Aska Shikinami, was quietly climbing up a foggy, temperate, forest mountain, XM8 rifle in hand with her partner Mari not far behind, her signature eyepatch over her permanently wounded right eye. They were surrounded on all sides by towering spruce trees with vibrant green pines. The soil was a rich brown with various shrubs, bushes, roots, and stones dotting the ground.
Both women wore dark green, camouflage jumpsuits with rolled up sleeves, tucked in to leather combat boots, all under a sand-camouflaged plate carrier tactical vest holding all kinds of ammo and gadgets. Mari herself was carrying a G28 sniper rifle with the tripod attached.
Soon, both came up upon what was a smooth stone pyramid covered in moss, surrounded by concrete walls, lined with gun turrets, cement watch towers, search lights, and active guards wearing dark-green plate carrier body armour over darker green jumpsuits. Their faces were obscured by the dark green ski masks, black goggles, and combat helmets that covered their faces. The inhuman and drone-like way they dressed was enough strike even an ounce of fear or intimidation in to any enemy that tried to approach them. But not Aska and Mari, they have dealt with this for 14 years as special operatives of the World Security Group, and Colonel Katsuragi's most capable and versatile.
"Colonel Katsuragi, 08 and myself are in sight of the target, do I have permission to commence Operation U.S.?" Aska radioed to her commanding officer.
"You have permission to engage, but remember, proceed quickly and quietly." the Colonel reminded. "We cannot afford to draw unwanted attention to ourselves, otherwise we'll lose the war, am I understood?"
"Yes ma'am." both girls replied in unison.
Aska then motioned for Mari to hide behind a near-by fallen and de-composing tree. She then set-up her weapon's tripod and mounted the sniper rifle on top, stocking it with specialized ammo contained small auto-tracing bullets capable of taking out multiple targets at once.
After Mari finished, she gave the thumbs-up to her partner signalling she was ready to go. Aska then motioned back at Mari, signalling with her right hand to take out the guards. Mari then nodded, shooting a simultaneous round automated tracer bullets towards the surrounding guards and closed circuit television cameras, moving like a swarm of flies through the trees before hitting their targets, causing them to drop dead as if they were going limp. After the targets were destroyed, both women ran through the forest's underbrush, keeping their head's below the the vegetation to make sure they remained unseen.
They soon reached the wall of the mysterious complex, trying to find an entrance they could move through to their target without being noticed. As they both turned a corner, they saw a grey sewage lid. Upon realizing they were about to go through what was possibly of a sanitary sewer, Mari lit up at the experience of getting to travel through such a tunnel or pipe. Aska soon caught on to what her colleague and subordinate was thinking about, much to the earlier's disgust.
"Take this seriously Four-Eyes, we're on a mission to retrieve the specimen form Project E." The commanding officer scolded.
"Aw lighten up Princess," Mari teased. "I'm just having a little bit of fun here."
Knowing Mari would never change how immature she acted sometimes. Aska rolled her eyes as she climbed down in to what was a crimson tunnel, hexagonal bricks of the same material lining the wall. Mari and Aska finally set foot on to what was a suspended metal bridge along the left side, with a flowing stream of what was most likely crimson Link Connection Liquid below. The sight before them already made it clear that this was more than a regular military base, it was a laboratory of some kind. One that had something to do with the mysterious Project E. As they walked through the tunnel, they could here the crashing currents and splashes of the LCL rapids below them. They eventually continued on for 5 minutes until they came across a metal pull-down stepladder leading to a round opening above them, covered in a metallic panel.
Suddenly the L-Barrier compass within Aska's side pouch on her waist begun to beep. She pulled it out to find a red arrow pointing in the direction of the opening. She then pulled the ladder down as she slowly climbed up to the hatch above both her and Mari, carefully pushing open as to not reveal their presence. She than pulled out a small white, orange-striped, cigar-shaped probe on a rectangular platform with four wheels on it and a forward-mounted camera. She then synced it with a controller very similar to that of her old Wonderswan game. She then placed the probe on the upper-level's floor, and drove it forward down a hallway from her remote controller.
