GIANT ROBOT KILLS KAIJU IN VANCOUVER!
April 24, 2015
Dramatic scenes emerged from Vancouver this morning as the Pan-Pacific Defence Corps finally revealed the end result of billions of dollars' worth of funding. A 260-foot-high robot, dubbed a 'Jaeger' by the PPDC, from the German word for 'hunter', fought directly against the latest kaiju, the sixth to emerge from the Pacific Ocean portal since 2013. The battle was brief, with the Jaeger triumphing over the kaiju in less than ten minutes. There are no reported casualties, and collateral damage to the city centre of Vancouver is minimal. Clean-up crews, with the assistance of the Human-Autobot Liaison Team, are already on the site.
'The Pan-Pacific Defence Corps is proud to present humanity's latest defender: the Jaeger,' the PPDC said in a statement released shortly after the Jaeger's victory. 'Thanks to the hard work of a dedicated team over the last several months, we now have a way to fight the kaiju on our own terms. We look forward to celebrating with the rest of humanity as we deploy more Jaegers in the near future.'
NEW AUTOBOT ARRIVES ON EARTH HOURS AFTER KAIJU ATTACK
April 24, 2015
Events continue to unfold in Vancouver this evening as the first Autobot arrival in three years touched down at the site of the recent battle between the Jaeger, now dubbed 'Brawler Yukon', and the most recent kaiju. Official statements and images have yet to be released, but it is believed that the new Autobot was met with a welcoming party consisting of the other Autobots, members of the Human-Autobot Liaison Team, and dignitaries from Canada, the United States, and the United Nations.
More to come.
NEW AUTOBOT IS NOT ONE, BUT SEVEN!
April 25, 2015
In a shocking announcement, the Human-Autobot Liaison Team (HALT) has revealed that seven new Autobots have arrived on Earth instead of the previously reported one. Said Major William Lennox, commanding officer of HALT, 'Myself and all the team at HALT wish to offer a very warm welcome to Silverbolt, Air Raid, Jetfire, Skydive, Slingshot, Fireflight and Breakaway, who have travelled a long way to seek asylum here on Earth. After being appropriately adjusted to life on our planet, they are happy to provide their services in aiding disaster zones across the globe. All seven of them would like to extend their most sincere gratitude towards the citizens of planet Earth for allowing them to find a new home amongst us.'
Sources in HALT also suggest that initial reports that only one Autobot arrived were not incorrect, and that the now-confirmed seven possess the ability to 'combine' into a single larger robot. It was this single robot that reportedly landed in Vancouver.
COMMANDING OFFICERS OF HALT STEP DOWN AFTER EIGHT YEARS IN TOP JOB
May 1, 2015
In a surprise press conference held this morning, Major William Lennox and Captain Robert Epps have announced their resignation from their posts as the commanding officers of the Human-Autobot Liaison Team, effectively immediately.
'After eight years of spearheading this amazing initiative, it is time for us to move on to pastures new,' Major Lennox said. 'It will be sad to say goodbye to all the friends we've made while working at HALT – both human and Autobot. The amount of work and dedication they put in to making the world a better place is unbelievable, and we could not be more proud of them.'
Major Lennox and Captain Epps have been in charge of HALT since its inception in mid-2007, a few months after the Battle of Mission City, which saw a coalition of Autobots and the United States' military triumph over the invading Decepticons. Under their command, HALT has grown to become the largest and most effective aid organisation in the world, and its activities have saved millions of lives from natural and man-made disasters.
The announcement today was met with an outpouring of sadness from the international community, with many world leaders thanking Major Lennox and Captain Epps for their service and wishing them all the best in their future endeavours.
It is understood that HALT First Lieutenant Courtney Gallant will take over commanding duties from Major Lennox. A replacement for Captain Epps is yet to be announced.
SHOCK TWIST AS PPDC DROPS ALL CHARGES
May 5, 2015
In a surprising turn of events, the PPDC has announced that it will be dropping all charges against Kaori Koyamada, the Shao Industries signal analyst who had allegedly breached the PPDC secure area around the Marianas Trench.
Lawyers for both the PPDC and Shao Industries have declined to comment.
EXCLUSIVE – PPDC REVEALS ALL
May 15, 2015
In the weeks following the Vancouver incident, the Pan-Pacific Defence Corps has largely remained silent about the Jaeger Program and the "dedicated team" that put it together. But now, our reporters have been granted exclusive access behind-the-scenes to reveal the inner workings of the organisation dedicated to triumphing over the kaiju attacks.
