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Chapter 39

The Cost Of My Desire

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Brake pads squealed as the heavily modified, barely-street-legal vehicle lurched to a stop.

"Get in!"

"Yeah, took you long enough," Mari grunted, tossing her messenger bag into the car and swinging herself in after.

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"How's Maya?" Ritsuko said at length.

Mari blinked, then frowned. "You aren't keeping tabs on her? I thought she was your gofer."

"Psh, gofer – don't lie to me, you know she could be running Section Three alone at this point. She already takes the helm anytime I spend too long in the hole." Ritsuko waved dismissively. "Isn't she your - your girlfriend? "

This time, Mari smiled. "Yeah. But we can't risk international calls on the down low, and I expect it'll be awhile before anything filters back here through the dead drops that Kaji's people use."

"... Fair point."

"How's Kyū?"

"She's alright. She's... really good, actually. She said her first words to me just earlier this evening."

"She did?!" Misato looked up at the two of them in the rear-view mirror. "You know Kyū, Mari?"

"Yeah? Kaji took me to meet her once."

Misato hummed, returning her eyes to the road. At the speeds she was going, she had no business looking away from the road at all - the yellow alert hadn't triggered an evacuation, so there were still civilian drivers on the road too.

"You... You know you can ask to come see her anytime, right, Misato?" Ritsuko said, her voice uncharacteristically timid. "If you don't want me around, you can take one of Kaji's child-sitting shifts."

Misato hummed again. But, eventually, she spoke. "I'd like that."

"Uh, but if you're taking Kaji's next call-out to avoid Ritsuko, you're gonna have to share with me," Mari interjected bluntly, folding her arms. "I was promised child-sitting cool aunt bonding time too, thanks."

"No, it's fine," Misato said, fighting to keep herself focused on driving at the same time as she processed the conversation. "I don't... I don't need to kick you out of your house, Ritsuko. And you can have your child-sitting time, Mari."

"I suppose I should be glad my child has so many adults in her life wrapped around her fingers."

Mari just rolled her eyes. Silence reigned for a few moments - but for the roaring of the car's engine, and the rushing of wind.

"Alright... let's shift into work mode, ladies," Misato finally said. "Doctor Akagi. I'm sure your devices are already receiving live intel; care to give us the rundown?"

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Some people quietly shift a tent flap aside. Asuka Langley Soryu, however, was known to slam open any door she passed through. The sharp rustling of the synthetic fiber wasn't quite the same as a loud bang, but it announced her presence well enough.

"What's going on, command?"

"There's an Angel egg in the lava flume of Mount Asama." Misato didn't miss a beat with her reply. "We're assessing the possible opportunity to capture this one alive."

Capture it alive?!

Asuka swallowed back the anger and hoped her reaction hadn't been painfully obvious.

"Okay." Her voice came out steady. "Where do you need us?"

"Your piloting gear is en route by helicopter. When it arrives, get suited, then take the airlift over to the chute exit near the base of the mountain. Your Evas are being readied as we speak."

In the background, Aoba stood up and picked up his portable laptop, exiting the tent to attend to some other part of the operation. This left the three of them - Asuka, Rei and Misato - alone, but for Ritsuko hunched over her own laptop in the other corner, intensely focused on her MAGI API.

Silence fell for a moment.

"Is there somewhere safe I can put my binoculars?"

Misato started at the sound of Rei's voice. "You, uh... birdwatching after dark with Pilot Soryu?"

"Stargazing."

"I see." Misato ducked her head slightly. "Um... you can put them in my car, if you trust my driving."

"Safer than in the hands of Section Two."

Rei pulled the lanyard off her neck as she stepped out of the tent.

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FROM: MT. ASAMA TEMPORARY OUTPOST

TO: NERV-J COMMAND

COMBAT REPORT

2016-01-02 / 22:31 : Evangelion Units 00, 02 and 05X dispatched to nearest available launch chutes. Launch belayed.

