Deepground Facility: Ragnarok

μ - εγλ 1999 November 10

Far beneath the Shinra Building, the SOLDIER medical facility officially known as Deepground, sat. Elevators down to the facility and inter-plate tunnels leading in were all shut down due to a Mako Leak at Reactor 0. Officially, Reactor 0 was powered down and the facility was deemed defunct.

That was years ago.

Two 1st Class SOLDIERs stood at attention as Main Gate opened. The sleek black car drove in through the metallic tunnel as various blue lights lit the way.  The car pulled up in front of the two SOLDIERs. The railcar opened up an older man with a long green trench coat, a high red collar, and a thick black beard stepped out. Just behind him was a blonde woman in a tight red dress suit.

"Gya ha ha ha, Director Scarlet, you should see the look on your face," said the man in the green suit. "You look startled."

"Heidegger, this is my first official day as Director of Weapons Development," Scarlet said. "It's a big deal for President Shinra to trust me with such knowledge."

"Not just knowledge, responsibility." Heidegger, the man in the green suit, saluted the SOLDIERs and kept walking. Scarlet fell into step behind him. "Since ex-Director Kitas defected from the company, secrets like this may leak. Fortunately, Veld's Turks should be bringing him into custody today. Once that's solved, we'll no longer have to worry about word of this facility getting out."

"It seems Professor Hojo has done enough here," Scarlet said to Heidegger. They passed rows of men in outdated uniforms with thick tubes of glowing Mako running over the surface.  "These are the dregs, the failures. I'm not sure there's much room for me."  She stepped up to a soldier and ran her finger along the tube. "I mean, by Minerva's grace, this tech is antiquated. It's still actively filtering Mako into their systems."

Heidegger gave his harsh laugh once more. "Gya ha ha ha. The President lets Hojo run wild with his experiments. Let me introduce you to Ragnarok and then we'll talk about our problem... and how you can help."

"Ragnarok?" Scarlet asked.

Heidegger laughed again.

---

The whole of Deepground was a sort of lost level in the Midgar complex, accessible only through secure and defunct tunnels, which Heidegger had brought Scarlet through, as well as a private, and secretive, elevator from the Science Department. The Courtyard was a wide area developed from the SOLDIER holographic training room tech, the only opportunity for those in Deepground to perceive the outside world once more. After all, once they arrived, they were only allowed out with special permissions. Only the Tsviets ever got that.

One of the medical sites was turned into a barracks for most of the members. On the seventh floor of the barracks, a man leaned heavily on the window frame. He was tall, broad shouldered and young. His hair was cut close the scalp. The back of his head was marked with several scars. A large kobuto helm with two long horns lay on the floor next to a gold-hilted sword. He wore a dark blue trench coat with large golden pauldrons and dark red leather straps. His eyes glowed a brilliant yellow. Beneath the trench coat was metal disc implanted in his bear chest. A red materia orb glowed from the inside. He made sure the materia was visible to all who saw him.

"The Director is here," he said to his gathered lieutenants. "Nero and Weiss are bringing them here as we speak. No doubt for an audience with your unholy emperor."  He turned and with a heavy effort, slumped into a chair. The woman to his right, Argento the Silver, wore a long white coat with blue pauldrons and a similar, though-unhorned helm. She was missing her right eye. As he slumped into the chair she helped him.

This weak-seeming man was their mighty emperor. The head of the Tsviets. Ragnarok the Achromatic.

He looked at the other Tsviets. "Clean this up. Quickly."  This referred to the broken body of the latest to challenge him. The unfortunate soul was little more than an empty husk, drained of all life.

Rosso the Crimson looked to her right at her companion. Surely, she wouldn't be the one to remove the body.

Next to Rosso the Crimson stood a raven haired beauty. She was neither tall or muscular, but unlike her companions in the Tsviets, F3-L1-X the Amaranth was built for speed and grace. Heidegger had even referred to her as a "Honey pot," bit the meaning had been lost on the Toysaurus.

"Clean this up. Quickly."

Wordlessly, F3-L1-X did as ordered, grabbing an arm and dragging the body of the foolish challenger away. That was just the way of things here. She felt no compassion for the dead. She didn't question why he had challenged Ragnarok, nor why he had been killed. Emotions were a mask she wore as needed, but when she was here, there was no reason to pretend that she had such things.

Ragnarok sat in his chair, slumped to one side with a bored disposition. The doors opened the once-seventh floor lobby. The "emperor" barely raised an eyebrow as Heidegger and Scarlet walked in. The gathered Tsviets knew to stand at attention in Heidegger's presence.

