Quistis had had a lazy afternoon. At least she knew it was afternoon from the sub-atomic time tracker. Everything in space was black. Pitch black. The clock indicated five in the afternoon, which meant it was already starting to eat into evening time. She was currently not needed at the command bridge, and her comm technicans has told her to take a breather while they tried to trace Admiral Squall's warp signature. In other words, they meant get out or you'll disturb us. That suited her just fine. She had asked Rinoa to relax at the rec room and at the same time try to figure out and read up on what has happened since her absence. Quistis sat up from her bed in her quarters, and promptly stood up.
"Bridge to Captain Quistis." a male voice rung from her comm unit.
"Quistis here."
"Captain, we've chanced upon some pretty interesting things. You might want to look at this."
"On my way Number One." Quistis tugged at her uniform, and straightened it up. She grabbed her handheld and walked out of her quarters in the direction of the bridge.
"Captain, take a look at this." The captain's number one officer spoke, as the Captain stepped out of the turbolift and onto the command bridge. Quistis narrowed her eyes, and peered at the screen. She tapped a console on the command chair, and the screen enlarged.
"Captain, as you can see, this seems to be a planet consisting of 90 fluids, and 10 natural air. What our sensors indicate by thermal and radiation seems to go along with this. But there appears to be fluctuating discrepancies in the mass gravitational readings, between the default value of the planet, and a value roughly a million point six times more. Look carefully."
The first officer tapped a button on the command console, and the sensors switched to X-Ray. The screen complied likewise. The computer analysis scanned the planet for life forms, and plenty were found, although visual sensors indicated life wasn't possible. The Captain frowned, sitting back in her chair.
"Number One, take us in."
The Stargazer powered up its warp engines, and the helmsman turned the starship around. The starship aligned its positions with the last known trace of the Admiral's ship, and exploded into warp speed.
Balamb train station was packed with travelers from Esthar and Earth. A train slowly puffed its way into the station platform, and came to a complete halt. The doors slit open, and travelers alighted from it. The crowd poured its way onto the busy and crowded station. Completely unseen to the untrained eye, an unmoving figure in black lay atop the items and gift shop just outside the train station. A small sparkle glittered from the top of the gift shop, and a few seconds later, he slumped to the floor silently. He was followed by another, and another. The figures quickly lined the street, and blended into the crowd. From the same position on the rooftop, another figure appeared. He was in brown. The figure tipped his hat, and hid his rifle behind his coat. The figure jumped into the crowd.
"Go go go!" Galbadian SeeDs armed with rifles and automatic weapons charged into Balamb Hotel, where the two bodies lay. The SeeDs quickly disposed the two bodies in bags onto their vehicles, and lay siege to a room mate on the third floor as hostage. SeeD guards were posted on either side of the door. The other SeeDs had sealed off the entire hotel from the public. Irvine dusted away the remaining gunpowder on his rifle, and hosted it behind his back in his usual fashion. He entered the room. A little girl lay on the bed, facing him blankly.
"Hello. The mighty Irvine is late." the little girl spoke. Her face was pure porcelain, and of remarkable beauty. A realistic potential.
"Don't resist. Not now. Game's over." Irvine said, his voice cold and clear.
"The lion's gone, far and beyond, soon to the lands of the gone."
Irvine raised a hand and let fly a terrible bolt of lightning, and was thrown on the carpeted floor by and invisible punch. "You do not know, who you are dealing with. Farewell, for your knowledge of the spells are just, but a tiny fraction of mine. Farewell." saying that, the girl jumped out of the window. Irvine squeezed a well aimed shot at her, but missed.
He felt his anger rise. "Go after the girl!" The SeeDs leapt out of the window in pursuit, and powered up their hover units. Irvine already knew that it would be futile. He re-holstered his weapon.
Rain poured over the badlands, and puddles of water were all over ditches and potholes in the floor. Water flowed through the soils, turning it into soft mud. Impression less, he thought. Until someone stepped on it, and forever leaves a scar, even when the foot was gone, the marks still remain. What does it take for the scar to be erased? Another thunderstorm, he thought. But not everyone could summon a thunderstorm at will. The graying clouds continued to mercilessly pour rain over the lands. A flash of lightning streaked across the dark skies, illuminating all for, but a few seconds. The dark figure took a few steps forward, before ceasing to move. The oaken doors of the chapel were slightly ajar, as if beckoning him to com forth. Rainwater trickled down his masculine face, running off his face onto his coat, and falling timidly to the ground.
Laguna crouched down, and touched the cold soil, wet with the falls of rain. He slowly cupped a little, and let it slid off his hands. He stood, and entered the chapel.
From the windows of the chapel, dark clouds were visible. The little girl knelt down in front of the porcelein statue of Rinoa. She had her hands clasped tightly together. She shut her eyes.
The door creaked open, and wet footsteps trotted the chapel floor. Laguna sat at the first bench of the chapel, and the wooden benched protested. His eyes were transfixed on the statue of Rinoa. A breeze tousled his face and left the chapel, giving him the all too familiar feeling of loneliness. His comm unit cried. A projected screen of his secretary popped out.
"Sir. Starships are ready for deployment, please advise."
"Admiral Elle, launch the ships. Send me the flagship on the double."
"Affirmative sir." Laguna took a last look at the white statue, and left the chapel.