[Adeptus Evangelion]Strange War (IC)

[Fearan]

Adeptus Evangelion 0.95: Strange War
Episode 1: It is(not) a drill

OOC link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=271934)
Obligatory opening link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5cz0V18_7s)

http://cs405417.userapi.com/v405417782/5fbb/AHqlGNDDCCs.jpg


Breaking News!

Today, Aug 31 2017, the self proclaimed President of the Independent Orbital State, Chao Xiang, has declared capitulation before UN forces. After two months of confrontation and strike exchanges, the Second Star War is finally over. As the UNSC representative Mr. Chang Hua commented, “We didn’t expect such quick capitulation, but we’d like to express relief concerning overcoming another crisis, which threatened cooperation and joint efforts towards restoring the civilization into its pre-Impact state”. In the nearest future, the negotiations will take place to discuss the terms of capitulation and the following peaceful coexistence. Stay tuned for the up-to-date information on XYZ News.



*Somewhere up in the sky*
- Third and fifth silo are down!
- Fourth silo not responding. Emergency repair team is dispatched.
- Inform the HQ, at once!
- Done, sir! What the hell is it?!
- Who cares?! Just keep firing
- Unable to lock-on! Firing manually!!
- No effect!
- Silos from six to nine are down! The target is refocusing towards command center! May the Heavens have mer…AHHH!!! *static*

*NERV Geofront 01 Project “E” HQ, 20 minutes later*
The peaceful serenity of the early morning was suddenly smashed by wailing alert sirens – a sound painfully familiar to base’s inhabitants from countless drills. Yet this time, something was different – the message translated by the speakers was something totally new.
“Attention! This is General Kaworu. It is not a drill. I repeat - it is not a drill. Project “E” R&D department is to assemble at section 21-c urgently. I repeat - Project “E” R&D department is to assemble at section 21-c urgently. All base personnel are on standby until further notice. All leave warrants are canceled.”
The message repeats itself, and the sirens don’t stop wailing, although the lightings are normal, as opposed to emergency lights, which are lit during the drills. There’s no doubt – something’s happening.

[Whiskeyjack]

It's a relatively quiet day in GeoFront 01. Major Hudson splits today, like every day for the past few years, between scenario preparation and his own personal time - frequently an approximation of a Parisian coffee shop, waiting for covert intelligence drops.

Today is no different, and the big man absentmindedly scratches at an earring as he sips his espresso, keying his tablet again--for the upteenth time--over the files of the pilots put in his care.

Then the world goes to hell.

D'Brickashaw lights a cigarette and takes a long draw in the moments after the sirens erupt. "It's about damn time," he mutters around the cigarette as a black Humvee materializes and pulls up next to the cafe.

Brick slides a large earpiece from his jacket pocket and onto his head as he hops the small rail and opens the rear passenger door, clambering in - a guerilla outfit amongst a bunch of MIBs. "Section Two, secure the pilots. Don't you think of making me ask twice. I''ll be in the CIC in ten. Sortie Echo Squadron in Hornets at Point Charlie backed up with Mirage and Phantom spread across the Fifth Demarcation Line. Roll out our top three sabre squadrons from the Eighteenth Heavy Cavalry coaxially with our VTOLs. Feed turret and First Response data to the MAGI ASAP and filter it to my tablet. I want it yesterday, SatCom, get off your ass!"

He cracks the window slightly, enough to flick the butt out and looks up into the sky, sticking another cigarette in his lips and lighting it. "Déjà entendu. It is about damn time!" The dark man's face breaks into a broad and sinister grin. "Now where are those damn kids at?!"

[Random Word]

Chao Li lies eyes closed, suspended face up in a pool of LCL calibrated to the density of the human body. After two years on the surface the unsettling sensation of all of his organs attempting to rush to one side of his body has largely ceased to bother him. Above him floats a tablet which he pushes back into place with his free hand periodically as it slowly sinks. On it a recording of his mother's declaration of surrender loops endlessly. In his other hand he holds a bottle from which he periodically squeezes small droplets of a red fluid which form globules and drift lazily down to roll across his tongue before he ruptures them with a tooth or pops them against the roof of his mouth.

