From: sean522@aol.com (Sean522) Subject: [Eva][FanFic] Neon Defender Evangelion Neon Defender Evangelion by Sean Newton (seannewton@geocities.com) Dedication: My parents, for putting up with me. Where would I be without them? Acknowledgements: There are many people who deserve to be recognized for their influence upon this work. First of all, there are Hideki Anno and Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, co-creators of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion. Next comes the crew at Eyrie Productions, whose fanfic interpretation of NGE, Neon Exodus Evangelion, both introduced me to Evangelion and also helped inspire this work. Also, those behind Macross and Robotech, which proved to have some influence. Lastly, my friends from Peddie and those from IRC deserve recognition, both for support and for putting up with me when I was going on and on about this monstrosity. Copyrights & Disclaimers: This work of fanfiction is a non-profit, non-commerical work intended for the enjoyment of anime fans and whoever else reads it. As such, nobody should be making any money off of this. I sure as heck aren't. Now, to acknowledge those who hold the copyrights on the bulk of the 'borrowed' material and characters: Neon Genesis Evangelion is copyright by GAINAX. Robotech is copyright by Harmony Gold. Quantum Leap is copyright by Universal Prelude: << Prelude soundtrack: "Imperial March", John Williams, _Star Wars_ Soundtrack>> The end of the second millenia brought with it an event that would shake the society of Earth to its very core. The cataclysmic Second Impact, which destroyed Antarctica and caused worldwide flooding, resulted in a death toll of over two billion. But from the carnage arose a new Earth, and a new generation of warriors dedicated to protecting the fragile planet for further harm. In space, construction of the first ships of the new Planetary Defense Force began, while on the planet, work on a new breed of ground combat was underway. These warriors geared up in anticipation of a war of the worlds. Their efforts bore fruit just in time... ------------------------------ Neon Defender Evangelion by Sean Newton (seannewton@geocities.com) See Introduction for Copyrights and Disclaimers <> Episode One: Casualties of War United Nations Ship Valiant, Earth Orbit 7 June 2015, 0132 hours fleet standard time <<"Top Gun Anthem", Harold Faltermeyer & Steve Stevens, _Top Gun Soundtrack_>> From the outside, the starship Valiant resembled nothing more than a wedge attached to a disc attached to a box. The strange shape could be accounted for by the technology supporting Valiant's mission. The forward, wedge-like section contained the deceleration thrusters, as well as the mechanisms of the launch catapult for the fighters. The middle, disc-shaped section housed the bulk of the sensory systems, mounted to the outboard hull, port and starboard. The command tower was mounted atop the middle section. In the aftmost, box-like section were the living quarters, fighter and shuttle hangars, troop barracks, and reactors. A pair of engines were attached, flanking the aft section, while from the rear of the box section protruded a small platform that was part of the fighter recovery system. A quartet of particle beam cannon turrets were mounted, as were the twenty less-powerful point-defense laser turrets. Finally, the hull had been painted in a somewhat garish red and green. All in all, though, the ship looked much like what it was: a capable, clean, modern space vessel, ready for action. "Captain Rogers, sensors are picking up something unusual, sir," Lieutenant(senior grade) Claudia Grant reported from the sensory station. Matthew Rogers, commanding officer of the Valiant, rose from his command chair and took the two long strides needed to bring him to the sensory station. "Specifics, Lieutenant Grant?" he asked, leaning over her shoulder to view the sensor data as it came in. Claudia's slender fingers flew over her station's keyboard. "Object is of indeterminate origin. Astrogation computers put its trajectory as being ideal for landing on or colliding with Earth." She frowned, tapping in a key sequence to begin an attempt to match the object with anything in the computer's databanks. Matthew took a sip from his coffee mug. "Point and time of impact?" he queried. Claudia ran a quick calculation through the computer, frowning as the answer came back. "Estimate impact thirty-five kilometers north-northwest of Tokyo-3," she answered. "Time of impact: 1750 hours fleet standard time." Matt raised an eyebrow. "Interesting, Lieutenant." He turned towards the front of the bridge, where the helm, astrogation, and tactical stations were located. "Commander Schultz, are we in a position to intercept?" Andrew Schultz, ship's astrogator, ran the figures through the computer. "It's a close one, sir, and we're the only ship that can even come close, but yes, we can intercept." "Thank you, Commander." Matthew strode back to his command chair and took a final sip of coffee before securing the mug. << "Battlestations", _Robotech Perfect Soundtrack Album_ >> "Listen up, people. We're all that's preventing that thing from reaching Earth. And we are going to stop it. We are now at battlestations. Astrogation, plot an intercept course. Tactical, warn the fighter squadron they're about to earn their keep, then prep the Valiant for battle. Helm, stand-by to set a new course at flank speed. Communications, contact Admiral Hayes and inform him that we have have sighted the enemy and are on course to intercept." "Astrogation, aye. Beginning course plot now." "Tactical, aye." "Helm, aye." "Communications, aye." Matt sat back in his command chair, then thumbed on the all-call. "Attention, all personnel. Our sensors have detected an object of indeterminate origin, currently on a trajectory that will result in its impact with the Earth. We are about to begin maneuvers to intercept." He paused a moment, watching as Schultz's proposed course appeared on-screen. "Valiant will be in weapons range in two hours, but we will be launching fighters to intercept at about thirty minutes out. Earth is counting on you. Good luck, people." * * * United Nations Building, New York City Chambers of the United Nations Security Council 7 June 2015, 0151 hours fleet standard time The normally closed doors of the Security Council chambers flew open as Admiral Henry Gloval stormed into the chambers. "Ambassadors, I apologize for this disruption, but we have just received word from the starship Valiant that an object has been detected on a trajectory that will impact Japan," the Russion officer stated without preamble, causing a hush through the room. As head of the Planetary Defense Forces, it was his duty to deliver this message personally. "Captain Rogers, the commanding officer of the Valiant, has informed us that he will be attempting to intercept. I am hereby formally requesting permission to move the Planetary Defense Forces to Condition Red and execute Variant Three of the Cairo Protocol, pursuant to Planetary Security Directive Five," he said hurriedly, and all hell broke loose. Chairing the session, the American ambassador, MacBride, called the chamber to order. "All representatives present are directed to vote on this request with all due haste," he instructed, following the procedures