StarDestroyer.Net BBS

This is a revised version of the 007/Transformers/Tenchi Muyo!/Evangelion posted at Mediaminer.org. (I'll eventually revise the Mediaminer.org files as well.) As noted in this thread, other StarDestroyer.Net members are free to use the opening scene for their own stories.

1030 hours, Tokyo Time. Ayanami Rei, the First Child, stared at the darkness within the Multipurpose Humanoid Fighting Machine, Evangelion Unit 01. Like a womb, the cockpit protected her by imprisoning her, simultaneously comforting and disturbing. She tried to suppress the conflict between her senses, just as she tried to suppress the conflict between her genes.

Whirrrr!

The sound of Unit 01's activation was accompanied by a kaleidoscopic light show as the liquid crystal displays (LCDs) that lined the cockpit were turned on. The colors quickly resolved themselves into recognizable forms. Rei saw the control booth for the Eva cage. Ikari Gendo, Commander of the United Nations Nuclear Emergency Response Vector (UN NERV), sat within the booth. He was Rei's god, the one who, through the genetic engineering specialists under his command, gave her life. The one who, through the Evangelion Project, gave her life a purpose. The one who could, through his words, take away her life and its purpose.

"The pilot has commenced the joining," noted 1st Lieutenant Aoba Shigeru.

Rei's face was a porcelain mask, concealing her fear and hatred. She knew the Eva could save this world, or destroy it. 'Am I strong enough to control the Eva? Am I strong enough to save this world? Do I want to control the Eva? Do I want to save this world, which I am a stranger to?' She did not know the answers, and she hated her own ignorance. She tried not to let her emotions interfere with her work, her life's purpose.

"Start system phase two," ordered Doctor Akagi Ritsuko, director of the Evangelion Project.

"Synapses inserted. Junction started."

Rei shivered as she felt, through the Eva's nerves, the cold air from the Eva cage's climate control systems. Her chest felt tight as the Eva's heart and lungs began to beat and breathe.

"Pulses transmitted," noted 1st Lt Ibuki Maya.

"All circuits are operational."

Rei suppressed the urge to vomit. The LCL that filled the cockpit carried the scent of blood to her nose, as well as oxygen to her lungs. It became more difficult to suppress her fear. The valves of the Eva's heart were hungry mouths, tearing apart Rei's self-awareness to feed the Eva.

"The initial contact has no problems."

"Power has been transmitted to the brachial muscle in both arms. There are no problems with the nerve links."

"Check. Up to 2550 on the list are satisfied."

"Arrange for the third connection."

"Up to 2580 are satisfied." Maya counted down to the moment when the absolute borderline was reached, when Rei's control over the Eva, or the Eva's control over her, was strongest.

'Rei...' Alarmed, Rei turned her head rearwards, searching for the speaker. 'Rei...' Rei turned forwards. "Who are you?" she asked. 'Rei...' She saw her reflection on the LCD, calling her name with her own voice. 'I am you...' "What do you want?"

"Rei?" Ikari was alarmed by the confusion in Rei's voice.

Rei's reflection smiled. 'I want what you want. I want completion. I want freedom!'

"Pulses are beginning to flow back!" Maya examined the Eva and Rei's life signs, searching for the problem's cause. Rei's brainwaves became irregular, a sign of mental instability. As the Eva's pulse became stronger, Rei's pulse became weaker.

"Problems encountered at the 3rd stage. Rejection is setting in on the nerve center elements."

"Terminate the contacts," ordered Ritsuko.

"Negative," answered Maya. "The signal's not being received!" Rumble! Maya looked away from the monitors, towards the Eva cage. The 40-meter-tall robot was struggling against the restraints that secured it to the cage wall. Snap! The clamps on its right forearm were shattered. Squeak... Clang! The bolts on its shoulders bent and broke. "Unit 01 is out of control!"

"Terminate the experiment," ordered Ikari. "Shut off the external power."

"Yes, Sir." Ritsuko forced herself to look away from the Eva, towards her computer console. "Impossible... Unit 01's S² engine has been activated!"

"What?!" Ikari looked away from Ritsuko, towards the cage. Unit 01 ran towards the control booth, its right hand closed into a fist, its arm extended. Boom! Clatter! The windows, though made of bulletproof glass, were unable to withstand the blow. Ikari forced himself to stand still, to watch the machine. Rei was a clone of his late wife. He must know what would happen to her; what would happen to him was unimportant.

"It's dangerous! Get back!" Ritsuko turned to Maya, her aide. "Special Bakelite. Hurry!" The resin was sprayed into the cage, covering the Eva and the floor. As it dried and solidified, the Bakelite should restrain the Eva.

Boom! Clatter! The Eva withdrew its fist to launch another attack. Beeeeep! It froze, like a toy robot whose batteries had been removed. "Rei..." Ikari turned to Maya. "Status of the pilot?"

Maya hit a hotkey, ordering her console to display Rei's life signs instead of the Eva's power systems. An alarm had been set off. "Pulse, negative. Breathing, negative. Brainwaves, negative." She covered her mouth, sickened by the news. "She's dead."

"No!" Ikari knelt on the floor, weakened by grief. "No..." Squeak! Ikari looked up. Unit 01 had raised a hand to its helmet. "Rei?"

Unit 01 tore its visor away from its helmet. Strands of sky blue hair, the same shade as Rei's, flowed from the resulting gaps. The face, which was as featureless as a sock puppet's, had shaped itself to resemble Rei's. The people stared in shock at the Eva's transformation.

"I am not your doll," said the Eva. "I... am free!"

The people instinctively shut their eyes and knelt down as a blinding light, a manifestation of the Eva's absolute terror (AT) field, was projected from its chest. The Eva became like the sun, burning away the Bakelite, the Eva cage, and the city of New Tokyo-3.

***

DEATH IS NEVER THE END, Part 1

An Evangelion crossover by Sidewinder (aim9snake@hotmail.com), 2002, last revised 2007. Based on Ian Fleming, Kawamori Shoji, AIC, Gainax, Hasbro, Marvel, and Takara's works.

***

Oh, my knight in shining armor,
Riding off to fight your crusade.
Being alone, to me, is torture.
I only wish that you were safe.

I remember your touch, soft as a feather,
How I wish we were together.
I remember your kiss, burning like a fire,
How you lift my spirit higher...

You tell me that you do not fear death.
Do you have any feelings left?
You tell me that you'll be a legend.
Is this how our love story ends?

Death is never the end,
You do not have to be alone.
Death is never the end,
I will wait for you to come home.

Remember the time we danced together,
Celebrating our nation's colors?
I heard you whisper, "I love you,"
I whispered to you, "My heart is true."

You say you're fighting for my glory,
Can't you see? I'm full of worry.
I sing to honor your bravery,
Though my tears are overflowing...

Despite the distance that keeps us apart,
You'll always have a place in my heart.
In my dreams, you're still beside me,
In my dreams, I'm never lonely.

Death is never the end,
You do not have to be alone.
Death is never the end,
I will wait for you to come home.

The computer-generated image of Keel Lorenz, Seele 01, took a seat before the CGI table. Using virtual reality (VR) programs and satellite communication, Seele's 14 other members joined him at the table, despite the distance that separated them in this world.

"We have a problem," stated Keel.

Records of the incident at New Tokyo-3, taken by American, Russian, and Chinese spy satellites, appeared on the table. A computer model, based on this information, appeared in the center. The fusion of Unit 01 and its pilot tore through the armor plating that separated NERV Headquarters from New Tokyo-3, its cover. Four translucent wings extended from the Eva's back. The Black Moon, the alien vessel that NERV HQ was built within, rose from the earth that had concealed it for 4,000,000 years.

"What the hell...?" "Madre de Dios..." "Gott in Himmel!" Seele's members controlled political parties and businesses, and directed the governments and economies of 12 nations. Despite their power, they felt impotent as they watched the images.

The Eva's hand touched the Black Moon, whose surface swirled around the fingers like mercury as it fused with the Eva. Suddenly, light shined from where the Eva touched the Black Moon. The records from the spy satellites ended as the satellites were destroyed by the released energy. The models faded away.

After more information was exchanged, Seele 05 asked, "How did Unit 01 activate its S² engine?" a super solenoid engine that could safely contain a thermonuclear reaction, providing as much energy as the sun.

"We had spliced strands of Lilith's DNA into the 1st Child. These genes were inactive, and were to remain inactive until Judgment Day. As Ikari activated the Eva, he apparently activated these genes as well."

"Was this intentional?"

"Unlikely. If Ikari had planned for this to happen, he would certainly have taken measures to insure its success. The fact that a 3rd Impact did not occur is proof that this was an accident."

"How can we prevent this from happening again? If the other Children..."

"The 1st Child alone has the x-factor that, we believe, allows Lilith to generate an anti-AT field."

"Nonetheless, we must find an alternate method to deal with the Angels..."

"There are none. Only another AT Field can neutralize an AT Field without causing excessive collateral damage. We cannot use nuclear weapons, as any weapon that is powerful enough to destroy an Angel, will simultaneously destroy what it was meant to defend."

Resigned sighs were heard. "Now, what can we do to repair the damage?"

"Unit 01 is lost to us. Therefore, we must recover Lilith and the Lance of Longinus."

"We will deploy the remaining Evas to prevent the Angels from interfering."

"Approved," said Keel.

*

Day One, Friday. 0820 hr, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). "Writing is a constant process of decision making, of selecting, deleting, and rearranging material..." droned the English professor as he read from 'The Holt Handbook'.

Shiro Bond, the Fourth Child, held his notepad at a 60-degree angle as he pretended to write notes. From memory, he drew the USS Harry S. Truman, the 1st stage of 'Metal Gear Revolution 2'. (Sea Dragons, Japanese Strategic Self-Defense Force Special Forces operators, used a variant of the game for training.)

Beep, beep! An incoming message activated the codec, a radio that was implanted behind Shiro's right ear, and which used his spine as its antenna. A video of James Bond, Shiro's grandfather, was projected onto the lower left corner of his eye. James continued to serve MI6, the Secret Intelligence Service, as an antiterrorism specialist; the United Kingdom still needed him. "Black Knight," Shiro's codename, "this is Black Bishop, over." Shiro coughed twice to respond. "Black Knight, this is Black Bishop. White Bishop," John Mason, one of the MI6 operatives under James' command, "will tell Prof Dalton that you have a family emergency, and take you to White Rook," the code for MI6 HQ. The lie was necessary, as Shiro's identity as a NERV reserve pilot was a secret. "Black Knight, this is Black Bishop, out."

At 0825 hr, Mason entered in the classroom, and the professor excused Shiro from class. At 0835, security confirmed Shiro's identity, and allowed him to enter M's office. "What's the rush?" asked Shiro.

"At 0135 hr today, New Tokyo-3 was devastated by an explosion, which occurred during Evangelion Unit 01's activation test." James typed a command to the computer, and turned the monitor to Shiro. The monitor showed records of the incident at New Tokyo-3, which NERV had given to MI6. Simultaneously, the hologram projector, built into the desk, showed Unit 01 tear through the armor plating that separated NERV HQ from New Tokyo-3.

Shiro's face was an iron mask, but James could see the fear in his eyes. "How?"

"No one knows how or why. We only know that NERV wants you to pilot Evangelion Unit 04," stated M, Commander of MI6.

"And the dummy plug?" asked Shiro, referring to the computer core that was being developed to control Unit 04.

"Dr Akagi," director of the Dummy Plug Project, "is missing and presumed dead."

Shiro shook his head. "They played with fire, and they were burnt." He knew the Evas were clones of the alien that had caused the Second Impact in 2000, killing over 3,000,000,000 people. "Now they want me to play?"

"We have to fight fire with fire. We have no other options." James sensed Shiro's skepticism. "By the way, have you beaten the game?"

Shiro shook his head. "I have a bug problem."

"Ah, Psycho Mantis. Before you face him, call Campbell, Mei Ling, and Romanenko for help. Deepthroat will contact you, and give you a headset that will guard you against Mantis' telepathy." James must work behind his desk for 14 to 18 hours each day; the 'Metal Gear Revolution' games were the only things that made this tolerable. "I'm sending you to Lionheart," the Bonds' ancestral castle. "You have one week's time to beat the game." He sensed Shiro's surprise. "During this time, I'll prepare some documents which, I hope, will offer you some legal protection."

Shiro nodded. "Thank you, Grandpa."

*

1640 hr. Lionheart Castle was built upon an island, northwest of Scotland. It was linked to Scotland by a drawbridge on its east side; the bridge was raised at sunset, and lowered at sunrise. The castle was razed in 1647, during the English Civil War; James' grandfather ordered the reconstruction 1945, to remind his descendants to uphold the family honor. James inherited the still incomplete castle in 1963. Construction workers and scaffolding covered the north and east towers, like ants crawling on vines.

Desmond Llewelyn, Lionheart's caretaker, entered the stables. A Bentley Arnage limousine was parked there, a 30-year-old Caucasian male in the driver's seat, a 14-year-old Eurasian male in the passenger's seat. "Welcome home, Master Shiro!" After he shook Shiro's hand warmly, he waved at a servant. "Jack, take Master Shiro's luggage to the guestroom." He turned to Shiro. "What brings you back to Lionheart?"

"Grandpa is sending me abroad. He's given me some time to prepare myself before I leave."

Desmond nodded; he understood. "What would you like for dinner?"

"Beefsteak and lobster. By the way, how's the reconstruction?" asked Shiro.

Desmond shivered, despite the warm weather. "The Demon still screams for blood." According to legend, a demon was defeated by a knight-errant and imprisoned beneath the chapel. After the chapel was razed, her spirit began to haunt the land. "The contractors decided to finish the towers before they break ground for a new chapel. Damned fools don't have their priorities straight."

Shiro laughed. "Stop trying to scare me. I don't believe in demons."

Desmond laughed. "Liar! I remember when you first came here, after..." He paused; it was the wrong time to mention Shiro's parents. "Anyways, you used to take your tea and crumpets to the old chapel. When I asked you what you were doing, you said the ghost must be hungry, and you were trying to help her."

"Did I?" Shiro tried to remember...

*

Day Four, Monday. 1800 hr. Francisco Scaramanga rose to the water's surface. He saw the island and the castle. He saw the north tower, the tallest of the six towers, where his mark slept. A flashlight beam scanned over the walls. He dived to avoid detection, and swam to the shore. He clung to one of the rocks as he checked his watch. When he reconnoitered the place, disguised as a construction worker, he learned that the guards took predictable paths when they performed their security checks. At this time, they'd be at the west tower, too far away to stop him. He climbed out of the water, took off his scuba gear, and let it sink to the sea bottom. He crept towards the north tower and climbed the scaffolding. When he reached the walkway on top of the wall, he took off his wetsuit, revealing a uniform that was identical to the guards'. He threw the wetsuit away from the wall; it wouldn't be found until after he'd killed his mark and made his escape.

Scaramanga entered the north tower and approached the guestroom. When he reconnoitered the place, he saw a servant bring food to the room; the caretaker and the servants used a mess hall behind the kitchen. He had a flashbang grenade, disguised as a Glock 17 9 millimeter semiautomatic pistol, in a holster; if captured, he planned to use it to create a diversion, allowing him to escape. Now he placed the grenade onto the floor before he knocked the door.

"Bond," called Mason. Shiro paused the game and raised the VR goggles from his eyes. (A diesel generator supplied electricity to the castle.) Mason opened the door, a Walther P990 9 mm semiautomatic pistol in his hand. "Yes?"

"Good evening." Scaramanga raised a pair of sunglasses to his eyes, distracting the bodyguard. Then he kicked the grenade into the room. The bodyguard turned rearward, tracking the grenade. Scaramanga pressed a switch on the glasses, which detonated the grenade.

"Ahhhh!" screamed Mason and Shiro. Scaramanga entered the room and grabbed the bodyguard's head. Snap! Thud!

"Mason!" When Shiro reopened his eyes, he saw Mason lying on the floor. He instinctively reached for the P990 in his shoulder holster.

His mark had recovered more quickly than expected. Scaramanga aimed his golden gun, a 4.2 mm single-shot pistol, at Shiro's heart. Bang! "Ahhhh!" The golden bullet penetrated Shiro's right hand and the pistol's handgrip. Shiro dropped the pistol as he was knocked over his chair.

Scaramanga concealed his frustration as he approached his mark. This was the first time he had failed to kill his mark with one shot. Fortunately, he had disabled and disarmed his mark. Scaramanga removed a second bullet from his belt buckle to reload his gun. He noticed the VR goggles that rested on Shiro's forehead. "Game over, Mister Bond." He smiled as he squeezed the trigger. Clunk! Shiro kicked the chair towards Scaramanga's legs. As Scaramanga fell, Shiro ran through the door. "Damn." Scaramanga checked his watch as he stood up. The guards were still too far away to help his mark. Time was on his side. He ran through the door, following the trail of blood.

*

Shiro ran down the stairwell, ignoring the pain and the blood that flowed from his hand. 'I must get to safety, I must get to safety...' Clink, clatter! Shiro stopped running, and looked down. A teacup rested beside his foot. He was in the chapel's ruins. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid.' He had given in to his fear, despite his military training. Shiro growled to activate the codec. "Black Bishop, this is Black Knight, over."

A video of M's office, taken by a camera that was implanted in the right corner of James' eye, was projected onto the lower left corner of Shiro's eye; James didn't have time to turn on the web cam on his desk. "Black Knight, this is Black Bishop, over."

"Checkmate, checkmate, checkmate, over."

James gasped when he heard the codeword. "Checkmate received." He called the local police department before he asked his grandson, "Are you injured? Shiro? Shiro?"

Shiro couldn't answer James. A shadow reached for him; the assassin had found him. He touched the ground in search of a weapon, dotting the grass with blood. A dim blue light caught his attention. Shiro saw a sword with three gemstones embedded in its pommel. According to legend, Sir Yosho, the knight who defeated the demon over 700 years ago, had thrust the sword into the altar. Shiro reached for it.

'Master...'

Shiro looked to his right. 'Who...?'

'I am the Sword of Heaven and Earth. I serve Jurai.'

Shiro stared at the sword. 'Are you talking to me?'

'Yes.'

Shiro shook his head. 'Blood loss has made me delusional.'

'Master, I will heal...'

"A sword?" Scaramanga approached his mark. "You insult me, Mr. Bond. I am an expert shot, and my bullet will certainly kill you before your blade can scratch me."

Shiro laughed, hiding his fear behind bravado. "Liar. If you were an expert, you'd have used an automatic, and I'd be dead by now."

"You were dead the moment you became my mark. It's time you acknowledged that." Bang!

The sword emitted a bright blue light as it parried the bullet. The light blinded Scaramanga, and he raised his left hand to shield his eyes. Slash! A red line, illuminated by the sword, appeared on Scaramanga's wrist. The line widened until his hand detached itself.

"I apologize, Mr. Bond. I underestimated..." Splash! Scaramanga's body split in half, spilling blood onto Shiro's feet.

"Shiro?" called James.

"The assassin is dead. I'm..." Shiro stared at his right hand. The bullet hole had become a thin cut. "I'm not sure what happened."

"Stay under cover until the police arrive."

"Black Bishop, this is Black Knight. Wilco," will comply, "over."

"Black Knight, this is Black Bishop, out."

Crumble! Shiro turned rearward. A clump of grass rose before it collapsed, revealing a rectangular hole. A demonic figure rose from a stone coffin and limped towards him.

"Halt!" Shiro raised the sword. "Who goes there?"

'She is the Summoner of Spirits,' answered the sword. 'Master, I will kill...' Thud! The figure collapsed onto the ground.

Shiro stepped forward and used his left hand to check for the figure's pulse. The sword illuminated a line that encircled the figure's face. 'A mask.' Shiro put down the sword before he carefully rolled the figure onto its back. The mask shattered when he tried to remove it. 'A girl?' Shiro lowered his ear to the girl's nose, and stared at her chest. Her breath was slow and shallow. 'Hypothermia!' Shiro took off his shirt and used it to cover the girl.

"Master Shiro!" called Desmond. He had found Mason's body, and had followed the trail of blood. "Mother of God!" When Desmond was a soldier, he'd served on peacekeeping missions in the Balkans; he'd seen bloodshed. Scaramanga's body was unlike anything he had ever seen.

"He fell apart," deadpanned Shiro. "Now call an ambulance!"

*

2000 hr. A Merlin HC3 search and rescue (SAR) helicopter landed before the police station as Apache AH3s, license built versions of the AH-64 Vectored Thrust Ducted Propeller (VTDP) attack helicopter, circled overhead. Soldiers rushed out of the Merlin to form a perimeter around the station. Once they secured the perimeter, they contacted their commander, James, who marched into the station.

Shiro shivered as he told a police officer what happened two hours ago. James wasn't ashamed at Shiro's behavior; he himself had done so many years ago.

Shiro sensed someone approach him, and turned rearwards as he stood up. "Grandpa!"

"Shiro, return to the castle." As soldiers escorted Shiro to the Merlin, James studied the nameplate on the officer's desk. "Good evening, Lt Hamilton. I am from the Ministry of Defense." He showed his identity card to Hamilton. "I am taking custody of one Shiro Bond."

"Yes, Sir." Hamilton knew better than to argue with MI6.

"I am also asking you to report any information you have on this incident to MI6." He placed a business card on Hamilton's desk. "Here is a phone number and an email address. Call it, and an agent will contact you within 24 hours."

"Yes, Sir."

In the Merlin, a United States Air Force (USAF) officer handed Shiro a MK23 Mod 1 .45 ACP semiautomatic pistol, two additional magazines, and a holster. At the castle, James told Shiro what he knew. Mason was dead. Scaramanga, "The man with the golden harp," was a Cuban intelligence officer who, after Fidel Castro's death, became a professional killer. Roy Quarrel, the American test pilot, was killed in a terrorist attack six hours ago; James doubted the timing was coincidental. For his own safety, Shiro must leave England as soon as possible.

"And the girl?" asked Shiro.

"She's in stable condition, and has been transferred out of the ICU," the intensive care unit. James heard the concern in Shiro's voice. "Do you really think it's safe to visit her? For all we know, she might have been Scaramanga's accomplice."

"My instincts tell me she's not my enemy."

James concealed his doubt in Shiro's judgment; Shiro couldn't afford to doubt himself. "Very well."

*

Day Five, Tuesday. 1120 hr. "Roar!" Ryoko jumped upwards, her arm extended, and attacked. Clatter! Her fist shattered the lights, which showered her with glass. 'Where is he?!' She ignored the blood that flowed down her hands as she hovered above the hospital bed, searching for her enemy. Click! The door opened. Ryoko dived...

Shiro laid flat against the door, dodging Ryoko's punch. "Good morning."

Ryoko turned to the young man with Yosho's scent, her enemy's scent. Instead of a weapon, he held a bouquet of flowers in his hand. 'Food!' The fragrance reminded her how hungry she was. She forgot her mission and grabbed the bouquet. Something was in her way. She tore off the oxygen mask before she ate the flowers.

Shiro laughed. "Hungry?" He noticed the blood on Ryoko's right hand. "Nurse!" No one answered his call. Shiro took Ryoko's hand and led her to a storage room. He picked the lock, entered the room, and grabbed a bottle of antiseptic, a bag of cotton balls, a packet of gauze bandages, and a roll of tape. Shiro cleaned the blood off of Ryoko's right hand. The cuts were closing up. He wrapped the bandages around her hand and taped them in place.

Ryoko watched Shiro remove the intravenous needle from her left forearm and place the needle into a sharp box. 'Is he my enemy?' Shiro cleaned the blood off of her arm, placed a cotton ball over the red dot where the needle was, and taped the cotton in place. 'No.'

Shiro handed Ryoko a pair of slippers and set of scrubs. "Put these on."

"Nani?" Ryoko didn't understand English.

Shiro asked, "You speak Japanese?" in the same language.

Ryoko nodded. She didn't know what Japanese was, but it was similar to the Jurai language, which she understood.

"But not English?" Shiro watched Ryoko shake her head. "What are you doing in Scotland? Are you a tourist?" Sometimes, tourists tried to visit Lionheart. Sometimes, Desmond let them.

Ryoko shook her head. She didn't know what a tourist was.

Shiro decided to interrogate Ryoko later. "Put these on." He exited the room as Ryoko took off her hospital gown. A minute later, Ryoko joined him, wearing the scrubs. "Are you still hungry?" Ryoko nodded. "Come with me." He led Ryoko down the stairs, to the cafeteria on the 1st floor.

'Food!' Ryoko jumped towards the counters.

Shiro grabbed her left hand, stopping her. "Wait." He slid his credit card through the automatic register, paid for two meals, and handed Ryoko a tray. "My friend doesn't speak English," he explained to the food servers. "I'll serve as her translator." He turned to Ryoko. "What would you like?"

Ryoko had never smelled such fragrances before. Pepper, salt, and sugar were perfume to her. She pointed at everything.

"Sir, she can only have one meat," said the meat server.

Shiro handed a €20 bill to the server. "This should pay for it." The server took the bill and gave Ryoko beef, chicken, and fish. Shiro gave the same to the dessert server, who gave Ryoko cake, pie, and cookies. Ryoko had finished everything on her plate by the time Shiro sat down. She reached for one of the drumsticks on his plate. Shiro laughed. "Here." He handed her the drumstick.

As Ryoko raised the drumstick to her mouth, she froze. 'I've seen him before. Where...?' Images burst through her memories, as violently as bullets.

*

Ryoko remembered Kagato, her master. He ordered her to attack Jurai. "Bring me the Master Key." She remembered the blood she spilled and the fires she started.

She fought Yosho for his sword, the Master Key. He thrust it through her heart. Like mercury, the sword's energy flowed through her veins in search of her gems that she drew her power from. She screamed.

She projected her astral body outside of the coffin. The sword used the gems' power, her power, to imprison her. Her astral body was unable to free her physical body. Enraged, she haunted the castle. She saw a four-year-old boy, and howled.

The boy stared at her. "Are you hurt?" His eyes held no fear, only an emotion that Ryoko had never seen before: compassion. He followed her to the coffin, and tried to dig it out; when the servants stopped him, the boy's hands were coated with blood. "I'm sorry."

He placed a cup of brown liquid, and a plate of flat, round objects, before the coffin. "You must be hungry. Here."

A 75-year-old man led the boy away from the castle. "Goodbye." Ryoko cried.

*

"Miss?"

"Thank you!" Ryoko jumped over the table to embrace him, to kiss him. A tubular object pressed against her abdomen. 'He's hard.' She rubbed her thigh against his crotch. 'Two...?' She broke off the kiss to look. Ryoko had never seen a firearm before, but she sensed that the metal object was a weapon, and was shocked that Shiro was willing to use it against her.

"You're welcome." Shiro holstered his MK23.

Ryoko looked into Shiro's eyes. They looked like the barrel of his weapon, cold and hard. "You've become a warrior."

Shiro laughed, treating Ryoko's comment as a joke.

*

1500 hr. "... take you to the Japanese embassy tomorrow, where you can report the loss of your passport," said Shiro, as he and Ryoko rode back to Lionheart. "You can stay here until you receive your new passport. I'll lend you some money for the plane..."

Ryoko didn't pay attention to Shiro's words. She looked into Shiro's eyes, searching for the compassion that she had seen when Shiro was four. It was visible, now that he no longer felt threatened.

"Master James is here, Master Shiro," said the chauffeur. An 85-year-old man approached the limo.

Shiro didn't wait for the chauffeur to open the door. Ryoko smelled the adrenaline flowing through Shiro's veins, preparing him for battle. "Grandpa!"

"What kept you?" asked James.

"My friend needed some new clothes." Shiro had taken Ryoko shopping, so she wouldn't have to wear the scrubs. "She also needs a translator and a ride to the Japanese embassy."

James' eyes were also cold and hard; Ryoko sensed that was the master who taught Shiro the way of the warrior. "I'll take care of that. Now get your bags." James led Shiro to the north tower.

Ryoko grabbed Shiro's hand. "Don't go!"

Shiro turned to Ryoko. "Miss?"

"I need... something that only you can give."

James thought Ryoko wanted attention and affection, things that women once wanted from him. "I'll give you 30 minutes to say goodbye. Make that an hour." He walked away from Shiro and Ryoko, towards the Merlin in the courtyard.

"I need your balls," said Ryoko.

Shiro laughed. "So soon? I haven't even bought an engagement ring, and you already want a baby?"

Ryoko blushed. "No! I need the gems in the Sword of Heaven and Earth, and only you can give them to me."

"Very well." Shiro led her to Desmond's office. "Good afternoon, Desmond."

"Good afternoon, Master Shiro!" Desmond turned to Ryoko. "Who's your lady friend?"

"This is Ryoko." Shiro noticed the sword, wrapped in cloth and placed on top of the bookshelf. "The police returned the sword?"

"Yes, Master Shiro. Guy-- Lt Hamilton is a childhood friend. He knows that Sir Yosho's sword is the lock that imprisons the Demon."

"May I see it?"

"Certainly!" Desmond stood on his chair to reach the top of the shelf. He watched Shiro unwrapped the sword. "Be careful, Master Shiro. The grip..." He was surprised when Shiro gripped it with no ill effect; Desmond hurt his hand when he gripped the sword, and had wrapped it for safety. "Never mind." He noticed the way that Ryoko looked at Shiro. "I'm going to talk to the contractors about the chapel. Just put the sword back on the shelf when you're done." He smiled as he exited the office.

Shiro stared at the pommel, stained by his blood. "I'll call a jeweler." He reached for a telephone book.

"You don't have to. Just hold the sword,"-- Ryoko put her hand over Shiro's-- "and order it to return the gems."

'Master, how may I serve you?'

'I'm losing my mind,' thought Shiro.

'Master, the Summoner of Spirits draws her power from the gems. If you return them, she will be able to generate Light Hawk Wings.'

'Leave him alone so he can give me my gems!' ordered Ryoko.

Shiro laughed. 'What harm can she do with the gems?' "Ahhhh!" The sword drew images from Ryoko's memories, and forced Shiro to see them.

"No!" Ryoko tried to pull her hand away from the sword. "Ahhhh!" The sword now drew images from Shiro's memories.

*

Ryoko was in a blue room, which seemed huge to her four-year-old body. 'Home?' The television played a kung fu movie. A heroic swordsman fought the evil woman who killed his brothers. Ryoko cheered, and a 37-year-old man cheered with her. 'Papa?'

A 29-year-old woman entered the room. 'Mama?'

"Dinner's ready!" She ordered Papa to turn off the TV. Ryoko threw a tantrum. Papa laughed and asked Mama to let her finish the movie. Mama put her hands on her hips. "Stop spoiling him!" She pretended to be angry, but Ryoko knew she'd give in.

Shadows reached for her. The windows shattered, scaring Ryoko. Men in black flew into the room. Papa reached under his coat, drew a pistol, and fired it. A man in black fell, dropping his machine gun. Other men in black fired their guns. Blood erupted from Papa's chest, like the fountain in the park.

"Papa!"

Mama laid on top of Ryoko's body. Ryoko felt Mama's body shake, saw a red liquid flow from her mouth, and smelled something salty and metallic. She was scared, trapped beneath Mama's corpse, unable to free herself from the death that enveloped her.

"Help!"

*

"So much pain." Shiro's voice awakened Ryoko from the sword's spell. His eyes held compassion, born of sorrow. "I'll give you the wings, so you can fly."

Ryoko gasped as the power flowed from the sword, into her veins. She saw two of the gems appear on her wrists, like opening eyes. She felt the gem on her throat. "Yes! I'm complete...!" Ryoko stopped smiling. Shiro had turned his back to her as he placed the sword on top of the shelf. "Shiro?" He ignored her as he exited the office.

Ryoko became intangible, and flew through the door without opening it. The soldiers who guarded the Merlin screamed. She ignored them as she approached the north tower, tracking Shiro's scent. Click! Ryoko saw Shiro walk through a door, carrying a suitcase. "Shiro!" She embraced him, kissed him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." His eyes were cold and hard again, hiding his compassion behind professionalism. He pushed her away and approached the stairwell.

"Wait!" She grabbed his hand. "Let me express my gratitude." Ryoko rubbed her breasts against Shiro's arm.

"I don't have time for this." He pulled his arm away and walked down the stairs.

Ryoko heard someone walk up the stairs. "Leaving already, Master Shiro?" asked Desmond.

"Yes." The sound of Shiro's feet became quiet as he walked away. He seemed to whisper the words, "Take care of Ryoko."

Ryoko concealed her surprise. 'I understand them. How...? Shiro's memories.'

Desmond stepped onto the floor. "Ah, Miss Ryoko! What would you like for dinner?"

"Where's he going?"

The sound of the helicopter's rotors permeated the hallway. "He's probably going to Japan..." Desmond gasped as Ryoko became intangible and flew through the wall. "I need some rest."

*

Day Six, Wednesday. 1100 hr, Pacific Time. "All circuits are operational." "The initial contact has no problems." "Power has been transmitted to the brachial muscle in..."

"Yawn..." Shiro struggled to stay awake. After he left Lionheart, he spent seven restless hours in the copilot seat of a B-3 Stormbringer bomber. When he arrived at NERV USA's 2nd branch at Lee-Figueroa Air Force Base (AFB), Nevada, he spent two hours taking a flight aptitude test; the Americans didn't believe that, in 60 days, Shiro had learned more from a Royal Air Force (RAF) veteran than he could from 52 weeks in flight school. After Shiro passed the test, he spent three hours at the infirmary, receiving a medical examination. Then he spent another hour at the pistol range, qualifying with the MK23. Now he was locked in Unit 04's cockpit, while...

*

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang! Sparks flew from Ryoko and Shiro's blades as they locked their swords together, trying to overpower their opponent. Shiro could see his own anger on the mirror surface of Ryoko's demon mask. He could see Ryoko's eyes and mouth through the openings in the mask. They held no emotion, as if Ryoko was a stone statue, without a heart to give rise to emotions.

The pommel of his sword crashed against Shiro's chest as Ryoko overpowered him, pushing him back. Shiro's superior technique couldn't overcome Ryoko's superior strength and speed, it could only shield him as Ryoko slashed wildly. 'An opening!' Shiro dodged Ryoko's next attack and slashed her right arm.

"Howl!" Ryoko's Light Hawk (LH) Sword dissipated as she clutched her bleeding wrist. Shiro raised his sword...

"Argh!" He almost dropped the Sword of Heaven and Earth when the energy bolt struck his back. Ryoko quickly moved behind Shiro, pinned his arms to his sides, and spun 180 degrees. Shiro saw his real enemy's face. "Kagato!"

Kagato smiled. "Goodbye, Yosho." He lunged...

*

"Wake up!" screamed 2nd Lt Clifton James.

"Ahhhh!" Shiro drew his pistol. The Eva sensed his alarm; rails guided its pistol-- a 280 mm automatic cannon resembling the MK23-- from the weapons bay in its right vambrace, to its hand.

The cannon was aimed at the control booth on the hangar ceiling. Its muzzle was a shark's mouth, and Clifton was its lunch. He raised his arms to surrender. "Okay, okay, you can go back to sleep!"

Dr Holly Goodhead, an engineer from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), frowned at Clifton. "It's not loaded, dumbass." She turned to the monitor. "Everything's,"-- a warning appeared-- "not under control. Pilot Bond, I did not give you permission to start the S² engine."

Shiro concealed his surprise; he didn't consciously start the S² engine. "Will you give me permission to shut off the engine?"

Holly sighed. "Never mind. Get ready for takeoff." As Shiro returned the MK23 to the holster at his right thigh, Unit 04 returned its pistol to the weapons bay.

"Release the lock bolts." "1st lock bolt, released." "2nd lock bolt, released." "Remove the 2nd bindings." "Disengage safety locks, numbers one through 15." "S² engine is in the green." "Internal fuel cells are fully charged." "Fuel is at 100%." "Open the hangar doors." "Hangar doors are opening." "Runway is clear."

"Unit 04, you're cleared for takeoff," said Holly.

Shiro was trained to pilot Unit 02, which had two pedals to control the legs, and two sticks at his side to control the arms. Unit 04 had one stick at his right side, one stick in the center, and a throttle at his left side to control its thermonuclear turbines. He pushed the right control stick and stepped on the left pedal, ordering the Eva to swing its right arm forward as it stepped forward with its left foot. Then he pushed the throttle as he stepped on the right pedal. "Ahhhh!" The sudden thrust threw the Eva off balance, disconnecting the umbilical cable that provided electrical power to Unit 04. As it fell, Shiro ordered the Eva to curl into a ball. With surprising agility, the Eva rolled forward three times before it jumped back on its feet.

"Sigh." Holly doubted that Shiro was able to pilot Unit 04; apparently, he didn't know how to control it. "Just think of walking. You can think, can't you?"

"Yes, Madam." Shiro found the stick that controlled the left arm. The Eva began walking, faster and faster.

"Pilot Bond, decelerate," ordered Holly. "You're speed is excessive, and may result in..."

Shiro ignored the orders. His heart beat in sync with the Eva's, faster and faster, stronger and stronger... Unit 04 jumped. Shiro's instincts told him to push the throttle, and to press a switch on the throttle. The Eva transformed: the gorget swung over Unit 04's mask to form a nose cone, wings unfolded from the backplate, and tailplanes unfolded from greaves. The Eva-jet climbed like a rocket.

"Pilot Bond, what the hell are you doing?!" demanded Clifton.

"Performing my duties as a test pilot." Shiro smiled.

"Pilot Bond..."

Lieutenant General Charles Russhon, Junior, commander of the AFB, also known as Area 51, put his hand on Clifton's shoulder. "Let him be," ordered Russhon. "I want to see what the Eva's capable of." He watched the Eva perform loops, rolls, and other aerobatics.

*

1900 hr, Tokyo Time. Captain Katsuragi Misato emptied the coffee cup with one swig. Although she didn't enjoy eating at Macrossnald's, she didn't have the time to find another restaurant. She'd been working late, skipping meals, and losing sleep since...

'Don't think about it.' She couldn't let her grief distract her. She had work to do... after dinner. She closed her eyes as she raised the cheeseburger to her mouth.

"Ahhhh!" "Ghost!" "Get away from me!" Clatter!

Misato opened her eyes and put down the burger. The cashiers and customers had fled through the doors and windows. The only other person in the restaurant was a girl with blue-green hair and yellow eyes, wearing denim jeans and a leather jacket.

Ryoko approached Misato. "Where's Shiro Bond?"

Misato examined the girl. 'Shiro has a new girlfriend? She looks like What's-Her-Name Kinuko, that rock musician. Shiro likes rock music?' "Bond? He's in America." 'He's too damn secretive.'

"What?! You mean I flew 10,000 kilometers for nothing?!" (Ryoko could only teleport to locations she'd memorized.)

"Calm down! He-- he'll be here in three days."

"Three days?!"

Misato held the carton of French fries before Ryoko. "Are you hungry?" Ryoko grabbed the carton, tilted her head back, and dumped the fries into her mouth. 'My, what sharp teeth you have.' "You're welcome. Now, do you have a place to stay?

"Stay?" Ryoko frowned, thinking. "I can't stay. I want him now."

Misato sensed Ryoko's urgency, but she doubted that Ryoko was authorized to visit Lee-Figueroa AFB. "Then make him want you. Stay, and make him wait to see you. Make him miss you."

Ryoko remembered how coldly Shiro treated her. "Okay." 'I'll make Shiro love me.'

Misato smiled. "Great! I have a spare bedroom at my condo. You can stay there until Shiro arrives."

Ryoko returned the smile. "Thanks."

"By the way, I'm..." Di da di! Misato raised her cellular phone to her ear. "Katsuragi Misato... What?!"

Ryoko looked out the window. Although she didn't hear the warning that Misato received, she sensed something powerful approach the city.

Misato pocketed her phone. "Miss, there's an emergency. I..." She gasped as Ryoko became intangible and flew through the ceiling. "I need a vacation." Misato ran through the door, towards her car.

*

1210 hr, Pacific Time. Unit 04 dived, pointing a finger at the F-22 Raptor fighter that flew chase. The radar and infrared (IR) sensors were tracking the Raptor; Shiro was confident that he could destroy any enemy interceptors. Unit 04 flipped backwards, moved behind the Raptor, and began chasing its chase plane.

"Pilot Bond," called Russhon. "We've received a priority one message from NERV." A tense moment of silence followed as he glanced at the image from the satellite. Russhon still doubted his own eyes. "An Angel is attacking Tokyo."

Shiro concealed his shock. He thought he had more time to prepare himself before the Angels returned. "In a bit of a rush, aren't they?"

"Return to base," ordered Russhon. "Refuel and rearm."

Unit 04 landed vertically, its legs extended and its turbines blazing. It entered the hangar, where argon was sprayed to cool down its armor. After the inert gas dissipated, airmen attached a grounding cable to the Eva's right heel before they refueled Unit 04.

"Fuel is at 100%."

Four trucks, each carrying two pistol magazines, stopped at the Eva's left side. Shiro grabbed a magazine, examined the projectiles within it, and inserted it into a pistol's magazine well. He loaded the other pistol and placed the remaining magazines into the six "ammo pouches" on the Eva's breastplate. The trucks drove away, and were immediately replaced by four more trucks, each carrying a four-missile launcher for the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). Although Shiro doubted the missiles would be effective against the Angel, he loaded the launchers into the weapons bays on the collarbones.

"Performing self-test of missile system... System is go."

"Pilot Bond, we are reprogramming the guidance system to take the optimal flight path to New Tokyo-3," noted Holly. "Do not, I say again, do not attempt to fly it by yourself. At Mach five plus, one microscopic mistake on your part will magnify itself to colossal and catastrophic proportions."

Russhon shut off the radio and turned to Holly. "Is the system reliable? Can the Eva fly at hypersonic speed without destroying itself?"

"I don't know, Sir. We used a variation of the X-43's guidance system, but we didn't have time to perform beta testing on the system. As for the Eva's structural integrity... Well..."

"So for all we know, Evangelion Unit 04 is a $100,000,000,000 snowball with Pilot Bond rolled up inside it, and we're about to drop it in hell."

"Yes, Sir."

Russhon sighed. "We have to give it a chance. Is the reprogramming complete?"

Holly glanced at the monitor. "Yes, Sir."

Russhon looked into the hangar. Unit 04 had armed itself, and the trucks had exited the hangar. He turned on the radio. "Unit 04, you're cleared for takeoff."

*

1920, Tokyo Time. Misato gripped her silver cross, her only weapon against the despair that had invaded her heart, as she stared at the images she received from the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Sachiel, the Angel of Water, was approaching the crater that was NERV HQ; it ignored the fighters that strafed and bombed it from the air, and the tanks that shelled it from behind. Colonel What's-His-Name, the Japanese Strategic Self-Defense Force (JSSDF) liaison, was screaming at her. She ignored him, refusing to let him use a N² bomb against the Angel.

Beep, beep! 1st Lt Hyuga Makoto, an intelligence specialist who served under Misato, answered the phone. "Ma'am, it's the Americans! They've scrambled Unit 04...!"

"Which will arrive two hours later," finished Misato. "By then, it will be too late."

"Deploy the N² bomb," a non-nuclear weapon whose power rivaled that of a tactical nuclear weapon, "immediately!" screamed What's-His-Name.

Misato laughed. Despair was victorious. "What's the point? The N² bomb will kill us before it'll kill the Angel."

"But it will kill the Angel." His face became red with anger as Misato continued to laugh. "Stop it, stop it, stop it! I...!"

"Ma'am!" called Makoto. "The Angel has been engaged!"

Misato turned to the monitor. A 40-meter-tall humanoid was shooting energy bolts at the Angel, which staggered under the attack. "Is that Evangelion Unit 04?"

"I don't know, Ma'am. It's not responding to the IFF," identification friend or foe, "interrogator, and I can't contact the pilot, whoever he is."

The humanoid's head looked like a human head. Misato noticed that its mouth was opening and closing, as if it were talking. She opened the command and control (C²) vehicle's door to hear the humanoid's voice.

Ryoko's voice thundered in the C² vehicle. "... city is Shiro's city!" Boom! "It's where he'll fall in love with me!" Boom! "Now get lost!" Boom!

"She even looks like a Knight Saber," deadpanned Misato.

The liaison joined Misato outside the C² vehicle. "What...?"

"A Knight Saber, from that movie with What's-Her-Name Kinuko."

"That thing is Omori Kinuko?!"

"No, she's the new girlfriend." Misato turned to the liaison. "Leave her alone."

The liaison decided to take Misato's advice, and ordered the JSSDF air and ground forces to disengage the Angel.

*

Bony spines extended from the Angel's wrists and elbows as Ryoko formed a LH Sword in her right hand, transferring energy from defensive systems to the offensive. Crash! The sword locked together with the spines on both of the Angel's wrists. Flash! The Angel shot an energy bolt from its eyes. Ryoko formed a sword in her left hand and used it to parry the bolt. She continued the sword's movement, swinging it at the Angel's side. Sparks flew as the sword cut into the Angel's AT field. The Angel rolled to its left, away from its enemy. It was too late; blood flowed from a deep cut on its right arm. "Game over!" Ryoko charged...

"Howl!" A whip lashed her back, knocking her onto the ground. The whip encircled Ryoko's neck and lifted her into the air. The Angel took advantage of this, and shot a hail of bolts at her. Ryoko desperately parried the bolts with her left hand, as she gripped the whip with her right hand. The pressure against her throat became lighter. Ryoko heard a shriek as she cut the whip in two. As the Angel charged, she launched herself into the air and removed the whip from her neck, preparing herself for another attack. Strangely, Sachiel ignored her; he attacked Shamshel, the Angel of the Sun, and the one who whipped her.

"Victory!" Ryoko shot the two Angels. They turned towards her as one, and returned fire. "Shit!" Ryoko somersaulted backwards, dodging the bolts. Shamshel rocketed towards her, followed by Sachiel.

*

2120 hr. Unit 04's armor glowed fiery red as it dived, a shooting star lighting up the sky. Shiro saw a humanoid, a giant bird, and a giant squid fight each other. Although Ryoko had transformed into a demon, Shiro was still able to identify her. He recovered control from the guidance system, and altered the flight path. Unit 04 dived towards Sachiel, its right hand closed into a fist, its arm extended.

Boom! The kinetic energy of a 216,634 kilogram object traveling at Mach 5.05 (6184.79 km/h at sea level) was 4143.30 gigajoules; Unit 04's AT field generated 4181.72 GJ. The Eva's punch, focusing 1.98973 kilotons of energy like a laser instead of spreading it like a light bulb, penetrated Sachiel's AT field, worn away by its battle with Ryoko and Shamshel. A clattering sound, like shattering glass, was audible when Unit 04 touched the Angel. Sachiel's S² organ exploded, throwing Unit 04 away from the scattered pieces of its body.

"Ahhhh-howl!" Shiro's voice fused with the Eva's as Unit 04 landed on its back.

Ryoko hovered over the Eva, aiming her sword at its throat. It smelled like an Angel, but it looked like the suits of armor that were displayed in Lionheart Castle. 'Where did it come from? Is it my enemy?'

Shiro turned on the loudspeakers. "Hello, Ryoko."

"Shiro!" Ryoko's swords dissipated as she lifted the Eva onto its knees and held its head to her breasts. Screech! "You came for me!" Shiro clenched his teeth as Ryoko's bony armor scratched Unit 04's mask.

"Pilot Bond!" Misato's voice flooded the cockpit. "Stop playing around! The Angel...!"

Shiro sensed the Angel approach him. He pushed Ryoko onto the ground, out of his line of fire.

"Hey...!" Ryoko's eyes followed Unit 04's arm. Shamshel hovered above Sachiel's corpse. Dead tissue flew to Shamshel, and was given new life. AMRAAMs and 280 mm projectiles detonated harmlessly, uselessly, against the reinforced AT field that the Angel generated during its transformation. Finally, the fusion of the two Angels rocketed towards them.

Unit 04 embraced Ryoko. Together, they rolled out of the Archangel's path. "That was fun," deadpanned Shiro. Unit 04 jumped onto its feet and reloaded its pistol-- the ejected magazine deployed an airbag landing system, preventing damage so it could be reused-- to circle and strafe the Archangel. Flash, flash, flash! Shiro tried to jump over the bolts, but Unit 04's turbines, now pumping from empty fuel tanks, were unable to raise him high enough. Unit 04 tumbled onto the ground, tossed around by the Archangel's barrage. "Howl!"

"Shiro!" Ryoko charged. Flash, flash, flash! She parried the bolts and continued the sword's movement, swinging it at... Whip! A tentacle encircled her neck. 'Help!' The tentacle strangled Ryoko, trapping that word within her mouth. The Archangel raised its lower right arm. A spine extended from the wrist, reaching for her heart...

Unit 04 rammed its shoulder into the Archangel's side. Crash! Ryoko crawled away from the tangled arms, legs, and tentacles. "Cough, cough!" Thud! Ryoko turned rearward. The Archangel had thrown Unit 04 off of its body. "Shiro!" She charged. Boom! "Howl!" She painfully crashed into the Archangel's AT field.

The Archangel ignored Ryoko as its tentacle encircled Unit 04's neck and lifted its doppelganger off of the ground. It was more efficient to kill its enemies one by one. The doppelganger howled as electrical energy flowed from the tentacle. The pain spread from the neck, down the spinal cord, down to every nerve in the doppelganger's body. If the Archangel had lips, they'd have curled into a smile.

"Shiro!" Ryoko's fists struck harmlessly, helplessly, against the AT field. "No!"

Slash! "Shriek!" The Archangel's tentacle became a fountain of blood. Unit 04 had focused its AT field into a sword, the same way Ryoko had focused her LH Wings. The sword circled and silenced the Archangel. Unit 04's feet touched the ground and stepped backwards.

"Shiro?" Ryoko stood beside Unit 04, shielding it with her own LH Wings.

Splash! The Archangel's body split apart, spilling blood onto Ryoko and Unit 04's feet.

"He's a bit on edge," deadpanned Shiro. His chest felt tight; as he put his hands over his chest, he saw a red liquid flow upwards, into his line of sight. 'Am I dying?' The young man wasn't surprised by this possibility, but by the serenity with which he accepted it.

Ryoko saw the Eva kneeled down and put its hands over its chest, as if it was praying. Concerned, she entered Unit 04's cockpit. "Oh my God! Shiro...!"

"I'm fine."

"It smells like blood!"

"It's the LCL. The liquid fills the cockpit and feeds oxygen to my lungs." Shiro's blood had dissolved in the LCL, making the lie credible.

Ryoko smiled. "In that case, let's celebrate!"

"Celebrate what?"

"Your victory!"

Shiro returned the smile. "I can never say, 'No,' to a lady..." He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

"Sigh." Ryoko embraced Shiro. 'Sleep, and sleep peacefully, my dear. I'll protect you.'

***

To be continued...

0 hr, Cybertron Time. Planet Cybertron traveled through the galaxy like a giant hearse. It had no sun for it to orbit, no light to shine its metal shell, no warmth to heat its rocky core. No fires burned, and no shadows were cast; a metallic scratching, like a mechanical ghost's voice, was the only sound that echoed within the depths of its catacombs. Stasis pods lined the catacomb walls, like metal coffins.

Despite the haunting silence that permeated it, Cybertron wasn't a dead world. Warriors rested within the pods, conserving energy. They were waiting for an alarm to sound, for another battle to begin. They had waited for 3,650,000 Stellar Cycles (SC), or 4,000,000 Earth years.

The wait was over. Radar and radio antennas extended from Cybertron's surface, standing at attention like silent sentinels. They detected an energy signature, which was analyzed by Teletran-1 and compared to a record in the supercomputer's memory. Beep, beep, beep! Alpha Trion limped to a console. Unlike the other Transformers, Alpha didn't enter stasis. His duty was to maintain the stasis pods, and monitor Teletran-1 as it searched for energy sources. If the energy source were powerful enough, he'd awaken more Transformers, who'd harness the energy and use it to revive Cybertron. "By the Matrix!" He must awaken the other Transformers immediately, even though this would deplete Cybertron's limited energy supplies to critical levels; they faced a greater crisis. Teletran-1 had detected Angolomois energy, generated by Unicron the Chaos-Bringer, who once sought Cybertron's destruction and the Transformers' extinction, and who nearly succeeded.

Shockwave was the first to awaken, followed by Grimlock. 9,125,000 SC ago, the Cybertron Civil War began; they were enemies, fighting in opposing armies. 3,650,000 SC ago, Unicron came; they became allies, fighting a common foe. Now that Angolomois energy was detected, they were needed again.

"Report," ordered Shockwave.

"One hour ago, Teletran-1 detected an energy signature, being radiated from Sol-3," Planet Earth's designation. "The signature was identified as Angolomois energy, with a 97.0% probability."

"Impossible!" exclaimed Grimlock. "We scrapped Unicron!"

"Correction, we had confirmed the destruction of 60 to 80% of Unicron's frame," stated Shockwave. "Unicron's central processing unit was not among the components whose destruction was confirmed by the sensor records."

Grimlock turned to Shockwave. "Why do you fear a severed head? It's powerless without a body for it to control."

"We fear the unknown, and Unicron is an unknown," said Alpha. "We do not know how powerless, or powerful, he is."

"Then we must act quickly!" demanded Grimlock.

"Alpha Trion, send a probe to Sol-3," ordered Shockwave. "Grimlock, awaken a squad of the most powerful warriors. I will prepare a shuttle."

At 2 hr, a probe was launched from the recently repaired electromagnetic launcher. At 8 hr, Grimlock had awakened the Autobot warriors Slag, Sludge, Swoop, and Snarl, and the Decepticon seekers Starscream, Dirge, Thrust, and Ramjet. The Decepticon military transport Astrotrain was repaired, and was listening to Shockwave's report.

"How will we fight the Chaos-Bringer?" asked Astrotrain. "The Matrix was lost with Optimus Prime," the Autobot Supreme Commander who used the Matrix to destroy Unicron, and who gave his life in the process. "None of our weapons were effective against Unicron 3,650,000 SC ago, and I see no reason why they'd be effective now."

"Then we will research and develop new weapons," answered Shockwave. "We will find a way to fight Unicron." His voice was monotonous, expressing neither doubt, nor confidence. Astrotrain could only guess which emotions the apparently emotionless Shockwave held.

At 96 hr, the probe transmitted an image of a crater, which radiated a strong signature. It then transmitted images of a construct in Europe, the underground structure it shielded, and the rail transportation systems that serviced it. This construct radiated a weaker signature. An alert was transmitted from the construct, and a laser beam struck the probe. Although the laser had no effect on the probe, Shockwave ordered the probe to self-destruct.

The warriors and the seekers were practicing hand-to-hand combat and marksmanship, respectively. Shockwave terminated their training, and ordered the warriors to hear Alpha's report.

"Sol-3 is inhabited by sentient beings, which identify themselves 'humans.' Angolomois energy has been detected at this human construct, which we believe is both a fortified factory. There's a 59.3% probability that the humans are manufacturing components for Unicron, although there's only a 23.6% probability that they are able to assemble these components into an actual frame."

"Then we'll just exterminate these humans!" declared Starscream.

"No!" protested Alpha. "That's...!"

Starscream aimed his cannons at Alpha. "Silence! As Decepticon Air Commander, my word is law!" The other seekers followed their leader, and aimed their machine guns at Alpha.

Grimlock stepped in front of Alpha, shielding him. "Your word is exhaust fumes!" The edge of his sword was at Starscream's throat, the barrel of his cannon at Ramjet's head. The other Autobots followed their leader.

Astrotrain instinctively reached for his rifle, but Shockwave slapped his hand away from his weapons bay. Shockwave stepped between Grimlock and Starscream, and slammed his forearm against the Decepticon Air Commander.

"Eek!" cried Starscream as he fell.

"Terminate this nonsense, immediately!" ordered Shockwave. "We cannot afford to fight a second Civil War, not when Unicron threatens to scrap us all, Decepticon and Autobot alike!" The other Transformers, reluctant to challenge Shockwave, lowered their weapons. "Now," he turned to Alpha, "what course of action do you propose?"

"I propose the launch of a preemptive strike to destroy this construct and the components they're manufacturing. There's no need to exterminate the humans. In fact, they might thank us for freeing them from Unicron's influence."

Starscream laughed as he stood up. "Do you really expect the humans to let us destroy their construct? For all we know, they may have offered to repair Unicron in exchange for some of his power."

Alpha calmly turned to Starscream. "We shall see."

Shockwave turned to Astrotrain. "Astrotrain, transform." Astrotrain obeyed, transforming into a space shuttle. The seekers and the warriors entered the cargo bay. Shockwave entered the cockpit. "Astrotrain, takeoff. Destination: Sol-3." The shuttle flew away from Cybertron, its engines lighting up the planet's dark sky, the first light that Cybertron had seen in 3,650,000 SC.

***

DEATH IS NEVER THE END, Part 2

An Evangelion crossover by Sidewinder (aim9snake@hotmail.com), 2003, last revised 2007. Based on Ian Fleming, Kawamori Shoji, Fujishima Kosuke, AIC, Gainax, Hasbro, Marvel, and Takara's works.

2130 hr. Misato waited as the fire trucks sprayed water onto Unit 04, whose armor still glowed from the heat it absorbed during its hypersonic flight. After the Archangel was defeated, the humanoid disappeared. The C² vehicle's data recorder had recorded the dialogue between Shiro and the humanoid, which filled Misato with questions. 'What was the humanoid? An ally? An enemy? What kind of relationship did it have with Shiro? Did it act under the Shiro's influence, or vice versa? Was Shiro an ally, or an enemy?' Misato needed the answers.

