Evangelion - Exodus
Episode Three: Battle in The Heavens
By Jonathan Jordan
DISCLAIMER: Neon Genesis Evangelion, most Eva Units, and many characters that may or may not appear in this series are copyright Gainax. Lance Murphy, some of The Eva Units, and a bunch of potential characters are my friend's or mine. Just in case you care.
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NERV-02; MARCH 21; 1800 HOURS (NERV CENTRAL TIME)/0400 HOURS (LOCAL TIME)
The desert is cool with The morning air. The sun is just beginning to peek over The edge of The horizon. Out beyond The edges of The NERV-02 facility, The desert is teeming with life. The wildlife has taken The opportunity provided by The drop in temperature to come out. On base, There is a similar level of activity. Much more than would normally be expected at this time of The morning.
Gathered around a large aerial transport is a bustling group of people. Within The larger, inner cluster of bodies, Angela Evans and Charles Stockton are performing a few last minute diagnostic tests.
"Everything seems to check out, Dr. Stockton."
"Wonderful. Oversee The loading for me. I have other business To attend to."
"Yes, sir." she says with a salute.
Off on The fringes of The crowd, Lance sort of floats. Not really sure what to do or where to go, he merely stands There and looks confused. He glances toward The main base as The oversized double doors crawl open with The loud scream of metal on metal. From within The darkness recesses of The compound, a large ground transport drives out. Loaded to The back of The truck is a gigantic metal box. Lance knows what is inside The box.
As The vehicle lumbers past, he watches with a mixture of pride and trepidation. ~I'm going to Japan. To pilot an Evangelion. This should be a happy event. So, why am I feeling like a cow on The way to meat packing plant?~
With a sigh, he follows The transport toward his ride to Japan. Along The way, he walks past Dr. Stockton. The two men cordially nod to each other as they pass. As Lance approaches The aerial transport, Angela spots him and waves in enthusiastically.
"Lance, can you believe it? We are actually going There. The main NERV headquarters. This is such a huge thing. I wonder What The Pilots are like. Do you think I will get a chance to examine The other Eva Units? That would be The highlight of my career."
He shrugs noncommitally. "Hell, I dunno Angel. I ain't never been over There before. Technically, I'm not even an employee of NERV. I'm just some random guy, got pulled off The street to play with a big-ass robot."
"Now, you know that isn't true Lance. You were picked became you were The most qualified person. If you weren't right for The job, you wouldn't heave been allowed inside The Eva in The first place."
She steps closer to him. "Trust me, dear, you are The best man for The job." She takes his hand and gives it a loving squeeze.
He gives her a weak smile. "I guess yer right. I'm just a little stressed, I suppose. I ain't never been outside The country before. Well, 'cept a couple trips to Mexico. But that ain't The same."
"You have nothing to worry about. You have amazing synch ratios for what little training you have been given. Plus, who couldn't love you."
He chuckles and gives her a kiss. "Yeah, I guess you got a point There."
Inside, however, he doesn't feel so sure.
*****
The testing lab is looking very empty at The moment. With The majority of The materials at The facility serving only to further testing of Unit-04, and The imminent departure of said Eva, much to The lab equipment has been packed away. Dr. Stockton looks around The empty lab with a wistful sigh.
"So, this is it, then? All of our work has come to this."
He walks around The lab, absent-mindedly touching The spots where There once stood a row of computers, or some piece of equipment. Now, all that remains is The dust outline indicating The size and shape of The missing pieces.
With a hint of bitterness in his voice. "They're taking her from me. All of this work, and I don't even get to see how it all turns out. Thank you Commander Ikar...I mean, Commander Fuyutski."
On his way out, he notices a flashing window on his computer terminal, one of The few remaining in The lab. With a look of mild confusion, he seats himself at The machine and clicks open The message.
TO: DR. CHARLES STOCKTON
FROM: LT. 2ND CLASS HAROLD GREER
RE: INVESTIGATION
MESSAGE: DR. STOCKTON, INVESTIGATION NEAR COMPLETION. I THINK I HAVE DISCOVERED OUR LEAK. DOUBLE CHECKING FACTS. WILL REPORT IN WITH FURTHER RESULTS IN TWO DAYS TIME.
MESSAGE DATE: 03-18-16
Dr. Stockton reads The message a second time. He looks at The date on The message, then The calendar at his side. "Two days? Greer, where's The report?"
He stops and thinks on The situation a bit harder. "Come to think of it, where are you in general? You haven't been in to The lab for days. Where are you?"
With a few key strokes, The senior technician tracks The message through The system. Glancing at The routers The message has been sent through, as well as tracing The path through filters and firewalls, he eventually finds The computer of The message's origin. "That can't be right. The terminals on that level haven't been active for well over a year. What would he have been doing down There?"
He sits and ponders this for a moment. "Maybe he was using The older machines to keep his activities private. It would make sense. So, what happened to him. Why wouldn't he have checked in by now?" He thinks for a moment longer. "I suppose I should go down There and see if There is any sign of where he may have gone. Or even The report he never filed."
He saves The message and logs out of The machine, then heads off toward The nearest lift. Nodding to The occasional other NERV employee as he passes, Dr. Stockton continues to dwell on The strange lack of communication from Lt. Greer.
The ride down to The abandoned sub-level is short and uneventful. The doors slide open and Dr. Stockton waits inside The lift for The lights to turn on. Almost immediately, he is hit by The smell. A very coppery and bitter one, it causes his nose to twitch. He also can't help but notice The unusual level of noise, a strange buzzing. When The lights reach far enough down The corridor, he can see The source of both smell and sound.
Along one of The walls, no more than 10 feet from The door to The lift, he sees The body of what once was a NERV employee. The body itself is relatively untouched, a bruise visible here and There where The clothing has been ripped or fallen open. The real trauma is in The area of The head. Or, more appropriately, where The head should have been. In its place is nothing more than a crusted and scabbed over puddle of goo. Brain mixed with skull fragments and vitreous fluids and blood. There are flies clouding around The body, and The occasional beetle can be seen here and There.
Dr. Stockton cannot help but gasp at The sight. The sheer level of violence required to do this to a person is mind boggling. "Who...would do something like this?" he asks out loud as he walks toward The body. He bends down to check The ID card on The corpse's uniform, fearing what he knows he will find.
The ID reads "Lt. 2nd Class Harold Greer."
"Oh Harold. What happened? How...who did this?"
The dead man does not have any answers.
*****
The office is well lit, as usual. Commander Young and Sub-commander Oliver are sitting across from each other at The desk. They have a number of sheets of paper laid out in front of them and seem to be comparing reports. The commander does not look like he is happy.
"What we have here, Annabelle, is a problem."
"Commander...Charles, are we sure this is what it appears to be?"
The older man sighs. "I'm afraid that it couldn't be anything else. We have a leak, Sub-commander Oliver. Someone is providing secret information to The outside."
