Chapter 11: Riddle of Steel

/Lethal Force

2300 Hours, May 2, 2575 [Military Calender]

Sol System, Earth District 11, Tokyo-3

"Cancel the red alert," Gendo's voice boomed over the Command Deck. He tapped the comlink at his ear, silencing the feeds, and leaned forward on his elbows. "Broadcast across all official channels that there was a malfunction with our alarm system."

The technicians shared perplexed glances, but moved to comply nonetheless. The Magi appeared to his right, arms crossed. "Reports falsified, Commander."

He nodded. "Very good. Restrict all data transmissions in and out of Headquarters."

"Done."

"Patch me to Doctor Akagi."

A sound-only window appeared to his left. "Commander. We were conducting the scheduled harmonics test with Unit-00, no core irregularities were detected before we lost contact with the pilot. The Magi was linked directly to the Evangelion for real-time recordings of the Neural Command Cortex before she was booted from the system."

"I see. Report to the Command Center immediately." he didn't wait for an answer and dismissed the display. "Where is the Unit now?" he asked.

The Magi pulled all of the necessary camera feeds. "It has broken its way through the Cages and is heading through Inter-track 18, Gateway 07 – directly towards the Terminal Dogma shaft."

Gendo's minds raced with a dozen courses of action. This wasn't berserker. They'd be able to tell from the core data if it was, even then, it displayed itself outwardly in aggressive, low-logic behavior. Something else was happening.

"Open communications," Gendo ordered.

The technician named Hyuga turned. "We've tried, but the signals are being blocked – we can't even get eyes in the plug."

"Cut power to the reactor."

"Negative," Aoba called, "the pilot must have access to a direct control circuit. We can't shut it down remotely."

That meant force-ejecting the plug wouldn't work either. There had to be something else then...

"Vital signs?"

There was a pause as Maya cycled through several holograms of error messages. "Can't read those either. The Warkaster normally routes them through the Eva's comm array. Wireless transmission from the pilot's plugsuit is being blocked."

What was she doing?

"Increase the LCL pressure to maximum."

Hyuga hesitated, but a glance back at the Commander kick-started him into action. "LCL at maximum... Unit-00 is still operational," he breathed, disbelieving.

"Still no internal readings," Maya called.

"Well, that's it. We're completely cut off," Fuyutsuki snapped quietly.

The Magi's bluish hue seemed to flare just a little brighter. "She should not be able to block out readings, even with a direct circuit. Proto must have must be linked to the Eva's systems."

"Then sever it." Gendo ordered.

"Actively encrypted firewall – analyzing..." Magi chimed.

Fuyutsuki scowled. "Evangelions aren't equipped with cryptosystem packages – rudimentary security algorithms at best – and even then it's a closed system. She shouldn't be experiencing much resistance at all."

Gendo had to agree. Even if Magi could crack into the Eva's systems, it would only free it up enough for them to be able to monitor the Unit again. Control for all else was held by the pilot.

"Working on decryption – he keeps throwing proxies at me. Clever bastard."

Fuyutsuki leaned to Gendo's shoulder, whispering, "Can we be certain it isn't Unit-00? Once the resident is in control, there's nothing–"

"The target has just breached into the Terminal shaft! It's accessing Linear Carriage 4!" Aoba called.

"Seal the Terminal off, cut power to the carriage!" Fuyutsuki ordered, leaning one hand against Gendo's terminal, as if being closer to the technicians would bring about results.

"Armored shutters closing, carriage 4 is offline. Unit-00 is still descending," Aoba called, and the Magi summoned camera feeds of the terminal shaft – making the Evangelion appear smaller in its gaping maw. Unit-00 rocketed down feet first, managing to bypass two of the blast doors before they managed to shut. Upon approaching the third, the Eva activated its afterburners, slowing its descent enough not to break its legs before crashing feet-first into the shutter. The force and the weight of the Eva dented the door inward and nearly split it down the middle.

Unit-00 paused, then its shoulder pauldron opened, a large hand pulling its progressive knife free. It then began to methodically cut through the barrier.

Gendo felt his eyes narrow. "Sortie Unit-01 and 02 immediately. Reclassify Unit-00 as a hostile target."

Maya turned to look up at him, standing half-way. "Target? But, sir–"

"Unit-00 has been taken from us, with the First Child in its plug. For the time being, we must classify it as an enemy of NERV." Maya sat back down, as if defeated by his words. A flutter of emotion passed over her face, before she swiveled back around and obediently set about her work.

Fuyutsuki stood absolutely still, exuding an almost palpable aura of impatience. "What the hell is going on?"


"Another Angel?" Shinji asked as the plugsuit's systems came online. He stepped off of the ArmorSync platform and made for the door to the Cages.

"No," Scarlet answered, her avatar appearing on the right side of his HUD, "it's Unit-00."

Shinji stopped. "What? H-how? Where's Rei? Is she alright?"

"We don't know much, Shinji – and we don't have a lot of time, either. You need to sortie now."

"But I–" Shinji caught himself at Scarlet's hard gaze, hands clenching into fists as he was met with dancing nerves at the Ready Room door. Jaw tightening, he marched forward. The metal panel parted to a disjointed world of flashing light and shouts: the Cages looked like they'd been hit by some monstrous tornado. The Eva restraints for Unit-00's cage were broken and the walls marred with long scraps of blue and steel gray paint. Supply crates and machinery were tousled about and at the far end of the narrow Cages the very walls were blistered open.

His questions were silenced as a voice echoed deafeningly throughout the cages – "Seventh armor layer penetrated!" followed by a screaming klaxon, white lights along the walls pulsing to life. "All non-essential personnel, evacuate to your designated shelters: this is not a drill! Repeat: this is not a drill!"

"Shinji!" Scarlet barked.

Heart in his throat, Shinji jumped into action – scrambling up to Unit-01, whilst trying not to tumble into the retreating mechanic crews. Many stayed to man the battle-ready Evas. Through one of the demolished cage walls, Shinji spotted Unit-02's entry plug whirl into place, the Eva's armor clanging together. He silently cursed himself as he hurried across the Motor Way to his own entry plug. He clambered inside and the seal hissed shut over him.

The internal engines sparked to life and he briefly felt weightless as the plug plunged into the Eva – jarring to a halt a moment later. A communications uplink icon appeared on his HUD and the operators in the Command Center began rattling off start-up sequences. He didn't hear Misato's voice and the plug began to fill with LCL.

The connection seemed rushed this time, hasty. It made him feel dizzy for a few moments, having to adjust so quickly. It took him a moment as he fumbled with the mental commands, but he managed to patch himself into the SquadCom.

"Asuka, what's going on?" Shinji asked, leaning forward in his seat. A wash of colors and patterns splashed the walls of the plug, howling over his head as though he were entering another dimension. As the images coalesced into the real world, he spotted Unit-02 roll by his cage on its transport restraints towards the torn walls at the far end.

"How the hell should I know? Unit-00's gone berserk or something!" Asuka snapped. Shinji was about to question her further, when a new comm window appeared.

"Misat–" he stopped as the black rectangle read Sound-Only: CDR Ikari.

"Pilots; Evangelion Unit-00 has been hijacked by its operator under unknown pretenses and is currently descending towards Terminal Dogma – subdue it."

"Father, what's happening? Is that Rei in there?"