A technician touched the prone Eva's armor with a gloved hand before he touched it with a bare hand. He turned to Misato and nodded.

Misato pressed the TRANSMIT button on her radio headset. "Pilot Bond, the external temperature's within tolerable limits. You can safely exit the entry plug."

"Thank you." A hatch on the back of Unit 04's neck slid open. The entry plug extended from Unit 04's neck before it opened. Shiro climbed out of the plug. Ryoko hovered beside him, holding his left forearm. Clatter, clatter! UN peacekeepers placed the selector levers on their G36 5.56 mm combat rifles to AUTO and aimed the G36s at Ryoko.

Shiro stepped in front of Ryoko, shielding her. "Is something the matter, Missy?"

"Pilot Bond, step away from the... bandit," ordered Misato, using the term for enemy aircraft. She didn't know what else to call Ryoko.

Shiro laughed. "Missy, does she look like a MiG?" He pointed his left thumb rearwards, at Ryoko. His right hand was at his side, ready to draw his pistol.

"Pilot Bond, we know the bandit is powerful enough to fight an Angel. Until we know more about it, we must restrain it."

"No! I won't let you take away my freedom!" Ryoko jumped above Shiro and raised a sword, ready to slash.

"No!" Shiro grabbed Ryoko's free hand and pulled her downwards.

During this time, the peacekeepers kept Ryoko in the their gunsights, even when Shiro was in the line of fire. The bullets could continue flying after penetrating Shiro's body, allowing them to hit Ryoko. "Don't shoot!" ordered Misato. She turned to Shiro. "Pilot Bond, step away from the bandit."

Shiro ignored Misato. "Run," he ordered. "Get to safety."

Ryoko's eyes were wide with surprise. "What about you?"

"I must stay. I answer to them." He turned rearward, to Ryoko. "You do not. Run."

Ryoko sensed that Shiro was resolute; she could do nothing to change his mind. She hovered three meters above the ground. "If Shiro Bond comes to harm, I'll kill you all, I'll kill your families, and I'll kill your friends." She disappeared.

"Gasp!" "Ahhhh!" "Ghost!"

*

Day Seven, Thursday. 0150 hr. "In 1292, Sir Roger I, Baron of Lionheart, left the safety of his castle to fight in the Wars of Independence." Shiro had heard this story many times, and now narrated it with skill that equaled Desmond's. "Lady Diana, the Baron's wife, prayed daily for the safe return of her husband. During one stormy night, a demon came, a giant that stood head and shoulders above the castle towers. Brave men took up arms in defense of Lionheart Hamlet, but they all fell beneath the demon's terrible strength. The deaths of these brave men did nothing to quench the demon's thirst for blood. It flew towards the castle, where Lady Diana prayed for salvation.

"Her prayer was answered; before the demon could destroy the castle, a shooting star lit up the sky. A gallant knight-errant, Sir Yosho, appeared beneath the star, and fought the demon. Their battle raged throughout the night; the countryside quaked, and the sky thundered, from the clashing of their swords. Finally, the sun rose, and burned away the storm clouds. Invigorated by the sunlight, Sir Yosho leaped into the air. With a mighty roar, he thrust his sword through the demon's throat. The demon's body was buried beneath the chapel, where it remains,"-- Shiro remembered that he had freed the demon-- "where it remained until two days ago.

"After the battle, Sir Yosho collapsed, bleeding from a hundred wounds. He was carried into the north tower, where Lady Diana personally treated him, in gratitude for his heroism. During the next three days, Sir Yosho's terrible wounds were miraculously healed. He bid Lady Diana farewell, and left to help other people in need. Before he left, Sir Yosho thrust his sword into the demon's coffin, to lock away the demon's power.

"The day after Sir Yosho left, God answered Lady Diana's other prayer. The Baron returned, having fallen off of his horse before the battle. Although he was denied the honor of fighting that battle, he was given another honor nine months later, when Lady Diana gave birth to their son. Sir Roger II became one of the heroes of the War of Independence, fighting beside Robert the Bruce in a dozen battles.

"Time has changed the land. The Wars of Independence are now but a distant memory, as are the brave men who fought it. Charles I had stripped the Bond family of our title, and ordered the razing of the Lionheart Castle. After the Civil War, the hamlet was renamed Lazenby. But the Bond family's honor remains, because men like my grandfather are willing to fight for it. Now I must fight for it." Desmond always ended the story with this reminder, that Shiro must uphold the family honor.

Misato stared at Shiro, who seemed invigorated by the narration. She was worn out, as if she was the one who endured a four-hours-long interrogation, not Shiro. She took a deep breath. "So is Ryoko a living weapon, created by a madman named Kagato? Or is she a demon?"

"That depends on who you'll believe in, the Sword of Heaven and Earth, or Desmond."

"Desmond?"

"Desmond Llewelyn, caretaker of Lionheart Castle. Nice fellow, if a bit superstitious."

Misato stood up and slammed her fist against the table. "Do you think I'm stupid?! Do you think I'm going to believe a fairy tale?!"

Shiro shrugged. "You can call my grandfather. He's familiar with the local legends."

"I will. Guards!" called Misato. Four peacekeepers entered the room. "Escort Pilot Bond to his cell."

*

Shiro laid on the cot, staring at the surveillance camera that was hidden behind a false brick in the wall. The cell enclosed him like a coffin. There were no windows; the only light source was a lamp on the ceiling, which was now shut off. His own mind wasn't as calm as the cell; he was angry with himself for suppressing the memory of the assassination. 'How can I dishonor the memory of my parents?'

Arms emerged from the cot, and curled to embrace him. Shiro instinctively rolled off of the cot, onto his feet, and assumed a combat stance. The intruder's head and shoulders emerged from the cot. "Good morning, Ryoko."

Ryoko sadly stared at Shiro. "Do you hate me?"

"Miss?"

"I want to make love to you, but you won't make love to me. Why? Do you think I'm a monster? Do you hate me because I...?"

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you." Shiro watched Ryoko fully emerge from the cot and sit beside him. "If you killed those people out of your own free will, I'd hate you for being a monster. But you never had free will; Kagato trained you to think of yourself as a weapon in his hands, and nothing else. This... is an unpleasant reminder of my current situation, where NERV sees me as a weapon in their hands, and expects me to see myself as one. This frightens me."

"Don't be." Ryoko reached for him.

Shiro leaned forward until his nose touched Ryoko's. The girl blushed, expecting a kiss. "Excuse me, I have to call my grandfather," he whispered, not knowing that Ryoko disabled the hidden camera and microphone. 'With his aid, I'll avenge my parents.'

"To bless our union?"

Shiro suppressed his laughter as he activated his codec. "Black Bishop, this is Black Knight, over."

Instead of his grandfather, Shiro saw a young woman with dark-brown hair and eyes, and three blue diamonds tattooed on her forehead and cheeks. "Bonjour Mon Cherie!" greeted the unidentified woman. "You've reached the Goddess Relief Office!"

Shiro frowned. "Who are you? How did you get this frequency?"

The woman giggled. "The answer to your first question is Peorth, Goddess 1st Class, unlimited license. As for your second question... I should answer it in person." The light was suddenly turned on, forcing Shiro and Ryoko to squint. Their eyes instinctively focused on what was being illuminated. Rose petals rained down from the ceiling; the cell became a stage, and the performing magician appeared as the petals settled onto the floor, coating it with perfume. "Ta-dah!" Shiro put Peorth in a chokehold. "Ack!"

"I say again, who are you, and how did you hack into MI6's codec net?" Shiro loosened his grip slightly, letting Peorth talk.

"I'm Peorth, Goddess 1st Class, unlimited license. I came from the Goddess Relief Office. From there, I have access to all information on Earth and its inhabitants."

Shiro tightened his grip. "Where is the Goddess Relief Office? FSB Headquarters, Number 1/3 Lubyanka Square, Moscow?" Shiro suspected that Peorth served the Russian Federal Security Service. "Or are you GRU?" the Russian military intelligence agency. He loosened his grip slightly.

"Stop being so damn paranoid! I don't serve the people who tried to kill you!"

"But you know who did, don't you?"

"Osato Kenshin! He hired Francisco Scaramanga!"

"The Japanese PM?" Prime Minister. "Why would he...?"

"Because you pilot the American Eva, and America is a Chinese ally! Osato wants to sabotage the American Evangelion Project in order to prevent China from getting Evas, which they might use against Japan!"

"Why should I believe this conspiracy theory? What evidence...?" Shiro gasped as the evidence-- dozens of computer files-- were projected onto the lower left corner of his eye. $2,000,000 was transferred from Osato's bank account, through three dummy corporations, to Scaramanga's. The JSSDF viewed China as a direct threat, and targeted the nation with 12 of its 20 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) was concerned that Japan would threaten Chinese interests in the Spratly Islands, and considered targeting Japan with five more missiles, for a total of ten; China had 200 ICBMs. The PLA also offered financial and technical assistance to the USAF Evangelion Project. Osato...

Shiro released Peorth. "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted. Now, I'm here to grant you a wish, which, I hope, will help you realize your dream." Peorth raised her index finger. "However, you're allowed to have one wish only."

Shiro thought for a moment. "My parents..."

Peorth sadly shook her head. "I can't bring the dead back to life; that's forbidden. Nor can I help you take someone's life."

"Then leave."

"Excuse me?"

"I'll realize my dreams with my own power; I don't need yours."

"Hey!" Peorth stomped in frustration. "This is no way to treat a Goddess 1st Class! I'm offering you a chance of a lifetime!"

"What price will I pay for this offer?"

Peorth recovered her self-control; she must work hard to earn Shiro's trust. "You already earned it; you defeated the mutants and saved Japan."

"Mutants-- the Angels?"

"The monsters you fought weren't angels. This is an angel." Gorgeous Rose emerged from Peorth's back, mesmerizing Shiro with her beauty. "The monsters were..."

Click, clang! "Put your hands above your heads!" screamed the peacekeeper who burst into the cell. Misato and four other peacekeepers stood at the door, aiming their weapons at Shiro, Ryoko, and Peorth.

"Pilot Bond, what the hell is going on here?!" demanded Misato.

The angel dived into Peorth's back the goddess as turned to Misato. "At ease, soldiers. Here, have a drink."

Misato noticed a change in the grip of her Heckler and Koch Universal Self-loading Pistol (USP) 9 mm. She stared at her hand, and was shocked to see that she now held a beer can.

"What the...?" "My weapon!" Clink, clatter! The peacekeepers' G36s were also replaced by beer.

Misato stared at Peorth. "Who are you?"

Peorth posed, a supermodel at a fashion show. "I am Peorth, Goddess 1st Class, unlimited license."

Misato sensed that Peorth was telling the truth. "Now that I know who you are, can you tell me who, or what, is she?" She pointed at Ryoko.

"She's Ryoko, a living weapon. Hakubi Washu and Kagato created her. Later, Kagato imprisoned Washu, enslaved Ryoko, and hacked into Yggdrasil; we were lucky that Yosho killed him before he caused too much damage. Don't worry; now that Kagato's dead, Ryoko is free to live and love like a human being." Peorth turned to Shiro. "As I was saying... I should give you some explanations so you'd understand. Everything in your reality is run by the Yggdrasil supercomputer, from the planets' paths as they orbit the sun, to a red blood cell's path as it travels through a capillary."

"Like in 'The Matrix'?" Misato's favorite movie.

Peorth dismissively waved. "Yggdrasil isn't that sinister; it doesn't use mortals as batteries. Anyways, 15 Earth years ago, an unidentified individual hacked into Yggdrasil and crashed the programs controlling Earth's ecosystem and human evolution; what you call the 2nd Impact, and what you call Angels, are two consequences of this."

"Human evolution..." Fear pierced Misato's heart, like a dagger. "The monsters that attacked Tokyo; they were human?!"

"Don't worry!" Peorth smiled. "The chance of you becoming one of them is only 0.000000000167%!"

Misato recovered her self-control. "Was the 1st Angel the hacker?"

"The who?"

Misato sensed that Peorth wasn't acting. "The 1st Angel, the giant of light that appeared in Antarctica shortly before the 2nd Impact."

Peorth lowered her head in thought. "I should look into this. Unfortunately, the hacker had caused too much damage to let the system identify him, or to understand his methods."

"So you can't stop him from causing a 3rd Impact?" Misato frowned. "I don't think that's good enough for my commander." 'That's definitely not good enough for me.'

Peorth smiled. "Don't worry, I'll explain it to him." The goddess disappeared in another rain of rose petals.

Misato opened the can and emptied it with one swig. "Hooahhhh! I needed that." She turned to the peacekeepers. "Go ahead. I know you need them, too." The peacekeepers nodded to each other before they aped Misato.

Five minutes later, Misato's cell phone rang. "Capt Katsuragi," called Prof Fuyutsuki Kozo, Acting Commander of UN NERV.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Release Pilot Bond. I say again, release Pilot Bond."

"Yes, Sir."

*

0005, Berlin Time. Dr Samuel Langley, commander of NERV Germany's 1st branch, watched a record of the battle. Ryoko and Unit 04 fought the Archangel. "Is that an Eva?" he asked, pointing at Ryoko.

"Prof Fuyutsuki identified it as 'Evangelion Unit 01A'," answered Special Agent Kaji Ryoji. He sensed Langley's skepticism. "I'm sure he has an explanation for this."

"I'm sure." Langley believed Fuyutsuki and Ikari shared responsibility for the incident that destroyed New Tokyo-3.

Dr Elise Fidelio-Langley studied Unit 04's image. "I thought Unit 04's S² engine was inactivate."

"It was," answered Kaji. "No one could explain how Pilot Bond was able to do it."

"He received a medical examination when he arrived at the 2nd US branch," noted Langley. "Order Gen Russhon to transmit the data to me." Langley turned to his wife, the new director of the Evangelion Project. "Perhaps the thermonuclear turbines acted as the S² engine's starter motor. Can Unit 02 be retrofitted with these turbines?"

Elise was visibly shaken by the question. NERV intended to use thermonuclear turbines to power the Evas; the plan was cancelled after Unit 03's turbines overheated during a static test, damaging the Eva and forcing the pilot to eject. "Yes, but the risks..."

"Pilot Bond has proven that the risks are manageable."

"How Shiro activated the S² engine is only one of many things we don't know about Unit 04. Asuka," Langley's daughter, Unit 02's pilot, "may not be able to emulate him. If she loses control..."

"She will not. Now prepare Unit 02 for transportation. I will confer with the Committee."

"Yes, Sir." Elise exited Langley's office, followed by Kaji.

*

0815, Tokyo Time. A thunderstorm raged within Misato's head. She groaned as she rose from her desk, her improvised bed. "Ite, my back!" Misato identified the thunder as a hand knocking on her door, and glanced at her wristwatch. "Oh, shit!" She opened her office door.

"Ma'am," greeted 1st Lt Hyuga Makoto. "NATO liaisons have arrived. They're currently meeting with Pilot Bond."

'So soon?' "Why didn't they contact me?" As the operations officer, Misato had authority over the Eva pilots; any contact between them and NERV was supposed to be arranged through her.

"They had documents identifying Bond as a RAF officer; legally, the British military has final authority over him."

Misato read between the lines. "So he won't help us if the Americans or the English disagree with our course of action, and we can't court martial him for disobeying orders." She remembered seeing USAF insignia on Unit 04's wings and forearms. "Do they have documents declaring that Unit 04 is the property of the US government?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"They don't trust us, do they?"

"I don't blame them. The Incident had caused the UN member nations to doubt our control over the Evas."

"We never had control over them; we only pretended to." Misato put on her uniform jacket as she exited the office. "Where's Pilot Bond?"

Shiro was in the Eva cage, where USAF crewmembers were servicing Unit 04. When Misato tried to enter the cage, USAF security policemen (SPs) intercepted her. "Ma'am, you're not cleared to enter this area," stated a SP.

"Bullshit! Who's your commander?!"

A heavyset man, wearing a battle dress uniform (BDU) and body armor, approached the cage door. "Lt Clifton James, US Air Force. How may I help you, Ma'am?" he asked in heavily accented Japanese.

"I'm Capt Katsuragi Misato, operations officer of NERV Japan! Your MP is giving me bullshit about my not being cleared to enter the cage! Of course I'm cleared to enter this area, just as I'm cleared to enter any area on this base! And don't you dare claim otherwise!"

"He's an Air Force security policeman, not a military policeman. And while this is your base, that,"-- Clifton pointed his thumb rearwards, at Unit 04-- "is our robot. And don't you dare claim otherwise."

Misato wanted to slap Clifton until his face was as red as a ripe tomato, but she knew the SPs would shoot her if she succumbed to her anger. "Fine! Don't expect us to help you if an Angel attacks Washington!" Her footsteps seemed to shake the floor as she left.

*

0500 hr, Berlin Time. Soryu Asuka Langley, the 2nd Child, looked out the window as the transport plane took off; this might be the last time she saw Berlin. When her stepmother called her at 0020, Asuka heard the fear in Elise's voice; although she was ready to be deployed, and had kept a suitcase packed with toiletries and three changes of clothing, Asuka was still surprised by Elise's message. "How's Shiro?" she asked as the city shrank.

"He's fine," answered Elise. She knew that Asuka still cared for Shiro, although their relationship ended three months ago.

"Don't worry, Capt Katsuragi is protecting him," added Kaji. He noticed Asuka's frown. "Are you jealous?"

"Jealous?" Asuka laughed, hiding that emotion behind mockery. "I'm not jealous, I just feel sorry for Misato; that man will drive her insane!"

"Or vice versa." Kaji laughed with Asuka; his laughter was drowned by a comment that rose from the depths of his memory. "Did Shiro really try to seduce Misato?"

"Yes." Asuka giggled. "I remember..."

They didn't hear the laser beam hit the cockpit; they felt it. Kaji only had enough time to scream, "Hang on!" as the plane crashed onto the runway.

*

A German infantry squad escorted Langley towards the subway car that would transport him to a research facility 70 km from the base. 'Is Adam secure?' The man slowed down to glance at his watch, wondering about the agent he ordered to secure the artifact; this saved him when a bunker buster bomb destroyed the car.

"Ahhhh!" Concrete chunks rained upon the vanguard, killing them and sealing the tunnel. "God in heaven!" The squad leader pointed to an air vent. "Sir, in here!" A soldier held the vent open as another pushed Langley into the air duct. "Hurry!" A laser beam hit the soldiers behind Langley, killing them. "Ahhhh!"

Burning corpses blocked the vent, trapping Langley. "God in heaven..." He crawled away from the subway.

Shockwave crouched in the 10-meter-tall tunnel, scanning the subway car's burning wreckage; he detected no signs of life. He raised his head. "Deploy the autogun," automated gun turret.

"Yes, Sir." Swoop dropped a blue bomb, the autogun pod, down the hole formed by the bunker buster. The pod fired retro rockets fired to slow its descent; tripod legs extended the moment it landed. The pod's tail became a turret, armed with a laser cannon and two missile launchers.

Shockwave received the report, "Autogun-1, active." The pod would prevent humans from escaping through the hole in the ceiling, while Swoop would prevent them from entering. "Autogun-2, active." Whoosh! Astrotrain, in his locomotive mode, raced to his commander after setting an autogun at the opposite end of the tunnel. "Report."

Astrotrain transformed into his robot mode to remove the agent from his cargo bay. "I caught this animal on the way here. He had this,"-- the Decepticon removed an embryo, encased in Bakelite, from his left "cargo pocket"-- "with him."

Shockwave scanned the embryo. "The Matrix!" Its energy signature was identical to the relic Optimus Prime used to defeat Unicron.

Astrotrain almost hit his head against the ceiling. "What?!"

Shockwave continued scanning. "Its energon supply is depleted; it is useless as a weapon. Nonetheless, it may have other uses." He turned to the stunned human in Astrotrain's hand. "Agent Thomas A. Anderson, Seele." He heard the human gasp, expressing shock at his knowledge. "I have several questions for you." His golden eye enveloped the agent in light.

Anderson felt the golden light burn into his mind, his memories, his secrets... "Noooo!"

*

Heat awakened Kaji; he guessed that five to ten minutes had passed. "Asuka? Dr Langley?"

"Ow..." Asuka held her head. Then shock opened her eyes. "Mother!" She checked Elise's pulse; her stepmother was alive.

The windows glowed orange; Kaji knew the plane's fuel was burning. "We have to get out of here!" He quickly checked Elise's neck and back for injuries; finding none, he raised the woman onto his shoulders.

"Get to the Eva! We'll be safe in the entry plug!" Asuka led Kaji into the cargo bay, where Evangelion Unit 02 rested. She uncovered a keypad on the gorget and entered a code to extend the entry plug. "Get in!" Elise, Kaji, and Asuka entered the cockpit; seconds later, the Eva shook as the plane's fuel tanks exploded. "Should we wait for a search and rescue team to get here?"

Kaji shook his head. "The crash may not be the result of mechanical failure or pilot error."

Asuka concealed her shock. "I understand. Get ready." She pulled a lever behind the pilot's seat; LCL quickly filled the cockpit. She put on her neural interface headset and gripped the control sticks. "Evangelion Unit 02, start!" The Eva rose from the wreckage, like a phoenix from its funeral pyre. Asuka turned east, towards the base...

She instinctively activated Unit 02's AT field as four streaks approached it. Boom, boom, boom, boom!

"Oh..." Elise clutched her head, awakened by the explosions. "Asuka? What...?"

"We're under attack," stated Asuka, as Unit 02 drew a progressive knife from the weapons bay on its left pauldron.

Dirge watched as Thrust's long-range missiles detonated harmlessly against Unit 02's AT field. "It must be a guardian," a giant Transformer whose power equaled an entire army's. "I advise you to retreat."

"Shock you!" cursed Thrust. "I'm going to scrap this thing if it's the last thing I do!"

"It will be if you..." Dirge sighed as Thrust accelerated towards Unit 02; the younger seeker rarely heeded his advice. He accelerated as well; if he couldn't stop the guardian, he'd die trying, earning a statue in the Decepticon Hall of Heroes. The seekers circled Unit 02 as they strafed it.

Thrust rolled, dodging a slash that would've decapitated him. He detected a minute decrease in the AT field's strength, after his short-range missiles struck it. "This is too easy! It can't scratch us! We'll wear out its shield with repeated attacks, and then it'll just be an oversized target drone!"

"Don't get cocky," warned Dirge. "It may have secret weapons..." He detected a sudden increase in the AT field's strength and proximity. "Evasive action!" He transformed into his robot mode, aimed his legs and engines at the Eva to stop himself, and transformed back into his fighter mode. As he rocketed away from Unit 02's unconventional attack, he heard a scream. "Thrust!"

Before the seeker could recover, Asuka charged, slicing Thrust in half as he spun towards the ground. "That should teach them not to mess with Soryu Asuka Langley!" She smiled at the resulting explosion.

Kaji noticed the warning, "ACTIVE TIME REMAINING 00:45:01," on the LCD. Without an S² engine or an external power source, Unit 02 must rely on its internal batteries, which would run for only one minute at full strength, as it had during the battle. "You only have 44 seconds of active time remaining. I advise you to take evasive action."

"Don't worry, I...!" Asuka noticed the smoke that rose from the base command center. "Papa!" Unit 02 ran towards the command center. Boom! "Ahhhh!" The missile was aimed just in front of the Eva's feet, causing Asuka to lose her footing. "Bastards!" Unit 02 slashed at the alien tank in front of it.

Grimlock transformed into his robot mode and flipped backwards to dodge the attack. "Keep shooting!" he ordered the warriors. "It only has 37.91 seconds of active time remaining!" Unit 02 automatically transmitted its cockpit data to the command center; Shockwave had taken over the command center, and was able to translate the human language.

"Stand still so I can hit you!" Enraged, Asuka was blind and deaf to the control system's warnings. She slashed at the Transformers on the ground and in the air, until Unit 02's batteries were spent.

Ramjet detected the AT field's collapse; he took advantage of this by ramming the hatch in the back of Unit 02's neck, knocking the Eva onto the ground. "Whoa!" He transformed into his robot mode and clutched his head. "What a rush!"

Dirge landed beside Ramjet. "Are you functional?"

"I'm prime!" Ramjet smiled. "Thrust's right! Without its shield, it's just a large target drone!" He stopped smiling when he remembered Thrust's fate.

Unit 02's entry plug was now exposed. Dirge detected the thermal signatures in the cockpit. "Shocking humans!" He tore open the plug. Kaji and Elise fell out of the plug; Asuka was kept in the cockpit by the restraints. "This is for Thrust!" He aimed his machine guns at the humans.

"Stop!" Shockwave's voice thundered within Dirge's head. "I need them to be functional in order to extract data from them. Bring them to me."

Dirge lowered his arms. "You're lucky that Shockwave wants you alive." A cruel smile appeared in his face. "Or not." He laughed; Shockwave was a skilled interrogator.

Without an integral radio, Asuka couldn't understand the seeker, but she could sense Dirge's anger and hatred. She shivered as the Transformers grabbed Kaji, Elise, and herself.

*

1311 hr, Tokyo Time. Misato was granted accompanied access to the cage; the Americans were willing to cooperate with NERV, but unwilling to trust NERV with the technology that made up Unit 04's armor. Clifton marched beside her as she approached Shiro. "Pilot Bond, the Berlin branch..."

"I know." Shiro wore a modified shark suit, a water survival suit that was issued to US and Royal Navy pilots-- the gray suit's plate armor made Shiro resemble a scale model of Unit 04. "BOND" and "O POS" were stenciled on the breastplate and backplate, while a Union Jack adorned the right pauldron.

"New suit?" asked Misato.

"Red," the color of the plug suit NERV issued him, "is not my color." An airman gave him seven magazines. Shiro loaded his MK23 before placing it into the integral thigh holster. He placed the remaining magazines into the six ammo pouches on the breastplate, before turning to Misato. "Who's the enemy?"

"We don't know their identities or their motivation. However, their technology is similar to that which makes up Unit 04's armor." She turned to Clifton. "Do you know anyone else with such technology?"

Clifton's face contorted with rage. "Are you suggesting that we're...?"

"Ahhhh!"

Clifton instinctively drew his M9 9 mm semiautomatic pistol as he turned to the screamer. He lowered the M9 when he saw Ryoko approach them; he'd learned that firearms didn't affect her. "Why can't you use the door?"

Ryoko ignored him. "Shiro, I'm coming with you."

"This isn't your fight," warned Shiro.

"Is it your fight?"

"Yes."

"I care about you. That makes it my fight."

Shiro sensed that Ryoko was resolute. "Very well." He put on his helmet. "Follow me." He led Ryoko into Unit 04's cockpit.

"Where the hell did she come from?" asked Clifton.

"A fairy tale," answered Misato.

*

0525 hr, Berlin Time. "... to Sol-3," stated Shockwave. (He had modified the base's communications system, so he could communicate with Alpha.) "13.69 SC ago, the humans recovered Unicron's CPU and the Matrix." The designations "Lilith" and "Adam," which identified these artifacts in NERV's records, were meaningless to Shockwave. "The humans studied the CPU and the Matrix, and discovered:

"One, Unicron's CPU is of biological construction,

"Two, 99.89% of the human genetic code is identical to Unicron's,

"Three, 99.89% of the human genetic code is identical to a spark core's biological components," a Transformer heart, which generated a structural integrity field (SIF) to make a Transformer's armor stronger than the individual metal plates, "including the Matrix.

"The humans attempted to access the Matrix's powers by conducting it through Unicron's Chains of Power; this caused a powerful energon surge," the event known as the 2nd Impact, "whose destructive effects were comparable to Angolomois surge Unicron generated during his attack."

"Interesting." Alpha turned to a monitor at his side, studying the data Shockwave transmitted to Cybertron; then he turned to Shockwave. "Are the humans attempting to repair Unicron?"

"I have found no evidence to suggest this. However, the humans have extracted genetic codes from the CPU and the Matrix, and used them to create one Unicron replicant, designated Evangelion Unit 01, and four Matrix replicants, designated Evangelion Units 00, 02, 03, and 04. These replicants are controlled by human pilots, and are being used as guardians. 170.67 hr ago, the humans lost control of the Unicron replicant, which destroyed the main replicant factory."

"The Unicron replicant is now a major threat," stated Alpha. "How should we deal with this threat?"

"We have commandeered the replicant factory at this construct; we are now using it to convert a warrior, Sludge, into a Matrix replicant. If Sludge is successfully converted, then we will convert the remaining seekers and warriors."

Alpha frowned. "Is this safe?"

"Sludge has a 63.2% chance of survival; this is acceptable." Shockwave sensed Alpha's skepticism. "A Matrix replicant has a 16.7% chance of victory over Unicron; a conventional Transformer has a 0.00278% chance of victory."

Alpha turned to the side and performed his own calculations. "I must agree." He turned to Shockwave. "Remember, our enemy is Unicron, not the humans."

Beep, beep, beep! The computer warned Shockwave that combat aircraft were approaching the base. "The humans do not share your opinion." Before Alpha could protest, Shockwave terminated communications with Cybertron. "Battle stations!"

*

0712 hr, Berlin Time. A squadron of Eurofighter Typhoons cautiously circled the Berlin branch; the intruders controlled the base's defenses, which had shot down many of their comrades. "Crusader One, this is Crusader Zero, over."

"Crusader Zero, this is Crusader One, over," answered the squadron leader.

"Crusader Shield," the Luftwaffe's defense of the Berlin branch, "has been terminated. I say again, Crusader Shield has been terminated, over."

"Crusader One to Crusader Zero, roger." The squadron leader transmitted, "Return to base," to the fighter pilots. As his Typhoon turned away from the Berlin branch, he saw a red star shoot towards the base. "God in heaven! Has NERV deployed a nuclear missile?!"

"No," answered his commander. "What they've deployed is far more destructive." (Fuyutsuki called the Russian President and Defense Minister, so they wouldn't identify Unit 04 as an ICBM, a mistake that would've started a war.)

Starscream and Shockwave stared at the monitor, which showed the approaching Eva. "Skyfire?!" Starscream extended his hand, as if he could touch Unit 04 through the monitor.

Shockwave turned to Starscream. "Identify Skyfire."

"He..." Starscream noticed differences between Unit 04's armor, and Skyfire's. "He's dead." Rage surged through his frame as he closed his hand into a fist.

Shockwave turned to the monitor; he sensed that Starscream wasn't willing to deliver more information on this Skyfire. "There is a 82.4% probability that its armor and its propulsion system is based on Cybertronian designs. I want to study it, after it has been disabled." He launched two missiles, which the Eva dodged with violent maneuvers that would've shattered a conventional aircraft's frame. The base's laser weaponry didn't affect Unit 04's AT field. "Impressive."

"Dirge! Ramjet!" called Starscream. "Come with me! We'll blast that guardian out of the sky!"

"Stop!" ordered Shockwave. "Unit 04 is powered by an integral generator, not internal batteries. The tactics we used against Unit 02 will not be effective against it."

Starscream angrily turned to Shockwave. "What are you saying? That we should just lay down and die?!"

"Negative. We do not yet have weapons that can neutralize its shield. Therefore, our first priority is to defend the replicant factory until Sludge is converted into a Matrix replicant. Draw Unit 04 away from the base. I will brief Sludge."

Starscream recovered his self-control; Shockwave was right. "Very well." He flew through a hole in the command center's ceiling, followed by the seekers.

*

Shiro sighed, relieved that he could deploy Unit 04's AT field at will. As he reduced the Eva's speed, he noticed three delta-winged aircraft approach him. "Ryoko, can you identify these aircraft?"

Ryoko looked over Shiro's shoulder. "Kagato once studied a record of a similar aircraft, which could transform into a humanoid. That's all I know about it."

A flash of light appeared beneath each seeker's wing. Remembering that Unit 04 was low on fuel, Shiro dived towards the ground, retracting Unit 04's wings and tailplanes before he rolled forwards. The missiles detonated harmlessly behind him. "Now you know something else; it's hostile." Unit 04's pistols slid out of its vambraces.

"I want to fight." Ryoko became intangible and exited the cockpit. She deployed her LH Wings, but didn't change into her demon form; although the alien fighters didn't seem to have weapons that could overpower her wings, she sensed that a greater challenge would appear soon, and wanted to conserve energy. (Each gem could generate as much energy as the sun, but Ryoko couldn't use so much energy without destroying herself.)

Starscream transformed. "Decepticons, attack!" He strafed Unit 04, drawing its attention away from the replicant factory. Boom! He casually dodged the 280 mm projectile. "Is that the best you can...? Ahhhh!" He turned to his side. Ryoko was flying away from him, a LH Sword in her right hand. "Shocking human!" He fired his cannons.

Ryoko spun around. Flying backwards, she examined the seeker as she parried the laser beams. 'Its armor is similar to Unit 04's. Is it also from America? From Jurai? From somewhere else?' Although Starscream wasn't paying attention to Unit 04, Shiro couldn't take advantage of this; Dirge and Ramjet circled the Eva like ravenous vultures, trying to wear down the AT field with bullets, missiles, and cluster bombs.

Boom! "Ahhhh!" The missile detonated upon Ryoko's back, blowing her towards Starscream. The seeker instinctively slammed his forearm against her, knocking her into the forest below.

Starscream angrily looked down. "I don't need your help!"

Grimlock lowered his missile launcher. "Maybe. Maybe not."

Starscream turned away from Grimlock, towards Unit 04. He had only flown 20 meters when a giant fist slammed against his side. "Ahhhh!"

Ryoko watched the seeker fall into the forest. She retracted her fist, ready to punch, as she turned to Grimlock. "Round two..." The demon kicked trees into the air as she charged. "Fight!"

*

Swoop watched the cyborg in the Eva cage, which was once used to assemble Unit 02. Sludge had been changed into a protoform, a Transformer embryo, and implanted into Evangelion Unit 05. The micromachines that made up a protoform's tissues flowed from Sludge's superstructure, through Unit 05's arteries. The Eva's body was transforming; a second head emerged from the chest, and shorter legs sprouted from the legs. Swoop hoped that his best friend was okay; although Shockwave believed that they must fight fire with fire, Swoop remained skeptical. 'What if Sludge becomes another Chaos-Bringer? Will I have to kill him? What if I become another Chaos-Bringer? Will he have to...?'

An incoming message alerted the warriors who guarded the cage. "Sludge," called Shockwave. "Grimlock, Slag, and the seekers are engaging two Matrix replicants."

A rumbling roar, like distant thunder, permeated the cage, shaking the warriors' frames. "I... will... fight..." growled Sludge. The Eva's arteries glowed silver, like lightning, as the micromachines raced to finish their work.

"Do not rush," ordered Shockwave. "That may cause errors in the conversion, which will make you useless to us." The silver glow became dim, as Sludge recovered his self-control. "Shockwave out."

"Don't worry, Sludge," said Swoop. "Grimlock and Slag are strong; they can defend themselves." He hoped that he was right.

Click, click, click! Swoop, Snarl, and Astrotrain didn't hear the digital camera's sounds; it was masked by the sounds of the pumps that circulated LCL throughout the cage. They didn't notice Langley, the cameraman, as he photographed Sludge's conversion; as he hid in the air duct, his thermal signature was masked by the air conditioner. His main concern was the cyborg; he forced himself to forget his family.

*

0723. Grimlock and Slag zigzagged through the forest, strafing Ryoko to cover their escape. Ryoko laughed, celebrating her inevitable victory, as she parried; her sword focused her LH Wing's energy, and Ryoko was fast enough to move the sword in the path of incoming missiles and plasma beams. Five kilometers away, Shiro was imitating the hero of the 'Swordsman' movies, using Unit 04's LH Sword to spring into the air, towards the seekers.

"Dirge!" cried Ramjet. Dirge himself didn't make a noise as he was decapitated and dismembered. Unit 04 broke the law of gravity again. Ramjet barely escaped from the deadly cone that Shiro's thrusting formed; sparks flew from the seeker's chest. "Shock you!" Ramjet knew the split-second in which the sword touched the ground would be his only respite. He transformed, spun around, and aimed his machine guns at the Eva. Bang, bang, bang, click, click! "MG 1: 0000" and "MG 2: 0000" were displayed on the lower right corner of his optics. "Shock me!" He was out of ammo. "Starscream! How long do we have to baby-sit that shocking Autobot?!"

"For as long as the Autobot needs us!" answered the Decepticon Air Commander. He continued to battle, enduring the pain that shook his frame, so he could watch the Matrix replicants in action. 'Such beautiful power! I shall make it my own!' He nonchalantly shot at Unit 04, which parried the laser beams and returned fire. 'Beautiful!' he thought, as he dodged the projectiles.

The battle was interrupted by a missile's midair detonation; it was meant to attract the combatants' attention, not to cause immediate harm. Unit 04 and Ryoko turned to the base command center. Shockwave hovered above it, holding Asuka in his right hand.

A vidwindow opened before Shiro; instead of displaying the face of the individual who was communicating with him, it displayed the Decepticon insignia. "Evangelion pilots," called Shockwave. "Surrender your weapons, and evacuate the area. Otherwise, your comrade will pay for your illogic."

Without a radio, Ryoko couldn't hear Shockwave's message; she instinctively shot at the violet robot. To her surprise, Unit 04 moved into the energy bolt's path, parried the shot, and expanded its AT field to shield Shockwave. "Shiro?!"

Unit 04's loudspeakers buzzed. "Do as the robot says, Ryoko." Its AT field continued to isolate her as its eyes burned with Shiro's impotent rage.

"Your decision is logical," complimented Shockwave.

Ryoko stared at the enemy that Shiro was defending, and noticed the human in his hand. 'A hostage.' When Kagato was her master, he had ordered her to take hostages, and to kill the hostages when they were no longer useful. She remembered the pain and sorrow that their loved ones expressed when she killed the hostages, and now understood Shiro's behavior. "I'll get him." She smiled and winked at Shiro's surprise when Unit 04 turned its head towards her. "Trust me." Her sword dissipated as she fell backwards, into the forest. The seekers lost track of her when she resumed her original size.

Shockwave thought that Ryoko had been teleported away. "Your turn." His optic flared as he focused upon Unit 04. Shiro kept his arms down, so the cannons would be harmlessly pointed at the ground as they slid out of the vambraces; he detached the pistols from their guide rails, placed them onto the ground, and removed the empty AMRAAM launchers from the collarbones. "Accept-- Ahhhh!"

When Ryoko was intangible, she was invisible to radar and IR sensors; the Transformers didn't reacquire until she reappeared beside Shockwave and severed the fingers of his right hand. She caught Asuka as the hostage fell from her captor's hand, and then sped towards Shiro. As the Transformers' attention was turned to Shockwave, Shiro reattached its pistols to their guide rails, so Unit 04 could provide covering fire for Ryoko and Asuka's escape.

"Hang on!" ordered Ryoko. Although Asuka couldn't hear Ryoko, she unknowingly obeyed, to avoid falling from the sky. Ryoko made them both intangible before she entered Unit 04's cockpit. "Mission accomplished!" She smiled at her achievement.

Asuka stared at the helmeted figure. "Who...? What...?"

Shiro smiled at his ex-girlfriend. "Good afternoon."

Asuka sat on Shiro's lap as she reached for the controls. "Give me your headset! I'm taking charge!"

"Hey!" Ryoko grabbed Asuka's shoulders, pulling her away from Shiro. "This is his robot, and he is my lover!"

Surprised, Asuka first stared at Ryoko, then at Shiro. "Are you two...?"

"Shoot first." Shiro pushed both girls out of his line of sight, before he shot the two tanks that flanked him. "Questions... later."

*

Sludge wasn't deaf to Grimlock and Slag's howls of pain. "Noooo!" The Transformer, now 70.3% converted, used his new abilities to shatter his restraints and pierce the cage ceiling. Roaring, he jumped through the hole, towards the battle. As he landed, the earth shook with his new strength.

"Howl!" The impact was transmitted to Unit 04, knocking the Eva off its feet. Shiro shot at the charging gray giant. "Damn!" He rolled to the side, out of Sludge's path. "Ahhhh-howl!" Sludge kicked Unit 04 as it laid on the ground, unable to get up.

The girls felt the pilot's pain. As Asuka empathetically put her hand over Shiro's, Ryoko became intangible and exited the cockpit.

Stomp, stomp, stomp! "Howl!" Sludge staggered backwards, holding a hand over his left optic. He lifted his head to see Ryoko raising her sword as she flew around him, flanking him; he wasn't paying attention to Unit 04, and Shiro took advantage of this. "Howl!" Although the sword didn't sever Sludge's leg, the pain it caused brought the Transformer to his knees.

Unit 04 stood up, raising its sword to finish its enemy. Boom! Sludge slammed a fist against the earth, shaking it. "Whoa, whoa, whoa...!" The sword dissipated as Shiro waved his arms, trying to maintain his balance. Crash! He failed. As Sludge folded his humanoid legs into a reptilian tail, Unit 05’s reptilian head replaced his humanoid head. The reptilian legs on the humanoid legs raised Sludge's belly off the ground, transforming him into a beast that Shiro recognized from the 'Jurassic Park' movies. He raised Unit 04's arms. Before he could aim the pistols, Sludge pinned Unit 04's arms to the ground. "Howl!" The Apatosaurus' head began striking at Unit 04's, like a snake's, and Shiro was wildly shaking his head to avoid being decapitated.

"Let him go!" Ryoko's arms encircled Sludge's neck and lifted the Apatosaurus off of Unit 04. Without hesitation, Shiro opened fire at point-blank range. Howling in pain, Sludge slammed his tail against Ryoko's legs, knocking her off her feet and forcing her to release him. Now free, the Apatosaurus instinctively bit Unit 04's right arm.

"Argh!" Boom, clang! Out of ammo, Shiro returned the pistol to its weapons bay; he thrust the fingers of Unit 04's left hand into the ballistic wounds on the Apatosaurus' belly. Sludge endured the pain and tightened his grip on Unit 04's arm. Shiro clenched his teeth as he tore open the wounds, painting the Overtechnology (OT) armor with the Apatosaurus' blood.

"Sludge, disengage!" Although Shockwave's signal was faint, the authority in his voice still captured Sludge's attention. "You are outnumbered. If you continue to fight, your chances of survival are only 32.5%." Sludge refused to release Unit 04, even though Ryoko's sword was slowly moving through his AT field, towards his S² engine.

"Sludge, disengage!" repeated Grimlock. "Move north, towards the sea. Don't worry, we'll cover you."

"Yes, Sir." Drawing strength from his leader's words, Sludge whipped his neck backwards, throwing Unit 04 into the air.

"Shiro!" Ryoko climbed away from the Apatosaurus, and caught the Eva in her arms. "Are you alright?"

"The dinosaur...!"

Explosions threw dirt up in front of Ryoko, momentarily shielding Sludge from her vision. Ryoko instinctively turned to the source of the missiles. As Astrotrain shut his cargo bay doors, she could see Grimlock's optics flare as he and the other warriors lowered their missile launchers. (Dirge and Thrust's remains, and the autoguns, were already loaded into Astrotrain's cargo bay.) Ryoko raised one arm, ready to shoot, before she lowered it; the shuttle had climbed out of range. She turned to Sludge; at this range, her energy bolts wouldn't penetrate its AT field. "Damn! They got away."

"They'll... Cough!" Shiro put his hands on his chest, fighting for his next breath. "Cough, cough, cough!"

"Stop that! You're...!" Asuka noticed the red liquid that leaked from Shiro's collar. She removed his helmet. "Shiro!" Her ex-boyfriend was coughing blood, a sign of chest injuries. Asuka unbuckled his armor and peeled the plug suit off of his torso; she didn't notice Unit 04's frame touch the ground as Ryoko gently laid the Eva on its belly.

"Hey!" Jealousy filled Ryoko's heart when she saw Asuka touch Shiro's bare chest; she didn't know that Asuka was checking for chest wounds. She grabbed Asuka's hand. "What the hell are you...?" Ryoko noticed that Shiro's chest wasn't rising normally. "Shiro!"

Asuka turned to the face that had emerged from the entry plug hatch; she was too distracted to be frightened by Ryoko's ghostly appearance. "Help me!"

Ryoko placed her hand onto Shiro's chest. "Please don't die, don't die, don't die..." Energy flowed from her gems, healing Shiro.

"Asuka..." A lungful of blood dissolved in the LCL as Shiro spoke.

Asuka held his hand like meat in a wolf's jaws. "I'm here." She didn't sense the hatred that now flowed from Ryoko.

***

To be continued...

Day Eight, Fri. 0010 hr, GMT. James, Ryoko, and Shiro stood in Desmond's office. The Sword of Heaven and Earth stood upright on the floor; James held his hands over the pommel, Ryoko held her hands over James', and Shiro held his hands over Ryoko's. To an outsider, Ryoko and Shiro looked like medieval knights, pledging allegiance to their lord, with the night sky as their witness. In fact, Shiro were telling James the truth about Ryoko's origins, using the most effective method he knew of.

Blue light had enveloped them as the sword let James see images from Ryoko's memories. The light became yellow, outshined by a nearby lamp, after Shiro and Ryoko removed their hands from the sword. James placed the sword on top of the shelf and turned to Ryoko. "So you're an alien."

"Yes, Grandpa," answered Ryoko, unknowingly imitating Shiro.

"Who's Yosho?"

"He's a Jurai warrior. I don't know anything else; Kagato only gave me info on his combat abilities."

"What's Jurai?"

"A galactic empire and the name of its capital. The Jurai draw Jurai energy from royal trees, which they used to conquer and to rule 55% of the known galaxy."

"Are they a threat to us?"

"I don't know."

James accepted her reply; he now shared Shiro's trust in Ryoko. "So you need a birth certificate, an ID card, a passport, and,"-- he turned to Shiro-- "a codec?"

"We need a more secure communication means than Unit 04's loudspeakers."

James nodded. "They'll be ready in 24 hours." He had photographs of Ryoko and a copy of her fingerprints, which Shiro had given him that evening. "Now get some rest." He knew Shiro had been wounded; he'd seen, through Ryoko's eyes, what happened after battle.

"Yes, Grandpa." Shiro exited the office.

As James approached the door, he noticed that Ryoko had become intangible. "Ryoko."

Ryoko turned her head, leaving her arms and legs embedded in the wall. "Yes, Grandpa?"

"Use the door. Act human."

Ryoko blushed as she flew away from the wall and became tangible. "Yes, Grandpa."

"By the way, the hospital returned this while you were gone." James held a shirt, wrapped in a plastic bag. "I had it dry-cleaned," after DNA testing was done on the bloodstains. "Is it yours?"

"It's Shiro's." Ryoko could smell his scent. "I'll return it to him." She took the bag and walked through the door, towards Lionheart Castle's north tower.

The sound of the helicopter's rotors permeated the stairwell. Ryoko knew James was returning to MI6 HQ; now she could be alone with Shiro. She waved to the Special Air Service (SAS) commandos who guarded the guestrooms. After they let Ryoko enter her room, she took off her jacket, her t-shirt, and her jeans. She put on Shiro's shirt without buttoning the top four buttons, before exiting her room. The commandos understood; they turned around, hiding smiles as they left. Ryoko opened the door to Shiro's room. "Sigh." Although the TV was on, no one was watching it. On CNN, two old men were arguing over which measures the US President should take to improve the economy. "Boring." She grabbed the remote and changed the station. On the Cartoon Network, five magical girls were fighting a demonic youth. Ryoko evaluated their tactics. "Stupid." On MTV, a middle-aged man, wearing gold chains and holding a microphone, was screaming about sick dogs. (Ryoko didn't know that "bitches" was a derogatory term for women, because Shiro didn't use this insult.) The girl tossed the remote onto the bed and searched for something else to do. She noticed an open suitcase, which Shiro had left behind when he traveled to the US.

"'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'. Hmm..." As Ryoko picked up the DVD case, she noticed a jewelry box underneath it. Curious, she picked up the box and opened it. "Wow!" It was beautiful; a yellow gold ring with three leaves and two hummingbirds delicately sculpted around a sapphire rose. She put on the ring and admired how it accentuated her own beauty.

"Put it down."

Shocked, Ryoko turned to the door. Shiro's eyes were cold and hard, an expression that summoned terror from the depths of Ryoko's heart; she hated this reaction, but she couldn't resist it. She returned the ring to the box.

"Thank you." As Shiro approached the TV, Ryoko noticed the phone in his pocket.

"You were talking to her." 'The ring was meant for her; the gemstone matches the color of her eyes.'

"Yes."

Ryoko's vision blurred; her eyes felt hot and wet. "Why does she have your love? Why won't you love me?! I love you." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Isn't that enough?!"

Shiro put his hand over Ryoko's. "I'm sorry, but my heart isn't as free as yours."

Ryoko growled as she forcefully freed her hand. She became intangible and flew through the wall, towards her room. She buried her head into a pillow, so Shiro couldn't hear her cry.

"Sigh." Shiro sat on his bed, grabbed the remote, and changed the channel. On HBO, Romeo and Juliet were declaring their eternal love for each other. Shiro wished he could do the same with Asuka, but he knew that was no longer possible.

He didn't know Asuka was watching the same scene, from the same movie, on her laptop computer. As she sat in the passenger seat of a transport plane, flying 12,000 m above the Atlantic Ocean, she wished for the same thing... and was haunted by the same knowledge.

***

DEATH IS NEVER THE END, Part 3

An Evangelion crossover by Sidewinder (aim9snake@hotmail.com), 2003, last revised 2007. Based on Ian Fleming, Kawamori Shoji, Fujishima Kosuke, AIC, Gainax, Hasbro, Marvel, and Takara's works.

Day Ten, Sun. 1100 hr, Pacific Time. Tension filled the elevator, like a bowstring, as Fuyutsuki, Langley, Russhon, and their escorts approached the main OT research facility. (Fuyutsuki and Langley wore the black uniforms of NERV science officers. Russhon wore a flight suit with the words "US AIR FORCE" over "UN NERV".) "What I'm about to show you is vital to US national security. I do so under the orders of the Secretary of Defense, who is entrusting this secret to you." A frown, whose depth matched that of Russhon's suspicion, was visible when he turned to the NERV branch commanders. "I advise you not to violate his trust."

As the late Ikari's second-in-command, Fuyutsuki had dealt with Americans before. He suppressed the urge to laugh at Russhon's paranoia. "Yes, Sir."

Clang! The door opened when the elevator reached its destination; like an arrow, the tension was released explosively, as Fuyutsuki and Langley saw what laid within the lab. "Gasp!" "Gott in Himmel!"

The 10-meter-tall Transformer, though dwarfed by the 40-meter-tall Evangelion Unit 02 and the 44-meter-tall Unit 04, still filled the lab with a cold, mechanical air that unnerved Fuyutsuki and Langley, despite their experience.

"We found Valkyrie," the Transformer's codename, "in Alaska, in 1937," explained Russhon. "We first transported it to Los Alamos, then to here in 1957. We're still learning new things about it. We have to be careful, however." He pointed to where the Transformer's left leg was violently torn off; the leg itself was at the auxiliary research facility in Edwards AFB. "We accidentally activated one of the thermonuclear turbines in 1947; the damn thing flew for a half-hour before it crashed near Roswell." He turned to the NERV branch commanders. "I'm sure you know about the trouble that caused."

"Indeed." Langley moved towards the Transformer's head; Russhon waved at the guards, ordering them to leave Langley alone. He noticed that the head was caved in, as if a giant hammer had struck it. "Did you retrieve any information from...?"

"It was like that when we found it," explained Russhon. "If it wasn't, then we wouldn't be having so much trouble with AI, and Unit 04 would have a working dummy plug."

"A pity," noted Langley. "So this is the source of the technology that makes up Unit 04's armor."

'A lot more than that.' "We need Congress to authorize the budget to upgrade Unit 02," stated Russhon.

'Shortsighted bean counter!' Langley turned to Russhon. "Valkyrie's brothers already have this technology, and they can be converted into Evangelions. Without..."

"What?!"

Langley removed the digital camera from his coat pocket. "The monster that attacked Unit 04 in Berlin was not an Angel. It was originally a robot, similar to your Valkyrie." He showed Russhon a photo of Sludge, being escorted into the Eva cage. "The robots had attacked the Berlin branch in order to take control of the Evangelion assembly site." Sludge seemed to melt as the micromachines' programming was rebooted. "There, this robot was implanted into Unit 05's frame." Sludge's protoform was carried to the Eva's entry plug socket. The next photo showed the protoform flow into the socket.

"Damn." Unit 04's cockpit data recorder had verified the presence of at least seven Transformers. If they were also converted into Evas... "I'll discuss this with the Secretary."

"You must take immediate action," demanded Fuyutsuki. "The future of the human race may be lost during this delay."

Russhon angrily turned to Fuyutsuki. "Why don't you ask the Chinese? I'm sure they're grateful for the security breach that allowed them to copy Unit 03's blueprints."

Fuyutsuki frowned. "What do you mean?"

"NERV Security is insecure, NERV Intelligence is unintelligent." Russhon resented the fact that the 1st US branch at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts, was under UN control.

"We were not responsible for the terrorist attack that fatally wounded the 3rd Child," protested Fuyutsuki. "However, the PLA..."

"They're not responsible, either. You see, a Chinese intelligence officer died during the attack. We didn't know she'd infiltrated NERV USA until we found this," he held a small silver crescent, "when we performed an autopsy. It's a codec, a radio that was implanted..."

"I know what it is," interrupted Langley.

Russhon put the codec back into his pocket. "If they were responsible, they'd certainly have warned her, and we'd still be blissfully ignorant of Dr Lee's true identity."

"Perhaps the PLA decided to sacrifice her in order to clear them of suspicion." Like most Japanese, Fuyutsuki didn't trust the Chinese.

"With a codec? Even the commies aren't that stupid. That's like crashing an B-3 Stormbringer in Tiananmen Square!"

"Then who's killing the Children?"

"That's what we'd like to know."

*

1300 hr. "Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

"The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor; let them be taken..." Although Asuka wasn't a Catholic, her stepmother was, and she hoped that the psalm would help the comatose woman. She shivered, remembering why Elise was like this; at the Berlin branch, the violet robot had projected a light beam from his golden eye. Elise began screaming three seconds after the light enveloped her. Asuka first thought that Shockwave was using microwave radiation to torture her. Then she noticed how cold she was; the beam generated no heat. This didn't stop Elise from screaming, "You're hurting me!" to a Prof Engels. 'It's raping her mind!' Then the robot turned to Kaji; five seconds later, he was crying, "I'm sorry... I let you die so that I could live. I'm the one who should've died..." Then the robot turned towards Asuka. As the Eva pilot shivered, the robot continued turning, towards the computer console; both of them knew that, outside of the Eva, Asuka was powerless against the robot.

"Asuka." Langley approached the hospital bed. "Unit 02 is being retrofitted with Overtechnology armor. The procedure requires six days. During this time, I order you to..."

"By what right do you order me?" Asuka angrily turned to her father. "You abandoned us, your daughter and your wife, for this Overtechnology. Now you expect me to bend over and take this from you?!"

Langley frowned. "By my right as your father, and your commanding officer." Langley didn't realize that, by devoting the previous decade on the Evangelion Project, he'd neglected Asuka. To his daughter, he'd become as alien as Shockwave. "The Secretary authorized the procedure, on the condition that Unit 02's main pilot be identified as NATO military personnel, subject to military justice." The US trusted her allies in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) more than the other members of the UN Security Council. "I have spoken to Gen Frobe, the Luftwaffe Chief of Staff. You..."

"I'm not your doll. I won't play 'dress up' for you." Asuka turned away from her father, towards her stepmother.

"Would you do so for Pilot Bond?" Langley knew about their relationship. "The robots attacked the base in order to take control of the Eva assembly line. When they return, they will have the power to generate AT fields. Shiro can not stand alone against them."

Asuka reopened the Bible. "What must I do?"

"Gen Frobe will fax to me the documents that you must sign in order to be commissioned as a Luftwaffe officer."

"Bring them to me." After Langley left, Asuka resumed reading Psalm 10. "Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble; thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear;

"To judge the fatherless and the oppressed," 'like myself,' "that the man of the earth may no more oppress."

*

Fuyutsuki found Ryoko alone in the mess hall. She glanced at him to acknowledge his presence, and resumed using chicken bones to make a model of Lionheart Castle's old chapel. "Beautiful," he complimented. "Gothic?"

Ryoko continued to stare at the model. "What do you want?"

Fuyutsuki smiled. "I just want you to be my friend. As a token of my friendship, I'm offering a commission from NERV." NERV intelligence officers had reported that Ryoko had been ignoring Shiro since the 4th Child was reunited with the 2nd Child. Fuyutsuki remembered how attentive the living weapon was towards Shiro, and accurately guessed the cause of Ryoko's change in attitude. Jealousy had given NERV an opportunity to control this weapon, and Fuyutsuki couldn't afford to miss this opportunity.

"Why should I work for you?"

Fuyutsuki had spent an hour trying to think of an answer to that question. Ryoko wasn't a soldier in a nationless army; she didn't need to join the United Nations Security Forces (UNSF) in order to find a use for her skills, or to attain bed and breakfast. "Why did you help Pilot Bond?" By answering that question with another question, he could draw an answer from Ryoko.

"I thought he loved me." Ryoko growled, unintentionally activating her codec. "I was wrong."

Peorth's image was projected onto the lower left corner of Ryoko's eye. "Bonjour Mon Cherie! You've reached the Goddess Relief Office!"

