Author's note -
Well, here's chapter 09. After this, there's just one more to go. If you have any questions about any aspect of this story, please let me know, and I'll try to answer them after the next chapter.
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 09 - "House Of Cards"
As Shinji awoke he felt calm and relaxed. The pain and torment of the previous night was gone, replaced with peace and serenity. The sudden feeling of a weight on his chest made him open his eyes and look down. He stifled a gasp as he saw Asuka's head led on his chest, with her left arm across his waist. Looking at her, sleeping peacefully and smiling, he had not the heart to wake her.
It's not as if we've done anything wrong, he thought, tilting his head back and staring at the ceiling. As long as Misato doesn't come home and find us like this. He sighed and looked over at his clock.
"Asuka! Wake up," he whispered urgently, shaking the girl gently.
"Five more minutes," the redhead sleepily murmured, nestling her head on his chest and sighing. Her eyes snapped open as she recognised Shinji's voice. "Shinji...?" She raised herself up and looked at his face. "What's going on?"
"It's morning!" the boy whispered to her.
"It's what?" Asuka asked, shaking her head to clear it. The clock on the boy's desk caught her eye. "Oh mein Gott!" she gasped. A knocking on the door prevented any further discourse.
"Shinji! Asuka!" Misato's voice called through the door. "Get up."
"We're up," the second-child called back. Shinji couldn't help but blush. "What is it?" she asked, sitting up on the bed.
"We're needed at headquarters," their guardian told them, sliding the door open. "Commander Fuyutski has ordered a First Level Alert." She took in the scene before her. Both children were still fully clothed and were on top of the sheets. "You better go get changed Asuka."
"Okay, okay," the German responded. She bent over and kissed Shinji before getting off the bed and leaving the room. The third-child sat up and watched her go. The major walked over and sat on his bed.
"We didn't... We didn't do anything last night Misato," the boy stuttered. Katsuragi sighed.
"I know you didn't Shinji," she told him. "I saw the two of you asleep together when I got home this morning."
"Asuka was helping me last night and... Well, we must've dropped off," Shinji explained.
"It's okay," Misato assured him, looking him in the eye. "I admit, it was a bit of a shock, seeing the two of you like that." She shook her head and looked at the floor. "I guess it's gonna take some getting used to. You and Asuka, I mean."
"Misato..."
"We can talk about it later," she interrupted. "You better get changed. I'll get breakfast ready." The major stood and left the room, sliding the door closed behind her. The boy groaned and slumped backwards on the bed.
Misato's making breakfast? he thought. So not a good idea!
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"God! I'm so bored!" Asuka complained as she stretched out on the bench. The three pilots were sat in one of the rest areas in their plug-suits. Commander Ikari had ordered them to remain on base and suited up more than seven hours ago.
She looked over at the other two. Shinji was sat with his back against one of the vending machines, his knees against his chest and his head down, probably lost in thought. Rei was leaning against the far wall, staring off into space.
Why in the hell do we have to stay here for anyway? the German wondered. What the hell is going on?
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"Commander Ikari has restricted all access to and from headquarters?" Maya Ibuki asked. She was sat in her seat in command, which was in semi-darkness, with a mug of coffee resting on her lap. She took a bite from the biscuit in her hands and looked at Makato and Shigeru.
"He's got the right. We are on First Level Alert," the bespectacled technician replied, leaning forward and resting his forearms on his legs. He took a sip of coffee from the mug in his hand.
"That doesn't make any sense," the lieutenant commented. "I thought Kaworu was the last Angel."
"He was," Shigeru told her, leaning against the computer console behind him. He put his mug down and crossed his arms. "All the Angel's have been defeated."
"So if we're all safe, what are we doing on First Level Alert?" Makato asked.
"You'd have to ask Commander Fuyutski that," Aoba replied.
"What's going to happen to Nerv and the Eva's?" Maya asked, having finished her biscuit. "I wish Dr. Akagi was here."
"Well, I think Nerv is probably just going to be disbanded," the longhaired technician told her, looking over at the main display. The counter on it showed they had been on alert of almost thirteen hours. "And I don't even want to think about what they're planning on doing with us!"
"All we can do it wait and see," Makato said, leaning back in his chair and sighing. "Can either of you remember when this job made any sense?"
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Major Katsuragi sighed as she stared out of one of the few windows in Nerv headquarters. The view before her was one of the lake that was situated beside the pyramid shaped building.
So mankind, a race of flawed and incomplete separate individuals, has reached the end of its evolutionary potential, has it? she thought, trying to make sense of everything she had learned in the last six hours. She'd spent the better part of that time breaking the security encryption on many of the classified files and comparing the data with the information that had been supplied to her.
The Instrumentality Project intends manufacture the evolution of man's separate entities into a single consummate being. And the committee won't use Nerv or Adam. They'll use the Eva's. She straightened up and began walking back to the terminal she had been using, hidden within the main Magi memory core. Just like Kaji said they would.
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"The time is at hand," Chairman Keele's disembodied voice informed those present within the dark chamber. "Without the Lance of Longinus, we cannot use Lilith to complete the project. Our only hope is to proceed using Lilith's only true offspring. Evangelion Unit 01."
"That was not part of Seele's original plan," Commander Ikari stated calmly. He sat at his desk, which twelve black monoliths surrounded.
"Creating the Evangelion was the pinnacle of mankind's existence," Fuyutski commented from his usual position behind the commander of Nerv.
"Humanity must evolve and shape this brave new world," Gendo said. "That was why we created the Eva series."
"We need not cast aside our human form to use Evangelion as our own private ark," the voice from the monolith numbered 09 stated.
"It's merely part of the process to free us all for rebirth," the voice of number 12 assured him.
"The fate of destruction is also the joy of rebirth," 05 added.
"Through the sacrament of death, God, humanity and all living beings will be united and reborn as one," the thickly accented voice of 07 toned.
"Death creates nothing," Ikari told the members of Seele.
"Your death will create an opportunity," Keele told him, his tone sending a shiver down Fuyutski's spine. The monoliths faded from view.
"Mankind exists because it has the will to live," Kouzou said. "After all, that's why she chose to remain in the Eva."
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Makato stretched his arms out until he felt his sinews crack. Dropping his arms to his sides, he sighed heavily. He was still tired, but was eternally grateful for the four hours of sleep he, Shigeru and Maya had been able to grab.
"Couldn't they have let us sleep a little longer?" Maya asked sleepily as she sank down into her seat. She put her steaming mug down beside her console and yawned.
"Be glad they let us sleep at all," Shigeru told her, rubbing his eyes before he took his seat. "Commander Ikari could've ordered us to stay at our posts." The bespectacled technician sat down.
"He wouldn't do that, would he?" Maya enquired, logging on to her console.
"I don't wanna find out!" Makato remarked, picking up his own mug and breathing in the smell of the coffee. He took a sip and let the liquid warm him as it ran down his throat. Putting his mug aside, he accessed his console, to see if anything had happened during his absence.
That's strange, he thought as he read the diagnostic report. He had set his console to perform a routine systems analysis before he'd gone to rest. It looks like someone's accessed a number of secured files, but there's no record of it in the system log. He leaned back in his chair and sighed. Just what is going on around here these days?!
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Misato rubbed the back of her neck, rubbing out the kinks caused by spending hours hunched over the small portable console on her lap in the confined space she was in. The console beeped and she pulled a card from the side, sticking it in her mouth, in case she suddenly found need for it. The portable computer was attached, by various leads, to the system memory core in which she was hiding.
"So... That's what really happened during Second Impact," Major Katsuragi muttered as she read the data displayed before her, her breath misting in the air surrounding her. It was cold; she had zipped up her jacket what now seemed like hours ago, but not before laying her gun beside her should she suddenly need it.
It's almost six already, she thought as she noticed the clock on the console. Dammit! I haven't got much time left. She closed her eyes and sighed, loosing herself in thought. A repetitive beeping made her look back at the screen on her lap. The paragraphs of orange text were being overwritten by one word in red, repeated over and over - 'DELETED'.
"They're on to me!" she exclaimed, getting to her feet and grabbing her gun. As she stood, she knocked over one of the empty beer cans beside her. She stood still for a moment, waiting for any indication that her activities had attracted unwanted attention. None came. "No wait," she murmured. "It's something else." The soft glow coming from the computer systems surrounding her faded, leaving her alone in the dark. "Show time."
