“ What the hell are we gonna do know?” Asked Reno, everyone was at the table inside the Highwind’s command room.
“ We leave here.” Replied Cloud. “ If Sephiroth is controlling those possessed we can’t stay anywhere near here. We’ve got to prepare for their next attack, Sephiroth won’t stop with one attack and besides I haven’t seen him yet, he’s banking that the sight of Liol will freak me out.”
“ Where do you think we should go?” Asked Reeve.
“ Junon.” Answered Cloud. “ It’s got some of the best defence technology on the planet there, if there’s a place where we can stop them, it’s Junon.”
“ I’m just gonna check on them.” Whispered Tifa in Cloud’s ear, she meant Marlene and Cherrie. Cloud nodded in acknowledgement.
“ Are we decided on Junon then?” Asked Elena, lighting one of her cigarettes.
“ As far as I’m concerned Cloud’s got the right idea, I’m in.” Spoke up Nanaki.
“ Thanks, Red.” Smiled Cloud.
“ Me, too.” Shouted Yuffie.
“ I’m with you.” Said Vincent.
“ What about you Elena, are you and your boys up for it?” Asked Cloud.
“ We’re in.” She replied.
“ Good, We’re going to Junon then. It’s decided.” Smiled Cloud. “ Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m going to rest, it’s been an exciting day and an eventful one, but I’m tired. I’ll see you all later.”
“ I think I’ll join you.” Said Nanaki. “ After travelling from Cosmo Canyon yesterday I’m pretty exhausted.”
As Cloud and Nanaki left the room it became silent, there no longer was a topic to talk about, the day had been eventful as Cloud said, perhaps too eventful, it seemed that everything that could be said had already been said. All that could be heard was the stubbing out of and lighting of Elena’s cigarettes.
“ Getting a bit of a habit there Elena, can be nasty those if you get hooked you know.” Joked Reno.
“ Shut the hell up.” Replied Elena. “ You think I don’t know what I’m doing!”
“ Sorry, jeez, must be that time of the month again, hey Elena.”
“ How the hell would you know?” Shouted Elena.
“ God, just joking,” Said Reno.
“ Enough hilarity Reno, shut up before I do something I’ll regret.”
“ All I’m saying is that you should watch yourself with these things.” Said Reno.
“ I think I’m think I’m old enough to decide for myself, but thanks, Dad.” Finished Elena before lighting another cigarette and walking off down to her quarters.
“ See, you’re doing it without even realising now, it’s addictive you know.” Shouted Reno as Elena slammed her door.
“ Dammit, you try to help people, but no, they just shout right back at you.” Said a disgruntled Reno.
“ Maybe if you weren’t you know, sarcastic.” Replied Yuffie.
“ Yeah, well I thought a bit of sarcastic jokes would get people back in the mood, everyone’s so depressed.” Said Reno.
“ Anyway, I’m gonna go to sleep now, anyone wanna join me? Yuffie?”
“ Funny, but no.” Laughed Yuffie.
“ I wasn’t being funny.” Smiled Reno as he walked off.
Again silence filled the room.
“ I’m gonna check on Marlene,” Smiled Barrett. “ She’s been pretty shook up my this whole ordeal, I think we all have.”
“ Okay Barrett, I’ll see you in the morning.” Smiled Yuffie.
“ I’m going to give Shera a rest up on deck, she’s been piloting us since we left Rocket Town.” Said Kole as he sat up and left the room.
“ Seems that everyone’s leaving us, Vincent.” Smiled Yuffie.
“ I’m used to being alone.” Replied Vincent.
“ You don’t have to be.” Said Yuffie.
“ What?” Asked Vincent.
“ Alone.”
 