of Planetary Security Directive Five. The procedures set forth to cover an alien attack against the Earth. Three minutes later, the representatives were done. "Admiral, the Security Council of the United Nations has voted to grant you permission to move all forces to Condition Red and execute Variant Three of the Cairo Protocol." With those words, the full military of the Planetary Defense Forces would be brought to bear. It fell just a few steps short of total planetwide mobilization. * * * United Nations Ship Valiant, Earth Orbit 7 June 2015, 0256 hours fleet standard time "Incoming signal on Fleet Comm Channel Alpha," Lieutenant(junior grade) Christina Leeds reported, and the bridge crew fell nearly silent in surprise. Fleet Comm Channel Alpha was a high-security, encrypted channel reserved for use by Space Fleet Command. Only information of the highest priority, relating directly to planetary security, was transmitted over that channel. And the signal they were receiving was the first time that channel had ever been used, other than during testing. "Shall I place it on-screen, Captain Rogers?" she asked. Matt nodded. "Yes, please, Lieutenant." The transmission was just what he'd needed to break the building tension on the bridge. He tapped his armrest earnestly, waiting for the message to appear. He did not have long to wait, but the message he watched quickly brought the tension back to the bridge, at a higher level than before. Admiral Henry Gloval, the Commander-In-Chief of the Planetary Defense Force, appeared on the screen. "To all PDF units, this is CINCFORCE. The following is to be considered a formal war warning. At 0135 hours Universal Time, an object of indeterminate origin was detected by the UNS Valiant. Readings indicated that it was not a naturally-occurring object, and astrogational calculations revealed that its trajectory would cause it to impact the Earth. Accordingly, the captain of Valiant has placed his vessel on an intercept course, and sent a communication to PDF Command. The Security Council was informed, and I received formal orders to implement Variant Three of the Cairo Protocol. As of now, all PDF units are to set status to Condition Red. All leaves are cancelled. All reserve personnel are recalled to active duty. Further, the national militaries have all been placed on alert, but remain under the control of their respective nations. The Valiant is expected to intercept the object within the next forty-five minutes. To his officers and crew, I wish them good luck and godspeed. Gloval, out." "Oh, shit," an enlisted rating sensor tech beside Claudia commented. "None of that," Matt Rogers said. "We've got a job to do, and we will do it. Astrogation, time to intercept?" he asked, his voice calmer as he returned to the business of running his ship. "Thirty-five minutes to intercept," Andrew Schultz reported. The bridge rattled, Matt noted with detachment, as he gripped the arms of the command chair. "Acknowledged. Tactical, stand-by to commence fighter launch. Sensory, status of Target Alpha?" "Status unchange, sir. Trajectory has not altered," Claudia Grant reported. Matt stroked his chin. "Very well. This is it." He flipped the all-call active. "Attention, all personnel. We're about thrity minutes away from our target now. Our fighter squadron is already preparing to launch. Before we go into combat, though, I'd just like to express my confidence in all of you. The world is counting on us, and we won't fail it. Good luck, people. Ghost Squadron, good hunting out there." He flipped off the all-call. "Tactical, commence fighter launch on my mark." Lieutenant Commander Lauren Nakashima, tactical officer of the starship Valiant, was about to become real busy. "Aye, aye, sir." The ships weapons were ready, and the fighters were prepped. The Close-In Weapon System turrets were at stand-by, while the particle beam turrets were armed and live. Down in the hangar bay, the fighters had live missiles under on their hardpoints, and the first of them were already being moved up to the launch bay just aft of the electro-magenetic accelerator catapult system. All that remained was to deploy the fighters and move in to engage the enemy. Telling ehr when to do so was the captain's job. "One minute, Commander." Rogers rubbed his hands together nervously. This was really it. People's lives would be changes by what he was about to do or not do, and how he went about doing it. He took a deep breath and looked up at the clock above the main screen. "Thirty seconds." The twelve fighters of Commander Roy Fokker's Ghost Squadron would engage the object first. That made Matt feel guilty. Nothing he could do about that, though. "Ten seconds, Tactical. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Mark." "Commencing fighter launch, sir," Lauren reported. "Ghost-One away." She was quite correct, Matt Rogers noted, watching on the screen as the first of the fighters shot forth down the catapult. It would take two minutes to complete the launch of all twelve. He watched them leave just the same. The SF-1C Starfighter III was the Fleet's front-line fighter, the third version since the original SF-1A entered service in 2009. In the time since, the wedge-liked craft had earned a deserved reputation as agile and lethal. Armed with lasers and capable of carrying up to eight missiles, the fighters were about to be used for their true purpose for the first time. Matt crossed his fingers, hoping they'd be able to fulfil that purpose. * * * Ghost Squadron, enroute from UNS Valiant to Target 7 June 2015, 0308 hours fleet standard time << "Roy Fokker's Theme", _Robotech Perfect Soundtrack Album_ >> The pilot of the third fighter out tapped the portside comm screen, and the image of his wingmate appeared. "I wonder what the kids are doing?" Stephen Hunter said aloud over Ghost Squadron's tactical communications network to his wife. Jennifer laughed. "Probably watching TV," she commented, winking at her husband. Another face appeared on the starboard comm screens of both fighters within a second of that remark. It was the face of Roy Fokker, their squadron commander. "Okay, you two lovebirds, cut the chatter," he ordered. "You can talk about your delightful children sometime when we're not going up against god-knows-what," he said gently. "Ghost Squadron, form up by flights." That ended that, Stephen realized. Oh well. he checked out his fighter, quadruple-checking that everything was doing what it was supposed to do. Reactor nominal. Thrusters on standby. Lasers charged. Missile prepped. Sensors operational. Comm functional. In short, the fighter he was piloting was ready for battle. All he had to do was get it there. "Oh, please, Lord, don't let me fuck up," he whispered quietly. "Time to missile range now two minutes," Roy Fokker's voice called out over the tac net. Technically, missile range wasn't the maximum range the missile could travel. In space, thanks to physics, the missile would keep going unless something caused it to stop. Instead, missile range was the maximum range of the sensor and targetting systems onboard the missiles. Stephen smiled. Hopefully, they wouldn't need to get any closer than that to the target. It would certainly be better for his health. "All units, switch master arm to enable," Fokker ordered. "Begin missile target