A/N: On with it.
Disclaimer: Okay, really quickly. I got the simulator idea from a friend, Marine Brother Shran, an excellent author who helps me with my work from time to time.
Supersonic Jet – VERY FAST
"Elly select your weapons," said a voice.
"I'll take two assault rifles mate," she responded flatly. Now was not the time for silly tones or jokes. Elly Simpson and Rei Ayanami as of one and a half hours ago were summoned by Commander Ikari, placed on a supersonic jet, and were now bound for Hamburg, Germany at alarmingly high speeds. According to what she was told, Shinji, Asuka, Zack, and Ivana were in serious trouble and required immediate evacuation. Reported indicated that Vladimir Topolov had overpowered them, leaving evacuation the only choice. The mission was to evacuate the pilots and leave the immediate vicinity while avoiding a direct confrontation with Unit 10.
"And you Rei? Which weapons?" Dr Akagi asked.
"Gatling gun and progressive sword," was Rei's crisp reply. Elly and Rei were currently in their respective EVAs as the air convoy silently advanced towards Hamburg. There were enough carriers to pick up each EVA, along some of Japan's top guns to assist in.
"Okay you two listen up," said Ritsuko. "We'll be at our destination in just over five minutes. The scene you are about to witness is not pretty. There will be bodies, and debris everywhere. However, you two are to ignore it and focus on your task: retrieve the other Evangelions."
"And what about Unit 10?" Elly asked. "That guy will cause problems if we get too close."
"That's what your weapons are for," answered the doctor. "Our weapons along with neutralizing his AT Field should keep him at bay. Rei, you along with the Japanese air force are to keep Vladimir at bay. Elly, your job is to retrieve the other EVAs and latch them in the carriers. Priority goes to the most heavily damaged EVA. Are you girls ready?"
"Yes ma'am," both girls responded.
"Good. And one last thing; you probably heard this from the Commander already, but I will say it again: do not, and I mean do not engage Unit 10 directly or give chase if we force him to flee. Now go bring those kids back."
As the convoy advanced the two pilots and Ritsuko reviewed the data. According to the information retrieved from NERV Hamburg, communications with the EVAs on the battlefield was cut. Reports also indicated three of them were seriously wounded, and required immediate medical care. So that obviously meant someone was still standing, even after what may have been an hour or two. One could only hope that the others could be retrieved in time.
"Dr. Akagi, the carriers can't take much more of this speed," one pilot reported. "They're going way beyond their limits. We're risking thermal breakdown!"
"It's not much further," the doctor said. "Okay girls, prepare to be dropped. Decrease speed and lower altitude!" In response, the carriers began their descent from an already low altitude, and decreased speed to reduce the bumpy landing Elly and Rei were about to have. Units were ready for combat. Unit 00 with its Gatling gun ready in hands, and sword on its back prepared for a ranged assault. Unit 06 geared in A-Type heavy armour with both assault rifles in hand, was ready to charge headlong into battle.
"We're being to receive some readings," Maya Ibuki report, who was also onboard, worked on a laptop computer. "I'm detecting three life signs close by, and several about a few miles further away."
"What?" Elly cried out. "Only three? There should be four, five if you include that Russian bastard!"
"Simpson, concentrate!" Ritsuko snapped. "Prepare to be dropped!" Both girls grunted in response as they prepared.
"Drop Unit 06!" Following her orders, the final locks were released and the EVAs dropped. Following its landing Unit 06 immediately dashed towards the battlefield. From her vantage point Rei could see ahead. There were at least two visible objects within sight. To her observation, she could make out what appeared to be a green EVA sitting holding a progressive sword confirming Zack was still alive. Towering over Zack and Unit 05 was a black EVA wielding a scythe. Rei determined the black EVA was Vladimir's.
As she tuned her communications, she happened upon the conversation, "Just give up. You've been at this for what, an hour now? You're clearly exhausted. Tell you what, I'll make this quick if you give up."
