>>3461627

The train continues west, cutting through the heart of your homeland. You're not sure why you're travelling this way, instead of flying, but you sort of prefer it. It's a more comfortable experience, especially compared with the rattling deathtrap of a plane that you endured last time. Warm, with comfy seats and a constant supply of snacks... this is the real holiday experience. After 36 hours on high-speed rail, though, you might come to hate it.

Your carriage has tiny little bedrooms in it, very cute, and Claudia soon retires for the night. Karina dozes next to the window, her head resting against the glass. She spent most of the journey staring out in awe, as if she was seeing the outside world for the very first time. Maybe this WAS the very first time. Either way, it's just you and Fletcher awake now.

“So tell me something,” you ask him quietly, “We have the central control... stuff from ADM Unit 05, right?”

“Yes we do,” Fletcher confirms, “In fact, it's loaded onto a carriage not too far away from us now.”

“Right, right, but like... everything else, everything that we don't have,” you pause, “What could somebody DO with that?”

“On its own? Very little. Study it, get an idea of what an ADM Unit is made of. If they had a control unit of their own, they could perhaps rig together something that would function. It wouldn't be pretty, though,” the mercenary explains, scratching his cheek as he thinks, “Then they'd need a pilot. If they have access to the same information that we do, that wouldn't be impossible. I'd wonder why, though. What would be the point in going to all that trouble to produce a substandard weapon?”

“Desperation?” you suggest, “Like, a substandard weapon has got to be better than nothing, right?”

“Exactly so,” he agrees, “Which leads to a new question. Who would be that desperate?”

You shrug. “Wormwood? Or whoever is pulling their strings?” you offer, “Whoever Wilson was working for. I don't know!”

Fletcher nods to Karina before touching a finger to his lips, hushing you. The pale girl fidgets slightly, but continues to sleep. He remains silent for a moment more before letting out a low breath. “It's miserable, not knowing who your enemies might be,” he thinks aloud, “I wish you hadn't been dragged into all this. You need to focus on piloting the ADM Unit, leave the covert business to me. It's only a matter of time before you end up getting hurt.”

“And I'm too valuable to get damaged?” you remark, a bitter note to your voice. Fletcher doesn't take the bait.

>I'm involved now. I want to help however I can
>Just don't keep me in the dark. That's all I ask
>I just want out of this whole mess
>Other

>>3461628
>Just don't keep me in the dark. That's all I ask

>>3461628
>Just don't keep me in the dark. That's all I ask

>>3461628

>Just don't keep me in the dark. That's all I ask

Ok, So Looking back at the previous thread you made a clarification .see >>3452230 i was hoping you could clarify the following to whatever degree you feel ok with, even if you don't want to answer that's fine too. I'll keep jumping at shadows for no good reason.
I'm really enjoying this Quest I have a seven part update to last thread's shadowrun that I have been cultivating during this week's downtime, I'll probably get around to posting it after tonight's run.
Should we take this as a clarification of Cam's stance on Unit 05 or as the definitive answer on what happened to Unit 05.
Because either way this raises more questions.
How does this effect what Sasaki says about Units 05 & 06 here. see >>3415457
As if Unit 05 was able to be degraded(somehow? it probably something to do with the first Lilium's appearance. As we have been told that any contact with Lilium can contaminate ADM Units )
We really need to see Katrina to Kaori interact with one another before I am willing to start speculating on what actually happened, because what both Monroe and Kaori told us isn't the complete truth.
and was unable to be repaired to a combat ready state so it was striped of its useful parts and those retained at Avalon for Katrina's continued use see >>3451749
The rest of it's components were sent to the Garden to be Decommissioned and so the commander ordered it (them? we don't know of the status of Unit 06 yet .) to be refurbished ( and the parts important parts that were retained by Avalon regrown)
In the end the Engineering team was able to repair it ( somehow?) even though it was written off by the Command Staff at Avalon after receiving it from the Berlin installation. Who is the Chief of Engineering though we have seen most of the others
Sufficiently well enough for the UN to be enough to be looking for a pilot after it was Confiscated by them alongside Unit 06. How much of a good idea this actually is depends on the condition of unit(s) in question.
But not Unit 4 for some (unspecified if we ever decide to tell Monroe about what Sasaki said about Units 05 & 06 we should ask her this to get her opinion. ) reason even though if they had it would have given them a Pilot ( Yulia ) and a fully functional and combat ready ADM unit.

>>3461628
>I'm involved now. I want to help out.

>>3461628
>I'm involved now. I want to help however I can
Damn straight

>>3461628

>I'm involved now, and I'm not getting out until I get SOME answers out of all this.

“Look, just don't keep me in the dark. That's all I'm asking for,” you continue after a pause, shrugging off the last traces of bitterness, “If I'm fighting, risking my ass, I figure I deserve to know why. Aside from, you know, the obvious.”

“Because the Lilim want to exterminate mankind,” Fletcher states.

“Yeah, like I said. The obvious,” you agree. With that, you turn to look out the window for a while and watch as the scenery flashes past. It's a little scary how quickly civilisation vanishes once you leave the major cities behind. The train occasionally thunders past tiny, deserted towns, but these are little more than the bones left behind by some long-distant calamity. Karina shifts in place, her sleeping face blank and expressionless, and Fletcher gently places two fingers on her throat. Checking for a pulse, it looks like. “She's a strange one,” you murmur, “Cam too. She's one of yours, right?”

Fletcher looks up, considering the question – considering what qualifies someone as one of “his people”, perhaps. “She's not someone I would have chosen for this job,” he replies cautiously, “But I've come to trust her.” Leaning back, the mercenary taps a finger on his chin as he recalls the woman's file. “She joined the military young, probably with fraudulent papers, and trained as a field medic. Her first tour of duty was with a UN unit, down in Mexico City,” he continues, “She was dismissed after a few months. A disagreement with her superior officer – a very loud and very public disagreement, regarding the kind of orders she was given. I respect her privacy enough to leave it at that. When we get back, you can ask her for the full story.”

“I bet it's a real fun tale,” you sigh, “So why tell me this?”

“Just making conversation,” he answers with a rare smile, “You wanted to be kept in the loop, didn't you? I thought you might like to know the kind of person she is – the sort who won't follow orders they don't agree with.”

But does that make them someone you can rely on, or someone you need to watch out for? Fletcher seems to read the confusion on your face, offering you nothing but a sly shrug in response. Something you'll need to decide for yourself, then.

“Anyway,” he continues, “I'll do my best to keep you informed. There are things that I don't know, and there are things that I'm not prepared to share yet – incomplete theories, ideas that require further evidence. So if I can't answer every question you have... please understand my position.”

“Yeah, I guess,” you sigh, running a hand through your hair, “We're all being kept in the dark here, huh?”

“All part of the job,” Fletcher agrees, “But there might be someone who could help shed a little light on things...”

[1/2]

>>3461649
>There isn't a whole lot that I can state now, but you should take my comment from >>3452230 as the definitive answer on the Unit 05 issue

>>3461627
weve killed 3 Angels personally already right?

>>3461722
Yep

>>3461727
two more for Ace then

>>3461714
ok that was all i was really looking at having you Clarify further for now the rest was just me doing more work and bringing up conflicting info and taking it a little bit further.

>>3461722
Well we have been involved personally in killing 3 there was still the one in Berlin

>>3461649
As a bit of offtopic, anon, do you also play in Valen Quest? Your writing manner reminds me of someone.

>>3461714

“Okay, I'm listening,” you muse, “I'm involved now, so I want to get SOME answers. You think this person can help?”

“Maybe. I've gotten word that the UN is sending an observer to watch over this operation. I was hoping that they might be willing to fill in a few of the blanks,” Fletcher explains, “She's... your predecessor, you could say. A test pilot, one of the very first. NERV has existed, in some form or another, for far longer than you might think. Even before the ADM Units were involved, head office was paving the way for you and all the other pilots.”

A first generation of test pilot. Slowly turning this thought over in your head, you nod. “And now she's working for the UN?” you think aloud, “And the UN took possession of Unit 05 – what's left of it - and Unit 06...”

“I know what you're thinking, but no,” Fletcher shakes her head, “This woman, Cora, she's in no condition to pilot an ADM Unit. Too old, for one thing. Her compatibility score has dropped right off.”

“No, it's not that, it's just... if the UN wanted a pilot of their own, why didn't they take Yulia?” you ask, “I mean, they had her and Unit 04 right there in the Garden, but they left her alone. Let us take her away. Why do that?”

“My guess would be, they needed her to remain at the Garden to keep the specimen from escaping,” the mercenary offers, “In an ideal world – ideal for them – they would have studied the dormant Lilim for as long as possible, with Yulia to keep it under control if it ever woke up. Of course, that's just one of those incomplete theories I was talking about. Maybe Cora can explain things from her perspective. We're going to be stationed in the military base for now. She's probably there already.”

The sound of the train's wheels takes on a louder, rattling tone as you power across a rickety bridge, and Karina shudders in her sleep. Waiting until she sleeps soundly once more, you continue. “So, this Cora woman,” you ask, “What's the plan?”

“Up for debate,” Fletcher answers with a grimace, “I could speak with her, spare you the hardship. She's got a sharp tongue in her head, and unless she's calmed down since I last spoke with her, she's not afraid of using it. On the other hand, she might be more open with a fellow pilot – a little more honest, perhaps. What do YOU want to do?”

>Maybe you should deal with her. You're better at this stuff
>I think I'd like to meet her. I'm not afraid of a sharp tongue
>Let's go and see her together. You can make the introductions
>I think... (Write in)
>Other

>>3461783
>I think I'd like to meet her. I'm not afraid of a sharp tongue
Yeah if she gets sharp with us, we just punch her in the face until she stops.

>>3461775
No never heard of it.

>>3461783
>I think I'd like to meet her. I'm not afraid of a sharp tongue

>>3461783
>I think I'd like to meet her. I'm not afraid of a sharp tongue

Holly #Triggered in 3...2...

>>3461783
>>I think I'd like to meet her. I'm not afraid of a sharp tongue

>>3461783
>Let's go and see her together. You can make the introductions

>>3461783
>>I think I'd like to meet her. I'm not afraid of a sharp tongue
The UN sending us a babysitter doesn't sit well with me at all. This is a NERV op, damnit. We have killed more angels than they can ever hope for. But whatever.

>>3461810
NERV op mired in politics and the US potentially pulling out funding. I don't like it, but I can understand why there is some oversight.

>>3461818
yeah I guess. But if Cora thinks she's gonna pull rank on us she's got another thing coming.
Unless Holly has finally met her match for best seething womanlet

>>3461822
What took the UN so long to get her assigned? to Avalon wouldn't she have been with us since the start its been 4 months since Berlin.

>>3461826
Well it said she's too old to pilot anymore. Likely she burnt out long before Berlin happened. UN probably decided to tighten our leash since the incident at the Garden tho.

“I think I'd like to meet her,” you decide, nodding slowly to yourself, “I'm not afraid of a sharp tongue.”

“I can well believe that. Just don't cause an international incident,” Fletcher asks, his voice low and polite, “I don't want to wake up to the news that you kicked a UN official in the shin... or worse.”

“Hey!” you protest, “When have I ever... uh...”

Maybe it's best if you don't finish that thought.

-

The train continues westwards, although you eventually give in and sleep away a large chunk of the journey. According to the loose schedule you're working from, the train is due to arrive near Fort Chester in the early evening and Operation Deep Dive – who comes up with these names? - is planned to start the following morning. 9AM sharp, which isn't exactly the best news you've heard all day. Still, you're up against a deadline here. If it was possible to start immediately, they wouldn't give you a moment to rest.

With the early start in the morning, Claudia and Karina head to their assigned barracks as soon as you arrive at the fort. You linger by the stalled train for a while, waiting as Fletcher asks around. The base feels oddly calm, considering that it might be eaten up by the void in a matter of days, but that's what military discipline is for. UN blue helmets rub shoulders with regular soldiers, and there's an unmistakable tension between them. Never mind the Lilim, these guys look more suspicious of each other.

“Found her,” Fletcher murmurs to you as he returns, “She's in the officers' club. It's on the far side of the courtyard, with the sign saying-”

“Officers' club?” you guess, causing the mercenary to laugh and wave you on your way. Fort Chester seems less impressive than you had been expecting – a platform for supply trains to stop at, several blocky barracks to house the soldiers, and a large courtyard decorated with a few tanks. Kaori would probably love it here, you muse, geeking out over all the military hardware on display. You're just left pondering the reason for this entire fort. Why here? There's nothing to defend except for sand and rocks.

Well, that's different now. Now, there are large power pylons being raised outside the fort walls, the ADM Units being carefully driven into place. Even after being carried across the entire country like freight, being positioned by cranes seems like one indignity too far for the poor machines.

Machines? Not really, but you're not sure what else to call them.

Following Fletcher's vague directions, and the more obvious sign glowing with neon red letters, you hurry towards the club. Rock music slaps you in the face when you open the door, closely followed by the stench of sweat and beer. Painfully aware of how young you must look, you stride into the bar and look about for Cora. Even without an idea of what she looks like, you recognise her at a glance.

You're not the one one glancing at her. She's... big.

[1/2]

>>3461877

“Excuse me?” you begin, sitting down in the booth and trying not to stare, “Are you... Cora?”

“No,” the woman replies, one eyebrow arching, “My name is Coraline LaPlante. Are you, perhaps, looking for someone else?” Long golden hair, and piercing blue eyes. Traces of a French accent, although you'd guess that it's been some time since she's been home. Fine clothes, and a delicate perfume that manages to reach you even through the haze of sweat and booze. She has a glass of red wine sitting in front of her, and occasionally she rolls the stem between her fingers. She has the same noble bearing that Claudia sometimes manages, but in a more unforced way. A casual confidence.

“Uh...” you blurt out, your own manner seeming unbearably crude compared with her, “But you ARE the UN chick, right?”

Touching a hand to her brow, Coraline heaves a massive sigh. “I am,” she announces, “But if you're here to file a complaint of some kind, I'm not the woman you want. If you're here to hit on me, then I urge you to reconsider – you're really not my type. Too young for my tastes.” Taking a sip of her wine, she studies you with a new and almost playful curiosity. “But not too young for NERV,” she muses, “If you're not here to complain about the blue helmets, and if you're not here to hit on me, then... you must be one of the new pilots. Am I close?”

Finally, you manage to nod. “Yeah. Pilot. Unit 02,” you answer, swallowing nervously before forcing yourself to speak in a more articulate manner. “I'm Holly. Holly Reynolds,” you tell her, “You were one of the older pilots, right?”

“Enough of that “older” talk. I'm still young!” Coraline insists, scowling prettily at you, “But... yes. I was a pilot, but now I'm retired. ADM Unit 09, that was my unit. I liked to call it “Rabbit”, though. It had these sensors on the head that looked like... well, you get the idea. I was young, and a trifle foolish in those days.”

“They don't want us giving our units nicknames,” you reply with an awkward laugh, “I don't know why. I mean like, what's the harm?”

“I suppose they don't want you getting attached. It's not really YOUR unit, after all,” Coraline offers, sipping her wine, “It's their weapon, they just need a girl like you to pull the trigger. Would you like a drink?”

“I'm like, fifteen,” you point out.

“Yes, and?” the retired pilot replies, raising two fingers in the air. She smiles sweetly as a soldier hurries over, delivering two fresh glasses of wine. “NERV, then,” she murmurs, “How are things, these days? I like to read the reports, but they don't tell the full story. How are you finding it?”

Sharp blue eyes, probing for answers.

>It's tough, but nothing I can't handle
>Nobody tells me anything. I wish I knew more about NERV
>Well... at least I'm meeting lots of new people
>It's... (Write in)
>Other

>>3461965
>>Well... at least I'm meeting lots of new people
"Most of NERV is as tight-lipped as ever, but there are some good people with them."

"Did you ever have to fight?"

>>3461965
>>Nobody tells me anything. I wish I knew more about NERV

Honestly, whatever reports you are getting probably tell you more than i could about whatever NERV is doing. Unless of course you mean whatever lies, excuses and half-truths they tell me.

>>3461965
>Nobody tells me anything. I wish I knew more about NERV

>>3461965
>"Ez pz. I'm tearing through those Lilims faster than Monroe tears into wineboxes."

>>3461965
>It's tough, but nothing I can't handle
Also free wine is nice. Nothing compared to the gasoline Monroe gave us.

File: CoralineL.png (392 KB, 900x700)

392 KB PNG

“Whatever reports you're getting, they probably tell you more than I can. Nobody tells me anything around here,” you sigh, tentatively taking the glass of wine and sipping it. Not terrible – you can actually taste something that isn't just battery acid and fire, so it's automatically a step above Monroe's drink of choice. “I wish I knew a little more about NERV,” you continue, “About what's going on behind the scenes. It's all so messed up.”

