I've decided to begin posting this fic now, as I seem to have hit
somewhat of a rough patch with TSTL. Please enjoy.
Slave to the Machine
By: Langerhast
Chapter One
++++++
Shinji gazed sadly into the screen of his laptop as the monotonous second impact lecture the sensei was giving was threatening to put him to sleep.
He glanced over at Toji, a few seats away. He was already asleep. Shinji turned back to his computer and spent the rest of the class period trying to keep his eyes open. It seemed like hours until the lunch bell rang.
"Hallo, Shinji." The soft voice startled Shinji and his two friends, as they turned around to see who had spoken. As if there was any doubt.
Asuka stood, staring down at him, with her hands on her hips. "I need to have a word with you." Toji snickered.
"Not even married yet, and she's already demanding his heart and soul," the jock announced, obviously quite pleased with himself.
"He's already practically her manservant," Kensuke offered, grinning.
They would have kept on going, had they not been silenced by a particularly venomous glare from Asuka. After they had fallen silent, the German redhead turned back to Shinji. "It's classified NERV information. I need to make sure that nobody else hears. Especially them," she said, cocking her head in the direction of the other two stooges.
"But, Toji is the Fourth Child…" Shinji protested.
"He's also an idiot. Who knows what he would say if he found this information? Not to mention the other stooge! I need to speak to you ALONE!"
"Okay…" Shinji sighed. Looking sadly at his two friends, he motioned for them to leave. They glanced at him for a moment, and then shuffled away dejectedly.
"All right, baka," Asuka said, sitting down next to the Third Child, "This is what you need to know."
++++++
Four figures sat at a wide table in a darkened conference room, far below the surface. They were the highest-ranking officials of NERV First Branch in America, and their exact location at the time was classified.
"And so, the production of Unit 06 is complete, Dr. Thames? This is what Intelligence has told me," one of the men, in short blond hair, inquired.
"Yes, Mr. Andersen, and well ahead of schedule, I might add," Thames replied. He was a tall man with shoulder-length black hair and a thin beard.
"And the carrier is scheduled to meet the Sixth Child in London tomorrow?" A brown-haired major asked, tapping her pen idly on the table.
"Regrettably so, Major Holt. Damn, I still can't believe they're sending a Brit in one of our Evangelions! Especially since this is only a child we are talking about."
"No need to become upset, Dr. Thames," A blond man in a long coat said. "The tests confirmed this candidate as the Sixth Child. That is all beyond our control. What I am worried about, however, is the Evangelion."
"Yes. We don't want a repeat of Matsushiro. That was an embarrassment…" Andersen said, trailing off as he began to remember the incident in full detail.
"Nothing to worry about, Commander Walker," Holt said, shifting her gaze to the blond man in the long coat. "I have Zimmerman and his men looking into the matter. The security will be much tighter on the carrier this time, and we are charting a new course. Added to that, we have placed more of our… advanced technology in the matter."
"Very well then," Walker barked, running his gaze across the three officials sitting in front of him. "Thames, I can trust you to supervise the shipping process?"
The Doctor nodded.
"Well, on that note, meeting adjourned. We shall all meet again at the airport tomorrow morning. That is all."
One by one, the NERV officials left the room, straightening their blue uniforms. Soon, only Commander Walker was left, both hands cupped above his blond beard in a similar fashion to another NERV Commander… "I hope you are ready, Commander Ikari. The United States Government will not sit well with you if you destroy another Evangelion."
++++++
"So there's a Sixth Child coming? When? How do you know?"
Asuka sighed at Shinji's urgent whispers. "I don't know when, baka. Like I said, I just overheard Misato and Ritsuko talking about it when you were being tested solo at NERV yesterday. That's all I know."
"But… why did you tell me?"
"You really are stupid, aren't you? I thought that even a baka like you had the right to know. You'll be getting a new rival. Besides, you didn't find out about Toji until it was too late…"
Shinji's head spun whenever he was reminded of that fateful day that seemed so long ago, but the mention of a new rival set his mind ablaze as well. "But, why would NERV be getting another pilot? All of the Angels are gone now. "
Asuka grabbed him by the collar and brought her face close to his, glaring at him. "No more questions, alright, baka? I only know what I overheard. Nothing more."
"I'm sorry, Asuka…"
"Don't apologize! Jeez, Misato's been going too easy on you!"
With that, the German girl stood and walked away to speak with Hikari, leaving the Third Child staring after her in confusion. So many thoughts swam in Shinji's mind.
He was shocked back into reality as Kensuke dropped into the seat beside him, where Asuka had just been sitting. "There's a new Child arriving soon?" Was the first thing he asked.
Shinji instantly became almost as red as Asuka's hair. "You heard what we were talking about? If Asuka finds out, she'll kill you!"
The other boy simply grinned, pushing his glasses further up on his nose. "Don't worry. I won't ell anyone. What else did she say?"
