Collision, Part 4
Note, the parenthesis indicate languages other than Japanese, in this case, English.
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).
Somewhere in the Antarctic Ocean
Dead Water Zone
Over the Rainbow, Observation Deck.
1 Hour Before Sahaquiel Impact
On the return trip from Second Impact Ground Zero, Vice-Commander Kozo Fujutsuki and Commander Gendo Ikari spent their time watching the horizon from the highest point on the Over The Rainbow.
"Nothing living can exist in the world of death we call Antarctica. Or should I simply call it Hell?" The old professor mused, Four steps behind his once pupil, now Commander Gendo Ikari. That was the furthest he allowed himself to be from Ikari in the small glass and steel cubicle. Four more steps behind him, the door to go back down into the ship. There was no need at all to go to the deathly cold and dry Antarctic air. The cubicle had it's own heating system, separate from the rest of The ship.
Down below, Fujutsuki could see the few ships from the Pacífic Fleet that had survived Gaghiel's attack, surrounding the carrier. Their prows cut the red waters with deliberate efficiency, weaving between the tall spires of crystalized stone that rose from the waters; the ships left behind a white foam, that lasted for hours. Fujutsuki knew that from the air, those waves and foam looked like a scar on the water.
Commander Ikari looked dead ahead, his head didn't move a single millimeter left nor right. He stood near the glass, enjoying the view, his left hand in the side pocket of his dark grey jacket. When he spoke, a hint of smugness tinged his words. "Nevertheless, we, Mankind, are here. We're living things, and we're alive."
He paused, his eyes explored the horizon; and the waters, red as blood. Fujutsuki answered with a hint of reproach, "That's because we're under the protection of Science."
If Commander Ikari found Fujutsuki's pessimism annoying, he kept that to himself. He simply answered, "Science is the power of man."
After a long time in the red ocean, Vice-Commander Fujutsuki felt quite pugnacious. "That arrogance is what caused the tragedy of fifteen years ago."
Somewhere in the Antarctic Ocean
Dead Water Zone
Over the Rainbow, Observation Deck.
Spiritual Plane, Same Time
"(Agreed, old man! Your bosses did an awful job with this place.)" Deadman commented, pacing the ceiling of the observation deck, upside down. "(But worry not, we are working on stopping the Third Big One.)"
He stopped his walk to glare at the two co-conspirators. "(What I'd like to know is exactly why do you guys get into these philosophical debates at the drop of a hat.)" Deadman shook his head, "(Granted, the place just doesn't lend itself to a party, but really, guys; you have these bizantinical discussions that last hours. And I can't even fall asleep. I swear, you are the most boring villains I've even meddled with.)"
A stray thought crossed Boston Brand's mind, "(Hmm…)" he rubbed his chin in thought as he spun around, having gone back to his favorite sitting position, indian style, floating at around three feet from the ground. "(Wasn't around here, and I mean down here in the South Pole, where Superman's little Fortress of Solitude used to be? I wonder what happened to it. Big Blue wasn't the type to just leave his toys unguarded…)"
The ghostly acrobat looked around, vainly hoping to see the last Kryptonian building in the whole Universe.
Outskirts of Tokyo-3
Starting Point for Unit-01
Seven Minutes Before Sahaquiel Impact
Shinji Ikari held the control yoke with trembling hands. It would be the first time since Ramiel he would sortie against an Angel without the unseen support of the Phantom Stranger or Deadman. His lips thinned in a determined gesture. "I will not break." He barely mouthed the words of his personal mantra once more.
Behind him, the umbilical cable fed energy into EVA-01's batteries. No one at NERV knew just how much energy would it take to stop the Tenth Angel, so, the only prudent action was to keep the EVAs connected to the mobile generator until, literally, the last second. The machines had been left running by the few crewmembers who stayed behind. They were currently huddled in tyhe closest underground bunkers, hoping they wouldn´t be needed until the operation was done.
In the background, Shinji could hear some of the abstruse technobabble from Central Dogma, the three Bridge Bunnies running through their operational checklists. Maya's voice was almost musical as she revised data, Makoto sounded more professional, while Hyuga almost sounded bored, yet as professional as his two colleagues.
