"There it is, Leon."
They stood a ways outside the town entrance, looking out at the broken, rocky landscape—which now included, off to the northwest, the humongous airstation the Committee had recently unearthed from a towering heap of broken rock. Leon eyed the structure with narrowed eyes. For the most part, it looked to be in pretty good shape. About three stories high and built a few hundred meters outside of town, it was still sound, even after years of being buried under the aftermath of a landslide, except for a few sectors that looked risky. The fact that it was rusty and damaged somewhat (and looked like crap because of it) didn't really help any, and the glow of massive temporary floodlights glowed from where they'd been set up around the perimeter.
Leon scoffed when he spotted a massive demolition crane and other equipment parked near it. They were not marked in any way—privately owned, most likely. "Tch. Looks like they're planning on taking it down anyway."
Cid went ramrod stiff, his eyes widened and he turned beet-red. A second later, he made a strangled noise and actually broke his toothpick, his jaw had clenched so tight. "Why, those stuck-up, kiss-ass, no-good, backstabbin' piles o' shit…!" he muttered. He added on a few more strangled curses while he dug out a new 'pick to replace the one now hanging in splinters. Once he'd spat the old one out and replaced it, he started chewing away at the wood, the pick bobbling up and down furiously as he wished yet again it was a cigarette. Now those were something he could've really taken his anger out on. Toothpicks usually meant splinters—and one of those in the lips hurt like a kick in the teeth, only worse.
Leon's eyes were steely as they walked past the various menacing hulks of machinery—several of them taken from the castle after the need for them had expired. "They'll hear from me about this, Cid. This place is our best bet for recovering residents who haven't made it back. Matters this important need to go through us first." He stopped in front of a particularly large crane with an evil-looking claw and looked up. His fists were clenched. "Going around the Committee isn't just a bad idea—it's stupid."
Cid grinned nastily beside him. "No kiddin'. So lemme guess…yer usual aggressive negotiations, eh?"
"No." Cid glanced over; Leon's grim look was uncompromisingly angry. "Just a visit from a lion that's had his tail stepped on by a pack of yapping hyenas."
Cid rubbed his nose in his typical way. "And an ol' fogey with a spear an' a helluva big bone t' pick with 'em."
"Right. By the way, we're gonna need all the room we can get up there, if more people start showing up in Gummi ships."
Cid frowned and glanced out at the massive building—it was easily two hundred meters long and just as wide. "Dunno when we ever built any Gummi ships that big, Leon."
"We didn't." Cid frowned again. Had Leon just agreed, or had he made another counterpoint? He searched his mind, trying to recall why the airstation had been so big, but nothing came to mind other than a fleeting recollection of a huge ship of some sort. Ah, forget it.
Leon jerked his head towards the old structure. "Come on."
The way up was accessible via a double door in the old parking garage in the base level. With barely any lights to guide them, Leon and Cid had to dig out their flashlights in order to see. Several times the Heartless managed to take them by surprise with an ambush, leaving the two men exhausted by the time they got to the hangar bay under the top floor.
"Watch it, the floor there looks unstable."
"Yeah, I know…" …Crumble-crack… "Aw, shit."
"Aerith would bring out the old swear jar if she heard you like this."
"Do I fuckin' look like I give a crap? Help me get my foot outta this."
"Whatever." A minute of careful work had Cid's foot free from the hole in the floor.
"Thanks. Old geezers like me...ah, man…ain't got a place around old buildings."
"I thought you wanted to restore this place. And you're far from ancient."
"Shut up, Leon…" There came a load of mutterings from Cid as they headed for a strut-enclosed stairwell leading up. Oddly, there were no Heartless to be found, which had Leon feeling a little on edge. He couldn't shake the feeling there was something big lurking somewhere in the hangar. More than once he thought he saw something stir in the darkness, and distant, echoing sounds of motion kept him wary. Finally, they made it up the stairs and made their way onto the landing pad. The structure was, again, simply massive, built for VTO/L craft, airships that needed a mooring, or smaller aircraft that didn't need much of a runway. Cid stopped and heaved in an appreciative breath as Leon locked the door downwards behind him. "Ahh, yeahhh…the sweet smell of lubricant, motor oil, n' hot metal." He let out a big whoop. "I LOVE this town!" His voice echoed briefly across the rocky plains.
Leon rubbed the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "For about thirty seconds."
