NEON BABYLON EVANGELION
by A.D. Lapadula.
PART I: REVELATIONS 3:5
CHAPTER 1: Shadows of the Past
Even in the protected confines of one of technologies greatest marvels, the coldness of space could find a way to reach you. For President John Sheridan, cold came in the form of a shiver as he stared out of the White Star's bridge, into the vast space, a blue world. Mankind's homeworld sat floating in darkness. Alone.
Normally Earth was a comforting sight , not today.
Now it was odd, different, as if it weren't right.
Sheridan turned around to face his second in command.
"Anything from Earth Gov." He sighted.
Anla'Shok Lennier looked up from his console.
"No. They are not answering the hail."
"That's weird. EA has 24 hour communication systems." Sheridan noted, pacing his way over to Lennier's console. The Mimbari just shrugged.
"What's weirder, the Home Defense Grid is not in place. The DSBS are not in orbit."
"This is not possible" Sheridan thought to himself. The Deep Space Ballistic Satellites had been created to stay in orbit around the Earth, they would never be taken down to prevent leaving space around the planet unprotected.
(Taking out the entire HDG, someone must have a dead wish.) Sheridan thought.
"Even more..." Lennier continued "...There is almost nothing in orbit, only a few ComSats. None of which use our signals."
Sheridan took a deep breath and looked back at the Earth. This is not right.
"What the hell is going on?"
With those words he might have expected Valen to show up and answer. For Sheridan everything in the last week had been strange. First a White Star goes missing in the Z'ha'dum system and since no one will ever go there , he had to take a ship for himself. Then Earth Gov called for a meeting on Geneva with the Interstellar Alliance. And now after nearly getting killed because of some hyperspace anomaly the Communications were off in all the planet.
"Maybe the Grid was damaged and they had to do repairs." Lennier spoke, his hands dancing over the sensor controls of the console.
"Not all 36 satellites at once." Sheridan said "Even if they did, there should at least be a couple of Destroyers. Earth has a lot of enemies."
In that moment the doors of the bridge opened with a low hiss. And a tall man in black and grey uniform stepped in. Security Chief Zack Allan walked behind one of the consoles with the pace of man who's late for work, but wont embarrass himself by running, and stopped next to Sheridan.
"So where's the fire John?" Zack said in his familiar all too sarcastic voice.
"If we could find the fire we wouldn't be in a problem such as this." That was Lennier, Mimbaris were never good with sarcastic remarks.
Every one was silent. Lennier raised an eyebrow.
"Well he asked"
"Never mind Lennier. What's going on?"
Sheridan made a slow gesture with his hands towards the window.
"We made it to Earth, but now nothing seems to be working."
Zack took a look outside the view screen it was Earth all right.
"Have you tried communications?"
"Yes, no response. It's as if they weren't there."
****************
The first year of the 21st century marked the pinnacle of human civilization. There were as few wars as there has ever been in recent history. People were living longer and happier lives. The economy was booming. Technology had reached unimaginable levels. Alliances and pacts had ensured global peace and vanished the fear of the nuclear holocaust that had been holding the world for over 50 years. The world was a good place to live.
All of it ended on June 6, 2000.
According to the official press communicate from the United Nations. A huge meteorite crashed on Antartica. Causing the polar ice caps to melt and igniting global genocide. This was called Second Impact. Everything humanity had created during the last seven thousands years almost ended in one hellish instant. Entire cities were buried by the raising of the waters caused be the melting ice. Countries were wiped out. To one disaster followed another as the economy collapsed. Millions died of famine and hunger, Millions more died in the civil wars that followed, adding to those who died instantly on the impact. In the end the death toll was estimated at 2.8 Billion people. Half the world population.
Then from the ashes of a decimated world came a new order. Led by the United Nations and the most rich countries, which were called the G7: Russia, China, Germany, Japan, Brazil, USA , Israel. With the promise of rebuilding the world the UN grew to unheard of proportions. Soon every available country wanted in. Of course the UN could not afford to help starving countries because the UN was on the brink of chaos. Millions more died before Russia and China started helping out. Hundreds of thousands were relocated in the vast Siberian region and Russia became the most stable country in the world. The US and Europe were not far behind, and the UN realized it would have to start to rebuilt the world from scrap.
Every piece of information the United Nations had published regarding the cause of Second Impact was a lie.
Only a selected few knew what actually happened. Second Impact was not caused by a meteor, but by something else. Something that shook the very foundation of the human soul.
In Antartica, Misato Katsuragi, then a 14 year old girl, had front row tickets to the end of the world. As the sole survivor of the expedition sent to the South Pole for unknown reasons, she witnessed the explosion that ended her innocent childhood. Her father who was the head research scientist and consultant was killed, along with every other thing she cared about. And her world was left in ruins.
She was rescued days later by a UN fleet, half frozen half starving. She spent the next year without saying and word. Having only her father's cross around her neck and scar on her chest to remind her of the world that had given her life, and the mistakes made by mankind. She devoted herself to never again let something like this happen.
