Approaching the chaotic edge, elements show internal conflict. An unstable and potentially lethal region.
Michael Chrichton --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 03
"Shinji!"
The voice sounded so suddenly its recipient almost stumbled over his own feet.
"What!" he blurted out.
At his right, Asuka eyed him with a raised brow and asked. "What's your problem, Third Child?"
Mentally, Shinji cursed himself for losing control. Then again, it wasn't everyday that a mental voice sent the equivalent of a shout through his head,
"Nothing Asuka. I just thought of something."
Asuka scowled. "Well, stop talking out loud. You're already a pathetic pervert, now you're a basket case as well."
"I don't think a single utterance of such a word would classify Pilot Ikari as a mental case, Pilot Soryu." Rei stated as she walked on Shinji's left, her eyes straight ahead.
Asuka's scowl deepened. "Whatever, Wondergirl."
Shinji frowned but decided that it wasn't the time to fight Asuka. He had to finish the message. 'After all, she wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't important' he thought.
It was late afternoon and the three of them were walking towards Misato's apartment after a strangely brief sync test. Something had apparently come up and the test was cut short. Since Rei's apartment was somewhat in the area, Shinji had thought to accompany her, despite the Second Child's rude comments.
Now however, it was taking all of his concentration to keep walking and acting nonchalant while keeping up his concentration.
"What is it? You almost got me caught here!"
"The NERV Branch in Germany has been attacked. There are no survivors. The spaceport where Yoko-san and Ayano-san are has been attacked as well. Oni-san has yet to establish contact with them."
"Attacked? By the same things we sensed earlier?"
"Probably."
"Hey baka, where are you going?" he heard Asuka say and discovered he was about to cross a street that was full of traffic.
"Sorry."
"Sorry." That one was from the source of the voice.
"No, it was my fault. Listen. Try to contact them as soon as possible. If that doesn't work, contact the others. Tell me when you reach them."
"Does your mother know anything?"
"Not anything we don't already know. She suggested I ask my father but you know how impossible that is. Just keep trying to contact them. They aren't dead, because we would have felt something if they were, but they might be in trouble."
"Understood."
Shinji sighed. He would have to sort things out tonight. Things were getting hectic and he might have to reveal the truth. He wondered how his father would take it if he knew the extent of Shinji's own discretions, or rather omissions. Then again, should he be told? It had been hard enough just to change the files in the Magi without being found out, even with Zima's help. Sometimes, it helps to have the equivalent of a Supercomputer on your side, especially when you were keeping something from the most powerful organization in the world.
Shinji snapped out of his introspection as the trio neared Misato's apartment. He would have plenty of time to think things through later, but right now, he had to make supper for an irate German/American/Japanese redhead.
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"How long has the spaceport been under attack?" Ikari Gendo asked. His question, though relevant, didn't seem to be directed at anyone in particular. Ritsuko decided to be the one to answer, since she was the only one who was both capable and willing to do so. At the moment, Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki was busy trying to sort through the attack in Germany.
"Actually, they still aren't. The enemy seems to be waiting just outside the range of weapons. They've surrounded the spaceport but haven't fired a single shot."
"Keep me briefed on the situation."
"You don't wish to send reinforcements?"
"It is not our problem."
"And what of the old men?"
"Tell them we don't have any weapons capable of space combat."
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Inside another bridge onboard the spaceport, the girl commonly known as Yamamoto Yoko watched as the rest of the crew monitored the enemy. Long dark brown hair flowed down her back and framed her face, making her green eyes shine against the background. Her blue vest, worn over a black top, covered a slim figure but exposed her belly. Blue short pants and white athletic shoes completed her image.
Behind her, her three teammates stood ready to go once the order was given. Her best friend Ayano wore a simple light beige dress with the shoes from her school uniform. Madoka, Yoko's friend, rival, and teammate, wore a more stylish pink dress, her light dark blonde hair cascading in waves, finished by heeled shoes. Sometimes Yoko wondered why Madoka bothered to pilot in those shoes. Finally Momiji, the tallest of the girls with a dark complexion leaned into the wall, dark hair held up, her long white coat not quite covering her bandaged front and ending around baggy red pants and wooden shoes.
It was a strange collection of styles and in no way uniform, but where the Ness sisters prided themselves in their similar tight fitting, red leathers, the Terra force didn't really believe in uniforms as long as the outfit didn't get in the way of battle. In fact, nobody in the Terra crew wore uniforms, aside from Admiral Leon, a confident woman whose dark skin contrasted nicely with her solid blonde hair, and a few of the senior technicians.
Yoko bit her lip as the enemy ships continued to wait outside. They were small ships, resembling hummingbirds in shape, probably fighting craft or light transport vessels for boarding other ships, but the simple fact that they were there was enough of a threat. Add this to the fact that they considerably outnumbered the Terra ships, and it was almost certainly a losing battle for the humans.
Yes, humans. Though Yoko was aware that her best friend and she were quite different from most of the others, they still considered themselves human. But her senses were telling her that the beings inside those strange ships were not. Yet it wasn't the same way, the tenth Angel had felt. Yoko wondered if she was losing her touch. 'Not human and yet much closer to what humans feel like than the Angel. What are they?'
She looked behind her. Ayano seem worried while Madoka and Momiji were tense but kept their cool. The fact that Madoka was quiet, however, was enough of an indication that she was concerned as well. Momiji was second in seniority, next to Yoko so her experience, added to her tomboyish attitude, gave her enough confidence to weather things out. At times, she reminded Yoko of Admiral Leon. Speaking of whom.
Yoko turned back to the bridge, where the said Admiral still sat silent and contemplating behind her view screen, listening to Lawson and his fellow engineer Sarah as they analyzed the enemy ships. Lawson had already turned off the alarms since the ships weren't attacking. Stepping forward, Yoko directed her question at the Admiral.
"What now, Admiral Leon?"
Leon turned towards the piloting protégée. Though Yoko was still just fourteen years old, she was the best pilot Terra ever had. She had a logical way of thinking and always worked in cooperation with her teammates. Correction, often worked in cooperation. Yoko's cocky and devil-may-care attitude, though not demeaning towards others, still earned her a couple of irritated glances every now and then. Considering her words carefully, Leon answered.
"Now we wait until reinforcements come, or until they decide to leave" she said, gesturing towards the enemy ships displayed on the screen.
"What if they want to fight?"
"Then we fight back while preparing the scientists and techs for evacuation. You and the others will punch a whole true their screen and we follow through. Then we head to the nearest Earth base large enough to accommodate us."
