For someone who had willingly assisted an evil Sorceress, destroyed Galbadia Garden, killed an innocent GF, and let the two only members of his posse be killed right in front of him, Seifer Almasy was looking extremely pleased with himself. He had caught a live fish with his bare hands and now toyed with it, tossing it from hand to hand and weaving it through his thick fingers.

Having lost all sense of time, Seifer was unsure of exactly how long he'd been at the research center. He couldn't even work out how long it had been since the whole raft incident. Thumbing the fish's cool, scaly skin, he wondered why he didn't hang around Garden, instead of going off on some wild adventure. But how could he, after all he had done, and how everyone had reacted to him? Cid, Quistis, Squall … he had no regrets – but he wasn't going to stay somewhere he wasn't wanted.

Seifer shrugged off all his thoughts and feelings, and lazily went back to examining his lunch.

"I thought I smelt something fishy," a voice said behind him. Seifer practically jumped out of his skin. Someone talking was the last thing he expected to hear out on this research center in the middle of the ocean. Fearing the worst – that he was hearing things, and therefore going crazy – he turned his head round ever so slowly until his neck was craned as far as it could go and he was peering over his shoulder.

A cowboy in a pale green coat was standing there. With a thumb he tipped the front of his hat in greeting, before striding over to where Seifer was sitting. Tags, chains and charms on his boots and trousers clinked together as he walked heavily across the platform, dragging his feet casually.

Irvine Kinneas reached up and brought down the rifle that was resting on his shoulder, placing the end of the barrel against the metal floor and leaning on it with a smile.

"So, Almasy," he began, as if this was an everyday occurrence, "How've ya been?"

Seifer had spent hours thinking long and hard about the possibly of something like this happening – a boat, or some kind of aircraft, flying by to save him. But he expected some researchers, scientists, or perhaps just holidaymakers of some description to come floating by to his rescue. The last person he expected to see turn up at the Deep Sea Research Center was a comrade of his life-long rival.

Finding no words to say, Seifer was silent for a few moments. Eventually he managed to muster a bumbling, "What are you … why … but how did … where's…?"

Irvine laughed loudly and tossed back his glossy brown ponytail before giving Seifer a friendly slap across his shoulder. "I'll tell you everything you need to know on the way back."

"Back?" Seifer repeated numbly. "Back … where? Balamb?"

"Oh, no, no, not Balamb," Irvine shook his head and his hoop earring jangled noisily with his movement. "We're going to Galbadia."

Seifer was bemused, but as Irvine pointed behind him over into the distance, he saw a fairly large … well, it looked like a spacecraft.

"I've been all around the world, my friend," Irvine explained proudly as he helped the weak teen to his feet. "Picked up this little baby from the Esthar airstation. Got it from Dr Odine – and it wasn't easy, I tell ya. It's called Yuu."

Yuu was blood red, much like the Ragnarok, although much less than half the size. Its shape vaguely resembled that of a wild bird, more specifically, a Thrustaevis. The word Esthar had been printed onto its body in huge blue letters, along with alien-looking symbols and marks in a teal colour.

As Irvine went on to explain the confused Seifer, Yuu's weight was 1,267 tons without the propellant, charge, nor occupants. The weight was 2,278 tons with one third propellant, full charge, and full occupants. And the weight was 2,963 tons with full propellant, full charge, and full occupants. The length was 57 meters and the spaceship's height was 32 meters landing, 54 meters while flying. Although Irvine piloted the craft alone, it had originally been built for a crew of three, including a pilot, navigator, and wireless operator. Adding to this, the ship was also able to carry about eight more occupants. Yuu was also stocked with a number of weapons, including a 279mm charged particle cannon, and two 78mm multi-barreled lasers. It's maximum speed was 6.8km/s, the second cosmic velocity, which is fast enough to launch it into space.

Seifer didn't pick up any of this as he was lead steadily down the sloping platform which would allow him to exit the Deep Sea Research Center. He blocked out Irvine's babbling and gazed up at the ship, the transportation that would finally mark the end of six months of suffering.