Okay, Okay.

Part 4 is STILL in the works. I think this will only be five parts.

Part 4... soon.

I promise.

Okay?

-----------------

"Engage first power interlocks."

A white, unhealthy-looking hand reached out and flicked a bank of antique plastic switches. The panel dated to the 1960's, and looked it. But they did their job, and a loud humming filled the empty warehouse.

"Engage motive systems."

Lights filled a small space, and a small, but bulky machine was illuminated.

"Engage weapons systems."

Four stubby barrels twitched.

"Full test."

The machine twitched, and moved forward, backwards, and spun on the spot. Then a series of bursts of fire demolished a concrete wall, a group of dummies, and  a  sheet of metal some thirty centimetres thick.

"Test M-FIED system."

A shimmering was seen about the machine, and a sequence of  guns were fired against the mecha. No effect, even from the explosive shells.

"Test M-FIED projection."

A pre-stressed concrete sheet erupted into fragments.

Michael, the Abbot, leant back in his seat. "Excellent. Have the Mournblade and Stormbringer weapon systems been installed?"

"Yes, your Holiness. In the two Elric-specification models."

"And how many models are built altogether?"

"Thirty, your Holiness."

"I see." The Abbot was a thin, wasted man, who inspired disgust in
practically all the people who saw him.

Which was very few. The Abbot did not like it known that he was suffering from God's punishment, despite his clean-living life. He had AIDS, and no avoiding the fact that he was dying. But he had kept this cult going for years. And he had attracted some of the best minds to him, including some people who had previously worked for NERV. And one of them had come to him with a serum.

A serum that had kept his body alive for longer than it should have. He had noticed that he'd stopped breathing, but he put it down to the fact that the Lord had great things in mind for him.

A 'refugee' from NERV-Japan. A refugee who had a case of serum that he could replicate, a pale yellow with streaks of blue.

The first sequence of injections had been agonising, but the recent ones, now that the serum had taken hold, were simply intravenous. No more spinal taps.

Which reminded him.

"Bring through the L-serum, will you?"

==================

Fundamentals

A Neon Genesis Evangelion Fanfiction

By Matthew Harrison

Chapter 3

==================

"So what do we do tonight?"

Asuka, for once, making an innocent inquiry.

"I don't know... these things tend to make things awkward." Shinji, part of the small group that had met in the middle of Tokyo-3, tapped the pistol strapped to his hip.

"Dumbkopf!" Asuka rolled her eyes. "Haven't you got a shoulder-holster YET?"

"I have. It feels wrong. And I can't draw so well from it."

"I see."

The group dropped into bickering. They'd decided to go out- Kensuke, Asuka, Rei (no vote) and Shinji (Who had just been given a clean bill of health and was the reason they were out).

Rei was the only quiet person there. The others were trying to decide what to do, the merits of the various holsters supplied by NERV security, and whether a gun was a handicap or not.

"I have never tried bowling yet."

That stopped them.

"What say we do that then?" Kensuke looked round at the other pilots. Shinji shrugged, while Asuka nodded enthusiastically.

***

"So you've never bowled before?"

"No. I understand that the aim is to propel the ball down the lane, as it is called, and strike as many of the pins as possible, though."

"I see."

***

Rei stood there, as she watched the others. She had so far managed to send her ball into the gutter on each of the two attempts she'd made.

It was a feeling that she hadn't really experienced. Her face was hot.

It was worse, in a way, though she couldn't see why, that Shinji was there.

It was absurd.

It was making her want to curl up in a corner.

Why?

"Rei?"

She looked up suddenly. Shinji.

"It's your turn."

"Thank you." The burning feeling was back. Rei stood up, and took hold of the ball she'd tried last time.

"That's too heavy for you."

Rei looked round at the sudden interruption. Shinji, again.

"Try this one." Shinji handed her a ball a slightly different colour. A ten.

"Thank you."

"Your stance is wrong as well." Shinji took a position just behind her, holding her hand, mirroring her movements.

"Like this. Aim for the right of the front centre."

"How much?"

"If you were the pin, facing us, about ten o'clock."

Rei nodded. Her hair brushed his face.

She drew her arm back, to bowl. His breath tickled her neck.

