Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Headhunter ❯ Rise and Shine ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Rusty Knights Production
New tasks and new ops await shinji, after cold sleep he's ready to lead a search up on enron, but after Hikari delivers him some news, things get complicated.

Anime/Manga: Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Horror | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 12.18.2006 | Updated On: 12.19.2006 | Pages: 6 | Words: 15.6K | Visits: 208 | Status: Work In Progress

AN: Only worry what I have right now, is that this fic has gotten so old that everyone who liked it have matured while waiting it. Reason why it's been this long is because I wanted to take little distance about everything what had to do some how with the armed forces. You probably understand when you are conscripted yourself.
By the way: ebony has now more important stuff in her hands, medical studies take time in finland 4+2+1 years, I don't think it's that different in Ireland . So, this has been pre read by K2, about grammar you may complain, but it really doesn't help:)
Smile, since this a unwished comeback of---
Headhunter
Chapter 7
Rise and shine
Cool temperature inside the coffin began to fade fast. Shinji could feel all ready the sudden hollow space of air began filling with his scent coming from those few clothes he had on him and small drops of water as the moisture of his body forcefully condensate and warm rigors began to conquer every part of his body, forcing cold spots away his body. This kind of kick start of his body made his brains still remember the coolness where they had rested moments ago, and Shinji wondered would other people too first think that something was holding them with giant hands or that something was running on their skin to hide.
It would be too obvious even for a cosmic joke that his body would start warming up from the crotch. The muscle what had most responsibility seemed the outrun the joy-muscle. He had were little amazed when he was in his first times in the freezer, that it was warming so quickly as it did, not the second but the third organ to be exact. Though warming up happened so fast that he could barely keep up with it, he felt his heart beat raise and some sparkling from inside his skull, as well slight erection against his boxers.
Male organ finished this run as the third. There would and there is plausible medical explanation of blood stream, but Shinji couldn't help as he thought himself that it might be very well the organ with most vitality, and that would be compatible with biology as well.
And that on its behalf reinforces the rule that men think with their dicks. That was obvious attempt of humor to him and some one whose brains either worked more or less than his owns, and thought it was too obvious ambiguity joke; it still made him smile a bit. And humor was it bad or good taste might be good for these days. His subjects of laugh were getting fewer day after day.
Shinji watched trough impact proof glass how his former superior, and this time sub ordinate was busy with his coffin. “We are last ones on sleep, sir.” Sandoval kept talking trough glass while watching readings from Shinji's coffin. In truth she didn't understand much beyond that they show her the vitals, current temperature and what how much was left for the melting.
Other gizmos or things were mostly “fun-to-know” stuff and unless you're a tech or just interested about W-Y's products, it probably wasn't likely that any normal people would store that info. Sandoval didn't love W-Y nor didn't her hobbies include collection of “fun-to-know” stuff.
“Others had an early waking today, then?” Shinji replied back to her not knowing would his voice be heard by the one on the other side, as he had the idea that she had spoken little louder than usual, and he was still keeping his own voice on the normal level.
Sandoval heard his speaking though it was quiet and some of it was swallowed by the thump her foot let out when she moved a little. She heard the question words `waking' and `today'.
“Mm-mm” she nodded. “They've been marked to some lifting of boxes from that frigate. All of that blue crap is being carried to here. And the bodies…the whole ones and those what is left of them.”
Shinji blinked his eyes understanding that Sandoval was talking Terium transferring to this ship for safe keeping. “Mr. T won't get room from here.” he said. “We got our own equipment here, and half of decks are voided.”
“Yeah, that's why we are getting some help on that matter…Lets talk of it more when I pull you out of the freezer.” Sandoval said began again to read some data what he knew was important.
Next to the panels what gave her the info she let her eyes wander and saw W-Y's already fading logo. Her gaze suddenly turned to annoyed and she pressed her leg tightly over it, rubbing her boot against it for awhile. As the cryo coffin was lying on the floor vertically Shinji didn't saw what she doing.
But he saw how she looked something on the side of a coffin and the look on her face when she pressed her boot on it, and the look where she looked satisfied to herself, as she got some more paint had off from the logo.
“Something's wrong?” Shinji asked now raising his voice so it echoed inside the coffin.
“I was just crushing something.” She said. “It's no big deal.” Shinji's warming blood begin now rush, as it began to pick up speed. Result of that he began feel more tingling and heat radiating everywhere form his body. Just as it began to feel bit uncomfortable, the coffins glass began to arise. Gaskets let out a hiss as cool air instead of cold air rushed inside. Now it felt comforting than it did minute ago as warmth on his body began to feel smothering and cooler air eased that. Glass cover from his coffin withdrew with continues hum and slowly that part of him wanted to forcefully push it open, but he waited it to do its thing. When it had, he firstly pushed himself up to sit and stretched his shoulders, and turned her neck gently rubbing his temple. Still though warming of his blood had helped he didn't feel himself too awake.
He turned to exit the coffin and Sandoval made room for him, in the case he would start straightly begin walk when he got out.
Though she knew he wouldn't like she never did. The moment Shinji's foot touched the floor he jumped a little bit. `First it was cold, then too warm and now its freezing again.' he thought, as his toes seemed to freeze again. `Nothing is good enough.' He rose to stand and after waiting a while he took his first steps, avoiding to jumping in order to help the toe free. `I'm not freezing again yet.' frost followed him though and corner of his mouth rose to uncertain gesture.
“First bite…” Sandoval smirked next to him. She always enjoyed watching others to fare same as she did. She had sent others to do their assignment and has dressed partly to her service uniform, what was missing the jacket, as she didn't saw any need to keep it on when she was on this kind of heated environment. Green top with out places of any markings of a rank and dark green trousers with out protective plates near the ankles, what was meant to use with combat gear. What did mark his attention was old traditional combat boots, what she was wearing.
“Still using old school ass kicking equipment?” Shinji nod to her feet.
“Yeah. If that's okay for you, sir.” Sandoval replied to him and corrected her stance as he was talking to her superior. Half of it was a reflex other half had to remind herself about it. It wasn't been so long ago, that the things were other way around. But to her being in a new place made it feel like it had happened ages ago.
Shinji blinked his eyes from the amount of light what felt too bright, though he didn't know that lights were dimmer than normally. He stretched his arms up and delayed his answer for a while. “Nah, I'm not in the mood for ruing your nostalgia trip.” Shinji replied letting out a sigh and lowering his arms back to sides. “I kind of share your opinion with these…traditional boots.” He avoided using the word old. “These new ones don't have any balls. Feels like walking with some stuffed sticks.”
