Chapter Three – A Treasure For Thieves

As Ferin stood on the deck of his meager ship, he couldn't help but notice how the storm had not died down as of late, which was even more perplexing considering he first noticed the storm two days ago. It wasn't exactly phenomenal for a storm to last a few days, but three days were pushing it, and this storm wasn't even close to ending its messy affair. To Ferin, it was obvious that this was a very special storm: it didn't have the virginity of something from the Planet. It had the touch of Man upon it.

Esthar apparently does not want anyone to retrieve its prize.

"Damnit Ferin," Seifer yelled off from a few feet away, his rain coat drenched and his steps slowed down by all of the water his clothes had taken in. "We need to turn back or something! Got to get some shelter, you know?"

Ferin was unmoved by the suggestion. "No."

"No? Are you out of you're mind jackass? We'll drown if we don't get to a safe place!"

"We will survive."

"Damnit!" Seifer raised his arms into the air in protest, and walked off. "Why the hell did I even come with you!"

"Maybe because you were as drunk as horse."

Seifer grumbled some swears before he headed into the more warm quarters of the boat. Coming to the conclusion that he would not get to where their prize laid any faster by staring at the storm, Ferin followed Seifer in. The ship was on autopilot; it would get their when Time decided to.

"Just where the hell are we going anyways?" Seifer said, shaking his head like a wet dog. He threw his rain coat off of him, throwing it onto the soggy floor. Ferin followed likewise, not willing to explain anything in such a degenerative piece of attire.

"We are going after a ship."

Seifer's excessive shivering stilled somewhat, as if Ferin's answer warmed him. He turned to Ferin, his eyes full of interest. "A ship, eh?"

"One of three ships designed to transport the Sorcerers Adel from Esthar to that jail that orbited the Lunar Planet. It boasts the highest technological aspects Esthar had ever created, and will surely be invaluable to us."

"You're talking about the Ragnarok, aren't you?" Ferin nodded. "What the hell do you want that for? Do you really want the biggest freaking country in the world to go after you're scrawny ass?"

"We need it."

"Come on man! There are tons of other airships! Just buy one!"

"Don't be an idiot Seifer. The Ragnarok-II is the best airship around. If we can get, we might as well."

"Damnit, I'm dead! I'm dead!" He stormed out into his room, not wanting to hear any more excuses on why they should go after the Ragnarok-II. Ferin just poured himself some coffee.


A few hours later, Seifer was awoken suddenly when the roar of thunder announced itself to the meager ship. The tilting of the ship thanks to a tidal wave threw the ex-Knight off of his bed. It was one thing to be awoken by sirens: he could handle the roar of battle wakening him up from his sleep. It was another thing altogether to wake him up by throwing him from his bed.

Seifer was not a happy camper.

With the fury that would make even a Ruby Dragon green with envy, Seifer rushed out of his room to find Ferin lying comfortably on the toppled table, sipping some more coffee. "Whet the god damned hell is going on? Are you trying to get us sunk to the bottom of the good for nothing ocean, Ferin?"

"It was merely a tidal wave, Seifer. Control yourself."

"Just a tidal wave? It threw me off my bed!"

"Oh, shut your face, will you? We're there."

Seifer's rage vanished almost immediately, the man intrigued in what exactly Ferin mean by 'where'. "What do you mean?"

"Our destination; our point of interest; where we want to be, stuff like that."

"I didn't mean it like that you dumb ass! Where is there…or here, or whatever!"

"We are south, off of the tip of the Centra Empire's Ulevntiem province." Ferin was referring to the third world country of Centra, which named itself after both the famed continent and the ancient race of legend and supposed history. Although it played a slight but important role in the Second Sorceress War, in letting the party of Squall Leonhart explore its ruins in pursuit of the Guardian Force Odin, it was practically ignored by the historians that recorded the War. It was not even invited to be a part of the United Legislation. "Esthar hid the Ragnarok-II in a part cove, part high tech mini fortress a few miles ahead of us. My guess is that cove is where the storm is originating."

"Oh joy. Time to head right into the eye of the storm. I take it life boats won't save us from fifty foot waves, huh?"

"Actually, there are no life boats here."

"Well, that's just great!"

"Oh, shut your trap. We'll be safe in a few minutes. The storm acts like a somewhat natural shield around the island. Once we're behind that shield, we shouldn't have any problems."

Almost as if on cue, a tidal wave slammed into the ship, sending the two flying. A knife missed Seifer's head by a few inches. Seifer growled irritably. "If we can even survive for a few minutes."

