Chapter One: Aftermath

"Let's have it."
   The room's dimensions were skewered, the darkness pervading any senses of size. It was much like being inside the belly of some sort of creature, Maya always thought. The only source of light in the depths of this pit -- a tactical display board -- stood in the center of the men and women who had the clearance to come into this place. Bright, even piercing, as the light may have been, it could not illuminate the room well enough for Maya to become at ease. In the past, she had always pretended these meetings to be some sort of movie, the room dark save for but one display. Shutting her eyes, slowly, Maya strained with effort to remember the days when she had been here last, with the confidence emanating from her sempai to edify her own small presence in this room of giants.
   Hyuuga Makoto stood up with a breath, and paused, glancing with sympathy towards the doctor Ibuki. His first shmill would be simple -- a summary of events, explained thoroughly enough that he would hopefully not have to repeat this introductory report.
   "As you all know, last night at forty-seven minutes past six o' clock, we were infiltrated by an unknown enemy, and nearly lost two of our personnel as a result -- Captain Asuka Soryu Langley and Evangelion pilot Ikari Shinji." Makoto took in another breath quickly peeked at Misato to gauge her reaction so far. She was expressionless. Asuka was not so expresionless. Hyuuga exhaled quickly, and just as quickly inhaled, and continued. "We are as of yet still unsure how the enemy was able to come into the facility without triggering alarms by any guards at the perimeter. All watch towers on the surface report no abnormal activities near the Crater in the past month." Hyuuga paused to regain his posture a bit. The Crater. The name referred to the hole in the surface of the earth where Tokyo-3 used to stand. Technically, it was not a crater at all. The new city that had begun sprouting up in its place had to be built around the hole. Still, it was thought by all to be a crater ... everyone's faces had become slightly more grim at the lack of information he had given so far. So he resumed his report.
   Shinji sighed, and it almost ached to do so. Yesterday had not been his finest moment. After five years of slowly gaining confidence, five years of the entire NERV headquarters greeting him almost happily throughout the corridors, as if he were some sort of celebrity, five years of making friends, he had become a coward again at the first sign of danger. I mustn't run away. The words bit at him as they used to, and until he relaxed after eating something, they had mocked his soul on end.
   Still, at least the world waited nearly five years before it came at me again, Shinji thought to himself. The last time he had began to become confident, a time very few people knew about or noticed, the peace had lasted no more than a couple of sweet months.
   Things had gotten better from there. A friend of his, one of the first souls kind enough to greet him in the hallways during those first few days of New Tokyo-3, sat down with him. Shinji replayed the whole event in his mind. It was good to see him again.

"Hey. Shinji," said the broad-shouldered man, pulling aside a chair from a nearby table and plopping his heavy frame at the boy's side.
   The NERV cafeteria was as it always was at this time of evening, attracting few patrons. Shinji had chosen this place because it was the only area in the whole city that acted as if nothing had happened a few hours ago. Because he was ordered not to leave the facility for political and security reasons, this was his only fortress of solitude. The room was brightly lit, white light pouring over everything. The air was cool, and despite the fact there were about five people in the cafeteria at this time, it felt as if this grand floor was filled with a hundred NERV employees, each chatting about his or her own personal experiences to another, that way cafeterias always are.
   "Good evening, Kai-san," Shinji said, bringing his gaze up, accompanied by a weak attempt to match the man's smile.
   "What, you don't see me for a few months, and I'm 'Kai-san' again, Mr. Ikari? C'mon, I flew in as soon as I heard what went down here in this pit. You alright?" The man dropped a firm hand on Shinji's shoulder.
   Shinji smiled a bit more and took a swig of his hot tea. Jing-Kai was a good friend. Shinji knew that he would always look up to the man as Kai-san, if only because he was Shinji's elder by over fifteen years. It was the same way he looked up to Misato-san, sort of.
   "Yes, I'm getting better." For his part, Shinji smiled inwardly again. He would always speak to everyone in the voice he used when speaking to a school teacher. "Are you staying here now?"
   "Well, let's see," Kai started, leaning back a little and clasping his hands together, twiddling his thumbs a bit. "That would depend on things decided by people other than me, wouldn't it?"
   "I see," Shinji answered, staring into his cup. He did not have anything more to say at the moment, and so quiet followed. Fortunately, JingKai hated useless silence with a vigor, and usually did something about it. The boy was not disappointed.
   "So, how's Asuka?" Shinji laughed at the question. So did JingKai. For him to be so desperate to break the quiet as to ask about the person he had the most trouble keeping his temperament around, that was just fun to be at the receiving end of.
   "I want you to stay, Kai."
   "Me, too, Shinji."