acquisition." Stephen complied instantly. The weapons display showed all his weapons as live. He tapped the target acquire control on his throttle, and his fighter's sensors began to feed data into the targetting systems of the missiles, allowing the missiles to launch as soon as the fighters reached missile range of their target. Which would be in less than two minutes. Suddenly a new voice broke in over the "Ah, Ghost Squadron, Valiant Control. We've got a magnified visual on the target. You guys want a look, Ghost Leader?" "Roger that, Valiant," Fokker responded. "Ghosts, let's all see what we're about to kill." What appeared on Stephen's display almost made him sick. Their target looked.... monstrous. That was the only word he could find for it. It looked like somebody's demented impression of a demon. "I'd nuke this thing just to stop from having to look at it," Ghost-Seven commented. "Second that," somebody else called out. Stephen wasn't sure who. Fokker sounded slightly annoyed as his voice cut through the chatter. "Ghosts, we're about thirty seconds to missile range. Time for business," he said, and the chatter ceased. Stephen began to watch intently as his fighter closed with the monstrous target. The numbers kept decreasing, sliding closer and closer to the desired 120 kilometer mark. There! He checked the weapons display, making sure all of the hardpoints were showing active, indicating that the missiles attached would fire. Looking, he saw that they would. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the missile trigger once. One of the two missiles attached to each hardpoint detached, their onboard computers taking charge. In each missile, sensor and targetting systems began to do their job, and rocket motors snapped to life, propelling the missiles towards the target. As they streaked off, Stephen depressed the missile trigger a second time, and the second and final set of missiles detached from his fighter and came to life, seeking out their prey. "Ghost-Three, missiles away!" he called over the tac net. The other pilots were making similar calls. Now they'd have but to wait and see if the missiles did their jobs. There were scattered cheers over the tac net. "Maintain formations and course," Fokker ordered, reminding the pilots that their job wasn't over yet. It wouldn't be, Stephen knew, not until the target was destroyed. Still, with some ninety-six high-explosive warheads targetted on a single object less than twenty meters in diameter, the chances of them not achieving a kill were miniscule. He sighed. It didn't hurt to make sure, though. Those were his children living down on the Earth below. He examined his tactical sensor display. The missiles, for the most part, seemed to be tracking, with only a meager five having failed. The Sphinx missiles had a rather reliable reputation. With a five percent failure rate, Stephen could see why. They'd find out in about ten seconds whether or not the warheads did their part of the job. Five seconds. Detonation! He waited the precious few seconds for the clutter around the target die away, hoping the target would have left the screen. Unfortunately, it was still there. "Fokker to Valiant: Target has survived missile strike. Ghost Squadron is proceeding to execute strafing attacks against the target." Stephen frowned. The missiles had done no damage whatsoever to the target. It would take the entire squadron nearly an hour to duplicate the equivalent level of force with strafing runs using lasers. Apparently, Captain Rogers had come to the same conclusion. "Valiant Control to Ghost Squadron: Abort attack and prepare for recovery aboard ship," a dispirited voice ordered. "Roger. I copy," Fokker responded. "You heard her, Ghosts. Reverse course and prepare for recovery." Stephen sighed with relief. His children weren't going to end up as orphans. His children! He suddenly realized the counterpoint to his own reasoning. If that thing wasn't stopped, his kids might not survive. Fortunately, that's why the Planetary Defense Force had forces planetside. It made have survived tens of hits by high-explosive warheads, but surely it couldn't survive and all-out assault by the forces down below. * * * UNS Valiant, On Attack Course 7 June 2015, 0328 hours fleet standard time "No effect whatsoever?" Admiral Robert Hayes asked Captain Rogers, incredulous. Matt Rogers shook his head. "Negative, sir. Of the 96 missiles fired, 91 tracked all the way to target, and 89 detonated. That's the equivalent of a one kiloton nuke, Admiral." The commander of Space Fleet Command paled. "My god. Thank you for the update, Captain." Hayes sighed. "Well, there's nothing left to do but fight. Good luck, Captain Rogers. Central Command, out." Matt Rogers frowned. The admiral's words were not all that reassuring. "Tactical, status on recovery?" "Complete, sir," Nakashima reported. "Time to weapons range?" Rogers demanded, his knuckles white from the tightness with which he was holding the armrests. "Three minutes, twenty seconds, Captain." << "Catastrophe", _Robotech Perfect Soundtrack Album_ >> From the helm, Ensign Erika Metzger called out in horror. "Deceleration thrusters aren't firing!" "What?!? Are you certain?" "I have null helm control," she corrected. "My hole board is dead!" "Astrogation, take control," Matt ordered frantically. If Valiant failed to alter course within the next five minutes, they'd find themselves crashing into Earth's atmosphere at several kilometers per second. Not healthy. "Control transfer wolrked, but I still can't seem to change course," Andrew reported worriedly. Matt cursed, then slammed his fist down hard on a control stud on his command chair's armrest, opening a direct link to engineering. "Captain to Engineering: Initiate emergency deceleration procedure." "Captain, we're trying! Nothing's responding!" Matt winced. There was no way Valiant was surviving this one. But they had stop the target before she died. "Sound the abandon ship alarm," he ordered, his voice sounding defeated. There were gasps from around the bridge. After a second's pause, Lauren Nakashima gave voice to their common thought. "Sir, if we do that, the target will reach Earth!" Matt Rogers stood and looked at her, his eyes reaching out and making contact with those of his tactical officer. "No, Commander, it won't. I'll see to that personally." He took a deep breath. "Now, all of you, get to the escape pods!" Nakashima stood. "Captain, I think I speak for all of us when I say it's been both an honor and a pleasure serving with you." There were tears in her eyes as she said that. There were tears in the eyes of many of them, Matt saw, cursing inwardly. "Thank you, Commander. The same goes for me, towards all of you. Fight the good fight." He walked over to her station and sat down at it, preparing to make sure that as the Valiant went down, so did its nemesis. The officers and crew were already gone by the time he'd belted himself in. "Well, Matt, time to see just what you're made of," he told himself. Most of the escape pods were gone, and the shuttles were preparing to take the rest of the crew off, he noted. Good. He didn't want any of his people dying because of his screwups. Still sixty seconds out. Looking at the hangar bay display, though, he could tell that one of the shuttles would still be inside when he started