NARRATOR: IN THE LAST EPISODE, BRANCH-X FINALLY CONFRONTED COLTRANE FACE-TO-FACE. JACK KEPT HIS COVER INTACT AND WATCHES COLTRANE, WAITING FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT TO TURN ON HIM AND DEFEAT HIM. CARRIE IS OUTSIDE OF THE SPACE STATION, BATTLING COLTRANE'S MEN. AND LASTLY, JAMES IS RUSHING TO HER AID... WITHOUT A SPACE SUIT. ======================================================================== Warnings: Plot, interesting things happening Graphic violence, use of firearms, death and dismemberment Implied sex between mystical beings/monster/demons and humans Casual use of explicit language Present-tense descriptions ======================================================================== C&C, Flames, Anything, welcome at: rick_spiff@yahoo.com Posted at Insanity Production's home page: http://www.geocities.com/rick_spiff/ ~ Begin fic ~ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title Flash: Episode 13: Are We Done Yet?/ NOT ANOTHER SAPPY SCENE!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [INT. SPACE STATION BRIDGE - MORNING.] [Coltrane hovers over one of the technicians, watching the external display like a nervous father. Jack hovers in the background, fighting the urge to fidget, his eyes darting nervously from Coltrane to the hatch connecting them to the rest of the station.] [On the screen, Coltrane and the technician watch James emerge from the station's air lock in a blast of air. Eyes closed tightly, he grabs onto the astronauts waiting for Carrie to take the air lock doors again. But something's going on. The astronauts start jerking around as if they're on fire.] Coltrane: (eyes narrow) That son of a bitch... [EXT. SPACE OUTSIDE OF SPACE STATION.] [James, now outside and living on borrowed time, palms his knives and cuts into the two men waiting outside of the air lock. After a short struggle, he pulls a blade-tipped stick from one of the men and turns to face a trio waiting to cut off Carrie is she makes a run. Praying they haven't moved since he got outside, James throws the stick like a harpoon.] [And his ten seconds are up.] [INT. SPACE STATION E.V.A. AIR LOCK.] [After James flies out of the airlock, propelled by the exiting air like a shot from a cannon, Miko pulls back, her breath lodging solidly in her throat.] Miko: (whispering) No... [She watches James take out the first two, then throws the stick. Finally, she pulls back from the glass and starts praying...] Miko: Please God, isn't there something I can do? (desperate) I don't want him to die... [Against all logic and reason, her prayers are answered. Immediately. The ghostly form of Sikima--king of the Shikima demon realm and Miko's father--appears before the girl, his royal visage one of sympathetic pain.] Sikima: (ethereal voice) Daughter, I hear you, and there's one thing that can sustain him, but it comes at the price of binding your soul to his. Miko: Yes! Anything! Sikima: Then repeat after me... [EXT. SPACE OUTSIDE OF SPACE STATION.] [As James is loosing consciousness, a pale blue glow surrounds him. Barely visible if one is looking for it, Carrie misses the strange light as she collides with him at decidedly dangerous velocities.] Carrie: No! Back inside, you imbecile! [Her trajectory causes them to miss the air lock doors. The duo bounce off of the station's hull like a superball while Carrie desperately works the maneuvering jets on her Hard Coat. Prayers slip through her lips like blood out of a fresh wound, but James refuses to stir in the comforting embrace of blue light.] [INT. SPACE STATION E.V.A. AIR LOCK.] [Miko's body floats before the air lock doors, perfectly still, eyes closed and hands engaged in ninja spell casting--her fingers appearing to do a special yoga all their own. A continuous chanting fills the room. Low, rhythmic, and not spoken in any language a human would recognize. Miko's lips barely move. Blue energy matching the hue of that which surrounds James drifts off of Miko's body in long gossamer tendrils.] [Carrie finally makes it into the air lock and hits the big emergency pressurization button. The lever James pulled just twenty seconds ago snaps back to its previous position, the doors close, and life- sustaining air floods into the room. Only then does Carrie spare another look at her comrade.] Carrie: It'll be a genuine miracle if you're still alive. [Inside, Miko stops her chanting and goes limp. Her hands drift slowly apart.] [INT. SPACE STATION BRIDGE.] [Coltrane turns away from the monitor watching the E.V.A. air lock. Miko is finishing her chanting, and goes limp.] Coltrane: (besides himself with rage) WHO... WHAT... She's a monster! [Jack realizes that now would be a good time to run, but feeling that someone needs to keep Coltrane distracted until