Page 2 – Meet the pilots! In this EXCLUSIVE interview, we finally learn the identity of Brawler Yukon's pilots!
Page 10 – The Kaiju. We take a detailed look at the six kaiju attacks in an attempt to learn more about these mysterious creatures.
Page 25 – What is the PPDC? Find out about the people behind the organisation defending our planet.
Page 29 – Jasper Schoenfeld. How a divorced university professor came up with the idea of the Jaegers.
Page 34 – Brawler Yukon. In an interview with the Autobot, Jolt, we discuss how the prototype Jaeger was constructed in only a matter of months.
Page 37 – The Autobots. With the success of the Jaeger, do we need them to fight the Kaiju anymore?
MEET HALT'S NEW COMMANDING OFFICER: COURTNEY GALLANT
June 1, 2015
Courtney Gallant is not someone who looks like she's in charge of an organisation dedicated to using the services of a robotic alien race to help those in need. On first impressions, she gives off a bit of a girl-next-door vibe, but look a bit closer and you'll see that she's not a woman you want to mess with. Hiding behind the winning combination of soft blue eyes and cropped blonde hair is a fierce determination that has enabled Courtney to find huge success at only 28 years of age.
It has been the better part of a decade since the Autobots arrived on Earth, and a lot has happened since – especially in the last two years – but Courtney can still vividly remember seeing the news reports about our first alien contacts.
"It was absolutely unbelievable," Courtney says emphatically. "I couldn't believe what the news was telling me – that while SETI had been scanning the sky for alien life for decades, it was actually right here, battling it out in a city in the United States of America."
In mid-2007, Courtney was fresh out of university, and had no idea how much the extra-terrestrial robots would change the course of her life.
"I wanted to be a historian actually," she laughs. "I've always been fascinated with history, with ancient, long dead cultures. The idea that civilizations have risen and then fallen thousands of years before we rediscovered them."
So why did she join HALT then – a career move about as far from a historian as one could get?
"No surprises, but it was the Autobots. I remember that first interview with Optimus Prime, when he revealed that his civilization predated the evolution of our planet, and that he was almost as old himself … I was sold that instant. I couldn't join fast enough."
Courtney was one of the first applicants to HALT, and quickly made an impression as a dedicated worker who never shied away from helping those in need, no matter how difficult or distressing the circumstances.
"It wasn't easy," Courtney explains, gazing off into the distance. "Still isn't really. I've seen things that I never wanted to see, and that I'll never forget. But I keep pushing forward because it's worth it, you know? To save a life … it's always worth it."
Sadly though, despite their best efforts, the team at HALT know that they won't always be successful. Courtney recounts a story of a young family trapped after an earthquake, who were mere moments from being rescued by her and the Autobots before an aftershock struck, and the whole building collapsed. Courtney was severely injured as a result, and has the scars to prove it.
"It's tough, coming to terms with the fact that you'll never save everyone," she says quietly. "I was kind of naïve when I first started, so that earthquake…" she pauses and takes a moment to compose herself, "…it was a real hard lesson, yeah. But the Autobots were there for me – Jazz in particular. He told me of all the friends that he failed to save, and how it never gets easier, but you can reassure yourself that you tried and gave it your best. Better to try and fail than to have never tried at all, he says. It's a motto I've lived by ever since."
As the years went by, Courtney rapidly built up a strong rapport with both her human colleagues and her Autobot ones. This, along with her grim determination to do her best, and a demonstration of excellent leadership abilities, quickly saw her rise through the ranks of HALT to become a First Lieutenant – third in the chain of command. And now, with the resignation of Major Lennox and Captain Epps, she's been promoted to the very top.
"It's a huge privilege – and utterly terrifying!"' A shy grin emerges on her face. "I kind of expected it to happen eventually I guess, but I definitely didn't think it was going to happen so soon – and definitely not before I turned 30! Will and Rob just sprung it on me one afternoon. Caught me totally by surprise. But everyone's been super supportive… it's been a whirlwind, but a fantastic one."
So with a woman now in charge of HALT, should we expect to see any major changes in the months ahead?
"The only Major change will be my rank," Courtney jokes. "But no, seriously, things will change – that's part of any leadership transition, irrespective of me being a woman. The core operations of HALT will be the same. Our commitment to the citizens of planet Earth, no matter who they are or where they are, will remain at a hundred percent. Be it nature, man, or kaiju, we'll be there to help. And with the Aerialbots now with us, our response abilities should be quite significantly better."
