Neon Senshi Evangelion

Seventeen

Yui Ikari rather hated surprises. Generally speaking 'surprises' meant you hadn't been properly prepared for something, or worse had not realized a enemy attack was coming. So standing out here on a airfield waiting for the only announced yesterday arrival of the UN liaison left Yui wondering which one it was: being unprepared or attacked.

It was bad enough that NERV was busy integrating Jet Alone into their operations, along with Japan Heavy Industries. As well as dealing with the recent arrival of Unit-02 and Asuka. Having a UN snoop with potential veto powers added to the mix was going to make things even worse. Over all, Yui was not pleased at all.

The airplane rolled to a stop, then a hatch opened as the stairs folded out, The tall woman ducked a bit as she emerged, then walked down the steps and strode across the concrete towards where Yui waited.

"Yui Ikari?" she smiled and offered her hand as she introduced herself, "Setsuna Meiou, UN Representative."

"Miss Meiou," Yui responded, wondering how such a young woman got such a powerful role. But meeting the green-black haired woman's eyes, she was struck by a sense of great age as well. And, interestingly, a lingering sense of sorrow.

"Setsuna, please," she smiled faintly as she remarked, "I think we've corresponded enough to drop the formalities...?"

"Fair enough," Yui conceded as she lead Setsuna over to the waiting car. "To be honest, I thought you'd be older..."

"I'm told that often," Setsuna said modestly. She smiled impishly at the car, "No jeep?"

Yui laughed, "I see someone has been tattling about Misato? A jeep makes sense for hauling four teens, not UN representatives."

"Point," Setsuna smiled as she climbed in, making sure her stylish business skirt didn't ride up too much.

Yui got behind the driver's seat, even as she wondered how to ask Setsuna what she was doing here. Politely of course.

Seeming to read her mind Setsuna said, "I'm well aware you probably have concerns over my turning up now." She sat back, "Firstly, I have absolutely no intention of interfering with NERV's operations. You've successfully repelled four angels and stopped a rampaging Jet Alone. Why screw with success?"

Yui puffed out a relieved breath.

"Secondly, I'm going to look into added ways the UN can assist NERV," Setsuna said as they drove through Tokyo-3 to NERV headquarters, "your decision to re-purpose Jet Alone to assist NERV operations has made us look into other projects that could assist fighting the Angels."

"Oh?" Yui looked cautiously optimistic.

"Several countries are working on what we're calling Provisional Self Defence Units, but most are only on the drawing boards. But if any are completed we'll look into using them for common defence," Setsuna said.

"I won't old my breath," Yui said, "having seen Unit-05 at Bethany, it's... uhm..."

"Awkward, cumbersome and limited to the island," Setsuna agreed, "but it's a prototype. Next one will be better."

"Lets hope," Yui agreed as they pulled up to NERV's headquarters. The above ground building was small, but it was the tip of the iceberg for the underground facility. "Now, would you like to start with a tour of the facility?" Yui asked as they went inside.

"Not today, if you don't mind," Setsuna said, "but I would appreciate meeting the command team, if I could."

"Certainly," Yui agreed, "the alpha team should be on the bridge."

The two chatted on various things as they took the elevator down, even as Yui wondered why she wanted to see the command staff first. One would assume the UN would be more concerned with the finances and physical resources...?

The usual suspects were working away as they entered the observation deck above the main bridge. Maya was on the main computer, Aoba and Makoto were working on test schedules for Unit-02 and Misato was talking with Ritsuko about something.

"Ladies, gentlemen," Yui started, "we are being visited by the representative from the UN. Please be on your best behaviour."

"Best?" Misato grinned, her black hair swirling around her shoulders, "Wouldn't she rather see our normal behaviour?"

"Misato!" Ritsuko scolded.

"Sorry," Yui began to apologize as she looked at Setsuna, only to see the oddest look on the other woman's face. Stunned, possibly. Or maybe stricken? "Are you all right?" she asked, taking her arm to steady her a bit.