All her childhood she had wanted to be a good girl. to help her mother. To make her father proud. Now a very different felling drove her. The desire for revenge.
Misato grew to become a beautiful young woman who's outgoing and friendly personality turned into a facade to hide her inner demons and her wish for others acceptance. She indulged herself in several excesses, alcohol been the catalyst, also her job and desire for acceptance.
She decided that the only way to accomplish her goals was to join the military, so at 18 she enlisted on the UNSA (United Nations Security Agency ) and became top of her class. As a tactician and military analyst she was bright. Some said even a natural genius and started comparing her to Erwin Rommel. The UNSA gave her a scholarship and she went to complete several courses at Japan.
While in college she met Ritsuko Akagi a medical student with an IQ of over 200 who was captivated by her personality and sense of self-assurance . They became the closest of friends. She also met a young man named Kaji Ryougi and fell in love with him.
Thanks to Ritsuko's mother she was able to get a job as head scientist for an unpublished organization under the direct control of the UN called NERV, and asked Misato if she was interested in the position of Tactical Operations Director. Of course she accepted.
Nothing she had done prepared her for NERV, there she found out about the Evangelion Program, the Angels and the truth about Second Impact. And she was presented with the chance to get her revenge.
NERV became her life.
And NERV destroyed her life.
************
(Sometimes I wish I could just forget about the painful things. Wipe them from my mind like erasing the disk of a computer. For some reason bad things always remain in you head longer than good things.
I wish I could bury the bad memories, run away from it all. Focus on what's important. But I can't. Instead I remember the things I want to forget. I was right when I told Kaji that I was nothing but a child, longing the warmth and comfort only another human being could offer. Wanting to be accepted, loved. Those I love are gone. Those I love are hurt. Because I failed them already.
I am a child.
Scared.
Alone.
What I desire I can not have.)
Major Misato Katsuragi drew her knees to her chest and wrapped arms tightly around them.
(Been alone brings back those painful memories. That's why I surround myself with people. To escape the loneliness. I am always alone.
When Shinji killed the last Angel, I had words of comfort for him. Told him what I thought he needed to hear, I was there for him, but when Kaji died no one tried to comfort me, not words or gestures of kindness. So I withdrew from the world, and waited for the pain to go away.
It never did. I was alone. )
She sat on one of the consoles at NERV HQ, running the hacking program on her computer against the MAGI.
(So what can I do? My job that's what. Find out just what the hell is SEELE up to... and stop them. Find out why they sent an Angel directly at us knowing what would happen. The enemy from within is the real enemy now.)
The room got awfully cold as that thought began to sink in, so she curled tighter.
"Repair Team 23 reports that Unit 02 has been fixed. I thought you might wanted to know." Hyouga's voice startled her for a second, then she looked up and locked eyes with the young operator.
"What's the use now that we have no pilot for it?" said Misato, in a matter of fact voice. "Asuka has hit rock bottom, there is no more reason to think we can use Unit 02."
"Germany want's it back, and the pilot too." Said the operator, walking pouring some coffee from a nearby machine into a cup.
"Fuck Germany." Said the girl, as she took the cup that Hyouga offered her. He noticed she was staring at NERV's logo on the cup.
"The UN also sent the bill from the repairs to the Truman."
That thought almost placed a grin on the girl's face. It was one of the few good memories she had. Asuka single handedly decommissioning half the UN's Pacific fleet, including their flagship, the Harry S. Truman.
"Fuck the UN."
"Are you all right? You look fatigued?"
"I'm fine." She zipped from the cup, enjoying the warm scent of the coffee as she neared the cup to her lips "It's ironic don't think."
"What is?"
"Our slogan; God's in his Heavens, All right with the World. We say it but we don't mean it."
Damn bureaucrats. She thought to herself taking another zip from the cup of hot coffee she held in her hands. Maybe this was the best way to end it all, she knew it was only a matter of time before they got tired of spending money in an unreliable weapon.
Almost as if called by her thoughts all of the alarms and sirens in the room went of at once. Misato looked over at the set of people sitting in a row of computers on the other side of the by now noise filled room.
She notice the stage one alert on one of the monitors and jumped to her feet. Hyouga ran to his computer console, and began typing on his key board.
"What the hell is it?" She shouted, almost afraid of what the answer could be . An Angel was the logical choice . They were not prepared for another Angel now, not by far.
No That's impossible.
The words took a while to come.
"MAGI scanning the energy source." Hyouga said from his computer on her left side. "Energy pattern...Unknown?"
"What?! That's not possible" Misato shouted.
"We are not getting any information on this. It's completely unknown !" Hyouga shouted back, typing the keyboard fast, not even looking at the keys.
He turned to her.
"Energy patterns are off the scale, location confirmed, it's coming from space. MAGI searching in the database. What the...?"He stopped.