2016-01-02 / 22:39 : Pilots Ayanami and Soyru arrived at Mt. Asama. Launch awaiting delivery of D type hazard equipment and capture cage.

2016-01-02 / 22:41 : Transport helicopter dispatched to Mt. Asama.

2016-01-02 / 23:02 : D type equipment arrived from stores. Arming units 00, 02.

2016-01-02 / 23:25 : Launch initiated. Evangelions arrived as expected; pilots dispatched to board their units via helicopter.

2016-01-02 / 23:35 : Evangelion start-up sequences complete. D type equipment sealed. Asherah and Moloch move to take point. Ba'al moves to guard the crater exterior.

2016-01-02 / 23:59 : D type equipment hookups complete. Beginning fluid checks.

2016-01-03 / 00:42 : Fluid checks are normal. D type hazardous deployment clear to proceed.

2016-01-03 / 00:48 : Moloch dives.

2016-01-03 / 01:02 : Moloch reaches depth of 100m.

2016-01-03 / 01:10 : Moloch reaches 200m

2016-01-03 / 01:18 : Moloch reaches 300m

2016-01-03 / 01:26 : Moloch reaches 400m

2016-01-03 / 01:34 : Moloch reaches 500m

2016-01-03 / 01:42 : Moloch reaches 600m

2016-01-03 / 01:50 : Moloch reaches 700m

2016-01-03 / 01:58 : Moloch reaches 800m

2016-01-03 / 02:06 : Moloch reaches 900m

2016-01-03 / 02:14 : Moloch reaches depth of 1000m. Order is given to exceed D type equipment rating.

2016-01-03 / 02:26 : Moloch reaches 1100m

2016-01-03 / 02:38 : Moloch reaches 1200m

2016-01-03 / 02:50 : Moloch reaches 1300m

2016-01-03 / 03:02 : Moloch reaches 1400m

2016-01-03 / 03:14 : Moloch reaches 1500m

2016-01-03 / 03:28 : Moloch reaches 1600m

2016-01-03 / 03:42 : Moloch reaches 1700m. Telemetry returns blue signature.

2016-01-03 / 03:52 : Moloch reaches a depth of 1780m, apparently level with blue signature. Capture cage deployed.

2016-01-03 / 03:57 : Telemetry from Moloch lost.

2016-01-03 / 04:03 : It is noted that coolant flow pressures have remained stable. Asherah dives.

2016-01-03 / 04:11 : Asherah reaches depth of 200m

2016-01-03 / 04:19 : Asherah reaches depth of 400m

2016-01-03 / 04:27 : Asherah reaches depth of 600m

2016-01-03 / 04:35 : Asherah reaches depth of 800m

2016-01-03 / 04:40 : Asherah reaches depth of 1000m

2016-01-03 / 04:45 : Asherah reaches depth of 1200m

2016-01-03 / 04:50 : Asherah reaches depth of 1400m.

2016-01-03 / 04:51 : Telemetry from Asherah lost at depth of 1411m.

2016-01-03 / 04:58 : Pilot status unknown. Coolant flows remain stable. Asherah lowered to 1780m as planned.

2016-01-03 / 05:12 : Pressure drop detected in Moloch's secondary coolant manifold.

2016-01-03 / 05:21 : Pressure drop detected in Moloch's Primary coolant manifold. Hoisting Evangelions.

2016-01-03 / 05:30 : hoist drag unexpectedly high. Apparent depth still below 1650m, measured by reeled line.

2016-01-03 / 06:37 : Coolant pressure for Moloch dangerously low. Apparent depth approx. 550m

2016-01-03 / 07:01 : Hoist crew report breakages found in both fiber optic telemetry cables. Exact cause of failures unclear.

2016-01-03 / 07:18 : Eva units clear surface. Telemetry restored via short range radio. Both pilots appear alive albeit with varying symptoms of heat exhaustion.

2016-01-03 / 07:21 : Cage clears the surface. It appears intact, but heavily discolored. Logistics dispatched to Mt. Asama to work on transporting it.

