Chapter 26

Outpost Seven

Cloud sat silently against a wall watching the others move around excitedly attempting to figure out how to work the machine. Under Aeris' guidance workers in the building had made more progress in a few hours than they had in months of working on the project.

Vincent was helping scientists and soldiers alike carry large objects across the room to their designated spots. Everyone with two hands in the base was doing something except Cloud.

"No, to the left more," ordered Professor Hojo, a group of soldiers groaned and shuffled to the left with a large metal object.

"No they were right before," Aeris said, the soldiers groaned again and started back to where they came from.

"But my way is closer to the needed outlet of energy to work it," Hojo said. "Go left."

Soldiers moved left again.

"It doesn't matter, the place is powered by a different source, remember?" asked Aeris, "go back."

One of the soldiers yelled, "Make up your minds this bastard isn't light!"

Vincent stood off to the side watching the scene unfolding with the annoyed soldiers and shook his head slowly. He turned and saw Cloud sitting across the room, Vincent walked over.

"Looks like you're hard at work," Vincent commented.

Cloud looked up as if shocked from a trance, "Yeah, I was just…thinking."

"Of what?" asked Vincent.

"I was knocked unconscious for a while before I came here and while I was out I saw something like…a vision I guess," Cloud said, "it told me to come here, I'm just trying to figure it out."

"I've heard of weirder things happening," Vincent said, "maybe you should try just accepting it instead of trying to explain it."

You were a lot more philosophical before you were dead, Vincent, Cloud thought in amusement.

"Maybe you're right," Cloud said.

"Good, now come help me carry this thing that fits on some other thing I can't pronounce," Vincent said.

Cloud nodded and got up.

Cloud and Vincent both spent most of the time picking up and carrying items that neither of them really understood. The bigger items required them to use the assistance of either some other scientists or Shinra soldiers in the area. Between and during lifting objects Cloud and Vincent managed some conversation and Cloud slowly began to learn just how different Vincent was when he was a Turk.

The Vincent Cloud knew hardly talked at all, the old Vincent seemed to have an affinity for holding up a conversation. Cloud understood how the old Vincent could fall in love with Lucrecia and all those other normal things, looking at the Vincent he knew he really couldn't picture all the things he said happening.

Then again, Cloud had to take into consideration the fact that this Vincent might have differences compared to the other Vincent. One major difference being this one hadn't been shot by Hojo. It was possible that the Vincent he knew was different than this one in his younger days; maybe the Vincent he knew had always been dark and distant.

Traveling through existences and time didn't allow for a person to be sure of much of anything.

§

A few miles from the black building in one of the many guard outposts set up by Shinra, two soldiers in blue sat side by side looking out over the field, it had been clear for a week now and it didn't appear they would be encountering any enemies.

Although, since the attack by the mysterious Outcasts Shinra was paranoid and doubled security at outposts. The two soldiers and the others stationed there all held the same view: "they could all be at home right now, instead Shinra decided to toss them out to some outpost." They weren't happy about the situation at all.

Had there not been a member of SOLDIER there keeping them in line they might have all snuck off and left the outpost unmanned.

Had there not been a member of SOLDIER there they wouldn't have spotted the airship off in the distance.

"Hey," said one of the soldiers, "what's that?"

"It's probably just a bird again, Jansson," replied the other soldier who had almost fallen asleep.

"That's a big bird," Jansson said.

"Okay, Jansson, let's see what…" the other soldier stopped talking, "…that's no bird."

"Well, no shit, eh?" Jansson said.

"That's an airship," the other said, "I'll go get Masterson."

The soldier got up and ran into the bunker that served as their temporary place of residence.

James Masterson was one of the many members of SOLDIER who were ordered to supervise an outpost, it was clear whatever they were working on in the black building was very important to Shinra. He had short brown hair and wore the standard uniform of a SOLDIER. Over his back was a thin sheath that held a medium sized, slightly curved blade.

"Sir, we've spotted something on the horizon," a soldier said barging into the bunker.

The SOLDIER turned and looked at him with Mako infused eyes, "What is it?"

"It looks like an airship, sir," the soldier said.

"Show me," James ordered and he followed the soldier out of the bunker.

Indeed, off in the distance James saw not one but two airships headed straight toward them. Though the airships showed no markings of any kind James had been ordered to consider any approaching vehicles or persons as hostiles, whether showing hostility or not.

"Get everyone out here, I'll contact headquarters," James said, the soldier nodded and went back in the bunker.

James pulled out a grey cell phone issued to all SOLDIERs on duty a distance from Shinra HQ. He hit a button and put the phone to his ear.

"I need to speak with the highest ranking member of Shinra, right now," James said urgently. "Yes, a Turk will do fine."

James had a particular respect for the Turks and considered them equals to those at SOLDIER even though some thought the Turks were only above the lowliest soldier in rank and nothing more.

