Chapter 8
War
Vice President Rotterdam stood in the back shadows of the studio, watching President Shinra as he delivered the "late breaking news" about Wutaian hostility.
It was all such shit. He had grown utterly disgusted with Shinra and its inner politics. But the pay and luxuries that came with the job were good, and if he ever wished to make some changes to this godforsaken world, the only place he could do it was high up in Shinra.
But Rotterdam's thinking was cut short as the president wrapped up his bullshitting. A movement caught Rotterdam's eyes from behind, but then he realized it was only Rufus, lurking in the shadows.
That preppy little brat nauseated him. Of course it wasn't all the boy's fault. You were bound to be somewhat of a snob when your father was the richest man in the world. But the hard part was that the boy actually liked it. He enjoyed being the preppiest kid in town, and being spoiled rotten.
Rufus stepped out of the shadows to greet his father.
"We're gonna show them all right!" the boy exclaimed.
"Our army should be up to the task." Said his father as if talking to a lower being.
"Sir, shall we contact General Sephiroth?" asked Rotterdam, awoken from his pondering.
"No we can just monitor the army's progress from the battle room." Said the president as he headed for the door.
"Yes sir."
The only problem with that was that all of the other executives were already in the meeting room. As he tried to get ahead of the president and herd the executives to the next room he muttered another incoherent slur against Shinra.
****
At the same time Rotterdam was worrying about Sephiroth, the general was worrying about his men.
"Sir it appears that we don't have enough boats for all of the troops." Fretted a lowly corporal.
"Then we shall find more boats. It's Junon; there are plenty of boats. Just tell the owners that Shinra is repossessing their ships because it is a time of war." Said the general calmly as he brushed a lock of silver hair out of his face.
The corporal was dismissed, leaving the general in relative peace for the moment.
This whole war was a sham, he knew that. But the rest of his men, even his CINC (Commander in Chief) Colonel Hiram had believed the president and his little speech of lies.
The men were all pumped up and eager to move out. But then the dilemma of not enough ships. Nothing could ever work out just the right way. And then there was the march across the next continent, but by then the action would've already begun. The fighter jocks would make short work of the Wutaians, his army would just clean up the dregs.
The Wutaians would rue the day that they caught Shinra's eyes, and the fighter jocks would revel in it.
****
The second the president put out his call for military personnel I knew it'd be a long night.
When we stepped into the Shinra building we found a scene of utter chaos. Soldiers scattering everywhere, pilots running up the stairs because the elevators were full. So we followed suit and made the climb up the stair to the aeronautics level. Amidst the sea of blue suits I thought I saw the kid but I couldn't be sure.
I retraced our steps from this morning to get to our squad's hangar. Most of the squad was already there. There seemed to be one man attracting the most attention amongst the group. As we stepped closer I realized that this guy must be our commander.
"Excuse me sir." I said a bit feebly, this guy had a scary presence.
"What?!"
"Uh we're reporting in. Pilots Clifton and Highwind." Said Lennie meekly.
"Ah yes, the rookies."
"We're not exactly rookies. We've flown before…" I muttered weakly.
Up to this point the commander's back had been turned to us but with my disagreement he spun slowly around on his heel to face us.
And a look of shock and contempt spread across his face. That was when I realized how I recognized this voice. I'd heard the voice a couple of nights ago down at the Shinra bar, and the face sealed it. This was the drunken man who'd picked a fight with me down at the bar.
"You." He snarled.
"Well they normally call me Cid, but whatever floats your boat ya now." I joked.
With my snide remark the commander became even more infuriated. And suddenly his hand shot out and grabbed my collar.
"Now you listen here. Both of you." He said looking at Lennie too. "I run a tight squad of pilots here. And I'm not gonna let you two clowns mess it up. And as for the bar I was drunk, and I'm sure you two morons have gotten plastered plenty of times too and done some stupid things. So our little scuffle will not be mentioned again, I repeat will not. Got that?" he asked with a rough tug on my flight suit.
We nodded our heads in submission.
"And lastly I don't know how you two fly. But no matter what you might think is 'right' you will only act when ordered by me or your flight leader. Unless you're in direct danger that is, then you blow the bastard outta the sky. So you got me?" he half asked while pulling on my collar just the right way so I couldn't breathe.
"Yes." I gasped out as my face started to turn purple.
Lennie agreed too.
"Good now stay out of my sight and get to your ships." He said, calmer now as he let go of me.
"Just my luck I got a screwball for a commander" I muttered as I walked off.
A flight technician handed me my helmet as I climbed up the ladder to my little fighter. I realized that I'd have to watch myself with this guy. He'd be angry at me for having beaten him, and he seemed like the kind of guy to hold a grudge.
But I put that all out of my head as I started the preflight checks and got ready to saddle up and nail some Wutaians.
****
The irony of it all was that the only TV in Wutai was broken that night. So none of the Wutaians saw President Shinra's speech.
The news was first heard by a young boy named Shen who had been trying to construct his own radio for months. As he snapped in the last piece, his creation suddenly came to life. And it began spouting the same announcement repeatedly.
President Shinra's declaration of war.
At first he didn't believe it. A war against Wutai? What had they done to Shinra? So many questions, yet so few answers.
The boy ran out of his house and found the closest person. A shadowy figure stood at the side of the river, which was the second person to know.
"Please come quick and hear this! It says there's a war on us. Come on!" beckoned Shen excitedly.
The figure at the riverside followed Shen inside his house to where the radio was still blaring its fatal message.
As the figure strode quickly into the room Shen realized that it was Master Staniv. He listened intently, the message playing through almost three times before he was satisfied that it was real.
"Can this radio work anywhere?" asked Staniv, still not having quite come to terms with the whole thing.
"Um yeah. I guess…"
"Good bring it."
"Bring it where, I…"
"Come quickly." Said Staniv as he dashed out the door, ending their brief exchange.
Shen followed Master Staniv out through the village and over the bridge. He never stopped running, not until they had reached the top of the temple.
Both the boy and Staniv dropped to their knees in both honor and exhaustion.
"Lord Godo listen to this." Said Staniv between breaths while motioning towards the boy's radio.
Shen thrust forward his small, cobbled together radio into the arms of Lord Godo. He listened to the announcement more than once, just like Staniv to make sure it was true.
He carefully set the radio down and stared off into the night sky.
Why did Shinra want his temple, his people, his life? Why did the gods see fit to bestow upon his people this burden?
"Ready the air vehicles, wake the men…" said Lord Godo with his eyes turned to the floor.
Why?
Authors note-Well I've finally beat the game! So I'm no longer in the dark on all this. This chapter is just kind of summing up the different characters that have been introduced so far, and bringing in Wutai. R&r.
