Note: Some dialogues in the story are spoken by random people. It does not necessarily mean that two people are speaking with each other unless the situation specifies so. Now, on to the story.

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Reeve gulped down the last drop of water in his plastic cup. 'There is going to be a short meeting today.' he had called for it. He rubbed his eyes and focused on his surroundings. He was in a wide corridor that was brightly illuminated. He watched as employees walked through the corridors, flashing him smiles and greeting him. He liked the atmosphere of this area a lot. It was an atmosphere of peace. 'It is because of the people.'

"Um, sir? Are you going to take a drink?"

Reeve followed his gaze to the owner of the voice. It was a woman in her early 30's. She stood behind him, holding a cup. Obviously, she was waiting for something. "Oh, I'm sorry." was all he managed to say. Apparently, he was in front of the water dispenser, preventing other people from benefitting from its contents. He immediately stepped aside, granting access to the woman. Oddly, he was fascinated by the bubbles bubbling in the water tank as water began to escape from it and into the cup in the woman's hand.

After her drink, she thanked Reeve and left towards the room on her right, completely oblivious to the man's eyes on her.

'It's amazing how I'm the supreme commander of the Avalanche military and yet I am not familiar with the workers in this building.' Gathering his folders, Reeve walked towards the conference room. It is a relatively short walk, just around the corner of the floor. Around him, the office is bustling with much energy and life. Employees walked around, holding papers, or cups of coffee. Their voices and the ringing of the phones contribute to a lot of noise pollution but somehow, they seem to understand each other.

He rounded the corner and entered the room to his left. Unsurprisingly for him, some of the lights were on, sheding itself on some areas and leaving some dark spots around the walls. It can be deceiving, how small the door is yet how large the room beyond it is. Reeve took a moment to survey his surroundings. No one was here yet; he was early. Only one large object greets the sight of those who enter: the oval conference table. Along it, one's gaze would shift to the chairs situated beside it then to the LCD screen on the wall to the far right.

Reeve began to move towards the far left end of the conference table. The carpeted floor muffled the sounds of his footsteps as he silently proceeded to take his seat. He settled down and looked around for a wall clock. He spotted it and read the time. '7:47am. Meeting starts at 8:15. I'm early.'He breathed in heavily and sighed.

After focusing his mind, he lay the folders on his desk and opened one of them. His eyes surfed around the paper in front of him, paying little attention to the pictures. Every now and then he glances at the photos for a better understanding of what is written. "Raven outpost.."

Just then, the door opened and a semi-obese looking man in gala military uniform came in. He saluted Reeve who in turn, stood up and saluted back. Then both men sat down. Reeve sat back on his seat while the man took a seat to the right of Reeve. "Ah, I see you've received our military proposition. Do you understand its importance?"

"Quite, General Karl," Reeve spoke, eyes still on the paper. "I fail to see any other importance other than a mid drop-off point between Fort Condor and Kalm. Why add military components?"

Yet again, the door opened and closed and the room acquired the presence of two more visitors. Both wore the same gala as General Karl however, one was wearing a white gala and the other was wearing a navy blue gala, identifying them as navy and air force Generals respectively. "I believe we can answer that question." the general in the navy blue gala spoke, then saluting the supreme commander alongside the admiral in the naval gala.

Reeve stood and returned the gesture, "General Salve, Admiral Zeth, please take a seat."

Salve was medium built, had black hair and black eyes. Zeth was much taller, more muscular. He had brown hair and white skin. His eyes were masked by the reflections made by his eyeglasses. The two men walked further into the room. The admiral took a seat beside General Karl while General Salve went to the LCD control room. He inserted a disc into the machine then took a seat opposite of Karl.

Reeve pushed a button on his console and ordered three cups of coffee to be brought immediately.

Salve cleared his throat then began to speak, "As I was saying, the main function of the outpost, as you perceive it, is a midway drop-point for goods between Kalm and Fort Condor. It provides a resting place and a relatively safe haven for traders and travellers."

