Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Headhunter ❯ Codename condom ( Chapter 9 )

Headhunter

 

Chapter 8

 

Codename condom

 

*

 

“Slowly.” Hoarse voice whispered, from the place what was full of mist like gas on the floor and now, so odd as it would seem, heart shaped couple bed missing the satin sheets…though after seeing them in UV hardly anyone would like to sleep with those. Asuka had her doubts, but after Thaarn told that the old sheet all of them were left behind. And after checking with UV herself, Asuka was convinced that Thaarn wasn't mistaken. (She didn't want to questionnaire her own teacher's might or sense, so she checked it while Thaarn was looking the other way. No stains of any color.)

 

“Slower.” Voice told her again.

 

Asuka startled as she kept the praetorian skull her left arm, keeping it on her grasp by its jaw supporting it on her arm and keeping two forked and two edged gutting knife on her right. She had sliced facial muscles and black skin on the skull now for an hour…or perhaps two. She had so enticed to her work so that she had lost the track of time. She knew that when she was waking up there was about three hours of their destination. She was woken up by orange stars rays of light what shined to her eyes. The ships automated route was on purpose caused to fly so close to the sun so that if there were anyone on sleep they'd woke in good strength and ready before the destination would come.

 

Asuka had then notice that Thaarn was awake before her. He had offered her the gutting knife while keeping the skull on the other hand. It was time to prepare the prey for the coming ritual.

 

This meant its skinning.

 

Since creatures brains were small compared to its size, their removal to Asuka was easy. Her hand didn't shake as bad it had in other times of doing this but she still felt nervous as she held the knife on her hand. Unlike human's skull, she didn't need to draw brains out of the end or do something what other predators kept the good way: pull brains out of the nose. Creatures huge shield head really worked as a helmet.

 

The skin and facial muscles were the problem. Asuka had distant memory of the biology classes were they were cutting frogs and stuff but the creatures skin was really tough and it hard to cut. It took significant effort to carve flesh and skin out of the skull. She tensed her muscles every time she prepared to cut a piece of it. And every time it seemed just took more of her strength to carve out another long strip of flesh and steel hard skin. She had come to sweating after doing this for awhile. After she was in middle o f carving another strip, suddenly the knife seemed to meet something hard it let out a loud crack.

 

She wondered what had gone wrong.

 

“Stop.” Hoarse Thaarn commanded and walked to her. Asuka immediately lowered the knife and offered the skull to his teacher who grabbed it from her hands and begin to gaze with his eye having a flame that tried to reach the beyond the `afterlife' like hunters said. Asuka was now a bit nervous. As obviously this skull was on before a hard work, she had perhaps damaged her prize with her sloppy hand work.

 

Thaarn looked the skull but it didn't offer answers. He begin to roll it on his hand and looking at side to side what was wrong with it until he seemed that he had watched it on indefinitely long. then he found something what made his tusks to move. He turned to his eyes back to her student and Asuka was relieved as she saw no displeasure from them. Though Thaarn still kept most of his thoughts as his own she saw from him that this was again place for another lesson. “There.” He pointed at the place were Asuka had stopped.

 

She stirred her eyes, and firs saw nothing but mixture of yellow dark and dirty white, but soon she noticed it as well. “Is that some kind of…?” She stopped as she watched the small hill on the middle of the skull.

 

“A malformation.” Thaarn ended Asuka suspicion, giving the skull back to her, and Asuka received as gently without dropping it. “Nothing serious. Keep doing it.” He replied and turned around, hulking back to the floor few meters away from her. He then lowered back to his knees and continued observing Asuka in her work.

 

Initial though before getting back to her work Asuka had of course that of course all praetorian she had to get the one what was some kind of freak, or imperfect mongrel. That thought quickly dissipated her mind when she remembered that she couldn't but scratch its skull with her spear, and that `mongrel' was about inches of close of decapitating her only a day ago.

 

Her other muscles were sore for treatment what she had gotten. Dark scar tissue covered her wounds and it would be gone in week or so, but probably would leave some burn marks. She wasn't concerned about the burn marks, as she'd know that they were like badges of honor. She had stopped caring her beauty image when she'd first came to the planet where this clan had taken shelter from the cold space around them. Not that she still missed a mirror sometimes. She hadn't watched a real mirror in about six years or so, but she had seen reflection in surface of a well sharpened blade, or clear lake. She was to her own surprise still…enough to turn on any man who was alive. What she didn't really miss was the pirate on the frigate offering to stick certain objects to her own body parts. But then again, she didn't have a plasma cannon sitting sturdily on her right shoulder. Every kind of make up she had thrown away, she wasn't really into beauty contests. She was amazed how quickly she could throw away things what others kept necessary.

 

She continued to carve out more slices and it almost felt that she was carving a boat out of wood. She had no experience about carving wood, but it couldn't be harder than this. The whole layout was kind of living in an ancient atmosphere...She an underling and a servant, carving and making some sacrificial ornament or gift to him, the ancient god who wanted his underling to shown their allegiance. Comparing their size and position it was like picture from Earth's history. Asuka almost felt like that her ancestors might've just been in same position to sacrifice to Wotan in the era of rock and axe. Though in Thaarn's place their probably was an altar or shrine.

 

Never the less this only diverse with the fact this sacrifice was not for him, but someone who even more upper of Thaarn and in fact more upper than any of the other in this clan. Thaarn was just inspecting the gift, and was to be right beside her when it was to be given away to leader of the clan.

 

Asuka found yet three more of the cysts like the first one that Thaarn had shown her. They were evenly located on the creatures skull, and they were about the same size. Though Asuka in some twisted way thought they were ruining her well earned prize (Seeking beauty mistakes on a face of a monster!), Thaarn was glad, at least what Asuka could interpret from his clicking and grunts, that her trophy was unique compared to others.

 

This she thought, was one thing what made the hunt worth of their while. Before this everything what she knew about hunting was that it was some luxury sport of old rich men, who had got everything what one could possibly want, money, fast cars, power, and perhaps a wife and a bunch of girl friends.

 

She wouldn't have ever thought that hunting could be her choice of living and even voluntarily. Back days when she was so called `normal' (Meaning so normal that girl who's family's breaking up), she had made some requests that her class would make more trips to planets as the living up to stations were to her so strange. Her demands were shouted to deaf ears how ever, as most of the bunch was born and bred in space station and had no intention to go in down to planets unless necessary. `Damn pansies…' Asuka still was bit bitter when she was overruled in every change she had to make some change.

 

Asuka shook her head and continued carve out some slices. She all ready removed the brain tissue what were inside the skull. She had all ready amazed how their anatomy was odd as it seemed to be two folded. Skull was like helmet. It covered a great deal of creature's brain mass to be shielded, but she was amazed as she found some glands on inside of the skull. They were same kind of brains mass like the alien had under its helmet and some large glands what she had no idea what they were, as they didn't resemble anything what she had seen.

 

Not of course that she knew herself that what she had sawn was little as she had only seen what she had to, as her line was more of physics and being able to act as a pilot in highly responsible position. Her mothers dream was to make her to be a scientist but her dream was to see new worlds, and not to take bastion on some lab and be isolated from the reality. And sometime before that her mothers dream had been hers as well.