firing. There were just too many people aboard the doomed carrier to get them all off quickly. Hopefully, the target wouldn't be able to hit Valiant from that far out. Thirty seconds out. Range! "Come on, motherfucker. Time to die!" He pressed down hard on the firing controls for the particle beam turrets. All four turrets came alive, pouring energy directly at the target. It was doing something, he could see, but still, it stood there, intact. he continued to pour fire on, but the target remained. He looked at the hangar display. His crew was gone now. He was alone now, on his first command, and his last. Matt slammed his hand down on the firing controls once more, and the turrets let loose a torrent of fire at the target. Unfortunately, Valiant's course had just taken it beyond the point at which he could bring more than half those turrets to bare. He curse, and concentrated on keeping the other two, the ones that could hit the target, running. He thought he could feel the bridge getting warmer. "Entering the atmosphere?" he wondered aloud, continuing to do his best against the target. Suddenly, one blast seemed to effect it! One of the target's 'arms' was completely melted. "YES!!!" he shouyted triumphantly. Those were his last words. All across the Northern Hemisphere, people could see the fiery descent of the Valiant. * * * PDF HQ, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada 7 June 2015, 0349 hours fleet standard time "Goddamnit!" Admiral Hayes shouted, shaking a fist impotently in the air as Valiant began to burn up. "Calm down, Robert," Admiral Gloval said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "There was nothing you could have done." Gloval turned to Vice Admiral Albert Calavicci, the head of the Techincal Support Department. "Well, Admiral?" Al looked the PDF's commander straight in the eyes. "Only minor damage to the target, and it's trajectory remains unchanged. Point of impact is thirty-five kilometers north-northwest of Tokyo-3. The JSDF, PDC, and NERV all have the precise coordinates." And figuring all that out had taken a lot of work by his four divisions. For him, managing Project Quantum Leap had been a lot easier. Gloval stroked his chin. This was not good. Could it be that the creatures responsible for the Second Impact were staging a return visit? And what of Valiant's mysterious demise? "Admiral, please take charge of investigation of the Valiant's loss." "Aye, aye, sir." Gloval nodded. "Thank you. General Grant, please have your people ensure that recovery of the Valiant survivors is taking care of," he said, speaking to the head of Support Command, Al's boss. "Also, have the Japanese Liaison Officer make sure that the Japanese military coordintes with the Planetary Defense Corps battalion over there. We want the best possible results when that thing comes down. Communications, contact NERV and inform them that they may proceed with their 'recruitment.'" There was a certain tone of distaste as he issued the second command. Among the upper levels of the PDF Command, it was an open secret exactly what NERV's 'recruits' were. << End Theme: "Fly Me To The Moon", Neon Genesis Evangelion >> ------------------------------ Neon Defender Evangelion by Sean Newton (seannewton@geocities.com) See Introduction for Copyrights and Disclaimers <> Episode Two: Baptism By Fire International Aerospaceport, Tokyo-3 7 June 2015, 1535 hours universal time Michael and Rachel Hunter stood on the sidewalk, waiting. Their plane had arrived in Tokyo-3 just minutes before. Now, the two children were waiting for the woman who had promised to pick them up. Rachel sighed. Twenty four hours before, the forteen-year-old twins had been in high school classes back in Nevada. They'd been pulled from classes and sent to Tokyo-3 aboard a Minerva hypersonic transport. Now, they stood and waited, listening to the announcements going out over the airport loudspeakers. "I wonder when she's going to get here?" Rachel said to her brother. Michael groaned. "Not soon enough," he commented dryly, stretching. "I don't think we have much choice in the matter," he added, suddenly realizing the full consequences of their situation. Trapped in a foreign land, with no tickets home, and no way of contacting their parents, they were essentially trapped. Suddenly, a car pulled to a stop in front of them. The driver rolled down the window. "Hi! I'm Misato Katsuragi!" she bubbled at the two teenagers. "Welcome to Japan," she added. "Thank you," Rachel responded. "Uh, thanks," Michael said. "Hop in the back," Misato told them. "I've got one more person to pickup before we return to NERV." The twins gasped in surprise. "NERV? Is that why we're here?" Misato turned her head to face them as best she could. "What do you mean?" she asked. as Michael rolled his eyes and Rachel sister glared back at her. She had a feeling that the two children knew more than they were supposed to. Michael chuckled. "Look on the bright side, sis. At least we'll get to pilot something." He knew they would, if NERV had indeed sent for them. And he'd do his best not to disappoint. If NERV had been allowed to yank them her from Nevada, then the situation must be pretty bad.... Whatever the situation was. The thought both terrified and excited him. Rachel agreed with her brother, but inside, she wasn't so sure. If she and Michael had been sent to NERV as pilots, there was a good chance they might not be returning home in one piece... if ever. Still, their cousin had stressed the importance of NERV to the protection of the Earth, and if there was one thing she knew about, it was duty. So, for the meantime, she'd try to stay alive, and do what had to be done. Whatever that was. Especially if it meant she could pilot a giant robot! Misato frowned as she started her car up for the second leg of her trip. Almost all the information regarding the Evangelions was supposed to be classified. How did a pair of fourteen-year-olds know so much? << "Through The Fire", Larry Greene, _Top Gun_ Soundtrack >> Suddenly, a loud noise from above drew everyone's attention. High above the city, a squadron of fighters could be seen streaking north. Rachel stuck her head out the window for a better look. It took her only seconds to place them. They were F-25 Tigercats, the most advanced fighters in service anywhere in the world. The United States, Canada, England, and Japan were the only nations operating them, and from the red circles painted on their wings, Rachel was rather confident that the ones that had just flown past were part of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force. And from the way they were flying, it didn't look like they were on routine maneuvers. Her suspicions instantly flared up. "What's going on?" Rachel demanded of Misato. Wish I knew, Misato thought to herself. NERV wasn't involved with this, and had in fact been ordered to keep out of it unless the Planetary Defense Corps battalion and the Japanese Self Defense Forces failed. Unfortunately, Commander Ikari had said he doubted the PDC or the JSDF could handle the Third Angel. "An alien, what we call an Angel, landed north of here. The fighters are probably going to try to attack it," she guessed aloud, for their benefit. Abruptly, the full implications began to flow through the heads of the twins. If an alien attacker had reached