The author of this fan fiction makes no claim to the ownership of any aspect of the Evangelion franchise, or the ability to finish a fan fiction in reasonable time.
Rating: T - gets a little nasty at times.
Chapter 24: Spiral Orbit
Rei kept Unit 06's scanners watching the sky, waiting for the inevitable interdict from the MP Evangelions above.
Asuka's voice interrupted her vigil. (This'd better be the last battle, damnit! Let's hope the Old Man gets done in by the seagulls.)
Shinji's voice was hesitant. (Please, don't say things like that Asuka...)
"She's right, Shinji. We are beyond morals or ethics in this battle."
(Isn't that why we should stand for what we believe, now of all times?)
Asuka rolled her eyes. (Dumbkopff! This is where we defend our right to have morals, along with our lives!) she snapped.
The albino First Child dourly observed her tactical display, and pursed her lips. "They're coming. Finally."
She felt her ears heat up and chills run along her back when she realised that four of them were coming directly at her. She brought her fresh bo forward with a tired whirl, attempting to psych herself up. Crouching slightly, her hair tingled as she held steady until the first Eva swept just into range.
"KYAAHHH!" she shrilled, darting forward and flinging the bo with the momentum of forty tons of artificial humanoid. A carefully positioned and timed proton burst sent the first Harpy Eva's upper body tumbling backwards while the bottom continued to fly at her like a severed ragdoll, knocking her back as she shielded herself with a shoulder. The Eva just behind it leered forward as it approached Rei's Unit, darted forward and grabbed her shoulder pylon with it's teeth. Another one snared onto her other pylon while the last latched onto her torso, wings beating furiously to bring the frantically struggling black-and-silver Eva into the air.
(AYANAMI!) Shinji's voice tore at the ears of the aghast bridge crew. Fraught as he was, neither he nor Asuka could divert themselves to help their comrade as the remaining MP Evas pressed their assault against them and Keele's Triglav Unit.
"Jesus..." Misato swore, fingering the cross dangling at her neck as she watched the tableu on the towering monitor. "Where are they taking her?"
Akagi snorted and authoritatively pushed Makoto aside from his desk. Fingers flying, she accessed the MAGI system while Rei's Eva gained altitude and bite marks. The scientist's glasses glinted from the light of the console before her, shimmering with code.
"She's got another secret." Maya mumbled dryly. Had the situation been less dire, Ritsuko's crimes less heinous, it may have seemed churlish. Instead, the young woman's comment seemed to reflect the mood on the command deck. Many wondered why Fuyutsuki hadn't ordered her to be taken away, chained and gagged.
Triumphantly, Dr. Akagi tapped the 'Enter' key.
"The MAGI are activating the Eva launch system." Shigeru noted with only mild alarm.
"Doctor?" Misato half demanded, half pleaded.
Pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose, Akagi sniffed. "A gift. For Rei."
One after another, three of the Fortress City's Eva delivery gates opened. Out of them rose the naked, LCL-drenched, deformed hulks of the Simulation Bodies. Their headless forms glistened under the erratic light of their weak AT fields, protecting the flesh from the background radiation. Each pseudo-Eva brandished a huge rifle from which massive power cables sprouted and merged with the complex plumbing supporting the bodies themselves.
Of one accord, the bodies turned to aim at Unit 06's receding form. The upgraded particle cannons flared, front-mounted thrusters firing to counter the recoil of the dense streams that tore at the flying MP Eva's holding Rei aloft. The targeted MP Eva's AT field flared to resist the beams, before collapsing under the combined onslaught. Vaporised, the vacated MP Eva left Unit 06's support unbalanced, sending the trio tumbling in a downward spiral.
Undaunted, the Simulation Bodies allowed their weapons to cool and took aim once more. Tracking the tumbling ensemble, Rei was left with a single MP Eva to contend with as the two now fell at an alarming rate.
Undeterred, the remaining MP Eva detached from Unit 06 and left Rei to her fate, swooping away to gain stability.
(This is going to end badly.) Rei reported as the ground rushed to meet her.
"Oh ye of little faith." Akagi grinned.
