Well, here we have the latest Episode of EVA 2055, hot from... Okay, that's
probably a little more information than you want. C&C is begged for, as
usual.
Episode 4.0 will go into pre-reading phase tomorrow, while Episode 5.0 is...
a little incomplete.
Oh well, enough from me, just the Disclaimer and Spoiler Warning, and I can
get back to reading Sluggy Freelance (Bun-Bun rules!).
Disclaimer: What I own, I own. What I don't own, I don't own.
Spoiler Warning: This Episode may contain spoilers for a whole buncha
episodes from the series, but if you haven't seen the whole series, you
probably shouldn't be reading this anyway. Instead, you should be *watching*
the rest of the series.
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-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: EVA2055-3.txt
EVA 2055 Episode 3.0, Exodus 0:3 �The Presence Of Angels�
�There is joy in the presence of angels.�
-Luke 15:10
Wednesday September 8, 2055
The UNOBK interrogator leant over the captured Gottwehr
soldier. �Who is in charge of your organisation?�
The man didn�t reply.
Watching from behind the one-way glass, Ruri took another sip
of her coffee.
�Who do you receive your orders from?!�
�I can�t��
�Who?!!�
�I can�t��
�Who gives you your orders?!�
Ruri thought the interrogator was being a little harsh. It was
hardly likely that this prisoner would have any idea of where
the orders came from.
The man whimpered. �I� I take orders from the Sargeant.�
�And where do his orders come from?!�
�I��
�Where?!�
�I don�t know!�
She looked up as Yasuaki entered the small room.
�Anything interesting to report, Captain?� She asked.
Yasuaki shook his head. �Nothing new.�
�What about the weapons? Have they been traced yet?�
�Yes ma�am. They were all reported stolen from a security firm
called Paladin Security yesterday.�
�Part of the Ormazd Mercantile Group?�
�Of course. Ormazd has always been suspected as Gottwehr�s
chief financial backer.�
�But nothing concrete to tie them to the organisation.�
�I�m afraid not, ma�am.�
�Have the security division step up surveillance of the
pilots.�
�Yes ma�am.�
***
The grey UNAERG car pulled up in front of the stubby apartment
block.
Hitomi looked out the armaglass windows, at the ugly, brick-
shaped building. �Why do I have to live in such a boring
looking place? I don�t want to go up there.�
�Lieutenant Miyamura.� The driver�s voice came over the car�s
intercom from the front. �We�re here.�
Hitomi got out, shouldering her back-pack. The car drove off,
leaving her there.
She trudged inside, taking the lift to the third floor and
unlocking the door to her family�s apartment with her own set
of keys.
�Hmm.� Her father opened the door just before she did. �So you
decided to come home then, did you Lieutenant?�
Hitomi�s shoulders sagged. �Please, father.�
�Yes, what?� He sneered at her. �What is it, Lieutenant?�
�Father, I came home as soon as the ceremony was finished.�
�Oh, you did, did you?� He turned to follow her as she moved
into the apartment past him. �Oh, well that makes it all
alright then!�
�Father, I��
�What would your mother think, Hitomi? If she were still alive,
what would she think?!�
She didn�t look up. �I don�t know.�
�You off joining the military, while your little brother and I
sit at home! She�d hate that, wouldn�t she, Hitomi?�
No answer.
Her father looked straight at her, his eyes showing his disdain
as much as his sneering mouth. �Get out of my sight you little
bitch.�
Hitomi didn�t move.
�I said, go!� His hand flew out, striking her, hard.
She felt herself hit the carpeted floor, her breath knocked out
of her. She stopped herself from crying out.
He looked down at her, eyes still showing nothing but scorn.
She avoided his gaze.
He turned around and walked out of the room, back to the lounge
room where the TV blared.
Hitomi ran to her room, burying her tears in her pillow.
***
Poly-plastic wheels spun under Ruri's feet. Legs pumping hard
as she bladed up the hill, making her way through the park.
Around her the cherry blossoms fell, carpeting the ground in
purple and pink. The perfect romanticist vision of sakura
season in Japan.
Ruri hunched down low, free-wheeling the next stretch,
downhill. She flicked her hair back over her shoulders as she
slowed down. Turning around, she bladed backwards, just for a
change.