Shinji still wasn't convinced. "Nothing. Just… just that."
Kensuke gave him a strange look. "Okay… if you say so, Shinji. Well, lunch is almost over, so I'll see you later."
Shinji nodded as his friend nodded and left, similar to Asuka. He pressed his forehead to the palms of his hands, leaning on the table. Such a long, tiring day.
++++++
"Shinji, Asuka, we're off to the airport now." Misato's statement confused the teenagers. Shinji and Asuka had just arrived home and slipped their shoes off by the door, when their guardian appeared and said this.
And so, before he was quite aware of what had happened, Shinji found himself in the backseat of Misato's ravaged blue sports car with Asuka, and they were speeding down the road in the direction of the Japan National Airport. 'This must have something to do with the Sixth Child…' He thought as the tall buildings shot by on either side. That was the only explanation he could think of at that moment, but he didn't think that Misato knew he knew.
++++++
In only a few short minutes, it seemed, Shinji and Asuka were stepping out of the car with Misato and staring at the tremendous, sprawling complex in front of them. "Not bad, for Japan," the Third Child heard Asuka mutter, satisfied as she looked out over the airfields.
They didn't admire the scenery for long, however, as Misato quickly ushered them inside. Both children blinked as they walked the vast mazes of corridors and waiting areas, because they seemed almost devoid of life. Only a handful of others wandered the halls with them. Both Shinji and Asuka shuddered as they walked; the very halls seemed to attempt to draw the souls out of them. Dark shadows lurked in the corners, and an air of emptiness tainted the atmosphere. The Japan National Airport, once filled with bright lights and the sounds of hundreds of people, was becoming a lonely, desolate place.
After what seemed like an eternity, the three finally stopped in a wide waiting area, with dozens of rows of black padded seats and one wall made entirely of glass to provide a clear view of the runways. Shinji took a seat in the front row, close beneath the towering wall of glass. Misato slumped casually into the seat next to him, and he saw Asuka find a seat several chairs away, the girl crossing her arms over her chest and staring out at the airfields once more, a small smile playing at the edges of her mouth.
Glancing out the window, Shinji buried his face in his hands and sat in deep thought. His worries and apprehensions competed with his eagerness to meet this Sixth Child… who ever it was.
++++++
There, now. I'm sorry that this chapter was so short, but more will come, whether you like it or not. Much more will be revealed later, as to who this mysterious new Child is and how its arrival will impact the pilots.
Slave to the Machine
By: Langerhast
Chapter One
++++++
Shinji gazed sadly into the screen of his laptop as the monotonous second impact lecture the sensei was giving was threatening to put him to sleep.
He glanced over at Toji, a few seats away. He was already asleep. Shinji turned back to his computer and spent the rest of the class period trying to keep his eyes open. It seemed like hours until the lunch bell rang.
"Hallo, Shinji." The soft voice startled Shinji and his two friends, as they turned around to see who had spoken. As if there was any doubt.
Asuka stood, staring down at him, with her hands on her hips. "I need to have a word with you." Toji snickered.
"Not even married yet, and she's already demanding his heart and soul," the jock announced, obviously quite pleased with himself.
"He's already practically her manservant," Kensuke offered, grinning.
They would have kept on going, had they not been silenced by a particularly venomous glare from Asuka. After they had fallen silent, the German redhead turned back to Shinji. "It's classified NERV information. I need to make sure that nobody else hears. Especially them," she said, cocking her head in the direction of the other two stooges.
"But, Toji is the Fourth Child…" Shinji protested.
"He's also an idiot. Who knows what he would say if he found this information? Not to mention the other stooge! I need to speak to you ALONE!"
"Okay…" Shinji sighed. Looking sadly at his two friends, he motioned for them to leave. They glanced at him for a moment, and then shuffled away dejectedly.
"All right, baka," Asuka said, sitting down next to the Third Child, "This is what you need to know."
++++++
Four figures sat at a wide table in a darkened conference room, far below the surface. They were the highest-ranking officials of NERV First Branch in America, and their exact location at the time was classified.
"And so, the production of Unit 06 is complete, Dr. Thames? This is what Intelligence has told me," one of the men, in short blond hair, inquired.
"Yes, Mr. Andersen, and well ahead of schedule, I might add," Thames replied. He was a tall man with shoulder-length black hair and a thin beard.
"And the carrier is scheduled to meet the Sixth Child in London tomorrow?" A brown-haired major asked, tapping her pen idly on the table.
"Regrettably so, Major Holt. Damn, I still can't believe they're sending a Brit in one of our Evangelions! Especially since this is only a child we are talking about."
"No need to become upset, Dr. Thames," A blond man in a long coat said. "The tests confirmed this candidate as the Sixth Child. That is all beyond our control. What I am worried about, however, is the Evangelion."
