In the news today, what began as a simple terrorist bombing at the Galbadia station yard soon erupted into a full-scale invasion of Deling City. In the confusion following the explosion of a small gas bomb, Dollet soldiers streamed out of the train and into the city, taking Galbadian forces completely by surprise. This attack follows on the heels of the unprecedented defeat of Galbadian occupation forces in Dollet two days ago. The Galbadian response —
Seifer shut off the radio. For the next few moments, the only sound was the humming of the car's engine as they ran along the Monterosa Highway at a speed the vehicle had probably never been designed for. Rinoa sat, hugging her legs in the cramped space of the passenger compartment, trying not to look either uncomfortable or particularly afraid of the land zipping past the scope of the car's dim headlights. She hadn't cared for the idea of taking a car to Deling City, but had been even less willing to arrive with a squad of Dollet soldiers, none of whom were expected to survive. But she hadn't foreseen the long hours on the road, with nothing to keep her mind busy.
Turn it back on, she said.
What, you want to listen to some Galbadian suit whining about how they're too stupid to fight off a bunch of greenies? Seifer asked.
I need something to listen to, she said. I can't think in cars. I don't like them.
Seifer glanced over at her, and for an instant, she caught a flash of — something — on his face. But it was gone before she could tell for sure what she had seen, and his ever-present scowl had returned. You want to walk the rest of the way? he asked, toneless.
Of course not, she said. Seifer, a car killed my mother. She knew she had told him this before, but she needed something to do other than stare out at the road, waiting for some other driver to swerve in front of them, perhaps causing her to fly through the window this time. And in a way, it killed my father too. After the accident, he was never the same. I can barely remember when he used to smile at me, when we used to get along. She sighed as a familiar tingling surfaced somewhere in her head. If I keep the GFs much longer, I might not remember at all.
Well, at least you've got memories you want to hold on to, Seifer said coldly. You know how long I've been trying to forget my parents? And I can't do it even with the GF. He looked like he was about to say more, but stopped himself. Instead, he switched the radio back on; and, of all songs, the tune of Eyes On Me filled the car for the three seconds it took Rinoa to reach forward and shut it off. Silence again filled the vehicle.
Seifer said after a moment, Your father is the guy we're going up against. You'd probably do everyone a favor by forgetting.
- - = = = = - -
Deling City was a war zone. Gunfire echoed off buildings as white-uniformed emergency teams bustled around putting out fires and tending to wounded when they had a chance. Seifer stopped the car not four meters away from a fallen Galbadian soldier with a helmet torn by a gunshot wound. As they jumped out, another car pulled up beside them, and Fujin and Raijin emerged, weapons at the ready.
All right, let's go! Seifer said, snatching his gunblade from the car and pointing in the direction of the Presidential Residence.
Fujin nodded.
Across the plaza, a pair of Dollet soldiers were facing off with a small knot of Galbadians. The Galbadians were gradually pressing forward against the somewhat frantic firing of the Dollet men. As she watched, a blast of magic from one of the Galbadians all but demolished the Dollets' makeshift barricade, sending the two soldiers flying. roared the Galbadian officer.
It never happened. Seifer's Flare caught the officer in midstride, and he fell in the middle of the plaza, screaming. Before the rest could fully understand what was happening, Fujin's shuriken had sliced through the side of another soldier below his chest plate, and Raijin's Thundaga felled yet another. Then the three were among the soldiers, and all Rinoa could see was the flash of metal and a whirlwind of motion, and when it was over, all the Galbadians had fallen.
Seifer turned back to Rinoa. You coming? he called.
Rinoa nodded, taking a quick look around the city. Off to one side, a Dollet soldier was advancing on a trio of Galbadians. He managed to drop one with his machine gun before his body erupted in the flames of a Fira spell. In another direction, a Galbadian soldier jumped off a roof at a pair of Dollet soldiers. He was in midfall when one of them emptied his machine gun into the Galbadian's midriff.
Two years ago, Rinoa had crossed this plaza every day to go to school.
She started to run.
When he had been training to be a SeeD, Seifer had seen battles as a way of getting closer to his dream. He hadn't exactly been sure what that dream was, but he knew it had something to do with becoming a powerful soldier, respected and feared. And most importantly, not having to share the stage with Squall.
Here in Deling City, he had finally felt like he had realized that dream. He was the Sorceress' Knight, the most powerful warrior in the world. The eyes of thousands were on him.
Twenty minutes later, he was lying collapsed on the float after losing to Squall, one-on-one.
A Galbadian soldier jumped out from behind an overturned car, saber at the ready. Without breaking stride, Seifer knocked the weapon away and drove his gunblade through the man's neck. The soldier fell, and he kept running.
