Book II, Part I: Outbreak - Vector's Gambit
Chapter X—Rebirth
[Ethereal Plane, Fifth Division Barracks]
It seemed like Ben had finally gotten into a routine with his time training with Kari and Etchel in the Ethereal Plane. Wake up, eat, do "morning" training - or what passed for morning in the plane, given how hard it was to tell time - then study various things until a session of evening training and then bed. It was broken up a little by other events, of course, but that was the basic idea of how his days had gone ever since coming to the Ethereal Plane to train under the two Grim Angels. The routine was comforting in a way - Ben was very much a creature of habit, and he liked when things were consistently the same each time. It wasn't that he hated change, but he had to admit that he often had a hard time getting used to bigger changes.
So as he walked out of the barracks and into the courtyard behind the structure, the first indication that he got that something would be different today was the fact that Kari was dressed differently. Instead of the white sun dress that she had favored ever since he'd first met her, she was instead dressed in an outfit that was practically identical to Etchel's - the black outfit and matching haori that he'd learned belonged to all Captains of the Order of Grim Angels. He thought for a moment - he'd been here what seemed like a month, maybe a little longer. Was there anything particularly special about today?
"Good morning," Kari said as he approached, smiling. "I trust you slept well?"
"Morning," he replied with a nod, brushing a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I did - is something up, Lady Inihara?"
"Everything is fine," Kari said. "I believe that congratulations are in order, however."
"Why's that?" Ben asked, walking over and taking a seat on the steps as he usually did.
"You have reached the end of your training with us," Kari stated, looking pleased.
"...Really?" Ben replied hesitantly, looking between Kari and Etchel. "This is the end?"
"Is something wrong?" Kari asked, to which Ben shook his head, waving his hands to dismiss the question.
"No, no, there's nothing wrong with it, I just...it feels like I've only gotten started, like I've got so much more to learn."
"That's because you do, kid," Etchel commented with a shrug. "Problem is, we can't teach you everything. It'll be better in the long run for you to learn by doing it yourself."
That was true, Ben knew. He'd only gotten to scratch the surface of what he felt he could learn under the two Grim Angels. Picking up the basics of Shunpo, his new Blademaster abilities, mental exercises, and finer control over his inherent power - reishi, they had called it - had seemed like a lot at first but had left him realizing just how far he had to go after the first week or two.
"I'll keep practicing, then," he said, cracking a smile at Etchel. "If I can't outspeed an old man like you, after all, I should just give up now."
"Never thought I'd ever see someone trip while flash stepping," Etchel commented offhandedly, reaching into his coat for an apple. "Now that was novel."
"You're adorable," Ben deadpanned. "It was one time."
"And one is enough," he added as he took a bite.
"Practice will serve you well," Kari stated, nodding. "You still have a long way to go before you have mastered everything we have shown you here, but you have a lot of potential. Lady Freya has been pleased by your progress, as have we."
"So, we thought we'd give you a little going-away present," Etchel said. He stepped over towards a box sitting on the steps and picked it up, tossing it over to Ben lightly. Ben looked at it for a moment before pulling the top off and peering in, seeing a folded black garment resting inside.
"Is this -"
"Uh huh. You're probably the closest thing to a student that Kari's had in awhile, so we thought it fit to give you one of these. Black's not a bad color for you, either."
"Fashion tips? Really?" Ben asked as he pulled out the garment, unfolding the outfit so that he could get a better look at it. From what he could see, it was exactly the same as what his two teachers wore, minus the white overcoat, and had some sort of white shirt and white belt or sash to go with it that had been hidden underneath along with a pair of white socks and sandals.
"You pick up all sorts of things in the mortal plane. I'm all about sharing, you know."
"Except the apples."
"Except the apples," Etchel agreed. "Being serious, though? That chain mail you wear won't do you a whole lot of good. You're too fragile for it to help much, and it just slows you down. Better to ditch it and focus on not getting hit in the first place. Play the speed game, and you'll win - it's what you're built for."
