Deep Beneath the Pacific (Pacific Rim)

Chapter Ten: Joy Comes in the Morning

February 29th, 2020 - Thursday - 9:10 PM.

I decided to go to LOCCENT Command, knowing that I would find the Marshal there. I felt so detemined and was rushing so much that I didn't even bother to braid my hair. Yeah. That rushed. Instead, I pulled my hair up into a loose ponytail, not even caring as a few loose strands of hair fell in front of my face while I ran.

I entered LOCCENT, panting a little from the short run. Looking around, I realized that people were still working hard, everyone focused on the task at hand. And there was at least one coffee cup on every desk. These people obviously weren't planning to sleep any time soon.

Marshal Sokolov appeared to be talking to a couple of J-Techs, looking quite frustrated as he gestured a lot with his hands. He stopped mid-sentence, turning around at the sound of my approaching footsteps. He looked at me with a surprised expression, his eyebrows raised. "Miss Whitehorse...?"

I came to a halt, glancing at the two J-Tech officers and noticing that they both looked pretty tired and even a little... worried. "Yeah, um... can we have a second? I need... I need to discuss something with you."

Marshal dismissed the other J-Techs with a nod, giving them a look like "I'll deal with you two later". Not at all reassuring...

The J-Techs shot me questioning glances, but they didn't say a word. What caught my eye was that they were both holding quite a few files stuffed with sheets of paper. Documents. I caught a glance of one of the papers, seeing the Pan Pacific Defense Corps logo. That meant only one thing: classified information. No, but it couldn't have been - I would have been notified considering my position... It must be some other serious matter, I thought. Well, maybe the Marshal was going to tell me tomorrow. Yeah.

Then the paranoid part of me spoke up again. But what if he wasn't?

Well, the calm side of me said. It is my first day here. Chill... But it has to be something big that I have yet to be informed of if the Marshal was looking so frustrated... or it's a minor issue... that I also have yet to be informed of... yeah...

Okay, he's hiding something.

Marshal turned to face me, dipping his head in greeting. "Thought you were going to sleep." He didn't seem too pleased that I had appeared on the scene. I wondered why.

I shook my head in response, my eyes wandering and watching the J-Techs as they walked away. "What was that all about?" I nodded in the direction of the two officers as they left LOCCENT. "You seemed pretty frustrated there, sir..." I looked back at him, my tone even.

Alright. I was offended. But really. At my rank, I should be notified of everything that concerned Jaegers. Everything. It was only logical. Besides, it would be somewhere along the lines of treason to not let me know.

Okay, not that extreme. I'm being over-dramatic. But my point being, I was getting a little suspicious of what was going on... I mean, the Marshal really did look like he was havng trouble keeping his cool there. Have I mentioned that I am extremely curious and stubborn at times?

Marshal Sokolov gave me an irritated look, but then he sighed as if in defeat. "I suppose I'll tell you now... I really don't like to tell too many people of the... um, difficulties that we have here at the Shatterdome. More riots is definitely what we don't want."

I really didn't like the way he hesitated on "difficulties". I leaned against a desk, waiting for the Marshal to continue. In the process, my hand nearly knocked over a coffee cup. Thanks to my quick reflexes, I snatched the cup up and quickly placed it back down, looking up and giving the Marshal a weak smile. But it appeared he hadn't been looking up to witness my near accident and heroic move.