“Uhum.” Sandoval replied and stomped her leg on the floor, which as if protesting let out a booming clang. “More weight might be something to do with but I think it just sinks better on ribs when kicking with it. With those new ones I feel like I'm going to a dance.” She diverted her eyes towards roof then wall trying to find what light caused Shinji to stir his eyes a bit.
“I kind of miss those days when we were under own command. We had to change colors to this new euro brandy shit. I don't really trust these new things, I thought that the real combat boots have done job over three hundred years.” Sandoval kept searching but she didn't found out what made Shinji eyes so tense. He seemed to recover it and after Sandoval thought that she was just imagine it. Shinji's eyes were narrow because he was Japanese, so Sandoval thought it was the case.
“I did ask why.” Shinji replied still turning his neck and remembering the old stuff. “Got the answer and lot more.”
“Ah that I remember.” Sandoval smiled. “I didn't get the change to stop you. That drill instructor had a bad habit wanting to be for every decision what brass made, and to tell everyone else why it was for the better.”
“I'll remember that he arranged those new boots to be ready more early so that I could see and feel the difference myself.” Shinji smiled a bit. Now as it was behind him it felt actually hilarious that it had to be dealt with such kind of serious approach. He thought now the new batch and the next unfortunate who had the questionable glory to ask that question.
“What did you guys need to do…” Sandoval inquired, stretching her tone, like she really didn't know.
The truth is she was one who also gets to bark some commands and curses when they were at the `test', what like most of the extra shit was useless, but day schedules had to be filled. Shinji and others had remembered this thing many times, as `war stories' tend to be double as good when they were told again with somebody who had been there.
Most of the fun war stories were these. Somebody would rarely like to talk when the actual killing started. Unless was really addicted to angst, and wanted to bathe on it before wrapping to cryo coffin.
“We run with them and really put them on mud. The normal drills, but what was really annoying part was that we all needed to do guard shift with them. I never really understood why that had to be included to that test.”
“Like guard shifts weren't enough shit with everyone keeping eye on you.” Sandoval replied. The worst thing being guard wasn't that it was boring; it was that there just seemed to have too many officers or others who had their fun pissing off simple guards. “Well, what was your opinion?” Sandoval continued.
“About?” Shinji wondered little vacantly.
Normally Sandoval had grunted something about the subject being so obvious but she was convinced that Shinji wasn't yet in full throttle because he just woke up. ”Boots. What would be better?”
Moments ago Shinji was seeing nightmares and now he was discussing boots. You could seem to switch subjects soon and this was good as any. “The best thing on these new ones probably is that we got some armor here on the ankles and knees. Perhaps then when something explodes my legs won't need to be completely amputated.”
“I think so. So you are gong to wear them instead of these ones when you are going planetside today?” Sandoval asked this question but she was aiming on something way more interesting than boots.
Shinji almost forgot that they had planet raid, or planet sweep (if somebody wanted to be politically correct, raids for raiders) for seemingly long moment that he had been on his feet with out doing anything he began now to walk back to his locker, what like any other officers locker was on opposite of his coffin. Only crew and group leaders kept their things on row organized lockers.
There wasn't so far from his locker to a door to right what was the exit from crew quarters. The whole layout was practical. Shinji's cryo coffin was lonely lying on the corner where the door to corridors begins. On his left was with some distance, rows of other coffins and before them rows of lockers.
Behind of that were the tables were they ate, all with their own time or in duty time. Most of the cruiser assignment was so called duty but any real doing there was not. Not counting of course special assignments or things before take off had to be done. Today there was both of them so that's why the early waking. Solaris consisted four of inner barracks like this, but only two were used, as this cruiser was still an experiment. With the short stretching he took the steps what were needed to get near his locker. The green walls sucked light from the air so the bright lights, at least from his point of view, was needed. He got every light that he needed from the one above the door to the corridors. Now that he first thought it, he noticed that his coffin was quite close to the door, than the other ones had good 90 feet of space from coffins to the door.
`Most valuable member must get away first…' He laughed inside as an officer he should be the last one who leaves here. With escape opportunity so close in his hands, he really didn't want to know would he be enough a man to be the last one who leaves, or the first one, for that matter.
Number locked, (That wasn't so good as it was said to be, as it could be opened with bypass kit.) With a standard four number combination, he pressed on the code, what had already eaten its way on his memory. As this was again those days when thoughts seem to want to change subjects inside him, he kept wondering how long he would remember the code if he'd ever live old. Lock clicked and door jumped from its hinges a little. The locker it self was so old that it seemed to tremble as well.
Inside from the locker he had view of his uniform and effortlessly acquired pair of silver shaded old Colt M1911A's. They were seen from the side of uniforms jacket as they lied against the wall in place where his .44 pistol had been, now it were one of the side compartments. He watched them for a while and remembered that he had been asked a question. “Yes, I think I'll do that.” He wondered again what the name of the place was. “Enron is the name of that one.”
“Enron…” Sandoval muttered. “Name rings a bell.” She took couple steps back and wondered again out loud. “Where was it…that I heard it…something about ancient history and neo-depression…in beginning of 21'st century…”
“History wasn't your strong suits was it?” Shinji asked not knowing it himself. He hadn't either any idea was it something to do with history, near or ancient.
“Aww, to hell with that. What more there is that you can know about neo-depression? Stock brokers and investors jumped from the skyscraper's windows in an orderly trail.” She snorted.
“Good that you think that it's better to live here and now.” Shinji replied. “It's a bug call.”
Sandoval's expression didn't turn right away to stance what could tell her shock. “Oh fuck!” when gasping that, she looked like she had said, `that's nice' or something like that. But tone of her voice told exactly what was going on in her mind. When she almost whispered “Already?” she seemed almost that she had changed to a different person. That much she knew about what was coming.
Shinji grabbed his trousers out of the locker while explaining how they'd been elected to this. “We are the best group available to deal with such situations.” He had begun to pull his pants on. Leaving to say whether he thought was available meaning that they were only ones close enough or that they were the only ones. “I wasn't waiting this anymore than you are.” He had no idea what did her face look like after he had told the news, but he could hear all what he needed just in her voice. He clicked the belt of his trousers tighter.
