Unstoppable, Part 6
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 and German.
Tokyo-3
Japan
GeoFront
Unit-02 fought like a rabid animal. It pounced against Zeruel's ATF with clawed hands and open jaws, trying to reach the alien monster.
In the entry plug, Huntress stirred, arisen by the feel of alien movement and an anger than enveloped her like a shroud.
Stunned and in pain, she looked around. The holo screen showed a series of red hexagons, all of them with the same text. "Dummy Plug Rei. Activated."
'(What?)' she asked to herself, suddenly alert. '(What in the Seven Hells is going on?)'
She felt her own jaws trying to bite something, and her hands strike at something that resisted all impacts. '(Wait. Is this…?)' She pursed her lips, '(This is what the damned thing does? Hijack MY Evangelion?)' She practically growled that last thought.
Her impending mental profanity laden tirade was interrupted by two mind impulses in the back edge of her awareness.
Outrage. Anger
'(Mama? Is that you? Can you hear me?)' she sent a thought to the core.
Acknowledgment. Affirmation.
'(Are you moving the EVA?)' Asuka grabbed the control yoke, trying to recover control of the titanic cyborg.
Negative. Negative.
'(Is something else controlling the EVA?)"
Anger. Anger.
'(That tears it!) Asuka yanked the control yoke again and again.
In the core, the two separate sentiences began to follow the course of Huntress' more focused thought pattern.
Tokyo-3, NERV HQ
Evangelion Unit-01 Cage
Lt. Mogami directed the maneuvers to set the gigantic biomechanoid back into its cradle. She and her fellow Matsushiro Bridge Bunnies had been reassigned to cage managers for the active EVA Units.
"Okay, team! Our first priority is to get Pilot Ayanami out of her Entry Plug! Extraction team, be ready to do your stuff as soon as Unit-01 is secured!"
She looked down, "Transport team! How is it going?" She tapped her tablet to get a low level view.
"30 meters to dock, chief!" The team boss answered through the link, "25, 20, 15…" he counted. "Inside cage! 5 meters to lock. Closing cage."
A series of clanking noises marked the arrival of the transport platform to its secure place. Mogami kept on ordering her teams. "LCL valves open to full! Extraction team! Report!"
As the platform locked into place, the last energy reserves of Unit-01's batteries were expended, and the fearsome white eyes went dark.
"Checking A-10 connection. Inert. We are proceeding according to EOP. Opening back insertion hatch. Transport unit locking on Entry Plug."
"Keep on it, E Team. Inform me when she is out. LCL Team, Report."
"Cage flooding nominally. Level of LCL at 15% and rising."
"Continue. S Team, report."
"Locks 1 to 8 closed. Legs secured. Locks 9 to 12 closed, back secured. Locks 13 to 20 unable to lock left arm. Locks 21 to 25 unable to lock right arm. Locks 26 to 30 closed, right arm stump secured. Locks 31 to 34 closed, shoulders secured. End of operation. Unit-01 secured to cradle as much as possible."
"Got it. Well done S Team. Confirm locks after LCL level reaches them."
"Lt. Mogami? The Entry Plug is ready. We are opening. Medical team is on stand-by."
"Proceed to extract the pilot. I'm on my way."
Moments later the entry plug opened. The medical team pulled an unconscious Rei Ayanami out of the plug. Her eyes were half open, darting blindly around.
The medic checked her pupils, forcibly opening her eyes completely and shining a light at them. "Pupillary reflex, normal. No signs of contusion or concussion. Probably sympathetic shock. Pulse?" She asked.
"Fast and strong. Her blood pressure is high, but within operative margins."
"Ok. Let's take her to the hospital wing."
A tremor shook the place, an eerie echo of the ones caused by the Third Angel. This time, no lamps fell down, but Unit-01's eyes lit up ominously for a half-second begore going dark again.
In the core, Yui Ikari's soul released a jagged sigh before losing consciousness.
