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Chapter 13 - Government Ties
1:15 P.M. May 17th, 2051.
Tokyo-3, Japan.

I sat at his desk in silence. Schematics for my latest research were stacked neatly in the right corner of my oversize desk space. Fuyutsuki walked in quietly, as he usually did, and made his way to his seat at the left wing of the desk.
"Any news from the Chairman, Ikari?" Fuyutsuki asked as he took his seat.
"Nothing yet, but I'm sure the scum will rear his ugly head soon. This incident was not foretold by their precious Dead Sea Scrolls―at least as far as my knowledge goes―and they don't like anything going against their plans."
"Indeed, but we cannot deny that Godzilla's presence is very troubling."
"Undoubtedly. He may throw a wrench into Seele's plans, but he does the same to ours. We must do our best to overcome these challenges and take advantage of this time we have been given. While the board is distracted and on edge, we will be granted the essential time required to ensure our plans succeed. We cannot afford to fail now, we've come too far for that."
"Hopefully it will be that simply, but I fear that we have created too many enemies."
"Our plans are coming to an end, Fuyutsuki. As long as we can complete them without interference, it won't matter how many enemies we have created, for no one will be able to stop us."
"Don't become too cocky with these plans of yours, Ikari. Hubris has led to the downfall of many a great man. Do not become one of them."
"Rest assured, my friend, such events will not happen. After all, I am doing this for Yui."
"We both are, remember that."
As he finished, the phone began to ring. Fuyutsuki promptly answered it.
"Hello? Yes, this is Vice Commander Fuyutsuki speaking. Oh, Mr. The Prime Minister, to what do we owe the honor? I see. It is for you, Ikari." Fuyutsuki handed the phone over to me. I knew this was not to be a pleasant conversation.
"Hello?"
"Hello Mr. Ikari, this is the Prime Minister speaking."
"Ah, Mr. Yamamoto, what concerns plague your mind this time?"
"I wish to speak with you about the incident that occurred yesterday at your facilities."
"Yes, what about it?"
"You realize that Daikaiju are out of your jurisdiction?"
"He was heading straight for Tokyo-3. You see, I had no choice but to deploy the Evangelions Units."
"And what good did they do, hmm? If my sources are correct, your Evangelions Units barely left a scratch on Godzilla!" I had no rebuttal for this statement, although it enraged me nonetheless. "I realize that Nerv is doing very important research, but the Evangelions were never designs to take on these monsters. They were built to take on the Angels. It's a totally different ball game. We did not spend billions on these toys of yours just to have them be destroyed in some field test against an enemy they were never designed to counteract. I believe I speak on behalf of the Seele council as well."
"And what would you know about Seele?"
"If I were you, I would not delve into subjects I knew little about, Ikari."
I realized that the Prime Minister was hiding something from me, and this furthered my intolerance of his pestering, but I kept my mouth shut. I knew compliance would fool him better.
"It's not as if your forces did much better." I snorted, ignoring the previous comment at face-value.
"Our military forces have faced Godzilla before. They know how to handle the situation."
"That's not how I saw it. At least my Evas managed to hold their ground against Godzilla. Your military forces didn't last a second against his Atomic Breath."
"We did not receive proper warning, Ikari. G-Force has been a dormant, fading organization for years now. You know this. There has not been a Daikaiju incursion for years now, so many assumed they were useless. Most of us assumed Godzilla would never return, either, but it's clear we were wrong. You know the protocol, Mr. Ikari. If Daikaiju are detected approaching the Japanese coastline, you are to inform me immediately, even if I already know."
"I assumed you did." I stated, trying to mask my blatant lie, for I had no intend to ever inform government officials. I never liked them, anyways.
"Never assume, Mr. Ikari. Godzilla is a very serious matter, and I believe you know that quite well. If he has indeed returned, the entire country could be at risk, or worse. We cannot afford to be caught off guard, unprepared for one of his assaults. Doing so could be catastrophic, as it almost was. I understand that you nearly lost two of your Evas during the encounter. Such a loss would have been dire, and who knows what he could have done afterwards. You're lucky he had other things in mind. You're even more lucky that no one was seriously hurt, or even killed, during the attack."
"Yeah, a real lucky break." I said sarcastically.
"You're treading on thin ice, Mr. Ikari. Do not test the waters." He paused for a brief moment. "I do not want there to be an incident like this ever again. If he so much as breaks the surface, I want to know about it immediately. Do I make myself clear, Mr. Ikari?"
"Yes, Mr. Yamamoto. Is that all?"
"Yes, that is all. Do not disappoint, Mr. Ikari. You are in a very precarious situation, and we wouldn't want anyone to get hurt, now would we?"
"No, Mr. Yamamoto."
"Good. I will make sure to keep a steady eye on your little organization through Seele in the meantime, just in case. Do not disobey."
"I won't." I said as I quickly hung up the phone.
"What did the Prime Minister want, Ikari?" Fuyutsuki asked.
"He wants us tied down, like a dog on a very tight leash."
"What do you mean by that, Ikari?"
"It means that we're running out of time. You were right, we need to get this done now. Time is still very limited."
I rose and made my way out of my office.