JAEGER BASE BEGINS CONSTRUCTION
June 8, 2015
Los Angeles, California: Construction has today begun on the first installation designed to deploy the PPDC's upcoming Jaeger fleet. Estimated to cost $1 billion, the Jaeger Base will house and maintain the United States' sponsored Jaeger, as well as up to six others.
Similar facilities are expected to begin construction in Hong Kong, Vladivostok, Jakarta, Brisbane, Wellington (New Zealand), Lima, Panama City, Anchorage and Nagasaki in the coming weeks.
EX-HALT EMPLOYEES FIND NEW CAREER WITH PPDC?
June 12, 2015
Rumours have emerged that William Lennox and Robert Epps, who last month resigned as the commanding officers of the Human-Autobot Liaison Team, have been recruited by the Pan-Pacific Defence Corps as pilot candidates for the first line of combat-ready Jaegers, to be deployed in the near future.
Says a high-ranking source in the PPDC: "Major Lennox and Captain Epps have been training alongside other candidates from all around the world to become Jaeger pilots. They volunteered – we didn't headhunt them at all."
Such a rumour would explain the shock departure of Lennox and Epps from HALT last month.
HALT and the PPDC were contacted for comment, but both declined to release a statement.
PUTIN UNVEILS NEW JAEGER
August 1, 2015
Officials and dignitaries of the Pan-Pacific Defence Corps and its member nations gathered at the Jaeger assembly facility on Kodiak Island this morning as Russian President Vladimir Putin launched 'Cherno Alpha', the first in a new line of 'Mark 1' Jaegers.
"We are thankful for the support the Russian Federation has provided in sponsoring Cherno Alpha, the pride of our new Jaeger fleet," the PPDC said in a statement. "Cherno Alpha is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to combat the kaiju, and under the control of its highly skilled pilots, will be a force to be reckoned with."
Cherno Alpha – from the Slavic deity 'Chernobog' – will be piloted by married couple Sasha and Aleksis Kaidonvosky. Former prison guards, they were recommended to the Jaeger program by the Kremlin after their history of exemplary performances in quelling prison riots.
The new Jaeger will be stationed in Kodiak Island until the Vladivostok Jaeger Facility is completed early next year. Further Jaegers will be launched weekly for the rest of the month.
SEVENTH KAIJU EMERGES FROM PORTAL!
August 6, 2015
A Kaiju Alert has been issued for Eastern Asia after the Pan-Pacific Defence Corps detected activity in the portal in the Marianas Trench.
'The kaiju is heading north-west, and is expected to cross the coast anywhere from Vietnam to the east coast of Russia,' said a Kaiju Watch report. 'All significant population centres in the affected areas are advised to prepare for imminent evacuation.'
More to come.
The waters of the Korea Strait glistened a stunning blue in the late-morning sun as two Jaegers were transported overhead, flying rapidly towards the South Korean city of Busan, where they would engage the latest kaiju – designated 'Thunderhead'.
These Jaegers were the prototype, Brawler Yukon, and the first of the Mark 1s: Cherno Alpha.
Alpha, number one. For Cherno Alpha was the first true Jaeger, an advance in every regard over the prototype. Where Brawler Yukon was squat, bulky and unwieldy, Cherno was tall, much more humanoid and streamlined, and oozed raw power. Brawler Yukon barely looked like it could walk, let alone fight a kaiju, but Cherno's design matched its purpose – a kaiju killer. A matte green paint scheme further evoked military efficiency.
Unlike Brawler, the nuclear reactor was incorporated into the body, in a large reactor tower that formed the upper torso and head of the Jaeger. The main point of similarity with the prototype was the conn-pod, which was again located in the chest. It was a safe position, but like Brawler, meant that no escape pods were able to be installed.
It was in this Conn-Pod that Rangers Sasha and Aleksis Kaidonovsky stood, hooked in to Cherno's control apparatus, with their stomachs churning uncontrollably as the full reality of the situation hit home.
They were about to fight a real-life kaiju, not a simulated one. Death was a distinct possibility, but they owed it to the people they would be protecting to put themselves at risk. Without them, death was practically a certainty to millions of others.
Busan was now visible on the horizon. They were close. But if K-Watch was correct, so was the kaiju.
Aleksis scanned the horizon carefully, but couldn't see any hulking grey mass that would identify the kaiju, or the rising smoke that would likewise indicate that it had already made landfall.
"Can't see the target," he said over the comm. "Where is it, LOCCENT?"
