There had been no briefing. The moment the Eva Pilots arrived they were thrust into their "steeds" and deployed immediately. The Rapid Homeland Defence System was carrying them off to wherever they were needed.
Shinji sat in his plug, shifting a little. As usual he was afraid. The boy was absolutely convinced the day would never come when he'd be free of fear. Always it would nag at the back of his mind and the pit of his stomach.
That was alright though. He'd managed to fight and beat Seraphim many times before, even whilst afraid. Now of course there were four Evangelions to be set loose upon the enemy. Mercifully, the other three of his number were far more competent and less cowardly than himself.
They all looked so calm on the vid-link, either that or bored. Rei appeared to be napping, Asuka was tapping a finger and Samuel was whistling. Oh, how he wished to be as professional as they.
A hologram flicked into life just in front of Shinji and the rest of the Eva Pilots. Misato stood there in a blue haze, a 3D map of Japan in front of her. Directly above the landmass was a massive sphere descending from on high. Its trajectory would bring it directly down on their heads.
"As you can see-" The purple haired woman said in a military manner, arms folded. "-the enemy is coming directly our way. Its likely goal is to punch straight through Tokyo-3 and into Central Dogma. If that happens, it's game over for everything and everyone."
The four children of Eva appraised the hologram, looking to gain as much information on their target as possible. As would be expected of soldiers.
Not too far from professional…you're doing good, Pilots. Doing damn good. The Lieutenant Colonel had to force down an approving smile.
"Is this to scale?" Shinji squinted, praying he was wrong. His superior officer shook her head reluctantly.
"I'm afraid so. The tenth Seraph is about five kilometres in length, meaning that an impact at terminal velocity-"
"Extinction level event, or close enough to it." Asuka interjected, frowning. "It wouldn't matter if we killed it, this verdammt monster is about half the size of the meteor that killed the Dinosaurs."
"Correct. Nearly word for word what Rits-chan told me." Misato chuckled, never ceasing to be impressed by the intelligence of the youngsters under her command.
"The Seraph's momentum needs to be slowed, or it must be outright obliterated to prevent this. I assume that is our plan?" Rei asked quietly, already pondering on what to do with this foe.
Direct ground interception could work, the power of four Evangelion A-T fields may be enough to stop its rate of velocity completely…yet much could go wrong. She dismissed that thought quickly.
"Yes. We've enlisted the help of the Japanese State Air Force, namely in the form of five Susanoo class FCVs." Misato punched in a command on the hologram, and the figures of five sword shaped vessels flickered into existence. "They will use a positron bombardment to at least slow the Seraph down. However, the key thing is killing it before it gets past ten thousand feet. With its field gone, the JSAF will be able to annihilate its carcass and prevent impact." The hologram quickly showed the five Susanoo's blasting the massive Seraph away.
"Straightforward enough. But…I get the impression the hardest part involves us?" Samuel winced, having a sinking sensation in his heart at the thought of the likely operation parameters.
"Yes. You'll be intercepting the 10th Seraph at fifty thousand feet. The JSAF is loaning us some of their old strato bombers to get you up there." The overgrown child turned soldier admitted, having no pretence over how dangerous this was.
"But that's impossible. Evas interfere with the fields of Aircraft, we'd just fall out of the sky." The redhead cut in with slight alarm. Surely NERV had thought of that when making this plan, even they weren't that stupid.
"These are petroleum powered planes. They'll work for us."
"But carrying us? That's going to use fuel up at quite a rate. Range won't be very far on those bombers…our interception is going to have to be perfect." Samuel's brow wrinkled, hating the miniscule odds of success. He'd do his duty to the Empire regardless of feelings and give his life if required. Senseless sacrifices however, were just something he couldn't agree with.
"It's risky, but it's all we've got. And I trust you all to do your utmost…which more than usually is enough." Misato felt her cross hang a little more heavily than usual around her neck. It was a reminder of that which drove her and overwhelmed her moral qualms with this job.
Yet it was not as if said qualms didn't plague her dreams.
"Yes, ma'am." The Children of Eva said, or gave their own tongue's approximations of.
"Alright then. Good luck, Pilots." The hologram of their superior officer flickered away, giving a last quick salute.