-----

7:22 A.M. May 16th, 2051.
Los Angeles, California, United States.

Stefan and I were up all night observing the events as they unfurled before our eyes a world away. For Stefan, this was not such an uncommon occurrence. Being a fresh out of graduate school employee, he didn't have much else to do most nights, so he preferred to stay up and perfect his art. However, I myself had grown apart from such behaviors. Ever since I started a family, time to stay up all night working became nonexistent. I had others to care for.
I had pulled up a chair next to Stefan's desk. Ever since the battle ceased, we had been discussing options for what sort of plan of action was appropriate. Stefan and I did not see eye-to-eye.
"This is insane. What on Earth are we going to do?" Stefan asked, quite stricken by the event.
"I don't know. We have stumbled into something far more serious than anything we have ever done before." I paused for a moment to think. "We need to know why he's here."
"Yes, but how can we possibly do that?"
"I don't have all the answers, Stefan. It has been a very long time since I had to deal with giant monsters. Back then, I was still a kid, with no responsibilities of my own. Much has changed since then."
"Well, we can't just sit here and do nothing."
"Perhaps that is better at this point in time. Taking action without reason could make the situation worse."
"What about the U.S. Government? Maybe they can help."
"If you're implying what I think you are, then absolutely not. We are under no circumstances to let any government know that we have this information. They've done enough to us already."
"But, we can't just keep this information hidden!"
"Stefan, Godzilla laid siege to a heavily-populated district of Japan. It's not like no one knows. Besides, we saw the Japanese government intervene. They obviously know what's going on, and if you think all world governments aren't connected, you're very much wrong."
"But maybe if the U.S. provided military support, we could stop him."
"Stefan, did you not see what happened to the Japanese military resistance? No amount of aid by our government will be able to stop him. The best we have that they don’t are atomics, and those will only make him stronger. As I've said many times already, you're not thinking straight. You need sleep."
"But, what about that mech thing that intercepted him? Surely that was military tech."
"I've never seen anything like it. I have no idea what it is. However, whatever it may be, it obviously was not prepared for combat with such a foe. It doesn't even look like it was built to combat Godzilla, judging by its size, and that worries me."
"Why?"
"Because it means that whoever built it had other motives in mind, motives we don't know about, and that is indeed very troubling news."
"But it means that we have hope of stopping him, right?"
"Stefan, have you not listened to a word I said?" I paused and shook my head at his dumbfounded look. "You need rest."
"Perhaps you're right..." Stefan mumbled, finally realizing how foolish his words were.
"I said you could stay long enough to monitor the situation. You did that, and now the situation has passed. I am giving you a mandatory day off. Get some sleep; rest yourself. Things aren't going to get better."
"Alright, thank you, Mr. Christoffel." Stefan said as he stood up, gathered up his belongings and exiting the control room. I heard the exit door push open and slowly click closed as Stefan exited the building. I sat there in silence for a few moments, drumming my fingers against the table while sifting through my thoughts. However, my train of thought was interrupted as the door again squeaked open. I knew it could only be one person.
Our data analyst, Daniel Per, came in for his morning shift. He turned on all of the lights across the corridor and made his way down to the control room. Peeking in, he found me still seated besides Stefan's desk.
