Author's Notes (New): Almost done with my undergraduate studies. Who knows, maybe I'll finally be able to finish this revision and start the new content soon! Also, just in case people try to call me on it, I do not believe that SeeD would use, in the situations where it uses actual titled ranks, ranks normally assigned to naval forces. Thus the 'Commander' in Squall's title is only such due to Cid's misunderstanding of military terminology. Squall's actual equivalent rank is more like a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army or Marines. White SeeD, though, are primarily naval forces, and thus would operate under such terminology, and thus 'Commander' would be a more accurate equivalent term. This is my decision, and I feel it is justifiable. I will be using appropriate terms along the way. I would also note that the army and marines tend to use the same terms as air force groups, which allow for useful parallels for me later on.
Author's Notes (Old): Nothing like writing on a little netbook while cramped into the back of a fully loaded truck. It is hard to move my arms, hard to keep from getting bored, and hard to see the screen as I type. Makes the whole thing so much more interesting, don't you think?
Hyne's War: Chapter 7
His internal clock said he'd been here less than three days. Every bit of anxiety, restless energy, and boredom insisted that it had been somewhere around a week. A long week of staring at white walls, at windows tinted so that he could not see out, at a computer console that did little beyond letting him play card games and look at the Garden Network boards. Not that the latter bothered him too much, as last time Nida checked the boards had been flooded with speculation and accusation pointed towards Elijah and himself. Still, the room had become a place of desolation for Nida, with little to do but stare at the ceiling, eat, sleep, and spend his mornings working out in whatever way he could until his muscles all but screamed in protest. Well, there was all of that and thinking.
Nida couldn't help but yawn as looked up at the ceiling, but despite the fatigue, Nida refused to sleep. How could he, after all, when every time he closed his eyes he saw the path of bodies that Elijah had left behind them on the way towards the Quad. The sight of Alana in particular stick in his mind, lifeless before him only because she had chosen to stand in Elijah's way. Alana had been goo, so good, and Elijah had taken her out with no effort at all. For all anyone knew, Elijah could have taken out Squall or Seifer alone without much effort. The only thing that had gotten Elijah to run without Nida had been being faced by a near overwhelming number of high level SeeDs and Seifer. The very thought was almost as sickening as the the visions that plagued Nida. Rest was impossible.
It was that which made the sound of the door sliding open almost welcome. Granted, Nida knew it wouldn't be anything more than his evening meal, but it was still something different, something that wasn't the solitude of his head. And yet, Nida still felt his body tensing, reflex making him reach under his pillow to seek the knife that wasn't there. Then, with a sigh, Nida slowly sat up and watched as a tall, blond SeeD placed a tray of food on the small, bolted down metal table in the small sitting area of relatively bare suite that had been turned into a holding room shortly after the war.
"Thanks. I'll knock when I'm done," Nida said, the same words that he gave with every meal so far. At least Squall had allowed him the privacy to eat undisturbed. Squall, after all, had every reason to have someone watch to make sure Nida didn't pocket a spoon or something as a weapon.
"Not going to invite me to coffee?" the SeeD said as he turned around, causing Nida's jaw to drop.
To say that Seifer looked good in the uniform would have been a severe understatement. The dark blue, which Nida was only noticing now was the same shade as the vest Seifer used to wear, suited the blond far better than white ever had. The intricate gold piping on the chest of the uniform even seemed to make Seifer's hair seem brighter. The cut of the cloth only served to enhance the muscles Seifer had taken pride in developing over the years, and made him seem taller than his already imposing height had accomplished on its own. It was as if the uniform had been specifically designed for the day when the former Sorceress knight would put it on. Even the bit of the red in the uniform, part of the intricate designs on the front meant to mask the face that the uniform also served as light body armor, made the red slash across Seifer's face more menacing. Most amazing, though, was the fact that save for the combat boots that were obviously Seifer's old pair, the whole thing was worn perfectly to regulation. There was no sign of rebelling against Squall's authority by disrespecting the uniform.
"Close your mouth, Nidulus. I might get ideas."
Only then did Nida notice he had gone a little slack-jawed. Quickly he closed his mouth, shook his head, and hauled himself to his feet.
"Somehow I doubt that, Seifer. I just wasn't expecting..."
"What? My glorious presence? The uniform?"
"The latter," Nida admitted. "You were bound to show up eventually to taunt me. But to actually see you in the uniform..."
"Why shouldn't I wear it? I got the position, didn't I? Helps to remind people of it."
Nida nodded, because in a way it made sense. Seifer, like everyone else, had worked towards making SeeD while he was at Garden. The exam where Nida had earned his own position had been Seifer's third and final attempt. The one thing people had always been sure of was that Seifer, while a jerk and not a very good team player, had his eyes on the SeeD position just as much as the rest of them. When it was dangled in front of your eyes for the better part of your lives there was little more in the world that you could possibly ever want. Still, Nida had been sure that Seifer would never be caught dead in uniform if he made SeeD. Now that he met Seifer's eyes, though, he understood that there was more at play than those arguments. There was pride there, written in the bright green. It had been pride at finally being able to call himself SeeD, no matter the circumstances that led to it, that had put Seifer into that uniform.