"Good point," Ben said, putting the clothing back into the box. "Thanks...for everything. It means a lot."
"There is another gift I wish to give you," Kari said, causing both Ben and Etchel to turn to her. She vanished momentarily in a burst of Shunpo, returning a few seconds later with a long object in her arms that was bundled in blue cloth.
"You're really going to do it," Etchel said with mild surprise, causing Kari to nod as she approached Ben.
"Do what?" Ben started to ask, but stopped as he saw her start to unwrap the item she was carrying. She carefully took the blue cloth off to reveal a long blade with a hilt wrapped in light blue cloth and a bronze-colored blade in the shape of a four-pointed star, contained within a glittering green sheath.
"I have kept this blade in my care for over five centuries now," Kari began solemnly, "and until this day I thought I would keep it locked away forever. This sword belonged to my Captain and mentor, Chieko Murakami, who was killed in the Harrowing along with many others. It served her faithfully for centuries...and I will now entrust it to you."
Ben didn't say a word as Kari carefully handed him the blade, letting him take it in both hands gently. It was longer than either of the blades he used currently, he noticed, but it felt feather light and cool to the touch. He brushed a hand over the sheath lightly before gripping the sword by the hilt and pulling it out just a small bit to examine the blade.
"...Thank you, Lady Inihara," he said quietly, sheathing the blade fully again. "I know how much this sword must mean to you."
"It means more than words can express," she stated, looking him in the eyes. "But I feel that it is time to let go of my past...in more ways than one. Chieko-taichou would be glad to see this weapon used again, I believe, especially by one of Lady Freya's own chosen. And perhaps in time, you may even be able to unlock its true potential as well."
"True potential...?" he asked, immediately realizing even as he spoke what Kari was talking about. "Wait - this is a Diviner, isn't it?"
"It is," Kari said. "In truth, I do not know if you will be able to draw upon its power. Diviners have been passed down before from Malakh to Malakh, but never has one been given to a Hume such as yourself."
"It's a unique case," Etchel added. "So, we're gonna have to let you figure this one out as you go, since we don't really know any more than you do. But I'll give you a hint - if you're truly capable of using it, the first thing you need to do is figure out its name."
"You can't just tell me, then?" he asked, already sensing where this was going.
"Correct," Kari answered with a nod. "The first step of attuning yourself to a Diviner is to be able to hear its voice. If you cannot learn to be in sync with your weapon, you cannot hope to master its true power. If you can hear its voice and learn its name, you will take the first step to truly learning how to use the weapon you now possess."
"So...how do I learn to listen?" he asked, to which Kari smiled.
"Therein lies the test," she replied. "Use what we have taught you, and you will be on your way to finding an answer."
"I will," Ben said, nodding politely. "Lady Inihara, Etchel...thanks. I really mean it. You've done more for me than I could've ever asked for."
"You are welcome," Kari stated with a smile. "It is my duty to assist Lady Freya in any way possible, and I can think of no greater honor than to train one of her Planeswalkers to help carry out her will."
"Me? I just hate staying around Kuchiki, so I'll take any excuse to get out of there for a while," Etchel said, finishing off the fruit he was eating. "He's way too stiff, even for a planar leader."
"You merely wish to hide from all the paperwork that your Vice-Captain is always berating you about," Kari said offhandedly, sending a knowing smile Etchel's way.
"Fia just needs to learn to live a little!" Etchel protested with a chuckle before turning back to Ben. "Anyhow - you better get going, kid. Probably a lot of people down there who'll want to see you back on your feet."
"Yeah...take care, you two. I'm sure I'll be back soon enough." He turned and walked away then, stepping into a Planeswalk after a few steps to take himself back to the mortal plane.
"Gotta admit - the kid kinda grew on me while he was here," Etchel said, shrugging.
"You are not used to having someone to banter with," Kari said, starting to head back into the barracks. "Aside from Nelcas-san, that is."
"No, no, she banters at me, not with me. Completely different."
"I rest my case."
