#NervSiberia
Episode 01

<@Night10194> The date is January 1st, 2015. Or, as some would have it, AI 15 (After Impact)...
<@Night10194> 2nd Impact killed 3 billion people. Countless efforts of humanity, wiped out in a single instant when an experiment went wrong at the Antarctic...
<@Night10194> The world burned in war, famine, floods, and all manner of disaster. Whole sections of the planet are still considered uninhabitable. The new United Nations junta, formed by the Valentine Treaty, has brought order to the chaos of northern Africa and Europe. The US has managed to perservere and rebuild itself, threatened by UN controlled Canada to the north...but these are not the focus of
<@Night10194> our story.
<@Night10194> The focus lies on a country as of yet unbowed by the chaos of 2nd Impact. Russia. Lacking much coastline, Russia's traditional disadvantage has become a source of great strength in the post-impact world.
<@Night10194> Nearly untouched by the chaos of Impact, Russia is technically a signitory state of the UN's Valentine Treaty; the UN and Russia are, publically, partners and allies, even as it is an open secret that the UN has done nothing to curb Russia's wars of aggression and expansion since the signing of the Treaty, assigning it 'peacekeeping' duties in the former Soviet sattelite states.
<@Night10194> A new threat has arisen, however...the UN has quietly warned most of the major nations of the world, and frantic preparations have begun...for you see, Impact was not caused by a meteor; no, it was far, far worse...
<@Night10194> We pick up with the arrival of the first group of Pilots and the Operations Director at S. I. Golovko Proving Ground, one of the most well-used proving grounds and test sites for Project E, an attempt at building a weapon that can counter the coming threat.
<@Night10194> At moment, all pilots save for Dostov Pokryshkin and Tanya Ivanovna Pavlichenko are present in a UN APC, being driven in the clunky, loud vehicle along a backwater road in te middle of Siberia. Probably jet-lagged all to hell. Along for the ride, though conspiciously not driving, is Capt. Nathanial Duround of NERV, your Operations Director.
<@Night10194> ...That means Griet and Nathanial, at moment.
<@Night10194> Describe selves! ACTION.
<Griet> Griet Jacobs, South African refugee from when the entire place flooded, average height, blonde hair, blue eyed Afrikaaner.  Sleight of build and twitchy. Distinctly unhappy and terrified to be here. Also freezing, because it's Siberia.
<NathanielDurond> Nathaniel is a pensive looking man in his early forties, medium build, a bit under six feet in height, dressed in a well pressed NERV uniform and a thick parka. A pair of glasses are folded in his left breast pocket, just under a black and white name tag that says DUROUND. His cheeks has the particular shade of pink that afflicts the naturally pale in cold weather. Smells vaugley of musty
<NathanielDurond> books.
<@Night10194> Inside the APC are your driver and two security escorts. Two well armed security escorts. In full cold-weather armor and gear, carrying rifles. Both are keeping an eye on Griet.
<@Night10194> Driver: "Sir, we're almost there. Just another five minutes or so."
<NathanielDurond> "Excellent news. Will you be staying with us, or moving onto another assignment?"
<@Night10194> Driver: "Another assignment, sir. Russian forces will be handling base security."
<@Night10194> Driver: "They're...pretty insistent on that, sir."
<@Night10194> Security Agent: "And don't think they'll tolerate any more flashes for freedom, girl."
<@Night10194> Security Agent: "I hear they've reintroduced Political Officers." He chuckles.
* Griet shifts a bit in her seat, but only looks down at her lap. Her hands are white from clutching them together to stop them from trembling.
<@Night10194> MEANWHILE! Tanya: You've just been flown from the testing facility, where you received your basic training and checked out your EVA's essential parameters, to the deployment and 'official' testing facility at S. I. Golovko. Your orders are to meet the local pilot, one Dostov Pokryshkin, and join him in greeting the European/UN pilots who are to arrive later today, while awaiting transit
<@Night10194> of your EVA unit.
