Chapter 18 - Project S Letters ID #840810

CLASSIFIED. CLEARANCE: EXECUTIVE. SHINRA ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY. HARD COPY ONLY. STORAGE #31 - NIBELHEIM MANSION.

Project S Letter ID # 840810.1058

Written Redirection

Friday, August 10, 1984 at 10:58 AM
From: Professor Hojo
To: Mariella Haynes

—

Dear Mariella Haynes,

This is a written record of our meeting at 10:00 a.m. today to go over your redirection concerning Project S. From 3:12-4:58 p.m. yesterday, August 9th, 1984, you took Project S on an unapproved excursion into Midgar. You went to a general store and used your Shinra credit card to buy unnecessary school supplies and decorations for Project S's room. This is absolutely inappropriate and unprofessional behavior.

All plans to take Sephiroth outside of HQ must be approved by myself unless it is a recurring appointment. As you know, we must limit outside exposure to interests and hobbies so he will focus on his training and studies. This is where the data is. This is what you are paid for to support and find. Getting distracted by your own emotions and waylaying the boy on "adventures'' will not help.

Yesterday was an abuse of power and a self indulgence. It should not be done again. You should understand that further action can be taken at any point.

—

Project S Letter ID # 840810.1102

RE: Written Redirection

Friday, August 10, 1984 at 11:02 AM
From: Mariella Haynes
To: Professor Hojo

—

Dear Professor Hojo,

With all due respect, I disagree. Sephiroth has gone through a great deal and showed signs of being in distress over the "news" of his lost memories. I watched him on the security cameras. He sat on his bed and stared at a wall for twenty minutes. The next few days will be pivotal to the future success of Sephiroth as he starts to rebuild himself.

So yes, I decided we needed to intervene to make sure there was some positivity in his life. The "unnecessary" school supplies were pencils, notebooks, erasers and a ruler among other standard supplies that students are expected to have. None of them were high end products and came to less than a day's worth of his proposed medication.

I will freely admit that my attachment has grown. It is impossible for it not to. The boy came stumbling into my arms sobbing and covered in blood and mako. I found out less than an hour before that Landon was dead. You were in the building and had access to the cameras. The test was reported to be going normally. I found out later that the test went on longer than it was ever proposed. All mako containers are safeguarded from breakage. Did it break the same way the pipe in the basement of the Shinra mansion went? The same way someone swapped the blanks out for real bullets in Landon's gun?

Since you are now the head of the department, I understand that you must make hard decisions and must be under pressure at all times. Even in its newest iteration and goal, Project S is a long term project. Landon and I understood this. As the head of this project, I am allowed the flexibility to make decisions on behalf of Sephiroth and to take him out of the facility. You told me such when we were both installed here at HQ.

Please allow me to continue to do my job the way that it needs to be done.

Thank you for your time.

Mariella Haynes

—

Project S Letter ID # 840810.1109

RE: RE: Written Redirection

Friday, August 10, 1984 at 11:09 AM
From: Professor Hojo
To: Mariella Haynes

—

You worry.

Did I make a mistake allowing you to head this program?

Since you have clearly forgotten objectivity, I allow me to remind you of how the scientific process works. To be frank, you coddled Project S. You made him soft. You made him into a boy who thinks for himself and should be sitting behind a desk typing meaningless letters into reports for the rest of his life.

He needs to be hardened for the SOLDIER program, drained of this softness. He doesn't need stuffed animals and erasers. Frankly, I question the need for further education.

Gast was not wrong when he said that Sephiroth will die. The fetus you raised is dead. Mourn him if you would like but between the mako exposures and physical training, the boy will be long gone. Pain is weakness leaving the body and Project S has a long way to go. Wiping Gast from his memory (as purposeful or accidental as you seem to imply) is yet another positive step forward.

So do not question me.

As for the bullet, well, we had to make it look real. Sephiroth had to be so distracted that he won't see all the signs of a Shinra facility. A blank in the barrel wouldn't achieve that. Blood is the easy answer. Landon is a poor shot. I knew you wouldn't die.

It also kept your now emotional misguidance from interfering with "Wutai's science". Thank gods you never educated him on how backwater those people are. He may have questioned why the Wutainese scientists suddenly have an interest in mako science! Absolutely astoundingly hilarious! We might actually be in trouble then.

Also do you remember why Sephiroth had to be "captured" by Wutai? That deep seated hate for a country that has never touched the boy will live long in Sephiroth. It will carry him forward in furthering their destruction where words will forever fall short.

If all of this is still not enough, shall I recall that you agreed to everything planned now and in the future? Or shall I pull up the meeting transcript to remind you of your select memory?

You are lucky to think that your position is secure.

Landon probably thought that too well up until the end.

—

I can't believe I pulled it off.

I simply cannot believe it.

Did anybody know? Or suspect? There are hints. I promise

Thanks for reading as always. -Quin

Thanks to A for betaing this chapter. You can find their FFVII work on Twitter (AngealLovesYou).