"We're abandoning the station?"
"We have to. We were originally supposed to attack the Angels as they were en route to Earth or as they were descending. Then when none appeared from orbit, Command sent us an order to downgrade, and this station turned from a full military fortress into a research facility with auxiliary weapons. We don't have the ammunition, or the numbers to defend ourselves against a long siege."
Yoko gritted her teeth.
"I'm not one to run away, Admiral."
Leon turned her full gaze on the pilot.
"Would you rather I let everyone here die?"
Yoko's eyes sparkled and for a moment, it seemed she would refute the Admiral. Then her shoulders slumped.
"Alright."
Leon smiled wanly.
"Tell you what, you can take out as many of them as you want when we do start to move."
The exchange was interrupted when Lawson turned around and said "Everybody, I think things just got worse for us."
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Kirishima Mana was walking on her way home from a local grocery, still dressed in her high school uniform. While walking through the mostly empty street, she thought to herself about her current status. Her thoughts drifted back towards a certain blue-eyed boy who sat at her side in class.
'Shinji seemed to be in a good mood today. He looked cuter than usual. I wonder if things are finally looking up for him. After all, there hasn't been an Angel attack in a while.'
Her lips curved in an involuntary smile as she remembered how peaceful the boy had appeared to be earlier. It was a welcome contrast to his usual demeanor.
Then she thought of her mission concerning the boy and the smile on her face faltered.
'What do I do now? I can't continue with my mission if it would cause Shinji pain. But stopping now would probably get both of us in trouble too. And what about the other pilots? Sometimes I wished we had never joined the program.'
"Mana!"
Mana recognized the voice calling out to her and stopped. Her shock showed through her face as she turned towards the alley where the voice had come from.
"Musashi! My God, is that you?"
In fact it was her fellow pilot, still dressed in his gear. He stayed in the alley, careful so as not to be seen and beckoned towards her. Taking a quick look around, Mana stepped into the alley.
"Am I glad you're okay! Where's Keita and why. . .?"
"Dead", Musashi spoke before Mana could finish her query.
Her eyes now fully open at the as the full meaning of what had been said sank in, Mana leaned on the alley wall and held the bag towards her chest. "How. . ."
Once again, Musashi didn't wait for her to finish. His voice carried a variety of emotions; regret, sorrow, guilt and despair. "His robot was damaged and crashed. Before I could get to him, they shot him with everything they had. Almost nothing was left except for bits and pieces." He raised his head to look directly at her. "Now, we're the only ones left. They'll brand us as traitors and hunt us down, then kill us. They have to since they can't afford the chance that we'll defect with what we know."
Mana stood silent for a moment, trying to catch her breath from the sudden torrent of emotions. "What about my mission?"
Musashi sighed and looked down.
"I intercepted a transmission for the search party. Your orders have been repealed. Though they're not going to execute you, they think that you're too much of a risk now. I think they'd be coming for you in a day or two."
"Shinji." She whispered. Then Mana looked up and stared him straight in the eye.
"Is that why you came here? Why you risked being caught when you were much closer to freedom out there?"
Musashi looked at a loss for a moment. When he replied, it was distant as if he was thinking of something else.
"I couldn't leave knowing that I failed you both. I realize now that I couldn't do anything for him, but if I could at least warn you. . ."
She straightened up and said in a controlled voice, much to Musashi's surprise.
"Follow me."
"Where?"
"NERV." A small smile appeared on her face. "We're going to defect."
"What? But they'll just force us to fight again."
"It's either that or being dead. Come on!"
He stood there with his mouth hanging slightly opened while she looked back at him expectantly. Then he closed his mouth and began to follow her. Turning towards the Geofront, the former pilot turned spy turned defecting informant walked towards NERV HQ.
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The girl's mouth turned into a slight frown as an orange blade came whizzing just a few feet in front of her. Another blade whirled towards her feet and she jumped out of the way, landing on the branches of a nearby oak tree before leaping off again. A few dozen meters to her right, her companion was suffering similar problems, his cloak torn in a few places where blades or branches had caught the fabric. Their outfits were meant for stealth and maneuverability, not body armor.
She risked a glance behind her. Another orange blade slashed at her, and she barely avoided in time but the glance told her all she needed. Behind her, seven figures in black, with cowls over heir faces, chased her. They were from the same group that had attacked the German base earlier that day.
A few hours ago, her companion and she had been finishing their reports to the Committee. They had gone to a high point in the mountains to try and contact the besieged spaceport going by, a few hundred kilometers in orbit. Somehow, the attackers had gotten wind of them and came to finish them off. For the last half-hour, she and her partner had been running, dodging, and leaping to avoid the blades their opponents projected. She wished she could take to the air but doing so would make them even more vulnerable as targets.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her partner jump off a tree trunk and then kick one of his pursuers in the chest area before pulling out a dagger and slashing at his opponent's head. That one went down but the six others were quick to take note of their fallen comrade. They swerved towards her companion marking him as the greater threat and ignoring her. That was a mistake for them.
Crossing out her hands, palms outwards, she created a series of bursts not unlike the ones made by the enemy. Two of them were hit in the back, disintegrating completely. Another one got a glancing blow and was thrown against a pine. The injured attacker then stood up and turned, a slight limp noticeable as the hooded figure ran.
The last three stopped, then jumped outwards, landing in a triangle surrounding the girl and her companion. As the hunters crouched low, readying themselves for a concerted charge, the girl flew to her companion's side. The two of them stood back to back their weapons up.
Her companion spoke.
"Are you all right, Shizel?"
She nodded in reply.
"Wait for them to make the first move," he said. "Then we'll strike while they're following through."
No sooner had the words reached her ears, than the three remaining attackers began to sprint towards them. They were all fast but they could not be totally equal in their speed.
When the first one reached the girl, she immediately sidestepped, while her partner leapt in a backwards somersault. The attacker missed completely but his companions weren't far behind. One of them shifted to intercept her as she turned.
For a moment their eyes met. Red met red. She saw her attacker hesitate in surprise as he realized what his target was. That moment's hesitation was all she needed. She threw a blade of her own aimed at his throat. The combined speed of the attacker's charge and her blade's own velocity made sure his death. The blade passed completely through his throat and he was already disintegrating as his head, cut off from his body, hit the ground.
