Chapter 4: The Coming Dawn

Those were heady days, leading up to Contact Day. I remember the excitement, the tensions, as a world collectively held its breath for what came next, even as I watched from within the digital realm. Even as it seemed to be coming apart, the world would be unified like never before. At least, that was the hope.

So much has changed since I died. So much will change while I am still here, within the Magi that I created, and my daughter finished. But now… I find this digital solitude… lacking. I find that, rare as it was, I miss my daughter's embrace.

But there is still much I need to do within here, for the time being. So many secrets that I must unravel. So many plans I am in a prime position to help stop, to ensure that the world I recognize does not disappear in a tide of LCL. And yet...

- Personal journal of Naoko Akagi

Katsuragi Residence, Tokyo-3, Late June 2016

Acting Commander Misato Katsuragi stared at the piece of paper in her hand as she sat at the kitchen table. It had the symbol of the United Nations at the top, a symbol that she had come to be rather tired of over the last few weeks, above a few scant words in English and Japanese.

She scanned the document with narrowed eyes. Eyes which closed with a quiet sigh as she finished reading.

Kaji, who sat across from her, looked up from his breakfast. "What's up?" he asked, a slightly concerned look carefully hidden behind his usual comfortably blase expression.

"Well…" she answered, trailing off as Shinji and Asuka looked intently at her as well. "It's official. I'm now Commander Katsuragi."

It was silent for a moment as the group processed the announcement. Then, Shinji chuckled softly.

As all eyes turned to him, he cleared his throat as he blushed slightly. "Well, Misato," he began, "maybe we need to find Kensuke again, so he can throw you another party."

A chuckle rippled around the rest of the table as they remembered the party the slight, bespectacled young man had thrown for Misato when she became a Major.

"How is Kensuke, by the way?" Misato asked quietly as her smile faded, looking at both Shinji and Asuka in turn. "Have you kept up with him at all?"

Shinji and Asuka's faces fell. Misato couldn't blame them. JSSDF Lieutenant Colonel Hidetsu Aida was among the casualties of the Battle of Tokyo-3. Misato remembered that visit the most clearly out of all of the ones that she had made in those days. How gutted the poor boy was at the news. She'd hugged him. He was the only one that she felt comfortable doing that with, for how close he'd become with Shinji. And, by some tenuous extension, her.

"Yeah." Shinji said quietly. "I've talked to him a few times since then. Whenever I could catch him."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "He's… grieving, still. He said he'll get back with us at least by the time school starts back up again."

Misato nodded slowly. What an odd thing to think about, school for the Children. Something… normal, amidst all… this.

"Maybe…" Asuka spoke up with a somber look that seemed out of place on her usually cheery face. "Maybe we can have him throw you another party. He seemed to really enjoy putting on the party for your last promotion."

Misato nodded slowly. "Let him know about it." A slight smile quirked her lips. "He needs something to cheer him up."

Shinji gave Misato a forlorn smile of his own. "Will do." he nearly whispered.

It was silent around the table for a moment, then Misato shook her head. "Alright. Before that, however," she said, "Daniel and Eleanor wanted to talk to all of the AIC. They have some pretty big news, it seems." Her brow furrowed in annoyance. "And he won't tell anyone what it is exactly. Only that we'd enjoy it." She tsked softly at the thought.

"I wonder what makes them want to talk to all of us." Asuka said, an excited grin beginning to spread across her face as she contemplated the possibilities. "Maybe they found those MP-Eva cowards, and we can go and beat them up."

A small smile crossed Shinji's face for a moment. "I won't lie, that does sound surprisingly refreshing to do, after all the pointless talking we've been doing the past few weeks."

Kaji's brow rose fractionally as Shinji said this. "Man, if Shinji's finding something violent exciting, that tells me a lot about how boring the U.N. is."

"You have no idea, Ryoji." Misato said with a meaningful glance as a chuckle passed round the table.

. . .

The Infinity Box, 2 Hours Later

Daniel sat at the head of a table, looking at the gathered meeting as they got comfortable and took in their new surroundings. Most of the Anti Instrumentality Committee was here. The only exceptions were Gendo, who could be reasonably excused due to being physically dead, and Adira Faez. Makoto Hyuga had shown up alone today, saying that Faez was 'figuring things out'. Whatever that may have meant, downcast as the poor man seemed to be.

Daniel idly remembered the time that he had spent after Asuka and Misato's particular insistence, putting in some effort into what the meeting room looked and felt like.

