Neon Genesis Evangelion: Altered Destinies
Launch Twenty Three
Gendo Ikari faced the monoliths of SEELE, his expression calm as he clasped his hands behind his back. The latest reports had been filed and the group had reviewed it, but there were still a great deal of questions to be answered.
"Have you confirmed that it indeed is the boy Kensuke Aida?" SEELE 01 asked, his voice distorted by electronics.
"We don't have the same hard medical data on him as we do on the Evangelion pilots," Gendo answered, "but everything checks out with his records,. Dr. Akagi also preformed blood tests and skin scrapings, according to our tests he's fully human."
"How did he get Unit-04?" SEELE 07 asked.
"As I understand it, Unit 04 disappeared from Nevada when they attempted a S2 engine test," Gendo noted thoughtfully.
"Yes," SEELE 07 confirmed, but didn't go into detail either.
Gendo nodded slightly, "Dr. Akagi has a theory on the matter. She believes that the failure of the S2 engine may have actually torn a hole in space, dropping the Evangelion into the Dirac Sea." Pointedly he added, "If we had more data on the event, we could likely make a better determination."
Very reluctantly SEELE 07 said, "We'll send a fuller briefing to your technical staff."
'Probably still not a complete record, but better,' Gendo mused while still maintaining his usual poker face. "Is there anything else?" he asked politely, "We still have much work to do..."
Each SEELE monolith faded out, only 01 lingering a moment. "Concentrate on the Human Instrumentally Project," he reminded Gendo, "that is what is important. The Angel war is ultimately a side show compared to that."
As the holographic environment faded away Gendo took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "A side show that can kill us all if we mishandle it," he murmured. Putting his glasses back on Gendo straightened out his clothes and left the dark office, heading down to the labs.
Mana Kirishima and Kensuke Aida were being interviewed by NERV staff for the third time, making them repeat their stories while looking for any flaws. So far both their stories were surprisingly consistent, taking into account their different points of view,
Gendo took up a spot beside Ritsuko, both of them observing the interviews through one-way glass. "Do they check out?" he asked quietly.
"As far as we can determine, yes," Ritsuko answered as the dyed blonde studied the two being interviewed, "I'm running genetic tests, too, just to be sure."
"Hmm," Gendo nodded. Frankly he would have quite willingly allowed her to take both kids apart, if that was necessary.
"Their stories are rather fascinating," Ritsuko noted thoughtfully. She looked at Gendo, "Either they both had startlingly similar hallucinations, or being within the Dirac lead then to experience alternate realities."
Gendo raised his eyebrows, "Alternate realities?"
"Aida says he met divergent versions of himself, one a crazed survivalist, the other a qualified Evangelion pilot," Ritsuko told him, "and Mana is giving a similar statement."
Inside the interview room Mana met the eyes of Maya Ibuki, her expression somewhat bewildered. "It was... pretty strange," she admitted quietly. "When I first fell through the hole I was surrounded by blackness, then I found myself on a old train."
"Train?" Maya asked.
"An antique railcar type," Mana remembered, "with the old style fabric covered seats. I saw the darkness outside the windows, then other mes began showing up. They each talked to me a few minutes, then they disappeared."
"Did this happen with Kensuke?" Gendo murmured to Ritsuko.
"He met the various other selves while hiking through the hills around Tokyo-3," Ritsuko answered him softly.
"What were the alternate versions of you like?" Maya asked.
"Pretty similar," Mana frowned in memory, "mostly in different jobs and lifestyles. One was a Evangelion pilot, another piloted a version of Jet Alone. At least one was a cyborg..."
"Interesting," Gendo mused, but moved away from the glass, gesturing for Ritsuko to follow. "About Aida... can he function as a pilot?"
"Yes and no," Ritsuko answered frankly, "he's... attuned to Unit-04, and it accepts him, so physically he can pilot."
"But?" Gendo prompted.
"He has no training and his synchronization score is still fairly low," Ritsuko told him, "he's going to have to be trained before we can effectively use him." She smiled slightly, "On the plus side he's very interested in piloting, unlike Shinji."
Gendo looked back at Mana being interviewed, then at the other room where Kensuke was sitting. "Begin processing for him to join NERV," he said briskly, "but limit his exposure to confidential information, for now."
"You think he might be a plant, somehow?" Ritsuko asked curiously.
"I don't know," Gendo admitted, "but there is no reason to take chances."