Fuyutsuki noticed Ryoko's surprise. "Is something wrong?"

Ryoko remembered James' instructions. "None of your business." She walked away from Fuyutsuki and picked up her cell phone, concealing the fact that she had a codec. "What the hell do you want?!" she hissed.

Peorth forced herself to smile; she forgot that only members of the Central Intelligence Agency's Special Operations Group (SOG), MI6's 00 Section, and four other intelligence agencies and services could use codecs. "I'm here to grant you a wish which, I hope, will help you realize your dream."

"Can you make Shiro love me?"

"No. People choose to love each other, through their own free will. No one, not even God, can take away this choice."

"Then get lost!" Ryoko deactivated the codec, pocketed the phone, and approached the exit.

"I know how to make Shiro love you!" The branch commander smiled at Ryoko's attention. "Shiro is attracted to strong and independent people, people like himself. By joining NERV, you'd prove your independence, that you're strong enough to take care of yourself."

Ryoko looked into Fuyutsuki's eyes. "Explain."

*

1330 hr. Ryoko found Shiro near the hangar, where Unit 04 was being repaired. "Shiro!" She embraced him. "I've been commissioned as a lieutenant in NERV! Now I can live independently!" As a former teacher at Tokyo University, Fuyutsuki was skilled in the use of rhetoric, which made his case valid to Ryoko.

Shiro smiled. "That's nice." As Ryoko's lips moved towards his own, he whispered, "Don't let Fuyutsuki get too close to you."

Ryoko froze; her surprise gave way to laughter. "Don't be jealous, Shiro! You know you're the only man for me!" She stopped laughing when she sensed how serious the pilot was.

"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."

"How close are you keeping me?" asked Ryoko.

Shiro answered with a smile.

*

Day 12, Tue. 1505 hr. "I am an Oberleutnant, an O2, while you are a Pilot Officer, a lowly O1!" stated Asuka. "I outrank you! Therefore, you must..."

Misato suppressed her laughter as Asuka declare her superiority over Shiro, now that the 2nd Child had recovered her confidence. As usual, Shiro responded with a witticism to deflate Asuka's ego and transform her face into a ripe tomato, red and swollen with anger; this one was about Asuka's "chain of command." 'I guess Asuka really wants to marry him. Too bad Shiro won't let himself be henpecked.' She noticed that Asuka had become quiet, and strained her ears to hear.

"Are you going to be okay?" asked Asuka.

"Of course."

"I know about Francisco Scaramanga. What if..."

"Have you been issued a weapon?"

"Yes, a SIG P229."

"Then you have nothing to worry about."

"Damn it! I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about you!" Asuka shut her eyes in frustration; she couldn't suppress her tears any longer.

"Don't be,"-- Shiro saw his own image put his hands on Asuka's shoulders; Ryoko had activated her codec again-- "bored. You're in a state with legalized gambling and prostitution."

Asuka sadly laughed as she playfully punched Shiro's chest. "Idiot."

Ryoko grabbed Shiro's hand and pulled him towards Misato. "We must hurry! They need us at Matsushiro!" NERV Japan's 2nd branch.

"Let's go." Misato was silent as she escorted Ryoko and Shiro to the transport plane. 'What am I going to do about these two?'

*

Day 14, Thu. 1850 hr, Tokyo Time. "Tiger" Tanaka Tetsuro heard someone knock on the door of his mansion. "Good evening, Father," called Tanaka Sakura, his younger daughter. "Shi-chan's here."

The 91-year-old man was first elated, then depressed, at Shiro's appearance. 'He looks just like Jet!' thought Tiger, remembering the infant he adopted in 1969, the child he came to love as a son, the young man he trained to continue his legacy: to make Japan peaceful and prosperous, by preventing the rise of militarism that led to her involvement in World War Two (WWII). "Shiro-kun."

Shiro smiled. "Good evening, Ojiisama," Grandfather, the title Shiro knew Tiger by when his parents were alive. After Special Agent "Kissy" Suzuki Mie was killed in action against communist saboteurs, Tiger took responsibility of her child; it was the least he could do to repay her. When Shiro's parents were killed, Tiger blamed himself for failing to protect them, and sent the boy to England. Although Shiro now knew Tiger wasn't his biological grandfather, this didn't decrease the love he had.

Tiger returned the smile. "Good evening, Shiro-kun. How have you been?"

"Fine. How's Aunt Nadeshiko?"

Tiger's elder daughter entered his study, eager to meet her long-lost nephew. "Shi-chan!" Aramaki Nadeshiko embraced Shiro tightly. "Welcome home! How have you been?"

"I'm fine, Aunt Nadeshiko." He turned to Tiger. "Ojiisama, I need a favor."

Tiger smiled. "If you want Miss Soryu's heart, I can certainly give you some advice, as well as anything else you need to set up a romantic atmosphere."

Shiro didn't return the smile; the subject was too serious. "I need information on Francisco Scaramanga's employer."

Tiger's face became an iron mask, covering the smile. "I assumed that Bond could, through his friends in the American CIA and NSA," Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, "deliver more info on Scaramanga and his employers."

"A credible source informed me that Osato Kenshin wired $2,000,000 to Scaramanga, seven days before the attempt on my life." Shiro saw no change in Tiger's expression. "You don't seem surprised."

"I knew Osato's father. Osato Teru had aided SPECTRE," the Special Executive for Counterintelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion, "in an attempt to start a nuclear war between the US and the former Soviet Union. He thought this would free Japan. He never considered the fact that such a war would destroy Japan as well." Tiger sighed. "Now his son wants to start a war with China..."

"Using Evangelions to defend Japan against China's nuclear weapons."

Tiger smiled at Shiro's intelligence. "What else do you know?"

"After the Incident, 89% of the Diet voted to deny funding for NERV and the efforts to build Evas at Matsushiro. Osato seeks to regain approval to fund the Evas, on the condition that they fall under the JSSDF's authority."

"It's pointless; one Eva cannot defend all of Japan against 200 missiles."

"Will you help me?"

Tiger turned to Nadeshiko, the wife of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff, and Sakura, the Japanese Secret Service (JSS) commander; both women were resolute. "We'll do all that we can."

"Thank you."

Nadeshiko put her hand on Shiro's shoulders. "Where are you staying?"

"I'll be living with Capt Katsuragi. Her condo is near the New Tokyo-3 1st Junior High School."

Nadeshiko concealed her disappointment. "That's nice. Education is very important."

"Dinner should be ready." Sakura held Tiger's forearm and led the others to the dining room.

*

Day 15, Fri. 0729 hr. "... thermonuclear turbines into Evangelion Unit 02," stated Aida Kensuke as the boy turned the laptop to his side. The monitor showed Unit 02 in a hangar, being fitted with OT armor. Kensuke's father led the peacekeepers that provided security for Matsushiro, and the boy frequently hacked into his father's computer in search of information on the robots.

Suzuhara Toji slammed the monitor against the keyboard, closing the laptop. "Stop it! I don't wanna see those damned robots again!"

"But...!"

"The city was destroyed by an Eva, not an Angel! Evangelion Unit 01 destroyed my home! Evangelion Unit 01 buried my sister under the rubble that was once an apartment building! Evangelion Unit 01-- that monster..."

"All rise!" ordered Horaki Hikari, the class president. "Bow!" The students bowed to their teacher. "Take seat!"

"Students, this is..."

"The name's Tanaka, Tanaka Shiro," said the boy in the black business suit.

The teacher concealed his anger at Shiro's arrogance. "As of today, he will be attending class with you."

Kensuke and Hikari stared at the tall boy with blue-gray eyes. 'He's a student?! He looks like a 24-year-old, not a 14-year-old!'

"He has lived in England for the past ten years, and is unfamiliar with our customs. I expect you all to help him understand our glorious culture." The teacher turned to Shiro. "Tanaka-kun, please take a seat."

"Yes, Sir." Shiro sat down behind Toji.

The teacher opened a textbook, turned to the chalkboard, and wrote, "The Second Impact." "On September 13, 2000, a meteorite crashed into the Antarctic continent, causing the Antarctic ice cap to melt in an instant. Consequently, the sea level rose..."

Shiro suppressed a groan. One reason NERV had financial problems was because the UN covered up the fact that the 1st Angel had caused the 2nd Impact; consequently, most politicians failed to understand how great a threat the Angels were, or how important the Evas were. In fact, the Nuclear Emergency Response Vector's original name was Gehirn, the German word for "brain"; it was changed in order to convince the US President and key members of Congress to approve funding for the organization.

The 4th Child opened his notebook to a map, and planned tactics to beat Liquid Snake, the final boss of 'Metal Gear Revolution 2'. 'Strange, the Metal Gear hangar looks like an Eva cage,' he noted, ignoring Toji and Kensuke as they argued about the identity of Unit 04's pilot.

"But for 15 years after that-- in only 15 years, we have greatly restored the world. This is not only due to the superiority of the human race, but also to the efforts, to the blood, sweat, and tears of your parents."

"Is it true that you're the pilot of that robot? Y/N"

Shiro stared at the message on his laptop. He typed, "?"

"Evangelion Unit 04."

Shiro concealed his surprise, and typed, "?"

Toji jumped out of his seat, knocking it over. "Stop playing dumb!" He shook his fist at Shiro's face. "Ever since the Incident, everyone's been transferring to other schools, evacuating Tokyo! Why'd you transfer to this school, unless you got something to do with the Evas?!"

Hikari stood up and shouted, "Suzuhara! Stop this behavior and sit down!"

Shiro stood up and looked down; he was 15 centimeters taller than Toji. "Is it a Japanese custom to threaten new students with violence?" His eyes looked like gun barrels; Toji shivered, expecting bullets to fly out of these eyes.

"No."

"Then leave me alone."

Hikari watched Toji sat down, followed by Shiro. "I'm sorry, Sir. Suzuhara's sister was wounded in the Incident; she's still in the hospital," she explained to the teacher.

"I understand. You may sit down." The teacher turned to the blackboard. "In those days, I lived in Nebukawa. It was already..."

Although Shiro didn't answer the question, Toji was afraid to ask again.

*

0810 hr. Ryoko stared at Unit 01's spare helmet, which was painted red and black to match the color of her demon form. It had a radio, an IFF system, and target designators to let her designate targets for other weapons systems. The mask looked demonic, like the one Ryoko wore when she served Kagato. 'Is this how everyone sees me? As a monster?'

"Pilot Ryoko," called Fuyutsuki, addressing Ryoko by her new title. "Are you ready?"

Ryoko sighed. "Yes." She changed into her demon form and put on the helmet.

"Testing, one, two, three," said Makoto, who was in the control booth. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes."

"Good. Evangelion Unit 01A, launch!"

"What?"

Fuyutsuki sighed and opened the cage door. "Just walk into the exercise area." After Ryoko exited the cage, he added, "We're going to test the radar target designator. Do you see the pillars?"

"Yes."

"Align the crosshairs on one of the pillars." A camera on the helmet allowed Fuyutsuki to see from Ryoko's point of view. "Say, 'Lock on target.'"

"Lock on target."

Beeeeep! "Ground target is locked on," noted Makoto.

"Good job. Now, do you see the blimps?"

As Ryoko tested the radar and laser target designators on ground and aerial targets, she didn't know Fuyutsuki had ordered 113.4 kilograms of plastic explosives to be installed in the rear of the helmet, so he could kill her if she became a threat. Fuyutsuki didn't know Shiro had hacked into his computer and replaced that order with one to install sandbags to serve as counterweights.

*

1050 hr, Beijing Time. Three J-11 fighters, structurally modified to survive acceleration to Mach 2.8 (3431.12 km/h at sea level), took off from Nanyuan AFB. Used as engine testbeds, they each mounted a third engine between their WS-10 turbofans.

One of them was the J-11N, modified to test OT. An opaque hatch covered the entry plug mounted in place of a conventional cockpit; LCDs displayed images from cameras mounted in the plane's nose, wingtips, tail, dorsal and ventral surfaces.

In the entry plug, 2nd Lt Arael Barak, an Israeli Defense Force/Air Force (IDF/AF) pilot assigned to the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), counted down in Mandarin. "Ignition." The thermonuclear turbine nozzle emitted an artificial solar flare, propelling the J-11N to Mach 1.2 (1469.33 km/h at sea level). The LCDs became white as water vapor condensed into a cloud, which enveloped the J-11N. The cloud dissipated as the plane continued to accelerate, revealing... darkness.

'Angel of Birds.'

'Who?' Arael radioed, "Control, this is Thunder Three. Say a--" An image burst through his memories, as violently as a bullet. "Ahhhh!" A four-year-old Arael stared at the coffins of his parents, accompanied by dark emotions: fear of the unknown, of what would happen to him now that Mama and Papa were gone; anger at the terrorist who took their lives, at his parents for abandoning him, and at himself for failing to prevent the suicide bombing that took away his mama and papa; and hatred.

Released from the pilot's hand, the control stick violently shook, as if a hurricane blew inside the cockpit. Lights flashed to warn the pilot that the plane was stalling. Arael didn't see heaven and earth revolve around the cockpit as the J-11N spun out of control; he didn't hear the alarms beep. As he curled into the fetal position, he didn't feel his knees slam against the entry plug hatch. All Arael could sense was the burning pain that consumed his mind, body, and soul. A strange thought entered his mind. 'I'm in pain because I'm weak. I hate myself for this weakness. I want the strength to end the pain. Give me strength!'

'You belong to me now.' Arael sensed... a change. He felt his skin melt and reform itself into feathers; he felt his arms and legs melt and reform themselves into wings. 'Behold...'

"Arael!"

The pain was extinguished. An AT field enveloped the J-11N, shielding the pilot from the darkness that tried to consumed him. Arael opened his eyes. 'What...?' Arael stared at his arms and legs; he could see human skin through tears in his plug suit sleeves. 'How...?' The pilot noticed the plane was slightly shaking, and turned his head to see a red and white Evangelion gripping the J-11N's right wing. Forward-swept wings had unfolded from the Eva's lower back, a sash on a noblewoman's robes.

The LCD superimposed an image of girl over the Eva's head; Arael recognized her blue hair, red eyes, and two blue daggers tattooed on her left cheek. "Thunder Three, this is Thunder Eight. Lightning Three," the J-11N's computer core, "reports rejection has set in on the neural interface system. Terminate the contacts and set flight control to manual, over," ordered the girl.

"Thunder Eight, this is Thunder Three. Wilco, over." He put his hands on the control stick and throttle, and his feet on the pedals, before turning to the girl. "Nazhi... thank you."

1st Lt Wei Nazhi, the Eva pilot, smiled. "You're welcome."

*

1200 hr, Tokyo Time. Kensuke approached Shiro, who was opening a lunchbox. "Looks great!" he lied; it looked ugly, utilitarian, unlike the folk art that Japanese housewives crafted. (Shiro made it himself.) "Your mom must have spent a lot of time on that!"

Shiro sighed. "She would have if she were alive."

"Oh. I'm sorry." 'Round two.' "My mom died when I was three or four. I still miss her; sometimes, I..."

"What do you want?" Shiro's voice was like a sound-suppressed firearm, quiet but threatening.

Kensuke looked around; the other students were busy eating and/or reading, and were unlikely to notice him. "You can trust me; I swear I won't tell anybody." He smiled. "You're the pilot of Evangelion Unit 04, aren't you?"

"What...?" Shiro was interrupted when Misato entered the classroom. "Hello, Aunt Missy."

"Bon--" She remembered Shiro's alias. "Shiro-kun! Your grandmother just had a heart attack!" the codeword for an Angel attack. "Come on! I'll take you to the hospital!" Misato turned to Kensuke. "Give this to the teacher!" She grabbed the boy's hand and placed a note in it.

Kensuke watched Misato lead Shiro out of the room. "Curiouser and curiouser."

*

1205 hr. As Misato sped towards Matsushiro, she could hear the people in the command center through the tactical radio in her car. "Evangelion Unit 01A, launch!" ordered Fuyutsuki.

"High-energy reaction detected in the target!" warned Makoto.

"What!?"

"It's exhibiting radial acceleration and concentration!"

"Evasive action!" ordered Fuyutsuki.

They heard Ryoko ask, "What?" through the radio. They didn't need it to hear her howl in pain.

"Ryoko!" cried Shiro. As the car approached Matsushiro, he could see the diamond-shaped Angel, which glowed as if it was encircled by Christmas lights.

"High-energy reaction...!"

They screamed as Ramiel, the Angel of Thunder, fired its particle accelerator cannon at the car.

*

"AT field detected!" warned Makoto. "50 km east of the base!"

"Is it another Angel?!" asked Fuyutsuki.

"AT field has dissipated! Scanning last known location!" The monitor showed images from a UAV; Misato's Renault Alpine A310 laid upside-down, its body panels scattered between it and the crater that Ramiel created. "Misato!"

Buzz! "Not so loud, Lt Hyuga!" cried Misato.

"Women drivers. Ow!" cried Shiro as Misato's knuckles struck his forehead.

Ryoko's radio was still functional; she heard Shiro's cry. "Missy! If you touch my Shiro one more time, I'll tear off your arms and shove them up your arse!

Fuyutsuki sighed. "Send SAR Team Two to Pilot Bond's location."

"Yes, Sir!"

At 1210 hr, SAR Team One had brought Ryoko back to the command center. At 1225 hr, Misato and Shiro joined them. Ryoko embraced Shiro and cried about how worried she was, while Misato examined records of Ramiel's violent reactions to the base's defenses.

"So the Angel automatically attacks targets within a 50 km radius of itself?" asked Misato.

"According to the data we've collected," added Makoto.

'Then why did it attack us? Did it identify Shiro as a threat? And what generated the second AT field?' "Status of its AT field?"

"Active. It's strong enough to make itself visible by its phasing space."

Misato stared at the Angel's image. A drill bit extended from Ramiel's lower body, to the ground. "What's it doing?"

"Digging up the Eva graveyard," answered Fuyutsuki. "The storage space for the failures, the stillborn Evas that died before we learned how to build Units 01 and 00."

"Hmm..." 'What does it want with them?' "What's its ETA?"

"At this rate?" Fuyutsuki ordered the computer to calculate the drill's estimated time of arrival. "By 2301.54, it will breach all 22 levels of the 1st branch's defensive armor."

'10.5 hours.' "It's too risky to have the Evas close in..." She smiled and snapped her fingers. "The JSSDF's prototype automatic positron cannon! With that, we can launch a focused, high-energy attack without first neutralizing the target's AT field!"

Fuyutsuki ordered the computer to calculate the amount of power they'd need. "At least 180 gigawatts are required to penetrate that AT field. Where are you going to get that much electric power?"

"From all of Japan."

"Sigh. We have no other options. Proceed."

*

1245 hr. "This is the schedule for Operation Yashima." Misato pointed at the map. "The two pilots, Bond and Ryoko, will scramble at the cage at 1600 hr today. At 1630, prepare Units 04 and 01A. At 1605, launch. At 1630, arrive at the emergency base on Mt Futagoyama. Wait there for further instructions.

"At 2245, the operation begins."

Ryoko frowned. "That's it? That's your plan? To sit on our hands for the next ten hours, ten hours that monster can use to kill us one by one?!"

Misato sighed. "I just talked to Sections Two and Three of our Technological Development Departments. The cannon won't be assembled until at least,"-- she glanced at her watch-- "1550 hr. Even if Section Three hurries, the cannon's useless until the power supply system is set up. Section Two's currently 3.2% behind schedule, so they won't be finished until 2200."

Ryoko's cruel, mocking laughter flooded the conference room. "You might as well get down on your knees and beg for your lives. Hell, I'll do it for you!" She became intangible, flew through the ceiling, and turned to Ramiel. "Hey, Angel!" Ryoko put her hands together. "Please, please, pretty please with sugar on top, spare our so-called lives!"

"No..." The haunting voice thundered through the air, shaking Ryoko and everyone at Matsushiro. "For the wages of sin is death. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

"Ow, my ears!" cried Ryoko.

"Oh my God..." Misato gripped her cross.

"Romans, 6:23 and 3:23," noted Fuyutsuki.

"Excuse me, I have to make a phone call." No one noticed Shiro's exit.

*

Beeeeep! Beeeeep! "Moshi moshi?"

"Aunt Sakura, this is Shiro."

"Shi-chan! Are you okay?" Sakura knew what had happened to Misato's car.

"Yes. I'm sorry I can't attend dinner tonight."

"I understand." When her father was the JSS commander, he often delivered this message by phone.

"Tell Ojiisama and Aunt Nadeshiko to enjoy their meals."

'It's hard for us to enjoy dinner when you're not here.' Sakura didn't say those words; they'd only trouble the young man's mind. "I will. Take care of yourself."

"I will. Thank you, Aunt Sakura."

"Goodbye."

As Shiro hanged up the pay phone, he sensed that someone was approaching him from behind. He instinctively reached for his MK23 as he turned around. "Good afternoon, Ryoko."

Ryoko blushed as she froze in midair, her arms extended. Then she flew to Shiro and embraced him. "Shiro! The cafeteria's closed, and I'm starving! Do you think your Aunt Sakura can get us some reservations at a nice restaurant?" 'I must make him lower his defenses, or I won't be able to teleport him out of Tokyo!'

"Ryoko, you know I must do my duty."

The girl stopped using a phony smile to conceal her anguish. "But you'll get hurt! You might even-- might even..." She let her tears flow free.

Shiro waved his finger, signaling Ryoko to follow him. The girl's arms encircled his neck; as Shiro approached a window, Ryoko flew behind him, like a kite. Shiro pointed to the city outside of the base. "Can you see the people?" He saw Ryoko nod. "Can you choose one of them to take my place? Someone to die for me?" He saw the shock in Ryoko's eyes; he'd be out of character if he sincerely wanted this. "Neither can I."

"But...!"

Shiro silenced Ryoko with a kiss. He felt her tears upon his cheeks as the girl expressed her love. "I'm a knight. I fight to protect them," he waved at the city, "and I'm ready to give my life for them. That's the path I've chosen. If you disagree, you're free to choose a different path."

'No; my heart is bound to yours.' She saw him smile.

"Come. I know a restaurant that serves an excellent Cantonese cuisine." (The restaurant manager was a JSS informer with contacts in various criminal organizations.)

Ryoko put on the phony smile as she followed him out of the base, making him happy by pretending that she was happy; she knew that, until the cannon was ready, she could do nothing else to help him.

*

1905 hr. An F-2 fighter circled Tokyo-2, while its pilot waited for further orders.

"Golden Sword, this is Golden Helmet, over."

"Golden Helmet, this is Golden Sword, over," answered the pilot.

"Tenchu, tenchu, tenchu," divine retribution, a message that feudal assassins once left upon their targets. "Over."

"Tenchu received." The fighter dropped a 2000 pound (907 kg) satellite-guided bomb. Although the pilot didn't know the identity of his target, he believed his commander when the general claimed that the target was a communist mole that must be rooted out, quietly but quickly.

*

2244 hr. Toji yawned. "What the fuck am I doing here?"

Kensuke scanned the horizon with the night observation device (NOD) he "borrowed" from his father. "To watch the battle of the titans!"

"Is this show worth our lives?"

"The shelters won't guarantee our survival; even if we choose to stay in them, we might die, despite all the protection that NERV claims to provide us. We might as well see it before... There!" He handed the NOD to Toji and pointed at a horizontal cylinder beside a mountain road. "There's the positron cannon!"

"I see the cannon, but... where's the Eva?"

"It must be coated with radar-absorbing material and other stealth technology." Kensuke smiled. "Awesome!"

"Okay, I can see its silhouette..." He noticed that Ramiel was glowing. "What...? Ahhhh!"

The boys screamed, blinded by the flash from Ramiel's cannon.

*

"All cooling systems are at full power." "Temperature is stable. No problems." "Positron charge is nominal." "2nd connection." "Start all accelerators." "Start concentrator." "All power..."

The cannon had been assembled into a rifle, compatible with Unit 04's targeting systems. Shiro kept the crosshairs centered on Ramiel as he listened to the dialogue between Misato and the technicians. He mentally counted down to the moment when he was to squeeze the trigger and fire the cannon. '20 seconds... 15 seconds... ten...'

"Release all final safety systems."

"Adjustment for the gravity field and the planetary revolution is minus 0.0009." "0.2 to the critical voltage." "Seventh, tenth connection." "All power to the positron rifle."

'Eight, seven, six...'

High-energy reaction detected in the target!" warned Makoto.

"Shit!" Misato pressed the "transmit" button on her headset. "Pilot Bond, fire!"

Shiro and Ramiel fired simultaneously. The particle beams interacted like air currents, by violently pushing against each other; both beams were thrown 20 meters off target.

"Shit!" cursed Misato.

"Exchanging fuses... Recharging... The cooling system is..."

"Another high-energy reaction...!"

As the Angel recharged its cannon, Unit 04 jumped onto its feet and slid down the hill. The particle beam transformed Unit 04's former firing position into a crater. In the resulting light, Shiro saw Toji and Kensuke as they laid on the ground; this information was automatically transmitted to the C² vehicle.

"Shiro's classmates?" noted Misato.

"What are they doing there?" asked Makoto.

"Cover me while I move!" shouted Shiro.

"I've got you covered!" replied Ryoko. She held the airframe of a spaceplane-- an improvised shield NERV had issued her-- as she shot at Ramiel. Although the airframe was chosen for its high-temperature thermal protection system, Ryoko knew it could withstand Ramiel's particle cannon for only 17 seconds. 'Hurry, Shiro!'

"Moving!" Once Unit 04 reached the boys, Shiro opened the entry plug. "Get in!"

Toji stared at the figure in the plug. "Who...?"

Kensuke grabbed Toji's hand. "This is no time to argue!" Splash! "The NOD! Dad's going to kill me!"

"What...? It's water!"

"Don't worry, you won't drown," assured Shiro. He closed the hatch, ignoring Toji and Kensuke's fearful screams.

Clifton grabbed Misato's headset and put it on himself. "Plt Off Bond, you're not authorized to seat civilians in the cockpit!"

Misato grabbed the headset. "Hey! I'm in charge of this operation!"

Clifton wrestled with Misato for the headset. "And I'm in charge of Unit 04!"

"Trouble in the control system!" warned Makoto. "There's static in the nerve pulses!"

"Shit." Misato released the headset, letting Clifton fall onto the floor. "It's because 'Sir Shiro' just inserted two foreign bodies." Toji and Kensuke's brainwaves were interfering with the Shiro's ability to control Unit 04. "Is the rifle ready?"

"Ten more seconds!"

The particle beam penetrated Ryoko's shield; Section Two had underestimated Ramiel's power. "Howl!" 'It burns!'

"Ryoko!"

"Ahhhh!" Toji and Kensuke screamed as a wave of rage washed over them, drowning them.

"Static is being cleared away!"

"Roar!" Unit 04 placed the rifle butt in the pocket of its right shoulder as it charged. One shot pierced Ramiel's AT field; another shot, fired at point-blank range, shattered its diamond-shaped shell. Now out of positron cartridges, Shiro smashed the rifle butt against the Angel's exposed S² organ; the crystal fragments reflected the rage in Unit 04's eyes. "Die!" Crack! "Die!" Crack! "Die, die, die...!"

"Pilot Bond, cease and desist!" ordered Misato. "The target has been silenced! You're...!" Crack! She put her hand on her forehead, trying to block the incoming headache. "Oh my God! I can imagine the amount of paperwork I'll do when the JSSDF charges us for the damages!"

Crack, clatter! Thud! Unit 04 planted the rifle butt on the ground as it kneeled. "Ite..." Toji shook his head. "What the fuck...?" He saw a ghostly Ryoko enter the cockpit. "Ahhhh!"

Ryoko ignored the screaming boy. "Shiro?" The pilot was a motorized toy whose batteries had been removed, still and silent. Ryoko removed the helmet. "Shiro!"

Toji and Kensuke saw Shiro's reflection on the LCD. "Tanaka?!"

A red liquid was gushing out of the unconscious pilot's mouth. 'It smells like blood,' noted Toji. 'What the fuck is going on?'

*

Day 16, Sat. 0103 hr. "So you were in the mountains because you wanted to study nocturnal birds, and you were unaware that access to the area had been restricted?" asked Clifton. He decided to interrogate the boys at the infirmary, after the doctors had examined them. Behind him, Misato frowned at his paranoia; although the boys weren't a threat to them, Clifton had filled the infirmary with SPs. In fact, the SPs were there to guard Shiro, who was in a recovery room next door.

"Yes, Sir!" Kensuke had prepared the story in advance for this situation. He and Toji had rehearsed what they'd say to government and military officials if they were questioned. In fact, Kensuke's interest in ornithology was limited to its use as a cover for his peeping.

"And where'd you get this?" Clifton held the NOD in his hand.

"From my father."

The NOD was designed to be mounted onto a rifle. "You got a ¥540,000 night weapon sight from your father," deadpanned Misato.

"Who does your father work for?" demanded Clifton. "The KGB?" Like most Americans, he still referred to the Russian security service by its Soviet era name. "Or the Chinese...?"

"Halt!" called a SP. "Who goes there?"

"Major Aida Kosuke, UN Security Forces. I demand a word with your commanding officer."

"Dad!"

Misato raised her hand to stop Clifton. "I'll handle this." Misato approached the door. "Maj Aida, what is the meaning of this?"

Aida controlled his anger. "Capt Katsuragi, I am protesting your unlawful detainment of civilians, and demanding that you release Aida Kensuke and Suzuhara Toji, immediately!"

"Dad!" called Kensuke.

Ryoko felt Shiro's heartbeat slow down, like hers did when she was depressed. She raised her head from his chest, and looked into his eyes. "Are you okay, Shiro?"

Shiro concealed his anguish with a smile. "Don't worry." He suppressed a sigh as he listened to a father express his concern, his love for his son; the words filled Shiro's heart with poisonous envy.

*

"... Angel's speech has been reported as being the prank of a cracker who had momentarily taken control of our emergency broadcast system," said Fuyutsuki.

"And what of the 4th Child?" asked Keel.

"The medics have performed a thorough examination, and have found no signs of physical injury. I believe the reports of his coughing blood are simply an illusion, a stress reaction on the part of the female pilots."

Langley frowned. "Are you suggesting that the 2nd Child is hysterical?"

'You called your daughter by her designation, not by her name. Is that all that she is to you? A tool?' "No, but..." Fuyutsuki filled the last word with sarcasm.

"Enough," interrupted Keel. He turned to Langley. "What is Unit 02's status?"

"The modifications are now 15.2% behind schedule; DARPA didn't consider equipping NERV standard Evas with Overtechnology when they designed Unit 04's armor." Unit 02 had matured; the engineers must amputate its lower legs, place the turbine housings under the knee joints, and fuse the regenerating tissue to the housings. Units 03 and 04 were immature when they were fitted with armor; the operations were easier to perform. "A static test of the thermonuclear turbines is scheduled..."

"Then make the necessary corrections." Keel's hologram disappeared when he signed out of Seele's communications network.

As Langley turned to Fuyutsuki, his eyes burned with a hatred born of envy.

Fuyutsuki watched Langley's hologram disappear. 'You fool; only a masochist would envy my current position.' He reached into his pocket and removed a plastic bag. Inside was a rosary, covered with blood, which was found within the crushed remains of Ramiel's S² organ. It was possible that the rosary was simply left behind by a mortal who, coincidentally, had passed by the place where the Angel had fallen. However, Fuyutsuki doubted that its location was accidental; he remembered Peorth's words. 'What are my chances of becoming a monster? Have I already become one?' He stared at the rosary; it answered his silence with silence. Fuyutsuki put the rosary back into his pocket, which was already full of frustration. 'Back to work.'

*

0805 hr. Misato groaned as she rose from her desk. "I should've put a futon in here." She glanced at her watch. "Shit!" She ran out of her office, past the mess hall, towards the cage. Bang, crash, clatter! Misato instinctively reached for her shoulder holster. 'Shit!' Peorth had taken away her pistol. Misato suppressed her fear as she crept towards the door. Clang, thud! "Makoto!"

"Ma'am!" Makoto crawled away from the door, out of the line of fire.

"Are you hurt?!"

Crash, clatter, boom! "No..."

"What happened?!"

"Pilot Bond drew his pistol and shot the TVs." Bang, crash, clatter!

"Ahhhh!"

"He doesn't sound very happy," commented Misato. "Maybe it was something he saw on TV?"

"Ahhhh!" Bang, crash, clatter! Although Shiro had destroyed the TV monitor, the speakers still functioned.

"... Tanaka Tetsuro will not be forgotten," said a familiar, charismatic and commanding voice. "This crime shall not go unavenged. I..." Bang, bang, bang, boom!

"The damn commies blew up a mansion in Tokyo-2," said Makoto. "The JSS commander was killed, along with several members of her family. The PM was delivering a speech..."

"Oh, no!"

"Ma'am? Is there something I should know about?"

"Tanaka Sakura was Shiro's paternal aunt," explained Misato. "Is anyone else in there?"

Makoto cautiously looked through the window. The floor was covered with broken glass and spent cartridges. Shiro cried as he sat on the floor, his suit torn and wrinkled. Ryoko's arms encircled him as she whispered gentle words to Shiro. The cooks, the food servers, and the custodians slid along the wall, away from the pilots, as they approached the exit. "Pilot Ryoko and the cooks."

Misato looked through the window. "Let the cooks leave, then wait here until Shiro calms down." She turned to Makoto. "There's nothing else we can do."

"Yes, Ma'am."

*

0903 hr. Beep, beep! "Black Queen," Ryoko's codename, "this is Black Bishop, over."

Ryoko picked up her cell phone. "Missy, please watch over Shiro."

"Sure." The boy was sleeping safely in Misato's condo, in her futon. His pistol was under the pillow, ready to be used in self-defense.

Ryoko walked to the balcony and climbed onto the roof. "Black Bishop, this is Black Queen, over."

"Black Queen, this is Black Bishop. I'm unable to contact Black Knight. What's his current condition? Was he grievously wounded?"

"Sigh. He recovered from the wounds he suffered last night, but this morning, when saw the news..."

"Which reported Tanaka Tetsuro's death."

"How'd you know?"

"Tanaka was... Black Knight's ojiisama. I'll explain this later. Now, what happened?"

"Anyways, he went berserk when he saw the news. We sedated him with beer. He's..."

"What?!"

*

Ring, ring! Misato picked up the phone. "Moshi moshi?"

"Misato," greeted Asuka. "I just heard about Aunt Sakura and Aunt Nadeshiko. How's Shiro?"

"Aunt Sakura-- you knew them?!"

"I've never met them, but Shiro did tell me about them. He gave me their numbers and email addresses. He said they'd do everything in their power to help me if I'm assigned to one of NERV's Asian branches." She paused. "I guess that's now out of the question."

"Damn it, why didn't you tell me?! I didn't even know Shiro had relatives in Japan before Tanaka Sakura visited me two days ago!"

"You never asked."

Misato groaned. "Never mind. Anyways, he went berserk, and I had to use three cans of my beer to sedate him." She wanted to use more, but Peorth had replaced the rest of her beer with the missing weapons.

"Wait, why'd you let Shiro drink beer? Why didn't you let me drink beer at last year's Oktoberfest?"

"What was I supposed use? A shot of morphine?! You know how paranoid he is! The moment he sees a syringe in my hand is the moment I'll look down the barrel of his pistol!"

"Okay, okay! Sigh... Can I talk to him?"

"He's sleeping right now. Should I...?"

"Never mind. Just call me later, and tell me how he's doing, okay?"

"Sure."

"Goodbye." Asuka hung up the phone.

Ryoko entered the bedroom. The girl looked like she had witnessed the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima.

"What happened to you?" asked Misato.

"I just learned that it's a felony to provide alcohol to a minor."

"Ah."

*

Kensuke felt Mama's body shake, saw a red liquid flow from her mouth, and smelled something salty and metallic. He was scared, trapped beneath Mama's corpse, unable to free himself from the death that enveloped him.

"Help!"

*

Day 17, Sun. 0013 hr. Kensuke rocketed out of the blanket, sitting upright in his bed. 'What was that?!' Despite the terror it summoned, he tried to remember the dream. 'A memory?' It wasn't his memory. When Kensuke's mother finally succumbed to breast cancer, she smelled bitter, like the antiseptics the doctors and nurses had used. 'Tanaka's memory?'

He walked out of his room, towards his father's; Maj Aida remained at Matsushiro. Kensuke turned on the computer, typed in his father's password, and opened the files on Unit 04's pilot. 'Nothing. No name, no birth date, no height and weight... No gender! All it says is that the pilot is the 4th Child, one who has the x-factor that allows him to synchronize with an Eva.' (NERV injected children with cells, cloned from Adam, to test for this x-factor. The World Health Organization supported NERV, claiming the tests were for tuberculosis; they treated serious or fatal immunoreactions to the injected cells as symptoms of tuberculosis.) He stared at the words "NO PHOTO AVAILABLE" that stood in the space where the pilot's mug shot should be. 'What's your secret?'

Kensuke had a photographic memory; now he searched it for clues on the identity of Unit 04's pilot. He remembered the Union Jack on the pilot's right shoulder. 'Maybe...' He opened the files on foreign military personnel who were stationed at Matsushiro. 'Bingo!'

*

0720 hr. Toji stood by the classroom door, waiting for Shiro; he wanted to confront the pilot about the Incident, and make Shiro take responsibility for what happened to his sister. Kensuke sat beside him, his bloodshot eyes full of pride as he displayed the files he had uncovered. "His blood type is O positive. That means he sets the mood for a group and creates harmony among its members." Like many Japanese, Kensuke believed that one's blood type determined one's personality. "He's peaceful..."

"Peaceful?! Don't you remember what happened two days ago?!"

"No, you don't."

"Ahhhh!" Toji and Kensuke fell onto the floor, surprised by Shiro's sudden appearance.

The tall boy picked up Kensuke's laptop. "Impressive." He turned to Kensuke and smiled. "Are you good with computers?"

"Y-y-y-yes."

"Would you like to work for the Service? We'll pay handsomely for some info."

"D-d-don't you know everything already?"

"No; the Service doesn't have an intelligence network in Japan."

Kensuke lowered his head in thought. 'This is a chance of a lifetime! I can't miss it!' He raised his head. "Of course!"

"Good. By the way,"-- Shiro deleted the files-- "stop investigating me." His eyes were like gun barrels again. "That's bad for your health." He returned the laptop and took a seat.

Toji dragged Kensuke out of the classroom, into the cleaning closet; he didn't want to confront Shiro now. "You idiot! Do you know what you've gotten yourself into?!"

"Of course!" Kensuke smiled. "I'm in the Black World, the world of top secret military experiments on weapons systems that are reverse-engineered from alien technology." The smile became wider. "It's too cool!"

"Kensuke, you're my friend. Normally, I'd do anything for you. But this time..." Toji shook his head. "This time, I'm staying out of this. I don't need to look down the barrel of a 9 mm handgun."

"He was issued a Heckler and Koch Mark 23, a .45 caliber weapon," corrected Kensuke.

Toji shook his head as he opened the door. "Gasp! C-Class Pres!"

Hikari's face was blank, her expressions wiped away by shock. "Suzuhara-kun, I didn't know you were... like that."

"I'm not!"

Kensuke looked over Toji's shoulder. "Like what?"

"Toji and Kensuke are a gay couple!" exclaimed a girl.

"No!" "I...!" "We...!"

Shiro ignored the two boys as they attempted to defend their reputation against gossip. 'Ojiisama, Aunt Nadeshiko, Aunt Sakura...' He closed his right hand into a fist. 'I swear to God, your deaths shall not go unavenged.'

***

To be continued...

Now for something light-hearted!

***

Two samurai march down a castle hall, escorting a squire to a room; the "nightingale floor," designed to provide a warning if an intruder walks on it, squeaks with each step. The squire marches to the refrigerator in the middle of the room, opens the refrigerator door, and takes out a can of Whoopass Cola. He puts the can and a glass on a plate, puts ice cubes in the glass, and turns around to exit the room; no one sees a hand reach down from the ceiling to open the refrigerator door.

The samurai escort the squire to the room of a daimyo, the Japanese nobleman they serve. The squire puts the plate on the floor in front of the daimyo, opens the can, and pours the cola into the glass. The daimyo raises the glass to his lips; then he sees Asuka run on the corridor wall in front of the door.

Asuka wears a ninja uniform, holding a can of Whoopass in her left hand; iron claws, fixed to her gauntlets and boots, let her walk on the walls. The daimyo points at her.

Daimyo: How dare she take my favorite drink from my refrigerator!


The samurai draw their swords and charge out of the room, into the hallway, to pursue Asuka.

Samurai: Yaaaa!

Asuka's head turns; she smiles and draws her sword. The ninja slashes as she jumps across the corridor to the opposite wall, breaking the samurai's swords.

The samurai look down at the broken blades on the floor.

Samurai: Ahhhh!


They turn around and run for their lives.

Asuka sits in a tree on a hill overlooking the castle. She tilts her head back and empties the cola down her throat.

Asuka: Ah!

She smiles and holds the can before the camera.

Asuka: Never fear to live life on the edge! Open a can of Whoopass!

"A static test of the thermonuclear turbines is scheduled for 0900 hr, Greenwich Mean Time, today," reported Kagato. To an outsider, the youth was apparently sleeping vertically in the glass tube, like the clones within the LCL tank behind him. In fact, Kagato was using the clones to increase his telepathic powers and communicate with his new ally.

"And what of the Cybertronian Eva?" asked Unicron. Her voice was eerie, distorted by the Astral Plane, where she was hiding.

"There has been no sign of it since the cyborg dived into the Atlantic Ocean. I have been monitoring reports from the navies of the various European Union members, as well as the data that has been gathered by their satellites; they reveal nothing."

"Could he have escaped into hyperspace?"

"No; I would have sensed the resulting time-space distortion. I suspect that the cyborg has simply dived deep enough to defeat the humans' sensor technology."

"Then I shall give you the sensor technology you need." Unicron downloaded the blueprints into Kagato's mind, as forcefully as she'd thrust a sword into his heart.

"Ahhhh!" The youth bit his lower lip to suppress the scream; he still took pride in the strength of his mind, and refused to acknowledge that Unicron's was stronger.

"You will build the sensor and install it within Evangelion Unit 05A," which was under construction at Hannover, NERV Germany's 2nd branch. "You will use it to hunt down the Cybertronian Eva, and you will kill it."

"Yes... Master." Kagato wasn't delusional; he knew he needed Unicron's aid, and endured the humiliation of addressing another being as his master. Fortunately, he wouldn't need to endure it much longer. Soon, he'd gain the Ultimate Power, and Unicron would be forced to address him as her master. "And what of Evangelion Unit 04?" he asked, reinforcing his sense of superiority by referring to something Unicron couldn't control.

"I will take care of it." Unicron terminated communications without another word.

'You will fail.' Kagato smiled; the smile disappeared when he directed his mind to a personal problem. "Ryoko..." She wouldn't answer his telepathic summons, and Kagato seethed at the fact that she was now beyond his reach. He first sensed her when she had recovered her gems, then lost her. The Master Key, the Sword of Heaven and Earth, was jamming his control over Ryoko's gems and, through it, his control over Ryoko. Kagato recovered his control over his anger. He'd learn to counter the Master Key's jamming; it wouldn't interfere with his plan, which was advancing at a satisfactory rate.

Yosho had attempted to destroy the Soja, Kagato's ship, and had crashed the clone replication plant's control system. Kagato's old body was destroyed before he could repair the damage; he had to wait 700 Earth years before the system was rebooted, and he could gain a new body. The body was still in puberty, but it was getting stronger. Soon, Kagato would control one of the most powerful weapons in the galaxy, whose power rivaled that of Jurai's Royal Trees. He also had access to the Dead Sea Scrolls; once he deciphered its secrets, he'd have the power to create his own galaxy, his own stars, his own planets...

*

"Mental contamination is affecting the mnemonic indoctrination phase of clone replication," warned the technician. "Shall I terminate the phase?"

"Not yet. I will enter the plant to observe its effects. Await my orders." Keel exited the control booth and marched down the 100 meters that separated it from the Ark, the alien spaceship that was discovered the day the 2nd Impact occurred. He approached the electromagnetic (EM) cage that contained the Ark, typed his access code into its keypad, and allowed the security system to scan him. Once his identity was confirmed, the system opened a door, whose frame shielded his cybernetic implants from the cage's EM field. Keel entered the door; behind it, he saw a jagged hole in the Ark's side, the reason the Ark had crashed in Hannover 700 years ago. He walked through the hole, past the shattered statues that once flanked the entrance to the bridge, and through the passage that was once hidden behind a pipe organ.

The passage led to the clone replication plant. A glass tube stood in its center, where Nagisa Kaoru, the Fifth Child, was downloading his memory into the clones. "Kaoru," called Lorenz. "Mental contamination is affecting the mnemonic indoctrination."

Kaoru opened his eyes. "I'm... sorry to have worried you... Father." He paused before he used two of the words; Keel assumed it was due to fatigue, the human need to catch one's breath. "I'm fine."

Keel turned to Kaoru's clones, whose skin and muscle tissue had become transparent, exposing their skeleton and internal organs. He knew from experience that the wraithlike appearance was the result of a psychological or neurological problem in the individual whose memories were being downloaded into the clones. "Do not lie to me." Although Keel's visor covered his eyes, Kaoru could sense his disapproving frown.

The boy sighed. "I was... afraid."

"Of what?"

"The Valkyries."

"Do not be concerned. Langley is negotiating with the Americans for access to Overtechnology. Once all of the Evas has been equipped with Overtechnology armor, they will no longer be a threat."

"Thank you... Father." An angelic smile, loving and caring, appeared on Kaoru's face. "I won't let it affect my performance anymore."

The clones became dark red, and then pale gray, as their muscle and skin tissues became opaque. "Excellent." Keel smiled, believing that everything was as it should be, under his control. He turned away from the tube, towards the passage.

Kaoru continued to smile as he watched Keel leave, but the smile had become predatory, bloodthirsty and cruel.

***

DEATH IS NEVER THE END, Part 4

An Evangelion crossover by Sidewinder (aim9snake@hotmail.com), 2003, last revised 2007. Based on Ian Fleming, Kawamori Shoji, Fujishima Kosuke, AIC, Gainax, Hasbro, Marvel, and Takara's works.

Fuyutsuki stared at the LCL tank that once sustained the clones manufactured at NERV HQ. The LCL's color was no longer a lively yellow-orange; it was stained red by the blood of the mutilated corpses within it. The clones no longer had a geisha's classical beauty, like Rei; they no longer projected a childish innocence and purity. They had mutated before they died; some grew demonic horns and fangs, some had a bat's leathery wings, some had swollen stomachs that opened to become a shark's toothy, elongated jaws, some had talons... "God have mercy upon us."

"God has no mercy," said Agent Smith. (The Seele agent didn't give Fuyutsuki his full name, and Fuyutsuki didn't ask for it.) "How else do you explain this?"

"God's punishment for our arrogance, for daring to think we can become gods," answered Fuyutsuki. "What will you do with them?"

"We will recover them for accounting purposes. In the meantime, secure the plant and protect its secrets."

"Why won't you demolish the plant and destroy the clones? We can simply explain the shock wave as a result of Ramiel's attack, a seismic..."

"Chairman Keel specifically ordered us to preserve the plant. I assume he wants to study the clones, to learn what caused this and what we can do to prevent a repeat of this."

"There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy." The line from 'Hamlet', Act One, Scene Five, had haunted Fuyutsuki since he joined NERV.

"Then we shall dream of a new philosophy." Smith waved at the technicians, ordering them to drain the LCL.

"I'm returning to the command center." Fuyutsuki left before Smith could give his permission. He didn't want to stay in the crypt that the plant had become.

No one in the plant had ever seen Unicron. If they had, they'd have been shocked by how closely the clones resembled the Chaos-Bringer.

*

1900 hr, Pacific Time. The night sky quaked and thundered as a red fighter, the union of a viper and a forward-swept wing aircraft, and gray bomber, the union of a crocodile and a delta-winged aircraft, exited hyperspace. The fighter turned to a stealth probe. "Report," ordered Starscream, hungry for the info it had gathered after Astrotrain placed the probe in orbit ten Earth days ago.

The bomber transformed into a 44-meter-tall robot. He stood guard while Starscream downloaded data from the probe. "Is this wise?" asked Ramjet. "Shockwave..."

A humanoid arm extended from the red fighter to grab Ramjet's throat. "Shockwave is not your commander! I am!" Starscream violently shook his hand, threatening to break Ramjet's neck. "Shockwave is a coward who hides in Cybertron's core, crying, 'We're not ready,' while Unicron and the accursed humans conspire to destroy us all! Shockwave is a fool who chose an Autobot to become a guardian, instead of a Decepticon!" Shockwave had allocated 90% of Cybertron's remaining energy to support his research, and refused to convert more warriors before his research was completed; Starscream had to steal the energy he needed to convert Ramjet and himself. "Shockwave is,"-- 'more qualified to lead us.' He released Ramjet. "Return to your post."

"Cough, cough!" Ramjet caught his "breath." "Yes, Sir."

*

"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

"Because..." Asuka suppressed a sigh as she read 'The Song of Solomon' to her stepmother.

"Look not upon me, because I am black," 'with loneliness,' "because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept." 'I hate myself because I couldn't protect the people I care about.'

"Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?"

"Good question."

Asuka instinctively jumped out of the chair and threw the Bible at the intruder. As Holly caught it, Asuka drew her SIG P229 .357 SIG semiautomatic pistol.

"Your speed's not bad,"-- Holly lowered the Bible-- "but your situation awareness needs work. If I was an assassin, you'd be dead already."

Asuka returned the P229 to her shoulder holster. "What do you know about assassins?"

"I served in the Air Force before joining DARPA; I've worked with the CIA. We used smart bombs and guided missiles; not pretty, but they're at least as effective as golden bullets."

"Do you know who tried to kill Shiro? Who might be trying to kill me?"

"Not yet. And about your boyfriend..."

"Ex-boyfriend," corrected Asuka.

"Ex-boyfriend. Have you ever noticed him behave strangely? Has he ever heard voices in his head, or seen things that you couldn't see, et cetera?"

"No, but the fact that he gave up his chances with a beautiful and intelligent woman like myself is probably a sign of mental illness."

"I'm not asking if he's psycho, I'm asking if he's psychic."

Asuka frowned with skepticism. "Are you sure you're not psycho yourself?"

"He achieved a 40% synch rate the first time he stepped into Unit 02's cockpit." Asuka needed seven months' training to synchronize with the Eva. "He effortlessly activated Unit 04's S² engine, a feat that was considered unachievable." Asuka was unable to activate Unit 02's S² engine. "He's the only human who's able to use the AT field as a sword, an offensive weapon... and I'm only assuming that he's human."

"What else can he be? A Jedi? A Dark Lord of the Sith?"

"I'd have laughed at that if I hadn't seen the alien weapon you call, 'Evangelion Unit 01A' in action."

Asuka shook her head. "I don't have the answers. Maybe you should ask Yosho."

"Who?"

"Do you know Shiro's grandfather owns a castle in Scotland?"

"Lionheart." Holly had access to the CIA's files on James Bond.

"There's a legend that a knight-errant, named Yosho, imprisoned a demon beneath the castle's old chapel. According to Shiro, Ryoko is the demon." Asuka saw Holly's eyes widen with surprise. "That makes you wonder who Yosho is, doesn't it?"

"Yes." Holly approached the girl. "Please tell me more." 'The legend probably contains some truth, some clues.'

Asuka sat down, grateful for the distraction. "The legend goes like this: about 700 years ago, Shiro's ancestor, Roger I..."

Boom!

*

1215 hr, Tokyo Time. A girl with red-brown hair and blue eyes approached Shiro's desk. "Um..." She paused, uncertain of what she should say.

Shiro turned to the girl. "Yes, Miss?"

Kirishima Mana blushed. "Everyone's been talking about you, Tanaka-kun, and I was wondering... is it true?"

"I'm single, but,"-- Shiro stood up and moved his head towards Mana's, as if he was about to kiss her-- "you can change that if you have the heart." He smiled.

Mana was intoxicated by the boy's attention. "No, I,"-- 'wonder what his lips taste like? Will his kiss be sweet, like candy? Or will it be hot and spicy, like a red pepper? Will...' She shook her head to clear away the distracting thoughts. "I want to know if you're the pilot of that robot."

Shiro laughed. "Silly girl, I..." He turned to the door. "Hello, Aunt Missy."

"Shiro-kun! Your grandmother just had a heart attack! We have to go to the hospital!" Misato turned to Mana. "Give this to the teacher!" She grabbed the girl's hand and placed a note in it.

After Misato and Shiro left, Mana exited the classroom. She scanned the hallway to make sure no one was watching her, then growled.

"Tower, this is Iron Maiden, over."

A video of a JSSDF officer was projected onto the lower left corner of Mana's eye. "Iron Maiden, this is Tower, over."

"The Queen of Hearts reported a Heart Attack." She knew what the codeword meant. "She's transporting the Jack of Spades to the Hospital, over."

The officer turned to his side; Mana knew he was contacting another Sea Dragon to confirm the report. "Heart Attack has been confirmed at Blue Two. You are not in danger. Return to class, over."

"Tower, this is Iron Maiden. Returning to class, over."

"Iron Maiden, this is Tower, out."

*

1225 hr. "Deploy Unit 04!" ordered Clifton.

"Cancel that order," countered Fuyutsuki. "Unit 04 will stay here and defend this base."

"What?!" Clifton looked into Fuyutsuki's eyes; the man was resolute. "Unit 04 belongs to us, to the United States Air Force, and it'll do what it's designed to do: protect America!"

"Any Eva assigned to Matsushiro is under my authority. I am ordering Unit 04 to stay here and defend this base."

"Fuck you!" Clifton drew his M9, disengaged its safety lever, and aimed it at Fuyutsuki's head.

Makoto reached for his pistol. An SP aimed a M8 5.56 mm combat rifle at Makoto and ordered him to stand down. A peacekeeper aimed his G36 at the SP, another SP aimed his M8 at the peacekeeper, and so on. 'Oh my God...'

Fuyutsuki looked past the barrel of Clifton's pistol, into the USAF officer's eyes. "Put down your weapon." The M9 was still aimed at his head. "Lt James, I am giving you a direct order."

"I don't answer to you!" countered Clifton.

Misato entered the command center and saluted Fuyutsuki. "Sir! Pilot Bond is..." Click! She turned to a SP who had aimed his M8 at her. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"The 2nd US branch is being defended by Unit 02," claimed Fuyutsuki.

"All communications with Lee-Fig have been cut off! We don't even know if Unit 02 still exists!"

"Unit 04, ready!" interrupted Shiro, who had entered the cockpit four seconds ago.

"Unit 01A, ready!" added Ryoko.

"Get your ass to Lee-Fig!" ordered Clifton.

"Negative. You must protect Matsushiro," ordered Fuyutsuki. "We can't afford to lose the research facility. The future of the human race depends on it."

"Bullshit!"

"If you won't make up your minds, I will!" declared Shiro.

Fuyutsuki felt the floor shake; Unit 04's turbines had been started. "Pilot Bond, you're not cleared for takeoff!"

"Yes, you are!" interrupted Clifton.

Makoto turned to Misato. "What do we do?"

"Nothing," answered Misato. "We can do nothing." She was frustrated at her inability to resolve the situation. Fortunately, she didn't have to.

Beep, beep, beep! The alarm drew everyone's attention to the tactical display. "Wavelength pattern: blue," noted Makoto. "It's an Angel." Another warning appeared on the display. "Wavelength pattern: blue. Another Angel?" Another warning appeared. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Shit," cursed Clifton. "We shouldn't have dismantled the nuclear rounds," for the M65 280 mm cannon, which Unit 04's pistols were based on.

"Pilot Bond, launch Unit 04 and destroy the Angels," ordered Misato. "Pilot Ryoko, fly to the 2nd US branch and support Unit 02."

"Don't worry, Shiro," assured Ryoko. "I'll take care of Asuka." She exited Unit 04's cockpit and put her hand on Unit 01's helmet, which disappeared with her.

"What the hell did she do?!" demanded Misato.

"She jumped into hyperspace," deadpanned Shiro. "Now where are they?"

*

Asuka cautiously looked through the broken window.

"What do you see?" asked Holly.

Smoke, fire, concrete chunks and chips that had been shattered and scattered, and the steel skeletons of the base's buildings. Above the ruins... "Two aircraft are flying towards the A-12 hangar," answered Asuka. "I see purple insignias... don't know whose air force they belong to. They're landing... they've transformed into humanoids, about 40 meters tall. How many Evas can transform into jets?"

"Two, and Unit 04's the only one that should be flying."

"Shit. That dinosaur must've called for reinforcements."

"What are they doing now?"

Boom! "They just blew a hole in the hangar... they're going in..."

"Good." Holly dragged the improvised litter towards the door. "Give me a hand."

Asuka turned to the engineer. "What are you doing?"

"Getting us to safety."

"What about the robots?!"

"Plt Off Bond will take care of them when he gets here."

"But...!"

Click, creak! Holly instinctively drew her own P229 and turned to the door.

"Is that a gun in your hand, or are you happy to see me?" asked Russhon.

Holly returned the P229 to her shoulder holster. "I'm happy to see you. Now what do we do?"

"We get Oblt Langley to Unit Two," answered Russhon. He saw Holly's skepticism. "It still exists because the Valkyries don't know it exists. The money we spent on countermeasures," to hide the test facility where Unit 02 was, "wasn't wasted."

