Pacific Rim is copyright to Warner Bros. and Legendary
Sailor Moon is Copyright to Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation, licensed by Dic Entertainment, Cloverway, and Viz Media
After her traumatic fight against Knifehead, Serena left the Jaeger team, having lost the will to continue to fight. This was only the beginning of the Jaeger program's woes though. Five years after Gipsy Moon's last fight, we see Darien, Trista, Mina, and Michelle in a conference with about 9 UN (United Nations) representatives from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and several other nations who are in conference with the others through monitors. The conference was being held in the Anchorage Shatterdome where Gipsy Moon was once housed, on the closing day of the Shatterdome. The US representative explains the situation.
US UN Rep: The Kaiju are learning our defenses. They're adapting, evolving, and we're losing Jaeger suits faster than we can build them.
We then see destroyed remains of several Jaeger suits. First is that of Horizon Neptune. Thankfully, Michelle survived the aftermath with only minor injuries. Other Jaeger operators were not as fortunate though.
US UN Rep: Lima.
Next we see wreckage of Romeo V. Mina had been reassigned to another Mark 1 Jaeger suit, Coyote Venus. The unnamed replacement operator of Romeo V was killed instantly.
US UN Rep: Seattle.
Finally, we see wreckage of a third, unknown Mark 1 Jaeger suit. The operator of this jaeger was forced to retire due to a combination of serious injuries and radiation sickness since the Mark 1 Jaeger suits did not have sufficient shielding against the radiation from the nuclear reactors that powered them.
US UN Rep: Vladivostok.
Back to the conference room.
US UN Rep: Category 4 Kaijus are now coming through the Breach. I think even you can see Marshal; this is no longer a sound strategy. The frequency of the attacks has increased. The Jaeger suits are not the most viable line of defense anymore.
Darien: I am aware. Those are my women that die or are retired every time a Jaeger suit falls, which is why I'm asking for one last chance-
UK UN Rep: Excuse me Marshall.
Darien: -one final assault with everything we've got.
UK UN Rep: Excuse me Marshall! Listen to me! The Jaeger Program is dead, Marshall. On the other hand, the Coastal Wall Program is a promising option.
US UN Rep: The world appreciates all that you and your women have done, but it's over. We will authorize you to take all remaining Jaeger suits to the last battle station, Hong Kong. We've prepared to fund you for the next eight months while the coastal wall is completed. After that, you'll receive no further support.
Canadian UN Rep: You have your answer Marshall.
All the screens switch off, ending the conference. We see the emotional responses of Darien, Mina, Michelle and Trista from the decision that the UN Reps have made regarding the Jaeger program. Trista seems to be taking it the hardest, while Michelle and Darien are surprisingly calm about it.
Trista: So that's it? It's over?
Michelle: Suits and tie, dashing smiles. That's all they are Darien.
Mina opens a small metal container she took out of her pocket and takes a pill from inside the container and puts it in her mouth.
Mina: (to Michelle) We don't need them, (turns to Darien) right Darien?
Darien: (nods) Agreed.
Later on, we find that rather than return to her home city of Tokyo, Serena, now about 40 years old, was now working at a Raptor Conservation Center in Sitka, Alaska. Here she has been studying about various birds of prey, like bald eagles, ravens, and hawks, as well raising some specimens and prepping them to be released into the wild. While she seems okay with this new line of work she is at outwardly, deep down Serena was depressed. Yes, she was doing her part in saving the world, but this job just didn't seem to give her that driving motive that she used to get from her years as a Sailor Scout. Indeed she would love to be part of that driving motive yet again, but the trauma she suffered from her fight against Knifehead 5 years, 4 months before had severely barred her from returning to the Jaeger Program. While Serena was sorting some paperwork regarding her observations with the birds of prey in the facility's care, something on the television catches her attention.
Australian News Reporter: I'm here in Sydney, where earlier today, yet another Kaiju attack occurred. The Kaiju, an enormous Category 4, broke through the coastal wall in less than hour.
We see news footage of a new Kaiju, codenamed Mutavore appear to effortlessly break through a large steel and concrete wall which rose just outside the port of Sydney. Mutavore is described as having a large hook like curve above her head and a long crescent shaped chin, with 3 eyes on each side of her face with her mouth placed near the top of her head. She also has large, ax shaped structures protruding out her back, along with large, muscular arms with two long claws on the end of each arm, as well as human like legs similar to those seen on Knifehead, and two smaller, insect like arms in the middle of her 4 larger limbs. She bellows like a Sauropod as she makes her way into the city.
