"Zzz...Zzz..."
Inside the medical bay.
Asuka tossed and turned in bed.
She closed her eyes, dozed for a while, then opened them again—only to find the same scene before her.
She pinched herself, winced in pain, yet still didn't wake up.
How strange.
This dream felt too real, even the pain was perfectly simulated.
They say dreams are made of distorted images of things seen in reality.
But this place... it was far too sci-fi. Whether it was the ubiquitous holographic displays or the futuristic layout of the room, everything radiated a strong sense of futurism.
Asuka didn't recall ever watching a movie this advanced or high-tech.
"..."
Nymph stared blankly at Asuka struggling with herself, confirming once again that Fujimaru Ritsuka hadn't actually hit her into insanity.
Rei Ayanami, who had been half-leaning on her bed, quietly resting her head on her knees, turned slightly, her blank gaze falling on Asuka's antics.
"Who are you?"
After making a fuss for a while, Asuka finally noticed the emotionless girl before her.
"Rei Ayanami."
"I was about to pilot Unit-00 to fight an Angel..."
Her voice was flat and emotionless.
Rei only remembered being pushed out of the infirmary, Gendo Ikari ordering her to sortie in Unit-00 to battle the Water Angel.
Receiving and executing orders—such was natural to her.
No matter her physical condition, even if she were to die inside the EVA, it would be the same.
Rei felt nothing special about it.
But after losing consciousness due to her injuries, she didn't know what happened next.
Only that her once-grievous wounds had miraculously healed within a short time.
"Wait—Unit-00?! You're a pilot too?!"
Asuka suddenly realized something incredible.
"Yes. I am the First Child, pilot of Unit-00."
Rei replied without a hint of emotion.
"The prototype's pilot?!"
Asuka was shocked.
"Weird..."
She jumped out of bed, looking around curiously.
Her fingers brushed across a holographic panel, opening up countless interfaces she couldn't make sense of.
"Ahhhh—!"
"What is going on here?! Am I dreaming or what?!"
Her mind was a complete mess, almost on the verge of breaking.
Suddenly—
Clack—
The door slid open, and Gudako walked in with several Angeloids.
"Yo, you're up already? I thought I really knocked you senseless."
"Come on, the Commander wants to see you. Rei Ayanami, you too."
"?"
"Who are you...?"
Asuka blinked, confused at the orange-haired girl before her.
"We just fought, remember? I was piloting the Strelizia. Pretty advanced, huh? Better than your EVA, right?"
Gudako crossed her arms, casually commenting.
"But you're not bad either. Maybe we'll have the Commander and Bulin modify your Unit-02 later. Still needing a power cable to fight? That's dumb."
"No long-range weapons either. Tch, even the first Freedom Gundam was flashier than your EVA."
"???"
Asuka's mind was spinning.
"You're that pilot from earlier?!"
"We usually call them Gundams—or FRANXX units, if you prefer. Totally different things, thank you."
...
Only after leaving the medical bay did Asuka finally realize she was aboard a massive spaceship.
Looking out the porthole, she saw the enormous vessel—several kilometers long—cruising through a sea of clouds. Below, faint outlines of buildings could be seen on the land.
"So huge..."
"This is just a cruiser. The Commander doesn't use the main body when operating within an atmosphere."
Gudako said this with a smug look, clearly enjoying showing off.
She pointed toward the distant sky, where the faint shape of the moon hung.
"The Eternal Snowfall's true form is even larger than that."
"W-What?!"
Asuka was completely stunned.
Every time she encountered something unfamiliar, Asuka couldn't help but be shocked all over again.
Rei Ayanami, on the other hand, showed no expression, quietly following behind.
"Commander, I've brought them."
Clack—
Inside the ship's main command bridge.
The two girls saw Setsuna sitting in the central chair, tapping and swiping through various holographic displays.
"Mari Illustrious, huh... Have Sophon locate her. Formidable, go retrieve her. Since EVA Units 05 and 08 haven't been constructed yet, we'll just build our own once we return."
"Also, have Kayo Senju bring a research team here. Some projects must be conducted within the EVA world..."
"Hmm?"
Noticing the two newcomers, Setsuna smiled slightly and gestured toward the seats.
"Sit."
"I hope you're not too frightened? Any physical issues?"
"No."
Rei shook her head gently and sat down beside him.
"More importantly... who—no, what are you?"
Asuka, flustered yet polite, accidentally switched to formal speech.
Though Setsuna looked young, his presence reminded her of the generals she'd occasionally glimpsed during her EVA training in Germany—high-ranking figures who only appeared during major inspections, surrounded by military guards.
Those were people of the highest political and scientific echelons—figures one rarely encountered even as an EVA pilot.
"As you can see, I am the Commander of the Starsea Empire, from another world."
"From now on, Earth will be unified and integrated into the Empire's domain."
He explained the situation briefly but clearly.
"Ah!!!"
Asuka's pupils widened in shock—she finally realized that she wasn't dreaming. This was real.
She was aboard an alien spaceship, they were conquering the world, and those strange giant machines belonged to this so-called Starsea Empire.
