A blond man sat quietly on a jut of rocks, snow lightly falling over him. He was looking over the sea, his eyes large and reflecting the water ahead. He listened to the sound of waves hitting the shore amidst the dark night sky, and this was a sight he was used to seeing. Raleigh was quite adapted to the cold by now, and it hardly bothered him. It had been months since Operation Pitfall, where he moved back to Alaska to be alone. What was once a life of fighting and action was now one of... nothing. He got a job as a welder three months ago, picking up gigs whenever he could and living off of cheap food from the market. Ever since he left the Shatterdome, he tried his best to remove himself from the friends he had made. Eventually, he stopped responding to calls from Tendo, Herc, and Mako, making him a bit of a mystery to the others.
Raleigh watched the water churn deep out in the ocean, and he kept his eyes fixated there. The full moon cast a dull light across the freezing water, highlighting the strange churning movement. Raleigh could have sworn he heard faint voices, furrowing his eyebrows as he tried to listen in. Alas, he was all alone, so it must have been his imagination. The water began to lightly bubble, and for some reason, he stood up. There was something in his mind telling him to keep looking, and that's what he did. A quiet thud came from beneath the water's surface, causing slight ripples to show. Raleigh blinked quickly. Then, another thud, somewhat louder than the first. The blond man couldn't keep his eyes away, even though his heart rate picked up.
Another thud, and more ripples. They were getting louder, though not closer together. The water began to shake and lap, thudding coming from below. Something big was coming, and it was going straight toward him. As soon as Raleigh had a chance to gasp, the fingertips of a large, blue-gray hand broke the water's surface. It came out slowly, water trickling from its fingers. The hand reached out toward the sand, digging its fingers into the ground. Raleigh took a few steps back as a massive figure followed through, lights shining from its body. The mangled body of a robot began crawling toward the shore on its hands and knees, black smoke rising from its broken metal plating.
"Holy shit," Raleigh muttered, fear taking over his eyes.
The machine plunged its hands into the sand some more, knocking particles into the air and emitting loud booms. It crawled forward enough until sparks flew from its broken visor, snow piling on its back. Halfway out of the water, its metal groaned and creaked as it crashed down into the sand, shaking Raleigh from his position several feet away. Smoke and sparks flew into the air, the sound of a turbine slowing down following suit. The blond man stared in shock, not knowing what he witnessed. He chose to watch on from afar, too afraid to go closer. Even in the dark of night, the moon reflected on the robot to outline some of its features. Raleigh didn't want to believe what he was seeing.
"Gipsy...?" he questioned, feeling stupid for thinking his former Jaeger could just appear out of the ocean.
Suddenly, a hatch blew off the Jaeger's Conn-Pod, startling the blond man. He clutched himself tightly, glaring forward into the snowy sky. The sound of heavy shoes against metal lightly traveled through the air, and a figure began rising out of the hole left by the hatch. Raleigh could see puffs of air coming from the figure's nose and mouth with every breath, the mysterious person shaking his head to get rid of the snow build-up. The figure looked around for a moment before locking eyes with the blond man, and a small laugh broke out from atop the Jaeger.
"Hey, kid, you like being inside my head?" the figure asked, moonlight shining down on him.
Raleigh unclutched himself, standing fully erect. He breathed slowly, opening his eyelids farther apart to reveal his large pupils. As if controlled by another force, he took a step forward toward the Jaeger, then another. His shoes crinkled through the snow with every step, keeping his eyes locked on the smiling figure.
"What's wrong, kid? You happy to see me?" the person asked.
Raleigh positioned himself next to the Jaeger and continued to look up.
"You're... my brother..." he said quietly.
And he was. Yancy stood tall and proud atop Gipsy's Conn-Pod, laughing loudly into the dark Alaskan night. Smoke swirled around him, and snow trickled onto his clothes.
But then, Yancy blurred a little, and his laugh sounded funny. He became distorted and difficult to see, as if he were going through a long tube...