Dave can show up, he starts stalling.] Jack: What's wrong with her? Coltrane: She's a demon! Dave: (entering the room like a king returning from the crusades) She's my agent. [Coltrane grabs Jack while his technicians spin around and pull out small guns that look like futuristic derringers. Maxim also has one of the guns, and presses it to Jack's head.] Coltrane: Don't fucking move! She _is_ a monster! Some goddamn _freak_ you sent after me! She looks just like us but she's not! She's not _human_! What was she going to do to us?! Dave: (musing) I suppose 'negotiate,' but she is new to the business. Coltrane: Don't toy with me! That bitch should be strapped to a table and dissected, not working for a bunch of murderous fuckers like you! [Dave's look turns from one of contemplation to one promising violence beyond measure.] Dave: Now that was uncalled for. Coltrane: What was she doing?! TELL ME! Dave: (shrugs) How can I? I wasn't watching, I was getting ready to deal with you. [Dave's hand twitches slightly. Maxim tightens his grip on a panicking Jack Carlson.] Maxim: (frantic) STAY BACK! [INT. SPACE STATION E.V.A. AIR LOCK ROOM.] [James comes to, finding several Velcro straps holding him to the wall. Bandages have been placed around his hands, tinged red where his veins simply burst. The top of his jumpsuit has been pulled down as well, exposing the bleeding veins on his arms. His entire face is red and puffy, he has two perfect black eyes and his lips look like he kissed a jackhammer. His eyes open slowly, revealing steel gray in a sea of blood red.] Carrie: (softly) You look like hell, James. James: (voice raspy) Really? Then I feel worse than I look. Miko: (floating nearby, about to pass out) You're going to be okay... James: (concerned) Miko? Carrie: She's just exhausted. She used some magic to keep you alive while you floated around in absolute vacuum for almost twenty seconds. Your bleeding is from some burst veins. There'll be a lot of latent bruising, and your skin is frost-bitten in a lot of places... but you'll live. James: Sadly. Carrie: Can it. You shouldn't have been out there. I was handling the situation just fine. James: (tries to smile; fails) Heh. Next time I'll just leave you. Carrie: Good. James: What's up with Miko? Carrie: (looks closely at Miko, then at James) She's asleep. James: Good. I... uh, I can't see anything. Carrie: (clearly worried, but hides it) It will pass. James: (undoing the straps) Okay, I'm done resting. Get to engineering and finish it. I'll go meet Dave in the bridge and see if Jack's alive. Carrie: (gestures to Miko) Shouldn't you take her with you? James: (feeling his way towards the exist) Leave her here. She's safe for now. [As he departs, small drops of his blood drift after him, darkening the hatch he exists with spots of ominous crimson.] Carrie: (thinking; watching James leave) I meant for you, James. [INT. SPACE STATION BRIDGE.] [Coltrane continues to hold Jack hostage. Dave is talking in a quick, low voice, his tone anything but soothing.] Dave: Mr. Coltrane, I'm not here to cast voodoo spells, bake children into pies, or poison apples. I'm only here to kill you and your crew, then blow up your weapons platform and erase all evidence of it ever existing. Coltrane: Was that supposed to make me feel better? Dave: (shrugs) It's protocol, actually. Now, it's time for you to die. [Tensions nearly reach the breaking point when James' raspy voice barks at the group through the room's hatch, reverberating menacingly.] James: Leave him to me. [Following this command, several drops of blood float through the portal and splash against the far wall. No one moves a muscle. Then James floats through the portal slowly, hands held loosely at his sides. The upper portion of his black jumpsuit is tied around his waist, revealing a tank top that used to be white. It's now soaked with blood. His exposed skin is an angry red, with many of his veins bleeding profusely. His bruised face frames a pair of excessively blood-shot eyes, boiling with murderous fury. His hands clench and unclench rhythmically at his sides.] Coltrane: What the hell happened to you? James: (raspy voice) I saved a life. What the fuck do you think _you're_ doing? Coltrane: (growling in defiance) What I have to... Dave: (gives a subtle thumbs-up to Coltrane) Nice one. Coltrane: (to Dave) Shut up! James: Touchy. Coltrane: (to James) SHUT UP! James: (conversationally) Mr. Coltrane, today is the day you die. Will it be by my hand or after a big shoot-out? [Without moving a muscle, the two assassins seem primed and ready for action, like sprinters dropping into a crouch, awaiting only the crack of the starter pistol.] Coltrane: (panicking) Don't try it! James: Jack, I'm sorry. Coltrane: I said shut up! Jack: