wound. "Good thing the wound is superficial." He murmured. "Why are you fighting?"
Rod spoke first. "T'was just a sparring session."
The raven-haired SOLDIER wasn't convinced. "In the middle of the SOLDIER Floor?" Rod shrugged. Dominic looked away, saying nothing.
Meia looked at the ex-gang leader with surprise. She didn't expect Rod to cover up for the man who stabbed him. She glared at Dominic. "You need to discipline your men more, Brother Zack." Without shifting her gaze, she said firmly. "We aren't as good as you in fighting, but don't you dare say that we are useless. And don't you dare pull that sneaky, downright-low trick on us."
Huh. Kunsel lifted his eyebrows at Dominic but said nothing. "Alrighty, little girl." Kunsel said cheerfully. "Are you free now? Wanna join Zack and I to the cafeteria?"
Meia glanced at the SOLDIER, Dominic, and back at Kunsel. She took a deep breath. "I'll… head inside to ask for permission." She nodded at the door of Training Room 49. Kunsel released his hold on her and she walked through the metal doors.
As she disappeared, Dominic glanced at Rod sheepishly. "I was a little overboard. I apologise for my actions." Rod stared at him… and gave him the middle finger. "You!" The SOLDIER exclaimed.
Rod grinned. "I'm not affected by you. The only who's hot-headed is the naïve idiot inside. But not to worry, she'll forget her anger pretty quickly."
Kunsel was going to ask more when a very cheerful Meia appeared at the door, ready to get her chocolate milk.
Junon was in chaos. Leia ran along the streets of Lower Junon, fighting AVALANCHE members, one after another. I never knew that the group is so big! She thought. That or the whole AVALANCHE is out to get me… I rather that… than the thought that in the other areas, Reno, Rude and Tseng are… Leia shuddered at her thoughts. She made a mistake by confronting AVALANCHE when she realized that they were gathered in the Junon harbor. She didn't expect them to be so great in number and it would take forever for SOLDIER to be activated anyway…
Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw a little girl standing by the pavement, staring at her. She wore simple clothes, though she didn't look like she belonged to the slums. In her hand she carried a doll. Leia squinted, trying to make out what the plushie was. It looked uncannily like Tseng, with the Turk black suit and short ponytail. Then, Leia smacked her forehead as she realized that it IS a Tseng plushie. Months back, Cassie had a devilish idea, out of the essence of her boredom, to merchandise the Turks by creating plushies for sale. Leia clearly remembered that Cassie said the plushies would help 'dissipate the tension and negative connotations whenever Turks are mentioned'.
I can't believe Cassie actually… She stared at the plushie. It looked remarkably like the Wutaian.
The little girl shrunk under Leia's gaze, clutching the Tseng plushie tighter. Leia immediately looked away, not wanting to scare the girl. What is a child doing here anyway? She thought. Thankfully, there aren't any AVALANCHE members around.
Leia walked slowly towards the little girl. "Hey there," She said, her voice soft but firm. "It's really dangerous to be out here so run back home and stay there, alright?" The girl looked at her and nodded shyly.
"Takara!" A woman shouted from behind the girl. The girl turned her head and waved at a running woman. As the woman approached, she immediately grabbed the girl's hand. "Takara!" She chided. "How many times must I tell you, do not speak to anybody wearing black suits!" She threw a dirty look at Leia.
Clenching her jaw slightly to maintain her pokerface, Leia said, "Ma'am, please return home immediately. It's not safe to be out here."
"I don't need a Turk to give me orders." The woman replied nastily. "Come on, Takara, we're going home!"
The girl was pulled along by the woman, but she managed to turn back and Leia was sure that she saw the girl, Takara, smile.
Making a mental note to inform Cassie about her unsuccessful plushie-project, Leia side-stepped onto the pavement. "What now…" She murmured. "Maybe I should-" Her PHS interrupted whatever she intended to say. She picked up her PHS and, fearing for the worst, said. "Leia here."
Heidegger's voice was thunderous. "You fool! Junon's been overtaken by AVALANCHE soldiers! I told you to let me know as soon as you found anything!"
"I'm sorry." Leia replied emotionlessly. She constantly checked her surroundings while on the phone. Junon has been so heavily overrun by AVALANCHE that she hasn't been able to take a break for more than 5 minutes. "... I wasn't able to get in touch with you." She took a deep breath and tried not to be distracted by the stitch on her side.
"Everything's compromised, and it's all YOUR fault!" Heidegger's accusing voice did nothing to soothe her heart, burning from the excess running and fighting. "Get your ass up to the airport – now!"
"The airport?" Leia exclaimed.
"They're after the airplanes and airships. Tseng's found out. Stop them! Go! Now!"
Leia gritted her teeth at his reckless and impatient commands. "Wait a minute! What are the other Turks doing?" For the past 30 minutes, Leia was fighting the anti-Shinra troops without a single clue of what her comrades were facing. The knowledge that things could be better executed irked her terribly. "Shouldn't we coordinate our movements?"
"Stop asking me stupid questions! All you have to do is go to the airport!"
The click on the other end told Leia that the call has ended. Stupid questions! She all but screamed furiously in her mind. Your irrational orders are stupid, that's what. But of course... "… He hung up."
Leia stared at the streets ahead of her, a peaceful facade hiding what truly is happening in Junon. To the airport it is.
Alana walked down the corridor on Floor 10. The grueling session with the scientists on the SOLDIER Floor did not improve her mood. On top of that, Rod and Meia created more trouble by getting themselves into a fight with some SOLDIERS. Though the matter was resolved (and Alana was secretly glad that Rod and Meia won the bout), she disapproved of their behaviour. Then, she found out that Rod was injured in the fight and sent him to the clinic. After a long lecture to the reckless young Turk while the nurse fussed about his freshly healed wound, she left the clinic. She pressed the elevator button and waited patiently. The doors opened and she stepped in… to meet face-to-face with Veld.
"Sir." She bowed. Veld nodded slightly and the doors closed behind them.
"It's been a while." Veld said lightly.
The gun-user never liked 'small talk', preferring to go straight to the point. "Sir…" She said. "You were transferred to the Surveillance Department?" Veld nodded. "What is the situation in Junon?"
"I have no reason to discuss this with you." Was the former leader's reply.
"But sir!" Alana turned to look at him. "I overheard Heidegger on the SOLDIER Floor. The four of them are largely outnumbered by the AVALANCHE!" She clenched her teeth together. "Please, sir." She begged, staring at the floor in front of her. "You know the disastrous consequences, we're going to lose 4 very competent Turks. Mr. Heidegger doesn't know the Turks like you do."
Ding! The elevator stopped at Floor 31.
"Have a good day, Alana." Veld walked out of the elevator. Alana only stared after his figure until the elevator doors closed by itself.
Congratulations, XXTakaraXX! For finding a loophole in my previous chapter, I've made a small small tribute to you in this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it!
For other (not-so-important) stuff, you may go to my blog here: aichioluv (dot) blogspot (dot) com.
[Oh, almost forgot. If you're new to the story and you don't know how to navigate to access the author's notes in previous chapters, just click on the "I Want To Be A Turk" Label on the right side and then find the chapter number under the blog title. Blog title format should be: I Want To Be A Turk!: Chapter X]
Thanks again for keeping up with the story! Merry Christmas and hope you enjoy this chapter!