Chapter 29: Predation
Chapter 29:
Predation
Predation
T
HE WINGED CARRIER
shot down by the Eva-00 Type-F fell to Earth at the southern outskirts of Tokyo-3 on the shores of Lake Ashi. The Carrier was without a head or upper chest, one Q.R. Signum had been destroyed, and its cocoon had apparently been lost in the crash—but the second shot of the Angel’s Backbone had failed to destroy the second Signum. When Quatre and her mutant Eva-0.0 came upon the Carrier, the undead giant was still writhing on the ground.
“Be my body,” Quatre said.
The pair’s Q.R. Signums flashed in consonance, and the mutant Eva-0.0 thrust its gamma-ray laser cannon into the Carrier’s body and began absorbing its material. The disassembled pieces slithered up the cannon’s magnetic convergence guide and melted into the Eva’s body.
Misato watched this strange process of disassembly and reconstruction through the gaps between the fingers of Eva-0.0’s left hand.
On the way here, Misato had seen several columns of salt, but the sweetly fragrant wind seemed not to affect her as long as she was with the Eva. But even without the threat of salinization, she had no means of escaping from the giant’s hand.
Quatre looked at her and said, “That must be the promised land, flowing with honey. Ironic that you can’t go near.”
Having finished the absorption process, Quatre’s Eva-0.0 had gained a second Q.R. Signum and sprouted the Carrier’s wings, though they were black now. The Eva flapped its wings, scattering nearby objects, and twirled into the sky.
“Strange,” remarked Quatre to herself. “Flying got you all worked up, Ikari-kun, but I don’t feel any excitement at all. I thought this would give me
something
.”
By taking to the air, the mutant Eva-0.0 revealed its location to the Nerv command center. The remaining portion of the city’s defenses trained their weapons on the Eva, but Hyuga shouted, “Hold your fire! Misato-san—Commander Katsuragi’s ID tag is responding!”
Without touching any controls, Shinji magnified his vision and saw that Quatre’s Eva-0.0 was holding a person in its hand.
“Super Eva to command center. I can confirm. It’s true!”
Maya woke and saw that Shinji was speaking with his own mouth now. His mysterious hardening seemed to have passed; he also seemed not to have noticed that it had happened in the first place.
“Quatre!” he demanded. “What are you doing with Misato-san?”
<<
Misato is doing what she wants.
>>
“What?”
Maya was just as surprised.
Is she honestly suggesting that Misato is acting of her own free will?
The Mutant Eva-0.0 flapped its wings several times and then passed through the window to the other world that the Carriers had created.
Once more, Super Eva displayed astounding acceleration, but the window closed before he could reach it. He flew over barren mountains pockmarked with craters, a terrible sight made only worse by his shock wave.
Toji ordered a VTOL to prepare for takeoff.
“I’ll be back in two hours,” he said. “No, make that ninety minutes. Update me by text.”
Hyuga looked confused. “Where are you going at a time like this?”
Seeing Misato being carried away had shaken Toji, but he did his best to suppress the feeling.
Toji glanced at Rei Six. She’d come out of her trance but was slumped over in her chair, speechless and looking hurt. He cast his gaze around the command center, from the Eva status board that read “Return to Base” to the staff on the middle and lower decks.
The turmoil hadn’t yet settled.
“I’m going to ask someone to step up,” Toji replied.
Hyuga blinked in confusion.
Toji muttered, “Though all I have to draw him out from retirement at this point is our ineptitude.”
Toji buttoned up his senior officer’s uniform, which he’d been leaving open—exposing his undershirt—even when in the command center.
“To be perfectly honest, we’ve shifted staff around more than this organization can handle. What we need now is someone who can keep Nerv Japan from breaking apart in the wind—someone who can ground us. Someone who can give us unfiltered advice.”