Flying, again? Shit, shit, shit…I just have to deal with it. Shinji already felt ill inside at the thought of being off ground again. Stopping the Seraphim took precedence over any nausea though. He grit his teeth and tightened his grip around Unit 01's control sticks.
"Scared of flying, Third?" Asuka grinned from her end of the vid-link. The meek young man bit back a curse, having forgotten that his colleagues could see him.
"A…a little…" He murmured.
"Ikari-kun appears to have air sickness of a sort. He vomited quite vigorously during our flight out to initially meet you aboard the Seydlitz." Rei concisely and quietly answered the unsaid question.
"Oh." The fiery girl leaned back, her grin wavering a little. Fear of flight was ridiculous to her. Where else was one freer than the air after all? Disliking flight due to air sickness, however, was another matter entirely. "Sucks to be you, dummkopf. But at least you have an actual reason for it." She raised a mocking eyebrow at Samuel.
The Imperial, who'd paled significantly by now, his previous bravado having vanished, scoffed.
"Of course, I've got a bloody legitimate reason for it!" He shifted uncomfortably.
"You're a pussy when it comes to flying, Sam. Just accept it." Asuka chuckled, eliciting a smile from Shinji.
"No I'm not! I just like having my feet on the ground as Mother Nature intended!" The blonde aristocrat threw his arms up in the air. All aside from him seemed humoured by this, with even Rei giving a microscopic rise of the eyebrows.
The German Countess drummed her fingers for a few moments, then sighed in mock regret. "Hate to say, but I can't hold your hand this time, Fourth. You'll have to be a big boy today."
Both herself and Shinji openly laughed at this. Rei couldn't help but let her lips rise at the Imperial's reddened face.
"Oh bugger off!" Samuel roared.
Sitting in his command chair above all, Gendo Ikari watched the operation's first phase unfold. Five Susanoo class Battleships assumed position in the blue yet darkened sky. They angled their bow mounted Positron Canons upwards at the approaching Seraph.
Conventional weapons are little match for Seraphim…yet my Combat Operations Director's logic is sound. This should at the very least buy us a few minutes or so.
Resting his chin on his gloved hands, the Supreme Commander beheld those jets of mighty blue energy burst forth from the FCVs. Power equivalent to a hundred kilotons of TNT slammed into the Seraph's field, immediately slowing its descent.
There was applause below. Many staff members must have thought it some sort of miracle. Were he a more emotive man, Gendo would have sighed. Only the illiterate and stupid believed in such things as "miracles." All was planned, all was as according to design.
"Yes…good. Over and out." Far below, the purple haired woman he'd employed put down her phone and turned to face him.
"Sir, the Evas are airborne and en route. ETA is four minutes." Misato smartly relayed.
The Supreme Commander nodded. "Is the warhead onboard?"
"Yes, Sir, as per your orders. Although I assure you, our Pilots have this well in hand-" She bit back whatever else she had to say beneath that orange gaze. The Commander was a hard working and stoic man, but he did not tolerate disagreement. "I understand, sir."
Her superior quietly grunted, then refocused on the monitor.
Always one for contingencies, Gendo had put a secondary plan into action from the moment the operation was conceived. Rei had been given an N2 warhead to do with as she would if the Seraph got past ten thousand feet. The detonation would destroy Tokyo-3 and all its inhabitants…but NERV and humanity would be saved; not to mention that his Evas could quite simply survive such a blast.
Silently, he watched Misato go back to her position and talk to some of her own subordinates. What a useful tool he'd found in her. She possessed all the right holes in the soul to slip in the puppet strings. Not only that, but she'd a sound military mind for the most part.
An easily usable and high quality tool…what more could one ask for? Gendo smiled at that.
Ah yes. A fine bit of leverage over our "UN Supervisor."
"Ikari-san." Kozo's gravelly voice caught his attention. The stone hearted man looked up at his old teacher, ready to hear what he had to say. "Sub Commander Akagi reports that experiments are underway with the subject we recovered from the last Seraph encounter."
"The weapon holds a great deal of potential." Gendo agreed.
The sword of the Ninth Seraph had been transported with great difficulty. So great was its mass, it almost took out the RHDS. That wouldn't have been something Motichka would've forgiven in a hurry.
