Interludes After the 13th Angel, Part 4
Please Read and Review. I'd like to know what I'm doing right (to keep doing it), and what I am doing wrong (to correct it).
Note, the parenthesis indicates languages other than Japanese, in this case, English, Interlac, and Spanish.
Quintessence Plane
Deadman paced on the inexistent floor, worried sick for his partner. Suddenly, he felt a very familiar pull. "(Oh, boss. Right in time.)" He shook his head, and looked around one last time, before disappearing.
Merida, Yucatan; Mexico
Brisas del Mayab Ranch (1)
(Secretly, SEELE Base Nr 173)
Control Room
March the 19th, 2003
"(How many?) The angry voice demanded, "(How many men did they cost us?)" the boss was a short man, yet he instilled fear in everybody in his cell with a single galre. He was simply a man not to be provoked, unless you had some kind of death wish.
"(32 injured men, boss. No deaths.)" The subordinate answered, wary of the wrath of his boss. "(12 will be in the hospital for weeks, one won't be able to chew solid food without expensive dental work.)"
"(Devil take me! Did they get close?)" the slammed his fist against the table.
"(Very close, boss. They were already infiltrated in the villa, probably during the change of the guard. They were very good; they were almost on sight of Nan when a guard discovered them by chance. He is getting a big bonus this week for that. If not for him, our visitors would have… you know… reached Nan, and you know what our bosses would do to us.)" He shuddered.
"(Any outside contact?)" the boss lit a cigarette, and exhaled the smoke nervously. He didn't know who was the big boss, and had no desire to know. Curiosity here not only killed the cat; it skinned it alive, dropped it in acid, and whatever remained would end up as fertilizer in some lost plot in the middle of nowhere.
"(No, that Calculator (2) guy's tech jammed their comms, I called him as soon as I was informed, and he already checked their stuff and our records. He guarantees that their only transmissions were very short-range, to each other at the most, the area around the villa is clear, no one could have hidden within their range, Boss. They didn't even try to contact anybody outside. It was just the two of them. He ran their data through his database and he has already sent his report)"
"(What has he found?)"
"(He is sure it was a rogue operation, the guy was already considered a nutcase, the JLU dropped him, and you know how desperate for members they are. I heard they even recruited that Odd-Man (3) guy, the one who looks like a stupid clown. And she was a thief until Second Impact hit. Borderline alcoholic, according to the files Calculator dug up.)"
"(Get him to plant a false trail to… Sinaloa. I want it to look like they changed plans and ran afoul of our cousins North. Contact Croc's people (4), and tell them that Ramón Salamander (5) wants to cash in a favor, let them know it's a job for SEELE and coordinate the disappearance of two stupid tourists who messed with the wrong cartel. I want a couple of impostors to plant a false trail up there, to throw off anybody who might come sniffing after them. Tell the guys to make sure their wounds are defensive, and to not have fun with them, I don't want any scrap of a clue that they were here, just their hotel, maybe a beach or two if Calculator's probe says they went there. Send the impostors to Sinaloa, and they are to act discreetly, no obvious gestures to bring attention to them. Get them to act as if they are investigating the Cartels. Got it?)"
"(Got it, Boss, I'll have to organize them a visit to the cat-house next town.)"
"(Just kill them quick and send the impostors to Croc's people. )"
"(Not a problem, both are wounded and unconscious.)
Titan, Moon of Saturn
J'Onzz'Zahar (J'onzz' Remembrance)
October the 26th, 2002 (Earth Calendar)
Adam Strange said goodbye to his wife, and closed the comm unit. He leaned back on the seat, and sighed.
"(Are you okay, Adam?") Healer Ordeen asked as he entered the room. Carrying a set of glass tubes, containing different colored liquids.
"(My family is okay, Ordeen. It's a big weight off my chest.)"
"(I'm afraid I don't get that analogy, but I can guess you are relieved.)"
