Author's note -
Welcome to chapter 7, the replacement for episode 23. Things are starting to heat up. Expect a few surprises from here on in. Enjoy.
Thanks for all the kind words on the last chapter. If I ever figure out a way to improve it, I will, and I'll make sure to let you guys know.
Disclaimer -
All the characters contained in this story are copyright GAINAX, Project EVA, Movic, and any other company and/or division associated with the creation and/or production of Neon Genesis Evangelion. A.D.Vision holds the copyrights to the translated version of Neon Genesis Evangelion. All characters are used WITHOUT the permission of the aforementioned institutions.
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IMPACT
A sequel to "A Question Of..."
By Room3
Chapter 07 - "Disclosure"
"Hmm. Have you double checked those figures?" Ritsuko Akagi asked Lieutenant Ibuki as she read the data from her assistant's console.
"Yes doctor," Maya replied. "The Magi report an error margin of point zero zero zero five percent." She looked up at the observation window.
"Well that's certainly a surprise," Akagi commented.
"What is?" Misato asked from her position by the window, turning to look at the blonde. She had been staring into then chamber beyond, watching the synch-test.
"Asuka's only lost seven point," the doctor informed her.
"That's all?" the major asked, surprised. Ritsuko nodded and Misato looked back at the window.
"Yes. After an experience like that, I'd expected a much greater drop," the doctor commented, straightening up. Asuka had been released from the infirmary yesterday evening after showing no signs of any mental contamination from the Angel's attack only three days previously. Misato turned to the doctor and twitched her head towards the far wall, wanting to speak to her friend in privacy. "I'll be back in a moment," Ritsuko told Maya, who merely nodded.
"You haven't told anyone, have you?" Misato asked her quietly, leaning against the wall, crossing her arms.
"No," the doctor assured her. She looked at the observation window. "I guess we have Shinji to thank for this," she muttered.
"They did talk a lot last night," the major responded, sighing.
"Have you decided what you're going to do about them yet?"
"Not yet," Katsuragi answered, looking at the floor. "I still find it hard to believe."
"I know what you mean," Akagi replied, leaning her shoulder against the wall. "It's hard to believe that Shinji and Asuka are actually in love with one another. Especially considering how often they used to fight!"
--------------
Shinji and Asuka are in love?! Kouzou thought, shocked at what he had just heard through the door. He'd gone to harmonics lab to check on the pilot's scores, especially after the second-child had suffered so at the hands of the last Angel. He'd stopped short of opening the door when he'd heard the major and Dr. Akagi talking.
"Well... You're going to have to do something," Ritsuko's voice said.
"I know," Misato's replied. "I just wish I knew what."
"You could..."
"Doctor," Maya's voice called, interrupting Akagi.
"Yes, what is it?" the doctor's voice asked, getting fainter. She was obviously walking away from the door.
"A call for you," her assistant replied. Needing time think, Fuyutski backed away from the door and walked towards his office. He still wanted to know the results of the harmonics test, but he could get them later. Now, now he had something else to consider entirely.
--------------
"It is impossible to retrieve the Lance of Longinus now," the eastern European voice from the monolith labelled 03 stated. Gendo Ikari sat calmly at his desk, undisturbed by hostility emanating from the members of Seele as they surrounded him.
"Why did you use it?" the voice from 04 asked.
"Destroying the Angels is our top priority. There was no other way," Ikari replied.
" 'No other way'! You better come up with a more believable excuse," 03 mocked him
"You're actions these days display a lack of respect for this committee," monolith 10 commented.
"And what about Unit 01?" Keele's voice asked, coming from the monolith labelled 01. "I thought we had agreed to leave it in cryo-stasis for now?"
"There was no danger in allowing Unit 01 to enter combat," the commander said.
"How can you be so sure of that?" 08 enquired.
"Dr. Akagi had completed her tests on it. She informed me it was ready for combat a few hours before the Angel appeared," Gendo informed him.
"We have yet to receive any such report," 07 responded, his voice dripping with distrust.
"Then the doctor must still be compiling it," Ikari informed him calmly. "She is also in the process of completing another series of tests to ensure there are no effects from the battle, as well as ensuring the pilot of Unit 02 is fit for duty."
"Very well," Keele replied. A phone started to ring "But Unit 01 is to be used only when all other options have been exhausted, and only if..." Gendo pulled open a draw on his right and picked up a red handset.
"Fuyutski, I'm in conference," he said into the mouthpiece. There was a pause as Kouzou Fuyutski replied. "Understood." Ikari put the phone away. "Another Angel is approaching," he informed Seele, closing the draw. "We must finish this later."
"You're assuming you'll still have a seat here," 11 informed him. The commander did not respond and faded from view.
"Are you going to betray us Ikari?" Keele asked after he had gone.
--------------
"Sortie Unit 00 through the thirty-second gate," Commander Ikari heard Misato order as he took his post.
"Use Unit 02 as backup," he added.
"What about Unit 01?" the major asked, looking up at him.
"Unit 01 is too be used only as a last resort," he informed her.
"Yes sir." Katsuragi returned her attention to the situation at hand. "Move Unit 02 out."
"Unit 00 has been launched," Maya reported. "Moving Unit 02 to the launch cradle."
"The target is approaching. It's past the final intercept line at Gora," Shigeru announced.
"Unit 00 moving to intercept," Ibuki added.
"Can we get a visual?" Misato asked. An image of the Angel appeared on the main screen. It looked like a glowing white ring comprised of a helix. It was spinning over one spot.
"The target is above the Owakidani valley," Shigeru reported. "Rotating in a fixed position."
"Status of the target?"
"It's AT Field is still active," Makato informed the major.
"It's looks like we're in a stalemate major," Shigeru added.
"He's right," Hyugo confirmed. "The target's field pattern keeps cycling from blue to orange."
"What the heck does that mean?" Misato enquired.
"The Magi aren't able to answer that question yet," Lieutenant Ibuki replied, checking her console.
"We just don't have enough solid data right now," Shigeru commented.
"However, I'm certain that it's capable of assuming forms beside the one we see now," Ritsuko told her, her hand resting on the headrest of Maya's seat.
"So we can't attack first," Katsuragi muttered
--------------
Rei had Unit 00 crouched by a hillside, pallet gun in hand. She was staring at her enemy, listening to the words coming over the intercom.
"Rei, hold back and study it for now," Misato ordered.
"No. It's coming," the first-child replied. She watched the Eva's display as the Angel stopped spinning and the helix flattened to a single glowing ring. The loop suddenly broke and one end flew towards her.
"Rei, evasive action!" Misato yelled at her.
"She can't! There's not enough time!" she heard Makato yell back at the major.
As the ribbon-like Angel shot towards her, Rei expanded her AT Field to maximum in the hopes of at least slowing it. The Angel hit the field and punched through it, embedding itself in the blue robot's lower abdomen. She gasped as she felt the contact.
Unit 00's left hand grabbed the Angel and put the muzzle of the pallet gun to it, firing repeatedly, but the shots had no effect. Tendrils from the Angel began to eat into the Eva's hand and abdomen.
--------------
"Contamination. The target's infecting Unit 00!" the longhaired technician informed his superiors.
"What's the status on her AT Field?" Misato asked, looking over at Maya.
"It's up, but it's not stopping the Angel's energy probe," the lieutenant informed the major."
"Is the Angel trying to establish first level contact with Unit 00?" Ritsuko mused aloud, staring at the main display. "It must be!"
--------------
On the surface, Unit 00 had dropped its pallet gun and now had both hands on the Angel, trying to pull it out. The pressure the Angel was exerting on the robot had forced it back against the hillside.
Inside the cockpit, it looked as if it was Rei's plug suit that was being infested, as the nerve connections transferred the sensations to the first child. It felt to her like her chest was on fire, and the burning was slowly spreading outwards.
--------------
"We've got bio-contamination in Unit 00," Maya announced, her eyes glued to her console.
"Unit 02 roll out!" Katsuragi ordered. "Take some of that heat off of Rei!"