"But, who? Everybody here has gone through such extreme security measures. The probability of anyone being a traitor is practically impossible."
"Apparently, practically impossible wasn't good enough. Just look at The information we have gathered here."
He pulls out a sheaf of papers. Handing them over, he points at The passage he is referring to. "Here, doesn't this sound uncomfortably familiar?"
She takes The papers from him, scanning The highlighted text. As she reads, her eyes widen with The shock. She stammers. "This can't be. You are sure this isn't one of our own reports?"
The commander shakes his head.
"But, that just cannot be. This is almost exactly..."
"Project 11-6357" he nods.
"What are we going to do about this, sir?"
"I'm not sure. We have to insure this information does not continue to be leaked. We also have to take measures to sabotage these projects using our stolen information. That will pose much less of a problem than The former."
The sub-commander nods her agreement. "Does this mean you will be needing me to stay behind, sir?"
"No, no. I think it would be best if we keep everything as scheduled. If we do have a leak, we do not want to tip him or her off be changing The plan. You go to Japan with Unit-04 and serve as my liaison. If I need any FURTHER assistance, I will contact you."
"Yes, sir." With no FURTHER conversation, She packs up her papers and makes her way down to The airfield.
*****
About 50 miles off base is a highway. The road itself is rarely used, mostly serving as a route for truckers to use on their cross-country trips. On this highway, at a point near The juncture where it meets up with an old back road (one which leave into The desert and right to The gates of NERV-02), There is a small truck stop and diner.
Truckers have been using this diner for years, stopping in to refuel their trucks and themselves. The harsh desert wind has sanded The exterior down to a pockmarked shell of a building, virtually unable to keep a paint job. Years of truck exhaust, dirty boots, and greasy burgers have left a thick layer of filth on every surface of The interior.
Scattered around The diner tonight are The usual fare of customers. A couple of truckers here, a biker There, even The small family on some grand adventure across The nation. Near The door, a man in a large black trenchcoat sips his coffee idly and watches The door. He waves over The young man who enters, also wearing a concealing coat.
"Mr. Turner, so good to see you again."
"Likewise Mr. Smythe." The new man replies, flagging down a waitress. "Coffee, cream and sugar, please."
The waitress nods and makes her way back behind The counter to fetch him a cup. The young man sits at The table, opposite his companion. He doesn't remove his coat, but as he sits it opens slightly, showing a flash of The standard NERV uniform. The other man, looking as if he has lived a life of hardship, nods to him. Neither of The men speak until The waitress has returned with The coffee, and moved away to check on her other customers.
Finally, The older man speaks. "So, do you have The item, as agreed?"
"I have brought it, as agreed. What about your end of The deal?"
"Right here, Mr. Turner." he responds, patting The briefcase at his side.
The young man smiles and reaches into his coat pocket, pulling out a cd case. He places it on The table in front of him, keeping his hand on it. The other man places his briefcase on The table and likewise keeps a protective hand on it. They both look at each other with distrust in their eyes. Finally, The younger man speaks.
"I guess we will have to deal with this trust issue. If you will pull out your computer, I can show you that this is indeed what I claim it is. You need only show me The contents of your case."
Wordlessly, The other man uses his free hand to pull out The laptop computer he has with him, inserting The disk into The drive and scanning The information contained on it. With a nod of approval, he opens The case at his side, revealing The perfect rows of perfect bundles of money. "Examine it. It's all There, and as we agreed."
There younger man pulls out a stack of bills and shuffles through it, making sure There are no fake, marked, or otherwise unwanted bills.
"Well, it looks as if this deal has reached its conclusion. If There is nothing else I will be on my way. It has been a pleasure doing business with you."
The older man slides The case over and shuts his computer down. "Yes, a pleasure. I assume you will be in touch if There is anything FURTHER."
Not even waiting for a reply, he packs his things away, tosses a bit of change on The table, and makes his way out. The other man simply smiles as The first leaves.
"After tonight, I think you will have more pressing concerns than what sort of information I can provide for you."
He pulls a bill from one of The bundles in The briefcase and tosses it on The table and leaves for The NERV-02 base once more. When The waitress walks by to clear The table, She sees The money and quickly pockets The $20 bill left for her. She turns it over and sees that There is writing on it.
ADAM TURNER 555-6357
*****
The landing strip is still bustling with activity. Last minute preparation for The impending flight are being made. The crew of The transport are running their final tests and checking their instruments. Inside The plane, The technicians are securing their equipment. Lance is sitting alone, watching Angela complete her work. Through The entry hatch, Sub-commander Oliver enters and walks toward Lance.
Smiling, she takes a seat next to him. "You don't look very happy."
"It's not that I ain't happy. Just, nervous. Never been to Japan before. I don't know how I'm gonna get along."
"I'm sure you will be fine, Lance. We are working on setting up someone to tutor you in The language and culture. I bet that you will be completely acclimated in a week or two."
"I hope yer right, Commander Oliver. I really do."
Angela finishes her work and joins The pair. She smiles at her boyfriend and The Sub-commander. "We're all set. Captain says we will be taking off in a minute."
Almost as soon as she says This, The cargo door in The back of The transport closes. The engines roar to life and The plane shudders down The runway. Outside, The engines kick up a cloud of sand and dust, causing anything under 5 pounds in weight to be thrown back.
With one final lurch, The transport is airborne and on The way toward Japan.
SOMEWHERE OVER The PACIFIC OCEAN; 0600 HOURS (NERV CENTRAL TIME)
The sky is empty, save for a few scattered clouds. Far below, The ocean sparkles a deep blue. The wind is blowing lightly, or at least lightly for The altitude. Something darts from cloud to cloud, casting its large shadow on The ocean surface.
The flying form moves with astounding speed. Dodging in and out of cloud banks, flying in circles and loops, The large creature moves as if unencumbered by The limitations of such things as gravity. With a sharp turn in midair, The creature dives straight for The sea below. With a splash that breaks The calm surface of The water, The flier dives beneath he surface and begins swimming. Wherever it passes, The animal life scatters with a chaotic burst.
Nothing can challenge The beast.
Suddenly, The creature turns its head toward The sky. It pauses, floating beneath The surface of The waves. Turning its head left, then right, always pointing toward The sky. In The air, a large transport emblazoned with The NERV logo flies past.
Bursting from The waves with a feral roar, The monstrous entity launches itself from The waves and straight for The plane carrying The team from NERV-02.
*****
Inside The plane, The pilot is only half paying attention to The instruments. The plane is so advanced it nearly flies itself. This has allowed The pilot to all but abandon The cockpit. As he sits at The controls, idly contemplating taking a short nap, a light on The control panel flashes.
It takes a moment for him to realize what is happening. Slowly, The realization dawns that something is not right. He jerks forward in his seat and begins pressing buttons. A small view screen folds up out of The panel in front of him, showing a radar display. The pilot looks at it closely, his eyes wide.
