After Laguna and Neos had been recovered, Xu had them transported to Garden, which waited silently on the Balamb Continent for the arrival of the Ragnorak. When the ship did arrive, the wounded were quickly cared for, and Xu called in Miles, Lee, Jasmine, Irvine, Selphie, Quistis and Nida to meet with Laguna, Kiros and her.
The group took a while to assemble, but when they finally did, it was in the Quad. Xu stepped up on stage, with all the dignity she could muster after a few days with no sleep, and began to speak.
"Well everyone, I think we can honestly say that the worst is behind us for now."
No one said anything.
"It is true, that we still have the very real problem of Galbadia, but we've gained control of that situation, now we just have to take stock, and move from here."
The loudspeaker came to life, "Xu, Zell's back. Mission success."
Xu grabbed a small radio, "Great, send him to the Quad." Xu nodded, "Alright everyone, just a second." She ran off.
Quistis shook her head, "Move where? Any effort we make to retake a city would result in reinforcements. Harket is pulling huge resources. We can't beat that. It's only a war of attrition."
Selphie stamped her foot, "Quistis! Cheer up! Be happy-y-y!"
Everyone turned to Selphie.
"…I mean, at least we're alive! That means something, right?"
Miles nodded, "It means that we are what the world has left. Galbadia can't be allowed to continue. It has to be destroyed. Again."
Lee nodded, "Yeah, but that process took years. We don't have that much time."
Xu walked back in with Zell and the two agents, she smiled, "Maybe, but we won't need that much time."
"What?"
"I've just been told that Harket has a deep dark little secret."
Jasmine gestured for continuation, "So spill it!"
Laguna stepped up, "Harket is a Sorcerer."
All motion stopped, and for a solid minute, silence reigned supreme.
"Wait!" Irvine spoke up, "That's bad!"
Selphie nodded, "Super-duper bad!"
Again, every face stared at Selphie in fixed curiosity, then turned back to the stage.
Lee finally spoke up again, "Okay! Harket equals Sorcerer. Sorcerer equals bad. Somehow… you think that bad equals… good?"
Laguna nodded, "It's… an opportunity! I didn't realize it until recently, but when Harket wanted Neos, there was a reason besides ransoming off the kid to Squall."
"That is?"
Kiros nodded in slow realization, "The sorcery gene…"
Laguna concurred, "That's right. Some scientists believe that there is a gene within us, which makes us predisposed towards sorcery. In other words, we could wield and accept powers more readily."
Jasmine sighed, "That's just a theory."
"Maybe," Kiros said, "but I bet Harket believes it. He wants a successor. He figures Neos would make an excellent successor."
Laguna nodded, "Correct, which of course means only one thing."
Zell cracked his knuckles; "We can't let that guy get his hands on Neos."
"Right."
Ton Feris shook his head, "There is another factor, sir."
Laguna raised an eyebrow, "That is?"
"We got a few prisoner lists, and among the recently captured are two names you should probably know of. All of you."
"Go ahead."
"Well, Squall and Rinoa Leonheart."
Laguna collapsed to one knee, and Xu stepped to help him up. He shook her off, and then pushed himself up, head sagged.
"How and when?"
"From the information I have, they were assisting a small resistance faction called the Forest Owls. The operation succeeded, and they managed to destroy an entire convoy of Galbadian soldiers, but when the invasion of Timber occurred…"
"Alright. It is quite obvious what we need to do now."
Zell nodded and grinned, "Let's bust 'em out!"
Laguna nodded, "Right, but we have to be careful about it. Unfortunately, there is the problem of Harket. He needs to be dealt with."
Selphie shook her head, "No way! Our friends are in trouble! Let's blow the place wide open!"
Laguna held up a hand, "If we leave Harket, he could easily retaliate. Galbadia will fall without a leader. Meaning, we have to kill Harket. I figure, since we'll be in the area, why not pull off both at once?"
Miles spoke up, "That would mean two teams."
"Yes, it would, probably more, since we'd have to split and be rid of the security groups."
"So who'd go where?"
Xu jumped in, "Wait a minute! I'm the commander here! No disrespect to you Laguna, but this IS my organization right now, and I believe I have a right to be decide what we'll do!" Everyone froze and stared at her. She smiled, "I agree completely."
