Pressure, Part 4
Note, the parenthesis indicate languages other than Japanese, in this case, English and German.
Please Read and Review. I'd like to know what I'm doing right (to keep doing it), and what I'm I doing wrong (to correct it).
Inside Mt. Asama
"Ugh... This is too hot!" Asuka mumbled, as the red Evangelion descended slowly into the volcano.
Shinji couldn't stop a smirk. "Now, that's amazing, Huntress."
"Shut up, Bird Brain. I didn't expect it would be this hot. With all the extra layers on my EVA, I thought it would be somewhat cooler."
Akagi took the microphone, and added. "It's as cool as we could make it. Be glad you are not getting heatstroke."
"I am, Dr. Akagi, but this baka is a smart-ass."
"Be quiet all of you. Cut the chatter." Misato cut them off. "Leave the flirting for later."
"Hey! I am NOT flirting!" The two pilots answered, in perfect synch. Both facepalmed. Misato smiled at seeing this. 'All goes according to the plan! These two will end up together or my name isn't Misato Katsuragi!' she thought.
Inside Mt. Asama
Spiritual Plane
Unnoticed, floating near Asuka's seat, a red-clad, dead acrobat watched and waited. "Take it easy, girl. No sudden movements. I am in no hurry to get company, you know." He said, despite knowing no mortal could hear him. His nerves were acting up. And talking like a chatterbox usually helped him to calm down. Still, he grabbed the back of Asuka's seat as if his life depended on it. Of course, to mortal eyes, there was no trace of that.
'Man, I'm glad I can't sweat anymore.' he mused, 'my mask and make up would be ruined by now…'
Mt. Asama
NERV Temporal HQ
"Huntress, report."
Asuka sighed a lungful of LCL. The heat was really getting to her, she didn't need to wipe her forehead, as the sweat was immediately absorbed by the breathable liquid; but the inside of her plugsuit was a very different matter. Unlike what its aspect would make it seem like, it wasn't actually filled with air, but with an insulating two-components foam. It was a single use plugsuit, as it would have to be cut off of her body; there was no way to separate the foam back into its original components.
"Current depth: 170. Speed of descent: 20. Visibility is Zero. No problems detected. However, I can't see anything. Switching to CT monitor."
The cockpit switched to a red lighting. It made it look like she was covered in blood. "Even with this, my visibility is still limited, maximum range 120."
Long minutes passed. Everybody in the Mobile HQ was tense, like a compressed coil, just waiting for the moment something would go wrong to spring out like a jack-in-the-box. Misato was almost ready to start chewing a nail. Maya's calm voice reported, "Depth 400."
"450."
"500."
"600."
"650."
From his perch at the edge of the crater, Shinji watched the umbilical array descending. Every 50 meters, a set of black and yellow stripes marked the length of cable deployed. Idly, Shinji counted them as they passed by.
He was even more tense than everybody else. From the core he felt tense expectation. Not even Yui Ikari, in the depths of the purple Evangelion's core was immune to the stress.
Maya kept counting, when she reached 1020, she announced "We're over the maximum safe depth."
Shinji put a hand in contact with the side of the crane. Barely touching it. He hoped there would be no need for him to try another desperate trick with the AT Field. He was not really sure if he could project a shield to the other end of the line, but he was ready to try.
"Depth is 1300. Unit-02 has reached estimated target level."
"Huntress? Can you see it?"
"Nope. No reactions detected. The ugly thing is not here." She toggled a couple of switches, trying to get a clearer image. It was useless.
It seemed the lava currents had moved the chrysalid.
Despite Lt. Huyga's objections, Captain Katsuragi ordered the EVA to descend a little more, hoping to find the Angel.
At a depth of 1400 m, the second coolant pipe cracked, with a sound like glass crushed.
At 1480, they had exceeded the maximum allowed depth... The D-Type armor groaned alarmingly.
Misato ordered them to go deeper. Asuka agreed eagerly. "I just want to finish this and take a cold shower."
Misato smiled tensely. "There's a nice hot springs resort near. How about we hit it once we finish here?"
"Sounds good, Control. As long as they have a cold shower I can claim, I'm in."
Inside Mt. Asama
At 1600 m, the armor contracted a bit, loosening the external holster that contained the Progressive Knife to the left leg of the EVA. The whole thing fell down, sinking into the magma, where it would eventually melt down into slag.
Inside Mt. Asama
Spiritual Plane
"Oh, c'mon, Cap!" Deadman facepalmed, "This is way too deep to go diving in magma! If you wanna risk your life, go ahead, but the girl shouldn't even be down here! I'm dead already, and I'm shaking in my boots!"
Asuka herself insisted on continuing the mission. "I can go on, Control. The target must be around here."
"Oh, gods… another one! I'm surrounded by stubborn ladies!" the ghost groaned and rubbed his face. After a moment, he centered himself and continued his watch.