"Yes. We don't want a repeat of Matsushiro. That was an embarrassment…" Andersen said, trailing off as he began to remember the incident in full detail.
"Nothing to worry about, Commander Walker," Holt said, shifting her gaze to the blond man in the long coat. "I have Zimmerman and his men looking into the matter. The security will be much tighter on the carrier this time, and we are charting a new course. Added to that, we have placed more of our… advanced technology in the matter."
"Very well then," Walker barked, running his gaze across the three officials sitting in front of him. "Thames, I can trust you to supervise the shipping process?"
The Doctor nodded.
"Well, on that note, meeting adjourned. We shall all meet again at the airport tomorrow morning. That is all."
One by one, the NERV officials left the room, straightening their blue uniforms. Soon, only Commander Walker was left, both hands cupped above his blond beard in a similar fashion to another NERV Commander… "I hope you are ready, Commander Ikari. The United States Government will not sit well with you if you destroy another Evangelion."
++++++
"So there's a Sixth Child coming? When? How do you know?"
Asuka sighed at Shinji's urgent whispers. "I don't know when, baka. Like I said, I just overheard Misato and Ritsuko talking about it when you were being tested solo at NERV yesterday. That's all I know."
"But… why did you tell me?"
"You really are stupid, aren't you? I thought that even a baka like you had the right to know. You'll be getting a new rival. Besides, you didn't find out about Toji until it was too late…"
Shinji's head spun whenever he was reminded of that fateful day that seemed so long ago, but the mention of a new rival set his mind ablaze as well. "But, why would NERV be getting another pilot? All of the Angels are gone now. "
Asuka grabbed him by the collar and brought her face close to his, glaring at him. "No more questions, alright, baka? I only know what I overheard. Nothing more."
"I'm sorry, Asuka…"
"Don't apologize! Jeez, Misato's been going too easy on you!"
With that, the German girl stood and walked away to speak with Hikari, leaving the Third Child staring after her in confusion. So many thoughts swam in Shinji's mind.
He was shocked back into reality as Kensuke dropped into the seat beside him, where Asuka had just been sitting. "There's a new Child arriving soon?" Was the first thing he asked.
Shinji instantly became almost as red as Asuka's hair. "You heard what we were talking about? If Asuka finds out, she'll kill you!"
The other boy simply grinned, pushing his glasses further up on his nose. "Don't worry. I won't ell anyone. What else did she say?"
Shinji still wasn't convinced. "Nothing. Just… just that."
Kensuke gave him a strange look. "Okay… if you say so, Shinji. Well, lunch is almost over, so I'll see you later."
Shinji nodded as his friend nodded and left, similar to Asuka. He pressed his forehead to the palms of his hands, leaning on the table. Such a long, tiring day.
++++++
"Shinji, Asuka, we're off to the airport now." Misato's statement confused the teenagers. Shinji and Asuka had just arrived home and slipped their shoes off by the door, when their guardian appeared and said this.
And so, before he was quite aware of what had happened, Shinji found himself in the backseat of Misato's ravaged blue sports car with Asuka, and they were speeding down the road in the direction of the Japan National Airport. 'This must have something to do with the Sixth Child…' He thought as the tall buildings shot by on either side. That was the only explanation he could think of at that moment, but he didn't think that Misato knew he knew.
++++++
In only a few short minutes, it seemed, Shinji and Asuka were stepping out of the car with Misato and staring at the tremendous, sprawling complex in front of them. "Not bad, for Japan," the Third Child heard Asuka mutter, satisfied as she looked out over the airfields.
They didn't admire the scenery for long, however, as Misato quickly ushered them inside. Both children blinked as they walked the vast mazes of corridors and waiting areas, because they seemed almost devoid of life. Only a handful of others wandered the halls with them. Both Shinji and Asuka shuddered as they walked; the very halls seemed to attempt to draw the souls out of them. Dark shadows lurked in the corners, and an air of emptiness tainted the atmosphere. The Japan National Airport, once filled with bright lights and the sounds of hundreds of people, was becoming a lonely, desolate place.
After what seemed like an eternity, the three finally stopped in a wide waiting area, with dozens of rows of black padded seats and one wall made entirely of glass to provide a clear view of the runways. Shinji took a seat in the front row, close beneath the towering wall of glass. Misato slumped casually into the seat next to him, and he saw Asuka find a seat several chairs away, the girl crossing her arms over her chest and staring out at the airfields once more, a small smile playing at the edges of her mouth.
Glancing out the window, Shinji buried his face in his hands and sat in deep thought. His worries and apprehensions competed with his eagerness to meet this Sixth Child… who ever it was.
++++++
There, now. I'm sorry that this chapter was so short, but more will come, whether you like it or not. Much more will be revealed later, as to who this mysterious new Child is and how its arrival will impact the pilots.