His eyes snap open and his hands clench, squeezing out a large quantity of the red fluid as the muffled sound of a distant klaxon and the incoherent speech which follows shatter the tranquility of the pool. His face sets in a humourless smile and he sends his body into a tight spin, snaps his legs out to push off of an adjacent wall, flips to push off of the far wall and ascends to the ladder at the pool edge. He climbs out and clamps his mouth around a small tube protruding from a nearby machine which evacuates the excess LCL from his lungs. He grabs a towel and nods to the attendant as he steps out of the LCL Acclimatization Training Room and heads for the hangar, refusing to acknowledge his Section Two escort. The alert couldn't have come at a better time - Li was in the mood to smash something.

Unattended the tablet drifted to the bottom of the pool, still looping.

[Naquadah]

"Aww maaaaaaan and it was just getting good," Demarcus cries. The arcade was mostly empty today, and so there finally wasn't a line on the new Japanese VR shooter Hyper Reddened Bullet Master. Demarcus had taken some cred and fed it to the machine, doling it out slowly and buying back as he beat the computer. It was really addictive, he had to admit, and he had only had a few chances to play this game before--and then the arcade game display flashed, switching over to a black screen populated with red words beneath the ubiquitous NERV logo:


NERV
GEOFRONT 01 AUTOMATICALLY POPULATED WARNING CODE ULTRAVIOLET
ACTION STATIONS ALERT TRIGGERED
THIS IS NOT A DRILL
PLEASE PROCEED TO DESIGNATED SHELTER
THIS IS NOT A DRILL
ALL LOST CREDITS WILL BE REFUNDED, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE
THIS IS NOT A DRILL


A moment later, the sirens kicked in.

"Man," the boy loudly grumbles, decoupling himself from the sniping helmet and slamming the console of the machine with an open palm. "Whatta piece. First time I got to Level Sixteen. Ain't that some sh---" And his phone rings.

He casually pulls out a cell phone - a cheap one, and old. The display reads "Big Mama." The boy sighs again, weighs the phone in his hand, and finally accepts the call.

"Yeh? Yeah, I got the message, it ruined my game, what---no, don't come get me," he says gruffly. "Go to the--no, go to the shelter. Go to the shelter! No I am not sassin' you, it says to go so you gotta go! I'll---" he casts a sidelong glance at the Man In Black--thankfully in plainclothes, but Demarcus has learned to spot NERV spooks from a mile away--that materialized next to his machine. "No, I gotta go but you get to that damn shelter! I'm sorry, yeah I'll be safe, no there's no time for me to get to yours, I'm--" he glares at the MIB with no small amount of contempt. "I got my own shelter to get to over here, yeah, talk to you later. I'm--yeah, I'm hangin' up Big Mama, just--yeah I'll find you when it's over. No, I'll find you, you go home when they say you can, 's aight. Yeah. Love you too. Bye."

Demarcus flicks the phone closed. "Wassup suit?" he flashes a grin even as his stomach turns. "Got a tag for me to throw?" Outside is the telltale revving of a military engine crammed in a civilian chassis. "Aw hell, Suit, this means I have to deal with those crazy fools, don't I? Pff how hard can your life be, living in a dome or in space, that ain't hood..." he mutters as he's ushered into the sports compact.

[ChaoticSky]

Clair was laid out on her bed, staring up at the now-familiar ceiling, considering what she would do once the Angels were defeated. Not at all in the vaguely despairing way that Neospartans sometimes considered the matter. Not even close. In her mind, the eventual victory of humanity was a foregone conclusion, so it was only natural to consider her next steps in life. She considered staying on as a Eva Pilot, as once the dust was settled the pilots of the most powerful war machines on earth would have considerable sway... and she might need to stop one group of people from doing something unfortunate to another once the common threat of the Angels no longer loomed. She was no pacifist either, conflict was human nature; early man fought beasts, and once beasts no longer posed sufficient challenge, they turned on each other, sure as the turning of the world, and what would you expect?But now the Angels had come, and barring some subhumanly short sighted individuals (on all sides!) had united to the common purpose of fighting them. And as always, the clever monkey had devised a new tool for the new conflict, one more fearsome than even the nuclear weapon. The Evangelion. Once the Angels were gone, there would undoubtably be a new arms race, a near struggle of haves and have-nots between those with Evas and those without... and the UN would strain to the breaking point.

