Chapter 36 Seeing Through Murky Waters
At Nerv, Sub Commander Fuyutsuki and Ritsuko are speaking to the bridge crew about the earthquake at Mt. Asamayama.
"This, just isn't clear enough." Fuyutsuki says looking over some pictures.
"But the report from the Mt. Asamayama Earthquake Research Lab, implies we should take a closer look at this shadow." Aoba says trying to convince the Sub Commander.
"We can't ignore it." Fuyutsuki says to himself
"What do the Magi say?" Ritsuko asks.
"It's" fifty-fifty odds ma'am." Maya answers.
"Who's up there?" Fuyutsuki asks.
"Hyuga and a research team has already arrived at the site." Aoba says to Fuyutsuki.
(HHHHHHHHHH)
"Your going to deep!" One of the Mt. Asamayama Earthquake Research Lab researchers says in a panic as he watches the magma diver camera sink deeper into the volcano.
"Send the probe down another five hundred." Hyuga orders.
"Depth one thousand two hundred. The pressure resist partition is cracking."
"If it breaks, we'll pay for the damage. Two hundred more, please." Hyuga says politely.
"We're monitoring a reaction." Hyuga's assistant says to Hyuga.
"Start the analysis." After a couple of seconds one of the Mt. Asamayama Earthquake Research Lab researchers gives some bad news.
"The probe has imploded due to the extreme pressure."
"Did you get?" Hyuga says to his assistant.
"Just barely. The pattern is Blue."
"Then there's no doubt. It's an Angel. This laboratory is now under the jurisdiction of Nerv. There will be no unauthorized phone calls, any access to the outside world is prohibited and all records pertaining to these events will be classified top-secret." Hyuga says to all the staff of the research lab.
"Get me a secure line secure line to Commander Souryu. He kneed to know about this immediately."
(HHHHHHHHHH)
When Commander Souryo got off the phone with Hyuga, he immediately went to the monolith room, with Sub Commander Fuyutsuki following close behind for a meeting with SEELE to tell them the current situation and what he's going to do.
"An A17? You want to make an offensive attack?" Says one of the faceless monoliths.
"That is correct."
"No, it's too dangerous. Have you forgotten what happened 15 years ago?" a different monolith asks.
"No, but consider this. This is our chance to move from a state of perpetual defense, to an offensive posture."
"The risk would be enormous." Lorenz adds in.
"However, I'm sure that you must be aware of how important it is, to obtain a living Angel as a sample, am I correct?" Commander Souryo persuades knowing they will not let this opportunity pass them by.
"We will not tolerate failure!" Lorenz says before turning off his holographic projector.
"Failure? If we fail, it will result in the extinction of the entire human race. Are you really going to do it Commander?" Fuyutsuki asks. The Commander ignores his question and leaves to set everything up.
(HHHHHHHHHH)
The morning in Tokyo Three was strangely cold to any outside to feel it but as work for every one starts from seven; only two people were out to experience it. In Tokyo Three central park two people are sleeping on one of the benches. These two are, of course, Shinji and Rei. After the cinema fiasco they decided to walk around Tokyo Three since Asuka told them not to be home until one. After walking around for a couple of hours they found themselves in the park and rested on a bench where they fell asleep. They weren't alone.
Moving in on them are three people in black suits and they were sent to collect the children. They move into position by forming a circle around the bench that the children sleep on. Rei subconsciously move closer to Shinji for more warmth. The men in black take this as a sign that they are waking up.
"Mr. Ikari. Ms Ayanami. You are needed at Nerv, come with us." Although tired and acing all over, Shinji has learned to get up when being called so he wakes up and sits up straight, waking Rei in the process.
"Could you repeat that? I didn't catch what you said." Shinji asks. From behind one of the Section Two agents' shades his left eye begins to twitch.
"You are needed at Nerv, come with us." The agent repeats a little angrily. Rei grabs Shinji's hand and together they join the men in a car and are taken to Nerv.
(HHHHHHHHHH)
In one of Nerv's briefing rooms sits Asuka, Rei and Shinji. They are being briefed by Ritsuko as she is in charge of tactical operations while Misato is away.
