- Location
- National Capital Region, USA
A&T!Rei: "Don't make me come over there and kill you again. I'm not in the mood to be so gentle this time." >:|
Mobile Fighter Evangelion [NGE/AU/Not a Gundam crossover]
- Thread starter Ultra Sonic 007
- Start date
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
YOU CAN'T EVEN MAKE UP YOUR MIND ABOUT WHETHER TO KILL TABRIS OR NOT. AT LEAST HAVE SOME CONVICTION, YOU MEWLING, INDECISIVE HALF-BREED.
A&T!Rei: *trying to be charitable to the dead* ...the circumstances are-
YOU HAVE THE MEANS TO LAY WASTE TO YOUR ENEMIES. IF IT WAS YOUR DECISION TO ACT SO SKITTISHLY, THAT WOULD BE A FUNCTION OF WILL. INSTEAD, YOU LET FEAR CONTROL YOUR ACTIONS. I WILL NOT ABIDE BY THE THREATS OF A WEAK-KNEED CHILD.
A&T!Rei: ...that does it. *goes full on Lilith-in-human-form mode* Time to kill you again.
*meanwhile, MFE!Asuka and A&T!Asuka hold up signs of support*
MFE!Asuka: Whoo! You can do it, Rei!
A&T!Asuka: Tear that arseloch a new one!
MFE!Rei: ...this whole affair is pointless. Zeruel literally cannot harm anyone anymore.
A&T!Asuka: It's about the principle of the thing!
MFE!Rei: And what principle would that be?
A&T!Asuka: Some people just need to have their asses kicked!
MFE!Rei: ...that is not a principle.
A&T!Asuka: ...you're not as cute as my Rei.
MFE!Asuka: Oh come now, we can compromise! I think they're both adorable!
A&T!Asuka: I'll accept that.
/meanwhile
//mfe!shinji looks to a&t!shinji. "So, you and Asuka, huh?"
///a&t!shinji nods. "You and Rei?"
////mfe!shinji nods
/////and then they fistbump
Turing Decidable
𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕗
- Location
- Belgium
- Pronouns
- He/Him
You're all right, Ultra Sonic.
You're all right.
You're all right.
31.1, in which Gendo has a lower case-p plan, and the media does the bidding of those who control the government (brought to you by Wikileaks).
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
/April 12, 2016/
/The Ark, NERV-2, Berlin-2, Germany/
Two miles underground, a heavily secured facility sat, deeper than any other part of the Second Branch. Segregated from the rest of the base, it had escaped the destructive wrath of Zeruel.
Keel Lorenz sat quietly within a tram car, hands gripping tightly onto an elaborate cane of varnished spruce. Connected to the basement of his mansion, the Lorenz Estate had direct access to the most secure part of NERV-2, known only as 'the Ark'. This particular section was off the books, budgeted entirely separately from the Second Branch's normal expense reports. Not even Commander Langley knew of its existence. Knowledge of the MP-Eva Series was known in the upper echelons, but the details of their location and construction was beyond top secret...and for good reason.
The tram came to a halt, and the door at the end opened. Keel quietly walked in, the halls flanked by armed security. The various technicians and scientific personnel deferred to him as he passed by; they were paid directly by him, and answered only to him. All of them had been screened, and carefully selected for misanthropic tendencies; they were all 'in the know' with regards to SEELE, and the Human Instrumentality Project. Fueled by a disdain for the current state of humanity, they were all desirous of Instrumentality.
"Hello, Chairman." A bushy-haired man with a wide, white mustache smiled wickedly. "Preparations are almost complete. The S2 Organ has passed all safety tests. The Dummy Plug data based off of Kaworu and Yomiko Nagisa is as clear and free of signal noise as we can get....we are ready to initiate Contact."
"Good." Keel Lorenz glanced up, his visor taking in the white and black titan standing silently. Lean and lithe, the Eva possessed a strangely animalistic air to it; the thick red lips, eyeless face, and angular teeth only cemented its image as a beastly monster. In a way, it was...but it didn't matter. "My cohorts are beginning the process themselves. The world shall soon turn its fury upon the First Branch; from its corpse shall bloom a new world."
"Best of luck, Chairman."
The elderly German chuckled, standing patiently as his Chariot was prepared. "Dr. Wilhelm...I don't believe in luck."
xxxx
/Keter, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Shinji Ikari was grateful for the folding chair that Misato had provided; if he could, he would have sunk into it even further. "That's...that's..."
"Heavy? Unbelievable? Preposterous?" suggested Gendo Ikari.
"...those are good words." Humanity's connection to LILITH, beyond the Angel's observation of their world; the truth of SEELE, and the Human Instrumentality Project; the rebellion of his father and mother, years ago; how Gendo's demeanor and behaviors were all a delicate dance to keep SEELE on their toes, anything to give him an advantage, even to the point of staging his own assassination at Geneva (which had shocked Misato and Ritsuko something fierce); all that and more. The reality of why it was important to keep ADAM and LILITH out of SEELE's hands had been made abundantly clear. "...it's just...why would anyone want a world like that...?"
"Believe it or not, Shinji, there are many who would welcome such oblivion," said Kozou Fuyutsuki. "The aims of Human Instrumentality sounded very grand and virtuous, aimed at improving the human condition, reducing the flaws that made the world such a hell after Second Impact..." The elderly man sighed. "But this would do nothing but end the existence of the creature called 'homo sapiens'."
"An Anti-AT-Field with enough range to reduce all of humanity to its primordial essence," mused Ritsuko Akagi, "tuned to our souls through LILITH, and powered by ADAM; with the Mass Production Eva Series, they have a substitute for the First Angel, but the Second Angel is still a necessity for them. In light of that...there will be another attack. This time, from our fellow man." The blonde suddenly pumped her fist. "THE SPECTACLE OF BLOOD AND GUTS WILL BE HORRIBLE! WITH A SIDE ORDER OF TRAUMA!"
"...what are we going to do?" If SEELE truly had such control over the forces of the UN, how could they hope to fight them? "I mean...fighting Angels was one thing...but people..."
"If we are to prevent the end of the world, we will do what we must," interrupted Rei. She gently pressed her hand against Shinji's back. "It is an unfortunate outcome. But it is an unavoidable one."
Misato nodded grimly. "I know it sucks, Shinji-kun...but the people are gonna be dead one way or another, either at our hands...or at SEELE's if they enact Instrumentality."
"...maybe...but..."
"Your hesitation is understandable, son." Gendo readjusted his shades. "It is a heavy burden to bear…but you are not alone. And besides...I have a plan."
xxxx
And so it went.
April 12 came and went, passing through to April 13. And the world was slowly turned against NERV.
The subtle effort to undermine NERV's credibility was sent out through global media, to make the inevitable more...palatable.
The conclusion was predetermined: the UN would direct its forces to strike the First Branch, for possession of the First and Second Angels was absolutely critical.
However...efficiency was still something to appreciate.
"The UN Pacific Fleet has cordoned off the area around the ruins of Las Vegas in Sagami Bay," spoke the RT reporter. "The murmurs from Japan's Defense Ministry indicate a military operation will soon be underway to retake Hakone from NERV."
And so efforts were made to isolate NERV-1.
April 13 gave way to April 14.
The various MAGI at the remaining NERV branches were directed to begin hacking into MELCHIOR, BALTHASAR, CASPER, and HEROD. If the Tokyo-3 MAGI were taken control of, NERV-1 would be easy pickings.
"The crackdown on Angel worshipper activity has been a major effort of the military over this past year, especially in light of the February invasion of Tokyo-3," said NHK news reporter Trisha Takanawa, looking somewhat more unkempt than usual. "In light of this, what is the justification for utilizing so many identified cultists for this upcoming operation?"
General Hiroki Sakamura snorted. "Their loyalties are questionable, but we have a mutual enemy in Gendo Ikari. Their zealotry to bring down NERV will be useful. And if I may be blunt...I would prefer that they be on the front lines first, instead of soldiers who are truly loyal to our country."
"Will nephilim be a part of this operation?"
"What do you think?"
There was an issue, however, with the decision to hack into the Tokyo-3 MAGI.
To wit, HEROD was Naoko Akagi.
Naoko Akagi had invented the MAGI; she had designed the software and the hardware.
And there was a physical backdoor that she had left behind in the hardware, that enabled instant access past the firewalls upon execution of a certain bit of code.
She knew how to defend against it. The AI controlling the foreign MAGI...did not.
Child's play, thought Naoko with a smile as she instantly rebuffed the hack and took over all of the other MAGI. Her control would only last as long as it took for the other NERV branches to physically reset and shut down their units...but it was long enough to redirect the hack, and turn the processing power of over fifteen MAGI to a very specific purpose.
A video file was uploaded, and instantly interrupted the live broadcasts from the major news agencies of America, Europe, Russia, China, and Japan.
/The Ark, NERV-2, Berlin-2, Germany/
Two miles underground, a heavily secured facility sat, deeper than any other part of the Second Branch. Segregated from the rest of the base, it had escaped the destructive wrath of Zeruel.
Keel Lorenz sat quietly within a tram car, hands gripping tightly onto an elaborate cane of varnished spruce. Connected to the basement of his mansion, the Lorenz Estate had direct access to the most secure part of NERV-2, known only as 'the Ark'. This particular section was off the books, budgeted entirely separately from the Second Branch's normal expense reports. Not even Commander Langley knew of its existence. Knowledge of the MP-Eva Series was known in the upper echelons, but the details of their location and construction was beyond top secret...and for good reason.
The tram came to a halt, and the door at the end opened. Keel quietly walked in, the halls flanked by armed security. The various technicians and scientific personnel deferred to him as he passed by; they were paid directly by him, and answered only to him. All of them had been screened, and carefully selected for misanthropic tendencies; they were all 'in the know' with regards to SEELE, and the Human Instrumentality Project. Fueled by a disdain for the current state of humanity, they were all desirous of Instrumentality.
"Hello, Chairman." A bushy-haired man with a wide, white mustache smiled wickedly. "Preparations are almost complete. The S2 Organ has passed all safety tests. The Dummy Plug data based off of Kaworu and Yomiko Nagisa is as clear and free of signal noise as we can get....we are ready to initiate Contact."
"Good." Keel Lorenz glanced up, his visor taking in the white and black titan standing silently. Lean and lithe, the Eva possessed a strangely animalistic air to it; the thick red lips, eyeless face, and angular teeth only cemented its image as a beastly monster. In a way, it was...but it didn't matter. "My cohorts are beginning the process themselves. The world shall soon turn its fury upon the First Branch; from its corpse shall bloom a new world."
"Best of luck, Chairman."
The elderly German chuckled, standing patiently as his Chariot was prepared. "Dr. Wilhelm...I don't believe in luck."
xxxx
/Keter, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Shinji Ikari was grateful for the folding chair that Misato had provided; if he could, he would have sunk into it even further. "That's...that's..."
"Heavy? Unbelievable? Preposterous?" suggested Gendo Ikari.
"...those are good words." Humanity's connection to LILITH, beyond the Angel's observation of their world; the truth of SEELE, and the Human Instrumentality Project; the rebellion of his father and mother, years ago; how Gendo's demeanor and behaviors were all a delicate dance to keep SEELE on their toes, anything to give him an advantage, even to the point of staging his own assassination at Geneva (which had shocked Misato and Ritsuko something fierce); all that and more. The reality of why it was important to keep ADAM and LILITH out of SEELE's hands had been made abundantly clear. "...it's just...why would anyone want a world like that...?"
"Believe it or not, Shinji, there are many who would welcome such oblivion," said Kozou Fuyutsuki. "The aims of Human Instrumentality sounded very grand and virtuous, aimed at improving the human condition, reducing the flaws that made the world such a hell after Second Impact..." The elderly man sighed. "But this would do nothing but end the existence of the creature called 'homo sapiens'."
"An Anti-AT-Field with enough range to reduce all of humanity to its primordial essence," mused Ritsuko Akagi, "tuned to our souls through LILITH, and powered by ADAM; with the Mass Production Eva Series, they have a substitute for the First Angel, but the Second Angel is still a necessity for them. In light of that...there will be another attack. This time, from our fellow man." The blonde suddenly pumped her fist. "THE SPECTACLE OF BLOOD AND GUTS WILL BE HORRIBLE! WITH A SIDE ORDER OF TRAUMA!"
"...what are we going to do?" If SEELE truly had such control over the forces of the UN, how could they hope to fight them? "I mean...fighting Angels was one thing...but people..."
"If we are to prevent the end of the world, we will do what we must," interrupted Rei. She gently pressed her hand against Shinji's back. "It is an unfortunate outcome. But it is an unavoidable one."
Misato nodded grimly. "I know it sucks, Shinji-kun...but the people are gonna be dead one way or another, either at our hands...or at SEELE's if they enact Instrumentality."
"...maybe...but..."
"Your hesitation is understandable, son." Gendo readjusted his shades. "It is a heavy burden to bear…but you are not alone. And besides...I have a plan."
xxxx
And so it went.
April 12 came and went, passing through to April 13. And the world was slowly turned against NERV.
"The investigative reports have had a lot of bureaucratic red tape removed in light of the Twentieth Angel's emergence from NERV's Second Branch," intoned the reporter from Deutsche Welle. "Many of the things that have been found are, to put it mildly, unsettling."
The subtle effort to undermine NERV's credibility was sent out through global media, to make the inevitable more...palatable.
"Pieter Langley is currently comatose within Berlin-2, but journalists have uncovered unsettling records detailing his foray to Japan in early February. His conspicuous absence during the Thirteenth Angel's assault on Germany's capital city just so happened to coincide with the death of General Hiroto Mizugumi, a respected figure in the Japanese military, and a notable critic of NERV." The FOX News commentator stared angrily at the camera. "In light of the other information that has been dug up regarding his 'secret identity', it seems only fair to ask: what in the world is NERV doing with someone like the infamous Jackal on their payroll?"
The conclusion was predetermined: the UN would direct its forces to strike the First Branch, for possession of the First and Second Angels was absolutely critical.
"Global leaders have always possessed a sense of weariness regarding Gendo Ikari and his mannerisms. His successes against the Angels and the safeguarding of the Sword of Uriel have made him, at the very least, palatable. What has changed?" asked the BBC interviewer.
The UN official snorted. "The information that's come out over the past few days should make everyone afraid. The cult of personality around Ikari has insulated him from scrutiny for too long; how else to explain how he was able to conceal the existence of ADAM and LILITH for so long?"
The UN official snorted. "The information that's come out over the past few days should make everyone afraid. The cult of personality around Ikari has insulated him from scrutiny for too long; how else to explain how he was able to conceal the existence of ADAM and LILITH for so long?"
However...efficiency was still something to appreciate.
"The UN Pacific Fleet has cordoned off the area around the ruins of Las Vegas in Sagami Bay," spoke the RT reporter. "The murmurs from Japan's Defense Ministry indicate a military operation will soon be underway to retake Hakone from NERV."
And so efforts were made to isolate NERV-1.
