Chapter Three: The Body in the Wastes
It was the body of a brown-haired man with a cloak over it. Very handsome, even in death, no damage to the face besides some old scars and cuts. No sword.
The chest had been shot with dozens upon dozens of bullets, and Tseng had had to chase off some vultures. Around him were strewn the bodies of many dozens upon dozens of Shinra soldiers. Their guns were broken, and many had been hewed full in half by a single stroke. Others were burned beyond recognition by fiery materia or an unleashed summons.
This was not even the worst of the slaughter, however.
Machines around Nibelheim were shattered and broken, shot to pieces by guns or cut up by sword. Entire squads of elite operatives had been killed on Zack Fair's retreat.
All he'd had to do to save himself was give Hojo something.
Anything.
Hand in one braindead specimen, and he could have gone home. President Shinra had thought this an excellent compromise. But Zack Fair had not, and he'd stayed true to his friends while trying to infiltrate Midgar directly.
Now, he was dead.
The face was covered in blood, as Tseng removed it with one hand. At least Zack had not been disfigured, and he wondered if he should tell Aerith. President Shinra would not want her to know, of course. Shinra's long-term plans involved her cooperation. Telling her they'd gunned her boyfriend down would not help with that.
Zack was supposed to be the wedge for getting her to join SOLDIER.
In retrospect, it was a very good thing she never had. Tseng had the feeling she'd have been at Genesis' party. Or, more likely, Genesis would have been of hers.
"Anything?" asked Tseng.
"Someone else was here, boss," said Reno, combing his hair. "I found some tracks. He shot the last few of these guys dead and came over here. Took the Buster Sword and dragged it off.
"Left the materia.
"Personally, I'd have gone the other way."
"The sword represented Angeal's Family Honor, didn't it?" asked Tseng.
"A lot of good, that is," scoffed Reno. "Any news on Cissnei?"
"Not yet," said Tseng. He drew out his gun. "The one who walked away...
"What condition was he in?"
"Barely lucid is my guess," said Reno. "Tracks seemed like he was limping. But he got into rockier terrain, and it got harder to track him. My guess is he'll get to Midgar and try to lose us."
"He might seek out Aerith," noted Tseng.
"The ancient," noted Reno. "Well, if he is that stupid, we'll catch him easy. In all honestly, he's a nobody. Zack was the real problem if anyone was."
"His name was Cloud Strife," said Tseng. "And he was quite formidable.
"I offered him a position in the Turks."
"No kidding," said Reno. "Why'd he fail the application?"
"He turned it down," said Tseng. "He said he had no interest in working for a professional murderer, in those exact words.
"I don't believe he had a very high opinion of our organization or an appreciation for what we do. Though he was an outstanding intelligence officer. He lacked a ruthless streak, though. So perhaps it was the right decision."
"A lot of good that did him," said Reno.
"Get over to Midgar, Reno," said Tseng. "Set up observation on Aerith 24/7. If Cloud Strife contacts her, I want him immediately apprehended. Above all, try to avoid them making direct contact.
"I'm concerned what happened here might radicalize her."
"Yes, sir," said Reno. "You don't have to worry, boss. There is no way this guy has any contacts in the slums. Nobody is gonna stick their neck out for someone like this, not without a real reason. And we already uprooted most of the old insurgents."
"Not all of them," said Tseng. "And you'd better hope we never do."
"Why not?" asked Reno.
"Because it is our job," said Tseng. "If you don't want to lose it, you should look busy."
"Ouch," said Reno. "I'll get to Rude in the chopper."
Tseng drew out a phone to call Hojo. Hojo would probably want to get the body and get what use he could out of it. Then he reconsidered things. Hojo had never done anything for Tseng and had always been disrespectful. Hojo had insisted on getting his precious specimens back, and as a result, both sides had lost both now.
If he had just shut up after losing both and let Tseng handle it, Zack would be working for them again. Instead, he'd gone whining to President Shinra. Shinra, desiring peace, had declared a compromise. Zack Fair gets his job back. Meanwhile, the disposable and replaceable Cloud Strife to experimentation.
A perfect compromise, everyone wins.
Unfortunately, as Tseng pointed out, Zack Fair was not likely to ever accept such a deal. At this point, Hojo had acted as if he was being unreasonable. So now Tseng had one of the best SOLDIER candidates since Sephiroth in the morgue. A radicalized, potential liability. He'd be dealing with this for months.
No.
No, Hojo was getting nothing out of this. Tseng might not technically benefit from giving Zack a proper burial. But if he was going to have to waste time and money on a new insurgency. Then, the scientist who opened Pandora's Box could lose something, too.
Tseng called someone else.
"Tseng, what is it?" asked Cissnei.
"Zack is dead," said Tseng. "Heidegger got to him before we could. His friend got away."
"I... I see," said Cissnei. "I was afraid that would happen.
"What now?"
"Get a team down here to preserve the body and take it back to HQ," said Tseng. "We are not giving anything to Hojo."
