Disclaimers:
Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc. are Property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine. This is a "what if" story, so take it as a divergence from the EoE Movie. So, it is an A/U story as well.
**As always, thanks go out to my pre-readers, Dark Angelus, and Exeter! Great job guys! I will be finishing this story as I'm now concentrating on my other stories to hopefully finish them by the summer!
Duo Awakenings
Chapter#8: Remembrance and Prayer
Will they make it out alive, or will nature take away their second chance at life?
AN: Sorry but a monumental case of writer's block has been on me since just before the new year so I hope with this I can get some more stories finished and continued.
I will tell you now that this is the LAST chapter of this particular story.
As for the storyline .... well, let see if that will continue.
We will find out who survived and who didn't ... and yes someone dies! Also the survivors will be doing that surviving. How and where we will see.
And on that note, let us get to the story.
Remembrance and ... sacrifice
As Asuka awoke from what felt like a dreamless and restless sleep, she looked at the ceiling and somehow understood what Shinji had tried to explain to her some months back of his feelings of loneliness and despair at looking at another unfamiliar ceiling.
She shook her head to clear the cobwebs in her mind and try to remember how she got here. Then it hit like a fright train.
The Wall of mud,
The sudden weight of Shigreu on top of her trying to shield her from the inevitable strike of rock, mud and dirt that makes up a speedy mudslide. She remembers the hit on the truck they were in and of the feeling of being rolled many times hitting various parts of the truck cabin, and of course the flailing man trying his best to protect her and both becoming injured in the process.
Then ... total blackness and the cold slimy feel of many pounds of dirt and rock pushing down on every square inch of her body then a quiet slipping to unconsciousness.
She should be dead, and already she was buried, yet she was here in this room, somewhere still trying to figure out how the hell she got out of such a death trap.
She then took sometime to look around her surroundings and slowly came to realise she was back at the barracks of the military base they had been before their excursion. She saw that her clothes, those she hadn't worn when she was buried hung in a open closet, next to that was a simple dresser and on top a few of the salvaged pictures from Misato's apartment she and Shinji had collected before their departure from Tokyo-3. Next to that was the room's door, so she took a look at the other side of the room and saw on a bunk next to her a sleeping Shinji, facing towards her. She studies his face and saw a haggard and sad look, much like the one he had after they had first woken up on that beach a few hundred miles away.
She then looked at the alarm clock that was on the end table between the two bunks. I read 2:34am. 'Damn, so I woke up in the middle of the night.' Asuka muttered in her mind.
She resolved to try to get up, but that was stopped by the cast on her leg and an I.V. tube stuck into her left arm. She hadn't noticed it at first but found out fast that it was there.
"Damn." She said quietly. She didn't want to wake up a clearly tired Shinji, but she really needed to go to the restroom. "Shinji ... Shinji honey, can you wake up, love." She reluctantly said, feeling more guilt in waking him.
"Hmmm, I 'm awake Asuka-Chan." Shinji mumbled, then he shot up and fell on the floor, a second later jumping up. "Asuka-Chan your awake!"
He feebly turned the room's lamp on, which was on the end table between the bunks. He started to check quickly Asuka while she was trying to get his attention. "Hey Baka Shinji I need to get to the bathroom, ok!"
"Oh, Alright Asuka-chan, let me help you up." Shinji then walked quickly over to the other side and helped Asuka get up off the bed. With one hand on the I.V. stand, his other hand around her waist, and with her arm around his shoulders, they both made their way out the door and down the hall to the barracks restrooms.
After a few minutes where Shinji had to carefully help Asuka into the stall while not looking at her doing her business. "Ok my Baka, you can help me up and out to the kitchen cause I really hungry and...."
Shinji cut her off, "Asuka, You have to go back to our room and I'll get Maya up to check on you first."
"Oh, Do I have to?" Then Asuka winced, she realised she had to rest as several of her ribs were giving her a clear hint that they were either bruised or broken. Shinji saw her grimace and carefully helped her up and laid her back to her bunk.
After Shinji carefully tucked her back into bed, Asuka looked at Shinji quickly realised something. She asked; "Shinji, How ... how come I'm still alive? I mean, what happened, how did I get here?". Asuka was now nervous and scared. She looked intently at Shinji. "Was I ... the only one that ... made it out live?"
Shinji looked down trying to compose himself. It was obvious something dreadful had happened but Shinji was trying to say the right thing. The look he gave her made her even more nervous. "Yes ... and no."
She looked around as if to find an answer then she grabbed Shinji by his collar. "So ... Shigreu's dead?" She was already feeling awful about the whole thing, and now she imagined Maya crying hysterically at the loss of her love.
But Shinji's answer shook her out of her funk. "No. He's alive. But..."
Asuka shook him hard. "What kind of answer is that. If he's alive then..."
She then realised only two others were left of their group. She obviously knew they weren't in the truck with Shigreu and herself, 'So one of them must have come and dug us out, then...' She realised that whomever rescued her and Shigreu ... must have died while trying.
She looked up at Shinji now crying face as she tried to figure out who had sacrificed their life for her and Maya's love.
Asuka licked her lips and simply asked, "Rei or Sentaro?"
He then grabbed her embracing her and crying on her shoulder, she reciprocated taking his body into her arms and holding him tight, rubbing her hands on his back trying to console him as best she could.
Asuka really couldn't decide who had died simply by Shinji's response, as she knew he was one to overreacting these types of situations. But if it was Rei, being his sister, then this could...
Suddenly, Shinji broke the embrace, and stared intently her. "Asuka, it was..."
Sacrifice
"Sentaro." Asuka was stunned, yet still confused. Why would the Biker jock do such a thing?
"Oh ... mein Gott! How's Rei taking all this?" She realised that the aloof former first child did have feelings for the newest member of their group.
"Not well." He sighed. "I've had to split my time between keeping you company, and trying to talk to her." He sighed a second time, which told Asuka this was much more serious. Shinji then started to cry and took her hand. "Asuka, she's reverted to her old self, emotionless lethargic, doing the basic things and she's stopped interacting with us, saying the minimum that needs to be said. Asuka, she's and just doing what she's told to do, I think she's trying to escape the painful feelings of Sentaro's death that way."
Even though she was still waking up from her injury induced slumber Asuka could see how tired Shinji was. She could understand this as she digested all he had said. Then it dawned on her. Maybe in a little while, she'll have a 'talk' with Rei and see what she could do to get her out of her funk. Grieving is a very personal thing, but shutting out those who could help won't make the recovery any better.
As she resolved this, she realised she didn't know what had happened, so she asked him, "Shinji, listen tell me what happened to me and Shigreu, and how Sentaro ... died."