"Oh, Mr. Christoffel, you're here early." he exclaimed.
As usual, he was dressed in his formal attire, despite me insisting countless times that it was no longer necessary. A white dress shirt, a little ruffled at the color, covered his chest, while brown khakis adorned his legs, held together by a nice black leather belt. He held his black coat in his right arm. His brown, straight hair was combed back and properly managed, unlike mine. His brown eyes stared at me with confusion, while I looked back through aged pupils.
"I don't do this often, I know, but this morning was a bit of an urgency." I replied.
"What happened?" he continued.
"Well, since there is no way that this will be able to be kept under wraps, you might as well know." I paused before I began. "Stefan informed me of some dire news early this morning. We discovered together that the threat in question was undoubtedly Godzilla, and he is indeed back."
"Godzilla? Are you serious? You're joking, right?"
"Have I been known to joke, Daniel?"
"No, not since I’ve known you.."
"Then you should realize how dead serious I am when I say that. This may have happened across the Pacific from us in Japan, but Godzilla is a global threat. There's no telling where he will strike next, or what his intents will be in doing so. A creature like Godzilla does not disappear for nearly 30 years and then, one day, decide to go back to his daily routines. No, he has a purpose in his reappearance, and the sooner we know what it is, the better."
"Wow, I'm shocked. I don't know what to say."
"Neither did I when I first heard about it."
"What do you propose we do?"
"I haven't the faintest idea, to be honest. This situation could be much more grave than anything I've ever done before, maybe even more serious than the Vang Corp. Space Station incident."
I paused for a moment, remembering the incident in excruciating detail. I lowered my head in silence.
"Mr. Christoffel, are you alright?" Daniel asked. It took me a moment to regain myself and answer.
"Yes, I'm quite alright. It's just..." I paused again, unable to speak. "that incident took much from my life. I don't remember it fondly."
"I’ve heard the stories. If what I’ve heard is true, back then, you weren’t the one who ran the company. This fellow named Chris, I believe, was in charge."
"Christopher Vang. He was the CEO of the company, but he was so much more than that. He was my colleague, my friend. We were very tight, but he wasn't as lucky as I was."
“What do you mean by that?”
“Chris was a very headstrong man. When it came down to taking out the AACR, he insisted that he combat Kenshin Rokubungi, the AACR's merciless leader, alone. I tried to stop him, but he was already convinced. We didn't see him again until it was too late. When the Vang Corp. Space Station was damaged beyond repair and instructed to crash back down to Earth, he barely managed to escaped. His escape pod had not ejected in time, and when it came into contact with the atmosphere, it malfunctioned and came down too quickly. He crash-landed a few miles out from the impact site of the Space Station, several miles offshore in the Pacific Ocean. We barely managed to find him, and even then, he hasn't awakened since. He's still in life support to this day."
There was a long silence as he took the information in. I myself had nothing more to say.
"His absence has really affected you, hasn't it?"
"I've never been the same ever since he went under. You wouldn't know, but those who knew me before the fact..." I paused for a moment. "Hold on a second. That's it!"
I jumped up and headed for my office.
"What's it, sir?" Daniel asked, very unsure about my newfound charisma. He turned to follow me with his gaze.
"I need to make a phone call?"
"Why? To whom?"
"An old friend. I think he might be the answer to our sudden crisis."
I closed the door to my office behind me.

-----

1:32 P.M. May 17th, 2051.
Tokyo-3, Japan.