*
 

“ It’s alright.” Smiled Kole as he emerged from the darkness of the ship’s decks. “I’ve come to relieve you, I’m the only other person here that can fly it.”
“ Thanks,” Replied Shera, she felt slightly unnerved by the strange man’s sneak up from behind her, especially seeing as she only met him two hours ago.
“ No problem,” Said Kole. “ To be honest, I enjoy the sensation of flying, the wind in my hair, my hands on the controls. It gives me joy.”
“ You’re like Cid.” Smiled Shera, feeling slightly more secure. “ He always enjoyed flying, he described it much the way you do.”
Kole saw a tear start to trickle down Shera’s cheek.
“ Look, I’m sorry about your husband.” Comforted Kole. “ I’m sorry I remind you of him.”
“ Don’t be,” Smiled Shera, through her tears. “ It gives me joy.”
Shera wiped her tears away from her eyes and started to leave the bridge. Kole smiled back, almost apologetically. “ He’s safe.” He Said.
“ Pardon?” Replied Shera, slightly startled.
“ His body, it’s safe.” Explained Kole. “ After I finished with the autopsy I locked his body in the morgue. He’ll be safe there, no one can possibly get in, maybe until we get back to Rocket Town.”
“ Thanks,” Smiled Shera. “ You didn’t have to.”
“ No,” Replied Kole. “ But I wasn’t prepared to leave him there, the possessed were coming.”
“ Did you ever meet him, when he called you over for the space program?” Asked Shera.
“ No,” He replied. “ I spoke to him over the phone, nothing else. He seemed a very good man, I can see why everyone misses him.”
“ He was a good man.” Smiled Shera. “ And if Cid trusted you to work on his space program, I’ll trust you too. I know what the space program meant to Cid, he would only employ someone worthy of trust.”
“ Thanks,” Smiled Kole. “ That really means a lot to me.”
Shera replied with a smile and began to leave the bridge.
“ It’s Dean.” Said Kole.
“ Pardon?” Answered Shera.
“ My name.” Responded Kole.
“ Oh, good night Dean.” Replied Shera as she left the bridge.
“ Good night.” Whispered Kole.
 

*
 

Vincent and Yuffie were alone, not for the first time in the last six months but hopefully not for the last time thought Yuffie.
Her fingertips circled around the edges of her almost empty wineglass. She picked it up, craned her neck back and drank the last few sips.
“ You finished with that?” She asked looking in Vincent direction.
“ No, you finish it.” Replied Vincent as he looked at his glass, almost completely full. He’d only had a few sips; it tasted better with more people around him.
“ Thanks.” Smiled Yuffie, leaning over to pick the glass up, spilling some on the table and then placing it in front of her.
“ Good thing Cid wasn’t here to see that!” She laughed as she moped the spillage up with her sleeve.
Vincent replied with silence.
“ You know I meant what I said about being alone. You’re not alone anymore Vincent we’re here for you, I’m here for you.” She smiled as she started to stroke his cheek.
His hand reached up and felt hers, he closed his eyes as her hand rubbed his cheek, he heard footsteps from behind the command room door, but he didn’t care, he just wanted the moment to last. He opened his eyes to see her; he moved closer to her and went to kiss her.
Someone knocked at the door,
Vincent bolted from Yuffie and looked to the ceiling.
“ Come in.” Smiled Yuffie, almost giggling. Elena stepped through the door.
“ Evening Yuffie, Vincent.” Said Elena. Vincent nodded his head in acknowledgement. “ Am I interrupting anything?”
“ Of cause not,” Smiled Yuffie. “ What is it?”
“ Oh yeah, did I leave my cigarettes here?”
“ Maybe Reno’s right about you!” Joked Yuffie as she chucked the half-empty packet towards Elena.
“ Thanks,” She smiled, as she left and closed the door behind her.
“ What just happened then?” Asked Vincent.
“ I dunno, maybe it’s this wine, I don’t know where the hell Barrett got this from.” Smiled Yuffie, holding up her glass.
“ I think you were right.” Said Vincent as he left his chair. “ I don’t think I have to be alone anymore.”
Vincent left the room rather suddenly, leaving Yuffie alone. Maybe he was embarrassed thought Yuffie, or maybe he couldn’t trust himself close to her. A smile appeared on Yuffie’s face, and a slight giggle seemed to come out of her mouth. She stopped to think for a moment, what the hell was she thinking, Vincent? It must have been the wine, she didn’t think she’d had that much, but then again?
She finished the glass and placed it back on the table. Again she thought about Vincent, couldn’t she get that man out of her mind, for god’s sake, he was over ten years older than she was, Godo certainly wouldn’t approve. Another smile appeared on her face, she wiped the smile off her face and left the command room, it was time for bed, she thought, it had been an exciting day.
Yuffie look around to see if anyone else was up, Kole was outside on the deck, no one else was up, sleep she thought as she walked over to her dorm, it had been a hard day.
 

