Neo genezis evangelion 1. chapter 18

The next picture depicted another Eva — zero, from the same angles. I looked closely at its outline. Even visually lighter and smaller, with a different design of the head armor — it felt like she had only one eye. Unlike my Eva, she is covered in dazzling white armor, and is generally more rounded and graceful than Unit-01. But I still like mine better-I like rough and sharp lines, you know...

"Unit-00, prototype. It was put into operation on November 29, 2013. The initial purpose is to test and refine the main systems of Project E combat vehicles. It is not intended for combat operations, but it can use all standard sets of weapons. Height — 53 meters, weight — 1292 tons, estimated field capacity — up to 270 conventional units. The initial color was bright orange, and later Unit-00 was covered with experimental white anti-radiation armor... Yes, Shinji?"

"Um, can I ask you a question?" I lowered my hand.

"Of course, what's the matter?"

"And why is the design of our Eva faceplates so different?"

"There were difficulties with processing the binocular image" Ritsko talks about the Eva's. "But there are no big differences from your Unit here — anyway, the onboard video system processes and converts all the information. Is that clear?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "There are no more Eva"s, I take it?"

"Why is that?" Akagi was slightly surprised.

"There are only two pilots..."

"Well, it's just the two of you HERE..." Ritsuko explained pointedly.

"So there are others, right?" I exclaimed, carefully feigning excitement. "And the other Eves, too?.."

...Uh-huh, Asuka is in Germany, Toji is in my class, Kaoru is a fuck-you-know-where... And, of course, the entire Class 2A are potential pilots...

This is about the pilots themselves. And the Evangelions — the Germans have one, the Yankees have the other, they probably have their own Eves in both Russia and China. And where else do we have NERVE branches?..

"That's it, Ritsuko," Katsuragi laughed. "You can shove a guy into the counterintelligence department right now — when it comes to information, he clings like a tick!"

"This is classified information, right?" I immediately felt sad.

"No, why not... I think I can tell you." Akagi said thoughtfully. "Besides the two of you, there is also a Second Child, Soryu Asuka Langley, but she lives and trains in Germany. And of course she has her own Eva, so I even prepared a description of her just in case..."

The slides flashed at a frantic pace until the image of Eva 02 appeared on the screen.

"Unit-02, serial." That word sent an involuntary shiver through my body. I immediately remembered the serial Eva's from The End of Evangelion, whom ZIELE had sent to the Office. Nasty creatures, I'll tell you... S2 engines with endless running time, monstrous regeneration and vitality, and simply unrealistic bloodlust for an intelligent being. Although, they were also controlled by pseudo pilots with the Kaoru matrix, and such things have never been peaceful — scumbags, that's right.

And we will most likely have to fight them.

I forced myself to banish the terrible picture — nine spears of the Spear of Longinus (a terrible thing — Object A or Eve kills, regardless of the AT-field), Unit-02 is torn apart, and then the serial numbers, as if wild animals were tearing it apart and devouring it...

And with him, Asuka, the Second Child.

Well, no way! I will not allow this — from now on, no fighting alone, only acting together. And I will definitely save Asuka — he was one of my favorite characters...

Characters.

And now she's a living person, and how can I love or hate her in absentia? I don't know if it's complicated, but it's complicated beyond my brain... And why am I not a standard hitman with the training of a special forces soldier and the knowledge of a professor? Damn, but I'm not going to sit back either — no one just gets a second chance. And even if I don't have any mission, I just have to come up with it for myself and carry it out. If I save all these people... people, even if it costs their lives, it will be good. I don't want to die, but there's no getting away from it, and then I won't die in vain. I may be living in a fictional world right now, but it's real to me, and I just don't have another one.

"...It was put into operation on April 2, 2015. Height — 58 meters, weight — 1402 tons, estimated field capacity — up to 260 conventional units. This model is intended for mass production."

Slightly more elegant and thinner than my E-1, of a different color — red-gray-black, and again with a different head design — more elongated upwards, somewhat angular, and with a smaller lower jaw. Oh, and for some reason, four eyes at once. That's what I understand," I grinned.

"Are there any more problems with processing the binocular image?"

