Slave to the Machine
By: Langerhast
Chapter Four
++++++
The underground warehouse was a desolate place, seemingly spawned from the very depths of Hell itself. Conduits and dark pipes hung from the two hundred- foot high ceiling, and rust coated the cold steel flooring and walls. Among all of this stood one man, positioned as still as a statue on a long catwalk across a pit of red liquid. He stood facing the beast of unimaginable power. It prevailed like a monolith, its wicked head and shoulders thrust out of the lake of crimson. Silver and black that was darker than the blackest night coated its body in armor with savage spikes stabbing at the air. This creature was far more dangerous than even the deadliest Angel. This was Zaemnen, the Corrupt Evangelion… and the man in front of it was Bohrs.
Bohrs brushed a strand of ravaged black hair away from his face, as he grinned up at his machine. His face was unshaven and as jagged as the scar that sliced through his left eye. He was a ruthless man, bent on destruction. He had even recruited a band of followers… all pilots.
He had the skill and the cunning to overtake almost any stronghold he pleased. And his ambition was to bring down the most magnificent organization of them all: NERV, the birthplace of the Evangelions.
++++++
"Shinji!" Misato yelled into the Third's room at the frail boy who was huddled on his bed, SDAT clutched in hand. After the last night, it was the only comfort he had left. "Synchronization tests start in a half hour! We need to leave now!"
Despite the way that the major was hassling the boy, she felt a twinge of pity for him. She had not fully understood what had happened the previous night, but she knew enough to realize that the boy had been hit hard by the incident.
But there was no time for troubling thoughts when there was still the matter of Colin. She suspected the boy had already heard that sync training would be starting soon, but she wanted to reassure herself. The boy had been in a state of deep thought ever since the previous night, and Misato was beginning to think that he had more knowledge of current matters than she did.
Opening the door to Colin's room, she poked her head in. " Colin, are you…" Her voice trailed off in shock. The boy stood in front of a tall mirror that had been fastened to the wall, hastily pulling a shirt on over his head. As the fabric dropped, Misato caught a glimpse of a long, jagged scar running down his back. She had never thought…
Colin turned around to face her, grinning. "I'm ready, Miss Katsuragi."
++++++
The four Children sat calmly in their entry plugs, their faces masks of serenity. Although this time, the mask was not for their inner turmoil.
Maya looked worryingly at the images of the pilots on the screen before her. Asuka was doing fine… her comeback had been shocking, but welcomed. But her sync rate was still lower than the last time… there was something troubling the girl. Shinji was almost the same: His sync ratio was slowly dropping, and his brow was furrowed.
Colin, on the other hand, had the same sync ratio as in the previous test. The concerning thing about this pilot was that he looked so relaxed that it seemed he might fall asleep. Maya decided that she would need to question them after the tests.
After what seemed like an eternity, the call finally came from Ritsuko to shut down the plugs. Yet another test was over.
As the pilots walked through the doorway into the control room, Ritsuko stepped forth to greet them. "Well, I must say that-!" She began, but was immediately silenced by the call of a technician.
"Dr. Akagi!" He called. "The Magi have just confirmed some strange entity heading our way! Commander Ikari orders the pilots to get to the cages!"
Ritsuko frowned. Nothing like this ad happened in a while. But perhaps this was why they still used the Evangelions… for emergencies. "Is it an Angel?" She asked, as the messenger ran up to her.
"We don't know."
++++++
Tension was high in the NERV main control room as the monitors were watched anxiously. A strange object had just been spotted, but strangely, it disappeared. The experienced technicians at NERV, despite this occurrence, did not drop their guard.
"Colin, are you ready?" Misato called to the Sixth Child over the comm link.
On the image display in front of her, the blond haired boy nodded.
"I think the target is coming back into range. As soon as you see it, be ready to open fire."
The Sixth gave her a nervous grin. "Giving me the first strike, major? I'm honored." His black Eva hefted the tremendous crossbow that held in the crook of an arm. It was a new, experimental piece of equipment.
"It's back on radar!" Makoto shouted to Misato.
"All right, just-" Misato was cut off.
"I see it! It's charging!" Colin shouted. The huge green and brown beast had just appeared from behind a tall building, and as soon as it noticed the black Eva, its eyes glared red and it came hurtling towards the mecha.