Reeve immediately replied, "Yes, that's how I see it. However, is it necessary for it to be a military installation? I see nothing that would upset the peace we are experiencing."

"Times are pretty... Harsh right now. The planet is still in the process of healing its wounds and we are still fresh from the chaos and destruction. This peace we see... Can be deceiving..." it was the admiral who spoke. It was a logical explanation but illogical enough for the unfaltering Commander.

"The state in which the ruined cities lie and the disorderly citizens may provoke a feeling of insecurity among some lesser elements of society. Due to the harsh times, they will not hesitate to find weakpoints and take advantage of them. The Avalanche military is a young force, and even if its motives are good, the way it is spread out among cities may incite violence among others." Karl added, making sure that none of his pins were untidy.

The supreme commander sighed, placing his face into his palms. He stubbornly defended his point, "People look up to examples. Beefing up the firepower will not do good. With minimal firepower though, the Avalanche military can show them the value of peace. It will also show them that Avalanche has no hostile intent."

"It will show them that Avalanche is weak and can be easily taken care of. With the ongoing situation, people are afraid of what may happen. Peace is a facade; it is but a nervous silence that waits for the opportune moment before chaos is unleashed. What the people need is assurance. They need to know that they will be safe."

'Three against one' Reeve thought. 'Both approaches have their own pros and cons. Nothing productive will happen if this meeting is wasted on some debate.' He looked at each of the general officers then focused his gaze on the blank LCD screen. He pictured an aerial view of Kalm, Midgar, Junon, Fort Condor and Mideel. "Alright, I will accept your proposition. For now."

A knock was heard and a female attendant entered with the three cups of coffee. Reeve asked her to distribute them to the officers.

"How about you?" the navy blue-clad officer asked.

"I already had mine earlier. Thank you. Now, shall we continue?"

"Yes of course," Karl neatly placed his cup back on its plate. "Admiral, if you would please?"

Zeth picked up the remote from the table. He pointed it to the LCD projector and pushed a button. The LCD screen flickered with life, showing nothing but a blank, blue screen. On the upper right hand side of a screen is a small box with 'Output 1' written on it. Zeth pushed the button again and the same screen greeted them. Only this time, 'Output 2' was written on the box. He pushed the same button a third time and the screen turned black. The word 'Raven' was written on it in red. "Raven outpost," the admiral began, as the screen changed to reveal an overview look of the whole outpost. "It will be complete with lodging for exhausted traders and travellers. The area however, consists of only one-eights of the whole outpost. The remaining seven-eights will be used for military purposes."

Karl then spoke, "We have completed the construction of the lodging and it can be used right now. For the military aspect, we only have a small medical facility and two barracks. Currently, we have two hundred and seventy soldiers in there. There are adequate facilities for their training like a firing range, obstacle course, etc." The screen flashed actual shots of the completed buildings. "Construction of helipads for the choppers have begun yesterday. But until then, supplies will be transported by land."

Reeve nodded, 'So much for the debate, they have already started anyway.' He continued to watch the screen. As he watched it, one picture caught his eye. In the picture were three soldiers talking in the foreground. Behind them was the firing range, built using a sturdy tent. It looked simple yet it was surprisingly durable. But what really caught his eye was a figure that was barely noticeable in the background. It was an all too familiar figure. He leaned forward and squinted in an attempt to get a better view. He smiled after a while, clearly not forgetting the familiar long black hair, the mysterious face, the golden claw, and the red cape. 'Vincent...'

"In fact, another convoy of supplies are about to leave in a few minutes. They are carrying some munitions to the outpost." Karl added.

"How about the other buildings, when will they be completed?"

It was Salve's turn to speak, "At the rate we're going? Probably in two to three months. I'm going to contact the supplier in Mideel after the meeting, follow up the next shipment of building materials."

"Alright, keep me posted." Reeve stood up and immediately, the three general officers followed suit. They saluted each other before leaving the room. Zeth shut off the LCD and retrieved the disc before leaving.

