They looked out over the North Crater’s desolation and shivered in the biting cold wind. Audrea looked down into the crater at the cool green Mako. She wondered if Sephiroth was down there. Part of her was afraid of who or what she would find. Someone touched her on the shoulder. She looked over at Tifa. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I’m fine," Audrea forced a smile.

As they began to descend into the crater, Barret walked up to Tifa. "You be careful round her. I don’t trust Miss Lady Sephiroth over there."

"She knows that Barret."

"Tifa. We busted or butts to kill Sephiroth, and you know we’d all do it again in an instant. But she loves him … who’s side you think she’s gonna be on?"

Tifa was silent.

Audrea looked around at the caves. Some of the rock and bone formations were breathtaking, and she found it hard to focus on the road. They sank lower and lower, towards the center of the planet. The reached a cavernous room where the Mako seemed to give off a bright light.

They were greeted by a sinister female voice. "Welcome."

"Who are you?" Tifa called. "Is this … Jenova?"

The being stepped into the light. Mulder gasped. He suddenly remembered a meeting in a greasy-spoon diner, a young woman with brown hair, who looked like… "Samantha!" He called out.

The being looked at him. "Yes. I think that this body was once called Samantha. But the good Professor Hojo was kind enough to give this body to me. Behold, the power of Jenova!" The being laughed. "And meet my children!" She waved an arm and three figures appeared on a dais, next to a throne. Jenova-Samantha sat on the chair. "My precious offspring. Sephiroth, my eldest son and heir. Cloud, my prodigal son, who now realizes his fate. Dana, my daughter from the long past, finally restored to me."

Tifa, Audrea and Mulder looked at them in shock. Audrea gripped Katana. If I have to fight him…

"You will not need that. Come closer." Jenova-Samantha revealed three syringes. "You can join them. You each love one of my children. By injecting yourself with this, you can join them."

Mulder looked at the black substance in the vials. "It’s the black oil." He said quietly. Audrea nodded.

Tifa looked at Mulder. "What is it?"

"Jenova cells. The black oil that she uses to reproduce is her cells. They live in the host until they gestate. Then they consume the host."

"Yes and no." Jenova corrected. "They do what I wish them to. In this case, I use them to maintain control." She waved an arm and Sephiroth stood, gripping Masamune. "See. He will do whatever I wish. They all will."

"What about my father and his friends? The Syndicate?"

"They were pathetic fools. Merely pawns. I used them to invade this planet. Their precious project was all planned ahead of time."

"So what you’re saying," Audrea began. "Is that if I infect myself with your cells, I can be with Sephiroth forever?"

"Yes."

Audrea considered for a moment. "I’ll do it."

Barret raised his gun-arm. "Bitch! I knew you’d turn traitor. Come here so I can shoot you!"

Tifa looked at Audrea, betrayed.

Audrea didn’t hear any of them. She stepped forward, slowly, onto the dais. She slipped off her armor. Jenova laughed. "Sephiroth." She commanded.

Sephiroth watched Audrea ascend the dais. No. Please, Audrea, don’t make her make me do this. He fought the control on his mind, to no avail. Jenova, again, had a firm lock on him. He stepped toward Audrea with the hypodermic. He sensed, rather than watched, as his own hands opened the back of her leotard, felt them looking for bare skin.

Audrea stood in front of him waiting for the pinch of the needle. The fingers of her left hand reached back to her Mystile armlet. She felt the needle go under her skin. Felt the oil in her body. She reached under the armlet.