CHAPTER 9

Chapter 9

Shane sat on the edge of his bed, the dim glow of the communicator screen casting a soft blue hue across the otherwise dark room. He leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees, as his father's face flickered to life on the screen.

"Shane, how are things over there?" his father asked, his deep voice carrying a mix of curiosity and concern.

Shane exhaled and nodded. "It's been busy. A lot of tests, a lot of observations. They're trying to figure out how I can pilot Rajah alone without the usual neural strain."

His father leaned back in his chair, stroking his chin. "And? Have they found anything?"

Shane shrugged. "Nothing conclusive yet, but they're getting close. Something about enhanced neural plasticity and a unique synaptic response to the drift connection."

His father chuckled. "So, in short, you're special."

Shane said. "Guess you could say that."

There was a pause before Shane leaned closer to the screen. "Father, I wanted to ask you about Azure Defiant. How's it doing? And who's piloting it?"

His father's brows furrowed slightly. "Azure Defiant? It's still in the final testing phase. The pilots are two of our best candidates, but we haven't deployed it yet."

Shane tapped his fingers against his knee thoughtfully. "I think you should plan on adding one more Jaeger."

His father's eyes narrowed. "Why do you say that?"

Shane hesitated for a moment before responding. "Just a gut feeling. Something big is coming. I'll be here for a while to figure out what it is, but if anything happens, I'll be heading back home to protect our people."

His father sighed, nodding. "Alright, son. I trust your instincts. I'll make the necessary preparations."

As their conversation ended, Shane lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling, deep in thought. Something felt off. He could feel it in his bones.

Meanwhile, in the lab, Dr. Hermann Gottlieb paced back and forth, deep in discussion with Dr. Newton Geiszler.

"I'm telling you, Hermann, the only way to truly stop this invasion is to go straight to the source—the breach," Newton argued, waving his hands animatedly.

Hermann scoffed. "And your solution is to... what? Connect with the Kaiju hive mind? It's absurd."

Newton slammed a file down onto the table. "Listen, Hermann. Every attempt we've made to shut down the breach has failed. The only way to end this is from the inside."

Before Hermann could counter, the door opened, and Marshal Stacker Pentecost stepped in, his presence instantly commanding silence.

"Enough," he said firmly. "We need practical solutions, not theories. We'll table this discussion for now."

Newton gritted his teeth but nodded. He knew he was onto something. He just had to prove it.

Back in the hangar, Raleigh Becket stood next to Gipsy Danger, fully suited up and ready for another test run. As he stretched his shoulders, he caught sight of Shane walking alongside Marshal and some senior officers. Their presence wasn't unusual, but something about their expressions made him uneasy.

Then, suddenly, a voice echoed through the hangar's intercom. "Pilot Becket, prepare for synchronization. Your co-pilot will be arriving shortly."

Raleigh turned to face the entrance, expecting another candidate, but when he heard the name, he stiffened.

"Mako Mori."

Shane watched as Raleigh's expression shifted from confusion to shock. He smirked slightly, crossing his arms. This was a moment he had been anticipating. The moment that would change everything.

End of chapter