Babylon 5 and its characters with the exception of Epsilon Squad were
created by J.Michael Straczynski and copyrights are held by Warner
Bros. And TNT. The characters of Epsilon Squad, as well as the
characters of Rei Ayanami-Miranami and Danielle Asuka Langley are my
own creation. Please ask for my permission to use them in your own
fics.
Neon Genesis Evangelion was created by Project Eva and copyrights are
held by Gainax in Japan and A.D. Vision in the U.S. Please let me know
if there are any Other copyright holders for either series I may have
missed, as I'm not out to make any sort of material gain; I'm merely
expressing my interest in both these series. In other words, please
don't sue me.
Author's Notes:
This story takes place during Season 5 of Babylon 5, after #99
"Phoenix Rising" and before #103 "Darkness Ascending."
To make this story work, I took the events in Evangelion and
plopped them into the Babylon 5 universe at the same time as they
actually occurred (2000-2015). The following events occurred in the
B5 universe at the same time as in Eva: Episodes 1-24, followed by the
events of the Rebirth and End of Evangelion movies. This story takes
place in 2262. For purposes of this story, episodes 25 and 26 never
happened.
Previously on Babylon 5:
After the Angels were discovered on M-235, the EAS Perry, an
Earthforce Special Operations ship commanded by Rei Ayanami-Miranami
and assigned to Nerv, was sent to Babylon 5 after Earth Alliance
President Susanna Luchenko assumed full control of the situation from
Nerv, infuriating Nerv's commander, Thirteen. After Danielle Asuka
Langley arrives on the station she runs into Lt. Commander Jesa
Marason, a Starfury pilot who just came back from dealing with Raiders,
and she starts ranting about angels and impacts which results in
Security escorting her to medlab. The Perry, Griffin, and Missouri
arrive on Babylon 5 and Rei held a meeting with the senior officers as
well as the B5 command staff to discuss the Angel situation. Meanwhile,
Jesa talks with his two friends and squadmates Laura and Rico about the
"crazy woman" he met and he learns her name.
Well, enough of the preliminaries, let's get on with it!
Babylon 5: Angels
A Babylon 5 / Neon Genesis Evangelion crossover
by Mark Craig
Part 5 - Cruel Angel
After the meeting ended Rei and Lochley went back to C&C to upload
Nerv's information on the Angels into the Babylon 5 computers. Ivanova
and LaSalle returned to the Griffin, and Lind and Reider returned to
the Missouri. Clearly Rei left the others with some rather chilling
thoughts on what they would be dealing with. The Angels were 98% human,
after all, and they could easily adapt to many different combat
situations. When Rei did mention how the Eva units were the only
devices in mankind's possession which could stop the Angels, she got
the sense Lochley and the others were hiding something from her. They
were not a very trusting group to begin with; they'd been through too
many problems with Earth and that civil war. Nerv's conflicts with
Earthforce over the Angels didn't help matters, either. But what are
they hiding? Rei thought to herself. Rei made a mental to discuss it
with Captain Lochley and President Sheridan later, if there was time
for any of them.
When they reached C&C, Rei went to the command console at the
front of the Observation Dome. She inserted two data crystals into the
two ports on the left side of the console, and brought the station's
main computer on-line.
"Computer," she said, "transfer all data from crystal ports into
central database. Authorization Omega-2-3-Zulu-9. Passcode: Longinus."
"Commencing."
"When the transfer is complete," Rei said to Lochley, "Babylon 5's
computers will be able to identify each of the seventeen known Angels
should they appear."
"I thought there were eighteen Angels," Lochley observed.
"That's according to the findings of Major Katsuragi during her
research into Second Impact," Rei said flatly. "The validity of that
information is still being debated on among the scientific community.
However, seventeen Angels are known to exist, Captain, and I'm
providing you with the data on those seventeen."
"I see. I always thought Nerv kept everything about its work top
secret," Lochley said.
"Actually, it's on a need-to-know basis," Rei corrected. "And I
believe you do need to know to be able to help us."
"Transfer of data complete," the computer announced. "Commencing
database update."
Rei's link beeped. "Ayanami-Miranami, go."
"Commander," Akagi said over the link, "I just wanted to check in.
I just got back aboard the Perry."
"Very good. I'm almost finished here and I'll join you within the
next hour."