Politics, perhaps, might be a more efficient use of her time, controlling a Eva was little consolation when your orders came from others. In a seat of power herself, she could be the one who swayed policy, not just hearts and minds. She could, perhaps, give the human race a new goal, a new purpose. Would that be enough to keep us united? She would see. Clair closed her eyes, imagining the starry void beyond the world... the Angels had to have come from somewhere yeh? Maybe next time, Humanity would pay them a visit.

The young pilot's eyes opened as the alarms went off, a grin slowly spreading across her features as she rose, moving to answer the summons with alacrity, if not haste.

Yes...

That will do nicely.

[Whiskeyjack]

The Major flicks a butt out the window as the humvee hits truly offensive speeds, his phone constantly ringing. "This is OpsLead. Ah, chief, you got all the kids. Good, take them to 21-c. I'll meet you there, just keep the car running for me to get to the brainpan," he says to the Section Two watch captain. "The faster the better. I want the Evas ready to roll out by the time we figure out exactly where and what is coming for us."

He flicks the phone over to a call from the Science Division. "OpsLead, whassup? Allster, huh? Yeah I left a message. Get all our Evas ready to sortie with their standard load-outs, with a twist. Open Vault Three and equip Fragarach with the DMMR. Yeah, I know it's not field-approved, but now's the time to get that data you all need to calibrate it, right? With an enemy dropping on top of us, I want ranged air supremacy. Wh---look, I'm authorizing it, that's who! I'll put it this way: if Unit Zero doesn't roll out with the DMMR, it's your ass I'm holding to the fire, Allster!" he disconnects the call and dials another member of the Science Department. "Hawke, this is Major Hudson. Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Hey - make sure Allster puts the DMMR on Fragarach, she's giving me some lip about it. Good, good. And while you're at it, does Newmann have anything new from our sensors? Get me an update on our first defense line stat and lock down all the military wings. Standard No-Fly Order, and make sure the turret and Firefly sensors are feeding to all our analysts in real-time."

D'Brickashaw leans back into the seat as he hangs up that call. "Man, I could use a drink and we're still in the First Inning." He glances at his phone, waiting for the General to call - and rather surprised he hasn't gotten that call already.

[Fearan]

Escorted by the security agents, the pilots and Major Hudson, have reached the section 21. As far, as the most base inhabitants knew, it was nothing more then a laboratory, put in dead storage, for economy reasons. Right now, the previously sealed doar to this part of the NERV base was wide open. As you approach it, inside you see the scenery, which can only be a command bridge (http://www.nervarchives.com/images/icon.200x150.command.jpg). It is in the midddle of an activation process, which is performed by over a dozen technicians. The giant main screen is still of-line, but auxilary systems are operational and manned by R&D personnel. You caught a glimpse on some indicators - they're mostly red. The alarms are still ringing, and the overall situation on the bridge is rather cahotic, as the R&D personnel and the technicians are trying to perform an emergency activation on, along with reporting the data collected by half-active systems, and dealing with the Hudson's requests.
Whiskeyjack:
Major got a weird feeeling - with all the buzz and urgency, it seems, NERV was caught by surprise
As soon as the last pilot enters the section, General Kaworu rises from the Commander's seat and declares in a strict military tone.
Attention! NERV-Geofront 01 is set up to condition Red, due to the Stage 2 of project "E". We have the confirmation of the extraterresrial entity and it's hostile intent. The measures taken are following.

NERV Project "E" test group of R&D departement is disbanded. Instead, NERV Operational Departement is formed.