Ignoring Seifer's biter sarcasm, Ferin rushed to his feet and the bridge. But before he could get there, the ship was slammed in from behind by another tidal wave. The push certainly gave it some distance, but it also tipped the ship to the point where some water was pouring in, although it certainly wasn't enough to sink the vessel.

"My life sucks," Seifer concluded. For whatever reason, he decided to follow Ferin to the deck, thinking it was better than staying below deck. He grabbed his rain coat and Hyperion, and opened the door. He was greeted by gales and skin ripping winds that more anything but welcoming.

Seifer was certain that they were doomed, but then another tidal wave hit the ship, sending Seifer down the stairs. In return for Seifer's headache, the ship was brought to proper balance. Seifer decided to lie on the wet ground, not exactly looking forward to facing the storm. The wind seemed to rip apart the old ship's weak metal frame, render asunder the engine that kept the vessel afloat. The constant thunder echoed across the ship, the almost rhyming beat of the rocking of the ship; Seifer was certain the vessel would go down sooner or later, with him on it.

Suddenly, the storm stopped. The symptoms of the doomed ship passed away. More than a little curious of the whole awkwardness of the whole situation, Seifer got his feet, not forgetting to grab Hyperion, and walked for the deck.

He opened the door to find Ferin leaning against the rail, his Flamberge in hand. He didn't comment on what must have been Seifer's late arrival. He simply said, "Let's go," and that was the end of it.

When they found themselves off of the deck of the ship and onto the inner platform of the island, Seifer realized that he was in as much a man made fortress as a thing of nature. Metal was fused with the navy blue rock, and even the ramp that led into the fortress was as much stainless steel as it was rock and natural irons. Stalactites hung from the roof as if the poor support was to release them at any moment, some of them hanging right beside lazily swinging lights.

A metal arch led the two warriors into the main heart of the small fortress, where spinning gears and rock made a tunnel of flashing lights crystallized ores. As amazed by the spectacle as anyone else would be, the two didn't say a word to comment about it, nor did they slow their pace to further examine it. There were more important things to worry about than a mere technological masterpiece.

The end of the tunnel revealed the main chamber, the primary attraction being the Ragnarok-II, being suspended in the air by hundreds of metal wires and metal platforms. Seifer wanted to point out that the Ragnarok-II was totally identical from the model Squall and his friends piloted, or at least that is what he could recall from his drunken memory, but Ferin was already rushing for the ladders to the platform. Deciding it was not necessarily the best time to talk about the subject, Seifer started to follow when an explosion knocked him to his feet.

"Damnit!" Ferin swore from above. "They found us. Seifer, get in here!"

"No need to tell me twice!" Seifer said, agreeing with the man, and he rushed for the platform. The sounds of boots echoed across from the end of the tunnel. A few reconnaissance troops arrived as Seifer was ascending the ladder, and they were quick to open fire. Thankfully, their aim was off somewhat, and the bullets did nothing more than make Seifer duck his head.

Ferin, not willing to let the Esthar troops start firing on him, proceeded to open the door. He pushed on a small rectangular button off of the door, and a door swung open. "Seifer!" he called out before heading inside, "Hurry up!"

Seifer had other things in mind. He noticed a metal crate a few feet off from where he was, on the platform, and he rolled to it to get some much needed cover. He practically ripped it open between rounds, and found an Estharian machine gun lying inside, with some rounds neatly packaged next to it. He grabbed the gun, loaded it, and opened fire. Those who weren't killed in the opening shots were slowed down.

Finding no further use for the weapon, Seifer dropped it and rushed inside the Ragnarok. He followed the hallway, guessing half the time on which pathway to follow, when the found the cockpit room, and Ferin along with it. Suddenly, as if the ship was waiting for the gunblade wielder to arrive, the dark room lighted itself.

'Greetings', came a wise, and somewhat tranquil voice from the ship's hull itself. 'I am Odin, the AI of the Ragnarok-II.' Ferin tracked the voice to a small circular device that was implanted to the roof of the room, with a yellowish image growing whenever 'Odin' spoke. 'Excuse me, but I do not sense the crew on board.'

"We are the crew!" Ferin answered. "We've gained possession of it from pirates."