<@Night10194> You've been flown in via chopper, and Dostov, while you were informed there were other pilots coming in today, you were certainly not told one of them was a fellow Russian, wearing the same green and red uniform as you, with a Junior Lt.'s bars on her gear. We'll introduce you two with meeting for the first time.
<@Night10194> As she's just gotten off the base's helipad. I'll describe the base's surface component while you do so.
<@Night10194> You two are currently standing on the central helipad, with a transport VTOL winging its way into the distance after dropping off its cargo. Surrounding you are some of the tank and VTOL hangers, ugly old Soviet-style cinderblock bunkers, functional and cheap, filled to the brim with the latest in Russian military technology, and enough conventional forces to fight a small ground war.
<@Night10194> This area is one of the more militant wings of the base's above ground facilities, however. Across the windy, snowy fields, you can see some of the power stations, but also some of the minor record buildings, and some of the above-ground civilian housing, used for the families of the personnel stationed down below in the high-security sectors.
<@Night10194> Also plenty of store-rooms, guards on duty, wearing bored expressions, heavy overcoats, and AK74 assault rifles, as well as a huge cargo elevators for bringing supplies and building materials down deeper into the base's underground, high security points.
<@Night10194> You can also see the towering monoliths of the Umbillical posts, placed at each cardinal direction of the base, and two more way off in the distance, places at either side of the massive power substation just off the base perimeter, used to generate the electricity needed to run the behemoths you'll be piloting.
<@Night10194> And, Action, Pilots.
<TanyaIvanova> Tanya stands about 5'8" with a lean, almost boyish build and long legs. She's pale with dark eyes and hair (the latter kept off her neck in a short ponytail), and a face that would probably be pretty if she weren't wearing such an impatient, haughty sneer.
* Dostov pulls off his fuzzy hat, revealing long honey blonde hair. He's built like a bear at around six feet, with plenty of muscle and just a shade overweight. His nose is somewhat flattened, likely from taking more than a few punches, and a scar runs through his left eyebrow. "Stratstoicha, welcome to S.I. Golovko."
<@Night10194> (Strastoicha: Formal hello in Russian)
<TanyaIvanova> "Stratstoicha. *gives him a quick once-over* Are you Pokryshkin, or someone else?"
<Dostov> "Junior Lieutenant Dostov Ivanovitch Pokryshkin, at your service." He salutes.
<TanyaIvanova> "Junior Lieutenant Tanya Ivanova Pavlichenko." She returns the salute. "You were not kept waiting long, I hope?"
<Dostov> "Not at all. How was the trip here?" He pulls his fuzzy Russian hat back on to keep his ears warm.
<@Night10194> You two can hear the rumble of two approaching APCs...UN markings, but the guards have let them through just fine after checking the drivers' credentials. (That will be Elsa in one, and Nate and Griet in the other).
<@Night10194> Also, Elsa, Griet, neither of you have official rank, yet.
<@Night10194> As soon as they pull up, their passengers are hustled out in parkas and other warm weather gear, to recieve their welcome...Captain Duround, your final charge (for the moment) was in the second APC, and I will allow her to describe herself now.
<TanyaIvanova> (to Dostov, from previously) "Uneventful." Tanya looks around to take in the ground-level view of the surroundings, then fixes on the approaching APCs, eyes darting from disembarking passenger to disembarking passenger.
<ElsaFaustus> Elsa Faustus is an athletic young woman with a sharp featured face.  Light brown hair and hazel eyes, shivering in the cold, despite her brand new NERV uniform.  She's grinning as she looks around, excited as she steps out of the vehicle.
* Dostov adjusts his grey overcoat before heading for the APCs and their unloaded cargo. He waves as he approaches. "Stratstoicha! Stratstoicha!"
<TanyaIvanova> "Stratsoicha." As she's just arrived herself, Tanya keeps in step with Dostov on the approach, but stays terse and does not wave, expecting Dostov to do more of the work in greeting and attempting to size up the newcomers instead.
<Dostov> "I'm Junior Lieutenant Dostov Pokryshkin, and this is Junior Lieutenant Tanya Pavlichenko." He smiles to Griet and Elsa, offering a salute to Nathaniel.
