Chapter 6: Executive Board Meeting

"We have finalized the ceasefire agreement with Wutai. The terms are designed to keep them barely alive—neither truly living nor dying—allowing us to continuously exploit them as we see fit."

"Gahaha!, to think the Young Master's first campaign would go so splendidly! As the Public Security Department that assisted, we are quite proud as well."

"Ohohoho!, it would be a problem if you forgot about my precious weapons, you know."

The war with Wutai is over, and looking at the results, you could call it a total victory for Shinra.

The SOLDIER Department had some internal turmoil along the way, but Rufus managed to pull the department together and produce solid results.

I've received reports that the weapons my department provided performed exceptionally well, too.

It’s not like I did anything particularly special, but continuing to use Cloud under the guise of a tester seems to have had an impact.

I've been tuning his well-worn equipment specifically for Cloud, but by transferring that technology to SOLDIER, the overall quality of the SOLDIER Department's gear has improved.

On top of that, thanks to Cloud thrashing most of the weapons we've built, it's stimulated the researchers and accelerated our technological advancement.

"Uhyo! But, but, couldn't we have squeezed Wutai even more one-sidedly with this?"

That was Palmer, Head of the Space Development Department, who rarely has much of a voice.

Shinra's rocket development is technically progressing, and a launch hasn't failed yet, but he just lacks dignity, especially lately.

"The Young Master just explained it. Rather than crushing them completely, keeping them moderately alive to continuously siphon off profits is more beneficial in the long run. Just like Mako."

"Besides, Wutai still has a role to play as a hypothetical enemy. It's easier to control people when they have a common foe."

"Exactly. And Wutai's warriors are quite skilled. They have utility as a measuring stick to gauge the strength of our SOLDIERs."

The President supplemented Heidegger's explanation, and Rufus followed up.

If we completely crushed them, they might become desperate and do something crazy, ready to die for their cause.

There's a saying about a cornered rat biting the cat, but when we dangled a ceasefire at this moderate point, Wutai jumped right on it.

Cornered people cannot resist an easy way out when it's placed right in front of them.

"Now, let's align the future maneuvers of each Shinra department. The SOLDIER Department and Public Security Department will primarily deal with anti-Shinra terrorists rather than nations from now on. The Advanced Weaponry Division and Urban Development Department will handle the construction of new Mako Reactors. The Science Department will continue to search for the Promised Land. Professor Hojo, your enthusiasm for SOLDIERs and your research is fine, but ensure you fulfill your primary duties. As for the Space Development Department... for now, just successfully launch the scheduled rocket."

Not expecting much, are we, Palmer?

From there, each department head reported their future plans.

Rufus declared he would take full responsibility for the search for the fugitive Hollander and Genesis, prioritizing their capture over termination.

The President frowned at this, but surprisingly, the one who received this proposal favorably was Hojo.

He likely assumes he'll get his hands on some valuable samples, but for now, his support is appreciated.

"...Based on the above, the goal for the planned new Mako Reactor is to convert Mako into energy more efficiently than conventional models."

"Efficiency is good, but the initial costs for this are far too high. Rather than spending unnecessary money on Mako Reactors now, I'd prefer that budget be diverted to the Public Security Department for terrorist suppression. Once the Promised Land is discovered, we'll have an abundance of Mako anyway, so there's no need to undertake new challenges here."

Heidegger nitpicking Reeve's new Mako Reactor project.

Setting aside the Promised Land nonsense, he just wants to funnel the budget into his own department if possible.

Just because he couldn't integrate the SOLDIER Department like he planned, he’s trying to steal Reeve's budget. What an idiot.

"Given that it remains unclear where or what the Promised Land is at this stage, the value of the Mako we can currently obtain is immeasurable. I believe the true significance lies in treating limited resources without waste."

I actually had prior discussions with Reeve and let him know that I belong to Rufus's faction.

I had asked Reeve to appeal to Rufus by showing a proper focus on Midgar and its citizens—something the President has lost interest in—so Reeve is favorably disposed.

People can no longer live without using Mako, and their lifelines now completely depend on it.

It's unrealistic to suddenly switch to alternative energies like coal or oil, so I figured we should at least curb the amount of Mako being siphoned from the Lifestream for now.