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"We are under attack!" a voice yelled over the bas intercom, startling everyone in the command centre. "Repeat, we are under attack!" Professor Fuyutski was stood next to Makato's station and grabbed the phone as soon as it rang.
"Transfer the left circuits to the emergency communications system," he ordered. "Use satellite feed if you have to. Correct. What's the right side status?"
"Negative," came the response. "All outgoing network lines are being systematically cut-off." The professor snorted and put the phone down.
"They're going after the Magi," he murmured.
"Data upload from external terminal," Shigeru informed him. "Sir, it looks like they're trying to hack into the Magi."
"Just like I thought," Kouzou muttered. He straightened up and looked at the longhaired technician. "Is the up-link coming from the Magi-2 is Matsushiro?"
"No. There are five Magi systems working together," Aoba replied. "I've identified Germany, China and the U.S."
"So Seele is pooling all its resources," Fuyutski said thoughtfully. "Five Magi working against one. Not good odds."
"The fourth firewall has been breached!" Shigeru announced as the professor watched the progress of the invading systems on the main display.
"Locking the main database..." Makato said, typing furiously. "Negative. The system is being overtaken."
"They've reached the next level," Lieutenant Ibuki commented. "The back-up system didn't even slow them down."
This is bad, Kouzou thought. If they capture the Magi, it's all over for us. He looked over at Commander Ikari from the corner of his eye, and was surprised to see him talking to someone on the phone. At a time like this?
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"Let me guess," Dr. Akagi said dryly as the door to her cell slid open. She didn't even look up to see who it was, just continued staring at the floor. "They need help the Magi self-defence system."
"That's right," a male voice told her coldly. "Report to the command centre, where you will be briefed by Lieutenant Ibuki."
"He expects the woman he abandoned to jump when he calls!" she muttered as she got to her feet. "Arrogant bastard!"
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Makato grabbed the phone next to him as soon as it started ringing. "Hello?"
"Talk to me Hyugo," Misato's voice said.
"Tokyo-2 has launched special order A-801," he informed the major.
"What the hell does that mean?" Katsuragi asked him.
"Nerv's legal protection and jurisdiction have been revoked," he explained. "Command has been transferred to the Japanese Government." He sighed. "They only gave us one warning." He spotted Maya stood behind him, her expression making it clear she wanted to tell the major something. "It's a mess up here! They tried to take over the Magi, but we've been able to minimise most of the damage so far." He held the phone towards Maya.
"Ibuki here," the lieutenant said, leaning towards the phone. "Dr. Akagi is currently installing additional defence programs in Casper." A beep from behind them made the two technicians look behind them. "Huh?" An elevator platform rose up, carrying Misato.
"Ritsuko?!" she asked, her phone still held to her ear. She looked over to the Magi computer known as Casper, which had been raised. There were several technicians working on consoles connected to the machine.
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Ritsuko Akagi was at that moment busy typing commands into a portable console, which had been connected to Casper. She was crouched over, deep within the machine. She sighed.
Am I doing something stupid? she wondered. The interaction between men and women is so illogical. She lifted her glasses to her forehead and looked over head. "Isn't that right...mother?" she murmured as she reached up and stroked the armoured plate that covered the core of the computer. She grimaced as she felt the braces holding the piece she had had to remove when the eleventh Angel had invaded the Magi in place.
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"Goura ground circuit recovery zero point two percent," a male voice announced over the base intercom. Misato paid it no heed, and continued to stare at Casper. She was sat on the ledge that held Hyugo's console.
"How much longer?" she asked Makato thoughtfully as she raised her coffee mug to her lips.
"We should make it," he replied. "Dr. Akagi is amazing! One more minute and she'll..."
Just hacking into the Magi? the major thought, ignoring the rest of the bespectacled technician's rambling. Yeah, right! Doubt they'll gonna let us off that easily. She sighed softly and put her mug down. I hope we're doing the right thing, trusting Ritsuko!
"The Magi was just foreplay," Kouzou murmured to Ikari. The older of the two was bent forward, speaking into the commander's ear. "Seele's planning to launch and all-out offensive against headquarters and take the Eva's by force, aren't they?"
"Of course," Gendo replied calmly. "We have not only them, but also both Adam and Lilith."
"No wonder the old bastards are so nervous," Fuyutski commented, straightening up.
"External feed to the Magi has been halted," Lieutenant Ibuki announced, halting any further discussion. "A Danang-B type defence program is in place. External access has been cut off of the next 62 hours."
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Ritsuko put her console down and began to squeeze out of the tight space she was occupying. She looked back at the armoured plate and took her glasses off.
"Well mother, I'll see you soon," she muttered to it, putting them in her pocket before grabbing the console she had been using and crawling out of the Magi known as Casper.
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"Ikari has installed a type 666 firewall on the Magi external feed circuits," the voice issuing from the monolith labelled 07 informed the rest of Seele. "That's very difficult to breach."
"Apparently we will have to forgo the acquisition of the Tokyo-3 Magi," 03 responded.
"I had hoped to settle this peacefully, but he leaves me no choice," Keele sighed. He really didn't want to do this, but he had to regain control of Nerv. "Launch the invasion forces immediately!"
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"Understood," the commander of the JSSDF Special Forces said, smirking. He put the handset of field-phone down. "Show time ladies! All units, move out!" he ordered. Slowly, the soldiers that had been hiding in the scrub that surrounded Tokyo-3 got to their feet.
The commander looked up as the sound of aircraft assaulted his ears. About half a dozen fighter jets headed into the city. To his right, he could see the tank battalions heading for their assigned positions. To his left, the personnel transports began pouring into the city. He got to his feet.
"Sir, the first tank battalion is in position," a young lieutenant informed him. "They're standing by."
"Tell them to proceed as ordered," the commander informed him. The lieutenant saluted and ran off. The commander picked up his binoculars and looked at the hillside on the other side of the now deserted city. Somewhere on that hill was a Nerv radar unit. In a few minutes though, it would be nothing but scrap metal.
A glint to his right drew his attention. He watched as the tanks positioned on one of the hill roads took aim. A few moments later, the silence was broken as they opened fire. The commander watched the far hillside, waiting as the shells made impact. He smiled as he saw the explosion that signified the successful destruction of the target.
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"We've lost the radar feed from sectors eight through seventeen!" Maya Ibuki yelled over the blaring alarms. Misato looked at the side wall that was showing numerous external feeds. One by one they turned to static.
I guess this is it, the major thought sadly. I wish Kaji were here.
"A large detachment of Special Forces Units has invaded the outer defence perimeter," Shigeru informed her, bringing her attention back to the current situation.
"Two more units are in the Gotenba sector," Makato added.
"After all we've been through," Kouzou commented softly, "our final enemy is our fellow man." Misato looked up at the commander, awaiting his orders.
"All personnel, go to level one battle stations!" Gendo Ikari commanded.
"Battle stations?" Maya asked, looking at the commander. She looked back at her console, troubled. "This isn't an Angel attack," she muttered quietly. "We can't kill humans."
"I wish those bastards felt the same way!" Makato whispered back at her.
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The lone guard staggered slightly as the ground shook. He was stationed at one of the main personnel entrances to headquarters. His grip on the weapon in his hands tightened.
What the hell's going on? he wondered nervously. First almost a day of nothing... Now they say we're being invaded! He looked around, checking the corridors were clear. Man, I should have listened to Keiko and left when she did. At least then I'd be safe. The ground shook again and he planted his feet further apart, trying to maintain his balance. This is crazy! Why the hell are they attacking us?!
So caught up in his thoughts was he that he failed to notice the figure creeping up behind him until it's hand was over his mouth. Before he could react, he felt a sharp pain in his back and the world faded to darkness.
A siren began to sound as the doors behind the two figures opened. Members of the JSSDF Special Forces began to enter, hunched over to avoid any chance of being seen. The soldier pulled the knife from the guard's back and let him drop to the floor. He looked at his commander, nodded and crept off to his next objective. Behind the soldier, the pool of blood from the guard's corpse crept slowly outward as the red liquid leaked from the hole in his back.