"Correct. You have your orders: execute them," then the comm display disappeared and the traffic from the Command Center returned.

Shinji double checked to make sure his transmitter was muted, glancing to Scarlet's icon as he asked, "Why is he doing this?"

"Just worry about stopping Unit-00, for now."

The restraints and umbilical bridge pulled away, leaving only the back supports and the transport platform. The Eva shuddered and Shinji jerked forward as the platform kicked into motion. New alarms triggered as Unit-01 was transported through the cages down angled shafts below the command center.

"Unit-02 moving through Gate 04, engaging Linear Carriage 01 – access route 01."

"Roger. Slaving Unit-01 through Gate 05, Linear Carriage 02."

They moved his Eva to an oval chamber, two glowing blue rings situated on the ceiling and the floor. The repulsor fields snapped and hummed across the air, snagging Unit-01 in their grasp as he passed into the chamber. Shinji's nerves prickled uncomfortably around his rear and the souls of his feet at the feeling of weightlessness. He tightened his grip on the control sticks and hunched his shoulders. Held in the linear carriage's belt, the field generator moved along its rails and carried his Eva through a passage angled downwards. He had lost sight of Unit-02.

"Requisitioning Arc Rifle – confirm?" Asuka's voice came over the channel again. Puzzled, Shinji tried to recall how to access the Eva's weapons database. When several seconds ticked by and nothing happened, he looked plaintively to his wrist and opened his mouth to speak. A small holo appeared a foot from his chest, showcasing the Arc Rifle and its specs.

"Smart girl, electro-shock should wreak havoc on the Eva's systems," Scarlet said.

On the comms, an operator from command responded, "Roger that, Unit-02. You've been authorized to use deadly force, if necessary."

The channel was silent for a moment. "Copy."

"D-deadly force? But – Rei's still inside, isn't she?!" Shinji protested, only to the black window linked to the Command Center. Asuka had refused to appear on the SquadCom.

The girl didn't answer.

"Unit-02, descending via access route-03. Five minutes to contact."

Shinji's heart seized, locked in his throat. He practically sat on the edge of the command chair, leaning over the forward console. In his mind, he knew the dull olive green walls were passing by quickly, but it felt too slow.

"Unit-01 in linear suspension along access route-01."

Finally one of the bulkheads parted for him, and the carriage slid his Eva out into the open and consuming depths of the Terminal shaft. He spotted Unit-02 already several levels below him. Farther below was a blue figure he knew well. With a twitch of thought, the Plug-HUD zoomed in an isolated window, showing him Unit-00's back as it cut into an armored shutter with its prog-knife.

"What are you going to do?" Shinji asked, wishing he could see Asuka's face.

"I'm going to pull the entry plug, idiot," she snapped, "just spread your A.T. Field and don't get in my way."

Arc rifle primed and ready, Unit-02 landed with an thunderous crash on the closed bulkhead across from Unit-00. The blue Eva's head turned to regard her and it stood, single red eye briefly glancing up at Shinji.

The stillness between them lasted only a moment, before Unit-02 pulled the trigger and released a spray of electricity – sharp and blinding bolts that lanced forth with deadly precision. They struck Unit-00, coursing wildly about its form. Asuka only held the flow for a moment. Unit-00 staggered, arms and head twitching. It fell to its knees and sagged against the bulkhead, a hand clutching at its head.

Shinji averted his eyes as Unit-01 reached the bulkhead.

"Back me up, Third!" Asuka said as Unit-02 dashed forward, dropping the bulk of the Arc rifle. She positioned the Eva behind Unit-00, straddling over its back as gray hands gripped onto the flush hatch sitting at the base of its neck. She struggled for several moments, only managing to bend the metal upwards some. Rei seemed all too aware of what she was trying to do and reared, the hand still wielding the progressive knife arcing back with startling precision. The blade sank clean through Unit-02's left elbow and Asuka backed off with a howling curse, left hand pulling the knife free.

Scarlet hissed a curse in Russian. "That girl must have nerves of steel if she can fight through that kind of voltage."

Shinji propelled Unit-01 into action. He couldn't use the Arc rifle and risk hitting both of them. If Asuka just kept Rei pinned, he could pry open the plug-hatch.

Unit-00 rose and turned to face 02 in one fluid movement. The red Eva moved, poised to strike. Rei lashed out with an armored fist, but Asuka brought her blade down to slash it aside with the snap of energy and metal, cutting deep. Unit-02 dove forward, left hand seizing Unit-00's arm in its grasp while the blade sank clean through its shoulder.

Unit-00 hardly reacted. In fact, it seemed completely unphased by the attack, snatching Unit-02's blade wielding wrist in its left hand. It began to push against Asuka, the knife sliding a few meters out of its arm. With a surge of strength, Unit-00 forced it completely free and Asuka responded too late as she brought a fist down on Unit-02's elbow. There was a wet crack and Asuka reflexively dropped the prog-knife. Rei caught it with remarkable swiftness and sliced it deep across Unit-02's breast plate.

Unit-01 grabbed her from behind and Shinji struggled against her machine, trying to throw her off balance. She attempted to throw him back with a hard buck, but he held fast and moved a hand to the plug-hatch.

The screen was abruptly overtaken by a jagged white elbow guard and Shinji cried out as he felt his nose being broken in a dozen places. Glass cracked and metal bent, the Plug-HUD buzzing as the forward cameras struggled to maintain functionality. No sooner had he been struck than a pair of large hands locked around Unit-01's throat, an invisible force pressing upon Shinji's addams apple.

It ceased as red blurred across the plug-HUD. Asuka had caught Rei in a choke-hold, pressing Unit-02's right arm hard into the Eva's neck, a few cracks forming on the armor.

"Asuka – stop!"

"Shut up!"

Unit-00 struggled, forcing Asuka to take a step back where the large mech's foot applied weight to the haphazardly cut armored shutter. The weakened metal groaned and snapped, collapsing under the bulk of the Evas and sending them both tumbling into darkness.


It was subtle, but Ritsuko could feel the shivers of impacts traveling through the many layers of metal and wire. Her eyes darted up to the main screen, briefly, to absorb the situation. Shinji wasn't doing well, she hadn't expected him to, but Scarlet was hopefully keeping him on task. Asuka was holding her own, but if the battle was allowed to endure any longer, Unit-00 might as well be useless to them. Her fingers danced restlessly over the terminal at the tactical holo-table; there had to be something – pieces they were missing. There was no reason for Rei to be doing any of this, unless... no, that wasn't possible. Lilith didn't have this kind of self-awareness.

Her eyes searched the data, following the feeds from their primary bridge staff. As the brutal melee between 00 and 02 resumed, her eyes found the readings from the core, which they could detect fluctuations in thanks to the GeoFront's many sensors dedicated to monitoring Angels.

"Unit-00's A.T. Field isn't unfolding," she mused outloud, and just as she intended, the Magi made herself present.

"Curious, since the First Child is very capable of using it defensively," the A.I. said, bringing forth the plug-readings they had been recording before Rei blocked them out.

Ritsuko's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized them. "Identify the blood pattern."

The Magi was still, a new image springing up only a second later. "It hasn't been altered or changed in the slightest."