As the interview ended Asuka Soryu Langley waited outside with a scowl, the redhead pacing back and forth impatiently. Shinji Ikari reached out to put a hand on her arm, "Take it easy, I'm sure they'll be done soon."
"That's what you said half a hour ago," Asuka grumbled resentfully, her skirt swirling around her long legs. She, like Shinji, had changed back to street clothes once they returned to NERV, then hurried down here to see Mana and Kensuke.
Just then the door to the connected interview rooms opened, and Maya gave the two younger woman a smile. "You can go in now," she told them, "but go easy on them. They're tired and emotionally stressed right now."
"Right," Shinji nodded gratefully as they both headed in.
Mana smiled warmly as they entered, the brown haired girl looking tired but happy as she sat by a plain table. Recording gear and microphones were set up there, presumably to take her statement. "Hey, you two," she said.
"You idiot," Asuka growled, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her roughly, "what were you THINKING?"
"Asuka," Shinji moved to try to stop her, then Mana got up, enfolding the other girl in her arms.
"Eeep!" Asuka stiffened.
"I'm sorry," Mana said, squeezing once then letting go. She smiled slightly, "I'm sorry for scaring you like that."
"I wasn't worried about you," Asuka flushed, looking away.
Shinji hid a smile as she moved past them and opened the door to the connected interview room. Surprisingly Kensuke was leaning back in the chair up against the wall, the young man seemingly dozing. Dressed in a borrowed NERV uniform he looked tired even while sleeping, his glasses left sitting on the table.
Shinji reached out and shook him gently as she said, "Ken, wake up."
Kensuke stirred then his eyes opened, blinking owlishly until he grabbed his glasses and up them on. "Hey," he smiled.
"You okay?" Shinji asked softly. She smiled, "We were worried about you, once the staff grabbed you."
Ken chuckled as he got up and stretched, "Well, I've been poked, prodded and examined way too damn close, but otherwise I'm fine." He looked at Shinji curiously, "Am I going to be allowed to keep piloting that Evangelion?"
"I don't know," Shinji answered honestly, "they don't tell me these things." She thought about it, "Probably, I'd think. There's no way NERV would not want to use you."
"You don't sound too thrilled?" Ken noted.
Shinji shrugged, "I don't entirely trust my dad's motives, honestly."
Ken thought of his conversation with the other version of himself who was a pilot, and the things Gendo Ikari had done. "No reason you should," he muttered softly.
"Huh?" Shinji looked at him curiously, but when Ken didn't add anything she smiled slightly. "Thanks for rescuing Mana, by the way."
"We sort of rescued each other," Ken admitted as they walked towards the room next door.
"Oh?" Shinji asked.
"She talked me through piloting the Evangelion," Ken explained, "I probably wouldn't have managed it otherwise."
In the other room Asuka seemed to have gotten over her blushing fit as she gently punched Mana on the shoulder. "I suppose we're all lucky that piece of junk of yours could even get out of the Dirac Sea," she joked.
"Jet Alone isn't that bad," Mana shot back with a smile.
"Wanna contest?" Asuka challenged, "I bet my Evangelion could kick your ass."
"You and what army?" Mana shot back, grinning.
"Any chance we could just have you two fight it out in a bowl of jello?" Ken leered jokingly. "Or pudding! Pudding is always good."
Both women gave him a flat glare. "Don't kill him," Shinji smiled, "remember, you still owe him your life, Mana."
"If I don't kill him that puts us even," Mana said flatly. She rolled her eyes, "Why did I follow you into that thing again?"
Ken smiled sheepishly. "Uhm, I haven't really thank you yet, have I?" He bowed slightly, "Thank you very much."
Mana waved that off, blushing faintly, "You saved me too. I figure we're even."
"Does that mean I can hurt him?" Asuka asked, cracking her knuckles,
"No," Shinji, Mana and Ken said at around the same time.
Asuka muttered something uncomplimentary in German. "You two ready to get out of here?" she asked them, putting her hands on her hips.
"More than ready," Mana nodded.
Shinji checked her watch then asked, "Wanna crash dinner at our place? You can watch Ritsuko and Misato being romantic over dinner."
"Sounds fun," Ken chuckled.
"They're that bad?" Asuka asked as they walked out of the interview rooms together and out into the hallway.
"Not bad," Shinji chuckled, "I actually think it's kind of cute."
To be continued...