"Seiger P. S." Ragnarok said in salute before giving a long yawn."

"Seiger P. S." Heidegger echoed. The gathered Tsviets returned the salute.

"Seiger P. S.?" Scarlet asked, turning to Heidegger.

"Children such as Nero, Weiss, and Rosso grew up here in Deepground. Born in Shinra's service. Bred to be the pinnacle of the SOLDIER program. As a community of orphans, they've developed their own language. Seiger... hail... P. S. President Shinra."

"How loyal," Scarlet said. She turned from Heidegger and began looking over the Tsviets. "All products of different programs?" she asked.

"Most of Hojo's processes are... taxing," Heidegger told her. "Gya ha ha. Few survive into adulthood. And this place can be quite violent. Isn't that right Ragnarok?"

"Like the new name?" the man asked from his seat.

"You've settled in well this past year," Heidegger told him. "You brought Deepground to heel. Most impressive."

Ragnarok thunked the materia in his chest. "I suppose I have the big H to thank for that." He stretched a bit lackadaisically before getting up. He slunk across the room like a groggy cat. "So who do we have here?" As he prowled behind Scarlet, she froze. They were standing just in front of Fee. She had just been examining the artificial woman when Ragnarok came up to her. "It's quite rare we get visitors."

Scarlet whirled on him sharply, not about to take his crap. "You will address me as Director Scarlet or ma'am. I am the new Head of Weapons Development. That makes me one of your new directors. Understand?"

Ragnarok rolled his eyes. "Well, Kitas didn't have the stomach for this work. It's pretty gruesome down here." He started to walk back to his chair and then said over his shoulder. "Brave of you to two to come down here without your guard dogs. No Sephiroth?"

"Insolent cur," Scarlet growled.

F3-L1-X had stood with the others and salute as needed. Protocol, no matter how boring, she understood perfectly. She also felt she understood Ragnarok. He gave the salute, but it was clear that in Deepground, he was king.

She had paid Scarlett's lingering gaze little attention, but when the woman rose to Ragnarok's baiting, she moved with fluid movements, practiced hundreds of times. Her small hand slid to her back and pulled out Midnight, her pistol and one true partner. In the same movement she took aim at Scarlett's head but didn't fire.

Yes, Seiger P.S. and all, but this was Deepground and Ragnarok was king. Her face was still cold and expressionless. This wasn't personal, it was just how things worked in Deepground.

Though Fee could not see the look on Scarlet's face, the woman's perfectly still frame indicated she understood the danger she was in. Heidegger cut the tension with a laugh. "Gya ha ha. Now that we've all been acquainted here, why don't we get on with business." He raised his scarred eye's brow at Scarlet. "This isn't regular SOLDIER we're dealing with. But," he turned to Ragnarok, "The President's Promise of Neo-Midgar, and your role to play in it is why we don't need Sephiroth here."

Ragnarok smirked and his demeanor started to change. "...Y-yeah. Neo-Midgar." He went over to the floor and picked up his gold hilted sword, lifting in front of his face. "A SOLDIER's honor. Fee, stand down."

F3-L1-X put her gun back in place with a nod. Heidegger understood, that much was certain. The question was, how much was truth? F3-L1-X felt that Ragnarok wasn't entirely trusting of the promises made. If the Tsviets were bei g lied to, someone would die. Painfully. Horribly. Not that it mattered. She would do her part, either way.

But that was for later. Today had another question, so she waited patiently for it to be asked.

Heidegger nodded as Fee put her gun away. "We need a tour of Patricia and her crew. I need to get Scarlet up to speed, but traversing Deepground without your say can be... problematic."

Ragnarok barked a short laugh. "Patricia is... stable. Weiss, F3-L1-X, take them to Patricia and see that no harm comes to them."

"You're sending her?" Scarlet asked, looking at Fee.

"Is that a problem?" Ragnarok asked. "You have my word. On my honor. As SOLDIER."

If anyone was watching closely, they'd see his free hand tremor before he swept it behind his back.

Argento gave a loud "SEIGER P.S.!!" Weiss shrugged and opened the door.

"Shall we?"

F3-L1-X presented Heidegger and Scarlet with a beautiful smile.

"This way, please?"

This was her working smile. As if a switch had been flipped she now had emotions ready to be displayed fully. She took point leading because Scarlet would feel safer without F3-L1-X behind her. Not that she was. Weiss was formidable in his own right, but even without him, F3-L1-X was capable on her own.

