Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ On Earth as it is in Hell ❯ Vicarious Reality ( Chapter 4 )

-Irvine Kinneas, The SeeD and the Sorceress

A twisted cortex of synapses and reflex, a sparkling and flashing machine made of basic matter, extreme in its complexity and boundless in its wonder. A standing testament to all that makes us human, the brain fuels a swirl of ever changing reactions and counter-reactions. A careful balance between genius and insanity, anything can tip the scale.

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Julian Foss was born in 1956, son to Robert and Mary-Anne Foss, a middle-class couple living in Sacramento. Robert was the foreman in an early electronics firm, and from an early age Julian had experience with high-tech products.

After graduating from high school with top honors in 73', Julian applied for and was accepted by Yale University. During his 5-year term there he studied business and financing, becoming more and more adept at running companies. And manipulation.

After graduation Julian hopped from one company to the other, until eventually he was hired by Microsoft for three years, becoming a top CEO in the administration. He voluntarily left after Microsoft accused him of embezzling funds from the Treasury department. None of the accusations were ever proven.

In 1989, after working in several other software companies, Julian founded the blandly named TAA, Technical Applications America. TAA became a mover and shaker behind the scenes of the business world, quickly gaining suppliers and quietly increasing in size. TAA never hesitated to put its hands in everything, resulting in a wide, if somewhat unsavory, reputation.

By 1999, TAA had become a super-corporation to almost rival that of any, an invisible giant with a large cash flow and unlimited resources. Julian Foss ran it all.

TAA’s corporate headquarters was situated in New York, an appropriately large and influential city for a large and influential company.

And in such a city of massive corporate buildings and plazas, TAA had one of the biggest of them all, spanning two city blocks and 43 stories. At the very heart of this machine created expanse lay Julian's office, 25 stories up and nestled in the very center, with no windows and thick soundproof walls. One door was the only entry, directly in front of his desk. Nothing ever went through that door without him ordering it. It was from this totally secure room that Julian reigned supreme over his vast enterprise, directing business and affairs.

On this night, Julian was concentrating on his most important business at hand. Michael Hendrow was approaching his polished mahogany table, and as usual, was all ears for what his partner had to say.

Hendrow was a University graduate who had achieved great success in the often harsh world of Wall Street. Buying and selling stocks was his hobby, his work, and his obsession. By the time he had reached 38, Hendrow was one of the richest men in the country.

He had met Julian during a cruise to Hawaii with his wife. Julian himself had been there for purely business reasons, and the two struck up a friendship almost immediately. Hendrow was fascinated by Julian's ideas and working style, and after returning to the states, bought stock in his company. They worked side by side for many years, until after some time, Hendrow was the only man in Julian's close confidence, entitled to the grandiose schemes and backroom plotting of TAA.

That was why he was here tonight.

Julian did not look up from his papers as Hendrow sat down. They sat in silence for a minute and a half before he stopped shuffling papers and looked up. His dark green eyes studied Hendrow for a second, then returned to his work. When he spoke, it was the cultured yet hard voice of an ambitious self-made man.

"Hello Michael. How are things with you?"

Hendrow smiled easily, sliding comfortably into the role of old friend. "Things are well with me, thank you."

"The wife is well, I expect?"

"Of course, of course. Kendra just had her sixteenth birthday last Tuesday."

"Really?" Julian lowered his eyes to his papers again. "Tell her Uncle Julian gives his best wishes."

"I shall."

Another shorter stretch of silence prevailed. Julian looked up again.

"Here, I want you to read this."

Hendrow took the thick manila folder labeled, "GPSS". He opened it and read of a failed experiment near a mountain in Utah. After a moment, he closed the folder and placed it back on the desk.

"Interesting. It seems man will never stop trying to step over the boundaries nature has set for us."

Julian lifted his lips in a thin imitation of a smile. "The report skips a few details."

"Such as?"

"A portal was successfully created."

Hendrow took a deep breath and sat back. It was too unreal to be truly shocking. "Well. Then why did they shut it down?"

"The first man inserted was lost after the portal collapsed in an unforeseen accident. The government, in one of their larger blunders, didn't realize the portal had actually worked, and put it off as if the volunteer had simply died. The truth is rarely that obliging."

"Yes, well. If the portal was not a total failure, where did the volunteer go?"

Julian opened another large drawer in his desk and pulled out a slightly thinner file. "You have heard, or course, of the Tunnel Thesis."