*
 

Galen had arrived in Junon, the trip had been fun at times but she was glad to be finally off the ship and onto dry land. The Junon harbour and its surroundings gave off a strange feeling towards her, like something would happen, something big. She felt the same fear she had back in Genosha, when the monsters came. She feared the monsters would come again and she would have to fight them again, just like before. The monsters scared her, but she had the strength to fight when she needed it, she wasn’t quite sure what happen to her when that happened, it was weird.
She wondered why she had been drawn to this place, this mess but she was sure she was right about it. Maybe she’d been drawn here to stop the monsters, it could be anything.
She decided to stay in the city, perhaps if she stayed here a while something might happen, she didn’t want anything to, but if it did she’d be here, ready.
The city outside the harbour was a lot better; it was cleaner, although it wasn’t short of beggars.
As Galen looked around she noticed a girl walking up to her, she looked no older then twenty-five years-old, but what struck Galen most about her were her eyes, the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen.
“ Would you like a flower?” Asked the girl.
“ Pardon?” Replied Galen, slightly startled.
“ A flower,” Repeated the girl. “ They’re only a gil.”
“ Oh,” Smiled Galen. “ Of cause.”
She reached into her pockets and pulled out the bronze coin that represented a gil.
“ Here you go.”
“ Thanks,” Smiled the girl. “ Here you go.” The girl pulled the flower from her bag and placed in Galen’s hands. “ Enjoy.”
Galen looked at the flower before smelling it.
“ It’s lovely, thanks!” Said Galen before realising the girl had gone, vanishing into thin air.
It was strange, slightly unnerving but it wasn’t important, Galen had to find somewhere to sleep for the night and fast, it was getting really late.
She entered the first hotel she found, which she probably regretted later, the room wasn’t the cleanest place in the world but she took it, she didn’t need a palace.
The sounds from outside went on long after she had got into her bed, the city most go on all night thought Galen, things never went on this late in Genosha.
Her thoughts seemed to go on for ages, it could have been a minute, possibly half an hour, but eventually those thoughts sent her off to sleep, a deep, deep sleep.
As her eyes closed an itch creep up her back, she reached to scratch but she was too tired and gave up, she was asleep in the next second or so.
The slight feeling that had been a scratch only seconds ago came back, this time it was a lot more painful, she would have woken up under normal circumstances, but the sleep she was in was so very deep, she didn’t even stir.
Her back split open and two slits appeared in her back, like deep cuts, and as she slept some bone slowly but surely seemed to push out through the both slits and grow outwards like wings. The bone continued to grow outwards until it was down to her thighs, the bone was not hard not like regular bone, but could bend easily, and as she laid on her back they bent to suit her position. The bone stopped growing for a second before changing to a feathery like texture.
It only took a while for the whole change to happen, but by the end of it Galen certainly wasn’t the same as before.
 

