Babylon 5 and its characters with the exception of Epsilon Squad were
created by J. Michael Straczynski and copyrights are held by Warner
Bros. and TNT. The characters of Epsilon Squad, as well as the
characters of Rei Ayanami-Miranami and Danielle Asuka Langley are my
own creation. Please ask for my permission to use them in your own
fics. The characters in Tau Squad were created by Curry Coffelt. Please
ask him to use his characters.
Neon Genesis Evangelion was created by Project Eva and copyrights are
held by Gainax in Japan and A.D. Vision in the U.S. Please let me know
if there are any other copyright holders for either series I may have
missed, as I'm not out to make any sort of material gain; I'm merely
expressing my interest in both these series. In other words, please
don't sue me.
Sailor Moon and its characters were created by Naoko Takekutchi, with
the exception of Shane and Selene. Again, I didn't plan on it when I
conceived this story, it just happened!
Previously on Babylon 5:
After the Earthforce Special Operations frigate Perry discovers
the Angels on planet M-235, it is dispatched to Babylon 5 to request
the help of the Interstellar Alliance in dealing with the situation.
While there, Commander Rei Ayanami-Miranami is confronted by a former
Starfury pilot named Danielle Asuka Langley, who tells her that her
past is little more than a Nerv lie. Afterwards the 15th Angel appears
and Danielle faces it in Eva-02. During the ensuing battle, Babylon 5
Starfury pilot Jesa Marason is attacked by the 15th Angel after being
the first pilot to penetrate its AT Field. Danielle is ultimately able
to kill the 15th Angel with the longinus spear, and she lost her
ability to pilot the Eva. While this was going on, Babylon 5 was
infected with the 11th Angel and had to receive a copy of the Nerv
program used to defeat it when it infected the Magi systems in 2015.
Afterwards Thirteen receives a status on Eva-01 and the new Crimson
Angel Thunderbolts. Also Seele meets to discuss the Second Complement
Program. The Interstellar Alliance Council meets to discuss the
situation and they vote to engage the Angels at M-235. Once Jesa learns
the result, he volunteers to pilot Eva-02 in the coming battle.
Well enough of the preliminaries, let's get on with it!
Babylon 5: Angels
A Babylon 5 / Neon Genesis Evangelion crossover
by Mark Craig
Part 10 - Spending Time In Preparation
The next day, Danielle and Jesa sat aboard Transport Soryu
preparing to depart Babylon 5 to conduct synch and activation tests on
Eva-02. Sheridan didn't sound entirely surprised when Jesa said he
would volunteer to pilot the Eva in the upcoming battle, though Epsilon
Squad certainly was. Laura for one spoke out against it, saying the Eva
was too dangerous a machine to be gambling his life on. Laura had a
valid point, though Jesa had already made up his mind. In the end the
squad knew Jesa was right and they accepted his decision. Jesa also
placed Laura in command of Epsilon Squad until after the battle.
Despite her protests, Jesa knew she was ready for this command and she
would be his first choice as a successor should he ever step down as
leader of the squad.
His thoughts invariably drifted to what happened last night. Why
had Danielle been so adamant about not wanting him to pilot the Eva?
Could it have been some form of pride, or was she truly concerned about
him? Come to think about it, the prospect of him going against the
Angels in a Starfury wasn't exactly appealing to her, either. So he had
to think she was concerned about him. Not only that, his promise of
returning meant something to her, and the kiss she gave him last night
provided fair evidence of that. Was it possible that she was somehow in
love with him? He thought the idea preposterous, but it would explain a
good many things. But, as his old squad leader Commander Mayene once
told him: "Easy explanations are often suspect." The problem was he
didn't know exactly how he felt about her. True, she has been a great
help in coping with the 15th Angel's attack, but he wasn't sure if
their relationship could extend beyond that. Certainly Danielle seemed
to think so. Still, if their mission was successful there'd be time for
that, but now was not that time.
"Transport Soryu to Babylon Control," Danielle said, "we're ready
for departure."
"Confirmed, Transport Soryu, you are cleared for departure,"
Lochley said over the link.
"Roger, Babylon Control."
"So Danielle," Jesa said, "tell me something. How is it you were
able to obtain this ship to transport the Eva?"
"Well, it's a good-sized mystery in its own right. After I
originally found Unit 02 when we were on M-235, apparently someone back
home found out about it, someone who didn't want either certain
elements of Earthforce or Nerv to know Unit 02 had been found. So
orders were issued through the Earthforce Joint Chiefs to consider all
non-scientific data on M-235 strictly classified. Then after I left
Earthforce I leased a small freighter to become a cargo ship pilot. Two
months after I left Earthforce, someone claiming to be with the Second
Complement Program approached me while I was at Earth Station Prime. He
was asking some very specific questions about what we found on M-235."
"Second Complement Program?" Jesa said thoughtfully. "I've heard
something about that while I was aboard the Churchill about five years
ago. We were docked near Mars while we were getting resupplied when a
black-suited man came aboard with proper Earthforce clearance, but he
was no Earthforce member I ever saw. He left before we departed to
Sector 34 to begin our Raider-elimination campaign. The whole business
was rather creepy. To this day, I wasn't sure what it was he wanted."
"Hmm. Still, I had to make a haul to Io, so I couldn't give him
any sort of an answer. Then when I got back eight days later, this ship
was docked at the station, courtesy of the Second Complement. Being
suspicious, I found and removed all the bugs and homing devices aboard
and just took off with it. I went to M-235 and brought the Eva aboard,
and I've had it ever since. It's pretty much the same as the original,
though I made some modifications such as adding additional thrusters to
make it more suitable for space. It's got a palette rifle, the
progressive knife, a hand axe and a few other refinements, including a
positron rifle in the cargo bay we can install if we need to. I've
constructed a pack which can store all the Eva's weapons we've found
and where you can easily get to them And it's got the most valuable
item of all, an Absolute Terror Field, or simply an AT Field."
"That's like a shield, isn't it?"
"Mostly," Danielle replied, "but you can use it offensively at
limited ranges as well."
"Why is it called an Absolute Terror Field?" Jesa asked.
"I'm not entirely sure. I think the term is derived from
psychology, though what it means I have no idea. I know at the time
only bio-organic machines like the Evas and the Angels could produce AT
Fields. Now for power, normally you'd have to be attached to an
umbilical cable which would supply the required power for the Eva, but
Eva-02 does have an S2 engine."
"I've heard of that. It's its own power source, kind of like the
reactor in a Starfury."
