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Post by Tseng on Mar 8, 2009 12:17:21 GMT -5
Once again Yuki made a good point; another city could potentially provide more information. However, unknown to Tseng he had a trump card up his sleeve. He would have to think this through more before they left, but if there was one thing he finally had, it would be time. The helicopter was landing now on one of the external pads attached to the building whose lights glittered like stars against a steel gray backdrop of technological innovation and corporate strength. ShinRa's resources would extend their ability to operate as they now would have support, reinforcements, intelligence, and most importantly transportation across the landscape unhindered by terrain. Helicopters powered by Mako had a fairly long range and escorts bristling with missiles and machine guns while lacking in subtlety would definitely prove useful should any strange nation decide to intervene in any of their affairs.
The door opened and Tseng stepped out onto the landing pad and fell immediately in step with smartly dressed corporate bureaucrats and aides armed with leather brief cases and constant queries. He figured Yuki would follow with little prompting and counted on it. It would be best to maintain the illusion of her position within the company for now. Two large SOLDIERS dressed in the uniforms of those ranked at Second Class fell into step with them as well armed with only their impressive fighting skills and oversized blades.
"Yuki, I would agree with you under normal circumstances. However, I have another Turk already in position tracking Sephiroth and his movements," the statement wasn't entirely true, but it remained so in principle. Tseng wasn't against using the forces of circumstance to his advantage even if he still wasn't sure what Reno had meant about Sephiroth from the phone conversation.
As Tseng continued towards the entrance, he began to check over the copious reports that were handed to him along with reams of data readouts. "Fortunately, we will have time to consider our options."
After looking over a particularly strange report, Tseng paused in mid-step to address one of the aides though he kept his voice level though authoritative, "Is this report accurate?"
The aide nodded an affirmative his eyes weary and shoulders slumped from what could only be stress. With monumental patience, Tseng forced himself to keep the even tone he was known for, "Very well, dispatch three units to reinforce Junon immediately. Mobilize a unit of Third Class SOLDIERS and one First Class if possible. Civilian restoration and security is priority one. Second, I want to know how they have dragons and who the strange person in the mask was. Leave Avalanche's investigation to my department."
Tseng continued forward again before signing another form his demeanor remained rigid and reserved. "Notify me on my PHS immediately when the 'Sister Ray' is physical again. Have two engineering crews on standby and put the Reactors on alert."
As they reached the elevator, Tseng stepped inside and motioned for the employees to remain outside while standing aside to let Yuki in as well. "Send all changes to the current situation directly to my office. Prepare all forces at every level of the city to mobilize."
Once the doors to the glass elevator had closed, Tseng let out a sigh of relief and allowed himself a dark smile. "Welcome to ShinRa HQ, Ms. Yuki. I believe we have a new question. Why was a strange band of heroes mixed with many unknown people battling a strange dragon riding man with a mask in a heavily armed ShinRa military base?"
Mentally, Tseng hoped that Yuki would forgive his abrupt question, but he was beginning to worry again that his current theory of the current state of affairs wouldn't hold Mako anymore. Most of all, he was frustrated with himself for almost revealing just how frustrated he was about the reports he had seen on the landing pad.
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Post by Alexander THE GIRL on Mar 8, 2009 17:27:18 GMT -5
((Note on your reports: as I understand it, Xenos managed to convince the people of Junon that their problems were the heroes' doing, and that Tiamat was going to destroy them because of the heroes. The reports would probably reflect this by painting them in a negative light, so calling them "heroes" is probably not appropriate. Not to say they would all completely trust Xenos, either. He was riding the same dragon he claimed would kill them, after all.
Also, we can at least tell who was in Junon by looking at the subsequent submarine threads in the logs. Squall, Cloud, Aerith, Zell, Red XIII, Irvine, Rinoa, and Bahamut were all there, it seems. If there are eye-witness accounts of them, some descriptions might stand out to either of you. Just saying.))
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Fujin
Lvl 2
Even though I've lived clumsily until now, I'll still try to do what's right.
Posts: 207
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Post by Fujin on Mar 8, 2009 19:02:52 GMT -5
Between the helipad and the elevator, Fujin was nearly wide-eyed with surprise at the whirlwind of corporate activity that took place within the short distance they had covered. Whether he had any liking for it or not, Tseng clearly had an affinity for this kind of work. He simultaneously read reports, assessed the situation, and gave orders all on short notice and in little time. As a mercenary she was accustomed to making snap decisions, but Garden students almost never had the scope of responsibility that seemed to be thrust upon Tseng at the moment. There was Squall, of course, but he was an exception, to say the least, and even his position didn't quite compare. Meanwhile, Tseng's composure commanded a certain amount of respect - a reaction that Fujin imagined was carefully calculated and practiced thoroughly.
"I'm not certain that I agree, Tseng," she said in response to his assertion that they had time. "There's no telling how many phenomena are like that gun or what effect they're having." Fujin raised a brow as Tseng stopped in the middle of the conversation to ask about the accuracy of a report. Her curiosity was beginning to get the better of her and she was tempted to steal a look at the report then and there, but managed to contain herself and waited until they'd made it into the elevator. Once inside she deftly snatched the papers and began reading through them. Parts of the report made sense and parts didn't, which she guessed was to be expected overall.