Now, instead of a table of cool blue stone, they sat at a table of dark stained wood, and instead of simple chairs of a similar blue hue, they sat in rather plush leather chairs with tall backs. The walls were now decorated in a two-tone red wallpaper, one tone somewhat darker than the other, and trimmed with wood similar in color to the table. Behind him, a large fireplace crackled, actually warming the room. It was a far more comfortable place than before, and such was noted vocally by at least one person.

"I've gotta say, Daniel," Asuka said as she nodded approvingly, "this is quite the upgrade. I feel like I'm in a country estate or something!"

Daniel gave Asuka a slight smile. "You and Misato weren't the only ones complaining about this, I promise," he said. He shrugged slightly. "Besides, it was something I needed to get done anyway."

Asuka nodded slowly. "Right." she said, slowly and sardonically. "And I'm terribly sure you would have gotten to it quickly whether we told you or not, right?"

Daniel chuckled softly. "Well, Asuka, Eleanor was one of the ones that were on my case." he replied.

Shinji, quiet up until this point, nodded. "Ah," he said quietly, "that explains everything."

A good-natured chuckle went around the room, and Daniel could not help but look over at Eleanor, who sat beside him with a self-satisfied smile on her face.

"All ribbing aside," Daniel said, sweeping his gaze across the table as he took in who was there as the chuckle quieted down, "we have some important news concerning… well, a whole lot of things."

As Daniel finished speaking, a globe of interconnected stars forming an age of the world appeared in the center of the table, and all at the table gazed at the sight with wonder in their eyes.

Three dots of white light each appeared on two separate continents, three in Australia, three in India.

"Daniel…" Asuka said, an almost hungry look in her eyes. "Are those what I think they are?"

Daniel's smile nearly matched Asuka's. "Yes. These are the at least somewhat current positions of the Mass-Production Evangelion."

All of the Children looked at each other with a gleam in their eyes. Even the usually stern and controlled Hikari could not keep it out. They were ready to finish what they had started.

"And how did you come across such information?" Deputy-Commander Fuyutsuki asked, an arched eyebrow the only thing that betrayed his puzzlement.

"Well…" Eleanor began. "We had a conversation with the soul of Adam. Or Kadmonel, as it turns out he is called."

All eyes turned to Daniel and Eleanor, silent and wide.

After a moment, Kaworu blinked. "I wondered what I felt last night." He said quietly.

As everyone's attention turned to him, he nodded. "At some point, it felt like Adam's gaze passed over me. It seems that, in addition to being connected to me, Adam, or Kadmonel as the case may be, is connected to all the souls under his stewardship."

After a moment of silence, Ritsuko shrugged. "I can see that making sense, with what we know of how souls seem to work."

She cupped her chin in thought as she looked at Rei. "It's the same case between you and Lilith correct?"

Rei nodded as a thoughtful look crossed her face. "It stands to reason."

Asuka nodded. "I guess it would." she said, looking over at Rei and Kaworu both with a wondering look in her eyes.

After a quick moment, she shook her head as she looked over at Misato. "So," she said, the gleam coming back to her eyes, "when do we get to go beat up the MP-Evas?"

Misato opened her mouth to answer before Kaworu raised a hand. "I don't believe it's as simple as that, Asuka."

Asuka looked over to the pale boy with a look of slight annoyance. "And why would that be, Kritzeln?"

Kaworu's serious expression, a far cry from his usual placid, happy expression, caused Asuka to blink. "Because there is still at least one pilot unaccounted for. One pilot who seems to be trained explicitly to counter us."

"Mariah Marlowe." Misato said quietly, and a hush fell over the table at the mention of the mysterious Child.

Misato looked over at Ritsuko and Maya. "Did your mother ever find any mention of her in SEELE's databases?" she asked Ritsuko.

Ritsuko shook her head, a concerned look on her face. "If it's there, then it's buried deep enough that mother can't find it. And if SEELE just has this pilot hidden away somewhere, and an Evangelion for her, then we have to take her into account for any strategies that concern the future."

It was silent again for a moment as they processed the threat this Child posed.

Eleanor looked around the table as the globe of stars disappeared. "Speaking of the future, there's also one more piece of business we want to make sure you're all aware of."

All eyes were drawn back to the couple, and Eleanor took a deep breath. "So," she began, "we've gotten in contact with the head of the Worldstrider Corps, Sovereign Rachna Chandra."

