Chapter 39: Gathering to the War Cry
StriderInCosmos
Wanderer in the Worldsea
- Location
- Somewhere in... Terminal Dogma? I think?
Chapter 39: Gathering to the War Cry
It's been busy. It's a good feeling after so long just sitting in port waiting for one thing or another. I feel focused. Anxious. Excited, even.And I think I know where it comes from. I have something to fight for again. A future. One with my husband and son, where we can live in a world made whole again.
I won't give up that future. Not again.
- From the personal journal of Captain Misato Katsuragi of WILLE
Near Earth Orbit, May 11th, 2028
Daniel Theisman watched the silent stars wheel by outside the reinforced window, the red Earth below them, as he sat and rested from his shift on preparing the Evas in the Wunder's bays.
Having revealed their powers, it had made his team of engineers one of the most sought after, just after Ymris and her Interfacers. Thankfully, with how much Flux they built up maintaining not only the Evas themselves but their now extensive arsenal of weapons courtesy of NERV-Euro's Paris development branch, they managed to get sufficient rest time in between shifts regardless.
So, for now, he simply sat and watched the stars, wondering what might have changed here beyond the moon and the world below him. How far-reaching were the effects of Impact events that went only somewhat out of control like this?
"Deep thoughts?"
Daniel glanced over at Eleanor, who regarded him with a slightly amused expression as he shrugged. "To some extent or another."
Before he could continue, he heard his clear pad notifying him of a call, taking it out and frowning slightly as he answered the video call.
His brows rose as he took in what was clearly a ship's bridge, the beings in what was likely the command position regarding him levelly. One was human, wearing what he assumed to be a Commonwealth uniform, a light gray thing with spare rank bars on the shoulders. The other was a draconic figure, bronze scales gleaming in the lights of the ship's interior and wearing a somewhat darker gray uniform with red accent stripes that was clearly that of the Worldstrider Seabreaker Corps.
"This is Captain Harsiranti of the Seabreaker Corps and Captain Williamson of the Commonwealth Navy, in command of the CNV Abjurant." the draconic figure said, a deep and resonant voice clearly coming over the speakers. "We'll be arriving shortly at your position."
"It's a relief to see you, Abjurant," Daniel said as Eleanor and his kids soon began to crowd around him. "When can we expect you?"
Williamson seemed to try and answer, but Harsiranti raised a staying hand, looking to what was likely one of the bridge officers. Then, she smiled, a somewhat unsettling sight with so many sharp teeth. "Look out your window, sir."
Daniel's gaze whipped around to the window, several of the kids going past him to get a better look as a Dip Drive point opened up, seemingly diagonal to their ship. Daniel expanded the window with a simple Expression as more and more people gathered at various windows to take in the sight, pulling out phones or cameras to record it.
Then, as if breaching the surface of a prismatic sea, the Abjurant slid out from the point, a vessel with a tube body shaped like a four-pointed star, a widening tail that held the vessel's eight Metos Sails, low and long things built to try and balance stealth and speed that folded up as the ship's Physical space engines kicked on to bring them into position.
Daniel looked up and down the bay, seeing the crew's disbelief, awe, and outright joy at the sight, and chuckled. "You sure know how to make an entrance, Abjurant."
Williamson smiled alongside his fellow captain. "I've been told that you and your fellow pilots have been invited aboard. Our passengers have been excited to see you again."
"Any chance we get to know how many are here now?" Daniel asked.
Williamson shook his head. "I've been asked to keep that a secret. All I can say is that I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."
Daniel nodded. "Good to know. Theisman out."
With that, the call ended, and Daniel stood, looking at the kids who now regarded him with varying levels of open expectancy. "I'm going to guess at how much you all want to come with me," Daniel said flatly, even as he smiled slightly.
"Bruder," Asuka said, "You'd have to pin us to the bulkhead to stop us."
Daniel's smile widened. "Far be it from me to try that. But we're going to have a few others coming with us."
"Unsurprising in the slightest," Rei said with a shrug as Daniel tapped on his clear pad. "The other pilots will want to see who all might be here."
"Them too, of course. Along with Misato, Ryoji, and Ritsuko." Daniel said somewhat distractedly, waiting for who he was calling to pick up.
The Children were confused only for a moment as Daniel's call connected. "Hello, Commander Kaji. I can likely assume you saw the same thing we did."
A pause. "Well, I'd like to invite you, Captain Katsuragi, and Vice-Captain Akagi to meet with our pilots. Yes, I'll let them know, and we'll teleport over."
. . .
Daniel fuzzed into the transport room of the Abjurant, a rather large space likely used for the deployment of any marine forces the ship might have, whistling softly as he stepped down from the platform, a party of a little over a dozen following behind him.
The captains were there, saluting sharply as Daniel stopped in front of them. "Welcome aboard, sir," Williamson said.
Daniel saluted back quickly. Best to get the somewhat awkward part out of the way for him. "Thank you. Even from here, I can tell the both of you run a fine ship."