"I recognize the descriptions of some of these people. The man with the strange sword, for instance - that's probably Squall Leonhart, Balamb Garden's leader. A few others sound like the SeeDs that were with him when we f-" Fujin coughed briefly to cover her near slip before continuing, "...when we last met. If he's still where this took place then we might be able to find him - I recommend putting a BOLO* out for that group while we pursue our other leads."
"As for why they're there..." Fujin searched the report for something that might answer the question, some clue that would offer insight. Despite her efforts, nothing seemed to come of it. "...I can't say. I don't even know who the masked man is. Is there something particularly noteworthy there?" Fujin hoped that if she knew more about the place that the incident occurred at then she might be able to fill in some of the gaps. Of course, she didn't expect Tseng to tell her everything - she wasn't even Shinra personnel, after all. But even things that would normally be public knowledge might be of use to her.
(*BOLO = Be On the Look Out, for those who might not know)
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Post by Tseng on Mar 9, 2009 0:05:28 GMT -5
The elevator's slow rise up towards Tseng's office had so far been fairly interesting as Yuki snatched the papers from his hands. It was actually something he hadn't quite expected so she was able to take them with minimal effort. Honestly, he would have expected something like this from Elena, but Tseng had grown accustomed to a certain lack of curiosity in soldiers he'd worked with. A smile crossed Tseng's lips for a moment as he thought back about his time with Elena. She had certainly been enthusiastic to say the very least. The next words spoken by Yuki though brought Tseng's mind back into the present yet again.
"Interesting, the other man in report armed with a large sword is named Cloud Strife and the woman with the staff was," Tseng trailed off as an unbidden memory rose up to fill his mind. Aerith had been in Junon again, and Reno had mentioned she was still alive. Noticeably, Tseng spoke her name under his breathe. "Aerith."
Ever so slightly, Tseng tilted his head upwards before taking in a deep breathe and continuing. "We have no need to worry about posting a bulletin. Everyone has been looking for him and his associates before I returned. Cloud Strife is a member of Avalanche, an eco-terrorist organization. They see themselves as heroes of the planet, but they only destroy ShinRa property and lives."
Tseng nodded towards the report before he continued attempting to wrestle down his memories, "Junon is a military city and port. It was powered by a large underwater Mako reactor. Also, it has a cannon similar to the one in Midgar. Anything else would be considered classified, doubly so after the recent catastrophe there."
The glass walls of the elevator afforded an excellent view of Midgar. It was a city of light that never slept or paused. "However, the Turks are in charge of recruitment for ShinRa. I can offer you a position within the Turks. Would you be willing to accept?"
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Post by Celes Chere on Mar 25, 2009 16:48:15 GMT -5
Celes had pouted for all of fifteen minutes before the answer hit her in the head like a ton of bricks. What had she done in the past when money was tight? Why, she’d only had to step right outside the confines of whatever town she called home and fight some monsters. For reasons Celes had never quite understood, the monsters she’d always fought occasionally carried money with them, usually in the form of a torn, bedraggled purse they’d probably snatched off some poor traveler. Of course, fighting was always good for a rush, and usually put her in a better mood. Cid used to joke that she was addicted to her blade. She’d retorted by saying that her addiction was to victory.
Victory was slow this time, however. She wandered for almost an hour before stumbling upon a pack of weak, spindly bird-like creatures. A few well-timed blows of her sword ended the fight in disappointingly quick order. She sank down near the bodies of the monsters wearily, annoyed at herself for having grown so weak. Each of the three birds had hanging from their mouths various items. One bird’s beak clutched tightly to the ragged flesh of a finger removed from a hand. The other two had the remains of purses, and these contained just enough money for Celes to feel she’d done well enough for one day.
Pocketing the gold, she made a strong mental note to train harder and refocus her energies. Her performance in battle today had been pitiful, and she was relieved that nobody had been there to see it. Back in her previous life, Kefka would have had her beaten for such ineptitude. She made her way slowly back to the city, thankfully encountering no more strange-looking monsters as she walked.
Once back in Midgar, she found the clothing shop again quickly, purchased the brown jumpsuit she’d been eyeing before, and sold the shopowner her own cape and armored brassiere in exchange. He smirked when she handed it over, muttering something about an employee at the “Honey Bee Inn,” wherever that was. She walked next door to an apothecary and purchased a small handful of potions. Satisfied with how much money was leftover, and feeling much less hopeless than before, Celes set out to explore this strange city with new, more positive eyes.
Midgar did its very best to disappoint her. As she made her way towards the interior of the city, she took note of its slipshod construction; in some areas, the walls looked as though they were made of pure garbage. Something drew her to the central part of the city, however, toward the intimidating building that seemed to make up the central spire of the entire structure. This building became her ultimate goal. Pulling her hair back and twisting it up to keep it off her shoulders, she walked with more purpose.
After passing through a decrepit, broken down playground, she came to a rather abrupt dead end. Looking up at the huge building, she wrinkled her eyebrows. Dare she proceed further? How could she get in there? What would she find? By now, the curiosity was driving her wild.
((Continue on like I’m not here yet. I’ll figure out a way to get her in there.))