[July 12, 2152 | Airspace over Glasall Ocean | 3:37 PM]
The six SeeD members who had been tracking Lindsey's killer still weren't quite sure what to make of their current situation. Stumbling into a high-profile operation of the Estharian Presidential Guard tended to throw a wrench in little things like logical thought processes, after all.
They were currently onboard the Guard's personal airship, the Kusanagi. Fast and maneuverable, it was an effective clone of the Ragnarok gunship originally designed by Esthar for spaceflight and exploration, but served just as well in-atmosphere as a rapid response vehicle that could lay devastating amounts of firepower on a target if needed. As best they could tell, they were en route back to Esthar, but they hadn't been given any kind of a briefing as to why other than to inform them that their mission had now been changed. Per orders of the Headmaster, they were now attached to Hikari Tanaka's command and were to follow her orders until the completion of the Guard's mission...whatever that was, they wondered.
"I'm sure all of you are wondering just what is going on, and why you were transferred to my command," Hikari said, stepping back into the main crew area from the bridge of the ship. Lieutenant Commander Butler, as the dark-skinned man had introduced himself, was piloting the ship along with a woman that Darius and Revolver were introduced to as Eve Hanley, the Chief Intelligence Officer for Abel Squad. Andréa and the rest of Darius' team remembered her from their last visit to Esthar as the Guard member who assisted them in driving away several members of the Royal Thieves' Guild from the Palace.
"The thought has definitely crossed my mind by now," Darius remarked, his earlier rage now a bit more tempered by the presence of military officials with very intimidating weaponry and status.
"I apologize for all the secrecy and misdirection, Darius, but you inadvertently stumbled in the middle of an operation that I've been involved with for years - and yes, it does involve Lindsey Geneave. I'll get to that in a moment, but it was paramount that you not be allowed to interfere until my clearance had been attained."
"Clearance for what, exactly?" Andréa asked.
"For shutting down Vector Industries as a whole due to...extenuating circumstances."
Hikari moved over and sat down on one of the benches in the crew area, looking over all the gathered SeeD operatives in turn before sighing.
"Let me start from the beginning. Vector Industries, as you all may be aware, was founded six years ago by a man named Arthur Wilhelm. Wilhelm was, from the outset, a bit of a mystery - no one seemed to know where he was originally from, only that he came into Esthar and bought up a huge amount of land one day, almost overnight, and then began construction on a massive facility that became the main Vector Industries campus about a year later. Vector Industries' main business plan lay with robotics and information technology at first, though they quickly branched out into weapons manufacturing and military technology as well."
"All stuff you'd see in their business profile, or in the Strahl-Miyazaki," Darius commented.
"Right. What you won't see is how unusual their growth was. Vector's influence seemed...surreal, for lack of a better word. Business plans involving Vector seemed to flourish at a far greater rate than others in the private sector. Advances in technology came faster than anyone in Esthar had ever seen. Their pricing was second to none, able to undercut almost anyone in the vast majority of their dealings."
"So, is Wilhelm just some rich guy with money to burn and a point to prove?" Darius asked, curious. Even he would sit up and take note at a laundry list of business accomplishments like that - things like that just didn't happen in business, not without a lot of string-pulling behind the scenes.
"Hardly. The President took notice of everything that was going on after a year or two. He started to think that there was some sort of collusion between companies to try and use Vector to force other, smaller businesses out before selling to Vector and cornering the market, or something along those lines. Not to mention the fact that there were some reports from insiders of...dangerous experimentation. For a short time after Vector's inception, when we went back and looked at the crime stats in the area, there were a rash of missing persons cases that all started right around the same time - a couple months after Vector's main campus got up and running."
"Wouldn't the local police have been enough to handle something like that?" Silvia asked, looking over at Hikari. The blue-haired woman simply shook her head in response.
"We thought so at first, but all the cases were dead. No real leads to look at, alibis from everyone questioned, etcetera. Then it got to the point where we heard some very disturbing rumors and received video evidence to back it up, and the President decided that it was time to invoke a more tactical response."
"Which was to send in the Guard?" Sumiko asked.