LOCCENT – short for Local Command Centre – was the designation given to mission command back at Kodiak Island. For this mission, it consisted of Jasper, Jolt, Ratchet and Lars.
"Not much closer than you," was Ratchet's reply. "It's slowed down in the shallower water just off the coast, which should allow you to intercept it at the mouth of the harbour."
The HUD projected on the conn-pod viewscreen displayed a pulsing yellow circle at the harbour's mouth.
"Water depth is about thirty-metres," Ratchet continued, "but that shouldn't affect your manoeuvrability too much. Get some good hits in, will you?"
Sergio's laugh was a rush of static over the comm. "That's almost a joke, Ratchet. You must be in a good mood."
"It's the best I've felt when a kaiju's around," Ratchet said. "If this goes anything like Vancouver, then you – and the rest of us - have got nothing to worry about."
Aleksis grimaced. No pressure…
"E.T.A: five minutes," Jolt chimed in. "Providing the kaiju continues at its present speed, you'll be dropping in between it and the city. Remember, Cherno, you're taking point. Brawler is still relying on the external power pack, and is only on support. All confirm?"
"Confirm," echoed the pilots.
"Good, and good luck."
The communications channel closed, and Sasha and Aleksis were left with nothing but the healthy hum of Cherno's nuclear reactor as it idled, ready to be called into action to power the great green behemoth it resided in.
It was an awkward silence; both Sasha and Aleksis were too nervous to talk. They'd trained for this moment for months, true, but nothing could ever prepare you for the knowledge that you were actually about to fight a kaiju - for real.
"There he is!" Caitlin announced suddenly, breaking the silence.
The ocean at their ten o'clock churned and frothed as the kaiju emerged, water streaming off its powerful body. It was a strange-looking kaiju; a torso like a man, thick and broad, but a small and boned head on top of it. Six limbs, two at the part of its body, serpentine and scaled, but four where the arms might have been, long, thick looking limbs that ended in large, armored knobs that Aleksis guessed were likely to cause serious damage to a Jaeger were they to make contact.
The kaiju was advancing slowly on Busan, and they quickly overtook it. But just before it disappeared out of his field of view, Aleksis swore it looked up at Cherno.
He gulped. Fear was beginning to turn into panic, but with an exorbitant amount of concentration, he repressed his primal response. The kaiju had to actually hit the Jaeger to cause damage. That wouldn't be allowed to happen.
"LOCCENT, target visual confirmed," Sergio said, as the dropships stopped their forward movement and turned so the Jaegers were facing the kaiju. "We're ready for the neural handshake."
"Affirmative, Rangers," Lars answered. "Initiating neural handshake in fifteen seconds … fourteen … thirteen …"
Aleksis looked at Sasha. Despite her expression of grim determination, her face was quite pale. "You ready?" he asked in Russian.
"As much as I'll ever be," Sasha muttered, her eyes fixed straight ahead. "Let's get this bastard."
"... two … one."
The familiar wave of blue crashed over Aleksis as the PONS connected his brain to his wife's. He saw her childhood - he felt her childhood, her struggles and triumphs, her periods of resentment and contentment. He felt her. But he also felt Cherno Alpha. The cold strength of her metal armour, with the fiery furnace of nuclear fission contained within. He felt powerful.
"Cherno Alpha: neural handshake strong and holding; left and right hemispheres are calibrated. Brawler Yukon: neural handshake strong and holding; left and right hemispheres are calibrated," Lars reported.
"Excellent," said Ratchet. "Jaegers, you are in position and are good for engagement."
Cherno shuddered as the tow cables were released from its shoulders. Sasha and Aleksis' stomachs lurched as Cherno fell freely for several seconds, before hitting the water with a tremendous crash, their legs immediately giving way as they felt the force of impact against Cherno's own.
As Sasha and Aleksis steadied themselves, they surveyed the scene.
Brawler Yukon, with the dropship carrying its external power pack hovering close by, was about three hundred metres to their right. Thunderhead was about five hundred metres in front of them, watching them closely, as if unsure of what to do. The city behind them must pose a tempting target, but to get to it, it would need to go through them.
It didn't take Thunderhead long to decide that the risk of a fight was worth the potential reward. After several minutes spent looking back and forth between the two Jaegers, sizing them up, it let out a blood-curdling roar and charged straight at Cherno.
"Get ready, Cherno, this is for real!" Caitlin shouted. "Keep him occupied, and we'll flank him and try and get some of those arms under control."
