WARNING:  Ignore the previous posting of Chapter Two... this is a
complete rewrite.

PM Productions Presents 
A Phillip Masters Fanfic
Eugenics
Chapter 2 A: Life's Dream

Japan, Nerima, September 21, 1996

     Ranma and Ukyou ran down the street, kicking up a large cloud of
ash behind them.  People around them seemed to be appearing from
nowhere, curious and fearful.  Cries of those who had lost everything
close to them became more common.  
     "It's terrible... why did it happen?" Ukyou said as she looked at a
small group of wailing children, being held together by a lone teenage
boy.
     "I don't know," Ranma replied.  Then, he paused and added, "I wish
I did."  He glanced at a man, who was carrying a little girl whose back
was obviously shattered beyond repair.  "Then, I would have something to
focus my anger on."
     From that point they finished their trip in silence, both lost in
their own reflections and emotions.
     After another minute of running they arrived at the Nekohaten...
which was miraculously still standing.  There seemed to be a ring around
the building, where no ash could touch.  Ranma could see a slight
wavering in the air surrounding the untouched sructure.
     "Ki field," he explained to Ukyou, who was looking at the cafe
oddly.  "The old ghoul must have come through."
     The chef's eyes widened considerably.  "She's *that* powerful?"
     Ranma nodded, then looked down at his fists.  "I may be able to
best her on a lucky day in basic sparring... but she has a ki that could
move mountains."
     Ukyou grinned, glad to grasp at even a small amount of humor in the
current situation.  "If I didn't know better, I'd say you respected
her."
     With no amount of jest he returned, "I do."

West Plains, December 28, 4127

     Ryle watched as a group of men did the final checkup on the
reactor.  He hefted his razor-edged broadsword and rested it on his
shoulder.  "Are you guys about finished?"
     "Yes, sir... we just have to recalibrate the core unit and it
should be fully operational." the tech officer replied.
     Ryle nodded his head.  "Good... I'll be in the doctor's office if
you need me."
     After receiving a round of 'yes, sir's' in response, he headed down
the metallic corridor to the office of his father.  Even if Dr. Hojo was
not his natural parent, he was the only person Ryle knew as such.  Mixed
with his "brother," Sephiroth, and one had a regular run-of-the-mill
disfunctional family.  
     He knocked on the door, knowing from long experience that his
father did not like having his privacy compromised.  The sound of his
fist striking the steel rang throughout the hallway, reverberating many
timed before echoing back.  He stared around, amazed at the underground
construct.  From the surface it appeared that someone was simply
building an amusement facility... below, no one had any idea what lay
below.  No one but those in privelaged positions with Shinra.  Even
though they were a corporation, they controlled everything.  "Energy is
Power" was something Rufus, the President's son liked to say often.  
     "Yes, Ryle, come in," came from the inside of the office.
     Shaken from his thoughts, Ryle pushed open the heavy door with
ease.  Silently, it slid to the side, revealing the small confines of a
true scientist.  Papers were scattered everywhere, and samples of this
or that littered what area remained.  Ryle searched a moment for a way
through the mess, but even his strategically advanced mind couldn't
devise a path.  
     "Do you have something to report?" Dr. Hojo asked, in slightly
impatient manner.  It was a tone he reserved only for his best
creation... anyone else would have been treated much more poorly.
     "Yes, sir... the tech's report that they are just about ready to
activate the Mako reactor.  I thought you would want to know." Ryle
said, with the assuredness and stance of a seasoned soldier.
     The doctor nodded and smiled, though on his face it looked of more
sinister feelings than happiness.  "Yes, thank you, Ryle... I will be
out.  You may go find Sephiroth and tell him we will be observing the
activation and then heading back to Midgar."
     Ryle nodded curtly and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Outside he appeared professional, but inside he was ecstatic.  The fact
that they were five hours ahead of schedule meant that he wouldn't miss
the date he had set up for the evening.  He had asked the girl the day
previous, then suddenly been ordered out to what looked to be a newly
formed construction site.  He was highly confused, and not a little bit
annoyed, until he found out what was really going on.  
     It seemed someone by the name of Dio had proposed a new recreation
center.  A large and profitable place of fun and relaxation.  Something
the Shinra employees were in sore need of.  As well, it would bring in
no small amount of gil to the shareholders... and Shinra was all too
happy to be a major one.  So, the Gold Saucer would be built... using
both criminals who wished shorter terms, and workers in seach of fast
coin.  However, such an enormous project promised the need for an
enormous energy source... and that's where the Mako reactor came in.  
     Ever since the "Lifestream Current" doctorine had been written by
Bugenhagen, a renouned physicist, in 4015, everyone had been trying to
come up with a way to harness this seemingly endless supply of raw
energy.  It took 18 years of hard work and labor... but in 4033 a Dr.
Issac came up with a way to do what was beginning to seem impossible.
Immediately he patented the formulae, gathered a large group of small
gas power manufacturers and developed Shinra Power and Electric in 4035.
Almost overnight Issac went from being a little known inventor, to being
the most powerful man in the world.  Shinra shot upward in the market,
becoming the most valuable stock to be had.  The economy exploded, and
Midgar, home of Shinra headquarters, quickly became the largest
metropolis ever known to mankind.  
     Within a year Issac had built the Midgar Shelf, an upper level on
which people could populate without expanding Midgar's rather large
outer defense wall.  
     