"Yeah. But the series will probably include the usual two-eyed models. A lot of eyes is also, so to speak, an experiment. Okay, if there are no more questions with the Eva's themselves, then I'm off, and you stay here and think about your tactics."

Without delay, Dr. Akagi picked up a thin folder from the table and left the tactical room. Misato watched her go, spun around in her chair, turned to me, and vigorously shook her hair.:

"Well, shall we get started?"

* * *

"First of all, let's take another look at our enemies, Objects A... So, we don't know for sure if new attacks will follow, and how similar the new opponents will be to the previous ones, but we need to be prepared for anything..."

"Misato!"

"Ar"?

"What do they want from us anyway?"

"I mean, why did Sakiel, for example, get into the "Troika"?"

"Yeas"

It would be interesting to know the official version...

I can't believe that even all the heads of operational departments are being told the whole truth — in a certain Terminal Dogma, the First Object A, Lilith, is crucified on a giant cross, and it is he who is the target of the attacks. And if the invasion is successful, there will be Armageddon, the Third Strike, or Third Impact, to use a filthy English phrase...

"I do not know," Katsuragi's eyes froze. And no one knows for sure..."

Well, well...

"But their goal is undoubtedly something deep in the Geofront..."

Oops! How is it? Why is everything not going according to plan? Should it be completely discarded now?..

"I'm certainly not Ritsko, but I can tell you something. You do understand, Shinji, that the Geofront is not created by humans, we just found it and use it for our own purposes. Moreover, we believe that the Geofront is an artifact of extraterrestrial forces created in ancient times. Radioisotope analysis of the Cavity walls has shown an approximate age of more than three billion years, and the Geofront material has no analogues in nature... Just think about these words!..

The girl paused, propped her chin on her hands, and after a while continued:

"This thing was created back when life was just beginning on Earth, and we still can't even understand it, let alone repeat it. What's there to repeat! Our smart guys from the science department claim that this Geofront material is not a substance at all, but something like light waves... No, no, don't even ask me to explain it-I don't understand anything about it anyway! Biology would be fine, but physics... Brr..."

"That is, you are counting..." I started slowly, but Misato immediately interrupted me.

"That's right, Shinji, that's right! We have cleared barely a quarter of the total volume of the Geofront, so it is quite possible that somewhere in the depths there is something that Objects A need so much."

"Wait a minute, but about the material..."

"Shinji, I'm telling you, I don't know anything about him," The captain grimaced. "The only other thing I can tell you is that Ritsuko told me once. How's it going? Yeah... In short, scientists believe that the walls of the Cavern have a kind of anti-object A resistance, so these bastards have only one way into the interior — through Tokyo-3."

"Is there a more subtle protection?"

"You could say that..." Katsuragi grinned. "Still, twenty-five giant armor plates covering the hole is a bit weak."

"Oh, the hole..." I made a knowing look so that I wouldn't so openly stab at ignorance of basic things.

"You probably know this very well — the first week of the Time of Troubles, North Korea is attacking us with nuclear weapons. One of the three warheads that broke through pierces the upper part of the Geofront, which is why we actually find it. So, well, it's something that's gone wrong somewhere — let's talk about tactics anyway. Any thoughts?"

I would now like to digest the information I received, which was not even hinted at in the series, and not think about tactics... All right, we're ready.

I figured out everything I now knew about the possibilities of Evangelions (not enough, I must say), and began to express my thoughts:

"The best, in my opinion, would be the tactics of a combat troika. I fight in close combat, exhausting the enemy, or on the contrary, I finish off the Object after the attacks of my teammates. My weapons are cold steel and a pistol. Further. The second Eva, most likely... serial, use it at an average distance — it's a more versatile car. Her weapon is also cold, but lighter, and, in my opinion, there should also be something like a rifle in her arsenal. And finally, the Prototype covers the two of us from long range with long-range weapons. Something like a sniper rifle, a grenade launcher, or a rocket launcher..."

"That makes sense," Misato nodded. "But..."

"Yes, I understand — there are only two of us, and Ray is not a fighter yet..."