Raleigh quickly sat up, clutching his hand to the back of his head. The covers of his bed draped down his chest and around his waist, and he let out a groan. He turned to his alarm clock: 5:45 AM. The room was small and dark, illuminated only by the moonlight filtering through the window shades. This was the second time he had woken up tonight, the first dream being similar to this one. They were so surreal, and it hurt his heart whenever reality sat in that they were only visions.
Raleigh's eyes moved toward his home phone, about as cheap of a model as he could find. The display screen noted a missed call from 3:15 AM attached to a strange number, one he wasn't familiar with. The blond man sighed and shuffled to the edge of his bed, looking at the screen curiously. Why would somebody call in the middle of the night, and how did he sleep through it? He brought his hand forward and selected a button on the display, allowing the phone to relay the message.
"You have one missed call from..." the phone beeped, allowing the caller to chime in. "Hey, Raleigh. I know you don't wanna talk with us, and you blocked our numbers. That's why I'm calling from a different phone. Listen... We're worried about you, bud. Wherever you are, somewhere in Alaska, we need you. We're gettin' the Jaegers back together, man. Newt and Hermann, they found... We just need you, Raleigh. You mean a lot to us, and we miss you. Look, I know it's late, but give this number a call back if you, uh, if you wanna talk. Take care."
The phone beeped again at the end of the message. Raleigh rubbed the bridge of his nose, recognizing the voice as Tendo. He took a deep breath, then settled back into the covers. Something just hurt thinking about the Shatterdome, his brother, Mako, and his beloved Gipsy. Right now, he was too tired to think about the message. Besides, which Jaegers would even be coming together? They were all destroyed, either completely vaporized or resting on the ocean floor. Perhaps it was a year-old message that, for some reason, got released to his phone now. That thought seemed to calm his mind, and he shifted to his back. Maybe some day, the dreams would end... The calls would end... The fear would end...
Herc had a strange habit of going for a trip when Chuck came to his mind. Even though his son could be a jerk, they still held a strong bond. Herc missed him every day, and he'd often stroll down the beach with Max or go into Hong Kong to ease his dread. This time, he had climbed into a small, wooden boat with Max and was paddling near the port.
"Australians, all let us rejoice, for we are young and free. We've golden soil and wealth for toil, our home is girt by sea..." he quietly sang to himself, moving the oar through the deep blue water.
As unconventional as this trip was, the sun was still shining brightly, and birds chirped overhead. Herc glanced over his shoulder at the city in the distance. He had drifted farther into the ocean than he thought. He gave his finger a lick and held it to the sky, trying to get a feel of where the wind was blowing from. Max grunted softly and followed his owner's finger with his eyes, licking his snout in contentment. The Australian man grabbed his oar again and paddled a bit more out to sea, continuing the hum his country's anthem.
The last few days at the Shatterdome had been loud for once. Ever since the repair crew moved in to work on Cherno and Crimson, every day was filled with hustle and bustle. The building no longer had an eerie feel to it, which Herc supposed was a good thing. Newt and Hermann continued their research and would often butt in on conversations, warning everyone of a serious threat looming above. The crews were making good pace on the Jaegers, slowly transforming them from destroyed junk into semblances of what they used to be. It was nice to look at them and not feel strange, anyway.
Herc heard a bump against his boat, and Max barked a few times. The Australian got up from his sitting position to look overboard, and he squinted his eyes. There was a floating box of sorts in the water, casually bobbing up and down with the small waves. He reached out and grabbed it, hauling it up toward his chest. He rotated the box around, hoping to find some sort of identification on it. Alas, it was fully black and displayed scratch marks on it, so it looked worn.
"[Ey, old man]" a quiet, deep voice called from his mind.
Herc looked around, turning his body in an attempt to find who said that.
"[I'm right 'ere]" the voice said again, static audible when it spoke.
There was no one around the wooden boat, not for a long while. Herc looked at his bulldog, who was resting peacefully on the floor of the vessel. Surely, if Max had heard the voice, he would be perking up.
"Who in the bloody hell is speaking to me?" Herc asked.
He listened for a reply, the small waves lapping at the hull of the boat. He thought about Chuck then, an image of his son flashing in his mind. But no, this voice was too deep to be him. He clutched the box closer to his chest.