Once again the Simulation Bodies altered their aim, this time at the ground under the falling unit. After a nerve-wracking pause as the Evangelion plunged to within an (Eva's) body length of the ground, they fired off a final round. The ground exploded in a plume of superheated gas and rubble, the force of the blast enough to knock the Eva slightly upward and away, landing unceremoniously nearby. It lay still, molten and shattered armour barely concealing charred flesh.
"Rei? Rei!" Misato called.
"Her Eva is all but destroyed, Sub-Commander." Ritsuko noted sourly. "She's certainly unconcious from the G-forces of that impact."
Fuyutsuki stood up from his chair and glowered down to the control deck. "Doctor, what have you done?"
Akagi sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I used the MAGI's tenuous ability to synchronise with the Simulation Bodies to save Rei from bringing about Armegeddon. Believe me, she'll be more pleased with the outcome now."
The remaining harpies appeared fully occupied with the other Units, but for the one that had dropped Rei. It was flying erratically, avoiding beams that the MAGI sent at it.
"Damnit." Misato swore. "It's coming for the Simulation Bodies."
"They won't last long." Ritsuko shrugged. "Mother can only barely make them project an AT field strong enough to keep the radiation out."
Singed but otherwise only lightly wounded, the MP Eva set upon the nearest Simulation body, shattering it's AT field immediately on contact. The MAGI's futile resistance did not last long.
Maya threw up into her hands as the Evangelion feasted on it's prey.
"Excuse me?" Makoto pipped up. "What about Rei?"
"Gah!" the Asuka gasped as the MP Eva she was facing charged at her, forcing her to absorb the impact and thus spraining her Eva's badly placed left ankle. With her left arm being mauled by another, particularly cretinous unit, Asuka smashed the shattered end of her broken Kodachi into the first Eva's head. She felt it's convulsions through the hilt, managing to knock it's balance over and tip it onto the teething Eva, which brought them all to the ground. Asuka felt her belly flip in pain as Unit 02's ankle tendons renewed themselves. She hitched Unit 02 up onto an elbow. A great purple fist slammed to earth near her face, sending a spray of core residue skywards.
"Thanks Shinji, that one was really pissing me off!"
(No, uh, problems.) Shinji replied distractedly, sizing up the tactical situation while she regained her feet and relocated her broken sword through the tough white shell and into her fallen foe's entry plug.
A brief pause in the action allowed Asuka to watch the Triglav from the corner of her eye. With growing trepidation, she noticed that it was not like the others. All of the MP Evas, and even some of the Angels, moved with a lazy and brutish gait as if the minds controlling them were too dim to do more than focus on their malicious objectives. Without the benefit of training or mental effort towards making their stance efficient, their motions lacked the fluidity of a sentient and self-aware creature. The hunched backs, the complacent lashes all served to make those enemies seem little more than oafish thugs. Keele's mastery over his Eva, however, more closely remembled that of the Children of Nerv.
Watching it neatly target and fire off a shoulder pylon's load of spikes into the guts of an enemy, she decided she didn't like that one bit.
Fuyutsuki stepped down onto the control deck and placed a hand on Misato's shoulder. "It's only a matter of time before that Eva comes for Rei." He noted, watching the battle scenes play out above them.
"With that radiation from those blasted Jet Alone explosions, there's no way we can use conventional forces to evacuate her." Shigeru noted.
"There must be something!" Maya said determinedly. "Sempai, you must have an idea..."
With a nod, Ristuko smiled grimly. "Very good, Maya. I did plan for this, but part of the plan is too busy off rescuing children elsewhere. He's probably not physically up to it anyway."
Misato grabbed the woman by the shoulder and shoved her over. Akagi's glasses bounced off the cold floor as she landed on her butt.
With a curse, the scientist snapped "Fuck you Misato! Do you want to hear it or not?"
"You wanted to send Kaji out on a suicide mission?" the Sub-Commander sneered. "Fine, what's this god-damned plan of yours?"
At this point, Ritsuko sat up and actually chuckled. "Come to think of it, it's almost like I had this vehicle built for you..."