<ElsaFaustus> Trying to ignore the cold, I gravitate towards the man in the Nerv uniform as we approach the welcoming party.  "Good day.  I am Elsa.  Elsa Faustus."
* Griet smiles faintly at Lt. Pkryshkin before looking around him to eye her chances at running away. Deciding they are somewhat unfavorable she turns back to him and extends her hand. "Griet Jacobs"
* Dostov looks to her hand and smiles. Instead of taking it he grabs her up in a warm and friendly hug.
* NathanielDurond returns Dostov's salute in the Russian manner. "Stratsoicha" he says, badly accented. "Captain Nathaniel Durond." He blinks when Dostov goes to hug Griet, and does his best to hide a grin.
* TanyaIvanova wrinkles her nose and frowns at the hug. She edges closer to the Elsa and Cpt. Durond, offering a salute to them both.
* Griet lets out a squeak and goes stiff as a board.
* Griet "Nice to meet you, sir?"
<Dostov> He laughs and puts her down. A clap on the shoulder and his attention turns to the others.
* Griet composes herself and then turns to look at the others at a distance, keeping the insane bear person between herself and them.
<ElsaFaustus> I step a little behind the captain a little, wanting to not be next.
* NathanielDurond stifles a chuckle as the girls seek cover. "Lt. Pokryshkin, I believe we need to report in, but I would like a tour of the base first, and to get your fellow pilots of out of the cold weather. If you or Lt. Ivanova would be so kind?"
<NathanielDurond> Pavlichenko rather
<ElsaFaustus> "Should I accompany you, captain?"  I shiver, wondering why they put this place in Satan's summer home.
<NathanielDurond> "Yes, you as well Miss Jacobs. Best we all get a tour of our workplace."
<Dostov> "We'll tour inside the base first, we can see to some warmer clothing for those that need it." He takes on a more serious or sullen demeanor and turns to the south. "This way, pajalsta."
<@Night10194> (Pleas)
<@Night10194> (*Please)
<@Night10194> (Also thank you. Russian is weird)
<ElsaFaustus> I'll tag along after the captain.
* Griet nods in agreement and follows the crazy bear-man, but staying out of hugging range.
<@Night10194> Ready to take an elevator down into the (heated) bowels of the Base?
<ElsaFaustus> Yes.
<TanyaIvanova> Da.
<Griet> Please
<@Night10194> Alright...the inside of the base is built almost like a fallout shelter. Heavily armored and reinforced, with shelters and other places for the civilians living above-ground to hide in case of an emergency, as well as high capacity elevators and emergency shafts, with only signs (in russian) to really distinguishe the samey hallways from one another. It is, however, blessedly warm and free
<@Night10194> of that accursed wind.
<@Night10194> Where to first, Dostov? The unit's quarters? Galley? Bridge?
<Dostov> The galley first.
<@Night10194> The galley is mostly empty at the moment, since it's...just the end of lunch-time. It's still open, however, and even if the food dispensing area wasn't, the hot drink machines still work, and honestly, that's probably all most of the pilots care about right now.
* Griet Griets eyes brighten slightly at the prospect of food, but she remains quiet.
<@Night10194> It's not a bad-looking place. They're serving boiled potatos, sausage, and what looks like some kind of surprisingly-tolerable beet soup.
<Dostov> "Drinks for anyone before we move on?" He pulls off his hat, stuffing it into a pocket.
<Griet> Do they come out of our rations?
<@Night10194> Naw, just out of your 300 dollar a month allowance.
<NathanielDurond> "Coffee for myself. Might as well take the time to eat if any of you are hungry."
<ElsaFaustus> I get some hot tea.
* Griet hesitates and then moves to put several sausages on a plate. Moving quickly before anyone changes their mind.
<@Night10194> One of the soldiers eating a late lunch notices Griet. "Hey, did some of the school-kids manage to sneak down here again?"
* TanyaIvanova gets a coffee.
* Griet continues towards a table mumbling under her breath, "Verlaat Alleen me, Rukker."