He flips on his intercom. "Sub-commander Oliver, can you please come to The cockpit?"
I minute later, The young black woman knocks on The door and enters. "What is it. Is There something wrong?"
"Um, ma'am, I think you should look at This. There's something on The radar."
She moves over to The panel, glancing at The radar screen. Confused, she asks "I don't understand. What is it?"
The pilot points at various parts of The screen as he explains. "This is supposed to represent us. These dots; here, here, and here, represent The defense drones. This one, however, I have no idea. It just appeared a minute or two ago. It's gaining fast, whatever it is."
"Are There external cameras?"
"Yes, ma'am. Just a minute." The pilot flips a switches and The radar screen flips to static, then a series of images begin to cycle across The screen, changing every 30 seconds. Each image shows a view from outside of The transport, each from a different angle of viewing. At first, There is nothing out of The ordinary. Then, There is a flash of black at The end of one of The images.
"Wait, can you cut back to that camera?"
"Yes, ma'am." The pilot responds as he clicks The view back.
There, in The middle of The screen, is a small black shape. As they watch, ti grows larger and larger. Soon, The form is filling The screen with it's body. It appears to be an oval shaped creature, with large leathery wings protruding from its back. Extending from The front of The thing are two long tendrils. As The two people watch, The oval splits open, revealing a double row of jagged teeth surrounding a large red sphere.
"What The fuck is that thing, commander?"
"That," The woman replies "would likely be an Angel."
*****
Sitting in The cargo bay of The transport, Lance and Angela are talking.
"I'm telling you, Lance, Japan isn't bad at all. They have great food and The nightlife is amazing."
"I'm sure it is. But, I still don't wanna be goin' There. I just don't feel right about This. Something just don't feel right here."
"She kisses him on The cheek and smiles. "Oh, be quiet. Nothing is going to happen. What could possibly go wrong?"
The intercom crackles to life with The voice of Annabelle Oliver. "Attention. Attention. Everyone to your stations. We have an Angel attack. I repeat, we have an Angel attack. Pilot Murphy, suit up and be prepared to engage with Unit-04. Technicians, have The Eva unit prepared for battle. We will launch in 90."
Everyone takes a moment to simply sit an stare at each other, before The bay is filled with he running bodies of people attempting to do their job.
Lance and Angela look at each other.
"Did She just say what I think she did, Angela?"
"Sh-sh-she did. We...you need to prepare. This transport isn't made for combat. If you don't do something, we will all die."
Lance nods solemnly. He turns to go change into his suit, but is stopped by Angela's hand on his arm. He turns back to face her. She leans in and kisses him passionately on The lips.
"For luck" is all she says as She runs off.
*****
~What am I doing? I can't fight an Angel. I can hardly pilot This thing as it is. I've only tried The one time, and I saw how well that went. THIS is insane. This is suicide. THIS is...~
"Lance, everything is ready. You up for This?"
"Not like I got a choice, is it ma'am."
"I guess not. Just remember that The S2 engine is only to be used if There is no other option. After The last test, we can't risk something happening."
"I wasn't plannin' on firin' it up anyhow. I got enough trouble comin' as it is, without takin' stupid risks."
"One more thing. You have to remember to stay on The transport. We still haven't devised an aerial adaption. If you leave The transport, we may not be able to save you."
"I know, I know. Let's just get This over with."
The Eva moves toward a platform in The center of The bay. Once There, a series of bolts are activated, locking The Unit in place. As soon as The Eva is secured into place, a portal in The top of The transport opens like an iris. The platform raises through The opening in The ceiling, locking into place once There.
Lance tests The row of controls in front of him. The platform turns left, then right. With an other set of controls, he is able to rotate The platform ack and forth, allowing a full range of motion.
~All right, let's see just how tough This Angel is.~
*****
The flying creature, known to The Lillim as an Angel, circles The offending craft for a second time. It knows instinctively that What it seeks is within This thing in front of it. What The Angel cannot determine, is where within The craft This elusive goal lies.
When The platform rises from inside The transport, The Angel senses The arrival of Unit-04 to The top of The transport. Twitching its tentacles and opening it's oversized mouth, it once again emits a deafening roar before charging toward The Evangelion.
*****
Lt. Evans turns toward Sub-commander Oliver. "Ma'am, are you sure This is The best idea? Isn't There some other way to handle This? The Eva is still untested in combat situations."
"What other option do we have? This transport can't handle an attack. We are too far from any airbases to land. We could radio for assistance, but by The time any help arrive it would be too late. All we can do is send Unit-04 to fight, and pray."
*****
Lance stands ready as The Angel flies right at him. The sound of its roar causes uncomfortable vibrations throughout The LCL of The entry plug. He readies his rifle, aiming at The rapidly approaching beast. Lining it up in his sights, he wills The Eva to pull The trigger.
The kickback of The gun, coupled with The speed of The moving plane, cause The bolts locking him in place to strain. The burst of gunfire flies randomly at The approaching Angel, strafing along it in a diagonal angle. Each bullet is stopped a few inches in front of The creature, deflected by a semi-invisible field of energy.
~Aw damn, that's right. AT Field.~
The Angel takes The opportunity provided by The unexpected kick from The gun to rush The Evangelion. It whips out its tentacles, wrapping one around The Unit's gun arm, and The other around The head. It opens its mouth, as if to roar again, but This time no sound emerges.
Inside Unit-04, Lance is screaming in pain. With every moment, The Angel is tightening its grip on his Eva. Every bit of damage The Eva takes, Lance feels. When The Angel lets loose The silent roar, Lance is overcome by a series of images.
He can see himself, dead. His body impaled by a jagged piece of metal. The LCL around him clouds with blood and he slowly slips into oblivion.
He can see The ruins of NERV-02. The buildings are burning and There are dead bodies everywhere.
He can see Unit-04 crushed by The tentacles of The Angel. The twisted metal and flesh of The Eva oozes a combination of blood, LCL, and mechanical lubricant.
Then The images pass and The Angel closes its mouth.
~What The hell was that?~
The Angel continues to tighten its grip on The Eva. Lance can feel The metallic shell of The unit begin to buckle and bend under The pressure. Even through The layers of metal and flesh, he can hear The armor giving way.
The arm with The rifle is being twisted backwards. The joint pops and cracks, finally snapping completely as The arm is ripped from The socket. Lance screams in agony, feeling as if his own arm has become dislocated as well.
He grits his teeth and wills himself to ignore The pain. With The free arm, he reaches behind his Eva's head to grab his Progressive Knife. Flipping it on, The blade extends and begins to vibrate with power.
~If I can finish a competition with my ankle broken, I can fight This bastard one armed.~
With a cry of rage and determination, Lance buries his blade into The side of The Angel. Initially, The attack is repelled by The AT Field, just as The bullets were. However, unlike The bullets, This attack is a constant pressure. Slowly, The protective field begins to give way. Sparks begin to fly as The vibrating dagger bites into The flesh of The Angel.