So Nida just nodded and made his way into the small sitting room to join Seifer and the food. Almost predictably, it turned out to be soup, and cold at that. Memory and Nida's internal clock said it was dinner, which made this the second meal today of cold soup. Third meal with only a spoon, all but the final proof that Nida needed on a theory he had developed early in the afternoon the day before.
"I'd offer you coffee," he said, "but I've got nothing to boil the water in, or even anything to heat the water. Seems that they don't trust me with fire. Or glass. Or even dinner guests."
"What do you mean?" Seifer asked as he plopped down onto the highly uncomfortable couch, putting his booted feat on the table beside Nida's dinner tray. "Squall's just giving you some privacy, right?"
"You're the first one to talk to me since I got put into this room. Granted, you're the first one I've encountered who I could claim to recognize easily before I was put in here. You're also the first one I've seen for more than the time it took me to put down the tray. Put that together with the fact that I haven't seen a fork in a day, warm food in a day and a half, and not even a hot drink in longer... Throw in the sudden addition of a watch dog while I eat and the lack of access to the network that I've been experiencing these last few hours... Let's face it, Seifer, I'm about half a day from the brig at this point, and I wouldn't doubt it if you were on orders to take me there after my meal."
"Putting such an underhanded plot on me? I'm offended, Nidulus," Seifer said, mock hurt in his voice.
"Not you. Squall. Important difference," Nida admitted as he sat down next to Seifer and reached for the spoon, holding it lightly by the end and spinning it round and round in his fingers. "By this time tomorrow, I'll be on bread and water."
"And why do you think that?"
"Because Squall knows I can kill someone with a fork and a knife easily, so he took those away. Hell, chances are I can do something with a spoon or a bowl. Which is why you're here. I can't take you on, even if I was armed, but a low level SeeD? A higher level who wasn't as familiar with me? Might be a challenge for us both, but I might just be able to make it. All of the specialization courses that I took here were focused on information retrieval and escape after all. Learning to make weapons out of anything, to make the best of a bad situation. Thus, unwatched, I could pocket the spoon. Watched I could damage someone. But you... no chance of either. You don't trust people who aren't your posse."
With that, Nida started into the soup, though he only managed two sips before Seifer started to chuckle.
"Seems that I owe Irvine some money."
Nida paused with the spoon halfway to his mouth, an eyebrow slightly raised in question.
"I didn't think you'd notice the escalation so fast. Not that I didn't think you would, not with what I've heard about you. Then again, you don't get to your level without being good I guess. Still, I thought we had another day before you picked up on it. So tell me, when did you figure it out?"
"For sure? When the soup was cold. Theory? When the network shut me out of everything but the library order system yesterday, but I was all but positive when I lost even that. Something has to be going on for that degree of shut out."
Seifer nodded. "I didn't think you should be kept in the dark, but who wants to agree with a traitor? Then again, people here are starting to trust me more than you at this point."
Nida sighed and put down the spoon, pushing away the tray. Eating was hardly likely now, not with Seifer so willing to talk.
"They feel betrayed, and rightly so. If I was truly on their side, I would have stopped Elijah. That has to be the rational. I know I would think that if I was on their side. If I had, they would have suspected me for the very fact that he came for me, for what he thought I was. They would have wanted explanations, proof, neither which I couldn't have given them. I have no answers, wasn't able to hurt him, and I can't even explain why. People died because of me. Alana died. I've lost any right I eve had to trust.
"Yep," Seifer agreed easily. So easily that Nida had to roll his eyes.
"Don't you even start on that. I want you to sit there like a good little prisoner, all quiet and obedient and all of that, and you're going to listen to me. Got it?" Seifer growled, suddenly very serious. "You fucked up, fly-boy. Bad. If you're innocent, and between you and me, I think you are, then it is a little understandable. Shock can do things like that to the best of us, and I can only imagine what it would be like to be in a situation like you were, to have someone you cared for like that betray you. Hyne, I give you points for trying, even though it was way too little and way to late. But the fact that I believe you hardly helps your case, especially when its built on a detail that no one else has."
"And that is?" Nida couldn't help but say, though it earned him quite a dirty look from Seifer.
"Your relationship with Elijah. If you were smarter, if you were guilty, you could have used it to your advantage. Girls would have given you plenty of sympathy, they go gaga over lost love and all of that. Who would have blamed you for not hurting someone you were in a relationship with? Then again, if you were guilty you would either have wanted to stay here without being discovered, which meant not letting Elijah run with you, or to escape. Of course, you could easily have attacked Elijah sooner to solidify your position here as a spy, which some people are saying you are. You could have helped him get out as well. Instead you followed, in a daze, and we even have some witnesses to the fact that Elijah was all but dragging you around. At the same time, people want to believe the worst of you because this is your fault. Elijah did what he did not only because he was discovered, but because he thought you were this heir."
Seifer sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Honestly, at this point, the only thing people on Garden agree about regarding you is that should be locked up to be kept away from the crazies and people seeking revenge."