*
 

The Lifestream was weird, well, at least it was for Cid, he hadn’t been here before, nor did he want to come here again. In a way he was sad, in a way he was happy, he hadn’t expected death to be like this, as far as he knew you were dead and that was it, no afterlife, nothing. But it wasn’t like that, it was, well, it was different. It wasn’t even what he expected the lifestream to be like, let alone the afterlife.
He looked at himself; he looked as normal as he always had, blue jacket, black trousers and his faithful flight goggles. He always thought that if there was an afterlife you’d be naked or something, but no, he looked exactly the same as when he died.
It was strange in the lifestream, nothing was ever quite the same twice, he would look at things, only for them to look different when he looked back at them. There seemed to be no sense of time here, he could have been here for hours, days, maybe just seconds, you were never quite sure. There could have been other people here, but he wasn’t certain, they could be some other effects of the lifestream.
He would try to interact with them and shout, but nothing came out, it was like he was invisible.
“Is that you, Cid?” Came the voice.
“ How the hell do you know my name?” Replied Cid as he turned round to face the man beside him; it was weird, now he could speak.
“ To be honest, I don’t know,” Replied the man. “ The lifestream does this kind of thing to you.”
“ How are we talking?” Asked Cid. “ A minute ago I couldn’t talk to save my goddamned life.”
“ I think it’s telepathy, but I can’t be sure, you can’t be too sure of anything here.”  Smiled the man, as Cid realised for the first time that his mouth hadn’t moved. “ One day I just realised I was doing it, it’s strange.”
“ We are dead aren’t we?” Asked Cid. “ I’ve got no idea where the hell I am.”
“ I’m not totally sure, as I said; you’re never really quite sure what’s happening.”
“ So you don’t know if there’s a way out of this damn place?” Asked Cid.
“ To be honest I don’t have a clue, only that I’ve seen the light from various places in here, I’ve talked to others, they say they never saw light from in here before, maybe it’s a way out.” Told the man.
“ Exciting here is it?” Inquired Cid.
“ You think I’d be talking to you if I wasn’t bored out of my stupid head?” Replied the man.
“ Maybe, but if this is so bad how come you know this isn’t hell?”
“ I don’t know, maybe it is maybe it isn’t, all I know is that I want out, out of this God forsaken place.”
 

*
 

Shera woke up in a cold sweat, the nightmare so vivid, so intense it frightened her to the very soul. She wiped her forehead with her hand and looked over to the alarm clock that lay beside her bed, it read nine o’clock and Shera sighed, she would have to up within minutes to take over from Kole.
She got out of her bed and went to put her clothes on before realising she had left all of her clothes back in Rocket Town, in fact all her earthly possessions were back in Rocket Town. Unless she returned to her house she would probably wear the same things for weeks.
She looked around the room before opening the door to the wardrobe, she had a hunch, inside the wardrobe were sets of clothes, probably lasting her the two weeks she had predicted, stuck to the inside of the door was a piece of paper. Shera tore it off and read the writing on it. On it read:

