Chapter 5: Asuka Strikes
Shinji might have fallen asleep from the helicopter's drone had it not been for Kensuke's constant nattering in his ear for the last hour and a half.
"An Mi-26 Transport Helicopter! I never thought I'd ride in one of these hot mamas!" Kensuke gushed, "This is so cool! It's the most awesome week of my life."
"Glad someone's enjoying it," Touji said as he tried to get the crick out of his neck, "Ugh."
"Well, even trainees need downtime. Plus, it'll give you a chance to look at Unit Two and meet Asuka, who will be training you on melee weapons." Shinji said, yawning. He pulled at the hem of his NERV uniform jacket and yawned again.
"She gonna be as rough as Rei and the new girl?"
"Probably. She's got a temper. And she fights dirty in Simulation." he said, his arms crossed, a gloved finger tapping his arm.
"Fights dirty?" Kensuke asked.
"She's not afraid to kick a guy. You know. There. Repeatedly." He paused, looking upward, then back down at the two boys as he finished, "And we were only four at the time. She's much worse now."
Misato snorted. Kensuke and Touji both winced and protectively covered their groins.
"So, where are we heading?" Touji asked.
"Just to that little boat over there," Misato replied.
Kensuke looked out and his jaw dropped.
"A supercarrier, two battleships and dozens of escorts! Is that the Pacific Fleet?"
"What's left of it," Shinji said. Kensuke stopped and looked at Shinji, who shrugged, "The last Angel did it. I'll show you the footage when we get back home."
##
The helicopter came in for a landing and Shinji leaned over to the other two boys and said, "No slouching. Keep your hands to your sides, square your shoulders, and keep your head level and your mouth shut. You might not have actual assigned ranks yet, but you are NERV Officers. Act like it. As a rule, only speak to UN Officers when addressed. If in doubt, do as Misato does."
"Good advice, Captain Ikari."
"Thank you, Major Katsuragi." Shinji replied as the chopper hit the deck with a light jolt and the pilot spun down the rotors. The door slid back and they debarked as the flight crews tended to the post-flight checklists.
The three uniformed boys walked behind Misato single file and stopped as she did.
"Come on around, boys, line up," she said. They filed around her, and a small smile lit on Shinji's face as he saw his fiery-haired and tempered friend. She was in a light yellow sundress. Shinji shook his head and closed his eyes.
She walked up to them and paused before saying, "So, it's been a while, Third. What's with the getup?"
"This whole thing is official business, Second. You should know that better than most."
"So, where's First and Fourth?"
"They got to stay home. Someone has to guard it in case of an Angel attack."
"So, who are these stooges?"
Shinji rolled his eyes and said, "Well, since they've got the day off of training, I brought the Fifth and Sixth with me today. Touji Suzuhara, Kensuke Aida, this is NERV Captain Asuka Langley Sohryu, the Second Child, and the designated pilot of Evangelion Unit Two."
"Charmed, huh?" she replied, "Mmm, not much to look at, the three of you."
"We're fourteen. Of course we're not manly men yet," Shinji replied dryly.
"That's true."
"Then again, you're only thirteen, so you're not as beautiful as Misato," he added.
"WHAT!" she shrieked and whacked him on top of his head.
Shinji raised his arms to protect his head, "Ow! See what I mean about temper?"
She aimed a kick at him, and he blocked it, while stepping back.
"Okay, Third. Don't think you can get off without the lumps you're due here."
"Can it wait until we get to Tokyo Three?" he asked, his body set in a defensive posture.
"Yes it can," she replied, "Stooge."
She lowered her hands, as did he.
##
Shinji stood, at ease, behind Misato and to her right. His English was okay, but not great, as he could catch maybe three quarters of what was being said as the Admirals started in on Misato. "Hmm, NERV. And from your antics on the flight deck I was sure you were the leader of this Boy Scout troop. Obviously I was mistaken."
"Thank you for all your gracious hospitality, Admiral."
"Oh no, thank you for the opportunity to babysit so many more children."