April 13 gave way to April 14.
"US Marshals, aided by the Alaskan National Guard, have taken control of NERV-Alaska after its chief administrators resisted arrest," said the CNN reporter. Behind him was footage of the tundra facility, showing a man with pale hair being dragged away. "The head of the Science Division, Dr. Dream Mondschein, had some particularly choice words."
"This is a load of (BEEP)! You idiots are a bunch of-!"
The footage cut off. "Dr. Mondschein's association with Dr. Ritsuko Akagi of NERV's First Branch is well-known amongst the staff at the Alaskan Branch. And it stands to wonder: how far does Gendo Ikari's reach stretch across the Pacific?"
"This is a load of (BEEP)! You idiots are a bunch of-!"
The footage cut off. "Dr. Mondschein's association with Dr. Ritsuko Akagi of NERV's First Branch is well-known amongst the staff at the Alaskan Branch. And it stands to wonder: how far does Gendo Ikari's reach stretch across the Pacific?"
The various MAGI at the remaining NERV branches were directed to begin hacking into MELCHIOR, BALTHASAR, CASPER, and HEROD. If the Tokyo-3 MAGI were taken control of, NERV-1 would be easy pickings.
"The crackdown on Angel worshipper activity has been a major effort of the military over this past year, especially in light of the February invasion of Tokyo-3," said NHK news reporter Trisha Takanawa, looking somewhat more unkempt than usual. "In light of this, what is the justification for utilizing so many identified cultists for this upcoming operation?"
General Hiroki Sakamura snorted. "Their loyalties are questionable, but we have a mutual enemy in Gendo Ikari. Their zealotry to bring down NERV will be useful. And if I may be blunt...I would prefer that they be on the front lines first, instead of soldiers who are truly loyal to our country."
"Will nephilim be a part of this operation?"
"What do you think?"
There was an issue, however, with the decision to hack into the Tokyo-3 MAGI.
To wit, HEROD was Naoko Akagi.
Naoko Akagi had invented the MAGI; she had designed the software and the hardware.
And there was a physical backdoor that she had left behind in the hardware, that enabled instant access past the firewalls upon execution of a certain bit of code.
She knew how to defend against it. The AI controlling the foreign MAGI...did not.
Child's play, thought Naoko with a smile as she instantly rebuffed the hack and took over all of the other MAGI. Her control would only last as long as it took for the other NERV branches to physically reset and shut down their units...but it was long enough to redirect the hack, and turn the processing power of over fifteen MAGI to a very specific purpose.
A video file was uploaded, and instantly interrupted the live broadcasts from the major news agencies of America, Europe, Russia, China, and Japan.
A single spotlight shined on Gendo Ikari, his back turned towards the camera. He slowly turned around, orange shades blocking his eyes, his hands folded in his lap. His cloak hung loosely over his shoulders. "Bonjour. Permettez-moi d'expliquer brièvement...ah, my apologies. Let me start over."
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The Fourth Monado
S U B A R A S H I I
- Location
- Away
*curiosity intensifies*
Turing Decidable
𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕗
- Location
- Belgium
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I'm sure SEELE won't particularly care about whatever Gendo has in store for them since they're now Evangelion-eating Evangelions.
31.2, in which Gendo drops the mic.
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
"Bonjour. Permettez-moi d'expliquer brièvement...ah, my apologies. Let me start over." The man cleared his throat, looking directly into the camera. "The world appears to be on the brink of chaos. The Angels have visited destruction upon more than just Japan. Many nations are agitated, and recent media attention seems to paint NERV as the greatest threat to world peace. I will grant that it's an understandable feeling."
Intelligence agencies throughout the world turned their entire focus onto this video. Anything useful would be picked at and turned against Ikari at the drop of a hat.
"My methods have been unorthodox. My demeanor has been…unprofessional, at times. All told, I've done little to assuage the worries of the world, in spite of our track record against the Angels. To be honest…I've been too busy dealing with other things to care about such trifles." The Supreme Commander quietly stepped off of the stool, walking off-screen. "ADAM and LILITH are fundamentally different beings. The Angels that have been attacking since September of last year…they have all been remnants of the First Angel. With each one that fell, the First Angel regained more of its essence."
As this video played, in twelve different sites throughout the world, the twelve leaders of SEELE were undergoing their own Contact Events. Their destiny was set in stone, and they had arranged everything as deftly as they could. Of course, this meant they could no longer react to the actions of their adversary.
There was a seamless transition between footage; Gendo Ikari was now walking atop the edge of a spiraling blue blade, his body illuminated by a strange ambience. "The Sword of Uriel has been kept within the depths of NERV-1, true. That has never been in doubt." The camera swept behind him, revealing the large, white being with a purple mask. "However, unlike the official story, LILITH was not found in Antarctica, as ADAM was; the Second Angel has always been here, underneath Hakone."
Oh yes; this was proverbial gold for spooks the world over.
Gendo Ikari turned around, the camera panning to his side. He appeared to be walking on nothing, for his feet were out of the picture. "And what of the First Angel? It is not up for debate that ADAM perished in Second Impact. Which is why many of you watching this may be wondering; how then, could there be reports of the First Angel being kept within the First Branch?"
Yes; that had been a topic of great discussion. A great multitude watched with rapt attention, while those with SEELE affiliations were feeling increasingly unnerved at how frank this whole presentation was.
"Simple: as I have said, with each Angel destroyed, the more ADAM regenerates." The camera backtracked, revealing Gendo Ikari standing atop the shoulder of a white colossus with blank eyes, dark as the void. "The First Angel is bound within the depths of NERV-1, kept safe from those that would misuse its power."
It was this particular image that sent any Angel cultists watching into a tizzy.
"And many may wonder…whom exactly I am talking about." Gendo stepped off of ADAM's shoulder and back into the darkness; he arrived back at the stool, sitting back under the spotlight. "It is tied to my demeanor. It is tied to the attempt on my life in Geneva. It is tied to the military operation that is about to unleash its fury upon Tokyo-3 within a matter of hours." Gendo stared directly into the camera. "For those who have been paying attention, a particular data file has been uploaded alongside this video. It contains incriminating information about yours truly…but then again, many of you will find the information regarding SEELE and the Human Instrumentality Committee to be very interesting."
And just like that, SEELE's moles throughout the world had to run damage control. This would have the intended effect of diluting the effectiveness and focus of military intelligence, at least for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours...and that was all that Gendo Ikari needed.
"Soon, twelve Evangelions will make their way to Tokyo-3. They are to be the finishing blow against whatever remains standing after the military begins their assault. They will try and take ADAM and LILITH…and it will be the end of the world as we know it if they succeed." The camera zoomed in towards his upper body, further emphasizing his small grin. "To any military officials watching this…I ask that you think very carefully about your next move, and whether attacking Tokyo-3 is truly in the best interests of your country. As for us…we'll simply do what we've always done: save the world from all who threaten it." The camera suddenly snapped backward, right as Gendo grabbed the edge of his cloak. "Let's get things started!" The removal of his cloak temporarily blocked the camera; as the garment flew off-screen, it revealed Gendo holding a yellow microphone, his other hand pointing dramatically at the camera, gripping onto his orange shades. There was an almost delightful sort of madness in his blue eyes. "FINAL FIGHT FOR THE FATE OF HUMANITY, ALL SET! READY…" The camera panned away as he raised his arms in triumphant defiance. "GO!!!"
And then the video ended.
The gauntlet had been thrown.
xxxx
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Turing Decidable
𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕗
- Location
- Belgium
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Well... I suppose we'll soon find out how many Nephilim it takes to subdue a fully pissed off Rei Ayanami.
CalumTraveler
Age Raveler
- Location
- Corner of No and Where.
One last "Awesome Gendo" video for the road, huh? :33 Too bad SEELE is in the midst of being Cored, otherwise they might have had second tho-- No, who am I kidding, they would have just jumped right in even faster. The best part is they probably have no idea that he's played this card- they probably wouldn't even care so long as their plans launch...
I do wonder how it will all turn out. Can't wait to see!
I do wonder how it will all turn out. Can't wait to see!
31.3, in which something unprecedented occurs in the annals of Eva fandom: Fuyutsuki talks one-on-one with Kaworu.
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
/April 12, 2016/
/T-Minus 50 Hours until Gendo's Challenge/
/Medical Ward, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"Sir, I highly recommend against this course of action."
Kozou Fuyutsuki calmly waved off the Section 2 agent's concern. "His restraints are graded for third-generation nephilim baselines, and his true Core is submerged in a pool of bakelite." Besides, dying at his hands would spare me the chaos to come. Damn his sense of responsibility. "If he does start beating me into a pulp, you're clear to do what is necessary."
"…yes sir."
The black-clad agent stepped away from the door, allowing the Sub-Director to enter the guarded ward. The wizened man walked around the cot – eyeing the thick braces and powered buckles around the arms and legs, staring critically at the IV drip slowly releasing a mild sedative into the bloodstream – and grabbed a chair, sitting beside the 'patient.' "…and how are you?"
Kaworu Nagisa slowly glanced at Fuyutsuki. "That is a surprising question, coming from you."
"Fair enough."
The Fourth Child, and nephilim vessel of the Final Angel's Soul, looked back at the ceiling. His every movement was lethargic, lacking the sense of purpose and inquiry that had driven him for so long. "You did not destroy my true Core." A statement with an implicit question: why?
"Your original body was obliterated. Given what happened with Yomiko Nagisa after the destruction of Zeruel's Core…it was judged that the risk of leaving your Core intact was worth it if it mean you could still be of use."
"I see." Kaworu chuckled bitterly. "Having been one with my true body, I feel…congested within this vessel. Compared to my sister…it is still a more fortunate outcome." He eyed the Sub-Director with a strange expression. "I still feel the burning need to reunite with ADAM, to become one with my source…so why keep me alive?"
"For much the same reason the Supreme Commander wanted to keep the Fifth Child alive: properly 'persuaded', you could be more useful alive, than dead."
"So Yomiko and I were fated to be mere slaves?"
"Not necessarily. The Professor simply believes that death creates nothing."
"…I see." Kaworu smiled sadly. "The cycle of life and death; the dance of destruction and rebirth…you Lilim are intimately familiar with such things."
"That is a very macabre attitude, Nagisa-kun. Even if it is true."
"…why are you here, Kozou Fuyutsuki?"
"Supreme Commander Ikari wanted me to try and hash out something akin to an 'offer.'"
"Why? Your motives to gain my cooperation are undoubtedly self-serving…but what could I possibly gain by helping you?"
"SEELE will begin their final assault upon headquarters soon. They will try and take ADAM and LILITH for themselves, to initiate Instrumentality."
"…I see. So the Chairman is close to the fulfillment of his greatest desire."
"Yes."
"…the status quo is preferable to such an outcome," admitted Kaworu. "…but why are you making this offer, and not the Supreme Commander?"
"He is busy. Though, to be honest?" Fuyutsuki thought of a particular blue-haired nephilim: the First Child, his daughter in reality, but one that he could never treat as such. Seeing Rei's growth as a person had been fulfilling in so many ways...and given the Fourth Child's well-known nature as an inquisitive and gentle person, even in spite of his true Angelic nature, it only seemed logical to try and reach an understanding. Maybe he was simply getting softhearted in his old age. "In light of the efforts that Asuka Langley-Sohryu went through to keep you alive, it would be unfortunate to put it all to waste by simply killing you."
"Ah. I see." The Fourth Child smirked, his expression marred by a sense of bitter self-hatred. "I wonder if Miss Sohryu's efforts were worth it. Perhaps it would have been better if I had been utterly destroyed, as my kin were."
"Will you hear me out?"
Kaworu chuckled, futilely budging at his restraints. "Do I have a choice?"
/T-Minus 50 Hours until Gendo's Challenge/
/Medical Ward, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"Sir, I highly recommend against this course of action."
Kozou Fuyutsuki calmly waved off the Section 2 agent's concern. "His restraints are graded for third-generation nephilim baselines, and his true Core is submerged in a pool of bakelite." Besides, dying at his hands would spare me the chaos to come. Damn his sense of responsibility. "If he does start beating me into a pulp, you're clear to do what is necessary."
"…yes sir."
The black-clad agent stepped away from the door, allowing the Sub-Director to enter the guarded ward. The wizened man walked around the cot – eyeing the thick braces and powered buckles around the arms and legs, staring critically at the IV drip slowly releasing a mild sedative into the bloodstream – and grabbed a chair, sitting beside the 'patient.' "…and how are you?"
Kaworu Nagisa slowly glanced at Fuyutsuki. "That is a surprising question, coming from you."
"Fair enough."
The Fourth Child, and nephilim vessel of the Final Angel's Soul, looked back at the ceiling. His every movement was lethargic, lacking the sense of purpose and inquiry that had driven him for so long. "You did not destroy my true Core." A statement with an implicit question: why?
"Your original body was obliterated. Given what happened with Yomiko Nagisa after the destruction of Zeruel's Core…it was judged that the risk of leaving your Core intact was worth it if it mean you could still be of use."
"I see." Kaworu chuckled bitterly. "Having been one with my true body, I feel…congested within this vessel. Compared to my sister…it is still a more fortunate outcome." He eyed the Sub-Director with a strange expression. "I still feel the burning need to reunite with ADAM, to become one with my source…so why keep me alive?"
"For much the same reason the Supreme Commander wanted to keep the Fifth Child alive: properly 'persuaded', you could be more useful alive, than dead."
"So Yomiko and I were fated to be mere slaves?"
"Not necessarily. The Professor simply believes that death creates nothing."
"…I see." Kaworu smiled sadly. "The cycle of life and death; the dance of destruction and rebirth…you Lilim are intimately familiar with such things."
"That is a very macabre attitude, Nagisa-kun. Even if it is true."
"…why are you here, Kozou Fuyutsuki?"
"Supreme Commander Ikari wanted me to try and hash out something akin to an 'offer.'"
"Why? Your motives to gain my cooperation are undoubtedly self-serving…but what could I possibly gain by helping you?"
"SEELE will begin their final assault upon headquarters soon. They will try and take ADAM and LILITH for themselves, to initiate Instrumentality."
"…I see. So the Chairman is close to the fulfillment of his greatest desire."
"Yes."
"…the status quo is preferable to such an outcome," admitted Kaworu. "…but why are you making this offer, and not the Supreme Commander?"
"He is busy. Though, to be honest?" Fuyutsuki thought of a particular blue-haired nephilim: the First Child, his daughter in reality, but one that he could never treat as such. Seeing Rei's growth as a person had been fulfilling in so many ways...and given the Fourth Child's well-known nature as an inquisitive and gentle person, even in spite of his true Angelic nature, it only seemed logical to try and reach an understanding. Maybe he was simply getting softhearted in his old age. "In light of the efforts that Asuka Langley-Sohryu went through to keep you alive, it would be unfortunate to put it all to waste by simply killing you."
