Econ class is my new excuse for writing.
And lo, another fic. There's actually FF7 characters in it this time! Shock!
Bits of this also owe credit to The Songbird, the Suit, and the Solder.
Entering the Shinra Building made Sarah nervous, no matter how much she reminded herself of the precautions they'd made. There was the customary prickle of energy from the wards as they did their work and recognized her as a Shinra employee. Her ties to Shinra were actually rather fragile at best, but were within the interests of the Crown. Still, she tended to clutch her purse a little closer as she was scanned, just in case. Master Luc said it was good to be cautious.
As always, the trip up to the sixtieth floor was uneventful. Then she noticed that nestled in the knots of lounging employees there were the dark suits of the Turks. Sarah reached for her purse and opened it. The water bottle was there, waiting. She murmured to herself, gathering energy. Such a stupid thing to do in the middle of the Tower, with wards everywhere. It was either activating the wards and bringing everyone up here or the Turks and the labs and Hojo and--
"Lost, miss?"
Sarah snapped out of her trance. It wasn't a Turk that asked, but a woman in red Shinra livery. "I'm fine, thank you. I'm just waiting for someone." Keep her there. Turks hate witnesses. "I'm sorry to have raised your concern over nothing." Sarah dipped down in a short bow.
"Oh, think nothing of it, miss." The woman bowed deeply. "Have a good day." Sarah's lifeline walked away. Images of what she knew waited for her eight floors up flashed through her mind. The fear was controlling her, despite Master Luc's training and assurances. She knew she at least looked composed. The turmoil was in her mind, and there it would stay.
"I couldn't help but overhear you were waiting for someone, Miss Crescent." Now a Turk began to close in on her. Still too many people to do something major, but not enough to keep them away.
Sarah clutched her purse again. "Bishop Hojo is meeting me here, Mister... Tseng, was it?"
The Turk nodded. "Tseng, yes." He continued, "The bishop is currently tending to Lord Rufus. He seems to be having a crisis of faith, you see." His voice was softer now, but even more insistent. "Miss Crescent, given your loyalties to Company employees and the Crown, it would serve your interests and ours to work with Doctor--"
"Stop bullying my assistant, Tseng." Master Luc. Sarah allowed herself to show some signs of relief as he strode from the elevator and stood at her side. "We're serving the interest of the Company and the Crown just as things stand."
"Of course, m'lord bishop," Tseng responded coolly. "I'm simply presenting options, that's all." He bowed. "My lord, Miss Crescent." He left, and slowly the other Turks rose and left as well.
The bishop sighed and turned towards Sarah. "They'll have to stop this, sometime. Albert will work on ways to placate them." Master Luc suddenly looked very weary. "We're not going back to that man, Sarah." She knew he said it as much to assure himself as to calm her, though she'd never let him know that.
"I won't go," Sarah said. "My place is at your side, Master Luc."
Bits of this also owe credit to The Songbird, the Suit, and the Solder.
Entering the Shinra Building made Sarah nervous, no matter how much she reminded herself of the precautions they'd made. There was the customary prickle of energy from the wards as they did their work and recognized her as a Shinra employee. Her ties to Shinra were actually rather fragile at best, but were within the interests of the Crown. Still, she tended to clutch her purse a little closer as she was scanned, just in case. Master Luc said it was good to be cautious.
As always, the trip up to the sixtieth floor was uneventful. Then she noticed that nestled in the knots of lounging employees there were the dark suits of the Turks. Sarah reached for her purse and opened it. The water bottle was there, waiting. She murmured to herself, gathering energy. Such a stupid thing to do in the middle of the Tower, with wards everywhere. It was either activating the wards and bringing everyone up here or the Turks and the labs and Hojo and--
"Lost, miss?"
Sarah snapped out of her trance. It wasn't a Turk that asked, but a woman in red Shinra livery. "I'm fine, thank you. I'm just waiting for someone." Keep her there. Turks hate witnesses. "I'm sorry to have raised your concern over nothing." Sarah dipped down in a short bow.
"Oh, think nothing of it, miss." The woman bowed deeply. "Have a good day." Sarah's lifeline walked away. Images of what she knew waited for her eight floors up flashed through her mind. The fear was controlling her, despite Master Luc's training and assurances. She knew she at least looked composed. The turmoil was in her mind, and there it would stay.
"I couldn't help but overhear you were waiting for someone, Miss Crescent." Now a Turk began to close in on her. Still too many people to do something major, but not enough to keep them away.
Sarah clutched her purse again. "Bishop Hojo is meeting me here, Mister... Tseng, was it?"
The Turk nodded. "Tseng, yes." He continued, "The bishop is currently tending to Lord Rufus. He seems to be having a crisis of faith, you see." His voice was softer now, but even more insistent. "Miss Crescent, given your loyalties to Company employees and the Crown, it would serve your interests and ours to work with Doctor--"
"Stop bullying my assistant, Tseng." Master Luc. Sarah allowed herself to show some signs of relief as he strode from the elevator and stood at her side. "We're serving the interest of the Company and the Crown just as things stand."
"Of course, m'lord bishop," Tseng responded coolly. "I'm simply presenting options, that's all." He bowed. "My lord, Miss Crescent." He left, and slowly the other Turks rose and left as well.
The bishop sighed and turned towards Sarah. "They'll have to stop this, sometime. Albert will work on ways to placate them." Master Luc suddenly looked very weary. "We're not going back to that man, Sarah." She knew he said it as much to assure himself as to calm her, though she'd never let him know that.
"I won't go," Sarah said. "My place is at your side, Master Luc."