"Is that an Angel?" Asuka asks looking at the strange picture on the projector.
Yes. It's some sort of chrysalis form, that precedes the adult stage we're familiar with. This operations prime objective will be to capture this Angel. We must capture it alive and in a form as close to its original state as possible. Ritsuko explains.
"And if we fail?" Rei asks.
"Then you must destroy it immediately. Understood?"
"Yes ma'am" Shinji, Rei and Asuka say in unison.
"The designated pilot will be...?" Ritsuko scans the pilots looking for the best candidate.
"I volunteer Asuka to do it." Shinji says quickly.
"I'll second that." Rei adds
"And I'll third it. Asuka it is." Ritsuko says seeing as everyone else wants her to do it."
"Sure! It's gonna' be easy! My first solo mission! I want you to watch carefully Shinji, as I capture the Angel. You could learn a thing or two."
"What about me and Shinji-kun" Rer asks
"You and Shinji are to remain in the surface. Rei you are going to hold a Liquid Hydrogen pipe. (A/N To exist as a liquid, H2 must be pressurized and cooled to a very low temperature, 20.27 K (−423.19 °F/-252.88°C) and is used as rocket coolant.) This will be used to freeze the Angel upon it being brought to the surface to prevent it morphing into adult form. Shinji you are back up in case anything happens. Now that an A17 has been ordered, we've got to roll out immediately. Get ready.
"Roger!" The three pilots say at the same time.
(HHHHHHHHHH)
"Huh? You know this heat resistant entry plug suit, doesn't seem any different from our regular ones."
"Press the switch, on your right wrist." Ritsuko says to Asuka.
"Ok. Agghh, what! Ballon mögen häßliche klage! Keine bumsen weise! Asuka shouts in horror as the suit balloons up.
"Unit Two, should be ready now." Ritsuko says with a smile, and almost breaking out in laughter.
(HHHHHHHHHH)
"Eva Unit's Zero, One and Two have arrived." Hyuga's assistant announces.
"Have both Units standby. Reposition the laser bore and stand ready on the crane! When Dr. Akagi arrives transfer all tactical command to her."
"Roger."
(HHHHHHHHHH)
"What are those? Jets?" Shinji sees some aircrafts fly over head thanks to his Eva's eyes.
"The UN and the Air Force will be standing by until this mission's over." Ritsuko explains.
"Are they here to help us?" Asuka asks
"No, they're here to clean up the mess if we fail."
"How are they going to do that?" Rei asks.
"They'll us N2 depth charges to destroy the Angel and us as well." Ritsuko says in a dreary manor.
"Wouldn't that cause more harm them good? I mean wont setting off N2 mines in the volcano cause it, and the rest along the fault line, to erupt?" Shinji says remembering his time spent studying geology.
"The UN considers that to be less of a threat then an Angel." Ritsuko says rolling her eyes because of the stupidity of the UN.
"Yeah because who need the Angels to destroy the world when we can do it ourselves by setting off all the volcanoes, making them spew out millions of tons of toxic clouds that will poison the air and block out the sun, causing a thousand year winter. That's really FUCKING SMART!" Asuka shouts through the comm.
"Enough Asuka! We are about to fire the laser and lower you into the lava." Ritsuko says angrily but secretly agreeing with what Asuka says. The laser is fired and Asuka is lowered into the volcano. Shinji moves close to the volcano and Rei picks up the coolant pipe and moves to the Angel drop down point
(HHHHHHHHHH)
"Current depth one hundred and seventy, rate of descent twenty. No problems detected. Visibility is zero, I can't see a thing. Switching to CT Monitor. Even with this I can barely see a thing." Asuka says in a very bored and tired voice. After dropping down to one thousand, three hundred, the maximum safety depth, Asuka unit stops descending.
"Asuka, what do you see?" Ritsuko asks.
"I can't see shit and I'm not detecting anything either. It's not here."
"The lava currents, must be faster than we thought. Keep descending until target is found." Asuka starts being lowered again. She can hear the stress being put onto the Eva and doesn't like it. Every now and then she can hear a tech say something about the condition of the coolant pipe and of the D-Type armer. Ritsuko then tells Asuka that her Progressive Knife has fallen off due to the pressure. When Asuka reaches a depth of one thousand, seven hundred and eighty, Asuka finally sees her target.