"Right. It works along similar principles. And if the S2 engine
ever gets separated from the Eva, a battery reserve will kick in which
will leave you with five minutes of power remaining. Once that expires,
you're dead in space and fair game for any attackers."
"Sounds like fun. And you say I'll feel whatever it feels."
"Right. Any hits the Eva takes will be felt by the pilot."
Jesa winced at that. "Whose bright idea was that?"
"According to Nerv it was a necessary price to pay for a greater
response to a pilot's commands, and to improve combat effectiveness."
The Soryu moved away from Babylon 5 heading for Sector 10, and
they sat in silence for about fifteen minutes while Danielle moved the
ship into position for the activation and synch tests. She brought the
ship to a stop and turned to Jesa. "We've arrived, so let's get you set
up. All you really need to synch with the Eva is the Interface Control
Headset." She handed one to him, which he put on. "Now the Eva acts on
what you think. How quickly it does so depends on your synch rate."
"Okay, I think I've got this on," Jesa said, unstrapping the
harness. Danielle followed suit and led him to the Eva's entry plug.
Jesa climbed into the cockpit and examined the controls.
"Now the levers control gross movements. They'll help you start
your maneuvers and they also control the thrusters. But you have to
think out what you want the Eva to do. The internal systems will
process your thoughts and translate them into actions for the Eva to
perform. So you can't be thinking any stray thoughts while you're
inside this thing, because the Eva will act on them."
In other words, this isn't a VF-22, Jesa thought.
"I'll monitor your progress during both tests. We'll activate the
unit and the systems will determine your synch rate. Remember what I
told you and concentrate."
"Okay. I think I'm ready."
"Good luck, Jesa," Danielle said, closing the entry plug.
"Babylon Control," Danielle said upon returning to the bridge,
"Jesa's in the Eva and we're ready to proceed." And Jesa, I hope to
hell you know what you're doing, because I don't want to lose you now.
Looking back, she didn't exactly expect to kiss him like she did last
night; it just happened. And at that moment, she knew she cared a
great deal for him. His promise last night meant more to her than she
could ever tell him.
"Roger that, Soryu," Rei answered. "Begin the activation."
Okay, here goes nothing. "Computer, initiate Evangelion activation
sequence."
"Commencing."
"Bring S2 engine on-line," Danielle continued. "Establish
connection to A-10 nerve."
"Confirmed. S2 engine on-line and functioning. Connection to A-10
nerve established. No malfunctions detected."
"Commence LCL injection."
"Confirmed."
"Hey, wait a minute," Jesa protested. "What the hell's this
stuff?"
"It's Link Connect Liquid, or LCL," she explained. "It'll supply
your body with oxygen directly. And it'll provide you with some padding
when you're fighting the Angels."
"Smells like fraggin' blood in here. This is making me sick."
"Come on, Jesa, be a man!" Danielle jibed.
"I am, thank you very much," he retorted.
"LCL injection complete," reported the computer.
So far, so good. "Initiate neural connections."
"Commencing."
"What's going on now? My head feels a bit weird," Jesa said.
"The headset's establishing neural connections with the Eva.
Nothing to worry about. When that's completed you'll feel what it
feels. It'll be a part of you."
"How comforting."
"Neural connection checks complete to 2550," the computer
reported. "No malfunctions detected."
"Proceed to borderline," Danielle ordered.
"Confirmed. Checks complete to 2580. Voltage level now at
critical. Borderline reached and exceeded. No malfunctions detected.
Evangelion Unit 02 activation complete."
"Compute synch rate."
"Commencing," said the computer.
Danielle examined the display screen in front of her indicating
the Eva's status. The triple sinuous wave indicating the pilot's synch
with the machine came closer and closer together. All the connection
indicators showed green. Danielle couldn't believe what she was seeing.
This could work after all. They actually had a chance of pulling this
off. Nerv could've used him when they fought the Angels the first time.
"Synchronization rate: 73.4%," the computer indicated.
"Oh, my God," Danielle said. "Babylon Control, you're not going to
believe this. I'm seeing these readings and I still can't believe it.
His synch rate's higher than the original Children, and he's never been in an Eva before."
"How high?" Rei wanted to know.
"73.4%" Danielle replied. Chew on that, Wonder Girl!
"Incredible!" Rei exclaimed. "That's much higher than Asuka or any
of the others were able to attain even at their peak, except that time
Unit 01 went berserk and demolished and ate the 14th Angel."
I heard about that, Danielle recollected to herself. That was the
time Shinji achieved some 400% synchronization with Eva-01. But they
couldn't recover him for about a month afterward. Still, no point in telling Wonder Girl what she already knew. "Precisely my point,
Commander. Which means he must be a descendent of one of the Children.
He can pilot it. Jesa, how do you feel?"
"I feel bigger somehow," he replied over the link. "Like I've been
extended in all directions. It reminds me of when I put on an
Earthforce uniform for the first time. So, did I pass?"
Danielle smiled. "You sure as hell did. You've synched with the
Eva even better than the original Children. Now let's see how you can
handle it in space."
"Bring it on."
"Computer, depressurize cargo bay. Open main cargo doors."
"Confirmed."
Jesa wasn't too sure about what his first experience in the Eva
would be like, but he found the LCL injection to be a bit disconcerting
with its nauseating odor of human blood. He wasn't sure if he could get
used to it in the four days before leaving for M-235; the very smell of
it was enough to make him sick. Once the LCL filled the entry plug Jesa
discovered he could breathe the stuff just like air. Just then he
thought he heard something in the entry plug, a soft voice which
sounded like a young girl apparently speaking German. He felt an odd
sensation in his head as the neural connections to the Eva were
completed, and the thought of the voice was quieted quickly. Soon
afterward the activation was completed, all the monitors and systems
up, and Jesa had this odd feeling that he actually was the Eva, much
different than when he piloted the VF-22 last year. The VF-22 was more
like just another fighter. Here, he felt he was the Eva. Then he
remembered Danielle saying his synch rate was higher than the original
Children who piloted the Evas.
He looked up and saw the cargo bay doors opening and heard
Danielle say over the link, "Computer, raise Unit 02 to launch
position."
The restraints lifted the Eva to a vertical position towering some
fifteen meters over the Soryu. Jesa could see the starfield all around
him in the entry plug's 360-degree field of view. The status displays
on the forward and a couple of the side monitors showed all was well
with the unit as far as he knew.
"Release primary and secondary lock bolts," Danielle said over the
link.
The lock bolts restraining the Eva retracted and moved to either
side of the support structure.