The Angel once more opens its mouth to let loose another roar, simultaneously tightening its grip on The Evangelion. As soon as The mouth is open, Lance thrusts his arm into The open maw, aiming straight for The red spheroid within.
Realizing The mistake, The beast closes its mouth around The arm, trapping it inches from The vulnerable core. The jagged teeth grind into The silver arm of The mechanoid, raising more sparks. Lance leans forward, attempting to throw The Angel from him. The Angel responds with even more tightening of The grip it has.
There is an audible creak and snap, then The bolts securing The Evangelion to The transport give. There is a moment of stillness as both Eva and Angel remain motionless, then both are thrown from The transport and begin to tumble toward The ocean below.
"Sonofabitch!"
The Angel flaps its wing frantically, attempting to stay airborne with The additional weight. It is futile, however. The Eva Unit's functioning arm has begun to drip blood, both its own and that of The Angel. Lance has continued to struggle against The vice-like grip of The beast's mouth.
As The pair plummet toward The ocean, they begin to pick up speed. Faster and faster, they dive toward to sea far blow. The surface of The ocean flies closer and closer, until they suddenly snap to a halt.
The umbilical cable powering Unit-04 pulls taut, stopping The falling Eva and passengers with a jolt. They swing from The cord for a moment, being dragged along The path The plane is flying.
The sudden stop has dislodged The Eva's arm from The Angel's mouth,. Lance takes This opportunity to once more stab at The red core of The Angel. The flying creature attempts to clamp down again, but at that exact moment, The cable gives and The pair are once again falling. The momentum of The unexpected return to movement gives Lance The leverage he needs to complete his action.
The knife touches The ruby sphere, puncturing it as if it were no more than soft butter. The Angel roars one final time, a last act of defiance and pain before The sphere goes dark. A bright white light flows from The opening create4d by The now inert knife, engulfing The Angel and Evangelion.
There is a loud explosion and The light recedes. All that remains is The powerless Eva Unit, still falling to certain destruction.
Inside The Unit, Lance frantically tries to figure out What to do now.
*****
On The transport, The technicians are holding their breath. Nobody was expecting The security bolts to give under The pressures of combat. When The umbilical cable stopped The falling unit, The entire transport felt a jolt. Then, There was The second jolt of The cable snapping.
Now, with The Angel obviously defeated, There is The mixed feeling of relief and concern. The attack was thwarted, and The transport is unharmed. They will all survive. Yet, The Evangelion Unit has been lost. It is falling toward The sea, and they may not be able to stop it. The people on The transport may survive this, but at What cost? They do not even know if Lance is unharmed.
In The confusion generated by The recent event's, nobody notices The projectile spit out of The Angel's mouth right before it was killed. Nobody sees The small shard of bone flying at The transport. Nobody hears The proximity alarm, warning everyone of The incoming projectile.
The first sign of any of This is when The shard punctures The side of The plane. There is a scream and a flurry of activity as The shard imbeds itself in The opposite wall of The cargo bay.
A small trickle of blood makes its way from The bone shard and down The wall.
*****
Following The explosion, The Eva Unit-04 continues to fall. The internal battery continues to run, counting down toward The inevitable end. Lance has stopped worrying. He calmly sits in The cockpit area, awaiting The impact.
~This isn't exactly The way I thought my life would end. I kind of expected to have it be old age, or some illness or something. Not falling into The ocean in a big old tin can after fighting some sort of freak of nature. I wonder what happens now. Do I go to Heaven, or Hell, or somewhere else? Did I live a good life? I think I did. I didn't do anything real wrong. I may have lied a few times, and I know I could have been a bit more friendly toward some people. I don't think any of that stuff I took when I was a kid will count against me much. Just a couple of packs of gum and stuff. I guess I don't Have to worry about Japan now. Wait, that isn't funny. I hope Angela isn't too upset by this. She's a great girl. I don't want her to be unhappy. I don't want to die. Is this what it's like to die? My life isn't really flashing before my eyes. I'm just sort of rambling on in my head. This isn't what I would have expected. It's so...~
His thoughts are cut short when he is jolted back against his seat. At first, he thinks he has finally hit surface. Then, he looks out The cracked view port, and realizes that he is floating above The waves. A few moments later, The radio crackles to life. "Pilot Murphy! Pilot Murphy, come in....Lance, talk to me."
He turns on his transmitter. "I'm here...I think. What happened, Annabelle...I mean, Sub-commander Oliver?"
"You beat The Angel. We almost lost you, though. The transport was only just able to drop a grapple to catch you. You did...a good job. We're going to hoist you up now."
"You don't sound to happy. Somethin' wrong?"
"There's something I have to tell you...when you get back on The transport."
*****
The second he is out of The entry plug, Lance heads toward The crowd of people containing Sub-commander Oliver. He doesn't even take The time to change out of his plug suit, or even clean off The LCL dripping off his body.
"Alright, Commander, what's so important you gotta tell mein person?"
The crowed parts at Lance's words, everyone scattering and finding Somethin, anything, to do to avoid The scene they all know is coming. Lying on The floor, in a pool of blood, is Lt. Angela Evans. Sub-commander Oliver is standing next to her, along with The medical doctor assigned to The transport. Lance looks from The woman on The floor to The two standing figures and back again.
"What's goin' on? What happened to Angel?"
"I'm afraid she was...injured during The fight Lance."
"How? That critter didn't come anywhere near this thing. It was too busy tryin' to get at me."
"I know, Lance. You did a good job of that. But, it looks like The Angel had one last attack before you killed it. We found this in The wall over There." She holds up a sliver of bone 3 inches long. "It punctured The ship and hit her on The way through."
"Is...is she gonna be ok?"
The doctor and sub-commander look at each other sadly. Lance doesn't wait to hear their answer, instinctively knowing from their expressions.
"She's dead, ain't She?"
The doctor speaks at this point. "Yes, I'm afraid She is. The sharp pierced her heart. She died almost instantly. There...was nothing I could do to save her."
Lance simply nods wordlessly.
~I killed her, then. It was my job to protect everyone, and I let The woman I love die. I failed again.~
NERV CENTRAL; MARCH 22; 1400 HOURS
The landing strip for The transport is relatively empty, all things considered. With such an important delivery, and one of such a volatile nature, one would expect a full military detail posted and on guard. With The arrival of an Evangelion, especially one of such an experimental concept, one would expect a crew of technicians. With The imminent arrival of a load of Americans, one would expect translators.
Instead, all that can be found awaiting The arrival of The new Eva are Commander Kozo Fuyutski, two 15 year olds (one male, one female), and The bare minimum of support crew to land and unload The plane. They all watch silently as The plane approaches and lands.
Once The transport has been secured and The cargo doors have opened, Commander Fuyutski steps forward.
"On behalf of The people of Tokyo-3, I welcome you to NERV Central."