Nida couldn't blame anyone either. More than once he'd asked himself why he hadn't attacked Elijah, and Nida was privy to the fact that he'd been in a relationship with Elijah for years now. Too long he'd waited, too many people he'd let get hurt, too many die. Maybe it was best that Nida hadn't been allowed to speak in his own defense really. How could he convince anyone that he hadn't meant anything if he couldn't even explain it to himself? No one would accept that something about the whole thing had made him as weak and clueless as a child, had set his stomach quaking as the very name Boyce Megill did, had thrown him off. You couldn't justify to other people what you couldn't justify to yourself.
"Maybe they're right," Nida said after a moment. "Maybe I should be locked up. Keep me here until Squall has dealt with the Zebalgans."
"You'd die before that."
Nida quickly looked up, meeting Seifer's eyes, seeking further explanation. Dead? Would Garden rather see him executed than possibly fall into the hands of the Zebalgans, or would they hold him responsible for all of the deaths of the other night?
"I mean look at you," Seifer continued, as if his last statement hadn't been so disturbing. "You look like hell. Last time I saw eyes that red I was looking at Fujin. Have you been sleeping?"
For a second Nida considered ignoring the question, but at last he shook his head. "Not really. It's hard to sleep when you've seen so many people die because of you."
"I know."
It was the kind of admission Nida never expected to hear from Seifer, so he said nothing, giving the blond plenty of time to continue.
"Sure, I joined Edea because I was coaxed, and sure, I stayed because I wanted power and all of that, but I'd have to be as cold as our Ice Princess to not be affected by the death that came with it. Didn't stop me from sending people to their deaths in Ultimecia's name... Did you know that I killed one of the few members of SeeD I looked up to during the Garden attack? I also watched one of the few Galbadian men I trusted die when I ordered him to lead his troops into an obvious SeeD ambush. Only reason I slept at all after all of that was because I was just too damn hurt after the fight with Squall and them."
"Why are you telling me this?" Nida couldn't help but ask.
"Because, in the end, I found that if I didn't sleep, there was no way I was going to survive to prevent the next deaths."
"I'm hardly going to be preventing anything in here," Nida pointed out.
"Who says you're going to be in here for long?"
"So it is the brig then?"
Seifer chuckled. "Hardly. Now, I'd suggest you eat before you don't have the chance. I'm on orders to take that away in ten minutes so that you have nothing to fling at the princess."
"Princess? I mean, Squall? He's coming here?"
"Yep. Not sure why, but he wants to talk to you. In fact, pretty much most of that group is showing up. Though if I had known you were in such as piss poor shape, I would have suggested waiting a bit longer, giving you a chance to shower, maybe even giving you the peace of a sleep spell."
Ten minutes proved not to be an accurate estimate from Seifer. Squall entered not eight minutes later, just as Nida was finishing his soup. Seifer merely shrugged when Squall looked his way, probably curious as to why Seifer hadn't followed orders, though Squall was unlikely surprised. Squall didn't come alone, though. Just as Seifer had indicated, the other high level SeeDs came in after Squall. Irvine and Xu took up places by the door with their weapons at the ready, and the others arranged themselves leaning against walls or sitting on the floor as Squall took the only seat left open on the couch by Seifer's sprawling.
"Good evening, sir," Nida said as Squall seated himself. "I'd offer you a cup of coffee, but I seem to be out."
That got a slight chuckle from Seifer, and stern looks from a few of the others, including Squall. Here at least, Nida mused, was a silence he could read.
"This is serious, Nida," Quistis sighed.
"These Zebalgans are saying that if we don't turn you over, they are going to start attacking small towns," Xu offered. At least there, Nida noted, he found a friendly face. "And from the reports of the numbers of people who are just getting up and leaving their lives, dropping off of the face of the planet, it's quite possible they might be more dangerous than we first thought."
"I say we just shoot him. He can't do much for them if he isn't around," Irvine suggested.
"That is just ridiculous. He's a resource no matter how you look at it, cowboy," Seifer countered, not looking up from the inspection of his fingernails that he'd started upon the entrance of the other SeeDs.
"Says the other traitor," Zell mumbled.
"We're obviously not going to do that," Squall cut in before the fight that could start. "Nor are we going to hand Nida over. If he is what they want, they aren't going to get him, especially not through an attack on innocents."
"Why not?" Selphie asked, and all eyes, even Nida's, turned towards her in shock. "Think about it, handing him over might be a good idea."
There was a predictable amount of protest, yet Selphie waved it away as if it wasn't a concern, plowing along with her reasoning as chipper as ever.
"Oh hush. We all know that if Nida wanted to get away he would have. I for one think this not trusting him is stupid," Selphie said, sending a rather pointed look in Irvine's direction. "Nida has never let us down before, and he loves SeeD. So we should use him rather than letting him get all mopey in here like he obviously is. Think about it, once all of you stop being silly and trust him, we might be able to use him. Having someone on the inside that they think is one of them may be a really good idea, yeah? Because then we can know what they are planning. I mean, they were going to use Elijah for that before we figured him out, right? Or at least I would have if I was in their position..."
"An interesting idea," Quistis admitted, "but hardly one we can entertain without being certain of Nida's allegiance. In the meantime, I propose that we continue with what actually brought us here."
