"I have a solution for that." Gendo Ikari
V
Deep beneath the capital of Asia's greatest empire lay a rabbit warren of advanced technology. Nerv Central or 'Levav Base' sprawled across Hakone, with thousands of personnel busying themselves with matters that were classified to even some Ministry of the Interior heads.
At the very heart of this labyrinth of steel and cables was Nerv's CIC, a vast cavern in which a great hologram of the local area shimmered in red light. Troop and enemy movements were highlighted and tracked, as Nerv staff grimly looked on. Reports of casualties and the enemy's advance were called out, whilst armed security stood guard at the entrances. Personnel were smothered by warm air that had a strange metallic taste to it. The scent of their own sweat buffeted their noses.
Atop it this beehive of activity, dispassionately ruling over his fief, was Gendo Ikari. Seated on a raised platform where he could observe the innermost workings of his empire, he seemed like an unknowable king to his subordinates. Always he would silently sit and watch. Cold blue eyes concealed by orange tinted spectacles stabbed into the backs of all beneath him.
One of the technicians, a sweet woman in her mid-twenties, cautiously looked behind her and found the CEO staring straight back. She stifled a squeak then immediately went back to work.
Nose resting on laced, gloved hands, Gendo faintly smiled.
There was movement on the hologram. Icons indicating Imperial Army formations, rapidly scrambled away from the foe that now directly stood above Levav Base. Meanwhile, eight Susanoo class battleships continued to pelt the Seraph with their ship mounted positron cannons. Such was their desperation, they'd even resorted to their armament of twenty-inch rail guns.
It is fortunate indeed that a Seraph is so mighty. Were it not for the strength of its H-Field, who knows how much collateral damage to my assets may have been done. He continued to watch the display, as the "Seraph's" H-Field ironically shielded the city from destruction. Are you quite finished with your juvenile display, Marshal?
"Was this truly necessary, sir?" Said an older yet still strong voice.
"Yes. The Military Council were never going to get out of our way unless it was made clear just how far out of their league they are." Gendo did not meet the gaze of his pencil thin and wizened subordinate.
"Sir, comms are reporting casualty estimates at roughly sixty thousand. The Imperial Army is in full retreat, and General Kaito has committed suicide." A communications officer called up. Gendo offered a grunt and nothing else. Behind him, he could feel his Chairman shifting uncomfortably.
"You have something to say, Sensei?"
Kozo Fuyutsuki grimaced. "You're a cold bastard, sir."
"That's what it takes to live in this world." Gendo pressed an intercom button embedded into his desk. "Caspar. Unit 01's status?"
Two holograms popped up, side by side, one of a woman in her late thirties with short hair who wore a lab coat, the other a 3D model of a giant, armour coated humanoid form. A horn protruded from its head. He'd checked it earlier in the day to see red splodges across its blue luminescence, but now found it clear.
Satisfactory.
"Everything seems to be up and running, Gendo-chan." The hologram of the woman, Caspar, said cheerfully. "Muscle and sensory stimulation is complete, back slot is open and plug is ready for entry. Our rapid deployment system is fully online and ready to deploy Evangelium Unit 01 wherever you wish. We haven't got weaponry for it right now, but a fully operational Eva should be able to handle the situation...more or less."
Gendo grunted again. "Whereabouts of the Third Child? I am aware Director Katsuragi has collected him."
"He's arrived, sir. Currently being taken to Bunker-3." Caspar crossed her arms. "Instead of asking me, you could have just called Misato-chan. I'm sure she'd have been happy to play intermediary for you and your parenting issues. I do have other things to do."
"Have Dr Akagi intercept them and redirect them to the Cages. I will be present shortly."
"Very well. Don't I get a thank you at least? You do make me work for nothing after all."
Kozo laughed. "That'll be all, Caspar. Thank you."
Caspar beamed. "You are most welcome, Kozo-chan! At least someone around here appreciates me…" She frowned. "Ah. Northern Manmitsu Reactor's having a little fluctuation. I best take care of that…"
Both holograms fizzled out.
"I do not recall ever asking for her to be programmed with a sense of humour." Gendo said dryly.
"Caspar is revolutionary technology of questionable legality, sir." Kozo smiled. "Her developing quirks was inevitable."
"Hm."
It doesn't seem to resemble its progenitor much in personality...thankfully.
On the hologram, the enemy, the Seraph, now stood unmolested in Nakisawame. Shattered armour and corpses lay in equal measure around it, just as he'd known would happen.
To us they are but gods, and to them we are but ants. If Eva cannot stop it then we have no future.
