Rebuild of Third Genesis
Chapter 32
Interlude
United States of America
The meeting wasn't 'covert' exactly, but it was being held unofficially, and the Secretary of Defence was unaware of it for deniability reasons. The company involved had booked an entire floor of the hotel, and had private security stationed all around.
"So, you called us here," Undersecretary Williams said, the son of a Senator and very well connected.
The rep from Gulf & Bradly Industries smiled. "As you know," Emma Donoghue said, "our company had partnered with Japan in developing the Jet Alone."
"And we all know how well that went," Williams noted.
Emma ignored that, "And we continued our own development after. We are interested in getting government support in developing our newest design, the Titan."
A screen behind her came to life, and a type of tank appeared. It was far larger than most, and it bristled with weapons.
Williams looked unimpressed, "And? What about this would convince my bosses to put money towards it?"
Emma smiled as she said, "Firstly, the new Neural Link control system will allow the pilot to process information and respond dozens of times faster."
Williams nodded. Of course, both of them knew the new tech was stolen from NERV's predicessor, but neither said anything.
"Second, the micro nuclear reactor on board will allow it to operate for nearly three months without refuelling," Emma added.
"Pffft!" Williams nearly choked on a sip of water.
"Easy, sir," an aide thumped Williams on the back.
"Are you out of your minds?" Williams recovered enough to say.
"You're concerned because of what happened with Jet Alone's nuclear reactor," Emma responded calmly, "Would it help if I told you that Jet Alone was hacked? And it was most probably done by NERV."
Williams looked startled, "Seriously?"
Emma nodded as she told him, "We can prove that the hack happened. Sadly we can't confirm the source."
"Ah," Williams nodded slightly. He studied the huge tank, "The million dollar question: can it take down a Evangelion?"
"We're developing a counter to AT Fields," Emma answered calmly, "once that's ready, yes we will be able to."
Williams noted she didn't say how close to being ready the counter was. Still... "Ok, send a proposal to my bosses, I think they'll be interested." He added, "I am not committing us to anything, however. Got it?"
"A pleasure meeting with you," Emma smiled warmly.
Germany
Germany had been home to Lorenz Keel, the man who had (functionally) run the conspiracy SEELE. When the truth came out, including that they triggered Second Impact and manipulated the world economy to profit themselves, things went bad very quickly.
But despite everything, recovery happened.
"We should demand our own Evangelion!" Doctor Gretchen Sohryu, a university based researcher, demanded.
NERV Berlin had been shut down by the UN in the 'great consolidation' of NERV facilities. Most of the staff weren't hired on at any other NERV bases, and there was a general sense that they had been blamed for Keel's actions.
"Miss Sohryu...," the UN rep started.
"DOCTOR to you," Gretchen scowled.
"Doctor Soryu, the funds just are not there," the UN guy said with a sigh. "After the Impact event and the end of the Angel threat, the UN cut funding hugely."
Gretchen said coldly, "And I'm certain the budget issues have nothing to do with our connection to Keel and SEELE."
"It's a money issue," the man said stubbornly.
They went back and forth a few more times, then Gretchen left his office. The twenty something was considered brilliant, though admittedly not on the level of her aunt, Kyouko Zepplin Sohryu.
As Gretchen was leaving, her phone indicated she had a message. She checked and muttered, "That ass, Langley."
Peter Langley had married her Aunt, and was Asuka's father. He was also, in her opinion, a complete asshole. Lately he had been nagging her to stage some sort of family reunion, but she suspected he had ulterior motives.
She dialed, waited for a pick up, and asked, "Peter, what part of 'I hate you, leave me alone.' do you not get?"
"Ah, I see my husband is still winning friends and influencing people," Constance Langley noted, having picked up the phone.
"Well, that applies to you too," Gretchen noted dryly.
"You certainly nurse a grudge," Constance noted.
"You had a affair with my Aunt's husband, WHILE you were treating her. And apparently having sex in the next room over. It was unprofessional and frankly disgusting," Gretchen said frostily.
"I...," Constance trailed off.
"Now," Gretchen cut her off, "what was Peter trying to contact me for?"
Constance sighed, "He was hoping you'd agree to try to talk Asuka into coming home."
Gretchen burst into laughter.
"I take that's a no?" Constance asked, and Gretchen just hung up on her.
Somewhere in Europe
"Give us the guns and no one will be hurt," the grizzled soldier demanded.
"You're kidding?" Koko Hekmatyar asked, the attractive twenty-something young woman raising her eyebrow.
"The Polish Liberators refuse to pay Capiutalist Dogs such as yourself," the other representative declared.
Koko sighed, "Rei? Valmet?"
The two women attacked with shocking speed and ferocity. Valmet had knives in both hands, and cut down the spokesman in an instant. Rei was nearly as fast, going for the actual leader, disarming him and grabbing him securely.
"ACK," the man managed.
"Keep a hold on him, I gotta make a call," Koko took out her phone. She dialed, "Did the money transfer get cancelled? Yeah? Fuck. Okay."
Rei's soft grey hair fell around her face, and her expression was calm as she listened.
"Your superiors stopped the payment," Koko addressed the boss, "get it put through, again."
"Never," he said, though a lot less boldly than before, "leave the truck full of weapons and we'll let you live."
"I know you have a squad of guys watching," Koko noted, "my team reported in they killed them. Pay up."
"What?" the guy blurted.
Tojo emerged from cover, held up a goon's body, then let it drop.
"Let me get my phone," the leader said after a moment.
"Rei," Koko nodded.
She eased her grip on him, he got his phone out and tapped away.
Koko's phone chirped. "Ok, move the money out immediately," Koko ordered her accountant. She hung up and continued, "Okay, we'll unload the truck. Pleasure doing business with you."
"You're still selling us the weapons?" the boss blurted.
"I'm a businesswoman. I don't have to like you to do business with you," Koko noted, as some of her people unloaded crates. The rest were on guard, as she wasn't stupid.
The truck and their armored jeep were soon off, heading back to the highway. "We should have killed him," Valmet noted as she, Rei and Tojo rode in the jeep with Koko, the others in the truck.
"We had to get paid first," Koko noted, "and I didn't want to haul everything back."
"You are SO practical, ma'am," Valmet noted.
Rei just silently watched the scenery. Koko knew only bits and pieces of the woman's past... her brother Kaspar had brought her to Koko. She was mute, due to a throat injury, was obedient and also inhumanly strong.
(YES, Koko knew about the Evangelions and Rei Ayanami. The two women were clearly related, but how? Even her brother didn't know where this Rei had come from, the girl having been sold by an associate.)
"Rei, once we get back to the city, do you want me to take you to Tokyo-3?" Koko offered suddenly, surprising the others.
Rei looked at her, then just firmly shook her head no.
"You've asked her that before," Tojo noted.
"I know, I know," Koko waved it off.
To be continued...
Notes: Canonly we don't have a name for either Asuka's Dad or her Step-mother. So, made them up.
Yes, that's Koko from Jormungand. Good manga/anime about arms dealers and moral complexities around them. The Rei with them MIGHT be Rei I whom Naoko tried to kill. If so, it's a retcon, but I'm still thinking about it.
Kinda taking a moment to illustrate the world is still very messed up, and so on.
