A/N: Here's the next chapter of WADF. As always, please leave a review. For those readers interested in seeing a Mana/Shinji pairing may be interested to learn that my next story will be a comedy/parody centered on this pairing. Look for that story as soon as WADF is finished.
Also, I re-watched Scrapped Princess and noted that the name for the main mecha in the series is 'Dragon' and not 'Dragoon'. (Japanese attempt at English pronunciation. Go figure…) To remain faithful to Scrapped Princess story, I changed the mecha name accordingly. If you ask me, Dragoon sounds better.
Until next time.
Cardinal-Light
Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion or Scrapped Princess. Those shows are owned by Gainax and BONES respectively. I do not profit from writing this story.
The Vanguard exited hyperspace with the rest of the fleet. As the situation went sour, Misato cursed under her breath. Ikari had positioned her at the rear of the fleet with the intention of using her to strike at the jump gate. The situation was different now. The lead ships were being swamped by HI. Ships from the fleet stationed at the colony no doubt.
'Calm down,' she thought, 'Analyze the situation. They were probably on their way through the jump gate. This wasn't an ambush…'
"Ma'am,' Makoto called to her, "It's the Admiral."
She sighed. There was no hiding it now. "Put it on screen," she said calmly.
Ikari was barking orders at someone off screen when his image appeared. He turned and glared at her, his eyes piercing hers. "Colonel Katsuragi, our lead ships are heavily engaged. I require your support immediately. Bring your ships…" Ikari lurched in his seat as an explosion rocked his ship.
"Sir," Misato said, "What about our original plans? What are we suppose to do about the jump gate?"
"Scrap them. Send your Dragons in to take care of it. Do you have objections?"
Misato bit her lip. Five Dragons against an unknown number of enemies. The odds were not good. She closed her eyes as she replied, "No, sir. I have no objections."
"Good. Now, bring your ships around our left and strike the HI there and strike them hard."
Misato turn to Kaji and stared at him. Even without words she knew what he thought.
Merging with a Dragon was a strange sensation. It tingled. Shinji couldn't provide a better description. It was one of those things others had to experience. Once merged, the Dragon reverted to its 'combat state'. Originally, the Dragon was meant as a self-autonomous system. However, an inherent flaw in the AI caused them to fail. The failure rate slowed when pilots were introduced.
Shinji was one of the people chosen as a pilot. The military showed up to his school and said that he was 'pilot' material. After that he was conscripted and shipped off to the Academy where he trained as a pilot with Touji and Kensuke. Kensuke was there because being a soldier was his ambition. Touji joined so that he could place his sickly sister into a well-staffed military hospital.
"Preparing to exit hyperspace," Yui informed Shinji, disturbing his thoughts.
"Right," Shinji replied.
Shinji listened to the soft humming of the hyperspace engines as they died away announcing their arrival in real space. Shinji check his instruments to confirm that his Dragon was ready. Everything was ready. All that was needed was the order to sortie.
"This is control," Hikari's voice announced over the radio circuit. "All Dragons confirm status."
"Dragon 1, Ayanami, ready."
"Dragon 2, Soryu, ready."
Shinji's turn. "Dragon 3, Ikari, ready."
"Dragon 4, Suzuhara, ready."
"Dragon 5, Kirishima, ready."
"Dragon flight ready, Control," Rei said over the radio. "Confirm release."
"Negative," Hikari replied, "Wait until further notice."
That' wasn't the plan, Shinji thought. "Yui, patch me into the combat circuit and give me the current combat status."
Yui did as she was told. The chatter was incomprehensible as men and women screamed at one another. It didn't sound good.
"Shinji," Yui spoke above the sounds of battle, "Lead elements of the 15th fleet are currently engaged with a large number of HI vessels. Admiral Ikari is requesting back up from us now."
DAMN, Shinji thought. There was no other description for it. He wondered what Kensuke would have thought of this fight of a lifetime. Shinji scolded himself. Of course Kensuke would have loved this moment. Too bad he couldn't say the same thing about Touji and himself. Touji was probably cursing up a storm right now.
