Chapter 30: Flight School

Neon Genesis Evangelion ANIMA — LNCrawler · All chapters

Chapter 30:
Flight School

S UPER EVA FLEW LAPS around the Hakone caldera. Fires were still burning along the base of the southern mountains and in the fortified sectors of Tokyo-3.

“I’m not seeing those patterned trails from your flight like before,” Maya said.

After the battle ended, Maya had disembarked from Super Eva. Rather than head for the command center to report, she went back to her lab to resume conducting the Eva’s flight test. Super Eva intermittently emitted faint rainbow-colored bursts of light from its wings, leaving irregular ripples in the air like a child running through a puddle. Because the process involved creating a difference in air density with the A.T. Field and then flying through that gap, Shinji had imagined he’d have to carry some massive gravity-lens on his back, but that wasn’t the case.

The test went swimmingly, but Shinji could hear Maya grumbling over the hydrospeaker.

The flight had essentially matched the anticipated design parameters, yet Maya said, << I’m not seeing that amazing effect from before. >>

In battle, Super Eva had flown with unexpected agility and had left a fiercely bright trail that seemed to sear the sky. But Shinji couldn’t reproduce it now, nor was he aware that he had acted any differently to create the effect before.

<< I wonder how we could reproduce it… >>

Inside time of a different scale, Shinji had made decisions and issued commands without moving a finger; and with abnormal speed, Super Eva had responded. The concept of controlling a machine by one’s brain waves was a staple in science fiction—and in fact, Evangelions already had that functionality. Sensors within the entry plug could read the pilot’s thoughts by measuring their brain waves. The control stick did nothing more but clarify the intended command. Shinji asked Maya if that process had simply shortened, but the scientist flatly rejected the theory, saying that piloting by thought was not a particularly speedy process.

<< The human brain is structured to make decisions and actions only after hesitation. Even if you think you’ve made a snap decision, in the background your mind has already vacillated between yes and no many times. Thoughts, as a rule, take considerable time. >>

So then what was that? Shinji wondered.

<< Here’s a thought. Because you and the Eva have evolved into a single body, we disabled the synchronizer, as we saw no need to enhance your synchronization rate. But maybe we should try using it again, with some adjustments. >>

The baseline synchronization rate between each pilot and their Eva peaked at age fourteen, after which it declined. Two years ago, Maya had improved the synchronizers by repurposing the parallel consciousness injection technology from the dummy plug system. Currently, every pilot relied on this assistance—aside from Shinji, who had become one with his Eva, and Ayanami Rei Six, who had been pulled early from the artificial womb to offset the timing of her peak synchronization.

No one knew what would happen as their ages continued to diverge from the peak period. Would they suddenly over-synchronize and be swallowed up by the core, becoming a ghost within the Eva? Or would the Eva reject them and destroy their minds? The only certainty was that no good future awaited the pilots, unless they stopped piloting altogether.

“I’m passing over Sengokuhara High School,” Shinji reported.

Shinji’s junior high class had been assembled from potential pilot recruits. After graduation, they were moved up to high school as a single cohort out of concern for information security, but the original intent behind their assembly had largely faded, and the purpose of the school for Tokyo-3 civilians and families of Nerv staff had shifted.

“Maya-san,” Shinji asked, “How long should I keep flying?”

<< Oh, did you forget? You destroyed Super Eva’s cage when you took off, and the supervisor of Cage One is absolutely refusing to take you in. There are too many irreplaceable things there—including Unit Zero Type-F—to risk their destruction. >>

Hyuga interrupted. << Command center to Super Eva. Pardon the interruption, Chief Ibuki. Shinji-kun, could you remove the magazine from the Powered 8? At our current alert level, you’re breaking a number of treaties by carrying that loaded. We have no indication of further contact with any hostile forces. >> A pause. << Well, not that our enemies ever give any indication before they attack… >>

“Super Eva to command center. Hyuga, I acknowledge.”

The reduction of Earth’s mass had caused the satellites to scatter. No one knew how many had retained their orbits, but the radar showed several unidentified objects above. From traditional aircraft to high-altitude stratospheric planes, the eyes of the world continued to place Evangelions under constant watch. This was only natural; Evangelions were the greatest destructive force humanity possessed. Matters had only been complicated by Eva-02’s conversion to a Pegasus, and now by Super Eva’s acquisition of wings. Nerv Japan couldn’t afford to cause any more trouble.

Trouble? Shinji thought. Trouble is all there is.

Shinji already understood that Super Eva was still flying because of something more than Maya’s tests. The chief scientist was working on finding accommodation for the giant, as the command center was likely still in turmoil. Between the surprise attack, Quatre’s arrival, and the human salinization, casualties had been considerable.

But for Nerv as an organization, the abduction of Commander Misato was the greatest blow.

“Maya-san,” Shinji teased, “you got out of your plugsuit so soon?”

<< Shinji-kun, >> Maya said, pausing for threatening effect, << keep making fun of the adults and someone might mix hot sauce into your LCL. >>

Shinji was joking, but on the inside, he was panicking. Because of this recent incident, including Misato’s abduction, he would likely be stuck on Earth even longer than he might have been otherwise. Once he gained his wings, he’d intended to search for Asuka, who’d gone missing on her voyage to the moon. Now he wasn’t even sure which problem he should deal with first. Indecision and doubt had crept in.

“What is Toji saying?”