"Thank you, Colonel." Captain Harsiranti said as she and Williamson began to lead them down the hall. "Williamson and his crew learn quickly. It'll be sad to give up the Steadfast as Iron, but if it's going to be put to use here, then I can't say that I'm entirely disappointed."
"Hold on, hold on," Eleanor said, making her way to the front of the group as gracefully as she could. "This is the Steadfast? You're kidding me."
"I'm going to guess this was a somewhat famous ship?" Captain Katsuragi asked.
"You could wallpaper the transporter room with the list of service decorations this ship got in the Unity War," Eleanor said in a daze. "This was part of the first line of vessels like this. How did Chandra ever get convinced to give this vessel away?"
"As far as I can tell," Harsiranti replied, "it was either going to be this or being put into mothballs. It took all Sovereign Chandra had to convince the other Sovereigns of even just doing this much, distributing the Seabreakers that they wanted to decommission."
She paused. "Though they drew the line at giving the Outriders or the Commonwealth the Martok. Or the Sheridan, the Iroh..."
Both Eleanor and Daniel's eyes were wide as dinner plates now. "You're kidding me. The Battle-fleet Carriers too?" Daniel said incredulously.
"All the way down to 9," Harsiranti said with a draconic grimace. "I have no idea how they're going to staff all the Exclusion Zones, with how they're cutting down on personnel as well. But the other Sovereigns seem confident that things are largely under control."
Daniel and Eleanor looked at each other, openly worried, before the group came to a stop in front of a door. "Well," Williamson said, "we'll leave you here at Briefing 1. Your pilots have been… interesting to have on board."
With that, the two captains walked away towards other duties, the group standing in front of the door for long moments. "Afraid of what's on the other side?" Eleanor asked Daniel privately.
"More of what's not." Daniel took a deep breath. "Well, time to find out."
Daniel opened the door and stepped into the briefing room. His eyes went wide at the sight before him, the others filtering in behind him stopping in the front of the room as 22 men and women rose from their seats, circled around each other in small clusters, and stood at attention. His shock became a smile, tears beginning to well in his eyes.
"I'd assume that you only need this many people for 7 Evas?" Katsuragi said as they continued into the room.
Daniel glanced among his friends, knowing smiles on each of the members of HERZ's faces. Then, with a mock seriousness, Daniel walked to the back of the room and came to a stop at the center of a table, long and somewhat wide, that was its focal point. "At ease, pilots."
As one, the pilots sat down and straightened out the rows of seats, Daniel looking over at a sheet-white Katsuragi and Akagi, and a rather impressed Kaji, as the kids all went to sit alongside the pilots that they'd trained. Daniel took a seat next to Eleanor and Misato, the other adults quickly sitting behind the table around him.
Daniel swept his gaze across the room in appreciation. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "you have no idea how good it is to see you all here."
"What can I say?" Orien said with a shrug. "When we heard what y'all were going to do, we couldn't just leave our trainers high and dry."
"What about Rift duty?" Shinji asked. "Or any of the other potential Kaiju threats? Surely, someone would have had to stay behind."
"Well," Musashi said with a slight smile, "Godzilla has things under control, Rift duty has been mostly taken care of on the other Echo, and frankly… I think people need a bit of a break from seeing Evas in any capacity at the moment."
"Why is that?" Rei asked. "Has some sort of conflict happened while we were away?"
"Oh, dear," Galina said, running a hand through her hair. "The EvaTech debacle came and went while you were gone."
"EvaTech?" Akagi asked, a brow arched. "Some sort of company dedicated to Evangelions, I presume?"
"Worse," Galina replied, her expression twisting into a sneer. "Corporate-controlled Evas. And all the bullshit that brings with it."
The words sent a shiver through those who had been away from their world. "Corporate Evas…" Hikari said quietly. "What happened, to have that sort of unregulated power just try and come into existence?"
"That, Namiri," Mavuto said, "is a story for after the operation, I think."
He looked over at Daniel. "What are our orders, sir?"
Daniel nodded, looking around the room. "First things first. I see a few new faces here, which I always appreciate. Why don't you introduce yourselves to the rest of us who've been away?"
Captain Vincennes of HERZ, sitting with the American pilots, nudged the woman next to her, who jumped slightly before nodding. "Lieutenant Brynne Cavey, Army Evangelion Corps," she said, a slight lilt to her somewhat hesitant voice.
"Any callsign?" Kaworu asked with an arched brow and a slight smile. "I recall that's how we are to refer to you in battle."
It was silent for a moment, Cavey blushing slightly. "Firestarter." Again, the word was quiet.
The Children, Daniel, and Eleanor looked at each other with interested expressions. "Now there's a story I'm interested in hearing," Asuka said. "What's your specialty?"
"Crowd control, mid-range combat, and specialized rounds through Interfacing," Cavey said. "It's still new to me, but I've gotten a decent grasp of it."
"It's good to have you on the team, Lieutenant," Daniel said. His gaze drifted over to the woman who sat between Arantxa and Ernst. Even simply from the way she sat and looked at them, back straight, arms crossed, and regarding him intently with hazel eyes, he could tell she'd have a strong will. "And who would you be?"
