>>3982974

>Updates: https://twitter.com/MolochQM
>Previous threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=NERV%20Second%20Daughter

August

Machines keep up their steady, monotone bleeping. The ghastly rattle of the respirator bounces off the infirmary walls, echoing out around you. Somewhere far off in the distance – although not more than a dozen paces away – you can hear Doctor Weick shuffling a handful of papers. Sounds. You listen, trying not to think for as long as possible. It's nice, but it can't last. Eventually, you find yourself looking back down to the girl lying motionless on beatific white sheets.

“Wake up,” you whisper, tentatively touching Dakota's arm for the umpteenth time, “C'mon, wake up. Stop messing around...”

How many times have you repeated those words? It doesn't matter if it's ten times or one hundred, the answer is always the same – a cold, indifferent silence. Time and time again, your eyes are drawn to the lurid black bruises that encircle Dakota's neck like a noose. The familiar shape is the worst part, the shape of fingers stark against her skin. Your own hands would look all but identical.

It would be easier, you decide, if you had someone to blame. You can't blame this on the Lilim, not really. Aside from Amon, they don't have enough free will to be blamed for this. What you really need is a human, someone you can pin your target on. Matheson, you conclude. Matheson would be ideal. Matheson with her snide remarks, with her constant scheming, with her hideous wigs, with her...

Matheson, with her fucking cancer.

“The biomass!” you gasp, jolting upright. It's so obvious! If the ADM Biomass was capable of curing Matheson's cancer, it must surely be capable of curing... whatever is wrong with Dakota. You wouldn't even need much of it, just a few drops would surely be enough, but-

“Oh,” Monroe replies, interrupting your thoughts, “Has someone told you already?”

You look hurriedly around, feeling a strange guilt. “What?” you yelp, “Told me about... what?”

“The situation with the biomass,” she explains with an expression that aims for reassuring but ends up as something pale, weary, and hideous. “Or the lack of it, I guess,” she quickly adds, “The repairs to Unit 02 took up the last of our stockpile and, well, I'm not expecting a new shipment any time soon. We're working on that, okay? Fletcher and I, we're working on something but it's not... You don't need to get involved in this. Just let us handle things for once, okay?”

There's a lot to unpack there. Sifting through the flurry of words, you focus on the important bit. “There's no biomass left?” you ask, “None at all?”

“Not... well, I suppose there are the samples in Quentin's lab,” Monroe answers, frowning in thought, “He wanted to study some of the-”

“I need them,” you interrupt, already leaping to your feet.

[2/3]

>>3982975

Monroe listens, never quite shaking off her weary, worried expression. For all her attempts at putting on a brave face, you can tell how troubled she is. There was talk of an investigation, an inquiry into the cause of the bombings and the power outages, but you're not expecting great things. There's an unspoken warning in that haunted expression of hers, and a completely different warning in the way she holds up a hand to silence you.

“I'm sorry,” she apologises, “But it won't work.”

“What?” you blurt out, “Why NOT?”

“Because I've already asked Quentin. He won't allow it,” Monroe sighs, placing a hand on your shoulder and gently pushing you back down into your seat, “It's not safe, playing with this stuff. We don't understand it, not really, and Quentin isn't willing to risk it on someone like Dakota. Theories and experiments are one thing, but using a human being as a test subject...”

A sense of futility washes over you, and you sink back into the seat. “So what are we going to do?” you mutter, “What CAN we do?”

“Wait and see. I was speaking with Doctor Weick. He's wondering if the real damage is psychological, not physical, and if that's the case... well, all we can do is keep Dakota as comfortable as possible and wait for her to come back to us,” the commander offers, forcing a queasy smile, “I know, I know. That's not what you wanted to hear, is it? But sometimes, we all need to take a step back. You wouldn't want to make things any worse, right?”

Although unintended, there's a sting in her words. It's not YOUR fault that people keep getting hurt, it's not-

It's not important. Not now. Now, you need to work out your plan of attack.

>Monroe's right, you need to wait for Dakota's condition to improve naturally
>You'll talk to Doctor Brahms yourself, try and convince him to hand over that biomass
>Talking isn't going to help, you'll need to try and steal the biomass samples
>Maybe... (Write in)
>Other

>>3982976
>>You'll talk to Doctor Brahms yourself and discuss options. We might find a method that doesn't involve biomass if we bounce ideas.

>>3982976
>Monroe's right, you need to wait for Dakota's condition to improve naturally.

At this point all we have is time, while we could probably fix her faster if we used the samples, but Brahms probably needs those samples for something.

And if we were going to blame anyone for this, it probably should be Juliet since she said that she would intercede on Dakota's behalf when she was called upon to serve before she was ready.

>>3982989
No blame game.

>>3982976
>Other
"It's not fair, "commander". You can't just say 'wait and see' or 'don't get involved' as if nothing serious is happening. You know I have to do something, I can't just sit around. Please at least try to drop the act."

Dakota being in coma is bad and all, but no biomass is basically a death sentence to everyone in this base, is it not? I think Monroe needs to be called out.

“I guess... I guess you're right,” you mutter, glaring down at your feet, “If we get this wrong, Dakota might not wake up at all. I don't know what I'd do if I was responsible for...” Letting this thought go unspoken, you shake your head and look back up at Monroe. Her expression has hardly changed at all, as if she barely heard your words. “Can I talk to him, at least?” you add, “Maybe he's figured out how to use the samples, maybe Bergmann left some kind of note or whatever. I just want to talk to him, okay?”

“Well, you know where he is,” Monroe replies vaguely, “Just don't distract him if he's busy with something, okay?”

“That's not fair,” you groan, “It's all fine for you to be like “wait and see”, but this is serious. I mean like, seriously serious. If we don't get any biomass, we're all screwed. Dakota, and everyone else here!”

Monroe flinches. “I know that!” she cries, wincing at the sound of her own voice, “We ARE working on that. We have a plan, Fletcher and I. It's just... not something I'm very proud of. It's...”

You wait to see if she'll finish that thought, but she remains silent. “Fine,” you conclude, getting up to leave, “I'll ask Fletcher myself.”

“Holly, wait!” Monroe protests, “He's not here, he's-”

“Then I'll see him when he gets back!” you interrupt, marching out of the infirmary.

-

The first thing you notice in Bergmann's lab – Brahms' lab now, you remind yourself – is the mouth. A grimacing, grimy mouth with a mountain range of clenched teeth, the image hangs frozen on a computer screen. Brahms' attention is elsewhere, his eye fixed to a microscope as he studies what you assume to be some of the Biomass samples. Even when you knock lightly at the doorway, he doesn't look up and around.

“Wow,” you call out, your voice causing him to jolt back from the microscope, “That mouth is gross!”

“What?” Brahms replies, his voice terse. Frowning slightly, he picks his glasses up from the desk and puts them back on. Taking a long look at the computer screen, he finally nods. “Yes. That. That, Miss Reynolds, is an image captured by the Dirac Probe. We only received the signal this morning,” he explains, “It came from the deepest layer of the Dirac Sea, so much as concepts like “depth” mean anything in that place.”

“Oh,” you murmur, pausing slightly, “So what does that mean?”

“That remains unclear. I do have a theory, however,” Brahms answers, still gazing at the computer screen, “That, I believe, is the great gate – the Lilim designated as Orcus.”

“Oh,” you repeat, “I guess they don't have any dentists down in the Dirac Sea, because like... yuck.”

Brahms grimaces slightly, taking his glasses off and polishing them with a neatly folded cloth. “I'm sure you didn't just come here to discuss dental hygiene,” he remarks at last, “I have a good idea why you're here, in fact. Would you like to sit?”

[1/?]

>>3983034

Nothing you've seen in your sporadic biology classes is enough to prepare you for the magnified view of the biomass sample. It pulsates, throbbing with a slumbering power just waiting to be released. Looking at the lurid red cells, you can easily imagine the explosive reaction they might have on the human body – a catalyst for accelerated healing, and perhaps more aside. Pulling back from the microscope and rubbing your eyes, you look back to Brahms. “So...” you begin, “Monroe asked already, huh?”

“Yes. She was looking for a way, any way, to help Miss Fisher's recovery. She seemed quite desperate. I suppose that waiting for Miss Fisher's condition to improve naturally must be intolerable for her. For you too, I expect,” Brahms tilts his head slightly, hinting at an unspoken apology, “But I don't believe ADM Biomass is the solution you both want. Even if there were no immediate side-effects, the “treatment” could induce long-term changes thart-”

“I know. I mean, that's not why I'm here,” you interrupt, “Do you think there's anything ELSE we can do for her?”

“First of all, I want you to understand her condition. Physically, her injuries are superficial – bruising around her throat, yes, but no internal injuries or permanent trauma. Her ego barrier is intact as well. If it wasn't, she would have lost all physical integrity before now. So, all evidence points to her condition being a result of shock and trauma,” he takes a moment to pause here, thinking for a moment before his cold, clinical words continue, “We're keeping her comfortable, making sure that she's not in any kind of pain. She's being kept under constant supervision, monitored for any change in her condition, no matter how slight. I can't think of anything more we can do for her.”

“I just...” pausing here, you clench your fists, “I hate feeling so powerless!” Doctor Brahms just studies you in silence. He might know his science, but he's useless when it comes to offering sympathy. It's absurd, but you almost feel guilty for putting him in this position. Forcing your hands to relax, you brusquely shake your head. “Fine. Whatever. Did Monroe tell YOU anything about this secret plan of hers?” you press, “She's claiming to have some solution to this biomass shortage, but she won't tell me a fucking thing.”

“Mister Fletcher was asking a lot of questions about Academy's security. He wanted to know the best way for a small team to infiltrate the facility,” he explains, “So I would assume that has some part in it, but I shudder to imagine the rest. Whatever he's planning, I hope it's not TOO violent. I was never especially close to my colleagues there, but I certainly don't wish any harm upon them.”

>Don't worry about it, Fletcher's a professional
>Do you really think they'd say the same about you?
>Things are going to get ugly. You should prepare for the worst
>I think... (Write in)
>Other

>>3983077
>I think... (Write in)
"I hope you're right too. Fletcher is a professional, but nothing ever seems to go perfectly right with us."

>Other
Should we just straight up go to the Communion room and ask 02 straight up what his intentions are? No more bullshit, etc.

>>3983077
>Don't worry about it, Fletcher's a professional.
If we put a foot out of line the are going to take our head off,

Maybe we should focus on recovering the lost personnel (Huang,Johanna, Bergmann and hopefully Julia) then reconsider our options because having Bergman back is likely to open up an opportunity to have a shipment from Temple go 'Missing' while stepping on the least toes we can.

>>3983077
>I think... (Write in)
"You know, the previous resident of this lab was very self-aware. Once I threw a pointed question her way, about how NERV recruitment probably involved an ethics test of some sort. She answered that of course it did. Nobody who passes one gets hired."

Leave the question hanging. While I want to believe Brahms is an ok guy, but what's with a sudden concern about human life from a NERV scientist? He finally realized the position he's in?

>>3983086
What's our position for a talk? Scariest thing we can muster is to destroy ADMs ourselves so that they have to pull their reserves here.

>>3983101
>What's our position for a talk?
Hmm. I think our scariest thing we have is that we can do nothing. Without biomass we cannot risk an engagement. Meaning Orcus maintains the gate permanently unless 02 throws BLUE EYE at it like a suicide squad, which he might but that has a snowball's chance in hell of working. Without us they'll never get the full Excalibur as well since we are the only ones with a connection to Coraline.

>>3983101
Well, we could publicly release the documents that we have relating to the Horrible things that they are doing at Temple and Academy, and cause the pubic to come after them.

We could also dox the council members and reveal that they deliberately caused 2nd impact while knowing what would happen

IF and only if we wanted to absolutely permanently fuck everything, all we would need to do is deploy a single unit to temple and have it rip out the tree.

>>3983111
I somehow feel they know how to deal with blackmail. After all, they are literally the world's government. Their only opposing faction was dispersed. I imagine NIHIL had a lot of attempts to discredit SEELE, but in the end Konstantin mentioned that the only ones who he could reliably used worked for (gasp!) money.
I also don't understand how are we going to deploy any unit not in the vicinity of our base when all our transport for ADMs was provided by the UN themselves? Unless Coraline teaches us how to teleport, of course. A very game-breaking ability, that one.

>>3983108
Time and resources are on their side. They can live with a portal to Dirac Sea for now. Why not? Just make another BLUE EYE squad with units, while keeping this alive and condemning the zone. May take up to a decade, but unless Lilim somehow step up their game, it's not a problem. Did I forget something again? I'm not keen on re-reading the whole archive, sorry. Do you guys keep notes or just somehow remember the details?

“I wish I could tell you not to worry about it, but... well, you know,” you reply with a vague shrug, confused at the sudden reversal. How come you're the one trying to put HIS mind at ease? “Fletcher is a professional, but things never go smoothly for us,” you add, “Whatever he's planning – and I plan to find out – he won't be reckless with it. That's just not his style.”

“Hm,” Brahms muses, “That's not how he appeared to me. He was somewhat aggressive with his questioning, but perhaps he just dislikes me. In fact, I'm certain he does. If I had to guess, I'd say he blames me for what happened with Miss Fisher.”

“What? No way,” you groan, “He's just.. he's just lashing out, that's all. He's looking for a convenient target, and you just got in the way. It was just collateral damage.”

“Collateral damage,” the doctor remarks dryly, “Is what I'm concerned about.”

An awkward pause.

“Oh,” you mumble eventually, “I see.”

-

Taking a break from his hard work, Brahms meticulously prepares a pot of coffee. Carefully grinding the beans, then preparing them in a delicate press, every motion is made with artful grace. You watch, hypnotised, as he pours two small cups. Without the offer of cream or sugar, he passes one cup across to you. It tastes good, the bitterness tamed into a more nuanced flavour. Nodding with appreciation, you finish off the last of your cup and set it aside. “You know, I was wondering something,” you begin, pausing for a moment before Brahms gestures for you to continue.

“The last doctor they had in here, she was pretty sharp. Pretty self-aware. One time, I threw a question at her. I asked about how NERV recruitment probably had some kind of ethics test,” you continue, “She said that it did, but nobody who passed it got hired.”

“Well,” Brahms muses, “There certainly were personality tests, and I knew several associates who didn't pass the initial screening. Whether or not they were strictly ethics tests, I'm afraid I couldn't say. I do recall noticing a common trend among my new “colleagues” - a tendency to favour the big picture, to work towards a greater good.”

“Yeah, I've heard that one before,” you mutter.

“An unfortunately common mindset in my field, I'm afraid,” he continues, “You want to know if I'm the same as them.”

Guilty as charged. Not saying anything, you shrug vaguely. Accepting your non-answer, Brahms takes a sip of his coffee and holds back a sigh.

“I'm not,” he states, “But I'm starting to wonder if my superiors had some ulterior motive by hiring me. They must have seen something in me that they thought they could use. My professional skills? Perhaps. But many of my associates, equally skilled, were rejected. So. Why me?”

[1/?]

>>3983136
It's a game of attrition at the moment since Belial's corpse hasn't dealt with yet, and It keeps shedding mass, which will kill us all eventually if nothing gets done

We just need to get closer with the Goliath, then we should be able to walk the Unit across the sea floor the rest of way to Temple in low power mode in order to maintain stealth

>>3983138

Brahms pauses again, and you see a flicker of unease on his face – a faint sense of fear, of insecurity, of despair even. His question is left hanging, and you find yourself searching for a possible answer. Slowly, an idea forms. “You studied Doctor Bergmann's work, right?” you offer, “Maybe that's why they picked you. You'd be able to pick up where she left off if anything, uh, happened to her.”

“Perhaps,” Brahms muses, although he doesn't sound convinced. Finishing off the last of his coffee, he sets the cup down with an ugly clatter of porcelain. “I think that's quite enough,” he decides, “At a time like this, you don't need to listen to my complaints. You have enough weight on your shoulders already. I won't add to it.”

“Yeah, well...” you pause awkwardly, “If you ever wanna talk about it-”

“I'm sure Commander Monroe would be more than happy to oblige,” he remarks, his expression halfway between a smile and a grimace.

-

Your conversation with Brahms leaves you feeling restless, feeling the urge to get up and move. With no clear goal in mind, you prowl the seemingly endless corridors and glance at whatever catches your eye. Here and there, you see scars from the previous battle – cracks in the wall from where the earth trembled, water dripping from pipes that are beginning to fail, warning signs casually left wherever the damage is seriously enough. Even down here, things are starting to fall apart.

The sight of the Communion Room door gives you a moment's pause. Above the sealed door, a security camera swivels to follow your movements. You take a few steps forwards, it turns to follow you. You retreat, and it pursues. Both amused and bewildered, you stare up into the camera's lidless eye for a long moment. It's not that you're expecting anything to really happen, but you're not exactly surprised when the door grinds open either. Tearing your gaze away from the security camera, you peer inside the Communion Room. You've never seen it like... this... before.

The lights are on. For once, the lights are on. With the black void banished, the room seems so much smaller than you thought – it's barely any larger than your bedroom back at the dorm, barely large enough to hold the circle of statues. The floor is a matte grey, swallowing up the sound of your footsteps as you creep into the room. No matter what you do, you can't shake the feeling that you're not supposed to BE here. It's like waking up and seeing an unpainted canvas instead of the familiar sky.

So really, it comes as something of a relief when the lights wink out and you're plunged into darkness.

[2/?]

>>3983165
Would it be possible to set our phone to record for this? Subtly if possible

>>3983165

Your heartbeat thuds in your ear, the sound of your breathing ragged and harsh. You wait and wait, but your eyes just won't adjust to the darkness. Finally, threads of light coil around one of the looming statues. Turning away from the statue and fumbling out your phone, you start an audio recording. The quality is probably going to be shitty, but...

“This is a fine mess, isn't it?” Leighton begins, his voice weary and bleak, “Well Doctor? You're the expert. What should we expect next?”

“Annihilation,” Matheson replies, savouring the word with bitter relish, “Lilith won't forgive us for this. We butchered her firstborn child. Would you forgive anyone who did that to you? We were a curiosity before. The Lilim we fought before were blind, ignorant things. They acted on instinct alone, without malice. That's all going to change.”

“Well there has to be SOMETHING we can do!” Leighton argues, “We can't just lie down and die, I won't accept that!”

“Won't you?” Matheson murmurs, her ghostly voice spiked with venom, “You'd do anything to prevent that?” A silence. The sound of Matheson's voice, taunting you from beyond the grave, sends a chill down your spine. “In ancient times, men would offer up sacrifices to redeem themselves in the eyes of their gods,” she continues, “What would YOU offer, old friend?”

Another silence. “What are you suggesting?” Leighton demands at last, his voice cold, “Don't waste my time with riddles. If you have something to say, just say it.”

“The BLUE EYE team are ready, and so are their Nephilim units. It seems to me that we don't really need NERV any more,” Matheson explains, speaking slowly as if talking down to a child, “And really, the crime was theirs to begin with. Let NERV face their justice. They were already getting beyond our control – this would have been necessary sooner or later. Better to get it over with, I think.”

Leighton lets out a quiet, humourless laugh. “This isn't about justice or redemption, is it?” he asks, “This is about revenge. You, getting revenge for that... devil.”

“Maybe it is, or maybe it isn't,” Matheson admits with a laugh of her own, “But you're the soldier here – I'll leave this in your capable hands. I think I'm going to go away for a while.”

“Away?” he demands, “Where?”

“I'm going to visit his grave,” she concludes. Then the overhead lights snap on, so bright that you have to blink away stars.

-

Slumping forwards, clinging to the closest statue for support, you consider what you just heard. Was that... real? It FELT real, but it can't be – not unless Matheson is still alive. Remembering your phone, you quickly stop the recording and play it back. The soft hiss of static whispers back at you, and you nearly hurl your phone to the ground in frustration. How can there be nothing there? You HEARD that conversation!

No, you realise, you didn't hear it.

You remembered it.

[3/4]

>>3983241

“So it was a memory. One of Matheson's memories, still rattling around in your head after you juiced her,” Claire muses, staring up at the infirmary ceiling, “Maybe going into the Communion Room triggered it. Like a flashback or something, I don't know how this crap works. Do you really think Leighton believes her? That he thinks he can plead for Lilith's mercy by killing us?”

“Who knows?” you reply, “Matheson poured that poison in his ear, and I guess he's desperate enough to give it a try. Besides, you heard her – as far as they're concerned, we've been a liability for a while now. This has been a long time coming.”

“You think they've been planning something like this since the beginning?” Claire whispers, leaning furtively over Dakota's motionless form, “Once we outlived our usefulness...”

“Would you stop muttering to yourself!” Claudia snaps, her voice cracking out from the other side of the room, “You might be crazy, but that's no excuse to ACT crazy!”

Wincing, you glance around at the heiress. You didn't know she was here. Just waiting to get her broken leg checked over, it looks like. Hester gives you an apologetic smile, starting to say something before Monroe hurries in. Spotting you, she marches over. “Holly. Have you seen Kaori recently?” she asks quickly, “Did she seem... okay?”

“Uh, I saw her at breakfast. She seemed fine to me,” you reply, thinking back, “A little quiet, maybe, but that's normal for her. What's wrong?”

“I saw her. Outside. She was sitting up in one of the ruined buildings. She was, um, perched right on the edge. She seemed calm enough to me, but still...” Monroe shrugs, “When I saw her up there, I got pretty worried. You know what I mean, right?”

“Maybe she just wanted some peace and quiet,” Claudia suggests in a waspish tone, “God knows, that's hard to come by around here...”

Giving her a rude gesture, you look back to Monroe. “I know what you mean,” you murmur, “Want me to have a word with her?”

Monroe considers this, shrugs. “If you think it's best. I tried calling her, but I think she has her phone turned off. Maybe she really DOES want some peace and quiet. If so...” she sighs, “I think we're all struggling at the moment. I saw Juliet earlier, hanging around Unit 02's hangar. I've never seen her look so glum. I wanted to talk to her, but I didn't even know where to begin. What do you even-”

The chirp of the commander's cellphone interrupts her, and she flashes you a quick smile of apology. Hurrying out, you hear her ask Fletcher's name before the infirmary door shuts behind her. Silence next – some of that “peace and quiet” that Claudia was so eager for.

>Stay in the infirmary, keep Claudia company until Doctor Weick can see her
>Head up to the surface and check on Kaori. Hopefully this is nothing serious
>Check the hangars to see if Juliet is still around. You need to have a word with her
>Other

>>3983260
>Other
"I'm going to head up to the surface. You want anything while I'm up there Claudia?"

>Head up to the surface and check on Kaori. Hopefully this is nothing serious

>>3983241
Well, at least they wasted no time on finding out who to point their finger at. As expected from any top management. The reaction is appropriate, of course: start with downsizing, figure out the rest later.

>>3983260
>Other
We'll have to visit them both at some point. Suggest Kaori to go sparring, catch Juliet on phone, invite her too? Or swing around by the hangar, whatever works. Kaori sounds like more of a priority to me. Maybe visit the target range, but that doesn't sound appropriate given the situation.