“Great.” Sandoval famous sense of humor had scared and gone in to hiding. More than she knew her expression and speech told that she was more concerned than afraid. Or perhaps her humor had just kept it hidden. “Boys who know how to shoot paintings get their asses in fire. This is too soon, they aren't…”
“Ready?” Shinji finished her sentence. He grabbed the jacket from the locker. From what he could tell the warmth inside the ship didn't need him to wear any extra clothing. “They are never going to be ready, with just training and exercising here. You just can't get ready. It's only excuse to say that you are not ready…” He remembered again that how unstoppable had the demons had been in his dream and in real life.
“So…” Sandoval said portably little coldly as she might have take that offending as she had used most of her time to train others, and getting ready herself. “Have you thought any strategies?” She walked on next of him and leaned to see Shinji's face just to see what she had less wanted to.
“Uh…” Shinji's brain's clicked empty as he thought that now his statement was kicking him to ass. “Not really.” He replied quickly. “Not much out of an ordinary…”
“If there'd be anyone else than you here, that would sound bad.” She sounded little disappointed and amused that the Shinji's wisdom about getting ready didn't work out like he had planned.
“I know.” he corrected his early statement. “I of course…meant nothing out of the ordinary from old school indoor fighting. Heavy weapons just need to be left behind, except for minigun.” He stretched his jacket on him and fit it in for him. “Grenade Launchers and Rocket launchers would be a good way to paint that famous town to red.”
“Don't know about that. Maybe you could use them to purge corridors.” Sandoval suggested now returning to phase of hers where she tried to spot everything what Shinji would miss, if she wouldn't say it out loud.
“Not a bad idea…but we don't know about any survivors.” Shinji replied while he zipped up his jacket. “Besides, we don't really know should we risk doing collateral damage.”
“They've been there with them for almost over a day.” Sandoval said grimly. “I doubt there is any.”
`She was already dead.' Shinji heard a voice in his head. `There was nothing you could do, don't you think?' He felt like he subconsciously bought his peace of mind like this. But what else he could do? He faced Sandoval after thinking it for a while. “I agree completely. But it's still bit too risky to take explosive weapons inside the corridors of that small.”
“Well, take them with you and leave them outside.” Sandoval said. “Couple guys, or girls with them outside ready you could guard every exit.”
Shinji thought that option, and it sounded well suited for this. He felt a little sting that he had left that thing to escape his attention but then again was relaxed that she had such a good eye to details. “Then heavy weapons would be all in the same place. Lot of them was destroyed on that blast…”
“Where else you would need them? There is only one place were we break trough. Just pile them up to same place and group them in a nice execution squad just outside.” Now that she had no need to sound like adamant trainer she spoke casually, almost like he had asked were would be a good drinking place.
Shinji wasn't too proud to take advices from people serving under him. “I can't see any reason why not.” He replied. “Let's do like you said. I'll take the minigun and other heavy arsenal with me to the landing pad. Thanks for the idea.”
“Hey, you can still steal it and present that idea as your own.” Sandoval suggested jokingly. “You might get some points from the major, not that you'd need those.” Sandoval had the idea that Shinji and major had known each other long before she ever had met her, or heard about her.
Shinji turned his head to side not facing Sandoval anymore directly. He had almost forgotten that they haven't spoken to each other since the raid on Firefly.
Sandoval had noted that Shinji was bit of unwilling to comment it, and probably more than jus a bit. “Not that it even matters now that she's been suspended from command. That snow white sure knows how to shoot holes in our boat…” She added lowly.
“Not so bad that major can't make better…and where did you find out that she's been suspended?” Shinji inquired, feeling bit of frustrated that everyone had so ultimately clear that it was Ayanami who had caused all the troubles while Misato had endangered all the lives from this ship. It was like everyone was looking to other way.
Sandoval had this far only seen him agreeing every bad word from what came out of the corporation. Or it had seemed so. He was just most of the time quiet when bad mouthing of the big Satan was on, though she had the idea that he didn't like it anymore than she did, but she kept talking.” I was going to her cabin…” She started little quietly. “Asking who's the one who keeping the briefing. She didn't let me in.” Sandoval said now for the first time sounding bit unconfident. “She answered the door, but she sounded like she was in worse case scenario hangover.”
Shinji nodded. Misato had used her usual way to drive off her pressures, or this time more bigger pressures. He thought that Misato had this time taken refuge for something much stronger than beer. It seemed that she had though time getting over this. Shinji quickly repelled any thought of guilt he had for the situation. He was done with the thing letting her mistakes to be weight on his shoulders. “She did?” Shinji asked as an in vain confirmation.
“Believe me, I've spend lot of time with drunks and junkies that I can tell when somebody has a bad day, and when somebody has bottle-crosswise-on-ass-day.” She said humorlessly. These were things that she had much of experience on her own behalf and it didn't feel so funny to carve a joke out of them.
Shinji used this pause between them to try to change the subject. “I have meant to ask you, I heard that your Ex was one of the poor bastards who we found on that frigate. Should I offer my condolences?”
“Hnh”. Sandoval snorted and grimaced a bit. “Offer congrats. Terium had killed him years ago, some one just needed to do the physical side of it.” Sandoval showed a little like she was missing something though she obviously was relieved that she had got confirmation where her son's father was. She sighed. “I sure hope that he'd gotten cleaner ending though.”
“We'll see plenty of that.” Shinji said still having the image of obsessively gutted pirate leftovers in his mind.
“I know that war's ugly, but I sure wasn't expecting that.” Sandoval shrugged after knowing that she just should've. “Or I was, but didn't just know that it was that bad.” Stories were 75 of imagined. Normally when she had known there was always somebody who had been in worse than anyone could ever imagine. And on the next there was somebody else who had been twice as hard place. And there was probably somewhere the third who had been in both incidents, and in third much more worse. Were they true, or just something what they'd made up, nobody could tell.
“Mm-mm.” Shinji mumbled. “Crew of thirty five, and only seven were alive. Shit load of weapons and drugs there, but only comfy bed seemed to be good enough for the predator.”
“All done with the same way?” Sandoval asked bit unbelieving, but still knowing it was true. “With blades and other sharp weird ninja shit?”
“Not all of them.” Shinji replied remembering the exploded heads, which condition several raiders had been found. “Couple of them was fried with plasma guns.”
Now she had even still a hard time to believe it. “What the hell? Those things are big as hell, how they can carry them with them?” She sounded amazed.
“It's a smaller version.” Shinji replied simplified not even trying to go on technical or tactical, he knew that it wouldn't be any god trying to come up with explanations with something what neither of them understood.