It's... okay. Coltrane: (eyes widen) No! Dave: (to James) Save me a piece? James: Sure. Coltrane: (screaming) Kill them! [Even as he speaks, James is moving. He rebounds off of the wall past his head, off a side wall, then to Coltrane. Dave kicks off the floor while drawing two Dragonettes, firing at the technicians. As a moving target is harder to hit than a stationary one, most of the technicians are dead in a matter of seconds, super-hot charges burning through vital organs with a furious sizzling sound like molten steel dropped into a bucket of cold water.] [Coltrane watches in shock as his men (and women) go down, while Dave sails through the air unharmed. Before he can focus on James again, a piece of sharp metal slams into his gun hand, and the wounded assassin follows it. He yanks Jack away from Coltrane, then begins wailing away on the station's owner, holding Coltrane by his shirt and punching him in the face with machine-gun speed.] [Dave hits the last of the techs, draws his final Dragonette, and without warning, shoots Coltrane in the back of the neck. His hands fly to the point of impact, clawing at the burning mass that's cooking his spinal cord. Before a scream can leave his mouth, he's dead.] James: (in the ensuing silence) Well... fuck. [Jack stares in shock at the dead bodies and thick smoke smelling of burning flesh.] Dave: James, what happened to you? James: Exited an air lock without my Hard Suit. Where did they get put? Dave: I didn't find them. Just our guns. (holds up the gun he used on Coltrane) This is our last one, by the way. James: (looking at a blank wall) Perfect. Dave: James? James: ... I can't see anything but a gray haze. Dave: Did you keep your eyes closed while you were outside? James: Yes. Dave: Probably a side-effect of the gaseous expansion of your blood. It'll pass. James: That's what Carrie said. Miko: (entering) James! [James holds out his arms in the direction of Miko's voice and lets her glomp onto him. Jack seems to snap out of his stupor. Carrie drifts into the room.] Carrie: Engineering is cleaned out... (sees the carnage) Can't I leave you alone for FIVE MINUTES?! Jack: (mumbling) They're dead... Dave: (trying to regain control of the situation) Well, I think we've accomplished our mission. It's time to-- Jack: WHAT THE FUCK?! James: Jack, we're leaving. [James reaches a hand out to Jack, but makes no move towards the man.] Jack: No! Not yet! Not until you tell me what's going on! Dave: We killed a whole lot of people, hammed it up like a bunch of sixth graders, and now we're going to escape fiery, certain, nuclear death. Follow? Jack: (looking around in horror) Why did they all have to die? Why don't you... arrest them or something? James: Basically, because I didn't want to. Dave: I did promise I'd kill Coltrane. Jack: So killing the entire crew is okay?! James: They didn't surrender. We didn't come up here to slaughter everybody, but that was a possible result of this mess. Jack: That's bullshit! You didn't plan to let anybody live! James: One must plan for the worst. Dave: You're wondering why Coltrane went nuts, aren't you? [The looks Jack gives the Branch-X commander answers the question perfectly.] Dave: He was given an Order 47. It's a sophisticated psychological test that's supposed to be Top Secret. Coltrane's an extremely intelligent psychopath. He lacks the ability to empathize with other human beings. He never cared about you or Miko. He was just a very good actor doing some really horrible things. Jack: (stares at the body of his former boss) I... I knew he wasn't right in the head when he told me about the weapon he had built. James: I'll spare you the lecture about how Coltrane is a golden boy of the Conspiracy. [Dave shoots his partner a murderous look, but James' subtle emphasis of the word is lost on Jack.] Jack: (sighs) I'm sorry. I wanted him dead too. I-- Dave: It's horrible watching somebody get violently killed right in front of you, even though you have plenty of reasons to hate them. That's the opposite of being a psychopath, Jack. [Jack nods weakly.] Carrie: (watching everyone carefully) We done now? [James nods. A snore comes from Miko.] Dave: (echoing everyone's thoughts) Hell of a day. [Carrie nods, shakes herself, and blinking as though she just woke up as well, works her way to the emergency hatch. Dave floats up to James and puts a hand on his shoulder. Jack moves away from them and offers his help to Carrie.] Dave: (nodding to Miko) She really loves you, you know. James: I know. Dave: You can open up to her. James: ... Dave: You'd be surprised how forgiving people can be for ones that are important to them. James: ... Dave: Don't worry about it, really. You're human. You're a person, and you have your faults. If Miko