>>3983260
>Head up to the surface and check on Kaori. Hopefully this is nothing serious.

The lack of an option makes me wonder what Yulia is doing.

>>3983276
Karina's also not on the list. Surely these are just prompts and not a deliberate diversion? That would be too mean.

Glancing down at Dakota, you watch and wait for a moment more just in case she decides to wake up and leap into your arms. No luck this time, and you turn away with a sigh. “I'm going up to the surface,” you tell Claudia, “Want me to pick up anything while I'm out?”

“Could you get me a new leg?” she asks with a sneer, gesturing down to the bandaged limb, “This one seems to be broken.”

“Sorry, but I hear those are pretty expensive these days,” you shoot back, “And I like you, but I don't like you THAT much.”

This gets a sharp laugh from Claudia, and her expression seems a bit brighter as you leave. Satisfied that you've done your good deed for the day, you show yourself out.

-

Just a few weeks ago, the evening would be warm and calm. Now, there's already a chill in the air. Stepping out into the city streets, you shiver and pull your thin jacket a little tighter around yourself. Briefly, you consider returning to the dorm and getting a warmer coat. Too much effort. You'll just have to grin and bear it. Looking around, you spot the ruined building Monroe mentioned. The latest attack left a lot of damage in its wake, especially around HQ. This particular building has a massive chunk torn out of it, leaving the upper levels exposed to the open air. Perched on the edge, just as Monroe said, you spot Kaori's slight form.

From this distance, she looks lonely and delicate – so very delicate. Hurrying across to the building, you stoop down and slink under a strip of bright yellow warning tape. The whole building must be condemned as unstable, but who's going to take the time to demolish it these days?

By the time you reach the top of the building, you're out of breath and weak with fatigue. No elevators, of course, and Kaori chose the most inconvenient place possible to hide out. Leaning against the wall to catch your breath, you watch her from a distance. It's a strange scene – the area starts off as a modestly decorated apartment, only to morph into a bombed out ruin towards the far side. Close by, a few watercolour paintings still hang on the wall. Just a few paces away, the walls are cracked and broken away.

“Hey,” you call out, “You're not about to throw yourself off that ledge, are you?”

Kaori turns around, giving you a puzzled look. “Throw myself off?” she asks, “Why would I do that?”

“I mean, you're sitting right on the edge there,” you point out, “What else am I supposed to think?”

“Oh,” Kaori replies dully, looking back to the ledge as if seeing it for the very first time. A few seconds creep by, and then she scuttles back from the edge. “I'm sorry,” she adds, “I didn't mean to worry anyone.”

“Well, you picked a pretty strange way of doing it,” you remark, crossing over and slapping her lightly on the shoulder.

[1/?]

>>3983312

Sitting down, but not quite on the edge of the ruins, you look out at the city. It's not a pretty sight. The setting sun seems to highlight every scar and wound, every little bit of ugliness that there is to see. Things have really gone downhill since the last attack, and you can't understand why. Avalon has seen combat before, many times now, and it never got this bad. It's almost like this last attack was a breaking point.

“When I was younger, I remember... optimism. Hope. Second Impact was over, and we were starting to rebuild. It was like a new start, a clean slate, and everyone wanted to make the best of it. Father was fighting to keep us safe, and everyone was doing their part. I wanted to do MY part too, and NERV was waiting,” Kaori begins suddenly, “But now, looking back, I wonder...”

“Was any of it real?” you suggest, finishing her thought for it, “I don't know. I saw the same optimism, but there was always something beneath the forced smiles. Like there was an ugliness just waiting for the chance to show itself.” Looking back out across the city, you let out a hollow laugh. “Well, it certainly got the chance,” you mutter, “Now look at us. We should have come together to fight the Lilim, but we started stabbing each other in the back at the first chance we got.”

Kaori sits down beside you, her shoulder brushing lightly against yours. Silent for a moment, she points out across the city. “That's the parking garage there,” she murmurs, “Doctor Wilson... it seems so long ago now. Back then, I thought things couldn't get any worse. Talk about naïve, right?”

“This world isn't worth saving,” Claire remarks, her voice drifting across from the back of the ruined apartment.

“You're wrong,” you reply automatically, speaking without thinking.

“No, I AM naïve,” Kaori insists, hearing your words and assuming something completely different, “I thought we'd be above politics at a time like this. Doctor Brahms is the same. We were talking yesterday, and he said... he said that science doesn't pick sides. It doesn't matter whose side you're on, two plus two is always going to be four. It's just a shame that life isn't a math problem, isn't it?”

And that, you realise with a stab of insight, is why Brahms got his job. Not because he was brilliant, not because he was talented, but because he was gullible. He'd do his work without ever considering the fact that his superiors might use it for ill ends, and then he'd be thrown aside once he was no longer needed. Maybe Claire was right after all.

Resting her head against your shoulder, Kaori lets out a soft, yearning sigh. Outside, the sun continues its slow crawl towards the horizon. You open your mouth to speak, and...

>It's getting late. We'd better get back before Monroe starts to worry
>There's something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>3983350
>There's something else... (Write in)
"So... why did you come here of all places?"

>everyone was doing their part. I wanted to do MY part too
I now imagine that Kaori's brainwashing was just one 24 hour marathon of Starship Troopers on a loop.

>>3983350
>There's something else... (Write in)
"We'll get through this just like we always have. If Leighton and NERV want to jeopardize our victory, our lives this close to the finish line we'll deal with them. We just have to be smart about it. I don't plan on rolling over and dying like the want."

>>3983350
>It's getting late. We'd better get back before Monroe starts to worry
We don't have many fights left before this is all over, at most (Orcus,Lilith,Blue Eye, and maybe one more). no point in letting up now.

We should probably get Karina and Brahms together and see if they can put together a way to be able to get him to address the Blue Eye team though their units if we have to fight them as his time with them will lend
additional weight to whatever argument we eventually come up with.

“We'll get through this. We always do, don't we?” you tell Kaori, “If Leighton wants to jeopardise that this close to the finishing line, we'll deal with him too. We'll take on anyone who gets in our way – Leighton, the UN, even NERV itself if it comes to that. We can't stop now, not after coming so far.” Hesitating here, you wonder if Leighton has thought the same thing before. When you're that deep into something, it's easy to justify going that much deeper. “We just need to play it smart and watch out for each other,” you add, “I don't plan on rolling over and dying like they want. No way.”

“No way,” Kaori repeats, nodding deeply. You don't need to see her face to know that she's smiling ever so slightly.

“But man,” you sigh, looking back out across the city, “Why HERE of all places? Didn't you see the warning tape below?”

“Here? Oh. Right. I wanted to see the damage for myself,” Kaori answers after a pause, “To... remind myself. Of what we're trying to prevent, and of what we're capable of. Did the Lilim destroy this building, or was it one of us?”

You think for a moment, looking at the ruins. “I don't know,” you admit eventually, “Could have been one or the other.”

“Exactly,” she sighs.

-

By the time you've picked your way through the ruined building, the sun has fully set. Taking one last glance up at the full moon shining down across the city, you follow Kaori into the elevator. Neither of you says much as it descends, and Monroe is waiting for you when it arrives down at the lower level. “There you are!” she cries, cutting either of you off before you can speak. Marching across, she grabs Kaori and pulls her into a tight embrace. Smiling at the sounds of Kaori's muffled protests, you watch as Monroe releases the girl and steps back. At least she has the good grace to look embarrassed.

“I'm sorry,” Kaori says, “I didn't mean to worry anyone.”

“You said that already,” you point out.

“I said that to you,” she counters, “Not the commander.”

“Okay you two, that's enough,” Monroe announces, holding up a hand to get your attention, “I'm glad you're here though, you're just in time for dinner. Yulia volunteered to cook tonight, and I'm eager to see if it's brown slop or reddish brown slop. You don't want to miss out, do you?” She laughs at the look on your faces, shaking her head with amusement. “Oh, don't look so worried. She's going to be doing her best today,” the commander assures you, “After all, Fletcher is going to be eating with us tonight. She won't want to disappoint him!”

“Great,” Kaori whispers to you, “Brown slop with a sprig of parsley on top.”

“I'm hungry already,” you whisper back.

[1/?]

>>3983395

“Ah, goulash. One of my favourites,” Fletcher announces, prodding at the plate of reddish brown slop – sprig of parsley included – that Yulia sets in front of him. She waits nervously by his side, watching with rapt attention as he takes a bite. A pained look flickers across his face as he chews, but Yulia mercifully misses it. “It's very...” he manages at last, swallowing heavily, “It's very hearty.”

“Yes!” Yulia insists, beaming with pride, “You have been working so hard lately, you see, so I thought you would want a good, filling meal. You need to keep up your strength!” Monroe coughs, maybe suppressing a small laugh, and Yulia looks around in surprise. Remembering that you're all here too, she gestures towards the massive pot in the centre of the table. “Please, get started!” she urges, “There is plenty here for everyone, yes?”

“Help me,” Claudia mouths to you, shooting you a quick look of dread. Grinning, you grab the ladle and dollop a massive scoop of the thick stew onto her plate. “That's... wonderful,” the heiress laments, “I don't know what I need more – a fork, or mountaineering gear.”

“If you don't eat up, you'll never get better!” you scold her, still grinning broadly.

-

Finally, eventually, the plates are cleared. Setting down his cutlery, Fletcher lets out a weary sigh. Sensing her opportunity, Kaori jumps in. “Excuse me,” she begins, “Have you made any progress with your investigation into the bombing?”

“Kaori!” Monroe gasps, “We're still at the dinner table, that's not-”

“It's a dead end,” Fletcher interrupts, “You might as well hear this. Forensic analysis came up with some traces of the explosive used. It was serious stuff, none of your home-made terrorist material. Military grade explosives, the exact same kind that you'd find in a UN armoury. The local UN forces have been stonewalling my investigation – they won't answer any questions, won't even give me the usual “no comment” bullshit.”

“So...” you swallow the last of a stubborn mouthful of goulash, “They did it?”

“We don't know that for certain,” the mercenary warns, “But, yes, that's my assumption. They're not even bothering to deny it. The real question is, what do WE do about it?”

Monroe frowns at him, looking more and more uncomfortable with every word he says. This must be the plan she mentioned, the plan she's not very proud of. She looks so unhappy that you almost stop Fletcher, but curiosity wins out. “It has something to do with Academy, doesn't it?” you guess, “That's why you were prodding Brahms for details about their security.”

“So he told you. Can't say I'm that surprised,” Fletcher sighs, “I think Doctor Brahms is a little too talkative for his own good.”

[2/3]

>>3983428

“Yes, it's about Academy. The first move in any conflict should be to neutralise your enemy's means of retaliation. Strike hard enough and fast enough, you win the war in a single move. If we can force the UN to surrender, we can get the biomass supplies flowing again. We can recover Doctor Bergmann and the rest of the prisoners too. It all depends on getting leverage over them.” Fletcher continues, “Forget the UN forces. As far as you're concerned about, they're irrelevant. We need to cripple their means of countering an ADM Unit. That means-”

“BLUE EYE?” you cry out, “You're going to... Fletcher, please don't tell me you're-”

“Ideally, they'd be taken alive. Hostages are more useful than dead bodies,” the mercenary tells you, his voice hardening, “But one way or another, they need to be neutralised.”

Nobody speaks. Monroe grimaces like someone expecting a blow, her lips set in a thin line. Kaori covers her mouth with one hand, as if on the verge of throwing up, while Yulia stares in mute horror. Even Claudia looks uncomfortable with the idea, shifting in her seat as Juliet trembles with some unnameable feeling. Not so long ago, in the grips of Amon's illusion, Fletcher spoke about taking hostages – how pointless it all was, how it only delayed the inevitable. It was unprofessional, he said then, it was something he despised. Now this. “Fletcher, this is...” you begin, trying to put your thoughts into words, “This is-”

“They're the ones who started this war!” he snaps, bringing his fist crashing down onto the table, “Dakota is lying in the infirmary because of what THEY did! You wanted me to pick a side, didn't you? Well I've made my choice – don't complain now because you don't have the stomach for what needs to be done.”

Flinching, you cast a pleading look at Monroe. “He's... right,” she mutters, “We need to stop this before it goes any further. Before anyone else gets dragged into our fight. I hate that it's come to this, but I don't see any way out. If we can capture the BLUE EYE team, the UN won't have any means to counter us OR the Lilim. They'd have no choice but to negotiate. We can settle this peacefully, I know we can.”

“What if they already have replacements?” you insist, “Have you thought about that? They might have another squad ready to roll off the fucking production line, as many as they need. What then?”

“Then we'll neutralise them too,” Fletcher states bluntly, “You're forgetting one thing, Reynolds – this isn't your decision to make. Without UN supervision, overall authority falls to Commander Monroe. Commander Monroe has given ME the authority to carry out this operation as I see fit. Do you have any more objections?”

>No SIR, I don't
>Damn right I do... (Write in)
>Other

>>3983451
>>Damn right I do... (Write in)
Relay the remembered conversation of Matheson to Leighton. We're playing into her deceased hands. We have an in with the Blue eyes, and they might be coming here too given the package we got. We don't know enough and this smells of a trap and a half. Amon wanted us at each other's throats after all, and I do not doubt he poked Matheson into it, and if he's not using our rogue Eva pilot as a way to ressurrect himself I'd be shocked. Let's talk to Leighton, or at least let Me talk to him. See what ic an find out first.

>>3983451
>Damn right I do... (Write in)
"Have any of you guys even tried talking to Leighton? I'll bet he's thinking the same shit we are right now. Neutralization, prevention. All because he has no idea what we are thinking, only that we might be a threat. Because of the poison Matheson put in his ear. Look I might be wrong. He could be the megalomaniac sociopath that's trying to get rid of loose ends we are assuming him to be, but if I'm right we are about to make a terrible mistake going through with this operation. Fletcher get in tough with Elrow (who cares about secrecy, Matheson is dead) and see if he can get me a way to talk to Leighton. Face to face through some program preferably."

>>3983476
>tough
touch*

>>3983451
>Damn right I do... (Write in)
What would happen to your team if one of them managed to make to their Unit, or if they are waiting for your team to show up.

We should focus solely on recovering the people we have lost, especially since they now have a production line established, the uninhabited Shells are being used as organ donors. simply getting Bergmann back should open up better opportunities to strike at Temple and get what we want since she is no longer being held back by Matheson.

>>3983451
>Other
"Look, Fletcher, I'm ready to go at their throats whenever. But this is a coup d'etat from anyone's point of view and will be treated accordingly. There's no 'settle this peacefully' after that one. I assume our old pal Elrow is going to be at the helm after the dust settles? Again, no particular objections on that front, if you trust the man enough. But I have objections if the execution of this whole operation is going to take more than a day. Two at most. At the end of those two days you should in theory be in charge of the whole fucking UN force and if you don't think you're going to be that guy, tough luck. We're going to have a very extended bloodbath on our hands. One we won't get out of, not even with ADMs."

It's out of character, but whatever, Fletcher doesn't sound like he thought this through. We can just say 'fuck it' and melt 01 and 03 ourselves and let Elrow fill the vaccum if Fletcher seriously thinks we can pull this one off.

>>3983499
The only reason we managed to 'juice' Matheson was because she was off her game, we have tried to do the same to Leighton and we failed.

>>3983518
Have we tried this while being in an active ADM and not just from our bedroom?

>>3983476
>>3983459
Can we negotiate to be integrated into UN structure? The problem from their point of view is that we act independently. This was necessary so NERV could counteract NIHIL, but at this point 01 is SEELE and UN commander. What's the point of hiding? Despite that we want that integration, this will be our concession point, one that we'll begrudgingly accept if 01 would be kind enough to let us have our people back.
Integration theoretically saves our asses by putting more uninvolved people in the vicinity who we can connect with.

“You're damn right I have an objection!” you snap back, “Listen, Leighton is doing this, he's doing all of this, because he's so shit scared of what Lilith is going to do when she wakes up. He thinks that by destroying us, she might be merciful on the rest of them – and it's all because of what fucking MATHESON told him. She's screwing with us all, setting a trap for us to walk into. You do this, it's going to blow up in your face.”

“How do you know that?” Fletcher demands.

“I saw it. Heard it, I mean,” you stammer, feeling your cheeks heat up, “It was Matheson's memory. I... took it from her. It's a long story, but...” Faltering, stumbling over your words, you explain everything that happened at Amon's grave – everything you took from Matheson's mind. Fletcher listens with a pained expression, grimacing as if your words leave a sick taste in his mouth.

“I can't consider that reliable information. I'm sorry, but I just can't. It could be distorted, mixed in with your own thoughts and theories. This might all be something you WANT to believe,” the mercenary states, “Maybe it's all correct, I can't rule that possibility out. But I can't plan around the possibility either.”

“That is so much bullshit!” Claudia cries, causing you all to pause and look around at her, “For God's sake, just LISTEN to what she's saying!”

Nobody expected that one, least of all you. “Uh, right,” you manage, “Look, Fletcher, have you people even tried talking to Leighton yet? He's got to be thinking the same thing as us – he's thinking about neutralising threats, us and Lilith, because of what Matheson told him. And sure, maybe he was real fucking happy to jump on her bandwagon, but we need to argue our side of it. If we don't, we could end up with a bloodbath no matter what you say.”

“Not if we hit them fast enough,” Fletcher argues, “They wouldn't have time to-”

“What if they DO have time?” you snap, “If just ONE of the BLUE EYE team gets into their Unit, what's going to happen to your team? You'll be toast, and they'll be free to do whatever the hell they like. C'mon, if Leighton was willing to bomb our fucking city, do you really think he's going to leave Academy undefended? Even if you DO succeed, and nothing goes wrong, do you really think everyone is just going to fall into line? As far as the UN is concerned, you're talking about a coup. People are going to takes sides, there's going to be fighting, and a lot of people will die. It will NOT be bloodless.”

“What other choice do we have?” the mercenary snarls, “Just let them get away with it?”

“Get Leighton talking. Tell him that Matheson was full of crap,” you repeat, “At the very least, we need to try it. I'm as pissed off as you are, believe me, but that doesn't mean I want to start World War Three.”

A cold, hostile silence. Then, Commander Monroe clears her throat.

[1/?]

>>3983525
No, it might work but that means that we can't be in Berlin at the time since deploying with our Unit is probably going to be taken as an offensive action.


The problem is that Holly is the only person that is both still alive, and knows exactly where they are being held.

>>3983532
We can fake that a signal came from the Dirac Sea and we're mounting an investigation. Or get in the half-broken unit with Karina under the same pretext. As long as no one figures out the connection between an activation and why suddenly the UN commander melted, we're good. I think. But of course, the negotiations come first.

>>3983546
It was more that since we're the only one that knows where they are, and how to get there. Holly would likely be required to be physically present for the recovery, so in order to do both we would need to bring Unit 02 along with us, which would likely compromise the stealth and surprise of the operation since there are a limited number of transports available.

>>3983530

“Fletcher,” Monroe announces, “I'm officially ordering you to stand down. As you yourself said, in the absence of direct UN supervision direct authority falls to me. And now, I'm telling you that this operation is suspended until further notice. There are simply too many variables that I don't think you've fully considered.” She pauses here, sighing and continuing in a softer tone. “You're angry, I know that. We're ALL angry. I only gave you the green light for this operation because I thought – because you told me – that it would work, and work flawlessly,” she adds, “But now, I'm not convinced.”

Fletcher turns, spearing her with a glare. She almost flinches, almost falters, but somehow she holds her ground. Their eyes meet for a long moment, and then Fletcher gives her a tiny nod – so slight that it's barely noticeable at all. “Well then,” he murmurs, “Is that an order?”

“Yes, Fletcher,” Monroe sighs, allowing herself a hint of exasperation, “That was explicitly intended as a direct order. Would you like me to put it in writing?”

Spreading his hands wide, Fletcher shakes his head. “That's good enough for me,” he concedes, “I still think we need to strike quickly, before we lose what little advantage we have, but I'll follow your orders. You're the commander here, not me. I can't promise anything, but I'll try and establish a line of communication with Leighton. He's a hard man to talk to, these days, but there are always ways.”

“Keep me posted,” Monroe orders, “The rest of you, you're dismissed.”

There is a short pause. “Um, excuse me,” Kaori points out, “You're in OUR dorm. Do you want us to leave?”

“Oh,” Monroe lets out a nervous laugh, “Then, ah, I suppose we're dismissed. Don't stay up too late, okay?”

The tension slowly bleeds out of the room as she gets up to leave, frowning briefly at Fletcher as he hesitates. They retreat from the dorm, and soon the rest of your fellow pilots are withdrawing to their own rooms. Claudia is the last to leave, her wounded leg slowing her down. “Oh, uh, thanks for the support,” you mutter, almost reluctant to say anything at all, “I appreciate the help.”

“Don't worry about it,” Claudia assures you with a breezy gesture, “If my upbringing taught me one thing, it's that sometimes you need to give the help a stern talking to.”

That's... certainly one way of looking at it.

>So I think I'm going to pause things here for today. I'll be aiming to continue this tomorrow though
>Thank you for your contributions today!

>>3983554
Thanks for the run.

>>3983554
Thanks for running!

What were everyone's reactions to us breaking the news that *we melted 04/Matheson and stole her memories*?

>>3983554
Thanks for running!
I wonder, which scenes do you like writing more? The interpersonal drama, the fights or this autistic, I mean, careful planning of the upcoming revolution?

>>3983551
Yeah, you're right.

>>3983569
Something of a delayed reaction, I imagine. The sort of thing where you wait a few moments before thinking "Wait, did I really just hear that?"

>>3983572
I think I probably enjoy writing the more casual, slice of life scenes most of all. Although, of course, that's largely because of the contrast with some of the more dramatic/violent scenes.

We can still get into the synchronization tubs even without biomass, right?

Cant we just stuff dakota in one and holly in the other? The biomass was mainly for physical repair, if the issue is mental we can just chat and/or bleed memories with each other.

>>3984260
It would still be a coin flip as to the results, and since they are aware that the UN is preparing to fight, and that they are already a unit down (Since Unit 05 can't fight), it would involve the potential loss of both pilots (Since Juliet has her own Unit) putting Unit 02 even temporally in a state where it can't be deployed which shifts the balance of power even further in the UN's flavor than it already is.

File: ClaudiaR.png (286 KB, 900x700)

286 KB PNG

You've never sprawled out on a bed this large before, but it's so comfortable that you don't want to question it. The mattress is perfect, not too soft and not too firm, while the crisp white sheets spread out around you like an ocean. Stretching out, you shiver with delight at the feeling of the cool cloth against your bare skin. Then you feel something else, a tangle of limbs entwined with your own. Rolling over, you see Claudia stretched out beside you with her long blue hair fanning out around her. She smiles as she meets your gaze, giving you a languid, lazy smirk before-

Jolting awake with a strangled gasp, you stare up at the ceiling and listen to your heart hammering in your chest. A thin sheen of sweat clings to your skin, and the blood in your veins feels like it's boiling. Throwing the tangle of bed sheets aside, you leap out of bed and march into the main room. Without stopping to think, you march straight over to Claudia's door and barge inside. The heiress is still awake, methodically winding new bandages around one long, slender leg. She looks up in alarm, and your eyes meet.