"Ok. Well as you know both you and Shigreu were trapped in the cab of that truck stuck upside down within the mudslide. Which of course caught all of us by surprise. But then Sentaro had the idea to use the wench on the Hum- Vee we drove in to get one of us down and with two additional harnesses and some digging equipment. Rei had objected to either me, or Sentaro to go down to rescue you both, and had volunteered herself. But as we talked to her the rain had died down. Then the mud slowly started to move."
"Wait, Shinji ... wasn't the mudslide moving us down to the ravine's edge?" Asuka asked.
"Exactly, that's why when the mud started to move Sentaro grabbed the equipment, ran by us and threw himself off the side of the highway making his way to you before any of us had a chance to react."
"Hey wait. How did he do all that?" The redhead questioned.
"Well, it seems Sentaro was tying up the main line to the Hum-vees winching system while we were talking."
"Asuka nodded her head, saddened knowing what was coming next. "Ok I got it so far. What happened next?"
Shinji choked up a bit. "He ... he repelled down through the mud and angled himself to the truck which was now on it's side with the back of it sheared off buy the speed and strength of mud slide." He looked at her eyes as they watered, but she nodded for him to continue. "Sentaro then somehow got to the open window on the drivers side and he disappeared inside."
"We all waited for what seemed more time than it was. But we finally saw him struggling to get Shigreu's body out and he did. Maya, Rei and I then started to bring his limp body up using one of the lines Sentaro took with him. We took the one that was attached to Shigreu's harness and winched him up. As this was going on I saw him go back into the cab, I assume to get you." Asuka nodded and motioned to him to continue.
"At that time, we finally got Shigreu up and Sentaro signalled to us that he had you and was putting the harness on you. I sent the wench line down and he secured the second line for your harness and we started winching you up." Shinji squeezed Asuka's hand as she continued his story. She squeezed back to assure him.
"Hum, ...well he was still next to the trucks cab, when ... all of a sudden, a large boulder ... it was about as big as a house. Well it rolled down the mountain side and ... and it rolled right onto the truck and swept him with the surrounding debris down the mountain ... and over the edge ... of the..." He finally couldn't go on and Asuka held him as he cried into her shoulder. 'Oh my little baka, having to witness that.' Asuka thought as she shushed him and told him "It was ok." and "I'm here for you, my love." But she was also crying at the ultimate sacrifice the young BMX'er had made. She then promised to help him and Rei after she recovered.
Outside the room Rei knelt down with her back to the wall, her arms holding her legs tightly silently crying as she too heard her brother tell Asuka what he had seen. 'Sentaro ... why did you sacrifice yourself, when I wanted you to be here, with me?' She covered her face with her arms and continued to cry.' I had come to realise that I ... cared for you and wanted to explore these new feelings I had for you. Yet you left me ... why ...why?' All she felt now was a hollow empty feeling in her gut. Something that she didn't want to deal with. But in her grief, she forgot that in life there is happiness ... and pain.
Redemption
Sentaro awoke in a very familiar place. With a very familiar face looking at him expectantly. His vision cleared and then he recognised the face. "S- Skuld?"
"Yes My little BMX King. How are you my love?" she asked a now confused Sentaro.
"I'm back I guess. But wasn't I supposed to live a whole human life?" The boy asked a now smiling almost giddy Goddess.
"Well it seems that Daddy (AKA Kami-sama) wanted for you to prove your selflessness as you were a bit selfish in your previous life."
"So ... when I went to rescue Shigreu and Asuka ... wait what did happen to me there?" Sentaro was scratching his head in confusion.
"Well, I'm sorry to say that you died while trying to rescue them. You did save them by the way. But you couldn't save yourself. You couldn't avoid that boulder that smashed into the remains of the truck." Skuld was sad in his death, but she held his hand in a caring way.
"So, it was all a test to see that I was god enough to be with you?" Sentaro was a bit confused, as it seemed Skuld was as well.
"Yes it seems so, I didn't even know about it till you showed up here."
"But ... what about Rei, what is she going through right now." Sentaro was angry at now knowing Rei was probably grieving for him.
Skuld was sympathetic as she could imagine Rei was feeling what she had felt when Sentaro had been send back to earth. She took his hand and looked at him intently. "Kami-sama acts in mysterious ways and I'm sure this is his way to point Rei to her own true destiny."
Sentaro shook his head. "I still think it unfair with all she already had to go through."
"Remember, she returned to experience a human life, that meant the happiness and the sadness, the joy and the pain. I think she has to suffer some pain to appreciate the joy, and I know she will have joy in her life Sentaro-kun."
"I still think she was given the dirty end of the stick, (He then looked intently at the now blushing face of the teen goddess) ... but I did miss you Skuld. Listen can we keep an eye on Rei, maybe be her guardian angels so to speak?"
I think that could be arranged!" She smiled and then bent down to give her love that long awaited kiss.
Somewhere else in the heavenly plain, a smile came over a higher beings face, satisfied that one piece of his plan was complete.
Renewal 2-(days after Asuka's awakening)
Asuka had talked to the others getting their versions of what had happened and found out she had suffered a broken rib, and a broken lower right arm in the accident. Shigreu had sustained a broken leg and several broken ribs. The group decided to stay on the former Japanese Army base and took residence in one the residential bungalows that seemed to be for an officer & his family. A 3 bedroom 2 bath prefabricated home, near the warehouse section. Very convenient as they will stay until the two recover.
Asuka then talked to Maya and Shinji to have Rei help her as they took turns getting supplies from the base's stores, plus Nagoya and the surrounding area. The German teen did this on purpose as she was planning to help Rei deal with her grief on Sentaro's death in her own unique way.
So after breakfast, which Shinji had insisted to serve Asuka in her bed, Rei came in to clean up and as Shinji had said Rei seemed to have reverted to her old non-interactive self. One way she knew was Rei was talking in a monotone voice and seemingly emotionless gaze of her eyes. Asuka knew that Rei needed to have some sort of release for her hidden emotions, so she made a plan to let the girl release her feelings.
Asuka started to act like she had with Shinji before the Third Impact. Being a bitchy, self-centered, egotistical self, making grandiose comments that would strain the patience of a Flying Nun. Since Rei was now fully human, her normally patient way to ignore those comments just wasn't there anymore. So as Asuka became more of a spoiled brat to her, Rei's tolerance began to ebb. She held out for two days until a comment made by Asuka about her lack of skill in making a simple dish of mashed potatoes finally took the last shred of patience the girl had.
Though still using her emotionless tone of voice, Asuka saw the veritable fire her eyes expressed. "How can you say that about me Soryu! Your constant ramblings of anything you deemed less than adequate has done nothing but taunt and inflict emotional duress on me for these last three days. Why have you done this as I have had enough of this sort of behaviour from you! I do not understand how my brother has any feelings for you."
