Disclaimer: Don't Own them, but I wish I did. They belong to Gainax.
Toshi, Juri and Miki are original creations.
Thanks for the advice. This re-post has corrections made.
A/N this is set right after Misato is promoted.
The labyrinth like corridor of NERV echoed with hurried footsteps and commotion. Not odd for them, but on this occasion something was going wrong- worse than usual.
"What do you mean its gone? How can it be gone?"
"We have no readings on either the pilot or the Eva."
"Is it an Angel?"
"That can't be confirmed.we've lost all readings from the area."
"I want Unit 02 found. Immediately." Gendo's voice cut the commotion.
"Commander, the magi have no readings to work off of. Eva 02 is not there."
"Irrelevant. Find them."
"Commander if I."
"Major Katsuragi.you will lead the other two pilots to the area, and find the missing unit."
"Wait, we have an AT field.but.still no reading on Eva 02 or an Angel."
"What about Asuka?"
"I gave you an order Major Katsuragi."
"Still no sign of the pilot either."
An explosion lit up the monitor on the wall of Central Dogma. A flash of black, and red, then the screen was blank again.
"We had contact for six seconds, pattern on the other object is. not blue, its not an angel."
"Then what is it?"
"It's.human."
---
"Do you know how long we've been suffering now?"
"Yes Toshi, we know." an exasperated voice responded.
"But all our plans are now coming to fruition."
"You sure it was wise to let Juri pilot it?"
"He'll be fine all he has to do is get us the real pilot."
"What if he dies?"
"It's a chance we'll have to take."
---
Asuka felt the sweat pooling in her entry plug suit as much as if she had just jumped in to a pool. Whatever she was fighting, it was giving her a workout. "Shysa" She whispered hoarsely. "Wish they'd tell me when they plan to attack me in training." She thrashed at the command console with her knee. "If communications weren't down I'd."
-Surrender the Eva and you'll live.-
The black mecha she'd been battling with froze.
-Like what I did to your communications? How 'bout the lack o' readings. They all think you're dead.-
Who are you?
-Juri. Sent to get you. Come peacefully, I hear you're hot and I don't like hurting hot chicks.-
Asuka growled and lunged forward only to be forced down again.
-oh, and I was hoping I wouldn't have to use this, too bad.-
An electrical force suddenly split the AT Field surrounding Unit 02, and sent it flying. It landed 60 feet away and started smoking.
---
"We have a reading. Unit 02 is down. Asuka's unconscious."
"Deploy units 00 and 01 on a rescue mission."
"Yes sir. All systems are green on.what the hell.unit 02 just vanished again. That black thing split communications."
"Unit 02's power supply is dead."
"Units 00 and 01 have been deployed."
"Ensure that they are not harmed."
"Location is 8 miles from NERV. We may be able to send a power cable with it."
"Unit 02 has reappeared. But the pilot is gone. Entry plug has been forced out."
"Find what did this. And destroy it."
---
"I don't like this." Shinji whispered. "Something's wrong."
A shattered entry plug lay a few yards from unit 02, LCL covered the grass, but there were no signs of blood; Just massive amounts of damage to the surrounding area.
"It is doubtful she is dead. I would not worry Ikari."
Shinji sighed slowly. Something isn't right..
---
Something rattled incessantly at the corner of Asuka's hearing. Something hard pressed to her injuries, amplifying the pain. She groaned slightly and tried to move. "Dumbkuf shysa." She opened her eyes slowly. "I'll kill who ever did this."
"Drink this."
She looked up to see a man about Misato's age standing over her. He held out a small glass filled with water.
"You've been out for an hour. Have to apologize for Juri.he's a little stubborn."
She planned to retort in her usual flare, but fell short and slowly took the glass staring into it.
"Not poisoned if that's what you're thinking. Don't worry we need you as much as NERV does."
She sniffed the water any way, than slowly took a sip.
"See? You can trust me." He offered a hand. "Get up. We have something softer for you to sit on."
