(A/N Hello fellow readers. If you think for one moment that I'm going to leave this story and abandon it for soething else, than forget it! Like I said, I'm in this for the long shot. This chapter took FOREVER to write, so I hope that it turned out at least decent. Can somebody please tell me if I did a good job on this one. It took forever to spit out the ideas on this one. But hey, the concept seems pretty good, but you won't find that out by reading this note, now will you? On to the disclaimer!)

Disclaimor: I don't own Halo, Ace Combat, or NGE. Also, I'm too tired for a short Omake, so maybe next week.

(A/A/N I got an X-box 360! But I'm still writing!!!)

Chapter 11

Reinstatement

(POV Kei 'Edge' Nagase)

'Groggy and nauseous…'

…My initial thoughts mirror the sickness in my gut as the senses flood hit me like a brick wall. The slit view in my eyes gives me my first look at my whereabouts. The room is bright; my eyes desperately try to adjust to the sudden bursts of light coming through the window. After a few minutes, the room's objects come into clear view. A nightstand next to my bed with a TV in the far corner and a man sitting in a chair on the other side of the bed. The man in the chair is in a bleach white dress uniform with an officer's cap in his lap.

"Welcome back," the man, known as Blaze, says to me, his gaze towards the wall rather than me.

"Ugh…how long have I been out?" I ask, looking out the window to see daylight.

"For less than 12 hours. You gave the bridge staff quite a scare though," he answers, his gaze unchanging and voice level.

'He's not talking of himself, his feelings, that's never a good sign…just what does he think of me right now…? He won't even look me in the eye.' My thoughts begin to run clearer as the grogginess wears off, giving me the ability to pick up this pattern of Blaze's.

"Did Snow get up there alright?" I ask, admittedly wanting to change the subject away from my mission.

"Oh yeah. He's in orbiting the planet as we speak. He should be coming into contact with Unit-01 in about an hour actually," he says, now looking at the ceiling, his face remaining emotionless.

The air fills with a stagnant silence, the tension mounting ever so thickly. Neither of us tries to break it, neither of us try to fight it. I look at him, but he doesn't look at me, as he now puts his hands into his face and sighs long and deep. His elbows rest in his lap, supporting his head as he hides his eyes in his hands.

'He hates me…because I failed the mission. I didn't get the enemy pilot back alive. I killed him and so now Blaze is ignoring me.'

The seconds tick by, and in its passing, I notice the loud clack of a clock sitting up by the entrance. I don't need to see it, but I know its there, clacking away ever so audibly, recording every awkward moment of silent accusation.

"He's dead isn't he?" I ask; starting to test the depths of Blaze's conscious.

"You mean the enemy pilot? Yeah, he supposedly died the instant your spear crushed his entry plug."

'He knew what I was talking about…right off the bat. But does it still mean…?'

"I'm sorry," I state, trying to apologize and cover up the failure.

"Sorry? Sorry for what? You beat the enemy and came back alive, what's there to be sorry for?" He asks; acting surprised as if my apology caught him off guard. This only irritates me.

I sit up in bed, hindered for a moment by the sling around my left shoulder, and begin my tirade, "You don't have to fake it. I know I failed the mission. I didn't bring the pilot back alive, and so now you're not even looking at me! You're too disgraced with my performance to look at me! Isn't that right?"

"Is that what you're apologizing for? Is that really it?" He stands up, gaze still avoiding me, and he turns around to look out the window, his hands behind his back with hat held tight. "If I were really disgraced with you, would I have come all this way just to sit and wait for you to wake up."

"…I don't know…" I reply, quite weakly.

"Nagase, give yourself more credit than that…and place a little more value in your own life." He puts his right hand to his forehead and gives a quick sigh. "You had us all worried sick. Snow almost refused to launch when he heard the news. And than Grimm didn't go on his next assignment until he had listed every reason to come and see you first."

"He did…?"

"We care about you Nagase. We're the only family that we've got now. We need to stay together, for our own sake. If we…if I we're to lose any of you guys, I don't know how I would take it. Your safety is my top priority…even if I don't seem to show it all the time." He turns, and makes his way towards the door, putting his officer's cap back on.

"But why don't you look at me, you still aren't!" My irritation has weakened, but I still need to know why he's staving off any glances at me.

