Square Wars:Leaving a New Hope A Square Soft Parody of Star Wars. By
WarChild

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Chapter 1-Lost and Found

Hello. I'm WarChild, struggling fanfic writer, sometimes protester of lack
of Square N64 games, despite the fact I don't have a N64 and I have the PSX
version of FF7. You probably heard of "The Wizard of Zozo" by Geode, and
"Square Takes over the Airwaves: The Next Channel" co-written by Geode and
me. You know these stories and other stories were parodies of various
things, movies, TV. Now, after seeing "The Wizard of Zozo", I decided to
start on a fanfic written by me, parodying the Star War movies, excluding
various add ons from other sources (Books, games). So without further ado,
I bring you, The Square Wars.

Note: Star Wars are the properties of Lucasfilm, and the FF series, CT, and
SOM are properties of Squaresoft.
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FOX fanfare blares up.


Instead of the 20th Century Logo, the PSX logo is seen.
PSX logo fades out.
Square Soft logo comes to view.
The fanfare ends when the logo fades out.


The words, "A long time ago, where The World Is Square" appear.

Then the background is replace by space, with the words "Square Wars"
appearing in Star Wars style.

Then these words scroll up.



"Square Wars"
"Part IV"
"Leaving a New Hope"


"It was a time of war and fear when the "
"Shinra Empire was challenged by the "
"alliance of Returners and Avalanche. "
"The alliance just won a battle against "
"the Shinra when it discovered the plans"
"to the Shinra's newest weapon, "
"THE METEOR OF DOOM. "
"As the Princess Aeris rushed to her "
"home planet, Nibelheim, the Dark Knight"
"chased her in his Mana Fortress of "
"Destruction... "

 The words finally scroll away, and the image scrolls down. Then, from out
of nowhere, a Big Whale type ship streaked across the screen, only to be
followed by a larger version of the Mana Fortress. The lasers and missiles
are fired at each other, but the Big Whale is finally stopped, as a huge
explosion rocked the ship. Inside the ship, we see many Returners armed
their weapons, as Robo and Cait Sith walked around.
"Did you hear that?" Robo chirped.
"Yeah, I told you so. The cards told me the mission was doomed! Doomed, I
tell you." Cait Sith muttered.
"I don't this is the time to say that. I think we are being presently
boarded." Robo replied.

The Mana Fortress hovered over the Big Whale, and opened up its docking
bay.
"So what do we do now?" Cait Sith asked.
"We gotta protect Aeris, and get the plans to the alliance." answered Robo.

"Now there's a original plan if I heard one." mocked Cait Sith, as they
prepared for battle.
The access door to the Big Whale was suddenly blown open, and coming out
was the elite members of the Shinra's forces. The Returners fought
valiantly, but they were overwhelmed by the numbers of the Shinra forces.
Robo and Cait Sith, realizing this, fled the battle scene.

"Okay what do we do now? How are we to protect Aeris and get the plans?"
Cait Sith asked again.
"Look, you get an escape pod. I find Aeris and get the plans from her.
Hopefully, I can get her here." acknowledged Robo.
"Better do it now because here come the Dark Knight himself." Cait Sith
mumbled.


As if on cue, a tall figure came in, wearing the attire of a Dark Knight.
He has an electronic device on his chest. He looked around at his men. His
breathing, due to his various life support systems, was quite audible. Then
he continued down the hall.


Meanwhile Cait Sith was at the escaped pods, pacing around. He said, "Oh,
Robo. Where are you? What's taking you so long."

On the other side of the ship the Shinra troopers led prisoners pass the
main computer systems as the Dark Knight interrogated one of the personnel
on board. As he did so, he lifted the personnel of the floor by the neck.
"The computer doesn't contain the plans for Meteor." a trooper said.
"Okay, wise guy, where are the plans that you intercepted? What did you do
with those transmissions?" harshly questioned the Dark Knight.
"We didn't get any transmissions. This is a diplomat's ship, heading to
Nibelheim." the personnel replied with difficulty.
"If this is a diplomat's ship, what happened to the ambassadors?" the angry
figure asked, now crushing the man's neck, and flinging the dead figure to
the floor.
"Tear up this lousy excuse for a ship and find those plans. And round up
any passengers. I want them alive." he ordered the surrounding troopers.

As this occurred, Aeris and Robo were on the other side of the hall. Robo
was given a cartridge, and he inserted it into his memory slots. He took
notice the type of cartridge it is.
"An N64 cartridge, you fit the entire plans in a N64 cartridge?" he asked.
"Well, you wouldn't believe what we fit in there. Here's the password
that'll give you access to the plans." she stated. Robo understood and
allowed her to whisper near his audio receptors.
"Run." she whispered. Was that the password, or a command, he thought. Just
then he noticed two SOLDIERS close by. So he sprinted towards the escape
pods. Aeris on the other hand, didn't notice the two uniformed men and
wondered why Robo sprinted off. Then she turned around, just to see two
masked troopers in front of her.
"Come with us so we don't have to bother to stun you." one of the men
commanded.
I don't think so, she thought, as she swung her rod into the commanding
man's groin. He fell, and she went in to a sprint. Unfortunately, the other
man casted sleep on her. She succumbed to the dust of the spell, and fell
into sleep. The two men went up to her.
"Tell the Dark Knight we have a prisoner."

Robo finally arrived at the escape pods.
"What took you so long?" Cait Sith inquired.
"I was about to get the password to the info on the cartridge when two
SOLDIERS spotted us. I noticed, but unfortunately the princess didn't."
answered Robo.
"Great. Now how do we get in the escape pods? Only she knows the password
to those." Cait Sith moaned.
"Actually, I think I know." Robo replied, as he entered the password. "X A
B Y, Zabie."
"That's the password? Thought it was L A R A, Lara."
"Let's not talk, let get out of here." Robo and Cait Sith entered the pod
and activated it. The pod launched and left the ship. As it fell it went
past by the Fortress' sensors. The pilot room was notified of this, but
they were sleeping.

"Hey, if you two guys are sleeping on the job again, I will send you back
to guard duty at the Shinra headquarters." alerted a commander. The two men
in the Fortress' main pilot room awoke, and ID the craft.
One of the men responded back, "Look, there nothing to worry about.
Nothing's alive in here. Now, will you excuse me, I'm getting my sleep."

In the escape pod, Cait Sith and Robo settled down as the pod drifted
slowly to the nearby planet. Cait Sith looked outside at the two
spacecraft.
"My, my my! Look at all that damage. Robo, do you think we can get those
plans to the alliance?"
"Aeris said there might be an old friend living on the planet below. If we
locate him, he might help us get to Nibelheim."
"Robo, I hope you're right. Say? How about a game of cards until we land?"

Back in the captured Big Whale, Aeris is escorted to the menacing figure of
the Dark Knight. She didn't seem pleased.
"Well, if isn't the Dark Knight. Only you can go this far. The council of
the gurus would not stand these things, if they heard what you did. For I'm
on a diplomatic mission and you attack us!"
The Dark Knight responded, "Don't you dare play games with me princess. I
know you are helping the Returner/Avalanche alliance. Several transmissions
were beamed to this ship. What did you do with those transmissions?"
"I don't know what are you talking about or accusing me of. I'm a consular
ambassador headed towards Nibelheim..."
"You're a traitor, and that's final! Take her away." the Dark Knight
ordered. As two soldiers took Aeris out, an Imperial Commander turns to the
Dark Knight.
He starts, "Holding her is dangerous. You are taking awful risks here. If
word of this gets out, the Gurus might sympathize."
The Dark Knight responded, "I have traced the Returner spies to her. Now
she is my only link to find their secret base!"
"She'll die before she tells you anything." muttered the commander.
"I take care of it. Send a distress signal and then inform the council of
gurus that all aboard were killed!"
Another Imperial Officer approaches Dark Knight and the Commander. They
stop and snap to attention.
"Dark Knight sir, we have searched everywhere. The plans are not one this
ship! And no transmissions were made."
"What?" growled the Dark Knight.
"But wait, I have more. An escape pod was jettisoned during the fighting,
but no life forms were aboard." continues the officer.
The Dark Knight, pondering the circumstances, responded, "It's highly
possible that the plans are in the escape pod. Send a squad of SOLDIERS to
retrieve it. See to it personally, Commander. There'll be no one to stop us
this time.
"Yes, sir." returned the commander.

The giant Mana Fortress hovers over the surface of the planet Corel.

Meanwhile in the great deserts of Corel, Robo and Cait Sith trek through
the sands. Cait Sith seems uncomfortable, while Robo seems focused.
"Man, I wished I have taken an Escort Armlet. It would be the perfect
protection against the desert winds. Not to mention the scorpions and giant
spiders." complained Cait Sith.
"Hey, those three in Secret in Mana can trek through a desert and find a
transport, so should we. So stop complaining." replied Robo.
"Hey, we shouldn't be wandering aimlessly like they did. I say, let's set a
straight course to civilization." Cait Sith proposed.
"How do you propose to find a town? You are only a fortune teller and
gambler." reminded Robo.
"Exactly. I gonna use my fortune telling skills to get out of here." And
with that he took out tarot cards, fortune cookies, a Ouija board, and the
daily horoscopes. He played with the Ouija board and tarot cards and read
the horoscopes and fortunes in the cookies. He finished, stood up, and
pointed towards the sands. "I say, after my research... that way!" Robo was
skeptical.
"I don't think so." he said.
"Hey, I predicted the mission is doomed." Cait Sith retorted.
"But we are continuing on with the mission and I say those cards are wrong.
My scanners, on the other hand, say town is that way." Robo answered,
pointing to the rocks. Cait Sith pulled out a Sense materia.
"Sensing, sensing, sensing... this way!" Cait Sith said, again pointing to
the sands.
"Nope. That way." Robo replied, again pointing to the rocks.
"Okay, we have a little problem. I think it's this way, and you think it's
that. Fine go that way. And I'll go this way. We'll see whose right." a
frustrated Cait Sith moaned.
"Fine, you go your own way. I'll go mine." returned Robo, as both he and
Cait Sith went their separate ways.

