Captain's quarters
Misato looked at the photograph in her hands. It showed the son she had never met and Shinji Ikari with his shy smile. Her son had an air about him much like her younger self, while Huang Zhetian stood between the two with his arms around their shoulders, his eyes brimming with confidence.
Her thoughts returned to the final battle fourteen years ago, when, at her urging, the deified Unit-01 had gone to save Rei, trapped inside the core.
"Go, Shinji!"
"Not for anyone else!"
"But for what you want!"
Back then, Huang Zhetian's double had warned her that some things should never be said in the heat of the moment, because they could have terrible consequences.
It seemed she had been too emotional back then-and too stupid.
Misato had always felt guilty about it, unable to face Shinji Ikari.
She, too, bore a small part of the responsibility for Near Third Impact.
Troubled, Misato was about to take the cigarette Ritsuko Akagi had given her out of her pocket when the landline beside her interrupted her.
Ritsuko Akagi said, "Captain, bad news! NERV Headquarters has reached its final destination. They appear to be preparing to reactivate Unit-13."
Misato said, "So we only have a few quarter-hours left."
Ritsuko Akagi said, "That's right. Now for the good news. Assembly of the Stop-Signal Entry Plug is complete, and all three EVA units remain at their minimum restriction settings."
Misato said, "Understood. Prepare the entire ship to sortie!"
Throughout the Wunder Warship
Misato relayed her orders to Ritsuko Akagi in the monitoring room. "Suspend current operations in twenty-five minutes. We launch in thirty!"
Ritsuko Akagi said, "As demanding as ever.
All hands, assume Second Combat Configuration and prepare for launch. Departure in twenty-five minutes! All personnel, finish your work in