He stops as he opens the door. He plants his right fist up next to the doorway and uses it to support his weight.

"Nagase…it's not like it was a month ago. We're at war once again and it's OUR job to fight it. I don't know if things can ever be like they were before, but we have to stay focused, no matter what. Letting our feelings get in the way is not going to solve any problems. Rather…it'll just create more."

"But…"

"That's enough! I'm needed on the bridge…maybe I'll see you again tonight." And after his final statement, he leaves, abruptly closing the door and abandoning me to this bright and lonely room. My final words lay on the edge of my tongue, and without warning, they exit the mouth.

"…I…ca-…ca-…"

But I just don't know if I can hold on to them anymore…

(POV Shinji Ikari)

The morning hours, the time when everyone in the household wakes up, ready for another uninteresting day. The sun shines through the dusty windows, revealing a stream of light that hits the carpet just beyond the windowsill. The sound of running water is greatly audible as Asuka begins the first of her two daily half-hour long showers. 'Gotta keep up appearances,' she would always say. But that's still no excuse for not leaving me any hot water, especially when I'm the one who cooks everyday.

On top of the usual morning shower was the sound of sizzling bacon. Although its not the normal breakfast we usually eat, but it beats the daily toast and cold cereal we've been having. Setting the pan back on the stove, I make my way into the living room and dig through the couch to find the hidden remote buried deep within. Striking gold when my hand runs over it, I use it to turn the TV on and tune it to the morning news.

"And next on Tokyo in the morning…"

'Ah the news…maybe this will help me wake up,' I think as I wipe something solid from my eye, allowing it to open up a little further. I return to my station before the mighty stove and give half my attention to the news.

"Analysts say that at 5 O'clock yesterday evening, an unknown object…" The news runs on, but I only take in so much. I continue with the bacon when the toast comes out of the toaster. I trod over to get it and place another pair of slices in the slots, sliding them down ready to be turned into toast.

As I return to the stove, and the bacon, I hear a door open from just down the hallway. The water is still running, so it isn't Asuka and is therefore…

"Good morning Shinji," greets Misato as she trudges into the room, her hair in the usual mess it's in at these early hours, strands sticking up in every which way from the main clump.

She makes her way over to the couch, and just as she's about to sit down and enjoy some of the news I have on, the door bell rings.

"I'll go get it…" she states grudgingly as she shuffles to the door, her irritation visually shown.

I can't help but smile at this, not because it's funny to see Misato like this in the morning, but because it had only taken a week to give this place a sense of…normalcy.

'I'm glad how things turned out…but I wonder how everyone else is doing.' By everyone else, I mean the other friends I haven't seen since the Third Impact. A part of me still remembers the good times we've had and it's that part that makes me wonder if they're still out there. 'And will I ever see them again?'

"I'm sorry to disturb you, ma'am. But I was ordered to deliver this to you," A voice floats up from the entranceway.

Moments pass in silence, as I can't hear what it is Misato has received. I just continue with cooking breakfast, but a lot of my interest is now directed at the door.

"And on this subject, are Mister Ikari and Miss Sohryu available?" The voice asks.

"Hey Shinji, what's happening?" Asuka's voice suddenly appears from behind, almost causing me to drop the hot pan yet again.

"Hey Shinji, Asuka, get up here right now, this man needs to speak with you," Yells Misato from the doorway.

Leaving the bacon unattended yet again, Asuka and I make our way to the door. As Misato walks away, she looks back giving the man a glance of apparent suspicion, the same glance she gives me and Asuka anytime she senses something afoot. Despite the 'stare of pure disapproval', she walks off and disappears around the corner.

"My apologies if I just woke you two up," the man states. We both turn our eyes to the doorway and than, surprisingly, upwards towards the sky. The man standing in the doorway was extremely tall and I half expect the face at the top to be 'Blaze's.' Instead, this 7 foot giant had a new face attached to it, one that was extremely pale, with a hint of freckles. He was very gaunt and had a thick, yet short, layer of red hair.

"I am Captain Hans Grimm, but I'm very short on time for an introduction, so I'll get right to the point. I have come all this way from Neo-Tokyo to give you guys…" he reaches into the back pocket of his uniform and starts digging before coming up with two envelops and handing them over to us "…these."