Setsuna seemed to shake off whatever had happened. "Sorry," she smiled, "I just had a moment, as they say." She shook herself, "I'm fine, really."

Yui frankly doubted that, but wasn't going to contradict her in public. "Shall we go down and meet with them?" she offered.

"Please," Setsuna agreed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Okay, that was weird," Ritsuko noted as the group visited their favourite bar after work.

The bar was a modern facility not far from NERV headquarters, and served a lot of the staff there. The location was convenient, plus the manager gave 5% off drinks if you showed a NERV ID card. He explained that while you lost a bit up front with that kind of promotion, you gained it back in regular sales.

"A bit, yeah," Maya agreed, sitting by Ritsuko at the long bar before the glass mirror.

"You all right, Misato?" Ritsuko addressed her friend, who was still looking faintly squirrelly from meeting the UN lady.

"Misato?" Aoba repeated.

"Oh!" Misato jumped a bit, then she gave them a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I was just thinking about something." she explained.

"What happened when you shook that lady's hand?" Maya asked curiously.

Of course, everyone saw what had happened, Ritsuko mused. Yui had been introducing the woman around, hands were being shook then they got to Misato. She took the other woman's hand, stiffened... then nearly fainted. Ritsuko had caught her, and the 'meet and greet' was swiftly called off as she took Misato to the infirmary.

"It kind of felt like a static shock," Misato admitted as she drank her beer. "Very very weird feeling... tho I'm sorry I overreacted like that."

Ritsuko noted her hands were even shaking a bit. Very odd. "You feeling any better now?" she asked mildly.

"Little shaky," Misato conceded. She drank a bit, "And I got that weird 'Damn it, I know this person' vibe from her too. Which is strange because I know I haven't met her."

"She certainly seems young for the job," Makoto noted, but he was smiling faintly.

Aoba nodded, "Yeah, she's pretty hot."

"Pigs," Misato noted, but she was smiling faintly.

"Well, she is," Aoba protested. He looked over at Ritsuko and Maya, "What's the official lesbian opinion of her hotness?"

Maya went bright pink, while Ritsuko gave him a look much like one finding dog poop on a shoe. Still, she answered, "Well, yes, she's good looking. If you like that sort of type."

The bartender, Motoki Furuhata, returned to check if anyone needed refills. A bit older than the NERV staffers, he had moved to Tokyo-2, then later to Tokyo-3, running businesses his family owned. "Refills?" the tall blond man asked politely.

Aoba and Makoto got refills, while the other three declined. "I have to get home and check on Asuka," Misato admitted.

"I have to check on Mana," Maya agreed.

Ritsuko shrugged eloquently, "I have my cats."

Misato finished her drink then remarked, "Not making any pussy jokes."

Ritsuko rolled her eyes, and soon after the group broke up and headed their separate ways. Misato walked home to her apartment building, as well as walking off the two beer. No need to be publically drunk in front of her charge...

"About time you got home," Asuka chided, the redhead looking up from where she sat on the couch, watching TV.

"Sorry, my friends took me out for a drink," Misato admitted as she shrugged off her coat and hung it up. "Do you need me to make dinner?" she asked.

"You mean microwave something," Asuka teased. "Actually I went over to the Ikaris and got some dinner there."

"Did Shinji cook? Because I love Yui like a mother but her kitchen antics are best described as 'experimental'," Misato laughed.

"Don't worry, it was Shinji," Asuka snickered.

"Then I might run over and see if there were any leftovers," Misato smiled. "How's work as NERV's youngest technician and pilot trainee?"

"Better than sitting in school, bored," Asuka said frankly.

"There is that," Misato agreed as she slipped out to go up the hall and raid the Ikaris for leftovers.

To be continued...

Notes: Wanted a Setsuna POV bit, but wasn't able to work it in. Will likely be the focus of the next chapter. I'll also cover how Kaji didn't know about her, and so on.