Disclaimer: See the Prologue
Chapter 9 – Deploying Unit-02
Asuka crawled through the airway system of NERV, determined to reach Unit-02 and defend it against the JSSDF and the Xen invaders. She had witnessed first hand what was going on below her, as she saw NERV personnel butchered by the creatures and finished off by the JSSDF.
Now it was the JSSDF that was being butchered. The creatures were coming out of hiding and attacking the Grunts. She saw this one guy being torn apart by a couple of zombies, splitting him in half, one holding the arms while the other the legs.
These grisly scenes didn't bother Asuka. She has scene the worst of war and can longer feel any kinds of emotion towards it. Well at least that's what she thought.
'Almost there,' she thought, 'I've gone over those ventilation maps a hundred times.'
She then look out of a grating and found she was above the EVA Cages. She kicked the grating down and watched it hit a catwalk, which was only 4 feet below her. She dropped down and was surprised to find the cages were uninhabited.
She saw Unit-02, her EVA. She smiled and made her way towards it, and to the plug. She tore it open and hopped in.
What she didn't notice was the Man in the Suit standing in what remained of the control room…and smiling as well.
"The time has come for your redemption, Pilot Sohryu," he said to no one in particular.
He was standing before a single remaining terminal, where he pressed a few buttons.
Asuka saw him from inside the EVA.
"Who the hell…" Asuka started, but found the exit-way above her was opening. Light from a setting sun rained down upon Unit-02.
Asuka gripped the controls and prepared to deploy.
'This time, I will not fail!' she thought, determined.
Unit-02 roared, shaking the NERV facility.
Gordon, Misato and Shinji heard the roar, as Gordon and Misato dispatched JSSDF that were foolish enough to get in their crosshairs. Shinji took cover behind them.
"Was that Unit-02?" Misato cried.
"KEEP FIRING!" Gordon cried back, scoring a head shot.
Just then Gordon noticed time slow down around him, before stopping still. Everything around him was frozen: Misato, Shinji, and the Grunts.
"Mr. Freeman," he heard the G-Man call to him, "Mission critical personnel in danger."
Gordon noticed a laser sight on Misato, coming from a Grunt in the shadows. Gordon pointed his rifle at him.
Then pulled the trigger…
Time was restored, and the Grunt's head exploded.
"That was close," Gordon said.
"What?" Misato asked, not noticing the fact she would have been shot.
"Oh…nothing," Gordon replied, clubbing a Grunt with the butt end of his rifle.
Meanwhile on the surface, the JSSDF Commander waited impatiently for news of the EVA Unit's capture.
"Status on the EVAs," the Commander said.
Sir, the other line said, amidst gunfire, We're pinned down near the cages. We can't make it…MY GOD, SOMEONE HELP ME…AHHHHH!
The Commander shook his head vigorously, trying to get the scream out of his mind. He couldn't deny it, his men was dying.
"Sir!" an Officer ran into the command station, "Unit-02 has been activated."
"What?" the Commander replied, almost strained from the pressure of the situation.
In the EVA Cages, Unit-02 was ready to deploy.
"Let's do this!" Asuka said, smiling devilishly.
Unit-02 launched out of the bay, and out of the surface, amidst a whole column of JSSDF tanks and artillery, as well as Apache attack helicopters and Ospreys.
"HOLY SHIT…" a tank commander cried, "It's the red EVA. All units…DESTROY IT!"
The JSSDF fired upon it. Asuka took care to make sure they wouldn't hit her Umbilical Cable.
"Morons," Asuka cried, "You can't stop me!"
She proved it by trampling and kicking the tanks, before swatting the aircraft out of the sky. She then noticed the ships near the coast.
She dove into the water, and smashed them from below, before jumping back on the surface.
'This is easy,' she thought.
Suddenly, a massive beam of energy struck her from behind.
Asuka cried in pain.
"F#$#!" Asuka screamed.
Xen Mantis ships attacked, small one and large ones.
"What the…?" Asuka cried, "What the hell are you guys?"
Not expecting an answer, Unit-02 ran forward, arming her Prog Blade. She swung at them, but they evaded her strike.
They then swarmed in and begun to open fire, causing damage to Unit-02 armour.
'Finally, a challenge,' Asuka thought.
She charged forward and swung again, taking one of the big ships, smashing it to the ground, where it exploded. The other ships swerve to avoid her, then they dropped Alien Grunts on the ground below her, armed with large bazooka-like alien weapons.
The Alien Grunts begun to fire bolts of plasma.
"Ahh!" Asuka grunted, actually feeling pain.
She stomped on the Alien Grunts, allowing a Mantis ship to drop a couple more on the Unit-02, who were armed with alien drills. They begun to crack through the armour, drawing blood from the EVA.
The EVA screamed in pain.
"GET OFF ME!" Asuka screamed, brushing her back frantically with her hands.
She swatted them off, and in process taking out her cable.
"SHIT!" Asuka cried, realising she know has five minutes before her EVA shuts down, leaving her a sitting duck to both the JSSDF and the aliens.
But she stuck to her task, and went after the remaining Mantis craft, 5 more small ships.
They flew in formation as they dove at her, firing blast of lightning at her. Asuka and Unit-02 stood their ground.
Asuka, her eyes closed in focus, could see the ships in her mind. She then stuck forward, catching the ships by surprise.
She smashed all five ships out of the sky, with one kick. They crashed into the sea, before exploding.
Asuka smiled at herself, which took only 10 seconds, leaving her with plenty of time to take on the remaining JSSDF.
"Now to save Misato and baka-Shinji!" she said to herself, smiling.
She piloted Unit-02 back to NERV, not knowing that all this time someone was watching her, and smiling…
"Impressive," the G-Man thought, "Most impressive."
SUBJECT: Sohryu
STATUS: Evaluation restarted.
Subject has proven worth in combat with Union craft. Subject can be coerced into joining our cause.
The G-Man, standing on the hill overlooking Tokyo-03, took out a cell-phone and dialled.
"Cubbage," he said, "Commence the Sterilisation procedure at once. The time has come for the traitors to pay for their crimes."
Yes sir, the other line replied, with authority, Special Forces have already arrived at the sites. They will arrive here in 10 minutes.
"Excellent," the G-Man replied, "I will address the traitorous councillors myself."
He then put away his phone.
"Prepare to pay for your crimes, Lorenz."
He then stepped through a portal…into the unknown once again.