"Screw you… asshole…" Zack panted in reply. "I'll never… surrender to you…"
"Guess I'll just have to-" Vladimir was cut off as the sight of jetfighters, air carriers appeared on his screen. One of which carriers carried a blue EVA holding a large Gatling gun while on the ground a pink EVA rapidly approached.
"OH SHIT!" Vladimir roared in Russian and took off running for shelter, as all available forces opened fire on Unit 10. Not far behind him was a hail of bullets all pointed in his direction. Vladimir ran as if God himself was on his tail. He ran from cover to cover, only to be flushed out by the jetfighters. As the fighters harried Unit 10, five carriers began their rapid descent, soon touching down prepped for receiving an Evangelion before take off.
"SHOOT HIM DOWN! SHOOT HIM DOWN!" Zack screamed as he saw what was happening.
"Zack, get up!" Elly called to him.
"What's going on?" Zack called back.
"We're in retreat! We were sent here to pick you up! Help me get the others into the carriers!" Elly demanded. "The Russian army is coming back, so we have to get out of here!" Elly saw Unit 05 make its way to its feet to get the fallen Units 01, 02 and 04 into the carriers for retrieval. Vladimir, while under heavy fire, saw the EVAs he defeated earlier being placed into carriers.
"Oh no you don't!" he roared charging towards Unit 05 and 06. But before Unit 10 could take so much as a step, Unit 00 fell landed before, progressive sword drawn.
"You shall not pass," Rei hissed. Staring down his opponent Vladimir pondered his situation. Keep pushing forward, as he had been for a while now and face two fresh fighters, or retreat and fail the mission his master requested he complete, and face the price of failure. The latter ranked higher in his mind, and he lunged at Unit 00. Rei saw his attack easily blocked the attack. She remembered Dr. Akagi's orders not to engage Vladimir, but to keep him at bay.
"Backup!" she called into the com as her blade was locked with the Russian's. But he didn't stop. Immediately pulling back, Vladimir twirled his weapon before swinging his weapon down in a vertical slash. Reacting on instinct Unit 00 flipped back as the blade hammered the ground she had previously stood on. Rei watched in surprise as the spot she had stood prior exploded in a spray of dirt and rock. Rei came to a deadly realization to the extent of his strength and power. She could not risk getting hit by the weapon.
Vladimir roared as he brought the rear end of his weapon around, revealing the spear end as he tried to slash her. Bringing her sword up Rei blocked the strike, but to her horror the blade imbedded itself into her weapon. Her arms suddenly felt numb as she realized physically the force of his blow. Looking up she saw the fighters approaching.
As the fighters neared they open fired their rockets at the EVAs locked in combat. With her strength Rei pushed the sword far back as she could, extended her AT field, cancelling out Vladimir's. Unit 00 narrowly rolled away as the rockets impacted Unit 10.
"Damn it!" Vladimir roared in pain. Warily getting back up he was once more forced to flee or risk taking damage.
"Let's get out of here," Elly commanded. "They're secure so let's bail out!"
"Understood," Rei obliged. Once Elly and Rei were secure in their carriers, they took off. As they left, several bombers suddenly appeared. Everyone watched as they began rapid descent. Blow bay doors opened revealing their payload. Pilots began to pull up as bombs rained from the sky, littering the ground with them. As each bomb touched the ground, they released their fiery payload, ripping the ground and everything else asunder. The grounds once known as Hamburg transformed into a wasteland as the bombs carved new scars atop the old scars of World War 2, igniting old bombs left behind, opening old wounds the Earth had hidden. Their job to prevent the enemy from following done, the bomber squadron reversed course, and joined the convoy. With the matter dealt with and the convoy en route to Berlin and the second German NERV base, she proceeded with the next step.
"Retrieve the pilots now," Dr. Akagi ordered to the crews on the other aircrafts. "I want the status of all four pilots as soon as possible." She put the headset down and walked over to Maya who was still on her laptop. "Get me a visual of all the pilots immediately."