"I'll keep the chair warmed up for you. Perry out."
Rei gave a small smile. She genuinely liked Akagi, and respected
Her competence as an officer. Over the past few years she and Akagi had
formed a sort of mental bond to enable each to anticipate the other's
moves or intentions. A very useful skill to have, actually, considering
the magnitude of their mission. It was hard to believe she was a
descendent of both Ritsuko and her mother Naoko. When Rei had heard
about what they had done before Third Impact, it had shocked and
sickened her, no question about it, particularly Naoko who went nuts
and murdered the first of Nerv's clones in 2010.
"Database update complete," the computer spoke again.
"All right, Captain," Rei said, retrieving her data crystals, "I'm
all finished here, and the command console is yours. I just need to
pick up something in my quarters and return to the Perry. We'll meet
again at 1800 hours to discuss our options in dealing with the Angels."
She started to leave.
Lochley nodded. "We'll be there. And Commander?"
Rei stopped and turned around. "Yes?"
"With all due respect, I hope you're wrong."
"So do I, Captain," Rei said, and she turned around and briskly
walked out of C&C. Well, my job's done and I can get back to the Perry
where I belong, she thought. This place is just too big for my taste.
Too much stuff can go on around here that no one could control. But I should be happy. Why do I have a bad feeling about all this?
She boarded a transport tube to take her to her quarters on Blue-5.
Rei reached the door to her quarters and fished out her keycard.
When she got the door open, she saw a red-haired woman sitting on a
couch looking as if she was whiling away the day. After double-checking
the number outside to ensure she was in the right room, she stepped
inside and drew her PPG.
The sound of the PPG powering up made the woman turn her head.
Seeing who it was, she smiled. "Hello, Commander Rei Ayanami-Miranami.
I've been waiting for you. Please sit; we have much to discuss and time is short."
Rei stood her ground, keeping the PPG leveled at this woman. "Who
the hell are you? How did you get into my quarters?"
"I'd figured you knew who I was, Commander," the woman replied.
"Nerv seems to know everything, don't they? Nonetheless, my name is
Danielle Asuka Langley."
"As in the pilot who saw a vision of Kaworu at Proxima-3 last
year?"
Danielle nodded. "Correct. As for how I got in here, let's just
say it was Nerv's prerogative and leave it at that. You can put the PPG
away, Commander. I mean you no harm."
"You've got about ten seconds before I call station security," Rei
warned.
"I assure you that won't be necessary, either. For as you've said
yourself we have something in common. We both have seen Angels."
Rei stepped inside enough for the door to close and slightly
lowered the PPG. How does she know about that? "I don't know what
you're talking about."
"Oh, no? I think you know exactly what I'm talking about, Wonder
Girl. You see, after Proxima-3 I got to know Nerv and many of its
people quite well. I know about the Angels. G'Qeth knew about the
Angels as well during a time long before humans ever contacted the
Narns. I also know about you. I know what you really are."
"What do you mean?" Rei demanded.
"All in good time, Commander," Danielle said, evading the
question. "Tell me something. What do you remember of your early
childhood? Where were you born? Who are your parents?"
What the hell does she know? If she knows all of us in Nerv, why
is she asking me about my family? "I was born in New Tokyo City on
Mars. My parents were Hiroshi and Sasha Miranami. They were killed
during the '58 Mars Rebellion. What the hell does this have to do with
anything?"
Danielle chuckled. "I suppose that's what they told you, or had
your family tell you when you were old enough. Lies, all lies conceived
by Nerv, so you wouldn't know your true nature. All the better for them
to use you."
"Enough!" Rei burst out, reaching for the link. "I'm going to call
Security."
"They're probably turning over the station up, down, and sideways
looking for me by now, after I left Medlab without getting Dr.
Franklin's permission. I had to get out of Medlab and see you before I
left."
Rei hesitated. "Why?"
"Merely to tell you what you are."
"I don't understand."
"You will. You see, Commander, I know everything about your past
is a lie concocted by Melchior, Nerv's last surviving Magi from Third
Impact. Your ties to Nerv
run even deeper than you would expect. Did you ever wonder why Nerv was
so interested in bringing you where you are? Why did Nerv insist on
putting you through Earthforce Academy? Why did they insist on you
being assigned to Special Ops? Out of all the people who apply to
Earthforce Academy year in, year out, why did Nerv choose you? Did you
ever wonder, Commander? Did you wonder what made you so special in
Nerv's eyes? The answer lay in the Magi, ripe for the taking, I can
assure you. I can tell you why Nerv did what it did for you over the
years."