As Cait Sith traveled over the vast sand dunes he muttered to himself,
"That fool Robo, thinking that I can't predict the future. Well, I show
him. I'll show him all!" As he continued, a small figure appeared on the
horizon. Cait Sith waited, as the figure grew larger and as more appeared.
Soon he could see that they were carts pulled by chocobos.
"Hey, I was right. A convoy! A convoy to civilization!" joyfully he
shouted. He screamed to the figures, "Hey, I need a lift! Can you help me?
Hey, I'm over here!"

Meanwhile, Robo trekked through the stone canyon. He looked around, hoping
to find any sign of civilization. Suddenly a few small rocks fell on the
canyon wall. The noise brought Robo's attention. "What's that?" He viewed
the area thoroughly, seeing no one. "Well, something must be out there.
Looks like I'll have to approach with caution." He continued on with
caution, not knowing he was being watched by a group of Imps. Then, without
warning, a single Imp appeared, zapping Robo. "Must continue on. Must bring
plans too safety." he cried, as he slipped and fell on his face,
deactivated. The Imp then motioned others to help him. More green creatures
surrounded Robo, as they picked him up, and they carried him.

Time went on, as the Imps traveled through the canyon, still carrying Robo.
Soon, a group of carts are seen. Chocobos were harnessed to them. When they
reached a cart, they placed Robo down standing. One of the Imps reached in
the cart and pulled out a small crown. After placing it on Robo's head,
they lifted him, and loaded him on the back of the cart. Finishing that,
the Imps scattered, climbing up on their chocobos.

In the cart, Robo finally came to. He looked around his surroundings. He
saw a pink version of him, probably another R-series type bot. Also there
were a few Buggers and Protos. Then he notices a familiar figure. A black
cat with a megaphone sitting on a fat moogle. The figure comes to.
"Robo, is that you?" the figure asked. The figure comes closer. It is Cait
Sith. "Hey! Robo! It is you! It is you!"
Robo responds with glee, "Well, fancy meeting you here."
The Imps got their chocobos started and headed out of the canyon.

Meanwhile a group of SOLDIERS searched the area where the escape pod
landed. One trooper called out to the commanding officer.
"Hey, those guys messed up! Something was in the pod. See? Here are some
tracks." Another trooper dug up the sand and finds a small bit of metal.
"It must be robot tracks. Tell those guys next time to search for
intelligence, not life forms."

As the group of SOLDIERS followed the tracks, the convoy of chocobo drawn
carts arrived at a little settlement of farms. A well dressed man came to
greet the Imps.
"So what do you have for us today?" the man asked.
"Well, we have many things today. Magicite, materia, airship parts, robots,
relics." an Imp replied.
"Splendid. Now set up the auction stage and notify the public." said the
well dressed man. The Imps started setting up an outdoor stage, complete
with chairs for the public. Other Imps went to the settlement, where they
announced the auction of stuff found in the desert. Soon various people
came to the auction stage.
"Get your stuff from the desert. Sold only to the highest bidder!" the man
called. Meanwhile, Robo and Cait Sith, wondered why they stopped.
"I wonder where are we?" Cait Sith asked.
"It looks like a settlement. Shall we leave and ask around for Bugenhagen?"
Robo replied.
"You're not going anywhere." An Imp as outside the back of the cart,
holding a remote control. "You're gonna be sold in our auction."
"Auction?!!!" both Cait Sith and Robo shouted, as they were dragged to the
back of the auction stage, with other items for sale. They tried to move,
but the slave crown prevented that. By that time the public already has
settled down on the chairs. The well dressed man starts to speak.

"Welcome to our auction. Our first item up for bids is 1/1200th of an
airship." A group of Imps carried in a airship part. "The bidding starts at
100 gil."

"100"
"200"
"400"
"500"
"1,000"
"2,000"
"5,000"
Then a boy interrupted the bidding, jumping in his seat. "I want it daddy.
I want it. I want it. I want it."
His father tried to quiet him. "Hush now." The bidding continued.
"10,000"
"20,000"
"50,000"
The man on the stage now asked, "Are there any more bids?"
Suddenly the father of the noisy boy shouted, "1,000,000 gil!"
"1,000,000 gil?!" everyone else gasped.
The well dressed man addresses the crowd. "Sold. Now take it away."
"Yippee. YAY!" the boy cheered. His father tried to calm him down.
"Okay, now. We have our treat. Let's go home, and please don't tell mama."
They left, taking the airship part with them. In the crowd, two men gave a
sigh of relief. One was a fella in his late 30s. The other almost reached
20.

"Whew, no one can outbid that man." the younger one said.
"Well, Cecil, sometimes the farmers are better than us. And we're the
miners. Do you remember what your aunt Kathryn said?" the older man asked.
"Yes. She told me that if you get a translator droid, make sure it speaks
Japanese." Cecil replied.
"Well, that nothing to worry about. Your uncle Duane knows that all
translator robots speak Japanese. They speak it while in Japanese games."
Cecil was rather skeptical. He would rather ask the droid if they
understand a foreign language then trust his uncle's instincts. The well
dressed man started speaking again.

"The next item is a... a... ... WHAT IS IT?" Cait Sith was then dragged on
to the front.
My name's Cait Sith and that's is all you're gonna get." he shouted. The
well dressed man was taken aback.
"Well, look's like we got a multi-purpose thingamajig. Now are there any
bids?"
Cecil stood up. "I'll bid 200 if it speaks Japanese." Cait Sith heard this
and thought he could finally escape this auction by saying some Japanese.
"Ohiogosiamus. Konichiwa. Mushi mushi? Inchi ne san."
(Good morning, Hello, Hello, who is this?, 1, 2, 3 in Japanese)
"That's good enough for me, 200." replied Duane.
The auctioneer spoke again. "Are there any more bids?" The room was silent.
"Sold. Now take it."
"I'll come to them thank you." said Cait Sith, as he walked off the stage
and towards Cecil. The auctioneer ignored this and continued announcing.

"Next we have this wonderful R-series based robot. In prime condition." A
pink R-series robot was brought onto the stage. "Are there any bids?"
"I didn't know they had R-series robots. This would be good if I get to
pilot starfighters. 400 gil." Cecil bided. Like before there were no other
bids and Cecil got the robot. He received it still turned off. When he
turned it on everybody was in for a surprise.
"Humans everywhere. Must eliminate them for Mother Brain." it said.
"What the, o yeah? SLOTS!" it was Cait Sith. He didn't get three of the
same item, but that was okay. A big rock conked the robot's head. The robot
fell down and Cecil rushed in to turn it off. Then he opened up the head to
examine its contents.
"Uncle Duane! This R-series unit has bad memory components and was
reprogrammed. Look."

Duane, looking miffed, went up to the auctioneer. "Hey, what are you doing?
Don't you check if your merchandise is dangerous to the public or not?"
Cait Sith, after surveying the wrecked Atropos, the robot's name, he
remembered Robo.
"Hey, there's another R-series robot. In great condition. And don't worry,
he isn't dangerous. That bronze one over there." he mentioned. Cecil called
out to Duane.
"Uncle Duane, there's a bronze one over there. Not dangerous I heard."
"Not dangerous you say? Find take it. I had enough auctioning for one day."
the auctioneer muttered. Robo came to Cait Sith.
"Well, look's like you got us out of a jam. Shall we continue on?" he
asked.
"Are you kidding? After today, I wanna recharge and get cleaned up before
continuing. Hopefully these guys will provide that." Cecil and Duane
approached them.

"Cecil, take these robots and clean them up, you understand?"
"But, I'm supposed to head to town and get some stuff with Kain."
"You can do stuff with your friends tomorrow."
"Alright uncle. Come on you two." The four started on to a house in the
village.

===================================================================
Chapter 2-Destiny awaits
===================================================================



When they arrived, Cecil escorted the two robots to the garage where he
started on repairing the two. Cait Sith was plugged in a power generator
while Robo was being cleaned. A buggy was sitting in the garage as well.
"Aahh. Energy. After those long hours in the desert, it's so refreshing.
Wouldn't you agree more Robo?" said Cait Sith. Cecil ignored it as he
headed to the toolbox. He seemed disturbed.
"Oh man. Biggs is right. I'm never getting outta here." he whined.
"May I ask, sir, what's wrong?" asked Robo.
"Well, I'm stuck here mining when I should be training to be a pilot like
everybody else. Why you ask? Can you help me?" Cecil replied.
"Well, I don't understand anything, or at least, anything on this planet.
This is planet Corel right?" Cait Sith spoke.
"Yep. This is Corel. Why you ask?"
"Nothing, mister..." said Robo. Cecil starts working on Robo.
"Cecil." answered Cecil.
"Okay, Mister Cecil." finished Robo.
"Cut the formalities, will you. Just Cecil."
"Very well then. Just Cecil. My name is Robo, a R-series droid. And my
companion over there is Cait Sith." mentioned Robo.
"Well, it's nice to know your names. You guys seemed to be beaten up a
little bit."
"Considering what be been through, it's a miracle we survived, especially
with the fighting between the Shinra and the Returner/Avalanche alliance."
Cait Sith stated.
"You know of that? That's amazing," an amazed Cecil asked, as he turned
around and faced Cait Sith, who just unplugged himself from the generator.
"Well, that's how we got here."
"Have you seen many battles? Can you tell much about them?"
"Several. We have seen many confrontations as the Shinra tried to suppress
us. It was very hectic." Robo replied, as Cecil went back to working on
Robo. He tried to remove a piece of metal stuck on Robo's face.
"Well, what kind of ship you were on? A freighter, cruiser, a..." Cecil
couldn't finished, as the piece of metal gave away. As it did, the
holographic projection module in Robo kicked in, and a holographic cut
scene of Aeris was shown.

"Bugenhagen, I need your help." the holographic Aeris said. Then the cut
scene repeated itself.
"What is this? A message to someone? Who is this woman?" Cecil inquired.
"Well, the truth is we are supposed to become the property of one
Bugenhagen, a resident of these parts." Robo said.
"Bugenhagen. Do you mean Old Buge?" asked Cecil, as he looked intently at
the cutscene.
"You know Bugenhagen?" Cait Sith questioned.
"I don't know any Bugenhagen, but I do know about Buge. He lives in the
Cosmo Canyon area. A strange old man who studies spirits. Hmm, is there
more to this message?"
"There might. Just remove the Slave Crowns of us and I should play the
entire message."
"Whoops. I musta have forgotten about them." Cecil proceeded to remove the
Slave Crowns of Robo and Cait Sith. As he took it off Robo, the cut scene
disappeared.
"Hey! Bring back the message." Cecil ordered Robo.
"Sorry. Apparently it'll be a while before I am able to do so. Some of my
circuits are still hampered by the effects of the Slave Crown."
"Hey, Cecil. Dinner time." a voice called from the outside.
"I'll be there aunt Kathryn." he responded. "Stay here until I get back."
he told the robots. As Cecil went into the house, Robo started to leave.

