Chapter 37
Asuka awoke to the morning light. She was never one for sleeping past dawn.
Three years in the wilderness had conditioned her and Shinji to wake up with the first rays of the new morning.
Quickly taking a shower, Asuka changed into her desert fatigues and armed herself as she exited her trailer and watched the sun come up over the horizon.
She continued walking into the Command Hub and saw people hurrying about while in front of her a large screen showed the area that they had under surveillance.
She picked up a cup of coffee and seated herself at, what she was calling, her desk. Placing a headset on her head, she spoke.
"Report!"
"No change." Sawyer Dell reported as his image popped up in front of her. "It seems all calm right now. We haven't detected any movement at this location either, no harmonics shift, no AT field. Its been pretty much quiet since yesterday."
"They're waiting us out." Asuka said as she leaned back in her chair. "I feel like this is the calm before the storm. Keep monitoring. If there's any change report to me immediately."
"Acknowledged, General." Sawyer told her.
"Ikari out." Asuka said as she picked up her coffee and sipped on it as she turned to the monitor. Too quiet, she thought, its too damned quiet for my tastes.
As she sat in her chair, she heard over her headset.
"General Ikari, incoming transmission from General Harris."
Asuka rolled her eyes as she said. "Put him through." Taking a breath she said into her headset. "Good morning, General Harris."
"Same to you, General Ikari." Harris' said as his image popped up. "We've been monitoring the base consistently over the last twenty four hours since you landed. There has been no change in movement. It remains silent."
"I have observed the same." Asuka said. "It's making me uneasy, Harris. It shouldn't be this quiet. This is the first time in over forty-eight hours that this area has gone completely silent. They have to know we're out here."
"That indeed could be possibility." Harris said. "In observing their movements, I would say that they are indeed planning something."
"I feel the same way." Asuka said. "What do you advise at this point?"
"I would send in a small strike team to investigate. If they make a move, we should send in our second wave to strike."
"That's too risky." Asuka said. "I am uncomfortable with using my strike teams as bait so that the mouse will come out of the hole."
"If we do nothing, we could be playing right into their hands." Harris said. "Perhaps this is why an American commander would be best suited in this situation."
Asuka narrowed her eyes but remained calm as she said. "Its not that at all, General Harris," she said as she sipped her coffee. ", It's the fact that I am very uncomfortable with a loss of life factor. If I send in a strike team, they could potentially be in danger."
"This is war, General Ikari." General Harris told her. "In war there are casualties."
"Yes, I realize that." General Ikari said firmly. "However, I am not one to incur these casualties so easily."
"Very well. We will continue to monitor and supply you any new data that we receive. Harris out."
Pompous bastard, Asuka thought as the screen blinked out. Send in the strike team now? No, I'm not comfortable with that at all. However, air reconnaissance would be much better. I doubt there would much danger there."
"Command Hub to Squadron Command." Asuka said into her headset.
"This is Squadron Command go ahead, General Ikari."
"Squadron Commander, send up two Eagle Eyes to observe."
"Acknowledged. Squadron Command out."
Asuka leaned back in her desk as she watched the read out on the display.
"Time to target?" She asked.
"T-minus three minutes." Reported the pilot from his jet.
"Acknowledged. Give me a full report." She said as she sipped her coffee and watched the screen carefully.
"Understood." The pilot said.
This is strange, she thought. I have an odd feeling.