*
 

Cloud woke up from his vivid dream with a start, the dream, concerning Liol and Sephiroth had not only frightened him to his very soul, but reminded him of what he had to do, he had to kill Sephiroth whether he liked it or not.
The dreams had started when Liol first went missing; now they seemed to intensify as the nights went on. He found that the longer he had the dreams the more he wanted to stay awake, away from Sephiroth’s clutches.
Tifa lay beside him asleep, soundlessly breathing, Cloud only hoped she wasn’t having the same dreadful, terrible nightmares. She did not stir during the ten minutes Cloud lay beside her, he decided that it doubtful she was having the same dreams, he hoped.
He left the bed and dressed, he looked into Cherrie and Marlene’s bedroom to find the two young girls fast asleep curled up snugly in their beds, Cloud smiled and went back to his room.
He left the room and walked the short distance to the command room; most of them were there; all the Turks were there, plus Barrett, Shera, Kole, Reeve, Lucrecia and Red XIII, all of them sitting, waiting for their leader.
“ Hi,” Smiled Cloud. “ What’s happening?”
Vincent spoke up, “ We’ve landed at Junon.”
“ And?” Asked Cloud.
“ The possessed have spread, and they’re moving fast. Goddam fast. Our scanners reckon around a day before they get here.” Replied Elena.
“ Have you told the town?” Questioned Cloud.
“ No, we were waiting for you to wake up, you being our leader and all.” Replied Reno casually.
“ I’ll go,” Volunteered Cloud. “ I’ll be going to President Ruben’s office, anyone else going to come?”
“ Me.” Smiled Elena. “ As leader of the Turks, I probably should come with you, It’s important this place is prepared. And besides, he may need convincing.”
“ Too right,” Smiled Reno. “ It’s not every day the entire planet is under threat from manic, evil, possessed, madmen who just happen to be under the command of the world’s biggest enemy.”
“ Thanks for that little speech, Reno.” Replied Cloud.
“ Anytime.” He joked.
“ Before we tell the major anything, shouldn’t we develop some sort of plan to stop them?” Asked Nanaki.
“ Definitely,” Said Vincent “ We’ve got to prepare for the battle, if there is one. Otherwise we’ll be done for.”
“ It doesn’t need to be too elaborate.” Started Yuffie. “ We just need to have all of Junon’s defence mechanisms up and running. They still have that master cannon up and running, that’ll knock the possessed for six. Along with all the other smaller cannons and Junon’s own special forces, we should be well prepared for the possessed’s attacks.
“ Well done Yuffie,” Smiled Vincent. “ You’re becoming quite the tactician.”
“ Thank you, Vincent.” She replied with another smile.
“ We’d better get going then.” Began Elena. “ The possessed could get here any hour now; we’d better get the biggest lead possible over them.”
“ Agreed.” Replied Cloud as he left his chair. “ Let’s meet the Mayor.”
 

*
 

“ That’s basically what’s happened in the West continent.” Finished Cloud. “ I know it sounds crazy, hell, we ourselves don’t understand completely, but you have to believe us. If you don’t believe us you’ll regret it. I guarantee it.”
Major Ruben gave a little chuckle and Cloud winced; Mayor Ruben wasn’t the pleasantest of characters. As he spoke, tiny little specks of spit flew across the desk separating the Mayor and Cloud and Elena, Cloud felt himself dodging the large balls of spittle.
“ You’re asking me to donate all of the city’s firepower to your little cause.” Laughed Ruben.
“ It’s not some little cause Mayor. The whole of Rocket Town was wiped out by these things.” Shouted Elena. “ Don’t you understand that they could do the same thing here?”
“ The only thing I don’t understand is that you are asking me to donate the city’s entire defence force to your cause, which I don’t even now is true. I need hard evidence, at the moment I can only take your word for it.”
“ So you’re saying the only way for you to prepare for the attack is for us to give you hard solid proof?” Asked Cloud.
“ Hard proof.” Repeated Ruben.
“ Then I believe you have just signed your own death warrant.” Said Cloud as he pulled Elena out of the Mayor’s room. “ We have nothing else but our word to give you.”
 

*
 

The sea breeze blew in Liol’s hair and Sephiroth smiled; the ocean that lay ahead of him led to the city of Junon; it was almost time.
The ships that the possessed had created for him were superb, years of craftsmanship couldn’t produce a greater set of vessels; but the powers given to the possessed by the lifestream gave them the tools needed. They had infinite power, they controlled whatever they wanted, and they could create whatever they wanted.
Sephiroth played with this tool, creating his once loved Mausarme and gripping it tightly.
“ What’s that?” Asked Liol inquisitively.
“ A sword.” Replied Sephiroth. “ The one I used when your father struck me down.”
“ Oh.” Said Liol slightly saddened.
The sword disappeared and Sephiroth started to walk inside the ship’s hull.
“ Wilheim!” Shouted Sephiroth as he stepped down the steps. “ How long until we land at Junon?”
“ A couple of days Sir,” Replied the blonde-haired, blue-eyed young man.
Sephiroth chuckled,
“ You always talk like that?” He asked.
“ You told me to talk to you with respect, Sir.” Replied the man again.
“ Fine,” Huffed Sephiroth. “ Whatever. Get back to what you were doing.”
Wilheim walked off, careful not to displease Sephiroth again; next time could prove fatal.
“ Deckard.” Started Sephiroth. “ Have you had any success with the training?”
“ At least two thirds of them are able to use the full extent of their power.” Answered Deckard.
“ How long until they all can?”
“ At least a day or so, they shall all be ready for the invasion.”
“ Thank you Deckard, your good service will be recorded.”
“ Thank you, Sir. Without your help I surely would have never returned to this beautiful planet.”
“ Deckard.”
“ Yes, Sir.”
“ Would you like to join me in a duel?”
“ It would be an honour.”
 

