Reign of the Tabri
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."- "God"
Chapter 13: ARchRIVAL
Logani headed to his room. Affecting the children in their dreams had been no easy task. This, coupled with the last couple days fighting, yielded exhaustion.
As he'd told Asuka and Shinji: their AT-fields were huge. They both were unwilling to share any of their inner feelings with anyone. 'Perhaps I could get them to tell,' he thought, 'Misato.'
The biggest problem Logani was trying to understand was how Shinji could pilot so well. The boy would not admit any of his feelings to himself. It wasn't as much that he hid them as much as couldn't decide on them. Did he hate his father? Did he love him? What about Asuka? Misato?
Then there was Rei. Logani hadn't tried to enter her dreams. She surely would've detected his intrusion. Of course she wouldn't have done anything without Ikari's order but still… She didn't need help half-angel that she was. Her potential was maximized at this point.
Logani collapsed onto his bed after throwing off his assortment of clothes. 'Ask Ikari for new clothes,' he thought before sleep took him.
Asuka was in a good move as she headed to the showers. She decided to head towards one of the deeper locker rooms were she would be less likely to be disturbed. Her yellow sundress flowed in the air conditioning.
She yawned as she headed downwards. Even though she'd just slept in the locker room she didn't feel rested. Perhaps it was how the dream had seemed so real. Perhaps it was exhaustion from her first successful synch test in months.
It didn't matter. She'd shower and then go back to her room for a nap.
Shinji left the bridge and decided he needed some fresh air. He headed back up into the main cave. A nice walk through one of the smaller parks would do wonders for his head.
His head hurt a little bit from the bump that had caused his loss of consciousness and dream. It had been an interesting bump. He didn't even know what he had hit. He'd just suddenly started having the dream.
When he awoke there was a small bruise on his head. Therefore he assumed he must have hit something. What else could it have been? The air would certainly help it.
"Third squad reporting," reported Cimmerii, "Just say when to go."
He turned and nodded to Adlevo. She returned his nod. They were prepared.
Misato was reviewing reports in her office. Personnel counts and damage estimates continued to pour in from all over the world. Misato was currently reading a report about refugees.
Soon refugees from the other NERV bases would be arriving and they'd need both beds and food. After the Tabri had taken their Evangelion it had become pointless for them to stay were they were. Most had tried to return to a normal life but had simply not been allowed too. National governments no longer wanted anything to do with NERV.
She let out a long sign and threw the folder into the done stack. 'How the mighty have fallen,' she thought sarcastically, 'the one time head of operations at NERV has sunk to being a hotel receptionist.'
She opened another folder, this one about an apparent Tabri retreat, and began reading. It sounded good in the beginning. It was still boring though.
"Fourth squad reporting," reported Aevum, "We're clear to go."
She turned and nodded to Tristitia. He returned the nod. They were prepared.
Rei stood at Commander Ikari's side as always. She waited patiently to be needed once more.
She didn't really have anything interesting to think about.
Commander Ikari stood with Rei at his side as always. He waited patiently for her to be needed once more.
He did really have something interesting to think about. He just was unwilling to tell anyone about it.
In his hand Adam seethed uncomfortably.
"First squad reporting," reported Clarus, "just give the word."
Around her Censum, Dulcis, and Fidelia nodded. They all turned to face their targets in unison. They were prepared.
The second squad was late in reporting in. Vernide bit her lip and twirled her hair around her finger. She was not very happy with them for this. "What's taking so long second group?" she demanded.
"We're having trouble finding the target," reported the Tabri. "She doesn't appear to be in our search zone."
"Hurry up and find her," Vernide demanded. 'Ow screw waiting,' she thought. "I'm coming in with fifth squad to assist. Everyone else hold tight," she ordered in her usual iron-fist demeanor.
She flicked her wrist and the two Tabri assigned to Fifth group followed her into the tunnels they'd dug into NERV 8.
In mere minutes they had descended to the correct level of NERV 8. Vernide carefully blew the wall up. The AT-field explosion made no noise. She nodded and her assistant Tabri launched out in front of her to search. Each entered a room, searched it, and as Vernide continued to walk down the hallway, left it and began to search another.
Vernide continued to walk as if captivated. She was drawn to one room like a fly to molasses. When she reached it she lifted a hand and the other two Tabri rushed to join her. She pointed at the door and one of the Tabri nodded.
It kicked the door down so the other could jump into the room quickly enough. Vernide followed it in after only a few seconds. Inside she found her prize. "Hello pet," she whispered seductively, "Remember me?"
On the bed sat Asuka, in her yellow sundress, scared to near death.
Vernide turned to the Tabri and orderedhim to take her to the surface.His nod went unheeded as Vernide was already ordering the other squads to capture their prey.
Rei spun around on her heel to look at the vent but it was too late. Four AT-fields shot out and latched onto an appendage. Pulled by her arms and legs Rei could only yell as she was drug into the now open wall.
"Rei!" Commander Ikari shouted as she flew past him. He spun around and his eyes widened at the destroyed wall. He hadn't heard a thing. A Tabri, female, ran out and grabbed him. She unceremoniously threw him over her shoulder and turned to run.
The female Tabri caught up to her siblings in a few quick strides. From their it was a quick trip to the surface.
Shinji closed his eyes and yawned. For a brief moment his senses were completely down. It was a blessing for the Tabri sent to capture him.
When Shinji opened his eyes he found himself hundreds of feet above the floor of the cavern. He opened his mouth to yell but was stopped by an AT-field. One of the Tabri in front of him shook a finger from side to side. The other just shook his head.
They wrapped him up like a mummy. Then they carted him off to what he surely thought was going to be his tomb.
Misato felt herself slowly growing groggier and groggier until she finally fell asleep.
Then the two Tabri sent to capture her burst in the door. They had their AT-fields on her before they even realized she was asleep. One snorted a laugh before the other gave her a dark look. "Just get her and let's go," he demanded.
Then Misato woke up. Bleary eyed she slowly realized what the Tabri had said. She reached for her pistol. The two Tabri began to argue. 'Perfect,' she thought. She pulled out her gun and snapped off a quick series of shots.
Their AT-fields blocked the shots. Then Misato's clip fell out of her gun. Then she found herself constrained by invisible walls. The two Tabri continued to argue as the carted her off.
Vernide eyed them all over. First Child, Second Child, Third Child, Commander Ikari, Major Katsuragi. Just what Michel had ordered. "All right maggots," she said, "Let's get going."
The Tabri looped their At-fields together and took off in a giant diamond shaped UFO. Tokyo-3 was their destination.
'Well this is great,' thought Logani, 'all of them captured by Vernide. What a lucky day.'
He was starting to get annoyed by Michel's random ability to find them whenever they found any kind of shelter. Soon annoyance would be replaced with anger.
As soon as he could move he'd be doing something about this.