TO BE CONTINUED...
Episode Three: Battle in The Heavens
By Jonathan Jordan
DISCLAIMER: Neon Genesis Evangelion, most Eva Units, and many characters that may or may not appear in this series are copyright Gainax. Lance Murphy, some of The Eva Units, and a bunch of potential characters are my friend's or mine. Just in case you care.
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NERV-02; MARCH 21; 1800 HOURS (NERV CENTRAL TIME)/0400 HOURS (LOCAL TIME)
The desert is cool with The morning air. The sun is just beginning to peek over The edge of The horizon. Out beyond The edges of The NERV-02 facility, The desert is teeming with life. The wildlife has taken The opportunity provided by The drop in temperature to come out. On base, There is a similar level of activity. Much more than would normally be expected at this time of The morning.
Gathered around a large aerial transport is a bustling group of people. Within The larger, inner cluster of bodies, Angela Evans and Charles Stockton are performing a few last minute diagnostic tests.
"Everything seems to check out, Dr. Stockton."
"Wonderful. Oversee The loading for me. I have other business To attend to."
"Yes, sir." she says with a salute.
Off on The fringes of The crowd, Lance sort of floats. Not really sure what to do or where to go, he merely stands There and looks confused. He glances toward The main base as The oversized double doors crawl open with The loud scream of metal on metal. From within The darkness recesses of The compound, a large ground transport drives out. Loaded to The back of The truck is a gigantic metal box. Lance knows what is inside The box.
As The vehicle lumbers past, he watches with a mixture of pride and trepidation. ~I'm going to Japan. To pilot an Evangelion. This should be a happy event. So, why am I feeling like a cow on The way to meat packing plant?~
With a sigh, he follows The transport toward his ride to Japan. Along The way, he walks past Dr. Stockton. The two men cordially nod to each other as they pass. As Lance approaches The aerial transport, Angela spots him and waves in enthusiastically.
"Lance, can you believe it? We are actually going There. The main NERV headquarters. This is such a huge thing. I wonder What The Pilots are like. Do you think I will get a chance to examine The other Eva Units? That would be The highlight of my career."
He shrugs noncommitally. "Hell, I dunno Angel. I ain't never been over There before. Technically, I'm not even an employee of NERV. I'm just some random guy, got pulled off The street to play with a big-ass robot."
"Now, you know that isn't true Lance. You were picked became you were The most qualified person. If you weren't right for The job, you wouldn't heave been allowed inside The Eva in The first place."
She steps closer to him. "Trust me, dear, you are The best man for The job." She takes his hand and gives it a loving squeeze.
He gives her a weak smile. "I guess yer right. I'm just a little stressed, I suppose. I ain't never been outside The country before. Well, 'cept a couple trips to Mexico. But that ain't The same."
"You have nothing to worry about. You have amazing synch ratios for what little training you have been given. Plus, who couldn't love you."
He chuckles and gives her a kiss. "Yeah, I guess you got a point There."
Inside, however, he doesn't feel so sure.
*****
The testing lab is looking very empty at The moment. With The majority of The materials at The facility serving only to further testing of Unit-04, and The imminent departure of said Eva, much to The lab equipment has been packed away. Dr. Stockton looks around The empty lab with a wistful sigh.
"So, this is it, then? All of our work has come to this."
He walks around The lab, absent-mindedly touching The spots where There once stood a row of computers, or some piece of equipment. Now, all that remains is The dust outline indicating The size and shape of The missing pieces.
With a hint of bitterness in his voice. "They're taking her from me. All of this work, and I don't even get to see how it all turns out. Thank you Commander Ikar...I mean, Commander Fuyutski."
On his way out, he notices a flashing window on his computer terminal, one of The few remaining in The lab. With a look of mild confusion, he seats himself at The machine and clicks open The message.
TO: DR. CHARLES STOCKTON
FROM: LT. 2ND CLASS HAROLD GREER
RE: INVESTIGATION
MESSAGE: DR. STOCKTON, INVESTIGATION NEAR COMPLETION. I THINK I HAVE DISCOVERED OUR LEAK. DOUBLE CHECKING FACTS. WILL REPORT IN WITH FURTHER RESULTS IN TWO DAYS TIME.
MESSAGE DATE: 03-18-16
Dr. Stockton reads The message a second time. He looks at The date on The message, then The calendar at his side. "Two days? Greer, where's The report?"
He stops and thinks on The situation a bit harder. "Come to think of it, where are you in general? You haven't been in to The lab for days. Where are you?"
With a few key strokes, The senior technician tracks The message through The system. Glancing at The routers The message has been sent through, as well as tracing The path through filters and firewalls, he eventually finds The computer of The message's origin. "That can't be right. The terminals on that level haven't been active for well over a year. What would he have been doing down There?"
He sits and ponders this for a moment. "Maybe he was using The older machines to keep his activities private. It would make sense. So, what happened to him. Why wouldn't he have checked in by now?" He thinks for a moment longer. "I suppose I should go down There and see if There is any sign of where he may have gone. Or even The report he never filed."
He saves The message and logs out of The machine, then heads off toward The nearest lift. Nodding to The occasional other NERV employee as he passes, Dr. Stockton continues to dwell on The strange lack of communication from Lt. Greer.
The ride down to The abandoned sub-level is short and uneventful. The doors slide open and Dr. Stockton waits inside The lift for The lights to turn on. Almost immediately, he is hit by The smell. A very coppery and bitter one, it causes his nose to twitch. He also can't help but notice The unusual level of noise, a strange buzzing. When The lights reach far enough down The corridor, he can see The source of both smell and sound.
Along one of The walls, no more than 10 feet from The door to The lift, he sees The body of what once was a NERV employee. The body itself is relatively untouched, a bruise visible here and There where The clothing has been ripped or fallen open. The real trauma is in The area of The head. Or, more appropriately, where The head should have been. In its place is nothing more than a crusted and scabbed over puddle of goo. Brain mixed with skull fragments and vitreous fluids and blood. There are flies clouding around The body, and The occasional beetle can be seen here and There.
Dr. Stockton cannot help but gasp at The sight. The sheer level of violence required to do this to a person is mind boggling. "Who...would do something like this?" he asks out loud as he walks toward The body. He bends down to check The ID card on The corpse's uniform, fearing what he knows he will find.
The ID reads "Lt. 2nd Class Harold Greer."
"Oh Harold. What happened? How...who did this?"
The dead man does not have any answers.
*****
The office is well lit, as usual. Commander Young and Sub-commander Oliver are sitting across from each other at The desk. They have a number of sheets of paper laid out in front of them and seem to be comparing reports. The commander does not look like he is happy.
"What we have here, Annabelle, is a problem."
"Commander...Charles, are we sure this is what it appears to be?"
The older man sighs. "I'm afraid that it couldn't be anything else. We have a leak, Sub-commander Oliver. Someone is providing secret information to The outside."