There the inevitable glove was thrown, just like Asuka had anticipated. "Well Wondergirl I would think that I would have sunk back into my 'Old' self as you have since Sentaro's death, if Shinji died. Don't you see the way you have reverted back to your pre TI self? Well I saw it and that is why I said those crude, awful things to you, so you could focus all that pent up anger at me. Can't you see through your logical eyes that you, Rei need to let go all that grief you have knotted up inside you? Cause if you don't then there isn't any reason to live right?"
Rei looked at her a bit stunned and slowly looked back at the red haired girl. "You ... did ... this on ... purpose?"
"Yeah, of course. How could I have gotten you pissed at me so you can get all that anger out in the first..." She was cut off by a flying angry Banshee yelling dark blue headed former Eva pilot pouncing on her trying to tear great chunks of hair from her head. The next few seconds would be encompassed by one word ... CATFIGHT!
Several seconds later after Maya and Shinji rush in and untangled the two they saw a very perplexed, bruised, scratched up and incensed Rei. While Asuka, who is equally adorned in scratches and bruise, but had a wide smile on her face even with a bloody lip, her arm cast a bit worse for wear and her bruised and broken ribs not feeling as well as before. But before anything else could happen both girls shrugged off the two holding them and marched up face to face. Then after a few moments of tense silence both embraced each other Rei crying on Asuka's shoulder which Asuka was hugging her as best she could with one broken arm. "It's apart of life Rei to grieve so let it out girl and I'll be here for you, ok?"
Rei nodded while still holding Asuka tightly crying at the loss of a boy she knew for only a few days but came to love and care for. "Course I am lucky you aren't still a half-angel anymore or I'd be an AT- Field pancake now wouldn't I?" Rei smiled and giggled a little through her sobs and tears as she got the little joke the former pilot of Eva-02 has said. Off to the side Maya and Shinji bared silent witness to the little drama unfolding in front of them.
"Hey Shinji did you know Asuka was planning to do this?" Maya asked.
"She told me she was planning something to get Rei out of her funk ... but how she was going to do it, Nope!" He shook his head as he watched his fiancé hold his sobbing sister. "But I'm glad she did, we should have our 'real' Rei back now." Maya nodded then slipped away to attend to Shigreu and bring him up to speed on the drama. Shinji just looked at the two most important women in his life, and sighed with a smile and a warm thought of how things had to get better if these two could get along again.
A few weeks later in a new truck and their Hum-Vee, the five were getting ready to leave to continue their journey. But before they left, they had one special stop to make. They drove back to the site of the landslide. All went up to the edge of the ravine and threw flowers and prayers scrolls over the edge as they couldn't find Sentaro's body. But they knew it was buried below thousands of pounds of mud rock and sand.
As each said silent prayers for their departed comrade, Rei and Asuka arm- in-arm looked out towards the ravines edge and the natural tomb of Sentaro Kawanishi and contemplated their brief time with the boy.
"Asuka, I miss him, I have a pain in my chest that doesn't seem to go away. How can I go on and live with that?"
"Rei, it's something that never totally goes away. When you lose someone you care for it will always be there. I still miss my mother even though I know she in a better place. You should know he will be there when you die at least if what you told me is true about the gods and goddesses."
"Rei looked at her friend and slowly nodded. "Yes, I see your point, but still ... I will miss him. I had ... dreams of a life with him, and now..."
"I know, but it does become less and less as time goes by. But it will always be there as a reminder of the good times you had with Sentaro, so concentrate on that and it will get better in time." Asuka then motioned for them to walk to the edge and Rei then threw a single purple chrysanthemum into the ravine. 'I will never forget.' She thought as she and Asuka turned and walked back slowly for the truck.
Closure - 6 months later
The group had made it down to Kagoshima via Osaka Bay, and the Inland Sea reaching the Island of Shikoku in a week. They crossed it in a few days and again crossed the sea to Kyushu where their final destination of Kagoshima lay. Within the next five months the group found a great home overlooking the city and actually got a few of the transponders around their home area working allowing some of their cellphone/Walkie-talkies to work.
Near the top of the area they found a small market garden and they cultivated as many vegetables and fruits as they could find seeds for. Plus they found several chickens and two milk cows at a nearby farm. They brought them to their homestead and made it through the winter, which luckily didn't hit Kyushu as hard as it did the other islands north of them.
Shigreu and Asuka had mended their broken bones well and were up and about a few weeks after the group made it to Kagoshima. With trips to the city below and a good defensible home they started to plan for the future. But soon an event would change all their futures forever!
One
Year
Since Third Impact!
Visitors
As a rule two of the family members would do a daily patrol around the area looking for newcomers, and for any threat to their little homestead. But some changes have happened. Maya is two months away from the birth of her and Shigreu's baby. They had a small ceremony a week after Shigreu's cast came off his leg, declaring their vows in front of the three children who were their witnesses and declared their love and commitment to themselves as husband and wife.
A month later, Shinji had officially declared his intentions to Asuka as she was enjoying a special dessert of German Chocolate cake he had baked for her. As she was eating a big forkful, Shinji knelt down on one knee and presented Asuka with an engagement ring with a two carrot ruby on it. For once in her life Asuka was simply speechless, plus having food in one's mouth makes for little conversation. She naturally jumped at Shinji sending them both sprawling to the floor while Asuka rained chocolate covered kisses all over his face. As the rest were laughing at the spectacle in front of them, there to comfort and congratulate her was Rei. She, who had been behind Shinji, finally helped them both up after a few moments after the deed as it were. After all this happened the small family was now getting used to their new and seemingly routine and permanent life.
But that wasn't to be!
One day, actually around lunchtime, they were at their dining room, having the midday meal when a weird sound was heard occurring at the front of their home. Shinji and Shigreu grabbed their rifles while Rei, Maya and Asuka went to the front windows with their own pistols at the ready, as both Shinji and Shigreu made their way out to the front door, and then to the front yard of their home.
There they found seven people making sweeping movements with some sort of curious grey instruments in their hands. That and their similar uniforms made it obvious that these people weren't from Japan, and some looked strange enough to not even be from the earth at all. Shigreu swallowed hard and asked, "Hello, and welcome to (He waved his hand around him) ... what's left of Kagoshima. Now, who are you and what do you want here?"
"Well, we are from ... a ship and we are here to find out what happened and offer our help if we can." Said the man with a face tattoo who seemed to be the leader.
Shigreu knew two things already, From their vantagepoint they could see any ship docking at Kagoshima, and their electronic surveillance equipment they had from Nerv had a satellite slaved to watch their city which would have alerted them of any ship approaching with a few days notice. So he knew they were lying. But, in the interest of giving them a chance to explain themselves and also giving the others to prepare Shigreu lifted his eyebrow as a signal to be prepared to the others, they all subtly nodded. "Ok, we can probably fill you in as it seems you've been off this planet for.... oh let's say 8 months!" Shigreu then took the safety off his M-16 carbine with a clear click. He then faced the leader of the group with a serious look. "Now ... where are you from and what sort of help are you offering us?" Shigreu asked in a clear but tensed voice. He knew they outnumbered them but he wanted to put a strong front regardless, as his wife and child as well as the rest of the children were under his leadership and protection.