The alarms were shut off. Silence fell across the room
"What?" Misato started, Leaning towards Hyouga.
"It's gone."
******************
Darkness is the source of all evil, Gendo Ikari knew that better than anyone else, but looking at the man who sat in his office he thought he saw evil given form. The man himself was tall, dark haired and with a sense of self confidence it was almost annoying.
"My associates had kept up the bargain, Ikari. The time for you and NERV to do your part will begin soon." The man said.
"I am well aware of the situation. I assure you we will do so as soon as the new budget is approved by the UN"
The Man leaned back on his chair.
"My associates will give you whatever you need. We can only hope that you will give us the same courtesy."
Ikari had a bad feeling were this conversation was going. With the kind of power he had, the man could ask for anything he wished and they would have to move Heaven and Earth to do so. Ikari wouldn't want to be the last guy who told him no.
"They want Major Katsuragi out of commission." He began. "My associates think that she might be a problem for their plans."
"Major Katsuragi is one of my best operatives..." Ikari stated from behind his desk but was cut short by the man
"Her qualities are what makes her dangerous. They want her gone and if you don't do it they'll find somebody who will."
This was not a conversation and both of them knew it, of course Ikari would have to do it no questions asked, that's the policy with this kind of things.
Maybe it was fitting that after what the mans 'associates' did, they should be repaid, but he knew it would be too high a price to pay.
************
The characteristic low pitched sound from the communications system filled the bridge. Piercing the dead silence which had been maintained
for the last couple of minutes. Lennier took notice of the red LED on the console and pressed the button for the computers internal communications code.
"The ComSys. Has picked of the signal of one of those Satellites. A civilian one, the only reason why we got it is because its broadcasting into space."
"Put it on the speakers" Sheridan said turning in his chair.
There was a low crack and the speakers became alive with the voice of a woman.
"...... hasn't made any comments on this latest of terrorist attempts on the Ambassadors from the United States in Geneva but extra measures has been taken for the safety of the congress. On other news, the UN has just approved the new budget for NERV, and estimate quarter of a trillion dollars. And leaving many people wondering just what are they up to now. But with the apparent defeat of the Angels it seems unnecessary. In this networks opinion we should mark the year 2015 as the year were Mankind has achieved its greatest victory. We'll be back with more Headline News at the top of the hour."
Lennier looked up in shock.
"Did she just say...?"That's as far as he got before being interrupted by Sheridan.
"2015."
*****************
Jeffrey Sinclair stood in the middle of a darkened room, surrounded by 11 screens all marked 'sound only' and the word SEELE with their respective numbers. They were more like monuments or monoliths than screens.
"NERV has defied us. I is no longer feasible for us to keep dealing with them. There is no other choice." Said SEELE 3, a deep, stone hard voice "We must act now."
"It is important that we know what are the Shadows up to, they have begun putting their influences into place. SEELE is no longer safe." That from SEELE 6
"We have no longer need for NERV and Gendo Ikari, they may be disposed of. Along with the Shadows if we act at once. Wipe everything. Cause Third Impact." Said SEELE 3.
"No." Sinclair replied calmly. The former CO of Babylon 5 sighted. "This game must be played right. Or we don't play at all."
"The only course of action is to continue with our plan." Said SEELE 4
"NERV is still of vital assistance to get rid of the Shadows." Said Sinclair.
"They betrayed us and must be destroyed." SEELE 1 said. This was the head of them all. The great mind behind the wall of SEELE,
"Of two wrongs, it is wise to chose the lesser one. I have a plan." Sinclair smiled confidently. Assured that those words had come as a surprise to the committee.
"What is your plan?" Again SEELE 3.
"I will not speak of this to the committee. Be assured that we have the situation under control."
"The Vorlons can not be trusted more than the Shadows can. Is that your plan. To use the Vorlons" Said SEELE 7.
"No. We have taken steps to bring the only one who knows how to deal with the Shadows."
"What if the Shadows jump ahead on this plan of yours?" SEELE 2 asked, he was the most inquisitive one of the group.
Sinclair considered his words for a short while, he hate to ask them for favors, but he had delegated the authority on the matter to them. He knew every piece of the puzzle, but SEELE had the power.
"The Shadows have contacted the Psi Corps and have arranged for one of the Eva pilots to be transferred to NERV. They, whoever do not know that since he Corps is sick of them, I have made a deal with them. As you are aware of, Bester has always been a supporter and is in on our agenda." He stopped to let his words sink in. "One of our mass productions will be taken over to the Shadows with a pilot instead of one of their own. They will not know the difference until it is too late. Once we have an able pilot at our disposal we will be ready to begin."
"This scheme is not justified. It is not viable." Said SEELE 8.
"Not only is it justified, but it will provide us with the means to stop the Shadows from trying anything with NERV. And we have the aid of Ikari."
"Ikari must not be involved . He has defied us." SEELE 3 was very clear about that last statement, saying it slowly enough as to accentuate every word.