"And thank you for your assistance in the marine transport of Eva Unit Two." She withdrew some paper from a folder and held it out, "Here are the specifications for the emergency power supply."
"Humph. You've wasted a trip. I'd never approve any request to activate that toy while at sea in the first place."
"Think of it as being prepared for an emergency. The EVAs are quite valuable, Sir."
"So valuable that the entire remainder of the Pacific Fleet has to be pulled for guard duty? Exactly when did the UN recommission us into a bloody cargo service?"
The fleet captain replied, "If I remember correctly, it was shortly after a certain organization was established."
"Guarding a toy. What a ridiculously grandiose assignment for the entire Pacific Fleet."
Shinji rolled his eyes and despite his best effort not to, let a small sigh out.
"Is there something wrong, young man?" the Admiral snarled, glaring at Shinji.
Shinji shrugged and deadpanned as he switched to English. "I am sorry, Sir. You are just... dismissing the most powerful fighting machine on the planet. I suppose from your... view you think it is a toy with children for pilots."
"So, why not use adults to pilot them?" the Admiral asked.
While Shinji decided on a series of half-truths, the problem was translating it. He leveled a flat gaze at the older man and replied, "Sir, adults don't work in Evangelions. The pilot drives it by..."
His mouth worked, and he asked what the next word was in Japanese.
"Synchronizing," Misato said.
"Synchronizing their brain to the EVA. We children have flexible brains. We come back alive, but also..."
He asked again what something was, and this time Asuka said, "Sane."
"Thank you. Sane. Adults can not. Shogoki, my EVA, killed my mother, when I was four when she try to pilot it. She was first pilot. Now I'm the pilot."
Touji and Kensuke took a step back. Asuka looked away and down. The Admiral's face betrayed his shock, and Shinji continued, "Sir, do you believe we'd risk it, if it was not the only way? Angel destroyed most of Pacific Fleet. How much is Fleet cost compared to Evangelion?"
"I wouldn't know," the Admiral admitted.
Shinji smiled, "I don't know either, Sir. I just have to pilot EVA. Please respect EVA, even if you not respect pilots."
Misato addressed them in Japanese, "All right, kids, clear the bridge."
"Yes, Ma'am," Shinji said in Japanese with a crisp nod, then turned toward the door. The other three children followed him.
She then switched back to English and addressed the Admiral. "I apologize for his words, Admiral."
Before he could respond, a voice cut in from the side, "So, here's where you are." The four children stopped as a scruffy man with ponytail poked his head into the bridge.
The Admiral gritted his teeth and snapped, "Mister Kaji, I won't ask you again. Do not come on to my Bridge without permission."
"What the hell are you doing here?" Misato snarled at him.
"I'm Pilot Sohryu's Escort and Bodyguard. So, I'm on special assignment. Maybe we can catch up for a bit since you have her with you?"
The Admiral turned and looked out over the ships and the Evangelion, "Yes, please. Get your power cord installed, Major. Dismissed. And take him with you."
As they left the bridge, the Admiral turned to the Captain, a small smile on his face, "Kid has balls to stand up to me like that. English could use some work."
The Fleet Captain just smiled.
##
It felt something. Something it had dreamed was lost. It was only the faintest shadow of the song, but it was there. As it slowly neared, Gaghiel, the Roaring Beast of God, awoke, and left it's hiding place. Complementation was within it's grasp.
##
Misato stormed away from the Bridge as Kaji attempted to make small talk, while Asuka and Shinji were arguing a point of Evangelion piloting, while both Touji and Kensuke listened in, the former paying attention to the Kaji-Katsuragi encounter, and the latter enthralled by the Sohryu-Ikari argument.
"No, Asuka, I'm telling you, when you're synched higher than eighty, it doesn't feel like you're getting simple feedback, it feels like you are the EVA."
"Oh, go take a long walk off the Flight Deck," Misato spit.
"Can't we talk like reasonable adults, Misa-chan?"
"And I'm telling you it's not like that. I doesn't feel like I'm the EVA, it feels like just driving it." Asuka countered.
