Ext. night. The ruins of NEW YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE. A large number of ships, some with damaged rigging, have gathered in the water just off the burned-out shell of the Armory. In the background, the glare of fires and parachute flares barely illuminates conventional naval forces fighting a losing battle against a GIANT SERPENT. They look grim, determined, some in pain, but all unbowed.

NAGATO faces the formation. One of her turrets is wrecked and her headgear is askew; a bandage encircles her head, covering one eye. Supplementing her usual rigging, she's carrying a katana at her side.

NAGATO
My friends, this is it. Even in our sorry state, we are the last line of defense. The only hope. We know how this ends. We've faced it before. But we didn't blink then, and we won't blink now!

She gets a slightly faraway look in her eye and goes on in a hushed voice, while the fleet attends raptly.

NAGATO
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved Earth and Heaven, that which we are, we are:

She clenches a fist at her side, raising her voice steadily as she continues.

NAGATO
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find—

She raises the fist above her head and finishes in a ringing shout.

NAGATO
—and not to yield!

The other ships CHEER. NAGATO draws her sword and brandishes it over her head.

NAGATO
So prepare yourselves, shipmates—for tonight we dine in Hel!

Near the front of the throng, AKAGI perks up.

AKAGI
Do they have yakisoba?

SFX: RECORD SCRATCH

Everyone STARES at her in blank astonishment for a beat; then the entire fleet BREAKS UP laughing.

DIRECTOR'S VOICE
(off-camera)
Cut! Goddammit, Akagi!

—outtake from the filming of Ten-Rei-Gō Monogatari (Operation Heaven Zero Story), a wildly fictionalized account of the IJN Einherjar role in the Ragnarök

--G.
the sound effect came from Naka's Fairlight CMI synthesizer fairy
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.