Laguna nodded, "So… who would go where, Xu?"
"Well, the assassination team would need someone who could do just that, assassinate. Irvine, I believe you have the skills."
Irvine nodded.
"Okay, Irvine'll need someone to cover him. Someone we know could handle themselves in a scrap…"
Selphie cut in, "I'll do it!"
For the third time, everyone took a long, hard look at Selphie.
"Who would protect Irvine better than me?"
Xu sighed, "Alright, fine! Now, the diversion teams will need a leader. Quistis. Zell, Nida, work under her on this one, I'll assign more SeeDs to help."
The three nodded.
"Finally, we'll need our rescue team, small and quick… Miles, Jasmine, you up for it?"
Miles nodded, followed by Jasmine.
"Great, okay then, all we need is the details."
Laguna coughed, "I'm going on the Rescue team."
"What?"
"If you think, for one second, that I'm going to sit around while my son rots in a prison, you are dead wrong."
"Laguna, you're the President of Esthar. You're a little recognizable, don't you think?"
"Maybe, but I really don't care, and you really can't stop me."
Xu sighed, and Miles interrupted the little scene, "Wait a minute! I really don't care who goes where, but aren't we forgetting something?"
Everyone stared at him.
"We don't know jack about the prison in Deling City. We need someone who does."
Laguna nodded, "That prison was built when I was serving as a soldier. I don't know much about it myself, but I do know who designed it, as well as the man who designed all the security systems within it."
"Who?"
"One and the same. General Caraway."
Zell groaned, "Okay, great! First off, he's in Winhill! Second off, I don't trust that guy as far as I can throw him!"
Ton shook his head, "He is not in Winhill. He escaped with a few others during the invasion."
"Oh, that's a lot better, now we don't even know where he is!"
Laguna stamped his foot, "Look… he's our only hope! We just need to figure out where he is!"
Lee slowly began to nod, "He's in Fisherman's Horizon."
"How do you know that?"
"Well… he moved to Winhill so he could get some peace and quiet. Winhill was taken over, so where's the next best place?"
"A town that doesn't believe in weapons... that's brilliant!"
Nida jumped up, "So what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Everyone spun and gave the usually quiet Nida a questioning look.
"What? Can't I be a little excited?"
((Next Chapter: Caraway))
The group took a while to assemble, but when they finally did, it was in the Quad. Xu stepped up on stage, with all the dignity she could muster after a few days with no sleep, and began to speak.
"Well everyone, I think we can honestly say that the worst is behind us for now."
No one said anything.
"It is true, that we still have the very real problem of Galbadia, but we've gained control of that situation, now we just have to take stock, and move from here."
The loudspeaker came to life, "Xu, Zell's back. Mission success."
Xu grabbed a small radio, "Great, send him to the Quad." Xu nodded, "Alright everyone, just a second." She ran off.
Quistis shook her head, "Move where? Any effort we make to retake a city would result in reinforcements. Harket is pulling huge resources. We can't beat that. It's only a war of attrition."
Selphie stamped her foot, "Quistis! Cheer up! Be happy-y-y!"
Everyone turned to Selphie.
"…I mean, at least we're alive! That means something, right?"
Miles nodded, "It means that we are what the world has left. Galbadia can't be allowed to continue. It has to be destroyed. Again."
Lee nodded, "Yeah, but that process took years. We don't have that much time."
Xu walked back in with Zell and the two agents, she smiled, "Maybe, but we won't need that much time."
"What?"
"I've just been told that Harket has a deep dark little secret."
Jasmine gestured for continuation, "So spill it!"
Laguna stepped up, "Harket is a Sorcerer."
All motion stopped, and for a solid minute, silence reigned supreme.
"Wait!" Irvine spoke up, "That's bad!"
Selphie nodded, "Super-duper bad!"
Again, every face stared at Selphie in fixed curiosity, then turned back to the stage.
Lee finally spoke up again, "Okay! Harket equals Sorcerer. Sorcerer equals bad. Somehow… you think that bad equals… good?"
Laguna nodded, "It's… an opportunity! I didn't realize it until recently, but when Harket wanted Neos, there was a reason besides ransoming off the kid to Squall."
"That is?"