Squall nodded in agreement. "Nida, the Zebalgans believe that you are the heir that they have been looking for. As such we intend to use that to secure one of them for questioning. Will you do this?"
"Is that an order, or a request?"
"That," Squall said, "I leave up to you."
As if it was even a choice. There was no way to say no, so it really didn't matter if it was an order or a request. Either way Nida was bound to say yes. So he just nodded. Granted, Nida would have done it either way. He more than owed the others his help, as more than their companion in arms, but as their friend. Maybe they wouldn't see him as such anymore, and there were a few that Nida wasn't sure how to feel about anymore, but there had been friendship there once, hadn't there?
"Good. We will speak again when we determine a place to target. I would suggest that you get some sleep in the mean time."
"What about Lena?"
Everyone's attention, save Seifer's of course, turned towards Zell.
"Remember?" Zell asked, though obviously no one did. "When we went to the White SeeD ship the second time, after we found Ellone? That girl, Lena, was telling a bunch of kids the story that Elijah and Nida mentioned."
"A lot of people know the Legend of Vascaroon," Irvine pointed out from the door.
"Yeah, but I went a third time, with a message from Squall and all that. Lena was telling it again, but it sounded different. I can't remember exactly how, but it was different. Sorta wrong."
"So now we're on a witch hunt for anyone who has ever mentioned the legend that the world's largest religion is based upon?" Xu asked.
"No, Zell's got a good point," Seifer said, finally looking up. "These people have expressed active dislike for the Sorceresses and anyone with power like them, not to mention Garden. When you consider the fact that the White SeeD are not only SeeDs, but were charged with Ellone's protection and reported directly to Edea, it makes more than just a little bit of sense for them to have someone there to watch over the people and monitor the location of the ship."
"Why would you say that?" Selphie asked.
"Because it's what I would do in their place," Seifer responded. "Don't forget, I think a bit differently from some of you. Honor isn't exactly my number one goal. Getting the job done is, and to do that you need information."
"You think that way because you're a bad guy," Zell mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear, but not for anyone to say anything.
"I agree with Seifer," Squall said after a moment. "And chances are that the White SeeD ship has not received any communication regarding the current situation anyway. The captain will need briefed. Nida, you will accompany us to the White SeeD ship, to act as our messenger and find Lena."
With that Squall started to stand. Something that had been said, though, found Nida speaking up.
"Wait! You said something about videos? More have been released? Xu hasn't been able to stop the spread or backtrack it?"
"No, and the messages aren't exactly all roses and puppies either," Seifer said.
"I thought we agreed..." Quistis started, only to be cut off.
"You agreed," Seifer pointed out, smirking. "I did no such thing. And it was Xu, I would like to note, that first brought them up. Obviously I'm not alone in the whole 'let's not keep the fucking idiot in the dark' camp."
"I want to see the videos."
As Nida said this a silence settled over the room, and Nida couldn't help but notice the way that Selphie and Zell looked away from him, the way Quistis seemed to be a little uncomfortable all of a sudden. They were worried, Nida knew, worried about something Nida might see, or might hear? Worried that there would be a message hidden in the videos that would give Nida some orders, some hint, something that he shouldn't know? No, not that, because Selphie was uncomfortable as well, and she seemed quite supportive of Nida.
"It's possible I might notice something new. I mean, if these people want something from me, maybe they would have figured out a way to get a message to me that another of you might not pick up on," Nida continued, trying to ignore the silence.
"They don't want you to see it. To see any of them," Seifer said, shaking his head. "It's not because of what they think you might hear, but who you will see."
"Elijah," Nida whispered, not even needing anyone to confirm his suspicion. Who better to give him a message, after all? Surely the Zebalgans at least knew of the relationship, planned to use it to lure Nida out, or to speak to him in ways that wouldn't be picked up. Elijah... Nida couldn't help but picture him now in a red robe, a hood obscuring all but the smile on his face.
"He should see it," Seifer declared as he stood and made for the door.
"Seifer," Irvine growled, moving to stop Seifer from leaving.
"You know I'm right. All of you. It's just that you don't want to see it. You seek to shield him, or yourselves, from what is going on. Idiots. The greatest tool we have against the Zebalgans right now, whether you like it or not, is Nida. Whether he's the heir or not, whether he sees the future or not, whether he's on our side or not, we know what they believe him to be. We know they want him. That gives us the edge."
"That isn't..." Irvine started, only to be cut off.
"And you, you're almost as bad as Xu. She seems to believe him no matter what there is against him, and you refuse to believe no matter what evidence there is in his favor. Hyne, look at you. Even though Xu and you are armed, Nida could easily see from where he was sitting... well... Nidulus, tell him what's wrong with our little pair of guards here."
Nida frowned for a second, then sighed. It was something he had noticed the instant that Xu and Irvine had taken up their posts, but he had tried to shake it off. Now that he was prompted, though, Nida could no longer pretend that he hadn't.
"Xu's safety is on. Her fingers have also never once strayed near them or the trigger. You, on the other hand, have had your finger periodically twitching around your safety. You want to shoot me, whether it's in your orders or not."
Squall turned to Xu, and Nida missed seeing the look on his face, but Xu seemed to shrink back from it a bit. Irvine, though, seemed relatively unphased.