Earth, that meant it had to have gotten past the Space Fleet. And their parents were fighter pilots with Space Fleet. "I hope Mom and Dad are okay," Michael whispered to his sister. Even if they weren't, there was nothing they could do. And if this so-called Angel couldn't be stopped by the Japanese, then Rachel and Michael would have to face it themselves. Rachel shuddered. She'd never felt more afraid in her life. Misato pressed down hard on the accelerator. "Hang on, I've got one more quick pickup to make..." * * * Command Center, NERV Headquarters, Tokyo-3 7 June 2015, 1550 hours universal time There were three of them at the command table. General Hikaru Arima, commanding officer of the Second Army of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Forces, was the seniormost, in overall command of the situation. Next came the JASDF brigadier commanding the aerial units deployed to deal with the Angel. Junior-most of the three was Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Wolfe, commander of Second Battalion, Third Division, Planetary Defense Corps. Between them, they controlled the forces trying to stop the invading Angel. Three divisions of infantry, one of armor, and a fifth of mechanized infantry had been deployed to attack the Angel. A complete wing of combat aircraft was already in the air, while the Planetary Defense Corps mecha battalion had taken up position to offer supporting fire. If that massive force was insufficient to the task, the mission of stopping the Angel would fall to NERV. All three officers were determined to keep the situation from deteriorating that far. "113th Squadron is coming up on target," a technician called out. "The squadron commander reports that his squadron has launched all missiles. Intercept in ten seconds." "This should take care of the problem," the brigadier stated. Wolfe frowned. "I hope so, General. Space Fleet tried missiles on the target, but they had no apparent effect." "Hopefully, the outcome will be better here," General Arima stated, glancing at the other two officers. As intended, both closed their mouths on the subject. "Intercept," the technician announced, and all could see on the main screen as the missiles detonated... Leaving the Angel undisturbed. "It appears to possess and Absolute Terror Field, as suspected. Conventional weapons are useless," Doctor Ritsuko Akagi announced calmly, only to be ignored by the combat officers. Or by the two generals, rather. Colonel Wolfe descended from behind the table, walking over to Ritsuko's station. "Doctor, is there any chance that energy weapons might be capable of penetrating this... field?" he asked her. Ritsuko ran one hand through her blonde hair while the other ran over the keyboard, trying to see if she could provide Wolfe with an answer. "Possibly, but only if the energy weapons are very intense." Wolfe looked thoughtful. "How powerful?" "The Magi estimate a concentrated burst of no less than two thousand megajoules, within a period of no more than ten seconds," Ritsuko answered. "However, the only energy weapons available are mounted in space," she reminded him. Wolfe shook his head. "Not true, Doctor. And I think I may just have something that will work." * * * Somewhere in Tokyo-3 7 June 2015, 1602 hours universal time << "The Robotech Follies", _Robotech Perfect Soundtrack Album_ >> As explosions from afar echoed through Tokyo-3, Rachel began to get increasingly tense. Driving through a city near a warzone was like asking for trouble. She groaned, wishing she'd never heard of NERV, never even left Nevada to come here. She sighed. Another thought suddenly came to her. Exactly why are they using us to pilot these things? she wondered. A pair of fourteen-year-olds? It didn't make sense, though she knew from her cousin that it was ture, nonetheless. The ground beneath the car shuddered, and Micheal found himself wondering why this Misato woman was running some errand while a battle was coming closer. Michael frowned. He couldn't contain his curiousity any longer. He had to ask. "Are you sure you can't pick up whatever this is you need later, Captain Katsurgai?" She shook her head. "It can't wait," she told them. Suddenly, the took a hard right at the intersection and braked. The squealing sound that resulted was hideous. "And, please, call me Misato," she said, rolling down her window and peering out. "Shinji!" she shouted, waving towards a boy standing near the corner. "I'm here to pick you up." Rachel and Michael both looked out to see the boy she'd waved to. He seemed to be about their age, with dark hair of medium length. Overall, an average looking young teenager. Almost stereotypically so, from a glance. However, neither of the twins was used to just giving things a glance. They watched closely as the boy approached. His walk was slow, and his head was inclined downwards ever so slightly. His face was virtually expressionless. He looked resigned to his fate, whatever it was to be. Rachel considered what she saw. Low self-esteem. Uncomfortable around others. Not used to dealing with others. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to work extra hard to make friends. And he is kinda cute, she added to herself. Michael thought about what he'd seen. Depressed. Not used to being around other kids. Rather sad and dejected. Maybe a joke will cheer him up. Shinji took the front seat, beside Misato. "Hi," he said simply. "I'm Shinji Ikari." "Captain Misato Katsuragi, of NERV," Misato told him. Shinji seemed to brighten up slightly. "NERV? The organization my father works for?" Misato nodded. "Are you taking me to him?" Shinji asked. Misato reddened. "Er, I guess you could say that," she answered awkwardly, starting up the car again. "Rachel, Michael, this is Shinji Ikari. Shinji, these are Rachel and Michael Hunter." Rachel smiled. "Hello, Shinji." Michael shook his hand, which is a rather awkward procedure when one person is in the backseat and one in the front. "So your the Commander's son?" he asked, slightly surprised, as he released Shinji's hands. "Yes, he is," Misato cut in. An anguished sound crashed through the streets, and as those in the car watched on in horror, a Tigercat trailing smoke and flames passed over head, crashing into the hillside not fifty meters away. "Shit!" Misato cursed. "Ah, Misato, I think now would be a good t-time to get to s-safety," Michael suggested. "You may be right," Misato said, pressing down harder on the accelerator. It was shaping up to be one of those days, she thought to herself. At least she'd managed to pickup all three of the new Eva pilots. Now all she had to do was get them back to NERV headquarters intact. * * * Command Center, NERV Headquarters, Tokyo-3 7 June 2015, 1605 hours universal time General Arima slammed his fist down on the table in fury. The Angel had gone through five divisions of his best soldiers in less than ten minutes. While most of the infantry were still alive, the units had broken into pieces. "Damn it!" he shouted impotently. "Fighter squadrons are retreating," an anonymous technician reported quietly. "Combat aerodynes are continuing their engagement, but are suffering heavy losses." "PDC Battalion is in position," another tech reported. "Angel will enter their range within one minute." It was time to see if Colonel Wolfe's gambit would work out