At Shinji's sides, two holoscreen images floated in the LCL, Asuka and Rei. He pressed the comm button. "Huntress, Wonder Girl."
Asuka shook her head. She realized then she had been biting her lip in impatience. "What's the matter, Robin? Nervous?"
"Yes. This is something we never planned for."
That simple admission surprised Asuka, she herself would have hidden her dread under her usual mask of bravado. "Well... Nothing to worry, about, Boy Wonder! Huntress and Wonder Girl will watch your back."
Shinji smiled back at her, noting the simple nod of agreement from Rei. "I know. That's about the only reason I'm not in the middle of a panic attack."
Misato's voice interrupted them. "Guys, I don't like to cut in, but telemetry says we are getting data on the Angel in any moment now. Be ready to take your positions and run as if all the demons in hell were after you."
"Copy, Captain." The three teenage pilots chorused.
Each teenager glanced at a holoscreen, showing their position in the map, and the area each of them would cover.
The projected area of impact had been evacuated a long time before. All civilians relocated to the nearby cities of temporal refuges. NERV HQ was practically deserted. Only the most indispensible personnel remained, with a few volunteers.
Tokyo-2
College Campus Grounds
Provisional Shelter Nr 34
One Hour Before Sahaquiel Impact.
"Hey, Kensuke..." In the cell phone, Toji Suzuhara's voice sounded tired and fearful. He and his family had been evacuated to Tokyo-2 with the rest of the civilian population of Tokyo-3. It had been a very long day.
"Hey, man. Everything okay?" Kensuke passed the phone from one ear to the other. "You don't sound so good."
"Just tired, I finally got Sakura to sleep. All that movement, you know. We got lucky one of dad's friends was coordinating the evacuation for the Hospital. He got Sakura and me in one of the first ambulances."
"Glad to hear that, man. I am here with my dad in a camping tent. I'm glad I am used to sleep in one."
"I hadn't thought of that, Kensuke. You finally got your money's worth on that tent, uh?"
"Yup," he smiled, Toji had often joked about Kensuke's camping trips. "And the crew here already distributed food and water, so I'm set for today and tomorrow."
"Uh... good. Urm... hey, Kensuke... could you do me a solid?"
"Sure, what do you need?"
"Uh... could... could you check if.. uh... if Hi-if everybody from school arrived safe there."
Kensuke smirked, he knew exactly about whom Toji was actually asking. "Well, Takashima and her mother are in the next tent, you should hear her complaining about everything."
"A-ha, good; who else is around?"
"Hayashibara and his sisters, they are in the next row. And I saw the Class Rep lugging Pen-Pen around."
"Cool." A few seconds of silence followed.
A young man in the coordinator's uniform waved to get Kensuke's attention, and gave him a sheet of paper. The student nodded thanks, and looked at the flyer.
"Uh, Toji, I have to go. There's gonna be a shutdown on the cell phones. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"Uh? Oh, sure, buddy. And thanks. I'll tell Sakura you said Hi. Stay safe."
Somewhere in the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean
Poseidonis-3; Royal Palace
Queen Mera's Semi-Private Chambers
Six Minutes Before Sahaquiel Impact
Queen Mera brushed her long red hair carefully. There were several gray strands running through the long mane. They had appeared back in 2000, as the surface dwellers counted time. She passed a strand between her fingers. A tear vanished in the ocean's cold water. Her eyes flickered out the window, finding two small tombstones standing proudly on a near rock. A male voice shook her out her reverie.
"Everything is ready, Your Majesty."
She looked at her friend. A sad smile on her lips. "How many times must I tell you, Garth? You have the right to call me Mera."
He bowed carefully. "Maybe, but I really don't want to get into the habit of being that familiar with you. It would send all kinds of bad messages. Anyway, we must hurry, Your Majesty." His hands trembled a bit, a reminder of that terrible day when their world had been through the maelstrom, and of everything they had lost then.
She rolled her eyes at her oldest living friend in this world. "Is Mareena ready yet?"
