Colossus By Design: Season 3 - Excerpt 54

[April 23, 2168]
[STRQ Industries Underground R&D Centre]
[Nagoya, Japan]
[Japanese Mainland]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the underground research facility belonging to STRQ Industries in Nagoya, everyone is hard at work as usual; engineers maintain the equipment, analysts monitor the progress of the ex-Warmongers' simulated four-person piloting, and biochemists are busy refilling the tank containing Evangelion Unit-01 with a new batch of homeostatic fluid. Most prominently of all, however, is Unit-01's construction.

Following the incident nearly a week ago, Unit-01's growth rate has been accelerated exponentially; whereas before it was only being grown week by week, it has now been grown almost to full proportions in the last few days.

Not only is its organic body nearly complete, but the hangar bay next door now houses some prototype sets of armour that Eva Unit-01 will eventually have grafted onto its body.

But with all of this progress, the man behind the whole venture is nowhere to be seen on the floor, an oddity given his penchant for directly supervising most of the work processes under normal circumstances. Instead, Jiro Ifukube is sitting in his office alone; he's looking at some of the data gathered from the pilot simulations and the growth report on Unit-01's body. A few moments later, the door to his office opens; Metphies, the ever-present Exif high priest assigned as a co-supervisor to the Evangelion Project steps into Jiro's office with a Mimetic escort.


(Metphies): Thank you for escorting me. You may leave now.

(Mimetic Warrior); As you wish.


The Mimetic Warrior guard steps out of the room, leaving the two men alone.


(Jiro Ifukube): Metphies, this is a surprise. You've been away for the past few days.

(Metphies): I was just visiting an old friend. He's that one young rising star in the C.D.F. right now, always goes on about how he's figured out how to kill Kaiju without reliance on superweapons.

(Jiro Ifukube): Right. Well, I've been here looking at the data. I'm not sure how I feel about your decision to speed up the growth process for Evangelion Unit-01 after the incident.

(Metphies): It's a simple logic, really. If the incident occurred due to a dissonance between body and mind, then the first step is to complete the body so that the mind doesn't have to adapt to as much of an unfamiliar environment.

(Jiro Ifukube): Still.....

(Metphies): I understand your worries, and I sympathize. Those four are very special indeed, the greatest warriors Humanity has ever produced, and also what amount to your own children in essence. But if I recall, you and the ex-Warmongers both agreed to this venture, and have committed countless resources and time to making it a reality. That's conviction, dedication to a singular cause. It's almost Exif in nature.


The former director of the defunct Project Warmonger gets up from his office chair and paces around a bit before stopping in front of his window overlooking the hangar and Eva Unit-01, specifically. The Exif high priest stands next to Jiro and stares out the window, though he's much more chipper and not as down on himself.


(Jiro Ifukube): Is this all this is really about? Giving me a religious pep talk?

(Metphies): Not at all. A little bird whispered in my ear today. It said that the G.U.D. and Bilusaludo Hegemony aren't happy with Mechagodzilla II's failure. There are murmurs that they might be reconsidering the Zeus A.I.'s custody at Mt. Fuji.


Although Jiro Ifukube was once greatly curious about the prospect of utilizing the Gorgon's Head to further the progress of the Evangelion Project, that old spark isn't present in the old man right now. If anything, he seems to be showing signs of discomfort at the thought; Metphies's previously positive and beaming expression disappears upon seeing this uncertainty in his partner's eyes.


(Metphies): What are you thinking now, Jiro?

(Jiro Ifukube): I'm thinking that maybe.... maybe we shouldn't make use of Zeus, if we even do get him here.

(Metphies): Why ever not? His experience and calculative power would be immeasurable, and he'd be kept under lock and key to dissuade any attempts to rebel or resist.

(Jiro Ifukube): It's just a feeling I have. I've already alienated one of my closest friends and pupils, and I'm not sure I should be trusting a former enemy as well.

(Metphies): I can understand your caution, but let's look at the bigger picture. Sometimes, risks must be taken on the road to one's ultimate goal. You've disallowed test runs in the body itself since the incident, and I believe that's to the detriment of Evangelion. It's time to grow up and realize that pain and suffering are inevitable. You're not Frankenstein, you're Daedelus. And right now? Your pride and joy is flying into the sun.


Upon hearing this little pep talk, Jiro Ifukube paces around his office for a few moments before coming to a stop in front of a wall adjacent to his desk; it holds numerous digital and physical photographs of himself, his colleagues, and the Warmongers; it also holds case files for the various projects he has been a part of. For the better part of five minutes, he can only stare at this wall of memories as he's left in deep thought, no doubt pondering on his past, the present, and what the Exif high priest just told him.

After what seems like forever, the elderly Japanese man turns around and walks out of his office, onto the floor; Metphies has a small smile on his face.

Many of the staff present turn their attention to their supervisor, surprised to see him come out after being cooped up in his office for the longest while.


(Jiro Ifukube): Alright, everyone, I think it's time to pick up the pace. Gojira and the Destroyer are still on the loose, and we need to be ready in case the Bilusaludo and their fancy Project Mechagodzilla aren't enough to handle them. I want integrated test pilot runs with the body ready to go by the end of today!

(Everyone): SIR YES SIR!


Everyone picks up the pace, exactly as their superior said; they seem to be quite happy to do so, in fact. Jiro Ifukube himself quickly gets back up to speed and gets to directly supervising the progress of all the sections of the on-site staff. He's so fast on his feet to catch up with everyone on the floor that Metphies struggles to keep up with him. Finally, the former director of Project Warmonger stops on the catwalk directly at eye level with Evangelion Unit-01.


(Jiro Ifukube): I'm not gonna leave you alone, this time. We're gonna do this right this time, I promise.


Metphies finally manages to catch up to Jiro, though he's left quite winded. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he straightens himself up.


(Metphies): That was certainly a quick turnaround. I didn't think my pep talk would inspire you THAT FAST.

(Jiro Ifukube): Truth be told, I think I needed a harsh reminder more than anything else. Speaking of which, Metphies, care to join me?

(Metphies): Join you in what, Jiro?

(Jiro Ifukube): I'm gonna call up Anna, try and clear the air a bit. After all, the discovery of a second Mothra is important to the both of us. Not only that, but I think you'd appreciate the religious connotations of talking to a living god.


At the mention of this little comment, Metphies can't help but crack a wide smile.