"He won't be happy about that," noted Cissnei.
"This situation is completely his fault anyway," said Tseng. "Hollander was half his creation. I'm tired of these out-of-touch scientists telling me how to do my job. I may not be able to give Aerith closure. That does not mean I intend to give it to Hojo."
"Yes, sir," said Cissnei. "I'll be over.
"What about his friend?"
"Reno will handle that," said Tseng. "If he is smart, he'll lose himself in the slums."
"I hope so," said Cissnei. "For Zack's sake, wherever he is. He sacrificed his life to save him."
Tseng decided not to comment. Privately, he suspected Cissnei had not been looking nearly as hard for Zack as expected. Zack had been popular, well-liked, and never did anything but perform his responsibilities. Once or twice, he'd raised a few objections, most on reasonable ground, but he always got the job done.
He'd had this aura that made you want to trust him and got you thinking of more efficient ways to avoid collateral. Now, he was gunned down in a wilderness of corpses because Hojo wanted his specimens back. This after he'd lost Sephiroth too.
"I liked Zack," said Tseng after a moment. "He was sunny."
Tseng hung up and wondered what to do about all this.
Morale had been bad of late, and this slaughter of the infantry would worsen morale. Heidegger didn't care much about overwhelming collateral until the job was done. His forces had always been a hammer to Lazard's scalpel, while the Turks were the guiding hand.
It's time to make a call up the wrist.
The President had wanted a report on all this. He'd been very worried about Zack Fair.
There was a moment and Tseng heard someone pick up. "President Shinra, sir?"
"Tseng, tell me you have good news?" asked the President.
"Zack Fair has been neutralized as a threat," said Tseng. "His companion seems to have walked off, though, and taken his Buster Sword. We're following it up now and have set a watch on the ancient. If he goes near her, we'll have him.
"But he may just decide to disappear into the slums.
"This might be the last we see of him."
"And the specimen?" asked President.
"I already ordered the body preserved," said Tseng. "With your permission, I'd prefer not to hand it over to Hojo. I'd like to let him sweat."
"Well, that's understandable, Tseng," said President. "You have just spent the past few weeks tracking Mr. Fair down because of his lax security. And you were quite correct about the compromise being a no-go.
"It's politics, you know.
"Sometimes someone in a lesser position has to take the fall because of higher-ups."
"I understand, sir," said Tseng. "However, with your permission, I would like to send in some people to see the slums and how they are doing. Unless I'm mistaken, our presence there has decreased.
"Mr. Strife might decide to start a revolution."
"Does he have contacts?" asked President Shinra.
"I don't know," said Tseng. "He was never social, but he is quite intelligent and knows how to write up a plan and briefing reports. In addition, he was a credible soldier.
"Cloud Strife is not a threat, per se.
"But I think he has the skills and intellect to become one if opportunity knocks. If he is really hellbent on revenge, there is damage he could do."
"We're short-staffed after the fiasco with Genesis," muttered President Shinra. Knowing him, the blonde executive was shuffling through reports and bottom lines. He was trying to make them line up. "Who do you have to work with?"
"A few observers should be enough for a start," said Tseng. "I can assign them to write up a report on monster hunting. I've read that some citizens are setting up bounty offices. All to compensate for the troop pullout. It seems the most likely job someone like Cloud Strife could go into.
"It probably won't take much expense.
"Cissnei should be more than sufficient for the job; if we dig up anything, it should work."
"I see," said President Shinra. "Do it then. There's no sense in taking any chances here.
"No arrests just yet, however, not unless we have something to arrest someone for. Shinra Corporation has maintained a good reputation. All are keeping such examples under the radar.
"We don't want to return to the bad old days of rule through fear."
"I don't think anyone is pulling for another War of the Magi, Mr. President," said Tseng. He was remembering his history.
"Good," said President Shinra.
President Shinra hated the War of the Magi.
It was a private historical pet peeve of his, which Tseng had picked up on in meetings. A series of massively destructive events which served no purpose. A single nutcase got too much power now and then and proceeded to rewrite the continental map. They built themselves a throne, became an immortal god, and then were killed by a band of heroes.
Somebody had to rebuild after the band of heroes killed the evil Emperor. Emperor Mataeus of Palamacia at least had left the farmlands and some of the cities intact to rule later. But it had been the last straw after Kefka came to power centuries ago. A single, utterly powerful, psychopathic jester turned the universe into a private playground. One where he tossed around rays of judgment for fun.
Never again.
It was one of the reasons the merchant guilds and corporations had gotten together. The endless wars of Empire and technology had been too much. All the little people whose job had been to bankroll the insanity finally had enough of Emperors. They'd coordinated and formed systems to keep things under control.
Shinra Corporation had been a natural result of this.
King Edgar Figaro organized much of it, working his entire life to ensure no Empire rose to replace the old one. He'd died a happy man with a harem of hundreds of willing women whose names he all remembered. His name was universally beloved for ushering in a new age of technology and progress.
