Author's notes:
Before starting this chapter, I wanted to thank Ultima Bigaroh for his extremely positive and inspiring review. Thank you, Ultima Bigaroh!
Oh, and one last thing, before I will start writing this chapter. All dialogue in italic type is alien speech, translated to English language in this story for your understanding, but untranslated to any human language in this story's reality.
Awakening and realizationAnd once again Asuka awoke form her sleep at warm sand near the ocean, filled with LCL Fluid. It was clear, that it was already the evening, for sun was setting, coloring the cloudless sky into red colors. She felt, as if something was very wrong with her, but couldn't give a name to this feeling of wrongness. It just felt wrong.
Asuka moved into sitting position, and only then she noticed Shinji, who set on the sand near her. Shinji's eyes were focused on Asuka's face, but as Asuka looked at Shinji, he quickly withdraw his gaze.
"Is there something wrong with me?" – asked Asuka a bit angrily.
"Hmm…" – answered Shinji, with uncertainty in his voice – "How do you feel Asuka?.. I mean, it was I, who wanted to ask whatever there is something wrong with you…"
"I feel fine" – answered Asuka – "Better then before, anyway. I just got a funny feeling of some kind. I just can give a name t it."
"Hmm… " – said Shinji, still with uncertainty in his voice, for he was greatly surprised, that Asuka claimed, that she felt fine with all her injuries and now with that – "I guess, that all is fine then…"
"Stop that!" – said Asuka, getting even angrier – "I see in your face, that something is wrong with me! Just say it, ok?"
"Well… " – said Shinji, with even more uncertainty in his voice – "I don't really know how to say it…"
"Just say it!"
"Well… you see, there is this thing in your forehead…"
"What thing?!"
Asuka touched her forehead, and indeed felt, as if some kind of alien thing was put into her forehead.
"What is it?!"
"Well… this thing looks like some kind of red gem. It seemed to be made of same red crystal, as the walls inside this enemy ship, and those red crystal globes, which you tried to hold to pilot enemy ship, so I thought…"
"How does this… thing appeared in my forehead?" – asked Asuka, trying to regain calmness, but with little effect.
"Well… you see, after you grabbed these red crystal globes, trying to pilot this alien ship, you kind of… eh… lost your conscious, but you kept holding these red crystal globes. I tried to get you away from this alien ship, but you kept holding these damned red crystal globes, and I couldn't make you to release your hold, without harming you, so I decided to wait. Then suddenly you released these red crystal globes and fall to the floor of the alien ship. I took you outside as quickly as possible, and laid you here. However next time, when I look at your forehead, this red gem was already in it. I am really sorry, Asuka! I know, I should make you to release your hold on these red crystal globes, but I was afraid to hurt you!"
"Don't worry, Shinji" – said Asuka, calming down a bit – "I guess, that you did it all right after all. I guess, that after all I need this red gem in my forehead to pilot this Devil Ship. And if I won't pilot this Devil Ship, then both of us would be doomed to die in these lifeless wastelands. So, I guess, that neither of us had much choice about this matter."
Shinji looked at Asuka for about a minute, for he didn't know, what to say next.
"Just tell me one thing, Shinji" – said Asuka, as she stood up – "I want to know, whatever this red gem in my forehead suits me, or no?"
"Well" – said Shinji, as he stood up as well – "I guess, that it suits you. Give you such a… hmm… exotic look, that's it."
Asuka looked at him and smiled, for a first time, since she recovered after Third Impact.
"By the way" – said Shinji – "Are you hungry or thirsty, Asuka?"
"Hmm" – said Asuka – "Now when you mention it, not really. Why did you ask?"
"Because unlike you, I am really hungry and thirsty!" – said Shinji a bit angrily – "I don't know, how is it possible for you not to be hungry, but I haven't eat for almost two days now. And only thing to drink here is this damned LCL Fluid. I tried to drink some, but I vomited most of it. And I am not sure, whatever I can bring myself to try to drink it again or not. I have never drink blood, but I guess, that is how blood must taste."
"Okay" – said Asuka, as she turned in the direction of Devil Ship – "Let's get going then. I think, I will be able to pilot this Devil Ship now."
"By the way, Asuka" – asked Shinji, as he and Asuka started to move toward the Devil Ship – "Why do you keep calling it Devil Ship?"