"Shuddup." Cid's retort was half-hearted. "Now if you wanna get this shitload 'a tech workin' ag'in, y' lissen ta me."
Leon groaned. Not this again. He'd been bad enough back in Traverse Town, bragging about how he was the 'first Gummi ace'. Now he was getting into the 'in my day' spiel on top of that.
"Where's the control center?" he asked before Cid could really start the ball rolling.
Cid halted mid-lecture and gave him a blank look. "Eh?"
Leon ticked off what he needed on one hand. "I need a working radio, binoculars, flares, and a generator. Think you can handle that?"
Cid had been completely defused by the interruption. For a long moment he just stared at Leon. Then he sighed and gave in. "Fine, fine, I'll get 'em…"
"Wait a sec, Cid," Leon told him. "I'll handle the radio. If you can get power back, that's good. If not, that's what the flares are for."
Cid nodded and trekked away across the landing area, whistling tunelessly past his toothpick.
Once the pilot had left, Leon looked around, assessing the damage and what could be salvaged up top. He quickly spotted what appeared to be the control building to his left, near the edge. The control center had been built in the corner to ensure a thorough view of the whole area. That would probably be the best place to start if he was going to get the power back online.
He was about to head over when he stopped for a moment and looked up. Something was coming—the air seemed thick with a strange anticipation. Have to hurry, he thought. He broke into a paced jog, his footsteps thudding on the thick metal surface, keeping a close eye out for any sign of trouble.
He'd nearly made it to the control building when a flicker of motion out of the corner of his eye made him stop dead in his tracks. "Huh-?" Leon whirled, staring up at the surrounding area. A low cliff was near this side of the airstation… had he seen something move? He didn't think so…but there had to have been something there.
Leon glared, took another step and was about to continue when a grumbling roar echoed up from the canyons, rising quickly in pitch. Out of nowhere a hulking shape flung itself over the edge of the low, slanted cliff just above the airstation and dropped like a pouncing shadow. Leon flinched and spun with customary deadly grace, raising Revolver, but he only had time to do that before the thing came in for a ground-shaking landing, screeching to a halt barely three feet away. Leon blinked as he realized just what the noise had been: a motorcycle engine. The rider was dressed in black for the most part, but that head of bright yellow hair spiked like a chocobo's backside was a dead giveaway.
"What the hell were you thinking, Strife?" he growled, recovering his composure.
Cloud—and it was indeed Cloud-shrugged and removed his riding goggles. "I'm just making sure it's running well," he called, over the deep growl of the engine. He swung off the bike as easily as if he'd gotten up from a chair and removed the key, while Leon stared at the thing. He found himself honestly taken aback; he'd never seen anything like this in his life.
The motorcycle was a huge, hulking mass of pure performance—a real piece of work. The body was black, while most of the essential parts were simply alloy. It had been fitted exclusively for speed and combat. The seat was surprisingly far back and took up only two-thirds of the rear end of the bike. The exhaust pipes were also gigantic, jutting up like coiled haunches on either side of the thick rear wheel. The front tire-no, tires, Leon saw, were connected to the rest of the bike and to the handlebars by two thick spars that obviously had hidden storage along with the usual shock absorbers and handlebars. The headlight, now dim as its power faded, gleamed from the space between the bike's forward struts, hidden just beneath the nose in the sweeping curve of the main body. Its length was low-slung and rather wide for a motorcycle, with an honestly intimidating flow to its shape, like a crouching wolf. It almost looked restless sitting still on those thick tires.
Dark and dangerous but still heroic. How fitting, Leon thought absently.
"Well?"
Leon glanced at the other man. "Is an answer a requirement?"
"No. Just wondering."
Leon stayed silent, forming some kind of an answer. "Model year?"
Cloud shrugged. "Not sure. I just…found it rusting away in an abandoned shed after you and the others started restoring the town. I didn't want to let it go to waste, so I dug it out, fixed it up. Just finished it two weeks ago, actually. I'm thinking once the real war is over I'll start a delivery service." A rare smile crossed Cloud's lips. "It's as fast as it looks."
"Don't tell me…" Leon said drily. "You used the Great Maw as a drag strip."
Cloud raised an eyebrow slightly. "How'd you guess?"
"I have sharp ears."
"Mm." That was all; it wasn't even a word. But Leon understood Cloud-speak just as well as Cloud understood him. Cloud was impressed he'd heard the engine.
