Summary:

Cloud and party had defeated Sephiroth, and the Lifestream and Holy destroyed Meteor, but Gaia and her people had not escaped unscathed. Midgar was decimated, and the populace scattered. A new town, Edge, was being built on the fringes of the old Metropolis. And Rufus, with a few remaining Turks, have taken up residence in the Shinra property once called Cliffside Resort, which now was renamed, Healin Lodge. But people were still scared, and their uncertain future caused many to seek to lay blame at the feet of those they believed the cause of their sorrows-Shinra! A box that held letters to a SOLDIER member, believed to be lost in the ruins of the Shinra Tower, mysteriously returns to its keeper.

Chapter 1: Once a Turk, Always a Turk

Tseng sat at the make-shift desk he had installed in Rufus's room. With a cup of strong tea, he read the Daily Buzz as the morning sun shone weakly through the bedroom window. There wasn't anything new or exciting in the paper. Just the same old- People coming together and rebuilding their lives. The Monument is built in the centre of the new town of Edge and was coming along nicely. And people are still complaining that it was all Shinra's fault. And the death toll from Geo-Stigma continued to rise. With an audible sigh, Tseng laid the paper on the side of the desk and examined the lockbox in front of him. Letting his fingers run gently along the top.

It had arrived with the morning's mail delivery, "How in the hell did this get here, and who is responsible?" Tseng wondered to himself. The box had been locked in the bottom drawer of his desk in Shinra H.Q., which was now inaccessible due to catastrophic damage to the tower caused by Weapon's attack and the Lifestream's Purge. An incredible ache of regret consumed Tseng as he stared at the box that held eighty-eight love letters Aerith had written to Zack and Tseng had been unable to deliver. Yet, in the quiet of the room, a promise laid heavily on Tseng's mind.

A whimper of pain distracted Tseng from his melancholy, and he looked over to the bed where Rufus slept. It had been four months since Weapon had attacked H.Q., and the Turks had believed Rufus had perished. And for the last three of those months, Rufus had been held captive by Kilmister. But it had only been a month since Rufus had been inflicted with the plague that was now being called Geostigma. So much had happened in such a short time. During this time, Tseng had been forced to acknowledge that the relationship between himself and Rufus was so much more than physical gratification. But that was something he kept hidden behind the facade of being a Turk.

"How did you manage to survive?" Tseng questions the sleeping form. But there was no reply. Rufus was heavily sedated, as well as many of the patients who now resided at the Lodge, in anticipation of the storm that loomed on the morning's horizon—sadly, being drugged like this only allowed Rufus to sleep and did little to ease the pain that wracked his now frail body. And unfortunately, there was nothing more Tseng could do to ease Rufus's discomfort. But looking at the box and then the paper, an idea began to form. So having given Reno orders for guarding and care of Rufus, Tseng took the box of letters and headed into Edge, where the Newspaper had newly relocated. And hopefully set into motion a plan to get the box to the one place where it could be laid to rest, as it were, and generate much-needed good publicity for Shinra-at least Tseng hoped it would.

After their deaths, Veld had taken Felicity and gone into hiding in plain sight by relocating to Junon and renting this apartment. Veld had then hired the best doctors his money could buy to heal his daughter and continue treating her mental trauma. It had been almost a year, and the need to hide who they were had ended with the fall of the Shinra Electric Power Company. And Felicity, physically and mentally, was now well on the mend. This included the reestablishing of the relationship between parent and child. But Veld's years of dedication and devotion to the Turks had not subsided. Instead, he just now chose to work in a more discreet fashion of ferrying information.

Veld, no longer in the signature suit of his former profession, now sat comfortably in front of the large wooden desk he had installed in his home office in his new apartment in Junon. It wasn't like the office he had initially occupied in the Shinra Tower when he was the Director. Instead, this one was decorated in warm wood-coloured tones with large windows facing Junon's open harbour. It was bright, airy and inviting- a place where he could comfortably go over reports from former Turk operatives who had integrated themselves into the civilian world. Some of them had gone back to their hometowns and old lives. Others went to places they had fallen in love with while on missions but could not stay. A few even set up shop with new identities in Edge's newly built town. And even though many enjoyed the obscurity of their news lives, years of training and habit still had many sending information that could affect Shinra to Veld through secure channels. A moment later, Veld's phone chimed; knowing only a select few had this number, he answered, "Yes?"

