Project Germanicus: A Three Part Play

by William Chekhov

Nearly two months have passed since an Angel has appeared and in the archives of NERV, a file for something called "Project Germanicus" is discovered that causes the staff lower than Commander Ikari and Doctor Fuyutsuki to grow suspicious until an Angel mysteriously appears, bringing the investigation to a halt and endangering the pilots. Plot may change.

8. Part I Act II Scene III

PART I

ACT II

SCENE III

(A different room of NERV HQ. MISATO sits at a table opposite of RITSUKO while SHINJI, ASUKA and REI sit on chairs in the background.)

RITSUKO: (To MISATO.) Eva isn't a toy! If an Angel shows up and our attack fails, everything is over! (To SHINJI.) Shinji, are you listening?

SHINJI: … Yes.

MISATO: Just let it go, relaxation is sometimes good.

RITSUKO: You're so irresponsible!

MISATO: Shinji isn't just some part of a machine!

RITSUKO: If it's about Shinji's body, I know it the best!

SHINJI: Ritsuko…

MISATO: Hey now, Shinji is eating the food in my house. Plus, we use the same bathtub.

SHINJI: Misato…

RITSUKO: Commander Ikari would be quite sad if he heard this.

MISATO: And of course, you want to please him.

RITSUKO: (Quietly.) It is my duty, but this Project Germanicus complicates things.

SHINJI: W-What did she say?

ASUKA: I couldn't hear!

RITSUKO: I'm cancelling today's experiment. (Turns to the pilots.) Everyone, please take care of yourselves.

MISATO: Asuka, Rei, Shinji. Please get some rest today. Don't stay up too late. (ENTER GENDO, FUYUTSUKI and CONN. MISATO turns her head in surprise as GENDO steps forward.) Commander Ikari.

SHINJI: (Quietly.) Dad.

GENDO: What happened to the experiment? I don't remember telling you to stop it.

CONN: (To himself.) You have eyes, did you not see the broken glass? What did the experiment entail? Shadowboxing in those mechanical monstrosities? (For a moment, GENDO turns to look at CONN. With the visor his eyes are unreadable, but even then, he is clearly glaring at the archivist. Bowing his head, CONN looks away. GENDO returns his attention to everyone else.)

RITSUKO: I had to cancel it due to a trouble with the Third Child.

MISATO: Ritsuko!

RITSUKO: It's the truth!

ASUKA: The cause is Shinji thinking about who he is taking to the school dance.

CONN: School dance? Good lord, this nonsense exists around the world, doesn't it?

GENDO: Shinji.

SHINJI: … Yes.

GENDO: If you're unhappy with piloting the Eva, get out of here. You're an eyesore.

CONN: I don't see any reason he has to be happy. From what I heard you basically drafted him and if he is an eyesore, it is because he was fathered by one.

GENDO: (Turning his attention to CONN.) Do you have something to say, archivist?

CONN: (Meeting GENDO's gaze.) I've said enough, sir.

GENDO: Does Head Archivist Vladimirovich know you are down here?

CONN: He's not come in yet, sir. He must still be ill.

GENDO: Get to the archives. (EXITS, followed by FUYUTSUKI.)

CONN: At once, Commander Ikari! (Once GENDO is out of earshot.) In due time. (Looking at the pilots, CONN's attention falls upon REI. Confused, he looks over at MISATO and RITSUKO.) Who is this?

RITSUKO: Rei Ayanami.

CONN: (With the hand holding the folder, CONN attempts to raise his hat in greetings to REI. Upon remembering that he has the folder in one hand and is holding onto his walking stick with the other, he simply nods.) Pleased to meet you, Rei Ayanami. (REI merely stares at CONN with indifference. Unbothered, CONN turns his attention to MISATO and RITSUKO.) Look, now that the refugee from a 1970's British sci-fi show is gone, I was wondering if the three of us could speak.

MISATO: Yes, of course. Asuka, Rei, Shinji, go on, you are all dismissed. (REI stands up and makes her EXIT, but SHINJI and ASUKA, both eye MISATO, RITSUKO and CONN with suspicion before standing and EXITING as well.)

RITSUKO: (To CONN.) What information do you have?

CONN: Well, Dr. Akagi, last night I remembered that when East Francia became Germany, Louis the German, its first king, was posthumously granted the appellation "Germanicus". To my thinking, the Major here and Special Inspector Kaji may be right when they think it has something to do with Asuka Langley Soryu. She is so far the only pilot with German heritage, why not name the project after the first German monarch?

MISATO: But do you have any idea what the text says? (CONN can do naught but sigh and look down.) Maybe Kaji has been able to discover something.

NOTES

The head archivist Vladimirovich is an attempt to make Conn seem less out of place by implying that NERV has a few employees of foreign origin. At this time, I'm even thinking that Vladimirovich may have been transferred from a Russian branch, however I can't remember anything at the time about any international branches of NERV in the franchise.

Referring to Gendo as a refugee from a 1970's British sci-fi show comes him being physically based on Ed Bishop as Ed Straker on "UFO." Since Fuyutsuki was modelled after Alec Freeman as George Sewell from the same series, he was going to be included in this, however due to also resembling Peter Cushing, an actor I am more familiar with, I felt any comments from Conn would be better suited to referencing Cushing's filmography.

Obviously, a good portion of this scene is based on a scene from "Girlfriend of Steel" as well. If given the chance, I will try to base scenes off of pre-existing scenes from the franchise, albeit with some difference.