[A brisk nod follows, as well as the faintest wince as he sees, over Veld's shoulder, a few unfortunate members of the infantry get the brunt of both Heidegger and Scarlet's temper. His (barely concealed) amusement is gone by now. Instead, concern is viewable in his eyes as one of the men appears to get slapped around the face while Heidegger outright roars into another's- but he knows better than to step forward. Instead, he turns his gaze back to his partner.]
Agreed. If there's anything of note [Monsters.] on the descent, I'll inform you via radio. Usual frequency.
[Likewise, he knows better than to take the majority of the soldiers. One or two would suffice. He knew, full well, it was paramount they stayed with the president as the only man amongst them who was not replaceable. As he steps backward...]
See you in the village.
[In the time that followed, there would be no contact. Other than the poor weather making the way more slippery than usual (and the huffing and puffing of both directors) there was nothing of note on the way down. So there was little reason to make contact. That, and Vincent knew the other man's hands would be well and truly full with managing the disappointment of both the scientists and the president.
So he had not made contact. ...But there was some concern. As the presidential entourage, by hook or by crook, finally reapproaches Nibelheim, Veld may have made out that concern via a dark-suited figure waiting alongside the soldiers on guard at the manor's gate. As the group draws closer, the figure moves away- back toward the village.
Vincent, of course. ...Call him sentimental, but Veld was his partner.]
[Veld lingers for a moment as he watches Vincent head off with some of the executives but once the noise fades, he turns back to the president and group of scientists.
It still took some convincing the president that there was no way ahead to the reactor now especially not as the rain was still pouring down, soaking everyone despite the umbrellas. Only then did the president begrudgingly admit defeat but not before lecturing Veld on the importance of getting the road cleared. It didn't matter it wasn't Veld's job but it was something for him to make sure it got done.
The trip down was tricky as the rain came down harder and mud ran down the path. Veld had to act fast to grab the president's arm to keep him from slipping, barely avoiding disaster.
But he gives no such aid to the scientists, hearing Gast slip on the mud with a muttered curse. No amount of loyalty or money could get him to offer assistance to catch Hojo if he fell.
One of the first things he sees when they reach the village is Vincent by the gates of the mansion. But his attention is distracted by the president giving Veld a list of things he wants done so it's another few minutes until he gets the president into the manor that he finally gets to follow Vincent into the village.
The rain had let up but he's still completely soaked and he's pretty sure the mud has gotten into his shoes at this point.]
You owe me lunch when we get back. But first- please tell me they got the hot water working finally.
[One of the less idyllic charms of village life was some of the luxuries of the city like constant hot water and stable electricity just weren't a thing.]
They've got water, at least. Which is an improvement. The boiler's still intermittent though.
[The rain had solved one problem. The village's water tank levels were looking much healthier thanks to the downpour. But as for heating? Vincent's experience had been ...lukewarm. With abrupt bursts of cold water every 30 seconds. An improvement over that morning's shower, certainly. But still a miserable experience.
He makes his way into the hotel. As he moves up the stairs and past where a few soldiers had congregated, he keeps the conversation light. And when they're in their room, and the door's shut-]
Transport back to Midgar has been arranged for the directors. I took the liberty of rounding up some of the infantry- who will leave with them at first light tomorrow.
[Not the ones that'd been made to be human chairs for the madam director. Instead, he'd assigned the task to those that'd borne the brunt of Heidegger's temper on the side of the mountain. An act of mercy for the soldiers- and perhaps an indication of some form of empathy, as well. An empathy that certainly wasn't a positive trait for one in his line of work.
But a harmless quirk, at least. So far. And he'd been effective enough where it counted for it to not be a problem. So far.
He moves to the window, his eyes fixed on the square beneath them.]
I'll accompany them- to the pickup point at least. That way, you'll be free to escort the President should he wish to try the ascent again early.
[His gaze moves from the window to Veld's face. Partners or not, as head of the department, Veld was still his boss. And so his confirmation was needed.]
He's going to want to try again but with the amount of rain- even if it stopped tonight the road is going to be dangerous.
[Not that it would stop the president from wanting to attempt the ascent again but Veld is hoping that he can get through to him and convince him that no amount of ambition will change the conditions.
Every day he can feel his influence on the president slipping away. With every new 'advancement' that the scientists make he knows that he's losing the man the president used to be in the beginning and is watching him become a creature twisted with greed.