 

But you can't get everything. And if this universe somebody thought so, one had to have shit load of money in his pocket or then really sturdy emotional spine against frustration.

 

Asuka spend some of her focus to review again what she had accomplished today rather than what she had accomplished in her previous life. Most of her focus was now concentrated of sculpting the skull from the rest of the flesh. He had piled the waste flesh along with the body parts what she wasn't going to use. She had removed the nails from creature's hands to be used for a…Bracelet? Or would they look better as a necklace?

 

She hadn't yet decided what would suit her better. The tongue what she had also tore out of the creatures was on her side. Everything with that was still open. She had heard that some used to make scissor out of the inner jaws, but she wanted to wear it definitely. What would be a better a better way to shame your enemy than wear it?

 

After she had gotten herself everything ready and every piece of flesh had been carved out of the skull, she offered it to Thaarn for inspection. It seemed oddly theatrical as she gave it away to him both hands bended forward. It only needed her to bend her head downwards and it would again full fill a fantasia of occultist fan to be witnessing a sacrificial ritual.

 

Thaarn once again gazed the skull whit gleaming eyes…had he been a human his eyes would probably had gleam, but his eyes actually widened almost to cover his eye socket. It seemed freaky when she had seen it first time but that way the predators showed their interests of details. Humans eyes gleamed, and predators eyes turned into a pair of shark's black eyes what only leave thing white rings around them.

 

“Is it good…?” She asked almost barely hearable voice and this probably was the one part of character what had been thinking that she'd never obliged. Especially that she'd been often commented that she were the most vocal people what ever had come up to space. There was even some suspicion on the space station that she could even scream in complete vacuum, but she didn't hear it mentioned when she was around. She had gotten this fact out of Shinji with the same amount tenderness that people use when they are opening an oyster.

 

Thaarn grunted as he still hated being interrupted when he was completing such a review. But he was almost done so he didn't bark his usual `silence.' order but continued while speaking. “There are no marks of spear on there…no surprise. The thick flesh must have deprived the force from your steady hands…”

 

Asuka relaxed as she felt that this was going on the direction what she liked.

 

Thaarn still didn't stop examining his student's latest work. “Definitely better than the two skulls before…Only few gutting blade marks…”

 

Asuka grew stiff as she heard that she had…again…dented the skull with her knife. It was hard to mix strength and tender handling together especially that she had to carve the muscles out in slices.

 

“They can be work away how ever. Polishing will do it…It's mature. Seems like it had just started its next cycle…” He continued.

 

“How…can you tell it?” Asuka inquired while trying to figure it out herself as well.

 

“New bone mass has just started to grow on the shield…” He nodded while studying the skull. And Asuka saw it now for her self. It was hardly see able ridge of new younger bone that surrounded the whole shield part of its head…or now it seemed more like a crown. “Where id you said you found it? Inside of a humans….” He thought a while what the word humans used was again. “Baase?”

 

“A base.” Asuka corrected. “It seemed like it was breaking out and not trying to brake in.” This didn't make her feeling so eased. She felt still excited as Thaarn continued to examine it. “So…?” She added with a shy and submissive tone mixed with anticipation.

 

“It is good.” He replied. But he kept thinking since he couldn't think any reason why this beast was there alone he thought that Asuka might've to answer on couple of questions…what probably didn't get anywhere near the explanation.

 

Immediately after she had been relived from her misery of waiting the judgment she felt more than good. She threw her arms on the air and with a high “YES!” scream. Even Thaarn startled a little as the high note on Asuka's voice was one of the highest that he had officially witnessed in his career and trips around the planets. Usually predator's deep roar wasn't that high that it could jeopardize one's hearing.

 

Asuka shook her head so that her braids flew on the air and whistled. That seemed as well be new for Thaarn as he didn't know how she formed that sound. But he replied with his usual style simple series of clicks.

 

“A new lesson?” Asuka interpret the clicked `words' rightly, and almost felt depressed that she couldn't get even a short break from her journey of a hunter.

 

“Short one.” He added. What ever you need to do, while in battle never do this…” he said and almost immediately after he had reached the end of that line punched his fist in a quick strike to upper parts of the skull, behind that were the glands which purpose she didn't know.

 

Asuka almost jumped on her place as she had been very careful of handling this prize and Thaarn had made now this stunt. After a while she saw that something happened to the skull. It seemed to be darkening and almost shifting a color to another. When Thaarn show the skull to her again there wasn't even a scratch in the place where Thaarn had struck his fist.

 

“If it would be alive…” Thaarn said ending his sentence on silence.

 

Asuka nodded, guessing that there would be probably something more serious than change on color what made this dangerous. She remembered that her struck with spear went little too close of the place where his teacher had made his jab. Now she remembered that she had to also be careful not to hit one of the veins, or strike with spear gun to the point where Thaarn had struck. Guess those glands had a meaning after all.

 

She had no idea that certain marine would find it out in few hours. And after that, the marine in question might just need another remainder how fucked up his career choice was.

 

“And I would prefer if you would try to pick a prey what is more of your size in the future.” Thaarn said sounding as casual than someone like could.

 

“You don't trust that I could take on another one?” She asked feeling to be on the top of her self esteem right now.

 

“No, I don't.” Thaarn replied simply. “And this one could have waited after you have completed your adulthood ritual.”

 

One thing what she didn't know did she hate or like was that predators rarely pretended in the sake of convenience. In the name of truth she had been bit of missing some one who did that in the whole time, as that kind of assumptions what Thaarn made seem to give a dent to her image. “Yet I still stand here-with out any real preparations for the battle with that kind with only the knowledge what my wise teacher had given to me.” She spoke defiantly her voice well stirring with pride.

 

Thaarn seemed to be amused as he thought the fact. “True… against all expectations… this will be popular talk among the clan.” It seemed like he had chuckled and had lost the track of what he was doing.

 

“See? My daredevil stunt gives us both glory, so why don't you left me alone there more often?” This remark seemed to sunk deep on Thaarn

 

“I've mistaken on your account. You aren't as ready as I thought.” He said seriously. I`ll be with you on your next trip, student. Now if that was everything…. we are soon home.”

 

Though Thaarn's note about her cut Asuka deep she forgot it almost as she heard the word home. She would remind that comment as it wasn't even such as a doubt but only like he had stated a clear scientific fact. They both turned to face the cockpit window were they saw their home.

 

They had passed the yellow star where their current home planet orbited. On the space it looked a mixture of green brown and yellow with only few continents. It was about the same size that earth though its rotation time wasn't the same. It might've been several of reason's what could be originating from recovering of a disaster or then the planet was preparing into sudden changes of a climate.

 

Haven or LV-565F like Weyland-Yutani's resource seekers had named it was the choice of the place where the clan resided this time. F in the name was simply `free.' It didn't reflect political status but the fact it wasn't colonized. For now there wasn't any remarkable attempts going to find new worlds. Ever since the Promised Land's uprising the corporation had only tried to keep those worlds were it had lot of colonists. Experts said that uprisings like in Promised Land aren't possible for so long as there isn't any sign of over population.