"Hey Robo, where do you think you're going?" Cait Sith questioned.
"To Bugenhagen, where else?" replied Robo.
"But Cecil told us to stay." reminded Cait Sith.
"Why do you think I told him to remove the crown? I can play the entire cut
scene just fine." Robo responded.
"What? Why didn't you play it for him when you had the chance?"
"Because I don't trust him. We don't know anything about him. If you want
to stay here be my guest, but I'm going out anyway." retorted Robo, as he
proceeded out into the desert.

Cecil went into the small dining room of the house. His aunt and uncle were
already eating. Duane stopped eating for a minute to ask Cecil, "Have you
finished cleaning those droids?" He continued eating.
"I had a few things left to do. I learned something about them though." he
replied.
"About what?" Kathryn asked.
"They claimed they were supposed to be sent to someone called Bugenhagen."
he responded. Duane and Kathryn stopped eating just then. "Maybe they meant
Old Buge. Do you know what they are saying?" he continued.
"Can't be. He's dead. He was way over a hundred I supposed. Died around the
same time as your brother. Look, don't worry about it. Just clean those
droids of their memories at town tomorrow."
Cecil absorbs all this information. Could any of this be true? He decided
to change the subject. "If those droids do help those mines, you wouldn't
be needing me to ensure a profit."
His uncle tries to hold back his resentment. "Cecil. I need you. This
year's been very tough for us, and those robots alone won't do the trick."
Cecil on the other hand tried to hold back his anger. "But you promised I
can get pilot training last year. Now Biggs and my other buddies already
gone ahead of me. Now excuse me I got to finish my work." He abruptly stood
and left the table.
"Cecil, honey, you haven't finished your dinner." Kathryn called.
"Can't believe it. Almost 20 and he's acting like his brother." grimaced
Duane.
When he returned to the garage, Cecil noticed Cait Sith hiding underneath
the buggy. "What are doing under there?"
Cait Sith mumbled under the buggy. "I tried to stop Robo. But he wouldn't
listen. He insisted on finding Bugenhagen."
"Oh no." moaned Cecil, as he grabbed a pair of binoculars and searched the
deserts for Robo. "Blast it. He's too far away from here."
"Can't we follow him in this buggy?" asked Cait Sith, as head got out from
underneath it.
"Well, the buggy does have a scanner, but the Desert Sahagins would be
roaming on nighttime."
"Desert Sahagins?"
"Strange turtle like creatures with something called a sand gun. It would
be best to search in the morning."
(Note: Desert Sahagins are found in FF7 around the Cosmo Canyon area. I'm
not joking.)

When morning finally arrived, Cecil and Cait Sith took the buggy and went
on their search for Robo. The scanner started beeping.
"Hey, the scanner's pick up a R-series droid. Could be our Robo." informed
Cecil. Unknown to them, they were watched by Sahagins. The Sahagins watched
as the buggy passed by then proceeded to follow by mounting on griffins.
Finally, the pair came to Robo in a rocky area. Cait Sith jumped out and
started to dispel Robo from going further. "Are you crazy? This is
dangerous territory. You don't know what you're doing."
"Of course I'm." Robo replied. "I'm continuing on with the mission. It must
not be hindered."
"Well, I hate to say this, but..." Cecil tried to say.
"Wait, my scanners read numerous lifeforms over that ridge." Robo
interrupted, as he pointed southward.

Cecil thought the worse, as he grabbed his rifle and binoculars. "Sahagins.
The worst beings of the wastelands." The three headed to the ridge and
Cecil peered into the binoculars. He could only see two griffins. "Well,
there are a pair of griffins, tamed though."
Then suddenly something obstructs Cecil's view. It was a Sahagin. It bopped
Cecil on the head with its sand gun. Cait Sith tried to punch the creature
it he missed and fell. Soon more Sahagins came and surrounded Robo. It
looked like it was the end. Then a figure appeared from the north. The
Sahagins promptly retreated with great haste. The figure came closer. It
was an old man wearing blue clothes. He seemed to be floating.

"Ho ho ho ho. What do we have here?" The man looked around and saw Cecil
and Robo. Robo wasn't sure what to do when the old man propped Cecil up and
touched his forehead. In an instant Cecil recovered. When he came to he
noticed the old man.
"Old Buge?"
Buge nodded and replied, "Well, Cecil, what brings you here in the middle
of the canyon? You know the Sahagins are very active here."
Cecil pointed at Robo. "Well that droid over here seems to be looking for
someone. Someone named Bugenhagen."
Buge suddenly appeared to be in deep thought. "Bugenhagen. Ho ho ho.
Haven't heard that name for a long time."
"Did you know him? Did he die?"
Buge just chuckled. "Why he didn't die. For I am he. Ho ho ho."
Robo, now knowing that the old man is Bugenhagen, introduced himself. "Hi
Mister Bugenhagen. My name's Robo. I've been looking all over for you."
Then a loud squawk was heard throughout the canyon.
Bugenhagen stood up. "The Desert Sahagins are easily scared, but with
greater numbers they will return."
As the group headed towards the buggy, Cecil realized something. "Cait
Sith! He's still down the ridge."
"Down worry about him. Start the buggy. I'll get him." Bugenhagen floated
down the ridged. Cecil and Robo watch with amazement as they saw the old
man carrying Cait Sith with no trouble. They loaded up in the buggy, and
continued on to Bugenhagen's house.

Bugenhagen's house really looked liked an observatory. Various devices were
in it, mostly related to studying astronomy. Cecil found a batch of tools
and started working on repairing Cait Sith. Robo was off recharging
himself. Bugenhagen was muttering to Cecil how great his older brother was.
"No my brother wasn't in a war. He just piloted a bunch of trade
freighters." Cecil said.
"That's what your uncle said. He really didn't like you to end up like your
brother. Your brother and I were the best friends. More than a teacher and
a student. We were the heroes of the great War of the Magi. We were both
skilled warriors, and he was a great pilot." Bugenhagen responded.
"You were in the Magi Wars?" a surprised Cecil asked.
"Yes. We Mana Knights were called to action to ensure peace returns to all
the worlds." replied Bugenhagen.
Cecil stopped working on Cait Sith when he heard those words. Mana Knights?
Was he part of that great bloodline of people that protect the galaxies for
a long time? He chuckled to himself at such a thought. Still, it would
explain why Bugenhagen seemed to float.

"Ho ho ho ho ho. I almost forgot. Something that your brother left for
you." Bugenhagen went to a box and opened it. He took out a strange
handle-type object. It had various electronic buttons on its side.
Bugenhagen then handed it to Cecil.
"What's this?" Cecil asked.
"It's a Mana Saber. It's what Mana Knights use as a weapon. It uses Mana
energy as its source." Cecil pressed a button, and a beam of light came out
of the handle.
"As you can see, unlike weapons that fire projectiles which are random, the
Mana Saber is elegant, used for over a thousand years in protecting free
societies. Before they came. The imperialist. And the Shinra."
Cecil realized the truth in those in those words. He had to learn more of
his brother. "What happened to my brother?" he asked.
Bugenhagen's face looked sad as he responded. "Your brother died to a man
who calls himself the Dark Knight. Both of them were pupils of mine. But
the Dark Knight didn't want to go the way of every other Mana warrior."
"Huh?"

"Basically he didn't want to choose the path of the Paladin. There are two
paths when training to become a Mana Knight. One path is the way of the
light warrior, the Paladin. The other is the way of the dark warrior, the
Dark Knight." He paused, for he felt pain while he explained the whole
situation. He continued on. "All of us have chosen the path of the Paladin,
except him. That's why he's called the Dark Knight, for he's the first to
become one. In time he betrayed us, and started to hunt us down for the
Shinra. One by one, he destroyed us. His life spirit was totally engulfed
in darkness."
"Life Spirit?"
"Everybody has a life spirit. When one dies, they become part of the
lifestream, the Mana of life. It's basically the foundation of entire
worlds. It's where the true powers of a Mana Knight comes from. It's why a
Mana Knight does not need items like magicite or materia to use magic. They
can control it however they want."

Cecil took all of this in. Was his brother a casualty in the war? He
couldn't believe it. Then he remembered something. Robo. He wanted to see
Bugenhagen, but why? Now would be best to find out. "That droid over there
has a message for you, I think. I saw part of it."
Robo, now finished recharging, went over to where Bugenhagen was and played
the cutscene. "Now here's it is in its entirety." chucked Bugenhagen.
The familiar figure of Aeris was seen on the floor. "General Bugenhagen, I
know you have served my mother during the Magi War. Now I request your
assistance. The alliance just received a copy of the Meteor battle station
plans. I hope you can help us, for our ship is under attack. I have placed
a copy of the plans in this droid. Please see to it that the information
reaches Nibelheim. Bugenhagen, I need your help." The cutscene of Aeris
then vanished. Bugenhagen looked at the bronze droid, then to Cecil.

"Cecil, you will come with me to Nibelheim." Cecil was surprised. This old
man was asking him to take on a journey. How could he? He had
responsibilities at home.
"I can't help you. I shouldn't even be here. My uncle and aunt doesn't know
I'm here. I'm supposed to be helping them." declined Cecil.
"But I'm getting old. I'm too old for this sort of thing. I need your help.
She needs your help."
Cecil realized the severity of the situation. He shouldn't let down that
great rebellion against the Shinra. "Maybe, I can take you home, get you a
transport to Kapio, and you can find a ship there."
"You must do what you feel is right." responded Bugenhagen.

