Daniel Jess Gibson
2nd March 2005, 05:09 AM
[Ranma][NGE][HPL][AMG][Fusion][Fanfic] Sic Semper Morituri Chapter 42 -
The Price That Life Exacts
Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the characters from Ranma 1 / 2, Neon Genesis
Evangelion, Ah My Goddess, or the Lovecraft Cycle involved in these
stories.
C&C, MSTs are welcome
E-mail: dan_s.comments@worldnet.att.net
Stories are available in Rich Text Format and HTML at:
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(these are the most updated versions)
Stories are available in Plain ASCII at:
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ftp://ftp.cs.ubc.ca/pub/archive/anime-fan-works/Ranma/Sic-Semper-Morituri/
http://www.cs.ubc.ca/cgi-bin/ftp/archive/anime-fan-works/Ranma/type/Sic-Semper-Morituri
(these are the original versions)
What has gone before:
About Book 11 of the Tankoubon Manga, Akane and Soun Tendo throw
Ranma out of the house. Nabiki, in the guise of a wish, follows him.
They meet EVA pilots Shinji Ikari, Rei Ayanami, Asuka Soryu Langley and
Jeffrey Davis.
With the return of NERV Tokyo from the Great White Space, everyone is
celebrating, except Asuka who realizes their enemies are taking a direct
interest in the pilots. Nabiki and Rei are returned to Tokyo separately,
Rei by express, Nabiki aboard the Spruce Goose with cargo for the EVAs.
Shinji, Asuka, Toji and Hikari meet with Yumiwashi.
Rei locates and confronts Jeff on the anniversary of Samuel's death.
She remembers her feelings on the death of Yui Ikari, and how she arranged
Naoko Akagi's death. Jeff wants to be left alone, Rei decides he needs to
talk about events, and doesn't take no for an answer. Including revealing
how he killed her years earlier in Boston.
At the welcome home party for Nabiki and Rei, the Azores mission is
revealed. Ranma will move in with Asuka and Sammi. Three shoggoths, once
fragments of Ritsuko, fight and are defeated by combining Ritsuko, Ranma
and Jeff, there are some side-effects as the trio's personalities
temporarily bleed into each other. Among them: Jeff, under the influence
of Ranma, confronts Belldandy sending her, then her sisters, into a tizzy,
Keiichi managed to defuse it. Ranko, under the influence of the others,
gives Jeff the passionate kiss from the bet he lost to Asuka at the
carnival. Then Asuka and Jeff tickle Nabiki remorselessly. Rei begins
calling Asuka mein Grossfeldmarschall {Groe}. All the pilots are giddy
from recent events.
To help Misato and Hiro's relationship, Asuka, Rei and Shinji throw
together a Sunday in the park picnic. Asuka invites Keiichi, Belldandy
and Megumi. Megumi volunteers her services and Belldandy's as caterers.
They work through the night to get everything ready.
The baseball captain Usagi and her allies are introduced, and what
they worship before their softball games.
The picnic is a success until Usagi and Yuki decide to test the
pilots. Ranma easily intercepts the batted ball, but transforms and must
leave. The picnic ends. Asuka and Ranma are sulky after the failed
picnic. Asuka also has a letter from Anna reminding her of home, to which
she can never return.
With the aid of a narrow board and two sawhorses, Asuka begins
teaching Ranma both sword fighting, and how to teach. Only he believes
his first class with the others was an unmitigated disaster.
Asuka contracts Keiichi and his sister to construct several bicycles
for the pilots. She shoots a bug and has her second clash with Skuld.
All four senators from Wyoming and Massachusetts begin investigating
the Boston incident and Misato's part in it. Admiral Simson scrambles to
begin his own investigation of what has been happening in NERV before and
after the war. Shinji and Rei console and watch over Misato.
Asuka and Ranma wash each others hair, Shinji washes Rei's. They
discuss children while doing this. Asuka doesn't want the responsibility,
Rei appreciates her advice.
Aboard the Bennington, Jeff meets with one of his patrons and
receives an update on Sharon. Nabiki is coming to realize the differences
in the way the military treats her and the other pilots.
Major ggreg and Adam Smith arrive, to cover their `spying` on NERV,
they will teach Nabiki and Jeff about explosives. Ritsuko investigates
the unusual way Jeff syncs with the EVA, she is terrified by the contact.
Later she realizes the spirits power the EVAs. Nabiki and Maya train to
operate firearms.
Jeff and the Scholarly Dragon teach Nabiki about control of her
dreams, the Scholarly Dragon prevents a dream attack by Usagi and company.
Admiral Simson asks about Jeff siccing the Senators on Misato, he did
so because the Navy stonewalled his investigation.
Nabiki adds hand-to-hand training with the rifle.
Nabiki discusses Hiroko's death with several of her instructors.
Ritsuko looks over Jeff and Nabiki as Nabiki comes under dream attack.
Joma and Ritsuko discuss the desires of made things for their
creators/users.
The pilots and guards reminisce about the events of the previous
weeks with Belldandy, Sora and Megumi while taking a cooking lesson. The
day ends with a bug attack on Keiichi's home being destroyed by the pilots
and their guards.
Usagi and company summon a strike force of Dark Young, dholes,
shantaks and Hunting Horrors. For a short time the EVAs and the pilots
are caught off stride. Once they regained the upper hand they never
released it. Ranma used baseball techniques, Shinji uses Ranma's
accidental attack on him to lure the enemy in close. Rei guides Asuka to
restrain one dhole until the Navy, Shinji and Ranma can arrive to finish
it and the other one off.
The Twins watches the summoning and draws its own plans against the
EVAs, pilots and NERV.
The pilots go over Misato's head to participate in rescue operations.
Well, the owners wrote her off; not a nickel would they spend. She gave
twenty years of service, boys, then met her sorry end.
But insurance paid the loss to them, they let her rest below. Then they
laughed at us and said we had to go.
But we talked of her all winter, some days around the clock, for she's
worth a quarter million, afloat and at the dock.
And with every jar that hit the bar, we swore we would remain and make the
Mary Ellen Carter rise again.
Rise again, rise again, that her name not be lost to the knowledge of men.
Those who loved her best and were with her till the end will make the Mary
Ellen Carter rise again.
All spring, now, we've been with her on a barge lent by a friend. Three
dives a day in hard hat suit and twice I've had the bends.
Thank God it's only sixty feet and the currents here are slow or I'd never
have the strength to go below.
But we've patched her rents, stopped her vents, dogged hatch and porthole
down. Put cables to her, 'fore and aft and girded her around.
Tomorrow, noon, we hit the air and then take up the strain. And make the
Mary Ellen Carter rise again.
The Mary Ellen Carter - Written by Stan Rogers.
Courage Is Saying 'No' One More Time
July 18, 1947
The shackles proved quite unpickable, and the chain was equally
unbreakable, Jeff settled back, waiting for the next stage of the attack.
Misato padded lithely across the carpeted floor, the faint moonlight
revealing what she wasn't wearing.
She knelt before him, a knife hung from a thong around her neck. She
leaned close, the blade slid smoothly through the shirt he was wearing,
parting the fabric, "I think you know what I'm here for," she breathed.
"Nabiki, this isn't going to work either." Jeff felt someone yank
her hand off his neck as he opened his eyes.
----------------------------------------
He rolled over in his bunk to look at a startled Nabiki, "Miss Tendo
you don't have the strength to force acceptance of impossibilities. If I
found myself chained up and Misato walked in with a knife, my first
instinct would be to wrap my legs around her throat and choke the life out
of her. I wouldn't _care_ what she was wearing or not wearing, or what
squishy things she was promising to do to me."
"I thought all the boys drooled over her," she said in a weak defense
of her latest attempt.
"I have a history with her that makes that unlikely. But that's
beside the point. You and `Horseface` aren't strong enough to make
improbable actions likely in dreams. Infiltration, remember? You'll have
to find out what weaknesses in my defenses mesh with your strengths, that
way, like in martial arts, my mind and instincts can be used against me to
strengthen what you're trying to accomplish. It'll take some research on
your part, but that's part of the training too." He smiled. "Besides,
purely hentai dreams won't work." He brushed her nose, and said sweetly,
"I like and respect you too much, that should give you an idea for a wedge
to work on. Now go back to sleep."
She dejectedly stood and glared down at him, too spent to argue.
A few minutes later Ritsuko entered, wearing a lot more than Misato
had been. She stared down at him.
"Didn't make it again?" she asked, "Who was it?"
"Misato, fairly standard bondage stuff. You're chained up and she's
the one begging," he said, grimaced at the image, "Even Langley and I
working together couldn't make that believable."
"You could let her win," Ritsuko suggested, "She really hates it when
they don't work. It's as if you turned down a handmade present she was
offering you."
"It's always someone or something I don't care about," Jeff explained,
"I'll admit, I like looking at Major K and Rit-chan, even better naked."
He paused to let her frown and glare in the direction of Nabiki's room.
"But looking is as far as I'll go. She's tried other, unrelated
activities like cooking or going to concerts and dances with Rei, Asuka,
Shinji, Ranko and Maya and sometimes together, and she's tried with people
who look like her, but all of them are totally out of character. They act
like _she_ expects them to act. Like Ranma fighting and losing to Shinji
or Asuka, she doesn't have the strength to force reality out of the hands
of a strong Dreamer." He paused, "On the defense, Ranma can hold his own
against most opponents, but Nabiki needs to learn that she can't oppose
someone force to force."
"Cunning and trickery," Ritsuko said, "Why isn't she using that
technique?"
"That - is the real question," Jeff said.
----------------------------------------
Nabiki was angry. Jeff can be so frustrating! He's always so noble
and pure, she thought, Except I know that isn't his nature. I've seen him
looking at Ritsuko, he's as much a slave to his hormones as any other
teenager. Even her in own fourteen-year-old body caused her some problem.
It _should_ have worked, I've seen him looking intensely at Misato, and
the danger of the woman should have intrigued him, not repulsed him the
way it did.
"Research." She grimaced, not her favorite word, especially since
_she_ was the real local expert on the subject, the others knew less about
him than she did.
But there _were_ others who knew more, she smiled at the plans began
to form.
----------------------------------------
July 19, 1947
Nabiki faced the Daimorigon, not the Scholarly Dragon. What she
faced was weaker, but far less amused by the human race. It only hated
humans, and they feared it, it was easy to fear. She felt it absorbing her,
tearing her soul apart, tearing her memories from her feelings, all
separating her into bits, destroying the integrity of what she was. And
it _HURT_!_ She screamed as she ceased to be anything except the pain of
dissociation.
----------------------------------------
"Nabiki! Nabiki!" the face swam into focus.
"Mommy mommy mommy!" Nabiki heard herself saying as she held onto her
contact with reality where she existed, where Tendo Nabiki was alive and
well. The body holding her rocked slowly side to side, made soothing
noises. Until Nabiki again felt safe, until fear retreated to allow
rational thought.
Nabiki was aware she'd called Ritsuko 'mommy', repeatedly, and that
she'd broken down and cried again.
"Sorry. It must be embarrassing." She was aware that Ritsuko hadn't
released her, or stopped rocking her. The rocking was lulling her to
sleep. She could feel her eyelids drooping, Ritsuko lowering her back
into bed and pulling the covers over her as she dropped back to sleep.
----------------------------------------
Ritsuko slipped out of Nabiki's cabin, spotted Maya slipping out of
Jeff's.
"Bad dreams?" Ritsuko asked when Maya turned towards her, away from
the door.
"Yes, sempai," Maya said, "The death of Nabiki's mother." She seemed
confused, Ritsuko suspected where Jeff had gotten those memories.
"I think our testing the two pilots together for an extended time in
an entry plug may cause these problems. Without proper preparations,"
Ritsuko said, "Preparations we don't have time to make."
"What happened to Nabiki-chan?" Maya asked as they returned to their
cabin.
Ritsuko raised an eyebrow at 'Nabiki-chan', but let it pass. "One
thing, Analyst Ibuki, you should have a lab coat or a pair of slacks to
throw on quickly."
Maya noticed the very abbreviated nightgown she wore, `eeped`, and
raced back into the cabin. Ritsuko adjusted her lab coat and followed
more sedately, she doubted Nabiki or anyone else noticed she didn't have
anything on under it.
----------------------------------------
July 20, 1947
>From the Journal of Nabiki Tendo:
We passed through the Panama Canal today. 'Whoopie!' The crews had
turned out to watch the massive ship slip through the narrow opening.
Widen the stupid thing! I bet Asuka could have a design in three days. A
week if you didn't want to take it out of service during construction. It
was amazing watching the locks open and close to raise the ship, there's
nothing to compare it to.
I thought Raccoon was going to go nuts trying to look down the
lengths of the ship, both sides at once. He must have known it was
hopeless, but he kept at it. Disturbing. Ritsuko told him it was going
to be fine but he didn't believe her. I hope we don't run into whatever
has him so spooked.