They went out of the old medical facility and further down a narrow catwalk. As they went, Heidegger explained to Scarlet. "The entire structure has been sealed except for the entrance we used and the service elevator to Shinra HQ. Most injured SOLDIERs, and the wash outs, come here for further experimentation. Those that survive join the ranks of Deepground. Only the strongest survive and become a colored tsviet. Technically Martino grants them SSS rank."

"We're ranked higher than Sephiroth!" Weiss said. Despite the sword on his back and the 1st Rank SOLDIER uniform, Weiss was a twelve year old kid. Albeit tall for his age with spikey white hair and already a failure muscular form, the warrior was a child. "I think I could take him in a fight. He wasn't much older than me when he joined the Wutai War."

"Gya ha ha," Heidegger said. "Perhaps one day."

"And Ragnarok?" Scarlet asked.

"Some get injured in the war. Some don't make it back to the front. The leader of the Wusheng drove a sword straight through his chest. Hojo saved him."

Scarlet looked back at Fee. "And what's your story?"

They continued from the catwalk to a long winding metal stairwell. They were were almost to Patricia.

F3-L1-X looked back over her shoulder and smiled sweetly. (Charm 75 if needed)

"F3-L1-X the Amaranth. Fee for short. I was designed for rapid response, infiltration, assassination, and espionage. I believe I was originally meant to be incorporated into the Turks, but fit better here as a Tsviet."

-20 Charm Modifier (you did just point a gun at her head)

Rolling...

The member 'WaW' has done the following action : d100 Reel

---

'd100' :

Result :

"With that temper, no wonder," Scarlet said. "Tsk, the Turks are all cool headed. Boringly so, actually."

"We're here," Weiss said.

They had come to a large set of sealed doors, the kind you'd find deep within a reactor in case of a meltdown. Weiss bit his thumb on a scanner and it lit up. The doors groaned open. Inside was a large open room with a glass containment cylinder. With was a dense blue cloud coursing with electricity.

"Meet Patricia," Weiss said. He walked forward in awe. "The seat of the World Network. She contains data on all Tsviets, collects it, harnesses it, and helps design new ones."

At various computers at the base of the cylinder were workers in white lab coats. They wore gas masks over their faces. Along the walls were very mako chambers in which makonoids, SOLDIER, and other experiments floated.

"Do we need masks?" Scarlet asked.

"Gya ha ha," Heidegger said stepping forward. "No, nonsense. We'll be fine."

"Wait," Weiss said. "Watch out for..."

A burly man-beast with gears sticking out of his flesh, glowing mako tubes, and a metal mandible for a jaw leapt from ceiling, smashing Heidegger to the floor. Weiss darted forward but the beast knocked him to the ground.

Cataract was attacking. Scarlet stepped back by Fee. "We have Ragnarok's protection!" The beast dived at her anyway.

F3-L1-X shoved Scarlet to the side so she wpuld be safe from the dive. This wouldn't allow her much time to react where she a normal human. All she needed was the minimum amount of space and time to get out of the way and maneuver into firing position. (Grace 75? If that doesn't work for the situation Dodge 50)

Assuming she managed to dodge, F3-L1-X would try to fire on one of the Man I tubes in hopes of weakening Cataract.
(Combat 50)

-0 for Grace to keep cool.

+25 for Combat check.

The member 'WaW' has done the following action : d100 Reel

---

#1 'd100' :

#1 Result :


--------------------------------

#2 'd100' :

#2 Result :

Fee was graceful under pressure. The shattered Mako tube and the flailing man-beast was evident of that. Scarlet walked up to the pitiful creature and cocked her head to one side. "What's wrong with him?"

"Mako addiction," Heidegger said getting up. "Older iterations of SOLDIER only use Mako Injections. It's addictive. If they get too addicted to it, they start to become Makonoids." He gestured at the tanks along the walls. "Then they're only good for harvesting."

Scarlet turned to Fee. "Thank you."

"Thank you."

F3-L1-X was a little caught off guard by the woman thanking her. Those were not words normally heard in Deepground. Still, she smiled and nodded before aiming at Cataract's head.

"Weiss, should I end him? He attacked the ones I am to protect."

Ending him or not, it would he foolish to let their guard down in case he moved to attack again.

