Splintered Dreams

"All Aboard"

Chapter 25

The scents of salt and sea commingled with metal and gasoline to create an industrial cocktail that couldn't be found anywhere else in all the world. Embedded deep within the belly of a cliff, overlooking the vast ocean, Junon Base was Shin-Ra's largest military base—large enough to house a city within itself, complete with shops, diners, and resident quarters—and home of Shin-Ra's most advanced weaponry division.

The decision for that was strategic and cunning. Through Junon Harbor and its ports Shin-Ra had access to the entire world. It was here that the prototypes kept within the Shin-Ra Tower were implemented and shipped out.

As such, it was a vital stronghold for Shin-Ra. SOLDIERS trained in virtual simulations of this base for that very reason. Zack couldn't count the number of simulations he'd run, memorizing the base—and how to defend it.

Rumor had it, that at one time Angeal, Sephiroth and Genisis had actually destroyed one of the Junon Base Sim-rooms during training. Zack had asked Angeal to tell him the story, but Angeal—in typical Angeal fashion—had simply waved him off and told him to focus on his own training.

Zack never thought he'd be thankful for those redundant hours, but as the elevator grate slid open and the group stepped out onto the lower platform of a hangar that dwarfed them, he was.

"Wow." Hands placed on her hips, Yuffie rocked back on the heels of her soft boots. "That is one big floaty-thing!"

Turning to follow the direction of her gaze Zack took in the sight before him and let out a low whistle.

A few hundred yards away hovered an airship. A giant, behemoth of an airship, with its large rotors making lazy circles and its massive bulk tethered to the base-deck by countless cables. The sheer size of it was staggering. Never had Shin-Ra—back in his days, at least—had such an aircraft. Sleek and silver with dual engines and a drop down cockpit the ship was like nothing Zack had ever seen before.

But, as impressive as the airship was, Zack recognized the potential behind it. A weapon.

An innovative one-of-a-kind weapon, but a weapon none the less.

Beside him, Aerith breathed out a soft, "Amazing." She stood with her eyes wide and wonder-filled, and Zack felt his lips arch, just a bit. As worldly as Aerith sometimes liked to believe herself to be, she really had been quite isolated in her upbringing.

It almost made him regret taking the hidden tunnels through Junon Base to the docks. The inner city was rather spectacular in its own right. Shops and parks, beauty salons and bars, all housed within the base, but with all the commotion regarding Rufus and his celebration, Zack had taken the safer route.

"Do you think someday we'd ever be able to fly on something like that?" Aerith questioned aloud, head tilted to the side.

Surprised, Zack blinked at her. "In the sky?"

On his other side, Barret rolled his eyes. "You know anywhere else you can fly?"

"Of course not, that's not what I meant. It's just that..." She's scared of the sky... Hepaused, recalled the memory fondly and silenced himself. Zack remembered what Aerith had said about the sky and his eyes when they;d first met, and he was happy to realize that her fear was diminished. Sending her a crooked smile, Zack let the sentence fade away. "Forget it."

"It will not take the guards long to warn of our breech," Red spoke up, diverting conversation and attention. "Do we, at this juncture, have a plan?"

Zack turned to Tifa, wanting her thoughts, and found her still regarding the airship with her brows drawn low. He could see the wheels in her head turning, speculating as to what Shin-Ra might might use such an airship for. "Tifa."

"Hm?"

"We have to decide what to do now."

With a shake of her head, furrow smoothing out, she turned and addressed the group. "Don't get caught," came her even reply.

"Anything more elaborate?" Red's fangs glinted in what could easily have been considered a smile.

"At the moment...no." Tifa shrugged, glanced back the way they came. "But you're right, this place is crawling with Shin-Ra, and we need a plan. So, Zack, where do we go from here?"

"Hey, wait! Who in hell made him leader?" Barret demanded.

"I'm sorry, Barret," Tifa swiveled toward him, her voice saccharine sweet. "I was unaware you were familiar with the layout of this base and the hidden passages." She gave an open palm, sweeping gesture. "Please, go ahead and tell us which way to go."