In space two Mana Fortresses headed towards a giant space station. It
almost looked like a meteor, but it had a metallic look to it. And it had a
dent to the side of it. In it various bad guys filled the meeting room, as
well as guards from SOLDIER. Gesthal(FF6), Zeal(CT), Rufus Shinra and his
father, Thanatos, Scarlet, Heiddeger, and Palmer are present. While Zeal
and Scarlet are arguing, Palmer wasn't paying attention, except for the
food he was eating.
"I'm telling you, until Meteor is fully operational, does dreaded Avalanche
will try to hit us hard. They are more dangerous than you realize." argues
Scarlet.
"Dangerous to your fleet, miss commander. But not to this battle station,
which is equipped with your Sister Ray." retorts Zeal.
Then Gesthal chimes in. "What of the Guru council? The heads Melcior and
Gaspar are already questioning the emperor's methods. In time those two
will..."
He couldn't finish for two new figures entered the room. It was Kefka and
the Dark Knight. Kefka let out his trademarked laugh before he spoke.
"Those two won't do anything. Thanks to me and the emperor, we abolished
the last bit of bureaucracy in this empire."
Rufus smiled. "Finally, we are free of this democratic nonsense. Democracy
was never perfect."
But his father felt differently. "What? With the democratic process gone,
how can we keep control?"
Kefka smirked. "The regional governors will do anything to appease them, so
the whole thing looks good. You know, low crime, good life, that kind of
stuff. If that doesn't work, we'll use fear! This battle station will
strike fear into the hearts of our enemies. For I believe that anybody who
helps our enemies does not deserve to live."
"This is coming from the guy so obsessed with the death penalty and
executing everyone." Thanatos mutters to himself.
"What about the rebellion? They might still have the plans. And they might
find a way to destroy this station." rebutted Scarlet.
"They don't!" It was the Dark Knight speaking. "The plans are in the middle
of that desert world of Corel. In time we will have it back!"
"Gwa ha ha ha. I say, when this thing is operational, we use this baby to
blow something up! That'll show the stupid rebellion not to mess with us.
Right Palmer?" laughed Heiddeger. He slapped Palmer on the back. The Dark
Knight then turned to Palmer.
"May I remind you that I believe that this terror toy of yours is nothing
when compared to the power of lifestream." the warrior mentioned.
Palmer just kept eating. "(munch)(munch)(munch) May I remind you that it
was our glorious emperor who ordered the construction? I headed its design
and construction. I did right, didn't I? Since when did you did something
right? Where are the plans? Where is the base? Where is my LARD?"
The Dark Knight was disgusted with Palmer's response then for three
reasons. One, he insulted him. Two, he talked with his mouth full. Three,
he keeps thinking about food. So the dark warrior proceeded to choke Palmer
with just a grasp of the hand. "You really don't believe me don't you?
We'll see who does something right!"
"Dark Knight, now is not the time. Release him." ordered Kefka.
"As you wish." The dark figure undid his grasp. But Palmer was still
coughing. The warrior then surmised that the fat man was choking on
something he ate. Promptly he grasped again, forcing the problematic piece
of food out of Palmer's lung and out of his mouth. Everybody was sickened
by the view of flying food.
"Well, umm... meeting's over. And remember, the Dark Knight will get the
plans and the location of the hidden base, just in time for day when the
weapons system are operation. Have a good day." announced Kefka, who left
the room to relief himself since he felt a little bit queasy.

On the way back to town the grouped noticed a convoy in the middle of the
path. The group came out to investigate and saw great horror. A bunch of
imps were slaughtered, left for dead. Various blast marks were seen on the
carts. The chocobos were missing. Cecil couldn't believe his eyes. Did the
Sahagins do this?
"Oh no. The Sahagins have struck again. But they never hit something this
big before."
"It wasn't the Sahagins. No. They weren't here." refuted Bugenhagen.
"But look, griffin tracks and footprint." Cecil showed.
"But look at this, those blast points are too accurate. There is no way
that a group of three Sahagins could have stopped this convoy. But the
elite members of SOLDIER could do such a job." Bugenhagen pointed out.
"Why would the Shinra do this though?" Then he looked at the two droids,
who were also surveying the wreckage. "Oh no. They were the imps that sold
the droids. That means the Shinra is here looking for them and they would
traced them to... home." He immediately rushed to the buggy.
"Don't go. You don't know what they will do," warned Bugenhagen. But Cecil
didn't care. The started the buggy and went on his way.

Cecil rushed home in his buggy, hoping it wasn't too late. In time he could
see smoke coming from the direction of the village. Then he stopped at the
outskirts. It was visible. Totally visible. The entire village was on fire.
It seemed that nothing survived destruction from the hands of Shinra's own.
"Uncle Duane! Aunt Kathryn! Where are you?" he screamed. Then he saw his
house. Nothing. It was reduced to nothing. The mining village has come to
its end.

On the outside of the great Meteor of Doom, various ships of the
ISF(Imperial Space Force) patrolled the area. They were really modified
Vectorian IAFs(Imperial Air Fighters) for use in space. (If you don't know
what the IAF crafts are, they are machines you fight on the way to the
Floating Continent in FF6.) Inside the station Aeris was locked in a
confinement cell. The Dark Knight escorted Hojo to her cell, planning to
get the location of the Rebellion's base.
"Now dear princess, we shall learn the location of your hidden base. Hojo,
you'll do the honors." the warrior announced.
"It'll be my pleasure." Hojo took out a syringe and needle, filled with
truth serum. As he advanced, the cell doors closed.

Cecil returned to the site of the wreck. Robo and Cait Sith were making a
fire using the dead imps as fuel, as well as whatever was in the carts.
Bugenhagen was glad to see Cecil return.
"I was afraid for you. There was no way you could have stopped them. And
the Shinra would get their hands on those droids."
Cecil knew there was nothing for him that would make him stay on this
planet. The Shinra destroyed everything. Now he's going to fight back.
"I'll help you all the way. Whatever I had here the Shinra destroyed it.
I'm coming to Nibelheim, and train to be another Mana Knight, and go to the
path of the Paladin like you and my brother." Bugenhagen nodded. Nothing
could stop Cecil now.


===================================================================
Chapter 3-The Journey into the Center of Meteor(or Hear the Cries of a
dying Planet)
===================================================================

The buggy made its way as Cecil, Bugenhagen, Robo, and Cait Sith journeyed
on. The buggy finally stopped on a bluff overlooking a large town.
Bugenhagen pointed at the town.
"The spaceport Kapio, with its infamous Wall Market. Infamous because of
the villainy, scum, and the most sickening perverts one could ever meet.
Once we go in there, we must be cautious. But we must find passage to
Nibelheim." the old man spoke. The buggy left the bluff and journeyed to
the town.

The buggy maneuvered its way through the streets of the Wall Market. It was
then stopped by a group of SOLDIERs patrolling the area. The troopers
approached the occupants.
"How long have these droids been in your possession?" one interrogated.
"I got them last year. You can buy them if you want." Cecil lied.
Another trooper wasn't so convinced. "Where's your ID? Driver's license,
passport, that stuff."
Bugenhagen looked at the trooper straight in the eye. "Don't bother. You
don't need his ID."
The trooper, controlled by the gaze, told the others, "We don't need his
ID."
Bugenhagen continued. "These are the wrong droids anyway."
The trooper, still controlled, told the others, "We have the wrong droids."

Bugenhagen kept on going. "We are free to go."
The trooper then motioned the buggy to move along. Cecil was amazed.
Bugenhagen didn't need to chant a spell beforehand. He could just tap the
mind of the trooper so easily. The buggy continued its way till it reached
a bar.

The Seventh Heaven.
"Do you think there would any pilots that could help us?" inquired Cecil.
"The best pilots are in this area drink at this bar. But be careful, they
might be a little rowdy." answered Bugenhagen, as they entered the bar.
As predicted, the bar was full of rowdy people. A bunch of drunken mystics
were playing the pinball machine. Some humans were shouting obscenities at
each other. Other humans were fighting over the TV. There was even a yeti,
and a strange lion creature. But those two just did nothing. The bartender,
a 20-year of woman, wearing a tank top and short skirt, was managing the
place. Robo didn't like the sight of it.

"It's unnecessary to promote violence people!" he declared. Everybody then
stared at him.
"Hey your kind aren't allowed in here. Robots are a fire hazard you know.
Get out of here!" ordered the bartender.
Before sending them off, Cecil handed a materia to Robo and Cait Sith.
"Better use this to keep out of sight." Cecil told the two.
"Understood." Cait Sith replied. The two droids left the building without a
second thought.

Bugenhagen and Cecil went to the counter and sat by the yeti and strange
lion creature. Bugenhagen just asked around for good pilots. Cecil just
ordered water. Suddenly someone tapped Cecil on the back. When he turned,
two funny green creatures and a blond man wearing a blue-red robe.
"Hey, our boss doesn't like you." one of the green creatures spoke.
"Eh." acknowledged Cecil, as he turned back to the counter. The man tapped
on Cecil's shoulder. Cecil turned to face him.
"My men don't like you either." the blond man stated.
"What's it to you?" Cecil asked.
"We are the Scorpion Army. We are gonna take over the universe, and you
can't do anything about it!" the man announced. Cecil was getting pretty
annoyed by these three.
"Why me? And what about the Shinra? There is a war already. Don't think you
can make an impact." he replied nonchalantly.
"An impact?! They'll feel an impact literally, you fool! Just meet our
hammer robot Kilroy." the leader said. Bugenhagen stepped in.
"Don't bother the boy. May I help you with something?" he mocked. As he
asked, the green goons threw Cecil of his stool. Bugenhagen ignited his
Mana Saber and proceeded to attack the leader. The pressed a button to
summon his robot before Bugenhagen nearly cut him. "Don't think that
because I'm older that I'm not agile." As Cecil was held down by the goons
and the leader tried to hold off the elderly knight, the Kilroy robot
rolled in the bar, smashing anything in its way like it was Mario chasing
Donkey Kong. The bartender was now really ticked off.

"HEY! Take that robot outside and turn it off!" she ordered the leader of
the so-called Scorpion army.
"Our boss takes no orders from nobody." replied the two goons, still
struggling with Cecil.
"Fine. I'll take care of the robot myself." The bartender did a flip and
leaped over the counter, landing before the robot. "Final Heaven!" was her
war cry, as she lifted her right fist in the air, and landed it in the
robot's midsection. That punch was so powerful that the robot ended up
flying out the bar and across the road. Soon the Scorpion Army left with
haste, vowing to build a better robot. Everybody instantly cheered the
bartender.