Wild Lands
Somewhere Between Continental USA and the Remains of Hawaii
(Former site of Project Mureau, currently abandoned by the USA Government)
Nosferata's Caverns (Closed Subsystem)
Dr. Canus gathered his most important tools. The most important, an old metallic lighter. One of Sacker's former slaves had forgotten it, back when Superboy first visited the island. And Canus had kept it. The better part was that the lighter had an engraving of Superboy's glyph! (1) To know he had a link to his brash friend in this dark hour comforted the enhanced dog.
He bundled everything carefully. Choking a sob, he leaned on the table. His beloved wife, Professor Dotty, weakened by labor and hunger, wouldn't last the night. Their children, still blind, had eaten their fill and slept deeply in their cribs. Canus, Sterling and Dotty. The three survivors, a boy and two girls. Bundled in a blue blanket, with crude "S" shields lovingly stamped on the rough surface.
The lion cub, Tanny the Orphan; tended to the small litter. Canus hoped she could do her part while he did his. He nuzzled his still delirious wife goodbye. Wiping his tears, he squeezed her hand, and realized she was gone. '(So soon…)" he thought. With a supreme effort of will, he tucked her as if she was still alive, and spoke sweet words, not to her, but for his jailor's ears.
Hiding his pain, he signaled Tanny, who already expected this denouement. She nodded minutely.
Canus grabbed his satchel, and walked to the entry of the cave.
Batrok carried him down to keep working on descyphering Dr. Grant's notes.
The actual work was done, but to apply it would require many things. Years of work refining progressively more complex chemicals, to reach the end result: Cortexin. The miraculous substance that forced evolution in many kinds of animals.
Nosferata shouldn't have access to Cortexin. And Dr. Canus was ready to deny it to her and flee the Wild Lands.
He hoped to survive the attempt.
Canus mouthed a silent prayer to Grant, "(Dr. Grant, giver of life and intelligence, guide my steps.)" Then he added, "(Superboy, my friend, if you can hear me, watch over my family.)"
Tokyo-3
NERV HQ
Evangelion Unit-00 Cage
Shinji listened attentively to the transmissions. The report about Rei was a source of relief and worry at the same time. On one hand, Rei was safe, on her way to medical with a good prognosis. On the other, Huntress was fighting alone. And judging from the sounds of the fight, she was fighting like a berserker!
He took a risk, and tuned to Misato's private frequency. "Control? Do not respond." He whispered, "Robin in Unit-00 reporting. I'm ready and willing to fight. Over and out."
He kept the link open, and returned to listening the chatter coming from Central Dogma.
Tokyo-3
NERV HQ
Central Dogma
Major Katsuragi stood rigidly for a couple of seconds as she listened to Shinji's brief message. Lacking an arm, Unit-00 was not cleared to fight, and Shinji was supposed to be under watch at the Hospital Wing.
Still… it wouldn't be the first time Shinji pulled a miracle out of thin air. And with just one functional arm, even.
She turned to Commander Ikari. "Sir. Unit-02 is not making any progress in stopping the Angel. Permission to deploy Unit-00 before the Angel…"
Commander Ikari interrupted her. "Denied. Unit-00 is not fit for combat, and the only pilot available is not cleared for duty."
"But…"
"Denied. Unit-02…"
In turn, Vice-Commander Fujutsuki interrupted his superior officer, discreetly pointing at the holo-screen. "It's about to shoot again, and not at EVA-02!"
Zeruel kept its ATF up, thwarting all Unit-02's attacks with contemptuous ease. While the red Evangelion attacks slid against successive AT Fields, the Angel's eyes began to glow ominously. The energy release vaporized uncounted tons of reinforced steel and lexglass (2) from the face of the might pyramid that housed NERV's HQ.
Lt. Aoba reported, incredulity in his voice, "HQ has been breached! We are open! Another hit like that and Central Dogma will be exposed!"