Mt. Asama
NERV Temporal HQ
Makoto objections had been overruled by both Captain Katsuragi and Asuka herself. Neither would relent on their mission. One for revenge, the other for glory. Both just as stubborn as the other.
At the edge of the crater, Shinji willed the shoulder fin to open, he took Unit-01's own Progressive Knife in hand, ready to throw it should Asuka need it. He hoped Asuka wouldn't need it, but at least the movement distracted him a bit from the empty feeling in his stomach.
At a depth of 1780m, the EVA reached the end of the line. Literally, there was no more umbilical array left. It stopped with a start, hanging, swaying slowly in the lava current. For a moment, Asuka felt like a worm in a hook. She shook her head and looked around.
"Finally! There it is!" Asuka reported. "Move me 200 m north."
Misato authorized the move. With a start, Unit-02 closed on to the target. Asuka raised the magno-cage. The frame extended to encompass the chrysalid.
"Huntress, due to the lava currents, you'll have only one chance." Akagi's voice was tense.
"Roger, control, go slow now, keep current heading. I'm almost… almost… there…"
A bit of maneuvering later, Asuka positioned the magno-cage around the chrisalid. The magnetic planes that formed the walls of the cage shimmered into view, forming a prison around the cocoon.
Mt. Asama.
Spiritual Plane
Near EVA-01 right foot, the Phantom Stranger concentrated his will on the time delay he had put on the Angel.
Down in the EVA-02 plug, Deadman grabbed Asuka's seat. "That's it, kid. Easy and slow. Easy and slow. You're doing great."
Mt. Asama.
Edge of the Crater
Shinji saw the Phantom Stranger at the EVA's feet. He sighed slowly in relief, but didn't put the Prog-Knife back on its place, and kept his hand on the crane, barely touching it.
"Electromagnetic cage spread. No problems detected."
"The target has been captured."
A sigh of relief spread amongst the support crew.
"Huntress here. Get me back." A cracking noise cut her voice. "Hurry up, will you?"
"You heard her, guys. Get Huntress back." Misato ordered the crane operators. The cyclopean machine groaned, pulling the weight of both EVA and chrysalid, slowly. Ever so slowly. A single mistake could mean a catastrophe.
Inside Mt. Asama
The clear window at the front of the diving helmet cracked with a horrible noise. Somehow, Asuka kept her cool. "Not to hurry you up, guys; but there's a crack on my helmet."
Mt. Asama
Edge of the Crater
"Permission for an AT-Field reinforcement." Shinji's voice cut the silence.
"Denied, Robin; it's too dangerous. Keep ready, though. The pressure is getting lower."
"Roger, Control. Huntress? Please let me know if you want a shield down there."
"Keep alert, Robin. I'm going up."
"Are you okay?"
"Who do you think you're talking to?" She answered with a hint of petulance in her voice. "The only thing to fear is fear itself." She quoted.
"Right."
"The only thing I don't like is this damned sauna suit! I'm swimming in sweat here. I bet I'm gonna lose like 15 kilos."
Laughter spread through the crew. It was a welcome respite from the stress they had been subjected to. "Good work, Huntress. There's a cold shower with your name on it waiting for you. Once we deliver this thing at Matsuhiro, you'll get to it."
Tense minutes passed, until the white dome of the D-Type armor broke the surface of the lava. EVA and Angel chrysalid hung from the crane.
Expert operators managed the unwieldly mass down. Giant hoses cooled the EVA. Long plumes of steam rose to the sky, while the armor cooled down. It was a testament to NERV's ingenuity that the ceramite armor simply cooled, instead of cracking due to thermal expansion.
Unit-01 extended a second magno-cage, reinforcing the first. Between the two EVAs, they managed to set the monstrous cocoon on a titanic crawler, wrapping it in heavy duty chains, even thicker than the ones used in the biggest shipt to cross the oceans. Soon, the convoy was ready to move to the secondary NERV Base at Matsuhiro. The crawler manouvered back, out of the crater.
Mt. Asama.
Spiritual Plane
Deadman phased through EVA-02 armor, and sat on one of the anchors for the cable supports. "(So, they did it.)"
Sweat glistened on the Stranger's face. "(Yes... Now I have to mantain the Angel in time delay until the right moment comes.)"
Worried, the ghost floated near the Stranger. "(You okay?)"
"(Yes. The Angel is struggling to get free. Keeping it from hatching is taking a lot out of me.)" The mysterious man waved a hand. "(I can keep on.)"
Deadman nodded.