"Okay," Rei said suspiciously despite herself. She barely noticed
she let the PPG drop to waist-level. "What was it?"
"They made you, Commander. They literally made you. It's all in
the Magi, I can assure you. Nerv once again experimented with human
cloning in 2226, using DNA found in the remains of Tokyo-3. DNA from
the Rei III/Lillith merge which was a part of Third Impact. You were
the only stable clone Nerv was able to create out of about a dozen
attempts. You were cultivated in a vial inside one of Nerv's
laboratories. After you were born you were fostered to the Miranami
family as one of their own. Yet Nerv guided you through every step of
the way through your life right up to the here and now.
"It's all because you are the one who is half. Part human, part
Angel. You were groomed for your place in Nerv, just like a crown
prince in a monarchy is groomed for the throne from childhood."
Rei found herself shaking slightly, shocked from this revelation.
"That can't be. That's impossible." But it makes so much sense. This
would explain these damn visions I keep having.
"Seek out your true nature, you know it to be true," Danielle said
calmly. "I have always known you, Commander Ayanami, as my ancestor in
2015 knew you. You'll fight the Angels now as you did then. And so will
I for the sake of my ancestor."
Rei couldn't stand this any more. She felt as if the very
foundations of her life had started to crack. Then she felt a most
unusual emotion: unbridled anger directed at her, at Nerv, at all the
lies, half-truths, and everything in between that was a part of life at
Nerv. With a fire in her red eyes, she again brought the PPG to bear
and aimed it at Danielle's head.
"On second thought," she gritted, "if you don't leave in ten
seconds, I'll merely blow your head off and stab it on a pole!"
"Is that what you really want to do?" Danielle asked pleasantly,
standing up.
Rei, just like her predecessors, had never done anything because
she wanted to. She had done what others wanted, because it seemed right
at the time. She felt she owed it to Nerv for everything they had done
for her and her family. When her parents were killed in the Mars
Rebellion, Nerv paid for their remains to be shipped to Earth
and buried in a place of honor. Now she found herself questioning
everything she had done for Nerv, no thanks to what this woman said.
How could she know so much about her and Nerv? How the hell did she
hack into the Magi? So many questions and not enough answers.
"I'm warning you," Rei finally said with some venom in her voice,
her PPG unwavering. "Just get out!"
Danielle started for the door, stepping past Rei in the process.
"By the way, I've been to M-235 as well. I've picked up some souvenirs
there. Like Evangelion Unit 02, the longinus spear, a hand rifle, and
an S2 engine. I will kill the Angels this time on the honor of my
ancestor 250 years ago. This I swear to you, Commander. This I swear."
With that promise made, Danielle exited Rei's quarters, leaving
her standing there. She dropped the PPG and backed up to the wall, her
anger spent. She slumped down to the floor, her mind overwhelmed with
questions: Why did Nerv do this? Why did both Nerv and my parents lie
to me? Has everything I've accomplished in my life just another lie I
didn't even know I was telling? She felt the tears begin to stream down
her face. Why the hell am I believing her? She was the one who broke
into my quarters. Damn her! Why did she have to go and say all that?
What did she have to gain by it? Maybe nothing. Maybe she's just as
insane as the medical report on her says. Or maybe not.
When the time was right after all this was over, she would deal
with Nerv directly over this matter. With this assurance in her mind,
Rei quickly calmed down. Then another thought struck her. Why did she
mention she had Unit 02? More to the point, does the station staff know
of it, and if so, why wasn't she told? Doubtless Nerv would
want to know of something like that. After all, they had already begun
restoring Unit 01. She said she would kill the Angels for the sake of
her ancestor. Then Rei remembered her name: Danielle Asuka Langley.
Then it was clear who Danielle was talking about. But there was one way
to find out. She wiped the last of the tears away and got up and went
to the wall terminal in her quarters. She activated the terminal.
"Command?"
"Computer, initiate familial history search on Danielle Asuka
Langley. Locate any family members born between 2000 and 2015. Include
all historical Earthforce and Nerv records."