Former test group overseer, D’Brickashaw Hudson is reinstated in the military rank major and is appointed to the position of Head of Operational Departement.
Former test pilot Demarcus Washington is appointed to the position of pilot of Project "E" unit Fragarach and is given the military rank of Ensign
Former test pilot Clair is appointed to the position of pilot of Project "E" unit Mjolnir and is given the military rank of Ensign
Former test pilot Chao Li is appointed to the position of pilot of Project "E" unit 青龍偃月刀 and is given the military rank of Ensign

Major Hudson is taking command of the operation. Acquire information and prepare for battle. You are given full authority over Colonel Topolev's forces.

Prototype AI, designation "Oracle" is to be activated and deployed under authority of Dr Aozaki, Head of the R&D Department.

Dissmissed, Project "E". And I wish you luck. We'll need it

With this words, the general returns to his seat. He looks worried and out of the water, but tries to hold firm. As soon as he dissmissed the group, the R&D have returned to their posts and dugi n the monitores. The activation of the bridge was continued.

Current situation:
- The extraterrestial entity is confirmed. No intel on location, or the characteristics
- The joint operation with the UN forces is not yet established. The strengh of the conventional units are lowered by 1
- The bridge is half activated. No mechanical penalties, as it will likely be ready, when the enemy arrives.

People present on the bridge:
General Kaworu, the commander.
Dr Aozaki, head of the R&D.
Stella, Mirialia anmd Arnold, R&D.
uplink to Col. Topolev, the merc.
The AI "Oracle".

[Whiskeyjack]

"Damn, you'd think they'd be more ready than this...not like they've had fifteen years to get ready," the newly-reinstated Major grumbles, looking up at the General before he realizes the pilots are right there. "And still no data on our space monster, at least nothing I'm seeing, hrm."

He turns to them, resisting the urge to light up. "Alright, Ensigns, congratulations on your field promotion. Now it's time to earn it. Ain't no big deal here, just the fate of the planet on your shoulders. You've been trained by the best of the best and you'll be equipped with the best gear money can innovate. Give 'em hell and good hunting. I'll update you on the tactical situation as we get more data." He nods to the Section 2 agents to take the pilots to their Evas.

"Oh, one more thing," he says to the Children as they begin to depart. "Ensign Washington, I'm sending you out with the 'Dimmer' E-scale anti-material rifle. You best bring it back in one piece, but don't hold back with it either. Dismissed." He offers them a formal salute though behind his glasses, his eyes are narrows. An anarchist, an insurrectionist, and a street punk. So two terrorists and a gangbanger. Jah help us.

Once the Children are gone, he does light up. "Now we get to see if all that money we put into the Pallet program lives up to the hype..." He enters the gigantic command center and approaches the central console, looking around as his eyes. "Are all our critical personnel present? Good, seal us in." He takes a deep draw as the command center is sealed to the outside world, then starts assigning tasks.

"Dr. Aozaki, I need a five-minute briefing on the capabilities of Oracle, and I need it ten minutes ago. Ready Room One, if you please."

After the briefing on Oracle, Hudson returns and addresses the other bridge staff.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. We have an unknown space monster incoming and the only thing between it and us are three kids in cyborgs. The kids have all seen combat but never on this scale; the machines, well, I call their field testing very generous. So it's on us to be their eyes, ears, and really, their brains. We do our jobs, they come back alive and we get to go home tonight. We don't, there's three dead kids and the rest of us with them? Do we understand each other? Good. Now then.

"Allster. What's our scopes say? Do we know which way it's coming from? Figure out which perimeter forces first encountered it and backtrace its point of origin, relative velocity, anything it used to neutralize our forces. Feed whatever data you find into Oracle, maybe it can figure out something we can't." He turns to regard a flashing screen near his hand, attention split six different ways.

"Hawke, doublecheck the loadouts on each Eva. I want them ready to go once the pilots are in the plugs. Put the plugsuit biometrics on the screen as soon as we get them from the pilots. Do an initial test of our command connections to the 'Wire-Cutter,' 'Cattle Prod,' and 'Guillotine' modules on all the Evas before the plugs are inserted. Live-test the first two...obviously don't trigger the third. Ready the 'Floating Placenta' just in case and warm up all connections on the Lorentz Rail." A bead of sweat coalesces on his head and immediately evaporates as the frigid air conditioning destroys it.