“So it seems like some things never change,” Coraline muses, “When I was with NERV, I knew so very little about what I was doing. It was for the good of mankind, and that was it. That was enough for me, in those days. I wanted to do some good for the world.” Taking another drink of wine, she leans forwards and offers you a sly smile. “But now, I have a chance to investigate them,” she teases, “Isn't it funny how quickly some things can change?”

Like how you had a semi-normal life not all that long ago. Yeah, real funny. “At least I'm meeting some new people,” you remark with a wan shrug, “Most of them don't really talk much, but some are okay. Combat is pretty tough, but so far I've been tearing through the Lilim like Commander Monroe going through a crate of wine.” Both of you laugh at this, and you feel a faint flicker of a bond form between you. “It's pretty tough at the moment, though,” you add, thinking aloud as you take another drink, “We lost someone recently. They died, I mean. We didn't... misplace them.”

“Oh, that's awful!” Coraline gasps, “Was he a friend of yours?”

“No, maybe, I don't know. I guess I never knew him all that well,” you start to reply, only to pause. Did she just say...

“You must forgive me. I read it in the reports. Doctor... Williams, was it not?” she apologises, shaking her head sadly, “I didn't want to bring it up. I wasn't sure how you might react.”

“Wilson,” you correct her, “And yeah, I guess... I guess I don't really want to talk about that. How about we change the subject?” You pause, and Coraline graciously nods for you to continue on. “You were before my time, right?” you ask, “So... did you ever fight?”

“A Lilim? No,” Coraline shakes her head, “But I have fought, yes.” Lapsing into a thoughtful silence, she takes another drink of wine. “Back in those days, it was just the two of us – me, and another pilot, a girl called Reed. We trained together, learning how to pilot an ADM Unit. Back in those days, things were a lot more unpolished. Heat dissipation was an issue, and the LCL tanks often got so terribly hot. Sensory feedback was another problem. Glitches in the system, too much sensation forced upon us. I would feel the rivets used to hold the armour plate in place, like nails driven into my flesh...”

“Ah!” she cries, “But that wasn't what you asked, was it? You'll have to forgive me. I so rarely get to talk about all this...”

[1/2]

>>3462088
>that pic
Oh no she's hot

If we feel like throwing her a bone some point we should mention the injuries we took during the fight with Orobas at the Garden and something about overlapping At fields causing it.

>>3462088
>“A Lilim? No,” Coraline shakes her head, “But I have fought, yes.”
hmmmmmmmmm

>>3462117
i guess the next step along that road is figuring witch of NERV's installations she was assigned to.

Also do you think that she would be Briefed on 'Claire'

>>3462137
Why would they tell her about our civilian friend? She's not even part of NERV.

>>3462137
doubtful. She isn't with NERV anymore.

>>3462146
If she ever turns up at Avalon we should introduce them to one another.

>>3462152
>implying

>>3462153
Well we introduced Claire to Yulia and she had no problem with it so why not introduce her to Coraline?

>>3462160
Yulia was a fellow pilot instead of UN Oversight who can recommend funding cuts and other nasty stuff

>>3462166
i mean Claire even met us right as we got out of the Airplane just to introduce herself to Yulia. Anyway i'm sure Coraline will want to meet Claire and they will be great Friends.

>>3462088

“No, go on,” you assure her, gesturing vaguely, “That all sounds kinda... awful.”

“Well, I suppose it was. You must remember, though, the technology was still in its infancy. It was never going to spring fully formed into the world, was it?” Coraline sighs, idly running her finger around the lip of her glass, “We did what we had to do. Fighting, I think, was the worst part. I can't count how many times I felt my bones break or my flesh tear. None of it was real, of course, but it felt real enough.”

You can't believe what she's saying. “You had to fight each other?” you ask numbly, “The two of you? You and this Reed girl?”

“Ah, you do simulated training these days, don't you?” Coraline asks, answering your question with a question of her own, “Simulations require data to work from, to built an accurate representation of the world. Even something as simple as how much vibrations you feel when an ADM steps forwards... we measured that. We provided that data, data on how the ADM Units move and fight.” A small smile crosses her face as she snaps her purse open and takes out a photograph. It shows two girls – a younger, flatter Coraline and a taller tomboy with spiked hair. “That's us. In a strange way, all the tests brought us closer together,” she muses, “She was a year older than me, and I thought she was the coolest girl in the world.”

“She looks nice,” you venture, looking at the well-travelled picture, “What's she doing these days?”

“Ah. She... died,” Coraline replies with a brittle smile, “Oh, don't look so shocked! It wasn't because of the tests, if that's what you were worried about. There was an accident. Reed had this... this moped. The closest thing to a motorbike that she could get. It was a blind junction, the other driver was going too fast... all just a stupid mess.” Taking the photograph from you, Coraline gazes down at it for a moment more. “I retired. I couldn't pilot an ADM Unit after that, I just couldn't face it. So, NERV politely asked me to sign a mountain of paperwork, promising to keep their secrets, and they gave me a healthy pension,” she concludes with a shrug, “Now, I have more money than I know what to do with. I just travel, stay in glamorous hotels and eat in fine restaurants. This UN thing is really just a way of making myself useful.”

You're left speechless for a while, sipping wine and stalling for time as you try to think. “That really sucks,” you offer at last, inwardly cringing at how banal that sounds, “Those things can be pretty dangerous, I guess.”

“It's... old news,” Coraline remarks, “We grieve, and we move on. Do you want to know what the worst part of it was? Later, one of superiors let something slip – they would have retired me in a year or so anyway. My compatibility score was already slipping. Too old, apparently. Everything that I did for them, and in the end...”

[2/3]

I guess that explains why NERV shuttles us around almost everywhere we want to go. also i'm sure whatever data Coraline and Reed gathered was instrumental in training more Pilots in a safe manor although would have been useful if we had gotten to use it before we got thrown in the deep end.

>>3462190
They only can have pilots for like a few years max then before they're too old. Sucks.

>>3462190

The song playing on the jukebox changes, and Coraline looks around with a gasp of delight. “I love this song!” she cries out, “It Ain't Me, by the Fortunate Sons. Do you know it?”

“I don't think that's what the song is...” you begin, before you realise that she's joking. Laughing weakly along for a moment, you lean back as she hums a few bars of the song to herself. “Where were you based?” you ask her, “I'm out in Avalon, although I guess you probably know that already.”

“Avalon City? I was there just a few days ago. Vacation,” Coraline replies, “It's not exactly glamorous, is it? Still, it's one more name crossed off the list. What were you asking?” Finishing off the last of her wine, she thinks for a moment, “Ah! My base,” she nods to herself, “We moved around a lot. We moved out to Temple whenever there was work to do, but that's no place to stay. Most of the time, we'd take lodgings in... some city that I can't even hope to pronounce. Scandinavian, I think. The terrain up there is empty, desolate. We could fight with our ADM Units and nobody even knew – that's how isolated we were.”

As the song on the jukebox comes to an end, Coraline covers her mouth and hides a laugh. “I get so talky when I drink!” she cries, “I'm not even drunk! It's just nice to have someone like you to talk with – most of the people I meet at the UN are boring old men and dried up crones. What's the point in explaining anything to people like them? They want me to observe this operation of yours and tell them, in simple English, what happened. How am I supposed to do that?”

“Just tell them that we did a great job?” you suggest, “We did everything amazingly well, and there's nothing they need to complain about.”

“Hmm. Maybe not such a good idea. You don't know these people like I do,” Coraline muses, “You tell them that, they'll decide that you don't need nearly such a high budget.”

“Those bastards...” you mutter to yourself, fighting an urge to shake your fist at the sky and curse some omnipotent budget committee.

Laughing again, Coraline leans forwards and rests her chin on her hands. “I feel terribly bad about monopolising the conversation,” she laments, “Please, do tell me something about yourself. I'm interested in what the modern pilot is like.”

Something about yourself... there's an element of a trade involved here, you suspect. She's opened herself up to you, and now you're expected to reciprocate. You never agreed to that deal, but... maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

>Make your excuses and leave with your privacy intact
>Tell her about your family. You've kept it bottled up for too long
>Tell her about your fellow pilots. That's a nice, neutral topic
>Urge her to talk more about herself. You're terribly boring, after all
>Tell her... (Write in)
>Other

>>3462256
Pretty sure that if we can obtain and integrate an Super Solenoid Engine / Organ we can for Unit 02 extend the period maybe indefinitely.

>>3462261
>Tell her about your fellow pilots. That's a nice, neutral topic

>Avalon City? I was there just a few days ago. Vacation
Do her feet roughly match the foot imprints we found at the scene where the Doctor was murdered?

>>3462261
>Tell her about your family. You've kept it bottled up for too long

>>3462261
>>Tell her... (Write in)
About Claire and the others as well as the Support staff at NERV

>>3462261
>>Tell her about your fellow pilots. That's a nice, neutral topic

>>3462274
... oh man, oh man. good catch just you wait it looks like we'll have lots to talk about.

>>3462261
>>Tell her about your fellow pilots. That's a nice, neutral topic

>>3462296
Also how would she have known about 'His' death before we told her. here >>3462088

>>3462306
she said she read a report

>>3462307
this is still suspicious as she told us she was in the area for a 'Vacation' we should at least let Fletcher know so he might follow it up.

>>3462313
curious why the UN would want Wilson dead. Unless Wormwood has infiltrated the UN maybe.

>>3462318
we know that the UN's and NERV's are goals are not aligned and someoneRead: Phantom wanted Wilson dead combined with Wilson's Email we know he was asked to try and get Dr.Bergmann's research it wasn't names specifically what they were after but the UN now has Unit's 5&6 in their possession and are trying to put them back together again. i'll probably come back at some point with this more developed.

>>3462307
While the report thing is probably true and the whole thing might be a coincidence, I still want to talk to Fletcher and ask him if the information about the doctor's death was divulged and whether a UN official would know about it.

>>3462340
Are we going to kick in his door in the middle of the night like we should or wait till later. we still need to check her shoes though.

>>3462338
I was operating under the assumption that Wilson was clearly confirmed as phantom. Considering he was meeting with us when we told him too.

As you think about what to talk about, you reach into your pocket and come up with a handful of change. Stacking up some of the coins, you nod across to the now silent jukebox. “How does that thing work, anyway?” you ask, “You stick some coins in and you get some music, right? Well, you wanna go and pick something good? I don't know if I'd be able to find something good, but you might. I prefer having some music going on, y'know?”

“Stops people from eavesdropping,” Coraline agrees, winking at you before scooping up the coins and marching over to the jukebox. Several pairs of eyes follow her as she saunters over, crawling down the curves of her body. Leaning out of the booth, you glance at her as well – but your gaze is directed lower, at her delicate, feminine feet in their pointed shoes. Dropping your coins into the jukebox and stabbing at the buttons with one finger, she picks out a new song and returns. “White Rabbit,” she remarks, “Whoever runs this place has some sick fetish for the Vietnam War.”

“Uh, right,” you reply, nodding vaguely to yourself as you gather your thoughts. “I was just thinking, one of my friends... one of the other pilots, she would really get a kick out of this place. All the military shit, I mean. She collects model guns, and those things are scary realistic,” you tell her, erring on the side of caution and finding a safer topic to talk about, “She's back in Avalon, though. I've got the princess out here with me, although she's getting her beauty sleep right now.”

“Oh really?” Coraline teases, “Well... if she's the princess, does that make you the knight in shining armour?”

“Hey, c'mon!” you protest, the wine clearly responsible for the heat that rises in your cheeks, “I'm just saying, she's like some kind of nobility. Got a manor and everything. I don't really understand her, though – if she's got all that, why come out here and fight? Maybe all this is like a game for her, and she's just bored of... I don't know, whatever noble girls do. It's like this other girl, Nate. She's got loving parents and a nice home, but she joined NERV anyway.”

Raising an eyebrow, Coraline leans a little closer and sniffs. “Is that the smell of resentment that I detect?” she jokes, “Or perhaps jealousy?”

“Get outta here!” you shoot back, pushing her away, “I'm just saying, she's got people who'll really care if she gets hurt.”

“Hmm,” the older girl murmurs, “And you don't, is that what you're saying?”

“What I'm saying is, this other girl doesn't have any parents at all. Grew up in some shitty camp, probably eating grilled rats and snow,” you counter, “Not grilled snow, though. That would just be like, silly.”

“Well, you don't want to grill your snow,” Coraline agrees sagely, “You lose all the nutritional value that way.”

[1/2]

>>3462351
There is no reason not to be patient.

Also you guys have to remember. People change their shoes. Like we might be able to get a general size but that's it for 'proof'

>>3462378
He couldn't have been as if he pulled Holly's file he would have been apprehended as he was being watched by Fletcher's team that was one of the conditions that Fletcher was given to bring him in him in. i'll explain more later

>>3462386
Yes, but with the mounting potential circumstantial evidence we can mount a case that can't be ignored.

>>3462386
Yeah, I don't really agree with >>3462351 's attitude of "IT'S HER!", but the way she was talking about the report and how she was on vaction in Avalon city made me suspicious. Even if her feet match the exact size of the imprint, that's not proof, as plenty of people have that exact size; furthemore, even if the report was not publicly divulged, I'm sure the UN has the means, resources and motives to put their noses in NERV's affairs and find out things like that. Nothing here will prove anything, but it might give us some insight.

>>3462492
Agreed

>>3462492
Its more Having enough Circumstantial Evidence to convince Fletcher to look into it in any amount of detail. I think that Fletcher would like to be kept alert to any UN officials movements within Avalon anyway

>>3462381

“Tell me something, Holly Reynolds,” the older girl murmurs, “Do you prefer talking about other people?”

Looks like you weren't being as subtle as you thought. “Some folks just don't like talking about themselves, I guess,” you reply vaguely, “I always struggle to think of something to say. Like, I don't have many hobbies and I'm not super great at any of my classes. I don't even have many close friends. There's this one girl, though. Claire. We've known each other for a while, ever since I moved to this crappy school. She's a bit of a dork – I mean, she's a LOT of a dork – but sometimes that's pretty fun to be around, you know?”

“You're doing it again,” Coraline points out, laughing delicately, “But go on. What about the people you're working with? I remember a few faces from my time at NERV. Is Doctor Bergmann still working there?”

“They just can't get rid of her,” you joke, “God knows, Monroe has probably tried. Did you know her very well?”

“I don't think she's the sort of person that you CAN know well,” the older girl muses, “But in either case, we only met very briefly. She hated coming out to Temple. Said it reminded her too much of home. Reed and I, we had a little wager going – trying to figure out where she was from. My bet was Norway, but Reed couldn't ever decide. I don't suppose she's ever mentioned anything to you?”

“Nope. She doesn't even have much of an accent. All very mysterious,” you reply with a vague shrug, “NERV seems to attract mysterious people. This guy we've got running security, I don't even know his first name. Fletcher – I think you've met?”

Slowly, Coraline nods. “I said some very unkind things to him when we last saw one another. He was politely reminding me of how seriously NERV takes their security, and I told him exactly how far he could stick it all up his ass. Quite far, if you're curious,” she sighs, “He probably didn't deserve that, but my best friend had only been ash for a week or two, so I was feeling a little terse. Fletcher... he's a soldier, through and through. The mission takes priority over all else, including little things like thoughts and feelings.”

You start to reply to this, only for Coraline to yawn. Narrowing her eyes like a cat, she glances down at the gold watch on her wrist. “Time I should be in bed,” she sighs, “I need to be up early tomorrow morning. Got a lot of spying to do, maybe even a little sabotage. Just kidding!” Reaching over, she musses up your hair and lets out a laugh. “You'd better get some sleep too, kid,” she adds, “Drink some water, too. Cheap red wine like this, it can be pretty brutal!”

She sounds like she's speaking from experience there.

[2/3]

Well at least we know who to blame if something goes wrong now.

>>3462554
Yeah. Claire and her wacky antics at it again.

>>3462597
As always it comes back to Claire one way or another. For all we know the reason Holly doesn't talk about herself is because she can't remember.

>>3462524

As she's getting up to leave, Coraline pauses as a thought occurs to her. “I have a question for you. It might sound a little strange, but please humour me,” she asks, waiting until you give her a nod before continuing, “Have you been assigned a partner?”

“You mean like, a permanent one?” you reply, shaking your head, “Not really. I've been working with a few different people, but I mostly get to choose. I don't know what your old commander was like, but I get a pretty decent amount of freedom. Lucky me, huh? I don't know if I could stand anything more formal. Why are you asking?”

“Talking about Doctor Bergmann got me thinking. I remember something we talked about, albeit very briefly. She told me that one person, no matter how strong they were, would never be able to overturn the heavens... whatever that means. Does she still talk like that?” Coraline remarks with a shrug, “Either way. I was complaining about the training they had us do, the... the fighting, and she said that it would forge a strong bond between us. In those days, she seemed obsessed with that idea. Even after she left, she often sent messages stressing the importance of it. When Reed... when I was on my own, she seemed to lose interest in me entirely.”

“Huh,” you murmur. But you say nothing more – what is there TO say?