"But, who? Everybody here has gone through such extreme security measures. The probability of anyone being a traitor is practically impossible."
"Apparently, practically impossible wasn't good enough. Just look at The information we have gathered here."
He pulls out a sheaf of papers. Handing them over, he points at The passage he is referring to. "Here, doesn't this sound uncomfortably familiar?"
She takes The papers from him, scanning The highlighted text. As she reads, her eyes widen with The shock. She stammers. "This can't be. You are sure this isn't one of our own reports?"
The commander shakes his head.
"But, that just cannot be. This is almost exactly..."
"Project 11-6357" he nods.
"What are we going to do about this, sir?"
"I'm not sure. We have to insure this information does not continue to be leaked. We also have to take measures to sabotage these projects using our stolen information. That will pose much less of a problem than The former."
The sub-commander nods her agreement. "Does this mean you will be needing me to stay behind, sir?"
"No, no. I think it would be best if we keep everything as scheduled. If we do have a leak, we do not want to tip him or her off be changing The plan. You go to Japan with Unit-04 and serve as my liaison. If I need any FURTHER assistance, I will contact you."
"Yes, sir." With no FURTHER conversation, She packs up her papers and makes her way down to The airfield.
*****
About 50 miles off base is a highway. The road itself is rarely used, mostly serving as a route for truckers to use on their cross-country trips. On this highway, at a point near The juncture where it meets up with an old back road (one which leave into The desert and right to The gates of NERV-02), There is a small truck stop and diner.
Truckers have been using this diner for years, stopping in to refuel their trucks and themselves. The harsh desert wind has sanded The exterior down to a pockmarked shell of a building, virtually unable to keep a paint job. Years of truck exhaust, dirty boots, and greasy burgers have left a thick layer of filth on every surface of The interior.
Scattered around The diner tonight are The usual fare of customers. A couple of truckers here, a biker There, even The small family on some grand adventure across The nation. Near The door, a man in a large black trenchcoat sips his coffee idly and watches The door. He waves over The young man who enters, also wearing a concealing coat.
"Mr. Turner, so good to see you again."
"Likewise Mr. Smythe." The new man replies, flagging down a waitress. "Coffee, cream and sugar, please."
The waitress nods and makes her way back behind The counter to fetch him a cup. The young man sits at The table, opposite his companion. He doesn't remove his coat, but as he sits it opens slightly, showing a flash of The standard NERV uniform. The other man, looking as if he has lived a life of hardship, nods to him. Neither of The men speak until The waitress has returned with The coffee, and moved away to check on her other customers.
Finally, The older man speaks. "So, do you have The item, as agreed?"
"I have brought it, as agreed. What about your end of The deal?"
"Right here, Mr. Turner." he responds, patting The briefcase at his side.
The young man smiles and reaches into his coat pocket, pulling out a cd case. He places it on The table in front of him, keeping his hand on it. The other man places his briefcase on The table and likewise keeps a protective hand on it. They both look at each other with distrust in their eyes. Finally, The younger man speaks.
"I guess we will have to deal with this trust issue. If you will pull out your computer, I can show you that this is indeed what I claim it is. You need only show me The contents of your case."
Wordlessly, The other man uses his free hand to pull out The laptop computer he has with him, inserting The disk into The drive and scanning The information contained on it. With a nod of approval, he opens The case at his side, revealing The perfect rows of perfect bundles of money. "Examine it. It's all There, and as we agreed."
There younger man pulls out a stack of bills and shuffles through it, making sure There are no fake, marked, or otherwise unwanted bills.
"Well, it looks as if this deal has reached its conclusion. If There is nothing else I will be on my way. It has been a pleasure doing business with you."
The older man slides The case over and shuts his computer down. "Yes, a pleasure. I assume you will be in touch if There is anything FURTHER."
Not even waiting for a reply, he packs his things away, tosses a bit of change on The table, and makes his way out. The other man simply smiles as The first leaves.
"After tonight, I think you will have more pressing concerns than what sort of information I can provide for you."
He pulls a bill from one of The bundles in The briefcase and tosses it on The table and leaves for The NERV-02 base once more. When The waitress walks by to clear The table, She sees The money and quickly pockets The $20 bill left for her. She turns it over and sees that There is writing on it.
ADAM TURNER 555-6357
*****
The landing strip is still bustling with activity. Last minute preparation for The impending flight are being made. The crew of The transport are running their final tests and checking their instruments. Inside The plane, The technicians are securing their equipment. Lance is sitting alone, watching Angela complete her work. Through The entry hatch, Sub-commander Oliver enters and walks toward Lance.
Smiling, she takes a seat next to him. "You don't look very happy."
"It's not that I ain't happy. Just, nervous. Never been to Japan before. I don't know how I'm gonna get along."
"I'm sure you will be fine, Lance. We are working on setting up someone to tutor you in The language and culture. I bet that you will be completely acclimated in a week or two."
"I hope yer right, Commander Oliver. I really do."
Angela finishes her work and joins The pair. She smiles at her boyfriend and The Sub-commander. "We're all set. Captain says we will be taking off in a minute."
Almost as soon as she says This, The cargo door in The back of The transport closes. The engines roar to life and The plane shudders down The runway. Outside, The engines kick up a cloud of sand and dust, causing anything under 5 pounds in weight to be thrown back.
With one final lurch, The transport is airborne and on The way toward Japan.
SOMEWHERE OVER The PACIFIC OCEAN; 0600 HOURS (NERV CENTRAL TIME)
The sky is empty, save for a few scattered clouds. Far below, The ocean sparkles a deep blue. The wind is blowing lightly, or at least lightly for The altitude. Something darts from cloud to cloud, casting its large shadow on The ocean surface.
The flying form moves with astounding speed. Dodging in and out of cloud banks, flying in circles and loops, The large creature moves as if unencumbered by The limitations of such things as gravity. With a sharp turn in midair, The creature dives straight for The sea below. With a splash that breaks The calm surface of The water, The flier dives beneath he surface and begins swimming. Wherever it passes, The animal life scatters with a chaotic burst.
Nothing can challenge The beast.
Suddenly, The creature turns its head toward The sky. It pauses, floating beneath The surface of The waves. Turning its head left, then right, always pointing toward The sky. In The air, a large transport emblazoned with The NERV logo flies past.
Bursting from The waves with a feral roar, The monstrous entity launches itself from The waves and straight for The plane carrying The team from NERV-02.
*****
Inside The plane, The pilot is only half paying attention to The instruments. The plane is so advanced it nearly flies itself. This has allowed The pilot to all but abandon The cockpit. As he sits at The controls, idly contemplating taking a short nap, a light on The control panel flashes.
It takes a moment for him to realize what is happening. Slowly, The realization dawns that something is not right. He jerks forward in his seat and begins pressing buttons. A small view screen folds up out of The panel in front of him, showing a radar display. The pilot looks at it closely, his eyes wide.
