Chapter 32

It was a week later.

A fighter jet streaked across the sky going as fast as the wind could carry it. It turned upward into the bright blue sky and did several corkscrews through the clouds before leveling out and flying at a nominal speed.

The only sounds besides the roar of a turbine engine were that of the pilot screaming out happily. "BOOYAH! MY GOD, THAT'S THE BEST!"

"OKAY, HOPE, THAT'S ENOUGH!' The passenger of the fighter jet said from the rear of the pilot as he adjusted his helmet and looked out of the window.

The pilot chuckled as she said through the radio in her helmet. "What's the matter, Sawyer? Haven't you ever been to the amusement park before?"

"Plenty of times…its just…HOPE!"

The jet again turned on its side and flew upward screaming up at a high speed before leveling out and coasting across the sky.

"Hope, c'mon now…enough."

"This is the best feeling in the world!" Hope said happily. "This is the best way to celebrate a sync rate of 100 percent for seven days in a row! This feels awesome! Not a single issue, Sawyer. I did those tests to the letter!"

"Yes, you did." Sawyer said, as he felt queasy.

"Unit One synced with me perfectly! Perfectly! All of those tests went without a hitch! I feel so natural in it! Sawyer…. Sawyer, are you getting sick? Don't throw up in my plane, Sawyer. Don't you Americans have something that's nicknamed the Vomit Comet? How can this be bugging you at all?"

"I know all about the Vomit Comet." Sawyer said to her. "I vomited in it."

Hope chuckled as she asked. "Sawyer, I thought you said you flew too?"

"Helicopters, Cessna's, and yes the occasional jet too. Not like this, Hope!" Sawyer told her. "This is borderline insanity!"

"This?" Hope asked with a laugh. "Sawyer, I'm just doing basic evasive combat techniques! They teach you the first day you go up in the air! This is Fighter Pilot 101! Corkscrew, roll, half roll that type of thing!"

"Well, can you stop now?"

"Someone's got a weak stomach." Hope teased.

"Okay, I admit it. I've got a weak stomach."

Hope chucked as she said. "My Super Secret Agent Man has a weak stomach? Surprising. Okay, I'll fly straight. It wont' be any fun though."

"The past hour has been like being strapped down on an insane roller coaster from Hell!" Sawyer told her.

"Okay, Okay." Hope said with a chuckle. "I get the hint. Next time, don't' ask me to go flying again."

"Don't worry! I won't!" Sawyer told her.

"Hey, look out there." She said as she peered out of her window. "That's the real reason I like to fly. You can see the whole world from the sky."

Sawyer looked out the window and saw what she meant. Down below he could see the island nation of Japan and he smiled as he looked around. "Its great."

"Flying is like the best thing in the world." Hope said with a smile. "You know my Dad wasn't as nervous as you were the first time I took him up and I did some wacky stuff! My Dad went flying with me a lot more times after the first time. He loved it. He was so proud of me when I graduated from the academy and got my wings. Souke on the other hand threw up. Reina didn't want to do it. And Mom? Mom is even crazier then me when she's in the cockpit. Mom has flown with me and I've flown with Mom. You want to talk about one crazy flier? Fly with General Asuka sometime. It's quite a trip!."

"Your Dad was also an experienced EVA pilot. I doubt after training in an EVA, and then piloting one, that anything could scare him."

"Oh he loved every single minute of it." Hope said with a smile. "Did you ever do it, Sawyer?" Hope asked.

"What?"

"Well, you're Commander of NERV and you supervised the training of a new EVA pilot. So, did you ever…pilot an EVA yourself?"

Sawyer smirked and nodded. "Yeah for a while in the CIA. The Americans were trying to rebuild their EVA series before General Ikari and the new President shut it down. I'll tell you that blowhard Harris was not too happy about that. Harris kept maintaining that the EVA series was the best defense against anymore angel attacks but the President believed that there didn't need to be any more angel attacks as long as SEELE was caught and arrested."

"You know, my mother really respects your President and for years she used to say all Americans are gaijin dumpkopfs. She really hated Americans let me tell you. I guess you and the President changed her mind a little. How did you meet General Asuka anyway? You never did tell me that."