"Commencing."
Rei waited a few moments while the station's computer accessed the
Requested information. She went into the small kitchen to get a glass
of water then went back to the terminal. After an almost interminable
wait the computer provided the response.
"Search complete. One match found."
"Let's have it," Rei said.
"Subject is a direct descendent of Soryu Asuka Langley, born in
Berlin, Germany on December 4, 2001, died August 19, 2055 in Seele
nuclear attack on San Diego. Became candidate for Nerv in February
2010. Designated pilot of Evangelion Unit 02 from March 2015 to Third
Impact in November 2015. Became co-leader with Shinji Ikari in the
International Earth Alliance in 2030. Additional information is
available."
So she's directly related to the original pilot of Unit 02, eh?
Rei thought. But the question now becomes: If she has Unit 02, can she
synchronize with it the way Asuka could? It was always believed only
those born within nine months of Second Impact were able to pilot the
Eva units. But what about descendants? Nerv was only beginning research
into the possibility of descendants of the original Children being able
to pilot Unit 01 once restoration was completed. Could it be possible
she would be able to pilot the Eva effectively. For that matter, was
Rei certain that Danielle had Unit 02? Rei shook her head. This is
preposterous. How can she act on this information without even knowing
whether or not Danielle even had Unit 02. Nerv had told her all the
Evangelion units were destroyed in Third Impact except for what was
left of Unit 01, which had floated in Earth's orbit until 2050. Rei had
no reason to doubt them until now, when she learned everything about
her past was little more than a Nerv lie. Surely they would know if
Unit 02 was recovered. Would they?
In light of what's just happened, Rei knew nothing was truly
certain any more. She knew she had to find out for herself if what
Danielle said about Unit 02 was true. Her link chose that moment to
beep. "Ayanami-Miranami, go."
"Commander," Lochley said over the link with some urgency, "could
you please come to C and C? We've got a major problem."
"On my way," Rei replied and she ran out of her quarters to the
sound of the sirens blaring in the corridor.
Lochley stood at her usual post at the command console of C&C. A
Brakiri transport just jumped out about twenty minutes ago and no more
transports were due in for another two hours, and it would be at least
that long before any ships were scheduled to leave the station, and it
was nearly time for shift change on the command deck. As a result the
only people were herself, Lt. Corwin, and Lt. Shannon Asa. So she
decided it was time for some housekeeping tasks.
"Lt. Asa," Lochley said, "run a diagnostic on the secondary
defense grid and confirm hull integrity status."
"Yes, Captain," she said in a quiet voice.
"Captain," Corwin broke in amidst a rapid series of beeps, "the
jumpgate's activating."
Lochley gave him a surprised look. "What? I thought nothing was
scheduled in for another two hours."
"Don't tell me, tell that."
Lochley gave the jumpgate monitor on her console an intense gaze.
The blue vortex formed inside the jumpgate, and something she had never
seen before emerged. It resembled nothing more than a large, multi-
forked lightning bolt glowing solid white and it approached the station
once it came out of hyperspace.
"What the hell is that? Computer, identify approaching object."
"Commencing."
"Lt. Corwin, get a couple of maintenance 'bots out there. I want a
closer look at this thing."
"Yes, Captain," Corwin said as he carried out his orders. Two of
the station's maintenance robots flew out to the thing in moments.
Lochley got a good hard look at what she was facing on the monitors on
her console. Then realization hit her. Wait a minute, this can't be.
"Match found," the computer broke in, interrupting her train of
thought. "Registering one life-form. Approaching object identified as
the 15th Angel, Nerv designation: Ariel."
Oh, hell, Lochley thought. "Put the station on red alert. Launch
Zeta, Epsilon, and Delta Squads. Close blast doors and activate defense
grid."
"Will do, Captain," both Asa and Corwin said. Klaxons began
sounding as blast doors closed at the front of C&C.
"Blast doors closed," Asa said after a moment. "Zeta and Epsilon
Squads scrambling."
"Defense grid on-line," Corwin added.
"Understood," Lochley said as she got on the link to Commander
Miranami.