“Yes?” she asks after a long moment, more exasperated than surprised, “Can I help you?”

You stare stupidly at her for a few seconds, trying to remember why you came here in the first place. “Stay the hell out of my dreams,” you manage at last, turning and fleeing from her room.

-

Breakfast that morning is about as awkward as you expected. You eat as quickly as you can before hurrying down to the infirmary to check on Dakota. No change in her condition, but that's hardly surprising at this point. The first few times you came here, it felt like a crushing disappointment. Now, it's just part of your daily routine. It's funny, and a little bit sad, how quickly you adapt to these things.

With a soft sigh, Juliet lowers herself down into the chair beside you. Neither of you says a thing for a while, simply watching Dakota's motionless form. Then, when the silence grows too heavy to handle, Juliet speaks up. “This is all my fault,” she murmurs, “I should have been looking after her.”

“Right,” you reply slowly. Not quite accusing her of anything, but not exactly absolving her of all guilt either. It's just a statement of fact.

“I should have stopped her from taking Unit 02,” Juliet continues.

“Right,” you repeat, pausing for a moment before adding, “So what happened?”

“When the lights went off, it was... chaos. Nobody knew if there were going to be more explosions, if this was just the start of something bigger. Commander Monroe told us to lie low, to stay in the dorm until further notice,” Juliet hesitates, “It wasn't her fault, Holly. She couldn't have known what would happen, but... it did happen. She gave the order, and I obeyed. That's just the way I'm wired.”

[1/2]

>>3984664

“I don't know exactly when Dakota slipped away. It couldn't have been long after the Lilim surfaced, maybe even before then. I think she realised what was happening before anyone else. A lucky guess, or maybe she just... knew,” Juliet glances down at Dakota, almost expecting the young girl to sit up in bed and explain herself. Of course, her hopes are dashed. “I'm never going to be a normal girl,” she continues, a faint note of resignation in her voice, “I thought I could change, but now I know I was just fooling myself.”

“You HAVE changed,” you tell her, “You still have your journal, right? Read it, right from the start, and then tell me you haven't changed.”

Juliet's mouth twists with something that might be a tiny smile, and she concedes the point with a lopsided nod. “Did you hear that, Dakota? I'm still writing in that journal of yours,” she whispers, leaning down to murmur the words in Dakota's ear, “Can't say I have a lot of interesting things to write about, though. You'd better wake up soon so I'll have something good to write down, okay?”

No reply, of course.

“Oh well,” Juliet sighs, “Worth a try, I suppose.”

-

Even though you're not saying anything, Doctor Weick apologises for interrupting your conversation when he approaches to examine the machinery surrounding Dakota's bed. He notes the various readings down, his face clouding over as he flips the pages on his clipboard and compares the latest figures with yesterday's readings. Not good news, you assume. “No improvement,” he answers slowly, noticing your probing look, “I was hoping perhaps... You haven't noticed any change?”

“She hasn't been dancing around the room while your back is turned, if that's what you're asking,” you reply, the joke forced and phony.

“A pity,” Weick sighs, “I would very much like to see that.”

He lingers, waiting by Dakota's bedside for a moment more before turning and lumbering back into his office. You watch him leave, feeling a sudden surge of gratitude. He might be a strange, clownish man, but he's taken good care of you all since arriving here. Her motives might have been less than pure, but Bergmann made a good choice by putting Weick's name forwards for this position. Looking back, you find yourself meeting Juliet's eyes. She holds your gaze for a few long seconds before speaking up.

“I'm sorry,” she says simply, getting up to leave. With Dakota lying right there, you don't need to ask what she's apologising for. But...

>Let her leave in peace. There's no point pressing the issue
>Call her back. She's got nothing to apologise for
>Call her back. It's not YOU she should be apologising to
>Tell her that... (Write in)
>Other

>>3984666
>Call her back. She's got nothing to apologise for
"When I asked you to look after her it was more to prevent her from being forced into the cockpit by Matheson while I was away from the base or fired. No one could have prevented this brave little girl from jumping into the fight on her own will. I guess my antics are rubbing off on her. She saved a lot of lives that day."

>>3984666
>Other
Ask her if she has heard anything more from Julia.

Especially since she is the only one that we don't have any indication of where she is being held.

>>3984666
>Call her back. She's got nothing to apologise for
>Other
But she can help us with something.
1. Can she keep looking after Dakota as we're going to be probably very busy soon
2. Can she recall anything that will make her very, very mad? What could cause one of the Blue Eye to go berserk may be present in all of them, but just less pronounced.

“Hey, Juliet,” you call out, pitching your voice low as if you were in any danger of waking Dakota. Juliet pauses, her shoulders tensing up with a sudden unease. Slowly, she turns back to meet your eye. “You've got nothing to apologise for,” you tell her, “When I asked you to look after Dakota for me, I meant like... stopping Matheson from forcing her to pilot Unit 02. As far as I'm concerned, nobody could have prevented Dakota from getting in that thing of her own free will.”

“I should have tried,” Juliet insists.

“Yeah, and she would have kicked you right in the...” you pause, “Well, she would have kicked you pretty hard. She's a feisty one, after all. Maybe my antics are rubbing off on her. Look, the truth is, she saved a lot of lives that day. Someone had to stop that Lilim, and she bought us all some extra time. Don't blame yourself for what happened. I mean that.”

Juliet considers this, tilting her head to the side. “I see,” she murmurs at last, “Is that an order?”

“Yes. Exactly. I'm ordering you not to sulk about this,” you declare, pointing an authoritative finger at her, “Are we clear?”

“Yes SIR,” she snaps, giving you a salute before a shy smile breaks out on her face. “I... that's a weight off my mind,” she admits, lowering her hand, “I was worried that you'd, you know, hate me for what happened.”

Shaking your head, you get up from Dakota's bedside and gently lead Juliet out of the infirmary. Stopping at a set of vending machines on the way out, you buy some drinks and pop the cold can open. Drinking in silence for a while, you give Juliet a vague gesture. “I've been wondering,” you ask her, “Have you heard anything from Julia lately? I don't really know if you two can... talk or whatever. Can you?”

“We can't talk, exactly, but sometimes I get little flashes of insight. I don't know if she's deliberately trying to show me something or if it's just... random moments,” she pauses, furrowing her brow as she thinks back, “It's normally the same kind of thing. The table, that operating theatre looking room. Sometimes there are figures looking down from above, but I never see their faces. The lights are too bright, I just see silhouettes.” Another pause, and Juliet snaps her fingers. “But I've heard voices before too,” she adds, “They usually speak in German.”

“German?” you repeat, “So she might still be in Academy.”

“That would be my guess too. That doesn't help us very much, but it's a start,” she clears her throat, “Listen, um, I wanted to thank you for yesterday. Chief Fletcher's plan. If something went wrong, the BLUE EYE team could have been hurt... or worse. Maybe it's foolish, but I don't want them to suffer. It's not their fault that they're... part of this. It's just-”

“The way they're wired?” you finish for her. With a humourless laugh, Juliet nods.

[1/?]

When are we going to try finding dakotas astral trail again?

>>3984738
The what now?

>>3984719

“What do you know about the BLUE EYE team?” you ask after a pause, “I mean do you get, uh, flashes of insight with them too?”

“No. Just Julia,” she answers, shaking her head, “I don't really know them at all. Still, I don't want them to get hurt for no reason. Call it familial loyalty.” Noticing something on your face, she lets out a small laugh. “Sorry to disappoint you,” Juliet adds, “Were you hoping for some juicy gossip?”

“Always,” you reply with a tired grin, “No, actually, I was wondering about what it might take to get the BLUE EYE units to go berserk. I wondered if you might have any ideas for something that might get them really, really mad. Do you-” You stop here as a cold feeling rushes through you. Juliet's face tightens, her eyes narrowing slightly. “If we do end up facing them, we need to know all our options,” you explain, “I'm not trying to pick a fight, but we can't rule anything out.”

Grimacing, Juliet lets out a sigh. “I suppose it's worth investigating,” she concedes, “If we know what triggers them, we know what to avoid. If they went berserk in a populated area, it could be... bad.” Shrugging to herself, she thinks for a moment more. “A sudden shock might do it. Anything that contradicts with their implanted memories. I'm not much of an expert, but the imprinted personalities are... fragile. It might not take much to cut the fake persona away, and that could lead to a berserker incident,” she suggests, “If their Nephilim units are capable of berserking. What do we know about them?”

“Basically fucking nothing,” you admit, “No, wait, they did mention that the Nephilim units are intended to be deployed as a full unit. So, they don't seem to run the risk of berserking through weight of numbers.”

Interrupting this conversation, you hear your phone chime. “It's Fletcher,” you explain, glancing down at the message, “He says he's made contact with Leighton.”

But somehow, you don't feel relieved.

-

“Leighton isn't an easy man to get in touch with,” Fletcher complains, leaning heavily on his desk and rubbing his temple, “He was trying very hard not to communicate with us at all. Maybe it's easier for him that way – he can pretend that we're not people. Easier to cut our throats that way.”

“Fletcher,” Monroe warns, giving the mercenary a quick frown.

“Fine. It took some work, but I finally got him to pay attention to us. We've got Ingrid to thank for that,” he continues, “She laid the groundwork for us. All I had to do is dangle the hint of some terrible danger in front of Leighton's nose. He was already half-convinced that she had a trap lying in wait, it wasn't hard to scare him with some talk about Adam waking up in a bad mood.”

“Just to confirm, that's not ACTUALLY going to happen,” you ask, “Right?”

“Right,” Monroe assures you, “Um, probably.”

[2/3]

>>3984767

“The point is, it got Leighton scared enough that he's willing to come to the negotiation table. I told him that Doctor Brahms uncovered some flaw in Bergmann's “trap”, and that she wouldn't be able to fix it. We're the only ones who can save his ass,” Fletcher continues, “I don't think he's completely sold on the idea, but he's not willing to dismiss it either. So. It's an opening that we can exploit.”

“He really believes he's doing the right thing,” Monroe muses, a fleeting look of sadness on her face, “He turned on us because he thought it might save mankind from Lilith's wrath. Now, he's willing to cut a deal with us to save mankind from Adam. We just need to get him to listen to us, I'm sure we can convince him to agree to a truce.”

“And when he realises we're bullshitting him?” you ask, “What then?”

“We'll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Fletcher answers, his mouth set in a thin frown.

>This is such a terrible fucking idea
>Okay, I'm in. Tell me the details
>Forget Leighton, there's something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>3984767
>Anything that contradicts with their implanted memories
It'd be silly, but plausible if the whole reason one of them goes berserk is that she tried to make a burger in the kitchen and couldn't do it, despite remembering otherwise.

>>3984773
>Okay, I'm in. Tell me the details
The thing is it's not a complete lie. If Nate/Adam wakes up and sees that Leighton has killed her brother and her friends what do you think she'll do...

>>3984773
>Okay, I'm in. Tell me the details
He needs a new expert with Matheson gone. He can't guarantee Bergmann won't screw him over with falsified information just as a final FU. And he sent Brahms over to us.

>>3984773
>Okay, I'm in. Tell me the details

If we get a chance to set terms things we should think about asking for include:
Restarting the flow of biomass to Avalon
Julia back
Repatriation of lost personnel that are in Berlin (If we need to we can tell him about Johanna, as there is the possibility of using her to get Bergmann to stand down.)
And preparing for Nate's awakening.


>>3984775
The hard part is driving that point home while not convincing him that his best option is to nuke Temple.

>>3984773

>This is such a terrible fucking idea
>Okay, I'm in. Tell me the details

LEIGHTON has NO BALLS
EZ WIN

>>3984796
>The hard part is driving that point home while not convincing him that his best option is to nuke Temple.

A couple points. First and foremost Adam and his sons will probably just shrug off a nuke and piss them off. Second, Lilith forgiving humanity cause Leighton kills Avalon is so full of holes and is blatantly just Matheson wanting revenge that we might be able to get him on board with the 'Kill Lilith' plan which requires Adam apparently.

>>3984817
Without Bergmann's direction it's probably not going to succeed We could probably use our powers to 'Borrow' the plan if she is uncooperative, we run out of time, or decide we would prefer to get even after all she did have a hand in Claire's death. we only have a vague outline of her plan at the moment.

“This feels like a terrible idea to me, but fuck it. I'm in,” you decide, nodding to yourself, “Tell me the details.”

“Leighton wants to discuss it face to face, at Academy. He wants this done on HIS turf, and he's not willing to budge on that. We managed to get him to compromise on one thing – we get to bring an ADM team with us. He'll have the BLUE EYE team, we'll have a pair of our own ADMs. Not exactly a fair fight, but it's the best we're likely to get,” Monroe explains briskly, “He'll even handle transport for us – he's sending a Colossus for us to use.”

How generous of him.

“Brahms is the weak link in all this,” Fletcher muses, “If we're lucky, we won't need to keep up the act for very long. If we're unlucky, Brahms is going to have to play his part to perfection and I'm just not sure he's capable of pulling it off.”

“Leighton is going to need a Lilim expert,” you suggest, “Matheson is gone, and Bergmann is likely to feed him bullshit out of spite. Brahms is on our side now too. Can we use that?”

“Maybe. I think our best bet is to convince Leighton that we ARE the experts now,” Monroe adds, “If he's got any sense at all, he'll back off and let us handle the Lilim. That's how things used to be, back in the good old days. Pretty good system, and we didn't have to worry about any of this civil war crap either. If he's smart, he'll see things the same way.”

“Okay, so we know he definitely won't see things the same way. What are our demands?” you ask, glancing between Fletcher and Monroe, “We've got releasing their prisoners, resuming the shipments of biomass, not starting World War Three, and... what else?”

With a wan laugh, Monroe leans over and pats you on the arm. “Slow down Holly. We're talking baby steps here. Getting him to agree to a meeting is already a pretty significant bit of progress. If we ask for too much, Leighton is likely to smell a rat. For now, I'll be happy if we can just agree to a truce. Returning the prisoners can come next. The biomass shipments are Leighton's ace in the hole. That's the one resource we can't get anywhere else, and he knows it,” she urges, her voice turning serious, “He's going to exploit that for all it's worth.”

“Fucking politician...” Fletcher mutters to himself, leaning back in his chair and staring up at the ceiling, “I still think it would be easier to put a bullet in his head.”

“Ah yes, and that would definitely calm things down, wouldn't it?” Monroe groans, “Look, we've got a meeting. That's progress. Let's not waste it. Holly. The Colossus should be arriving... tonight, I think, or early tomorrow morning. I wasn't quite clear on that. Timezones, you know.”

That seems like the sort of important detail that she'd want to get right, but... that's Monroe for you.

[1/?]

>>3984860
How many of these planes does UN have? Looks like the easiest way to remove us would be simply to shoot down the transport.

>>3984880
Logically, if they needed to move all of the units simultaneously and each Plane can carry 2 units each there should be a total 6 or so.

There is no way to make sure that we will only be using the one plane, or that all of the senior command staff are going on this trip. (Maybe we should bring along Elrow's jet so we have the opportunity to ferry the lost personnel back to Avalon if we get the chance to get them out without blowing our cover.)

>>3984860

You head back to the dorm after the “briefing”, but the room just seems too stifling. Choking, almost. Seeking fresh air, you head up to the surface elevators and spot one with the doors sliding shut. Hurrying across, you slip inside just as the doors close. Then, looking around, you see Vic staring at you with mild alarm. “Uh, hey,” you begin, breathing heavily, “Didn't want to wait for the next one. You don't mind, do you?”

“Not at all,” he replies, “You're not about to throw up, are you? You look a little unwell.”

“Too much running, that's all. This exercise crap is no good,” you assure him, shaking your head, “You going up for some fresh air too?”

“Well, I wanted to do a little shopping but I suppose fresh air is good too,” Vic answers, leaning casually back against the elevator wall, “I wanted to pick up some new books. It seems like I'm doing a lot more reading lately. It used to take me much longer to get through a book. Nate would always drop by to distract me. I think she just didn't like that I wasn't paying attention to her. She used to-” He stops here, cutting his words short with a grimace.

“Hey...” you offer, trying to find some words of comfort.

“She used to listen to me read aloud. That was when we were both much younger, I should say. We'd sit opposite each other, her back against mine, and she's listen to me read from whatever book I was working on at the time,” he thinks aloud, “I remember one time. There was a terrible storm, and our parents were out of the house. It was just the two of us, reading by candlelight and pretending not to be scared. That's something... that's something I'll always cherish.”

You force yourself to look Vic in the eye, but his attention is elsewhere. Lost in nostalgia, he seems to look straight through you. The scene forms in your mind, the two children huddled together against the darkness. Then it changes, and you imagine yourself taking Nate's place. Pressing your body against his, listening to his steady voice reciting words you barely hear as the storm howls outside. Shadows dance as the candlelight flickers, and you sneak fleeting glances at his face...

Swallowing against a suddenly dry throat, you look hurriedly away from him. It's not right, thinking about such things when he's talking about Nate. It's... wrong, like you're somehow sullying his memories. Risking a glance back up, you realise that Vic is staring right at you – and this time, his gaze isn't vague or distant. Burning heat rushes to your cheeks as, mercifully, the elevator doors glide open. Mumbling something indistinct, you hasten past him and into the cool afternoon air.

“Holly, wait!” Vic calls after you, his voice causing you to turn, “Do you, ah, do you want to come shopping with me?”

You start to reply, but your voice fails you.

>I'd love to go shopping with you. Lead the way!
>I don't... think that's a good idea. Not now
>I... (Write in)
>Other

>>3984921
>I'd love to go shopping with you. Lead the way!

get cucked nate
you get turned into a giant god killing monster you lose

>>3984921
>I'd love to go shopping with you. Lead the way!

Things are going to start happening very quickly soon, so we should do our best to enjoy what is left of the down time that we have.

>>3984921
>I'd love to go shopping with you. Lead the way!
Awkward teenagers is a go. A nice prelude to negotiating with a paranoid Illuminati member wanting to kill you.

Coughing lightly, you take another attempt at speech. This time, you manage to form the words. “I'd love to go with you,” you reply, “Shopping. With you. I'd love to go shopping with you. Books, wasn't it? Lead the way, then!”

“Of course. I know a good place,” Vic tells you, walking briskly until he's a few paces ahead of you. There's a nervous energy in his pace, and you find yourself quickening your step to match. There's a mean feeling in the air today, something that causes you to hurry past any citizens that come close. Ugly frowns and suspicious glares seem to follow you everywhere you go, their expressions making dark insinuations. After a few blocks, Vic turns off the main street and leads you down a narrow alley. Then, incongruous in a place like this, you come to the bookshop. “It's old. Well, no, it's pretty new. But the books are all old,” he explains, gazing at the faux vintage store front, “Expensive too. I usually just look, but today... I think I might indulge.”

“Seems like the right time for it,” you remark.

“Because we might not have another chance?” Vic asks, giving you a solemn, serious look.

“That's not what I meant,” you argue, “But... yeah, I guess you're not wrong.” Shaking your head, you take another look at the shop. Hardly big enough for two people at once, it looks like. “Claire used to love places like this. Old places, antique shops and stuff,” you recall, “She would have loved this.”

“Nate wouldn't have had the patience for it,” Vic counters, “But she would have put up with it, for my sake.”

Neither of you says a thing. There's four of you in this... relationship. Always has been, probably always will be. No matter what you do, no matter what you say to each other, you're always going to be thinking of the ones who are no longer here. “Well, uh...” you begin, “Are we going to stand here all day or what?”

“Right,” Vic replies quickly, letting out a little laugh. Pushing the door open, he nods for you to enter. Squeezing through the slender doorway, you carefully step around a leaning pile of leather-bound books. Vic follows, deftly picking the top book up and scanning the cover. As he browses the shelves, you slip around a tight corner and come face to face with a small assortment of ornaments. Little things really, tiny pieces of pink coral set in glass or insects – maybe real, maybe not – frozen in smooth amber. Old, all of them, easily older than you are. Staring at them, you feel a sudden certainty – these things have been around since before you were born, and they'll still be around long after you're gone.

A shiver runs through you, and Vic's hand falls lightly on your shoulder. You flinch, but you don't pull away.

[1/?]

>>3984963

“Beautiful, aren't they?” Vic murmurs, “But strange, hiding them away in a corner like this. I must have missed them so many times. I might never have seen them at all, if you hadn't come here with me. I wonder if they're for sale. Well, not that I could afford any of them even if they were...”

You just shake your head, unable to force your thoughts into words that he could understand. It wouldn't feel right, buying one of those oddly timeless objects. No matter how much you paid for it, you'd never really OWN it. You'd just be the latest in a long line of temporary guardians. Then, seemingly in the blink of an eye, it would pass to someone else. You'd wither and fade away, but the little ornaments would carry on unchanged. The urge to smash them tugs at you with sudden force, a spiteful desire to prove time wrong and wipe them out. To destroy anything that dared to exist outside of your control.

Then you blink, and the ugly feeling is gone. “Did you find any books you liked?” you ask Vic weakly, looking down at the slim volume he holds, “That one?”

“Oh, um, this?” Vic looks down as if seeing the book for the first time, “No, I was just... it's World War One poetry. Rather bleak, lots of... trenches.” Clearing his throat, he places the book back on the shelf and brushes his hands against his trousers. “Sometimes I find it hard to believe that people could really do that,” he muses, “Any of it. Sending millions of men to die in the mud. Diving into a trench, knowing full well that it was kill or be killed. It hardly seems... human.”

“Some people might say it's the most human thing of all,” you reply, immediately regretting the cynical words. Vic looks away, and a vast distance seems to open up between the two of you. “I'm afraid of what's going to happen. Of what I might have to do,” you whisper, simply allowing the words to flow from your lips, “I don't want to dive into that trench. I don't want to kill OR be killed. But it's out of my control now. It's out of anyone's control. We're all just caught up in what THEY did twenty years ago. I wasn't even fucking BORN then, but-”

Suddenly, Vic's arms are around you. He pulls you close, holding you tight against his slender body, and the words die on your lips. Neither of you says a thing for a long moment, and then you hear the dry sound of someone clearing their throat. Reluctantly pulling back, you peer around at the new arrival. Tall and aged, the woman gives you a stern – but not entirely disapproving – look. The shopkeeper, you realise. Deaf to Vic's hasty apology, you allow the young man to lead the retreat.

“Sorry,” you mutter, Vic saying the exact same word at the exact same time. Looking around in surprise, you find yourself laughing awkwardly. What has HE got to apologise for?

[2/3]

>>3985028

Again, you try to speak. Again, Vic opens his mouth at the same time. “I... okay, you first,” he insists, “Go on, go. You speak.”

“I'm sorry,” you repeat, “I shouldn't have been... babbling like that. It's not dignified. Probably sounded like some kind of hysterical girl, huh? Anyway, that's what I was trying to say. Now you go. Go ahead, your turn next.”

“Ah, well, I'm sorry about, you know...” Vic pauses, “Grabbing you.”