"What's the problem with wanting to shoot the guy who let so many people die?"
"Because the second you suggested we kill him, Nida didn't tense up. Didn't deny it, didn't flinch, didn't do anything but sit there. There were none of the normal gut reactions to defend himself that you see in most people. Now tell me, what does that tell you about a man? No, never mind, I doubt you've ever had to kill someone up close, so you wouldn't know. Guilty men, who regret what they have done, are harder on themselves than you could ever be. They tend to welcome death, see it as an escape. Nida had no intention of even trying to defend himself when you suggested we take his life. But you're going to ignore that wonderful little detail, aren't you?"
With that, Seifer knocked twice on the door and slipped out the second the guards had opened it wide enough for his bulk to get out.
The sound of the door closing seemed to punctuate Seifer's words. For a time no one said anything, and then Squall was standing and shaking his head.
"We'll show him the videos in transit. Zell, Irvine, you will watch over him, along with Seifer."
There was a pair of matched nods as Squall made his way to the door.
"We leave at 0600 tomorrow. A uniform will be delivered for you before long. You will have no junctions, spells or weapons. Briefing will be in transit. I would suggest you try and get some sleep."
Nida nodded, staying silent as the SeeDs finally moved from their spots and left the room in ones and twos. At last he was alone again with the silence and guilt. With a sigh he stood and returned to his cot, lying down and draping an arm over his eyes, hoping that the little bit of extra shielding would keep the ghosts in his head away.
"You sure you want to see these?"
Nida couldn't help but roll his eyes at Seifer's question. "You know, for the one that was all but insisting that I should, it's odd to have you be the one to question me on that."
"All I really said was that you should see it. That doesn't mean you have to. There are things in this world that we are better off not knowing. For you, one of those things might very well be those videos."
"Just put it in. I should at least know something going into this, shouldn't I?" Nida asked. After all, the briefing he had been given upon boarding the Ragnarok had been minimalistic at best.
Nida had been told close to nothing. He didn't know where they were meeting the white SeeD ship, whether Lena knew he was coming or not, how he was getting in and out, even if he was going alone, with another SeeD, or otherwise watched. Everything was vague, but whether that was because there were few details to be had, or that they were being kept from him, Nida wasn't sure. Squall and Seifer, after all, had been the only ones in the briefing with Nida. One thing was sure, though, Squall had taken Seifer rather easily into his confidences for men who had been rivals for so long. Well, Nida had come away with one other bit of knowledge: Irvine had been inspecting his sniper rifle when Nida came out of the briefing, and something told Nida it wasn't so that the sniper could take care of any monsters near the White SeeD ship...
"Okay. But don't let it cloud your mind for this mission. This is a chance to prove yourself, at least to a degree. Don't fucking blow it, flyboy."
With that Seifer activated the monitor at the chair where Nida sat in the observatory room, and then moved to his own chair further away.
These, Nida had learned as Seifer escorted had escorted Nida to the Ragnarok only an hour ago, had been the reason Nida had been cut off from the Garden Network. Apparently the videos had been posted all over the boards by students, and Squall had attempted to keep their content from Nida until the point where they could be analyzed.
The first video, only a few minutes long, was almost insulting. The man in the white robe from the original video, who Nida was now positive was Boyce Megill, spoke of what had happened at Balamb Garden. At first it would almost have seen civil, with Megill expressing his remorse at the loss of life. Yet that quickly changed as Megill started to explain why such death had been necessary. How they had only done what was needed to secure the one they had long waited for, the heir who would guide them, and through them the world, to an era of great peace and prosperity. Nida skimmed through the video, but nothing beyond the sick feeling that came with the sight of the robe that Megill wore, and the very idea of the man.
It was the second video that made more sense to be kept from Nida. As it started Nida knew something was different this time, for while there wasn't the full assemblage of robed men and women, there was more than just one robed person, and now the faces weren't obscured. The face of the man in the white robe was fully visible now that his hood was pushed back, and it was one that Nida faintly recognized. Boyce Megill looked every bit an old war veteran, his eyes serious despite the almost grandfatherly look of him. His hair and thick beard were almost as white as his robe, and both were well tended and clipped. Something in his gray eyes made Nida shudder. They were calculating, Nida decided rather quickly, cunning and cold despite the almost warm smile the old man wore. They were the eyes of a warrior, of a killer, of a mercenary. Boyce had the skill to back that title up as well, a masterful wielder of an axe, though he was proficient in almost anything he got his hands on. Who better to be a weapons master at a Garden?
This, though, had not been the thing that had been intended to be kept from him. That was an honor that went to the Zebalgan in the red robe, who had also forsaken the anonymity of his hood.
"Elijah," Nida heard himself whisper as he laid eyes on his former mentor, best friend, lover.
Red, Nida had always known, was Elijah's color. It wasn't just because of his hair, but rather something in his personality, something Nida hadn't been able to put his finger on, then or now. Regardless, red was the right color for Elijah. The way that the red robe pooled around Elijah's body as he sat on a set of black stairs behind Boyce made it look as if he sat in a pool of blood. The image was only enhanced by the fact that Elijah held his blood red Rupio in his lap, toying with the handle of the blade as he had when he had come into Nida's room in the middle of the night.
