Apparently, SOLDIER believed in paying their debts. Given most of them lived by an internal code of honor, Veld decided it was safe to cash in. After all, while they certainly had the advantage, they had to know that they wouldn't get out of a fight with the Turks unscathed, and didn't seem eager to find out just how bad the fallout would be. For now, they were at a tentative truce, and so long as it continued to work in joint favor, it seemed likely to hold.

It was secure enough that he felt safe putting weight on it. Zack and Kunsel seemed genuinely inclined to help, and even if it was only to repay a perceived debt, he was willing to work with it to get his daughter back.

There were many benefits to working with SOLDIER, not the least of which was the fact that they had the best mages in ShinRa. Sure, Rhapsodos had been the best of the best, but he was far from the only one with magic skill. He was sure there had been parallels drawn between he and Richards - the two red headed swordmages with hot tempers and a penchant for destruction were pretty similar at a glance. Genesis had had a charming way with words when he cared to and a classier sort of bearing that Benji most definitely did not, but he'd also had a hard time working with the army, who mostly seemed alright with Benji. There were tradeoffs, and while he wouldn't have necessarily picked one over the other, he felt fairly confident with the one he was left with.

And he certainly got along well enough with Reeve, which was the biggest part at the very moment.

"What have we got, gentlemen?"

"He was showing me how SOLDIER networks their materia," Reeve said. "It's fascinating. You know how you can link materia, of course?"

"I'm familiar." He had linked slots in his prosthetic, in fact, and he'd made good use of them.

"It's a similar principle, but it's linked entirely through the mage, not a device," Reeve said. "Which does make sense as an option, if you have that sort of refined control and the power to do it with - after all, people were casting free handed before the invention of modern bracers."

"So, what do you do?" Veld asked.

"It's all mental," Richards said. "You have to know how to activate a materia without touching it, but once you can do that, all you have to do is reach for it."

"Not exactly a standard technique," Veld said.

"Yeah, well, it became standard in the higher ranks once you had to deal with people taking your weapons when they captured you," Richards said. "Just because we don't teach it formally doesn't mean it's not known. Just not something everybody puts the work into. It's not easy."

"And most people consider magic a fall back, not a specialty," Reeve said. "No, I do get it. But it's fascinating."

"So what's the practical application here?" Veld asked. "What are we doing?"

"We're grabbing a handful of SOLDIERs who know the technique, every last Sense we can find, and networking around some key areas that have been mapped out as likely locations they'd go to," Richards said. "If we're lucky, we'll get set up before they can settle in and your people can dig them out without too much fuss."

"If we're lucky, I can do it myself," Veld said.

Reeve gave him a sharp look. "You're not just running the operation, then. You're going."

"I am," Veld agreed.

Reeve frowned, but didn't argue it. He knew that wasn't one he was going to win. "You'll need to coordinate with whatever SOLDIER is masterminding it, then."

"That'd be me," Richards said. "They're mostly Nik's guys, sure, but this is my thing, more than his. He's gonna be back on base while I run the SOLDIER end of this."

"Then we'll be working together, yes," Veld agreed. He was silent a moment, thoughtful. "Can anyone with sufficient understanding of materia learn this?"

"Anyone with sufficient Will can learn it, but it takes a certain level of magic reserves to actually do it," he said. "Why? You want to?"

"Not me," he said. "I've never been especially gifted with materia. But my partner's always had a flair for magic."

Richards arched a brow, but didn't question it. "I can work with him and see. We're on a close time schedule, though, so it's all up to how much time you're willing to have me spend on it."

"He's a quick study," Veld said. "I don't think it'll take long."

Richards clearly wasn't sure about that, but he shrugged. "Well, I'll give it a go, sure. Wouldn't hurt to have someone else on board who could do it."

"Good. I'll introduce you," Veld said. "What do I do in the meantime to get the ball rolling?"

"Send your partner down here, and get whoever you need ready to get going. We've got a good window before we absolutely have to leave for Junon, but I'd rather we be in place sooner than later. And we need to all be on the same page by the time we're settled."

