Above Wutai 8:20
Alfred was an ageing veteran from the Wutai wars. And it pained him to see his home town like this.
Flying over the city, he shut the side window of the flimsy aircraft as the stench of ten thousand dead bodies lay thickly even at two thousand feet.
He really had no idea why they chose him of all people to fly reconnaisance over the city. He figured it was because they didn’t have many men left to spare.
He had heard that they were making a vaccine now. He had heard about Reeve, too. Arthur sighed. He had always liked that man. But he lived and died for the people. A good way to live, in Arthur’s opinion.
And Miss. Lockheart was going to be back. Arthur chuckled. At least that would give the young lads something to fight for.
Project: Phoenix was coming along nicely too, thought Arthur as he sped along. This time they actually had a chance to win. Now Cloud was back, anyway.
Arthur had always admired that lad. He had reminded him of himself during the wars: brave, strong. A born leader. A great man. He shuddered to think what the human race would do without him.
Arthur snapped out of his daydreaming and banked the plane to the left. Doing another scanner-sweep over the city, he swerved around for his third and final pass.
He had known Genral Hamilton during the war. Only by name of course: Arthur and him had been on opposite sides. Normally, Arthur would have reservations about the man, but that was the one positive thing about this: everyone looked out for each other. Problems of years past vanished. People were united by one common goal: survival. Arthur expected the men of today to be telling their grandchildren that in the future. About the good old days.
That’s if there was a future for the human race.
His leisurely flight was cut short by a shriek on his radar. Arthur jumped up from his seat and pressed a few buttons on his monitor.
Flying Jenova. The basatrds were flying.
They had long wings about eight metres across, and a slick, streamlined body hung in the centre with six pair of hands and two heads. Albert swore. They were headed straight for him.
Quickly, he surveyed his options. He could go up into the low hanging cloud. On the other hand, he wasn’t sure if the tiny plane could take the air pressure. And going any lower than this... well, that would only make it easier for the hybrids to catch him. He shivered as the radar screamed again. Four more Jenova just appeared from the clouds above.
Was he being hunted?
A cold, clammy feeling seemed to slither down his spine. He was out of options: the plane was rapidly beginning to lose ground to the hybrids. Shunting full power to the engines, he sent the plane spiralling up into the clouds.
Bursting through the thin carpet of mist, Arthur got the shock of his life.
At least four hundred Jenova lay hovering at high altitude, motionless except for the rythmic swing of their massive wings. Arthur’s reactions probably saved his life as he plummetted straight back down again.
His hands slick with sweat, Arhur put the plane on autopilot back to Fort Condor. Screw the reconaissance, this was more important.
“Hello?” he whispered into the radio. “This is... erm... HX-117 reporting in.”
There was a brief sound of static before the reply.
“Arthur, what the fuck are you doing? Turn around and complete the mission.”
“Uh-uh. No way... listen: it’s the Jenova.”
“What?”
“They’re all massed up.”
“Stop talking shit, old man.”
“Listen to me! They’re massing for an attack.”
There was a shocked silence. “Are you messin’ with me? If you’re fucking around-”
“No! I’m serious.”
“Oh, shit. How many?”
Arthur shrugged. “I think... all of them.”

-
Science Lab 4:32
“Is this it?” asked Zanzer breathlessly.
Nicholas swirled the milky substance around in it’s test tube.
“...I think so.”
Zanzer didn’t cheer. He was far past cheering. Too many had died for that...
“So how did you do it?”
“Simple.” said Nicholas. “I took the partial immunity of Nanami, Aeris and the Leviathan from their cell structures. I then spliced the three together to make a new... virus, if you like. Sort of a concetrated form of Lifestream. It seeks out the Jenova and destroys the Cancer and cleanses the cells.”
“Hold on.” said Zanzer. “You said this thing was a virus? What’s to stop it from taking over our bodies after it’s destroyed the Cancer?”
Nicholas smiled. “I was waiting for you to ask that. The Cancer infects the cells, and the effects cannot be reversed. So for the more advanced cases such as myself... there would be irreparable damage as the infected cell parts would be destroyed and the clean ones were left.”
“So in theory your infected neck would just dissappear.”
Nicholas shrugged. “Simply, yes. People with cases such as Tifa would just shrivel up and dissolve.”
“So... I’m guessing that there’s something to be done about that?”
“Yes. If you want... then think of it this way: the new Lifestream virus would infect you. It fills in the missing gaps f the cells left over from the Jenova Cancer. And that is all it does. No side effects. And a natural immunity to the Jenova Cancer for etenity.”
“Really?”
“...In theory.”
Zanzer’s shoulders slumped. “Ah. I see. So, ‘in theory’ means that you don’t know. That we could all just fade away and turn into green Lifestream goo.”
“Not very scientific... but yes.”
“So we can’t use it, can we?”
Nicholas pulled up his sleave and looked at his Jenova veins that were crawling down from his neck.
“Not unless we test it on someone first.”
Zanzer’s eyes widened in realisation as Nicholas withdrew a syringe filled with the vaccine.
“Nicholas, you can’t seriously be thinking-”
Plunging the needle into his arm, Nicholas smiled.
“Too late.”

