Within minutes of stepping onto the airship, Reeve scheduled a meeting of all the available WRO members and cohorts, to take place in the rear conference room, where he then worked on a computer to defragment more of the Omega report. His command of the room had left no time for greetings, but once he disappeared down the hallway, the mood lifted.
"Welcome aboard, old friend," Cid hollered to Vincent, who had been scanning the faces of everyone on the main deck. He nodded at the greeting, concern coloring his features. "You can barely contain your excitement of being aboard the new Shera, huh? She's a beaut, I know. Top of the line air travel, the sharpest in the fleet."
"I would expect nothing less," Vincent replied, trying to manage enthusiasm, but only managing distraction. Cid smirked.
"Now, just so you know, we were already packing up and prepping our voyage over here. I know she's gonna take all the credit for calling in the cavalry, but the cavalry didn't need no callin' in the first place."
Some of the tension visibly fell from Vincent's shoulders. He spoke via a tilt of the head. Cid caught the question immediately.
"Where is she? Where is she ever? Probably gettin' into trouble somewhere. Wrecking up the place."
"As if you need my help with that."
Vincent turned toward the voice, finding Aria entering the flightdeck from the starboard corridor. He met her halfway and exhaled heavily as they wrapped their arms around each other. Cid looked straight ahead, a small smile on his face.
"How are you?" he asked, his hand gently holding the back of her head. She leaned into the touch.
"I'm fine. I'm completely fine. How are you? Are you in pain? I saw…" The sentence broke off in a choked sigh.
"I know. I'm alright. I can't say it did not hurt, but I'm alright now. In the Manor...I saw it, too. I know why you could not move, and...I understand."
He felt the muscles of her jaw clench as her head rested on his shoulder. "Let's talk about that later," she managed to whisper. He nodded and they separated.
"Reeve'll be callin' us in a while, I imagine. 'Til then, take a break, see the ship. Get some rest, for God's sake. That one ain't stopped pacin' the halls since we left!" Cid called, dismissing them from the deck. Vincent nodded and followed Aria into the corridor. They traveled the hall in silence, turning into a small cabin with a single twin bed. As Vincent lowered himself to sit on the bed, Aria glanced quickly down each side of the hall, then slid the metal door closed. She crossed the small space and dropped hard next to him. For a long moment, they studied the floor, each wading through their respective thoughts. She broke the silence with a sigh.
"I don't know...what to say. I mean, I saw her only from the second story. As close as you were, you must have noticed."
He nodded once.
"I don't know what I expected. I guess if a Restrictor was the one to tell me...what else could have happened to her? But, what did they do to her? Her voice...that accent. That's not right...She's different. She's like the little one. Shelke? Just a little...off. But worse. Shelke is just sort of...glossed over. A little spaced out, robotic. But where Shelke went blank, Penelope went dark, evil. That can't be my sister."
"Shelke was taken by Deepground ten years ago. Rosso," he paused, correcting himself, "Penelope was taken long before. She's been raised, trained, and manipulated by these people for twice as long. It is likely that, in her mind, they are the only family she ever had."
Aria nodded, realizing the logic in the explanation. She took a deep breath and stared straight ahead. "I don't know what I expected," she repeated, her voice quivering on the verge of tears. He wrapped her arms around her shoulders, pulling her against him, inhaling the earthy scent of her hair.
"Relief. Ever the optimist, you expected a brighter outcome than you've received, whether you're willing to admit it or not."
She balled her fists against the tears, then pulled at his hand. He looked down to find her slipping his blue ring onto his ring finger. Finding it too loose, she refit it onto his middle finger and held his hand flat, looking at the contrast of the metal against his skin.
"It may have helped me slip by Deepground, but it could not help me outrun history."
He pressed his lips to the side of her head. "That's okay. I understand."
Her next words were bolder. "I hate that house."
"I know."
"I'm going to burn that house down. I want you to know that."
"Okay."
"If there's anything else you want out of there...get it. 'Cause when this is finished, so is that fucking house."
"I want nothing more to do with it. Go for it, firebug."