can't accept them, let her go. But... you have to give her the chance to accept them. James: ... please quit reading my mind. Dave: (smiles mysterious) Now what fun would that be? I'm just trying to remind you that you're not a bad person yourself. If you weren't so dedicated to helping the great unwashed masses, you'd be living in a golden city, commanding a private army from a throne of skulls by now. James: (frowns) ... [Carrie turns to stare at Dave.] Dave: (to Carrie) What? [Miko instantly wakes and clutches James tightly. The assassin gasps in protest.] Miko: (letting go) Oh! Sorry! James: I'm okay! I'm okay! It's just... [Miko notices blood flowing from a small cut on James' chest.] Miko: You're wounded. James: It's just some flesh wounds, Miko. Really, I'm not even bleeding that much. It looks worse than it is. [Miko slips an arm gently around James, and the two share a quiet moment together.] Miko: (quietly) What is it? James: (likewise) I'll tell you later. Let's get back to Earth first. Miko: Mind if I take your hand and guide you to bliss? James: I don't care if you guide me into a wood chipper. Let's just get out of here. Miko: (giggles in spite of the exhausted look on her face) Okay. [The five survivors make their way into the escape pod slowly. The pod resembles a humble Apollo capsule on the inside, with just enough room for six people. Once they've picked seats and closed the door, Miko straps in James. Jack remains quietly lost in thought, buckling himself down. Carrie ignores the others and reads the emergency escape instructions after passing Dave a radio from her Hard Coat.] Dave: Alpha team calling ground. Ed: (over radio) This is ground! Alpha team, what is your status? Dave: All five accounted for. We've lost two units and prepared for departure. Ed: (over radio) Thank God. Is it over? Dave: Just a landing ahead of us. I don't know where, exactly... Ed: (over radio) Hold on, telemetry says you guys should arrive somewhere in the Gobi desert if you leave now. Excellent! Dave: (frowns) How is that excellent? Ed: (over radio) Firstly, I win about five hundred bucks. Second, we'll be the first to you, and we control the air space over China right now. Thirdly, I'll be there to meet you in person. Dave: Bring an ambulance. Ed: (over radio) Who's injured? Dave: Just James. James: Just? Ed: (over radio) Woo-hoo! That's another two hundred clams! Tell him I said thanks! Dave: (smirking) I'll pass it along. See you in a few. [Dave turns off the radio.] Dave: (to Carrie) Can we leave now? Carrie: (grumbling) This thing was designed by an engineer. [Dave glances at Jack, who is lost in thought.] Dave: Let's just go, okay. Carrie: I know. We're out of time as it is. [She presses a button on the console. The pod shakes as it detaches from the space station.] [Cue "Blue" from the Cowboy Bebop O.S.T. 3. It plays quietly in the background as the pod drops into the atmosphere like a stone. The passengers inside endure with a mix of apprehension, fear, relief, and uncertainty. As the reentry flames retreat, Dave looks around to find James and Miko holding hands, Carrie asleep, and Jack staring pensively into his lap. With a melancholy expression, Dave settles in for the landing.] [EXT. GOBI DESERT - SEARING HEAT OF THE AFTERNOON.] [The rise of oceans and global war have done nothing the Gobi desert in the last three-quarters of a decade. A vast wasteland of rock and sand, a monochromatic sea of sharp mountain and smooth, wind-worn hills. In one of the many basins, a dozen tanks roll across the glass-flat desert floor.] [Ed Flemming, with a day of dust and three days of beard on his face, stands in the open hatch of the lead tank more. Once a derelict of WWII, the machine has been fully restored and literally shines under the afternoon sun. Modifications made under the hood allow the battle machine to steam along at more than sixty miles per hour, though the impressive wind barely ruffles the collar of Ed's black leather trench coat.] [INT. FREAKIN' OLD TANK - LOUD.] [Inside the tight quarters of the war machine, a man thick about the middle and neck keeps his greasy hands glued to the ancient controls, and beady brown eyes locked onto a large computer display. The display offers him a view outside of the tank, a satellite view of the entire area, as well as dozens of numbers and symbols impossible to make out without months of special training. In front of him, a lanky young man is folded up in the position traditionally occupied by a gunner. Three laptop computers vie for space on his lap like pigeons trying to find purchase on a modern art sculpture. Each ear is stuffed with a piece feeding him audio communication from the other tanks, while a third piece is looped over his shoulder. He yells back