All around her, people were relaxing in the park. Over there, a
young couple and their child. The man held a small boy up to
grab at the pink flowers, and the three laughed. Ruri coasted
to a halt in front of the gate and fished in her pocket for the
swipe-card that would let her out of the dome. She fed the card
into the slot on the turnstile and moved through, out onto the
street. Out here, in the world were there were no seasons, Ruri
breathed the heavy air of the city.
She bladed on down the street, looking back up at the plasti-
glass dome of the park. Clear against the grey slabs of the
buildings that blocked out the sky. She remembered being taken
to see her grandmother in Osaka, as a child. Being told about
the time when there had been seasons.
�I wish I could have seen those times.� She thought.
Back then, her grandmother had said, the cherry blossoms had
come every year, being a sort of national festival time. Ruri
had never seen seasons, or the cherry blossoms, except under
the dome of Shimakaze Park. Or Akishimo Park, back in Tokyo-4.
Ruri reached her apartment complex and let herself into her
sixtieth floor home, throwing the blades down on the couch. She
punched the random play on her stereo, and went to take a
shower. Over the running water, loud 2030s J-Pop blared, high-
pitched female harmonies over a rhythmic beat.
She finished dressing as the phone rang. Ruri flicked the
stereo to something more ambient.
�Answer.� Gregorian chants, plainsong, faded in from the
stereo. Very nice.
Her adjutant appeared on the display. �Yasuaki here.�
�Hi. What�s up?�
�Nothing much. We�ve just received notification that the
Evangelion Units 17, 18 and 19 have been completed. They�ll be
here by early next week at the latest.�
�What about the pilots?�
�Their training is almost complete. I doubt they�ll be brought
to operational status before an Angel shows up.�
�And we don�t know when or even where that�ll be. Anything
else?�
�Not really. Only��
�Yes, what is it?�
�Well, security is getting a little nervous about the pilots.
Today�s attack put them on edge. They want to step up their
precautions further than just surveillance.�
�Negative. We want as little interference in the pilots� lives
as possible. If they can come up with something that has little
or no impact, tell them to go to it. Otherwise, I�m not
authorising anything more.�
�Alright.�
�That all?�
�Yes, Ma�am.�
�Good. I�ll see you tomorrow.�
***
Thursday September 9, 2055
As Ruri entered his office, Tetsu Yasuaki kept his attention on
the paper he was reading.
�Hitomi come to see you again, Major?� He asked.
�Got it in one.�
�Have you done anything about� you know. Her �family problems�
shall we say.�
Ruri sighed. �Honestly, Yasuaki, I really don�t know what it is
I�m expected to do.�
Yasuaki put down the report. �Has she asked you to do
anything?�
Slumping into a chair, Ruri sighed again. �Well, no. And
that�s just the problem, really. I feel I should do something,
but��
�You don�t know how involved you want to get?�
�Exactly.�
�I don�t suppose the security division�s demands to know the
pilots� every move help.�
�No, not really.� Ruri looked down at her uniform. She brushed
away an imaginary speck of dust from the coloured bars on her
chest.
�Nervous� Yasuaki thought. �Reminding herself of her position.�
�I asked her�� Ruri began.
�Yes?�
�I asked her if she wouldn�t prefer to stay somewhere else for
a while. You know, maybe with a friend.�
�And what did she say?�
�She said she�d think about it. I just told her she should tell
me what she was doing. For security reasons.�
�And not at all because of your motherly concern.�
Ruri flicked the corner of a cushion, and looked annoyed. �Of
course not.�
Grinning, Yasuaki picked up the report again, hiding the
expression behind it.