On a monitor built into his desk, he brought up stills and excerpts of the enemy in action. Gendo paused and rewound them time and again, whilst Kozo watched. The Seraph, so giant a beast, should have scarcely acknowledged the gnats that swirled around it, only lashing out wildly when agrivated.
This was not the case. Its attacks were not clumsy or slow, but instead swift, precise and overwhelming. It trod, it smashed, and it cast out storms of red lightning with a swipe of its hand. This was a lifeform in full command of its H-Field, and more disturbingly, its senses too.
"Our enemy doesn't behave like the scrolls said." Kozo noted.
"They were never explicit about the nature of Seraphim." Gendo frowned. "It is curious, I will grant you that."
"Regardless, our benefactors will have their feathers ruffled over this."
Gendo snorted. "That is not an achievement, Sensei. But you are right. Dealing with them will be troublesome if we survive this."
"Can't be any worse than the board, sir."
"The board can't have us both killed if we step too far out of line."
And that would be the optimal result if they had enough of me…before I'm ready.
"A fair point." Kozo agreed.
Gendo turned to face him, a rare honour granted to few. "Don't fret. Destroying the Fourth Seraph will make us indispensable to them. Then they will put up with all manner of deviations."
"Will he though?" Kozo answered grimly.
That I do not know, and I hope I don't find out. Cold fingers raked down Gendo's spine.
The trilling of his phone caught his attention. His lips lifted into a triumphant smirk as he picked it up. "Marshal Motichka, you honour me."
"Spare me, old man." Came a savage snarl that struck fear into the hearts of millions of Japanese. "You've seen it. We've thrown everything we've got at your Seraph, to no effect. Do you really think you can succeed where we failed?"
Gendo straightened. His moment had come. "That is why Nerv exists, ma'am. Rest assured, we shall deal with your vexing problem."
There was a long pause on the other end. "I transfer authority of this operation to you. Do not fail me."
Gendo raised a bemused eyebrow. Fail you? Still baring those fangs as ever. What a good little hound you'd have made in another life. "Of course, Marshal."
The line abruptly cut.
"Making an enemy of her is unwise." Kozo said.
"It is nothing. She is nothing." Gendo dismissed him.
"She is effectively military ruler of the Japanese Empire, the country in which we happen to be situated. That is not nothing."
"In this game, nations are pawns. There is no piece on the board lower than a pawn. Even we are expendable to our superiors if we get out of hand. Should our Shogun become too much of a hindrance, she will be silenced."
"If you say so." Kozo's face tightened. "We're cleared to sortie then?"
"Indeed."
Kozo nodded. "Caspar, base wide broadcast please."
"Sure." The AI trilled.
Kozo cleared his throat then began. "Attention all staff. The Military Council has transferred command of Operation Heaven Breaker to us. We are now going to Level 1 battle stations. You've trained and prepared for this for a decade. Do humanity proud." He drew a finger across his neck to cut the broadcast, which the AI promptly obeyed.
"Caspar. Third Child's status?" Gendo asked.
"Dr Akagi will be intercepting him momentarily."
"Then we have what we need. Prepare Evangelium Unit 01 for activation."
"Understood, Gendo-chan. Let's hope fate favours us, because the numbers don't."
Below, activity intensified as the lighting turned red. Fingers drummed on keyboards whilst chatter grew louder and more frequent. Reports of Japanese Army activity decreased and numbers were crunched in their place. From on high the two overlords of Nerv watched their staff go about their task without pause or hesitation.
"They perform as well as they do in drill." Kozo noted proudly.
Gendo didn't respond, instead focusing on the Seraph at the heart of the display. Ever since the military had stopped attacking it, the beast had wandered around, as if perplexed at the sudden change. Now, its curiosity satisfied, it walked to the heart of the city and then swished its hand downwards. A storm of crackling red energy slammed into the earth at its feet. Gendo could feel the reverberations all the way down here. Even some of the staff below them looked up for a moment then got back to work.
"Our foe is powerful. It is unfortunate we have no seasoned pilots to use against it." Gendo murmured, only loud enough for his subordinate to hear.
"Are you sure you want to do this, sir?" Kozo lowered his voice too. He knew what his former student was really talking about.
For a while, they could only hear the chatter below until Gendo sighed. "We have no choice. Unit 01 is the only weapon in our arsenal at this moment in time. Rei cannot pilot."
"He is your son, it is only natural for you-"
"Yui's child, yes I am aware, sensei." Gendo snapped. Then, closing his eyes, he sighed and stood up. "I'll be in the Cages. Handle the rest."
"Yes, sir."