"Lieutenant-Commander Zoryana Tkachuk, EuroEva-Cetus." the woman said, leaning forward, her shoulder-length blonde hair not obscuring her gaze much. "I try to keep the gap that our sniper and our brawler here next to me happen to leave from getting too crowded. It's a decent job. Pays well, at least."
Daniel nodded. "Very well. Well then, welcome to your baptism of fire, as it were. The situation we'll be going into is a weird one, I can promise you that."
Daniel set his arms on the table. "We're going into the heart of an active Impact, an Instrumentality event. The forces arrayed against us are as follows; on Commander Ikari's side, three ships of a similar type to the Wunder here, which you can look out the window and gauge the general effectiveness of, alongside an unspecified number of mass-produced Evangelions, barebones things that bear no resemblance to what you might have seen in HERZ archives."
"Along with that, there is a Scion Revival force consisting of at least 35 Seabreaker vessels, likely of various designs." he continued. "They will be escorted by 12 Herald Units, which are similar to the Mass-Production Evas that you know of."
"Any details on their capabilities?" Kotone Suzunami asked. "With all that, I think we could use all the help we can get."
"Somewhat enhanced from what you're already aware of for at least 11 of the 12. There is one that is likely going to be heavily modified and definitely using Expressions that are a golden color. Do not, I repeat, do not, engage that Eva. You will not win a straight-up fight. I will not win. For that is the Hollow Saint of War. The resident god of the battlefield."
It was silent for long moments, and Daniel hoped he'd gotten the point sufficiently across before Okomah-Mordi, a thin, wiry man compared to the rather toned Mavuto, chuckled softly. "The way you make it sound, we might be getting involved in a three-way brawl. That's going to get messy."
"It certainly would," Daniel replied, glancing down at the tabletop, a smart top apparently, and found the Pneumaically marked control for the holographic display. He placed his palm on the control, linking to the display as it activated from a now transparent panel in the floor.
The display blurred to life, showcasing a red sky, an utterly smooth white surface, and five crosses, close to the command staff, stretching up from it. They were utterly black, a rainbow circling the point where both lines crossed. One cross, far larger than the rest, seemed like it had been toppled over, a commanding presence in the center of the group.
Daniel looked over at Katsuragi, linking his soul to hers. "Captain Katsuragi," he began, "if you'll allow me, I'll showcase our current entry strategy."
Katsuragi nodded, and Daniel smiled slightly. "No need to speak. Just think, and I'll relay it."
He looked back to the rather captive audience. "This is the protective cover that overlays Antarctica. We have good reason to believe that Commander Ikari, and the Hollow Saint, will try to take advantage of a weak point in space, centered on the former Calvary Base, to open a path to an Interstitial Realm known as Minus Space. There, they will try and bend this world, and its people, to their separate wills."
"We will be making a hole at a point somewhere about 4 or 5 klicks outside of ground zero." Daniel continued, a ring about that size flashing around the general center of the area. "To do so, the Val will act as a pathfinder, breaking through the ice, so to speak, and carving a path through a sea of millions, if not billions, of Failures of Infinity."
As he said the name, an image of a typical Failure, crimson red and looking like a copy of Unit-01, appeared, spinning over the landscape it resided underneath for a few moments before disappearing. "And yes," Daniel said, "they're exactly as big as you think they are."
"For your parts, you'll be contained within the Evangelion bays present in the center of the Wunder. They should be able to hold most of your Frame Plugs. You'll have to deploy and form up as we're making our descent unless you're comfortable riding on the wings as you follow after us." Daniel smiled slightly with the last words, noting Shinji and Asuka looking over at Rei and Kaworu, somewhat uneasy looks on their faces.
As Daniel spoke, the view zoomed past the white, hexagonal tiles, past a roiling sea of what looked like LCL, then one of bodies, a shimmering corridor cutting through them, taking the pilots to a view of what looked like a circle of hell. The Black Moon loomed ominously, now tilted on its end and hanging just below the swirling clouds of the Failures, the strange ritual pyramid beneath it and just above the maelstrom, so like the image of the other Impact events. The crimson curtain below, as it were, pulled back to reveal a massive outline in the rocky surface of Antarctica, the form of one of the more wildly described angels of the Bible leering back at the group. In its center, a massive hole, the very space inside its bounds shifting and twisting, was right where Calvary Base had once been.
"Once we reach this point," Daniel said, "our next objective is to ensure that Unit-02, piloted by Asuka Shikinami-Langley, reaches Unit-13."
Images of both appeared as Daniel continued. "Those of you assigned to the task may well have to get her to an active Evangelion engaged in combat. Then, as much as I'm sure you'll want to stop it, events must play out thus; Unit-13 will have to consume Unit-02, Shikinami-Langley, and the Angel contained within both."
A murmur went up around the national pilots, all of them looking at each other. "Sir," Zhou Hua said, his brow furrowed in concern, "it seems like all that's happening right now is that we're supporting Commander Ikari's plans here."