 

Haven, unlike the last encampment, was a middle phase of savanna and sub-tropical leaf forests. The encampment had been just moved to this planet when Asuka arrived on it. The majority hunters who had come from northern parts of the predator's home world told that they felt aggravated by constant heat of the last camp. Clan elder decided to move their encampment, since their encampment should be a place of resting and planning instead of a new challenge.

 

Out from space it felt like it had been desert on the middle, forests from the corners and mountain formation from here and there. With exception of the first assumption, that was the case. Weyland-Yutani's spy probes haven't yet even as looked to this way, so they couldn't have an idea of courtyards and chambers what were hacked trough, inside and into the planet's rock.

 

Asuka had almost forgotten the doubts what her teacher had made about her when they started to land. In time she would probably remember it again but now her attention was oncoming commotion what was about to come, and other students who would be there to greet her and who she could spill her latest exploits.

 

Even the predators couldn't remove her addiction to attention.

 

*

 

Far from haven there was a final approaching in progress with many aspects. Solaris had managed against all odds to reach the orbit of Enron, place where they were supposed to be day ago. Solaris was delayed because of the confrontation with the Predator ship, or actually because of what it left behind it.

 

In final approach were also USG's another ship, Painkiller.

 

Gendo Ikari had almost immediately received information from synthetic workers who had hidden transmitters in them, or were in complete contact with him, either with their own equipment or with outer communication. When Rei after every task what she had accomplished with Shinji had finally get back to her cabin to rest, but she didn't feel eased when she received text message from Director. With few words he `praised', if it could be described as that, her decisive intervention to remove Misato from her place.

 

This didn't give Rei any reason to breathe lighter. She was worried that Director had picked up such things and knew all ready much of what was happening on the ship. Her other part of the plan was on running and if Director would get some clue of it she could lose Shinji for ever. For now her only orders were to rendezvous with Painkiller, and pick up some people... or human resources like Director always said.

 

Painkiller was without a doubt, the ugliest piece of space crafting that has been seen in history. Even Russia's space ships were joy for the eye, comparing to the mauling what had been done to the Painkiller in time. It separated well from dark depths of space since there were spots of different colors in its hull. Painkiller were used as a test subject of new sub systems, they were welded on it hull and replaced in record times.

 

Of course when such radical procedures were practiced that speed it result in time record class fuck ups. In time to time when the brass wanted to test the new thingy what's been born in the workshops, they tore old sub system away, and installed the new one. Not very subtle, as they tend to tear fair pieces of the hull with them.

 

Painkiller's hull was partly black and partly grey. It also had good amount of different colored patches on it, green and red what where left from outer sub systems. When that combined with yellow-black stripes around each turret, hangar and countermeasure and diversion system, made it lack the famed military authority.

 

It fit USG's parade shows as well that carnival balloon in funerals. It shapes weren't linear as other cruisers: it had lost some mass with the result of amateur surgeries as force marriage of astrophysics with astroengineering gave birth to one ugly child. Or actually their separation gave birth to it.

 

When Painkiller was looked as civilian POV it kind of cheery and almost piece of art flowing on space. And from disciplinary lovers it was a big piece of iron what should've stayed far out of their view.

 

Painkiller turned pain in the brass's ass when an adventurer and woman beauty admirer decided to make it as his ship.

 

At least when used for a test subject and platform of new systems, Painkiller was away from sight. Old Chinese proverb, `What eyes can't see, that heart won't cry.' (That usually was appealed on after a crime against human right or such where there isn't evidence) was accurate again as once it represented the top class of fighting was now little more than a lab rat. At least ugly bastard child could be kept away from view when guest were coming but now it was about to get the taste of world.

 

After corporation paid some security guarantees for the government they finally accepted the loss of their test subject. After all there weren't much of major break troughs coming now with the new Conastoga line entering the service.

 

As the odd shaped and colored ship prepared to launch a small shuttle what was primary used to evacuation, Shinji Ikari took a deep breath as his hear had missed couple of beats and tried to catch up to the pace by getting up speed. He felt suddenly warmer than minutes ago. As he took some support from the wall he managed to spit out “It can't be.” of his lips.

 

“That's what Bishop said: procedure and Ikari. But the rest was static so to say.” Hikari explained.

 

“You are suggesting….” He swallowed, and tried to keep himself calm. “That my mother…who has been dead for years, was pulled to some techno freak's operating table and brought back to life with some wondrous, magical surging knife?” He replied and Hikari could see from his eyes that Shinji was holding back the inevitable eruption.

 

“I didn't….”

 

“But it looks like that? Doesn't it?” he barked.

 

“Bishop did what you asked, and I happened to be there to hear about it-that's all.” Hikari raised her voice. “I just wish that He'd been somewhere else when the shit came down to us.”

 

Shinji looked like he too understands that she wasn't the one to blame from this one. “Just… tell me was it really…”

 

“With those words exactly.” Hikari answered.

 

“Doesn't make any sense….” Shinji muttered.

 

“Perhaps they got the date wrong…?” Hikari suggested.

 

“I had the idea that…” Shinji drew a deep breath before continuing and began to dig up again what he knew. “…My mother died in the fall…but I remember that she died in the labor…”

 

Hikari wondered might it even be possible to him from all people to remember such things so far away. Her early memories from child hood began when she was five or four.

 

“They said that she died on cryo capsule…perhaps you are right.” Shinji tried to drove all desires of having back something which he never even had. He had just a hollow space in his mind where his mother should have been. In a way he never really knew how to miss her since he never `had' her…but in some dark moments and lonely days he found himself again trying to picture her face in his mind. He had been left only with few pictures about his mother…but he still tried to figure out what she was like.

 

“But…they were…or actually he…” Hikari corrected “Was talking about her. Eisenberg mentioned that he didn't want any money or such…maybe he had a hold of you father or something…” Hikari didn't really believe that it was an error in date, as the corporate people knew the power of image like devil knew the bible.

 

“Then Eisenberg were ought to be one bad motherfucker.”

 

Shinji found himself smiling a little when he heard that. He would've wanted to meet anyone who could've a hold over Gendo Ikari. He thought that perhaps the only who could've change his mind about anything would be his mother. He couldn't do anything to even get Gendo to glance at him. If somebody who had enough balls to extort and even dare to threat him, he would like to know.

 

“I guess so.” Hikari smiled too as she understood that how foolish her first suggestion were. “So what you are going to do?”

 

“There is nothing what I can do - Bishop's is probably now in pieces…” He looked at Hikari who avoided his gaze as Bishop came again the subject. “.. And I don't think that W-Y doesn't know by now that somebody has been visiting in their archives.” Shinji walked away from the wall and he was looking like he prepared to leave.

 

“Perhaps you could ask from Rei.” Hikari covered her mouth with her hand as she realized what she had just said. This seemed to be a day of stupid questions for Hikari, as she had now launches them three times in a row.

 

Now Shinji even laughed out loud tough his tone seemed more desperate than hopeful. “Damn it, I almost forgot about her…” Shinji had no idea about what he should do with her. His mind was already puzzled about this thing what seemed to lurking on the background with the facts. He couldn't convince himself that this was only a misspelling by an office rat. “I don't even want to know…” he began to say as he walked to elevator. The end of that line would've been `How she's tangled with this.' Instead of saying that, he found himself braking away from situation involving his mother and partly running to elevator.