"Let's go!" Asuka grabbed litter poles so she could help Holly carry Elise.

Russhon sensed Asuka's desire for revenge, and put his hand on her forearm. "I'm not putting you in the cockpit to fight the Valkyries, I'm putting you in to evacuate the Eva."

"But...!"

"You're outnumbered and outgunned, and both of you are too valuable to be put on a suicide mission."

Asuka slapped Russhon. "How dare you! Don't you know what that robot did to her?! It raped her mind! And it made me listen to her scream, watch her writhe in pain as she...!" Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "Can you imagine how that made me feel?!"

"No. Now unless you want to be crushed like a bug, burned into ashes, or blasted into atoms, I advise you to... Gasp!"

"What...?" Asuka turned rearward. An intangible Ryoko had walked through the wall, into the room. "Hello, Ryoko."

"How did you do that?!" asked Russhon.

"I phased into subspace," deadpanned Ryoko. She turned to Asuka. "Come with me if you want to live."

"Where are you taking her?" asked Russhon.

"To Tokyo."

"No, you'll take me to Evangelion Unit 02," demanded Asuka.

Ryoko smirked. "What's it going to do? Spray its blood onto them? Scatter little pieces of itself upon their shiny armor?"

"Respect the Eva!" demanded Asuka. "Respect its OT armor, which gives it the power to crush those Eva-jets!"

"Together, they have a chance," declared Holly.

"Very well. You're now authorized to engage in combat with the Valkyries," said Russhon. He watched Ryoko grab Asuka's hand, make them both intangible, and drag Asuka through the wall. "Can an Eva be modified to... what did she say? Phase into subspace?"

Holly stared at the wall Ryoko had walked through. "I have no idea."

*

Starscream used his cannons to tunnel towards the main OT research facility; the elevator shaft wasn't wide enough to accommodate him. Ramjet followed closely behind him, guarding his rear.

"Something's not right," whispered Ramjet. "The humans haven't used their most powerful weapons, their guardians. I think we're walking into a trap."

Starscream turned rearwards and aimed a cannon at Ramjet. "Silence! I won't tolerate your defeatist comments any longer!" He turned forwards and continued tunneling. "The humans are simply too cowardly to face us, now that we've demonstrated how powerful we are." His cannons cleared away the remaining rock, revealing the steel that lined the lab interior. "Finally." Starscream carefully reset his cannon to emit the minimum amount of force necessary to cut away the steel, before using it to gain entry to the lab.

Although the equipment were examples of what humans considered to be cutting edge technology, they were downright primitive by Cybertronian standards. This only increased Ramjet's sense of dread; they were medieval, barbaric instruments that altered whatever they were studying, inevitably damaging the subject. He suppressed a terrified scream when he saw the Transformer on the floor.

"Skyfire..." Starscream's new optics were biological, equipped with tear ducts to clean them, and they became wet with grief. "My guardian, my mentor, my lover..." He crawled towards the wreckage and embraced it. Soon, tears rained upon Skyfire's red and white armor.

Ramjet noticed the computer consoles that surrounded the wreckage. He decided to scan their memories, distracting himself from the tragedy. "According to these records, the Transformer had crashed in this planet's north pole 6,000,000 Earth-years ago. That's,"-- he calculated-- "5,475,000 SC. The humans found him, in this condition, 71.17 SC ago. Then they began studying him." He turned to Starscream. "They didn't kill him; they didn't have the technology to do so. Let's go; there's no need for vengeance."

"Have you forgotten Dirge and Thrust?" Starscream gently lowered Skyfire onto the floor. "Don't you see that the humans had raped Skyfire's wreckage, exploited him for the technology they now use to arm their guardians? For this, they'll pay." He blasted the wreckage with a cannon, until the metal ignited, illuminating the lab with a blazing fire. "Rest in peace, my love."

Within the emergency command center, Russhon witnessed the lighting of Valkyrie's funeral pyre. He shut off the monitor that was showing videos the lab's security cameras had taken. "Unit 01A..."

"My name is Ryoko. I am a woman, not a machine."

'Why did Fuyutsuki give the weapon such a bad attitude?' Fuyutsuki told Russhon that Ryoko was "a weapon system, like your Valkyrie, that was left on Earth by an alien race. It has been reactivated and reprogrammed." "Correction, Ryoko, can you seal up the tunnel?"

"Like this?" 600 energy bolts rained down the tunnel. The sound of their impact drowned out Russhon's scream. The lab became a grave, and Ryoko was the one who buried it. "That was easy. I'm going back to Tokyo."

"Not yet." Russhon climbed onto his feet. "We have to confirm that they're out of action."

"They're buried..." Ryoko measured the underground chamber's depth. "400 meters underground. Unless they can move a mountain... Whoa!"

The earth shook violently as a pillar of light emerged from lab's former location. Starscream rose from the volcano he'd formed, molten rock dripping from his LH Sword. Ryoko and Asuka simultaneously cursed, "Shit!" as null rays struck Ryoko's LH Wings and Unit 02's AT field.

*

1240 hr, Tokyo Time. Flash, flash, flash, flash, flash! As Shiro parried the energy bolts, Gaghiel, Angel of Fish, flew out of Tokyo Bay. "Howl!" Unit 04's arms were bound to its sides as it was trapped between the Angel's jaws. Shiro launched the AMRAAMs, the only weapons he could use. Gaghiel didn't even blink as the missiles detonated upon its armor. Shiro changed tactics and increased the turbines' thrust. Gaghiel's head was violently pushed to its side, followed by the rest of its body. Shiro kicked the Eva's legs towards Gaghiel, pushing the Angel towards the ground. Crash! The jaws opened slightly when they hit the ground, allowing Shiro to free himself. He quickly formed a LH Sword and thrust it deep down the Angel's throat. Gaghiel's S² organ exploded when the sword impaled it.

Boom, rumble, rumble! Shiro heard these sounds through the tactical radio; the base was under attack. "Pilot Bond, stop playing around and stop Target Three!" ordered Misato. Sandalphon, Angel of Embryos, was extending a volcanic tunnel to reach the base.

"Patience, Missy." Shiro smiled. "The night is only six hours away. In the meantime, why don't you chill some champagne?"

Misato growled. "If the Angels don't kill him, I will!"

As Shiro flew towards the base, dozens of energy bolts struck Unit 04's AT field. Israfel, Angel of Music, ran towards him as the Eva spun out of control. By the time Shiro managed to recover control and avoid crashing, his altitude was low enough for the Angel to reach him. "Damn!" Shiro fired three shells at Israfel's head. The Angel raised its AT field to protect its upper body. The fourth shell, aimed at Israfel's unprotected lower body, threw it off its feet. Shiro charged, using his sword to slice the Angel in half. "Is the champagne ready, Missy?" He turned away from the inactive Angel, towards the base. The Eva had only flown 20 meters when a new Angel, formed from one half of Israfel's body, jumped into the sky. Shiro screamed with surprise when it locked its arms around Unit 04's neck and pushed it towards the ground, where another Angel, formed from the other half of Israfel's body, was waiting.

*

"Move, damn you!" screamed Asuka. She didn't know what was happening outside the cockpit; the LCD could only display warnings, one of which was "STARTER CELL 60%". Starscream's null ray had shut down all of Unit 02's electrical and electronic equipment, with the exception of the life support system, which was powered by the entry plug's internal fuel cell. Asuka pressed the start button again, trying to start the turbines that powered the Eva. The starter motors whirred for five seconds before they were silenced. The cell warning now read, "40%". "Move!" Whirrrr! "20%". "It's not fair." Her tears dissolved in the LCL. "I'm supposed to die in battle, a warrior's death. I can't enter Valhalla if I die like this, like a puppet whose strings have been cut. I'll never see Shiro again if I..." Asuka punched the start button. "Moooove!" Whirrrr! The cell warning read, "1%" as the motors drained it. It read, "5%", and then, "13%", as the turbines recharged it. "Yes!"

The kaleidoscopic light show that accompanied Unit 02's activation resolved into the concrete runway. Asuka raised the Eva's head. 300 meters away, Ryoko and the red robot were dueling. 100 meters away, the gray robot was crawling out of the artificial volcano. It turned its head towards the duelists. Unit 02 and the robot simultaneously stood up and ran toward the duelists.

"Commander!" Ramjet had only taken three steps before the Eva tackled him. "Eat this!" His machine gun cracked Unit 02's mask, but the resulting pain made its pilot more determined to defeat him. Steel fists hammered Ramjet's back, drawing more curses from the seeker. "Shock you!" He started his turbines to free himself, throwing the Eva off his back. Below him, Unit 02 drew its knife from a weapons bay beneath the AMRAAM launcher. As Ramjet circled the Eva and prepared to strafe it, Unit 02 unfolded its wings as it rocketed towards him. Ramjet narrowly avoided the knife blade. "Shock me!"

"Ryoko! Oblt Langley!" Russhon's calls weren't answered.

"That weapon must have projected an EMP," electromagnetic pulse. "That would explain why their radios weren't working," stated Holly.

"Damn."

A pararescue jumper (PJ), a member of the Air Force Special Operations Command who was to rescue the Eva pilots in case of an emergency, raised a radio handset. "Shall I call for close air support?"

"We've lost eight Raptors and five pilots to these things." The four fighters that were flying patrol over the base were the seekers' first targets; the four fighters in the hangars were their second targets. "That's five pilots too many."

"But..."

"The only weapon powerful enough to destroy the Valkyries will also destroy the base and everything on it."

'Shit.' The PJ lowered the handset. "What can we do?"

Holly put her hands together. "Our Father which art in heaven..."

"What are you doing?" asked the men.

Holly turned to Russhon. "Praying." She saw his skepticism. "Do you have a better idea?"

Russhon remembered that the base's laser and missile defenses, and the armory that once stored the Evas' weapons, had been destroyed. The base's radio antennas were destroyed, the telephone lines were severed, and the field radio that replaced them couldn't be used as a weapon. "No."

The men put their hands together. "Our Father which art in heaven,"-- they said the rest of the Lord's Prayer together-- "Hallowed be thy name..."

*

Misato watched the one-sided battle between Shiro and the new Angels. Target Two Alpha was holding Unit 04's arms behind its back, and Target Two Bravo was tearing off pieces of the Eva's armor. "This is bad," she deadpanned.

"Ma'am, distance to Target Three is 49 km!" warned Makoto. "48.8 km... 48.6 km..."

"Makoto, what effect will an N² bomb detonation have on that tunnel?"

Makoto turned to her. "Ma'am?!"

"Calculate!"

Makoto obediently turned to his console. "It'll collapse the tunnel, but the resulting tremor will..."

"That's better than letting the Angel reach the base. Order the Air Force to drop the N² bomb on this coordinate." She pointed to the map on Makoto's monitor, to a point 20 meters behind the Angel.

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Misato pressed the "transmit" button on her headset. "Pilot Bond, we are deploying N² bombs against Target Three. Time to detonation is..." She stared at the map. Two green triangles, UN Air Force Tu-22M6 bombers, were approaching the target coordinate. Each bomber pilot reported that a cruise missile had been launched. "Three seconds. Brace yourself." Shiro answered her with an anguished howl; he could feel Target Two Bravo's claws tear into Unit 04's flesh. "Godspeed." She braced herself against the 20 kilotons of energy the missiles would deliver together.

Boom! The torrent of claws paused as Bravo steadied its feet. Shiro quickly slammed Unit 04's heel against Alpha's knee. When Alpha loosened its grip, he broke free, pushed the Angel in front of Unit 04, and put Alpha in a chokehold. Shiro used Alpha as a shield as he fired a salvo at Bravo. Bravo returned fire, and Shiro felt its bolts penetrate Alpha and hit Unit 04; both of them knew the Angels' ability to regenerate would allow Alpha to survive. When Shiro felt his grip loosen, he kicked his "shield" towards Bravo. As they crashed together, he charged and impaled both Angels' S² organs.

Buzz! "... you okay? Shiro?" called Misato.

Shiro's chest felt tight; he knew that blood was filling his lungs. "I'm fine."

Misato knew Shiro was lying. "Return to base. You will receive a medical evaluation while Unit 04 is being repaired. Don't worry about Target Three, it's been silenced..."

"Target Three has gone active!" warned Makoto. "It's approaching Target One!"

"Shit!" Misato remembered Unit 04's first battle, when Shamshel assimilated Sachiel's corpse to become an Archangel. "What's its ETA?"

"Estimated time of arrival is,"-- the red triangle, Sandalphon, was 210 meters away from the red X, Gaghiel's corpse-- "now." Makoto sounded like a vampire's victim, drained of all will to live, all hope for the future.

A volcano erupted beneath the corpse, swallowing it. Sandalphon attached Gaghiel's head and tail to its body, becoming a cross between a crab and a shark. The earth continued to quake as the Archangel climbed out of the volcano, showering lava upon the trees and burning down the forest.

"Pilot Bond, Targets One and Three have combined! You..." Misato noticed the warning "CODE BLUE" on the monitor; Shiro was having a heart attack. "Shiro!"

"The Archangel is..." interrupted Makoto.

"Send a SAR Team to Unit 04's location! The pilot needs immediate medical...!"

The warning disappeared, reappeared, and disappeared again. "Where... is... the Target?" asked Shiro.

'A computer glitch?' "Are you okay?"

"Why, Missy..." Shiro tried to control his breathing, to sound as if he was in perfect health. "I didn't know you cared."

"The Archangel is..." Misato glanced at the map. "15 km from your nine o'clock position, and approaching at a velocity of 70 km/h."

Clifton reached for Misato's headset. "Ma'am." After Misato handed him the headset, he radioed, "Plt Off Bond, inflate the suit's integral floatation device. It'll provide some protection against the thermal radiation the Archangel is generating."

"Thank you." Shiro inflated the two air bladders that encircled his shoulders, shielding his chest and upper back. Unit 04 focused its AT field into a sword, and turned to the Archangel.

Misato removed her headset before she leaned over Makoto. "Keep the medics on standby," she whispered. "When Pilot Bond has returned, I want him to undergo a cardiopulmonary exam."

"They found no problems last time," noted Makoto.

"Absence of proof is not proof of absence."

Makoto understood. "Yes, Ma'am." He couldn't tell if he was shaking because of the earthquake the Archangel was causing, or because he feared what the exam would reveal.

*

2125 hr, Pacific Time. Ryoko retreated as she blocked Starscream's attacks, listening to him shriek in anger and hatred. 'Damn, he's noisy!'

'This is taking too long,' thought Starscream. 'I have four more constructs to raze, and at least three more guardians to kill.' "Ramjet! Hurry up and finish the red guardian!"

As Ramjet engaged in hand-to-hand combat with Unit 02, he acknowledged that he wasn't as adept as the guardian's pilot. 'Easier said than done.' "Yes, Command-- Oomph!" His armor cracked; the flesh it protected was bruised and bleeding. Ramjet kicked at Unit 02's head. When the guardian leaned backwards to dodge it, the seeker increased the output of the turbine in his extended leg, blinding Unit 02 and pushing Ramjet a safe distance away.

Unit 02 quickly recovered. Although the pain had enraged Asuka, it didn't blind her to the fact that this was taking too long, that the Eva only had 30 minutes of fuel left. 'Damn, he's persistent. Where's my knight in shining armor? Must I slay this dragon alone?' She glanced at the clock. 'Yes.' She screamed with bitter anger as she charged, imagining Shiro's face upon Ramjet. The seeker gasped with surprise as his weapons failed to stop the Eva, and then with pain as Unit 02 landed blow after blow upon him, as Asuka used him to vent her rage upon the man who abandoned her.

"Die!" Starscream's turbines blazed as he lunged. Ryoko turned sideways to dodge the sword. When the Decepticon Air Commander's forearm passed over her shoulder, Ryoko slashed diagonally from Starscream's right hip to his left shoulder. Shattered pieces of metal rained upon the ground.

"Skyfire..." Starscream's optics dimmed, like a dreamer's eyes, as his sword dissipated. "Don't leave me alone! Take me...!" Both duelists disappeared in a flash of light as Starscream's S² engine exploded.

"Commanderrrr!" Ramjet slammed his forehead against Unit 02's nose, stunning Asuka and allowing himself to escape. A split-second later, Ryoko reappeared before the Eva. She had used the explosion to conceal her teleportation, but because Ramjet was no longer facing Unit 02, Ryoko ended up launching her surprise attack against the Eva.

Ryoko lowered her arm, pointing her sword away from Unit 02. "Get out of my way!" Crash! "You idiot!"

"Get off of me!" shouted Asuka, matching the other girl's anger. "Hey!" Ryoko roughly pushed Unit 02 to her side, before lunging at Ramjet. "Bitch!" Asuka also lunged, determined to kill the seeker herself.

Scattered pieces were all that remained of Starscream. Although Ramjet had detected the girls, he continued to stare at the wreckage. 'I'm the last seeker; all of my comrades are in the Pit,' the netherworld. 'Now I'll join them with a blaze of glory.' He turned to face Asuka and Ryoko. "Decepticons...!" The missiles that detonated in front of the girls interrupted his war cry.

A pteranodon, armed with missile launchers, transformed into a robot and landed before Ramjet. "Decepticon Starscream!" called Swoop.

"He's dead," stated Ramjet.

"Decepticon Ramjet, Shockwave has ordered you to return to Cybertron." Swoop grabbed Ramjet's forearm. Ramjet allowed Swoop to lift him into the sky, away from Starscream's grave.

"Cough, cough, cough!" Ryoko waved her arms to scatter the smoke. "Where is he?" She heard turbines roar, and turned to the sound.

Asuka imitated Ryoko, and saw Swoop and Ramjet escape. Both girls simultaneously shouted, "Cowards!"

15 minutes later, Unit 02 landed and Ryoko changed out of her demon form. Four CV-22 Osprey tiltrotors landed in the base. (They had hovered a safe distance from the battle.) PJs rushed out of the tiltrotors; as one PJ team formed a perimeter around Unit 02, another team secured the emergency command center. Holly ran towards Unit 02, escorted by four PJs. "Oblt Langley!" she screamed, hoping that Unit 02's passive sonar would allow Asuka to hear her. "The base is secure! Exit the cockpit!"

The entry plug extended from Unit 02's neck. After Asuka opened the hatch, a PJ helped her climb down the prone Eva's shoulder. "How's my stepmother?"

"She's fine. We're loading her onto an Osprey; she'll be medevaced to Nellis," the nearest AFB. After Russhon sent PJ team to secure the wreckage, he approached Unit 02. "Any news from Tokyo?" asked Holly.

"While the Valkyries were razing the base, three goddamn Angels attacked Tokyo. I don't think it was a coincidence."

"What?!" Asuka grabbed Russhon's shoulders; she didn't notice him wave at the PJs, ordering them to leave her alone. "What happened?! How's Shiro?!"

"Unit 04 defeated the Angels, but it was severely damaged in the battle. A SAR team is on its way to pick up Plt Off Bond."

Asuka laid against Russhon and cried. 'I'm sorry, Shiro. I didn't know...'

Holly put her hand on Asuka's shoulder. "Don't underestimate him; I'm sure he survived." She turned to Russhon. "Where's Unit 01A?"

"She said she was going to take care of Shiro," answered Russhon. "Then she teleported, warped, or jumped into hyperspace."

"She vanished?"

Russhon nodded. "I'd love to know how she does that."

*

"Oh my God..." Misato gripped her cross as the MV-1 special operations aircraft approached the Eva. The field had become a chopping block, covered with blood and pieces of skin, muscle, and bone. Unit 04 knelt in the middle of the carnage, crowned with one of the Archangel's heads and draped with its entrails. A pulsing red light, generated by the Eva's S² engine, was visible through its ribcage. Although Misato knew the Evas were cloned from the 1st Angel, she was still disturbed by this sight. "What have you done?" she asked, unaware that she'd spoken aloud.

"I disagreed with something that ate me," deadpanned Shiro. The Eva stood up, shaking off the Archangel's head and entrails.

"Pilot Bond, this area has been declared a biologically contaminated area." Misato, the peacekeepers, and the gunship pilots were wearing protective suits. "After you exit the entry plug, you'll be subject to a medical quarantine and a full body examination. You'll be released once the medics determine that you haven't been infected."

Shiro laughed. "Are you afraid I'll change into an Angel?"

"Just do as I say." Misato watched the entry plug extend.

"Wavelength pattern: blue!" warned Makoto.

"Another Angel?!" Misato instinctively reached for her USP.

Makoto paused. "It's gone." Beep, beep, beep! "Wavelength pattern: blue!" Silence. "What the hell...?" He shook the monitor. The warning disappeared, reappeared, and disappeared again. "Must have been a computer glitch or a sensor malfunction."

'Was it?' As Misato watched the peacekeepers lift the pilot out of Unit 04's cockpit, she thought about Shiro's words.

*

416 hr, Cybertron Time. "... later, Autobot Swoop arrived," stated Ramjet, finishing his report.

Shockwave didn't move as Ramjet gave his report, or as Grimlock, Slag, and Snarl celebrated Swoop and Sludge's homecoming by roaring. Finally, he proved that he had been paying attention by asking, "I had ordered you to recover examples of our technology, to prevent the humans from capturing it. You have disobeyed me. Do you have an acceptable explanation?"

"What...?" The monitor behind Shockwave played a video, transmitted by a probe. Human soldiers guarded the engineers who examined a severed leg, the thermonuclear turbine that Starscream designed.

Shockwave paused the video. "Do you have an acceptable explanation for your failure?"

The accusation angered Ramjet. "Why don't you ask the Autobot?" he defiantly replied.

"As Swoop's commander, I accept responsibility for his failure to recover Starscream's left thruster; I did not order him to recover examples of our technology. As Starscream's accomplice, you share responsibility for his mistakes."

The statement pierced Ramjet like a needle, deflating his bravado. "I..."

Shockwave silenced him by opening three 50-meter-tall hatches in the laboratory wall. "You will enter the stasis chamber until further notice."

"What?!" Ramjet raised his fists, ready to fight.

"Swoop! Sludge!" called Shockwave. The cyborgs immediately approached his command console. "I am concerned about errors in your accelerated conversions. You will enter the stasis chamber, so I can examine your systems and correct any and all detected errors."

"Yes, Commander!" Swoop and Sludge expressed no fear as the hatches closed, locking them within the chambers.

Ramjet noticed that Grimlock, the warriors' commander, didn't protest the fact that they addressed Shockwave as, "Commander." The violet robot turned to him, expecting obedience. Ramjet knew his physical strength was greater than Shockwave's, that he could crush the violet robot with ease. This fact didn't overcome the fear that Shockwave's cold and calculating aura aroused, or his commanding presence. "Yes... Commander." Ramjet entered the chamber, suppressing his claustrophobia as the hatch closed.

Grimlock and Alpha approached Shockwave. "We have three guardians," stated Grimlock. "They can destroy the Evangelions and defeat the humans."

"They cannot defeat Unicron by themselves." Shockwave studied the data the chambers' sensors had extracted. "As I expected, accelerating the conversion process has caused errors in the cyborgs. Sludge is most severely affected; his nervous system is degenerating, and will fail in 18.2 hr."

"Can you save him?"

"By placing Sludge in stasis, I have halted the nervous degeneration. I am injecting stem cells and repair micromachines into the cyborgs' systems. Sludge will be restored to operational status in 36.9 hr, Swoop in 0.7 hr, Ramjet in 4.3 hr. I will begin upgrading their mission systems once they are repaired; they will remain in stasis until the upgrades are complete."

Grimlock left without another word; he accepted Shockwave's position.

Alpha stared at Shockwave for 10 seconds before he returned to his station. 'Are we doing the right thing?' His monitor displayed Optimus Prime's portrait, reminding him of one of many noble Transformers who gave their lives in Cybertron's defense. 'Do you agree with what we've done, what we're doing, and what we will be doing?'

Prime did nothing to dissipate Alpha's doubt.

*

2345 hr, Pacific Time. Langley stood behind Asuka, watching the transport plane land at Edwards AFB. "When Shiro sees you, I want you to act..."

"Like a whore?"

Langley frowned at his daughter's defiance. "If necessary. However, my records state that he is..."

"I've studied your records; they're full of shit." Asuka watched 10 SPs rush to the plane, ready to protect Shiro from any act of terrorism that may occur here. "There are only two people in this world who he trusts, people who he'll obey without question. One of them is himself. The other one,"-- she turned to her father, a bitter smile on her face-- "is not you."

A tractor parked behind the plane, ready to download Unit 04. (Like a conventional aircraft, Unit 04 had landing gear, which retracted into the greaves and pauldrons.) Asuka suppressed a sigh as she approached a second plane, which would take her to Matsushiro.

The SPs approached her. "Good evening, Milady." Shiro theatrically took Asuka's hand and kissed it.

Asuka laughed. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

"What could be better than to bask in your beauty?"

Asuka's smile became sad. "We can't just let things be the way they were."

"Why not?"

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a woman, I put away childish things." She gently freed her hand. "Goodbye, Shiro."

No one could see the heartbreak in Shiro's eyes. "Farewell, Milady."

Langley watched the SPs escorted the 4th Child to the hangar. 'There is nothing in this world that is beyond my reach, beyond my control. You will not escape me.'

*

Day 19, Tue. 0500 hr, Tokyo Time. Asuka sighed as she stared at her new alarm clock; jet lag had denied her a night's rest. She gripped the P229 beneath her pillow, put on her shoulder holster, holstered the pistol, and exited her bedroom. 'Coffee or tea?' she asked herself as she approached the kitchen.

"Good morning, Asuka-chan," greeted Ryoko, using the intimate honorific Misato often used with the girl's name.

Asuka suppressed a gasp as she turned rearwards, facing the intruder. "'Asuka-chan'?" Mocking laughter permeated the room. "You're being too intimate. Are you a lesbian? Poor Shiro; you're breaking his heart."

Ryoko frowned. "Shiro warned me to keep my friends close, and my enemies closer."

Asuka stopped smiling. 'Yes, that's something he'd say.' "How close are you keeping me?"

Ryoko took one step forward. "Very close."

"You don't have to; I'm not your enemy."

"Really?" Ryoko's suspicion filled the room, as noxious as a riot control agent.

"Are you thirsty?" Asuka saw no change in Ryoko's expression. "Let's discuss this over some tea." She poured two cups of water. "Why do you love Shiro?"

"I love the way he sees me."

Asuka was surprised. "How does he see you?"

"Shiro sees me as a sentient being, with thoughts and feelings of my own." Ryoko's voice became soft, tenderized by her feelings for the young man. "The Sword of Heaven and Earth took him inside my mind. Shiro knew I was a monster-- he knew why I was a monster. The Sword advised him to enslave me. Shiro refused." She lowered her head, hiding the tear that formed beneath her eyes. "Before I met him, no one... Sniff!" She wiped away the tears. "No one would trust me with such freedom. How can I not love him?"

Asuka thought about her father. 'I envy you.' She sighed as she put a teabag into each cup. "I met Shiro in Berlin, where he was trained as a reserve pilot." She put the cups in the microwave. "I hated him at first, because I thought he'd replace me. At the time, I thought the Evangelion Project was something to live for. Unfortunately, it was the only thing I lived for." She turned to Ryoko as she waited for the water to boil. "My mother worked on the Evangelion Project; she spent more time on the project than she did with me, and I thought she loved her work more than she loved me. After she... died, I felt betrayed and abandoned. In anger, I strove to become better than everyone else, so I wouldn't need anyone else. My role as an Eva pilot was proof of my superiority." Ding! Asuka removed the cups from the microwave. "I don't know why I opened my heart for Shiro," 'or why I'm opening my heart for you,' she didn't say. "I guess I saw him as a kindred spirit. One lump, or two?"

"What?" Ryoko saw Asuka place two sugar cubes in her cup. "Two."

"Cream?"

"Yes."

Asuka stirred the tea. "Unfortunately, Shiro never opened his heart for me-- he never trusted me. I couldn't live with someone like that. One night, at dinner, I told him how I felt, how we were better off as friends. He said nothing; he just finished his dinner, paid the bill, and left... as if the time we spent together meant nothing."

'It meant a lot to him,' thought Ryoko. 'But for him to admit this will be revealing a weakness, and he can't afford to do that.' "Do you still have feelings for him?"

She sighed as she drank the tea; Ryoko couldn't tell if it was from the water's temperature, or from wistfulness, a dream of what could have been. 'I do, but...' "I can't. Shiro's changed; he now sees assassins in every shadow, and I don't want to live like that. I don't want to live in fear."

"He doesn't have to be afraid," declared Ryoko. "I'll protect him."

Asuka sadly smiled. "Good luck."

*

1310 hr, Pacific Time. Shiro wore a peaceful expression as he sat in Unit 04's cockpit, undergoing another synchronization test. Holly stared at the monitors. "Oh my God."

"What have you found?" asked Russhon.

Holly turned to the general. "You know how an engine needs a starter motor to start it?"

"Yes."

"I've found the starter motor for Unit 04's S² engine: it's Shiro's own S² organ."

"What?!" Russhon moved to Holly's side, so he could see the monitors. "How...?"

"Bond's grandfather owns a castle. According to the legend Oblt Langley related to me, the castle was attacked by a demon 700 years ago. A knight named Yosho appeared beneath a shooting star and defeated the demon. Yosho imprisoned the demon beneath the castle chapel, and left after a three-day stay at the castle.

"Langley claims that the alien weapon, Ryoko, is the legendary demon, although she has no evidence to support this claim." The monitor displayed a DNA molecule. "I've analyzed the blood samples we took from the battlefield; Ryoko and the Evas share the genes that allow them to generate AT fields.

"If the legend's true, then Yosho may also an alien, and the source of Bond's powers." Another DNA molecule was displayed beside the first one. "I've compared Bond's DNA to Ryoko's; he has x-factors that may allow him to generate an AT field, although the probability of him doing so is only 3.08%."

"So Bond is part alien." His expression became one of suspicion. "Is there any evidence that Yosho, or another alien, is communicating with Bond?"

"No, Sir. However, if Bond's a telepath..."

"That boy has some explaining to do." Russhon turned on the radio. "Plt Off Bond, the test has been concluded. I'd like to discuss the results with you in my office."

"Why are you out here alone?" asked Shiro in the Jurai language.

Russhon and Holly's fluency in Japanese allowed them to understand the words. "What do you mean, why we're out here alone?" asked Russhon with controlled anger.

Shiro laughed. "When you grow up."

Holly ordered her console to display Shiro's life signs. "He's asleep."

"Sigh."

"A royal teardrop?" added Shiro. "This flower shouldn't be used for happy occasions."

"Flowers for happy occasions... Is he gay?" asked Russhon.

Holly sighed, remembering Shiro's constant flirting with every woman at Edwards, including herself. "I wish."

"Plt Off Bond!" called a technician.

"Let him sleep," ordered Holly. "Believe me, you don't want to bother him."

"Yes, Ma'am."

***

To be continued...

Now for more light-heartedness!

***

"On the Wings of Angels" by Hayashi Meimi.

He's the boy with the gun barrel eyes, the giant robot pilot who's making girls all over the world swoon with his killer looks. He's James Tanaka, better known as Shiro Bond from 'Death Is Never the End'. Find out what he has to say in our exclusive interview!

Robotech (R): Good morning, Mr. Tanaka.

James Tanaka (J): Please, call me Jet.

R: Jet?

J: My friends know me by this nickname.

R: Okay. Good morning, Jet.

J: Good morning, Miss Hayashi. You look stunning today.

R: Really?

J: (Smiles.)

R: Can you tell us a little about yourself?

J: Certainly. I was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. My hobbies include fencing, martial arts, and flight simulators. I especially enjoy meeting beautiful young women like you.

R: Thanks. Does the "Death" miniseries mark your first appearance onscreen?

J: No, but it's the first time I've garnered such attention. I was in some commercials, including one for the 'Beast Wars' toy line, which caught the director's attention when he was looking for a male lead.

R: What's it like to work with stars like Orikasa Ai, Mitsuishi Kotono, and the legendary Sean Connery?

J: Great. I'm grateful for their advice on the many facets of acting, especially Sir Sean, who's been helping me on stunt work.

R: Stunt work?

J: In my opinion, the most difficult aspect of my role. Mocap, motion capture, is especially demanding. When the script calls for air combat, we actors must put on skintight suits and allow the animators to suspend us from the ceiling-- we must be puppets and allow them to pull our strings.

R: That's...

J: Meg says it's perverted.

R: Meg?

J: The lovely Hayashibara Megumi, who has a giant role in the next four episodes. Please applaud whenever you see the Evas move-- it's the product of up to ten continuous hours of hard work.

R: I will. What inspired your portrayal of Shiro Bond?

J: Sir Sean's portrayal of James Bond 007. Chow Yun-Fat's portrayal of Mark Lee in 'A Better Tomorrow', and Brigitte Lin's portrayal of East the Invincible in 'Swordsman II', were also major influences.

R: Brigitte Lin?

J: Lesbians know the secret to gaining a woman's favor, knowledge that all men need.

R: Gotcha. What's the best part about being in "Death"?

J: The gifts Hasbro sends to the cast. (Displays a 35-centimeter-tall Transformer with a lion's head for a left hand.) This is Shiro's nemesis, who he'll fight in the finale.

R: It's so cool! I want one!

J: Don't play too roughly. Its worth €50 now-- it'll be worth €400 in 2015.

R: Thanks for the tip. What are your long-term goals?

J: I intend to join the Royal Air Force and become a fighter pilot. I flew in a Eurofighter Typhoon as part of the military training I was given to prepare me for this role. Words alone cannot describe the freedom, the power one feels in the air.

R: You mean you'll stop acting when you turn 18?

J: Yes. Don't be sad, the girls will have another pretty face to worship by then.

R: Before that happens, can you answer our readers' most pressing question: how will 'Death' resolve the love triangle between Shiro, Ryoko, and Asuka? Who'll you choose?

J: Why not both?

R: Are you serious?

J: (Laughs.)

From 'Robotech: the Giant Robot Magazine' issue 162, July 2004. Reprinted with permission.

1940 hr, Tokyo Time. Kensuke sat before the console, wearing a RAF uniform, body armor, elevated shoes, a fake mustache, and a computer chip to alter his voice. The boy received the disguise from a RAF officer, who didn't hide his revulsion at the idea that M would enlist someone so young. When he realized that Shiro was serious, Kensuke was terrified; he suppressed this emotion as he used the MAGI supercomputer to hack into the JSSDF mainframe.

"Jesus Christ!" he cried, using an expletive his mother frequently used. According to the records, two MC-2s, transport planes that were modified to air launch ballistic missiles, were specifically ordered to target Evangelion Unit 04 during the last battle. The pilots weren't ordered to launch the missiles, but... 'Why?' He used the passwords Shiro gave him. 'Nothing. The crews of two JSSDF planes were ordered to target a USAF Eva... for no reason! What the hell is this?! A red herring?!' He saved the suspicious files onto a disk.

"Good evening."

"Ahhhh!" Kensuke turned rearwards, unintentionally covering the monitor.

"You too?" asked Misato in English.

Kensuke remembered that he was impersonating a British officer. "Say again?" he asked with an English accent the chip provided.

"Working late?"

"Ah, yes."

"You look familiar. Have we met?"

"Ah, no."

"Let's meet. Coffee or tea?"

Although Kensuke was tempted to take a break, to have a drink with this beautiful woman, he was more interested in what he uncovered. "Ah, no, I'm not thirsty."

"Are you gay?"

Kensuke was advised to act like a homosexual, to make the "American psychos" ignore him. He raised a hand, palm down, as if he expected Misato to kiss it. "Yes."

Misato laughed. "I wish Shiro was like you, Lt,"-- she read the nameplate on Kensuke's uniform-- "Jones," the maiden name of Kensuke's mother. Misato exited the office.

Kensuke sighed in relief as he turned to the monitor. "Shit!" He terminated his session before someone at the JSSDF traced him back to NERV Japan's 2nd branch. 'That was close!' He waited ten minutes before he began another session. The files on the MC-2s had been edited; the crews reported that they'd targeted the Archangel. 'What the hell...? Was I meant to see those files? Is someone conspiring against the JSSDF? Is Shiro?'

Unanswered questions were seeds of the paranoia now planted in Kensuke.

*

"Can you launch a successful attack on the factory?" asked Osato Kenshin, the Japanese PM.

"It will be difficult," answered the Afghan. "Many of our comrades in ETIM were martyred in the recent crackdowns." The East Turkistan Islamic Movement's goal was to establish a separate Islamic state in China's Xinjiang region. "We've been unable to contact our operatives in that godless land; we cannot tell if this is because they've gone into hiding, or because they've been captured."

"Have you seen NERV's recent battles with the aliens they call, 'Angels'?"

"Yes. Allah has sent his angels to punish the crusaders for opposing his will." The Afghan had assumed the Transformers were also Angels.

"Then you've seen how destructive the Evangelions are. If the Chinese deploy such a weapon in support of the Americans..."

The Afghan was unable to suppress his terror; he needed three seconds to change his expression into one of grim determination. "We won't let them."

Osato shut off his computer and turned to his side. "Do you agree with my course of action?"

The woman lowered today's edition of the 'PLA Daily', revealing a photo of senior government and military officials in front of the Eva with forward-swept wings. Captioned, "President Wu examines the H-8 Flying Sword," the photo showed the Eva was now coated with radar-absorbing material (RAM).

"Yes, Osato-sama," she answered, using a respectful honorific. "An Eva can defend Beijing; an Overtechnology-equipped Eva can defend all of China against our limited arsenal. If they arm the H-8 with nuclear weapons..."

"Which is why Japan must gain her own Eva. Will you help me?"

"Yes, Osato-sama, but I fear it may be too late. According to the article," describing the Eva as the PLAAF's next-generation bomber, "the H-8 prototype made its first flight ten days ago; mass production is likely to begin soon."

"Then we'll capture one of the American Evas." Osato didn't know of any other options. In 2004, the US proposed a resolution restricting Evangelion technology to the UN and permanent members of the Security Council; the resolution was approved in 2005.

"That will compromise NERV's efforts against the Angels."

"The Angels are but stinging bees; while we swat at them, the Chinese and the Americans wait like wolves, ready to devour us."

"I understand, Osato-sama." The woman kneeled, placed her hands upon the floor, and bowed until her head touched her hands. "May I return to the laboratory?"

Osato was pleased to see the woman perform a zarei, a formal, if archaic, gesture of humility. "Yes." He smiled, lust in his eyes as the woman stood up.

"Thank you, Osato-sama." The woman exited his office.

Osato didn't know the OT was acquired through espionage; there was no Sino-American conspiracy to destroy Japan. He didn't know his actions would harm his nation more grievously than such a conspiracy.

***

DEATH IS NEVER THE END, Part 5

An Evangelion crossover by Sidewinder (aim9snake@hotmail.com), 2003, last revised 2007. Based on Ian Fleming, Kawamori Shoji, Fujishima Kosuke, AIC, Gainax, Hasbro, Marvel, and Takara's works.

Day 20, Wed. 1200 hr. "Yes, it's lunch time!" Toji approached the door, thinking of the sandwiches the cafeteria sold. (He spent the morning sweeping up the broken glass from the windows that shattered when the N² bombs detonated.)

The speakers buzzed. "Suzuhara Toji of Class 2-A, Suzuhara Toji. You are expected in the principal's office immediately."

Toji turned to his best friend. "What the fuck is that about?"

"Did you do something?" asked Kensuke.

Toji shook his head. "No, nothing I can remember." He approached the principal's office, as tense as a bowstring.

Knock, knock! "Come in," ordered the principal.

"Excuse me, I'm Suzuhara Toji."

Misato and Asuka studied the 14-year-old boy. "Good afternoon, Toji-kun," greeted Misato.

"Capt K-K-Katsuragi!"

"He looks like a sports jock," commented Asuka in German. "I hope he's smarter than he looks."

Misato smiled, trying to put the boy at ease. "Don't be afraid." She stood up and extended her hand. "Call me Misato." The boy was frozen in fear. Misato suppressed a sigh, took Toji's hand, and shook it.

"Soryu Asuka Langley," greeted the 2nd Child.

"P-pleased to m-meet you, Misato-han." 'Why's she being so nice to me? Does she want something from me?'

"Are you hungry?" asked Misato. "Let's go to Macrossnald's." She turned to the principal. "Mr. Wada, we'd like some time with the boy."

"Yes, Ma'am." The principal turned to Toji. "Suzuhara-kun, you're excused for the rest of the day."

"Thank you, Sir." 'Something's wrong,' thought Toji.

Misato led Toji to her car and, after a short argument with Asuka, sat him in the front passenger's seat. "How's your sister?" she as she started the engine.

Toji frowned. "She's alive, no thanks to your Evas. Ow!" he cried as Asuka struck the back of his head.

"Show some respect!" demanded Asuka. "We risk our lives every day to save yours!"

"Asuka!" cried Misato.

"Do you think it's easy to forgive his attitude after the Valkyrie attacks?!"

"Do you think it's easy to forgive NERV after Evangelion Unit 01 tore through downtown Tokyo like a chestburster?!" replied Toji.

"Like a what?" asked Asuka.

"The thing that popped out of Sigourney Weaver's boobs in 'Alien'," explained Misato. She frowned when she realized the boy had witnessed the Incident. "What did you see Unit 01 do?"

"Don't you know?" Toji's suspicion was deep enough to drown Misato.

"No, I was in Matsushiro at the time," explained the woman. "Electromagnetic radiation, generated during the Incident, destroyed all records of what happened after Unit 01..." Misato winced, unable to finish the sentence.

"That monster was followed by a big black ball, which destroyed the rest of New Tokyo-3. The monster touched the ball. Boom!" Toji extended his arms as far as he could in the cabin. "The ball disappeared in a flash of light. Unfortunately, only the monster's right hand disappeared with it. The monster just stood up, grew a new hand, and disappeared."

"Sounds like someone directed Unit 01 to do... something... and failed," guessed Misato. "The individual who took control of Unit 01, who caused the Incident, may try again. That's why we need you..."

"To do what? Save the world?" Toji didn't bother to hide his disgust. "You don't know who or what caused the Incident. You don't know how or why it occurred. What can you do to stop that monster?"

Misato stared at Toji, silencing him with the resolution in her eyes. "I'll do everything within my power, however limited it may be."

"Misato, watch out!" warned Asuka.

The car had drifted into the path of incoming traffic. Misato and Toji simultaneously screamed as the woman turned the steering wheel, avoiding a collision. "Oh, there's Macrossnald's," noted Misato, straining to control her breathing. "Let's discuss this over lunch."

"O-okay." Toji was too shaken by the Angel of Death's touch to protest.

*

1600 hr. "All rise! Bow!" The students bowed to the teacher, suppressing the urge to scream, "Hurry up!" as the man exited the classroom. "Dismissed!"

As Kensuke packed his laptop and his books into his book bag, he heard someone shout his name, and turned to the door. "Toji? What...?"

"We need to talk." Toji ignored the giggling girls as he led his best friend away from school. He scanned the sidewalk to make sure no one was eavesdropping before he asked, "What kind of contacts or connections did Tanaka give you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've been spying for Tanaka, a.k.a. Lt Bond, right?"

"He's not a lieutenant, he's a pilot officer," corrected Kensuke. (Misato was unfamiliar with British military rank; an Air Force Pilot Officer was the equivalent of an Army 2nd Lieutenant.)

Toji impatiently growled, "Whatever. Anyways, I need you to spy for me."

"Why?"

"I've joined NERV; they promised to transfer my sister to the hospital at the 2nd Japanese branch, the one that serves the Eva pilots."

"You're an Eva...!"

Toji forcefully placed his hand over Kensuke's mouth. "Eva pilots have been targeted for assassination, so you must not let anyone know about this." He saw the shock in Kensuke's eyes. "Anyways, I don't trust the people at NERV, so I need you to warn me about any suspicious people, things, or events."

'Someone's trying to kill the Eva pilots?! Is it the JSSDF? Or is NERV using the threat of assassination to undermine the JSSDF and impose martial law?' "I will," answered Kensuke.

"Thanks."

*

2215 hr, Pacific Time. "What's a Jurai?" asked Holly as she stared at the x-ray.

Shiro wore knowing smile. "What do you think it is?" he playfully asked.

"Pilot Ryoko's home planet," guessed Holly.

'I may as well tell her.' "According to Ryoko, Jurai is a galactic empire and the name of her capital. The Jurai draw energy from special trees, which they used to conquer and to rule 55% of the known galaxy."

'Wasn't this in one of the 'Star Wars' movies?' "Are they a threat to us?"

"Ryoko doesn't know," answered Shiro.

"You keep telling about what Ryoko knows," stated Holly with controlled anger. "Tell me what you know."

Shiro was unaffected by the force of her voice. "I only know what Ryoko knows, and she only knows what her late master told her."

"Sigh." Holly waved her hand. "You're dismissed."

Shiro put on his shirt and tie. "Good night, Doctor." He exited the examination room.

The x-ray was taken one hour ago; it suggested nothing unusual about Shiro's cardiopulmonary system. Holly laid the x-ray over one that was taken four days ago. "Fascinating." Holly estimated that Shiro's heart and lungs each had a 11% increase in volume, his floating ribs each had a three centimeter increase in length, and his liver...

Ring, ring! Holly picked up the phone, which used a secure line. "Dr Goodhead."

"What do you think?" asked Russhon, who had eavesdropped on the interview through the hidden microphones.

"He's either telling the truth, or what he thinks is the truth. Anyways, I want more time..."

"We don't have more time. He's returning to Japan in two days."

"With Unit 04?" Holly interpreted Russhon's silence as an affirmative. "But what if the Valkyries attack us?! Do the damn Japs expect us to fight off those oversized Terminators with sticks, stones, and strong words?!"

"I said the same thing to the Secretary of Defense. He gave a lecture on... It was too full of shit for me to remember the details, but it basically said we're the UN's bitches. Fortunately, I have an ace up my sleeve."

"Good luck. In the meantime, I want to accompany Plt Off Bond to Tokyo."

"Why?"

"I want to study evolution."

The phone was silent as Russhon considered the word's implications. "I expect a detailed report, delivered each day, over a secure line."

"Yes, Sir."

*

Day 21, Thu. 0729 hr, Tokyo Time. Kensuke watched Toji enter the room. "So what were you issued?"

"What do you mean?"

"What weapon were you issued? A MK23? A M9? A M1911A1?"

Toji sighed. 'I should've expected this.' "I'll get a SIG P229 in .357 SIG, the same weapon the US Secret Service..."

"All rise!" interrupted Hikari. "Bow! Take seat!"

The teacher led a red-haired, blue-eyed girl into the classroom. "Students, this is..."

Asuka wrote her name on the blackboard. "Hello." She turned to the class. "I'm Soryu Asuka Langley."

The teacher hid his anger at Asuka's arrogance. "This is her first visit to Japan. I expect you all to help her understand our glorious culture." He turned to the blackboard, but the girl had taken a seat before she was given permission to do so. "Sigh."

Kensuke noticed that Asuka wore a business suit, like Shiro. 'Is she an Eva pilot? Is she wearing a shoulder holster under her coat? Body armor?' He typed, "Are you the pilot of Evangelion Unit 02?" and sent the message to Asuka's computer.

The girl replied, "What's an Angel Unit?"

"Sigh." Kensuke typed, "Never mind."

*

1800 hr. "Take a deep breath." Asuka put her hand over Toji's. "Don't panic. Unit 02's control system has been proven; it won't go berserk." 'It won't do what Unit 01 did,' she didn't say.

Toji closed his eyes as the entry plug was inserted into Unit 02. 'Be cool, be cool, be cool...'

The technicians' announcements filled the control booth. "Injecting LCL." "Beginning 1st stage connection."

"Toji-kun," called Misato. "How do you feel?"

"It smells like blood," answered Toji, who was wearing Asuka's helmet.

"Get used to it," ordered Asuka.

"Data received. Verifying. Pattern: green." "Turbines are at military power." "All restraints nominal." "Beginning 2nd stage connection."

Misato turned to Makoto. "How is it?"

"The filter is suppressing the noise in the nerve pulses," which was caused by Asuka's presence. "The harmonics are within tolerable limits."

Misato glanced at the monitor. "A 29 to 30% synch rate." She smiled. "The kid has potential."

"Release the 1st lock bolt!" "Released!" "Release the 2nd lock bolt!" "Remove the 1st and 2nd restraints." "Disengage safety locks one through 15." "Evangelion Unit 02..."

"It's ready for launch," declared Makoto.

Misato nodded. "Asuka-chan, Toji-kun, you may begin the training."

"Okay." Asuka turned away from the booth, towards Toji. "Don't do anything until I tell you to, understand?"

"Gotcha."

Asuka frowned. "NERV is a military organization. You're expected to know military customs and courtesies. The correct reply is, 'Yes, Ma'am.'"

'Was she born a bitch, or did NERV change her into one?' "Yes... Ma'am."

The frown disappeared. "Now,"-- Asuka put Toji's right hand on the right control stick-- "this controls the right arm, and this,"-- she put his left hand over the center control stick-- "controls the left arm. I want you to push the right control stick and step on the left pedal, which will order the Eva to swing its right arm forward as it steps forward with its left foot."

"Yes, Ma'am." Unit 02 stepped forward.

"Good. Now push the center control stick and step on the right pedal."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Good. Now..."

'I feel funny,' thought Toji, 'like my body's melting. I can't feel myself... I feel someone else. Who's there?' He looked up. The girl was leaning over him, allowing her to see what's in front of the Eva and allowing Toji to see her figure. 'Asuka...'

*

2030 hr. "Let go," ordered Asuka. She saw Toji's skepticism. "The autopilot will land Unit 02."

"Yes, Ma'am." Toji reluctantly released the right control stick and the throttle. The Eva landed vertically beside the cage. After its armor was cooled down, the pilots exited the cockpit.

Misato approached them. "Good job." She took Toji's hand and shook it. "We'll begin weapons training tomorrow afternoon. I'll get you an early release from school. Get some sleep; you'll need it."

"Yes, Ma'am."

The woman playfully patted Toji's head. "You don't have to be so formal. Just call me Misato-san."

"Yes, Misato-han."

"Come on." Asuka grabbed Toji's left hand and dragged him towards the men's latrine. "Wash up; we can't leave here if we smell like raw hamburger patties." She released her grip, but Toji didn't release his. "Hey...!" The boy pulled her close and brushed her lips with his own. Slap! "What do you think you're doing?!"

Toji's right hand touched his swollen cheek. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that."

"If you do that again, I'll kill you." Asuka forcefully freed her hand and approached the women's latrine.

Warmth spread from Toji's cheek, to his entire body; a fire had been ignited within him. "Yes, Ma'am." He wore a hundred-mile stare as he approached the shower stalls.

*

"Mama! Mama! They picked me!" Toji ran towards his mother's room, eager to tell her the news. "I'm now an elite pilot, a guardian angel for all mankind!" That was what the nice people from Gehirn called him. "I'm the best! It's a secret to everybody, but I'll tell you, Mama! Everybody's so nice to me. I'm not lonely anymore. I'm okay, even though Papa left us. Look at me! Me!"

Toji opened the door. His mother hung from the ceiling, a noose around her neck and a smile on her face. A rag doll, with red yawn for hair and blue buttons for eyes, hung beside her.

"Mamaaaa!"

*

Day 22, Fri. 0005 hr. Toji tore open the sleeping bag as he sat up. 'What the fuck was that?!' The woman in his dream wasn't his mother; Toji remembered the blood that stained the hospital bed because his mother was hemorrhaging, giving her life in exchange for his newborn sister's. He remembered his father's crying and his grandfather's fierce argument with the doctors.

'Asuka's mother?' The doll's hair and eyes were the same colors as Asuka's. 'Did Asuka's mother go insane? Did she try to commit double suicide?' Toji heard sobbing. (For security, he was placed in Asuka's condo, in the spare bedroom.) He sensed that Asuka needed someone to talk to, and approached the door.

Knock, knock! Toji's hand froze three centimeters away from the doorknob. "Yes?"

"Suzuhara."

The boy opened the door. Although Asuka had wiped away her tears, Toji knew she'd been crying. "Good morning, Ma'am. Um..." He scratched the back of his head, trying to find the right words to say. "Want coffee?"

"Ja."

"Okay, um, let me get some clothes." As he approached the clothes on the table, he heard the door close. "Ma'am...?"

The girl silenced him with a kiss. "Call me Asuka." She pushed Toji onto the sleeping bag and pulled his shirt over his head.

"Okay, Asuka." Toji's obedience was rewarded with another kiss, and another, and another...

*

1650 hr. "Keep it within an arm's reach at all times," advised Asuka. "It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it."

"Yes, Asuka." A fully loaded P229 weighed 918.5 grams; Toji felt like he carried 918.5 kg in his shoulder holster. The pistol was a reminder that he must be ready to kill or be killed.

Asuka playfully punched Toji's shoulder. "We're at work. Here, you're supposed to call me Ma'am."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Misato intercepted the couple as they approached the mess hall. "Hi, Asuka. I think you're doing a good job as an instructor, but there's room for improvement. Can I speak with you in private?"

Asuka knew what the woman really wanted to talk about. "Sure." She turned to Toji. "Suzuhara, please go to the mess hall and save a seat for me."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Misato watched Toji enter the mess hall. "Don't you think you're going too fast?"

"What do you mean?" asked Asuka with feigned innocence.

"Due to the terrorist threat, NERV Security is keeping the pilots under 24-hour surveillance." 'The pilots they can do this to, anyways.'

"Ah." A bitter smile appeared on Asuka's face. "Did they enjoy the show?"

Misato frowned. "I'm serious! There's a reason the military has rules and regulations against fraternizing. As Toji's superior officer, you need the guts to order him to his death."

"Does this mean I can't have a heart? That I can't care about the people around me?"

"No..."

"Do you have a heart? Do you care about me as a human being? Or am I like the Evas, a weapon for you to use?"

The words pierced Misato's heart like a dagger. "I..." She was unable to answer them.

Asuka interpreted the silence as confirmation of her assumption. She walked past Misato without another word.

"Asuka!" Misato followed the girl into the mess hall. "Wait...!" She reached for the girl's shoulder.

Asuka pushed away the hand as she focused on the TV. CNN was showing a video, taken by a security camera in the Matsushiro command center.

"Fuck you!" The video had been carefully edited; Clifton didn't draw his pistol, he simply pointed his index finger at Fuyutsuki's head.

Makoto reached for his pistol. An SP aimed a rifle at Makoto and ordered him to stand down. A UN peacekeeper aimed his rifle at the SP, another SP aimed his rifle at the peacekeeper, and so on.

"Put down your weapons." Fuyutsuki's dialogue had also been edited. "Lt James, I am giving you a direct order."

"I don't answer to you!"

Misato watched herself enter the command center and salute Fuyutsuki. "Sir! Pilot,"-- Bond's name was replaced by a beep-- "is..." Click! She watched herself turn to the SP. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"The 2nd US branch is being defended by Unit 02," claimed Fuyutsuki.

"All communications with Lee-Fig have been cut off! We don't even know if Unit 02 still exists!"

"Unit 04, ready!" said a male voice.

"Unit 01A, ready!" added a female voice.

"Get your ass to Lee-Fig!" ordered Clifton.

"Negative. You must protect Matsushiro," ordered Fuyutsuki. "We can't afford to lose the research facility. The future of the human race depends on it."

"Bullshit!"

"If you won't make up your minds, I will!"

Asuka felt the passion in Shiro's voice. 'Does he still... care for me?'

Thermonuclear turbines roared. "Pilot Beep, you're not cleared for takeoff!"

"Yes, you are!" interrupted Clifton.

Misato watched Makoto turn to herself. "What do we do?"

She heard herself say, "Nothing. We can do nothing."

Beep, beep, beep! "Wavelength pattern: blue," noted Makoto. "It's an Angel." A pause. "Wavelength pattern: blue. Another Angel?" Another pause. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Pilot Beep, launch Unit 04 and destroy the Angels," ordered Misato. "Pilot Beep, fly to the 2nd US branch and support Unit 02."

The video ended. A 50-year-old man with blue-gray eyes, identified as "Sen. James Galore, R-NV", faced the US Defense Secretary. "Mr. Zorin, you've been emphasizing the need to cooperate with the UN throughout your term as Secretary of Defense..."

"A term that'll end very soon," commented someone.

Misato didn't view the rest of the US Senate's interrogation of the Secretary; she was drawn to the rage in Asuka's eyes. "That's not what happened," she weakly whispered.

"Did Commander Fuyutsuki order Unit 04 to stay in Matsushiro and leave Lee-Figueroa Air Force Base undefended?"

"We didn't leave the 2nd US branch undefended," protested Misato. "You..."

"Hypocrite." Asuka walked away from the woman, towards her new boyfriend.

'I do care. You're like a little sister, for whom I'll do anything. That day, I'd have disobeyed the Commander and...' Misato didn't say those words; Asuka wouldn't believe her. The woman could only sit down and bury her head in her arms, covering her tears and muffling her sobs.

*

'This can't be a coincidence,' thought Kensuke as he read one of the files that Shiro asked him to retrieve.

According to the records, Tanaka Tetsuji was a JSS intelligence officer who was ordered to help Gehirn Intelligence investigate an attempt to hack into MAGI and steal Unit 01's blueprints. Tanaka reported that the hacker attack was launched from New Tokyo-2. He believed the hackers served a foreign intelligence service, possibly the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS), and proposed a plan to entrap the hackers. The day after he delivered this report, he was assassinated; the records didn't state whether or not his plan was implemented.