"And do you remember the nickname, which you and your stooges gave me?" – asked Asuka with a hint of cheerfulness in her voice – "Red Devil, if I remember correctly. This is my ship now, so if I am Red Devil, then it is Devil Ship, right?"
Shinji nodded a bit embarrassed. Of course, it was Toji, who instantly gave Asuka nickname Red Devil, for her red hair, and bad temper. But Shinji had never spoke in defense of his fellow pilot, and now he felt a bit guilty about it.
Realization of one's powersAs Asuka and Shinji get inside Devil Ship, Asuka immediately took place between two red crystal globes, but didn't grabbed them yet.
"Hold on!" – said Asuka to Shinji – "I will try to make this thing move."
"Hay, but I don't have anything to hold here" – said Shinji – "How am I suppose to hold on then?"
"Just try not to fall through the hole, ok?" – said Asuka, as she grubbed the red crystal globes, which, as she knew, were supposed to let her fully overtake Devil Ship's functions.
However, despite all Asuka knew about piloting of Devil Ship, from Devil Ship's own memories didn't prepared her for this. Since Asuka awoke after her last dream, she though, that overtaking Devil Ship's functions would be much like piloting Evangelion. She was wrong. For when she piloted her Evangelion, while she felt everything, her Evangelion felt, she still remained herself. And now she wasn't Asuka any longer. Instead she was the ship. Somewhere in the far corner of her conscious Asuka was still aware about her body, which stood inside her, holding her control globes, but it felt more like it was somebody else's body, not hers.
"Now, all I need is to move myself" – though Asuka – "But how? Well, at first I must get up, I guess"
And Asuka got up. She jerked upward for about hundred feet, and stopped again, hovering above ground. This sudden jerk thrown Shinji, who had nothing to hold upon, at the Devil Ship's floor.
"Hay, can you pilot this Devil Ship a bit more carefully, Asuka?" – said Shinji, as he got up.
"What did you expected, baka?!" – heard Asuka distant voice, and suddenly realized, that it was her voice, coming from her real body – "I am still in training!"
"Okay" – thought Asuka – "I have learned how to move myself. Now, I need to get us somewhere, where there will be any food and water. But where should I fly?"
Asuka started to study her surroundings. And it was only then, when she realized, that she could see everything around herself in 360 degree. And this realization made her head spin…
"Stop this, Asuka!" – cried Shinji, as Devil Ship shook violently.
Forcedly Asuka make herself to calm down, calming down the Devil Ship along with her.
"That is progress" – thought Asuka – "At last now I think about this Devil Ship as about separated thing. I must never forget this. I am Devil Ship's pilot, not the Devil Ship itself."
Once again, Asuka started to study her surroundings, this time, controlling herself better. But still, she couldn't see anything, but endless wastelands and endless LCL Fluid, at last not at first. Finally, Asuka was able to spot something far at the west (Asuka knew it was the west, thou she didn't knew how did she knew that, she just knew). It was just a black spot at near the horizon, but at last it was something.
"That is no good" – though Asuka – "I must see it closer"
Then Asuka's view started to move forward, as if her eyes ("Devil Ship's visual sensors" – corrected herself Asuka) were binoculars with zooming. Asuka knew, with hundred percent certainty, that effectually that is how it was, but still for some reason it was hard for her to accept this knowledge. For her to accept this knowledge, was to accept that she was currently a machine, the Devil Ship itself, and Asuka couldn't accept it.
As Asuka's view moved further and further forward, she saw as black spot finally grew into devastated and abandoned city, just as she had suspected. Without even thinking much about it, and about how she was doing it, Asuka immediately returned her view into normal.
"Well then, I'll be start moving westward" – thought Asuka – "Now!"
Devil Ship suddenly jerked to its left, and Shinji slammed into wall of the ship, opposite to the one he leaned upon.
"Stop that, Asuka!" – cried Shinji – "Are you going to kill me finally?! If you will jerk this damned Devil Ship around like that, I will fall through the hole. Remember, I don't have anything to hold upon."
"If it will go on like that?" – thought Asuka – "He will indeed fall through the hole."
Forcedly Asuka make herself to turn her attention from to her real body.
"You can try to hold these pedestals, you know" – said Asuka – "Just don't you dare to try to hold on to me, or you will risk death, more certain, then falling through the hole! Understood?"
"Yes" – answered Shinji
"Okay then" – said Asuka, and the she once again overtook Devil Ship's functions.