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"What's happening? Hey!" Tetsuya cried as his radio went silent. He had been assigned to guard the W-5 access-way. It was one of the main vehicular entrances to headquarters. Hiro looked at him, puzzled. Lui didn't take his eyes from the ramp leading from the surface.
"What's wrong?" Lieutenant Ogata asked, sticking his head out of armoured vehicle blocking the access-way. Lui looked back at his commander.
"Transmission from the Southern hub has been interrupted sir," Tetsuya informed his superior, looking up at him. A sudden deafening bang made all present cover their ears. Lui's eyes went wide as he noticed the impact crater in the armoured truck. Before he could do or say anything, the truck exploded, killing everyone present.
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"The Daigatake tunnel has been cut off," a male voiced announced over the base PA system. It echoed around the bustling command centre.
"Fire in the west number five entrance," another voice added.
"Hostile forces have entered level one!" a third said, sounding to Major Katsuragi like he was panicking. She leant over Makato's console.
"The west side attack is just a decoy," she commented over the open intercom. "If they're really after the Eva's, they'll go after the pilots first." She looked at the bespectacled technician. "Tell Shinji, Rei and Asuka to get into their Eva's."
"Roger," Hyugo responded.
"We can't use the Eva's against people," Maya whined. Misato straightened up and looked over at her.
"If they find them, they're going to kill them," the major told her. "At least they'll be safe in their Eva's."
"Understood," the lieutenant responded.
"As soon as the entry plugs are inserted, stow the Eva's at the bottom of the lake," Katsuragi told Makato. "It's not the best hiding place, but it's better than the cage."
"Initiate full lock down, starting with level two," Commander Ikari ordered.
"Yes sir," Shigeru replied, his fingers flying over his console as he typed in the relevant commands.
"Full lock down has been instigated, starting at level two," the base's automated voice announced over the intercom. "All non-combat personnel must evacuate via route eighty-seven immediately. I repeat..."
"Routing Units 00, 01 and 02 via gate number eight," Makato informed Misato. "The Eva's will remain at a depth of seventy metres."
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"There's nothing more that we can do to hold them off," Kouzou commented as he stood next to Ikari. He was listening to the reports coming in from the battle. "Our defeat has become inevitable."
"So it would seem," Gendo replied. "However, I believe we still have the advantage."
"The Eva's you mean?" Fuyutski asked. The commander nodded. The professor closed his eyes as he tried to figure out what Ikari meant.
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"Major!" Makato called to attract her attention, pulling the headset from his ears. "I just got a report from the third unit. They're not leaving any survivors!"
"None?" Maya gasped, frightened. Hyugo shook his head.
"Internal monorail track 57 has been destroyed," one of the technicians to their left announced.
"This is brutal!" the bespectacled technician commented. "I'd rather be fighting the Angels!"
Of course. We don't normally fight human enemies, Misato thought. "Any of the internal security cameras still working?" she asked.
"A few," Shigeru replied.
"Show me," the major ordered, leaning over his console. The display next to him activated. What it showed was obviously one of the rest areas. The vending machines had been hit hard; they appeared to be totalled. A woman dressed in a Nerv uniform was dragging the body of one of her male colleagues along the ground. Suddenly she started jerking around and dropped to the floor, blood pouring from her.
Seeing the look on her face, Aoba switched to a different feed. Misato blinked tears away as she watched a flame-thrower fired into a storage room repeatedly.
"That's enough," she said quietly. She turned around and wiped her eyes, glad for once that most of the security cameras didn't have sound. As it was, she knew the images she'd seen would haunt her for months. She was glad she didn't have to live with the memory of their screams as well.
"There's no stopping them!" a male voice shouted, bringing the major back to the present. She wasn't sure, but Misato got the feeling he had said something else as well.
"Enemy targets confirmed in block F," Shigeru informed her. "The main bypass is under fire!"
"Seal off levels one through three," Katsuragi ordered. "Order a full retreat!" She paused, took a deep breath and sighed. May God forgive me, she thought. "Release Bakelite infusion in all passages through section 803!" Misato ordered.
"Right," the longhaired technician replied. He entered the relevant commands.
"Commencing Bakelite release in section 703, thirty seconds to completion," the automated voice announced. "Commencing Bakelite release in section 737..."
"Well...that should buy us some time," the major muttered. She pulled her gun out, check the clip was full then cocked it. "All non-combat personnel should avoid engaging the enemy," she said, replacing her gun in its holster. "These guys are pros. So if you can't retreat to Central Dogma, you're better off just surrendering."
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The commander of the invading stood on the hillside, watching the progress of the attack through his binoculars. His second-in-command walked over to him, radio in hand.
"Mount Futagoyama has been secured," the commander heard said over the radio.
"This is harder than I thought it'd be," the second-in-command commented.
"We never get the easy jobs!" the commander remarked. "Doesn't matter. Everything is going according to plan."
"Yes sir."
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"This is insane!" Makato Hyugo commented, opening a drawer beside his console. He reached in and pulled out the pistol. "The centre was made to withstand Angel attacks, not invading armies!" He released the safety and cocked the gun.
"Yeah, we could barely hold off terrorists," Shigeru replied. He was crouching on the floor, preparing a machine gun.
"If the JSSDF decides to mount an all-out invasion, we're totally screwed!" Makato muttered.
"Slowly but surely they've been cutting our defence budget," Shigeru said. "I wouldn't be surprised if they've been planning this since the very beginning."
"That's entirely possible," Misato commented, insinuating herself into their conversation. "But there's nothing we can do about it now."
"Right," the bespectacled technician replied. An explosion rocked the command deck.
"Dammit!" Misato cried, shielding herself from the blast. She looked down and saw JSSDF troops entering from one of the ancillary access doors, firing. The lead troops carried large bullet-proof riot shields.
"Shit!" Hyugo yelled, as a bullet narrowly missed him. He crouched further behind his console.
"Return fire!" Misato ordered. She leant over the console bank and opened fire. Shigeru slid over to Maya, who was cowering on the floor, hands over her ears.
"Hey," he said to gain her attention. She lowered her arms and he place a pistol in her hands. "Release the safety," he told her, swinging the machine gun into position. Ibuki stared at the weapon in her hands.
"I can't! I just can't shoot this thing Aoba!" she told him tearfully.
"Of course you can!" he replied. "You've had basic training!"
"But I shot at targets, not at other human beings!" the lieutenant exclaimed, looking at him. A bullet ricocheted off the console close to her.
"Idiot!" he growled at her. "You kill or you die!"
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"Level one secure, over," a soldier said into his radio as he wandered down one of the main corridors. The walls were full of bullet holes and the floor was covered with debris.
"Roger that," his unit commander replied over the radio. "We're moving in on the Magi in the command centre. We are currently engaged in combat." An injured man in a Nerv uniform got up to his knees as the soldier approached.
"Oh please! Jesus!" the Nerv man begged, hands in the air. The soldier shot him between the eyes from close range.
"Commence cooling of the fifth Malbolgia sector immediately," his superior ordered over the radio. The soldier walked up to the new corpse. He put his foot on its chest and fired twice more into the lifeless body, smiling.
"Terminate Eva pilots on sight," a female voice ordered over the radio. "Execution of non-combat personnel has been authorised." The soldier's smile widened.
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"Irrelevant!" Gendo Ikari said into the phone in his hand. "Terminal Dogma must be secured at all costs. It is your number one priority, understood?"
"They've destroyed just about everything else," Makato commented, dropping behind his console to change his clip. "Why don't they just nuke us and get it over with?!" Maya was hiding under her console, wrapped around a pillow
"Hey, if we weren't sitting on top of the original Magi system, they probably would've blown us to bits by now," Shigeru told him, reloading the machine gun. He was crouched behind his chair.
"You got that right," Misato muttered as she fired at the invading troops. Fuyutski looked at her as he fired down. He couldn't believe that the major could be so flippant at a time like this.
"I guess that would explain why they haven't used any explosives yet," Makato said.
"I just hope they don't start using BC weapons," the longhaired technician told him. "Things could get pretty ugly." Lieutenant Ibuki cringed at his words.
"That, or N2 mines," Hyugo replied.
The command centre shook violently, the emergency lights kicking in and giving everything an eerie red glow. Misato and the professor were knocked off their feet.
"Speak of the devil!" Aoba muttered, shielding his head as dust drifted down from above.
