Pacific Rim: Legacy

Chapter 2 - Analia

The next morning, Analia found herself in the open hangar bay waiting for Jake and his new recruit to arrive. Raleigh had dipped out early that morning without waking her and for that she was grateful. They hadn't slept much that night. The babysitter showed up just as she was finishing getting ready and as she had left, she had placed a kiss on her daughters' forehead.

People were bustling about on the hangar deck, preparing all the equipment for the day. Valor Omega and its pilot were stretching their legs and every single person on deck skirted around her. Stories about her and Raleigh had earned them immense respect after the war. No one had dared go against them, but beyond that the way they were treated was so much different from before the war that she often had a hard time believing it. They had saved the world and with it came this celebrity status.

The same could be said for Jake Pentecost. After his father had died, he had only stayed in the academy for a few years before dropping out and off their radar. While her and Raleigh had accepted their fame, Jake had taken it as a constant reminder that his father was gone. In the time that he had been at the Academy under her wing though he had been a smart kid who excelled in the program, much like Ezra had in the last few years. She only hoped that being away from the Academy hadn't tainted his respect for her and her peers.

In the distance she caught sight of the plane bringing them in and she sighed. 'Here we go', she thought to herself. She watched as the plane landed and they made their way out of the back. She slowly started making her way over to them, keeping an eye on the other planes that had the homemade jaeger. She had to admit that she was a little impressed that a 15-year-old had been able to build a jaeger on her own, though she suspected that she'd had some help along the line. She chuckled to herself when she saw the jaeger fall over onto its face.

The sound of Nate Lambert's voice carried through the air, clear and self-assured as he greeted the young Pentecost. Analia rolled her eyes at the familiar bravado. Nate's ego had only swelled since his graduation, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by anyone—least of all her. She couldn't help but be reminded of how the once promising young ranger had allowed fame to get the best of him.

Closing the distance between herself and the group, Analia caught the tail end of Jake's conversation with Nate. "How you doing, Nate?" Jake asked, his voice casual.

Nate, never missing an opportunity to correct, replied sharply, "It's Ranger Lambert." Analia didn't need to see Jake's face to know he was annoyed; it was written in the tension of his shoulders. She smirked to herself before stepping up beside him, giving him a quick wink in greeting.

Her attention shifted to the dirt-covered girl standing next to Jake. The young cadet looked like she could use a long shower, but there was no denying the fierce determination burning in her eyes. "And you must be Amara Namani," Analia said, giving the girl a once-over, sizing her up in a glance.

"Yes, ma'am. Ranger, ma'am," Amara responded quickly, the respect in her voice unmistakable. Analia couldn't help but laugh at the formality.

"You can just call me Ranger Beckett," she replied, watching as the realization of who she was dawned on the young cadet. Amara's eyes widened, and Analia smiled. "C'mon, let's get you kids squared away." She turned her attention back to Nate. "Oh, and that'll be all for you, Nate. Don't you and your co-pilot have a plane to catch?"

"Yes ma'am," Nate responded with a curt nod before walking away. She watched him go, thinking about how disappointed she was with his recent choice to leave for the private sector. It wasn't a decision she was happy with, but there was nothing she could do.

As she led Jake and Amara through the hangar, Analia heard the girl whisper to Jake, "Wait... did she just call you Pentecost? As in badass Stacker Pentecost? Pilot of Coyote Tango, hero of... basically the whole world?"