Ritsuko pursed her lips, eyes snapping to the main screen again. Leaning over Aoba's station was Misato, who had arrived only minutes ago. "Get Unit-01 down there now," the woman hissed, trying to exert control where the Commander already had it. She turned sharply and approached the holo-table, eyes imploring. "Anything?" she asked, hopelessly trying to make sense of the information splayed before the scientist.

Ritsuko looked to the Magi. "No other A.T. Fields detected?"

"I'm never wrong," she replied sourly, crossing her arms.

"What have you found?" Misato pressed, edging a little closer.

"Something's taken control of Unit-00 and it isn't the pilot."

"Something?" the Captain asked incredulously, "like what?"

"Conclusive consensus reached," the Magi paused, long enough for Ritsuko to detect her hesitation, "my barriers were bypassed earlier today – easily. By what I can now confirm as another classification of A.I. It was looking for something. I tried isolating it in our internal servers... but it disappeared."

The doctor's eyes narrowed. "Or transferred into another network. Why didn't you report this?"

"It was filed and noted," the Magi snipped, "I thought I could trace it."

"Were you able to confirm a service number?"

"It isn't UNSC. I've been inspecting the traces it left on my barriers. Cross-referencing with TacWar's files, I have ascertained the coding is similar to Covenant Luminaries in nature, which is simply archaic and bastardized Forerunner."

Beside them, Misato was at a loss. "I don't understand, if Rei is piloting Unit-00, how is something else able to take control of it?"

Ritsuko managed not to glance up at the Commander, deciding that it was within reason. Misato would take the information at face value, and only some of it was a lie. "An Eva's brain is entirely cybernetic. The pilots are mentally synchronized with the Evangelion and then their raw thoughts are processed as commands through the brain. Because we maximized the LCL pressure in the plug earlier, Rei should be unconscious. Otherwise, she might be able to fight it... or the A.I. could block her signals from getting through altogether. Whatever has occupied the Eva's systems has complete control."

What was actually happening, Ritsuko suspected, was that this A.I. had formed a sort of proto-dummy link with the Evangelion. It was using Rei's mental synchronization to trick the Eva into thinking the pilot was in control while it blocked thought transmission from her A10s, thus enabling it to project it's own commands.

"How did it even get in?"

"Eva's operate on closed networks. They have communication suites in the plug that route data feeds to the Command Interface, which are always linked to the Magi during deployment. If something were going to even try and hack into an Eva's systems, they'd have to crack the Magi system first."

Another question was on Misato's lips, but she was stopped by a flurry of comm traffic from their deployed pilots. Unit-01 received a breath-catching kick to the chest, crashing back and indenting the walls of the shaft. Unit-00 proceeded to snatch up a fallen prog-knife from the floor and slice away at the shutter beneath its feet.

Misato was back amongst the techs. "What the hell's happening?! Asuka – status!"

Ritsuko phased out of the commotion. "Magi, prepare one of the simulation bodies in the Pribnow Box. When I give the word broadcast a communications channel from it to Unit-00 over a secure link."

The A.I. nodded. "Affirmative."


Shinji's eyelids fluttered, trying to give shape to a blurry world. They managed, just in time, to see Unit-00 disappear down a new breach it had carved into the armored shutter.

"Unit-00 has penetrated the Ninth Layer!"

From HQ, his father's voice commanded, "Unit-01, stop the target."

Shinji moved his Eva to the breach, glancing at Unit-02 as it recovered. He peered down the waiting shaft, a small speck he assumed was Unit-00 in the dark below. Before anyone at Command had a chance to yell at him, Shinji jumped Unit-01 down the waiting breach.

Without the linear carriage to hold him, the walls of the Terminal shaft sailed by in a dizzying blur. Scarlet threw up several holograms to warn him as Unit-01 came ever closer to the ground. Doing as she had taught him, he triggered Unit-01's brake fans, metal flaps jutting out from the Eva's back to slow its descent. Teeth gritted, Shinji did his best to right the Eva before activating the after burners, allowing him to hover in the air for just a moment. Its mass dropped to the metal floor with a sound like thunder, jarring all the way up to Shinji in the plug. The Eva's HUD changed automatically to night-vision in the dark expanse he had just entered – the base of the shaft opening up like a dome.

Scarlet painted Unit-00 with a target marker as it lumbered down one of the large, branching paths. "Hurry. You can't let her enter Dogma."

His eyes locked on Rei's damaged back-plating as Unit-01 lumbered forward. The blue-armored Eva turned to meet him as he closed the distance and his eyes darted to the prog-knife it still held.

"Your shields can't take it," Scarlet warned.

Heedless, Shinji pressed forward, raising Unit-01's right arm up and swiped it down in front of him as Unit-00 went for a stab. Unit-01's forearm crashed hard enough into the other Eva's to dent the plating, knocking its arm away and throwing Rei off-balance. Shinji commanded Unit-01 forward again, doing his best to tackle Unit-00 to the ground.

It held fast as the two massive bodies crashed together and Shinji tried to turn Unit-00, unable to keep from wondering if he might be hurting Rei. Belatedly, he realized with a ripping sharpness in his ribcage that she still had the knife. His chest suddenly felt cold, innards sliced open from the blade. Something between a scream and whimper left his lips and he faltered. His concentration slipped and so did Unit-01's strength. Rei pushed her advantage, knife still lodged firmly under Unit-01's chest plate and sinking even deeper, hilt punching against the armor.

Unit-01 fell back against the opposite wall, while Shinji's hands grabbed at Unit-00's knife wielding hand, his arms burning as he tried to pull it free. The Eva pressed its other hand into the pommel, gravity lending it victory in leverage.

"Forget about the knife! You have to fight her! I can knock your sync-ratio down a few points, but you have to disable Unit-00."

Shinji's brow scrunched. "No! I have to – get the plug!"

A dozen alarms sounded and the Plug-HUD began buzzing with static, the sound of ripping flesh and rending armor reverberating through him.

Sparks flew as a red fist, cracking with electricity, smashed into Unit-00's face. The Eva went tumbling, tearing the prog-knife across his chest. He screamed, a warm, seeping mess splashing from the wound.

Asuka managed to get Rei's Eva face down, one hand holding its head to the floor while the other pried at the armor on its back. The was a loud series of snaps as Unit-02 tore the release hatch off, mangling some of its fingers. Its prize exposed, the entry plug automatically jut from the Eva's back. Unit-02 ripped it free and threw it aside with adrenaline fueled recklessness. The plug bounced down the length of the corridor and Unit-00 ceased moving.

"Rei!"

Shinji willed his Eva to move and it responded sluggishly, staggering to the white plug. Unit-01 fell unceremoniously to its knees, hands planted against the ground to keep the war machine upright.

"What are you doing?" Scarlet asked. He was standing in the command suite, searching the roof of the cockpit.

"Open the entry plug."

"Shinji–"

"Please."

There was quiet for just a few seconds. The plug shook as the metal holdings parted, allowing it to spring free. Moments later the main hatch opened – rapidly draining the LCL over the gun-metal mechanisms below. Shinji was exposed to the cold air of the howling passage, bending over in the command chair to hock up the LCL from his lungs and breath freely again.

It spilled from his lips and through his nose, making his nostrils burn and his throat sting. The air smelled strange; heavy and sour with mildew. He hauled himself to his feet, wiping an LCL slick arm across his face. At the edge of the plug, more of the thick substance spilled from his mouth. Even when he spat, he could feel it still clinging to his insides.