"Does it have a name?"
"Fenrir."
Cid came up, out of breath but looking triumphant. He was lugging a case of equipment with one hand and pulling a battered electric generator with the other. "Got 'em, kid! Hey, Spike! Got that bike o' yers fixed, eh?" He dragged the blond swordsman over by throwing one arm across Cloud's shoulders, eager to do his usual mechanic's questionnaire. Cloud folded his arms and did his best to look uncomfortable and annoyed.
"He has. Speaking of fixing, I could use some help getting the air traffic station back online," Leon said, switching topics. "You think you can help Cid and me out?"
Looking faintly relieved as Cid shut up, Cloud nodded. "I'm game."
"All right. Grab your tools if you have them."
Leon managed to dredge up some spare parts from the old crate Cid had found after they'd found out the wiring needed to be spliced in the comms room. Cloud proved himself adept at rerouting wires, but especially at getting rusty panels open—having mako in one's body tended to help. The command center hadn't been fully nitpicked of its components yet, but the three were forced to jury-rig a lot of wiring and tubing for the computer cooling systems, as well as replace missing fuses. So far most of the computers were rebooting, running on generators.
Leon swore as a particularly stubborn console again refused his tapping and burbled another "reboot failed" answer screen. "Dammit!" How the hell was he supposed to find out whether his hunch was true? In frustration he brought his fist down on the top of the monitor, and was surprised when the screen sparked and erupted in streams of data—radar, flight records, airships…and finally, Radiant Garden's air and space research and flight data, as well as—oddly—the list of involved citizens and personnel. But first—Aha! Leon typed an entry into the search bar and immediately spotted the thing he was looking for.
PROJECT RAGNAROK: Experimental Airship
It was the first entry on the internal search engine. A slight grunt of intrigue escaped Leon as he leaned forward and, after clicking the link, began exploring. He ignored the fuzzy static lines that kept wavering up and down across the dim, cracked display. The Ragnarok, he recalled, had been one of his more high-profile projects before the Fall of Radiant Garden: an immensely powerful airship, larger than any built previously. It had been built for space travel, which had never been attempted before. A few images sprang up onscreen: blueprints first, then still images of the massive ship under construction and finally completed. He noted the specifications carefully.
Weight/Displacement:
2,850 tons (without propellant, charge, nor occupants)
3,314 tons (with one third propellant, full charge, and full occupancy)
3,450 tons (with full propellant, full charge, and full occupancy)
Length: 108 meters
Width: 77 meters
Height: 54 meters (at rest), 65 meters (in flight)
Max Speed: 11.8 km/s
Crew Size: 4, including navigator and wireless operator.
Occupancy: Ten additional occupants
Armament: 609mm Charged Particle Cannon (x1), 152mm Multi-barreled Laser (x2), Retractable mandible docking claws (x2)
Propulsion: Reaction-model 12-step compression turbines (22,500kg propulsion) (x2), Reaction-model 6-step compression turbines (2,480kg propulsion) (x4)
All in all, it had been a spectacular project. Below the Ragnarok's specifications was a list of people involved in the project. Leon leaned forward with an even more focused expression. Hmm…there were more names here that he recognized than he'd expected.
PERSONNEL:
Cid Highwind, Captain, ("Of course," Leon murmured with a slight grin,) Airship Designer, Test Pilot and Aeronautical Engineer-in-Chief… Projects: Self-designed airships Shera & Highwind… Co-designer of experimental airship Ragnarok… Pioneer in the Gummi Research Program…
Dr. Odine (this made Leon's lip curl in disgust) Researcher, Weapons Designer, Deputy Director of Garden Labs, Quantum Physics Theoretician… Chief Systems Designer of experimental airship Ragnarok… Projects: Airship Ragnarok…
Apprentice Even, Director in Chief (this made Leon scoff outright,) Experimental Design, Head of Radiant Garden Laboratory… Projects: Ragnarok, MX [classified], Replica Program…
Professor Hojo, Researcher, Head of Garden Labs Science Division… Project Consultant, fired by Ansem the Wise after revelations of illegal experimentation…whereabouts unknown.
Reeve Tuesti, Head of City Project Development and Robotics… Director of airstation construction, completed X/XX/XXXX…trained as member of Ragnarok technical crew…
The next two names actually surprised him.
