Chapter Eleven: Bombing Mission
It was a command center a way south of Los Andares. Within a briefing room, Cloud and the other militia commanders waited. Jessie kept glancing at him oddly, as did Barret, who kept looking at reports. He seemed to be seething with some private anger.
Cloud didn't blame him.
The militia and Alpha Squadron had been in a frenzy of activity lately. More and more dropships descended every day to land with more troops. Each time, Duke had those ships commissioned for his own use. A lot of people coming out of those ships had looked...
Off.
Empty-eyed or terrified out of their minds. Some were brain-panned, some were not. But almost all of them were going to die. And if by some miracle, most of them survived. That just meant even more people would be left behind for the xenomorphs.
"So uh, Cloud, who is this Serena Calabas we've been assigned to?" asked Wedge.
Cloud shrugged. "I have no idea.
"An Old Family heiress. Though, well, most of the Old Families women don't have careers. Usually, they're expected to be in charge of the household, usually bred for that purpose."
"Genetically engineered, actually," said Barret suddenly. "My old buddy, Dyne's wife Eleena, used to work as a servant in their household. They create em in test tubes, so they don't have to put in childbearing work.
"Bunch of unnatural freaks. Enemies of nature."
"So what's she doing here then?" asked Biggs, checking his gun.
"I know about it," said Jessie suddenly. "She grew up here on Chau Sara under an alias. Then there was a hit, and her Father was murdered. Ended up going through college with high grades. You sure you don't know anything about her, Cloud?"
"Of course I don't-" began Cloud.
"Good to see you, Cloud," said a voice.
Cloud whirled around and saw an unmistakable face, one he'd made a promise to a long time ago. Tifa Lockheart was clad in a violent military uniform that clung to her enormous breasts. Her long black hair fell around her beautiful face and down her shoulders. She adjusted her black gloves. Her outfit bared her legs, which were covered only by a pair of thigh-high, high-heeled leather boots.
"Tifa?" asked Cloud.
"Sorta," said Tifa. "Sorry to pull you away from your friends, but I needed you. I'm Serena Calabas right now." And without further ado, she strode past them and set down a projector on the desk. Out of it shot light that showed a Mako reactor's image, standing at the center of a city. Fumes were pouring out of it, but the landscape around was infested by xenomorphs. Giant tendrils were gripping the buildings, and zerglings and hydralisks were everywhere.
Cloud found he could only think of doing his job all of a sudden.
"Now, I need to explain the Confederacy's plan," said Tifa. "People think the planet is doomed. However, saner heads are concerned about the possibility of a zerg invasion.
"President Shinra wants to make sure the zerg suffer serious casualties.
"That's why we recruit people from prisons, hand them some basic training and a marine suit. The contracts for production get passed around as favors. Then our glorious Confederacy sends our slave soldiers to die in droves. Those descending here are just the first of the prisons we plan to empty. They've had a months training, and now they'll earn it.
"Unfortunately, this plan has one problem.
"I intend to win this war before the second wave arrives."
"Big words from someone with no combat experience," said Barret.
"That's why I've asked for your help," said Tifa. "As professional soldiers who aren't in debt to the Old Families, I can get an unbiased opinion from you.
"Now, here is our operation." She pointed to the image. "This is the city of New Wark.
"A week ago, it fell to a Xenomorph onslaught. The people have all been long since evacuated or killed. However, the xenomorphs have had some peculiar behavior. Notice anything strange about the layout of the hive clusters?"
"...It's all surrounding the Mako reactor," said Barret.
"Right," said Serena. "The zerg are using the Mako reactor and draining the energy from it to fuel their armies. And our information suggests they are producing zerg at a massively accelerated rate.
"Obviously, we can't allow them to maintain control of it."
"So we're going to attack the hive?" asked Biggs.
"We could," said Tifa. "But, without access to any heavy equipment. That would require human wave attacks, and I'd prefer to avoid them, especially with the xenomorphs being stronger in number. So I analyzed the layout, and I concluded that they are drawing on a lot of Mako.