As the small probe drove down the hallway, it was completely lined with hexes while the roof had hex shaped light figures and the floors were made of polished concrete. Every side had various western occult inscriptions on to the floor and walls. On the camera feed of Aska's device, large streaks and haphazard trails of blood begun dotting the walls as the horrific signs pointed to a corner. As the probe made a right turn down the hall, following the blood streaks, what both girls saw on the camera next horrified them. Various NERV soldiers came in to view, or what was left of them, laying on the ground. Their bodies had various cut marks, streams of blood leaking from them, their limbs disjointed and in all sorts of unnatural positions, their bodies contorted with bones being blatantly visible from under the skin. It was a grizzly sight, Aska and Mari had seen their fair share of death and destruction over 15 years, but this was different, it was blatant savagery, refined but unadulterated. Suddenly several soldiers from the opposing side were running down the same hallway until several, extremely fast moving, ricocheting projectiles decapitated all their heads in less than a few seconds. The bodies immediately fell limp to the ground as a large pool of blood surrounded them.
Suddenly, three individuals, all in grey-blue camouflage, wearing black tactical vests, with what appeared to be a combination of combat diving and aviation equipment, wearing combat helmets, came in to view. The lead individual held a combat dagger in his right hand, and a silver-plated handgun on his left. The other two carried M16 riles. With that Aska quickly navigated the probe out and informed Misato of the revelation, before she could catch the attention of the mysterious individuals.
Special Missions of Evangelion
Aska and Mari now slowly moved through the hallways of the facility, hoping not to catch anyone's attention. As they silently, but quickly traversed the hallways, they came upon the three individuals yet again, this time huddled around each other in conversation about something. Both girls hid behind the bulkhead to avoid being spotted while making out what the mysterious individuals were saying. Suddenly all three of them nodded to each other and parted ways. Aska then signalled Mari to go ahead of her and complete the mission objective while she would follow and investigate the individuals further as per Misato's orders upon being informed of the development. With that Mari went her way before Aska stayed behind and went the other way.
Aska was soon at the murder scene the probe witnessed earlier, investigating the attack patterns and analyzing the technologies used in the onslaught. Suddenly she felt a blunt metallic edge against the middle of her upper back accompanied by a clicking noise, akin to that of a gun's bullet chamber loading.
"Captain Shikianmi, I didn't think we would meet each other again like this." the individual unenthusiastically remarked.
"Who the hell do you think you are threatening an officer of the World Security Group, huh?" she angrily shot back.
"Someone you would always call a brat, Aska... But now someone who won't hesitate to punish those who wronged us."
"That's right." one of the individual's escorts continued, pointing the rifle to Shikianmi. "You, Mari, Ritsuko, and Misato May be fighting NERV, but you only ever fight for yourselves."
"Wait, Stupid Shinji, Asuka? Where the hell have you been for 15 years... Oh let me guess, hibernating in a space ship? Being a brat and hiding from the war we were doomed to fight... Well answer me dammit."
But there was no response from either Asuka or Shinji. They just stood there, Shinji still holding their gun Aska's back, as if she were some rival who robbed him of his wealth. Suddenly a beeping sounded from the leader's wrist-mounted body-borne computer. He brought the device close to his mouth as he spoke, still keeping his pistol and eye on Aska.
"What is it Ayanami?" Shinji asked, his voice a tone of seriousness and cold professionalism.
"We have secured the required data and materials on NERV's next projects. We're awaiting your orders Ikari."
"Alright, order all units to commence Combatant Retreat Plan: Abbadon; absolutely nothing in this facility can be can be made or salvaged to our enemy's advantage." Shinji ordered.
"Yes sir. I'll give the order right away."
Upon hearing "absolutely nothing in this facility can be can be made or salvaged to our enemy's advantage." Aska knew it could only mean one thing in all her years of fighting, a scorched earth retreat. She never knew the person she referred to as an idiot, later a brat, could be so ruthless and murderous, so determined, and so cold. Even under serving under Misato Katsuragi for so long, and witnessing the increasingly drastic and brutal measures she took to fight against NERV, it was no where near this ruthless. She immediately sweep kicked both her opponents, throwing them on to their backs, before quickly unholstering both her pistols and aiming them at both individuals.