“But what do they look like…?” Sandoval asked now just getting more curious about and enemy what she haven't even seen, or barely heard.
Shinji sighed as he began felt increasingly that he was beginning to be one man's info center but decided to tell her what he knew. “To be honest, I've no idea. Nobody does for sure…” though Misato had known every single fact what there was about single hunter she couldn't just talk about it. “They're supposed to be big and strong, though they see to like shadow fighting…”
“Hn?” Sandoval mumbled.
“They never seem to appear more than one at the time, and they don't strike anywhere what could tell something of longer line strategy or military plan, and those places has almost no tactical value. They seem to favor dropping middle of an ongoing war just to cover their tracks.” Shinji replied. “This kind of surgical strike we have here is rare…”
“You mean that they don't do things like that? It didn't look like shadow fighting.” Sandoval wondered out loud.
“If that's hard to believe I can offer some more of it.” Shinji replied. “Usually predator's victims aren't found, they are MIA or then they are unable to I.D, obviously when head is missing, or skin. From things what I…” He paused for a second how to tell that one of his subordinates had hacked himself to secret files. “…Got in my possession, I can put together that they've been around before humans and they suspect that all the worlds armies have only managed to kill five of them in the last three hundred years.”
“Sounds like we're fucked…and not the way I'd want to. On the top of it only person who knows how to fight them is on suspension. Corporates aren't sure helping us at all.”
“What comes to Misato's command she got herself removed for a reason. Ayanami didn't just use that power of hers to shovel shit down to us.” Shinji said firmly when he heard the subject again.
“Have you been watching what happens here? Most of the fights with all the members of this ship are started with those clowns.” She continued with the same frustrated tone what she had had before when she was speaking about the corporate.
“I know that mostly they are pain in the ass…bunch of rental cops or hotshots looking some easy cash.” Shinji replied agreeing with her that they'd be better off with out them. Usually scuffles were about arrogance when somebody tried to convince others that he/she was better than rest of them. Good way to get argument ugly was talk shit about other party's ethnicity. Time passes but some things never change.
“That's a fucking understatement.”
“You think that she didn't have any reason to do it? That she just does that for the fact of that she's taking some joy out of it?” That could be possible, but he didn't know where Ayanami took her pleasure. So far it wasn't clear.
“One question: does that sudden warming up with WY mean the whole orange team, or just one person, hmm?” She asked not now sounding even frustrated but rather interested.
Shinji sighed heavily while thinking that Sandoval wasn't entirely wrong. Something about Ayanami just kept drawing him closer, somehow. First he thought it was just something what was passing by, just normal thing of desire that he like any young man could have for lady of that caliper, Misato had been in the times that they've spent together in the past been encourage him to show that but he had tried to keep this particular interested towards Ayanami some how with himself. And it stays that way. It was no use of denying it. Though now he felt that it might have been developing into something more than just lust. He was imagining what Rei Ayanami was like in her own time.
Sandoval didn't really feel that she should be surprised. She was actually relieved that it was just Shinji's natural urges what drew him out of his shell. And after all he couldn't help it; he was just a man after all. Besides it couldn't be anything serious, corporate princess probably had just equal wanting to full fill that kind of bored woman's day dream about military man. She would probably bore off quickly. `Hopefully it's just that.' She thought. `Otherwise a good man is about to be ruined.' Still Sandoval managed to sound guileless. “Have fun.” She said cheerfully.
Shinji faced Sandoval's gaze what was at same time amused but concentrated after she had gotten some of his motives clear. “I know what it is like in that age.” She added. Actually she wasn't that much older, only five years. What made her right to say that about them?
There were several reasons. Shinji's behavior in the infamous academy was minder of his own business. There he had really little talk about WY though the whole academy was held up by the corporations funding and sometimes even their intelligence: it was natural after all, that power what owned the stars knew more about what went on there than power that `ruled' them. Shinji wasn't even the best candidate in the traditional norms, as the whole job seemed to be only a nasty task what had to be done, like cleaning up other people's mess. In drill's he didn't show any particular enthusiasm. Others weren't really any better, as they believed to fortify behind authority.
One would think that Sandoval's first priority was trying to find those would want to take the task. It was, but she also needed to find ones with the right reason.
With ordinary conscription force in times of peace it would be same if people wanted to use potential rank in special forces trying to be one step closer to fame, glory and pool side quickies. And a international, interstellar, and inter-what was-coming-next position kept drawing people in who were hungry that being paid W-Y orange colored guard wasn't enough. It kept drawing them in like fresh shit's scent draws in flies. Saying that like people's language was found on to two things. (A) People who kept this as a pit stop on the way kept these assignments as shit, (B) and when they didn't value it, they didn't think that there was right or wrong, just the mediocre way what was the best.
`Thanks for using rectal movements as figure of speech, sir. I thought direct talk had been privatized. Makes feel like some things can't be bought after all. You want me to separate chaff from the wheat?'
Sandoval was prepared to do what she could so that best of the best were only ones who were the ones who remained as officers. She should've guessed from the academy's captain's sigh and when he rise up on his chair to speak to her. “Maria.” He used her first name rarely and when he did it was never any good news. “We are going to go trough some really weak seasons from now on. And I don't know how we are going to cope it, but we just have to.” He said seriously.
Sandoval couldn't be any more amazed from the instructions she received. Now her whole values were inverted, instead of finding the best candidate, but the one who wasn't the worse. In the old world when the biggest nation kept the colonial marines going on solely they could execute their own practice so that there was always more wheat than chaff. In the start they were as the marines traditionally were, a relatively small force what was voluntarily supplied, at least when joining to colonial marines weren't doing social reasons such as trying to avoid criminal life.
Now things were different. New bug nests were almost daily occurrence, and things with space pirates had gotten out of hands, as there was more area to cover and not enough man power to supply it, as there were left some little pirate captains who had besides their large ego, balls big enough to get their own slice from the pie. Now it was time of the all the great nations to give out their best for the use of all.
But in these seemly good basics, had their flaws as well. When it came to give their finest to protect the common good, all the earth's states who wanted their share of space had turned into a (Like famous thriller writer had commented from his publishers) bunch of frigid women who wanted to spread their legs for few times in the year and even less than that in the next year. Had this been an UN task force in disaster areas there would have been plenty of good candidates to keep this task force up and running.
