Re: Fluid Power Evangelion, Book I
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:37 am
Chapter Fifteen
"So..." NERV Vice-Commander Kozo Fuyutsuki began. "Are they still set on their goal?"
"Yes." Gendo replied. "The Committee, it seems, is still hell-bent on bringing Instrumentality to fruition. We will have to act faster if we hope to avert this." Fuyutsuki turned to face out of the window at the lake and the forest that covered most of the Geofront's ground. If it hadn't been for the extensive power systems delivering enough light to make it seem like day, the remarkable underground forest of the Geofront could not have existed.
"Harmony across the galaxy." Fuyutsuki said. "Yet at such a high cost. It isn't worth it." he paused. "Are you sure we need the Evas though, considering how they fit into their plans?"
"The Evas are the only things capable of repeatedly defeating Adam's Children. They would be necessary even if Instrumentality wasn't in the picture." Gendo replied. "Not to mention the invaluable roll they would have in fighting off the Trollocs and Myrddraal, as well as the Legion, before Tarmon Gai'don comes. As well as any other unexpected threats that might show up."
"Still, we're taking on Seele by ourselves. Any organization that old, large, and powerful is bound to-" Fuyutsuki stopped when he noticed the smirk on Gendo's face. "There's something you haven't told me, isn't there?"
"Of course." Gendo replied. A faint light flickered behind the two men. They turned around to find themselves facing three men wearing black leather coats, pants, and boots. Two of them - a Bajoran and a Kroot - stood behind the third, a middle-aged human. The human walked towards them.
"Ikari." The man began. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Yes." Gendo replied. "Not since Catachan, Sloan." Sloan chuckled.
"That was quite the adventure, wasn't it?" he began. "Now then, you'll be happy to know that that business in Jerusalem has been taken care of."
"Excellent." Gendo replied. "I doubt the Old Man will know until it's too late."
"That's what we were counting on, wasn't it?" Sloan asked. "Now then..." As the two men began to talk, Fuyutsuki watched silently.
Well, well. Section 31? Ikari, you never cease to astound me. Fuyutsuki thought. To fight Seele, you picked an organization just as old, large, secretive, and powerful. I'm impressed.
"And that's just about it. Oh, one more thing. You know those rumors about that thing being on Mars?" Sloan asked.
"Yes?" Gendo responded.
"They're true."
"I see." Gendo said, in a voice that betrayed no emotion. Most men would have blanched if they knew. Gendo Ikari, however, was not your average man. "That is all, then?"
"Yes." Sloan replied. "For now, at least." Sloan walked back to his comrades. "Until we meet again, Ikari." The trio disappeared in the light of a transporter beam.
"So, they can beam through shields now?" Fuyutsuki asked.
"Yes." Fuyutsuki shook his head at Gendo's reply.
"I'll never understand how you can work with these... people. First Seele, now Section 31?"
"It's only an alliance of convenience. Once the two groups play their parts, our affiliations with them end." Gendo said. "And for the record, Section 31 is the lesser of the two evils. They actually have some scruples."
"Still, you have to think, what would Yui have thought of these alliances?" Fuyutsuki asked. Gendo glared at him. He used her name in an attempt to shame him. Were he any other man, Gendo would have killed him on the spot, without any regrets.
******************************************************************
Tartarus
"We'll launch a two-pronged assault on the Trollocs' base." Angelos began. "The first wave will approach from the north, to draw their attention away from the second group. Their job will be to attack from the south-east, where the Trollocs' defenses are weakest. The Thunderhawk squadrons will provide aerial support during the battle. Now, are there any questions?" Several PDF troopers' hands raised. Angelos picked one at random. "Yes?" he asked a young trooper sitting in the middle of the assembled troops.
"Is it true that Trollocs eat their prisoners?"
"Unfortunately, that rumor is true. During the war, captured cities were often turned into breeding centers, where the citizens were forced to serve as food-slaves to the Trollocs." Angelos replied. The trooper's face turned green. "Any other questions?" Another set of hands went up. "Yes?" Angelos asked, as he picked another soldier.
"Where do Trollocs come from? Aren't they, like, human-animal hybrids?"
"Our current theories suggest that they were the experiments of a rogue Goa'uld, who never bothered to put his markers on their DNA. However, their deity's title, the "Great Lord of the Dark", is not one of any known Goa'uld. One last question." Angelos picked a third soldier at random.
"Is it true that you and your company carried out General Order 24 on the planet Cyrene during the war?" Angelos' face hardened.
"Yes. It is true." he replied. "You are all dismissed now. Except you." The other troopers all turned to look at the soldier who had asked the offending question.
"Hey, smooth move, Lister." One soldier said.
"Shut up." The other soldiers either laughed or rolled their eyes as they left the command center. Less than a minute later, Angelos and Lister stood alone.
"Since you were obviously ignorant of that bit of history, I won't throw you into the brig." Angelos said.
"Sir?"
"Yes, we did carry out General Order 24 on Cyrene. The Trollocs had overran the planet, and there was little else we could do."
"That's all I wanted to know, sir. Why did you threaten to throw me into the brig?"
"Because of the specifics of the planet." Angelos replied. "Cyrene was my homeworld. My responsibility."
