A/N: Here is the sixth chapter featuring the dramatic showdown between NERV and the Fifth Angel.

Thanks to my pre-reader Makuhari-Fan01

Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion or Strike Witches

Chapter Six: Showdown in Tokyo-3

"Unit-01 has crash landed outside city limits." reported Amaki.

As soon as she hit the ground a recovery team reached Yoshika. They immediately loaded her in a medical transport,which brought her to the NERV infirmary.

"I'm going to check on Miyafuji." said Sakamoto as she left, "Take over here Perrine."

As soon as Yoshika arrived at NERV on a gurney Sakamoto was waiting. Going to the young girl's side, she followed as far as possible until Yoshika was brought into NERV's emergency room.

Meanwhile the Angel stopped moving and hovered over a four-way intersection. A large purple drill emerged, lowered down and began drilling counterclockwise.

"Ma'am you need to see this." said Amaki as Sakamoto returned to the command bridge.

As Sakamoto came over Amaki explained, "The Angel has begun drilling into the ground. It looks like it's trying to break into the Geofront."

"So it's a direct attack on NERV."stated Sakamoto before asking, "How long?"

"We believe with the twenty-four layer of armor the Angel won't reach the Geofront until around midnight." stated Lynne.

"Now we have to figure out what we're dealing with."said Sakamoto.

In the NERV command center Sakamoto, Perrine, and the technicians watch as an unmanned drone plane flies to the Angel. As soon as the Angel detected the drone it fired it's particle beam blasting the plane to nothing.

"That's amazing!" said an shocked Lynne as she, her two colleagues, Perrine and Sakamoto stood around a table in a white room watching a screen.

"Roll out the tank." ordered Sakamoto and with a few punches of her keyboard Amaki sent out an unmanned train pulling a flatcar with an unmanned tank on it. The computer operated tank fired at the Angel but it's shield stopped the blast and the Angel fired it's particle beam destroying the tank and train.

After a few minutes Amaki gave a report with new information.

"The Angel has the ability to detect threats well outside it's average firing range so we can't get close to it. Also, the Angel's shield is much stronger than the last two Angels. It's nearly impenetrable."

"This Angel is a flying fortress." said Sakamoto impressed by this new opponent.

"All right everyone; listen up." ordered Sakamoto, "We're going to use a sniper to kill the Angel. The Angel shield might be stronger but we can break it. We're going to have one witch shoot it at one location with armor piercing ammunition to create a break in the shield. The second witch will then shoot the Angel with high-explosive incendiary ammunition in order to blast into the Angel and reach the core inside. Operation: Yashima is now under way!"

"Yes ma'am!" replied the technicians.

"How are the Strikers?" asked Sakamoto.

"Both should be ready to go by midnight." replied Nishika.

"What about the pilot of Unit-01?" asked Sakamoto.

"Yoshika should be ready ma'am." replied Lynne.

"Good." replied a relieved Sakamoto who then left with Perrine following behind her.

"This is a risky plan Director of Operations." said Perrine as the two walked down the hallway.

"We have a Dragunov SVD sniper rifle." replied Sakamoto.

"Where are you going to get the ammunition?" asked Perrine.

"The FSSDF of course." said Sakamoto smiling.

"You must be joking." said Perrine not believing what she had just heard.

"I'm dead serious." replied a confident Sakamoto.

In Minna's office the NERV Commander sat at her desk in her usual pose, hands together under her nose and elbows on the table, with Ferrara standing behind her listening as Sakamoto finished explaining her plan.

"Are you sure this will work?" asked Ferrara.

"It's the best option we have so it's going to work." replied Sakamoto.

"I see no reason to object. Proceed with your plan." said Minna.

"Thanks ma'am." said Sakamoto. After leaving Minna's office, she and Perrine went to the FSSDF base near the city.

"You want what?" demanded the Colonel in charge of the base.

"You heard me." demanded Sakamoto, "That signed order is from Commander Minna so you can take this up with her if you're so damn against it."

"Give her what she wants," said the Colonel giving in.

As they left with their ammunition Perrine asked, "When did you get a signed request from Commander Minna?"

"I didn't." confessed Sakamoto almost bragging, "I forged her signature."

In her hospital room, Yoshika slowly woke up and looked up at the ceiling.

"Another unfamiliar ceiling." she said then heard rolling wheels, when she looked to her sides she saw Sanya wheeling in a tray.

"Litvyak?" asked Yoshika wondering why the pale girl was there.

Sanya pulled out a pocket sized notebook and began reading.

"Timetable for Operation: Yashima:

8: 10- Sergeant Miyafuji and Pilot Officer Litvyak prepare to enter their Strikers.

8: 15- Sergeant Miyafuji and Pilot Officer Litvyak enter their Strikers and take off.

8: 30 – Sergeant Miyafuji and Pilot Officer Litvyak arrive at the rendezvous point outside Tokyo-3 and wait for more orders."

Sanya then closed her notebook and put it away.

"I have to pilot Striker again?" ask a disheartened Yoshika.

"Indeed." stated Sanya monotone.

"I can't pilot again! I won't!" cried Yoshika refusing to suffer anymore.

"I can do it." stated Sanya coldly.

"I know I don't have a choice." said a depressed Yoshika which led to minute of silence.

"You should eat your meal." stated Sanya referring to the hospital food on the tray she placed in front of her.

"I'm not hungry." said Yoshika, with the life seemingly drained from her.

In the command room everything was being prepared to move to a temporary command near the front lines of the battle.

"Ma'am, we have a problem." said Amaki.

"What is it?" asked Sakamoto.

"The Angel's drill is piercing the armor and damaging electric cables. We're running the risk of losing power." replied Amaki.

