Author's note: This story takes place the day after and follows on from Episode 1 in the Evangelion continuity.

The Visitors

By

PotassiumNickelIron

Chapter I

Prologue

NERV Headquarters was quiet. It was an unearthly, eerie quiet that seemed unnatural in place like this, a paramilitary base. But it was a brittle quiet nonetheless. Its immanence seemed to perforate every nook and cranny of the underground bunker, and yet, like a thin sheet of glass, it was perfectly breakable.

Of course, this thought did not concern anyone here for the time being. Commander Gendo Ikari sat and stared blankly into space as usual. Nobody quite understood at all what was happening. His dark and reflective glasses almost always hid his eyes when he was planning, as if to prevent an insight into his thoughts in some way.

Right now, however, he was concerned with the small matter of his son. His son had just been ordered to come to Tokyo-3, for the purpose of piloting a prototype Evangelion mecha to defeat an invading extraterrestrial creature: The Third Angel. Ikari was surprised at the boy's defiance at first, if he was honest. But the boy had quickly given in once he had brought in the girl. Rei. Oh, Rei...but he was getting sidetracked. His son had defeated the Angel, yes, but he had ended up hospitalised in the process. Pathetic.

So now, all he could do was wait for him to crawl back out of bed. The boy almost hadn't done it, fighting the Angel. Coward. Ikari hated cowards. And he would know, being as his own flesh and blood was one of them. His disgust did not show on his face. But every time he thought of...that boy...a wave of unpleasant emotions washed over him.

But enough of this dwelling on someone undeserving of this attention. It would be done soon. All the pieces were just beginning to fall into place. The corners of Ikari's mouth turned up momentarily. Success always pleased him, even if he resisted showing it. But no matter. His face could not be seen under his folded, cotton-gloved hands. Why should he worry whether people could see him smiling? Nevertheless, his mouth went back into a neutral frown once again.

His Vice Commander, Kozo Fuyutsuki, did not look at Commander Ikari. Ikari was a man who told everyone else where their place was. He said nothing unless Ikari did. That was the way it was. Besides, Ikari was not the kind of man for conversation. Fuyutsuki understood that, and didn't tend to talk to Ikari unless it was important. Ikari did not see Fuyutsuki as a friend. He saw him merely as an advisor, a helping hand. Nothing more, and nothing less. Ikari didn't have friends. Friends were, apparently, for the weak. It was as if Ikari was trying to come to terms with his own individuality.

Fuyutsuki was really unsure now of how things were going to pan out. The Commander's son had just arrived. What was his name now...Shinji? Shinji, that was it. Fuyutsuki did not question Ikari on the fact he barely spoke to him. He knew and everyone else knew that you never questioned the Commander on what he wanted to do with his life.

It was worrying, really. Waiting for the next Angel to arrive...it was agonising. It could take anything from a number of days or weeks right up to years. Fuyutsuki wasn't quite sure which one would be worse. Shaking off the horrible thought of the End of the World, Fuyutsuki tried to focus on what was happening now. It was best not to live in the future.

Time just ticked past now. Fuyutsuki glanced over at his next-in-command, Captain Misato Katsuragi. She was a young girl, but she did know how to get the job done, and by God she would in any way possible. Right now, she seemed to be having a few rare moments of quiet. It often took a lot. It was strange, nobody here was speaking. Unnerving, in fact.

Of course, Dr. Ritsuko Akagi wasn't in the room. That was probably it. Misato often conducted conversations with Dr. Akagi as if they were secretaries on their coffee break. Well, at least, Misato did. Dr. Akagi barely ever had time to get her words in to the conversation.

Fuyutsuki's eyes shifted to Ikari. Still sitting with that fixed pose. He hadn't moved a muscle for what might have been hours now. This was a, to put it in broad terms, 'skill' of Ikari's. He was very, very patient, and very, very thoughtful, constantly reflecting, he supposed, on the day's events. Solitude probably did that to a person.

Dr. Ritsuko Akagi entered the room in the manner only someone who constantly wears a labcoat can: Hands thrust into the pockets, with some books and folders tucked under an arm. Almost constantly stoic, but never grimly so, she had a quick and efficient walk, as if her brain was calculating every move her legs made perfectly.

She walked up to her friend, Misato Katsuragi, who appeared to be lost in thought.

'Good morning, Misato,' she said, the tone of her voice rising and drooping quicker than Misato could react.

'Oh. Morning, Ritsuko.'

'Did you sleep well?'

'Well, I've sorta been worrying about Shinji. How is he?'

'He's better. I've heard reports that he's awake. He's a little bit rough, but I think he'll pull through. He's had a lucky escape.'

'That's good to know. I'll have to go see him later.'

'Indeed.'

'What about Rei?'

'Much the same. She went back to school this morning.'

'That girl just never gives up.'

'Well, I suppose she felt obligated to go back.'

'That quickly? She's still in a sling, isn't she?'

'Well, you know Rei.'

Ritsuko glanced up at Vice Commander Fuyutsuki. He was looking in the same direction as Commander Ikari. Both of them were very still. They barely ever spoke. They were odd like that. Always together, but also apart...

'Whatcha looking at?'

'What? Oh, nothing. You know. I haven't had my morning coffee.'

'You mean even your brain can go on the fritz?'

Ritsuko gave a small smile in response to the sarcastic question.

'I guess that I—'

VWEE-RP! VWEE-RP!

The alarms rang out and the screens flashed. Messages flashed. First Lieutenant Makoto Hyuga, one of the three main computer technicians on the bridge, suddenly turned round. 'My God, you're not going to believe this.'

'What? What is it?' asked Misato, running over to see his screen. 'There's something approaching?'

'Negative...there's something...appearing inside the base?'

'My God! Another Angel?'

'Negative! It's...it's a pattern we've never encountered before. The system doesn't recognise it!'

'Are you sure it's not human?'

'Of course it's not human!' cried First Lieutenant Shigeru Aoba, one of Makoto's comrades, from across the bridge. 'But what the hell is it?'

Ritsuko put her hand on the back of the third computer technician, Maya Ibuki's seat and peered over her shoulder at the screen. 'Yes, there's something happening in one of the corridors. Maya, try enhancing the image.'

'Yes, Dr. Akagi.' The young girl tapped at the keyboard a few times. 'It's no use! It's like it's invisible.'

Ikari spoke. 'Send out some troops. I want to know what the foreign object is, and, if necessary, I want it destroyed! Nothing gets through to Terminal Dogma!'

'You heard the man!' cried Captain Katsuragi, and several troops were quickly deployed.

Just what I need, Fuyutsuki thought...

All characters, settings and other properties in this chapter owned by Studio GAINAX. I own nothing. Please don't sue me!