afterall. Assembled across the entrance to the pass that separated the Angel from Tokyo-3, the entire battalion of combat mecha had assembled, their top-mounted particle cannons all aimed at the approaching Angel. "Ten seconds to range," the tech updated. Jon Wolfe was standing behind Ritsuko, looking over her shoulder at the small screen displaying data on the Angel. He glanced away briefly, looking up at the visual on the main screen. Suddenly, the battalion let loose. He returned his attention instantly to Ritsuko's station. "Any effect, Doctor?" he asked. Ritsuko nodded. "Some." Wolfe glanced up at the main screen. The Angel was getting closer. He looked back. "Will it work?" he asked. "No," Ritsuko said. "Not enough time." Wolfe turned away from her station, walking dejectedly back to join the generals behind the table. He'd done his best, and accomplished more with one battalion than five divisions and an airwing had managed, but it just wasn't enough. It was time to cut their losses. "Signal the battalion to retreat," he ordered. Brigadier General Nakamura drew himself up tight, turning to General Arima. "Sir, I suggest we employ an N2 strike against the Angel." Arima considered this for several seconds, then nodded. "Approved." * * * Omega Flight, Enroute to Target 7 June 2015, 1623 hours universal time << "Destination Unknown", Marietta, _Top Gun Soundtrack_ >> "Omega to Birddog. Omega to Birddog, over," the lead pilot of the Tigercat flight said, addressing the aerodyne force that continued to buzz around the Angel, taking potshots and trying not to get hit in return. "Omega, this is Birddog. Over." "Clear out, Birddog. We're about to drop some Big Ones, so I really don't think you want to stick around," the pilot said dryly. There was a brief, shocked silence before the aerodyne force's commander came back. "Uh, roger that, Omega. We're outta here." The aerodyne's began to retreat, moving away from the Angel as fast as their engines could drive them. "Omega Flight, begin acquisition," the lead pilot ordered, flipping on his master arm switched and then arming the N2 his plane carried. The other three Tigercats each carried a single N2, as well. * * * Somewhere in Tokyo-3 7 June 2015, 1624 hours universal time "Look, those aerodynes are scattering," Rachel commented, pointing off in the distance. "Those fighters are headed right for the alien, though." "That's nice," Misato commented absently, driving down the road that led to access to the trains, the only way to get her car down into the Geo-Front. Suddenly, though, Rachel's words sunk in. She slammed on her brakes. "Everybody, get down!" she shouted, ducking down herself. It was a good reaction. On the other side of the ridge, four N2 thermonuclear devices, each rated at two kilotons yield, detonated simulatenously. A blinding light flooded the car, followed seconds later by a loud rumbling. All around, the ground shook violently. "Was that what I think it was?" Rachel said, breaking the silence. "They just used nukes on that thing, right?" Michael asked. "What happened?" Shinji asked. Misato repressed a curse. It was definitely one of those days. Sitting back up, she turned the key in the ignition. Nothing happened. She slammed her fist against the dashboard. "EMP effect. Side effect from the nuclear blast," Rachel commented. "Guess we'd better get out and walk, huh?" She smiled wanly. Misato groaned. Rachel was right. There was no way she'd get her car running again anytime soon. Walking to the train station would take them a good twenty minutes, but it would be much faster than trying to fix the car. "She's right. Let's start walking." She pulled several books from her glovecompartment before leaving the car. She handed one to each of the teenagers. "You can read these on the train." Michael peered down at the title of the green-covered tome as he started walking. It was the NERV Personnel Manual. I guess we're really going to be part of NERV afterall, he thought to himself. "Um, Captain Katsuragi, why did those planes drop nuclear bombs?" Shinji asked. "Call me Misato," the woman told him. "And that's why," she added, pointing to the silhouette of the Angel, just over the ridge. "That's an Angel. It's an alien invader," Michael threw in, exhausting his knowledge of the subject. * * * Command Center, NERV Headquarters, Tokyo-3 7 June 2015, 1637 hours universal time "Detonations successful," a technician reported. The two Japanese generals practically cheered, but Colonel Wolfe was motionless. The NERV personnel failed to react at all. "Omega Flight has begun approach to target zone to perform Bomb Damage Assessment," another tech updated. "Thirty seconds to target zone." The command center was virtually silent now, as all awaited the report from the fighters. Suddenly, the main screen returned to life as the cameras on the lead fighter began feeding visuals of the target. "I don't believe it! It's still there!" Brigadier Nakamura shouted. "I believe it, but only because I see it," Wolfe said. General Arima rose from behind the table. "Commander Ikari, it is in your hands now. Do your best. All mankind is counting on you." "I understand," Gendo Ikari responded. Gendo sat on the balcony above an to the left of the table where Arima had sat. He was leaning over his desk, his white-gloved hands folded together. "NERV shall fulfill its purpose," he assured Arima. "Very well." The two generals left the command center, followed closely by Colonel Wolfe. Beside Ikari, Kozo Fuyutsuki turned to NERV's commander and spoke. "Are you sure we are ready for them, Commander?" he asked. Gendou inclined his head slightly. "We soon shall be." "Commander Ikari, Captain Katsuragi has just checked in at the upper station. All three pilots are with her." "Excellent. All is proceeding as I have forseen it," Gendou commented to Fuyutsuki. * * * << End Theme: "Fly Me To The Moon", Neon Genesis Evangelion >> ------------------------------ Neon Defender Evangelion by Sean Newton (seannewton@geocities.com) See Introduction for Copyrights and Disclaimers <> Epsiode Three: The Reluctant Warrior Train Tunnel, Tokyo-3 7 June 2015, 1651 hours universal time << "Journey to the Island", John Williams, _Jurassic Park Soundtrack_ >> The four sole riders of the train down to NERV Headquarters were silent. Each was lost in their own thoughts, their own concerns and considerations paramount in their thoughts. Misato wondered if there was any chance that NERV would pay for her car repair bill. Plus, her clothes were a mess. She smiled suddenly, looking on the bright side. She'd survived once again. She took a look back over the three pilots, making sure they were all still doing fine. They were. She'd accomplished her mission. Michael read over the manual he'd been given, thinking over what he'd just experience. He wished once more that he was back in Nevada. Since he wasn't though, he decided to put his time to use trying to figure out exactly what he needed to know to be part of NERV. And there did seem to be quite a lot of information on that very subject. Absently, he ran a hand through his read hair. Rachel was also engrossed in her copy of the manual, pouring over it for more information on the Evangelions. She could find nothing on the topic, despite her efforts. Realizing her search was futile, she instead skimmed briefly over