I own nothing. This story is set in an alternate universe. There will be OOC. You have been warned.
While You Were Sleeping
Chapter Nine: Sentencing
"Captain?" Asuka carefully pushed the door opened and peeked in.
"Oh hello Asuka," Shinji said cheerfully. "Come in, come in please. Don't be so formal, I'm no longer your superior." His words hit Asuka like a knife. She stepped into the office. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"I just wanted to talk to you," Asuka said as she eyed the young man armed with a Type 36 standing by Shinji's desk.
"Have a seat then," Shinji said with a smile. Asuka sat down carefully in front of Shinji's desk.
"I'm sorry."
"What?" Shinji asked.
"I'm sorry," Asuka said louder.
"For what?" Shinji asked in confusion.
"For causing all of this," Asuka said as her head fell forward. She heard Shinji stand up and felt his hand on her chin, making her look up.
"I gave you reason to be suspicious," Shinji said. "Now keep your chin up, you did the right thing."
"Don't patronize me!" Asuka screamed as she jerked backwards, away from him.
"I wasn't trying to Asuka," Shinji said. "I'm sorry." He sat down and leaned back in his seat. For once he actually looked like Asuka thought a condemned man would look. Asuka immediately felt her rage snuff out.
"I'm really sorry," Asuka said. "Please forgive me Shinji."
"There's nothing to forgive you for," Shinji said. "Someone was bound to find out about my past. I died when I was with the Saviors. I really did, I just didn't realize it until now."
"You aren't dead yet!" Asuka declared frantically.
"You know I am," Shinji said. "The intelligence division is so desperate to prove their worth that they will pounce on the first suspect with any evidence against him."
"But all you have against you is your past," Asuka said.
"I have much more against me," Shinji said. "Ryoji recently searched my living quarters and found some highly-classified material."
"Oh my God," Asuka gasped in shock. "They set you up."
"I was just the first suspect," Shinji said. "They'll see me burn no matter what." The door opened and Asuka turned to see Hikari walk in. She saw Asuka and stopped in her tracks.
"Hello."
"I'll be back later," Hikari said simply.
"Please wait," Asuka said weakly.
"Not now Asuka ," Hikari said. "Just give me time."
(:ii:)
"Kaji!" Asuka watched as the older man turned and smiled when he saw her.
"Hello Asuka. How are you doing?"
"I made a mistake," Asuka said.
"What did you do?" Kaji asked.
"I should never have told anyone what I saw," Asuka said. "Now Shinji's going to be killed and he's innocent!"
"He isn't innocent," Kaji said coldly. "The sheer amount of evidence against him is overwhelming."
"That evidence is fake," Asuka said. "Someone planted it."
"I found that evidence," Kaji said coldly. In that second Asuka's whole world shattered. She stumbled away from the man she had once truly believed she loved.
"I need to go," she said. "I'll. . .I'll see you around Kaji." She turned and walked away from him as quickly as she could.
(:ii:)
"The Sub-Commander will see you." Asuka nodded and pushed the door open.
"Misato?"
"Hello Asuka," Misato said calmly. "Can I help you with something?"
"The Intelligence division is setting Shinji up," Asuka exploded. "You have to help him!"
"There's nothing I can do," Misato said calmly. "I already explained their position. They needed a capture soon, or all faith in them would have been lost."
"But Shinji's innocent!"
"Don't you think I know that?" Misato snapped. "But there is nothing I can do. There are already many high-ranking soldiers lining up to testify against Shinji."
"But why?" Asuka asked.
"Any way you cut it the Genesis are nothing more then a group of mercenaries," Misato said. "There has always been a stigma about mercenaries. Almost every officer hated them. You see, when the Genesis came they took a lot of funding. That sure as hell won't make their creator a popular man."
"But any Genesis officer will vouch for Shinji," Asuka said.
"Of course they would," Misato said. "But they're just mercenaries. Their opinions would have no affect at all when compared to those of NERV personnel."
"So they hope that if Shinji was proved to be a traitor then Genesis will be discredited and disbanded," Asuka said.
"God help us if that happens," Misato said. "Those fools don't know just how outclassed the Demons are."
(:ii:)
"This is really bad Shinji."
"I know boss," Shinji said as he took a drink from his bottle. "You have to promise me something."
