Top Girls: Three

Misato REALLY hated Valentines Day. Thank god that the 'girls give guys chocolate' tradition had been replaced by the Western version, but it was still aggrivating as hell. Worse, with her popularity as a TV host she got flooded with cards and gifts.

"Wow," Maya noted, the smaller host joining her in the mail room. She also had a huge sack of cards and gifts, from her devoted fans.

Misato smirked. Amusingly Maya was even more popular, though mostly with girls. She even had FANCLUBS. Maybe it was the boyish good looks?

"Ugh," Ritsuko sighed as she came in, looking slightly messier than normal.

"Long night?" Misato teased.

"Unlike some of us I do have other jobs," Ritsuko grumbled.

"Hey, I do my NERV duties too," Misato complained, hurt. Though admittedly her work load wasn't as insane as Ritsuko's. She made a mental note to suggest to Gendo that some of her work be offloaded to Rit's assistants. Knowing Ritsuko's workahollic qualities she'd probably object, though...

Maya looked sheepish too. "Can I help out, Senpai?" she offered meekly, having once been ne of those assistants.

"No, it's fine," Ritsuko gave a wry smile, "it's just trying to juggle the repairs for UNIT-02 with everything else that's going on."

"Well, ask for help occassionally," Misato ordered. "You know we can juggle staff if needed."

Deciding it might be wise to change the subject Maya wondered, "Do we know what Gendo has planned for us this time?"

"He's been banging around trying to redo one of the United States trips Top Gear did," Misato noted, "but he's getting some resistance from the US government."

"Not surprising, considering how messed up a lot of the US is," Ritsuko said thoughtfully, "if we cut across country some stuff they do not want the world to see would turn up."

"WE could always announce that the US is blocking us going in on television," Misato suggested evilly, "bet that would get some butts kicked."

"Would make things harder long term," Maya cautioned before adding, "let's let the diplomats play things out first."

"Oh poo," Misato pouted making everyone laugh.

"We've got a staff meeting in a hour," Ritsuko reminded them as she picked up her sack of mail, "best get going."

Running the Top Gear shows along with their NERV duties was a balancing act for everyone involved. Maya hurried to check her email for any technical issues coming up from her department, while also reading over the script she had been sent. While most of the scenes between her, Misato and Ritsuko were improvised, there was still a underlying structure.

'Hmm, I get to test out that new Ferrari,' Maya noted. She had started out kind of... wary of the idea of doing the fast car testing along with Misato, but she was really enjoying it now. It helped that they took reasonable precautions, of course.

"Miss Maya!" one of the interns rushed up. "Uhm.. this is for you!"

Maya took the box of chocolates, smiling at the young man even as she wondered how she was going to explain she liked girls...

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The Stig got a lot of fanmail too, which went unanswered of course. Most of it was sent to Gendo's office, as he rather enjoyed reading it. There was a certain unique oddness in people who wrote to a unspeaking racing suited figure in a helmet. The letters broke up into piles assuming the Stig was male or female, then were filled with everything from love letters, marriage proposals and more.

Gendo popped a valentines chocolate in his mouth and chewed as he sat back. So far, his revival of Top Gear was very successful, on several fronts. It had humanized NERV in the eyes of the public and brought public support to a all time high, it bewildered and confused SEELE and it provided a source of funding seperate from the UN and their political masters.

And, Gendo admitted, it was fun.

The next Angel wasn't due for several weeks, so Gendo was considering what their next big episode would be on. The ruins of Old Tokyo were a possibility, though it might raise issues with those who had once lived there. Still, the idea of a multivehicle race across the ruined city was attractive. And they could do it in the style of the old show... give the drivers a budget and make them buy banged up used cars for the trip.

Gendo checked through his mail then came across two messages he had been waiting for. Opening both he perused the files and smile, then printed up copies. His staff, he decided, would need to hear about this.

The production meeting was starting in a few minutes as Gendo Ikari strode in, the black suited man moving to the head of the table automatically. Everyone murmured greetings as he took his place, while Gendo nodded in reply.

"We've heard back from BBC about our request to get information on the original Top Gear hosts, and what happened to them after Second Impact," Gendo said calmly.

All three hosts sat up and took notice at that. All three had become fans watching reruns of the original show, and had wondered what happened to the hosts.

Gendo ruffled one set of papers and read, "James May was flying aboard a Dreamliner flying out from London when the shock wave from Second Impact hit. The avionics blew out, in the process disabling the pilot."

He paused, and Ritsuko smiled slightly. "May landed it, of course," she said.

"Of course," Gendo agred. "May brought it down onto a highway, did a fair bit of damage but almost everyone survived. He promptly headed back to London, presumably because he assumed that would be where he might find out what happened. He arrived just as the Royal Corps of Engineers were preparing to build dykes to keep London safe from the rising seas, and ended up being drafted by the officer in charge, pretty much."

"He got knighted for that!" Maya remembered. She looked sheepish, "I didn't recognize him because of all the grey in his hair."

"Richard Hammond also survived, and ended up enlisting in the British Army after Impact. He served in distinction during the Impact wars, and is currently a Lt Colonel," Gendo said coolly.

"I have to admit, I have a hard time imaging 'The Hamster' as a Colonel," Misato admitted with a smile. "Still, glad to hear he made it. What about Clarkson?"

Gendo sighed, for a moment looking uncomfortable. "No one knows what happened, but he's presumed dead," he admitted. "He left a shoot for a television program shortly before Impact. He never made it home."

There were a lot of stories like that, everyone knew. When the Second Impact hit, people had thought it was the end of the world and acted accordingly. Some lived up to a higher standard, saving lives and helping, while others fell to darker impulses.

"Would either man be interested in appearing on our version?" Ritsuko asked curiously.

"I sent a request," Gendo admitted, "but no answer yet. The representative of the BBC informed me that the two had been reluctant to appear for their proposed Top Gear reunion, so I expect not."

"Too bad," Ritsuko admitted, "though I rather dread how they might react to our version."

"Hmm," Maya agreed. She looked at Gendo, "I read the latest script, but I think the segments are a bit too short, sir."

"That's because we are adding another segment," Gendo said with a smile. His minions knew that smile, and all three looked worried.

"Oh you have GOT to be kidding me," Misato groaned a few seconds latter once Gendo explained the road race through old Tokyo.

"We're going to need emergency teams," Maya noted glumly.

"Or even have a evangelion on stand by," Ritsuko suggested.

"Still could be a hell of a show," Misato noted thoughfully now that she was thinking about it more. "Vehicles... wanna make it more interesting by banning anything off road?"

"Misato!" Maya whimpered.

"Agreed," Gendo said promptly. "Just like the original Top Gear, you'll be given limited funds and face several challenges while racing through the city."

Ritsuko sighed, "I'll start setting up search and rescue plans, just in case."

"Old Tokyo is that dangerous?" Maya had to ask.

"No," Gendo answered.

"Yes," Misato answered just as promptly. They exchanged glances, then Misato continued, "In the right gear, it's reasonably safe. Riding three jalopies? It's going to be chancy."

To be continued...

Notes: Yes, I'm a James May fan. Bias admitted. On the other hand, he in fact DOES know how to land a jet liner. So, yeah. Any suggestions of awesome stuff Hammond might have gotten up to, would be welcomed.