Then, there was Rei. What did she mean about not coming back? That remote viewing crap had his father so enthralled that he ignored his only son. Shinji never bought into it.
"This is control," Hikari announced over the circuit, "Stand by for a message from the Colonel."
Misato's voice cut in, "Dragons, we have a situation developing out front. The Vanguard will assist the 15th fleet. In the mean time, carry out the plan. Destroy those jump gate facilities. Understood?"
"Colonel," Touji said, "what kind of support can we expect?"
Misato was silent for a moment before she replied, "None."
It was a suicide mission after all. "Understood," Rei replied solemnly. "All Dragons form on my wing. We go in together."
"Confirmed, sir. The Dragons are on their way." The Concordia's communication officer reported.
Ikari sat back in his chair and watched the combat data pour in. "Is Katsuragi engaged yet?"
"She reports that her lead units are moving into position. Forty-five seconds until the Vanguard and her units are engaged."
It was happening so fast. Every semblance of order was gone along with the lives of every crew lost to the HI this day. A desperate gamble formed in Ikari's mind as he sought to regain control. "Tell the captain of the Atlanta that I authorize the use of N2 mines."
Everything stopped. "Is… that advisable, sir?"
Ikari stared down the incredulous communications officer, "You heard me. I want the Atlanta to deploy N2 mines. Tell them to fire at the HI ships in front of the fleet. After that, have the Valkyries pour through the gap"
"And our ships currently intertwined with the enemy?" Someone else asked.
"Expendable."
Lieutenant Saito was only six months out of the academy. After a brief stint at the navigation school he joined the crew of the Andromeda, a small fast-destroyer class ship. Saito had been with the Andromeda for several campaigns including the Vega campaign. Compared to their current situation the Vega campaign had been easy.
"It looks like we damaged their engines," the weapons officer called out calmly.
The captain nodded. "Finish the bastards."
A streak of light then an HI ship was gone.
Saito watched his sensors as the ship disintegrated. He also noted something else. "Sir, the Atlanta is moving up behind us."
"Maybe we can get some support now, eh?" The captain mused.
Saito watched as the sensors noted the deployment of torpedoes. After a moment the computer identified the torpedoes. "Shit! N2 mines! They're firing N2 mines!"
"What are they doing!" The captain asked no one in particular. "Get us out of here and see if you can raise them! There are friendly units out here!"
Saito worked quickly to move the Andromeda out of the way. He paid no heed to the communications officer's pleas to break off the attack. Saito gave the Andromeda everything it could muster. It was no use. The ship groaned as she died.
Misato shielded her eyes against the light. They couldn't have, she thought. "Report, Mr. Aoba. Was that…?"
"Confirmed, Ma'am. N2 mines were deployed by the Atlanta."
"What were they thinking?" Makoto asked out loud.
"Ikari wants to split the HI," Kaji offered, "At least that's what I would do."
"And our ships?" Shigeru asked
Kaji shrugged. "Expendable."
"We're all expendable, Colonel Kaji," Misato said dryly. "Give me a status report. Where are the D-Knights now?"
Makoto broke his line of thought and looked at his scanner. "ETA to target about ten minutes and the Chicago is requesting assistance."
"Take us into the fray," Misato ordered, "Plot us an intercept course with the Chicago."
"Attack successful, all enemy ships in sectors Alpha through Gamma gone," the weapons officer announced. "I'm getting a casualty report now. Do you wish to read it?"
"No," Ikari replied calmly. "Order all Valkyrie units to proceed. Split the HI down the middle and have Katsuragi press the advantage. Tell her that the D-Knights have fifteen minutes to complete their mission."
All this while Ritsuko watched Ikari closely and wondered about the humanity of the scene in front of her. For the first time in her life, Ritsuko almost wanted to cry for someone. Anyone.
Hikari locked out the rest of the world as she focused on monitoring the progress of the Dragons. She tried not to listen as others confirmed the destruction different ships. Her focus was such that she nearly failed to hear Misato call out to her over her headset.
"Ms. Horaki?"