Neither Sasha nor Aleksis responded verbally. Instead, they moved Cherno back a few steps and braced themselves as Thunderhead continued to make a beeline straight for them, tremendous waves crashing around his body as he moved frighteningly fast in the waist-high water.
Instinctual memories of defensive combat training emerged in the drift. Without thinking, they moved into a position that would allow them to block and redirect a blow from the kaiju.
Of course, their combat training had assumed the kaiju only had two arms.
Thunderhead was extremely close now – close enough to make out its four, large eyes – and had raised several of its arms in preparation for a strike.
WHAM
The kaiju was knocked aside courtesy of a shoulder-charge from Brawler. A great spray of water was thrown into the air as Thunderhead hit the surface, obscuring both it and Brawler from view. By the time the mist had cleared, Brawler had tackled Thunderhead and had two of its arms in a restraining lock.
"Go for it, Cherno!" Caitlin shouted.
Sasha and Aleksis didn't need telling twice. It was their turn to charge, their legs burning as they forced them to move against the PONS-simulated weight of the water.
Caitlin and Sergio's grunts of exertion were coming in over the comm. "Quickly! We can't hold it!"
Sasha and Aleksis pushed the Jaeger to its limits. They were a hundred metres way - eighty - fifty. Without thinking, they raised their right arms, curling the hand into a fist, ready to slog the kaiju right in the face.
But then Thunderhead wrenched its arms free of Brawler's grip, and quickly turned and shoved the Jaeger away. This time it was Brawler that went sprawling, ocean foam quickly hiding it from view.
"Abort, abort!" Caitlin screamed.
But they were too close now. Cherno's torso twisted slightly, adding more momentum to the punch. The green, metal fist came swinging in – only for several of Thunderhead's arms to collide with Cherno's reactor tower with a bone-shaking clang.
Searing pain flared in Aleksis' head - pain unlike anything he'd ever felt before, and thanks to the PONS, he was feeling it twice over as Sasha also felt the powerful impact of the kaiju's blow.
They staggered back, thrown off balance. The kaiju quickly took advantage of their weakened position, leaping straight for them and gripping Cherno in a deadly embrace. Metal groaned as the kaiju slowly but surely tightened its grip. Warnings popped up on Cherno's HUD, indicating that the forces the kaiju was applying were fast approaching tolerable levels.
All of their confidence evaporated in an instant.
'What do we do, what do we do?' Aleksis' mind was in a panic, and Sasha's wasn't much better. They needed ideas, and needed them fast.
Aleksis desperately searched for some sort of memory – his or Sasha's, he didn't care – from their past few months of training. He found one of Caitlin lecturing in a room. That would have to do. He and Sasha latched on to it.
Immediately, all other sounds dimmed, as if someone had turned down the volume on the television. Instead, Caitlin's voice from the lecture was as clear and crisp as a recording.
"Random Access Brain Impulse Trigger," she was saying. "RABIT for short."
Suddenly, Aleksis realised that he felt a lot less uncomfortable. Looking down, he saw that he was no longer in his drive suit, but was dressed in the formal PDDC ranger uniform.
"Cherno? Cherno, can you hear me?" Sergio's voice sounded in his ear, but like the rest of the world, it sounded very faint. "Sasha, Aleksis, you need to concentrate on my voice!"
Aleksis looked around; he and Sasha were no longer even in the Jaeger, but were sitting with the other pilots in the room where Caitlin was delivering her lecture.
"Shit! LOCCENT, Cherno's chasing the –"
Sergio's voice abruptly cut out, allowing Aleksis to focus fully on Caitlin's lecture.
"…full-blown recollections of memories, not the dim impressions that you normally see in the drift," she was saying. "We think they're triggered when you focus on a memory in the drift instead of letting it pass you by."
'Is that what's happening now?'
Sasha wondered. 'This has already happened… hasn't it?'
'I think so,'
Aleksis agreed. 'We were in the Jaeger, and now we're here…what were we doing?'
'Fighting a kaiju and losing…and trying to think of something to get us out of this mess.'
'This isn't helping. Can you think of anything else?'
'Maybe.'
A moment later, the scene changed; instead of sitting and listening to Caitlin's lecture, they were standing in the combat room, watching as Sideswipe's holomatter human avatar explained the methodology behind the various martial arts they would be learning as part of their training.
"You are not fighting against your partner," the Autobot's avatar said sternly. "You are fighting with them. The aim of these exercises is not to determine who is the better fighter. The aim is to attune your movements with the other's. In the drift, you move as one. Here," he added, gesturing around the combat room, "you move as one too. It is not enough to merely anticipate your partner's movements. You must know what their movements are with absolute certainty.
