DISCLAIMER: I own FF7. No I don’t! Ha, fooled ya!

Fires on the horizon.

By Ben Myatt

Chapter 1:

Down into the darkness.

The gelnika cruised through the night air, over the ocean between Midgar and Wutai. It’s big engines deafened the men huddled inside, weapons at their side, waiting for the signal to jump from the hatch at the back of the aircraft, and fall the thousands of feet onto the enemy territory, with only a silk canvas suspending them between life and oblivion.

Trayle Darman, SOLDIER 1st class, opened his eyes, and glanced round at his men. His mouth was dry, his head hurt, and he wished to god that he was at home in Midgar, rather than in an aging aircraft, going on another mission deep behind enemy lines.

The Wutai and Midgar forces were at a stalemate, the two armies fought on regular occasions, but as yet neither had seemed to gain any advantage over the other. There had been a lot of death, but no reward. New volunteers were being drafted into SOLDIER every week, and Sephiroth, who had briefed Darman personally for this one, had seemed worried that these kids were being pressed into combat so early. They didn’t need new troops; they needed to preserve the ones they had. Hell, half of the troops on this mission were green as leaves in the spring, checking over their weapons and Materia again and again.

“Target coming up, commander.”

The voice echoed in Darman’s headphones, and he stretched, pulling his sword into a more comfortable position over his shoulder. The big weapon had settled against his back in the flight, and he needed to be ready to use in any circumstances. He glanced at the silenced machine-pistol slung across his chest, and stood.

“Everyone get ready. All materia secured. Blaze?”

The dark-haired young man stood, and snapped off a quick, smart salute. Darman sighed, and gestured for the younger SOLDIER to come forward.

“Sir?”

“Don’t call me that. It’s Trayle, and you’re out of the door first. Make sure the rendezvous site is clear.”

“Yes si…” Blaze caught the older mans look “Trayle.”

“Line up, and hook them on.”

The SOLDIER’s stood, and clipped the hooks of their parachutes onto the rail running over the door. Trayle spoke quickly to his troops.

“We’re going to go over the target area fast. Get out quick, hit the ground rolling, and bury the chutes fast. Make for the rendezvous point, and for god’s sake, try not to get shot.”

By the grins that flashed in the dull red light, Darman could tell the extent of the men’s nervousness. For most of them, this was their first mission. For some, it might be the last. He gave them a reassuring smile.

“If you get back, first round is on me.”

“We’ll hold you to that, boss!” came the reply from the back.

Darman smiled again, and looked up as the light over the door turned green. Blaze Saldar, with a single pull, launched himself out of the aircrafts belly, and into the night.

Darman counted off the men as they jumped, and finally, when the last had gone, Leapt through the hatch, and under the Gelnika’s wing.

Twenty men fell away from the retreating aircraft, and within a few seconds, twenty black coloured parachutes opened, invisible against the cloud-covered night. Darman felt the now familiar jerk as his chute opened, yanking him upwards, slowing his rapid descent. He pulled on the cords, steering the chute around to the direction of the landing site.

He hit the ground rolling, and came up onto one knee, unslinging the machine-pistol as he came. He swept the sights of the weapon around him, his NV-goggles highlighting the land in a ghostly green hue. Detached his parachute, and quickly buried it in the soft ground. Sprinting for the rendezvous site, he raised the weapon to shoulder height. The weight of his sword over his shoulder held him up slightly.

“Hold it!”

The whisper came from the shadows beside him, and he spun, levelling the muzzle of his gun at the figure.

“Bolt!” he hissed.

“Fire.” Came the reply.

The SOLDIER stepped from the shadows, and allowed the muzzle of his weapon to drop. He tossed a quick salute at the older man.

“Sir.”

Darman didn’t bother to correct him, but instead allowed his weapon to fall down to his side.

“And you are?”

“Zack Tremayne, sir, SOLDIER 2nd class.”

Darman glanced around.

“I didn’t ask for your life story. Any others with you?” he snapped.

Zack shook his head, his mop of brown hair falling across his face.

“I’m alone sir.”

“Okay. Lets get to the rendezvous.”

Zack fell in behind his commander, with a nervous glance at the older man. They marched in silence, creeping from shadow to shadow.

“You a newbie, Zack?”

The question was sudden, unexpected, and caught the younger man off guard. Zack shrugged.

“Yeah. First mission.”

Darman nodded in the darkness, and they continued, moving as quietly as possible through the foliage.

“Bolt.”

“Fire.”

The code came again, and they stepped out of the shadows into the rendezvous point. The rest of the troops lowered their weapons as their commander moved forward, counting heads as he came.

“We’re missing two.” He said.

“Jax and Dacen are up on recon.” Blaze replied.

Darman nodded, and turned to lead the way.

“Okay, the objectives two kliks north. Let’s move, radios on.”

The SOLDIERS stole through the night, heading for their target.

The SAM launchers were spread out beneath them, like spears waiting for an enemy to thrust home into. Darman crouched, Blast at his side, and Zack at his other. The young man had sharper eyesight than anyone Darman had ever known, and the Katana across his back spoke of his premise. Zack swept his eyes across the site, taking in every detail.

“Three guards each in the towers, maybe fifteen on the ground. I can’t see the whole site from here.”

Darman nodded, and sent a two-click signal across his radio band. The lights in the SAM site were all focused in, covering the inside of the site. It shouldn’t be too difficult for them to get close. He looked across at Jax, the company sniper, who lay on his stomach, his silenced rifle sweeping the site, steady as a rock, pinpoint as a needle.

Darman Started to creep forward over the rocky ground, agonisingly slowly. He could feel the rest of the troops starting forward behind him. He stopped ten yards away from the perimeter fence, and lay there, still as stone. He reached around to his radio tag, and sent two clicks away. The guard in front of him fell as a puff of grey vapour erupted from the opposite side of the mans head. The SOLDIERS got to their feet and rushed towards the fence. The swordsmen slashed through the metal wire, and then they were inside, silenced weapons making next to no noise as the Wutai troopers fell. The demolitions men planted their explosives on the SAM launchers, and the SOLDIERS turned and ran out of the gaping hole in the fence. Darman was the last to go, running after his men as the Wutai bullets whistled past him. He was on the edge of the ridge, when he felt a burning pain slam through his soldier. The impact of the bullet spun him around, and he fell to the ground.

He didn’t know how far he crawled before he passed out.

(A/N)

Hey everybody. This is my first attempt at an FF7 fic, so gimme a break, okay. There are only really gonna be cameo’s by the game characters, so don’t look to much at them, really.

-Ben.