Adam stood up. "(Very relieved. Though I fear for them, there are rumors all over Rann about war brewing in the Vega System. The Citadel races are very warlike any day of the week, but there have been sightings of creatures that could be Parademons. If Darkseid meddles there…")
Ordeen put his tubes over the desk. "(The Dark One. Our green creators held him and his ilk in deep contempt.) (6)" Under his jaw, his white skin rippled, Adam recognized the body language as disgust, the Martian Manhunter had a similar tell. Even though the white Saturnians had been created by the white Martians instead of the green, they still shared many characteristics.
The healer composed himself. "(I am sorry to say I have bad news, my friend. Captain Destiny has returned from his voyage. He informed their Majesties the Sol System is completely isolated. There is no way for you to go back to Rann.)"
Adam's face fell.
Ordeen continued, "(Communications outside the system are getting more difficult as time passes. Our techs think that short bursts of data could be sent or received, but less than a second; we will be almost blind to FTL (7) or subspace communications. We will be practically deaf, limited to visual means.)"
"(Rann is four light years ago…")
Ordeen put a hand over Adam's shoulder. "(I am sorry. So very sorry.)"
"(Will we be able to keep two-way comms for a while, won't we?")
"(Yes, but there will be breakdowns, longer and longer, until it will be impossible to keep two-way communications. For most of us the lockdown won't be much of a problem, as our colonies form a self-sufficient community anyway. We can get raw materials in the other moons or the asteroid belt, even the rings have an abundance of water and noble gases. We were only starting to connect with other space races. We were about to start importing luxury items, nothing we really had a pressing need for. Though it would have been nice to have some books about genetic research.) "He looked at the set of tubes on the table.
Adam Strange's mind raced with possibilities and scenarios. "(If we can't move stuff, then we can move data. Give me five minutes to send a message to my wife, and then I'll need a crash course on Saturnian computers.)"
Ordeen smiled widely, he had dreamed of seeing the Justice League in action, and Adam Strange was an honorary member of the League! Aside of being the defender of Rann, of course. "(I'll inform Their Majesties immediately!") He almost ran out the room, only to return a moment later for his tubes.
An Unnamed Demiplane.
"(Hello, Boston.)" Death smiled at the wandering ghost. "(I have a job for you.)" She tilted her head towards her companion.
"(Stranger?)" Deadman exclaimed, a smile breaking out in his cadaverous face, "(What are you doing here?)"
The mysterious man sighed, "(I had to come here. It was not a matter of choice.)"
Death poured a third cup of tea. "(Take a seat, my friend. Have some tea while we discuss things.)"
"(Ah, um… boss… you know…)" Deadman gestured vaguely.
"(Not a problem,)" she waved a hand. "(Everything here is as solid or immaterial as I want.)"
Surprised, Deadman pulled at the chair, and sat down. "(Oh, boy…)"
"(Thing is, Boston, that our mutual friend here is, how to say it delicately? Pining for the fjords?)" (8)
The ghost furrowed his brow. "(That sounds a bit familiar…)"
"(She means I died, Deadman. But as it happens, it is a state I tend to get back from, though as our time here is limited, I'll need some help to reintegrate with my body.)"
"(I'd like for you to bring the Stranger's body to the Quintessence Plane. Right now, it is still reconstructing itself, and if it is found by NERV, there will be a lot of trouble I'd like not to have. Vivisection comes to mind.)"
Deadman sipped hurriedly his tea, although it was not, literally or figuratively, his cup of tea, but beggars can't be choosers, and it was very good tea. He grabbed a pastry, "(On it, Boss!)" he said, before eating the whole pastry in one bite and disappearing.
Death nodded softly to herself. "(That's why I chose him as a helper, always eager to work. Now, where were we?)" She smiled impishly at the Stranger.
Tokyo-3
Japan GeoFront
NERV HQ
R&D Section
Next Day
Dr. Akagi paced in front of the three lieutenants brought from the secondary base. "You three have been reassigned here for the moment, so I might as well use your help. I am overworked and understaffed, and Commander Ikari has me running ragged with several projects above your pay grade. So, I'll take the chance to avail myself to your expertise while it is decided if the Matsushiro Secondary Base will be scrapped or rebuild." She knew perfectly there would be no rebuilding of that place. The damage was extensive, but with enough time, resources, and manpower, could be repaired. However, Commander Ikari had no interest on the site anymore. Everything that happened in the future would be handled at the GeoFront.