The escort group changed at well, it seems we wore out the two
battleships and the two light carriers accompanying us. When we exit the
canal, the new escort group will pick us up: the Midway, the Franklin
Roosevelt (Coral Sea-type aircraft carriers, with aircraft on them), the
Hancock, an Essex-class, like ours, Missouri and Wisconsin. The Missouri
is one ship I want to stand on, if only to stand where the surrender was
signed. Kensuke would go nuts about that. There's also a force of
cruisers and destroyers to guard us during our trip through the lake.
Someone's knocking at the door, bye for now.
----------------------------------------
July 21, 1947
>From the Journal of Nabiki Tendo:
I got my wish. Rather than wait with the carrier, Raccoon, Ritsuko,
Maya and I were helicoptered to an airbase and flown to the Midway. Maya
hates flying, Raccoon was nervous about leaving the Bennington 'unguarded'.
Fifty cruisers and destroyers, 2 Army Tank divisions, a thousand Marines
standing guard and he calls _that_ 'unguarded'. No, I don't believe he's
paranoid. There has to be a stronger word than paranoid. Maybe I'm sure
he's got a persecution complex. I'd hate to meet anything that justified
his fears.
Also, I was informed that 'Midway is not a Coral Sea-type, Coral Sea
is a Midway-class' by an officious lieutenant. Raccoon suggested he go
back to Annapolis for a refund, they were supposed to make him an officer
_AND_ a gentleman. I wanted to stick my tongue out at him, except one of
the photographers would have snapped that picture. I've never seen so
many photographers in my life! All in military uniforms. There were
interviews. I even got to sit at the mess table on the Missouri, someone
had set it up for the occasion. I sat where MacArthur did, thank you very
much. I've been too intimidated to see the American Caesar, although I
could, Asuka did. I wonder if I asked, whether I could go to Pearl Harbor
and drop a wreath at the Arizona. Looking at Japan, with the remnant, and
knowing the Japan I grew up in. I think we owe a debt to those men, as
strange as it is to say, Japan, or rather the Japanese, won that war.
Many of the things holding us back from being the superpower we wanted to
be were beaten out of us.
TRANSCRIPTIONIST'S NOTES: The following were heavily crossed out
The feudalism still exists, but its corporate rather than military
and there is still meritocracy, despite trying to force family
`dynasties`, business is as grinding to failures as war and more constant.
TRANSCRIPTIONIST'S NOTES: Ends strike out, recommend further analysis
The loyalty to company might replace loyalty to lord, resulting in a
type of feudalism, but it would also be in the realm of business, where
constant pressure would force a meritocracy, the founder might be the head,
but his sons or daughters would have a board of directors and shareholders
to answer to, an incompetent could be removed.
Where was oh, - there were photographers and flash bulbs, and the
reporters and their questions. 'What do you think -?' 'How do you feel
-?' until my head was spinning, and Raccoon, handling it all like an old
hand, the rotten -. He reminded me in Japanese that I was a worldwide
celebrity. Telling me an Angel was attacking wouldn't have scared me so
much.
Then he asked me 'How do you enjoy it?' I could have _strangled_ him,
in front of all those cameras. I wanted to so _badly_!_
Maya at least had the excuse of poor English skills, she feigned
having none, or she was too scared to do anything except stammer
'sumimasen'.
By the end of the day, I couldn't stand the idea of another camera,
movies or still, another person asking questions about the details of my
life and opinions, or anyone commenting how 'pretty', 'charming' or
'fluent' I am.
Sleep and anonymity are welcome, Raccoon's nervous about someone
getting aboard while we were away. I think he's overreacting, considering
the photographers and reporter on Bennington when we arrived, any invader
would have already been interviewed and had a hundred pictures taken of
them. The crew was interviewed about us for Stars and Strips, the
military paper. I don't think I want to read what they said, I'd almost
prefer if they said awful things about us, it would be less embarrassing.
----------------------------------------
Those Who Place Decency Above Courage
Tunguska
General Borodin watched the Navy newsreel intently, along with the
few others in the small screening room. He proudly commented for the
Ogromniy pilots and the GRU man, all of whom spoke little to no English.
"That's Nabiki Tendo, the Fifth Child," Borodin told them.
"Isn't she tall for a Japanese?" Anna asked.
"Hoping for pilots shorter than you?" Sonya teased the younger girl.
"Is that wrong?" Anna teased back, "Good - Is he really just
14-years-old?"
"Jeffrey Davis," Borodin said, "It appears so, look at those boots, a
cavalryman's boots."
"Half Cossack, half capitalist," Uri joked, got some laughter. "You
did -"
"Wait," Borodin ordered, "They're going after an Angel, one deep in
the sea. The EVAs have been specifically prepared, these two pilots have
been special - specifically trained."
"They can go into the ocean?" Ivan, the oldest pilot by a few months,
asked, "Is there anything these EVAs can't do?"
"They have no rifles," the GRU man said, "If I may General?" He got
a nod. He shut off the projector, it hung on a picture of the pilots and
the two NERV scientists. "Uri, what were you asking?"
"Where are their medals, their decorations and awards?" Uri asked as
he stepped up to the screen. "Only Natalia is not a Hero of the Soviet
Union," he said as he touched his award, "She has two Orders of Lenin
instead." The Ogromniy pilots' dress uniforms were almost as resplendent
as any General or Marshall in the People's Republic, all earned by service
in combat. "We heard no mention of awards," Borodin admitted.
"Records say nothing other than a few personal commendations.
Especially for June the 15th."
Borodin and the GRU man exchanged glances, this little point could go
up to the Political Directorate, maybe recruitment or subversion rather
than just propaganda. They restarted the film.
"She's a proud one," Natalia commented on the blonde woman.
"Doctor Ritsuko Akagi," Borodin supplied, "The world's foremost
expert on the EVAs."
"Asuka Langley might contest that," the GRU man said.
"Jealous?" Sonya, a natural blonde asked the plainer Natalia.
"Of what? That she dyes her hair?"
"She seems more friendly with the pilots than just a commanding
officer . . . my apologies General," Anna said.
"No offense taken, the reporter just made a similar comment Anna. A
big sister, or a guardian?" Borodin asked.
Anna considered. "A mother. Watch her watch the reporters."
Borodin did, the others didn't need to hear the force structure of
the Naval Group. She did seem a lot more protective than a detached
technocrat should have been. It was something to ponder as the film ended
with a patriotic flair. Borodin couldn't fault the American's their sea
power, he also knew that against what they were fighting, it meant
absolutely nothing.
"Additional comments, questions?" Borodin asked.
"What was that other girl saying?" Natalia asked.
"I don't know, I think it was Japanese," Borodin replied.
"Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could get them to help us deal with
our invasion, then we could help them deal with theirs?" Anna said happily.
The others exchanged smiles, the youngest was always full of happy
thoughts, that would never work. They still enjoyed hearing them.
"Yes it would. Dismissed, get some rest," Borodin told them, "You've
earned it."
The pilots stood and saluted with precision, then trooped out.
The GRU man had stood and saluted as crisply as the pilots, but he
lagged behind. "Are you going to examine the new troops Moscow has sent
up?"
Borodin nodded. Outside the base, the sidings were full of flat cars,
passenger coaches for the officers and the lucky, boxcars for the rest.
All of them were unloading into makeshift buildings, or sheds, or tents
they'd brought with. For a month or two it would be enough, but the men
and machines would need better protection against the harsh Tunguskan
winters. Tanks, anti-aircraft trucks, soldiers.
"Two full Guards Armored divisions and three Motor Rifle divisions,"
the GRU man said, "Quite a force. Supposedly they are bringing you
another star."
Borodin nodded, next was the single large star of a Soviet Marshall,
quite an advance for a man who escaped the purges of the '30's by being in
a place so remote Moscow forgot about it for a decade.
"Now the entire Motherland, the entire world depends on how you
deploy these troops, this army," the GRU man told him.
"I am aware of that," Borodin replied tiredly. He was never sure
which direction the man was pushing. He was loyal to Mother Russia over
the Party, the Army, or seemingly anything else. "Tomorrow, I'll meet
with the company commanders. I have an idea about new deployments that
should have the effect we need."
"I'll tell your chief of staff, your new one, and I still haven't
discovered why your old one was recalled to Moscow."
"Probably to insure I don't turn against the Motherland," he chuckled,
"As Marshall Zhukov has." He didn't believe the rumors, but the minor
postings fir the great hero made sense. It also made sense if Stalin was
as paranoid as rumors also said.
"Accusations."
"That will prove true," Borodin said, "Zhukov could have challenged
Stalin."
That he never would doesn't change anything, Borodin told himself, It
just matters what Comrade Stalin believes. Borodin couldn't let on how
worried he was, the enemy had been quiet, but new problems had cropped up,
the brazings and mountings that held the armor in place were cracking. Of
course, they could be repaired. But what about fighting in winter? There
was also the need to guard the depots. The rail line was another
vulnerability. It was all too much. Anna's innocent statement kept
coming back to him, the EVAs, the Ogromniy units, together. The EVAs were
a dozen times more capable in hand-to-hand combat, with the Ogromniys as
snipers covering the flanks, nothing could beat the combination.
The question, he thought, How do I arrange for Moscow to propose this,
so I may loudly support it and do my utmost to advance World Socialism and
the Great People's Republic? he wondered as he walked to his office. He
watched the troops for a while before retiring to his office to think.
----------------------------------------
"Are you crazy?" Sonya asked Anna as they walked through the bare
concrete corridors, "These are Japanese and Germans. They would have to
be crazy to come here. Besides, we don't need them."
"They won't come _and_ we don't need them, I think you've been
listening to the political officers," Anna said, "_I've_ been listening to
the mechanics. The armor, they have to keep checking it. It isn't right.
They have to send the Units back to Moscow or `Tankograd` for repairs.
What then?" She wondered why they kept erasing the patriotic slogans she
chalked on the walks. They were so inspiring and they broke the monotony.
"The new pilot, Boris and they should have another unit," Uri said.
"Five is good, six is better, but ten . . . !" Anna said excitedly.
"I think you have a crush on Miss Tendo, she's so pretty," Sonya
teased.
"No. Mr. Davis, putting such a bourgeois capitalist on a farm really
is mean," Uri added, "And he's an American."
"It's not like that!" Anna insisted, "Dividing the fighting load
between two battle groups would make our job a lot easier."
"Yes." Natalia glanced at the others. "We believe you."
"Whom would they send?" Ivan asked, "Little Miss Nazi, The
Bourgeoisie? The would-be Bourgeoisie? The unreconstructed Japanese
Militarist? The coward? Or the silent One? I wouldn't trust any of them
to rescue a stale pirozhki. Their machines, these could be of use."
"Ivan doesn't want new friends unless they are issued by the state,"
Anna said, stuck her tongue out at the older boy.
----------------------------------------
July 22, 1947
Nabiki walked through the hanger towards Unit 04. She was glad she
had descended into relative anonymity again. The crew gave the occasional
wolf-whistle or call for an autograph, but it wasn't serious, so she took
it in stride.
"Sailors!" she shouted back, "All you care about is how big her guns
are and how fast she can steam!" She let the laughter wash over her,
content that she still had some control. In Nerima, she'd been a whale in
a puddle, then here she felt like a little fish in an ocean. Now she
began to realize, she was becoming a bigger fish virtually everyday. With
that certainty, she was becoming uneasy. She wanted wealth and power.
She had all that and more. To many, she was the face of postwar Japan,
and it terrified her. The outward mask of the certainty did not come
easily, more feigned than actual. She hadn't piloted in combat, so she
was just support personnel. Her entire reputation was like a piece of
glass, the wrong stress and it would shatter. Hurting who?
Why am _I_ worthy? she asked. She knew the denizens of Nerima would
be amused that the Ice Queen was anything except absolutely confident.
She was a little confused herself, but the world seemed so much bigger and
she was so much smaller. But the others didn't think so. The Admirals
and the Captains wanted a picture with her, the crews were respectful, the
reporters wanted her to give them good news. American Admirals, American
crews, American reporters. She wasn't a 'Jap', she was an EVA PILOT, and
that scared her.
She was beginning to wonder if Ranma's overreaction, Asuka's loud
overconfidence, Raccoon's 'I know it all and I'm in control' were all
because they were scared too, and just couldn't understand it or couldn't
admit it.
Up ahead, Raccoon was arguing with Ritsuko, always something to take
her mind off her own problems. The pilot stood on the spine of the EVA
and shouted down to the scientist who stood on the hanger deck with Maya.
"All I'm saying is it feels the same. If I could describe it any
better, I would."
"That's not possible, none of the other EVAs have a second entry plug
port," Ritsuko yelled back.
"You two should go somewhere and hash out this lovers' quarrel,"
Nabiki shouted as she approached, both Ritsuko and Raccoon cringed.
Good, she thought.
