Disclaimer: see part 1
Chain of Command
Part 17
Retire
By Random1377
"I feel sick…"
Shinji blinked as Asuka darted from the room, covering her mouth with her right hand.
He sighed and turned the burner off, wiping his hands on a dishrag as he walked through the apartment. "I thought you liked takoballs…" he said to the closed bathroom door, wincing as the sound of retching came to him.
The toilet flushed, and Shinji could hear the sound of running water. A moment later, the door opened, and Asuka appeared, looking pale.
"It's not that," she said weakly, "I think I had some bad sushi, or something… I've been nauseous all day…"
"Pregnant?" he asked, dropping her a wink.
"Not funny…" she grumbled, walking past him towards the kitchen, "we're always 'safe' when we do that…"
"Not that one time," he pointed out, "when you first got back."
"I'd just finished my period," she said with a shrug, "I really don't think its that. I'm due to start again in a few days, so that might be it, too." She narrowed her eyes, "Now bite your tongue… before I do it for you."
He laughed. "Maybe I'll just keep talking about it, then…"
She smiled. "Someday…" she said quietly, walking over and embracing him, "maybe, we'll have one…"
"Really?" he asked hopefully, "I thought you hated kids?"
She sighed, "I do… I did… I don't know anymore…" she rested her head on his shoulder, "I used to hate the idea of being tied down, and having someone else rely on me – for everything…"
"I know…" he admitted, "it's scary."
"I don't know," she said, dismissing the conversation, "like I said… maybe someday. Right now, I'm still enjoying just being… you know?"
He nodded, smiling softly. –At least she's thinking about it now…- he thought happily, -the first time I asked her about it…-
"What are you, stupid?? I'm not having some… THING growing inside of me! No way!!"
"Do we have any ramen?" she asked suddenly, "that sounds good…"
He laughed, "You suuuuuure you're not pre-"
Abruptly, she leaned forward and kissed him, biting his bottom lip.
"Ow!" he exclaimed when she pulled back, "That hurt!"
"I warned you," she grinned, "now about that ramen…"
"Yes ma'am…" he sighed.
She kissed him gently, then let him go, swatting him on the rear as he walked back towards the kitchen. "Now that's what I like to hear," she said, grinning broadly, "and people say guys don't know how to talk to women."
Shinji began to prepare his fiancée's requested meal, thinking of how it might be to become a father.
-Wu Lin used to talk about it all the time…- he thought suddenly, his hand shaking as he mixed the ingredients, -said he would find a nice girl… settle down…-
"Shinji…" Asuka's soft voice interrupted his thoughts as her arms slipped around his waist, "never mind the ramen… just hold me for a minute, ok?"
"What's wrong?" he asked, setting the pan aside and turning to embrace her.
"Wu Lin…" she said quietly, meeting his eyes, "Angelica… Veronique… Xiang… everything, Shinji… I don't…" she broke off, her voice cracking slightly as she continued, "I don't know how much more I can take, baby… I feel like I'm going insane."
"Oh, honey…" he said soothingly, "it's ok… we're doing the best we can…"
"What if that's not enough?" she asked, her eyes shining with sadness, "What if the next angel gets through? Or the one after that? What if the last one is so tough, we can't stop it? After all we've fought for, what if the last one is too much?"
"What if I get a papercut?" Shinji said gravely, "And then I spill some salt on it… and I try to wash it, but someone tampered with our tap, so instead of water, acid comes out?"
She stared at him in wonder for a moment before letting out a short laugh. "You suck…" she said, "I'm trying to be serious, and you-"
"You're trying too hard…" he cut her off gently, "I'm supposed to be the mopey one, remember?"
She sighed. "Sorry…"
"It's ok," he said, kissing the top of her head, "I understand. Now have a seat and I'll make your ramen."
"I love you," she said suddenly.
"I love you too," he replied, kissing her softly, "now sit! Or I'll make sure you're pregnant in the next five minutes!"
"Five minutes?" she said, her eyes wide and innocent, "Why honey… can you go that long?"
"I was accounting for showering time," he said dryly.
She laughed and took a seat at the table, smiling as she watched him cook for her… and thinking that maybe she'd buy a pregnancy test.
Just in case.
**
Kaworu sat at Angelica's bedside, studying the sleeping girl's features.