"Yes ma'am," Asuka's voice replied over the intercom. Makato watched the red Eva's progress on his console as it was catapulted to the surface.
"This isn't good," Ritsuko commented. Her concern was clear from the tone of her voice. "More than five percent has already undergone bio-fusion."
--------------
"Asuka, advance three hundred metres and spread your AT Field to maximum," Misato ordered over the intercom as the metal wall in front of Unit 02 dropped out of the robot's way. Nearby, a support building opened and a pallet gun was held out. "Then fire your pallet gun into the target's back section."
Unit 02 stepped out of the building it had been raised into and grabbed the pallet gun. Keeping an eye on the instrumentation in the cockpit, Asuka advanced the required distance and raised the weapon she held, taking aim.
The end of the Angel that had not embedded itself in Unit 00 was waving around in the air. As she prepared to fire, the second-child spread her AT Field. Suddenly, the free end stopped waving about and seemed to be looking straight at her. A short moment later, it shot towards her.
"Look out!" Major Katsuragi cried over the intercom as the redhead made her robot leap to one side. The Angel struck the pallet gun, smashing it to pieces. Unit 02 landed on all fours, as if it were some kind of animal. Looking up, Asuka saw the Angel heading for her again and leapt. The red robot landed hard on its chest, knocking the wind out of the German. As she regained her breath, it felt to the pilot as if something was pulling at her.
Looking back at the Eva's legs, she was shocked to see the Angel embedded in the left leg. As she watched, the tendrils began to dig their way into the machine and she began to feel something eating its way into her leg.
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"The Angel's invading Unit 02!" Shigeru cried. The sound of the first-child struggling for breath filled the command centre.
"God dammit!" the major cursed. "Reduce their synch-ratios," she ordered, looking at Maya.
"I'm trying," Ibuki informed her, typing furiously at her console, "but there's too much interference."
--------------
The invading tendrils had now began to spread onto the Unit 00's face. Inside its cockpit, Rei's back was arched and she had her eyes closed. Each breath was becoming harder than the one before.
--------------
Who is this? Rei thought, feeling a sensation she could not describe. There was nothingness all around her.
You, a voice replied. It took a moment for the first-child to recognise the voice as her own. She found herself sat in the control seat of her entry plug.
Myself in an Eva? she wondered. No, I sense somebody other than myself. There was a flash of images of herself, and she found herself floating a short distance above a sea of what appeared to be LCL. All around her, the sky was red and there were no features. No land, no clouds, nothing. Except... In front of her was another Rei, whose legs were submersed in the LCL up to her knees. Its head was down.
Who are you? Rei asked. An Angel? Are you one of the beings we call the Angels?
Don't you want to become one with me? the other asked.
No. I am me, not you, the first-child replied.
Hmm. But you shall. It's too late, the other informed her. Rei gasped as she felt the invading tendrils of the Angel spread over her body. I will share part of my mind with you. Let me share with you these emotions. The tendrils began to spread beyond the plug suit and on to Rei's face.
This is pain, the other said, raising its head. Do you feel this pain?
This pain. No, it's different. Rei paused as she tried to process the sensations filling her mind. Loneliness.
Yes, the other replied, smiling. Loneliness.
Loneliness? I don't understand, Rei informed the other.
You don't want to be by yourself, correct? it asked. We are many, but you are alone. You hate it, don't you?
That is what it is to be...lonely? the first-child replied, uncertain.
That is what your mind is, the other informed her. It is what fills your soul. You are that sorrow.
--------------
Rei opened her eyes, gasping. Drops of water began to land on her thighs. She looked at them, puzzled.
Is this a tear? she wondered, feeling something rolling down her face. She held her hands, which were shaking, to her face. As she pulled them away, she stared at them. "Am I the one...crying?"
--------------
"Prepare Unit 01 for battle," Commander Ikari ordered. Fuyutski looked at him.
"Are you sure?" the professor asked quietly.
"We cannot afford to lose both Units 00 and 02," Gendo replied softly.
"Moving Unit 01 to the launch cradle," Shigeru announced. Misato leant over Makato's shoulder.
"Haven't you found it's core yet?" she asked him, sounding a little desperate.
"I'm trying," the bespectacled technician replied as he typed commands into his console.
"Unit 01 launching," the longhaired technician reported as the purple Eva was shot towards the surface.
"How's Rei?" Misato asked, looking at Maya.
"Her life signs are becoming erratic," the lieutenant informed her.
"What about Asuka?" the major enquired.
"Her pulse and respiration are up, but she seems to be okay," Ritsuko answered, reading the data from her assistant's console. "For now, at least," she added under her breath. Ibuki was the only one to hear it.
--------------
Unit 01 stepped clear of the armoury building, clutching the pallet gun tightly. Inside, Shinji's mind was focused. His attention centred on destroying his enemy.
"Shinji, take up a position equidistant to Units 00 and 02," Misato ordered over the intercom. "Once in position, spread your AT Field and fire at the Angel's mid-section. You got that?"
"Roger," the third-child replied calmly. As Unit 01 took up position, he couldn't help but worry about what was happening to Asuka and Rei. Once in place, he raised his weapon and took aim. He spread his AT Field and tensed, waiting for any sign from the Angel. When there was none, he took a deep breath and fired.
Unfortunately the ribbon-like body of the Angel was waving back and forth so much that his shots missed completely. Suddenly the Angel swung at him. He leapt out of the way, but his weapon was smashed.
--------------
"Dammit!" the major cursed as she watched the pallet gun be destroyed.
"Major," Makato called.
"What is it?" Katsuragi asked, taking her eyes off the main screen. The Angel seemed to be ignoring the purple Eva again.
"When the Angel attacked Unit 01," he said, calling up a record of the attack on his display, "I spotted something. It looked like a small variation in the Angel's coloration." He stopped the image and zoomed in on a section of the ribbon-like body. A small pinkish shape was visible. "There," he said, pointing to it.
"Oh yeah," the major responded, staring at his screen. "But what is it?"
"Well, I could be wrong. But..."
"But what?"
"I think it could be the core," Hyugo informed her. "But even if it is, it's not gonna be much help."
"What do you mean?" the major enquired.
"The sensors can't find it," Makato replied. "I only spotted it by chance. And only because the Angel stretched itself." Misato straightened up and stared at the main display.
"So...to find it again, we need the Angel to be stretched as much as possible," she reiterated thoughtfully, crossing her arms.
"Basically, yes," the bespectacled technician replied. The major smiled.
"Patch me through to the pilots," she ordered.
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"Rei, Shinji, Asuka, listen carefully," Misato's voice said over the intercom. Shinji had his eyes locked on the moving shape of the Angel, ready to dodge should it attack again. "I've got an idea, but all three of you need to work together. We're only going to get one shot at this.
"Asuka, Rei, I need you two grab the Angel, and pull it as hard as you can," she continued.
"What the hell for?" Asuka demanded.
"We need the Angel stretched so we can find it's core," the major explained. "Shinji, as they stretch it, keep an eye for a section of pink along it's length. That'll be the core. As soon as you see it, attack with your progressive knife. You got that?"
"Yeah," the third-child replied.
"Rei, Asuka, you guys ready?" Katsuragi asked. The second-child's affirmative was loud and clear, but Rei's was only a barely audible grunt.
Hold on Rei, Shinji thought, fearing for her.
"Now!" his guardian ordered.
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Ignoring the pain coming from her leg, which now reached to halfway up her calf, Asuka rolled Unit 02 onto its back. Once she found herself staring up at the sky, she sat the Eva upright and reached forward. The red robot grasped the Angel in both hands firmly, and leaned backwards. Within the cockpit, Asuka heard groans as the Eva's superstructure objected to the pressure it was under.
The second-child gritted her teeth as she felt her hands begin to burn and realised the Angel was eating its way into Unit 02 through the grip the Eva had. Needing to distance herself from the pain, the German looked over to see how Rei was faring. Asuka was horrified when she saw just how much of the blue Eva's surface had been invaded by the Angel.
How in the hell is she doing it? the redhead wondered, marvelling at Rei's ability to work through the pain, which, she imagined, must have been unbearable.
