To Gods, human desires were petty.

To Beasts, human desires were desires they shared.

To Machines, human desires were unknown.

Episode 09:

Runaway Justice

~Calling Forth the Sealed Weapon~

To her, the existence of unknown factors presented a problem. After all, they had killed her friends. The monstrous beasts that had appeared out of the sky posed a very serious problem; not only to her but to others as well. The organization she was with at the moment, JUDA, had abandoned their conflict with the Katou Organization in an attempt to fend off the creatures for as long as took. She, along with the members of JUDA, felt uneasy about the current alliance.

One thing was for sure, deep in Kryska's mind. She would destroy the creatures, even if it cost her everything. It was only right after they had taken everything away from her.

"Shifting?" She asked Kunio Ishigami, the leader of the current JUDA + Katou Alliance. "I'm not familiar with the term."

"I would assume you would be familiar with the name at least," Katou stared her down; "Ms. Agari was it?"

"Shifting is a term used when one race of life forms, normally humans, experience lapses in history…" Katou spoke, "These lapses, the blanks in history, are actually points in time, not history, where mankind no longer exists."

"Periods in time where mankind no longer exists?" It made no sense. Mankind had always existed.

"The key you hold around your neck is not of this world." Katou pointed towards Kryska's neck. "It is of another, very similar to this one. The major difference being…" He raised his finger so that it pointed towards her head directly, "you were dead."

Kryska stood stunned. "I…was dead?"

Katou nodded. "Yes, you were. I don't see how it is possible that you are still alive in this Shift when they always go the same way. There is no way to change them unless an exterior force comes into contact. That key and your friends, that boy and machine, might have very well been that external force. Where did you get that key?"

"It's a memento from my father."

"Your father's name was Avian, correct?"

"Yeah, that's right. Where are you so interested in me anyway? It's kind of creepy a former enemy would be so interested in me. Are you…" Kryska tightened her fist. Just thinking it made her sick.

"No. Not like that. I wanted to make sure I was right, which it appears so." Katou smiled. "I knew your father. He was a pleasant fellow unto he fell to the very power that key around your neck holds."

"There's power…in this key?" Kryska couldn't help but laugh. How could a key, a regular ordinary key, hold any sort of power? Was this man serious? "You couldn't have played it any more serious, could you?"

"I'm not joking. You will understand when the time comes. Heed my warning, however. If you allow the power to corrupt you, you too will fall victim to the blanks between history and you, too, will be forgotten. I'm not expecting much from Avian's kid though."

Kryska ran forward. "You…" She threw her fist, but not before Katou's eyes flashed a pale yellow. One minute she had been throwing her punch but now, Katou had it within his own hand. He had caught her punch. "You…" She growled, "Just because you have some kind of power, you feel like you should show off! You're nothing but a monster! Aika was normal and he tried so hard! Why couldn't you people do anything if you had these powers?"

"Because it wasn't our fight."

"It wasn't your fight? Have you seen the news? Those creatures have become incredibly prominent all across the globe! Don't give me the 'It wasn't our fight' crap!"

"Listen," Katou dropped Kryska's hand and began to walk away. He stopped directly across from her ear. "Its name…is Amantes." He whispered so that only Kryska could hear.

"Amantes…" She repeated, underneath her breath. "The power of myself…"

Her fingers wrapped around the delicate key once again. "The power to have my..."

"Power alone is not enough to change the world, Girl. I hope you realize that."

"I do but power can help me achieve it!"

"No! Power is only a means to an end! Tell me, what is your desire first and foremost?"

"My desire is to have my revenge for my friends' lives!"

"Revenge is such…a naïve goal. Is that the only reason you want my power?"

"It's not naïve! It's a just goal! I don't have the means of accomplishing it! That's why…"

"That's why you want my power, Girl? For such a petty thing as revenge?"

"Will you help me or not?"

"I will never help those who fight for such petty things!"

"This model…I've seen it. This is the high-speed train that circles the tracks on G-Island, isn't it? This one too…It's the drill vehicle they used for search and rescue operations…Is that the Stealth Bomber that 3G uses for military operations?"