“Men were never meant to be alone. Only by coming together can a man and a woman create new life. Pair bonds are the foundation of our order,” Coraline thinks aloud to herself, “But what does that make me? One half of a pair that no longer exists in this world. No wonder NERV wanted rid of me.”

“Sweet dreams, then,” she concludes, offering you a sad smile before leaving you alone with your thoughts.

>I think I'm going to finish things here for today. NERV: Second Daughter will continue tomorrow at the same usual time
>I apologise for the delays today, tomorrow should be a little smoother

>>3462632
Thanks for running!

as a continuation of the Metatron & Holly shadowrun found here
>>3451210
and
>>3451212

As has been demonstrated constantly we know that Holly has a habit,
A strange habit of if anything that is said or done relating to or is done in Claire's presence ranging from deliberately misunderstanding things to outright ignoring comment's or reactions to these strange occurrences
Things that are said a worrying example is shown below:
When we return to HQ Yulia 'meets' Claire this is the exchange from >>3433238
Claire wasn't playing this up. she was playing it straight and Holly as usual misunderstood her
and Claire appears to be in on whatever happened to Holly to some degree.
and Yulia seems confused and shocked at Holly's actions as I can only assume from any other perspective that having a person that she has known for some time reintroduce themselves in such a different manner, as well as seeming to be interacting with themselves.
(I mean Claire doesn't even attempt to introduce herself at all, so why is Yulia)
and requires Fletcher to prompt her to remind her to keep up the charade as has happened on other occasions
Claire appears to be acting in some capacity as a part of a sort of limiting factor to what we don't know and is capable of exerting control over Holly's actions
For example Claire is able to get Holly to perform actions after inducing some sort of deliberate ether unconsciousness or trance with the memory of such an event lost as seen here >>3449200
As confirmed by when we ask Fletcher about what the Tracking device has recorded here >>3449286
also see >> 3447551 "Claire lies in bed, nested in a tangle of sheets with a troubled expression on her face. She sleeps without making a sound"
She isn't even breathing and we don't care, at least subconsciously as Holly isn't even alarmed at this or trying to hide that she knows Claire isn't alive at all any more.
Also for comparison when we were watching Yulia sleep it mentions her breathing see >>3415943
I fear if they feel Claire is failing or if we have an obvious or public falling out with her or it gets out that we have. The next step up is some form of Subdermal explosive implants or even a modified DSS choker to insure our continued compliance with their plan.
https://evangelion.fandom.com/wiki/DSS_Choker

1/7

>>3462641
The Circle Eleven Trials and Project Metatron and probably a bunch of other things that we don't know about yet.
Examples are provided below for these occurrences:
Holly acting as Claire's mouthpiece in some conversations see >>3447104
Whatever is causing the hypnosis and blackouts that Holly experiences semi-regularly see >>3449200
however the pilots are being programmed to perform certain actions for Kaori see >>3447186
Compare the above with what Monroe said When she Clicks her fingers is probably part of the process with Holly when she tells us to go and see Sasaki if we need any help see >>3409940
> During the meeting with Sasaki we tell him that "Commander Monroe wanted an update on the situation here" Monroe never mentions anything about a status update so it is likely a codeword exchange. see >>3415457
> When we call Monroe to get permission from her to enter the Garden she knows that we got other information and is prompting us for it by asking leading questions from the exchange with Sasaki. see >>3415762
> Monroe deflects our line of Questioning with a circular Argument when we raise why we said what we said to Sasaki. see >>3415871
> Waking up in the middle of the night the last at the Garden as we are set to return to Avalon in the morning, getting dressed and just going for a walk, happening to come across the commander's office and finding the note. here >>3430378
> We also do it again when we turn it into Monroe. here >>3433613
> We also never mention what Sasaki said happened to Units 5 and 6 to her at all, So we could always tell her if we felt like it.
If we do decide to tell her, it would also be a good idea to bring up what Cam said about Unit 05 as to highlight the differences between what she and Sasaki said about them, additionally we could always ask Yulia and Katrina about Unit 05 for more information.
The true extent of all of these projects and exactly what control over our actions they can exert and probably more, would have been mentioned in our file had we been able to read it or if it was ever present.
R.I.P Wilson you never even had a slight chance of escaping Avalon if you had made it out of the meeting alive.
Monroe baits us into following them to their meeting extending the invitation with location details in person to Dr.Bergmann while we are standing there instead of over an email for some reason. They also claim that Fletcher was invited see >>3448894
Therefore he would have also received the location details combining this with the Tracking device's data he must know we attended the meeting so there is no point in hiding the things we learned from him.
as an amendment there are 12 units not 6, That Monroe knows of as confirmed here >>3433715
Also Fletcher screws up Claire's continuity for the first time. here >>3447339

2/7

>>3462644
Little things I noticed while going back over the investigation of Wilson's death relating to The Killer and Cam's possible involvement?
For further confirmation we could get Fletcher to check the Access Logs for Katrina's door as it has an ID lock and the Base's CCTV recordings to confirm if her statement that she was on base during the Window of opportunity was true or not
Either way we still probably want to have Fletcher talk to her because Wilson was acting the same way in his last moments.
We can use the others present (Monroe or Dr.Bergmann ) to confirm our observations ether before we go to Fletcher confirm if her actions are truly anomalous.
Or as support if we decide to accuse her of killing Wilson or we decide to voice our concerns of her at least being of party to Wilson's Murder.

3/7

>>3462647
Continuing the List
As we only need enough circumstantial evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she may have had some role in Wilson's death so far we have:
> They are openly discussing Zero together so she has been read on for her and Wilson has in the past mistaken us for Zero so we know that Wilson knows of her so they may know one another so he may have opened the door for the Killer the exact reasoning remains unknown.
> it would also explain both Dr Wilson not having Defensive injuries and why he was left to bleed out.
> The footprint and the CCTV footage confirms that the assailant was female although as they were wearing a raincoat with the hood up their identity was hidden.
> The Killer was probably acting on orders if not Phantom it could be Dr.Bergmann ( as she accuses him during the Diner scene of lacking faith in the plan after the meeting, as to how would she know? )We know Wilson was planning to go on the run based on the supplies found when we checked the boot of his car. see >>3447248 and >>3449110
> We know that Dr.Bergmann, is a free and independent agent of SEELE and as such is outside of Monroe's direct Chain of Command and so is able to receive orders independently of Monroe & Fletcher.
> Therefore the opposite should also be true to a degree, she should be able to issue orders to some of NERV's various personnel outside her own Chain of Command ( Research & Development and Engineering ? Who/ Where is the Chief Engineer ) without the knowledge of Monroe and Fletcher.
> Fletcher at least already knew about Wilson and had a team watching him so he would have been able to apprehend him before the meeting instead of killing him so he had no reason to have order Wilson's death over his capture.
> Wilson would have asked to delay the meeting if he was unable to get our file as he wouldn't want to risk having us not tell him what he wanted to know as that would have delayed him in leaving Avalon and increased the amount of time for him to be caught.
> Wilson's Killer would have been told to take the file as well to prevent Holly from reading it. This doesn't confirm that they knew the contents of the File, or that Wilson was going to be meeting Holly
> explaining why the file was missing and her potentially expressing the guilt she feels in the form of not wanting to know more about Wilson's life .
> As wile looking after Katrina she would have had to work closely with Wilson. She also may have objected to her orders on some level.
> She knows that she may be caught eventually and so is getting her affairs in order, setting up other people to take care of Katrina in her absence Why is she leaving, where is she going? . see >>3452002 and >>3452088
if that happens we need to convince both her and Fletcher that selling out whomever gave her the orders are in NERV's best interests.


4/7

>>3462632
Thanks for running.

I wonder if Bergmann is trying to do the same with Nate and Holly.

>>3462648
also according to >>3410019 , Zero (Katrina) had either a seizure or a fit based upon Wilson providing authorisation for the use of sedatives and anticonvulsants he was probably talking to Cam we could ask Cam what to do if she has another as we are likely to be spending time together in future.

Looking back Holly read the contents of the email the objectives that Wilson was charged with see >> 3410108

NERV's plans are progressing too quickly (What is NERV planning as the Lilium appear on their own time how are we progressing 'faster' on our own )
while we have yet to obtain one of the children. ( What could they would they want them for, also is Fisher and the other pilots and auxiliaries safe wherever they are, and what of the unit's that aren't present at Avalon. We need to discuss this with the other pilots at some point)
Our agents are working to delay NERV ( Why could they possibly want to, isn't NERV working towards defeating all of the Lilium )
and you must assist them by whatever means necessary ( Confirming that Wilson wasn't working alone and isn't Phantom )
If SEELE are allowed to bring their plans to completion, everything that we hope to achieve will be lost. ( As we know SEELE is head office, how does their plan differ from NERV's? and how do they know about SEELE anyway )
Your orders are as follows:
1. Delay and obstruct NERV's plans. (again what could they possibly be doing that Wilson could Obstruct in any meaningful way. )
2. Obtain the results of Bergmann's research. ( Bring this up with Bergmann, as she needs to know if she doesn't already. )
Additionally as one of the surviving subjects of one of her research projects we are potentially an object of interest many times over at least, we should also show her Wilson's death note as proof of this.
3. Continue to observe and report on the pilot's development. ( development of what? could it be possible to find a copy of these reports on his phone . it could give us an idea of both Kaori and Katrina were like before we got here.)

We may want to go over these with Fletcher & Monroe and possibly Dr.Bergmann and maybe the other pilot's, Nate included as keeping any of them in the dark is unfair to them
Additionally knowing where Dr.Bergmann was before she came to Avalon could be useful for establishing who to talk to to find out more about her.
It may also be a good idea to see if Fletcher would be willing to check the Dorm's for bugs (or at least our room as I doubt they would put microphones or camera's in them). or even teach us how so we can do it on our own time.
It would also be good to know where Avalon's Communion room is so we can use it too.

5/7

>>3462632
Thanks for running!

How proud is Fletcher going to be that we let Coraline leave with unbruised shins?

>>3462648
Ok calm down mr paranoia

>>3462651
Where to go from here and Holly's Possible Future Actions to assist Fletcher with the investigation:
So if we decide the Investigation is taking too long or appears to not be likely to find the Killer or the rest of Phantom and that we should provide additional evidence that we have withheld from Fletcher so far as to protect ourselves, to both provide more data points for the investigation
and to keep someone that isn't Claire in the loop about our state of mind this includes:
> The Labyrinth Logs of us setting up the meeting with Phantom and the information we are trading (if we had confirmed that we had turned over the Photo of Wilson's computer with the suspicious Email visible to Fletcher for the non redacted version of Holly's File ) with time stamps.
As we still don't have confirmation of Phantom's Identity as they may have set this up and caused Wilson's death to prevent him from being apprehended by Fletcher and revealing more information.
Also on Regarding the appearance Labyrinth App we could have Fletcher look into the Chain of Custody of the Tablet when it was screened. see >>3350871
it could be useful additional information for the investigation because Phantom definitely had a hand in it appearing on our tablet. Also looking into who returned it as Claudia Claims. see >>3353451
although Holly is ultimately responsible for precipitating the event's that causes Wilson's death. We can ask Fletcher his opinion on why Phantom was unable to send Holly the requested file across Labyrinth like all of the other information drops they have sent us.
Unless Fletcher finds the other a copy of Labyrinth and the half of the conversation in what he has of Wilson's Personal effects. We should assume he wasn't whoever Holly was talking to when talking to Phantom and was Affiliated with them in some way.
and the obvious conclusion is that, Phantom isn't a single person and that the meeting was set up was to clean up a lose end ( Wilson ).
also there is no way Wilson could have withdrawn our file without help as Fletcher states see >>3415695
Otherwise that would have caused him to be apprehended so what was actually in the file he had with him and why didn't the team Fletcher had watching Wilson apprehend him when he got his hands on whatever the file was actually.

6/7

>>3462654
>How proud is Fletcher going to be that we let Coraline leave with unbruised shins?

Oh yeah I forgot about that. I guess his only experience with her was her pissed off about Reed's death.

>>3462655
Future actions cont.
As for all we know as to why Phantom decided to choose Wilson as runner for the meeting and the Suite hacking tools for the camera's was planted on his devices to redirect the investigation of Phantom onto Wilson.
That when we found Wilson there was no file that was found and can be confirmed for Fletcher by both Kaori and Claire
Additionally we don't even know if the file that Wilson would have had was what we asked for, or if it was withdrawn by Wilson at all because whatever it was it couldn't have been Holly's file
as that was one of the few things that would have caused the team the Fletcher had watching Wilson to have apprehended him as per Fletcher orders. see >>3415695
In combination with the logs Fletcher could figure out who accessed and what files were withdrawn, returned and are outstanding from the time the meeting was first arranged and come up with a list of possible candidates for assisting in the death of Wilson.
Assuming looking into Cam doesn't pan out he can also scour Wilson's emails for similar Correspondence with Wilson and whomever sent him the original email as his killer was known to him
based on him having no defensive injuries and having opened the door for them, based on evidence found where he died not ( the car door being ajar not on the dream. )
We should ask Claire how she got in without our security team noticing just to see what she says because if it's not internally consistent with any of the other events( she can't have used the fire escape or the main entrance as she would have either been caught on the camera that caught the Killer or the NERV security team. )
And if she can't come up with a suitable answer ( or one that only Holly would accept as the truth ) should throw up some warning signs as to Holly's mental health has degraded.
It should also give us some sort indication of whether Claire is just along for the ride or is part of a system of control instituted as a fail safe
Wilson's Phone before we turn this over we still need to look at it first, items of importance are mainly the Contact list and the logs of phone calls & text messages for the same
reason as his email's are important the phone may also have an independent copy of his email's on it just in case of Phantom tampering with the one's at his workstation.
Wilson's Death note doesn't prove anything all it does is increase the likelihood that the that he knew that Holly was the intended recipient of the file
and how we keep seeing Eleven Chairs especially in the garden as Fletcher was present for that event see >>3416072 , >>3416123 and >>3416173 we mentioned the chairs to Wilson on our first day after he uses a machine. for his response see >>3354465
What was said at Kay's Diner (mainly what Dr.Bergmann said about Wilson and Cam's reaction to it ) he can confirm this with Monroe as he knows we were both there during that time thanks to the tracking beacon.

7/7

You know on one hand it's good to see people being invested, but on the other hand... wew.

Just as a reminder this was all written over the space of a week and considering it's 7:20 AM threads tend to start at 1 AMhere i'm going to sleep and i don't have much else to do.

>>3462654
He's going to be so proud. We are the goodest girl!

>>3462865
>goodest girl

Holly confirmed best girl by WOG

>>3462381
>Whoever runs this place has some sick fetish for the Vietnam War
Vietnam, pilots -- should have picked Downtown from the jukebox, then. After all, down in the hole, everything is waiting for you, just like Downtown Hanoi.

https://youtu.be/gLXXJwtkg2g

Posting a link to the Archive because it never got posted:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=NERV%20Second%20Daughter

File: HollyR.png (375 KB, 900x700)

375 KB PNG

You linger in the bar for a little longer, even after Coraline has sauntered out. Thinking, but not about anything in particular. Rather, your thoughts are never able to linger on any one topic for long. There's always something else fighting for a place at the front of your mind. You think of pair bonds, man and woman coming together in order to produce a child, but then you're imagining two girls fighting a bloody battle. Why is it that you imagine the fighters as not Coraline and Reed, but you and Claire?

Nausea worms its way up from your gut and, with one hand clapped over your mouth, you stumble out of the bar. A few distant cheers follow you, your hurried exit taken as just another piece of entertainment. The night air is cold, especially after the sweaty bar, and it helps snap you to your senses. A shiver runs through you as you stumble back behind the bar, hiding yourself from prying eyes. If you're going to throw up, you'd prefer to do it without an audience. Still, the feeling of sickness quickly passes. It was just a fleeting thing, a passing lapse.

“You saw that photograph. Little Coraline couldn't have been much older than you are now. Even then, she only had a few short years left,” a sexless voice whispers, the words seeming to come from every direction at once, “How many years do YOU have left?”

Whirling about, you look this way and that for any sign of who said that. Nothing reveals itself, and you're definitely alone. As you're standing there, you get the strangest feeling – a feeling that this has all happened before. Slumping back against the wall, you stare up into the sky and let a long, slow breath escape you.

-

“That girl is proof of our covenant with Adam. We cannot allow her to be harmed.”

“Adam is a false god. We must forge our own path, or face annihilation.”

“Hubris. Hubris of the highest order.”

-

When the cold night air chases away the last of your sickness, your disorientation, you start to think about heading to bed. You've got quarters in... barracks A, you think. Fletcher probably has a room in the command post, or whatever they call it here – the big important building where officers go and pretend to be busy. That was where he was headed earlier, at least. While you were hitting up bars with French chicks, he was probably busy with incredibly important security arrangements. Maybe he's still at work, really burning the midnight oil. He doesn't need to sleep much, Fletcher. Part of his military training, you suspect, paired with a whole lot of coffee.

