On the Way to a Smile – Episode:Shin-Ra
Sector Five was the Shinra Residential Area filled with a number of houses built next to one another but, only those with a pass could enter the warehouse built next to the Mako reactor. It was surrounded by a high wall and there was only one entrance. There was a large solid gate that won’t open without the right passkey. However, there was also an emergency passkey that only staff of certain high status knew that allowed them to bypass and change the main keys too. Rude and Reno stood outside the gate and quickly entered the passkey that Tseng told them and arrived at the main warehouse door but it was already open.
“The army did this?”
“Possibly.”
Cautiously the two of them made their way to Sector Eight’s warehouse that also stored some weapons. On their way through Sector Four they noticed the door for warehouse dispatchments there was also open. They hid themselves in the shadows to investigate.
“Hey, they’re just average civilians.”
There were people that were young and old, women and men going in and out of the warehouse. Even children.
“Sector Four’s warehouse holds construction tools and machinery.”
Just as Rude said, the people were carrying away medium-sized machinery while the children were carrying smaller tools such as drills.
“What are they going to do with it all?”
Just as Reno began to wonder, they heard cheers from Sector Five. It seems they managed to open the door there too.
This is bad, Reno. The emergency fuel supplies are in the Sector Five warehouse.”
“Mako?”
“No. It’s gasoline that we made for emergencies. We’ll need it.”
“Well, this is great.”
Wanting to settle the situation in a peaceful way, Rude and Reno went to stand before the crowd and spoke in a non-threatening voice, “We’re personnel from Shinra Company — Who’s in charge here?”
“I am,” said a well-dressed young woman. You could say she was still in her teens.
“Oh?” Reno looked at her. “And what are you doing?” he continued with a low voice. The woman suddenly looked anxious.
“We were told to collect the machinery we needed to build a town from—”
“By who?”
“A Mr. Kylegate from the army.”
“So it’s this Kylegate that told you the passkey to open the gate and warehouse door?”
“Yes, that’s right. Sorry, did we do something wrong? We heard that the Shinra Army are now independent and were starting to rebuild the town so we came here as volunteers.”
Rude and Reno looked at each other as the girl continued to look at them anxiously. They were curious what the army was up to but the girl and the rest of the people really did seem to be simply volunteers.
“Well, if you’re just taking what those tools then there won’t be any problems,”said Reno nodding at Rude slightly.
Quickly Rude added, “But only take the fuel you need for the time being. It must be rationed.”
“Yes, sir.”
The girl went back to work. Rude and Reno stood watching over them until they finished. They watched the last person carrying a small electric generator leave the gates. The volunteers were very happy and gave their thanks to the two.
“Midgar has a bright future.”
“We can’t say that yet. Come on.”
“What?”
“We must secure transport, weapons and fuel. Then we have to change all the passkeys. The doors and gates – everything.”
By late night, Tseng and Elena who came to check on them helped with the work but it wasn’t until morning before they finished. Returning home, the four of them decided they should take a nap but they were woken up before it was even daylight by Veld.
“You gave me quite a surprise for an old man who’s supposed to be dead.”
“I should be the one surprised that Turks are sleeping for this long.”
“We’re just happy we could see you again.”
“—” Veld replied to Reno’s smile with silence and began his report on Junon’s Lieutenant Kylegate. “The lieutenant was supposed to be on vacation but he summoned his troops here to Midgar. This morning he organised an assembly at the east side of Midgar to perform a speech. He proposed to build a new city on these grounds and had people gather tools that belongs to Shinra—”
“Veld… Sir,” Tseng began unsure how to address his former superior. “Your information conforms to what we have gathered but please tell me. On what grounds do you come to us with this information?”
Rude and Reno looked at each other, unsure of what Tseng’s intentions were. Veld was like a father who raised the Turks.
“A reason—” Veld’s eyes narrowed. “Retribution or perhaps paying back a favour?”
“—I thank you for your information but there is no need for retribution and you don’t owe any favours.”
“What the hell, ” cut in Reno with an irritated voice, “What’s all this about needing a reason for information and retribution? Who cares about that? I’m just simply—”
“Simply what?” Tseng invited him to continue but Reno quietened down.
Seeing Reno’s reaction, Veld began speaking again, “Reno. You Turks are like my—”But he too couldn’t speak out the last few words and swallowing them, the room fell into silence. A moment later, Reno opened his mouth again as if he had repented on how he had acted earlier like a young boy.
“The tools were taken away by volunteers from the warehouse yesterday,” he said in his formal tone as if to hide the embarassment of letting his emotions take over earlier.
“But a lieutenant shouldn’t know the passkey,” mused Rude.
“That’s the key point to all of this. While on vacation the lieutenant stayed in Kalm. He found out the passkey that he shouldn’t know. Who could he have learned it from? Where did the President disappear from?”
Hearing Veld’s words, they all suddenly stood up together but Tseng calmed them down and asked, “What kind of man is Kylegate?”
Veld shared all the information he had regarding Kylegate. He was born in a wealthy family but after losing both his parents, he became head of the family. With his status there was never a need for him to join the army but it appears his will was to defeat Shinra’s enemies and bring peace to the world. He has talent as a soldier but was criticised about his character.
“Torture. Cruelty. Whether it was training or on the battlefield he always overdid things and stood out. There are rumours that he joined the army to legally satisfy those desires.”
“I see—Then do you have any idea where the President may be?”
“—In Kalm. At Kylegate’s mansion.”
Before Veld could finish, Rude, Reno and Elena rushed out of the room but Reno paused to look back—
“Where are the other Turks? It would be much more reassuring if they were all here.”
“They are spread out around the world gathering information— But they’re also leading their own lives now. We all gathered together under Meteor because we all felt the same way that day. We can’t force any of them to come along with us now.”
Hearing Veld’s words, Reno looked discontent but he turned and left in silence.
“What do you plan to do now, Sir?” asked Tseng as he made his way to the door to follow his subordinates.
“I will go to Junon again. Reeve is headed there.”
“That is curious.”
“Yes. It’s not just Reeve. Just this once it doesn’t look like I can read the minds of everyone involved this time.”
“The Turks are different. Perhaps the same could be said of everyone that gathered that night. They are all loyal to your teachings.”
“In other words— They’re a bunch of people whose minds I can’t read,” said Veld as he walked pass Tseng through the door first. “Look after the President.”
As Tseng watched Veld leaving he muttered, “I wish you could have watched me leave like you did in the past, Sir—”
