Well, I'm back. I was planning on posting a new chapter on February 1st, but what do you know I got my laptop stolen. So here's the new chapter, late and completely different from what it was the first time I wrote it.
Also: Retcon time! I'd wanted to make Mary British, but couldn't remember if S.H.I.E.L.D. had a sister organization there. It does, and so now she's a member of S.T.R.I.K.E. It doesn't really change the story in any way, but still…
This chapter is pretty short because I want it out there to show I haven't abandoned this story, just that I haven't been able to write anything lately because of circumstances. This is a short filler chapter by every definition of the word
Now that the explanations is out of the way, on with the story.
Meeting of the Directors
Undisclosed locations
May 27th, 2015
"This could make things complicated." The director of U.N.I.T. lamented. In the small room, the holograms of her three counterparts seemed to share the sentiment. In the center, an image of the three who had attacked SEELE's main base of operation where displayed.
"This is my jurisdiction, I'll handle it." The director of A.R.M.O.R. informed them.
"I fail to see how this is an alternate universe event." The director of S.W.O.R.D. replied.
Due to the possible nature of the event in question, he had been chosen to mediate the jurisdictional problems. An advantage of being the head of the space force and planetary defenses was that unlike the other organizations it was almost impossible to be confused over whether or not the item in question was under his jurisdiction or not.
"Well it's time travel, and that technically makes it alternate reality." The A.R.M.O.R. director explained. "And besides, I think we need a better arbitrator. How many alien invasions have you guys almost caused again? Twenty four? Twenty five?"
"Twenty seven." The man grumbled under his breath. The relationship between the two organizations had always been a strained one due to their nature, and it was only compounded by A.R.M.O.R.'s general antagonism towards all sister organizations due to always being last for funding and being by far the smallest in terms of personnel. Even the national subdivisions dwarfed it.
"That isn't at issue here, though." He continued. "Given the evidence presented before me, I would in most other cases rule in A.R.M.O.R.'s favor, however given the circumstances as to who these people are, I'm giving this one to S.H.I.E.L.D."
Director Fury simple nodded his head, not commenting on the verdict. His counterpart was clearly upset, but remained silent as the images disappeared.
"Moving on to our next order of business." U.N.I.T.'s director said, getting their attention. "The Tokyo-3 defense grid."
"The system is now fully operational." Fury stated. His holographic form slid a file to the woman. Tapping the files with her finger, the printer in her office started to create a copy for her. "Thanks to the new reactor, the city shield system now has the power to reach activation level. Local S.H.I.E.L.D. branches and militaries around the world have started to adopt the city-shield system for wider use. It should come in handy if any unforeseen events occur."
The S.W.O.R.D. director rolled his eyes. A few dozen instances where aliens almost invade and the other directors never let you live it down.
"Speaking of which," U.N.I.T.'s director stated. "How are we on the alien front?"
S.W.O.R.D.'s director cleared his throat before handing her a virtual copy of his file. "Well, the Apollo is resupplying in orbit as we speak, while the rest of the military fleet is either on assignment or standard patrol. Civilian side convoys to the moon are running smoothly. Lastly, the planetary defense network is fully operational and entering the final phase of construction, with only artificial gravity that needs to be added to our stations."
"I thought you guys built everything with gravity built in." A.R.M.O.R.'s director stated.
"Blame the design," He replied. "Having the gravity system build after everything else meant having the grid operational ahead of time. Better having it up and running then waiting and being comfortable right from the start. It was one of our guys who caught sight of the Angels after all."
"Speaking of which," U.N.I.T.'s director said, getting their attention back. "Has the JSSDF made any complaints about our acquisition?"
"Officially, they have done nothing." Fury informed her. "Unofficially they sent NERV a bill equal to the parts and labour for its construction, along with a markup."
"How much of a markup?"
"A reasonable markup." Fury replied. He turned his attention to the director of S.W.O.R.D. "I know I don't like it when someone takes one of my toys, so I know the feeling."
"And as has been mentioned before all Ancient technology is under my jurisdiction." The director replied to him. "Having one of your agents find it doesn't change that fact."