Zack watched with amusement—and a fair amount of affection—as the two bickered back and forth. It was heartening for him to witness their never-changing bond. No matter what seemed to be thrown at them, Barret and Tifa remained constant to each other.

Even toe to toe and snapping at one another Barret's posture screamed overprotective and Tifa stood in open armed trust

Zack envied the bond they shared. It reminded him of his time with Angeal.

"And just what in the hell are you looking at?" Barret's baritone boom snapped Zack back from his wandering thoughts.

His return and smile were both easy. "A jackass."

Barret took a menacing step forward. "C'mere, you scrawny shit!"

"Cut it out, both of you." Tifa gave them pointed looks.

"He started it," they replied in unison, immediately contrite.

"You're pretty good at that," Aerith commented, an appreciative smile on her face.

Tifa flashed an answering grin. "Comes from running a bar."

The clanking sound of doors closing and gears whirring caused the group to move abruptly away from the elevator and push themselves into the shadows of the overhang. Down the dock, one of the many hangar doors opened and a couple of men wearing jumpsuits stepped out, talking between themselves as they made their way toward the airship.

"We need to go," Tifa whispered, maneuvering herself for a better angle. "Zack?"

A quick glance at the deck revealed it still mostly vacant. "Looks like whatever 'send off' Rufus is getting is apparently occupying most of the soldiers. Maybe we can find some spare uniforms and get close to—"

"Uhn-uh, Slick. You may be able to blend in, but a couple of us here ain't gonna get any closer than this. And even if the crew manning this place is half-retarded, and by the looks of it, they are, there's bound to be some higher-ups that take notice to a man with a gun graphed to his arm trying to get close to Rufus."

"Not to mention a talking dog," Yuffie pointed out.

"I am not a dog," Red growled.

"Whatever. A talking thing that's not a dog, but looks like a dog, and growls like a dog, and sheds like a dog..."

"Human, you test me."

"Okay, ease up, both of you." The reprimand would have been more effective if Zack hadn't been fighting a grin. "We have to figure out where to go from here."

"Couldn't we just find his ship?" Tifa asked. "And get on it? I mean, we know Rufus is leaving on a ship, right? So why don't we just sneak on that instead of running all over the base. If Sephiroth has already left and that's why Rufus is leaving, it makes staying here seem kind of pointless. Right? So all we have to do is get to the dock and sneak on board... Or maybe I'll just shut up now."

"No, no," Zack shook his head, feeling stupider than he had in a long time. "That plan makes perfect sense. With the skeleton crew down here, and most troops probably in Rufus's vicinity, we should be able to get to the ship relatively easily—"

"And then what?" Yuffie wanted to know. Her fist met the palm of her hand. "When do we get to kick some more Shin-Ra butt?"

"Calm down, pint-size, we gotta get there first," Barret told her. "But I like your enthusiasm."

Yuffie beamed. "Yeah, okay, so what are we gonna do?"

"If you'd ever let me finish a sentence, maybe then you'd know," Zack interjected. He paused a beat and when she didn't say anything else, he continued. "Finding and getting on that ship is what we need to do, yes, but we also have no idea where the ship is heading or what we'll be up against. Up another level there's an indoor city. We can likely get some supplies and information up there."

"An indoor city?" Red snorted, hackles up. "Bottled and contained. That seems to be a common theme for Shin-Ra."

Zack heard the hint of anger in Red's normally dulcet voice, and felt a twinge of sympathy for the pain he must have endured. None of them had ever bothered to ask how long Red had been in one of Hojo's test-tubes, but the scarring on his body—even hidden as it was by fur—and those unseen scars of the mind—told Zack that it had been long enough.

Tifa must have sensed it too, because she crouched beside the large beast and buried her face in his scruff, her fingers threading through mane as she hugged. Just hugged.

"What are you...?" Red began a soft protest but then with a short purr-like sound he closed his eye and sighed, muscles slack.

Zack felt a surge of pride and affection wash over him as he watched Tifa lend Red her strength. She constantly amazed him with her ability to comfort with the simplest of gestures. Generous, understanding, affectionate...strong. She did it so often and so selflessly that he doubted anyone really noticed that she was doing it; sharing their burdens, taking a bit of their pain onto herself.