In route to the Secondary NERV Base at Matsuhiro
The giant remote controlled crawler advanced slowly through the forest, uprooting old tress at its wake. Behind it, the two Evangelions walked carefully. There was not a single road that could take the weight of either crawler or EVA, so Misato had decided to take advantage of the capabilities of the heavy vehicle to take the Angel to Matsuhiro through the shortest route. If that meant making their own road, so be it. The two EVAs held their respective umbilical cables with a hand, dragging them behind. After them, the mobile generators that supplied power to the titans crawled carefully. A kilometer behind, at the end of the caravan, NERV's mobile HQ, with a vigilant Captain Katsuragi, Dr. Akagi, and the bridge bunnies. The team monitored carefully any and all emissions coming from the chrysalid and the magno-cage. Misato was impatient to drop the thing at Matsuhiro, her feet were killing her! She had spent most of the day standing at the MHQ, and right now, she kept her standing position by grabbing the inned cage of the vehicle.
The three bombers had retreated back to their airfields. Although they wouldn't admit it, the pilots were relieved to return to the base still carrying their deadly payloads.
Asuka chattered nervously to herself, she was very relieved to be out of the volcano. Once EVA-01 had helped her to get rid of the D-Type Equipment, the tech crews had replaced the LCL in the plug with a new batch, a cold batch. She was a bit uncomfortable, but it was a small price to pay for her first solo victory.
"(That's the way I like it, Robin! Precise and elegant. Truly a well done mission.)" Eva-02 shook the Progressive Glaive on its hands, as if fighting an invisible enemy.
"(It was good work, Huntress. Top level.)" Eva-01 checked the Pallet Rifle it carried.
"(Did you expect any less?)"
"(Of course not. Even if that Angel had hatched down there, I'm sure you would have beaten it into pulp.)"
Asuka smiled at the compliment. She eyed her companion in the vid-screen. He was drumming his fingers on the control yokes. "(You look nervous, Robin. Something the famous Third Child can't manage?)"
"(Er… No, just a bit twitchy, I guess. I won't feel at ease until we have finished this mission, you know?)" Shinji waited for the moment. Hoping to hear the Stranger warning him of the time the Angel would hatch. For him, the minutes seemed like hours. The constant signal of worry and impatience coming from the EVA's core didn't help him at all.
The strange caravan advanced at a good speed, until they entered a secluded valley.
Shinji noticed then the weird shadow in front of him. Instead of the well known shadow of the Evangelion, he saw a cyclopean version of the Phantom Stranger's shadow! It didn't even held the same pose as the EVA!
The shadow's "eyes" blinked once, and pointed at the center of the valley. Shinji nodded, gulping a lump at his throat.
'Soon.' He thought, sending a signal into the EVA's core. 'Be ready, Mom, it's almost time.' He tightened his grip on the Pallet Rifle.
The crawler shook violently as it arrived to the middle of the valley; from the MHQ, Misato screamed her orders, "What's going on? Robin, Huntress! Get ready to fight! This bastard is trying to escape! Generators! Go back a thousand meters and prepare to release the umbilicals! NOW! Tomoyo, stabilize that crawler!" The bridge bunnies' fingers danced on their respective keyboards, obeying Misato's orders at an almost inhuman speed.
The magnetic cage tilted dangerously to one side, until the chains broke like mere string. The cage fell from the crawler, rolled down to the valley, flattening trees and boulders into fragments while the crawler straightened itself, rocking dangerously side to side.
For a moment, it seemed that the magnetic cage would hold on, but it was a mere hope. The crysalid's surface cracked, and a rattling sound filled the air.
The cocoon almost exploded, and a bone-white beak shot from the inside like a spear, shattering the cage to pieces that shimmered for a split second before vanishing into nothing.
Author Notes
As part of his circus act, Boston Brand used a latex mask that covered his whole head and part of his chest, to give him the look of a ghost and justify his 'Deadman' stage-name. As that was what he wore when he was murdered, that was the look of his ghost. Years later, he realized he was still wearing the mask, even as a ghost! (Give the guy some slack, there was no way he could see himself in a mirror!)
Although he doesn't need the mask anymore, as there's very few entities able to see him, he usually still wears it, probably as a link to his original life.
Now that I was thinking about it… It just isn't possible for the plugsuit Asuka wears in this episode to be filled with air. If LCL's density is similar to water (or even lower…) a suit inflated with air would have to float! As that was a little detail that was bugging me, I went for a different explanation. I hope it makes sense.
I don't know if she even has a name, but there's another bridge bunny in the termporary base at Mt. Asama, apparently, she works in Aoba's station. She is seen several times, but always in the background, I don't remember her having any lines. She was also present during the EVA-00 botched activation.
A recurrent image in the covers (and sometimes, the epilogues) of the Phantom Stranger's book was his shadow; either looming over the characters, or projecting from them instead of their own shadows. Most of the time, that was the only indication the Stranger was around. And yes, the shadow had eyes. It made for a striking visual, and I wanted to use it in Evangelion.
But, unlike the characters in the covers, Shinji is very well aware of its presence!
Originally, I had planned to wrap the fight in this chapter, but as I reached both my minimum length (went over it, actually), and a really good place for a cliffhanger, well… you know.
Next chapter will definitively be the wrap up, I promise!