Now every nation were keeping their finest locked up tightly for the rainy day. The really rainy day what no doubt, has much of acid and missiles in it. And it wouldn't be length of a day.
So there was her problem, trying to make leaders what wouldn't be getting their crew killed. Her recommendations almost automatically meant that somebody was heading for the brighter cast. At least the ones who weren't as good as committed leaders, they were better than none at all, or someone who attacks before thinking it and dies along with the whole pack. Then it would be just up to the war make them the good ones. The first thing was about trying to calm those who were hot headed. Though somebody was ambitious it wasn't so big sin that it would be deserved to get eaten alive, or worse.
Her first conflict between her orders and what should be done came up quickly. As she quickly noticed the ones who were right to the job were so thin that they couldn't possibly train these people with so big groups. So she and the captain had to make another plan, this time diverting more from their usual practice. Now she would feed the Mirage what every young and confident mind in these people had spelled up. If she didn't like doing things that were crossing every tradition of colonial marine's corp. she hated what she had to do now.
Though lying wasn't her primary task, if considered that the facts were what they were and she was just acting like expected. She was pretty good at it, like all people are in self deceiving. Sandoval didn't think for a long time did she do something wrong or did she lie, or `altered the truth' like politicians did.
Summarizing it, their flock had swollen but quality had dropped. They didn't even need recruiting posters anymore. Corporations own commercial teams had left the PR section of colonial marines unemployed. Sandoval wondered that even government couldn't do any better… 'Bastards want every piece of the cake they can get…'
While Shinji thought should he answer the spike or throw what he had gotten. This time it was nothing but some friendly taunting. In the academy she had wanted to know every aspect of what deal corporation had given to them and when. It was almost an obsession but she had in her sight a few ideal candidates what could be better than the most of overzealous ones. Though his ID labeled `Randy Fisk' what he had explained kind of weak excuse that his family history had hold a page where his family had in one century moved to USA, wanted to be Americans by changing their names, and then moved back to Japan a century later but keeping their American name. Because she wasn't complete idiot, though those who she trained kept telling after they were transferred far from her reach that `Mexican whore didn't recommend me though I was the best', she didn't buy it.
For all what she cared was that Shinji seemed someone who was smart enough not to jump on big Satan's sled, but stupid enough to jump in this circus. If he had some reason to hide his identity, and then by all means let he have it. Little better alias could've been in order though.
No, not the only special one in this ship but he just struck on her eye among the rest of them. And he had the one belittled ability: he was not good pretending. Or then it was just the one of the honesties many nick names. If the alias Randy Fisk was his best shot of burn the bridge to his past what kept haunting him - Or then he just didn't really want to forget. Like she had experienced people were pretty good in art of fooling themselves.
Sandoval made her past to guarantee that he would be one to make it in the list of all possible squad leaders, like she was expecting he wasn't thrilled being in responsible of others. But not like the others he wasn't worried of losing his face in front of brass, who expected lot from everyone. He feared yes, but that was because he knew. Sandoval saw sometimes a morbid smile sneaking on Shinji's face when bug reports came in, and sometimes she could know that in it was some contempt as well. That creepy smile came familiar to her. Shinji seemed at first look some what sad and gloomy but…that made him look different. Though Sandoval herself might had used it when she had her first crack on her life, followed by a collapse what had brought her there.
Shinji's reluctance just made her curious. Sandoval just kept pressuring him, and every objection from him to her was like giving booze to the drunkard.
Finally it was on the point where Shinji had to choose would he take the position that's been made for him. So he countered this one by listing every possible reason what he found that he would be useful in the line rather than in the command chain. Sandoval on her behalf replied that it was a quota that they must get and it was the only way how he could stay on.
One of his strengths (What can easily be turned to weaknesses, depending where do you look at it.) were that he could adjust to situations rather than trying to change it. In return of forcing him, she offered that he would get something what seemed to be dead these days. Her own personal opinion about what was going on, not the bull shit what she had instructed to do. It had been three years when the small elite of armed forces had been reformed into a more of a form of modern conscription army. Certain things had to be dropped, and Sandoval had felt more of and clerk. Though the special care what she gave Shinji and his friends who one in particular had come more than it seemed, gave her blast from the past, she knew that old times wouldn't return to it. And it only felt sorer as she knew what politics and economics had done to her employer. There was nothing she could do to turn this tie, so the Shinji's batch would be her last.
So he `submitted' or agreed that if he wanted to be useful to any cause or believe what had driven him here he should play along. Sandoval didn't ever think that she and Shinji were alike; she saw it clearly away from him. Devotion what he had was different from hers. It didn't told her about dream or place were he wanted to be, this clearly wasn't his objective. He needed this but it didn't give him anything to be happy or proud of. This strange world what he had to crouch, crawl and tread on not to talk about regulation and code of behavior where all Special Forces were known. It bothered her somehow that he could own such a huge part of his life to the something what he didn't even like. Not that it kept bothering her for long, as she lost the joy of doing this, but kept doing it for a while. Though here she had had came because she must. After a few days, perhaps sooner her old life would cease to exist for her.
So she had decided, for her own behalf. What other decided for her and her son when she decided to make her move…couldn't care her less. Not anymore.
His motivation was somewhat clear. Some said it was revenge but she knew better that driving force behind him was redemption, what made him to stay. This was part of the advantage what she had used pressurizing him to take the job. She didn't felt a sting in her conscience, though she laughed inside when it came question of decision, because she had a feeling Shinji didn't think that he was even choosing.
This all flashed in a seconds in Sandoval's head and it was cut off by Shinji saying. “I think I just might.”
She wasn't sure had she again played all-time classic film of `resurrected memories' in her eyes so intensely that she had just lost tracking of everything else as she didn't notice that Shinji had smiled to her suggestion. He was looking the other way so he didn't notice that her eyes gaze had been elsewhere for a while of that ten second silence.
Shinji felt again his mind getting lighter when Ayanami was about the one to talk about. And the idea about the two of them began to feel more comforting. Though he wasn't sure did he meant that, as all though Ayanami had shown him some sings that she wasn't like rest of them his knowledge of her end there. `Wait, wait, and wait. You really don't know anything better than waiting.' cheery and high girls voice from past reminded him, and he obliged again the fact that people didn't change that much.
This gave Sandoval some time to base her opinion, still hoping that Ayanami would have her fun from him for the night, and leave it there. It seemed again give Shinji something else to talk about. “Seriously. These are long assignments. If there is any room for fun and relaxing I suggest that you take it. There won't be that many opportunities.”