He gives the white slips to their respective recipients and we both tear them open. Pulling out the contents at almost the exact same time, Asuka and I begin to read our designated letters. My jaw drops as my eyes scan the logo in the right hand corner, prompting me to read on.

Dear Mr. Ikari,

We're pleased to announce that your probation during this investigation into the matters of NERV by the UN has finally ended. Also, your status as a pilot has been reinstated and that you may continue to work under the guise of the UN if you wish. Enclosed along with this letter is a new ID with your updated status as a pilot. This new ID will get you into all new NERV facilities, except for those beyond the pilot's security rating.

However, in the event that you should wish to stop piloting, you may speak with a designated official and will have your status revoked along with all past records of doing such. Although this recent act is against our better judgment, it has been brought to our attention that pilots have felt as if the duty of piloting has been forced upon them. In light of this, nothing will be held against you should you decide to vacate and you will be discharged honorably as if from active UN duty.

We hope to hear a good response from you Mr. Ikari. We place our hope in your hands.

Sincerely,

Kinishi Takamoto

Japanese ambassador to the UN

I lower the letter from below my gaze and begin digging in the supposedly empty envelope. When my hand feels it, I gawk in disbelief as I pull out the new card from the envelope. Dropping the slip from my hand, I stare at the new design for the card. The logo has changed, it still says NERV, but now the leaf is superimposed within an apple and below that states the old motto 'God's in his Heaven, All's Right with the World.'

'What could they possibly expect from me? They must already know what my answer will be,' I think to myself hoping that nobody is really expecting me to return.

"Ahem…well, if you guys are finished, I need to head back to my hotel. I'll be back tomorrow morning to pick you up. Than we can head to NERV HQ and give them your answer. I suggest thinking long and hard before saying yes," The man explains and without another word, he turns on his heel and makes his way back out to a car. His uniform changes from white to bleach white as the sun hits the dress and I have to look away, lest hurt my eyes from the brightness.

"You got one too, huh Asuka?" I finally ask, knowing the answer already.

"Yeah. So what are you going to do?" She responds, driving the question home with the fact that I can't answer it.

A moment passes before I decide to let it out. "I don't know."

"What do you mean 'you don't know'? Don't go stupid on me Shinji." She puts her hands to her hips and gives me a serous look.

"I'm not being stupid! I'm completely serious…I just don't know…" It's true, I have no clue on what to expect if I were to say 'yes'. How can I make such a judgmental decision when I've been told so little? I feel backed into a corner, surrounded with everyone asking the same question. 'Do you want to pilot Eva again?'

"Whatever." Asuka begins to walk back to the living room. As I shut the door, I hear her say, "So Shinji, what's for breakfast?"

'Oh crap!' I know that thought may be my last as I rush to the kitchen in a desperate rush to save the bacon. Rushing to the stove, I pick it up just in time…to see the flame run out.

'Great, now I have to start over. I just hope Asuka isn't too overly hungry,' I think to myself with a deep rooted sigh.

It's going to be a long day…

(POV Marcus 'Swordsman' Snow)

The darkness of space is all that engulfs my view. Below it is a horizon of blue smudged with gray and white. It's great to be up here again. The familiar sense of being swallowed by space is welcomed along with the additional sight of a healthy blue Earth.

'It has been awhile. As much as I like the ground, it will never compares to the wonders of space travel. My only wish is that I could do this more often for as long as we're here.'

But sadly, all good things come to an end eventually, and it won't be long until I come into view of my target. Once I grab hold of it, I'll have less than 5 minutes to readjust orbit and kiss the natural wonders of Space goodbye. It was a thin time frame, but one that could easily be pulled off, assuming there were few complications.

"Hey Swordsman…I'm back." Came Blaze's unenthused voice. On the video screen, he appeared just as he sounded, solid and emotionless.

"Hey Blaze. Yo, what's with the long face? Did something happen at the hospital?" If one has served with Blaze for as long as I have, it doesn't take much to realize when he's depressed, so if I can track the problem, maybe I can cheer him up. But it'll take some pushing to get him to admit the culprit to his depression.

"I don't want to talk about it." His voice drifts even further, making it less audible.

"Something did happen. It's about Nagase, isn't it? Is she…" I know I may dread the answer to this one, but I have to know how she's doing. I hold my breath hoping for the best.