"Drift compatibility does not stop the moment you disengage from the PONS. It is a permanent state of the subconscious. That is why you will be training here. To exercise that subconscious link like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it -."
All of a sudden, Aleksis felt himself being pulled away, as if he were being sucked up into a vacuum cleaner. The combat room shrank rapidly into nothingness - a nothingness full of pain. He gripped his head in his hands and screamed, though he heard nothing. He reached out, hoping to find the comforting warmth of Sasha's mind, but found nothing but a cold, empty void. Cherno was gone too; his mind was alone.
Eventually, though, the pain began to fade, and now that he was able to focus properly he realised that he was back in the Jaeger.
'Drift sequence terminated,' intoned Teletraan, who was installed as the onboard AI. 'Would you like to try again?'
Sasha was to his right, breathing heavily and looking somewhat confused.
The kaiju!
With a start, Aleksis' quickly focused his attention on the view outside the conn-pod, but instead of the mottled grey hide of the kaiju's underside, he saw only the frothing waters of the ocean. The kaiju was nowhere to be seen.
Caitlin's voice crackled over the comm. "Cherno, you back with us?
"Yes," Sasha replied shakily. "What was that?"
"You chased the RABIT. Kaiju jumped you, but we managed to get it off. It's given us the slip and is heading north again. We're following it. You guys stay here for a couple more minutes and relax a bit first."
"Roger that, Brawler," Sasha sighed. "See you soon." She closed the channel.
"That went well," Aleksis muttered in Russian.
Sasha snorted and switched to Russian as well. "If you had listened to them when they said to abort -"
"Oh, it's my fault is it?"
"It wasn't my decision to keep charging!"
"We were drifting; how could you tell?"
"I just know."
"Bullshit."
The comm. crackled to life once more. "Sasha, Aleksis – glad to have you back with us." It was Ratchet.
Sasha shot Aleksis a withering glare before relying. "Glad to be back with you too, LOCCENT," she said wearily.
"Sorry about the pain. Teletraan's designed to cut your PONS connection at the first sign of trouble. Painful, but at least you're alive. Remember your training: don't latch on to the memories next time."
"Will do," Sasha acknowledged, rolling her eyes as she ended the connection. "Idiot. I think I know how to drift."
"Clearly we don't," was Aleksis' snide reply.
Brawler's shadow momentarily obscured the sun as the Jaeger flew overhead, once again suspended from the dropships. But all Sasha and Aleksis could do was watch forlornly as it disappeared over the horizon.
Another awkward silence ensued, but this time a frosty one. They'd trained for combat for months, yet as soon as they had faced a real, live kaiju, they'd completely forgotten their training. It was incredibly humiliating.
Mutual glares were exchanged as the support crew reattached the tow cables, and they were soon in the air once more.
They stewed in their anger for the next couple of hours as the Jaeger continued northward. Both disengaged their legs from the Jaeger's control apparatus, allowing them to groan in relief with a much-needed stretch. If only they didn't need specialised equipment to be completely unhooked from the 'marionette strings' that dictated their range of movement!
Hunger and thirst grew as the hours marched on, but both were satiated by ration packs stored in a chilled compartment suspended within an arm's reach between the two of them. Nature's call, on the other hand, was only answered thanks to adult nappies (a contentious decision that had been fiercely debated by the rangers until PPDC management had finally told them that the installation of toilets in a Jaeger's conn-pod was not feasible, so they should all shut up and make a sacrifice for the greater good).
It was hardly the most pleasant of journeys.
Morning turned into afternoon, and afternoon swiftly into evening. Still the Jaeger travelled on, with only periodic reports of the kaiju's movements providing any break from the monotony. It had continued north ever since Busan, and K-Watch was currently expecting it to make landfall again at Vladivostok.
The kaiju was threatening the Motherland.
"That kaiju does not take a single step on Mother Russia's land," Sasha vowed. "We die before that happens, yes?"
"Yes," Aleksis replied without a sliver of doubt. America, the Philippines, Mexico, Australia, Canada … all had been weak. Cherno Alpha would ensure that Russia remained strong.
Brawler, weighing less than Cherno, and also slightly more aerodynamic, had increased its lead to a good twenty minutes by the time it finally caught up with the kaiju. The Jaeger had once again been deployed between the kaiju and the coast, and there were fears that it would once again attempt to make a run for it. The Aerialbots had been summoned for such an eventuality, as both Jaeger crews were extremely fatigued, and were not able to give chase once more.