Misato nearly choked when she saw the charging creature. "It's… an Evangelion?!"
The moment the green mecha started its assault, Colin pulled the trigger. Unit 06 was nearly sent stumbling backwards as the silver bolt streaked from the crossbow, slicing through the air. The orange AT field spread out like wildfire in front of the charging attacker, but the shockwave from the bolt ripped through it. The bolt smashed through this new Evangelion, and the green monster's right shoulder exploded in a fountain of blood, shrapnel and flesh. The beast roared, clutching the bloodied stub where its arm had been.
In a swift movement, Unit 06 brought its arm up over its head and swung it forward. Right in the middle of the swing, the other three Evangelions burst out from behind their concrete hiding places and leapt over the black unit's head, running straight for the enemy.
The green unit was still struggling to stand when the three other Evangelions hit it like a thunderbolt, tearing with prog knife and axe.
Shinji screamed with the rush of battle, but suddenly stopped when he realized what he was doing. There could be a human inside of that thing!
This one moment was all that the green unit needed. It leapt up out of the fray and ripped through Unit 01, sending blood and flesh spraying in its wake. Tossing itself up high into the air, it came down on top of Unit 06, smashing at the black unit with fists and knees.
Colin screamed in pain, which turned to a scream of effort as he ripped the Eva off of his own and tossed it into a building in an explosion of steel and glass. Immediately, Units 02 and 00 leapt on it, pummeling the enemy in a rage. With a scream, the green unit whipped its arm out, slicing off the heads of both Evas. Purple and red sprayed everywhere as the mangled green and brown mess stood once more.
Shinji groaned in his entry plug. His side felt as if it were on fire. He struggled to maintain consciousness, knowing that outside there was a battle raging on.
Slowly sitting up, he opened his eyes just in time to see an image appear in front of him. It was the image of a man with a short, unkempt black beard and wild hair, staring contemptuously at him. "Fools," the man hissed, and then an explosion of light seared the landscape.
When Shinji's eyes slowly came back into focus, the pain was gone. The nerve connections had been cut, and the power monitor read 00:00. It was all over.
++++++
Colin and Shinji sat in the vast debriefing room, watching the Major as she informed them, to the best of her knowledge, what was going on.
"We can't understand how, but the creature that assaulted NERV headquarters was definitely an Evangelion. It pattern was red."
"But I thought that only NERV had that sort of technology…?" Shinji inquired, a bit confused.
Misato sighed. "We thought so, too. I don't see how anything like this could have happened. All of NERV's files regarding the Evangelions are kept locked away under tight security. But it seems that now, this technology is in the wrong hands…"
Colin nodded sagely, but didn't speak. He knew what was going on, to some extent. Personal experience had nearly killed him many times.
"… And so precautions must be taken," Dr. Akagi added. She stood at Misato's side, arms crossed below her breasts. "We knew that something else was to happen, since Third Impact had been averted, and that there would still be need for the Evangelions. Ever since the loss of the two pilots Suzahara and Nagisa…"
Shinji groaned loudly at the mention of these names. One crippled, the other dead.
"… We decided that it was time to recruit another, for emergencies. That is why you are here, Colin."
"I see…" the Sixth murmured, grinning in odd satisfaction. Shinji stared at him quizzically at his reaction.
"And as for the other two pilots," Misato said, "Their injuries weren't all that serious… mainly mental trauma. We didn't sever the nerve connections soon enough. We're just glad that the explosion didn't cause more damage than it did."
"But more research still needs to be done. You must know your enemy," Ritsuko concluded. "You are dismissed."
Shinji left NERV that day with a head filled with anxiety. This new enemy was not to be underestimated… and Shinji knew that there were many more to come.
++++++
Bohrs stood slumped at his altar, deep in thought. One of his men had already been lost… it seemed as though he had underestimated his targets. But one loss was not too great… his followers were numerous, and dedicated to his cause. These NERV pilots would be stopped.
Perhaps, though, if one attempt failed, he would need to inspect a different angle. He already had one in mind… it was one of his favorite methods. True, NERV was stronger than he had anticipated, but it would fall. Oh, it would fall. And he would be there at its destruction, to laugh and dance on the embers.
++++++
There you have it. I'm planning on releasing the next installment around late April or early May, but it might be delayed due to the fact that I am also working on other fics, as well.