Ruri glared at him. �Stop that.�
He gave up trying to hide. �See, you�ve got a mother�s x-ray
vision already.�
�I don�t know�� She returned to flicking the cushion. �This is
a weird job.�
�What, looking after three fourteen-year-olds? With three more
on the way?�
�Exactly. I�ve never even� I�ve never even considered having
children, Yasuaki. Not seriously, anyway. I�m too young for
this.�
�It was your choice to take this assignment.�
She groaned. �I know. And I still say it�s a weird job.�
�You could always defer to your second-in-command.�
�You?� Ruri looked at him strangely. �Are you serious?�
�No, I suppose not.� Yasuaki stared into space. �I�ve got
issues of my own in that area.�
�You�re gay, Yasuaki. Your only choice in that area is to adopt
if you want a kid. Besides, you�re, what, seven years older
than me?�
�About that, yeah.�
�See, that�s my point. I didn�t even want to think about
children until I was at least your age.�
�But of course, this assignment forces you to think about that
sort of thing.�
�Exactly.�
�And that makes you uncomfortable.�
Ruri flicked the cushion again. �Yasuaki, I don�t need to be an
amateur psychologist to realise that I just don�t want to think
about it.�
�And Hitomi? What is she going to do?�
�I don�t know. We�ll just have to see what she decides to do.�
***
Unit 14 ran forward, ducking behind the nearest building,
taking cover from the Angel a few streets away. Hitomi knew it
would only take a single hit from one of Zeruel�s blade-arms to
incapacitate her EVA, so she had to stay out of its sight as
much as possible.
�Hitomi, can you see it?� Ruri�s voice came over the comm-link.
�Yes ma�am.�
�Good. Grab the Vulcan rifle in the building next to you and
cover me. I�m moving up.�
The rifle slid out on its rack, and Hitomi grabbed it. She
leaned out from behind the building and squeezed off a short
burst towards the thing. One of its blade-arms shot past her
head as she ducked back into cover. Phew. She put her head down
and ran to her left until she was sure it didn�t know where she
was. She stopped, huddled behind an office tower.
Her breath came in short gasps. She glanced over her shoulder,
watching Ruri darting between the buildings in Unit 17. The
gleaming black EVA came alongside Hitomi�s own, squatting down
next to her, Ruri resting the positron cannon against the
building. The other EVA looked over at her, and she noticed the
big gash through the red lettering that spelt out �Kerensky� on
its breastplate.
�Did you get hit?� Hitomi asked.
�It�s fine. Just some scratched paint. Kerensky�s fine. Yuko,
are you and Shiroh in position?�
�Yes ma�am.�
�Alright, when I give the signal you two will attack from the
north and north-west, okay? Hitomi and I will cover your
advance from Sector 7. Use your lance copies, and alternate
attacks. Got that?�
�Yes ma�am!�
�Yes ma�am!�
�Go!�
Hitomi stood, bracing the Vulcan up on the building in front of
her and firing wildly towards the Angel. Beside her, Ruri moved
out from the buildings and fired off several bursts from the
cannon. Impacts blossomed off its AT field, hiding it from view
while the smoke cleared. No effect, but none had been expected.
�DIE!!!!!� Yuko leapt out from the building next to Zeruel.
She swung the giant blade of the lance copy, but the blow
glanced off the field.
�Neutralise the field! Extend your own!�
�I can�t! I still can�t do it! Shit!�
One of the blade-arms shot out, slicing off Yuko�s left arm.
�AAAARRGHH! Fuck that hurt!�
�Yuko, pull back! Shiroh, you do it!�
Shiroh stepped out and swung his lance at the Angel. Orange
shapes burst into existence around him, merging with the
Angel�s own field. The blade sliced through the weakened field,
grating against the blade-arm the Angel threw up to block it.
�Yuko, go! Its field�s neutralised!�
Yuko thrust her own lance at it, slicing off its other arm. The
thing roared, an ear-splitting animal scream.
�Come on! Attack! Hitomi, let�s go!�
Hitomi vaulted over the building and sprinted towards the
Angel, Ruri keeping pace beside her. She drew her progressive
knife and extended it.
�Wings! Take it from above!� Ruri yelled.
Hitomi spread the EVAs� black-feathered wings and leapt into
the air, flapping wildly, as Ruri did. Together they began to
dive towards the Angel.
Yuko swung the lance at the thing again, but it shot out its
good arm past the attack, slicing through the EVA�s neck.
�AAAAR�� *krshhhhhhhhhh*
�Dammit! EVA-15�s pilot has ejected!�
Hitomi reached the Angel and swung at it with the knife while
Shiroh continued to parry its thrusts with his lance.