He crossed his arms to keep from reaching out to her and pulling her into his arms. He wanted to hold her, to shelter her; he wanted to take away her hurts and keep her from crumbling beneath the weight of all she took upon herself.

After a quiet moment she stood. "Okay, so up it is," she said as though there was never a pause.

Unable to quell all of his instincts, Zack stepped to her, brushed the backs of his fingers along her jaw. Her eyes were warmed cinnamon when they lifted to his, and only his awareness of their situation and Barret's close proximity kept him from leaning down and capturing her mouth.

"We can't all go up," he told her. "We're no small group, and we're bound to be spotted. I'll go."

She nodded, albeit reluctantly. "We'll get to the ship and wait for you." She lifted her hand, wrapped her fingers around his and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Be careful."

Zack savored her touch. It was still new, her openness, and he wasn't about to push for more, but he would cherish every moment of it. Even if only fleeting and in the midst of chaos. "You too," he whispered back. He scanned their ragtag crew, felt both worry and pride. "All of you."

Making it to the upper levels of the base wasn't nearly as difficult as it could have been, and Zack was admittedly surprised by the lack of precautions Shin-Ra was implementing. With the huge fan-fare and celebratory send-off, they'd set up a beacon as to Rufus Shinra's whereabouts—but hadn't bothered with proper security? It was almost as though they were inviting infiltration.

He didn't have long to speculate on that, because just ahead of him, from the side alleyway, soldiers marched out from the shadows—in formation—before heading down the street. The dark maroon of their sharply pressed uniforms told Zack that these were second tier Lieutenants. Higher ranking members of the general forces. Not SOLDIER class, but not grunts, either.

Zack followed.

"Which ship do you think it is?" Aerith whispered, sliding along the wall to peek around Tifa. They could spot Barret and Yuffie a few yards ahead, ducking behind some crates but there was no sign of Red.

"Something big and overdone, I'm sure," Tifa replied with a small smirk, but her shoulders remained stiff with tension.

"He'll be fine." Soft, but firm, Aerith's hand settled on Tifa's arm, giving a reassuring squeeze.

Tifa let out a breath, nodded. "I know. It's not Zack I'm worried about." Not entirely. She avoided worrying about Zack, because she knew if she allowed herself to fret over him, she'd be little to no help with anything else. Besides, Zack was more than capable. She'd witnessed first hand his skill with a sword, and his strength was astonishing. Zack could handle himself. It was who they were ultimately chasing that had Tifa feeling so on edge.

"If Sephiroth is really alive..." The thought alone was enough to stutter her speech and chill her blood, but the idea that Rufus Shinra wanted not only to find the General, but to use him for his own ends...that was enough to make fear a living thing crawling through her body. Focus, Lockhart. No time to be flaking.

"I don't remember ever meeting him," Aerith murmured. "But I heard about him. Often. From Zack, from Tseng, from the newspapers. He was quite the hero."

"He was a monster."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Aerith blinked her eyes, unaware of how her absent musing stung. "I didn't mean—"

"I know." Tifa cut her some slack. Aerith wasn't malicious, and Tifa seriously doubted the other woman had a hateful, hurtful bone in her body.

"That was insensitive of me," Aerith protested.

One thing Tifa had noticed in their short time together was that Aerith took everything to heart, and Tifa refused to let her past cause anyone else pain. "You can't change what was, or how he is remembered," Tifa brushed off her apology with a gentle smile. "Look, Barret is signaling us. Let's go."

It was only a matter of minutes before the troops reached their destination. The soldiers stopped on a lower platform, near the docking area, and remained in formation. Nothing like going in a big circle, Zack thought with a self directed eye-roll.

Suddenly, the Captain of the squad stepped out and raised his rifle. "Junon Military Reception!"

The group began a salute with marching and rifles. Zack remembered doing some of those ridiculous ceremonies. It was practicing for one that he'd developed his 'finishing move'. He'd showed the sword spin off to Angeal a few dozen times, all arrogance and pride.

He remembered Angeal's response: "Showing off won't do anyone any good on the battlefield, Zack."

And his own reply: "Yeah, but it will impress the ladies."

"Your priorities are inspiring."