"Release safety locks one through fifteen."
Jesa tried to maintain the absolute concentration required to
retain synch with the Eva, for as Danielle had warned him: If he should
lose synch with the Eva, the machine would somehow psychologically
poison him, possibly to the point of insanity. Hardly a comforting
thought. Once the safety locks were released, he pushed the control
levers forward and the Eva slowly pushed away from the Soryu.
Not far away, Laura, Rico, and Shanna observed what was going on
from the cockpits of their respective Starfuries. Lochley had
recommended they go with the Soryu to ensure all was well, and Laura
wholeheartedly agreed.
She clearly didn't like the fact Jesa was going to pilot Eva-02.
For one thing, she had heard the mental and physical anguish the
previous pilots of the Evas went through in battling the Angels. The
pilots were so linked to their machines that whatever hits the Eva
felt, the pilot also felt. They had to be or the Evas would not
function properly. Also the Evas were not the most stable machines
mankind had ever created, though Eva-02 wasn't known to go berserk on
the pilot like the others in general and Eva-00 in particular. That
still offered little to put her at ease when she saw the fifteen-meter
tall Eva standing in the support structure in the Soryu's cargo bay.
It's such a damning machine in so many ways, I just can't trust it.
Not only that, she still wasn't convinced Jesa had indeed
recovered from the 15th Angel's attack two days ago. How could he have
so soon after the mind-rape the Angel put him through? His actions
after the Angel attack terrified her. She had no idea what it was the
Angel did to set him off in a suicidal rage, and she didn't want to
know, either. He may never know a good night's sleep again. Still, at
least Danielle was there to help him through the worst of it.
That bothered her a bit, though she really couldn't understand
why. She, Rico, and Jesa had been close friends since their flight
school days in AirDome. She felt she was actually in love with Jesa
once during that time, but nothing beyond a close friendship ever
really materialized. She came to the realization she loved him only as
a brother. The only person who Jesa could honestly claim to have truly
loved was Jenelle Andrews, and Laura knew full well the tragedy of that
result. Should she find it so bothersome for someone to be concerned
about him, to care about him? She knew too well she and Jesa were
friends, nothing more. It would be unforgivably selfish of her to even
think of denying him the opportunity to choose who he wanted to be
with.
"Man, that Eva's a piece of work, isn't it?" Rico said, disrupting
her train of thought.
"It is that," Laura agreed. "But appearances can deceive you,
Vazquez. Don't ever forget that."
"Maybe. What was it that woman Danielle said about Jesa being able
to synch with that monstrosity?"
"73.4% synch ratio," Shanna added. "At that rate, his thoughts and
the Eva's actions would be almost instantaneous."
"A demonic machine, that's what it is," Laura said.
"Why do you say that?" Rico asked.
"Come off it, Rico. I'm not exactly comfortable with the idea of
our squad leader being inside that Nerv contraption. Haven't you heard
about the mental damage those things have been known to cause?"
"Of course I have," Rico retorted. "But from what I heard, the
previous Eva pilots already had something mentally wrong with them to
begin with. Jesa's a lot more stable than any of them. He'll be just
fine, Laura. You'll see."
"That may be true," Shanna replied. "But I'm forced to agree with
Laura. I don't trust the Eva either. Too unstable a machine for our
good."
"Or for Jesa's," Laura added. "No, I don't like this at all."
"I don't blame you," Shanna replied.
"Guys, he's launching," Rico said.
"Okay, let's follow him," Laura said firmly, "but be discreet
about it."
"Right," both Rico and Shanna answered. All three Starfuries
pushed off to shadow Jesa in Eva-02.
It took Jesa a little while to get used to the sensitivity of the
Eva's control systems. He realized what Danielle had meant when she
warned him against any stray thoughts as some of those thoughts put the
Eva into some rather contorted, and admittedly comical, positions while
he tried to get it flying on a level course. Where the Crane position
from the first Karate Kid movie came from he sure as hell didn't know.
How did he think of leaning the Eva back and crossing the arms in a
classic DX pose? Again he had no idea, and neither did Danielle as it
turned out. She came on one of the monitors and repeated herself rather
vehemently to block all stray thoughts out. He ultimately settled on a
position he'd seen some of the Valkyrie pilots use in Battroid mode:
upright with the legs slightly bent to aim thrusters behind him.
He was able to maintain this for a few minutes when the Eva went
up and lurched downward with its arm seemingly headlocked around an invisible opponent. No, not the Stone Cold Stunner! Damn Allishar and
his WWF vids. Next thing you know this thing'll be doing a body slam.
Sure enough, as soon as the thought came out the Eva picked up
Another vacuum opponent and threw it down on the vacuum wrestling mat
in a textbook body slam. Dammit, stop that!
"All right, Jesa, that's enough," Danielle said, trying to keep
from laughing. "At least I know what you like to watch when you're off
duty."
"Hey, blame Lt. Commander Allishar Morgan of Tau Squad for that,"
Jesa protested. "It's his fault for introducing me to those 20th-
century pro wrestling vids last month."
"Jesa, get all that out of your mind. I don't care if it's a
blessing from God himself, just get it out. Clear your mind and focus
on what you want the Eva to do."
"Okay," Jesa said, taking a deep breath, clearing his mind of
everything except the task at hand and resumed the Battroid position he
was trying for and he applied more thrust for acceleration. For a
moment the Eva switched to a swimming breaststroke before resuming its
former position. Then it leaned back again putting both hands on either
side of the unit's crotch area. Not the DX "Suck It!" pose, too! All
right, I know this is all Allishar's fault, so let's do this again.
Finally he was able to get the Eva into the position he wanted and
maintain it.
"Okay, Jesa," Danielle said after a few moments. "I think you're
getting the hang of it, now the wrestling garbage is out of the way."
"Don't go there," Jesa replied, and Danielle gave a small laugh. A
few minutes later he decided he wanted to experiment and tried a few
simple rolls like those he routinely did in his Starfury. Again, the
Eva responded quickly to his commands, nimbly rolling left then right.
He executed flawless single, double and triple rolls nearly as quickly
as if he were in the Starfury. After about ten minutes of these, he
decided to move on to the more complex maneuvers in his repitoire.
Horizontal Skids, upward and downward vertical spirals, Sideslip
Strafes, Mallet and Inverted Mallet Turns, upward and downward Vertical
Skids all executed with graceful ease. Just think like you're in the
Starfury. Think the maneuver and the Eva does it. This must be similar
to the thought-control systems on Captain Benton's YF-21.