"What's the problem?" she shouted up at Raccoon.
"That this might be - _might_be_ - another spot for an entry plug and
I want that tested."
"It's impossible," Ritsuko added.
"How difficult would it be to just _do_ the test?" Nabiki shouted at
both of them.
Now I'm a referee to a pair of `adults`, she complained inwardly.
"Well, not very difficult," Ritsuko admitted, "But wasted - "
"As much time and energy as you two are wasting by arguing?" she told
the pair in Japanese, "Being right isn't worth the agony, you two sound
like Ranma and Asuka!" She knew that was a low blow, but they needed to
wake up.
"Very well, it will only take a few minutes," Ritsuko grudgingly
admitted.
"Say 'Thank You!'," Nabiki yelled at Raccoon in English.
"Thank you, Doctor Akagi," Raccoon said. There was nothing Nabiki
could put her finger on, not tone or phrasing, but it was clearly an
insult.
What is going on between you two? Nabiki thought as she walked to the
tech crew that would run the overhead crane.
----------------------------------------
Within a few minutes an entry plug was being maneuvered towards the
spot Raccoon had marked with chalk. Nabiki still didn't fully understand
how an entry plug and pilot could coexist with an EVA's own body. The
place a plug entered may well have been called magic for all the weird
explanations she'd heard. Nabiki stood with Maya as the overheard crane
and the crews swung the plug into position. Ritsuko and Raccoon were
glaring at each other like a couple of angry tomcats.
"Your love is so touching!" Nabiki shouted at them in Japanese, "If
you want to go somewhere private, we can do this ourselves. It makes you
wonder how he's going to explain his war bride to his parents."
Both targets were now appropriately mortified, and the crews were
concentrating on their work.
"Miss Tendo," Master Chief Cole asked quietly, "They wouldn't . . . I
mean - "
"Haven't you had a teacher so smart and funny and so so
_wonderful_!_?_"
The chief smirked.
"Well, Doctor Akagi will eventually grow out of it," Nabiki supplied.
The man wandered off, shaking his head. Maya started coughing. Nabiki
shrugged. "Nobody believes me."
She watched in amazement as the entry plug slid into the spot Raccoon
had indicated and disappeared into the EVA. Ritsuko was stunned, Raccoon
was magnanimous. He climbed down the EVA's leg to the deck.
"Now, that is why I was suggesting Maya and Captain Madison accompany
us, or some diver who has the ability to access the systems. We'll have
technical experts immediately available, Maya in the front 'cabin', the
diver assisting in the rear."
"Wait a minute?" Nabiki interjected, "We're both going down?"
"Someone has to stay with the EVA and someone has to be prepared to
leave it. We discussed this," Ritsuko explained, "The original plan was
that both of you would go down in Unit 04, and if you could get the Angel
quickly, you wouldn't have to leave the EVA. If it was in a constricted
area, then the diver on a tether would have to act as a pathfinder for the
EVA, also if the tether for the EVA became tangled, you'll need a diver to
free you up. The EVA is more than strong enough to snap the tether."
A lot of this was new to Nabiki, "When did all this happen?"
"We've been discussing it," Raccoon said, "That's why they stuck us
together in the plug."
"Very lovely," Maya whispered to Nabiki, then smiled at the
antagonists. Both frowned at her, she was glad the nightmares hadn't
continued.
"Careful, she's got a rifle," Nabiki pointed out and she was still
wearing the LeMat on her hip.
"I do agree, in light of this. We should discuss things with the
divers and test their compatibility ratios, that's what workers have
instead of sync rates," Ritsuko said, there was no argument.
----------------------------------------
Courage Tastes Of Blood
"Why do I have to do this?" Maya complained as Nabiki fitted the A10
nerve clip on her and helped her to the edge of the entry plug. Inside,
the black tarry L.C.L. glistened and stank.
"You're always telling us that it isn't bad as we imagine, now's your
chance to prove it," Nabiki said happily, helpfully.
Maya stuck out her tongue.
"That's the spirit," Nabiki said as she picked Maya up and levered
her into the plug.
"Wait! I don't want to!" Maya protested.
"We have ways of making you talk," Nabiki reminded her as Maya caught
herself on the edge of the plug. Maya tried to scramble out, but Nabiki
held her in place, and gave no warning of Raccoon approaching with a
bucket.
"Yeeeeauuuuk," Maya exclaimed as he poured it down on her face and in
her mouth, "You're awful!" The pair shoved Maya into the plug.
Nabiki slid into the plug after her to make sure she would go through
the transition all the pilots had such a problem with: breathing L.C.L.
for the first time. No normal person wanted to breathe something that
smelled so awful.
Nabiki took a deep breath of the stuff and held Maya under as Raccoon
pried Maya's fingers loose. Inside the plug, Nabiki quickly got used to
the awful taste and smell. "Come on, let's get it over with." Due to the
A10 nerve clip, Nabiki could see clearly.
Maya was still holding her breath, looking around in amazement. The
A10 clip seemed to be having the same effect for Maya's vision in the plug
as Nabiki's. Nabiki pointed to herself, showing she was breathing
normally. Maya shook her head vehemently.
Then the hatch closed and locked.
Raccoon and Ritsuko, Nabiki guessed. While Maya was staring at the
hatch, Nabiki swam up and poked her in the side. Maya was aghast, Nabiki
hoped Maya didn't know how ticklish _she_ was as Maya tried to evade in
the small space of the entry plug while holding her breath. Then Maya let
out a burst of silent laughter as Nabiki's questing fingers struck home.
And she inhaled the L.C.L.. Nabiki was at her side, urging her to breathe
and not throw up.
Maya managed to get her breathing and gag reflex under control. She
was learning there were truly awful things you could live through.
"Ritsuko, Raccoon, do you want to do a full sync test?" Nabiki asked
as she guided Maya to the command chair. Maya shook her head violently.
At least she was breathing.
"Speak, think out loud and we'll hear," Nabiki chided.
"I HATE THIS! I'M AFRAID! THIS TASTES TERRIBLE. I DON'T WANT TO DO
THIS! I WANT SEMPAI! I'M GOING TO KILL JEFF FOR SUGGESTING THIS! I WANT
OUT! HOW CAN THE KIDS STAND THIS, I CAN'T DO THIS, I'M SUCH A COWARD."
"Okay!" Nabiki told her forcefully, "You can do this. The first time
is always the worst. After that it gets tolerable."
"We'll do a basic sync test," Ritsuko told them, "When she calms
down."
"Oh," Nabiki said archly, "I supposed that's _my_ job. Well it's not
as easy as embarrassing her, why can't I do that instead?"
"Because I'm your mother and I said so."
Nabiki froze. She thought, hoped, Ritsuko was joking. She also knew
that it was more accurate than Ritsuko thought. Kasumi may have mothered
her and Akane, but she wasn't an effective disciplinarian. She wouldn't
push the way Ritsuko did, the way a real mother did. Real mothers
weren't nice all the time. Sometimes a little kid couldn't tell them from
Oni, until much later. The one thing Nabiki couldn't do was disappoint
her mother, because she always had, until she died and there was no
`later` to make it up to her.
"Yes, mom," Nabiki said as she settled Maya in the control seat and
got her to relax, regulate her breathing. Slowly she coached her through
the meditation that was an integral part of synchronizing with an EVA.
----------------------------------------
Jeff wandered into the infirmary, he was nursing the black eye he'd
gotten from Captain Madison on the man's first contact with L.C.L.. He
hadn't liked it a bit.
Jeff spotted Ritsuko slowly going over the test results of the
technical people and the SAR crew. Both Jeff and Nabiki had been adamant
that Maya and Capt. Madison be tested first. So far, no one else had come
close.
"Maybe Hiroko's comment that pilots can see pilots wasn't just
speculation," he said.
Ritsuko's head came up, he could see she'd been crying. "Huh?"
Why is she afraid? he wondered at the odd color of the conversation
block, as if he'd caught her at something. He leaned close, stared at her,
"Extensive lacrimation. Engorged capillaries, now facial flushing, my
diagnosis is something hurt and embarrassed you, and you're happy about
it." He hooked a chair with his foot and pulled it towards him so he
could sit next to her. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"You think you can read me so well," she accused.
"Well I did court you for years and we did raise a family."
"In a dream," she said coldly. But the conversation block showed
fear again.
He ran a fingertip across her jaw line, feeling her shiver under his
touch. "So it was accurate. What's troubling you? It can't be the end
of the world, you'd be fighting mad about that."
"Nabiki called me 'mom'." She buried her face in his shoulder and
started crying again.
He was afraid she was going to snap him in half, then she eased off
her grip around his shoulders. Jeff hugged her back, ran his hand down
her back while holding her shaking shoulders with the other arm. As he
had done a hundred times before, in his dream. It wasn't anything new to
him. She cared about things a lot more deeply than she could admit,
especially to herself. He let her cry, words were useless at this point.
Again, evidence from his dream. He sometimes wondered what who/whatever
sent that dream had intended. To torture him/them, to give her someone to
turn to, something else entirely?
He didn't know. The all-wise, all-knowing, knew nothing, neither did
any of his contacts, which embarrassed them no end.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"I'm not," he said, kissing her on the cheek, "You'd be a good mother.
Look at Shinji taking care of Misato. If he could discipline her to stop
catting around and getting drunk, then both would be a lot happier.
Nabiki wants to know someone cares."
" 'Kids sometimes want to know someone will yank them back from the
edge," Ritsuko quoted, "Admiral Simson." She sniffed, tried to regain her
'aloof scientist' composure, it didn't work too well. "What?"
"I'm just wondering about how Sammi will react to her new sister.
Frown," Jeff said, because she normally would, "Come on, frown. Frown!
You call that a frown?" Ritsuko grabbed both his shoulders, then broke
down laughing before she could shake him to pieces.
After a few minutes she sighed. "You are both ridiculous _and_
infuriating."
"Well, Langley would have called me a bastard as well."
"I know better," she said as she released him, "I've heard what
you've said about your parents."
"True enough," Jeff admitted, "So having 'Nab-chan' call you 'mommy'
isn't so scary is it?"
"Yes," Ritsuko admitted, bowed her head, "It's every bit as scary,
because this time, I said it first and she responded."
That _is_ a whole other kettle of fish, Jeff thought.
"It still isn't fatal, for either of you," he reassured her, "I could
joke about our first child, but that would get me thrown through a
bulkhead." He waited for her to nod. "I think you should let things
settle a bit. She wouldn't have responded so quickly if she didn't
believe it already."
So that's what the girls' dream of rubble meant. 'Earthquakes after
a waterfall of tears all signifying realization', I think I may strangle
her next time I see her, except she'd enjoy it too much, he thought,
remembering another of his patrons and their mysterious, random visits, I
need a new job.
"Thank you," Ritsuko said, "And don't tell me 'We've been through
this before'," she added, "I haven't.".
"I don't have to," Jeff said, "Now about this." He pointed to his
eye.
"I'll get an ice pack," Ritsuko said as she stood and walked to the
freezer.
He admired the way the lab coat couldn't hide her curves or her grace.
She's _NOT_ married to you! he angrily reminded himself. He waited until
she'd arrived at the freezer. "That's what I love about you, always
running hot or cold." He caught the thrown ice pack and ran from the room
before Ritsuko could catch him.
----------------------------------------
July 23, 1947
Ritsuko had the `finalists` in the pilots' ready room with the rest
of the dive team and the technical staff. It seemed a good place to
deliver such a briefing. Maya and Madison were up front with Nabiki and
Jeff, the four were the most likely team. "The newly discovered second
entry plug `port` means that we will be sending four people down on the
dive: two pilots and two technical experts. The rear plug will contain
the pilot who will be released to act as a scout and to deal with other
problems. The dive team member will accompany that pilot. The technical
staff member will accompany the pilot in the forward plug. That person
will monitor the EVA as we do during the sync tests. They will also
monitor the people, themselves included."
"Why not do it remotely?" Madison asked.
"Looking for a way out?" Ritsuko joked, "The tether will provide
power and communications, but it is going to be kilometers long, the
tether may be cut, or break. The EVA must be completely autonomous."
The people nodded.
"The L.C.L. isn't as bad as it seems," Jeff told them.
"That doesn't help too much," Madison commented.
"The L.C.L. cushions the pilots from the shock of the movement and
the impact of combat," Ritsuko explained.
"Why does it have to taste so bad?" one of the divers asked.
Ritsuko grimaced. "The L.C.L. is oxygenated like blood, which is
what the pilots breathe in operation."
"What's the effect of pressurizing L.C.L.?" Madison asked.
"As long as the pressurization is gradual, there should be no
problems. No oxygen or nitrogen problems."
"Who is going to be the `driver`?" Nabiki asked.
"Jeff has the higher sync rate in Unit 04 in the water, I'd recommend
he pilot, but it's up to you two."
"I'll flip you for it," Nabiki told Jeff.