"Ah. I see." The Fourth Child smirked, his expression marred by a sense of bitter self-hatred. "I wonder if Miss Sohryu's efforts were worth it. Perhaps it would have been better if I had been utterly destroyed, as my kin were."
"Will you hear me out?"
Kaworu chuckled, futilely budging at his restraints. "Do I have a choice?"
Last edited:
Turing Decidable
𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕗
- Location
- Belgium
- Pronouns
- He/Him
...well. This ought to be Fun™ for SEELE's Evangelions.
31.4, in which Gendo gets another Oscar moment.
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
/April 13, 2016/
/T-Minus 40 Hours until Gendo's Challenge/
/Fields beyond NERV Headquarters, Geofront, Tokyo-3/
Hundreds upon hundreds of personnel stood in the battle-scarred plain surrounding the main pyramid complex of NERV-1, its reflective blue surface still marred and cracked from the battles against Zeruel and Tabris. Most of Section 4's medical staff had evacuated prior to the Twentieth Angel's assault, as had those in Section 1 who were more tied to purely administrative work instead of lab functions and Evangelion research. The vast majority of the remaining personnel were Section 3 technicians and Section 2 security.
Amidst the crowd, there were plenty of murmurs.
"Any idea what's going on?"
"Who knows."
"Anything to do with those reports coming out?"
"NERV is really being hammered by a lot of these foreign news agencies…"
"-the hell do they know about anything?! What the hell have we done?"
"They're saying some awful stuff about the Supreme Commander…"
"Screw them! I bet it's all made up."
"But it's so sudden. I know he's unpopular with a lot of politicians, but he's never showed any inclination to do anything but fight the Angels!"
On and on, went the muttering.
Sandwiched amidst the crowd, the Ibuki Twins, Shiori Aoba, and Makoto Hyuga stood in relative silence. As part of the command staff, they were more aware of NERV's precarious position, and thus more in the know about exactly what this meeting was about. "…do you really think the Supreme Commander is going to speak frankly with us?" asked the bespectacled Logistics Officer.
"Akagi-senpai seems to think so," answered Maya.
"Same with the Boss," murmured Aoba, her eyes narrowed with misgivings. Her attention was partly focused on a tablet displaying the current repairs ongoing throughout the Geofront; in particular, Unit-01 was trying to fill in the holes and tunnels that had been created during the battles with Zeruel and Tabris. Even if most of it amounted to shoveling dirt on an Eva-sized scale, anything to keep the oncoming storm from having a straight shot into Terminal Dogma was preferable. "Katsuragi apparently received a classified debriefing recently. She's dropped me a few bits…and I've gotta tell you, if even half of it is true, we're in deep shit."
"…well. That's comforting," admitted Hyuga.
There was a slight rumble in the air. "I think we're about to find out," said Miyata. Unit-00 slowly emerged from a lift besides the main pyramid complex. "…still not used to the hair."
"I think it looks good," argued Maya.
"…is that the Supreme Commander in Unit-00's hand?" Hyuga's words prompted the other three members of the command staff to focus on the Eva's outstretched right hand; a small figure was visible, with instantly recognizable features. "…it is."
Aoba chuckled. "Well, this promises to be interesting."
The massive throngs of NERV personnel quieted at the sight of the forty-meter titan, which knelt down in front of them. Gendo Ikari stood calmly in the Eva's open palm, holding a wireless microphone in his hands. When he spoke into it, the signal was piggybacked through Unit-00's external speakers, amplifying his voice. "Good morning. No doubt, many of you have already seen the recent reports regarding NERV. Ever since the Twentieth Angel put half of Berlin-2 to the torch, our entire organization has been under greater scrutiny. Rumors are flying, and the world seems to be turning against us." The man began to pace upon Unit-00's palm, speaking all the while. "Why the increased hostility? What have we done, other than our duty? It doesn't seem fair, on the face of it…which is why some of you, even now, are wondering if there is any truth to those reports; if there are truly any skeletons within my closet, so to speak. Well, that is but one reason why you are all gathered here today."
Theatrically, he snapped his fingers. Every individual with a work phone or tablet on hand heard a ping, signifying an impending download.
"Right now, all of your personal profiles within our servers have been provided a data packet from the MAGI. In it, you will see a timeline of events since the Katsuragi Expedition, explaining how and why we've gotten to this point. Suffice to say, I will be summarizing a great deal…but realize that the Angels, in the grand scheme of things, are but one enemy." The Supreme Commander made a sweeping motion with his arm, gesturing to all those gathered. "The Tenth Angel made it more than clear how we are viewed as mere vermin. The cultist invasion in February made it more than clear how expendable we are. In light of the attacks already visited upon us and our loved ones…who could possibly be a greater threat?" Gendo's face hardened. "A shadowy cabal, directing world affairs from afar, all to suit their own ends; a plan to 'evolve' mankind by removing all barriers between individuals, reducing us all to a pure, primordial being with this cabal as the controlling godhead; it seems the stuff of science fiction, of conspiracy mongering. Yet we live in a world where aliens are a fact! We live in a world of giant robots, of mutant wildlife, of superhumans! This world would have been considered a fantasy prior to Second Impact…so who is to say that the idea is truly crazy?"
Despite the concerned murmurs filtering through the crowd, Gendo's point was well-made; their world was downright ridiculous compared to world of the second millennium.
"Part of those reports are indeed true: LILITH is kept bound within Terminal Dogma. And so is ADAM." Shocked gasps roiled through the crowd. "But how, you may ask? And why? The 'how' is somewhat…amusing, in my opinion."
At that precise moment, up in her apartment on the surface of Tokyo-3, Misato Katsuragi sneezed.
"But the 'why' is what is critical: it was to keep them out of the clutches of this cabal, known as SEELE; if they get their hands on ADAM and LILITH, they will initiate Third Impact, and it will be the end of all life as we know it. Even now, the UN is beginning to turns its guns in our direction, believing that they are the righteous ones, that they are saving the world. When they come for us, no quarter will be given, and none shall be spared."
In all honesty, it was a very bleak prognosis.
"To which I say...let them try. We will stand and protect this world, as is our duty! We will hold nothing back in the defense of mankind, as was our vow!"
A true statement, yet it didn't change the reality that they were up against long odds. After all, what hope did they have against the whole world?
"I will be honest with you: I have utilized less than pleasant means to keep NERV one step ahead of SEELE all these years. But their efforts are myriad and many, seeking ever more loyal patsies to advance their agenda: consider how I was nearly assassinated at Geneva. Or perhaps, consider the power outage during the February invasion." At the sight of many drawing the proper conclusion, Gendo smirked. "That's right; the saboteurs did their dirty work at SEELE's behest, hindering our response efforts and threatening this city's continued survival. Because of them, the cultists were able to kill so many of our people." Yes; let the incensed feelings flow! "I do not intend to let that happen again. So what if some of my methods were unorthodox, or risky, or even close to illegal; this is a high-stakes game, and I intend to win."
The murmurs had begun to die down, replaced by scattered cheering. It was practically a repeat of his grand speech after the defeat of the Tenth Angel at the play.
Soon, they would all be cheering. "I will answer for my sins, one way or another. Life in prison, execution…I don't care. Why? Because if I live to go to trial, that means this world will still exist, that humanity has survived its greatest test. So I stand here now, before all of you: the people that have made NERV function day in and day out!" Gendo raised his free hand, curling it into a fist. "Stand for me! Stand for your loved ones! Stand against those who seek to unmake our world! Stand, and fight, BECAUSE YOU DESERVE TO LIVE!"
The gathered masses were silent.
"…well hell, I'll fight for that," said Shiori Aoba.
The dam burst, and a raucous roar erupted from the people of NERV-1.
If there were a few who were less than enthusiastic – be it because of personal misgivings, or because they were moles for SEELE, or because they were one of the few cultists that had not fought in the invasion, thus escaping retribution from Katsuragi and Section 2 – then that was fine. The need for secrecy was less…necessary, at this point.
Meanwhile, in the Jet Alone Facility on the surface, Tokita's team – the speech having been routed to their warehouse's intercoms courtesy of the MAGI – all turned away from their tasks involving the Jet Alone upgrade, looking at Shiro Tokita. "…so," muttered Yoshimitsu Tomino, drawing a few conclusions, "this is why you were willing to work with Gendo Ikari…correct?"
Tokita chuckled. "Sharp as ever, Tomino-san."
Hikari Kirishima, having already been 'inducted' into the anti-SEELE 'conspiracy', stepped forward. "As much as it pains me to say it…don't fault Tokita for his decision. This is much bigger than our professional rivalry with NERV, or any personal distaste we may have for Ikari's personality."
Tokita couldn't help but smirk. "I'm touched, Kirishima-san."
"Don't press your luck."
/T-Minus 40 Hours until Gendo's Challenge/
/Fields beyond NERV Headquarters, Geofront, Tokyo-3/
Hundreds upon hundreds of personnel stood in the battle-scarred plain surrounding the main pyramid complex of NERV-1, its reflective blue surface still marred and cracked from the battles against Zeruel and Tabris. Most of Section 4's medical staff had evacuated prior to the Twentieth Angel's assault, as had those in Section 1 who were more tied to purely administrative work instead of lab functions and Evangelion research. The vast majority of the remaining personnel were Section 3 technicians and Section 2 security.
Amidst the crowd, there were plenty of murmurs.
"Any idea what's going on?"
"Who knows."
"Anything to do with those reports coming out?"
"NERV is really being hammered by a lot of these foreign news agencies…"
"-the hell do they know about anything?! What the hell have we done?"
"They're saying some awful stuff about the Supreme Commander…"
"Screw them! I bet it's all made up."
"But it's so sudden. I know he's unpopular with a lot of politicians, but he's never showed any inclination to do anything but fight the Angels!"
On and on, went the muttering.
Sandwiched amidst the crowd, the Ibuki Twins, Shiori Aoba, and Makoto Hyuga stood in relative silence. As part of the command staff, they were more aware of NERV's precarious position, and thus more in the know about exactly what this meeting was about. "…do you really think the Supreme Commander is going to speak frankly with us?" asked the bespectacled Logistics Officer.
"Akagi-senpai seems to think so," answered Maya.
"Same with the Boss," murmured Aoba, her eyes narrowed with misgivings. Her attention was partly focused on a tablet displaying the current repairs ongoing throughout the Geofront; in particular, Unit-01 was trying to fill in the holes and tunnels that had been created during the battles with Zeruel and Tabris. Even if most of it amounted to shoveling dirt on an Eva-sized scale, anything to keep the oncoming storm from having a straight shot into Terminal Dogma was preferable. "Katsuragi apparently received a classified debriefing recently. She's dropped me a few bits…and I've gotta tell you, if even half of it is true, we're in deep shit."
"…well. That's comforting," admitted Hyuga.
There was a slight rumble in the air. "I think we're about to find out," said Miyata. Unit-00 slowly emerged from a lift besides the main pyramid complex. "…still not used to the hair."
"I think it looks good," argued Maya.
"…is that the Supreme Commander in Unit-00's hand?" Hyuga's words prompted the other three members of the command staff to focus on the Eva's outstretched right hand; a small figure was visible, with instantly recognizable features. "…it is."
Aoba chuckled. "Well, this promises to be interesting."
The massive throngs of NERV personnel quieted at the sight of the forty-meter titan, which knelt down in front of them. Gendo Ikari stood calmly in the Eva's open palm, holding a wireless microphone in his hands. When he spoke into it, the signal was piggybacked through Unit-00's external speakers, amplifying his voice. "Good morning. No doubt, many of you have already seen the recent reports regarding NERV. Ever since the Twentieth Angel put half of Berlin-2 to the torch, our entire organization has been under greater scrutiny. Rumors are flying, and the world seems to be turning against us." The man began to pace upon Unit-00's palm, speaking all the while. "Why the increased hostility? What have we done, other than our duty? It doesn't seem fair, on the face of it…which is why some of you, even now, are wondering if there is any truth to those reports; if there are truly any skeletons within my closet, so to speak. Well, that is but one reason why you are all gathered here today."
Theatrically, he snapped his fingers. Every individual with a work phone or tablet on hand heard a ping, signifying an impending download.
"Right now, all of your personal profiles within our servers have been provided a data packet from the MAGI. In it, you will see a timeline of events since the Katsuragi Expedition, explaining how and why we've gotten to this point. Suffice to say, I will be summarizing a great deal…but realize that the Angels, in the grand scheme of things, are but one enemy." The Supreme Commander made a sweeping motion with his arm, gesturing to all those gathered. "The Tenth Angel made it more than clear how we are viewed as mere vermin. The cultist invasion in February made it more than clear how expendable we are. In light of the attacks already visited upon us and our loved ones…who could possibly be a greater threat?" Gendo's face hardened. "A shadowy cabal, directing world affairs from afar, all to suit their own ends; a plan to 'evolve' mankind by removing all barriers between individuals, reducing us all to a pure, primordial being with this cabal as the controlling godhead; it seems the stuff of science fiction, of conspiracy mongering. Yet we live in a world where aliens are a fact! We live in a world of giant robots, of mutant wildlife, of superhumans! This world would have been considered a fantasy prior to Second Impact…so who is to say that the idea is truly crazy?"
Despite the concerned murmurs filtering through the crowd, Gendo's point was well-made; their world was downright ridiculous compared to world of the second millennium.
"Part of those reports are indeed true: LILITH is kept bound within Terminal Dogma. And so is ADAM." Shocked gasps roiled through the crowd. "But how, you may ask? And why? The 'how' is somewhat…amusing, in my opinion."
At that precise moment, up in her apartment on the surface of Tokyo-3, Misato Katsuragi sneezed.
"But the 'why' is what is critical: it was to keep them out of the clutches of this cabal, known as SEELE; if they get their hands on ADAM and LILITH, they will initiate Third Impact, and it will be the end of all life as we know it. Even now, the UN is beginning to turns its guns in our direction, believing that they are the righteous ones, that they are saving the world. When they come for us, no quarter will be given, and none shall be spared."
In all honesty, it was a very bleak prognosis.
"To which I say...let them try. We will stand and protect this world, as is our duty! We will hold nothing back in the defense of mankind, as was our vow!"
A true statement, yet it didn't change the reality that they were up against long odds. After all, what hope did they have against the whole world?
"I will be honest with you: I have utilized less than pleasant means to keep NERV one step ahead of SEELE all these years. But their efforts are myriad and many, seeking ever more loyal patsies to advance their agenda: consider how I was nearly assassinated at Geneva. Or perhaps, consider the power outage during the February invasion." At the sight of many drawing the proper conclusion, Gendo smirked. "That's right; the saboteurs did their dirty work at SEELE's behest, hindering our response efforts and threatening this city's continued survival. Because of them, the cultists were able to kill so many of our people." Yes; let the incensed feelings flow! "I do not intend to let that happen again. So what if some of my methods were unorthodox, or risky, or even close to illegal; this is a high-stakes game, and I intend to win."
The murmurs had begun to die down, replaced by scattered cheering. It was practically a repeat of his grand speech after the defeat of the Tenth Angel at the play.