A few feet away, her companion intercepted the third and last attacker, twisting the blade arm and using the momentum to throw his opponent into the air. The latter crashed right into the first attacker, who was just turning around from his charge. Two cloaked bodies slammed into the forest floor. Before they could get up, her partner leapt and came down, plunging two blades into the bodies. The particles were still disintegrating around him as he stood up.
The girl named Shizel paced calmly towards her companion. Her unbound hair, a light red, almost pink hue, floated in curls down her back to her shoulder blades where it divided. Strands curled underneath her ears to settle on her collar. She was still wearing the same black skirt, which now trailed behind her. It contrasted almost harmoniously with her pale skin.
Her companion pulled of the muffler and cloak covering his face to reveal red eyes and hair a few shades darker than her own, tinged with a bit of brown. His own skin was a shade of light blue, an oddity even among their kind. He turned towards her and grinned.
"Are you alright?"
She nodded. He grinned again.
"Well now that we're finished with the work out, how about we get out of here."
She nodded once more and pointed the way towards their destination. He turned and began to lead the way.
"Alright. Let's go little sister. I'm pretty sure our superiors would be wondering why we haven't checked in. Wouldn't it be fun to see their faces right about now?"
He continued to talk while she listened as they made their way through the forest.
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In the depths of the Antarctic Ocean, there lay a gigantic behemoth, hidden by ice crags on the surface and underwater cliffs underneath the waves. Round and completely dark, it was larger than the Geofront and even more massive, resembling a small moon. Half of its body was buried underneath the sediment of the seafloor, the other half reached to just a few hundred meters beneath the surface ice. Although artificial, it wasn't a creation of Lilum hands.
In this sphere of darkness, called by those who dwelled in it as the Abyss, a boy, appearing to be somewhere in his late teens, walked along a narrow passageway. He was tall and had a strong built, though he wasn't bulky. He was clothed in a silver tunic that reached down to his ankles, over silver trousers. The color seemed to blend in with his pale skin. His unkempt, light gray hair reached past his neck and tapered off his back. His eyes were a brilliant red imposed an imposing and proud aura to those who looked at him. Such eyes, however, were not unusual among the people in this sphere.
As he walked through doorways and narrow halls, he came upon a few guards every now and the. These were dressed in black with light armor on their chests, more of a symbol than a functional accessory. The armor was completely blank, devoid of any symbols.
He continued to walk until he came to a large gate. Beyond the gate, one could here the shaking of some large creature. Vibrations could be felt through the walls and the floor. Without hesitating, he placed his right arm on the massive gate. A blue light shone around his palm and then disappeared. Removing his arm, he watched with almost disinterest as the gates opened, disappearing into the wall. Beyond, he could see a large chamber, one that took up almost a quarter of the Abyss' volume. He stepped through the gates and into the chamber.
Inside, he saw the giant creature that had been making the noise. It was fastened by several straps of orange light produced by two-dozen black-garbed figures around the ray like being. The giant groaned and struggled against his bonds. It twisted right and left in an attempt to escape its captivity. When the figure stepped forward, the giant immediately swung the protrusion that served as a sensory organ towards him.
Then the boy spoke.
"It won't work Arael. No matter how much you struggle, you cannot escape the powers of two-dozen other Angels. And as you can see, we were prepared for your mental capabilities as well. If I was in your position, I might consider returning to my natural form."
Arael seemed to stare at the boy for a moment. Then without warning, he began to transform. A bright light covered the large creature. When it dissipated, the remaining light revealed a man in his prime, one that would probably be mistaken for an athlete or a movie star. His crimson eyes, pale skin, and nearly white hair identified his kind. That is, if the wings around his body didn't identify him already. The bonds holding him shrank to accommodate his body but otherwise held. Despite his naked form, he seemed to stand proud.
In a clear voice, he demanded the reason for his predicament.
"Abel! Why are you here? Why have you imprisoned me?"
The boy, Abel, didn't even flinch from the sudden interrogation. In fact, he seemed almost bored. His voice had neither sympathy nor anger and when he spoke, it was quite leisurely.
"I am here to finish this world and create my own. My own world designed for our kind and for our kind only. That is the wish of the Creator."
Arael answered in rage.
"Blasphemy! The Creator told me nothing of the sort. Our objective is to find the Father and join Him to bring about His return. You were not to interfere. How dare you say that the Creator sent you when you are clearly disobeying him?"
Abel looked at the enraged Angel with something akin to amusement.
"Disobeying him? Why Arael, I am the one who was given the duty of judgment. Before me and me alone, the souls of the damned and the blessed await their sentence. And to mine eyes, they are all damned. Hence, I will sacrifice their unworthy flesh to the Creator that he might bless my new world."
Arael's eyed glowed as he struggled to contain his rage. "And what of your Father? Do you not understand the meaning of this act? If you attempt to take this world by force, you will not only sacrifice this world, you would also sacrifice Him."
Abel only looked at him in pity. "A sorrowful act, yes. Yet, one I would be willing to do if it helps our race ascend. Besides, are you not already attempting force in your methods?"
"The other Messengers will not let you live with this!"
"What other Messengers? They are all dead, Arael, dead to the world, killed by the very Lilim you thought to be so weak."
"There are still Armisael and Tabris."
"Oh really."
A light appeared at the other end of the chamber. The light revealed another figure, held by the arms and legs to a cross. Arael roared with fury as he recognized the figure.
"Armisael!"
Abel spared a glance at the crucified Angel before turning back to Arael.
"Now do you understand? Only you are left. Tabris, by his very nature, can be persuaded to fight on my side, so you have no real allies left in this world."
"Why?" Arael still had not turned back from the Armisael's unconscious body.
Abel shrugged indifferently.
"He would not fight for me. So I took his powers and gave them to my warriors, giving them both speed and maneuverability unrivaled by any other. Well, any other except me and a few other Angels. Now though, I do not really need him." Even as Abel spoke, Armisael's body was covered in a white light. The body disintegrated and nothing was left except for the cross. "Now Arael, will you join me or do you wish to suffer the same fate?"
Arael roared again, this time at Abel. Light began to stream from his body while orange flares exploded around him. The enraged Angel let loose with all his power. He flung aside the other Angels holding him. Several were engulfed by the flares or the light. The others were holding their heads, shrieking in agony. Abel, though, seemed unaffected by Arael's powerful mental and field attack. In complete abandon, Arael launched himself at Abel, his AT field forming shields and blades around him.
Abel raised his right arm; palm forward, his eyes glowing. A bright burst came from his outstretched hand. Arael's cry of pain resounded throughout the chamber and into the sphere beyond. A bright flash followed and then there was nothing except Abel in the great chamber. His lips curved into a grim smile as he turned around.