*
 

Sephiroth not only controlled the power to create anything in the known universe, but the power to mimic anything he possibly could think of. Of cause in front of Cloud he would keep the embodiment of Liol, but he wasn’t going to let Cloud realise he could change. Sephiroth couldn’t wait to see Cloud’s face when he saw him; it would be sublime.
Sephiroth changed into the form he felt most comfortable before creating the beautiful Mausarme he had once cherished.
“ What’s this?” Asked the inquisitive boy.
“ It’s my past form, my outlook from the past.” Replied Sephiroth.
“ I don’t like it! I want to look like me!” Shouted Liol.
“ Damn child! You shall do what I tell you to!” He shouted back.
“ Sorry Mister Sephiroth.”
Sephiroth looked across the training room to Deckard, he had begun to place pads on.
“ You shall fight without any protection.” He stated.
“ But Sir!” Deckard replied.
“ I have not fought in five years, I need real practice.”
“ Of cause.” Replied Deckard as he took off the pads.
“ I am ready.” Said Sephiroth. “ Let us begin.”
Deckard needed no invitation; he was prepared to fight.
They had started almost fifteen feet away, but within a second or two that gap had been hugely shortened. Deckard went to lunge at the great man but was rewarded with nothing more than air. In the time it had taken for Deckard to attack, Sephiroth had already dodged out of the way and had the Mausarme placed hard in Deckard’s back.
“ You are a fine swordsman. But your first mistake was thinking you could ever beat me.” Sephiroth lectured.
In a flash Deckard turned around, hitting the Mausarme out of the way.
“ And your first mistake was thinking I’d be easy prey Sir.” He replied.
“ The fighting man it is then.” Laughed Sephiroth.
Again the two men started to fight.
The battle went on; longer than Deckard thought he could ever possibly go with Sephiroth. Maybe he was getting better, but perhaps Sephiroth was toying with him? Deckard found himself getting exhausted; Sephiroth hadn’t even worked up a sweat, but again and again Sephiroth lunged and struck in Deckard’s direction. Deckard reached inside his pocket and pulled out a shining green orb, he took a quick glance at it and placed it in his hilt.
“ Bolt three!” Shouted Deckard, the beautiful lightning magic probably his last chance.
“ No!” Sephiroth shouted back. His arm reached out almost as if he was pulling on something. Deckard looked to his sword to notice the green materia had slipped out of the handle. It was almost like Sephiroth had pulled the orb out himself.
“ You are not to use magic my son. This is to be a duel; no magic of any kind may be used. You do understand?” He asked.
“ As you say, Sir.” Deckard replied.
Both men nodded for the combat to restart. Sephiroth instantly spun in the air slashing his sword down, almost cutting Deckard’s chest. Again Sephiroth cut across his opponent, Deckard hopeless to stop his master. Sephiroth swung back knocking Deckard’s sword out of his hands onto the floor.
“ Seem to have got yourself in a bit of a muddle haven’t you?” He taunted, tracing his Mausarme around Deckard’s throat.
“ Don’t hurt him Mister Sephiroth!” Shouted Liol.
“ No worries.” He replied as he drove his weapon into Deckard’s throat.
Sephiroth walked out of the training room, taking his Mausarme from Deckard’s neck and replacing it in his right hand.
“ Sir.” Came Deckard’s voice. “ No blood. No anything actually. What happened?”
“ You’re invulnerable. We all are. The possessed cannot be killed by any of man’s weapons. They can stun us, sometimes. But nothing else.”
“ Why didn’t you tell me Sir?”
“ I needed practice. If I told you that, you would not have defended yourself properly. Do not tell the others. I do not want them to become big-headed.”
“ Yes Sir.”
Deckard watched as the great man walked away, he was even more powerful than the stories had said.
 