"Having fun, Jesa?" Danielle asked.
"I'm just seeing what I can do in one of these things," Jesa
replied, smiling.
"Uh huh," she said, not convinced.
"You know, this thing's got some damn good maneuvering
capabilities."
"That's mostly because your synch level with the Eva is so high,"
Danielle said. "It was also said the Evas adapted themselves to the
personality of the pilots and the immediate environment."
"I see," Jesa said, noticing a small asteroid about 10,000 kliks
moving away from him. Grinning evilly, he angled the Eva towards it.
"Hey, where the hell are you going?" Danielle demanded.
"To test the AT Field," he answered, closing one fist of the Eva
and held it out in front of him as he approached the asteroid at
maximum speed.
"That's a damn asteroid out there," she objected. "You trying to
get yourself killed?"
"Trust me."
At the last second before impact, Jesa activated the Eva's AT
Field and thrust it at the asteroid. On impact it hit the AT Field and
disintegrated into dust. "Damn, that's a good right hook. I should've
been a boxer. Fosaro, eat your heart out."
He turned the Eva around and saw the three Epsilon Squad
Starfuries approaching him. "Jesa, you all right?" Laura asked.
He responded by bringing the Eva to a full vertical position and
holding out two fingers in the right hand, saying, "V."
"Jesa, you idiot," he heard Laura say and he merely laughed. He
was thrilled to be able to do that, too.
"Okay, Jesa," Danielle broke in, easing the Soryu towards them.
"Don't mean to break up this social gathering, but I think you've had
enough fun for one day. Let's get the Eva loaded back on the ship and
head back to the barn."
Jesa and Danielle met Laura, Rico, and Shanna in the docking bay
once they got back to Babylon 5. Jesa could tell Laura was mad about
something. I hope it's not because of the victory pose.
"Not bad for your first time," Danielle said. "I'll head up to C
and C and let Wonder Girl know."
"You do that," he said and she took off.
"Man, Jesa," Rico said, "I thought you were making like those old
wrestlers we see on vids every now and then."
"Now that was Allishar's fault for getting me into that stuff."
"Sure it was," Rico jibed.
And Laura could not keep silent any longer. "Jesa, if I may be so
bold, what the hell were you doing out there?"
"What do you mean?" Jesa asked.
"What was the deal with all the fancy flying?" she demanded.
"I didn't see anyone complaining about my fancy flying in the
Starfury, now did I? I have to know what that Eva can and can't do. I
mean, if I'm going to be entrusting my life to the damned thing I have
to know its capabilities."
"So that justified you punching out an asteroid? Or pulling that
stupid 'V' pose?"
Jesa was taken aback by Laura's tone. "Laura, you should know the
first rule of flight is to know what you're flying."
"What I know is that you were pulling all these risky stunts in a
machine you have no business piloting."
Jesa looked at Shanna and Rico, who took it as an indication to
leave them alone for a moment. They nodded and did so, leaving Jesa
alone with an obviously upset Laura.
"What exactly are you talking about?" he asked. "What has gotten
into you?"
"I'll tell you what's gotten into me," she shot back. "We've all
learned what the Evas were known to do to their pilots, physically and
psychologically, and since this one got dumped in our laps, I haven't
trusted Unit 02 further than I could throw it. And I still don't. Jesa,
the Evangelion is a demonic machine which can mentally destroy a pilot.
Fourteen of the things were able to initiate Third Impact. They're no
different than the Angels. Hell, that's why the Evas were so effective
in dealing with them. I'm afraid, Jesa, okay? I'm afraid that machine
is going to do to you what they did to the others."
He took her by the shoulders. "Laura, listen to me. I don't trust
the Eva, either. I'm not sure if I ever will. I'm trying my best to
adapt to it, but I'm not exactly thrilled at the prospect of getting
into the thing. I know I have to put that aside and do what is right
for all of us."
"But why you?" she pleaded.
"Because we need it. We need it and no one else can pilot it.
We've got a major battle coming up in a few days, and I need the
support of all my friends to be able to get through this thing. I won't
lie, I don't know what's going to happen in those few days, but don't
worry. I've already made a promise to come back, and I won't allow
anything to break that promise."
"You'd better be right, Jesa, because if anything happens to you
out there in that damned thing, I won't ever forgive you for it. But
you are my superior officer, and you're one of the few people I can
call friend. I don't want to lose that friendship, Jesa, you hear me?"
"Neither do I," Jesa said finally. "Now come on, the others are
waiting for us."
She nodded and he led her out of the docking bay to rejoin Rico
and Shanna.
Back in C&C, Danielle handed Rei the data crystal containing the
activation and synch test results on Eva-02. Upon examination, Rei
shook her head in disbelief. "Are you sure these are accurate?"
Danielle sniffed in annoyance. "I may not have a Magi aboard my
ship, Wonder Girl, but I assure you, those test results are accurate."
"Initial synch 73.4% to an in-flight peak of 81.8%? If he can fly
the Eva at those levels in combat we've got a chance of winning this
fight. Mina, have you gotten an analysis from Melchior?"
"A partial analysis came in from Nerv headquarters about ten
minutes ago," Akagi replied. "Melchior's response to Sheridan's
intentions to attack the Angels on M-235 is a conditional affirmative.
As a result, Nerv issued us orders to assist the Interstellar Alliance
in any way we can. Earthforce also issued similar orders to us at the
same time."
"So they actually agree on something," Rei said. "Mina, transmit
these to Melchior and query it to determine how Marason got his
abilities. He may be a descendent of one of the Children, or he could
even be an Angel. Have Melchior do a familial search in Earth Alliance
records centering on any relatives born within nine months of Second
Impact."
"Will do," Akagi said, taking the crystal from Rei and plugging it
into the terminal to transmit to Nerv.
Danielle shook her head. "No, Rei, I don't think he's an Angel. He
can't be."
"I don't think so, either. But his synch rate is high enough to
consider the possibility."
"He is a natural pilot though," Danielle said. "That could also
explain the high synch levels as well."
"He's a natural pilot at most Earthforce craft, yes," Rei
corrected. "That alone cannot qualify him to pilot an Eva. There has to
be a reason for it, because he obviously can pilot it."
"Transmission sent via tachyon sub-beam," Akagi said. "Nerv
estimates we'll get a reply from Melchior in 2.2 hours."
"Good. Thank you again, Danielle, for your assistance." A thought
came to Rei's mind. "You know, you should consider working for us. We
could use someone of your skills."