"But, speaking of it...what did you learn? I heard you were able to pass some data to Reeve…"
He pulled her down to lie against him on the bed, his left arm under her neck, metallic fingers draping across her shoulder. As she nestled her head into the crook of his neck, he explained all that he had learned of Omega, of the Protomateria, of Deepground, and promised that, once Reeve had defragmented Lucrecia's files, her work would explain itself. Until then, they could do nothing but rest, he said, and finally comfortably back in the presence of the other, they each drifted into a light sleep.
Vincent awoke slowly, cautiously returning to consciousness. He immediately noticed Aria's absence, and turned his head to find a note scrawled on a slip of paper on the bed. With the little one.
Shelke had set up her workstation for synaptic net diving in an unused room near the center of the airship. It was only yards from his temporary quarters. He rapped lightly on the metal door and heard Shelke answer, "Enter."
Stepping into the room, he found Shelke seated at her computer terminal while Aria sat atop a counter near the Mako tube housing Shalua's comatose body. The tube had been rescued from the wreckage of the WRO headquarters in desperate hopes that the scientist may soon return to her post as one of the head researchers into Shinra's nefarious experimentation with and on the planet. The blue light from the tank lit Aria's cool eyes as they watched Shelke intently. As he stepped into view, they shifted quickly to his face and softened.
"Feeling rested?" she asked. He approached her counter.
"As much as to be expected. I haven't missed too much excitement, have I?"
She smirked, nodding toward Shelke, who worked ceaselessly, ignoring his entrance. "Oh, we've just been chattin' up a storm."
He arched an eyebrow and nodded toward the time displayed on a small screen near Shelke's computer. "Reeve must be planning to reconvene soon."
She nodded. "He came by earlier, actually. We'll meet on the deck in a few minutes. 'Til then, how 'bout you ask the little one what, exactly, she's doing."
Shelke typed away as she answered the question. "I'm in the process of modifying this equipment so that I can perform a synaptic net dive, my specialty within the Tsviets. While retaining consciousness, I project an image of myself into a virtual reality called a network. I can also use this ability to negotiate with data on the subconscious planes of sentient lifeforms. This often involves a great risk to my own sanity. For Shinra, the success of this project was crucial for the next step in…"
She trailed, somehow sensing the woman sitting far behind her leaning in to listen intently to the words that would follow. "I'm sorry. I've gotten off track. Simply put, I'm creating a personal network terminal within the airship's main control console."
Her matter-of-fact tone and intense focus struck a chord within him that made him exhale a single laugh. Shelke turned to face him.
"What?"
He shook his head. "Nothing. You just remind me of your sister."
Cid's voice called through the small speaker on the wall, summoning the crew to the deck. As Vincent turned to leave, he caught Aria staring at Shalua. She inhaled deeply and slid off the counter, failing to meet his eyes as she slipped past him and into the corridor.
"Alright," Cid began, having gathered his crew on the deck. Aria watched the clouds pass through the glass front as he spoke; Vincent watched the floor. "Our old buddies and the remaining WRO squads will lead the attack from the ground."
Yuffie finished the thought. "While we launch our attack from the air."
"Right," Cid agreed. "Reeve, you ready?"
Reeve nodded, and through the intercom, signaled Shelke to begin the dive into Lucrecia's data.
The lights on the deck flickered, then failed, momentarily blinding the crew. They waited in tense silence, each reacting strongly to the flash of light that turned the deck into a virtual galaxy. Shelke explained her findings, presenting Lucrecia's research in a fluid presentation. Aria looked away from the virtual stars to find Vincent enthralled in the display. Even he could not hide the light in his eyes caused by hearing the voice of Dr. Crescent over the speakers. Hearing the smooth, clear, gracefully light voice of the scientist made her more real to Aria than she'd ever been before, and the famously confident woman felt small and simple in its presence. It, with the images displayed across the cabin, had the power to silence and captivate people that she'd never possessed without displaying force.
While that soft voice explained the severity of the threat Deepground posed to the planet, Aria was the only one on the deck to close her eyes. She crossed her arms and flinched as her fingers grazed the heavy patch on her shoulder. Cracking her eyes in the darkness, she glanced down at the emblem, following the lines of the Shinra diamond in repetitive circles. It felt emblazoned into her skin, at once the source of both pride and shame. She glanced at Reeve, wondering if he felt the same. His gaze was fixed on the dying planet at the center of the deck, reminding her that she should be paying closer attention.