The glint of steel and explosives shone in Misato's eyes, but she ignored the Evangelion battling outside of the windows of her full metal jacket. Massive and chunky in an inelegant amalgamation of battle-zone ready equipment, Ritsuko had provided her with an off-road vehicle of her own (rather rushed) design. Puny and primitive by Evangelion standards, it at least had huge tyres and terrain clearances, as well as a powerful electromagnetic field to ward off the background radiation.
Cresting a ridge, Misato guided the diesel-engined monstrosity to a sideways skid-stop on the glassy, cratered terrain to avoid an obstacle. "A lake of Eva blood? Are you kidding me?" she despaired. Gunning the motor, she tore off on a new course, using dead reckoning to home in on Unit 06.
The cockpit of the rugged but swift off-road truck bounced and jolted over the wasteland that the Jet Alone kamakaze attack had created. Nervously, she kept one of the many monitors the truck was equipped with locked onto the MP Eva that was reveling in an orgy of Simulation Body violation. She kept the heads-up displays on her target, determination mixing with raw fear so strong she could taste it.
"How am I doing?" she called out, as much to distract herself as anything."
(Keep going Sir! You're only thirty kilometers away from Rei's position now.) Makoto reported back faithfully.
"'Only'? I've only covered twenty so far. How are the kids?"
There was a pause, and Misato realised it was because she'd referred to the pilots as kids while acting in her professional role. Having pride in her ability to keep the world of home and work seperate, the slip hurt a little. But so close to end game, did it matter?
(Looks like it won't be long until the MP Evas are all destroyed.)
"Hmmph. Not much tactical advice I could give to them right now anyway. Other than nagging them not to die."
Misato focussed on driving. 'Not much time left...I want to be there for when they face Keel. No time for pussyfooting around. We're running out of time!'
Taking a deep breath, Misato grinned. "Okay, rally-cross time! Maya, get the MAGI to read me pace notes. I'm turning this thing up to '11'!"
The sounds of battle and destruction were interrupted by the squeal and crash-banging of a hard-charging Misato, kicking up dust and debris on her rescue mission. The car yawed and pitched wildly as the petrol-blooded terror pushed the limits of the engine, tyres and terrain to the limit, drifting sideways and punching forward around bits of broken tank, building and Evangelion alike.
The MP Eva that was gorging itself on Simulation Body lifted it's snout from the entrails and took notice of the noisy little bug speeding nearby. An annoying little bug. It stood up from it's feasting.
"Oh, shit."
(Katsuragi, look out!)
The truck caught about five meters of air leaping over a glassy ridge. Misato's beret went flying as she was thrown in her seat.
(Just so you know, Misato,) Dr. Akagi's voice came, (but I didn't set that vehicle up to handle an Eva attack.)
Wiping blood from her nose, Misato snorted. "Because it isn't possible?"
(You got it.)
The white monstrosity watched the truck intently, having walked over to inspect it. It's muzzle was smeared with purple and yellow-brown fluids, leering downward as Misato continued to thrash the overburdened vehicle.
With a guttoral rumble, the Eva sneered and leaned in to scoop the little car up. Misato, who saw it coming, executed a handbrake turn at just the right moment. She rammed the side of the truck into some blast contour ridges and carried as much speed on the glassy surface as possible to veer off and away from the Eva's grasp.
"Can't keep this up for long..." Misato muttered, aware that her tactics didn't offer much hope.
The vehicle suddenly tilted backward, followed by a deafening roar as the truck flipped over and Misato's vision went blank. Ears ringing, Misato tried to get her bearings. She was still in the truck, which was now a slightly different shape but the right way up. Looking through the now HUD-less glass, she saw that the MP Eva was not so lucky.
"Rei!" Misato gasped, not having realised that during the pursuit she had closed right in on Unit 06. It lay still, collapsed as before but for a shoulder pylon that was slightly raised and smoking, having fired off a volley of rocket grenades. "Nice work!"
Moving quickly, Misato coaxed the truck back into life and sidled up to the broken Eva. Donning a radiation suit and carrying lightweight blankets to shield them, Misato extracted the First Child from the just-ejected plug. Rei was stoic but cooperative, staying silent as the older woman ushered her to safety.