"[You gonna take me back?]" the voice added.
Herc looked around frantically, as if someone was speaking to him through his head. That's exactly what it felt like, and he wondered if he had gone mad.
"Take ya back where?" the Australian replied.
He got no reply. He looked down at the box, running one hand over it. This was surely a joke, like maybe an elf was hiding within and playing pranks on him. Herc stuck the box on the floor of the boat, resuming his position in his seat. He grabbed the oar, pushing it back into the water. He had nowhere else to go except the Shatterdome, and he wondered if that's where the voice wanted to be. He began swaying the oar through the ocean, turning the boat back toward land with a few grunts. Somebody had to know what this thing was.
The Shatterdome's large doors creaked open, paving the way for a young woman to walk through. She had arrived via helicopter to the port, then she was driven up to the building. Her legs were tired for some reason, and her stomach ached. She stood just a few feet inside the building, brushing her outfit off from the dirt that had fallen on it. In the distance, she spotted Tendo looking confused. When he made eye contact with her, he almost jumped a bit, then he began hustling toward her. He nearly collided with a tech on his way over.
"I've been waiting to see that face," he noted, smiling upon his arrival.
"And to you, too," Mako replied, fixing her hair up.
Tendo patted her on the back, bringing her farther into the building. They walked through the hallways full of hustling people, just like she remembered from the final moments she spent here. The last thing on her mind was returning to the Shatterdome, for she had been away for months. All the new faces glanced at her on their way by.
"Today's a beauty," said Tendo. "Couldn't have picked a better time to arrive."
"I am happy to be back, Mr. Choi," Mako replied, although happy wasn't quite the word she was looking for.
Tendo stepped in front of her briefly to look through a door. He nodded his head at someone within, and he made the "come here" motion with his hand. The two walked inside the K-Science Lab, now more stuffed with Kaiju parts and model systems. They swiftly made their way over to a desk, where Newt was scribbling something down on paper.
"And here is the vortex curve..." he mumbled to himself, eventually noticing that he was being watched. "Oh, uh, hello."
"Newt, my guy. I brought a guest with me," said Tendo motioning toward Mako.
She brought her hand up in a small wave, remembering all the nonsense she went through with Newt during her last stay in the Shatterdome.
"Good to see ya," the scientist quipped. "Can I... Can I, like, help you guys?"
Tendo gave out a small chuckle. "I tried my best to fill Mako in on the ordeal. You know me, though, I'm not a scientist. Newt, will you do the honors?"
Newt tapped his pencil to the paper. "How does she not know? I mean, this is a big deal. We might d-"
"I don't think I made myself clear," Tendo cut in, smiling. "I'm not a scientist."
Newt looked at Tendo stupidly, his mouth slightly hanging open and his glasses tilted to the side. He nodded, getting up from his seat.
"Come here, I'll show you the simulation," he said, allowing Mako to follow him deeper into the lab.
Tendo stayed put near the desk, thinking he'd be sick if he saw the model again. He glanced around at the Kaiju parts, drawings, and computers, which were all very complicated. For a couple of crazy scientists, they sure got work done. He perked up at the sound of footsteps echoing around the corner, and he swiveled his upper body around the face the door.
"Oh, thank the heavens I found ya," came Herc's voice with a sigh as he stepped through the door frame.
Tendo noted the black box in his hands, and he smelled like salt water. He raised up an eyebrow at the sight when the Australian stood in front of him. Herc looked down at the box, moving and flipping it around.
"I found this thing out in the wata', and I can't seem to find what it is," he said, giving the box a shake. "I thought ya'd have an idea, since ya work with technology 'n stuff."
Tendo extended his arms, taking the box and pulling it closer to himself. He held it up to the light, trying to get a better look at it. The lab was a bit too dark for his liking.
"Hey, Newt and Mako," he shouted into the lab. "I'm taking Herc to the LOCCENT. Gimme a call if you need anything."
"OK!" came a reply from Newt right as he knocked over some boxes.
Tendo and Herc walked out of the lab, the former still looking at the black object on their way down the hallway. It was certainly worn, not new, and had gashes in it. Despite being only the size of a small laptop, it weighed more than it looked.
