Chapter 7
The early morning sunlight slowly filled the circular room with it's early summer warmth. The intricate wrought iron and stained glass designs were reflected in the varied shadows cast on the wooden floor. Several narrow tables sat beneath the curved windows with various sizes of pots and trays sprawled out on the top of them.
Making a small hole in the soil with is finger; Gast placed a small seedling in the indent and gently packed dirt around it. He then slipped a small white plastic tag with its category, location and the name of the plant. Giving a small amount of water from a watering bottle, the professor went about repotting several other seedlings into larger pots. Setting the completed pots into the respective places along the sun filled windows, Gast stood back and clasped his hands behind his back.
'That should do it.' He thought looking over the tables. Each pot represented a fading species of plant. As a small side hobby, he made small collection of seeds and cuttings, hoping to grow a small garden of plants that would soon no longer be seen on the planet.
"What type of project do you have today, Professor?"
Gast smiled recognizing the only female voice within the mansion.
"You should know more then anyone else. It was one of the first projects I had you work on..."
"And I will never forgive you for it, sir." Lucrecia leaned against the doorway as she finished putting on her red uniform tie.
"Ah, but it is a two-fold experience, where one suffered pain to only come to appreciate what joy truly is."
Lucrecia shook her head. "Aren't you romanticizing grunt work a little, Professor?"
Gast walked past her, already jotting down some notes on a notepad he kept in his right lab coat pocket. "One day, you will return the favor on your own assistant."
He made his way down the hallway and toward the room entrance into the basement lab. Lucrecia looked at the small plants and smiled. Despite Gast sometimes-grumpy demeanor, there was something that were endearing, such as his devotion to plants. Turning, Lucrecia walked down the small way that was lit by three towering windows. There was something almost peaceful and yet unnerving about the structure. Though she assumed the unnerving part was how many ghost stories centered on large haunted mansions that had soaring windows and a massive chandelier. She shuddered for a moment before walking again. 'There you go again, being foolish. There is nothing to those stories. They were only made up to get us kids to behave and go to bed when we are told to.' Though it maybe that she also disliked large houses.
Lucrecia suddenly stopped near the top of the stairs. She listened hard trying to define what she heard. Not taking another second, she turned heel and raced into Gast's office that was near the conservatory. Pushing back the curtains, she saw a Shin-ra helicopter landing down. Leaning as far in as she could, she tried to make out who stood near the landing pad. She knew it was not Gast since she had just talked to him not just a few minutes ago. Seeing a white lab coat, she could only assume it was Dr. Hojo. 'Odd, I don't recall him leaving or mentioning he was expecting anyone...'
Two men stepped off, dressed in civilian clothing, but Lucrecia knew they had to be soldiers. No local would carry such large caliber guns. Hojo approached them under the whirl of the propellers. 'What on earth...?' A slight movement just below window caught her attention. Looking down, she found Vincent perched on the broadest part of the large stone fence with what looked like a pair of black binoculars. 'So you saw it too, didn't you? Though I would like to know how you got up there...' She watched him as he leaned back behind the large trees and shrubs that surrounded the outside of the mansion walls.
Lucrecia looked back up to see the helicopter take back into the air leaving the two men with Hojo. They had already began to walk away quickly disappearing behind the trees. She glanced down only to find that Turk had also disappeared. Concerned by what she saw, Lucrecia went back to her small room and retrieved her labcoat before heading downstairs to the lab. She skipped and raced down the narrow, spiraling stairs as fast as she could without the danger of tripping and falling the rest of the day.
"Professor Gast? Did you know..." She stopped in the doorway to find Gast working at of the test station with Vincent sitting nearby. It was as though he had been sitting there the whole time. Lucrecia opened and then shut her mouth.
"Did I know what?" Gast asked, still looking through the microscope. If there were anything to report, Vincent would have already done so. Adjusting her coat collar she took her place on one of the table where she had left her notes last night.
"How beautiful it is here in the morning?"
"Of course, I am glad you were fortunate enough to catch such a event." Gast scribbled down a few words while looking down at some slides. Vincent sat back and attempted to remain out of the way as not to interfere too much in their work within the lab. After finding him meeting at the helicopter pad with two incognito soldiers, Vincent was more then convinced that Hojo intended to turn a simple exploratory project into something quite on the contrary. However, the Turk knew he was powerless until Hojo did something outright to Gast and his project. Until then, Vincent intended to keep close tabs on the science department head.
'I wonder if she saw it too.'. The sound of footfalls and creaking stairs drew Vincent's attention to the main door. A few seconds later, Dr. Hojo appeared late as usual.
"Doctor." Gast mumbled as he continued his work at the microscope.
"Professor." Hojo paused looking over Gast's shoulder and down at the scores of notes and test analysis reports. Rubbing at his chin, Hojo reached down and looked over the data. Finding nothing new or interesting, he placed the paper down.