"Damn! Haven't they ever heard of moderation?!" Makato asked.
"That was a little much!" Kouzou commented, getting back on his feet. He grabbed his weapon. Misato put a hand on his arm.
"Wait a minute," she told him. Before he could respond, the command centre shook again, and again.
"What the hell is that?!" the professor demanded.
"Probably missile impacts," Katsuragi told him, putting a hand on the console beside her to steady herself.
"Why could they possibly want Eva this badly?!" Maya cried, arms wrapped around her head in terror.
You don't want to know, Fuyutski thought, looking at her sadly.
"Any word on those reinforcements?" Misato yelled. Shigeru grabbed the headset that was lying on the floor nearby, holding it up to his ear.
"Not yet," he answered after a few moments. "They've still got their hands full."
"Hey, did anyone see what happened to Dr. Akagi?" Makato asked, suddenly realising she was missing. Misato took a quick look around the command centre, but was unable to see her.
"Lets just hope she's keeping her head down," the major commented. What the hell are you up to now Ritsuko?
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The secretary knocked once sharply on the door to the third executive office in the Prime Minister's official residence before opening it. The building was in the Nagano Prefecture of Tokyo-2, and was thus many miles from the battle raging within the main headquarters of the Nerv organisation. She walked over to the desk, avoiding the large pendulum that swung from side to side. The man sat behind the desk looked up at her.
"The phone lines are all dead," he said to her, slamming the handset of the phone back into its cradle.
"Yes sir," his secretary replied calmly. "Missile impact was confirmed three minutes ago."
"This Instrumentality Project Nerv was secretly researching, trying to initiate Third Impact to destroy all of mankind," he snorted. "The whole thing makes me sick!"
"Humanity is probably the only creature capable of hating its own kind," she replied.
"Well then, I suppose all we have left to do is to destroy Nerv Headquarters," the man commented.
"Should Germany or China begin redevelopment?" she asked him.
"No," he answered. "We won't make the same mistake twice. Make sure no one can touch it for the next twenty years, like Old Tokyo."
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"Surface steam has dissipated," a voice announced over the radio while the commander stared through the breach in the Geo Front's plating at the pyramid that was Nerv headquarters. "High-pressure steam discharges have also stopped. All detachments' positions have been confirmed."
"Dogma level three is currently secured," his second-in-command informed him. He lowered his binoculars and looked at the officer stood next to him.
"What about those damned robots?" the commander asked.
"They're in the lake," the second-in-command replied, "about seventy metres down commander."
"Then we'll have to get them out," his superior said, smiling. "Launch depth charges. Set for detonation at seventy metres."
"Yes sir," the second-in-command responded, saluting before walking behind him. The commander of the invading forces lifted his binoculars back and stared through them at the lake that lay beside the building.
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"Either of you two got any idea what's going on out there?" Asuka asked Shinji and Rei over the intercom. They'd been sat around the base of the lake for what seemed to the German like an eternity now.
"Not really," the third-child replied, a little uncertain. "It's probably best if we just sit tight and wait for orders."
"I guess so," the redhead sighed. She frowned, realising Ayanami hadn't responded. "Hey! Rei! You're not sleeping are you?" she called.
"I was..." the first-child started, before a loud noise interrupted her. Asuka clasped her hands over her ears as the impact reverberated on the metallic structure of her Eva. The cockpit bucked and shook, almost throwing her from her seat.
"What the hell was that?!" she screeched.
"I...I think it was a deep charge," Shinji replied as whatever it was repeated.
"A deep charge?" Asuka asked as her ears stopped ringing. "That mean they know we're down here."
"Probably," Ikari said, shrugging. The three children were rattled by another detonation.
"Scheiße!" she cursed. "There's no way I'm staying down here while they chuck those things at us," the German said.
"W...what are you going to do?" Shinji asked.
"I'm gonna go up there and teach those assholes some manners, that's what I'm gonna do," the redhead told him.
"Wait Asuka," Shinji told her.
"Why should I?"
"Because it makes sense for me to go," he replied. "They may not be able to penetrate your armour, or your AT Field, but your umbilical cable is still vulnerable."
"Alright," the second-child sighed. "Just be quick about it."
"Got it," the Japanese boy replied cheerfully. "I love you," he added, before closing the voice link. Despite herself, Asuka smiled and a warm feeling welled up within her.
--------------
"Man, this is boring," a soldier commented. He was stood next to one of the tanks that was within the Geo Front, a short distance from the lake.
"You're telling me," he comrade sat on the turret replied. "I hate sentry duty." A groaning sound coming from the lake attracted their attention.
"What the hell is that?" the first soldier asked, staring at the lake. The Nerv destroyer that was moored in the middle of the lake began to rise up from the surface of the water. Slowly it got higher and higher. A pair of gigantic arms became visible holding it.
"Dear God!" the soldier sat on the tank exclaimed. He grabbed the radio that lay on the driver's seat.
--------------
Shinji grunted as Unit 01 lifted the heavy vessel out of the water. A sound caught his attention. Looking towards the far back, he saw several mobile missile launchers open fire. He angled the ship towards them and used it as a shield. The destroyer shook in the robot's hands as the missiles impacted on it.
"Take this!" Shinji yelled, throwing the vessel towards the bank. The ship landed bow first into the launchers, breaking up and exploding, destroying them. His proximity alarms began blaring and he made the purple leap into the air as a large number of missiles landed where Unit 01 had been stood.
"Incoming!" Asuka yelled over a voce link. Shinji looked up as two heavy missiles flew towards his position. At the last moment, the robot leapt aside. The boy quickly expanded his AT Field to cover himself as numerous tank and fighter aircraft opened fire.
--------------
"The cable!" an officer yelled into his radio. "Focus on the cable! Use whatever you can to sever it!"
"But sir, it doesn't have a cable," one of his troops replied.
"What?!" he demanded. He grabbed a pair of binoculars from the hands of a subordinate. "Dear God! Not that one!" he exclaimed. "Fire at will! Destroy it all costs!" he yelled into the radio.
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"Go Shinji!" Asuka cheered as Unit 01 smashed its fist into one of the fighters surrounding it. As the wreckage fell to earth, he spun round, grabbing one of the others and slamming it into another.
"Behind you," Rei's calm, quiet voice said. The purple Eva spun round, kicking a fourth plane, smashing it to pieces.
--------------
"That loathsome Evangelion!" the voice from monolith 08 commented. The members of Seele were keeping a close eye on the battle.
"Once again our plans will go unrealised," Keele commented. "It seems we must fight fire with fire."
--------------
High over headquarters, nine stealth aircraft flew in close formation. White humanoid shapes lowered slightly from their undersides. Each one has a red cylinder with the word Kaworu printed on it sticking out from what appears to be the nape of its neck. The cylinders slide in and are sealed in place by a piece of protective plating.
The white shapes then dropped from the aircraft and entered free-fall. After a few seconds, white wings unfold from their backs and they began to spiral down towards headquarters. Each on carried a strange, double-ended weapon.
--------------
"What are they?" Shinji muttered, looking up at the white figures that began to circle overhead.
"Let me see," Asuka said. Shinji opened a video link to the other two Eva's, sending them the image he was seeing. "The Eva series? It's been completed?"
"Those things are Eva's?" the third-child asked.
--------------
The fighting in the command centre had ceased, the defenders having driven the JSSDF troops back a few moments ago. Maya had successfully reactivated one of the external feeds. The main display showed the nine white Eva's circling.
"So, Seele has dispatched all nine of the Eva units equipped with the S2 engines," Commander Ikari commented.
"That seems like a bit much," Fuyutski muttered. "Unless... Did they plan to start it here?!"
"That is possible," Gendo responded, eyes fixed to the display.
--------------
Shinji watched dumbstruck as the nine Evangelions landed in a ring around him. Their wings retracted back into their bodies. The boy's eyes grew wide as he saw their heads. They had no face, only a mouth. And all of them were smiling.
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"Listen up Shinji," Misato said into the open intercom, "you have to destroy those things! Asuka, Rei, you two get your butts out of that lake and help."
"Yes ma'am!" Asuka replied, happy to finally be able to take action.
"Yes major," Rei responded quietly.
"Good luck guys," Katsuragi muttered, flicking off the communication link.
To be continued...
Next Chapter -
The decisive battle.
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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.