"What did you do to me?" he asked softly, "Why do I think about you so much? Was it because we were intimate? I don't think that's it… I've been intimate with others before…"
He leaned back in his chair, considering the situation.
In the four days since Wu Lin Shi had died, Kaworu had spent a good portion of every day in the Ninth Child's hospital room… just watching her sleep.
She was under sedation almost constantly, as she had developed a tendency to scream and try to tear free of the restraints on the bed for no discernable reason. One minute she would be fine, the next, she would be screaming at the top of her lungs.
Kaworu had witnessed one outburst.
"My sister was not kind to you," he whispered gently, "and I was surprised that she chose one of the prophesied forms…"
The prophecies of the Dead Sea Scrolls actually contained more information about the attacks than anyone save a handful of now-dead men would believe. Names… forms… and even approximate dates were written there.
"But now the prophesies are void…" the Fifth Child whispered, "because of Sandelphon's longing to be with her… now we have no plan… no guide to tell us how to proceed."
He sighed. "Perhaps it's for the best," he said quietly, laying his hand over Angelica's, "she was given the choice… fight the shadow of Adam and either win the day or perish… or break the cycle and allow herself to be captured."
Kaworu found it ironic that the angel of embryos had been given that much power. –Of course she would want to be with the Mother…- he thought ruefully, -she was still the closest to her when she was sent.-
"Of course…" he said thoughtfully, "it was supposed to be Shinji that day…"
He had read the report… and he still found it amazing that something as simple as a twisted ankle had changed so much. Because of the Third Child's injury, the First had gone instead… and everything had changed.
"But is it for the better?" Kaworu mused, "The way before us is unclear now… we are no better off than the Lillim…"
It occurred to him that maybe this wasn't such a bad thing… but he still found it amusing that so much could be altered by one being's choice.
-Now there is just me, and…- his thought trailed off as his eyes widened.
"Rest easy, my dear…" Kaworu said, leaning forward to kiss the stricken girl as he rose to his feet, "he's here…"
As he walked towards the door, the angel alarm began to sound…
**
"Are you ready?" Rei said softly, looking up at the single eye of blue mecha in front of her.
All around, the other pilots were scrambling to get to their Units, their standard issue tan plug suits hurrying back and forth.
She picked out the blue of Shinji's suit, and the red of Asuka's. After Kaworu's dark gray suit was issued, the decision to have a uniform color for the remaining suits was made, based on the idea that color made no difference in the sync ratios, and personal taste was not a consideration.
-They are happy together…- she thought as the Second and Third Children stole a quick kiss before mounting their respected machines, "and I am happy…" she whispered.
It was the first time she had spoken those words out loud.
In spite of the angel attacks, and the death all around her… for the first time in her life, she was truly, honestly happy. The angels were almost all destroyed, the Instrumentality project was nearly complete, and her own relationship had settled into a comfortable routine of conversation, discovery… and more intimate pursuits.
She blushed faintly as she spotted Kensuke watching her from across the room. He smiled and waved discretely, and she nodded, smiling softly then looking away before anyone noticed their exchange.
-After this is over…- she thought, climbing into her entry plug and awaiting her insertion, -we will be able to be together openly… and we will leave this place.-
Had she known Asuka and Shinji's plans, she might have been surprised at how closely they mirrored hers and Kensuke's… or perhaps not – after all, it seemed that everyone was ready to move on.
As the EVAs launched one by one, she allowed herself a small, private smile. "Soon…" she whispered, "soon it will be over."
Then her Unit reached the surface, and there was no more time for gentle thoughts…
**
The sixteenth angel approached the group of EVAs at the same pace it had chosen to approach Tokyo-3, either not noticing, or not caring if it did, that its route was impeded.
"It is smaller than the others," Rei observed, "barely bigger than a Unit…"
"I'm sure it's not too concerned with size," Mira pointed out, "permission to engage?"
"Granted," the blue-haired girl said with a nod, "let us finish it quickly."
The jet-black angel came to an abrupt halt as the EVAs began to move, and it lowered itself on its four legs, swinging its whip-like tail back and forth… seemingly content in waiting for them to come to it.
"High energy readings!" Makoto called out suddenly.