"Not exactly." Hikari's posture straightened, and she took another deep breath before continuing. "On August 17th, 2149, I was officially assigned to a mission to infiltrate Vector Industries and find information on a particular project that was in the initial development phase within their First R&D Division. This project is one that several of you may be familiar with, if in passing."
She looked over Darius, Naoki, and Sumiko in turn as she kept speaking. "Official project designation: KP-X Advanced Combat Gynoid. Serial number zero-zero-zero-zero-zero-zero-dash-one. Abbreviated name: KOS-MOS."
Darius' eyes went wide, and Naoki and Sumiko exchanged looks of surprise.
"That's the same project that we were sent in to get information on...!" Sumiko breathed in shock.
"Correct. The KP-X project was to be Vector's crowning achievement in the field of robotics and military tech, an android capable of single-handedly performing the roles of infantry, reconnaissance, and heavy fire support all in one package. It was outfitted with state of the art firepower and a frame capable of taking more punishment than a modern warship - believe me, I saw the tests myself. However, there was a major problem with the project at first. The project used a biological subject as the base for the gynoid modification process, and the initial test subjects weren't able to withstand the strain of the modifications and the testing that followed. They thought their project wouldn't be able to get off the ground...until they hit upon an idea."
She looked at Darius then, eyes full of sadness and apology for what she knew was coming.
"Unfortunately, Darius, this is the reason that Lindsey Geneave was killed that day...or at least appeared to be. She was chosen to become the new basis for the KP-X project."
The shock that came over the faces of the gathered SeeD members paled in comparison to that of Darius' own, but Hikari continued before anyone could speak.
"The reasoning was that the modification process was kept from working because the body couldn't withstand the strain of the changes. They decided that they needed to find a subject in peak physical condition, someone who was used to dealing with the stress of bodily enhancement on a near-daily basis."
"A member of SeeD," Revolver growled, his temper rising.
"Exactly."
"I watched Lindsey die right in front of me," Darius said, his voice quiet and tight with barely-constrained anger. "Someone put a bullet into her brain while I sat across from her, and you mean to tell me that she's not dead? That Vector took her and used her for this...project, and replaced her with some kind of body double?"
He scoffed, turning a furious glare on Hikari.
"If you're telling me a lie, I'll have your head, Presidential Guard or not."
"I wouldn't lie to you about this, Darius. I've spent the past two years of my life suffering with the guilt for the decision I was forced to make. I've seen a lot of horrible things and suffered through some of the harshest environments imaginable, but nothing I've seen or done prepared me for what I went through that day. I assure you, Darius - it was not your girlfriend that you watched die that day, and the truth of it makes my stomach turn even now."
Eyes drifted down to the long, dark-colored scope attached to the rifle as Hikari Tanaka finished securing the attachment in place, folding out the bipod underneath the barrel and resting it on the ledge of the abandoned building's roof. Everything had been calibrated the night before to make sure absolutely nothing was wrong with her equipment. The scope, accurate and firmly securable to her rifle. The bipod, stable and level underneath the weapon. The weapon itself, well-cleaned and ready to take a shot from a distance that she'd attempted few times before. Her mind was quickly falling into her state of null thought, the cold precision of a sniper that she'd cultivated for years as a marksman. Still, she couldn't shake the unease that she felt about the shot she was soon to take.
Her superiors had conferred over the idea, and it wasn't a unanimous agreement by any means, but they eventually came to the conclusion that she needed to do this, whatever the consequences may be. Failing here would mean that all their time spent organizing and preparing for her role in Vector was a wasted effort, and they could not afford that given their suspicions about Vector's goings-on – indeed, the project they were so concerned with was the very reason why Hikari Tanaka was about to change two people's lives forever.
She didn't know the girl…didn't want to know her. She didn't want to have to put a face to the name. She didn't want to think about the person who had been effectively doomed to an early death the moment that the president of the company laid eyes on her file. She could push aside that emotion and play the part of the unfeeling assassin…after all, playing a part was something she had come to be good at over the years.
