(A/N): This is a fan-fiction of Neon Genesis Evangelion. All copywritten materials belong to their respective owners.

(A/N 2): This is also a different kind of fan-fiction. It will be conducted in an interview format. Some events will be left out, as well as some aspects not covered. I hope you all enjoy. Reply with comments and PMs and how you like.


Subject 4: Life at NERV.

All interviews conducted by Tsgt. West, United States Air Force, former NERV US. (Represented by TW)

Interviewee A: 1Lt. Makoto Hyuga, NERV HQ, JSSDF. (Represented by MH)

Interviewee B: 1Lt. Shigeru Aoba, NERV HQ, JSSDF. (Represented by SA)

Interviewee C: Cpt. Maya Ibuki, NERV HQ, JSSDF. (Represented by MI)

Interview conducted on 05-8-2017.


*sounds of MH walking in*

MH: Finally, we're done talking about the children.

TW: I'm glad you see it my way. Are you growing comfortable in my interview site?

MH: Come to think of it... I am. Thank you.

TW: Any time.

*sounds of a cup being placed on the table*

TW: I have extra coffee, if you need any.

MH: I'm okay. Thank you.

*sounds of TW taking a loud sip*

TW: Okay. Hopefully, this question is much easier.

MH: That would be?

TW: How was life like at NERV, during the period in which the angels attacked?

MH: In one word or do I have to give elaborate reasoning, Sergeant?

TW: It's your call.

MH: To sum it into one word; cramped.

TW: Why "cramped"? Reports states that the entire facility was concealed in over 25 floors, as well as a cylinder reaching down 100 meters beyond that before the bottom is reached. The personnel reports also state that there was less than 750 employed by NERV HQ at the time.

MH: You were there only two weeks. You were barely inside NERV at all. Hell, most of your briefing was conducted outside and a snide comment about then-Maj. Katsuragi's bust disqualified you from transfer.

TW: Smart. But you haven't elaborated on why NERV was cramped.

MH: Everything we had was removed and sold so we can do more stuff for the EVAs. By the time the third angel romped around, we had two break rooms, one cafeteria. Those break rooms only had a couple vending machines each and a microwave in the case our lunches were frozen.

TW: But your ID cards double as credit cards.

MH: That's why most of our lunches were fast food. Sure, McDonalds may have been available and ready, but it's a bad sign you'd rather eat there rather than eat in your own cafeteria. Hell, cafeteria food was free and we still didn't eat there.

TW: Never mind the food and comforts then. How was working there?

MH: Boring.

TW: But you're responsible for three giant robots.

MH: When the angels choose to attack. Other than that, nothing happens.

TW: But you have housing off-base.

MH: Thankfully. I mean, we get discounts from a lot of online shopping sources; eBay, Amazon, the works.

TW: Surely NERV is at least kept clean, did it?

MH: Nope.

TW: No janitors?

MH: The only one we had left a few days after Asuka got there.

TW: No plumbers?

MH: Why would we hire one?

TW: No electricians?

MH: There aren't any civilians authorized inside without special permissions.

TW: How do you get rid of pests?

MH: I mean, we have mousetraps set up every now and again. Roaches and crickets and such, we're just allowed to crush them.

TW: That's not sanitary.

MH: You're telling me. We have one janitor's closet. It's filled with bug guts.

TW: I don't want to think about it.

MH: I mean, after the fact, we've hired some civilian contractors and cleaned what we can.

TW: Oh good.

*MH gets up*

MH: Still a weekly thing?

TW: Dreadfully.

MH: Eh... Oh well.

*sounds of MH walking away*


*sounds of MI walking in*

TW: My god, you look stunning not in uniform.

MI: You're sweet, Sergeant. I'm still on leave.

TW: We should take advantage of that.

MI: You still have my number, don't you?

TW: I do. I'll call you when everything is done.

MI: Okay. So what are we discussing now?

TW: Life while NERV was still attacked by the angels.

MI: All things considered, it could be worse.

TW: Oh?

MI: Yeah. For the most part, we were safe, only with the kids being stuck on the front line. Except with that one power outage...

TW: Oh yeah. May 22nd?