She closed her eyes "Who are you?"
"The Leader of FATE."
"What?"
"For the Absolute Termination of the Evas."
She threw the glass at the man's head in response to his answer. It nailed him square between the eyes and threw him backwards.
"We plan to take down NERV from the inside. Using you," He replied rising and massaging his forehead.
Asuka shot to her feet and attempted to spot a door.
"Miki. Lock all exits, we've got a hot one."
---
"We have to face the issue. The second child is likely dead. The damage done to Unit 02 in comparison to her synch ratio at the time would nearly put her in a coma." Gendo spoke every word clearly, but with out an ounce of emotion.
"I believe there's a chance we can find the pilot of that other."
"Mecha, Major?" Kaji offered.
"Shut up."
"The Magi have calculated the likely hood of that and put it at 1 in 100. Better odds then expected, but it is still unlikely." Gendo responded.
"What do we tell Shinji and Rei?"
"I shall handle Rei. She understands these things. Shinji is your responsibility, and your problem Major."
"Well, he's your son." Misato whispered. "Understood. But we should still try something."
"I've already taken care of that. The first and third child have yet to complete their mission. Once I am positive it is useless, then you shall have to inform my son. You are dismissed Major."
Kaji watched his former lover exit the office then looked anxiously at Fuyutsuky and Gendo. "What are my orders?"
---
Asuka woke up several hours later. She didn't remember passing out, didn't remember much of anything. "You're a liar." She whispered, feeling Toshi's presence.
"Had to. There was no way I could mend your injuries and ,-er- prepare you."
It took Asuka's drug-clouded mind a few seconds to realize she was bound to a chair and dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. "Hey!"
"You were a prisoner since you got here. Don't see why you're complaining." He pulled a cigarette from his front pocket and lit it, then took a slow drag on it. "Have to feed you soon though. It is close to the average dinner hour, you must be famished."
Asuka's stomach grumbled audibly at the mention of food. As he approached her again, blowing smoke, she finally got a better look at him. "Kaji." she whispered.
He shot her a glance out of the corner of one eye, a look that seemed to ooze anger, but he was only somewhat frustrated. He had heard her clearly, but made no other acknowledgement of it. Once his cigarette was finished, he dropped it, and put it out on the stone floor of the abandoned warehouse FATE called home. He looked her over slowly, the frustration still tearing at the corners of his eyes. "My cousin's a bastard. Wish we didn't have the same face." he paused. "Ryouji."
"Don't talk about my Kaji like that." Asuka whined.
A deep throated and angry sigh rumbled in his chest. He forcefully placed a hand on either side of her, on the arms of the chair. He leaned close to her, mere inches from her face. "You know nothing. Ryouji isn't what you think. You'll be able to kill him and everyone else once I'm through." He smiled. "NERV won't know what hit it."
"You forget NERV has."
"NERV has nothing. Using you, FATE will see its downfall."
---
"I'm telling you, it isn't right! We-we can't just sit around and wait for something to happen.what-what if an-Angel attacks? What then.and.an."
"Ikari."
Shinji slowly looked at Rei, tension passing fleetingly between them. The anger at his orders quickly returned to his mind.
"If the Commander believes there will be no problem, the will be little chance of a problem."
She paused "Besides, we have only been told to stand by. They may send us out soon."
Shinji bit his lip, and slowly bowed his head, the door slid open a second later as Misato entered.
"Shinji, get changed, we're going home. Rei, the Commander wants to speak to you."
Neither of the pilots moved, a few seconds later, Rei stood and brushed past Misato.
"Shinji."
The boy didn't look up, hadn't looked up since Rei had spoken.
"Did you see what they did.she can't be.Misato why aren't we doing anything!" Shinji's typical apathetic manner vanishing once again, as he complained about what he'd been told.
"We're going to find her Shinji."
---
"Why were you hiding this from us?"