He flips on his intercom. "Sub-commander Oliver, can you please come to The cockpit?"
I minute later, The young black woman knocks on The door and enters. "What is it. Is There something wrong?"
"Um, ma'am, I think you should look at This. There's something on The radar."
She moves over to The panel, glancing at The radar screen. Confused, she asks "I don't understand. What is it?"
The pilot points at various parts of The screen as he explains. "This is supposed to represent us. These dots; here, here, and here, represent The defense drones. This one, however, I have no idea. It just appeared a minute or two ago. It's gaining fast, whatever it is."
"Are There external cameras?"
"Yes, ma'am. Just a minute." The pilot flips a switches and The radar screen flips to static, then a series of images begin to cycle across The screen, changing every 30 seconds. Each image shows a view from outside of The transport, each from a different angle of viewing. At first, There is nothing out of The ordinary. Then, There is a flash of black at The end of one of The images.
"Wait, can you cut back to that camera?"
"Yes, ma'am." The pilot responds as he clicks The view back.
There, in The middle of The screen, is a small black shape. As they watch, ti grows larger and larger. Soon, The form is filling The screen with it's body. It appears to be an oval shaped creature, with large leathery wings protruding from its back. Extending from The front of The thing are two long tendrils. As The two people watch, The oval splits open, revealing a double row of jagged teeth surrounding a large red sphere.
"What The fuck is that thing, commander?"
"That," The woman replies "would likely be an Angel."
*****
Sitting in The cargo bay of The transport, Lance and Angela are talking.
"I'm telling you, Lance, Japan isn't bad at all. They have great food and The nightlife is amazing."
"I'm sure it is. But, I still don't wanna be goin' There. I just don't feel right about This. Something just don't feel right here."
"She kisses him on The cheek and smiles. "Oh, be quiet. Nothing is going to happen. What could possibly go wrong?"
The intercom crackles to life with The voice of Annabelle Oliver. "Attention. Attention. Everyone to your stations. We have an Angel attack. I repeat, we have an Angel attack. Pilot Murphy, suit up and be prepared to engage with Unit-04. Technicians, have The Eva unit prepared for battle. We will launch in 90."
Everyone takes a moment to simply sit an stare at each other, before The bay is filled with he running bodies of people attempting to do their job.
Lance and Angela look at each other.
"Did She just say what I think she did, Angela?"
"Sh-sh-she did. We...you need to prepare. This transport isn't made for combat. If you don't do something, we will all die."
Lance nods solemnly. He turns to go change into his suit, but is stopped by Angela's hand on his arm. He turns back to face her. She leans in and kisses him passionately on The lips.
"For luck" is all she says as She runs off.
*****
~What am I doing? I can't fight an Angel. I can hardly pilot This thing as it is. I've only tried The one time, and I saw how well that went. THIS is insane. This is suicide. THIS is...~
"Lance, everything is ready. You up for This?"
"Not like I got a choice, is it ma'am."
"I guess not. Just remember that The S2 engine is only to be used if There is no other option. After The last test, we can't risk something happening."
"I wasn't plannin' on firin' it up anyhow. I got enough trouble comin' as it is, without takin' stupid risks."
"One more thing. You have to remember to stay on The transport. We still haven't devised an aerial adaption. If you leave The transport, we may not be able to save you."
"I know, I know. Let's just get This over with."
The Eva moves toward a platform in The center of The bay. Once There, a series of bolts are activated, locking The Unit in place. As soon as The Eva is secured into place, a portal in The top of The transport opens like an iris. The platform raises through The opening in The ceiling, locking into place once There.
Lance tests The row of controls in front of him. The platform turns left, then right. With an other set of controls, he is able to rotate The platform ack and forth, allowing a full range of motion.
~All right, let's see just how tough This Angel is.~
*****
The flying creature, known to The Lillim as an Angel, circles The offending craft for a second time. It knows instinctively that What it seeks is within This thing in front of it. What The Angel cannot determine, is where within The craft This elusive goal lies.
When The platform rises from inside The transport, The Angel senses The arrival of Unit-04 to The top of The transport. Twitching its tentacles and opening it's oversized mouth, it once again emits a deafening roar before charging toward The Evangelion.
*****
Lt. Evans turns toward Sub-commander Oliver. "Ma'am, are you sure This is The best idea? Isn't There some other way to handle This? The Eva is still untested in combat situations."
"What other option do we have? This transport can't handle an attack. We are too far from any airbases to land. We could radio for assistance, but by The time any help arrive it would be too late. All we can do is send Unit-04 to fight, and pray."
*****
Lance stands ready as The Angel flies right at him. The sound of its roar causes uncomfortable vibrations throughout The LCL of The entry plug. He readies his rifle, aiming at The rapidly approaching beast. Lining it up in his sights, he wills The Eva to pull The trigger.
The kickback of The gun, coupled with The speed of The moving plane, cause The bolts locking him in place to strain. The burst of gunfire flies randomly at The approaching Angel, strafing along it in a diagonal angle. Each bullet is stopped a few inches in front of The creature, deflected by a semi-invisible field of energy.
~Aw damn, that's right. AT Field.~
The Angel takes The opportunity provided by The unexpected kick from The gun to rush The Evangelion. It whips out its tentacles, wrapping one around The Unit's gun arm, and The other around The head. It opens its mouth, as if to roar again, but This time no sound emerges.
Inside Unit-04, Lance is screaming in pain. With every moment, The Angel is tightening its grip on his Eva. Every bit of damage The Eva takes, Lance feels. When The Angel lets loose The silent roar, Lance is overcome by a series of images.
He can see himself, dead. His body impaled by a jagged piece of metal. The LCL around him clouds with blood and he slowly slips into oblivion.
He can see The ruins of NERV-02. The buildings are burning and There are dead bodies everywhere.
He can see Unit-04 crushed by The tentacles of The Angel. The twisted metal and flesh of The Eva oozes a combination of blood, LCL, and mechanical lubricant.
Then The images pass and The Angel closes its mouth.
~What The hell was that?~
The Angel continues to tighten its grip on The Eva. Lance can feel The metallic shell of The unit begin to buckle and bend under The pressure. Even through The layers of metal and flesh, he can hear The armor giving way.
The arm with The rifle is being twisted backwards. The joint pops and cracks, finally snapping completely as The arm is ripped from The socket. Lance screams in agony, feeling as if his own arm has become dislocated as well.
He grits his teeth and wills himself to ignore The pain. With The free arm, he reaches behind his Eva's head to grab his Progressive Knife. Flipping it on, The blade extends and begins to vibrate with power.
~If I can finish a competition with my ankle broken, I can fight This bastard one armed.~
With a cry of rage and determination, Lance buries his blade into The side of The Angel. Initially, The attack is repelled by The AT Field, just as The bullets were. However, unlike The bullets, This attack is a constant pressure. Slowly, The protective field begins to give way. Sparks begin to fly as The vibrating dagger bites into The flesh of The Angel.