"Reasonable went out the door years ago Kaji," Misato snarled.
"Just wait until you actually see combat, and not tightly controlled Simulations. When you hit Eighty or higher you'll agree." Shinji replied.
Asuka harumphed, "I still think you're full of it, spouting that crap at the Admiral. Even if it got him to shut up."
"There's no need to be hostile, Misa-chan. I'm not trying to get back in your bed. I just want to become friends. That's something we didn't do last time."
Shinji sighed before replying, "I'm not full of it! Mom was absorbed by the Core in that Contact experiment. What's worse is that core is still in Unit One. I can sometimes feel her trying to reach out and communicate when I'm in high synch."
"Is that why your synch scores constantly suck in the last year or so?"
"Oh is that so?" Misato snapped back.
"That's because I relock the depth at point four after they set the initial depth. I stopped locking it deeper when I found out Mom was in there." Shinji said.
Neither Asuka nor Shinji noticed that Kaji and Misato had stopped arguing and were staring at them.
How do you know that?" Asuka replied, her eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms.
"You remember I peaked at Eighty-Seven point Three. She told me she was there. I got scared and synch crashed. Ever since I've locked it too low for communication. It just feels weird that I'm piloting the monster my mother's soul inhabits."
"Almost makes our problems seem pathetic in comparison," Kaji said softly to Misato.
"I need to oversee the cable installation. Why don't you make the arrangements to get them over to Unit Two for a pilot's inspection." Misato said before she stormed away.
"Don't worry, Mister Kaji. I'll escort them to my Unit Two. You go chase after Misato."
"Tempting. But I have something I need to check on myself. By your leave, Pilots. I'll radio ahead to make sure that you can get over without being hassled."
##
"So, what do you think?" Asuka said as she perched atop the back of her Evangelion.
"Matches your personality," Touji mumbled as Kensuke cried, "Awesome!"
"Not like I haven't seen it before," Shinji said.
Asuka was about to retort when General Quarters sounded.
"What should we do?" Kensuke asked, "That's a battlestations alert."
"We stay with the EVA. If we need to, we get inside. You brought your A-10 clips, and are wearing your plugsuits like I asked, right?" Shinji asked.
"Yep." Kensuke said as Touji replied, "Yeah."
"Set them to filter mode. Otherwise, your brainwaves will interfere with Asuka's piloting if have no choice but to ride along with her."
"I'm getting this out now, Third. We may need to change in a hurry."
"Get changed now, Second. I'm not taking a risk, and neither should you." He took off his gloves and started to shrug off his Uniform jacket.
She grinned. "So you brought your plugsuit?"
"We all three did. I asked myself this morning, 'When would the most inconvenient time be for an Angel attack?' Now you know why," he replied.
"Well, I heard what you said about setting their connectors to Filter so they won't interfere. Thing is I've always wanted to try dual piloting an EVA."
"Your mother did come up with the system links for that possibility," he replied.
"Okay. Turn around and don't look. If I catch any of you peeking you're dead."
Shinji turned away as he smirked and finished stripping off his uniform. The other two started to do the same.
Asuka turned to watch the three boys and make sure they didn't peek as she stripped. Her gaze was immediately drawn to Shinji as his pants hit the deck, revealing his plugsuited-almost-bare-ass. A tingle of excitement ran through her, which she ruthlessly squelched. 'Whoa, calm down Asuka. You know he doesn't see you like that...'
Her panties hit the floor and she started to pull her plugsuit up her legs, getting it over her hips before she took her sundress off and then her bra. She then pulled it up and got her arms into the sleeves, and shrugged it up over her bare chest and shoulders before pressing the button on the right wrist, causing the material to contract and conform to her body.
She stretched a little to adjust it, then called, "You can look now," as she gathered her clothes and stuffed them into the watertight duffel.
"Do you have space in that duffel for all of our uniforms?" Shinji asked, "If not, it's not problem, I just hate having to wash LCL out of clothes."