Japan, Nerima, September 21, 1996

     "Can we get through the field?" Ukyou asked, as they slowly
approached the imaculate building, surreal in the surrounding wasteland.
     "I think I can punch a hole in it... at least long enough for us to
get through.  I guess Cologne is keeping it up to deter raiders and
those who might be jealous of their seemingly impossible luck.  However,
she's been holding it for quite a while, and I'm sure I can muster the
strength to penetrate." Ranma answered.  He then closed his eyes and
steadied his breath, beginning to feel his inner spirit rise up in
response to his relaxing state.
     "That will not be necessary, Son-in law."
     Ranma's eyes shot open, his concentration destroyed.  His gaze fell
upon an ancient woman, small and wrinkled, perched upon a gnarled old
walking stick.  Amazingly healthy white hair flowed from her scalp in
abundance, reaching the ground at the tip of her staff.
     Cologne was a master of deception.  Over the centuries she had
built the ability to cloud her emotions fully, and never reveal a true
feeling if she desired not to do so.  Yet, even with all her training
and experience, she couldn't help but smile at Ranma.  Of all the humans
on the lonely Earth she would have put all her soul on him being the one
to survive such an incident.  His will was strong, and so was his
heart... this was why she taught him.  This was also why she wanted him
for her tribe. "It is good to see you in good health, Son-in-law."  She
looked at the disheavled Ukyou and nodded to her.  "As well you, Ms.
Kuonji."  
     Ukyou nodded back, and Ranma walked up to Cologne.  "Is Shampoo and
Mousse okay?" he asked, trying not to sound too desperate, and doing a
lously job of it.
     The animated piece of dried fruit raised an eyebrow.  "What's this?
Do you care about Shampoo that much, Son-in-law?"
     Ranma grimaced, then his look turned angry.  "Dammit, ghoul!  Don't
put me on the spot now of all times!  Just answer me!"
     "Do you deny it, Son-in-law?" Cologne pressed, hoping the situation
would force a favorable answer.
     "Stop pestering, Ranchan!" Ukyou screamed at the suddenly startled
old woman.  "He's been through hell, and all you can do is try to hitch
him up with your bimbo of a great grand-daughter!"
     Cologne blinked, realizing, with no small amount of embarrasment
that the girl was right.  She could actually be hurting her case by
pressing son-in-law after such an ordeal.  Maybe Shampoo herself would
be more suited... and she should be coming...
     "Who you call bimbo, Spatula Girl?" Shampoo asked angrily from the
Nekohaten doorway.
     ...now.
     "You!  You hussy!" Ukyou spat back.
     Both girls continued their verbal assaults, glad to have something
to focus themselves on other than the state of the world.  As well, it
drowned out the sounds of the forsaken and dying, which was music to
their ears.  
     Ranma watched the battle for a moment, then felt a poke in his
side.  He turned to Cologne with a questioning gaze.  
     "Did you feel it, Son-in-law?" she asked enigmatically.
     "What?" Ranma said, wondering what she was talking about.
     "The shockwave?  Did you notice anything... unusual about it?" the
Amazon clarified.
     Ranma furrowed his brow, trying to recall watching the wall of
destruction make its way toward him the previous day.  He had been
amazed as much was still erect as was, given the magnitude of the blast.
"Yeah... seemed awefully powerful this far form the point of impact."
     Cologne nodded sagely, which was about the only way she ever
nodded.  "Yes, it was.  That's not all though.  It was no ordinary
asteroid that hit... it had a ki signature."
     "A what?!" Ranma exclaimed.  Everything had ki inherent in it...
but only living things held a signature, what some called an 'Aura'.
"You mean that thing was alive?"
     "That I can't be absolute sure about without seeing it closer...
but the shockwave held a definate ki signature, and I doubt the
likelyhood of it occuring naturally or by coindidence."  
     "But if it was alive...."
     Cologne nodded.  "Then, we have an enemy umong us... though it may
be buried under countless tons of rock, with the power it exuded I doubt
it was destroyed." 