"Unfortunately, Zhou, that is what we're doing to a certain extent," Daniel replied with a grimace. "Part of our mission here as well is to ensure that the vessels under Ikari's command are able to open the portal to the Interstitial Realm, allowing us to enter."
"And how, exactly, does Asuka feel about this?" Keita asked with an arched brow.
"Ms. Shikinami-Langley is well aware of the risks," Daniel said. "She, and I, hate this as much as you do. But we both know what's at stake."
"So you're saying we're going to be complicit in the potential end of the world?" Ernst asked, his voice holding a challenging tone. "That's a bold move for a force that's generally dedicated to saving the world."
"I know. Frankly speaking, however, it's our only chance to get at the engine of this world and… tune things up, so to speak. With Ikari's plan, he will use the Wunder, along with the other vessels of her type, to open the gateway to the Interstitial Realm of Minus Space, allowing anyone to follow after him. We have no such guarantee that the Hollow Saint's entry would allow for the same."
Daniel paused for a moment, smiling slightly. "And besides, she will have some help from the inside. Asuka Shikinami will be exactly where we need her to be."
Ernst's brow furled slightly as Daniel continued. "Once Ikari's ritual is completed, and the door to Minus Space is opened, I will be leading Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and Kaworu to go and hold off the Hollow Saint, who will doubtless be going after him. Your job up there will then be to ensure that no one goes in after us. We can't afford anyone coming to reinforce either side."
"Now, wait a minute," Arantxa said, leaning forward. "If you can't beat the Hollow Saint in Physical Space, what changes once you go into Minus Space?"
"Honestly, not as much as I would like. Our job is to ensure that the Hollow Saint doesn't interfere with either young Shinji or Commander Ikari. Little more than that."
"And how does that work if all this god-like power is coming down on just you five?" Howard Hansen asked. "What ace do you have up your sleeve?"
Daniel smiled slightly. "In addition to our current forces, there is a force of friendly Unitists that will be joining us. Their support will be key, as they will be conducting a little ritual of their own, to take away the Hollow Saint's source of power. That's part of what makes your job topside so important. We cannot allow their work to be disturbed by any Revival reinforcements. Otherwise, this whole world is in danger of being indoctrinated."
It was silent again for long moments. "After this ritual is completed and the Hollow Saint duly neutralized, we will assist young Shinji in transforming this world in whatever way is deemed necessary. If we succeed… you'll know it when you see it."
Again, it was silent as the display blurred and faded away, Daniel crossing his arms and resting them on the table. Finally, someone chuckled softly, shaking her head. "I should have expected something as wild as this, really," Marie said. "So, how many Misatos did you consult in making this plan?"
Daniel stole a glance over at both of the Misatos, who looked back at him. Misato was amused, a slight grin on her face, while Katsuragi was more reserved, simply regarding him with a firm stare. "All of them at once, I suppose."
That had a chuckle ripple through the room, even the corners of Katsuragi's mouth twitching upwards for a moment as Daniel sat back in his chair. "Now, let's get to the nitty-gritty of who goes where."
. . .
The Next Day
Daniel, along with his kids and several other visitors going to and from the ship, had taken his leave to the Val, Eleanor by his side as they slowly shifted, as quietly as they could, into position over Antarctica. Kensuke, glad to be back at his post, stood at the helm, Daniel and Eleanor in the area below him in front of the tactical center.
"Amaya," Kensuke asked, "what's the status of those Revival vessels in the system?"
"All ships are converging on a location just off of Europa," Amaya replied. "As far as I can tell, we will be left alone here, as we have either not been detected, or the fleet has decided to ignore us."
"Why?" Kensuke asked. "They outnumber us easily. If they decide to try a concerted strike, they have every chance to knock us out of the fight before it's even started."
"It's one of the few advantages that we might get, I think," Daniel said quietly. "Hamar'ramah is arrogant in his power. Tavis as much or even more so, from what I can tell. They may have already won, in their eyes."
"They're damn fools then," Eleanor said firmly. "We'll make them pay for that if nothing else."
"Transmission coming through for you, Daniel," Amaya said. "The source is one Receptorist Jameson."
Daniel smiled slightly as he focussed on the far wall. "Put him on the main screen."
The wall was replaced by a screen, Jameson standing on what was assumedly the bridge of his ship. "Hello, Mr. Theisman." Jameson began. "I'd like to introduce the bridge crew of the Javelin, along with the Hussar Defiant and the Nature to Eternity. We've just arrived at the far edge of the system from the Revival fleet."
Daniel nodded. "Good to see so many of you here." he paused as he glanced at the ceiling. "Amaya, can you confirm their position?"
"Yes. The three vessels are currently holding station off of Pluto." Amaya paused for a moment. "Ship records identify the Javelin as a Mystery-class command cruiser, and the Hussar Defiant and Nature to Eternity as Radiance-class heavy cruisers."
"Your vessel's voice is correct," Jameson replied. "Gathering the vessels from hiding was a difficult task, but I think it will be well worth it."