2016-01-03 / 07:26 : Pilots Soryu and Ayanami recovered from Eva units and dispatched by helicopter to Headquarters Medical.

2016-01-03 / 07:30 : Pilot Illustrious disboards Ba'al to walk Moloch to chute elevator. CH-47D Chinooks dispatched with skycrane equipment to Mt. Asama to recover Asherah.

2016-01-03 / 07:53 : Site supervision turned over to logistics for ongoing clean up.

Compiled 2016-01-03 / 08:45 by Maj. Katsuragi Misato

ENCRYPTED ATTACHMENT

Recommend increase in the inspection/testing schedule of ALL isolation bulkheads in headquarters. Recommend increasing density of bakelite injectors and positioning at least one N2 emergency self-destruct in the Halls of Paradise Lost. Assuming Sandalphon survived capture, in the event that primary restraints fail, existing Terminal Dogma architecture is NOT well equipped to contain a live angel - and such would be true even before accounting for Sandalphon's natively subterranean nature.

- Dr. Akagi Ritsuko

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"You're out of bed? Glad to see it."

Shinji turned his head at the sound of a faintly familiar voice.

"Kaworu," he said hesitantly. "So... Rei was right."

Kaworu moved a few steps closer, but remained stranding in the middle of the hall rather than sit down on the other end of the bench - something Shinji found himself grateful for.

"Ahh, she told you about our introduction, then?"

"Yeah." Shinji frowned, looking both ways down the hall. Then, fighting the lingering ache in his spine, he craned his neck to look up.

There. A fisheye dome.

A visual-only camera. It might be able to read Kaworu's lips at this range... but since the bench was under it, it could only see the top of Shinji's head.

"Sit down."

Kaworu looked taken aback, but moved to obey, sitting down beside Shinji and keeping his eyes on the large window in the opposite wall. It was midmorning aboveground, but regardless, the ambiguous lighting of the geofront never changed.

"Did you know I was... well..."

"A fellow Eva pilot?"

Shinji nodded.

"Not until I heard your name."

Shinji didn't reply immediately, even though relief he felt was palpable.

Assuming he's telling the truth.

Can I trust him to tell the truth?

"Your hair's interesting. It really... catches the light," Shinji managed, drawing on sources of confidence he didn't even know he had. "Is it natural?"

The conflicted expression was faint and fleeting, but Shinji knew what he was looking for.

"Yes. It's - well - yes, and no," Koworu stammered. He hid his face in his hands for a moment. "I should not be telling you this... yes, my hair is natural, but I'm not natural. I'm not exactly... completely human."

Well. Perhaps he's more trustworthy than I thought.

Kaworu lowered his hands, looking at Shinji again. Then his mouth twisted into a wry smile. "Not surprised? I suppose your Rei must be known to you too, then."

"Yeah." Shinji couldn't help but smile in return. "But... hey, I'm glad you told me the truth."

"Oh. Really?"

"Yeah."

They lapsed into an awkward silence for awhile. Shinji thought about breaking it once or twice, but speaking up just seemed too tiring.

Damn, lingering pain really takes it out of you...

"Your fellow pilots engaged an angel last night," Kaworu said at length. "No... no long-term injuries were sustained. I believe Soryu and Ayanami may be in outpatient this afternoon."

"I heard." Shinji nodded. "The noise woke me."

"I see."

"You weren't... on mission?"

"My Eva unit, Lucifer, is still not able to reach NERV-J headquarters." Kaworu's tone seemed distinctly embarrassed. "Neither New Yokosuka Harbor nor NERV Airfield are ready to receive a complete Eva unit, and... linking with another pilot's primary unit is dangerous without compatibility testing..."

"Alright, I guess I'll let you off the hook this time." Shinji folded his arms. "But when we get out to the training field, you'd better impress me."

"Looking forward to it," Kaworu replied. "I already feel lucky."

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