Chapter 15

Gilgamesh woke up, drenched in sweat. No matter how many times he dreamed it, it always ended the same way. The sound of water crashing against the streets of Galba filled his ears, as he turned away and left her.

***

Nicholas Elcarth walked down the central avenue of Deling City down to the station. Another day wasted, trying to do something but failing because of this damn interregnum. Deling had got rid of everyone with the remotest claim to the throne or the presidency. The Sorceress had sacked or killed all the popular military and political leaders, and the only man left to lead them had disappeared without warning. 'If Caraway hadn't been fired, we might have a leader that there wouldn't be rioting in the streets about. As it is…'

He stepped onto the escalator, and stood lost in thought as it carried him down. It was only when he reached the bottom that someone interrupted his reverie.

"Nick Elcarth?"

He turned to see an armoured man with a black broadsword sheathed at his back. "Yes, what could I do for you?"

"I'm…representing someone who has a claim to the throne."

Elcarth couldn't help but grin. "Of course you are Sir, but why are you bringing this to me?"

"You've got a lot of influence, and you're one of the last royalists in the parliament. Or so I've heard."

"Then you've heard correctly. This is one of the old royal line then? One of the houses in exile?"

"No, not a descendant of the royal house. She has a rather more direct line to the original Lady of Galba…" Seoman began, smiling.

***

"So, what do you think Squall?"

Laguna and Squall stood on the plateau that would soon be the home to Esthar Garden. A few miles away from the city, the site looked west over the vast expanse of the Esthar Great Plain. The setting sun bathed the whole plain in a ruddy glow. The effect was spectacular, but the colour reminded Squall of the last time he'd been here. The monsters had been mostly cleaned out by now, though.

"Squall?"

Squall snapped out of his reverie and looked back around the plateau. "Well, the view's nice enough. I suppose it'll do. Yes, it'll do nicely. Very kind of you to offer us it Mister President."

Laguna winced. "Please, Squall, call me Laguna. We don't have to stand on ceremony."

"Sorry Laguna. I'm not really used to being promoted so quickly, that's all. I still call everyone Sir automatically."

"Hey, tell me about it." Laguna said with a grin. "One minute I was just another worker on the Lunatic Pandora, the next a revolutionary, then for some reason I got made President. It still baffles me, and I haven't got used to it even after 18 years."

"…Yeah." Squall looked back over the plains. The sun had nearly gone down, and he was starting to feel the chill. "Well, I'll get Nida and the rest of the techies to look it over, but it should do nicely. Have you found another shelter?"

"No, but we've still got the original schematics. Odine says that with the parts from the Lunatic Pandora they should be able to build one. Of course, it'll mean leaving the Crystal Pillar exposed, which is something I'm not too happy with…"

"What are you going to do with it?"

Laguna shook his head unhappily. "I don't know. I wouldn't feel right with it on the same continent as Esthar, that's for sure. Maybe when Timber or Dollet's functioning again…but I wouldn't rest easy if I didn't know for sure it was being guarded by trustworthy people. Ah well, that's a problem for another day. We'd best be getting back, I suppose."

Squall nodded. "Yeah, I think we should."

***

Elcarth strode into the room, followed by Seoman and the sorceress. The other cabinet members turned sharply in their seats.

"What is the meaning of this? Who are these people Nick?" One of them demanded, rising from his seat.

Nick announced them formally. "Honourable gentlemen, may I present Seoman of Centra, Sorceress' Knight, and the Lady Natoli of Galba, Sorceress and rightful High Lady of Galbadia."

They paled, and one of them spluttered, "Is this some kind of joke?"

Natoli strode into the centre of the room, Seoman close behind her. "It is no joke gentlemen. It's been a long time, but I'm back." The dim light of the smoky room gave her angelic features a harsher cast, and made her look almost demonic. "And I'm here to stay."