"Gentlemen, let's refrain from having this argument again." U.N.I.T.'s director ordered. "Fury, what's the status of P.E.G.A.S.U.S.?"
"With how things are we could keep a few dozen Avalons in operation, however we are still far away from being anywhere near enough to have everything being built up north from being fueled at the same time." Fury explained. "With only three operational right now, most of our manpower is being used to try and find more efficient means of extraction. Though to be honest, even the optimists at the base are recommending we use arc reactor engines for the time being."
"Which means more exotic particles for the eggheads to make." A.R.M.O.R.'s director sighed.
"That's their problem though." U.N.I.T.'s director stated. "If there isn't any other new business I can call this meeting adjourned."
With none of the other directors making any statements, she nodded her head.
"Alright, meeting adjourned." Without hesitation, the holograms of the unnamed directors disappeared, while Fury's remained. "Something you want to tell me Director?"
"Only off the record." For a moment the hologram shimmered, before returning to its normal image. "There's a bit of trouble with our miracle team."
"You mean with the children?"
"Yes, it seems that most of them are not having any trouble, however…."
"However," she interpreted. "Pilot Ayanami and Captain Haida?"
"Afraid so. I don't know what 'Dark Energy' is, but Dr. Akagi has informed me that Ayanami seems to be producing 500% more then what she normally does, and trace amounts have been found in the Captain's bloodstream."
U.N.I.T.'s director contemplated this for a moment. "Are either of them a threat?"
"Nerv doesn't believe so. At least, not as much as the two guests down below are."
She took a moment to think about what he said. Ever since second impact, not a day had gone without her getting a report of something which just didn't sound right happening. It wasn't even noon at her location and she had already filled her daily quota.
"Noted." With her one word comment Fury disappeared into nothingness as he terminated the call. Getting up from her seat, she left to read the details of the reports in her office.
1.1.5: New Management
Nerv gym E-26
After a salvo of hits, the punching bag's interior fell to the ground.
"You know… you really should… restrain yourself." Kensuke said, taking pause between his words. From his treadmill, he couldn't see Toji roll his eyes at his statement.
"And why should I?"
"Someone's going to complain." Hikari said. Toji stopped himself in the middle of setting up the next bag. "Those things aren't cheap."
"Neither is anything else around here, what's your point?"
"I'd hate to agree with him," a voice spoke up from the weights. Gentelly putting down the five hundred pound weight, Asuka sighed. "But no one's ever complained to be about broken bags."
Adding another hundred pounds, she started to lift once again.
Hikari didn't say anything, instead went back to the rowing she had been doing. After a few minutes more of working out, she noticed that Rei hadn't said anything since she started using her own treadmill. Taking the ones next to her and a few down from Kensuke, she started hers up for a bit of cardio.
"You worried about them?" Hikari asked as the machine started.
"I have no reason to worry." Rei didn't look at her while she spoke.
"Really? Because you seem worried."
"Why is that?"
"Because your warm-up ended five minutes ago." Looking down, Rei was surprised to see that Hikari was correct, her times workout had ended some time before. "It's alright, we're worried to."
"Worried…? I'd kill… to be… in their… place." Kensuke panted.
"Settle down, Kensuke. You really should take a break." Hikari informed him, worried by the amount of sweat that was starting to flood his face.
"No… can do. I'm not… stopping until… I'm as strong as… everyone else… here." Despite his protest, he was starting to fall back on the machine, the emergency stop wire getting closer and closer to pulling itself out.
"Kensuke, name one of us who is stronger then you who doesn't have a power behind it." Asuka asked him as she finished another set of crunches. She needed more weight.
"Well… I could… catch up… to Toji." In protest of his statement, Toji gave one unrestrained hit to the latest bag. Unlike the other, which had fallen apart, the wires supporting it snapped. The bag remained intact, but flew several meters before hitting the ground.
Kensuke, having been distracted by the sight, lost his footing and tripped. Before the machine had time to come to a full stop, the young man was propelled backwards into the wall behind, leaving a large dent where his face impacted.
