Pacific Rim: Legacy

Chapter 17 - Analia

The sound of distant machinery hummed through the base, a constant reminder of the chaos outside and the urgency that weighed heavily on their shoulders. Raleigh was beside her, his tall frame steady as ever, a comforting presence amidst the tension. Just behind them, Nate, Jules, and Jake kept pace, their expressions a mix of determination and unease.

They approached a small command terminal where Reyes was reviewing the current Jaeger lineup. Her face was lit by the glow of the screen, her fingers flying across the console as she pulled up the latest data. The silence between them was thick, filled with anticipation.

"Saber Athena, Guardian Bravo, and Bracer Phoenix are good to go," Reyes said, her voice clipped but focused, turning to face them.

Analia nodded, though her mind was already running through battle scenarios. It wasn't much. Three Jaegers and Razor Angel. Four against the monstrous Category-Fours and a looming Category-Five Kaiju. The odds weren't great.

Jake shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's not a lot to work with," he muttered, his voice edged with frustration. The tension in his body was palpable—he knew as well as anyone that they needed more firepower. But the Jaegers were battered, their pilots stretched thin.

Reyes, ever the optimist, added, "Liwen can patch some Fury tech into Gipsy that might help." She offered a small smile, though even she seemed unconvinced it would be enough.

Raleigh's voice was firm, decisive. "Prep everything we got for deployment. Every minute counts."

As Reyes gave a quick nod of acknowledgment and turned back to her console, she paused, looking between Jake and Nate. With a brief hesitation, she kissed Jake on the cheek, then turned and did the same to Nate. "Don't get yourself killed," she murmured, then with a slight smirk, added, "You either."

As Reyes finished her quick kisses on Jake and Nate's cheeks, she offered a small, almost playful smile before turning to leave the room. Her footsteps echoed softly down the hall as she disappeared through the doors, leaving the group in a silence thick with unspoken thoughts.

Analia's gaze followed her for a moment before turning back to the others. She could feel the weight of the moment settling in, heavy and unavoidable. They had so much at stake, and despite the brief flicker of levity with Reyes, the reality was grim.

With Reyes gone, the conversation quickly shifted back to the task at hand.

Jake, still processing the whole cheek-kissing situation, shook his head and muttered, "Well, that's confusing."

Analia let out a quiet sigh, crossing her arms as she focused her attention back on the lineup of Jaegers in the hangar below. "Stay focused. We've got four Jaegers against two Category-Fours and a Fiver," she said firmly, her voice steady but carrying an edge of urgency.

Jake shrugged, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Better than just Gipsy and Razor," he replied, but even the attempt at humor couldn't lighten the mood.

Raleigh stepped forward, his expression hard as he stared out at the hangar. "We still need pilots."

Analia didn't hesitate. "We have them," she said, her voice confident. She turned to face the others, her eyes serious as they all looked at her, knowing she was right. The cadets were ready—whether they felt it or not, they were the ones who would take up the mantle. They had no other choice.

Then, from Nate, a soft curse slipped out. "Oh, shit."

"Let's get those cadets ready," Analia said, her voice firm but carrying the weight of responsibility. She moved with purpose as she and Raleigh exited the room, the doors sliding shut behind them with a quiet hiss. The corridor ahead led directly to the Shatterdome's hangar deck, where the cadets were hard at work assisting the engineers with the final preparations on the Jaegers.