"Xephon!"
The gates opened and the summoned Angel came forward instantly.
"Signal the others in orbit! Begin the attack."
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Yoko smiled as yet another enemy ship fell to her lasers. While faster and more durable than her own ship, the enemy's ships' talent for combat was almost pitiful. The shields that protected them were strong enough but were not meant to take the number of hits she was making. She wondered if mediocre pilots were the standard for these new invaders. Ten minutes into the fight and they had already shot down thrice as many ships as they had lost.
Unfortunately the enemy had more than tenfold the number of ships waiting in reserve. The only probable reason those haven't attacked yet was that, with their less than brilliant piloting skills, more ships in the battle would be a disadvantage rather than an advantage. As it was, Terra's small fleet of starships was holding well against them.
The battle had started when three new enemy ships, each as large as the station, came up from the planet. Their trajectory convinced Yoko that the ships were in fact from Earth, and not from another planet. She had expected the new ships to be for battle but rather they had been mass carriers, discharging squadron after squadron of enemy fighters. Admiral Leon had immediately ordered all the pilots into their own fighters while at the same time, preparing to evacuate the station. Now, the Terra fleet, lead by the Terra force and the Redsnappers, were fighting a delaying battle.
Yoko glanced at the display on her screen. While the fighter had a built in system similar to the Eva's neural connection, it still depended on electronics to display the information. The ship's system limited the sensory input available but didn't provide the pain that the Evangelions would feel. The fighter itself was colored in varying shades of blue and shaped somewhat like an oversized and over-accessorized skateboard. Lasers and missiles were placed at several points along the body but the main weapon varied from starship to starship. Yoko's was a pointed cannon on the bow termed the "Everblack Cannon" due to the powerful black beam it made.
A flare off her starboard bow alerted her to a possible enemy. She looked out of her cockpit just in time to see another enemy explode, courtesy of her best friend/wingman. Ayano's face appeared on her screen.
"Are you all right, Yoko-san?"
"I'm alright, thanks Ayano."
"Admiral Leon says they are almost finished with the evacuation. We should be able to withdraw in a few more minutes."
"Got it. Now let's shoot some more of these things. We'll show them who they're fighting against!"
Ayano hesitated just as she was about to sign off the connection. She waited, dodging another orange beam before speaking once more.
"Umm, Yoko-san?"
"Yeah."
"What do you think they are?"
Yoko considered for a moment, at least as much as one can while in the middle of a battle.
"Not exactly human, not exactly Angel."
"Do you think they're like us?"
"I doubt it. But even if they were, I would still fight them. Nobody tries to destroy my home and get away with it."
Ayano smiled, and then frowned a bit.
"I would too, but I wish we wouldn't have to."
Yoko didn't reply.
A burst of static announced the coming of another party to the conversation. By silent agreement, both girls stopped talking about their current topic. Lawson's face appeared on another screen.
"Everybody, the station has been boarded. There are two entry points. We'll blast off in the Admiral's cruiser and head back to Earth."
"Alright" Yoko replied in the midst of blowing up another ship. "We'll form up on you when you finish."
"Affirma-." Lawson never finished his reply.
The three carriers had just fired at the station. Apparently, the escape of the crew had convinced the enemy commander to use all his weapons even if it meant sacrificing the lives of his boarding parties.
"Lawson! Admiral!" Ayano cried out, despite the knowledge that the connection had been cut.
"Damn you!" Yoko snarled as she brought her ship around to face the enemy carriers. Though she knew it was dangerous to attempt this particular attack, her mind was set on vengeance. "Everblack Cannon charged and fire!" Her ship's warning lights lit up as the cannon fired without waiting for the appropriate charge up time.
The black beam, though not at full power, was still powerful enough to fry the ships that got in the way. It pushed forward, hitting one of the carriers amidships and blasting through clear to the other side. The carrier exploded into a brilliant red and orange fireball.
Then from the ruins of the space station came another explosion. From it emerged the brilliant white cruiser of the Admiral. Yoko and Ayano gasped simultaneously then turned and headed towards the cruiser, which was busy storming its way through the battle. Lasers firing from all sides, the massive warship pushed through the front heading towards Earth.
"Admiral Leon! Lawson! Come in."
"Alright already, there's really no need to shout." The redheaded engineer was complaining with a finger to the ear as if he hadn't just come out of a spectacular explosion.
Yoko sighed. She should have known better than to worry about Lawson or the Admiral.
"You all right?"
"I'm fine. Sarah's a bit shook up, but otherwise she's okay too. We were the last ones aboard the station."
"Where to now?"
Admiral Leon's profile appeared on another window.
"Now we go back to Earth. We find the available base and dock there until we get a new spaceport. Unfortunately, sources tell us that the German base has been attacked as well. The US bases are well on the other side and the Russian and Chinese bases won't let us dock for fear of an attack on them."
"Where does that leave us?"
"The largest available base, in fact the only available base, is NERV HQ in Tokyo-3."
"Tokyo-3, huh?" Yoko almost smiled at the irony.
Behind their small fleet, the enemy vessels stayed where they were. None bothered to pursue the retreating Earth craft. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that the area was littered with the scraps of fallen Angels.
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End of Chapter 3
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Author's Notes
I know that this chapter doesn't really focus on Shinji, but be aware that all of the events in this chapter happened in less than two hours, and less than two days has passed since the story began. The chapter also focuses mostly on outside events to explain the shift in settings and to tell the events leading to the climax of the story. However, this tale is still far from over. I expect it to be more than ten chapters.
Some of you might be curious about the Angels and other characters I included in the story. Musashi and Keita should be familiar to those who played the "Iron Maiden"(Girlfriend of Steel) game.
As for Abel, Xephon and Shizel, only Shizel is my own creation. Abel should be familiar to most Christians as the second son of Adam and the one who sacrificed flesh and blood (a lamb) where his brother Cain (Kain) only sacrificed fruits and other plant parts. As an Angel, he is one of the twelve powers given the task to judge souls arriving in heaven and is also an angel of the Fourth Heaven. Xephon is one of the cherubim (an Angel warrior with a sword) and in Paradise Lost was one of the two who found Satan in the Garden of Eden. Shizel's brother is also an Angel and will be revealed in later chapters.
Also, congratulations to Salazar Almighty for being the first one to actually uncover one of this fanfic's secrets before it was revealed. The characters play a different role though, than they did in the series.