“Hugging me, you mean,” you correct him, “That wasn't a grab, that was a hug. A proper one too.”

“Yes, well, that,” he grumbles, unable to meet your eye, “I shouldn't have pounced at you like that. You were upset, and I took advantage of the situation. Probably crossed all kinds of personal boundaries too. I don't mean to make excuses, but I simply never considered the idea at the time. It just felt like... the right thing to do. Don't worry, it won't happen again.”

He leaves this thought hanging, tentatively awaiting your response.

>You know, I wouldn't mind if it happened again...
>I think that's for the best. Better for both of us
>I... (Write in)
>Other

>>3985044
>You know, I wouldn't mind if it happened again...

>>3985044
>I... (Write in)
"Vic I'm pretty sure I hugged YOU when I was upset months back when we first all gathered here. You aren't crossing any boundaries that haven't already been crossed. I don't mind it."

I don't remember the context all that well. I think it was after Wilson got gutted and Holly was really freaked out. Also Holly is a total hug fiend. Gets them from everyone, restores Ego, feels warm, etc.

>>3985044
>You know, I wouldn't mind if it happened again...

I wonder what Nate's opinion of what has transpired since we talked to her would be, both in general, and our handling of Vic

We could always do the memory share / mind meld thing again.

>>3985044
>I... (Write in)
"Just shut up and hold me for a bit."

Fug it, all aboard a husbando train, next stop - sad ending with everyone dead. God knows Holly could use less analytics both inside and outside of her head.

>>3985067
>We could always do the memory share / mind meld thing again.

>Suddenly in addition to having Nate and Claire in her soul Adam joins the party.

>>3985071
It would probably be an interesting experience/ experiment to do if we manage to get Bergmann back and have time after Nate wakes back up.

It may even help restore our lost ego or other weird things.

>>3985081
I think Vision Nate told us we already have too many souls for one girl and we are cracking because of it. I'm sure adding Adam would make us explode.

>>3985044

>You know, I wouldn't mind if it happened again...

Give me all your hug energy

>>3985089
Pretty sure it the other way around, Circle Eleven did irreparable / targeted damage to our soul / Ego and the only reason we 'survived' was that Holly managed to use what we could of Claire before she dissipated that was on hand to patch up the holes in our soul.


If we managed to refine it, our ability would probably allow us to remotely pilot Unit 02.

You stare at Vic for a long moment. “You know, I'm pretty sure I hugged YOU not so long ago,” you point out, “So like, you haven't crossed any boundaries that haven't been crossed already.”

Vic blinks, struggling to work this new fact into his theories. “So...” he pauses, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I don't mind,” you explain slowly, feeling a smile form on your face, “In fact, I wouldn't mind if it happened again. Is that clear enough for you?”

Tilting his head to the side, Vic allows himself a look of solemn happiness. “I think so,” he decides, offering his hand out to you, “I don't think we're likely to get much shopping done today. I've completely forgotten what I was looking for, anyway, and aimless browsing is so... well. Want to head back to HQ?”

“Shut up for a bit, okay?” you scold, taking his hand in a firm grip and moving closer, “Let me enjoy the moment.”

Raising an amused eyebrow, Vic says nothing.

-

Taking the scenic route back to HQ, following a lazy path around the city park, you find yourself wondering exactly what... this... is. Things feel different between the two of you now, but how? It's nothing you can put your finger on, nothing you can easily describe. Nothing overwhelming, not the kind of sweeping romance you've seen on trashy TV shows. Something quieter, something that doesn't NEED to be flashy or dramatic.

It's weird, whatever it is.

“Hey, this is Dakota's tree,” you announce, pausing at the foot of a large tree, “Not long after she first came here, she climbed up here and just sorta... hid out for a bit. I've never seen anyone climb a tree so easily.”

“Well, she DID grow up in the woods,” Vic points out, “I can't imagine there were a lot of options for passing the time.”

“Maybe we should bring her back a souvenir,” you joke, “A handful of leaves, maybe. Hell, I'd drag back a whole branch if I thought it would help. Chop the whole fucking tree down and... and...”

With only a hint of hesitation, Vic puts an arm around your shoulders. “They're doing everything they can for her,” he offers, “Don't beat yourself up about it. You don't need to handle everything yourself, you know.”

“I know, I know,” you sigh, “It's just... hard.”

“It's not the only thing that's hard,” Vic replies, only to freeze as he realises what he just said, “No, I mean... that's not what I... What I meant was, there are a lot of difficult situations in a life like this. A lot of complicated problems and... well, you know what I mean.”

Laughing again, you start to lead him away from the tree. Then, turning back, you grab a fallen branch from beneath the tree. “Just in case,” you explain, brandishing it like a sabre and pointing the way ahead, “Onwards!”

[1/?]

This sort of makes me worried, for what Monroe is going to find us doing when she walks in on us next.

>>3985105

Later.

Sitting on the edge of Vic's bed, you watch as he sorts through an assortment of books. He's looking for missing entries, you assume, gaps in his collection. Watching him with a kind of weary amusement, you wonder what he could be thinking. You're here, sitting on his bed. How is he supposed to interpret that? When you arrived in his room, that was your first stop. You could have chosen to sit on the empty chair by his desk, but you didn't. How are YOU supposed to interpret that?

This is complicated stuff. How does anyone figure any of this stuff out?

Moving with deliberate, measured motions, you slip off the bed and sit down on the floor. “Hey,” you call out, your voice pitched low, “Come here.”

Vic turns, looking around just in time to see you turning your back on him. Even looking away from him, you can feel his eyes lingering on your back. It takes him a moment to realise what you're telling him. Your heartbeat quickens as he sits down by you, leaning back until his body is pressed against yours. No candles, and no storm blowing outside, but the room is gloomy enough for you. The expectant silence draws out for a moment more before you hear the rustle of pages as Vic fumbles with his book.

A pair of eyes watch you from the far side of the room, narrowed into vicious slits. Claire's eyes, or Nate's eyes? At this point, there hardly seems to be any difference between the two. Closing your eye, you shut out the feeling of anything except Vic's voice as he begins to read.

“The sky above the port was the colour of television, tuned to a dead channel...” he murmurs, the words washing over you like water.

>Ego increased by 5
>Current Ego: 70/70

>So I think I'm going to pause this here for today. With my schedule being what it is, I probably won't be able to continue this until next Saturday. I'm hoping to get an interlude episode out sometime midweek though
>Thank you for your patience today!

>>3985139
Thanks for running!

How mad is Nate? How mad is Claire? Is she still gonna talk to us?

>>3985139
Thanks for the run.

>>3985139
It's worrying that Nate and Claire are apparently doing the fusion dance in Holly. Was hoping they could stay separate.

Thanks for running

>>3985139
Thanks for running!

Is it really an appropriate book to read during such a moment?

File: Interlude18.png (1.06 MB, 900x700)

1.06 MB PNG

NERV Journal: Confidential
August

Well, I'm really making a mess of this, aren't I?

I just got back from the infirmary. I went to go and see Dakota, for all the good that would do, but I never made it that far. It was late, I wasn't expecting anyone else to be there. Just the two of us, with some nice peace and quiet. The perfect place to think things over. When I got there, though, I could hear someone crying. Nothing loud, nothing dramatic, but just... sad. Claudia. It was Claudia, with all her manufactured spite stripped away. A side of her I've never seen before, and a side she'd never allow anyone else to see.

I should have done something, said something to comfort her. That's my job, isn't it? To keep these girls safe, and keep them comfortable when I can't manage that. It's not exactly complicated, but... I couldn't do it. I should have said something, anything, but I didn't. I just slipped out before she realised I was there. When I see her tomorrow, how am I going to look her in the eye?

I don't know how much longer I can keep this up.

Selfish, isn't it? We're ALL suffering here, and I've got it easier than most, but here I am complaining about life. Pull yourself together, that's what Ingrid would say. Act like a leader for once. Fletcher is saying the same thing – he's eager to strike back, whether it's the smart thing to do or not, and he wants me to give the order. He scares me a little these days, like I'm finally seeing a whole new side to him. Like I'm finally seeing the soldier instead of the man. Or maybe he's always been like this, and I just wouldn't let myself see it.

-

Here's a joke. Just before all this kicked off, head office requested a status report on the pilots. They must have known what was going to happen, what they were going to do to us, but they just had to keep up appearances. It's either that, or some bureaucrat sent off the request without knowing a damn thing about it. Maybe that's one advantage we have over them – they're bloated, swollen with admin and paperwork. Alone, we're a more nimble beast... and a starving one, until we can get a shipment of biomass.

God, I don't want to think about it. Any day now, another one of those things could decide to show itself. Living under the gun like this, is it any wonder that the city is losing its mind?

So sure. I'll write their goddamn status report. It'll be a nice distraction, if nothing else. I just hope filing this report isn't the last thing I ever do. If I'm going to die, I don't want to die in the middle of some stupid paperwork. I'd rather die in the comfort of my own bed, preferably with a pair of strong arms around me and-

Oops, I think I said a little too much there. Sorry diary, but a girl has to keep SOME secrets!

[1/2]

>>3989693

All jokes aside, I feel like... I should write this down. If something does happen to us, I want to leave something behind. Something for the next generation, I guess. It'll be a record of how far we've all come, how we've all changed. Makes it sound pretty fancy, huh? Sorry diary, but you're probably going to be disappointed. Story of my life, right there, but... well, whatever. We'll start with Kaori. First Daughter and all that, pilot of Unit 01. I saw her in the ruins again today, sitting right on the edge as if she was going to...

Another case of “I should have said something”, maybe. I don't know. The idea of going up against the UN must be hard on her. Her old psych reports talk a lot about her obedience, her loyalty, and now we're going rogue. Look at her family history – ever since she was a child, she's been raised to respect the UN and the stability it represents. Now this. Is it really any wonder that she's confused? I'm going to have to keep an eye on her, maybe ask Holly to check in. They get along well, and maybe it'll be easier talking to someone her own age. I'm not as young as I used to be...

Then again, maybe it's not fair to put anything else on Holly. She's already struggling to cope with all this. She's talking to herself again, talking to... Claire. I don't really get how that works, but I know it's not a good sign. If something happened to her, I don't know what I'd do. It's... scary, and a little bit sad, how much I've come to rely on her. Not just for the fighting part, but to keep me focused. It should be the other way around, right?

I don't know what else to say about Claudia. Doctor Weick isn't optimistic about her leg. It was a bad break, an ugly break, and she's probably going to be left with a limp. I don't think that's the real problem though. Would she really care about something like a limp? Maybe enough to complain about it, but to weep like that? I don't know, and she's not likely to tell me. Even if I asked, she'd just give me a mouthful of spite.

Yulia isn't talking much either, these days. It's like she's retreated into herself while the rest of us are running around in a panic. I don't think she's sad – I HOPE she isn't sad – but how am I supposed to know that for sure? The only time she ever perks up is when Fletcher is around. I asked him to have a word, but he refused – just flat out refused to talk to her. That's cold, even for him.

I just reread what I wrote. Looking at it now, I must seem so powerless. These girls need help, but I can't do anything for them. Then there's Karina – but I don't even want to think about her. It's too much to bear. I guess I'd better sign off here, before I put myself in a bad mood.

Tomorrow will be better. I hope.

>This concludes today's bonus interlude episode. Tune in on Saturday for a very special bonus episode!
>Thank you for reading along today!

>>3989696
>tfw Juliet was just forgotten altogether

>>3989696
We should tell monroe that fletch won't talk to yulia because she's a reverse pedophile who wants his D

>>3989696
Sounds like Holly needs to hold another group therapy session. Or just hit everyone up one by one, though I don't know if there is the time for it. I know it's for the sake of screentime and pacing, but poor Yulia hasn't done or said a damn thing since her business with the probe. We never got a resolution to that with the scientists. I guess when Juliet became way more prominent there just wasn't much room for her but, I really don't want her to just be 'muh Fletcher'.

>>3989706
Gaffe by Moloch or just Monroe not thinking about her? I can see it go either way.

>>3989758
Everyone on base knows about crush.

>>3989706
Juliet is ok because we can just go into her bios and manually set her happiness value to 100%

File: YuliaK.png (311 KB, 900x700)

311 KB PNG

“Gather round everyone, gather round,” Monroe calls out, cheerfully clapping her hands together as you grudgingly move to the front row of the seats, “Is that everyone here? Okay, great, so I wanted you all to come here because-”

“Wait, Juliet isn't here yet!” Kaori cries, holding up a hand to stop Monroe. The commander falls silent for an awkward moment, and then the door to the meeting room bangs open. Panting, breathless, Juliet staggers in and flaps her hand in a wordless apology. “Commander,” Kaori adds, giving the older woman a scolding look, “Did you forget all about Juliet?”

“W-what? I would never do a thing like... a-anyway, now that you're all here, I can begin!” Monroe yelps, her cheeks flushing an embarrassed red, “It's nothing serious, but I wanted to speak with you all before we... well, before anything else happens. I just wanted you all to know that I appreciate everything you've done for us. For mankind. Each and every one of you has gone above and beyond the call of duty. You've given far more than anyone has a right to give, and you've done it with no complaints. Er, not many complaints.”

She pauses, staring off into empty space for a few seconds as her expression grows solemn. “I remember my first mission after Second Impact. I had never commanded an operation before, but... well, you can probably guess what it was like back then. A lot of people got emergency promotions. It was a simple operation – deliver a shipment of emergency supplies and establish lines of communication. Simple, but vital,” she recalls, “When we arrived, I saw just how desperate they had been. How grateful they were, even for the meagre supplies we had been able to spare. I realised, then, how badly we all needed to come together. To help one another. Looking at you all now, I see that same spirit. No matter what you might think when things look bad, you ARE doing the right thing.”

Monroe hesitates again, looking down at the ground beneath her feet. Nobody speaks, but the silence is soon broken by Claudia's applause. Glancing around, you expect to see cool mockery on her features – but no, she actually looks sincere. Flushing again, Monroe sits down and waves a hand in front of her face as you join in with Claudia's applause. Groaning loudly, the commander buries her face in her hands and waits for you to fall silent once more. Finally, the room is still once more.

“You guys...” she mumbles, looking up with a fragile smile on her face, “I don't know what to say.”

“Perhaps “that's all, you're dismissed” would be a good start,” Claudia suggests, raising an eyebrow. That's more like her. That's the girl you've come to know over these past few months.

“Hah, well, maybe you're right!” Monroe laughs, nodding briskly, “That's all folks, you're dismissed. Make sure you all have a very good day!”

[1/3]

>>3992514

The room empties. Monroe gives you a firm nod as she leaves, while Claudia flashes you a teasing smile. You're pretty sure that she saw you leaving Vic's room last night, although she hasn't said anything yet. No doubt she's just waiting for the best moment to strike. That'll be something for you to look forwards to, but... well, whatever. Let her have her fun. As you're about to follow Monroe and the others out, you notice that Yulia is still seated. After glancing back, you slowly approach to sit beside her.

“Kind of an impromptu speech, huh?” you begin, “I guess Monroe was feeling extra commander-y this morning. You, uh, you waiting for her to come back? Because I think the show's over, so-”

“I just wanted to make this world a better place,” Yulia interrupts, although she doesn't really sound like she's talking to you, “But when I look outside, I see... it is not good. Did we do this? Did this happen because of us?”

“Well... no,” you point out, “It happened because of the Lilim. Because of the UN, even. We're trying to protect the world.”

“Yes,” she pauses, “And it seems, perhaps, we are not doing such a good job of it.”

You bristle at the implication, at the unspoken – and, you're sure, unintended – insult. Sure, maybe things aren't absolutely perfect but you're doing the best you can. You're not infallible, you're going to make mistakes now and then, but that doesn't mean... Calm down. Take a breath. Don't freak out and punch someone in the nose for once in your goddamn life. “Don't you think you're being a little unfair?” you ask, “I mean, we're not trying to build a Utopia here.”

Even as you say it, the word seems strange on your lips. It feels like a borrowed word, like someone else is speaking through you. It seems to resonate with Yulia, though, as she looks sharply around at you.

“Even if Utopia could be built, it would not last. Mankind would not allow it,” she counters, “We would rebel, we would lash out just to prove our own existence. We create with one hand and destroy with the other. There is a contradiction that we can never escape, yes? Because it exists inside of us. I think... I think I understand now.”

“Oh,” you pause, taken aback by the sudden flurry of words, “Well, I'm glad ONE of us understands.”

“You see it too, don't you?” Yulia insists, “We are caught between two worlds. Not born of Lilith, not born of Adam, so what are we? A contradiction, always seeking to cancel itself out.”

“Maybe so, but maybe there are advantages to this contradiction,” you argue, “Look at Adam and Lilith. What have they achieved, what have they created? For all their greatness, they might as well be clubbing each other with rocks. Now look at what mankind has created, like... like the Dirac Probe, you know?”

At this, Yulia's eyes widen slightly and her lips part with a silent gasp. Maybe not the best example you could have used.

[2/3]

>>3992515

“Uh, sorry,” you mutter, “I know you've got some... stuff going on with the science team. Hey, uh, why don't we go and see them? We might not get another chance. I mean, you know how things are these days.” Yulia greets this suggestion with silence, awkwardly looking away from you. “You've... been to see them already?” you guess, forcing a small nod from her, “When? I didn't know you-”

“You were in the infirmary, yes? With Dakota,” Yulia explains, “I... did not want to disturb you. Not with a little thing like this.”

A little thing like this. Except clearly, it wasn't just a “little” thing. “I guess,” you sigh, deciding to take her at her word, “How was it?”

“They say there was no malice. They were, I think you say it, playing along,” she answers, giving you a vague gesture, “When I brought foolish ideas to them, they replied with smiles and nods because they did not wish to hurt my feelings. It was not good of them to do, perhaps, but they did not know what else to do. But still they enjoyed seeing me, enjoyed my enthusiasm for their work. They would be happy for me to continue visiting, they said.”

That all sounds very... polite. “Right, uh, I bet,” you mutter, choosing your next words carefully, “Did you believe them?”

“No,” Yulia replies simply, “These people, lying comes easily to them. They said what they thought I would want to hear. I should not have expected anything else from them.” Her tone – not cynical, not angry, but weighed down with a weary acceptance – tugs at you. Caught between the need to say something and the fear of your own foolish tongue, you end up staring in silence. Then she shrugs, and the spell is broken. “I have said enough, I think,” Yulia continues, “We are still on business as usual, yes? Did you have... plans?”

“Business as usual, yeah, until we get an update on this Berlin shit. I dunno though,” you shake your head, shaking off the last traces of your confusion, “Vic was dropping some heavy hints about the art gallery. Said it might be his last chance to see it, whatever that means – either he's expecting the place to burn down, or... well, you know. These days, you don't know what's around the next corner.”

Yulia nods slightly, neither of you wishing to dwell on that unlovely possibility for too long. She glances back, looking across to the exit but making no move to leave. Nobody speaks, the air seeming to grow cold around you.

>Let's go somewhere together. We need some time to catch up properly
>I'd better go, let Vic know that I'm down for visiting the gallery
>I think Monroe was trying to tell us something here. I'd better go see her
>I've got plans... (Write in)
>Other

>>3992516
>>Let's go somewhere together. We need some time to catch up properly
Up and at em engineer girl.

>>3992516
>I think Monroe was trying to tell us something here. I'd better go see her.

We should probably take Juliet with us to Berlin so she can help with finding Julia.

>>3992516
>I'd better go, let Vic know that I'm down for visiting the gallery

>>3992516
>>Let's go somewhere together. We need some time to catch up properly

“Hey, let's go somewhere together,” you tell Yulia suddenly, your words causing her gaze to snap back around to you, “I mean, so we can catch up properly. We've all been so busy lately, with everything that's been going on, and... I feel like we've lost touch, you know?”

“Catch up?” Yulia asks, blinking in sudden confusion, “I thought that is what we just did. We talked. Is that not enough?”

“You're not getting away that easily,” you tease, grabbing her hand and lifting her to her feet, “C'mon, it'll be fun! I just want to check in with Monroe first, make sure she doesn't mind. The way she dragged us all here, I thought she had something important she wanted to tell us. Not just... well, anyway. You're not going to back out on me, are you?” Crossing your arms in front of your chest, you fix Yulia with a firm look until she finally relents.

“If you really think so,” she sighs, smiling a little to herself, “Somewhere fun. Very well, I shall trust your judgement.”

Risky business, that.

-

“Hm?” Monroe asks, looking up from the papers scattered across her desk, “Of course you can go out. Just don't stay out too long, okay? The streets aren't as safe as they used to be, especially after dark. If we do need you back here in a hurry, I've got your number. Plus, you know, we'll be able to find you.”

“So no escape attempts, got it,” you agree with a nod and a grin, “Oh yeah, what's the story with that plane the UN are sending over?”

“It landed safely. Fletcher's people are searching it for any nasty surprises now. He's being extra careful, so it could take some time. Let the UN wait, as far as I'm concerned. They're trying to rush us into this meeting, and I don't...” she pauses, looks between you and Yulia before forcing a brighter expression, “Well, never mind that. It's all boring admin stuff really, once you get down to the heart of it. It's not as exciting as saving the world, but someone has to file the paperwork!”

Behind Monroe's smile, you can see traces of a jagged nervousness. It's the face of a woman waiting to have her worst suspicions confirmed. “Well, uh, I'm glad to hear it,” you offer weakly, “I liked your speech, by the way. Gotta ask, though – were you trying to, like, tell us something?”

“I wonder,” Monroe muses, “What do you think?”

“You wanted to say that there are many ways to make the world a better place,” Yulia declares, “Piloting an ADM Unit, or bringing emergency supplies to those who need it. Even just making someone smile. Sometimes, that is enough.”

“Got it in one,” the commander announces with a smile, a real smile, “Give that girl a medal!”

Yulia, taken aback, looks awkwardly down at her feet.

[1/?]

>>3992540

Harsh white lights and a roar of background conversation, the shopping mall feels a far cry from the rest of the city and its muted unease. People come here to get away from all that, even just for a few hours. You're no different, casually browsing through shops you have no interest in and allowing yourself to forget the rest of the world. Yulia pauses as you're roaming past a pet supply store, her attention snared by the tank of tropical fish in the window. You don't know much about fish, but these ones – vivid blue, and almost painfully fragile looking – are beautiful.

“You like them?” you ask idly, glancing aside to Yulia, “Don't know what Monroe's policy on pets is like, but-”

“Isn't it cruel?” Yulia interrupts, “To keep them in a tank like this...”

“Cruel? I don't know about that,” you reply, frowning in thought, “They've got everything they need. Plenty of food and fresh water, they keep the temperature just right, no predators to scoop them up and eat them... Sounds like a pretty good deal if you ask me.”

“Then it is a Utopia?” Yulia suggests, looking around with a hint of a smile, “But it only continues to exist because we maintain it. Without us, there would be no food and the water would grow stagnant. It is not natural, to live in such a state.” She peers back down into the fish tank, and you follow her gaze. The bottom of the tank is strewn with pebbles and decorated with the usual plastic castle, but the sight just makes you think of some ruined, drowned city. “And they are not free,” Yulia adds as an afterthought, “Even if the system never fails, never breaks down, they can never be free. They will never return to the ocean.”