 

Hikari watched in amaze as he closed the elevator door and Hikari disappeared from his view. She wondered why she didn't stop him…then she remember that she would've want to as about something where she really didn't want an answer. “Better off this way…” she muttered and walked away. She might've just saved herself from speaking out her fourth sentence of foolishness.

 

Shinji realized after the door had closed that he had walked on the elevator with out even knowing it. Memory blackout, one moment he was listening Hikari snapping at her then letting it go and in somewhere between that he had muttered something and next thing he know he was going down.

 

He bashed the back of his head to the elevators wall while he felt the elevator jumping and it started its way where Sandoval had went minutes before. He inhaled slowly another dose of purified air, what with all its purity didn't feel fresh. Throbbing pain remind him that he still was awake.

 

“It can't be.” He muttered to himself while still trying to accept the fact that there was no revival for his mother. Part of him was denying what Hikari had told him. But then again another part said that it COULD be possible. Shinji found with out doubt that the part what was telling him that god's miracle could be possible, was in all its simplicity felt nicer to accept than the part of him what knew the absolute truth.

 

Shinji wiped his forehead with his palm like trying to rub sand from his eyes. Both parts began to torment him with a reversing all the `facts' he knew about his mother. Suddenly the statement `she is dead.' turned into a `she might be dead.' and as easily `I saw her die' was replaced with. `I saw only her. Not was she alive or…'

 

“This isn't making any sense!” He cried out and laid his gaze upwards, as he objected both parts with in him. Where would've she been all these years? Hiding for what? Gendo Ikari? Surely Gendo Ikari would've tracked her now. Again the nicer truth gave him more answers what made `sense' in the way he wanted them to make sense. Perhaps she didn't miss him like he hadn't missed her.

 

`Bullshit.' Shinji rejected it. Asuka had spit out obscenities to her mother when everything didn't go as she had wanted, and those words had made him to blush and his ears to heat up. But though it had made Kyoko to gasp breath as shock, Kyoko her self had been raised in with strong authorities, but the relentless objection from her daughter was something what she wasn't prepared. But all Asuka's rabid ranting that Kyoko was pathetic old bitch wrapped on the white sheet, didn't stop her trying to fix her relationship with her.

 

Shinji banged back of his head harder to the elevators wall behind him, trying to force away all the “what ifs” bouncing inside of his head. Despite the effort bury his doubts to cheap inflicted pain, They remained there stubbornly.

 

“Just stop it!” He snorted. “God damn, stop jerkin yourself off with that thing!” he commanded himself. It didn't give him the hoped result. There was only one thing from those doubts where he couldn't make up an answer, or denial.

 

Why dead would get any kind of treatment? or procedure, or what the hell terminology promised?

 

Fake death.

 

“No.” He whispered and laid his gaze from the ceiling when color balls began to do jig in his eyes. He rubbed them for a while and his vision back to normal. “What the hell it's with the lights today?”

 

Returning to wonder would fake death be possible he again denied it. Come on two months after being dead and no one wouldn't find out that's just faking? Hell yeah, and pope has keys to heaven too!

 

But there lot of things what science can do, right?

 

Shinji struck his fist on the wall hard, not like his friend from other life had done against lockers, he struck side of his hand to steel. “It just isn't…”

 

Doors before him slid open and Shinji opened his squinted eyes, to look around. He pressed both truths the pleasant and less pleasant to aside. He just couldn't decide which one was real.

 

Shuttle what had brought new personnel aboard couldn't more be more lack of imagination. It was white and simply shaped as capital letter A, with a fork in the front. It was standard evac shuttle but it worked with this task.

 

Shinji dashed few steps from opened doors, little panting not because of strain, but because he simply had hold his breath in the elevator as he had thought the `facts'. He had before this only little clue that such old things could get him an oxygen drunk.

 

At first sight he realized that hangar was empty… shuttle was on its place but its passengers weren't there. That caused Shinji's senses get lot sharper like animal what relays on instinct.

 

“Hey! Bad day, eh?” He heard a male voice behind him speaking relaxed, and Shinji felt a hand dropping to his right shoulder.

 

Shinji spin around quickly, trying to grab the hand what had touched him.

 

Other man's moves were fast, and sneaker managed to avoid getting caught. Shinji threw quick jab, what hit the air as quickly moving assailant managed to step back, he moved like he had known it before hand. As a reflex shinji's face had twisted to killers look. But those faces rarely got that kind of reply to them as Shinji got now.

 

Front of him, only few feet away stood familiar male figure. The man was wearing a corporate black jacket what had yellow W-Y letters embedded on them little above the heart. Unlike marines jacket it had no collars in it. It was bit wide from the chest so he suspected that it was some kind of bullet proof jacket. That, with the black trousers and shoes completed image of a man who considered himself an agent.

 

The man himself had upright hair, not cut like marine's regulation of course, and unshaved face with eased and play full smile what made shinji both confused and pissed. “Just like the book teaches.”

 

“Kaji.” he grumbled. And though he needed no more surprises for this day he started cheerily “Why, you little…”

 

“My company here had a hard time to believe you'd really had got the book's teaching in usage” he nodded to his behind.

 

“I said it was hard to believe not that I don't believe it all.” Female voice replied. The party had been hidden behind some cargo containers what were plenty on the hangar. They held the corporations most valued property Terium in them.

 

Ritsuko had changed as well. They hadn't seen each other for a while, but it still looked odd that she looked what she did.

 

Corporation's grey white uniform really made her look like Misato and Ellen Ripley sometimes called (When she wasn't in their company or she had passed their bar runs.) a mad science woman. She had at least an illusion to look like a people's person with her lab coat and her fluffy blond hair.

 

Now that Image had been broken big time. Ritsuko's thick hair had been grown thinner, perhaps some kind of chemicals in her hair dye caused it to fade, or perhaps stress from overtime work had caused it. Her hair certainly wasn't blond fluff growing on her head anymore. She had had it cut (Or perhaps trimmed it herself) to smooth around her skull. Not like an army style as there still was enough hair where to grab her. But her hair seemed to be glued like helmet on her head.

 

Corporate science uniform wasn't sane kind of tight and so openly sexist like Rei's, since it wasn't skin hugging nor was so white. It looked dirty grey and long piece of fibers, continuing to little below her hip like a skirt's side. She had black rubber gloves…or they looked like they were rubber. Glows continued from her wrists and end covered the forearm. Though Ritsuko smiled to Shinji like someone who knows you by name, and what you do to pay your bills…perhaps like someone who had hear thing or two what friend of yours had told to that person, it was far from casual at least from his point of view.

 

As she smiled to him, Shinji noticed that he pictured her in apron, what had blood stains spread all over it and a cleaver in her other hand a meat cleaver what had too been instilled in blood…

 

Shinji pressed that image back to where it had came from when he scouted the third person who was on sight.

 

Maya hadn't change much at all. She had grown a little longer hair that reached to her shoulders but was orderly trimmed from the end. She glanced around bit nervously everything around her. Her gaze finally attached to him to him and as Shinji raised his eyebrow and Maya turned her gaze away.