"The Commander had to think fast as his mistake on telling them they were from a ship didn't seem to fly well with these locals. He held his hand up to make it clear that he wasn't a threat "Please let me explain." Shigreu saw the sincerity and nodded for him to continue. "My name is Chakotay, and were are from a ship ... a star-ship named Voyager. We are here find out what happened, and to help if we can."
"Well, Chakotay, as you all seem not to be from Japan, let alone Asia. And some of you (He was looking at the black man with pointed ears, and another woman who seemed to have a turtle shell on her forehead) seem to be even farther away, you can understand that we are a bit leery of help without reasons. But, since you are from a starship that says to me that you're from up there, right?" The former Nerv Tech asked, pointing upwards as Chakotay nodded.
"All right, so as long as you don't reach for a ray-gun or laser then I think we can talk." Aoba said and waved behind him and signalled the women to come out. Shinji, who was visibly nervous throughout the whole discussion, sighed heavily.
He then turned to face the seven with a very enlightened question. "Why did you come here ... why to this planet?" Chakotay then told him he'd explain it all, then he asked to be introduced to the rest of the family.
As Shigreu introduced his family, the rest of the visitors did as well. First the pointed eared black man answered. "I am Tuvok, Science officer and as you have surmised I am from another Planet named Vulcan. It is on the other side of this galaxy as is Voyager's home planet. It seemed a wise move not to tell them that there was another earth there as well. One that had not had this disastrous situation happens. As the rest of the family watched them, Asuka had her own opinions. Course she kept her thoughts to herself.
('_'= Asuka's thoughts!)
"I'm Be'lana Torres-Paris, I'm the Chief Engineer." 'She had many aspects of people from the Southern Americas, but that bone ridge on her forehead ... is different.'
Tuvok contnued the introductions. "Lt.'s Micheals, Sociologist, Ensign's Ombawaye and Chin, our security officers." Asuka thinks, 'Now, those three seem to be from our world by their looks, but these first two were definitely alien."
"And This is Seven, and Icheb, they're apart of our civilian science crew. 'One was tall, blond, and looks like a supermodel. While the boy seems to be only a few years older than Rei, Shinji or I. But both have what seemed like metallic parts on various parts of their bodies, now that IS weird. And look at her, why does she have to have that skin-tight suit on. Looks like an adult plug suit. I'll have to keep an eye on Shinji so he doesn't get any ideas.'
Tuvok then dove into what they had observed from out in space. What brought us to investigate this planet was when we saw through our sensors what looked like an enormous being, female in anatomy, light skinned with light blue hair raising herself off the surface of the planet hundreds of kilometres tall, seemingly holding a black orb. Even at 5 light years away, we could see every detail of her and what seemed like 3 sets of luminescent wings on her back." (AN: I am not here to debate light years and the movement of a ship in warp drive observing events one year previous at least from Shinji & crew's view so please go with it!) "We were very curious about these strange phenomena and our Captain decided to investigate. We wanted to know from you who this being was and how she could have existed in the vacuum of space as well as how her enormous body was developed to be so far off the planet's surface and yet exist. Finally why did she die as she is laying across one of your oceans deceased."
Shigreu looked back to Maya, Shinji and the girls with a rye grin, "Well if you have a few hours. I think we can fill you in, but I do want to know how can you help us now?"
Tuvok, the black pointy eared man answered." Since there are so few people on this planet we would either give you enough supplies and technology to help in your endeavour to re-establish your civilisation. Or depending on what my captain decides, you could come with us, as the rate of birth here congruent to the population base you have now would mean it would take approximately 30 generations to repopulate the planet enough to have a feasible world wide society."
Chakotay added, "What he means is if the Captain ok's it you can come with us unless you want to wait 30 Generations for ..."
"Sir, I can tell you that we are all intelligent and after our little talk you'll see we completely understand what Mr. Tuvok said." Maya piped in. "Though our world leaders were fools even with all their intelligence." Maya sighed as she thought of Ritsuko, SEELE, and the Commander.
"Wait," Be'lanna asked, "You mean to tell me that giant was brought to life as an experiment of your world's leaders?" "Yes, Torres-san, we will explain inside." Rei answered.
Then the Voyager away team noticed Rei, and her almost exact resemblance to the giant decaying in the Pacific Ocean. "Yes, I'm sure it will be an ... enlightening story." Said the blond woman with the metallic eyepiece.
"Indeed." Said a stoic Rei as they all followed her in while Lt.'s Micheals, Ombawaye and Chin began exploring and scanning the area.
As Tuvok and the others were de-briefed by Shigreu and the family, Chakotay decided that they would be better off with them rather than stuck eking out a life in a planet, which will take centuries to recover. After they finished he sent his recommendation to Captain Janeway and seeing the plight that this group had ahead of them decided to invite them to join the crew. She had already invited Seven-of-Nine and Icheb to the crew, and from what Chakotay had told her, all five were bright, intelligent people that can be trained to help the ship in the long run. Added to that what they all had gone through, she considered it as good a claim as were Seven's and Icheb's reasons to be on Voyager.
When Chakotay informed them if the Captain's 'invitation', they were all taken by surprise. They had a choice that seem much more exiting that just surviving in a devastated planet, a chance at a new life, and more. To help their new friends on Voyager get home, to an Earth 300 years ahead of they're own.
It wasn't a tough decision to make. Shigreu and Maya were thinking of their baby who had a new chance at a life on a new and advanced Earth. Asuka and Shinji saw more opportunities to do something more with their lives that they had no chance of here on this earth. Finally to Rei, it was a new life where she wasn't just a tool, but a person who could make choices, and make a difference. Plus it was a way to close the book on her old life, and to remember a boy's sacrifice for her to live on. She made it her dream to do that for him.
So, a few days later the Voyager crew, augmented by the addition of five more crewmembers with a sixth on the way, made their way out of this solar system and headed for a new adventure and the promise of a bright future on Earth.
How they will live on their new home is another story! ;-)
dennisud
Author's Notes: One heck of a twist at the end there Huh! Well I've been a long time fan of Star Trek and I had an idea for a fanfiction story on Voyager but I was waiting till all my stories were done. But I got an idea. Why not kill two birds with one stone. Why not see how our former Nerv pilots and tech.s handle being on a starship! Well that will be the gist of the sequel where our Eva characters live on a ship in the wrong quadrant trying to head to their earth and home.
Wish me luck and please when I do get it out, please review as you have here.