Despite his concentration, Vincent caught quick sight of her distracted state. He knew by her downturned gaze that she was hearing the words, but listening only passively. He did not blame her: he too would rather not have to concern himself with these matters. But more than ever before, he was in exactly the place he tried to avoid: the center of it all. Lucrecia had put him there.
Shelke's voice took over the transmission, ending the presentation. "Omega is an elaborate safety mechanism designed solely to maintain and protect the flow of life. Normally, it poses no threat to us. It only manifests when the planet detects something that may cause her danger."
Reeve picked up the thought. "However, Deepground is attempting to awaken the beast early. Thus, the kidnappings. By slaughtering thousands of innocent souls, they are creating a pure lifestream in order to trick the planet into thinking the end is near."
Aria raised her head at the mention of a pure lifestream, but stayed quiet.
"Omega is being revived in Midgar, in Mako reactor Zero. To increase the output of reactor Zero, all the other reactors have been tied into its mainframe. Our objective is to destroy One through Eight and slow the reanimation process."
Cid cleared his throat and ended the meeting. "Alright, we still got some time before the big show. You got anything needs tending to, do it."
At the dismissal, Vincent turned toward the corridor to find Aria already waiting for him.
"Have you ever jumped out of a plane before?" she asked. He lowered his eyes and sighed.
"I have not."
"Are you excited?" No answer. "Me neither. I'm going to the lower deck to check out the weapons options. It'll take my mind off the impending dive. I'll grab you a few clips and meet you back up here in a few."
He nodded once and she disappeared down another corridor leading below deck. To pass the time, he stopped into the open conference room, finding Reeve in his own moment of quietude before their attack.
"So, no costume today?" he asked, noting Reeve's sober attire. Reeve laughed and shook his head.
"Headquarters was pretty much destroyed by Deepground forces. But I was able to salvage a few things," he remarked as a familiar feline traipsed into the room.
"Number Five has arrived!" it announced, waving at Vincent. He shook his head, finding the creature ridiculous and yet unable to deny its value. He knew such devices must be expensive, which led him to consider the source of the WRO's funding. On the surface, it was one of the rare projects functioning independent of Shinra Incorporated, though he knew the Rufus had contributed heavily to its beginnings.
"Tell me, Reeve...who's backing your operation?"
Reeve shook his head at the question. "Actually, I'm not sure. I've only met with a representative. However, the WRO is crucial to this planet's survival. I'm not concerned with the reasons this person has for supporting us...as long as he continues to write the checks." He paused, placing his hands on his knees as he added, "Though, I have a feeling it is probably someone who believes he is in debt to the planet."
Vincent nodded, acknowledging the allusion to Shinra's president, and headed toward the door. He stepped down the hall, stopping in to visit Shelke, who had started to fall asleep after the exertion of piecing together Lucrecia's files on Omega. She lay back in her SND station's chair, blinking slowly into unconsciousness and asking,
"This feeling...is this what you meant? By doing something for someone you care about?"
He chuckled as he realized how often he'd felt tired since joining forces with Avalanche, since meeting Aria Marx. "It seems so."
"Dr. Crescent's data has begun defragmenting within my mind. I can see many different images...images she experienced with you. Interference, recovery...so...so tired," she trailed, drifting off into sleep, and leaving him on edge, wondering what, exactly, the girl had seen. What had she learned about him? Anything he didn't already know? Would she ever tell him?
Trying to put the thoughts aside, he left the small room and continued walking. His thoughtless trek took him to the engine room, the heart of the airship. He'd wanted to see how the mechanical beast worked, and considered it a welcome distraction while Aria rounded up ammunition.
Stepping into the engine room's antechamber, he noticed a chillingly familiar metallic odor. Before he could place its source, a searing heat shot through his chest, forcing him to double over where he stood. Vision foggy, he watched his right hand, newly transformed into an organic, black claw, flex its vicious digits, out of his control. His body righted itself; a guttural groan forced itself through his throat. The hand swung out in an inexplicable rage, clawing deep gouges out of the metal wall. He turned as the door to the hallway opened and two WRO members passed by inside, conversing quietly to one another, the beast in the vestibule going unnoticed. He felt his jaw clench as he took two heavy, predatory steps toward the crewmen, just before an airy voice called to him.