“If they ever saw the ocean in the first place,” you sigh, “Chances are, they were bred in the back of the shop. Man, and to think I was in a good mood five minutes ago...”

Yulia, tilting her head to the side, gives you an apologetic smile.

-

“It reminds me of the camp,” Yulia continues later, as you're eating your burgers by an ornate fountain.

“The camp?” you repeat, wiping sauce from your lips, “The refugee camp, you mean?”

“Yes,” she confirms, “There was food, but never enough. They gave us shelter, but it was not good enough. Things were better when the UN took over – they brought more food, medicine, better conditions. We were all so grateful, back then, but now... now, I know we were still trapped in a tank.” She pauses, gestures at the crowds moving around you. “That is the world they want to create, yes? A system big enough and wide enough to swallow us all,” she muses, “And all of it, kept under their careful control. There is no room for freedom in this system of theirs. But...”

Another pause, this one longer than before, as Yulia fumbles for the right words.

[2/3]

>>3992572
It'd be nice if the tank had some output. Usually it's fertilizer to sustain a garden, which can sometimes have its own output that will eventually feed back into the tank. At some point you might just forget the tank and make a giant nature reserve, though.

Yulia knows her world is small, but her attempts at widening them could be....more efficient, probably. Working on junk works, but on a timetable of years unless you're strictly tracing culture rather than actual operation. I'm guessing nobody's got time for a college degree, either.

She needs to choose the one thing. Not what she thinks she's good at, but the one she's willing to stick to.

>>3992572

“But things in the camp DID get better, when the UN arrived,” Yulia manages at last, “Perhaps it was not free, it was not natural, but it was better. I have always wanted to make the world a better place, but now I wonder... at what cost? Security, stability, prosperity – these are worth pursuing, yes?”

“But look at what the UN is doing right now,” you argue, “Can you really call that stability?”

“Perhaps not,” she concedes, “Again, we come to freedom. Their system cannot allow any deviation, any dissent. When we started to take a different path to them, we became a threat to their ideal world.” Sighing, Yulia crumples up the paper wrapper from her burger and tosses it into a trashcan. “This has been coming for a long time, has it not?” she mutters, “We've been on a collision course from the very start.”

“You've got a real way of cheering people up, you know that?” you complain, nudging her with your elbow, “Hey, look, we're going to be meeting up with Leighton and the rest soon enough. Maybe it's not too late to fix this mess they've made. If we can just get him to see reason, he'll back down. He HAS to.”

Slowly, Yulia nods. Whatever doubts she might have, she keeps them to herself. Well, it's not like you don't have your own doubts.

“Hey, look, I gotta ask you something,” you continue, “Why didn't you tell me you were going to see the science team? I would have gone with you, no questions asked. I mean sure, maybe it wouldn't have made any difference, but...”

“You were busy, yes? And with Dakota in the infirmary, I did not want to give you any more stress. This was MY problem, not yours. Besides, ah, I was worried that things would... not end so well. It would be embarrassing, you see, to have you there as a witness,” Yulia explains, “And I did not want you to... ah...”

“To lose my temper?” you guess, “You thought I'd kick off and make things worse for you?” Yulia doesn't answer this, she doesn't have to, and you wince slightly. The worst part is, she probably has a point. Still, her expression – guilty, nervous, uneasy – nags at you. Is that really how she sees you?

“Holly...” Yulia begins, her voice trailing off almost as soon as it begins.

>Just forget about it. It's fine
>Yulia... (Write in)
>Other

>Sorry for the delay. Had some trouble writing these parts

>>3992616
>Just forget about it. It's fine

It's not really possible to fix first impressions, so we really shouldn't blame her.

>>3992616
>Yulia... (Write in)
(Jokingly) "Hey I'd like to think I've calmed in my old age. I have achieved Zen and my third eye is open. Which is good considering I needed a replacement."

"You're probably right though. There probably would have been a couple 'Go fuck yourselves' in there if I was there seeing them feed you bullshit. I hate that shit and have no problem cutting through people's garbage lies and excuses. I guess that might a big difference between us: I don't see that as a bad thing and likely never will. My dreams of being a politician are ruined forever!"

>>3992616
>Just forget about it. It's fine

I honestly can't even tell what are our differences with the UN. What is that "different path"?

>>3992633
Not sure. From an outside perspective Avalon has just been doing what it's been designed to do. Maybe because Holly personally wants to kill Lilith and not stick the control rod up her ass? I feel it would be easier to just kill Holly though in that case. But then now Leighton was to kowtow to Lilith because of Matheson's bullshit. The same Matheson he was planning on betraying.

>>3992633
That over time, Avalon has by design (Since we needed the flexibility to deal with any situation as it arose.) drifted slowly out of the UN's sphere of influence, it also happens to be home to most of the remaining ADM Units, we use their orders as vague guidelines for our actions if we follow them at all, and we stand a good chance of stopping them in their tracks if they start anything.
or at least delaying them for long enough to make their success impossible/unlikely

We should consider telling Leighton about Bergmann's final encounter with Matheson and her location since Johanna is on hand we maybe able to convince him to allow her to return to Avalon to start working again.

“Just forget about it,” you interrupt, holding a hand up, “It's fine. Really. I guess I made a strong first impression, huh?” Smiling, just to make sure Yulia knows you're joking, you wait until her expression eases up a little before continuing. “I'm much calmer now, in my old age,” you sigh, “At the ripe old age of sixteen, I've achieved enlightenment. I've become one with the universe and my third eye has opened.”

“Is that so?” Yulia remarks, “It seems to me like your eye has closed instead.”

“Oh wow, just dump on the handicapped girl. That's real classy,” you groan, “What, you gonna tip Karina out of her wheelchair next?” Yulia gasps, her eyes wide with horror, and you can't help but laugh at her reaction. “For real though. You're probably right. If I HAD been there, I might have had a few choice words for those haughty bastards. I hate the way they play people, twisting them up and-” you pause here, realising that your voice has been growing louder and louder. Falling abruptly silent, you glance around to see if anyone was listening in. The background noise, fortunately, seems to have covered up your outburst.

Maybe it's time to go.

-

Claire is waiting for you in your bedroom when you arrive back at the dorm. “So you're finally back, huh?” she begins, looking you up and down, “Man, you missed a treat. I mean, going off on a date with Yulia on such short notice? Vic was PISSED. I mean-”

“Knock it off,” you interrupt, “You can't know that, because I can't know that. You're just trying to make me feel guilty. Have you got a problem with him now?”

“Me? Nah, no problem. He's a good kid. But y'know, he sorta reminds me of someone,” Claire continues, sprawling out on your bed and giving you a teasing smile, “Real quiet, super focused on his hobbies and vague on everything else. Give him a few decades, he'd probably look a bit like-”

“Hey Doctor Freud, save it for someone who cares,” you grunt, “I gotta say, I never took you for the jealous type.”

“Jealousy?” she laughs, “Is that really what you think this is?”

A knock at the door interrupts her here, and you glance hurriedly around. When you look back to the bed, Claire is gone. Shaking off the last of your ill thoughts, you answer the door. Vic. Just for a moment, Claire's words seem like a premonition. “Uh, hey,” you begin, awkwardly shifting in place, “Not really sure what I should be doing right now. Should I be... inviting you in?”

“Unless you want to have a conversation in the doorway, that would be a good start,” Vic replies, “So what do you say?” A soft laugh escapes you as you step back, allowing him into your room. Vic crosses the room and sits down on your bed, sitting in the exact place where Claire sat just a few minutes before. You stare for a moment, and Vic coughs. “Sorry,” he mumbles, “Too presumptuous?”

“It's not...” you begin, leaving that thought unfinished.

[1/?]

>>3992655
Yeah Claire, be happy Holly isn't a lesbian, because then she'd go for someone similar to her mother.

>>3992655

“I wasn't sure if you were back yet, but then I heard your voice,” Vic pauses, “Then I wasn't sure who you were talking to, but... well, never mind that. I had a nasty habit of talking to myself a few years back.”

“Really?” you ask, “Seems like you managed to kick the habit. Any hints?”

“Ah,” he winces, “Nate followed me around for a straight week, poking me whenever I slipped back into my old habits. It wasn't exactly pleasant, but it worked out in the end.” The name hangs in the air between you, cutting the conversation short. “I visited the art gallery,” Vic continues, “To be honest, it wasn't very good. Too much modern art, and some of the exhibits were just... vulgar. Art should push boundaries, of course, but that doesn't mean it should be tasteless.”

“You saw the giant penises, didn't you?” you laugh, “Claudia mentioned those too. She saw them and it just ruined her day.” Smiling faintly at the memory, you wonder at the unexpected similarity. Until now, you never imagined Vic and Claudia would have anything in common. “I'm sorry I didn't go with you,” you add, forcing the words out, “You're not... pissed off, are you?”

Vic glances around, raising a surprised eyebrow. “Why would I be angry?” he asks, “Commander Monroe told me what happened. It was work, wasn't it? You need to look out for the rest of the pilots, and they need to look out for you. Obviously, it would have been better if you had gone with me, but I'm not so arrogant as to believe that I take priority. This isn't just some part-time job we're talking about here.”

Relief washes over you in an awesome wave. Calling it “work” might be stretching the point a little, but you'll take it. “How about a deal?” you suggest, “Once I'm done with saving the world, we can go the gallery and look at the giant penises together. Deal?”

“Can we... not?” Vic pleads, “If we try hard enough, I'm sure we can find a gallery that isn't full of phallic art. We can go there instead.”

“Oh, if you insist,” you concede with a sigh.

[2/3]

>>3992706

Later.

Your footsteps echo around you as you march towards Karina's room. It's been a while since you last stopped by, and you figured it's about time that you checked in on her. She was pretty sick last time, so you can see how she's doing. As you approach her room, you spot Doctor Brahms leaving and your pulse quickens. “Hey doc!” you call out, hurrying over, “Is Karina-”

“She's fine,” Brahms answers quickly, “Teaching her a little bit about chess, actually, but that's not really relevant now.”

“Great, cool, uh...” you pause, a thought occurring before you can hurry away to Karina, “Hey doc, where do the rest of the science team hang out? I never see anyone around your lab.”

“They have their own offices, actually, on the opposite side of the level. When you leave the elevator, you'll want to take the other corridor and follow the signs,” he explains, “Why do you ask?”

You think about the scientists, the swine who've been taking advantage of Yulia, and...

>Let it lie. This is Yulia's business after all
>Pay the scientists a visit. This is for Yulia's sake
>Other

>>3992707
>Let it lie. This is Yulia's business after all

The last thing we want to do is cause an incident right before we head off to Berlin, beside if thing go well, it's going to be here when we get back.

>Other
Ask Bhrams if he has found anything interesting on the disk we gave him, in the time since we last asked.

>>3992707
>Let it lie. This is Yulia's business after all
Let them do their job. If random people showed up on comms during mission it wouldn't be ok.

>>3992707
I don't like leaving things as they are, but I don't think we'll be able to convince those scientists of anything. We may have obtained more respect with them potentially since we have saved this base more than a few times, but it would be hard to bank on that.

>Other
Explain the situation to Brahms. See if maybe HE can potentially get those scientists to apologize to Yulia and allow her to work with them. That doesn't mean they have to entertain all her ideas, but at least seriously look at them and give constructive criticism. Actually better yet, maybe Brahms can reach out to Yulia to be an assistant. They'd get along and he's one of the good ones.

>>3992707
>Let it lie.
It's not like they've been actually taking advantage of Yulia. More like they didn't know how to let her off. Not quite nice, but would it really be better if they told Yulia her ideas are stupid and she should feel bad?

>>3992737
>but would it really be better if they told Yulia her ideas are stupid and she should feel bad?

In a sense yes? Not the feel bad part, but giving reasoning to why her ideas don't have merit encourages growth. I do realize it's wartime science and schooling a kid like it's a college course is something none of them wanted to do though.

Better to let it lie. Yulia has already taken care of business, as much as possible, and there's nothing to gain by stirring up a lot of trouble now. You've got enough on your plate as it is. If Yulia wants to pick at this particular scab, that's her decision – you won't make it for her. “Just wanted to check,” you tell Brahms, “You know, in case I ever need to stop by.”

“They forward all their results to my office, so you'll usually be better off seeing me directly,” Brahms points out, “But I agree. It's useful to have an alternative arrangement. Well, I'll leave you-”

“Wait!” you yelp, “Um, were you able to find anything on that... disk I gave you?”

Brahms glances down the corridor, making sure that you're alone before he speaks up. “There was a section that caught my attention. It concerned the Adamic item classified as “Excalibur” - allegedly the weapon Adam used in his ancient battles against Lilith and her children. The weapon was broken and scattered, and the UN has been making great efforts to gather the pieces. These fragments are, by themselves, potent weapons – abnormally sharp, and capable of amplifying the user's natural AT potential, but-” he pauses, “But I can see that none of this is new to you. Very well. The research theorised that Excalibur is not what the UN think it is.”

“What?” you hiss, “So what IS it?”

“A weapon. That can't be denied. However, this research suggests that Excalibur is JUST a weapon. Any abnormal properties associated with these fragments should be attributed to their original wielder,” Brahms explains, “In other words, these fragments are only “special” because they hold a lingering remnant of Adam's power.”

Silence falls as you consider this. “Okay,” you reply at last, “What difference does that make?”

“In practical terms, no difference at all,” Brahms answers with a tiny shrug, “There is the possibility of this power somehow wearing off or fading away, but when you consider how ancient these fragments already are...”

“They're gonna outlive us all,” you finish for him, “So what, that's it?”

“No, Miss Reynolds, that is NOT it. I would ask that you keep this information between us for now. Were it to become widely known, it could encourage more... reckless experiments on Adam himself. Needless to say, this is a risk we simply cannot afford right now,” he lectures, “Much of this information is conjecture, created after the author broke away from the UN. It should be treated as highly speculative. I'm still considering the full implications.”

“Well, uh, when you're done considering them, you know where I am,” you conclude, “I'm always up for some science shit.”

Brahms winces at your choice of wording, stepping aside and allowing you to continue on to Karina's quarters.

[1/?]

>>3992747
>“They forward all their results to my office, so you'll usually be better off seeing me directly,

Hah. Another reason why Yulia should just hang out with Brahms instead of those assholes.

This raises the exciting possibility of having Nate attempt to imbue Excalibur's replicas (which might get a limited production run to outfit as many of the ADM Units as we can, if we have the time and resources to spare assuming that spares we need aren't just lying around somewhere.) in a similar way to the real deal if she wakes up before everything kicks off.

+1 reason for Leighton to not just kill is all.

>>3992747

The chess set is still out when you arrive, the pieces set out in what – you think – is a checkmate. “So,” you begin, nodding to it, “Who won?”

“Ah, Doctor Brahms won this time,” Karina answers with an embarrassed smile, “He's really rather good at this. When he was stationed in Berlin, he would often play chess with...” She hesitates, swallowing heavily and hugging herself as if warding off a sudden chill. “With Adrian,” she finishes, forcing the name out, “It's so strange. Hearing him talk about that... hearing him talk about Adrian as if he was a normal man.”

It's hard to imagine Amon sitting down and enjoying a simple game of chess with Brahms, harder still to imagine them striking up a genuine friendship. As genuine as Amon could be, at least. Angrily thrusting the thought aside, you look back to Karina. “Forget him. He's dust now,” you state, “How are you feeling? You don't look nearly so... sick.”

“I feel much better, actually. Not a moment too soon, either! I was really getting sick of, ah, being sick,” Karina laughs awkwardly at her own joke, “As soon as the Lilim was destroyed, I started to feel better. I think it was just... having that thing growing under our feet was really getting to me. Honestly, I think I preferred the seizures! At least those were over and done with nice and quickly... Enough about me, though. How are YOU doing?”

“Oh, you know, I'm surviving,” you answer, fumbling over your next words, “I think I've got sort of a... a thing going with Vic. We're not really sure what to call it yet.”

“A thing?” the sickly girl repeats, and just for a moment you see something flash across her face. Then, she smiles brightly. “My, that's wonderful news!” she cries out, “I'm so happy for you!”

“Yeah, it's... it's a work in progress,” you mumble, feeling your cheeks heat up, “But it's nice. Being around him is like... calm, safe. Exactly the sort of thing I need right now. Last night, I sat up for ages just listening to him read aloud. He probably woke up with a really sore throat this morning, I sure hope he doesn't blame me for it...” You finish this with a weak laugh, shrugging as if warding off your own doubts.

Karina studies you carefully, tilting her head to the side. “But?” she asks softly, “It seems, ah, it seems like there should be a “but” in there somewhere.”

You hesitate, suddenly put on the back foot. Does she see something that you can't – or won't – see?

>It's just early days, that's all. I'm kinda new to all this relationship stuff
>It's about Nate. It's like she's always... there with us
>I don't know if it's fair on him. I mean, if something happened to me...
>It's not really any of your business, actually
>It's... (Write in)
>Other

>>3992789
>It's about Nate. It's like she's always... there with us
We need to protect both of their smiles.

>>3992789
>It's about Nate. It's like she's always... there with us.

Out of the four ( Holly&Claire, Vic, Nate and Karina ) , i'm pretty sure at very least two of them are going to die.

>>3992789
>I'm kinda new to all this relationship stuff.
>It's about Nate. It's like she's always... there with us
She kind of is in a sense, Bergmann put a piece of Nate into Holly and vice verse. That said, that isn't the reason for Vic's side. Dude must miss his sister bad.

>>3992800
I will wrestle Adam to the ground if that's what it takes to make sure Karina is able to survive after Lilith dies.

>>3992804
I feel like the only way to save her will be get Bergmann back, then continue the work that we were doing that related to Huang, especially since we don't know what exactly is causing it.

And we still have what is effectively the nuclear option, inject her with Lilium biomass, though we still have a way to go before we exhaust our options.

>>3992789
>It's just early days, that's all. I'm kinda new to all this relationship stuff
>It's about Nate. It's like she's always... there with us

The silence draws out as you wrestle with your own doubts. Karina watches your struggles without comment, although she gently takes you by the sleeve and limps over to the sofa. Guiding you down onto the plush seat, she eases herself down into the seat beside you and pats your knee. Just for a moment, she seems terribly old and wise. As if a knot inside you is suddenly untied, the words begin to flow.

“It's about Nate, I guess,” you begin, “It's like she's always... there with us. I mean sure, I get it. She's his sister, they grew up together and they were super close. I GET it, I really do, but every time he mentions her it's like... it just kills the mood. Look, give it to me straight. Am I being really selfish here?”

Karina continues to study you in silence, and you find you have to bite back a sigh of dismay. Relationship advice? Really, what were you expecting her to say to you? She was born in a fucking tube, and she's barely left her basement in all her life, why would she be able to-

“Holly,” Karina asks softly, “Do you FEEL like you're being selfish?”

“I don't know!” you groan, “That's the problem, I don't know how I should feel about ANY of this! I just know that if I'm always going to be second best...” Springs wheeze as you lean back, sinking deep into the sofa as you stare up at the ceiling. “I know what you're going to say,” you add, without looking down at Karina, “I should talk to him. Let him know how I feel. It's a good place to start, I know, but... I don't know what to say. “Hey honey, can we stop talking about your dead sister?” Because yeah, that's gonna go well. Shit, it might be easier if she was dead. At least then it would be over and done with...”

“I used to run with this guy. It wasn't all that serious, but it was a thing,” Cam suddenly announces, and you jolt around to see her standing a few paces away, “Sorry to butt in, by the way. Anyway. This guy had a dog, and he loved that thing – but it hated me. So, no matter how much we liked each other, there was always this dog getting between us. I felt awful every time, but I constantly found myself wishing that it would just run off and get hit by a bus.”

Well. That IS awful.

“So, um, what happened?” you ask, dreading the answer. If this involves a bus, you're leaving.

“Ah. Actually, I got posted to Mexico City and we never saw each other again,” Cam concludes, wincing a little at the memory, “Not the most helpful story, was it?”

“I'm not planning on running away to Mexico City, so no,” you agree, “Thanks anyway.”

“Any time,” Cam replies, giving you a sardonic salute, “Good luck with your boy troubles.”

[1/?]

Do we need to arrange a transfer to Temple for the both of us, Go find Nate and
go drag her out of the tree?

>>3992836

Cam wanders back to the entrance of Karina's quarters, sitting down at her usual seat by the door. Looking back to Karina, you see a thoughtful expression on her face. “I never knew Cam had a boyfriend,” she muses, “Isn't that funny? I thought I knew everything about her. I, ah, I wonder why she never mentioned him before now. I suppose it's not exactly the most romantic story in the world, but...”

“At least it had some kind of closure,” you sigh, “Maybe that's what we need. Closure. Something to put an end to all the “what if” and “what about” stuff. Easier said than done though. I tell you, this relationship stuff is hard.”

“Hmm, I'm sure,” Karina agrees, nodding slowly, “But do you regret it?”

Regret. That's not the sort of word you should use lightly. It's a word with weight to it, weight and meaning.

“No,” you conclude, “No, I don't.”

“Well then,” the sickly girl decides, leaning across and patting you on the shoulder, “I think you know what you need to do.”

This might be your toughest challenge yet. You're going to have to act like a mature, responsible human being. You're going to have to sit down with Vic and talk it out. This is one problem that you won't be able to solve with obscene amounts of violence. Nodding firmly, you rise up from the sofa. “I guess I've got some work to do,” you tell Karina, “Thanks for the advice. Hell, thanks for listening to my little rant.”

“Any time,” she promises, smiling sweetly at you. As you're leaving, Karina calls out your name again. You turn, seeing that flicker of emotion pass across her face. She hesitates, then gives you a cheerful wave. “You can do it!” she urges, “I'll be rooting for you!”

Laughing, returning her wave with one of your own, you start to turn back. That's when you hear it – a distant yell of alarm, a crash of breaking glass and the rattle of footsteps. A moment later, Brahms appears in the doorway and stares past you, looking straight at Karina. “Miss Teufel,” he barks, “Are you-”

With a piercing scream, Karina collapses forwards and hits the ground. You watch it happen as if in slow motion, dimly aware of Brahms and Cam surging forwards to catch her. They push past you, knocking you this way and that, but you can't bring yourself to move. Somewhere far off in the guts of the base, a siren begins to wail. Throughout it all, you remain frozen in place. Not even your heart seems to be beating.

Something, somewhere, is happening.

>So I think I'm going to pause things here for today. I'll be aiming to continue this tomorrow, though, and I have some days off at the start of January so I'll try and squeeze in some extra days then
>Thank you for your patience today!

>>3992866
Thanks for the run.

>>3992866
I thought Orcus was the only one left and he's guarding Lilith. What else could make Karina react like that? Adam or Coraline are the only ones that spring to mind.

>>3992886
Nate may have just woken up.

Or that prototype power source (S^2 Organ/ Engine) just went critical, in a populated area.