"...the captain was wise not to go back any further than the corner," Mokoto said, pointing at the spot on the lit blueprint on the display where Asuka and Shinji had been trapped by gunfire. "The hallway would have been to long a way to run, and they would not have had any cover should the attackers have decided to round the corner while they were halfway down it. The enemy did indeed choose a very fast timing before employing the use of a military weapon -- a "flashbang." That's the bright light that blinded you depsite the fact you shut your eyes, Shinji. That's what this thing does. Ironically, it's most often used for counter-terrorist activities. This is important, as Shigeru-san will explain later..."
   Shinji, who stood a short distance behind the professor, now commander, allowed himself a little grin within, despite the grim atmosphere about. Only the Commander Fuyutsuki and Makoto had seen him in the room, and it felt somewhat exciting, even fun, to be something of a shadow within the room lurking about. It was not lurking about in itself that was so invigorating, but that Shinji's father probably enjoyed doing just that when he was still around the facility.
   "After the the captain Asuka and pilot Ikari had been secured, Major Katsuragi and her contingent of security team members were able to attain the attention of the attackers long enough for reinforcements to arrive from all possible directions. Evidently, the five who went for Soryu and Shinji were backed up by yet five more men, who presumably would have led the escape out of the facility. As has been agreed upon given the way in which our people were confronted, we believe this was a kidnapping operation, and that this was a heavy-duty haul, not just your average terrorist assault. Given the lack of information we have at the moment, we believe that this point is one to be noted."
   Makoto took another breath, and surveyed his audience. He received nods all around. After all, it had so far been a fairly simple and agreeable report.
   "Final count: ten attackers, all deceased. They came in with a mission, and the last to be killed refused to be taken alive. We lost four of our own in this confrontation, all of whom were taken by surprise when they met up with the aforementioned backup team. We were lucky with the last five. They had a chance of making it out if they hadn't chosen to stay and remain with the group outside."
   "Hm," the commander Fuyutsuki grunted to himself, eyes barely open. "All or nothing. Suicide. They didn't want to leave empty-handed."
   "Right," Hyuuga agreed. "And we wouldn't be able to follow them to wherever they were meant to finish their task. So we have no idea who they were."
   "Well," Aoba spoke up. "We don't have no idea." A few smiles around the room to the man who had the most chance of remaining casual given the circumstances. "Here's where I come in."
   The current display disappeared, replaced by photos of faces. The hostile faces.
   "No definite clues where these men came from. From their appearances, we cannot decide anything, and so to answer one of the objectives the major gave us, we cannot figure out who was behind this incident. It could be anyone, really. But here's what we can figure out."
   Through this, Misato Katsuragi exhaled through her nose a bit gruffly. She had hoped to find who had threatened her children, and proceed to have a very violent encounter with the guilty party. She expected the lack of this information, however, and took it without too much disappointment. That did not mean, of course, she accepted this loss she was at. Misato fully intended to follow this through, and almost hoped something happened again, so that it would persuade others to join her down the mission of vengeance. But, actually, she hoped against common sense that this was just a random attack, and that the men who came did it for nothing more than their own little agenda.
   Frankly, she had begun getting used to a period of peace, when the most distressing topic of the day was whether or not she should have Shinji take up more hobbies, so that he wouldn't be home so much, rotting in front of the television set. Now, however, Misato found herself relieved that Shinji would be home under her wing when he wasn't in the security of NERV. Although she questioned that sense of security now, given what had so recently occurred.
   "The big reason our digital security did not pick up any problems is that our cameras were compromised with these," Aoba explained, holding up what appeared to be a simple black blanket. "These sheets are composed of a variety of materials, more than just cotton. They contain minerals as well as an alloy of metals, enabling them to render any infared vision abilities on our security cameras useless. These people knew our system well enough to figure out how to disable just needed for them to slip by. Also, it is evident they knew we would not be heavily monitoring Shinji after his tests. It was not alarming for us, therefore, to find the corridors near the baths silent while the enemy quietly marched through."