The Sub-Commander was embarrased to find that she was shivering and jittering as she drove them back toward the safety of Nerv HQ. "Hysterics later. I'll have my hysterics later."
It would have done her nerves little good to have seen the MP Eva regenerate and, rather than pay attention to the receding truck, give it's undivided attention to the remains of Unit 06.
Unit 02 went down, two of the harpies on it's back. Asuka managed to kick one off but the other was biting into her back armour.
Bringing his progressive katana forward, Shinji growled and moved to take his foes' head off. The katana struck into the thin neck armour, and jammed. Frustrated and concerned for Asuka, he tugged it savagely - and felt himself falling backwards as the blade snapped.
(Shinji...!) Asuka cried through the communication channel.
"Asuka!" he shouted in response. Some light, some spark of concern in the Evangelion pilot's eyes smouldered into a dark, simmering rage. Rearing Unit 01's purple armoured head back, he then plunged forward and bit into the MP Evangelion's neck. He could taste thick, salty-sour blood on "his" tongue, and bit again deeper into it's jugular.
"GRAAAAAHRRRR!" Shinji shrilled, stretching the MP Eva's head up and out. He felt the wing's slow, powerful beats behind him and realised that the Evangelion didn't feel the pain. 'No...it doesn't care! Those damned dummy plugs!'
With unrepentant rage, the Third Child set to his foe's destruction with a will. This harpy was worse than an enemy. It was an obstacle between him and his supporting of Asuka. And for that, Shinji would have his vengeance. The MP Eva wilted and fell against his renewed attack.
(I'm fresh outta shoulder weapons.) Asuka reported with disgust, Unit 02 standing up having dispatched her enemy's dummy plug.
(Well done. That's the last of them.) Keele announced over the comms, his voice triumphant yet calm.
"The last of 'them'..." Shinji muttered to himself. Looking over Unit 01's status report and Unit 02's mauled figure, he sourly noted how fresh Keele's Eva looked.
Fuyutsuki scowled at the computer-generated grin that dominated the massive command display. "Are you planning on telling them about your kickback from seeing Complementation terminated prematurely?"
The image chortled. (Why disillusion them unnecessarily, my dear Commander? Really, when you reach my age, the buzz from seeing that look of disappointment on their faces loses it's appeal.)
Sub-Commander Katsuragi clenched a fist (keeping the other hand on the wheel) and held it up to her screen. (We don't want to hear about your taste for innocence, you old letch! Honestly, do you think there's a soul in Nerv who would let you achieve that kind of power without dying first?)
Maya's voice came over with shaky uncertainty. "Just what kind of power? What is he trying to do?"
"Immortality..." Ritusko said softly. "If he fuses with the nephilim in the presence of a real S2 Organ..."
"But with the Organ and Kaoru's core, he could control an AT field!" Fuyutsuki realised with sudden clarity. "The power of a God."
(A living God.) Keele pointed out. (Not an entity in absentia, just an eternal old man with nothing to prove anymore, no need to be vengeful or to flaunt power. A benevolent old grandfather who watches out for the young ones with jovial tolerance.)
Kouzo rubbed the side of his neck grimly. "Would you really just watch, Keele? Play the good shephard, even with a flock of young lambs?"
(By and large. Of course, I have personal needs. Surely a God can expect some compensations, after all?)
Misato narrowed her eyes skeptically. (Ooh, take a life, or a cherry, there's always a sacrifice isn't there? And how long before an immortal's tastes extend further? How long until you've seen too much peace and solitude, and long for something a bit more exciting? Oh sure, the little humans can have just a little war. It's not like all of them will die.)
Fuyutsuki nodded. "The mind of a human just isn't designed to cope with that kind of power."
Unit Triglav's computers rendered an affronted sneer. (Foolish of me to try and negotiate. It would have been amusing to toy with the young Ikari and his little girlfriends, but personal gratification must come second. After this battle is over, I hope you ask yourselves if it would not have been better to let them live with some personal grievances and scars than face my wrath. Keele, out.)