Unlike Boyce, Elijah wasn't focused on the camera itself, but somewhere beyond it, as if he was looking for the cameraman, or maybe hoping to look through the lens to find Nida. For a moment Nida met Elijah's eyes, as if something of the emotions of the man behind them could still be found on the other side of the video. Part of him wanted to say that Elijah looked almost sad, maybe regretful, but it was only wishful thinking, and Nida knew it. So Nida tore his eyes from the man he had thought he loved, who he had shared so much with these last years, and turned his attention to Boyce.
Peoples of the world, alas, as you well know a great ill has been done us all. Though we found the one who will lead us and the world to a new era of peace, he is denied to us, misled by those who would seek to maintain conflict in this world. SeeD, who make their living on the conflict between men, cannot accept the idea of peace. Ask yourselves this, could people who truly sought greatness in the world, sought the best for us all, harbor such abominations as the Sorceresses who have countless times tormented our world? These men and women sell their bodies as weapons to perpetuate war, to create the conflict that drives us apart. And yet they protect not one, but two of the greatest criminals of our time! They continue to protect the Sorceress Edea, who murdered President Vinzer Deling with her own hands, and unleashed terrible creatures upon the crowds of the city, slaying countless others. What is more, they have taken into their number the greater offender against humanity: Seifer Almasy, the Sorceress Knight to not only Sorceress Edea, but to the terrible Ultimecia.
SeeD would have you believe that these great criminals are reformed, that Edea's actions were against her will, and that Seifer should not have his crimes held against him, for he was but a mercenary. But can we accept such foolishness, and with no chance to prove or disprove their ideas? Has Edea every stood trial for the crimes laid at her feet? Has she ever been proven innocent? And what of Almasy? Will the plains of Esthar ever be the same after his releasing of the Lunar Cry? Can we truly trust an organization who harbors such villainy?
And what, I ask of you, of the Sorceress they refuse to name, the one who has come to possess the powers of the dread Adel, the most heinous creature known to our time? We have reason to believe that SeeD seeks to train this young woman under the guise of learning to control her power, so that they can unleash her as a weapon. Yes, SeeD does not desire to protect anyone, but to maintain their grip on us all through fear. If we are at peace with each other, how then can they come to gain the only things they truly love, power and gil? Do not doubt this, for how can people who would charge you such outrageous rates to defend your family from the monsters that may attack your homes?
No, I tell you, SeeD have proved time and time again that they cannot be trusted to shape our futures. These people who make their lives only by embracing death and destruction cannot be the ones we turn to for peace. We must turn instead to a greater power to shape a world of peace, the power that our ancestors won the right to countless millenia ago: the power of Hyne. Me and my people, the heirs of the ancient kingdom of Zelbalga, which ruled this world long before the rise of even the Centra Empire, will guide us to this power. To do this, though, we must have the one they deny us. We must have Nida Nomura.
Yet as recent losses have taught us all, SeeD will not relinquish our chance at a future without bloodshed. One of my own lieutenants, who once trained among the SeeD, tried to bring the great one to us. He was lucky to escape unharmed, attacked as he was by Squall Leonhart and Seifer Almasy. They stopped his attempt to bring the heir to us, that he might guide us to true glory. This is something, my brothers and sisters who share my Zebalgan blood or not, that we cannot accept. Thus we shall strike the SeeD where it shall hurt them most. Together we can make them answer to us. All of you who would seek a better future, you have but to deny these power hungry men and women, and demand with us that Nida Nomura be turned over to us withing the next forty-eight hours, that he might give us true power and peace. Cast those who pretend that they are protectors from your cities, towns and villages. The Zebalgans will protect you, as we once did in ancient times. We shall be your shield against the menace that SeeD symbolizes for us all.
For those of you, though, who would support these pretenders and seekers of violence, I say this. We will not accept those who support these power hungry fools. If you refuse to see logic and truth because you are blinded by these men and women who call themselves your friends, then you will answer to us. The Zebalgans will not allow these SeeDs and Gardens to continue to their ways, now will we accept those who support their foolishness. Any people who do not break off whatever contracts they now have with SeeD, know that we will know, we will find you, and you will answer for this. Such fools can only bring chaos and suffering, and thus we will make sure that they do not survive to see the dawn of the return of the glorious Zebalgan rule!
Two days we give you to answer us. You need not raise our flag, or sing our praises, but merely decide among yourselves within your homes and towns. Speak it with others and we will know. Those who choose the wisdom of siding with us will know the good of this. Those who still deny two days from now, we shall know for what they are, and they will know our wrath.
Nida shut off the video, unable to watch any more. Granted there had been only a few seconds left, but that didn't mean Nida could stomach that just for the sake of completeness. People were going to die, and it would all be because of him.
"How many towns and villages sought protection from Garden after word got out about Elijah's slaughter at Garden, and the first video?" Nida asked, not sure if even Seifer would be willing to answer that.