"Yes ma'am. Visuals on screen… oh my god," the lieutenant gasped at the sights she saw.
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Onboard a ship in the Baltic Sea
It took the best of about 30 minutes for Vladimir to return to the ship. He had to deliver a report of the battle to his master. It probably wouldn't be the most satisfactory report, as many casualties were sustained in that battle. But hopefully his master would forgive him when he reported that he had almost literally bowled over the EVAs sent by Gendo Ikari and that this retrieval mission had caught him by surprise. Well only time would tell.
He was now standing on the bridge of his command ship by himself, as he had ordered everyone else to leave him be unless there were urgent military developments. Vladimir's master had his way of appearing whenever and wherever, so hopefully he would show up and Vladimir could get this over with.
"So Vladimir my boy," a voice called out from behind him. "Let's hear how it went. I'm eager to know what happened in your debut battle."
Vladimir turned around to face his master, wearing his black cloak and hood which covered all but his mouth. "The strategy did not go perfectly as planned my lord," he replied, deciding that honesty was the best route in getting some sort of mercy. "We had trouble getting inland at first, and our surge took longer than expected."
"Ah well, the Demon Surge Unit knew what was ahead," the man said in response. "I expected heavy casualties anyways. It was best to let them get comfortable before a change of strategy was in order. Though I had always figured that they knew our surge would get only as far as Lübeck."
"But then as they noticed our pullback, they began their own pullback, centering most of their army between Hamburg and Lübeck," Vladimir continued. "That's when I decided to step in and break the back of their resistance."
"Ah yes," the man said with delight. "And how did your little handicap match go?"
"It went amazing at first," Vladimir continued. "I decided to start with dual prog swords at first, so as to confuse them. Because I knew I would get bored without spilling any blood, I ordered that my scythe be brought into battle a few minutes after I engaged them in battle. And that's where it all went downhill for those losers. I picked them apart… one… by one." He paused for a moment, then continued. "However, the pilot of Unit 05 had an increasingly stubborn streak, and a great deal of stupidity in the face of a greater power, and unfortunately he was going to take a lot longer to kill. He knew I could use AT techniques, so he saw them coming."
"Did you defeat him eventually?" the hooded man inquired.
"Yes, after a grueling hour he was eventually worn down and I was about to kill him as I did the others, but I was ambushed by a retrieval team which had two more EVAs with them. And with the EVA's ability to neutralize my AT Field, standing around and fighting while being bombarded was the last thing to do. So unfortunately, I was unable to capture Unit 01 as you demanded. I am sorry." Vladimir bent down on a knee. "I request forgiveness and a second chance to make things right."
"Do you know exactly what you did, that still makes me very pleased?" the man asked of the Russian. Vladimir shook his head no, so the man explained. "Although you didn't capture Unit 01, I am immensely pleased with your performance out there. You severely damaged three out of four EVA units by yourself, and possibly killed the pilots too. Their main force deployed specifically to combat you has been thoroughly beaten by the sole effort of you alone. You have shattered the morale of the entire German force as well as the other EVA pilots. I believe what they have now, which is likely three EVAs are no match for you. When we march on Berlin, I am sure that it will not be difficult to achieve total victory. And the rest of the world will not stand a chance against our power. It is for that, that I am proud of you. Great work my child."
Vladimir looked up at his master with a smile, "Thank you, my master."
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NERV – Berlin – Central Lambda
The last few hours were some of the worst Misato had ever endured. It seemed like everything was going okay with the war effort at first. The Russians surged towards Hamburg as best they could, but Asuka and Ivana in conjunction with the German army had appeared to have thwarted the assault. And then the Russians were in retreat for reasons unknown, only to have that… bastard Vladimir Topolov showed up in surprise.