"What?" Brigadier General Arlington Gambit asked.
"You can't let them disband Genesis," Shinji said. "The Genesis can beat the Saviors because they are the Saviors."
"I know," Gambit said. "Christ. I thought an office position would be nice and easy after that combat command."
"Oh I feel so sorry for you," Shinji said. "Poor Gambit. The official Genesis liaison to the NERV HQ."
"I'll do what I can," Gambit said in annoyance. "NERV officers tend to be stubborn and greedy. Those Demon bastards are going at us hard."
"Doesn't matter," Shinji said. "You remember what Murphy said, right?"
"Private Murphy?" Gambit asked. Shinji nodded. "Don't forget that your weapon is made by the lowest bidder?"
"That is an important one," Shinji admitted.
"Exceptions prove the rule and destroy the battle plan?" Gambit tried again.
"That's true too," Shinji said. "I was thinking more of the 'if enough data is collected, a board of inquiry can prove anything,' one."
"In that case you're screwed," Gambit said. "I just wish this was a old fashioned trial by jury in the US."
"That innocent until proven guilty stuff?" Shinji asked. "Did you really believe that?"
"No," Gambit said. "Money bought innocence, but it does sound nice."
"Yeah," Shinji said.
"So what is Pierce going to do?"
"He's going to do nothing," Shinji said. "I need a combatant I can trust to stay here."
"That's a good idea," Gambit said. Someone knocked on the door and pushed it open.
"It's time," the young corporal said grimly. Shinji took another drink from his bottle and stuck it in his pocket.
"You're going to go to a trial drunk?" the Corporal asked. Shinji grinned broadly at the man.
"This won't be a trial Corporal," he said. "This will be a circus!"
(:Six Hours Later:)
"Attention on deck!" Shinji climbed to his feet as the board of inquiry walked into the time, airless room.
"As you were," Commander Fuyutsuki said. Shinji considered remaining standing, but decided against it. "Would the defendant rise for the sentencing." Shinji rose to his feet and stoop at a rigid pose of attention. "Captain Shinji Nagisa, this board of inquiry has found you guilty of espionage. The sentence for such actions is death." Shinji didn't waver. He had long ago accepted his fate.
"However," a new voice said. Shinji said Misato rise to her feet. "We have taken your service into consideration and we are willing to make a deal. Are you interested?"
"Yes ma'am," Shinji answered calmly.
"You will be sent on a mission," Misato said. "There is very little chance of your survival. You will be given more specifics if you agree. Do you?"
"I do ma'am," Shinji said. The door banged open and Shinji turned to see Pierce stride into the room.
"Subdue that man!" someone cried. Pierce stalked to the desk behind which the board of inquiry sat. There was a flash of light and he turned and moved to stand beside Shinji. It had taken him only a few seconds.
"What is the meaning of this?" Commander Fuyutsuki demanded as he stared at the Savior combat knife embedded deeply in the desk. His eyes must have found the letter M-A-P engraved in it.
"I am Sergeant Major Michael Allan Pierce," Pierce said slowly. "Of the International First Special Forces Group; Second Platoon, Charlie Company."
"What the hell are you doing?" Shinji demanded in a hiss. Pierce turned and stared at him.
"Captain. . .Shinji," he began, "I don't do well in Alamo situations. Once the Saviors find out that Genesis is gone, that's what's going to happen here."
"Genesis is gone?" Shinji asked, turning to stare at the man in shock.
"Yeah," Pierce said. "There's also word of a mass resigning coming up," Pierce added. "I'd rather stay with you then wonder around with the others looking for new work."
"Alright," Shinji said. "You know we're going to die, right?"
"Well all do," Pierce said. "If I stay with you then, at least I won't die of stupidity."
"Very well," Commander Fuyutsuki said. "You both will go on the mission."
"Permission to speak?" Shinji asked.
"Granted Mister Nagisa," Commander Fuyutsuki said.
"I want to be able to personally inspect all the equipment we are given," Shinji said.
"Granted."
"Permission to speak sir?" Pierce asked.
"Granted Mister Pierce."
"Can I have my knife back sir?"
(:ii:)
"So what's the mission ma'am?" Shinji asked as he looked around Misato's office.