"This is James Masterson at outpost seven; we have possible incoming hostiles, two airships…"

§

"Sir," a blue soldier said coming up to stand beside Vincent, "a call for you from outpost seven."

Vincent turned away from Cloud for a moment and grabbed the phone, putting it to his ear, "This is Vincent Valentine."

He listened to the person on the phone.

"Only two airships?" asked Vincent. "Alright, advise the other outposts, I'll notify headquarters."

Vincent ended the call and looked at Cloud, "We may have company coming."

"Outcasts?" asked Cloud.

"Not sure yet, two airships were spotted coming this way," Vincent said, "I have to let HQ know of the imminent threat; you might want to tell your girl to hurry up."

"My girl?" asked Cloud.

"Yeah, you know, the Ancient, one of the other people around here who should be dead but isn't," Vincent said, "she's telling everyone what to do; we can only work as fast as she can talk."

"Oh, right," Cloud said, "I'll see what I can do."

Vincent nodded and started dialing a number on his phone.

Cloud found Aeris giving a scientist instructions on how to use something.

"Aeris," Cloud said coming up behind her.

"Hey," she said smiling.

"How far along are we?" asked Cloud.

"Well, if we work non-stop we'll have this thing going in around three hours," Aeris said, "give or take."

"How long until we know where we're going?" asked Cloud.

"Not long, actually, Professor Hojo found something in the equipment that will let us control exactly where we want to go," Aeris said, "I guess you were right, Hojo did know, sort of."

"Yeah," Cloud said, the vision had been right, "anyways, we might have trouble on the way so if you can speed this up any, do it."

"Trouble?" asked Aeris.

"An outpost spotted two airships headed this way, they figure it's the Outcasts," Cloud said.

Aeris cursed, "We won't be done in time, Cloud."

"I didn't think this was gonna be as easy as it sounded," Cloud said, "work as fast as you can, I'll see what I can do."

"Be careful," she said.

Cloud walked back to where Vincent was still standing.

"Yes, sir, no question now that they're hostile," Vincent was saying, "I agree, sir. No, we don't really…well, other than myself there is one other person here who would likely be able to hurt them, sir."

"Tell Rufus they won't get anywhere near the building," Cloud said.

Vincent looked at Cloud and said into the phone, "Yes, that was him, yes, sir."

Vincent ended the call.

"What's the verdict?" asked Cloud.

"Outpost seven confirmed the airships are hostile, long range weaponry was fired on them, no one was harmed. They're waiting on reinforcements," Vincent said.

"Let's go," Cloud said.

Vincent nodded, "There's a Shinra Chopper just outside, we can use that."

Cloud and Vincent exited the black building and got in the chopper, Vincent started it up and they were airbourne moments later.

"You can fly one of these?" asked Cloud.

"Wouldn't be much of a Turk if I couldn't," Vincent replied.

On their way to outpost seven Cloud happened to look back and see a group of identical Shinra Choppers off in the distance.

"Reinforcements?" asked Cloud.

Vincent nodded.

They set down at outpost seven, what was once a bunker was now a large hole in the ground with smoke trailing up out of it. A group of soldiers in blue and a single man in a SOLDIER uniform stood a few feet from the crater.

Vincent and Cloud exited the chopper and the SOLDIER walked toward them.

"The airships attacked a few minutes ago, it seemed more like a warning shot than anything," James informed them.

"One hell of a warning shot," Vincent commented.

"If they wanted to kill us all they wouldn't have fired on just the bunker," James said.

"They knew the highest ranking member would probably be inside the bunker," Vincent guessed.

"That makes sense," James said nodding, "I would have been had I not been calling the other outposts."

"The airships haven't fired since?" asked Vincent.

"No," James replied, "they've just continued on their course."

Vincent looked off at the approaching airships.

"Who's this?" asked James gesturing to Cloud.

"Cloud," Vincent said, "one of the people we found to help us with the project, he happens to be quite good with that sword of his."

James looked at Cloud curiously; Cloud guessed he was looking at his Mako eyes.

"Sir," one soldier in blue said running over to James, "the airships are landing, sir."

They all turned and watched as the airships, still a few miles from the outpost, landed and seemed to go silent. No one exited the aircrafts, they just sat there.

"What are they doing?" asked the soldier.

"Waiting, maybe," James said, "doesn't matter; as long as they're out there we have time to wait for reinforcements."

The group of choppers could now be heard in the distance making a beeline for outpost seven.

Vincent looked to Cloud, "You've fought Outcasts before, what do you think they're doing out there?"

Cloud shook his head, "Planning, maybe, I don't know."

"Are they good, these Outcasts?" asked James.

"They're no pushovers," Cloud replied, "nothing we can't handle."

--okay, sorry about making this chapter a little shorter than most but I'm going somewhere tomorrow and I have to get to bed so I can get up early. This also means that you're probably going to have to go one full day without this fanfic…you'll survive, I'm sure. As soon as I'm back the action with Cloud and Vincent begins…dun dun dunnnnnn.