 

Shinji had always liked more, or perhaps he was just better acquainted with her than Ritsuko. Part of it was that he and Maya act bit reserved.

 

Shinji realized that she was still bit tense and panting like long time ago extinct steam locomotive, and his face really would have been worth to see: It had stoned to some kind of middle phase between killing grin and smile when you see your old friend again.

 

He draw more fresh air to his lungs and blinked his eyes for few times, clearing some waste thoughts from his previous encounter. “Welcome to Solarus.” He said like he had normally said.

 

“Thanks.” Kaji said. “That made up that punch line of yours before.”

 

“The book says that soldier should always be prepared.” Shinji shrugged.

 

“Yeah I know.” Kaji replied. “I had one remainder where that's ignoring may lead you.”

 

“Some place else than down on the gutter for end of a night?” Ritsuko guessed.

 

“There too.” Kaji nodded.

 

“You didn't get the message last time, it seems. Too bad, that Shinji missed.” Ritsuko replied cheerily. “We might have a change then to see you getting old if you'd slow down the pace.”

 

“Nah.” Kaji swept the air with his hand. “I just have got to much older than now, that so green guys like Shinji get some punches in.” He knew that this case probably bring that old thing up again. “No offense.” He added.

 

“None taken.” He still had not get on the track, where Kaji had gotten his `training' or was it just something what was with him when he had born. What ever it was, it was still more than he had. “Why the scare, anyway?”

 

“I just wanted to prove to them….” Kaji glanced at his passengers. “…That I was right those past years with Katsuragi hadn't gone to waste. Besides Ritz here just said I'm getting old…”

 

“There you go and twist my words again…” Ritsuko pretended to be frustrated.

 

“So what's better than show the facts with USG finest on hand here, that I still can win five bucks bet.” Kaji continued, and looked over Shinji's shoulder to the hangar were shuttle resided. “Not much of a crowd meeting. Well, better like this.”

 

“I guess in your line of work publicity kills.” Shinji hadn't had exact figure of Kaji's work description other than Misato had mentioned.

 

“Galaxy week…” Kaji snorted. “Probably because of that trash tabloid what comes to every place in the universe I never get a job in shady business again.” He sighed. “Well still, this job has its moments. Like regular pay check.”

 

“I thought in the other day that corporation wouldn't accept have any decent human being in them, I seem to be wrong…” Shinji replied. “But guess you haven't much of choice to be most known secret agent after all. Besides I thought you wanted to give that interview.”

 

“It doesn't really work like James Bond, but I just try to get forward. And I did, but I didn't know they'd press it with cat sized letters it to the front page.” Kaji said. “Well, you certainly have gotten forward. Look at you, an officer. Last time I heard you just would've wanted to be on the row.”

 

“You just can't always get what you want…” Shinji shrugged.

 

“But you can try.” Kaji pointed. “You just made it against your will to somewhere while others who want only get rarely. That's quite of achievement.”

 

“Yippee.” Shinji said sounding not very exited.

 

“Still not used to that you're the one who gives orders?” Ritsuko spoke from the back ground. She had again that look what seemed to be interested about his answers.

 

“Not really. I could've been used to take orders and just do it.” Shinji sighed. “This isn't really so fantastic.”

 

“You gotta be careful that some paparazzi doesn't get that and throw it on Galaxy week's toilet paper.” Kaji replied. “They really have this bad thing to take issues from places where they have been connected. But I would like to see how they can mold that `Lieutenant of Colonial Marines questions need of his unit.'”

 

“I doubt that isn't anything new.” Ritsuko replied.

 

“Half of guys here won't talk about anything but what they do or who they do on their next leave.” Shinji replied and saw that they still had difficult thing to adjust that he was throwing jokes. Kaji probably was succeeding it at best. “But you all have getting forward, am I right?”

 

“Hmh. Yes.” Ritsuko replied. “I have really…interesting project going on here…right here.” Ritsuko glanced at her assistant who had been quiet the whole time. Shinji knew that it was more of shyness than harsh acting. “By the way I heard that you've some bodies what predator has handled.”

 

“I guess it's what made you come here quicker.” Shinji said bit grimly. “Yeah, about two platoons of bodies. I…”

 

“Stop.” Ritsuko said suddenly. ”I don't want to know.”

 

Shinji could've understood if normal people wouldn't want to know but that, that Ritsuko had wanted to be spared of it didn't at first make sense.

 

Ritsuko looked at Maya's direction and added quietly “Yet.”

 

Shinji remembered shortly that she had a thing about violence. There Maya opened her mouth for first time. “It's all right doctor.” She spoke with his voice crumbling as she had been silent for a long time. “I've gotten used to…some things.” She really didn't sound too convincing.

 

“Still, you don't need to come.” Ritsuko answered sincerely. “I can manage to determine post mortems by myself.”

 

“They are going to be the shortest case what you ever have had.” Shinji replied. “I think the one who you really want to see is their boss. He's been cut down, in literal sense.”

 

“Now that we are getting this in to the field of flesh…” Kaji said. “…where is Katsuragi? I thought she and Ayanami should be here to greet us.”

 

“Yeah, Kaji is just anxious to get see what her has to say about his new work.” Ritsuko said amused. “She probably can carve out thing or two about how man ends up commanding condom.”

 

Shinji chuckled for that remark. There was other reason why Painkiller's commanding was looked to be more hindrance than privilege. Due to the various configuration changes and welding in order to add or remove systems, not only had Painkiller suffered from changes to its appearance, but it had also suffered a change to its efficiency percentage. Its counted efficiency in combat is 86 percent, what as coincidence, is same as over two hundred old invention. In comparison, `the book', like everyone referred to all spoken and unspoken rules of combat and regulations, didn't recommend bringing in combat a vessel, which efficiency was 69 or less…

 

The name had got burned to Shinji's memory since he had too read `Galaxy week' and the place where the reporter had asked from Kaji was condom as it's long survival a sing that mankind haven't evolved remarkably in two decades. Kaji had replied to this that it was more of excellent example why there isn't any reason to fix anything what isn't broken.

 

“Heh, I just want to see her face when captain condom is reporting in.” Kaji smirked.

 

“But where is she?” Ritsuko asked again. “Is she stylishly late again?”

 

“Where do I know about her getting late?” Shinji barked. “She's probably doing what she does best.”

 

Ritsuko raised her eye brown. “I just thought you might know since you both are after all working in the same place…”

 

“Hmph.” Shinji turned his head towards the elevator. ”At least one of us is… I can't say same about her. And I don't know where she is now…” That wasn't entirely true; he had a hunch that person in question was some where near, but he didn't know exactly where, and `near' was very relative subject.

 

“So, Ayanami did it.” Maya said “For real…”

 

“Maya hasn't met Rep of this ship yet; she doesn't have habit to crack jokes…” Ritsuko snap. “I knew it when the message reached GF platform, that it was true.”

 

“She's pretty bold.” Maya said. “Only week onboard…”

 

“I doubt that…” Ritsuko began and was about once again leer Shinji. Just about when he was to say what gets, elevator doors slide open.