"He is our only inside contact. He will help us because he knows what fate will await humanity in the hands of the Shadows. I have already sent an operative to NERV to take in the situation. If this comes to worst then we will have to turn against them and detonate Third Impact, but this is not the way it is supposed to happen, nor is this the way to the Instrumentality of Man."
"This is a dangerous game you are playing Sinclair. The salvation of mankind rests in your hands." Said SEELE 1.
"No it doesn't. It rests on some one else's. The Shadows already have their Chosen One, and that fact alone scares me."
"You must not fail, then." Again SEELE 1.
***************
"This just came up from one of our observatories in Kioto." Hyouga pressed a button and the control board and the image of NERV's logo on one of the screens was replaced by that of space. Dark with points of light as stars, millions of kilometers away.
"There's nothing there:" Misato Katsuragi said leaning towards the picture.
"Right." He pressed another button. The image changed, the black for dark blue, and the white lights for yellow and red. In the middle of the there was a white circle containing one such yellow and red dot bigger than the rest. Under the circle the words: UNKNOWN.
"This is the IR version of the same picture. They were taken one second apart, and that thing does not show in any other image." Hyouga continued. "Which means that there is something up there, and it's not ours."
"Does anyone else knows about this?"
"The observatory has already called the UN Space Division."
A few seconds passed
Then over the P.A. system a female voice said in an all too mechanical voice
"Major Katsuragi please report to Commander Ikari's office immediately. Repeat, Major Katsuragi please report to the Commanders' office immediately."
*****************
"So that's as far a conclusion as we can get" Lennier continued his report "Based on all the data we've received so far."
Sheridan nodded, his mind trying to find an explanation to this. How do you go from the 23th century to 2015?
" The question is..." Zack said as if reading his thoughts "How?"
"Must be some sort of space anomaly, I don't know, something like the machine on Epsilon 3."
Sheridan looked up from his desk.
"What about the hyperspace trouble we had?"
Zack shook his head " Maybe, but the coolant leak from the J E has altered most of the jump files and we had to shut it down to prevent it from overloading."
Sheridan knew what that meant, Jump technology was a dangerous thing , if the Jump Engines core went into overload it could destroy the entire ship. It also meant that weren't going anywhere for a while.
"How long before it's back on line.?" He said.
"We have no parts for it and with the Bio Technology at least a week." Zack said. "We are stuck ."
***************
She walked into the big office feeling as if she were carrying the whole world on her shoulders. The place was dark, it was so dead, nothing but a desk in the far corner. It wasn't even well illuminated. Dark, which somehow enhanced the odd feeling she had carried with her on the way here. Gendo Ikari sat in his desk, hands joined together in front of his face.
"Major Katsuragi please, have a seat."
She walked closer to the desk. It's odd all right, he'd never ask her to sit in his office. She made it to the chair, a blue one and sat down.
"Major, powers beyond my control have forced me to make a decision."
"Sir?"
"I have been told that, for whatever plans our associates have for this organization you've considered a threat that must be dealt with."
Misato started to pick herself of the chair and reached for her gun. That was instinct kicking in, her own desire
for self-preservation.
"I didn't say that they would kill you, no. They want me to fire you . Get you out of the way. However I will only do it because I have a different plan for you."
Ikari reached with one of his hand toward the phone like devise on his desk. Misato knew it was a jamming devise, meant for disrupting any uninvited listeners. He pressed a bright red button on the upper left corner of the devise.
"NERV is in jeopardy, not only from SEELE, as you might have already suspected, but from our own allies. Now I must get to the bottom of the situation and for that I need on assignment with members from the STRDA."
"Space Technology Research and Development Association, but..."
"There is a great deal of things at stake here, and I want to play my cards the right way. Placing you in a position outside of NERV's jurisdiction and into another organization will give you the influence you need to be my ace." He stopped. Misato didn't replied so he continued. "No one will now about this assignment, you will tell no one, not even the Third Child.. You will be listed as dismissed on the personnel files and will report only to me. There is no way of knowing how deep 'this influences' goes in the chain of command so we have to take all the precautions necessary." Ikari made a gesture with his hand towards the far corner of the room. She turned and tried to focus her eyes through the darkness.
A man stepped from the shadows and into the circle of light that surrounded Ikari's desk. The man himself was tall, with long dark hair and a beard. He wore a strange looking dark brown suit and some kind of coat. On his coat he also wore a pin with a blue gem.
"Who is he?" She said turning from the man to Ikari.
"Since we don't know what this people want from you we have decided to assign you a body guard"
Misato shook her head.
"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"You can never have too many precautions." The man said. She turned and saw that he was standing right besides her. He extended his hand and smiled to her. A pleasant grin.
"Marcus, Marcus Cole."
Misato took the mans hand firmly.
"Major Misato Katsuragi."