to the driver, his words barely heard over the roar of the tank's engine.] Young Man: Time to slow down, Dan! We're within a klick of their apparent touch-down! Dan: I'll let a' Cap'n know, Billy. He'll slow'a when he's good an' ready! Billy: The Captain's insane! [Dan returns a manic grin stuffed with tobacco-stained teeth.] Dan: Aye! Isn't he though? [Dan hits Ed's leg three times. The weapons specialist gives no sign he felt the light taps, but after a half minute, one of his hands reaches down and pulls back on Dan's shoulders and the driver brings the forty ton machine to a leisurely stop.] Billy: We've overshot by about two klicks. Dan: But now we've checked tha L-Z. Billy: (nods to himself) Hmm... pretty slick. Dan: Don't worry ya none, Billy. Cap'n hasn't got anyone killed in almos' a week. [Billy pales.] [EXT. GOBI DESERT - SEARING HEAT OF THE AFTERNOON.] [Ed jumps off the side of his idling tank, and takes in the plume of dark black smoke stretching skyward like an umbilical cord to the great cosmic mother. The foot of the plume is a small craft with a trio of white parachutes laying limp on the ground around it. Ed draws a sidearm and begins walking towards the landing site. By the time he's halfway there, the doors on the pod have opened, and Dave and Miko are helping James out. Ed grips the collar of his Coat with his free hand.] Ed: (into the mic on his collar) We have a confirmed landing. Get the choppers here on the double. [He breaks into run, and is standing next to James in a matter of seconds.] Ed: (to Dave) Is he-- Dave: Superficial, mostly. Don't move him around a lot. Ed: And you guys? Dave: Only superficial. (helps Jack get down to the ground) This is Jack Carlson. Jack, this is Ed Flemming. Ed: (curtly) Pleased. Who else-- Dave: No one. Miko: (waving) Hi, Ed. Ed: (looks at the group) Wh-- Dave: Sleeping. Inside. [Miko sways on her feet. Almost before Dave notices this, Ed is hovering around her like a nervous father. She sinks slowly to her knees and holds James' hand.] [Aiming for--and failing to achieve--a nonchalant attitude, Ed looks critically at the pod while Dave strips off the top of his jumpsuit and ties it off at the waist like James'.] Ed: You know, for being a crazy psycho-fuck hell-bent on annihilating humanity, Coltrane sure knew how to build some good hardware. Dave: (dryly, with a meaningful glance at both Ed and James) Yeah, I guess you can't get 'nice' and 'competent' in the same package. [While Ed puzzles over whether this is an actual insult or if Dave is just playing with him, the choppers arrive, landing a dozen yards away. James jerks awake and is instantly on his feet with Miko clinging to him like a frightened child.] James: (shading his eyes) Fuck dude, turn down the brightness. [Ed hands James a wad of cloth.] James: What? No, _sunglasses,_ Dave. Ed: (points at James but questions Dave) What's up with him? James: My vision isn't completely back yet. Dave: It's coming back though, right? James: Yes. Now it's really bright, with lots of blurs moving around. [He squints at Ed, but it's clear that his eyes can't focus on his friend's face.] Ed: Well... anyway, that's a present for when the medical techs are done with you. James: Oh. Thanks man. Ed: Don't mention it. [The med-techs pry Miko off of James (only having to threaten her with the Jaws of Life three times), and guide the assassin to their desert oasis of drugs and sterile bandages. Ed quickly drags Jack past his men, the engineer shaking hands faster than he can count them.] [Meanwhile, Dave leans into the pod and nudges a sleeping Carrie awake.] Carrie: Wha... what? We won... we won... Dave: Yeah, we did. Don't you want to celebrate or something. Carrie: Five more minutes? Dave: (expression softens) Okay. [He pulls back and uses an emergency blanket from the pod's first aid supplies to cover the door somewhat. As he walks away, Ed grabs him in a bear hug.] Ed: Hey, Dave. The guys are ready to start the party. Dave: (also looking quite tired) Party on, then. [A pair of the tank divers promptly douse the Branch-X director with enough Gatorade to fill a bathtub.] Dave: What the fuck?! Ed: Whoo! Packers! Dave: That's coming out of your pay. Ed: (snapping a picture) It was worth it. James: (from behind Ed) Done. Ed: (leaping into the air in surprise) Yipe! [Dave takes in James' new shirt from Ed, and the woman attached to his arm. Ed's present reads "I saved the world from an evil scientist on a space station and all I got was this stupid T-shirt."] Dave: (eying the shirt like a con artist watching a mark) Nice. Jack: (from behind Dave) Now what? [Dave faces the engineer in all his sticky glory.] Dave: Well, Coltrane Heavy Industries is going to come under some sharp scrutiny now. I'm sure the real