It was a tough battle and it seemed Vladimir had the upper hand. Well they all knew he was no ordinary foe. But then in the blink of an eye, Vladimir cruelly struck down Shinji. This pretty much brought Asuka to her knees, as she mourned Shinji's defeat. But she didn't last long either, as she was taken down in a rage by the scythe of Vladimir. Commander Henkel then contacted Commander Ikari and requested help. That was where Rei and Elly were to come in and assist. Ivana and Zack then desperately fended off Vladimir until help could arrive. But as they raged on, Commander Henkel ordered an evacuation, determining that Zack and Ivana was no match for the 'Russian Reaper.' Not long after, Ivana's EVA was pulverized by some strange attack launched by Vladimir. And as Zack stood alone, he alone stonewalled Vladimir from harming any of the evacuees. And he refused assistance from any German forces, stating that they would be destroyed and be a liability to him. And then Zack passed on a message for Elly to Misato, telling her that if he didn't make it back that Elly would become an heir to the Harper fortune when his father passed on. That was the last Misato had heard from Zack or any of the other EVA pilots for that matter.
That was two hours ago since Misato last had contact with Casanova. And she would probably be ready to do anything just to hear him make some stupid remark. She noticed Commander Henkel walk into the room. "Have you heard anything?"
"Yes I have Misato," answered Joachim. "Unit 06 has made contact, and they will be here in five minutes."
"Oh my god," said Misato, "did she say anything else?"
"Yes," Joachim bent his head down. "And apparently, it's not good news. Pilots Ikari, Sohryu, and Kharlamov are in critical condition from what she said." He paused before speaking. "Pilot Harper, the Canadian was the only one standing when she arrived on the scene. He held Topolov off."
"What else? What else?" Misato demanded to know.
"I think you'd better have Dr. Akagi explain the rest further to you."
Within ten minutes, the three pilots: Shinji, Asuka, and Ivana were all rushed into the ER without Misato even getting to see them. As much as Misato fussed, the nurses refused to allow her access, as the doctors stated their conditions were extremely critical. So now Misato found herself seeing the only patient she was allowed to see: Casanova. He was snoozing on the hospital bed provided for him. Misato silently begged for him to wake up so she could know for sure that he was okay.
Elly sat on the opposite side of the bed, frowning at the site of Zack being hooked up to this system to assist him in his recovery. "I wish he would wake up soon," she mumbled. "He passed out not long after we were picked up. Guy must've given it all he had."
"Would he know if Shinji and Asuka are okay?" Misato asked Elly. "Did he say anything?"
"No he didn't mate," Elly answered. "He was screaming for us to shoot down Vladimir when we saw him. Damn bastard almost cleaved Zack down the middle."
"I see," sighed Misato. "So he doesn't even know for sure."
"Know what?" a voice mumbled. Elly and Misato turned in the direction of the voice to see a lazy-eyed Casanova.
"Zack, oh my god!" Misato swamped him with a hug. "You're okay right?"
"Yeah, I'd like to believe so, because I'm not sure I can feel my ribs," Zack winced under the bone crushing hug of his guardian. She did release him eventually.
"It's really you right? Say something stupid," cried Misato who fought back a few tears.
"You sure you're not a man under that jacket?" Zack asked, complying with Misato's request to say something stupid. "Ouch you hug hard."
"It is you," Misato said with a smile. "I was so worried about you. Why did you have to fend off Vladimir like that? You could have been killed."
"I don't know," replied Zack. "When it came down to it, I was the only thing standing between Vladimir and any other chance we have at mounting a stand against that bastard. Speaking of which, what about Shinji, Asuka and Ivana?"
"I don't know mate," Elly sighed. She took his hand in hers, "we didn't get the chance to check on them because we were on the fly."
"Major Katsuragi," a doctor called out as he walked into the room. Ritsuko was with him holding a clipboard with documents on it. "I'm Dr. Adam Marx. I examined the three pilots in your care Major."
"How are they???" Misato demanded standing up and grabbing the doctor by his jacket collar. "Are they alright???"
Ritsuko stepped forward. "This will not be easy, for even you to hear… Misato." Once Misato released the doctor, she took a deep breath and spoke, "Ivana sustained some serious injuries in the battle: Cracked ribs, a muscle tear in her left leg, another tear in her triceps muscle, and sustained some first degree burns to about ten percent of her body. She will be out for a while, but she will recover."