To top it off, Lt. Hyuga informed, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, "Unit-02 has run out of energy."
In the screen, behind the colossal Angel, EVA-02 fell to the ground, with an impact that was felt all over the GeoFront.
"Now what?" Huntress hissed, still yanking the control yoke. "Battery drained?"
She felt her stomach sink. A sensation uniquely hers. She had been cut out the sensory array, but felt as Unit-02 was lifted by something, and then thrown away like garbage.
"Damned machine! Move! Move right now!" She couldn't see or hear beyond the dark limits of the plug. There are a momentary feeling of weightlessness and then a crash. "You better move or all will be lost!
In the core, the two half souls of Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu over imposed each other, and a deep rift began to close.
Zeruel's long arms wrapped around the Evangelion Unit, lifted the inert body, and threw it on the GeoFront artificial lake. It missed the warship by a few dozens of yards, almost capsizing the ship.
EVA-02 sank to the bottom of the lake.
All available artillery units discharged tons of ammo against the Angel, they detonated against the ATF, never reaching their target.
Tokyo-3
NERV HQ
Central Dogma
Commander Ikari growled as he saw Zeruel turning its attention back to the pyramid.
Gritting his teeth, he surrendered to circumstances. "Permission to deploy Unit-00, granted." Anyway, it had been fitted with a Dummy Plug, so he could hijack it if needed.
Immediately, Major Katsuragi began to issue orders. "Maya! Activate Unit-01! Aoba! Comms to the plug! Hyuga! Fastest route from the cage to the.."
A new energy discharge shook Central Dogma. Cascades of dust and concrete fell from the high ceiling. "Hurry up!"
"Comms ready, Major! Robin on speaker!" Lt. Aoba reported.
"Robin! We have the enemy at our door! Maya is activating Unit-00, and you'll receive a route to intercept the Angel before it..!"
A crack broke the wall behind the Holo screen, disrupting the image.
"Before it gets in here!" Major Katsuragi finished.
Tokyo-3
NERV HQ
Evangelion Unit-00 Cage
Shinji heard as the wall in Central Dogma cracked, and the horrified gasp of the crew.
"I'm on my way!" He yelled as the last locks were released, a quick look to orientate himself, the holo map on his screen was enough for him to calculate a route towards Central Dogma.
'Boston-San, Rei! Help me fight!' He sent the thought to the core.
Determination
Eagerness
He received the two responses from the core, and as soon as the last lock released the Titan, Robin ran towards the wall at the left, demolishing it with a desperate downward punch.
He had to adjust his moves, as the lack of the left arm really threw him out of balance.
Wild Lands
Somewhere Between Continental USA and the Remains of Hawaii
(Former site of Project Mureau, currently abandoned by the USA Government)
Nosferata's Caverns (Closed Subsystem)
Tanny waited for long minutes before putting the little cubs inside a backpack, well protected with their blanket and some clothes. In tense silence, she hurried to the back of the cave, where a rock covered the mouth of a small tunnel. An old vent that long ago had served to refresh the air of a subterranean lab.
Careful to not wake the cubs, Tanny pushed the backpack into the vent, and after a last look around to check everything was in its place, she pulled the rock behind her.
The route was long and winding, but relatively clean.
An hour later, the lion cub girl had emerged at the other end of the tunnel, close to the beach. Between two rocks, and under branches and leaves, a small boat waited. Under Dr. Canus instruction, she had squirreled provisions and tools into the boat.
Tanny put the cubs in the boat, made sure the cover was set right, checked there were several thermos with milk ready for Canus' children, and sat to wait.
Tokyo-3
NERV HQ
Central Dogma
"All personnel evacuate! Hurry!" Major Katsuragi ordered, Lt. Hyuga sounded the evac alert. But it was already to late for the Bridge Crew.