I made my way back into the Command Center. Fuyutsuki followed close behind me. We entered the massive room and took our positions at the crow's nest. I still had a stern, harsh look upon my face from the conversation with the Prime Minister. Everyone fell silent upon my entrance.
"Do we have a reading on the target?" I asked in my usual tone.
"No, sir." Lieutenant Maya said, "It's the strangest thing. He's completely vanished off our radars."
"This is very troubling news. I am not pleased." I tilted my glasses so that the light from the mammoth screen reflected off of them, making it look as though my eyes were glowing. "What of the Evas? What progress have you made on them?"
"Repairs are under way for the external damages to the Evangelion Units as we speak. We’re also attempting to rewiring their systems for maximum output." Lieutenant Makoto explained.
"Good. I hear we have begun work on some modifications to the D-Type Equipment that should even the odds against that radiation beam?"
"Yes, those are being implemented alongside the repairs. We are trying to integrate them into the Eva's original design to avoid any possibility for malfunction. They haven't been properly tested, however." Lieutenant Makoto continued.
"Then test them. We have no eyes on the target and there's no way of knowing when he will strike next, but we still need to be ready for when he does. I want all repairs and modifications implemented and ready for work in the field immediately."
"Yes, Commander." Lieutenant Makoto replied.
"Is there any other news?" I demanded.
"Well," Lieutenant Shigeru added, "we went over what data we could find on Godzilla's weaknesses, and we've begun development on a subterranean defensive network of high-voltage cables, cadmium mines, and cryogenic jets that should at least deter Godzilla should he attack again. The network is being constructed as we speak, and it should hopefully be implemented in the next month or so."
“You have two weeks.” I stated.
“But, sir?”
“Get it done. No questions.” I replied sternly, making sure my point came across. My intent stare did not waver from the radar screen as I hoped for something to show up.
"Oh, and there's another thing," Lieutenant Makoto cut across after a brief pause, "I analyzed what recordings of diet sessions relating to Godzilla that we could recover and it seems the Atom Bomb was considered as a counter-measure, but was vetoed due to the concerns that the radiation output from the blast would actually strengthen him. Using this data, we theorize that if we could detonate several N² devices at point-blank range, we may conceivably be able to incapacitate him."
"Hmm, that is an interesting suggestion, if it hadn’t already been implemented." I snapped back.
“I’m sorry, sir?”
“The military already tried such methods against him. They were completely ineffective.”
“I see…”
I shut him up well, for no one spoke afterwards. I myself was silent for a long while afterwards as I raised my left hand to stroke his chin. I small grin shattered the monotony of my facial expression. The Major seemed to notice this, and she did not look pleased.
"Commander, you're not considering using the Dummy System? After what happened with Unit-03..." Major Katsuragi frowned.
I remembered the incident with disturbing clarity. Unit-03 had been taken over by the Thirteenth Angel, Bardiel, but my son had refused to fight it for fear of injuring the pilot, his dear friend Suzuhara. I had ordered the Dummy System to be activated and, in its ensuing rampage, Unit-01 had torn Unit-03 to shreds, nearly killing Suzuhara. The incident had sent my son, who had just started to become more optimistic and hopeful in his demeanor, on the path back down to a depression so deep it had bordered on a psychotic breakdown. I, of course, was simply contended that the Angel of Hail had been destroyed, for my son would cope. He always did, and he always had to, for the fate of humanity rested on his shoulders. I expected nothing less of him.
"That is none of your concern, Major.” was my response.
“It very much does concern me!” major Katsuragi snapped back, “I realize you may not care for the wellbeing of your son, but you have tasked me with his safety, and that is exactly what I intend to do! The Dummy System shattered him mentally last time it was implemented, and I have no intention of doing such things to Shinji again! He’s been through enough as it is having to pilot again after destroying the final Angel!”
“I don’t need your permission to implement the Dummy System, Major Katsuragi. Lucky for you, I see no use in implementing such systems as-of yet, but if it comes to that, I shall do what needs to be done.” I responded sternly, putting the Major back in her place, “Besides, Yui does as she pleases…”
The last statement of mine was mumbled, intended to be heard only by myself and no one else. I sighed, almost sadly, as I descended my head for the first time, but only for a moment, before looking back up at the screen again. My expression was stern but I said nothing.
"You have two weeks to implement the new equipment to the Eva’s systems and no more. I want them fully operationally and ready for combat at any moment. We’re wasting time as it is." I demanded.
“Understood, Commander." Lieutenant Maya replied.
"And find me that damn lizard! We cannot allow him to sneak up on our plans any further. He has caused enough damage as it is."
"Yes, Commander, right away." Lieutenants Makoto and Shigeru said, quickening their actions to please me.
With my orders dealt, I myself turned and exited the Command Center to returned to my office to tend to my private plans, followed close behind, as always, by Fuyutsuki’s watchful surveillance.

