Chapter 2: Eva-01, the Corrupt

Chapter 2:
Eva-01, the Corrupt

 

MISATO CHANGED into the uniform, put on the helmet, and walked outside to where Eva-01 was squatting on the ground for emergency repairs. As she circled the giant, she wrinkled her nose at the stench of scorched metal, resin, oil…and decomposing flesh. Shinji’s Eva hadn’t undergone as radical a mutation as Quatre’s Eva-0.0, but the foreign presence of the Q.R. Signum had discolored portions of the giant’s armor and musculature.

The changes are only this minor, Misato thought, because Shinji is still resisting.

The Eva’s EXW-038 Neyarl—an experimental shoulder-mounted energy cannon—had been destroyed. The recovery team had anticipated that the weapon wouldn’t survive its first use in the field, and the necessary replacement parts were ready and waiting on the cargo plane.

But would handing all that over be wise?

“About Super Eva’s armament,” Misato said. “Keep it to swords…or blunt weapons.”

“That’s all?” Toji was incredulous. “The repair crew says we can restore the FCS as soon as we swap out the electronics. Once that’s finished, ranged weapons should be working again, no problem.” Misato pursed her lips and shook her head. Toji’s eyes widened as he realized she’d mentally reclassified Super Eva as untrustworthy.

Super Eva hadn’t merely been rendered ineffective; the giant might now be a net negative. The situation could be even worse than Fuyutsuki had indicated.

To keep Super Eva—and Shinji—alive after the Lance of Longinus ripped out their heart, Hikari had made the split-second, unilateral decision to replace the device with a Q.R. Signum—an object carrying a direct link to the apparent commander of their enemies.

And what had happened the other time a Q.R. Signum had been implanted into a Nerv Japan Eva? The scale had caused Ayanami Quatre’s Eva-0.0 to go haywire in orbit—disrupting Quatre’s psyche, giving her self-awareness, and even mutating her Eva’s physical form. Quatre had attacked her allies and gone fugitive. She and her Eva had, in effect, joined the enemy.

For now, Shinji and Super Eva remained of sound mind, but there was no guarantee they’d stay that way. As Misato and Toji walked back to the mobile command center, the commander couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the future.

Shinji spoke over the comms channel. <<Super Eva to Mobile Command.>> Before his heart had been stolen, Shinji had begun to hear and speak through his shared perception of Super Eva’s senses; but now he was relying on a newly replaced communications module. <<Please commence the communications and data link tests.>>

“Command acknowledges,” Toji replied. “We’ll handle the transceiving of the test patterns and the diagnostics on our end—” He stopped and looked around in confusion. “Wait! What happened to the Soryu-looking one?”

The red giant had disappeared.

<<Doesn’t seem like she’s willing to sit still for us,>> Shinji said. <<She went running after the Akashima—Oh, they’re back again.>>

“Yeah,” Toji said, “she’s always never been much for waiting around. The Akashima should be bringing you two shoulder units from the transport. I want you to put them on. Let’s get you looking proper, even if it’s just for show. Once we get back to Japan, we can do something about your eye, your broken bones, and, well, everything else.”

“Shinji,” Misato added, “have you felt any changes—physical or mental—since the Q.R. Signum was put into your body?”

In other words, Are you still on our side?

There was a small pause before he answered. <<My chest feels like it’s on fire, but my arms and legs feel cold and numb. It’s…confusing. And I really, really don’t like it.>>

“And how is Super Eva? Give it to me straight.”

<<The Eva isn’t putting out as much power as before. This restraint armor feels heavy. And it’s strange, but it’s like the Eva is stirring up…negative emotions. It’s disquieting. I feel as if I have to keep my guard up around it now.>>

With the militaries of numerous nations present in the valley, Misato couldn’t do anything that might suggest that Nerv Japan was in danger of losing control of Super Eva. If word got out, the UN—which held authority over Nerv, at least on paper—would almost certainly seize Shinji and Super Eva. After all, they’d tried it once already with their failed raid on Hokkaido just days before.

It was imperative that Nerv Japan continued to act like they could effectively wield their Evangelions. For that reason, rather than sending Super Eva back to Japan damaged and unarmed, Nerv Japan needed to make a show of re-equipping it on location.

Toji gave the orders for the cosmetic repairs, despite resenting such ridiculous procedures amid a global crisis.

Arming Super Eva carried its own risks, as Quatre had shown, but Misato saw no other choice but to walk that tightrope.

But without any ranged weapons, even if Super Eva succumbed completely to Armaros’ influence and turned against humanity, the colossus could only cause damage within the reach of its swing.

 

The replacement of Super Eva’s shoulder modules began, but the Akashima had to assist in lifting one of the giant’s arms.

<<Misato-san,>> Shinji transmitted from inside the plug.

“What is it?”

<<I’m sorry.>>

Well, I’ll be, Misato thought. “I’m at fault for all this, too. When we return, we can get chewed out together.”

Loud, purposeful footsteps and a knock at the command center’s door announced the arrival of a man with a soldier’s physique and matching haircut.

“Lieutenant Colonel Kasuga?” Toji asked.

“Commanding Officer Suzuhara,” the lieutenant colonel of the JSSDF Anti-Angel Rapid Response replied. “All the heavy equipment is assembled and in place. My engineers there can handle the installation of the shoulder modules.”

“Yes, I heard,” Toji said. “I know this was a sudden request, so I appreciate the effort.”

“With Super Eva soon able to walk again, we shouldn’t need any more assistance from Akashima for the time being. The multinational forces have requested our assistance in disposing of the giant creatures’ remains. I was thinking I’d send Endo in the Akashima to deal with it, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind. But do you? If you’d rather not to be tasked with that kind of grunt work, I’d be happy to come up with an excuse for you.”

Kasuga smiled. “Are you kidding? I couldn’t ask for a better demonstration. After all that chaos kicked up by your side and the Euro Eva, a lot of hope is being put into the Akashima—a machine operated by human touch.”

The lieutenant colonel noticed Misato and raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t expect you’d be joining us. I appreciate a commander who takes a hands-on approach. If you’re traveling in secret, we can save formal introductions for another day.”

He offered a casual salute and exited through the door, leaving his laughter behind as he went.

Misato stood frozen for a moment. “Who was that?”

Toji sighed. “I guess you could say he’s Six’s friend.”