"I see it!" Shinji's voice cried over the intercom as the strain began to cause sweat to run down Asuka's face.
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His AT Field at full power, Shinji charged towards the Angel. As Unit 01 neared the Angel, the pilot realised he would have to grab the ribbon-like body if he was going to succeed.
Coming to a stop by the waving form, the purple robot reached out with its left hand and took hold of the Angel a short distance from the pinkish discoloration. The right hand reached to the shoulder wing, which flipped open, and removed the progressive knife.
Hold still dammit! Shinji cursed as the cockpit was bucked around by the enemy trying to free itself. Setting the robot's feet as firmly as he could, he brought the knife down on the patch of colour. He winced as a high-pitched screech assaulted his ears as the knife began to cut its way into its target. He also felt as if his left hand was on fire and realised that the Angel was trying to merge with it.
"There's an energy spike coming from the Angel," Makato reported over the intercom. The third-child only just heard the bespectacled technician's voice over the screech. Before he could react, the Angel exploded, and he lost his grip on the conscious world.
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Everyone in the command centre had to avert their eyes from the main display as it suddenly became too bright to look at.
"What the hell happened?!" Misato demanded as she blinked to clear the after-flash from her vision.
"The Angel self-detonated," Shigeru informed her, his eyes watering.
"What's the status of the pilots?" Fuyutski called from his position next to the commander. Although they had been further from the screen, they too had had to shield their vision.
"They're alive," Ritsuko informed him, checking the relevant section on Maya's console, who could not yet see clearly.
"Shinji's out cold," Makato added, "but Rei and Asuka seem to be fine."
"Send out recovery teams and downgrade alert status to condition yellow," Misato ordered.
--------------
"How long will repairs to the Eva's take?" Commander Ikari enquired of Dr. Akagi. It had been just over a day since the battle.
"Unit 01 will be fully functional in the next couple of days," Ritsuko answered him. "Unit 02 should be repaired by the weekend, and Unit 00 will be ready in a further five days."
"Why so long?" Fuyutski asked from his position behind the commander
"The contamination," Akagi explained. "Unit 02's leg will have to be stripped down, whilst Unit 00 may have to be almost completely rebuilt."
"I thought Unit 01 was infested as well," the professor commented.
"It was, but only the left hand and wrist. It will be quicker to just replace them," the blonde explained. "It also received some damage to the chest area, but nothing too extensive."
"And what about the pilots?" Ikari asked.
"Shinji received nothing more than a mild headache and was released from the infirmary straight away," the doctor replied. "Asuka was released this morning."
"Any sign of contamination?" Kouzou enquired.
"No sir," Ritsuko informed him, shaking her head. "She complained of a little numbness in her left leg, but that faded after a few hours."
"And Rei?" Gendo asked.
"Despite her prolonged contact, there appears to be no after effects," the doctor reported. "I believe she will be released later today. In any event, I'll run all three pilots through a harmonics test in a couple of days to be certain there are no psychological problems."
"Very well. Dismissed."
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"At last we have defeated all of the Angels up to the sixteenth," the voice from monolith 09 stated. The members of Seele were meeting to discuss the events of the last few days.
"Now there is only one left," the thickly accented voice issuing from the monolith marked 03 added. "As it is written in Seele's Dead Sea Scrolls.
"The promised time is at hand," Keele's voice said from monolith 01. "The road has been long, and the sacrifices have been great."
"True," 11 replied. "Thanks to Ikari we have lost the Lance of Longinus."
"That is sufficient reason for removing him," the British voice from 07 commented.
"Surely he must have realised what the release of Fuyutski meant," 09 responded
"We shall have to find another 'cats-paw' to use against Ikari," the voice of monolith 03 stated.
"And this one must know the truth," Keele added.
--------------
Rei Ayanami stared at her reflection in the mirror, lost in thought. She had come straight home after being released from the infirmary. As she stared at the image before her, she couldn't help but feel that she had lost something. Turning around, a glint of light caught her eye and she turned her attention to the glasses that lay on her chest of drawers.
Commander Ikari, she thought. Why do I feel confused about him? Once, I trusted him without question. She wandered over the glasses and looked at them more closely. Yet he did not wish us to save Suzuhara. And did not want Pilot Ikari to help Pilot Sohryu. She picked up the spectacles. He is not the man I thought he was.
Taking hold of the glasses with both hands, she began to squeeze as hard as she could. Hearing the lenses crack, she stopped squeezing. Drops of water began to fall on to them.
"Why am I crying?" she wondered aloud. "What am I crying for?"
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"Yes, that's right," Commander Ikari said into the phone. He was sat in his office, with Fuyutski sat next to him. "Put a hold on Rei's...on the first-child's current status. Just keep your eyes on her, nothing more." He put the phone down. The professor looked at him.
Maybe I should tell him, Kouzou mused. No, he'd only use it to manipulate them. He sighed. "You know, Chairman Keele won't be happy you refused his request," he said aloud.
"I've given the old men at Seele something else to look at," Gendo informed him. "There will be no problem."
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Ritsuko tried not to shiver as she stood naked in the dark chamber, surrounded by the Seele monoliths. She knew that the members of Seele were probably staring at her body, but she refused to allow that to bother her.
"It is our intent to carry out this inquisition in a dignified manner," Chairman Keele told her, his voice issuing from the monolith number 01, which stood directly in front of the doctor. "It is not our intent to bring any shame upon you."
"I don't feel any shame," Akagi told him, coldly.
"She's a strong woman," the thickly accented voice from 03 commented. "I can see why Ikari wants to keep her next to him."
"However, were you aware that the one who sent you here was none other than Ikari himself?" the voice coming from monolith 11 asked her. It took considerable effort on her part not to frown. She didn't like what she was hearing.
"He refused our request for the pilots of Units 00 and 02, and has sent you here in their place Dr. Akagi," Keele informed her. "We especially wished to speak to the first-child due to her prolonged exposure to the Angel."
He sent me instead of her! the blonde thought, her anger threatening to consume her.
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"So, has Dr. Akagi's deposition proved acceptable?" the voice from 09 asked. The members of Seele had just spent the last couple of hour questioning Ritsuko.
"She is not like Fuyutski," the British voice from 07 stated. "It will prove more beneficial to release her."
"The woman has rendered remarkable service to the Eva series," the eastern European voice of 03 commented. "Let her continue to be of use for a while."
"For the future of mankind," 11 added.
"As for the Evangelions themselves, there are now eight under construction," 09 said, changing the subject.
"The disappearance of Tokyo-3 will prove to be a boon to the project," Keele interjected. "We must accelerate the schedule for its completion. The promised time will soon be at hand."
--------------
In the depths of Nerv headquarters, just outside Terminal Dogma, Ritsuko was busy typing commands into a small portable console. The console was hooked into the locking mechanism of the door before her. Pleased with her work, the doctor disconnected the console and removed a key-card from her pocket.
Whether he's here or not, she thought, I'm going to do it! After a moments pause, she swiped her card through the reader. She was surprised when the lock didn't release. She was about to try again when she felt something pushed into the small of her back, and heard the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked.
"Sorry, but it won't work without my password," Misato Katsuragi told her friend.
"I see," Akagi replied. She smiled to herself. "Did Kaji arrange this?"
----FLASHBACK--------------------------
It had been earlier that day that the major had finally got around to opening Kaji's 'gift'. She had been sat at her desk in her bedroom at her apartment, which was a mess. She hadn't been handling Kaji loss very well. The bin had been full of empty 'instant' food containers and numerous empty beer cans were scattered around the room.
Inside had been a computer chip and a note. As she'd read the piece of paper, she could almost hear his voice. It said -
'The way to the truth, if you want it, was sent by thirty-six other methods. But they won't reach you. The only way that is guaranteed is this capsule. This is all I have. Now it's completely up to you as to how to use this. The pass-code is our first memory. Goodbye. And take care.'
The silent phone no longer hurts as much, Misato had thought, holding the chip before her. "Not since you gave me...your heart and soul," she had added aloud.