"If the Mako reactor were to be overloaded and destroyed, however, it would cause a chain reaction. One that would annihilate the entire hive for us."
"...You want to wreck a Mako reactor?" asked Wedge. "You have any idea how much those things cost? And there will be huge collateral."
"Actually, yes," said Tifa. "I estimate the damages will be around ten billion. Unfortunately for President Shinra, I don't own stock in the Mako business. I do not like how the Old Families seem to regard this war as pure statistics.
"I think a lot of them taking a massive hit to their wallet before they can pull their money out would be a good lesson. Besides, the Calabas Family has bet against the Mako stock continuing to rise. As for the collateral, the only person it'll be killing is the xenomorphs. I'm concerned about the environmental effects anyway."
"Sounds like you've got it all figured out," said Barret.
"It will help us win the war, stave off the slow death of the universe, save lives and make my family a lot of money," said Tifa. "How do you lose in this situation?"
"By dying," noted Biggs. "How do we get in there?"
"How does anyone get around when they lack personal transportation?" asked Tifa. "They take a train." She switched the image to show a speeding train station. "The rail line is here and still works. We suspect the xenomorphs don't really understand how our technology operates or why.
"Which means we can move through to the Mako reactor. At least as long as the zerg don't get in the way. This is why I'm going to stage a distraction with the bulk of our forces.
"I'll lead a strike force of former serial killers to set up defenses outside the base. If my analysis of their pattern is correct, they'll attack outright. If not, we'll attack instead.
"While the zerg are preoccupied, the strike force will enter the reactor. They'll set explosives in the heart and evac. Doing so will likely cause a chain reaction that will obliterate the entire zerg hive. Once that is done, we'll capitalize on our success.
"Mr. Barret, you'll take care of this personally. Cloud, Jessie, and a detachment of marines will go with you."
Barret blinked. "...So, you want to pay me to blow up a Mako reactor?"
"With danger pay," said Tifa. "I thought you'd be pleased."
"I am," said Barret. "I'm just wondering what the catch is?"
"Can you do it?" asked Tifa.
"Of course," said Barret.
"Then no catch," said Tifa. "This is 100% legal ecoterrorism for the safety and wellbeing of the Confederacy of Man. Have fun."
And that was how the group headed out by rail line. Cloud sat by a window seat, looking on as a group of mutalisks dueled with marines on the ground. Soon they passed them by, however, moving at an immense rate.
Barret seemed furious, though, and was oiling his gun arm with obvious anger. "There ain't no getting off this train we're on."
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Cloud.
"Look outside, Cloud," said Barret. "This place used to be someone's home. A city where people lived with farmlands outside it. Now it's just a wreck-filled with zerg."
Cloud looked out and realized that there were buildings before them. Empty towns where the militia was trying to set up checkpoints as new troops came in. Still, as long as Tifa believed it was right, it was.
Wait, why was he suddenly so devoted to Tifa? Cloud remembered Sephiroth's words, of him being a puppet designed as a bodyguard. Was that possible? If so, had Tifa ever really existed? Was Serena Calabas Tifa?
"Do you think we'll be able to pull this off?" asked Wedge.
"Maybe," said Barret. "At least we'll blow up that damn Mako Reactor."
"What do you have against Mako Reactors?" asked Cloud. "They're just a source of Vespene Gas."
"And what do you think Vespene is, Cloud?" asked Barret. "You ever hear about any Vespene Mines? Hear about planets running out of Vespene Reserves? Ever had Prospectors find a lot of Vespene on a planet?"
"No. It's a synthetic fuel," said Cloud. "What's your point?"
"Vespene just ordinary fuel laced with Mako," said Barret. "The Refineries just process the stuff. Different kinds are made to train ghosts and SOLDIERs.
"Mako, on the other hand, ain't a natural resource. It's taken directly from the Lifestream."