"And what about Shinji and Asuka?" Misato begged. "Are they… oh no…"
"I'm sorry Misato," Ritsuko said with a resigned look on her face. "Shinji and Asuka are dead."
Misato was horrified. "No… they can't be… they can't be dead."
"I'm sorry," said Dr. Marx. "They were both pronounced dead upon arrival here."
What happened next was predictable and inevitable. Misato had quickly broken down and sobbed loudly into Ritsuko's shoulder, who was also trying to keep herself from breaking down. Elly had broken into tears as well, as reality was finally settling in for her. She never had anything against Asuka, and that she was just fun to tease. But at the same time, it was painful to see two people you know personally just snuffed out of existence at the hands of what some had called a madman. She was now crying into Zack's chest, as he just comforted her. He had a few tears strolling down his face too. He never had anything against Asuka despite all the times he had been sacked, and Shinji was a good friend he had made since he arrived in Japan. This was just a nightmare. The dysfunctional family was now shattered by the deaths of its two most famous members.
Zack though, had a question. "Do you know how they died?"
"We're going to be doing their autopsies very shortly," said Ritsuko trying her best to remain professional. "Once we know how they died, you three will be the first to know." She released Misato from the embrace to reveal a red-faced teary eyed woman who just slumped into a chair to continue her crying.
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Rooftop – NERV Berlin
Rei Ayanami stood by herself at one of the military posts, aimlessly watching the landscape. It rained heavily, reflecting the general mood of the NERV base. Fortunately her post had some degree of shelter keeping her dry. Not long ago, Zack informed her about the biggest news to affect the entire EVA crew: the tragic deaths of Asuka Langley Sohryu, and Shinji Ikari.
'I am familiar with death. I have witnessed the deaths of many over my span of existence,' she thought to herself. 'I myself have died four times. Yet why does this feel different from any other time a person has died? Why does my body tremble?' This foreign feeling had completely occupied Rei's train of thought. Feeling a sudden wetness upon her cheeks she brought a hand up to her face, realizing something. She was crying.
'Tears; those come when a person is crying. Why am I crying? People cry when they are sad. Am I sad?' she asked herself. 'Shinji… my brother is dead. Is that why I am crying, why I am sad? It must be. That must be the reason behind this uncontrollable feeling.' She reached into her pocket to pull out Shinji's SDAT player, probably his most prized possession. She remembered how Misato told her if she was feeling a certain way she should express the feeling and not be afraid or nervous to let it out. Feelings and emotions were what made people human beings. Rei could tell that something was welling up inside her, and it would be better for her if she could release the feeling. She let her feelings spoke for her. Rei slumped into her chair and buried her face into her hands. For the first time, she wept for the loss of her brother Shinji, and her fellow teammate Asuka.
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Tokyo-3
"What? It can't be? That can't be true?" Hikari shrieked into the phone. Her face continued to lose color as she listened. Her body began to tremble, clutching the phone tightly in both hands.
"You listen Casanova, if you're jerking me around, you're gonna be in for three worlds of pain when you get…" her voice trailed off at what Zack apparently said on the other end. "Oh my god…"
"What's wrong Hikari?" asked Toji who was currently eating dinner Hikari had cooked. Although Hikari won the bet in the simulation battle, Toji loved her cooking and promised dinner on him another time when it didn't rain. "Did something happen to Shinji and them in Germany?" Hikari put the phone down, and looked at Toji with tears streaming down her eyes.
"It's Shinji and Asuka. They've been… k-k-k…they're dead!" Toji immediately dropped his chopsticks.
"W-w-what?!"
"They…they're dead," she sobbed, as she dove into chest and wept. Toji could only sit there, as the news processed. Here he was having a quiet dinner with Hikari, only to suddenly receive a cold hard slap as he received the news. His mind slowly began to fathom the passing of his friends and as understanding dawned upon him, so did his emotions. Both held onto each other tightly as they wept, the comfortable peace of their dinner, and their lives shattered in an instant, never to recover.