"He's still useful!" called out one of the researchers. A woman in a lab coat with a brown military uniform underneath came forward. Este-D, head of Deepground research shook her gasmask clad head. "We're still working on how to calm the beasts."

Heidegger got off the ground and looked at his torn coat. He shook his head. "Weiss, F3-L1-X, take Cataract outside. Scarlet and I need to speak with Patricia and the team."

"Seiger P. S.," F3-L1-X answered.

She motioned for Weiss to grab one of Cataract's arms while she went for the other. Taking the beast to the ground on her own was one thing. Dragging him out of the room one her own was another matter, and better suited to two people than one if being cautious.

Once the two were out, Heidegger look back at the door and then at Este-D. The woman was off her rocker on the best of days.

"Seriously, do we need a gask mask?" Scarlet asked.

"No," Este-D said. "It's for occasional mako leaks. No leaks here... today." She turned back to Patricia and put her hand on the blue cylinder. It was at least 3 meters in diameter and eight meters tall. "New weapons director. Got memo. Problem?"

"Introductions," Heidegger said.

"Designed Sister Ray. Useless with bio-engineering. Don't need weapons director," Este-D said.

"Actually, you do," Scarlet said snarkily. "The Tsviets aren't exactly controlled or obedient. At any moment, they could pose a serious threat for Shinra."

"Neo-Jenova Project will solve that," Este-D said. She walked over to a series of pods along the wall. She rushed her hand over the forms inside. "The Synaptic Net process has been particularly strong. Patricia keeps them immersed in a dream of Neo-Midgar, exposed to a facsimile of the President every hour. They'll be the most loyal subjects ever generated." She started twitched uncontrollably. Scarlet stepped back in revulsion.

"And, uh, these subjects, will they be able to properly control the Tsviets?" she asked hesitantly.

"Hojo has made the perfect freakshow with them," Heidegger said. He started laughing. "How much do you know about the Jenova Project?"

She looked in the pods to find four identical bodies floating in a mako bath. Metal helms covered their heads with a brilliant blue light indicating they were on and engaged. "I read the files. President Shinra wanted a Cetran..."

---

"I want outside," Weiss said. He sat with his back against the cool metal. "I saw footage of Sephiroth fighting in Wutai. What... what do you think it feels like? It has to feel different than the holo-room. I mean like, actual rain? Director Martino said when I'm older." He looked down and brushed a hand through his spikey white hair. "What do you think, Fee? Do you remember what it's like to be outside?"

((This is presuming Fee was brought into Deepground and hadn't spent her whole life there. If she has, you can interpret this on having been given a rare mission, perhaps to recover Ragnarok's body when he was injured. Or Weiss, a twelve year old kid, could just be wrong. Play with it how you like.))

F3-L1-X was quiet for a moment. She had originally been assembled as part of a project for the Turks, but mid assembly she had been transferred to Deepground. She had been partially conscious, but never knew why she was transferred. It had made her unique among the the other projects but even still, she had earned her place among the Tsviets.

"Rain feels... Like a shower. Except the temperature knob doesn't work right and the water pressure seems to have a mind of its own. It felt... Nice."

Her first mission had been to retrieve Ragnarok. Her second had been the one with rain. She had stood on the plate of Sector 5, her synthetic skin ingoring the cold of the rain. Her target had thought her just another woman in the bar and after some flirting, had invited her back to his place. They never made ot that far. In a dark alley, she had put two rounds in his brain, collected his identification as proof, and made her way to the extraction point where SOLDIER operatives had escorted her back to Deepground.

"Weiss, Sephiroth isn't like us. He was trained to play the role of a hero. Our duty is much heavier. We are destroyers. Weapons more deadly than Sephiroth. It's why we are not on the news. We can never be like normal humans."

She thought for a moment and then smiled at him. "Well, your chances of being normal are better than mine."

Weiss nodded after a few moments. He took a deep breath. Stood up and stretched. He gave a boyish laugh. "Still, I wonder what it'd be like to duel him!"

The doors opened to Patricia and Heidegger and Scarlet stepped out. Scarlet wore a sly smile and a twinkle in her eyes. Even Heidegger seemed to have a new haughtiness to his gate. "We would like escorted back to our car now," Heidegger said. "Hopefully we won't have other incidents like Cataract here."

F3-L1-X saluted and once again allowed Weiss to take lead. She was somewhat suspicious of the way Scarlet and Heidegger looked, but had no evidence that there was something wrong. Instead she stuck to being their guide.

(Danger Sense 20 just to be sure.)

-0 Danger Sense