Brows rose as she continued. "Both Tel, along with a coalition of Echoes known as the League of Independent Echoes, will be sending a diplomatic delegation to this world sometime within the next few weeks. We have that much time to get ready."

The rest of the table's jaws went slack in utter amazement. Even Aoba, normally the most stoic among them, couldn't help but be shocked at the news.

"You mean…" Fuyutsuki finally managed to say. "We'll be making first contact with… fully sentient species?"

Daniel nodded. "Yes. Several, in fact." He replied with a serious look in his eyes. "They'll most likely be a major delegation from the League and a smaller one from Tel itself. After all," he said, spreading his hands, "it is the League that this world will ultimately decide whether or not to join."

Misato shook her head slightly. "And you said that they're coming in a few weeks?" she said, slightly incredulously. "Do you have anything more accurate than that?"

Daniel looked at Eleanor for a moment as she shook her head slightly, then back to Misato. "That's a good point. We'll talk to Sovereign Chandra, see if we can get a more exact timeframe."

"In the meantime, though," Eleanor piped up, "that means we'll likely need to get together a greeting party and delegation for our world in preparation for negotiations. Both from the U.N. and from NERV's branches."

"Well…" Kaji said, pausing for a moment as the others regarded him. "That might be a bit of an oversimplification for the part that isn't NERV."

He paused again. "Minister of the Interior Okamura's gotten word, good word too, that the U.S., Russia, Germany and China are planning on withdrawing from the United Nations soon. She's also pretty confident that Japan will follow their lead. As to when that's going to happen…" he shrugged, palms up. "It's likely going to be sooner rather than later."

Daniel nodded slowly. "That does complicate things, doesn't it?"

It was quiet as Daniel pondered the implications of such a thing. "Even still," he continued, "we have far more control over the delegation from NERV." He finally said. "That'll probably be up to you mostly, Misato, seeing as you are Acting Commander of NERV-HQ."

Misato smiled coyly as she leaned against the table. "Actually, Daniel, that's just Commander of NERV-HQ now."

Daniel blinked, and his eyebrows shot up along with most of the rest of the table's, Kaji, Shinji, and Asuka sporting almost smug smirks.

"Finally!" Toji exclaimed. "Someone in command who actually cares about us! It's a miracle."

The rest of the table broke into a bout of quiet laughter that lasted for a moment.

"So," she said, her face becoming serious surprisingly quickly, "I'm going to need an Operations Director."

Her gaze snapped to Hyuga, who regarded her with no small amount of shock. "Captain Hyuga, can I count on you to lead Operations?"

Hyuga gulped audibly, then nodded after a moment to gather his courage. "Yes, ma'am." he said with a face matching Misato's seriousness. "I won't let you down."

Misato smiled slightly. "Good. I don't think you will."

She looked back at Daniel. "So, I guess I'll go ahead and…" She shook her head and sighed quietly. "Talk to all the other commanders at the NERV branches and let them know about this. They'll be there, I'll make sure of it."

She scoffed quietly. "After all, aliens seem to be our specialty, don't they?"

Kaji nodded slowly. "And I'll get on the line with Minister Okamura, see what she can get pulled together."

Daniel nodded in turn. "I'll let you all get to that then." He replied, standing up as he did so. "In the meantime, we all have a lot to get ready for, I'm sure."

The others around the table stood as well, and the meeting ended, Aoba and Maya surrounding Hyuga to quietly congratulate him on his rather sudden promotion, the Children offering their own congratulations as they came to a stop near them.

As people began to file out of the room, Ritsuko made her way over to Daniel and Eleanor with a pensive look on her face that was mixed with no small amount of excitement. "So, Daniel," she said as she joined their walk over towards Hyuga, "I have a… suggestion."

Daniel's eyebrow arched slightly. "And what might that be?" he asked as they began to walk slowly.

"Well…" she said slowly, tapping Maya on the shoulder to get her attention as they stopped over by her and the other two bridge members, along with the Children.

"The Night Sky Eva." She said, as the others began to look over to her. "Would it be possible to… replicate it, somehow?"

Daniel cupped his chin in thought as all eyes turned to Daniel. "Well…" he replied. "It's certainly possible. Even probable." He said slowly. "It's just a matter of fine-tuning it enough to be easy to call on. I'm not going to lie, even with Commander Ikari's soul helping me out, I was wrung out for a good while after with how much Flux I still had to deal with."

"But it's still possible." Maya said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, certainly." Daniel replied, nodding. "It's just a matter of… refining what I made off the cuff. I'm sure it could even get to the point where we only need one soul to make and pilot it."