"You will report to STRDA at 0800 tomorrow morning, then you'll go to their HQ for a small briefing, until then you are free to enjoy what's left of the night. Marcus knows what has to be done."
She nodded at Ikari, the turned to face the man once again, and walked past him Marcus fell in step just behind her.
"Tell me Mr. Marcus, Do you drink?"
"Depends on what it is you're drinking, Miss Katsuragi."
The two of them walked to the door on the opposite side of the room. Through the darkness. Ikari waited for the electronic door to close behind them.
He turned in his chair to the part of the room which seemed to be beyond the dark, it was black as if the light could not penetrate the thick shadows.
"We are taking a risk, a big risk."
A voice answered him. It was not a human voice, it was too electronic or mechanical, whatever it didn't matter.
"The time is right for us to act. We will put our chips in position for when the time to attack comes."
"We have waited too long for your answer to the crisis, Kosh."
"I can not wage the battles for you, however I will make sure you have what it takes to win. It is not up to us to negate the shadows that are approaching your world, but up humans to make that decision. She will have to make that decision in the name of your race, I can only hope that she will make the right one. Leave her to Sinclair. Now we have other matters."
"The Corps accepted our proposal. They are ready."
********************
She hated this place. She hated everything that has to do with it. Everything. Maybe because it reminded her of her failure. Of her weakness . She hated it.
(Feelings are for the weak.)
Asuka Langley Soryu, Second Child of the Evangelion Project lay down on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. She hated herself for been so stupid. She should be glad this hell was over, that humanity was save now, but she didn't care .
No they had taken away the thing that was most important for her, her pride, and with that everything she ever cared about. When her mother died, so did her feelings.
(Feelings are for the weak.)
And there was only pride. It fueled her, consumed her, drove her. Then they took away her pride, and there was only hate left. For the world, for others and for herself.
(Feelings are for the weak!!!")
For a time she had felt that were other thing for which to live, now she hated them all.
"I hate those fucking bastards." She whispered to herself, but she knew better. There was no one else to blame but herself, she had ruined her live. The words were only a faint reflection of her pride. The pride that she no longer had.
(Only hate. What else can I do now but hate. There is nothing else. No one cares for me. So I hate them.
They took my pride...
Now they want my hate, and if they take that away from me...then,
Then they'll destroy me.
Feelings are for the weak...then, why do I feel?)
*******************
"At approximately 6 P.M. this afternoon the United Nations committee reported that they have indeed received a signal from somewhere on Earth orbit. No theories have been explained so far but the UN has made it clear this signal could very well be mankind's first contact with an alien race. Due to recent events nothing has been made official but Space Division has already planned a mission to investigate the source of the signal. The X-32 Shuttle America with her crew of seven will take off at New Canaveral at 0600 hours."
(I should have died with him.)
Shinji Ikari, Third child of the Evangelion Project leaned back on his chair. He had lost track of time since the 17th Angel was destroyed, and Kaoru with it. Not that he really cared about time, of course not. But it still seemed to early for the UN to get Humanity into another mess. What the hell do they think a signal in space means? Probably another Angel, or something worse, either way he didn't cared. Let them figure it out. He was tired of the fighting, too many people had already sacrificed their lives, too many. He was tired of NERV using him to do their dirty work. No more.
(He was so much better than I am, he should have lived and I died. Misato said that it is the one who has the will to live who survives, but I don't have that will. What do I have now? The pain. The knowing that he died in my hands That I killed the only one who has been truly honest to me. )
This he enjoyed once, the silence, having nothing to do, no one to tell him what to do. But somehow it was different, for the first time everything was awful.
(Why did you killed the only one who cared for you? Because I had to. He was an Angel. Dangerous. But, he was also my friend.)
It had been so long since the last time he really felt peaceful , with no worries other that those in his mind. No that wasn't right. His mind was filled with the memories of those who had been lost, the hatred, the suffering, but he felt odd. Almost as if it wasn't himself anymore, as if he were some one else . Maybe the Eva had changed him, maybe something had happened who knows. What he did knew was the terrible truth, that none of them were the same. They all had changed. Misato, seemed to be more dedicated to work than ever, she just keeps herself busy, that's a good way to escape the pain. God knows she'd had a lot of that lately. Specially with Kaji's death. I was good for her not to think of the pain. She was drinking more than usual too. He could not remember the last time he had seen her completly sober. It was her way of coping with the suffering. Asuka, well...
(Sorry I couldn't help you when you needed me more Asuka. Maybe you were always right. I am an Idiot. I don't deserve to be a pilot. )
He really felt for her. For what happened, the way she went form a proud, skilled pilot to a state of mental catatonia. And he felt he was somehow responsible for her collapse. She's even worse than he is, psychologically speaking.
In reality he wanted her to need him, he wanted to hold her and tell her it was all gonna be all right. He wanted to be with her. She would never need him, not again, and when she had he had let her down. He wished to be able to tell her what she had became for him. Someone in which he could find the common pain, the same reason to live, or the lack of one. But he did not had the courage to face her again. To even talk to her.