"It's a suicide mission," Misato said. "But it gives you a chance of surviving."
"You did wonderfully," Shinji said. "You have our gratitude."
"So what are the specifics?" Pierce asked.
"You two are going to assault the Psycho head quarters," Misato said. Shinji whistled appreciatively.
"You weren't kidding when you said it was a suicide mission," he said. "How are we doing it?"
"You get to decide that," Misato said. "All mission planning is left up to you. You can take along whatever equipment you see necessary."
"Do we have any specific targets?" Pierce asked.
"The armory and the main control room," Misato said. "I have a list of secondary targets and a couple of human targets of opportunity,"
"So what's the catch?" Shinji asked. "You aren't just going to turn us loose without some kind of chaperone."
"You will be wearing prototype neckbands for your squeeze microphones," Misato said. "On a remote signal the band can inject a lethal amount of a new drug cocktail into you."
"We're doing it at gunpoint," Pierce said. "Or needlepoint."
"I don't like needlepoint," Shinji deadpanned.
"This is no time for jokes," Misato spat.
"It's a perfect time for jokes," Shinji argued.
"You will be wearing satellite tracking devices and small remote cameras," Misato said.
"Will the Saviors be able to pick up the signal?" Shinji asked. "They already know we're coming, so I'd hate to show them exactly where to aim all that artillery."
"The signal changes every point-zero-zero-one milliseconds," Misato explained. "They won't be able to track it."
"Alright," Shinji said. "This should be pretty easy. It's not like we need an extraction plan."
"How can you be so fatalistic?" Misato asked.
"There's a difference between a fatalist and a realist ma'am," Pierce said. "So when do you want to leave?"
"How about after we get something to eat and catch a few zees?" Shinji asked.
"There's one more condition," Misato said. "You will be able to check your gear, but if you load your weapons before you're on the ground you'll be executed."
"Sounds good."
(:ii:)
"I knew you were trouble the first time I saw you," Pierce said as he took a drag on his cigarette.
"Well I bet I looked like quite the little hell raiser," Shinji said as he looked through an inventory list of all the equipment they could take. "What do you think we should use for demolition explosives?"
"We've never failed using M2s," Pierce offered.
"SLAMs," Shinji said. "Twenty each?"
"That sounds about right," Pierce said. "How long do you think it will take the Saviors to completely destroy NERV?"
"A year if NERV kept Genesis," Shinji said. "A month without. What do you think about other explosives?"
"We should take some frag grenades and a couple of claymores," Pierce said. "How about. . .fifteen grenades and six claymores each."
"Sounds good," Shinji said.
"We want to go with you," Maria said. "All of us do."
"No," Shinji said. "We're going to the Psycho HQ to die."
"Should we take an anti-material rifle?" Pierce asked.
"Sure," Shinji said. "How do you think we should go in?"
"A HALO jump," Pierce said. "We can ride an H-Jet to the edge of the Crusaders' air defense radar perimeter and parachute in."
"Right," Shinji said as he made a note of that. "Did Lieutenant Sohryu volunteer?"
"We didn't ask her," Maria said.
"Don't do this," Shinji said in exasperation. "She is a good person who did what she believed was right."
"That's bullshit," Maria spat. "She did what she thought would make her the best."
"She is now the second-in-command," Shinji said.
"Of what?" Maria asked. "Genesis is gone."
"Just try to forgive her," Shinji said. "For me?"
"Whatever," Maria said. "Good luck." Shinji watched as she stood up and walked away.
"What do you want to bring for firearms?" Pierce asked.
"Our normal stuff?" Shinji asked.
"Sounds good," Pierce said. "Double ammo?"
"Yeah," Shinji said. "And we'll bring a Type-14."
"You're carrying the damned anti-material rifle," Pierce said.
"Alright," Shinji said. "I think that covers it."
"Right," Pierce said.
"Can I ask for some advice?"
"Okay," Pierce said.
"In my room is a small velvet case with an engagement ring in it," Shinji said. "Should I give it to Hikari?"
"Whoa," Pierce said. "That's a hard one. On one hand that will make it even harder for Hikari. On the other you'll probably both regret never doing it."
"I'll have to think about it," Shinji said.
End
(:ii:)
Author's notes. This is just a follow up to the last, so it didn't move the story along much.