----END OF FLASHBACK-------------------
"Show them to me," Katsuragi told the doctor sternly. It almost sounded like an order. "All the secrets you've buried here."
"All right," Ritsuko agreed, looking over her shoulder at the major. Silently, she was pleased. She could undermine his authority by showing Misato, and still do what she wanted to. Two birds with one stone.
--------------
After the major released the door lock, the two of them entered an elevator and rode down in it, into the depths of headquarters. The doctor led Misato to a door. On which was a sign informing them that this was the third annex of the Artificial Evolution Laboratory. Ritsuko opened the door and walked through it. Katsuragi followed her through and the doctor flicked a light switch.
Misato found herself in a stark room with numerous pieces of equipment placed almost haphazardly through it. The walls had some writing on them, but it made no sense to the major. In the centre of the room was a bed. It looked like the ones used by hospitals. One of the machines had a number of pill jars and vials on top.
"This isn't what I came to see Ritsuko," Misato told her friend. The blonde looked at her.
"I know that Misato," she replied. "But aren't you in the least interested by what all this is meant for." The major took a second look around and nodded. "This is the place where Rei was born."
"What?!" Katsuragi gasped.
"She was born here," Akagi repeated. "The visions of light and water that stream through her consciousness are merely reflections of this place." She smiled at the look on Misato's face. "Follow me."
--------------
As she stood on the metal catwalk, staring out into the darkness that surrounded her, Misato couldn't help but wonder what Ritsuko was going to show her next.
I always knew there was something funny about Rei, she thought. But who'd have thought... The major was stopped in mid-thought as numerous lights in the cavernous room lit up. "Is that an Eva?" she asked, looking at the massive skeletal remains below her. The bones that made up its arms, legs and spine were there, along with an orange head.
"The first one," Ritsuko answered. "A failure. We abounded it ten years ago."
"So, what is this place? Some kind of Eva graveyard?" the major enquired.
"Nothing that elaborate," Akagi informed her. "Just a dumping ground." She wandered to the edge of the catwalk and stared off into the distance. Misato followed her look, and saw there were more remains. Almost a dozen could be seen. "You know, it's a pity Shinji wasn't in when I called."
"He and Asuka went to say goodbye to their friends," Misato told her.
"Huh? Oh yeah. They've closed the school haven't they?"
"What did you mean, 'it's a pity'?" the major asked, puzzled by the doctor's choice of words.
"I was just wondering whether he'd remember this place," Ritsuko said.
"What do you mean?"
"This is the place where his mother was taken from him," Akagi said with a smile. "He was watching at the very moment she disappeared."
"Is there anything else you want to show me doctor?" Katsuragi asked coldly. The doctor nodded and walked away from the catwalk.
--------------
Misato stared up at the metal structure that hung from the ceiling. It looked like a giant brain. Below it there was a glass tube which was filled by some kind of yellow liquid. A strange sound filled the chamber. It sounded like a scuba diving respirator.
"So...this is the core of the dummy plug?" the major asked.
"This is where we produce the components," Ritsuko informed her. She reached into her lab coat pocket and pulled out a small remote. As she pressed it, the dark walls of the chamber lit up all around them. The shine coming from the walls revealed that they were made of glass. Probably filled by the same substance as the tube. Looking round, Misato saw numerous bodies suspended in the liquid. The figures looked at her and smiled.
"They're all Rei!" the major gasped. "You mean the dummy plugs are..."
"Uh-huh," Ritsuko replied, smiling. "These are the cores of the dummy plugs. They're what makes the system work."
"Who...who are they?!" Misato asked.
"These? These are empty vessels. Nothing but spare parts," the blonde informed the major. "Spare Rei's!" She chuckled a little.
"Mankind found a god, and man...in his folly, tried to make the god his toy," Akagi began. "For that arrogance mankind was punished. That happened 15 years ago. And the god that man found...was lost. But man continues to attempt to resurrect the god. And from that god, Adam, man attempted to make a man who was like a god himself. And that is Eva.
"You mean Eva's are human?!" Katsuragi gasped.
"Yes. Inside the empty shell of each Eva is a human soul. But the only vessel that can hold a soul is Rei. These things are...empty husks," the doctor continued, her smile fading. "They have no souls. No right to live." She pressed another button on the remote.
"The Room of Guaf is empty," she commented, as the light turned red. The sound of laughter emanated from the walls as the bodies began to fall apart. The major stood, rendered speechless by what she saw.
"Stop this! Do you have any idea what you're doing?!" she yelled at Ritsuko, aiming her gun at the doctor.
"Yes I know," Ritsuko replied, an evil smile on her face. "I'm destroying them!" She took a deep breath, her smile fading. "These aren't human! Just things with human forms!" she commented, sounding as if she were fighting back tears. "But even so..." she whispered. "I lost to these things. I lost to these soulless dolls. I couldn't win. I could've suffered any humiliation... Endured any torture... But he had already chosen.
"God! I'm a fool!" she cried, bending over. "Like mother, like daughter. Fools to the end. If you wanna kill me, go ahead and do it. I'd welcome death," she sobbed.
"If that's what you want, you are a fool," Misato told her softly, lowering her gun. Ritsuko dropped the remote and fells to her knees, tears running down her face. What is this curse that consumes those who come into contact with Eva?
--------------
Dr. Akagi didn't bother to look up as the door to her cell opened. She knew who it was. For a few moments there was silence as the figure stood behind the wooden chair she sat on.
"Hello commander," Ritsuko said flatly. "Did you know my cat died? The cat my grandmother was taking care of. I haven't seen it for a long time, but now I know that I'll never see it again." Her voice began to falter as she spoke.
"Why did you destroy the dummy system?" Ikari asked calmly.
"It WASN'T the dummy system I destroyed," she told him firmly. "It was Rei!"
"I'll ask you once more. Why did you do it?"
"I'm not happy anymore," Ritsuko replied sadly, "not even when you make love to me!" She closed her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to flow. "Do what ever you want with me. It's never stopped you before!"
"You disappointment me," the commander told her.
"You had no hopes or expectations of me to start with!" she yelled at him, loosing control. The tears began to fall. "I was nothing!" Gendo shook his head and left her alone in the dark cell.
"What can I do now?" Ritsuko sobbed as the tears ran down her face and fell to the ground. "What, mother?"
--------------
"Morning Shinji," Misato said in greeting as the third-child walked into her office. She hadn't slept well last night, and had come in to work early, hoping to clear her mind. What she had seen the previous evening still haunted her.
"Misato... I heard Dr. Akagi was arrested," the boy said, walking over to her desk.
"Yes, she was," Katsuragi replied.
"Why?"
"She destroyed the dummy system last night," the major replied.
"But why would she do that?" the third-child asked.
"I don't really know Shinji," Misato told him, trying to ease his mind. She sighed. "To be honest, I haven't been able to understand her thinking for a while now."
"Oh."
"I wouldn't worry about it," Katsuragi suggested. "Maya's taken over the job of keeping the Eva's in working order."
"I heard a rumour that they were going to evacuate Tokyo-3," Shinji told her after a few moments silence.
"Uh-huh. The government is likely to make the announcement later today," the major informed him. "They're worried about the damage the next Angel is going to cause. I hear they're way over budget on the repairs they've had to make so far." The boy's shoulders slumped and he sighed.
"But I do have some good news," Misato said cheerfully. "The committee's decided to send us the fifth-child, so at least there'll be someone else your age around."
"But why now?" Ikari asked, puzzled. "Are we getting another Eva?"
"No. He's being sent as a spare," the boy's guardian replied. "Since the dummy system is gone, we haven't got anything to rely on as back up in case something should happen to Rei, Asuka or you."
"What's his name?" Shinji asked.
"Kaworu," Misato replied, "Kaworu Nagisa."
To be continued...
Next Chapter -
A new friend?
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Well, what do you think? Please contact me with your comments. I'll try to answer any questions in the author notes for the next chapter.
If you want to discuss something with me, please send me an e-mail. My address is CEO_Room3@Hotmail.com. I'll do my best to respond to all correspondence.