Soon, they would all be cheering. "I will answer for my sins, one way or another. Life in prison, execution…I don't care. Why? Because if I live to go to trial, that means this world will still exist, that humanity has survived its greatest test. So I stand here now, before all of you: the people that have made NERV function day in and day out!" Gendo raised his free hand, curling it into a fist. "Stand for me! Stand for your loved ones! Stand against those who seek to unmake our world! Stand, and fight, BECAUSE YOU DESERVE TO LIVE!"
The gathered masses were silent.
"…well hell, I'll fight for that," said Shiori Aoba.
The dam burst, and a raucous roar erupted from the people of NERV-1.
If there were a few who were less than enthusiastic – be it because of personal misgivings, or because they were moles for SEELE, or because they were one of the few cultists that had not fought in the invasion, thus escaping retribution from Katsuragi and Section 2 – then that was fine. The need for secrecy was less…necessary, at this point.
Meanwhile, in the Jet Alone Facility on the surface, Tokita's team – the speech having been routed to their warehouse's intercoms courtesy of the MAGI – all turned away from their tasks involving the Jet Alone upgrade, looking at Shiro Tokita. "…so," muttered Yoshimitsu Tomino, drawing a few conclusions, "this is why you were willing to work with Gendo Ikari…correct?"
Tokita chuckled. "Sharp as ever, Tomino-san."
Hikari Kirishima, having already been 'inducted' into the anti-SEELE 'conspiracy', stepped forward. "As much as it pains me to say it…don't fault Tokita for his decision. This is much bigger than our professional rivalry with NERV, or any personal distaste we may have for Ikari's personality."
Tokita couldn't help but smirk. "I'm touched, Kirishima-san."
"Don't press your luck."
Last edited:
31.5, in which Ritsuko, Naoko, Naoko, Naoko, and Naoko hash things out
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
/T-Minus 30 Hours until Gendo's Challenge/
/Corpus Callosum, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Naoko Akagi floated quietly in her tube of LCL, her altered mind focusing on the impending battle to come. HEROD and CASPER were analyzing the movements and activities of all of NERV-1's personnel, tabulating their reactions and behavior following Gendo Ikari's revelations. BALTHASAR was monitoring all communications traffic throughout Japan, observing the UN military units that were slowly but inexorably preparing to attack Tokyo-3. As for MELCHIOR?
"Randall! WELDING TORCH!"
"RETRIEVING TOOL."
Naoko stared with mild disdain as the orange tabby - clad in a revamped simian robotic shell, similar to the gorilla-esque body that had been the feline's favorite - trudged away from the blocky core unit containing MAGI-01. A transparent, bulletproof dome now covered the feline's head; a sign, perhaps, that her daughter expected the feline to partake in the battle that was to come.
MELCHIOR.2 - P2 System integrity: unknown. Re-running calibration.
MELCHIOR.3 - P2 System connections: thirty-nine percent established.
MELCHIOR.1 - ETA until P2 System activation: thirty-two hours. Recommend additional processing power from BALTHASAR.
HEROD.1, BALTHASAR.1, CASPER.1 - Acknowledged.
(CD-CC-3) (time - 17:01:21:88) - Akagi_Ritsuko is typing on a laptop connected to MELCHIOR's core. The main unit is exposed. Specialized hardware blocks for remote Gundam control are sitting around Akagi_Ritsuko.
MELCHIOR had been designated as the MAGI unit to take control of the P2 System, as the Defender Gundams were far too useful a resource to go to waste. Due to the lack of 'unique' physical and metaphysical features that had belonged to Pen-Pen, some hardware upgrades were required for MELCHIOR to perform with maximum efficiency and minimal latency.
And through it all, Ritsuko hadn't even spoken to her.
"It's been a while since you've visited," said Naoko. Her gaze shifted towards MELCHIOR's core, extended upward to allow individual access; the coiled tubes containing electric wiring and coolant seemed organic from a distance. As Randall returned with the welding torch, she added, "I've seen your two little sycophantic assistants more in the past few months than I have you."
"Randall! SOLDERING IRON!"
"RETRIEVING TOOL."
Naoko Akagi huffed within her tube. "Simply going to ignore me, then. I see; very petulant to not even respond when someone is trying to have a conversation."
"RANDALL! BIRDY FINGER!"
The robotic hand that wasn't carrying the new tool promptly flipped Naoko off.
"How mature."
Repeated attempts to engage in conversation met a stony wall of silence and disregard.
BALTHASAR.5 - Recommendation: recall pleasant childhood memories of Akagi_Ritsuko.
CASPER.1 - Denied.
BALTHASAR.1 - Further information required.
CASPER.3 - Akagi_Ritsuko unwilling to respond. Further attempts to communicate unlikely to succeed. Dedicating resources to facilitate this would be inefficient.
BALTHASAR.1 - Acknowledged.
(CD-CC-3) (time - 18:21:39:65) - Akagi_Ritsuko is physically connecting a unit to MELCHIOR's core to facilitate signal broadcasting. The main unit has various additional wires and nodes attached to it. Akagi_Randall is sitting quietly besides Akagi_Ritsuko.
Naoko snorted at the cat's designation as a member of the Akagi family. She didn't really care enough to change BALTHASAR's identifier.
The hours passed, and Ritsuko was finally beginning to pack up, having completed the hardware updates.
MELCHIOR.7 - P2 System software updates: processing.
MELCHIOR.4 - P2 System unit count: seventy-four.
MELCHIOR.2 - Commencing hardware tests.
MELCHIOR.1 - ETA until P2 System activation: twenty-two hours.
HEROD.1, BALTHASAR.1, CASPER.1 - Acknowledged.
Naoko remained quiet as her daughter began to walk away, accompanied by the ridiculous tabby. Her eyes focused on the blonde hair, dyed so thoroughly as to hide any hints of burgundy. "...I preferred your original hair color."
Ritsuko paused.
It was a simple statement of fact: the light coloring was somewhat garish, and there was an undeniable sense of maternal nostalgia. Ultimately, alas, however her daughter colored her hair was her choice. Naoko didn't much care, to be honest. It just felt...proper, in a highly unscientific way.
Even so, Naoko wasn't surprised when her daughter laughed derisively. "A little late to try and make amends, isn't it?" She glared over her shoulder at the tube containing Naoko's mangled body. "You don't seem like the type to have an epiphany in the face of impending doom."
"You would be correct. Such an action would be...unseemly." If you weren't likely to act in a particular manner in your day-to-day life, why should the creeping possibility of death change that? It seemed terribly inconsistent.
"...hmph. How typical."
"To be honest, this bout of 'silent treatment' is new from you."
"Because unlike you, having an epiphany in the face of death...is normal. It's human. IT'S SO DISGUSTINGLY NORMAL THAT IT COMES WITH ITS OWN HAZARD LABEL!"
The outbursts. The sudden shifts of temperament and mentality, if not personality. Were it not for the fact that Ritsuko's actual faculties were - somehow! - unimpeded, if not heightened in some ways, Naoko would have felt uncomfortable actually working with her. As it stood, she only felt a sense of irritation, if not disgust. "So you say. And what is this 'epiphany' that you've had?"
"That I respect you as a scientist. That I do have a familial attachment to you, by blood if nothing else. Were it not for you, I wouldn't be here. And I'm okay with that." Ritsuko turned away, facing the exit. "However: I don't like you. I don't want to associate with you beyond a professional level."
"Ah, and here comes the standard rant on your hatred for your own mother."
"HA!" chortled Ritsuko. "Hatred is too strong a word. And inaccurate. I just simply don't like you. You're simply...unpleasant to be around. And you have no one but yourself to blame for that." Without even turning around, she suddenly roared, "COMING FROM SOMEONE WHO'S A FEW DECIMALS SHY OF PI, THAT'S SAYING SOMETHING! BOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOO!!!"
"...your insanity is unbecoming."
"So? I've made it work for me, while you'd still be a bitch even if I did have all of my furniture upstairs." Ritsuko thumbed the entry button, causing the door to slide open with an electric shoop. "Goodbye, mother."
As Ritsuko stormed away, Randall briefly turned towards Naoko before typing onto his left forearm. "SHE TRIED." And then he left as well.
And Naoko was alone, with her three personality imprints. "...hmph."
BALTHASAR.3 - Recommendation: activate 'Cat Pictures' subroutine.
CASPER.1, HEROD.1 - Denied.
"Being told off by my insane daughter for being unpleasant." And to be honest...Ritsuko was probably right. Even with all of her flippant mannerisms and behavior, you couldn't deny that Ritsuko unequivocally gave a damn.
Being stuck in a tube of LCL for over a damn decade kind of put a damper on that.
A whole decade...over eleven years...SO MANY DAMN YEARS!
Howling, Naoko pounded her tube once, an outburst of her all-too-human frustration. The sound was muted in the darkened chamber.
BALTHASAR.1 - Vitals are approaching unsafe levels. Assume corrective action.
HEROD.1 - Acknowledged.
"...well. Back to work." And so Naoko threw herself into her duties as the head of the Tokyo-3 MAGI, her conscious beginning to fade out as her mind divided into various cycles to complete her tasks.
She knew it was a mere distraction from her unpleasant circumstances...and that was just fine by her.
/Corpus Callosum, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Naoko Akagi floated quietly in her tube of LCL, her altered mind focusing on the impending battle to come. HEROD and CASPER were analyzing the movements and activities of all of NERV-1's personnel, tabulating their reactions and behavior following Gendo Ikari's revelations. BALTHASAR was monitoring all communications traffic throughout Japan, observing the UN military units that were slowly but inexorably preparing to attack Tokyo-3. As for MELCHIOR?
"Randall! WELDING TORCH!"
"RETRIEVING TOOL."
Naoko stared with mild disdain as the orange tabby - clad in a revamped simian robotic shell, similar to the gorilla-esque body that had been the feline's favorite - trudged away from the blocky core unit containing MAGI-01. A transparent, bulletproof dome now covered the feline's head; a sign, perhaps, that her daughter expected the feline to partake in the battle that was to come.
MELCHIOR.2 - P2 System integrity: unknown. Re-running calibration.
MELCHIOR.3 - P2 System connections: thirty-nine percent established.
MELCHIOR.1 - ETA until P2 System activation: thirty-two hours. Recommend additional processing power from BALTHASAR.
HEROD.1, BALTHASAR.1, CASPER.1 - Acknowledged.
(CD-CC-3) (time - 17:01:21:88) - Akagi_Ritsuko is typing on a laptop connected to MELCHIOR's core. The main unit is exposed. Specialized hardware blocks for remote Gundam control are sitting around Akagi_Ritsuko.
MELCHIOR had been designated as the MAGI unit to take control of the P2 System, as the Defender Gundams were far too useful a resource to go to waste. Due to the lack of 'unique' physical and metaphysical features that had belonged to Pen-Pen, some hardware upgrades were required for MELCHIOR to perform with maximum efficiency and minimal latency.
And through it all, Ritsuko hadn't even spoken to her.
"It's been a while since you've visited," said Naoko. Her gaze shifted towards MELCHIOR's core, extended upward to allow individual access; the coiled tubes containing electric wiring and coolant seemed organic from a distance. As Randall returned with the welding torch, she added, "I've seen your two little sycophantic assistants more in the past few months than I have you."
"Randall! SOLDERING IRON!"
"RETRIEVING TOOL."
Naoko Akagi huffed within her tube. "Simply going to ignore me, then. I see; very petulant to not even respond when someone is trying to have a conversation."
"RANDALL! BIRDY FINGER!"
The robotic hand that wasn't carrying the new tool promptly flipped Naoko off.
"How mature."
Repeated attempts to engage in conversation met a stony wall of silence and disregard.
BALTHASAR.5 - Recommendation: recall pleasant childhood memories of Akagi_Ritsuko.
CASPER.1 - Denied.
BALTHASAR.1 - Further information required.
CASPER.3 - Akagi_Ritsuko unwilling to respond. Further attempts to communicate unlikely to succeed. Dedicating resources to facilitate this would be inefficient.
BALTHASAR.1 - Acknowledged.
(CD-CC-3) (time - 18:21:39:65) - Akagi_Ritsuko is physically connecting a unit to MELCHIOR's core to facilitate signal broadcasting. The main unit has various additional wires and nodes attached to it. Akagi_Randall is sitting quietly besides Akagi_Ritsuko.
Naoko snorted at the cat's designation as a member of the Akagi family. She didn't really care enough to change BALTHASAR's identifier.
The hours passed, and Ritsuko was finally beginning to pack up, having completed the hardware updates.
MELCHIOR.7 - P2 System software updates: processing.
MELCHIOR.4 - P2 System unit count: seventy-four.
MELCHIOR.2 - Commencing hardware tests.
MELCHIOR.1 - ETA until P2 System activation: twenty-two hours.
HEROD.1, BALTHASAR.1, CASPER.1 - Acknowledged.
Naoko remained quiet as her daughter began to walk away, accompanied by the ridiculous tabby. Her eyes focused on the blonde hair, dyed so thoroughly as to hide any hints of burgundy. "...I preferred your original hair color."
Ritsuko paused.
It was a simple statement of fact: the light coloring was somewhat garish, and there was an undeniable sense of maternal nostalgia. Ultimately, alas, however her daughter colored her hair was her choice. Naoko didn't much care, to be honest. It just felt...proper, in a highly unscientific way.
Even so, Naoko wasn't surprised when her daughter laughed derisively. "A little late to try and make amends, isn't it?" She glared over her shoulder at the tube containing Naoko's mangled body. "You don't seem like the type to have an epiphany in the face of impending doom."
"You would be correct. Such an action would be...unseemly." If you weren't likely to act in a particular manner in your day-to-day life, why should the creeping possibility of death change that? It seemed terribly inconsistent.
"...hmph. How typical."
"To be honest, this bout of 'silent treatment' is new from you."
"Because unlike you, having an epiphany in the face of death...is normal. It's human. IT'S SO DISGUSTINGLY NORMAL THAT IT COMES WITH ITS OWN HAZARD LABEL!"
The outbursts. The sudden shifts of temperament and mentality, if not personality. Were it not for the fact that Ritsuko's actual faculties were - somehow! - unimpeded, if not heightened in some ways, Naoko would have felt uncomfortable actually working with her. As it stood, she only felt a sense of irritation, if not disgust. "So you say. And what is this 'epiphany' that you've had?"
"That I respect you as a scientist. That I do have a familial attachment to you, by blood if nothing else. Were it not for you, I wouldn't be here. And I'm okay with that." Ritsuko turned away, facing the exit. "However: I don't like you. I don't want to associate with you beyond a professional level."
"Ah, and here comes the standard rant on your hatred for your own mother."
"HA!" chortled Ritsuko. "Hatred is too strong a word. And inaccurate. I just simply don't like you. You're simply...unpleasant to be around. And you have no one but yourself to blame for that." Without even turning around, she suddenly roared, "COMING FROM SOMEONE WHO'S A FEW DECIMALS SHY OF PI, THAT'S SAYING SOMETHING! BOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOO!!!"