Danielle looked at Rei levelly. "Let's get one thing straight,
Wonder Girl. I'm not doing this for you, and I'm certainly not doing
this for Nerv. Nerv can go straight to hell with those twelve idiots at
Seele for all I care. I'm doing this for all of us, and for Jesa. I'm
not an ally of Nerv, so don't try to make me into one. Let's keep this
association as brief as possible." With that, she turned and marched
stiffly out.
Akagi gave Rei a questioning look. "Um, what exactly was that
about?"
"It was a sincere statement on my part. Besides, when and if the
time comes, it'll be useful to see where everyone stands. Don't you
agree?"
"I do. But how does she know of Seele? And exactly what does she
know about them?"
"How does she know many of the things she does?" Rei wondered.
"Though I think we can count on her discretion. If she was going to
tell anyone what she knew it would've been splattered all over ISN
months ago."
"True enough. I still don't like it though."
"Neither do I," Rei said. "So we'll have to keep an eye on her,
and heaven help us if others learn of what she knows. Keep me
informed."
"Will do, Commander."
Ships from the Interstellar Alliance members began arriving over
the next several hours. Three elongated diamond-shaped ships from
Crystal Tokyo arrived first. A half-hour later two Centauri heavy
cruisers arrived with an escort of fighters. Soon after a Narn heavy
cruiser came through the jumpgate supported by an extra wing of heavy
fighters. Next to arrive were three Brakiri war cruisers followed by
four Drazi Sunhawk war cruisers. The captains of two Minbari war
cruisers currently on-station also gave their word to Sheridan that
they would provide any needed assistance. In short, the largest multi-
planetary fighting force since the Shadow War assembled themselves
around Babylon 5.
Jesa stood on one of the station's four observation decks watching
the fleet gathering around the station. Thinking the morning's events
over, he could understand how Laura could be upset at him piloting the
Eva. Looking back, he himself found the machine to be a bit frightening
as well. He felt as if there were someone else in the Eva with him. He
didn't have time to think about it then, he was too busy trying to fly
the damned thing, but he certainly felt some other presence inside the
Eva. It came to him as a sharp chill during the activation, then he
felt it again in flight. He thought he also heard a voice speaking
German in his head, so faint he didn't even notice it at first, but he
heard it again soon after powering down the Eva just before exiting the
entry plug. Since he didn't know any German, he still couldn't make out
anything of what was being said. Hell, he wasn't sure if the voice was
even meant for him.
Laura had said the Eva was a demonic machine. Thinking back to
when he saw it for the first time, he had to agree to a certain extent.
The machine's four green eyes gave a certain menace to it. A bio-
organic fighting machine which mankind shouldn't have even dreamed
would be possible in this day and age. The Eva was a human work, no
question about it, and a technology which has not been duplicated since
Third Impact. Still, Jesa knew what he had to do, and he was not one to
let some idle concerns prevent him from doing his duty. He always lived
his career and his life that way; why should he change now?
The door slid open and Danielle came sauntering in. She smiled
upon seeing him and he returned it. Since the Angel battle she had
apparently attached herself to him, yet he still wasn't sure how he
felt about her. He did find himself being attracted to her, but could
this really be the same as love? Only time and familiarity would answer
that question one way or another.
She stood next to him gazing out at the assembled ships outside.
"Laura said you'd be here."
"Well, it's one of my old habits," Jesa admitted. "Whenever I want
to get away from everything and everyone, I usually turn my link off
and come in here to watch the stars. Or I'll go to Babylon Park or the
Zen Garden in Green Sector. I usually come here just to think, to
reflect, especially after a difficult mission."
She nodded and looked at him intently. "Something's bothering you,
isn't it, Jesa?"
"Is it that obvious?"
"Only to anyone looking in your general direction. So what is it?"
He took a deep breath. "I've been doing some thinking about
everything that's happened to me in the last few days. First real
chance I've had since the Angel battle. From the fight with the Raiders
right up to the point we tested the Eva. Looking back, I can see why
Laura wouldn't trust it."
"The Eva? Why?"
"She told me she was afraid of what might happen if I were to
pilot the Eva in the coming days. After all, the stories of the damage
the Evas inflicted on their own pilots are well-documented."
"True enough," Danielle said. "But that doesn't answer why you're
so uneasy about it."
"I didn't have time to think about this in the entry plug, but I
felt someone else there. I also heard a very faint voice speaking
German. I couldn't make out what it was."
"I've felt it too," she agreed. "I think it might have been Asuka
you heard?"
"What?" Jesa asked, surprised. "But she's been dead for almost 200
years. How is that possible?"
"I'm not sure," Danielle admitted. "Eva pilots tend to have a bond
with their machines. It may be possible what we experienced was the
result of some residual data from the Interface Headsets making us
believe we're hearing her voice inside the entry plug."
"Oh, joy."
"Still, from what I gathered from Laura's reactions, her concerns
may run deeper than that."
He nodded. "That may be. Laura, Rico, and I went to AirDome
together. We've been close friends for years. We've always been able to
depend on each other and confide in each other if necessary. I think
she's afraid I won't be there for her after the coming battle."
"Perhaps," she replied. "She did look rather upset when we
returned to the station. Almost as if she were in love with you."
Jesa stared at her, jaw dropping. "You've got to be kidding."
Danielle looked rather amused. "Don't you think that's at least
possible, Jesa?"
He shook his head. "No, not any more. I think she was back in
AirDome, but I couldn't ever think about her in that way, probably
because I was seeing Jenelle at the time. Despite that, Laura and I
became close friends and we have been ever since. She's been like a
sister to me."
"I think at least a part of her still loves you, Jesa," Danielle
said after a moment. "Whether you know it or not."
"You may be right," Jesa admitted, as much to himself as to
Danielle. "Still, this isn't the time to be thinking like that when we
have a task at hand. There'll be time enough when this is all over,
assuming we survive."
"That is true," she agreed.
He turned back to the view outside. "They're beautiful, aren't
they?"
"Eh?"
"The stars. We never seem to notice them anymore."
"Getting metaphysical on me, Jesa?" she jibed.
"No, not entirely. I'm only wondering what awaits us out there."
Without saying another word she sidled next to him to gaze out at
the stars as well. Jesa couldn't remember the last time someone was
this close to him, and he actually found it to be quite nice for a
change. Almost reflexively he draped one arm over her shoulders and she
drew even closer to him, sharing this moment together.