�The core! Go for the core!�
She ducked under Shiroh�s lance as he swung, pushing the knife
at the Angel�s core. The knife struck the core, piercing its
centre.
�Shiroh, extend your field! Cover us! It�s gonna��
Hitomi shut down the EVA�s sensors as the noise of the
explosion raged around her. She tried to calm her breathing as
she waited for the blast to die down.
All she could see around her was fire, the air itself burning
outside. She shivered.
Finally, all was quiet.
�Phew.� Said Ruri.
Hitomi�s breathing slowed, returning to normal.
�Good work, people. End simulation.�
***
�You did well.� Said Ruri. �But we need to get you two
generating AT fields.�
They sat around the table in the briefing room, combat reports
and efficiency readouts strewn across its surface like autumn
leaves.
�Why can�t we do it?� Yuko asked. �Shiroh can, why can�t we?�
�I honestly don�t know.�
�There�s gotta be a reason!�
�Yes. But no-one can figure it out yet. We can make do with
just Shiroh�s for now. We�ll just have to hope it comes to you
before you need to use them for real.�
�Do you know when the Angels will attack yet?� Asked Shiroh.
�No, but we never expected to. You have to remember, the UN
found out they were going to come back fifteen years ago. All
they could determine was that it�d happen some time between now
and the end of next year. Since then they�ve tried everything
to find out where they come from. The even combed NERV�s data,
on the off chance that there *might* be something useful hidden
in all that ridiculous stuff about the Angels being messengers
from God. But they couldn�t find anything. So they *have*
tried, but it doesn�t look like we�ll ever be able to predict
the timing of their attacks. It could be tomorrow, next week or
next year.�
�Or this afternoon.�
Ruri frowned. �Don�t think like that. Yes, it�s possible they
could attack at any time. But this is only the beginning of the
projected window for their attacks. It�s not likely that they�d
attack now.�
***
Aki stared in horror at the holo-projection in the centre of
the command centre.
�Readings confirmed.� Said one of the technicians around her.
�Definite match to sample 22-A.�
She picked up the control unit out of her pocket again. �It
matched sample 22-A. What does that mean?!-
�Oh dear.� Said Chiyoda, appearing beside her. �This isn�t
really the best thing to have happen on only your second day.�
-What is it?!-
�I think you can guess.�
Aki stared in silence at the holo-projection.
-Oh crap.-
�Precisely.�
The technician in front of her turned around. �Ma�am, we have
confirmation. The blip has been designated as an Angel.�
-What do I do?!-
�Nothing. It�s out of your hands now.�
Sirens started to blare around Aki.
�See? I told you. Tactical Command is now on full alert status.
It�s their job now.�
Aki recognised Major Matsushira entering the bowl and assuming
the large command chair behind the Tactical cell�s lower ones.
-So I can go now?-
�I�m afraid not. You need to remain on hand in case there�s a
problem with the EVAs. They *are* your concern.�
***
The EVA shot up the catapult shaft towards the surface. Hitomi
concentrated on resisting the beast�s impulse demands to brace
against the walls of the shaft, a reflexive self-preservation
instinct it seemed to have. The EVA came smoothly to a halt at
the surface, the building shell it was now in folding out like
a flower opening.
Hitomi stepped out, looking around. There was the target. A
huge green creature, hunched over like it was ready to run. And
those legs looked like it could get a good turn of speed if it
did. The red orb in its side, that had to be the core.
�Hitomi, do you see it?�
�Yes ma�am.� Long ugly arms, too. Like some kind of mutant
orangutan.
�We�ve just received lethal force clearance from the Secretary
General. We�re good to go. There�s a pair of sonic glaives
three blocks west of your current location. Grab them and move
into an offensive position while the other two deploy. Be ready
to attack. Got it?�
�Yes ma�am.�
She ran to the building and pulled the long curved blades from
the rack, then looked around. The Angel was still standing
still, its long arms hanging by its sides. She moved up a few
blocks, ducking between the buildings.
�The other two are ready now, Hitomi. They�re on their way.�
A deep bass rumbling signalled Units 15 and 16 coming to the
surface nearby. The Angel seemed to look towards the source of
the sound.