*
 

“ I hate this stuff!” Shouted Barrett.
“ I’m sorry but you’re just going to have to put up with it. We need Junon’s defence mechanisms up and running and I’m afraid wading through the city sewage is something we have to do.” Smiled Tifa in Barrett’s direction.
“ Yeah! It’s like this or the whole of Junon destroyed. What do you want?” Asked Yuffie.
“ The sewage.” He replied.
“ Hurrah!” Cheered the two girls.
“ But don’t be thinking I like this stuff; because I don’t. It stinks.”
The girls sniggered.
“ What about you Robot-boy?” Asked Barrett. “ You like this sewage.”
“ First of all; never call me Robot-boy. Secondly; no, I don’t particularly like walking through the city sewers, but as the girls said I don’t want Junon unprotected.” Replied Kole.
“ Suit yourself.” Huffed Barrett.
“ Kole, how much further until we get to the underground defence system?” Asked Tifa.
“ At least another five hundred metres.” He answered.
“ You see that’s another thing I don’t get. How come we have to wade through this stuff while Cloud, Vincent and the rest of the Turks sit around in the Highwind lazing around.” Moaned Barrett.
“ Just shut the hell up!” Yelled Yuffie. “ If you keep whining we’ll never get to the defence system in time.”
“ Four hundred metres. We should be able to see the door in a minute or so.” Said Kole.
“ Thank God!” Replied Tifa. “ These wading boots are killing me.”
“ Kole, can you all do us a favour and radio Cloud and the others. Tell ‘em we’re almost there.” Asked Barrett.
“ Sure.” He replied. “ Computer.”
YES KOLE.
“ Set radio frequency to the Highwind.”
SETTING RADIO FREQUENCY
The radio at the other end rang, before Cloud picked up.
“ Hello.” He said.
“ Cloud, we’re almost at the underground facility. But it could take a while to crack any pass codes, if there are any.”
“ Good, try to be as quick as possible. The Highwind’s computer reckons the possessed will reach Junon in a couple of hours.”
“ We’ll try to be as quick as possible. The defence systems will definitely be up and running in half an hour or so, but we might not get back to the top in time.”
“ As I said before, be as quick as possible, if things get hairy keep in radio contact with us.”
“ Agreed.” Finished Kole as he switched the radio off.
“ We’re here.” Stated Tifa, looking up and down the ten-foot thick bolted door.
“ Hallelujah!” Smiled Yuffie. “ Two hours of walking finished.”
“ Don’t get too excited; we’ve still got another half an hour or so before the codes are unlocked.” Stated Kole. “ Computer.”
YES KOLE.
“ Start randomising the codes.”
BEGINNING CODE RANDOMISING.
Tifa looked to the door and noticed Kole fitting some machine onto it.
“ You certainly seemed kitted out!” She joked.
“ You learn from experience,” He replied. “ To come prepared.”
“ So what do we do now?” Asked Yuffie, slightly grumpy.
“ We wait.” Answered Kole.
“ How long for?” She Asked.
“ No idea, could be mere minutes, could be hours.” He smiled. “ We just have to sit and wait.”
 