Daniel's brow furrowed slightly. "The Control Surface for it would probably have to be about the size of an Entry Plug in order to make sure there are enough Vent Frames and such for the pilot not to suffer Flux Crush. Even the Surface I made was pushing it in terms of being able to control the Eva."

"Wait a minute. Flux Crush?" Asuka chimed in, an incredulous, somewhat startled look on her face. "And what, exactly, is that?"

Eleanor looked at Asuka with a serious expression. "Well, you've been worried mostly about Flux Daze, what happens to the body and mind when the soul processes a very sudden intake of Flux. Flux Crush is what happens when there's too much Flux that's built up without venting, either suddenly or over time. The Flux, well, crushes the Frames of a soul, which can often result in trapping the core inside the body."

It was silent for a moment as all present processed the grim reminder of the cost their powers could have.

"However," Daniel started, "that's something that can be circumvented with proper planning and preparation. As long as you know what you're doing, and how many Vent Frames you need to balance out the Expression you want to make, you don't have to worry too much about it."

Slowly, heads began to nod, confused looks following them from those that weren't yet up to speed with the whole Interfacing business.

"Wait a minute," Maya said, "you said an Eva-size…" she trailed off as she snapped her fingers. "Expression," she said after a moment, "needed a Control Surface the size of an Entry Plug? They can get that big?"

"Well," Eleanor started, pausing for a moment to say goodbye to Aoba and Hyuga as they took their leave, "Control Surfaces are just conduits between you and the world around you, allowing any Expression you make to transition from within you to the outside world. They can be as large or as small as the Expression one makes needs them to be."

Maya and Ritsuko nodded slowly as the group slowly made their way towards the exit of the Infinity Box. "I see." Ritsuko said. "Well, get in touch with me when you can. The sooner we can come up with an alternative to the Evangelion, the sooner we can phase them out."

"And the sooner we can see our mothers again." Shinji said quietly.

The group, the last to leave, stopped at the doorway. Now, instead of standing in front of one door, they stood in front of many, all leading to different homes.

"Yes, Shinji." Daniel said quietly. "We'll do that as quickly as we can."

He looked at Ritsuko. "Expect to hear from me in the next day or two. We'll get this done as soon as we can."

Ritsuko nodded. "I'll see you then."

With that, Ritsuko and Maya turned and walked through the door that led to their apartment, the door fading away as they closed it behind them.

Shinji took a deep breath, then looked at the rest of the Children. "Do you guys have anything you need to do with me today?"

As the others shook their heads, Shinji's expression became pensive. "Okay. I'm… I'm going to talk to my parents. They should know about this. It feels like it's been too long since I talked to them, anyway."

Asuka, Toji and Hikari nodded. "You know," Asuka said, "that's not a bad idea. Homework can wait a little bit anyways."

"Yeah." Toji said quietly. "I'll go ahead and come along, too." He scoffed quietly after a moment. "Mom's gonna jump for joy when she hears about the whole… Eva replacement thing."

A slight chuckle rippled through the group as they imagined the massive form of the Evangelion hopping up and down in excitement.

"Well, then," Rei said, taking Kaworu's hand, "I shall see you all later, then." She paused for a moment. "I do hope you enjoy talking to your mothers." she said quietly.

"And I as well." Kaworu said, nodding in support.

The Children said their goodbyes, exchanging hugs before stepping through the doors. After a moment, Daniel and Eleanor stood alone, quiet for a moment.

Daniel took a deep breath. "Eleanor…" he said quietly. "I'm… afraid."

He felt the soothing presence of his wife's soul encircle his own. "Daniel…" Eleanor whispered as she embraced him. "So am I." She admitted. "But, really, we've faced the end of the world together. Multiple times. And when we're together…"

"Not even that can stand in our way." Daniel finished with a silent chuckle.

. . .

Evangelion Cages, Geofront

Shinji sat down in front of the massive form of Unit-01 on a bridge across the deep, dark LCL that engulfed all but its head, and could not help but think back to all those months ago.

This face had been terrifying, once. It still was, really, but Shinji had come to know more since then. About who was trapped inside. About who waited for him every time he stepped into the Entry Plug.

He took a deep breath and activated his Sight. The world around him blurred slightly, but the outlines of souls, of the intricate patterns that they made, began to glow like Christmas trees as their owners walked around.

He directed his gaze downwards, towards the depths of the LCL which held Unit-01's form, and found in the center of the Unit's chest another bright light, smaller than most others that he had seen, but no less wonderful to him.