"She's fine, alright Snow! And if I were you, I'd keep my focus on the damn mission instead of letting my mind wander freely like that," he snaps at me, looking away from the screen after doing so.

A moment passes before Blaze puts his hand to his forehead and sighs. "I'm sorry Snow. It's just been a rough night and I haven't gotten any sleep, so bare with me, will ya?"

"Alright, but you gotta promise me you'll actually go to bed tonight and not go over to the hospital. If you keep working like this, you'll collapse on the job." I know it's a long-shot, but I have to get him to sleep or he'll fall apart in a few days. SPARTANS are meant to fight without sleep for days, even weeks at a time. But it only works for so long before it takes its toll. And the rate Blaze has been working at suggests he hasn't gotten much sleep since we've arrived.

"I'll try," is all he says.

A new video screen with a view of Dr. Ibuki appears. "Snow, Unit-01 should be up ahead just a few Kilometers. Can you see it?"

I bring up a zoom screen set to maximum magnification. It's now that I see the target for the first time. It just floats there, dead weight floating amongst the stars. A strange label for such an important piece of military hardware.

"Confirmed, target sighted. I'll begin the targeting sequence now." I bring down the long range target visor, which lowers from above my seat and latches onto my front visor. The screen turns on and begins to transmit data on any and all viable targets. I select the data on the orbiting Unit-01.

"Swordsman, you'll only have one shot at this. If you miss, we're going to have to wait another month before we get another opportunity like the one we have now. So no matter what, don't miss!" Blaze states clearly.

"I understand, sir. I'll only need one shot."

I begin working with the transmitting data, applying it to the boosters as to adjust my course precisely. If I only have one shot, than it has to be perfect. With the trajectory set, the targeting visor shows the targeting crosshairs. Since the targeting system had been designed with the Marasawa in mind four crosshairs appeared on the screen instead of the usual two.

The first crosshair is the target selection crosshair, which took the shape of a triangle, and designating the target, marking it clearly. The second is the 'pointer' crosshair, and taking the shape of three lines separated 120 degrees each, pointed the weapon in the general direction of firing. The third crosshair is a vertical line, which compensates for electromagnetic interference that could affect the rifle's accuracy. The last crosshair is a horizontal line, which corrects gravitational interference.

"10 seconds until booster ignition."

There are two external boosters on my back, each attached to an additional battery that lies between them. These boosters will give me the speed necessary to cross Unit-01's orbital trajectory and still have enough velocity to make it back to Japan.

And on cue, the boosters begin their charging sequence, winding up as they draw massive amounts of power from the external battery. With only 7 seconds left, I begin to center the cursors over the target. The first crosshair lines up with ease, as do the second and third since no information is being transmitted to those. The three pronged crosshair is the only one left and I begin to concentrate on centering it.

"…3 seconds…"

'Come on baby…just a little closer.' Putting all my focus into pointing the Eva in the right direction, the last crosshair is sucked into the center and beeps as the 'Lock-on' symbol replaces it.

"…Ignition!"

The boosters flare, pushing me down into the back of the seat. The view of Earth beneath me begins to change as the acceleration causes the land masses to move by faster. The long range visor beeps as the distance between Unit-01 and me dwindles. The boosters will only have to remain on for a little while longer, until I reach optimum velocity.

"Cutoff in 5 seconds…" The new prompt from the bridge means its time for the next part of the operation, latching onto the target. Once this is complete, my 5-minute time-limit starts and I have to direct Unit-01 towards the landing site with exact precision…the center of the lake in Tokyo-3.

"…4…3…2…1…Cut power!"

The winding stops, signaling the successful termination of the boosters, leaving only a few seconds before I make physical contact with Unit-01. 'I'll only have one shot…and that's as many as I'll need.' This confidence doesn't originate from an over-stemmed ego though, it's from experience. Never once during Marasawa training exercises did I miss a target, and aiming one's self as the projectile is as easy as it gets.

"10 Seconds Snow and remember, you only have one chance," prompts Dr. Ibuki, who sounds a bit more tense now.

"I don't need you to constantly remind me, it's tough enough as it is and…"

"Excuse me sir, but 7 seconds!" The bridge tech's interruption couldn't have come at a better time now that the distance has shrunk to just 3 Kilometers.