"Uh..."
Her brain froze again.
Rei, however, remained calm. Her expression was as cold and still as ever, though a faint glimmer of surprise flickered in her crimson eyes.
"Where is Commander Ikari of NERV?"
She looked at Setsuna.
Rei had no emotions, only the instinct to follow orders and complete missions.
"SEELE, NERV, the United Nations, and all world governments will be dissolved. There will no longer be a NERV. Gendo Ikari is no longer your superior."
Considering the natives' limited ability to process this, Setsuna kept the explanation short.
"I see..."
Rei's expression turned faintly lost.
She had been trained for combat, EVA operation, and essential technical knowledge.
But no one had ever taught her what to do aboard an alien starship.
Especially now that Earth itself had been conquered.
What she felt wasn't anger, nor Asuka's kind of shock, but an unfamiliar sense of confusion.
Lowering her head, she remained silent, seemingly deep in thought.
"W-Wait, wait—hold on!!"
Asuka snapped out of her daze, jumping up from her seat.
She slammed her hand on the table in front of Setsuna, pounding it several times in disbelief.
"What do you mean 'all governments will be dissolved'?! What are you even talking about?!"
"If the Angels appear again, what then?! Without EVAs, how are we supposed to—"
Pfft—
The contrast between the two girls—one agitated, one silent—made Setsuna chuckle.
"Wouldn't it be better for the world to be governed by a single, capable authority? Sophon's administrative efficiency surpasses that of all Earth's politicians combined. We'll also provide appropriate technological support."
"Under proper order, most people will live far better lives than before."
"As for the Angels... you've fought Strelizia. What do you think?"
"Uh..."
Asuka was at a loss for words.
"You'll both stay here for now. I'll have your daily needs arranged."
Setsuna stood, giving the two a brief glance.
"Once things are settled here, we'll return to the Starsea Empire. The shipgirls and Angeloids will handle any questions you have."
"Who wants to go to some weird place with you?!..."
Asuka's tsundere instincts almost made her blurt out something impulsive.
She paused, forcing herself to calm down.
For one, these people piloted a massive ship that blotted out the sky—clearly not to be trifled with. And for another... she was, admittedly, a little curious.
The other side didn't seem hostile, and at least the aliens were humanoid—and, she begrudgingly admitted, rather good-looking.
—Not that she was one to judge purely by appearance, but if she had been captured by some grotesque, tentacled creature aboard a slimy spaceship, Asuka would've jumped overboard without hesitation.
"..."
Rei Ayanami kept her head lowered, silent as ever.
"Sigh..."
Setsuna exhaled softly and walked over to her side, gently placing his hand against her cheek.
The girl raised her head slightly, but her expression remained unchanged.
"Live for yourself," Setsuna said quietly.
"You're not anyone's tool. You exist as your own person here."
His gaze held a faint trace of emotion as he looked at her.
Rei Ayanami was a clone created by NERV from the cellular structure of the Second Angel, Lilith—made to serve as a vessel for Lilith's soul.
To Gendo Ikari, Rei had always been nothing more than a tool to realize the Human Instrumentality Project.
Even if she died, it didn't matter—her soul and fragments of her memories could simply be transferred into another clone body.
To Rei, this had never seemed wrong. She had faithfully carried out every command from her superiors and NERV without question.
Helping her recover a sense of self would take time—time, patience, and companionship.
"Hmm? I... don't really understand..."
Rei looked up at Setsuna, her red eyes tinged with faint confusion.
"That's alright."
Setsuna summoned several Angeloids.
"They'll take care of your daily needs. If there's anything you want, just ask."
"Your Unit-00 will be brought back for repairs. And if there's anything you wish to know, you can always come to me."
"Ah..."
Rei could feel the warmth in his tone.
A strange mix of emotions welled within her, leaving her unsure of how to respond.
"I'm sorry... I don't know how to handle this kind of situation..."
"That's fine."
Without hesitation, Setsuna replied softly:
"Just smile. That's enough."
"This is your portable personal terminal, and this is the holographic computer. You can access it anywhere on the ship. Let me help you input your personal data..."
"The first three decks of the bridge are residential areas where you can move freely. The lower decks are the armament modules—you'll need the Commander's authorization to enter those..."
Inside the residential sector of the starship, Belfast was patiently guiding the newcomers from Earth, helping them adapt to life in the interstellar age.
"Whoa..."
Asuka felt like a caveman.
Everything here was so far beyond her comprehension—technology that was several eras ahead of Earth's. Without careful study, she'd probably get lost on the ship every day... or never even find the cafeteria.
"Amazing..."
The more she learned, the more she realized how many secrets the Starsea Empire held.
Every native who joined the Empire received a tablet device, containing comprehensive data about it—its history, territories, laws, races, and more—all meant to help newcomers understand their new home.
"..."
"The Starsea Empire currently governs over twenty universes, some of which contain multiple parallel worlds..."
Asuka struggled to read the words on the screen.
For a teenage girl from a single planet, it was nearly impossible to imagine an empire spanning across dimensions and galaxies.