"Way to go Tifa. You beat the @#$#$^ out of those @#%@" one pilot yelled.
"Uh, Cid, aren't you supposed to be watching the Dukes of Hazard?" Tifa
asked.
"OH $#$%*! Change the channel back to dem' Dukes. DUKES RULE!" was Cid's
reply, realizing the TV has been switched on him. As this occurred,
Bugenhagen helped Cecil up from the floor. The yeti and the lion creature
were standing nearby. Bugenhagen introduced the two creatures to Cecil.
"These are Red XIII and Umaro. They are with a pilot who might take us to
Nibelheim."

Outside, the SOLDIERs noticed the Kilroy robot flying out of the bar. A few
of them rushed to investigate. Fearing getting caught, Cait Sith and Robo
rushed to the public stalls and entered an empty one.

Back in the bar, Umaro and Red XIII show Cecil and Bugenhagen to Cid
Highwind. Cid began to speak.
"So, you boys lookin' for a ship? Come to the right place you did. The
Highwind's a fast ship. How fast? She can outdo those Imperial space
fortresses." Cid bragged.
Bugenhagen seemed unfazed by Cid's bragging. "Ho ho ho. Fast you say? As
long it can go to Nibelheim it'll do just fine."
"Nibelheim, eh? Wha' ya need from me? Cargo deliveries? Message
deliveries?" Cid questioned the old man.
"Just deliver me, the boy here, and two droids to Nibelheim, without
confrontations from the Shinra." Bugenhagen replied.
Cid was surprised. "WHAT? Avoid the Shinra? What is it with you people? I
don't deliverer refugees from the Shinra, especially since those $^%#$^
threaten to take my starfighter, the Tiny Bronco, away, those ^$#%#$%@#. If
you want me to get past the Shinra it'll cost 25,000 gil."
Cecil was about to complain but Bugenhagen stopped him. He gave his answer
to Cid. "Look, 5000 gil now, and we'll pay 25,000 later, when you get us to
Nibelheim."
That deal seemed fair, thought Cid. "Ok. The ship's in hanger N64. Red
XIII, escort our friends out of here."
"Why?" pondered Red XIII. Cid pointed to the arriving SOLDIERs. Red XIII
then quickly led Cecil and Bugenhagen to the back exit. The SOLDIERs
approached the counter. Tifa was back at work as usual.

"What happened here?" one SOLDIER interrogated. Tifa broke down crying.
"It's was horrible. Three bad men tried to blow up this store. They even
brought in a robot. 'sniff' They just left the building out the front door.
'sniff'" she answered.
"Okay men. Move out." the head SOLDIER ordered. When the SOLDIERs left,
Tifa returned to her normal state.

As the SOLDIERS went pass the public stalls, one stopped.
"I need to use the bathroom you guys." he called to the others. Robo and
Cait Sith heard this. As usual Cait Sith became frantic.
"Oh no. He's gonna find us. He's gonna find us." he chattered.
"Don't worry. I have Cecil's materia. Phantom! Come to our aid." Robo
replied. A ghostly spirit appeared, surrounding Cait Sith and Robo. When
the image left, the two robots became invisible. The SOLDIER then came in,
opened the stall where Robo and Cait Sith was hiding, turned around, and
prepared to undo his pants.
"Yeesh! It smells here already, and I don't want him adding to the stench."
Cait Sith retched. So Cait Sith punched the SOLDIER in the rear. The
SOLDIER jumped, clutching its rear, and rushed out the stall.
"Even though it's violent, it's effective. Come on, let's find Cecil and
Bugenhagen." remarked Robo, as both made a break out of the stall.

Back in the bar, Cid thanked Tifa for lying to the SOLDIERs and ordered
Umaro to head to the ship. As he got up to leave, a green fat figure
wearing a white robe appeared on the pinball machine.
"Thinking of going anywhere, Cid?" the figure asked. Cid walked up to the
figure.
"Well, Ozzie, yes. I was heading to Jenova to tell her I have the money. So
go away you freaking piece of @#$@#%!" was the pilot's reply.
Ozzie wasn't amused. "Sorry pal. Jenova's gonna pay much to us bounty
hunters for your head. She didn't like it when you dropped your shipments
to the Shinra."
Cid was getting angry. "Look, those freakin' Shinra threatened to take away
my ship!!! How can I transport stuff without a ship?"
"Why don't you ask her? She might just take your ship." Ozzie threatenly
replied.
"OVER MY DEAD BODY YOU GREEN IDIOT!" Cid screamed, as he jumped and aimed
for Ozzie's head, but hit the rope that kept the pinball machine on the top
floor. With that Ozzie and the Pinball machine fell through the floor to
the hidden room down downstairs. "OZZIE... Ozzie's been tricked!" he
shouted as he fell. Tifa got Cid down.
"Sorry, about the damage. I'll pay for it." Cid said to Tifa.
"That's okay. I'm gonna sell this place and move in with my boyfriend." she
replied. Cid waved goodbye and headed out.

In the space station the Dark Knight furiously questioned Hojo about his
failure.
"I swear you made a faulty batch of truth serum!" accused the Dark Knight.
"It ain't faulty. I tested on a bunch of other prisoners and they cracked
open in seconds. But she's different. It seems she has immunity against it.
Even more powerful doses and fatal ones doesn't seem to faze her." Hojo
defended himself.
Kefka then walked into the room. "Don't worry. I just heard the Sister
Ray's operational. I told the navigators to direct this station to
Nibelheim. Only by threatening millions of lives can we gain information
from her."

At a weapon store Cecil was haggling with a merchant. The merchant could
only pay 10,000 gil for Cecil's buggy. Bugenhagen told Cecil to accept the
offer, for he was planning on having the leaders of Nibelheim to pay the
rest. Red XIII kept an eye on the crowd while the transaction was being
completed. Nearby Johnny kept an eye on the three, hoping to find out where
the robots are. He got his PHS and dialed the local SOLDIERs.

At the docking bay N64 Jenova-Life and her various bounty hunters,
including Slash, Flea, and the Turks, waited for Cid.
"Cid! Cid! Come out of there." she called.
Cid then walked in. "Okay, okay, don't wrap your @#@# tentacles."
Jenova glared at Cid. "Why did you knock out poor old Ozzie? All I wanted
him is to talk to you?"
Cid just took a puff. "That's stupid piece of @#$@#%$ tried to kill me! And
I was about to tell you I'm gonna get more money!"
Jenova was unimpressed. "Why, Cid, did you gave up my cargo to the Shinra?
It's bad business if everyone does this."
"You stupid $#%#$-hole! How can I continue delivering cargo if my ship gets
taken away from me? #$%@%&^@#$^@#$^@! Look, I'll get your money as soon I
deliver something else! And you might get a little extra."
Jenova stopped glaring. "You dare talk back to me. I like that. Alright,
one last chance. Drop it, and you're chocobo dung." She motioned the other
to leave, then departed herself.

Soon Red XIII, Bugenhagen, Cecil, and the droids arrived. Cecil stopped and
looked at the ship, the Highwind. It was a pretty big cargo ship, more
suited for carrying people than cargo. Cecil then noticed the scantly
dressed girl on the ship's side.
"What the heck is that?" he inquired.
"It's the Highwind! Never seen a ship that goes to lightspeed in a few
seconds kid? Look, Umaro is already in there so why don't we join him?"
With that everybody boarded the ship. Outside Johnny caught the scene and
motioned the SOLDIERs to the area. As soon everybody got comfortable in the
ship the SOLDIERs arrived and started shooting at the ship.
"@#%@#$ crap. They are after me again! Let's get outta here!" Cid ordered.
The Highwind's engines roared, and soon the craft blasted into space. It
wasn't long when it approach a blockade formed by a couple of Mana
Fortress.
"Ugh! Umaro, try to out maneuver them while I'll set the course. They won't
get my ship!" Cid told Umaro. Umaro mumbled and took the controls. Cecil
joined them.
"Hey, you said this craft is fast! And they are still shooting at us!" he
declared.
"$^#$ watch your mouth! It takes awhile for the Flight Crystal to receive
orders you know. Don't you know it defaults to the planet's moon as the
destination? So shut up!" was Cid's reply. With that the ship went into
hyperspace without a trace.

Meanwhile the big Meteor of Doom has finally orbited the planet of
Nibelheim. Kefka looked at the main screen and smiled. Soon the base's
location will be known, and a planet will finally be destroyed. Heiddeger
came in and saluted Kefka. "Gwa ha ha. The planet Nibelheim is in range."
he laughed.
Kefka did his usual laugh. "Hmm. The princess' home planet, at my mercy.
This is so delicious. Speaking of the princess, where is she?"
On cue, Aeris walked in cuffs, the Dark Knight escorting her. "Pitiful,
Kefka. Will you stop laughing like that?" she screamed.
"Oh, you don't like how I laugh? Don't worry, you won't be hearing it
anymore. I told Scarlet to work with Hojo. They are cooking up something
good for your execution." Kefka laughed. This angered Aeris, as she tried
to grab a hold of Kefka, only to be restrained by the Dark Knight. "A tough
one I see. Tough enough to conceal your base's location. Very well then.
We'll see how tough you are."
"I'll never betray the alliance, no matter what you do to me!" she firmly
stated.
"Oh, who said anything about doing anything with you. We know you have
resistance to the truth serum. Gwa ha ha. But will your home planet have
resistance to this mighty space station." Heiddeger mocked. Now Aeris was
really furious. Would they stoop so low?
"How dare you? My family, my friends. They are on that planet! You wouldn't
dare." Aeris shouted.
"We would. But we might reconsider, if you will tell us where your
rebellious friends are." replied Kefka. Now Aeris knew. She must find a way
to keep both planets safe. Millions of lives depended on it.

"Damcyan. They are on Damcyan." she answered.
"Well, what a pity. She did betray them. Heiddeger, fire the weapon." Kefka
ordered.
"WHAT?" Aeris exclaimed.
"Damcyan's too far. Besides, the emperor himself gave me permission to
destroy this planet anyway. For I deemed it already traitorous. And all
traitors must be destroyed."
"NOOOOO!" Aeris tried again to reach Kefka, but again the Dark Knight
restrained her.
"Let's this planet feel my Light of Judgement!" Kefka laughed.
With a flip of the switch, the Sister Ray started storing immense energy.
When it reached its peak the weapon fired. In seconds the planet was
reduced to nothing. Aeris suddenly groaned, her head throbbing with the
voices of the dead.
"Unnnnnn... Ughhhhhhh... too loud... the voices... crying too loud." she
groaned, then fell to the floor.
"What's the matter, you little woozy, the destruction of your home make you
miserable? Don't worry we're gonna put you out of your misery. Mwaa ha ha
ha ha." Kefka mockingly laughed. "Dark Knight, take her back to her cell,
until the gas chamber's complete." Kefka ordered. The evil warrior
complied, picking Aeris up and taking her away.