The Galbadian-made PSG-1 sniper rifle rose to her shoulder as she looked down the custom-made scope's 16x magnification, making the environs outside the small coffee shop some half a mile away come into crisp view as if she were standing a mere ten feet away. She could see the young girl taking small sips of her beverage and engaging in idle conversation with her companion, and she started focusing on her breathing, taking careful and paced breaths in order to ensure she was perfectly calm before taking her shot. Wind was a serious factor at this distance, as was the drop in height of the bullet trail and a host of other factors, but she knew how to account for all of that.
'Breathe in, breathe out. In, out. In, out.'
She closed her eyes for a moment, clearing her mind, and reopened them an instant later as she turned a stony gaze back to the scope. With a finger, she flicked the safety off of the rifle, sighting in her target carefully. One second passed, and then another. She stilled her breathing, and a single thought passed through her mind.
'Forgive me.'
Through the earplugs she wore, the 'crack' of the rifle's report was muted, but still very audible as a fountain of blood burst from the side of the girl's head, staining the surroundings and her companion a sickening crimson. She watched the near-instant panic for a moment with a detached gaze, trying not to dwell too much on the sight in front of her, before nodding lightly to herself.
'Kill confirmed. One thousand, thirty-eight meters.'
Some part of her relished in the accomplishment, her marksman's pride allowing her a brief moment of victory at the difficulty of the successful shot before the rational part of her mind quickly squashed the damning praise. She had to leave, now, before anyone happened to spot her and put the pieces together. Quickly, she dismounted the scope and bipod on the weapon, placing them into special padded indentions of a nearby briefcase before picking up the rifle again with one hand, finger outside the trigger guard, and pressing a button inlaid into the side of the metal with her thumb.
The scope of her rifle wasn't the only thing that was customized – while the rifle had the same general size and schematic as a PSG-1, the entire frame of the rifle was actually custom-made with some of the latest Estharian technology. In the span of a scant few seconds, the rifle had folded itself up into a boxy shape, barrel and stock disengaged and compacted in an ingenious design from Estharian gunsmiths that blended functionality with portability and was staggeringly complex to construct, due to the incredible amount of moving parts in a device that required all those parts to be in the perfect place every time in order to function. She removed what looked to be a second set of clothing and a short blond wig from the other end of the case, taken from atop several sheaves of papers, a pencil or two, and some discs that completed the office-like contents before placing the boxy shape into a third such padded slot and placing a thin false lid over the weapon.
Satisfied that she had the contents concealed from cursory glances, she placed the clothes on top of the briefcase carefully to avoid dirtying them before stripping off the shirt and pants she was wearing. Modesty was still something she valued in most cases, but in a situation like this, if anyone was around to see her stripping to her undergarments, she had far worse things to be concerned with. She quickly clothed herself in the office attire – a nice blouse, knee-length skirt, and heels – before tossing her other clothes away along with her earplugs and casting a quick Fire spell that burned them to ash that scattered away in the breeze. A moment after, she put on the wig, using a small pocket mirror to make sure none of her normal hair was showing before replacing it into a skirt pocket. Her concealment and change done with, she headed for the door that led back down to ground level as quickly as she could manage. Confusion would be her ally here – as long as she didn't act as if she had anything to hide, and managed to fake some surprise and worry at the events she'd just orchestrated, she should be well in the clear in no time at all.
As the door shut behind her, she silently hoped that she could one day forgive herself for what she did to keep her country safe.
"So you did kill her after all."
"I'm getting to that. It's important that you understand everything that happened here. Yes, I took the shot - but your girlfriend was not the target I hit."
"My, my…that was some display back there. A girl could almost get to thinking that you had a personal issue to settle with her…"
Hikari didn't react as a second figure fell into step with her as she walked down the sidewalk, giving not even a sideways glance to the one beside her.
"I thought you didn't have a gender."
"Semantics."
The one beside her shrugged nonchalantly, shoulder-length dark hair waving lightly as they did so. The pair of sunglasses they were wearing dipped just slightly, giving the smallest glance of unnatural milky white eyes watching Hikari behind the tinted lenses.