Laguna Loire, President, City Administrator, Public Relations Department… Political counselor and second-in-command to Ansem the Wise…former infrantryman…Chairman of Garden Council…backup copilot trainee under Cid Highwind…(Hmmm, interesting, Leon thought.)
Head Governor Ansem the Wise, Head Researcher and Chief of State…Final Word on all projects…
Leon was also surprised to see some old friends listed in the computer, mostly as visitors. Some of them, he'd heard, were already back; he'd already heard from Irvine others…well, he still had hope.
Barret Wallace, Gunnery Expert…Vincent Valentine, former Turk…Irvine Kinneas, Sharpshooter, SeeD…Quistis Trepe, SeeD Academy Instructor…Zell Dincht, Martial Artist, SeeD…Zack Fair, SOLDIER 1st Class, Airfield Security Cmdr.…Nanaki, local…Ellone Loire, adoptive daughter of Laguna Loire…Selphie Tilmitt, Nunchaku expert, SeeD…
He nodded when he spotted his own name—listed as Acting Commander of the never-launched Ragnarok mission-as well as most of the now-Restoration Committee.
Yuffie Kisaragi, Ninja, White Rose of Wutai…Tifa Lockhart, Martial Artist…Aerith Gainsborough, Healer… Even Cloud had gotten involved at the airfield in one way or another—he'd been part of the security under Zack's command, and had worked his way up to SOLDIER 3rd Class. They'd all wanted to see what lay beyond the sky back then—the Ragnarok had seemed to be the best way to do it. Hmmm…
Garden Law Enforcement and Intelligence Division…Reno… Rude… Tseng… Elena… Cissnei…
More names followed and Leon stopped to rub his scar, feeling a headache waiting to happen. Those people had been tough. They were, like the description said, the city's law enforcement and intelligence department-the so-called 'Turks'. Zack had been on good terms with them. Tseng was Head of Operations. Reno…was annoying. He'd strongly resembled another guy around town who liked to make trouble—Lea. Leon shrugged the little detail off. Then an entry caught his eye that made his skin crawl.
~Sephiroth, General, SOLDIER 1st Class…status unknown…MIA since Mission J7 [classified]…Hero of Adel's Siege & Wutai War…only wielder of the legendary sword Masamune…
Shivering, Leon scrolled down. He'd encountered Sephiroth twice. The first time had been back when Leon was in SeeD—also called the Garden Elite—while Leon had almost finished studying the gunblade. Sephiroth had done an inspection tour and had shown up at one of his training sessions. Even then the tall, silver-haired general had radiated an intimidating aura. But he'd been approachable, and had even seemed mildly impressed by Leon's skills. The second time…well, the man had apparently snapped; gone insane. That lone black wing…Leon shuddered at the memory of glimpsing Cloud's confrontation with the fallen general. It had been during the battle against Maleficent. The Heartless had been everywhere…yet they hadn't attacked Sephiroth when he'd appeared: they'd vanished in seconds. Masamune's eerie shimmer rose again in his memory and he quickly shoved it down. He didn't need a reminder. He stopped again.
Braig… Dilan… Ienzo…
The names leapt from the screen. Leon frowned. Why were those three involved in air and space projects? He'd met Braig back while he was in SeeD. Braig had been one of Ansem's apprentices; anything he didn't care about was met with a disdainful sneer, and the Ragnarok had been one such topic. But Leon's search turned up nothing but two more names.
Angeal Hewley, Commander, SOLDIER 1st Class…Deceased; circumstances unknown…involved in the Genesis Incident…1st wielder of the Buster Sword and mentor of Zack Fair… often teamed with fellow SOLDIERs Sephiroth and Genesis.
Genesis Rhaphsodos, Commander, former SOLDIER 1st Class, status unknown…MIA, presumed dead…Orchestrator of the Genesis Incident…known for quoting the epic poem/play LOVELESS…often teamed with fellow SOLDIERs Sephiroth and Angeal. (Leon decided to note the "MIA, presumed dead" detail just in case.)
And then he saw one last name.
Rinoa Heartilly, Sorceress-in-training under Merlin the Wizard, pilot trainee under Cid Highwind, effective X/XX/XXXX…working with President Laguna Loire as PR Assistant and potential member of the Ragnarok's crew…
Finally, his task finished, (the Ragnarok had taken off the day of the Fall) but with more questions than answers, he logged out and asked, "Are we ready?" He was hoping for a reply of some sort. But Cid was still muttering darkly and staring at a maintenance panel with a murderous gleam in his eye, and Cloud was…being Cloud. Leon sighed. "Cid."