�Ma�am, I think it can hear them.�
�Get ready to go, Hitomi. We want this to be quick and clean.�
�I�m ready.�
The sound intensified as 15 and 16 rolled towards the surface.
The Angel started to move towards them.
�Hitomi, don�t attack until they reach the surface! If you move
in without Shiroh�s field, you don�t have a chance!�
Hitomi tensed ready to run.
�Why can�t I generate an AT field?� She thought, staring at the
Angel.
Two buildings to the Angel�s left opened up, and Shiroh and
Yuko stepped out.
�You two, move!�
The air around the Angel glowed, and a beam shot out towards
the newly arrived EVAs. They dived away, rolling into the cover
of the buildings.
�Shit! What was that?!� Yuko hissed.
�Some kind of heat beam. Get moving! It can�t hit what it can�t
see!�
As they ran, more blasts followed.
�Shiroh, get closer and try to neutralise its field! Yuko, you
grab something and cover him! Hitomi, move into position for an
attack! Go!�
Hitomi ran forward, ducking low to the ground. She heard a
succession of thunderclaps behind her, which could only be Yuko
opening up with the positron cannon.
Shiroh appeared on her Head Up Display. �I�m in position. Ready
to go?�
�Yeah.�
�Go!�
Hitomi saw the Angel suddenly look in Shiroh�s direction as the
AT field expanded towards it. It started to move towards him,
and she broke into a run, charging towards it.
�It knows where I am! Quick, Hitomi!�
She leapt at it, slashing with the glaives and cutting into its
skin. It roared and turned around, grabbing her by the arms and
hurling her backwards.
She crashed into a building, putting her arms out to steady
herself.
Ruri yelled out. �Hitomi! Grab it! It�s-�
The Angel�s beam shot out towards Shiroh, atomising the tower
he�d been hiding behind.
�Stop it now!�
The beam shot out again towards him.
�AAAAARRGG��
�Comm-links to Unit 16 cut! Shit!�
Yuko screamed. �No!�
Hitomi saw her throw down the positron cannon and sprint
towards the Angel.
�Yuko! You can�t��
Yuko drew her progressive knife and swung it at the Angel, but
it scraped uselessly off the thing�s field.
Again, the beam flashed out, cutting down Unit 15. Hitomi saw
the ejected plug rocket away. The Angel turned back to face
her, the hard orange octagons of its AT field glowing around
it�
***
Friday September 10, 2055
Ruri checked the time as Yasuaki knocked on her office door.
Two o�clock in the morning. She rubbed her eyes. �Come in.�
�All three EVAs are fully regenerated, Ma�am.� Said Yasuaki.
�The Angel�s remains have been quarantined and sealed off from
the public.�
�What about the pilots?�
�Lieutenants Kawase and Tagami will spend the night in
hospital. They do not appear to be injured, but the medical
staff want to keep them under observation. As you know, Hitomi
is spending the night with a friend in Lowside. I believe that
was your idea?�
�It�s okay, Yasuaki. The security division are watching her.�
�Yes Ma�am.� Ruri detected the slightest note of disapproval in
his tone. He continued. �The new pilots will be with us inside
of a week. High Command in Jerusalem is having them pushed
through their training so they�ll be ready as soon as
possible.�
�Good. It�s about time they gave us a little more manpower.�
�But High Command also demand the development of the AT fields
to the standard of those used by NERV, immediately.�
Ruri flicked her pen on the table. �I�m doing what I can.�
***
Hitomi threw herself to the ground as the heat beam blazed past
her.
�Run! Get out of there!�
The EVA, the beast, gave her a mental nudge to reinforce Ruri�s
order.
She got up and ran, the Angel�s blasts following her.
***
�She shouldn�t have been able to do it.� Aika thought to
herself, looking up at the giant corpse of the Angel.
She turned to Ruri beside her. �Major-General Yokugawa will
return to Japan tomorrow. He leaves SeaTac at 0600. He will
officially re-assume joint command at 0900, upon his arrival at
Narita.� She brushed a strand of hair back into place. Couldn�t
they have left it just another week? Why now? Why attack now?