"Well one day, I was in Washington at this meeting. I had just gotten my first big assignment I was like maybe 23 or something. I was young. So, I get my first big location assignment, which was to observe and collect data on SEELE. They send me to the contact liaison. I walked into this room and there's General Ikari going head to head with General Harris debating with him whether or not, she required the use of an American spy! I liked her then and there. She had a spark and she was funny. She also saw my potential. Your Mom encouraged me to do a lot more. I felt I became a good agent because of her."

Hope smiled. "Wow. You are one of the few people who were not intimidated by her."

"I was never intimidated by her." Sawyer told Hope. "I respected and admired her. She was living history. I felt I could learn a lot from her and I did."

Hope smiled as she flew through the clouds and looked out the window.

"Why did you decide to go into air force and be a fighter pilot?" He asked her.

"Well partly my mother." Hope said. "My mother was one to always talk about duty and honor. Living up to your responsibilities, standing up for what you believe in, keeping your strength close to your heart and knowing what direction is right for your life. I always wanted to fly. I loved to fly. Mom decided, after she got her wings, that she was going to buy a plane. Dad wasn't crazy about it but she told him all about the benefits and how we could fly anywhere and Dad said okay. Dad was always a pushover for my mother. My mother could get anything she wanted out of my father. So, Mom buys this four-seated yellow plane with white stripes on it. It was called a Cessna Excel and it was beautiful. The first time I saw it, I fell in love with it. Mom was anxious to try it so she invites me along one day for the first flight. After that, I went flying with her all the time. I begged my mother to get my pilot's license. I was sixteen and wanted three things more then anything: my driver's license, my pilot's license and to get accepted to the academy. I got my driver's license, then I got my pilot's license and my first solo flight was awesome. Mom let me borrow the plane anytime I wanted to. When I went to the academy, I went directly for fighter pilot training. It was so great. I loved every minute of it. I couldn't wait until the day I flew a jet for real by myself and when I did, it was a feeling I couldn't put into words. That's when I met Isao. He had the same love for flying that I did and the two of us would just fly together and have a great time. He was my wingman and I was his. Flying is my life. Its one of the things I love more then life itself."

Sawyer smiled, as he looked at her. "I never get bored listening to you."

Hope had a feeling those blue eyes of his were dancing at this particular time and she smirked. "Oh, believe me, after a while, you'll be telling me to be quiet."

"Never." He said with a smirk.

Hope smirked. "Sawyer, I've had the best time with you the last couple of days. It's just been…it's been awesome."

"I know, Hope." He said to her as he smiled.

"I miss my Dad so much." Hope said as she breathed in. "Part of me feels guilty for being so happy. I mean I feel like I should be grieving more but you know, I think my Dad would want this for me. I think my Dad would want me to feel happy and do things with my life that I want to do. If anything he'd want me to embrace life and just enjoy myself. I think Dad would be pleased right now."

"I think so too." Sawyer told her. "Souke's been gone a while. He's been at your Mom's house for a little over two weeks now."

"Yeah, Souke called me the other night. He told me he's thinking of moving back home for a while and maybe starting up with the Nagano District Attorney's office. I think he wants to keep an eye on my mother."

"He's a good guy." Sawyer said.

"Yeah, he is." Hope said.

"So does that mean we'll be alone a lot more?"

Hope smiled as she said. "It does mean that, yes."

"Well, if you want…how about we land this plane, get cleaned up, and go grab a nice dinner? Maybe we can have a nice candlelight dinner and then afterwards, we could go back to your place and just…. be alone for a while? Maybe I could give you a nice massage? Maybe, before we go out to dinner, we could get cleaned up together?"

Hope chuckled. "Oh, that sounds like a tempting offer."

"So does that mean yes?" Sawyer asked her with a smile.

"I would say it does." Hope said. "Okay, let me start the pre-landing sequence."

"Roger that, Major." Sawyer said with a smirk.

Hope chuckled and then heard over the radio.

"KATANA 3, this is NERV Command. Please respond, over?"

"Katana 3." Hope said into her radio. "Go ahead, NERV Command."

"Katana 3, you and Commander Dell are ordered to land immediately. There is an emergency briefing in ten minutes at Central Command ordered by General Ikari. Please acknowledge, over."

Hope looked back at Sawyer and then responded. "NERV Command, Acknowledged. Katana 3 beginning descent ETA is two and half minutes."