Silas was freaking out. He'd never such an assortment of machines. "I think I'm in love! All those vehicles…Now that I think about, why'd I join the Union as an MS pilot? I could have easily joined the ground forces and driven my own tank."

"Bah!" Belphegor sighed. "I will never understand you creatures. Why bother staying on the ground when you can fly?"

"I've said it before," Silas raised his finger; "I DON'T like birds. I believe firmly in that mankind should have only limited to sustained flight."

"Why though? It's only natural that people and creatures are drawn to the stars. Achieving the capability of surviving in outer space without aid, that's the pinnacle of evolution, is it not? Besides, you were fine flying with me."

"That's different. You're…you. You're not human. For all I know, that ability of yours is probably innate as in a part of you." Silas was already back examining the tanks.

"Enjoying the sights, boys?" The voice was thick with a Southern American accent, for thicker than Silas had ever heard. "You're not from 'round these parts, are you?"

"No, no." Silas followed the treads into where they became invisible. "I'm from America, particularly the Detroit area." Silas finished inspecting the tanks and turned around. He came to face-to-face with a blonde hair woman. "Space please."

"OH!" The woman covered her mouth and stuttered backwards. "I'm sorry I haven't even introduced myself. Everyone calls me Swan, so that will do."

"You work for 3G, I take it?" Silas noted the white uniform's shoulder patch. "Do you happen to know anything about the machine that was outside? It disappeared as soon we entered."

"You're already looking at it." Silas felt a hand touch his shoulder. It felt heavy for a hand so he grasped it. It was cold to the touch but after a moment, it was pleasant. A metal hand.

Gazing over towards the arm, Silas noted the golden metal. He was familiar with only a few people who had metal hands, let alone golden. The man's voice seemed familiar but at the same time, so distant.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Silas felt the hand leave his shoulder. "I can't say that you haven't grown since the last time we saw each other."

Silas turned around and tilted his head. "Should I…Should I recognize you?"

The stranger's body was clad in golden armor. From his head to his feet, it was all clad in the same golden metal that had touched his shoulder. The man also had bright blonde hair. Hovering above his eye was a green lens. He outstretched his fist.

"Huh?"

"You don't remember? You said you wanted to join the military. I wanted to be an astronaut."

"EH?!" Silas stumbled backwards, his feet scrambling for grip on the ground. His fingers caught onto something to use. He looked up. The blonde woman who had approached him only moments before looked down.

"Still the same old Silas, I see." The man ran a metal hand through his hair. "Allow me to introduce myself on behalf of the 3G organization. Guy Shishioh."

Reiji Moritsugu was on standby. Sitting in the cockpit of Vardant once again, he adjusted his glasses. "Nothing's changed." He spoke, referring to the behavior of JUDA's newfound guest. "Kryska Agari…" There was more information the girl wasn't telling any of them. "What did he want?" Reiji sighed, his mind flashing back towards Kryska's encounter with Katou and the official announcement of a newfound alliance between Katou and JUDA. "There's something going on here. I don't like it. Why did they form an alliance?"

"I don't know, Mr. Morritsugu." Yamashita's voice came over the coms as the yellow Hind Kind came into view. "I don't like it either but what are we going to do?"

"It's almost as if they know information that we don't." Reiji added, his eyes scanning the horizon and the cityscape. The area had been evacuated after Saver Guardian had exploded at the risk of left over radiation harming the civilians. What caught Reiji off guard was not anything involving the environment. On the horizon, a black spot had appeared. It drew closer and closer with startling speed. "Yamashita!"

The feminine looking boy had already taken to a sniping position; connecting Hind's lumbering dual cannons over its shoulders. "I'm already on it!"

The black dot had become clearer. Its body was rather smooth and curved. It had long and narrow legs which allowed it to run with startling speed. They were thin compared to the rest of the body. A central green spherical design littered the chest. Two horns protruded from what appeared to be a head. As it became clearer, Reiji's stomach knotted. Its face was demonic.