##
Aerial spotters saw it moving in well before it made contact with the Fleet. As a result, General Quarters was sounded. It was a massive object, nearly two kilometers in length and almost three hundred meters wide, and moving at the impossible rate of one hundred ten knots.
All ships scattered, creating a flotilla barrier between it, the carrier and the barge.
Seeing the size and speed of the incoming target, the Admiral granted permission to link the NERV-1 MAGI into their systems for analysis.
The pattern came back Blue, mere seconds before it made contact with the fleet. It rose out of the water, it's three-way jaws open, and it closed on a Iowa class Battleship. It dwarfed the doomed ship, which only barely managed to get a broadside off before the Angel's jaws closed down on it and dove, dragging the Wisconsin under the waves.
Then it exploded underwater as the ship finally gave under the crushing power of the Angel's jaws.
##
Kaji glanced out of the porthole in his quarters and as he pulled out his cell phone and grabbed a pair of binoculars.
"We seem to have run into a problem."
"Yes, I'm aware. Whatever you do, do not let the package fall into the Angel's possession."
"The fight's not going well."
"Not a worry. You have a total of four pilots capable of Synchronizing with the EVA. If all else fails you can simply leave."
"I might just do that anyway."
He tracked the Angel for a few seconds longer as he hung up the cell phone, then started changing into a flight suit.
##
As they felt an undersea shock-wave, they raced to the barge's main deck and looked out as they saw a massive and insanely fast something ram into a Destroyer, splitting into two.
"What is that?" Touji asked as another explosion shook the barge
"It must be an Angel," Asuka said, "Wundervoll."
She dashed back for the tarp and the Evangelion underneath, and the boys followed her. They ducked under and saw that she was already scrambling up the Evangelion. She ejected the plug, and opened the hatch.
"Come on, get up here and get in!" Shinji obeyed, climbing up the behemoth with practiced ease.
She glared at Touji and Kensuke as they made their way up more slowly, "Okay, this is how it works. You two will stay toward the top of the plug. Use the sides of the Drive console for an anchor. You," she said to Shinji, "Will be sitting in the secondary piloting position. I don't want to feel your dick pressing into my back, do you hear?"
"Yes dear," he deadpanned.
Despite her real feelings about him and the whole issue, she narrowed her eyes and snarled, "I'll kill you after this is done. Get in!"
##
A flight deck elevator activated and the bridge received a takeoff request.
Misato glanced out at the modified Yak-38 and saw a familiar unshaven face in the co-pilot's seat.
She grabbed a microphone and snapped, "What are you doing?"
"I was given two missions here, Katsuragi. I'm going to have to leave the easy one, bodyguard duty, to you. I have a delivery that needs to be made, and the Angel must not get anywhere near it. Sorry. I'll make it up to you later."
"Admiral, please, deny takeoff permission."
"He's already been cleared," the Admiral replied as the VTOL leaped into the air and streaked off .
##
Five more ships had gone down, whether from being rammed and torn apart, or simply dragged under the waves. All ships were ordered to evasive maneuvers and Flank Speed, and the barge and carrier brought to Emergency Speed.
Broadsides missed as most guns couldn't track it fast enough, Missiles had no effect, nor did synchronized torpedo launch bracketing.
A few minutes later, all ships were ordered to Emergency Speed.
Then a power reading and the Angel turned hard. Unit Two stood up, the tarpaulin covering it like a shroud. The Eva shrugged, letting it slide back and fall on the deck.
The Angel aimed itself at the barge, slammed into a deployed AT field, and slipped underneath it with no damage to the ship. Then, the Evangelion leaped.
##
"Einstellen Stecker Tiefe gegen den Punkt sechs. Einsatzkapsel LCL füllen eingeleitet. Beginnend Start-Sequenz: A-10-Anschluss Nerv, bestätigt, Herz-Monitor, bestätigt. Synchrostart jetzt!"
The screens all lit up 'Fehler' as the plug started to fill with LCL, and she snapped back at them, "If you must think, think in German!"
"First, there's going to be residual noise from them, and they don't know German. My German isn't that great either. So, you, Ms. Fluent in Five Languages, need to think in Japanese or English, and let us know which."