By: Langerhast
Chapter Four
++++++
The underground warehouse was a desolate place, seemingly spawned from the very depths of Hell itself. Conduits and dark pipes hung from the two hundred- foot high ceiling, and rust coated the cold steel flooring and walls. Among all of this stood one man, positioned as still as a statue on a long catwalk across a pit of red liquid. He stood facing the beast of unimaginable power. It prevailed like a monolith, its wicked head and shoulders thrust out of the lake of crimson. Silver and black that was darker than the blackest night coated its body in armor with savage spikes stabbing at the air. This creature was far more dangerous than even the deadliest Angel. This was Zaemnen, the Corrupt Evangelion… and the man in front of it was Bohrs.
Bohrs brushed a strand of ravaged black hair away from his face, as he grinned up at his machine. His face was unshaven and as jagged as the scar that sliced through his left eye. He was a ruthless man, bent on destruction. He had even recruited a band of followers… all pilots.
He had the skill and the cunning to overtake almost any stronghold he pleased. And his ambition was to bring down the most magnificent organization of them all: NERV, the birthplace of the Evangelions.
++++++
"Shinji!" Misato yelled into the Third's room at the frail boy who was huddled on his bed, SDAT clutched in hand. After the last night, it was the only comfort he had left. "Synchronization tests start in a half hour! We need to leave now!"
Despite the way that the major was hassling the boy, she felt a twinge of pity for him. She had not fully understood what had happened the previous night, but she knew enough to realize that the boy had been hit hard by the incident.
But there was no time for troubling thoughts when there was still the matter of Colin. She suspected the boy had already heard that sync training would be starting soon, but she wanted to reassure herself. The boy had been in a state of deep thought ever since the previous night, and Misato was beginning to think that he had more knowledge of current matters than she did.
Opening the door to Colin's room, she poked her head in. " Colin, are you…" Her voice trailed off in shock. The boy stood in front of a tall mirror that had been fastened to the wall, hastily pulling a shirt on over his head. As the fabric dropped, Misato caught a glimpse of a long, jagged scar running down his back. She had never thought…
Colin turned around to face her, grinning. "I'm ready, Miss Katsuragi."
++++++
The four Children sat calmly in their entry plugs, their faces masks of serenity. Although this time, the mask was not for their inner turmoil.
Maya looked worryingly at the images of the pilots on the screen before her. Asuka was doing fine… her comeback had been shocking, but welcomed. But her sync rate was still lower than the last time… there was something troubling the girl. Shinji was almost the same: His sync ratio was slowly dropping, and his brow was furrowed.
Colin, on the other hand, had the same sync ratio as in the previous test. The concerning thing about this pilot was that he looked so relaxed that it seemed he might fall asleep. Maya decided that she would need to question them after the tests.
After what seemed like an eternity, the call finally came from Ritsuko to shut down the plugs. Yet another test was over.
As the pilots walked through the doorway into the control room, Ritsuko stepped forth to greet them. "Well, I must say that-!" She began, but was immediately silenced by the call of a technician.
"Dr. Akagi!" He called. "The Magi have just confirmed some strange entity heading our way! Commander Ikari orders the pilots to get to the cages!"
Ritsuko frowned. Nothing like this ad happened in a while. But perhaps this was why they still used the Evangelions… for emergencies. "Is it an Angel?" She asked, as the messenger ran up to her.
"We don't know."
++++++
Tension was high in the NERV main control room as the monitors were watched anxiously. A strange object had just been spotted, but strangely, it disappeared. The experienced technicians at NERV, despite this occurrence, did not drop their guard.
"Colin, are you ready?" Misato called to the Sixth Child over the comm link.
On the image display in front of her, the blond haired boy nodded.
"I think the target is coming back into range. As soon as you see it, be ready to open fire."
The Sixth gave her a nervous grin. "Giving me the first strike, major? I'm honored." His black Eva hefted the tremendous crossbow that held in the crook of an arm. It was a new, experimental piece of equipment.
"It's back on radar!" Makoto shouted to Misato.
"All right, just-" Misato was cut off.
"I see it! It's charging!" Colin shouted. The huge green and brown beast had just appeared from behind a tall building, and as soon as it noticed the black Eva, its eyes glared red and it came hurtling towards the mecha.