“For a last supper?” he replied again getting the favorite theme what had occupied their mind much of being here. Though he thought afterwards should he had used words last fuck up. It might have been more striking, than the traditional.
“If you want to say so, yeah.” She shrugged. “But I wouldn't use such a morbid figure of speech now.”
“Afraid of lowering the morale?” Shinji inquired.
“Afraid of killing.” She said simply.
“Killing?” Shinji lifted his eyes from the locker, now facing her again.
“Yes. Killing.” She continued in serious tone and face. “I fear that I'm killing people with boredom.”
“Huh?”
“Well, if this keeps going on it just ends up that we'll find ourselves from middle of an Vietnam war movie.” Sandoval replied.
“That deserves a deeper look.” Shinji grabbed both of his newly acquired antique weapons on his hands. Light flashed away from the surface of the weapons and the text, as he had brushed some dust and grease spots of them after he brought them here. As the ray of light reflected from them Sandoval blinked her eyes when it hit them, admiring a little the pair of old weapons from pre-space travel time. She didn't turn her head and saw that Shinji kept turning them and she guessed that Shinji perhaps admired them from themselves and not the purpose where they had meant. He kept turning them in his hands like child who first had found something interesting. She noticed that his eyes widened every time the light swept over them but he didn't stir them like she did.
“I meant both.” Shinji replied and pushed both ancient hand guns trough his belt, tightening his belt so that they were firmly sitting there and the weight was balanced. He pulled his jackets to conceal the guns out of view unless one knew what to look. He zipped the jacked up to half of his chest, and when Rei Ayanami sees this first time she again remembers that director Ikari has the same habit of not zipping his jacket all the way up, but leaving it open there where his neck starts. “I still have a hard time to believe they are real. I tried to find AMT's logo or something. Part of me still thinks that they are fakes… In Promised Land I'd easily make a month's salary out of both.” Shinji reached to the locker taking the cap out of there.
“You are not going to do that are you?” Sandoval said little surprised, knowing one or two who would want to get possession of those guns.
“They are just guns; they shoot bullets like tens of thousand of others what have been made before them in last three hundred years. And what did you mean when you said that you're afraid of killing people in boredom? You are one of the people in this place who I want to listen.” He replied while leaning forward and closing the locker.
His attitude shouldn't have come to her as a surprise what she knew about him. Like this place they were just a tool or way to get what he wanted. Soldier's bride seemed to live in separation in his case. `It could be worse.' she thought. `He could consider us as tools.' “When I said that this was beginning to seem like war flick, I meant that we are going to laugh, shoot those tailed giant black dicks like it wouldn't even be hard and then preach them about freedom and principles and shit.”
“Three things, which from two will never happen.” Shinji mused. “What's the other variation?”
“There we'll whine how horrible our own casualties will be, before they even happen, and fear for that 20 minutes what really matter.” She told. “But you know what?” she asked and turned halfway to the direction of the door which had designed to be most easily accessible from the place where officers pod were. They both were going to different directions they both had to use elevators to get there. They've done these trips for a while and it was good time for people to chat about what's been happening in general. She only needed to make gesture towards the door and Shinji knew that it was time to move.
“No.” Shinji replied simply, pressing the cap firmly on his head, and took couple steps to close on to her, and they started walking away. “What?” he said after setting his cap straight.
“They always lose the war with out losing a single battle.” Sandoval smirked.
Shinji stopped walking before it even hadn't started and let Sandoval take couple steps so that some space grew between them. He thought did she really have anything to say about that fact what she just stated but then said nothing. `It's in general nicer to win often than lose rarely.' he thought. `It's probably the fantasy about losing honorably…' then something just came to his mind. “They were always attacking…or at least most of the time.”
“There's the thing.” Sandoval replied over her shoulder seeing that he had stayed in back. “If you just attack, how can you lose? Especially if you don't have anything defend, it shouldn't be possible.”
“It's probably easier to glorify the defeat…easier to start again…” Shinji replied. Misato had named Asuka's way of handling mistakes `victory in defeat' strategy.
“It's easy to fall in that trap.” Sandoval replied harshly, her whole tone changing a second to severe. “When you see silver lines in every thing you don't care do you win or lose.
“Not a problem in this conflict…” Shinji said after Sandoval's tone had cooled as cold breath of air. He knew that with the bugs there was only two ways. Either they live after fighting them for another day or die and stay that way, until alien's life cycle give them birth as a new bug.
Sandoval decided to restore her lighter and warmer stance of things on her voice and acting. She was here for her last days, and she didn't want him to feel that he was back in the academy. ”Just thought that you might still need some waking up in case you have fell that…'pleasant' dream you saw in the coffin.” She had stopped near the door and it fell open when it integrated motion sensors recorded movement on the virtual are considered dress hold. Unlike cabin door this one was thinner and designed to be blown of its place if it would jam in case of fire…or worse. “You sure you are all right? Was it just a bad dream?” She said a bit concerned as she had been putting up Major's and Shinji's behaving in short time.
That was all what it take. He had thought his dream so long that only the word dream, needed to lift it up again.
It wasn't a dream. A hundred percent capture of feelings, sounds, smell, old self of him and hers...and photographed memory image of something what lurked in behind his eyes making his eyes to feel a surge or presence near them. Every small fact had been dealt with. When it foot touched the floor and it's claws in feet met the steel what scratch it leaving some markings and letting out ear shredding sounds when it turned quickly. Air what was refreshed by the giant fans, was sucked by its mere presence and then exhausted from its mouth with wheezing. “It's not the dream what bothers me.” Shinji said in calm face. In the way it was true. He had seen it so many times and processed it much more than normal people could think to be possible until it happens to them. He had grown numb to it.
“Thought as much.” She sighed agreeing. “If you can't escape to dreams, you probably won't be lucky in awake either. It's the Major isn't it?”
“Partly.” He said. Shinji wondered that since this dream had been accurate both in his memories of people as even cabins layout probably was because of he had tried to get his attention elsewhere from what he wanted to think…in this case his relations to major what seemed to be tied with the bugs. Both had found a nest from his fridge.
“Maybe it's just good you know. Keeping some distance to brass…nothing bad if you have good relations with them but you tend to get your share of their problems too.” she mused.