"To be honest Commander, I doubted that Toshi had the-had it in him. Right now can't tell you where he is, haven't seen him in a couple years."
Kaji stared down at the floor of Gendo's office as he spoke. "Wasn't hiding any way. I just knew my cousin was against NERV because he's one of those conspiracy nuts."
Gendo leaned his forehead against tented fingers. "How did he get the technology to build what he did?"
"He was dating a biotechnition last time I spoke to him."
"There was nothing biological about what attacked Unit 02. If it were, it wouldn't have read as human on our scanners."
Kaji shrugged loosely, and started to turn.
"I'm not risking any more members of NERV for a needless cause, assemble as many people as you can and deal with this. I trust you can, lead them, seeing as you have such low expectations of your cousin. You're dismissed Inspector."
---
Shinji stood outside Asuka's room, staring in. Pen-Pen stood beside him, making confused noises as he cocked his head from side to side. Shinji flinched as Misato laid a hand on his shoulder.
"She'll come back."
"It's too quite here." He reached in his pocket and pulled out h is S-Dat and walked away.
"Shinji."
"Squawk?"
Shinji had resigned to a corner, S-Dat on, head bowed. The silent tension so great, Misato could hear the soft strains of Classical music, however faint, from her side of the room.
--
1 day has passed since the "Kidnapping"
"He's only been able to collect 3 people. That is not sufficient if we wish to achieve out aims." Gendo said, staring pensively across his office, and adjusting his glasses.
"So you're willing to risk NERV personnel now?"
"The Major has been adamant about it. It the Inspector is correct, and his cousin is no problem, then she should be able to handle the situation."
Fuyutsuki nodded. "What do we do if an Angel arrives while she's-combating out issue?"
"I think I'm quite capable of handling the situation with out her Kuzo." He moved his hands from his face. "Don't you agree?"
---
"Why do you hate NERV?"
"It's evil." Toshi paused. "It's the reason for all the problems in Tokyo- 3. Glad I live outside the city." He tapped the built up ashes off the end of his cigarette with his free hand. "And I do realize that in destroying NERV, I risk destroying the city." He added a comment under his breath about what a waste the Geofront was. He took a slow drag on the cigarette, and blew smoke skywards with a sigh. "But it is a small calculated risk."
"Don't you realize we're protecting you?"
Toshi burst into an insane fit of laughter. "And I thought I was brain washing you!" he shook his head. "You kill more people then you save."
"I graduated college already. I'm smarter then that idiot Shinji.you'd be able to brain wash him.me? You're wasting your time!"
"The whole time you were sleeping we were sending a recording of words to your head, and programming your subconscious." He smiled. "You don't remember it now, but the back of your memories does." He dropped the cigarette butt to the floor and crushed it, there it joined the shattered corpses of a dozen others.
--
"To be honest, he's not only my cousin. He- technically speaking he's my brother. My father had a strange attraction to my mother's twin sister." Kaji said, scratching at the scruff on his chin. "Hates me.haven't seen him 3 years. If I remember, and he hasn't changed we look identical, barring that he shaves and has a crew cut." He laughed at this.
"That would prove useful-if he were to leave where he is holding Asuka. Which is doubtful."
Kaji sighed, and looked over his shoulder, then back at Gendo.
"Since you have amassed so few aides, I'm forced to assign Major Katsuragi to your search party."
Kaji's eyes shot upward from the spot on the floor he'd been watching. "Commander, that may not be the best."
"Any personal quarrels are irrelevant. You will recover the Second Child, before your-relative causes any more damage. Is that understood?"
"Yes Commander."
--
"Shinji! Your pulse is 50 beats above normal! Stop worrying, or you are going to hurt your self."
"Unit 01's pilot's synch-ratio is drastically below his norm."
"Abort Synch test. Shinji! Wake up! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Inside the entry plug Shinji kept his eyes closed and said nothing.
"Shinji!"
"Major Katsuragi? Commander Ikari wants you." Fuyutsuki whispered in her ear.