Welcome to chapter 7, the replacement for episode 23. Things are starting to heat up. Expect a few surprises from here on in. Enjoy.
Thanks for all the kind words on the last chapter. If I ever figure out a way to improve it, I will, and I'll make sure to let you guys know.
Disclaimer -
All the characters contained in this story are copyright GAINAX, Project EVA, Movic, and any other company and/or division associated with the creation and/or production of Neon Genesis Evangelion. A.D.Vision holds the copyrights to the translated version of Neon Genesis Evangelion. All characters are used WITHOUT the permission of the aforementioned institutions.
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IMPACT
A sequel to "A Question Of..."
By Room3
Chapter 07 - "Disclosure"
"Hmm. Have you double checked those figures?" Ritsuko Akagi asked Lieutenant Ibuki as she read the data from her assistant's console.
"Yes doctor," Maya replied. "The Magi report an error margin of point zero zero zero five percent." She looked up at the observation window.
"Well that's certainly a surprise," Akagi commented.
"What is?" Misato asked from her position by the window, turning to look at the blonde. She had been staring into then chamber beyond, watching the synch-test.
"Asuka's only lost seven point," the doctor informed her.
"That's all?" the major asked, surprised. Ritsuko nodded and Misato looked back at the window.
"Yes. After an experience like that, I'd expected a much greater drop," the doctor commented, straightening up. Asuka had been released from the infirmary yesterday evening after showing no signs of any mental contamination from the Angel's attack only three days previously. Misato turned to the doctor and twitched her head towards the far wall, wanting to speak to her friend in privacy. "I'll be back in a moment," Ritsuko told Maya, who merely nodded.
"You haven't told anyone, have you?" Misato asked her quietly, leaning against the wall, crossing her arms.
"No," the doctor assured her. She looked at the observation window. "I guess we have Shinji to thank for this," she muttered.
"They did talk a lot last night," the major responded, sighing.
"Have you decided what you're going to do about them yet?"
"Not yet," Katsuragi answered, looking at the floor. "I still find it hard to believe."
"I know what you mean," Akagi replied, leaning her shoulder against the wall. "It's hard to believe that Shinji and Asuka are actually in love with one another. Especially considering how often they used to fight!"
--------------
Shinji and Asuka are in love?! Kouzou thought, shocked at what he had just heard through the door. He'd gone to harmonics lab to check on the pilot's scores, especially after the second-child had suffered so at the hands of the last Angel. He'd stopped short of opening the door when he'd heard the major and Dr. Akagi talking.
"Well... You're going to have to do something," Ritsuko's voice said.
"I know," Misato's replied. "I just wish I knew what."
"You could..."
"Doctor," Maya's voice called, interrupting Akagi.
"Yes, what is it?" the doctor's voice asked, getting fainter. She was obviously walking away from the door.
"A call for you," her assistant replied. Needing time think, Fuyutski backed away from the door and walked towards his office. He still wanted to know the results of the harmonics test, but he could get them later. Now, now he had something else to consider entirely.
--------------
"It is impossible to retrieve the Lance of Longinus now," the eastern European voice from the monolith labelled 03 stated. Gendo Ikari sat calmly at his desk, undisturbed by hostility emanating from the members of Seele as they surrounded him.
"Why did you use it?" the voice from 04 asked.
"Destroying the Angels is our top priority. There was no other way," Ikari replied.
" 'No other way'! You better come up with a more believable excuse," 03 mocked him
"You're actions these days display a lack of respect for this committee," monolith 10 commented.
"And what about Unit 01?" Keele's voice asked, coming from the monolith labelled 01. "I thought we had agreed to leave it in cryo-stasis for now?"
"There was no danger in allowing Unit 01 to enter combat," the commander said.
"How can you be so sure of that?" 08 enquired.
"Dr. Akagi had completed her tests on it. She informed me it was ready for combat a few hours before the Angel appeared," Gendo informed him.
"We have yet to receive any such report," 07 responded, his voice dripping with distrust.
"Then the doctor must still be compiling it," Ikari informed him calmly. "She is also in the process of completing another series of tests to ensure there are no effects from the battle, as well as ensuring the pilot of Unit 02 is fit for duty."
"Very well," Keele replied. A phone started to ring "But Unit 01 is to be used only when all other options have been exhausted, and only if..." Gendo pulled open a draw on his right and picked up a red handset.
"Fuyutski, I'm in conference," he said into the mouthpiece. There was a pause as Kouzou Fuyutski replied. "Understood." Ikari put the phone away. "Another Angel is approaching," he informed Seele, closing the draw. "We must finish this later."
"You're assuming you'll still have a seat here," 11 informed him. The commander did not respond and faded from view.
"Are you going to betray us Ikari?" Keele asked after he had gone.
--------------
"Sortie Unit 00 through the thirty-second gate," Commander Ikari heard Misato order as he took his post.
"Use Unit 02 as backup," he added.
"What about Unit 01?" the major asked, looking up at him.
"Unit 01 is too be used only as a last resort," he informed her.
"Yes sir." Katsuragi returned her attention to the situation at hand. "Move Unit 02 out."
"Unit 00 has been launched," Maya reported. "Moving Unit 02 to the launch cradle."
"The target is approaching. It's past the final intercept line at Gora," Shigeru announced.
"Unit 00 moving to intercept," Ibuki added.
"Can we get a visual?" Misato asked. An image of the Angel appeared on the main screen. It looked like a glowing white ring comprised of a helix. It was spinning over one spot.
"The target is above the Owakidani valley," Shigeru reported. "Rotating in a fixed position."
"Status of the target?"
"It's AT Field is still active," Makato informed the major.
"It's looks like we're in a stalemate major," Shigeru added.
"He's right," Hyugo confirmed. "The target's field pattern keeps cycling from blue to orange."
"What the heck does that mean?" Misato enquired.
"The Magi aren't able to answer that question yet," Lieutenant Ibuki replied, checking her console.
"We just don't have enough solid data right now," Shigeru commented.
"However, I'm certain that it's capable of assuming forms beside the one we see now," Ritsuko told her, her hand resting on the headrest of Maya's seat.
"So we can't attack first," Katsuragi muttered
--------------
Rei had Unit 00 crouched by a hillside, pallet gun in hand. She was staring at her enemy, listening to the words coming over the intercom.
"Rei, hold back and study it for now," Misato ordered.
"No. It's coming," the first-child replied. She watched the Eva's display as the Angel stopped spinning and the helix flattened to a single glowing ring. The loop suddenly broke and one end flew towards her.
"Rei, evasive action!" Misato yelled at her.
"She can't! There's not enough time!" she heard Makato yell back at the major.
As the ribbon-like Angel shot towards her, Rei expanded her AT Field to maximum in the hopes of at least slowing it. The Angel hit the field and punched through it, embedding itself in the blue robot's lower abdomen. She gasped as she felt the contact.
Unit 00's left hand grabbed the Angel and put the muzzle of the pallet gun to it, firing repeatedly, but the shots had no effect. Tendrils from the Angel began to eat into the Eva's hand and abdomen.
--------------
"Contamination. The target's infecting Unit 00!" the longhaired technician informed his superiors.
"What's the status on her AT Field?" Misato asked, looking over at Maya.
"It's up, but it's not stopping the Angel's energy probe," the lieutenant informed the major."
"Is the Angel trying to establish first level contact with Unit 00?" Ritsuko mused aloud, staring at the main display. "It must be!"
--------------
On the surface, Unit 00 had dropped its pallet gun and now had both hands on the Angel, trying to pull it out. The pressure the Angel was exerting on the robot had forced it back against the hillside.
Inside the cockpit, it looked as if it was Rei's plug suit that was being infested, as the nerve connections transferred the sensations to the first child. It felt to her like her chest was on fire, and the burning was slowly spreading outwards.
--------------
"We've got bio-contamination in Unit 00," Maya announced, her eyes glued to her console.
"Unit 02 roll out!" Katsuragi ordered. "Take some of that heat off of Rei!"
"Yes ma'am," Asuka's voice replied over the intercom. Makato watched the red Eva's progress on his console as it was catapulted to the surface.