2015

"Good evening, Katsuragi-san." Misato was surprised that Shinji had a friend, given the state he was in. Although it had been nearly a month since things had fallen apart, since the world fell apart, Shinji took things worse than anyone else possibly could have. He hadn't spoken too much with anyone, even less than he used to. The companion he had was an adult, probably older than Misato herself was.
   The NERV lobby seemed somewhat more populated this night. A bunch of businessmen and tourists? The area seemed very hospitable, which was very strange, given the shape the rest of the facility was in. The television was on, the news playing, and there was no stench of blood about, either. Whoever these visitors were this evening, some of them were important. The way everything was so neat, the way it used to be, refreshed the woman's senses. It was probably good for Shinji, as well. From this room, one could not possibly suspect the gore displayed in the rooms behind welcoming doors. Important people, indeed.
   "My name is Won Jing-Kai." The guy's Japanese needed some work. Of course, given his name, it was obvious he wasn't a native speaker. It was just that most foreigners ever near NERV or the city spoke the language fluently. He bowed curtly. A little too curtly. And he dressed like a geek, wearing a collared shirt, and a collared jacket over it. Khakis, worn not loosely enough to be in fashin, or tightly enough, either. Military type, for sure, despite the casual clothing. In fact, for a second, Misato wondered in the back of her mind whether or not this was really that kid Aida Kensuke, back home from fleeing, hair dyed black, and taller. Misato smiled at the thought, and bowed in response. Jing-Kai reached up and began scratching the back of his ear, elliciting a predatory grin in the back of the major's mind. Fun.
   "So who are you, and what are you doing here?" Misato asked friendily.
   "I'm, ah, going to be a security ... person?" Yeah, the guy definitely needed to work on his Japanese. Misato looked to Shinji for an answer, and got a slight shake of the head and a blank look.
   One of the other men in the lobby put down his newspaper and stood up with a smile, a grin, really. From the look on the guy's face, it was obvious he had been listening in. "Let me take the helm, Cap?" he asked in English. Jing-Kai waved his hands in a manner showing that he was giving up, and "yeah"'d the new guy, a European by appearances.
   "Good evening, Major. I've heard quite a bit about you. My name is Scott Covington." This guy bowed, too. Foreigners. This guy was much more confident about it, though, and his Japanese was much more fluent. "We are here on business from the UN to deal with some security measures that will be implemented after all this trouble is sorted out." While this Scott Covington dressed like he might be out on business, that Jing-Kai looked like any other civilian. Misato decided not to pry just yet, anyway. She was somehow sure she'd see these people again. For now, it was time to go home.
   "Nice to meet you, then." Another exchange of bows, and then came the biggest surprise of the evening.
   "Good-bye, Kai-san," said Shinji.
   "Good-bye, Shinji. I'll see you soon."

