IX
"Sorry, Zell."
--Squall, shortly before appointing Quistis leader of the Gateway Team

"I f-feel siiiiick..." moaned someone from the other side of the room. "I think I'm gonna throw up..."

Seifer pried open his eyes, wincing as the light hit him. Nida was hovering over him, a glass of something thick and brown in one hand. Seifer had to blink several times to get rid of the glowing aura surrounding him.

"Congratulations," Nida said. "You just got a light case of hypothermia, a concussion, a fair case of brine poisoning and damn near fractured every rib you had. How do you feel?"

"Never been better," Seifer growled. "What happened?"

"Selphie's suit snared on the hatch, then you come along and ram into her oxygen tank. Ripped your suit and hers, but it worked. Oh, yeah, and the sub's still intact. All of that bad stuff aborted or was corrected or something. I think Dyne was just playing games with us. And we busted the Ragnarok's engines pretty well when we got out. I'll tell you about it later."

"How about now?"

Nida sighed. "Well, the Ragnarok's engines were designed to be used in space, in a complete vacuum. The diagnostic only works when the engines are in a vacuum, too, you see--but it can be run while the ship in in the atmosphere. So there are these two metal doors that can close over the engines, and then the pumps can suck everything out so its a vacuum. We did that, then fired the engines manually while the diagnostic was running. It broke the doors and fried about half the engine while the door was being burnt away, but it worked."

"...yeah," Seifer said, wishing he hadn't asked. "Where are we?" Seifer asked, looking at the ceiling. It didn't look like the ceiling of any of the rooms in the Ragnarok, and it was definitely not like a room in Balamb Garden.

"Esthar, checking up on records and fixing the Ragnarok. We found out about Dyne's real name, and it turns out he was from here. The records end seven years ago, though. Well, it's kind of involved. But you'll see it soon enough. Here, drink this."

"Don't drink it," Selphie warned from the other bed. "It's gross."

Seifer pulled himself up into a sitting position, taking the glass from Nida. Making a face, he drained it. It was the bitterest thing he had ever tasted. "Yggh. What is this stuff?"

"Stuff for all the brine you swallowed," Nida explained. "Lie down for a bit. Like Selphie says, it'll make you feel a bit sick. Once that passes, I'll take you down to see Quistis."

"All right," Seifer agreed. "So, what's this with Dyne?"

Nida sighed. "I warned you, it's odd. Turns out Dyne's real name is Jared Tomaggru. You can tell why he changed his name, huh? Anyway, he was working in Esthar as a lab assistant to a... Doctor Lammers, I think. Anyway, Lammers was the kind of person who was only interested with their work--couldn't care less about morality and all those pesky little details." Nida made a face. "And since most of the research he was doing was about humans, he decided to use his lab assistants as test subjects."

Seifer grimaced as the medicine hit his stomach. "Sounds like a real nice guy."

"Doesn't he, though? Anyway, there were several theories Lammers was working on. One was the theory of Active Nerve Reception and Manipulation or something long and technical like that, which was basically mind control. Dy--err, Jared was submitted to these tests several times, with mixed results. Apparently Lammers found how to activate every nerve except the ones in the brain, that would be including pain receptors."

"Ow," Seifer commented.

"There was also something about gender roles in the inheritance of power, but it didn't go very far without a sorceress they could kill to study the transfer. Another was something with GFs, and they didn't have any so they couldn't do much more than theory there, either. Finally Lammers tried to do an experiment on Ja--heck, I'm just going to keep calling him Dyne--anyway, Lammers tried to do an experiment on Dyne that would have killed him within the week if it was successful, and Dyne just snapped. He and three other lab assistants ran away."

"I feel sick," Selphie moaned. Seifer's stomach was beginning to turn as well, and he began to wonder just what had been in the medicine.

"And?" he forced out through the nausea.

"And then he showed up a year ago, received Adel's powers, and has recently started bothering us. Feel sick yet? You look a little green."

Seifer nodded slightly.

"Close your eyes. It helps, I hear. Don't worry, you won't throw up, it will just feel an awful lot like you will."

"So we're dealing with a psycho," Seifer said.

"Yeah. He had been denoted unstable before he took the job, and I overheard Quistis talking to the psychologist. They were naming off all the possible effects... paranoia, that sort of thing."

"So... he thinks everyone is out to get him, so he wants to kill them all?"

"Probably."

"So what--ungggh..."

Nida grinned and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry. It'll wear off in a couple of hours."

"Hours! Uggh..."

"Just kidding," Nida said. "You'll be fine in about ten minutes. Quistis and the rest are just in the other room."

"Urggh," Seifer said, nodding and squeezing his eyes shut. Nida stood, and moved off down the hall.

"So, like... what are we supposed to do?"

Quistis looked at Irvine. "Well, at least now we know where he is," she said. "Not like we can invade or anything, but we know about it."

"That doesn't help much," Irvine deadpanned.

A pained look crossed Quistis's face as she threw down her whip. "I know!" she burst in sudden anger. "Nothing has helped since the beginning of this damn... crusade!"