"What the hell is the Lifestream?" asked Cloud.
"You don't know much, do ya?" asked Barret.
"I'm Christian, Barret," said Cloud. And he saw flashes of spending time in a church with his Mother. Tifa... had she been there? "I don't go in for this new age cult stuff."
"It ain't a cult!" said Barret. "The Lifestream is all around us! It is us! When we die, we return to it! Within the Lifestream is all the memories and knowledge of everyone to ever live! It connects everything in the universe, and if it disappeared, so would every world!
"It's the source of what scientists call gravity. Without the Lifestream, there'd be nothing holding this universe together. And Shinra is drawing on the Lifestream for a quick buck. And they're doing it more and more by the day."
"...If that's the case, why are the zerg interested in it?" asked Jessie.
"Maybe the critters are attracted to power," said Biggs.
"Yeah, but, if the Lifestream is the source of Mako," said Wedge, "and the zerg are using Mako to fuel their armies... doesn't that mean they are sapping the will of humanity itself?"
Silence fell.
"That's uh... pretty chilling," said Jessie.
"Enough," said Barret. "We're coming up on New Wark. Now we find out if Commander Calabas' plan worked. Biggs, you take the militia and guard the front once we get in there. This place is gonna get real hot real fast. Jessie, you got the bomb?"
Jessie raised it. "Yep! Assembled it just like the computer told me to!"
"Good, keep it ready," said Barret. "Wedge, you get the doors."
"Why not just blow up the doors?" asked Cloud.
"Do the zerg look like they've noticed us yet?" said Barret, pointing to the city. "I want to keep this thing quiet as long as possible."
Cloud looked out and saw vast numbers of zerg rushing of the city. They were headed toward a series of bunkers being assembled even now. Marines pointed and fired at them en masse, while more came.
And Cloud saw Tifa giving orders. A zergling managed to evade the gunfire and leaped toward her. Even as it descended, however, Tifa moved aside from it and punched it upside the head. The creature exploded into a mass of gore as it hurtled back to knock over a crowd of them. Grenades were tossed, and explosions resounded.
That was... actually pretty hot.
Then Cloud saw them heading toward the city. Sure enough, the zerg did not seem to pay them any mind. It helped that the inside of the train had one-way windows. With most of the zerg focusing, nothing stopped them.
"How can they not know it's us?" asked Biggs.
"Ask yer questions later, damn it!" said Barret. "Lock and load, people! We're going in hot!"
The train slid to a halt outside a station covered in corpses. Some of them seemed to be mutating into some sort of fleshy thing. There were; however, a few zerg around.
"Go, go, go!" said Biggs.
He and his men rushed out off the train, guns blazing. The zerg were rapidly gunned down as Cloud, and his squad brought up the rear. He saw Jessie blast down a zergling with her pistol as the men established checkpoints. Cloud saw two hydralisks emerging and leaped down toward them. Swinging his blade, he cleaved them down, and then they ran through the station.
Tifa had made them memorize the map from the station again and again. Now, as they rushed through the streets, they heard the sound of gunfire. Wedge set up what appeared to be a laser-drill, ordinarily used for mining, coming to the gates. Activating it, the energy shot at the door.
"There's the zerg," said someone over the communications. "Wax em boys!"
Gunfire broke out as Cloud drew his sword and watched the flashes in the distance. The sound of gunfire grew greater and greater. Several mutalisks flew overhead. Fortunately, the close quarters made it difficult to hit with their blades. Guns, however, proved quite effective.
"Wedge, you got that door yet?" asked Barret, firing with his fun.
"I'm getting there," said Wedge, who had been turning the drill gradually. "The security console is wrecked, but I think I can get through."
Finally, the door broke open in a molten circle.
"There, we're good, let's go," said Wedge, taking down the stand.