"Wait wait wait! I see it!" Asuka says excitedly
"Alright Asuka, because of the convection current that's moving both you and the target, you'll have just one chance to make contact."
"I understand, just leave it to me!" Asuka and the Angel slowly move together. Asuka opens the electromagnetic cage.
"The electromagnetic cage has been spread. No problems detected. Preparing to capture …the target has been secured and I'm coming home."
"Well done Asuka." Ritsuko says giving a small praise.
"Asuka, are you all right?" Rei asks.
"Well of course I am, this was easy anyway. Not even worthy of my talents. Nice to know you care as well Shinji."
"I'll ask when the mission is over."
"You worry too much Shin … huh? It's going crazy!
"Oh-no, it's started to hatch it's earlier than we predicted. Abort the capture! Jettison the cage!" Ritsuko tells Asuka
"We're changing the operation. We've got to destroy that Angel. Asuka, prepare for combat! Do it, Asuka!" The angel brakes free and swims off.
"You got it …" Asuka makes a grab for her Progressive Knife but finds it missing. "Damn it, I forgot that the Prog. Knife dropped off!" Asuka looks around for the Angel and sees it coming straight for her.
"The Angel! Releasing holsters?" With the holsters disconnected, Asuka manages to avoid a collision. "It's fast! … This is no good, I've lost it again. And if this lousy visibility wasn't bad enough, I'm also too hot and this disgusting suit is stuck to my body, with sweat. This really sucks!
"Asuka, we're going to drop you Unit One's Progressive Knife. Stand ready!" Ritsuko tells Asuka.
"Understood!" Asuka looks around and sees the angel making another pass. "Oh gees, drop it now Shinji!"
"Here it comes!" Shinji shouts, throwing the knife as hard as he can but when it hits the magma it sinks slowly. Well that useless. Shinji thinks to himself. Asuka keep looking from the Angel to the knife. Suddenly the Angel is on her and has opened it's mouth and trying to bite through the suit.
"What the hell?! No, go away! Ahh! Hurry up, with that thing! No, fall faster!" Asuka says stretching an arm above her to catch the knife.
"No, how could it open it's mouth in molten lava." Ritsuko says in disbelieving what she sees. The Angel starts to swing its arms around, clawing at Unit Two's armer, then cutting all but one coolant cable.
"Arrr... My coolant! My Shield is failing!" Asuka grabs the knife as it reaches her and starts stabbing at the Angel. "Die, damn you!"
"Oh my God! The extreme heat has distended that things molecular structure. The Progressive Knife won't work against it! Not even an N2 mine could hurt it if the Progressive Knife has no effect!" Ritsuko tells this useless bit of information to Asuka making her even more worried about her situation. Suddenly the Angel backs off then stats swimming towards the surface. Asuka's last coolant cord snaps sending to a slow decent to death. Just as the Angel breaks the surface of the magma, Unit One jumps in with the rest of the weights and tries to swim down to Asuka before she goes too far down.
The Angel jumps out the volcano and lands where Unit One once stood. It pushes it self up on it's two front arms and scans it's surroundings. It stops when it sees Unit Zero pointing a pipe at it. Rei opens the valve and the coolant sprays out and collides with the Angel. The Angel howls in pain as it's body contracts in on itself. Rei grabs a rocket launcher and connects it to her Eva. She looks back at the Angel and sees it gone.
"Where the Angel go?" Rei questions herself.
"Rei Above you!" Ritsuko shouts through the comm. Rei looks up and sees the Angel making it's decent. Rei brings the rocket launcher up and just as the Angel is on her, she fires! The explosion shatters the Angel into a million pieces and sends Unit Zero to the ground.
When Rei regains her senses she hears Asuka's voice over the comm.
"Shinji?!... Idiot! You showoff!"
"A word or thanks would not go amiss here Asuka. After all it fells like my skin is burning off!" Shinji says through gritted teeth.
"Ritsuko! Pull us up now!" The cable starts pulling both Eva Unit's up and out of the magma.
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