Australian News Reporter: The Wall of Life had been deemed unbreachable by its builders.
Unnamed Coworker: Why the hell are they even building those things?!
Another one of Serena's coworkers and long time best friend, Molly Baker, a young woman who was slightly taller than Serena, with shoulder length orange hair and dark bluish green eyes, is clearly awestruck by the news footage shown on TV.
Molly: (with a distinct Brooklyn accent) Tha-that thing went through that wall like it was nothing.
Australian News Reporter: Ironically it was the recently decommissioned Jaeger Suit, Striker Mercury, worn and operated by Amy Mizuno that finally took the beast down.
The news footage then shows Striker Mercury, who is mostly camo green in color with more angular body panels and helmet than those seen on Gipsy Moon, quickly engage in combat with Mutavore. She throws a right handed uppercut at Mutavore's lower jaw, followed by a left handed uppercut, which knocks Mutavore into a building. Mutavore and Striker Mercury then sidestep each other as Mutavore now tries to grapple with Striker Mercury. While doing so, Mutavore then tries to go after Striker Mercury's helmet, but the Jaeger Suited Giantess was just too quick for her, as she easily intercepts Mutavore's left claw with a right handed backhand and then throws a right handed cross that knocks the Kaiju away. Striker Mercury then places her arms down at her sides, with her forearms parallel to the ground and palms of her clenched fists facing upwards. As she does this, her chest panels open up to reveal a chest mounted six barrel missile launcher which fires one missile from each barrel at Mutavore. The missiles explode as they crash into the Kaiju's head and neck. Mutavore lets out some cries as the first four missiles explode and then a loud groan when the last two explode and then collapses backwards onto the city streets. We hear a few car alarms wailing as the ground shakes briefly, but violently from the impact. The news video then shows Amara being interviewed by the reporter. After Serena left the Jaeger Suit Program, Amy Mizuno, a somewhat small young lady with short, dark blue hair and matching eye color, assumed the position as leader of the Sailor Jaegers throughout her absence. Amara was reassigned as the crew chief for Striker Mercury with Michelle as her co-crew chief sometime after Tacit Uranus and Horizon Neptune were destroyed.
Amara: Look, they [the United Nations] pulled the plug on the Jaeger Program because of mediocre fighters, it's that simple. That's Striker Mercury's 10th kill to date, it's a new record.
Australian News Reporter: Are you willing to go to Hong Kong, even at a time like this?
Amara: Well orders are orders. What else are we supposed to do?
Raptor Center PA: Will Serena Tsukino please report to the front lobby?
We see a black Cadillac Escalade EX pull up near the front entrance of the building. Darien, along with Luna and Artemis exit the vehicle from the right hand side and make their way into the front entryway doors leading the front lobby. Serena had just reported to the front lobby like was instructed by the PA, wondering why she was asked to do so in the first place. She quickly finds out when she sees Darien and the two cats enter the front lobby. Upon seeing them, Serena begins to look somewhat perky.
Darien: Ms. Tsukino.
Serena: Marshall, looking sharp.
Darien: Long time.
Serena: Five years, four months.
Luna: May we have a word?
Serena then takes Darien and the two cats into her work station.
Serena: Right this way.
Darien: Took us a while to find you. Anchorage, Sheldon Point, Nome..
Serena: Yeah well, a girl in my position, helping to save the world one bird at a time. What do you want?
Luna: We have spent the last 6 months activating everything we could get our hands on. There's an old Jaeger Suit, a Mark III. You may know it, needs an operator.
Serena's perky attitude suddenly goes back to being depressed again.
Serena: I take it I wasn't your first choice?
Artemis: You were our first choice. All the other Mark III fighters were either dead or unfit to fight again.
Serena: Look…. I can't have another brush with death again. I'm done. I had a panic attack after my last fight, and I saw my whole life flash before my eyes. I can't go through that again, I'm sorry.
She starts to walk away, but Darien is quick to grab her attention once more.
Darien: Haven't you heard Ms. Tsukino? The world is coming to an end. So where would you rather see yours end? Here, or in a Jaeger Suit?
With those last few words, Darien was finally able to persuade Serena to go back to the Jaeger Program with him and the two cats.
End of Chapter