>>3992866
I'm guessing Caroline figured out a way to tap into the "Adam-ness" of excalibur somehow. Either to make a lilith version of it, or become a true hybrid.

....Caroline might be closer to Bergmann's ideal than anyone else.

File: KarinaT.png (191 KB, 900x700)

191 KB PNG

“You could consider it a psychic earthquake of sorts, although I'm reluctant to use such a crude comparison,” Doctor Brahms begins, restlessly pacing the length of the meeting room, “What I mean is, it was a brief yet intense burst of activity. As with an earthquake, there may be further activity – smaller aftershocks, or even a greater burst of energy. At this stage, with only one event on record, I'm unable to offer a solid prediction about future events.”

“I'm still a little in the dark here,” Monroe admits, “I know Karina had a seizure, and I know that's normally associated with Lilim activity. Are you saying this was something different?”

“I am,” Brahms confirms, nodding firmly, “There were three distinct aspects to this event. First, Miss Teufel, as you said, experienced a seizure. Second, the biomass samples in my lab presented a sudden reaction. Third, the ADM Units themselves showed signs of rousing themselves.”

This last point leaves you in a stunned silence. “The ADM Units tried to rouse themselves,” you repeat, the words like cold stone in your mouth, “Without any pilots?”

“Can we cut straight to the point?” Fletcher asks, folding his arms and fixing Brahms with a hard glare, “What caused this?”

“Again, I can only speculate. However, the common theme connection all three separate incidents is Adam himself,” the doctor pauses for a moment here, allowing his gaze to pan across you all, “The ADM Units, their biomass, Miss Teufel, they are all direct line descendants of Adam himself. However I did not experience any discernable effects, which leads me to believe that humans are too distant to Adam to be influenced in this way.”

“You didn't answer my question,” Fletcher stresses, “What. Caused. This?”

A dry cough rings out, and you all turn to look at Karina. Leaning heavily on her cane, shaking her head when Cam approaches to offer her a hand, the ailing girl limps to the front of the room. “Adam is waking up,” she announces, “These are just the first, ah, the first signs. Like someone stirring in their sleep before finally waking up completely. I know it, I FELT it, but... it's not supposed to BE like this. So, ah, so what caused it? I have two, ah, two theories.”

“First. Lilith herself may be stirring, and Adam is simply reacting to her,” Karina continues, holding up an unsteady hand, “Or, second, the scientists at Temple may have done... something... to Adam, something that has, ah, disturbed his slumber.”

At this, Monroe lets out a load groan of dismay. You're all thinking the same thing. The very same lie you told to trick Leighton into this emergency meeting...

Maybe it wasn't so untrue after all.

[1/2]

>>3993884

“Okay people, listen up. This operation just jumped to priority one, so we'll need to act fast,” Monroe calls out, her voice brisk and quick, “Fletcher, I want that Colossus cleared for flight ASAP. Quentin, I want you to gather up any research materials you think you might need and prep them for transport – you may need to collaborate with Doctor Bergmann on this, will that be a problem?”

“No,” Brahms assures her, “I'm prepared to do my duty.”

“That's what I like to hear. Someone get me a status report from engineering – I want to know if the ADM Units suffered any damage during the... disturbance,” the commander continues, “We'll need to prepare an ADM team for transport as well. Holly, are you able to lead this operation?”

All eyes turn to you. It should be a simple operation, you tell yourself, just stay in position and make sure the BLUE EYE team don't try anything. God, but if they do try something... it could go wrong fast. “I'll do it,” you breathe, “But I'll need a partner – and a way to knock out the BLUE EYE team, if possible. Have we made any progress with that?”

“I believe so,” Brahms answers this, “Although these aren't exactly the most favourable circumstances. This would be the first actual field trial, so there may be issues yet to be ironed out. I can explain the matter in greater detail, but-”

“Save it for later,” Monroe interrupts, “Pilots. Do I have a volunteer? We may be facing human opposition, so... so if you don't think you can handle this operation, tell me now. I won't blame you for backing down now, but it won't be so easy once we're in the field. Does everyone understand?”

You glance across the other pilots. Kaori's face is ashen, and she tentatively shakes her head. Yulia says nothing, her expression bleak, while Juliet starts to say something only to falter halfway. “I can do it,” Claudia announces at last, “In fact, it looks like I might have to. Not exactly a great show of enthusiasm here, is it? I just have one question. This trip is all expenses paid, correct?”

“I don't think the budget can stretch far enough to meet your high standards, unfortunately,” Monroe remarks, giving the heiress a thin smile, “Juliet, I'd like you to come along too. I'll need to discuss this a little more. Later. In private. Kaori, Yulia, you two can check in with engineering and chase up that report. Are we all clear on our duties? Then let's go!”

It's not exactly the flurry of action that Monroe must have been hoping for, but the group starts to break up and go their separate ways. Everyone else knows exactly where they're going, but you...

>Stay behind with Juliet and Monroe
>Head down to the labs and help Brahms prepare
>If you're going to be partners, you should check on Claudia
>Visit engineering with Yulia and Kaori
>There's something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>3993885
>If you're going to be partners, you should check on Claudia

>>3993885
>Stay behind with Juliet and Monroe.
We see if she has a way to contact Lanig or Redpath.
Since Claudia is coming we should load close combat gear.

>>3993885
>>If you're going to be partners, you should check on Claudia

>>3993885
>If you're going to be partners, you should check on Claudia

Rising above the bustle and murmur of conversation, you hear the harsh click of Claudia's crutches. “Hey, Claudia!” you call out, peering around at the heiress, “Are you heading back to the dorm?”

“Where else would I be going?” she replies sharply, “I need to pack my things – by which, of course, I mean that I need to supervise Hester's packing. You wouldn't expect an injured girl to pack her own bag, would you?”

She'll take any excuse, that one. “Don't worry Claudia, I never expect anything from you,” you assure her, “I'll catch you up, okay? I've got a thing to do here first.”

Raising an eyebrow at the vague explanation, Claudia shrugs and lurches out. There's something painful about watching her uneven, ungainly stride, and you turn away with a grimace. Without comment, you sit down beside Juliet and give her a quick wink. Monroe look up from her notes, looking between Juliet and you before a frown starts to form on her face. She did mention wanting to talk in private, but...

“It's fine,” Juliet announces, “Anything you need to say to me, you can say it to Holly as well.”

“What, am I your lawyer now?” you remark, “Because my hourly rates are pretty high. Even on a NERV salary, you might-”

“Holly,” Monroe interrupts, holding up a hand to silence you. She waits for a moment, gathering her thoughts before continuing. “Juliet. I don't fully understand your... situation... but I know that your, um, associate is being held in Academy. Our top priority is negotiating the release of the prisoners held there, but I don't know how successful we'll be. The UN might want to play tough on this one,” she explains, “But even if we can't secure Julia – that IS what we're calling her, isn't it? - I thought you'd want to see her. Even that might be possible, but-”

“I understand,” Juliet murmurs, “I can see her. Talk to her. Let her know that we haven't forgotten about her. Oh, and organise a prison break.”

Dead silence.

“That last bit was a joke,” she explains, her cheeks darkening slightly.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Monroe shakes her head. “You know, I can never tell when you're... forget it. I know this isn't much, but I wanted you to have this opportunity,” she pauses, glancing briefly across at you, “Plus, there's no harm in having, um...”

“A spare pilot for Unit 02?” you suggest, giving Monroe a carefully neutral expression.

“We don't know how this is going to play out. You might be needed outside of your ADM, but we can't afford to be a man down. So, yes, there's no harm in bringing a spare,” Monroe concedes, “You're not about to come down with a case of professional jealousy, are you?”

“Me? Nah, never,” you reply, shaking your head, “Just be careful with that thing, Juliet. He's got a bit of a temper on him.”

“And that's coming from you,” Juliet deadpans, “Impressive.”

[1/?]

>>3993934

Monroe has a few more things to mention to Juliet, and this time it IS private. Juliet, sensing the seriousness in the commander's voice, doesn't argue. Leaving them to it, you return to the dorm and knock lightly at Claudia's door. Entering, you find the scene inside exactly as you imagined it – Claudia is stretched out on her bed, and Hester is neatly folding clothes into a small suitcase. The only difference is the amount of luggage prepared.

“Travelling light?” you remark, gesturing to the small case.

“The thing about travelling light is, it gives you an excuse to do some more shopping,” Claudia explains, although her coy grin soon fades, “Not that we're likely to get much of a chance for that. All business, no pleasure. Honestly, what kind of life is that?”

“The secret is to take pleasure from your business,” Hester suggests demurely, not even looking up from the blouse she is folding. It's easy for her to say, when her job consists mostly of cooking and cleaning. Then again, she has to put up with Claudia on a daily basis so... maybe it's not as easy as she makes it look. “Holly, do you need any help with your packing?” the maid adds, “If you have any clothes that need ironing, just bring them over and I'll get them ready for you.”

“Uh, thanks,” you reply, caught off-guard by the offer. Nodding happily to herself, Hester packs away the last of Claudia's luggage and closes the suitcase. She rises, bows deeply, slips out of the room. Once she's gone, Claudia sits up and meets your eye. “Volunteering for the operation, huh?” you begin, testing the waters, “I hope you're not planning on starting any trouble.”

Claudia tilts her head to the side. “Is that what you really think?” she asks quietly, “I volunteered for this operation because nobody else was going to do it. Kaori can't even look at Germany on a map without flinching, and Yulia... well, I find her rather unenthusiastic towards the whole idea of being a pilot. It's a job for her, not a lifestyle.” Grimacing, the heiress heaves herself to her feet and lurches a step towards you. “Besides, I'm sick of this. Being stuck in here, doing nothing because of this... this fucking leg!” she snarls, gesturing down at herself, “I hate limping about like some cripple, hate dragging these stupid crutches everywhere, hate people looking at me with... with...”

“Pity?” you suggest.

“Pity,” Claudia repeats, spitting the word out as if it was something bitter, “I'm going to recover. To hell with what Doctor Weick says. I'm going to get better. Not just good “enough”, but better than ever!”

>You should probably listen to Weick. I mean, he IS a doctor
>If anyone can do it, it's you. I believe in you!
>You know, it's okay to show a little weakness. Nobody would blame you
>I think... (Write in)
>Other

>>3993995
>If anyone can do it, it's you. I believe in you!

If Matheson could recover from Cancer with a little help a broken leg, or a missing eye should be no problem.

>>3993995
>If anyone can do it, it's you. I believe in you!
>But you know, it's okay to show a little weakness. Nobody would blame you

>>3993995
>If anyone can do it, it's you. I believe in you!
"It's going to take some hard work from what I've heard of limb therapy, but keep that fire in you and it'll be over before you know it."

>You know, it's okay to show a little weakness every now and then. Everyone has to vent every once and awhile.

>>3993995
>>If anyone can do it, it's you. I believe in you!
>other
I'd expect nothing less.

“You know what? If anyone can do it, it's you,” you decide, looking Claudia up and down, “It's going to be tough, from what I've heard about this physical therapy stuff, but you're not gonna let something like that keep you down, right? I believe in you, Claudia.”

“You... what?” Claudia replies, blinking in confusion at your unexpected answer, “I mean... I mean, that's right! I won't let a little pain get in my way, and I won't let anyone stop me!”

“But you know, you don't have to do it alone. You can show a little weakness now and again, even if you just need to vent to someone,” you point out, glancing nervously down at her distant crutches. Without them, Claudia looks like she might tumble over at any minute. It's like hearing her voice coming through Karina's frail body – a rather unsettling thought. “Now, you wanna sit back down before you fall down?” you blurt out at last, unable to hold the words back, “If you fall down, I'd need to help you up and it would be a massive pain in the butt.”

With a disdainful sniff, Claudia relents and sits back down on her bed. “Well, I certainly wouldn't want to inconvenience you,” she remarks, “God, anything but that!” Lying back in bed, she stares up at the ceiling for a while. All traces of spite and cynicism slip away from her face, leaving behind something oddly vulnerable. “Do you ever... think about that night?” she asks softly, “I keep thinking about it. About how close we came to dying.”

“Without our ADM Units, we're as vulnerable as anyone else,” you agree, “When the Lilim appeared, I really wondered if... We're lucky Dakota did what she did.”

You're lucky. Dakota is still suffering because of it.

“Just for that moment, I realised how they must feel. Normal people, I mean,” the heiress breathes, “No matter how strong you are, how rich or powerful you might be, you're nothing compared with a Lilim... or an ADM Unit. We must seem like gods to them.”

“I wish,” you reply, with a grunt of laughter, “Then they might stop trying to fuck with us so much.”

“Oh, I don't think that's ever going to happen,” she agrees with a laugh of her own, “But it's nice to dream, isn't it?” Sighing heavily, she glances at the clock on her wall. “I suppose we should head back to the meeting room before Commander Monroe sends out a search party,” she continues, rising to her unsteady feet and glancing at her luggage, “Say, Holly, since we're the very bestest of friends right now, would you-”

“Carry your own fucking bags,” you interrupt, slapping her on the arm with enough force to send her staggering.

[1/?]

>>3994069

Monroe hums along to the radio as she drives, bobbing her head to the twangy cowboy music. Fletcher's expression, visible in the rear-view mirror, is pained. “Rainer,” he announces, raising his voice over the radio, “Be advised. The engineering team are reporting some issues with Unit 03's leg armour. They haven't been able to pinpoint the cause yet, so it might seize up on you. If that happens, just stay calm and do your best to keep moving.”

“Huh?” Monroe asks, glancing around, “When did Unit 03 sustain any damage?”

Beside you, Claudia's lips draw back in a silent grimace. Unit 03 wasn't damaged in combat, you both know that well enough. This was something else. Up front, Fletcher says something else to Monroe but this time the music drowns him out. She nods slightly, saying nothing as the airstrip draws into view. The Colossus rises above a teeming crowd of NERV staff working to get the ADM Units stowed aboard. Even at a distance, it's an impressive sight – so many people working in practised harmony, working without the slightest lapse in concentration.

“I do hope you got us seats in first class,” Claudia remarks in her usual haughty tones, “I won't be happy if we'll be flying into Berlin without any decent legroom.”

“Claudia,” Juliet groans, “You won't be happy either way!”

“Maybe so, but that's no excuse!” Claudia counters, “Anyway, if you're so happy with miserable conditions, I'm sure we could fold you up and keep you with the luggage.”

“At least then I'd get some peace and quiet,” Juliet shoots back, smiling faintly to herself. Claudia scoffs and looks away, but you notice Juliet taking her out her journal and scratching down a quick note – a summary of the conversation, you assume, so she can tell the story to Dakota later.

If Dakota ever wakes up.

-

Claudia's fears are put to rest when you board the Colossus – there's more legroom than you know what to do with, and the seats are pretty comfortable too. A far cry from the usual wrecks you're provided with, that's for sure. As you're all getting strapped in, one last figure hurries aboard the aeroplane and sits heavily down. Heads turn to follow him, and a stunned silence falls across the entire crew.

“You!” Monroe gasps at last, “You're dead!”

“I got better,” Elrow replies, flashing her a harried smile, “Besides, we all have important work to do. This is no time to be playing dead. Shall we?”

As Fletcher leans over to whisper a few murmured comments to Elrow, you slump back in your seat and puzzle over this latest addition to your party. If he's coming with you, is that a good sign or a warning of things to come? He wouldn't come along unless he was confident that your mission will be successful. Or he's coming along because he thinks the negotiations will fail without him.

Or there's a third possibility – he smells an opportunity, and he's not going to let it pass him by.

[2/3]

>>3994069
“Carry your own fucking bags,” you interrupt, slapping her on the arm with enough force to send her staggering.
Holly what the fuck is wrong with you

>>3994127

Within the Colossus' vast metal belly, you totally cut off from the outside world. You barely feel like you're flying at all, in fact. At the front of the craft, the adults are huddled together in hushed conversation. Back in the rear, you sit with the other two pilots and pretend that you're not eavesdropping. The act doesn't last long. “So,” you whisper, “What do you think they're talking about?”

“Secret adult stuff,” Juliet suggests, “Politics, specifically. Look how bored Doctor Brahms is – he hates that stuff.”

“They're trying to decide exactly how the UN are going to play it. The problem is, they no longer believe that Leighton can be trusted to act in a logical or rational way,” Claudia whispers, giving you both a smug grin, “I have good ears, remember?”

“I mean, you could just be making that up and we wouldn't know,” you point out, stubbornly refusing to be impressed.

“Go and ask them then,” Claudia suggests, giving you a daring look, “Go on then, try your luck.”

Glaring at her for a moment, you shrug and march over to the adults. “Nice little conspiracy you've got going on here, mind if I join?” you begin, “What are we about scheming today?”

Fletcher and Monroe trade a glance, neither of them willing to be the first to speak. It falls to Elrow to break the silence. “I was just sharing a few of my concerns with the group,” he explains, spreading his hands wide in a calming gesture, “Truth be told, I'm afraid of what Leighton might do. These days, it seems like we can't trust him to act in a logical or rational way.”

You glance back. Claudia, still with that cocky grin on her face, stares back at you.

-

“Listen. Gotta tell you something,” you murmur to Elrow, glancing over at the others to make sure you're out of earshot, “Fletcher probably mentioned this already, but, uh, Matheson is gone. Dead, I mean. She-”

“I know,” Elrow interrupts, raising a hand to hush you, “It doesn't matter now.”

“It doesn't...” you pause, “But you were... you really wanted to keep her alive. What's so different now?”

“Don't get me wrong. I would have been happier if she had backed down, if she had seen sense, but we can't afford to look back now. We can't let ourselves get tied down by doubts and regrets. When all this is over, we can mourn. For now, we need to get this situation under control. I hate to say it, but that might be easier with Matheson out of the picture,” Elrow explains quickly, quietly, “We mustn't let the perfect become the enemy of the good, yes? So what do you say?”

>Sure, I guess you're right
>I think... (Write in)
>Other

>>3994200
>Sure, I guess you're right

>>3994200
>I think... (Write in)
That doesn't mean we should stop at the first serviceable option that we come up with.

Since we now know where Bergmann and the others are being held, we could wake Bergmann up ask her some questions, see what she says, offer her an ultimatum then put her back if she doesn't agree to the terms.


Some additional questions to ask are;
Do you know where Julia is being held, and do you know what happened to Johanna / where Matheson got her clone from.

>>3994200
>You know WHY she died, right? I don't mean what I did, I mean how she just gave up after Adrian died.
>Could you tell me what you think about that? It might help with how Leighton is doing everything he can to stop Lilith.

>>3994200
>I think... (Write in)
"So what's your role in all of this? Think you'll be able to help talk Leighton down? If he doesn't budge and decides the best course is to eliminate Avalon where are you going to stand? It might be easier for your original SEELE idea of control at all costs if you sided with him. I gave you the courtesy of not telling you what you wanted to hear back in that parking garage. I hope I can receive the same courtesy."

I don't trust him. He hasn't earned that yet.

“Just because we're not shooting for perfection, that doesn't mean we should stop at the first serviceable option we find,” you counter, “We need to figure out the best way to handle this. Once Bergmann is free, we can see what she knows. Maybe find a way to really fix this whole mess.”

“Doctor Bergmann. Hmm,” Elrow winces slightly, “At this point, I'd be concerned about what she might do. The phrase “scorched earth” comes to mind whenever I think about that woman. I definitely agree that her knowledge may prove vital, but... better that we keep her at a distance, I should say. For all we know, these latest disturbances with Adam are because of what she started. I don't fancy giving her a chance to finish the job.”

No matter what they do, no matter what they try, Bergmann will always exist outside their system. They can't control her, and that scares them. “Okay. Fine. So Bergmann doesn't get a say in this,” you mutter, “What about you? What role do you play? Because it seems to me that if Leighton doesn't see sense, if he's set on making this a war, you might find it real easy to join his side again. What's your play here?”

“My “play” is to keep Leighton from starting a fight he can't win, whether that's with NERV or with the Lilim. Any fight between NERV and the UN will weaken mankind as a whole, and that only benefits the Lilim,” Elrow explains, “Once, Leighton would have been able to see that. Now, I'm not sure what he's thinking. If it was anyone else, I might wonder if he was having a breakdown, but Leighton and I... we passed through Second Impact together. He wouldn't break now.”

“Matheson did,” you point out, thinking back to that lonesome island tomb, “After Adrian... Amon... died, she just gave up. What does that mean to you?”

“They had a strange... relationship. Not one that a man like me could ever really understand. Amon showed us all what we wanted to see, what we so desperately wanted. I saw an apprentice – a bright, brilliant student who could carry on my work. Kinsley saw profit, of course, and Leighton...” here, Elrow pauses for thought, “I think he saw Amon as a way of keeping Lilith at bay. But perhaps we all came to rely on that perfect illusion he created for us, and without it...”

“So what, was I just supposed to NOT kill him?” you snap, scowling hard at the older man, “Just let him do what he wanted to us?”

“I rather think he didn't give you much choice,” he concludes, “As I said before, I don't think this is the time to obsess over past choices. For now, I'd much rather focus on the immediate future.”

“Sure,” you agree, glancing back at where Juliet sits, “About that...”

[1/?]

>>3994310

“My friend there, she's got someone locked up in Academy. Doc Bergmann isn't their only prisoner, after all. Do you know where they might be keeping her?” you explain, thinking back to the strange encounter you and Juliet had with Julia, “Probably some big... operating theatre looking room. Very white, with an upper level for people to look down from. Does that ring any bells?”

“Sterile containment. When Academy was rebuilt, we still weren't sure about the exact nature of the Lilim. We hadn't discounted the possibility of capturing a small specimen, holding it for study and observation. Foolishness, of course, but we didn't know any better,” Elrow suggests, “Now, the area isn't used for anything. It sounds like your associate may be being held there.”

“Great,” you sigh, “So how do we get her out?”

“Asking nicely?” he offers, giving you a weary smile.

-

As the Colossus is coming down to land outside Berlin, Doctor Brahms settles down into the seat beside you. “BLUE EYE,” he begins, “I believe we can disable their connection to HQ, preventing any orders from being issued. Their Nephilim Units have a number of systems in common with your ADM Units – the radios among them. It may take a moment to lock in on their signals, but I believe we can jam their communications. The BLUE EYE team are trained to act with constant communication and coordination. Removing this link should send them into disarray.”

“It's a dirty trick, but I'll take whatever I can get,” you reply, “Here's hoping we won't need it, right? So now that we've got our secret weapon, what's the play here?”

“We'll be landing soon. First, we unload the ADM Units – if Leighton wants to hit us, that's the best time for him to do it. So, you know, that's going to be fun,” Monroe announces, leaning over to you, “Once we get the ADM Units clear, we'll be advancing into the city to meet up with Leighton and the BLUE EYE team. Local media's been briefed, told it's some... I don't know the exact story, some ceremonial thing. Officially welcoming the Nephs to active service or something.”

How charming.

“Anyway. You guys just need to stand there and look intimidating. We'll be speaking with Leighton, laying out the ground rules. If everything goes well, we'll pretend to be civilised human beings and take the negotiations indoors,” she continues, “Easy, right?”