In they rushed, Biggs lighting the way ahead of them with a flashlight on his gun. Cloud switched on the lights on his outfit while Barret brought up the rear. Within, Cloud saw much of the same nightmarish things he'd seen before. Some of the fleshy walls of the Mako reactor had the outline of human faces on them.
"What is all this stuff?" asked Wedge, his hands shaking as he held his pistol.
"Infestation," said Cloud. "The xenomorphs send their tendrils into places they capture and create living walls. It helps their hatcheries above ground. I saw it in the Flannum Installation."
"Well, it ain't gonna do them no good," said Barret, moving ahead.
The path led down, and they came out into a vast open chamber.
Below them, Cloud could see a vast pool of green energy pulsing down below. It had a strange quality to it, and looking at it gave him chills. For a moment, he thought he saw the face of someone he once knew. A beautiful blonde woman in a dress, but it passed as well.
They went along a walkway. Here all the gunfire had died away, and only the beating of some invisible heart was around them. Looking at the walls, Cloud saw the xenomorphs had placed many of their tendrils on the walls. And all over those tendrils were thousands upon thousands of what had once been bodies.
Some of them were moving.
Getting to a set of tanks which Mako was flowing through, Barret halted. "Cloud set the bomb."
"Right," said Cloud. "I uh... how do I do that?"
"Haven't you handled explosives?" asked Biggs.
"No," said Cloud. "It's specialized training."
"Let me," said Jessie, bringing out the duffel bag and unzipping it. Placing it down, she typed in ten minutes as the time. "Once I set this, we're going to have to get out of here real quick. It could total the whole city."
"Set it to ten minutes," said Barret. "It should be more than enough."
Jessie set it. "Okay, we're good. Let's go."
"Move!" said Barret.
They ran through the walkways and back into the darkened halls. Racing back toward the daylight, someone fell. Jessie cried out, and Cloud looked back.
"Cloud, my foot is stuck!" said Jessie desperately.
"Hang on, Jessie!" said Cloud grabbing her hand. He saw that a flesh appendage of one of the bodies had grabbed her. Lashing out with his sword, he cut it off and pulled her out. Barret was up ahead, motioning to them.
"Come on!" cried Barret.
Racing back down onto the station, they found the men fighting to hold their position. Zerg was attacking the checkpoint from two different directions. A glance back revealed more was coming the same way Cloud had.
"Get back on the train! Get back on the train now; we need to go!" said Barret.
Racing on board, the men filed up with a practiced efficiency. As Cloud got on, he saw the men cover one another. Barret was the last man to jump back on and stayed until the train started moving, moring down zerg. Just as it moved away, he grabbed it and pulled himself on board.
"Why don't you know how to do explosives, Cloud?" asked Barret.
"I'm an assault trooper," said Cloud. "Nobody trained me on how to use bombs. It's a specialized job they don't teach everyone."
"They did when I was fighting in the Guild Wars!" said Barret.
"That was a decade ago!" said Cloud. "Everything is specialized now! Most infantry are given a gun and ordered to attack. They don't survive long enough to get tasked with setting a bomb." He paused. "You fought in the Guild Wars? Which Squadron?"
"None of em," said Barret. "I was Kel'Morian. Till the Guilds sold us out."
Cloud didn't know how to respond to that. Looking out, he saw Jessie eagerly gazing at the Mako reactor. At the same time, the sound of Tifa's strike team fighting was audible.
"Jessie, what are you looking at?" asked Cloud.
"I want to see the explosion," said Jessie.
"Jessie," said Cloud. "You're about to detonate an entire reservoir of Mako. If you see that explosion, it'll probably blind-"
The Mako reactor exploded. The resulting wave of green energy threw Cloud off his feet. Looking up, he saw a vast circle of energy expanding outward. An ungodly shrieking noise filled the air as mutalisks had their wings ripped off.
However, the explosion itself was not bright at all.
"...Huh, that was actually pretty cool," said Wedge.
Today had been... eventful.
Still, at least he was reunited with Tifa at last.