"What!?"
Inside Connie Albert's private lab and quarters, Albert stared at Marshal Stacker Pentecost, an incredulous sound escaping him.
"You gave that Jaeger to Mr. Natsuki?"
He shot up from his chair, facing the Marshal.
"That Jaeger can't—it hasn't been fully repaired yet."
"Allowing him to pilot it solo carries an extremely high risk."
He was vehemently against the Marshal's decision. That machine was meant for him, a contingency plan allowing him to directly intervene and alter the future if necessary. He maintained a look of scholarly concern behind his silver-rimmed glasses.
"I believe Mr. Natsuki's physical capabilities mean he won't be injured," the Marshal replied calmly.
Pentecost then met Albert's gaze. "You should understand why I'm standing here right now."
He required an explanation for the earlier conflict in the lab.
"I know." Albert's expression turned serious. He nodded.
He delivered his prepared statement slowly: "I asked Mr. Natsuki those questions because I needed to understand him better before finalizing our subsequent plans."
"To us, he is still an alien, harboring countless unknown secrets."
"I cannot allow anything to jeopardize the mission. Absolutely not."
Marshal Pentecost frowned, considered the words for a moment, and then nodded.
"I understand your concerns. But as I said before, he saved countless lives yesterday."
"His appearance is an opportunity. We must bring him onto our side. Through close contact, I am confident he possesses qualities worthy of our trust."
"Understood." Albert knew the Marshal was simply issuing a reminder. He nodded decisively. "I will be more careful with my words in future interactions with Mr. Natsuki."
Seeing Albert's compliance, the Marshal had little else to say. They were, after all, allies.
The base had once housed dozens of scientists, but after funding cuts, only Hermann and Newton remained. Connie Albert, a top-tier scientific mind, was a godsend. Whether repairing Jaegers or providing intelligence on the kaiju, Pentecost believed Albert was committed to weathering the storm and seeing the end of the apocalypse.
"Do you remember what you said to me when we first met?" the Marshal asked suddenly.
Albert paused, then quickly recovered. "I remember."
"We were standing in the Jaeger bay. I told you, 'I'd rather die in this base's laboratory than watch the apocalypse arrive and do nothing.'"
The Marshal nodded with satisfaction. "You will survive this apocalypse."
"Not I," Albert corrected firmly. "It should be we."
That afternoon.
The Shatterdome Jaeger Bay.
Natsuki, fresh from a hearty meal, arrived at the steel catwalk. Wearing flip-flops and carrying a thick pilot's manual, he spotted a familiar figure leaning against the railing.
"Hey!"
Raleigh, wearing a dark blue sweater, turned around.
"Natsuki?"
"You here to watch my test?" Raleigh asked casually.
Natsuki joined him at the railing, gazing down at the Jaegers below.
"Nope."
"I'm here to participate in the test," he said, grinning mysteriously.
"What?" Raleigh was stunned.
If he recalled correctly, Natsuki had only arrived on Earth yesterday. And today he was piloting a Jaeger? Had the Marshal actually agreed to that?
"I spent several serious hours studying this manual," Natsuki boasted, waving the book. "Don't doubt my skills."
"Uh..."
Raleigh took the manual and flipped through it. Back in his academy days, they hadn't had such a thing.
"You're sure you studied this seriously?"
The book was pristine. Only a few pages showed signs of being opened; the rest were factory-fresh.
"Mm-hmm," Natsuki confirmed.
Raleigh sighed. He wasn't convinced.
Another question occurred to him. "Which Jaeger are you planning to pilot?"
Gipsy Danger's test was about to begin. The other three Jaegers had long-synchronized pilots. He couldn't imagine which machine Natsuki would use.
"That one." Natsuki smiled, pointing toward the main bay door.
With a mechanical rumble, the massive door opened.
A silver-white Jaeger, resembling a warrior monk, stood on the transport track, slowly being conveyed into the bay.
"Shaolin Rogue?"
"It's been repaired, too." Raleigh recognized the machine, surprised.
"But are you absolutely sure you know how to pilot a Jaeger?"
He knew how critical every Jaeger was. An additional machine would significantly increase their success rate. But should they really let Natsuki drive it?
"After Gipsy Danger's test finishes, Shaolin Rogue's test begins." Natsuki was confident. "You'll see for yourself then."
It was just piloting a giant robot. How hard could it be?
"Alright," Raleigh conceded. "I'll be watching." He figured Natsuki's body was tougher than the Jaeger itself, so nothing could go too wrong.
The immediate question was still who his own co-pilot would be. Though his coordination with Mako had been good, the final decision rested with Marshal Pentecost.
Meanwhile.
On the Pacific Ocean floor, inside the Breach.
"That went smoothly enough." Quake emerged from a twisted purple structure, speaking to Yochi beside him.
The Precursor Council didn't just contain brutes; it also had forward-thinking strategists. Quake had prepared two contingencies for the coming battle.
"If nothing unexpected happens, the humans' Jaegers will carry a nuclear device into this colonial space. We need countermeasures prepared."
"And even in the worst-case scenario, where this space is breached, we must ensure the possibility of launching subsequent plans."
Hearing about all the preparation, Yochi couldn't help but ask, "Is all this caution really necessary?"
"Even if they do break through, I can personally enter the fight."
"Forget those scrap heaps—that Ultraman is a small fry. He won't last five rounds against me."
As a Precursor, he was ready to personally control the kaiju in battle.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Then I'll look forward to your performance," Quake said with a smile.
Yochi's confidence, at least, was a good thing.