"You've been doing that in training," Jeff replied, massaged his arm.
Nabiki smiled at him. The others laughed at the byplay.
"The planned dive will reach a depth of 2500-3000 meters," Ritsuko
said, paused while the amazed muttering and exclamations. "The last point
is the weapons load - "
"As heavy as possible," Jeff interrupted, "With two pilots, we can
cooperate in the use of weapons in combat. Thirty-seven pairs of legs
give more operators than one pilot can coordinate."
"Except Ranma," Nabiki teased.
"He can use them, but he can't utilize them," Jeff retorted.
"I'll let you two work that out," Ritsuko said, "I will have a number
of weapons installed. Deck crews, that's you. The power system will be
the tether, the S engine and external batteries, the batteries are wired
to only maintain emergency life support. For four people that's only 14
hours, not 16 for one on emergency life support. The EVA is slightly
lighter than sea water, it can float up on its own in less than 14 hours.
But you'll have to discard any weapons and eject the tether."
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Maya said worriedly. Ritsuko
agreed.
"We don't know exactly what we will encounter on the sea floor,
that's another reason why we'll have to have the ability to send a team
out to maneuver outside the EVA."
"E.V.A.," Nabiki said, "Extra Vehicular Activity."
Ritsuko smiled. "Yes. Good." She knew others wanted to groan at
the awful pun. "The place the Angel will be, is unknown. So the EVA may
have to search the area."
"How was it initially detected?" Jeff asked, looking at her intently,
"And can we use the same technique aboard the EVA?"
"No, you can't use it. But we should be able to guide you in."
Ritsuko noted his withdrawn expression. He'd noticed that she hadn't
answered the first part of his question. She'd expect him to query later,
and she'd have to tell him she wasn't going to tell him. She could
imagine how the kids would react to some of NERV's methods.
"What are we going to do once we've got the thing?" Nabiki asked, "I
assume we aren't going to dissect it on site."
"No, we'll provide you with a containment system." Ritsuko took a
breath and prepared for the explosion. "And return it to the carrier."
She noticed that neither Nabiki nor Jeff were doing any of the shouting.
They glanced at each other, then turned to stare at her, waiting. She
almost wished that the others' argument would continue. "The containment
will continue aboard the carrier, the EVA will be standing by at all times,
if the containment fails." Again neither Jeff nor Nabiki reacted, they
waited, their eyes boring into hers. She knew they'd want a private
discussion, very soon. Definitely before the mission. "You all had to
suspect this when we talked about capturing an Angel, that we would indeed
be capturing an Angel. Equipment to do the job had been provided."
"What size creature is the system capable of handling?" Jeff asked
dryly.
"We could handle something as small as a rat, at full extension,
something the size of an EVA," Ritsuko explained, "The unit will be stored
in the plug to prevent the Angel from detecting it. It will be powered by
the EVA's system. Eject it if you can't safely return to the surface."
Jeff and Nabiki nodded.
"How about transferring the cage to the carrier?" Nabiki asked.
"It will be a simple case of tying into the carrier's power system,"
Ritsuko explained.
"What about the other ships?" one of the divers asked, "What do we do
if one of the other nations decides they need it more than we do?"
Ritsuko didn't grimace at the stupid question. Who in their right
mind would _want_ the thing? she didn't ask. "The United States Marines
and Navy will protect us. Any further questions?"
----------------------------------------
Their Mastiffs Of Unmatchable Courage
Nabiki stood on the flight deck and watched the other squadrons as
she marveled at all the interest. Getting out of the L.C.L. for a while
had been refreshing. Maya and Captain Madison were the finalists. After
Jeff had gotten clobbered, they'd changed test methods. 'It wasn't as
accurate,' Ritsuko had complained, but no one was within an order of
magnitude of Maya's and Madison's compatibility ratios, so a little
inaccuracy was acceptable.
She heard Jeff approach, she thought the shiner he had was very close
to the place where she'd slapped him, that had faded. Thank the Kamis,
she thought. She wasn't how she would have taken that if it hadn't.
Madison was taking a fair amount of ribbing about the incident as well.
"The large group is the British, based around the battleship HMS
Vanguard and the carrier HMS Victorious." Raccoon pointed out the
squadrons. "The smaller group is French, a couple of their tinclad
cruisers. Ranma or Rei could sink the lot of them. That's the Spanish
navy, since the Azores are Portuguese territory, like Japan used to be."
"Will they stop us?" Nabiki asked.
"With an Angel sitting off their coast?" Raccoon laughed, "Not a
chance. They're here as a representation of Spanish approval and to get
us out of here as soon as we've got it."
" 'Thank you very much, don't let the door hit you on the way out.'
Sorry about the arm," Nabiki apologized, she'd gotten a little rough in
their martial arts practices, "I had a Ranma moment."
"No autopsy, no foul. Ritsuko was able to staple it back on,"
Raccoon commented breezily. That cavalier attitude was beginning to wear
on her. She'd initially thought it was him just being gentlemanly, not
bringing such things up. She was beginning to realize he really _didn't_
care about his personal safety and well-being.
She'd been practicing with the simulated EVA weapons while he'd been
getting Maya and Madison familiar with the operations of the EVA.
Yesterday, he'd even had both on board as he maneuvered around the hanger
deck. Both adults seemed _very_ shaken by the encounter with the
realities of the EVA. She'd heard reports that Madison went out and got
drunk, Maya had curled up in Ritsuko's lap and cried herself to sleep, yet
still managed to keep a deathgrip on the scientist. Nabiki's one attempt
to tease Maya about it had earned her the knowledge that Jeff's boots were
steel-toed. When he kicked her in the ankle, he'd 'mistook her for
Horseface'.
Everyone was tense as they approached the goal.
"We had an offer from the Admiral commanding from Victorious to
dinner aboard her," Jeff told her. Nabiki paled in terror. "Ritsuko
politely refused. We should be in position early tomorrow and she wants
us in bed at 1800 and rested for an 0430 launch."
"Both of us?" she asked in a confused tone, "I thought she'd want you
all to herself." Nabiki forced herself not to smile at his distress.
"Once we get the thing, where do we go?" Nabiki asked.
"Speed run for Boston," Raccoon replied, "NERV Mass has containment
systems."
"I can't imagine what they'd do with such a monster. Do you have any
idea what it looks like?"
"I don't even know which one it is. Dagon or Hydra would be vaguely
humanoid, a Spawn of Cthulhu would look like a bat-winged, tentacle-
bearded flabby humanoid."
"Oh, lovely," Nabiki said.
"They are mostly in the Pacific."
"Oh joy."
"You know, if you really want to end it all," he told her as he
peered over the edge, "Jumping off the front of a carrier is a good way.
The wake drags you under and you probably won't surface for a half-mile
behind."
"Wouldn't the propellers -?"
"Probably not," Raccoon said, "The buffeting would do some damage,
but not too much."
"That's something I really needed to know right now," Nabiki said
dryly.
"I'm always willing to help," Raccoon said as he turned away and
headed for the stairs to the hanger deck. Nabiki watched the gathering of
naval power, and caught herself edging towards the rim to look over. With
an angry snort she turned on her heel and marched after Raccoon.
----------------------------------------
July 24, 1947
Jeff hadn't gotten much sleep. Sarah had contacted him and given him
a rundown of the growing problems in the Severn Valley. He knew from his
reading both in this world and in the odd dream that the Severn Valley had
several minor Great Old Ones, not the `first` or `second` teams, but
definitely formidable. The EVAs, all of them, would be needed to clean up
that mess. She also talked about some of the other things she'd picked up.
England, being closer to Switzerland than American or Japan, SEELE was
real and a power in Switzerland, whether the Swiss citizens knew they were
anything other than a group of eccentric financiers was questionable.
They never did anything even remotely criminal _in_ Switzerland.
Sarah also joked when was Jeff going to break the rest of them out.
'One battle at a time,' he had told her, 'Besides, do you want to
give poor Shinji a heart attack?' Sarah had laughed at that and they
parted. None of his contacts could determine what the danger was that
Capt. Rosatelli had warned him about, although it was clear that a cult of
Shub-Niggurath, and a powerful one, was operating in Japan.
Wouldn't it be nice to have an army of loyal cultists at my beck and
call? he thought, But I don't. And the spy network I _do_ have doesn't
get tasking orders from me. "So goes the world," he complained.
He returned to getting suited up and thinking about prepping Maya and
Madison for the dive as he finished his own prep. Maya can wear a spare
'Leather Goddess' suit and Madison has already tried out a 'Nauseated
Skunk' suit and it fit, with a little adjustment. Getting them plugged in
and calmed down is going to be another chore.
"Hey Raccoon," Nabiki called into the locker room, "Are you decent?"
"I'm clothed," he replied, "If that answers your question."
She entered in her plugsuit. He goggled at her, tongue hanging out,
which embarrassed her immensely.
"Considering how you treat Ranko," he told her, "You deserved that.
What _is_ the Japanese attitude on bisexuality?"
Score another for Raccoon, he thought as she stared at him in horror.
"You came in here with a point?" he asked innocently, watched her
anger build up.
"I was going to offer you the choice." She raised her fist over her
head. "But I changed my mind."
"We're going to decide this by rock-paper-scissors?" he asked,
turning his back on her. "I guess you don't want those magic lessons
after all."
"What!?" she shouted, "If I don't let you decide, you won't give me
lessons?!"
"No. If you can't analyze the situation and come to the correct
conclusion, you'll never understand the lessons. I won't waste my time."
She fumed a moment, glowering at him, plotting dire revenge. He
ignored her, or seemed to. "Okay, you've got nearly my sync rate in Unit
04, underwater. You can get more time out of the nominal 6-hour charge of
the S type engine."
"And the auxiliary batteries, in case we have to float up."
"I'm stronger, and more flexible."
"I'll bet you are," he said, he didn't need to watch her face to know
he'd scored a hit.
"Yeah, you're all crippled up with arthritis. Okay, _you_ pilot us
up and when we get close. I'll pilot us most of the way down, and do the
E.V.A."
"E.V.A. from an EVA, isn't that carrying repetitious redundancy a
little far?" He thought he'd better quit before she beat him unconscious
with a locker.
"Men!" Nabiki announced as she stormed out.
He finished his preparations, both physical and mental, and left the
locker room.
"Okay, load up," Captain Madison said, he headed towards the rear
plug with Nabiki, while Maya accompanied Jeff to the forward plug.
"Did we have to load all those weapons?" Maya asked, clearly uneasy.
"With two pilots, we can fight a lot more effectively using more of
the arms and legs, as well as the bite and the tail," Jeff replied,
"You're really asking if we're expecting trouble. The answer is yes, but
I hope I'm wrong."
"Oh," she said as Jeff helped her up the leg of the EVA as they
walked along the spine towards the plug.
"I hate this stuff," Maya said as she stared at the L.C.L., "It
smells worse than it tastes."
"I have no sympathy," Jeff said, "I'll go first." He cringed. "You
aren't going to hit me are you?"
She laughed. He slipped into the foul stuff and plugged in
automatically. Maya splashed down, he moved her to the command chair as
she got control of herself. He plugged her nerve clip into the system.
"You don't need the chair?" Maya asked nervously.
"Never have before," he replied as he floated at the front of the
plug and called up life support monitors for all four occupants. "Is
everybody ready?" Jeff asked, waited for confirmation before he released
the tether and carefully climbed to the flight deck to attach the much
longer tether that would power them on the dive.
"Okay Nabiki, the comm is yours take us out," Jeff said.
"Still taking charge?" Nabiki's image appeared and teased, "Here we
go." He braced himself as they dropped off the side of the carrier.
"Take us down slow," Madison counseled, "I know you can go fast,
don't."
"Yes, Captain," Nabiki replied, "Top side feeds?"
"All transmitting," Jeff replied, "Are you getting everything?"
"There's some distortion in the communication, but with that much
cable, it's to be expected. Inductive effect." Ritsuko's voice was fuzzy,
no image appeared. "Four life support, visual, and what looks like sonar.
How's Maya?"
"Marvelous, terrified, about normal for the first mission," Jeff said,
got a wicked grin from Maya.
"Nabiki, how is Captain Madison?" Ritsuko asked, her image flickered
into existence.
"Oh, feels nice."
The image of Ritsuko slapped her face. "I mean his physi - I mean-"
She stopped, took a deep breath. "Is he reacting adversely to the L.C.L.
and the EVA?" she asked, "He's also married."
"No reaction to anything," Nabiki replied, gravely disappointed.
Ritsuko's image shook her head. "All indicators are good here,
continue your descent. I didn't mean that!" Ritsuko snapped.
"What will we tell Ranma when we get back?" Jeff asked sardonically.
"He should have let me in his entry plug," Nabiki commented.
"I'm glad this is all in Japanese," Maya added. Jeff agreed, he also
suspected that the teasing was just to get at Ritsuko, who was more
nervous than any of the four EVA-nauts.