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Fujin
Lvl 2
Even though I've lived clumsily until now, I'll still try to do what's right.
Posts: 207
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Post by Fujin on Mar 30, 2009 7:43:47 GMT -5
"I want to tell you more, but my hands are bound by a chain made of paper." That's what Fujin heard from Tseng as he offered to make her a part of his organization. As a military student Fujin was familiar with protocol and red tape, and the ways around it. Balamb Garden was much more lax about such things than a more traditional outfit, but even so it was sometimes frustrating. She imagined that, as an administrator within an organization that was part military and part corporation, Tseng got the worst of both worlds in that regard and she sympathized with his situation.
Still, the man's offer said more about what he thought of her than how much consideration he had for regulations. In some capacity, he trusted her - maybe even more than he should have. It caused her to take stock of just how much trust she placed in him, and Fujin found herself coming up short. It didn't occur to her until she heard the soft tone of the elevator announce that they had reached their floor. The problem didn't lie with Tseng so much as the fact that she didn't know what master he served, what master she would be serving if she decided to become one of the Turks. 'Then again, no one says I have to stick around...'
"Okay, I'll play ball on your team since I'm already dressed the part," she said casually, as if she just had nothing better to do. "But you have to realize that my situation is fluid, and I can't promise complete compliance in all circumstances." As she spoke, Fujin couldn't be sure if she was building onto the confidence that Tseng had in her or obliterating it, though she leaned heavily in the direction of the latter. But if nothing else, she was being honest; as twisted as the world was, one could easily find their loyalties changing at the drop of a hat.
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Post by Celes Chere on Mar 30, 2009 12:30:01 GMT -5
Celes continued to stare at the dead end, the piles of rubbish and rubble that made up the un-scalable wall in front of her. The high she had caught from her brief battle and fresh clothes was still soaring strong, but a spike of confusion and slight consternation was putting a serious wrench in her mood. To her knowledge, she’d circled almost all the way around the circumference of the building. The fact that there were no perceivable entrances at the ground level made her scratch her head. Looking straight up again (a feat she was growing slowly more comfortable with), she eyed the plate above her warily. It dawned on her rather suddenly that those inhabitants of the sophisticated tower might not deem the ground level to be worthy of an entrance. She’d seen a lot of hobos, addicts, and drunks stumbling around – surely someone who lived in a castle of glass and polished steel wanted to keep the rabble out. She smiled ironically. She’d find a way in, that was certain – but would she be considered part of the rabble? A quick glance over her dull mechanics’ coverall told her that she might be asked to leave as soon as she walked in the door.
A sudden sound of gentle sniffling startled her, and she whirled around to see a small child clutching a bedraggled teddy bear and wiping his nose with the back of his hand. She took a suspicious step backwards; her last encounter with an innocent-looking child had resulted in her recent poverty. Without her prompting, the child began to speak in the stuttering, slurred language of uneducated childhood.
“My dad says you can’t get into the Tower. He says I should never go there, but I went there once. My brother went. I followed him.”
Celes waited for the boy to continue, but when it appeared he’d finished, she gave him a small, encouraging smile.
“Well, how did he get there?”
The boy sniffled again, and looked around, as though someone might be waiting in the shadows to grab him if he told her. He leaned forward and waggled his finger at her. She took a hesitant step forward.
“He took the train,” he whispered. “It goes all the way up to the front door. I think it goes higher than that too, but I never went that high before.” He smiled sheepishly. “I was scared.”
Celes swallowed hard. She was hoping she wouldn’t have to get on that thing. She’d ridden trains before, of course, but never trains that had the capability to move vertically. It was a tough choice, but one which was almost made for her. Her desire to get inside the building had turned into a compelling urge that she couldn’t quite understand. But something told her that building contained what she was looking for – whatever that was. She smiled tightly but gratefully at the boy.
“Thanks, kid,” she said in a friendly way. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She turned and started heading back toward the last train depot she’d passed. The boy stopped her with a tug on her hand. She turned a questioning eye upon him.
“You’re pretty,” he said shyly. She smiled again and made a move to walk away again. Again, he stopped her. “I did good, didn’t I? Didn’t I tell you right? You needed me, right?” His words, so desperate for approval, tugged at her heartstrings, until her eyes fell on his face again. He was staring at her money pouch hungrily. She sighed and jerked her hand free of his surprisingly strong grasp. Pulling five gil out of the sack, she flipped it in his direction and walked away quickly. This place was going to take some serious getting used to.
((I'm thinking one more post and I'll be there.))
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Post by Tseng on Mar 30, 2009 13:05:01 GMT -5
The words didn't phase Tseng one bit as he expected Yuki to maintain loyalties beyond those that Tseng knew about. In fact, it was quite plausible for her to have been playing him for a fool. However, it hardly mattered anymore as he was now the acting leader of the ShinRa corporation. The disappearance of Rufus and his cronies would herald a rebirth of the company's policy and usher in a new era of prosperity for the organization that Tseng called home. In any event, Tseng was confident that Yuki would be more then willing to help him with his agenda as it benefited both of them immensely. After all, they both sought answers and were sorely in need of direction at this point. It was a gamble Tseng was more than willing to make. The security of the ShinRa corporation was worth the risk.