(I want to die. Life is no longer worthwhile.)
That's the pain of living. Wanting to die is easy, but wanting to live is another thing. He knew that like no one else.
***************
Marcus Cole shifted his position for the tenth time in the last fifteen minutes. It was not that he felt uncomfortable, it's just that he had some horrible feeling that something was going to happen. It was the same one he had before he and Susan went against the EA forces in Mars. That doom in coming feeling. True he was inside a car now, rather that in a White Star's bridge but it was odd.
(Susan.... I love you...)
Perhaps it was the weather. Rain had been pouring down on the city for the last hour and a half, and he found himself with nothing better to do that watch the drops of water pour on the windshield.
The door to the driver seat opened and a soaking wet Misato Katsuragi sat inside slamming the door shut as she entered.
"It's raining cats and dogs out there." She removed her wet jacket and threw it on the back seat. Marcus sighed as the girl took a six pack of beers from the brown paper bag she had brought into the car and popped one open..
"What some? I got plenty," she offered him one of the cans, which Marcus politely refused. She nodded at him and drank down the beer.
"You know, you are not fun to hang out with. What kind of drinking partner are you?"
"I don't drink beer. Whisky maybe, but I don't think you have any."
"Well no, That is expensive and I don't get paid until next week."
Marcus did not reply, instead he elected to wait until she had finished before saying another word. When
Misato was done with the last beer, she tossed the can out the window, and gripped firmly the steering wheel, and turned on the car. The engine came to life with a roar, and the vibration that always follows, then she turned on the lights and wipers.
"Anywhere I can take you, say are you hungry? I have the night off and nothing to do. I think there is a good bar the serves a descent drink around here" She asked, looking at him as if she were driving some sort of taxi service.
"Not really. Miss Katsuragi. We have to take a flight tomorrow, you should get some sleep, and you shouldn't drink and drive."
"Uh, sorry...'Mom'." she said, in her most childish voice, then "You are so boooooring, did you know that?"
The girl frowned in annoyance.
Who does he think he is to tell me what to do?
Misato placed the car in gear and drove off on the wet road. She exited the small station where they had been parked for the last twenty minutes and entered the highway. Normally she would take the city streets, but since there was no more city, she had to take the high to get from any one point to the other. There were few light on the road until she got the streets of the suburbs, on the west side of the city. Across to their left they could see the lake that had been the city, only ruble and water remained from what had once been the peek of the human achievement . An incredible architectural feat buried under the merciless water of a now human made lake.
"That's odd" she noted.
Misato had been on the road for a few minutes before she even realized that there was a car behind them. The looked at the headlights coming closer and closer under the heavy rain. She noticed Marcus was also looking at the vehicle from the rear view mirror. Then the headlights came even closer.
The hit caught her by surprise. Her head snapped back and she momentarily lost control of the car. Feeling the strain on her neck she managed to turn her head and avoid crashing with a near by light post.
"What the hell is wrong with that guy?!" She shouted angrily, to no one in particular. Marcus quickly responded, turning around to see the car coming for another blow.
"I think he wants a piece of us."
The car, which now he could identify as an Audi, hit their bumper again. This time Misato stepped on the accelerator and her car pulled away from the attacker.
As the Audi came closer, Misato changed lanes. Now she was driving on the incoming traffic lane. The Audi followed. Just as she was about to change lanes again, the rear window exploded. The car shook, as bullets smashed against the chassis. Marcus ducked on the seat and Misato did too as best she could and still see over the dash board.
The Audi hit them again, this time on the right side. The car spun, to the right but by turning the wheel hard on the other direction The girl was able to keep it from smashing into anything. She pulled at the wheel so that now the car had made a complete circle on the left, the Audi went by them and she leveled the car out of the turn to leave them now driving on the opposite direction, away from the Audi.
"He's turning. I don't think he'll give up." Said Marcus, watching the headlights maneuver in the rain.
"Let it come and play." Misato accelerated ever further. The engine roared it's protest. Been careful to keep one eye on the road she opened the glove compartment and pulled out her GPS devise, which she placed on the right side of the wheel. The devise flicked to life showing the display of streets and the positioning of any other vehicles in the area. She was pleased to see that there were very few cars on their proximity's, but was not pleased to see that the Audi was coming fast.
"There is a shotgun on under the back seat. GET IT!" she told Marcus, who did as she asked. He indeed found the 12 gauge shotgun and a box of shells. He loaded the shells into the weapon.
That kind of girl keeps a shotgun under the back seat of her car. Wondered a rather amused Marcus.
Misato drove like a maniac. Taking tight corners and speeding, keeping an eye on the GPS at all times. She pulled out of the main road, into a lateral one, then turned hard left into another one. All the way the tires slipping on the wet surface. Several times she came close to loosing the car but managed to keep it steady.