 

From there emerged a pair what could stand comparison to each other in any shade of light. Misato and Rei had just apparently finished a heated conversation or shouting contest between them since they both look that blood had begun to rush. Rei actually seemed that her skin had begun to look like normal people skin. She looked kind of small, and unarmed to the way how her opponent ruled the view.

 

Same couldn't be said about Misato, that she looked her usual self. Since Misato was upper end of ships food chain she had “privilege” not to sleep in cryo coffin. She seemed to have behind her very small amount of slept hours and then a very nasty awakening. Shinji could see very well from his spot those dark lines under her eyes, and her hair was all messed up. Though Misato had a habit to look like a troll in mornings she usually looked like a woman during day light and an officer during work time. Even one of the roles before hadn't pulled off this time.

 

Women looked at the opened view when they arrived at the hangar. Both eyes gleamed, but their gleam had different tones. Rei's had sort of terrified look on her eyes as she had been caught in middle of `reprimand' like it was said pretty-pretty in regulation. Misato's eyes gleamed the way that her express elevator to hell had just dived even lower.

 

Rei was first from the pair to recover herself and stepped outside, walking in rhythm that seemed have bit of swaggering of people who were higher in the food chain and knew it. Misato followed her as determined as she used to but she didn't keep hurry of catching her. Somebody who hadn't clear shot of pair's faces could've mistaken to think, that Misato left this space between her and Rei because of some respect.

 

Kaji knew that Misato didn't exactly have any more of sun shine to her life from him paying visit to her ship. Even now he knew that something wasn't like it should. Misato looked the now same like when they had split up years ago, angry but also anxiety and under the pressure… and then something what he recognized fear - not mortal fear what was familiar to him, but something else. After time had flown it had changed to irritation as dealing with him became more of a routine, and Kaji had prepared to that, so he was bit puzzled what's going on. But he didn't expect that when looking how Misato's and Shinji's eyes confronted each other, came clear that feeling was mutual.

 

Before Rei had chance to open her mouth, Misato was already in voice. “What are you doing here?” she stared the band of people before her. Rei had moved away to block her view and didn't seems to object her speaking this time.

 

“Accompanying them, on the great journey to unknown.” Kaji replied.

 

Misato seemed to drop the ball, for a seconds and she looked Kaji little baffled. ”Not you, captain rubber.” she snapped and nodded towards Shinji while keeping her eyes set to Kaji. “He.”

 

“Doing my job.” Shinji replied calmly. “And you?” he inquired.

 

“She's attending here in the case her expertise…” Rei stretched her voice so that it would be clear to everyone that she didn't agree with Major's decisions. “...would be needed.”

 

Misato kept her eyes fixed on the lieutenant. “In the case somebody will shit on their pants when real place comes.” Misato decided to once again translate the Rei's `bureaucracy crap', like she had called it in the elevator just moments before.

 

“Ah.” Shinji muttered. “So, this ship needs more holes on its hull?” he pretended to be surprised. “I thought that I smelled something…”

 

“Just probably some vain self praise… It's on the move.” Misato replied. “And big ass load of it just walked here.” She moved her gaze on Kaji.

 

“Oh, this time you are talking to me…” Kaji said. “That comment almost made me think that you'd forgotten about me.”

 

“I'm not that lucky.” She replied. Now it seemed more like she really didn't care about Kaji's presence here.

 

`More like you aren't sauced enough…' Shinji thought, as he monitored `old friends' meeting again. In the background Ritsuko seemed to think it was her time to remind that she was here too.

 

“Long time no see.” Ritsuko spoke and first time since coming from the elevator Misato seemed bit relived.

 

“Oh, I'll guess your trip here didn't go to the letter with time table?” She turned to face her directly and moved her right fist to side of her hip, while hanging the other lazily. Shinji thought that he knew that pose but he couldn't get to his head where he had seen it before…

 

“Classical question: what took you so long?” Ritsuko inquired.

 

“I had a…” Misato thought awhile. “Bit of entanglement.”

 

“What's the name?” Ritsuko asked right after.

 

“Hmh.” Misato mumbled “Not that kind of obstacle.”

 

“I just asked behalf of Kaji.” Ritsuko smiled. “You know he wants to keep tabs on things...like in the old days.”

 

“Well, well. Is your days as charmer over?” Misato snapped. “The day I never thought I'd see.”

 

“I've moved from sneaking business to destroy life of future generations.” Pony tailed man replied. “But agent jobs seem to be over for now…Thanks by the way Ritsuko for plowing the way.”

 

“Speaking about plowing…” Misato grinned and spoke out cheery voice. “You still have time your hands? I've certainly got nothing but time.”

 

“Are you offering a suggestion?” Kaji spoke softly. “This came bit of surprise.”

 

“What, you aren't into refreshing old memories?” Misato replied.

 

“I might just have to think about it…”

 

“Well, goddamn….” Misato spat frustrated and her face changed from cheery to icy in eye blink, but she didn't get far as this time Rei was speaking over her.

 

“What if you, Major, just leave these matters to be, and concentrate on the subject what we came here for.” Rei had had her change to draw her breath for few times since they'd arrived. Her eyes were again clean and color had…neither returned nor remained but escaped from her face. Normal in her limits. “Time is flying.” she stated.

 

“And I'm not.” Misato replied. “Right.” She said and suffocated her upcoming rage. “Right.” She blinked her eyes and prepared to make an announcement. “We have a change of plans. Lieutenant Ikari will be staying with you on the ship. For all future missions.”

 

The three visitors had a pretty clear place to compare Misato's and Shinji's gestures. Young lieutenant's eyes what had just sharply monitored situation from his place, drilled trough Misato's back. “Excuse me?” Shinji grunted grimly. “And who's the genius behind that?”

 

“It was mine, lieutenant.” Rei replied with out even twitching her eye brown. “Sharing a short discussion about tactics with suspended major Katsuragi, I've decided that it's not needed to put you under unnecessary risk....”

 

“In other words lieutenant…” Misato turned to face her said with her voice dribbling with satisfaction. “You are stuck here like shit in the stick…err” Misato mumbled as soon as she noticed the mistake “I meant like stick in the shit.”

 

Rei turned her head with her eyes gleaming again as Misato had gotten from rei's point of view over confident. “There is no need to get personal, major.”

 

“Fuck yes there is.” Shinji snarled. “Wasn't her sorry ass suspended? How the hell she can…”

 

“Got little ahead of your self?” Misato asked again with same cold tone. “You thought I could be played of the field so easy? Sorry to disappoint you, boy scout, but you can kiss goodbye for medals and shit.”

 

`Boy scout!?' Shinji hated that word. And he hated in how she had brought it up on face of everyone. She of all people should know better! “Only one who deserves medals on this ship…” Shinji started her voice trembling from rage. “Would be Kensuke, from knowing where the true enemy was. Good efforts should always be rewarded…”

 

“Two shits to the same grave, eh?” Misato snapped keeping her head calm, was it because she had prepared or because of low intoxication what caused it. Not counting the lash of words in elevator.

 

“That's enough Major. You've said enough.” Rei stated.