Everyone jumped. None of them had ever seen Quistis act so upset. "Instructor--" Zell began. Looking over, she sighed and shook her head.

"Sorry. It's just--this is--getting to me."

No kidding, Seifer thought. You miss Squall, don't you? Everyone here does. You relied on him so much, that now you don't know what to do without him.

Kind of pathetic.

"So what do you think, Seifer?" Nida asked. Seifer almost jumped. Everyone turned to stare at the helmsman, who shrugged. "What? Haven't you noticed that he's been the one pretty much running things around here?"

"What?" Quistis asked.

"Me?" Seifer balked.

"What?" Zell demanded.

"Something in the food, Nida?" Irvine suggested.

Nida sighed. "Who is it that dragged us to FH? Who is it that pulled us under FH when they started firing at us? Who is it who went out to check on the engines? Or saved everyone on chocobo? Or took over when we invaded the sub? I can go on, you know."

"Uhh--" He can't be serious-- Seifer looked around the circle.

"Seifer is the one with the most command experience," Quistis conceded.

Seifer felt almost exactly as if someone had hit him on the back of the head with a board, minus the pain. What are they doing?

"Oh, no. No way. In case no one noticed, he tried to kill all of us. Remember? Tortured Squall, junctioned Rinoa to Adel, sided with the sorceress... anyone else remember all that?"

Looking around the circle, Seifer saw an entire range of blank expressions. Three people stood out, though: Laguna was giving him an odd, piercing look, Nida looked slightly smug and very pleased with himself, and Zell was a mixture of disbelief and rage.

"True, but..." Quistis turned to stare at Seifer. "He's been a help, so far. I guess... a lot of us wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him."

"Instructor," Zell said. "You can't be serious. He killed Odin. He tried to kill us, almost did kill Squall. Held Ellone hostage, had us all imprisoned--"

"He saved Squall," Quistis said. Dead silence greeted the remark.

"...what?" asked Laguna, leaning forward and glancing at Seifer. Quistis shrugged.

"At Fisherman's Horizon, the first time. With the invasion. When we all thought Squall was dead. Seifer saved him. Otherwise he would have been."

Seifer blinked. All right. I will wake up in three... two... one... why am I not waking up? This is a dream, this is a dream, this is a dream...

"And at Trabia," Rinoa piped up. "He saved me."

"Tee-hee," giggled Selphie. "It's funny to say it, but, me too. Coming out of the sub."

I didn't plan that, Seifer thought. That was just sort of an accident.

Zell looked around. "Come on," he said. "All the times we've fought together? I've saved you all plenty of times."

"And we trust you just fine," Nida retorted.

"Zell," Quistis said. "Do you want to take over? I've already said I don't want to. Who else do you see here with the talents Seifer has?"

Zell looked around the circle, finally staring at Laguna. Laguna coughed and looked away.

"So it's decided, then?" Nida asked. "Seifer's the boss 'til Squall gets back. Anyone object?"

"I object," Seifer said.

"Yeah, me!" Zell said at the same time. Nida shrugged.

"You're both outvoted."

"What?" both asked simultaniously. Zell jumped up. "No way, man!"

I--uh--I--what? In charge? Of them? Ugh... and I thought they all still hated me. Zell does.

"So, what's your first command?" Nida asked, still with the smug look on his face. Seifer guessed it was his way of getting back at everyone for ignoring him.

I will get you for this, Helmsman Nida. "Uh... yeah, I was going to suggest--" Seifer looked around the room. "If we found a ship that looks enough like one of theirs, and wear wireless jackets, maybe we could get in? I don't think they're guarded against their own people--they wouldn't think anyone in a jacket could be a threat."

"Like a nest of ants," Kiros remarked.

"...yeah. And if we get in, then... well, that's as far as I got. I was just going to offer it as the basis for a plan, but..."

"The GFs," Rinoa said. "Maybe we could get the GFs to help us. You know, they're still lending us their power--like magic, and all--just not letting us summon them? Maybe we can convince them to do more!"

"Sounds good," Laguna said. There was an uncomfortable pause until Seifer figured out that they were waiting on his order.

"Yeah. That's what we'll do," Seifer said, beginning to sort his thoughts out again. "Rinoa, Quistis, you'll come with me to talk to the GFs. Everyone else, try to find two jackets and way to get one of their ships."

"Only two jackets?" Zell asked suspiciously.

"We want a small party. We'll be less conspicuous."

"Tch!" Zell stood up, swatting a fist into his hand. "Fine. I'll be on the Ragnarok."

Without waiting for a response, he left the room. I guess he's not too happy about this, Seifer noted. Fair enough. Neither am I. I just hope he has enough sense to follow orders.

"Now, where's the nearest wide open space?" Seifer asked.

"Just outside the city," Nida said. "You could walk there from here. See you."

"Bahamut," Seifer said. "He seems like the ringleader of this little operation."

Rinoa nodded. "Okay. Umm..." concentrating, she closed her eyes.