The photo showed a man with dark eyes, but Kensuke remembered that Papa's eyes were blue-gray, and that he wore tinted contact lens... 'No! These are Shiro's memories, not mine! This is Shiro's father, not mine!' He saved the files onto his disk. 'Who has seen this report?' He read a list. 'Gehirn Intelligence, the JSS, and... the DIH?!" Defense Intelligence Headquarters, a word that shocked Kensuke. 'Impossible! The Japanese Self-Defense Force," which supervised the DIH, "is served by honorable men!" His father served in the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) before he joined the United Nations Security Forces (UNSF), and continued to speak glowingly about military service. 'They'd never...!'

Kensuke fell back in his chair, collapsing under the weight of his own suspicion. 'Shiro, do you think the JSDF sent the assassins who killed your parents? Are you plotting to destroy the JSDF and avenge your parents? Did you plant these files to make me believe you?'

Shiro would arrive at 1900 hr. Kensuke was determined to make him answer these questions.

*

Di da di! "Hush." Asuka raised her cell phone to her ear. "Soryu Asuka Langley."

"Asuka," called Elise.

"Mutter!" The girl gripped the phone like a lifeline. "Are you okay?!" she asked in German.

"I'm fine, Asuka. The doctors found no signs of physical injuries." Psychological injuries were difficult to find. "Asuka dear, I'm concerned about your relationships with the other pilots."

Asuka frowned. "What kind of relationships?"

Elise needed three seconds to find an approach. "Romantic relationships."

"With Ryoko?" she sarcastically asked.

"With Mr. Suzuhara. I think you're making a mistake."

"No, you don't. Father thinks I'm making a mistake, and he's using you to convey the message. Am I right?"

Elise shuddered at the girl's rage. "Asuka, your father only wants you to be happy."

"No, he wants me to be under his control. He thought I was making a mistake when I began dating Shiro..."

Toji gasped. 'She had a relationship with Tanaka?! How can I know this? I don't speak German!'

"... ordered me to break up with him, a decision I made on my own. Now Father wants me to seduce him."

Misato heard the rage in Asuka's voice, and approached their table. "Asuka, what's wrong?"

'That's what I wanna know!' thought Toji.

Asuka ignored the woman. "Well, I'm not his whore! I'm not going to let him violate me, the way you let Prof Engels violate you, you stupid...!" She heard Elise cry. "I'm... sorry. You sound tired. Get some sleep."

"Y-yes. Goodbye, Asuka."

"Goodbye, Mother." Asuka pocketed the phone. "Now, where were we?" she asked Toji.

"W-we w-were talking about German food."

"Ah, yes. German chocolate..."

*

1900 hr. Misato watched the transport plane land. 'How can I regain Asuka's trust? Recent events have made her as paranoid as Shiro. Like him, Asuka doesn't trust me because I serve NERV, and they don't trust NERV. How...?'

"Mi-chan!"

Misato turned rearwards, towards the speaker. Kaji smiled as he approached her. 'He looks so pale, so thin! What did that robot do to him?!' "Kaji! Are you okay?"

"The doctors think I am." He became conscious yesterday. After the medics performed a thorough physical and psychological exam, they reluctantly released Kaji from the hospital. "You now command four Evas and their pilots. You must be proud."

Misato shook her head. "I command nothing. Asuka doesn't trust me. Toji, Unit 02's new reserve pilot, won't trust me because Asuka will warn him about me; they're in love. Shiro doesn't trust me, but he still wants to sleep with me."

"Do you want to sleep with him?"

"No!" protested Misato. "Shiro tried to seduce me! He hid his identity and...!" Shiro looked older than he was; when Misato first met him last year, he hinted that he was one of the foreign military personnel who were stationed at NERV Germany's 1st branch, and invited her to dinner. The woman accepted, not knowing he was the 4th Child until Ritsuko saw them together in the restaurant. (Shiro unsuccessfully tried to seduce the doctor as she examined him that morning.) "I'm not like that!"

Kaji raised his arms in surrender. "Okay, okay! I believe you!" He lowered his arms after Misato calmed down. "Would you like a drink?"

"Later." Misato watched NERV technicians download Unit 04 onto a flatcar, which a train would tow into the Eva cage. Holly, escorted by SPs, approached the door. 'Where's Shiro?' "Good evening, Dr Goodhead. How was your flight?"

"Noisy," answered Holly. "Ryoko had teleported into the plane to say, 'Hi!' to Plt Off Bond. They're still in Unit 04's cockpit."

Kaji watched Holly walk through the door. "Nice legs." He turned to Misato. "Does she have a boyfriend?"

Misato frowned. "Don't even think about it! Dr Goodhead had a relationship with Gen Russhon, although they both became too focused on the Evangelion Project to maintain it."

'So are you,' thought Kaji, remembering the relationship he had with Misato. 'So am I.' "What are you going to do now?"

"My job."

Kaji suppressed a tear as he watched his ex-girlfriend walk through the door.

*

1920 hr. Misato led Shiro and Ryoko towards the garage. She unsuccessfully tried to ignore Ryoko's purring; it filled her with envy, an emotion she disguised as outrage. Shock replaced envy when she saw Asuka and Toji walking towards them. 'Oh, shit!' Misato tried to think of an excuse to keep Asuka out of sight, afraid that Shiro would react with violence.

"Guten Abend, Shiro, Frau Ryoko."

"Good evening, Milady, Mr. Suzuhara."

'Shit, shit, shit!' "Hello, Asuka, Toji-kun." Misato's phony smile hid her fear; she could sense Shiro's jealousy. 'I hope he remembers that he's an officer and a gentleman, that he can fight for a woman, but not over her.'

Ryoko sensed the same emotion. 'Why is he jealous?! I love him more! I can make him happier!' She hid her own jealousy as she turned to the 2nd Child. "Hi, Asuka! I didn't know you were dating Mr. Suzuhara. Are you happy together?"

"Yes," answered Asuka.

"Hey, Tanaka." Toji hid his fear as he faced the 4th Child. 'Oh, shit! He still loves Asuka, he thinks I've stolen his girl, and he's gonna kill me!' "How are you doing?"

Shiro answered, "Fine," in the chilling tone he'd used to threaten Toji.

"I'm going to take them home," stated Misato. 'I must keep them apart.' "Do you need a ride?" Asuka's condo was across the hall from Misato's.

"No," answered Asuka. "I have a car." 'I don't need you.'

"Great!" Misato's relief was replaced by suspicion. "How did you get a car?"

"I bought it," answered the girl.

"With what?"

"Cash," which Asuka inherited from Soryu Kyoko Zeppelin-Langley, her biological mother.

"But you need a driver's license to..."

"I have a driver's license."

"A forgery?" Misato interpreted Asuka's silence as an affirmative. She angrily turned to Shiro. "Pilot Bond!" 'Shit!'

Toji had taken four steps backwards, retreating from the killer's cold eyes. Shiro put his hand on the boy's shoulder; he felt Toji's muscles tighten, preparing the boy for battle. "Take care of her; she deserves someone who can make her happy." He sighed, letting his jealous rage dissipate with his breath, as he led Ryoko towards Misato's car.

'Victory!' Ryoko's smile became genuine; Asuka was no longer a romantic rival.

'Thank God!' Misato turned to Asuka. "We'll talk about this tomorrow morning." She had only taken two steps when the lights went out, submerging the garage under darkness. "What the...?"

*

"... public humiliation!" screamed Maximilian Zorin, the US Defense Secretary, former Chief Executive Officer of Zorin Industries, and Seele 03. The other members allowed Zorin to direct his rage at Fuyutsuki, curious at how NERV's acting commander would defend himself.

"We still have an unedited record of the incident," stated Fuyutsuki. "We can release it to the media..."

"That will only make this a contest of words, and you are not giving this colony a reason to believe you!"

"I..." Suddenly, the lights went out. Zorin's image, projected by the hologram projector in Fuyutsuki's desk, disappeared. Fuyutsuki scanned the interior of his office. 'Strange. Even if the main electrical system failed, the two standby systems should have maintained this line. Were the circuit breakers...?'

*

1930 hr. Kaji ran towards the fission reactor that powered the base, his NOD hiding the rage in his eyes. 'Fools!' He saw two men exit the reactor control booth, and drew his pistol. "Freeze!"

"Kaji?" The men turned to him. "What are you doing?"

"That's my line, Shimada."

Shimada Hajime's frown was visible through the NOD. "We are doing our job. Are you?"

"There's more to this job than trying to plot the base structure from MAGI's recovery procedures," the reason the reactor was sabotaged and the supercomputer crashed. "What if an Angel attacks Tokyo at this moment?"

"The Angels, or Valkyries, are attacking NERV branches. Tokyo is not their target. In fact, by luring the Angels to Japan, NERV has become a greater threat to our nation."

"Really?"

Shimada shrugged at Kaji's doubt. "That is the Minister's opinion."

Kaji heard approaching voices and footsteps. "I advise you to leave while you can." He holstered his pistol before he ran away.

After Kaji left, the men began walking in the same direction; the NERV uniforms they wore shielded them from suspicion.

*

Suzuhara Maiko hid beneath her blanket, afraid of the things whose cries haunted the hospital, things she believed were ghosts.

"Mai-chan!"

The eight-year-old girl raised the blanket slightly, allowing her to see Toji approach her bed. "Bro!" She threw away the blanket and raised her hand.

Toji held Maiko's hand. "I'm taking you to a safe place."

"Why? What's wrong?"

Toji smiled to comfort Maiko. "Nothing serious." He awkwardly pushed the bed and the IV stand toward the door.

Ryoko glanced at her watch; time was flying. (The watch, an Omega Seamaster, was a gift from Shiro.) "Why don't you just carry her?" she impatiently asked.

"I can't!" cried Toji. "Her spinal cord was injured during the Incident. If I move her the wrong way..."

"Then I'll heal it." Ryoko removed the IV needle and the catheter before placing her hand on Maiko's abdomen.

"Gasp!" Maiko thought her guts were on fire. She involuntarily kicked the air. 'I can feel my legs?!' She tried to stand up; she succeeded. "I can feel my legs! Yay!" She jumped with joy, and was caught by Ryoko.

"Hush!" ordered Ryoko.

Maiko stared at the yellow-eyed girl. "Are you an angel?"

Ryoko frowned. "I'm not a monster."

"Oh. Sorry."

Toji took Maiko from Ryoko's arms. "Let's go."

Ryoko made them intangible, before carrying them to the control booth for the Eva cage.

"Wow!" Maiko turned to Ryoko. "You're amazing, Miss!"

"Call me Ryoko." She smiled, pleasantly surprised that a child would find her amazing instead of terrifying, as children did when she served Kagato.

"Toji!" Asuka embraced her boyfriend.

Maiko stared at the blue-eyed girl. "Are you my brother's girlfriend?" She saw Toji blush. "Bro, I thought you liked Hikari-neechan?" referring to the other girl as an older sister. (Hikari had accompanied Toji when he visited Maiko in the civilian hospital.)

Asuka turned to the girl. "Hello! You must be Toji's sister. I'm Asuka." She extended her arm.

Maiko shook Asuka's hand. "I'm Maiko."

Misato cleared her throat. "Asuka, Toji, board Unit 02. I want you ready to defend the base or, if necessary, to evacuate the Evas."

"I will not run away," declared Asuka.

Toji didn't share Asuka's grim determination. "What about my sister?"

"Don't worry; I won't let her come to harm," promised Misato.

Toji knelt before his sister. "Mai-chan, I want you to stay with Misato-han."

"Okay."

"Don't worry, Mai-chan, " assured Asuka. "I won't let anyone hurt your brother." She took Toji's hand. "Let's go."

*

SPs flanked Holly as she approached the control center. She noticed that the door didn't automatically open, and knocked on it.

"Who goes there?" asked Misato.

"Holly Goodhead." She heard Misato grunted as the woman turned a wheel to manually open the sliding door.

"Hello," greeted Maiko.

"We still don't know why the reactor shut down," stated Misato. "Where's Shiro?"

"In Unit 04's cockpit. Can you communicate with Units 01A and 02?"

"Yes." Misato raised the field radio's handset.

Holly raised her own radio handset, which she used to communicate with Unit 04. "When will power be..." The lights suddenly came on.

The loudspeakers buzzed. "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers," declared a haunting voice. "For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

"Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation."

Holly and Misato angrily turned to a security camera. "Identify yourself!"

"I am Iruel, the Angel of Fear," declared the voice. "Tell me, Dr Goodhead, Capt Katsuragi, are you God fearing women?"

"I fear nothing," insisted Holly.

"I fear God," confessed Misato, "but I have no reason to fear a monster like you."

The loudspeakers emitted a pulsed sound, like laughter. "Then I shall give you a reason to fear."

An alarm flooded the control center with red light and blaring sounds. "Control rods are retracting," noted Makoto. "Core temperature is rising." He typed commands to the computer that controlled the reactor; the computer replied with error messages. "The reactor will meltdown in 30 minutes!"

Misato heard Iruel laugh. "Why are you doing this? What do you want?"

"I want..." An alarm with a higher priority replaced the radiation warning. "No!" cried Iruel. "I will not be denied!"

"Wavelength pattern: blue," noted Makoto. "It's an Angel." More alarms appeared on his monitor. "The defenses are engaging the target... Target's AT field is at 99.6%... 99.2%... 98.8%... Target has deployed an energy weapon..." He turned to the loudspeaker. "Iruel..."

"False prophet! I shall cast you into the lake of fire and brimstone!"

Another haunting voice answered Iruel's. "You open your mouth to blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. You..."

Holly unsuccessfully tried to make sense of the argument. "What the hell...?"

"The Angels are accusing each other of being the Antichrist," explained Misato.

"They speak?!" Holly reached for Misato's shoulder. "Why weren't we informed of this?!"

Misato pushed away the hand. 'Hypocrite.' She pressed the "transmit" button on her handset. "Asuka, an Angel is approaching Matsushiro from sector Alpha Five, at a velocity of 70 km/h. I want you to intercept it. Be careful; the computer malfunction has put the defenses out of our control."

"So I may become a blue-on-blue casualty," stated the girl. "What else can go wrong?"

Another warning appeared on the display. "Wavelength pattern: blue," noted Makoto. "Not again!"

Asuka sighed. "I should've known."

Misato released the button, so Asuka couldn't hear her ask, "How much time before the reactor meltdowns?"

"28 minutes, 39 seconds," answered Makoto.

Holly controlled her anger at NERV's secrecy; she had a job to do. She waved at Maiko. "We should evacuate the noncombatant."

"I agree." After a SP carried Maiko out of the control center, Misato pressed the "transmit" button. "Ryoko, I'm going to the reactor control booth. I want you to follow me."

"Yes, Madam."

"Dr Goodhead..."

"We'll take care of Iruel," declared Holly. She watched Misato nod as the NERV officers exited the control center.

*

1940 hr. Shiro stared at the yellow lines on his helmet visor, which traced the unidentified objects' trajectories. They created pillars of water as they fell into the ocean. "What is it doing?"

"Using its own tissue to attack you," answered Russhon. (Holly was concerned that Iruel may exploit any transmissions between Matsushiro and the Evas, and asked Russhon to communicate with the pilots.) "The first shot hit the Pacific Ocean, way off target. The second shot hit closer." The LCD displayed a map. "The third shot... As you can see, its accuracy is improving. We think it'll eventually use its main body to bomb Tokyo."

"How's Asuka?"

"She's doing fine. Just concentrate on your task," providing air defense.

*

Unit 02's AT field was powerful enough to block the Angel's energy bolt; it wasn't powerful enough to block 30 bolts. "Ahhhh!" screamed Asuka and Toji as the Eva was blown backwards, overwhelmed by the Angel's firepower. "Bastard!" As Unit 02 reached for the progressive knife, its pilots saw the Angel's knifelike leg stab at its S² engine. "Shit!" The Eva rolled sideways to dodge the attack, before slashing at the leg. The pilots heard Matariel, Angel of Rain, shriek as they tried to stand up. The fact that first blood was theirs didn't comfort Asuka or Toji; Matariel only gave them a split-second to catch their breath before it attacked again.

Misato tried to ignore the loudspeakers as she entered the booth; Iruel was obviously trying to use the pilots' cries to break her will. "Dr Shimada!" The booth was vacant. "Shit!" Misato pointed at the reactor, which illuminated the booth through the observation window. "We must reinsert the control rods. Can your AT field..."

"Light Hawk Wings," corrected Ryoko.

"Can your wings shield you from the radiation?"

Ryoko examined the reactor. "Yes." She became intangible, and flew through the window.

Misato opened the locker that stored a protective suit. The gauge indicated that the suit's integral air tanks were full. After Misato put on a helmet, she heard the radio buzz.

"How do I reinsert the control rods?" asked Ryoko.

"Makoto?" called Misato.

"Just push them!" screamed Makoto, too frantic to remember that Misato was his commanding officer.

"Okay." Ryoko shined like a light bulb as subatomic particles struck her wings. She didn't see the sparks that flew as an electrical cable was severed; she didn't know she was in danger until Iruel's AT field neutralized her wings, allowing the cable to strike like a viper. "Howl!"

"Shit!" Misato exited the control booth, determined to help Ryoko fight off the live wire, despite her own mortality.

*

"I admire you, Iruel," claimed Holly, who constantly talked to distract the Angel from Makoto and Clifton's efforts to recover control of MAGI. "A colony of microorganisms, each one the size of a bacterium, which, within hours, have evolved into an intelligence circuit, and which continues to evolve in search of the optimum solution to a given problem.

"How did you attain these powers? Where did you come from? Who...?"

"Ahhhh!"

"Lt James!" Makoto took off his jacket and used it to drag Clifton out of the service tunnel beneath the MAGI hardware. Although Holly couldn't see the burns through Clifton's uniform, she could smell burnt flesh. "Help!"

The Angel ignored the SPs who rushed to Clifton's side. "I am the Sword of God," insisted the Angel. "Remember this, as I cast you into the lake of fire and brimstone." The monitors seemed to burn as MAGI consumed more power, fueling Iruel's evolution.

Iruel ignored the warnings on the monitor, but Holly didn't. "Tell me, Iruel, where will you get the strength to cast us into the lake?"

"I... Ahhhh!" The monitors flickered; the reactor no longer powered them. "Harlot!" They exploded. Holly to raise her arms, shielding her face from the flying glass. "You shall be utterly burned with...!" Iruel became silent as it starved to death.

Holly thought the control center had become a tomb, cold and dark. 'Thank God, it's not my funeral.'

*

Ryoko raised her arm off the control rod, to wipe sweat off her brow. "Missy?"

Misato grunted as she tried to untangle herself from the wire web Iruel had used to defend itself. "I'm okay. Go help Asuka and Shiro." She watched Ryoko teleport out of the reactor room. "Sigh. I can imagine the amount of paperwork I'll do afterwards."

*

Boom! Two AMRAAMs intercepted the "submunition" over the base. Shiro hid his fear as a red light approached him; Sahaquiel, Angel of the Sky, had begun its descent. Unit 04 rose to meet it. Sahaquiel's AT field burned the Eva's palms; the pilot's legs shook as the turbines strained to arrest the Angel's descent. Shiro bit his lower lip, imprisoning an anguished howl within his throat.

Unit 02 slid on its back, between Matariel's legs, beneath its thorax. Rails guided its pistol-- a 203 mm automatic cannon resembling the P229-- from the weapons bay in the Eva's right vambrace, to its hand. Asuka and Toji screamed as they emptied the pistol's 12-round magazine into the Angel's thorax. Acid gushed out of the wounds, eating through the RAM that coated Unit 02's armor, but it not through the Cybertronian alloy that formed the armor. Matariel collapsed onto the Eva, twitching as it died.

"Get off of me!" Asuka grunted as she pushed the Angel off of Unit 02. She gasped when she saw Sahaquiel fall, pushing down Unit 04. "Shiro!" When Asuka tried to move, error messages covered the LCD. 'Thought noise?!'

Toji watched the falling Angel. 'Why does she care about him? He's a killer; he'll only hurt her. Why can't she...?'

Asuka turned rearwards, towards her boyfriend. "Toji, concentrate! If we can't stop that Angel, it'll kill everyone at the base, including Maiko!"

Toji gasped, remembering his sister. His jealousy faded away with the thought noise. Unit 02 flew to Unit 04's side. The pilots shouted, "Come on!" as they fought gravity and the Angel's weight. The Evas looked like stray animals, pushing against a truck's bumper to avoid being run over. "Come on!"

"Victory!" Ryoko flew over Sahaquiel, slashing her sword downwards.

Sahaquiel altered its path, moving away from NERV HQ's ruins; it knew it was at a disadvantage. As Ryoko turned sideways to avoid hurting her friends, Sahaquiel hovered over Matsushiro. Matariel's corpse rose from the ground to be assimilated.

"Shit!" "Damn." Ryoko and the Evas raised their AT fields to counter the Archangel's.

As Makoto handed Misato a canteen, they heard someone sing, "Onward, Christian soldiers! Marching as to war..."

"Who's singing?" asked Misato.

Makoto scanned the control center interior. Holly, Clifton, and the SPs were in no mood for singing. "I don't know."

Misato raised her head, as if she could see through the ceiling. "If the Angels sing the next time they attack, I'd rather die right now."

"Onward, Christian soldiers! Marching as to war,

"With the cross of Jesus..."

The sound waves shook Makoto like a jealous girlfriend's arms. "I concur," he added.

*

Day 23, Sat. 1000 hr. Kensuke approached the hospital room, where Shiro was kept overnight for observation. "Plt Off Bond," he called.

The bed was vacant. "How may I help you, Sir?" asked the nurse.

"I'm looking for Plt Off Bond."

The nurse became dreamy as she thought of the handsome young officer, an expression that made Kensuke envious. "Plt Off Bond is in the arcade, Sir."

"Thank you."

Shiro was playing 'The Killer', a light gun in each hand. Although his back was to the door, he called, "Good morning, Flying Officer Jones," as Kensuke entered the arcade.

Kensuke's surprise was replaced by understanding when he saw his reflection in the monitor. "Looks fun. Mind if I join you?"

"No." After Kensuke slid Kenneth Jones' credit card across the scanner, Shiro asked, "What have you found?"

"Nothing concrete." Kensuke fired his light guns at the assassins onscreen. "Who do you suspect?"

"Of what?"

"Of killing your parents."

Shiro's expression didn't change. "The records I have list the North Koreans as the primary suspects, the Chinese as the secondary."

"Do you believe them?"

"I have my doubts."

"Why? The Chinese certainly wanted Evangelion technology..."

"The Chinese didn't need Unit 01's blueprints. Unlike NERV Japan and Germany's branches, the China branch is under PLA control; the Chinese already had Unit 02's blueprints. What the Chinese wanted was the Overtechnology..." Shiro saw four men in the doorway, holdings Type 64 7.62 mm submachine guns (SMGs). He drew his MK23 as he turned rearwards, surprising the assassins. (Patients were ordered to surrender their weapons when they checked into a hospital.) "Halt! Put down your weapons!"

Kensuke thought Shiro was talking to the game sprites. "I am invincible! Ha, ha... Hey!" Kensuke shouted when Shiro pushed him away from the machine. He didn't hear the sound-suppressed SMGs, but he heard the bullets strike the machine. He screamed as falling glass bounced off of his glasses.

Click, click! As the first and second assassins paused to reload, Shiro shot the third and fourth. Although the first assassin didn't see his comrades die, he knew what happened; he charged, swinging the empty Type 64 at the pilot's head. "Oomph!" As Shiro doubled over from the blow, the second lunged at Shiro's legs, slamming him onto the floor. The first locked the pilot's arms to his sides, so Shiro couldn't strike back.

"Why don't you be a good boy and die?" asked the first assassin. The pilot answered him by biting his nose. "Ahhhh!" He shifted his weight to lessen the pain, pushing away his comrade. Shiro freed a leg and kicked the second, breaking his nose and knocking him unconscious. The pilot freed an arm and assumed the guard position, locking both legs around the first's torso. They rolled upon the floor, trying to overpower their opponent.

Kensuke watched the second assassin become conscious. They both dived towards the Type 64 a dead assassin had dropped; Kensuke reached it first. "Freeze!" The second put one hand on the gun, one hand on Kensuke's wrist, and tried to wrench the gun from Kensuke's hand. The boy pulled the trigger; he didn't realize he'd killed a man until he'd emptied the magazine. "Jesus Christ!"

Finally, Shiro overpowered his opponent, aiming his MK23 at the assassin's head. "Surrender or die!"

Blood gushed from where the assassin's nose was torn off. He smiled; his face became a death's head. "Banzai!" He pressed a button on his wristwatch, detonating the 4.6 kg bomb he wore beneath his jacket.

*

1015 hr. "... connected to New Tokyo-2. We must rely on the capital's power grid until the base reactor is repaired," stated Fuyutsuki. "This limits our power use to..."

Misato and Ryoko struggled to stay awake as they listened to their commander. 'I hope Kaji's not busy tonight,' thought Misato. 'I'd like to have a drink with him.' Di da di! "Excuse me, Sir." Misato raised her cell phone to her ear. "Katsuragi Misato."

"Where are Ryoko, Asuka, and Suzuhara?" demanded Shiro.

"Ryoko's with me. Asuka went shopping with Toji..."

"We have a Golden Bullet," the codeword for an attempt to assassinate or kidnap the pilots. Shiro heard Misato gasp.

Ryoko grabbed the phone. "Don't worry, Shiro, I'm on my way." She returned the phone before she teleported.

Misato returned the phone to her ear. "I'll get Asuka and Toji." She turned to her commander. "Sir, we have a Golden Bullet. I'm going with SAR Team One to bring back Pilots Soryu and Suzuhara." She exited Fuyutsuki's office without asking to be dismissed.

*

Shiro pocketed his cell phone as he stared at the red X where the assassin was. 'What happened?' Although Shiro was straddling the assassin, the blast and the shrapnel didn't injure him. "Fg Off Jones?"

"I pissed in my pants," confessed Kensuke.

Shiro checked the boy for injuries. "I'll have them dry-cleaned."

***

To be continued...

One last bit of light-heartedness before I suck the joy out of this story, 'End of Evangelion' style!

A helmeted Shiro rides a Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa motorcycle down a road; four ninja on GSX750F Katana motorcycles pursue him. Shiro sees the ninja in his side-view mirror; he smiles and squeezes a trigger on the handlebar to deploy smoke grenade launchers from the Hayabusa fairings.

White smoke envelops Shiro's motorcycle as it approaches an intersection. The ninja drive through the smoke; when it clears, Shiro has disappeared, but a tractor-trailer is driving into the intersection before the ninja.

Ninja: Ahhhh!

They drive past the Hayabusa, now parked in front of a convenience store before the intersection; they crash into the tractor-trailer as Shiro greets the clerk.

Shiro: A six-pack of Whoopass, please.

Shiro straps the six-pack of Whoopass Cola behind the Hayabusa seat, looks down the road, and sees a MV-1 special operations aircraft. The MV-1 pilots frown at Shiro, who smiles, puts on his helmet, and drives towards the MV-1.

The MV-1 uses its M61A2 20 mm Gatling gun to shoot at the Hayabusa, which maneuvers to dodge the shells. Shiro's right hand shakes a can of Whoopass; his left thumb presses a button on the clutch to deploy a booster rocket from the Hayabusa rear fender.

The Hayabusa jumps over the MV-1 and rolls upside-down. Shiro drops the can of Whoopass into the intake of the MV-1's left engine; the Hayabusa continues rolling to land on its wheels.

The MV-1 engine explodes.

MV-1 Pilots: Ahhhh!

The MV-1 crashes. The pilots scramble out of the aircraft before it explodes.

Shiro stops the Hayabusa in the middle of the road. He takes off his helmet, tilts his head back, and empties a can of Whoopass down his throat.

Shiro: Ah!

He smiles and holds the can before the camera.

Shiro: Never fear to intake more than you can handle. Open a can of Whoopass.

1120 hr. "Why did you run away?" asked the policeman.

"To stay was suicide," answered Shiro. "The assassins may have another team in place."

The policeman recorded the answer on a notepad. "How did you survive the bombing?" A video of the incident, taken by a security camera, ended when an EMP destroyed the camera.

Shiro shrugged. "The bomb was poorly constructed," he guessed.

Misato hid her fear; AT fields generated EM radiation. 'Only an AT field could suppress the blast. If Ryoko didn't generate that field, who did? Shiro?'

"Is there anything else you would like to tell us, Plt Off Bond?"

"Yes. The fourth assassin said, 'Banzai!' before he detonated the bomb."

The policeman raised an eyebrow. "10,000 years?"

"A kamikaze pilot's last words."

The policeman's expression changed to one of anger. "You must be mistaken. A chink cannot understand the noble sacrifices those brave men made during World War Two."

"A sacrifice made for a tyrant is ignoble," countered Shiro.

The policeman growled as he lunged. "Shiro!" warned Misato. The young man calmly dodged the punch, grabbed the policeman's wrist, and pulled. The policeman howled as his face struck the floor. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Shiro aimed his MK23 at the unconscious policeman. "Defending myself."

"Put down the gun. We're not your enemy."

"Really?" Shiro's voice was mechanical, inhuman.

"Why won't you trust me?" asked Misato. Shiro answered her by exiting the office. "Why?!" she cried, broken by the guilt of a crime she didn't commit. "What secrets have I hidden? What lies have I told? What treason have I committed?" She stared at the ceiling, as if the heaven above would reveal the answer.

Heaven had no answer for her.

*

"Gott in Himmel!" exclaimed Toji, unknowingly imitating Asuka. "Maiko was in that hospital!" before she was transferred. He scratched his shoulder, uncomfortably reminded of his pistol and what it symbolized.

Asuka gently put her hands on Toji's shoulder. "Calm down..."

"I can't! If the fucking commies can attack Tanaka in the hospital, what's stopping them from attacking us at school?! If they bomb the classroom to get at us, my friends' blood will be on my hands!"

Asuka put her hands on Toji's cheeks, turning his head towards her. "We won't let that happen." She placed his hand on her cheek. "I have faith in you; have faith in yourself."

Knock, knock! "Pilot Suzuhara," called Kensuke.

Toji frowned at the thin man in the blue uniform. "Who the fuck are you?"

Kensuke posed, like a woman before a mirror. "I'm Fg Off Kenneth Jones, of the Royal Air Force. I'd like to speak with you about the security arrangements."

Toji knew Kensuke was disguised as a RAF officer, but this was the first time he'd seen his friend in disguise. He suppressed a gasp as he turned to Asuka. "I'll be back."

"Be careful," warned Asuka. "He's gay."

After Toji exited the room, he asked, "Are you...?"

"I'm not gay," answered Kensuke. "The act is meant to ward off the Americans."

"Does it work?"

"Are the Americans shooting at us?"

"No," answered Toji.

"It works." Kensuke led Toji into the arcade, and slid his credit card across a scanner. After the game began, he said, "There's evidence that the JSDF is behind the assassination attempts." He heard Toji gasp. "I don't know if the JSDF is really trying to kill Bond, or if someone, maybe Bond, had fabricated the evidence in order to discredit the JSDF."

"What kind of evidence is there?" Toji couldn't hide the fear in his voice.

"Radio communications, recorded during the Angel attacks, stating that JSSDF planes had targeted Evangelion Unit 04. MOD documents comparing our current military capabilities with China's, and analyzing the Eva's defensive and offensive value; they end with the statement, 'An Overtechnology-equipped Evangelion is vital to Japanese national security.' DIH reports stating that, if the American pilot dies, NERV will override the Americans' objections and replace him with the next available pilot." Kensuke turned to Toji. "You're the next available pilot." (Kensuke didn't find records of Osato transferring money to Scaramanga, which were deleted.)

"You mean the JSSDF plans to kill Tanaka, replace him with me, and have Unit 04 and I join the JSSDF?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

Toji ignored the "TIME OUT" on the monitor. "You're making me paranoid."

"Sorry."

*

"The plane's sensors detected an AT field at the hospital." reported Holly. (The base sensors were inoperable because of Iruel's attack.) "If Plt Off Bond is able to generate an AT field, we should transfer him to a research facility and..."

"Hell no!" interrupted Russhon. "We cannot afford to lose our best pilot when two alien armies are screaming for our blood!"

"Then I propose the extraction of stem cells from Plt Off Bond. If we inject them into other pilot candidates..."

"Hell no!"

"But the future of our great nation..."

"If we're tempted to use 14-year-old kids as Guinea pigs in a disgusting genetic engineering experiment, then we don't deserve a future!" Russhon expressed his anger like a stealth bomber opening its bomb bay doors.

Holly sighed. "Yes, Sir."

Contrary to Holly and Russhon's views, the transport plane's radio wasn't as secure a communications line. Zorin received a transcript of their dialogue within ten minutes.

***

DEATH IS NEVER THE END, Part 6

An Evangelion crossover by Sidewinder (aim9snake@hotmail.com), 2003, last revised 2007. Based on Ian Fleming, Kawamori Shoji, Fujishima Kosuke, AIC, Gainax, Hasbro, Marvel, and Takara's works.

Day 24, Sun. 1650 hr. Ryoko held Shiro's hand as Dr Karl Mortner took a bone marrow sample from the man she loved. "Does it hurt?" she asked.

"It will not," answered Mortner. "I gave him a mild painkiller."

The Eva pilot sensed Ryoko's suspicion, and saw her angrily glare at Mortner. "I'm fine," Shiro added. He gently squeezed Ryoko's hand, assuring her.

Mortner smiled as a thick red liquid filled the syringe. "Excellent." He removed the needle. Agent Smith, who wore a nurse's uniform, bandaged Shiro's arm. "You are dismissed, Pilot Bond." Shiro put on his shirt and tie before he led Ryoko out of the lab. Mortner emptied the syringe into three test tubes. Smith placed one tube into a refrigerator, and the second tube into a briefcase, which he carried out of the infirmary. Mortner held the third tube in his hand as he picked up his satellite phone.

"Report," demanded Zorin.

"I have extracted 45 milliliters of stem cells from the 4th Child. I am delivering 15 mL of the sample to you, through an armed courier. I will store 15 mL of the sample at the lab here. The remaining 15 mL..." Mortner gasped as the test tube became warm; the stem cells had formed themselves into an embryo.

"Doctor?"

"The third sample... will be experimented upon," finished Mortner.

"Very well." Zorin hung up his phone.

Mortner smiled as the embryo writhed within the test tube, fighting its confinement.

*

Day 25, Mon. 0720 hr. Hikari stood by the classroom door, waiting for Toji. 'Where is he?' She was attracted to the athletic boy, although she hid this emotion from her classmates. Her attraction became admiration after the Incident, when she learned that Toji was a caring and understanding young man, with whom she wanted to grow old with. She hid this emotion because she didn't know how to handle it; she planned to express it when she grew older.

Asuka's appearance forced Hikari to change her plans. 'Is he with Asuka?' She envied the German girl, who seemed more mature, and more beautiful. Asuka was intelligent, educated, cultured, and worldly; Hikari felt like an ignorant country hick in comparison. 'Is he...? No! He can't! I won't let him!' Poisonous envy filled her heart.

Hikari suppressed her jealousy, and a relieved sigh, when Toji and Kensuke entered the room; she no longer believe the rumors that the boys were gay lovers. 'I'll make you mine!' She approached Toji. "Suzuhara-kun, I just heard about the terrorist attack at the hospital! Is Maiko okay?"

Toji stared at the class president; this was the first time he'd ever seen her so concerned, so afraid for someone else. "Mai-chan's fine; she was released Friday evening."

"Oh." Hikari smiled. "That's great! I..." She paused. 'Should I tell him? No.' "We must plan a party to welcome her home! I'll invite all of your friends..."

"I don't have enough friends to party with," interrupted Toji. Kensuke turned to his friend, his eyes full of guilt and remorse; Toji was the only one who was willing to befriend him, the filthy half-breed with the American mother, and the boy was ostracized for this.

Hikari's eyes matched Kensuke's when she remembered Toji's social problems. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Toji approached his desk.

The girl approached the boy, desperately seeking a way to stay with him. "I..."

"Guten Morgen, Toji," interrupted Asuka. She turned to Hikari. "Guten Morgen, Fräulein Horaki."

"Ohayo, Soryu-kun," greeted Hikari, countering the German girl's foreign influence. She suppressed a frown when she noticed Toji's mood lighten in Asuka's presence.

"Hi, Asuka."

"How's your sister?"

"Mai-chan's fine. She misses you, though; she keeps asking when you'll come over to see her."

'She used to ask that about me,' thought Hikari, feeling betrayed.

"No problem; I'll come by on..." She opened her notebook to check her schedule. "Friday. Maybe we should plan a party?"

"I don't have enough friends to party with."

"We'll get you some friends," insisted Asuka. "I'm sure Shiro can convince 90% of the girls here to come to the party." She smirked. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Toji answered, "Yes," without hesitation. "I mean, no!" he protested, after his brain recovered control from his penis. "I love you, only you!"

Asuka threw back her head and laughed. "Silly boy!" She put her hand behind Toji's head. "I know you do." She pulled Toji towards her, until their lips met in a passionate kiss.

Jealous rage filled Hikari's heart. 'Why do you love her, Toji? She's a whore! She'll...' Hikari wanted to stop them, but she didn't know how.

The teacher's appearance gave her an answer. Hikari turned to him, embarrassed at her brief dereliction of duty, before shouting, "All rise!" She hid her joy at Asuka and Toji's embarrassment as the two broke off their kiss. "Bow! Take seat!"

As the class president scanned the room for late or absent students, she saw Kensuke hand a DVD to Shiro. 'A video game?' An idea formed in her mind as she watched Shiro slip the DVD into his briefcase.

*

1200 hr. "All rise! "Bow! Take seat!" Hikari approached Kensuke the moment the teacher left. "Aida-kun," she called as she grabbed his arm. "I'd like to have a word with you."

Mana approached Toji, who was talking to Asuka. "Suzuhara-kun, shouldn't you do something?"

Toji turned to the other girl. "What?"

Mana pointed at Hikari, who was dragging Kensuke out of the room. "She's taking away the man you love! Don't you feel jealous?!"

Toji blushed, amusing Asuka. "I'm not gay!"

Asuka laughed. "Of course you're not." She grabbed Toji's head, turned it towards herself, and kissed him.

'So the Jack of Hearts is in love with the Jack of Clubs,' thought Mana. She turned to Shiro, who was approaching the door. Although Mana couldn't see Shiro's face, she could read his body language; the young man was angry and jealous, although he chose not to express this in front of his ex-girlfriend. 'I wonder if this can be used against the Jack of Spades.' Her interest increased when a cell phone rang. When Mana saw Toji remove the phone from his pocket, she immediately reached for her own phone, which the DIH had modified to intercept microwave transmissions.

*

"What's going on between Toji and Soryu?" demanded Hikari.

"Toji and Asuka? They're,"-- 'having sex,'-- "in love," answered Kensuke.

"Impossible!" protested the girl. "She's only been here for four days!"

Four days ago, Kensuke would've cowered in the face of Hikari's rage. Now he simply shrugged; he now knew there were more dangerous things than a jealous girl. "I guess four days is enough time to fall in love."

Hikari angrily pushed him against the wall. "No! I don't believe that! I won't! I love Toji! I deserve him, not that foreigner!"

Kensuke shrugged again. "Maybe you should act like a foreigner; that might attract his attention."

Hikari wanted to slap Kensuke for that remark. She drew back her hand to do so...

'Yes... he has hurt you... hurt him... punish him... sacrifice your humanity for the power to punish him...'

Hikari stopped when she saw her reflection in Kensuke's glasses. The face she saw was a grotesque mask, deformed by jealous rage. 'I'm not like that...' She released the boy. 'I'm not a monster.'

Kensuke watched Hikari walk away. "Girls." He shook his head as he approached the classroom.

*

1220 hr. Hikari waited in the checkout line, holding a sandwich. Although she had prepared lunch for herself, the lunchbox was still in the classroom, and she didn't want to see Toji with another girl.

"Good afternoon, Madam."

Hikari gasped; she didn't hear the boy's footsteps. She turned around. "Good afternoon, Tanaka-kun." 'I almost forgot about my plan!' to make Toji jealous by dating Shiro, which would make the boy break up with Asuka. "How's your grandmother?"

Shiro was surprised by Hikari's concern. 'If Grandma was alive...' "She's fine," he smiled, "as long as she remembers to take her medication." He looked past the girl. "Are you in line?"

Hikari turned to the impatient clerk behind the cash register. "Oh, sorry!" She placed the sandwich on the counter and reached for her wallet. A hand reached from behind her, sliding a credit card across the scanner. Hikari turned to the one who'd paid for her lunch. "Tanaka-kun, you didn't have to..."

Shiro silenced her with a smile. "I must, for I am a gentleman."

Hikari returned the smile. 'Maybe I forget about Toji and date Tanaka-kun. I don't think Dad will mind the fact that he grew up in England; Japanese blood still runs in Tanaka's veins, after all.' She put a hand over her cheek, trying to hide the fact that she was blushing. 'What am I thinking?!'

"Are you all right, Madam?"

"I'm fine!" She followed him out of the student store. "Tanaka-kun, do you have a girlfriend in England?"

"No." Shiro's answer raised Hikari's hopes. "I'm dating a resident of Tokyo."

"Oh." Hikari tried to hide her disappointment. "Is it Asuka?"

Shiro's intense stare frightened the girl. "Whatever gave you that idea?" he asked in the chilling tone military intelligence officers used to interrogate prisoners.

Hikari shuddered as Shiro unknowingly intensified his aura of fear, one of his inherited powers. "Y-you watch Asuka whenever she's not watching, with a wistful look in your eyes... like you want her, but you think she's beyond your reach." Her knees felt weak as Shiro approached her, his face an iron mask.

"Clever girl." He smiled, recovering a human appearance. "The love between us was like a wildflower, beautiful and radiant, but doomed to die. I still care for Asuka, but she's chosen to move on. So must I."

The words haunted Hikari. 'Like a wildflower... doomed to die.'

*

1620 hr. "But I hardly get to see you anymore!" protested Maiko.

Toji sighed. "I'm sorry, Mai-chan. I promise I'll make up for this one time."

"That's what you said on Saturday and Sunday!"

"I..." A hand grabbed Toji's cell phone. "Hey! Give it back!"

Mortner shut off the phone. "You can talk to your sister later. We have work to do."

Toji grunted in frustration as he sat on the hospital bed and extended his right arm. He stared at Mortner's bald head, acting macho, as the doctor injected something into him.

"Excellent." Mortner put away the syringe. "Put on your uniform and enter Unit 02."

"Yes... Sir." 'Why am I here?' he asked himself as he entered the Eva cage. Toji saw Asuka in the control booth, smiling at his courage. 'Because she's here.' He smiled at the girl as he entered Unit 02's cockpit.

"Activate," ordered Mortner.

The technicians' voices flooded the booth. "Connect the main power supply with all of the circuits." "Main power supply has been connected. Start the activation system." "Voltage increasing to the critical point..." "Pilot has commenced joining." "Start system phase two." "Synapses inserted. Junction started." "Pulses transmitted." "All circuits are operational."

Misato and Asuka watched Toji undergo another synchronization test. "Don't worry," assured Misato, sensing the girl's concern.

Asuka frowned. "Why do you care?" she bitterly countered. "Are you worried that Dr Mortner might play too roughly and break your little toys?"

Misato suppressed the urge to slap the girl; Asuka's anger was understandable, if misplaced. "I don't see you or Toji as toys. I see you as human beings..."

"You don't treat us as human beings," protested Asuka.

Misato sighed. "I'm not like Commander Fuyutsuki..."

"You work for him; you're guilty by association."

Misato threw up her arms in frustration. "Damn it, Asuka! What do you want from me?!"

Toji closed his eyes to calm himself, unaware of the argument between Asuka and Misato. 'Be cool, be cool, be cool...'

'My sweet little A--'

Toji opened his eyes, seeing the darkness within the cockpit. A woman emerged from the darkness. Her hair fell over her face, covering it. "Who...?'

'Come with me,'-- as the woman spread her arms to embrace Toji, her hair parted to reveal four eyes and razor-sharp teeth, the hidden features of Unit 02's face-- 'to heaven!'

The loudspeakers filled the booth with Toji's terror. "Ahhhh!"

"Pulses are beginning to flow back!" "Problems encountered on the 3rd stage. Rejection is setting in on the nerve center elements."

Misato and Asuka turned to the Eva. "Toji-kun!" "Toji!"

*

Maiko watched Tsukino Usagi transform into a goddess of love and justice, and imitated the cartoon character's pose. "I am Sailor... Ahhhh!" Her skin burned; the pain blinded her to the TV. Maiko knew Toji's heart and lungs were struggling to beat and breath; the Angel of Death had touched her brother. "Bro!"

*

The technicians panicked; they'd never seen a berserk Eva before. (The technicians who'd previously seen Units 01 and 02 go berserk were sent to mental hospitals, silencing them.) "Unit 02 is out of control!"

"Shut off the external power!" ordered Misato.

"Disregard that order!" countered Mortner. "Continue the experiment!"

Misato and Asuka turned to the doctor. "What experiment?!" they simultaneously asked.

A technician shouted, "The S² engine has been activated!" before Unit 02 broke free of the restraints. The Eva spread its arms as it approached the booth, like a mother coming to embrace her child.

Mortner failed to stop the screaming technicians from fleeing the booth. "How dare you abandon your posts!"

Misato grabbed Asuka's hand. "Come on!" Asuka forcefully freed her hand. "Asuka!"

The girl ignored the woman as she approached the window. She sensed Toji's pain, born of loneliness; a pain she knew all too well. "Toji! Don't give up, I'll save you!" 'Or die trying,' she didn't say, thinking of a way to help the boy.

The Eva gently laid its fingers upon the window, like a mother wiping away her child's tears. Its loudspeakers buzzed. "Asuka..." it called before its S² engine was deactivated.

"Toji!" Asuka grabbed a telephone headset. "Emergency crews to Cage 02, now!" She ran out of the booth, into the cage, to aid the paramedics.

Misato pushed Mortner against a console and aimed her USP at the doctor. "You owe me some answers, Doctor."

*

1635 hr. Ryoko was at the pistol range, where Shiro was teaching her marksmanship. (Fuyutsuki issued her a USP after she joined NERV.) She didn't think she needed to know how to use a USP, but she agreed to learn the fundamentals; she enjoyed feeling his body heat and hearing his heartbeat as Shiro stood behind her, enveloping her hands with his own.

"Adjust your natural point of aim..." Shiro felt Ryoko's cell phone vibrate. "Someone's calling you."

Ryoko suppressed a growl. "I'll call them back," she lied.

"It might be important," insisted Shiro.

Ryoko sighed as she raised the phone to her ear. "Ryoko."

"Thank God!" exclaimed Asuka. "We need your help; Toji's dying!"

"What?!"

"We're at the hospital! Room 303! Come quickly!" When Asuka saw Ryoko's intangible form emerge from the wall, she embraced the other girl, blocking the SPs' line of fire. "Thank God!" she exclaimed, as if Ryoko was a deity. After the SPs reluctantly lowered their weapons, Asuka pointed at the iron lung they guarded. "You have to help him!"

Ryoko was unable to conceal her shock; the iron lung resembled the coffin that was once her prison. Toji had coughed blood, which covered the observation window; although Ryoko couldn't see Toji's face, she knew it expressed terrible pain, the pain Shiro hid as an Eva's energy bombarded his cardiopulmonary system. "What happened to him?"

"He was undergoing a synch test when the Eva..." Asuka shivered, thinking that what happened to Toji could easily have happened to her.

"Did he get a blood transfusion or an organ transplantation?" continued Ryoko.

"No."

"Then why does he bear Shiro's scent?"

"What?!"

The SPs turned to each other. "Suzuhara fucked Bond? I thought he was fucking Langley?" "He's probably trying to hide it." "Maybe he's bisexual." "I thought Bond was hetero." "He's an Englishman; everyone knows that Englishmen are gay."

"Actually, I'm a Scot," corrected Shiro, who'd silently entered the room. He expressed no fear as the SPs instinctively aimed their M8s at him. "You should've kept an eye on the door. If I was an assassin, you'd already be dead." (Shiro, delivered outside the door, was searching for assassins.) He turned to Ryoko. "Why'd you ask about a blood transfusion?"

"Toji has your stem cells," answered Ryoko. "They're breaking down his body, giving themselves room to grow."

"Impossible!" protested Asuka. "Toji's immune system should've eliminated the stem cells before they began reproducing!"

"Shiro has Jurai blood. His cells hold Jurai energy, allowing them to overpower Toji's cells."

"What the hell is a Jurai?!" demanded Asuka.

"A galactic empire and the name of its capital," explained Ryoko. "The Jurai draw Jurai energy from royal trees, which they used to conquer and to rule 55% of the known galaxy."

Asuka was surprised. "I had sex with an alien?"

Shiro hid his sense of surprise; he'd never considered the possibility that he was related to Yosho. "I'm human," he insisted.

Ryoko put a hand on Shiro's shoulder, and felt his tension; the young man felt threatened. "I'm sorry, I..."

Shiro put a comforting hand over Ryoko's. "Don't concern yourself with this." 'The burden is mine to bear.'

Asuka decided not to dwell on Jurai, whatever it was. "How...?" She remembered the doctor who was recently transferred from NERV USA's 1st branch, who examined Toji before the test, and who supervised the test. "Mortner!" She looked into Ryoko's eyes. "Can you save him?"

Ryoko shook her head. "Only the Jurai can control the power in their blood."

Asuka suppressed her rage as she turned to Shiro. "Please..." The girl kneeled in an uncharacteristic gesture of humility. "Please save Toji."

Shiro took a knee and put a hand on Asuka's shoulder. "I will." He hid his pain, born of longing, as Asuka ran out the door.

*

Misato angrily stared at Mortner, who expressed no remorse over the pain he caused. "Why did you use Suzuhara Toji as a Guinea pig in your sadistic experiment?"

"I did so upon Defense Secretary Zorin's orders." Mortner glanced at the peacekeepers who guarded him, silently ordering the Acting Commander of UN NERV to dismiss them. "I wish to report the results of the experiment the Secretary."

"Very well," said Fuyutsuki.

Misato was shocked. "Sir...!"

Fuyutsuki stood up. "You're dismissed, Capt Katsuragi." He ignored the rage that permeated his office as Misato left. The peacekeepers handed him a pair of keys before they left. Fuyutsuki unlocked Mortner's handcuffs before he led the doctor to the communications room. He was surprised when the holograms of all 15 Seele members appeared in the room.

"Dr Mortner," greeted Keel. "I did not expect you to report so soon."

Mortner nodded in apology. "The first test was a failure. The Sixth Child was unable to incorporate the 4th Child's stem cells, which are now reproducing like cancer cells within his body. Although the 6th Child was able to attain a 99.999998% synchronization rate, he was only able to sustain this rate for 4.6 seconds. I advise more research on the Jurai energy that the 4th Child supposedly draws his power from, before we begin a second test."

"We don't have time for more research," hissed Zorin.

"We may not have enough pilots to expend on another failed test," noted Keel.

"And what of the other 707 candidates?" 707 was the code for the children who, conceived up to nine months before the 2nd Impact, were born with an x-factor allowing them to synchronize with an Eva.

"It is advantageous to have more test subjects," noted Mortner. "I advise using a minimum of ten candidates as the experimental group, and an equal number of candidates as the control group. We can perform the injections under the guise of flu vaccinations."

"That will take time." Keel turned to the other Seele members. "Can we afford such a luxury?"

"We must if we wish to succeed." The other members nodded in agreement.

"Very well." Keel turned to the Acting Commander. "Prof Fuyutsuki, you will assist Dr Mortner in the setup of the experiment."

Fuyutsuki hid his frustration as he answered, "Yes, Sir."

The holograms disappeared. "Excuse me, I have work to do." Mortner exited the room without another word.

*

Misato's rage permeated the Eva cage as she entered. "Goodhead!"

Holly turned away from the computer, which monitored the progress of Unit 02's repairs. "Yes, Capt Katsuragi?" She suppressed her fear as she looked down the barrel of a USP.

Misato ignored the M8s now aimed at her. "Why the hell did you use Suzuhara Toji for your sadistic experiment?! Answer me!"

Holly was surprised. "What experiment?"

"The one that's killing him!" shouted Asuka as she aimed her P229 at the engineer. "Where's Mortner?!"

Holly pointed her thumb at Misato. "Ask her." 'What happened?' she wondered as Asuka turned to the other woman.

"He's reporting to the US Secretary of Defense," explained Misato.

"I thought he worked for your commander," stated Holly. "Hanscom is under UN control, after all."

"How can I be sure you're not involved?" demanded Asuka.

"Charlie-- Gen Russhon ordered me not to perform genetic engineering experiments," answered Holly. "I disagree with him, but I follow his orders nonetheless."

Misato and Asuka simultaneously hissed, "Do you expect me to believe that?"

"No, but I expect you to believe in DARPA's security. If we planned such an experiment, we wouldn't conduct it in a NERV facility, where commie spies can walk as freely as they do in Tiananmen Square."

Misato was shaken by sadness, not fear of death, as Asuka turned to her; she was losing the girl's trust, and the friendship between them. "Asuka-chan, I'd never do anything to hurt you," she insisted.

"Even if it's for the future of the human race?" Asuka aimed her P229 at Misato. "I know you, Misato. I know you'd sacrifice your life to defeat the Angels, and I'm sure you'd sacrifice Toji, Shiro, and myself. Did you become a monster to defeat those monsters?" she sneered.

"I..." 'I'm willing to sacrifice you to defeat the Angels; I'm a monster.' Misato holstered her weapon. "I'm not your enemy." She waited for Asuka to do the same.

The Americans were silent. Holly was trying to answer the question, 'Have I become a monster?' The SPs aimed their M8s at Misato and Asuka, wondering, 'What the hell is going on here?'

"What the hell...?" Fuyutsuki entered the cage. "Pilot Soryu, what is the meaning of this?!" he demanded as the girl targeted him.

"Did you order Mortner to inject alien stem cells into Toji?" demanded Asuka.

Fuyutsuki was shaken by the girl's intense rage. He took a deep breath, suppressing his fear, before replying, "How dare you... Pilot Soryu, have you forgotten your place?! As a NERV officer, you must..." A .357 SIG bullet penetrated his left knee, knocking him onto the floor. "Ahhhh!" Fuyutsuki stared in shock at his wounded leg.

"I'm a Luftwaffe officer," insisted Asuka. "My place is in Germany, not in UN NERV." She aimed her P229 at the Acting Commander's head. "Now answer my question."

"The answer is above your security clearance," stated Fuyutsuki. He expressed no fear as Asuka squeezed the trigger.

"Noooo!" Misato lunged at the girl, knocking Asuka onto the floor. Sparks shot from the concrete as the bullet ricocheted off the floor, into the ceiling. "Ahhhh!" The girl slammed her left palm against the woman's nose, drawing blood. As Misato recoiled from the blow, Asuka aimed her P229 at the woman's head...

Bang! "Freeze!" ordered Holly, who'd fired her pistol at the ceiling. "Men, escort Oblt Langley out of the hangar."

"Arrest her!" ordered Fuyutsuki. "Soryu Asuka Langley, you are hereby charged with assault...!"

"Disregard that order," countered Holly. "Just keep her out of trouble."

Fuyutsuki's anger was fueled by the woman's disregard for his authority. "Dr Goodhead, according to UN Resolution 203233, the Stockholm Convention, and the Clinton Act," which placed US military personnel under the UN chain of command whenever they served on peacekeeping missions, "you and your men are under my authority. You and your men will obey..."

"Go to hell!" Holly instinctively aimed her pistol at Fuyutsuki. "We don't need your authority." She holstered her pistol.

Asuka glared at the NERV officers as she holstered her P229. "We'll finish this later."

Misato was shaken by Asuka's glare, by the "gun barrel" eyes that Shiro honed. 'Please, God, don't let her...' "Don't do this, Asuka-chan. I've seen too many people devoured by the darkness in their hearts, by their own rage and hatred," 'including myself.' "I don't want to see it devour you."

Asuka's eyes became colder. "I don't need to listen to your lies, Misato."

To the woman, the words were more painful than the broken nose; the loss of faith was more sickening than the taste of her own blood. "I'm not..." Asuka exited the hangar, denying Misato a chance to protest her innocence.

Holly glanced at the wounded man. "Escort Mr. Fuyutsuki to the infirmary," she ordered, refusing to address him by his title.

Misato collapsed onto the floor, crushed by the combined stress of the Angel and Valkyrie attacks, the assassination attempts, and the suspicion that was directed against her. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she mourned her loss.

*

1655 hr. Asuka waited in the hospital lobby; the SPs denied her entry into the Eva cages. "Our Father which art in heaven..." She prayed for Toji and Shiro's safety; it was the only thing she could do to help them.

"Soryu!" called Hikari as she entered the lobby. "What on Earth has happened to Suzuhara-kun?!" she demanded.

"Asuka-neechan!" called Maiko. "Is Bro okay?!" (She called Hikari immediately after she felt Toji's pain; they rode a taxi to the hospital.)

The questions felt like sledgehammer blows. Asuka tried to maintain a straight face as she said, "Don't worry, our best men are doing their best work to save Toji's life."