"Thank you." She turned and left Central Dogma.
Thanks for the advice. This re-post has corrections made.
A/N this is set right after Misato is promoted.
The labyrinth like corridor of NERV echoed with hurried footsteps and commotion. Not odd for them, but on this occasion something was going wrong- worse than usual.
"What do you mean its gone? How can it be gone?"
"We have no readings on either the pilot or the Eva."
"Is it an Angel?"
"That can't be confirmed.we've lost all readings from the area."
"I want Unit 02 found. Immediately." Gendo's voice cut the commotion.
"Commander, the magi have no readings to work off of. Eva 02 is not there."
"Irrelevant. Find them."
"Commander if I."
"Major Katsuragi.you will lead the other two pilots to the area, and find the missing unit."
"Wait, we have an AT field.but.still no reading on Eva 02 or an Angel."
"What about Asuka?"
"I gave you an order Major Katsuragi."
"Still no sign of the pilot either."
An explosion lit up the monitor on the wall of Central Dogma. A flash of black, and red, then the screen was blank again.
"We had contact for six seconds, pattern on the other object is. not blue, its not an angel."
"Then what is it?"
"It's.human."
---
"Do you know how long we've been suffering now?"
"Yes Toshi, we know." an exasperated voice responded.
"But all our plans are now coming to fruition."
"You sure it was wise to let Juri pilot it?"
"He'll be fine all he has to do is get us the real pilot."
"What if he dies?"
"It's a chance we'll have to take."
---
Asuka felt the sweat pooling in her entry plug suit as much as if she had just jumped in to a pool. Whatever she was fighting, it was giving her a workout. "Shysa" She whispered hoarsely. "Wish they'd tell me when they plan to attack me in training." She thrashed at the command console with her knee. "If communications weren't down I'd."
-Surrender the Eva and you'll live.-
The black mecha she'd been battling with froze.
-Like what I did to your communications? How 'bout the lack o' readings. They all think you're dead.-
Who are you?
-Juri. Sent to get you. Come peacefully, I hear you're hot and I don't like hurting hot chicks.-
Asuka growled and lunged forward only to be forced down again.
-oh, and I was hoping I wouldn't have to use this, too bad.-
An electrical force suddenly split the AT Field surrounding Unit 02, and sent it flying. It landed 60 feet away and started smoking.
---
"We have a reading. Unit 02 is down. Asuka's unconscious."
"Deploy units 00 and 01 on a rescue mission."
"Yes sir. All systems are green on.what the hell.unit 02 just vanished again. That black thing split communications."
"Unit 02's power supply is dead."
"Units 00 and 01 have been deployed."
"Ensure that they are not harmed."
"Location is 8 miles from NERV. We may be able to send a power cable with it."
"Unit 02 has reappeared. But the pilot is gone. Entry plug has been forced out."
"Find what did this. And destroy it."
---
"I don't like this." Shinji whispered. "Something's wrong."
A shattered entry plug lay a few yards from unit 02, LCL covered the grass, but there were no signs of blood; Just massive amounts of damage to the surrounding area.
"It is doubtful she is dead. I would not worry Ikari."
Shinji sighed slowly. Something isn't right..
---
Something rattled incessantly at the corner of Asuka's hearing. Something hard pressed to her injuries, amplifying the pain. She groaned slightly and tried to move. "Dumbkuf shysa." She opened her eyes slowly. "I'll kill who ever did this."
"Drink this."
She looked up to see a man about Misato's age standing over her. He held out a small glass filled with water.
"You've been out for an hour. Have to apologize for Juri.he's a little stubborn."
She planned to retort in her usual flare, but fell short and slowly took the glass staring into it.
"Not poisoned if that's what you're thinking. Don't worry we need you as much as NERV does."
She sniffed the water any way, than slowly took a sip.
"See? You can trust me." He offered a hand. "Get up. We have something softer for you to sit on."
She closed her eyes "Who are you?"