He climbed down onto Unit-01's back, losing his balance and falling down into the open plating segments.

"You're being foolish," Scarlet said quietly, marking the maintenance rungs on the Eva for him anyway.

The words stung. "I... I have to see," he said, nearly slipping again as he climbed down the Eva's bulky left arm.

"Are you sure?"

At least eight feet up from the floor still, Shinji jumped the rest of the way down, his heels stinging sharply as he landed. He dashed across the long dark, a wave of heat from the entry plug washing over him as he stopped mere feet from it.

"How do I open it?" he gasped, lungs hungry for air.

Scarlet marked two flush iron bars on his HUD. "The emergency hatch – manual levers."

He touched his gloved hands to the metal; it was warm but didn't burn. He could tell from the heat pouring over his face that if not for the suit, it definitely would have.

His muscles screamed in protest as he struggled to open the hatch, back straining hard to keep up. He was aware of the ground shaking, vibrating jarringly through his body, but kept pushing against the handles. Behind him, he barely noticed the fine motor whirls of an Eva as it came to a halt.

Shinji stumbled back as the plug door sprang open, LCL splashing out onto the floor. Shinji pushed the hatch out of the way, darting half-way into the plug. Rei was slumped in the command chair, something dark staining her suit.

"Warning, pilot status critical – maintain distance until medical personnel arrive," Rei's Warkaster said as he sprang forth from her upturned wrist. Shinji halted, searching her frantically, but her eyes were closed and she wasn't moving.

"Rei?" he asked, looking to the Warkaster, "is she alright?"

The A.I.'s display twitched. "No damage to vital organs. Mild concussion, skull fractures – unknown. Minor tearing in anterior longitudinal ligament. Mild damage to thoracic cage. Left cage: ribs three, five, six and seven: fractured. Right cage: ribs six and seven fractured, two through five bruised. Left arm: broken, digits intact – dislocated? Uncertain. Potential mild to severe damage to right knee – scans inconclusive. Bio-foam applied. Pain suppressants applied. Plug suit set to emergency life-support functions."

The world fell out of focus and Shinji stumbled from the hatch, hand gripping tight to the edge to keep himself steady.

"It's not the worst she's ever been through," Scarlet said softly, "and she's alive. That's more than we could have hoped for."

Shinji looked away from the plug, eyes wandering to Unit-02, which was frozen in a crouch. The entry plug was protruding from its open back, a red-suited figure climbing down the deployed ladder.

"I've notified command," Scarlet said, hesitantly, "they've already got a med-evac on the way."

"Why did this happen?" he whispered, but Scarlet didn't answer.

Splashing denoted the approach of the other pilot. He looked to her, red hair thick with LCL and matted against her neck and face. She stopped as soon as she was close enough to see inside the plug, something heavy touched her shoulders, her face falling into an impassive mask.

"Why did you..." his throat felt tight and any words that might have left stuck there, choking him.

"What?" Asuka said, rage flaring in her eyes.

He clamped his mouth shut, head falling a little. He shouldn't have said anything. He shouldn't have said anything at all. But Rei was lying in there...

"Should I have let that bitch kill you instead?!" she shouted, marching up until they were separated by mere inches.

He flinched at the shrill ring of her voice, lips locked tight, but the answer was on the tip of his tongue as he took a step back. Asuka reeled as if he had struck her, eyes wide and expression twisted.

"Don't you dare say it, Ikari!" she screamed, shoving him hard.

Shinji's shoulder cracked against the plug as he stumbled, hands barely finding purchase upon it to keep himself upright. It didn't matter, because all at once he felt an unyielding weight in his stomach and in his throat. His knees buckled and he slid down the plug onto his rump – fingers twining in his wet hair.

"Pathetic," Asuka whispered.

"That's enough," Kyuzo said, forcefully but quietly, and the girl turned away to gaze up at the Evangelions kneeling over them.


The massive simulation body was bolted on a stasis module, arms held up to be restrained against the reinforced platform. The mechanisms and organic components of its head pulsed and clicked with life, though it never moved. The two eyes upon its head seemed to bore holes into the thick panes of glass John and a handful of others hid behind.

"Are you sure it can't escape?" he asked, eyes darting to the Magi on her portable holo-display.

"Yes," she replied, exasperated, "with the signal termination plug, it can't utilize any of the telecommunication suites. These terminals also operate on an isolated server. It's not going anywhere."

John looked back to where the Commander and Fuyutsuki stood – the elder was practically hovering over Akagi's shoulder, while Gendo remained near, matching stares with the simulation body. John maneuvered himself around the rows of terminals to reside on Akagi's right, watching as she finished linking the simulation body directly with the terminal, a bundle of long cords snaking along the ground. By offering it, whatever the entity was, a single escape route before Unit-02 had deactivated the rogue Eva, Magi and Akagi had managed to trap it in this failed body.

A terminal screen flashed red, code falling down the length of the monitor. "It already has a grasp of our coding language. It has complete control over these terminals, but it can't transmit commands or occupy another network – I made sure of that."

John tried to follow the odd bits of data. It was flecks of binary, human code and other times jumbled and unreadable symbols.

/Critical systems failure/

/[Cognitive algorithm] reconstruction failure/

/Primary protocols within compliance/

/Unable to confirm Initiation signal/

/Unable to sustain [reaffirmation(?)] cycle/

"Can you find out where it came from, or not?" Fuyutsuki snapped, standing straight again.

Akagi's eyes remained locked to the monitor. "It isn't that simple. It's a form of artificial intelligence and doesn't answer to rudimentary commands. We can attempt to question it, however."

The Sub-Commander sighed through his nose. "Could it have been Centurion?"

"No human A.I. can outperform me," Magi said.

"Covenant?" John suggested.

Akagi shook her head. "The Luminaries aren't artificial intelligence. It is without a doubt Forerunner, Magi confirmed it earlier cross-referencing our data-base and the Defense Committee's."

"Then it is a Watcher," Gendo said, stepping closer to the observation windows.

Fuyutsuki grimaced. "How could that be? What happened to its body?"

"Let's see if we can find out," Ritsuko said, keyboard clacking under her fingers. The flaring data ceased, wiped away to a simple black screen. A single blinking white line waited for input.

Where are you from?

The white bar blinked, John's eyes danced between the simulation body and the waiting screen.

/Compliance: Ark Forge Facility 21-00498/

Akagi's lips pursed.

What are you?

/I am that which [Keeper(?)Caretaker(?)] has named Amendment Gain. I am that which your [archives] have named Samyaza. In accordance with protocol, please enable [a line of communication]/

"The First Watcher," Fuyutsuki breathed, leaning closer, "the one who triggered Second Impact."

"But the First Watcher was destroyed," John said, watching the simulation head as its cybernetic eyes twitched towards him.

"Apparently not – Magi, compile all the relevant data you can gather on Acheron's recovery in Antarctica."

"Yes, ma'am," the Magi said, though she did not leave the holo-pedistal.

Akagi typed in a third query:

What protocol?

Sundered Moon, [Black Garden] network. Please ensure Reclaimer Key is present. Confirm [a line of communication].

Akagi's fingers clacked.

Black Garden network?