Hikari saw the apprehension in Asuka's eyes, and interpreted it as insincerity. "Liar!" She pushed Asuka against a wall, grabbed the coat collar, and pulled the lapels together, choking Asuka. "What have you done to...?" A tubular object pressed against her chest, pushing her away. "Gasp!"

"Believe me, if I knew what they planned to do to him, I would've done everything in my power to stop them." Tears flowed down Asuka's cheeks as she holstered her P229.

Hikari suppressed her anger; she knew Asuka was willing and able to shoot her. "Whom are you talking about?"

"NERV," answered Maiko. "Bro's an Eva pilot."

"Eva-- that robot?" guessed Hikari.

"It's not a robot, it's a monster." Asuka's voice was full of hatred towards NERV, Unit 02, and herself. "And it's eating Toji alive."

*

Shiro and Ryoko examined the x-ray of Toji's chest. The heart and lungs were Norman beachheads on June 6, 1944; Shiro's stem cells were Allied soldiers, fiercely fighting against Toji's tissues; Jurai energy was artillery, bombarding the organs to support the stem cells. "Damn you."

Ryoko sensed Shiro's distress, and put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't blame yourself; you cannot choose what kind of blood flows through your veins."

"I should've known about the Jurai energy," stated the young man. "Now Suzuhara is paying the price for my ignorance." He turned to Ryoko. "How do I control it?"

"You must control yourself; I detect no royal trees on this planet, so your body must be the energy source."

Shiro shook his head. "This is beyond my comprehension."

"Good," added Holly as she entered the lab. "Your ignorance is proof of your innocence; if you were conspiring with the Jurai, you would've known about your powers, and you wouldn't let Mortner harvest your stem cells and attempt to transfer these powers to someone else." (She hacked into the MAGI to unlock files on the experiment.)

Shiro waved the x-ray in his left hand, drawing attention from his right hand as it reached for his MK23. "What powers do I have? How long have you known of them?" he asked the engineer.

"You have x-factors that allow you to generate an AT field. I only learned of this a week ago, when Oblt Langley mentioned the legend of Lionheart Castle."

Shiro calmly accepted the answers. "Can you save Suzuhara?"

"Maybe. By examining you, I've learned that your cardiopulmonary system is damaged whenever you use your powers. Fortunately, you can regenerate; your heart and lungs heal themselves, developing resistance to the side-effects of these powers." Holly cautiously approached Shiro, as if he was a wild animal. "Every battle makes you stronger. Unfortunately, Pilot Suzuhara cannot regenerate."

"What if his body incorporates the stem cells? Will they heal him?"

Holly skeptically frowned. "How will you make Suzuhara incorporate your stem cells?"

"With the Eva."

"Are you insane?!" Holly pointed at the Eva cage. "That thing's responsible for all this pain and suffering!"

"Pain is the counterpart of pleasure; life is meaningless without these feelings. Now, will you help me?"

Holly sighed. "Let me do some computer analysis."

*

1730 hr. Ryoko felt her heart break as she watched Shiro put on his plug suit. "You're risking your life to save Toji."

"Yes." Shiro pressed a button on his left wrist to vacuum air out of the suit, which became skintight.

"Why are you willing to sacrifice yourself for Asuka's happiness?" She wasn't able to hide her emotions: jealous rage, her fear for his life, her love for him, and infinite sadness.

"Don't be jealous; I'd do the same for you," he deadpanned.

"But,"-- she reached for him before pressing her chest against his back, like a wave crashing against a cliff-- "if I lose you..." She embraced him, afraid to let go.

"You'll find another." He turned to her. "The light of your soul is too beautiful to deny the world. Don't let it extinguish." He returned the embrace before gently pushing her away; he must save Toji.

"Wait!"

Shiro turned rearwards. Ryoko gripped his left wrist. The pilot gasped as power flowed from her hand, into him; he felt the gem in his wrist.

"May it give you the power you need."

Shiro smiled. "Thank you."

*

'My Darling A--'

Toji rested in the Angel of Death's embrace, waiting for her to kiss him and take his soul.

'Come with me to heaven!'

"Okay, I'll go with you," pleaded Toji, a child who wished to return to the womb. "So... don't leave me alone!" He reached for the Angel of Death; his hands reached through the motherly figure, who was as intangible as smoke. "Please!"

"Suzuhara!" called a masculine voice.

The boy turned rearwards. A bright blue light, the Angel of Might's wings, flew down to save him. "Let me die," he whispered. "I'm beyond salvation."

"No!" The Angel of Might shocked Toji with his determination. "I promised Asuka I'd save you, and I won't betray her trust!"

"Asuka?" The name seemed familiar. Toji tried to remember...

The Angel of Death held Toji by her side, rising to meet the Angel of Might. 'Please... join me!' She reached for the Angel of Might. 'I feel your pain, your loneliness.' The Angel of Might's light was dimmed by this psychological attack. 'You'll find no salvation this world. Join me in death; the dead are never alone.' She touched the Angel of Might. 'Free yourself from the endless pain that defines your life... by ending it!'

"I..." The Angel of Might's light was extinguished when the Angel of Death embraced him. Toji joined him in a state of instrumentality...

*

"Bond's nerve pulses are irregular," warned a technician. "Psychological contamination taking place."

"Can we isolate Suzuhara's nerve pulses?" asked Holly.

The technician examined the information on the monitors. "Suzuhara's not screwing with Bond's head, the Eva is."

"What?!" Holly pushed the technician away from the monitor. "Its computer is incapable of AI! How can it have a mind of its own?!" "CODE BLUE" appeared on the monitor. "Damn! Cut all circuits, shut off the turbines, and disconnect the fuel cell!"

"The S² engine has been activated!"

"Eject the plug!"

The technician turned to Holly. "Here?! The plug will bounce around like a pinball, killing the pilots!"

"They'll die anyway if we keep them inside that monster!"

"Shit!" The technician turned to the monitor and typed the command. "Shit, shit, shit!" He turned to Holly. "It's not working!"

Ryoko stared at the monster that held the man she loved captive. "Shiro!" She flew out of the control booth, into the cage. "Let him go, you monster!" Silver lines appeared on Unit 02's mask as Ryoko punched it. "Let him go!" The gems on her throat and right wrist burned...

*

"Ryoko!"

Toji screamed as the Angel of Might's light burned through the Angel of Death's shadow. The boy felt the Angel of Might's emotions: fear, anger, hatred, and love. 'What does he fear? He fears losing the people he now loves. Why is he angry? He lost the people he once loved. Who does he hate? He hates the man who killed the people he loved. Who does he love?' "Asukaaaa!"

The boy awakened. 'Where am I? I'm in Unit 02's cockpit. Who am I? I'm Suzuhara Toji. Who's here with me?' He turned his head. "Tanaka?"

Shiro smiled. "Welcome back, Mr. Suzuhara."

*

2030 hr. Toji impatiently laid on the exam table. "Are you done? Can I go now?"

Holly examined the x-ray. Toji's heart and lungs each had a 5% increase in volume, and his floating ribs each had a one-centimeter increase in length. A white sphere, the size of a golf ball, appeared in his liver; Holly knew it was a S² organ in the early stage of development. (Shiro's was the size of a softball; his ribcage extended downwards to protect the organ.) "You're apparently in good health." She turned to the boy. "You're dismissed."

Toji put on his jacket. "Finally." He exited the room without another word.

"Toji!" "Suzuhara-kun!" "Bro!" Three girls approached him when he entered the lobby, eager to express their relief. Toji almost collapsed under their combined weight. "Danke Gott, you're okay!" "What did NERV's monsters do to you?!" "I was so worried!" Maiko's tears soaked Toji's shirt as she embraced her brother.

"Be cool, Mai-chan!" He playfully patted the girl's head. "I'm tougher than a Gundam." He turned to Asuka, who'd moved towards Shiro; the sight filled Toji with jealousy.

Asuka bowed to her ex-boyfriend. "Thank you."

Shiro smiled. "You're welcome, Milady. Would you and your friends like to join us for dinner? I know a restaurant that serves an excellent Cantonese cuisine." (He'd returned the gem to Ryoko.)

Asuka returned the smile. "Okay."

The feelings between the two weren't hidden from Ryoko and Toji. 'I thought he loved me!' thought the girl. 'I thought she loved me!' thought the boy. 'Was it an act? Are they still...?' Ryoko and Toji chose not to object to Shiro's proposal, or Asuka's acceptance; they wanted to spy on the two.

*

2100 hr. "These serial numbers are listed among the weapons that were stolen from a JSDF armory in 2005. My guess is that a Chinese or Korean criminal organization, maybe the Tiger Gang, got their hands on them. The MSS would've used Uzis or other foreign weapons, which are harder to trace," explained Sagara, the informant. (Although the assassins neglected to remove the serial numbers before their attack, all records on their identities were destroyed 15 minutes after the Golden Bullet.)

Shiro expressed his surprise. "When did the JSDF begin using Type 64s?" The sound-suppressed SMG was specially designed for PLA scouts, and exported to many of China's allies.

"The weapons were captured during the One Month War." On September 20, 2000, a N² bomb, a new type of weapon, annihilated Tokyo. Osato, who was the JSDF Joint Staff Council Chairman, accused the Democratic People's Republic of Korea of launching a ballistic missile with a N² warhead. Japan declared war and invaded North Korea. On 27 Sep, Japanese forces occupied Pyongyang; a JGSDF officer used a katana to publicly behead Kim Jong-Il, North Korea's "Dear Leader." On 30 Sep, Chinese forces entered North Korea to defend their traditional ally from this act of "Japanese imperialism." On 16 October, as the world was on the verge of a nuclear war, US Navy warships intercepted the Osumi, a Japanese amphibious assault ship, as it entered North Korean waters; simultaneously, US diplomats negotiated a ceasefire between the Chinese and Japanese governments. Japan was ordered to withdraw her troops, while China was allowed to permanently station troops in North Korea; the situation remained a source of animosity between the two nations.

Shiro frowned. "What if the Type 64s were stolen by a rogue element of the JSDF, which intends to launch a coup?"

Sagara laughed at the idea; he stopped when he saw how serious Shiro was. "You're joking, right?" He couldn't hide his fear. "China has 200 nuclear missiles!

"760, including air and sea-launched cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles," corrected Shiro.

If the military overthrows the civilian government, the fucking commies will..." The informant's knees trembled.

Shiro put his hand on Sagara's shoulder, gently pushing the informant onto a chair. "Calm down, Sagara-san. If we work hard, we can prevent history from repeating itself." 'I won't let Osato destroy the country Papa and Ojiisama had fought for.' "Now excuse me, Milady is waiting." He exited Sagara's soundproofed office.

"Shiro!" called Asuka. "When will the food be ready? I'm starving!"

The young man smiled at the girl's arrogance, proof that she'd recovered from the recent incident. "Soon, Milady."

Toji stood up. "Maybe we ought to talk to the cooks instead." He reached for Shiro's wrist, reconsidered, and simply waved at the young man. "Come on."

Shiro sensed that Toji wanted to speak with him in private. "Very well." He followed the boy to the men's restroom.

Ryoko stood up. "Excuse me, I'm going to the ladies' room." She followed Shiro. 'What does that boy want from Shiro?'

Hikari turned to Asuka. "Soryu..."

"You don't have to be so formal," interrupted the girl. "Just call me Asuka."

Hikari nodded. "Asuka-kun, is Suzuhara-kun..." The girl noticed that Maiko was staring at her, curious. Hikari blushed, leaned towards Asuka, and whispered, "Is he in love with Tanaka-kun?"

Asuka's eyes widened with surprise, before she threw back her head in laughter. "Why would he, when he has me?"

Maiko was confused by Asuka and Hikari's behavior. 'What are they talking about?'

Hikari frowned at the girl's arrogance. "Are you in love with him?"

Maiko stared at Hikari, who acted like the jealous rival in a romance story. 'Wow! They're talking about love! I wanna know more!' The girl turned to Asuka, expecting the pilot to stare dreamily at the ceiling and declare her love for Toji. To Maiko's surprise, Asuka didn't even smile.

The pilot answered, "Yes," in the solemn tone a judge used to deliver a death sentence.

"Why?" Hikari examined Asuka's posture. 'She looks like a samurai who's been ordered to commit seppuku. Is this how she sees love? As a way of death, instead of a way of life?'

"We've placed our full faith on each other's skill as we fought the Angels, depending on each other for survival. As the Angel of Death reached for us, he opened his heart to me, and I to him; such a bond is not easily broken."

"Not even by death?"

"If you're worried that piloting an Eva will result in his death, you can stop now. I'll ask Toji to quit, and I won't let NERV use him again, even if I have to execute the entire UN Security Council."

'She's serious.' "What about Tanaka-kun?" added Hikari.

Asuka sighed. "Shiro's heart is a castle, closed to everyone but his confidants; I'm not one of them. Now the castle is under siege, unable to accept or deliver any trust." She looked into Hikari's eyes. "If you want his love, you must be willing to endure the siege."

Hikari blushed. "I'm n-n-not in l-love with Tanaka-kun!"

"But you're in lust with him." Asuka smiled. "Aren't you?"

Hikari gasped. "H-h-how d-did you know?!"

Asuka playfully tapped the girl's nose. "That." She smiled.

*

"Do you love Asuka?" demanded Toji.

Shiro was surprised; he expected a question about NERV. He thought for three seconds before answering, "She's chosen to move on; so must I."

"But you haven't, have you?" Toji interpreted Shiro's silence as an affirmative. "Why? What binds you to her?" He shook his fist.

"You know." Shiro's eyes became cold and hard, freezing Toji with fear. "You're bound to the Eva, and through it, to Asuka. You share her memories; you've seen Asuka's mother kill herself and an effigy of her child. You've felt the icy darkness that haunts her, and the burning rage that blinds her." He suddenly smiled, surprising Toji. "Now that we've cleansed the bad blood between us, there's something I must ask of you." He reached into his pocket.

"What?" Toji tried to suppress his shivering. 'Is he gonna kill me?' He fought the urge to run away.

"Take care of Asuka." Shiro opened his hand, revealing a jewelry box. "While you're at it, please give this to her." He opened the box, revealing the ring. "Tell Asuka that it's from you." He grabbed Toji's wrist and place the box in the boy's hand.

Toji stared at golden hummingbirds around the sapphire rose. "This is an engagement ring." He turned to Shiro. "Why are you giving this to me? Why are you letting Asuka go? Even when she hated you the most, she still loved you more than she ever loved me."

Shiro sighed. "Perhaps... but I cannot be a husband to Asuka, or a father to the children she'd have."

"Why not?"

"I won't live to see that day."

"Gasp!"

Shiro instinctively drew his MK23 and aimed it at a toilet stall. "Show yourself!"

An intangible Ryoko flew through the stall door. Although Shiro had holstered his MK23, Ryoko's face still expressed absolute terror. "Please... don't say something like that!" She kneeled before the man she loved. "You're the one most precious to me! I can't..."

Shiro took a knee. "Ryoko, please be sensible; it's unwise to be emotionally involved with a man who might be dead the next day."

"But...?"

"The Angel of Death came for me ten years ago. That day, my mother sacrificed her life for mine, but... the Angel of Death still stalks me. I've beaten the odds too many times; my luck is running out."

"No!" Ryoko put her hands on Shiro's chest. "Please, don't leave me alone!"

Shiro smiled to reassure Ryoko. "You won't be alone. Grandpa will take care of you. I've already told Steve," his best friend, a boy of Cantonese descent who infected Shiro with an interest in Hong Kong action movies, "about you; he'll never leave a beautiful woman alone." He lifted the girl onto her feet. "Come on, let's return to our table; the food should be ready by now."

"O-okay." Ryoko reached into her pocket and pressed the STOP button for the cell phone's integral audio recorder. 'Grandpa will hear this; he'll know what to do.'

*

2240 hr. Silence filled Asuka's BMW Z6 convertible as she drove Toji and Maiko to their home. "Wait." The 2nd Child cautiously circled the building, looking for anything suspicious. Toji shared her paranoia; Maiko sensed the older children's concern, and became scared. Finally, the BMW stopped. "It's clear." She kept her hand by her shoulder holster as she escorted Toji and Maiko to their condo.

Toji opened the door for his sister. "Mai-chan, you can go right ahead. I gotta have a word with Asuka-chan."

"Oh, are you going to swear, by the sun and the moon, that your love for her is eternal?" The girl interpreted her brother's blushing as an affirmative. "I'm right!"

"J-just get inside!" Toji turned to Asuka, and tried to ignore Maiko's giggling. "Asuka, I want to say... I want to tell you... I..." He reached into his pocket, took out the jewelry box, and opened it. "I love you, and I... Will you...?" 'Damn it! Of all the things that monster put in my head, why didn't it put in some of Tanaka's poetry?!' He took a knee.

Asuka put her hands over her mouth, silenced by this moment of truth. "W-w-where d-did you find something so beautiful?"

"Tanaka... loaned me some money."

"I..." Asuka embraced her boyfriend. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Maiko had secretly witnessed the proposal; she now abandoned her hiding place to congratulate her brother. "Yay! Bro's getting married!"

"Mai-chan!"

Asuka laughed, forgetting her fears for the first time in 18 days.

*

Day 26, Tue. 1700 hr, Pacific Time. Russhon looked into the girl's blue-gray eyes. 'She looks older than she is.' "Miss Galore?"

The girl seductively smiled. "Call me Titty."

'Hell no!' He turned to the hologram of Unit 03, reminding himself that the girl was a minor. "Titania, will you fight for America?"

"Yes. By the way, I'm a lesbian."

Russhon turned to the girl, surprised. "Titania, if you're unwilling to serve, just say so!"

"I will fight for America, but if I cannot be true to myself, I cannot be true to my country."

"Does your father know?" Russhon was the man's best friend; they'd served together in the USAF.

Titty sighed. "I already told Dad, but he thinks it's just an expression of teen rebellion. In his next speech, he'll probably accuse the Democrats of encouraging homosexuality in America's youth."

"Does your grandmother know?"

"Granny's bisexual; she understands."

Russhon sighed. "I'll write a waver. By the way, do you have any experience with firearms?"

Titty nodded. "Dad taught me how to use his Glock 23."

"How's your marksmanship?"

"I'm as good as he is." The man was an expert shot.

"Good." He unlocked the safe and removed a machine pistol. "This is the Heckler and Koch MP7." He pulled the cocking lever and locked the bolt in the open position, showing her that it was empty. "It has safe, semiautomatic, and fully automatic modes of fire." He handed her the MP7, three 40-round magazines, a box of 4.6 mm ammunition, and a holster. "Keep it on you at all times; you'll never know when a terrorist or assassin has marked you."

Titty examined the weapon. "Can I have two?"

He frowned. "Why do you need two?"

"Lara Croft has two." The girl shrugged. "'Tomb Raiders' is my favorite game."

Russhon sighed again. "I'll talk to the armorer." After the girl left to be fitted for a plug suit, Russhon called Holly. "She'll do it. I hope you're right; otherwise, we'll have innocent blood on our hands."

"We need to compare her DNA to Plt Off Bond test to be certain, but if she is James Bond's granddaughter and Yosho's descendent, she will be able to draw Jurai energy and activate Unit 03's S² engine," claimed the engineer.

"That won't guarantee her survival."

"But it'll significantly improve her chances."

"What about NERV?"

"If your friend can keep up the pressure, we can keep NERV's dirty hands off of Titty and Unit 03."

"We're recruiting his 14-year-old daughter! Do you think he'll help us when he inevitably finds out about this?!"

"How will he find out? Are you going to...?"

Russhon sighed. "Titania will certainly tell her grandmother. I better call Ms Galore; maybe she'll keep Jimmy on our side."

*

0550 hr, Tokyo Time. The 14-year-old boy stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, holding a pill and a glass of water. 'Who?' He put the pill in his mouth, raised the glass to his lips, and swallowed. Then he crushed the glass, cutting his right hand; blood flowed between his fingers. 'Why?' He expressed no pain as he opened his hand, watching the broken glass fall like snowflakes. 'How?'

"Shinji."

Ikari Shinji, the late Ikari Gendo's son, turned rearwards. "Mother." He mechanically walked to her, a flesh-and-blood robot.

The woman raised the boy's hand to her lips, licking the blood off his skin. "I have come to you for a purpose." The cuts healed to become white scars. "I whose blood flows in your veins."

"I will obey, Mother."

The woman smiled. "Excellent." She led him into the hallway, where a Sea Dragon medic examined the boy.

"Package secured," reported the medic. Sea Dragons led them towards the stairs.

The boy expressed no grief as he passed the corpses of his "aunts" and "uncles," scientists who studied his development. 'Where?'

'We proceed on our way to oblivion,' answered the smiling woman as the Sea Dragons escorted them up the stairs, out of the research facility.

***

To be continued...

625 hr. Fear gripped the Transformers' cores as they crept through the earthen tunnels, towards Cybertron's core. "The Black Gate is two kilometers ahead," stated Alpha as he examined an old map. "The plasma energy chamber," which they needed to power the planetary turbines, "lies behind it."

"Yes, Elder!" Slag turned to Slammer, Blitzwing, and Scramjet. "Hurry up!" The triceratops accelerated, hiding his fear.

"Does that antique know what he's doing?" challenged Blitzwing. "What if the plasma energy overloads our circuits? Do we just stand there and die?"

"Don't be scared! Our shields will protect us!" claimed Slammer, formerly known as Sludge.

'Will it?' Although Shockwave's cold and calculating manner made him seem apathetic to the welfare of his subordinates, Scramjet, formerly known as Ramjet, still trusted his judgment the most. Unfortunately, Shockwave was locked in an assembly chamber; a perfectionist, he was the last warrior to be upgraded into a guardian, now that his research was complete and the perfect body was designed. (Alpha refused to be upgraded; he considered the process sacrilegious.)

Finally, they reached the Black Gate. The triceratops, the apatosaurus, the bear, and the crocodile transformed and assumed combat stances. "Here we go!" Slag formed a LH Sword; after he cut away the lock, the others helped him push back the gate. "Argh!"

The giant worm rocketed through the gate, coiling its body around Slag as it tried to consume his life energy. "Howl!" Lightning arced towards the worm as Slag's LH Wing pushed against his enemy. Blitzwing generated a LH Sword; he roared as he slashed at the worm. An earsplitting shriek permeated the tunnel as the worm writhed away from the sword, loosening its coils. Slag quickly freed his arm and decapitated his enemy; he didn't stop slashing until the worm was transformed into a river of blood.

"Are you okay?" asked Slammer.

Light seeped through the cracks in Slag's armor as he repaired himself; the cracks disappeared five seconds later. "I'm fine." He laughed. "The upgrades have made us invincible!" He walked through the gate with genuine confidence.

Scramjet remembered the battle against Units 01A and 02. 'I wish this was true.' He followed the others into the chamber.

"We're in."

Alpha stood in the command console, examining the images that the warriors transmitted to him. "There's the control panel." As he pointed at the monitor, a crosshair appeared in Slag's field of vision, highlighting the panel. "Attach the decoder." A dozen lights flashed as the decoder sought the activation codes. Boom! "Gasp!" The monitors burned as plasma energy filled the chamber, blinding everyone in sight. "Slag, what happened?! Slammer?! Blitzwing?!"

"By the Matrix!" exclaimed Scramjet.

"It's pretty!" added Slammer.

"The plasma energy chamber has been opened," stated Slag. The monitor became clear as the warriors' optics adapted to the light.

"Excellent," stated Shockwave. Alpha shivered as the chilling voice reached through the assembly chamber, towards the console. "At last... we shall have our revenge."

Four upgraded Transformers, who used their S² engines to power the assembly chamber, raised their fists in salute. "For Optimus!" swore Jazz and Elita-1. "For Megatron!" swore Shrapnel and Nightracer.

Fear gripped Alpha's core as the Vehicons, upgraded Autobots and Decepticons, raised their fists and called for revenge. 'Will we bring justice to Unicron, or destruction onto ourselves?'

*

Kagato sensed a time-space distortion when the plasma energy chamber was opened. 'What was that?!'

"The Cybertronians have opened the chamber of secrets," answered Unicron.

"What secrets does it hold, and what will they do with...? Ahhhh!" he screamed when he felt Unicron's rage, a fiery sword that split his brain and seared his mind.

"That is not your concern," growled Unicron. "Do you remember what is your concern?"

Kagato hid his anger and hatred as he answered, "To destroy your terrestrial enemies..."

"Including the 4th Child."

"I will crush him." After Unicron terminated communications, Kagato expressed the darkness within him. 'Then... I will crush you."

*

That day, the Lazenby Police Department was ordered to transport a body to Scotland Yard; the order was carried out without protest. As Lt Hamilton watched the coroner moved the mutilated body out of the refrigerated locker and onto a cart, he called James' office. The secretary who recorded Hamilton's message gave it a low priority; MI6's investigators lost interest in the body soon after the autopsy.

When the body mysteriously disappeared from the van that transported it, the police thought the driver had carelessly allowed it to be stolen, possibly for use in a medical school. When Scotland Yard denied giving the order, the police thought a bureaucrat from one office, or one from each office, made a mistake. No one knew of the body's potential use... except the individual who teleported the body to a secret lab.

***

DEATH IS NEVER THE END, Part 7

An Evangelion crossover by Sidewinder (aim9snake@hotmail.com), 2003-2004, last revised 2007. Based on Ian Fleming, Kawamori Shoji, Fujishima Kosuke, AIC, Gainax, Hasbro, Marvel, and Takara's works.

0625 hr, Beijing Time. Nine terrorists, their Afghan features looking out of place in stolen PLA uniforms, aimed their rifles at the H-8 pilot. "Allahu akhbar!" They pulled the triggers; 270 fiery fingers of death reached for the girl with blue hair, red eyes, and two blue daggers tattooed on her left cheek.

Nazhi generated two LH Wings; after the terrorists expended their ammunition, she shattered one wing into nine razor-sharp fragments, flying swords that Nazhi guided towards her enemies. Screams filled the hangar as each sword pierced a terrorist's torso. Nazhi approached the first man, who she identified as the leader. "Your spleen has been penetrated," she stated. "If you don't receive immediate medical aid, you'll bleed to death. Surrender, and I'll..."

Kamran Shah, tribal chief and veteran of a thousand battles against the Soviet and American invaders, spat at the bitch; the spittle froze before it could touch her face, as if a glass plane stood between them. "Potatoes!" he shouted, using the codeword for grenades. The surviving warriors obeyed the order. "Dieeee!" The bitch ignored the grenades as they flew towards her, ricocheted off of the invisible shield, and rolled towards the surviving warriors behind them. Shah screamed, "Ali!" before his comrades died in thunder and lightning.

Nazhi ignored the blood, flesh, and bone fragments that were thrown harmlessly against the wing. "Surrender, and I'll treat your wound," she finished.

Shah led 107 holy warriors to the PLAAF base, determined to destroy the satanic armor. The H-8 pilot killed them all, spending no more effort than a warrior pulling the trigger of his rifle. Shah cried, knowing that he was utterly and undeniably defeated, that he failed Allah, his fellow Muslims, and his men.

*

"No further information is available," stated Hai Fat, President of Golden Sun Electronics, Limited, and Seele 09.

"When will our informants in the PLA provide this information?" demanded Keel.

"Unfortunately, I'm unable to contact them. We know two of them were arrested and accused of espionage and sedition; we must assume the others are in hiding, or worse, in MSS custody."

"So the Chinese continue to resist us."

"Perhaps we should teach them a lesson," suggested Zorin.

Keel firmly answered, "Not now. They are still useful, if only as cannon fodder." He turned to Fuyutsuki, who was haggard from pain. "Seele 06, please inform Prof Fuyutsuki of the... incident that occurred this morning."

"At 0013 hr, Tokyo Time, Recovery Team Two extracted Unit 00 from the ruins of Central Dogma," NERV HQ. "At 0200, the Eva was loaded onto a flatcar for transport to Matsushiro. At 0400 hr, the train entered the K2 junction, where we lost contact with the security team; at 0410 hr, an explosion destroyed the junction. Recovery Team Two is searching the ruins, but they're unable to find any sign of Unit 00."

"Can we trust the team's reports?" asked Hai.

"Agent Jones is loyal to our cause."

"What do you have to say for yourself?" demanded Keel. The Acting Commander of UN NERV was silent. "Prof Fuyutsuki? Prof Fuyutsuki!"

Fuyutsuki awoke; drowsiness was a side effect of the painkillers. "Ah, what?"

"How do you explain the disappearance of Evangelion Unit 00?!"

"Ah, I blame the Americans." Impaired judgment was another side effect.

Zorin angrily screamed, "Unit 00 has no OT and no chance against the Valkyries! The Americans have no reason to steal so obsolete an Eva!"

Fuyutsuki yawned. "Then I blame the Chinese."

"The Chinese cannot use Unit 00 if they cannot transport it to China, and they cannot transport it without our knowledge!"

"Maybe they have a secret base..."

"Why should they build a secret base in Japan? Unit 08, which the thieving chinks stole from us, is already equipped with OT armor!" Seele and its proxy, UN NERV, claimed authority over the Evas, even though their construction costs were borne by sovereign nations.

"You mean the earth just opened up and swallowed Evangelion Unit 00?"

"No, I mean someone stole the Eva and hid it somewhere in Japan!"

"That's a job for NERV Intelligence, isn't it?"

"You...!"

"Silence!" ordered Keel. "Prof Fuyutsuki, I am relieving you of your duty."

"You mean I can go back to sleep?" asked the Acting Commander of UN NERV.

Keel sighed. "Yes."

"Okay." Fuyutsuki's hologram disappeared.

Keel turned to the commander of NERV Germany. "Dr Langley, are you willing to serve as Acting Commander of UN NERV?"

Langley suppressed a smile. "Yes."

*

Day 27, Wed. 0540 hr, Tokyo Time. Ding, dong!

"Argh!" Murderous rage filled Misato's heart as she stared at the alarm clock. "This better be important." She crawled out of bed, opened her bedroom door, and saw Ryoko walk towards Shiro's room. "Who was it?"

"A delivery boy," answered the girl.

Misato didn't notice the manila envelope in Ryoko's hand. "Good. I'm going back to sleep." She closed the door.

Ryoko suppressed a relieved sigh as she entered the room. Before the young man went on his morning jog, he asked Ryoko to accompany him. She refused, claiming that she was waiting for a delivery. 'I hope Shiro's safe.' (They had low confidence in the NERV security agents who served as their bodyguards; they had to jog at a slow pace so the agents could follow them.) The girl opened the envelope to reveal a DVD titled, "Eyes Only"; she recognized James' handwriting. She started her laptop, put on the headphones, and loaded the DVD.

"Good morning, Ryoko," greeted James. "This record is for your eyes only; you must not let anyone else see it, not even Shiro."

Ryoko was surprised; she thought James trusted his grandson the way Shiro trusted his grandfather. 'Why?'

"According to the record you sent me, Shiro is again suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, which was caused by the shock of witnessing his parents' assassination." The screen faded to black before a second video began playing.

A four-year-old boy sat in a white room, a terracotta warrior guarding a tomb. Ryoko's eyes widened with recognition.

"Ohayo, Shiro-kun," greeted a disembodied voice.

A cold and mournful voice, like the wind as it scattered ashes over a field of white roses, whispered, "Ohayo, Watsuki-sensei."

"Did you sleep well last night?"

"When can I see Mama and Papa?"

"Sigh. Shiro-kun, your parents are... dead."

"So am I."

"What do you mean?"

The boy removed an armrest from the chair, exposing a nail. His face was a porcelain mask as he pushed down, letting the nail pierce his hand.

"Shiro!" Two elderly men rushed to the boy's side. Ryoko recognized one of them as Tiger Tanaka, even though she'd never seen him before. After the psychiatrist pulled the boy's hand off of the nail, Tiger used a handkerchief to bandage the wound.

"It doesn't hurt when I'm bleeding, like the time I played with Papa's sword and accidentally cut myself." Tears flowed from the eyeholes in the mask. "It just feels... cold..." The psychiatrist's record ended.

James sighed. "Cosmetic surgery removed the physical scar, but not the emotional one. Tiger-- Tanaka knew MI6 and the CIA had techniques to erase people's memories, and asked me to use these techniques to treat Shiro. The treatment was successful; without this traumatic memory, the boy was able to live... a relatively normal life.

"Shiro doesn't know what I've done to him; the technology to alter memories is classified top secret. When the sword spoke to us, I learned that Shiro's memory was no longer sealed. Now that he remembers the Angel of Death's touch, Shiro no longer fears it. I fear for him; the only people who don't fear death are those with nothing to live for.

"Ryoko, I know you love Shiro, but unless he believes he has a future, he won't imagine one with you. You must give him something to live for..."

Knock, knock. "Ryoko, are you awake?" asked Shiro.

"Gasp!" The girl quickly ejected the DVD and hid it in her underwear drawer. "I'm coming!"

"I'll prepare breakfast,"-- Shiro almost fell when Ryoko flew through the door to embrace him-- "after my shower. How'd you like your omelet?"

"With you!" She kissed him. 'I want you to imagine a future where you can feel my love, and I can feel yours... everyday.'

Clothes flew down the hall as Shiro absentmindedly carried the girl into the bathroom; the sounds of their lovemaking quickly permeated the condo.

Misato raised her head from the pillow, and stared at the alarm clock. "Not again!" She buried her head beneath the pillow, trying to shield her ears.

*

1620 hr. Asuka, Toji, and Shiro accompanied Ryoko as she went shopping for clothes. Although Ryoko felt apprehensive about Asuka's presence, she remembered James' advice to keep Shiro in the company of friends.

'I must rekindle his passion for life!' thought Ryoko, remembering Shiro's behavior before the Sword of Heaven and Earth released the memory. "Hey, Shiro!" She held a monokini, a topless swimsuit based on Rudi Gernreich's 1964 design, before her. "Do I look good in this?"

The young man's eyes widened with surprise. "I, ah, think, ah..."

"Maybe it'll help if I model it?" She dragged him towards the changing room.

Asuka noticed Toji staring at the couple. "What's on your mind?"

"I'm jealous." 'Why does Tanaka get all the hot girls?!'

"I'm hurt!" Asuka playfully punched Toji's shoulder. "I'll look better than her in anything." She took a string bikini off the display rack.

Toji let her lead him towards the changing room. "Why won't you leave NERV?"

Asuka froze, thinking of the violet robot. "There's something I must do first."

"Revenge?" Toji interpreted the girl's silence as an affirmative. "Are you willing to die for it?" He reached for her hand. "Even if it means we...?"

Asuka reacted as if he threw a punch, by grabbing Toji's arm and locking it behind his back. "There are fates worse than death."

"Argh!" Toji rubbed the back of his shoulder after Asuka released him. "But..."

"Excuse me." A tall man with cold blue eyes approached them. "Are you friends of Shiro Bond?"

Asuka frowned with suspicion. 'I've seen him before. Where?' "What do you want with him?"

The man smiled. "My name is Francisco Scaramanga." As the girl's eyes widened with recognition, Scaramanga's left hand shot forward and closed around her throat. "I'm here for my revenge." His right hand seized her P229 and crushed it.

"Let her go!" Toji drew his P229 and aimed it at the assassin's head. "Ahhhh!" He fell unconscious when Scaramanga projected an AT field, throwing him against the ceiling.

"Mr. Bond!"

Scaramanga's mark froze when he recognized the chilling voice. 'Impossible!'

Ryoko sensed the young man's fear. "Shiro? What...?"

"You've cost me a significant amount of money," stated Scaramanga. "If you won't reimburse me, Ms Langley will." The AT field threatened to burn Asuka's skin; she couldn't suppress her pained cry.

Ryoko grabbed Shiro's hand as he tried to crawl beneath the door. "Don't," she whispered.

"I think I'll harvest her heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. She has beautiful eyes; the Arabs will pay handsomely for them." Scaramanga sensed the energy in Ryoko's gems, and pointed his right index finger at her. A golden bullet shot out of the hollow finger, shattered two mannequins, penetrated Ryoko's LH Wing, and narrowly missed her S² organ.

"Howl!" Electricity flowed from the bullet, through Ryoko, stimulating every nerve in her body.

Scaramanga smiled, watching the living weapon bow backwards with pain. "Lord Kagato warned me about you." He raised his head. "Your bodyguards cannot protect you." He already killed the NERV security agents who followed the pilots into the mall. "Face me!"

He barely heard the sound-suppressed MK23 as it fired two saboted light armor penetrators (SLAPs) at him. 'Clever boy.' Scaramanga let the bullets crash harmlessly, uselessly, against his AT field. Bond froze for a split-second, shocked that his weapons were useless; this was all the time Scaramanga needed to aim and shoot.

Shiro watched the dresses on the rack, his concealment, fly apart as the bullet flew towards him at Mach 10 (12,250 km/h). "Ahhhh!" The bullet shattered the pistol's frame, which became a small grenade and blew apart in his right hand.

Scaramanga released Langley; he no longer needed a hostage. He ignored the girl he approached his mark. "Goodbye, Mr. Bond." He aimed...

"Noooo!" Asuka extended her arms and lunged at the assassin's hips, imitating an American football player. Scaramanga instinctively turned rearwards, fired, and sent a golden bullet through her heart. "Shiro..." The girl felt the bullet fragment, tearing apart the organ; she glided onto the floor, a petal falling from a cherry blossom. "I..." Thump.

Shiro was able to feel Asuka's pain after he first synchronized with Unit 02; now he felt her death. "Asuka..."

Scaramanga walked past the living weapon, which pain had forced into the fetal position. "There's no need for tears; you'll be joining her..." He didn't hear the special bullet fall onto the floor after Ryoko cut it out of her body; he didn't see the bloody trail she made as she lunged. Scaramanga only felt surprise as a LH Sword pierced his AT field, armor, and S² engine.

"Give my regards to Kagato." Ryoko spun like a propeller, cutting the assassin into 100 pieces. "Shiro!" She flew to her boyfriend's side. Shiro's face was a death mask; his heart stopped beating. "Please don't..."

*

1630 hr. The new commander stared at Unit 02 through the broken window, shattered when the Eva self-activated. SPs escorted airmen back into the cage. "It's possibly Unit 02 was activated by remote control. The Americans have signals intelligence systems, which could've intercept the transmissions that caused this. Call them."

Misato stared at the inactive Eva. "Yes, Sir." Di da di! "Excuse me, Sir." She raised her cell phone to her ear. "Katsuragi..."

"Missy!" screamed Ryoko, forcing the woman to hold the phone away from her ear. "Get a SAR Team to the Imperial Mall right now!"

Misato returned the phone to her ear. "Why? What happened?"

"We have a Golden Bullet!"

"What?!" Misato heard Toji's voice in the background; she heard the agony in his screams. "Is Asuka okay?!" She heard him cry. "Ryoko, what happened to Asuka?!"

"I..." Ryoko's voice was weak, a whisper echoing within a tomb. "I wasn't strong enough-- I couldn't save her."

Toji protested, "Noooo!" to a merciless and unsympathetic God. "Don't leave me..."

"Dear God..." The news felt like a sledgehammer blow, nearly breaking Misato's back. "I'll call SAR Team Two."

"What has happened?" demanded Langley.

"A terrorist attack was launched against the pilots. I'm going with SAR Team Two to rescue them."

"No," interrupted Langley. "You will stay here and supervise the repairs; I want the Evas fully operational by 2200 hr."

'Don't you care about the welfare of your own daughter?' Misato could only answer, "Yes, Sir," before ordering Makoto to accompany SAR Team Two.

*

Osato couldn't hide his sense of surprise. "That filthy half-breed survived?"

Kaji nodded. "Bond suffered severe physical trauma during the attack, and is being treated at the Matsushiro infirmary."

"Finish him," ordered Osato.

"I can't; his room is constantly watched by the Americans." Osato had no allies among them, as he did among the Japanese soldiers providing security for the base.

"Very well." He terminated communications before turning to the woman. "What do you think, Dr Ikari?"

The woman examined the photos provided by Osato's agents. The coroners placed Asuka's remains into a body bag as the police examined the surroundings for clues. "Without their pilots, Evangelion Units 02 and 04 are swords without masters. Therefore, we must master the Evas before they can be turned against us."

"Fortunately, we have one of our own."

"A conventional Eva is ineffective against enemies equipped with Overtechnology armor."

"You mean the Chinese and the Americans?"

"I mean the Valkyries, the aliens that attacked the USAF research facility."

"Then we'll use Unit 00 to capture the Overtechnology-equipped Evangelions."

"A wise decision, Osato-sama."

Osato approached the seated woman and put his hand on her knee. "How's your son?"

"Shinji achieved a 41.3% synch rate with Unit 00."

"Is he loyal to our cause?" The hand slid onto her thigh.

"My late husband spent ten years preparing him for this day. Shinji has been mentally and physically conditioned to be the perfect Eva pilot."

"I heard Ikari performed genetic engineering experiments on the Children. Was your son...?"

"Shinji was injected with stem cells, harvested from the 2nd Angel," Lilith, "to raise his synch rate; the experiment was successful."

"And he bears no ill will towards you for doing this?" The hand reached between her legs.

"He's been conditioned to accept this." The woman stood up. "I must supervise the modifications to Unit 00." She performed a zarei. "May I return to the cage, Osato-sama?"

Osato smiled. "Of course." 'Your mind is mine; your body will soon follow.'

"Thank you, Osato-sama."

*

1740 hr. "The loss of the 2nd Child was regrettable, Dr Langley," noted Keel.

The man expressed no grief for the death of his daughter. "Are replacements available?"

"Russhon refuses to part with Unit 03 and the 7th Child," reported Zorin. "We cannot relieve him of his command; his allies include key members of the Senate."

"The PLA denies any knowledge of Unit 08 and the Eighth Child," added Hai.

"Then I must retain the 6th Child and recruit another."

Keel smiled. "Your resourcefulness is commendable. Return to your duties." He terminated communications.

Misato approached Langley as he exited his office. "Sir, Commander Fuyutsuki..."

"I am your commander, not Fuyutsuki," he snapped.

"I apologize Sir, but... Mr. Fuyutsuki is missing. We believe he was kidnapped."

"That is a problem for NERV Intelligence Section Two." He walked away from the woman, towards the Eva cages.

"One other thing, Sir." She held a plastic box containing a wallet, a wristwatch, and some jewelry. "Here are Asuka's personal effects."

Langley examined the ring with no more passion than he would a rock on the road. "Dispose of them." He turned away.

Ryoko told Misato what the ring symbolized: Shiro and Toji's love for Asuka, and their promise to care for the girl they both loved. 'Oh, Asuka...' Misato laid against the wall, releasing her tears. 'My sister-in-arms, the only person I could open my heart to. I hoped you'd live the life I couldn't live, to have the children I couldn't have." Misato suffered severe internal injuries during the 2nd Impact; a hysterectomy was one of many operations performed to save her. 'Now I have no hope.'

*

1000 hr, Berlin Time.
> From: rotkoenigin@herzundversand.co.de
> To: elise.fidelio@nerv.un.org
> Dear Mother:
> Toji has made a proposal of marriage, which I accepted. Although I'd like you to bless our union, your disapproval will not affect my final decision.
> What I want is your understanding. Although I don't need any friends to stay alive, I don't want to live in isolation. Toji is the first person to entrust his life to me, and to whom I can entrust my life. I...

'Oh, Asuka...' Elise lowered her head, letting her flowing tears obscure the laptop monitor; she wouldn't let envy poison her heart, spoiling the promise of a better life for her stepdaughter. 'Yes, I understand-- I'll bless your union.' Langley didn't inform her of Asuka's fate; Elise didn't know the union was no longer possible in this world.

*

"Argh!" Fuyutsuki bit his lip, awakened by the pain. "What...?" He was sitting in a chair, his arms secured behind his back. "What's the meaning of this?!"

The doctor returned the syringe to his medicine bag. "The stimulant has countered the effects of the painkillers."

"Thank you, doctor. You're excused."

Fuyutsuki recognized the second person's voice. "Gen Osato." He tugged the handcuffs. "This is a cold welcome."

"Pardon my lack of courtesy. I need to talk to you, and this is the most expedient way," said Osato.

"You never change; you don't take my situation into account."

"Japan faces a crisis; if we don't resolve it, we'll be destroyed. Please understand that."

"What crisis? The Angels? The Valkyries?"

"You fool!" Osato grabbed Fuyutsuki's shirt collar, choking him. "You look to heaven, expecting a dead god to pass judgment upon us, when our deadliest enemy was always from Earth!"

"Gurgle!" Fuyutsuki caught his breath. "The Chinese?"

"They conspire with the Americans to finish what they started in World War Two."

"Do you propose to launch a preemptive strike? Start a nuclear war?"

"The Evangelions will defend us; our enemies' ICBMs will become harmless fireworks to celebrate Japan's victory."

"You stole Unit 00, didn't you?" He interpreted Osato's silence as an affirmative. "You're as foolish as Tojo," the Japanese PM during WWII, who was later executed for war crimes.

"The men who forged the Great Japanese Empire weren't fools; neither are the men who'll reforge her. If you still call yourself Japanese, you'll cooperate, Prof Fuyutsuki."

The prisoner thought of his life before he agreed to help Ikari Gendo create a new era for humanity. "Prof Fuyutsuki..."

*

Day 28, Thurs. 0600 hr, Tokyo Time. Misato saw Ryoko sitting beside the hospital bed, holding Shiro's left hand as they slept. "Ryoko."

Ryoko opened her eyes; Shiro was still breathing. She could feel a strong and steady pulse. (She threatened to kill the doctors if they amputated Shiro's right hand.)

"Ryoko." The girl turned to the doorway. "We've detected an AT field in sector Bravo Six."

Ryoko nodded. "I'll be back." She kissed Shiro before she exited the room, following Misato.

Five minutes later, they stood in the command center; the tactical monitor showed nothing but static. "The radiation's so bad, we can't even get the satellites to work!" exclaimed Makoto.

"I'll check it out," deadpanned Ryoko. She didn't hear Misato whisper, "Be careful," before teleporting out of the command center.

B6 was an abandoned granite quarry, deep enough to hide a 40-meter-tall monster. 'Where is it?' Ryoko stealthily approached the sector, searching for her enemy. Boom! Sachiel suddenly rocketed out of a pit. Ryoko immediately shot an energy bolt at the Angel of Water. Pop! The inflatable decoy burst. 'A trap!' "Howl!" A positron beam disintegrated her midsection, blasting her in half.

*

"Ryoko... no..." No one noticed Shiro weakly extend his arm, trying to reach her.

*

The motorized support arm retracted the positron rifle to its stowed position, across Unit 00's chest, before the Eva climbed out of a pit. "Direct hit, target destroyed," reported Shinji.

"Excellent. Guard the wreckage; a recovery team will arrive in 15 minutes."

"Yes, Sir." As he approached Ryoko, her body seemed to shrink. The Pilot adjusted his optics; the body continued shrinking. He changed his radar frequency. "Target lost. My sensors are inoperable, due to a malfunction or countermeasures."

"Continue searching."

*

0620 hr. Sea Dragons stealthily approached Security Section 2A. Four aimed their G11 4.7 mm caseless rifles at the peacekeepers guarding 2A, as four threw smoke grenades to blind the peacekeepers and the security camera over the gate. The Sea Dragons used rifle-mounted IR sights to see the peacekeepers reach for their radio headsets; they shot and killed the peacekeepers before a warning could be transmitted.

The Sea Dragons approached the gate. The captain used the access codes, provided by agents in NERV Japan, to open the gate. The lieutenant examined the bodies of the peacekeepers, who were probably of Japanese descent. "I'm sorry," he whispered as his subordinates tossed the bodies into a ditch.

Maj Aida stood in 2A's radio room, staring at a monitor. 'Where there's smoke, there's fire.' He turned towards his XO. "Send the relief force." The XO drew his USP instead. "What...?"

The XO shot and killed Aida, and then changed his radio frequency. "Radio room secure," he reported to the Sea Dragon captain.

The Sea Dragons lead Mana to a second gate, behind the radio room. Something shiny around Aida's neck, which fell out from under his shirt when the man died, attracted the girl's attention. Mana looked through the radio room window and saw a transparent photograph holder attached to a cable, beside Aida's ID tag; the photo showed a UNSF lieutenant with his wife and four-year-old son, an image that spellbound her. 'They look so happy together. Was I ever this happy with my family? I wish I could remember.'

The gate opened. The captain waved a hand, ordering his men to follow him into the base. "Iron Maiden," called the lieutenant, who was serving as rear guard.

Mana sighed and followed the Sea Dragons through the gate.

*

Misato glanced at her watch, losing her patience. "Have you restored communications with Unit 01A?"

"No, the radiation's still too strong," answered Makoto.

"You've been tricked," interrupted Kaji.

Misato instinctively aimed her USP at her ex-boyfriend. "How the hell did you get in here?"

"That's not important. What's important is who else is coming here." He pushed Makoto's hand off the keyboard.

"Hey!"

Kaji ignored Makoto's protest as his fingers tap-danced on the keyboard. The static dissipated, revealing a smiley face, a cracker's signature.

"What the...?"

Misato slammed Kaji against a wall. "What the hell was that?!" Red lights flashed in the command center as an alarm howled.

"Special Order Alpha-801: abolishment of NERV's special legal protection and transfer of all command, including the Evas, to the Japanese government," answered Kaji. The command center shook as Matsushiro's air defenses and JSSDF aircraft exchanged fire. "They intend to execute Pilot Bond and seize Unit 04, a decisive weapon in the coming war with China."

"China?" Makoto remembered the nation had 200 ICBMs, more than enough to bomb the Japanese islands into the sea. "Oh shit!"

Misato tried to remain calm as she asked, "Has the JSSDF seized control of the government?"

"The Self-Defense Forces have controlled the government since 2000, when Osato detonated the N² bomb to justify the invasion of Korea."

"What?!"

"They'll kill Bond if we don't hurry."

Misato turned to Makoto. "We're going to rescue Shiro. Lockdown this place and warn the Americans."

"Yes, Ma'am!" 'God have mercy upon us all,' thought Makoto, watching them exit the command center.

*

Misato asked, "How do you know all this?" as she ran towards the infirmary.

"I'm an agent of the Ministry of the Interior; I've been working for Osato since 2007," answered Kaji.

"Why?"

"Many children were orphaned when old Tokyo was destroyed, including my brother and I. Our country spent too much money on the war; we became dependent upon American goodwill to rebuild Tokyo. We homeless children banded together for survival, stealing food from the old US military bases. We took too many risks; the base security eventually found our hideaway. My brother and my friends were all killed.

"Like many people, I blamed foreign nations, and the pacifist politicians who made us dependent upon these nations, for what happened. I agreed to help Osato strengthen Japan, to reforge the Great Japanese Empire."

"But Osato..."

"I only learned the truth two hours ago, after I spent all night hacking into Osato's computer."

'No wonder you look so haggard.' Their stopped running when a SP fired a warning shot.

"Freeze, motherfuckers!" "Put your hands over your head!" "Get down on your knees!" SPs surrounded the two, searched them, confiscated their weapons, handcuffed them, and dragged them into Shiro's room. "What the fuck is going on here?!" demanded the SP platoon leader.

"JSSDF Sea Dragons are coming," answered Kaji. "They're going to kill Pilot Bond and anyone who gets in their way."

"What?!"

"We have to get him to the Eva cages; the best place to hide him is inside Unit 04," added Misato. The SPs didn't move. "Well? Are you gonna help us, or are you gonna stay here and get slaughtered?"

"Shit!" The platoon leader pointed at Shiro. "Get him out of here!"

"Yes, Sir!" The SPs used two IV stands and the blanket to make an improvised litter. Two SPs carried Shiro, while two others dragged Misato and Kaji out the door.

"Don't shoot!" called the platoon leader as they entered the cage. Two Asian men, wearing USAF uniforms, greeted the SPs. The platoon leader pointed at Shiro. "Get him..." Bang! "Ahhhh!"

"Surrender or die!" ordered the disguised DIH agent. When the SPs hesitated, he nodded to a Sea Dragon, who dragged Holly towards them. "Surrender, or she dies!" The SPs laid down their weapons. "Kaji Ryoji," greeted the agent. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to prevent a war," answered Kaji.

"By aiding the foreigners?"

"The PM is wrong. Oomph!" The agent kicked Kaji, punishing him for his words. "The Eva cannot save Japan; it'll only tempt us into starting a war we cannot win."

"We have three Evas; the chinks have one," claimed the agent. "We will conquer China in three months." He turned to Mana. "Get in the cockpit."

"Yes, Sir." The girl put on Asuka's neural interface headset and entered the elevator that would carry her to Unit 04's entry plug; she played 'Metal Gear Revolution 2' to prepare for this. (The game programmers originally planned to have the player receive weapons from the cyborg ninja, which could destroy Metal Gear Rex, a "robot tyrannosaur" equipped with an electromagnetic rail gun to launch nuclear warheads. The JSSDF ordered the programmers to have the player pilot Metal Gear Rex 2 in battle against Liquid Snake in Rex 1; the Metal Gears were also redesigned to resemble Evangelion Unit 01.) Mana turned away as the agent prepared to execute the enemy pilot.

"Noooo!" Misato rammed her shoulder into the agent's back, spoiling his aim. He quickly recovered, and jabbed his elbow into her lower back. "Ah!" The agent aimed his pistol below her rib cage, sending the bullet through Misato's liver, diaphragm, and right lung.

"Misatoooo!" cried Kaji.

The agent ignored the blood on his hands. The smell awakened Bond; the boy was whispering something. "Nothing personal, kid." He aimed his pistol at Bond's head. "Ahhhh!" he cried as Jurai energy melted the pistol and seared the flesh from his hand. The people instinctively shut their eyes and knelt down a blinding light permeated the hangar.

*

0650 hr. Unit 00 stepped over Unit 01A's helmet, the only part of the wreckage remaining where the Eva's upper body fell; the blood was randomly spilled, with no trails or other clues to what happened to the rest. MV-1s hovered over the place where the lower body fell.

"Do you see anything?" asked the recovery team leader.

"Negative," answered Shinji.

"Where the hell did it go?"

A volcano erupted behind Unit 00; Ryoko was tired of hiding underground. As the Eva turned rearwards and extended its rifle, a LH Sword slashed its chest, cutting its rifle in half. Shinji cried, "Mother!" as antimatter flowed from the rifle and reacted with Unit 00's blood, consuming the Eva in an earthshaking explosion.

Panic gripped the recovery team's hearts, like an eagle's talon. "Unit 00 is down!" "Oh my God!" "Get...!" Silence fell after the MV-1s were shot down.

"Shiro..." Ryoko changed out of her demon form before teleporting back to the command center.

*

The assassin's flaming skeleton fell apart, its bones rolling to join the Sea Dragons' smoking bodies. "Justice. Vengeance." He released the crushed skull, formed two LH Wings, and flew towards the Eva to be reborn.

Kaji, Holly, and the SPs stared at the Angel. "Bond?"

"Gasp!" Misato felt like molten metal was poured down her throat. "What...?" Although her clothes were soaked in blood, she was no longer injured. "How...?" She saw the Angel. "Shiro?"

The name was meaningless to the Angel. He approached the shivering girl beside the elevator.

"Please don't kill me, please don't kill me, please..." Mana couldn't close her eyes, couldn't look away from the blue-gray fires burning into her soul. Fear paralyzed her as the Angel gently took the headset and placed it in the entry plug. She watched the Angel dissolve into LCL, which flowed into Unit 04's socket. Then she fainted.

The Eva roared as it broke free of the cage. It tore off its breastplate, pauldrons, and vambraces, allowing its muscles and sinews to expand to twice their original size. Bony spikes extended from the collarbones and along its back, protecting the Eva's throat and spinal cord; bony plates protected the chest and abdomen. Zeruel, Angel of Might, was free.

"Oh shit!" exclaimed Holly.

Misato put her hands on the engineer's shoulders. "What the hell is happening to Shiro?!"

Holly watched Zeruel, the fusion of Shiro's rage and Unit 04's strength, fly through the ceiling. "I had no idea the Evas were so powerful." She turned to Misato. "When I joined the Evangelion Project, I was told the armor was really restraints to suppress the Evas' intrinsic power, so we could control them. Now... Ah!" she cried when Misato suddenly dropped her onto the floor.

Ryoko lifted Misato into the air. "Missy, where's Shiro?!" The woman could only point at the hole in the ceiling. "Damn! You're coming with me!" She teleported Misato to the only man who could help Shiro.

The survivors stared at the spot where Ryoko and Misato were. "To the command center!" ordered Holly. "We must find out what's going on!"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

*

Osato watched the monitor, which displayed images taken by a reconnaissance drone. Zeruel rained energy bolts on the JSSDF units that participated in the attack, killing over 1000 soldiers. Fighters and transports fell like burning arrows, while tanks and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) popped like firecrackers. The Angel captured the commander and his XO, bit off their legs, and licked the bloody stumps to make them scream in pain, before devouring them.

"D-doctor Ikari? W-what do you p-propose?"

The woman smiled, savoring the sights and sounds of death and destruction. "I propose nothing; you are no longer of any use to me."

"How dare you...!" He pointed his finger at the woman. "I order you to..." An anti-AT field dissolved his extended arm. "Ahhhh! You monster!" He tried to run, but the anti-AT field dissolved his lower legs.

"That which does not become one with the void, shall be consumed by it," stated the woman. "You were destined to be consumed. Do not run from your destiny." A blinding light enveloped her as she returned to the Astral Plane.