He had been being manipulated by Ultimecia. Ultimecia, playing on his forgotten memories of Matron, had been using him as her instrument, just as much as Edea herself.
Except that Edea had been under Ultimecia's direct control. Seifer had been manipulated into obeying her by choice.
Now, fighting served something of a different purpose for him. It was a way for him to distract himself from reality, and an outlet for his rage at himself for becoming someone's puppet without even knowing it.
He skidded to a halt as he came into sight of the Presidential Residence. In front of the building stood what had to be twenty Galbadian soldiers and officers, along with a couple gunnery emplacements and a Black Widow. Littering the street before them were the bodies of perhaps a dozen Dollet soldiers.
he exclaimed.
Rinoa ran up next to him. There's no way we could get through that, she said.
No kidding, Seifer said. But unless you've got a better idea.... He cocked his gunblade.
she exclaimed. There's a way to get in from the roof, on the side of the building!
She pointed. I can show you! But...the only way to get there is this road.
Seifer looked out at the fallen Dollet soldiers. Yeah, and that looks like it worked great for them, he said. Look, if we're going to let the Galbadians see us, we might as well go at it fighting.
Hey, we can take care of that, ya know! Raijin said.
Fujin nodded.
Rinoa shook her head. No, I couldn't —
You guys think you could keep them busy? Seifer asked.
Raijin nodded. Hey, no problem, ya know? They won't see a thing, ya know?
Seifer nodded back. Good luck.
Rinoa uttered some sort of protest, but Raijin cut her off, thumping his staff into the pavement, nearly hard enough to create a crack. All right! Time to get serious, ya know!
And the two were off. Seifer saw the Galbadian perimeter become the focal point of a Tornado spell in the instant before he broke off in a run. Come on! he called back to Rinoa.
Rinoa started after him, glancing back at the gates and the battle that was beginning there. Seifer, wait! What about —
They'll be fine, he said. Come on!
Naraka shook his head, staring out the window at the battle that raged below as he took a sip of tea. Doing rather well, aren't they? he asked. Perhaps Dollet has finally learned how to train its soldiers.
Jeric, I will never understand how you can be so calm at times like this, Caraway said, pacing across the floor of the presidential office. Galbadian citizens are losing their lives out there. Dollet has followed through with its attack. The burning of Timber accomplished nothing! He paused, taking a moment to wipe his brow.
Naraka shook his head. Not true, Phillip. As it is, we have an assault from Dollet to deal with. Had we not pacified Timber, we would have an assault from Dollet and an insurrection in Timber to deal with. He took another sip of tea. It is unfortunate that the people of Dollet did not heed our warning, and we will have to make our point...closer to home, in the future. But you did the only thing you could do, under the circumstances. Besides...what's done is done. With a final sip of tea, he set the cup down on the table. I think I'll go down to the war room. Try not to lose perspective, Phillip.
As Naraka left the room, Caraway in turn stepped up to the window. His forces had managed to contain the Dollet soldiers to a few areas of the city, but they had been caught disorganized and by surprise, and were taking heavy losses. And reports indicated that Dollet reinforcements were on route. He had no doubt that the Galbadian forces would eventually win, but the casualty rate would be enormous.
Did this really have to happen? he wondered. Naraka's assurances had far from convinced him that burning down Timber had been the proper course of action. Then, he had been promised that the action would convince the enemies of Galbadia that the country was serious about threats to its security, and so they would decide not to become one. That hadn't happened; first, Dollet had risen up against the Galbadian occupation force, and now had struck the city itself. They didn't seem particularly intimidated. And perhaps no one was rising up in Timber anymore, but only because most of them had nothing left to stand on.
What kind of man have I become? he asked himself. When I invaded Timber eighteen years ago, I could say that I was only following the President's orders. Now, I am the one giving the orders. He turned away from the window. Are mine the actions of a President...or an Emperor?
Just then, the doors flew open to reveal two human forms. One he recognized as Seifer Almasy, whom he had replaced as the military commander of Galbadia. The other —
he exclaimed.
How's it going? Almasy said, leveling his gunblade. You're going to call off your troops now, all right, Mr. Lord Marshall?
With some effort, Caraway tore his eyes off his daughter. D...D you expect me to give up that easily he asked.
Either that, or you're my prisoner, Almasy said.
With the touch of a button, Caraway could have an entire squad of guards in the room within seconds. But instead, he reached down, his hand closing around the hilt of his saber. I'll never surrender Galbadia, he declared, drawing the weapon.
