Chapter 14

Commander Ikari stood in one of observation decks, of which Central Dogma had many, peering intently on the show of light outside the window. The forest stretched below like a giant fungus, and surrounded the lake in a watery cauldron. Above, the huge dome of the Geo-Front, like an extension of Heaven, emanated the light by which life in Central Dogma was sustained. This was his home, his fortress.

"The disk has been delivered to the Chinese Branch," Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki said.

"Where the safety measures removed?" Ikari asked, not even turning to look at his aide.

"Every one of them." Fuyutsuki had confirmation of that very fact earlier in the morning from Doctor Akagi, and already submitted a report. Ikari had doubtlessly read it, he didn't have to ask. The Commander would not let such a detail slip.

The question on his part was simply a matter of the protocol of command: written words were impersonal, having the courage to say what you wrote meant something.

"Good," Ikari said. "How is the current situation with the Council?"

"Things are moving as planned," answered Fuyutsuki. "Rather, not moving. They are giving the MOI such a big headache. But I am afraid they will only be able to run interference for us for so long before it becomes tiresome. Once they realize we have no intention of helping them they will drop all pretense."

"It will do."

Fuyutsuki nodded, hoping his superior was right. Politicians were so hard to predict even for someone like Gendo Ikari. Their opinions and dispositions always seemed to change with the wind. It would not be good if they suddenly decided that NERV was not worth having as a friend.

"And the Second Child?" Ikari asked.

"What we expected so far," Fuyutsuki said plainly. "She is much too damaged. Quite frankly, I don't understand the necessity of this test."

"I do," Ikari said. "There would be no need to expose her if she can make it work on her own."

Fuyutsuki nodded. Now he understood. "The weapon we know for sure we can control is better than the weapon we only think we can."

"Yes, precisely," Ikari said. "In hindsight it may seem like a waste of already stretched resources, but Doctor Akagi believed it was worth it in the interests of the pilot's safety. I am rather uninterested on whether or not it was waste at this point. All we can do now is prepare the alternative. As far as Unit-02 is concerned it will have to be enough. And Lazarus?"

"Lieutenant Ibuki assures me of our progress," Fuyutsuki said. "She agrees that speeding the mitosis process further is possible, but advises against it. Having Doctor Akagi take a look at her work seemed to have had both a stimulating effect and acted as a reprimand. I am still more concerned about Ritsuko to be honest."

"I am sure there is no need to worry about her," Ikari said, turning his head slightly, the rest of his body remaining perfectly still. "The options available to her have been made quite clear. We have her cooperation…for the time being," he added in a tone that left no doubt what he would do if the blonde woman disobeyed him again. "Anything else?"

Fuyutsuki hesitated, but he had learned that Ikari had no problem with him voicing his doubts to any plan he might have. In fact, he knew that criticism on his part, to a certain extent, was welcome.

"Yes. Is it wise to allow the Chinese access to the coded information in the Tablet?"

"The Chinese government owes me a couple of favors," the Commander replied. "As long as they do as they are told there will not be a problem. Our schedule will take care of that."

Ikari turned once more to face his fortress through the window. The light, the dome, the forest and lake: his own small world, a world in which he was god. "And I looked and behold, a pale horse. And the name of he that sat on it was Death. And Hell followed with him."

Fuyutsuki was amused. Before Second Impact, scientists like them did not used to think of the world in terms of heaven and hell, or good and evil; science was a gray area—the same science that created the nuclear bomb gave humanity near unlimited energy for more than half a century.

When he was teaching in Kyoto, that was the paradigm Fuyutsuki had believed in. But the years after Second Impact, the horrors they witnessed and experienced caused a fundamental shift in the way they looked at the world. Hell did exist, they were living in it. And if it existed, so did heaven.

"It is good then," the aging Fuyutsuki added, "that we are not in the business of hell. And, I suppose that it is also good that the one who sits on the horse is not a he."

Ikari just nodded gently. After all this time Fuyutsuki could still tell his love for her was as strong as it had always been. But it wasn't serendipity that they held onto the reins of the horse in her place like they did now. It had been arranged like this.

"I have also been meaning to talk to you about Rei," Ikari said, a graver noted echoing in his voice.

This was perhaps the most serious matter of the conversation. Fuyutsuki stepped closer, saying, "I'm listening."