"Put me through to Topolev," he commands nobody in particular. When the Colonel's face appears on one of the side screens, Brick grins. "Ah, Colonel Topolev, you old vodka-soaked sellsword, how the hell are you? We're throwing a party and of course, you're invited to provide the opening fireworks. We need the best of your boys on the ground and in the air today. Ain't no drill. Field-mount some markerlights on your Bumblebees, we'll need them to collect intel. I don't care if your airfields were caught with their pants down, I need those birds in the air and those sabres swingin'. The Evas are depending on the support, and we need to gauge the enemy's response capabilities. Were our perimeter units yours or the UN's? Hold on--" He turns to look at Newmann.

"I asked for turret feeds ten minutes ago and still ain't got sh---you know. Put all four on the screens, I want to see what they see in visual light and EM. Make it happen, Arnold, and then get me a report on the civilian evac status."

He lights up another cigarette, very aware of the General's eyes on his back, and turns back to regard the mercenary commander. "So what do you have for me, Colonel?"

[Random Word]

"I do hope I'm not underdressed for this little soiree," remarks Li - wearing only swimming trunks and a towel with his father's pin hanging around his neck - as he enters Section 21. He turns to examine the state of the installation and rolls his eyes, "Given the decor, I'd say this unveiling won't be a black tie event." He listens to the Major's speech but pays it little attention, instead opting to scan the room. Once his speech is complete Li snorts in derision, remarking, "'Money' had nothing to do with it, Lǎowài. 'Made in the People's Republic' might as well be stamped on the entire program," as he returns the salute before jogging towards his Eva's hangar.

[Naquadah]

The black Section 2 car dumps Demarcus at Section 21-c. "Good job suit, we're at an empty ware...house?" the youth's smug satisfaction fading to a horrified fascination as the dumpy warehouse's doors are opened to reveal something out of a sci-fi movie: some kind of inset command bunker. The other pilots arrive shortly and Demarcus, as usual, tries not to deal with them too much.

Having been roughly deposited in street clothes, Demarcus suddenly feels out of place with all the suits and uniforms. Until he looks at Li, clad in swim trunks and slick-looking with the thin layer of NERV-brand orange Jello clinging to his skin. He snorts and feels somewhat better.

The General gives a speech, and then the Major...the Major talks at them, and Demarcus feels a trickle of sweat down his spine. Everything the dark, pierced man says makes sense, but there's that air of menace about him, and the uneasy feeling that the man's eyes are boring into his head behind the dark sunglasses. Even he looks the part here, a guerrilla in a sea of agents, looking like he could disappear into the jungle and only emerge when driving a knife into a sentry's throat... Too much 'Korea Commando,' Demarcus thinks, and shakes his head slightly.

Then they're dismissed, and Demarcus looks around slightly, as if unsure what to do. Li is, of course, walking off like a jackass. Clair...who knows. Then the Major calls his name again and Demarcus's bowels freeze solid. He turns around, expecting the worst possible news and feeling the eyes of the other pilots on him. What kind of handicap could it be this time? Is Frag messed up, or whoops, they forgot to equip it, or - oh. He blinks. The 'Dimmer?' Holy f---you mean the DMMR! Are you for real?! Sheeeeeeit!" Demarcus hears his voice break as he says it and can't believe it's actually him talking.

He moves his jaw open and closed, tries to salvage the situation, and manages, "Well, you know I been playin' lotsa 'Hyper Reddened Bullet Master,' so I got this. Uh, sir." And then feels like an idiot as the Major just snorts, shakes his head, and turns away from him and the other pilots.

Then Section 2 is urging that he really needs to go change now and they usher him off towards the locker room and ready room adjoining the hangars... "Ah hell, I have to wear that onesie and barrettes, don't I? Maaaaan, that just ain't right!" he moans, impotent to change the situation.