"I would think so, too," Daniel replied. "So, who's going to be going where?"
"The Javelin will be followed into this Minus Space by the Nature to Eternity. We will be commencing the unsealing there. The Hussar will be accompanying your battlegroup here in Physical space."
Daniel nodded, and Jameson continued after a moment. "Is there any particular landmark we should be centering ourselves on?"
"More likely than not, we will be either on or within a structure known here as the Golgotha Object," Eleanor replied. "As far as we can tell, that is the 'control center' of the whole place. We don't know how far or close you'll need to be for your ritual, but we'll keep Hamar'ramah's attention on us, we can assure you that."
"Good to hear. We'll look forward to your signal to show us in." Jameson said. "Javelin out."
With that, the screen blinked out of existence. Daniel sighed quietly. "Well, then," he said, equally quietly, "I suppose I should go and get ready myself."
. . .
Daniel walked silently to his quarters, passing the noise of the kids and their visitors as he stepped into the room. He made his way through the all too spacious area to the 'closet' that held the rest of his collection.
He stepped in as the doors silently parted before him, walking through rows of display cases. Soon, he came to a stop in front of one particular case, staring at it silently for long moments before he opened it.
He had to bolster his strength to even lift the somewhat ruined sword from its place, setting it in front of him as he locked it in the air. The Dragonslayer. A weapon that had killed a god. But not simply due to its nature or that of its wielder.
He ran a hand across the flat of the blade, feeling the rough, almost hide-like texture of the fuller. He felt a slight prick from a sharp point he brushed over with a fingertip. After a moment, his fingers went numb, and he pulled them away, waiting for a moment as his healing, far slower than it should have been, restored his senses.
Daniel took a deep breath, then got to work, sending Frames out into the sword itself like grasping tentacles. As they reached his prize, they began to wither and die themselves, Daniel reinforcing them continuously as he began to draw the force out of the blade.
As he did, a red gem formed in the center of the fuller, and smoke of black and red began to coalesce within the dip, cascading off the sides of the sword with a shower of glimmering golden motes held within.
Finally, Daniel pressed the force into the crystal, a thing that could not decay, and the smoke lessened, wisps of it still trailing off the gemstone as much of it dissipated. 'Good. It's ready.' Daniel thought grimly as he set the Dragonslayer back in its case.
"What is that?"
Daniel looked over to see Eleanor standing, looking squarely at the jewel that had become one of the most dangerous things in Daniel's possession.
It was silent for a moment as Daniel looked down at the gem again, at what lay within. And his next words were quiet, almost reverent. "Destined Death."
"You have the rune of Destined Death?" Eleanor asked incredulously.
"No. The rune was simply a vessel, just as this gem is. What I have here is the extracted concept itself. A force that not even the soul can withstand."
Daniel pressed the gem to his chest, and it disappeared within him. He shuddered as he felt… nothing from its passage and final resting point, a pocket space set just below the top of his sternum.
"How did you get something like that?" Eleanor asked.
"From a collision of worlds. It was Guts' only chance to surely kill Griffith. I still don't know if his victory was worth the price he paid."
Daniel was silent for a few moments, turning and walking out of the closet, Eleanor going before him as the doors shut behind him. He had a contemplative expression on his face. "Maybe I'll ask him someday if I can find him and the others. Wherever they are… I hope they're happy."
Daniel took a deep breath, then looked at Eleanor. "There's something I have to ask you, and I know you won't like it."
Eleanor's brow furled in confusion as she remained silent, Daniel continuing into the silence. "When we go into Minus Space and stand against Hamar'ramah… I want you to stay behind."
Eleanor's eyes went wide. "No, Daniel. I can't let you do that. Not when everything's at stake."
"I won't be alone. I'll have the kids with me. And I have Destined Death to bolster me. I'll make it work."
"Damn it!" Eleanor said hotly. "Don't go and throw yourself away for some glorious sacrifice."
"You think this is glorious?" Daniel asked, stepping forward. "You think I want to do this? I'm scared to every hell I know of and a few I don't, and I have to keep the kids safe. I have to make sure he focuses on me, and me alone. I'm the only one who can stand up to him for any length of time."
Before he could continue, Eleanor planted a firm smack across Daniel's cheek. "Enough of this martyrdom nonsense!" she said firmly. "You… you just came back to me. You can't leave me now. Not after everything we've gone through."
Eleanor stepped forward, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Please." she pleaded quietly.
Daniel sighed. "I need someone who can keep things in line topside while I'm in Minus Space. You're the best person for the job. Besides, you've got a knack for patching people up that I don't. That sort of battlefield medicine might mean the difference between victory and defeat. And…"
He began to shake now. "And if I… die…"
Daniel finally stepped into an embrace. They stood there for time that neither cared to count as their very souls intertwined.
"Catch me," he whispered.
"Always," she whispered in turn.
It was silent again for a moment before they parted physically, tears running from each other's eyes as Eleanor brushed Daniel's cheek. "Damn you for being so convincing," she said quietly.
"And damn you for being so reliable and trustworthy."