"Not an easy task, my Queen. But she's already up and swimming around." Both walked calmly along the hall to the throne room. A courtesy she always extended to him. His nerves had overloaded during Second Impact, as he had tried to contain the tsunami caused by the sudden vaporization of unmeasurable tons of water and ice.
He could swim, but the effort always demanded a high price for it, he would be wracked by headaches for days after any heavy effort. Hence, he now was the Queen's personal valet. He had a small army of servants at his disposal, who he coordinated efficiently.
The two old friends arrived to the small gym built in the lower level of the palace. Garth knocked on the heavy door, and paused for a moment before opening it.
They were greeted by an "Eeep!" and a wave of compressed water. Mera stepped in front of Garth, and cancelled the effect. The wave dissipated instantly.
"Oh, sorry, Mother!" A slim girl with long silver hair blushed. "I lost control for a moment!"
"No harm done, Mareena. Just be more careful next time."
"I will. Sorry, Garth." She waved shyly at her mentor.
The man with violet eyes smiled back warmly, "No need to apologize, Princess Mareena. I hope you will be ready for the ceremony."
Her eyes widened in surprise, "Oh-oh-oh! I forgot!"
Mera shook her head, still smiling. "Go to your room and get ready. We will pick you up in half an hour."
"Yes! Going out now!" Mareena kissed her mother's cheek and waved goodbye at Garth as she swam past them.
Garth sat down on a bench. "Arthur would be proud."
"He would. Very proud." Mera sat down next to him. "I wish he could have seen her grow."
"So do I."
They kept silent for a minute. Both remembering old times and old friends.
Second Impact had not been kind to the Atlanteans. The tsunami had destroyed Poseidonis completely, the dome collapsed under the pressure wave. Atlantis itself had been almost destroyed. The survivors of both cities had struggled to survive for several months, until the collective surviving population of both ateantean races found a place to settle and rebuild.
Unlike their state cities pre Second Impact, segretated by race, the people of Poseidonis-3 was a melting pot of the human-shaped atlanteans and the merpeople of the original Poseidonis.
Earth Orbit, LaGrange Point 3
Emerald Citadel; Same Time
"Where are you, where are you, little piece of rock? Tell me where you are. I'm looking for you!" Kyle Rayner sang between his teeth, while he checked the orbital projections on his screen. According to the info the Phantom Stranger had given him, the artificial asteroid created by the Spectre to keep the Spear of Destiny should be in high orbit, but Second Impact had not only changed the planetary axis, it had thrown off the orbits of all artificial satellites at the time.
Many had been been knocked from orbit, some others had fallen down to Earth. But, if they were lucky, the skull-shaped rock would have only changed orbit.
Kyle kept looking, discarding one object after another, and tagging each to erase them from his tracking screen. It would have been exhausting work for him back when he received his ring. Now? Child's play. Tracking micro-changes to the biosphere and adjusting the emerald energy shield was way more demanding. Still, it was a task that would take him a long time to end.
Ocassionally, he glanced at a second, smaller tracking screen. This one showed the trajectory of a big chunk of heavy and strange matter. Somehow, it had simply appeared inside the green barrier around the planet. Had it depended on him, he would have left the Emerald Citadel to try to stop it from colliding with Earth. But the gestalt had been very clear; this exotic threat would be stopped byu defense against this intruder fell on the hands of new heroes. The Evangelion pilots would face this alone. Still, Kyle Rayner was almost ready to drop everything, he shook his head, receiving a wordless message from the gestalt. Both Alan Scott and Hall Jordan had been very insistent on the reliability of the Phantom Stranger's words. If the mysterious stranger was sure the kids would be up to the task, then that was it. The gestalt would go on with their self-impossed mission.
The teenagers were alone in this.
Outskirts of Tokyo-3
Starting Point for Unit-01
Two Minutes Before Sahaquiel Impact
"All EVAs, start your engines." Captain Katsuragi's voice rang clearly in the comms.
Three titanic war-machines knelt dow, positioning the fingers and toes like athletes before a race. One foot firmly planted on the ground, the other's toes set against the ground. Fingers splayed out at their sides, lightly touching the concrete floor. The three EVA Units dug their toes in the ground to ensure they would have enough traction on the first step.