So the monarchies of old had not died wholly shamefully.
They had, in effect, willed their own downfall rather than allow another Kafka to come about. But, as with all revolutions, new problems presented themselves. In a corporate system devoid of tradition and hereditary rule. You had to replace divine right with something.
It was one thing to no longer allow religion to dictate politics. But once you took religion out of politics, you needed something else. Every part of a system served a purpose, a job it had to fulfill. You couldn't just rip something out and leave nothing in its place.
That was why the Turks were there.
To keep things running.
To make sure all the little gears that made the world function continued to function. Shinra Corporation provided many essential services and expected service in return. A social contract was maintained between corporations, consumers, and customer. All interweaving and shifting in an elaborate game.
Tseng had never questioned this before now.
With Zack Fair dead on the ground before him, he was starting to.
"Is there any news on Genesis?" asked President Shinra.
"Nothing," said Tseng. "Cloud may know more; however, he was in Zack's company. We checked his hometown and found signs of a battle. Zack seems to have settled accounts with him, but we found nobody or graves.
"Hollander is dead, however."
Shina nodded. "Well, then, some justice has come out of this.
"I still can't believe the man initiated indiscriminate attacks on civilians, all over getting passed over for promotion. He could have lived a safe, comfortable life as second best and advanced human knowledge.
"Instead, he starts another world war, just as we were getting that mess with Wutai done. And he turns Genesis from an idiot into a monster."
"With respect, I'm concerned we may not be fully out of it yet," said Tseng.
"Well, keep an eye out and send your reports to Heidegger," said President. "I'm going to have to consider the political angle here. One has to have a proper story in place, and it has to be credible. How will people know how well I govern their affairs. Not unless they are unaware I am governing their affairs."
"It may be a bit late for that, sir," said Tseng.
"I'm aware," said President Shinra. "But the trains must keep running, and no one else is available for the job. Good luck, Tseng. And good work.
"I understand this was a trying job for you. Personal feelings have no place in the workplace but sometimes get in anyway."
"Yes, sir," said Tseng.
"Get some rest," said President Shinra. "If you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything."
"There is one thing," said Tseng. "Cloud Strife almost certainly does not have any group or plan yet. He hasn't had time for that. However, we might consider possible sources of support he could go to.
"People he could be of service to. I've been told Fort Condor has been getting a lot of funding from somewhere. The money will hire mercenaries and buy weapons to maintain the defenses out there."
"Heidegger is handling that," said Shinra. "As we speak, we are assigning new resources to care for things."
"...Nibelheim?" asked Tseng.
"Yes," said Shinra. "We have the experiments, and we may as well use them. It cost us more than enough for Hojo to create the things. I want to get some use out of them.
"Billions of off-the-books experimental resources, promises of immortality for mankind.
"And ultimately, we lose Sephiroth because Hojo can't even make an effective coverup. He had better hope his experiments yield some results this time. I am not happy about them so far. Do you know how much it costs to keep legions of experimental monsters in cryogenic stasis?"
"A great deal more than was justified, I imagine," guessed Tseng.
"Correct," said Shinra. "The only consolation is that the process for freezing should help. Especially with space colonization. Eventually. Palmer hopes to keep people on ice for long journeys to avoid long-term health effects.
"In addition, someone with a terminal disease might be able to go to sleep. At least until a proper treatment could be arranged. An individual who is legally dead could be preserved long enough to be saved. That sort of thing.
"But I doubt it will happen in our lifetime. Old age catches up with us all in the end. I suppose Rufus will have to handle it. We must keep the trains running until the next generation can pick up where we left off."
"What about the promised land?" asked Tseng.
"It might not even exist," said Shinra. "Even if it does, it might have been destroyed by Kafka. And we know so little about it that there is no real possibility of calculating the benefits. But Gast's colonies in Spira have a lot of other potential uses. And looking for the Promised Land is a nice PR bow to put on things. A lot more interesting than the medicinal effects of local flora and fauna. Though less practical.
"And so long as we preserve the ancients as a race, it should work out for the better."
Tseng nodded. "Yes, sir.
"Tseng out."
Tseng hung up and looked over the broken deserts surrounding Midgar. Midgar stood out over the wastelands before him, towering like some steel bastion. Yet, it more and more looked like a prison these days. This was no Camelot of Old, founded by King Arthur and the Warriors of Light.
It looked more like the Empires of Old.
But it was not.
You could not judge a thing on an appearance. Shinra might bear some similarities in appearance, but it was not the same. It was an infinitely more practical way to rule the world.
And a much better alternative to the endless chaos.
Anyway, it was Tseng's job. He didn't get paid to ask questions, just answer them.
As the chopper arrived, Tseng watched the body of Zack Fair be interned and preserved. He wondered if he could force Hojo to do something useful with this. It was about time his mad scientist degree actually proved an asset.
Time to consider the angles.