<@Night10194> The man stares for a moment, then notices the rest of you and decides to just assume she's with you, going back to his sausageinnabun.
* Griet waits for the man to look away, then discretely palms a few of the sausages on a plate, wraps them in a napkin and stashes them in her uniform pocket.
<@Night10194> Team ready to move on in the tour?
<ElsaFaustus> Ja!
<Dostov> Da.
<TanyaIvanova> Da.
<NathanielDurond> onwards
<@Night10194> Alright. Next stop?
* Griet finishes off her plate, and follows, her right hand brushing the pocket containing the food to reassure herself.
<@Night10194> Quarters, EVA Cages, or Bridge?
<Dostov> Quarters.
<@Night10194> Your unit's quarters are all nearby to one another; you actually have a group common room. Lt. Pokryshkin will be sharing a room with Capt. Duround, two girls will be sharing a room, and one lucky gal gets a small room to herself!
<TanyaIvanova> (Who's the lucky gal?)
<@Night10194> Your quarters are kind of plain, but serviceable, and heated. You'll also have (heavily censored) internet access, as well as your own TV in the common room and a very nice couch. And I intended you three to fight to the death over it.
<TanyaIvanova> Tanya attempts to claim it first.
<Griet> (Griet does not fight to the death, she cowers in a corner)
<ElsaFaustus> I'll attempt to claim it.
<@Night10194> Aaaaaand, FIGHT.
<@Night10194> German vs. Russian. 1941 Redux!
<TanyaIvanova> Tanya attempts to lay her claim by simply walking into the single room and putting her coat down, like there is no question that it belongs to her.
<ElsaFaustus> Being German, I beat the Russian to it.  Blitzkrieg!
<ElsaFaustus> Or try to, anyway.
<@Night10194> You're now both in the room. A coat is laying on the bed. WHAT DO YOU DO?
<TanyaIvanova> Tanya looks at her coat on the bed, then at Elsa; she slowly arches an eyebrow at the German. "Can I help you?"
<ElsaFaustus> "Ja.  I vould like this room."
<TanyaIvanova> A Significant Glance at the coat again. "Become accustomed to disappointment."
<@Night10194> Only too late do you realize: Griet is in another room, unconstested, alone, and victorious. And now you two are stuck with what you both desired...and each other. Such is the curse of greed and disappointment.
<ElsaFaustus> "I thought that was a Russian thing?"
<TanyaIvanova> Tanya picks up her coat, goes into the room with Griet, and puts the coat down on that bed. (and completely ignores Elsa.)
<ElsaFaustus> I look back and forth, not exactly sure what this means, but I guess it means I won?
<ElsaFaustus> I sit on the bed, setting down my duffel bag.
<@Night10194> Huh. I guess Elsa is victorious, then. Anyhow, next place on the tour?
<Dostov> "One last stop before the bridge, da?"
* Darkling (~chatzilla@Rizon-D002641B.dsl.bell.ca) Quit ( Read error: Connection reset by peer )
<NathanielDurond> "Please.
<@Night10194> Take them to...the Cages?
<Dostov> To the Cages!
<ElsaFaustus> Cages?
<@Night10194> The next stop is a truly monumental hanger, large enough to be a missile base all on its own...
<@Night10194> Numerous support personnel are running around like mad, taking care of huge, restrained...*things* latched to the walls, massive titans of alloy and muscle, painted and marked with numbers and symbols of NERV. Four of them, and space for a fifth similarly enormous vehicle as of yet unfilled. They're at least 40 meter tall each, dwarfing any human who walks under them...
<@Night10194> You also notice, standing in the center of the room, overseeing the workers, a woman who looks to be in her early thirties, with long, platinum blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and piercing hazel eyes. She's dressed in another of the green uniforms with red shoulder pads and an officer's peaked cap, wearing the designation of a Major on her uniform.
<@Night10194> She would be considered an attractive woman by most standards, though she's quite tall, and under the uniform, appears to be very fit of body. She's built more like a soldier than a desk or intel officer.
