"Ten seconds to Eva release. Final safety ... at your discretion, ma'am." Rot stated, keeping the aircraft on target.
My first mission, why do I feel like something isn't right about all this? Asuka's worries were confirmed by a klaxon and a smaller screen popping into her view.
The male computerized voice stated, "Blood pattern blue, Angel confirmed. Alert! High energy reaction detected within target." A blue, diamond-shaped object floated over the water, the heads up display traced the path to Long Beach along the island below, but a ways southeast of her landing path. Oddly enough, the display also fixed a name for the object: Ramiel.
"Jaysock Overlord to all forces still able to receive this transmission, commence operation Urban Rat. Every available opportunity to harass the Target is hereby approved. No matter what happens, the NERV soldier must get to her objective. You'll know what you're looking for when you see her ride. May God have mercy on all of us. Overlord out."
Asuka watched the area below, as she hit a button on the control yoke to release herself from Rot. Every time a rocket or shell was fired at it, the Angel's A.T. field visibly reacted, blocking the path of the munition. As an answer to their attacks, the Angel lanced out a high energy particle beam, vaporizing whatever it touched. How the holle am I going to beat that thing?
Her mission was clear, though.
"Get into the underground facility and retrieve the case from a Section 2 agent. If necessary, the other equipment is to be abandoned with a timed explosive charges nearby." The Captain's words were clear; all Asuka could do was nod in comprehension before hopping into the aircraft.
"I'll make sure to kill that thing before I leave the United States. I swear to you guys on the ground, you won't die in vain." As the Red Giant landed, Asuka's Heads Up Display began giving directions.
Inside five minutes, she arrived at a derelict parking garage. Asuka's surprise was answered with a message from her display that she was to say a phrase over several simultaneous radio frequencies, "God's in His Heaven, all's right with the world." The parking garage slid back, revealing a step down for her Eva, but a deep, concrete pit for the average human. Upon the floor within, were two large numeric characters '0' and '2'. "No way that dummkopf planned this..."
As soon as Liebkind entered the run down facility, the entrance behind the Eva closed with the soft pounding of ceramic on ceramic. "Only forward, I guess."
Their progress was halted quickly by a man in a black suit using a bullhorn to call to Asuka, "I have the primary package. Kneel down and eject so I can hand it over."
She did as he asked, while he ran over to a bucket truck conveniently parked on the Eva's right along the wall. The man manipulated the bucket controls and lifted himself up to the ejected plug. "What's the status of the secondary objective?" She asked him, accepting the briefcase with both hands. Must be made of lead! Jesus!
His voice was quiet without the bullhorn, "It awaits you further in, but that Angel is clearly searching for something below the surface. Last report said it was literally carving up the city."
Asuka cringed at that, "Brutal way to go about it."
He adjusted his tie, trying to hide his own amusement. "While you go after that, we'll get our asses out of here. This complex appears to be the Angel's target."
"Good luck, Pilot Sohryu." His hand flicked to his face, saluting her. They both packed themselves back into their respective vehicles and went on with their missions.
Maya received a message on her terminal, "Delivery to Sohryu completed. Angel Ramiel sighted moving into eastern-most area of facility. Evac of all personnel in progress. Sohryu attempting acquisition of secondary objective. Current forces at about sixty percent of starting numbers. Combat against Angel futile, but does slow the target somewhat when it fires at us. I hope whatever the fuck is in that case is worth all the lives, Command."
The bridge bunny let out a sniffle, which the entire bridge heard. Ritsuko was standing behind Maya, reading the message. Almost silently, the scientist prayed. Maya heard her clearly, "God, if you can hear me, help that poor girl survive."
Hyuga must have overheard Ritsuko, he blinked as if remembering something and punched his keyboard faster than he thought he ever could, connecting to a public address system inside the complex in New York, "Asuka, this is Hyuga in Tokoyo-3. Don't bother responding, you'll give away your position to the Angel."
Misato slung a glare in his general direction, "What the hell are you doing, Hyuga! We don't have anything that could help by the time it would get to whatever was left of her!"
"No ma'am, we don't here, but there may still be something in that wreck of a complex that could help." Keeping his calm, Hyuga added, "An Eva weapon I was finishing up, before NERV Section 2 arrested me."
Asuka merely wondered aloud, "The fuck is he talking about, this place is a mess!"
"What are the chances it still exists intact?" Misato was still angry, but if it could help...