"He have a point" – thought Asuka – "I need to learn to move more carefully."
"Forward" – ordered Asuka to herself – "But slowly"
Indeed, she started to move westward more carefully, slowly gliding through the air. Shinji, who now held two pedestals, as if his life depended upon it (of course, he though, that it was so, for who knew when Devil Ship will get out of Asuka control and jerk sideward, sending Shinji flying right through the hole?), calmed down a bit, but still he couldn't call this flight especially enjoyable. Soon, rhythmic glide of the Devil Ship lulled tired Shinji, sending him into deep sleep.
On the other hand, Asuka enjoyed the flight to the last bit. Once she finally figured out how to control Devil Ship properly, it seemed for her, that now there weren't anything impossible for her. The only thing, that held her against starting to perform stunts was realization, that Shinji probably won't survive her stunts. Asuka turned her gaze from outside the Devil Ship to inside the Devil Ship, and looked at sleeping Shinji, who was holding the pedestals even in his sleep, even thou there was no need for that not, for now Devil Ship moved calmer and any airplane.
"He looks so peaceful, when he is asleep" – thought Asuka, and saw, that her real body smiled – "He deserved some rest, especially after all we have passed. And I also can enjoy a peaceful flight."
And so, Asuka continued to enjoy the flight to the last bit, even thou it was more peaceful, then she wanted it to be. Enjoying the flight, Asuka didn't noticed, as she started to glide forward faster and faster, heading toward her destination. Shinji deep in his sleep didn't noticed this as well…
Realization of the lossesThe only light, which filled the small circular room, was dim red light, coming from the very walls of the room, which were made from dark red crystal. Three metallic chairs stood in the room, and three elderly men in dark red robes sat at these chairs, and each of them had red gem in his forehead. But their red gems were dark and lifeless, even thou bond remained, they were too old to control their ships. For even they, whose lifespan was longer then lifespan of the most others race left in this universe, were not immortal.
Suddenly one of the walls produced passage in it, and much younger man in red robes came toward the three sitting men. He had red gem in his forehead, just like the three sitting men, but even thou his red gem was quite dark as well, compared to their gems it looked much brighter, and by all means, not lifeless. Younger man stepped before three sitting men and bent his knees to show his respect for the elders.
"What knew did you bring us" – asked one of the sitting men – "Did your mission succeeded?"
"Yes" – answered younger man – "The assignment was successfully completed."
"I believe, that as we suspected, you have met no resistance?" – asked one of the sitting men.
"Incorrect" – said younger man – "Apparently natives possessed some kind of automatic defense system, which attacked our fleet, trying to prevent us from fulfilling our duties. But this automatic defense system was quickly dealt with, and we fulfilled our duties without any further disturbing."
"Were there any losses?" – asked one of the sitting men.
"Unfortunately, there were" – answered younger man – "We didn't expected to meet any resistance, and our fleet was taken by surprise by this automatic defense system. As result, one of our units was brought down, and crushed the planet Sol Three's surface. We didn't checked the status of unit and its pilot, because successful fulfillment of our mission was our highest objective. It is possible, that unit and its pilot are still functioning . Sending the rescue would seem to be optimal decision."
"What unit was it?" – asked.
"Unit one two seven seven one six two" – answered younger man.
"Is it true?" – asked one of the sitting men – "One of the Modified Units was sent for this mission?"
"Apparently so" – said younger man.
"But we forbade to use any of Modified Units for any real operation, before all testments would be completed" – said one of the sitting men – "How did it come, that unit one two seven seven one six two was used for this mission?"
"It was misunderstanding" – answered younger man – "We have detected energy fault in unit one two seven one two seven five's system, and so, we couldn't use unit one two seven one two seven five for this mission. Unfortunately, it was detected just before operation should be started, so a hastily decision to use unit one two seven seven one six two instead of unit one two seven one two seven five for this mission was made. Unfortunately, due to the haste of decision, it was forgotten that unit one two seven seven one six two was modified by Shadow technology, and wasn't fully tested yet."
"Such forgetfulness is unforgivable" – said one of the sitting men – "Yet we have no choice but to forgive it, hoping that in future it will not happen again. You must proceed with rescue operation. Failure is not acceptable."
"Failure is not acceptable" – agreed younger man – "And so, unit one two seven seven one six two will be retrieved."