Well, here's chapter 09. After this, there's just one more to go. If you have any questions about any aspect of this story, please let me know, and I'll try to answer them after the next chapter.
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 09 - "House Of Cards"
As Shinji awoke he felt calm and relaxed. The pain and torment of the previous night was gone, replaced with peace and serenity. The sudden feeling of a weight on his chest made him open his eyes and look down. He stifled a gasp as he saw Asuka's head led on his chest, with her left arm across his waist. Looking at her, sleeping peacefully and smiling, he had not the heart to wake her.
It's not as if we've done anything wrong, he thought, tilting his head back and staring at the ceiling. As long as Misato doesn't come home and find us like this. He sighed and looked over at his clock.
"Asuka! Wake up," he whispered urgently, shaking the girl gently.
"Five more minutes," the redhead sleepily murmured, nestling her head on his chest and sighing. Her eyes snapped open as she recognised Shinji's voice. "Shinji...?" She raised herself up and looked at his face. "What's going on?"
"It's morning!" the boy whispered to her.
"It's what?" Asuka asked, shaking her head to clear it. The clock on the boy's desk caught her eye. "Oh mein Gott!" she gasped. A knocking on the door prevented any further discourse.
"Shinji! Asuka!" Misato's voice called through the door. "Get up."
"We're up," the second-child called back. Shinji couldn't help but blush. "What is it?" she asked, sitting up on the bed.
"We're needed at headquarters," their guardian told them, sliding the door open. "Commander Fuyutski has ordered a First Level Alert." She took in the scene before her. Both children were still fully clothed and were on top of the sheets. "You better go get changed Asuka."
"Okay, okay," the German responded. She bent over and kissed Shinji before getting off the bed and leaving the room. The third-child sat up and watched her go. The major walked over and sat on his bed.
"We didn't... We didn't do anything last night Misato," the boy stuttered. Katsuragi sighed.
"I know you didn't Shinji," she told him. "I saw the two of you asleep together when I got home this morning."
"Asuka was helping me last night and... Well, we must've dropped off," Shinji explained.
"It's okay," Misato assured him, looking him in the eye. "I admit, it was a bit of a shock, seeing the two of you like that." She shook her head and looked at the floor. "I guess it's gonna take some getting used to. You and Asuka, I mean."
"Misato..."
"We can talk about it later," she interrupted. "You better get changed. I'll get breakfast ready." The major stood and left the room, sliding the door closed behind her. The boy groaned and slumped backwards on the bed.
Misato's making breakfast? he thought. So not a good idea!
--------------
"God! I'm so bored!" Asuka complained as she stretched out on the bench. The three pilots were sat in one of the rest areas in their plug-suits. Commander Ikari had ordered them to remain on base and suited up more than seven hours ago.
She looked over at the other two. Shinji was sat with his back against one of the vending machines, his knees against his chest and his head down, probably lost in thought. Rei was leaning against the far wall, staring off into space.
Why in the hell do we have to stay here for anyway? the German wondered. What the hell is going on?
--------------
"Commander Ikari has restricted all access to and from headquarters?" Maya Ibuki asked. She was sat in her seat in command, which was in semi-darkness, with a mug of coffee resting on her lap. She took a bite from the biscuit in her hands and looked at Makato and Shigeru.
"He's got the right. We are on First Level Alert," the bespectacled technician replied, leaning forward and resting his forearms on his legs. He took a sip of coffee from the mug in his hand.
"That doesn't make any sense," the lieutenant commented. "I thought Kaworu was the last Angel."
"He was," Shigeru told her, leaning against the computer console behind him. He put his mug down and crossed his arms. "All the Angel's have been defeated."
"So if we're all safe, what are we doing on First Level Alert?" Makato asked.
"You'd have to ask Commander Fuyutski that," Aoba replied.
"What's going to happen to Nerv and the Eva's?" Maya asked, having finished her biscuit. "I wish Dr. Akagi was here."
"Well, I think Nerv is probably just going to be disbanded," the longhaired technician told her, looking over at the main display. The counter on it showed they had been on alert of almost thirteen hours. "And I don't even want to think about what they're planning on doing with us!"
"All we can do it wait and see," Makato said, leaning back in his chair and sighing. "Can either of you remember when this job made any sense?"
--------------
Major Katsuragi sighed as she stared out of one of the few windows in Nerv headquarters. The view before her was one of the lake that was situated beside the pyramid shaped building.
So mankind, a race of flawed and incomplete separate individuals, has reached the end of its evolutionary potential, has it? she thought, trying to make sense of everything she had learned in the last six hours. She'd spent the better part of that time breaking the security encryption on many of the classified files and comparing the data with the information that had been supplied to her.
The Instrumentality Project intends manufacture the evolution of man's separate entities into a single consummate being. And the committee won't use Nerv or Adam. They'll use the Eva's. She straightened up and began walking back to the terminal she had been using, hidden within the main Magi memory core. Just like Kaji said they would.
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"The time is at hand," Chairman Keele's disembodied voice informed those present within the dark chamber. "Without the Lance of Longinus, we cannot use Lilith to complete the project. Our only hope is to proceed using Lilith's only true offspring. Evangelion Unit 01."
"That was not part of Seele's original plan," Commander Ikari stated calmly. He sat at his desk, which twelve black monoliths surrounded.
"Creating the Evangelion was the pinnacle of mankind's existence," Fuyutski commented from his usual position behind the commander of Nerv.
"Humanity must evolve and shape this brave new world," Gendo said. "That was why we created the Eva series."
"We need not cast aside our human form to use Evangelion as our own private ark," the voice from the monolith numbered 09 stated.
"It's merely part of the process to free us all for rebirth," the voice of number 12 assured him.
"The fate of destruction is also the joy of rebirth," 05 added.
"Through the sacrament of death, God, humanity and all living beings will be united and reborn as one," the thickly accented voice of 07 toned.
"Death creates nothing," Ikari told the members of Seele.
"Your death will create an opportunity," Keele told him, his tone sending a shiver down Fuyutski's spine. The monoliths faded from view.
"Mankind exists because it has the will to live," Kouzou said. "After all, that's why she chose to remain in the Eva."
--------------
Makato stretched his arms out until he felt his sinews crack. Dropping his arms to his sides, he sighed heavily. He was still tired, but was eternally grateful for the four hours of sleep he, Shigeru and Maya had been able to grab.
"Couldn't they have let us sleep a little longer?" Maya asked sleepily as she sank down into her seat. She put her steaming mug down beside her console and yawned.
"Be glad they let us sleep at all," Shigeru told her, rubbing his eyes before he took his seat. "Commander Ikari could've ordered us to stay at our posts." The bespectacled technician sat down.
"He wouldn't do that, would he?" Maya enquired, logging on to her console.
"I don't wanna find out!" Makato remarked, picking up his own mug and breathing in the smell of the coffee. He took a sip and let the liquid warm him as it ran down his throat. Putting his mug aside, he accessed his console, to see if anything had happened during his absence.
That's strange, he thought as he read the diagnostic report. He had set his console to perform a routine systems analysis before he'd gone to rest. It looks like someone's accessed a number of secured files, but there's no record of it in the system log. He leaned back in his chair and sighed. Just what is going on around here these days?!
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Misato rubbed the back of her neck, rubbing out the kinks caused by spending hours hunched over the small portable console on her lap in the confined space she was in. The console beeped and she pulled a card from the side, sticking it in her mouth, in case she suddenly found need for it. The portable computer was attached, by various leads, to the system memory core in which she was hiding.
"So... That's what really happened during Second Impact," Major Katsuragi muttered as she read the data displayed before her, her breath misting in the air surrounding her. It was cold; she had zipped up her jacket what now seemed like hours ago, but not before laying her gun beside her should she suddenly need it.
It's almost six already, she thought as she noticed the clock on the console. Dammit! I haven't got much time left. She closed her eyes and sighed, loosing herself in thought. A repetitive beeping made her look back at the screen on her lap. The paragraphs of orange text were being overwritten by one word in red, repeated over and over - 'DELETED'.
"They're on to me!" she exclaimed, getting to her feet and grabbing her gun. As she stood, she knocked over one of the empty beer cans beside her. She stood still for a moment, waiting for any indication that her activities had attracted unwanted attention. None came. "No wait," she murmured. "It's something else." The soft glow coming from the computer systems surrounding her faded, leaving her alone in the dark. "Show time."