[ChaoticSky]

Clair had found the agent waiting for her outside the dormitory, and had climbed into the car without a word. On the way though, she had noticed the agent kept glancing back and her, as if torn between wanting to talk to her, and being professional. Far from the first time shed experienced such a thing... too many people attributed her some special significance, some wanted to hear what she had to say (which she always prefaced by pointing out that she was 'only' human) while others had heard stories and were just curious. Sensing his indecision she smiled softly, and leaned forward, resting her chin on the divider between the front and back seats, “Have you ever noticed, the one thing that all the old stories have in common is that they paint humans as flawed? Imperfect, sinful, trapped by earthly desires... on and on... kinda makes you wonder who benefited from keeping us down... and what they were afraid of....”

The call pulled up, and clair got out, head in on for the speeches, though she was evidently late eventually making a laconic 'yaaay' Hudson congratulates them on the 'promotions'. Before turning to her fellow pilots, her expression amused at Demarcus's outburst, then realization “Look on the bright side, everyone will be too focused on how you saved the world to worry about your skin tight bodysuit.... though if you complain too much, the NERV people will probably put you in one of those see-through ones i saw in a storage closet~”

[Naquadah]

"Hmph, I'm not worried about people looking. I got the goods after all," Demarcus grins at Clair. "I'm worried what pics of me in that will do to my cred, you know what I'm sayin'? Aaaaaanyway, you'll be lookin' fly as always in it, and Li, well...that fool knows how to keep jacked, that's all I'm sayin', you know?"

The boy hesitates. "So, uh, try not to get in the way of my shootin' today. I'd tell Li but he'd just play his reverse-psych BS again and try to get hit just to prove I couldn't hit him or whatever. Don't get it twisted, I know you can take a punch dawg, but the 'Dimmer' is a cold piece, you know what I'm sayin'?" He flashes a sign at her as he's led away. "Let's get buckwild on that E.T.!"

[Fearan]

The bridge is slowly coming on-line. The R&D staff salutes and digs in the monitors to fulfil Major Hudson's request. The pilots left towards the Evangelion hangar, leaving the reinstated Major to observe the fuzz, made of the emergency reactivation. Then, the moment of relative silence was brocen by lively and optimistic voice from the speakers.
No need to worry the Doc, Major. I can report for myself. Now, how do they do it...oh, right. Oracle reporting for duty! Will I have a military rank? And uniform? Oh, the report. I'm desighned to collect the data on targets and perform secondary monitoring of the Evangelions and the Geofront states. I also have a database ful of various and not always useful information. And I have THE biggest plasma screen in the world - with these words, the main screen comes to life, depicting a map of the Geofront and surroundings.

Hudson have got an immediate response from Colonel Topolev. Confirming the hell and lack of vodka, Major Brickhead, sir! - he didn't sound pleasant about invoking the "russian drunk" stereotype. Got my men ready and waiting for your command - you don't pay us for being caught with the pants down. Slowpokes from the UN haven't deployed - looks like, we're on our own in this. No target in sight right now. Transmitting our position - the tactical map on the large screen was updated with icons, depicting mercenary forces.

Out of the R&D personnel, Arnold finished his task first. he updated the main screen yet again - now with the turret scematics. Different pictures appeared on the side screens - all taken from the external cameras.
Then Stella Hawke reported. All clear, sir. Systems working as planned - she said with an enthusiastic smile.
Mirialia reported last. Sir, we have a connection to one of still operating sattelites. Patching to the mainscreen
The tactical map then moved to one of the auxilary displays, while the main screen showed the orbit - and the rebellous colony. This is the information, we've got from our men out there, s-sir. We have visuals now. - Mirialia commented.
The picture on mainscreen was far from optimistic. The orbital missle emplacements, built by the colonistis to use against the metropoly and the UN right now are firing in wholy different direction. Range ajustment showed their target - a blurry figure of totaly unearthly creature - a scorpion-like (http://cs418519.vk.me/v418519663/2ab4/vSzC5q5BNaw.jpg) cristalline (http://cs418519.vk.me/v418519663/2abb/OE9QHDUqPA8.jpg) construct, build around a sphere of light. The thing retaliates with series of light impulses, much like the classic "blaster" from Earth's fiction novels. Even more, it looked like, the missles was doing absolutely no damage, and the enemy seemed to have unlimited resreves of power - no ammo shortahge for that one. The futile battle had ended in less then ten minutes. After dealing with the missle emplacements, the creature moved its attention towards the colony itself, raining energy bolts onto defenceless habitats. It was the fiery end - the colony's mainframe exploded under the enemy's bombarding. A moment of silence fell onto the NERV's bridge.
Wow. Now, that's what you call an Angel. Designation - "Type-Mars". Awaiting your order to activate the lure system, to drag him here to destroy him with Evangelions. - the Oracle breaked the quiet with the same lively and optimistic machine voice.