"Evasive maneuvers!" Rei ordered, cursing herself for arranging them in a cluster.
The other EVAs moved in different directions, each seeking to avoid whatever attack the angel had planned.
"Commander!" Misato cried out as Unit 00 stood still, "Get out of there!"
"I… I can't!" Rei replied, her voice unbelieving, "I… Unit 00 will not respond…"
"Not now…" Maya begged, watching the blue mecha clutch its head suddenly, "oh please God… not now!!"
"Energy reading increasing," Makoto said, "it's-"
He never got to finish, as the angel made its intentions known.
"REI!!!" Misato shouted, watching in horror as a ray of white light shot out from the angel's eyes, catching Unit 00 in the lower torso… and cutting it in half.
As the glow faded, the angel continued its approach.
"Life signs confirmed," Maya said, relieved, "Unit 00 is non-functional… but the Commander's ok…"
In the plug, Rei was breathing hard. "Had it been a bit higher…" she whispered, watching her monitors as the angel moved past her. "Can anyone read me?" she asked, "The angel must be stopped… do not allow it to reach Headquarters!"
No one replied, though she could hear them talking to each other in cautious tones over the network.
"My transmitter must be damaged…" she said to herself, leaning back in her seat, "at least I can still see and hear…"
"I'm gonna take it," Touji's voice came to her, "I can see its core…"
"Be careful," Misato warned, "those claws look sharp… and it could fire another shot at any time…"
"Hey," Touji said lightly, "no problem… I got this!"
Rei watched Unit 03 approach the dark angel, changing its course from time to time so as not to make itself too much of a target. As it drew close to the angel, the creature suddenly sprang, ramming its head into the EVAs stomach.
"Uhhh…" the Fourth Child grunted, the lance dropping from his Unit's hand as it stumbled back.
The angel's hands shot forward, grabbing the hapless machine by the right leg and the neck before it could right itself.
"Damnit!!" Touji shouted as his Unit was lifted off the ground, "It's… trying to rip me apart!"
"Eject him, now!!" Misato cried. There was a moment of tension, then she breathed a sigh of relief as Unit 03's back panel blasted off, and the entry plug was shot away to safety… a moment before the angel tore the black mecha in half.
-Damnit,- the purple-haired woman thought desperately, -there has to be a way to stop it… think… think!!-
"Send me that new progressive sword," Asuka said quietly, "I'm going to activate the chameleon circuit."
"Do it," Misato said quietly. She looked at Maya, "It works, right?"
The brown-haired woman nodded, but her voice was sad as she replied, "Yes, Wu Lin… did an outstanding job on it."
Misato sighed, wishing that the tech didn't look so pale. "Sword's on the way, Asuka," she said, "remember not to stab with it, the point hasn't been perfected."
"I know," Asuka said grimly, "but it doesn't need to be… for me to carve this son of a bitch to pieces…"
Shinji watched as a weapons tower rose near Asuka's position, and the hilt of a sword sprung from the top.
"Now," the redhead whispered, "I'm gonna show you how we do it back where I come from…"
Unit 02 abruptly vanished.
"Wow," Misato said, her tone showing approval, "I thought it would kinda fade out…"
"Going to radio silence," Asuka said, "next time you hear from me… I'll be standing over a dead angel…"
Several tense minutes passed as the angel continued to draw nearer to the city, then a huge gout of blood issued from the creature's side, and a long gash appeared in its inky flesh.
Misato frowned as she saw the progressive sword shimmer into existence for a moment before disappearing again. "Is the sword coated?" she asked Maya.
"No," the tech said, shaking her head for emphasis, "but the way the circuitry works, anything Unit 02 holds is also invisible, to a certain degree."
"To a certain degree??" Misato exploded, "Do you know what that means? That means Asuka's a target!"
"There's only a fraction of a second where it becomes visible," Maya said, "the Magi have indicated that this angel doesn't have that kind of reaction time."
"You always believe your computers?" the purple-haired woman asked darkly.
Maya had no response.
**
Shinji let out a shaky breath as another burst f blood erupted from the angel's side. "Maybe she can do this…" he whispered.
He spoke too soon.
As a third cut appeared, the angel's tail lashed out, slamming into what appeared to be thin air. With a burst of electricity, Unit 02 came back into view, the sword flying from its hand as it was sent careening backward to crash to the ground less than a hundred feet from where Unit 01 stood.