"Fine, Japanese! Dummköpfe," she snapped, then turned away from them and said, "Set primary interface language to Japanese. A-10 connections achieved. Setting plug depth at point six..."
"Hold up, Asuka, with all of us in here you may want to set the plug depth as low as you can. Our synch scores are going to suck as it is."
"All right, Third. Setting plug depth at point nine, releasing locks."
Pilot synch ratios appeared on a floating holographic tag and Shinji quirked an eyebrow at his sixty-three percent ratio and at Asuka's eighty-two.
"Okay, maybe dual synch drives the figures higher? You're a full twenty over normal," he said.
"You're the one who told me to lock the plug deeper. Reset plug depth to point seven."
Touji rolled his eyes and deadpanned as the plug ratcheted back two clicks, "You two sound like my grandparents the way you argue."
Shinji looked at the synch score drops, both of around fifteen percent, and called the new ratios out. Asuka ignored Touji, internally promising herself to make his life miserable later, and said, "Evangelion Unit Two, Synchrostart."
The red Evangelion powered up, and she got it to a stand as the battery indicator counted off fifteen minutes.
Shinji frowned and muttered, "Pulling up readings on the Angel. Magi Confirmation, Gaghiel. But we're not supposed to face the Roaring Beast of God yet. This throws a crimp into SEELE's plans."
"What are you muttering about," she snapped.
"Trying to plan, sorry. We're C-type fitted right? Then let's meet the bastard underwater and keep it away from the ships."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Nope, just suicide. I don't have a plan yet. No advance warning, so we're just winging it."
"Those are usually your best plans, Third."
He smiled, "All right. Do you have your swords?"
"Stabby and Slashy? Yes. They're stowed in the pylons."
"Once we're in the water, draw 'em. You focus on movement and combat, and I'll manage targeting, sensors and AT field."
"We've never tried this in simulation, before."
"I have, with Rei. Not for real, just simulation."
"Let's make history, then," she said. He plotted the trajectory of the Angel, and overlaid it on her displays.
"Deploying AT field around the Barge." Shinji said, "Gotta protect our ride."
Gaghiel rammed into the field and slipped under the ship, then Asuka leaped for the carrier. The Angel made a huge sweeping turn.
"All hands, Brace for impact," the Carrier's captain called as the Evangelion jumped.
The weight of the Evangelion probably would have snapped the ship in half had Shinji not used the retro-rockets to soften the landing through a series of modulated firings.
As it was, the ship listed severely and the flight deck buckled under the weight. Tethers snapped and sent half a dozen fightercraft of various types into the ocean. Asuka reached out to the power cord with one hand while shifting the Eva's weight to re-balance the ship.
"This is Unit Two, I've connected power. I'm going to dive off and engage the Angel underwater."
Gaghiel aimed it's mass at the carrier, and Asuka dove off the deck, right at him as Shinji deployed the AT field again. Angel and Evangelion AT fields collided underwater, and a rogue wave formed, sweeping the destroyers and barge away from their battle formation while the carrier and remaining battleship listed.
She drew the swords from the pylons while Shinji held the AT field at full power. He called, "Powering up turboscrews."
"Okay, we're in the water, the swords are out, power's connected. Where's the core?" Asuka asked.
"Asuka, Shinji, are you there?" as the water-turbine propellers built into bulges on the Evangelion's torso spun up.
"Yes, Misato, we are. We've reconfigured for Dual piloting."
"The other two stooges are riding shotgun behind us. We couldn't leave them behind on the barge, as much as I'd want to," Asuka added.
"We don't see the core anywhere," Shinji said, "Any ideas?"
"Probably inside it somewhere." Misato called.
"Wonderful," he retorted.
"Well, Third, lets get eaten and then cut our way through it until we find the core."
"Not yet. Let's inflict some damage and lead it away from the fleet first."
"Good thinking. If it explodes like most of them do we'd lose the rest of the ships from where you are." Misato called.