Michael Chrichton --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 03
"Shinji!"
The voice sounded so suddenly its recipient almost stumbled over his own feet.
"What!" he blurted out.
At his right, Asuka eyed him with a raised brow and asked. "What's your problem, Third Child?"
Mentally, Shinji cursed himself for losing control. Then again, it wasn't everyday that a mental voice sent the equivalent of a shout through his head,
"Nothing Asuka. I just thought of something."
Asuka scowled. "Well, stop talking out loud. You're already a pathetic pervert, now you're a basket case as well."
"I don't think a single utterance of such a word would classify Pilot Ikari as a mental case, Pilot Soryu." Rei stated as she walked on Shinji's left, her eyes straight ahead.
Asuka's scowl deepened. "Whatever, Wondergirl."
Shinji frowned but decided that it wasn't the time to fight Asuka. He had to finish the message. 'After all, she wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't important' he thought.
It was late afternoon and the three of them were walking towards Misato's apartment after a strangely brief sync test. Something had apparently come up and the test was cut short. Since Rei's apartment was somewhat in the area, Shinji had thought to accompany her, despite the Second Child's rude comments.
Now however, it was taking all of his concentration to keep walking and acting nonchalant while keeping up his concentration.
"What is it? You almost got me caught here!"
"The NERV Branch in Germany has been attacked. There are no survivors. The spaceport where Yoko-san and Ayano-san are has been attacked as well. Oni-san has yet to establish contact with them."
"Attacked? By the same things we sensed earlier?"
"Probably."
"Hey baka, where are you going?" he heard Asuka say and discovered he was about to cross a street that was full of traffic.
"Sorry."
"Sorry." That one was from the source of the voice.
"No, it was my fault. Listen. Try to contact them as soon as possible. If that doesn't work, contact the others. Tell me when you reach them."
"Does your mother know anything?"
"Not anything we don't already know. She suggested I ask my father but you know how impossible that is. Just keep trying to contact them. They aren't dead, because we would have felt something if they were, but they might be in trouble."
"Understood."
Shinji sighed. He would have to sort things out tonight. Things were getting hectic and he might have to reveal the truth. He wondered how his father would take it if he knew the extent of Shinji's own discretions, or rather omissions. Then again, should he be told? It had been hard enough just to change the files in the Magi without being found out, even with Zima's help. Sometimes, it helps to have the equivalent of a Supercomputer on your side, especially when you were keeping something from the most powerful organization in the world.
Shinji snapped out of his introspection as the trio neared Misato's apartment. He would have plenty of time to think things through later, but right now, he had to make supper for an irate German/American/Japanese redhead.
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"How long has the spaceport been under attack?" Ikari Gendo asked. His question, though relevant, didn't seem to be directed at anyone in particular. Ritsuko decided to be the one to answer, since she was the only one who was both capable and willing to do so. At the moment, Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki was busy trying to sort through the attack in Germany.
"Actually, they still aren't. The enemy seems to be waiting just outside the range of weapons. They've surrounded the spaceport but haven't fired a single shot."
"Keep me briefed on the situation."
"You don't wish to send reinforcements?"
"It is not our problem."
"And what of the old men?"
"Tell them we don't have any weapons capable of space combat."
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Inside another bridge onboard the spaceport, the girl commonly known as Yamamoto Yoko watched as the rest of the crew monitored the enemy. Long dark brown hair flowed down her back and framed her face, making her green eyes shine against the background. Her blue vest, worn over a black top, covered a slim figure but exposed her belly. Blue short pants and white athletic shoes completed her image.
Behind her, her three teammates stood ready to go once the order was given. Her best friend Ayano wore a simple light beige dress with the shoes from her school uniform. Madoka, Yoko's friend, rival, and teammate, wore a more stylish pink dress, her light dark blonde hair cascading in waves, finished by heeled shoes. Sometimes Yoko wondered why Madoka bothered to pilot in those shoes. Finally Momiji, the tallest of the girls with a dark complexion leaned into the wall, dark hair held up, her long white coat not quite covering her bandaged front and ending around baggy red pants and wooden shoes.
It was a strange collection of styles and in no way uniform, but where the Ness sisters prided themselves in their similar tight fitting, red leathers, the Terra force didn't really believe in uniforms as long as the outfit didn't get in the way of battle. In fact, nobody in the Terra crew wore uniforms, aside from Admiral Leon, a confident woman whose dark skin contrasted nicely with her solid blonde hair, and a few of the senior technicians.
Yoko bit her lip as the enemy ships continued to wait outside. They were small ships, resembling hummingbirds in shape, probably fighting craft or light transport vessels for boarding other ships, but the simple fact that they were there was enough of a threat. Add this to the fact that they considerably outnumbered the Terra ships, and it was almost certainly a losing battle for the humans.
Yes, humans. Though Yoko was aware that her best friend and she were quite different from most of the others, they still considered themselves human. But her senses were telling her that the beings inside those strange ships were not. Yet it wasn't the same way, the tenth Angel had felt. Yoko wondered if she was losing her touch. 'Not human and yet much closer to what humans feel like than the Angel. What are they?'
She looked behind her. Ayano seem worried while Madoka and Momiji were tense but kept their cool. The fact that Madoka was quiet, however, was enough of an indication that she was concerned as well. Momiji was second in seniority, next to Yoko so her experience, added to her tomboyish attitude, gave her enough confidence to weather things out. At times, she reminded Yoko of Admiral Leon. Speaking of whom.
Yoko turned back to the bridge, where the said Admiral still sat silent and contemplating behind her view screen, listening to Lawson and his fellow engineer Sarah as they analyzed the enemy ships. Lawson had already turned off the alarms since the ships weren't attacking. Stepping forward, Yoko directed her question at the Admiral.
"What now, Admiral Leon?"
Leon turned towards the piloting protégée. Though Yoko was still just fourteen years old, she was the best pilot Terra ever had. She had a logical way of thinking and always worked in cooperation with her teammates. Correction, often worked in cooperation. Yoko's cocky and devil-may-care attitude, though not demeaning towards others, still earned her a couple of irritated glances every now and then. Considering her words carefully, Leon answered.
"Now we wait until reinforcements come, or until they decide to leave" she said, gesturing towards the enemy ships displayed on the screen.
"What if they want to fight?"
"Then we fight back while preparing the scientists and techs for evacuation. You and the others will punch a whole true their screen and we follow through. Then we head to the nearest Earth base large enough to accommodate us."