Now however, the blade was in the hands of Naoko Akagi's offspring, who would undoubtedly unlock a secret or two. It had been unfortunate that her use was limited, but alas. A broken chess piece could not make every move one wanted.
"We've got visual!" Lieutenant Hyuga called out. The four JSAF Strato bombers screeched onto the monitor, escorted by dozens of Kazes. Whether or not they and their crew's use would extend beyond "meat shields" remained to be seen.
Hundreds of billions of Yen in equipment, piloted by thousands of Japanese Airmen, filled the screen; NERV's Supreme Commander could not have cared less about them. If they fulfilled their use, their survival was irrelevant.
Instead, the rear bomber carrying Unit 01 was something Gendo intensely fixated on. Yet no thought of his only child ever crossed his obsessive mind.
Take care, Yui my dearest. Not long now…not long now…
Delay the inevitable all you will, Vooren. It shall avail you none. Sahaquiel snarled. This pathetic show of defiance was a waste of time, the enemy's fate had long been sealed by now. The only logical choice was capitulation, yet they refused to countenance it. Do you not understand? We wish only your subjugation, not your total destruction!
Sahaquiel. Boomed the telepathic voice of Lord Netzach's Fist. Calm yourself, remain focused. Your brothers and sisters perished because they were distracted. Do not make that mistake.
I am well aware of how they died, Fist. I let that drive me. The much larger Divine shot back, not in the mood for Haniel's lectures.
The Fist had many qualities, not least his intelligence. Unfortunately, however, he didn't know his place. Always unafraid to speak his mind, Haniel would not have survived in earlier courts. Father, it would seem, had a fondness of the impudent and loud mouthed. This was something many old Rulers of their age never understood; why did this force of nature require the opinions of his inferiors?
This was something Sahaquiel himself pondered, having seen first-hand the power of Netzach. The Divine ethos, that might always made right, was the very core of their race. The Royal Fist lacked in might; thus what right did he have to command him?
Tearing his mind away from such distractions, the gluttonous Seraph looked down upon the vessels impeding him. Their power was not half of Ramiel's, yet it was enough to slow him. For what purpose though…were the Vooren buying time for something else to interfere?
My Heir, to your left. The Fist offered, putting aside the overweight Prince's disdain for him. As one who possessed a rudimentary grasp of what mankind called "telepathy", Haniel could sense the thoughts of others. They hurt quite a bit at times.
After all my years of loyalty, you still look down on me for my station. Though you lack his malice, you really are Yesod's son. The Fist pushed his feelings away.
Glancing in the indicated direction, Sahaquiel saw four large craft coming his way, flanked by dozens of VTOLs. In those huge swept wing Strato-Bombers, he sensed four individual sources of powerful energy.
I see you, Knights of NERV. The Eclipse snarled. In all their benevolence, the Gods had offered him vengeance on a silver platter; he would not refuse them.
"Hey." Asuka's voice caught the attention of all but one, ironically who it was directed at. Having gone white as a ghost, Samuel kept licking his lips and squeezing his control sticks. To Shinji's eyes, he looked terrified.
"Sam." Trying again with softness yet unheard, the redhead got his attention. He looked at her face on the vid-link, shame all too apparent. "Feeling alright?"
"No." The aristocrat shook his head. "Not in the slightest."
Shinji tilted his head. The cocky, arrogant and humourful nature of the Imperial had evaporated the moment they were airborne. Fortunately for himself, his Eva had never felt more comfortable and thus he didn't feel ill.
"Deep breaths, relax." Somehow, Asuka's tone was stern yet soft. "You're in an Eva. No matter how high you fall, you won't get hurt. A-T fields are good for that kind of thing."
Breathing as deeply as he could, Samuel smiled sadly. "I'm sorry. It's not helping too much."
"Not to intrude or anything, but what's going on here?" Curiosity piqued, Shinji couldn't help himself. He'd simply never seen the Imperial Major this shaken before.
"I…" The Second Child's sapphire gaze had more than a hint of concern. It was as if she wanted to put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Don't think that's my place to say."
"Meadow-san appears to suffer from Acrophobia." Rei calmly observed, all eyes turning on her. "Am I correct?"