�I expect you�ll have a full report prepared for us by then,
Major.�
***
The beast nudged Hitomi again as she ran.
�What? What do you want!�
Several blocks of apartments burned behind her.
***
Aki looked up, awed by the sheer size of the thing in front of
her. -I wonder if Akagi felt like this the first time she saw
an Angel carcass.-
Chiyoda looked at her. �I doubt it.�
-What makes you say that?-
�You�ll learn.�
***
�Hitomi! Try it! You have to try!�
Hitomi closed her eyes, letting the beast take over the EVA�s
running.
�Come on! Work, damn you!�
She concentrated, visualising the field around her. Shiroh had
told her that didn�t work for him, but she didn�t care. She
could see it in her mind�s eye, the orange octagons
materialising around her! If only it would work! It had to
work! It had to work!
***
�How did this happen?�
Aika glared at the black half-sphere. �I don�t know! How could
I possibly know!�
�She should not have been able to generate the field!� A note
of anger entered FAUST�s voice.
�Don�t you think I know that! You�ve drummed it into me
constantly that the Sixth would never develop an AT field! She
was never��
�But she did.�
Aika said nothing.
***
Hitomi kept trying to visualise the field.
Damn you! Work!
Work, work, work, work, work!
Please, I�m begging you!
Don�t let it kill me!
Don�t let it hurt me!
Don�t�
Something flashed through Hitomi�s mind. So fast, too fast to
even recognise. There and gone. Another feeling now. A new
feeling. A sensation of strength. A sensation of energy.
A sensation of�
Power.
�Hitomi!� Ruri�s voice came to her from the world outside,
sounding like she was almost crying with joy.
Hitomi opened her eyes�
***
�The Seventh should develop the AT field within the next few
days.� Said FAUST.
�Good.� Aika composed herself. �And the new pilots?�
�Their development is� uncertain.�
�That�s not good enough.�
FAUST spoke with a barely noticeable air of contempt. �You
speak as if you were in a position to make demands, Major-
General Negishi.�
Folding her arms in front of her, Aika scowled. �I am well
aware of my position.�
�Be sure that you remain aware of it.� There was a note of
warning in the voice this time.
�And what does the Sixth�s development mean?�
FAUST�s voice softened suddenly. �The plans will have to be
stepped up. This development will cause delay. Delay must be
compensated for.�
Aika was surprised. �Does that mean�?�
�Yes. You will prepare the subject now. This can no longer
wait.�
�But� But I�ll need clearance to reveal more to her. I can�t
prepare her with what I have at the moment.�
�We will deal with it. Anything else?�
�I don�t think so, but��
�Then you are dismissed.�
***
Thursday September 9, 2055
Blue wasn�t in the least bit surprised when Hitomi walked into
her place in Lowside with a black eye.
Geez, not again.
At least she seems happy about something.
�I did it! Blue, I finally I did it!�
She sighed. �You�re staying here tonight, Hitomi.�
�I did it! I got the field to work!�
�Fantastic! Tomorrow you can cure world hunger! And poverty!
And end all wars!�
�Stop it! You don�t have to be so sarcastic!�
Blue snarled, pointing at the girl�s face. �Your magic field
doesn�t seem to have protected you from that!�
She could only watch as Hitomi�s joy disintegrated in front of
her.
�That�s not fair.�
Blue turned away. �No. No, it wasn�t. I�m��
She closed her eyes. �Say it! Say it, you bitch!�
�I�m��
�Come on! Your father�s gone!�
�I�m��
�He only apologised constantly because he was a coward! You�re
not him! Say it!�
�I�m sorry, Hitomi.�
Silence.
�It�s okay.� Said Hitomi.
�No. No, it�s not okay. I�m sorry. I shouldn�t have��
The girl stared up at Blue.
�Blue?�
Blue swallowed. �Yeah?�
�Um. Is� Is it okay if I stay with you for a while? I mean�.�
Blue was surprised. Was Hitomi finally doing something about
her family problems? �Of course you can, Hitomi. You can stay
here as long as you like.�
***
Saturday September 11, 2055
�Good Morning, Major.� Yokugawa stood up as Ruri entered the
office. �Please, take a seat.�
Ruri at down, relaxing into the high-backed Edwardian chair.