Almost killed several people too.
"We lost him? I can't see shit with this rain." Said Marcus looking out the back window, shotgun in hand. He glanced at the GPS and saw the Audi right around the corner.
"You are making circles."
"No I am not, I just got him out of my tail and into my jaws."
Just as Misato made a corner into a residential neighborhood on the suburbs, the Audi appeared at the end of the long stretch of road. In front.
"Shit, she is good." Marcus changed his shooting position from the back seat the passenger seat.
"Fasten your seat belt." She said, almost cracking a smile.
Misato sped the car even further. Straight toward the incoming Audi. The two cars went head to head at tremendous speed. Marcus turned to her and shouted as he fired the shotgun.
"You picked an awful time to play chicken." He said, but Misato was not listening.
The Audi came closer at top speed, too close. The girl was equally relentless on the accelerator. The Audi became larger, and larger on the windshield.
Then, only a few feet away from head-on collision it turned, the car skidded on the wet road and came to a stop. Misato slammed on the brakes, almost putting Marcus through the windshield, shifted the gears and drove full speed on reverse.
"I said fasten you seat belt."
The Audi never knew what hit it. Misato smashed on the point were cars are most vulnerable, on the side. The metal bulged inwards and every piece of glass shattered. The impact was tremendous. Both marcus and Misato were thrown about inside the car as if on a blender. Still Misato kept her foot on the accelerator.
"You are nuts, did you know that? You could have killed us both!"
"I ain't done with this son of a bitch yet. Nobody wrecks my car.!"
The car began to push the Audi backwards. Then she turned the wheel left and the car altered it's backward motion to the right. Soon the two cars climbed onto the side walk and she kept pushing the accelerator.
Gun fire poured from the Audi. Marcus returned the favor with the shotgun. This time, Misato also drew her
Browning 9mm. At let out a couple of shots of her own.
The Audi went back wards until is crashed, sideways into a light post. Metal creaked, squealed and the side bars gave in under the pressure. Now the Audi was pinned against a firm object and it could not get away.
Misato brought the car back into first gear and pulled away form the Audi, making a tight turn that gave them some distance between the Audi and them. This way, they had the hostile car right in front of their headlights, where they could se it.
All the window were shattered and there was a man inside.
The girl opened the door and stepped outside on the rain. She squatted behind the door so that it's metal would offer it's protection. At least from small caliber weapons. Marcus did the same, pointing the shotgun.
Rain poured heavily on her bare shoulders as Misato wished she had placed her jacket back on. She griped the Browning tight. Water ran everywhere. Some people had started to come out of the houses. The girl cursed them. If a shooting spree broke out she would have to account for the innocent by standers. For the time been she ignored them.
Marcus signaled for her to go on to the right, he was going to the left. Misato nodded at him.
The two of them stood up, carefully aiming their weapons at the figure on the Audi. When they were close enough she noticed that the figure was a man, wearing a dark suit and sunglasses. She also saw the bullet wound on his chest.
"He looks like one of our intelligence guys." She noted to Marcus.
"Check him." He said
Misato carefully opened the door and took the man's pulse.
"Nothing. He's dead".
She proceeded the register the suit. And found a wallet, which she opened and inspected. What she found startled her.
"Hey, Marcus check this out." From the wallet she retrieved a security card. On the top it read:
NERV SECOND BRANCH INTELLIGENCE DIVITION. Followed by a code number and NERV's logo.
She heard a sound behind her and turned. Her eyes went wide with horror.
The man was aiming at her. The gun, an Magnum .44, gleaming in the dim light. Time seemed to stretch, even stop. Each second last hours.
Misato froze, in one instant, she saw her life run in front of her eyes. The gun was right fucking there! He would shoot her. It was all over for her.
(Do you want to die?) The words somehow popped in her mind.
( No, I want to live, please let me live! Don't kill me, please).
(They need you.)
The card dropped to the ground.
(All that's left is death.)
The man tightened his finger on the trigger. Misato closed her eyes, waiting to feel the pain from the .44 bullet ripping into her flesh. The gun fired. She felt her entire body shudder and fell to her knees. The pain never came.
Instead something heavy landed on her shoulders.
"Are you OK?" She heard Marcus asking. "Miss Katsuragi, are you OK?" he repeated, shaking her shoulders with a hand, Misato slowly opened her eyes as if for the first time in a lifetime. She looked up at Marcus and nodded.
Marcus had shot the man on the chest. Blood poured out into the street.
(All that's left is death.) Misato shook her head to clear it and somehow found the strength to stand. She felt a stabing pain on the back of her head. As if someone had hit her there.
Marcus placed a couple of more shells on the man's inert body just to be sure.
"Thank you..." said the girl, finally been able to come up with her voice.
"Not a problem." Said Marcus. He took the sunglasses off the man's eyes and noticed they were completely white.
"Fuck." He fired again at point black to the head.