 

“Have I?” She asked mockingly as she turned towards Rei. “I was just making my point…”

 

“Not with that attitude or tone, major.” Rei replied. “Desicion about keeping Lieutenant out for duration of this mission was only thing what I agreed with you, and even that I did clearly for different reasons than you'd suggested.”

 

“And I wonder what they might be…” Misato answered pretending to be baffled.

 

“Your `points' are nothing but a hastily made conclusions, and hand full of grudge seething remarks. Lieutenant is…” Rei turned her notion back to Shinji. “…just out of charge for this operation. And if your opinions, major, aren't more objective in the future…”

 

“Or you what?” Misato laughed dryly “Sack me? Cook up a claim for collateral damage?” She still had fresh in her memory what corporation had done to her friend way back.

 

“Perhaps we should get on our way?” Ritsuko said as she had kept eye on for Rei's gestures for some time, and thought that this would be good place to interfere. Corporate rep's face had again begun to look like `normal' young woman's face would. “You'd all made your things clear to each other and half of the ships personnel.”

 

Rei turned to face the butcher outfitted doctor. She once again had gotten her temper under control before Ritsuko's eyes. Shinji noticed that Ritsuko looked Rei with same kind of devouring look she had in reserve for him. He hadn't ever thought what kind of images he created in Ritsuko's head, but now as same repeated with Rei, he was forced to think exactly what kind of quality her interest was.

 

“I might call it a day for now.” Misato replied bit hazily.

 

Shinji this time just couldn't let it her have the last word. No. There was a time when he had tolerated people almost trying to walk over him… but that was past, and it was time for somebody else to start understanding that. he tried to dig up on his mind what ever he could, but the Misato's `boy scout' kept haunting him... echoing inside of his head. In better things not coming to his mind, he began to clap.

 

Loudly.

 

All of the people in range of the hangars elevator door turned to look at him. Misato turned now completely to face Shinji in the same pose like before, one fist taking support from her hip and the other hand hanging loosely on her side. “And what is that, if may ask?”

 

“It's applause from standing.” Shinji explained.

 

“Oh, of course.” Misato sighed. “And now comes that important question.” she pointed her finger up. “Listen carefully: What is that for?”

 

`Deserved reward for circus Solarus's fucking clown of the year.' Shinji thought first to say that but, later think that it would just too lame. Misato knew why he had started this thing in his life so; he intended to do the same. “It's deserved reward for your excellence. If I'm right this is your longest time without getting drunk over 0,5 per mill since your birth. Whole ten minutes already.” This didn't really made her look anything but little sour. “With out counting that desperate beg for quickie earlier, so good this far.”

 

This was hit below the belt. Misato could handle every little remark of her alcohol usage with simple shrug to join in the party. But what it comes to this, she was the one who guys beg to their beds… or against the wall depending the circumstances, but never the other way around. That wasn't alone half as bad, but as it referred to her Ex, who Misato still had bit of conflicted feelings, it was more than enough to get her `angry' if it would be said mildly.

 

Now that she had turned away from the crowd Kaji couldn't see her face anymore, though he didn't need to. It was enough when he saw her palms to squeeze into fist and her quietly trembling. He had a good hunch about what her face must've looked like now.

 

Ritsuko too was bit amazed that it had get to this level, since neither her or pony tailed ex-agent next to her had a habit to enrage Misato like that… not at least very often. Maya on the other hand who didn't know Misato very well kept looking over carefully and shyly over shoulders of both the blonde doctor and pony tailed corporate. She stood brief moments on her toes to better see glimpse what was happening.

 

Shinji kept his sharp eyes concentrated on his superior… or was it former superior? It seemed that she had as much power to things concerning his life when she was on side of everything, comparing the time when she was in charge. But it felt damn good to him to strike back. He knew that he was desperately outgunned. Misato was a model example why Buddha thought, that words have the power to destroy. But still he felt some kind of pride, that he had figure out that with so short notice. He wasn't a master in this sport.

 

Today how ever it seemed that Shinji might get easier than normal, as she seemed to be so dumbstruck that she didn't know what for her verbal arsenal of pissing off/insulting weapons.

 

“Enough.” Rei spoke quietly. “Verbal acrobatics are concluded for today.” Rei stated now heavier and deeper tone. “For both of you.” she added with equal tense. “Major…?”

 

Misato turned slowly towards Rei as she heard her calling for her. She was still `upset' for what she had heard. Messy haired Major's eyes gleamed again like before when they had marched from the elevator. But now it was more personal and it had hidden hurt inside that look what made them seem watery. Misato looked Rei with same intensity like she had glared Shinji. This glare in sight even Kaji's grin faded when he looked at her.

 

“Use what spare time you have in disposal and escort Doctor Akagi and miss Ibuki to their posts.” Rei spoke calmly. “There are no other duties consuming your time, so feel free to use it as needed.”

 

This time Rei's use of words began to really eat Misato's mind. If somebody wants to say `Take these guys there where they're want to, and stay hell out of my view so long as you can.' why the hell that god damn bureaucracy crap and word art? What was it so good in her that she couldn't speak like normal people? Despite these things she manage to hiss low “Yes, Ma'am.” answer to her. “In future lieutenant Ikari may pour his heart out of the air lock.” She continued.

 

“Likewise, Major Katsuragi.” Shinji muttered to an answer.

 

Rei glared both of them bit… disappointed. That could be the closest thing what described it. That had been familiar to Misato but now it was also meant to Shinji. She expected at least him to follow her advice.

 

“Come.” Misato waved to Ritsuko and Maya. “Let's get the hell out of here.” She said tensely and began to march almost half sprint to the elevator where Shinji and purple headed major had arrived at first.

 

“We won't go far then…” smooth haired blonde replied quietly, and began to follow her together with Maya on her heels. Rei saw that Kaji struck his eye to Ritsuko so that she could barely see it before she turned and she made short wave on beneath here jaw as an answer. If Rei something understood right, blonde's signals said `let it be.'

 

With Maya being the last one who entered the elevator its door closed and it began to hum as it rose back towards upper decks. Shinji though that they were first going to upper decks where control and command were, and then Ritsuko probably rushed former commander of the ship to take her to the morgue for looking some `pieces'.

 

Rei would've used her time to make clear the new situation for everyone, but only one's who needed to know would be Kaji and Shinji. `Dr. Akagi will,' she thought. `Know it from mr. Kaji.' Rei didn't feel comfortable of her being in same room, when she had to say anything at all.

 

“Am I dismissed?” tense question broke trough Rei's thoughts. She turned her head towards where it had come. She saw that Shinji seemed like he was obnoxious to stay in one spot, but seemed there was nothing to keep him from leaving. But why? Major was all ready gone, she couldn't be cause of this. And she had tried to calm herself when with arguments what major and Shinji had between them.

 

“What is the matter?” Rei asked trying to sound as friendly as she could.

 

Shinji was taken little surprised by Rei's question, he had expected something more formal, but decided that he had had enough of shoveling crap. “Oh, nothing really.” he answered casually. “Just that you demoted me to a ceremony master males me personally pissed off, otherwise all is right with the world.”