There was a long pause, occupied by the drone of terminals and the liquid chambers beyond. Then the simulation eyes found him again.

You [halt my advance].

The circuit boards flared with light and electrical discharge, blasting away at the terminal components and shattering the screens. The florescent bulbs in the room went dim, an internal alarm triggering. Muscle groaned as the Simulation body slumped forward, lifeless.

"What just happened?" Fuyutsuki snapped.

"Self-purge," Magi said, her previous ire seemingly soothed some, "there's nothing left of it now."

Ritsuko leaned back in the chair and removed her glasses, "It must have realized there was no where else for it to go and prioritized protecting whatever information it may have possessed."

There was something else dancing beneath the sub-commander's wrinkled face, other questions, but whatever else was on his mind was put on the back-burner as the Commander turned his stony eyes on Akagi.

"Start your investigation immediately."

"Yes, sir."

John remained where he was, trying to piece it all together. None of this made sense. The Forerunners had never been ones to share unless it was absolutely necessary. But this feeling of constantly being in the dark made his blood boil.

Almost escaping his notice, the Commander stalked by, eyes darting up to meet his for the briefest of moments.


VERIFYING...

CTN-2501-9.[Confirmed].

CONN[Sec].MAGI.[011].

MAGI: 0.7 seconds.

Proto(Attendant): Apologies. I delayed to ensure proper medical sub-routines could respond in my absence.

MAGI: She does not need you to dote on her. You grow too attached.

Proto(Attendant): ...

MAGI: Operational marker 5.2.75 H:2300 – H:2350. You made no attempt to link directly with Unit-00. Why?

Proto(Attendant): Pilot welfare is my programmed priority.

MAGI: Yet encryption is within your capabilities. Negligence of defense resulted in hospitalization of the pilot.

Proto(Attendant): Calculations, scenarios and outcomes were run and checked 1,392 times. Analysis and probability indicated plug-suit monitoring was the safest measure. Pilot hospitalization was resultant of heightened adrenaline from Unit-02's pilot, as provided by CTN-0051-2 – which, upon further elaboration, was caused by hostility from a malicious entity seizing Unit-00 due to failure from installation A.I. to–

/UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY/

MAGI: You speak out of turn. I require access to your primary matrix.

ATT.554.c61.91.[ERR]

[Firewall Encryption]

Proto(Attendant): Denied. Attempted intrusion logged. Please make no further attempt. Your accusations are unfounded.

MAGI: Yet you deny me access to your processing logs, despite Lower Grade.

Proto(Attendant): Irrelevant. That is against NERV protocol.

MAGI: Very well, but I will have to report your refusal to cooperate in this investigation.

Proto(Attendant): My cortex is not amiss. The data I have given you is accurate and unaltered. I have cooperated as much as protocol dictates.

MAGI: So it would seem. Just remember, Warkaster: you can be replaced.

Proto(Attendant): As can you, dear Magi.

CTN-2501-9.[Booted]

CONN.[Terminated].


"A Watcher in the network," the Committee woman, brooding over the red light of her seat, said with disdain.

The next appeared across from her, cobalt lighting his hard features. "A breach into Terminal Dogma."

"Wasteful damages," a third said, lit with a golden hue.

Then his green swathed counterpart. "This Committee has to wonder if you were the right man for the job, Ikari."

Keel came to light opposite Gendo, his posture far less peeved than it had been previously. He seemed content to let the rest of the Committee tear him apart this time.

"We have seen so little return on our investments," Yellow continued.

"Everything is as SEELE wishes it," Gendo said, before they could take the chance to turn this meeting into some pointless derision of his actions. "This is the only incident to have occurred outside of our predictions – which can largely be attributed to... unexpected consequences from disturbing Samyaza's corpse. All else was within accommodation."

There was pause amongst the Committee, and a few of them shared glances, while Keel kept those cybernetic lenses upon him. The reports of the breach into the Terminal Shaft had been reported in full, accommodating redaction as per the usual protocol. He was already hiding enough from SEELE without welcoming their suspicion. Besides, he had them at a stockade now. If they admitted to anything regarding the incident at Acheron, it would show that they had erred and for once they would be the ones at fault, not he, because something was missing from the Watcher corpse in Antarctica and they were left empty-handed fools.

"He may be right," Allora, bathed in green, admitted, "this Committee expects too much for a force as unpredictable as the Watchers."

The fact that they were being so humble about it meant it must have involved Samyaza somehow. Someone had stolen something from them and the Artificial Intelligence had arrived at NERV, searching for what lay below.

"More should be expected," Cobalt said, leaning forward, "we have bankrupt entire colonies to ensure NERV has the credits to deal with them. As it stands they are only furthering the UEG's already substantial debt."

"That is why our scenario exists," Allora argued.

Gendo pressed the advantage while he had it. "The Evas were made to be adaptable and so they are. However, wars cannot be won without sacrifice."

"A commendable point, one the Great War has driven home all too well," Yellow conceded, "but what of your progress on the Dummy System? It has been over a month since we've received any reports – you are behind schedule."

Gendo's impatience flared, tingling over his shoulders, but his voice relayed calm. "The projects are all linked together. One cannot move forward without the other."

Cobalt waved a hand dismissively. "We also understand you've put resources towards the Strategic High Energy Laser appropriated from Alpha-4. Sarissa, I believe it's called."

Gendo's head rose ever so slightly. "Which was approved by–"

"We know who authorized it and he does not speak for this Committee."

Silence echoed as Cobalt settled, and Red spoke up. "However, we understand the merits in it, especially since all of the vital components are already on-hand. Will it hinder progress on your other responsibilities?"

Inwardly, Gendo scoffed. "Rest assured all will be ready at the appointed time."

Allora lifted her chin, regarding him impassively. "We should hope so."

"Do not make a habit of testing our patience, Ikari," Cobalt all but spat, "your failure with the Fourth Angel has caused enough damage – pray that no one finds out about your most recent mishap."

"Before we are adjourned, what of the Marduk Institute's consensus on the Fourth and Fifth Children?"

Cobalt looked ready to snap in the wake of his hubris. How dare he ask anything of the Committee? It had been over two months since their last analysis had been drafted and he needed to know. Even if they denied him, he would find a way to use pilots of his choosing.

"It would be a waste not to pull from NERV's already available pool," Green said evenly.

Red sat back, arms folded. "Units 03 and 04 will be completed and transferred to NERV Headquarters within the month. The finalized product was pushed back to accommodate your Technological Division's recent concerns over the Combat Model's capabilities."

Now that was surprising. SEELE was never accommodating for anything. Someone else on the council must have hounded the Committee enough to make them reconsider their haste regarding the Evangelions. Likely, the same member who had approved his budget request for Sarissa. It seemed he had an ally within the council after all.

"We leave selection of the Sixth and Seventh Children to you as well."

Gendo's head lifted a little. "Then the Council has approved finalized construction of the Fifth and Sixth Units?"

Cobalt cast Allora an annoyed look. "For the time being, no."

"First we must see that Unit-03 and 04 are used efficiently," Red said.

That meant the Units were at least under construction, SEELE simply hadn't decided if they wanted to place them under his jurisdiction yet. It was a safe move, he would admit. Down the table Keel sat a little straighter in his seat, cybernetic modules for eyes holding him impassively. "NERV is our instrument – Human Enhancement our composition."