"Roger, Katana 3. You are cleared for landing on runway 5."

"Acknowledged. Beginning pre-landing sequence. Katana 3 out." Hope said as she flipped switches and began to land her jet. "Did you know about this, Sawyer?"

"News to me."

"Okay, let's land and we'll find out what's going on." Hope said.

The jet began its descent. Hope extended the landing gear and leveled out her jet as she began to land on runway 5. Slowly it came down from the sky and then made contact with the long cement runway breaking shortly as she taxied it to the appropriate spot.

"NERV Command, this is Katana 3. We are on base. Exiting now." Hope said as she pressed a button that raised the cockpit dome and watched as crews came over to her plane with ladders.

"Katana 3, acknowledged. NERV Command out."

Hope removed her helmet and unbuckled herself from the pilot's seat. Sawyer did the same. The two of them exited the plane quickly hurrying to NERV Central Command still wearing their black flight suits.

As they took the elevator down to Central Command and arrived, they saw General Ikari by a terminal waiting for waiting for them.

Hope smiled as she saw her mother. Asuka was dressed in her tan desert fatigues. She had a fatigue hat on her head showing her three stars on it. On her shoulder board were her three stars sewn on. She was also armed, a pistol was her sidearm and a rifle was over her shoulder.

Hope thought it was unusual that her mother was dressed for battle but remembering her military decorum and that her mother was a senior officer, she followed protocol.

"Officer on deck!" Hope called out, standing at attention and saluting her mother.

Asuka saw her, smiled, saluted back and then replied. "As you were, Major."

"General Ikari, what brings you to NERV Command?" Sawyer asked.

"Take a seat, Commander." General Ikari said. "I'll wait for the rest of the NERV staff to arrive and then I'll tell you what's happening."

"General, ma'am, may I have a word with you after the briefing in private?" Hope asked.

"Of course, Major." General Ikari said with a smile. "Please take your seat."

Hope and Sawyer sat in the front of the room and looked at one another as Asuka went back to the terminal at the front of the room and attached a small microphone to her uniform.

Soon the rest of the staff arrived. Two soldiers closed all the doors to the room and stood beside the doors. The two large monitors at the front of the room blinked showing both the Japanese Prime Minister and the President of the United States.

Asuka turned to the monitors and saluted then said. "Good morning, Mr. President. Konnicha wa, Prime Minister Iruku-sama."

The Prime Minister bowed as he looked at Asuka and the President nodded his head.

Sawyer looked over at Hope and then looked back at the monitor.

Asuka turned around to face the room and said. "Please note that no one is to enter nor exit the room once this briefing is underway.. This meeting is to kept classified and top level."

"What's going on?" Hope asked her.

"I have no idea." Sawyer responded.

Asuka stepped to the front of the room and spoke.

"Good afternoon. As of this moment, 1642 hours, you are all on active duty per the order of the Japanese Prime Minister and the President of the United States as well as the United Nations. Tomorrow morning at 0500, we are going to commence with Operation Sandstorm. This information that you are about to hear is to be kept classified."

Asuka flipped a button on the control panel that she stood next showing a satellite photo on the large monitor and she continued. "What you are looking at is a satellite photo taken three hours ago. We have confirmed this location as belonging to SEELE. Teams of fifty-seven US Navy SEALS were sent in to apprehend the members of SEELE after an AT field was detected through routine observation. This was considered a high threat and therefore, immediate plans by order of General Harris, had the SEAL team go in to counter this threat."

Sawyer breathed in as he heard her words and Hope became wide-eyed.

"As you know, an AT field cannot be reproduced by any other source except for two. One of these sources is an Evangelion unit and the other, is what we code named, an Angel."

Hope's fists tightened as she listened and Sawyer equally became apprehensive.

"When the SEAL teams were sent in, SEELE attacked. They unleashed an AT field measuring at a scale that has never been recorded previously. The field rendered the SEAL team immobilized and summarily, all fifty-seven US Navy SEALS lost their lives. A particle cannon was fired upon two US Navy patrol cruisers and before, the ships could react to defend themselves, they were destroyed. A total loss of life of 1,500 men was recorded. Fighter jets were sent in to attack and in an instant immobilized by a force that was not recorded in time. In an emergency session by the Japanese Parliament and the Japanese Prime Minister, three hours ago, we, along with the United States and the United Nations, have declared a state of emergency for the entire planet. We are now at war."