Current situation
- The Angel will be near the Geofront in 2 hours. You'll be fully prepared and deployed, should you wish so.
- Since the pilots are right now preparing to get into the Evangelions - it is for OD to decide, what do they will know of the Angel, and the destruction of the colony.
- The Angel will descent slowly from the side of section F. It is not an orbital threat, but a more common floating thing
- Thatnks to MadGod for drawing the thing for me

[Random Word]

Li went through the well practiced motions of donning his plugsuit quickly and efficiently. He fought to concentrate on the task at hand - far too much depended on his performance for him to be distracted - but still thoughts slipped through. It must be a carefully calculated gambit. Her plan was flawless, her cause was just. She did not fail. I would have become a security liability if I were informed. He fingered the pin around his neck, agitated, then closed the suit and triple checked the seals. It's just like taking an EVA. It even sounds the same in English. The Sun has just been replaced with a slightly smaller cosmic hazard. He was startled from his reverie by the sound of the locker room door opening and promptly left the changing room to see the other pilots enter. "Perhaps the gravitas of the situation escapes you, but the crowning achievement of your nascent philosophy and a jewel in the crown of mine is about to be judged by humanity - for its sake as much as yours you had best not delay any further, or it may be found wanting," he says coldly, his composure restored. "Besides, it would be a travesty to miss this show - you can watch me save the world and validate everything you stand for from the best seats in the house," adds Li as he strides passed, heading for his entry plug.

[Whiskeyjack]

"Son of a…you have got to be kidding!" Brick slams his hand against the console as the signal is lost from the colony. Seconds later the satellite video pushes through and the bridge grows still as the grave as the colony is obliterated. D’Brickashaw is the one to break the silence with the nervous flicking of a lighter. "That sassy bastard...and those orbital morons, thinking they could do anything despite all those briefings. I need a cig." He promptly lights up and inhales deeply. "Initiate Code Violet blackout on release of the information of the loss of the colony within the city. Under no circumstances should the Eva pilots be informed at this time, especially Pilot Li. I'll handle that myself in the debrief. Hawke, add a mental health triage unit to the debrief staff, this is going to be messy. Let the UN deal with disclosure to the public if one of the big news sources hasn't already picked it up with their sats. We don't have time to worry about that now, Jah help us," the big man's forehead glistens with sweat. Starving people do really nasty things, and the world just got a lot hungrier...

Brick snaps out of his thoughts of the past with a shake of his head. “Alright Colonel Topolev, real talk. Stage the tank sabres along the A-F and F-E sector boundaries. Clear the airfield completely – anything we don’t launch, stick it in storage. This thing is coming straight between the airfield and the railroad and we can’t afford losing either. Interception and support VTOLs will form up in two lines – one along the Sector F outer axis behind the Eva launch points, which I’m gettin’ to, and one along the curve of the Geofront itself. Feel free to tell the UN to stop sitting on its thumb and mobilize their squadrons. Keep me updated and good hunting. Get a firing solution on the enemy when it ranges but hold fire until my order. Tanks and planes won't do much to that motha---uhh until the Evas can pop its defense shield.

"Get the Pilots suited up and loaded into the plugs. And push their biometrics to the screen. When they’re all ready, switch the Evas to active standby. Keep them in the hole. No sense putting them topside where that E.T. can just glare and shoot at them its entire trip down.

“Allster, keep an eye on that thing. I want to know if it so much as twitches. Get me a telemetry projection and track its emissions.