* NathanielDurond shudders a little as he looks up at the things. "Ah, mon dieu." He whispers. There they were, the reason they're all there. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he goes forward to salute the Major. "Captain Nathaniel Durond."
<@Night10194> She turns and salutes. "Major Natalya Gorky. A pleasure to meet you, Captain. Are the recruits here at last?"
* Dostov offers the Major a salute.
<ElsaFaustus> "Mein Gott en himmel..."  I give the major a distracted salute, staring at the things.
<TanyaIvanova> Tanya's eyes widen and glimmer at the *things*; for the first time, she has an expression other than a sneer – an off-kilter, eerily delighted grin. She gives Major Gorky a perfunctory salute before returning to admiring them.
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Which of you is...Griet Jacobs?"
* Griet 's eyes widen as she stares at the giant ...*things*, wondering if she was recruited to be dinner. She raises her hand and says in a tremulous voice "I....I am"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "EVAngelion Unit 40. No other designation so far." She gestures to one of the huge creatures. Lightly armored, it looks like it was built for speed and speed alone, though its helmet is broken through at the bottom and its jaws are unhinged and stretched wide, revealing sharp teeth. Its lean and tough looking, a survivor, rather than a fighter.
<@Night10194> Painted blue, with black trim.
<@Night10194> Gorky: "You will be its pilot."
* Griet stares blankly at him for a moment. "Gratie me?"
<Griet> (Excuse me?)
<@Night10194> Gorky: "That's why you've been dragged out here. They had plenty of time on the flight over. Or is the UN not in the business of telling people why it orders them to do things?"
* Griet says "They never explained much of anything, sir. I was taken when my family first arrived in the UK at Southampton"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "I prefer ma'am, Pilot." She chuckles. "I suppose they still told you 2nd Impact was a meteor strike."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Pilot..." She frowns at Nathanial, "I'm afraid I have some troubling news."
* Griet "We didn't get a lot of news......everything was wiped out in the flood, and then it was too dangerous to try and find out more"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "2nd Impact was the result of an alien creature, awoken at Antarctica, and then put down with some kind of xenotech weapon by the Katsuragi Expedition. We have no idea what they used on it, or how, with its death, it managed to obliterate an entire continent, but before it died, the beast managed to...well, spawn."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Those spawn have been developing for 15 years."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "These weapons, the Evangelion units, are our only real method for fighting them, based on what we know about the xenomorphs. And due to being piloted via a mind-machine interface...it takes very special people to pilot them. You, and the other kids here, are some of the few we've been able to find who are capable of synchronizing with an EVA."
<NathanielDurond> "Griet, we've brought you here to help save the world."
* Griet stares at Nathaniel like he just sprouted another head on his shoulders.
<Griet> "You people are insane, you need help.....i've been kidnapped by crazy people."
<ElsaFaustus> "We're going to be piloting these... walking panzers with our minds?"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Yes, Pilot. You are...Faustus, then?" She sighs. "Someone has a sense of humor..."
<@Night10194> She looks over at an enormous, knight-like EVA, covered in heavy slabs of reinforced armor. Slow, tough, and enormous, with black plate and white trim, as well as a complex, glowing visual array of four red eyes, it looks as sturdy as a wall and tough as nails.
<@Night10194> Gorky: "EVAngelion unit 43. Designation Mephistophles. SOmeone likes the classics."
<ElsaFaustus> "What do you mean?"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Never read Dr. Faustus, Pilot?"
<ElsaFaustus> "Nein, major."
<NathanielDurond> (quietly) "Take a look around you. You can't imagine the expense, the effort it takes to build something like this. The United Nations brought you here for a reason. Because we know you can help us, just as these others do. This is where you belong.
<Griet> (also quietly) "Maybe this money would have been better spent helping all the people who were displaced after the Second Impact instead. I'm not interested in saving the world, just surviving it."
* Dostov keeps quiet at the back of the group, hands in his pockets. He remembered all the disbelief when he'd been shown. And the questions.
