Επί δείπνα των φίλων βραδέως πορεύου, επί δε τας ατυχίας ταχέως (Don't rush when attending friends' dinners, instead hasten to their misfortunes) – Attributed to Chilon of Sparta, 6th Century BCE
"What do you mean no?!" Asuka demanded of the man who was looking rather frustrated with the young woman who had barged into his office moments ago and began demanding things.
"I mean, Pilot Soryu, that both Evangelion Unit 02 and you belong here with NERV-Berlin. The Central branch has their own resources at their disposal, we have no reason to send them ours."
"Their own resources?" She growled back to him. "Did you watch Unit 01's sortie against the Angel?" Because that was definitely Unit 01 that won the fight, the Third does not fight like that. "We're lucky that–"
Asuka was cut off by the office door whooshing open behind her, her guardian stepping through. "We're lucky that things worked out just fine in the end. Come on, Asuka, leave Doctor Vogel here to his work. Let's take a walk." He gestured out the door behind him, pointedly ignoring the thankful look the man in question shot his way.
Asuka herself placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at the doctor. "We're not finished here." Turning to leave and linking her arm through Kaji's, she led him out the door and into the hallway, choosing the path towards the cafeteria. In the chaos of watching the fight yesterday, and her immediate need to start twisting some ears of the higher ups around the facility, she'd neglected to have more than a soda from a vending machine she knew to be broken and easily pilfered from. A nice meal with Kaji will be just what I need to calm down, she thought.
"So, I take it you haven't had much luck?" Her guardian asked her.
"No," she sighed, already some of the tension and anger bleeding away from her. "I already tried with anyone of any importance in Operations, but they're all convinced that Captain Katsuragi put me up to this so she can steal their pilot training regimen. As if we've even spoken since she was my 'guardian.'" At this mention of her current guardian's old flame, Asuka paid close attention to Kaji's face to see if he would react.
His face, however, remained unchanged; the smirk he almost permanently had plastered on did not even twitch at the name. "I don't think that's her style, no," he replied. "Besides, their training is designed for a pilot to start as young as possible. Both of the other two Children are your age already."
"I know that, and so do they," Asuka said exasperatedly. "But they're a bunch of stubborn idiots. So, I moved on to Doctor Vogel and his lackeys in Project E." By this point, the pair had reached the cafeteria and grabbed trays. Asuka picked food items mostly at random, with Kaji opting for a bowl of inoffensive something to go with his usual can of iced coffee. Their conversation continued as they made their way to a table.
"And he's only concerned about the budget and resources, apparently. As if you can proscribe a budget to saving the world," she said bitterly while beginning to pick at her food. She almost immediately regretted not paying closer attention to what she had chosen to eat, but her stubbornness refused to let her not start eating anyway.
"Have you considered trying a different approach?" Kaji asked her, not bothering with his own food.
"Go straight to the director? I thought of that, and I think that's what I'm going to do next," Asuka replied, suppressing a grimace at the cafeteria fare as she brought a forkful of it up to her lips.
"No, not that," he chuckled. "You've tried a direct approach–now try something a little more subtle."
"Winning a fight requires boldness and violence of action," Asuka declared haughtily, hmmphing at the idea of subtlety. "I know you have your politics, but I'm the Second Child, Kaji. Designated pilot of Evangelion Unit 02." Subtlety didn't kill those Angels I killed. It didn't wipe out the Eva Series while running on almost no power, even if they did cheat and get back up. Hell, even in bizzarro world here I still have a university degree and am the top Eva pilot at the age of 13–subtlety had nothing to do with that.
Kaji's face softened a bit at hearing Asuka's proclamation. "Not everything is a battle to the death against a clear and present danger, kiddo," he said softly. "And sometimes, it's the politics that are the real danger." He shook his head and held a hand up in supplication. "What I mean is, it's never too late to learn a new skill right?"
He gave her an obliging look, and Asuka obliged with a sigh and a muttered "I suppose."
Kaji grinned. "Great," he said. "So, the subtle approach–it's about poking around, finding your opponent's weak spots, using what you know against them, all ideally without them even knowing you've done anything." Kaji explained, loosening his already loosened tie. "You may have already shown your hand, but that doesn't mean we can't still win this one."
"We?" Asuka asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow at the man. "I can do this myself you know. I don't need anyone's help." Memories, or at least what she had to assume were memories because she hadn't yet unraveled exactly what had happened that brought her to where she currently was, ran through her head of her saying similar things to the Third Child, to Misato, to anyone who was within earshot during her time in Japan. Most of them were not pleasant memories. That was different, she insisted to herself. I have to do it right this time.
"Hey, I'm on your side," Kaji said placatingly. "There's no weakness in asking for help; sometimes, people have different skill sets, or are in a better position to make something happen. You said it yourself, right?" He gestured at himself. "I can schmooze with the higher ranks, but," and here he gestured to Asuka, "I'm certainly no Eva pilot, definitely not one of your caliber."
Asuka narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips at the man, letting her tray of food go unattended. I would have killed to hear him compliment my piloting like that just a few weeks ago, she thought, but now I don't even care. What the hell is wrong with me? Besides maybe being dead, that is.
"Fine," she finally relented. "Help from other people. I'll see how it goes–this time, anyway."
"Ok, that's a start, I suppose," Kaji replied, shaking his head slightly. "So, where do you think we should begin with your new, subtle approach?"
Bringing a hand to her chin in thought, Asuka pondered the dilemma. "I still think Operations is the best place to start, but I'm not going to be able to budge them on the whole 'jealous of anyone stealing their training regimen and their pilot' thing they've got going on."
"I agree with you on starting with Ops. But how would they be convinced to send you to Japan? There's got to be someone with more authority than them who can put in for a transfer, right?" Kaji asked leadingly.