Sheridan had the commanders of all the gathered ships meet in what
used to be the war room two days later to brief them on exactly what
they would be up against, as well as Ambassadors Mollari, G'Kar,
Kartiel, Choate, and Makoto. Ivanova and Lind were over with the
Crystal Tokyo ambassador in conversation with Neo-King Endymion who was
in command of the three heavy battlecruisers from their homeworld.
Captain Lochley stood nearby speaking with Delenn. The promised twenty
White Stars for this upcoming mission arrived late yesterday, and their
captains, all human and Minbari Rangers, were gathered here conversing
with each other. The pilots for Epsilon, Alpha, and Delta Squads
arrived a few minutes ago, led by Lt. Commander Marason and Danielle
Asuka Langley. Commander Ayanami-Miranami and Lt. Commander Akagi still
had yet to arrive.
Sheridan could feel anticipation and apprehension in the air and
he couldn't blame them for their concerns. After all, the Angels were a
new adversary completely outside the experience of those assembled,
even the humans, and their full capabilities had yet to be determined.
>From what he had seen, their power stood as considerable as the Vorlons
or the Shadows even though their numbers were few. He had a feeling
he was going to need every single ship to be able to win the fight that
awaited them even with Eva-02 piloted by the best pilot Earth had ever
produced fighting on his side.
And I fear I will never see many of these faces again after
tomorrow, he thought somberly. I hope this is all worth it.
Commander Ayanami-Miranami and Lt. Commander Akagi quickly walked
in moments later and Sheridan was ready to begin the briefing. He
picked up the gavel he used at the council meeting a few days ago and
banged it a few times and the assembled crowd quieted and took their
places.
"First of all," Sheridan began, "I'd like to say thank you all for
coming. By now you have no doubt heard about the Angel attacks here at
Babylon 5 four days ago. We have reason to believe more are appearing
near a planet on the Rim designated M-235, located in Sector 999. How
many more, or how powerful they are, nobody knows for sure. But make no
mistake, the Angels are a clear threat to the Alliance and its members
and they must be stopped at any cost. Now I'd like to introduce you to
the two Earthforce Special Operations officers who first brought the
Angel situation to our attention. Commander Rei Ayanami-Miranami and
Lt. Commander Mina Akagi. They are Earth officers assigned to Nerv to
determine where the Angels went after Third Impact. They will brief you
on who your enemy is and what they are capable of. Afterward, I'll
brief you on our general strategy and on your assignments. Commander?"
Rei stood up and faced the crowd. "Thank you, Mr. President.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to be able to speak with you all
this morning. Based on information provided by White Stars 26 and 30,
we have determined the number and the types of the enemy you will be
facing at M-235. I will inform you of what they are and their
capabilities. They are still organizing. A quick strike now can put an
end to the Fourth Impact before it can even manifest itself. But we
must act quickly. White Stars 26 and 30 picked up six Blood Type Blue
contacts near the surface of M-235. That is a Nerv designation for an
Angel. Before you ask, yes, we believe there are only six of them, but
I believe you will find six to be more than formidable. Each Angel is
Equipped with a deflector shield we call an Absolute Terror Field, or
an AT Field. When we fought the Angels the first time, conventional
weapons could not penetrate an AT Field but recent events have led us
to believe otherwise. We believe the AT Fields can be brought down by
the weapons on your respective ships, but it will not be easy and it
will take a considerable amount of firepower to do so. And the Angels
are believed to be sentient and have the capability to adapt to most
tactical situations. But most Angels have one weakness: its core."
She let that sink in before continuing. An image of an Angel
appeared on a wall screen above her, a humanoid-like creature with too-
thin arms and legs. "The first is designated by Nerv as Sachiel, the
3rd Angel. As you can see, it is a greenish humanoid form with a height
of approximately fifteen meters, equaling that of Evangelion Unit 02.
Its eyes can fire lasers which impact the target in the shape of a
cross. The arms are also equipped with a form of hand-held spear which
can be extended and withdrawn rapidly. Its core is a red spherical
device in its abdomen near where the stomach would be in a human. We
believe the 3rd Angel is capable of flight though we do not yet know
what its maneuvering capabilities are."
The image changed to a reddish squid-like creature with a pair of
Glowing appendages. "This is the 4th Angel, Shamshel. Its principal
weapons are a pair of energy whips which we believe are also variable-
length. These have the ability to slice a ship's hull so going in close
with a capital ship is not advised. The core is located near the center of the Angel."
The image changed to a pair of entities: one orange, one gray.
"This is Israfel, the 7th Angel. This Angel is capable of replicating
itself into at least two parts and possibly more. It has no ranged
attacks known; it is mainly a close-in Angel, but its attacks nearly
ripped apart two Evangelions the first time they fought it. To defeat
this Angel the cores of all its parts have to be hit simultaneously
while separating. The cores are located in the lower abdomen area near
the point where the legs meet. Attacks on this Angel have to be
completely synchronized, and ensure your fighter teams are informed."
The next one was a thin blob-like device with three eyes. "This
the 10th Angel, Sahaquiel. This one can toss AT-Field bombs across
several thousand kilometers. And if you get too close to it, the Angel
itself becomes a bomb as whatever its AT Field hits explodes. The core
is in the center eye. This is one you'll have to wear the AT Field down to eventually kill it. Not only that it generates a large amount of ECM
so lock-ons to it will be next to impossible."
The next was a glowing double-helix ring. "This one is deadly in
its own way. It is designated Arumisaeru. It is the 16th Angel. What
this one will do is break the circle and attack one or more targets at
once. It has a very infectious personality and it infects whatever it
attacks to try and seize control. This one has no known core, and the
last time Nerv fought this thing Eva Unit 00 sacrificed itself by
allowing the Angel to fully assimilate it and then self-destructing,
turning what was once Tokyo-3 into a lake."
The last one looked menacing. A tannish black and white thing with
extra thin arms. "This is the last one the White Stars found and it was
against this one they barely escaped. This is the 14th Angel, Zuriel.
This one's a piece of work. It's probably the most deadly of all the
Angels we've ever encountered. The arms are variable-length and are the
thickness of one molecule, making them extremely sharp. These arms will
cut through a ship's hull like it wasn't even there. And then there are
the eyes, a pair of intensely powerful lasers. At Nerv headquarters in
Tokyo-3, there were twenty-two levels of shielding separating the Nerv
facility from the city on the surface. The lasers on this thing broke
through eighteen of those levels in one shot. The core is located in
the lower abdomen. When this Angel was defeated, it was defeated by a
berserk Eva Unit 01 which demolished and ultimately ate the Angel."