“Sure, great,” you mutter, “It'll be over and done in no time, unless something goes wrong and we all die horribly.”

“That's the spirit!” Monroe laughs, clapping you on the shoulder.

[2/3]

>>3994360

Lying in the long grass a short distance away from the airstrip, you stare up into the sky and watch the sun set. Behind you, the air shivers with the industrial sounds of the ADM Units being deployed. Tuning it out as best you can, you draw in a calming breath. Claudia, lying nearby, echoes your sigh. “This is nice, isn't it?” she thinks aloud, “I keep expecting to see a flight of bombers flying overhead.”

“I had JUST stopped thinking about that,” you complain, “So thanks for reminding me.”

“Any time,” the heiress replies sweetly.

-

“The UN forces have set up a power supply at Academy. Until we arrive, run on minimal power,” Monroe orders, her voice crackling through the radio, “Don't give them a single reason to think we're starting trouble. So, no sudden movements and no brandishing weapons, understood?”

“Got it, chief,” you murmur back, your gaze already fixed on the giant shapes looming against the Berlin sky. The Nephilim Units look like blurry shapes from this distance, vague but hideously suggestive. The wide city streets have been cleared of traffic, thankfully, so you don't need to worry about squashing anyone's car. You can keep your gaze fixed upon the Nephilim Units. Slowly but surely, details come into view. Smooth, curved armour – somehow more organic than your ADM Unit, almost beetle-like. Shorter than you expected, maybe a head shorter than ADM Unit 02. Uniform blue and white colouration, that old familiar shade of UN blue. Long spears held proudly upright, their tips glinting in the fading light.

“Ugly beasts,” Claudia growls over the radio, “They look like bugs. Makes me want to step on them.”

“Easy now,” you urge, not taking your eyes away from the Nephilim Units, “Save it for the Lilim.”

Claudia grumbles something, but you don't catch the words. The rest of the world seems to drop away as your gaze is drawn to Nephilim Unit 06 – Ava's unit – and the weapon it carries. Different to the other spears, this one has a jagged and misshapen blade. From the moment your eye falls upon it, you know what it is.

A fragment of Excalibur.

>I think I need to pause this here for today. I'm going to try and continue this on Wednesday, but I might need to change plans last minute. Updates to come on that front
>Thank you for your contributions today!

>>3994395
Thanks for the run.

We should probably warn Ava about Coraline at some point, since she can teleport and would likely take an interest in the shard she is carrying.

>>3994395
Thanks for running

Hope we don't have to fight these girls. They may be inexperienced but 5v2 with a sword fragment isn't great odds.

>>3995040
They're short though. We can put a hand on her head and hold her too far away to hit us.

>>3995837
no bullying the nuke on a stick

Just going to put this out there, something that could help our chances with convincing Leighton that allowing Holly to try one last time to get Bergman to stop her scheming and actually help prevent the end of the world for once, the reality of Matheson's fear mongering would be transferring the memories of the following.
>Matheson and Bergmann's last encounter
Where Amon tells Matheson that Bergmann didn't have a plan. Thread #16 post >>3893468 , exchange starts >>3893264
>The entirety of Matheson speech at Ground Zero.
Since it is a good way to highlight what Matheson has been doing this entire time. Thread #17 post>>3941155
>The revealed conversation between Leightion and Matheson.post>>3983241
In order to prove that these were actually recovered from Matheson and we didn't just make them up.

>>3998051
>Matheson and Bergmann's last encounter
Well the issue is that Fletcher's opening move was to tell Leighton that Bergmann *did* have a trap in place. Ironically it was Matheson's own fear mongering that is letting this meeting happen. It might be better to lean into it slightly with Adam's recent movements and saying that Bergmann is the only one that can "keep things under control" on that front. On top of that making it clear that Holly is the only one Bergmann will realistically work with because we:

>Rescued Johanna
>Killed Matheson
>Killed Amon
>Agree with Killing Lilith
>Have a matching eyepatch

It's also clear that she'll never work directly for Leighton or any SEELE. She rightfully hates them.

>The entirety of Matheson speech at Ground Zero.
>The revealed conversation between Leightion and Matheson.

Hmm, I wonder about that. I don't know how commonly known it is for Holly to be able to float around and melt people. Telling him exactly what happened might make him fear Holly more than anything which wouldn't be good. His paranoia would skyrocket. It might be better to get him to admit to his plan of serving us to Lilith and then going "That sounds like something Matheson would come up with" and go from there.

>>3998058
in reality Bergmann goes into a tiny amount detail about her plan after we corner her with Vic after we return from visiting Temple Thread # 15post >>3866990 encounter starts ,>>3866845

>>3998238
Also something we could sugest wiould be having Bhrams sitting over her sholder double checking her work and providing Leighton with updates.

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Berlin, Germany

They had a rota for making breakfast, the girls of the BLUE EYE unit, and this was Emma's turn. Normally, she found it tedious – not that she hated cooking, but there was nothing fun about slopping some water into pre-measured portions of dry food. Today, though, she was glad of the chance to get up early and work in silence. Yesterday had been a bad day, a disastrous day, and there was a cloud still lingering over the new day.

A hiss of frustration escaped Emma's lips as she spilled water across the kitchen table. She hadn't been paying attention, hadn't been looking at what she was doing, and now she had a mess to clean up. Leaning heavily on the table, she hung her head and let out a long, slow sigh. It was all coming back to her now – the simulated operation, the sudden spasm of violence, the sense of... fucking it all up. Again.

“Damn it,” she whispered, blinking away tears, “Damn it, DAMN it-”

“Emma?”

The voice, as fine and brittle as porcelain, caused Emma to turn. Evelyn stood at the entrance to the common room, gazing in with her flat and lifeless eyes. Hurriedly rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands, Emma gestured for the younger girl to enter. She did so at a careful pace, creeping around Emma in a wide circle before taking a seat. The distance felt like a wound, an act of involuntary cruelty. “H-hey, Evelyn, shouldn't you be in bed?” Emma began, attempting to sound somehow normal, “I was just getting breakfast ready and, um, I got it pretty much under control so-”

“Are you okay?” Evelyn interrupted, “You seem... worried.”

Emma couldn't stop the harsh laugh. Evelyn flinched a little at the sound, but she didn't turn her eyes away from Emma. Before she realised it was happening, Emma heard the words flooding out of her. “Worried? Shit yes I'm worried! I'm worried because I screwed up again and Ava is going to report this because OF COURSE she's going to report this. Fucking regulations, right? She's got to report any and all anomalies, that's her JOB. So now I'm worried that I'm gonna get fired and...” she paused, finally halting the babbling flow, “And can we talk about something else? Like, literally anything else?”

“Hm,” Evelyn eventually managed to reply, “Anything else.”

“I just don't wanna think about this crap right now, y'know?” Emma sighed, “Just give me something to take my mind off it.”

“Hm,” the younger girl repeated, thinking to herself for a moment, “Well. Fiona has been nagging me a lot lately. I think she's getting bored here with just us around. She always liked it when Mister Huxley visited, but I haven't seen him for a while. I wonder if he's busy...”

“Adrian?” Emma muttered with a frown, “He can stay gone as far as I'm concerned.”

“Oh,” Evelyn paused, “Do you not... get along?”

[1/4]

>>3999136

Emma was silent for a long moment, unsure whether to speak up or stay silent. It wasn't an easy thing to talk about, but she felt a sudden urge to confess. It had always felt wrong, keeping a secret from her fellow pilots, but there was never a good time to talk about it either. Until now, at least. “I don't, uh, hate the guy. I just never felt super comfortable around him,” Emma began, taking a deep breath before plunging onwards, “I had a dream about him once. It was... weird.”

“Weird,” Evelyn repeated simply, considering the word for a long moment.

“It's not like that!” Emma added hastily, “It was shortly after we arrived here, um, just after he visited us for the first time. So in my dream, I was in bed here at the dorm. I was the only one still awake, and I could see him standing outside the bunk. He had a... a knife in his hand. Just a little thing, but I felt so scared. Except... he didn't hurt me at all, he just pricked his finger with it. I could see him bleeding, but he didn't seem to be in pain or anything. He just held his finger out to me and...”

But she couldn't. Couldn't finish that thought, couldn't bear to say the words aloud. Most dreams, Emma forgot straight away, but this one remained raw in her memory. She still remembered the way she suckled desperately at the bleeding finger, tasting the vital fluid on her tongue. She still remembered the grin Adrian wore as he gazed down at her. Just thinking about it sent a shiver running down her spine... but it also made her feel warm inside, warmed by a feeling she couldn't name.

“I don't really understand,” Evelyn admitted at last, raising her delicate shoulders in a tiny shrug, “It was just a dream.”

“Yeah, I KNOW it was just a dream. I looked all over the dorm in the morning, but I couldn't find any trace of him. So it had to be a dream, right?” Emma complained, gesturing vaguely, “But every time he visited, he looked at me like... like he knew all about it.”

Evelyn considered this in silence for another long moment. She seemed about to speak when they were interrupted by a third voice. “Heeeeey, it's breakfast time!” Fiona called out from the bedroom, “What's the hold up?”

Emma and Evelyn traded a look before laughing, banishing their uneasy conversation and focusing on the task at hand. “Coming right up!” Emma shouted back, “I sure hope you're hungry!”

-

There was a routine in the BLUE EYE dorm, a schedule they stuck to with an almost religious fervour. After breakfast, Ava would lead the team through a series of exercises. Then they would study until lunch, with the afternoon spent running simulated training operations. The evening was their leisure time, lasting until bed. Today shouldn't have been any different, but-

But it was.

[2/4]

>>3999137

“Listen up. You'll be on your own this morning. I have a meeting to attend,” Ava announced, her voice hard, “Don't just waste the time by being idle. Treat it as extra study time, or run an extra training operation. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it's productive.”

This announcement was met with a chorus of groans. Ignoring them, Ava carried her breakfast dishes over to the kitchen and marched out. It was only after she left the dorm that she allowed her shoulders to sag, her expression to darken. This wasn't normal, wasn't... conventional. Not just an outside meeting, but a meeting with the director. Deep down, she had an idea of what the meeting could be about. Yesterday, the training operation had ended badly – friendly fire, collateral damage, a complete breakdown of team cohesion – and yet she had failed to report it.

She wasn't sure why. The failure was due to just one member of the team, but it weakened the entire unit. A faulty component needed to be replaced, but command couldn't act unless she reported it. She had a DUTY to report it, but she hadn't said a word. Not this. This was a serious breach of the regulations.

Ava barely noticed the UN soldiers escorting her to the director's office. They knocked once, ushering the girl in before leaving her alone with the old man. Immediately, Ava was struck by how old he seemed compared with the last time. He looked old, and very tired. Only adding to the grim image, a heavy revolver lay casually on the desk before him. Ava pretended not to notice the gun, snapping a brisk salute. “Director Leighton,” she barked, “You wanted to see me?”

“...Ava,” the director began, searching for the name, “Are your team ready for a field operation?”

The bottom fell out of Ava's stomach, the simple question filling her mind with doubts and fears. Bitterly aware that she was incriminating herself, she nodded. “Yes sir. My team have been training regularly. They're all intimately familiar with the Nephilim Units,” she paused, “In the simulated operations, that is. This would be their first field operation.”

“I see,” he murmured to himself, “Tell me, Ava, do you understand the concept of brinkmanship? Pushing a situation to the brink of disaster in pursuit of victory. Once, men flirted with the idea of nuclear war. I find myself thinking about those men a lot these days, wondering how they must have felt. They gambled with the fate of the entire world, not just their own people. Lesser men might have broken under that kind of pressure.”

Ava remained silent, suddenly unsure about the purpose of the meeting. The director barely seemed to notice her, his eyes fixed on something only he could see.

[3/4]

>>3999139

“Lilith cannot be destroyed. Contained, maybe, perhaps even controlled, but not destroyed. We've prepared for this, we've been planning this for almost twenty years, but now things are coming apart. NERV has become a rogue element, a liability we can scarcely afford. Mankind MUST stand united against the Lilim,” the director continued, massaging his brow, “We've isolated them, starved them of resources and allies. We've done everything we can to push them into one choice – to surrender to UN authority, or to fight.”

“To fight, sir?” Ava hesitated, “But sir, a conflict with NERV would only help the Lilim.”

“Yes. And NERV must know that. They must want to avoid a war as much as we do, but not at the cost of surrendering. So, we must hold our ground and hope that they back down first,” he sighed, “Brinkmanship, you see?”

Ava saw. She saw that this man was willing to risk disaster, knowing full well that he would be shielded from the consequences. She saw the fervour with which he clung to the idea. Having gone this far, there was no turning back. Listening to the director speak, she felt a strange sense of... contempt. “I see... sir,” she replied quietly, “Then, this is our only option?”

“If only it was that simple,” he grunted, reaching out to touch the revolver as if seeking reassurance from it, “Should we offer NERV up as a sacrifice in hopes of placating Lilith? Should we aim for the impossible and fight, like that witch says? Desperate, grasping chances either way. Better for us all, for mankind as a whole, if NERV is brought back under our control. Then, perhaps, we can stand united once again. That is my wish. And you? What would YOU do, Ava?”

Another hesitation. “I...” Ava began, faltering, “I would follow orders, sir.”

“Good girl. If only more people were you like you...” the old man murmured to himself, slowly turning the cylinder of his revolver, “NERV will be coming here soon. To negotiate the terms of their surrender, I hope. If not... your team are prepared to fight, yes?”

More doubts, stinging like drops of acid. Ava thrust them aside, forcing herself to meet the director's gaze. “Yes sir. We'll follow your orders,” she spat, bringing her hand up in another salute, “For the glory of mankind!”

>This concludes today's bonus interlude. Regular updates should – hopefully – continue on Saturday
>Thank you for reading along today, and I'm sorry for all the delays!

>>3999140
Thanks for the interlude, and also OH BOY HERE WE GO

>>3999137
So did Adrian do the same thing to Holly? Stick an innocuous amount of Lilim blood in her?

>>3999140
>For the glory of mankind
you cheeky breeki

>>3999139
>Are your team ready
>My team have been
Plural? Interesting. Perhaps they admit that they are not a well-honed machine.

>>3999898
Lilim And adam blood

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You stand firm, facing down the massed Nephilim Units. Silently, they stare back – at least, you think they're staring back. Without any visible eyes, it's hard to tell. You feel them staring though, a feeling that starts at the base of your spine and creeps outwards like a chill. Even in the warmth of the LCL, you shiver. It's like that uncanny valley or spooky mountain or whatever the hell they call it – you're looking at something that is ALMOST an ADM Unit, but the similarity only makes it seem more alien.

Then your radio groan into life, a hissing rush of whispers flooding into your entry plug. The whispers seem to multiply, growing less and less distinct until one single voice rises up from the churn. The voice calls out...

“Hey, don't they let you paint those things?” Fiona laughs, “All that grey is super lame!”

“Zwei!” Ava barks, “Radio discipline!”

So much for their attempts at intimidation.

-

In the space of a few short moments, everything changes. The BLUE EYE unit visibly relax, allowing their spears to droop a little. Ava is the only one who holds her stance, albeit with a rather wounded sense of pride. Still, it's no laughing matter. It wasn't so long ago that you were talking about breaking into their radios. Now, it seems like the BLUE EYE team has had the same idea. True, you're not quite as reliant on orders as they are, but it's still a bad sign.

As if hearing some unspoken order, the Nephilim Units snap to attention. A moment later, an armoured truck emerges from Academy. An escort of UN soldiers surround it, marching in step as the truck approaches your party. The truck pulls to a halt and more soldiers appear, with Leighton himself following them out. He gestures to the soldiers as he emerges, nodding for them to lower their weapons as Monroe approaches. Fixing your sights on the party, you zoom in until they fill your field of view.

“Miss Monroe,” Leighton begins, his voice caught and amplified by the ADM's systems, “Have you come to surrender to UN authority?”

“Surrender? Sir, with all due respect, we have far more important things to discuss,” Monroe answers, hesitating for a second before adding, “And it's “Commander Monroe”, actually.”

“Oh? Commander of what, exactly?” Leighton counters, “You and your people are rogue, acting without any legal authorisation. You have nothing, no official resources and no jurisdiction. You don't even own those ADM Units!”

“And you do?” Fletcher asks quietly, “Get real, Leighton. You can't “own” these things. We can make use of them, but that doesn't mean we control them. Look at what's going on at Temple, look at what's happening to Adam. That isn't something you can order around, any more than you can order around a nuclear reaction. So can we stop playing politics and focus on the matter at hand?”

Dead silence.

[1/2]

>>4001896

“I agree,” Leighton announces at last, “This is bigger than any of us. This is bigger than personal pride or faction loyalty. We need to come together and face our real enemy as one. You can't fight the Lilim without resources, without UN support. I could have a shipment of biomass delivered to Avalon by the end of the week. Just say the word.”

How generous of him. He's offering you all this, and it doesn't come with a single catch. All you'll have to do is bend the knee and follow your fucking orders. Far down below you, Monroe considers the offer in silence. You can't see her face, but you can imagine the wry smile she wears. As the silence draws out, you risk another glance at the Nephilim Units. A few of them have their blunt heads tilted to the side, as if listening closely to something only they can hear, but one unit – 05, to judge by the markings painted on the smooth armour – gives you a furtive, timid wave.

Movement down below, Doctor Brahms pushing past Fletcher to stand in front of Leighton. Rifles jerk up to meet his sudden approach, but Leighton gestures them away. “Sir, I must insist that you take this seriously!” Brahms cries, “If Adam's slumber is disturbed, we could be faced with a new threat – a threat equal to any that Lilith poses, perhaps even greater. I need priority access to Doctor Bergmann and our facilities at Temple. We must assess the situation and figure out the extent of the risk.”

“Mankind won't be very united if Adam wakes up and kills us all,” Monroe adds, “He might not even mean to do it. An AT Field of sufficient strength would be catastrophic, isn't that right Doctor Brahms?”

The rest of the conversation is lost in a rising wash of static, a faint ringing sounding in your ears. Looking aside, you see a pale figure standing atop one of the nearby rooftops. Scoping in on her, you see familiar golden hair and piercing blue eyes. Never quite looking your way, Coraline raises her finger to her lips as if urging silence. Ensnared by the sight of her, you begin to turn her way only to feel a heavy hand on your shoulder. Jolting around, you look into Unit 03's blank face. “Reynolds!” Claudia hisses, “Stop spacing out!”

You risk a glance back at the rooftop. No Coraline, no trace of her. With your heart pounding in your chest, you try to focus on the meeting down below. It's hard to follow what's going on, but it doesn't look like it's going well. Leighton, that stubborn bastard, isn't giving an inch. Even in the face of annihilation, he won't give a fucking inch.

>Just stand guard and wait. You're not here to negotiate
>Try and contact the BLUE EYE team. Maybe they can help out here
>Join in with the negotiations. You'll be able to shout Leighton down at least
>There's something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>4001897
>Just stand guard and wait. You're not here to negotiate
I doubt Leighton would listen to the BLUE EYEs and all our negotiation tends to end in violence.

>>4001897
>Join in with the negotiations. You'll be able to shout Leighton down at least.
Juliet should be able to take over from here, and we have valuable insight that could be used to help convince Leighton.

>>4001897
>Other on a private channel with Claudia
"I just saw Coraline. I guess it makes sense that she'd want to check this out. Hopefully she'll just be spectating, but you never know. Keep an eye out."

>Join in with the negotiations. You'll be able to shout Leighton down at least
Less shout down and more poke holes in everything in front of everyone. I'm pretty happy we are going to have an audience for this.

>>4001905
If we mention anything about Coraline we should mention Ava's fragment, since that would likely be her goal

>>4001897
I don't even know which exactly orders have we been not following.

>Try and contact the BLUE EYE team. Maybe they can help out here
At least make them hesitate when Leighton gives order 66.

Fumbling with the radio, you open up a private channel to Claudia. At least, you hope it's a private channel. Pushing the lingering doubts aside, you begin to speak. “We might have trouble. I just saw Coraline, over on that rooftop. I guess it makes sense that she'd want to observe this, but stay on your guard. If she wants to do more than watch, it could be bad for all of us,” you instruct, “It wouldn't take much to start a fight here, you know?”

“That's all we need...” Claudia mutters wearily to herself, “Fine. So if I'm looking out for HER, what are you going to be doing?”

“Looks like Monroe could use some help with the negotiations,” you reply, nodding down to the group assembled down below, “Plus, I'm sorta curious how loud I can be in this thing. You think I can shout Leighton off his feet?”

“Please no,” the heiress pleads, but you ignore her. Moving slowly, carefully, you lower Unit 02 down to one knee and crouch down beside Leighton's transport. He stops talking immediately, involuntarily taking a step back away from you. Even Monroe falls silent, staring at you in confusion. Fletcher quickly hides a wolfish grin behind a mask of professional calm, placing a hand on Brahms' shoulder to stop the doctor from approaching you.

Well. This is awkward.

“Please, don't stop on my account,” you begin, resisting the urge to blast Leighton with the full force of your amplified voice, “It's a little hard to hear you from all the way of there, you see.”

Monroe hurriedly clears her throat, trying not to giggle as Leighton glares at you. “I'm glad that you're finding this so amusing,” he snarls, undisguised anger showing on his face, “That weapon, that machine, was once mankind's greatest hope for salvation. Now, you're using it like a cheap toy.” With a grimace, he turns away and gives Monroe a dark scowl. “Standards of discipline have slipped since we left NERV in your hands, I see,” he remarks, “These pilots of yours have brought their office into disrepute, and you've done nothing to stop them. In fact, it seems like you've encouraged them.”

“Not so long ago, you were eager to put me back on active duty,” you point out, “Did you think I'd be so grateful that I'd follow any shit orders you gave us? I'm not the sort who just blindly follows orders.”

“No, you're not,” Leighton agrees, “You're the sort who blindly destroys anything you set eyes on, without ever considering the consequences of your actions.”

“And you're ignoring the consequences of YOUR actions,” you counter, “Like, we're standing here bickering while Adam is... we don't even know WHAT he's doing, but we know it's going to be bad! Are you really prepared to let that happen?” Leaning down a little more, you lower your voice until it barely whispers from the ADM. “You've already caused ONE catastrophe,” you murmur, “Are you really that eager for another?”

At last, a flicker of hesitation.

[1/2]

>>4001943

The silence draws out. Leighton gazes up into Unit 02's blank muzzle, his expression thoughtful. “Doctor Brahms,” he announces at last, without looking around, “This threat you're suggesting. How certain are you?”

“All the evidence we have points towards a disruption in Adam's stasis,” Brahms answers, “However, I would need to study the materials directly. And, I would need to discuss the situation with Doctor Bergmann. I believe she may have vital information that she may not have disclosed to you.”

“Oh yes, the trap she so boldly gloated about. We've already discounted that possibility. It was a bluff, nothing more,” Leighton snaps, “It was a waste of our time.”