"Vincent," it said, sending a wave of relief through the tense body. He turned, seeing Lucrecia standing in the doorway to the engine room. She said nothing else, seemingly knowing the sound of his name would be enough to force him to regain control of his body. The task was not easy. Chaos, now unbound by the protomateria, did not want to give in. He fought to consciously inhale and exhale until feeling returned to his fingers, his arms and legs, his face. He focused on reclaiming his body until the beast gave way, leaving him standing in the antechamber, gulping air and waiting for flurries of color to leave his vision.
"What's happening?" he asked himself, looking down at his hands for confirmation that they were, in fact, his own. "A dream…" he questioned, until glancing at the wall, finding the gouges left by the beast. As the sight startled him, he stepped backward and right into another wave of searing pain. He fought back, dropping to his knees, a hand pressed tight to his chest.
"Am I losing...control?" he wondered, grinding his teeth against the pain.
Meanwhile, Aria had reentered the main hall, arms full of ammunition magazines, belts, and holsters. She passed Shelke in the hallway.
"Have you seen Vincent?" Aria asked. Shelke paused, as if preparing to speak, then simply shook her head, avoiding eye contact. She kept walking, leaving Aria standing in the hallway.
"Okay…" Aria muttered, acknowledging the strange response. She moved down the hall, glancing into Reeve's conference room, and eventually stepping into the sensor range of the engine room's door. It pulled apart, revealing Vincent sitting on the floor, leaning against the hall, face drained of blood. She dropped the clips and knelt next to him, grabbing his hand. Even through his black glove she could feel the heat radiating from him.
"What happened? Vincent, what's going on?" she asked, her hand touching his forehead, then jerking away. "You're on fire. What's wrong?"
"Chaos…" he answered, tilting his head toward the marks on the wall. She looked up, then sank into the wall next to him.
"Are you okay now?"
"I think so. I had no idea...it came out of nowhere."
"It's okay. You have to cool off, though. Can you move?" starting back to her feet. He nodded, and she helped to pull him up. They walked slowly down the hall, back to their quarters. As the door came to a close behind them, she swiftly unbuckled his cloak. She could take it off almost as quickly as he could. Her fingers made equally quick work of the black shirt beneath, pulling it off of his arms. He sank to a knee, lowering himself onto the cold metal floor at her feet. She tossed the garments on the small bed and lay next to him.
"It surprised me. For no reason, I just lost control…Rosso said I would." This time, he did not correct the name.
"Well, Rosso doesn't know what she's talking about," Aria said with forced optimism.
He responded dryly, "She's spent the last twenty years training for this very purpose. She might."
"Well, I've spent the last fifteen training for all kinds of dangerous purposes. If she thinks she's getting anywhere near you again, she's got a hell of a fight ahead of her." At this, he blindly reached for her hand and squeezed it in his own. His next words surprised her.
"How far are you willing to go in that fight? Every day, it seems more evident that Shalua gave her life trying to save her sister. Do you believe that yours could be saved as well?" As he spoke, he recalled that Rosso had escaped Shinra Manor unharmed.
"I wish I knew. She's been in Deepground much longer, like you said. And unlike Shalua, I have not dedicated myself to finding her. I've already grieved for her."
"She will try to kill you," he said flatly. "Shelke tried to kill Shalua. She didn't recognize her."
"I know. But, the real question is not what I will do if I meet her, but what will you do if you get to her first?"
He was silent, not particularly enjoying the conversation, but grateful that it took his mind off of his own demons. After a heavy sigh, he answered truthfully. "If she cannot hear reason, then she remains a threat to the planet, to everything we've already dedicated ourselves to protect. I will have to kill her."
"Good."
"What?"
"I said, 'Good.' Don't second guess yourself. She's dangerous...and you're far more valuable. You're our new leader, you know."
"I don't know about that."
She laughed.