Zack chuckled at the memory. Angeal had always encouraged him, even in the ridiculous, and even while teasing. He missed that. He missed him.

A changing of position drew Zack's gaze to the front of the line, and he shook off the cobwebs of memory to focus on what was in front of him. From his vantage point in the shadows, Zack could see pristine white flanked by dark suits. Rufus. Shifting lower, Zack crouched down and leaned forward; listened.

"Heidegger!" Rufus barked.

"Sir!" From behind a jeep, portly and grizzly Heidegger waddled forward. "We weren't expecting you so soon, Mr. President, Sir..."

A sharp slice of Rufus's hand silenced the other man. "I don't want excuses, Heidegger. What's the status on the airship?"

Wiping a handkerchief over his brow, Heidegger relied, "The long range airship is still being prepared."

Long range airship? So that's what that was. Zack made mental note of that. If Shin-Ra had airships that could be used over hundreds of miles, they were an even larger military threat than they'd ever been.

"How long before it's ready?" Rufus insisted.

"About three more days, gyahahaha."

"Don't." A long, probably perfectly manicured, finger pointed in Heidegger's face. "Stop that ridiculous horse laugh. You sound worse than Scarlet. Things are different than when my father was in charge. Obey, or I'll have your tongue removed from your head. Understood?"

"Gya...yes...Sir!"

"And my ship?"

"Nearly ready. We should be off in the hour."

"Good. We don't have time to delay. I want Sephiroth located, and I want him found now!" The tails of his trench-coat snapped when he turned.

"There was a rumor of a man in a black cape on the base," Heidegger offered up, hand still working the handkerchief. "Our men are still looking."

"I don't care about rumors, I want results. If word spreads of a possible Sephiroth sighting, you can bet Fair and his motley crew won't be far behind."

Closer than you think, you arrogant prick.

"No worries, Mr. President. We'll crush them as soon as we find them," Heidegger promised, his beefy hand making a fist.

"I don't want anything in our way. Too much is at stake for your careless foul-ups."

"Leave it to me, sir."

"You'd better not fail me." With that Rufus spun on his heel and made his way along the dock.

Heidegger waited until Rufus was away before turning on his soldiers with angry, threatening motions. "You better not let him down! If you fail me, you'll regret it! Dismissed!"

"What's up his ass?" Zack heard one of the men ask, and smirked himself.

"Heidegger's got a lot of stress. Ever since Hojo resigned, he's had to head up that division and investigation as well."

Zack froze. Just that name was enough to make his throat ache with tired screams and skin itch like it needed to be peeled off. He fought back the reaction and focused on the words of the soldier. Hojo had...resigned? Zack wasn't sure what was worse—that lunatic working for Shin-Ra, or the idea of him loose, without constraints.

"Hey, weren't you just dismissed? Get the hell going!"

"Aye, Captain!" The group of soldiers spilt up, jogging away from their central point. Standard search pattern, Zack thought, following them with his eyes. There were so many young cadets, all eager giddyup and faces still plump with youth. He suddenly felt very old, despite his mere 23 years.

Shaking himself, Zack got to his feet. Heidegger said Rufus's ship would be leaving within the hour. That gave him just enough time to hit the weapon shop and stock up on a few things. He let his gaze wander back to the docks, searching the shadows for any sign of Tifa and the others. Seeing none he could only hope that they'd made it on board, and were safe.

"You want me to do what with this shit, exactly?" Barret eyed the fabric in his hands with a dubious expression.

"Would you quit complaining and just put the damn thing on."

"You can't be serious—"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Tifa tapped the toe of her boot, arms crossed. "Look, I don't like the idea of wearing this uniform any more than you do. I hate it, in fact, but if we're going to have any chance on this ship, we need to blend in." She shoved a cap onto the pile. "Now blend."

Stepping from behind a stack of towels, Aerith adjusted the belt of her uniform. "Any sign of Zack yet?"

Ignoring the pang of worry that went through her, Tifa forced a smile. "Nothing yet, but you know Zack. He likes to make an entrance."

Aerith nodded, her own lips curving. "Yeah."

"Okay, this, is just...fuckin' stupid." Barret fumbled around the armholes of his shirt, swearing and stomping.

