Chapter 20
0600 Zulu
Evangelion Hanger
NERV COMMAND CENTER
Kyoto, Japan
Major Ikari stepped off the turbo lift and walked down the metal bridge. She stopped and turned staring at the giant mecha. She felt apprehensive, as she knew she would be inside of it.
She stepped into the transfer tube and watched as the door shut. A computer voice came on.
"State Destination?"
"Evangelion Unit 1."
"Identification?"
"Major Hope Ikari."
"Accepted."
Moments later, she shot through the transfer tube and found herself within the bioplug of Unit One.
"NERV Command to Major Ikari."
It was Sawyer.
Hope put on the headset as she said. "Major Ikari."
"Major, ready yourself for sync."
"Acknowledged." Hope said as she plugged in her flight recorder, put her legs in the holsters and then adjusted her headset. "Unit 1, control panel."
The control panel in front of her lit up. Several monitors were displayed and then a screen displayed showing Sawyer standing in command with Dr. Ibuki
Hope took a deep breath and then said. "Major Ikari to NERV Command, begin sync on my mark. Mark!"
Hope shut her eyes and took a breath, as she heard the alarm. She felt the LCL flood the compartment as she heard the gushing of liquid and felt herself doused in it until, she opened her eyes and saw it disappear.
"Sync activated." Sawyer told her.
"Acknowledged."
"You are now synced with the EVA, Major. How do you feel?"
"Fine." Hope responded.
"Major Ikari, prepare for countdown to launch."
"Acknowledged." Hope said.
"T- minus 10, 9, 8,"
Hope took a deep breath and she gripped the controls and felt her heart beating quickly.
"7"
"6"
"5"
"4"
"3"
"2"
"1"
"LAUNCH EVA!" Sawyer called out.
Hope braced for impact as she felt the EVA launch upwards through the gate and felt the force of 3 G's against her. She saw the opening to the launch tube and then realized she was topside.
"Unit 1, visual." Hope stated as suddenly she had a clear view of the outside world around her.
It looked like a beautiful day from the way the sun was rising and painting across the sky a canvas of crimson and orange. She smiled as she watched it with wide eyes.
"Report?" Dell asked.
"Sync and harmonics are nominal." Lt. Fyuki reported from the NERV Command Center. "Pilot reports at 100 percent . Heart rate and respiration are nominal. Pilot is in the green zone, Commander."
"Major, your sync ratio and harmonics output are nominal. Prepare for battle testing."
"Acknowledged." Hope said.
"Major, pull your rifle out from the holster and aim at the target. It's the same as using any other gun." Dell said. "Remember, the EVA duplicates your movements."
"Piece of cake." Hope said as the EVA reached for its sidearm, its particle rifle, which looked like a 50 foot shotgun in purple, and held it just like she would hold any other gun. The EVA took its aim and then Hope fired onto thetargetrepeatedly.
Sawyer observed from the control room and nodded his head. "Good. That's good progress.. Draw your secondary weapon, your battle dagger and practice moves with that."
For a total of six hours, Sawyer had Hope perform exercise after exercise. He watched the outputs of harmonic and sync ratios on the monitors and thought of the impending mission in which they could be sent in at any time.
After the tenth hour of testing, Sawyer said into his headset. "Major, go back to the launch pad and fix yourself firmly on to it. You'll be recalled back to command."
"Acknowledged." Hope said as she made the giant EVA walk towards the launch pad and then stand against a large wall, which she felt her sync disconnect as soon as she did it.
"Sync deactivated. Good work, Major."
"Thank you, Commander." Hope said.
Shortly after she had exited Unit 1 and took a shower, she went to the command hub. As she walked in, she watched as Sawyer stood watching the monitors, his face showing a deep look of concentration as he had his arms crossed.
Hope walked into the command hub and stood next to him. He turned and smiled at her, then turned his attention back to the monitors.
"Give me a harmonics resonance report!" Sawyer demanded. "I want all graphs up on the screen! Show me the data from yesterday's sync from time of sync to deactivation."
"Sawyer?" Hope asked.
"Hold!" Sawyer said into his headset as he turned to her. "Yes, Major?"
"Commander, I'd like a word with you." Hope said as she stared at him.
"At this time, I am currently working on several assignments. It will have to wait."
"No, Commander, it can't!" Hope demanded.
"Major, you are dismissed." Sawyer told her.
"Commander, I request permission to speak with you."
"Denied at current time." Sawyer told her.
Hope looking at him strangely walked up to him, and said in a low voice. "What's going on, Sawyer?"
"Major!" Sawyer said as he looked into her face with a serious, firm voice. "I have dismissed you! Report to duty at 0600 tomorrow morning."
"Commander?"
"YOU ARE DISMISSED!" Sawyer told her.
"Yes, sir!" Hope said angrily as she turned and walked out of the command hub.
Sawyer again watched her as she left. He shut his eyes for a minute but then went back to work.
The following day, she returned and put herself in the EVA. Again, she successfully synced with it and again performed battle exercise after battle exercise. She also had to spend an additional five hours in the simulator performing multiple combat and tactical simulations.
At the end of the day, Hope was tired, hungry, grouchy and frustrated with Sawyer.
He continued to mull over the reports or have his ear on the phone.
Hope no longer wondered about him and her.
Now, it seemed her task was to get battle ready for an impending mission. A relationship with the man whom she found so whimsical, funny, charming and outrageous would have to wait.
Right now, the Commander was in charge.
They continued this an additional two weeks. For a total of four weeks, Hope had been successfully piloting the EVA.
Sawyer supplied reports to General Ikari on her progress and to the UN Peacekeeping Committee.
Every time she walked past him, he wanted to throw his decorum aside and just take her into his arms. It was taking all of his power now to restrain himself now from being with her. Asuka had given him her blessing to be with Hope but, Sawyer alone had decided that the success of the mission was more important.
Hope too concentrated on the mission and threw herself into her work. She was on duty every day at 0600 and finished work nearly twelve hours later.
She also was sent for mandatory time at the range to keep her marksmen skills up and also was sent into the gym to practice her self-defense training.
All in all though, she was getting quite annoyed.