She released the ball.

It sped down the lane, just as he'd said.

The ball struck the centre front, just to the right...

.. and Strike.

Rei turned to face Shinji, the huge red X flashing above her head.

"Thank you."

"Any time... huh?"

At the side, Kensuke and Asuka were making gagging noises, and suggesting that the ice in their drinks ought to be used in a better capacity.

Rei and Shinji both blushed, Rei barely perceptibly.

***

Sargeant Faber looked over his team. It was the big one. SO19 were about to pull off the biggest coup in the history of the British Police.

"I know we hate them, but full faceplates and resis, lads. Geordie? Take the back with Archie and Fuckwit."

"Gotcha."

"Rasta, you're stick-man for this op. We'll go in through the front. It's easy entry at the back, which is why Rich- MOE fro this op- is with us. There's only a few of them in there- six at most."

All nodded. This was a cell of the Church of the Flaming Sword- or a Wayside Chapel, as the Church called such units. The Church was known to be planning a few attacks on certain 'heretical' groups. The recent attacks on NERV were one such assault.

There were only meant to be few. But why only a few in such a large
warehouse?

***

"GO! GO! GO!"

There was a loud crash simultaneously from front and back; The 'Baby'
slammed into the door, smashing it off his hinges, and Green Team smashed through, surprising the cultists as they were clustered around a... something covered in a large tarpaulin.

"Armed Police! On the floor! NOW!"

"On your knees!"

Rasta went ahead, and brought the four-foot oaken pole down hard across the shoulders of one man who wasn't taking any notice.

It was all over in less than two minutes- and no shooting.

"Green-one to control. Five prisoners, one needing medical attention,
non-life threatening, over."

*Krrr-chug.*

"Roger, Green-one.  Please catalogue all contents of premises, over."

*Krr-chug-chug-chug.*

"Roger, control. Why this order? It wasn't specified in the daily orders. Over."

*Krrr-chug-chug-chugga...*

"Data received from shipping manifests suggest that something large was imported from Japan. NERV has requested that we determine what it was."

*Chuggachuggachugga...*

"Control, Wait. OUT!"

The machine under the tarpaulin finally exploded into life. Rasta went down in a hail of fire as an arm on the side of the machine unfolded, and six thin barrels spun, roaring like the Second Impact.

Faber looked over the pile of crates he'd hidden behind. It was a
strange-looking machine, to say the least, but the basic chassis seemed to be an old JCB. And it didn't seem to care what it shot at. There were at least four guns mounted on it; one of which was obviously a minigun. Another arm spun to face where Geordie and Fuckwit had hidden, and a choking, spitting noise erupted, as it churned out a barrage of large-bore ammunition.

"Green-one to Control! We need reinforcements NOW! Unknown battle machine tearing through the squad!"

"Green-one, wait. NERV security forces approaching your position."

Faber dove aside as an explosion tore through the crates in front of him. He squeezed the trigger of the MP5 repeatedly, again cursing the fact that the police regulations required their weapons to be single-shot only.

Not that it would have made much difference. The armour on that thing put an MBT to shame.

A sequence of explosions in front of the horrible bugger told him that some of them had got their acts together and were trying to distract it with a barrage of flash-bangs and smokes.

"HATTONS! NOW!"

The three members with shotguns started hitting the side with the
specialised Hatton rounds, which were used for doors and vehicles. It
sounded like hammers striking the side of the thing, but that wasn't
important, as the glass at the front, which they SHOULD have been aiming at, reinforced as it was, would have given way immediately.

Another explosion tore up Geordie and Fuckwit.

Faber sprinted for cover, and then saw just what he needed.

There was a God after all.

Getting to one knee, he raised the tube to his shoulder, and aimed at the cockpit as Rich died in a messy, meaty blast. No time to think about that now.

On top of the machine, a device that looked like a set of loudspeakers started to wail, but spluttered and died in a shower of sparks.

He depressed the firing stud, and the rocket sped from the tube like a sex-crazed rhinoceros on bad acid.

***

"What a mess. What a bloody, fucking mess!"

Corporal Heindrich, fresh from NERV-Germany, in charge of this little
excursion, watched the paramedics as they carted off the surviving SO19 officers. Both of them.

