Sweeper

Jessie, Cloud and Barrett were close to the reactor core now. The mako stink was painfully obvious. Too much of it would render a person comatose, and Cloud was acutely aware that they needed to limit their time down here.

Cloud spotted it first, operator that he was. Jessie saw it too then, clapping her hand over her mouth.

"Shit. They don't call those things sweepers for nothing. They can wipe out a whole squad in seconds," she whispered.

"Hah!" Barrett scoffed softly. "We can take this hunk of junk!"

"That hunk of junk is a heavy weapons platform, if we rush in, we die," Cloud said. He studied it. This was an old plant. The sweeper looked maladroit, like a barrel on roller skates. Then he saw wires at the back. "But if you're so confident ... I need you to make a distraction."

Cloud explained the plan, and now hesitant, Barrett slipped downstairs. He tried to get by the sweeper, but it went on alert, preparing to pursue and destroy the terrorist leader. Cloud almost wanted to let it happen. This was Tifa's man after all. Competition. But she'd never forgive sending them together on a mission and only one returning. That wasn't the path to pussy. Instead, he leaped down, his Buster sword carving through the essential wiring on the sweeper.

"C'mon, we're wasting time," Cloud said nonchalantly.