Kiros nodded in slow realization, "The sorcery gene…"
Laguna concurred, "That's right. Some scientists believe that there is a gene within us, which makes us predisposed towards sorcery. In other words, we could wield and accept powers more readily."
Jasmine sighed, "That's just a theory."
"Maybe," Kiros said, "but I bet Harket believes it. He wants a successor. He figures Neos would make an excellent successor."
Laguna nodded, "Correct, which of course means only one thing."
Zell cracked his knuckles; "We can't let that guy get his hands on Neos."
"Right."
Ton Feris shook his head, "There is another factor, sir."
Laguna raised an eyebrow, "That is?"
"We got a few prisoner lists, and among the recently captured are two names you should probably know of. All of you."
"Go ahead."
"Well, Squall and Rinoa Leonheart."
Laguna collapsed to one knee, and Xu stepped to help him up. He shook her off, and then pushed himself up, head sagged.
"How and when?"
"From the information I have, they were assisting a small resistance faction called the Forest Owls. The operation succeeded, and they managed to destroy an entire convoy of Galbadian soldiers, but when the invasion of Timber occurred…"
"Alright. It is quite obvious what we need to do now."
Zell nodded and grinned, "Let's bust 'em out!"
Laguna nodded, "Right, but we have to be careful about it. Unfortunately, there is the problem of Harket. He needs to be dealt with."
Selphie shook her head, "No way! Our friends are in trouble! Let's blow the place wide open!"
Laguna held up a hand, "If we leave Harket, he could easily retaliate. Galbadia will fall without a leader. Meaning, we have to kill Harket. I figure, since we'll be in the area, why not pull off both at once?"
Miles spoke up, "That would mean two teams."
"Yes, it would, probably more, since we'd have to split and be rid of the security groups."
"So who'd go where?"
Xu jumped in, "Wait a minute! I'm the commander here! No disrespect to you Laguna, but this IS my organization right now, and I believe I have a right to be decide what we'll do!" Everyone froze and stared at her. She smiled, "I agree completely."
Laguna nodded, "So… who would go where, Xu?"
"Well, the assassination team would need someone who could do just that, assassinate. Irvine, I believe you have the skills."
Irvine nodded.
"Okay, Irvine'll need someone to cover him. Someone we know could handle themselves in a scrap…"
Selphie cut in, "I'll do it!"
For the third time, everyone took a long, hard look at Selphie.
"Who would protect Irvine better than me?"
Xu sighed, "Alright, fine! Now, the diversion teams will need a leader. Quistis. Zell, Nida, work under her on this one, I'll assign more SeeDs to help."
The three nodded.
"Finally, we'll need our rescue team, small and quick… Miles, Jasmine, you up for it?"
Miles nodded, followed by Jasmine.
"Great, okay then, all we need is the details."
Laguna coughed, "I'm going on the Rescue team."
"What?"
"If you think, for one second, that I'm going to sit around while my son rots in a prison, you are dead wrong."
"Laguna, you're the President of Esthar. You're a little recognizable, don't you think?"
"Maybe, but I really don't care, and you really can't stop me."
Xu sighed, and Miles interrupted the little scene, "Wait a minute! I really don't care who goes where, but aren't we forgetting something?"
Everyone stared at him.
"We don't know jack about the prison in Deling City. We need someone who does."
Laguna nodded, "That prison was built when I was serving as a soldier. I don't know much about it myself, but I do know who designed it, as well as the man who designed all the security systems within it."
"Who?"
"One and the same. General Caraway."
Zell groaned, "Okay, great! First off, he's in Winhill! Second off, I don't trust that guy as far as I can throw him!"
Ton shook his head, "He is not in Winhill. He escaped with a few others during the invasion."
"Oh, that's a lot better, now we don't even know where he is!"
Laguna stamped his foot, "Look… he's our only hope! We just need to figure out where he is!"
Lee slowly began to nod, "He's in Fisherman's Horizon."
"How do you know that?"
"Well… he moved to Winhill so he could get some peace and quiet. Winhill was taken over, so where's the next best place?"
"A town that doesn't believe in weapons... that's brilliant!"
Nida jumped up, "So what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Everyone spun and gave the usually quiet Nida a questioning look.
"What? Can't I be a little excited?"
((Next Chapter: Caraway))