CHAPTER 8
The following morning, Shane found himself once again at the heart of the scientific analysis being conducted by the engineers and neuroscientists stationed at the main headquarters. The objective remained the same: to decipher how he was capable of piloting a Jaeger alone. Traditional Jaegers required two pilots due to the immense neural load of synchronizing with such a massive mechanical structure, yet Shane had demonstrated an anomaly that defied conventional understanding.
Dr. Newton Geiszler and Dr. Hermann Gottlieb observed as Shane was hooked up to a sophisticated brain imaging system. Electrodes were carefully attached to various points on his scalp, monitoring the synaptic activity in his brain. A holographic projection of his neural pathways appeared on a large screen before them.
"This is unprecedented," Gottlieb muttered, adjusting his glasses as he analyzed the data scrolling rapidly across the screen.
Geiszler pointed at the readings with enthusiasm. "See that? His neural activity isn't just distributing the load evenly like in normal pilots—it's compartmentalizing certain functions while hyper-focusing on motor control. His brain is actively partitioning tasks that would usually be too overwhelming for a single pilot. It's like he has a built-in firewall preventing cognitive overload."
Shane, who was listening with half-interest while lying in the scanning bed, smirked. "So, what? I've got a cheat code in my brain?"
Gottlieb scoffed, shaking his head. "More like an extremely rare neurological advantage. Your prefrontal cortex and cerebellum show synchronized enhancements that allow for exceptional multitasking. Furthermore, your amygdala response is significantly lower than the average pilot, meaning your stress response is highly controlled."
Geiszler added, "Basically, you're able to process the Drift load without a second pilot because your brain does the job of two people, even if that shouldn't be possible."
Shane crossed his arms, deep in thought. He wasn't entirely surprised by this result. Having inherited memories from his past life, his mentality had been reshaped into something far more refined. His body's reaction to piloting a Jaeger was not just instinct but an ingrained muscle memory from someone who had trained relentlessly to handle pressure and combat.
After the morning of rigorous testing, Shane headed to the gym to maintain his physical conditioning. His workout was intense, designed to enhance his agility and endurance. While running through a routine of weighted squats, pull-ups, and resistance drills, he overheard a commotion from the nearby training arena.
Curious, he grabbed a towel, wiped off his sweat, and strolled towards the sparring section. What he saw brought a sense of nostalgia flooding through him.
Raleigh Becket was in the middle of a practice match against the Wei Tang triplets, the pilots of Crimson Typhoon. The trio fought in perfect unison, their attacks coordinated like a seamless machine, but Raleigh held his own, proving why he was once one of the best Jaeger pilots in the world.
Shane leaned against the railing, watching intently. He knew exactly what was happening. Raleigh was trying to find a new co-pilot, but none of the available candidates could sync with him.
Then, the match changed.
Mako Mori stepped onto the mat.
Shane's eyes widened slightly, realizing that this was the exact moment from the movie—the sparring duel between Raleigh and Mako.
The fight started, and Mako was quick, precise, and elegant in her movements. Raleigh, though experienced, underestimated her speed. The fight played out almost identically to what Shane remembered—Mako dodging, countering, and finally knocking Raleigh onto his back.
Marshal Stacker Pentecost watched from the observation deck, his expression unreadable. It was clear that he disapproved of Mako stepping into the ring. As expected, he later confronted her about her actions, arguing against her involvement in piloting a Jaeger.
Shane smirked to himself. "History really is playing out the same way," he muttered.
After the heated discussion between Pentecost and Mako, Raleigh noticed Shane standing nearby and gave him a small smile. Shane returned the gesture and motioned toward the cafeteria. Raleigh nodded in agreement, and the two headed off for dinner.
While they ate, they discussed the day's events.
"So, you knew my brother?" Raleigh asked.
Shane nodded. "Not personally, but I knew of him. Yancy Becket was an incredible pilot. You two were legends in the Jaeger program."
Raleigh looked down for a moment, a flicker of pain crossing his face, but he quickly brushed it away. "Yeah... he was."
Shane didn't push the topic. Instead, they talked about Jaeger combat strategies, personal experiences, and their thoughts on the increasing frequency of Kaiju attacks.
Meanwhile, back in the research lab, Geiszler and Gottlieb continued analyzing Shane's test results.
"His neural plasticity is through the roof," Geiszler commented. "It's like his brain adapts on the fly. His cognitive resilience is insane. If we can replicate even a fraction of this in other pilots, we might actually make single-pilot Jaegers a standard."
Gottlieb hesitated before speaking. "Or… his abilities might be completely unique to him. We need more data."
The research continued, but one thing was clear—Shane Buron was not just any pilot. He was something different, something new, and the world was starting to take notice.
End of chapter.