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"We are under attack!" a voice yelled over the bas intercom, startling everyone in the command centre. "Repeat, we are under attack!" Professor Fuyutski was stood next to Makato's station and grabbed the phone as soon as it rang.
"Transfer the left circuits to the emergency communications system," he ordered. "Use satellite feed if you have to. Correct. What's the right side status?"
"Negative," came the response. "All outgoing network lines are being systematically cut-off." The professor snorted and put the phone down.
"They're going after the Magi," he murmured.
"Data upload from external terminal," Shigeru informed him. "Sir, it looks like they're trying to hack into the Magi."
"Just like I thought," Kouzou muttered. He straightened up and looked at the longhaired technician. "Is the up-link coming from the Magi-2 is Matsushiro?"
"No. There are five Magi systems working together," Aoba replied. "I've identified Germany, China and the U.S."
"So Seele is pooling all its resources," Fuyutski said thoughtfully. "Five Magi working against one. Not good odds."
"The fourth firewall has been breached!" Shigeru announced as the professor watched the progress of the invading systems on the main display.
"Locking the main database..." Makato said, typing furiously. "Negative. The system is being overtaken."
"They've reached the next level," Lieutenant Ibuki commented. "The back-up system didn't even slow them down."
This is bad, Kouzou thought. If they capture the Magi, it's all over for us. He looked over at Commander Ikari from the corner of his eye, and was surprised to see him talking to someone on the phone. At a time like this?
--------------
"Let me guess," Dr. Akagi said dryly as the door to her cell slid open. She didn't even look up to see who it was, just continued staring at the floor. "They need help the Magi self-defence system."
"That's right," a male voice told her coldly. "Report to the command centre, where you will be briefed by Lieutenant Ibuki."
"He expects the woman he abandoned to jump when he calls!" she muttered as she got to her feet. "Arrogant bastard!"
--------------
Makato grabbed the phone next to him as soon as it started ringing. "Hello?"
"Talk to me Hyugo," Misato's voice said.
"Tokyo-2 has launched special order A-801," he informed the major.
"What the hell does that mean?" Katsuragi asked him.
"Nerv's legal protection and jurisdiction have been revoked," he explained. "Command has been transferred to the Japanese Government." He sighed. "They only gave us one warning." He spotted Maya stood behind him, her expression making it clear she wanted to tell the major something. "It's a mess up here! They tried to take over the Magi, but we've been able to minimise most of the damage so far." He held the phone towards Maya.
"Ibuki here," the lieutenant said, leaning towards the phone. "Dr. Akagi is currently installing additional defence programs in Casper." A beep from behind them made the two technicians look behind them. "Huh?" An elevator platform rose up, carrying Misato.
"Ritsuko?!" she asked, her phone still held to her ear. She looked over to the Magi computer known as Casper, which had been raised. There were several technicians working on consoles connected to the machine.
--------------
Ritsuko Akagi was at that moment busy typing commands into a portable console, which had been connected to Casper. She was crouched over, deep within the machine. She sighed.
Am I doing something stupid? she wondered. The interaction between men and women is so illogical. She lifted her glasses to her forehead and looked over head. "Isn't that right...mother?" she murmured as she reached up and stroked the armoured plate that covered the core of the computer. She grimaced as she felt the braces holding the piece she had had to remove when the eleventh Angel had invaded the Magi in place.
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"Goura ground circuit recovery zero point two percent," a male voice announced over the base intercom. Misato paid it no heed, and continued to stare at Casper. She was sat on the ledge that held Hyugo's console.
"How much longer?" she asked Makato thoughtfully as she raised her coffee mug to her lips.
"We should make it," he replied. "Dr. Akagi is amazing! One more minute and she'll..."
Just hacking into the Magi? the major thought, ignoring the rest of the bespectacled technician's rambling. Yeah, right! Doubt they'll gonna let us off that easily. She sighed softly and put her mug down. I hope we're doing the right thing, trusting Ritsuko!
"The Magi was just foreplay," Kouzou murmured to Ikari. The older of the two was bent forward, speaking into the commander's ear. "Seele's planning to launch and all-out offensive against headquarters and take the Eva's by force, aren't they?"
"Of course," Gendo replied calmly. "We have not only them, but also both Adam and Lilith."
"No wonder the old bastards are so nervous," Fuyutski commented, straightening up.
"External feed to the Magi has been halted," Lieutenant Ibuki announced, halting any further discussion. "A Danang-B type defence program is in place. External access has been cut off of the next 62 hours."
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Ritsuko put her console down and began to squeeze out of the tight space she was occupying. She looked back at the armoured plate and took her glasses off.
"Well mother, I'll see you soon," she muttered to it, putting them in her pocket before grabbing the console she had been using and crawling out of the Magi known as Casper.
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"Ikari has installed a type 666 firewall on the Magi external feed circuits," the voice issuing from the monolith labelled 07 informed the rest of Seele. "That's very difficult to breach."
"Apparently we will have to forgo the acquisition of the Tokyo-3 Magi," 03 responded.
"I had hoped to settle this peacefully, but he leaves me no choice," Keele sighed. He really didn't want to do this, but he had to regain control of Nerv. "Launch the invasion forces immediately!"
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"Understood," the commander of the JSSDF Special Forces said, smirking. He put the handset of field-phone down. "Show time ladies! All units, move out!" he ordered. Slowly, the soldiers that had been hiding in the scrub that surrounded Tokyo-3 got to their feet.
The commander looked up as the sound of aircraft assaulted his ears. About half a dozen fighter jets headed into the city. To his right, he could see the tank battalions heading for their assigned positions. To his left, the personnel transports began pouring into the city. He got to his feet.
"Sir, the first tank battalion is in position," a young lieutenant informed him. "They're standing by."
"Tell them to proceed as ordered," the commander informed him. The lieutenant saluted and ran off. The commander picked up his binoculars and looked at the hillside on the other side of the now deserted city. Somewhere on that hill was a Nerv radar unit. In a few minutes though, it would be nothing but scrap metal.
A glint to his right drew his attention. He watched as the tanks positioned on one of the hill roads took aim. A few moments later, the silence was broken as they opened fire. The commander watched the far hillside, waiting as the shells made impact. He smiled as he saw the explosion that signified the successful destruction of the target.
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"We've lost the radar feed from sectors eight through seventeen!" Maya Ibuki yelled over the blaring alarms. Misato looked at the side wall that was showing numerous external feeds. One by one they turned to static.
I guess this is it, the major thought sadly. I wish Kaji were here.
"A large detachment of Special Forces Units has invaded the outer defence perimeter," Shigeru informed her, bringing her attention back to the current situation.
"Two more units are in the Gotenba sector," Makato added.
"After all we've been through," Kouzou commented softly, "our final enemy is our fellow man." Misato looked up at the commander, awaiting his orders.
"All personnel, go to level one battle stations!" Gendo Ikari commanded.
"Battle stations?" Maya asked, looking at the commander. She looked back at her console, troubled. "This isn't an Angel attack," she muttered quietly. "We can't kill humans."
"I wish those bastards felt the same way!" Makato whispered back at her.
--------------
The lone guard staggered slightly as the ground shook. He was stationed at one of the main personnel entrances to headquarters. His grip on the weapon in his hands tightened.
What the hell's going on? he wondered nervously. First almost a day of nothing... Now they say we're being invaded! He looked around, checking the corridors were clear. Man, I should have listened to Keiko and left when she did. At least then I'd be safe. The ground shook again and he planted his feet further apart, trying to maintain his balance. This is crazy! Why the hell are they attacking us?!
So caught up in his thoughts was he that he failed to notice the figure creeping up behind him until it's hand was over his mouth. Before he could react, he felt a sharp pain in his back and the world faded to darkness.
A siren began to sound as the doors behind the two figures opened. Members of the JSSDF Special Forces began to enter, hunched over to avoid any chance of being seen. The soldier pulled the knife from the guard's back and let him drop to the floor. He looked at his commander, nodded and crept off to his next objective. Behind the soldier, the pool of blood from the guard's corpse crept slowly outward as the red liquid leaked from the hole in his back.