Caitlin and Sergio's fatigue was very evident even over the comm. All Sasha and Aleksis could do was listen to the pilots' grunts of exertion and the faint sounds of beastly roars and clanging metal that continued to persist. The fight dragged on for 5 minutes, 10, 15 … It was obvious that the kaiju had now chosen to fight, but unlike the previous one, was no pushover.
But Caitlin and Sergio fought on, even crying out in triumph as they, on a couple of occasions, actually managed to cripple one of the beast's arms. If only they could hang on for another few minutes! Then Cherno would be there to help, and LOCCENT also predicted that the Aerialbots would reach them not too long afterwards.
The fight continued, and was now visible from Cherno's conn-pod thanks to Brawler's lights, and the floodlights from the support dropships that hovered around them. Sasha and Aleksis could just about make out Thunderhead; his grey hide covered in fluorescent blue, bloody splotches, and one arm bent at an odd angle.
"Rangers, prepare for neural handshake!" came Lars' weary voice. "Fifteen … fourteen … thirteen …"
"This time we'll get it," Sasha murmured softly.
"No running away this time," Aleksis agreed.
"Five … four … three … two … one."
Blue enveloped Aleksis' mind, and when it cleared he could immediately feel his wife's fatigue entwined with his, and the healthy hum of Cherno's reactor.
They quickly calibrated hemispheres, confirmed the handshake was holding, and readied to drop.
But just before they did, a huge cascade of sparks erupted from Brawler as the kaiju severed the Jaeger's power cable. Caitlin and Sergio's screams of pain were abruptly cut off as the Jaeger sagged immediately, its lights blinking out. The dropship carrying the now useless power core hovered uncertainly for several moments, before withdrawing to the east.
Brawler was now completely vulnerable, and the kaiju knew it. It leapt upon Brawler as it had with Cherno earlier, battering the Jaeger with its remaining good arms with frightening enthusiasm.
"Drop, drop, drop!" Sasha practically shouted. Cherno hit the waves below mere seconds later, sending a thunderous crash through the water that immediately attracted the kaiju's attention.
They wasted no time, beginning to charge towards the Kaiju. The creature snarled, turning towards Cherno as it focused on this new threat.
The creature tensed, and Sasha idly recognized the movement as the same one it had made only a few hours beforehand, preparing to suddenly snap its limbs forwards. Having not enjoyed the experience last time, and more prepared this time, they opted for a feint, drawing an arm back in preparation for a punch just as they had last time.
The creature took the bait. Spikes deployed from Cherno's feet and dug into the sea floor just as the creature's arms snapped forwards, slowing the Jaeger just enough that the kaiju's mace-like arms fell short. Over-extended and wounded, it wasn't able to react in time to stop Cherno from bringing the hand down to bat its arms out of the way. They immediately followed up, stepping forwards and lashing out with an uppercut with the other hand, which slammed into the creature's face with a sound like the booming of thunder.
The kaiju reared back with a screech, flailing. Aleksis saw its eyes roll in their sockets, the signature of a concussion.
"Follow through!" Sasha shouted, and Cherno did. They reached out at the flailing limbs, grabbing the one on the same side as the already broken limb. One hand closed the wrist, the thin part at the base of the mace, while another grabbed at the shoulder. Cherno pulled, and the Jaeger's prodigious weight did the rest. Kaiju bone, thicker than trees and more durable than most metals, snapped like a twig.
The kaiju shrieked in pain, and lashed out at Cherno's side. The poor angle, concussion, and lack of coordination weakened the strikes, though it still hurt. Gritting their teeth, Sasha and Aleksis ignored the pain. The fight was practically over, and the kaiju knew it. It was lashing out in desperation.
Then, all of a sudden, a long, thin red blue dropped out of the sky, carving a path straight down the kaiju's left flank. The kaiju let out a truly unearthly howl of pain as it recoiled from Cherno, falling backwards into the ocean with a splash.
The red blur hovered in the air briefly before abruptly disappearing, only to be replaced by harsh, white spotlights that burst from the Autobot's body. It was Superion, the combined form of the Aerialbots. Sleek and silver, and about half the size of the kaiju and Brawler Yukon, he held some sort of blade in his hand, its length stained the bright blue of kaiju blood.
The kaiju wobbled as it regained its balance; Superion's spotlights illuminated the cauterised stumps where its left arms had been.
"Looks like you guys didn't need my help," Superion boomed in amusement. "Want to finish this in style?"