"Of course the question now is why anyone would want to do this. Due to how low the profile was for this event, we don't believe the intruders were after Unit-01. We're not even sure this was a simple kidnapping operation. The captain Soryu and the major agree that had things gone just a bit differently, we wouldn't have Asuka with us right now. So the obvious answer, the short-sighted one..."
   "They were going for Shinji, but we don't know why," Misato finished, frustrated inside, but showing nothing more than a frown outside.
   "Well, obviously, for anyone to come in here, they had to have a plan, a whole campaign thought out, even," Shigeru answered. "Someone must really be sure of themself if they're willing to take on the world for this."
   "Perhaps it is a UN member, or even some of them, who could have done this?" Fuyutsuki suggested.
   "Well, it almost had to be, judging from the way the enemy was equipped and informed. No third world country could have known what to do and how."
   Commander Fuyutsuki nodded and sniffed indignantly, and added, "Well, whoever it was, this won't be the last, will it?"
   "No, sir, it's highly unlikely."
   "Thank you, Lieutenant." Aoba bowed, and stepped back a bit, and the display fell dark. Kozo sighed softly to himself before the lights came on. I'm getting too old for this, he said to himself.
   "Alright then, now it's my turn to speak. As you all may know, some time ago NERV was declared an international resource among all UN member states. As Japan was recognized as one of these states in 1956..."

1999.

There is good news and there is bad news. With the demise of the Soviet Union and other nation states with political positions adverse to American and Western interests, the likelihood of a major international confrontation is at an all-time low. This, clearly, is the best of good news.
   But along with that we must face the fact that there remain many experienced and trained international terrorists still roaming the world, some with lingering contacts with national intelligence agencies -- plus the fact that some nations, while not desirous of a direct confrontation with American or other Western nations, could still make use of the remaining terrorist "free agents" for more narrow political goals.
   It anything, this problem is very likely to grow, since under the previous world situation, the major nation states placed firm limits on terrorist activity -- these limits enforced by controlled access to weapons, funding, training, and safehavens.
   It seems likely that the current world situation will invert the precious "understanding" enjoyed by the major countries. The price of support, weapons, training, and safehavens might well become actual terrorist activity, not the ideological purity previously demanded by sponsoring nation states.
   The most obvious solution to this -- probably -- increasing problem will be a new multinational counterterrorist team. I propose the code name Rainbow. I further propose that the organization be based in the United Kingdom. The reasons for this are simple:

   - the U.K. currently owns and operates the Special Air Service, the world's foremost -- that is, most experienced -- special-operations agency.
   - London is the world's most accessible city in terms of commercial air travel -- in addition to which the SAS has a very cordial relationship with British Airways.
   - The legal environment is particularly advantageous, due to press restrictions possible under British law but not American.
   - The long-standing "special relationship" between American and British governmental agencies.

For all these reasons, the proposed special- operations team, composed of U.S., U.K., and selected NATO personnel, with full support from national-intelligence services, coordinated at site...

- Rainbow proposition, by John Clark, taken from Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six

"...NERV was given special attention after 2015, as you all remember, and in short, the rule became that for anyone to come in at us again, the UN had to be in agreement about it. It also meant that if we ever came under attack without that pre-requisite, the UN would be obligated to support us in the event of war," Fuyutsuki finished with a frown.
   That frown was mirrored upon the audience's faces. Basically, the concession the rest of the world had given the hapless inhabitants of NERV was guaranteed revenge. It would not be difficult for a determined, albeit insane, party with an army to destroy NERV completely before any introductory counter-offensive force could be mounted by the bureaucrats on high. This was because EVA-01 would never be launched again, unless a high government official had either the gall or desperation to call on it in the case of total emergency and subsequently risk political suicide while trying to explain to the rest of the world why what was done was not only prudent, but without any hint of military interests. In many ways, the deployment of Evangelion Unit One was as difficult to attain as the services of the international counter-terrorist organization known as Rainbow. It was fitting that the two should be in close proximity of one another should the world go sour. And when someone was willing to withstand the wrath of the world by making a run at what was essentially the gathering place of the world's brightest scientific and military minds, well, the world was damn close to being sour.
   Rainbow, under the rulings which proceeded the numerous whispered negotiations which had gone on right after Third Impact, had been asked to station one of its two teams in New Tokyo-3 if ever NERV headquarters was under serious threat. As a result, advisors from Great Britain, Germany, Australia, and the United States had founded a secondary Rainbow base of operations in the crater next to the central NERV pyramid. Because few armies in the world had the capability to protect a lone facility in the middle of a hole on the earth's surface, the team sent to Rainbow was meant to be a force that would act as a symbol -- a reminder, really, that the world had its eye and wing over the resting place of the EVA project -- more than a real military chess piece. The team sent could be expected to do little more than to evacuate but the most valued and important personnel from NERV headquarters before the place was ripped asunder.
   Of course, they've never actually had to come before; maybe they can do more than even that, Kozo whispered to himself.
   "Ladies, and gentlemen, Major Jing-Kai Won."