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"What's happening? Hey!" Tetsuya cried as his radio went silent. He had been assigned to guard the W-5 access-way. It was one of the main vehicular entrances to headquarters. Hiro looked at him, puzzled. Lui didn't take his eyes from the ramp leading from the surface.
"What's wrong?" Lieutenant Ogata asked, sticking his head out of armoured vehicle blocking the access-way. Lui looked back at his commander.
"Transmission from the Southern hub has been interrupted sir," Tetsuya informed his superior, looking up at him. A sudden deafening bang made all present cover their ears. Lui's eyes went wide as he noticed the impact crater in the armoured truck. Before he could do or say anything, the truck exploded, killing everyone present.
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"The Daigatake tunnel has been cut off," a male voiced announced over the base PA system. It echoed around the bustling command centre.
"Fire in the west number five entrance," another voice added.
"Hostile forces have entered level one!" a third said, sounding to Major Katsuragi like he was panicking. She leant over Makato's console.
"The west side attack is just a decoy," she commented over the open intercom. "If they're really after the Eva's, they'll go after the pilots first." She looked at the bespectacled technician. "Tell Shinji, Rei and Asuka to get into their Eva's."
"Roger," Hyugo responded.
"We can't use the Eva's against people," Maya whined. Misato straightened up and looked over at her.
"If they find them, they're going to kill them," the major told her. "At least they'll be safe in their Eva's."
"Understood," the lieutenant responded.
"As soon as the entry plugs are inserted, stow the Eva's at the bottom of the lake," Katsuragi told Makato. "It's not the best hiding place, but it's better than the cage."
"Initiate full lock down, starting with level two," Commander Ikari ordered.
"Yes sir," Shigeru replied, his fingers flying over his console as he typed in the relevant commands.
"Full lock down has been instigated, starting at level two," the base's automated voice announced over the intercom. "All non-combat personnel must evacuate via route eighty-seven immediately. I repeat..."
"Routing Units 00, 01 and 02 via gate number eight," Makato informed Misato. "The Eva's will remain at a depth of seventy metres."
--------------
"There's nothing more that we can do to hold them off," Kouzou commented as he stood next to Ikari. He was listening to the reports coming in from the battle. "Our defeat has become inevitable."
"So it would seem," Gendo replied. "However, I believe we still have the advantage."
"The Eva's you mean?" Fuyutski asked. The commander nodded. The professor closed his eyes as he tried to figure out what Ikari meant.
--------------
"Major!" Makato called to attract her attention, pulling the headset from his ears. "I just got a report from the third unit. They're not leaving any survivors!"
"None?" Maya gasped, frightened. Hyugo shook his head.
"Internal monorail track 57 has been destroyed," one of the technicians to their left announced.
"This is brutal!" the bespectacled technician commented. "I'd rather be fighting the Angels!"
Of course. We don't normally fight human enemies, Misato thought. "Any of the internal security cameras still working?" she asked.
"A few," Shigeru replied.
"Show me," the major ordered, leaning over his console. The display next to him activated. What it showed was obviously one of the rest areas. The vending machines had been hit hard; they appeared to be totalled. A woman dressed in a Nerv uniform was dragging the body of one of her male colleagues along the ground. Suddenly she started jerking around and dropped to the floor, blood pouring from her.
Seeing the look on her face, Aoba switched to a different feed. Misato blinked tears away as she watched a flame-thrower fired into a storage room repeatedly.
"That's enough," she said quietly. She turned around and wiped her eyes, glad for once that most of the security cameras didn't have sound. As it was, she knew the images she'd seen would haunt her for months. She was glad she didn't have to live with the memory of their screams as well.
"There's no stopping them!" a male voice shouted, bringing the major back to the present. She wasn't sure, but Misato got the feeling he had said something else as well.
"Enemy targets confirmed in block F," Shigeru informed her. "The main bypass is under fire!"
"Seal off levels one through three," Katsuragi ordered. "Order a full retreat!" She paused, took a deep breath and sighed. May God forgive me, she thought. "Release Bakelite infusion in all passages through section 803!" Misato ordered.
"Right," the longhaired technician replied. He entered the relevant commands.
"Commencing Bakelite release in section 703, thirty seconds to completion," the automated voice announced. "Commencing Bakelite release in section 737..."
"Well...that should buy us some time," the major muttered. She pulled her gun out, check the clip was full then cocked it. "All non-combat personnel should avoid engaging the enemy," she said, replacing her gun in its holster. "These guys are pros. So if you can't retreat to Central Dogma, you're better off just surrendering."
--------------
The commander of the invading stood on the hillside, watching the progress of the attack through his binoculars. His second-in-command walked over to him, radio in hand.
"Mount Futagoyama has been secured," the commander heard said over the radio.
"This is harder than I thought it'd be," the second-in-command commented.
"We never get the easy jobs!" the commander remarked. "Doesn't matter. Everything is going according to plan."
"Yes sir."
--------------
"This is insane!" Makato Hyugo commented, opening a drawer beside his console. He reached in and pulled out the pistol. "The centre was made to withstand Angel attacks, not invading armies!" He released the safety and cocked the gun.
"Yeah, we could barely hold off terrorists," Shigeru replied. He was crouching on the floor, preparing a machine gun.
"If the JSSDF decides to mount an all-out invasion, we're totally screwed!" Makato muttered.
"Slowly but surely they've been cutting our defence budget," Shigeru said. "I wouldn't be surprised if they've been planning this since the very beginning."
"That's entirely possible," Misato commented, insinuating herself into their conversation. "But there's nothing we can do about it now."
"Right," the bespectacled technician replied. An explosion rocked the command deck.
"Dammit!" Misato cried, shielding herself from the blast. She looked down and saw JSSDF troops entering from one of the ancillary access doors, firing. The lead troops carried large bullet-proof riot shields.
"Shit!" Hyugo yelled, as a bullet narrowly missed him. He crouched further behind his console.
"Return fire!" Misato ordered. She leant over the console bank and opened fire. Shigeru slid over to Maya, who was cowering on the floor, hands over her ears.
"Hey," he said to gain her attention. She lowered her arms and he place a pistol in her hands. "Release the safety," he told her, swinging the machine gun into position. Ibuki stared at the weapon in her hands.
"I can't! I just can't shoot this thing Aoba!" she told him tearfully.
"Of course you can!" he replied. "You've had basic training!"
"But I shot at targets, not at other human beings!" the lieutenant exclaimed, looking at him. A bullet ricocheted off the console close to her.
"Idiot!" he growled at her. "You kill or you die!"
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"Level one secure, over," a soldier said into his radio as he wandered down one of the main corridors. The walls were full of bullet holes and the floor was covered with debris.
"Roger that," his unit commander replied over the radio. "We're moving in on the Magi in the command centre. We are currently engaged in combat." An injured man in a Nerv uniform got up to his knees as the soldier approached.
"Oh please! Jesus!" the Nerv man begged, hands in the air. The soldier shot him between the eyes from close range.
"Commence cooling of the fifth Malbolgia sector immediately," his superior ordered over the radio. The soldier walked up to the new corpse. He put his foot on its chest and fired twice more into the lifeless body, smiling.
"Terminate Eva pilots on sight," a female voice ordered over the radio. "Execution of non-combat personnel has been authorised." The soldier's smile widened.
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"Irrelevant!" Gendo Ikari said into the phone in his hand. "Terminal Dogma must be secured at all costs. It is your number one priority, understood?"
"They've destroyed just about everything else," Makato commented, dropping behind his console to change his clip. "Why don't they just nuke us and get it over with?!" Maya was hiding under her console, wrapped around a pillow
"Hey, if we weren't sitting on top of the original Magi system, they probably would've blown us to bits by now," Shigeru told him, reloading the machine gun. He was crouched behind his chair.
"You got that right," Misato muttered as she fired at the invading troops. Fuyutski looked at her as he fired down. He couldn't believe that the major could be so flippant at a time like this.
"I guess that would explain why they haven't used any explosives yet," Makato said.
"I just hope they don't start using BC weapons," the longhaired technician told him. "Things could get pretty ugly." Lieutenant Ibuki cringed at his words.
"That, or N2 mines," Hyugo replied.
The command centre shook violently, the emergency lights kicking in and giving everything an eerie red glow. Misato and the professor were knocked off their feet.
"Speak of the devil!" Aoba muttered, shielding his head as dust drifted down from above.