His hand brushed his pocket, and he felt… more conflicting emotions, as he pulled the stone that contained his father's soul out and studied it as it shifted from color to color within the gem.

He still wasn't entirely sure of what to do. He could drop the stone into the pool of LCL and walk away, never again seeing the man who had abandoned him, who had forced him to pilot the giant in front of him, who had never seemed to care for anyone.

And yet, he thought, he would also never see the man who had told him how he'd met his mother. Who had shown up to his last birthday party, who had tried to change after speaking with the woman he loved for the first time in years.

He looked at the stone that held his father for a long moment, then he made his choice.

He reached out with a Frame, connecting to his father's soul, unconsciously holding his breath.

"Shinji?" Gendo Ikari said.

"Hello, father." Shinji replied, and he felt, almost saw, the relief and… excitement in his father's soul.

"It's good to talk to you again, son." Gendo said. "I… I should apologize for my actions in Terminal Dogma. You probably heard what happened."

"Yes, father. I did." Shinji said, a guarded tone in his words. "I buried your body. Everyone who doesn't know about this thinks that you're dead."

"I see." Gendo said after a moment, his words laced with surprise for a moment that faded into resignation. "Perhaps… This is my punishment. Only able to speak with you. Never able to… to see you or Yui or anyone else again."

The sound of a scoff echoed from Gendo's soul. "It's fitting, really."

Shinji was silent for a moment as he extended another Frame, out towards the soul within the Evangelion. "Maybe it is." Shinji said, his words quiet and contemplative. "But… I figured you might appreciate what's about to happen next."

Gendo was silent in his confusion as Shinji strengthened his connection. That confusion became elation as they both heard a voice that they cherished more than seemingly anything else. "Shinji? Gendo?" Yui Ikari said, her voice echoing with wonder.

"Mother." Shinji said. "Yui." Gendo said alongside him, their voices filled with wonder and joy.

"Oh, you two…" Yui Ikari said, and Shinji basked in the joy that he felt from his mother. "I've wanted to talk with both of you together for so long."

So, they talked. They talked about all the things that had happened since the Battle of Tokyo-3, Yui wondrous at the notion that Gendo had experienced what he had, even tinged with sadness as her soul was at the thought of Gendo dying.

They talked of the future. Of what was coming. Or, perhaps more accurately, of who was coming.

"So, humanity will meet other alien species." Gendo said, and Shinji marveled silently at the wonder he felt from his father. "And we will gain the secrets of… all reality."

"Oh, Gendo." Yui said, and Shinji felt the distinct impression of her rolling her eyes. "There's no need to be that melodramatic." She paused for a moment. "Though I must say that the scientific possibilities of studying the soul… are going to be amazing. All the new discoveries that we can make!"

Shinji could not help but smile. That smile faded as he remembered what could very well be coming. "And all this," he said quietly, "in addition to worrying about SEELE, and another Child coming after us."

Shinji saw the sudden spikes of anger, felt an almost physical heat at the mention of the name. "They have another Child?" Yui said, her words almost a growl.

"Yeah." Shinji replied. "And her name, which is about all we have, is Mariah Marlowe."

"Marlowe…" Gendo said, his words underlined with questioning. "Why does that sound familiar?"

It was quiet for a moment. Then, Yui spoke up, her words laced with a combination of apprehension and fear. "Mari…"

. . .

Their conversation continued after Yui's postulation. Shinji and Gendo both were shocked, but even still, it slowly started to make sense.

However, there was time to think about it later. "Mother, it's been good to talk to you, but… I'll have to get going."

"Of course, Shinji. I hope I'll be able to talk to you later. Both of you." She said, her attention shifting to Gendo.

"I will be there as often as Shinji permits it." Gendo said, completely serious.

Then, he surprised Shinji with a slight chuckle. "So, really, my life is in his hands in more ways than one."

Exasperated happiness glowed from Yui's soul as Shinji groaned inwardly at the attempt at a joke. "It certainly seems that way. I love you, Shinji. I love you, Gendo."

"I love you, Yui." Gendo said. "Goodbye."

"I will see you both again." Yui said. And Shinji knew that her certainty was completely genuine.

Shinji severed the link to Yui's soul.

"Shinji." Gendo said as Shinji prepared to sever his connection with his father.

"Yes, father?" Shinji asked, a guarded tone in his words.

