Episode Zero: Search Chapter Six

[Warning: This chapter contains spoilers for the game.]


Intercepting the information wasn’t in their original plan. It wasn’t scrambled or coded, and the first person to hear it was one of the lowest ranking radio communications operators. He thought it was a prank at first. If Rygdea hadn’t passed by at the time he wouldn’t have saved it much less reported it.
“A Pulse fal’Cie has been found in the Vestige.”
It had cut off there. If Rygdea hadn’t known that PSICOM was investigating the Vestige he would have thought it a prank himself.
They were able to figure out the truth of it pretty quickly, because PSICOM soon sealed off the Vestige. After they had received the video communication, they had learned that most of PSICOM was heading towards Bodhum. They also received the order to pull out immediately. That’s why they had Fang return to the ship. Though she was probably still searching for her friend, they didn’t have much of a choice. That’s how fast PSICOM worked. Not only were the Cavalry ordered to pull out, but Bodhum’s own security force were as well. And during the middle of the fireworks festival.
“Just what are they thinking?”
“They’re probably hoping to stall for time before the info gets leaked.”
“So they’ve really found a Pulse fal’Cie?”
It was probably a shock to even the highest ranking PSICOM officials. It was likely that the soldiers who found the fal’Cie had panicked and forgotten to scramble the message. They had put it on a frequency that even civilians had access to. Other people had probably already intercepted the transmission. And like with the incident in Euride, a gag order would just have the opposite affect.
“Once they’ve finished barricading the city, they’ll reveal the existence of the Pulse fal’Cie.”
“Do you think the people will panic?”
“At least within the city.” Raines nodded. That would be the reason for the barricade. Even if there were panic in Bodhum, it wouldn’t spread to any other area. Sealing off both the people and the information would allow people outside of Bodhum to remain detached from the situation. People don’t care about others when it doesn’t directly relate to themselves. The people outside of Bodhum would soon lose interest.
“I still can’t believe there was something like that hiding in the Vestige.”
That would be why Fang insisted on staying within Bodhum. Even when they suggested that her friend might have run somewhere else, Fang had simply answered that it wasn’t possible. While that wasn’t exactly strange, now it all made sense if a Pulse fal’Cie was close by. Both Fang and her friend were l’Cie. They couldn’t leave their fal’Cie behind just because they were being chased.
“If only we could have found her friend before they discovered that thing...”
“Unfortunately I believe we’ll have to give up on that. We can’t even get close to it much less search it.”
Even if they managed to break through the barrier, they wouldn’t be able to get out again. It had been hard enough helping Fang to escape from Euride, and the barricade this time would be far stronger.
“What the hell is going to happen now...” As Rygdea said those words, Raines picked up his wireless transceiver.
“Is it...?” He didn’t even have to ask, he could tell by the expression on Raines’ face. It was a call from their inside man. It had only been a few days before that Raines had gotten a man in PSICOM on their side. That was how they were able to react so quickly and rescue Fang.
“Sorry, could you go outside for a moment?”
Rygdea nodded silently, and stood. They had an agreement that the only one to know the man’s identity would be Raines. Since the information he gave them was so good, Rygdea figured it was someone high up.
Rygdea turned back for a moment, and saw the look on Raines’ face when he answered the call. He always looked somewhat strange. Rygdea didn’t know what it was, he just knew he looked different. Maybe it was because he had to put in so much effort to talk to the man. Rygdea supposed he was a man worth the price. No, he wasn’t really sure it was even a man at all.
“Alright then, time to pick up Fang.”
It wasn’t a job he was looking forward to. He would have to tell her that she had to give up looking for her friend. The image of her face flashed in his mind.
“She’ll just say we’re enemies again...” He had thought that they would be able to work together. They had a common enemy and cause, and he thought they would fight together. But now...
He felt unusually depressed.