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 Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 5:29 pm
Her head lifted, as she stared out from the mouth of the cave. Someone had just suffered. She could feel it in waves, and it made a knot in the pit of her stomach. She was for once, without armor, garbed in black and white, her red hair fanning her face, as she made her way through the children scattered along the cavern, to stand at the very entrance.
The last falling rays of the sun licked at her pale skin, casting it a soft hue of gold. Blue gray eyes turned briefly inside, towards the back of the cave where, when she had last checked, her charge was sleeping. Chris seemed so clingy of late. She could understand why. With everything that was happening, all of the pain, he worried that she would leave. It would take something enormous to cause that to happen, but she reassured him continually.
She shook her head briefly, and made her way down through the mountain passes. She would investigate. After all, she had a unique ability none of the others did. She could 'vanish' back to where she originally came from at a moments notice. The nice thing about being a Guardian Force.. sort of. Unfortunately, she'd have to walk all the way back, if she wanted to return to where she'd vanished from. Her weapon was at her side, half in her hands, as she made her way down.
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 8:48 pm
Headmaster Cid stood in the center of the main cavern's floor, looking around at the tired and war-weary expressions of the students and SeeDs around him. They'd been arguing for weeks on whether to stay or flee, and Cid knew that they could no longer afford to be arguing such.
Well well... As you are all aware, we cannot spend the rest of our lives here in these mountains arguing about what we should be doing. Half of you wish to stay and fight, the remainder wish to flee. I stand here before you to propose a solution.
He paused then, and took another look around, seeing that most of the expressions had become curious as to what his solution was. It was a simple solution, really, one that they should have long since agreed on.
We will do both. Those who wish to stay, can stay. Those who wish to flee, can flee.
"Just how exactly are we going to get away, Headmaster?" asked a member of the so-called 'Runaway Faction.'
As you know, the Galbadians have shut down the train running between Balamb and Timber. However, they have not sealed the underwater tunnel on either end. If we can draw the Galbadians into a prolonged conflict where cover is plentiful, we can buy the escapees time to flee through the tunnel.
Hushed murmurs shot through the cavern at that statement. Most of it was some form of "How the hell are we going to distract the Galbadians?" or "What if they collapse the tunnel with us in it?"
From where he sat upon a rock, Chris raised his hand.
Headmaster... The only way that I can think of to get Galbadia's attention away from the tunnel would be to attack their garrison in town. If we struck at Garden, then there would be no way that the Runaway Faction could sneak into the tunnel past the soldiers.
Fighting in the town would allow the runaways to break out of combat and get into the tunnel whenever they have the opportunity. Also, urban warfare would favor us more than the Galbadians, because we know the terrain and can use it to our advantage.
He paled slightly.
But Headmaster... None of us want to endanger the civilians in such a manner...
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:07 pm
Being as attentive as her system allowed, Delan's own personal problems were vanishing as her brain took into consideration the headmaster's plan. It had to be pretty good since she could picture the whole process occuring and going on accordingly, but then the one young man's problem melted and weaved into her thoughts, too.
How can this all work? There probably will be civilian casualties, and even if we sent out a warning to them to evacuate the area temporarily the Galbadians would probably get wind of that...unless... What delan experienced was much like a darkened free fall: her whole notice of everything around her just shut off, and she subconsciously rose up in a very SeeD-like fashion, although she was not of the group.
"Headmaster Cid!" she said loudly and firmly, her concentration not once wavering about what she was saying, voice quite able to reach everyone's ears. "What if we used our Guardian Forces to protect the civilians from harm? We could have the more powerful GFs fend off anyone who tries to pass them, and the quicker ones could carry the civilians off to safety!"
Licking her lips as a non-verbal interjection, Delan added more normally as she looked to Cid: "What do you think? Would that be a possible option?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:25 pm
The former military man stood at the back, his arms folded across his chest. His head was tipped slightly, and he was going over calculations in his head. The casualty rates could potentially be too high. Then again, the risk if they didn't, could be much worse.
When he finally spoke up, it was with a casual kind of air, strange, for what he was about to say.
"Lets propose we follow her plan. The larger, faster Guardian Forces could evac the town. However, that could cause a problem. Then we have option two. We allow casualties. War has casualties. We can sacrifice some of them now.. and save the rest of the population.. or we can attempt to save them now, and potentially lose all of them, when Galbadia notices what we're doing, and starts picking off civilians, to keep us too occupied rescuing others, to fight back. It all boils down to which way do we want to cut our losses."
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:31 pm
The young woman with the faint accent finally speaks up to someone other than herself in the first few days..voice a mumble though it's plainly heard in the quiet contemplation of the cavern..
"It's hopeless anyway. Just drop a large blast in the town and kill as many as possible..and run when you have the chance. Shot in the back, at least you won't see them laughing at you as you die..I'd rather not fight them."
Fatalistic much? She sounds somewhat resigned to the whole thing..
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:48 pm
Headmaster Cid looked around the cavern, once more seeing the expressions that indicated widespread agreement with both the statements of Delan and Hiro, even though many of them sobered at the startling realization that Hiro was in fact very much correct.
Unfortunately, some civilian casualties are going to occur. As Hiro has stated, this is war, and people die in wars. It isn't pleasant, we don't like it, but that's how things are.
We'll begin moving small groups of you into the town and the forests surrounding it tonight. Only move at night, and stay well-hidden during the day. Once we reach the town, a few of you should quietly move about the town informing the civilians to start taking shelter in the basements of their homes, and locking the doors down there.