"Too many," Zell said, shaking his head. "It isn't too hard these days, with the new policies allowing for them to have one or two present for the sake of dealing with monsters and all of that. Problem is even if we had enough SeeDs to cover all of the requests and our continuing missions, I doubt many people would really be protected if they have more people like Elijah."
"Plus Garden wouldn't be able to protect itself," Seifer added from his chair.
"Winhill?"
There was silence, neither Zell or Irvine wanting to share that obviously.
"Hyne, don't act like he's digging for information so he can attack the village. Use your brains for once dammit. Nida was raised in Winhill, he's got friends there."
"And how do you know that?" Zell demanded.
"You get worked up over the stupidest things," Seifer sighed. "Come on, Chickenwuss, don't be so dense. I was in Winhill, Nida was sent to get me. When he found me he admitted his connection. Made sense since he found me in his cottage."
Zell's eyes went wide as he spun his chair to face Nida. "Cottage? Cool, you have a cottage! Did you get it after you made SeeD? I was thinking about getting Mom a place out there..."
"His dead mother left it to him," Seifer said, effectively shutting Zell up. It was almost amazing ot see just how quickly Zell's excitement faded at the idea of a dead mother.
"Upon hearing this message, Laguna ordered a small contigent of Esthari soldiers to Winhill, to set up a protective perimeter. He's got part of his air force prepared for instant deployment. There is even talk between the Galbadian and Esthari about letting Esthar temporarily annex the Winhill region, to allow them to deploy quickly and easily without having to defer to Galbadian authorities."
All of that came almost quietly from the corner by the door where Irvine still stood, but Nida was thankful for it. If Laguna was putting that much into defending the village, then Nida wasn't worried. At this point, or any point really, Esthar was not a force one wanted to be on the wrong side of. After the Sorceress War the city-state had opened its borders to the world, revealing itself in all of the might Adel had demanded and Laguna had slowly, gently, and relatively quietly coaxed into true strength. The sheer technological and military edge that Esthar had over the rest of the world was more than simply impressive, it had been quite a powerful force supporting the Garden attempts to restore the places damaged by war. No one was willing to just ignore or attack the country after they had finally seen just how far Esthar had come since the seclusion Adel had forced upon it decades before.
"Has there been any word of attacks by the Zebalgans?"
"We still have a day," Seifer provided.
"Then I guess we need whatever information we can get from Lena, if she really is one of them. Anything we can learn..."
"We could always take out the thing they want. Maybe then they will be demoralized enough to give up," Irvine suggested.
"I don't think that would happen. You'd probably end up with an even bigger war then they are already threatening on your hands. What would they have to lose then? They won't hold back if there is no risk of destroying the thing they desire," Nida pointed out. "Besides, the world can hardly handle another war already. There has been too much."
"Then you best find a way to stop it, hadn't you?" Irvine asked, though he didn't sound too convinced that it was possible.
Nida honestly didn't know how to respond to that. He was already trying his best, wasn't he? Then again what was 'best' for him? Running sure seemed to have a chance of ranking on the list, but that hardly seemed like it would serve much purpose. Garden and the Zebalgans would be after him then, there would be no peace anyway, and people. With a sigh Nida stood and gestured towards the door.
"We've still got around a half an hour or so before we get there, right? I didn't sleep well last night, and I could do with a bit of rest. Would you be willing?"
"Whatever," Irvine said, before indicating that Zell should lead the way out.
Seifer stood as well, though he hesitated afterward, and stood in place.
"Hey, I'm junctioned..."
Nida shook his head. "I you use a sleep spell on me, who knows if you'll ever be able to wake me up when we get there. I'll be fine."
"Sure," Seifer said before finally turning and following Irvine and Zell out of the observatory, allowing Nida ample chance to stretch out one of the observatory chairs and sleep.
The steel of the revolver was cold as it pressed against Nida's neck. The wielder of the gunblade was obscured by the fog, but there was really only one person that could hold it: Squall. The blade rested, steady, against Nida's neck, no shaking at all in Squall's hand, no scraping of the sharp edge against his skin. For that Nida was thankful. His end at Squall's hands would be swift then, and relatively painless. It was more than he deserved, though. Still, the blood debt he owed to those he had failed to protect from Elijah would be fulfilled in this way. Irvine had been right, Nida knew now. The only real choice they had was to kill Nida, to take away what problem there was. War SeeDs could handle, but war when so many villages were being held captive with the entire intention of capturing Nida was too much. This way the Zebalgans would focus their offense on SeeD and Garden rather than on defenseless people.
"Nida," a voice, Squall's, cut through the fog and smoke. "It's time."
The gunblade drew back, raising for the final blow, and Nida's eyes opened to see Squall standing over the chair Nida had reclined so he could rest.
"Commander. I'm sorry, I was..."
"Whatever," Squall said, and Nida's eyes flicked for a second to the gunblade at Squall's side for just a moment, before straightening his seat and standing.
"Just point me in the right direction, sir."
The right direction turned out to be the hanger, and ultimately a small boat that Esthar had equipped the returned Ragnarok with before gifting the airship to the SeeDs of Balamb Garden. Soon Nida found himself equipped with a tracker and communicator, handed a letter for the White SeeD Commander, and being lowered down into the water and rowed the twenty feet to where the White SeeD ship rested in its small harbor. Ragnarok would land on the nearby land, and there Irvine, Nida knew, was to take up a sniping post. The whole plan was to prevent any possible escape for Nida if he attempted it.