MI: Mhm. I have no idea why the power went out-

TW: Do you want to know something completely off the grid?

MI: Yeah.

TW: ...That was a classified operation conducted by units from the 5th SFG.

MI: ...

TW: Nobody was hurt. I can promise you that.

MI: *incoherent muttering*

TW: ...Maya? Maya, that was two years ago. You weren't there. And it wasn't a direct target against NERV. We cut power to the whole city as part of an experiment, to see if the EVAs still operated with no power. Reports state-

MI: Reports are useless.

TW: What?

MI: Reports don't mean anything unless you were actually there, then they mean even less than that.

TW: Look, Maya, I understand your concerns-

MI: You were responsible for an angel attacking us.

TW: ...We were?

MI: During your little blackout, an angel wandered onshore and charged right for NERV while we were blind. All of us on-call were locked inside and all of the children were locked out! You could've killed us!

TW: Were any of the EVAs operational?

MI: No thanks to your little stunt. All three EVAs were activated manually. Asuka was tasked with holding back a corrosive acid from falling in and destroying NERV. Shinji was armed with a rifle and managed to fire at and destroy the core on the underbelly.

TW: Then our test was a success.

MI: You- ...What?

TW: The test was to see if NERV would be operational if all power to the facility was cut. We had a flight of F-35As and an AC130 gunship on standby. We wouldn't have let anything happen to NERV.

MI: My god...

*MI gets up*

TW: I expect you back here in two weeks.

MI: Two weeks?

TW: I have a meeting next week. Further connection will be conducted afterwards.

*sounds of MI leaving*


*sounds of SA walking in*

TW: Is everything okay?

SA: Things have been better.

TW: Still haven't entirely adjusted?

SA: I feel like I'm being watched every time I go in here.

TW: Relax. This is an undisclosed location. You're in a harbor. You know that. A harbor warehouse at that.

SA: I can't help but think I'm being watched. Like maybe a sniper or something in an opposite building.

TW: Now you're just being ridiculous.

SA: But it's a realistic threat.

TW: Whatever. Anyways, down to the questions. What's life at NERV like?

SA: Back then or now?

TW: Back two years ago.

SA: It was really dull.

TW: Was it? Wouldn't fighting a giant robot send adrenaline rushing through you?

SA: Would staring at a computer screen send adrenaline rushing through you?

TW: Valid point.

SA: And we didn't even have a valid lounge! It smelled funny down every hallway and there was always the feeling that you were being watched.

TW: Like the feeling you have now.

SA: Yeah. But that can go away. Just plug in earbuds and listen to music and you don't feel as alone. As for the funny smell, just bring along an aerosol can or bring warm food with you down to the cafeteria. Misato, Gendo, and Ritz always got on our asses about cell phone use, so that was off-limits. If we at least had a lounge...

TW: Then what did you do to pass the time?

SA: Filed paperwork and did reports, as any good officer would do.

TW: I'm being serious. Anything at all.

SA: One time I snuck in a paintball gun and shot up the offices.

TW: That's just straight up hostile.

SA: Well Gendo and Ritz were straight up hostile.

TW: Don't subvert me, Shigeru.

SA: I'm just forthcoming with the information you ask. Is that all you request of me?

TW: I don't need to know the illicit activity.

SA: What would you rather hear? That I took Maya in the bathroom and fucked her brains out? That I took some other guy down another hallway and scalped him?

TW: You're being immature at this point.

SA: Am I? Or are you just whining that I'm not doing exactly as you ask?

TW: Do you want to antagonize me? Bully me?

SA: That sounds tempting-

TW: Then do it. I hate these interviews more than you do. I have to hear horrible stuff going down at NERV that I wasn't aware of. You can whine and moan about being forthcoming with whatever happens, but don't be a fucking asshole about it and not care about anything I tell you. I am trying to create a low-stress environment for you so you can be comfortable whenever you tell me anything. I don't have to deal with your shit.

SA: ...Jesus, I didn't mean to offend.

TW: Yeah, whatever. I'm sick of this.

SA: I'm going out for drinks later, if you're interested.

TW: Sure. I'll call Maya after we finish up.

SA: Have fun rekindling.

TW: I plan to.