Pilots Of The Uprising (Pacific Rim)

The New Hunter

Hong Kong Shatterdome, 21:04 PM, December 31st 2034.

Time went by slowly. It was like everything was in slow motion. The ground shook, dim sounds of explosions everywhere around me. Xavier and I frantically trying to find the children and Adaira.

But it was too late.

I didn't make it to her as she was crushed by the Drone. Tears pricked at my eyes, and I screamed.

Adaira!!

I was kneeling with the bloody body in my arms. Silent. Whole body shaking with hot, angry, mute tears. My daughter was gone.

---

They watched her. On the floor of the dome, the lifeless 10 year old in her arms. No one spoke. The only sound was the roaring fires around them. It seemed like the world had stopped for a moment. Xavier and Viktoriya were hit first. An Invisible force, clawing at their hearts. A void within them that wouldn't be filled.

Then the alarms went off.

"Three kaiju got through the Japan breach! We need jaegers there now!" no-one spoke still. They continued to watch their new General and wait for orders. Minerva carried the body away. And gave her to a nurse. The mechanic, Jules Reyes, came up to her, we only had about 2 working jaegers. Minerva took a deep breath, and trudged up to a ledge so the whole crew could see her.

"Everybody listen up." All attention was drawn to the General. Minerva made eye contact with Xavier and Viktoriya, and a tear rolled down her face. "The incident of today has been a tragic failure. But we cannot dwell on it. Three Kaiju have gotten through the Japan breach. Two category fours and one category five. We have two jaegers, few Pilots, and even fewer transports. People have been killed tonight. All because of them, the monsters."

Minerva paused. She wasn't great at this whole, inspirational speech thing, especially not after seeing her daughter be crushed by a kaiju right in front of her eyes.

"But we are the Pan Pacific Defence Corps, it is our duty to defend the world, from monsters who take our brothers and sisters. So I need you. We need each other, if we're gonna pull this off." She raised her voice. "I need every single one of you to stand together. Because we've all suffered. Everyone has had someone ripped away from them by Monsters. Brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, parents, relatives, neighbors, co-workers. Everyone has lost." People were looking at her. People were cheering.

"So now. I need us to work together. Now more than ever before. I need you to give everything you've got! We're all members of one body, like a jaeger, everyone has a role. So let's restart. We must repair and recover! Better than before! Let us end this! Let us cancel this Apocalypse!" Everyone cheered and yelled and whistled.

"So what do we do now, Marshal?" Someone yelled from the back of the enormous crowd of staff. Xavier turned to face Minerva.

"That's right Marshal, what are your orders?" He gave her a determined smile. You can do this, Minerva, I know you can. She gazed at him, then over at the confidence-filled crowd.

"Every medic and nurse and person who knows how to stitch, get to the Medical bay, any injured need to get there too, anyone who's healthy enough to get to work, can help repairs on Jaegers," People started bustling about, Minerva yelled louder "I need a tech team to fix the Command Unit," She shouter louder with people making noise, getting to work. "We work through the night! I want an operating team keeping an eye on those kaiju!"

"Sir Yes Sir!" People rushed about, The cadets had already ran off to help rebuild the Jaeger.

"Malikova, Lambert, I need status on Tacit Ronin." The looked at each other confused.

"Tacit, uh Tacit Ronin was destroyed years ago, Sir..?" Lamber tried to reply, but Minerva cut him off.

"You rebuilt it, I saw the blueprints Malikova made, stop wasting time and get that Jaeger online." They saluted her with a grin on both their faces, and paused a moment, fresh determined, confident faces, and before they could run off, Minerva called out again, "Oh and Malikova," she turned, "I liked your design." She grinned wider and ran off. Minerva didn't smile. But breathed in and closed her eyes.

I can do this, Adaira. I promise you. I will make it.

"Xavier go check on the juniors, keep them in their bunker. Then come straight back, we need to prioritize the Jaegers." He saluted her as she jogged past, then rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Do it for her." he gently said. Minerva turned her head towards him and gave him a weak look.

"I'm doing it for everyone."

---

"The Kaiju are headed for Mount Fuji. The rare metals can cause an explosion in the atmostphere that can trigger a chain reaction and spread until the whole planet is covered in ashes."

"How likely is this chain reaction." I questioned, looking over at the screen. Hermann hesitated.

"Very." I Sighed and walked out of the temporary command unit. The medical bay wasn't far, a few pilots were injured, I needed to check how many we had. I burst through the doors, Viktoriya's cheekbone was being stitched when she reached out to grab my arm.

"I want to fight with you."

"No." I started to walk away and check on others when she jumped down from the seat and grabbed my arm again.

"I asked to rebuild her so I could fight with you. With all due respect General, I'm not taking no for an answer." We held eye contact for a while, her face was hard, determined. I had known that look. She reminded me of myself. 10 years ago, when I wanted to fight in the final attack on the breach. She reminded me of Adaira. She was a stubborn girl. And I knew that look, that was the look of someone who wouldn't be stopped.

"I can't risk another young one's life." she frowned, and her face scrunched in determination. "But," I sighed and held her hand. "I promise Viktoriya, I will train you to become my co-pilot, for that, I give you my word. But now you are not ready, am I'm not either. I'm going solo." I rested my hand on her shoulder in reassurance.

"I can't let you fight solo, nobody lasts fighting solo!" she protested.

"Cadet I need you to trust me. You'll be in my head, just not entirely. Let the nurse finish stitching you up, and while you're doing that, think of a name." I gave a nod and a tiny smile and I was off.

---

Lambert and Zacari jogged up to me as I entered the Shatterdome suited up.

"We don't have enough pilots." I said worriedly, "You both are going to have to suit up."

"Oh don't worry we have enough." Lambert gestured at the suited up cadets all standing in line waiting for me. I crossed my arms and turned to face the two rangers. "We don't have anyone else. They're itching for a fight." Said ranger Lambert.

"This isn't about wanting to fight! They're not ready, they're young-"

"Adaira was young. If she had gotten to the age of 16 you would've let her fight." Xavier Zacari calmly pointed out. I glared at him and he glared back. "We've trained them for this for years, they understand this isn't just a simulation." I looked at the rangers before me, then at the cadets.

"Looks like it's their graduating day then.." I ran off towards the J-Tech team and met with Jules Reyes, the top mechanic after having gotten the mission summary and updates from the remaining LOCCENT crew. "Who've we got?"

"Saber Athena, TItan Redeemer, Gipsy Avenger, and Guardian Bravo is on his way." Reyes stated proudly. "Oh and Ronin.." I placed my hands on my hips Cadet Malikova joined me, all suited up.

"Ronin's not Ronin anymore Jules, It's Rhea Corvus"