Midgar, September 28, 4127

     The activation of the Golden Reactor was a complete success, and
construction was renewed with full vigor.  Dr. Hojo had been very
pleased, and wine had topped off the afternoon nicely.  Afterward, the
small detachment of SOLDIERS had returned to Midgar, only stopping
briefly by Junon to drop of Dr. Hojo, who had other things to attend to.  
     Now, Ryle was in his house, which he shared with Sephiroth.  Both
had been offered seperate housing, but after spending so many years
together they had decided they didn't want to be apart.  So, they just
received one, larger, living quarter.  Both of them had been made
Commanders... but they still worked together as often as possible.  
     "Hey, Ryle... you getting ready for your date?" Sephiroth asked,
while polishing Masamune, the six-foot katana he had been issued by
request.  It had been made by one of Scarlet's best, a sword forger who
only created one of his masterpieces once every five years.  To receive
one of his blades was an honor and a privelage.  Ryle had been offered
one as well, and he as well graciously accepted.  His gift was one of
the most perfectly balanced broadswords ever to be made.  Due to his
high proficiency with Materia it also had ten combined Materia slots,
some at the base of the blade, and the rest along the hilt in strategic
places.
     "Yeah," Ryle replied, slipping on his silk shirt.  He was dressed
in his casual attire, black silk pants and a red silk shirt.  It was
unusual garb for Midgar, but Ryle liked it for reasons he himself didn't
even understand.
     "Don't be too late... we have a briefing at 0700 tomorrow."
Sephiroth reminded with a grin.
     "Yes, Mother..." Ryle said in a falseto tone of voice.  
     The taller soldier laughed out loud.  "That's right... I take too
good of care you sometime... maybe if you grew up I wouldn't feel so
obligated."
     Ryle frowned, though was obviously not upset.  "Just because you're
older than I am, doesn't make you any better."  His look turned smug.
"In fact... I find it rather amusing that it's me going on a date...
when I haven't seen you with a woman in years!"  
     Sephiroth winced.  "That's my own business! Now, get out of here
before you break some other girl's poor heart!"  He stabbed at his
younger brother half-heartedly.
    Ryle dodged out of the way with grace and economy of motion.  "Hey,
hey!  Okay!"
     With that he danced out the door.
     Sephiroth watched him go with a smile, then thought of something.
"And for God's sake, stay away from cold water!" he yelled at the
departing figure.
     
----------------------------------------

     Ryle made his way down to the lower level of Midgar.  It was where
he spent most of his time.  On the upper level were a bunch of snobby
people, a group Ryle had never found a connection with.  The lower level
held *real* people, with *real* lives, and *real* problems.  It was also
where the most fun occured... either in the form of a block-wide
worker's party, or a drunken bar fight.  It was the excitement that he
craved in his free time, something he couldn't get up on high.
     At first the people had been wary of him... there experiences with
SOLDIER troops had been less than favorable.  However, they soon came to
find that he was a person of their own spirit... and he found a home
with them amazingly fast.  Where at first he had begotten ill looks and
the occasional thrown stone, he now received warm smiles and the
occasional free round of drinks.  
     It was on one of his excursions to the lower level that he had met
her.  She had been walking along in the market district, with a bag of
groceries in her arms.  A group of trouble makers had decided she was a
worthy target, and attacked her.  Ryle had instantly began to go to her
rescue, and was surprised to see her dispatch the hooligans with little
effort.
     He had helped her pick up her things, and she thanked him.  It was
then he saw her eyes... deep and mysterious.  An almost perfect
reflection of his own.  The next thing he knew he was asking her on a
date, for dinner, and she was accepting.  It had all seemed very unreal
to Ryle, and he hoped it all wasn't some dream and he wasn't sitting in
the Cafe Asgard for nothing.
     At Nine o' clock, right on the nose, she arrived.  Perfectly
punctual, Ryle noted with no small amount of approval.  She looked
around the small eatery with those engageing eyes, and when they fell on
him he was elated to see the recognition and joy in them.  She
gracefully flowed, as if made of water, across the cafe to his table.
She smiled at him, and the room seemed to brighten ever so slightly.
"Hello, Ryle."
     He smiled back, unable ot help himself if he had tried, and
replied, "Hello, Aeris."

END Chapter 2 A
I had thought of just ending this chapter here... but nah... too short.
So, I'll be continuing this part sometime soon.  Comments would be very
welcome and quite appreciated.  To those who may wonder what's going on
with Another Life... it is on hold until I get the inspiration to
continue it... for now Eugenics occupies most of my mind.
Thanks for reading,
PMasters 
(10-29-98)                  

"I'm only holding back the rain.  So many raindrops, so many pains.  I
want to find my train someday.  As seasons go past the station." - Tokyo
Babylon OVA 1
/ E-mail at:  PhilMasters@webtv.net /
Web page pending use of a computer!
"...has anyone ever used something alive for a coat of arms?" - The
Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea (Mishima Yukio, 1965) / 
"You see, what you call a cat, we use as armor." - Rune (El-Hazard,
1994)