It was awful. He'd had to secure this weapon, so that it's threat level could be identified. But there wasn't enough left of the damn thing to assess properly!

"Total, mother-fucking clusterfuck..."

Half of the SO19 team had been killed when their sarge had used the rocket. But still, what could he have done? There wasn't enough firepower in the team to take out the thing. He supposed he'd have done the same thing if he'd been in his position.

"Hey, Corp."

"Yes?"

"We found this. We've got no idea what it is, but it seems to have been on top of the impro."

The private was holding out what looked like a few small PA speakers joined together. It was connected to some heavy-duty cables.

Heindrich turned it over in his hands carefully. What was it for?
Propaganda? That was unlikely. But it had to go back for tests.

"There was also this." The private gestured to the back of the mangled mess.

It looked like... a rack, of some sort... the sort generally used for
carrying missiles of some kind. SSM's, if he was any judge.

"I think that we ought to get this thing over to HQ for as much of an
analysis as they can, ja?"

***

It was moderately late when they got back to the apartment. Kensuke had cried off a third match, saying he was far too tired to continue, and had gone home. Asuka, Rei and Shinji had gone back to their apartment.

"Well, I'm tired too. I'll see you two tomorrow. G'night!" And with that, Asuka flounced off into her room, slamming the door shut as best she could.

"I will  see you tomorrow as well. Do not forget that we have a set of tests at nine-thirty."

"Oh, hell... I wish they weren't.."

"It is no use wishing anything, Shinji. Believe me."

She walked quietly off into her room, leaving Shinji slightly boggling. 'Believe me?' Since when did she wish for anything?

Was it worth wondering about?

"Shinji?"

Misato. Half-ten and she was still sober... wow. Something serious was at hand.

"Yes, Misato?"

"I've been meaning to have a chat with you for a while now about this, but there never seemed to be the time..."

***

Rei shrugged off her clothing, and threw on a nightshirt. She would have slept nude, but, so she was told, it might upset the others if they found her padding around the place at night.

It was possible, though, that Shinji might like it...

Another thing she did not understand.

Why all the fuss about being clothed or not? Why were males supposed to find the female form pleasing? And was the converse also supposed to be true? If so, why wasn't she told about it?

Shrugging those questions aside, she climbed into her bed, and reached to the table, where the book she'd been reading was set. She had a need to continue the story, now. Every night she looked at the book and was... compelled to read a few more pages. At least. And she couldn't explain it.

It was absurd.

Why would she want to find out what happened to Hashi, or Kiku, or Anenome?

But she did. She supposed the only way to deal with it was to finish the story.

"...An Orangutan waving an American flag was hanging from the turret of a tank..."

She settled back, nudging the lamp into a better position, and immersed herself back in the world of people whose origin mirrored her own.

***

"So, you're okay about it then?"

Shinji shrugged. "I haven't really thought about it. I suppose... I feel bad about it. I killed three people. I blew someone's brains out the front of their head. I put a gaping hole through someone's kidneys..."

"And you just feel BAD about it?"

"What am I meant to feel?"

Misato paused. She'd already killed one guy once.

Once.

"I... I felt terrible. I mean... I killed this guy who came on too strong."

Shinji boggled for the second time that evening. "You... KILLED a guy for making a pass?"

"Oh, yes." Misato's voice was... odd. "It was a pass near my throat with a knife. After he passed over my jeans with it. Why do you think that I have those cutoffs?"

"THOSE were the jeans that you killed someone in?"

"Yeah. I was hard-up at the time. It was shortly after I joined NERV, and they completely did a number on their accounts computer. It was shortly after they really got to dealing with the mess made by the Y2K bug, right? And the only computer they had their accounts on at the time was a Sinclair. One that still had the Arabesque virus on it..."

"Arabesque?"

"A very, very primitive virus. It took them SIX MONTHS to find a copy of the antidote."

"Why so long?"

"Back then, noone remembered the original code, or how to write an
antivirus. But I got a small fortune back." Misato giggled. "It seems that the virus left some lasting damage in my pay scheme. It sorted itself out, but I'm not about to tell them that for a month I was earning more than your father was a week."