Working with Julian required at least some grounding in science and, as a college graduate himself, he knew of the Thesis. Hendrow said nothing as the implication of this hit him. Julian opened the file and removed several black and white pictures.

"These are surveillance camera photos that I, procured from some very, ah, reclusive sources," He leaned over the desk. "Take a look."

Hendrow thumbed through the photos, which brought to mind the set of some bad B movie. They predominately featured a steel canyon of a room, with a strange circular gate as its centerpiece. "If Gallern's Thesis was accurate, then where did he emerge?"

"That was a difficult question to answer. But first, I must tell you, my scientists have recreated the portal at our Oregon lab. It was somewhat tricky, but the results have come through positive. It's quite stable."

"But, how?"

Julian raised his eyebrows slightly. Never an expressive man, this was his equivalent of a shrug. “We cannot say. Our portal was created using steps taken from a more complete report than the watered down government file I gave you. We followed it exactly, and yet achieved greater results. In all honesty, we simply do not know why.”

“Incredible!”

"Yes, and you do realize why?"

"The possibilities are endless. If every book and other such things are to be manifest, why, the technology! Imagine if we could enter the universe of say, ‘Star Wars’ comes to mind. That alone is trillions and trillions of dollars! A quantum leap in every scientific field known to man!"

Julian nodded. "That was my thinking, but what else is there to yield?"

"What?"

"Conquest! Lands, people, power! Oil, gold, mineral wealth. A rich man's dream Hendrow. Any man's dream."

Of course. If a man could rule his world of birth, then for Julian another would do just as well. Hendrow had not considered these discoveries in such a light.

"Conquest? But many of these worlds are technologically much more advanced than we are. Certainly, there are some which are not, bu-"

"That doesn't matter. Our portal was created using the same steps as GPSS, and we can only enter whatever world they did. For now."

Hendrow pondered this for a moment. "Still, no matter where we appear, mystery as it is, some advance knowledge is better than no-"

Julian cut him off again. "We know where the portal emerges."

"We do?"

"Yes. Our scientists successfully inserted a probe yesterday, and it brought back sufficient data."

"Why didn't GPSS use a probe as we did?"

“They had no way of transmitting or receiving signals through the portal. Ours is much more stable, and functions like an open door instead of a mirror.”

Once more reached into his desk and pulled out not a file, but a book. "We go here."

FINAL FANTASY VIII

OFFICIAL STRATEGY GUIDE

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Selphie stared at the rather disreputable looking man in front of her for several seconds, during which neither of them said a thing. Then she tentatively stepped forward.

"Umm, why do you ask?"

Scott fumbled over several sentences at once, unsure how to explain his situation.

Selphie stared at him. "Sir, are you okay? Maybe you just had too much to drink, why don't you-"

Scott shook his head wildly. "No! I'm not crazy I need to talk to,” He desperately wracked his memory. “'Squall'. He can help me, he's your leader or something, right?"

Now she was somewhat suspicious. "What do you know about Squall?"

"I'll tell you if you'll just take me to Squall, please!"

After debating for several seconds, Selphie decided that four SeeDs would be enough to handle whatever threat this man might pose. She turned without looking back and gestured towards the door. "Fine, c'mon."

Squall had no sooner sunk into a chair next to the fire when Selphie burst through the door trailing a grubby man. This better be good. He turned to face them without getting up. Irvine leaned against the window with his hand resting on his guns while Quistis looked up from her laptop with surprise. Unknown visitors were often dangerous visitors. The stranger didn't look like he might be inebriated with liquor, but Squall knew it was more obvious on some people. Like Selphie.

Squall decided to broach the question diplomatically. "You.. Wish to speak with us?"

The man hesitated. "Yes. I’ve been looking for anyone who might be in a position to help me." He smiled a little, but it was weak.

Most of the time people came to the SeeDs with minor issues. When you’re a hero, people expected you to get cats out of trees, something that was not in the job description. Behind the man's calm exterior though, Squall could see a growing terror of...What? Whatever it was, this man was close to the edge. Squall just hoped he didn't crack before he explained things to them. As long as this wasn't some lovers quarrel.

The stranger awkwardly lowered himself on slightly trembling legs and seated himself across from Squall. Selphie crossed the room over to sit by Quistis, rather conspicuously not taking her usual position next to Irvine. I need to talk to her. Whatever was wrong between her and Irvine could not interfere with their job. The man cleared his throat.

"My name is Scott Keyor and I am... Very far from my home, and I need your help to get back."

Irvine leaned forward. "So why come to us?”

Scott opened his mouth to reply.

And then the wall exploded.