Description
Chapter 13 - Government Ties
1:15 P.M. May 17th, 2051.
Tokyo-3, Japan.

I sat at his desk in silence. Schematics for my latest research were stacked neatly in the right corner of my oversize desk space. Fuyutsuki walked in quietly, as he usually did, and made his way to his seat at the left wing of the desk.
"Any news from the Chairman, Ikari?" Fuyutsuki asked as he took his seat.
"Nothing yet, but I'm sure the scum will rear his ugly head soon. This incident was not foretold by their precious Dead Sea Scrolls―at least as far as my knowledge goes―and they don't like anything going against their plans."
"Indeed, but we cannot deny that Godzilla's presence is very troubling."
"Undoubtedly. He may throw a wrench into Seele's plans, but he does the same to ours. We must do our best to overcome these challenges and take advantage of this time we have been given. While the board is distracted and on edge, we will be granted the essential time required to ensure our plans succeed. We cannot afford to fail now, we've come too far for that."
"Hopefully it will be that simply, but I fear that we have created too many enemies."
"Our plans are coming to an end, Fuyutsuki. As long as we can complete them without interference, it won't matter how many enemies we have created, for no one will be able to stop us."
"Don't become too cocky with these plans of yours, Ikari. Hubris has led to the downfall of many a great man. Do not become one of them."
"Rest assured, my friend, such events will not happen. After all, I am doing this for Yui."
"We both are, remember that."
As he finished, the phone began to ring. Fuyutsuki promptly answered it.
"Hello? Yes, this is Vice Commander Fuyutsuki speaking. Oh, Mr. The Prime Minister, to what do we owe the honor? I see. It is for you, Ikari." Fuyutsuki handed the phone over to me. I knew this was not to be a pleasant conversation.
"Hello?"
"Hello Mr. Ikari, this is the Prime Minister speaking."
"Ah, Mr. Yamamoto, what concerns plague your mind this time?"
"I wish to speak with you about the incident that occurred yesterday at your facilities."
"Yes, what about it?"
"You realize that Daikaiju are out of your jurisdiction?"
"He was heading straight for Tokyo-3. You see, I had no choice but to deploy the Evangelions Units."
"And what good did they do, hmm? If my sources are correct, your Evangelions Units barely left a scratch on Godzilla!" I had no rebuttal for this statement, although it enraged me nonetheless. "I realize that Nerv is doing very important research, but the Evangelions were never designs to take on these monsters. They were built to take on the Angels. It's a totally different ball game. We did not spend billions on these toys of yours just to have them be destroyed in some field test against an enemy they were never designed to counteract. I believe I speak on behalf of the Seele council as well."
"And what would you know about Seele?"
"If I were you, I would not delve into subjects I knew little about, Ikari."
I realized that the Prime Minister was hiding something from me, and this furthered my intolerance of his pestering, but I kept my mouth shut. I knew compliance would fool him better.
"It's not as if your forces did much better." I snorted, ignoring the previous comment at face-value.
"Our military forces have faced Godzilla before. They know how to handle the situation."
"That's not how I saw it. At least my Evas managed to hold their ground against Godzilla. Your military forces didn't last a second against his Atomic Breath."
"We did not receive proper warning, Ikari. G-Force has been a dormant, fading organization for years now. You know this. There has not been a Daikaiju incursion for years now, so many assumed they were useless. Most of us assumed Godzilla would never return, either, but it's clear we were wrong. You know the protocol, Mr. Ikari. If Daikaiju are detected approaching the Japanese coastline, you are to inform me immediately, even if I already know."
"I assumed you did." I stated, trying to mask my blatant lie, for I had no intend to ever inform government officials. I never liked them, anyways.
"Never assume, Mr. Ikari. Godzilla is a very serious matter, and I believe you know that quite well. If he has indeed returned, the entire country could be at risk, or worse. We cannot afford to be caught off guard, unprepared for one of his assaults. Doing so could be catastrophic, as it almost was. I understand that you nearly lost two of your Evas during the encounter. Such a loss would have been dire, and who knows what he could have done afterwards. You're lucky he had other things in mind. You're even more lucky that no one was seriously hurt, or even killed, during the attack."
"Yeah, a real lucky break." I said sarcastically.
"You're treading on thin ice, Mr. Ikari. Do not test the waters." He paused for a brief moment. "I do not want there to be an incident like this ever again. If he so much as breaks the surface, I want to know about it immediately. Do I make myself clear, Mr. Ikari?"
"Yes, Mr. Yamamoto. Is that all?"
"Yes, that is all. Do not disappoint, Mr. Ikari. You are in a very precarious situation, and we wouldn't want anyone to get hurt, now would we?"
"No, Mr. Yamamoto."
"Good. I will make sure to keep a steady eye on your little organization through Seele in the meantime, just in case. Do not disobey."
"I won't." I said as I quickly hung up the phone.
"What did the Prime Minister want, Ikari?" Fuyutsuki asked.
"He wants us tied down, like a dog on a very tight leash."
"What do you mean by that, Ikari?"
"It means that we're running out of time. You were right, we need to get this done now. Time is still very limited."
I rose and made my way out of my office.