In the Highwind's passenger room Bugenhagen also felt the voices screaming.
A planet was in pain. Then the voices stopped abruptly. Did the suffering
stop, or was something worse occurring? Cecil was beginning his training as
a Mana Knight. Umaro, Red XIII, Robo, and Cait Sith were playing a game of
poker at a nearby table. Cecil noticed the knight's pain.
"What's wrong?" he asked the sullen knight. The old man sighed.
"Something just happened, something that was disturbed the lifestream. As
if millions were screaming in pain then they were silenced without a
thought. Best if you continue with your training now." Cecil returned to
his training. He ignited his own Mana Saber and practiced with an
Alert-type bot(found in FF4). The bot would fire a laser and Cecil would
try to deflected it. Cid walked in the room, smoking as usual.

"Well, I told we get pass those SOBs. What ya doin' here?" he asked.
Cait Sith looked up. "I just increased by bet and everybody decides to
call." He then placed his cards.
"Two sevens."
Robo placed his cards. "3 fives. I believe my cards are better than yours
occurring to the rules."
Umaro placed his cards. "Ugh ugh. Me have four fours."
Red XIII placed his cards. "I believe I won. A royal flush." The other
player groaned.
"I can't believe it. Any game we play he always wins. Chess, checkers,
Square Wars Monopoly, even card games. He's the best board game player in
the universe. I bet he can easily win at Solitaire." moaned Cait Sith.
Umaro, on the other hand, pushed the stuff of the table in disgust,
distracting Cecil. This allowed the Alert bot to get a good shot at Cecil.
Cid just laughed.

"You boys are a bunch of screwballs, you know that? Just don't scuff the
ship alright?" he chuckled.
Cecil turned to Cid. "You really don't care what I'm doing here aren't
you?"
Cid kept on chuckling. "I really don't care. I really don't believe in that
spiritual mumbo jumbo. It's just something to scare children like the
Boogeyman or Michael Jackson."
"Simpsons addict..." Cait Sith mumbled to himself.
Bugenhagen want up to the knight in training, and placed his hands over
Cecil's eyes.
"What the? I got the blindness status!" Cecil exclaimed.
"Don't use your eyes. Use your mind!" Bugenhagen responded.
Amazingly Cecil fare better against the Alert bot, even deflecting the rays
back at the bot. Cid again chuckled. "You think you're so lucky. I could do
that blindfolded." he declared.
"But he did have the blindness status, you know." Bugenhagen reminded. A
beep was now audible.
"Hoooky. We're at Nibelheim. And another 25,000 gil for me." Everybody
headed to the main control room. Cid shifted the controls out of
lightspeed. Instead of approaching a planet, they entered an asteroid
field.

"What the? Did somebody cast Comet?" Cid exclaimed. As they passed the
asteroid field, an spherical object was viewable. "Now there's a funny
looking planet. Look's kinda metallic though."
Bugenhagen realized what just happened. "That's no planet. It's the
Shinra's Meteor of Doom, and I bet it destroyed Nibelheim!"
"#$@#%^#$! You tellin' me that them Shinra bastards have something that
blows up planets?!!! Now what do we do?" Cid swore.
"The first course of action would be to get out of here." Cecil replied.
"Now you're talking my language. Umaro, move us out of here!" Cid declared.
Umaro and Cid worked frantically at the controls. But the spacecraft kept
nearing the space station. "#@$@# They got a tractor beam. That's it! I'm
gonna fry every SOLDIER I see!"
"But they got a planet's worth of personnel. I have a better idea."
Bugenhagen said, just as the craft was pulled into a hanger.

At the hanger many SOLDIERs swarmed the ship, securing it before its was
inspected. Meanwhile in the conference room Kefka received reports from his
scouts.
"What ya mean there's no base on Damcyan. She said so herself?" Kefka
frantically asked the person on the other side of the PHS.
"She lied to us. Don't you see? She lied to us." the Dark Knight mentioned.

"Oooooooooh that girl's gonna get it! She's gonna..." Kefka tried to shout,
but was interrupt by a bleep on the intercom. Kefka pressed the button.
"What do you want?" he snapped.
"Well, we have got a ship entering the former Nibelheim system. Its
description matches the one which left Kapio." the voice on the intercom
buzzed. Kefka's frown turned to a smirk.
"So, they were planning to get the plans to Nibelheim. Looks like they are
too late. Dark Knight, search the ship."

What they didn't know that Cecil used the Phantom materia to turn
themselves invisible. As soon as the planks went down, they rushed out.
Bugenhagen knew their might be a locker room with a save point just in
case. Not only did the group found such a room, they also found three
SOLDIER outfits. Cid and Cecil put those on and gave one to Red XIII.
Further searching of the lockers revealed a HP Shout for Cait Sith. With
new equipment and disguises, they charged to the nearest control room. Cid
as usual went crazy as he attacked the SOLDIERs and the personnel in the
room.
"Go to hell you SOBs." he shouted.
When the fighting died down Cecil took off his mask and started to
reprimand Cid.
"If you keep this up the whole station would be on us!"
"I just feel like killin' okay?" Cid retorted. Robo started working on the
computer terminal.
"If I get in their systems we might be able to find where the source of the
tractor beam is."
The screen popped up to show a GUI that looked oddly like Windows 95/98
except it was called "MakoSoft Windon't 2000". Robo clicked on the Start
button, and moved the cursor to Programs, then saw something interesting.

"The Meteor of Doom's information center." Robo remarked, as he clicked on
the icon. A menu screen appeared. It read:
1. Meteor of Doom's Technical Specs
2. News and events within the Meteor
3. Known personnel

Robo hit one. Another menu appeared. It read:
1. Weapons systems
2. Defense systems
3. Basic info
4. Return to main menu.

"Let's see, would tractor beams be under Weapons or basic info." Robo asked
himself. Cid pressed one before Robo could decide.
"Tractor Beams are weapons dimbulb!" Cid declared.
"I'm not a dimbulb. I'm a R-series droid." Robo retorted. Another menu came
on the screen. It read:
1. Turbolasers
2. Tractor Beams
3. Sister Ray

"What kind of screwball name is the Sister Ray?" Cid laughed.
"Only Scarlet would name such a super cannon." Bugenhagen remarked, as he
pressed two. Soon all the details of the tractor beam appeared on it
screen, including location of its main power sources. Bugenhagen read
everything, then started to leave.
"Where are you going?" Cecil asked the knight.
"I have to shut it down before we try to escape." the warrior replied.
"You? What about us?"
"Only I can get pass those guards. You will stay here. Your future is
different than mine you know." As Bugenhagen left, Cid moaned.

"Now how am I gonna get the money?"
"Steal it from all the guests here." Cait Sith replied.
"Huh? What guests?" Cecil questioned. Cait Sith motioned everybody to the
screen.
"I decided to find what kind of news we have here. Seems to be an execution
of a traitor occurring here. And it's gonna be public."
"Who's getting executed?" Cait Sith scrolled the window on the computer
screen. An image appeared showing a brown haired girl in a pink dress. It
was Princess Aeris.
"Hey, that's princess Aeris, formerly of Nibelheim. And they are about to
EXECUTE HER!" Cecil exclaimed. Cid was notably indifferent.
"So what? Why does it matter if she dies or not?" Cid mused.
"If she dies, there would be millions of people demanding her revival! No
one wants her dead. Besides, she parts of the rebellion, and these droids
are really hers. We must save her." responded Cecil.
"Why should we save her? I'm not in the mood to go to the execution
chambers." retorted Cid.
Cecil pondered in deep thought before he answered. "Well, the rebellion has
money. Lots of money. They would pay for her safe return." Cecil knew Cid
would do anything for money.
"Well, if I can get the 30,000 gil I want, I'll do it."


===================================================================
Chapter 4-Executions and Escapes(Or Infiltrating ShinRa's Meteor)
===================================================================

Scarlet grinned. She finally had her away. She led Aeris to the battle
station's only gas chamber, built just for her. Hojo was waiting at the
chambers, evily chuckling.
"You will never get away with this! The alliance will destroy you!"
Scarlet just slapped Aeris' face. Aeris drooped in response. "You think
you're so great. Let's see how can you stand our gas chambers. Hojo made a
special gas just for you. By the way, your friends with the plans are here
in this station. It'll be a matter of time till we capture them." Scarlet
then dragged Aeris into the chamber, and tied Aeris down in the chair.
"Besides, your public awaits your execution, princess. Ta ta." Scarlet and
Hojo left the chambers, forgetting the keys she dropped in it.

Cid and Cecil, in disguise, wait patiently at the elevator. Red XIII
volunteered to leave behind to keep the droids safe, while Cid, Cecil, and
Umaro go to the detention level. They placed cuffs on Umaro so the three
would look like two SOLDIERs escorting a captured Yeti. As they go on the
elevator, Cid remarked how easy it was to get the keycard for all levels.
"Man this adventure's easy. The elevator keycard was on one of those guy we
shot in the control room. Better then playing a game of guess the word or
pretending to be a janitor."
"Shut up, Cid! Just take us to the detention level. Man, this mask is
making me sweat." ordered Cecil.

The Dark Knight wasn't very happy. Nothing. Nothing was onboard that ship
according to those who searched it. He decided to do the searching himself.
The plans won't slip by him again. As he entered the ship, he felt a
peculiar aura. "Impressive. You are alive. I must inform of your presence."