Miss to continued, "All we have is a rough estimation of the trajectory, based on optical sightings. So the Magi will guide you until the distance is 10,000 meters. After that, you'll have to use your own judgement." A pause, "I'm placing my trust in you three."
Lt. Hyuga cut in, "The Angel is approaching, distance 20,000."
"Commence the operation!"
Asuka took the initiative at Shinji's nod. "Ready!"
The three EVAS put their weight on their fingers, straightening their bodies like track athletes.
"Set!" Three umbilical cables were ejected from the machines, falling to the ground, their falls arrested by the in-built rocket brakes.
"GO!"
All Evangelion units bolted off, setting seismographs amok all over Japan. They ran through forest, city terrain, and open ground. Their feet gouged deep depressions on the ground, destroying and compacting concrete to dust and rubble.
Both Unit-00 and Unit-02's route crossed over high voltage lines, as they got closer to them, Reí Ayanami commanded her EVA to jump over them, like a runner in an obstacle track. The lines were disconnected during the operation set-up, but if the EVA got tangled, the whole operation would be at risk. So, Rei made sure to jump higher than strictly needed.
In her red machine, Asuka did the same, though not so carefully, the German pilot was sure EVA-02's mass and weight would be more than enough to snap any cable in her way.
At their wake, the cables shook like whips in the shockwave of their steps.
"Distance, 12,000"
Unit-01 increased its speed, to the point its slipstream pulled a gigantic cloud of dust behind, breaking windows and upturning the few cars left in Tokyo-3. Shinji had learned a few tricks from watching the Flashes in action, and now was putting them to good use. He didn't know it yet, but Unit-01 was close to break the sound barrier.
In the outskirts of the city, in the middle of the surrounding suburbs, Shinji saw the gargantuan mass of the biggest Angel yet to appear. A quick mental calculation later, and he changed course.
"Huntress! Wonder Girl! Converge to my position!"
"On my way!"
"Copy, changing course."
Unit-01 changed its stance, braking hard; its feet creating a long trench in the middle of a residential neighborhood at the top of a small hill.
Over him, the cloud cover dissipated around the Angel. It's eerie, unblinking eye seemed to look straight at him.
From the EVA's core, Shinji felt Dread and Purpose in equal measure, he sent a reassuring feeling back at his mother.
EVA-01 stood in the middle of the street, "AT Field! FULL SPREAD!". Unit-01 raised its arms, ready to do the impossible. Evangelion Unit-01 deployed its own AT Field, at a level Shinji had never done before. Briefly, he thought about Green Lantern, and how the ring-wielder used his power ring to create almost indestructible force fields. Around him, all the buildings at the top of the hill disintegrated into fine dust.
Shinji focused all his will force in Unit-01's energy barrier. He felt the Angel's field through EVA-O1 hands, it was like touching a live wire. Over him, all he could see clearly was the pupil of an eye that was three times wider and his EVA's height.
Both energy fields collided against each other. A series of concentric octagons appeared in the air, Shinji willed the AT-Field to bleed the kinetic energy around him, robbing the Angel of its destructive momentum.
Through the EVA's soles, he could feel the approach of his companions. It was a fleeting moment, as the weight and inertia of the Angel pushed down against the EVA, the giant's feet compacted the ground even more, almost turning it into compressed stone.
Asuka was the first to arrive. "Wonder Girl! I'll clear your way! Deploy Progressive Knife!"
"Deploying Field. Knife at the ready." Without stopping their mad run. The red and blue EVAs arrived followed by their own clouds of dust. The addition of their fields pushing back the Angel.
While Unit-01 held the Angel at bay, Unit-02 held her PK high, stabbing the enemy's field and opening a gash. Dropping the weapon, Asuka directed her titan to open it even more, holding the edges apart as wide as she could.
Still running, Unit-00 speared its weapon in the center of the abysmal pupil. A shower of spark covered the three EVAs. Suddenly, the eye liquefied, and the Tenth Angel's mass flopped bonelessly over them.
Their fields pushed up the dead weight, while the incredibly massive Angel fell over the hill like a shroud.