Shinji raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, seriously! But you're okay about what happened?"

"Yeah. I prefer to think of the part that If I didn't do what I did, I probably wouldn't be here now. Nor would Kensuke or Asuka."

"Good."

"I think of them as Angels. A threat to humanity."

"Good plan. Now, I think I'll be off to bed now."

"Good night, Misato."

"G'night, Shinji-kun."

***

Rei was restless. She couldn't sleep.

She remembered that Shinji had said that he was having trouble
with his shoulder-holster. Perhaps she could help him?

Yes, she could help him. She had no problem with hers.

She pulled on a sweatshirt and pants, and walked out the room.

***

Shinji looked up as there was a knock at his door. It was hesitant,
and so could really only be one person.

"Come in, Rei."

"Shinji-kun?"

"Mmm?"

"You said you were having trouble with the shoulder holster."

"Yeah..."

"Put yours on."

Slightly bewildered, Shinji did so.

"Empty the gun."

Shinji ejected the magazine, and the round he kept in the chamber. He
offered the gun to Rei, showing her that there were no rounds in the
chamber, and no magazine. She nodded, almost imperceptibly.

"Back in the holster. Now, draw and point at the window."

Fast as he could, Shinji pulled the gun from the holster, and shifted his feet, bringing the gun to bear on the windowframe.

"Your stance is wrong."

For a second, Shinji's head whirled. This was too, too familiar. But wrong.

Rei moved behind him, and took hold of his hands, linking her fingers around his.

She reached across his chest, and pulled the pistol from the holster under his shoulder. As she raised his arms, bringing the pistol up to a ready position, they drew closer together, and they both felt her breasts press against his back.

"And again."

The gun flew from the holster, and snapped up into position.

"Again."

Was it him, or did her voice seem a little hoarse?

The gun again snapped into position, and Rei against his back.

"Again."

Something went wrong this time. One of them- he didn't know who- lost their balance. Shinji tried to spin, to correct the balance, but ended up wrenching his hands from Rei's, and throwing them both onto the bed. Him on top of her.

The gun, half-forgotten, clunked against the doorframe.

Neither of the two on the bed noticed; their eyes were locked on each
others.

"I think we have done this before."

Shinji reached up to stroke a strand of hair across her forehead. "Do you want me to get off this time? At least my hand is nowhere it shouldn't be."

They stayed there quietly, for a while- a couple of seconds? A couple of hours? Neither knew- and Shinji looked into her eyes. They were emotionless, and thus guileless. But the emotionless quality made them very hard to read.

Had her eyes always been that large?

"HEY! Perverts!"

Shinji looked up quickly, towards the doorway, where Asuka had just burst in.

Rei slowly turned her head to face the door, and just for an instant, Shinji thought that he saw a flicker of something in her eyes.

"What are you two up to?" A slightly more sedate Misato had entered the room. Shinji blushed again.

"Ummm... unarmed combat?", he said, standing up.

"Shinji, Shinji, Shinji! You're not fooling anyone with that excuse! We can SEE that you're a pervert from that pose!"

"Yeah," added Misato. "You seem to have a perfectly adequate weapon right there."

Shinji went scarlet. "Th...thanks for the help, Rei. I think I've got it now."

"Good." And with that, Rei left the room. Quietly, as always.

"You got it? Or did you get some?"

"Misato...!"

***

There was a stony silence from Asuka the next morning as they headed to school.

"So what were you REALLY doing last night?"

"Practice with my pistol. The shoulder-holster."

"Right. And I hear the rattle of pigs' pinions... what's that?"

In front of the school there was a crowd of people, carrying placards.

"Is this what I think it is?"

"It is not the Church."

"What the hell IS it then, Rei?"

"It appears to be Concerned Mothers."

For once, Rei seemed to be slightly lost.

"What are they concerned about now?"

"Us."

It was true. As the three pilots drew closer, they could see that the crowd was, indeed, made up of women, all carrying placards and notices. They all seemed to be concerned about one thing.

"We will not let you into this school unless you remove your guns!"

"WHAT?"

The shout came from both Shinji and Asuka.

"That's insane! The Church has agents all over the place! They'd probably send people into the school to kill us in the middle of the lessons."