*
 

“ My God.” Started Vincent “They’re everywhere.”
“ What is it?” Asked Cloud, sliding his chair across the Highwind control room floor.
“ We thought there was only one group of them.” Replied Vincent, undoing his tie.
“ Yeah.”
“ In fact there’s about three. One’s on the way to Junon, the other two are still to the west. One of them is headed for Nibelheim, the other is near Corel.”
“ Jesus.” Whispered Cloud. “ Sephiroth was keeping us occupied with just one group. How many in all?”
“ Near to four thousand.”
“ Yeah?”
“ And the biggest group has just started accelerating and is headed our way.”
“ How fast?”
Vincent flicked a few switches before giving the answer.
“ The computer reckons they’re doubling their speed.”
“ Meaning?”
“ They’ll probably get here in under an hour.”
“ Damn.” Shouted Cloud.
“ Another thing,” Said Vincent.
“ What?”
“ Shera and Lucrecia are at the front line with the kids checking the weapons for power up.”
“ How long away?”
“ An hour, maybe forty-five minutes if you run, but you’d have to run fast.”
Cloud had started to walk around desperately.
“ Call Barrett, tell him Marlene’s at the front, tell him everything you’ve just told me.”
“ Fine.” Vincent’s hands flew across the control keypad.
The radio rang at Barrett’s end and Kole picked up.
“ Kole.” Shouted Vincent. “ Pass Barrett the radio.”
“ What is something wrong?”
“ Just pass the radio to Barrett.” Shouted Vincent, harder now.
“ Sure.”
Barrett picked up. “ Vince.”
“ Barrett, it’s Lucrecia and the girls they’re at the front. We reckon we’re too far away to get them before the possessed do. If you run from where you are you may get there in time.”
“ What, are the possessed coming?”
“ Yes Barrett, they’re coming and fast. Get there in an hour or Marlene, Lucrecia, Cherrie, Shera, they all die.”
“ I’ll be there.” Said a saddened Barrett.
God he loved that daughter of his thought Vincent.
“ Barrett, tell Kole to hurry the hell up! If that defence system isn’t up and running then that’s the end for everyone. We all die!”
 

*
 

Barrett switched off the radio and gave it back to Kole.
“ What’s happening?” Asked Yuffie.
“ The possessed are coming, Marlene and Cherrie are at the bay with Lucrecia and Shera.” Replied Barrett. “ I’ve gotta go.”
The large man had begun to ran back down the sewer, the way they had come.”
“ How long?” Screamed Tifa. “ That’s my daughter down there too.”
“ Don’t worry, I’ll see to them.” He replied.
“ How long?” Screamed Tifa.
Barrett stopped running and turned around.
“ Vincent reckons an hour, if I run I’ll get there in time.”
“ Then you’d better run, Barrett.” Shouted Kole. “ I’m not even sure I can get this system up in that time.”
The group saw Barrett raise an arm, probably waving before disappearing around a corner.
Kole pressed a few buttons on his wrist and Tifa noticed a digital clock reading 59:58:34 appear. An hour, she thought.
“ We’re gonna have to speed it up somehow.” Spoke up Kole.
“ What?” Asked Yuffie.
“ The code randomiser.” He replied. “ If I place two of the randomisers on the door the speed should double, but they may also overpower completely.”
“ I guess it’s a risk we’ve got to take.” Said Tifa.
“ Yep.” Yuffie agreed.
Kole pulled out another decoder and placed it beside the other one.
“ Here goes.” Whispered Kole. “ Computer.”
YES KOLE.
“ Start randomising the codes.”
BEGINNING CODE RANDOMISING.
There was silence for a second or two before Kole nodded to the two girls.
“ It’s worked.” He announced.
“ Phew!” Gasped Yuffie.
“ How long?” Asked Tifa.
“ Maybe as much as a quarter of an hour, but remember we still have to operate the Weapon system once we get in there.”
“ Okay.” Replied Tifa. “ I guess it’s sit and wait time again.”
 

*
 

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