Misato walked slowly toward Marcus, fighting to bring her mind back on-line. Only when she accomplished that she realized that she was holding the cross on her necklace with a firm grip. Her father's cross.
(Afraid of dying, are you? Yes very much, so how come you are afraid of living? )
"Are you sure you are OK?" Marcus asked yet again. Sounding truly concerned. This time the girl answered.
"Yes."
The rain continued to hammer them, washing away the blood on the pavement. But for Misato Katsuragi, not all the rain that ever fell on the Earth could wash the image of death from her mind.
******************
"The Vorlons know what we are doing, Jeffrey."
"There is no reason to believe the Vorlons are fully aware of our plans."
"Someone trying to kill me is reason enough."
"Don't worry about the Vorlons. Marcus. As soon as you bring the girl we can start to achieve our goal. We can destroy the Shadows once and for all."
"What about NERV?"
"SEELE and the Psi Corps will handle that. But we have a different agenda. Just make sure to bring the girl alive."
"That wont be a problem."
"Were is she?"
"She is safe, I took her to her apartment."
"Make sure you make it, and Marcus, take care."
******************
(Look at me father, at what I have become. Is this what you wanted from me. To be like you. I hope you are proud of me. Of your little Misa-chan. I understand now how it felt to be you. I wish I could tell you how much I need you right now. How much I love you.)
Misato Katsuragi stared the image of herself in the full size mirror hanging from her closet wall. She was naked except for her underwear, with the cross hanging at her neck. She had a slender figure, long shapely legs and nice breasts, but from all her stunning physical features, the one that caught the most attention was the scar that ran just below her bust line. An ever present reminder that she was no longer the girl her father had left behind. The scar was not so mush a physical mark as scars go, instead it was a much more deeper psychological mark. Where the soft skin took a paler color, her life had been changed forever.
(I hope you are proud of me, because I am not.)
Misato checked the clock on top of her night table.
6:08, she had told Marcus to pick her up at 6:30. She'd better start getting dressed. She did so beginning with her shirt.
Marcus had been very withdrawn with her. Only speaking when she spoke first. Never betraying any emotion, typical military.. yet, he had offered pick her up so that she could get some sleep. Instead she had spent the night trying to find out what was on the card she had taken from the guy who tried to kill them, without any luck.
(Kaji, I don't know what the future will bring me, but I would like you to watch over me, huh? Pull whatever strings you have up there.
Be proud of me too, if that makes you happy. I'm just doing my job. )
*********************
(I never thought I would see Earth again. After the Civil War that is. It's amazing how the universe can put you in the most troublesome circumstances. The last time I was here I was leading an assault force, ready to take down President's Clark government, because that was the right thing to do. Or so we thought.
We fought war on the enemies term. We went to pick a fight with our own forces. Unlike any other conflict this time we knew the enemy. I was not eager to start killing men who had been my friends in the academy. I knew most of the men who died. That we killed, because they did not shared our point of view.
Men who believed in the line of command, in their government, their laws. Who did not understand the difference between duty and doing what's right.
The images of those men still haunt me, they know I killed them. Their families know that John Sheridan killed theirs sons and fathers and friends. I'd like to think of all the innocent lives we saved. It's not enough, I could have done more.
So we stormed EA forces holding down Proxima 3, then used human weapons the disable the Mars feet, and marched to Earth.
Never since the Battle of the Line had something so daring had happened. We came as traitors and emerged heroes. We achieved our objectives, but to a great price. For politics.
General Hague once told me that this was not the way wars are waged, but rather the way things happen when war is forced upon us, and there is nothing left to do but stand up, and fight. I learned during the Shadow War that war has evolved from commercial or political disputes into a matter of been right and wrong.
We thought we were right, so did Earth Force. So it becomes a matter of who wins. We did.
So, we were right, but at the same time, we were also wrong.
John Sheridan paced around the bridge of the White Star, as he always did when something was bothering him and he found sleep unlikely. More often than he could remember.
*****************
Gendo Ikari watched the screen which read SOUND ONLY and heard the distorted voices from the America's crew.
"...Switching to one-five-nine, control over...."
"...ETA to target two hours. Initiating orbit roll. Bring us over to .5 pitch..."
There was a long silence.
"....-ver-ha-ing-troubles-it-e-signal-" another pause
"-hat-e-hell-that?-it-prop-get-the-f-ou-o-her-"
"-oming-on-o-six-esus-C-..."
The voices ended, this time there was no silent, only static. He knew what that meant. Ikari turned in his chair to face the man standing behind him.
"Was that necessary?".
"Means to an end. They can't let their allies be exposed" The man said making his way to the door on the far end of the room.
"If they have to sacrifice half the planet they will and have." At the door he turned at Ikari before leaving.
"There is nothing you can do to stop them. Do not interfere."
Ikari waited for the man to disappear behind the door before switching on the inter-com
"That's where you are wrong. Communications get me Jeffrey Sinclair."