In short, it's an eco-friendly mindset. Reeve agreed with this line of thought, and Rufus is backing it as an antithesis to the current President's regime.

"Efficient Mako energy utilization technology also factors into Materia research and Advanced Weaponry applications. Besides, my Advanced Weaponry Division has a stake in the new Mako Reactor too, so I can't let you hijack the budget for such a flimsy reason. President, the Advanced Weaponry Division supports Reeve's new Mako Reactor project."

"Grrr..."

If it were just Reeve, Heidegger would have thrown a tantrum, but with the mutually beneficial Advanced Weaponry Division involved, he couldn't say a word.

"I have no interest in Urban Development, but as a scientist, I cannot easily agree with settling for the status quo and neglecting advancement. Besides, if Mako technology develops, it will benefit my research as well. I, too, agree with Reeve's ambition to improve."

More covering fire from an unexpected quarter.

What Hojo is saying is probably genuine, and it also hints that he's not very interested in the Promised Land; he'd rather continue his other experiments than look for it.

Currently, the President is the only one who genuinely prioritizes the Promised Land above all else.

Heidegger is just following the President's lead.

Rufus, Reeve, and I are steering away from relying on the Promised Land, and Hojo doesn't find it very appealing either.

Palmer is... well, whatever, but it would be nice if he could at least come up with a plan to bring back new resources from space.

No matter how much of a one-man show the President runs, he can't ignore it when the executives present a unified front.

Furthermore, we aren't directly denying the Promised Land.

We are merely proposing to effectively utilize the resources we have now, believing it benefits Shinra in the long term.

The trick to a presentation is properly presenting the merits to the other party.

Guiding them by saying, "This way is more profitable," instead of rejecting their ideas outright makes things proceed surprisingly smoothly.

"Regarding the new Mako Reactor, we will proceed according to Reeve's plan."

Good, good. No problems there.

The executive meeting continued after that, and for now, our immediate hurdles are cleared.

Since there's some time before we construct the Mako Reactor in Corel, I'd like to bring Vincent—who is sleeping in the Shinra Manor in Nibelheim—into our fold if possible.

He's a former Turk, and his combat prowess is guaranteed.

With Rufus currently extending his reach into the SOLDIER Department and the Turks, I could probably maneuver things so that Vincent is assigned under me.

The only problem is that Shinra Manor and the Mako Reactor there are, exceptionally, managed by the Science Department.

The Science Department handles the Mako Reactor's maintenance without going through the Urban Development Department, so I can't just waltz in there without a reason.

They are secretly managing JENOVA there and using Mako for Hojo's research, so submitting a formal request wouldn't pass anyway.

Since Nibelheim is Cloud's hometown, I thought about giving him time off to sneak into the Shinra Manor, but it would be too tough for him alone, and since he has no connection to Vincent, persuading him would be difficult.

And what worries me a bit is the existence of Tifa.

Cloud originally aimed to join SOLDIER to get Tifa to acknowledge him.

In the original timeline, he failed to become a SOLDIER and wouldn't have returned to his hometown unless on a mission, but the current Cloud is quite mentally stable.

I made sure of that by relentlessly praising Cloud when no one else would acknowledge him, allowing him to accumulate easily recognizable successful experiences.

If he meets Tifa now, I don't know what kind of impact it will have on him.

There's a chance nothing will happen, but it would be a problem if his feelings for her grew stronger and he quit Shinra, or conversely, if Tifa followed him back to Midgar.

Naturally, if he goes back to his hometown, he'll want to see his mother, and it would be far too unnatural for me to explicitly warn him not to see Tifa.

This is usually a matter for the Turks, but it seems Rufus hasn't completely taken control of them yet, so what should I do?

Oh well, he's my co-conspirator; let's consult with him a bit. Maybe he has a good idea.

"Hmm, so you want to infiltrate the Shinra Manor in Nibelheim without Professor Hojo finding out..."

I obviously couldn't talk about Vincent at this stage, so I framed it as wanting to secretly gather the JENOVA documents left behind by Professor Gast.

"Just like the Mako Reactor, there are Science Department personnel at the Shinra Manor, albeit a few. I'd like to use the Turks, but Avalanche has started some suspicious activities. They have their hands full with that, and we can't carelessly use SOLDIERs either."

Even without Rufus's support, those brandishing anti-Shinra ideals gathered and formed Avalanche.