"This isn't good," Ritsuko commented. Her concern was clear from the tone of her voice. "More than five percent has already undergone bio-fusion."
--------------
"Asuka, advance three hundred metres and spread your AT Field to maximum," Misato ordered over the intercom as the metal wall in front of Unit 02 dropped out of the robot's way. Nearby, a support building opened and a pallet gun was held out. "Then fire your pallet gun into the target's back section."
Unit 02 stepped out of the building it had been raised into and grabbed the pallet gun. Keeping an eye on the instrumentation in the cockpit, Asuka advanced the required distance and raised the weapon she held, taking aim.
The end of the Angel that had not embedded itself in Unit 00 was waving around in the air. As she prepared to fire, the second-child spread her AT Field. Suddenly, the free end stopped waving about and seemed to be looking straight at her. A short moment later, it shot towards her.
"Look out!" Major Katsuragi cried over the intercom as the redhead made her robot leap to one side. The Angel struck the pallet gun, smashing it to pieces. Unit 02 landed on all fours, as if it were some kind of animal. Looking up, Asuka saw the Angel heading for her again and leapt. The red robot landed hard on its chest, knocking the wind out of the German. As she regained her breath, it felt to the pilot as if something was pulling at her.
Looking back at the Eva's legs, she was shocked to see the Angel embedded in the left leg. As she watched, the tendrils began to dig their way into the machine and she began to feel something eating its way into her leg.
--------------
"The Angel's invading Unit 02!" Shigeru cried. The sound of the first-child struggling for breath filled the command centre.
"God dammit!" the major cursed. "Reduce their synch-ratios," she ordered, looking at Maya.
"I'm trying," Ibuki informed her, typing furiously at her console, "but there's too much interference."
--------------
The invading tendrils had now began to spread onto the Unit 00's face. Inside its cockpit, Rei's back was arched and she had her eyes closed. Each breath was becoming harder than the one before.
--------------
Who is this? Rei thought, feeling a sensation she could not describe. There was nothingness all around her.
You, a voice replied. It took a moment for the first-child to recognise the voice as her own. She found herself sat in the control seat of her entry plug.
Myself in an Eva? she wondered. No, I sense somebody other than myself. There was a flash of images of herself, and she found herself floating a short distance above a sea of what appeared to be LCL. All around her, the sky was red and there were no features. No land, no clouds, nothing. Except... In front of her was another Rei, whose legs were submersed in the LCL up to her knees. Its head was down.
Who are you? Rei asked. An Angel? Are you one of the beings we call the Angels?
Don't you want to become one with me? the other asked.
No. I am me, not you, the first-child replied.
Hmm. But you shall. It's too late, the other informed her. Rei gasped as she felt the invading tendrils of the Angel spread over her body. I will share part of my mind with you. Let me share with you these emotions. The tendrils began to spread beyond the plug suit and on to Rei's face.
This is pain, the other said, raising its head. Do you feel this pain?
This pain. No, it's different. Rei paused as she tried to process the sensations filling her mind. Loneliness.
Yes, the other replied, smiling. Loneliness.
Loneliness? I don't understand, Rei informed the other.
You don't want to be by yourself, correct? it asked. We are many, but you are alone. You hate it, don't you?
That is what it is to be...lonely? the first-child replied, uncertain.
That is what your mind is, the other informed her. It is what fills your soul. You are that sorrow.
--------------
Rei opened her eyes, gasping. Drops of water began to land on her thighs. She looked at them, puzzled.
Is this a tear? she wondered, feeling something rolling down her face. She held her hands, which were shaking, to her face. As she pulled them away, she stared at them. "Am I the one...crying?"
--------------
"Prepare Unit 01 for battle," Commander Ikari ordered. Fuyutski looked at him.
"Are you sure?" the professor asked quietly.
"We cannot afford to lose both Units 00 and 02," Gendo replied softly.
"Moving Unit 01 to the launch cradle," Shigeru announced. Misato leant over Makato's shoulder.
"Haven't you found it's core yet?" she asked him, sounding a little desperate.
"I'm trying," the bespectacled technician replied as he typed commands into his console.
"Unit 01 launching," the longhaired technician reported as the purple Eva was shot towards the surface.
"How's Rei?" Misato asked, looking at Maya.
"Her life signs are becoming erratic," the lieutenant informed her.
"What about Asuka?" the major enquired.
"Her pulse and respiration are up, but she seems to be okay," Ritsuko answered, reading the data from her assistant's console. "For now, at least," she added under her breath. Ibuki was the only one to hear it.
--------------
Unit 01 stepped clear of the armoury building, clutching the pallet gun tightly. Inside, Shinji's mind was focused. His attention centred on destroying his enemy.
"Shinji, take up a position equidistant to Units 00 and 02," Misato ordered over the intercom. "Once in position, spread your AT Field and fire at the Angel's mid-section. You got that?"
"Roger," the third-child replied calmly. As Unit 01 took up position, he couldn't help but worry about what was happening to Asuka and Rei. Once in place, he raised his weapon and took aim. He spread his AT Field and tensed, waiting for any sign from the Angel. When there was none, he took a deep breath and fired.
Unfortunately the ribbon-like body of the Angel was waving back and forth so much that his shots missed completely. Suddenly the Angel swung at him. He leapt out of the way, but his weapon was smashed.
--------------
"Dammit!" the major cursed as she watched the pallet gun be destroyed.
"Major," Makato called.
"What is it?" Katsuragi asked, taking her eyes off the main screen. The Angel seemed to be ignoring the purple Eva again.
"When the Angel attacked Unit 01," he said, calling up a record of the attack on his display, "I spotted something. It looked like a small variation in the Angel's coloration." He stopped the image and zoomed in on a section of the ribbon-like body. A small pinkish shape was visible. "There," he said, pointing to it.
"Oh yeah," the major responded, staring at his screen. "But what is it?"
"Well, I could be wrong. But..."
"But what?"
"I think it could be the core," Hyugo informed her. "But even if it is, it's not gonna be much help."
"What do you mean?" the major enquired.
"The sensors can't find it," Makato replied. "I only spotted it by chance. And only because the Angel stretched itself." Misato straightened up and stared at the main display.
"So...to find it again, we need the Angel to be stretched as much as possible," she reiterated thoughtfully, crossing her arms.
"Basically, yes," the bespectacled technician replied. The major smiled.
"Patch me through to the pilots," she ordered.
--------------
"Rei, Shinji, Asuka, listen carefully," Misato's voice said over the intercom. Shinji had his eyes locked on the moving shape of the Angel, ready to dodge should it attack again. "I've got an idea, but all three of you need to work together. We're only going to get one shot at this.
"Asuka, Rei, I need you two grab the Angel, and pull it as hard as you can," she continued.
"What the hell for?" Asuka demanded.
"We need the Angel stretched so we can find it's core," the major explained. "Shinji, as they stretch it, keep an eye for a section of pink along it's length. That'll be the core. As soon as you see it, attack with your progressive knife. You got that?"
"Yeah," the third-child replied.
"Rei, Asuka, you guys ready?" Katsuragi asked. The second-child's affirmative was loud and clear, but Rei's was only a barely audible grunt.
Hold on Rei, Shinji thought, fearing for her.
"Now!" his guardian ordered.
--------------
Ignoring the pain coming from her leg, which now reached to halfway up her calf, Asuka rolled Unit 02 onto its back. Once she found herself staring up at the sky, she sat the Eva upright and reached forward. The red robot grasped the Angel in both hands firmly, and leaned backwards. Within the cockpit, Asuka heard groans as the Eva's superstructure objected to the pressure it was under.
The second-child gritted her teeth as she felt her hands begin to burn and realised the Angel was eating its way into Unit 02 through the grip the Eva had. Needing to distance herself from the pain, the German looked over to see how Rei was faring. Asuka was horrified when she saw just how much of the blue Eva's surface had been invaded by the Angel.
How in the hell is she doing it? the redhead wondered, marvelling at Rei's ability to work through the pain, which, she imagined, must have been unbearable.