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Aeris. the biggest traitor to the
Shinra since Edgar Figaro." Scarlet was holding a press conference. Cameras
and people surround the gas chamber. They ohed and ahhed at the figure
inside the chamber, squirming. Suddenly, two SOLDIERs and a yeti pushed
through the crowd. The finally approached Scarlet, who didn't seem too
pleased. "I didn't order you to come here. And what's are you doing with
this thing?"
Cecil, changing his voice, replied, "We found this creature roaming around
the station. We were told to come to you so we know what we could do about
it?"
Scarlet wasn't convinced. "If I know one thing about true SOLDIERs is that
they wouldn't come here without contacting me prior."
Cid and Cecil realized this is make or break time, so they "accidently" set
Umaro free. Umaro went on a rampage, knocking equipment around and throwing
things around. Cid and Cecil pretend to aim for Umaro, but they hit the
security cameras instead. It scared everybody out except Scarlet ahd Hojo.
Even though things went out of control, Scarlet decided to kill Aeris off.
"Aeris, don't bother saying goodbye." she laughed, as she pressed the
button.

Bugenhagen finally reached the main generator for the tractor beam. As
predicted, a few guards were patrolling the huge device. Without a thought
Bugenhagen went up to them and said, "I hate to break it to you, but I need
to shut down the tractor beam's power source."
"Says who?" one of the guards asked.
"Scarlet. It's needs its usual maintenence."
"Okay, you're clear." replied the guard, and allowed Bugenhagen to shut
down the tractor beam.

Umaro finished his rampage. Scarlet was sent down the elevator so she
couldn't interfere. In the gas chamber Aeris, remembering how Tifa escape
the gas chamber in the game, managed to free herself. Cid found the button
that operated the gas and turned it off. Then the door came to their
attention. They couldn't open it. But the yeti had another idea. It created
another opening. Cid and Cecil rushed in, but Aeris wouldn't go near them.
So they removed their masks.
"I'm Cecil and this is Cid. We're the heroes of this story. We got your
droids and Bugenhagen is disabling the tractor beam."
"Bugenhagen, where?" Aeris asked.
"#$%# Let's not stand here longer. Let's move out!" Cid exclaimed.

"Bugenhagen, you sure you felt it?" Kefka inquired.
"His spirit is here. He is alive." the Dark Knight answered.
"So, looks like he's the one who been trying to deliver the plans." Kefka's
PHS ranged. He answered.
"Kefka, I need reinforcements. And a lot!" the voice on the other side of
the PHS said loudly.
"Scarlet, what happened?"
"Some group of false SOLDIERs interrupted the execution. They are tearing
the place apart!" was the answer.
"Well, Bugenhagen is here, and he has help. But he will not escape." the
Dark Knight mentioned, as he left the conference room.

"Okay, now since we blown our cover, now what?" Cid asked the rest of the
group.
"You'll be doing nothing after we're done with you." a voice replied from
the elevator. It was Scarlet, and she brought a lot of SOLDIERs behind her.
Hojo then appeared from his hiding place. "So Aeris, you have survived our
attempt to kill you in the gas chamber. Why don't we try something else?"
As the heroes retreated, Hojo pressed a button. A trap door opened beneath
them.
"Oh no. NOT AGAIN!" Aeris shouted as she and the others plunged into the
hole. Hojo walked up to the hole.
"Since you're down there, meet one of my specimens!" he called out
laughing.

As the heroes came to, they realized they were in the Meteor's garbage
disposal systems. The garbage was floating on water.
"YUCK! FREAKING @#%@#%@ TRASH!" Cid shouted. A door was found on the other
side. Umaro rammed it many times, but couldn't bust it down.
"Must have a Barrier on it. Okay, BOLT!" Cecil called. A lightning striked
the door, only to bounce of it and go into the water.
"Oh man, the door has the Reflect status on it and I don't have my Destruct
materia." Aeris whined. The water started to bubble. With no other warning
an Aps came out of the water, causing waves to hit the whole party.
"#$%@%@ Look at what you done Cecil, you woke up that stupid monster! Cid
swore, taking out his spear.
Aeris, taking out her rod, whined, "Hope it doesn't get worse." As if on
cue, the walls started to move in on the heroes.
"Great spoony! It's happing to me again." Cecil declared, remembering what
happened in his game.
"What the @#$%@# is spoony? Now we got a time limit to fight this
monster!!! #$%#$% Cecil, do something!" Cid screamed as he tried to stab
the monster. Cecil then remembered that Robo and Cait Sith were still at
the computers. Or at least he hoped they were.

"Oh my! Red XIII won his fifteenth game of computer Solitaire!" remarked
Cait Sith. Robo and Cait Sith were overlooking Red XIII's progress in a
Solitaire game. Cait Sith's PHS started to ring. "Hello?"
"Cait Sith? Listen to me! The garbage smashers are trying to crush us, and
we are busy with a monster here. You're at a computer, stop this thing!" a
frantic Cecil replied.
"Omigosh! Cecil's in trouble. Robo you talk to him!" Cait Sith handed the
PHS to Robo.
"Cecil, what happening?" Robo asked.
"Look, we're fighting a monster, about to be squashed, and the only exit
has a bunch of barriers! Can't you do anything?"
"Hmmm. Try casting Stone on the monster. I'll try to open the door." Robo
then pushed Red XIII aside to work on opening the doors.

"Okay, guys try casting stone on the monster. It should stop these
collapsing walls." Cecil ordered.
"@!#! How do know it'll work?" Cid asked.
"Quiet Cid, he's been in this situation before. And it worked before."
Aeris rebuked, dogding the monster's grasp.
"#$^%#$ Alright. Stone!" The monster turned into stone, and the walls were
held back. The exit door suddenly opened.
"There's our exit. Move out!" Cecil ordered. As soon they left, the walls
finally crushed the stone Asp.
%@#@# That was a close one. That wasn't quality stone." Cid remarked. Cecil
and Cid returned to their normal clothes, and kept them equipment that came
with the disguises. They walked down the hall until they came to a fork in
the road.

"Which way?" Cecil asked.
"I'd suggest we split up into two groups. Cid, you and Umaro go the left,
while Cecil and I take the right." Aeris responded.
"Why do we have to split up? In my game only one group went through a
dungeon." Cecil remarked. Behind them was his answer. A platoon of SOLDIERs
charged at them. As mentioned, Cecil and Aeris to the right path, while Cid
and Umaro took the left path. The group of SOLDIERs split up to chase all
for.

As Bugenhagen got closer to the control room where everybody else was
supposed to be in, the Dark Knight suddenly appeared with his Mana Saber
ignited. Bugenhagen stepped up to the evil knight and ignited his Saber.
"Well, you are alive and floating as always. But your challenge against the
Shinra ends here." the Dark Knight darkly said.
"Ho ho ho. You're just ignorant as ever. Don't you know the physics of good
and evil must apply? When evil gets too powerful, good will defeat evil in
the end." Bugenhagen remarked, as he used his saber to block a blow.
"You underestimate the power of the dark side." the evil warrior coldy
stated.
"An you underestimate the powers of the Paladin." the old warrior replied,
moving in with his own blow.

As Aeris and Cecil rushed down the hall, they suddenly came upon a large
chasm.
"Great, what do we do now?" Cecil asked, his voice echoing. Aeris noticed
to ledges protruding from both sides. A peg was noticeable on each one.
"Cecil, head to that ledge!" Aeris ordered. They ran to that ledge, with
SOLDIERs still on their tails. Aeris then got Cecil to take out the whip
his found in the SOLDIERs outfit. With skill Aeris got the whip hooked on
the peg on the other ledge, and both Aeris and Cecil instantly leaped over
the great chasm.
"How did you know that would work?" inquired Cecil.
"Do you ever play Secret of Mana?" replied Aeris.

With lasers shooting at them, Cid and Umaro raced down the hallway, hoping
that the others would get back to the room safely. He heard a voice in the
hallway.
"Unknown personnel in the hallway, closing doors in thirty seconds." it
alerted.
"#@!$@# Now I know how Cloud must have felt when he ran through that
train." Cid remarked as he and Umaro rushed through the door, closing on
the approaching SOLDIERs.
"Damn you! Open the door!" the commander yelled.

Soon everybody returned to the control room, and got Red XIII to leave in
the middle of his thirtieth game of Solitaire, with the help of Robo and
Cait Sith. So the large group rushed down the hallway towards the Highwind,
knocking out any SOLDIERs they saw. The finally came upon the Highwind, and
the Dark Knight and Bugenhagen were fighting in front of it.
"Buge?" Cecil called. Bugenhagen stopped, and looked at Cecil. With that,
Bugenhagen raised his saber. It then turned into a cut scene. The Dark
Knight, noticing this, swung at Bugenhagen's side. Bugenhagen's body
disappeared, only his clothes and saber found on the ground.
"NOOOOOOO! Why is this happening?" Cecil screamed.
The evil warrior just laughed. "Pitiful. Someone had to die. Now he can't
never return. He's part of the lifestream."
Cecil looked sullen. "Oh man, why did he have to do this?"
"Look Cecil, you'll find out later. But if you just stand there the story
will never continue so lets get the freaking out of here!" Cid swore.

With everybody onboard, the Highwind's engines roared to life, and the
Highwind blasted into space. The Dark Knight raised his fist.
"I want that ship captured!" he roared. Kefka came to his side.
"Save that for another story! Besides, I placed a homing device on that
thing. But for the heck of it, I'll send a bunch of fighters!"

===================================================================
Chapter 5-The End?(or World Crisis)
===================================================================

It seemed like smooth flying. But the radar on the Highwind's control panel
proved wrong.
"@#$%@# Drat's we got bunch of @#%@# ISFs on us. Better charge up the
guns." Cid muttered.  Umaro complied.  Cid then rushed and grabbed Cecil.
"Cecil, snap out of it!  We got to play the shooting mini game!"  Cecil,
still silent, complied.  Cid then lead him to the ladders were the guns
were located.  Cecil went to the left guns, while Cid took the right guns.
Cait Sith and Robo look at this occuring, when explosions rocked the ship.
Cait Sith didn't care.
"When it's gonna be my turn?!" he demanded.
"You'll have to wait you fat cat.  Okay, let them eat lasers!" Cid replied,
and started shooting.  In four minutes, they only managed to shoot four
ships down, while fifteen more followed.  Aeris wasn't pleased.
"There's no time for that! The story must go on!  Fury Brand!" Aeris
shouted. Blue lightning hit all the other characters in the ship, and it
was followed by yellow circular lights.
"Why did max out our limit breaks for? Some of the others have no limit
breaks!" Cid complained.
"I wanted to max out your limit break, so you don't need to shoot them down
with the guns, and move on with this story quicker. The author's getting
bored quickly." she explained.
"Why didn't you say so? All right you Shinra scum, feel the wraith of the
Highwind!" Yellow light shone from Cid, as he unleashed his most powerful
limit break. Within seconds, explosions surrounded the ship, but nothing
hit the ship.