It's a relief to finally peel off his wet coat, tie, and shoes, tossing them on the chair in the room.]
At this point, I'll just take clean water, even if it's lukewarm.
[It's not just the scientists, either. Weapons development had started becoming bigger than its already colossal britches thanks to the advent of materia creation. As Midgar grew and more and more sectors reached completion, the undercity had thus grown in its shadow. Public safety was starting to... become about public control.
Vincent had noticed its tendrils here. Although the soldiers that accompanied them had embraced the hospitality Nibelheim had given them (and returned the favour. A small company of mechanics was working on upgrading the water tower and trying to fix the rusty old truck at the gates in their downtime) they were Public Safety. And Vincent he knew, full well, that they had been instructed to shoot to kill should the reactor be compromised.
The company was changing. Little wonder. With mako, the world itself had changed. The fact that being here was such a shock to the system was a testament to how far humankind had come in such a few short years. Shinra spearheaded this change. So of course, it would change too.
Things were murky. But it had always been murky. Before the switch to energy, Shinra was never a friendly arms manufacturer. Both he and Veld were equipped to wade. And their job was to keep the company's head above water- regardless of how murky it got.
Butyes. Clean water.]
That, they can do. Or could an hour ago, before-
[A curtaintwitch. Yeah. Some of the infantry's engineers are being doused with a sudden leak in said water tower. Yeah, there's yelling. And the water tower being called a 'sonnavabitch'.]
-Well. Better hurry.
[He turns his head to the other man again.]
And pass me your shoes. I've still got the polish out from cleaning mine. You're paying for lunch.
[Veld winces when he hears the crash outside- it's admirable that the soldiers want to help even in the pouring rain but from the sounds of cursing and breaking wood he doesn't have high hopes, not in this storm that seems to be getting worse.
Just their luck.]
Fuck, if you can salvage anything I'll buy you dinner too. I'll even try to save you some water.
[He hands his shoes over to Vincent before handing him his phone as well. He knows eventually he will have to go over to deal with the president's displeasure but he's going to take this brief moment of respite while he can.]
I'll be quick, I just need to get the mud off. Get some rest and something to eat while you can, we're not going anywhere until tomorrow and once the rain stops, we're going to be going back to Midgar.
[Even if the president tried to put his foot down, which Veld knew he would, travel in these conditions in this remote village would be hazardous and going up the mountain would be impossible for a while.
He can't help but feel a bit of petty satisfaction that the scientists aren't going to get their way for once, not that it would stop them in the long run.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Agreed. If there's anything of note [Monsters.] on the descent, I'll inform you via radio. Usual frequency.
[Likewise, he knows better than to take the majority of the soldiers. One or two would suffice. He knew, full well, it was paramount they stayed with the president as the only man amongst them who was not replaceable. As he steps backward...]
See you in the village.
[In the time that followed, there would be no contact. Other than the poor weather making the way more slippery than usual (and the huffing and puffing of both directors) there was nothing of note on the way down. So there was little reason to make contact. That, and Vincent knew the other man's hands would be well and truly full with managing the disappointment of both the scientists and the president.
So he had not made contact. ...But there was some concern.
As the presidential entourage, by hook or by crook, finally reapproaches Nibelheim, Veld may have made out that concern via a dark-suited figure waiting alongside the soldiers on guard at the manor's gate. As the group draws closer, the figure moves away- back toward the village.
Vincent, of course. ...Call him sentimental, but Veld was his partner.]
no subject
[Veld lingers for a moment as he watches Vincent head off with some of the executives but once the noise fades, he turns back to the president and group of scientists.
It still took some convincing the president that there was no way ahead to the reactor now especially not as the rain was still pouring down, soaking everyone despite the umbrellas. Only then did the president begrudgingly admit defeat but not before lecturing Veld on the importance of getting the road cleared. It didn't matter it wasn't Veld's job but it was something for him to make sure it got done.
The trip down was tricky as the rain came down harder and mud ran down the path. Veld had to act fast to grab the president's arm to keep him from slipping, barely avoiding disaster.
But he gives no such aid to the scientists, hearing Gast slip on the mud with a muttered curse. No amount of loyalty or money could get him to offer assistance to catch Hojo if he fell.
One of the first things he sees when they reach the village is Vincent by the gates of the mansion. But his attention is distracted by the president giving Veld a list of things he wants done so it's another few minutes until he gets the president into the manor that he finally gets to follow Vincent into the village.