"I am sorry, but we will not relinquish our weapons."

"Oh, the famous first child. And this must be the Third child? The one who killed three men in cold blood?"

"That's not true!"

"We don't want killers with our children! We won't have armed children in our schools! You cannot pass unless you hand over your weapons!"

Rei calmly pulled out her mobile, and rang NERV HQ.

***

"So, is it okay if these six officers take posession of their sidearms within the school, and will reissue them to the children on leaving the school, and in the schoolyard? The six officers will be armed themselves, and will answer any questions you may have." Misato folded her arms.

"That seems acceptable..."

"And in the event of  any attack, the weapons will be immediately reissued to the pilots."

"No. This is a school, not an armed camp."

"Well, If not that, we will have to move a full division into the school. If you don't want that, then the original plan will come back into force. And any further attempts to obstruct the Children's entry into the school will be met my arrest and imprisonment. They may be military personnel, but they still need an education."

"A full division?! How many is that?"

"Oh, about two hundred and fifty personnel, including a command centre, random ID checks, metal detectors installed, dogs..." Misato rattled of a list of requirements that would turn the school into a virtual fortress, which caused the representatives eyebrows and blood pressure raise.

"THAT is UTTERLY unacceptable!"

"In which case, Mrs. Kobayashi, I suggest that you consider the
alternatives. Either the children keep their guns, or they have an armed escort at all times."

"How would the escort be armed?"

"Send him in."

Into the room walked a NERV security officer in full battle dress.

"That is still not acceptable!"

The officer was dressed id body armor and a helmet, in dark blue. He was also wearing coveralls, boots, and carried a large SMG. Besides that, he was carrying a large pistol, a long baton, and some suspicious other bits of equipment.

"That is what we require to protect the children in this school.  And there will be six of these officers in the school with the children at all times."

Mrs. Kobayashi slumped. "I... I suppose that the children carrying their weapons will have to be acceptable. But we are still not happy about having a killer in the school."

Misato's face softened. "Look, If Shinji hadn't killed those men, he'd be dead. As would Asuka, And Kensuke Aida."

"You gave THAT maniac a gun?"

"We had to. He is, believe it or not, very, very responsible with it. As are they all. They never draw their weapons unless it is necessary."

"I will give them that. I have never heard that any of them has used their guns in a threatening way at school."

"They would be court-martialled if they were found to be doing anything like that. They are all very responsible children. It is best if they carry on as they were."

"I suppose. I apologise for taking up your time like this, Major."

"Believe me, I can understand your concern. I would be worried as well, if I was a mother."

Mrs. Kobayashi bowed again, and left the room.

The officer shut the door, and took off his helmet. "You didn't ell her that we're here anyway."

"What was the point? You're in the boiler room, and the rooftop block. And there are eight of you."

"We're glad about that. It makes it easier to play Bridge."

"I thought that you lot played Poker?"

He shrugged.  "It just didn't feel right in the school."

"Ah." Misato glanced at her watch. "Aw, shit. It's almost twelve! I've gotta go get my car back!"

"Which garage?"

"Otto's car repair."

"What? 'Grand Theft' Otto? That old thief?"

Misato raised an eyebrow. "'Grand Theft'? How'd he get that nickname?"

The officer laughed. "Oh, you'll find out. You WILL find out!"

***

"Hey, Shinji! Look at this! I got one of those new laser sights from the armoury!"

"Put it AWAY, Kensuke..."

***

"Abbot? We are nearly ready."

"Very good. Let us prepare for the next assault. Lead the seraphim in the song of battle."

"Your Holiness."

And from behind, thirty voices raised in harmony as they prepared to board their vehicles.

"Our eyes have seen the Glory of the Angels of the Lord,
We set forth to put the faithless to fire and the sword,
We shall slay the unbelievers and go on to purge the world,
Let the Sons of Michael charge!"

-=End Chapter 3=-

A little glossary...

SO19- Special Operations, group 19. The armed bit of the British police.

Resis- slang for respirators.

Hattons- Solid slugs used in shotguns by SO19. A mixture of lead, sawdust and wax, specially designed for smashing windows and blowing off door hinges.

I've been reading too much of 'The Good Guys Wear Black'...

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