Asuka dodged to her right, as the props activated and she raced forward. Shinji dropped the AT field as he designated target locations on the left flank of Gaghiel. Unit-02 streaked forward, spinning as she swung the two swords.
Gaghiel banked right, away from the Evangelion, but floundered as Asuka's swords connected and she left two long bloody gashes along it's whole left side.
The swords dug in and cut through Angelic flesh, and exited through it's tail, leaving part of it hanging on by only the merest filaments of muscle. It continued it's bank, and accelerated away as Unit-02 swept left, intent on following the Angel and engaging it away from the fleet.
She saw through enhanced imaging as the Angel repaired the damage she had dealt, and it's tail regrew it's connection to the body.
"Scheiße!" she called, "It's regenerating!"
"Then we have to deal more damage. Shall we do the Jonah special?"
"If we can get it to charge us face on, yeah."
"Okay, let's push the Turboscrews to the limit."
"We might run out of cable doing that."
"We have battery packs, remember?"
"So we do. Set it to eject once we only have a hundred meters left on it."
The Angel banked and charged toward them. Shinji red-lined the props, and Unit-02 surged forward. Gaghiel's maw opened and they saw the core.
"It's in the mouth!" Asuka called.
Both combatants closed, but Gaghiel closed it's mouth and dove at the last second, evading Asuka's sword swipe by meters.
"He's too fast," Shinji said, "We're not fast enough to land a hit now."
"Is there any way to move faster?"
"Eject either the umbilical or the power packs. We'd move fastest without both."
"How long's the cable?"
"Four thousand meters of cable."
Asuka gritted her teeth, and said, "Not very long either way. We'll keep the batteries. Major, we're ejecting the cable. We'll pursue for three minutes, then turn back to reconnect. The pylon batteries should leave us enough to perform any action on our way back."
"Very well kids. This operation's in your hands."
"Cable jettisoned. Wind it back, fast. Ready Third?"
"Overdriving props. I can probably run One-Ten before we have too much heat buildup and power loss issues. Might give us the edge we need in speed."
"Wundervoll."
"It's accelerating away. It looks like it's trying to draw us off."
"For quote on quote mindless beasts, the Angels seem capable of tactical thinking," Asuka said as Gaghiel shrank from their view.
"Then let's spring it's trap, but in reverse. Let's swim out for another minute, then play dead and let it try to eat us."
"We get eaten, destroy the Core, killing the Angel, and then cut our way out and head back to the fleet before power runs out. Daring. I like it. Good plan. Thanks, Third."
"Knew you'd like it, Second."
A feral grin appeared on her face. If Touji and Kensuke had been able to see it, they would have probably wet themselves.
"I'm going to put the swords away. They'll cause too much drag."
Unit-02 streaked out as Asuka sheathed the swords within the Pylons, and just at the twelve minute mark, Shinji shut down all but the sensors, computer and life support. The Eva's propulsion went offline and the EVA tumbled forward, somersaulting under the water.
His finger hovered over the reactivation button and they watched as Gaghiel stopped swimming away, and then began to circle the EVA like a shark as it drifted to a halt.
"C'mon, you bastard," Shinji said softly. Touji gritted his teeth.
"I don't think he's going for it," Asuka said as Gaghiel made his third circle around them.
"Just wait. We reactivate too soon we won't be able to do this again."
The Angel started to swim away, and Asuka said, "He's moving away!"
"Wouldn't you? We're the only threat to it. If you were him, wouldn't you test us several times to make sure we're dead in the water before moving in for a killing blow?"
"True. I'm just worried about if he goes back to the fleet."
"He's not moving in that direction."
Asuka's mouth opened, then closed. She thought for a second and then nodded, "True."
"Just be patient. He'll come to us."
Gaghiel charged, and Asuka started to panic as Shinji didn't power up. Kensuke let out a whimper and Touji just grit his teeth harder.
"Hold on, it's a feint!" Shinji said.
True to Shinji's word, Gaghiel broke off at the last moment.
"How did you know?"