Danielle wandered purposefully through the Blue Sector central
corridor when the sirens began to sound, along with a computerized
announcement for all civilians to report to the designated shelters or
stay in their quarters. They're here, she thought. The six by three are
here. People scrambled around her to complete their self-appointed
rounds, harried by the state of alert. She stopped at a monitor along
the wall showing the lightning-shaped object approaching the station
from one of the maint 'bots. Immediately she recognized it for what it
was. So you have returned, eh? Attacking my ancestor wasn't good enough
for you, was it? Well, you won't find me so easy to beat, I can assure
you. I know what I have to do now, my choices have brought me to this
place. Now, the time has come for retribution, 15th Angel!
With determination in mind, she stalked towards the docking bay,
barely noticing station security had a Fugitive Alert out for her since
she walked out of Medlab. It doesn't matter now. All that matters now
is the fact the Angel is out there, and I have a job to do.
She reached the customs area without incident as security was too
busy hurrying the civilians to shelters to worry about her, and she
slipped through to the docking bay. She made her way to Bay 2 and
boarded her transport. She brought the on-board systems on-line.
"Computer, initiate docking bay departure sequence," Danielle
said.
"Departure sequence disabled for station alert."
"Initiate security override. Authorization Nerv-2-1-8-9-Alpha-8."
"Confirmed. Initiating departure sequence."
"Transport Soryu, this is Babylon Control," came the voice of
Captain Lochley. "What the hell are you doing? We've got a situation
here."
"I know, Babylon Control," Danielle replied. "I know all about
what you're dealing with. And I intend to stop it once and for all,
with Evangelion Unit 02."
Rei ran into C&C just as Lochley contacted the Soryu. She was just
in time to hear Danielle respond that she intended to stop it with Eva-
02. Lochley was about to say something in response when Rei stopped
her. "Captain, let her go."
"But she's a civilian," Lochley protested. "She cannot fly into a
combat zone."
"If she has an Evangelion, let her go. Your weapons cannot harm it
if its AT Field is up. That is the 15th Angel you're dealing with. The
only way Nerv was able to stop it last time was to use the longinus
spear."
"How did you know she had an Evangelion?"
"She told me herself, but I didn't really believe it until now.
And why wasn't I told there was an Eva on-station?"
"We had no knowledge it was even here," Lochley said.
"Captain," Lt. Corwin reported, "Epsilon, Zeta, and Delta Squads
are launching." Something on his console caught his attention then he
turned to Lochley in slight alarm. "Captain, I'm reading an increase of
pressure in the fusion reactor. Pressure is at 50% of maximum tolerance
and rising. Reactor temperature at 5000 degrees and rising. Life
support in Brown 7, 9, 11, and 13 down 15%. Power in Blue 5, 6, and 8
down 40%. StellarCom system off-line."
"What?" Lochley exclaimed, giving Corwin a surprised look.
"Computer, confirm station status."
"Commencing. Fusion reactor pressure: 52.75% of maximum tolerance.
Life support down 15% in Brown-7, 9, 11, and 13. Main power in Blue-5,
6, and 8 down 40%."
"Captain, Security Central reports all their monitors are down,"
Asa reported. "Defense grid has just gone off-line."
"Attention," the computer reported. "Status check has identified
foreign entity in reactor control, environmental, and defense systems.
Entity identified as the 11th Angel. Nerv designation: Iruel."
Lochley shot a glare at Rei. How the hell did that get in here?
Rei thought. It had to have been the data transfer I did because the
system was clean before. But who the hell put the Angel on our data
crystals?
"Captain," Corwin said, "At present buildup rate, the fusion
reactor will reach critical levels in forty minutes."
"Inform President Sheridan and begin evacuation of all ambassadors
on-station," Lochley ordered. "Close off all inbound civilian traffic."
"Yes, Captain," Corwin said and did so.
"Would you care to explain how an Angel hacked our computers,
Commander?" Lochley demanded, and her tone indicated Rei had better
answer her quickly.
"I'm not sure yet, Captain. It may have something to do with the
data I uploaded to your systems. But I'm not certain how the Angel got
on the data crystals as it was supposed to have been destroyed after
infecting two of the three Magi supercomputers in 2015."
"Looks like someone's reconstructed it, Commander," Lochley said.
"And we need to kill this thing and quickly, because in forty minutes,
discussions on who's at fault will be academic as far as we're
concerned. If the fusion reactor goes, the resulting explosion will
take the entire station with it."
End Part 5
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