'Pirates? Oh dear, that will not do at all: the most advanced intergalactic ship in the galaxy cannot be claimed by such troublesome people as pirates. Very well, I shall be as quick about this as possible.' The AI proceeded to assign the two positions on the ship, assigning it with what their personalities and strengths and weaknesses would allow, as well as register the two as part of the crew. 'All done. Ferin, you are the Captain of the Ragnarok-II. In short, you are in charge of main piloting and, when the occasion desires it, the wielder of the Ragnarok-II's grappler arms."

"That's great and all, but what about me?"

'Seifer, you are the head of weaponry. In laments terms, you are in charge of missiles, gun turrets, mines and the laser cannon.'

Seifer cracked his knuckles. He had a feeling that this was going to be a good day.

'Ferin, please get into the captain's seat, which is the central one, and proceed to initializing the activation phase.'

"Activation phase?" Seifer questioned, not at all knowledgeable about the ship. "What the hell does that mean?"

'Yes, Seifer Almasy. You see, since the Ragnarok-II is such an advanced ship, I require a major activation phase every two years, if I am not in use during that time you see.'

Not needing any more explanation on the matter, Seifer leaped into the captain's seat, pushing a glowing button to his left. No physical reaction on the ship's part came as a result, but Odin seemed quite please.

'Very good. All secondary and minor systems are off line. However, the engine has not been activated. How odd…. Regardless, it can be activated manually. Seifer, please follow me.' Suddenly, a small cube-like robotic, with two miniature arms, popped off from the ceiling, and was suspended in the air by a piece of metal. It darted off into the hallway, and Seifer, thinking that it was the AI, followed it.

Odin led Seifer towards the back of the ship, where a large golden machine laid lazily. Four tubes with a holding device attached to each end of them were fused with the machine. They were all numbered one to four in a clockwise order.

Seifer had a really bad feeling about this.

'I was told that is all the rage with other ships in the Esthar fleets,' Odin stated, thinking that it would make Seifer feel better about the situation.

It didn't.


Ferin fired off a few more rounds from his pistol, forcing some soldiers to use support beams and crates as cover. The soldiers gave him a few bursts of fire as a thank you favor.

"Odin!" he cried out between shots. "Can't you help me out here?"

'Affirmative, Ferin. Firing gun turrets in t-minus two seconds.' True to his words, the fix or so turrets that lined the defending side of the Ragnarok-II took aim, and fired combined bursts of shrapnel and laser fire, sending more than a few soldiers flying from their position.

"That helped," Ferin muttered to himself before ducking his head back inside the ship to avoid some bullets. "Or maybe it just pissed them off more."


"All right," Seifer said as he stretched his muscles, "What you want me to do?"

'It is quite simple, actually. Pull the levers of the designated engine generators in this fashion: one, four, three, one, two, three, three, four, four, one, one, two, two, four, and lastly, three then four.'

For a moment, Seifer didn't say anything. He just stood with, there a clueless look. "What the fuck did you just say?


Minutes passed, with no progress going to either side. Ferin and the Ragnarok-II's turrets would fire off their rounds, while the soldiers fire off theirs, both sides ducking or rolling for cover when the other fired. Ferin knew that sooner or later, he, then the Ragnarok-II, would run out of bullets, and that was when things would get messy.

"Come on Seifer, get it moving!" he growled under his breath, irritated how long it was taken the Gunblade wielder to activate the engine. After all, if he could help a mad sorceress to nearly bring the end to the world, an engine should be a peace of cake.

Suddenly, as if on cue, the roaring of an engine echoed across the holding chamber. Saying a private praise for Seifer, Ferin closed the door and rushed for the cockpit. Seifer was already in his seat when Ferin got there. He got into his seat as quickly as he could. He pulled on a lever by his side that sent the Ragnarok-II hovering above the platform. "Seifer, blast those platforms!" Already considering the plan before Ferin made his appearance, the platforms were quickly raining fiery death on the soldiers unfortunate enough to be waiting below. The cables were soon ripped off by the velocity of the advanced vessel, and the ship's laser cannon made the hangar gate nothing but scrape metal. The Ragnarok-II was quickly outside, in the vicious storm, when a series of Estharian ships fired on it. A small cruiser hovered thousands of miles above, raining destruction. The island keep was soon nothing but rubble.

Two ships roared in behind the Ragnarok-II, firing. 'Ferin,' Odin suggested, 'Now would be a good time to enter grappler combat mode.'

"Understood Odin. Erm, how would I do that?"

'Why, just ask,' the AI remarked, as if the answer was as clear as day. Suddenly, the cockpit room dimmed into a dark red, with multiple screens flashing on all around the two. Even though everything but straight ahead was metal, Ferin could see what was going on to his left, right and above.