----------------------------------------
The Price That Life Exacts
Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the characters from Ranma 1 / 2, Neon Genesis
Evangelion, Ah My Goddess, or the Lovecraft Cycle involved in these
stories.
C&C, MSTs are welcome
E-mail: dan_s.comments@worldnet.att.net
Stories are available in Rich Text Format and HTML at:
http://home.att.net/~danjess.gibson
(these are the most updated versions)
Stories are available in Plain ASCII at:
http://archives.eyrie.org/anime/Ranma/Sic-Semper-Morituri/
ftp://ftp.cs.ubc.ca/pub/archive/anime-fan-works/Ranma/Sic-Semper-Morituri/
http://www.cs.ubc.ca/cgi-bin/ftp/archive/anime-fan-works/Ranma/type/Sic-Semper-Morituri
(these are the original versions)
What has gone before:
About Book 11 of the Tankoubon Manga, Akane and Soun Tendo throw
Ranma out of the house. Nabiki, in the guise of a wish, follows him.
They meet EVA pilots Shinji Ikari, Rei Ayanami, Asuka Soryu Langley and
Jeffrey Davis.
With the return of NERV Tokyo from the Great White Space, everyone is
celebrating, except Asuka who realizes their enemies are taking a direct
interest in the pilots. Nabiki and Rei are returned to Tokyo separately,
Rei by express, Nabiki aboard the Spruce Goose with cargo for the EVAs.
Shinji, Asuka, Toji and Hikari meet with Yumiwashi.
Rei locates and confronts Jeff on the anniversary of Samuel's death.
She remembers her feelings on the death of Yui Ikari, and how she arranged
Naoko Akagi's death. Jeff wants to be left alone, Rei decides he needs to
talk about events, and doesn't take no for an answer. Including revealing
how he killed her years earlier in Boston.
At the welcome home party for Nabiki and Rei, the Azores mission is
revealed. Ranma will move in with Asuka and Sammi. Three shoggoths, once
fragments of Ritsuko, fight and are defeated by combining Ritsuko, Ranma
and Jeff, there are some side-effects as the trio's personalities
temporarily bleed into each other. Among them: Jeff, under the influence
of Ranma, confronts Belldandy sending her, then her sisters, into a tizzy,
Keiichi managed to defuse it. Ranko, under the influence of the others,
gives Jeff the passionate kiss from the bet he lost to Asuka at the
carnival. Then Asuka and Jeff tickle Nabiki remorselessly. Rei begins
calling Asuka mein Grossfeldmarschall {Groe}. All the pilots are giddy
from recent events.
To help Misato and Hiro's relationship, Asuka, Rei and Shinji throw
together a Sunday in the park picnic. Asuka invites Keiichi, Belldandy
and Megumi. Megumi volunteers her services and Belldandy's as caterers.
They work through the night to get everything ready.
The baseball captain Usagi and her allies are introduced, and what
they worship before their softball games.
The picnic is a success until Usagi and Yuki decide to test the
pilots. Ranma easily intercepts the batted ball, but transforms and must
leave. The picnic ends. Asuka and Ranma are sulky after the failed
picnic. Asuka also has a letter from Anna reminding her of home, to which
she can never return.
With the aid of a narrow board and two sawhorses, Asuka begins
teaching Ranma both sword fighting, and how to teach. Only he believes
his first class with the others was an unmitigated disaster.
Asuka contracts Keiichi and his sister to construct several bicycles
for the pilots. She shoots a bug and has her second clash with Skuld.
All four senators from Wyoming and Massachusetts begin investigating
the Boston incident and Misato's part in it. Admiral Simson scrambles to
begin his own investigation of what has been happening in NERV before and
after the war. Shinji and Rei console and watch over Misato.
Asuka and Ranma wash each others hair, Shinji washes Rei's. They
discuss children while doing this. Asuka doesn't want the responsibility,
Rei appreciates her advice.
Aboard the Bennington, Jeff meets with one of his patrons and
receives an update on Sharon. Nabiki is coming to realize the differences
in the way the military treats her and the other pilots.
Major ggreg and Adam Smith arrive, to cover their `spying` on NERV,
they will teach Nabiki and Jeff about explosives. Ritsuko investigates
the unusual way Jeff syncs with the EVA, she is terrified by the contact.
Later she realizes the spirits power the EVAs. Nabiki and Maya train to
operate firearms.
Jeff and the Scholarly Dragon teach Nabiki about control of her
dreams, the Scholarly Dragon prevents a dream attack by Usagi and company.
Admiral Simson asks about Jeff siccing the Senators on Misato, he did
so because the Navy stonewalled his investigation.
Nabiki adds hand-to-hand training with the rifle.
Nabiki discusses Hiroko's death with several of her instructors.
Ritsuko looks over Jeff and Nabiki as Nabiki comes under dream attack.
Joma and Ritsuko discuss the desires of made things for their
creators/users.
The pilots and guards reminisce about the events of the previous
weeks with Belldandy, Sora and Megumi while taking a cooking lesson. The
day ends with a bug attack on Keiichi's home being destroyed by the pilots
and their guards.
Usagi and company summon a strike force of Dark Young, dholes,
shantaks and Hunting Horrors. For a short time the EVAs and the pilots
are caught off stride. Once they regained the upper hand they never
released it. Ranma used baseball techniques, Shinji uses Ranma's
accidental attack on him to lure the enemy in close. Rei guides Asuka to
restrain one dhole until the Navy, Shinji and Ranma can arrive to finish
it and the other one off.
The Twins watches the summoning and draws its own plans against the
EVAs, pilots and NERV.
The pilots go over Misato's head to participate in rescue operations.
Well, the owners wrote her off; not a nickel would they spend. She gave
twenty years of service, boys, then met her sorry end.
But insurance paid the loss to them, they let her rest below. Then they
laughed at us and said we had to go.
But we talked of her all winter, some days around the clock, for she's
worth a quarter million, afloat and at the dock.
And with every jar that hit the bar, we swore we would remain and make the
Mary Ellen Carter rise again.
Rise again, rise again, that her name not be lost to the knowledge of men.
Those who loved her best and were with her till the end will make the Mary
Ellen Carter rise again.
All spring, now, we've been with her on a barge lent by a friend. Three
dives a day in hard hat suit and twice I've had the bends.
Thank God it's only sixty feet and the currents here are slow or I'd never
have the strength to go below.
But we've patched her rents, stopped her vents, dogged hatch and porthole
down. Put cables to her, 'fore and aft and girded her around.
Tomorrow, noon, we hit the air and then take up the strain. And make the
Mary Ellen Carter rise again.
The Mary Ellen Carter - Written by Stan Rogers.
Courage Is Saying 'No' One More Time
July 18, 1947
The shackles proved quite unpickable, and the chain was equally
unbreakable, Jeff settled back, waiting for the next stage of the attack.
Misato padded lithely across the carpeted floor, the faint moonlight
revealing what she wasn't wearing.
She knelt before him, a knife hung from a thong around her neck. She
leaned close, the blade slid smoothly through the shirt he was wearing,
parting the fabric, "I think you know what I'm here for," she breathed.
"Nabiki, this isn't going to work either." Jeff felt someone yank
her hand off his neck as he opened his eyes.
----------------------------------------
He rolled over in his bunk to look at a startled Nabiki, "Miss Tendo
you don't have the strength to force acceptance of impossibilities. If I
found myself chained up and Misato walked in with a knife, my first
instinct would be to wrap my legs around her throat and choke the life out
of her. I wouldn't _care_ what she was wearing or not wearing, or what
squishy things she was promising to do to me."
"I thought all the boys drooled over her," she said in a weak defense
of her latest attempt.
"I have a history with her that makes that unlikely. But that's
beside the point. You and `Horseface` aren't strong enough to make
improbable actions likely in dreams. Infiltration, remember? You'll have
to find out what weaknesses in my defenses mesh with your strengths, that
way, like in martial arts, my mind and instincts can be used against me to
strengthen what you're trying to accomplish. It'll take some research on
your part, but that's part of the training too." He smiled. "Besides,
purely hentai dreams won't work." He brushed her nose, and said sweetly,
"I like and respect you too much, that should give you an idea for a wedge
to work on. Now go back to sleep."
She dejectedly stood and glared down at him, too spent to argue.
A few minutes later Ritsuko entered, wearing a lot more than Misato
had been. She stared down at him.
"Didn't make it again?" she asked, "Who was it?"
"Misato, fairly standard bondage stuff. You're chained up and she's
the one begging," he said, grimaced at the image, "Even Langley and I
working together couldn't make that believable."
"You could let her win," Ritsuko suggested, "She really hates it when
they don't work. It's as if you turned down a handmade present she was
offering you."
"It's always someone or something I don't care about," Jeff explained,
"I'll admit, I like looking at Major K and Rit-chan, even better naked."
He paused to let her frown and glare in the direction of Nabiki's room.
"But looking is as far as I'll go. She's tried other, unrelated
activities like cooking or going to concerts and dances with Rei, Asuka,
Shinji, Ranko and Maya and sometimes together, and she's tried with people
who look like her, but all of them are totally out of character. They act
like _she_ expects them to act. Like Ranma fighting and losing to Shinji
or Asuka, she doesn't have the strength to force reality out of the hands
of a strong Dreamer." He paused, "On the defense, Ranma can hold his own
against most opponents, but Nabiki needs to learn that she can't oppose
someone force to force."
"Cunning and trickery," Ritsuko said, "Why isn't she using that
technique?"
"That - is the real question," Jeff said.
----------------------------------------
Nabiki was angry. Jeff can be so frustrating! He's always so noble
and pure, she thought, Except I know that isn't his nature. I've seen him
looking at Ritsuko, he's as much a slave to his hormones as any other
teenager. Even her in own fourteen-year-old body caused her some problem.
It _should_ have worked, I've seen him looking intensely at Misato, and
the danger of the woman should have intrigued him, not repulsed him the
way it did.
"Research." She grimaced, not her favorite word, especially since
_she_ was the real local expert on the subject, the others knew less about
him than she did.
But there _were_ others who knew more, she smiled at the plans began
to form.
----------------------------------------
July 19, 1947
Nabiki faced the Daimorigon, not the Scholarly Dragon. What she
faced was weaker, but far less amused by the human race. It only hated
humans, and they feared it, it was easy to fear. She felt it absorbing her,
tearing her soul apart, tearing her memories from her feelings, all
separating her into bits, destroying the integrity of what she was. And
it _HURT_!_ She screamed as she ceased to be anything except the pain of
dissociation.
----------------------------------------
"Nabiki! Nabiki!" the face swam into focus.
"Mommy mommy mommy!" Nabiki heard herself saying as she held onto her
contact with reality where she existed, where Tendo Nabiki was alive and
well. The body holding her rocked slowly side to side, made soothing
noises. Until Nabiki again felt safe, until fear retreated to allow
rational thought.
Nabiki was aware she'd called Ritsuko 'mommy', repeatedly, and that
she'd broken down and cried again.
"Sorry. It must be embarrassing." She was aware that Ritsuko hadn't
released her, or stopped rocking her. The rocking was lulling her to
sleep. She could feel her eyelids drooping, Ritsuko lowering her back
into bed and pulling the covers over her as she dropped back to sleep.
----------------------------------------
Ritsuko slipped out of Nabiki's cabin, spotted Maya slipping out of
Jeff's.
"Bad dreams?" Ritsuko asked when Maya turned towards her, away from
the door.
"Yes, sempai," Maya said, "The death of Nabiki's mother." She seemed
confused, Ritsuko suspected where Jeff had gotten those memories.
"I think our testing the two pilots together for an extended time in
an entry plug may cause these problems. Without proper preparations,"
Ritsuko said, "Preparations we don't have time to make."
"What happened to Nabiki-chan?" Maya asked as they returned to their
cabin.
Ritsuko raised an eyebrow at 'Nabiki-chan', but let it pass. "One
thing, Analyst Ibuki, you should have a lab coat or a pair of slacks to
throw on quickly."
Maya noticed the very abbreviated nightgown she wore, `eeped`, and
raced back into the cabin. Ritsuko adjusted her lab coat and followed
more sedately, she doubted Nabiki or anyone else noticed she didn't have
anything on under it.
----------------------------------------
July 20, 1947
>From the Journal of Nabiki Tendo:
We passed through the Panama Canal today. 'Whoopie!' The crews had
turned out to watch the massive ship slip through the narrow opening.
Widen the stupid thing! I bet Asuka could have a design in three days. A
week if you didn't want to take it out of service during construction. It
was amazing watching the locks open and close to raise the ship, there's
nothing to compare it to.
I thought Raccoon was going to go nuts trying to look down the
lengths of the ship, both sides at once. He must have known it was
hopeless, but he kept at it. Disturbing. Ritsuko told him it was going
to be fine but he didn't believe her. I hope we don't run into whatever
has him so spooked.
