AKAGI RITSUKO<br/><br/>(http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq131/renmei_2008/ritsuko_avatar_01.jpg)<br/><br/>I strode down the corridor, clipboard in hand and opened my office door. I stopped short a second to take in the occupants. We were a pilot short. I moved to my desk where Misato was sat in my chair and Rei was<em>on her lap</em>.<br/><br/><em>I see, keen to get started are we?</em>I looked across at Shinji and noted he had his gaze averted and looked most uncomfortable. Sighing I put down the clipboard and since my chair was occupied, leaned my rear against the other half of the 'L' shaped desk.<br/><br/><strong>"Hello Misato. Kaji-san,"</strong>I nodded at the stubbled young man I knew all too well from the past. It would be an interesting dynamic with both him and Misato jointly steering this project. For me, watching the tensions between those two would be as much of a project in itself as watching the pilot interactions. I wondered if Ikari knew? He must do, he made it his business to know most things, the bastard.<br/><br/>I smiled at Rei and Shinji,<strong>"Good morning you two."</strong>I watched Rei with a raised eyebrow,<em>starting a little early aren't you?</em><br/><br/><strong>"Where's Asuka?"</strong>I asked Misato,<strong>"Didn't she come from your place with you and Shinji?"</strong><br/><br/>Leaning back and flicking through my notes I decided we'd be better off in the lab where I had the necessary data recording devices.<br/><br/><strong>"We can talk for a while if you wish - if any of you,"</strong>I looked from Rei to Shinji and back again,<strong>"Have any questions I will try to answer them. Otherwise I think we should move on through. Kaji-san? Misato? Anything we need to cover before we get started?"</strong>I took out a pen and began to click the end stud in and out to hide a tiny amount of nervousness.<br/><br/><em>It will be interesting to see Rei - our creation - perform. I wonder if she can?</em>