"We're abandoning the station?"
"We have to. We were originally supposed to attack the Angels as they were en route to Earth or as they were descending. Then when none appeared from orbit, Command sent us an order to downgrade, and this station turned from a full military fortress into a research facility with auxiliary weapons. We don't have the ammunition, or the numbers to defend ourselves against a long siege."
Yoko gritted her teeth.
"I'm not one to run away, Admiral."
Leon turned her full gaze on the pilot.
"Would you rather I let everyone here die?"
Yoko's eyes sparkled and for a moment, it seemed she would refute the Admiral. Then her shoulders slumped.
"Alright."
Leon smiled wanly.
"Tell you what, you can take out as many of them as you want when we do start to move."
The exchange was interrupted when Lawson turned around and said "Everybody, I think things just got worse for us."
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Kirishima Mana was walking on her way home from a local grocery, still dressed in her high school uniform. While walking through the mostly empty street, she thought to herself about her current status. Her thoughts drifted back towards a certain blue-eyed boy who sat at her side in class.
'Shinji seemed to be in a good mood today. He looked cuter than usual. I wonder if things are finally looking up for him. After all, there hasn't been an Angel attack in a while.'
Her lips curved in an involuntary smile as she remembered how peaceful the boy had appeared to be earlier. It was a welcome contrast to his usual demeanor.
Then she thought of her mission concerning the boy and the smile on her face faltered.
'What do I do now? I can't continue with my mission if it would cause Shinji pain. But stopping now would probably get both of us in trouble too. And what about the other pilots? Sometimes I wished we had never joined the program.'
"Mana!"
Mana recognized the voice calling out to her and stopped. Her shock showed through her face as she turned towards the alley where the voice had come from.
"Musashi! My God, is that you?"
In fact it was her fellow pilot, still dressed in his gear. He stayed in the alley, careful so as not to be seen and beckoned towards her. Taking a quick look around, Mana stepped into the alley.
"Am I glad you're okay! Where's Keita and why. . .?"
"Dead", Musashi spoke before Mana could finish her query.
Her eyes now fully open at the as the full meaning of what had been said sank in, Mana leaned on the alley wall and held the bag towards her chest. "How. . ."
Once again, Musashi didn't wait for her to finish. His voice carried a variety of emotions; regret, sorrow, guilt and despair. "His robot was damaged and crashed. Before I could get to him, they shot him with everything they had. Almost nothing was left except for bits and pieces." He raised his head to look directly at her. "Now, we're the only ones left. They'll brand us as traitors and hunt us down, then kill us. They have to since they can't afford the chance that we'll defect with what we know."
Mana stood silent for a moment, trying to catch her breath from the sudden torrent of emotions. "What about my mission?"
Musashi sighed and looked down.
"I intercepted a transmission for the search party. Your orders have been repealed. Though they're not going to execute you, they think that you're too much of a risk now. I think they'd be coming for you in a day or two."
"Shinji." She whispered. Then Mana looked up and stared him straight in the eye.
"Is that why you came here? Why you risked being caught when you were much closer to freedom out there?"
Musashi looked at a loss for a moment. When he replied, it was distant as if he was thinking of something else.
"I couldn't leave knowing that I failed you both. I realize now that I couldn't do anything for him, but if I could at least warn you. . ."
She straightened up and said in a controlled voice, much to Musashi's surprise.
"Follow me."
"Where?"
"NERV." A small smile appeared on her face. "We're going to defect."
"What? But they'll just force us to fight again."
"It's either that or being dead. Come on!"
He stood there with his mouth hanging slightly opened while she looked back at him expectantly. Then he closed his mouth and began to follow her. Turning towards the Geofront, the former pilot turned spy turned defecting informant walked towards NERV HQ.
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The girl's mouth turned into a slight frown as an orange blade came whizzing just a few feet in front of her. Another blade whirled towards her feet and she jumped out of the way, landing on the branches of a nearby oak tree before leaping off again. A few dozen meters to her right, her companion was suffering similar problems, his cloak torn in a few places where blades or branches had caught the fabric. Their outfits were meant for stealth and maneuverability, not body armor.
She risked a glance behind her. Another orange blade slashed at her, and she barely avoided in time but the glance told her all she needed. Behind her, seven figures in black, with cowls over heir faces, chased her. They were from the same group that had attacked the German base earlier that day.
A few hours ago, her companion and she had been finishing their reports to the Committee. They had gone to a high point in the mountains to try and contact the besieged spaceport going by, a few hundred kilometers in orbit. Somehow, the attackers had gotten wind of them and came to finish them off. For the last half-hour, she and her partner had been running, dodging, and leaping to avoid the blades their opponents projected. She wished she could take to the air but doing so would make them even more vulnerable as targets.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her partner jump off a tree trunk and then kick one of his pursuers in the chest area before pulling out a dagger and slashing at his opponent's head. That one went down but the six others were quick to take note of their fallen comrade. They swerved towards her companion marking him as the greater threat and ignoring her. That was a mistake for them.
Crossing out her hands, palms outwards, she created a series of bursts not unlike the ones made by the enemy. Two of them were hit in the back, disintegrating completely. Another one got a glancing blow and was thrown against a pine. The injured attacker then stood up and turned, a slight limp noticeable as the hooded figure ran.
The last three stopped, then jumped outwards, landing in a triangle surrounding the girl and her companion. As the hunters crouched low, readying themselves for a concerted charge, the girl flew to her companion's side. The two of them stood back to back their weapons up.
Her companion spoke.
"Are you all right, Shizel?"
She nodded in reply.
"Wait for them to make the first move," he said. "Then we'll strike while they're following through."
No sooner had the words reached her ears, than the three remaining attackers began to sprint towards them. They were all fast but they could not be totally equal in their speed.
When the first one reached the girl, she immediately sidestepped, while her partner leapt in a backwards somersault. The attacker missed completely but his companions weren't far behind. One of them shifted to intercept her as she turned.
For a moment their eyes met. Red met red. She saw her attacker hesitate in surprise as he realized what his target was. That moment's hesitation was all she needed. She threw a blade of her own aimed at his throat. The combined speed of the attacker's charge and her blade's own velocity made sure his death. The blade passed completely through his throat and he was already disintegrating as his head, cut off from his body, hit the ground.