The escort group changed at well, it seems we wore out the two
battleships and the two light carriers accompanying us. When we exit the
canal, the new escort group will pick us up: the Midway, the Franklin
Roosevelt (Coral Sea-type aircraft carriers, with aircraft on them), the
Hancock, an Essex-class, like ours, Missouri and Wisconsin. The Missouri
is one ship I want to stand on, if only to stand where the surrender was
signed. Kensuke would go nuts about that. There's also a force of
cruisers and destroyers to guard us during our trip through the lake.
Someone's knocking at the door, bye for now.
----------------------------------------
July 21, 1947
>From the Journal of Nabiki Tendo:
I got my wish. Rather than wait with the carrier, Raccoon, Ritsuko,
Maya and I were helicoptered to an airbase and flown to the Midway. Maya
hates flying, Raccoon was nervous about leaving the Bennington 'unguarded'.
Fifty cruisers and destroyers, 2 Army Tank divisions, a thousand Marines
standing guard and he calls _that_ 'unguarded'. No, I don't believe he's
paranoid. There has to be a stronger word than paranoid. Maybe I'm sure
he's got a persecution complex. I'd hate to meet anything that justified
his fears.
Also, I was informed that 'Midway is not a Coral Sea-type, Coral Sea
is a Midway-class' by an officious lieutenant. Raccoon suggested he go
back to Annapolis for a refund, they were supposed to make him an officer
_AND_ a gentleman. I wanted to stick my tongue out at him, except one of
the photographers would have snapped that picture. I've never seen so
many photographers in my life! All in military uniforms. There were
interviews. I even got to sit at the mess table on the Missouri, someone
had set it up for the occasion. I sat where MacArthur did, thank you very
much. I've been too intimidated to see the American Caesar, although I
could, Asuka did. I wonder if I asked, whether I could go to Pearl Harbor
and drop a wreath at the Arizona. Looking at Japan, with the remnant, and
knowing the Japan I grew up in. I think we owe a debt to those men, as
strange as it is to say, Japan, or rather the Japanese, won that war.
Many of the things holding us back from being the superpower we wanted to
be were beaten out of us.
TRANSCRIPTIONIST'S NOTES: The following were heavily crossed out
The feudalism still exists, but its corporate rather than military
and there is still meritocracy, despite trying to force family
`dynasties`, business is as grinding to failures as war and more constant.
TRANSCRIPTIONIST'S NOTES: Ends strike out, recommend further analysis
The loyalty to company might replace loyalty to lord, resulting in a
type of feudalism, but it would also be in the realm of business, where
constant pressure would force a meritocracy, the founder might be the head,
but his sons or daughters would have a board of directors and shareholders
to answer to, an incompetent could be removed.
Where was oh, - there were photographers and flash bulbs, and the
reporters and their questions. 'What do you think -?' 'How do you feel
-?' until my head was spinning, and Raccoon, handling it all like an old
hand, the rotten -. He reminded me in Japanese that I was a worldwide
celebrity. Telling me an Angel was attacking wouldn't have scared me so
much.
Then he asked me 'How do you enjoy it?' I could have _strangled_ him,
in front of all those cameras. I wanted to so _badly_!_
Maya at least had the excuse of poor English skills, she feigned
having none, or she was too scared to do anything except stammer
'sumimasen'.
By the end of the day, I couldn't stand the idea of another camera,
movies or still, another person asking questions about the details of my
life and opinions, or anyone commenting how 'pretty', 'charming' or
'fluent' I am.
Sleep and anonymity are welcome, Raccoon's nervous about someone
getting aboard while we were away. I think he's overreacting, considering
the photographers and reporter on Bennington when we arrived, any invader
would have already been interviewed and had a hundred pictures taken of
them. The crew was interviewed about us for Stars and Strips, the
military paper. I don't think I want to read what they said, I'd almost
prefer if they said awful things about us, it would be less embarrassing.
----------------------------------------
Those Who Place Decency Above Courage
Tunguska
General Borodin watched the Navy newsreel intently, along with the
few others in the small screening room. He proudly commented for the
Ogromniy pilots and the GRU man, all of whom spoke little to no English.
"That's Nabiki Tendo, the Fifth Child," Borodin told them.
"Isn't she tall for a Japanese?" Anna asked.
"Hoping for pilots shorter than you?" Sonya teased the younger girl.
"Is that wrong?" Anna teased back, "Good - Is he really just
14-years-old?"
"Jeffrey Davis," Borodin said, "It appears so, look at those boots, a
cavalryman's boots."
"Half Cossack, half capitalist," Uri joked, got some laughter. "You
did -"
"Wait," Borodin ordered, "They're going after an Angel, one deep in
the sea. The EVAs have been specifically prepared, these two pilots have
been special - specifically trained."
"They can go into the ocean?" Ivan, the oldest pilot by a few months,
asked, "Is there anything these EVAs can't do?"
"They have no rifles," the GRU man said, "If I may General?" He got
a nod. He shut off the projector, it hung on a picture of the pilots and
the two NERV scientists. "Uri, what were you asking?"
"Where are their medals, their decorations and awards?" Uri asked as
he stepped up to the screen. "Only Natalia is not a Hero of the Soviet
Union," he said as he touched his award, "She has two Orders of Lenin
instead." The Ogromniy pilots' dress uniforms were almost as resplendent
as any General or Marshall in the People's Republic, all earned by service
in combat. "We heard no mention of awards," Borodin admitted.
"Records say nothing other than a few personal commendations.
Especially for June the 15th."
Borodin and the GRU man exchanged glances, this little point could go
up to the Political Directorate, maybe recruitment or subversion rather
than just propaganda. They restarted the film.
"She's a proud one," Natalia commented on the blonde woman.
"Doctor Ritsuko Akagi," Borodin supplied, "The world's foremost
expert on the EVAs."
"Asuka Langley might contest that," the GRU man said.
"Jealous?" Sonya, a natural blonde asked the plainer Natalia.
"Of what? That she dyes her hair?"
"She seems more friendly with the pilots than just a commanding
officer . . . my apologies General," Anna said.
"No offense taken, the reporter just made a similar comment Anna. A
big sister, or a guardian?" Borodin asked.
Anna considered. "A mother. Watch her watch the reporters."
Borodin did, the others didn't need to hear the force structure of
the Naval Group. She did seem a lot more protective than a detached
technocrat should have been. It was something to ponder as the film ended
with a patriotic flair. Borodin couldn't fault the American's their sea
power, he also knew that against what they were fighting, it meant
absolutely nothing.
"Additional comments, questions?" Borodin asked.
"What was that other girl saying?" Natalia asked.
"I don't know, I think it was Japanese," Borodin replied.
"Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could get them to help us deal with
our invasion, then we could help them deal with theirs?" Anna said happily.
The others exchanged smiles, the youngest was always full of happy
thoughts, that would never work. They still enjoyed hearing them.
"Yes it would. Dismissed, get some rest," Borodin told them, "You've
earned it."
The pilots stood and saluted with precision, then trooped out.
The GRU man had stood and saluted as crisply as the pilots, but he
lagged behind. "Are you going to examine the new troops Moscow has sent
up?"
Borodin nodded. Outside the base, the sidings were full of flat cars,
passenger coaches for the officers and the lucky, boxcars for the rest.
All of them were unloading into makeshift buildings, or sheds, or tents
they'd brought with. For a month or two it would be enough, but the men
and machines would need better protection against the harsh Tunguskan
winters. Tanks, anti-aircraft trucks, soldiers.
"Two full Guards Armored divisions and three Motor Rifle divisions,"
the GRU man said, "Quite a force. Supposedly they are bringing you
another star."
Borodin nodded, next was the single large star of a Soviet Marshall,
quite an advance for a man who escaped the purges of the '30's by being in
a place so remote Moscow forgot about it for a decade.
"Now the entire Motherland, the entire world depends on how you
deploy these troops, this army," the GRU man told him.
"I am aware of that," Borodin replied tiredly. He was never sure
which direction the man was pushing. He was loyal to Mother Russia over
the Party, the Army, or seemingly anything else. "Tomorrow, I'll meet
with the company commanders. I have an idea about new deployments that
should have the effect we need."
"I'll tell your chief of staff, your new one, and I still haven't
discovered why your old one was recalled to Moscow."
"Probably to insure I don't turn against the Motherland," he chuckled,
"As Marshall Zhukov has." He didn't believe the rumors, but the minor
postings fir the great hero made sense. It also made sense if Stalin was
as paranoid as rumors also said.
"Accusations."
"That will prove true," Borodin said, "Zhukov could have challenged
Stalin."
That he never would doesn't change anything, Borodin told himself, It
just matters what Comrade Stalin believes. Borodin couldn't let on how
worried he was, the enemy had been quiet, but new problems had cropped up,
the brazings and mountings that held the armor in place were cracking. Of
course, they could be repaired. But what about fighting in winter? There
was also the need to guard the depots. The rail line was another
vulnerability. It was all too much. Anna's innocent statement kept
coming back to him, the EVAs, the Ogromniy units, together. The EVAs were
a dozen times more capable in hand-to-hand combat, with the Ogromniys as
snipers covering the flanks, nothing could beat the combination.
The question, he thought, How do I arrange for Moscow to propose this,
so I may loudly support it and do my utmost to advance World Socialism and
the Great People's Republic? he wondered as he walked to his office. He
watched the troops for a while before retiring to his office to think.
----------------------------------------
"Are you crazy?" Sonya asked Anna as they walked through the bare
concrete corridors, "These are Japanese and Germans. They would have to
be crazy to come here. Besides, we don't need them."
"They won't come _and_ we don't need them, I think you've been
listening to the political officers," Anna said, "_I've_ been listening to
the mechanics. The armor, they have to keep checking it. It isn't right.
They have to send the Units back to Moscow or `Tankograd` for repairs.
What then?" She wondered why they kept erasing the patriotic slogans she
chalked on the walks. They were so inspiring and they broke the monotony.
"The new pilot, Boris and they should have another unit," Uri said.
"Five is good, six is better, but ten . . . !" Anna said excitedly.
"I think you have a crush on Miss Tendo, she's so pretty," Sonya
teased.
"No. Mr. Davis, putting such a bourgeois capitalist on a farm really
is mean," Uri added, "And he's an American."
"It's not like that!" Anna insisted, "Dividing the fighting load
between two battle groups would make our job a lot easier."
"Yes." Natalia glanced at the others. "We believe you."
"Whom would they send?" Ivan asked, "Little Miss Nazi, The
Bourgeoisie? The would-be Bourgeoisie? The unreconstructed Japanese
Militarist? The coward? Or the silent One? I wouldn't trust any of them
to rescue a stale pirozhki. Their machines, these could be of use."
"Ivan doesn't want new friends unless they are issued by the state,"
Anna said, stuck her tongue out at the older boy.
----------------------------------------
July 22, 1947
Nabiki walked through the hanger towards Unit 04. She was glad she
had descended into relative anonymity again. The crew gave the occasional
wolf-whistle or call for an autograph, but it wasn't serious, so she took
it in stride.
"Sailors!" she shouted back, "All you care about is how big her guns
are and how fast she can steam!" She let the laughter wash over her,
content that she still had some control. In Nerima, she'd been a whale in
a puddle, then here she felt like a little fish in an ocean. Now she
began to realize, she was becoming a bigger fish virtually everyday. With
that certainty, she was becoming uneasy. She wanted wealth and power.
She had all that and more. To many, she was the face of postwar Japan,
and it terrified her. The outward mask of the certainty did not come
easily, more feigned than actual. She hadn't piloted in combat, so she
was just support personnel. Her entire reputation was like a piece of
glass, the wrong stress and it would shatter. Hurting who?
Why am _I_ worthy? she asked. She knew the denizens of Nerima would
be amused that the Ice Queen was anything except absolutely confident.
She was a little confused herself, but the world seemed so much bigger and
she was so much smaller. But the others didn't think so. The Admirals
and the Captains wanted a picture with her, the crews were respectful, the
reporters wanted her to give them good news. American Admirals, American
crews, American reporters. She wasn't a 'Jap', she was an EVA PILOT, and
that scared her.
She was beginning to wonder if Ranma's overreaction, Asuka's loud
overconfidence, Raccoon's 'I know it all and I'm in control' were all
because they were scared too, and just couldn't understand it or couldn't
admit it.
Up ahead, Raccoon was arguing with Ritsuko, always something to take
her mind off her own problems. The pilot stood on the spine of the EVA
and shouted down to the scientist who stood on the hanger deck with Maya.
"All I'm saying is it feels the same. If I could describe it any
better, I would."
"That's not possible, none of the other EVAs have a second entry plug
port," Ritsuko yelled back.
"You two should go somewhere and hash out this lovers' quarrel,"
Nabiki shouted as she approached, both Ritsuko and Raccoon cringed.
Good, she thought.
"What's the problem?" she shouted up at Raccoon.