"As a member of the Turks, you are now officially at the highest level of the ShinRa corporation. Presently, we, the Turks, are the acting heads of this company. No one is above us," Tseng allowed himself to smile at the thought. He finally had the chance to make the company into something better. The Shinra family had been nothing but a group of greedy fools who had become drunk with power and corrupted by its influences. The Turks, on the other hand, had remained steadfast and loyal to the ideals of the company and had managed to avoid the pride and hubris which had infected the company's upper echelons. "As a result, your only superior is me. I expect discipline but not blind obedience. Fluid loyalties are something I've learned to accept in some of my other associates."
Or myself, memories of all the times spent letting Aerith go came to mind instantly. All the minor rebellions which Reno had propagated over something as simple as dress code. The times which Tseng had to endure hours of Elena's constant nagging or fawning. The Turks had their fair share of personal foibles.
Tseng stepped out of the elevator and walked towards his desk in the middle of his office. The room was rather large and open with an excellent view of the city below right behind where he sat. The walls were wood paneled and decorated with a copy of every weapon a Turk had ever armed themselves with making the collection quite substantial. Once at the desk, Tseng reached inside one of the drawers to produce a PHS which he promptly tossed to Yuki. "It's a PHS; we use them for long range communication. Apparently, the network is still operational."
Quietly, Tseng pulled a metal case from under his desk and opened it to check the contents. He nodded with approval as all the Materia he'd collected over the years was indeed still present inside. Deliberately, he removes a few pieces to load onto a bracelet inside the container which he promptly set onto his wrist before closing up the case again. "The situation with Junon is a strange place a fight to break out as it's the holding facility for our only underwater Mako reactor and where we keep the largest contingent of ShinRa Naval and Air Forces stationed. Granted Avalanche has assaulted the facility once before. Do you have any questions?"
The guns on the wall were Tseng's next objective as he let Yuki digest the information and prepare any questions she might have thus far. It was quite an assortment, but Tseng already knew which ones he was after. He pulled down a solid carbine with a wooden stock and a sniper scope attached along with a pair of rather heavy semi-automatics, and finally an electrified asp. Once collected Tseng began to load each in turn with materia on his desk before tucking them into his suit's jacket or in the case of the carbine slinging it over his shoulder before he raised his gaze to stare impassively at Yuki once more.
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Post by Celes Chere on Mar 30, 2009 14:21:40 GMT -5
The train groaned. Celes’ stomach flipped. Her hand gripped the seat in front of her and she tried desperately to slow her heart. This was ridiculous. How did people travel this way? Boarding the train had been stressful enough. The throngs of dull-faced, relentlessly sad passengers had almost smothered her on her way in. The fumes emitted by the tubes at the end of each car were choking and glowed a strange, unsettling green color. There was a dirty feeling throughout the entire place, and Celes immediately wanted to bathe when she stepped inside the depot.
Finally, while she was searching for an office or booth where a ticket could be purchased, she encountered only a sign, which stated that those riding without a “passcard” would be arrested and prosecuted. Celes was pretty sure she didn’t have a passcard, and wondered how visitors to this city were supposed to get around without one. Looking around, she determined that nobody was paying any attention to her at all. Her garb was plain enough, and her long lustrous hair, now pinned back, was only slightly noticeable in the dark, steaming, filthy place. So she decided to board anyway. If she got caught, she’d just have to explain herself. She had no reason to lie, and surely – surely – the people who ran this city would find no reason to disbelieve her.
And so she found herself, pressed uncomfortably between the grimy window and a large, sweating construction worker, trying to keep a hold of her stomach and her sanity as the train wheeled and spiraled up and up and up. They passed what seemed to be a hundred plates – but she wasn’t counting. She wasn’t even sure she could count at this point. Her head spun, and she started when a loud, mechanical voice came over the speaker.
”Security Checkpoint in two minutes. Please prepare passcards.”
Celes cursed inwardly. Of course this would happen. Why had she been so stupid to think that she might get away with this? She thought about running, but luckily common sense had taken hold again. Where would she run? It wasn’t as though there were any safe exits right now. Besides, breaking the law was hardly her usual MO. She sighed. Now she’d never see the inside of that building.
So she sat, quietly, for the full two minutes, wondering vaguely why the man next to her had begun sweating so much more profusely now than he was just minutes ago. Soon, agonizing flashing red lights added the finishing touch to the already nauseating atmosphere on the train. She gripped the seat in front of her ever tighter. The tension was palpable. The man next to her had begun practically dripping, and his face was red as a tomato. A heavily armored security guard, complete with a truly terrifying-looking weapon, busted through the train car’s door, and Celes cringed in fear. Before she could do or say anything, however, the construction worker next to her rose to his feet and began running at full speed toward the back door.
Confused and still petrified, Celes craned her neck to watch him. The back door opened with a creaking crash, and another guard came barreling through. The construction worker was pinned. The first guard rushed past Celes without so much as a glance in her direction. She watched, wide-eyed, as the guards tackled the big man to the ground. He cursed and struggled and writhed, but they subdued him with a painful-looking smack on the head with the butts of their weapons. Hauling him to his feet, they dragged him out the back door with amazing strength, obviously heading for some hidden, dank security guard’s torture chamber.