Lucrecia played with the end of her pencil as she looked over the records, trying to find a piece of information. However, she felt distracted. Her mind kept on returning to what she saw of Hojo. It did not make much sense to her, but she knew it was not good. And then there was the Turk. Despite his attempt to ride under the radar, she could not help but not to notice him. With his edgy hair, manicure appearance and sharp eyes, he was something almost a curiosity to her.
"Dr. Honestas?"
Lucrecia jolted from her reverie. The pencil she had been hold went flew from her fingers, bounced once on the desk top, then off her foot and finally rolled to a stop underneath the furniture. 'Damn...'
"Just a moment, sir" Lucrecia lowered herself down on her hands and knees so she could get underneath to retrieve her pencil. Lucrecia reached for her pencil and paused feeling a pair of eyes on her. She gritted her teeth knowing all too well who was watching her.
Hojo had paused briefly to watch Lucrecia while she was on the floor. Vincent came around curious of what was going on and stopped. 'Not too bad...' He mused taking only a brief glance at Lucrecia. The Turk then glanced over at Hojo and frowned. He was not happening to glance at her, but ogling her. Somehow it disturbed him, but what specifically, he was not one hundred percent sure. 'And that is as close as you are going to get.'
Lucrecia backed out and came to her feet with pencil in hand. She turned ignoring both Hojo and Vincent and met briefly with Gast to see what he called her over for. Hojo sighed and turned his attention back to the soaring bookshelves. The Turk returned to his stool and resumed his silent vigil over the small research group.
The dark sky was scattered with endless stars, their appearance and brilliance was only amplified by the darkness of the new moon. Lucrecia paused outside of the pub, admiring the sky. Despite the warmth of early summer, the air had dramatically cooled when the sun lowered itself beyond the ominous mountains.
She and Vincent began to make their way back slowly to the pub. But when the gates came into view, Lucrecia hesitated. Despite having another quiet dinner with the Turk and Professor Gast, she was not ready to return to lab where she knew Hojo were lurking. He had a way of creeping her out despite other people being around.
"How about we walk for a while? I could use some fresh air."
Vincent offered only a shrug. Turning, they strolled through the opposite side of the small village and toward a small trail that led around the outside perimeter.
"What do you think Hojo is doing?" Lucrecia finally asked. She had been plagued with the question ever since she saw the helicopter. However, Vincent offered little response as he only shrugged.
"Hard telling." 'What else would Hojo be doing with two, well-armed soldiers? I doubt they are here to take flower samples.'
Lucrecia was forced to drop the subject sensing he was not inclined to discuss it. She sighed and folded her arms. "I don't trust him, Mr. Valentine. Sure he and Gast get along well enough. It's just that Dr. Hojo has not shown much interest in Professor Gast's work until recently. But I am sure you know that."
She was aware of the purpose for the existence of the Turks: they were simply the guard dogs of the Shin-ra. They guarded tactical and manufacturing secrets, spied on what else people were producing or using so they could stay one step ahead. Weapon production had become a lucrative business, especially when the concept of Mako radiation and bombs were developed. That was the turning point of Shin-ra. It was not long before reactors began to be built to continue Mako study.There were only three reactors constructed, two of which were in Midgar and one in Nibelheim.
The small path came to an end where it overlooked the flat landscape sprawl far into the distance along with the main road. Crickets paused for a moment before beginning again their nightly tune followed by the occasional call of an owl.
"It is really peaceful out here. No traffic, sirens or fights. Just silence." She glanced over to find Vincent standing with his eyes focusing on the sky and every once in while scan the surroundings. Lucrecia shuddered as the cool air seeped past her thin blouse. She looked up at the sky again and watched as a few dark clouds drifted lazily along. "It's been a long time since I have taken a moment to look up at the stars."
"Not that you can see much in Midgar." Vincent added. It was not necessarily the air pollution, but the bombardment of streetlight, buildings and the lights from the two reactors that seemed to wash out the light of the night sky. The Turk glanced over only to catch her trying to hide a shudder. Without giving it much thought, he took off his suit jacket and placed it on her shoulders.
Lucrecia froze when she felt the garment being set down on her shoulders. However the warmth of the coat overruled the confusion and uncertainty of the gesture.
"This is not necessary." She remarked unsure how to treat the gifted garment. Vincent merely shrugged in response. "It's getting cold." He stated.
She was quiet for a moment before she spoke again, feeling uneasy by his polite gesture. "Thank you..." She murmured. 'What next, covering up mud-puddles?' How silly it almost seemed to her and yet it was almost welcoming to associate with somehow who was taught some manners.
It took Vincent a second to realize that she had thanked him. "You are welcome." He quickly responded. 'Its nice to know I am appreciated. ' He watched her briefly before jamming his hands into his pockets. Oddly enough, his long sleeved shirt offered little defense against the cool air. '...Especially since now I want my jacket back. I didn't realize it was this chilly.'
They stood in silence appreciating the quiet of the night, until laughter and song poured from the pub as people began to make their way home for the evening.
"It's getting late." Vincent finally stated. He glanced over to Lucrecia who nodded in agreement. They turned and made their way back to the mansion.