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Heh. I trust Lt. Pavlichenko is already familiar with Unit 42, Cernobog?" She gestures to an absolute nightmare of a unit. It's huge, bulky, and predatory, with the same unhinged jaw as Unit 40, but also enormous, rending talons and bulging muscles, its entire body giving the impression of a 45m tall daemon. Its entire body is black, save the talons and the eyes, which are both
<@Night10194> bright red and menacing.
<@Night10194> It has huge, powerful support pistons built into the legs, as well, ready to help it pounce on its prey.
<TanyaIvanova> At the mention of her name, Tanya looks away from the EVAs and nods. "Da, Major. He and I are acquainted."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Lt. Pavlichenko and Lt. Pokryshkin have already recieved...training with their units. We'll be working hard to get the rest of you up to speed as quickly."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Lt. Pokryshkin, you already recall Unit 41, I hope, considering you were in him last week." :P
<Dostov> "Yes ma'am."
<@Night10194> The final unit is already carrying its weapons. A huge, clear riot shield and a long pike with some kind of drill/mining tool mounted on the end. It's another huge unit, stocky and stoutly built, with the same enormous leg pistons as Unit 40. It's ice-blue, with a cool, white trim to it, and a huge, cyclopean visor on its heavily-armored helmeted head.
<@Night10194> Gorky: "He's the pride of our unit, built with the latest and greatest gear Russian industry can provide. Unit 41 will be your pointman in combat."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Any questions, so far? I'm sure you have plenty."
<ElsaFaustus> "Ja, frau major.  Why exactly do you need to use giant wanzers piloted by pubescent conscripts to fight an alien horror from beyond space and time?"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "An excellent question. The answer lies in a shielding technology I...will admit we do not understand well yet."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "These units...are grown from samples of a few xenos that failed to birth properly, recovered after the battle at Antarctica. They have the ability to protect a shield we've designated the Absolute Territory Field, just as the xenos can."
<ElsaFaustus> I cough.  "Frau major, did you just say these things were... aborted alien fetuses?"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Two of these 'AT' fields can cancel one another out; we have no other weapon capable of producing such a field at this time. And the fields seem to break the laws of physics; explosions lose all energy, projectiles suddenly lose all momentum and drop to the ground harmlessly, etc."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "...If you wish to be distasteful about it. I prefer to think of them as recovered samples."
<TanyaIvanova> Tanya rolls her eyes and scoffs at Elsa. "Does it matter what you think that they are? They are powerful enough to defeat the spawn and that is all that is relevant."
<ElsaFaustus> I stare at the things, wondering how one mind controls giant zombie alien cyborgs.
<Griet> "So, you want us to fight...aliens? Inside of other aliens?"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "It is the only solution we possess at the moment. We project many of the aliens will be literally invulnerable to conventional weapons fire until their fields are at least partly neutralized by an EVA."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Trust me, we would not have gone to such lengths to find and recruit you, were this not desperate. Captain Duround is correct; you are here to help save the world."
<TanyaIvanova> "Permission to ask a question of my fellow recruits, Major?"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Granted, Lt."
<NathanielDurond> "They're a great deal like robots" Close enough for our purposes anyway. "Its not like you're being sent out inside a thinking alien being."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "He is correct. They're more of...cyborgs with a few reverse engineered bits."
<TanyaIvanova> "Considering the desperate nature of the situation, do any of you have questions for Major Gorky or Captain Durond that are not ridiculous wastes of our time?"
<ElsaFaustus> "What can you tell me of these AT Fields you mentioned, frau major?"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Embarassingly little. We have no idea how the xenomorphs generate it, only that it...does things that should be physically impossible. Fifteen years of post-impact chaos is not nearly enough time to understand such a scientific paradigm shift."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "We know how to make an Evangelion unit generate and maintain one, how to neutralize an opposing field, etc...but not truly what they are or how they work."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Any further questions, Pilots?"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Oh, and before I forget...Sargeant! Get them their Plugsuits!"
<@Night10194> Off-screen Soldier: "Da, Major."
<Dostov> "...oh no..."
