Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Evangelion meets Robotech ❯ Chapter 8

Neon Genesis Evangelion meets Robotech: Eight

"Damn it," Rei scowled as the massive ship's hull blossomed in flames. Before she could get her Evangelion fighter around the three Angels had disappeared into the ship itself.

"We've got to go in after them," Shinji's voice was intense, "they could break through all the way to the city!"

Ritsuko's face appeared on their communications screens. "It appears there are no other Angels with the attacking force," the blonde commander said crisply, "we can handle things out here. Use all means necessary to stop them, the ship might depend on it."

"Got it," Rei swept the plane around in a tight circle, Shinji right behind her as they dove into the gap. The hole was easily large enough for the fighters, with more holes visible ahead of them as the Angels forced their way forward.

"Do you have a plan?" Shinji asked as he saw her shift her fighter to it's humanoid mode, the EVA. He pulled down the matching lever on his own controls, skimming along on boot thrusters as they rushed forward together.

"Find them and stop them," Rei answered him simply, "hopefully without doing too much damage to the ship in the process."

"Gee, great plan," Shinji muttered, his short brown hair falling into his eyes, "it's times like this I wish Asuka was here."

Thoom!

Asuka was spilled out of her hospital bed, crying out in pain. "Damn it," she growled, "what the hell is happening out there?" With some awkwardness she pulled herself to her feet, staggering over to the window.

The city outside looked deceptively calm, mostly because the people had been evacuated to the shelters at the first signs of attack. 'Too bad this hospital is fortified,' Asuka mused, 'or else I might have been evacuated too.'

"Hope those two are doing all right," Asuka sighed, pushing her mane of orange hair back from her face as she stumbled over to her bed.

The EVA's skimmed down the long passageway, only to jerk backwards as weapons fire zinged by them. "They left one behind to slow us down," Rei noted, peeking around the corner carefully at the figure blocking the hallway.

"How is it placed?" Shinji asked, "I might be able to nail it."

"It's partially shielded by debris," Rei ducked back to avoid another burst of the Angel's weapons. "There isn't a clear shot."

"We've got to get by it," Shinji said softly, his expression clearly frustrated, "they could be in the city itself by now."

"Fine," Rei's voice had an odd calmness to it, the short blue hair falling down into those odd looking scarlet eyes, all a gift of her exposure to raw Robotechnology. "I've got a plan," she said, "get ready to fire when I give the cue."

"Right," Shinji nodded.

Rei used her EVA to step right out into the hallway, deliberately exposing herself to the enemy's fire. The Angel took the shot, exposing itself as it fired on her. As the first bullets were hammering into the breastplate she growled, "GO!"

Shinji used Rei's EVA for cover as he opened fire, blasting the Angel dead center with explosive shells. It flamed out even as Rei fell backwards, he barely catching her. "Rei," he yelled over the communicator, "are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Rei gave him a grin, "the EVA's breastplate is designed to take a few hits." She shrugged, "I'll just have to make sure I don't get hit there later."

"You're insane," Shinji blinked as they began to move down the hallway.

"No," Rei shook her head, "I'm just willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done." The ground shook under them and her face went grim, "Sounds like they've broken through the inner armor and reached the city."

With a burst of speed they both rocketed forward, emerging through the inner layer of the ship's armor, and out into the city of Macross itself. The artificial blue sky around them shone as the buildings stretched out below them.

"Where are they?" Shinji growled.

"There!" Rei cried, swooping down after the two Angel mechs.

Asuka heard a rumble, walking forward to her window to see what might be causing it. "Holy shit," she muttered as the two Angels skimmed right by her third story window, the backwash from their thrusters shattering the window and sending glass flying. Ducking behind her bed Asuka avoided the hail of glass, but barely.

"If the Angels are here," Asuka murmured, feeling a sudden surge of despair race through her, "we're in a lot of trouble."

A glint of light caught her eye, and Asuka looked up only to break into a sudden grin. The twin EVAs dropped down from the sun to follow the Angels in, shining in the artificial sunlight even though one was damaged. The skull and crossbones and blue edged EVAs swept by her wrecked window, and Asuka felt like cheering.