"Hawke, if we have spare anti-beam armor plugins, get the techs to bolt that sh----tuff on now. Equip priority goes to Green Dragon Sword and Mjolnir. Equip Fragarach with the same if we have spares and time and stick a DIMR reload in one of its wings.

"Listen up, I'm now designating Evangelion Launch Points Golf, Hotel, and India at these locations near Section F." He touches the interactive map on his console in three places, lighting them up: two near the outer boundary of the city and one further back. "Arnold, set up those rail connections. Green Dragon Sword will be the vanguard launching from Point Golf, with direct support from Mjolnir launching from Point Hotel. Fragarach will provide supporting fire from deployment at Point India. Once the Evas are done equipping, send them to their launch points but keep them in the hole.

"Oracle, hook in to the UN satellite network and get whatever info you can based on those feeds. You have access to the turret scanners too. Post updates as they become available and, uh, let me know how you think we can bring this thing down." He starts to pace, eyes flicking between the screens.

“Get me an open line to the Evas once all the pilots are loaded in.” Brick turns his attention to other matters, and some minutes later, gets the go-ahead to contact the plugs. Brick picks up a hardline phone handset as the plug cameras show the three Children in their LCL-filled entry plugs. He gives each a moment to notice the open feed before speaking. “Pilots, the enemy has been designated 'Mars' by Oracle. Mars is descending on Sector F from the upper atmosphere. Ops will now feed your launch data to the plugs. The Evas will remain restrained and subterranean on the rails until I give the launch order. You’ll get the telemetry updates as we get them. Questions? If not, stand by.” He hangs up the phone, terminating the audio/video feed from HQ to the plugs, but keeping the equipment on so audiovisual data from the plugs is fed back to HQ.

The Major grinds his teeth as the seconds tick down slowly and tortuously.

[Naquadah]

Demarcus passes Li in the changing rooms, walking right past him with a slight head nod as he addresses Clair. “Blah blah blah,” he mutters as their exchange continues. He pulls off his clothes woodenly, tossing them into his locker. Once he’s just in his underwear, he looks up at the mirror between the lockers. Fingers trace a bullet wound across his bicep – that one was a flesh wound at least. He raises his left hand to his face, turning it back and forth looking at the ragged circular through-and-through scar. Other scars cross his arms and chest.

“Another day another bullet, huh.” With a sigh, Demarcus runs fingers through his hair; he takes the floppy plug suit off its special hangar, drops his shorts and steps into it, pulling it up to the waist and cinching it before draping the rest over his shoulders, buckling buckles and zipping zippers. The whole process takes minutes to set properly before Demarcus finally presses the button on his wrist vacuum-sealing the suit into place. As always, he winces when it snaps tight against his skin, like a small sharp slap across his entire body. The A-10 barrette clips are easier, it’s just like picking a fro with a comb, Demarcus thinks as he slides them into place. “Ain’t so bad, not really a suit made for a BAMF but it’ll do,” he smiles at his reflection and flexes, watching the plug suit stretch around his wiry muscles.

He casts a look around for Clair, hoping to catch a little glimpse in a mirror. After a few moments he leaves the room and heads for the entry plug loading gantries, the route second-nature to him at this point.

[Fearan]

The process is going smoothly.Colonel Topolev confirmed the acceptance of the orders with Umgfh. You're the boss. Topolev out and seemingly have proceeded with the orders. The pleasing pictures of friendly troops deploying in near-ideal tactical formation filled the mainscreen, while auxiliary displays showed biometrics of the pilots - and yet again all green. Somewhere deep under the geofront, sophisticated machinery began to pull the Evas onto the launch position.

And then, it all collapsed. At once three reports stormed Major Brickashaw's deck - The report of malfunctions in energy feed on the Mjolnir's launch pad, the immidiate and very urgent request from UN - Colonel Crecco would like an explanation, and finaly, a report from long range scanners. With a faltering voice, Mirialia reported: "S-sir. It's moving towards us.15 mins ETA"

[Random Word]

"The eyes of the world upon us and someone forgot to plug in a catapult. I'm sure they're all breathing a collective sigh of relief that it was not mine. Can we expedite this launch before anything else fails? I'd like to get on with saving the world."