"I see it!" Shinji's voice cried over the intercom as the strain began to cause sweat to run down Asuka's face.
--------------
His AT Field at full power, Shinji charged towards the Angel. As Unit 01 neared the Angel, the pilot realised he would have to grab the ribbon-like body if he was going to succeed.
Coming to a stop by the waving form, the purple robot reached out with its left hand and took hold of the Angel a short distance from the pinkish discoloration. The right hand reached to the shoulder wing, which flipped open, and removed the progressive knife.
Hold still dammit! Shinji cursed as the cockpit was bucked around by the enemy trying to free itself. Setting the robot's feet as firmly as he could, he brought the knife down on the patch of colour. He winced as a high-pitched screech assaulted his ears as the knife began to cut its way into its target. He also felt as if his left hand was on fire and realised that the Angel was trying to merge with it.
"There's an energy spike coming from the Angel," Makato reported over the intercom. The third-child only just heard the bespectacled technician's voice over the screech. Before he could react, the Angel exploded, and he lost his grip on the conscious world.
--------------
Everyone in the command centre had to avert their eyes from the main display as it suddenly became too bright to look at.
"What the hell happened?!" Misato demanded as she blinked to clear the after-flash from her vision.
"The Angel self-detonated," Shigeru informed her, his eyes watering.
"What's the status of the pilots?" Fuyutski called from his position next to the commander. Although they had been further from the screen, they too had had to shield their vision.
"They're alive," Ritsuko informed him, checking the relevant section on Maya's console, who could not yet see clearly.
"Shinji's out cold," Makato added, "but Rei and Asuka seem to be fine."
"Send out recovery teams and downgrade alert status to condition yellow," Misato ordered.
--------------
"How long will repairs to the Eva's take?" Commander Ikari enquired of Dr. Akagi. It had been just over a day since the battle.
"Unit 01 will be fully functional in the next couple of days," Ritsuko answered him. "Unit 02 should be repaired by the weekend, and Unit 00 will be ready in a further five days."
"Why so long?" Fuyutski asked from his position behind the commander
"The contamination," Akagi explained. "Unit 02's leg will have to be stripped down, whilst Unit 00 may have to be almost completely rebuilt."
"I thought Unit 01 was infested as well," the professor commented.
"It was, but only the left hand and wrist. It will be quicker to just replace them," the blonde explained. "It also received some damage to the chest area, but nothing too extensive."
"And what about the pilots?" Ikari asked.
"Shinji received nothing more than a mild headache and was released from the infirmary straight away," the doctor replied. "Asuka was released this morning."
"Any sign of contamination?" Kouzou enquired.
"No sir," Ritsuko informed him, shaking her head. "She complained of a little numbness in her left leg, but that faded after a few hours."
"And Rei?" Gendo asked.
"Despite her prolonged contact, there appears to be no after effects," the doctor reported. "I believe she will be released later today. In any event, I'll run all three pilots through a harmonics test in a couple of days to be certain there are no psychological problems."
"Very well. Dismissed."
--------------
"At last we have defeated all of the Angels up to the sixteenth," the voice from monolith 09 stated. The members of Seele were meeting to discuss the events of the last few days.
"Now there is only one left," the thickly accented voice issuing from the monolith marked 03 added. "As it is written in Seele's Dead Sea Scrolls.
"The promised time is at hand," Keele's voice said from monolith 01. "The road has been long, and the sacrifices have been great."
"True," 11 replied. "Thanks to Ikari we have lost the Lance of Longinus."
"That is sufficient reason for removing him," the British voice from 07 commented.
"Surely he must have realised what the release of Fuyutski meant," 09 responded
"We shall have to find another 'cats-paw' to use against Ikari," the voice of monolith 03 stated.
"And this one must know the truth," Keele added.
--------------
Rei Ayanami stared at her reflection in the mirror, lost in thought. She had come straight home after being released from the infirmary. As she stared at the image before her, she couldn't help but feel that she had lost something. Turning around, a glint of light caught her eye and she turned her attention to the glasses that lay on her chest of drawers.
Commander Ikari, she thought. Why do I feel confused about him? Once, I trusted him without question. She wandered over the glasses and looked at them more closely. Yet he did not wish us to save Suzuhara. And did not want Pilot Ikari to help Pilot Sohryu. She picked up the spectacles. He is not the man I thought he was.
Taking hold of the glasses with both hands, she began to squeeze as hard as she could. Hearing the lenses crack, she stopped squeezing. Drops of water began to fall on to them.
"Why am I crying?" she wondered aloud. "What am I crying for?"
--------------
"Yes, that's right," Commander Ikari said into the phone. He was sat in his office, with Fuyutski sat next to him. "Put a hold on Rei's...on the first-child's current status. Just keep your eyes on her, nothing more." He put the phone down. The professor looked at him.
Maybe I should tell him, Kouzou mused. No, he'd only use it to manipulate them. He sighed. "You know, Chairman Keele won't be happy you refused his request," he said aloud.
"I've given the old men at Seele something else to look at," Gendo informed him. "There will be no problem."
--------------
Ritsuko tried not to shiver as she stood naked in the dark chamber, surrounded by the Seele monoliths. She knew that the members of Seele were probably staring at her body, but she refused to allow that to bother her.
"It is our intent to carry out this inquisition in a dignified manner," Chairman Keele told her, his voice issuing from the monolith number 01, which stood directly in front of the doctor. "It is not our intent to bring any shame upon you."
"I don't feel any shame," Akagi told him, coldly.
"She's a strong woman," the thickly accented voice from 03 commented. "I can see why Ikari wants to keep her next to him."
"However, were you aware that the one who sent you here was none other than Ikari himself?" the voice coming from monolith 11 asked her. It took considerable effort on her part not to frown. She didn't like what she was hearing.
"He refused our request for the pilots of Units 00 and 02, and has sent you here in their place Dr. Akagi," Keele informed her. "We especially wished to speak to the first-child due to her prolonged exposure to the Angel."
He sent me instead of her! the blonde thought, her anger threatening to consume her.
--------------
"So, has Dr. Akagi's deposition proved acceptable?" the voice from 09 asked. The members of Seele had just spent the last couple of hour questioning Ritsuko.
"She is not like Fuyutski," the British voice from 07 stated. "It will prove more beneficial to release her."
"The woman has rendered remarkable service to the Eva series," the eastern European voice of 03 commented. "Let her continue to be of use for a while."
"For the future of mankind," 11 added.
"As for the Evangelions themselves, there are now eight under construction," 09 said, changing the subject.
"The disappearance of Tokyo-3 will prove to be a boon to the project," Keele interjected. "We must accelerate the schedule for its completion. The promised time will soon be at hand."
--------------
In the depths of Nerv headquarters, just outside Terminal Dogma, Ritsuko was busy typing commands into a small portable console. The console was hooked into the locking mechanism of the door before her. Pleased with her work, the doctor disconnected the console and removed a key-card from her pocket.
Whether he's here or not, she thought, I'm going to do it! After a moments pause, she swiped her card through the reader. She was surprised when the lock didn't release. She was about to try again when she felt something pushed into the small of her back, and heard the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked.
"Sorry, but it won't work without my password," Misato Katsuragi told her friend.
"I see," Akagi replied. She smiled to herself. "Did Kaji arrange this?"
----FLASHBACK--------------------------
It had been earlier that day that the major had finally got around to opening Kaji's 'gift'. She had been sat at her desk in her bedroom at her apartment, which was a mess. She hadn't been handling Kaji loss very well. The bin had been full of empty 'instant' food containers and numerous empty beer cans were scattered around the room.
Inside had been a computer chip and a note. As she'd read the piece of paper, she could almost hear his voice. It said -
'The way to the truth, if you want it, was sent by thirty-six other methods. But they won't reach you. The only way that is guaranteed is this capsule. This is all I have. Now it's completely up to you as to how to use this. The pass-code is our first memory. Goodbye. And take care.'
The silent phone no longer hurts as much, Misato had thought, holding the chip before her. "Not since you gave me...your heart and soul," she had added aloud.