Seifer waited, unsure of what to say when the GF arrived. He had never talked to a GF before. He doubted many people had. As he thought about it, it occurred to him that Rinoa was taking an unusually long time to summon him. Finally, she sighed, took a deep breath and sat down.

"That was hard," she said. "But I think he's coming."

Seifer was about to say something when a sphere of unimaginable energy appeared in front of them, then detonated. All three of them were knocked backwards by the blast.

"I warned you never to call us again!" Bahamut roared. "Why have you?"

Seifer struggled up. "We need your help to--"

"No!" Bahamut spread his wings, showing a clawed hand to Seifer. "I have already said, no!"

"But surely, to defeat Dyne--" Quistis started.

"You fools! You would have my pit myself against him? The one who has held Naja in his grip for years? We do not sacrifice ourselves for any human! Our lives are our own!"

"Naja?" Seifer asked.

"Naja was one of us. A most powerful Guardian. Now he is reduced to Dyne's lapdog!"

Lapdog...? Seifer remembered something: in the Deling Parade, when Squall had tried to kill the Ultimecia-posessed Edea. He had asked if Seifer had become Edea's lap dog. "You mean--"

"Dyne's power: the power of the GF! We will not surrender to him. We will, instead, survive."

"But--" Rinoa said.

"I said no, human child, human fool! NO! We do not understand the need that has driven you to ask this of us. But as long as I hold any influence over the lives of my comrades, none shall help you in this vain crusade." The GF turned, folded his wings, and disappeared.

"What...?" Quistis asked. "He just said...?"

"There goes Plan A," Seifer said. "Well, it was an idea."

"But--" Rinoa looked at at Seifer, and put her head on her knees. "But..."

"We'll think of something else, Rinoa, don't worry," Quistis said. "We should probably get back to the Ragnarok."

Seifer, feeling completely awkward, patted Rinoa's shoulder. Quistis gave him a surprised look, which he ignored. "You coming?"

"You go on," Rinoa said. "I wanna think about something."

Quistis glanced at Seifer, then shrugged. "All right, but don't wander too far. A lot of Lunar monsters are still around."

"I'll be fine," Rinoa said, waving them off. Quistis and Seifer turned and moved back to the city streets, while Rinoa thought.

There's no way we can get Squall back without GFs, but they don't want to help. Why? 'cause they're afraid. Or they don't understand, like Bahamut said. But who would understand? I want Squall back. Do GFs know what love is? They have to, don't they?
Maybe not, she admitted. You almost never see them together. But then... there wouldn't be anything I could do to make them understand...

A thought struck her. Maybe... maybe there is one or two GFs who know about love. Or friendship, at least. Like the two Brothers. That's it! Kinship, love... they're close enough, right?

Jumping up, Rinoa concentrated on the Brothers. Sacred, the huge, red-horned one, and Minotaur, the smaller yellow-horned one. They looked sort of like bulls, but blue, bipedal, and with hands instead of hoofs on the front legs. They were Earth-elementals, but each carried a huge mace as well.

It was a lot easier to summon the Brothers, maybe because she was more accustomed to them. Soon enough, both huge GFs were standing in front of her.

"HEY, BRO," Sacred said, voice loud enough to startle rocks. "WE GOT CALLED, BUT THERE'S NOTHING TO SMASH!" There was a hint of amusement in his voice.

"maybe this one can tell us why we were called," Minotaur said. The same, vague joking air was in his voice too, albeit much subtler.

"I was, umm, wondering if you could help me out?" Rinoa asked. Sacred shrugged, bringing the mace down on the ground with enough force to send a tiny tremor towards Rinoa.

"DEPENDS. WHAT CAN WE DO?"

"Well, you know about Dyne, right?" Rinoa asked. Both nodded. "Well, he sort of captured Squall--"

"THAT ONE? HE BEAT US, HOW'D HE GET BEAT?"

"i wonder if he knows we let him win," Minotaur said, smiling.

"Yeah, and I want to get him back, but..."

"HEY, ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS ASK," Sacred said. "SURE, WE'LL HELP OUT!"

"Thanks," Rinoa said. "Really. I didn't think--I mean, Bahamut said--"

"don't talk to bahamut," Minotaur said. "he's been in the core of that human facility so long he has a pretty skewed sense of... well, everything."

"WELL PUT, MIN!" Sacred laughed. "SO, LET'S ROUND UP A FEW OF OUR PALS, YOU GET US OVER TO STORM OR SQUALL OR WHATEVER, AND WE'LL GET HIM OUT."

"i'm sure diablos will be happy to lend transportation," Minotaur said.

"Diablos?"

"oh, yeah. he's always looking for a chance to me messing with bahamut. the dear dragon is wearing on our nerves, you know? acting too officious."

So GFs do that too? Rinoa wondered. "That's great! Thanks, really, really, thanks."

"HEY, NO PROB. JUST GET US THERE, WE'LL DO THE REST."

The Brothers disappeared, and Rinoa clapped once. Turning, she ran back towards the Ragnarok.