Pulling your thin jacket a little tighter around you, you start heading to the barracks. Coraline was right about one thing – it's getting late, and you've got work to do tomorrow.

[1/2]

>>3464680

Only... you're not very tired. Not yet. Maybe it's the mission ahead of you, or maybe it's the voice spitting snide comments at you, but it feels like there's an electric current running through your veins. You thought alcohol was supposed to put you to sleep – back home, growing up, you all too often saw that woman sleeping next to an empty bottle of wine – but this seems to have had the opposite effect.

Or maybe it's the full moon, leering down at you. Shuddering a little, you creep out from behind the army bar and start off towards the barracks. Even if you're not tired now, you might be able to sleep if you lie down hard enough. As you're walking out into the open courtyard, though, you spot a ghostly figure basking in the moonlight. With her pale skin and hair, Karina really does have an uncanny appearance – not least because of the way she sits atop one of the blocky tanks, her arms stretched up towards the swollen moon.

Almost by instinct, you shrink back into the shelter of the bar's doorway. The longer you watch Karina, the more uneasy you start to feel. She just doesn't move, her arms held rigidly aloft. Her eyes are closed, but you're not even sure if she'd blink had they been open.

Maybe you should just... pretend you didn't see her. She probably doesn't want to be disturbed, after all. She's clearly very busy with... whatever the hell you're looking at.

>Head to bed like a responsible adult
>Find Claudia and bother her for a bit
>Track down Fletcher and report on Coraline
>Approach Karina. How bad can it be?
>Other

>>3464681
>>Approach Karina. How bad can it be?

>>3464681
>>Approach Karina. How bad can it be?
"Talking with the moon? That must be an interesting conversation."

>>3464681
>>Find Claudia and bother her for a bit

>>3464681
>>Head to bed like a responsible adult
We need to get ready for tomorrow's Operation

>>3464681
>Bother Karina
Lmoa weirdo

>>3464681
>Track down Fletcher and report on Coraline

You really should be getting to bed, you know that, but you find yourself moving towards Karina regardless. She doesn't move from her stance, even as you approach her and wave a greeting. Of course she doesn't notice the greeting, with her eyes closed. So why wave? As foolish as it must have seemed to an observer, you felt obscurely certain that she would notice regardless. An incorrect assumption this time, which may very well be for the best.

Grunting softly as you clamber up onto the tank, you reach up and poke the pale girl on the arm. This rouses her, and she lets out a startled little cry. “Wait a minute,” you remark in disbelief, “Were you asleep?”

“No!” Karina protests, “I was just...”

“Talking with the moon?” you joke, “That must have been an interesting conversation. It's not gossiping about me, is it?” Karina smiles a little at your joke, but otherwise says nothing. Her face is normally so blank, but this time you sense a faint sadness about her attempt at a smile. “What's up?” you ask instead, your tone more serious this time, “Worried about tomorrow?”

Tilting her head, Karina considers this. “A little, yes, but that's not it,” she pauses, slowly lowering her arms and gesturing around her, “I was just thinking that there is so much about this world that I don't understand. I don't really understand how I can do the things I do, or even... who I really am. It's all so complicated!”

“And... you thought holding your hands up would help?” you remark, “Maybe if you hold them up high enough, they might pick up some alien transmission?”

Giggling, Karina shakes her head and pulls her loose garb a little tighter around her frail shoulders as she finally notices the cold. “That's so silly!” she replies, lightly slapping you on the arm, “Why would aliens give me any answers? I bet they'd just ask me all kinds of questions instead!”

Better that than breaking out the anal probe, at least.

“I went out for a walk earlier, and one of the soldiers stopped me. He was asking me so many questions, and I just couldn't answer them! He got mean, and he tried to take me to the infirmary, but Mister Fletcher showed up just in time. He scared the soldier off,” Karina continues, “I'm not supposed to talk with outsiders much. He told me that. But talking with you is fine. It's nice, actually!”

“Who told you that?” you ask her, “Fletcher?”

Her brow pinched by a mild frown, Karina hesitates and reaches out to touch the walking stick beside her. Knocked aside by her clumsy grasp, the stick tumbles down off the side of the tank and clatters loudly to the floor. Just as loud is Karina's moan of dismay, her expression turning tragic at the sight. Gesturing for her to stay in place, you hop down and search for the cane. It must have rolled when it fell, but you find it a short distance away. Karina watches, fretting all the while, as you fetch it back for her.

[1/2]

>>3464742

“How did you even get up there?” you complain as you climb back up onto the tank, “It's giving me a damn good workout, and I'm not...” Not sick like her, you almost say before stopping yourself short. Sometimes, you do think before you speak.

“I have good days and bad days,” Karina replies vaguely, “Some days, I can walk mostly fine. Other days, I'm stuck in that silly old wheelchair!” Smiling again, she glances down at the ground below and sighs. “But... maybe I overstretched myself,” she concedes, “Could you...”

“I just climbed back up again...” you grumble to yourself, scuttling down from the tank. Karina follows, her legs dragging a little as she shifts herself down before holding out one delicate hand. Taking it, feeling how cold her skin is, you help her down and wait until she has her balance back. Leaning heavily on her cane, Karina lets out a soft sigh of relief. “Good thing I came along, huh?” you tell her, “Otherwise, you might be stuck up there all night!”

Nodding solemnly, Karina seems to give serious thought to the idea. “Humans rely upon one another to do so much,” she thinks aloud, hastily shaking her head when she sees your expression. “Ah! That reminds me!” the pale girl yelps, “Tomorrow's operation. We'll be helping to keep Miss Rainer from getting... lost. The Lilim is weak, vulnerable... it's going to protect itself with illusions, and-”

“I remember the briefing,” you point out, “We need to keep Claudia focused on the mission, and pull her out if she gets in any trouble.”

“Yes!” Karina agrees, “That's right! I wanted to make sure. I... don't really know her very well. I don't know her limits. You'll have to be the one to decide if she's gone too far.”

She makes it sound so easy.

-

Waking from visions of nightmarishly pale faces, you pick over a light breakfast and check the time. 8AM, one hour until the mission is due to begin. Claudia is nowhere to be seen, although nobody seems worried. Leaving the barracks, you look out at the courtyard and there she is – sitting on the shoulder of her resting ADM Unit, Claudia stares out at the swirling portal beyond. Approaching her, you start to climb the long rope ladder dangling down. Suffice to say, you're glad that this is a calm day.

“If you're gonna jump off, that would really put us all in a difficult position,” you warn her, causing the heiress to glance around with a disinterested expression, “What are you thinking about?”

“How utterly awful this entire place is,” she replies, casting a sour look out across the desert, “Hardly a scrap of life to be seen anywhere!”

“Hey, that's not fair. Look at that!” you joke, point to a dried tangle of thorns, “I mean, it might not be lush and verdant, but...”

Claudia just scowls.

>I'm sorry about this, but I need to pause for an hour or so while I run some unexpected errands. I'll get back to this as soon as I can.

>>3464681
>Or maybe it's the full moon
uhoh, are we going to get nyarly?

>>3464817
Nah that was in Moloch's first quest :^)

>>3464681
Just want to point out that she is making the same gesture as the white Lilim(?) in our dream in the beginning of the quest. Coupled with her amnesia from Berlin and that one interlude she might be the 'Child of White' that defected. Something to think about it.

>>3464824
I think you might be on to something. She definitely talks as if she isn't human herself.

We also missed the perfect chance for her to Clarify what she meant when she said the following. see >>3449490
“Oh no...” Karina cries, “It's just, I was wondering... how many of you are in there?”

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

286 KB PNG

You tried your best, but Claudia repeatedly knocked back all of your attempts at conversation, at taking her mind off what was to come. When Fletcher called you down to suit up, that just put a final end to your efforts. Whatever. You did your part, so if she screws up in there it's going to be on her. Once you've donned your plug suit, you slide into Unit 02's entry plug and wait for the LCL to swallow you up. Down below you, Karina waits in her own unit – a disappointingly boring steel barrel. You were hoping it would look cool, like a giant skull or something.

“Partial 05, ready!” Karina chirps. No nervousness here, apparently.

“You called it “Partial”? C'mon man...” you groan quietly to yourself. Dismissing the clumsy name, you lean back and watch as the walls of the entry plug glow, fading into a view of the outside world. ADM Unit 03 stands a short distance away, a long knife in each hand. You're not really surprised that Claudia chose those as her weapons – you've seen her attempts down in the firing range, and they're less than impressive. Not so far head of her, the portal yawns open.

“Rainer,” Fletcher announces over the radio, “How are you feeling?”

“Uncomfortable, obviously. This suit is too tight, and that thing you stuck to me is breaking my back,” Claudia shoots back. Her power supply is certainly not going to come loose – heavy straps cross over her body, clamping at her back to keep the long cable plugged in place. It won't help her much if something deliberately cuts the cable, but... nothing's perfect. “Well, the sooner I get this done, the sooner I can take this bloody thing off,” the heiress adds with a sigh, “Off I go, then.”

With a shrug that her ADM Unit replicates, Claudia marches steadily towards the portal. As she approaches it, a glowing figure begins to materialise beside you. This time, the body of light has Karina's features – a decent attempt at recreating them, at least. “Isn't this exciting?” she whispers, her voice echoing through your mind, “I wonder what it's like on the other side?”

“Shitty, probably,” Claudia answers, her own voice echoing just as much, “Are we... not using the radio?”

“The ADM Units are all connected. Now, so are we,” Karina answers, “So... yes. We're not using the radios. This method of communication should remain constant, even once you pass beyond that portal and all other methods fail.”

“Convenient, that,” the heiress mutters. Her ADM Unit pauses at the edge of the portal. Then, taking one long pace forwards, she steps into it. The change doesn't happen immediately – rather, she slowly sinks down into the mire. Just before she vanishes completely, Claudia is able to turn and give you a sarcastic wave. Amazing, how she manages to make a towering war machine seem insolent.

[1/2]

>>3465012

“ADM Unit 03 has vanished from all sensors,” Fletcher reports, his voice carefully empty of all emotion, “Zero... Teufel, Reynolds, she's in your hands now.”

“I just talk, and she can hear me?” you whisper to Karina's glowing form, continuing on as she nods, “Claudia, what are you seeing right now?”

“Bloody nothing,” Claudia complains, “It's just dark. Not pitch blackness, but close. I feel like I'm sinking underwater. There's a... a weight, I suppose. A minor pressure from all around me. Maybe I'm just imagining it, or maybe it's just this awful suit. It almost feels like I could claw my way out from here – I can see the exit from here, like a distant light. I'm just going to sit tight for now, see what happens.”

Nothing for a long moment. You trade uneasy glances with Karina as you wait, and that's when a cry of laughter causes you both to jolt in surprise. “Oh, this is a charming sight!” Claudia cries out, “I'm home again! The gardens, the estate grounds, they're just like they should be. This is supposed to be an illusion, correct? Well, it's perfect!”

“Because it's taken from your own memories, I guess,” you reply, “Are you feeling okay to keep going?”

“What? Of course!” the heiress snaps. Closing your eyes, you imagine her roaming through a beautiful garden, drinking in all that it has to offer her. Perhaps the Lilim is trying to lull her into a false sense of security. “I'm going inside now,” Claudia reports, “I want to see if it was able to copy the inside too. Still no sign of the Lilim itself – I wager the little bastard is playing hide and seek somewhere in here...”

“Maybe this isn't working,” Karina whispers, “Maybe we should pull her out and rethink our approach.”

“No, we need to hunt this thing down,” you reply, “Claudia?”

“Oh no, this isn't right...” the heiress murmurs, and this time she isn't talking to you. “This isn't right at all. The smell of smoke and fire, the shouting voices. I think... ah, I think I'm getting close. It must be scared now,” she grunts, venom creeping into her voice, “Do you think this is going to stop me, you little bastard? I'm going to find you, and then I'm going to GUT you. I'm...”

Silence. Karina turns to you again, unease burned onto her face. Gesturing for her to wait, you hold your tongue for a moment more. “Claudia?” you prompt eventually, “What are you-”

“I'm heading to father's study now,” Claudia interrupts, her voice a hoarse whisper, “I have a knife in my hands...”

This time, Karina's gaze implores you for orders. ANY orders.

>Allow Claudia to continue on. She must be getting close to the Lilim
>Pull Claudia out immediately. This is totally not good
>Radio Fletcher and request orders. You're not qualified to make this call
>Other

>Sorry for the delay. I'm pretty much all brain problems today.

>>3465014
>Allow Claudia to continue on. She must be getting close to the Lilim.

Can Fletcher hear what Claudia is saying?
if not we probably want to in mean time relay her progress to him.

>>3465014
>Order Claudia to describe what she is seeing and doing to us.
This should distract her from whatever the Lilim is doing to her mind, and maybe trigger a little self-reflection to filter out the outside influence.

>>3465014
>Other
"Remember Claudia this isn't real. You don't have a knife in your hands. You're in an ADM unit looking for the Lilim. How'd you manage to get that thing in your estate anyways? Do you Brits all have big houses to compete with the King?"

That last bit is a callback to the flight over at the start of the thread to purposefully get her annoyed at Holly so she stays focused on the things that are real.

>>3465014
"Hey Claudia! Yulia thinks you're FAT and UGLY!"

If this doesn't snap her out of it then nothing will.

>>3465014
>>3465043
this

She needs to keep going, she needs to GET that thing, but not like this. You need to keep her from getting lost. “Claudia, listen to me. Listen carefully,” you snap, “You're not really there, and you're not really holding a knife. You're in an ADM Unit, hunting a Lilim. Do you understand me?” These words float in the void for a moment, left unanswered until Claudia finally lets out a choked gasp. “I mean, how would you fit an ADM Unit inside your estate anyway?” you press, “I know you're trying to compete with that king of yours, but nobody has a ceiling that high!”

“...Holly?” Claudia murmurs, her voice sounding like someone roused from a deep sleep, “You really have no respect for-”

“There you go, you're not totally gone yet,” you interrupt, your voice gently mocking, “Now listen to me. I want you to calm down and describe exactly what you're seeing. Just remember, you're still in an ADM Unit, and we're sweating our asses off up here in the desert.”

“I see my home. It's perfect, right down to the paintings on the walls. They ruined it. Ground dirt into the carpets, smashed the furniture, stole whatever they could. I can smell smoke, and I think something must be burning. It's going to get out of control soon, but... I can't change that now, can I?” the heiress rasps, “My palms are sweating. I can barely grip the knife I'm holding. It's a... a letter opener, barely sharp at all, but I feel safer carrying it with me. Father's study is ahead of me. The door is ajar.”

Looking relieved now, Karina gives you a slight nod. “Go inside,” you urge Claudia, “But stay calm. Remember, none of this is real.”

Claudia spits out a bitter laugh at this, but says nothing. Moaning softly, Karina reaches up and touches a hand to her glowing brow. “I feel her,” she gasps, “Unit 03... its AT Field pattern just shifted, adapted. It's stronger now, it's...”

“It's done,” Claudia interrupts, her voice cold, “I'm coming out now. Reynolds, reel me back in.”

“Are you... okay?” you venture. When Claudia doesn't answer, you cautiously turn and march your ADM over towards the power pylons. A heavy lever is set in place, and gears begin to turn when you throw it. Claudia's power cable slowly retracts, drawing the heiress back into reality. “Karina?” you prompt, “Can YOU explain what the hell is going on here?”

“Ah!” she yelps, “I think... I think it's done, just like she said. I can't sense the Lilim now. No sign of the portal collapsing. I think her AT Field might be supporting it... for now. I don't think she should stay in there for a second more than absolutely necessary!”

“I think we can all agree on that one,” you sigh, leaning back and allowing your body to float in the LCL.

[1/2]

She's not going to be on the end is she. nothing is ever this simple

>>3465159

As the cable slowly reels in, you search for something to pass the time. You're nervous, but you can't say exactly why. Maybe it's the vague fear that whatever comes out of that portal might not be Claudia. “Hey, Karina?” you think, curious to test a theory.

“Yes?” she replies, “Ah! I can't read your thoughts. Not really. When you think at me like that, it... it reaches out. If I wanted to read your mind properly, I'd need to dig for it. Trust me, you'd know that I was doing it!” Laughing awkwardly, Karina's glowing body floats around you in a loose circle. “So... what?” she adds, “What did you want?”

“Before. When we first spoke, you asked me a question. You asked how many people were “in here” with me,” you remind her, “I never got a chance to answer that. Honestly, I don't know if I CAN answer it. What does that question even mean?”

“Ah! That's hard to explain!” Karina laughs, “When I look at you like this, I see... something different. Call it an aura, if that helps. Everyone has one, but yours is strange – like there are two overlapping auras. I've never seen that before!”

Two overlapping auras... now it makes sense. Nate. Bergmann's experiments are rearing their ugly head again. “Yeah, I think I get it now. That's a long story,” you sigh, “I don't really know if I have the energy to go into it now. Short version is, Doctor Bergmann decided to play “Will It Blend?” with me and this other girl. Things got mixed up, and I got some of her in me. She got some of me, too, the poor girl. Actually, now that I think about it, that's basically the entire story.”