"Rainbow," lit a voice.
   "Yes, the little group of wondermen, cloaked by veils and shadows."
   "Bah, a hundred men and women know of them. They cannot hide from us," an arrogant voice dismissed.
   "They may yet. We learned of their existence shortly before the second great flood," cautioned a more pessimistic tone.
   "Yes. Before then, three times that number were in the fold; it was easier then," said the first voice.
   "And we do not know why they have decided to visit our enemies, even. This is unexpected. Our reach has diminished since Ikari left NERV to the world's whims." A grim tone.
   "That is alright. Though the goal is out of sight, our grasp begins close enough. We will climb higher and higher, and in time, we will attain it."
   A light and confident chuckle from one who had not spoken yet. "Yes, we as the hidden soul may be blind towards NERV itself, but we have access to some of the eyes which can see it."
   "And after all, we have our own little wonder coming out of her shadows. There is nothing theirs can do to deter her."
   "So we will wait, and see which wonder performs the greater miracle."

"I would recommend my staying at NERV headquarters along with my team for the time being, then," Jing-Kai finished.
   Misato glanced at the man standing at Shinji's side. So the military man was back, was he? This was probably a good thing, Misato noted, paying attention to Shinji's comfortable stance a few feet away. It made sense professionally for Jing-Kai to stay. He fit in with the surroundings easily. He had actually wanted to become an American CIA spook at first -- he thought it was "cool", until he found he lacked the professionalism and the directive to fit the job. It was his ability to accept his environment that had given him and his superiors high hopes at first. In the end, however, Jing-Kai was really just the kind of fellow whose acceptance of his habitat was usually one of meek indifference.
   But Jing-Kai would be a good friend to have around, and perhaps, with the rest of Shinji's friends, he'd be able to keep the mood around here light.
   Won had sat down, and now Fuyutsuki had called for the room to empty out, save for the commander, major, and captains (of whom Hyuuga was now one).
   "Thoughts?" Kozo asked, sitting down and rubbing his eyes.
   "It would be nice to have them around, even though they don't really make things safer. Maybe whoever sent those people after us will think twice with some helping hands around," Hyuuga said.
   "I have no problem with them being around. They might boost some morale around here, but I wouldn't know what to do with them," Misato reported.
   Fuyutsuki smiled. "No one knows what to do with them. This is the first time they've actually ever been part of NERV."
   "But at least no one will have to show them around. The major Won knows how to get by just fine, and I'm sure that many of the others of his team do, too."
   "Captain Langley?"
   The said captain coughed, and pursed her lips. "As long as he doesn't get in my way, I'm okay with the plan." Silence followed the declaration.
   The commander clapped his hands once, and anounced, "Then it is settled. The secondary Rainbow station is to be defossilized and ready for use by tomorrow's sunrise."

Author's note: Actually, this chapter had more written for it, but those parts were taken out and will instead be shown in later chapters. As everyone has noticed, there will be ACC's in this story, mostly minor ones, but ACC's nonetheless. We'll see how I do with those. Also, bear in mind that these first chapters may be subject to change at any time