Veld nodded. "Agreed. We'll finish deciding on the locations to put your networks down, assign teams, and get things in position."

"They won't be directly around the hideouts," Richards said. "Not to do the most good. We'll net out around entries and areas that they're most likely to have to pass through. They'll also be less likely to pick up on them there than they would be right around their own bases."

"Especially if they may be thinking there's a mole," Veld agreed. "Alright, do that, then."

Richards nodded. "I'll have it all mapped out in another ten minutes, so send your partner down at any time."

"Will do." Veld nodded. "Anything else? Reeve?"

"Not for me, no," Reeve said. "I'm just helping map things out, and then I'll prepare Cait to assist."

Veld nodded again. "Alright… I'll be in touch."

It was a painful eternity, waiting for things to fall into place. For entirely too long it felt like everything was moving at a crawl, and then all at once everything was happening, they were flying into Junon and getting the SOLDIERs into place, each with a Turk to help Veld keep eyes on the situation as a whole. It wasn't that he didn't trust SOLDIER, exactly - this would never work if he didn't trust SOLDIER - but there was just too much on the line to feel comfortable leaving it to them alone.

Vincent had learned the technique after a single demonstration and some practice on his own, much to Richards' shock. Veld wasn't surprised in the slightest; he'd always been an excellent student, especially when he was actively interested in the lesson. Materia was just the sort of thing he liked learning little tricks for.

Which worked out exceptionally well - Veld didn't need a SOLDIER with him. There was no one but Vincent to watch him wear a hole in the carpet as they waited, nervous energy jangling unpleasantly under his skin.

If AVALANCHE headed immediately for Junon, they could be there anywhere within the next couple hours. If they detoured… well, there was no telling. All they knew for sure was AVALANCHE had left Midgar. This was all a bet that might not pay off. There were other pockets of resistance, even just down to Fort Condor. There were other ports, though nothing anywhere near as good as Junon's. It would make sense for them to come to Junon.

But they had to know that whoever had killed Fuhito had a similar thought. Would they come?

"Veld, if you do not sit down, I will sit on you," Vincent warned.

"Liar." Veld kept pacing.

"Have I ever lied about that?" Vincent asked.

"You've barely touched anyone since you've gotten back, you're not -" Veld jerked to a halt, the red mist that was somehow Vincent vanishing from where he'd been sitting to reform in front of him. "Fuck, can you not?"

Vincent blinked down at him a moment, then held a gloved hand out, waiting patiently.

Veld watched him, rather startled by that turn of events. After a moment, he smiled ruefully and took it. He'd meant to hold lightly, not wanting to make him feel trapped - as much as you could trap a man who could turn to mist - but Vincent tightened his hold and gave a pointed tug, and he gave in to the urge to hold back just as tight. "You're serious?"

"Come sit with me," Vincent said softly.

Veld followed him, not wanting him to change his mind, and ended up joining him by the materia he'd been sitting by. There wasn't anything to see, but it wasn't the materia holding his attention.

Vincent sat gracefully, flicking his mantle out of the way and tugging Veld down beside him. "We may be in for an extensive wait."

"I know, I just…" He looked away.

"It's your daughter," Vincent said quietly. "I certainly don't blame you. But you'll do yourself no good to get so wound up before the action even starts."

"I know." And he did, it was a rookie mistake. He knew better. But apparently he'd run out of objectivity somewhere between seeing her face in Hojo's files and seeing real, concrete proof she was alive in Midgar.

"Just breathe, Veld."

"I am."

"It's going to be fine."

Veld gave him a sharp look. "Don't patronize me. You don't know that."

"I never said it would be good," Vincent said patiently. "But whatever happens, we'll cope."

Veld rolled his eyes, but couldn't be bothered to fight back a small smile. "Oh, so you're mister positivity now?"

"I prefer practicality," Vincent said. "It's overdue, isn't it?"

"It is," Veld admitted, amused. His next comment was lost as Vincent stiffened, eyes flicking towards the city entrance. "Vin?"

"They're here."