“You're a very strange person!” Karina remarks with a laugh. Before she can say anything else, a hand bursts from the surface of the portal. A second one soon follows, and then the rest of Unit 03 drags itself into view. It looks somehow dirty, stained with black oil, but otherwise it seems undamaged. Karina breathes a sigh of relief at the sight, but you're not ready to celebrate just yet.

This all seems too simple.

Unit 03 stamps away from the portal and drops down to one knee, the armour plate covering the back of its neck unfolding as Claudia ejects her entry plug. You do the same, savouring that first breath of clean air as the LCL drains away. Deploying your rope ladder, you climb down as UN soldiers swarm below. They don't seem to be in the celebratory mood either, holding their rifles high and ready for use. Pausing, dangling from the rope ladder, you watch the unfolding scene with a growing sense of dismay.

[2/3]

>>3465304

As the UN soldiers move to surround Claudia, you see the girl take an uncertain step backwards. Her face, just for a second, shows fear. Then, something darker replaces it. “This is bullshit!” Claudia protests, simple rage filling her voice. “I just killed your bloody monster, and you're treating me like a criminal! I demand an explanation for this!”

No explanation comes. As you scuttle down the ladder, you watch one soldier sling his rifle and step forwards. He carries handcuffs, while a second man readies a syringe – some kind of sedative. Pushing through the crowd as soon as you can, you hear a gruff voice calling out to the heiress. “Come quietly, and we won't have to use this!” the UN soldier snarls, “But if you want a fight, then-”

“You stop that, right this instant!” Coraline shouts, and the UN soldiers flinch back at the sound of her piercing voice. She marches through the new opening, Fletcher strolling along beside her.

“Rainer, we need to take you in for observation. This is the first time that a human being has entered a Lilim's domain, and we need to be absolutely certain that there was no contamination,” Fletcher explains calmly, “You'll be confined to the infirmary for a few hours while we run some tests, but that's all. You're not under arrest, but these men DO have the authority to use force. Please understand our position.”

Claudia looks up at Fletcher with shock, a sense of betrayed anger flitting across her features. Down by her sides, her hands clench into tight fists.

>Urge Claudia to stand down
>Speak up in Claudia's support
>Remain silent. This isn't your fight
>Other

>>3465316
>>Speak up in Claudia's support

>>3465316

>Speak up in Claudia's support

if this fails we should request permission to stay with Claudia during the process.

>>3465316
>Speak up in Claudia's support
"Princess here did better than any of you chucklefucks would. She just went through hell and you're all pointing weapons at her. At least put that shit down."

>Other to Claudia
"Listen I don't think we can avoid the observation. You don't deserve this... 'reception' but I understand why they want to be careful. I'll go with you."

>>3465316
>Speak up in Claudia's support

>>3465316
>Speak up in Claudia's support

>>3465316
>>3465316
>>Speak up in Claudia's support
>Then perhaps the troopers shouldn't seem so fucking happy about beating up a young girl. Jesus Christ you people were aiming god damn guns at her when she had done nothing to warrant suspicion. This is less a Un peace keeping force and more a bunch of jack booted thugs Fletcher. I really thought better of you. Yes, the fight happy girls with anger issues is disappointed you jumped straight to the threat of force.

>Claudia I can imagine whatever that Lilim put you through was rough, but I agree that some observation might be warranted, on you AND you ADM, unfair as it may seem. Last we thing we want to find out is that lilim infected something like a virus or some bullshit with it's AT field.

>>3465316
>Speak up in Claudia's support
Fucking UN pigs.
Testing is one thing. Putting guns on a NERV pilot is another. They should have just asked.

>>3465410
I mean their concerns are founded and logical. But coming out with fucking assault rifles is a step too far.

“Hey, stop this!” you yell, lunging forwards a few paces and holding up your hands. A few of the soldiers turn, almost raising their rifles to cover you before Fletcher barks out an order, forcing them to stand down. “Princess Rainer here just did a better job than any of you chucklefucks, and you're waving guns in her face!” you continue, gesturing crudely at the closest soldiers, “What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you really all so goddamn eager to beat up a kid? UN soldiers? Give me a break, you're just thugs with fancy uniforms!”

“Holly, just wait and-” Fletcher begins, reaching out a hand to you – perhaps to pull you away from Claudia, perhaps to give you a reassuring touch. Either way, you slap it away.

“And you!” you snap, backing off to stand beside Claudia, “I'm disappointed in you, Fletcher. I thought you were better than this!”

If these words wound him, Fletcher doesn't show it. “I have my orders,” he explains simply, his voice utterly reasonable, “We all do. If there is even the slightest chance of contamination, of unleashing some kind of Lilim pandemic, we have to take that seriously. You know that.”

“Yeah, but... all this? The guns, the sedatives? There's no need for any of it,” you protest, shaking your head before looking around to Claudia. “But look, Claudia, he's got a point about the pandemic shit. We need to be sure that you're okay – you and your ADM Unit,” you murmur to her, “Do you want to give these assholes an excuse to... to get really fucking nasty?”

“Maybe I do,” she sneers, glaring at the lingering soldiers, “But I know a bad idea when I see one. Lord knows, I've seen plenty of them already. This contamination business... if they had only asked nicely!” Giving them one last bitter look, she finally meets your eyes and mouths a silent thanks. Beneath the bluster and anger, she's more scared than you've ever seen her. Rattled by what she just went through, what she just saw, and afraid of being alone.

Giving her a firm nod, you look back to Fletcher. “I want to go with her, then,” you state, “Hell, you can scan me for contamination as well if you really want to be sure. Maybe I caught something while I was standing here. Maybe you're ALL gonna catch something!” Some of the soldiers automatically flinch back as you say this, immediately wincing at their own cowardice. “So take us in, if you really must,” you conclude, “But do it decently.”

With a curt nod, Fletcher gestures for you to follow him off to the infirmary. As you leave, you catch Coraline's eye. She winks to you, and then a line of blue helmets moves in to spirit her away.

[1/2]

>>3465438
I think that there may be going on behind the scenes here. i'm pretty sure about the fact that the UN were behind Wilson's Email and may be attempting to get more samples to help with the refinement of what they are looking for when attempting to find of pilot for Units 05 & 06 via whatever tests they are going to be doing on Claudia and Fletcher probably wont be able to ensure proper disposal of the testing samples without Bergmann present

>>3465449

“Do you ever wonder if they're afraid of us?” Claudia asks quietly, her gaze fixed on the infirmary ceiling, “We have these machines, these weapons. If we actually wanted to go rogue, what could they do to stop us?”

“Cut the power, I guess,” you answer, “We'd be rogue for what, four minutes? Not much time for a revolution.”

“Damn. That IS a problem. I'll have to figure something out,” the heiress sighs, before rolling her eyes and raising her voice, “That was a JOKE, for anyone listening!” Angrily sitting up, she restlessly drums her fingers against the crisp white linen. “But really, I can't figure them out. I understand the need for security, I really do, but this just seems like... too much. It was too heavy-handed, too blatant. It almost seemed like they were trying to make a point,” she thinks aloud, “No matter how powerful you are, we still own you!”

Cynical. Probably not far from the truth, either. “I never imagined Fletcher would be okay with that shit,” you mutter, “I thought I could trust him...”

Lapsing into silence here, you rub your aching arm and think. When you suggested that they test you as well, you hadn't been expecting them to take you seriously. But, no, they gave you the works – a physical exam, carried out by a doctor in full biowarfare gear, and a thorough scan with some awful, humming machine. Doc Wilson used a larger version of the same device once, after your first battle, but it was far quieter. The portable model was clearly not designed with comfort in mind. To top it all off, they drew blood samples for whatever reason. Sadism, maybe.

“Well, whatever. Fuck those guys,” you grunt, flopping back down on your bed, “What was it like in there? All that talk about your family home... did it like, take your memories and twist them up, make something awful out of them?”

“Hmm...” Claudia rolls over in bed, resting her chin in her hands, “That's really a very sensitive subject. You might have just awakened a tremendous amount of buried trauma by asking that.”

“Yeah, but was it?” you insist, “C'mon, if you're able to joke about it...”

“I'll cut you a deal, Reynolds, since I'm feeling generous. I'll tell you what happened, but only if you answer something for me,” she replies, “Why did you speak up for me? What did you stand to gain from it, aside from a sore arm and the pleasure of my company?”

>We're pilots, that's all. We've got to stick together
>Crazy as it might seem, I actually like you
>It seemed like the best way to get you to shut up and follow orders
>No real reason. Just forget about it
>Other

>>3465529
>>Crazy as it might seem, I actually like you

>>3465529
>We're pilots, that's all. We've got to stick together
Ain’t like NERV or the UN is taking care of us.

>>3465529
>Other
"You know I like a good fight, and those REMFs were annoying."

>>3465529
>Other
We felt it was the right thing to do as no one else was attempting to deescalate the situation. As if something had happened it could have serious flow on effects for NERV and the other pilots down the line.

>>3465529
>Crazy as it might seem, I actually like you
"From all the slightly stuffy, British princesses I know you'd rate number 1!"

[Bantz intensify]

>Other
"Us pilots gotta stick together too I think. When you boil it down it's up to us to take care of each other if the UN and NERV don't have out best interests."

>>3465529
>Crazy as it might seem, I actually like you
Well, more than the shady UN guys, at least.

>>3465529
>Because what they did was straight up assholery.

We should also probably tell Fletcher &maybe Bergmann that they drew blood during these test.

“Oh, you know how it is. I like a good fight, and those guys were pissing me off. We're out on the front lines, and they're nowhere to be seen. They only start shit once all the real danger has passed,” you reply with a sly smile, “What, were you expecting some heartfelt declaration of love and friendship?”

“Well... I wouldn't have rejected it,” Claudia replies coyly, “But, I suppose it just wasn't meant to be.”

“You ass. As crazy as it might seem, I do actually like you,” you tell her, laughing softly, “Of all the stuffy English princesses I've met, you're easily... oh, you're in the top three. You might even be number one.” She chuckles at this, fluttering her eyelashes in false modesty. “But hell, even if I hated you, I would have done the same thing. Us pilots have to stick together, you know? Nobody else was gonna calm things down, and if we got in a serious fight here... it would really screw things up for NERV,” you add, only to wince as an idea strikes you, “God, I never thought I'd see the day when I was the one calming shit down.”

“The world really must be ending,” the heiress teases, rising from her bed and pacing for a moment. “Nice answer, although I'm not technically a princess. It's all a little bit muddled, but I think I'm due to be a baroness once I inherit the titles. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Baroness Rainer...” she sighs, “Ah, but I suppose I can't back out now, can I? I'm obliged to tell you my deepest, darkest secrets. How to begin, though? Tell me – do you know the different between paradise and Eden?”

Thinking for a moment, you shrug. There are probably a lot of differences, and she likely has a specific meaning in mind. Better that she explains it in her own way.

“Paradise is a destination, something to work towards. Eden is lost, never to be regained,” she answers, “The estate was my Eden. It was spared the worst that Second Impact had to offer, remaining lush and healthy even when much of England was withering and dying. That was a blessing... but it could never last. Four years ago, a new government came to power – a rather unpleasant sort, with lax attitudes towards little things like “personal property”. They saw that our estate was good land, so they decided to, well... take it. Turn it into a resettlement camp. Father – who was always something of an idealist – didn't object. In fact, he saw it as his civic duty.”

“This story doesn't end well,” you ask slowly, “Does it?”

“Holly Reynolds... always so cynical!” Claudia laughs, “Why don't you wait and see? I haven't even gotten to the best bit yet!”

Now you're really worried.

[1/2]

>>3465675

“Imagine it! Seemingly overnight, I was now sharing my home with almost two hundred unwashed refugees. The gardens were carved up and turned into fields or garbage dumps. Tents covered the lawns, and the river became a sewer. Those who were granted rooms in the manor itself, they didn't treat the place with any more respect. They tore up the carpets and destroyed furniture, they defaced paintings and stole whatever they could fit in their pockets,” Claudia explains, breathless with an excited fury, “At night, I would hear them yelling and screaming. Often, they were drunk – I don't even know where they got their alcohol, but they managed it somehow. I was young, so young, and my entire world was collapsing around me.”

“Th knife,” you recall.

“A letter opener, yes. Such a silly little thing, but I felt a little safer when I carried it,” she pauses, closing her eyes tightly shut, “Until the day I actually used it on someone.”

Silent, you gesture for her to continue.

“I was going to visit Father in his study. That was one of the few rooms supposed to be off limits. My room, his room, and the study. I thought it would be safe there. The door was ajar when I saw it, which should have warned me – it was open, or it was closed, it was never left ajar like that. When I reached to open it, this... this MAN burst through and tried to grab me,” Claudia shudders, “So... I stabbed him. I can still remember it, the way the letter opener just... sunk into his gut.”

“Did he die?” you manage. That's the only thing you can find to say.

“I don't know. Probably not. It was a very little knife, and he was a rather large man. I can't imagine it pierced anything but fat,” sighing, Claudia sits heavily down on her bed, “But I never stuck around to find out. I just ran.” Lapsing into silence, she looks down at her hands. “I was sent away after that. Father should have sent me away sooner, but... I don't know. Maybe he thought it would all be okay,” she wonders, “After that, I passed from one distant relative to another until NERV reached out to me. Now, do you see why I jumped at the chance?”

And, you think to yourself, why she so desperately fears being dismissed.

“Now that I say it aloud, I sound like such a horrible person,” Claudia muses, “These desperate, starving people. They had nothing, and I had so much. Surely I had a duty to share with them? Well, they took everything that I had... and they burned it to the ground. Literally, in this case. They started a minor fire, it got out of control, and the rest is history. When I come of age, I'll be the baroness of a pile of rubble.”

“So that's it,” she concludes, “It's like you said – us pilots have to stick together, because the rest of the world won't do a damn thing for us.”

>I'm going to have to close things here for today, but I'll continue this tomorrow.
>Thank you for your contributions today!

>>3465773
Thanks for running Moloch

>>3465773
Thanks for running!

Why does Holly not see that she is the answer to Claudia's problems as Holly is going to inherit a bunch of money and land when her parents die, and since they haven't groomed her to take over the business and she wont know what to do with it / run the Business profitably wile Claudia will too if they were to remain in contact with one another Claudia's loss could be potentially be focused into something productive and beneficial.

>>3465858
Because she is 15, probably doesn't give a fuck and is focusing on defending the world?

>>3465889
Yeah but what about once the 'Lilum' Situation blows over or Holly and Claudia age out of the program.

>>3465902
Not something Holly is worrying about right now. She can balance her 401k and retirement plan after they aren't all dead.

>>3465910
But anon you can't prevent death only prolong it.

>>3465773
Thanks for running!

Did Claudia's parents have home insurance against fires, making her fears entirely unwarranted?

>>3465920
What the hell is wrong with you, dude?

>>3465983
He's stringing you along for a laugh you know

>>3465926
Well, they did, but you know what insurance agents are like. Any excuse, and they'll screw you. Just one more reason to hate the world!
>>3465858
That would probably be beneficial to all involved, yes. On the other hand, dabbing on people with your inherited wealth could be seen as poor form. As we all know, Holly would NEVER be so impolite!

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

191 KB PNG

Six hours in quarantine, and you're about to lose your mind from boredom. Claudia hasn't been talking much, lapsing into a sullen silence after recounting her fall from grace. You're not sure what to say to her. In some absurd way, you feel guilty – you've got your own problems, but at least you have a home to return to if this all turns to shit. It might be a cold and hostile home, but it has to be better than a pile of ashes. Idly, you wonder about Claudia's parents – she never did mention what happened to her father, and you can't ever recall her talking about a mother.

“Better off without one,” you whisper to yourself, staring listlessly into the corner of the room.

“Did you say something?” Claudia asks, glancing around at you, “I have very good ears, you know. Peak auditory performance.”

“I...” you begin, only for the loud clack to ring out. The door, now unlocked, swings open. Coraline gives you a friendly smile, her hands taken up by a tray of coffee and pastries. “About time we got some room service. This hotel is so terrible, I'm never going to stay here again,” you complain, taking the flimsy foam cup of vile smelling coffee that she offers out, “Seriously though. I guess we can't be too contagious, if they're letting you in here.”

“Hey, I can pull some strings too, you know! Plus, I thought you might appreciate a peace offering,” she explains, setting the tray down, “We're basically ready to release you, barring a few last formalities. Soon, then. You'll be out of here soon. For now, you've got a friend here to see you!” Standing aside, Coraline allows Karina to limp into the infirmary. She's leaning heavily on her cane now, and Coraline quickly helps the frail girl down into a chair. Flashing one last, apologetic smile, she hurries out and leaves the three of you be.

“All this excitement has me tired out!” Karina sighs, mopping her brow with one of her long, trailing sleeves, “And this heat! I never imagined that the desert would get this hot!”