"If I can get into uniform, certainly you must be able to figure it out."

Tifa almost choked on her laughter when Red emerged from the other engine room. Tufts of orange and red fur protruded from white cotton and he swayed on his hind legs.

"What? I think I make a fine human," Red sniffed. "Besides, you people only look at the surface anyway. You see what you want to see."

"I dunno. I see a doggie in a sailor uniform," Yuffie giggled, swinging her legs back and forth from her seat in the rafters. "Does anyone have a camera?"

"Quiet, you."

"Awwww, as adorable as you look, I think it'd be best if you just stayed hidden," Tifa said, swallowing back her own mirth.

"Very well. Besides, these buttons are chafing."

"Oh, I don't know. I've seen worse."

Aerith spun on her heel, clapped her hands. "Zack!"

Leaning in the open doorway, satchel slung over his shoulder, Zack grinned at them. "Miss me?"

Tifa felt her heart kick against her ribs. Yes. "You were gone?" she asked instead, her cheeks hurting from her grin.

"Play coy all you want, Lockhart. You missed me." Zack winked at her, the tossed an armload of clothes at Barret. "Here. Wear that instead."

Barret grabbed the thick gray material and held it up. It was an extra large jumpsuit—easy to get in.

"Thanks," he grumbled.

"Don't mention it. Besides, you trying to squeeze into that little get-up," he motioned at the white sailor suit, "would be like a bear wearing a marshmallow, or something equally disturbing."

"Har har," Barret rolled his eyes. "I don't suppose you found out anything useful, like, oh, I don't know, where we're headed?"

"Ship's headed for Costa Del Sol," Zack supplied absently, his eyes roaming over Tifa in her Shin-Ra sailor outfit.

Tifa felt heat flood her cheeks and attempted—not for the first time—to adjust the buttons on the crisp shirt. The sharp angles of the uniform did nothing to detract from her curves, she silently mulled. Just the opposite, in fact. The lines accented her breasts and dipped in at her waist. She felt more display wearing the starched whites than she had in Corneo's mansion.

"Boy, you're gonna wanna put those eyes back in your head," Barret warned quietly as he passed.

Any retort that Zack would have made was cut off abruptly by a loud, wailing siren.

"What the hell?" Yuffie covered her ears and flipped backwards off the rafter, landing with a soft 'oomph' on the balls of her feet. "What is that sound?"

"Alarm," Tifa replied and reached into her back pocket for her gloves. The overhead lights flickered.

"Emergency alert! Suspicious persons found on board. All personnel not on detail immediately search the ship. Repeat: Suspicious persons found on board. All personnel not on detail, search the ship."

"Damn, they found us already?" Barret frowned.

"I don't think it's us," Aerith stated. She glanced at Zack, worry darkening her eyes. "Sephiroth, maybe?"

"Only one way to find out," Zack responded, his hand curling around the hilt of his sword. He turned toward the door.

"Wait." Tifa rushed to his side. No way was she letting him go on his own. She had to know. "I'm coming with you." When he opened his mouth to argue, she shook her head, stopping him. She was resolute in this. "Barret, keep everyone here safe."

"You come back safe," he countered with a hard look. "Don't make me come after you," he warned.

"I won't." As the door clanged shut behind them, Tifa couldn't say what she wanted more—to finally find Sephiroth, or to realize they were chasing a phantom.

"Ready?" Zack asked.

"No." Relying on instinct and heart alone, Tifa gripped his face in her hands and stood on tiptoe, pressed her lips--quick and hard--to his. "Okay, maybe now." She started down the corridor.

"Wait, maybe I'm not ready," Zack jogged after her.

AN: OK, so I'm not dead! YAY, right? **ahem** Sorry for the long delay. Between moving into a new house, the holidays, and my computer crapping out, it's been a busy few weeks. Anyway, enough with the excuses. I hope everyone had great holidays, and enjoyed their time! I also hope that you enjoyed the update. Thank you so, so much for continuing to read--I can't tell you how much I appreciate that--and, as always, thank you so VERY much for those of you that take the time to drop me a review. Your participation keeps me motivated. :) Until next time!