Asuka snapped her fingers. "Of course! They're worried Misato wants to steal their secrets, that must mean she could potentially do that!" Asuka grinned at the realization. "I should be able to convince her she needs me there to whip their pilots into shape, and then she can make the transfer herself." Even that loose alcoholic should be able to see that my expertise is necessary. It's a wonder why they took so long to transfer me in the first place.
"That's a good track, but there's more to be done, I'm sure," he said. "Katsuragi may be convinced that she needs you in Tokyo-III, but what about Unit 02? Production isn't quite finished and it's unlikely to ever be approved for transfer before it's done."
"I know," Asuka said, a bit deflated. "I've thought about that, and the only solution I can see is for me to go to Japan now, and for my Unit 02 to stay here in Berlin until it's finished."
Kaji rubbed his perpetually scruffy chin, his face turning grave. "You're really serious about this, aren't you? Leaving your Eva behind, and all." His smirk returned. "Say, this isn't just because the Third Child is a handsome boy your own age, right?"
"Kaji!" She yelled while fighting down a blush creeping up her face. What the hell is wrong with you? I hate that spineless Idiot! "What the hell is wrong with you? I hate–I mean, what are you, stupid? By rights we should all be dead right now, because NERV doesn't know how to plan ahead! I'm just trying to fix the problem before it gets worse–before the next Angel shows up." I can't believe he would imply something between me and the Third!
The older man chuckled. "Calm down, Asuka, it was just a joke; an attempt to lighten the mood. Sorry, I'll try to take this a little more seriously."
"You'd better," she interjected.
"I will," he assured her. "So, moving on. Assuming you can convince Katsuragi that you're needed in Japan ("I can," she interrupted) then we just need to convince the doctor types around here that they don't need you for the final stages of Unit 02's production. That, I think, is something I can help with."
"You?" Asuka asked.
"Me," Kaji replied. "Let me make the rounds, see what I can do. I can be pretty persuasive when I want to be, you know," he said, winking to the girl.
The girl in question sighed quietly. Once again, something I would have killed for just a few weeks ago, and now it does nothing for me. "Wait a minute, what about more–help? From other people?" She asked, furrowing her brow in thought. "Doctor A–uh, the doctor in charge of Project E? The actual one in charge, not some regional head? Couldn't we convince them that bringing me to Central would help somehow?" I'd have no reason to know her name, right?
Kaji smiled. "Excellent idea, Asuka. And luckily for you, I just so happen to have an inside line to the esteemed doctor in charge of Project E. Any thoughts on how I could go about persuading her?"
"Well," she began, "there's prep work to be done in advance of Unit 02 arriving to Tokyo-III–not just for the Eva, but for me, too. Harmonics and data to establish a baseline, scans and medical exams, those kinds of things. If I get there early, then that means Unit 02 can be operational even sooner once it arrives." Hold on, when I get there they'll send me to that insufferable school again! No way am I sitting through that boring waste of life a second time!
"Plus I can work on the doctor's team when I'm not training or testing!" She hurriedly added. "I may not have majored in metaphysics, but I did take a few classes on it while getting my degree. And no one knows the ins and outs of Unit 02 like I do," she boasted. Getting to spend more time with my Unit 02, and getting away from those awful lectures on life before Second Impact? That would be the dream.
"Hmm," Kaji considered. "That might work. I'll contact our honored doctor, you talk to Katsuragi, and we'll reconvene in a few days. In the meantime, I'll make the rounds around here, see what I can do–and you, before you even think about getting a hold of Katsuragi, when is the last time you slept?" He asked in a tone that, from most anyone else, might be considered stern, but from Kaji just sounded affectionate.
"Erm, not since before the sortie," Asuka admitted, turning her attention back to her mostly uneaten meal.
"Right. So you're going to get some sleep, then contact Katsuragi." Kaji stood up, collecting his tray of untouched foodstuffs, and reaching for Asuka's too. She let him take it and stood up as well, following him as he made his way out of the cafeteria.
"Sleep first, I get it," she replied. "I'll see you soon, Kaji."
"See yah, kiddo."
Ω
Back in her quarters, and with a few hours of restless sleep under her belt, Asuka sat on the edge of her bed holding a notepad, tapping a pen against the pad's surface. Come on, how hard can this be? She thought, biting her lip. Just explain the basics, she has to be aware of how badly that fight went. Then offer your expert services to train her inferior pilots, perhaps even deign to pilot one of their obsolete models yourself, and that's that. She'll beg you to come to Tokyo-III.
She tossed the pen and notepad onto the vanity close by to her bed. No script, I'm doing it live.
Asuka reached for her NERV issued cell phone on the bed beside her, flipping it open to access her contacts list. Before returning to her room the day before she had tracked down a terminal and accessed the global NERV directory in order to verify that Misato's phone number had remained unchanged in not-dead land. Her cell phone number had been as she remembered from her time in Japan, but her apartment's phone number hadn't been listed. Either she was still too newly moved in, or she had never bothered to update her contact information once she had settled in. Either or both seemed likely.
She scrolled down to the second of her two contacts, M. Katsuragi, and pressed dial. For reasons she didn't quite want to think about, her heartrate was elevated and she was considering putting off her task. Tough shit, Asuka, she thought, as the phone began to ring. Get over yourself. It's just a phone call, and it's just Misato. What happened before doesn't matter, it hasn't even happened. You're a pilot, your superior officer treated you like a pilot. Not a child. That's what you wanted. Get over yourself.
She calmed her breathing as the phone rang a third, fourth, fifth time, and steeled herself for the conversation to come.
"Captain Katsuragi's phone, she's busy at the moment, can I help you?" Came a familiar voice from the receiver, though not the one she expected.
"Shit," she eloquently replied.