"I also thought you didn't argue about semantics, Kitaen."
"So talkative today, Fiona…that's not like you. Still, I see what the boss is paying you for…that was an impressive shot. It hurt a lot, regenerating myself from that, you know."
Hikari frowned – the one standing beside her, Kitaen, was an incredibly unusual being. She'd seen, firsthand, the rapid regeneration ability that she…it…possessed, and the idea of it scared her somewhere deep within her being. Kitaen was a homunculus, an artificially-created being imbued with a core of magical energy instead of a true soul, and was the owner of a powerful regenerative ability that drew from that essence. In effect, its lifespan was somewhat limited, but only if enough damage could be done to completely exhaust the magical energy given to it without a chance to regenerate any stored power could Kitaen truly be killed. She didn't know where Kitaen had come from or who had created it, but the being beside her gave her chills on a primal level every time she interacted with it.
"Let's get a few things straight. As I'm sure you're aware, I can't stand being around you," Hikari said, still refusing to look at her 'companion.' "I'm not being 'paid' by your boss; I was coerced into this. And if I had my way, I would have put enough bullets into you back there to make sure that you never got back up again."
Red energy crackled briefly around Kitaen's face, and suddenly the smiling face of Lindsey Geneave was peering over at Hikari from behind the sunglasses.
"So…that means you don't like me, right?" Kitaen replied, still smiling. Hikari didn't reply, but her grip tightened on the briefcase she was carrying. Normally calm though she was, Kitaen had a tendency to grate on her nerves simply by virtue of existing. It unnerved her more than she was willing to admit to be around the homunculus, given its unnatural origins. Shapeshifting was another of the homunculus' powers, and the Lindsey that Darius Edward DeValle had met at the coffee shop had, in fact, merely been Kitaen in disguise.
Blowing the homunculus' face to pieces, while cathartic, still disgusted her in some way, seeing as how her mind saw it as shooting an innocent girl who simply had the misfortune of meeting the exacting criteria their employer demanded. As for how she - it - had managed to get out from under the noses of everyone involved while ostensibly being a corpse...well, she wasn't going to think about that too hard. That had been left to her employer to deal with, and she wasn't in the mood to try and discern the 'how' and 'when' of the happenings.
It was truly a messy business, she thought to herself as she split off in a different direction from Kitaen, and she wondered just how widespread the ramifications of what she'd appeared to do today would be.
"By the time I finished with Kitaen, Lindsey Geneave had already been captured and taken back to Vector to begin the initial screening and testing for the KP-X modifications. There was nothing I could do to get her out...not with all eyes on her and all their hopes resting on her potential. Darius, I am truly sorry that I couldn't save her when I had the chance."
Darius' face - and the faces of the other SeeD members present - looked like the picture of shock. None of them dared speak for a minute as they digested what they'd just learned. Lindsey was still alive, to the best of their knowledge, and was now in all likelihood the basis for a superpowered android weapon system? There was a creature running around that was nigh-unkillable and could imitate anyone perfectly?
"...This is what you were trying to keep from me, huh."
Darius' voice was calm, almost eerily so as he spoke again, earning a nod from Hikari. The Commander's face was tight and full of barely-contained emotion...and more than a hint of anger, it seemed.
"It was. I couldn't risk jeopardizing the mission, even to save Lindsey, without being a hundred percent sure that I had all the evidence I needed to bring Vector to its knees. The last I knew, they had completed the project - I downloaded every major project file I could get my hands on as head of security before I left for Galbadia and sent them off to James Alnon, who I understand sent them to your father as well."
"So all their dirty little secrets are out in the open now," Revolver said, nodding approvingly.
"It's finally time. We're going to go in there, and we're going to bring them down. The rest of Abel Squad and Baker Squad will meet us at the campus - sixteen Guard members in total, including us four," Hikari explained, affecting a more professional tone. "Darius - you and your team are to assist us in securing the Vector Industries main campus. Once secured, our technicians will take possession of their project data archives and any physical documentation on-site for investigation."