"Screw off, Leonhart," Cid barked.
"Cid."
This time Leon injected a fair note of warning into his voice. That got Cid's attention…sort of. He turned around with a dark scowl. "Can't ya see I'm tryin' ta fix this shitty thing, asshat!?" he swore.
"I asked you a question. Is everything ready?"
His dark mood abruptly defused, Cid scratched at the back of his neck. "Well…I think so. Jes' gotta get this damn place turned on!" He harrumphed and folded his arms. "Why're you so interested all of a sudden?"
"Because I think we're going to need it. Soon."
Cid's oh-so-eloquent reply consisted of "Huh?" and then "Whaddya mean?" followed by "How come?"
"I have a feeling."
Cloud looked unconvinced. "A feeling?"
Leon grunted.
Cid scoffed, not noticing Leon's sudden cock of the head or his scrutiny of the night sky out the window. "You an' yer feelin's…Heh. When the hell're you gonna…" He trailed off. Leon was squinting out at the starry sky with a very intense look on his face. "Uhh, Leon?" he called. No answer.
Cid eyed the younger man and then decided to check out whatever had caught his attention. He looked out at the sky and shaded his eyes to focus his vision. Cloud looked out.
After a moment, Cid saw it, off to the southwest and high in the sky. He blinked. Looked again. Was one of the stars up there bigger? And it was even moving. "What th' hell…?" he muttered, hardly daring to believe it.
Leon nodded. "We've got visitors."
Cid's slow grin was a sight to see. "Well, butter me up an' call me a biscuit!" He swiped the side of his nose and banged the master power panel he'd been working on—which was still exposed, the wires and circuits in it dangling. Cid just happened to hit that certain fuse he'd been struggling with in particular. When it slotted in, sparks flew everywhere. With a loud 'BZZT!' followed by "YEOW!" and a loud thud, the entire aerodrome shuddered…and began to come to life.
The landing lights lining the edge and the mooring areas glowed dimly but began to brighten, some flickering, but all more or less on. The hiss and thud of laboring hydraulics and a hole opening in the deck out in the middle of the airstation announced the arrival of a vehicle lift from the second-level hangar. The lift had apparently died when the power here cut out. Leon watched in distant amazement as more clanking ensued outside and echoed from beneath. He saw a tiny little shrimp of an old airplane out on the cargo lift with some maintenance equipment canisters. That was all there was on the lift. Next, the floodlights and the interior lights blazed to life. Generators long deactivated began to hum softly. More hissing and clunking below decks signaled the initiation of more equipment and Leon turned to watch as a huge transmitter dish tower rose from a storage bay near the control center; the dish expanded outwards as it reactivated; sharp thunks from metal meshing over metal shook the entire place. Finally, with a slow thrumming sound, the initial surge of power finally leveled off and settled, lights flashing slowly here and there around the field.
For all intents and purposes, Radiant Garden's airstation was back online.
Cloud glanced around at the surrounding area, his mako-blue eyes displaying faint surprise as the control center finally came alive. Then he glanced down at a twitching Cid Highwind. "Nice going."
Cid groaned. "Ow…shiiiit…"
Leon rolled his eyes and gestured with one hand, healing the zapped pilot with a Cura spell. Cid groaned and lifted a hand to his head, cursing a blue streak. He was just about to rise to his feet when a faint sound reached Cloud's enhanced ears. The blond man stiffened and frowned. "What was that?"
Leon knew better than to brush Cloud and his hypersensitive hearing off. "Cid, quiet!"
Cid shut up and they listened intently for any sound.
…thunk…thunk…thunk…THUNK…THUNK… Cloud frowned as the sound got louder. "What is that?"
Leon's eyes widened; he could hear it, too. "Something's coming."
All of a sudden: BOOM! The whole place shuddered, making them stagger.
"What th' hell was that?!" Cid shouted, his stupor gone as he got to his feet. But Leon wasn't listening. He'd already grabbed his weapon from beside the door and was taking the stairs down two at a time. Cloud was hot on his heels. Cid swore again and followed, swinging his spear out and at the ready as he did. This was not good.
To be continued...
A/N: Well, looks like the hellfire's about to break loose! Tell me what you think!