Slowly, the red mecha got to its feet. "W-what… happened…" Asuka stammered, dazed
"Asuka!!"
Shinji knew that she wouldn't be able to react in time… so he reacted for her.
Asuka's breath left her in a rush as Unit 02 was knocked to the ground, thrown there by Unit 01 a moment before the angel's ray weapon opened fire.
"No!!" she gasped, unable to scream due to the sudden loss of LCL in her lungs as Unit 01 took the full brunt of the assault.
Shinji's scream of pain echoed over the tac-net, only to be cut off abruptly.
"Unit 01 has ceased transmission," Maya whispered, stunned by the reality of it, "I can't get pilot life-signs… all systems are down…"
"Shinji…?" Asuka whispered, dazed, "Shinji?"
Misato flinched as the Second Child's scream burst through the command center.
"Three Units down," Makoto said, his voice shaky, "the angel is practically unharmed…"
On the screen, the shadowy angel seemed to pause… regarding the scene before it almost curiously.
And rightly so, as Unit 02 dropped to its knees and cradled Unit 01's head in its lap as if both Units were people rather than fifty-story bio-weapons.
"Asuka!" Misato called, "fall back!"
"There's only one more, honey…" Asuka's soft words filled the command room, "just one more after this one… then we'll go… remember? You said anywhere I wanted to go… so you better keep your promise, Shinji… ok? Ok?"
The angel began moving again, advancing on the two prone mecha.
"All mass-production series EVAs are ejecting their plugs!!" Maya exclaimed suddenly, "We can't stop them!"
"What's going on!?!" Misato demanded, trying not to let her panic show, "Is it the angel??"
"Wait…" Maya looked at her screen, "05 still has its plug."
"Kaworu?"
The gray-haired boy's face appeared on the main screen, looking very calm. "Don't be scared…" he said quietly, "I've decided…"
Everyone on the command deck watched the screen in silence as the Fifth Child bowed his head and began speaking.
"I thought I knew what love was…" the red-eyed boy said quietly, tears slipping down his cheeks, "Shinji showed me I was wrong… not just by stepping in the way of that blast, but by the light in his eyes whenever he saw Asuka. And Angelica showed me I was wrong… fighting instead of letting one of her friends go, even though she knew taking the lead could be dangerous…"
He raised his head again, "All of you showed me… by caring for each other… by working together – even though some of you don't like each other." He sighed," Thank you all. I know what love is now… and I will fight for those I love." His eyes met Rei's through the tac-net monitor system, and he smiled. "Remember that there are other enemies in this world, Mother…"
"What is he talking about?" Misato whispered to herself.
"The EVAs!" Maya exclaimed, "They're all still active!"
"What? How is that possible!?" the Operations Director demanded.
In the damaged Unit 00, Rei put her hand on the screen, smiling softly. "Thank you…" she whispered, knowing that he couldn't hear her due to the condition of her mecha, but saying the words anyway. "Thank you… my child…"
The white EVAs began to circle the angel, slowly forming a ring around the creature, with Unit 05 standing directly in front of it.
"You may not have them, brother…" Kaworu whispered, "I have decided… I have decided to serve the Lillim."
The angel stopped, as if it could hear his words, and a high-pitched, keening wail seemed to emanate from somewhere inside its dark body.
"Yes," Kaworu said sadly, "I know what you must do… so let us end it."
As one, the white EVAs surged forward, their lances at the ready.
One after another, the angel swatted them down, using its ray, its limbs, its tail – everything at its disposal… but failing to understand that they were never the threat. As the last Unit fell, Unit 05 charged, running its lance through the creature's chest as it was distracted, seeking its core with the tip of the deadly weapon… and finding it.
NERV Headquarters was rocked as the angel exploded, wiping a large section of the outlying districts of Tokyo-3 off the face of the earth… and taking all of the white EVAs, and the boy known as Kaworu, with it into oblivion…
To be concluded…
Author's notes: wow… that was something. Just one more chapter to go, and maybe an epilogue, depending on how the last chapter goes.
Ryoma gets the pre-read thanks yet again… hang tight bro, just one more and you're free. ^_^
Feedback is always welcome at random1377@yahoo.com