The wall fell as a stone and glass avalanche. The holo image fizzled and disappeared, revealing the enemy up close. Zeruel crawled into Centrsl Dogma, looming over the bridge crew, paralyzing everybody with its presence. It looked around, and finally, focused it's attention on the other wall, where the shaft that lead to its creator was.
The small creatures in front of the Angel were of no consequence. They were insignificant in the great scheme of the universe. Weren't even a part of it.
Zeruel eyes lit up from the deep of its eye sockets.
At the bottom of the lake, Unit-02 lay immobile, but two simultaneous but unrelated processes would change it forever.
In the core, two half-souls communed with each other, United in emotion, feeling, and purpose, until the two were one again. Had somebody been able to see inside it, the two Kyokos overimposed each other, until the one dressed with the hospital gown and the one dressed with a primitive plugsuit changed into a new form.
Dr. Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu's soul had been restored.
The new form wore a white blouse, black pants and shoes, and a white lab coat. She opened her blue eyes. Somehow, she heard her daughter anger and fear.
Unit-02's mouth had closed by itself, the blood of the Angel still in its teeth.
Unit-00 ran through eight reinforced steel walls as if they were air. Robin, Deadman and Rei acting together in absolute harmony, raising Unit-00's performance to the highest level, way beyond what its creators expected from the first functional Evangelion prototype.
The last wall broke, and Unit-00 entered the vast space of Central Dogma, leading with a punch that literally turned Zeruel's lights out. The blue EVA grabbed the Angel's face mask, pushing it down, at the same time it jumped over the enemy, dropping at its back.
With no time to lose, Unit-00 pushed the enemy with its left shoulder and right hand, taking it out of the bridge in a move that would have made Wildcat smile wickedly.
"I have to get the Angel out!" Robin roared in the comm. "Control! Ready the platforms!
Major Katsuragi grabbed Lt. Hyuga's shoulder, "Power up all the platforms! As soon as Robin gets into one, launch them back up to the GeoFront!" She raised her head, "Everybody else, out! To the lifts, Maya, Shigeru, Makoto! Bring the portable units! Hurry! I want comms as soon as possible!"
"Roger, Major!" Makoto activated all the launchers, the magnetic units activated at full power, and even a bit over regulation.
While the crew exited the control center in an ordered chaos, Unit-01 pushed its struggling enemy towards the launch area. A difficult task with only a working arm.
For a moment, Inner Robin tried to alert Shinji of something, but his warnings were unheard in the fight. Behind Shinji, the energy counter ran down towards zero.
The launch area had been evacuated with the first alert. EVA-00 pushed the enemy towards the first platform in their way. Zeruel tried to turna round to face its enemy, but Wildcat's lessons had been well learned. Each time Zeruel tried to turn, Unit-00 thwarted the attempt.
With a deafening noise, they crashed against the wall, "Now!" Robin yelled.
Back at Central Dogma, Lt. Hyuga pushed the launch button, and powerful magnetic field accelerated the pad upwards, faster and faster each second, building up speed. The Bridge Bunny ran after his colleagues.
Inside the shaft, EVA-00 pushed Zeruel's skull mask against the wall, hoping to destroy it, or maybe incapacitate it. A shower of high temperature sparks filled the shafts, but Zeruel's face was merely scuffed, merely cosmetic damage.
Seconds later, the two enemies arrived at the end of the shaft, back in the now devastated GeoFront.
Unit-00 pushed down at Zeruel's skull mask, trying to break its neck or crush the head.
Zeruel resisted with all its might, and finally managed to look at the enemy.
With a high frequency pinging noise, Zeruel's optic blasts hit Unit-00 right in the face, blinding its pilot at the worst moment.
When the energy ran out.
Author Notes
A hundred chapters! Hard to imagine such a lenght back when I had the idea for the seed of this story. Thank you, my readers, for accompanying me in this adventure.
(1) Actually, it's Superman's, but Canus prefers to think the S shield belongs to Superboy
(2) Bought from Lexcorp at an exorbitant price.