His voice was terrifyingly confident. "That section had extra reinforcement and better electromagnetic shielding. It's in the northern wing, though. A little far from the generator in the east wing."
Ritsuko piped up now, "I read what little the Magi had recorded about the 'generator', but so far, you've avoided telling Section 2 anything about the Phasic-cloak." She stepped over to a chair beside him, plopping down and leaned forward, putting her elbows on her knees. Hyuga and Maya, though nobody noticed her reaction, simultaneously blushed a bit.
"Unit 01 has been thrown clear of the city! He just landed near Mount Tanzawa!" Shigeru interjected, surprising even himself. "The Magi indicate he was thrown to a maximum altitude of three kilometers! What the f-"
A hollow steel door slamming shut startled the crew. "What is the status of the Evangelions currently deployed?" Gendo was sitting in his chair behind that white desk, left hand over right. Kozo silently remained near the door, folding his arms behind himself.
Maya broke the momentary silence, "Unit One engaged the Angel here, but was thrown afar to the mountains to the Southwest. The pilot's vitals indicate he's still alive, just dazed. Unit Two has arrived at the complex beneath New York, secured the first objective, and is proceeding toward two more points of interest."
Hyuga chimed in, "Those being the Phasic-cloak/generator and an experimental weapon for Eva use." He turned to Gendo to see the stone-faced figure's reaction.
"Weapon?"
"Yes, sir. We had proven it could effectively bypass an A.T. field, though obviously, it's untested against an Angel and there exist less than two dozen rounds."
Gendo spoke very slowly and in English, so he could not be misinterpreted, "Will. It. Work?"
Feeling a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek, Hyuga asserted his answer, "I'd stake my life on it, Commander!" That bead of sweat coolly slid into Hyuga's collar now, reminding him of the work at hand. He returned to the coldhearted, logical terminal.
Misato heard everything, but was focused on Shinji's current predicament. "Shinji! Get up! You can't die just yet. Get your scrawny ass back here and do your job!"
Asuka pushed Liebkind forward through the truck access corridor. No scenic route? What kind of pervert designed this place? It's so cramped I might scrape off a load-bearing wall and cause a cave-in! "Right, shut up, Asuka. Just get the damn generator, then the weapon... all so that you can kill that flying fortress." She took a deep breath, "Sure! That sounds like a great plan! Why don't I go crawling through a hundred years worth of filth just to get those?" At least Hyuga didn't make me get out of my Eva, that could get dicey really fast. Ugh, Finally! The corridor opened up into a deep cavern, even for an Eva. Along the left wall was a sleek, silver, Eva-sized rifle.
"That should be the cavern, Asuka. There should be a box on the ground with loaded magazines and a bandolier. The weapon -will- draw power from your Eva with each shot, but once you have the generator, you can really go crazy on that Angel." Hyuga's voice rang throughout the facility. At least he's reassuring. Maybe that's why Shinji picked him to come along?
"Great, another truck access route. You guys picked the worst place for an Eva to get around, you know?" She crawled onward, there wasn't a point to using up her batteries in one volley of nearly-useless weapon fire. Speaking of fire, she stopped for a moment to get her bearings, as the tunnel split three ways before her. That's when a beam slipped through the middle and right tunnels, melting them shut. "Thanks, Ramiel. I hope that's the right one..." They seriously have an irony complex, all three lead to this room! What a joke! A five year-old could navigate this place! I'll just have to owe Ikari a thrashing when I meet him.
This chamber was short, but corresponding depressions in the ceiling and floor, meant there was only one thing to do. 'Lay down' was punched out over the image, along with that computer voice nearly beeping too. "I'll deserve a medal for this alone, if I survive the onslaught of that Angel..."
Laying into the depression on the floor, Liebkind was then restrained by several lock bolts. "Verdammt noch mal! How is this supposed to help!?" Asuka attempted to move Liebkind, but the restraints held. Soon, a new layer of armor clad the Eva with facets and strips of silver.
Slowly, she felt the restraints release their death-grip. She quickly surveyed the upgrade. Who knew a male could design armor a woman would want to wear? Her heads up display now read the Eva's power level at infinity. "Mein gott. And all I have to do is keep moving? Wait... what's this about a cloak." She brushed her finger over the appropriate button on the yoke in her left hand, but failed to notice any change. "Nothing, huh? What a piece of crap."
Misato's voice was livid, "Asuka? We can't see you on the monitors, turn it off and get to the surface!"