"Kick their asses, you two!" Asuka yelled, waving her arm with a grin.

Mirya scowled, her Angel skimming along the ground. Whatever she had been expecting to find in the ship's interior, this wasn't it. 'This is so wasteful,' she thought, scanning her surroundings, 'where are the weapons factories? The protoculture?' Instead, buildings and other structures filled the interior, an artificial sky above them.

"Ma'am," her fellow Angel's image appeared in front of her, "the EVAs have broken through our guard. One seems to have been damaged in the process, though."

Mirya brought her rear scanners up, the image of both EVAs appearing before her. Indeed, one of the EVAs was smoking from the breastplate, moving a bit hesitantly. "This gives us an opportunity," Mirya said firmly.

"We can defeat them now, while they're weakened," the other pilot agreed thoughtfully, her hands tightening a bit on her controls.

"Then you take the damaged one, Alina," Mirya smiled a feral smile, a dangerous eagerness in her eyes, "the blue one is mine."

Rei smiled to herself grimly as the Angels slowed to a stop, turning around to face them. She slowed her EVA as they neared each other, watching the two powerful humanoid mechs. "Shinji," she said, "this is going to be one on one, so watch yourself."

Ritsuko's voice came over the communication's system, "We'll open up an access path to the exterior, try to force the Angels out of the ship."

"Got it," Shinji replied. "It looks like you were right about what they were going to do," he quietly said to Rei. He paused, "How did you know?"

"Just thought about what I'd do," Rei answered as an Angel raced a her. "See you later," and with that she cut communications.

Shinji didn't have much time to process that remark as the other angel went right for him. There was something almost familiar about the way that it moved, the painted markings that were etched on the armor. Even as it opened fire he went up and over the streams of energy, ducking down behind a building for cover.

"Mirya," Shinji remembered the name.

Boot jets flaring he came around the corner, Shinji's weapon blazing as he tossed bursts of bullets at it. The Angel anticipated the attack, weaving aside, and Shinji felt himself grinning. This was going to be one hell of a fight. Using the buildings for cover they fought back and forth, neither one able to gain an advantage.

Mirya felt her frustration rising as they fought through the deserted streets of Macross city. 'I am the greatest ace of the fleet,' she thought furiously, 'the best of the Angel corps, and I cannot defeat him? It's impossible!'

She scanned around her wildly, trying to see where her enemy was hiding. Mirya nearly jumped as the other blue EVA came around a corner, standing there calmly. Instead of firing it began to walk towards her position, cannon at the side.

'He's mad,' Mirya mused even as she stepped out from the concealment to walk towards him. She activated her communicator, just sending her voice, "At short range, we'll likely both die."

Shinji smiled slightly, "Maybe so." He kept his EVA walking as the enemy Angel moved towards him, thinking, 'If only my Dad could see me now.'

There was a flare of light and an explosion off to the side. 'I wonder which fell, Alina or her opponent?' Mirya thought, her green hair falling into her eyes as she kept walking. Part of her so wanted to open fire, but she would face this challenge.

'She's good,' Shinji thought. They grew closer and closer, and he could feel the urge to fire, to end this contest of nerve. Another step, and...

.. the communicator crackled to life, Rei's voice determined, "I'm inbound, ten seconds."

Mirya saw the other fighter coming, then she gave a weighing glance to the other pilot. "Not today, it seems," and she activated her thrusters, moving at top speed towards the now wide open access hatch to the outside world.

"Intercept her," Shinji yelled as he rocketed after her, shifting to the fighter mode.

"Bad angle," Rei answered tersely, trying to catch up with the Angel, firing her afterburners. The Angel slipped out the hatch, disappearing off into the blue sky.

"Guess we'll have to see who's better next time," Shinji sighed out softly, feeling oddly disappointed, somehow.

"I saw that little gunfight you were pulling," Rei's dry voice said, "and you call me crazy."

To be continued...