The Turks are swamped dealing with them, so unfortunately, I won't be able to borrow their help this time.

I considered using a SOLDIER, but since the Science Department handles their health management and data collection, they aren't suited for secretly probing the Science Department.

If Sephiroth came by some chance, it would be game over, so it's perfectly fine that no SOLDIERs are coming, but what to do...

"Come to think of it, Nibelheim is Cloud's hometown. Couldn't we leave it to him? His evaluation from Zack and other SOLDIERs is high, and I've received reports that, based on combat prowess alone, he's worthy of being a top-ranking SOLDIER 2nd Class. He's still young, so his qualifications as a commanding officer are an unknown, but if we groom him now, he'd be viable for either SOLDIER or the Turks."

Just as I thought, Rufus also came up with the idea of using Cloud.

But if word of his exploits has reached Rufus's ears, then my Cloud Renovation Plan is a massive success.

Well, he's been training like crazy, and thanks to Zack, he's gotten even stronger lately.

With this, I can confidently entrust him as my bodyguard, and I'm thinking it's about time I give him a higher position instead of just a tester.

But even if I tie him down with a position and salary, things will get complicated if he meets his childhood friend Tifa in his hometown.

"I acknowledge Cloud's abilities too, but extracting the necessary information alone without the Science Department finding out is still beyond him. He experienced being a SOLDIER in this war, but he has no experience as a Turk."

"True, we can't just throw him into live fieldwork out of the blue... I know. Scarlet, why don't you go to Nibelheim directly?"

"Huh? Vice President, I am very sorry, but were you listening to me? The Science Department won't take kindly to me making a move, which is exactly why I'm looking for personnel who can operate in absolute secrecy."

I thought I just explained that since I'm the head of the Advanced Weaponry Division, clumsily poking my nose into another department's jurisdiction would cause trouble, so I wanted to pawn it off on someone else.

"Exactly, which is why you just need an ostensible reason to go to Nibelheim. It's fortunate that it's Cloud's birthplace. Do you know what the incompetent outsiders are saying about the relationship between you two?"

"Of course. That I'm a woman who used her power to forcibly keep a young boy as a pet, or that he's a male prostitute who successfully ingratiated himself with his older female boss. They only gossip behind my back without saying it to my face, but apparently, there are some idiots who say it right in front of Cloud."

It's the downside of showing what looks like impossible favoritism from an outside perspective, but there are always a certain number of people in any society who love these kinds of vulgar rumors.

Naturally, I use my power to retaliate against those people within limits that won't cause an actual problem, and I've told Cloud not to worry about it, as it's just the price of fame.

If, by some chance, Cloud starts believing that he's only acknowledged because of my influence and has no power of his own, the mental fortitude I've helped him build will crumble.

He is a subordinate I spent time and effort cultivating, and my trump card for surviving and living a bright future, so I'll be damned if he gets crushed by something so trivial.

"It's true that a certain number of fools perceive Cloud as Director Scarlet's lover. However, in this specific instance, we should utilize whatever we can to our advantage."

In the plan Rufus devised, we simply give Cloud a standard vacation, providing him the opportunity to return home.

That part isn't a problem, but next is my part.

I will take a refreshment leave at the same time and accompany Cloud.

This way, ostensibly as a secret getaway with my 'lover,' we can travel without causing much of a fuss, and I'll have a reason to go to Nibelheim.

And because it's an incognito trip, I can impose a gag order on the transport staff and guards. Even if it leaks, it can just be brushed off as a fling between a person in power and her subordinate.

We aren't actually doing anything of the sort, but those misunderstanding idiots can think whatever they want.

Doesn't this clear every single condition?

Besides, if I explain to Cloud that this is a top-secret mission, I can limit his chances of carelessly making contact with others in Nibelheim.

It gives me the perfect justification to keep him away from Tifa as much as possible.

I do want to let him see his mother, though...

"Furthermore, even if this kind of gossip circulates within the Science Department, the chances of it reaching Professor Hojo's ears are slim."

"I can't imagine him being interested in the drama of human relationships, after all."

"If the Turks free up some manpower, I'll assign at least one to you. With three of you, you should be able to manage something."

Oh my, an overseer, perhaps?

You're starting to look the part of a cunning and ambitious schemer, Rufus!