The two chuckled softly for a moment before Daniel took a deep breath. "Thank you, Ellie. I appreciate your help here. And make no mistake. I intend to come back."
"I'll hold you to it," Eleanor replied with a soft smile.
. . .
Daniel waited patiently in his room now, sitting behind the desk and regarding the door rather intently. He'd probably be fiddling with something else if his mind wasn't so set on what he needed to tell his kids.
Finally, the door opened, and Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and Kaworu, accompanied by Marie, walked in, evidently in the middle of a conversation.
"And they actually tried to have the Commonwealth over a barrel just because they did all their nonsense in space? And after they had the gall to poach from HERZ's staff?" Asuka asked incredulously.
Marie nodded. "Once the Abjurant showed up and we got off our tails and smacked them upside the head, they finally got the right idea about what uses Impact events were for. Now, they're the best supplier of massive-scale tools and equipment in the system. And besides, once a good chunk of the top management got ousted by the workers and new management got into place, they actually started suggesting some interesting ideas."
Marie looked over at Daniel, smiling as she nodded slightly. "Well, Zapp, I should probably let you get to whatever briefing Daniel has in store for you."
"We'll talk later, Barb," Asuka said with a grin. "You'll need to tell the rest of this story to Daniel after we're done."
"So it seems," Daniel said with a slight smile. "Good to see you again, Marie."
"You too. Later."
With that, Marie left, the Children sitting in the seats in front of Daniel's desk in short order. "So," Shinji said, "I'm guessing this has to do with us going into the Minus Space?"
"That it is," Daniel said, his smile fading slightly. "There's some info I feel you should have about a space like the one that we're heading into. I don't know much about this one in particular, but I've been in plenty of Interstitial Realms before, which informs a lot of what I have to say."
"Very well," Kaworu said. "What should we prepare for?"
"First off, with a Realm as connected as this one is likely going to be to the Physical Realm, there's every chance there might be some sort of nonsense that Hamar'ramah might use to play with the timeline. Pulling duplicates of things into existence, merging the time slinky into a single point in time, anything. He might not be able to harm you directly all the time, but if something like that happens, there's a better than good chance that he might use hostage tactics."
"What kind of hostage tactics?" Rei said slowly.
"Anything from trying to use a past version of yourself here as a shield to going to the beginning of the loop and threatening to erase someone from existence. As for how effective any of those might be is up to us. The fact remains, our job is going to be keeping Hamar'ramah in place until the other Unitists under Jameson can divest him of his power."
"Alright," Asuka said quietly, her brow slightly furled and her lips pursed in thought. "Anything else time-related that we might need to be worried about?"
"Not that I can think of. This isn't the sort of Echo where time is terribly malleable, slinkyfication notwithstanding. But there is some more that you should know about the sort of things we'll be able to do within Minus Space."
Daniel leaned forward. "I told you that environments in this space are malleable to your thoughts in an Interstitial Realm, but it extends far beyond that. Attacks, your form, allies that you might spin up out of thought, all are possible. However, if you try to focus on too many things at once or on something particularly complicated, you become vulnerable to a mental attack. Part of fighting in a Mental space is ensuring that you have enough willpower to shrug off anything trying to enter your mind. If someone gets into your head and is able to manipulate your thoughts, it's a quick road to getting defeated. Or worse, getting turned on your allies."
The apprehension on their faces was evident. Good. That meant they were taking this with the seriousness that combat like this deserved. "Alright," Daniel finally said after a moment to let them think, "here's the plan."
"First things first," Daniel began, "once the portal to Minus Space opens up and we're able to access it, we're going to make a mad dash to get there first, if we can. Our priority target is Hamar'ramah, with secondary targets being whatever reinforcements he might bring in with him. We don't even need to outright kill him. All we need to do is hold him in place until Jameson and his posse do their thing."
"As I've said before," he continued, "we're going to need a lifeline. That lifeline, should all else fail, is going to be Eleanor. She'll be topside waiting for our signal to pull us out if need be."
"Wait a minute," Asuka said, sitting up a little straighter. "That just leaves you as the only one with any experience with this Hollow Saint hurensohn to go up against him."
Daniel smiled grimly. "I've been a thorn in the side of both Tavis and Hamar'ramah in one way or another for quite some time. I'm going to make sure he focuses on me if nothing else."
"Now," Daniel continued, "once any secondary forces are out of the way, I will act as the main target of Hamar'ramah's attacks, make myself a general pain in the ass. You guys will be harassing him from the sides and back, dividing his attention to make things a little easier for all of us. If he puts his attention on you, do your best to get out of the way and let me know. I'll draw him back in."
The kids looked thoroughly concerned now. "Are you entirely sure about this, father?" Rei asked. "I don't believe I need to remind you that you are not as expendable as I once was."
"The fact of the matter is that as awesome as you all are, I simply have more experience, both in Mental combat and in Interfacing in general. The last thing I want to do is put any of you in any unnecessary danger. Even if things seem to be going poorly, unless I let you know otherwise, consider me getting beat down, at least rather overtly, an illusion meant to try and distract you. Please, kids, trust me on this."