It is a shame that we have to use civilian buildings as shields between us and Galabadia. But our scouting teams indicate that the Galbadian Army has brought no armored units with it, and therefore the city should escape major damage.
Once we engage the Galbadians in the city, make sure to make every shot count. Not only is this because we have limited resources, but it will also help to keep collateral damage to a minimum. Please try to use the minimum necessary force to eliminate every Galbadian soldier that you can. We're not asking for heroics.
Once more, prioritize the minimization of civilian casualties. I'll leave deployment of Guardian Forces to protect civilians to your discretion.
Any other questions?
Chris was silent. It was going to be a long few days.
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:54 pm
He shook his blonde head briefly, one hand slipping upwards, flicking a finger to shove his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.
"No Sir. I'll start my patrol soon, and find the fastest, most unnoticable route down the mountain...."
He was of course, staying with the SeeD who would be fighting Galbadia. They needed his muscle, more then the escaping faction did.
"Sir? With all due respect, I think you should accompany the fleeing faction. I still have my phone, and my laptop. We could relay commands in that fashion. There are enough high rank SeeD staying to organize a counterstrike. Getting you to safety should be among our priorities."
For various obvious reasons. Cid Kramer did not need to be engaged in battle. He was more brain, and things were going to get very hairy soon. He'd be with the students who needed him. His arms unfolded, and he straightened against the wall.
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:55 pm
Morrina had nothing more to say. What else was there? They were going to fight..Morrina..well..she'd just hide. She hated to be the coward, but she wouldn't fight Galbadia..not after her life. No way..she'd had enough of them and everything they'd decided to put upon her. She'd be just fine using other people as her shield to escape. She didn't know any of them well, and she's pretty sure they probably weren't so fond of her. It worked out perfectly. Teamwork wasn't her strong point. Who woulda guessed?
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:02 pm
I should've kept quiet... There's no use in getting my head into this hole deeper than it’s needed to be. Just sit back down and let them handle this mess further... The thought was full of spite, but Delan couldn't fool herself. She couldn't deny it one bit that she cared for the townspeople living in Balamb, but just from what was previously on her mind prior to this meeting made her want any person who could get out alive, would.
Running her fingers through her hair with great frustration, Delan had nothing more to add to Cid's decision. It wasn't like her to forget her place as a lower classman, but the situation was far too difficult for her to keep her mouth shut. I don't want this to end up like before... I barely made it out of that, and how am I supposed to get through this when there's more than one person's life at stake..?
Gulping to herself as she moved her eyes away from anyone else, Delan was getting upset. Of course she attempted her best to not show it just so no one would have to talk to her, and luckily no tears fell, no muscles twitched. She had to handle this by herself and on her own time as well. Not storming off nor sitting down in a huff, Delan made herself stand there, waiting uncomfortably to be told when to head out, who to travel with... It had all become routine to her. Plain, stupid routine...
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:06 pm
Cid looked around, seeing no other questions, then nodded to Hiro and smiled slightly.
Very well then. I'll leave things here in your hands until Squall returns. The rest of you, I wish you all good luck. Hiro, I'll let you divide them into teams.
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:15 pm
Hiro nodded softly, and then shifted his way through the crowd. He stood a bit taller then Cid, and his glasses were slid off his face, and into his shirt pocket.
"Alright then. Those of you who are staying, remain here in the back of the cave. Those of you departing, say your farewells, and make your way to the entrance. Once I have you all there, we'll split into groups of five. You'll go down one group at a time, down the designated path. We'll be alternating groups until time to head into Balamb Town itself. Anyone wanting to volunteer for sniper positions, will meet at the large rock just outside the cave entrance. We're going to give the Galbadian's hell..."
And with that, he ducked his head, making his way back through the SeeD and students, stripping his shirt off, and moving towards his lean-to outside. Time to break out one of his spare outfits. Primarily black. He hated getting blood on white. And this would prove to be a tedious mission indeed. Back in a position of command. He knew it was coming. And Cid knew he could do it. Talk about performance under pressure. He paused as he passed Morrina.
"You staying, or going, Woman?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:16 pm
Morrina just hugs her poster tightly to her..closing her eyes. So it came down to this. Laguna and Cid had been wrong..she wasn't safe even with them. They'd tried..but she knew it would happen. She'd felt it the day she left. The stormcloud followed her, and she knew that the wave would envelop them all. She calmly places the poster inside her guitar case alongside her guitar...hating it wasn't in its glass case, but what can one do?
Silently, she wonders to herself if they'll come after her specifically, or if that unnatural feeling man will be after something different. He didn't have the same feel as the rest of the barbarians..no, that one was the source of this madness, she could feel it..and she knew even unsealed..she probably couldn't stand up to him..
"I'm going. I won't fight them. I can't. The enemy is invincible..death fears that man because he has the heart of a lion.."
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:27 pm
He remained sitting where he was, at the back of the cave. Damn skippy he was gonna stay. His Desert Eagles on his hip, appropriated Galbadian MP5A5 in hand, and Ele'sear at his side. He'd prove himself worth it, once and for all...
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:33 pm
((Kills Gaia.
Give back my post!))
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:34 pm
She has to wonder..how would Rinoa feel at a time like this..? How is it that she was what she was, yet was tolerated..? Damn..thinking again..about what she was. She was so different when she didn't have access to her soul..there was power in her spirit, but she wasn't able to do a damn thing about it..she touches the collar with the probes that enter her neck, unseen..she sighs..she could solve this..but she was helpless..weak..without her power..
"Damn them.."
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