“You never thought that the desert... would be hot,” Claudia repeats slowly, glancing aside to you and rolling her eyes a little, “If it were to rain, would you be surprised if you got wet too?”

“I don't think I've ever been out in the rain before,” the pale girl murmurs, “The movies always make it look so strange. There was one movie where it rained a lot, and in one scene this woman was outside in little more than a thin shirt. That must have been so cold! Cam turned it off, though – she said I was too young for that kind of thing. Why would I be too young to watch it raining?”

You genuinely cannot tell if she's being serious or not right now.

[1/2]

>>3468427

Another half hour, and then you're free to go. Coraline delivers the news herself, sending Claudia and Karina on their way before cornering you. “I need to tell you something. Don't freak out,” she begins, “We were looking for any sign of Lilim contamination, mental or physical. Mainly in Rainer, but we checked you as well.”

“You sure did,” you complain, “Did you really need to take so much blood?”

“Hey, if you're going to check for something, you might as well check for everything, right?” Coraline replies, forcing a smile, “But... this isn't about the blood. We did find something. A very little something.”

You knew things were going too well. “That's... not good,” you manage, “Shouldn't you be telling Claudia this, though?”

“That's the thing. Her tests came up clean. You're the one who gave us a positive reading. Mental contact with a Lilim, so minor that we're not really sure what we're looking at. Your Fletcher, he didn't want to tell you. Not yet, he said, not until he knew exactly what he was dealing with. His words, not mine,” Coraline bites her lip as she thinks, “According to Fletcher, it would have happened fairly recently. We're talking about days, not weeks.”

Days, not weeks. There was the Garden, perhaps, but that isn't so recent. On the other hand, you've not encountered any other Lilim until today. You were too busy dealing with the whole Wilson thing, and the fish just weren't biting. Shaking your head, you give Coraline a vague gesture. “Okay, I can't explain that, if that's what you were hoping for,” you concede, “Do we think this is... dangerous?”

“Look at it this way. If we thought there was a serious risk, do you really think you'd be walking out of here?” Coraline shrugs, “You'll probably have to endure a few more tests when you get back to your base. There's only so much that we can do here. Until then... just chill out. Don't worry about it!”

Easy for her to say. “Well... I guess,” you mutter, “But what happens now?”

“We wait. The portal seems to be shrinking, albeit slowly, and we're keeping it under observation. You're due to leave tomorrow, I think,” the older girl answers, “It all gets rather tedious from here, I'm afraid. I was going to go for a drive into town... what passes for town, around these parts. Feel like joining me? It'll do you good, getting out for a bit.”

“I don't know,” you reply, “I was kinda hoping to talk with-”

“I'm not sure if that's such a good idea. The last time I saw Fletcher, he was in “talks” with some of my associates. You're worried, I get that, but he'll tell you in due time. Probably,” Coraline offers you a wan smile, “But if you really can't wait, he's in the command post. Don't say I didn't warn you, though.”

>Accept Coraline's offer of a day out
>Visit Fletcher regardless
>Spent the time with your fellow pilots
>Find something else to do... (Write in)
>Other

>>3468430
>>Visit Fletcher regardless

>>3468430
>Visit Fletcher regardless
I think she's bluffing. This woman is way too helpful.

>>3468430
>Visit Fletcher regardless

>>3468455
We should totally ask what she thinks of child soldiers especially since we weren't inducted into the UN and given Rank, and our overall success when fighting the Lilium. Also we haven't seen Claire for a few days.

>>3468430
>Accept Coraline's offer of a day out

>>3468430
>Spent the time with your fellow pilots
blabber about the mental contact like it's got nothing to do with you

....I mean, cloak and dagger stuff might honestly be less effective.

>>3468430
>Fellow pilots

Lilim contact might've been that disembodied voice we heard again outside the bar.

>>3468502
It could be the Cause of why Holly occasionally blacks out. we also don't know if we met anyone while we were out waling with Claire. does anyone think we should see if Fletcher can get us into contact with Nate and ask her about Clairebecause we can't just ask him if we can call Claire.

>>3468467
Well this is true. At the end of the day tho Cora was mostly just a test dummy. She's never faced an angel

>>3468521
Claire is at Avalon. Holly doesn't see her if she doesn't have logical reason for Claire to be there. Please stop yapping about her. I get the meme already.

>>3468534
then how and why did she show up at the meeting with Dr.Wilson?

>>3468542
Because it was still at the base. I'm not saying that wasn't weird, but it's more logical than her appearing in Nevada

>>3468502
I was under the impression it was likely when that Lilim tried to mind meld with us back at the Garden

>>3468549
If it was still at the base, why did we need to take a car with an escort to maintain security.

>>3468562
It had to have been within the past few days apparently

“Sorry man, I need to do this,” you reply after a moment, “This Lilim stuff, that crap with the soldiers... I want to clear this stuff up before going home. It's a long trip back to Avalon, and it's gonna be awkward as fuck if I don't sort this now. Fletcher could be in the worst mood in the world, and I'd still go.”

Coraline laughs, shaking her head in fond exasperation. “Well, so be it,” she sighs, “You know, you remind me of Reed. She was stubborn, too. Never took any crap from anyone. I was the good girl, the one who did what she was told. At least, until...” Trailing off here, she takes a pair of wide sunglasses out of her purse and sets them on her face. “There I go again, rambling about old times,” she adds, forcing a laugh, “Good luck, at least. Maybe we'll see each other again, Holly.”

“Hey, wait, before you go...” you call out, your words causing her to pause, “I wanted to ask you something. Child soldiers... what do you think of them? I mean, that's basically what we are, right?”

She considers this question. “What I could have been,” she murmurs to herself, “There but for the grace of God. Well, I can't claim to like the idea, but what choice do we have? The Lilim won't wait around for us to find a find an alternative option. Besides – you're handling yourself pretty well. Better than anyone ever expected.” Sliding her glasses down to peer at you, she offers an enigmatic smile. “Well?” she teases, “Does that answer your question?”

Matching her smile with one of your own, you just shrug. “See you around, Cora,” you reply, giving her a casual wave. This time, she doesn't correct you.

-

Maybe it's your imagination, but the soldiers seem to be giving you a wide berth as you walk into the command post. They don't even look at you, turning their faces away as they hurry past. Only one man deigns to look at you, and his expression is dark. An older guy with stark white hair and UN patches on his uniform, he scowls at you as you pass each other in the corridor. “Hey, chief!” you snap, “You got a problem with me?”

“Your owner ought to keep a muzzle on you,” he mutters, not even pausing or looking back at you. Clenching your fists, you start to march after him before Fletcher calls your name. Turning slowly, you see him standing an anonymous doorway. Feeling your cheeks heat up, you hurry over.

“Who the hell was that?” you whisper, pushing past Fletcher and helping yourself to a seat.

“Cross,” the mercenary answers simply.

“I mean yeah, he looked fucking cross,” you agree, “But like, what's his NAME?”

“His name IS Cross. His surname, at least,” Fletcher explains, “I doubt he would have told me his first name, even if I cared enough to ask.”

[1/2]

Would it also be worth it to organize more blood tests regularly to keep an eye on the contamination reading.

>>3468578
>“Your owner ought to keep a muzzle on you,”
Well I think I figured out our Mech Name
"Warhound"

>>3468578

“In either case, he's the one running the UN delegation here. Not a pleasant man to deal with, but I'm obliged to play along. That little farce from before? That was his idea,” Fletcher explains with a weary sigh, “He's the sort of man who likes throwing his weight around. The more powerless he feels, the more he needs to show off. You probably guessed this already, but a lot of people resent NERV, and how important we've become. Second Impact changed the world, and not everyone was able to adjust.”

This might be something close to an attempt at an apology. Maybe. “Still, you played along with it,” you point out, “They were pointing GUNS in Claudia's face, man. That's a little more serious than just flexing on the new kids.”

Spreading his hands wide, Fletcher just offers you a resigned smile. It's done now, his expression seems to say, so stop arguing about it.

“Anyway, that's not why I came. Not really,” you admit, “I got talking with Coraline. She mentioned something about those tests.”

“I asked her not to say anything, but I figured that she would do it anyway. She can be spiteful, that one,” Fletcher sighs, massaging his temples, “Yes. We found a very slight sign of Lilim influence. No, we don't know what caused it. At best, we can narrow it down. We don't think it was a result of this operation, or Claudia would have shown the same results. When we get back, I'll have Doctor Bergmann go over your most recent tests with a fine-tooth comb, that should help narrow it down. I think it must have happened sometime after the Garden. We checked your readings after the battle, and they showed up clean.”

A thought occurs. “The night after Wilson was murdered,” you suggest, thinking back the gap in your memory, “Could it have happened then?”

“That would fit with my current theory, yes,” he agrees slowly, “You were... walking in the park that night, correct? Was there anyone with you?”

“I was with Claire,” you point out. Just for a moment, frustration darkens Fletcher's features, “What, is that a problem? I'm not allowed to hang out with civilians now?”

“No, it's just... two different people would have been better. I could get statements from them both, compare and contrast, see if anything... No, it doesn't matter,” he sighs, leaning back in the old office chair, “It might just be a glitch with the instruments, or they could have been jarred in transit. It's hard to say for certain, especially when we're dealing with relatively new technology. I'd prefer to turn the data over to Doctor Bergmann and let her see it in person. We discussed the results briefly, but there's a limit to what we can do over the phone.”

“What if...” you begin, only to stop yourself.

“Go on,” Fletcher urges. Orders, in fact.

>It was a stupid idea, totally dumb. Forget it
>What if I didn't remember that night in the park? Like, at all?
>What if... (Write in)
>Other

>>3468640
>What if I didn't remember that night in the park? Like, at all?

>>3468640
>>What if I didn't remember that night in the park? Like, at all?

>>3468640
>What if I didn't remember that night in the park? Like, at all?
"Claire said we wandered about for a bit, just relaxing and talking about the old times, but... "

>>3468640
>What if I didn't remember that night in the park? Like, at all?

“What if I don't remember that night in the park? Like, at all?” you admit, clenching your eyes shut, “Claire said that we just wandered about for a bit, talking about old times, but...”

“But now you're wondering if something else have happened,” Fletcher finishes for you, pinching his brow, “I'm going to ask you a question, and I need you to give me an unbiased answer. Set aside your personal feelings as much as you can. Now then... Do you trust Claire to tell you the truth?”

“I trust her as much as I trust myself,” you reply immediately, “Maybe even a little more. Are you suggesting she might have lied about it?”

Fletcher shakes his head. “I'm just trying to understand what happened that night,” he answers, “And we can't exactly test Claire for any abnormalities, can we?”

“Why not?” you ask him, those two words hanging in the air. For such a simple question, Fletcher takes a long time to give you an answer. When he does, it sounds like he regrets saying anything in the first place.

“We've never had a reason to test her before, so we wouldn't be able to tell if anything was amiss. No point of comparison,” he explains, “I'm not the right man to explain the science behind it all, but that's the general idea of it. We compared readings to a baseline measurement, and any deviation from that norm suggests a change – that change could be down to Lilim contamination, a change in your compatibility score, or even simple illness. Maybe the desert just doesn't agree with you.”

If you didn't know any better, you'd say that he was trying to bury the issue. “Whatever. That's still not good, is it?” you ask, “A total memory blank like that. That's got to be a pretty serious issue.”

“Yes. Yes it is,” Fletcher nods slowly, “And I wish I knew what to do about it. But I don't.”

A silence follows this. Disbelief gathers like bile in the pit of your stomach, rising to the back of your throat. “That's IT?” you manage at last, your voice coming out as a hoarse whisper rather than the cry of indignation that it was meant to be, “You don't KNOW?”

“Why do you assume that I have all the answers?” Fletcher snaps back, “Because I'm older than you? Because I have a higher rank than you do? None of that means anything out here in the real world.” His lips draw together in a hard, thin line, and you sense all the words that he stops himself from speaking aloud. “This operation has been difficult for me. More difficult than I anticipated,” he says at last, his tone deliberately neutral, “Dealing with men like Cross is bad enough. Don't add to my troubles.”

Is he trying to give you a guilt trip, now? A protest gathers in your throat, but the shrill sound of a phone cuts you off. Fletcher's eyes widen in surprise, the sound startling him just as much as it startled you. “Answer it then,” you mutter, glancing down to the cellphone lying on the desk, “I'll wait.”

[1/2]

But Claire was at Compass Academy with us right? wouldn't she have been caught in the screening process with us.

>>3468708

“I'm busy,” Fletcher begins, skipping right past the greetings and the small talk. He listens for a moment, his expression only growing more irritated with every passing second. “He's JSDF, he can make his own damn security arrangements,” he snaps, “Now take some initiative, and let me get on with my job.” Ending the call with a stab of his finger, Fletcher drops the phone down to the cheap desk with an echoing thud. “I'm going to regret that later,” he mutters, lightly pressing his fingers against his closed eyes, “I can just imagine the emails HR are going to send me, all those reminders about proper and professional conduct.”

“Uh...” you manage, your own anger completely derailed, “You really ARE having a bad day.”

“Like I said. Dealing with foolish men like Cross tests my patience, and today I've had to do more than just tolerate him. We're trying to foster a spirit of cooperation here, and that means playing nice,” the mercenary groans, holding up a hand to silence you as you start to offer a reply. After a moment, he speaks. “Here's the problem. Memory lapses are serious. Very serious. Let me put this in perspective. Signs of Lilim contamination are to be contained and monitored, but lapses in memory are to be reported – immediately – to the highest authority,” he continues, “And I don't know why. I would very much LIKE to know why. For whatever reason, head office takes this matter very seriously.”

You know nothing, Fletcher knows nothing... this is a dead end if you've ever seen one. “What was that about the JSDF?” you ask instead, “That's like a Japanese thing, right?”

“The Self-Defence Force, yes. We're going to be getting a visitor soon. Saitou's father, actually. Her birthday is in a few weeks, and he wants to be there in person,” Fletcher toys with the phone as he thinks, “I don't dislike the man, actually, but he's coming at a bad time. Still, it's all in the spirit of cooperation. Reynolds? Can I ask you a favour?”

“No guarantee that I'll do it,” you reply, “But go ahead, shoot.”

“Can you be somewhere else? I need to make some calls... some apologies,” he admits, “Go and see what the others are doing. Brighten up their day.”

You were planning to see what the other pilots were up to, but...

>Got it, chief. Good luck with your phone calls
>Gotta ask you something before I go... (Write in)
>Other

>>3468723
>Those would have been a different kind of test. Just a very brief screening, not enough for a detailed profile

>>3468770
>>Gotta ask you something before I go... (Write in)
Should I bring this up with Bergmann

>>3468770
>Got it, chief. Good luck with your phone calls

>>3468770
>Got it, chief. Good luck with your phone calls

>>3468770
>Got it, chief. Good luck with your phone calls
k bro

“Yeah, I guess I'll go bother someone else,” you decide, “Just gotta ask you something first. You must have some test data for Claire, right? She took the screenings with the rest of us back in Compass.”

“She did, although those tests were very basic. We'd never have the time or resources to get an exact profile for every girl in the country. Think of it as a blurry photograph – it might give you a few basic aspects of the subject, but it won't help with the fine details. Those blood tests could give us a suggestion of your compatibility, but nothing more than that,” Fletcher explains, “And to answer your next question, Claire DID score above the human norm for compatibility. Not high enough, though.”

“She'll be thrilled to hear that, I'm sure. Congratulations kid, you were almost special,” you snort, “Hey, should I tell Bergmann about any of this?”

Fletcher raises an eyebrow. “That suggests, to me, that you have some doubts about her,” he wonders aloud, “Unfortunately, I think we need to tell her. I've reached the limits of my scientific knowledge, and she's the expert here. I'll prepare a brief report for her, just a summary of all the important details. Was that it?”

“Seems like it,” you agree, hopping to your feet and starting to leave the office, “Good luck with those phone calls, I guess.”

“I'll need it. Oh, and Holly?” Fletcher looks up, “We ARE winning this. It might seem not always seem that way, but-”

“Yeah yeah, I know,” you interrupt, “It's still a long road until paradise.”

-

You find the others outside, sitting near Partial 05. The air above the steel barrel shimmers with a haze of heat, while Claudia and Karina take shelter in the shadow it casts. Just to make doubly sure, Karina has a broad parasol leaning over her shoulder. They're having a picnic, you realise after a moment, complete with a cloth spread out under them. Instead of food, though, they just have some suspicious tan sacks.

“Ah, Holly!” Claudia calls out, waving to you as you approach, “Could you fetch me a rock or something? I need to prop this up!”

“Or something?” you repeat, picking up a fist-sized lump of rock and raising your arm as if to throw, “Here, think fast!” Karina lets out a little scream of fear as you pretend to throw the rock, only to laugh as she realises your joke. “What is that stuff, anyway?” you ask, nodding to the tan bags as you sit beside them, “Is that food?”