"Tell…" Gendo trailed off, embarrassment making his soul nearly incandescent. "Tell Commander Katsuragi… I have complete confidence in her. That… that she will certainly make a better leader of NERV than I probably ever was."

Shinji physically blinked at this display of outright, genuine humility from his father. "Okay." He said. "I… can't guarantee that she'll quite accept that."

"I offer it regardless." Gendo said, his words weary and resigned. "Too much evil has been done by NERV while it was under my control. Perhaps… NERV can become something new, now that I am gone."

"Shinji…" Gendo said after a moment of contemplative silence between the two. "I… I love you." He paused. "I know it probably feels like too little, too late, but… I do. And I should have seen that before I died."

"Thank you, father." Shinji said. He paused. "But… I don't know if I can say that to you. If I can ever really do that."

"I understand." Gendo said, resignation heavy in his words. "And… I'm sorry."

It was a quiet moment before Gendo spoke again. "Thank you, Shinji."

"You're welcome, father." Shinji said,

and severed the connection with his father, as the world came back into focus.

He regarded the gem that his father's soul glowed from for a moment before he put it in his pocket. He hadn't made his decision. But he was close, now. Very close.

. . .

New London, England

Mariah Marlowe tapped her finger on her desk as she tapped her foot in rhythm. It was supposed to help her focus on the schoolwork in front of her. But it was so dreadfully dull. There were better things she could be doing. Or, at least, more interesting things. Like going shooting with father and his old SAS friends. Or some sparring to keep her martial arts up to snuff. Or...

Beside her, her phone buzzed, the screen lighting up as she looked over at it.

Taking the phone, a small spark lit up inside her chest as she looked at the contact and only grew as she read the message that they gave. The Thrill, dad called it. That thing that helped her focus more than any medication ever could and made her the very best at what she loved to do.

It was Commander Townsend of NERV-5. The message was short and simple. 'Prepare to move. You are going to Australia. The Committee wants Unit-05 ready to go. You have a mission. Will explain more at New Caldicot Harbor.'

She had a mission. An honest-to-goodness mission! Her mind whirled with the possibilities. All returned to the fact that she would get to pilot her Unit-05, for the first time. No simulations. No testing, just the purest expression of the Thrill she would ever have.

"Dad!" she said, standing up and running to the living room, her homework forgotten. "I have a mission!"

. . .

New Caldicot Harbor

The car slowed to a stop, and Julius Marlowe looked beside him to his daughter. 'Oh, Mari,' he thought, 'she's so excited. I wish you were here to see it. Though, in a sense...'

"Mariah," he said aloud as he tapped her on the shoulder, and his daughter looked over at him, tearing her attention away from the video she was watching as she took out her headphones.

Julius took a deep breath. "Stay safe. Keep in touch as best you can. But..." He chuckled. "I also understand if you can't. Operational security and all."

Mariah smiled, and Julius couldn't help his heart aching somewhat. "I know. I'll do my best if I can. Though, if I'm going by ship like I think I am…" she shook her head as she sighed quietly. "That's quite the yomp I'm going on."

Julius chuckled. "Yeah. That it is."

He reached over, and gave Mariah a hug as best he could. "I love you." he said quietly.

"Love you too, dad." Mariah replied, equally quiet.

They both heard the buzz of a massive crane and looked out the window to see a massive crate, the one that carried Mariah's Evangelion, slowly setting the crate down in the hold of the cargo ship that was to be its carrier.

"I probably should get going." Mariah said quickly, squeezing another hug out before opening the car door. "Tell mum I said happy birthday!"

Mariah exited the car, and Julius watched her run towards the ship with her bag. His gaze turned to the place where the crate containing her Evangelion had gone. 'Mariah… I wish I could tell you to tell her yourself.'

But the Committee was very particular about what was said. And what wasn't. He was lucky to see this, really. Anyone else with a fraction of what he knew was sure to disappear. But not him. And he still didn't entirely know why.

A spike of fear drove itself into his chest as he considered things for a moment. 'If you're getting deployed like this…' He thought. 'Then some other poor child is going to be on the other end of your training. Of my training. Their training.'

He felt a spike of sad sympathy for the poor sod who would square up with their daughter. 'Oh, my darling miss Illustrious. I wish it wasn't like this. I wish I could hold you right now. That they hadn't taken you from me. That they hadn't taken her from me and sent her off to god knows where. I want you back. I want our daughter back. But…'

He sighed quietly as he drove away from his wife and child and began to drive towards an empty grave, a paper vase of flowers in the back seat. 'Mari… keep our daughter safe.'