At first, she thought it was some kind of sci-fi novel. But the fully holographic, interactive displays were unmistakably real. The shipgirls even told her that once she was familiar with things, she could travel to other worlds for sightseeing if she wanted.
"Hiss—"
"So that massive nation... is actually ruled by one young man?"
"No, maybe he's hundreds of millions of years old... With technology this advanced, eternal youth must be normal for them, right?"
Her imagination began to spiral wildly as she read.
Aside from her daily lessons and studying the Empire's information, Asuka also got to see firsthand how Setsuna managed and conquered worlds.
She had expected a prolonged, devastating conflict—something on the scale of a world war.
But once again, she realized how limited her experience was.
The starship soared through the upper atmosphere. Each time it reached a new location, its hangar doors opened, releasing thousands of Angeloids.
In mere moments, they crushed the resistance forces, leaving a small garrison behind before proceeding to the next target.
The battles were nothing like she'd imagined—swift, decisive, and almost bloodless.
When the technological gap reached a certain point, the weaker side simply had no means to resist.
It was like modern tanks going up against stone-age tribesmen.
From start to finish, the starship never fired a single shot. The kilometers-long side cannons and the countless missile launchers and laser emitters were never even used once.
A few days later...
Asuka saw a massive breaking news story broadcasted across every media network on Earth.
At the United Nations headquarters—
World leaders from every nation were gathered solemnly in the General Assembly Hall.
"The UN Secretary-General... the EU President... the Eagle Union's President... all the big names..."
She realized that nearly everyone there was among the most powerful figures on the planet.
A conference of this level only happened in response to events like the first appearance of an Angel or the construction of a new EVA unit.
Every global television and network channel broadcasted the meeting live.
Across the table sat a beautiful, composed woman with an indifferent expression.
From the Empire's database she had been studying, Asuka recognized her—Sophon.
"On behalf of all member nations of the United Nations, I hereby surrender to the Starsea Empire."
A representative stepped forward solemnly, handing a document to Sophon.
"From this day forth, Earth and all its nations shall serve as administrative regions under the Empire's jurisdiction."
"Good."
Sophon nodded.
"On behalf of the Commander, I accept your surrender."
"Details regarding administrative restructuring will be announced shortly. Please follow all subsequent orders accordingly."
"..."
The ceremony was brief and efficient.
One by one, the world's governments ceded authority to Sophon, officially marking the Starsea Empire's complete dominion over the EVA world.
"Ah..."
"So fast..."
Asuka felt like she was dreaming.
Setsuna didn't even bother to attend the surrender ceremony in person.
He simply listened to Sophon's report, nodded once, and that was it.
To the Starsea Empire, conquering an entire planet was little more than a trivial task.
"..."
Rei flipped through the information displayed on her tablet, then, unusually, spoke up.
"Among all the universes the Starsea Empire has conquered, our world seems to be one of the weaker ones. They didn't even send their main fleet—or stronger personnel."
"Hiss..."
Asuka's expression twisted.
"That's terrifying... Should we be more careful from now on?"
"Like... maybe we shouldn't talk too much?"
...
Not long after—
Asuka and Rei were still studying the Empire's data when—
Vmmm—
A small shuttlecraft docked within the starship's hangar bay.
Clack—
A girl with brown twin-tails and red-framed glasses stepped out, accompanied by Belfast, curiosity shining in her eyes.
She looked a bit older and more mature than Asuka or Rei, with a fuller figure and casual attire—a white blouse and plaid skirt.
"Yo! Nice to meet you!"
"I'm Mari Illustrious Makinami! The Commander invited me to visit the Starsea Empire—please take care of me~"
Mari greeted the two girls with cheerful enthusiasm.
Unlike the reserved Rei and the temperamental Asuka, she exuded an open and lively energy, all smiles and sunshine.
"Huh? You are... who?"
Asuka blinked, confused.
"She's an EVA pilot as well," Belfast explained with a warm smile. "Previously stationed at NERV's European Branch. The Commander invited her here personally. You'll be training together from now on—perhaps even forming an EVA team."
In the original TV continuity, Mari had little screen time, but thanks to Sophon's precise tracking, they managed to locate her easily.
At this point in the timeline, she was still training in Europe. With her naturally upbeat personality, it only took a few sentences to convince her to come aboard.
"Ooh, incredible~!"
Mari turned her head this way and that, marveling at the ship's interior as she bombarded Belfast with questions:
"This ship is huge! You guys must've mastered controlled fusion ages ago, right? So what's your power source now—cold fusion? Antimatter? Or something even more advanced?"
"The Commander said I might get my own EVA, right? Can I make it pink? Oh, and when can we visit the capital city?"
Three girls, three personalities.
Belfast couldn't help but think that Mari was definitely the easiest one to get along with.
"So... who do you think the Commander favors the most?"
"Rei Ayanami? He seems to pay a lot of attention to her... Mari's pretty forward though..."
Several Royal Maids whispered among themselves, gossiping quietly.
"Definitely not Asuka."
Sirius shrugged.
"The Starsea Empire has no room for tsunderes. Everyone's lining up already—no chance to play hard-to-get, sorry."
—
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