the rules and regulations the manual did make mention of. After about three minutes of that, she closed the manual with a resigned sigh. Suddenly, the inside of the train car came alive with light, its own subdued light augmented by far. A large, open, well lit cavern, of enormous proportions. The tracks ran down further into the cavern. On the floor of the cavern, buildings and trees and plants all sat, a complete environment sealed within the confines of an underground cavern. "Awesome!" Shinji cried out. "It's... It's a Geo-Front," Michael stammered. Misato nodded. "That's right. It's our base. NERV Headquarters," she said, pointing down at the pyramidal structure in the middle of the 'floor' of the Geo-Front. Deep underground, the hollowed-out half-sphere of the Tokyo-3 Geo-Front lay there for all to see. "This is the key to rebuilding our world, a fortress for all makind." "Impressive," Rachel said, gazing out at the landscape below. "How did they build this?" "They didn't. It was already here," Misato answered. "Huh? They just found it? Weird." "Did my father find it?" Shinji asked. "He was part of the team..." Misato trailed off, realizing that she was saying far too much. "Nevermind." * * * Command Center, NERV Headquarters, Tokyo-3 7 June 2015, 1653 hours universal time "Even the UN Forces are exhausted," Fuyutsuki commented to Gendou. "What do you intend to do?" "I intend to activate Unit 01," Gendou replied, pushing his glasses back up his nose. Fuyutsuki looked shocked. "But I thought that unit would only operate with Rei or Shinji.... Ah. One of the pilots Captain Katsuragi picked up was your son?" The older, taller man looked at the Commander slightly sadly, but Gendou failed to notice. Gendou nodded. "Units Three and Four are already undergoing final testing, but Unit One is the only combat-ready Evangelion. Therefore, Shinji will pilot it." He faced downwards to the operations area. "Have preparations begun for the launch of Evangelion Unit 01." "At once, Commander." * * * Evangelion Cage for Unit 01, NERV Headquarters, Tokyo-3 7 June 2015, 1755 hours universal time "It's so dark in here," Shinji commented. Michael turned to Shinji. "No, really?" he asked sarcastically. Suddenly, a bank of lights came to life, and their, standing right before them, was a terrible, mechanical visage. "A face? A giant robot?" said Shinji. "So that's an Evangelion..." Rachel trailed off, unable to find more words. What they saw exceeded normality. Michael began paging through his NERV manual, but Ritsuko stopped him. "You won't find it in the manual," she told him. "This is humanity's ultimate humanoid fighting machine, the first model of the synthetic life form Evangelion, Unit 01. Built here in secret, it is mankind's last hope." Shinji looked up, but his eyes didn't leave the face of the robot. "Is this part of what my father's been doing?" he asked. "Correct," a voice echoed through the chamber, and all eyes turned to trace it to its source. It was a man of medium height, with black hair and beard, wearing glasses. He was standing in a balcony overlooking the chamber. "It has been a long time." "Father...." Shinji mouthed. He looked away suddenly. "We're moving out," Gendou Ikari said calmly. Misato looked as if she was having a seizure. "Moving out? But Unit 00's still in cryo-stasis, isn't it?" She suddenly remembered the hulking presence of Evangelion Unit 01 beside her. "Wait a second. You're going to use Unit 01?" Ritsuko Akagi looked straight at Misato. "There's no other way." "Now wait, Rei can't do it yet, can she?" Katsuragi asked. "There's no one pilot for it!" she protested "One has just been delivered," Ritsuko responded, glancing over at Shinji Ikari. Michael bristled. "Hey, what are we, chopped liver?" Nobody but Rachel noticed the comment. "Are you serious?" Misato demanded. "Shinji Ikari," Ritsuko began, looking straight at the fourteen-year-old boy. Shinji looked up slightly. "Yes?" "You will pilot it," Ritsuko stated, her face set, expression brokering no argument or disagreement. "But it took Rei Ayanami seven months just to synchronize with her Eva," Misato protested. "It's impossible for him to do it! He just got here!" "He just has to sit in the seat. We don't expect more than that." "But-" "Repelling that Angel is our ultimate priority," Ritsuko reminded her friend sharply. "If putting somebody who has a chance of synchronizing into an Eva unit gives us even the slightest chance, then we have to take it." She paused. "You do understand that, don't you, Captain Katsuragi?" "I suppose..." Misato sounded rather uncertain. "Father, why did you send for me?" Shinji called up to his father. "You know why I called you here," Gendou answered. Rachel steeled up her courage. If piloting the Evangelion would help keep Earth saf, then it had to be done. Rachel sighed. "Look, if he doesn't want to pilot it, I'm willing to give it a go," she called out. "Neither you nor your brother can synchronize with Unit 01," Ritsuko said to her quickly, then returned her attention to Shinji.. "Shinji, you will pilot it," Gendou stated. Shinji looked up towards his father. "No! I won't pilot it! Why are you doing this to me?" "Because you must pilot the Evangelion." "No, I refuse." Shinji looked away from his father. Michael spoke up. "Shinji, you've got to do it, man," he told the other fourteen-year-old boy. "You heard her.... Only you can pilot it. It's your duty." "No, no, I won't!" Gendou turned away from his son to activate a communications screen. "Fuyutsuki, wake up Rei," he ordered NERV's Vice Commander. "Can we use her?" Kozo Fuyutsuki asked. "She isn't dead," he answered, then deactivated the comm screen. "Rei?" A weak feminine voice responded to his call. "Yes." "Our spare has proven unreliable. You will pilot the Eva," Gendou stated. "Yes." No further noise came from the balcony overlooking the chamber. "You've got to do it, Shinji," Rachel said, putting an arm on his shoulder. "Everybody's dead unless that thing get's stopped. Please?" "But my father.... The only reason he brought me here was because he needed to use me...." Shinji trailed off, sounding hurt. Visions of being forgotten and tossed aside by his father's obsession with his work came to him. He clenchedd his fists. "I can't!" She shook her head angrily. "Okay, so he's an asshole. But that doesn't change the fact that unless you go out there and kick ass, people are going to die. Right?" "But... But..." She cut him off cold. "This isn't about you and your father, this is about the safety of all mankind," she insisted. "You...." She trailed off as a door opened and a team of medical technicians rolled a stretcher towards them. The chamber shuddered slightly. "Jesus!" Michael cried as the stretcher approached. On it lay a blue-haired girl, her form battered and in obvious pain. He moved towards her unconsciously. "Shinji, if its you or her, man, I think you'd better be the one piloting that contraption," he told the reluctant boy. The entire chamber shuddered, again, but harder than before. The stretcher came to a stop and the medics began to undo the various IV connections leading to the girl, removing needles from her body. They could all see the sorry state in which the girl was. Suddenly, for a third time, the chamber shook, but this time, it was far, far worse. Rei's stretcher