"Damn! Haven't they ever heard of moderation?!" Makato asked.
"That was a little much!" Kouzou commented, getting back on his feet. He grabbed his weapon. Misato put a hand on his arm.
"Wait a minute," she told him. Before he could respond, the command centre shook again, and again.
"What the hell is that?!" the professor demanded.
"Probably missile impacts," Katsuragi told him, putting a hand on the console beside her to steady herself.
"Why could they possibly want Eva this badly?!" Maya cried, arms wrapped around her head in terror.
You don't want to know, Fuyutski thought, looking at her sadly.
"Any word on those reinforcements?" Misato yelled. Shigeru grabbed the headset that was lying on the floor nearby, holding it up to his ear.
"Not yet," he answered after a few moments. "They've still got their hands full."
"Hey, did anyone see what happened to Dr. Akagi?" Makato asked, suddenly realising she was missing. Misato took a quick look around the command centre, but was unable to see her.
"Lets just hope she's keeping her head down," the major commented. What the hell are you up to now Ritsuko?
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The secretary knocked once sharply on the door to the third executive office in the Prime Minister's official residence before opening it. The building was in the Nagano Prefecture of Tokyo-2, and was thus many miles from the battle raging within the main headquarters of the Nerv organisation. She walked over to the desk, avoiding the large pendulum that swung from side to side. The man sat behind the desk looked up at her.
"The phone lines are all dead," he said to her, slamming the handset of the phone back into its cradle.
"Yes sir," his secretary replied calmly. "Missile impact was confirmed three minutes ago."
"This Instrumentality Project Nerv was secretly researching, trying to initiate Third Impact to destroy all of mankind," he snorted. "The whole thing makes me sick!"
"Humanity is probably the only creature capable of hating its own kind," she replied.
"Well then, I suppose all we have left to do is to destroy Nerv Headquarters," the man commented.
"Should Germany or China begin redevelopment?" she asked him.
"No," he answered. "We won't make the same mistake twice. Make sure no one can touch it for the next twenty years, like Old Tokyo."
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"Surface steam has dissipated," a voice announced over the radio while the commander stared through the breach in the Geo Front's plating at the pyramid that was Nerv headquarters. "High-pressure steam discharges have also stopped. All detachments' positions have been confirmed."
"Dogma level three is currently secured," his second-in-command informed him. He lowered his binoculars and looked at the officer stood next to him.
"What about those damned robots?" the commander asked.
"They're in the lake," the second-in-command replied, "about seventy metres down commander."
"Then we'll have to get them out," his superior said, smiling. "Launch depth charges. Set for detonation at seventy metres."
"Yes sir," the second-in-command responded, saluting before walking behind him. The commander of the invading forces lifted his binoculars back and stared through them at the lake that lay beside the building.
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"Either of you two got any idea what's going on out there?" Asuka asked Shinji and Rei over the intercom. They'd been sat around the base of the lake for what seemed to the German like an eternity now.
"Not really," the third-child replied, a little uncertain. "It's probably best if we just sit tight and wait for orders."
"I guess so," the redhead sighed. She frowned, realising Ayanami hadn't responded. "Hey! Rei! You're not sleeping are you?" she called.
"I was..." the first-child started, before a loud noise interrupted her. Asuka clasped her hands over her ears as the impact reverberated on the metallic structure of her Eva. The cockpit bucked and shook, almost throwing her from her seat.
"What the hell was that?!" she screeched.
"I...I think it was a deep charge," Shinji replied as whatever it was repeated.
"A deep charge?" Asuka asked as her ears stopped ringing. "That mean they know we're down here."
"Probably," Ikari said, shrugging. The three children were rattled by another detonation.
"Scheiße!" she cursed. "There's no way I'm staying down here while they chuck those things at us," the German said.
"W...what are you going to do?" Shinji asked.
"I'm gonna go up there and teach those assholes some manners, that's what I'm gonna do," the redhead told him.
"Wait Asuka," Shinji told her.
"Why should I?"
"Because it makes sense for me to go," he replied. "They may not be able to penetrate your armour, or your AT Field, but your umbilical cable is still vulnerable."
"Alright," the second-child sighed. "Just be quick about it."
"Got it," the Japanese boy replied cheerfully. "I love you," he added, before closing the voice link. Despite herself, Asuka smiled and a warm feeling welled up within her.
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"Man, this is boring," a soldier commented. He was stood next to one of the tanks that was within the Geo Front, a short distance from the lake.
"You're telling me," he comrade sat on the turret replied. "I hate sentry duty." A groaning sound coming from the lake attracted their attention.
"What the hell is that?" the first soldier asked, staring at the lake. The Nerv destroyer that was moored in the middle of the lake began to rise up from the surface of the water. Slowly it got higher and higher. A pair of gigantic arms became visible holding it.
"Dear God!" the soldier sat on the tank exclaimed. He grabbed the radio that lay on the driver's seat.
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Shinji grunted as Unit 01 lifted the heavy vessel out of the water. A sound caught his attention. Looking towards the far back, he saw several mobile missile launchers open fire. He angled the ship towards them and used it as a shield. The destroyer shook in the robot's hands as the missiles impacted on it.
"Take this!" Shinji yelled, throwing the vessel towards the bank. The ship landed bow first into the launchers, breaking up and exploding, destroying them. His proximity alarms began blaring and he made the purple leap into the air as a large number of missiles landed where Unit 01 had been stood.
"Incoming!" Asuka yelled over a voce link. Shinji looked up as two heavy missiles flew towards his position. At the last moment, the robot leapt aside. The boy quickly expanded his AT Field to cover himself as numerous tank and fighter aircraft opened fire.
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"The cable!" an officer yelled into his radio. "Focus on the cable! Use whatever you can to sever it!"
"But sir, it doesn't have a cable," one of his troops replied.
"What?!" he demanded. He grabbed a pair of binoculars from the hands of a subordinate. "Dear God! Not that one!" he exclaimed. "Fire at will! Destroy it all costs!" he yelled into the radio.
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"Go Shinji!" Asuka cheered as Unit 01 smashed its fist into one of the fighters surrounding it. As the wreckage fell to earth, he spun round, grabbing one of the others and slamming it into another.
"Behind you," Rei's calm, quiet voice said. The purple Eva spun round, kicking a fourth plane, smashing it to pieces.
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"That loathsome Evangelion!" the voice from monolith 08 commented. The members of Seele were keeping a close eye on the battle.
"Once again our plans will go unrealised," Keele commented. "It seems we must fight fire with fire."
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High over headquarters, nine stealth aircraft flew in close formation. White humanoid shapes lowered slightly from their undersides. Each one has a red cylinder with the word Kaworu printed on it sticking out from what appears to be the nape of its neck. The cylinders slide in and are sealed in place by a piece of protective plating.
The white shapes then dropped from the aircraft and entered free-fall. After a few seconds, white wings unfold from their backs and they began to spiral down towards headquarters. Each on carried a strange, double-ended weapon.
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"What are they?" Shinji muttered, looking up at the white figures that began to circle overhead.
"Let me see," Asuka said. Shinji opened a video link to the other two Eva's, sending them the image he was seeing. "The Eva series? It's been completed?"
"Those things are Eva's?" the third-child asked.
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The fighting in the command centre had ceased, the defenders having driven the JSSDF troops back a few moments ago. Maya had successfully reactivated one of the external feeds. The main display showed the nine white Eva's circling.
"So, Seele has dispatched all nine of the Eva units equipped with the S2 engines," Commander Ikari commented.
"That seems like a bit much," Fuyutski muttered. "Unless... Did they plan to start it here?!"
"That is possible," Gendo responded, eyes fixed to the display.
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Shinji watched dumbstruck as the nine Evangelions landed in a ring around him. Their wings retracted back into their bodies. The boy's eyes grew wide as he saw their heads. They had no face, only a mouth. And all of them were smiling.
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"Listen up Shinji," Misato said into the open intercom, "you have to destroy those things! Asuka, Rei, you two get your butts out of that lake and help."
"Yes ma'am!" Asuka replied, happy to finally be able to take action.
"Yes major," Rei responded quietly.
"Good luck guys," Katsuragi muttered, flicking off the communication link.
To be continued...
Next Chapter -
The decisive battle.
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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.