Ferin felt a clamp on his arms, and noticed that a metal gauntlet of sorts had snapped onto his wrist. 'That is your link to the ship's Grappler Arms.' A light poured in from the darker end of the cockpit into Ferin's right eye, but he felt no pain from it. In his right eye, he saw a blank screen. Sensing Ferin's confusion, Odin explained the purpose behind the light. 'Whenever the Ragnarok-II locks onto a target, the specs will appear there.' Ferin nodded in approval.

"Okay then, let's get this show on the road!" he announced, and he felt a great weight lifted from the front end of the ship. Knowing that it was the Grappler Arms, Ferin got himself to work. A ship roared in from above, bullets firing while a grappler arm shaped more like a spear than an actual arm, was prepared to slice into the Ragnarok-II. Not willing to let that happened, Ferin grabbed both the blade and the cockpit itself. The pilot could do nothing but scream as the Ragnarok-II tore the ship in half, creating a giant fire ball in the night sky.

Ferin licked his lips, sweat slipping down his face. He closed his eyes. He breathed harder, slower, then faster. He felt as if his heart was going to be ripped out of his body in a beautiful display of gore and tears. So much energy, spirit and power, all of them were at his disposal, at his hands, in this ship. It was all his: and yet, the he felt that the ship made him its property as well. Somehow, someway, he knew that the Ragnarok was a beast in itself, a flying colossus of metal and technology fused into a beautiful display.

He felt that he was as part of the Ragnarok as the Ragnarok was of him.

Bullet fire from the side shook Ferin out of his subconscious. He flew forward, moving in every direction minus towards the sea to avoid the hail of bullets.

Ferin tightened his grip. He clenched his fists. He swung.

The arm slammed into one of the pursuing ships, sending it into a wild spin before it crashed into the sea, exploding beneath the harassing waves of the storm. The other arm grabbed the remaining attacker, and ripped it open as a cannibal would a corpse. Gears and oil splattered across the Raganrok-II's hull. Ferin then threw the useless hunk of metal towards the sea. Another eruption of water and sea coral occurred below the sky battle.

The cruiser sent another barrage against the Ragnarok-II, with missiles trailing behind them. Ferin did his best to weave between them, and Seifer, despite Ferin's erratic maneuver, managed to shoot some of the missiles down, but there was simply too many to dodge. Three missiles and dozens of explosives thundered across the Ragnarok's bottom hull.

'Captain!' Odin thundered its voice full of concern for the vessel. 'We cannot take another hit like that without significant damage to the engine and other vital components.'

Ferin swore under his breath. He needed a plan and fast, but there were too many things to occupy his mind. The ships, the cruiser, the storm, the waves, it was all too much! Then, a thought came to his head. "Odin, can we make it through the waves?"

'I believe so Captain, if the engines are at maximum speed that is.'

"All right then, we've got something! Seifer, hold on!"

"Aw shit…"

The Ragnarok-II dove down beneath the black storm, lightning flashing on its sides. Dozens of ships followed, unaware of what Ferin had in store for them. He weaved to the right, avoiding a wave of bullets. He saw a massive tidal wave forming, large enough to easily engulf any of the pursuing ships. He barrel rolled through the wave, the engines at maximum throttle. The ship cleanly sliced through the wave. Dozens of ships attempted the same maneuver, but they were inadequate for the task and were engulfed beneath the lumbering wave. Several additional ships were taken down by the wave of exploding metal from the deep sea eruptions.

Four more times this would happen, and each time the result would be the same: Estharian ships would follow the Ragnarok-II through a tidal wave, only to be crushed beneath it. In mere minutes, nearly half of the cruiser's fleet was beneath the sea. Seeing it as a lost cause, the cruiser left. They would get the Ragnarok-II another time. They would reclaim their lost prize.


An hour later, the crew of the Ragnarok-II was out of harm's way. They had either snuck or fight their way through the few patrols from the stubborn cruiser. The dimmed room lighted itself up, the metal gauntlets releasing their grip of Ferin's hands. He leaned back, rubbing his red eyes.

Seifer wiped some salvia from his chin. "Now I get why scar face liked this thing so much. It's a power house!"

'Agreed; the Ragnarok-II is the most powerful and advanced small-crew ship in the known galaxy.'

"Yeah yeah, whatever," Seifer said, waving his hands in a sign of ignoring the AI. "So, what we gonna do now?"

Ferin told him, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Seifer went pale at the revelation.

It was going to begin.