"The Leader of FATE."
"What?"
"For the Absolute Termination of the Evas."
She threw the glass at the man's head in response to his answer. It nailed him square between the eyes and threw him backwards.
"We plan to take down NERV from the inside. Using you," He replied rising and massaging his forehead.
Asuka shot to her feet and attempted to spot a door.
"Miki. Lock all exits, we've got a hot one."
---
"We have to face the issue. The second child is likely dead. The damage done to Unit 02 in comparison to her synch ratio at the time would nearly put her in a coma." Gendo spoke every word clearly, but with out an ounce of emotion.
"I believe there's a chance we can find the pilot of that other."
"Mecha, Major?" Kaji offered.
"Shut up."
"The Magi have calculated the likely hood of that and put it at 1 in 100. Better odds then expected, but it is still unlikely." Gendo responded.
"What do we tell Shinji and Rei?"
"I shall handle Rei. She understands these things. Shinji is your responsibility, and your problem Major."
"Well, he's your son." Misato whispered. "Understood. But we should still try something."
"I've already taken care of that. The first and third child have yet to complete their mission. Once I am positive it is useless, then you shall have to inform my son. You are dismissed Major."
Kaji watched his former lover exit the office then looked anxiously at Fuyutsuky and Gendo. "What are my orders?"
---
Asuka woke up several hours later. She didn't remember passing out, didn't remember much of anything. "You're a liar." She whispered, feeling Toshi's presence.
"Had to. There was no way I could mend your injuries and ,-er- prepare you."
It took Asuka's drug-clouded mind a few seconds to realize she was bound to a chair and dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. "Hey!"
"You were a prisoner since you got here. Don't see why you're complaining." He pulled a cigarette from his front pocket and lit it, then took a slow drag on it. "Have to feed you soon though. It is close to the average dinner hour, you must be famished."
Asuka's stomach grumbled audibly at the mention of food. As he approached her again, blowing smoke, she finally got a better look at him. "Kaji." she whispered.
He shot her a glance out of the corner of one eye, a look that seemed to ooze anger, but he was only somewhat frustrated. He had heard her clearly, but made no other acknowledgement of it. Once his cigarette was finished, he dropped it, and put it out on the stone floor of the abandoned warehouse FATE called home. He looked her over slowly, the frustration still tearing at the corners of his eyes. "My cousin's a bastard. Wish we didn't have the same face." he paused. "Ryouji."
"Don't talk about my Kaji like that." Asuka whined.
A deep throated and angry sigh rumbled in his chest. He forcefully placed a hand on either side of her, on the arms of the chair. He leaned close to her, mere inches from her face. "You know nothing. Ryouji isn't what you think. You'll be able to kill him and everyone else once I'm through." He smiled. "NERV won't know what hit it."
"You forget NERV has."
"NERV has nothing. Using you, FATE will see its downfall."
---
"I'm telling you, it isn't right! We-we can't just sit around and wait for something to happen.what-what if an-Angel attacks? What then.and.an."
"Ikari."
Shinji slowly looked at Rei, tension passing fleetingly between them. The anger at his orders quickly returned to his mind.
"If the Commander believes there will be no problem, the will be little chance of a problem."
She paused "Besides, we have only been told to stand by. They may send us out soon."
Shinji bit his lip, and slowly bowed his head, the door slid open a second later as Misato entered.
"Shinji, get changed, we're going home. Rei, the Commander wants to speak to you."
Neither of the pilots moved, a few seconds later, Rei stood and brushed past Misato.
"Shinji."
The boy didn't look up, hadn't looked up since Rei had spoken.
"Did you see what they did.she can't be.Misato why aren't we doing anything!" Shinji's typical apathetic manner vanishing once again, as he complained about what he'd been told.
"We're going to find her Shinji."
---
"Why were you hiding this from us?"
"To be honest Commander, I doubted that Toshi had the-had it in him. Right now can't tell you where he is, haven't seen him in a couple years."