The rain had let up but he's still completely soaked and he's pretty sure the mud has gotten into his shoes at this point.]
You owe me lunch when we get back. But first- please tell me they got the hot water working finally.
[One of the less idyllic charms of village life was some of the luxuries of the city like constant hot water and stable electricity just weren't a thing.]
no subject
[The rain had solved one problem. The village's water tank levels were looking much healthier thanks to the downpour. But as for heating? Vincent's experience had been ...lukewarm. With abrupt bursts of cold water every 30 seconds. An improvement over that morning's shower, certainly. But still a miserable experience.
He makes his way into the hotel. As he moves up the stairs and past where a few soldiers had congregated, he keeps the conversation light. And when they're in their room, and the door's shut-]
Transport back to Midgar has been arranged for the directors. I took the liberty of rounding up some of the infantry- who will leave with them at first light tomorrow.
[Not the ones that'd been made to be human chairs for the madam director. Instead, he'd assigned the task to those that'd borne the brunt of Heidegger's temper on the side of the mountain. An act of mercy for the soldiers- and perhaps an indication of some form of empathy, as well. An empathy that certainly wasn't a positive trait for one in his line of work.
But a harmless quirk, at least. So far. And he'd been effective enough where it counted for it to not be a problem. So far.
He moves to the window, his eyes fixed on the square beneath them.]
I'll accompany them- to the pickup point at least. That way, you'll be free to escort the President should he wish to try the ascent again early.
[His gaze moves from the window to Veld's face. Partners or not, as head of the department, Veld was still his boss. And so his confirmation was needed.]
no subject
He's going to want to try again but with the amount of rain- even if it stopped tonight the road is going to be dangerous.
[Not that it would stop the president from wanting to attempt the ascent again but Veld is hoping that he can get through to him and convince him that no amount of ambition will change the conditions.
Every day he can feel his influence on the president slipping away. With every new 'advancement' that the scientists make he knows that he's losing the man the president used to be in the beginning and is watching him become a creature twisted with greed.
It's a relief to finally peel off his wet coat, tie, and shoes, tossing them on the chair in the room.]
At this point, I'll just take clean water, even if it's lukewarm.
no subject
[It's not just the scientists, either. Weapons development had started becoming bigger than its already colossal britches thanks to the advent of materia creation. As Midgar grew and more and more sectors reached completion, the undercity had thus grown in its shadow. Public safety was starting to... become about public control.
Vincent had noticed its tendrils here. Although the soldiers that accompanied them had embraced the hospitality Nibelheim had given them (and returned the favour. A small company of mechanics was working on upgrading the water tower and trying to fix the rusty old truck at the gates in their downtime) they were Public Safety. And Vincent he knew, full well, that they had been instructed to shoot to kill should the reactor be compromised.
The company was changing. Little wonder. With mako, the world itself had changed. The fact that being here was such a shock to the system was a testament to how far humankind had come in such a few short years. Shinra spearheaded this change. So of course, it would change too.
Things were murky. But it had always been murky. Before the switch to energy, Shinra was never a friendly arms manufacturer. Both he and Veld were equipped to wade. And their job was to keep the company's head above water- regardless of how murky it got.
Butyes. Clean water.]
That, they can do. Or could an hour ago, before-
[A curtaintwitch. Yeah. Some of the infantry's engineers are being doused with a sudden leak in said water tower. Yeah, there's yelling. And the water tower being called a 'sonnavabitch'.]
-Well. Better hurry.
[He turns his head to the other man again.]
And pass me your shoes. I've still got the polish out from cleaning mine. You're paying for lunch.
no subject
Just their luck.]
Fuck, if you can salvage anything I'll buy you dinner too. I'll even try to save you some water.
[He hands his shoes over to Vincent before handing him his phone as well. He knows eventually he will have to go over to deal with the president's displeasure but he's going to take this brief moment of respite while he can.]
I'll be quick, I just need to get the mud off. Get some rest and something to eat while you can, we're not going anywhere until tomorrow and once the rain stops, we're going to be going back to Midgar.
[Even if the president tried to put his foot down, which Veld knew he would, travel in these conditions in this remote village would be hazardous and going up the mountain would be impossible for a while.
He can't help but feel a bit of petty satisfaction that the scientists aren't going to get their way for once, not that it would stop them in the long run.]