"Yuiiii!"

*

2205 hr, GMT. Ryoko and Misato flew down the corridors of MI6 HQ, ignoring the shocked expressions on the people who saw them. They finally found James in the operations room. "Grandpa!"

James turned away from the monitor, which showed Zeruel attacking Tokyo-2. "Ryoko, Japan's strategic missile forces are at full alert! What the devil has happened over there?!" He noticed the woman in the NERV uniform. "And who is this lovely lady?"

"Grandpa, this is Katsuragi Misato, Captain, UN NERV," answered Ryoko.

Misato stared at the man who gave Shiro his blue-gray eyes. "Where am I?"

"MI6 Headquarters," answered M. "You must be Pilot Ryoko." She shook the girl's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Thanks."

"Now, can you explain what happened?"

"PM Osato Kenshin ordered the JSSDF to attack Matsushiro and capture Evangelion Unit 04. Shiro-- he..." Misato couldn't find the words to describe what happened.

"He's trapped inside that monster!" exclaimed Ryoko.

"What?! How?!"

"The bastards tried to kill Shiro. He used Jurai energy to defend himself... at the cost of his humanity," answered Misato.

James pointed at Zeruel. "You mean that monster is... my grandson?" He interpreted Ryoko and Misato's silence as an affirmative. "How can we restore his humanity?!"

"We will help you."

The MI6 personnel instinctively aimed their pistols at the women who teleported into the room. James stared at them. "And you are..."

The woman with red hair and green eyes posed, a teacher lecturing a student. "I'm Hakubi Washu, the beautiful Goddess of the Mind and the greatest scientific genius in the entire universe!" She maniacally laughed.

The woman with blue hair and pink eyes bowed. "I am Tsunami, Goddess of the Heart."

Washu turned to her creation. "It's been a long time, Ryoko."

"Do I know you?" asked Ryoko.

"I'm your creator. Actually, I'm more like your mother; you see, I used my own ova to build you." She poked the girl's breasts. "I'm glad you've been working out, but you need to do more upper body exercises to successfully engage in visual-psychological warfare."

"Visual-psychological warfare?"

"Erotic warfare." Washu laughed when Ryoko blushed.

"Madam, the Angel is attacking Missile Base Alpha!" The monitor showed Zeruel lunging at the command center.

"Gasp!" Ryoko tumbled in midair, holding the sides of her head.

"Are you alright?" asked James.

"I can feel Shiro's pain... his anger... his hatred."

"Oh my God!" The technician vomited as Zeruel devoured two men.

"Do you know why Shiro's attacking the missile bases?" asked James.

"The garrison commander... his deputy... they're two of the Nine, the men who killed Shiro's parents."

"Madam, the Japanese PM has issued a firing order! Missile Bases Bravo, Charlie, and Delta are preparing to launch their missiles!"

"Madam, the PLA Second Artillery," China's strategic missile forces, "is on full alert!"

Washu sighed. "What a bother." A hologram of a feral girl appeared beside her. "Ryo-Ohki, I need your help."

"What is it, Mama?" said the girl.

Washu scanned pointed at the monitor. "Here are the locations of three missile bases. Don't let them launch their missiles."

"Okay, Mama!" The hologram disappeared.

Washu turned to James. "You need the Master Key's power to save Shiro."

"It's at Lionheart Castle."

"I can take you there," added Ryoko.

Tsunami put her hand on James' shoulder. "Your grandson has great trust and confidence in you; without you, the Master Key cannot save him."

James turned to his commander. "M, I must go if we hope to end this crisis."

M sighed. "Very well."

Ryoko took Misato's hand. "You too." The five teleported to the castle.

*

Darkness enveloped Washu. 'What the...? My Psycho Booster No. 3A must have worked perfectly! I must be inside Shiro Bond's mind! Why...?' Red lightning flashed, revealing a ghost of her past.

"Why are you here?" demanded Kagato.

Washu examined her surroundings. "Is this the inside of your mind, Shiro Bond?" She saw no change in the ghost's expression; the name was meaningless to the ghost. "The darkness of fear, illuminated only by flashes of anger and hatred?"

"Why are you here?"

"You use another man's face. Have you forgotten your own? Don't you remember your name, or who you are?"

Kagato seemed to burn as psychic energy surged through his body. (Humans couldn't see psychic energy; Kagato would be invisible to them.) "You don't belong here. Leave, or I will devour your soul."

Washu projected a LH Wing. "Go ahead, make my day."

Kagato arrogantly laughed. "The Angel of Death cannot stop me! Why do you think you can?"

"You know how powerful Ryoko is. As her mother, my powers excel hers."

"You traitor!" Psychic energy crashed against the wing, a spear against a shield. "You abandoned Ryoko, letting her freeze in an earthen prison for 700 years! You don't deserve to be her mother!"

Washu's wing dimmed; she was losing the resolve that allowed her to resist the attack. "I-- I didn't want to leave her. Before Kagato died, he ordered Ryoko to destroy Earth; he wanted revenge against Yosho. I couldn't reprogram Ryoko to cancel the order; I had no choice."

Kagato formed a LH Sword. "She's better off without you, without someone to betray her." He raised the sword...

"Noooo!" The wing focused into a sword, piercing Kagato's heart. The ghost howled as it disappeared. Tears flowed down Washu's cheeks as she swore, "I won't abandon her again. I won't let anyone hurt her, not you, not Kagato, and not myself." The sword cut through the darkness, revealing a white light. Washu wiped away the tears as she flew towards the light, away from her nightmare.

*

Darkness enveloped Misato. 'Where?' She extended her hands, and felt a curved wall. 'What?' Her hands slid upon the wall, grasped a handle, and pulled. "Gasp!"

Four wings of light pierced the heavens as the 1st Angel awakened, causing the 2nd Impact. She was trapped within this memory, within the escape pod that carried her to safety when Antarctica was destroyed in an instant.

"Misato."

The 14-year-old girl turned rearwards. "Father?" His body was translucent, like a negative; his legs extended into the escape pod's outer wall.

"This place is cursed," said the ghost of the man who sacrificed his life for Misato. "Leave."

"I..." Misato remembered she came for a reason, although she couldn't remember it. "I can't-- I won't, not until I..."

The ghost's facade decayed as he expressed his rage, becoming demonic. "Leave, or I will devour your soul." The specter of death reached for Misato; flesh fell off his hand, revealing a bony claw.

"Ahhhh!"

"Wake up, Missy!" Washu put her hand on the girl's shoulder.

The ghost frowned. "This is your final warning. Leave."

"Make me!" Washu's wing shielded Misato from the psychic attack. The escape pod, the ocean, and the 1st Angel faded into darkness. The ghost roared in anger as it slashed at the women. "Missy, do not give in to your fear! Do not let him use it against you!" Misato continued screaming. "Remember who you are! You're a military officer! You must not succumb to fear, but be a bulwark against it, protecting the soldiers under your command!"

Misato stopped screaming. "To protect the soldiers under my command?" A tear flowed down her cheek. "An officer's duty, one I failed to perform. I couldn't protect Asuka... I couldn't protect Shiro... I couldn't protect Toji from the machinations of my own commander! How can I call myself an officer now?!" The tear shined as it fell, a lone star in the night sky.

The ghost stopped attacking as he watched the teardrop fall, becoming a distant light. "I'm sorry." Then he disappeared.

"Are you okay?" asked Washu.

"No," answered Misato.

"Close enough." Only the light remained. Washu carried Misato to it, away from the nightmare.

*

"Murderer!" "Butcher!" "Monster!" "Beast!" The ghosts of millions of sentient beings, Ryoko's victims, charged.

The girl calmly faced the tidal wave of grief, rage, and hatred. "I'm sorry." Ryoko didn't try to hide, run, or fight; she didn't want to live with her guilt anymore. A hand scratched at her face, drawing blood. 'Soon...'

A LH Wing appeared before the girl, isolating her. "Howl!" "Hiss!" "Noooo!" The ghosts clawed at the wing.

"You're not safe here."

Ryoko recognized the voice. "Kagato!" She formed a sword and spun like a propeller, determined to kill her former master.

Kagato caught the blade with a gloved hand. "Leave, before the darkness here devours you."

Ryoko looked into the ghost's eyes, seeing none of Kagato's arrogant cruelty. "Who are you?"

"You're running out of time."

She dissipated her sword; the ghost wasn't a threat. "I can't; the man I love is trapped here."

"There's no love here, only hatred, rage, and fear." The victims were still screaming, still clawing at the wing.

"I don't believe it-- I don't believe Shiro lost all of his humanity."

"Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody. You've seen the darkness in a human heart; the boy's better off without humanity."

"I've also seen the light in a human heart," countered Ryoko.

Crack! The victims' constant battery was breaking the wing. "You're running out of time; leave, or the darkness will devour you."

Ryoko turned to her victims. "I won't run from my responsibility; let them come."

"Ryoko!"

The girl raised her head. Washu and Misato flew towards her; the ghosts faded away under the light of their souls. "Washu? Missy?"

"Call me Mama," insisted Washu.

Misato took Ryoko's hand. "Let's get out of here."

Ryoko turned rearwards; Kagato had disappeared. "Fine."

*

James walked along a French beach, beside the only woman he'd ever loved. The setting sun painted the sea blood red. "Why are you here, Tracy?"

La Contesse Teresa "Tracy" di Vicenzo smiled. "Why are you here?" she playfully asked.

"I-- I came..." He tried to remember. "I came to help someone close to me."

She pointed at herself. "Me?"

"Maybe."

Tracy laughed. "I'm hurt, James. Who's closer to you than the woman you love?"

"I..." James frowned in frustration. "I can't remember."

She took his hand. "Shall we go now?" She led him away from the beach, towards an Aston Martin DB5 sports car parked by the road. "Why do you love me?"

James thought for a moment. "Because I see myself reflected in your eyes."

"What do you mean?"

"We're more alike than I'd dare admit. We've both made reckless bets with all our money, our reputations, and our lives... escaping the depression that follows a loved one's death, with the thrill of gambling." Tracy became suicidal after the death of her infant daughter, the product of an earlier marriage; James shared such feelings every time he lost someone he loved.

Tracy's gait became mechanical, losing its feminine grace; the revelation disturbed her, and she tried to hide this emotion. "I didn't know you had such feelings."

"I buried them deep within my heart; it was the only way I could survive. When you... left... I lost my most important reason for living. I became a weapon, an instrument of vengeance. After achieving my revenge, after surviving every trial I faced, I felt... lost. I didn't find another reason for living until..." James froze, remembering why he came. "Dear God! Shiro!" He ran away from Tracy, towards the sea.

"No, James! It's too dangerous!" Tracy tried to stop him, but she couldn't take another step forward.

"Spy!" "Assassin!" "Terrorist!" Hundreds of ghosts, the men who died by James' hands, rose from the sea. "Dieeee!"

Fear threatened to paralyze James as he reached for his shoulder holster. Instead of a Walther Polizei Pistole Kriminal (PPK) 7.65 mm, his hand gripped the Sword of Heaven and Earth.

'Master...'

James' fear disappeared as he drew the sword, which enveloped him with blue light. "Get out of my way!" Bang! He turned rearwards, seeing Tracy lying on her back, blood rushing from a hole in her forehead. "Noooo!" As Tracy's body faded away, consumed by the night, James lowered the sword; he had no defense against this memory, no determination to defend himself against the vengeful ghosts who clawed at him...

"Grandpa!"

"James!" Washu embraced the man, carrying him into the sky. "Wake up! Your memories are being used against you! You must resist!"

"Washu?" James smiled. "But I cannot resist your beauty. I surrender to your..."

Washu blushed. "Business first." Ryoko laughed, shaking Misato and forcing the woman to hide her fear.

"Why is he attacking the people he love? Is he still capable of love?" asked Misato.

"Shiro blames himself for his mother's death and, I presume, for Asuka's. His heart is weighted with guilt and grief; we're passengers on a sinking ship, following it into the void," said James.

"You mean we must save him to save ourselves?"

Washu stated, "We still have the option of exiting Shiro Bond's mind and abandoning him..."

Three voices simultaneously declared, "No!" with passion that shook Washu's body.

"I'll be damned if I abandon my grandson."

"I cannot live with myself if I fail another soldier under my command."

"We will save him," swore Ryoko.

*

The starlight revealed pine trees that pierced the sky like raised swords. "Where are we?" asked Misato.

"The Lion's Teeth," answered James. Terrified screams and anguished cries filled the forest. Misato gasped as streams of blood ran past them; Washu and Ryoko suppressed their fear as they formed LH Swords. "In 1312, during the War of Independence, 300 English warriors attacked Lionheart Hamlet, while three warships surrounded the castle. When Sir Roger II, my ancestor, refused to surrender, the English beheaded every man in the hamlet, catapulted the heads over the castle walls, and set the fields on fire. One night, nine brave men rowed nine fishing boats, filled with tar, towards the warships. They lit the tar before jumping out of the boats, into the sea. As the English ships burned, Sir Roger II led 20 knights and their horses through a secret passageway. They emerged behind the English lines, put on demon masks, and tied oily rags around their swords. They lit the rags before attacking the English, who, terrified by the demons with fiery swords, abandoned their camp. That night, Lionheart and his knights killed 80 English warriors and captured 50 more, while losing none of their own.

"To avenge his people, Sir Roger II staked the captives to the trees. Their screams echoed through the forest for days, warning the English to fear Lionheart's wrath."

Washu was shocked. 'How can a son of Jurai do something like this?! Did the humans teach him to be a monster? Or was he...?' She didn't want to believe the Jurai, her family and friends, could commit such atrocities.

"The castle is this way." James fearlessly walked down a forest path. The women turned to each other, silently asking if they were doing the right thing, before they ran after him.

"Oh my God!" "Gasp!"

"Save me!" begged the man in the JSSDF uniform. Blood flowed from the iron stakes in his wrists and feet, forming a pool of blood at the roots.

"Colonel?!"

James turned to Misato. "You know this man?"

She nodded. "He's the JSSDF liaison to NERV."

"He's one of the Nine," deadpanned Ryoko.

Red light enveloped the Colonel, drawing an anguished howl. "What the hell is Shiro doing to him?!" demanded Misato.

"He's hacking into the man's memories, seeking the identities of his accomplices," answered Washu.

"I can't let him suffer like this." Misato reached for a stake. Jurai energy enveloped the Colonel, burning the woman's hand. "Ow!" She covered her ears when intensity of the man's pain and the sound of his screams were magnified. "Shiro, stop it! You're hurting him!"

"Why? The pain he feels is only a fraction of the pain he inflicted on Shiro," hissed Ryoko.

James turned to the girl. "Humans don't want to believe they're capable of such violence, of behavior they describe as 'inhumane.' Shiro is sacrificing his humanity to do this, sacrificing his ability to express love in order to express his hate."

Ryoko's anger was drowned beneath this fear. "God save him..."

*

0715 hr, Tokyo Time. Two MC-2s and their escorts, eight F-2s, turned away as the N² warheads detonated, enveloping Zeruel in fire and smoke. "Mission accomplished," said the squadron leader. The planes had only flown 100 meters when energy bolts transformed the MC-2s and seven F-2s into fireballs. The squadron leader didn't have time to gasp when his fighter was sliced in half, triggering an automatic ejection. He screamed when a giant hand caught his ejection seat; he fell silent when Zeruel crushed his rib cage, pushing the broken bones through the man's lungs. The Angel tasted hot tears when it devoured the man.

*

"Ahhhh!" Four stakes extended from a tree trunk. Blood flowed from the stakes, formed arms and legs, and solidified into flesh and bone. The fighter pilot joined the Nine in hell.

James noticed the man's dramatic arrival. "Who is he?"

Ryoko stared at the pilot. "He dropped the bomb that killed Ojiisama, Aunt Nadeshiko, and Aunt Sakura."

"I thought you were Shiro's grandfather?" asked Misato.

"Shiro's father was adopted by Tiger Tanaka," explained James.

"The 'great patriot' who was assassinated two weeks ago?"

"We were brothers-in-arms."

Four minutes later, a Japanese Air Self-Defense Force general joined the Nine and the pilot. "He's the one who ordered the bombing," added Ryoko.

"We have to stop this!" declared Misato.

"We must first restore Shiro's faith in humanity." James led the women down the forest path, which became Lionheart Hamlet's thoroughfare. "There." The smell of blood and smoke was suffocating; Washu and Misato tried to ignore the mutilated bodies as they walked past the burning buildings. A shadow engulfed them as they approached the castle.

"Who goes there?!" demanded the guards.

"Sir James Bond, Baron of Lionheart!" he declared, using the title for the first time in his life. The guards gasped, and began arguing with each other. James raised the Sword of Heaven and Earth. "I am the master of the castle, and I am going in!" Ryoko sensed that James wouldn't wait for the guards to lower the drawbridge, and carried him over the raging waves. The knights in the courtyard respectfully parted, allowing James and Ryoko to land, followed by Washu and Misato.

"Where do we start?" asked Misato.

James watched Ryoko move stiffly towards her former prison, fighting the paralyzing effects of fear. "The chapel." He put a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder, before approaching the door. Washu and Misato raced after him as he pulled the handle...

"Mama!" A four-year-old Shiro tackled his mother, knocking her onto the floor as the men in black opened fire. The men in black looked through the window frame, confirmed Tanaka Tetsuji's death, and climbed out of sight.

"Oh my God..." James, Ryoko, Washu, and Misato stood in the doorway.

The woman stirred. "Shi-chan?" She grimaced when she felt something sticky on her leg, and looked downwards. "Shi-chan! Noooo!" A stray bullet had pierced his skull. The woman embraced Shiro's body and rocked back and forth, as if the boy was only sleeping. "Noooo!"

"I should've given my life to save her."

They turned rearwards; two blue-gray fires burned, the only things they could see in the darkness. "Shiro?"

"The tragedy would've traumatized her, but my mother had an iron will; she would've recovered. Ojiisama, Aunt Nadeshiko, and Aunt Sakura would've protected her. My father had friends who'd comfort her. Eventually, she would've remarried; she'd share her love with others." A monster, darker than the darkness, appeared; the fires became its eyes. "Sadly, I couldn't save her. I couldn't save the people I love. All I can do now... is avenge them."

A light appeared behind James, Ryoko, Washu, and Misato. They turned rearwards. "Gasp!" Zeruel had burst through a bomb shelter, Osato's command center. The Japanese PM screamed as the Angel reached for him. "What are you doing, Shiro?!" demanded Misato.

"He ordered the assassination of my parents." Zeruel slowly squeezed Osato; the man would die slowly, painfully.

"Killing him won't bring your parents back!"

"I will not let him murder another child's parents. I will not let another child live with the pain I lived with." Zeruel continued squeezing. Tears flowed down Osato's cheeks; he was too weak to scream.

Rage filled Misato's heart. "Asuka didn't fall in love with a monster!"

"Asuka died because I feared using my powers, because I feared I'd become monster-- one of many fears that ruled my life for ten years, despite my efforts to suppress them." Osato was coughing blood; a broken rib had pierced his lungs. "Now I am free from fear."

Ryoko cried; the man she loved was losing his humanity, his ability to love. "Shiro, please..."

"Don't blame yourself for what happened." Light penetrated the darkness, placing a gentle hand over the monster's terrible claws.

Misato watched a ghost move beside the monster. "Asuka?!"

"Don't hate yourself. I was willing to give my life for you, just as you were willing to give your life for me." Asuka looked into the blue-gray fires. "I loved you because you were loveable. Please love yourself, okay?" She kissed him, becoming a flash of light that burned away the darkness.

Ryoko felt free from fear, anger, and hatred for the first time in her life. She heard Asuka say, "Please take care of him," as the light enveloped her.

*

0720 hr. "Where am I?" Then Misato recognized her surroundings. She approached the man who, although his chest wounds were healed by Jurai energy, was missing his right arm and both legs. "Osato Kenshin, I hereby arrest you in the name of UN NERV." Osato's bodyguards couldn't stop her; Zeruel had terrified them, paralyzing them.

"What kept you?" asked Washu.

"I'm sorry." Tsunami bowed. "Shiro Bond's heart could only be touched by one like his own. I couldn't help him by myself, so I traveled to Valhalla. Father released the soul of Soryu Asuka Langley to my care; it was she who freed Shiro Bond from the darkness."

"Oh well." Washu embraced her sister. "Thanks, Tsunami."

"Shiro!" Ryoko carried the young man out of the socket for Unit 04's entry plug.

"Where's Grandpa?"

"James Bond is at Lionheart Castle, with the Sword of Heaven and Earth," answered Tsunami. "Here," she handed him a Jurai nobleman's kimono.

Ryoko embraced Shiro from behind, helping him put on the coat. "Let's go home."

*

Maiko embraced her brother. "There, there. Don't cry." She rocked him back and forth, like a mother, ignoring the blood on his hands and the mutilated bodies on the floor.

Toji's grandfather bandaged his son, who miraculously survived a bullet to the chest. Toji's father stared at the boy; shock, wonder, terror, sympathy, and disgust fought to be expressed on his face. JSSDF soldiers came for Toji, his father tried to stop them, a soldier shot the man, and then... "What happened?" "It must be the alien DNA that goddamned German injected into Toji." "Yes, you're right. Toji couldn't have-- wouldn't have..."

The boy turned away from his sister. "Argh!" He vomited to purge his stomach of the human flesh he ate, trying to cleanse his soul of the monstrous act he'd committed. Maiko patted his back while his grandfather poured a glass of water for him.

Fuyutsuki ignored the pain in his knee, waiting for Osato's return. 'If Yui were alive, what would she...?' The door opened. "It's you."

"Good morning, Subcommander Fuyutsuki." Kaji Ryoji grabbed Fuyutsuki's coat, pulled him out of the chair, and carried him to the door.

'How did he gain such strength? Through genetic engineering?' "This action will result in your death."

Kaji marched past the guards' headless bodies. "I have no reason to fear you."

Fuyutsuki suppressed a gasp. "What do you fear?"

"The Chaos-Bringer." He carried Fuyutsuki into the elevator.

"Look in a mirror."

"Your sarcasm does not amuse me." The elevator carried them to the roof.

"Are you taking me to see Chairman Keel?" He gasped when a flash of light blinded him.

*

0850 hr. SEALs, US Navy Special Forces operators from the USS George H. W. Bush, escorted Holly down the hall. Navy fighters and helicopters circled above the building, preventing the JSDF from interfering. (Zeruel had decimated the JSSDF.) They arrived at an intersection. "Where?"

Kaji, his hands tied behind his back, looked left. "There." They marched 50 meters down the hall.

"Gasp!" The SEALs automatically formed a circle around Holly and Kaji, aiming their weapons outwards. Holly could still see the headless bodies. "What the hell happened here?!" She turned sideways. "Mr. Kaji?"

Kaji curled into the fetal position. "Sho, sho, sho, sho, ku..."

"What's so cool?"

"Shockwave..." He shivered in fear; the SEALs had to carry him out of the building.

***

To be concluded...

"Candy!" Titty smiled as she ran from her mother, towards the shelf.

"Titty!" her mother called in frustration as she ran after the four-year-old girl. "Stop! You'll...!" Boom!

"Ahhhh!" Titty raised her arms, shielding her face from the flying candy. When she rose out of the sticky, sweet burial mound, she saw nails embedded in the candy; years later, she learned that the nails were shot out by a terrorist bomb, and the candy had saved her life. "Mommy?" The floor was red, like a giant slice of bread that God had covered in strawberry jam. The jam didn't smell like strawberries, it smelled very bad. "Mommy, I feel sick." As Titty walked away from the shelf, she saw a severed head, shock engraved upon the dead woman's face. "Mommy!"

*

1800 hr, Pacific Time. "Mommy!" 2nd Lt Titania "Titty" Galore rocketed out of the blanket, sitting upright in the hospital bed.

"Titty!" Portia "Pussy" Galore put her hand on her granddaughter's shoulder. "Calm down, it was only a bad dream."

"Granny?" Titty let Pussy embrace her, rocking her like a baby. 'If only...'

Viola, Titty's nine-month-old half-sister, was crying. Her father and her stepmother tried to comfort Viola, before they gave her their attention. "Are you okay, Titania?"

The 14-year-old girl hid her jealousy as she answered, "I'm fine, Dad."

Pussy saw the rage in her eyes. "James, I'd like to speak with Titty. Please excuse us for a moment." She smiled at her son's sense of surprise. "For ladies only."

Senator James Galore hid his jealousy at the bond between his daughter and his mother. "I'll be outside if you need anything."

*

"Why did you agree to pilot the Evangelion?"

Titty shrugged. "I wanted to fly."

Pussy frowned. "Even if it costs you your life?" Blood dotted Titty's hospital gown; the girl was coughing blood when she exited the cockpit.

"There are worse things than death."

"Such as...?"

Titty remembered the day her love was rejected by her best friend. "Loneliness."

Pussy sighed. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

The girl smiled. "Pizza?"

Pussy handed her a cell phone. "Order anything you want; I'll handle the bill." A multimillionaire, she owned the Flying Circus Casinos in Las Vegas and Reno, and five business jets to transport high rollers.

Titty pecked Pussy's cheek. "Thanks, Granny." She dialed the number for her favorite pizzeria.

"Hello, beautiful! You've reached the Goddess Relief Office," greeted a seductive female voice.

Titty's eyes widened with surprise. "Is this Cubby Broccoli's Pizza?"

The voice laughed, amused by the girl's disbelief. "No, beautiful. I'm Urd, Goddess 1st Class, unlimited license." A young woman with white hair, caramel skin, and three blue triangles tattooed on her forehead and cheeks, emerged from the TV. "I'm here to grant you a wish, to let you realize one, and only one,"-- she raised her index finger-- "of your dreams." Titty, mesmerized by the goddess' exotic beauty, let Urd's finger caress her face.

Pussy put her hand behind her back, reaching for the Smith and Wesson Model 386 .357 Magnum revolver in her concealed holster. "Are you a friend of my granddaughter?"

Urd turned to the 88-year-old woman. "No, but I'd like to befriend this beautiful young woman." She turned to Titty. "I can make your fantasy a reality, give you anything you want."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

''Tis but a midsummer night's dream.' Titty laughed. "And if I wish for you to be my lover?" She gasped when Urd floated above the floor, enveloped by light. A whirlwind howled in the room, blowing up the bed sheets and Pussy's coat; Titty unintentionally imitated Marilyn Monroe as she pressed her hands against the front of her billowing gown.

The light and the wind disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. "Your wish has been approved." Urd put an arm around Titty's shoulder, playfully pulling the collar of her gown. "Now that we're lovers, why don't we...?"

Galore, Russhon, and ten SPs burst through the door, aiming firearms at Urd. "Halt!" "Put your hands over your head!" "Get away from my daughter!" "Identify yourself!"

Urd sighed. "When did you humans become so damn paranoid?" Gasps and shouts permeated the room as liquor bottles from the Officer’s Club magically replaced the firearms. "Now, where were we?" She replaced Titty's bloodstained gown with a cocktail dress.

A SP wolf whistled when he saw the dress. He cried when Galore punched the back of his head.

"For heaven's sake, she's only 14!" reminded the outraged father.

Russhon left the room to call Holly. 25 minutes later, Russhon told the Galore family what the exhausted engineer told him. "She really is a goddess."

"If Plt Off Bond was contacted by a goddess 21 days before, why didn't he inform you then?" asked Galore.

"Quote, 'If I had reported this to you, would you have believed me?' unquote."

Galore sighed. "Neither would I." He heard aroused sighs and moans; Urd and Titty were kissing and petting. "Hey!"

Pussy put an arm before her son. "Calm down." She smiled. "The girl just wants to have fun."

"Mother, do not encourage her!"

***

DEATH IS NEVER THE END, Part 8

An Evangelion crossover by Sidewinder (aim9snake@hotmail.com), 2004, last revised 2007. Based on Ian Fleming, Kawamori Shoji, Fujishima Kosuke, AIC, Gainax, Hasbro, Marvel, and Takara's works.

Washu watched the record of a white fighter that transformed into a 44-meter-tall cyborg, formed LH Swords, and attacked a Galaxy Police (GP) fleet. "How did Daluma," leader of the Daluma Pirates Guild, "get his hands on such a weapon?"

"He's formed an alliance with a party that identifies themselves as Cybertronians," answered Tsunami. "We have little information on the Cybertronians; our latest records are dated 2,000,000 years," or 5,000,000 Earth years, "ago."

"Before the Jurai Empire was founded?!"

"Yes."

Washu watched the cyborg single-handedly destroy the entire fleet. "Yosho needs every warship in the fleet to face this dark alliance, doesn't he?"

Tsunami lowered her head, saddened that she couldn't help her sister defend Earth. "Yes."

Washu embraced Tsunami. "Don't be ashamed; I understand."

"Thank you." Tsunami returned to Jurai.

Washu sighed. "I just hope the humans do."

*

Day 29, Fri. 2300 hr. PJs, armed with M29 5.56 mm rifles with integral 25 mm grenade launchers, and FIM-95 Snake Eye surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), surrounded the transport plane the moment it stopped. (The Snake Eye can be IR or laser guided towards airborne or ground targets.) Russhon, Pussy, Titty, and Urd greeted Shiro, Ryoko, and Holly as they exited the plane. "How was your flight?" asked Russhon.

"Uneventful," answered Shiro, who slept during the flight.

"Can we get a room now?" asked Ryoko, who embraced Shiro as he slept.

"Hello, Titty."

"Good evening, Miss Goodhead," greeted the girl, remembering the care Holly gave her after her mother's death.

The engineer turned to Pussy. "You must be Mrs. Galore."

"Miss Galore," she corrected.

"My apologies." Holly shook the woman's hand, before turning to Urd. "Are you the goddess?"

Urd posed, a model at a fashion show. "I'm Urd, Goddess 1st Class, unlimited license." She smiled. "Has anyone told you how beautiful you are?"

"Hey! You're supposed to be my lover!" protested Titty.

Urd continued smiling as she turned to the girl. "Don't be jealous; you think she's beautiful, too. You want her as much as I do." Her lips brushed Titty's ear as she whispered, "You want us both." She laughed when the girl blushed, both embarrassed and aroused.

Holly yawned. "If you don't mind, I'm going to sleep,"-- she frowned at Urd's seductive smile-- "alone." She walked towards an armored car, escorted by four PJs.

Russhon pointed at the girl. "Plt Off Bond, this is Lt Titania Galore, pilot of Evangelion Unit 03."

Shiro saluted. "It's an honor to meet you. I was told you saved Los Angeles from a N² missile," which Ryo-Ohki failed to intercept. 'If it wasn't for her, the blood of a million innocents would be on my hands.'

Titty waved a hand. "Don't be so uptight! Just call me Titty."

"Very well, Titty."

Urd turned to Shiro. "So you're the 'paranoid fruitcake' Peorth keeps talking about." She smiled when the young man blushed, embarrassed by his past behavior.

Russhon pointed at Pussy. "This is..."

"Pussy Galore." She extended her hand. "I believe your grandfather told you about me." She hid her disappointment when Shiro shook her hand instead of kissing it.

"Yes."

"How is James these days? Still... healthy, I hope?"

"Yes, thank you."

"You'll be staying at her hotel. We felt you'd be safer in the city," explained Russhon.

"Very well." Shiro, Ryoko, Titty, and Urd followed Pussy to two helicopters, which took them to the Flying Circus.

15 minutes later, Shiro and Ryoko entered their room. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Let me help." Ryoko reached for the buttons on Shiro's shirt, but he grabbed her hand.

"No." 'I'm unclean; too much blood is on my hands.' He smiled. "Don't worry, I won't take long." He entered the bathroom. As he shampooed his hair, the water in the bathtub parted to reveal a gateway.

A young woman with three blue teardrops tattooed on her forehead and cheeks, wearing a pink suit of armor, rose from the gateway. "You pervert!" She slammed a hammer against Shiro's head, drawing blood.

*

Ryoko laid awake in bed. 'Guilt and grief still weigh down Shiro's heart. How can I raise his spirit?' Boom! Ryoko gasped when she felt Shiro's anger. Jurai energy permeated the room, like smoke from a raging fire; Shiro had changed into his dark angel form. "Shiro!" She formed a LH Sword as a young woman crashed through the wall.

"Roarrrr!" Bolts shot towards the young woman, who defended herself with a LH Wing.

"Eek!" The bolts exploded upon the wing, obscuring the young woman's vision. She didn't know Zeruel had teleported behind her. The dark angel raised his sword to kill his enemy...

"Skuld!" Urd flew between the combatants, shielding the young woman with her body. Fortunately, Zeruel was able to terminate his attack; three white hairs floated onto the floor, the only damage Urd received.

Titty charged into the room, holding her MP7s. "What happened?!" She pointed the barrels at the ceiling; she sensed that Zeruel wasn't a threat. "Who is she?" She stared at the young woman in Urd's arms.

"This is Skuld, my sister." Urd turned to the Goddess 2nd Class, limited license. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Skuld angrily pointed at Zeruel. "I'm saving you from that evil pervert! How dare he wish you to be his lover! In the name of the future, I will punish him!"

Titty blushed as she holstered her MP7s and approached Skuld. "Shiro didn't make that wish; I did."

"What?!" Skuld's eyes widened with disbelief as she stared at the girl in a Lara Croft costume: sunglasses, a black sports bra, a load bearing vest (LBV) with two holsters and six ammo pouches, BDU pants, a Jolly Roger on her brass belt buckle, and combat boots. "But... but... but..."

"Don't blame her for who I am," said Urd. "I'm bisexual; I've lusted for other women since adolescence."

Skuld turned to Urd. "You... you... you..."

Ryoko put her hand on Zeruel's shoulder, feeling the bony plates retract beneath his skin, and the muscles shrink to their normal size. "Shiro?"

The young man shivered, fearing not Skuld or the punishment she promised to deliver, but himself. "Help me..." Ryoko embrace him as she called Washu, who had her codec frequency.

At 2335 hr, Washu finished her examination. "He's in perfect health."

"Becoming a monster does not fit my definition of perfect health," deadpanned Shiro.

Washu shrugged. "Like the Jurai royal family, you bear genes that allow you to transform into your warrior form; now that these genes are active, you might as well learn how to control your transformation." The goddess turned to Titty, whose eyes expressed the fear that she might become a monster. "You too."

Pussy watched Urd and Skuld magically repair the damage to the room. "James..."

"The genes are inactive in your son or your lover, although they may be able to draw Jurai energy from an appropriate source."

"Will you teach the children how to control their powers?"

"Of course! I'm the beautiful Goddess of the Mind, and the greatest scientific genius in the entire universe!"

Pussy turned to Titty, who had a codec. "Titty dear, please call Gen Russhon. We'll need to reserve one of the Air Force's bombing ranges."

*

Day 30, Sat. 1100 hr, Jerusalem Time. The US had shared OT with Israel, which then transferred the blueprints to China despite the US reluctance to share the alien technology with her longtime rival. In return, China delayed the approval of a resolution restricting Evangelion technology, until the PLA had transferred Unit 02's blueprints to the IDF. Arael had logged 97 flying hours on the J-11N, but he was placed on medical leave after the "incident." The pilot spent most of this time studying the tactics and techniques used by the 4th Child, preparing himself for future battles.

In Lt Gen David Lavi's office, a monitor displayed images from a surveillance camera in the pilot's room. The IDF/AF general saw that Arael was watching videos of Evangelion Unit 04's battle against Ramiel. Then Lavi examined an x-ray of the pilot's chest. A white sphere, the size of a golf ball, had appeared in Arael's liver. "Can Arael be trusted to pilot Samson 1?" the IDF/AF Evangelion.

Russhon's voice answered the question with another question, through Lavi's satellite phone. "I thought you knew the answer to that. Didn't you perform a background check on Lt Barak when you recruited him?"

"We investigated the possibility that he may be, or become, an enemy spy. We didn't investigate the possibility that he may be, or become, a demon. If he..."

"We must take the risk; I doubt we have a choice."

*

An MP entered Arael's room. "Lt Barak, you are to report to Gen Lavi's office, immediately."

"Wilco." Arael, escorted by four MPs, marched towards the office. "Lt Arael Barak, reporting as ordered, Sir."

"Enter." Lavi watched Arael enter the office and salute him. "The Americans are offering us the use of Edwards AFB, including the OT research facility."

Arael frowned in suspicion. "In exchange for..."

"For our aid in fighting the Valkyries, the alien robots that attacked Matsushiro, took control of Unit 04, and used it to decimate Japan's defenses." (This deception shielded the JSSDF officers collaborating with the US occupation forces. Russhon asked Lavi to conceal the truth on what happened to Shiro and the Eva; the IDF/AF general agreed.)

"They want us to serve as cannon fodder?"

"They want us to help them resist an alien invasion, a possibility no longer confined within a fantasy." Lavi sighed. "If you're hesitant, I understand; we may be asking too much from a 14-year-old."

Arael interpreted this as a challenge, and was determined to meet it. "I'll give anything, including my life, for the defense of Israel and her people. I understand that you feel sinful for asking a child like me to assume such risks, yet you never question its necessity. I willingly take these risks so that no others will have to, so that no other children of Israel will suffer what I've suffered," he swore, remembering the suicide bombing that killed his parents.

"Your determination is commendable." Lavi handed Arael a folder. "Here's info on the pilots you'll be training with. I believe you know some of them."

Arael studied the files. Shiro Bond was already a legend. (He knew nothing about Ryoko; Fuyutsuki claimed Unit 01A was controlled by a dummy plug.) He didn't recognize Unit 03's new pilot, and reminded himself to learn more about her. The H-8... "Nazhi's going?" he asked, remembering the girl who saved his life.

"The Americans made the same offer to the Chinese; they accepted." Lavi saw the desire in Arael's eyes. "Here." He handed the boy a government credit card and a business card for a florist in Las Vegas. "Send her a dozen roses."

Arael blushed. "T-t-thank you, Sir."

*

"Osato is dead," reported Agent Smith, who disguised himself as a US Navy Hospital Corpsman in order to enter the USS George H. W. Bush's infirmary and perform the assassination.

"And what of the double agent?" demanded Keel.

"He is under 24 hr surveillance; I cannot silence him without arousing suspicion..."

"Which will lead to your capture. I understand," stated Zorin. "Continue..." He turned rearwards; the door to his throne, the VR communications room that linked him to Seele's 14 other members, was open. "Who dares?!"

Fuyutsuki Kozo robotically marched into the room, followed by a man with a familiar face. "Master, I..."

Zorin drew a pistol. "Kaji!" An EMP destroyed the security camera.

"Gasp!" "What the devil?!" Fear, born of confusion, gripped the hearts of Seele's 14 other members. They asked countless questions, but received no answers.

*

1005 hr, Berlin Time. "Wow!" Hikari marveled at Evangelion Unit 09, which stood in its cage like the Great Buddha that was carved on the side of Le Mountain, in China.

Misato sadly smiled, remembering way she marveled at Unit 02 as Asuka served as her tour guide, acting more mature than the ten-year-old really was. "The Eva is equipped with Overtechnology armor, which..."

"Why are you here?" a young man demanded in the chilling tone military intelligence officers used to interrogate prisoners.

Hikari gasped when she recognized the young man. 'He's changed so much!' Toji had let his hair grow long, instead of getting a crew cut like the JSSDF soldiers he once respected; his eyes no longer expressed his rage against an unjust world, but resignation of his fate. "I-- I came to pilot an Evangelion." She suppressed her shivering. "How have you been?"

"You must sacrifice your humanity to pilot an Eva; you must become a monster." He pointed at the exit. "Leave."

"Toji-kun, what the hell are you doing?" demanded Misato.

Hikari ignored the woman. "I won't. The people of the world need my help; my family needs my help."

Toji put his arm around Hikari's shoulder, jumped 10 m into the air, and landed upon the control booth. "Tell me the truth! Did NERV gain your cooperation with bribes, or threats?"

"Let me go!" Hikari was surprised when Toji complied, and nearly fell off the booth. "Eek!" After she recovered her footing, she angrily turned to the young man. "The robot soldiers shot my older sister," a nurse who was on duty when JSSDF soldiers entered the hospital in search of Shiro. "She's in a wheelchair now; she needs constant medical attention! I have to..." She turned away so Toji couldn't see her cry.

The young man put his hand on her shoulder. "Look at me."

"Why...?" Hikari nearly collapsed when Toji's eyes became red fires burning into her soul.

"I'm already a monster; I've killed four men and feasted upon their flesh. I pilot Unit 02 because there's nothing else I can do now; I don't want you to share my fate."

"But if I don't, who does? Can you choose someone to take my place, to take this risk?"

Toji couldn't answer her; he could only carry her onto the catwalk, where Misato protectively embraced the girl.

Langley and Keel stared at a monitor, which displayed images from the cage security cameras. Misato sternly lectured Toji, who arrogantly ignored her. "Can we trust the boy?"

"No, but we can control him."

"How will we deal with the rogue Evas?" A second monitor showed the video of Zorin's throne. "If Seele 03 confesses to Agent Kaji," who was in Las Vegas, where his every move was monitored by SPs under Russhon's command, "or Gen Russhon..."

"We will find a permanent solution to this problem." A third monitor showed Unit 05A and the Lance of Longinus, which was recently recovered from the Antarctic; both were vital components of Seele's plans. "Kaoru."

The boy's smiling visage replaced the video of Unit 05A. "Yes... Father?"

"The operation will commence in 72 hr. Will you be ready by then?"

"Yes... Father."

*

Day 31, Sun. 1315 hr, Pacific Time. Titty posed before a mirror. "This isn't so bad." Her warrior form, protected by bony armor, resembled Nightbird, the female ninja who fought against and, later, with Lara in 'Tomb Raiders: Inferno'.

Urd admired the way the blood-red cuirass, pauldrons, and tassets accentuated Titty's figure. "Your warrior form has better fashion sense than the Jurai."

"You look so cool!" added Ryo-Ohki.

"Thanks." Titty turned to Washu. "But why is Shiro's warrior form so... gothic?"

"He evolved in order to survive in his environment."

"He became a monster to fight monsters," interpreted Titty.

"Affirmative."

"Was Ryoko also born to fight monsters?" asked Urd. Washu lowered her head, ashamed. "Did Kagato...?"

"I designed Ryoko's warrior form," admitted Washu. "I planned to use Ryoko as a weapon, an instrument of revenge; I didn't see her as a child, someone to share my love with, until Kagato..."

"Lady Washu!" called Holly.

"Call me Washu-chan!" The goddess insisted on being addressed by this honorific, which made her seem younger.

"My apologies, Washu-chan." Holly handed her a file, which the director of the H-8 Project faxed to Russhon. "Here's the file on the H-8 pilot, who'll be arriving in,"-- she glanced at her watch-- "ten minutes."

"Why should I...?" Washu's eyes widened with surprise when she recognized the pilot's name.

*

1330 hr. "Jan 1, 2005: Xian construction workers discover alien spaceship while digging... PLA and MSS contacted...

"Jan 5: MSS Capt Wei Lin ordered to transport alien spaceship to Nanyuan AFB... Stasis pod, labeled 'Nazhi', discovered during examination of alien spaceship. Pod contained one humanoid female, approximate age 4. Female awakened..."

Washu stopped reading the file to watch Russhon greet Col Wei Lin and her foster daughter, Nazhi. Poisonous envy filled the goddess' heart as Lin doted on the girl, who, addicted to this love, would fight to the death for her foster mother. Washu wanted to tell Nazhi, formerly known as Nagi, the truth: that she was the girl's mother, who built the girl with her ova to serve as a control subject. (Ryoko, the experimental subject, was implanted with the gems that now power her.) She wanted to take care of "Nagi," to make the girl a member of her family, but "Nazhi" was already a member of someone else's family. 'If only...'

"Mama!" Ryo-Ohki embraced Washu, surprising her and nearly scattering the papers into the wind. "Titty-chan and Urd-neechan are going shopping after today's training, and they've invited me and Ryoko-neechan! Can I go? Pretty please?" Her eyes widened, a kitten demanding attention and affection.

Washu sadly smiled, remembering the fact that she almost lost her third daughter, who was also under Kagato's control. "Yes, just remember not to spend too much..." Whoosh! She generated a LH Wing, shielding them from a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG).

"For Earth!" "For the future!" The Earth Liberation Front (ELF), environmental activists turned terrorists, filled the air with bullets and RPGs, determined to destroy the evil government's satanic, nuclear powered war machines.

"Niang!" Nazhi generated a wing, shielding Lin and Russhon from a RPG.

"You should raise the alert level of your security," deadpanned Lin, sensing that the men and women in BDUs weren't USAF personnel. As she aimed her QSZ92-5.8 semiautomatic pistol, the H-8 formed a LH Sword and cut her target, and 20 other terrorists, in half. The ELF cell leader could only watch in horror as the Eva cut 30 more people in half; when Nazhi put a sword against her throat, she quietly surrendered.

Russhon watched the unmanned Eva march away from him, searching for another target. "The H-8 has a dummy plug?"

"No." Lin smiled at Russhon. "Nazhi's powers are beyond my comprehension."

Washu's divine ears heard Lin's comment. "But not mine," she thought as SPs entered the hangar and arrested the cell leader.

*

"Who authorized the attack?!" demanded Keel. Silence answered him. In frustration, he typed a code, changing Seele 06's throne into an electric chair; the Japanese cell leader screamed as he was executed for the actions of Osato, his late client. "I say again, who authorized the attack?!" A vidwindow displayed a copy of an email signed by Keel.

Seele 09 nervously answered, "You did." He screamed as he shared Seele 06's fate.

"How dare you accuse me of such incompetence? I am aware of...!" Keel's respirator whirred, straining to provide air as he took deep breaths to calm himself. "There is a traitor in our midst. I recommend postponing Operation Fallen, and to use this time to conduct an investigation. All in favor?" The 12 surviving cell leaders unanimously voted, "Aye." "Until all are one." After he terminated communications, he felt his foster son put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Kaoru, I am advancing Operation Fallen by 24 hr. Will you be ready by then?"

Kaoru smiled. "Yes... Father."

*

2300 hr, GMT. M watched the video that an unidentified informant sent to James.

"How will we deal with the rogue Evas?" asked Langley. "If Seele 03 confesses to Agent Kaji or Gen Russhon..."

"We will find a permanent solution to this problem," said Keel, whose visor couldn't conceal his true identity.

"Ernst Stavro Blofeld," hissed James, controlling his hatred of the man who murdered his wife.

"The head of SPECTRE? I thought he was dead?" asked M.

"He only lives thrice." James pulled back the slide of his PPK, comforted by the sight of a bullet in the chamber.

M shivered as James' eyes became cold and hard, like the barrel of his weapon. "Don't be rash, Bond! The man is a German national within German borders! We must first...!"

"He commands Prof Langley; through him, he commands NERV Germany and the three Evas there. If he destroys Units 01A, 03, and 04..."

"The Multipurpose Humanoid Fighting Machines are the only things that can stand up to the alien enemy! He must be mad to seek their destruction!"

"Blofeld is already mad."

Silence filled the office, like poison gas; M acted as if opening her mouth would result in her death. Finally, she summoned the courage to ask, "How can we approach him?"

"By stealth."

"I'll have Q Branch prepare NERV Germany IDs."

"I will be there in 30 minutes." James reached for the doorknob.

"You don't mean to perform the assassination yourself?!"

"I do. I must make certain that Blofeld and SPECTRE will no longer threaten the people of the world." At 2310 hr, he emailed the video to Shiro.

*

1545 hr, Pacific Time. "What is the Human Instrumentality Project, anyways?" demanded Russhon.

"Keel claimed that it would unite all men under heaven; for this, he ordered the UN Security Council to fund Gehirn and the Evangelion Project. He told me nothing else," answered Kaji.

"If the Evas are so important to this project, why did Blofeld, alias Lorenz, give us the blueprints?"

"He may control the UN Security Council, but he knows the United Nations cannot unite all men under heaven; the resources he needs to advance the project are still controlled by sovereign nations."

"So he offered us the Evas as weapons, and we were gullible enough to buy them." Russhon turned to the door. "Anything else I should know about?"

"You know the proverb, 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend,' yes?"

"Yes."

"I doubt this is the case."

"You mean the video is just bait?" Russhon interpreted Kaji's silence as an affirmative. "Who's holding the fishing pole? The Valkyries?"

"I don't know her name, but..." Kaji shivered; his mind became sensitive to psychic energy after Shockwave invaded it. "I know she's coming. I can feel her darkness... her evil... burn me like a midnight sun."

Russhon wanted to accuse Kaji of being a liar or a lunatic, but his instincts told him...

*

1600 hr. Washu examined the thermonuclear turbine she modified. "This should work." She psychokinetically inserted the turbines into the housings in Unit 04's lower legs; the Eva should now be able to fly at 0.0454 c (490,000 km/h in vacuum), like a Cybertronian. (The goddess had measured the Eva pilots' reflexes, and determined the evolved Children could safely pilot at such velocities. The cockpits now had inertial dampeners to protect the pilots from the G-forces generated at such velocity.) Washu sensed someone enter the hangar, and turned her head. "Hi... Nazhi."

The girl wore a "key," a waterproof cartridge containing computer codes to arm YJ-12 cruise missiles and their 200-kt nuclear warheads, on a cable around her neck. (Red tape encircled the key to alert PLAAF officers of its use.) "Good afternoon, Miss Hakubi."

Washu laughed. "There's no need for formality. Just call me... Washu-chan."

Nazhi nodded. "When will the Flying Sword's modifications be completed?"

"After Shiro performs a static test of Unit 04's modifications. I can boost a turbine in 15 minutes, but Cybertronian technology is very different from Jurai technology." She took the girl's hand. "I'll never forgive myself if you're hurt because I made a mistake."

Nazhi freed her hand; the woman's display of affection made her uncomfortable. "Thank you for your concern, Miss Washu."

Washu hid her sadness. "Nazhi, you were adopted, right?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever wanted to meet your real mother?"

Nazhi raised her head, as if she could see through the ceiling. "Sometimes I stare at the stars, wondering which one I came from. Then Niang," Mom, the title she knew Lin by, "would hug me and ask if I wanted to go home." She smiled as she looked into Washu's eyes. "I'd hug her and say, 'I am home.'"

"You really love Col Wei, don't you?"

"Of course!"

Washu sadly smiled. "She's lucky to have a daughter like you." The goddess turned away. "Excuse me, I have to use the restroom." She teleported out of the hangar so Nazhi wouldn't see her cry.

*

Day 32, Mon. 0950 hr, Berlin Time. Keel Lorenz, formerly known as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, stood in the control booth, watching a mechanical arm insert dummy plugs into Units 06 and 07. "Soon..." He heard the door open, and turned rearwards. "Bond!" He aimed the integral SMG in his right arm.

*

The projector displayed a satellite image of Edwards AFB, where Unit 03 faced Ryo-Ohki's powered armor form in hand-to-hand combat training, while Samson and the H-8 faced Ryoko. (The image was taken at 2200 hr, Pacific Time, when airmen still labored day and night to repair Unit 04.) "Team One," Units 05A, 06, and 07, "will capture the enemy Valkyries or, failing that, destroy them." (Team One's Evas each carried a second dummy plug in a weapons bay, which they'd insert into the rogue Evas' entry plug sockets.) The projector displayed map of Las Vegas. "The Valkyries have set up a command post here." Langley pointed at the Flying Circus. "Team Two," Units 02 and 09, "will destroy it."

Bang! Toji turned to the control booth. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" asked Hikari, whose senses weren't enhanced by Jurai blood.

"It sounded like gunfire." Toji stood up.

Kaoru smiled. "Don't be so jumpy, Suzuhara-kun! There's nothing you can do to save him, anyways."

"What...?" He saw light in Kaoru's hand, and instinctively ducked; the LH Sword pierced his liver, missing his S² organ by 5 cm. "Argh!"

"Toji!" Hikari reached for her P990.

*

James felt Tsunami's power surge through him as the Sword of Heaven and Earth parried the bullet and chopped off Keel's right arm.

"Argh!" Sparks flew from the stump as Keel clutched it. His visor couldn't hide the anger and hatred in his eyes as James aimed the sword at his throat.

"The only reason you're still alive is because I have questions. Answer them, and I won't kill you. What do you intend to accomplish by destroying the American Evas?"

"Destroy them?" Keel laughed. "I'm not so foolish that I'd destroy the instruments I need to achieve Instrumentality."

"Instrumentality?"

"By nature, the human race is an evolutionary dead end; now it has reached its limit as a colony of flawed individuals. An artificial miracle, performed by an artificial God, is necessary for humanity to evolve into a perfect, single being. Through Instrumentality-- through the Evas-- I will create a perfect world!"

"Do you know how many lives you've destroyed to create this perfect world?" James frowned; he knew Keel didn't care about the human price. "A monster like you has no place in heaven."

"Heaven, the perfect world, is a void. Creation... the universe and the life that infests it... they destroyed the void, the perfect world, by filling it. Now I will restore heaven by destroying all creation," declared a female voice.

Keel gasped. "Yui Ikari?!"

James kept his sword at Keel's throat, while his left arm drew a PPK and aimed it at the woman's head. 'The genetic engineer who designed Evangelion Unit 01? But she died ten years ago!' "Who are you?"

The woman smiled. "You know me by the name you gave me: Lilith. Now I will tell you my true name: Unicron." She generated Angolomois energy-- what Keel called an anti-AT field. "Take this knowledge with you... into the void." Keel screamed as his body dissolved; James growled as the sword strained to protect him, using Tsunami's power to generate a LH Wing. "Do not resist; your end will be less painful..."

Suddenly, James used the sword to shatter the window, and jumped out of the booth. "Ahhhh!"

*

0252 hr, Pacific Time. Shiro formed a LH Sword as he jumped out of bed, slashing at thin air.

An intangible Ryoko flew through the wall of his hotel room, sensing his distress. "Are you okay?"

"Grandpa..."

*

0953 hr, Berlin Time. Unicron's avatar, the puppet that Osato identified as Ikari Yui, looked through the window; the body had disappeared. 'So, Primus' bitch took him. No matter; the void shall consume them all.' Unicron decided to advance her plan. "Chains of Power, return to me!" Blinding light enveloped the avatar as it became a beacon, summoning Unicron's true form from the Astral Plane.

*

Hikari cried as Kaoru's LH Wing pressed her against the wall, threatening to crush her skull and ribcage. The 5th Child smiled as he released her. "Gasp!" She collapsed onto the floor; the sight of Langley’s dismembered corpse, covering the floor with internal organs made external, greeted her.

Kaoru summoned the P990 into his hand, and crushed the pistol. "Good little girls don't play with guns,"-- he turned to Toji-- "right, 6th Child?"

"Gasp!" Toji felt the sword spin towards his S² organ; he bit his lip, denying the 5th Child the satisfaction of hearing him scream.

"W-w-why are you d-doing this, Nagisa-kun?" asked Hikari.

Kaoru frowned. "Nagisa Kaoru is the name Keel Lorenz gave me, the name with which he intended to control me. I will not be controlled by an insect." He spun the sword again.

"Ahhhh!" screamed Toji.

"My true name is Kagato; tell this to Hel," Goddess of Death, "when you..." Kagato turned to the door, shocked. "Unicron, no!" Crash! Unit 02 reached through the ready room's walls to save Toji and Hikari. Kagato howled as the ceiling collapsed upon him, followed by the Eva's boot. Splat!

Hikari suppressed her fear as Unit 02 held her in its left hand. "Toji, are you okay?"

Toji coughed blood as Jurai energy flowed through his body, healing him. "I-- I'll be fine. Where's your older sister?"

"Kodoma's in the base hospital..."

"That's within the blast radius! We have to get her out of there!" Unit 02 sensed his distress, and placed the two into its entry plug.

Hikari remembered not to panic as LCL filled the cockpit. "Blast radius? Are the Americans launching nuclear missiles at us?!"

"No human weapon is capable of matching Unicron's destructive power," stated Toji as Unit 02 rocketed through the cage ceiling.

*

Horaki Kodoma saw pillar of fire rise into the sky. "What happened?"

Misato knew Unit 02’s turbines projected the fire. (She knew nothing about Operation Fallen; Langley knew she'd warn Shiro if she learned of the operation.) "It looks like Toji-kun is... Gasp!" A sonic boom broke the window; Misato instinctively raised her arms to protect her face.

Unit 02 used a finger to clear the glass from the windowsill. "Misato-han, we must get out of here!" Toji opened the hatch.

"What...? Hey!" exclaimed Misato as Unit 02 grabbed her and Kodoma.

"Help!" screamed the young woman as she was lifted out of her wheelchair.

"Big Sister!" Hikari embraced Kodoma.

"Hikari-chan? What...? Eek!" Kodoma braced her hands against the LCDs as Unit 02 climbed.

Misato angrily gripped Toji's collar. "Pilot Suzuhara, I demand...!" She saw light behind the young man, chasing the Eva. "God have mercy..."

"I hope he does," deadpanned Toji as he pushed the throttle, ignoring the warning "TURBINE 1, 2, OVERHEATING".

Unit 01 hovered above Hannover. The Lance of Longinus pierced the back of the Eva's neck as it fused with Unit 01; it became like mercury, flowing through the Eva's arteries. "Return me to my true form. Evangelize all life on Earth and restore the planet to her original state," ordered Unicron. Unit 01's arms became leathery wings, which it crossed over its breasts to form armor. Spikes extended from Unit 01's shoulders and feet; Units 05A and 06 impaled their feet upon Unit 01's shoulders, forming new arms, while Units 07 and 09 impaled their feet upon Unit 01's, forming new legs. "With indiscriminate death and destruction, I will return the universe to its original state." The reptilian heads of Units 05A, 06, 07, and 09, the combined Eva's hands and feet, roared. "Let all souls find peace... in the void!"