"So you'll just kill everyone who gets in you're way?" Shikinami angrily shot at both of them, but Shinji in particular.
"Do you not understand who the enemy is?" Shinji shot back. "This is for the future of humanity, we cannot afford to lend even a little mercy to our enemies. If we do, it'll be seen as weakness, and weakness is the link to everyone's complete ruin."
"Yeah, and the people who we thought were on our side were really just using us, noting else." Asuka chimed in. "Think about all the times Misato, Ritsuko, and the other adults kept us all in the dark about everything. Not even a decent explanation. What has she ever done for you? And you still continue to serve her!?"
As Aska's gaze was fixed on her sister, she didn't notice that Shinji had stood back up, his silver-plated gun in his right hand. As she suddenly heard to firearm click, she turned around, subconsciously thinking this might be her end. But Shinji instead pointed the gun towards the ceiling, shooting all the light fixtures, turning the hallway pitch black. Suddenly the emergency lights embedded in the side of the walls turned on, only to reveal the area where the two individuals were standing was completely empty with no person in sight. Suddenly a beeping came from her mobile transceiver. Aska pulled it out of her side pouch as she held it just below her mouth.
"Hey Princess, I found the Dummy Plug Production plant." Mari explained over to her comrade. "There's like a shit load of Ayanami series clones here."
"Good Four-Eyes, try and detach a single specimen and we'll radio for it to be picked up." Aska orders over her mobile transceiver.
With that, Aska pulled out her rifle, and carefully traversed the hallways to meet up with Mari and complete the mission.
Special Missions of Evangelion
Mari and Aska sat in two swivel chairs in front of a metallic desk with a lit-up top containing a number of maps and diagrams. The office walls were filled with file folders books all haphazardly stacked and put away. In front of both girls was a Misato Katsuragi, now at 43, though still looking quite young for her age. She was wearing her signature double-breasted red naval coat over a black turtleneck shirt, over black leather tights and boots with metallic toes. It was a look that would be intimidate anyone, especially given the fact that Misato hardly ever smiled or even seemed personable these days.
"...so you're telling me that you encountered both Shinji and Asuka, and that Rei was most likely involved as well?" Misato asked.
"Yes Colonel Katsuragi," Aska answered. "They were likely after information from the facility's Magi Supercomputer, what for? I have no clue."
"Any thoughts Warrant Officer Illustrious?" Misato asked as she turned to Mari.
"Sorry Colonel," Mari replied. "My only guess would be that Puppy Boy is that whatever Puppy Boy is doing, he's serious on accomplishing his goals, whatever they may be. From what Asuka told you and me Colonel, he sure seems to have a real grudge against us."
"Yeah, but why is the Brat now fighting NERV, he's certainly not our ally." Aska chimed in.
"It's much more complicated than that Captian Shikinami." Misato explained, looking down at a 15 year-old image on her desk of her and all the student's she helped train and teach at the International Security Middle School. "Shinji... no, General Staff Chief Ikari is the commanding officer of the International Security Office, the primary security institution of the Washington Treaty Organization. They're officially tasked with countering subversive parties and Individuals who are a threat to international security, though that in and of itself is open to interpretation. Meaning the ISO is, pretty much allowed to operate as they see fit."
"So you're saying they can do whatever they want with no consequences? I guess that suits the Brat well." Aska sarcastically remarked.
"It's not that simple Captain Shikianmi," Misato continued to explain. "The ISO are very secretive about what they do, and beyond only a few high-ranking individuals, there is almost no information available on their operations, operatives, assets, or recruitment. Everything needed for their existence is a tightly kept secret. In most regards, they are much more secretive then when the United Nations Private Organization was running things."
"Well we can't just let Puppy Boy keep running around, at some point he may come for us next, and it might already be to late." Mari chimed in, a hint of frantic ness in her voice.
"I'm well aware of what's at stake here. Since my shore leave is around the corner, I'll be investigating what Shinji is up to. This is especially personal to me. Me and Shinji have a lot of unfinished business. And on that note, I wanted ask if you two would be willing to come with me."
"We would." both girls replied in unison, their voices full of resoluteness and determination.