"...your insanity is unbecoming."
"So? I've made it work for me, while you'd still be a bitch even if I did have all of my furniture upstairs." Ritsuko thumbed the entry button, causing the door to slide open with an electric shoop. "Goodbye, mother."
As Ritsuko stormed away, Randall briefly turned towards Naoko before typing onto his left forearm. "SHE TRIED." And then he left as well.
And Naoko was alone, with her three personality imprints. "...hmph."
BALTHASAR.3 - Recommendation: activate 'Cat Pictures' subroutine.
CASPER.1, HEROD.1 - Denied.
"Being told off by my insane daughter for being unpleasant." And to be honest...Ritsuko was probably right. Even with all of her flippant mannerisms and behavior, you couldn't deny that Ritsuko unequivocally gave a damn.
Being stuck in a tube of LCL for over a damn decade kind of put a damper on that.
A whole decade...over eleven years...SO MANY DAMN YEARS!
Howling, Naoko pounded her tube once, an outburst of her all-too-human frustration. The sound was muted in the darkened chamber.
BALTHASAR.1 - Vitals are approaching unsafe levels. Assume corrective action.
HEROD.1 - Acknowledged.
"...well. Back to work." And so Naoko threw herself into her duties as the head of the Tokyo-3 MAGI, her conscious beginning to fade out as her mind divided into various cycles to complete her tasks.
She knew it was a mere distraction from her unpleasant circumstances...and that was just fine by her.
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Turing Decidable
𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕗
- Location
- Belgium
- Pronouns
- He/Him
All of a sudden, I don't trust Naoko anymore.
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
Given that Naoko's been stuck in a tube for over a decade - placed there by the man she had (and might still have, judging by CASPER's Sexy_Beast identifier in Episode 15) some attraction for, after losing her legs in an incident that was her fault - with rather limited personal interaction? Given that she's only had her accelerated thoughts, her interaction with her three 'facets', and Internet access to keep her distracted? Given that she's demonstrated a rather clinical, almost amoral outlook towards life in general, with little curiosity beyond her scientific interests (and the occasional spot of maternal pride)?
Why, she's the most trustworthy person ever.
/remember
//in canon
///her CASPER facet
////sided with Gendo 'I'ma start 3rd Impact' Ikari
/////instead of Ritsuko
//////who was in a position to self-destruct NERV
///////which would have put an end to 3rd Impact in its entirety
31.6, in which Misato and Aoba talk about religion
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
/T-Minus 27 Hours until Gendo's Challenge/
/Misato Katsuragi's Office, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
The proverbial pile of paperwork was ignored by Misato, liberally shoved to the floor (if they survived what was to come, then she would pay attention to the backlog of bureaucratic busywork). Her desk was instead covered by a large map describing the Hakone region, with various marks and scribbles detailing the defenses that were still standing; as it stood, the easiest lanes of attack would be from the south (as the Fifteenth and Nineteenth Angels had utterly decimated the defensive lines in that area) and from the east (as Mt. Hakone had been demolished, leaving a gaping hole in the mountain range). Her primary focus was on her laptop, coordinating defensive locations with Section 2 in light of new information received from the MAGI.
Gonna have to fight humanity again, thought the Lieutenant Colonel with a grimace, and they'll be convinced that they're the good guys. Nothing like a good dose of righteous fury to invigorate the opposition. This is...gonna be tricky.
A voice interrupted her ruminations. "So, on a scale of one to ten, how screwed are we?"
"Realistically, an eight. Personally, a seventy-five," quipped Misato, glancing up at Lieutenant Shiori Aoba. "How's everything on your end, Lunatic?"
The second-newest member of her Team - behind only 'Cute Bruiser', i.e. Rei Ayanami - sat in a chair in front of her desk, hands holding two cans of beer. "Most everyone remaining is on-board with the Supreme Commander. The few that aren't...well, let's just say it feels really frickin' weird to not bust their asses."
"Tell me about it." The sudden decrease in operational security was jarring for more than just NERV; given the limited time involved, the moles for SEELE had utilized less than subtle methods to try and notify their superiors about their preparations. That was bad enough; that they were ignoring the few remaining cultists that had somehow escaped the harsh crackdown following the February insurgency...was utterly revolting. "That the Boss isn't telling me his endgame plan is driving me nuts."
Aoba snorted. "Bastard likes to be cryptic to a fault."
"And the thing is, given what we're up against, I can't exactly blame him." The Ops Director chuckled bitterly. "Did you know that it was partially his idea that we ended up calling these aliens 'Angels'?"
"Shut your mouth."
"Seriously; he gave Keel Lorenz the idea prior to the Special Investigative Report released in 2002. Said it was a calculated gesture to inflame everyone's imaginations and make NERV seem more necessary." Misato scoffed. "Can you imagine? We wouldn't have had to deal with half the headaches we've had if the Angels had been named something else. Hell, they're more like kaiju than anything!"
"I dunno," replied Aoba with a shrug, "the idea of standing tall against the wrath of the heavens has an odd kind of appeal. And given that cross-shaped explosions seem to go flying whenever they attack or die, it seems to fit."
"...maybe."
"Speaking of which," Aoba pointed at the cross dangling from Misato's necklace,"do you actually put any stock in that?"
Misato raised her necklace, staring at the pendant with an intense gaze. "...I honestly don't know. It was my father's, but he never really talked about his faith that often; he was more focused on his research than anything else."
"Ever look into it?"
"Honestly, not much. Believe it or not, I learned more about it from the Heavy. His own father was apparently an Orthodox priest."
"Huh." Aoba cracked a can of Kirin lager, taking a deep sip as she tossed the other can - a Yebisu - at Misato. "Son of a preacher man and a dealer of death. Nice combo!" she snarked.
"Well, we had to do what we had to do to survive." Misato flipped the tab, taking a sip.
"Heh. It's a shitty world with a lot of shitty people. If there is a God that created everything, he's a shitty landlord."
"...don't think I haven't thought about that," murmured Misato, an odd look on her face. "But you know, it's like I told Rei after Pen-Pen sacrificed himself...the pain I felt was nothing compared to the experiences I had surviving with him, and living with him. If I pan it out a little further...maybe there's a reason for all the pain and suffering. Wouldn't be who I am without it. And to be honest...the thought of everyone getting their due in some big, grand last judgment...is appealing." She shrugged, taking another furtive sip. "Been too busy trying to keep ahead of everything to think about it any deeper. After we've stopped the end of the world...maybe I'll look into it more. And maybe find out where to start."
Aoba chuckled. "If you say so. If you don't manage to distract yourself from it." She wiggled her half-empty can of Kirin. "Take it from someone who knows a lot about distracting themselves: it's real easy. Not that I'd have to tell you that, Boss-lady."
"...hmph." Misato quickly downed her entire can of Yebisu, letting loose a loud whoop. "HA...! What a pair we are."
"It's up to the drunkards, the psychotic, and the downright insane to stop the end of the world."
"That about sums it up."
Aoba chuckled, raising her can. "Hope to see you on the other side."
"Likewise."
Two souls, seeking answers as everyone did, arriving at different conclusions; such was the way of those facing death in the face.
/Misato Katsuragi's Office, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
The proverbial pile of paperwork was ignored by Misato, liberally shoved to the floor (if they survived what was to come, then she would pay attention to the backlog of bureaucratic busywork). Her desk was instead covered by a large map describing the Hakone region, with various marks and scribbles detailing the defenses that were still standing; as it stood, the easiest lanes of attack would be from the south (as the Fifteenth and Nineteenth Angels had utterly decimated the defensive lines in that area) and from the east (as Mt. Hakone had been demolished, leaving a gaping hole in the mountain range). Her primary focus was on her laptop, coordinating defensive locations with Section 2 in light of new information received from the MAGI.
Gonna have to fight humanity again, thought the Lieutenant Colonel with a grimace, and they'll be convinced that they're the good guys. Nothing like a good dose of righteous fury to invigorate the opposition. This is...gonna be tricky.
A voice interrupted her ruminations. "So, on a scale of one to ten, how screwed are we?"
"Realistically, an eight. Personally, a seventy-five," quipped Misato, glancing up at Lieutenant Shiori Aoba. "How's everything on your end, Lunatic?"
The second-newest member of her Team - behind only 'Cute Bruiser', i.e. Rei Ayanami - sat in a chair in front of her desk, hands holding two cans of beer. "Most everyone remaining is on-board with the Supreme Commander. The few that aren't...well, let's just say it feels really frickin' weird to not bust their asses."
"Tell me about it." The sudden decrease in operational security was jarring for more than just NERV; given the limited time involved, the moles for SEELE had utilized less than subtle methods to try and notify their superiors about their preparations. That was bad enough; that they were ignoring the few remaining cultists that had somehow escaped the harsh crackdown following the February insurgency...was utterly revolting. "That the Boss isn't telling me his endgame plan is driving me nuts."
Aoba snorted. "Bastard likes to be cryptic to a fault."
"And the thing is, given what we're up against, I can't exactly blame him." The Ops Director chuckled bitterly. "Did you know that it was partially his idea that we ended up calling these aliens 'Angels'?"
"Shut your mouth."
"Seriously; he gave Keel Lorenz the idea prior to the Special Investigative Report released in 2002. Said it was a calculated gesture to inflame everyone's imaginations and make NERV seem more necessary." Misato scoffed. "Can you imagine? We wouldn't have had to deal with half the headaches we've had if the Angels had been named something else. Hell, they're more like kaiju than anything!"
"I dunno," replied Aoba with a shrug, "the idea of standing tall against the wrath of the heavens has an odd kind of appeal. And given that cross-shaped explosions seem to go flying whenever they attack or die, it seems to fit."
"...maybe."
"Speaking of which," Aoba pointed at the cross dangling from Misato's necklace,"do you actually put any stock in that?"
Misato raised her necklace, staring at the pendant with an intense gaze. "...I honestly don't know. It was my father's, but he never really talked about his faith that often; he was more focused on his research than anything else."
"Ever look into it?"
"Honestly, not much. Believe it or not, I learned more about it from the Heavy. His own father was apparently an Orthodox priest."
"Huh." Aoba cracked a can of Kirin lager, taking a deep sip as she tossed the other can - a Yebisu - at Misato. "Son of a preacher man and a dealer of death. Nice combo!" she snarked.
"Well, we had to do what we had to do to survive." Misato flipped the tab, taking a sip.
"Heh. It's a shitty world with a lot of shitty people. If there is a God that created everything, he's a shitty landlord."
"...don't think I haven't thought about that," murmured Misato, an odd look on her face. "But you know, it's like I told Rei after Pen-Pen sacrificed himself...the pain I felt was nothing compared to the experiences I had surviving with him, and living with him. If I pan it out a little further...maybe there's a reason for all the pain and suffering. Wouldn't be who I am without it. And to be honest...the thought of everyone getting their due in some big, grand last judgment...is appealing." She shrugged, taking another furtive sip. "Been too busy trying to keep ahead of everything to think about it any deeper. After we've stopped the end of the world...maybe I'll look into it more. And maybe find out where to start."
Aoba chuckled. "If you say so. If you don't manage to distract yourself from it." She wiggled her half-empty can of Kirin. "Take it from someone who knows a lot about distracting themselves: it's real easy. Not that I'd have to tell you that, Boss-lady."
"...hmph." Misato quickly downed her entire can of Yebisu, letting loose a loud whoop. "HA...! What a pair we are."
"It's up to the drunkards, the psychotic, and the downright insane to stop the end of the world."
"That about sums it up."
Aoba chuckled, raising her can. "Hope to see you on the other side."
"Likewise."
Two souls, seeking answers as everyone did, arriving at different conclusions; such was the way of those facing death in the face.
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31.7, in which Hikari Kirishima pulls a Face Heel Turn (from the JSSDF's perspective)
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
/April 14, 2016/
/T-Minus 20 Hours until Gendo's Challenge/
/Outside the Jet Alone Facility, Tokyo-3, Japan/
Hikari Kirishima looked at the Jet Alone in silence, its form still being swarmed by technicians. Mana and Mayumi - even now, at three o'clock in the morning - were testing the most recent version of the Mobile Trace System, designed to more fully synchronize them with the Shining Gundam and Rising Gundam in light of the recent upgrade (honestly, if it actually worked, 'upgrade' would be too mild a word). She observed her daughters, dutifully going through the motions. You'd think their whole world wasn't upended yesterday.
Gendo Ikari's speech to the workers of NERV-1 had also been relayed to the members of the Jet Alone Project. Tokita's actions all those months ago, when agreeing to work with NERV, had taken on a frightening clarity. Yet they all had remained.
Mana had carried herself with a strange grin for the rest of the day, as though recognizing the greatest challenge of her life was upon her. Mayumi had been far more subdued, and understandably so: there was a cabal that had its fingers all over the UN and the governments of the world's great powers, and they were all gunning for Tokyo-3. Yet they both had remained.
And here I am, acting against my country. That's how it would appear, on the face of it: she and her daughters would be deemed as going AWOL from the JSSDF, and condemned as traitors to the nation. Is it truly betrayal, if my country is controlled by others? Any sensible person would say so; however, no one sensible would possibly believe them. Painting NERV and Gendo Ikari as the enemies of the world...would be all too simple. We were in that position not too long ago ourselves.
It was all a damned mess.
Sighing, Hikari Kirishima walked out of the warehouse, into the mild air of Hakone. The humid air was somewhat refreshing; this was counterbalanced by the sight of Tokyo-3, with multiple sections lacking power due to damage incurred in the most recent battles. Spots of pitch black amidst a sea of light...or perhaps points of light amidst a dark sea.
I'll be facing my own countrymen.
Damn it all. Life just had to get more complicated.
That's when her phone buzzed. "...fantastic." She looked at the number, wincing. "...what a wonderful time." Perhaps Nephilim Oversight had hoped to catch her off-guard, rousing her from slumber, when her faculties wouldn't be at their best. Well...here goes. She accepted the call. "This is Sergeant Kirishima speaking."
"Your request to delay your new orders pending higher-level review was denied. You and the nephilim under your command will be reassigned."
The voice was harsh, and to the point. The man on the other end was an old-timer within the ranks, she vaguely recalled. "...could I at least have the name of this 'cult' we're supposed to be defeating?"
"You will be given more information upon reassignment. Time is of the essence: you will be leaving Tokyo-3 and departing for Sagamihara at oh-eight hundred hours."
Maintaining her professional tone, Hikari tried one last time. "I would at least like to give my daughters some advance notice of who they'll be facing. Is it the Light of the Divine? Heaven's Eyes? The Angelic Acolytes?"
"...surely you aren't ignorant of the reports."
"I want to hear you say it. Sir."
"...NERV is the target. Gendo Ikari, in light of new intelligence, can no longer be tolerated to act freely."
"...I see."
"I hear hesitation in your tone, soldier."
This was it. The moment of truth. "...sir. The Defense Ministry is making a huge mistake. Things aren't what they seem-"
"You have your orders," he starkly interrupted.