Personally, she disagreed with that decision, simply on grounds of practicality, it was always prudent to keep a back-up; be it of data or resources. But she was, as always, overruled by Commander Ikari.
She continued. "Lt. Ooi," the young woman straightened up, "You and Lt. Agano will be analyzing a series of recordings. I have marked an anomaly in those readings, it started with the Second Child, and later manifested itself in the Third Child, and finally in Unit-00. I want you to find the origin of that anomaly, isolate it, and find out if it can be a problem for the continued operation of the Evangelion Units, and/or the pilots themselves. If it is a problem, I want a solution or a way to circumvent it. Is that clear?"
Both exclaimed at the same time, "Yes, Dr. Akagi!"
The dyed blond nodded to herself, "Here is the list of archives in the MAGI storage folders. You have full access to them as of now." She swiped her ID card in the appropriate slot, and after a short set of commands, she extracted a memory stick, from the reader, and gave it to Lt. Ooi. "Your ID cards and biometrics will serve as passwords. Use the seventh and eight access terminals. You'll find them in the secondary terminal room. Dismissed."
Lt. Ooi took the memory stick, and with a bow, she and her partner went to their assigned places.
She waited until the two lieutenants exited the room, and then turned to the remaining tech. "Lt. Mogami, you and Lt. Ibuki will help me to analyze the Third Child's parameters. We are to use the finest comb conceivable to look for the smallest hint of angelic Contamination. Commander Ikari doesn't want to risk him piloting if there's even a whiff of contamination. The GeoFront is our only active base in the whole country, and losing it would be catastrophic. Your access has been already authorized."
Tokyo-3, Japan
GeoFront
NERV Hospital
Recovery Room 16
Shinji Ikari was bored out of his skull. He had hoped to see the Phantom Stranger, and maybe get some training at Nanda Parbat, but the absence of the mysterious man was gnawing at his peace of mind.
Mentally, he was running through a set of exercises, his eyes closed, while paying attention to the sounds coming from the hall and the other room. He recognized the voiced of both Toji and Hikari. Though he couldn't understand their words, he was sure neither was particularly agitated.
He sighed in relief. If Hikari had been authorized to visit Toji, it was rather probable he was in good shape. Hopefully, both pilots would be released soon, and he could start training his friend.
Dr. Akagi, Lt. Ibuki and one of the bridge bunnies from Matsushiro entered the room.
Dr. Akagi had her clipboard on hand, and Lt. Ibuki pushed a small cart into the room, while Lt…. what was her name..? Megami? Magumi? Mogami, yes, Mogami, Lt. Mogami had a big metal suitcase, marked with a set of intimidating bio-hazard decals.
"Okay, Shinji," Dr. Akagi said, looking at her clipboard. "We have a big battery of tests today. Commander Ikari ordered a full set, to confirm you are not contaminated. The sooner we start, the sooner we finish."
Shinji groaned, thinking 'Confirm? I bet he would prefer if I was contaminated!'
Inner Robin tapped his chin, deep in thought. 'If we are contaminated, then he gets to put a new pilot in the plug, one who doesn't have the least idea of their plans.'
Shinji kept this realization out of his face.
Tokyo-3
Japan
Ayanami-Soryu Apartment
Asuka Langley Soryu Soryu paced around the living room. "Why are they taking so long?" They never retain us more than a day!"
Rei Ayanami looked up from her school homework. "Robin was exposed to an Angel's influence for a period of several hours. The risk of contamination is higher than normal."
Asuka sat down next to her fellow pilot, "I know! I know! It's just that I hate being out of the loop!" Secretly, she was also worried. The Phantom Stranger had not appeared to share information or to take them to Nanda Parbat for training with Wildcat.
Something was wrong, very wrong.
Somewhere in the Ocean, near Tokyo-3 Bay
(Site of Matarael´s Emergence)
Next Day
Zeruel had waited a long time for the moment to begin its work. Once Sahaquiel had finished his work exposing the minerals in the deep layers all it had to do was wait until the area settled down to start gathering the raw material for refining and processing. That was Matarael's job.