“Isn't my fault of she breaks on drinking fire water when…” he stopped as he realized that he had spoke little too much that he intended. Sometimes he forgot that it was almost a public secret that Misato had her way of relieving pressures. She was hardly the first; on the contrary she was just one of the many among the military who liked alcohol. But of course it was different thing just take a shot on free time than to be a part time drunkard on the assignments like this one. In wrong hands it could be the fact what could cause her to be kicked out from the force.
“That's what I meant.” She sighed on rhythm of some tune. “Be careful but sometimes carefree. If you'd be talking with members from Orange County club you'd have a full investigation on your hands…It might be just easier when you know nothing.”
Shinji didn't comment but walked determined towards her and the door. He seemed sunk deeper in his thoughts. He remembered that he had asked that question and received the answer `I just can't help it.'
`In this case, you sir, are more worried that you are losing a friend here.' Sandoval thought as she watched the serious man who was coming at him. `It just seems that authority grow finally between the two of you.'
They both stepped outside to the corridor silently as it seemed they had done talking for a while. Though corridor what they begin to walk before arriving to the elevator didn't refresh his all ready fresh memories. This corridor was again exception to the rule of Colonial Marines, as instead of white the whole interior had been painted dark green. The venom green wall what he didn't know was it just a huge light draining generator from one of Kensuke's conspiracy theories between lamp industry and paint cartels or was it just some pure physical fact, but the wall was sucking light from the lamps, and not reflecting it. Though lamps were at regular intervals within the border between the floor and wall, it was lot shadier than the standard steel or grey white. That and the artistic mixture with the lights, like one of his squads men had said was a `masterpiece from some retarded fuck head architect, who wanted to be a new Picasso and had no balls to get a real job'. Shinji smiled to himself but couldn't remember the name of the one who had said. The thing was that he was from Texas, and that he remembered because when spoke so loud about it, and that southern brawl of his.
He admitted to himself that the placing of the lights was odd though. Its reflections and shadows literally writhed on the walls and ceiling, because of choice how lamps had been put on their place was more of a example of good sense at office ergonomic than a trace of common sense and coherent plan of building interiors. Lamps had been placed in rows resembling an endless spiral- one lamp on the left low corner and next on the ceiling and the third again in the left corner. Then it started again from the left corner and made again such a circle. Shinji had wondered that how such a design ever made it way away from the table, as walking it seemed to twist shades thrown from his and Sandoval's figures quite cheerful giants of black and when ever they passed one, the shape of their shadow was broken. He moved his hand on the way following this light spiral and made out some shadow playing almost effortlessly. he was wondering could he still remember some shadow figures what he…had watched other `normal' kids done with their parents when they had a change…he just watched form the background, while waiting to get picked up from another kindergarten or such one.
`Don't I really have anything better things to do than thinking this?' He thought and then remembered the one thing what they had spoken before. After they had seemed to reach the end of this corridor, what one seemed to spread out to other sections of the ship, and to be endless tube to be lighted by this pearl line, he asked at Sandoval what she had meant about giving a help to them.
“When you aren't in terms with the brass they won't even talk about the trivial things.”
She replied. “Yeah, that hole is now under control, says that mechanic girl…” She said a bit bothered about something but Shinji couldn't picture about what it was. “…and same say the O.C's boys and synths too. But it could turn lot worse, so we are getting an old Conastoga class cruiser to watch over us, in the case this brick wants implode or break on two.”
“Oh. What is coming?” Shinji asked.
“Major didn't really want to speak about it, even in literal note what she sent to me or, then this chat with her door com.” She replied as they waited for the elevator to come get them. “The boat's name is `Painkiller'. Major probably would have a use for some too.”
Shinji blinked his eyes as he heard the name. Painkiller was probably the most used ship on the whole USG fleet and always was on the move. Besides its name what wasn't from taken from Greek mythology or some Latin deprived name, Painkiller was probably last thing what Misato wanted. And he knew the reason why Misato had probably only vaguely mentioned the Painkiller.
Kaji probably was the most distant thing from painkilling in her case.
“Painkiller…” Shinji chuckled. How appropriate that Misato's ex had chose to come on `help'. He had hopes that he would see Kaji again; it was always good to see him, though they weren't exactly kindred spirits, (after all Kaji just enjoyed sense of danger while Shinji just wanted to stop it) he had felt attached to him as one of closer adults he had around.
“You know that? I thought Painkiller is already burnt its engines.” Sandoval said as the elevators door opened-this time the elevator didn't had any artistically set lights attachments, except the old fashioned bulky light on the up, what could be now described as a retro compared to corridor lights.
“Painkiller is little sharp on the edges…” Shinji replied, knowing well that it's `captain' whose command had been criticized (after all he was a `secret agent' and in a sense civilian) to be lowest point where colonial marines have been sunk giving a cruiser to command of a civilian-who had experience about everything else but commanding. Something how ever made the army shut their mouth as they got `something' from the brass and suddenly the Marine Corps were a sense of unity to support activity of Painkiller. Apparently it had been demoted to a bust boy. “…but it gets the job done. It's been around and helped in many times when things have looked bad.” Shinji had his suspicions that Kaji voluntarily had agreed to be as piccolo to both government and the corporation, but he thought that Kaji had changed his mind as he got acquainted to advantages of publicity. He seemed to take a bit of enjoyment that he had once a change to pose to cameras instead of hiding from them.
Sandoval and Shinji stepped on the Elevator, and Shinji asked her where she was going. He was bit surprised that her destination was the drop ship cargo bay, instead of the docking bay where others than military ships are docking. “I have this one thing what I need to take care of…besides those guests are arriving there. Isn't you the chief of marine squad here to do some greeting as well?”
“I guess it is…and I'm not at he only one.” Ships commander is at the place as well. Shinji got some sudden sadistic pleasure about thought that Misato had to greet Kaji in hang over. Years back he might've scold his self silently about taking joy about taking joy for others pain, but that time is in the past. “Were there any others?”
“There is those who we needed to pick up but then with this hole on the hull they put Painkiller to do the delivery. That operator guy who got his ear burned is getting some help on med bay and we get some one to give a hand on the bridge. Those new people are two gals by the way.” Sandoval smirked. “Maya Ibuki…”
“I know her by name.” Shinji replied. Though he had little interaction with her, he had thought Maya wouldn't want get so close to neither the front line, nor he thought that she would be good to be here. Besides she had almost left the whole Operator thing behind her…so it meant that she had come here with her friend…
“…doctor Ritsuko Akagi.” Sandoval said like waiting to Shinji word about her too.