Misato nearly choked when she saw the charging creature. "It's… an Evangelion?!"
The moment the green mecha started its assault, Colin pulled the trigger. Unit 06 was nearly sent stumbling backwards as the silver bolt streaked from the crossbow, slicing through the air. The orange AT field spread out like wildfire in front of the charging attacker, but the shockwave from the bolt ripped through it. The bolt smashed through this new Evangelion, and the green monster's right shoulder exploded in a fountain of blood, shrapnel and flesh. The beast roared, clutching the bloodied stub where its arm had been.
In a swift movement, Unit 06 brought its arm up over its head and swung it forward. Right in the middle of the swing, the other three Evangelions burst out from behind their concrete hiding places and leapt over the black unit's head, running straight for the enemy.
The green unit was still struggling to stand when the three other Evangelions hit it like a thunderbolt, tearing with prog knife and axe.
Shinji screamed with the rush of battle, but suddenly stopped when he realized what he was doing. There could be a human inside of that thing!
This one moment was all that the green unit needed. It leapt up out of the fray and ripped through Unit 01, sending blood and flesh spraying in its wake. Tossing itself up high into the air, it came down on top of Unit 06, smashing at the black unit with fists and knees.
Colin screamed in pain, which turned to a scream of effort as he ripped the Eva off of his own and tossed it into a building in an explosion of steel and glass. Immediately, Units 02 and 00 leapt on it, pummeling the enemy in a rage. With a scream, the green unit whipped its arm out, slicing off the heads of both Evas. Purple and red sprayed everywhere as the mangled green and brown mess stood once more.
Shinji groaned in his entry plug. His side felt as if it were on fire. He struggled to maintain consciousness, knowing that outside there was a battle raging on.
Slowly sitting up, he opened his eyes just in time to see an image appear in front of him. It was the image of a man with a short, unkempt black beard and wild hair, staring contemptuously at him. "Fools," the man hissed, and then an explosion of light seared the landscape.
When Shinji's eyes slowly came back into focus, the pain was gone. The nerve connections had been cut, and the power monitor read 00:00. It was all over.
++++++
Colin and Shinji sat in the vast debriefing room, watching the Major as she informed them, to the best of her knowledge, what was going on.
"We can't understand how, but the creature that assaulted NERV headquarters was definitely an Evangelion. It pattern was red."
"But I thought that only NERV had that sort of technology…?" Shinji inquired, a bit confused.
Misato sighed. "We thought so, too. I don't see how anything like this could have happened. All of NERV's files regarding the Evangelions are kept locked away under tight security. But it seems that now, this technology is in the wrong hands…"
Colin nodded sagely, but didn't speak. He knew what was going on, to some extent. Personal experience had nearly killed him many times.
"… And so precautions must be taken," Dr. Akagi added. She stood at Misato's side, arms crossed below her breasts. "We knew that something else was to happen, since Third Impact had been averted, and that there would still be need for the Evangelions. Ever since the loss of the two pilots Suzahara and Nagisa…"
Shinji groaned loudly at the mention of these names. One crippled, the other dead.
"… We decided that it was time to recruit another, for emergencies. That is why you are here, Colin."
"I see…" the Sixth murmured, grinning in odd satisfaction. Shinji stared at him quizzically at his reaction.
"And as for the other two pilots," Misato said, "Their injuries weren't all that serious… mainly mental trauma. We didn't sever the nerve connections soon enough. We're just glad that the explosion didn't cause more damage than it did."
"But more research still needs to be done. You must know your enemy," Ritsuko concluded. "You are dismissed."
Shinji left NERV that day with a head filled with anxiety. This new enemy was not to be underestimated… and Shinji knew that there were many more to come.
++++++
Bohrs stood slumped at his altar, deep in thought. One of his men had already been lost… it seemed as though he had underestimated his targets. But one loss was not too great… his followers were numerous, and dedicated to his cause. These NERV pilots would be stopped.
Perhaps, though, if one attempt failed, he would need to inspect a different angle. He already had one in mind… it was one of his favorite methods. True, NERV was stronger than he had anticipated, but it would fall. Oh, it would fall. And he would be there at its destruction, to laugh and dance on the embers.
++++++
There you have it. I'm planning on releasing the next installment around late April or early May, but it might be delayed due to the fact that I am also working on other fics, as well.