In total resignation, Samuel sighed and nodded his head. "Yes…yes…very astute."
"What does Acrophobia mean?" Shinji pressed on. That word was alien to his tongue.
"Fear of heights." Asuka answered him. "As in chronic. A phobia is an irrational, all-consuming fear you can't do scheisse about."
"Oh…"
"Jah."
The blonde aristocrat ran a hand through his hair and winced in embarrassment. "It won't get in the way of what we have to do. I can just about cope with it these days."
"There's no shame in being scared, Samuel-san. Means you've got your wits about you." Shinji chuckled gently. It was a sobering thought to know others, no matter how well trained, felt fear as he did.
Heh, the girls are making us look like delicate flowers. Rei doesn't really understand and Asuka…I think fear is afraid of her. He pushed those thoughts aside when his hud started flashing.
Immediately accessing it, the meek boy was met with a vid link from Misato. Soon enough, she was patched into the other pilots' comms.
"Alright, Pilots. You are now in visual range of the Seraph and will be engaging shortly. From here on out, we will be maintaining constant communications with you via radio." She smartly relayed.
"Then what is the point of a hologram call, if that is the case?" Rei pondered aloud, her emotionally stunted mind struggling to understand.
To that, the purple haired woman raised an eyebrow and the right side of her lips. "Courtesy call of course. Besides…I wanted to see how you were holding up." She frowned at Samuel.
Meeting her gaze, the Imperial forcibly retook control of his features. "Just a childish fear, ma'am. It won't be an issue."
"You're a tough guy, Samuel-kun. You'll do just fine." Her smile broadened at his sigh.
"What is it with you people and your honorifics? They are utterly unnecessary at the best of times."
"To be fair, Samuel-san, your culture's lack of honorifics is just as strange to us." Feeling a need to stand up for his culture, Shinji cut in.
A little too pale to debate the matter, the Imperial raised a weak eyebrow and let the subject drop. A lecture on the Empire's glory and mission to civilise the world would have to be for another day.
Rei quietly observed the exchange and ruminated on it. She'd listened to both mind and words, to understand their positions as best she could.
So different. Not only are they from opposite sides of the world, they are separated by history and culture; Britain and Japan could not be more unalike in many regards. The same logic can be applied to Germany… The albino had been feeling the shimmers of Asuka's thoughts, recognizing faint bemusement. Not the same cultural superiority felt by either Shinji or Samuel, but derived from culture nonetheless. The redhead saw the Japanese way of life as strange. Culture, Nationhood…these falsehoods divide humanity. The Commander's Scenario shall liberate all from these imaginary lines.
A sudden series of massive jolts slammed into their craft. What sounded like a flak bombardment roared around them, followed by the Strato-bombers pulling evasive manoeuvres. Shinji had to grip his control sticks tighter than ever before, only just forcing back the nausea rolling through his stomach.
"It's opening fire?" Sounding incredulous, the Children of Eva weren't sure if Misato was talking to them or herself. "Prepare for immediate action, Pilots!"
"Got anymore advice for us, Misato?" Asuka grit her teeth, adrenaline and excitement pumping through her veins.
"Yes. Keep yourselves safe…" Fumbling with her words for a moment, the purple head forced a smile. "we'll go out for dinner tonight, you'll all have earned it." The hologram faded away.
"We're coming in hot, prepare for deployment, eta fifteen seconds." Their wing commander barked, his hand on the lever to open his bomb doors. Directly flying over was out of the question, but they could use momentum to throw the Evas at the enemy.
Forcing his breath under control, Shinji flinched when a massive shudder rolled through his bomber. An engine had been strafed…along with the cockpit.
There was coughing over his private comms for a moment, his own bomber pilot attempting to get in touch. "Damage is critical, we're deploy-" The coughing grew wet and violent, downing out all other words.
Acting on impulse, the Third Child's eyes widened. "What about you, are you alright-" before he could finish, the bomb doors had been thrown open. The Strato-Bomber pulled sharply to the left and released the clamps holding Unit 01. In the blink of an eye, he was hurtling through the blue sky towards the Tenth Seraph.
Behind him, his bomber fell apart under the stress of its maneuverer and the deadly accuracy of the Seraph; not one of its Pilots ejected.