Within minutes, Celes was standing on the platform in front of the formidable tower. Her heart was still racing from the danger, her head spinning from her incredible luck, and her heart aching for home. Looking up, she was dismayed to find that she still could not see the top of the building, despite having climbed halfway to the heavens on the train. She gathered all of her strength and willpower (of which she’d never had a short supply), and took a solid, progressive step off the platform and onto the man-made stone walkway that led to the front door. She resolutely refused to look down over the nearby railing, sure that the sight of the huge city below would cause her to lose her balance and plummet a thousand feet to her death.
There was a sharp blast of cool air as she entered the building, and a strange antiseptic smell that vaguely called up memories of the genetics lab she’d once called home. There was a large sign above her that read “Welcome to ShinRa Headquarters,” and another below that read, “Lobby – Elevators.”
She stood there for a long moment, relishing in the refreshingly chilly room. Tseng had mentioned something about ShinRa. Maybe this was the right place to be after all.
((Hi there. We can go back to a normal posting order now. Tseng gave me permission to post more frequently to get caught up.))
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Post by Tseng on Apr 22, 2009 3:25:18 GMT -5
The last satisfying click of materia falling into place left Tseng with a warm feeling inside. Finally, things were beginning to look up for him now that he had a chance to rearm and resupply in the comfort of his office. Something about all the chaos present in the Junon reports and the relieved expressions on the faces of his fellow ShinRa employees had set his mind at ease. Despite the chaos threatening to shallow the world, Tseng had found a bastion of stability and order; it lent him a sense of purpose invigorating him with each passing minute. The company was a familiar presence. Even with the addition of all the strange elements and current absence of the Board, he strangely had experienced a peace with the world that he’d not felt since his last visit to Wutai. The quiet comfort of Tseng’s last ammunition check echoed in his ears breaking the sense of tranquility for only a moment. No matter how dark it was a Turk could always take solace in his work knowing that with his every action the company lived on safely protected from those who try to tear down the last, the only hope of humanity.
A squad of helicopters roared past the glass windows behind Tseng vibrating the reflective sheets with waves of compressed air. They were a reminder of ShinRa’s power and reach, weapons which could extend well beyond the range of simple infantry men and women. ShinRa’s dominance was assured in the coming days as he reinforced the company’s holdings in preparation for future offensives. The thought brought a smile to his face as Tseng contemplated the future that lay out before him. Unlike the previous presidents, Tseng would take a less tyrannical approach to the company’s management. It would be important to place the company’s wellbeing before his own greed or ambition, but it was a task Tseng felt he was uniquely suited to as he’d never let power corrupt his ideals before. Aerith notwithstanding, Tseng never once abused the position of power and authority he had been entrusted with, and even in the case of Aerith, he had eventually brought her in and really was only responsible for monitoring her anyways. In the end, Tseng’s loyalty was to the company and his only goal was to see to the organization’s safety and security.
Tseng stood and walked around his desk while putting on a gold watch which he pulled from his desk drawer. A questioned nagged at the edges of his vision. He was loyal to ShinRa and had stood by while the company had dealt with greedy, shortsighted management more focused on their own side projects than how much money the company had hemorrhaged over the years. Had they taken a good look at the records and the finances, they would have realized the cost of maintaining a technologically superior military was moot as they had few real enemies who could be fought by conventional means. The battles of today required skilled operatives who could operate autonomously but be trusted to remain loyal to the bottom line. It was the main reason why he was forming a Turk academy instead of dropping more money into the SOLDIER program which in the end had only produced a psychopath bent on the world’s demise. But, the question remained with him… would he know when enough was enough?
As Tseng mulled over the question, he reached the elevator in time for it to chime signaling that it had arrived on his floor. He looked at the button inset into the elevator wall his finger hovered above it but had not yet made contact. With his first look of surprise all day, Tseng gazed at the elevator shifting the carbine strap into a more comfortable position not sure who was inside and why no one had notified him of the person’s immanent arrival.
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Post by Acts Of God on Apr 22, 2009 4:46:38 GMT -5
Moments after the two stepped out of the elevator, the doors closed shut behind them with the pleasant sort of ‘ding’ sound that would drive one mad if they happened to be suffering a migraine. As it did so, it whirred up quickly to the fifty-ninth floor where a very nervous looking man had been waiting since a few moments after Tseng had boarded it. The man looked rather disheveled, as though he had been working for entirely too long. The facial hair he’d grown in the uncountable hours since he’d last had time to shave had long since become what one would call a five-o-clock shadow, and sweat pooled in his jacked under his armpit in a most uncomfortable manner.
The man had just got off the executive elevator down from the sixty-second floor—the research library, where he had spent the better part of the last twenty-four hours, and indeed where he would probably spend the better part of his entire life. He shifted fro side-to-side in his suit pants as though he needed urgently to use the bathroom, and madly darted inside as the doors opened, carefully clinging to his chest a folder he had been putting together since 6:00 PM the previous day.