He blinked, "It was clocking over two hundred Kilometers per hour when we were chasing it. It's moving about fifty there."
"I'm not sure about next time."
"Me either. Powering up the Turboscrews and engaging the clutch, but keeping main power off."
"All right. Trusting your judgment."
"I only hope I'm right."
This time, Gaghiel accelerated much faster, closing on them. Shinji reactivated the EVA and de-clutched the props, driving toward the Angel as it's mouth opened. Before it could peel off, Unit Two entered it's mouth, but was stopped halfway as the jaws closed, and it's teeth punched straight through the EVA.
Both pilots bit back a cry of pain. Alarms went off and Shinji silenced them as Asuka drew the swords. She stabbed one into the Core, cracking it, then stabbed it again with the other, splitting fragments from it. She pulled the first sword out, then stabbed it again, splitting the core into jagged thirds.
Gaghiel shuddered and wailed as the core flashed white...
The explosion slammed into them, battering, burning and blinding the two pilots as it burned off some of the EVA's head and pylon armor, but Gaghiel's body contained the explosion even as it slowly drifted to the sea floor.
Asuka and Shinji had no choice, and with one eye on the timer, they used the ruined remains of the swords to hack their way out of the corpse. They managed to cut themselves free with five minutes time remaining, and Asuka immediately began swimming Unit-02 back to the Fleet.
##
"What are you doing?" Misato called as they approached the fleet and then stopped and sank to the ocean floor.
"Getting back onto the barge," Asuka said.
The EVA crouched, and Shinji spun the props to full just before she jumped. The massive red behemoth broke out of the water, and arced into the air. Mindful of the fuel left, Shinji began pulsing the retros to allow the Evangelion to land on the barge, hopefully with no damage.
Asuka gently guided Unit-02 back to the LCL pool built into the barge deck, and only half a dozen feet above the deck, the fuel ran out of the retros.
The barge shook as the EVA landed, and Asuka dropped her Evangelion to a kneel, and carefully made it lay down, trying to keep the barge balanced.
She shut down with only a few seconds of power left to spare, then drained the plug and began the ejection sequence.
##
The four pilots had made their way back to the barge deck, after clearing their lungs of LCL, and saw a trio of small craft making their way through the water toward the barge.
Dread filled Shinji as he saw both the Admiral and Misato on board one of them.
"Okay, well guys, stand at attention, and lets get this over with."
The four pilots lined up as the Admiral, Fleet captain and Misato climbed up the gangplank and onto the deck. They stopped in front of the adolescents.
After a pause, the Admiral asked, "So, who is responsible for what happened."
"I am, Sir." Shinji said before Asuka could open her mouth.
"But you aren't the pilot of that unit, are you?"
"Asuka and I were both synchronized with the Evangelion. She and I have been in the program longer than the other two, and I am older than she is. So I will take full responsibility for all damages and trouble we caused to the Fleet."
"Look Shinji, I was driving it..."
"And I was managing targeting, AT field, tactical displays and the secondary propulsion systems."
"Damages, boy? That flight deck is due to be replaced in a couple years anyway. You saved my fleet, both of you. Thanks to your quick action, only seven ships were lost. If I could I'd give you both a medal."
He saluted the children, then turned back to the gangplank.
A flabbergasted Shinji and Asuka had to be guided onto a boat for the ride back to the carrier.
##
"So, I heard you had an adventure," Ritsuko said as Misato flopped into the passenger seat of a NERV Van. The sliding door opened and the four pilots climbed in, having redressed in their clothes and left their plugsuits in a bag to be taken to headquarters and cleaned.
"Quick thinking, and two skilled pilots made it look easy. Shinji's turning into a regular tactical genius. Before too long I'll be taking lessons from him."
The boy in question blushed as Ritsuko replied, "So, Dual Synched?"
"Yeah. And they had two passengers as well. We got a lot of data for you to look at now."
"Well, this is important data. Yeah, I'll be up all night. This is the first time we've gotten solid Dual Synch information on the SAVI Core. Good job you two. I'll let your mother know as well. She'll want to look it over as well, and hear your report as well."