"Is that…" Yamashita too felt the confusion and panic. "Reiji!"

Reiji's eyes narrowed as he slowly removed his glasses, placing them into the chest pocket. His eyes lit up in a bright red. "That's it, all right. The one neither of us have, the Fifth."

Vardant dashed forward, the blue shadow being all that was left of the lumbering machine.

The black "demon" drew its own weapon, a katana stored in the joint between the arm and wrist.

"Out of the way!"

The demon's blade connected with Vardant's. Reiji's eyes, still red, darted across the strange machine. It was being piloted, but by who? "It's not Kizaki."

"You dare oppose the Hero of Justice?! I'll make you regret it!" A second blade emerged from the opposite shoulder. The Machina's free arm grabbed the blade and brought it down. Reiji reacted too slowly as the Machina's blade crashed. "How did you like that one?"

Reiji bit his lip, releasing Vardant's binders in the process. The gigantic binders rose into the air, resembling wings once they had fully opened.

"Now, Yamashita!"

Hind-Kind's twin cannons fired forward, sending two solid shells forward until they impacted the demon machine. Reiji took this as an opportunity to lunge Vardant forward. It attacked faster than the eye could see. Vardant had attacked the machine multiple times in the short span of time. Swords protruded from the machine's torso.

"Damn it!" The operator of the demon screamed. "Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!"

"Moritsugu" Yamashita cried out as he noticed the machine draw a weapon from its back. It was shaped like a gun but the way the operator forced the machine to hold it was reminiscent of a blade. "Hind...Hind's scared."

"So is Vardant." Reiji felt a menacing aura radiate from the machine he had just subdued. Green light had begun to focus around the tip of the gun it held. As Reiji thought for a moment, he saw Rachel's familiar short figure exit the main building. She was waving her hands, screaming. Reiji couldn't hear her. He switched on his open line.

"REIJI! YAMASHITA! GET OUT OF THERE THIS INSTANT!"

It was too late. The machine had fully charged its energy and had thrown everything it had at Vardant's blue frame. Reiji turned, struggling to face the unknown machine once again. For what appeared to be a moment, the machine's eyes were red and its face smiled.

"How are they doing?" Kryska walked towards the infirmary, with a bundle of roses in her hands. "I heard Vardant caught the blunt of the attack but Reiji would still suffer wounds from the heat, wouldn't he?"

Yui Ogawa nodded. "Its true that Vardant's inner frame took the majority of the damage but Hind's also out for the count. Satoru said that he was still able to fight but we decided to keep him in." As Ishigami's personal secretary, Yui had seen her own share of the commander's mistakes. This was not one of them.

"I see. Would you mind if I left these with you in that case?" Kryska motioned forward the bouquet of flowers. "I've got other things I need to do."

"I guess I could take them but, wait, Kryska!"

She was too late. Kryska had already taken off. Yui sighed as she gazed down at the roses. "What's gotten into her? She's fine today. Was it just a temporary lapse?" Yui shook her head as she looked inside the infirmary doors. "No, that's not it at all.

Kryska had left the general building and headed down to the Machina hanger. "Rachel would know if it's a Machina." In her hand, she held both her key and a personal laptop that she had swiped off of the Lost and Found area at the front of the building. "I just want to know."

When Kryska found Rachel Calvin, she was busy doing what she always did: working on the Machinas. She nodded at her companions who left the hanger in response.

"Amantes, huh?" She sighed. "Kryska, I can't be aware of everything that comes into this. If you want to know about this Amantes thing, shouldn't you be asking the person who told you about?"

"That would be..." Kryska looked down below. "Let's just say I don't want too."

"Then why did you come bother me?" Rachel turned her attention back to the screen fraught with numbers. "I'll try to help you after I'm done with the repairs."

"I'll be fine." Kryska began to walk out. "I'm just done."

"Krys, hey, Krys!"