Thumbing through it a second time to verify its contents, the man nodded a few times as he confirmed it was indeed accurate; an act which shook his glasses from his eyes and down to the tip of his nose. Pushing them back up, he continued to do his impatient dance as the elevator stood waiting for its instructions. Realizing he had yet to give these instructions, the man rapidly began to press the button for floor of the office of the head of the Turks, the acting President of ShinRa EPC, who he heard had arrived not an hour earlier. The man thanked goodness for small miracles, as he had been waiting for anyone with any real authority to show up for quite some time now. How long had it been? Days? Weeks? He couldn’t remember. ShinRa had been relying on the Mayor—the Mayor, of all people—to run Midgar in the absence of anyone with any real authority. It was about time the head of some division of the company showed up to report to, even if it was one of the more frightening divisions. He counted his lucky stars it wasn’t Scarlet, at least. He would sooner have waited for another executive.
Finally, as the door opened, the man hurried out of the elevator and nearly barreled straight into the head Turk. “Ah, m-my apologies, s-sir!” The man stuttered out as he awkwardly straightened himself out and held out his file for inspection. He adjusted he glasses again, nervously shifting in the company a man who had probably killed dozens of people in cold blood. “It’s about s-some suspicious activity in the s-slums, s-sir.” He clarified, nervously looking over at a Turk he’d never seen before. New Turks popped up now and then—people he’d never even seen before. Something seemed a little off about this one, though. Then again, something seemed off about all of them: the Turks were all strange. He would never get used to dealing with ShrinRa’s military. It didn’t matter if it was one of those loud-mouthed SOLDIERs, the cold and distant Turks, or the even colder patrol ‘bots they had walking the halls day and night.
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The bulk of the file, dated four days ago, consisted of stills taken from surveillance footage, which itself was taken from those cameras in the slums which had not yet been destroyed by rowdy punks or Avalanche and their ilk. Many of the older cameras only transmitted in black and white, and displayed blurry image of strange humanoids with oddly shaped heads and shoulders. The clearer, more recently replaced cameras were able to broadcast in color, and gave a much more tangible form to the former blurs.
They stood at varying heights, all human sized, with five fingers to each hand and no toes to speak of. Most of them had purple and silver bodies featuring black stripes, with red on the groin and patches of gold on their knees, arms, hands, and head. Their eyes were a pair of strikingly large, red, somewhat globular protrusions sticking out the front of their face, and their stances seemed to indicate stealth was a priority. Each carried with them an unfamiliar style of firearm, the most common being what appeared to be a strange crescent-like blade connected to what appeared to be a triple barreled pistol at first glance, but which close-ups indicated were smoothbore barrels—shotguns.
Photos of similar looking creatures followed, with notes clipped to them regarding the differences between them and the previous. They were silver in all the same places, but featured green, black, and dark blue instead of gold, purple, and red. The notes indicate that all three observed ‘black bugs’ were of the same height and build, and that their weapons were of a slightly different make.
Reports following the still frames described what information could be gathered from them through simple observation. A group of ten seemed to have entered over the glass by the Sector 5 slum entrance via multiple grappling hooks. Audio from the newer cameras indicated the beings never spoke, and they made no discernable gestures to one another. They did, however, stop and look one-another over every ten minutes before continuing their movements around the city. Military analysts found the formations they moved in unfamiliar, but they all agreed that a pattern stressing espionage was clearly discernable.
The reports continued on, indicating the ‘black bugs’ appeared to be leading the group. The files report the group systematically sweeping sectors five through to eight before discovering the cameras and hastily retreating to their entry point, where they were assaulted by a gang of roughly two-dozen street thugs. A brief scuffle broke out between the two groups, with the ‘bugs’ quickly overtaking the gang with what appeared to be ammunition designed for quick sedation. Three of the assailants were killed in the fight, with the rest put to sleep. The ‘bugs’ proceeded to abduct five of the group and then vanish outside Midgar’s walls. All of the assailants involved with the incident, living or dead, have been taken in for study and questioning.
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The man shifted uncomfortably as Tseng finished reading the file. “All the information we have is in there, s-sir. We d-don’t really think it’s an immediate concern, it just unnerved me. Things have been so…s-strange lately.” He worried aloud. The world sure was changing, and creepy bug-men coming in from outside the city abducting people was no pleasant sign of things to come. Nodding several times after confirming it was all he knew, the man handed Tseng a disk containing a compilation of the surveillance footage and took the elevator back down to the ground floor. He couldn't wait to finally get home.
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Post by Celes Chere on Apr 22, 2009 9:47:18 GMT -5
Celes had probably been standing there for a solid ten minutes, gaping in awe of the architecture of the place. The swooping, curved lines of the ceiling were unlike anything she’d ever seen back home. The perfectly polished, brushed steel walls were a far cry from the mud-and-plaster numbers she and Locke had erected while rebuilding Tzen. Nearby there was a smattering of inviting cushioned chairs and benches, thickly covered in a rich-looking cloth that Celes ached to touch but feared to soil with her grubby fresh-from-the-train fingers. A handful of people came and went as Celes stood there like a country bumpkin in the middle of a technology conference. They ignored her thoroughly of course, all of them talking quite seriously into small, portable communications devices that she’d seen few examples of in the lower plates. She felt so insignificant here, so invisible, that it was several seconds before she noticed someone standing very close to her, looking at her pointedly and tapping a foot impatiently.