"I know, it's tripping me up, too," commented Herc as they rounded a corner.
"I'll be able to see it better once we get to..." Tendo replied, trailing off at the end.
The box suddenly had Tendo's full attention despite today being dedicated to helping Mako get around. His brain began churning on their walk, like he wanted to take guesses at what it was. In his heart, he knew he had seen something like this before, although a better analysis would help him confirm any suspicions he had. Perhaps he had seen something like this on several occasions, though.
The men entered the mission control room, the lights dim and the furniture scattered. It was empty for the time being, so Tendo made his way toward a desk situated to the side. Herc stood behind him, crossing his arms and licking his lips. Tendo pulled what looked like a desk lamp over and bent it so that it focused on top of the box. He plugged it into a computer, typing in a password to access the technology. He gave his inner cheek a bite when he pulled up some software, allowing him to have a view of the box via the camera on the lamp-like object.
"This software," he began, "will help me look at this thing real, real close."
He flicked his finger on a keyboard button, allowing a light to illuminate the box.
"Let's see what we have," he added.
Tendo looked at the computer screen, which showed a zoomed-up view of the object. He focused the view on various parts of it, scanning for any details of its identity. He was specifically keen on looking at the corners, which were slightly rusty. He flicked his fingers on some more keys, telling the computer where he wanted to view. His eyes quickly glanced from side to side, leaving no area of the box unseen.
"I've got nothing on this side 'cept rust and dents," he said.
Tendo flipped the box over and began scanning that side. He continued repeating "nothing" after every change in view, the computer screen flickering in front of him.
Herc glanced around the dim room. He really started believing that he brought Tendo a simple box and was wasting both of their time. Who was to say it was something important? Probably just someone's cube of metal they dumped into the port, and it just so happened to float in front of him... Float? How did it even float? With how much it weighed, it should have been sitting on the sea floor.
"Hold on," whispered Tendo, zooming up with the computer. "I think I might have something."
Herc moved to the side to get a better view of the computer. It was closing in on the corner of the box, where small print was becoming visible.
"It's, uh," began Tendo. "It looks like a small serial code. Lemme zoom up more."
The camera went in closer, allowing the code to be displayed across the screen. Numbers were indented into the metal, hardly visible to the naked eye (or at least to an "old man's" eyes). Tendo took a pad of paper and a pen, jotting the number down quickly. He flicked the screen off and walked over to his personal computer, sitting in the rolling chair.
"Once I get in this bad boy, I'll look in the inventory," he commented, making his way to the home screen.
His mouse icon found a desktop app of a filing cabinet, double clicking on the image. After a brief loading screen, a page popped up on the screen.
"LOCATE ITEM," the top read.
"Now, just by looking at the serial number, I can tell this came from our technology," Tendo said. "And by looking at the first few numbers," he looked at Herc, "it came from a Jaeger."
The Australian man lowered his chin, thinking his old friend was full of it. After all, what would a Jaeger part be doing in the port?
"Let me punch in the number," Tendo noted, typing the code into the search bar and filtering for "Jaeger tech."
A large loading screen flashed in front of them with a dot moving around in a circle. The computer's cooling system hummed louder. Tendo tapped his fingers on the desk while they waited, the anticipation getting to both of them. This mysterious box might lead to much more than Herc originally thought when he found it. If it really did come from a Jaeger, there would be a lot of questioning to do.
"MATCH," the computer screen finally read. Another box flickered: "JAEGER TECHNICAL RELAY STATION COMPONENT, MODEL UD-827."
The dot continued to circle under the messages, and the two men locked eyes.
"I know that model," Tendo stuttered, his eyes widening. "All this time, and I still remember."
Herc furrowed his eyebrows at the other man, nearly yelling at him to reveal what else he knew. The computer chipped in with a beep before he could speak.
"MODEL FOUND ON JAEGER ID NUMBER 827-831-041," a box read.
Herc turned back to the computer just in time for another box to appear. It was a 3D model of a Jaeger, the one that housed the technical relay station he found.
"Bloody hell..." Herc said slowly, staring at a familiar silver robot.