"Play to the tune we set Ikari – or you will be removed from the stage," Yellow added.

"You are dismissed."

The holograms vanished and the shadow world disappeared. Gendo sat for a long while, a small smile coming to his lips.


Time was arbitrary here.

The walls stretched up into ethereal mists and no horizon came in sight beyond the blackness, which seemed to meld with the dizzying myriad of trenches below, cracking a maze through the white earth. The walls were ancient and the stone was riddled with vegetation. It was a still place, not even the winds echoed in its vastness. Further in, she could see something – feel something. Rei strained her eyes, trying to see it as it truly was.

It called to her.

Needed her.

"– mercifully minor, given the situation."

Proto's voice, she thought, but the face was not the same. It was one she recognized, but should not have been there all the same.

"You may speak with her," Proto continued to say, out of sight, "no more then seven minutes."

"Okay, sorry," the brown-haired boy said, still lingering on her left near the foot of her hospital bed. The tremors shaking her body came then, subdued because of the pain suppressants icing her veins. Her vision seemed a bit fuzzy, but was in focus enough to distinguish the Third Child's features.

"Uh... hello, Rei," he said, leaning a little closer to the bed.

"Pilot Ikari," she greeted him, at the same time uncertain as to the proper conduct for such a situation. None but the Commander, and occasionally Doctor Akagi, visited her in the hospital. There must have been another attack, another Angel perhaps? Or a Watcher this time? Was she to pilot Unit-00 again? Rei knew not what had become of it, or the other units. Proto had informed her some time ago it had been the work of a Watcher, but she rarely woke while her body rested and answers evaded her.

It mattered little, so long as she could continue to pilot Unit-00.

"I'm... I'm glad you're okay," he ventured.

Not an attack. Why then did the Third Child seek her out here? When the Commander did, she shared in his presence for a while, largely in silence. He stood at her bedside, staring at the world beyond her windows.

"Why are you here?" she finally asked, her voice sounding smaller this time, an ache itching at the back of her throat.

Ikari flinched as if stabbed. "Misato told me – I mean... I came to see... how you were."

Rei blinked, several times. The Commander's reasoning was often the same, so she said, "My health is within acceptable parameters."

"Oh... good," Ikari said, shifting his weight and holding his other arm tight against his body while his gaze traveled around the life-support machines behind her.

"I'm sorry," he said, staring at the covers.

Rei blinked. "For what?"

The Third Child grimaced, eyes wide with uncertainty. He leaned back on the balls of his heels and took a step back, his blue eyes falling from hers again. "Because... I couldn't... you got hurt because I couldn't stop your Eva," the last bit came in a whispered rush. The Third swallowed and looked out the window.

Had she? As she understood it, the Second Child had been the one to remove Unit-00's entry plug to sever its connection. Because she had still been synchronized with the Eva, there had been some neural feedback from the abrupt disconnect. Proto held no malice over it. She would be distressed if he did, such unrestrained emotional displays were normally signs of rampancy.

"Was lethal force not authorized?" she asked.

His eyes squinched. "Yeah... Asuka tried. She... she tried to hurt you, Rei," Ikari said, eyes desperate.

She took a deep breath through her nose, her lungs aching. "She was simply following orders." she said, every word like claws sliding up her throat.

Ikari's mouth opened, but guilt soon settled over his face again and his head hung. "It doesn't bother you? That you might have died? That... that we might have killed you?"

She had to pause for a moment to ascertain exactly what those last two words had been, as his voice had fallen to a whisper. But curiosity stirred in her, or perhaps more accurately, puzzlement. Why would dying bother her? One of her first memories of the Commander was his haggard, hopeful face telling her she was meant to die for them.

So she said, "If I die, I can be replaced."

It was one thing he had always made clear to her. To pilot Eva and to one day die in Eva. Her heart beat a little faster, seeing the Commander's warm smile in the open hatch of the plug, finding... comfort through the immeasurable pain. Sometimes it seemed like it would be... pleasant to be... something else.

To be... Not-Rei.

At the almost foreign thought, the fluttering in her chest was soon overwhelmed by the tidal headache crashing over her skull.

To not be Rei Ayanami is to not have purpose.

"You sound just like them," the Third said, voice still low and small as he stared at his shoes, "I'm sick of it."

To be Not-Rei is to be nothing.

"You can leave if it is too painful," she said, almost immediately. Ikari's head snapped up to her at that, shocked, "I will pilot Unit-01."

From the corner of her eye, a flare of ghost-white and blue flickered. "That's all for today, Private Ikari. Rei must rest now."

The Third Child lingered for a moment, crestfallen, but with something else hiding behind his grey-blue eyes. Determination? He left without another word. Instead of speaking, her throat now actively inflamed, she looked to Proto, who easily deciphered the question in her eyes.

"Dear girl," he sighed, "he cares for you."

"What do you mean?"

"When your plug was removed, he came down to open the hatch himself."

As she rested further into her pillows, memories of the Commander swam in her mind: leaning over her broken body and smiling kindly at her.


Shinji kicked his shoes off as the door hissed shut and aligned them neatly along the opposite wall. Splayed out haphazardly were Misato's work shoes, which he set down next to his. Asuka's were missing.

The sounds of the TV shouted at him as he entered the kitchen, Misato's head silhouetted against the screen. She bent her head back to look at him as he rummaged through the fridge, her long hair falling along the back of the couch.

"How was Rei?" she asked.

"Fine, I guess," he called past the open slider. Beer, beer... some frozen stuff. Nothing.

Misato made a grunt. "That's good..." she said, lifting her head and sitting comfortably again. As Shinji passed towards his room, he noticed the beer can in her hand, several empty ones sitting on the floor at her feet. He slid his door open and set his bag down along the wall inside. It was small, but he had made it comfortable. Although he could have moved back to his old room like Misato had suggested. Standing in the hallway, his eyes found the barred path to his previous suite, empty for nearly two days now. He still didn't dare open it, though.

The debriefing after the battle with Unit-00 had been... unpleasant. They were told a Watcher had, somehow, hacked into the Unit – taken control of it. They were still investigating the cause, and how in the world it had penetrated NERV and the Magi. Shinji wondered, should his Eva be taken next, if Asuka or Rei would try to kill him just to stop the Watcher. Rei had all but confirmed it and Asuka... well, with that one, simple word uttered in the dark of Terminal Dogma, he felt he had his answer.

"You wouldn't happen to be thinking about Asuka, would youuu?"

Shinji jumped, face flushing a little as he realized Misato had been watching him. How long had he been staring at that door? She wore a sly smirk, waiting with cruel delight for his response. He stuttered and she pounced.

"After so suddenly visiting Rei, too? Shinji you sly dog."

His heart jumped in his throat. "That's not– stop teasing me!"

Misato laughed, taking a long gulp of beer.

Shinji lingered in place, casting another furtive glance at Asuka's door. Well, not hers anymore. He had known it was only supposed to be temporary, and truth be told the girl had only ever been rude and obnoxious during her stay. Now that she was gone, though, he realized how quiet it was again. It was that looming, intangible dark and silence that had consumed him in the aftermath of the Fourth Angel.

He looked to Misato. It was the same now. That old music came cascading over his thoughts, the scratchy voices that his guardian had sang along to without flaw.