"Good afternoon Sir!" Tseng's smooth-toned voice responded.

Veld smiled to himself. Tseng's professionalism would never allow him to drop formality between them. Even though Tseng officially outranked him now. "Good afternoon Tseng. What can I do for you? Is everything alright with the President?"

"Much is the same but thank you for asking. And yes, there is something you can do for me! I have sent a courier of sorts your way. He'll be arriving in Junon on a Chocobo train in about five days and is carrying an essential package for Cissnei. So I am hoping that you might be able to secure his transport on the Ferry to Costa?" Tseng inquired politely.

Seeing no reason to deny Tseng, Veld inquired, "And who is the person?"

"Damon Kirby," Tseng informed.

"The reporter for the Daily Buzz? " Veld exclaimed in surprise.

Tseng chuckled, hearing that Veld knew of the man. "Indeed!"

Veld sighed. He felt that Tseng would not disclose what the package for Cissnei was, but he quired Tseng all the same. "And what is so important that you would use this man?"

Tseng smiled softly to himself before replying. "Something that needs to be put to rest. And I am hoping for some positive light to be shed on the company!"

"So Rufus intends to keep Shinra alive?"

"He does!"

"Well then, I will do what I can!" Veld disconnected the call.

A few hours later, Veld had booked passage for the reporter in a VIP stateroom and wired a message to Legend informing him of the target and mission and its expected arrival date. And then Veld went to check up on his daughter and see if she was up to going out for dinner.

In actual retirement, Legend had left his old identity behind, assuming the name Ragnar Beck. He now kept himself clean-cut and clean-shaven and wore clothing best suited to the warm coastal climate. And even though he was retired, he, like many of his former comrades, still kept in regular contact. So it was no surprise to him when he received a telegram from Veld informing him to intercept a 'package' from Tseng and discreetly investigate.

Legend, for all intense appearances, lazily reclined in the lounge chair on his deck of the Villa he had purchased in Costa Del Sol, reading the coded telegraph he had received from Veld. This new Villa was ten times more luxurious than the one where he had spent his ' retirement.' And offered him more privacy from the tourist than the original had and included more amenities he had come to crave. Moreover, it was fully staffed, and he could now indulge in beautiful women and men, Fine alcohol, and a wide variety of cigarillos he had taken to smoking. Having concluded reading, Legend laughed to himself. There were still perks to being a former Turk; not all required pain and persecution. Some of them only needed a more pleasing touch. He got up to send a reply back to Veld and a heads up to Cissnei.

Cissnei returned to the Fair's house after a long day of monster extermination. Even though they had dismantled the old reactor, the sight seemed to attract many monsters. And being so close to the village, the job had become a full-time position for those who could fight.

Upon entering the house, "A Telegraph has come from a Ragnor, for you dear!" Amelia stated, a frown creasing her brow.

Cissnei smiled warmly, easing Amelia's obvious concern. "Thanks, mom. It's an old friend!" Cissnei stated as she took the envelope. Opening, she read the coded message from Legend, and tears threatened to cloud her vision as she read.

Seeing the tears forming in Cissne's eyes, Amelia fair became concerned for her adopted daughter. Placing a protective hand on Cissnei's arm, "Is everything alright, dear? Do I need to get your dad?"

Cissnei shook her head and smiled wobbly. "No, mom, everything is alright! A package is on its way from Midgar!" Cissnei asserted as she hugged the older woman.

Notes: This chapter is one of two one-shot stories I wrote for From Shinra with Love-A Turks Pinup-Zine. And now that a year and some have passed, I've seen some of the other's work posted. So I have re-edited this story and expanded it some. I hope you enjoy it.

Ragnar Beck-Warrior by the stream