"No problem." said Sakamoto, "We'll just borrow that power."

"Where will you get that power?" asked a skeptical Perrine.

"All of Fuso." replied a smirking Sakamoto.

("Attention, there will be power outages from 8: 00 tonight until 8: 00 tomorrow morning.") came a female voice across every television in Fuso while NERV secured the electricity from all over Fuso and transferred it to themselves.

As the sun began to set Yoshika and Sanya got prepared by putting their ear microphones and their weapons. Yoshika her IMI micro Uzi and Sanya her SIG 550, and made their way to their Strikers.

"Sergeant Miyafuji?" asked Sanya breaking the silence.

"Yes Litvyak?" replied the Fuso witch.

"Are you worried?" asked the First Girl.

"I am." replied Yoshika.

"Do not be. I will protect you." said Sanya as the girls jumped in their Strikers.

On top of Tokyo-3 middle school a group of kids had snuck off to watch the battle. The masterminds were Lucchini and Hartmann.

"Are you sure this is the right time?" asked Hartmann basking in the orange sunset with the other girls.

"I'm sure it is but I had to read fast because my dad was coming back and he hates it when I get on his laptop." replied Lucchini.

"Look!" yelled another classmate as Yoshika and Sanya came into view and the kids began to yell words of encouragement to the witches.

"Good luck guys!" called Lucchini.

"Kick Angel butt!" yelled Hartmann.

Yoshika smiled while Sanya seemed puzzled by the cheering.

After flying the girls reached the mobile command center set up outside the city where Sakamoto was waiting for them.

"Glad to see you both here." said the Major as the two girls landed and jumped out of their Strikers. They still had three and a half hours before the battle.

"Listen up." Sakamoto commanded as she gave the orders, "Sanya; you have the armor-piercing ammunition so you will put a hole and then defend Miyafuji. Then Miyafuji will use the high-explosive incendiary ammunition to destroy the Angel by destroying it's core.

"This is sniper rifle is what you will use." said Perrine showing Yoshika the Dragunov SVD.

"So my mission after creating a hole in the shield is to protect Unit-01?" asked Sanya.

"Yes." said Sakamoto.

"I understand." replied Sanya.

After that the girls began working on last minute preparations. As the time approached Yoshika began to make her way over to the Strikers she saw Sanya sitting alone and, detoured over to her.

"Litvyak?" asked Yoshika nervously.

"Yes?" replied Sanya quietly without looking up as Yoshika sitting down next to Sanya.

"Litvyak why do you pilot Striker?" asked Yoshika after a minute of silence.

"Because it helps me feel connected." replied Sanya.

"To my sister?" asked Yoshika feeling she knew the answer.

"To help me feel connected to others." Sanya said then adding, "Also, I have nothing else."

Another moment of silence came before Sanya again spoke again, "It's time."

Sanya the stood up with the full moon right behind her saying only one thing to Yoshika before she left, "Goodbye."

The girls returned to the Strikers and hoped in.

("Remember girls all of Fuso is behind you.") said Sakamoto.

"Launch!" ordered the Major.

With that the girls took off in the night sky headed for the Angel.

"Ready?" asked Yoshika.

"Affirmative." answered Sanya who began her the mission.

Sanya flew in front of Yoshika and took aim. She then fired her ammunition at the Angel which as predicted activated it's shield.

The armor-piecing ammunition hit the shield many times at the same spot and as hoped it broke the shield.

Yoshika then fired a shot but the Angel countered with it's particle beam, destroying the bullet and forced Yoshika to quickly move out of the way barely avoiding the being hit by the beam, which destroyed part of the mountains outside Tokyo-3.

As Yoshika took aim to fire a second shot Nishika gave an urgent message, "The Angel is re-loading!"

"What?" yelled a concerned Sakamoto.

Indeed the Angel recharged and fired before Yoshika could take aim. Yoshika was sure this was the end when someone jumped in front of her.

"Litvyak!" Yoshika yelled as the pale girl got in front of her.

Sanya deployed her shield in time to protect Yoshika but the blast sent Sanya falling to the ground.

("Focus Miyafuji!") yelled Sakamoto over her earpiece.

The Captain was concerned about Sanya but the Angel needed to be defeated.

"Right." said Yoshika as she took aim fired a short burst. The first two bullets broke through the Angel's body and the rest destroyed the core killing it.

"Send out a recovery team for Sanya!" ordered Sakamoto.

Yoshika easily beat the recovery team to the crash site. She jumped out of her Strikers and ran over to Sanya's . Placing her left arm around the right Striker, and grabbed the top of it with her right hand and began to fiercely pull until it came off, after which she did the same with the other Striker.

Once the Strikers were off Yoshika fell to her knees and cradled Sanya in her arms.

"Sanya? Are you alright? Sanya?" called out the worried Yoshika to which the other girl opened her eyes and looked at Yoshika who began to cry.

"Don't ever say that, don't say you have nothing else, just don't say that. And don't say goodbye when you leave on a mission, it's just so sad." cried Yoshika.

"Why are you crying?" asked a confused Sanya but with Yoshika still shaking she added, "I'm very sorry, but I don't know how to express myself in situations like this."

Yoshika looked up with tears streaking down her face and said, "Why don't you try smiling?"

Sanya took a minute and thinking of Minna's smile after the Unit-00 berserker incident smiled, looking at Yoshika but thinking of Minna.

A/N: A bittersweet ending and the parallels between Yoshika's actions with Sanya at then end of the chapter and Minna's during the failed activation three weeks ago was intentional. Next chapter a company creates a robot to run NERV out of existence but during it's demonstration something goes wrong and puts everybody at risk. There might be fan-service! Please review!