-----

7:22 A.M. May 16th, 2051.
Los Angeles, California, United States.

Stefan and I were up all night observing the events as they unfurled before our eyes a world away. For Stefan, this was not such an uncommon occurrence. Being a fresh out of graduate school employee, he didn't have much else to do most nights, so he preferred to stay up and perfect his art. However, I myself had grown apart from such behaviors. Ever since I started a family, time to stay up all night working became nonexistent. I had others to care for.
I had pulled up a chair next to Stefan's desk. Ever since the battle ceased, we had been discussing options for what sort of plan of action was appropriate. Stefan and I did not see eye-to-eye.
"This is insane. What on Earth are we going to do?" Stefan asked, quite stricken by the event.
"I don't know. We have stumbled into something far more serious than anything we have ever done before." I paused for a moment to think. "We need to know why he's here."
"Yes, but how can we possibly do that?"
"I don't have all the answers, Stefan. It has been a very long time since I had to deal with giant monsters. Back then, I was still a kid, with no responsibilities of my own. Much has changed since then."
"Well, we can't just sit here and do nothing."
"Perhaps that is better at this point in time. Taking action without reason could make the situation worse."
"What about the U.S. Government? Maybe they can help."
"If you're implying what I think you are, then absolutely not. We are under no circumstances to let any government know that we have this information. They've done enough to us already."
"But, we can't just keep this information hidden!"
"Stefan, Godzilla laid siege to a heavily-populated district of Japan. It's not like no one knows. Besides, we saw the Japanese government intervene. They obviously know what's going on, and if you think all world governments aren't connected, you're very much wrong."
"But maybe if the U.S. provided military support, we could stop him."
"Stefan, did you not see what happened to the Japanese military resistance? No amount of aid by our government will be able to stop him. The best we have that they don’t are atomics, and those will only make him stronger. As I've said many times already, you're not thinking straight. You need sleep."
"But, what about that mech thing that intercepted him? Surely that was military tech."
"I've never seen anything like it. I have no idea what it is. However, whatever it may be, it obviously was not prepared for combat with such a foe. It doesn't even look like it was built to combat Godzilla, judging by its size, and that worries me."
"Why?"
"Because it means that whoever built it had other motives in mind, motives we don't know about, and that is indeed very troubling news."
"But it means that we have hope of stopping him, right?"
"Stefan, have you not listened to a word I said?" I paused and shook my head at his dumbfounded look. "You need rest."
"Perhaps you're right..." Stefan mumbled, finally realizing how foolish his words were.
"I said you could stay long enough to monitor the situation. You did that, and now the situation has passed. I am giving you a mandatory day off. Get some sleep; rest yourself. Things aren't going to get better."
"Alright, thank you, Mr. Christoffel." Stefan said as he stood up, gathered up his belongings and exiting the control room. I heard the exit door push open and slowly click closed as Stefan exited the building. I sat there in silence for a few moments, drumming my fingers against the table while sifting through my thoughts. However, my train of thought was interrupted as the door again squeaked open. I knew it could only be one person.
Our data analyst, Daniel Per, came in for his morning shift. He turned on all of the lights across the corridor and made his way down to the control room. Peeking in, he found me still seated besides Stefan's desk.