Zeruel also was charged with protecting Matarael. As the most fragile of the early workers, Matarael's needed a strong partner to supplement its own meager AT Field.
Finally, time ran out, and Zeruel activated the dimensional interface, following Sahaquiel coordinates for Matarael's optimal ingress point, as calculated by the orbital readings.
Under the water, a pinging sound heralded the thundering appearance of a dimensional tube, amidst a crackling energy discharge. The titanic creature appeared at the designated place, and the tube closed into itself, leaving behind a strange apparition, but unlike its predecessor, Zeruel displaced so much water that tsunami alerts rang immediately.
The Angel of Might rose from the ocean, for the time it took for the water to fall down its body, Zeruel could have been mistaken with the mythical Godzilla, but that impression would have lasted only a few seconds
Zeruel had an almost cylindrical shape. With short protrusions in place of legs, wide torso, a head that looked like a ridiculously small skull, instead of arms, two flat sheets that looked like polished metal hung from wide shoulder pads. Most of its body was white, with irregular areas of black, that looked like they had been drawn with a ruler. Over its 'hips' two red oval shaped gems rested, big even compared to the rest of the thing. Two other gems set where its arms should have been. On the center of the 'chest' there was a smaller red gem, perfectly round; over the point a human solar plexus would have been.
Its small head pivoted over its short neck, waiting for Matarael's arrival signal. But it never came. The readings of its senses revealed something unexpected. Matarael had already been here!
That was a serious breach of procedure. Zeruel needed to ask for new instructions, and searched for its creator's signal. It only took a moment.
Zeruel advanced to the origin of the signal.
Author Notes
(1) Literally, Breezes of the Mayab. The Mayab is the area of the Yucatan Peninsula. I thought it would be a good place to keep the astronomer, as it is very close to the area impacted by the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs. I think somebody in SEELE would like the symbolism.
(2) Calculator started as a villain with a very weird gimmick, he had a numbered pad on his chest, and a projector at the forehead of his costume He tapped numbers in the pad to analyze opponents or to create countermeasures to their attacks. Eventually, he was rescued from oblivion when he was turned into Oracle's villainous counterpart. In this story, SEELE managed to get him in the payroll before Second Impact, and he is in charge of security systems for low priority sites. Calculator debuted in Detective Comics issue 463 (Sept 1976), fighting Atom in the back-up story. He then proceeded to fight several members of the JLoA, until he was captured. His debut coincided with the mass commercialization of electronic calculators. Obviously, his gimmick was outdated very soon.
(3) Odd-Man has not appeared directly in this story, but has been referenced before; in the Divergence chapter. There was a statue of him in the abandoned Planet Krypton in the original Tokyo.
(4) Killer Croc, sounds good in English but the translation to Spanish is quite a mouthful. Cocodrilo Asesino. Even Editorial Novaro, the Mexican published that held the DC license for decades, and was notorious for their sometimes bizarre translations, left it at Croc. For this story, Killer Croc was one of the few villains who decided not to join the SSoSV, and left for other places. He took over a cartel and has a quite big territory at the north of Mexico. He debuted in Detective Comics 523 (Feb 1983).
(5) Ramón Salamander was the titular villain in the Doctor Who serial Enemy of the World. For some reason, Mexico's supervillains (at least in British media) tend to come from tropical areas, Salamander from Merida, Yucatan; and Dr. Gargunza, from Miracle Man from Veracruz (not sure if it was mentioned the exact city, as the capital of the Veracruz state is also called Veracruz). And, by the way, neither Salamander nor Gargunza (nor Nan, the astronomer who supposedly detected the supposed meteorite that supposedly caused Second Impact) are real Mexican surnames. I could make an exception for Nan, as I don't really know if that's an actual Mayan surname, though I really doubt it.
(6) Due to events narrated in the story-arc "In My Life", in Martian Manhunter issues 33 to 36 (Aug to Nov 2001
(7)Faster Than Light.
(8) Reference to the Dead Parrot Sketch, from Monty Python's Flying Circus. If you haven't seen it, look for it; the list of euphemisms for death is hilarious!