She turned with a start, and found herself looking into the drowsy eyes of a lovely but somber young woman in a bright green suit. “Can I help you?” the woman snapped, one eyebrow lifted as she eyed this unkempt newcomer suspiciously. Celes had been standing in the center of the lobby for several minutes, doing nothing except looking around, which would certainly arouse the suspicion of any able-minded soul nearby.
The young knight stammered for a moment, probably looking like a complete nutcase, before finally jumping forward and taking a huge risk, one which she knew at the time she may later regret. Resisting the urge to grip the hilt of her sword, which swung conspicuously from her hip as she shifted her feet, she looked the woman full in the face and said, with as much confidence as she could muster, “Yes, I’m here to see Tseng. Could you please let me know if he’s in the building?”
The receptionist hesitated, returning Celes’ stare for a long moment, as though by peering into her eyes she could see straight into her soul. Finally, she smirked her lips in an unattractive way and stamped off toward her desk. Picking up the handle on another communications device, she spoke quietly into the mouthpiece for a moment before setting it back into its cradle.
“Take the third elevator,” she said, her voice clipping its way across the lobby coldly. “To floor 42. Turn left, then right, and go straight through the double doors.” There was a pause, then the receptionist’s voice seemed to grow even harder, if such a thing had even been possible. “I hope for your sake, young lady, that he’s expecting you. Mr. Tseng is an incredibly busy man and he doesn’t have time for entertaining attention-seeking trollops from the slums.”
This time Celes gave no mental resistance when her hand instinctively flew to her sword. She gripped it firmly for a moment, relishing the thought of scaring the unkind woman out of her wits. However, the receptionist didn’t appear frightened, but instead rather smugly placed her hand over a large red button that protruded from the top of her desk. Celes got the message. One false move and she’d be sharing a cell with the construction worker from the train. Releasing the hilt slowly, she continued glaring at the receptionist, her blue eyes practically filming over with ice. “Thank you so much,” she drawled, the sarcasm dripping from every syllable.
She turned again and stalked towards the elevators – or at least, the smooth white doors she thought represented elevators, if the signs were anything to go by. Without thinking, she punched the only button she saw and the door slid open quickly. She jumped. Well, here goes nothing, she thought. Holding her breath, she stepped aboard and the doors slid shut behind her. There was a strange-looking panel with dozens of shiny, numbered buttons. She found 42, pressed it hard, and then felt very sick as the elevator climbed as fast as a wyvern soars. When the display above finally read “42,” Celes bolted through the doors as quickly as they would allow. A moment’s rest, then she continued. She turned left. She turned right. She walked through the double doors without further hesitation.
And she found herself once again face-to-face with Tseng, the mysterious Yuki standing nearby. She said nothing, but only waited until her presence was noticed. She didn’t know why she’d tried to find them. Perhaps they really were her only friends in this whole, confused world.
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Post by Tseng on Apr 22, 2009 10:18:02 GMT -5
Once the researcher had left Tseng allowed himself a moment of frustration and anger. How incompetent was this city? Where was the order, the structure he'd years attempting to uphold? He knew that ShinRa had spent years harming the populace, but at least they kept things under control. Where was that control now? Rufus and his father had decimated the city and apparently, the walls couldn't even keep invading creatures with a paint job that definitely failed at espionage by anyone's imagination out of the city. The camera footage at least had been of assistance, but as the researcher had said they'd seen it and wouldn't be useful anymore.
Quickly, Tseng took out his PHS and made the appropriate calls to have SOLDIERS increase their patrols at the edges of the city and to start an active recruitment program for new police as soon as possible. Once the calls were done, he made sure to call the teams heading for Junon to warn them of what had occurred and to make sure that the city was secured against any intrusion be they Avalanche or these new agents operating in his city. By the time the last call was made, Tseng had regained his composure once more. He was letting the stress of yet another problem rise up, and it was unlike him to allow such an incident. Despite the belief of his subordinates, he did not let his anger flare at small irritations. Why am I even letting this make me angry, the question echoed in the hallows of his skull until the answer hit him like the Midgar 7 o'clock train: he was losing control of the situation.
Tseng's mind sped up but his body was fully relaxed once more. It was only a momentary setback, but he already knew what infiltrators would portend. They were organized which marked Avalanche off the list of suspects, but they were armed with clearly superior technology than the stubborn rebels at Fort Condor were equipped with. Wutai had been completely disarmed so they were out of the equation as well. The number of cities remaining who could field weapons better than ShinRa's own R and D were non-existent.
With a nod, Tseng concentrated on all the variables of the puzzle attempting to piece together something, anything from the new information he'd learned about the world. Yuki had mentioned that she had traveled her from a city he had never heard of. Celes spoke of a world and events which never transpired in his own. Perhaps, if individuals had appeared so too could teams of individuals do the same. It stood to reason that if whole cities could appear from the void then their own teams of forward scouts could have been transported along with them. Once again Tseng was left without any real clues or any idea what to do. Waiting around in an office patiently was not his style, he much rather do something about this, but he had a responsibility to the company as well and gallivanting off after these strange intruders would only thrust ShinRa back into a state of chaos. However, he dared not send Yuki on the off chance that these individuals were connected to the people she was still somewhat loyal.