The Angel once more opens its mouth to let loose another roar, simultaneously tightening its grip on The Evangelion. As soon as The mouth is open, Lance thrusts his arm into The open maw, aiming straight for The red spheroid within.
Realizing The mistake, The beast closes its mouth around The arm, trapping it inches from The vulnerable core. The jagged teeth grind into The silver arm of The mechanoid, raising more sparks. Lance leans forward, attempting to throw The Angel from him. The Angel responds with even more tightening of The grip it has.
There is an audible creak and snap, then The bolts securing The Evangelion to The transport give. There is a moment of stillness as both Eva and Angel remain motionless, then both are thrown from The transport and begin to tumble toward The ocean below.
"Sonofabitch!"
The Angel flaps its wing frantically, attempting to stay airborne with The additional weight. It is futile, however. The Eva Unit's functioning arm has begun to drip blood, both its own and that of The Angel. Lance has continued to struggle against The vice-like grip of The beast's mouth.
As The pair plummet toward The ocean, they begin to pick up speed. Faster and faster, they dive toward to sea far blow. The surface of The ocean flies closer and closer, until they suddenly snap to a halt.
The umbilical cable powering Unit-04 pulls taut, stopping The falling Eva and passengers with a jolt. They swing from The cord for a moment, being dragged along The path The plane is flying.
The sudden stop has dislodged The Eva's arm from The Angel's mouth,. Lance takes This opportunity to once more stab at The red core of The Angel. The flying creature attempts to clamp down again, but at that exact moment, The cable gives and The pair are once again falling. The momentum of The unexpected return to movement gives Lance The leverage he needs to complete his action.
The knife touches The ruby sphere, puncturing it as if it were no more than soft butter. The Angel roars one final time, a last act of defiance and pain before The sphere goes dark. A bright white light flows from The opening create4d by The now inert knife, engulfing The Angel and Evangelion.
There is a loud explosion and The light recedes. All that remains is The powerless Eva Unit, still falling to certain destruction.
Inside The Unit, Lance frantically tries to figure out What to do now.
*****
On The transport, The technicians are holding their breath. Nobody was expecting The security bolts to give under The pressures of combat. When The umbilical cable stopped The falling unit, The entire transport felt a jolt. Then, There was The second jolt of The cable snapping.
Now, with The Angel obviously defeated, There is The mixed feeling of relief and concern. The attack was thwarted, and The transport is unharmed. They will all survive. Yet, The Evangelion Unit has been lost. It is falling toward The sea, and they may not be able to stop it. The people on The transport may survive this, but at What cost? They do not even know if Lance is unharmed.
In The confusion generated by The recent event's, nobody notices The projectile spit out of The Angel's mouth right before it was killed. Nobody sees The small shard of bone flying at The transport. Nobody hears The proximity alarm, warning everyone of The incoming projectile.
The first sign of any of This is when The shard punctures The side of The plane. There is a scream and a flurry of activity as The shard imbeds itself in The opposite wall of The cargo bay.
A small trickle of blood makes its way from The bone shard and down The wall.
*****
Following The explosion, The Eva Unit-04 continues to fall. The internal battery continues to run, counting down toward The inevitable end. Lance has stopped worrying. He calmly sits in The cockpit area, awaiting The impact.
~This isn't exactly The way I thought my life would end. I kind of expected to have it be old age, or some illness or something. Not falling into The ocean in a big old tin can after fighting some sort of freak of nature. I wonder what happens now. Do I go to Heaven, or Hell, or somewhere else? Did I live a good life? I think I did. I didn't do anything real wrong. I may have lied a few times, and I know I could have been a bit more friendly toward some people. I don't think any of that stuff I took when I was a kid will count against me much. Just a couple of packs of gum and stuff. I guess I don't Have to worry about Japan now. Wait, that isn't funny. I hope Angela isn't too upset by this. She's a great girl. I don't want her to be unhappy. I don't want to die. Is this what it's like to die? My life isn't really flashing before my eyes. I'm just sort of rambling on in my head. This isn't what I would have expected. It's so...~
His thoughts are cut short when he is jolted back against his seat. At first, he thinks he has finally hit surface. Then, he looks out The cracked view port, and realizes that he is floating above The waves. A few moments later, The radio crackles to life. "Pilot Murphy! Pilot Murphy, come in....Lance, talk to me."
He turns on his transmitter. "I'm here...I think. What happened, Annabelle...I mean, Sub-commander Oliver?"
"You beat The Angel. We almost lost you, though. The transport was only just able to drop a grapple to catch you. You did...a good job. We're going to hoist you up now."
"You don't sound to happy. Somethin' wrong?"
"There's something I have to tell you...when you get back on The transport."
*****
The second he is out of The entry plug, Lance heads toward The crowd of people containing Sub-commander Oliver. He doesn't even take The time to change out of his plug suit, or even clean off The LCL dripping off his body.
"Alright, Commander, what's so important you gotta tell mein person?"
The crowed parts at Lance's words, everyone scattering and finding Somethin, anything, to do to avoid The scene they all know is coming. Lying on The floor, in a pool of blood, is Lt. Angela Evans. Sub-commander Oliver is standing next to her, along with The medical doctor assigned to The transport. Lance looks from The woman on The floor to The two standing figures and back again.
"What's goin' on? What happened to Angel?"
"I'm afraid she was...injured during The fight Lance."
"How? That critter didn't come anywhere near this thing. It was too busy tryin' to get at me."
"I know, Lance. You did a good job of that. But, it looks like The Angel had one last attack before you killed it. We found this in The wall over There." She holds up a sliver of bone 3 inches long. "It punctured The ship and hit her on The way through."
"Is...is she gonna be ok?"
The doctor and sub-commander look at each other sadly. Lance doesn't wait to hear their answer, instinctively knowing from their expressions.
"She's dead, ain't She?"
The doctor speaks at this point. "Yes, I'm afraid She is. The sharp pierced her heart. She died almost instantly. There...was nothing I could do to save her."
Lance simply nods wordlessly.
~I killed her, then. It was my job to protect everyone, and I let The woman I love die. I failed again.~
NERV CENTRAL; MARCH 22; 1400 HOURS
The landing strip for The transport is relatively empty, all things considered. With such an important delivery, and one of such a volatile nature, one would expect a full military detail posted and on guard. With The arrival of an Evangelion, especially one of such an experimental concept, one would expect a crew of technicians. With The imminent arrival of a load of Americans, one would expect translators.
Instead, all that can be found awaiting The arrival of The new Eva are Commander Kozo Fuyutski, two 15 year olds (one male, one female), and The bare minimum of support crew to land and unload The plane. They all watch silently as The plane approaches and lands.
Once The transport has been secured and The cargo doors have opened, Commander Fuyutski steps forward.
"On behalf of The people of Tokyo-3, I welcome you to NERV Central."
TO BE CONTINUED...