Without a word, Hikari stopped her machine and walked over to him. He didn't look her in the eyes as she healed up the cuts on his face. Asuke gave a snicker, but beyond that the incident passed without much acknowledgment.
After a few more minutes of exercise, with some casual talking now and then, Shinji entered the room. Panting lightly, he set down a bag which weighed about as much as he did and walked over to the water fountain.
"Enjoy your run?" Toji asked. Shinji only held up his thumb as he drank the water.
Kensuke, for his part, groaned as he finished with his set of pushups. "It's just not fair, why do they get to go and we don't?"
"Because it's their jobs." Hikari told him. "And I'm sure they want to be back here instead of out there just as much as you want to be there."
Same time
Low orbit over West Asia
"This is awesome." Mary called out. "Can't believe this is only the third time we've ever done this."
"Calm down Mary, this isn't a game." Jon ordered. Inside the cockpit of his Avalon, he waited for his signal. When the light went from green to red, signaling depressurization, he started his engine. "Avalon 1 to Apollo, I am go for launch."
"Apollo to Avalon 1, you are clear. Launch on mark."
"Avalon 2 to Apollo, I am go for launch." Mana said over the comm. system.
"Apollo to Avalon 2, you are clear. Launch on mark."
The proses repeated once more with Mary, and from the ship's cafeteria a senator waited at the window.
"Alpha Strike, you are clear to launch. Mark." With the clearance given, the three craft pushed their engines into a two hundred percent burn and propelled themselves out of the ship's port hanger-bay.
"I'm going to be honest with you captain, that wasn't as impressive as I had hoped." Senator Reeves said as he watched the display.
"Well sir, it is just one of the many things on this ship which require our maintenance." The captain informed him. "This ship has all the latest state-of-the-art technology. From beam weapons to shields, crystal computing and transports, if R&D has made it work we have the latest version."
"Except for fighters." The Senator said.
"Well, yes and no. The F-302s are still the best fighters and interceptors in the known universe used by all space bound powers which we know of, it's just…"
"It's just that since these new Avalons are better you want to replace your fleet." The Senator interrupted. "And replacing the fleet means more planes, more pilots, more training and more money."
"Which we need to fight the wars we are currently in." The captain looked over the folder he had been holding. "Over the past twenty years we have been fighting or still are fighting a dozen wars. We can't just ignore what's out there before it comes to here."
"And remind me who started all those wars again, captain." The captain sighed quietly to himself. If S.W.O.R.D. was going to get the additional funding it needed, he was going to have a difficult uphill battle.
Avalon-2's cockpit
Looking up from her perspective, Mana took in the sight of the world. From her vantage point she could see from the eastern Mediterranean all the way to the Yangtze River in China, from the plains of Siberia to Indian Ocean.
"Wow."
"What was that?" Mary asked.
"Nothing, just taking in the sight." Mana replied.
"Well, take it in while you can, we're about to begin reentry." Jon informed her. Moments later A.D.A.M. gently flipped the craft, leveling out with the ground below the three craft and the openness of space above them from their perspectives. After a few long moments the lower side of the fighter started to become warmer.
Inside the cockpits, the view of the lower side of the craft was blanked out as the system deactivated the cameras and retracted them, leaving only the upper-half of the craft's exterior visible. After another few moments, the same occurred with the cameras on the top half of the fighters, leaving the pilots in a red light filled darkness with only the readouts to tell them where they were. This had always been the part the three hated the most, flying blind and with A.D.A.M. in control instead of themselves. The proses of reentry also made communication between the three impossible, and the display they had was only where their own craft's A.D.A.M. believed the others to be, and had always been off to some degree. For all Mana knew, even though her display said the others where a few kilometers away they could be about to crash and she wouldn't know until it was too late.
As the moments went by and the altitude started to drop rapidly, Mana forced herself to slow her breathing to keep it steady. This was just a standard orbital launch and reentry, she had to remind herself. It wasn't a combat landing or quick time takeoff, both of which were theoretically more dangerous.
After a few tense minutes of darkness, the sight of the exterior returned.