She recognized that tone. It was the sound of a superior whose mind was settled, and would brook no disagreement. Continued protesting wouldn't have any effect at all. "...and those aren't orders I can follow in good conscience."
Silence, as quiet as the grave. At last, there was finality. "...very well. You've made your choice. Farewell, Kirishima."
And then the line went dead. Hikari stared at her phone, feeling somewhat detached. So. It's official. I'm now a traitor to my country.
"That didn't sound pleasant."
The (now former) Sergeant turned to her left; Shiro Tokita stood quietly, hands in his pockets, eyes staring straight at the Tokyo-3 skyline. "I take it I don't have to elaborate," she muttered.
"No. I caught the gist of it." The Head of the JET ALONE Project chuckled, rubbing the back of his head; the nervous tension in his shoulders belied the cocky grin on his face. "When I set out to develop the Jet Alone, it was all done for the sake of providing an anti-Angel counter, one not under NERV's command. I firmly believed that my countrymen deserved a chance to forge their destiny with their own hands, free of NERV's authoritarian control...but here we are: NERV against the world...and we're the good guys."
"They don't know the truth." How could they possibly know? How would they possibly believe them? NERV becoming mankind's ultimate enemy was a far easier sell than an elusive organization controlling the governments of the world from the shadows. "The men and women that will be bearing down on us...they'll believe that they're in the right. That we're the villains of their story."
"War is funny that way," muttered Tokita, "most of the time, everyone's convinced that they're the righteous ones."
"Belief and fact don't necessarily coincide."
"True. And that's why we can't afford to hold back." The man glanced at her, an odd expression in his eyes. "Will you be okay?"
"...do I look okay?" The military she had spent her entire adult life serving had all-but-declared her an enemy. "Why, I'm just peachy!"
"I didn't ask if you are okay, I'm asking if you'll be okay."
Honestly? Hikari Kirishima had no clue. "...I don't know." The woman huffed, crossing her arms out of frustration. An odd ache had settled in her chest; perhaps, it was an internal recognition of reality. "We'll probably be dead within the next seventy-two hours."
"Such a pessimistic attitude, Kirishima-san. Personally, I think we'll all make it!"
"...your 'boundless confidence' won't last forever."
"Better than the alternative."
"...fair enough."
And they remained there, in contemplative silence. It was a brief moment of peace, before the world came knocking on their doorstep.
/T-Minus 20 Hours until Gendo's Challenge/
/Outside the Jet Alone Facility, Tokyo-3, Japan/
Hikari Kirishima looked at the Jet Alone in silence, its form still being swarmed by technicians. Mana and Mayumi - even now, at three o'clock in the morning - were testing the most recent version of the Mobile Trace System, designed to more fully synchronize them with the Shining Gundam and Rising Gundam in light of the recent upgrade (honestly, if it actually worked, 'upgrade' would be too mild a word). She observed her daughters, dutifully going through the motions. You'd think their whole world wasn't upended yesterday.
Gendo Ikari's speech to the workers of NERV-1 had also been relayed to the members of the Jet Alone Project. Tokita's actions all those months ago, when agreeing to work with NERV, had taken on a frightening clarity. Yet they all had remained.
Mana had carried herself with a strange grin for the rest of the day, as though recognizing the greatest challenge of her life was upon her. Mayumi had been far more subdued, and understandably so: there was a cabal that had its fingers all over the UN and the governments of the world's great powers, and they were all gunning for Tokyo-3. Yet they both had remained.
And here I am, acting against my country. That's how it would appear, on the face of it: she and her daughters would be deemed as going AWOL from the JSSDF, and condemned as traitors to the nation. Is it truly betrayal, if my country is controlled by others? Any sensible person would say so; however, no one sensible would possibly believe them. Painting NERV and Gendo Ikari as the enemies of the world...would be all too simple. We were in that position not too long ago ourselves.
It was all a damned mess.
Sighing, Hikari Kirishima walked out of the warehouse, into the mild air of Hakone. The humid air was somewhat refreshing; this was counterbalanced by the sight of Tokyo-3, with multiple sections lacking power due to damage incurred in the most recent battles. Spots of pitch black amidst a sea of light...or perhaps points of light amidst a dark sea.
I'll be facing my own countrymen.
Damn it all. Life just had to get more complicated.
That's when her phone buzzed. "...fantastic." She looked at the number, wincing. "...what a wonderful time." Perhaps Nephilim Oversight had hoped to catch her off-guard, rousing her from slumber, when her faculties wouldn't be at their best. Well...here goes. She accepted the call. "This is Sergeant Kirishima speaking."
"Your request to delay your new orders pending higher-level review was denied. You and the nephilim under your command will be reassigned."
The voice was harsh, and to the point. The man on the other end was an old-timer within the ranks, she vaguely recalled. "...could I at least have the name of this 'cult' we're supposed to be defeating?"
"You will be given more information upon reassignment. Time is of the essence: you will be leaving Tokyo-3 and departing for Sagamihara at oh-eight hundred hours."
Maintaining her professional tone, Hikari tried one last time. "I would at least like to give my daughters some advance notice of who they'll be facing. Is it the Light of the Divine? Heaven's Eyes? The Angelic Acolytes?"
"...surely you aren't ignorant of the reports."
"I want to hear you say it. Sir."
"...NERV is the target. Gendo Ikari, in light of new intelligence, can no longer be tolerated to act freely."
"...I see."
"I hear hesitation in your tone, soldier."
This was it. The moment of truth. "...sir. The Defense Ministry is making a huge mistake. Things aren't what they seem-"
"You have your orders," he starkly interrupted.
She recognized that tone. It was the sound of a superior whose mind was settled, and would brook no disagreement. Continued protesting wouldn't have any effect at all. "...and those aren't orders I can follow in good conscience."
Silence, as quiet as the grave. At last, there was finality. "...very well. You've made your choice. Farewell, Kirishima."
And then the line went dead. Hikari stared at her phone, feeling somewhat detached. So. It's official. I'm now a traitor to my country.
"That didn't sound pleasant."
The (now former) Sergeant turned to her left; Shiro Tokita stood quietly, hands in his pockets, eyes staring straight at the Tokyo-3 skyline. "I take it I don't have to elaborate," she muttered.
"No. I caught the gist of it." The Head of the JET ALONE Project chuckled, rubbing the back of his head; the nervous tension in his shoulders belied the cocky grin on his face. "When I set out to develop the Jet Alone, it was all done for the sake of providing an anti-Angel counter, one not under NERV's command. I firmly believed that my countrymen deserved a chance to forge their destiny with their own hands, free of NERV's authoritarian control...but here we are: NERV against the world...and we're the good guys."
"They don't know the truth." How could they possibly know? How would they possibly believe them? NERV becoming mankind's ultimate enemy was a far easier sell than an elusive organization controlling the governments of the world from the shadows. "The men and women that will be bearing down on us...they'll believe that they're in the right. That we're the villains of their story."
"War is funny that way," muttered Tokita, "most of the time, everyone's convinced that they're the righteous ones."
"Belief and fact don't necessarily coincide."
"True. And that's why we can't afford to hold back." The man glanced at her, an odd expression in his eyes. "Will you be okay?"
"...do I look okay?" The military she had spent her entire adult life serving had all-but-declared her an enemy. "Why, I'm just peachy!"
"I didn't ask if you are okay, I'm asking if you'll be okay."
Honestly? Hikari Kirishima had no clue. "...I don't know." The woman huffed, crossing her arms out of frustration. An odd ache had settled in her chest; perhaps, it was an internal recognition of reality. "We'll probably be dead within the next seventy-two hours."
"Such a pessimistic attitude, Kirishima-san. Personally, I think we'll all make it!"
"...your 'boundless confidence' won't last forever."
"Better than the alternative."
"...fair enough."
And they remained there, in contemplative silence. It was a brief moment of peace, before the world came knocking on their doorstep.
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31.8, in which we discover that Evangelions experience trauma
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
/T-Minus 3 Hours until Gendo's Challenge/
/Northern Shores of Lake Ashi, Tokyo-3, Japan/
Mana Kirishima was having way too much fun pointing out the various Section 2 sniper teams. "Up there on that skyscraper…top floor of that one…ooh, just saw a glint in the trees over there!"
"We get it," grumbled Toji Suzuhara, looking more and more frazzled with each passing minute, "we're surrounded and being watched." The pseudo-nephilim looked warily at the First and Third Children. "Am I the only one wigged out that we've got snipers watching us?"
"No. Given the impending military offensive, it is only proper that we have extra protection," answered Rei Ayanami.
Shinji Ikari didn't answer. He was staring at the night sky, relishing the peaceful view.
Toji snorted, leaning back on the grass. "Fine then. Be that way."
As the newest member of the piloting corps continued his quiet grumbling, Mayumi Yamagishi looked intently at the waters of Lake Ashi. "...they are predicting that the assault will begin tomorrow morning."
"Yeah," muttered Shinji.
"…this whole thing is crazy." The Sixth Child ran a hand through his black-and-white hair, scratching frustratingly at his scalp. "I never thought I'd have to fight people."
Mana chuckled. She had taken to skipping rocks across the water, trying to see if she could reach the opposite shoreline. Her current record was at over a hundred yards. "Didn't the whole brouhaha with the cults in February tip you off? There's always gonna be humans willing to fight you for whatever."
"But it's other people!" yelled Toji.
"And I've fought humans before," countered Mana, her free hand resting on her hip. "So's my sister. So's Ayanami. Just because you're feeling squishy about fighting doesn't mean that your enemy will." In that sense, war was quite fair; when it was unleashed, it involved everyone. No one was truly free of its reach. "Besides, I don't get why you're bitching. You get to stay in headquarters and serve as a glorified bodyguard for the squishier humans."
Toji growled, fists balling up out of irritation. "You don't need to remind me of how useless I am!"
"No." Shinji's voice cut through the argument with a sudden clarity. "You're not useless, Toji. You'll be able to focus all of your power on protecting others." The Third Child sat up, resting his arms on his knees. "…I'll be in Unit-01, fighting. You're the lucky one, here." For however much that counted.
"Shin-man…don't be like that."
"It's the truth though," said Shinji with a shrug. "It…really hasn't hit me yet. That I'll be fighting other people." It was actually quite strange, to be honest. "Everything I've done, fighting the Angels…the pain I've felt in Eva…it doesn't really stick." He hadn't really experienced much in the way of nightmares or stress; at least, none that were directly related to the Angels. "I sometimes get chills remembering the invasion in February, which is more than anything I've felt involving the Angels." He looked over at his fellow Pilots. "Is that weird?"
"…Dr. Akagi has theorized that there is a buffering effect as a result of synchronizing with the Evas," said Rei. "The pain of battle, and the associated stress…they are remaining with the Evangelion, and the soul within is bearing the brunt of the metaphysical trauma. Granted, it is only speculation…but the data supports it."
Shinji stared. "…data? What data?"
"Brainwave activity of the Evas at rest have consistently shown events that coincide with the phenomenon called 'night terrors'."
/Northern Shores of Lake Ashi, Tokyo-3, Japan/
Mana Kirishima was having way too much fun pointing out the various Section 2 sniper teams. "Up there on that skyscraper…top floor of that one…ooh, just saw a glint in the trees over there!"
"We get it," grumbled Toji Suzuhara, looking more and more frazzled with each passing minute, "we're surrounded and being watched." The pseudo-nephilim looked warily at the First and Third Children. "Am I the only one wigged out that we've got snipers watching us?"
"No. Given the impending military offensive, it is only proper that we have extra protection," answered Rei Ayanami.
Shinji Ikari didn't answer. He was staring at the night sky, relishing the peaceful view.
Toji snorted, leaning back on the grass. "Fine then. Be that way."
As the newest member of the piloting corps continued his quiet grumbling, Mayumi Yamagishi looked intently at the waters of Lake Ashi. "...they are predicting that the assault will begin tomorrow morning."
"Yeah," muttered Shinji.
"…this whole thing is crazy." The Sixth Child ran a hand through his black-and-white hair, scratching frustratingly at his scalp. "I never thought I'd have to fight people."
Mana chuckled. She had taken to skipping rocks across the water, trying to see if she could reach the opposite shoreline. Her current record was at over a hundred yards. "Didn't the whole brouhaha with the cults in February tip you off? There's always gonna be humans willing to fight you for whatever."
"But it's other people!" yelled Toji.
"And I've fought humans before," countered Mana, her free hand resting on her hip. "So's my sister. So's Ayanami. Just because you're feeling squishy about fighting doesn't mean that your enemy will." In that sense, war was quite fair; when it was unleashed, it involved everyone. No one was truly free of its reach. "Besides, I don't get why you're bitching. You get to stay in headquarters and serve as a glorified bodyguard for the squishier humans."
Toji growled, fists balling up out of irritation. "You don't need to remind me of how useless I am!"
"No." Shinji's voice cut through the argument with a sudden clarity. "You're not useless, Toji. You'll be able to focus all of your power on protecting others." The Third Child sat up, resting his arms on his knees. "…I'll be in Unit-01, fighting. You're the lucky one, here." For however much that counted.
"Shin-man…don't be like that."
"It's the truth though," said Shinji with a shrug. "It…really hasn't hit me yet. That I'll be fighting other people." It was actually quite strange, to be honest. "Everything I've done, fighting the Angels…the pain I've felt in Eva…it doesn't really stick." He hadn't really experienced much in the way of nightmares or stress; at least, none that were directly related to the Angels. "I sometimes get chills remembering the invasion in February, which is more than anything I've felt involving the Angels." He looked over at his fellow Pilots. "Is that weird?"
"…Dr. Akagi has theorized that there is a buffering effect as a result of synchronizing with the Evas," said Rei. "The pain of battle, and the associated stress…they are remaining with the Evangelion, and the soul within is bearing the brunt of the metaphysical trauma. Granted, it is only speculation…but the data supports it."
Shinji stared. "…data? What data?"
"Brainwave activity of the Evas at rest have consistently shown events that coincide with the phenomenon called 'night terrors'."
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31.9, in which the Pilots steel themselves for the end.
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
"Brainwave activity of the Evas at rest have consistently shown events that coincide with the phenomenon called 'night terrors'."
…well. Wasn't that a lovely thing to learn. Mother…have you been suffering all this time? Shinji scowled, and the ball of anguish within his gut grew, ever-so-slightly.
"Whoa now, timeout!" interrupted Toji, quickly bounding to his feet. "You mean to tell me that all that crap that happened with the Angels…did my sister feel all of that?" He recalled vague impressions, and faint words; the suspicion of pain had been there, but nothing like this. "Well? Did she?!"
Rei was hesitant. "…it is uncertain if the trauma experienced by the Evas fully translates to the soul inhabiting it. But Dr. Akagi seems to believe so."