Finally I wish to thank my prereaders again for their invaluable assistance. I simply would not have as good as story without their help.
dennisud
Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc. are Property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine. This is a "what if" story, so take it as a divergence from the EoE Movie. So, it is an A/U story as well.
**As always, thanks go out to my pre-readers, Dark Angelus, and Exeter! Great job guys! I will be finishing this story as I'm now concentrating on my other stories to hopefully finish them by the summer!
Duo Awakenings
Chapter#8: Remembrance and Prayer
Will they make it out alive, or will nature take away their second chance at life?
AN: Sorry but a monumental case of writer's block has been on me since just before the new year so I hope with this I can get some more stories finished and continued.
I will tell you now that this is the LAST chapter of this particular story.
As for the storyline .... well, let see if that will continue.
We will find out who survived and who didn't ... and yes someone dies! Also the survivors will be doing that surviving. How and where we will see.
And on that note, let us get to the story.
Remembrance and ... sacrifice
As Asuka awoke from what felt like a dreamless and restless sleep, she looked at the ceiling and somehow understood what Shinji had tried to explain to her some months back of his feelings of loneliness and despair at looking at another unfamiliar ceiling.
She shook her head to clear the cobwebs in her mind and try to remember how she got here. Then it hit like a fright train.
The Wall of mud,
The sudden weight of Shigreu on top of her trying to shield her from the inevitable strike of rock, mud and dirt that makes up a speedy mudslide. She remembers the hit on the truck they were in and of the feeling of being rolled many times hitting various parts of the truck cabin, and of course the flailing man trying his best to protect her and both becoming injured in the process.
Then ... total blackness and the cold slimy feel of many pounds of dirt and rock pushing down on every square inch of her body then a quiet slipping to unconsciousness.
She should be dead, and already she was buried, yet she was here in this room, somewhere still trying to figure out how the hell she got out of such a death trap.
She then took sometime to look around her surroundings and slowly came to realise she was back at the barracks of the military base they had been before their excursion. She saw that her clothes, those she hadn't worn when she was buried hung in a open closet, next to that was a simple dresser and on top a few of the salvaged pictures from Misato's apartment she and Shinji had collected before their departure from Tokyo-3. Next to that was the room's door, so she took a look at the other side of the room and saw on a bunk next to her a sleeping Shinji, facing towards her. She studies his face and saw a haggard and sad look, much like the one he had after they had first woken up on that beach a few hundred miles away.
She then looked at the alarm clock that was on the end table between the two bunks. I read 2:34am. 'Damn, so I woke up in the middle of the night.' Asuka muttered in her mind.
She resolved to try to get up, but that was stopped by the cast on her leg and an I.V. tube stuck into her left arm. She hadn't noticed it at first but found out fast that it was there.
"Damn." She said quietly. She didn't want to wake up a clearly tired Shinji, but she really needed to go to the restroom. "Shinji ... Shinji honey, can you wake up, love." She reluctantly said, feeling more guilt in waking him.
"Hmmm, I 'm awake Asuka-Chan." Shinji mumbled, then he shot up and fell on the floor, a second later jumping up. "Asuka-Chan your awake!"
He feebly turned the room's lamp on, which was on the end table between the bunks. He started to check quickly Asuka while she was trying to get his attention. "Hey Baka Shinji I need to get to the bathroom, ok!"
"Oh, Alright Asuka-chan, let me help you up." Shinji then walked quickly over to the other side and helped Asuka get up off the bed. With one hand on the I.V. stand, his other hand around her waist, and with her arm around his shoulders, they both made their way out the door and down the hall to the barracks restrooms.
After a few minutes where Shinji had to carefully help Asuka into the stall while not looking at her doing her business. "Ok my Baka, you can help me up and out to the kitchen cause I really hungry and...."
Shinji cut her off, "Asuka, You have to go back to our room and I'll get Maya up to check on you first."
"Oh, Do I have to?" Then Asuka winced, she realised she had to rest as several of her ribs were giving her a clear hint that they were either bruised or broken. Shinji saw her grimace and carefully helped her up and laid her back to her bunk.
After Shinji carefully tucked her back into bed, Asuka looked at Shinji quickly realised something. She asked; "Shinji, How ... how come I'm still alive? I mean, what happened, how did I get here?". Asuka was now nervous and scared. She looked intently at Shinji. "Was I ... the only one that ... made it out live?"
Shinji looked down trying to compose himself. It was obvious something dreadful had happened but Shinji was trying to say the right thing. The look he gave her made her even more nervous. "Yes ... and no."
She looked around as if to find an answer then she grabbed Shinji by his collar. "So ... Shigreu's dead?" She was already feeling awful about the whole thing, and now she imagined Maya crying hysterically at the loss of her love.
But Shinji's answer shook her out of her funk. "No. He's alive. But..."
Asuka shook him hard. "What kind of answer is that. If he's alive then..."
She then realised only two others were left of their group. She obviously knew they weren't in the truck with Shigreu and herself, 'So one of them must have come and dug us out, then...' She realised that whomever rescued her and Shigreu ... must have died while trying.
She looked up at Shinji now crying face as she tried to figure out who had sacrificed their life for her and Maya's love.
Asuka licked her lips and simply asked, "Rei or Sentaro?"
He then grabbed her embracing her and crying on her shoulder, she reciprocated taking his body into her arms and holding him tight, rubbing her hands on his back trying to console him as best she could.
Asuka really couldn't decide who had died simply by Shinji's response, as she knew he was one to overreacting these types of situations. But if it was Rei, being his sister, then this could...
Suddenly, Shinji broke the embrace, and stared intently her. "Asuka, it was..."
Sacrifice
"Sentaro." Asuka was stunned, yet still confused. Why would the Biker jock do such a thing?
"Oh ... mein Gott! How's Rei taking all this?" She realised that the aloof former first child did have feelings for the newest member of their group.
"Not well." He sighed. "I've had to split my time between keeping you company, and trying to talk to her." He sighed a second time, which told Asuka this was much more serious. Shinji then started to cry and took her hand. "Asuka, she's reverted to her old self, emotionless lethargic, doing the basic things and she's stopped interacting with us, saying the minimum that needs to be said. Asuka, she's and just doing what she's told to do, I think she's trying to escape the painful feelings of Sentaro's death that way."
Even though she was still waking up from her injury induced slumber Asuka could see how tired Shinji was. She could understand this as she digested all he had said. Then it dawned on her. Maybe in a little while, she'll have a 'talk' with Rei and see what she could do to get her out of her funk. Grieving is a very personal thing, but shutting out those who could help won't make the recovery any better.
As she resolved this, she realised she didn't know what had happened, so she asked him, "Shinji, listen tell me what happened to me and Shigreu, and how Sentaro ... died."