If there was ever a slight crack in Leighton's guard, it seems to be closing up again. With a sudden spasm of desperation, you disengage the entry plug. Metal grinds together and air hisses as the armour plate retracts and the plug jolts free. Throwing the door open, you clamber out and drop down to the ground with a splash of LCL. Not even trying to hide his disgust, Leighton steps back so you don't drip on him. “This isn't about a trap or a trick or some shitty scorched earth tactic. She made a MISTAKE, that's all, and we need to fix it. Leighton, sir, just hear us out!” you insist, shivering a little as you gesture around, “This, all this, isn't necessary. It was NEVER necessary! What did we do wrong, what orders did we go against? All we've ever done was fight the Lilim, just like we were supposed to do!”

Your words hang in the air for a few long seconds. Fletcher approaches, draping his jacket around your shoulders as you shiver. Leighton glares at him, but the mercenary returns the look with a bland expression.

“What good does it do, fighting the Lilim, if it just serves to wake their master? You're young, Reynolds. You lack perspective. You can win every battle, but still lose the war,” Leighton argues, although the strength has bled from his voice, “We've studied the Akashic Record. Lilith could breathe new life into her children and undo everything you've achieved. Everything you've done will be for nothing if she wakes. Lilith herself must be pacified. We had a plan in place, but...”

But. But you know what this is about. “But Amon had to go and get himself killed,” you finish, “And Lilith finally noticed that we exist.”

“What were they supposed to do?” Monroe demands, stepping in and jabbing a furious finger into Leighton's chest, “He would have KILLED them, for God's sake! Don't blame them just because... because you can't control your monster!”

Leighton slaps her hand away, but says nothing. Maybe there's nothing he CAN say.

“What are we supposed to do?” you ask, whispering the words, “Lie down and die, just so you can build your perfect world?”

[2/3]

>>4001990
Let me get this straight. SEELE's plans got fucked because Amon attacked so Leighton, instead of using his words, thought it was a good time to sabotage and kill off half of humanity's strength. That's why Dakota is in a coma right now. Leighton has the biggest brain.

>>4001990

“What are we supposed to do?” Monroe repeats, fixing Leighton with a firm look, “If we did give up, surrender ourselves to UN authority, whatever you want to call it... if we DID do that, what then? What “orders” would we be following?”

This time, Leighton is the one who gestures around at the open area. “This is no place for a detailed discussion,” he argues, “Inside. We can finish this conversation then.”

“In there?” Fletcher asks mildly, nodding towards Academy, “With all due respect, sir, that could be considered enemy territory. I see a lot of blue helmets, and we forgot to bring our own army.”

“If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't need to bring you inside Academy to do it,” Leighton grunts, although his bravado sounds hollow, “But these... discussions... may take some time. I'm an old man, Mister Fletcher, I'd rather not stand out here until sunrise if I can help it. So perhaps...” He pauses here as a heavy raindrop falls, with more following. Flinching back, you wipe rain from your face and see dark stains clinging to your fingers. Staring in disbelief, you-

“Holly!” Claudia yells, her amplified voice booming out. A gasp escapes your lips as you turn, looking up to see the clouds parting around a vast, swollen moon. The Nephilim Units have their spears raised to beckon the moon, that moon that seems to grow larger and larger with each passing second.

This is totally not good.

“Inside!” Leighton barks, grabbing Monroe by the arm and dragging her towards Academy's entrance. She resists at first, more out of spite, but soon she allows him to lead her away. The others soon follow, the UN soldiers lingering just long enough to shepherd the civilians inside. Hesitating, you...

>Get back in your ADM. There's something coming, and you need to be ready to fight
>Get inside Academy. This looks like trouble, and you need to take shelter
>There's something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>4002033
>>Get back in your ADM. There's something coming, and you need to be ready to fight

>>4002033
>Get back in your ADM. There's something coming, and you need to be ready to fight

>>4002033
>Return Fletcher's jacket to him, he might have left something important i nthe pockets.

>>4002033
>Get back in your ADM. There's something coming, and you need to be ready to fight.
Where is Juliet in all this, get her inside if we can.

Hesitating, you watch as panic spreads through the area. Throughout it all, the Nephilim Units remain utterly, perfectly still. Water splashes as a soldier pushes past you, reaching out as an afterthought you pull you to whatever shelter Academy offers. Yelling refusal, you shake off his grip and cast a wild eye around for Juliet. She's frozen, as motionless as the Nephilim Units until you call her name and she snaps back to reality.

“Take this!” you shout, peeling Fletcher's jacket off and thrusting it into her hands, “Take this and get to shelter!”

“What about-” Juliet begins, only to bite the last of that thought off. It's not hard to guess what you're about to do next. Taking the oddly heavy jacket with a nod, she follows the last of the soldiers into Academy. Watching her leave with a curious mixture of relief and regret, you turn back to your waiting ADM Unit. Thick, oily water gathers in a stagnant pool around it and you both, far too much liquid to be just the rain. The liquid seems to be bubbling up from the solid ground itself. Shaking off that thought, you run to the ADM and start to climb the segmented armour.

As you climb, something grabs your ankle. Looking sharply down, you cry out in revulsion as you see a tar-black hand clinging to you. It rises out of the water, but it holds on with a cruel strength. More hands rise up as you struggle, kicking away the groping limb and hauling yourself out of their reach. Rain slashes across your bare cheeks as you drag yourself from one handhold to the next, finally pulling yourself up to the entry plug. Before you can drop inside, you look out across the scene just in time to see one of the Nephilim Units tumble – still locked in place – into the water.

This is so, so not good. Ducking down inside the ADM, you listen to the clank and clatter of the armour closing up around you. Darkness swallows you up, and the breath catches in your throat as you wait for Unit 02's systems to activate. You wait and wait and wait, but the darkness doesn't loosen its grip around you. Fear claws its way up from the depths of your stomach, and-

“I know, I know I've let you down,” a voice – eerie, lilting and distant – sings through your radio, “I've been a fool to myself. I thought that I could live for-”

“Who... Coraline?” you ask, tugging uselessly at the controls, “Is that you?”

“I thought I could control it, I really did. I thought I had... balance,” she continues, the voice seeming to swirl around you, “But it couldn't last. Adam is stirring, and all of Lilith's children grow restless too. I feel... ME... growing restless.”

Not good. Totally not good.

“-With sadness in my heart. I feel the best thing I could do...” another pause in the singsong voice, and you hear a quiet hum as Unit 02's systems begin to wake up, “Do you know the rest? Do you, Holly?”

[1/?]

>>4002105
"I know your radio station sucks, drama queen"
Even if we're smack in the middle of the Bad Ending, 'Come, Sweet Death' somehow doesn't fit the mood. What would be your pick?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkLvpt9Z3fA

>>4002145
This one seems appropriate for the moment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NGtL3HUPUo

>>4002105

Red skies, lit by flashes of blinding white lightning. Ink-black water tossed by some unfelt storm and lashing up against the gutted wrecks of ships. The Nephilim Units, slowly sinking down into the bottomless sea. Standing in the middle of it all, perched up on the tip of a ruin like a gargoyle, Coraline herself. At least, you think it's her. Her ADM has changed since you last saw it, the arms stretched out and emaciated while the mask-like head hangs on a broken neck.

“I found her,” Coraline sighs, and you spot the girl herself standing at the foot of her ghoulish ADM, “I found Reed. The... the echo she left in this place. I found it, and that was it. After that, I couldn't hold it in any more.”

Because there was nothing left, nothing to hold onto. No reason to stay human. The dry scrape of metal causes you to turn, gasping at the sight of Claudia's ADM dragging itself from the ocean and onto the meagre shelter of a crippled ship. Her leg is motionless, the joints completely locked up. Coraline watches her move, the mutated ADM studying the struggle like a man contemplating a plate of leftover food.

“I'm sorry to be a pain, but there's something I need you to do,” Coraline adds, a note of sadness in her voice, “Could you do me a favour and, well...”

“I can't! I... we can help you, we can save you!” you interrupt, “I've done it before, with Huang and I... I can FIX this! Just let me-”

The beast lunges. Hurling itself towards you with a strength that belies its emaciated form, the monster smashes into you and knocks you from your feet. A fist crashes into your face as you try to rise, beating you back down into the tainted water. More blows rain down upon you, each one with a terrible frenzied strength behind it. “You don't get it, do you?” Coraline sighs, her voice drifting to you despite the crash and thunder of metal, “This IS me now. There's nothing left for you to save.”

“No...” you grunt, grimacing in pain as the beast's hand comes slamming down on your face. With your face covered, you almost miss the sight the monster's other hand bloating out like a tumour. The flesh bursts wetly apart to reveal the jagged shard of blade underneath – the fragment of Excalibur, now fused grotesquely with the remains of the hand. Pushing your head back, exposing your throat, the mutated ADM raises the broken blade and-

[2/3]

>>4002183

“I won't let you!” Claudia howls, hurling herself at you and smashing the mutated creature aside. Her crippled leg drags behind her, but still she manages to move. Gasping, coughing, choking, you struggle to rise back up as Claudia brawls with what remains of Coraline. It's an ugly fight, with the heiress barely able to hold herself upright. Every step seems to be a fall waiting to happen, but she never quite tips over. Moving at all, let alone fighting, with a leg like that seems impossible, but...

If anyone can do it, you recall, it's her. She's too spiteful to give up now. Even Coraline's human image – her ghost, her echo, whatever – seems impressed, watching from the ruined ship with a weary smile still fixed on her solemn face.

“Weapon!” you call out, searching for something to use and coming up empty, “I need a weapon!”

Grunting a muffled curse, Claudia throws you one of her long knives. The other, she drives forwards and slashes deeply across the corrupted ADM's belly. Tainted blood spills, but the wound closes up almost as soon as it opens. Soon enough, there's no sign that it was ever wounded at all. Then, the counter-attack. With an almost casual slap from one emaciated arm, the monster smashes Claudia away. Ignoring the fallen heiress, the monster turns back to you.

“It all... returns... to nothing,” Coraline sings, her voice thin and frail.

>There's no other choice... (Write in)

>>4002193
>There's no other choice... (Write in)
"'Even if it means kicking your ass' Coraline. Let's do this."

We weren't ever able to install that subsonic projector huh Moloch? Cause Bergmann got fucked right after we brought the idea up. Thanks SEELE.

I think we have a few options here. One we cut off that hand holding the Excalibur fragment and take it for our own. We can also try and take Ava's if she is still in the area. Probably can't stop her from sinking. And finally we have AT Intrusion which might work against someone like Coraline.

I'd suggest a AT Intrusion to throw her off balance into disarming the fragment away from her.

>>4002193
>There's no other choice... (Write in)
Ask Coraline about what was left of Reed, when she found her remains and why, she went off on her own searching for her, when she should have waited.

In order to make any sort of positive progress towards either disarming her or killing her we need to find Ava's spear.

>>4002206
I wanted to vote for cutting her core out of her body to save it for such time as when we can try and do something for her, but I don't know hether this is even feasible.

>>4002212
I want to as well, cutting out the plug, but I think we'll need to fight a bit before we can get her out. She won't make it easy for us.

>>4002215
She doesn't have a plug anymore, she's literally an ADM.

>>4002216
Does she not? Dunno if that's specified anywhere. Guess we'll find out. Regardless we gotta do what Holly does best. Beat people up.

>>4002224
See:
>“You don't get it, do you?” Coraline sighs, her voice drifting to you despite the crash and thunder of metal, “This IS me now. There's nothing left for you to save.”

>Even Coraline's human image – her ghost, her echo, whatever – seems impressed

Coraline is an ADM now, and her human form is just an LCL puppet, made evident by said form hanging out outside while the ADM is fighting.

>>4002193
>There's no other choice... (Write in)
"If that's you, you prove it to me, you hold that thing still. If you don't want to help yourself, at least help me!"

Probably start with forceful disarming, like >>4002206
suggests, but my guess is that the fastest way to get out of this alive is to AT invade Coraline's ghost. Probably doing it will confuse the beast enough to finish the job if not outright stop it.

If she doesn't even attempt stopping it, I'm more inclined to use 'lethal' option.

“Coraline, please, don't do this,” you plead, holding the knife out in front of you as you stumble backwards away from her, “Don't make me do this. What... what about Reed? If you die, who's going to remember her? That time you spent together, do you really want it all to just... disappear?”

Your words fall on deaf ears, the mutated ADM stalking ever closer despite your pleading. As it approaches, an idea begins to take shape. It's not much, it's more of a desperate hope than a sure shot, but maybe, just maybe, you really can fix this. You can bring her back alive. Forcing a calm you really don't feel, you spread your arms wide and invite the monster to lunge.

Ducking aside, you shove the beast forwards and drive your knife into its back, right at the base of the neck. Splitting the armour apart, you lean down on the knife and level the ADM open. Tainted flesh sloughs away to reveal the entry plug, a rusting thing riddled with pulsing tubes and organs. With a sudden flash of hope, you grab for the entry plug. At your touch, the metal buckles and splits open to reveal... nothing. Dark, stagnant LCL splashes out of the shattered entry plug, but that's it. No Coraline, no nothing.

“No way...” you groan, the bottom falling out of your stomach. Heedless of the horrific wound in its back, the ADM whirls around with the broken blade raised. The blow never lands, an armoured fist closing around the mutant's wrist. Claudia yanks back, throwing the enemy into one of the ruined battleships with a crash of broken metal. Before it can rise once more, she plunges her knife down and pins the mutant's arm to the deck.

“Now!” the heiress cries, throwing all her weight into keeping Coraline's ADM pinned. Immediately, you see what she's trying to do. Pushing aside all hesitation, you start to saw through the rubbery flesh of Coraline's wrist. Easy at first, but with a sudden resistance – bone, you realise with a sickening lurch in your stomach. Fighting through the last of the limb, you shear the bloated, tumorous hand off and-

And the whole world goes away.

-

Gentle waves lap against the hull of the ship, a cold wind blowing through your hair. Even with the cold, you feel... calm. You rattle a handful of metal scraps in your hand before tossing a bolt out into the water. As it splashes down a short distance away, you hear a soft laugh. “Reed used to do that a lot,” Coraline recalls, “It used to drive the maintenance crews insane. She kept stealing their spare parts, all so she could throw them into the ocean.”

“Fuck it,” you reply, the words thick in your throat, “They had the budget for more.”

“Sure,” Coraline agrees, “But ordering fresh supplies up here is a pain in the butt. Apparently.”

“I guess so,” you concede, “Last chance, you know. To come back with me.”

“Oh Holly...” she sighs, “If only that was possible.”

[1/?]

>>4002297

“Reed said...” Coraline pauses, “Do you want to know? I mean, you had a point. I don't want her to be forgotten. I won't be walking away from this, but maybe you can bring a little bit of her back to the real world.”

“Tell me,” you urge her, “I want to hear it.”

“When they put Reed in here, I suppose it didn't happen immediately. She had time to think about it, about what was happening to her. She used her last moments to leave a message. For me,” she breathes, “She said that she was taking a big dumb risk for mankind. Her words, not mine. She knew it might not end well, but she accepted that chance. Do you know why? Because she knew I'd find her one way or another, no matter how long it took. I guess she was right.” Drawing in a deep breath, Coraline makes a few last fussy adjustments to her clothes. “Well, I'm ready,” she concludes, “Shall we get this over with? I'm sure you don't want to stay here forever.”

But you don't want to do THIS either. This isn't... fair.

Coraline isn't that much taller than you are, but putting your hands around her throat is still awkward. She barely seems to have any strength at all, and you can easily push her down to the deck. Straddling her body, you tighten your grip on her neck and look up towards the sky. You don't want to look her in the eye while you're doing... this. Pressing down harder with your trembling hands, you hear the sound of muted applause from around you. The six members of BLUE EYE surround you in a loose circle, their faces blank and slack as they clap.

Then the applause stops, and you look down at last.

It's over.

>Ego reduced by 10
>Current Ego: 60/70

-

The alarms are still blaring, and the few UN soldiers who rush through the corridors barely glance around as Juliet creeps by. She makes for an odd sight, with Fletcher's oversized jacket draped around her like a tent, but even that isn't enough for them to notice her. You follow at a distance, confused by what you're watching. She should be with the others, right? Staying safe and waiting for the loud noises to stop. Instead, she's creeping like a thief through the lower levels of Academy.

Occasionally she pauses at a junction, thinking hard before picking a direction. She's not wandering randomly, you can say that much. Vague echoes of her briefing with Monroe filter around her like ghosts, never lingering at the front of her mind long enough for you to read. So you watch instead, watching as she slips into the alcove of a sealed door and fumbles through Fletcher's pocket, pulling out a boxy gadget.

“Sure hope this works...” she whispers to herself, pulling a wire from the gadget and snapping it into the electronic lock.

[2/3]

>>4002359
Kimochi warui.
Omedetou.

>>4002359
Damn shame. Man that was like half Congratulations!, half Nier.

>>4002359
Time to start 'List of Smiles Holly Couldn't Protect'. Exciting additions every new thread!

>>4002398
Look on the bright side, we now have the other half of Unit 05 so if we got permission to do so we could restore the Unit and get Karina in the fight / not have her be helpless anymore.

>>4002420
That thing is corrupted to hell and I'd rather not have Karina on the frontlines. Her current support is invaluable

>>4002422
Of course it's going to need a little work before the remains are ready for reintegration, but when Lilith shows up, we're going to need to stack the deck as best we can.

>>4002359


Lights strobe across the little gadget, flashing once as the door slides open. Letting out a triumphant hiss, Juliet quickly stows the gadget away in her pocket and slips through the open door. You follow her inside, listening to the soft murmur of voices from inside. You don't understand the words, the language they're spoken in, but they FEEL like words of comfort. Then, abruptly, they switch to English.

“It's about time you showed up. I was starting to get bored,” Doctor Bergmann announces, standing and placing a gentle hand on little Johanna's shoulder, “What time do you call... oh.”

“Oh?” Juliet asks nervously, “What's wrong?”

“Nothing. I was just expecting someone else,” Bergmann explains with a shrug, “Well, any rescue is better than none. Shall we?”

-

You're pretty used to waking up in infirmaries by now, but this isn't the usual infirmary. Still, they're all pretty much the same. Lots of white, that unmistakable smell, the vague sense of relief that you're waking up at all... it's old news by now. Claudia sits at the end of your bed with a book in her lap, dozing softly. Asleep, she looks like a completely different person – younger, more vulnerable.

Reaching up to touch your face, wincing at the bruises you find there, you rustle the sheets just enough to wake the heiress. Her expression hardens as she stirs, like slamming down an armoured visor, and soon Claudia is frowning at you. “God, I was trying to sleep,” she complains, “Don't you ever think about anyone else?”

“Just... don't start,” you mutter, “I'm not in the mood, okay?”

Just for a moment, you see the mocking response on the tip of Claudia's tongue. Then she thinks better of it, swallowing away the retort. “I understand,” she says instead, “Do you want me to fetch anyone for you? I saw Monroe down in the cafeteria – probably wishing it was a bar – and Fletcher, hm, I think he was with Doctor Brahms in one of the labs. It's a bit of a messy situation right now, as I'm sure you can imagine.” She pauses for a moment, studying your expression before nodding, making up her mind about some unspoken decision. “You're fine, by the way. No physical damage, apparently,” she adds, “He's no Weick, but the doctor they have here seems competent enough.”

“Right,” you sigh, “No physical damage.”

“Well, um,” Claudia hesitates, “Do you want to see anyone? I wouldn't blame you if you just wanted to rest, but...”

>I need to rest. Would you stay with me?
>I want to see Monroe. Where's this cafeteria?
>Show me to this lab, I want to speak with Fletcher
>Leighton. Take me to Leighton
>I need to ask... (Write in)
>Other

>>4002473
>Show me to this lab, I want to speak with Fletcher
We need to figure out where we stand.
>>4002434

And it gets even better, if Karinia can't be deployed for whatever reason we could even have Julia pilot the unit instead.

>>4002473
>I want to eat. Might as well talk to Monroe if she's there.

>>4002473
>>I want to eat. Might as well talk to Monroe if she's there.

>>4002473
>Would you stay with me?
>I need to ask... (Write in)
"Thank you for saving me. Are you ok? Did you see what happened? How did you save the day after that?"
I'm kind of concerned about Claudia. We were ignoring her for a bit, but she pulled us through. And we need to know our situation, of course, but if we're in an infirmary and not in a transport or straight up dead, the situation is somewhat stable and will be explained in due time.

>>4002473
>I want to see Monroe. Where's this cafeteria?
"I probably should rest, but I don't think I can relax here while we are still in unknown territory with Leighton."

>I need to ask... (Write in)
"Do you know how BLUE EYE are? They seemed to have been in some kind of trance."

>Other
"Thanks for the rescues back there. Couldn't have been easy with my ass trying to save her. You looked pretty cool tearing yourself out of the ocean and lunging at her."

“I need to eat. Could you take me to the cafeteria?” you ask, slowly sitting up in bed. Immediately, your head begins to swim and you nearly collapse back down. Just how long have you been asleep? It doesn't feel like that long, but... now, you're not so sure. “On second thoughts, maybe I need a moment,” you decide, “You know, um, I'm glad you were here today. That rescue of yours was pretty cool. Are you okay?”

“Oh, well, no major damage. I do wish they'd given me the chance to stretch properly before doing some vigorous exercise, but life isn't always so generous,” Claudia replies, giving you a breezy shrug, “Under the circumstances, I feel like I got off rather lightly.”

“What happened after we... after I blacked out?” you ask after a pause, scraping together your courage and spitting the words out, “After we got Coraline's hand off?”

Claudia thinks, reaching for a way to describe it. “It was rather like being flushed down a toilet. At least, it was rather like how I imagine being flushed down a toilet must be like. I've never had the pleasure myself, but... well. We got her hand off, as you say, and the water changed. It was like a whirlpool opened up in the middle. I tried to fight it, but it was too strong. We were both pulled in,” she answers at last, “I blacked out as well, but only for a moment according to my system clock. When I woke up, we were back outside Academy. No trace of-”

“Of?” you prompt, unsettled by the bleak look that steals across her face.

“No trace of any trouble,” the heiress replies stiffly, “Can you walk? I can get a wheelchair for you if you'd prefer.”

“You can't push a wheelchair, not with your leg like...” you begin, sighing and shaking your head, “I can walk, just give me a moment – and an answer to my question. What happened to the BLUE EYE team?”

“They...” Claudia pauses again, “I think you're better off hearing that from, well, anyone but me.”

Your heart sinks.

-

You still feel numb when you arrive at the cafeteria. When you see the forest scene stretching out before you, you actually forget – you allow yourself to forget – the long elevator ride down into the base. Then the animation loops, an identical bird following an identical path, and the illusion is lost. Monroe doesn't seem to mind, or maybe she's just too tired to care. Either way, her gaze is fixed on the pastoral scene. Even when you collapse down onto the seat opposite her, she barely glances around.

“It's nice, isn't it?” she murmurs, “Maybe we should get some of these down in Avalon. We can pretend like we don't live in a goddamn hole in the ground.”

“Maybe,” you agree, “But what if you like living in a hole in the ground?”

“Well...” Monroe pauses, “Well, I guess you could buy some curtains.”

[1/?]