A few feet away, her companion intercepted the third and last attacker, twisting the blade arm and using the momentum to throw his opponent into the air. The latter crashed right into the first attacker, who was just turning around from his charge. Two cloaked bodies slammed into the forest floor. Before they could get up, her partner leapt and came down, plunging two blades into the bodies. The particles were still disintegrating around him as he stood up.
The girl named Shizel paced calmly towards her companion. Her unbound hair, a light red, almost pink hue, floated in curls down her back to her shoulder blades where it divided. Strands curled underneath her ears to settle on her collar. She was still wearing the same black skirt, which now trailed behind her. It contrasted almost harmoniously with her pale skin.
Her companion pulled of the muffler and cloak covering his face to reveal red eyes and hair a few shades darker than her own, tinged with a bit of brown. His own skin was a shade of light blue, an oddity even among their kind. He turned towards her and grinned.
"Are you alright?"
She nodded. He grinned again.
"Well now that we're finished with the work out, how about we get out of here."
She nodded once more and pointed the way towards their destination. He turned and began to lead the way.
"Alright. Let's go little sister. I'm pretty sure our superiors would be wondering why we haven't checked in. Wouldn't it be fun to see their faces right about now?"
He continued to talk while she listened as they made their way through the forest.
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In the depths of the Antarctic Ocean, there lay a gigantic behemoth, hidden by ice crags on the surface and underwater cliffs underneath the waves. Round and completely dark, it was larger than the Geofront and even more massive, resembling a small moon. Half of its body was buried underneath the sediment of the seafloor, the other half reached to just a few hundred meters beneath the surface ice. Although artificial, it wasn't a creation of Lilum hands.
In this sphere of darkness, called by those who dwelled in it as the Abyss, a boy, appearing to be somewhere in his late teens, walked along a narrow passageway. He was tall and had a strong built, though he wasn't bulky. He was clothed in a silver tunic that reached down to his ankles, over silver trousers. The color seemed to blend in with his pale skin. His unkempt, light gray hair reached past his neck and tapered off his back. His eyes were a brilliant red imposed an imposing and proud aura to those who looked at him. Such eyes, however, were not unusual among the people in this sphere.
As he walked through doorways and narrow halls, he came upon a few guards every now and the. These were dressed in black with light armor on their chests, more of a symbol than a functional accessory. The armor was completely blank, devoid of any symbols.
He continued to walk until he came to a large gate. Beyond the gate, one could here the shaking of some large creature. Vibrations could be felt through the walls and the floor. Without hesitating, he placed his right arm on the massive gate. A blue light shone around his palm and then disappeared. Removing his arm, he watched with almost disinterest as the gates opened, disappearing into the wall. Beyond, he could see a large chamber, one that took up almost a quarter of the Abyss' volume. He stepped through the gates and into the chamber.
Inside, he saw the giant creature that had been making the noise. It was fastened by several straps of orange light produced by two-dozen black-garbed figures around the ray like being. The giant groaned and struggled against his bonds. It twisted right and left in an attempt to escape its captivity. When the figure stepped forward, the giant immediately swung the protrusion that served as a sensory organ towards him.
Then the boy spoke.
"It won't work Arael. No matter how much you struggle, you cannot escape the powers of two-dozen other Angels. And as you can see, we were prepared for your mental capabilities as well. If I was in your position, I might consider returning to my natural form."
Arael seemed to stare at the boy for a moment. Then without warning, he began to transform. A bright light covered the large creature. When it dissipated, the remaining light revealed a man in his prime, one that would probably be mistaken for an athlete or a movie star. His crimson eyes, pale skin, and nearly white hair identified his kind. That is, if the wings around his body didn't identify him already. The bonds holding him shrank to accommodate his body but otherwise held. Despite his naked form, he seemed to stand proud.
In a clear voice, he demanded the reason for his predicament.
"Abel! Why are you here? Why have you imprisoned me?"
The boy, Abel, didn't even flinch from the sudden interrogation. In fact, he seemed almost bored. His voice had neither sympathy nor anger and when he spoke, it was quite leisurely.
"I am here to finish this world and create my own. My own world designed for our kind and for our kind only. That is the wish of the Creator."
Arael answered in rage.
"Blasphemy! The Creator told me nothing of the sort. Our objective is to find the Father and join Him to bring about His return. You were not to interfere. How dare you say that the Creator sent you when you are clearly disobeying him?"
Abel looked at the enraged Angel with something akin to amusement.
"Disobeying him? Why Arael, I am the one who was given the duty of judgment. Before me and me alone, the souls of the damned and the blessed await their sentence. And to mine eyes, they are all damned. Hence, I will sacrifice their unworthy flesh to the Creator that he might bless my new world."
Arael's eyed glowed as he struggled to contain his rage. "And what of your Father? Do you not understand the meaning of this act? If you attempt to take this world by force, you will not only sacrifice this world, you would also sacrifice Him."
Abel only looked at him in pity. "A sorrowful act, yes. Yet, one I would be willing to do if it helps our race ascend. Besides, are you not already attempting force in your methods?"
"The other Messengers will not let you live with this!"
"What other Messengers? They are all dead, Arael, dead to the world, killed by the very Lilim you thought to be so weak."
"There are still Armisael and Tabris."
"Oh really."
A light appeared at the other end of the chamber. The light revealed another figure, held by the arms and legs to a cross. Arael roared with fury as he recognized the figure.
"Armisael!"
Abel spared a glance at the crucified Angel before turning back to Arael.
"Now do you understand? Only you are left. Tabris, by his very nature, can be persuaded to fight on my side, so you have no real allies left in this world."
"Why?" Arael still had not turned back from the Armisael's unconscious body.
Abel shrugged indifferently.
"He would not fight for me. So I took his powers and gave them to my warriors, giving them both speed and maneuverability unrivaled by any other. Well, any other except me and a few other Angels. Now though, I do not really need him." Even as Abel spoke, Armisael's body was covered in a white light. The body disintegrated and nothing was left except for the cross. "Now Arael, will you join me or do you wish to suffer the same fate?"
Arael roared again, this time at Abel. Light began to stream from his body while orange flares exploded around him. The enraged Angel let loose with all his power. He flung aside the other Angels holding him. Several were engulfed by the flares or the light. The others were holding their heads, shrieking in agony. Abel, though, seemed unaffected by Arael's powerful mental and field attack. In complete abandon, Arael launched himself at Abel, his AT field forming shields and blades around him.
Abel raised his right arm; palm forward, his eyes glowing. A bright burst came from his outstretched hand. Arael's cry of pain resounded throughout the chamber and into the sphere beyond. A bright flash followed and then there was nothing except Abel in the great chamber. His lips curved into a grim smile as he turned around.