"Well, that was exiting." Mary said as she pulled up close to Mana. As always she had drifted during reentry, however it was to be expected. Jon, however, was nowhere to be seen.
"Captain, you out there?" Mana asked. After a moment, her radar returned to life to show his Avalon, only far from where it was supposed to be.
"Yeah, I just got a little sidetracked." He informed her. "Looks like I ended up about three hundred clicks east of where I was supposed to. I'm going to overshoot Tokyo-3 by a large margin."
"My apologies sir." A.D.A.M. told him. "The port thruster was kept active for too long. I take full responsibility for this failure."
"It's alright, I'll have the guys check it out. Avalon 1 to Nerv tower, requesting new flight path."
"Roger that, the Magi are calculating one now." Maya informed them.
"This is stupid, why can't you just turn around and head straight for base?" Mary asked. As she and Mana continued to descent, the ocean bellow then quickly became land as they arrived over the Japanese home islands.
"Because this isn't combat and there's a lot of traffic in the air lanes right now." Jon answered. "I'll be home later, just deal with it."
"Yes sir." Mary replied with sarcasm.
SEELE Main Base of Operations
South-West Egypt
"Sir, it's just not possible. The alien DNA is just too incompatible with that of humans." The doctor informed him.
"Here's the thing doctor. I. Do. Not. Care. Make it happen. I can tell you for a fact that it does work, it can be done and it HAS been done. Just tell me what you need and I will provide." The Caucasian man replied, his patience running thin.
"Well, I suppose it could be possible." The doctor replied, holding his chin. "But I would need an AI. A real AI, the type the military pretends don't exist."
"Done. Now get out." Without a word of protest, the doctor did as ordered.
"Intimidation only works for the mocks." The Asian man said. He came out from behind his hiding spot behind the office bookshelf with a grin. "You sure you want to scare the man who uses his brain? Especially since it's for that special pet project of yours which, I should remind you, does nothing to further our goals."
"What the hell are you even doing here Shin? You're supposed to be at our base in Sudan." The Caucasian Man replied with annoyance.
"You see Jay, that's the thing about being a quickster, I do things fast." Shin informed him. The glare Jay gave him made him stop. "Anyway, Kay wanted me to help her with a small pet project of her own. The difference being that hers will actually help us in the long run instead of wasting resources."
"Say one more thing about my life's work and I'll snap your neck so fast you won't have time to realize I was even doing it." He didn't look at his uninvited guest as he turned his attention back to the papers on his desk.
"Alright, alright. Always so serious."
"This isn't exactly a game." Jay shot back. "Now do you have a reason I shouldn't just kick you out of this base, or should I save us both the trouble and do it now?"
"Calm down, I just need your help for a mission."
"A mission?"
"Yes, to Japan." Shin wanted to laugh as Jay rolled his eyes.
"What could possibly be in Japan now that wasn't there when we left?"
"The 'miracle' gun." Shin informed him. "It's done, and it's ripe for the taking."
"It's done?" Jay looked back at his uninvited guest, having gained his undivided attention. "It shouldn't have been finished for eight months. The war should have been past the point where it could do anything to change the outcome. How was it finished?!"
"It seems the land of the lost helped them." Shin said. He leaned on a bookshelf and let a smirk form on his face. "Looks like our interference is already changing things."
"Dame abominations." He said, returning his attention to his work. "Go plan the theft yourself, I'll take part but I have more important work to do right now."
"Alright, I'll be back later." Shin opened the door to the office but stopped as he took a good look at the secretary. Turning back to look at Jay, he sighed. "You know she's gone, why do you do this to yourself?"
"I don't do anything. She's just a clone of her, what's wrong with that?"
"Kay and I actually tried to get past all that, why can't you?" Not getting a response from Jay, he simple walked out. As the left, the secretary looked throw the door.
"Is there a problem sir?"
Jay looked into the woman's red eyes and sighed.
"Nothing my dear. Nothing at all."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Well, that was a short chapter that didn't really accomplish anything. Next time: Enemy Within, where things actually happen and there is a full chapter of story.