Hope swallowed hard as she watched her mother who looked very much in control and competent, and she felt her stomach turning into knots at the mention of the word "war."

Asuka continued speaking to the room firmly. "We are convinced at this point beyond a shadow of a doubt that SEELE is getting ready to commence with what we believe is Fourth Impact."

Sawyer looked nervous as he took a deep breath and then glanced over at Hope. Asuka took a deep breath as she began to walk across the room and spoke calmly, leaning against one of the terminals and facing the room with a somber look.

"In observing several methods of communication both from this base to several governments from SEELE themselves, they are basically baiting us to try and stop them. They have informed us that Instrumentality will commence, Fourth Impact will occur, and that the existence of our world will be altered to fit their view of perfection."

"Damnit." Sawyer growled.

"We don't have a lot of time." Asuka said. "We may not be successful. The threat is far greater then any faced previously. We have been developing over the past few weeks a plan of action and we believe we will be successful in our endeavor. In order to be successful with our operation, it will require strength; will, dedication and determination to beat this threat and keep our world safe. We cannot fail. There is no room for failure. If we fail, the entire world falls to the hands of SEELE. Therefore, it is essential and mandatory that we stop this threat before its too late."

"What is the plan of action, General?" Sawyer asked.

"Beginning at 0500, you will report to several transport planes that will transport you to the NERV Command Center in the Sahara Desert. We have set up four bases of command from which this operation will be controlled."

"Command Hub is where I will be commanding the strike teams from. With Commander Dell in charge of these strike teams, they will go in and apprehend SEELE."

"NERV Command Center is where you, Commander Dell, will conduct and oversea the operation of Evangelion Unit 1 piloted by Major Hope Ikari."

Asuka looked at Hope and said firmly. "Major Ikari, your orders are as follows. You will pilot Unit 1. You are to prevent at all costs the use of an AT field on a friendly. You are to stop any entity which is capable of producing an AT field. You are to destroy, if required, any threat possible, which could thwart our plans. As soon as Major Ikari has put the threat at bay, a squadron of fighter jets will attack if needed. This squadron of fighter jets have been equipped with special missiles capable of producing an AT field on contact. These missiles will render either an Evangelion or an Angel immobile thereby allowing Commander Dell and his strike team to infiltrate and capture SEELE."

"General Ikari," Commander Dell said. ", Wouldn't I be better off commanding NERV then leading the strike team?"

"Commander Dell." General Ikari said. ", As a trained military officer, CIA operative and commander, you are the best choice for the leader of the strike team. You will remain in command at NERV until I issue the order for the strike team to attack."

"Understood, General." Sawyer said firmly.

"You'll notice that I said this operation will not commence until 0500 tomorrow. There is a reason. If we are not successful tomorrow, and it remains that Earth's fate has fallen to the diabolical and hideous plans of SEELE, then I want you to have had one day with your family and friends. Tonight, I want you to enjoy your lives. I want you to be with your loved ones. I want you to remember that all though you have duty and honor," then she smiled as she looked at her daughter and said in a kind, warm voice. ", that you also have the love and strength of your family and that they will always stand beside you and support you through all that is good and bad."

Hope smiled back at her mother and Asuka turned her attention back to the room speaking with confidence. "However, I am not counting on losing tomorrow! The President of the United States has graciously given me 2000 US Marines for use in our strike team. He has also given us the use of the US Navy, the US Air Force and the US Army. General Harris has been supplying countless series of intelligence from the first moment that this threat was deemed high risk. We believe that this is our time now to attack and make our world safe for future generations! What we do today, what we face tomorrow, will lay down the path for the safety of mankind! The destiny of one person can alter a maniac's view and it is your destiny tomorrow to defend your world for the freedom of the innocent and the generations that are yet to come! I will stand beside you and I will fight with you! I will give my life if necessary to protect what I hold dear! I will not give up and I will not falter! I will hold my spirit high and I will give to you, to all of you, the strength, the courage and the will to be victorious! We cannot and we will not fail!"

Hope breathed with a smile and a nod as she looked at her mother. She stood up at attention and saluted her mother. Sawyer followed. Then the rest of the room did the same.

Asuka nodded her head in approval and smiled. Standing at attention, she saluted the room back standing proudly.