"Ok. Well as you know both you and Shigreu were trapped in the cab of that truck stuck upside down within the mudslide. Which of course caught all of us by surprise. But then Sentaro had the idea to use the wench on the Hum- Vee we drove in to get one of us down and with two additional harnesses and some digging equipment. Rei had objected to either me, or Sentaro to go down to rescue you both, and had volunteered herself. But as we talked to her the rain had died down. Then the mud slowly started to move."
"Wait, Shinji ... wasn't the mudslide moving us down to the ravine's edge?" Asuka asked.
"Exactly, that's why when the mud started to move Sentaro grabbed the equipment, ran by us and threw himself off the side of the highway making his way to you before any of us had a chance to react."
"Hey wait. How did he do all that?" The redhead questioned.
"Well, it seems Sentaro was tying up the main line to the Hum-vees winching system while we were talking."
"Asuka nodded her head, saddened knowing what was coming next. "Ok I got it so far. What happened next?"
Shinji choked up a bit. "He ... he repelled down through the mud and angled himself to the truck which was now on it's side with the back of it sheared off buy the speed and strength of mud slide." He looked at her eyes as they watered, but she nodded for him to continue. "Sentaro then somehow got to the open window on the drivers side and he disappeared inside."
"We all waited for what seemed more time than it was. But we finally saw him struggling to get Shigreu's body out and he did. Maya, Rei and I then started to bring his limp body up using one of the lines Sentaro took with him. We took the one that was attached to Shigreu's harness and winched him up. As this was going on I saw him go back into the cab, I assume to get you." Asuka nodded and motioned to him to continue.
"At that time, we finally got Shigreu up and Sentaro signalled to us that he had you and was putting the harness on you. I sent the wench line down and he secured the second line for your harness and we started winching you up." Shinji squeezed Asuka's hand as she continued his story. She squeezed back to assure him.
"Hum, ...well he was still next to the trucks cab, when ... all of a sudden, a large boulder ... it was about as big as a house. Well it rolled down the mountain side and ... and it rolled right onto the truck and swept him with the surrounding debris down the mountain ... and over the edge ... of the..." He finally couldn't go on and Asuka held him as he cried into her shoulder. 'Oh my little baka, having to witness that.' Asuka thought as she shushed him and told him "It was ok." and "I'm here for you, my love." But she was also crying at the ultimate sacrifice the young BMX'er had made. She then promised to help him and Rei after she recovered.
Outside the room Rei knelt down with her back to the wall, her arms holding her legs tightly silently crying as she too heard her brother tell Asuka what he had seen. 'Sentaro ... why did you sacrifice yourself, when I wanted you to be here, with me?' She covered her face with her arms and continued to cry.' I had come to realise that I ... cared for you and wanted to explore these new feelings I had for you. Yet you left me ... why ...why?' All she felt now was a hollow empty feeling in her gut. Something that she didn't want to deal with. But in her grief, she forgot that in life there is happiness ... and pain.
Redemption
Sentaro awoke in a very familiar place. With a very familiar face looking at him expectantly. His vision cleared and then he recognised the face. "S- Skuld?"
"Yes My little BMX King. How are you my love?" she asked a now confused Sentaro.
"I'm back I guess. But wasn't I supposed to live a whole human life?" The boy asked a now smiling almost giddy Goddess.
"Well it seems that Daddy (AKA Kami-sama) wanted for you to prove your selflessness as you were a bit selfish in your previous life."
"So ... when I went to rescue Shigreu and Asuka ... wait what did happen to me there?" Sentaro was scratching his head in confusion.
"Well, I'm sorry to say that you died while trying to rescue them. You did save them by the way. But you couldn't save yourself. You couldn't avoid that boulder that smashed into the remains of the truck." Skuld was sad in his death, but she held his hand in a caring way.
"So, it was all a test to see that I was god enough to be with you?" Sentaro was a bit confused, as it seemed Skuld was as well.
"Yes it seems so, I didn't even know about it till you showed up here."
"But ... what about Rei, what is she going through right now." Sentaro was angry at now knowing Rei was probably grieving for him.
Skuld was sympathetic as she could imagine Rei was feeling what she had felt when Sentaro had been send back to earth. She took his hand and looked at him intently. "Kami-sama acts in mysterious ways and I'm sure this is his way to point Rei to her own true destiny."
Sentaro shook his head. "I still think it unfair with all she already had to go through."
"Remember, she returned to experience a human life, that meant the happiness and the sadness, the joy and the pain. I think she has to suffer some pain to appreciate the joy, and I know she will have joy in her life Sentaro-kun."
"I still think she was given the dirty end of the stick, (He then looked intently at the now blushing face of the teen goddess) ... but I did miss you Skuld. Listen can we keep an eye on Rei, maybe be her guardian angels so to speak?"
I think that could be arranged!" She smiled and then bent down to give her love that long awaited kiss.
Somewhere else in the heavenly plain, a smile came over a higher beings face, satisfied that one piece of his plan was complete.
Renewal 2-(days after Asuka's awakening)
Asuka had talked to the others getting their versions of what had happened and found out she had suffered a broken rib, and a broken lower right arm in the accident. Shigreu had sustained a broken leg and several broken ribs. The group decided to stay on the former Japanese Army base and took residence in one the residential bungalows that seemed to be for an officer & his family. A 3 bedroom 2 bath prefabricated home, near the warehouse section. Very convenient as they will stay until the two recover.
Asuka then talked to Maya and Shinji to have Rei help her as they took turns getting supplies from the base's stores, plus Nagoya and the surrounding area. The German teen did this on purpose as she was planning to help Rei deal with her grief on Sentaro's death in her own unique way.
So after breakfast, which Shinji had insisted to serve Asuka in her bed, Rei came in to clean up and as Shinji had said Rei seemed to have reverted to her old non-interactive self. One way she knew was Rei was talking in a monotone voice and seemingly emotionless gaze of her eyes. Asuka knew that Rei needed to have some sort of release for her hidden emotions, so she made a plan to let the girl release her feelings.
Asuka started to act like she had with Shinji before the Third Impact. Being a bitchy, self-centered, egotistical self, making grandiose comments that would strain the patience of a Flying Nun. Since Rei was now fully human, her normally patient way to ignore those comments just wasn't there anymore. So as Asuka became more of a spoiled brat to her, Rei's tolerance began to ebb. She held out for two days until a comment made by Asuka about her lack of skill in making a simple dish of mashed potatoes finally took the last shred of patience the girl had.
Though still using her emotionless tone of voice, Asuka saw the veritable fire her eyes expressed. "How can you say that about me Soryu! Your constant ramblings of anything you deemed less than adequate has done nothing but taunt and inflict emotional duress on me for these last three days. Why have you done this as I have had enough of this sort of behaviour from you! I do not understand how my brother has any feelings for you."