----END OF FLASHBACK-------------------
"Show them to me," Katsuragi told the doctor sternly. It almost sounded like an order. "All the secrets you've buried here."
"All right," Ritsuko agreed, looking over her shoulder at the major. Silently, she was pleased. She could undermine his authority by showing Misato, and still do what she wanted to. Two birds with one stone.
--------------
After the major released the door lock, the two of them entered an elevator and rode down in it, into the depths of headquarters. The doctor led Misato to a door. On which was a sign informing them that this was the third annex of the Artificial Evolution Laboratory. Ritsuko opened the door and walked through it. Katsuragi followed her through and the doctor flicked a light switch.
Misato found herself in a stark room with numerous pieces of equipment placed almost haphazardly through it. The walls had some writing on them, but it made no sense to the major. In the centre of the room was a bed. It looked like the ones used by hospitals. One of the machines had a number of pill jars and vials on top.
"This isn't what I came to see Ritsuko," Misato told her friend. The blonde looked at her.
"I know that Misato," she replied. "But aren't you in the least interested by what all this is meant for." The major took a second look around and nodded. "This is the place where Rei was born."
"What?!" Katsuragi gasped.
"She was born here," Akagi repeated. "The visions of light and water that stream through her consciousness are merely reflections of this place." She smiled at the look on Misato's face. "Follow me."
--------------
As she stood on the metal catwalk, staring out into the darkness that surrounded her, Misato couldn't help but wonder what Ritsuko was going to show her next.
I always knew there was something funny about Rei, she thought. But who'd have thought... The major was stopped in mid-thought as numerous lights in the cavernous room lit up. "Is that an Eva?" she asked, looking at the massive skeletal remains below her. The bones that made up its arms, legs and spine were there, along with an orange head.
"The first one," Ritsuko answered. "A failure. We abounded it ten years ago."
"So, what is this place? Some kind of Eva graveyard?" the major enquired.
"Nothing that elaborate," Akagi informed her. "Just a dumping ground." She wandered to the edge of the catwalk and stared off into the distance. Misato followed her look, and saw there were more remains. Almost a dozen could be seen. "You know, it's a pity Shinji wasn't in when I called."
"He and Asuka went to say goodbye to their friends," Misato told her.
"Huh? Oh yeah. They've closed the school haven't they?"
"What did you mean, 'it's a pity'?" the major asked, puzzled by the doctor's choice of words.
"I was just wondering whether he'd remember this place," Ritsuko said.
"What do you mean?"
"This is the place where his mother was taken from him," Akagi said with a smile. "He was watching at the very moment she disappeared."
"Is there anything else you want to show me doctor?" Katsuragi asked coldly. The doctor nodded and walked away from the catwalk.
--------------
Misato stared up at the metal structure that hung from the ceiling. It looked like a giant brain. Below it there was a glass tube which was filled by some kind of yellow liquid. A strange sound filled the chamber. It sounded like a scuba diving respirator.
"So...this is the core of the dummy plug?" the major asked.
"This is where we produce the components," Ritsuko informed her. She reached into her lab coat pocket and pulled out a small remote. As she pressed it, the dark walls of the chamber lit up all around them. The shine coming from the walls revealed that they were made of glass. Probably filled by the same substance as the tube. Looking round, Misato saw numerous bodies suspended in the liquid. The figures looked at her and smiled.
"They're all Rei!" the major gasped. "You mean the dummy plugs are..."
"Uh-huh," Ritsuko replied, smiling. "These are the cores of the dummy plugs. They're what makes the system work."
"Who...who are they?!" Misato asked.
"These? These are empty vessels. Nothing but spare parts," the blonde informed the major. "Spare Rei's!" She chuckled a little.
"Mankind found a god, and man...in his folly, tried to make the god his toy," Akagi began. "For that arrogance mankind was punished. That happened 15 years ago. And the god that man found...was lost. But man continues to attempt to resurrect the god. And from that god, Adam, man attempted to make a man who was like a god himself. And that is Eva.
"You mean Eva's are human?!" Katsuragi gasped.
"Yes. Inside the empty shell of each Eva is a human soul. But the only vessel that can hold a soul is Rei. These things are...empty husks," the doctor continued, her smile fading. "They have no souls. No right to live." She pressed another button on the remote.
"The Room of Guaf is empty," she commented, as the light turned red. The sound of laughter emanated from the walls as the bodies began to fall apart. The major stood, rendered speechless by what she saw.
"Stop this! Do you have any idea what you're doing?!" she yelled at Ritsuko, aiming her gun at the doctor.
"Yes I know," Ritsuko replied, an evil smile on her face. "I'm destroying them!" She took a deep breath, her smile fading. "These aren't human! Just things with human forms!" she commented, sounding as if she were fighting back tears. "But even so..." she whispered. "I lost to these things. I lost to these soulless dolls. I couldn't win. I could've suffered any humiliation... Endured any torture... But he had already chosen.
"God! I'm a fool!" she cried, bending over. "Like mother, like daughter. Fools to the end. If you wanna kill me, go ahead and do it. I'd welcome death," she sobbed.
"If that's what you want, you are a fool," Misato told her softly, lowering her gun. Ritsuko dropped the remote and fells to her knees, tears running down her face. What is this curse that consumes those who come into contact with Eva?
--------------
Dr. Akagi didn't bother to look up as the door to her cell opened. She knew who it was. For a few moments there was silence as the figure stood behind the wooden chair she sat on.
"Hello commander," Ritsuko said flatly. "Did you know my cat died? The cat my grandmother was taking care of. I haven't seen it for a long time, but now I know that I'll never see it again." Her voice began to falter as she spoke.
"Why did you destroy the dummy system?" Ikari asked calmly.
"It WASN'T the dummy system I destroyed," she told him firmly. "It was Rei!"
"I'll ask you once more. Why did you do it?"
"I'm not happy anymore," Ritsuko replied sadly, "not even when you make love to me!" She closed her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to flow. "Do what ever you want with me. It's never stopped you before!"
"You disappointment me," the commander told her.
"You had no hopes or expectations of me to start with!" she yelled at him, loosing control. The tears began to fall. "I was nothing!" Gendo shook his head and left her alone in the dark cell.
"What can I do now?" Ritsuko sobbed as the tears ran down her face and fell to the ground. "What, mother?"
--------------
"Morning Shinji," Misato said in greeting as the third-child walked into her office. She hadn't slept well last night, and had come in to work early, hoping to clear her mind. What she had seen the previous evening still haunted her.
"Misato... I heard Dr. Akagi was arrested," the boy said, walking over to her desk.
"Yes, she was," Katsuragi replied.
"Why?"
"She destroyed the dummy system last night," the major replied.
"But why would she do that?" the third-child asked.
"I don't really know Shinji," Misato told him, trying to ease his mind. She sighed. "To be honest, I haven't been able to understand her thinking for a while now."
"Oh."
"I wouldn't worry about it," Katsuragi suggested. "Maya's taken over the job of keeping the Eva's in working order."
"I heard a rumour that they were going to evacuate Tokyo-3," Shinji told her after a few moments silence.
"Uh-huh. The government is likely to make the announcement later today," the major informed him. "They're worried about the damage the next Angel is going to cause. I hear they're way over budget on the repairs they've had to make so far." The boy's shoulders slumped and he sighed.
"But I do have some good news," Misato said cheerfully. "The committee's decided to send us the fifth-child, so at least there'll be someone else your age around."
"But why now?" Ikari asked, puzzled. "Are we getting another Eva?"
"No. He's being sent as a spare," the boy's guardian replied. "Since the dummy system is gone, we haven't got anything to rely on as back up in case something should happen to Rei, Asuka or you."
"What's his name?" Shinji asked.
"Kaworu," Misato replied, "Kaworu Nagisa."
To be continued...
Next Chapter -
A new friend?
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Well, what do you think? Please contact me with your comments. I'll try to answer any questions in the author notes for the next chapter.
If you want to discuss something with me, please send me an e-mail. My address is CEO_Room3@Hotmail.com. I'll do my best to respond to all correspondence.