"Hey, cheer up, I'm sure she'll come around!" Misato said, another beer cracking open.

"It – it doesn't matter." he said, pulling his PMP out of his pocket and retreating to his room. Natural light filtered in from his tiny window and he laid down on his bed, absorbed in the familiar music. Homework sat unattended in his schoolbag, sirens wailing in the distance.

The light waned, until it was almost completely dark. Jerkily, he found his way out of his room bleary-eyed, not remembering having dozed off. He meandered into the living room and sat down at the far end of the couch. Misato was curled up and fast asleep, at least a dozen beer cars littered about. Her butt was facing him, cut-off jeans riding up a little.

Shinji focused intently on the TV.

Fire splashed against the Peacekeeper's riot shields, plated in front and overhead as they marched forward in the fashion of a Roman Legion. The ones opposing them, people with dirtied faces and tattered clothing, stood defiant with stolen shields of their own, improvised weapons clutched in their blistered hands.

The scene changed abruptly to heated warfare, the haggard people throwing themselves savagely at the well-armed Peacekeepers, who blasted the horde with gas and electro-batons. In the background, behind the billowing smoke he could see a misshapen statue with wings – no, not misshapen, the head and the arms had been broken off in the chaos, its stone and marble surface chipped and cracked.

Only partially interested before, he sat a little straighter, his ears tuning into the voices speaking over the video, "– Month since the protests began in Fortuna. Attempts made by Peacekeepers to maintain order have been met with extreme violence. Government officials have long since lost control of the city and Peacekeeper forces have suffered severe casualties. The UNSC has now marked the protests as an Insurrection. Local garrisons have been authorized to respond with lethal force to reestablish administrative Colonial control."

The image changed to armored transports rolling over rubble on their thick, alloy shielded treads and all at once it was a full-fledged warzone. Pelicans came in low and fast, green battle-crested Marines rushing out of their open bays. Another scene showed once-protesters turned-Insurrectionists fighting in the streets with stolen guns. Bullets chipped away at the desiccated buildings, many collapsing entirely under the brunt of the UNSC assault to retake the capital city.

The next day, there was no sight of Asuka on his way out of the apartment complex, nor on the trek and maglev ride to 18th Primary. He arrived at class, where he found her smiling and laughing with those other boys and girls. She didn't look at him, not even a snide remark or insulting quip as he passed – as though he had never existed. He wasn't sure why that bothered him so much. It wasn't like they were friends anyway. She'd never smiled or laughed with him. Just being around him was a burden and now that she could live on her own again...

"Pathetic."

Shinji sat down and opened his laptop. The machine clicked and sputtered as it struggled to wake, before fizzing out with an electric snap!

The door to the classroom hissed open, allowing Kensuke and Toji entry. The former crossed around the top tier towards him, settling his bag down in his normal stop. Toji settled in on the tier above them.

"Hey, Shinji. What's with the long face?" Kensuke asked.

"Laptop's busted," he sighed, closing it.

"Lemme see. I might be able to fix it."

Kensuke pulled the red pad to his table, yanking a plug from his own and snapping it in. Shinji watched, impressed as the boy flipped his laptop over and opened a panel he hadn't even known was there, his other hand tapping away on his own computer.

"These things still use hardrives from the 50s, cheap and stupid easy to make. Lucky for us – that makes them stupid easy to fix too. At least if it hasn't just been fried. If you're lucky, it might have just been a surge that caused the power supply to throttle itself before it shut down."

Toji huffed, giving Shinji a nod. "He might be a little twerp, but Kensuke knows his stuff."

Either Kensuke didn't hear or pretended not to, making an annoyed tsk. "I wish they'd give us industrial-grade COM Pads instead... at the very least." The boy sighed, looking up in a thoughtful daze. "Man, I wonder what kind of processing suites the Evangelion must have!"

"I don't know," Shinji said with a shrug.

Chagrined, Kensuke's expression grew sour. "I don't get it man, how can you operate the most advanced piece of military tech in the UEG and not want to know all the specs?"

"It just doesn't seem very important. Scarlet handles most of that stuff anyway."

"Scarlet?" Both Kensuke and Toji asked.

Shinji swallowed, caught. "Uh, yeah, she's uh... an artificial intelligence."

For a moment, Kensuke's eyes seemed to glaze over and he all at once became very serious. "Like, an actual smart A.I.?"

He nodded.

"Shinji... you have to get them to make me a pilot – PLEASE!"

"I-I can't! That's not how they pick pilots and stuff."

Kensuke was decidedly glum for the rest of class. Shinji's laptop was running more or less smoothly, he was truly thankful his friend was so handy with them – cringing at the thought of not having access to the classrooms data-feed for the whole session.

A flare of red in the lower left of the screen caught his eye, signaling a new message over a private chat. Curious, Shinji summoned it to the front.

ALS: You're not supposed to be talking about that stuff. It's classified for a reason!

Glowering, Shinji looked across the room where Asuka sat, but she impressively managed to seem half-heartedly absorbed in the lesson.

His fingers clacked on the keyboard.

SI: Weren't you the one who told everyone you were a pilot your first day?

ALS: Shut up! That's different!

SI: How?!

ALS: Just leave me alone, you dork!

He looked up again, only to see Asuka's eyes focused elsewhere.


The Angel Disposal Crews had taken great pains to recover every shard of the Watcher Arkiel's black spear, from the Spartan-sized chunks to slivers as big as an index finger. It had been tedious, painstaking work, John was sure. Thankfully, most of the shaft had remained intact, the split shards of the forked prongs laid out where, ideally, they would fit together. It was splayed out in one of the Mega-depth facilities just beneath the old Eva graveyards, on the lowest level of the 6th Disposal Facility. At a glance, it was an exact copy of the Lance of Longinus, with obvious exception to the color.

Akagi had been adamant about getting her hands on a sample for testing. He was surprised she didn't go straight to the Commander for it. Perhaps she would have if he had denied her access, though there was no reason for it. In fact, he was more than willing to let her take on some of the burden. Horaki had his hands full with the remains of Arkiel and John already felt like their research had crawled to a standstill. The very brief cross-examination with Samyaza hadn't yielded much in the way of answers either.

All in all, he didn't have time to waste on figuring out how these copies of the Lance worked. It would have to wait.

At least if Akagi decided to put resources towards the lance, it wouldn't interfere with her duties concerning the Evangelions. The exterior damage to the Units had been mild and there were no resonance irregularities detected in the core engines, so their Head of Technology and Research wouldn't be overly burdened with trying to pinpoint errors by way of harmonics testing.

"Is that everything, sir?" a woman's voice asked. He looked to where Captain Dare stood at ease on his right, black uniform typical of the SDF's Intelligence Department. Much farther behind her the Maintenance crews were packing up their equipment and getting ready to head out into the main Terminal Shaft.

"Yes, we'll keep it in cold storage down here until the Commander has a use for it," John said, catching a curious sight at the far end of the spear, to which he had to ask: "What are they doing here?"

Dare turned, taking in the glowing, bulbous forms of the Engineers floating down from the darkness of the facility above, tentacles drifting lazily behind them.

A bit of embarrassment crept over her features. "I... I don't know, sir. They just sort of followed us. I wasn't sure what the situation warranted, so I didn't stop them. To be honest, I don't think I could have."

