In a dark room, Gendo Ikari was currently seated, hands steepled in front of his face, at the far end of the table where he and the Committee (a front for several members of SEELE) were debating several points about NERV and its operations. Sub-commander Fuyutsuki stood silently by his side as always.
The hawk-nosed and bespectacled member of the Committee turned to look at Gendo and spoke "And now we come to the subject of your latest experiment. Your little project has nearly cost us Unit-01 if the reports are accurate..." Of course, no mention of the pilot was made. The Children were considered somewhat expendable, after all...
Gendo's retort was cold, clinical and precise "Previous tests had indicated this new battery would have extended the autonomous capabilities of the evangelions by 28% for a relatively low cost. The ombilical cable remains our most dangerous weakness until the Sē engine is completed. The first tests had been promising enough to warrant a full scale trial"
"Then how do you explain this failure, Ikari?" asked Keele Lohrenz, whose visor seemed to glare at the younger man "Better yet, what are you going to do about it?"
"This project has been discontinued as we speak. The new internal battery has been taken off Unit-01 and replaced by the old model. The reasons why it overloaded are still being investigated by NERV's science division"
The younger-looking member of the Committee interjected "It does not matter in the end. You are to drop these inquiries immediately. Your scientists have better work to do"
"Yes, let's not forget your primary responsibility, Ikari. Mankind's Complementarity Plan always comes first. Never forget that..." added a man with a thick moustache with glasses on his nose.
Keele nodded "And what of the Third Child? Is he still of use to us? Especially after his... metamorphosis, for lack of a better term"
"Yes, Ikari... Do tell us. Your reports have been rather evasive on this subject"
Outwardly, Gendo didn't react in the slightest at the question. When he spoke, his tone didn't carry any worry nor care about his son "The Third Child's body has apparently been aged to twenty years old, give or take a few months. He is still the same mentally so his capabilities as a pilot are almost certainly untouched. I believe that this incident can be used to our advantage in fact"
"How so, Ikari?"
Gendo smirked and took the opening offered to him "You realize he is now better suited physically for the job. We have always complained on the fact that only teenagers could pilot the EVAs. Now Fate has offered us an adult one on a platter. And yet he remains as impressionable and malleable as a fourteen years old. Such an asset cannot be ignored"
The Committee was silent, pondering the arguments forwarded by the NERV commander. Then Keele spoke "Very well, Ikari. If the Third Child can still pilot in his new form, you can keep him. But be careful, we will be watching over him more closely from now on... Should he show any sign of no longer being what we want in a Child, he is to be disposed of, understood?"
"Of course..."
"The remainder of this meeting does not concern you, Ikari" declared Keele. The Committee memebrs disappeared in the darkness, leaving Gendo and Fuyutsuki alone.
"Ikari, are you sure about this? Doctor Akagi still hasn't finished assessing all of your son's changes. We cannot be sure of the mental effects this will have on him either..."
"It is an opportunity, professor, and I intend to use it at the utmost. If the Third Child does not measure up, he will be replaced. The Dummy Plug system is nearing completion as we speak"
"How will we explain his sudden change? He still has to go to school, you know..."
"Major Katsuragi is a resourceful woman. She will find a way"
"There is another problem I don't think you've considered, Ikari"
"And what is that, professor?" In his mind, Gendo was sure he had considered all the variables of his plan.
"Shinji's not fourteen anymore, physically at least. Does the word puberty ring a bell? I know he is shy but there is always a possibility he will start looking for female companionship. The mess with miss Kirishima a few weeks ago proved he's not uninterested in girls" Gendo thought back to the young girl who had been a spy for the JSSDF. Thankfully, she had been turned against her masters and taken out of the picture "And with his new appearance... I heard several of our female employees describe him as 'prime beefsteak', to coin the term they used the most" Fuyutsuki smiled a little. Gendo looked a little uncomfortable at where the conversation was going.
"What is your point, professor? You have one to make with all this, don't you?"
"Ikari, we may consider that sooner or later, girls and women will find your son attractive and do something about it. With his personality and background, I expect that the first one to treat him well enough would gain his loyalty..."
"And gain undue influence on him and his behavior..." Gendo considered the possibility and frowned. This wouldn't do at all. Suddenly, he had an idea "But if we could supply 'girlfriend material' loyal to NERV to him..." He would have to think about this and select a few candidates.
Gendo Ikari had a God and its name was Control. That deity had also a daughter called Manipulation Gendo paid homage to as well. For him, his son's love life was just another way to make him his pawn in the giant conspiracy game he was playing.
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(Posted Wed, 03 Dec 2003 16:14)
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