"3000 meters and closing…2500…"

The number in the visor keeps counting down as the gap shrinks with Unit-01's growing size plastered up on screen. All I can do is sit and wait as the technician counts me down. By hand flexes, nervously squeezing the control yoke in anticipation for the hardest stage of the mission.

"-1500……-1000……-500…-250…Contact!" And right as he says that, the masses of S-unit 3 and Unit-01 collide. I quickly grasp onto it, trying not to let the collision disorient me as I search for a grip. I slide through space above it, reaching with both my arms, stretching them to their limits feeling for a latch, a point from which I can secure the Eva…but my hands continue sliding until I feel the object vanish.

"Fuck, I missed the target!" The collision between me and Unit-01 had caused it to separate faster than I could grab hold of it it. It now races lower, growing ever so closer to Earth and gaining speed from the increasing gravity. From my Com, I can the hear cursing of countless technicians who had worked their asses off to prep for this mission, a mission that will end in failure if I don't get Unit-01 back.

I raise the visor above my field of vision and plan for the next stage of the mission, the part where I fix the mistake I had made and keep the efforts of hundreds from being in vain.

"How much time do I have left?" I ask, beginning to form a last-minute backup plan. A plan that probably has a greater chance of me ending up as a shish kabob than success.

"You have 3 minutes and 40 seconds remaining before you need to descend. If you stay any longer, you won't have enough power to make it back," Explains Doctor Ibuki.

"Than I have 3 minutes and 40 seconds to catch that thing, before we lose it for good. Are you with me Blaze?" I prompt for permission to enact this last minute plan from the captain himself. It was a habit from the old days, but it's never steered me wrong by taking his opinion on these matters.

"Go! You only have 2 minutes 10 seconds left," he answers, giving all the permission I'll need.

Without further talk, I eject the retro rockets and spare battery from my back, lightening my pay load but shortening the capacitor life. I'll now only have one minute to pull this off without any additional power.

The swooping dive begins with S-Unit 3's internal boosters and Earth's gravity both catapulting me towards the planet in a desperate attempt to pull Unit-01 out from its crash course. Only time will tell if this will work, but that time will be very short lived.

The bulk of my Eva finally picks up speed as the feel of acceleration wears off. The combined inertia from gravity, booster power, and overall momentum, drives me closer to my goal. Both the planet and Unit-01 continue to take up more of the screen, and it becomes so unclear whether or not I'll make it, that the computer in my targeting visor has stopped calculating mission specs. Both planet and Eva approach at a hastening rate, it's taking everything I have to keep a true course to Unit-01.

I stretch out my arm, ready to grip and immediately slow the decent. Visually tracking the distance, I blink to clear my eyes and find Unit-01 even closer…much closer than what the plan calls for.

"Dammit!" I curse as the mass of S-Unit 3 once again slams into Unit-01, only this time, I feel its arm in my hand, and I pull it in close and immediately reverse directions, now pointing the boosters downward. I check the altimeter to see how much time I have left until forced re-entry.

'Altitude…-100 meters? ...-500…-1000!!? Ah SHIT.' Taking a moment to register these values in my head, I realize the negative numbers mean that I have fallen within Earth's atmosphere. Gravity is now pulling on me with full force, and at this point there's too much inertia, dispelling any hope of breaking into orbit again.

'There's only one other option.' I check the time until I would need to re-enter.

35 seconds of power!

'If I can stretch out our decent, than we just may make it…or we'll burn up and what's left of us will rain down on Tajikistan.' Not wanting the latter option, I open up the boosters to full power, trying to soften the decent within this self made fireball and give me a chance at landing in Japan's general vicinity. Landing in Tokyo-3 is probably impossible at this point, but I can still try to get close to Japanese coastal waters. The temperature is rising outside and will melt away at my armor plating if I stay in it for too long though. Precision timing is required and there can be no mistakes…this is the final option and it only has two outcomes.

The safe return of Unit-01…or my demise!

(A/N Okay, thanks for putting up with me for this long. This is probably the most lengthy chapter that I've ever spilled onto virtual paper. I hope you guys enjoyed it, because I actually enjoyed writing it. Until next time, Chapter 12 'I don't have a name for it yet, but you'll know when I do.' )