"That gives us twenty-two people - SeeD and Guard members or not, will that be enough to hold such a big campus?" Naoki asked, clearly wondering if they really had the manpower for such a large operation.
"A company of Estharian soldiers from the 14th GCEF will be assisting us once we establish contact. This has become a matter of national security, given the information I just explained, and the President wants to make sure that we have the force necessary to deal with any threat we find inside."
"GCEF?" Sumiko asked, not familiar with the acronym.
"Ground Combat Expeditionary Force," Hikari said. "That gives us another 260 soldiers that will be backing us up if we run into trouble."
"You're expecting them to get violent?" Silvia asked.
"We're not sure, but if they're willing to go to the lengths they have for the KP-X project, who knows what their response will be when we go in and lock down their site."
"You believe that this...KOS-MOS will be turned against us once we engage," Revolver said, more a statement than a question.
"That is not out of the realm of possibility," Hikari said slowly, "and I'll be honest - it's a terrifying thought. KOS-MOS has enough firepower and durability to go toe to toe with an entire battalion of soldiers with armor support and win. Even with a dozen and a half Guard members and a half-dozen SeeD officers, I would hesitate to say it's a fight we could win if forced into it."
"If Lindsey is still alive somewhere in there," Darius started, his expression as hard as stone, "I will get her out. I don't care what they bring to the table - I'll go through Hyne herself if I have to, but they will not keep me from saving her."
"Commander!"
A shout from the cockpit got Hikari's attention, and she stood from her seat to address Butler.
"What is it, Butler?"
"We're coming up on the target now," Butler said. "We're three minutes out, and I've confirmed our infantry support is on-site and ready to go at your command. Doran is with the rest of the squad just outside the campus, and Baker Squad is prepped and ready."
"Roger that," she said to Butler, reaching up to the side of her head as her holographic visor appeared in front of her face. A moment later, she had opened up a communications channel to all of her forces on the ground. "All operatives, listen up. The operation will commence in T-minus two-thirty. Myself, Butler, and the accompanying SeeD team will take the front concourse and establish a secure area from which to proceed into First R&D. Lieutenant Doran, Hanley and Astens will rendezvous with you once we drop - you have the east entrance and Second R&D. Baker Squad, you take the west entrance and Third R&D. Major Noretti, establish our perimeter around the grounds - I want no one in or out without our approval. Have your forces ready to assist in case things get rough. Tanaka out."
She closed the channel a moment later, turning back to the SeeD team. "Check your gear - we've only got one chance to get this right."
Darius just smirked.
"SeeD only needs one chance. Let's do this."
[July 12, 2152 | Trabia Garden, Front Concourse | 3:50 PM]
Ben stepped off the Crystal Path and back onto the frigid ground of Trabia, glad to finally be back to the place he'd come to know as home of a sort. Taking a deep breath, he started to walk towards the front entrance to the Garden, intent on heading back to his room to change before meeting with Katanas to give him an update.
Before he made it five steps, however, he stopped. Something was...wrong.
"Good to see you back, buddy," Angel's voice intoned from nearby, causing him to turn and look at Angel for a moment before his eyes drifted elsewhere, towards a spot on the horizon that was far across the snowy plains.
"Something's not right," Ben said immediately, causing Angel to pause with a look of concern.
"What is it?"
"...Do you feel that?" he asked, shivering a little. "That wasn't here when I left - it's like there's some kind of...presence out there."
He walked closer to Angel, trying to shake off the numbing chill of whatever he was sensing. Angel nodded slowly in reply, looking off into the distance and following his gaze.
"Yeah, I can feel it," he said, nodding slowly. "Whatever it is, it's huge...and we can't figure out exactly where it's coming from. I started sensing it not long after you left to train, and the feeling's gotten stronger every day."
He turned back to Ben, worry etched across his face.
"There's something big coming, and I'm glad you made it back when you did. I don't think we have much time left before we find out just what that something is."