-
Supreme General Table 7:43
“Phoenix is complete.” said Hamilton, clapping his hands together.
Da-Li acknowledged the statement with a slight inclanation of his head.
“And the rumours of the Jenova horde massing for an attack?”
Anderson shrugged. “No matter. I estimate that it will take Sephiroth at least three days to mass his army. And then a furthur two to reach Fort Condor.”
Genral Aeronnist spoke from the edge of the table. “We must be careful here. Even though we have the vaccine-”
“It’s being developed, you mean.” interrupted Da-Li.
“Yeah. Whatever, that just illustartes my point. These Jenova are not to be underestimated. And there’s the possibility of those ‘super-hybrids’ showing up.”
“Yes...” mused Hamilton. “Miss. Yuffie claimed that they were thirty-five feet high.”
“And far more powerful.”
“Hmm...” said Hamilton thoughtfully. “Well, I have Vincent Valentine here to explain to us the situatuation with the new sub-species of Jenova. From his information you will equip your separate battalions to the best of your ability.”
There was a brief murmur of agreement.
“Vincent?” called Hamilton. “Enter now, please.”
The thin, pale man entered the room wearing his typical red clothes. Vincent sat down in the seat provided for him and stood in contemplation for a second before standing to address the General’s.
“Gentlemen,” he said softly. Aeronnist shivered. The man’s voice was unnerving to say the least.
“Gentlemen,” continued Vincent. “I am here to inform you of the opposition you will be facing in the coming battle.”
“Go on.” said Da-Li.
Vincent shot him a look that made the normally smug Wutaian seem to shrink in to his chair.
“As I was saying, there will be a significant change in the Jenova adversaries. You will remeber that Craig, Nicholas and Anthony all went in to the Midgar Marshes to retrieve Kim Felon. While inside they were attacked by a hoarde of Midgar Zoloms which had been ‘changed’, shall we say, by the Cancer. I presume that, if Zoloms are not immune to the virus, then nothing else is. Expect a wide array of fauna to attack along with the basic human-hybrids.”
He took a breath of air before carrying on. “I also hypothesise that there will be no, I repeat no, super-hybrids.”
Anderson raised his hand. “How do you know?”
Vincent smiled. “The super-hybrids were a unique creation: a subtle symbiosis of the Cancer in it’s purest form and three human beings.”
“Only three?”
“Yes.” said Vincent sharply “Three. That is all. Originally, Sephiroth devised the super-hybrids as weapons of revenge. The three humans, Shera Highwind, Priscilla Sherwood and Godo Kisaragi, were all people associated closely with the current leaders of Fort Condor. It was his idea for each new hybrid to mercilessly slaughter there loved ones. Fortunatly, Sephiroth under-estimated human strength. All three Jenova were killed by Reeve, who is now missing presumed dead.”
“So you're quite sure?” asked Hamilton. “No other of these things?”
“I am positive, General.”
“Excellent. Please proceed.”
“My third prediction is the appearance of Flying Jenova. It was these creatures who successfully disabled the Highwind. They lack the strength and ground-mobility of the normal hybrids, but they are faster and more agile. I suggest you install some type of gun for shooting the things from the sky.”
“Noted.” said Da-Li.
“I must warn you, lastly, that Sephiroth will most likely be fighting alongsside his creations. This is a winner takes all battle.” Vincent’s eyes hardened. “Do not underestimate this man: his power is greater than you can possibly imagine.”
Da-Li sniffed. “I fought against him in the Wutai war. Believe me, he’s nothing special-”
In an eyeblink Vincent’s gun was at his temple. Da-Li gasped in surprise and swung a punch at the red suited man. The general gasped in pain as his swing was caught mid-air and Vincent slowly exerted phenomonal pressure on the man’s hand.
Hamilton stood up in outrage. “What is this, Vincent? Release him at once!”
The crushing grip on his hand relaxed. “As you wish.”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
His eyes flashed as he turned around. “A demonstration, gentlemen. Sephiroth is far stronger than I. Only Cloud Strife can match him for power. If you see any sign of him, then notify us immediately.”
“...sounds like you’re afraid.” muttered Da-li, nursing his hand gently.
“Afraid?” said Vincent softly. “Afraid of death, sir? You are so willing to send others to their doom. Are you so careless with your own life?”
Da-Li gritted his teeth as Vincent left.

To Chapter 3