�Welcome back to Japan, sir. How is America these days?�
Yokugawa sighed. �A political shambles, as always. It�s been
nearly twenty-five years since the UNAERG occupation forces
pulled out of the place, but they still haven�t cleaned up
their own mess. The place has become even more fragmented. And
then Washington has the nerve to insist we withdraw the troops
that remain.�
�Yes. The Americans have always held an unrealistic view of
their own abilities. When they occupied Japan, we learnt
something from it. You�d think they could do the same when the
tables turn.�
�Oh no, Major. There are things they�ve learned. But enough of
that. We�re not here to talk about international politics. The
new pilots.�
�Yes, sir. I understand they�ll be with us by the end of the
week. The new EVAs will be here by Wednesday at the latest.�
�Excellent. Have you met the new pilots, Major?�
�No sir.�
�Reports I�ve received suggest they are doing quite well in
their training. I don�t doubt they�ll be a valuable addition to
your command.�
�Sir�. Is there any chance that adult pilots might be trained
at any time in the future?�
Yokugawa leaned back in his chair. �I sincerely doubt it. We�ve
talked about this before, Major. I am aware of your concerns.
We have no reason to believe that the use of adult pilots will
be viable in the foreseeable future.�
�And what about Dr. Chiyoda's replacement?� Asked Ruri.
�Miss Shirato? Aika's choice. What about her?�
�Will she be replaced, now that the Angels have attacked? With
someone more capable?�
�No. Aika is adamant that she stay on her present role. Doesn't
want to take away her command just because things are about to
get tough.�
�Is that wise? I mean, we need the tech division more than ever
now. Chiyoda was our best. Surely��
�We still have Chiyoda, effectively. The telepresence link
allows him to advise Shirato, so well that she might as well be
him. She has all his expertise, on demand.�
�But��
�No. Aika may not be� my ideal choice of joint commander. But I
can't undermine her authority. Shirato stays. If I were you,
I'd be trying to get on her good side too. She is the one
responsible for your EVAs now.�
�I'll try.�
�Good. And try not to give Aika any more reason to dislike you,
either. You know what she thinks of your appointment. That was
one of my decisions. I trust you see the point I'm making?�
�Yes. I see what you mean.�
�I thought you would.�
�And now we wait. Until the next Angel attacks. Which could be
any time.�
�Tense, Major?�
�Of course, sir. We have a right to be.�
***
-And who do I report to?-
Chiyoda looked away from the Angel carcass, back towards Aki.
�Aika didn�t tell you?�
-No. She didn�t tell me much.-
�Yes, I�m beginning to see how little you were given to work
with. How much do you know of the UNAERG�s command structure?�
-Let�s just call it nothing.-
�Alright then. I'll make this brief. The Secretary General, is
the supreme commander of all UN armed forces. Under him, there
are nine regional commanders. Each commands a number of areas,
each with its area commander. We�re UNAERG Japan, that�s our
area, part of the North Oceania region. First EVA is officially
a part of UNAERG Japan. Am I boring you yet?�
-But who�s in charge of First EVA?-
�We have a joint command structure here. Aika�s one of the
commanders, Satoshi�s another. Major-General Satoshi Yokugawa.
He�s just come back from the US. He was acting as a negotiator
in some silly dispute over the jurisdiction of UNAERG North
America West. Damned Americans. They�re only making trouble
because of the Occupation� They�re both in charge of First EVA.
Both equal rank, neither with any form of seniority of the
other. Despite what Aika Negishi might think. Aika was just in
nominal command, while Satoshi was away.�
-You really don't like her, do you?-
�No. And neither would you.�
Aki stamped her feet -Stop that! You're going to have to start
telling me what's going on here!-
�No, it�s not important.�
Aki scowled.
Chiyoda ignored her. �By the way, I wouldn�t call our
commanders by their first names, if I were you. In fact, I
never referred to them in that way, as far as you can
remember.�
-If you say so.-
�Good. Now, let�s go check out these samples.�
Aki picked up the small case containing the samples of the
Angel�s body that she had extracted under Chiyoda�s direction.
The blood, that had been the worst. Scooping up the icky stuff.
