Nearly identical to the start of Air (25'), but also three months in
a row.

"M"
========================================
Stage 76: The Final Enemy

Cover: JSSDF trooper in full combat gear holding a rifle and pistol
standing over the NERV logo painted on the floor

Lead-in text: The final battle starts...

Scene: NERV computer room -- Misato hacking into the system using a
laptop computer. Various code is noted on memos taped to the laptop
and the wall, and an opened can of UCC coffee sits beside her. Misato
stops typing and reads the laptop screen.

Misato: So, this is why they needed 13 Evas...
The Instrumentality Project... to artificially evolve humankind,
which has reached its limit as a colony of flawed and separate
entities, into a perfect single being. Truly an ideal world... And to
achieve this the Committee intends to use not NERV, but the Eva
(image of Eva-01).
(A beeping alarm sounds and the data disappears from the laptop
screen, replaced by "DELETE DELETE DELETE". Misato grabs her pistol
and rises quickly to a semi-ready pose.)
Misato (thinking): Did they notice me!?
Misato: No... that's not it...
(Points of light appear in the distance down the corridor)
Misato (thinking): It's starting...

Scene: Command Center -- Alarms blare and the monitor screens are
filled with an "EMERGENCY" hexagon pattern
NERV operator: Trouble in the communication functions!
NERV operator: All external network data circuits are being cut off!
Fuyutsuki (yelling into a phone handset): Switch the left side over
to blue emergency communications! That's right -- open a satellite
uplink if you have to!
Shigeru: Data intrusion from all external nodes! They're trying to
hack the MAGI system!
Fuyutsuki: Just as I thought. Their objective is MAGI... (walks over
to Shigeru) Is it coming from MAGI-2 in Matsushiro?
Shigeru: Negative! It's at least five MAGI-type units. Hacking
confirmed from Germany, China, and the U.S.
Fuyutsuki: Seele is mustering all of their forces. A difference in
power of 5 to 1... Not good odds.
Makoto: No. 4 firewall breached! Locking the database... No good! We
can't cut off their invasion!
Maya: Intrusion also into the outer blocks! Even the back-up circuit
can't stop it!
Fuyutsuki: This is bad...
Fuyutsuki (thinking): Because capturing MAGI is synonymous with
capturing Headquarters. (glances back at Gendo who sits silent and
unmoving in the "Gendo pose")

Scene: Misato unties her hair from a ponytail and talks on her phone
while hurrying down a corridor towards the Command Center
Misato: Status!?
Hyuga (on phone): Tokyo-2 has just issued (Executive Order) A-801!
Misato: 801?
Makoto (on phone): Abolishment of special legal protection for NERV
and transfer of all command to the government of Japan.
Makoto (on camera): It's an ultimatum. And MAGI is currently being
hacked. Things aren't looking good. (holds out the phone handset to
Maya)
Maya: Ibuki here. Dr. Akagi has just begun protective countermeasures.
(A whirring and clanking sound comes from behind Makoto and Maya, and
the two turn to see Misato who has just arrived on an internal lift.)
Misato (still holding the phone to her ear): Ritsuko...!?

Scene: A calmer Command Center. The MAGI CASPER-3 casing has been
raised to reveal the tubing. Misato leans against a console with a
cup of coffee and talks with the operators.
Misato: How much longer?
Makoto (upbeat): It looks like we'll make it. Another minute and a
half to the end of page 120, and deployment of a primary firewall
should be finished in about two and a half minutes.
Maya (upbeat): Dr. Akagi is amazing as usual.
Misato (serious): Don't feel relieved just yet. These aren't the type
of nice people that will stop with just hacking MAGI.

Cut: Fuyutsuki standing beside Gendo in his chair
Fuyutsuki: MAGI is just a preliminary skirmish. The bastards' true
objective is the direct takeover of Headquarters and the two
remaining Eva units.

Scene: Ritsuko working deep inside the MAGI unit
Ritsuko: Using even a woman he abandoned if necessary. What an
egotistical man... Even so, here I am still doing that man's bidding.
I'm acting foolishly. But, you'd understand, wouldn't you, mother?
(Akagi Naoko's graffiti "Ikari, you idiot!!" is scrawled over the
mess of notes pasted inside the MAGI)
(A beeping sounds and the MAGI display clears)
Maya (elated): Hacking against MAGI has been stopped! A Danang Type-B
defense screen has been deployed! External access is impossible for
the next 62 hours!
(Ritsuko removes her glasses and reaches up to touch the cover over
the MAGI-CASPER 3 "brain")
Ritsuko: We were saved by the backdoor code you left. See you again
in a bit, mother. [Alt: Help me again in a bit, mother.]
(Ritsuko begins to crawl out of the MAGI unit)

Scene: Seele monoliths
SEELE 01: Ikari has executed a Type-666 protection on the MAGI system.
SEELE ??: It won't be easy to breach.
SEELE ??: It appears we will have to forego acquisition of MAGI.
SEELE 09: We had hoped to proceed as peacefully as possible, but they
leave us no choice.
SEELE 01: Take over the Headquarters facilities directly (at once).

Scene: Outside, the sun shines brightly and the sound of cicadas
fills the air. Military personnel move in the tree line around the
New Tokyo-3 crater lake. The unit commander hangs up a military
wireless.
Commander: Commence operations as planned.
(VTOL aircraft roar into the sky.)


Ending text: Humankind vs. humankind... How will the battle go!?

- End Stage 76