As soon as the last person left, two figures stepped out from a large shadow in the room. Both wore almost the same clothes as General Salve, however, one of the two figures wore it untidily. "So, Raven outpost is near completion eh? Wehehell!" He looked at his partner, expecting a reply.

The other figure wiped some of the dirt on his shades with a handkerchief then put them back on. He didn't utter a word.

"Oh well, you know what we're supposed to do." Placing his hands behind his head, he started to walk out of the room.

The other man trailed closely behind, following his red-haired companion.

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The barren lands have a ghastly feel as small dustballs and the dust-polluted sand run rampant over it. Amidst the natural noise of the environment, man-made noises join in the party of annoying worthlessness. The audible sound of a motor engine warns whatever creature in front of it to move away before its owner makes its presence known. Soon enough, a dark-green colored truck appears. Behind it, three more replicas of the object trail closely behind. The lead and the last trucks each had fourteen occupants. A driver, a technical sergeant, and twelve soldiers at the back, facing each other.

The two trucks in the middle are the important ones to consider. They carry valuable cargo which take up most of the space. Due to those, only four soldiers sit beside the bulky crates. But like the others, there is a driver and a passenger in the cab. A soldier in both the lead and the last trucks would usually glance in the direction of the rolling VIPs to ensure their safety. Others, on the other hand, are too lazy to keep watch and leave their comrades to do the work for them.

One of the soldiers in the lead truck spoke, breaking the stares of the men from each other, "Here again, babysitting some shit-assed guns."

Another guy in the truck commented, "Heh, guess that's what we're worth dude, just babysittin', back and forth, back and forth... But hell, say this outpost needed the munitions. I say, what the fuck? We've got around two hundred buddies there with enough firepower to conquer Midgar."

"Damn, how much further?" a young looking soldier asked.

The soldier sitting behind the driver knocked on the cab. Leaning as close as possible to the window, he spoke loudly to combat the roaring engine of the truck, "Hey! How much longer's the ride?".

A reply came in an equally loud tone, "We just need to pass over four more hills before we can see Raven outpost! ETA is..." he quickly glanced at his watch, "fourty five minutes!"

The soldier turned back to his fellow soldiers, "Fourty five minutes, kiddos."

"Damn!"

"Hell, I joined Avalanche so that I can see some action! And look where I am right now, in this hellhole scrap of a truck, babysitting some stuff!"

"You'll get your chance soon."

"Soon? Shit..."

"Personally, I joined Avalanche to help. I wanted a better life for this planet and I wanted my family to live happily in peace. So when the recruitment center opened up, I jumped at the opportunity."

"Gee, wish I was like 'ya."

"Goddamit Lerner, you've got abolutely no hope becoming a saint. Look at yourself, you're wasted and shit."

"Hey, watch your mouth!"

"I just want to get it over with."

The men sat in silence, feeling the roughness of the path being treaded upon and staring again at each other.

"Uh, guys, what the hell is that?" One man broke the silence, pointing at a small, round object hurtling towards them at high speed. The other soldiers opposite him turned around as far as their spine and neck can turn to check the mysterious object.

"OH SHIT! RPG!" with that yell, the soldiers scrambled to jump off the truck but it was too late. The rocket hit the truck in full force, exploding on the unfortunate occupants and engulfing the truck in flames. Scrap metal scattered around the place, some even denting the other trucks. The force and the impact toppled the truck over to its side, a burning wreck. All fourteen men perished in an instant.

The second truck was unable to stop in time and it smashed right into the overturned truck. A piece of metal went right through the windshield and impaled the driver. The others stopped in an instant and the men jumped down to protect the cargo.

Since one technical sergeant died in the lead truck, the remaining field officer took charge. He was determined to prove himself, determined to ensure the cargoes' safety, determined to bring his men home in one piece. With a thunderous voice, he made his importance known among his men, "ORGANIZE YOURSELVES! DEFENSIVE POSITIONS!"

Another deafening explosion and the last truck met the same fate as the first truck. Nine men did not make it out of the blast. With the discipline instilled through their rigorous training, the remaining survivors attempted to reorganize their chaotic lines as the sergeant wished.