"It's good that you understand that. Now listen to what I'm suggesting. First, let's look at the most realistic single-player tactics at the moment. You already know something about your Eva, and you also know about guns, so you'll probably agree with me. So, Unit-01 is well protected, armored and has considerable strength. But. It also means that your Eva is less mobile and maneuverable than, say, a Prototype. As you said correctly, your element is close-range combat. If you're sitting somewhere in an ambush with a sniper, then Object A may well destroy you faster than you can change position or attack. As we've already figured out, they don't have a problem with powerful beam weapons, so... So the maximum for you is the average distance and the rifle."

"Are you still insisting that I use gross Gever?" I said skeptically.

"Yes, I insist. If... Although, rather, WHEN Object A breaks into the city, we will no longer be able to throw ordinary soldiers against it to weaken it. To launch rocket or artillery attacks right in the middle of the city — no way, fire me..."

"But what about precision weapons? Missiles, projectiles, and bombs with laser, satellite, or television guidance?"

The girl winced.

"It won't do. As the repeated attacks on Sakiel have shown, the operation of electronics is seriously hampered near his AT field. All these expensive toys turn into nothing more than pieces of metal and explosives — in fact, the difference between guided and unguided weapons disappears, leaving only a question of price."

"And then what about the unmanageable?"

"The accuracy is too low, too," the girl winced.

"Affairs..." I shook my head.

"That's what it is. So as soon as Object A enters Tokyo, you attack it with a rifle, but you don't get too carried away with it — shoot off the clip or half, and go into close combat."

"What about my comments on the Eva's weapon?"

"In development," Misato replied briefly. "But do not count on the quick execution of these remarks — many items have to be ordered abroad. We haven't fully recovered Eva yet after the battle — her head is pierced through, and her dorsal plates are badly fused..."

"Hm" I scratched the back of my head in embarrassment. "I forgot, I'm sorry. And how serious are the injuries in general?"

"Not really," Katsuragi reassured me. "But Ritsko and her smarties will have to tinker with your Unit. There's also a problem — we don't have the opportunity to have a large number of spare parts, or to produce anything at all. Project E was originally conceived as an international project, and now we are reaping the benefits of this internationality... We are not sure that a new attack will not occur in the coming days or even today, so we cannot afford the luxury of waiting for parts to be delivered from afar. But we can't get around it completely either, so we have to get out of it. Our Japanese department is already working on new models of quantum melee weapons and repairing Eva's electronics, because high-tech weapons and electronics are our specialty. In Russia, we ordered dipolymer titanium and metal-ceramic fabric — they have a large shipyard nearby, work has begun on creating additional biological material in China, but we will have to be patient with firearms — they are mainly used by Americans and Germans, so...

"I see..." I drawled in surprise. "Well, you have cooperation here..."

"It's just that no country in the world has been able to pull off Project E alone." Misato explained. — If the repair of the Eva-01 alone cost the budget of a small country, then what can we say about production? Such figures are not even the development of N2 weapons, it is much worse..."

"Oh, by the way! I was just wondering if it would be possible to make such shells for a rifle as well. Against Object A, it would be very nice..."

"Shinji, I've never heard of such small charges before," Katsuragi shook her head, and with her usual malice added. "No, of course you can be more knowledgeable than me in this matter..."

A puncture. And what a mistake — in my favorite field!!! It's disgusting... We urgently need to find out what kind of beast it is — a bomb comparable in power to a conventional nuclear one, but not infecting the area with radioactive fallout...

"Em... Well, I've never really heard of big humanoid robots before." I began to frantically twist myself out. "And conventional nuclear charges for eight— and six-inch guns were not immediately invented..."

"Apologies are accepted" The captain nodded impressively, but immediately dropped her assumed importance. "We're really powerless here so far, the Shinji — N2-bomb is too bulky and complex a mechanism to just take it and stuff it into a fifty-kilogram dummy..."

"Well, to hell with them, with firecrackers. What other tactical options do we have?"

"In about a month, when Ayanami is fully back to normal, we will be able to switch to working as a wingman-leader, and I'm sorry, we don't even have to dream of a threesome yet — we will rely only on our own strength... But the pair will act as you described — sniper plus melee," Katsuragi winked at me. "Don't think that we're sitting here for nothing — this tactic was developed even before you deigned to share your divine wisdom with us."