"Radar's picking up something massive underwater—closing fast on the fleet!"
"Suspected Angel!"
Inside the bridge, the sonar technician's voice cut through the tension.
"What?"
"It's heading straight for us? Even with a fleet this size?" The old captain bit down on his pipe, eyes locked on the churning sea. His decision came swift.
"All ships, prepare to engage!"
"Weapons free. I want that thing dead before it surfaces!" His voice crackled through the comms, sharp as steel.
You think the UN's a pushover? Today, this Angel learns what we're made of.
"Roger!" The responses came in unison.
Five carriers. Four battleships. Every vessel locked onto the target. Sailors scrambled to battle stations. Fire rained into the depths.
Torpedoes screamed through the water, closing the distance in seconds.
The Angel waited below. Massive. Whale-like. Bone-white body. Jaws lined with teeth like daggers. Bigger than a carrier.
The Sixth Angel. Fish Angel.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
The barrage hit. The AT Field absorbed everything. Explosions erupted underwater. Waves surged.
"Did we get it?" The captain raised his binoculars, scanning the surface.
"Not a chance."
"You'd need enough firepower to sink us just to scratch an Angel." Misato Katsuragi's voice cut through the hope. She'd fought these things before.
These ships? Sitting ducks.
She switched to comms. "Rei, is Unit-00 ready?"
"Ready. Standing by." Rei's voice, cool and flat.
They'd moved the moment the Angel appeared. Rei was already in position.
"Didn't think we'd run into trouble on a simple handover."
"Unit-00, launch!" Misato's order rang out.
Angels always target NERV headquarters. Why here? What's drawing it?
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"
"Surface operations are our jurisdiction!" The captain's protest came fast and sharp.
One mountain, one tiger. We've got our pride too.
"Look." Misato pointed at the water. Half the Angel's body broke the surface. "Conventional weapons won't kill it."
"If we don't deploy EVA now, your ships are scrap metal. Casualties will be catastrophic."
"Can you live with that responsibility?" Her tone left no room for argument.
Emergency protocols. NERV takes command. That was the agreement.
"I..." The captain froze. Their first strike had done nothing. That was fact.
Could this thing really tear through the fleet? He couldn't be sure. But he couldn't gamble. Not with his men's lives.
Military tribunal. That's what's waiting if I screw this up.
"We're also taking custody of Unit-02."
"Have your people on the other ship prep it for launch."
"To minimize losses, we need your cooperation." Misato's voice was firm. Final.
She didn't wait for an answer. "Asuka, you're up. Unit-02's yours."
"Finally!"
"Get ready for the show of your life!" Asuka slammed her fists together, grinning wide.
If Misato hadn't given the order, I'd have snuck into Unit-02 anyway.
She grabbed Shinji's arm and bolted.
"Wait—I'm piloting Unit-02 too?" Shinji stumbled after her, completely lost. Since when is Unit-02 dual-pilot?
He'd been planning to find a corner and transform. His attention was still on Natsuki. What's in that case?
"Shut up and move!" Asuka dragged him forward at full speed.
Shinji Ikari. NERV's top pilot. Fine. Let's see how he stacks up when I'm in the driver's seat.
"Natsuki-san, help!" Shinji had zero experience dealing with girls like this.
Natsuki's phantom form drifted beside him, arms crossed. Thoughtful.
"Your luck with women is something else, kid."
Misato. Rei. Now Asuka. All pretty. All... not exactly normal. But still.
"That's what you're focusing on!?" Shinji couldn't believe it.
"This is youth, Shinji." Natsuki floated along, gazing at the sea. "You can't have youth and understand it at the same time. Treasure it."
"When I was young, I also—"
"Idiot!" Asuka's shout broke the spell. "You weigh a ton! Stop spacing out!"
Shinji had been so absorbed in the Ultraman gossip that he'd gone limp. Asuka had been dragging dead weight.
The shout snapped him back.
"I was just getting to the good part!" Shinji protested.
"What good part?" Asuka stared at him like he'd lost his mind. Is this guy broken?
"Forget it. The real good part's about to start!" She waited for him to stand, then grabbed his arm again. Her eyes locked on the tarp-covered Unit-02 ahead.
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