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NERV HQ – Gendo Ikari's Office
"I see," said Gendo Ikari as he spoke into a videophone on his computer. "Can I have visual proof please?" He looked at an image on his computer, with no change in his facial expression. "Do you know the causes for both of them?" A long pause goes by, with Gendo listening, with only the breathing of him and Fuyutski being heard in the room. "I see. Have Commander Henkel fax the death certificates and any other information to me then. And I request that Pilot Shinji Ikari's body be returned to Japan, where he can be… laid to rest. As for Pilot Asuka Sohryu's body whether Commander Henkel wishes to keep her body to be buried in Germany or brought to Japan is up to him." Another pause goes by. "Thank you. Tell Commander Henkel I'll be in touch." Gendo then hung up the phone.
"So what were their causes of death Gendo?" asked Fuyutski.
"According to Dr. Akagi," replied Gendo Ikari, Pilot Shinji Ikari died of cardiogenic shock, as a result of the mental trauma from being skewered by the progressive scythe of Unit 10. His heart couldn't pump enough blood in time and he went into cardiac arrest. He died within minutes.
"And Sohryu?"
"During a moment in battle," Gendo continued, "she had a very high sync ratio. Of course when one has a sync ratio above ninety, they are much more potent and powerful. However, the drawback is that the pain felt in battle is much more intense than with a lower sync ratio."
"So she took serious damage while having a high sync ratio?"
"That is correct. The injury she took severely ruptured an artery in her midsection. The massive bleeding bled over into her organs, compressing them and killing her. She likely took about thirty minutes to die from the combination of internal bleeding and multiple organ failure."
"I see. So should I see about arranging a state funeral for Shinji then?"
"Do that," said Gendo. "I have some other matters to attend to here." Once Fuyutski left the room and Gendo was all alone in the room. He pulled open a drawer and stuck his hand in reaching for something. Finding the item he was looking for, he pulled it out. It was a photo of him, Yui, and Shinji before that fateful day before Yui disappeared. Now Gendo truly was all alone. Yui was trapped in Unit 01 and beyond reach now, and now he had learned that his son, his only son that he had sent into combat numerous times without regard for his life, was now gone. And at a time where Gendo was trying his hardest to reconcile with him.
'Why?' the man thought to himself. 'Is this my true punishment, for trying to initiate Third Impact? I tried to bring everyone together, but now I am more alone than ever.' Tears began to show in Gendo's eyes. He could never be sorrier for not being a good father or husband. He had failed both Yui and Shinji. And now his punishment would be to never have either.
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The actions of just one or two people often can have a profound affect on the world, but are often ignored by the masses. But yet when it comes to the death of some of the greatest people in the world, it is felt by all others, leaving an echo, bringing sadness and sorrow to those who hear it. The once powerful and well known Shinji Ikari, and Asuka Sohryu, whose lives were filled with promise, was snuffed out in an instant, ending their lineage, destroying any potential they may have had.
Everything one does, everything one say leaves an echo. Depending on the force and the energy in it, potentially reaches the ears of mankind, possibly traveling deep through time, depending on those affected. Their deaths had left behind a powerful echo, screaming into the minds of those who knew and loved them. Their echo would long resonate in the minds of those who knew them for years to come. It was their echo and the events that lead to that echo that will keep their memory and actions alive, for years to come.
It also these echoes that drive the remaining pilots of Eva, who vow to avenge the death of their comrades and friends, and defeat Vladimir Topolov, before his dark powers echoed and deafen the world, destroying all that was good in its wake. They knew the chance of success was slim. But even with their backs against the wall, if they did not make a stand, he could destroy everything they held dear. He had already claimed the lives of thousands in his quest for power. Already their deaths will echo into the sands of time, along with many more as he continues. That is why they must fight, to end the series of echoes, to end the suffering, to end his memory.