Sasha and Aleksis glanced at each other and managed a tired grin. They gave Superion a thumbs-up.
"Excellent," Superion said, before retreating back to what looked to be a couple of kilometres away - only to turn around and fly straight back at the kaiju, dozens of thrusters propelling him forward.
A cone of cloud flared around his torso and a subsequent boom echoed through Cherno's conn-pod as the Autobot shoulder-charged the kaiju at Mach 2.5. Ribs cracked, lungs were punctured, and the kaiju stumbled backwards - and straight into Cherno's waiting arms.
Thunderhead briefly felt cold metal encircle its neck and twist, before it felt no more.
Cherno unceremoniously lobbed Thunderhead's head onto the beach a few hundred metres to its left.
"LOCCENT, target is neutralised," Sasha said, breathing heavily. "It's dead."
The Vladivostok shoreline was bustling with activity over the next few hours. Large lights had been set up on the beach, all focussed on the rotting carcass of Thunderhead, which had been hauled from the water by Cherno shortly before it and the disabled Brawler Yukon had been airlifted back to Kodiak Island.
The Aerialbots had quickly recovered Caitlin and Sergio from their Jaeger, and had flown them to hospital as a precaution. Sasha and Aleksis had been given well-deserved luxury accommodation in the city.
But as the Rangers recovered from their ordeal, the Aerialbots remained alert; there was plenty of work to do.
Everything in a one kilometre radius from the fight zone had been designated a biohazard area, and thanks to the kaiju's blood, was now the most toxic place on Earth, along with the coast off Busan. Already, dead fish and other marine animals were washing up on the shore. The ecological toll that Thunderhead would inflict, even in death, would be massive.
As the only organisms on the planet with even a remote chance of surviving amongst the kaiju blood, the Aerialbots had busied themselves with the containment of the substance. A rudimentary dam had been constructed, preventing the blood oozing from the corpse from washing out to sea, where it would be more difficult to clean up.
Thunderhead's corpse itself was already in an advanced state of decomposition, despite the few hours that had elapsed since Cherno had delivered the killer blow. Bones were exposed, as well as the secondary brain, which was quickly rotting away. Deprived of their sustenance, kaiju skin parasites were detaching from the cadaver and dropping to the sand below in an attempt to find a new host.
Most didn't get far.
"Ugh," grunted Slingshot as a parasite exploded underfoot, its blue guts spraying everywhere. "These things are disgusting."
"Don't step on them then," Breakaway replied absently as he carefully scanned the sand. His arms were configured as small firearms, and he periodically fired off a round, instantly vapourising his targets.
"But it's fun!" Slingshot declared, stomping on another unfortunate parasite. "In a disgusting, satisfying way."
"Leave at least one alive, please," Jetfire called down at them. He was standing atop Thunderhead's skull collecting a bone sample. "I'd like to study one before it dies. Ratchet said they don't survive long."
"No promises," Slingshot grinned. Squish.
"Well, Jetfire?" Silverbolt asked, swooping down to hover in front of the Autobot scientist. "What've you found?"
Jetfire shrugged helplessly. "I've only really managed to confirm everything that Ratchet said about these creatures. They decompose ridiculously fast. I mean, look at it!" He gestured at the corpse; as he did, a huge chunk of flesh detached from the spine and fell into the chest cavity.
Silverbolt winced. "Know why?"
"As best I can tell – and this is Ratchet's theory too – it's as if their soft tissues are actually designed to break down when no vital functions are detected. And…" he hesitated briefly before continuing, "Given this bone sample, I'm actually inclined to think that they are designed. "
Silverbolt groaned. "Scrap," he swore. "Ratchet was right? Genetically –"
"Genetically, this one is identical to all the others," Jetfire nodded. "They're all clones. Every single one of them."
Author note: Sorry for the wait again with this one, folks. It's been a pretty rubbish 18 months for us all hasn't it? So, the first appearance of Cherno Alpha! She will play a big role in the future, as will Superion, obviously. Keep Kaori in mind too; we will be returning to her next chapter.
Replies to reviews:
Crys: She definitely did get arrested! How she got let off and entered the Jaeger program will be explored next chapter.
LaPucelle08: Thanks!
MatbeK01: Hopefully you got your wish with this chapter!
Carlom2408: Thanks! We've got no plans to introduce the Dinobots at this stage unfortunately. We've planned out a few original kaiju, including names, but haven't had to use any of them yet. We've got a few creative ones that we're looking forward to showing though!