It was silent again, the kids looking between themselves. Whether they were in silent conversation, soul-to-soul, Daniel didn't know and had no desire to pry.
Finally, They all looked at him seriously. "Alright. We'll accept this plan for now." Asuka said. "But don't do anything too stupid. The last thing any of us want is a repeat of the 48th Parallel."
Daniel nodded, knowing what she meant. "Alright. I'll do my best to not get too in over my head."
"Good," Shinji said with a quiet sigh of relief. "Whatever else, though, we're here to help."
The others nodded, and Daniel nodded in turn. "And I've never doubted it."
Daniel stood. "Alright. Let's get our affairs in order before the end of the world, shall we?"
. . .
The Black Moon
Asuka Shikinami-Bradley floated, as she had grown accustomed to, in her LCL tank with her eyes closed, desperately wanting all the walking around that she'd done as a… hologram? That was as good a word for it as any, she supposed, to actually have done something to her muscles. Now they felt almost… well, frail wasn't the right word, really, but thinner than they should have been.
It was night, or at least everyone was sleeping, and it had quickly become the worst part of Bradley's day. Whatever else Commander Ikari had spiked this LCL with, it allowed her to rest, but never to fully sleep. She couldn't dream anymore. She could barely remember the last time she did, now. It was before she'd been transferred here by Commander Ikari, that much was certain.
Now, dreams were rather… fascinating to her. Not just the aspirations people called dreams, and there was a marked difference, but what people's brains conjured into being. What they meant, or more often didn't, how they shaped what people did in the waking world, and even simply what they looked like from person to person.
'Maybe, when I get out of here and I can do what Daniel and his friends do,' she mused, 'I can dream again.'
Then, she heard the quiet rumble of machinery as the wall in front of her tube began to slide away again, and she opened her eyes to see Commander Ikari standing before her. It was a sight that she hadn't seen in ages. The visor, at least, was still somewhat new to her. She couldn't tell where he was looking. Of if he was even looking at her at all.
Then, the bottom of the tank began to gurgle, Bradley feeling a gentle pull from beneath her as she looked up to see the LCL draining away. She floated for a little while longer, then stood somewhat uncertainly, her legs wobbling slightly as she felt gravity pulling her down after all this time.
Almost on reflex, she coughed up what LCL was in her lungs. That she remembered to do that after all this time both amused and unsettled her in equal measure as the walls of the glass tube rose from around her.
She took an uncertain step forward, stumbling forward and catching herself on Commander Ikari's unmoving form. He didn't even flinch. 'Man,' she thought, 'is what's happening to him really this bad?'
"Shikinami unit," Ikari said levelly. "You are to be transferred to quarters until the time has come to pilot Evangelion Unit-13."
"Can't I at least get a shower first?" Bradley replied as she steadied herself and stepped back, covering herself as she remembered she wasn't wearing any clothes. "And maybe some clothing?"
"You will clean yourself and find clothing at your quarters."
Ikari turned and began to walk off without so much as another word. Bradley followed after him, slowly at first, but picking up speed even as she tried not to shiver too much from the cooling remnants of LCL on her skin.
As they walked, she had questions. Not the sort of questions that would get her answers; she already had plenty of those from Daniel and company. No, she wanted to see what Ikari would say about them.
"So, what's this Unit-13 I'm piloting?" she said after a moment to catch her breath. "I was made to pilot Unit-02."
"Unit-13 is the key to transforming this world."
"And what does that even mean?"
"It is the vessel through which humanity will gain access to the realm of the gods, and supersede them as all become one again."
Well, that was one way to describe ending the world. "What happened to you?" she continued. "Last time, you had a pair of shades. What happened for you to need the visor?"
"A temporary need for this form from before I fully understood."
Bradley was somewhat concerned now. "Understood… what?"
"The truth of this world."
It was such a simple answer, but it left Bradley in silence as she fought not to give him any biting comments. 'Oh, you don't know how little you understand though, do ya?'
Finally, the rest of the trip, taken in silence, came to an end as they stood in front of a massive block of what looked like apartments, and in front of one door in particular. "This will be your quarters until we arrive at the ritual site," Ikari said.
He turned and walked away, leaving Bradley to wander inside, the door shutting behind her.
In front of her was a largely empty room, a small door leading to what she dearly hoped was a shower in the far wall, a single twin bed in front of it, and what looked like a Plugsuit laid across the bed.
"Well," she said as she stumbled over to the door, which opened to what at least resembled a shower, "it's better than what I had before, if nothing else."
She had a cold shower, but at least it was actual water. A plain white towel, hanging outside of the shower stall, gave what warmth the shower couldn't.
Finally, she regarded the Plugsuit that was the only source of clothing waiting for her. It looked much like the Plugsuits she'd seen kid Shinji and Kaworu wearing through Daniel's eyes. What concerned her somewhat was how well it fit, even before she sealed it to her body. 'I've grown, as opposed to just stagnating with whatever 'Curse of Eva' was going on with the others. Did some system measure me while I was in the tank?'
