"Me?" Maki pointed at herself. "Just me? The Child of God isn't coming along?"
"Unit-01's combat modifications aren't finished yet," Misato Katsuragi said.
"How far along are they?" Shinji Ikari asked.
In truth, he and Unit-01 could fight without any equipment now. The armor was more like divine vestments, much like the ancient Greek-style robes the Gospel Church had prepared for him.
"About ninety-five percent. The Restraining Armor hasn't been fully assembled, but the main issue is configuring the weapons systems and auxiliary equipment," Ritsuko Akagi reported.
"Nothing we can do, then. I'll head out first, Child of God." Maki winked at Shinji Ikari. "Let's pick up that damsel-in-distress rescue we never finished three years ago."
Deployment
"All Entry Plugs inserted! EVA Unit-08, Unit-09, Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, activate and deploy!"
As the familiar transport mechanisms activated, the five units went straight to the surface. Freed from their final restraints, all five EVAs immediately looked up.
"The EVA Angels' landing coordinates have been sent to your interfaces. Head to your assigned interception points and catch the out-of-control Angels with your AT Fields."
"I've sent you the recording of Shinji catching Arael," Misato Katsuragi said. "Use it as a reference."
"Wow, it's Shinji! Saved."
"Mr. Ikari... received."
"It even has footage from inside the Cockpit? Received."
"Received."
"Ooh, it's Shinji."
Apart from Maki, they were all Ayanami, and they had all possessed the same memories before leaving the laboratory.
Yet from their voices over the comms, Shinji Ikari could clearly tell that these Ayanamis were different people.
"Did you really need to send them the footage from inside my Cockpit too?"
"They need to study properly," Misato Katsuragi said. "Don't forget your three years of AT Field concentration training. If those things hit you, it'll hurt like hell."
"Understood, Commander-in-Chief."
"Correcting coordinates.