Triglav pulled the lance from the still hot carcass of a felled and forgotten MP Eva while turning to face Unit 01.
Misato thumped the communication channel control as she drove the truck to a massive metal hangar door, it's surface showing some signs of the explosions but still standing solid. "Hyuuga! Open the door, the remote's not working!"
(It must have been fried from the radiation...) Makoto responded, and immediately the toothed doorway began to rise.
"Or maybe it was damaged from being caught in the Evangelion battle cross-fire." Misato muttered wryly.
Driving the battered hulk into the hangar, Katsuragi had to pass through several more fortified internal doors and past an increasing number of Nerv troops within. Trying not to overreact, the Sub-Commander's impatience was tempered only by her overriding sense of duty. She knew that Shinji and Asuka were now faced with battling Keele. To top it off, she kept catching Rei's sleeping/unconcious form on the seat beside her. "Hurry up..." she whispered as the last door rose slowly from it's frame. She narrowed her eyes as she heared a roaring sound, cycling up and down, and blushed to realise that it was her right foot subconciously tapping the accelerator pedal gently.
Finally within the womb of Nerv, a troop of technicians and medical scientists rush to the truck, having cleared a staging area between the bodies and wreckage of the JSSDF invasion. The first thing that hits Misato as she opens the door is the smell. Heavy, metallic ozone mingled with the sourness of blood. Gritting her teeth, she gets out.
"Take Rei to the medical center! You'll need a stretcher!" she commands.
"No need." Misato almost falls over when she sees that Rei is standing. "I will be fine." states the albino, bathed in a subtle blue glow. "Thank you Misato. I will go to Central Dogma. You are needed on the bridge."
The girl starts to walk away, the assembled Nerv staff parting to allow her passage. "Rei...? Just what..." Misato winced.
Hyuuga's voice brought her back to reality. (Sub-Commander! You should get up here...)
Shinji felt the warmth of what would have been sweat along his brow had he not been immersed in LCL, as the Triglav Evangelion stared him down for what seemed hours. Unit 02, injured but uncowed, stood aside. Asuka understood the tactical significance of the showdown between the interloper and Shinji's (relatively) operational Eva.
Finally, Keele moved his Eva forward. However, his stance was beckoning, not offensive.(So, Children. There is something I would have you see before we must settle things finally.)
(What are you stalling for, hoping for backup?) Asuka snarled.
(My dear Frau Langley, do you think I need it?)
"What do you want, Sir?" Shinji asked, ever polite.
(I wish to lead you to Terminal Dogma. I believe you have been there before, with an acquaintance of mine. An ex-acquaintance, unfortunately.)
Shinji kept his face stony. "Why? Are you going to do something with Lilith?"
(Ah, so you know that much. Indeed, my boy. Indeed the Second Angel features vividly in my plans.)
Unit 02 picked up the remains of Shinji's broken katana and moved in front of Keel's machine. She adopted a frankly unconvincing (due to Unit 02's damage) blocking stance. (You're not going down there.)
Silver-pearlescent arms shot out and grabbed the red Evangelion by the neck, lifting it up until it's feet dangled. (It seems I will have to make you understand my dear, my wish is your command.) With that, he summarily snapped Unit 02's neck and plunged a hand into it's chest. With surgical precision, he extracted Asuka's entry plug and held it, gently, in the palm of the Triglav Unit's hand.
"ASUKA!" Shinji screamed, too afraid to move with Asuka's life so exposed.
(She isn't harmed, physically or neurologically at least. Now, Mister Ikari, I believe it is time for you and I to attend a meeting below. Please make the arrangements with your commanding officers.)
Author's Rant
Sorry, no Omake, inspiration hit just enough to get this out before Christmas. A chunk of chapter 25, almost certainly the last, has already been written and I have a plan for the rest. Wish me luck in concluding this Fan Fiction within the decade ;-)
Thank you for reading, and your patience if you have been awaiting closure. Merry season's greetings, whatever time of year it is!
Copyright 2011 (just a date stamp, really)
- fin