<ElsaFaustus> "Plugsuits?"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Think of them as your flightsuits."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "They're what you'll be wearing during your synchronization testing and when you pilot in battle. I...warn you. They're a bit...tight."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "The engineering team that designed them works in Tokyo 3." She sighs.
<ElsaFaustus> "...These are legal?"
<@Night10194> Each of you is handed a rubberized jumpsuit with occasional protective alloy plates, color-coded to match yor EVA, and two car-ear like things with needles and a headband on them. "These are the A10 Nerve Clips. Essential to piloting."
<TanyaIvanova> "Fucking Japanese."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "There's a changing facility to your left. Since you're all here...we may as well get your first synchronization test underway and show you what the EVAs are like."
<ElsaFaustus> "Jawohl, frau major."  I take mine with a sigh.
<Dostov> Taking it as a order Dostov makes for the mens facility after a salute to the Major and Captain.
<ElsaFaustus> I head to womens' room, hoping I can change without the others staring.
<@Night10194> *cat ear, not car-ear. Why am I bad at type?
<TanyaIvanova> Tanya likewise salutes and heads off to change, wearing an expression of distaste but saying nothing else.
* Griet holds the suit out in front of her, examining it. Then follows the other two women.
<@Night10194> Going to get your suits and pricker-headbands on?
<@Night10194> They leave *nothing* to the imagination. Nothing.
<@Night10194> The Japanese *definitely* designed these things.
<ElsaFaustus> I sigh as I look in a mirror.  I always look too butch...
<ElsaFaustus> "Well, lets go see how this works...  And hope those Russian technicians don't take photos."
<NathanielDurond> (when the pilots are out of earshot) "Lets try not to have any incidents when they do their first synch test Major. Its a lot easier to put children back together again when they're not broken quite as fast in the first place"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Of course. Better they have some idea what's going on, though. Or does the UN plan to send all its pilots in completely blind?"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "And see how they shatter when it all comes together at *once*?"
<NathanielDurond> "I think the theory was to confront them with the truth when they are several hundred meters under ground surrounded by soldiers. I am only a Captain, I had limited say in such matters. At any rate, keep your techs ready at the emergency disconnect."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "We will give control of the Synchronization Cut technology to you. Is that acceptable?"
<NathanielDurond> "Yes."
<ElsaFaustus> I go and see how we get into the wanzer thingies as quickly as possible, feeling exposed in my plugsuit.
<TanyaIvanova> "Our technicians are not responsible for Japan's cultural ephebophilia, Faustus." Tanya looks herself over briefly and turns away from the mirrors, returns to the Major & Captain, and stands at attention.
<@Night10194> Gorky looks about to say more, but says nothing as she sees the Lt approach.
* Dostov is out from changing and standing with the others in short order.
* Griet , feeling ridiculous and still thinking everyone is crazy, changes into the suit and rejoins the group.
<@Night10194> They've been preparing what look like giant, metal capsule-lozenges, mounted with cockpits and cameras, one for each EVA, while you changed.
<Dostov> He fidgets with his hair at this last moment, securing it into a ponytail.
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Captain Duround? I trust you are familiar with conducting such a test and getting them loaded into their units?"
<NathanielDurond> "Yes, of course. Pilots, please go ahead and sit in your assigned cockpits. These are entry plugs, they serve as the mind/machine interface with the EVA, allowing you to pilot it. In order to do that, you will need to synchronize with the machine." Nathaniel turns to the more experianced pilots in the group. "Some of you have heard this all before, but bare with me."
<ElsaFaustus> "Yes, captain!"  I quickly hop into my plug.
* Griet looks warily at the giant EVA. "I'd like to opt out, please"
<@Night10194> The plugs are...interesting. They're like the cockpit of a plane or other vehicle. Even have two hand-triggers, to control the trigger fingers on your left and right hand.
<TanyaIvanova> "That is not an option." Tanya sighs at Griet and climbs into her plug.
* Dostov lets out a relaxed sigh after settling into his plug's seat, resting back and closing his eyes.
* Griet hesitates again, then also climbs into her plug. How bad could it be?
<@Night10194> The plugs slam shut, and a voice/visual window to Nathanial and Gorky appears before your eyes in each of them.