"That this might be - _might_be_ - another spot for an entry plug and
I want that tested."
"It's impossible," Ritsuko added.
"How difficult would it be to just _do_ the test?" Nabiki shouted at
both of them.
Now I'm a referee to a pair of `adults`, she complained inwardly.
"Well, not very difficult," Ritsuko admitted, "But wasted - "
"As much time and energy as you two are wasting by arguing?" she told
the pair in Japanese, "Being right isn't worth the agony, you two sound
like Ranma and Asuka!" She knew that was a low blow, but they needed to
wake up.
"Very well, it will only take a few minutes," Ritsuko grudgingly
admitted.
"Say 'Thank You!'," Nabiki yelled at Raccoon in English.
"Thank you, Doctor Akagi," Raccoon said. There was nothing Nabiki
could put her finger on, not tone or phrasing, but it was clearly an
insult.
What is going on between you two? Nabiki thought as she walked to the
tech crew that would run the overhead crane.
----------------------------------------
Within a few minutes an entry plug was being maneuvered towards the
spot Raccoon had marked with chalk. Nabiki still didn't fully understand
how an entry plug and pilot could coexist with an EVA's own body. The
place a plug entered may well have been called magic for all the weird
explanations she'd heard. Nabiki stood with Maya as the overheard crane
and the crews swung the plug into position. Ritsuko and Raccoon were
glaring at each other like a couple of angry tomcats.
"Your love is so touching!" Nabiki shouted at them in Japanese, "If
you want to go somewhere private, we can do this ourselves. It makes you
wonder how he's going to explain his war bride to his parents."
Both targets were now appropriately mortified, and the crews were
concentrating on their work.
"Miss Tendo," Master Chief Cole asked quietly, "They wouldn't . . . I
mean - "
"Haven't you had a teacher so smart and funny and so so
_wonderful_!_?_"
The chief smirked.
"Well, Doctor Akagi will eventually grow out of it," Nabiki supplied.
The man wandered off, shaking his head. Maya started coughing. Nabiki
shrugged. "Nobody believes me."
She watched in amazement as the entry plug slid into the spot Raccoon
had indicated and disappeared into the EVA. Ritsuko was stunned, Raccoon
was magnanimous. He climbed down the EVA's leg to the deck.
"Now, that is why I was suggesting Maya and Captain Madison accompany
us, or some diver who has the ability to access the systems. We'll have
technical experts immediately available, Maya in the front 'cabin', the
diver assisting in the rear."
"Wait a minute?" Nabiki interjected, "We're both going down?"
"Someone has to stay with the EVA and someone has to be prepared to
leave it. We discussed this," Ritsuko explained, "The original plan was
that both of you would go down in Unit 04, and if you could get the Angel
quickly, you wouldn't have to leave the EVA. If it was in a constricted
area, then the diver on a tether would have to act as a pathfinder for the
EVA, also if the tether for the EVA became tangled, you'll need a diver to
free you up. The EVA is more than strong enough to snap the tether."
A lot of this was new to Nabiki, "When did all this happen?"
"We've been discussing it," Raccoon said, "That's why they stuck us
together in the plug."
"Very lovely," Maya whispered to Nabiki, then smiled at the
antagonists. Both frowned at her, she was glad the nightmares hadn't
continued.
"Careful, she's got a rifle," Nabiki pointed out and she was still
wearing the LeMat on her hip.
"I do agree, in light of this. We should discuss things with the
divers and test their compatibility ratios, that's what workers have
instead of sync rates," Ritsuko said, there was no argument.
----------------------------------------
Courage Tastes Of Blood
"Why do I have to do this?" Maya complained as Nabiki fitted the A10
nerve clip on her and helped her to the edge of the entry plug. Inside,
the black tarry L.C.L. glistened and stank.
"You're always telling us that it isn't bad as we imagine, now's your
chance to prove it," Nabiki said happily, helpfully.
Maya stuck out her tongue.
"That's the spirit," Nabiki said as she picked Maya up and levered
her into the plug.
"Wait! I don't want to!" Maya protested.
"We have ways of making you talk," Nabiki reminded her as Maya caught
herself on the edge of the plug. Maya tried to scramble out, but Nabiki
held her in place, and gave no warning of Raccoon approaching with a
bucket.
"Yeeeeauuuuk," Maya exclaimed as he poured it down on her face and in
her mouth, "You're awful!" The pair shoved Maya into the plug.
Nabiki slid into the plug after her to make sure she would go through
the transition all the pilots had such a problem with: breathing L.C.L.
for the first time. No normal person wanted to breathe something that
smelled so awful.
Nabiki took a deep breath of the stuff and held Maya under as Raccoon
pried Maya's fingers loose. Inside the plug, Nabiki quickly got used to
the awful taste and smell. "Come on, let's get it over with." Due to the
A10 nerve clip, Nabiki could see clearly.
Maya was still holding her breath, looking around in amazement. The
A10 clip seemed to be having the same effect for Maya's vision in the plug
as Nabiki's. Nabiki pointed to herself, showing she was breathing
normally. Maya shook her head vehemently.
Then the hatch closed and locked.
Raccoon and Ritsuko, Nabiki guessed. While Maya was staring at the
hatch, Nabiki swam up and poked her in the side. Maya was aghast, Nabiki
hoped Maya didn't know how ticklish _she_ was as Maya tried to evade in
the small space of the entry plug while holding her breath. Then Maya let
out a burst of silent laughter as Nabiki's questing fingers struck home.
And she inhaled the L.C.L.. Nabiki was at her side, urging her to breathe
and not throw up.
Maya managed to get her breathing and gag reflex under control. She
was learning there were truly awful things you could live through.
"Ritsuko, Raccoon, do you want to do a full sync test?" Nabiki asked
as she guided Maya to the command chair. Maya shook her head violently.
At least she was breathing.
"Speak, think out loud and we'll hear," Nabiki chided.
"I HATE THIS! I'M AFRAID! THIS TASTES TERRIBLE. I DON'T WANT TO DO
THIS! I WANT SEMPAI! I'M GOING TO KILL JEFF FOR SUGGESTING THIS! I WANT
OUT! HOW CAN THE KIDS STAND THIS, I CAN'T DO THIS, I'M SUCH A COWARD."
"Okay!" Nabiki told her forcefully, "You can do this. The first time
is always the worst. After that it gets tolerable."
"We'll do a basic sync test," Ritsuko told them, "When she calms
down."
"Oh," Nabiki said archly, "I supposed that's _my_ job. Well it's not
as easy as embarrassing her, why can't I do that instead?"
"Because I'm your mother and I said so."
Nabiki froze. She thought, hoped, Ritsuko was joking. She also knew
that it was more accurate than Ritsuko thought. Kasumi may have mothered
her and Akane, but she wasn't an effective disciplinarian. She wouldn't
push the way Ritsuko did, the way a real mother did. Real mothers
weren't nice all the time. Sometimes a little kid couldn't tell them from
Oni, until much later. The one thing Nabiki couldn't do was disappoint
her mother, because she always had, until she died and there was no
`later` to make it up to her.
"Yes, mom," Nabiki said as she settled Maya in the control seat and
got her to relax, regulate her breathing. Slowly she coached her through
the meditation that was an integral part of synchronizing with an EVA.
----------------------------------------
Jeff wandered into the infirmary, he was nursing the black eye he'd
gotten from Captain Madison on the man's first contact with L.C.L.. He
hadn't liked it a bit.
Jeff spotted Ritsuko slowly going over the test results of the
technical people and the SAR crew. Both Jeff and Nabiki had been adamant
that Maya and Capt. Madison be tested first. So far, no one else had come
close.
"Maybe Hiroko's comment that pilots can see pilots wasn't just
speculation," he said.
Ritsuko's head came up, he could see she'd been crying. "Huh?"
Why is she afraid? he wondered at the odd color of the conversation
block, as if he'd caught her at something. He leaned close, stared at her,
"Extensive lacrimation. Engorged capillaries, now facial flushing, my
diagnosis is something hurt and embarrassed you, and you're happy about
it." He hooked a chair with his foot and pulled it towards him so he
could sit next to her. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"You think you can read me so well," she accused.
"Well I did court you for years and we did raise a family."
"In a dream," she said coldly. But the conversation block showed
fear again.
He ran a fingertip across her jaw line, feeling her shiver under his
touch. "So it was accurate. What's troubling you? It can't be the end
of the world, you'd be fighting mad about that."
"Nabiki called me 'mom'." She buried her face in his shoulder and
started crying again.
He was afraid she was going to snap him in half, then she eased off
her grip around his shoulders. Jeff hugged her back, ran his hand down
her back while holding her shaking shoulders with the other arm. As he
had done a hundred times before, in his dream. It wasn't anything new to
him. She cared about things a lot more deeply than she could admit,
especially to herself. He let her cry, words were useless at this point.
Again, evidence from his dream. He sometimes wondered what who/whatever
sent that dream had intended. To torture him/them, to give her someone to
turn to, something else entirely?
He didn't know. The all-wise, all-knowing, knew nothing, neither did
any of his contacts, which embarrassed them no end.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"I'm not," he said, kissing her on the cheek, "You'd be a good mother.
Look at Shinji taking care of Misato. If he could discipline her to stop
catting around and getting drunk, then both would be a lot happier.
Nabiki wants to know someone cares."
" 'Kids sometimes want to know someone will yank them back from the
edge," Ritsuko quoted, "Admiral Simson." She sniffed, tried to regain her
'aloof scientist' composure, it didn't work too well. "What?"
"I'm just wondering about how Sammi will react to her new sister.
Frown," Jeff said, because she normally would, "Come on, frown. Frown!
You call that a frown?" Ritsuko grabbed both his shoulders, then broke
down laughing before she could shake him to pieces.
After a few minutes she sighed. "You are both ridiculous _and_
infuriating."
"Well, Langley would have called me a bastard as well."
"I know better," she said as she released him, "I've heard what
you've said about your parents."
"True enough," Jeff admitted, "So having 'Nab-chan' call you 'mommy'
isn't so scary is it?"
"Yes," Ritsuko admitted, bowed her head, "It's every bit as scary,
because this time, I said it first and she responded."
That _is_ a whole other kettle of fish, Jeff thought.
"It still isn't fatal, for either of you," he reassured her, "I could
joke about our first child, but that would get me thrown through a
bulkhead." He waited for her to nod. "I think you should let things
settle a bit. She wouldn't have responded so quickly if she didn't
believe it already."
So that's what the girls' dream of rubble meant. 'Earthquakes after
a waterfall of tears all signifying realization', I think I may strangle
her next time I see her, except she'd enjoy it too much, he thought,
remembering another of his patrons and their mysterious, random visits, I
need a new job.
"Thank you," Ritsuko said, "And don't tell me 'We've been through
this before'," she added, "I haven't.".
"I don't have to," Jeff said, "Now about this." He pointed to his
eye.
"I'll get an ice pack," Ritsuko said as she stood and walked to the
freezer.
He admired the way the lab coat couldn't hide her curves or her grace.
She's _NOT_ married to you! he angrily reminded himself. He waited until
she'd arrived at the freezer. "That's what I love about you, always
running hot or cold." He caught the thrown ice pack and ran from the room
before Ritsuko could catch him.
----------------------------------------
July 23, 1947
Ritsuko had the `finalists` in the pilots' ready room with the rest
of the dive team and the technical staff. It seemed a good place to
deliver such a briefing. Maya and Madison were up front with Nabiki and
Jeff, the four were the most likely team. "The newly discovered second
entry plug `port` means that we will be sending four people down on the
dive: two pilots and two technical experts. The rear plug will contain
the pilot who will be released to act as a scout and to deal with other
problems. The dive team member will accompany that pilot. The technical
staff member will accompany the pilot in the forward plug. That person
will monitor the EVA as we do during the sync tests. They will also
monitor the people, themselves included."
"Why not do it remotely?" Madison asked.
"Looking for a way out?" Ritsuko joked, "The tether will provide
power and communications, but it is going to be kilometers long, the
tether may be cut, or break. The EVA must be completely autonomous."
The people nodded.
"The L.C.L. isn't as bad as it seems," Jeff told them.
"That doesn't help too much," Madison commented.
"The L.C.L. cushions the pilots from the shock of the movement and
the impact of combat," Ritsuko explained.
"Why does it have to taste so bad?" one of the divers asked.
Ritsuko grimaced. "The L.C.L. is oxygenated like blood, which is
what the pilots breathe in operation."
"What's the effect of pressurizing L.C.L.?" Madison asked.
"As long as the pressurization is gradual, there should be no
problems. No oxygen or nitrogen problems."
"Who is going to be the `driver`?" Nabiki asked.
"Jeff has the higher sync rate in Unit 04 in the water, I'd recommend
he pilot, but it's up to you two."
"I'll flip you for it," Nabiki told Jeff.
"You've been doing that in training," Jeff replied, massaged his arm.