There the inevitable glove was thrown, just like Asuka had anticipated. "Well Wondergirl I would think that I would have sunk back into my 'Old' self as you have since Sentaro's death, if Shinji died. Don't you see the way you have reverted back to your pre TI self? Well I saw it and that is why I said those crude, awful things to you, so you could focus all that pent up anger at me. Can't you see through your logical eyes that you, Rei need to let go all that grief you have knotted up inside you? Cause if you don't then there isn't any reason to live right?"
Rei looked at her a bit stunned and slowly looked back at the red haired girl. "You ... did ... this on ... purpose?"
"Yeah, of course. How could I have gotten you pissed at me so you can get all that anger out in the first..." She was cut off by a flying angry Banshee yelling dark blue headed former Eva pilot pouncing on her trying to tear great chunks of hair from her head. The next few seconds would be encompassed by one word ... CATFIGHT!
Several seconds later after Maya and Shinji rush in and untangled the two they saw a very perplexed, bruised, scratched up and incensed Rei. While Asuka, who is equally adorned in scratches and bruise, but had a wide smile on her face even with a bloody lip, her arm cast a bit worse for wear and her bruised and broken ribs not feeling as well as before. But before anything else could happen both girls shrugged off the two holding them and marched up face to face. Then after a few moments of tense silence both embraced each other Rei crying on Asuka's shoulder which Asuka was hugging her as best she could with one broken arm. "It's apart of life Rei to grieve so let it out girl and I'll be here for you, ok?"
Rei nodded while still holding Asuka tightly crying at the loss of a boy she knew for only a few days but came to love and care for. "Course I am lucky you aren't still a half-angel anymore or I'd be an AT- Field pancake now wouldn't I?" Rei smiled and giggled a little through her sobs and tears as she got the little joke the former pilot of Eva-02 has said. Off to the side Maya and Shinji bared silent witness to the little drama unfolding in front of them.
"Hey Shinji did you know Asuka was planning to do this?" Maya asked.
"She told me she was planning something to get Rei out of her funk ... but how she was going to do it, Nope!" He shook his head as he watched his fiancé hold his sobbing sister. "But I'm glad she did, we should have our 'real' Rei back now." Maya nodded then slipped away to attend to Shigreu and bring him up to speed on the drama. Shinji just looked at the two most important women in his life, and sighed with a smile and a warm thought of how things had to get better if these two could get along again.
A few weeks later in a new truck and their Hum-Vee, the five were getting ready to leave to continue their journey. But before they left, they had one special stop to make. They drove back to the site of the landslide. All went up to the edge of the ravine and threw flowers and prayers scrolls over the edge as they couldn't find Sentaro's body. But they knew it was buried below thousands of pounds of mud rock and sand.
As each said silent prayers for their departed comrade, Rei and Asuka arm- in-arm looked out towards the ravines edge and the natural tomb of Sentaro Kawanishi and contemplated their brief time with the boy.
"Asuka, I miss him, I have a pain in my chest that doesn't seem to go away. How can I go on and live with that?"
"Rei, it's something that never totally goes away. When you lose someone you care for it will always be there. I still miss my mother even though I know she in a better place. You should know he will be there when you die at least if what you told me is true about the gods and goddesses."
"Rei looked at her friend and slowly nodded. "Yes, I see your point, but still ... I will miss him. I had ... dreams of a life with him, and now..."
"I know, but it does become less and less as time goes by. But it will always be there as a reminder of the good times you had with Sentaro, so concentrate on that and it will get better in time." Asuka then motioned for them to walk to the edge and Rei then threw a single purple chrysanthemum into the ravine. 'I will never forget.' She thought as she and Asuka turned and walked back slowly for the truck.
Closure - 6 months later
The group had made it down to Kagoshima via Osaka Bay, and the Inland Sea reaching the Island of Shikoku in a week. They crossed it in a few days and again crossed the sea to Kyushu where their final destination of Kagoshima lay. Within the next five months the group found a great home overlooking the city and actually got a few of the transponders around their home area working allowing some of their cellphone/Walkie-talkies to work.
Near the top of the area they found a small market garden and they cultivated as many vegetables and fruits as they could find seeds for. Plus they found several chickens and two milk cows at a nearby farm. They brought them to their homestead and made it through the winter, which luckily didn't hit Kyushu as hard as it did the other islands north of them.
Shigreu and Asuka had mended their broken bones well and were up and about a few weeks after the group made it to Kagoshima. With trips to the city below and a good defensible home they started to plan for the future. But soon an event would change all their futures forever!
One
Year
Since Third Impact!
Visitors
As a rule two of the family members would do a daily patrol around the area looking for newcomers, and for any threat to their little homestead. But some changes have happened. Maya is two months away from the birth of her and Shigreu's baby. They had a small ceremony a week after Shigreu's cast came off his leg, declaring their vows in front of the three children who were their witnesses and declared their love and commitment to themselves as husband and wife.
A month later, Shinji had officially declared his intentions to Asuka as she was enjoying a special dessert of German Chocolate cake he had baked for her. As she was eating a big forkful, Shinji knelt down on one knee and presented Asuka with an engagement ring with a two carrot ruby on it. For once in her life Asuka was simply speechless, plus having food in one's mouth makes for little conversation. She naturally jumped at Shinji sending them both sprawling to the floor while Asuka rained chocolate covered kisses all over his face. As the rest were laughing at the spectacle in front of them, there to comfort and congratulate her was Rei. She, who had been behind Shinji, finally helped them both up after a few moments after the deed as it were. After all this happened the small family was now getting used to their new and seemingly routine and permanent life.
But that wasn't to be!
One day, actually around lunchtime, they were at their dining room, having the midday meal when a weird sound was heard occurring at the front of their home. Shinji and Shigreu grabbed their rifles while Rei, Maya and Asuka went to the front windows with their own pistols at the ready, as both Shinji and Shigreu made their way out to the front door, and then to the front yard of their home.
There they found seven people making sweeping movements with some sort of curious grey instruments in their hands. That and their similar uniforms made it obvious that these people weren't from Japan, and some looked strange enough to not even be from the earth at all. Shigreu swallowed hard and asked, "Hello, and welcome to (He waved his hand around him) ... what's left of Kagoshima. Now, who are you and what do you want here?"
"Well, we are from ... a ship and we are here to find out what happened and offer our help if we can." Said the man with a face tattoo who seemed to be the leader.
Shigreu knew two things already, From their vantagepoint they could see any ship docking at Kagoshima, and their electronic surveillance equipment they had from Nerv had a satellite slaved to watch their city which would have alerted them of any ship approaching with a few days notice. So he knew they were lying. But, in the interest of giving them a chance to explain themselves and also giving the others to prepare Shigreu lifted his eyebrow as a signal to be prepared to the others, they all subtly nodded. "Ok, we can probably fill you in as it seems you've been off this planet for.... oh let's say 8 months!" Shigreu then took the safety off his M-16 carbine with a clear click. He then faced the leader of the group with a serious look. "Now ... where are you from and what sort of help are you offering us?" Shigreu asked in a clear but tensed voice. He knew they outnumbered them but he wanted to put a strong front regardless, as his wife and child as well as the rest of the children were under his leadership and protection.