He barely noticed the elevator doors open at first his mind was too preoccupied with his next course of action. Tseng stepped past Celes and into the elevator car only to stop short of hitting any buttons as he recognized Celes. Without hesitation, Tseng extended a hand to her and said something that he never expected to hear himself say to anyone else much less a nearly complete stranger, "I need you."
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Post by Celes Chere on Apr 22, 2009 16:04:38 GMT -5
Tseng walked toward Celes with a fierce determination that she recognized immediately. Something had gone wrong in his world, and she was glad she wasn’t the source of it. Or was she? She could practically feel his conviction as he neared her, and it was only at the very last second that she realized he wasn’t looking at her, but was rather heading directly and hastily for the elevator that had made Celes’ innards swim around just a few moments before. She opened her mouth to say something, to catch his attention, but he breezed by her, a man on a mission if ever she’d seen one.
She had just come to the quick realization that Yuki would be her company for now, when Tseng did something strange. Celes looked into his eyes and saw a flash of recognition. He extended to her his hand and said, simply and directly, “I need you.”
The young knight, who had led entire legions into battle, who had commanded the defeat of thousands of enemies, and who had stared pure and insatiable evil in the face and come out of it bruised, battered, and laughing, felt the floor disappear beneath her feet. Her face paled and her head swam, all of her blood pooling in her midsection before dispersing quick as a shot, flooding her skin with its saturating warmth and reddening her cheeks and hands. All of this happened in the briefest of instants, after which she swallowed hard and looked into Tseng’s dark eyes.
She saw anger. She saw sincerity. She even saw a glimmer of fear. Something told her that to allow this man to experience fear would be doing him a disservice. But what did she care? They’d only just met that afternoon. She certainly hadn’t come here to serve him, had she?
He doesn’t even know you, her mind cried out, thoughts overlapping conflicting thoughts as she struggled with what to do. What could he possibly need from you? Think: did you even tell him of your experience? You must have, or he wouldn’t need you. Maybe he needs something else. Maybe he really needs you. Maybe you should. Maybe you should walk away. You don’t know what he’s doing here. What do you want, Celes? What do you want, General?
He looks so sincere.
He needs you.
Celes took Tseng’s hand and stepped with him into the elevator. What the hell am I doing? she groaned inwardly as the doors slid shut. Be smart.
“What’s going on around here, Tseng?” she asked quietly, her eyes focused on the blinking lights above the door. “Before I can help you, I need to know what you’re doing.”
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Post by Tseng on Apr 23, 2009 7:15:06 GMT -5
The reddening in Celes' cheeks was not the response he had been expecting from her. Instead, he had prepared himself for an angry glare or an accusing statement punctuated by him calmly and rationally explaining to her why precisely it was that he required her assistance while letting her fume and vent frustration caused by not liking the situation they were in or that he planned to drag her on a helicopter ride on the off chance that she might recognize the strange invaders or know something that he didn't about anything bizarre they encountered. The blush combined with her momentary momentarily surprised look in her eyes was not what Tseng had expected. In addition, she had taken his hand and not shaken it but had merely kept it in her own.
Tseng managed to keep his face from flushing red himself at how awkward the moment was. However, he was too stunned to notice that he'd just left Yuki behind in his office, alone and unsupervised which had been the whole point of attempting to get Celes' trust in the first place. Had he been in a better frame of mind the situation would have bordered on comical, as it was, he lacked the faculties to speech as he blindly just hit the elevator button for the landing pad while staring at Celes trying to remember what exactly it was he wanted to say. Finally, he settled on nodding at her and repeating what she had asked him in the form of a statement to by himself some time. It was a tactic he'd seen his instructor use countless times before.
"You want to know what I'm doing," he used the moment to collect his thoughts. As the pieces came together, he realized that there was a multitude of things he could say and do, most of them were carefully constructed lies and half-truths Tseng had used hundreds of time before today. On the other hand, he could use the standard operating line of the Turks and simply respond that she was being enlisted to aid in the security and protection of ShinRa assets. After carefully, considering the options, Tseng settled on the truth. It wouldn't do right now to create another cloud of mistrust, similar to the one which existed between Tseng and Yuki. "Very well, I'm going to be tracking a couple of intruders armed with technology superior to some of ShinRa's finest."
He paused, almost imperceptibly at the thought again of someone outfitted with weapons more advanced than ShinRa's. The thought was far from pleasant as all the possible reasons for their existence were grim. No, if the ones who had sent the team of infiltrators was anything like him then their overall intentions would be hostile. Even, Tseng understood the importance of flexing ones military muscles under specific circumstances. Right now as the world continued to spiral into chaos, people from all over the planet would be seeking strength and solidarity for which to place their faith in. A strong and successful military gesture would act as a magnet galvanizing the people, reassuring them of their protector's strength. Also, one did not send such large numbers of units together unless one was not prepared already for an assault. If the mastermind had been worried or uncertain of his strength then it would have made more sense to send out just a small team that could easily get lost in a crowd.
"And hopefully, prevent a war. I could use someone I trust to stand by me," Tseng finished the sentence in time for his mind to mentally lash him. Words screamed through the void of between his ears as, what he said defied all reason. What are you doing? You just met her! You know less about her than Yuki. In fact, you thought Yuki could be trusted.
Tseng found himself internally sighing, Because... it worked for Cloud.
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