No, wait! Rinoa cried, but Almasy, seeming to ignore her, charged him, making a full spin as he brought the weapon to bear with a swing that could have easily severed Caraway's head. Caraway's own blade barely moved fast enough to parry the swing. But as Almasy was recovering, he countered with a strike that the other man could barely deflect. He followed up with a strike aimed at Almasy's arm, and in fact created a tear in the other's sleeve. Judging by the wince on Almasy's face, he had scored a hit.
Almasy pulled back, and Caraway had a bare second to prepare for the burning sensation of a Firaga spell engulfing him. His skin crawled under the heat, and he fought to keep his eyes open, constantly telling himself that the searing pain was deceptive as to the severity of the attack.
Then, it was over, leaving him with nothing but a tingling ache. Quickly, he struck at Almasy to put him off balance, then stepped back himself in order to cast magic. As the Cura spell bathed him in its recuperative light, he renewed his grip on the saber, and assumed a proper fighting stance.
What followed was a flurry of exchanged blows as the two searched for a weakness in the other's technique. Once, Almasy nearly found one, as he triggered his weapon during an attack which Caraway had only marginally parried. He could feel the bullet whizzing past his ear.
It gradually became apparent to Caraway that he was losing. His technique was fine — for a man who had not fought a serious battle for years. And, simply put, he was getting old. Almasy could outlast him, it was as simple as that. Already, his arm was beginning to tire, and it was taking all his energy just to keep Almasy's blade away from his skin. Moreover, he was certain that the boy was holding back as well. It seemed very unlikely that Caraway would be able to win this fight.
In basic training, the first thing they teach you is not to lose confidence in yourself. If you don't think you can win a fight, odds are you won't. True enough; just as these thoughts were running through Caraway's head, he feinted a lunge at Almasy that went a bit too far, throwing him off balance. As he was struggling to regain his stance, Almasy's blade lashed out, striking his saber just above the hilt guard and tearing the weapon out of Caraway's hand, probably causing a sprain as well.
In an almost panicked motion, Caraway's left hand flew to the pouch on his hip, closing on the handle of its contents as he ripped it out. Almasy, backing off to regain his own stance, didn't see what he was doing until too late. A shot rang out, and the younger man's eyes flew open in surprise as the muscles in his hand nearly relaxed enough to let go of his gunblade. A spot of blood appeared from the new hole in the shoulder of his trenchcoat, and he collapsed to one knee.
Rinoa looked on, eyes wide. One instant, Seifer had flung Caraway's saber across the room, leaving him unarmed and open for the final blow. The next, Caraway was half-standing, backed up against his desk, a pearl-handled revolver in his hand, and Seifer was on one knee, barely holding onto his gunblade, with a gunshot wound in his shoulder.
You should have stayed out of this, Mr. Almasy, Caraway said.
Rinoa was shaking, and she barely realized what she was doing; but, jaw set, she raised her arm and aimed her Blaster Edge at her father's chest.
she said, surprising herself more than anyone with the calmness in her voice. Stop this. she said, as Caraway's eyes shot over to her.
Rinoa — Caraway began.
She shook her head. This has to stop. Too many people are having to suffer. End this now.
They stared at each other for a moment, seemingly frozen. And then, of the two of them, it was Caraway's weapon that seemed to waver in his hand.
After that moment, the arm fell to Caraway's side, and he shook his head, staring down at the floor.
I'm sorry, he said. When he looked back up, his eyes seemed to have lost all life. I'm sorry, Rinoa. I know I was a terrible father to you, and now I've become a terrible man as well. I let my pride govern my actions as leader of Galbadia. My pride led me to destroy Timber, to send you to prison. My pride brought war to the streets of Deling City. He averted his eyes again. And now my pride has consumed me as well.
A lump was gathering in Rinoa's throat, and when her father looked at her again, her arm was beginning to waver.
Please, just know that everything I did was with the best of intentions, he said, stumbling back to lower himself into his chair.. I wanted the best possible future for you, and for all Galbadians. I never realized.... He closed his eyes, leaning his head against the back of the chair. It was all for Galbadia. For you. I'm sorry, Rinoa.
And he raised the gun to his head.
Rinoa's scream combined with the gunshot and rang off the walls of the room. Her legs gave out, and the world around her seemed to explode into darkness. She could see through clouded eyes as Seifer's gunblade fell to the ground, and he turned away from body of Galbadia's Lord Marshall and took one halting step towards her. Rinoa collapsed toward him, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in the collar of his coat.
Her father was dead.
She remained there for an eternity, clinging to Seifer for dear life, her mind a jumbled sea of memories and emotions. And for the first time in her life, absolutely nothing mattered.