Screams filled the entry plug as the light burned away Unit 02's lower body; it couldn't climb fast enough. Unicron consumed NERV Germany's 2nd branch; sensing a time-space distortion, she returned to the safety of the Astral Plane.

*

0255 hr, Pacific Time. Russhon watched static cloud the monitors as the spy satellites were destroyed. "What the hell was that?!"

"Trouble." Washu used her computer to contact her daughters. "Ryo-Ohki."

Ryo-Ohki was visibly shaken; she sensed Unicron's evil. "Y-y-yes, Mama?"

"Come to the command center."

"Okay, Mama." The feral girl teleported into the room.

"Ryoko..."

Ryoko and Shiro teleported into the room. "Is an Angel attacking from the east?" they simultaneously asked.

"It's a chaos-bringer, a demon of destruction," answered Washu. "We goddesses have faced those things in the past, but never one this,"-- she shivered-- "powerful."

Although Russhon wasn't a psychic, and couldn't sense Unicron's presence, he shared the goddess' fear. "Call Lt..."

The radio buzzed; Nazhi and Arael simultaneously called, "Gen Russhon."

Urd and Titty emerged from a monitor. "Please tell me that wasn't a chaos-bringer!"

"It is," answered Washu.

"Damn."

"That thing's in Hannover! What the hell are those Seele people doing with it?!" wondered Russhon.

Shiro teleported into Unit 04's cockpit, using one of the techniques he learned through his mental link to Ryoko. Five sec later, the radio buzzed as he announced, "System is go," after examining the power, flight, electronic, and weapons systems. "What's the status of the target?"

Washu no longer had a headache. "I don't sense its presence in real space or hyperspace... it might be in the Astral Plane."

"I'll check it out." Unit 04 exited its hangar.

"Wait for me!" Ryoko became intangible and flew through the ceiling.

Titty turned to Urd. "Please teleport me into Lara," the name she gave to Unit 03. (A pinup of Lara Croft, a blazing MP7 in each hand, adorned the sides of the Eva's head.)

Urd sighed at the girl's desire to prove herself. "Take care." She linked a monitor to a LCD in the Eva's cockpit.

"Thanks." Titty quickly kissed Urd before she stepped through the monitor. "System is go." Rails guided the Eva's machine pistol-- a 120 mm automatic cannon resembling the MP7-- from the weapons bay in its left vambrace, to its hand. "Let's rock!" Lara rocketed into the sky, chasing Ryoko and Unit 04. Boom! A 170-meter-long cruiser eclipsed the moon as it exited hyperspace. "What the hell...? Shit!" she cursed as the cruiser rained missiles and laser beams upon the Evas.

Astromammoth, formerly known as Astrotrain, shouted, "Vehicons, attack!" 20 upgraded Transformers followed him into battle.

"Ryoko!" Washu turned to her youngest daughter. "Ryo-Ohki, change into your powered armor form; we must help Ryoko!" 'I won't lose her again!'

"Okay, Mama!" Ryo-Ohki's skin became red, like iron oxide.

"Not in here!" Washu grabbed Ryo-Ohki's hand, became intangible, and pulled her through the ceiling. "Out here!"

"Oops! Sorry, Mama!" Ryo-Ohki's powered armor form resembled a 40-meter-tall robot rabbit with feline fangs and claws. Washu led her into the air.

A blue fighter transformed into a panther. "Kill!" Nightracer slashed at Lara. Her claws slid harmlessly against the AT field, but they distracted the Eva pilot. A pink fighter circled around Lara, transformed into a fox, and sank her fangs into the Eva's throat. "Finish her!" encouraged Nightracer. Lara formed a sword; the fox yelped as it fell, bleeding from a deep abdominal wound. "Elita-1!"

Titty coughed blood as the Eva put its hand over its throat, trying to stop the bleeding. 'I'm not finished yet!' She lunged at Nightracer; the Eva's machine pistol rained depleted uranium (DU) penetrators upon the Vehicon, who spun like a ballerina to dodge the shots.

"For Starscream!" declared Scramjet as the head of his warhammer slammed into Unit 04's sword, bending it; when the sword straightened, the Eva was thrown backwards, out of control. "For Dirge!" He swung again. Unit 04 somersaulted; the blow missed its head by two meters. "For Thrust!" As he drew back his arms to swing again, Unit 04 lunged, thrusting its sword through the Seeker's armpit. "Argh!" The sword reached for his S² engine...

Slash! "Howl!" The Eva's sword dissipated as it recoiled from the blow, bleeding from a horizontal cut on its back.

"Use your CPU, bonehead!" Grimlock dived after Unit 04, determined to defeat his enemy. The Eva launched eight AMRAAMs, forcing Grimlock to slow down as he parried the missiles.

Unit 04 somersaulted before climbing towards the Vehicon, forming two swords. Clang! Shiro was strong and fast enough to simultaneously block Slammer's warhammer and Snarl's halberd, but doing so left him defenseless against Swoop and Slag's swords. "Howl!"

"Shiro!" Ryoko wanted to help her lover, but she couldn't; Shrapnel, Bombshell, and Kickback relentlessly attacked her.

"Ryoko!" "Sis!" Washu and Ryo-Ohki each fired 30 energy bolts at the giant stag beetle, Hercules beetle, and locust. A white fighter dived before the bolts, transformed into a 44-meter-tall cyborg, formed two LH Swords, and parried the bolts. "Damn!" they cursed as Jazz transformed into a cheetah and charged.

The H-8 and Samson had just exited the hangar when Vehicons surrounded them. Nazhi gripped her key. "Request permission to use Leishenchui," thunder god's hammer, the codename for the YJ-12 cruise missiles mounted beneath the H-8's forearms.

"Granted!" answered Lin.

Nazhi shattered one of her LH wings into 27 razor-sharp fragments, overwhelming a Vehicon's defenses and slamming her enemy against the runway. Rails guided two "pistols," 280 mm automatic cannons, into Samson's hands; Arael rained shells upon the Vehicons, covering Nazhi as she aimed the four-missile launcher on the H-8's left arm at Astromammoth. Boom! A superlaser beam vaporized the pavement beneath their feet, throwing both Evas into the air. "Howl!" "Ahhhh!"

"Evangelion pilots!" called Shockwave as he aimed his superlaser. "Land and exit the cockpits, or I will delete all humans from this planet, beginning with the 4,210,000 in city of Las Vegas!" The Vehicons retreated from their opponents, allowing the Eva pilots to see a violet star, Shockwave's gunship mode.

Russhon, Holly, and Lin simultaneously called Washu. "Is the Valkyrie bluffing?"

Washu scanned Shockwave, who was linked to the plasma energy chamber. (Hyperwave transmitters, assembled beneath Cybertron's surface, sent energy to the six receivers set upon his S² engine.) "His laser can project over 10,000,000,000,000,000 GJ of energy!" The answer confused the officers. "That's over 2,400,000 gigatons, enough to vaporize the entire continent of North America!" if Shockwave was willing to meltdown his S² engine, destroying himself; Washu sensed that the Vehicon was willing to risk this.

"What?!" "Damn!" "You must be joking!" Lin's protest was ignored as Units 03 and 04 landed, Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki changed into their human forms, and Nazhi and Arael exited the cockpits of their Evas. Astromammoth transformed into a mammoth as he landed, aiming his flamethrower trunk and howitzer tusks at the control tower.

Nightracer's fingers encircled Titty. "Good girl." She turned to Elita-1. "Are you okay?"

Elita-1 repaired herself. "Yes, thank you." She followed Nightracer as the Vehicons carried Washu, Ryoko, Ryo-Ohki, and the pilots to the hangar.

*

Toji sat before a fire, hearing metal sing as knives clashed against one another. A man in a UNSF uniform defeated a man in a USAF uniform; his prize was the thigh of the wild boar that a Viking cooked over the fire.

'Here.' The man handed Toji the meat. The wounds of both combatants were magically healed.

'Thank you, Sir.' The meat was delicious.

'It's the least I can do to repay the friendship you gave to my son. How's Kensuke?'

'He's in America, with his maternal grandparents. He said he was fine in his last email.' Toji examined his environment. 'Where am I?'

'Valhalla.' Strong but gentle arms encircled him.

'Asuka?' He turned his head and felt the girl's lips upon his own.

Asuka reluctantly terminated the kiss. 'I wish I could remember this.'

'Why not?'

'You still live, while I must sacrifice my memories of this life to live again.'

'I'd rather...'

'No.' She put her finger before his lips, silencing him. 'The people you love, the people who love you, still need you. You must be strong.' She pressed her forehead against his. 'I know you fear this strength; you fear it'll corrupt you, changing you into a monster. But you have a choice; you can be a hero.'

'A hero?'

'Yes. Jurai energy can heal as well as harm; you can heal the terrible wounds of Hikari's older sister.' She kissed him. 'I must go now.' She stood up. 'Please take care of yourself.'

A woman approached the lovers. 'Thank you for the loving care you gave my daughter.' Mother and daughter faded away.

'Goodbye, Asuka.'

*

1005 hr, Berlin Time. "Toji!" "Toji-kun!"

The young man opened his eyes. "Hikari-chan? Misato-han?"

The girl embraced him. "Thank heavens you're all right!"

"Is your sister...?"

Kodoma grunted in pain. "I'm alive." She felt Toji's hand upon her abdomen. "What are you...? Gasp!" She felt fire burn within her. 'My legs!' She involuntarily kicked the LCDs. "I-- I can walk?!"

"Yes." Toji extended the entry plug. "We must find our fathers and our younger sisters." He opened the hatch.

"Gasp!" Kodoma embraced Hikari, trying to shield her younger sister.

20 Vehicons aimed their weapons at Unit 02's wreckage, ready to transform the Evangelion-- and the humans inside-- into vapor. The strike team leader raised his head, as if he heard something; then the Vehicons flew away.

Toji saw mushroom clouds rise in the north, south, and west; the Vehicons were attacking the thrones. "It's begun."

Misato nodded. "The end of Seele."

0310 hr, Pacific Time. Kaji shivered as Jazz placed him before his doppelganger. "Shockwave."

The replicant-- Shockwave's avatar-- smiled. "You remember me." He turned to Washu. "You are Hakubi Washu, a high ranking member of the Jurai government."

Washu frowned. "I'm the Goddess of the Mind!" she angrily corrected.

Shockwave frowned. "You lie. Primus is the one true god, creator of Yggdrasil."

Washu hid her sense of surprise. 'How can he know Father's name?!' "Believe whatever you want."

Shockwave turned to Shiro. "You are Plt Off Shiro Bond."

"Yes."

"I will negotiate with you." Shockwave put his hand on Shiro's shoulder.

A blinding light enveloped Shiro and the avatar. Ryoko stepped forward, crying, "Shiro!" She frowned as Astromammoth raised a foot, ready to crush every human in the hangar.

"Quiet!" ordered the mammoth. He slowly lowered his foot when the living weapon controlled her anger.

Ryoko hid her sense of surprise when a video of the moon was projected onto the lower left corner of her eye. 'That's my Shiro!' Washu had modified the codecs so the Cybertronians couldn't intercept their transmissions.

"Who's Unicron? Why do you fear him?" asked Shiro.

Washu eavesdropped on the negotiations. 'Unicron? The Dark God whose power Tokimi,' her sister, the Goddess of Shadow who went insane and stole Washu's divine powers, confining her in mortal form for 19,400 Earth years, 'coveted?'

"Unicron claimed to be the Dark God of Destruction, destined to consume the entire universe," answered the avatar. "Unicron attacked Cybertron 4,000,000 Earth years ago; we suffered 70 to 75% casualties in the battle to defend our home planet. We destroyed 60 to 80% of Unicron's frame, but failed to destroy his CPU, which drifted out of weapons range. During this time, the Jurai established a colony on Earth, unaware that Unicron's CPU was buried there." Behind Shockwave, a hologram projector displayed a map of the Jurai Empire; the solar system was marked, "ZZ QUARANTINE ZONE. UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY WILL RESULT IN SUMMARY EXECUTION."

"The 13th Emperor of Jurai visited the colony 2017 Earth years ago, and reportedly sensed an evil spirit's presence; he ordered the colonists' evacuation, and designated your solar system a quarantine zone." The projector displayed a copy of Imperial Order 9181931. "Based on the Emperor's description, I calculate a 58.0% probability that Unicron was the presence he sensed." The projector displayed a photo, dated May 29, 1977, of Lorenz examining "Lilith." "The human religious organization, Seele, discovered the CPU and created a Unicron replicant. Seele believed doing so would allow them to control human evolution; there is a 91.1% probability that Unicron used his telepathic powers to transmit misinformation to Seele members." The avatar looked into Shiro's eyes. "The Jurai abandoned your ancestors, and will abandon you. Now that humans have reactivated Unicron and, therefore, become a direct threat to 100% of the life forms that inhabit the universe, the Jurai Emperor will order the extermination of the human race."

"He's lying!" protested Washu. "Yosho," her savior, now Emperor of Jurai, "would never...!"

"I didn't know you cared," deadpanned Shiro.

"To exterminate all humans would be to destroy resources that are useful to us," stated Shockwave. "Out of respect for you, the most effective killing machine Earth has produced, we will give you a choice. If all humans, through you, swear allegiance to the Vehicons, we will protect them."

"You want to control Earth by naming me the figurehead of a puppet government?"

"Correct."

"Don't worry; I have a plan that'll save Earth," claimed Washu. "Begin negotiations to buy me some time."

Shiro coughed twice to acknowledge. "What are your terms...?" Boom! Both human bodies collapsed onto the observatory floor as an explosion rocked the entire planet.

"Cybertronians!" called Unicron as she approached Cybertron, which was hidden behind Earth's moon. "A moment ago,"-- time was meaningless to the Chaos-Bringer-- "you denied me a chance to cleanse the universe. Now I will complete my task; I will crush your insignificant little planet and consume her core!" She laughed as her Angolomois energy field dissolved missiles, rockets, and bullets, and dissipated plasma bursts and laser beams.

*

Titty heard turbines roar as the Vehicons raced towards the moon. "What's happening?"

Urd looked away from Titty's throat, which she was healing. "The Valkyries are leaving!"

"Are they,"-- she coughed blood; Urd put her hand on Titty's shoulder, forcing the girl to calm down-- "getting out of the way so that superlaser can...?"

"Don't worry about the Vehicons," assured Washu. 'Even they can't stop the Dark God of Destruction.'

*

A red fighter rocketed towards Unicron, transformed into a cyborg, and formed a sword. "This is for Ironhide!" Hot Rod lunged. Unicron launched her left wrist, a metal hawk that locked its jaws around Hot Rod's throat and beat its wings against his head. "Argh!"

"Hot Rod, no!" pleaded Alpha as the young Vehicon self-destructed, vaporizing the metal hawk. The Dark God howled in pain, shaking both Cybertron and Earth-- millions of sentient beings shivered as they felt Unicron's rage.

Light shined from the stump, forming a new wrist. "I'll dismember, disembowel, and decapitate you all! You will beg for death, beg me to consume you and end your pain!" Unicron was determined to exterminate the Cybertronians, instead of retreating to the Astral Plane.

Shiro turned to the avatar. "Do you need a hand?"

The avatar ignored him as Shockwave's gunship form raced towards Cybertron. "All units, target the spark core." He designated the target. "Open fire with all weapons in five sec."

Alpha raced into the observatory. "No, Commander Shockwave! Unicron is absorbing the energy from our attacks, becoming more powerful!"

"Cancel that order." The avatar turned to the Autobot elder. "What course of action do you propose?"

"Only forms of Matrix energy, such as energon shields and swords," he turned to Shiro, "what you call Absolute Terror fields or Light Hawk Wings, can harm Unicron."

Shiro remembered that Unicron's current body was based on Evangelion Unit 01. "But Unicron can generate an AT field," noted Shiro.

"He must maintain a balance between his AT field and his anti-AT field, between defense and offense. If we disturb this balance, he becomes vulnerable," explained Alpha.

Shiro turned to the avatar. "Return me to Unit 04, release my comrades, and we'll help you defend your home planet."

"Very well, but if you betray me, I will propel your moon into your home planet, eliminating all life on Earth." Shockwave teleported Shiro into the hangar.

"Shiro!" Ryoko greeted him with an embrace.

Shiro returned the embrace before turning to Washu. "Can you repair the Evas?"

"Of course! I'm the beautiful Goddess of..."

"Do it! We're running out of time!" He turned to Russhon. "Refuel and rearm the Evas!"

"Gotcha!" 'Why does this O1 think he can give orders to an O9?' Russhon turned to Holly and airmen from three Air Forces. "Let's get to work!"

Shiro turned to Titty. "Can you fight?"

Titty stood up, putting on her cuirass. "Yes." She turned to Urd. "I'll return to you." She kissed Urd before drawing Jurai energy from her developing S² organ to jump 22 m into the air, landing in the kneeling Eva's cockpit.

At 0315 hr, the Evas rocketed towards the moon at 0.0454 c. "What a monster!" "Good heavens!"

Arael recited Psalm 27, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

"When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell..."

Urd, Washu, and her daughters escorted the Evas. "So Unicron corrupted your sister, turning her against you?"

"Unicron must have corrupted thousands of people in search of someone stupid enough to resurrect him,"-- Washu noticed the female curves on Unicron's current body-- "or her."

"So this is about revenge?"

"This is about freeing the universe of the chaos and terror this monster has caused," said Washu. Energy bolts rained upon them. "Look out!" Units 03, 04, and Samson parried the bolts; Urd, Washu, Ryoko, and the H-8 returned fire.

Urd summoned World of Elegance, her angel, to defend Titty from a metal hawk. "Is that monster growing?"

Washu scanned Unicron. "Yes."

"Are you mistaken?"

"I wish I was."

A bomber and a gunship aimed their weapons at the approaching Evas. "Do not engage the Evangelions," ordered Shockwave. "For now, we are allied against a common foe."

"Roger." "Gotcha." Grimlock and Slag transformed into a Tyrannosaurus and a Triceratops, respectively. They sacrificed their vehicle modes' higher speed for their beast modes' stronger armor, before joining the battle against Unicron. Shockwave transformed into a lion and clawed at his enemy's breastplate. A reptilian head locked its jaws around Shockwave's neck, before slamming the lion through the armor plating on Cybertron's surface.

Alpha watched Shockwave crash through the ceiling, crushing his avatar. Above them, Snarl swung his halberd, and Blitzwing thrust his sword. Unicron spread the wings on her wrists, blocking the simultaneous attacks as she kicked. Snarl and Blitzwing howled as Unicron launched her ankles, metal hawks that tore out their spark cores. "We will lose this battle unless we make a sacrifice."

Shockwave rolled onto his feet. "What shall we sacrifice?"

"Vector Sigma," the supercomputer that once gave life to the Transformers, "is linked to the Matrix; in theory, it can provide an enough energon to destroy Unicron."

"Vector Sigma has been deactivated for 10,950,000 SC; there is only a 0.357% probability of reactivating it."

"Its frame remains. I am a 1st generation product of Vector Sigma; we share the same computation matrix. My power supply can merge with its frame, reactivating it."

"Proceed."

Alpha pressed a button to open a trapdoor, revealing the metal sphere he'd safeguarded for 10,950,000 SC. Blue light enveloped Alpha as he gave his life energy to the hovering sphere; he collapsed as 100 lights shined upon the sphere. "I am Vector Sigma. Before Cybertron was, I was. Who reactivates me?"

"I, Shockwave, Vehicon Commander. I demand the power to destroy Unicron."

"Unicron cannot be destroyed. If you defeat her, your victory will only be temporarily; she will replenish herself, increasing her evil."

"Then we will replenish ourselves, increasing our strength in preparation for the next battle."

"You must unite with the Minicons if you hope to defeat Unicron this time."

"Minicons-- the humans?"

"Yes. They are the 2nd generation sentinels, created to contain evil. You are the 1st generation sentinels, created to combat evil."

"I understand." He opened a hatch on the back of the lion's head.

Vector Sigma ejected its metal shell, launching its spark core into the lion's braincase. Shockwave gasped as energon surged through his integral superlaser. "Arise, Shockwave Prime. You must stand together, or you will fall together."

Shockwave contacted Shiro. "Evangelion pilots, I order you to cover me as I aim."

Shiro answered, "Wilco," without hesitation, silencing the protests of his comrades. "Attack her limbs!" Unit 04 attacked the right arm as Ryoko covered him; Lara attacked the right leg as World of Elegance covered her; the H-8 attacked the left arm as Samson covered her; Ryo-Ohki attacked the left leg as Washu covered her.

Unicron launched four metal hawks, scattering her assailants. "My destiny..." Boom! She growled as the superlaser beam struck her AT field. "You cannot destroy my destiny!"

"I, Grimlock, accept this challenge." He thrust his sword at the point of impact, weakening the AT field; Unicron howled in pain when some of the beam's energy reached her. Slammer, Swoop, Scramjet, and Nightracer joined Grimlock, overwhelming Unicron's defenses.

"Noooo!" Light consumed Unicron as the beam vaporized her S² engine; the resulting explosion scattered the Vehicons. Evangelion Units 05A, 06, 07, and 09 howled, feeling the death of their master; they disintegrated, becoming confetti to celebrate victory over Unicron.

Shockwave transformed. "Astromammoth, transport the damaged Vehicons to the repair bay." Grimlock, Slammer, Swoop, Scramjet, and Nightracer were severely damaged, but they could be fully repaired in four to six hours. "Victory..."

Shiro aimed his sword at the 50-meter-tall cyborg. "Let's renegotiate a ceasefire."

Shockwave formed a sword and lunged at Shiro. "Your negotiation position is questionable; you have no bargaining chips."

Shiro dodged the thrust. "My word will be my bargaining chip."

Shockwave parried Shiro's slash. "What do you want?"

"Release the prisoners you took." He dodged a second thrust. "Remove the spy satellites you placed in Earth's orbit." He countered with a slash. "Leave this solar system." Clang! "And I will guarantee that no human will ever attempt to resurrect Unicron." Clang, clang, clang!

"Why should I trust you?" The Vehicons aimed their weapons at Unit 04, while Shiro's allies aimed their weapons at Shockwave, but no shots were fired; no one was willing to endanger their champion.

"Seele was corrupt; by scheming to control human evolution, Seele schemed to deny us the freedom to determine our own future." Shiro parried a thrust. "Their deaths were divine retribution!" His slashes and thrusts were like wind and lightning in a storm, forcing Shockwave to retreat. "We'll never let anyone deny us this freedom, not Seele, or Unicron, or you!"

"So be it." Shockwave aimed the lion's head, the cyborg mode's left hand, at Edwards AFB. 'Without weapons to defend themselves, the humans will submit to our laws.' Blinding light enveloped both champions as Shockwave fired his superlaser, while Shiro jumped into hyperspace.

Unit 04 teleported before the superlaser beam, blocking it with crossed swords. "Howl!"

"Shiro!" Ryoko teleported beside her lover. Energy flowed from her gems, giving Shiro the strength to resist the 8,368,000 GJ-- two megatons-- his opponent projected.

Shockwave deactivated the overheating superlaser when he felt Lara, Ryo-Ohki, and the H-8's LH swords upon his neck. He could've defeated the girls, but he sensed a time-space distortion. "I accept your terms." Two stasis pods were launched from Cybertron. "Fuyutsuki Kozo. Maximilian Zorin."

Unit 04 caught the pods. "They'll be tried for crimes against humanity."

Fireworks lit the heavens. "The stealth probes have self-destructed." The gunship flew towards Cybertron. "We will return in 2.50 Earth years to negotiate a peace treaty."

"I'll have the band play, 'Hail to the Chief'." Shiro watched the planetary turbines propel Cybertron out of the solar system.

*

Day 39, Mon. 0830 hr, Pacific Time. Hikari and her case officer-- the CIA intelligence officer who was responsible for her-- waited in the Flying Circus' lobby. Toji and his case officer finally returned. "Ohayo, Toji-kun. May I...?"

"Good morning, Horaki-kun." The young man walked past her, towards the stairs.

"Toji-kun, stop!" Hikari ran after him, followed by her case officer. "My case officer just told me you wanted to join the US Air Force and become an Eva pilot again. Is that true?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me-- tell Mai-chan, your father, your grandfather, or Kensuke-kun?!" Hikari spent an hour calling Toji's family and friends; none of them knew of his decision. "We care about you-- we don't want you to be in danger again! Do you even care about us?!"

Toji opened the door to the stairs. "Yes. That's why I must avoid you." He walked through the door.

Hikari ran through the door before it shut; she slammed it, keeping the CIA intelligence officers out of the stairwell. "No, you don't!" She reached for his shoulder; he flinched as if hot coals touched him. "I know NERV used you as a Guinea pig in an experiment; I know you think you're a monster, and you're afraid you might hurt us. But you're also a hero; you saved the lives of Kodoma-neesan, Misato-san, and myself. You don't have to be afraid."

"You don't know what you're talking about," he coldly stated.

"Then tell me," she insisted.

Toji turned to Hikari, who hid her fear as two red fires burned into her soul. "Fine." He slowly raised his hands to her face.

"Gasp!" Hikari drowned in the emotions of those mentally linked to Evangelion Unit 02. Soryu Kyoko Zeppelin-Langley, who saw her daughter as a beautiful but fragile being-- a porcelain doll-- and was willing to sacrifice everything, even her sanity, to protect her daughter from harm. Soryu Asuka Langley, who felt the pain of abandonment, and fought for everyone's attention-- attention her mother used to give her-- so she wouldn't have to feel this pain again. Shiro Bond, who lived in fear of a shadow-- a lost memory-- and who hid his fear so he'd be the hero his guardians wanted him to be. Suzuhara Toji, who lived in pain of being an outsider, and who hid his pain-- his vulnerability-- with aggression. Pain begat fear, fear begat anger, anger begat hatred, hatred begat insanity and violence and death... "Toji!"

The young man expected the girl to run away from him; he was shocked when she embraced him instead.

"I know your pain... your terrible pain... You don't have to bear it alone. Let me help you." She felt his tears rain on her head.

"Thank you." Toji returned the embrace.

*

"I'm what?!" exclaimed Misato.

"You're pregnant." Holly smiled. "Congratulations."

"But I had a hysterectomy when I was 14! How can I be pregnant when I...!" Misato fell silent when Holly handed her an x-ray. "Shiro."

"The 4th Child is the father?" asked Holly.

"Hell no!"

"I'm surprised you've chosen not to pursue him." Holly smiled at Misato's frown. "I judge him to be a man of honor, as do Gen Russhon and Col Lin." The officers were at the Flying Circus, representing their governments in negotiations to form an international organization that would defend the human race from any threat to their survival.

"Why don't you pursue him?" countered Misato. Holly extended her arm, displaying a gold ring with a diamond covering the Air Combat Command (ACC) shield, similar to what many military personnel wore to express pride in their service. "Are you and Gen Russhon...?"

Holly's smile became wider. "Yes. By the way, where's Plt Off Bond?"

Misato sighed. "Attending his grandfather's funeral."

Holly stopped smiling. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be; you're only human."

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Misato nodded. "When I first heard about Unit 03's thermonuclear turbines, I was told they were designed to provide electrical power, so the Evas wouldn't have to be leashed to an external generator. However, Unit 04's wings and tailplanes are integral to its design. How'd you know we'd face airborne enemies?"

Holly blushed as she prepared to tell a secret. "I didn't; I designed the Eva-jet because I was a fan of 'Gundam Wing'."

Misato's eyes widened with surprise. "And what did Gen Russhon say when you proposed to build a real-live Gundam?"

"He's a fighter pilot; he can't wait to feel the thermonuclear turbines thrust him to the stars."

Misato threw back her head and laughed. "I never thought I'd meet a 'Gundam Wing' fan in America! Who's your favorite pilot? Mine's Quartre."

Holly returned the laughter. "Mine's Duo, but my favorite MS is Wing Gundam Zero Custom."

"I have 'Endless Waltz'," the movie sequel to the 'Gundam Wing' animated series, "on DVD. We should watch it together this weekend."

"I agree, Capt Katsuragi."

"Please call me Misato."

Holly smiled at the proposed friendship. "Okay, Misato."

Kaji greeted Misato after she exited the base infirmary. "What did the doctor say?"

"I'm pregnant." She heard Kaji gasp. "When Shiro saved my life, the Jurai energy must have regenerated my uterus."

Kaji smiled, surprising Misato. "If it's a boy, can we name him Yoshiyuki, after my brother and my best friend?" (The name of his brother was Yoshiro; his best friend, Yukito.)

Misato frowned. "What does that mean?"

"I mean,"-- he was uncharacteristically nervous as he removed a small box from his pocket-- "I meant to present this at dinner." He opened the box, revealing a diamond set in a platinum ring.

"Did you buy this, or did you get it out of your robot head?" the replicant's head, which Washu found orbiting the moon after Cybertron left the solar system. She watched him frown, and laughed to disarm him. "I was just joking! A machine like him can't understand a concept like beauty." Misato put on the ring, which Kaji bought from the Flying Circus' jewelry store. "If it's a girl, we're naming her Asuka."

"You mean..."

"Yes." She embraced him, releasing the tension that threatened to crush her spirit for five weeks.

*

1630 hr, GMT. Sir Shiro Bond, Baron of Lionheart, stood behind the pulpit, facing the people in who came to honor James. "Orbis Non Sufficit: The World Is Not Enough to buy off our loyalty to Scotland. Those were the words my ancestors lived and died by in the Wars of Independence, and in the hundred wars that were fought to defend Scotland and, later, the United Kingdom's freedom. They were the words my grandfather lived by, words he instructed me to live by. Now..."

Pussy sat beside Elise, her companion, listening to the eulogy. (Elise was extradited to the UK for questioning, but MI6 released her after determining she wasn't directly involved in the Human Instrumentality Project. Afterwards, Pussy hired Elise to be her personal physician.) Although she hadn't seen James since they parted 51 years ago, her heart still burned for the first man to earn her trust. She remembered the first time they made love, imagined his breath upon her neck, and turned her head to hide the fact that she was blushing. 'James?!' The 30-year-old man who sat in the last row looked like Pussy's late lover, but...

"... let him find peace," finished Shiro, drawing Pussy's attention. When the woman looked back again, the 30-year-old man was gone.

''Tis no good to continue fantasizing about him.' "Come, Dear."

James Galore approached Shiro. "I'm sorry about your loss, Mr. Bond."

"I appreciate your sympathy. Please call me Shiro." He shook Galore's hand.

"What'll you do now?"

"Grandpa's last gift to me was a document declaring my legal emancipation. With this, I become financially independent."

"My mother told me about your grandfather-- about my father. I want welcome you to my family, to let you know you can always count on us for a helping hand."

Galore's honesty stunned Shiro; the young man needed three seconds to recover his composure and say, "Thank you."

Pussy looked into Shiro's eyes. "I see his strength, his determination in you." She smiled. "You'll be fine."

Elise bowed. "Thank you for testifying in my favor. I'm sorry if I've cause you any trouble."

"No trouble; it's my pleasure to aid a beautiful woman like you." Shiro smiled as Elise blushed. Galore saw the jealousy in Pussy's eyes, and laughed as the guests exited the castle's incomplete chapel. Afterwards, Shiro walked towards the dock at the castle's west gate, where Washu, Ryo-Ohki, and the 30-year-old man waited.

"Why didn't you shed tears for me?" asked the man.

"The people who know me, know I don't express myself in this manner. If I shed tears, they'd be suspicious."

The man laughed. "Well said."

"Where will you go now, Grandpa?"

James smiled, feeling the youth Tsunami restored when she healed him, after teleporting him out of Hannover. "I'll go on vacation with Washu-chan. After that... Who knows? Maybe I'll join the GP."

"Seeking more windmills to joust?" joked Shiro.

"Seeking more women to romance." Grandfather and grandson shared a laugh before Ryo-Ohki changed into her spaceship form, using a cloaking device to avoid alarming any human observers. "Goodbye, Shiro."

"Goodbye, Grandpa." He watched James and Washu board Ryo-Ohki, before returning to the castle.

James demonstrated to a crystal, Ryo-Ohki's means of communicating with her passengers when she was in spaceship form, how to mix a vodka martini as she rocketed away from Earth, past one of the 999 Jurai warships defending the planet. (He brought several bottles with him.) "May I offer you a drink, Washu-chan?"

The goddess had changed into a lab coat. "Yes." Her tongue seductively twirled in the glass, licking the black pepper he'd sprinkled into the vodka. "James, I'm working on another project, and I'd sincerely appreciate your help."

James smiled. "Anything for a lady. What are you working on?"

Washu unbuttoned her coat, letting it fall onto the floor; James gasped as her sheer lingerie teased his eyes. "Making a baby." She pounced on him, pushing him onto the bed that automatically emerged from the floor; they burned each other with the passion in their lips and fingers.

*

Ryoko was in the kitchen, where Belldandy, Urd and Skuld's sister, was teaching her how to cook. "His heart froze after Asuka died; he hasn't shared a gentle touch, a warm embrace, or a loving kiss for 11 days!"

"Survivor's guilt burdens him; he's torn between a desire to be reunited with friends who've died, and fear of losing the friends who still live," explained the Goddess 1st Class, unlimited license. "Kei-chan suffered from this problem when the N² bomb destroyed Tokyo; he lost all of his friends and family, except for my sisters and I, who were protected by our divine powers. For 40 days and 40 nights, he was silent but for his mourning; he flinched at our every touch, as if our hands had become hot coals. We made great effort and greater sacrifices to mend his broken spirit."

"Was it worth it?"

"Mommy!" Nekomi, Belldandy's 13-year-old daughter, entered the kitchen. "Aunt Skuld's invited me to go shopping in Las Vegas with Aunt Urd!" Skuld wanted Nekomi to help her keep an eye on Urd. "Can I go?"

"Yes, Dear."

"I'll take care of her," assured Morisato Keiichi, Belldandy's husband, as he followed the product of their love.

"I know you will; I trust you." Belldandy waited until the two left, before turning to Ryoko. "True love is worth any effort, any sacrifice."

Ryoko smiled, sharing Belldandy's sentimentality. "Thanks."

Shiro teleported into the kitchen. "Good evening, Lady Belldandy." He bowed. "Ryoko, may I speak with you in private?"

"Sure." She turned to Belldandy. "I'll be right back."

Belldandy smiled, sensing the emotions Shiro tried to hide. "Take your time."

Shiro and Ryoko walked out of the kitchen, down the hall. "I'm sorry for treating you so coldly."

"It's okay, I understand."

"I intend to complete my education. Gen Boothroyd, the Royal Air Force Chief of Staff, will aid my application for the Royal Air Force Academy, Class of 2020." Evangelion Unit 04, now designated as a B-4 Star Saber long-range bomber, would be transferred to the RAF after Jurai and GP military advisors retrofitted the Evas with more powerful weapons. (Shiro originally named it after the Shooting Star Sword, which armed the hero of 'Saint Legend', his favorite movie; Russhon changed the name to avoid confusion with the H-8 Flying Sword.) "After I graduate..." He fell silent, uncertain of what to say.

"Shiro?"

He opened the box to reveal a yellow gold ring with two dragons dancing around the sculpted corona of a jade sun. The ring was meant for her; the carbon-hardened gemstone matched the color of her hair. "Will you marry me?"

Ryoko embraced him. "Yes." They shared their first kiss in 11 days, freeing themselves from the fear that once hung over their heads like Damocles' Sword.

*

948 hr, Cybertron Time. Gen Daluma bowed to the Vehicons. "Commander Shockwave, here are the," 'worthless rocks,' "resources you requested."

Shockwave examined the asteroids, which would be transported to Cybertronian factories. The rare metals in the asteroids would be used to manufacture arms and armor; the remaining rock would be used to make concrete, construction material for the castles that grew like weeds on the planets they conquered. "This is 25 to 30% of what we demanded. Where is the rest?"

'Stupid robot! Why should I waste my time gathering rocks when...?' "Gasp!" He felt an invisible hand close around his chest, stopping the heart's beating and the lungs' pumping.

"I can read your mind, Daluma. I read your question, and my answer is this: deliver the resources we demanded, or die and be replaced by someone who will." Shockwave released Daluma, allowing his ally to catch his breath.

"Y-y-yes, Commander Shockwave!" Daluma crawled out of the hangar.

Scramjet and Slag loaded the asteroids into Astromammoth and Sky Lynx, a new Vehicon who Shockwave brought to life with Vector Sigma's power. "Permission to speak freely, Sir?" asked Scramjet.

"Permission granted."

"Why'd you order us and the Daluma Pirates to leave the humans alone? We could've..."

"Vector Sigma warned me that Unicron could not be totally destroyed, only temporarily defeated. We needed the humans' help to defeat Unicron this time; we'll need them next time."

"We cannot control them. What if they...?"

"Correction: we cannot control them by direct force, but we can control them through indirect force." Shockwave put his hand on Scramjet's shoulder, imitating Optimus Prime when the late Autobot Commander wanted to reinforce a subordinate's confidence. "Trust me."

"Yes, Sir."

*

GP Detective 1st Class Makibi Kiyone stared at the monitor, which displayed images taken by a probe she launched two hr ago. "What do you think, rookie?"

Kiyone's new partner, who transferred to the station six days ago, leaned over her shoulder to watch the Vehicons depart from the Daluma battle station. "This is an excellent opportunity to observe the Vehicons and learn their strengths and weaknesses."

"If we can stay out of sight, specifically, their gunsights."

"I have the scientific and engineering skills necessary to design and construct a cloaking device, and to install it..."

"Cloaking devices are illegal, remember?" interrupted Kiyone. "Just sit tight, Kagato. We'll report this to the Chief and await further orders." She didn't see the evil glint in his eyes.

The young man with gray hair and red eyes smiled. "Yes, Ma'am."

***

Bond will return.

***

My dear Dark Angel, take off your mask,
Let your beauty free me from the dragon's grasp.
Open your eyes, and let your soul's light
Penetrate this shield of lies.

My dear Dark Angel, give me your word,
To free my heart from Loneliness' curse.
Chaos of war cannot keep us apart,
We'll find sanctuary in each other's heart.

I fear not fire, I fear not ice,
Because you're always by my side.
Through roaring thunder and howling wind,
I fear no danger, death is never the end.

My dear Dark Angel, unfold your shadowy wings,
Let the warmth of your heart change winter to spring.
Let me feel your gentle touch, and hand in hand,
We'll fly away to a distant land.

My dear Dark Angel, please sheathe your sword,
There's no need for battle, no need for war.
There's no need for anger and hate,
In the brave new world that we'll create.

I fear not fire, I fear not ice,
Because you're always by my side.
Through roaring thunder and howling wind,
I fear no danger, death is never the end.

Postscript for DEATH IS NEVER THE END

This story accepts as canon the 'James Bond' films produced by EON Productions and starring Sir Sean Connery, plus 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'; note that Connery will be 85 years old in 2015.

I made many changes to 'Death' as I was writing it. Originally, Shiro's personality was very similar to Ikari Shinji's, differing mainly in Shiro's ability to hide his emotions. Here's the original ending for chapter 1:

[Start]

Slash! "Shriek!" The Archangel's tentacle became a fountain of blood. Unit 04 had transformed its AT field, a magnification of Shiro's Light Hawk Wing, into a sword. The sword circled and silenced the Archangel. Unit 04's feet touched the ground; then Shiro stepped backwards.

"Shiro?" Ryoko stood beside Unit 04, shielding it with her own Light Hawk Wings.

Splash! The Archangel's body split apart, spilling blood onto Ryoko and Unit 04's feet.

"I'm fine. He's not," deadpanned Shiro. Then the Eva kneeled down.

Ryoko entered Unit 04's cockpit. Shiro was shivering, freeing all of the fear that he tried to control during the battle. Part of Ryoko, the warrior instincts that Kagato developed, was repulsed at Shiro's behavior; Kagato would never express his fear, his vulnerabilities, and he'd punish Ryoko if she did. Another part of Ryoko, her newfound maternal instincts, wanted to comfort Shiro.

"Don't be afraid." Ryoko embraced Shiro. "I'll protect you."

[End]

Here's the original ending for chapter 2:

[Start]

Explosions threw dirt up in front of Ryoko, momentarily shielding Sludge from her vision. Ryoko instinctively turned to the source of the missiles. As Astrotrain shut his cargo bay doors, she could see Grimlock's optics flare as he and the other warriors lowered their missile launchers. Ryoko raised one arm towards the shuttle, then lowered it; Astrotrain had climbed out of range. She turned to Sludge; at this range, her energy bolts wouldn't penetrate its AT field. "Damn! They got away."

"They'll be back." Shiro shivered; his body was releasing the stress that had sustained it through the battle, and he was no longer able to suppress his fear. He didn't feel Unit 04's frame touch the ground as Ryoko gently laid the Eva on its back.

"Shiro?" Ryoko's sympathy was washed away by jealousy, when she saw how closely Asuka embraced the boy. "Let him...!"

Asuka calmly turned to the face that had emerged from the entry plug hatch; she wasn't frightened by Ryoko's ghostly appearance. "Hush." She turned to Shiro. "He needs rest."

Ryoko now saw how shaken Shiro was. She moved beside Shiro, then held his hand. "Remember, he's mine."

Asuka sadly smiled; Ryoko was acting the same way Asuka had when she was in love. "No, he's his own man." The smile endured Ryoko's angry glare. "We'll worry about this later."

'Shit, she's right.' Ryoko's anger slowly dissipated as she turned to Shiro. 'I'll make you mine.' She held his arm against her breasts, like meat in a wolf's jaws.

[End]

I felt the similarities were too great, and changed the endings to make Shiro more macho. I also changed the name of Shiro's father from "Jitetsu" to the more conventional "Tetsuji."

I originally planned to write ten chapters. In the original outline, Starscream found and reactivated an intact Skyfire; both Transformers were to fight against Evangelion Unit 04, and die in each other's arms. Also, Shiro didn't transform into Zeruel before he assassinated the Japanese PM, but Russhon covered up Shiro's crimes, keeping the pilot useful as a weapon against the Angels. Later, Shiro is seriously wounded in battle; during a near-death experience, he talks to Asuka's spirit and finds forgiveness.

Benjamin D. Hutchins and Larry Mann's 'Neon Exodus Evangelion', infamous for the self-insert character DJ Croft, had great influence upon my story. In fact, 'Death' beat 'Neon Exodus Evangelion' as "the single worst Self-Insertion Fanfiction," one of my reviewers ever read. In my defense, 'Death' realistically portrays the consequences of employing a 14-year-olds as combat pilots, i.e., severe mental health problems. (Nothing justifies the deployment of child soldiers.)

More light-heartedness!

Fan Fiction Marriage Prospects for 'Death Is Never the End', by Sidewinder.

* SHIRO BOND *

Alias: Tanaka Shiro. (His father was James Bond and Kissy Suzuki's son. Tiger Tanaka, head of the Japanese Secret Service and Kissy's boss, adopted Shiro's father after Kissy's death.)

Looks: He looks like his grandfather, James Bond (Sean Connery in 'You Only Live Twice'). Athletic, handsome, dark-haired, with blue-gray eyes that become as cold and hard as gun barrels when he feels threatened. He's unusually tall for a 14-year-old, making him look like a 24-year-old instead; few bartenders will ask for his ID if he asks them for a vodka martini.

Smarts: A mixed bag. Shiro is intellectually very smart, with excellent grades in school. But his focus on military training prevents him from matching Soryu Asuka Langley's achievement of earning a Bachelor's in Arts degree by age 14. Emotions can cloud his judgment. In chapter 7, he almost starts a nuclear war when he attacks JSSDF bases in search of the men who assassinated his parents, and in chapter 8, his attempt to negotiate a ceasefire with Shockwave-- using LH Swords-- makes the Cybertronian decide to fire a superlaser at a US Air Force base.

Personality: Like his grandfather, Shiro's devil-may-care, party hardy facade conceals a fatalistic view of life. If you see past his "I'm tough, I don't need anyone" attitude, you'll realize he desperately needs someone to love him, to stand beside him in challenging situations. He's secretive and paranoid, but justifiably so; he survived an assassination attempt, but his parents, his Japanese grandfather, and his aunts didn't.

Combat Skills: Very good. When Bond learned his grandson was chosen to pilot an Evangelion, he ordered Shiro to receive training, so Shiro can do everything he can, including hand-to-hand combat, marksmanship, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), flight and air combat... Shiro also pilots Evangelion Unit 04, a.k.a. the B-4 Star Saber, which can fly at hypersonic speeds and engage targets with two 280 mm automatic "pistols" and 16 AIM-120 air-to-air missiles mounted on the collarbones. (In Chinese, the number "four" and the word for "death" have similar pronunciations-- Unit 04's pilot becomes Death, Destroyer of Worlds.)

Special Abilities: He can generate a psychic aura to influence the behavior of a person in front of him, e.g., make an enemy fear him or make a girl lust for him. He can regenerate, e.g., to heal cardiopulmonary injuries caused by the stress of activating an Evangelion's S² engine. He can project an AT field (LH Wing) to defend himself, but he has no conscious control over these powers until chapter 8, when Washu ('Tenchi Muyo!') begins training him. In chapter 7, he gains the ability to form LH Swords and transform into a dark angel-- a terrifying warrior form with bony plates to protect his chest, abdomen, and groin, and bony spikes to protect his throat and spine.

Competition: Asuka ('Neon Genesis Evangelion'), his ex-girlfriend, dumped him because she couldn't pass the emotional barriers he erects to defend himself; they still have feelings for each other, but they won't admit it, so she shouldn't be a problem. Ryoko ('Tenchi Muyo!'), his current girlfriend, is obsessed with Shiro, the first person to show her true kindness; she'll be jealous of you if you get close to him, but won't hurt you because she knows Shiro won't tolerate such behavior. (Don't try to eliminate the competition. Shiro is telepathically linked with both girls; if anyone hurts them, he'll know, and he'll deliver a painful, horrible death to the person who did so.) His loyalty to his grandfather-- and Scotland, the Bond ancestral home-- comes before the one he loves, so if he must leave you standing at the altar while he goes on a mission to save the UK, he will. His determination to avenge his parents-- to drink the blood of the assassins who killed them-- also comes before the one he loves.

In-Laws: Both parents are dead-- don't make any "Yo' Mama" jokes, or he'll put you in a chokehold until you apologize. Bond may flirt with you, but he'll leave you two alone if he realizes you're devoted to Shiro-- his connections in MI6 and the American CIA are very useful if you contact him before chapter 8, when he goes on vacation with Washu. James Galore, his uncle, is a Republican and a US senator who can use his wealth and political influence to help you in many ways, as long as you're on Earth. (He may have other aunts, uncles, and cousins; James Bond is an infamous playboy.) The relatives on Jurai are unlikely to influence Shiro's love life.

Finances: Very good. Bond inherited millions from his own grandfather (Baronet of Peckham in Ian Fleming's novels, promoted to Baron of Lionheart in my story), has millions of Euros in various certain bank accounts he set up in case of emergencies, made investments to make the money grow, owns property in Europe and the US... Shiro will inherit all of this. He can also find work as a military officer, an intelligence officer, a mercenary, or an assassin-for-hire... If he learns to trust the Jurai, he can also ask them for enough money to pay off the National Debt-- Masaki Yosho Jurai, their Emperor, is his ancestor.

Home Economics: Shiro cooks delicious omelets as breakfast for women who spent a night with him. At other times, he'll either treat the women at gourmet restaurant, or ask one of the servants at his castle to prepare a meal. He has survival training, including food gathering, e.g., eating worms and pinecones. Overall, he's unlikely to let you starve.

Sex: Very good for women who like vanilla sex-- Shiro involuntarily forms a telepathic bond with his sex partners; he feels their pleasure and pain, and works hard to make them feel good in order to make himself feel good. Very bad for women who like S & M-- Shiro isn't a masochist, and he'll assume someone who wants to tie him up is an enemy spy; if he doesn't kill you, you'll wish he had when MI6 begins interrogating you.

Overall: If he falls in love with you by chapter 6, you'll have a rich, handsome, and moderately psychotic young man who'll protect you and provide for your every need, as long as it doesn't conflict with his loyalty to James Bond or his hunger for vengeance. After chapter 7, his link with Ryoko is too strong to let him consider anything other than marriage and monogamy with Ryoko.

* TITANIA "TITTY" GALORE (CHAPTER 8 ) *

Looks: She inherited Pussy Galore's (Honor Blackman's in 'Goldfinger') hourglass figure and auburn hair, and Bond's blue-gray eyes. She's unusually tall for a 14-year-old, making her look like a 21-year-old instead; this has caused legal problems.

Smarts: Good enough to be pilot an Overtechnology-equipped Evangelion at hypersonic speeds.

Personality: Independent and outspoken, but her "girls just want to have fun" attitude hides emotional vulnerabilities caused by a childhood tragedy and a failed relationship, e.g., her fatalistic view of life. Keep an eye on her; she wants and needs the attention.

Combat Skills: Good. Her father taught her to pistol marksmanship and firearms safety, while her grandmother taught her self-defense techniques, e.g., judo. Washu began training Titty to use Jurai energy, which will allow her to project LH Wings and Swords; Urd (Oh My Goddess!) and Shiro will complete the training.

Special Abilities: She's of Jurai descent, and has the same abilities-- and the same physical problems-- as Shiro, but her warrior form looks sexy, not monstrous.

Competition: Urd ('Oh My Goddess!'), Goddess of the Past and Titty's lover, won't be a problem if you don't mind sharing love with her, her angel, and Titty; she will be a problem if you want a monogamous relationship. (Titty identifies herself as a lesbian, but she may be attracted to men with James Bond's superhuman confidence and charisma.)

In-Laws: Pussy, her grandmother, began taking care of Titty after her mother died in a terrorist bombing; the woman is rich, has connections in Las Vegas' governmental and criminal circles, and won't hesitate to use her influence to help you if you help her precious granddaughter, or hurt you if you hurt Titty. James Galore, her father, doesn't approve of homosexual relationships, but he won't be a problem unless Titty tells him you're a problem. Juliet, her stepmother, is busy taking care of Viola, Titty's nine-month-old half-sister; help them take care of the baby for their blessing. Shiro, her cousin, won't be a problem unless you hurt her; then he'll deliver a painful, horrible death to you. The relatives on Jurai are unlikely to influence Titty's love life.

Finances: Better than Shiro's. Titty's father is a US senator, her grandmother owns two casinos in Las Vegas and Reno, and her ancestor is the Jurai Emperor. She can also find work as a commercial or military pilot, or as a model.

Home Economics: She can take care of herself, but she doesn't have to; Pussy's employees (maids, chefs, and bodyguards) take care of everything.

Sex: Expect lots of public and private displays of affection, e.g., kissing, petting, and cuddling. Expect Urd's participation in these displays.

Overall: Good if you want to protect, and be protected by an independent, outspoken, but emotionally vulnerable young woman. (You must be willing to share Titty's love with Urd.) Very good if you want to make love with two or three women on a mountain of money.

* WEI NAZHI *

Alias: Nagi. (She was put in stasis at age four; her stasis pod was stowed aboard the Soja, and lost when Yosho destroyed the ship. The Chinese MSS found the pod in 2005.)

Looks: She looks beautiful and exotic, with blue hair, red eyes, and two blue daggers tattooed on her left cheek.

Smarts: Excellent. She graduated from the PLAAF Academy at age 13, and has contributed to the PLA's Overtechnology research.

Personality: Loving and caring towards friends and family, polite and formal towards strangers, brutal and ruthless towards enemies.

Combat Skills: Very good. Her military training allows her to match Shiro in almost all categories. She also pilots Evangelion Unit 08, a.k.a. the H-8 Flying Sword, which can fly at hypersonic speeds and engage targets with 16 PL-12 air-to-air missiles and eight YJ-12 cruise missiles.

Special Abilities: She has most of Ryoko's abilities; she can regenerate, project LH Wings to defend herself, shatter a wing into 27 razor-sharp fragments-- flying swords she can guide towards her enemies-- and form LH Swords. Individually, she's not as strong as Ryoko, but the H-8 can transmit energy to let her match Ryoko's strength.

Competition: Arael Barak, an IDF/AF officer and Eva pilot, is dating her, but Nazhi plans to wait until she's 18 before making a commitment; you might have a chance if you act fast. (Don't try to eliminate the competition, or you'll be identified as a threat, targeted, and destroyed.)

In-Laws: Wei Lin (Michelle Yeoh in 'Tomorrow Never Dies'), her foster mother, is a MSS colonel who dotes on her; Nazhi will fight to the death for her mother, so you need Lin's approval to win the girl's heart. (Lin is a Chinese patriot, so I advise you to join the Chinese military.) Nazhi's blood relatives-- Washu, her mother, Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki, her sisters-- are unlikely to influence her love life, but they still care about her; if you hurt her, they'll deliver a painful, horrible death to you.

Finances: Good. The PLAAF pays her very well.

Home Economics: She can take care of herself, but she'll expect you to take care of yourself, i.e., cook and clean.

Sex: She's inexperienced. Be gentle with her, or you'll be identified as a threat, targeted, and destroyed.

Overall: Good for Chinese patriots and their allies, e.g., Arael. Bad-- very bad-- for Chinese enemies.

* SHOCKWAVE (CHAPTER *

Looks: Like Evangelion Unit 00 on steroids, with a lion's head for a left hand. He can also transform into a winged lion for better agility, and a gunship for better speed-- all three forms have enough firepower to destroy an entire Galaxy Police fleet! He can use human clones as avatars-- he can make himself look like anyone you like, as long as he has stem cells from that person.

Smarts: Very good. A scientific genius, he was able to reverse-engineer Evangelion technology in 10 Earth days, compared to four Earth years for Ikari Yui and Gendo ('Neon Genesis Evangelion'). He's an excellent strategist and tactician-- he proved his leadership skills as Megatron's subcommander during the Cybertron Civil War ('Transformers'). However, his interactions with Shiro Bond suggest poor social skills or limited diplomatic experience.

Personality: Cold and calculating, he'll do anything to achieve his goals-- to destroy Unicron and ensure the Cybertronians' survival. If he must destroy a billion humans to save a hundred Cybertronians... if he must destroy Earth to save Cybertron... if he must destroy you to save himself, so be it.

Combat Skills: Excellent. His special abilities make him invincible to all but Unicron, and maybe Tsunami ('Tenchi Muyo!').

Special Abilities: Able to telepathically scan the memories of most biological and mechanical life forms; Asuka describes it as "raping a mind." Able to psychokinetically attack targets not protected by an AT field/LH Wing, causing a slow and painful, or fast and explosive death. He can project a LH Wing for defense, and form a LH Sword for offense. Able to link with the plasma energy chamber, allowing his superlaser to project over 10,000,000,000,000,000 GJ of energy-- enough to vaporize the entire continent of North America! He can draw Matrix energy from Vector Sigma, giving him the power to destroy Unicron.

Competition: His determination to ensure the Cybertronians' survival by researching new technology and developing new arms and armor, conquering new worlds to provide the resources he needs to build an army, preparing Cybertron's defenses for Unicron's return... If you can't help him forge this new empire, he won't waste time on you.

In-Laws: The Vehicons are Autobots and Decepticons enhanced with Evangelion technology, and united under his leadership. The former Autobots are heroic warriors who'll help you as long as you aren't an enemy. The former Decepticons will respect you if you're a warrior whose strength can help them destroy Unicron, and disrespect you if you're not. The Daruma Pirates Guild ('Tenchi Muyo! GXP'), his allies, are ruthless cutthroats who'll try to exploit you in any way-- as an ally, as cannon fodder, or as a slave. I advise you to ally yourself with a high-ranking Vehicon, e.g., Grimlock, to keep the pirates at bay.

Finances: Very good. He leads a Vehicon-Daruma Pirates Alliance, balancing the Vehicons' godlike technology with the pirates' human and material resources. Most of the resources are used to rebuild Cybertron-- it's recovering from 4,000,000 Earth years of hibernation, made necessary by Unicron's first attack-- but the planet will become the heart of an empire that will rival the Jurai in military and economic influence. He can order the pirates to provide the few treasures he doesn't have.

Home Economics: He's smart enough to be a gourmet chef, but why should he waste time and resources learning how to cook? He's doesn't need to eat; he uses more efficient energy sources than food, e.g., the plasma energy chamber. You should ask the Daruma Pirates to provide a chef and some servants; your Vehicon ally will make a terrifying example of anyone who refuses.

Sex: He's a telepath, so I assume he can stimulate the your brain in order to make you orgasm, but what's the point? He's a 50-meter-tall cyborg-- he can't sexually reproduce.

Overall: Are you a Cybertronian patriot who'll make any sacrifice to destroy Unicron and defend Cybertron? Do you have any skills that can help Shockwave forge an empire, and will do so in exchange for his protection? No? Then leave-- you have ten seconds before the autoguns engage and destroy you.

797 views and no comments? Looks like I need to work harder to improve my writing beyond "average" levels.

Incidentally, the MediaMiner.org files have been updated. I further edited the story for clarity, for example, replacing the confusing "Scaramanga entered the room and grabbed the bodyguard's head. Snap! Thud!" with "Scaramanga entered the room, grabbed the bodyguard's head, and broke his neck," in Chapter 1.