A moment later, its flesh bubbled like hot tar, and detonated like an N2 Mine, creating a deep crater under the three giants. Uncounted tons of earth and rock disintegrated into nothing.
A cross made of light rose high into the sky, marking the death of Sahaquiel, the Tenth Angel.
Underneath, three AT-Fields had fused into one, protecting EVAs and pilots from the conflagration above them.
Earth Orbit, LaGrange Point 3
Emerald Citadel;
Fifteen Minutes After Sahaquiel Impact
"Gotcha!"
Author Notes
As I rewatch the episodes, I have realized that quite a number of lines feel very, very, forced. In some cases, I have tried to steer the dialogue to a more natural flow, but sometimes, it's just impossible to avoid the exposition.
On the other hand, it was quite unusual to see the consequences of major events at a civilian level. Toji and Kensuke's stay at the bunker before Shamshel was one of those rare occasions, but it was done mostly to set up their presence on the hill when Unit-01 almost fell on them.
Superman's Fortress of Solitude has had several locations during the years. The original Pre-Crisis Fortress, or Secret Citadel or Secret Sanctuary, debuted back in Superman (issue 17; Jul 1942), located inside a mountain near Metropolis, on Earth Two.
In Earth One, the Fortress was inside a mountain range in the Arctic, this is the most enduring version, with its characteristic giant golden key set at some distance of the Fortress itself. I'm not quite certain where this Fortress first appeared, but a quick check at Wikipedia hints that it was in 1958, no details on which title it was. The Silver Age Fortress of Solitude lasted until in Action Comics (issue 583; Sept 1986), the second part of the last story featuring the Silver Age Superman: "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?"
For this story, I'm referring to the location that was used Post-Crisis, debuting in Adventures of Superman (issue 461, Dec. 1989). Superman had little to do with the construction of this Fortress, as it was build by a kryptonian device, the Eradicator, which eventually would gain sentience (and caus a lot of problems...)
There were a couple of other Fortresses of Solitude, but as I am not familiar with them, and I think they debuted after the year 2000 (Post-Second Impact), I'm not considering to include them here
I have something planned for the Fortress of Solitude, already incorporated in the timeline I wrote some months before. It will be shown eventually.
Aquaman debuted waaaay back in More Fun Comics (issue 73; Nov 1941). Although his best time as a character might have been during the 60's, when the Filmation cartoon show was on the air. It featured three short stories in each installment; two with Aquaman, Aqualad, and Mera (often as comic relief, along with Tusky the Walrus), plus one with several characters from DC; Green Lantern, the Atom, Hawkman, Flash (and Kid Flash), and also the Justice League or the Teen Titans.
For me, this was the first contact I had with the DC characters, and I am still fond of the show, despite the shortcomings it had from both the format and the times. Of course, many things in the show fell down by the wayside, like the overabundance of alien races. But it was a fun show, and Aquaman was not a laughable buffoon.
That was mostly due to the Superfriends show, where the writers had no idea on how to use Aquaman effectively but still had to put him in most of the episodes. Usually, he just stood uselessly in the background or was forced into the plot.
Aqualad debuted in Adventure Comics (issue 269; Feb 1960) and for a long time, he was one of the best known sidekicks, partly due to the Filmation show. However, his partnership with Aquaman was to suffer a terrible blow, during the Death of a Prince story arc (available in a TPB)., Garth would be one of the Teen Titans who discarded their sidekick identity, and took a new identity, Tempest; in a 4 issue miniseries of the same name in 1996.
Mera, Aquaman's wife, debuted in in Aquaman (issue 11; Sept 1963), and had a long relationship with the King of the Oceans. For her background here, I'm taking elements from the original version, like the brief life of her firstborn, Arthur Curry Jr (Aquababy, as he was usually known), and the JLU version, like her daughter Mareena, the same Aquagirl from the Batman Beyond and Justice League Unlimited animated shows.
Review Time.
To Guestinator, that has been taken into account. I hope you kept reading past Chapter 5. In later chapters, I've been showing what some of those characters are doing, there is a big event far from Earth that is keeping most of them from even getting near the planet.