Eww. Surely this wasn't what she was supposed to be doing.
Acting as this insane guy's dogsbody. Wasn't she supposed to be
taking over as chief of the tech division? So why wasn't anyone
telling her anything?!
�Stop dawdling.� Said Chiyoda.
She glared at him again.
***
�Interesting.� Said Chiyoda, several hours later.
-What?- Aki was getting tired of not being told anything. �What
is it?-
�This Angel. Have a look at this.�
Aki looked at the screen, which showed what looked like a
bright red mass of tentacles, waving upwards into the air.
-I have no idea what you're showing me.- She said.
Chiyoda looked at her like she was an idiot. �It's a simple
Harris-Kuldine DaTree. Based on DatAmerica's RealTree data
analysis visualisation. What do they teach you at university
these days?�
-Harris-Kuldine? Never heard of it. What does it mean?-
Chiyoda waved a hand through the air, and another similar mass
of tentacles appeared in front of him, like a hologram. Only
this one was green. �It means this Angel has a structure unlike
the creatures that appeared in 2015.�
-It's different?-
�Yes.�
-How different?-
There was a pause.
Chiyoda sighed. �You're really taking over my job, aren't you?�
-Um, yeah, that's what Major-General Negishi said, isn't it?-
�Then I suppose there are some things you need to know.�
***
�Ugly bastard, isn't it.� Said Chiyoda. He leaned out over the
railing towards the giant white shape in front of them.
-What is it?-
�This, Miss Shirato, is the JetAlone General-Purpose Humanoid
Decisive Combat Weapon. Produced in 2015 by the Japan Heavy
Chemical Industrial Co-operative.�
-I think I remember reading something about it. Does it work?-
�It was only ever used once. It was shown off in front of
representatives from a dozen governments, UN agencies and other
corporations at its official launch. Soon after it was
activated, it became uncontrollable. Eventually it was stopped
by the actions of a Captain Misato Katsuragi.�
-Katsuragi?- Aki remembered the name, having read it in
numerous physics textbooks. -Any relation to the physicist, Dr.
Katsuragi?-
�She was his daughter, I believe. Anyway, NERV confiscated it
after that. We now believe that NERV or the SEELE group had
something to do with the malfunction.�
-Sabotage? But NERV didn't�-
�They would have sabotaged it regardless of their motive! Think
about it�� He trailed off. �No. No, you couldn't understand.
You don't know enough about the EVAs yet.�
-But how did we get it?-
�The UN took possession of everything NERV had after the raid.
When First EVA was commissioned in 2042, we got everything they
had that was even vaguely related to the EVAs. The JHCI Co-op
was bought out by the Ahriman Financial Combine in 2043, and
they've been trying to get it back from us since then.�
-And why are you showing me this?-
�This is a human creation. This is the best thing we could ever
make to fight the Angels.�
-What are you talking about? What about the EVAs? They look
better, for a start!-
�They are *not*, Miss Shirato, a human creation.�
-What do you mean? If humans didn�t build the EVAs, who did?-
�Oh, we built them alright. But we didn�t design them.�
-Who did design them?-
�I� I can�t tell you that.� Chiyoda started to walk away.
�That�s enough for now.�
Aki took her hand off the control unit, and he vanished into
thin air. She looked back at the JetAlone.
Was this really the closest human science could come to the
EVAs?
-----------------------------------------
Author�s Notes:
The UNOBK interrogators I imagine to look something like a
mixture of Gestapo officers, KGB agents and members of the Psi-
Corps from �Babylon 5�.
Kerensky, Ruri�s sim-EVA, is named after Alexander Kerensky,
head of one of the many provisional governments that was set up
in Russia after one of the revolutions in the early decades of
the 20th century. It�s also a �Battletech/Mechwarrior�
reference.
The �DatAmerica RealTree� is taken from William Gibson�s
�Idoru�.
Many thanks to:
Sebastion �Squirtle� Fitsroy
Penny �Jigglypuff� Sullivan
Matthew �Bulbasaur� Horgan
Seth �Ditto� Kowal
Darren �Abra� Demaine
Jitou �Koffing�
(Only *I* am cute enough to be Pikachu ^_^)