Within seconds, whizzing sounds are heard, followed by the sounds of metal hitting flesh and metal hitting metal. Due to the chaos, a handful of men dropped instantly. The rest took cover behind the trucks along with the sergeant, covering themselves from the assailants. They checked their rifles, switched the safety off and loaded the magazines. They were ready to fight back. But to their horror, a problem surfaced:

"WHERE THE FUCK ARE THEY SARGE!"

"WE DON'T KNOW NO SHIT PRIVATE! NOW UNLESS YOU WANNA EAT DIRT, YOU'RE GONNA KEEP YOUR GODDAM HEAD DOWN!"

Bullets kept on raining and bodies were soaked in blood. Even some of those who were covering themselves behind the trucks were killed by a salvo.

"THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!"

The sounds of pain, moaning and screaming, along with the sounds of the dead horribly drain the surviving men of their morale. As more and more of their comrades succumb to the hell being spat at them, their wills broke and they began to fire their guns blindly everywhere, hoping to hit somebody- anybody, even just one asshole... Just one... God save them... Their futile attempts do nothing to hold whatever hope they have.

The sergeant watched helplessly as his men drop dead. He noticed that he is the only one left taking cover behind the second truck. He scans around desperately for any movement and luckily for him, he spots five of his men huddled together, covering and firing blindly behind the fourth truck. With sweaty palms, he clutched his rifle and hesitated for a moment before making a mad dash towards his men. He must get to them immediately.

The intensity of the bullet fire increased as he got closer to them. "HOLD YOUR FIRE DAMMIT! HOLD YOUR FIRE! YOU'RE WASTING AMMO ON NOTHING!"

"I DON' WANNA DIE SARGE! I DON' WANNA DIE!" fear is much evident on their faces.

"SUPPRESS THEM! I'M COMING OVER!" the sergeant navigated around the numerous dead bodies, eyes focused on the five desperate soldiers.

"SIR WE HAVE NO FIRING POINT! THEY'RE FUCKING EVERYWHERE!"

"POP SOME SMOKE!" the officer yelled.

"NO SMOKE! JUST FRAGS!"

The fear grew stronger as bullets ripped through one of the men. He slumped to the ground.

"GODDAMIT, I'M GONNA GET YOUR SORRY ASSES OUT OF HERE IN ONE PIECE NOW SUPPRESS THE MOTHERFUCKERS, I'M COMING OVER!"

The remaining four nodded and fired everywhere, hoping that their leader will arrive in time.

The sergeant sprinted immediately. As he neared them, he watched in horror as a bullet passes through the head of another man, followed by a rocket. The blast knocked him back to the ground. He struggled to stand yet he found much difficulty in doing so. Fighting the shellshock, he looked back at the four men. They were no longer there. Pain suddenly kicked in, attacking his chest. When he looked at it he realized that a shrapnel had lodged itself inside his chest. Blood began rise up to his mouth.

Finally, everything stopped. The rain of bullets ceased to lash at them- at him. It was horribly peaceful. He looked around at the remnants of what used to be a convoy. Nothing stood except for a dead soldier leaning on one of the trucks. He could hear the soft moans of the dying, peaceful and calm yet full of pain and fear. He was mad at himself for being unable to do something. He wanted to protect his men, and bring them home, yet he failed.

Finding it difficult to breathe, the officer struggled to undo the straps of his helmet. He let it fall off his head. He knew he was going to suffer the same fate as everyone else that day. It was amazing how fourty soldiers and four trucks were erased in half an hour. He coughed up blood and he breathed with much difficulty. He could feel the shrapnel scraping on his lungs with every breath.

Then he felt a sharp, piercing pressure on his forehead. The nerves were unable to sense the pain and everything instantly became black. It was peaceful...

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Okay, there you go! There will be more action soon. Please R and R and no flames please! I'm not sure if you guys enjoy it or not, so please. Thanks! I'm going to update as long as reviews come in. Constructive criticism is most definitely welcomed.