began to tip over, and debris fell from above, headed directly for Shinji. Without warning, Evangelion Unit 01 start moving, it's right arm swing out to shield Shinji from the debris. Michael sprang into action, catching the blue-haired girl in his arms before she hit the hard metal deck of the catwalk. "Arrigato," she stuttered, then passed out in his arms. The chamber shuddered again, but this time no more debris fell. "Shinji, before we're all dead, get in there and pilot that friggin thing!" Michael screamed, placing the girl back on the stretcher with help from the medics. Rachel stared straight into Shinji's eyes. "Shinji, look at her. She can't pilot it. It's your job. If you don't, even if that alien is stopped, you'll spend the rest of your life blaming yourself for what happens in the meantime. This is about you, and your duty, both to mankind, and to yourself." Shinji stood there, looking back silently, for what seemed an eternity. "I will pilot it," Shinji said at last. "Let me do it." "The access to the entry plug is over there," Ritsuko Akagi told Shinji, pointing. Rachel leaned closer to Shinji, before the boy could move. He looked slightly afraid, but stood there, uncertain and still. Rachel leaned just a bit closer, and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Good luck, Shinji." He blushed, a confused but not unpleasant feeling of warmth suffusing his body. Finally, Rachel withdrew, joining Michael, Misato, Ritsuko, Rei, and the medics, already making their way out of the chamber. Shinij took one last look back at the retreating forms of the others, then headed to the access to the entry plug. * * * Medical Center, NERV Headquarters, Tokyo-3 7 June 2015, 1801 hours universal time Michael stood next to the girl, holding her hand, as the medics tried to repair the injuries she'd suffered when she'd fallen, before he'd caught her. From what he could see, they had to be old wounds, reopened when she fell. His own hands had become covered in blood in just the few seconds it had taken to help place her back onto the stretcher. He wondered how she'd gotten so badly injured in the first place. He knew one thing, for certain, though. He wasn't leaving her alone until she was awake again. The medical center shuddered slightly once again, and Michael wished, not for the first time, that he'd never even heard of NERV. Why are we the only ones that can pilot these things? Cousin Sean said that we were the only ones who could, and that's what that woman Misato had told him. And if we can pilot Evangelions, why can only Shinji and Rei pilot that particular Eva? The entire situation was a puzzle. It was a puzzle he intended to get to the bottom of, but not before he was certain Rei was okay. * * * Command Center, NERV Headquarters, Tokyo-3 7 June 2015, 1803 hours universal time Rachel, alone of the four teenage pilots, stood in the command center. Shinji Ikari was climbing into the entry plug for Evangelion Unit 01. The blue-haired girl was being wheeled back to the medical center, and last she'd seen, Michael was going with the girl. Rachel shook her head. The people running NERV were insane if they thought that injured girl could pilot anything in her condition, Rachel thought to herself. Even worse, though, was watching Shinji standing there, equivocating. She sensed that he knew what to do, but she'd been glad to see him finally make the right decision. How could he even consider not piloting the Eva, if it came down to that or the destruction of mankind? And then there was Rei. What could have happened to the poor girl that she'd ended up in such a battered state. Exactly what was going on at NERV, she wondered, watching the Command Center go about the business of preparing to launch the Eva for combat. She observed the intent concentration of Doctor Ritsuko Akagi, watching the work of the technicians and the video feeds of the technical personnel preparing the Evangelion. Rachel saw the three young technicians nearby, working at their stations, coordinating. She'd found out there names by listening to the reports and orders being bandied about. First Lieutenants Maya Ibuki, Shigeru Aoba, and Makato Hyuga. Behind them stood Misato Katsuragi, arms akimbo, giving orders. Behind and above them all, overlooking the rest of the Command Center, Rachel knew that NERV's Commander and Vice Commander watched over the entire process, silent throughout. She shivered unconsciously at the thought of Gendou Ikari. "He gives me the creeps," she muttered to herself. She sat back against the wall behind the main section of the command balcony, sighing. She tried to read through the manual Misato had given her, but she was too excited to concentrate. Whatever happened, the future certainly promised to be interesting. "Main power has been connected," Makato Hyuga reported. "Insert entry plug," Ritsuko Akagi instructed, peering over Maya's shoulder at her workstation's displays. Rachel sat up straighter. Things were about to happen. * * * Entry Plug, Evangelion Unit 01 NERV Headquarters, Tokyo-3 7 June 2015, 1804 hours universal time Shinji sat alone in the entry plug, feeling totally uncomfortable and out of place. The fact that his father had sent for him only because he needed him ate at him. If Rachel hadn't said what she had, he would have just left, Shinji told himself. But she'd been right. He couldn't live with himself if he'd run away when everyone was counting on him. He blushed at the thought of Rachel. Her parting words and the gentle kiss she'd given him had made him feel warm all over, and that warmth returned whenever his thoughts returned to her. He could feel the blush on his face. Why had she done that? Shinji didn't know, but he knew one thing for certain. He had to return her kindness. But to do that, he'd need to survive what came next. It was a chilling thought. He'd never had much cause to consider his own mortality before, but now, with that alien creature out there, he was forced to. I might not survive. It might kill me. Shinji didn't like that thought. Maybe I shouldn't have let her talk me into piloting this Evangelion. What if he didn't make it back. "I will protect you." Shinji looked around, trying to find the source of the words he'd heard, but to no avail. "Hello?" he called out into the entry plug. "Yes, Shinji?" It wasn't the voice that had spoken before, but it was a familiar one nonetheless. "Nevermind," he told Misato. He could have sworn somebody had spoken. But apparently not. Suddenly, a pale yellow fluid began pouring into the plug. "What's happening?!?" The calm, controlled voice of Ritsuko Akagi answered him. "The entry plug is filling with LCL. Once it has filled th plug, the LCL will directly oxygenate your blood." Her reply was not as comforting as it could have been. For some reason, her presence disturbed him slightly, like an itch on his brain. "Shinji, prepare for launch," Misato instructed, and all of Shinji's thoughts suddenly focused down on one thing. Making it through the events to come... alive. * * * << End Theme: "Fly Me To The Moon", Neon Genesis Evangelion >> ============================================================== Sean Newton, FAQ Maintainer, alt.startrek.uss-amagosa http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Dimension/4195/ Send e-mail tAmagosaFAQ@mail.geocities.com to join!