evidence is already history, but some shit's bound to float to the top. If you want, we can hide you, protect you from the usual hounds and leeches. Jack: The usual what? Dave: Police and 'reporters.' Jack: Thanks. That'd be nice. Ed: Yeah, they suck. You want to come work with me while your lying low? (kicks the pod; doesn't see Dave cringe) If you helped build solid hardware like this, I could really use your help. [Further feathery persuasion by Ed is cut short as his Adam's apple comes to a halt against a piece of frighteningly sharp metal. His eyes swing down to a head of dark hair and eyes with equally dark baggage daring him to breathe too hard.] Carrie: I haven't slept right in a month. I've been worked to the bone, and I just had to murder two dozen people in cold blood after getting my ass shot into space on the _worst_ launch vehicle I have ever had the misfortune of being punished by. Now, COULD I GET SOME FUCKING PIECE AND QUIET?! [Dave calmly steps up to her and gently removes the knife from Ed's throat.] Dave: It's okay, it's okay. (points to the medical technicians) You guys. I'm taking one of your helicopters. The lady needs her sleep. Carrie: (sagging against Dave) Thanks, boss. Dave: Hey, the flu can really be hard on a person. Next time, you warm the bench. Especially with that fever. Miko: (alarmed) She has the flu? Dave: Yeah. I'll see you guys in Japan. Miko: (amazed) And she... she... (looks at James) Your friends are crazy. James: (smirking) You'd better bet on it. Miko: (idly) They're going to go off and have sex now they got some privacy, aren't they? [Everyone within earshot, excluding James, who has bandages covering his eyes, freezes and looks at Miko like they're trying to figure out what kind of flowers she'd like at her funeral. Dave and Carrie, who were most definitely within earshot, stop walking. Dave just shakes his head sadly, but Carrie, with a smirk, dips him for a deep kiss with extra tongue. Once she's done she sits Dave upright again.] Dave: (blinks) Great, now I'm gonna get sick! [But Carrie is too busy sticking her tongue out at Miko. Miko responds in kind, and both girls burst into giggles.] James: (in his 'This Explains Everything' voice) Women. [And now the stares are directed at James.] Ed: (breaking the silence) Well! On with the show! [He whips out a boombox from nowhere and mashes the play button. After a few seconds of expectant silence, he peers at the display.] Ed: 'Error?' What the fuck?! This is a new CD! [Most of his 'crew' burst into laughter. After a few quick apologies, the right CD is slipped into the boom box and some old Weird Al songs begin to play. Much dancing and merrymaking ensue, while an old engineer contemplates the rest of his life.] [Fade out.] T H E E N D [Closing song: "The Call of Ktulu." To the surprise of absolutely no one, it's by Metallica.] [AUTHOR'S NOTES] I am of two minds about this story, now that I see it from the end of a completed first season. One the one hand, I'm impressed that I made this far, impressed that this story arc has to come to a conclusions, and I'm excited about what lies in store for me in the next season. All the same, I'm profoundly disappointed at the quality of the story. It meanders for literally half the season. Yes, I am aware of what a character introduction is, and I know it shouldn't be forty pages long. I cast too many plots out that I have to go back and finish now, and don't get me started on the stale descriptions and pointless dialog. I should be able to do better in my sleep. I shouldn't whine about the distinct lack of Eva in this story, but I feel like I should anyway. I won't, for the simple reason that Sidestep is a big part of this story, even when the Evangelion plot really gets cranking. If you just don't like Sidestep, that's fine. Don't bother reading this story, really. I'm not writing this to torture anyone. Until the finale of season 2, Later. ---------------------------------------- [Ending credits:] Ranting, Sidestep, lots of other stuff: Jared Waddell, HQ Consulting: Insanity Productions Staff FFML Remarks: John Genoni, Wayward Gamer Absolutely Nothing: Andy Mucha, Lost Soul Miko Mido, the Shikima, and those with tentacles (usually) are from 'La Blue Girl.' Tokyo-3 and all things and characters present regarding Eva are from Neon Genesis: Evangelion. No copyright infringement is intended. This work is copyrighted but non-profit. Perhaps in the vein of a bizarre parody, but I'm guessing not. All other characters, unless noted, are copyright Insanity Productions. Original characters created by Insanity Productions may be used in freely in other non-profit works, without the author's prior assent (you can get it, but you don't have to). And thank you, the reader, for reading.