Cecil and the others were  wondering what was with the blue lightning and
the circular lights. Then they viewed the outside. After explosion and
explosion an ISF disappeared from the vastest of space.
"Hey! I wanted to do the Shooting mini game, and they won't let me!" Cait
Sith moaned.
Aeris replied, "Sorry, the author says otherwise." Then she faced Cecil as
he climbed out.
"I'm sorry Cecil, for what happened back there. But there was nothing you
have done about it. It was going to happen anyway." Cecil looked up to her.

"He gave up his life, to save all of us." Cecil muttered.
"No, he didn't. The story called for that! Yo, princess, your rebel friends
owe me 30,000 gil" Cid yelled as he climbed down.
"It that all you think about? Money? Look, get us to the base, we have
plans to analyze." Aeris retorted.
"I really don't care for this whole war thingy. I got dreams you know, and
get involved in rebelling is crazy in my opinion. How can I fulfill my
dreams if I die?"


With haste, the Highwind finally reached the base on Baron. Aeris explained
what happened to her and Nibelheim. The personnel there rushed Robo to the
main computer systems. There they took out the N64 cartridge from his
sockets, and plugged it in to the computer.
What booted up was FF7.
"Let me guess, they fit the entire FF7 game in the cartridge, right?"
"Wrong. I only fit the demo version in there." Robo, thinking he has the
password, tries to work it in to the game but couldn't.
"How do you get the plans out?" tossing the controller
"Like this." Aeris picks up the controller and enters a battle. As soon as
she does she runs away from the battle. The game instantly stopped. And the
plans for Meteor showed up.
"That was the oddest password I ever seen in my life." remarked Cait Sith.

Meanwhile the Meteor of Doom is edging closer to the planet of Baron.
Inside Kefka receives a message through the intercom.
"Kefka, we have approached the Baron system. We are going to orbit the
planet soon." the intercom crackled
"Soon. SOON! Heidegger, I don't settle for soon. I settle for NOW!" was
Kefka's reply.
Back at the rebel base all the pilots are gathered at the briefing of the
lifetime. The alliance found a way to destroy Meteor. Biggs and Wedge is in
the group. So are heroes of Chrono Trigger, and Final Fantasy IV and VI.
Cid, Cecil, Cait Sith, Robo, Red XIII, Umaro, and Aeris were there to.
Banon is presiding over the meeting. A projection screen is used to display
the Meteor plans.
"The Meteor of Doom is the Shinra's most powerful weapon. It has the
ability to destroy a planet. But we have a plan to destroy it. To do this
only starfighters will be sent."
A skeptical pilot raises his hand. "But sir, would the battle station have
defenses against starfighters?"
Banon continues, "Not really. The defenses are for a capital ship attack,
not a starfighter one. So starfighters would get through its turbolaser
defense." He points to the projection of the battle station. "As you can
see here, we found a trench that would lead us to the exhaust port. It
leads directly to the main reactor, which is powered by Mana energy. We aim
to drop a bomb through the port that would cause a Holy Explosion and use
the Mana energy against the station. The apparent result is Holy would be
summoned within the station and destroy it inside out." Everybody is now
murmuring in the room. "Get to your fighter squadrons, and may the
Lifestream guard us all."

Cecil changed into a pilot's outfit, and headed to talk to Cid.
"Cid, why don't you stay? The rebellion would like to have you aboard?"
pleaded Cecil.
"Look, man. All I wanted was money, and I just got it. Now I'm in big
trouble with the Shinra already." responded Cid.
"Interesting, considering you were the most liable to attack them in our
group." Cecil reminded.
"Big deal. If they kill me, how am I gonna use the money? The whole mission
is suicidal." Cid walked away. Aeris came up to Cecil.
"It's best to let him go. Everyone has his own destiny." comforted Aeris.
Biggs joined in the conversation.
"Unbelievable man. How you get here?" Biggs asked, looking surprised.
"I found the droids with the plans. I actually bought them. Then the Shinra
came. How about you?" Cecil told his story.
"Me, Kain, and the others found a ship and jumped pilot school. Man, can't
believe it, both of us are part of the rebellion, fighting the Shinra." was
Biggs responsed. They departed and went to their respective starfighters.

There were two types of starfighters. One was designed to look like the
Epoch in flight, and it required a R-series droid. The other looked like a
jet from the upcoming FF8. Cecil climbed in his Epoch, having Robo as his
R-Series companion. Cait Sith looked up as Robo got in the Epoch.
"Take care Robo. Come back unhurt!" Cait Sith waved goodbye, as all the
starfighter craft started their engines and blasted of into space.

In space the starfighters didn't seem to threaten the Meteor of Doom.
Nevertheless the pilots kept their hopes up. Cecil has his, especially when
he heard Bugenhagen's voice in his head saying, "May the Lifestream guard
you." The small fleet of craft approached the giant space station. The
turbolasers started firing, but the lasers missed their mark. The
starfighters dispersed, responding with their own volley of lasers.

Within the station everybody was scurrying around. Shinra pilots rushed to
the hangers and jumped in their ISFs, hoping to keep out the rebel
starfighters. The Dark Knight even joined them, jumping in his prototype
ISF. The important commanders, except Kefka, all seemed nervous, especially
after Rufus found out how the alliance aimed to destroy the station.
"Kefka, you're crazy! There's a slight chance that a starfighter might
destroy the station with one bomb. I suggest we leave." Rufus pleaded.
Kefka was still confident. "The rebellion will be destroyed! They must feel
my Light of Judgement! The Dark Knight will prevail over those
starfighters. If you people are a bunch of crybabies why you don't leave
now?"
Rufus stamped his foot. "Fine Mister Kill Everybody. Let's go guys. Leave
the executioner to his execution." The rest of the bad guys departed.

But it would seem for a while that Kefka was right. While the many ISF
craft kept other rebel fighters busy, the Dark Knight and two escorts would
chase the starfighters that attempted to drop the bomb in the exhaust pipe.
The rebel fighters would either miss the target, or get shot down by the
dark warrior. Then came Cecil's turn. So he had Wedge and Biggs escort him.
The Dark Knight fired a volley of shots on the three. Wedge's FF8 jet was
hit, but it escaped unharmed. By then Bigss and Cecil's confidence began to
crack.
"I don't know Cecil, I don't know how long I can hold off these guys."
Biggs croaked through the radio.
"Neither do I, but we must make it. Robo, try to make the ship faster."
Cecil replied. Robo, directly connected to the ship, tried his best to make
it run faster. It wouldn't matter, because the Dark Knight shot down Biggs.
"Biggs!" he yelled as the damaged craft fell to the surface. Now the Shinra
has really hurt him. His brother, aunt, uncle, and now Biggs. With renewed
vigor, he returned to the task at hand, keeping an eye on the targeting
computer.

Back at the rebel base Aeris kept an eye on the ships via the control room.
It also kept track on Meteor's progress. It seemed though that the Shinra
might win, as the planet destroyer crept towards firing range.

In the space station Kefka felt vindicated as the craft reached firing
range. "Ha ha ha. Judgement day for the rebels is here! Hojo, fire the
Sister Ray!" he laughed.
"We can't. The ray hasn't finshed powering up!" Hojo replied.

Cecil still kept his eye on the targeting computer, hoping this nightmare
would soon be over. Then he heard Bugenhagen's voice again. "Cecil, don't
use your eyes. Use your mind."
The Dark Knight warrior also felt Bugenhagen's presence. "You have the
protection of the lifestream. But not for long!" He fired at the craft. The
blast only damaged the ship slightly, yet Robo was deactivated. Apparently
something casted Mbarrier on the craft. As Cecil looked back to check on
Robo, he saw a familiar ship coming and shooting down his pursuers, except
the Dark Knight, whose ship instantly maneuvered out of the Highwind's way
and jumped into hyperspace.
"Hey, Cecil. Just blow the thing up and get outta here!" Cid's voice
crackled on the radio. With full concentration Cecil launched his Holy
bombs, and they went through the port. In seconds they would reach the main
reactor. Soon the rebel starfighters and the Highwind turned around and
head back to the rebel base. In a brilliant light display the giant space
station was engulfed in white light and exploded with a huge shockwave.

As Cecil got out of the base he was instantly greeted by all the pilots who
wanted to congratulate him. He really only wanted to see Aeris and Cid. As
she came to him, he hugged her.
"Unbelievable, you did it!" she congratulated.
"We did it!" he cheered. Cid came up to him.
"Man, what a shot, you were going against all the odds." Cid said with
glee.
"Cid, I hoped you joined us." Cecil remarked. Then a machine takes Robo
down to the ground. Damage was noticeable everywhere. Cait Sith looked at
Robo, then placed his hands on his face.
"Oh no. Robo. What have they done to him?" Cait Sith asked. Two men came up
to Robo.
"Don't worry. We'll take him to Lucca. She'll fix him just in time." one of
the repair men replied.
"In time for what?" Cecil asked.
"The medal awarding ceremony." was the answer.

The next day, it was total celebration on the planet Baron. The ceremony
was held outside the base. A stage was set up for the high officials of the
alliance. Banon and Aeris were at the center of the stage. In the audience
were the elite soldiers and pilots of the rebellion. They were in uniform.
The high officials were in formal wear. They stand erect as Cecil, Cid,
bith in suits, Umaro, and Red XIII walked through the center. Robo and Cait
Sith were following behind, both having been polished and looking new. When
they reached the stage, Cid, Cecil, Umaro, and Red XIII lined up before
Banon and Aeris, while the two droids stood to the side. "To you four, the
alliance has rewarded you the greatest honor, the Hero's honor." Aeris
announced. Banon placed the medals on, but Red XIII was reluctant.
"I can't accept this. I hardly did anything." Aeris came up to him.
"Don't be silly. You helped us, abit in a small way." She rubbed his head,
and personally placed the medal on him. On the side Robo was wiping his
eyes.
"Unbelievable. Oil is blocking my eyes." The four new heroes of the
alliance turned towards the great crowd. Umaro roared. Then instantly
everybody clapped, cheered, and did a victory dance.

Fanfic completed on August 13, 1998.
Revised March 9, 1999