While I personally don't enjoy technology-laden battles, I applaud you for finding one of those plot-points that is both fresh and yet so obvious. Spira has such an unstable history, it's quite unbelievable that the government corruption with end with X-2. And even in the fanfic-fertile ending that game, in the rare chance one sees a post X-2 piece, it's usually just a bit of relationship fluff.
As usual, I'm enjoying your portrayal of Lulu. "Knowledge was her oldest weapon." is very Lulu as well as being quotable enough to imagine it being...quoted or stitched on samplers in her Besaid hut.
I also like her motherly interaction with Vidina and how her magely (?!) hands speak better than her words.
These Spirans never get a break, eh?
Author's response
I usually hate technology-battles too; magic is much more interesting to play with. The kernel of the story demanded it, however. We'll see if I don't get too much "relationship fluff" in this one by the end, but at least there is a plot as well, one I hadn't really planned on! The comment about Lulu's hands is a bit ironic, since she certainly seems to have no trouble expressing anger at Tidus and Wakka. But that's not showing the deeper layers of who she is.