"So..." NERV Vice-Commander Kozo Fuyutsuki began. "Are they still set on their goal?"
"Yes." Gendo replied. "The Committee, it seems, is still hell-bent on bringing Instrumentality to fruition. We will have to act faster if we hope to avert this." Fuyutsuki turned to face out of the window at the lake and the forest that covered most of the Geofront's ground. If it hadn't been for the extensive power systems delivering enough light to make it seem like day, the remarkable underground forest of the Geofront could not have existed.
"Harmony across the galaxy." Fuyutsuki said. "Yet at such a high cost. It isn't worth it." he paused. "Are you sure we need the Evas though, considering how they fit into their plans?"
"The Evas are the only things capable of repeatedly defeating Adam's Children. They would be necessary even if Instrumentality wasn't in the picture." Gendo replied. "Not to mention the invaluable roll they would have in fighting off the Trollocs and Myrddraal, as well as the Legion, before Tarmon Gai'don comes. As well as any other unexpected threats that might show up."
"Still, we're taking on Seele by ourselves. Any organization that old, large, and powerful is bound to-" Fuyutsuki stopped when he noticed the smirk on Gendo's face. "There's something you haven't told me, isn't there?"
"Of course." Gendo replied. A faint light flickered behind the two men. They turned around to find themselves facing three men wearing black leather coats, pants, and boots. Two of them - a Bajoran and a Kroot - stood behind the third, a middle-aged human. The human walked towards them.
"Ikari." The man began. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Yes." Gendo replied. "Not since Catachan, Sloan." Sloan chuckled.
"That was quite the adventure, wasn't it?" he began. "Now then, you'll be happy to know that that business in Jerusalem has been taken care of."
"Excellent." Gendo replied. "I doubt the Old Man will know until it's too late."
"That's what we were counting on, wasn't it?" Sloan asked. "Now then..." As the two men began to talk, Fuyutsuki watched silently.
Well, well. Section 31? Ikari, you never cease to astound me. Fuyutsuki thought. To fight Seele, you picked an organization just as old, large, secretive, and powerful. I'm impressed.
"And that's just about it. Oh, one more thing. You know those rumors about that thing being on Mars?" Sloan asked.
"Yes?" Gendo responded.
"They're true."
"I see." Gendo said, in a voice that betrayed no emotion. Most men would have blanched if they knew. Gendo Ikari, however, was not your average man. "That is all, then?"
"Yes." Sloan replied. "For now, at least." Sloan walked back to his comrades. "Until we meet again, Ikari." The trio disappeared in the light of a transporter beam.
"So, they can beam through shields now?" Fuyutsuki asked.
"Yes." Fuyutsuki shook his head at Gendo's reply.
"I'll never understand how you can work with these... people. First Seele, now Section 31?"
"It's only an alliance of convenience. Once the two groups play their parts, our affiliations with them end." Gendo said. "And for the record, Section 31 is the lesser of the two evils. They actually have some scruples."
"Still, you have to think, what would Yui have thought of these alliances?" Fuyutsuki asked. Gendo glared at him. He used her name in an attempt to shame him. Were he any other man, Gendo would have killed him on the spot, without any regrets.
******************************************************************
Tartarus
"We'll launch a two-pronged assault on the Trollocs' base." Angelos began. "The first wave will approach from the north, to draw their attention away from the second group. Their job will be to attack from the south-east, where the Trollocs' defenses are weakest. The Thunderhawk squadrons will provide aerial support during the battle. Now, are there any questions?" Several PDF troopers' hands raised. Angelos picked one at random. "Yes?" he asked a young trooper sitting in the middle of the assembled troops.
"Is it true that Trollocs eat their prisoners?"
"Unfortunately, that rumor is true. During the war, captured cities were often turned into breeding centers, where the citizens were forced to serve as food-slaves to the Trollocs." Angelos replied. The trooper's face turned green. "Any other questions?" Another set of hands went up. "Yes?" Angelos asked, as he picked another soldier.
"Where do Trollocs come from? Aren't they, like, human-animal hybrids?"
"Our current theories suggest that they were the experiments of a rogue Goa'uld, who never bothered to put his markers on their DNA. However, their deity's title, the "Great Lord of the Dark", is not one of any known Goa'uld. One last question." Angelos picked a third soldier at random.
"Is it true that you and your company carried out General Order 24 on the planet Cyrene during the war?" Angelos' face hardened.
"Yes. It is true." he replied. "You are all dismissed now. Except you." The other troopers all turned to look at the soldier who had asked the offending question.
"Hey, smooth move, Lister." One soldier said.
"Shut up." The other soldiers either laughed or rolled their eyes as they left the command center. Less than a minute later, Angelos and Lister stood alone.
"Since you were obviously ignorant of that bit of history, I won't throw you into the brig." Angelos said.
"Sir?"
"Yes, we did carry out General Order 24 on Cyrene. The Trollocs had overran the planet, and there was little else we could do."
"That's all I wanted to know, sir. Why did you threaten to throw me into the brig?"
"Because of the specifics of the planet." Angelos replied. "Cyrene was my homeworld. My responsibility."