"Thanks,"Asuka muttered. Shinji thought she looked less than pleased at the mention of her mother, but decided against asking right away.
##
"Well, that was an exciting trip." Kaji said in the darkened office within NERV Headquarters.
"Indeed." Gendo said, his hands crossed in front of his face as he looked on.
"So, you want to see it? It's in stasis, but it has started to regenerate itself." Kaji opened the case, and Gendo straightened and allowed a feral smile to appear on his face.
"Adam. The First Angel."
"If that's all then, I'll take my leave." Kaji said.
"There is one more thing, Agent." Gendo said as he closed the case.
"Oh?"
Gendo pushed up his sunglasses and locked eyes with Kaji."It is a matter that has concerned me. I want to know what your price is."
"My price?"
"Every man has his price. Even I. I know you work for SEELE and the JSSDF in addition to NERV. The JSSDF holds no real interest to me at the moment. To tell the truth, serving them is the same to me as serving me for now. What would turn you against SEELE? That is what concerns me."
Kaji debated for a moment, then decided. Gendo was up to something, but the man had a reputation for being fair. "The truth. What is SEELE after? What are you after?"
Gendo leaned back in his chair.
"You'd be taking a risk learning the truth."
"No more risk than you're taking telling me the truth."
"Very well. I'll let the records speak. You can glean the truth for yourself from them and decide who you want to serve."
Gendo snapped his fingers and grabbed air above his desk. He formed a cubical dataspace over his desk, then opened and laid out all the files related to Second Impact, Angels, SEELE, and Instrumentality within the dataspace, tabbed and overlaid.
"This will be the only time I show you these files. Make yourself comfortable. We'll be here for a while," he said.
"I'll get the coffee," Fuyustuki said as he sauntered toward the office entrance.
##
"I'm afraid to finish reading at this point," Kaji admitted as he held his head in his hands, "This is simply to horrifying. And I've been helping these bastards?"
"I know. You see a glimpse of their plans now. Now I shall tell you mine. Who you work for in truth is completely dependent on you. Regardless of your choice, you do have a place here, for now."
"So, what is your plan?"
"In short, stopping Third Impact forever. Destroying SEELE, or barring that, allowing one not corrupted by the lust for immortality to take over SEELE, seeing as she is immortal already."
"Who would this Immortal be?"
"That would be me. Do you think it is wise to tell him, Daddy?" Rei said as she walked into the office.
"He knows SEELE's true plans now. Why not? The most he can do is betray me and betray mankind. The Scenario is too far advanced for SEELE to truly recover."
She glanced at Fuyutsuki, "Father. How are you?"
"Well enough for an old man. Let's go and talk. Ikari and Special Agent Kaji need to finish coming to a decision."
Fuyutsuki led Rei out, leaving Gendo alone with Kaji.
Once they were alone, Gendo smiled, "Now, I shall tell you everything that I plan."
##
Okay, I admit, I Google translated all of Asuka's German. I could have used some of Tiffany Grant's lines, but I figured it would be a bit more fun this way. If I botched it up, lemme know what the actual translations are.
The lines used: Setting Plug depth to Point Six. Entry Plug LCL fill initiated. Beginning start sequence: A-10 nerve connection, confirmed; heart monitor, confirmed. Synchrostart now!
Part of Shinji's talkback to the good Admiral was really inspired by 'Once Again, with Feeling', by Crazy-88. It's pretty decent, and it's a shame he hasn't written anything further in the series, seeing as it's been inactive for four years.
I like having the next chapter at least sketched in rough when I release a chapter. Between this fact, a couple of original stories I'm working on under another writer's name, a healthy reading habit (what is it about us loving to read as much as write?), a couple of games I like to play to relax after work and having a day job that eats up 40+ hours per week, all I can say is a chapter will be released when it's released.
My Crit group doesn't touch fanfic, and really, I don't blame them with how bad most of it is. So any errors and stuff are whatever I can pick out. I already know I have issues with describing things. That's their biggest gripe with me when I give them a scene.