Nabiki smiled at him. The others laughed at the byplay.
"The planned dive will reach a depth of 2500-3000 meters," Ritsuko
said, paused while the amazed muttering and exclamations. "The last point
is the weapons load - "
"As heavy as possible," Jeff interrupted, "With two pilots, we can
cooperate in the use of weapons in combat. Thirty-seven pairs of legs
give more operators than one pilot can coordinate."
"Except Ranma," Nabiki teased.
"He can use them, but he can't utilize them," Jeff retorted.
"I'll let you two work that out," Ritsuko said, "I will have a number
of weapons installed. Deck crews, that's you. The power system will be
the tether, the S engine and external batteries, the batteries are wired
to only maintain emergency life support. For four people that's only 14
hours, not 16 for one on emergency life support. The EVA is slightly
lighter than sea water, it can float up on its own in less than 14 hours.
But you'll have to discard any weapons and eject the tether."
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Maya said worriedly. Ritsuko
agreed.
"We don't know exactly what we will encounter on the sea floor,
that's another reason why we'll have to have the ability to send a team
out to maneuver outside the EVA."
"E.V.A.," Nabiki said, "Extra Vehicular Activity."
Ritsuko smiled. "Yes. Good." She knew others wanted to groan at
the awful pun. "The place the Angel will be, is unknown. So the EVA may
have to search the area."
"How was it initially detected?" Jeff asked, looking at her intently,
"And can we use the same technique aboard the EVA?"
"No, you can't use it. But we should be able to guide you in."
Ritsuko noted his withdrawn expression. He'd noticed that she hadn't
answered the first part of his question. She'd expect him to query later,
and she'd have to tell him she wasn't going to tell him. She could
imagine how the kids would react to some of NERV's methods.
"What are we going to do once we've got the thing?" Nabiki asked, "I
assume we aren't going to dissect it on site."
"No, we'll provide you with a containment system." Ritsuko took a
breath and prepared for the explosion. "And return it to the carrier."
She noticed that neither Nabiki nor Jeff were doing any of the shouting.
They glanced at each other, then turned to stare at her, waiting. She
almost wished that the others' argument would continue. "The containment
will continue aboard the carrier, the EVA will be standing by at all times,
if the containment fails." Again neither Jeff nor Nabiki reacted, they
waited, their eyes boring into hers. She knew they'd want a private
discussion, very soon. Definitely before the mission. "You all had to
suspect this when we talked about capturing an Angel, that we would indeed
be capturing an Angel. Equipment to do the job had been provided."
"What size creature is the system capable of handling?" Jeff asked
dryly.
"We could handle something as small as a rat, at full extension,
something the size of an EVA," Ritsuko explained, "The unit will be stored
in the plug to prevent the Angel from detecting it. It will be powered by
the EVA's system. Eject it if you can't safely return to the surface."
Jeff and Nabiki nodded.
"How about transferring the cage to the carrier?" Nabiki asked.
"It will be a simple case of tying into the carrier's power system,"
Ritsuko explained.
"What about the other ships?" one of the divers asked, "What do we do
if one of the other nations decides they need it more than we do?"
Ritsuko didn't grimace at the stupid question. Who in their right
mind would _want_ the thing? she didn't ask. "The United States Marines
and Navy will protect us. Any further questions?"
----------------------------------------
Their Mastiffs Of Unmatchable Courage
Nabiki stood on the flight deck and watched the other squadrons as
she marveled at all the interest. Getting out of the L.C.L. for a while
had been refreshing. Maya and Captain Madison were the finalists. After
Jeff had gotten clobbered, they'd changed test methods. 'It wasn't as
accurate,' Ritsuko had complained, but no one was within an order of
magnitude of Maya's and Madison's compatibility ratios, so a little
inaccuracy was acceptable.
She heard Jeff approach, she thought the shiner he had was very close
to the place where she'd slapped him, that had faded. Thank the Kamis,
she thought. She wasn't how she would have taken that if it hadn't.
Madison was taking a fair amount of ribbing about the incident as well.
"The large group is the British, based around the battleship HMS
Vanguard and the carrier HMS Victorious." Raccoon pointed out the
squadrons. "The smaller group is French, a couple of their tinclad
cruisers. Ranma or Rei could sink the lot of them. That's the Spanish
navy, since the Azores are Portuguese territory, like Japan used to be."
"Will they stop us?" Nabiki asked.
"With an Angel sitting off their coast?" Raccoon laughed, "Not a
chance. They're here as a representation of Spanish approval and to get
us out of here as soon as we've got it."
" 'Thank you very much, don't let the door hit you on the way out.'
Sorry about the arm," Nabiki apologized, she'd gotten a little rough in
their martial arts practices, "I had a Ranma moment."
"No autopsy, no foul. Ritsuko was able to staple it back on,"
Raccoon commented breezily. That cavalier attitude was beginning to wear
on her. She'd initially thought it was him just being gentlemanly, not
bringing such things up. She was beginning to realize he really _didn't_
care about his personal safety and well-being.
She'd been practicing with the simulated EVA weapons while he'd been
getting Maya and Madison familiar with the operations of the EVA.
Yesterday, he'd even had both on board as he maneuvered around the hanger
deck. Both adults seemed _very_ shaken by the encounter with the
realities of the EVA. She'd heard reports that Madison went out and got
drunk, Maya had curled up in Ritsuko's lap and cried herself to sleep, yet
still managed to keep a deathgrip on the scientist. Nabiki's one attempt
to tease Maya about it had earned her the knowledge that Jeff's boots were
steel-toed. When he kicked her in the ankle, he'd 'mistook her for
Horseface'.
Everyone was tense as they approached the goal.
"We had an offer from the Admiral commanding from Victorious to
dinner aboard her," Jeff told her. Nabiki paled in terror. "Ritsuko
politely refused. We should be in position early tomorrow and she wants
us in bed at 1800 and rested for an 0430 launch."
"Both of us?" she asked in a confused tone, "I thought she'd want you
all to herself." Nabiki forced herself not to smile at his distress.
"Once we get the thing, where do we go?" Nabiki asked.
"Speed run for Boston," Raccoon replied, "NERV Mass has containment
systems."
"I can't imagine what they'd do with such a monster. Do you have any
idea what it looks like?"
"I don't even know which one it is. Dagon or Hydra would be vaguely
humanoid, a Spawn of Cthulhu would look like a bat-winged, tentacle-
bearded flabby humanoid."
"Oh, lovely," Nabiki said.
"They are mostly in the Pacific."
"Oh joy."
"You know, if you really want to end it all," he told her as he
peered over the edge, "Jumping off the front of a carrier is a good way.
The wake drags you under and you probably won't surface for a half-mile
behind."
"Wouldn't the propellers -?"
"Probably not," Raccoon said, "The buffeting would do some damage,
but not too much."
"That's something I really needed to know right now," Nabiki said
dryly.
"I'm always willing to help," Raccoon said as he turned away and
headed for the stairs to the hanger deck. Nabiki watched the gathering of
naval power, and caught herself edging towards the rim to look over. With
an angry snort she turned on her heel and marched after Raccoon.
----------------------------------------
July 24, 1947
Jeff hadn't gotten much sleep. Sarah had contacted him and given him
a rundown of the growing problems in the Severn Valley. He knew from his
reading both in this world and in the odd dream that the Severn Valley had
several minor Great Old Ones, not the `first` or `second` teams, but
definitely formidable. The EVAs, all of them, would be needed to clean up
that mess. She also talked about some of the other things she'd picked up.
England, being closer to Switzerland than American or Japan, SEELE was
real and a power in Switzerland, whether the Swiss citizens knew they were
anything other than a group of eccentric financiers was questionable.
They never did anything even remotely criminal _in_ Switzerland.
Sarah also joked when was Jeff going to break the rest of them out.
'One battle at a time,' he had told her, 'Besides, do you want to
give poor Shinji a heart attack?' Sarah had laughed at that and they
parted. None of his contacts could determine what the danger was that
Capt. Rosatelli had warned him about, although it was clear that a cult of
Shub-Niggurath, and a powerful one, was operating in Japan.
Wouldn't it be nice to have an army of loyal cultists at my beck and
call? he thought, But I don't. And the spy network I _do_ have doesn't
get tasking orders from me. "So goes the world," he complained.
He returned to getting suited up and thinking about prepping Maya and
Madison for the dive as he finished his own prep. Maya can wear a spare
'Leather Goddess' suit and Madison has already tried out a 'Nauseated
Skunk' suit and it fit, with a little adjustment. Getting them plugged in
and calmed down is going to be another chore.
"Hey Raccoon," Nabiki called into the locker room, "Are you decent?"
"I'm clothed," he replied, "If that answers your question."
She entered in her plugsuit. He goggled at her, tongue hanging out,
which embarrassed her immensely.
"Considering how you treat Ranko," he told her, "You deserved that.
What _is_ the Japanese attitude on bisexuality?"
Score another for Raccoon, he thought as she stared at him in horror.
"You came in here with a point?" he asked innocently, watched her
anger build up.
"I was going to offer you the choice." She raised her fist over her
head. "But I changed my mind."
"We're going to decide this by rock-paper-scissors?" he asked,
turning his back on her. "I guess you don't want those magic lessons
after all."
"What!?" she shouted, "If I don't let you decide, you won't give me
lessons?!"
"No. If you can't analyze the situation and come to the correct
conclusion, you'll never understand the lessons. I won't waste my time."
She fumed a moment, glowering at him, plotting dire revenge. He
ignored her, or seemed to. "Okay, you've got nearly my sync rate in Unit
04, underwater. You can get more time out of the nominal 6-hour charge of
the S type engine."
"And the auxiliary batteries, in case we have to float up."
"I'm stronger, and more flexible."
"I'll bet you are," he said, he didn't need to watch her face to know
he'd scored a hit.
"Yeah, you're all crippled up with arthritis. Okay, _you_ pilot us
up and when we get close. I'll pilot us most of the way down, and do the
E.V.A."
"E.V.A. from an EVA, isn't that carrying repetitious redundancy a
little far?" He thought he'd better quit before she beat him unconscious
with a locker.
"Men!" Nabiki announced as she stormed out.
He finished his preparations, both physical and mental, and left the
locker room.
"Okay, load up," Captain Madison said, he headed towards the rear
plug with Nabiki, while Maya accompanied Jeff to the forward plug.
"Did we have to load all those weapons?" Maya asked, clearly uneasy.
"With two pilots, we can fight a lot more effectively using more of
the arms and legs, as well as the bite and the tail," Jeff replied,
"You're really asking if we're expecting trouble. The answer is yes, but
I hope I'm wrong."
"Oh," she said as Jeff helped her up the leg of the EVA as they
walked along the spine towards the plug.
"I hate this stuff," Maya said as she stared at the L.C.L., "It
smells worse than it tastes."
"I have no sympathy," Jeff said, "I'll go first." He cringed. "You
aren't going to hit me are you?"
She laughed. He slipped into the foul stuff and plugged in
automatically. Maya splashed down, he moved her to the command chair as
she got control of herself. He plugged her nerve clip into the system.
"You don't need the chair?" Maya asked nervously.
"Never have before," he replied as he floated at the front of the
plug and called up life support monitors for all four occupants. "Is
everybody ready?" Jeff asked, waited for confirmation before he released
the tether and carefully climbed to the flight deck to attach the much
longer tether that would power them on the dive.
"Okay Nabiki, the comm is yours take us out," Jeff said.
"Still taking charge?" Nabiki's image appeared and teased, "Here we
go." He braced himself as they dropped off the side of the carrier.
"Take us down slow," Madison counseled, "I know you can go fast,
don't."
"Yes, Captain," Nabiki replied, "Top side feeds?"
"All transmitting," Jeff replied, "Are you getting everything?"
"There's some distortion in the communication, but with that much
cable, it's to be expected. Inductive effect." Ritsuko's voice was fuzzy,
no image appeared. "Four life support, visual, and what looks like sonar.
How's Maya?"
"Marvelous, terrified, about normal for the first mission," Jeff said,
got a wicked grin from Maya.
"Nabiki, how is Captain Madison?" Ritsuko asked, her image flickered
into existence.
"Oh, feels nice."
The image of Ritsuko slapped her face. "I mean his physi - I mean-"
She stopped, took a deep breath. "Is he reacting adversely to the L.C.L.
and the EVA?" she asked, "He's also married."
"No reaction to anything," Nabiki replied, gravely disappointed.
Ritsuko's image shook her head. "All indicators are good here,
continue your descent. I didn't mean that!" Ritsuko snapped.
"What will we tell Ranma when we get back?" Jeff asked sardonically.
"He should have let me in his entry plug," Nabiki commented.
"I'm glad this is all in Japanese," Maya added. Jeff agreed, he also
suspected that the teasing was just to get at Ritsuko, who was more
nervous than any of the four EVA-nauts.
----------------------------------------