Even with the ride to the White SeeD ship, Nida barely had any time to organize his thoughts. It felt like no sooner had Nida sat down in the boat than it seemed like he was being hauled onto the deck of the ship. Even there Nida had no time to breathe, finding himself face to face with Reis Anders, the eldest of the White SeeD, and their leader. The man had an expression of seriousness that rivaled Squall's, so Nida was glad that he could at least read the expressions on the man's face. That and Reis spoke far more than Squall, he was almost talkative in fact. The very idea of someone who would talk to Nida without accusing him of something was a bit of a relief for Nida.
"Commander Anders," Nida said, snapping the smartest salute he could muster.
"Captain Nomura," Reis said with a slight bow, the White SeeD salute done to a degree befitting Nida's lower relative rank. "I must admit that I am quite serious as to what business could bring you so shortly after a rather cryptic request to lock down the ship."
"I suppose that first, sir, I must ask you whether you conceded to the request or not."
Reis lifted an eyebrow, as if almost amused that Nida would presume to question him, but then nodded. "Lieutenant Colonel Leonhart does not make frivolous requests. I immediately set orders to my best men, and quietest, to prevent all comings and goings, as well as to lock down any external communication to anyone without clearance as well as limiting even that to the Kramers, the Esthari Presidential Palace, and Balamb Garden."
It took a bit for Nida to resist the urge to sigh. Apparently Reis had not liked the idea of receiving such a request from Squall. The White SeeD was the only 'branch' of SeeDs, as it were, that did not report to the SeeD Commander. As if to reinforce this, the group insisted on addressing Squall not by the title that Cid had given him or the council of the heads of the Gardens had confirmed him in, but as Lieutenant Colonel. Granted, were Squall's position to have been dreamed up by another member of SeeD, or anyone other than Cid, chances were that Lieutenant Colonel would have been Squall's rank, or possibly Colonel as SeeD did not use traditional naval ranks when they referred to their members by anything other than their levels. Nida knew, though, that Reis was using Squall's proper rank just to reassert, even if only to Nida, that the White SeeD were separate from other SeeDs. Reis was quite proud of his own rank of Commander, and probably hadn't enjoyed such an obvious order packaged as a request from someone of an equal rank.
"The SeeD Commander will sure to be thankful. Unfortunately he could not come himself, and I was asked to give you this upon my arrival," Nida said, fishing out the letter from Squall and handing it over.
"Oh? I expected that you would be something more than just a mail man, Captain."
"My orders are to present you with this letter then continue with my mission. I'm sure it's all explained in the letter."
"And why can't you give it to me yourself? Is this truly that confidential?"
"That, too, is explained in the letter. Now, it you would not mind, I am here to see Lena."
The serious look all but drained from Reis's face, replaced instead with the man all but biting his lip as he looked at the unopened letter.
"That, I fear, would not be possible."
"And why, sir, would that be?"
Instead of answering, Reis broke the seal on the letter and flipped it open. Quickly his eyes flicked over whatever message was there, and he began to frown. At last Reis quickly refolded the letter and gestured for Nida to follow him.
"I do believe there are some conversations that are better had in private. Shall we?"
That, Nida was certain, could not be good.
"This morning one of the men I set to securing the boat came to me with a rather alarming report," Reis said after he closed the door to his room. That was enough to make Nida head for the nearest chair immediately. "Apparently several people were missing come the morning, including one of the men I had trusted. I did not think this would be any of Leonhart's business, White SeeD deal with their own."
"As do Balamb SeeDs," Nida responded.
"I can tell, from what little I found when I skimmed Squall's letter. Still, I was concerned enough before your arrival, and when you asked for Lena... Well..."
"She's among the missing."
With a sigh Reis nodded and moved to sit down across from Nida.
"How many?"
"Five in total, including a man I thought I could trust. I had known Kirgim since we were children in Matron's care. He, Lena, two children and a young woman named Vesa were gone this morning, not to mention one of our smaller boats. While I was far from happy about it..."
"The letter from Squall hardly helps your suspicions."
Reis nodded. "I fear there is a chance that we may have been harboring people who would seek to do Matron harm without ever knowing it. I am sorry to have let them through my fingers."
"There is nothing to be done for it," Nida sighed, though he doubted any of this would reflect well upon him. "We are going to need records of any communications any of them have received in the last week or so."
"Of course. But I do believe Lena received a message from Garden just yesterday. I will see to getting that to you before you leave."
"Thank you."
"The least I can do. I doubt that you, of all people, would want to leave here without something to go on."
Nida flinched, and was suddenly unable to do much but wonder just how much had been in Squall's letter.
"Oh? And why is that?"
"Because if these people were after me, thinking I was some kind of prophet or something, I would want to do anything I could to distance myself from them, especially in the Lion's eyes. After all, it isn't like you support them, correct?"
If only Squall, or better yet, Irvine, was as willing to believe in Nida as Reis or Seifer. But that, obviously, was too much to ask for.