“Allegedly,” the heiress answers, “Never let it be said that I refuse to try new things, even when every instinct I have is warning me not to do this. We've got a spare meal for you too. Do you want brown slop, or the other brown slop?”

“Is there anything that isn't brown slop?” you ask, looking dubiously at the pouches of food laid out before you. Claudia just answers this with a long laugh, a confused Karina joining in after a second.

[1/2]

>>3468877

“For brown slop, this isn't half bad,” you remark, prodding at the mystery meal with your disposable plastic spoon, “Drown it in Tabasco, it's all good.”

“It's awfully spicy!” Karina protests, her voice rough and raw.

“You didn't even put on any of the hot sauce!” you insist, holding out the tiny bottle, “Here, let me just...” The pale girl shrieks, both with terror and laughter, throwing up her hands to ward you off. Finally relenting, you lean back and nod towards Partial 05. “What's it like in there, anyway?” you ask her, “I'm picturing some strange machine, full of keyboards and levers. All sorts of gadgets for you to play with.”

“Or a hammock,” Claudia adds, “If you set up hooks at both of the long ends, you'd have enough room for a hammock. Why not be comfortable while you're sitting out the real battle?”

You wince, but the snide comment flies right over Karina's head. “It's really nothing complicated!” she insists, “It's just like any other ADM Unit, really. I sit in the entry plug, it's filled with LCL, and I... I work my magic!”

It's really that simple.

-

Even in the shade, the heat of the sun gets to be too much after a while. Retreating indoors, you find a cool, dark room and collapse for a few hours. Lying in the unfamiliar bed, you allow your thoughts to wander where you will. They drift back home, to the farm where you spent your youth. It's not a place that holds many fond memories to you, but there are a few. The times when you wandered out in the far fields, all your worries seeming distant and unimportant. Whatever else you can say about it, you could never say that the land wasn't beautiful. Past the carefully cultivated fields, there were wilder stretches of forest. Your old man, he always talked about cutting the trees back and making use of the land... but he never did.

Because he knew you liked it there? The idea causes your entire body to tense up. It's... not something you ever considered before. He was always a businessman before he was a father, always thinking of cold facts and profit factors. The idea that he might spare a stretch of useless forest always seemed strange to you. Now, as you lie in the cool darkness, you feel a sense of rootless confusion.

Following, you find yourself helplessly imagining those charming forests being torn down, devoured by a swarm of human locusts. That must have been how Claudia saw them, those desperate people who broke into her perfect, orderly world. Shuddering at the thought, you sit up and look at your phone. It's late – you must have slept at some point, dozing away as your thoughts wandered.

Something, and you couldn't say what, causes you to glance around in fear. There's a bad vibe in the air, something you can't just blame on your feverish dreams.

[2/3]

>>3469039

As you wander out into the corridor, a mob of soldiers nearly knocks you off your feet. They charge past, open fear displayed on their faces. Fletcher follows, and he slaps you roughly on the arm. “Reynolds. Good. There you are,” he hisses, “No time to suit up. We need you in your ADM immediately. Go!”

“What?” you wail, protesting as Fletcher drags you towards the courtyard, “What's going on? Did the portal...”

“It's Rainer,” he answers bluntly, “She's activated her ADM Unit without authorisation. We don't even know how she managed it, but... I don't know. Now the UN are trying to figure out if she just declared war on us, and I need you ready to...” He trails off here, his lips set in a hard line. His expression is bleak, suggesting what he can't bring himself to say.

“Ready to WHAT?” you cry out, “Are you telling me to fight her? To kill her?”

“Reynolds. Calm down,” the mercenary snaps, “This is a sensitive situation. Rainer hasn't engaged in any hostilities yet, but she's not responding to radio communication either. Her ADM Unit still has power – we're concerned that disconnecting it would provoke her into violence. Four minutes is easily long enough to destroy most of this base and everyone in it. We'd have no way of stopping her... except for another ADM Unit. I just need you to stand by, and... disable her if need be.”

Disable. Such a clean, clinical word. “But if she does start something,” you hiss, “I'm supposed to kill her?”

Fletcher pauses, looking down at you. “Would you?” he asks quietly, “If Rainer does something... rash... then it would put the entire ADM program in jeopardy. We'd need to prove that we're capable of cleaning up after ourselves. I need to know exactly what you're willing to do.”

This isn't fair. Not even ten minutes ago, you were having a nap. You were just having a fucking nap.

>I'll do whatever it takes. The mission has to come first
>I'll try and stop her from doing anything stupid, but I can't hurt her. I just can't
>I won't do it. You can try and stop her yourselves
>Other

>>3469090
>I'll try and stop her from doing anything stupid, but I can't hurt her. I just can't
get Katrina to connect me to her and see if i can't talk her down.

>>3469090
>I'll try and stop her from doing anything stupid, but I can't hurt her. I just can't

Yeah get Karina in Unit 5 now

>>3469090
>>I'll try and stop her from doing anything stupid, but I can't hurt her. I just can't

>>3469090
>I'll try and stop her from doing anything stupid
>Implying there’s anyone Holly Reynolds can’t hurt

>>3469164
Pretty sure she can't hurt Claire. Because she doesn't exist

>>3469090
>I can kick her ass, but killing is a bit....

>>3469090
>I'll try and stop her from doing anything stupid, but I can't hurt her. I just can't

“I'll... I'll try and stop her from doing anything stupid, but I don't want to hurt her. Not unless she really makes me,” you answer, “Get Karina in Partial 05, I want to try and talk her down. She might not be answering the radio, but we can still try talking to her.”

“She's already getting ready,” Fletcher answers, “Be careful, Reynolds. Don't do anything to provoke her.”

“Hey,” you reply, forcing a smile, “Trust me.”

-

You've never felt more exposed than you do now, running out across the empty courtyard towards the waiting Unit 02. Looming in the distance, Unit 03 slowly paces back and forth like a restless giant. Claudia has her knives sheathed, which offers you a faint hint of optimism. Less hopeful is the row of tanks that you weave your way through. Their engines let out throaty rumbles as they idle, ready to lurch into action at a moment's notice, while their bulky guns are aimed at Unit 03.

Idiots! They must know that those cannons won't stand a chance at penetrating an active AT Field. Either they have some secret weapon tucked away in their back pockets, or they've got a death wish. Neither option is really appealing.

When you reach Unit 02, you lunge at the dangling rope ladder and haul yourself up towards the entry plug, taking it one rung at a time. As you climb, Claudia's ADM Unit pause and swings around to stare at you. The blind, blank muzzle points straight at you, pinning you in place as the wind plucks at your clothes. High above both of you, the moon bathes you in sickly light. Lunacy, some distant memory whispers, a madness brought on by the full moon.

“You're late,” you rasp, forcing yourself into motion once again, “Full moon was yesterday.”

ADM Unit 03 watches you as you climb the rest of the ladder, watches as you take shelter inside the entry plug. Even as the layers of armour close up and seal you away, you can feel the giant staring into you. LCL floods into the entry plug, and you eagerly dive deep into it. Appearing unbidden, Karina's glowing body takes form beside you. “Holly, Miss Reynolds, I don't know what to do!” she yelps, “Unit 03... I mean, Miss Rainer won't talk to me!”

That's rude of her. “Do you mean she can't talk to you?” you stress, “Or she WON'T talk to you?”

“She said that she wouldn't talk to a little paper doll like me!” Karina whines, “That's so mean!”

“That's all you are!” Claudia snarls, her voice echoing into your entry plug, “Something they folded into a pretty little shape for their own amusement. When you're all ragged and worn, they'll just throw you away and get a new one!” The ADM Unit pivots in place, slouching forwards slightly. “Holly... I don't know what all this fuss is about,” the heiress complains, “I just wanted to come here, to spend some time alone with my ADM. But now, these... these idiots are acting like I mean to butcher them all!”

Well. This is nice.

[1/2]

Ok so now we know what she was doing now need to figure out why she didn't run this past Fletcher first, to let them know what she was doing and preventing her actions from provoking them as we know that they are unusually jumpy for some reason.

>>3469324
"Cmon clauds. They escorted you away from the last mission with guns. You know they're paranoid. "

>>3469389
>why she didn't run this past Fletcher first
Probably cause he wouldn't have let her.

>>3469405
It's still an enormously stupid move on her part

>>3469408
It is yes. I think the portal and the rest of the day's events hit her harder than she let on.

>>3469405
>>3469413

Why would he not though.
I decided that that would be less accusatory than directly asking her how she activated the Unit without Authorization whatever that is

We need to remind her about the unit's power constraints and so if they unexpectedly shut off the power not to panic and as long as she doesn't hurt anyone we will back her over the UN forces for as long as we can.

>>3469324

“Okay, look, can you just calm your English ass down and talk to me?” you ask Claudia, “And try to keep the cryptic bullshit to a minimum. My patience is at an all time low today. What. Are. You. Doing?”

Silence, and then Claudia lets out an enormous sigh. She must have deliberately thought about sighing, just so you can understand how frustrated she is. That's some kind of dedication. “I wanted to get some peace and quiet, away from... everyone and everything. But this desert, this lifeless fucking wasteland, I just couldn't stand it. The only place I thought that I might find peace was... in here,” she explains, “Inside the ADM Unit. I LIKE it in here, even with the vile smell and everything else. I had no intention of hurting anyone, but-”

“Holly, the situation is about to get a whole lot worse,” Fletcher interrupts over the radio, his voice mingling with Claudia's, “Cross has ordered Unit 03's power supply to be terminated. There's nothing I can do now. Keep Claudia calm, talk her down, do whatever you have to do. Once the power goes, you'll need to keep her quiet for four minutes – that's all. I have faith that you can do this.”

Because clearly, the situation wasn't precarious enough. “Claudia,” you announce, cutting the heiress off, “Something incredibly stupid is about to happen, and for once we're not to blame. The top prick in a long line of pricks has ordered your power to be cut off. If you freak out now, we're all going to get in a shitload of trouble. So just... swallow your pride for like, not even five minutes and endure it.”

Claudia is silent for a moment. “You actually, seriously meant for that to keep me calm, didn't you?” she remarks, wonder in her voice, “And... it actually worked. Tell them that...” She pauses here, and you spot a timer appearing on your display. Four minutes and counting down – they must have pulled the plug.

“You know, nobody on the outside can hear us while we're talking like this,” you begin quickly, hoping that so long as you're talking, Claudia isn't causing trouble, “So come on. What's so great about being stuck in a sweaty tube?”

“It's something I never noticed before. I only realised it while I was in there,” Claudia murmurs, and her ADM Unit slowly reaches up to point at the portal, “But while I was sinking into the blackness, I felt something. Thoughts that weren't mind. Some part of it was the Lilim, of course – it was looking for a weakness, something to torment me with – but there was another part that felt... comforting. No, perhaps not comforting exactly. A sense of... mutual purpose. Like we were both in the same mess, and we were relying on each other to prevail.”

Holding your breath, you watch as the seconds tick away. Not long now. “These things can think, Holly,” Claudia whispers, “Maybe not like we think, but... they're not just mindless machines.”

[2/3]

>>3469453
Oh my god
She fucking mind melded with the Lilim didnt she? Fucking hell

>>3469453
>“These things can think, Holly,” Claudia whispers, “Maybe not like we think, but... they're not just mindless machines.”

Yeah Holly gathered that too. Every time we are about to get the final blow we feel something.

>>3469459
Then why wasn't it picked up on the tests then. does that mean that us resisting them is what is causing the change in our results.

>>3469459
I don't think she did. She can just tell like Holly can that these things are somewhat sentient.

This is the first time where someone besides us got a killing blow.

>>3469464
Yeah, we probably could have let her know that before she got sent in solo

>>3469489
Well besides Kaori at Berlin and she seemed really shook by the encounter too

>>3469498
Should we let her know what we saw during the other encounters?

You're just going to... set that one aside for now. “So we've got the “why” answered. Sort of. I still have no idea why you thought it was a good idea, after seeing how paranoid these guys are,” you continue, trying to keep her talking, “But I'm still curious about the “how”. You didn't have Fletcher's permission for this, right?”

“He wouldn't have allowed it,” Claudia sighs, “You know that. Haven't you noticed? They want to keep us away from our units as much as possible. I wonder, why is that?”

“Because... they're fucking expensive to run? I don't know!” you blurt out, “How did you get it moving without proper authorisation, anyway? Fletcher said-”

“I asked nicely,” she replied simply, and her ADM listlessly shrugs its shoulders. “Oh,” Claudia adds, almost as an afterthought, “Time's up. Time for me to face my punishment.”

“Claudia, wait-” you cry, watching as her ADM Unit loses power and slumps down to one knee. It looks like a puppet with its strings cut, like a man bled dry. “Oh hell...” you sigh, “At least that's over. Hey, Karina, can she still hear us?”

The glowing figure tilts her head to the side. “Probably. Even with no power, a spark of life remains in the ADM Units. I can speak to that,” Karina pauses, a faint pout surfacing on her illuminated features, “Although maybe I don't WANT to speak with her.”

Whoever it was that said girls get along with each other, they were a fucking liar. Sighing to yourself, you watch as the UN soldiers converge around Unit 03. The tanks hang back, thankfully, with unarmed cranes moving in first. As they approach, you see something impossible – Unit 03, with its power reserves depleted, shudders. It convulses, the blunt muzzle jolting up to face you. Somewhere in the line of tanks, a man's resolve breaks.

The tank's cannon fires, fire blooming against ADM Unit 03's shoulder. Moving like a drunken man, it lurches upright and swats at the rapidly retreating cranes. It moves like... it doesn't move like a human, that's all you can say. Once the first shot is fired, more soon follow even though they cause no damage. A deep, rumbling howl echoes out, shaking you down to the core. “Reynolds, bring her down!” Fletcher yells, “I don't know how she's still operational, but... just bring her down!”

“No!” you protest, “I can talk her down, I TOLD you! Just let me-”

“Bring her down!” the mercenary repeats, “That's an order!”

Oh no. Oh no no no. This wasn't supposed to happen, it wasn't supposed to end like this...

>Orders received and understood! I'm moving to disable Unit 03 now!
>Claudia, if you can hear me, then listen... (Write in)
>Other

>>3469505
Might as well. It's only us listening in right now.

>>3469459
>>3469464
>>3469489
She's talking about the ADM, not the Lilim. [Spoiler]Probably soul of her dead father or something stuck in it, if we're continuing the trend of eva inversion.[/spoiler]

>>3469509
>Orders received and understood! I'm moving to disable Unit 03 now!
Alright then, let's beat some sense into her!

>>3469509
>Claudia, if you can hear me, then listen...
as i said one of them probably panicked please try and remain calm, I'll see what i can do.

Should we ask Fletcher if he can restore power To Unit 03 as she may be able to regain control if it is. Because the way the Unit is acting it's not her that's in control.

>>3469509
>Orders received and understood! I'm moving to disable Unit 03 now!
Grapple her and put ourselves between her and the tanks. For both their sakes.

>Claudia, if you can hear me, then listen... (Write in)
"I don't know what's happening in there, but you have to try and get control of the ADM."

>>3469514
That's what I get for being a dumb phoneposter.

>>3469509
>Orders received and understood.
>Claudia, if you can hear me - remember your Father's ideals. Would he want you to run from protecting these people?

He did not specify to bring her down with deadly force - talking her down is technically filling it. I think we should try hold her back though, while talking her down. I don't like our chances against a berserking ADM.

>>3469509

>Orders received and understood! I'm moving to disable Unit 03 now!

We can just grab her in like a bear hug right?

>>3469542
Thing is I don't think she *likes* her father's ideals. Ungrateful assholes ruined her estate and childhood and now ungrateful assholes are shooting at her.

Might be the wrong track to take here.

>>3469514
Huh I think you're right actually. The sentence structure made it seem like the subject was still the Lilim, but it being the ADM makes more sense.

>>3469561
Yeah I'm not so sure on it either - still riffing off my spur of the moment thought that her ADM's soul is her father, so it's as much appealing to the berserker as to Claudia herself. I dunno, something about the long road to paradise being paved with ungrateful assholes you must rise above?

>>3469577
Thing is I'm not sure if this is all her and more the spirit of the ADM. Maybe we can ask her to try and calm *it* down?

>>3469577
then who's soul does our ADM Unit have in it then, as our dad's still alive as far as we know

Also do the ADM units have an ejection system?

>>3469561
But what she did Express was wanting to be powerful . Maybe we make an appeal about not letting the ADM control her?

As you watch, ADM Unit 03 takes a shambling step forwards and flails one arm out, catching one of the cranes and throwing it away like a child's toy. It lands with a sickening crash, metal and glass shattered by the impact. Again, that mournful howl echoes out as Unit 03 reaches up to the facial armour. Clawing at its face, stripping away pieces of metal, Unit 03 ignores the tanks that fire on it from down below. It's distracted now, you realise, this has to be your chance.

“Understood!” you call back to Fletcher, your voice tight with determination, “I'm moving to engage now – get those tanks back, evacuate fucking everyone!”