“She's Misato's friend.” `And Ellen Ripley's too.' Shinji thought. The trio had been bit separate after they had taken different careers, but as Ripley's and Ritsuko's employers were WY they kept in contact, and though Ripley was the quiet one, she relayed any messages that she had trough Ritsuko. It wasn't that they had gotten mad at each other, they just drifted apart, and it continued just on the explosion of Nostromo.
Maya had changed her line of work to bionics, so she had wanted of course to be with the famed Doctor Akagi. Ritsuko and Shinji had little interaction though sometimes when she gotten frustrated with something she might speak to him while waiting Misato got away from where she was at the moment. Though Shinji had a feeling that she was watching him, and it almost looked that observed every move of him. Though he had nothing against her she had just remained distant to him.
Shinji just out of sudden found himself to be glad for Misato that somebody who she could trust, was going to come here. People are in conflict…as he had just been glad about her coming hardship with Kaji he was almost as glad that it was getting her some relieve.
Doors of the elevator closed and it began its travel to lower decks. Shinji almost thought that he was hearing something like elevator music; apparently it just was the only thing what hadn't gotten trough to this artistic designers plan. His fathers place, the Geo-front platform-almost this elevator was one to one with words office ergonomic and there unlike on army vessels was only one theme what ruled and it was futuristic style. Unlike this kind of mongrel what at the same time tried to be the frontier fighter of the space as well the advertisement of new technology.
“I heard it was been commanded by a civilian.” Sandoval wondered out loud. “Painkiller, I mean.” Sandoval cut of his flow of thoughts.
“Yes, a man named Ryoji Kaji.” Shinji replied. “Apparently it's a salvage and emergency duty now on.”
“You know him?” Sandoval asked. “I saw some giant photo in Galaxy daily by a headline `lady killer shakes hands with pain killing'. He looked good…” Sandoval smiled dreamingly, stretching her voice.
“Well, now that you are single I could introduce you to him.” Shinji said. “Expect it be short acquaintance since we both will be on our separate ways soon, when this thing is over…but perhaps it suits you both…”
Sandoval clanged him, and her expression got bit of calmed of her usual boisterous face as she replied. “Perhaps…another time.”
Shinji didn't really take this reaction as a surprise. Still these jokes didn't come out from him very well, and sometimes he thought should he just stop as they seemed so stiff coming out from him. Misato had always been better being casual. He seemed fail in this time as well. “I'll be off here.” He said and pressed the stop button to get to his meeting what he had to move because he had been just tired after what had happened.
He stepped out of the elevator to another corridor what was eventually about to lead to non-military personnel quarters. Hikari had came up something important, what just had to wait 'til tomorrow as there were pretty much issues to cover on that day, including the afterimage of Firefly situation. She had come to meet him on the elevators steps, and comparing to him she looked blasted as she had probably woken up recently. Cryo freezing was only meant for soldiers as they had to keep the level and be ready in short notice. Others who got the advantage of cryo freezing was either rich or then explores and long voyage workers who could be week on the move. Her hair was open and not even two pig tails what on their behalf made her look cheery. Her morning wasn't probably started with coffee or coffee replacement, as her face still was on verge of dozing off. Her dark blue maintenance uniform was wrinkled and she had rolled her sleeves…question was had she did it today or yesterday. Her head bandage still was on place. She was leaning on her head against the wall, her eyes hardly being open. She had been probably waiting him for a while there. She raised her head from the wall where she had been resting. Her hairs flared from her other side and they looked thicker than usual, the bandages on her head made them look that way.
Her dozy eyes suddenly got sharper and they got out of a sudden a fire what they hadn't had there while ago, nor did Shinji think that she had the spirit or energy in her right now. If there had been any other person on there to see her Shinji might've grimace back or mark that it wasn't easy on that end either. Hikari's intense gaze however was felt in the air. Soon Shinji felt that he too was getting warmer like something had drifted on the air to him and with out any reason he seemed to feel as well irradiated… but when he looked at little more precisely Hikari's face he saw that she was actually looking past of him.
When Shinji turned to see what she was looking with her fiery eyes, he just saw Sandoval turning her head around, as the door of the elevator closed. It dived to lower floors, and Shinji turned his head to towards Hikari who had pressed head down, not because of shame though. Her eyes tried to follow elevator trough steel floors. Normal for any mechanic as they know that the elevators move with different noise when they are going upwards or downwards, Shinji hadn't quite figure it out why normal people just stare the elevator door when it closes. They aren't there after the door closes.
Now Shinji how ever knew that the bad gaze wasn't meant for him as the rigors in the air seemed to fade, though Hikari's eyes were still as fiery as they had been a while ago. `Better not to ask what was that about…' Shinji thought as he moved closer to her. “Haven't got much of sleep, have you?”
Hikari started as she was awoke from his thoughts. She looked around her and shook her head, and rubbed her eyes. “I…” she mumbled. “I just have a hard time sleeping when whole…” She yawned “head feels like its in pieces…”
“So it seems…” Shinji replied. “You had something to share…?”
“Huh?” She looked at him tired.
“Look, I don't really time to this…” He said bit of more harshly than he intended. “If this really isn't important if could be somewhere else…”
“Bishop was supposed to meet you, remember?” Hikari replied straightly now getting more awaked.
Shinji remembered suddenly all what he was supposed to do, and what he did after the blast. “Crap, I forgot…” He cried out and continued. “Did anything happen to…”
“Bishop can be repaired…” Hikari replied.
“Good…” Shinji said, letting go the fact that he was more concerned about the data than the synth who acquired it. Good thing Hikari had stopped him before he had a change to say it. She seemed to treat him like human.
“But the data was corrupted,” She continued. After seeing how Shinji expression had come bleak and exhausted she added hurryingly. “almost.”
Shinji watched her puzzled and had no idea what she was talking, about all the hard work what was lost.
“Well, normally I'd said you better sit but since there are no chairs around just try stay put…” She said in her usual cheery attitude, not having herself any idea how important the ghost data what bishop had told her were, or how it would affect on him.
But something important it had to be as his eyes sharpened and his whole stance came more tuned. After Hikari had finished everything what she had heard Bishop saying she realized that Shinji had just stayed that way almost not moving for minutes. He almost seemed to stop breathing too as he listed whole body stiff only nodding at some points.
After she had finished whole image before her told it out loud, it was really important after all.
An: That's it, pretty downed ending, but since I learned something from that monstrosity what you call chapter 5, I try to give more chapter more regulally. Proceed to the eight.