"Xephon!"
The gates opened and the summoned Angel came forward instantly.
"Signal the others in orbit! Begin the attack."
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Yoko smiled as yet another enemy ship fell to her lasers. While faster and more durable than her own ship, the enemy's ships' talent for combat was almost pitiful. The shields that protected them were strong enough but were not meant to take the number of hits she was making. She wondered if mediocre pilots were the standard for these new invaders. Ten minutes into the fight and they had already shot down thrice as many ships as they had lost.
Unfortunately the enemy had more than tenfold the number of ships waiting in reserve. The only probable reason those haven't attacked yet was that, with their less than brilliant piloting skills, more ships in the battle would be a disadvantage rather than an advantage. As it was, Terra's small fleet of starships was holding well against them.
The battle had started when three new enemy ships, each as large as the station, came up from the planet. Their trajectory convinced Yoko that the ships were in fact from Earth, and not from another planet. She had expected the new ships to be for battle but rather they had been mass carriers, discharging squadron after squadron of enemy fighters. Admiral Leon had immediately ordered all the pilots into their own fighters while at the same time, preparing to evacuate the station. Now, the Terra fleet, lead by the Terra force and the Redsnappers, were fighting a delaying battle.
Yoko glanced at the display on her screen. While the fighter had a built in system similar to the Eva's neural connection, it still depended on electronics to display the information. The ship's system limited the sensory input available but didn't provide the pain that the Evangelions would feel. The fighter itself was colored in varying shades of blue and shaped somewhat like an oversized and over-accessorized skateboard. Lasers and missiles were placed at several points along the body but the main weapon varied from starship to starship. Yoko's was a pointed cannon on the bow termed the "Everblack Cannon" due to the powerful black beam it made.
A flare off her starboard bow alerted her to a possible enemy. She looked out of her cockpit just in time to see another enemy explode, courtesy of her best friend/wingman. Ayano's face appeared on her screen.
"Are you all right, Yoko-san?"
"I'm alright, thanks Ayano."
"Admiral Leon says they are almost finished with the evacuation. We should be able to withdraw in a few more minutes."
"Got it. Now let's shoot some more of these things. We'll show them who they're fighting against!"
Ayano hesitated just as she was about to sign off the connection. She waited, dodging another orange beam before speaking once more.
"Umm, Yoko-san?"
"Yeah."
"What do you think they are?"
Yoko considered for a moment, at least as much as one can while in the middle of a battle.
"Not exactly human, not exactly Angel."
"Do you think they're like us?"
"I doubt it. But even if they were, I would still fight them. Nobody tries to destroy my home and get away with it."
Ayano smiled, and then frowned a bit.
"I would too, but I wish we wouldn't have to."
Yoko didn't reply.
A burst of static announced the coming of another party to the conversation. By silent agreement, both girls stopped talking about their current topic. Lawson's face appeared on another screen.
"Everybody, the station has been boarded. There are two entry points. We'll blast off in the Admiral's cruiser and head back to Earth."
"Alright" Yoko replied in the midst of blowing up another ship. "We'll form up on you when you finish."
"Affirma-." Lawson never finished his reply.
The three carriers had just fired at the station. Apparently, the escape of the crew had convinced the enemy commander to use all his weapons even if it meant sacrificing the lives of his boarding parties.
"Lawson! Admiral!" Ayano cried out, despite the knowledge that the connection had been cut.
"Damn you!" Yoko snarled as she brought her ship around to face the enemy carriers. Though she knew it was dangerous to attempt this particular attack, her mind was set on vengeance. "Everblack Cannon charged and fire!" Her ship's warning lights lit up as the cannon fired without waiting for the appropriate charge up time.
The black beam, though not at full power, was still powerful enough to fry the ships that got in the way. It pushed forward, hitting one of the carriers amidships and blasting through clear to the other side. The carrier exploded into a brilliant red and orange fireball.
Then from the ruins of the space station came another explosion. From it emerged the brilliant white cruiser of the Admiral. Yoko and Ayano gasped simultaneously then turned and headed towards the cruiser, which was busy storming its way through the battle. Lasers firing from all sides, the massive warship pushed through the front heading towards Earth.
"Admiral Leon! Lawson! Come in."
"Alright already, there's really no need to shout." The redheaded engineer was complaining with a finger to the ear as if he hadn't just come out of a spectacular explosion.
Yoko sighed. She should have known better than to worry about Lawson or the Admiral.
"You all right?"
"I'm fine. Sarah's a bit shook up, but otherwise she's okay too. We were the last ones aboard the station."
"Where to now?"
Admiral Leon's profile appeared on another window.
"Now we go back to Earth. We find the available base and dock there until we get a new spaceport. Unfortunately, sources tell us that the German base has been attacked as well. The US bases are well on the other side and the Russian and Chinese bases won't let us dock for fear of an attack on them."
"Where does that leave us?"
"The largest available base, in fact the only available base, is NERV HQ in Tokyo-3."
"Tokyo-3, huh?" Yoko almost smiled at the irony.
Behind their small fleet, the enemy vessels stayed where they were. None bothered to pursue the retreating Earth craft. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that the area was littered with the scraps of fallen Angels.
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End of Chapter 3
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Author's Notes
I know that this chapter doesn't really focus on Shinji, but be aware that all of the events in this chapter happened in less than two hours, and less than two days has passed since the story began. The chapter also focuses mostly on outside events to explain the shift in settings and to tell the events leading to the climax of the story. However, this tale is still far from over. I expect it to be more than ten chapters.
Some of you might be curious about the Angels and other characters I included in the story. Musashi and Keita should be familiar to those who played the "Iron Maiden"(Girlfriend of Steel) game.
As for Abel, Xephon and Shizel, only Shizel is my own creation. Abel should be familiar to most Christians as the second son of Adam and the one who sacrificed flesh and blood (a lamb) where his brother Cain (Kain) only sacrificed fruits and other plant parts. As an Angel, he is one of the twelve powers given the task to judge souls arriving in heaven and is also an angel of the Fourth Heaven. Xephon is one of the cherubim (an Angel warrior with a sword) and in Paradise Lost was one of the two who found Satan in the Garden of Eden. Shizel's brother is also an Angel and will be revealed in later chapters.
Also, congratulations to Salazar Almighty for being the first one to actually uncover one of this fanfic's secrets before it was revealed. The characters play a different role though, than they did in the series.
