disclaimer:none of FF7 is mine

"So in conclusion Hojo, Shin-Ra cannot afford to fund both the JENOVA project and the SOLDIER program", said the President coldly. "We are going to carry on with whichever proves most effective. Select a JENOVA enhanced specimen and it shall fight a SOLDIER clone. The winning format shall be continued. This will be done in front of the board members."

"WHAT!" exploded Hojo slamming his fist on the elegant desk "my specimens are not the playthings of a mere washed up electric company!" The President watched icily from his chair. "Don't forget who funds you Hojo, without us you and Gast would be mere morticians in some backward dump." Shin-Ra said severely. "That will happen in 48 hours time at an army facility of my choosing. You are dismissed professor." At that the flabby executive turned his leather chair round to look down upon Midgar and clicked his fingers. Out of the shadows of the grand office stepped two masked guards. Shin-Ra's elite pointed their rifles at Hojo in case he hadn't understood their superiors' orders. Disgusted Hojo stormed out of the room.

Anna was beginning to regret the transfer from the dull man that was Mayor Domino for Hojo after receiving his angry email. Anna smirked. She never thought she would long for those boring secretarial days again. The nostalgia trip ended when Hojo stormed into her office. "That fat barbarian!" he ranted. 'Oh dear' thought Anna with a sigh 'not again.' "He's always preferred Gast," yelled a pacing Hojo to the ceiling "ALWAYS! And all ..." Anna's listening faded out. Hojo went through this screeching every week without fail like a broken record. 'Because Gast discovered materia' Anna internally mimicked.

Hojo stopped abruptly. "Even though the subjects conditioning could be accelerated it would still only peak at 64%...which is unacceptable for a combat situation," thought Hojo out loud. "What if we drowned the subject in liquid Jenova professor?" chimed Anna. The spectacled male turned to his assistant and stared as though she had magically appeared. "Hmm. That should boost performance and stamina," speculated Hojo. Shaking his head he pushed Anna to one side and began typing manically on her computer. "Fine professor, I'll get to work on it shall I?" Anna asked herself sarcastically. Hojo didn't respond from his frenzy in front of the computers screen. "I don't know why I bother sometimes..."