The room once again took their seats and Asuka smiled as she stood at ease saying with pride. "I will not let you down. I swear this to you all. Prepare for immediate transport at 0500 tomorrow morning. All crews will report to the main hanger deck at that time. May God be with us all. YOU ARE DISMISSED!"

The images of the President and the Japanese Prime Minister clicked out as well as the satellite photo. General Ikari went back to the terminal and began to put away folders and papers into an open metallic attaché case.

The room began to exit. Sawyer and Hope got up from the chairs and walked over to General Ikari who looked at them both with a warm smiles as she closed the case and picked it up off of the desk.

"Permission to speak freely, General?" Major Ikari asked.

"Granted, Major." Asuka responded.

"That was a hell of a speech, Ma." Hope said with a smile.

"I'm glad." Asuka said. "I believed what I said. We're not going to fail. We're going to stop these bastards in their tracks."

"I have no doubt of that." Sawyer told her. "You have the entire command crew on your side right now. They're ready to follow any order you give them."

Asuka nodded. "What can I say? I've got a gift."

Hope chuckled as she looked at her mother. "I'm glad to see you're here. I was worried about you for a while."

"So was I." Asuka said with a smile. "I began to see things clearly though. What I do tomorrow, I do for your father, and all of my kids. I'm also doing for the grandchildren that are yet to come. Your Dad would want me to do this, I'm not going to let him down."

"I know Dad is probably very proud of you right now." Hope said to her mother with a smile.

"I hope so." Asuka said with a brave smile. "Hey, I have an idea. My chopper is outside and it's waiting for me. So why don't you two come back with me to the house? I was thinking of having this nice barbecue tonight. I bought a ton of food yesterday. I got all kinds of stuff. I called Reina and she came in last night. Souke by now is probably making a mess and I can just hear Reina yelling at him right now."

"Mom, that sounds great." Hope said.

"Plus, it's our way of honoring your father as well." Asuka said with a smile. "Also, I just want us all to be together. Sawyer, I know your family is in Virginia but as I've known you, you are just like a member of my family. I want you to come too."

"I would be honored to, General Ikari." Sawyer said proudly as he reached for Hope's hand and gently held it.

"And…. um…if you two…. want…well, uh…you know I'm not like prudish or anything…but if you…. are…. or want to…. you know…stay-in-the-same-room-together-well-then-that's-okay-with-me." She said quickly as she cleared her throat. "Just keep the noise down, okay? I mean Souke with that damn stereo is one thing…. but you know what I mean, right?"

"Oh." Hope said as she got red in the face and looked back at Sawyer who also was as red as a beet.

"You know, I…kind of…had an idea…that you two…. were…. you know…. an item?" Asuka asked.

Sawyer looked back at Hope and then Hope said to her mother with a smile as she reached for his hand.. "We're in love, Ma."

Asuka's eyes went wide as cleared her throat once more and said. "Oh! Wow! That's…great. I mean, I kind of knew it but…uh…well either way, that's great. Really. I mean that. Its great news! Fantastic! Terrific! Wow! In love, huh? That's wonderful! I'm…. I'm happy…for…. um…. you both. Really. Truly. Swear on my stars!" She said with a nervous chuckle.

"I know I'll be thinking of Dad when I'm out there." Hope said proudly.

"I will too." Sawyer said.

"So will I." Asuka said. "So, why don't you two go home…err, I meant, to your separate places, and grab some stuff and meet me back here? I'll wait for you and I'll call Souke at home and tell him to hold off on serving until we're almost home."

"Sounds good, Mom." Hope said.

"Great!" Asuka said with a smile as she looked at them. "I'll meet you back here."

"Okay, Ma." Hope said as she looked up Sawyer and then the two of them walked out of the room.

As Asuka watched them seeing them smile at one another, holding onto each other's hands, she smiled and nodded her head saying. "Yup, he was what she needed."

Walking with her briefcase in hand, she also walked towards the door.

(FYI: Wasn't Asuka's speech just rousing? I got the idea from two movies. The first was Patton where he stands up in front of the American flag in full dress and motivates his soldier's to fight. The other is from the movie Independence Day when the President speaks to the rag-tag bunch of pilots about to defend the Earth from the evil aliens. Stay tuned…there's more to come.)