Uneasy, nervous, and concerned murmurs filled the room as Rei let
all that information sink in. Doubtless they knew they were in for one
hell of a fight, probably the most devastating one since Coriana-6, the
final battle of the Shadow War. "Now we do have one advantage, and that
one advantage is Evangelion Unit 02. The Evangelion units were designed
to fight and defeat the Angels, though they were all believed to have
been destroyed in Third Impact. Unit 02 is the last surviving Evangelion known to exist, and it will lead us in the battle to come.
We have discovered the pilot of Evangelion Unit 02, Lt. Commander Jesa
Marason, is a direct descendant of the 4th Child, Toji Suzuhara
according to all Earthforce and Nerv familial records. Our Magi system
has confirmed this finding at Nerv's request."
Sheridan could see Marason's jaw drop. Clearly he did not know
that. But it would certainly explain why he was able to pilot the Eva.
The other Epsilon Squad pilots and a few others as well also stared at
him amidst gasps from nearly everyone else. When the murmurs died down
after a moment, Rei turned the proceeding back over to Sheridan. He
stood back up and addressed the gathered crowd.
"All right, you now know what we're up against," Sheridan said.
"Our plan of attack is basically a simple one. We'll divide the fleet
into five groups, each led by one command ship. Your assignments have
been transmitted to each of your ships. I will lead the operation in
White Star Prime, and we will also be in charge of Eva-02. Our initial
target is the 3rd Angel. Group One will be led by the Perry and her
fighters, and your initial target is the 7th Angel. Group Two will be
led by the Griffin, which will also transport Epsilon, Alpha, and Delta
Squads. Your target is the 10th Angel. Upon launch, Epsilon Squad will
join White Star Prime, Alpha Squad will join Group Four, and Delta
Squad will join Group Five. Group Three will be led by the Missouri,
and their target is the 16th Angel. Group Four will be led by the
Minbari war cruisers, and their target will be the 14th Angel. Group
Five will be led by the three Crystal Tokyo battlecruisers, and your
initial target is the 4th Angel. All the information on the Angels will
be transmitted to all your ships before tomorrow's departure. Transit
time to M-235 is approximately eighteen hours. Everyone return to your
ships, we depart at 0700 hours tomorrow morning. That is all."
Sheridan saw the Guardian's cat Selene jump down and trot to the
table he was sitting. She jumped up on the table and faced the slowly
departing crowd. She suddenly spoke in a voice which cut through the
gathered crowd "May the light of the Ginzuishou see you safely home."
As soon as those words came out a dead silence filled the room. As
one, heads turned and stared at Selene, several with jaws agape.
Sheridan, for his part, turned towards the cat with one eyebrow raised.
I knew there was something unusual with that cat, he thought.
Especially with the way she's always gazed at me intently during
council meetings. But no way in hell did I believe she could actually
talk.
Delenn stared at Selene and muttered, "In Valen's name."
Londo also stared with his jaw agape. "How can you talk?"
"I'm a moon cat," Selene replied. "Of course I can talk."
"A cat? But where are your webbed feet, long bill, and feathers?"
Selene glared at Londo. "That is a duck, Ambassador Mollari, and I
would appreciate it if you would not refer to me as one."
G'Kar found it difficult to keep from laughing at Londo's
discomfiture. "Vir," Londo growled, stalking out of the room as Makoto
and Shane approached. Shane picked the cat up and tucked it in the
crook of his arm.
"Don't let her concern you, Mr. President," Makoto said. "Selene
can be a bit impulsive for an advisor."
Sheridan blinked. "Advisor?"
"Yes. In fact she was the one who recommended we send ships to
assist you and Neo-Queen Serenity agreed."
Sheridan nodded. "In that case, if you'll excuse me, Ambassador,
we need to finish preparations for our mission. Give my regards to Neo-
Queen Serenity."
"Of course, Mr. President."
Just outside the war room, three of Tau Squad's finest fighter
pilots stood watching the ship captains and fighter pilots leave
conversing among themselves. The looks on everyone's faces were a mix
of apprehension, concern, and in some cases even fear over the prospect
of tomorrow's mission.
Probably with good reason, thought Lt. Commander Allishar Morgan.
After the 15th Angel's arrival and the appearance of Evangelion Unit
02, he had done a little outside research into Nerv and the Evas and
what he found frightened him: The initial activation tests of Eva-00,
the multiple times Eva-01 went berserk, the cross-compatibility test
with Eva-00 and Eva-01, all the battles with the individual Angels, the
fact the pilots felt any damage the Evas took in combat, and the fact
it was Eva-01 which initiated the Third Impact in the first place. If
that weren't bad enough, the footage of Eva-02 being mauled by Eva-05
through 13 was enough to make Allishar feel physically sick.
And Jesa's going to be piloting the damn thing, he thought. What
the hell possessed him to subject himself to the stresses and the
mental contamination the Evas were known for?
He saw Jesa walk out talking with Laura and Rico, apparently not
noticing the three of them. Allishar noticed Lt. Devon Maddison give
Jesa an intense glare. Allishar knew Devon hated the idea of having the
Eva on-station. When he'd found out Jesa had actually volunteered to
pilot Eva-02, Devon nearly went ballistic and Allishar had to
physically restrain him from doing anything rash, like tossing a couple
of grenades into the Eva.
"I can't believe Jesa would be so stupid and naive as to even
consider getting into one of those things," Devon growled.
"I know," Allishar sighed. "I have my reservations about the Evas
as well. But remember what I told you, Devon. Don't do anything you'll
come to regret later."
"Someone's got to talk some sense into him," Devon protested. "I
mean, he is our friend for frack's sake. If you ask me, that Angel
really screwed him up. How else can he even think of piloting an
Evangelion?"
Allishar had to agree. What the 15th Angel did to Jesa simply
frightened him once he heard about it. He felt chilled to think what it
did to drive Jesa suicidal like that. Jesa was normally not in the
habit of overheating his plasmas to the point the weapons were white-
hot. But that Angel did something to him, there was no question about
that. Jesa assured them he was all right, but Allishar had his doubts
about that, too.
"I'm not so sure about that," Lt. Allyson Torren said. "To be
perfectly honest, I don't know what to make of the Evangelions. I do
think it's incredibly brave of Jesa to volunteer to pilot such a
machine. Besides, the wrestling moves he was doing with Unit 02 were a
bit amusing. I have to wonder where he got that from, Allishar."
"How can you be so indifferent?" Devon demanded. "The Eva is a
monster that Jesa should not be piloting."