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Comms check seems okay...Captain, any further advice on the procedure?"
<NathanielDurond> "Go ahead and get comfortable and relax, putting your mind at rest, like meditation if you're familiar with the practice. We'll then seal your plug  so it is watertight, and flood it with a mixture called LCL. This fluid is oxygenated and will help ensure the connection, as well as act as a shock absorber."
<NathanielDurond> "Be calm, your body will adjust on its own naturally."
<ElsaFaustus> "...Flood?"
<Dostov> "Relax, it isn't so bad after the first time."
<Griet> "Flood!?"
<@Night10194> Orange, tang-like liquid begins to fill the cockpit, rapidly approaching head level.
<ElsaFaustus> "Hauptman...  I seem to have missed the breathing mask?  Is it in here somewhere?!  Captain?!"
<NathanielDurond> "Remain calm. Your lungs can breath it better than they can breathe air.
<@Night10194> The liquid goes over your heads, filling the sealed plugs.
* Griet opens her mouth to yell, but doesn't manage it before the LCL is above her head
<ElsaFaustus> I try holding my breath, wondering why I'm in a very fancy death chamber and trying to find door controls.
<@Night10194> There are none that you can reach from here.
<Dostov> "Just take a deep breath."
<ElsaFaustus> "Mmmphmmmph!"
* Griet tries to yell again, struggling to get out, but instead finds herself breathing and stops moving
<@Night10194> You can also feel your pods moving, like on a crane system.
<ElsaFaustus> I guess I found out how long I can hold my breath.
<@Night10194> Try to breath eventually, despite it, then?
<@Night10194> And discover you can?
<ElsaFaustus> Not like I have other alternatives.
<@Night10194> You feel yourself lowered into something, and lights begin to turn on in each pilot's cockpit.
<NathanielDurond> "Now that particular unpleasantness is over with, your plug suits are equipped with a series of sensors which give us a good overview of your health. We are watching over you, and you are safe."
<@Night10194> Your visual displays begin to show external camera feeds, like a field of vision, projected onto your Plug's walls.
<Griet> "What part of this qualifies as safe?"
<@Night10194> Time to roll the test...
<@Night10194> Synch is on the Rise for: Tanya, Griet. Stable for the other two.
<@Night10194> Tanya, your SR will be 20 points higher next battle.
<@Night10194> Griet, 11.
<@Night10194> Puts both you past the partition boundry, too...Tanya, Griet, both of you get the alien sensation of two hearts beating in your chest, and of swelling enormously, your body becoming huge, and hugely powerful, your arms bolted to the walls and your bodies restrained.
<@Night10194> It takes you a moment to realize, but you actually feel like you *are* the Evangelion unit.
<@Night10194> For the other two, that sensation is overlayed over the normal feelings of their bodies, still disconcerting as hell, but they don't lose sensory partitioning.
<@Night10194> Nathanial, you're reading their ratios at all above nominal. Griet is reading 75%, Tanya is 72%, Elsa is 61%, and Dostov tops it off at 51%.
<@Night10194> 50% is the nominal cutoff for optimal operation.
<NathanielDurond> "Very good, all of you. It seems our newcomers are naturals as well."
<@Night10194> Gorky (quietly): "Thank God."
<NathanielDurond> (covering the mic) "Whats Dostov's average?"
<@Night10194> Gorky: "Exactly that."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "He's good enough to pilot without drawbacks, and his training and courage...are more than enough to make up for any minor deficiency in SR."
<NathanielDurond> "Yes, yes. He'll probably run no risk for feedback as well." (Mic on) "We're going to keep you up there so the newcomers can get used to it. Don't try to move, your EVAs are bolted in. Just try to get used to the sensation."
<@Night10194> Gorky: "We've also prepared simulated scenarios to help you get used to piloting." And totally not to be a rules/combat tutorial, no sir.
<ElsaFaustus> I just sit in the odd, artificial beverage, coming to the realization than I am not, in fact, drowning, and processing the odd sensation of being two people at once.