Pacific Rim: Legacy

Chapter 3 - Analia

Analia stood in the center of the SIM lab, the familiar hum of the equipment surrounding her, the soft glow of the consoles casting a faint light across the room. She had been here countless times before, but this time was different. This time, it wasn't Raleigh walking through the door to join her. It wasn't the comforting presence of her long-time partner stepping up beside her for another round of drift training.

This time, it was Jake.

She could hear his footsteps echo down the corridor before the door slid open, and there he was—Jake Pentecost, hands in his pockets, looking a little less sure of himself than usual. There was a slight tension in his expression, the easy-going confidence he usually wore not quite reaching his eyes as they met hers. Analia couldn't blame him for being thrown off. What she had told him earlier was no small thing.

She watched him cross the threshold, his gaze sweeping the room before landing on her, the realization of what was about to happen still settling in.

He stopped a few paces from her, the weight of the moment heavy between them. "So... here we are," Jake said, his voice low, breaking the silence. There was a touch of nervous energy in his tone, something Analia rarely saw in him.

"Here we are," Analia repeated, her own voice steady, though there was a quiet intensity in her eyes. She could sense the hesitation in him, the way he was still trying to wrap his head around the idea of being her new co-pilot. It wasn't a simple request—she knew that. The drift wasn't something to be taken lightly, especially not with someone like her.

Jake shifted his weight, running a hand through his hair. "You know, when you said you wanted to run a drift compatibility test, I thought it was just, you know, standard protocol stuff. Didn't expect it to mean..." He trailed off, the implication of her being his new co-pilot still sinking in.

Analia uncrossed her arms and stepped closer, her eyes locking onto his. "Jake, I wouldn't be here if this was just standard protocol. Raleigh's not available anymore. Nate and his co-pilot bailed. And the truth is, we can't afford to wait. I need a partner in that Jaeger—and right now, you're it."

The words hung in the air, and Analia could see the shift in Jake's posture as the gravity of the situation fully hit him. She didn't sugarcoat things, and she wasn't going to start now. The drift required trust, total mental and emotional synchronization, and that kind of partnership couldn't be forced.

He let out a short, almost disbelieving laugh. "I mean, I knew things were changing, but I didn't think I'd be the one stepping up like this." He looked at her, his brow furrowing slightly. "What about Raleigh? Is he okay with it?"

"It was his idea." Analia shook her head. She could still remember how angry she had been about it at first.

Jake blinked, surprised. "His idea? Raleigh wanted me to—"

"He trusts you," Analia cut in, her voice firm. "And so do I." She held his gaze for a moment, letting the seriousness of her next words settle in. "But before we do this, Jake, there's something you need to know."

Jake's expression shifted, the curiosity in his eyes quickly replaced by concern. "What is it?"

Analia took a breath, her eyes narrowing slightly as she gathered her thoughts. "The drift... it's more than just sharing thoughts. We're going to be diving into each other's memories, our deepest experiences. And there's a chance," she paused, letting the weight of her words sink in, "you might see your father's last moments. I'm going to do everything I can to keep that from happening, but once we're in the drift, some things slip through."

Jake's face tightened, the color draining slightly. The thought of reliving those moments—of seeing what his father went through, what he never had the chance to fully reconcile—wasn't something he had prepared for. He looked at Analia, the weight of that possibility heavy in his gaze. "You think it'll happen?" he asked, his voice low.