Then, something made the formless unease that had been bubbling in her gut during this little adventure snap into focus. She wasn't a person. She wasn't even necessarily a pilot, really. She was a tool. A commodity. Something she began to feel was becoming increasingly common with Ikari's perception of reality.
'Well, he's got another thing coming, then.' she thought with a grin as she pressed the buttons on the back of the hand, the clunk-hiss sound familiar to her as it clung to her, just as it always had. This, at least, finally felt… right.
. . .
NSS Gebet
Deputy-Commander Kozo Fuyutsuki, a title that meant next to nothing to him now, sat in the privacy of his quarters, his phone to his ear as he hoped that Ikari wouldn't notice what he was about to do.
Finally, the call connected, and a voice he hadn't heard in nearly a decade and a half spoke to him from far, far away. "Hey, Sensei. It's been a while since we've actually talked."
"Hello, Mari. It certainly has been."
For the first time in what felt like days, Fuyutsuki smiled, slight though it may have been.
"So," Mari said, "got something that you wanted to warn us about?"
Fuyutsuki shook his head. "We're on final approach to Calvary Base and should be arriving tomorrow morning, to be in position by tomorrow afternoon. Otherwise, not really. I just… miss talking to someone that I know well."
"I see," Mari said quietly. "Gendo giving you the cold shoulder?"
"Quite frankly, Mari, I'm not even sure that Gendo exists anymore. Whatever's happened to him far transcends even his desire to be reunited with Yui again."
It was silent on the other end of the line as Fuyutsuki waited for her to process what he'd said. "Damn…" Mari said quietly. "And to think that we could just get Yui out of Unit-01 whenever we want to."
Fuyutsuki's eyes went wide as Mari continued. "But we've got a plan, so for now she's going to have to be content inside the Eva for a little while longer. And we're going to have to be content with having all these Reis running around looking so much like her."
Fuyutsuki arched a brow. "And what does that mean?"
"Well, with Daniel coming from another universe, he brought a bunch of duplicates of us with him. So there's two Shinjis, two Asukas, and like 3 or 4 different Ayanamis around. It's nice though, since most of them have different names. One of them is even Ritsuko's adopted daughter."
"And what about yourself?" Fuyutsuki asked. "I would suspect you either enjoy each other's company or drive each other to madness."
It was silent again, and Fuyutsuki's brow furrowed in concern before Mari spoke again. Her voice was choked with emotion now. "It's not me that they brought with them. They brought Mariah. She looks… exactly what I thought she would."
"Oh, Mari…"
He heard the deep breaths that Mari took for a few seconds. "It's been the time of my life, getting to know my daughter for who she might be. Besides, she put me in contact with my Mariah. We've been talking when we can. It's weird to see how… calm I was again."
Fuyutsuki nodded. "I wish I could be with you. But, at the moment, I currently have you beat on the number of Ayanamis that are around me."
"Really?" Mari asked. "How many are there?"
Fuyutsuki's smile faded. "A full crew complement. For each ship. Thousands of Rei Ayanamis."
"My god…" Mari said quietly. "He really pushed the limit, didn't he?"
"That he did. All human life is no longer of any real value beyond its base usefulness to the creature that Gendo has become. I'm not sure even Yui's is of any significance anymore. He's dead. He died when he used that damn Key…"
It was silent as they both mourned the man who had once been his student, her classmate, their friend, even.
Finally, another deep breath from Mari. "Well, will you need help getting out of there?"
"If you can somehow give such aid, then I can't say I'm in any position to turn down the chance to turn myself in."
"Sensei…"
"Mari," he said firmly. "I've been complicit in all of this for the past 30 years. I've done things, and not done things, that any court somehow still functioning would be well within their rights to put me to death over. Even without that, there is still the fact that you and your companions, at the heart of it all, want justice for what has been done to you and this world. And rightly so. I will submit myself to whatever judgment you all deem proper."
"I'm not going to let them just… frogmarch you in front of people who might be baying for some blood without letting people know the sort of good that you've done for us. I know it, Captain Katsuragi knows it, and I'm going to make sure everyone does."
Fuyutsuki chuckled slightly. Mari had gotten so passionate after the accident. It would not surprise him if Mariah was similar in temperament. "At the end of the day, all I've done thus far stems from the regrets of an old man who will be gone soon, however this plays out. Even for how much I'm sure it has helped you now, it cannot make up for what has already passed."
It was silent again, and now that Fuyutsuki had spoken the words aloud, he finally, after so long, felt… content. At peace.
"Well…" Mari said. "I'm glad that you're at peace with at least, Sensei. That's still not going to stop me from trying to help you."
"That, at least," Fuyutsuki said with a weary smile, "has never changed about you. Give my regards to those formerly of NERV. I may well meet them soon."
"We'll find a way to get you out, Sensei. Promise."
With that, the call ended, Fuyutsuki leaning back against the wall his bed hung off of and doing his best to meditate at the next end of the world as he knew it.