"Oh, Mr. Christoffel, you're here early." he exclaimed.
As usual, he was dressed in his formal attire, despite me insisting countless times that it was no longer necessary. A white dress shirt, a little ruffled at the color, covered his chest, while brown khakis adorned his legs, held together by a nice black leather belt. He held his black coat in his right arm. His brown, straight hair was combed back and properly managed, unlike mine. His brown eyes stared at me with confusion, while I looked back through aged pupils.
"I don't do this often, I know, but this morning was a bit of an urgency." I replied.
"What happened?" he continued.
"Well, since there is no way that this will be able to be kept under wraps, you might as well know." I paused before I began. "Stefan informed me of some dire news early this morning. We discovered together that the threat in question was undoubtedly Godzilla, and he is indeed back."
"Godzilla? Are you serious? You're joking, right?"
"Have I been known to joke, Daniel?"
"No, not since I’ve known you.."
"Then you should realize how dead serious I am when I say that. This may have happened across the Pacific from us in Japan, but Godzilla is a global threat. There's no telling where he will strike next, or what his intents will be in doing so. A creature like Godzilla does not disappear for nearly 30 years and then, one day, decide to go back to his daily routines. No, he has a purpose in his reappearance, and the sooner we know what it is, the better."
"Wow, I'm shocked. I don't know what to say."
"Neither did I when I first heard about it."
"What do you propose we do?"
"I haven't the faintest idea, to be honest. This situation could be much more grave than anything I've ever done before, maybe even more serious than the Vang Corp. Space Station incident."
I paused for a moment, remembering the incident in excruciating detail. I lowered my head in silence.
"Mr. Christoffel, are you alright?" Daniel asked. It took me a moment to regain myself and answer.
"Yes, I'm quite alright. It's just..." I paused again, unable to speak. "that incident took much from my life. I don't remember it fondly."
"I’ve heard the stories. If what I’ve heard is true, back then, you weren’t the one who ran the company. This fellow named Chris, I believe, was in charge."
"Christopher Vang. He was the CEO of the company, but he was so much more than that. He was my colleague, my friend. We were very tight, but he wasn't as lucky as I was."
“What do you mean by that?”
“Chris was a very headstrong man. When it came down to taking out the AACR, he insisted that he combat Kenshin Rokubungi, the AACR's merciless leader, alone. I tried to stop him, but he was already convinced. We didn't see him again until it was too late. When the Vang Corp. Space Station was damaged beyond repair and instructed to crash back down to Earth, he barely managed to escaped. His escape pod had not ejected in time, and when it came into contact with the atmosphere, it malfunctioned and came down too quickly. He crash-landed a few miles out from the impact site of the Space Station, several miles offshore in the Pacific Ocean. We barely managed to find him, and even then, he hasn't awakened since. He's still in life support to this day."
There was a long silence as he took the information in. I myself had nothing more to say.
"His absence has really affected you, hasn't it?"
"I've never been the same ever since he went under. You wouldn't know, but those who knew me before the fact..." I paused for a moment. "Hold on a second. That's it!"
I jumped up and headed for my office.
"What's it, sir?" Daniel asked, very unsure about my newfound charisma. He turned to follow me with his gaze.
"I need to make a phone call?"
"Why? To whom?"
"An old friend. I think he might be the answer to our sudden crisis."
I closed the door to my office behind me.

-----

1:32 P.M. May 17th, 2051.
Tokyo-3, Japan.