Kaji stared down at the floor of Gendo's office as he spoke. "Wasn't hiding any way. I just knew my cousin was against NERV because he's one of those conspiracy nuts."
Gendo leaned his forehead against tented fingers. "How did he get the technology to build what he did?"
"He was dating a biotechnition last time I spoke to him."
"There was nothing biological about what attacked Unit 02. If it were, it wouldn't have read as human on our scanners."
Kaji shrugged loosely, and started to turn.
"I'm not risking any more members of NERV for a needless cause, assemble as many people as you can and deal with this. I trust you can, lead them, seeing as you have such low expectations of your cousin. You're dismissed Inspector."
---
Shinji stood outside Asuka's room, staring in. Pen-Pen stood beside him, making confused noises as he cocked his head from side to side. Shinji flinched as Misato laid a hand on his shoulder.
"She'll come back."
"It's too quite here." He reached in his pocket and pulled out h is S-Dat and walked away.
"Shinji."
"Squawk?"
Shinji had resigned to a corner, S-Dat on, head bowed. The silent tension so great, Misato could hear the soft strains of Classical music, however faint, from her side of the room.
--
1 day has passed since the "Kidnapping"
"He's only been able to collect 3 people. That is not sufficient if we wish to achieve out aims." Gendo said, staring pensively across his office, and adjusting his glasses.
"So you're willing to risk NERV personnel now?"
"The Major has been adamant about it. It the Inspector is correct, and his cousin is no problem, then she should be able to handle the situation."
Fuyutsuki nodded. "What do we do if an Angel arrives while she's-combating out issue?"
"I think I'm quite capable of handling the situation with out her Kuzo." He moved his hands from his face. "Don't you agree?"
---
"Why do you hate NERV?"
"It's evil." Toshi paused. "It's the reason for all the problems in Tokyo- 3. Glad I live outside the city." He tapped the built up ashes off the end of his cigarette with his free hand. "And I do realize that in destroying NERV, I risk destroying the city." He added a comment under his breath about what a waste the Geofront was. He took a slow drag on the cigarette, and blew smoke skywards with a sigh. "But it is a small calculated risk."
"Don't you realize we're protecting you?"
Toshi burst into an insane fit of laughter. "And I thought I was brain washing you!" he shook his head. "You kill more people then you save."
"I graduated college already. I'm smarter then that idiot Shinji.you'd be able to brain wash him.me? You're wasting your time!"
"The whole time you were sleeping we were sending a recording of words to your head, and programming your subconscious." He smiled. "You don't remember it now, but the back of your memories does." He dropped the cigarette butt to the floor and crushed it, there it joined the shattered corpses of a dozen others.
--
"To be honest, he's not only my cousin. He- technically speaking he's my brother. My father had a strange attraction to my mother's twin sister." Kaji said, scratching at the scruff on his chin. "Hates me.haven't seen him 3 years. If I remember, and he hasn't changed we look identical, barring that he shaves and has a crew cut." He laughed at this.
"That would prove useful-if he were to leave where he is holding Asuka. Which is doubtful."
Kaji sighed, and looked over his shoulder, then back at Gendo.
"Since you have amassed so few aides, I'm forced to assign Major Katsuragi to your search party."
Kaji's eyes shot upward from the spot on the floor he'd been watching. "Commander, that may not be the best."
"Any personal quarrels are irrelevant. You will recover the Second Child, before your-relative causes any more damage. Is that understood?"
"Yes Commander."
--
"Shinji! Your pulse is 50 beats above normal! Stop worrying, or you are going to hurt your self."
"Unit 01's pilot's synch-ratio is drastically below his norm."
"Abort Synch test. Shinji! Wake up! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Inside the entry plug Shinji kept his eyes closed and said nothing.
"Shinji!"
"Major Katsuragi? Commander Ikari wants you." Fuyutsuki whispered in her ear.
"Thank you." She turned and left Central Dogma.