"But he is the pilot and we have to accept that," Allishar said
reasonably. And I'm going to have a talk with Jesa myself before this
night's out.
"Besides," Allyson added, "I didn't see either of you volunteering
to pilot it."
She's got us there, Allishar thought. "All right, Devon and
Allyson. I know where you guys stand, but arguing the point out here
isn't going to do any good. So let's head back to my quarters and talk
this out in private."
Personal Log, August 7, 2262
This will be my final entry until I return. Preparations for the
mission are almost complete. Eva-02 has been transferred to White Star
Prime, as are Thunderbolt Omega and my own Starfury. I'm beginning to
have doubts about Eva-02. I find I can't look upon it for more that a
few moments at a time without turning away. The entry plug smells of
blood, and the German voice inside the entry plug would be enough to
unnerve me even if I hadn't met the 15th Angel.
I've been asked since I volunteered to pilot the Eva why would I
do it. Why would I knowingly subject myself to what that machine has
been known to do? The 15th Angel subjected to me through a kind of hell
I could never describe for as long as I live, a kind of hell I could
never wish on anyone. Nobody should ever have to withstand what I did.
know what I have to do now as a pilot. For all of us, I must risk
everything in that which may cost me everything. For as General Robert
E. Lee once said, "When you engage the enemy you must hold nothing
back. You must commit yourself totally."
We're past the point of no return now. The Angels must fall, or
the Fourth Impact will one day see to it we will. My choice is clear,
but is it the right choice? Only time and history will tell, and
tomorrow we'll be in the biggest battle since Coriana-6. And as for
Danielle, I'm still not sure how I truly feel about her. My life has
been a little more fulfilling since she's been around, and I'd miss it,
I think, if she were not here. Laura thinks I'm crazy for doing this,
so does Shanna, and even Phil. I'm not sure, but they may be right.
Others like Del, Jaclyn, and St. John seem to think it's a sign of
courage to be willing to undertake a mission such as this.
"End recording," Jesa said, leaning back in his desk chair. The
reactions he'd gotten from other pilots varied from encouragement to
claims of his insanity. He could tell everyone he knew was nervous
about him piloting the Eva. He couldn't blame them, though, but it
couldn't change what needed to be done.
The door chime snapped him out of his reverie. It's 2230 hours,
who'd be showing up now? He got up and went to the door. "Open."
The door swung open to reveal Allishar standing outside. Over the
past year or two he had become friends with the leader of Tau Squad and
two of his squadmates, namely Devon and Allyson. Jesa could tell
Allishar had a concerned look on his face. "Allishar," Jesa said. "What
can I do for you?"
"I need to talk to you, Jesa," Allishar said.
Jesa nodded and let Allishar in, inviting him to have a seat. He
picked up the can of soda from his desk and joined him. "Okay,
Allishar, I've known you long enough to know this isn't just a casual
visit. So spill it out."
"I have something I need to say and I fear I won't get the
opportunity to do so after tomorrow."
Jesa looked at Allishar levelly. "It's about my decision to pilot
the Evangelion, isn't it?"
"Frankly, yes. Look, Jesa, I've been your friend for quite some
time now, and I know you're doing what you think you have to for
everyone's sake. I admire that, but I can't bring myself to trust the
Eva with you in it."
"Join the club," Jesa replied.
"It is fortunate for you that Devon's not here right now, but he's
rather tied up at the moment."
"Dare I ask?"
"It was necessary to keep him from doing something rash like clout
you on the head, drag you off and try to talk you out of getting in
that thing," Allishar answered. "I've talked to several pilots on-
station in the last few days, and I'm getting mixed reactions. Most of
my squad thinks you're either brave or insane. Devon thinks you insane
for volunteering to pilot Unit 02. Allyson doesn't know what to make of
the Evas. And I have reservations about you piloting it myself."
"Such as?"
"I take it you've heard what those machines were known to do to
their pilots. Does the first activation test of Eva-00 ring a bell? Or
all the times Eva-01 went berserk? In those respects, Eva-02 is a more
stable machine. I'd be much more worried if you were in Eva-01; the one
which initiated Third Impact. Do none of these things give you cause
for concern, Jesa?"
"They do, I assure you," Jesa admitted. "Devon thinks I'm insane
for making the attempt. So does Laura. They may be right, you know. I'm
beginning to question the wisdom of my decision. Yes, Allishar, I've
heard about all that many a time. I also know the pilot of an Eva will
feel any damage the Eva takes in combat. I'm aware of the psychological
poisoning which it can cause. I don't exactly trust the Eva, either, and I trust Nerv and its motives even less. I understand your concerns,
Allishar. But I cannot go back now. I have to see this thing through to
the end."
"Okay, Jesa," Allishar said after a moment. "Just answer me one
question. Why are you piloting the Eva?"
"Because I don't want anyone else to suffer at the hands of the
Angels like I did," Jesa answered. "You can't imagine what it's like
for something to rip memories away and use them against you in such a
way that it drives you suicidal. That's what the 15th Angel did to me
in a nutshell, Allishar. It played my mind like a grand piano, and it
was the most horrid experience of my life. If preventing others from
suffering as I did requires me to fly an Eva, and possibly be killed or
mentally incapacitated by it, then that's what I have to do. One life
is a more than equitable trade-off for billions. Besides, I made
Danielle and Laura promises I will come back from this, and I'll see to
it I get back, one way or another. I won't lie to you, Allishar. I'm
not looking forward to taking an Evangelion into combat, nor am I
looking forward to tangling with Angels again. I'll feel whatever
damage the Eva sustains. The entry plug smells of human blood when it
fills with that LCL stuff, which has already ruined two good uniforms.
I even seemed to hear a young girl speaking German whenever I was in
the entry plug. They seem to think it's some kind of residual data from
the previous pilot of that Eva the Interface Headsets are picking up
and translating into sounds I can actually hear.
"Laura thinks the machine is demonic, and after I've had some time
to think about it, I see her point. But I can't afford to think about
any of that tomorrow, or else what everyone's fearing will happen to me
out there has a good chance of happening. All I have to do is fight
like I never have before and I'll come back. When I do, Allishar, you
and I will drink down that last bottle of Scotch I have."
Allishar nodded. "All right, Jesa. I just wanted to make my
position on this matter completely clear, from one squadron leader to
another." He stood up to leave. "I must go back and draw up the patrol
schedules for when you guys are away. Good luck out there and Godspeed,
Jesa."
"Godspeed, Allishar," Jesa replied and without another word
Allishar turned around and stepped quickly out of Jesa's quarters.
End Part 10
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