 

“You…” Rei started but didn't know how to continue, except with her obvious way. “You do not know how serious the situation is…”

 

“Perhaps I do.” Shinji replied emotionlessly. “That's why I'd like to go, but you're the boss now.”

 

“This incident…” Rei started again and swallowed as she tried to find out what would be the most diplomatic way to explain it to him, with out revealing her true motives. “Puts you to unnecessary risk…”

 

“There is no such crap as `unnecessary risk' when you're out there.” Shinji grunted. “I don't know how big boys run their show, but I don't hide inside APC to tremble when things get dicey.”

 

“If you would know how serious the threat is…” Rei tried to calm him.

 

“I'd go there anyway.” Shinji snapped. “Even just to show that I don't…” He started angrily but then closed his eye between the sentences and swallowed his rage. What was the point? He was out of the field and anything what he'd say just would make it worse. “…just pray things to get better…” he sighed exhausted. He then suddenly began to press his head down and turned away from Rei to walk to the hangar door where crew had their social quarters. It was just opposite to the elevator and just the other side of the docked shuttle.

 

“Lieutenant…?” Rei called in surprise as Shinji suddenly had started to walk away from her.

 

“Sorry ma'am, I'm going to polish my shoes and do couple push ups. Let's just hope that major likes the odds although she can't roll the dice.” He grunted.

 

“Major's opinions didn't affect my resolve!” Rei shouted in way that he had only shouted when she had hurt herself. But this time she tried to just get her voice to be heard. Though she knew that he'd hear her normal voice in behind such distance what would be impossible for ordinary man. And she did hear him over the distance speaking quietly.

 

“Didn't it? Well, I'm damn happy to know.” He grunted as shuttle which side he had disappeared from Rei's view.

 

Rei stared direction where Shinji had marched. Kaji watched her movements and to his surprise he found that this time Rei didn't try hide anything but that he could read her gestures pretty well. This time her red eyes showed bit of unspeakable missing and blink of them was regret.

 

“Things don't quite work out the way you expected?” Kaji asked after looking a while blue headed woman in white to try to reach someone with her intense gaze.

 

Rei startled and turned her head quickly to face him. She calmed down as she remembered that corporate agent hadn't had gone anywhere. “No…they don't.” Rei said quietly this time speaking with a disappointment being in heard in her tone.

 

“Ritz owes a drink.” Kaji continued like he wouldn't have noticed her answer.

 

“What?” Rei asked.

 

“We had a bet.” Kaji replied and let some of his famous smile to creep back to his face. “We agreed that if Katsuragi gets happy to see me, Ritz would by me a drink next time.” Kaji glanced to the elevator. “And compared to that what went on right now, she was glad to see me.”

 

“Doctor Akagi lost then only a little.” Rei thought considering Ritsuko's face what it had looked when it was compared to charge of the bet.

 

“If I'd known that this day would seen sunlight, I'd had taken a bigger charge.” Kaji said.

 

“How did come to this?” Rei muttered to herself and glanced again the way where Shinji had disappeared.

 

“I was just about to ask you the same.” Kaji replied. “I thought that they would've bit of disagreement, but just a bit.”

 

“I know HOW it happened.” Rei replied and weight on the middle reflected that she wasn't at all happy with situation. “I don't know HOW it is possible. About a day…or hours ago, it seemed like nothing could separate them.”

 

“Everything ends sometimes. You aren't feeling guilty for that scuffle of theirs, do you?” Kaji asked being half serious.

 

“No.” She replied.

 

Not a big surprise for Kaji at all. He didn't think that Rei `the realist' would waste her time for vain guilt or crocodile tears. But other answer did catch his interest.

 

“But I do think that I made it worse.” Rei continued after she had been silent for time to Kaji make his conclusions. “Twice, but the first time was a necessity, but my second time was a peace offering. I can't understand why she got so upset.”

 

If it was what Kaji thought it was he didn't wonder anymore why purple headed major had roared from bottom of her lungs some of her less refined opinions what she had about everything. “What did you offer?”

 

“I told her that she had possibility to get her command back if she would use smaller amount of her refreshment. Strong liquors in small amounts should not be so big trade for her command.” Rei spoke and her face begin to blush again for a bit, as not so strongly as before.

 

Kaji shook his head as he heard Rei's peace offering. “You really had balls to say it out loud?” He chuckled. “I can almost imagine how pissed she was.” He laughed but not maliciously, as some would've had and Rei interpret that the situation held some sort of inner circle joke where she was an outsider and didn't fully understand.

 

“She said how…” Rei stopped for second of two to think how she would say accusations more neatly than the original suit where they had been presented. “…full of malicious…” She replaced it so obviously and clumsy that it made the thing even more amusing that it was since it was clearly trying to replace more colorful sentence. “…I was as I kept sticking to my…” Rei once again stopped for thinking how she would put it.

 

“Rei, please.” Kaji replied. “I've pretty good idea what her mood was.”

 

“I can't understand why she reacted so strongly. My offer was sincere…” Rei continued.

 

“You think so, too bad that it had an ultimatum and mercy bit wrapped with it.” Kaji said.

 

“I have tried my best to avoid it.” Rei noted. “I was as sincere that I could and avoid pressuring.” Her voice what Kaji had listened much in course of his time with Weyland-Yutani called giant device, might've sound just her ordinary fragile whispering - at lest to those who heard her speaking only occasionally. But being as experienced from people behavior, he could separate the pretended regret what was disguising beneath them a part time blood hound, what loved power.

 

It was actually making it so funny. “You couldn't have gotten any wrong picking your words. Ultimatums and mercy bits are probably the next things in her hit list.” Kaji replied. “There are somewhere between the predators and me.”

 

“Her profile in matter of fact supported my choice. Profile said that she is willing to do anything what helps her to achieve her objectives…”

 

“Yep, almost, so long that she isn't shamed too much for it.” Kaji replied. “She'll probably accept but it might take some time.”

 

“I seriously suspect that she won't.” Rei replied. “All my evaluations of personality behavior seem to have been mistaken. And Major has a habit to take all my actions against her personally.”

 

“Like everyone who takes their work like that…” Kaji nod and remembered that girl who he had known for a while, called Asuka who had same kind of flaw/feat but many times bigger, and more troublesome. Young red headed student from space station had remained to his mind as she was most of the time like a mark of storm, but in the moment when Kaji walked in she calmed suddenly. “And you've thought about giving up?” Kaji asked

 

“Something…like that has come in to my mind.” Rei admitted.

 

“Keep trying. You don't really want to give up on now?” Kaji asked. “This has been your goal for while.”

 

“No…” Rei shook her head. “I intend to see this trough…in one way or another.”

 

“I just suggest that you keep trying. you'll find the right approach when you've tried out everything.” he begun to look the way out. “You'll find the way eventually.”

 

To this Rei answered with one word and again it sounded like her typical answer “Encouraging.” she whispered, and again it had a hidden hint what Kaji could hear if he tensed his ears. And this time it sounded sarcasm.

 

*

 

An: Now, now. All though this seems bit slow pace, we have 'little' fight coming here. The next chapter shall be ready soon, titled `the eighth passenger'.

 

And about the name: I'm so funny, eh? You could say that I'm just one big joke all together.

 

Bye for now.