“Working on it,” Fletcher replies, frustration lending a harsh edge to his tone.

“And try to get that power flowing again!” you add, “I know how it sounds, but that thing really didn't like getting switched off!”

Maybe Fletcher replies to this. Maybe he doesn't. You're too busy lunging for ADM Unit 03, grabbing its wrists in your hands and immobilising it as best you can. Much of the facial armour is gone, torn away, and inhuman teeth glint through. Even knowing what lay beneath the outer plating, you nearly recoil in horror. Still, you're able to rally quickly. Silently giving thanks to your brief time in the Garden, in the engineering bays there, you press in to immobilise Unit 03. Every so often, a stray tank shell pokes you in the back – at least, it feels like a poke. Barely any pain at all, really.

“Claudia, if you're in there, you need to listen to me!” you snarl, and Karina clutches her head with the effort of forcing your words into the void, “Just calm down, okay? If you're doing this, just stop – work with me here, okay?” No response to this, and Karina just desperately shakes her head. At the far edge of your mind, though, you can hear a muffled whispering. “Listen to me, damn it!” you stress, “Is this... is this what your father would have wanted? Whatever you think of him, of what he did, he wanted to protect everyone he could. Now, you need to do the same!”

“I can't!” a distant, hollow voice sobs back, “I can't control it...”

“You can!” you reply, desperately hoping that she won't prove you wrong, “You CAN control it, Claudia! The only one who can really stop this is you!”

“Stop, stop, stop...” the heiress mumbles to herself. Unit 03 struggles against you, nearly ripping its wrists out of your grasp, and you have to scrabble to keep it still. Hooking one leg around Unit 03's legs, you trip it up and send it crashing to the ground. Claudia cries out as she falls, and then: “Oh, just do as you're told!” she screams, “I never wanted ANY of this!”

Her words hurt, piercing into your skull, and then – incredibly – Unit 03 grows still. It tenses up, and then it slumps back to the ground.

“All activity has ceased,” Karina whispers, “Unit 03 has entered an inactive state.”

[1/2]

You boys ready for pissed off UN guys: 2 Electric Boogaloo?

>>3469685
If they try anything it's probably not going to end well for them.
We should figure out who took the first shot and complain to Coraline about them as we had the situation handled.
We also still need to tell Claudia about our encounters with the Lilium as well.

>>3469685
When NERV inevitably comes to blows with the UN I will relish it

>>3469728
Even though everything that isn't either a unit or a pilot NERV would be absolutely destroyed.

>>3469685
Maybe we can drop something on cross by "accident" real quick

>>3469669

“Yes sir. Unit 03 has awoken. Yes, we've narrowed it down to a number of theories – mainly the Lilim portal itself, and the intense feelings that the Lilim's illusions provoked in the Third Daughter. I'm not sure which one I believe. Are we to assume that these things feel some... protective urge towards us? No, I believe that this awakening was due to the pilot herself. Nothing in our psychological profile suggested that she would form such a strong bond with ADM Unit 03. That was an oversight on our part. After all, she really does have nothing else, does she? We have her in confinement now. What would you like us to tell her?”

-

“I really screwed it up this time, didn't I?” Claudia laments, the phone line rendering her voice thin and fuzzy, “But... the only thing I regret is that you're all going to suffer for this. Whatever punishment they decide on, I ought to bear it alone.”

You saw nothing. Would this conversation be easier if it was face to face? Maybe, but Claudia is being held in isolation, locked up in the infirmary. Giving her a phone was an unexpected mercy – you wonder if Coraline had a hand in that. “It was a really dumb thing to do,” you tell her eventually, “Like, so utterly dumb.”

“I know. It was an act of the purest madness, but it felt... it felt like something I had to do,” she sighs, “If I'm ever allowed back behind the controls of an ADM Unit, I'll find some way to make it up to you. I feel like I understand things a little better now. The AT Field... it can be both a sword and a shield. It can both protect and destroy. There are things in this world that deserve destruction, and there are things in this world that deserve protection. I knew that, of course, but until now I never really... understood.”

>Claudia gains the ability AT Pacify!
>AT Pacify: Reduce Ego loss from incoming damage by 50%

“That's great and all,” you reply after a pause, “But if I lose a bunch of my freedoms because of this little stunt, I'm still going to kick your ass.”

“I would expect nothing less,” Claudia agrees, a wounded dignity in her voice.

>It's a little early, but I need to close things up here. From now, scheduling is going to be a little awkward. I should be able to run Saturday and Sunday as normal, but Friday is uncertain. I'll know more later, and I'll post an update when I have the details
>Thank you for your contributions today, and stay tuned for a midweek interlude episode!

>>3469756
Thanks for running!

Is Holly actually in line to inherit a shitton of money or did her parents write up a will and forget to include her? Or "forgot" to include her?

>>3469756
Thanks for running!

On a scale of 1 to 10 how bad was Fletcher's day? Damn impulsive pilots and chickenshit UN guys.

>>3469766
About an 8/10. The only thing that could have made it worse would have been another Lilim showing up to the party. And that didn't happen... right?

>>3469764
Well, she would be in line to inherit something, at least. Maybe not everything, but she certainly won't go hungry. Maybe if they die, we can shift to a farming quest instead!

>>3469756
Thanks for running!

>>3469756
Thanks for running, Moloch.

>>3469834
>farming quest
>no need for scarecrows, Holly just hangs the ones she chokeslammed on poles
>over here is the produce, here's the crop, and over THERE is where we cultivate renewable ADM flesh
>Thank you for touring Reynolds Farm, here's your complimentary barf bag

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Personal Log [Encrypted]
May, 2021

Maybe it's time to start looking for a new job.

A nice little start to the day – a performance report from head office, and they're not happy. Wilson's death, that ludicrous mess Rainer caused down in Nevada... those were bad, but they're just part of what head office calls “a larger pattern”. Rumours of security breaches, and talk of staff disobeying orders... I've been given a formal warning, and instructions to sort things out. Get your house in order, or we'll replace you with someone who can.

It's so unfair! I'm told to make sure everyone follows orders, but Bergmann is placed outside the chain of command. They're setting me up to fail, I'm sure of it. Part of me is tempted to walk away, to let them handle this whole mess, but... I can't do it. The girls might not respect me, they might not even like me, but I have a duty to protect them. As far as head office is concerned, they're assets – tools, hardly any different to the ADM Units themselves.

God help me, but I'm actually starting to get attached. A few days ago, Kaori came to see me – she wanted my help in tracking down an old school friend. I didn't pry – well, maybe a little – but it seemed like there was some unfinished business there. Some old pain, perhaps. Tracking the girl down should be easy enough, at least. Note to self – this is the first time since Berlin that Kaori has shown a serious drive to do something about her own life, rather than just following NERV orders. I'm glad – a girl is allowed to be selfish sometimes, you know?

I'm rambling now, sure, but what else is a secret diary for? Rambling, wallowing in self-pity... and scheming. I've been digging into the NERV archives again, looking for anything that catches my eye. There's so much crap in there! At least I had a lead this time – BLUE EYE, a project that Reynolds mentioned. Something about replacing the pilots. Maybe nothing, but it's better than skimming through countless requisition orders and whatever else.

I have security clearance for the archives, but I always imagine an alarm going off somewhere whenever I dig into them. A warning that someone has been poking around, popping up on some computer somewhere. Still, I've not had anyone breaking my door down just yet, and the message from head office didn't mention anything, so I guess I'm fine. For now.

BLUE EYE, then. Right from the start of the ADM program, the pilots were seen as the weak link. Necessary, but too volatile to be fully dependable. BLUE EYE was set up to solve this problem – to replace the pilots with something that would be quicker to train, easier to control, and able to be discarded with no great loss. Apparently, some of the work was done out of Berlin – I've got some friends back there, I'll hit them up and see what they know.

I just hope I can trust them. Things are different now.

[1/2]

>>3474105

Addendum: with all the “excitement” of being one mistake away from losing my job, I forgot about the memo Fletch sent around. A security update, detailing a few of the groups we're most likely to come up against. I guess he's just being vigilant, but it seems more likely just to get people scared. Terrorists lurking down every back alley, that kind of thing. Worst part of it is, maybe we should be afraid. There was a second memo, more of an informal one, that he sent to a select few. The people he trusts most – and me, apparently. I'll archive a copy below.

Security Update

You saw the memo, people, so I'll keep this short and to the point. I won't waste your time by repeating the figures and statistics. I've been doing my own research into some of these groups, and I wanted to share my findings. As always, don't go sharing this about without clearing it with me first. I don't want any needless gossip to start spreading.

Wormwood: In all practical sense, this group no longer represents a threat to NERV. The majority of their agents are either dead or in custody, and the local authorities are tracking down the remaining men. More concerning was the amount of resources they had in their possessions – weapons, improvised explosives, and financial assets. It's clear that someone was funding them, as well as putting them in contact with other groups.

Seventh Revolutionary Army: Your typical amoral mercenary group. Originally a formal military based out of a South American nation – no solid answer on which one – these men went freelance after Second Impact. Since then, they've built up a dangerous reputation. They do dirty work, and they do it well. We caught a few of their scouts sniffing around Berlin, documents in their possession indicating an interest in NERV. Considering their nature as mercenaries, I've suggested that head office could simply make them a better offer – so far, though, my suggestions have gone unheeded.

Bureau 619: Some of you might recognise that name. A cybercriminal group, likely based out of China – perhaps even operating with state support, as an unofficial branch of Chinese intelligence. If you believe the rumours, that is. They've made some tentative attempts at breaking into NERV's systems, but that presents relatively little danger. There's only so much that an external attack can access, and our most sensitive data isn't held on any computer. Still, as with the Seventh Revolutionary Army, their motives trouble me. Are they “just” hired help, or do they have a personal stake in this?

We'll figure this out, people. One way or another.

>This concludes today's bonus interlude – thank you for reading!
>Second Daughter will hopefully continue on Friday, although I'll probably need to start a few hours later than normal.

>>3474109
Will Monroe ever get the happiness she deserves?

>>3474123
Welcome to Evangelion, newfriend.

>>3474123
Holly will probably kill her at some point, so she’ll at least get her peace then....

>>3474123
She'll pass on her alcohol cabinet to Holly, and will be able to die in peace

Wile I was reading the most recent interlude I noticed a couple of things
>it's good that Kaori is following through on what she said she would.
Do you think we should give her a heads up about her father heading to Avalon for her birthday as Fletcher didn't tell us not to.
We should also see if she knows/knew Karina as Unit 05 was probably involved with the first Lilium as that is the only way we know of to cause the kind of damage was sustained
> with BLUE EYE it's pretty much the Dummy Plug System. it's one of the things required to have For the Mass Production Series to be deployable , also which ever pilot the system(s) are based off ( its probably Karina and some else we don't know yet ) or it even could be Karina herself, based off what Claudia said. see >>3469324
https://evangelion.fandom.com/wiki/Dummy_System
when we hear of it being installed in any of the Units or that Nate is finally getting around to working up A Unit for the first time that's when we start panicking.
Because a Lilium is likely to appear soon.
https://evangelion.fandom.com/wiki/Bardiel
> Do we know if NERV has or had ( because we now know we aren't the first wave of pilots ) any pilot's from South America or China ? as they may be why the SRA and Bureau 619 are looking into NERV
as at the time of their 'recruitment' they may not have been willing or legally able to provide consent on such issues.
Has anyone else noticed that as we go further the Background of the Episode / Interlude Title's cards are getting Brighter.

While double checking the previous Personal Logs, here are some things I noticed:
Moore and Fisher were around recently. The psych reports that mentioned their names were written after Berlin, so sometime between December and April.
Monroe doesn't know Elisabeth Matheson, but Claudia met her for an interview. Also, that interview suggests Claudia might know something about Berlin. Something to follow up on.

>>3474658
this. More booze to fuel Holly

>>3476057
>Something to follow up on.

More something to think about since we can't actually do things with Meta knowledge with Holly.

File: NERVop4.5.png (737 KB, 900x700)

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“I just don't understand that girl sometimes,” Kaori sighs, pressing her fingers against her temples, “How could she be so foolish? So selfish? All that trouble and danger, and for what? So she could indulge a passing whim and pick a fight with our own damn side?”

Needless to say, Claudia's antics in Nevada have not won her many friends. She seemed contrite at first, remorseful at the thought that her actions might reflect poorly on the rest of you, but that didn't last. More and more often in the few days since you returned from Nevada, you've seen glimpses of arrogant satisfaction on her face. The HQ staff are shunning her, Commander Monroe is trying very hard not to let her anger show, and even the pilots are talking behind her back... but Claudia is savouring every drop of resentment.

You just can't figure her out. First she was talking about how you pilots need to stick together, now she's trying her best to alienate as many people as possible. She's like two different people sometimes.

“You have lax standards of discipline here,” Yulia agrees, leaning forwards so her low voice can be heard over the background noise of the cafeteria, “If she is so clearly unstable, she should not have made it this far. Do you not have screenings here? Some way to weed out those who are not suited to be pilots?”

“WE don't have a discipline problem,” Kaori stresses, jabbing a finger into her chest, “Just because of one weak link, that doesn't mean...” Pausing, taking a deep breath, she gestures to Nate. The younger girl has been listening in without comment, confusion painted across her features. “Well?” Kaori presses, “What do you think, Nate?”

“Ah!” the young girl yelps, forced to break her silence, “I don't know, I don't really GET any of this stuff... Should I be like, worried?”

This question is met with an uneasy pause, nobody quite willing to answer it. “I just hope Claudia doesn't get any funny ideas,” Kaori offers at last, “If she thinks she can control that thing, she's delusional.”

“The power of delusions should not be underestimated,” a new voice cautions, “Those who believe, who truly believe, can draw a strange strength from their delusions. You could call it a kind of faith, I suppose. Once an idea takes root, it can be nigh-impossible to overcome. The fantasist will defend their imaginary constructs, even to the point of fabricating evidence, sometimes without conscious awareness. When the real world conspires to reinforce those delusions... well.”

You turn, joining the others in glaring at Doctor Bergmann. “Excuse me,” the doctor adds, smiling coyly to herself, “Holly. I'd like to talk with you. Tomorrow, in my lab.”

“Why not today?” you reply, “I'm free right now.”

“But I'm not. I'm going to be busy – talking with the world's most boring man,” Bergmann remarks, allowing herself a weary expression, “Tomorrow, then. My lab.”

That's decided then.

[1/2]

>>3479813

“Anyway,” Kaori continues after a long and stilted pause, “I don't know if you've been told, but my father is going to be visiting us soon. It's for my birthday. I hope it won't cause too much disruption, but he might want to meet all of you. He's not... unpleasant, although he can be a little curt. Military types can be like that. Don't let that concern you – I might be biased, but I think he is a great man.”

So that's that. Claudia has been rampaging about in an impossible fighting machine, and you're back to gossiping about birthdays and happy families. Even recognising it as a coping strategy, it seems so surreal. You almost want to shake them by the shoulders, to yell right into their faces, but... what good will it do? All the anger in the world is still not enough to change human nature. Slumping back in your chair, you half listen as the others continue to talk.

“Your father sounds... nice,” Yulia replies, her response cautious and carefully measured, “You must really care for him.”

“I do,” Kaori admits, a rare smile showing itself on her face, “One of my very earliest memories is of visiting him in hospital. He was hurt, and his face was covered in bandages. I was so scared! I was convinced that it wasn't really him, that someone had... I don't know, taken his place. Replaced him. Stupid, really, the stuff a kid believes.” The smile drops from Kaori's face as she returns to the present moment. “But don't make a fuss!” she quickly insists, rising to her feet, “I don't want any more disruption than absolutely necessary. Got it?”

“Yeeeeeesss,” Nate groans, waiting until Kaori has left the cafeteria before turning to you and adding, “So we're, like, gonna organise a big party, right? Vic is great at that kind of thing, he'll help!”

“Did you not hear what she said?” Yulia protests, “She said NO fuss!”

“People always say that!” Nate shoots back, “And what they really mean is, “make an extra big fuss”. What, you never had a party before?” Slowly, with an icy expression, Yulia shakes her head. “Well that settles it!” the young girl continues, slapping the table with one hand, “Ow... anyway! Now we've got to have a super extra big party for everyone! Even Claudia! You're down with that, right Holly?”

Jolting up, you see a pair of expectant faces staring at you.

>Leave me out of this. I'm not in the mood
>Nah, Yulia's right. Let's keep it small and quiet
>We've got to go all out on this party. Hold nothing back!
>Other

>>3479817
>We've got to go all out on this party. Hold nothing back!

Sure, why not? I also like to think that there is a little bit of Nate in Holly that's pushing this choice a little.

>>3479817
>>Nah, Yulia's right. Let's keep it small and quiet
>>3479824
You mean Claire right? Not Holly, Claire.

>>3479817
>We've got to go all out on this party. Hold nothing back!

always party hardy

>>3479829
No I mean the mindmelding with Nate