"The Commander had to think fast as his mistake on telling them they were from a ship didn't seem to fly well with these locals. He held his hand up to make it clear that he wasn't a threat "Please let me explain." Shigreu saw the sincerity and nodded for him to continue. "My name is Chakotay, and were are from a ship ... a star-ship named Voyager. We are here find out what happened, and to help if we can."
"Well, Chakotay, as you all seem not to be from Japan, let alone Asia. And some of you (He was looking at the black man with pointed ears, and another woman who seemed to have a turtle shell on her forehead) seem to be even farther away, you can understand that we are a bit leery of help without reasons. But, since you are from a starship that says to me that you're from up there, right?" The former Nerv Tech asked, pointing upwards as Chakotay nodded.
"All right, so as long as you don't reach for a ray-gun or laser then I think we can talk." Aoba said and waved behind him and signalled the women to come out. Shinji, who was visibly nervous throughout the whole discussion, sighed heavily.
He then turned to face the seven with a very enlightened question. "Why did you come here ... why to this planet?" Chakotay then told him he'd explain it all, then he asked to be introduced to the rest of the family.
As Shigreu introduced his family, the rest of the visitors did as well. First the pointed eared black man answered. "I am Tuvok, Science officer and as you have surmised I am from another Planet named Vulcan. It is on the other side of this galaxy as is Voyager's home planet. It seemed a wise move not to tell them that there was another earth there as well. One that had not had this disastrous situation happens. As the rest of the family watched them, Asuka had her own opinions. Course she kept her thoughts to herself.
('_'= Asuka's thoughts!)
"I'm Be'lana Torres-Paris, I'm the Chief Engineer." 'She had many aspects of people from the Southern Americas, but that bone ridge on her forehead ... is different.'
Tuvok contnued the introductions. "Lt.'s Micheals, Sociologist, Ensign's Ombawaye and Chin, our security officers." Asuka thinks, 'Now, those three seem to be from our world by their looks, but these first two were definitely alien."
"And This is Seven, and Icheb, they're apart of our civilian science crew. 'One was tall, blond, and looks like a supermodel. While the boy seems to be only a few years older than Rei, Shinji or I. But both have what seemed like metallic parts on various parts of their bodies, now that IS weird. And look at her, why does she have to have that skin-tight suit on. Looks like an adult plug suit. I'll have to keep an eye on Shinji so he doesn't get any ideas.'
Tuvok then dove into what they had observed from out in space. What brought us to investigate this planet was when we saw through our sensors what looked like an enormous being, female in anatomy, light skinned with light blue hair raising herself off the surface of the planet hundreds of kilometres tall, seemingly holding a black orb. Even at 5 light years away, we could see every detail of her and what seemed like 3 sets of luminescent wings on her back." (AN: I am not here to debate light years and the movement of a ship in warp drive observing events one year previous at least from Shinji & crew's view so please go with it!) "We were very curious about these strange phenomena and our Captain decided to investigate. We wanted to know from you who this being was and how she could have existed in the vacuum of space as well as how her enormous body was developed to be so far off the planet's surface and yet exist. Finally why did she die as she is laying across one of your oceans deceased."
Shigreu looked back to Maya, Shinji and the girls with a rye grin, "Well if you have a few hours. I think we can fill you in, but I do want to know how can you help us now?"
Tuvok, the black pointy eared man answered." Since there are so few people on this planet we would either give you enough supplies and technology to help in your endeavour to re-establish your civilisation. Or depending on what my captain decides, you could come with us, as the rate of birth here congruent to the population base you have now would mean it would take approximately 30 generations to repopulate the planet enough to have a feasible world wide society."
Chakotay added, "What he means is if the Captain ok's it you can come with us unless you want to wait 30 Generations for ..."
"Sir, I can tell you that we are all intelligent and after our little talk you'll see we completely understand what Mr. Tuvok said." Maya piped in. "Though our world leaders were fools even with all their intelligence." Maya sighed as she thought of Ritsuko, SEELE, and the Commander.
"Wait," Be'lanna asked, "You mean to tell me that giant was brought to life as an experiment of your world's leaders?" "Yes, Torres-san, we will explain inside." Rei answered.
Then the Voyager away team noticed Rei, and her almost exact resemblance to the giant decaying in the Pacific Ocean. "Yes, I'm sure it will be an ... enlightening story." Said the blond woman with the metallic eyepiece.
"Indeed." Said a stoic Rei as they all followed her in while Lt.'s Micheals, Ombawaye and Chin began exploring and scanning the area.
As Tuvok and the others were de-briefed by Shigreu and the family, Chakotay decided that they would be better off with them rather than stuck eking out a life in a planet, which will take centuries to recover. After they finished he sent his recommendation to Captain Janeway and seeing the plight that this group had ahead of them decided to invite them to join the crew. She had already invited Seven-of-Nine and Icheb to the crew, and from what Chakotay had told her, all five were bright, intelligent people that can be trained to help the ship in the long run. Added to that what they all had gone through, she considered it as good a claim as were Seven's and Icheb's reasons to be on Voyager.
When Chakotay informed them if the Captain's 'invitation', they were all taken by surprise. They had a choice that seem much more exiting that just surviving in a devastated planet, a chance at a new life, and more. To help their new friends on Voyager get home, to an Earth 300 years ahead of they're own.
It wasn't a tough decision to make. Shigreu and Maya were thinking of their baby who had a new chance at a life on a new and advanced Earth. Asuka and Shinji saw more opportunities to do something more with their lives that they had no chance of here on this earth. Finally to Rei, it was a new life where she wasn't just a tool, but a person who could make choices, and make a difference. Plus it was a way to close the book on her old life, and to remember a boy's sacrifice for her to live on. She made it her dream to do that for him.
So, a few days later the Voyager crew, augmented by the addition of five more crewmembers with a sixth on the way, made their way out of this solar system and headed for a new adventure and the promise of a bright future on Earth.
How they will live on their new home is another story! ;-)
dennisud
Author's Notes: One heck of a twist at the end there Huh! Well I've been a long time fan of Star Trek and I had an idea for a fanfiction story on Voyager but I was waiting till all my stories were done. But I got an idea. Why not kill two birds with one stone. Why not see how our former Nerv pilots and tech.s handle being on a starship! Well that will be the gist of the sequel where our Eva characters live on a ship in the wrong quadrant trying to head to their earth and home.
Wish me luck and please when I do get it out, please review as you have here.
Finally I wish to thank my prereaders again for their invaluable assistance. I simply would not have as good as story without their help.
dennisud