Kryska laid on the grass, stretching her arms out behind her head. "Say, Aika, why'd you have to go and die?" She felt sick. "I just wanted to stay that you were the best thing that ever happened to me, even if I might've not shown it. You got me out of that place. You got me to see the world and actually talk with people. You're gone and I'm all alone again. Did you do it just to spite me? What would you say to me?" Her eyes were tired. "Even if the stars and fate separates us, I'll...I'll be joining you someday." Kryska grabbed her key from her neck. "I don't understand anything anymore. Everything seems to be going to hell now that you've died."

"Don't think I'm completely gone yet."

Kryska's eyes widened. "That voice..." She couldn't help but break into tears. "Kazuma...You're not dead!"

"Well, actually, technically, I am."

"What do you mean technically? Do you realize how worried sick I've been? Just show me your face."

"Kryska...I don't have long. It's just enough time to tell you this. DO NOT look for Amantes. Just don't. You have to trust me on this."

"Amantes is the key to finding out what my Dad was doing and Chroma is."

"Kryska...You never were one to give up. Fine, I'll tell you this then. Amantes is not what you are expecting. Do not look for it. If you thought the Chimeras were bad, Amantes is worse."

"Chimeras? Are those the names of those creatures that attacked?"

"Kryska...I'm warning you. Don't look into it. Get rid of that key as soon as you can."

"Kazuma... I... What is it that I can do?"

No response.

"He's gone. " Kryska wiped the tears away from her eyes. "He's really gone. What can I do now?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out the switchblade she carried with her ever since she came to JUDA. "What is worth doing at this point?"

"They say if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well. That's what they say in America at least." A strange man, equipped with Gardener's clothing had approached Kryska. "You're Kryska Agari, right?"

"Yeah." Kryska raised her hand to place it even further behind her head. "You are?"

"Captain Amuro Ray, Londo Bell. I'm looking for Kazuma Resolute. Heard of him?"

Kryska's eyes flashed for a moment. Tears streamed down her face in an instant as she rushed forward. "Why could you have come sooner? He's dead because of your stupid Federation not supporting us!"

"He's dead?" Amuro's eyes widened. "That's..."

Kryska screamed. "Yeah, he's dead! All because of this stupid war! What the hell were those things? If they hadn't shown up, Aika would still be alive!"

Amuro had little knowledge of what had happened. All he could do was open his arms as the girl cried in his arms.

The two black wings emerged once again from the ashes of the burned corpse of the mechanical behemoth. They stretched towards the sky, leaving feathers in its place. A metal claw soon emerged from the core. It was then the head of the former Beast, named Chroma, shattered into thousands of pieces.

Revealing itself at last, the true form of the First Beast, emerged. Black wings outstretched and its metal claws on both hands extended, the bird-like head gazed up at the sky again. Littering it were thousands of black dots. They were growing larger as if they weren't black dots at all.

The Beast kicked off, as flames jettisoned themselves off of the Beast's back. The wings activated, giving it even further acceleration. The claws slid back, revealing cannons all along the arms.

Raising its metal hand, they fired. Numerous beams emerged, scattering all about the blackened sky. Each beam followed one of the growing black spots. Soon, the sky was fraught with red lines. The claws reengaged, covering the cannons as if they had never moved to begin with.

"TARGET ACQUIRED. MOVING TO PRIMARY OBJECTIVE. RECIEVING INTERFACE DATA. MISSION PRIORITY: RECOVERY AND INTERCEPTION OF ALL ENEMY FORCES."

The Beast moved again, this time heading towards the reverse direction.

Images flashed before the Beast. What appeared to be tears of black oil rolled down the Beast's eye slots.

"AI...KA."

Episode 09:

END

NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW:

When a sudden attack by an Angel sends Tokyo-3 into a panic, the UN-funded corporation NERV will deploy its trump card, the Evangelion Unit 01. As Unit 01 struggles against the Angel, Kryska Agari and Silas Irene will come to face to face with each other and a startling secret.

Next Episode:

REBIRTH/ REUNION:

The secrets of the past will be revealed.

H.E.A.V.E.N. SYSTEM, ACTIVATION.