"Oh… Uh, yes ma'am?"
"Communique from the Concordia. The Dragons have fifteen minutes to complete their operation."
Fifteen minutes! Hikari caught herself before she blurted out. The Dragons didn't even know what to expect when they arrived at the jump gate facilities. "Yes, ma'am. I understand."
Hikari tapped a few buttons before speaking, "Dragon flight, this is Control."
Rei's calm voice came through, "Control, this Dragon flight."
"New orders. Command wants the operation complete within the next fifteen minutes. Please, acknowledge."
"Understood," Rei responded.
'Father, what are you thinking?' Shinji asked himself.
He really didn't expect an answer until Yui disrupted his thoughts. "Shinji, did you ask something?"
"Oh, uh, what's our ETA?" He had forgotten that Yui could hear his thoughts. That was how the Dragon interface usually worked, but Shinji preferred verbal communication. It made Yui seem more human.
"Approximately ten minutes."
'Just a little while longer,' Shinji thought. Not that he was anxious to fight. For a moment he remembered, in detail, the day the TDF showed up to his school. A harsh looking TDF officer accompanied by the school principal showed up to his home room just before lunch. They pulled him aside.
"Are you Shinji Ikari?" The officer asked tersely.
Shinji was pensive, but he replied affirmatively.
"Are you the son of Admiral Gendo Ikari?"
Again, yes.
"Your test scores show that you have the talent to be a pilot. I have your father's permission to enroll you in the TDF Flight Academy. Should you decline I will invoke the Conscription Act."
No choice. Just go. He was his father's tool.
Rei's voice broke Shinji's thoughts, "Dragon flight, this is Dragon 1. We have fifteen minutes to finish our objectives. Sensor data suggests that the HI are now aware of our presence and are launching interceptors. We have two objectives: destroy the jump gate superstructure and the orbiting monitoring station. Sensor readings indicate that there are no capital ships surrounding the objectives. I suggest that Dragons 2 and 4 fly ahead to distract the interceptors. Dragon 5 will destroy the superstructure and Dragon 3 will destroy monitoring station. I will act as a decoy and draw the station's fire. Understood?"
Everyone acknowledged.
"Very well. Break!"
Shinji watched as Asuka and Touji accelerated ahead. Bright lights filled the sky as they opened fire. Their sabers arced like flares in the night. The explosions reassured Shinji that the HI were dying.
"Dragon 1 to Dragon 3; form on my wing."
Shinji did as he was told.
"All Valkyries now fully deployed, sir," the weapons officer reported.
The tactical display in front of Ikari showed the Valkyries as they fanned out. As expected, the HI fell to their advance. Several screens popped up showing various battles: an HI ship was cleaved apart by one Valkyrie; an HI interceptor was vaporized by a single shot. Ikari sat back confidently.
"Sir," the communications officer called, "I'm detecting increased chatter from the HI ships. I think they're trying to retreat."
"Good. Have the Valkyries maintain pursuit. We mustn't let this victory be wasted."
The officer complied and sent a transmission. And, he sent it again. "What the hell?" He muttered out loud.
"What is it?" Ikari asked with annoyance.
"No response from any Valkyries."
"Try another channel."
"I did!"
Ikari glanced at the tactical readout and confirmed his suspicions. The Valkyries had stopped moving. He had no choice. "Send the self destruct code, Zeta Epsilon."
The officer tried. "No good, sir. It's not working. And, I have an incoming message from the Atlanta; patching it through."
The Atlanta's captain appeared on a screen, his face obscured by static. "…Repeat… Valkyries stopped… attacking…" The screen when blank.
"Transmission was terminated at the source," the communications officer explained.
Ikari watched the Valkyrie symbols on his tactical begin to move. Some pulled back along with the enemy ships while others moved toward the 15th Fleet. All along the front, ships disappeared under the Valkyrie advance. While his bridge officers tried to contemplate their situation Ikari turned to Ritsuko and gave her an icy stare.
"What have you done?" He asked as the bridge rocked about and filled with fire and smoke.