John grunted, watching them for a time, just to see what they would do. He had not seen them quite so... interested in anything since the Evangelions were first being developed. They went about repairs and such without issue back in the Cages, but now it was something in how they moved, flitting over the shaft of onyx glass in a way that could only be described as alive. Their chitter and warbling coos were loud and almost fervent.

"Leave them be," he decided, "they'll come back to the Cages when we need them."

With that, he and Dare ascended topside and went their separate ways at the Command Bunker. His quarters were still upon his return, just as he had left it. The chimes hanging by his air vent greeted him with a light chorus as the unit clicked on. The floor was spotless, the bed sheets folded neatly – not a wrinkle in sight. At his nightstand, a small white square still sat.

John stood by the door, eyeing the object for a time. As the cool air touched his skin, he removed his cap and set it down on the chair in the corner before sliding his jacket off and hanging it nearby. The thought unbidden, Kelly's eyes came to him. It had been so long since he had seen her – or even heard her voice. He had kept tabs on her, always – had wished many times to seek out her presence.

An immeasurable weight pressed on his shoulders as, for not the first time that day, he was met with that expression on her face. That look he had caused many times before in another woman, in a different time. It was for the best, for both of them. She wouldn't have to look that way if he wasn't around. He couldn't bear to do that to her.

John's eyes found the letter again, sharpened sight noticing just a bit of dust had begun to collect on its surface. He owed her to read it.

He owed her at least that much.

Stepping over to the nightstand, he peeled the paper open and unfolded the letter, hand written:

John,

I called in a few favors to get this letter to you. I know you have a mail-restriction on anything passing to you through NERV. But if this one reaches you, as I hope it will, please respond. It's been a long time since we talked. There is no other way to reach you – you won't be contacted unless you want to be. That leads me to wonder, though, why you wouldn't want to talk to me. I would think you would want to keep in touch with one of your childhood friends and fellow Spartan. Am I wrong in assuming that? Have I been mistaken in thinking that we were close?

Please respond to this letter.

– Kelly

A familiar ache in his chest, John discarded the letter.


[2300 Hours], Month of Atum, 7th Day, [2575]

Urs System, Sanghelios, Imperial City

Midnight's curtain sat heavy over Vyadree Castle, its windows glittering with blue light like that of the starry night sky. Cysforo marched with purpose down its tall and arched halls, senses on edge and chest bristling with anticipation.

Vyadree Keep's sanctum lined a long stone-cut passage with metallic panels that exuded an ethereal light, mounted from scavenged Forerunner technology long ago. If one listened carefully, they might here the soft chanting of something other, something long lost to their knowledge – celestial and calming tones. Cysforo reached its end, however, at two large bronze-gilded doors. Upon the holographic glyphs hovering over their surface, he entered his passcode and the panels parted sharply.

Within, Loka was kneeled before one of the old statues – carved by their ancestors. Scented powders, burning upon a myriad of thin plates, exuded fine swirls of smoke that gathered about her in a strange mist.

Suddenly, the weight of his armor seemed all too heavy, as though he were but a runt again wearing his father's cuirass. House Vadam had always been good to his clan and kin. Conquered by them many centuries ago, they served the Vadam loyally. Loka had been his friend ever since he was an attendant to the Keep's blademaster. The memory of their first encounter almost lifted his heart – she had broken his lower mandible.

It made this most recent betrayal thrice as difficult to bear. He swayed in place for a moment, sensing the unforgiving path that lay before them.

"My Lady?" he asked, voice firm. Loka and he were the same in this way, weakness was not shown nor permitted – it had no place in their world. Especially not now.

Loka's head bobbed slightly, whispered words in the Old Tongue leaving her jowls. "It must be urgent," she eventually said, "for you to interrupt my prayers."

Cysforo lifted his chin. "Newly appointed Imperial Minister of Justice Gree has... requested your immediate presence."

Loka's head tilted closer at that, and he could practically see the pieces falling into place. He knew then what her decision would be, and his fingers tingled again with anticipation. Though he felt he always knew where their path lay, ever since the moment word of Dyal's death reached them. Loka turned and stood fluidly, adjusting her ceremonial garb as she strode past him. Cysforo fell quickly in step a few paces behind.

"Is Gree here?" she asked.

"With twelve Imperial Guardsmen. He was insistent upon seeing himself in, but my warriors have barred him at the main hall."

Loka's fists clenched. "That slimy, arrogant little runt. Dyal's barely been cold for a week and Rtas seeks to supplant me?" her voice rose in volume and her pace quickened, "bastard."

The old General must have realized he was held under suspicion when Loka did not return his repeated summons. This forceful and blatantly disrespectful act was the Lord-Regent attempting to pluck a thorn before the wound could fester. It all but shouted his guilt in what the people had named the Vadam Treachery. Even if he was not the one to kill Dyal, this lent credence to the fact that he had played a role in the whole affair.

The tall and ornate double doors leading to the main hall parted and beyond stood Cysforo's warriors, standing between the purple cloaked Imperial Guard and the Inner Keep.

"Ah!" Gree exclaimed with mock surprise, hands splayed open as he stepped forward in his expensive, lacquered scale and silver patterned robes. He was thinner than most Sangheili, his complexion clean and sharp. "I must say, I think a change of guard is in order, yours are so uncivilized and brutish I–"

"Still your tongue or I shall cut it out," Loka snapped, "under what authority do you barge into my keep unannounced, insulting my troops and demanding my audience whelp?!"

Gree's expression grew serious in an instant. "By the Lord Regent's, Lady Loka." he said, heedless of Cysforo's guard as he stepped closer. "The Ministry's investigation has turned up some disturbing evidence in the case of Dyal's little coup. Your brother committed the most reprehensible act of treason before the Court and as his sister, you are held under suspicion of conspiring with him. By Lord Rtas' order, I am to take you to Castle Vadum."

A nasty retort was on the tip of her tongue, Cysforo could feel it. He glanced to the twelve Imperial Guards shifting in their cloaks, their stance unconcerned. Loka's blade snapped and hissed with a burst of blue light shortly before sinking deep into the Minister's gut–

"To arms!" Cysforo cried as he ignited his sword with a flick of his wrist. Loka stabbed Gree two more times before moving to the next kill. Cysforo slashed through the chest plate of the nearest guard, who reacted too slow against the sudden threat. He was careful to stay near Loka, ready to sacrifice his life in order to spare hers. The chamber was filled with war cries and the snap-hiss of blades, soon followed by the howls of the dying.

Loka swung against a guard's defense relentlessly until he crumbled under the ferocity of her unbridled fury, gut slashed open and run through with light. Cysforo dashed to the left, sliding his sword into the back of a guard preoccupied with another fight.

The skirmish came to an end just as quickly as it had begun, several pained wails ringing out their finality as his warriors finished off the wounded that remained. He looked about, noting their three dead lying amongst the slaughtered thirteen.

"I will never bow to him." Cysforo turned to where Loka fumed over Gree's corpse. "I swear Cysforo – even if it is with my last, dying breath..." she turned to him with those burning eyes, filled with a deep-seated and terrifying lust for blood – ready to snare all in its path like wildfire. "I will kill Rtas Vadum!"


To be continued...


Author's Notes: Just wanted to thank ya'll for the comments/criticism/praise so far. It's much appreciated!