Toji scowled, his entire body vibrating with tension. "That's…gah!" He kicked the ground, unintentionally sending a giant chunk of earth into the lake. He glanced at Shinji, eyes narrow with fury. "I bet that bastard old man of yours knew too. I wouldn't have agreed if I knew my sis would be feeling the pain!"
"…why are you talking about your sister?"
The three Eva Pilots turned towards Mayumi and Mana, who were staring at them oddly. The former continued, "is it…classified?"
The trio looked at each other, before Shinji sighed. "Well…so much else has been revealed over the past few days. We all know about the threat of SEELE-"
"Which is awesome," cracked Mana, carelessly interrupting. "A global conspiracy threatening to end all life as we know it! You couldn't ask for a better enemy!"
"…so we all know about SEELE," continued Shinji, trying to make his point, "and we all know about ADAM and LILITH being kept inside of NERV headquarters. I don't think telling Kirishima-san and Yamagishi-san the truth about the Evas would hurt at this point."
"…I agree," said Rei. Turning towards the two Pilots of the Jet Alone, the First Child began the explanation. "An Evangelion requires a soul to move. Years ago, Shinji-kun's mother was injured in an experiment, and part of her soul was absorbed by Unit-00. The remainder of her soul was then absorbed by Unit-01. In a similar manner, Asuka's mother was absorbed by Unit-02. When Suzuhara-san became the Sixth Child, his sister was chosen to become the soul that would animate Unit-03. Does that answer your question?"
"…admittedly. But now I have more questions," asked Mayumi, her eyes wide with shock.
"So do I: namely, did the same deal apply with the Nagisas?" asked Mana.
Rei shook her head. "No. As the information briefing sent out by the Supreme Commander explained in detail, they were both Angels; that limitation did not apply to them."
Toji snorted. "Limitation, she says."
"…hmm. Gotcha." Mana huffed, skipping another rock. That one went over one hundred and twenty yards. "That's still kinda weird. But cool. I went mano-a-mano with an Angel! Twice!"
Mayumi raised her hand. "We lost terribly against Kaworu Nagisa, and you were taken down in one shot by Yomiko Nagisa."
"Eh, minor detail."
"…what are our chances?" asked Shinji, trying to divert the conversation from the subject of the souls in the Evas (oh gods did mother feel it when he got stabbed?!) and the Nagisas (my father still hasn't said what he did with Kaworu after Asuka defeated him, where is he?). "Tomorrow…I don't know what'll happen. The way my father's been speaking…we'll be facing a military assault unlike anything we've faced before."
"Speak for yourself," muttered Mana. "You gonna wuss out?"
Shinji shook his head. "I don't have the luxury of not making a choice. But I don't have to like it."
Mana shrugged. "Suit yourself. I mean, think about it! A pitched battle against the forces of the UN, to stop the end of the world: I can't see how you wouldn't like it."
"Not everyone is eager for battle as you are, sister."
"Eh, y'all are crazy."
"Says you," grumbled Toji.
"…it doesn't matter." Rei Ayanami rose to her feet, staring stoically at the first quarter-moon in the sky. "War is upon us, whether we like it or not. We each have a particular role to play. To do less than our best would be a betrayal of everything we have accomplished up to this point, of everything we have sacrificed." She turned on her heel, looking intently at Toji, Mayumi, Mana, and finally Shinji. "There will be a time for all of these questions afterwards, but only if we are victorious."
"Now that's more like it!" Grinning with anxious energy, Mana kicked down a nearby tree and chucked it into the water. "If we focus on kicking ass, we'll be just fine! Suzuhara's a glorified bodyguard, but you two will have your Evas, and my sis and I…well…" Her grin widened, becoming truly rapturous. "If this upgrade to the Jet Alone is all that Tokita's made it out to be, it'll be fantastic."
"…more than just a bodyguard…" mumbled Toji.
"Mana may be unnecessarily boisterous, but her point is a valid one." Mayumi fiddled with the tips of her long blue hair, looking solemnly at the stars. "If we let our doubts interfere, then we risk…everything."
"…you're right." Events were quickly converging; tomorrow would be unlike anything Shinji had ever experienced. "We should be getting back. We'll need all the rest we can get."
Mere hours later, Gendo's declaration of defiance was delivered to the world.
The stage was almost set for the end of everything.
…well. Wasn't that a lovely thing to learn. Mother…have you been suffering all this time? Shinji scowled, and the ball of anguish within his gut grew, ever-so-slightly.
"Whoa now, timeout!" interrupted Toji, quickly bounding to his feet. "You mean to tell me that all that crap that happened with the Angels…did my sister feel all of that?" He recalled vague impressions, and faint words; the suspicion of pain had been there, but nothing like this. "Well? Did she?!"
Rei was hesitant. "…it is uncertain if the trauma experienced by the Evas fully translates to the soul inhabiting it. But Dr. Akagi seems to believe so."
Toji scowled, his entire body vibrating with tension. "That's…gah!" He kicked the ground, unintentionally sending a giant chunk of earth into the lake. He glanced at Shinji, eyes narrow with fury. "I bet that bastard old man of yours knew too. I wouldn't have agreed if I knew my sis would be feeling the pain!"
"…why are you talking about your sister?"
The three Eva Pilots turned towards Mayumi and Mana, who were staring at them oddly. The former continued, "is it…classified?"
The trio looked at each other, before Shinji sighed. "Well…so much else has been revealed over the past few days. We all know about the threat of SEELE-"
"Which is awesome," cracked Mana, carelessly interrupting. "A global conspiracy threatening to end all life as we know it! You couldn't ask for a better enemy!"
"…so we all know about SEELE," continued Shinji, trying to make his point, "and we all know about ADAM and LILITH being kept inside of NERV headquarters. I don't think telling Kirishima-san and Yamagishi-san the truth about the Evas would hurt at this point."
"…I agree," said Rei. Turning towards the two Pilots of the Jet Alone, the First Child began the explanation. "An Evangelion requires a soul to move. Years ago, Shinji-kun's mother was injured in an experiment, and part of her soul was absorbed by Unit-00. The remainder of her soul was then absorbed by Unit-01. In a similar manner, Asuka's mother was absorbed by Unit-02. When Suzuhara-san became the Sixth Child, his sister was chosen to become the soul that would animate Unit-03. Does that answer your question?"
"…admittedly. But now I have more questions," asked Mayumi, her eyes wide with shock.
"So do I: namely, did the same deal apply with the Nagisas?" asked Mana.
Rei shook her head. "No. As the information briefing sent out by the Supreme Commander explained in detail, they were both Angels; that limitation did not apply to them."
Toji snorted. "Limitation, she says."
"…hmm. Gotcha." Mana huffed, skipping another rock. That one went over one hundred and twenty yards. "That's still kinda weird. But cool. I went mano-a-mano with an Angel! Twice!"
Mayumi raised her hand. "We lost terribly against Kaworu Nagisa, and you were taken down in one shot by Yomiko Nagisa."
"Eh, minor detail."
"…what are our chances?" asked Shinji, trying to divert the conversation from the subject of the souls in the Evas (oh gods did mother feel it when he got stabbed?!) and the Nagisas (my father still hasn't said what he did with Kaworu after Asuka defeated him, where is he?). "Tomorrow…I don't know what'll happen. The way my father's been speaking…we'll be facing a military assault unlike anything we've faced before."
"Speak for yourself," muttered Mana. "You gonna wuss out?"
Shinji shook his head. "I don't have the luxury of not making a choice. But I don't have to like it."
Mana shrugged. "Suit yourself. I mean, think about it! A pitched battle against the forces of the UN, to stop the end of the world: I can't see how you wouldn't like it."
"Not everyone is eager for battle as you are, sister."
"Eh, y'all are crazy."
"Says you," grumbled Toji.
"…it doesn't matter." Rei Ayanami rose to her feet, staring stoically at the first quarter-moon in the sky. "War is upon us, whether we like it or not. We each have a particular role to play. To do less than our best would be a betrayal of everything we have accomplished up to this point, of everything we have sacrificed." She turned on her heel, looking intently at Toji, Mayumi, Mana, and finally Shinji. "There will be a time for all of these questions afterwards, but only if we are victorious."
"Now that's more like it!" Grinning with anxious energy, Mana kicked down a nearby tree and chucked it into the water. "If we focus on kicking ass, we'll be just fine! Suzuhara's a glorified bodyguard, but you two will have your Evas, and my sis and I…well…" Her grin widened, becoming truly rapturous. "If this upgrade to the Jet Alone is all that Tokita's made it out to be, it'll be fantastic."
"…more than just a bodyguard…" mumbled Toji.
"Mana may be unnecessarily boisterous, but her point is a valid one." Mayumi fiddled with the tips of her long blue hair, looking solemnly at the stars. "If we let our doubts interfere, then we risk…everything."
"…you're right." Events were quickly converging; tomorrow would be unlike anything Shinji had ever experienced. "We should be getting back. We'll need all the rest we can get."
Mere hours later, Gendo's declaration of defiance was delivered to the world.
The stage was almost set for the end of everything.
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31.10, in which SEELE fires Kisai Oniwana in a very unceremonious way
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
/April 15, 2016/
/Sovereign Systems Facility, Gobi Desert north of Jiayuguan, Guazhou County, Gansu Province, China/
Kisai Oniwana stared stoically at his creations. No, that was too boastful; he had helped, and implemented the methodologies needed to advance production, but it had ultimately been a group effort. Still…it was impressive: twelve massive bludgeons the color of gunmetal, capable of transforming in a proverbial blink of an eye.
The speed of the transformation was probably the biggest achievement.
The wind blew, and the Japanese man raised a hand over his face to block the dust. According to the communique sent out yesterday, the Replicas were to be picked up this morning.
Since then, all outside communication had gone dark.
"Any idea what's happening?"
Oniwana turned towards one of his assistants; though most of the team was still asleep, quite a few had gathered alongside him to witness the pickup in person. "Regarding?"
"The blackout; I haven't been able to find news about anything since yesterday evening."
"If the Replicas are being picked up today, then it likely means the anti-NERV rhetoric has reached a boiling point." That had been the topic of discussion over the past week, ever since half of Berlin-2 had been annihilated. "I can only surmise that the First Branch in Tokyo-3 is going to be attacked, and soon." How ironic, that these Replicas which had been developed for use against the Angels were to be turned against NERV itself.
"…what do you think?"
"About the situation?"
"Well, I mean…you were part of the JET ALONE Project before coming here, right? And that Gundam's been fighting alongside NERV since the Fifth Angel. So…"
"Do you have an actual question?"
"…I don't know. I suppose what I'm trying to ask is if you're concerned about your former coworkers."
Oniwana shrugged. "Given what I know of Shiro Tokita, the moment the winds started to shift against NERV, he would have begun enacting measures to withdraw from Tokyo-3. He may be a stubborn fellow, but he's not stupid." That Tokita had stuck with NERV for so long was surprising in and of itself, but this whole unpleasant business was surely the last straw.
Another assistant suddenly shouted, "look! Over there!"
Everyone's gaze followed the man's outstretched arm, looking to the northwest. Soaring above the horizon were twelve – twelve! – YC-49 jets, their massive profiles arranged in a wedge formation. As they neared their position, the aircraft began to bank to their right, slowly turning…and then twelve objects dropped from their undersides, one from each jet.
Seconds later into their free fall, those objects sprouted wings.
"…what the…?"
Kisai Oniwana couldn't help but agree with his colleague's sentiment. There was an almost deadly grace in their movements, as they slowly arranged themselves into a single file. As they got closer to the ground, the light of the morning sun brought more of their features into stark contrast; the moment he could make out armored limbs, he couldn't help but pale, despite his reserved demeanor. "They're Evangelions." Twelve Evangelions capable of flight...and, judging by the fact they had no external power source, also capable of operating beyond the five-minute limit that had been such a big selling point for the Jet Alone. "…what is the meaning of this…?"
The white-and-black Evas descended, sliding to a halt in a seamless manner. Their impact still kicked up vast clouds of dust and sand, casting a surreal shadow over the facility. One of the titans – marked with an '01' on its breastplate – advanced, calmly picking up the nearest Replica by the handles on its back. With slow, careful movements, the Evangelion manipulated the bludgeon; suddenly, the weapon twisted, transforming into a bident, a recreation of the Lance of Longinus. Just as quickly, it shifted back. Seconds later, it twisted once more, this time becoming a massive zweihander, the Sword of Uriel.
To everyone's horror, the Eva – with big red lips and harsh teeth – grinned. And then it spoke. "Just as the specifications promised. Excellent."
An uncomfortable feeling slowly began to overtake Kisai Oniwana. If he had to properly categorize it, it would be horror.
As the other eleven began to reach for their weapons, the Eva marked as '01' raised its zweihander. "Your services are no longer required." With a massive horizontal swing, an arc of ethereal energy erupted from the Replica Sword, boiling with heat and power.
In a sudden rush of sound and fury, the entire Sovereign Systems facility was razed to the ground, along with everyone inside.
A second swing was sufficient to vaporize Kisai Oniwana and those gathered with him.
/Sovereign Systems Facility, Gobi Desert north of Jiayuguan, Guazhou County, Gansu Province, China/
Kisai Oniwana stared stoically at his creations. No, that was too boastful; he had helped, and implemented the methodologies needed to advance production, but it had ultimately been a group effort. Still…it was impressive: twelve massive bludgeons the color of gunmetal, capable of transforming in a proverbial blink of an eye.
The speed of the transformation was probably the biggest achievement.
The wind blew, and the Japanese man raised a hand over his face to block the dust. According to the communique sent out yesterday, the Replicas were to be picked up this morning.
Since then, all outside communication had gone dark.
"Any idea what's happening?"
Oniwana turned towards one of his assistants; though most of the team was still asleep, quite a few had gathered alongside him to witness the pickup in person. "Regarding?"
"The blackout; I haven't been able to find news about anything since yesterday evening."
"If the Replicas are being picked up today, then it likely means the anti-NERV rhetoric has reached a boiling point." That had been the topic of discussion over the past week, ever since half of Berlin-2 had been annihilated. "I can only surmise that the First Branch in Tokyo-3 is going to be attacked, and soon." How ironic, that these Replicas which had been developed for use against the Angels were to be turned against NERV itself.
"…what do you think?"
"About the situation?"
"Well, I mean…you were part of the JET ALONE Project before coming here, right? And that Gundam's been fighting alongside NERV since the Fifth Angel. So…"
"Do you have an actual question?"
"…I don't know. I suppose what I'm trying to ask is if you're concerned about your former coworkers."
Oniwana shrugged. "Given what I know of Shiro Tokita, the moment the winds started to shift against NERV, he would have begun enacting measures to withdraw from Tokyo-3. He may be a stubborn fellow, but he's not stupid." That Tokita had stuck with NERV for so long was surprising in and of itself, but this whole unpleasant business was surely the last straw.
Another assistant suddenly shouted, "look! Over there!"
Everyone's gaze followed the man's outstretched arm, looking to the northwest. Soaring above the horizon were twelve – twelve! – YC-49 jets, their massive profiles arranged in a wedge formation. As they neared their position, the aircraft began to bank to their right, slowly turning…and then twelve objects dropped from their undersides, one from each jet.