I made my way back into the Command Center. Fuyutsuki followed close behind me. We entered the massive room and took our positions at the crow's nest. I still had a stern, harsh look upon my face from the conversation with the Prime Minister. Everyone fell silent upon my entrance.
"Do we have a reading on the target?" I asked in my usual tone.
"No, sir." Lieutenant Maya said, "It's the strangest thing. He's completely vanished off our radars."
"This is very troubling news. I am not pleased." I tilted my glasses so that the light from the mammoth screen reflected off of them, making it look as though my eyes were glowing. "What of the Evas? What progress have you made on them?"
"Repairs are under way for the external damages to the Evangelion Units as we speak. We’re also attempting to rewiring their systems for maximum output." Lieutenant Makoto explained.
"Good. I hear we have begun work on some modifications to the D-Type Equipment that should even the odds against that radiation beam?"
"Yes, those are being implemented alongside the repairs. We are trying to integrate them into the Eva's original design to avoid any possibility for malfunction. They haven't been properly tested, however." Lieutenant Makoto continued.
"Then test them. We have no eyes on the target and there's no way of knowing when he will strike next, but we still need to be ready for when he does. I want all repairs and modifications implemented and ready for work in the field immediately."
"Yes, Commander." Lieutenant Makoto replied.
"Is there any other news?" I demanded.
"Well," Lieutenant Shigeru added, "we went over what data we could find on Godzilla's weaknesses, and we've begun development on a subterranean defensive network of high-voltage cables, cadmium mines, and cryogenic jets that should at least deter Godzilla should he attack again. The network is being constructed as we speak, and it should hopefully be implemented in the next month or so."
“You have two weeks.” I stated.
“But, sir?”
“Get it done. No questions.” I replied sternly, making sure my point came across. My intent stare did not waver from the radar screen as I hoped for something to show up.
"Oh, and there's another thing," Lieutenant Makoto cut across after a brief pause, "I analyzed what recordings of diet sessions relating to Godzilla that we could recover and it seems the Atom Bomb was considered as a counter-measure, but was vetoed due to the concerns that the radiation output from the blast would actually strengthen him. Using this data, we theorize that if we could detonate several N² devices at point-blank range, we may conceivably be able to incapacitate him."
"Hmm, that is an interesting suggestion, if it hadn’t already been implemented." I snapped back.
“I’m sorry, sir?”
“The military already tried such methods against him. They were completely ineffective.”
“I see…”
I shut him up well, for no one spoke afterwards. I myself was silent for a long while afterwards as I raised my left hand to stroke his chin. I small grin shattered the monotony of my facial expression. The Major seemed to notice this, and she did not look pleased.
"Commander, you're not considering using the Dummy System? After what happened with Unit-03..." Major Katsuragi frowned.
I remembered the incident with disturbing clarity. Unit-03 had been taken over by the Thirteenth Angel, Bardiel, but my son had refused to fight it for fear of injuring the pilot, his dear friend Suzuhara. I had ordered the Dummy System to be activated and, in its ensuing rampage, Unit-01 had torn Unit-03 to shreds, nearly killing Suzuhara. The incident had sent my son, who had just started to become more optimistic and hopeful in his demeanor, on the path back down to a depression so deep it had bordered on a psychotic breakdown. I, of course, was simply contended that the Angel of Hail had been destroyed, for my son would cope. He always did, and he always had to, for the fate of humanity rested on his shoulders. I expected nothing less of him.
"That is none of your concern, Major.” was my response.
“It very much does concern me!” major Katsuragi snapped back, “I realize you may not care for the wellbeing of your son, but you have tasked me with his safety, and that is exactly what I intend to do! The Dummy System shattered him mentally last time it was implemented, and I have no intention of doing such things to Shinji again! He’s been through enough as it is having to pilot again after destroying the final Angel!”
“I don’t need your permission to implement the Dummy System, Major Katsuragi. Lucky for you, I see no use in implementing such systems as-of yet, but if it comes to that, I shall do what needs to be done.” I responded sternly, putting the Major back in her place, “Besides, Yui does as she pleases…”
The last statement of mine was mumbled, intended to be heard only by myself and no one else. I sighed, almost sadly, as I descended my head for the first time, but only for a moment, before looking back up at the screen again. My expression was stern but I said nothing.
"You have two weeks to implement the new equipment to the Eva’s systems and no more. I want them fully operationally and ready for combat at any moment. We’re wasting time as it is." I demanded.
“Understood, Commander." Lieutenant Maya replied.
"And find me that damn lizard! We cannot allow him to sneak up on our plans any further. He has caused enough damage as it is."
"Yes, Commander, right away." Lieutenants Makoto and Shigeru said, quickening their actions to please me.
With my orders dealt, I myself turned and exited the Command Center to returned to my office to tend to my private plans, followed close behind, as always, by Fuyutsuki’s watchful surveillance.