Seconds later into their free fall, those objects sprouted wings.
"…what the…?"
Kisai Oniwana couldn't help but agree with his colleague's sentiment. There was an almost deadly grace in their movements, as they slowly arranged themselves into a single file. As they got closer to the ground, the light of the morning sun brought more of their features into stark contrast; the moment he could make out armored limbs, he couldn't help but pale, despite his reserved demeanor. "They're Evangelions." Twelve Evangelions capable of flight...and, judging by the fact they had no external power source, also capable of operating beyond the five-minute limit that had been such a big selling point for the Jet Alone. "…what is the meaning of this…?"
The white-and-black Evas descended, sliding to a halt in a seamless manner. Their impact still kicked up vast clouds of dust and sand, casting a surreal shadow over the facility. One of the titans – marked with an '01' on its breastplate – advanced, calmly picking up the nearest Replica by the handles on its back. With slow, careful movements, the Evangelion manipulated the bludgeon; suddenly, the weapon twisted, transforming into a bident, a recreation of the Lance of Longinus. Just as quickly, it shifted back. Seconds later, it twisted once more, this time becoming a massive zweihander, the Sword of Uriel.
To everyone's horror, the Eva – with big red lips and harsh teeth – grinned. And then it spoke. "Just as the specifications promised. Excellent."
An uncomfortable feeling slowly began to overtake Kisai Oniwana. If he had to properly categorize it, it would be horror.
As the other eleven began to reach for their weapons, the Eva marked as '01' raised its zweihander. "Your services are no longer required." With a massive horizontal swing, an arc of ethereal energy erupted from the Replica Sword, boiling with heat and power.
In a sudden rush of sound and fury, the entire Sovereign Systems facility was razed to the ground, along with everyone inside.
A second swing was sufficient to vaporize Kisai Oniwana and those gathered with him.
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Turing Decidable
𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕗
- Location
- Belgium
- Pronouns
- He/Him
That's one way to rob a gun store.
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
At least it's more productive than that one time Shinji tried to rob a bank.
/in all fairness
//it was a propaganda video
///that just didn't execute that well
31.11, in which we see a massive gathering of military firepower
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
/Bridge of USS Harry S. Truman, UN Pacific Fleet TF-12, Odawara-2 Naval Port, Shores of Sagami Bay, Japan/
Admiral Nathaniel Ackerson found his current situation to be somewhat...nostalgic. Here we are once more, in Sagami Bay. The circumstances now, however, were decidedly different.
This was not Task Force 2, given the duty to transport Unit-02 from Hawaii to Japan. This was not over sixty percent of the UN Pacific Fleet, which had ended up losing five vessels to the Sixth Angel.
This was Task Force 12...the entire Pacific Fleet. Six aircraft carriers, each with their respective air wings. Fifteen cruisers. Seventeen destroyers. Twenty frigates. Five submarines. Six supply ships. And, of course, the command ship itself: the USS Blue Ridge. And once more, I'm not on it. To be fair, there was a rather important reason that he wasn't there. Namely, because command of Task Force 12 had fallen under Fleet Admiral David Bradley: the first individual to attain the five-star rank since Chester Nimitz, and almost solely due to his actions in the Impact Wars.
The fact that he had been pulled from the Atlantic Fleet to take command said volumes about how seriously the UN was taking this whole situation. He and Admiral Shinya Akumura of the JMSDF had been designated to serve as the seconds, to maintain the chain of command during the upcoming assault on NERV-1.
You'd think we'd have begun by now. The pieces were practically in place; the entire Central Army of the JGSDF had surrounded Hakone, maintaining a twenty-mile perimeter around the city limits of Tokyo-3. Aerial assets from the JASDF were ready to launch, to work in coordination with the Pacific Fleet's own air wings. As far as the ground operation went, it was General Hiroki Sakamura's show, and his distaste for NERV was well-known. That they had yet to launch was...telling.
"Sir...what do you think of the broadcast?"
Ackerson glanced at Captain Benjamin Matthews, noting the wary look in the man's eyes. And for good reason. "Truthfully? I don't know." Scuttlebutt in the fleet was utterly chaotic following Gendo Ikari's defiant challenge the previous night. Opinion was split in so many different directions, and the unified sense of purpose behind Task Force 12 had been weakened severely. "It was a good strategic move, to make us second-guess ourselves."
"You know that's not what I'm referring to, sir."
"If you're asking whether I believe there was any truth to the man's words?" Of a grand conspiracy? Of SEELE? Of a plot to destroy the world? "No comment."
Matthews huffed.
"If it makes you feel any better, Fleet Admiral Bradley has decided to stay the course." That was in spite of the fact that the various intelligence reports coming from New Washington and Tokyo-2 seemed to contradict themselves with each passing hour. The sense of being stuck in a fog of war was...acute. "Once we receive word from General Sakamura, we will begin ourselves."
"...may I speak frankly, sir?"
"You may."
Speaking in hushed tones, Captain Matthews sounded somewhat...paranoid. "I don't like it, sir. Everything was pulled together so quickly for this. I have no love for Gendo Ikari...but this entire operation seems like a bad idea."
"Hrm." In all honesty, Ackerson had to agree. Something about this whole situation seems...off.
Admiral Nathaniel Ackerson found his current situation to be somewhat...nostalgic. Here we are once more, in Sagami Bay. The circumstances now, however, were decidedly different.
This was not Task Force 2, given the duty to transport Unit-02 from Hawaii to Japan. This was not over sixty percent of the UN Pacific Fleet, which had ended up losing five vessels to the Sixth Angel.
This was Task Force 12...the entire Pacific Fleet. Six aircraft carriers, each with their respective air wings. Fifteen cruisers. Seventeen destroyers. Twenty frigates. Five submarines. Six supply ships. And, of course, the command ship itself: the USS Blue Ridge. And once more, I'm not on it. To be fair, there was a rather important reason that he wasn't there. Namely, because command of Task Force 12 had fallen under Fleet Admiral David Bradley: the first individual to attain the five-star rank since Chester Nimitz, and almost solely due to his actions in the Impact Wars.
The fact that he had been pulled from the Atlantic Fleet to take command said volumes about how seriously the UN was taking this whole situation. He and Admiral Shinya Akumura of the JMSDF had been designated to serve as the seconds, to maintain the chain of command during the upcoming assault on NERV-1.
You'd think we'd have begun by now. The pieces were practically in place; the entire Central Army of the JGSDF had surrounded Hakone, maintaining a twenty-mile perimeter around the city limits of Tokyo-3. Aerial assets from the JASDF were ready to launch, to work in coordination with the Pacific Fleet's own air wings. As far as the ground operation went, it was General Hiroki Sakamura's show, and his distaste for NERV was well-known. That they had yet to launch was...telling.
"Sir...what do you think of the broadcast?"
Ackerson glanced at Captain Benjamin Matthews, noting the wary look in the man's eyes. And for good reason. "Truthfully? I don't know." Scuttlebutt in the fleet was utterly chaotic following Gendo Ikari's defiant challenge the previous night. Opinion was split in so many different directions, and the unified sense of purpose behind Task Force 12 had been weakened severely. "It was a good strategic move, to make us second-guess ourselves."
"You know that's not what I'm referring to, sir."
"If you're asking whether I believe there was any truth to the man's words?" Of a grand conspiracy? Of SEELE? Of a plot to destroy the world? "No comment."
Matthews huffed.
"If it makes you feel any better, Fleet Admiral Bradley has decided to stay the course." That was in spite of the fact that the various intelligence reports coming from New Washington and Tokyo-2 seemed to contradict themselves with each passing hour. The sense of being stuck in a fog of war was...acute. "Once we receive word from General Sakamura, we will begin ourselves."
"...may I speak frankly, sir?"
"You may."
Speaking in hushed tones, Captain Matthews sounded somewhat...paranoid. "I don't like it, sir. Everything was pulled together so quickly for this. I have no love for Gendo Ikari...but this entire operation seems like a bad idea."
"Hrm." In all honesty, Ackerson had to agree. Something about this whole situation seems...off.
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31.12, in which things take a turn...for the better, sort of?
Ultra Sonic 007
Trying to keep things simple~
- Location
- Colorado
Meanwhile, as Nathaniel Ackerson was mulling over the strange circumstances of the impending assault on NERV-1, General Hiroki Sakamura sat within his field office, erected on the slopes of Mt. Fuji. From this grand vantage point, the Hakone Caldera was easily visible; the storm of fire and metal that would soon engulf NERV would be seen in its entirety. If there was a part of him that felt a sense of primal satisfaction at the whole scenario...well, there was no point in denying it. Especially given the news report of Pieter Langley's apparent connection to the death of Hiroto Mizugumi.
Ikari will finally be brought to heel, my old friend, thought Sakamura with a stern expression. He stood stoically, arms crossed behind his back as the sounds and words of his subordinates filtered through the prefabricated field office.
"-1st Aerial Commandos are airborne and waiting for signal to drop-"
"Roger that, Colonel Kurosawa, 1st Artillery Battalion is in position on Mt. Ashitaka-"
"-supply lines into the Gotenba Operational Zone are operating at capacity, redirecting the 10th Logistic Support Regiment to Oyama, copy?"
"Please repeat and confirm, all SHOCK units are in position?"
"-five Taiyang class flights are ready to mobilize-"
"Please confirm strength of the 10th Russian Air Wing...three squadrons of Leo class Gundams, with additional support of Highhawk class Gundams..."
"Nephilim Oversight is confirming over a dozen deployments-"
Sakamura couldn't help but smile. Yes, my old friend; you will be avenged. His eyes fell upon the massive map arranged in the center of the field office, where markers and pieces designating particular units were changed and rearranged as needed. Of particular note were the legion of all-white pieces that was closest to Tokyo-3: the SHOCK units, an operation-specific term that identified units with a majority cultist makeup. And to think that the first shots will be fired by the Angel worshippers, of all people.
The irony was almost too good to be true; after the February invasion, NERV had provided an unbelievable swath of intelligence on the number of cultists within their ranks. Those with higher ranks had been swiftly 'subdued', while the lower rank-and-file were consolidated into units with less direct access to military intelligence. Though the idea of executing them all had been enticing, the prospect of having 'disposable' soldiers on hand was too valuable to ignore. In their zealous rage against NERV for defiling their precious 'Angels', they will throw themselves into the grinder. The truly loyal would then step in to mop up. The gods must be smiling on me, today.
At long last, Gendo Ikari would get what he deserved. "We are commencing the operation. Send the word."
xxxx
/Ashigara Defensive Line, North of Tokyo-3, Japan/
The sergeant held a hand up to his earpiece. "...understood. Roger." He looked warily at the nine 'soldiers' under his command; cultists of LILITH's Legion one and all, he was hesitant to even call them 'men'. Alas, their weapons would be turned against NERV-1, and that was just fine per the 'infinite wisdom' of Command. "We're commencing the operation." They had less than half a mile between them and downtown Tokyo-3; while vehicles and long-distance artillery would be making work of NERV's remaining defensive batteries, they would infiltrate the Geofront itself. "Let's move out!"
"Yes sir!"
As one, all nine soldiers - clad in the dark blue fatigues and black ballistics armor of the UN military - turned their rifles on the sergeant and shot him.
As the loyal JSSDF soldier fell to the ground, bleeding profusely, the nine cultists looked at each other, nodding with grim determination. "Let's move out, my fellow Legionnaires."
Similar incidents happened within all of the other SHOCK units, as all non-Angel worshippers were killed quickly and mercilessly.
They took to their radios, and as one, the hundreds - if not thousands - let loose a defiant roar.
"FOR ADAM!"
"FOR LILITH!"
"DEATH TO SEELE'S DOGS!"
And as one, the cultists turned their weapons - guns, vehicles, and all - upon the forces of the United Nations.
Ikari will finally be brought to heel, my old friend, thought Sakamura with a stern expression. He stood stoically, arms crossed behind his back as the sounds and words of his subordinates filtered through the prefabricated field office.
"-1st Aerial Commandos are airborne and waiting for signal to drop-"
"Roger that, Colonel Kurosawa, 1st Artillery Battalion is in position on Mt. Ashitaka-"
"-supply lines into the Gotenba Operational Zone are operating at capacity, redirecting the 10th Logistic Support Regiment to Oyama, copy?"
"Please repeat and confirm, all SHOCK units are in position?"
"-five Taiyang class flights are ready to mobilize-"
"Please confirm strength of the 10th Russian Air Wing...three squadrons of Leo class Gundams, with additional support of Highhawk class Gundams..."
"Nephilim Oversight is confirming over a dozen deployments-"
Sakamura couldn't help but smile. Yes, my old friend; you will be avenged. His eyes fell upon the massive map arranged in the center of the field office, where markers and pieces designating particular units were changed and rearranged as needed. Of particular note were the legion of all-white pieces that was closest to Tokyo-3: the SHOCK units, an operation-specific term that identified units with a majority cultist makeup. And to think that the first shots will be fired by the Angel worshippers, of all people.
The irony was almost too good to be true; after the February invasion, NERV had provided an unbelievable swath of intelligence on the number of cultists within their ranks. Those with higher ranks had been swiftly 'subdued', while the lower rank-and-file were consolidated into units with less direct access to military intelligence. Though the idea of executing them all had been enticing, the prospect of having 'disposable' soldiers on hand was too valuable to ignore. In their zealous rage against NERV for defiling their precious 'Angels', they will throw themselves into the grinder. The truly loyal would then step in to mop up. The gods must be smiling on me, today.
At long last, Gendo Ikari would get what he deserved. "We are commencing the operation. Send the word."
xxxx
/Ashigara Defensive Line, North of Tokyo-3, Japan/
The sergeant held a hand up to his earpiece. "...understood. Roger." He looked warily at the nine 'soldiers' under his command; cultists of LILITH's Legion one and all, he was hesitant to even call them 'men'. Alas, their weapons would be turned against NERV-1, and that was just fine per the 'infinite wisdom' of Command. "We're commencing the operation." They had less than half a mile between them and downtown Tokyo-3; while vehicles and long-distance artillery would be making work of NERV's remaining defensive batteries, they would infiltrate the Geofront itself. "Let's move out!"
"Yes sir!"
As one, all nine soldiers - clad in the dark blue fatigues and black ballistics armor of the UN military - turned their rifles on the sergeant and shot him.
As the loyal JSSDF soldier fell to the ground, bleeding profusely, the nine cultists looked at each other, nodding with grim determination. "Let's move out, my fellow Legionnaires."
Similar incidents happened within all of the other SHOCK units, as all non-Angel worshippers were killed quickly and mercilessly.
They took to their radios, and as one, the hundreds - if not thousands - let loose a defiant roar.
"FOR ADAM!"
"FOR LILITH!"
"DEATH TO SEELE'S DOGS!"
And as one, the cultists turned their weapons - guns, vehicles, and all - upon the forces of the United Nations.
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