Stacker's Stunning Moment

"General, I think you've already seen it." On the Virtual Screen, a grave-faced middle-aged Senator said, "Fourth-Generation Kaiju are pouring straight through that Breach. The Jaeger Program's performance over the past few years has also been far from satisfactory. Especially in the past year, the casualty ratio of you and your Jaegers against the Kaiju has continued to rise. This strategic plan no longer works."

"As the frequency of attacks and the strength of the Kaiju continue to increase, there is no doubt that the Jaeger Program, which once effectively prevented the situation from worsening, can no longer keep up with the times. It is no longer the iron defense line that everyone trusted in the past," another of the nine people on the screen added.

"I know full well that every fallen Jaeger means more soldiers and civilians must be sacrificed, but..." Stacker Pentecost spoke solemnly, but before he could finish, the nine Senators on the Virtual Screen interrupted him. Even though he ignored the interruption and wanted to finish voicing his thoughts, the people on the screen clearly had no intention of letting him continue.

"Let me interrupt you again, General! Whether you admit it or not, the Jaeger Program exists in name only. We have given you at least two years of breathing room! Faced with an increasingly dire situation, we have no choice but to seek better solutions. The Jaeger Program is outdated." Senator Cole, a gray-haired old British Senator, spoke expressionlessly.

"What is a better solution?" Stacker asked.

"I believe the Coastal Wall is a plan well worth considering. At present, it appears to have the highest success rate and defensive capability," Senator Cole replied.

"You would rather believe in an unproven wall with no real evidence than in the Jaeger Program that has protected the world for ten years? That is not wise." Stacker's gaze was calm. "What's more, the Kaiju at sea named Huoda had wings in the end. If one day a Kaiju capable of flying through the sky appears, can that wall, built at an enormous cost, truly guarantee the safety of the people?"

"Ridiculous! A monster of that size and weight could not fly under this planet's gravity, even if it had wings. That is common sense!" Senator Taylor, a shrewd-looking middle-aged American man, said, "We are not asking you to abandon the Jaeger Program immediately. You still have time to arrange everything. That is how the world works. We must adapt to changing times and needs.

The entire world will remember the contributions you and your forces have made to global security over the past ten years, General. You will receive the honors you deserve. There are still eight months until the Wall Plan—Coastal Lifeline—is fully completed. During these eight months, we will continue fulfilling our responsibilities, continuing to fund and support you. But during those eight months, the other Jaeger bases will also close one after another. You can bring your remaining Jaeger pilots back to defend the PPDC headquarters."

"So, eight months from now, you will abandon the PPDC?" Stacker asked.

"We are not abandoning the PPDC. We are merely no longer providing funding for the PPDC's Jaeger Program," the only Female Senator among the nine said slyly.

"This is the final result we agreed upon. This meeting is merely a notification."

The figures on the screen vanished one by one. A wave of helplessness rose in Stacker Pentecost's heart, but he quickly cast the feeling aside and forced himself to pull himself together.

"I never thought they would be this stupid." Cai Tiantong, who had watched the entire exchange from the side, and General Haik, Stacker's friend, spoke at the same time.

"It's all right. We still have at least eight months." Stacker Pentecost remained calm. It was not time for despair yet. He had endured far more despairing situations than this, and he had survived them all!

"Dr. Luke Field of Shao Industries has sent a request to visit the PPDC tomorrow and discuss possible cooperation, General," Cai Tiantong suddenly said.

"The Maker of that Sixth-Generation Jaeger?" Stacker Pentecost was somewhat surprised.

"Yes. He said he can provide us with some necessary assistance." Cai Tiantong read through Shao Industries' official message.

"Accept it. I want to meet him too." Stacker Pentecost replied. His understanding of Shao Industries came down to two things: it had technology, and it had money. Both were exactly what the PPDC needed right now. Of course, it was also possible that Shao Industries wanted to huddle together with the PPDC for warmth. With the Wall Faction on the rise and the PPDC becoming an abandoned piece, Shao Industries, the world's largest leader in the Jaeger industrial chain, could not be having an easy time either. Perhaps they had caught wind of something beforehand. After all, once the major member nations began withdrawing their investments and the Jaeger Program was completely shelved and abandoned, if Shao Industries still wanted to maintain the industrial chain created by the Jaeger project, its only customer would seemingly be the PPDC. Under such circumstances, the decision-makers of both sides really should meet.

PPDC Headquarters.

Shatterdome.

A towering Jaeger descended rapidly in a breathtaking manner, fire blasting from its feet without the support of heavy transport helicopters. Even the specially reinforced Jaeger landing deck of the Shatterdome, capable of withstanding Jaeger combat, trembled slightly. Then, before everyone's eyes, the skull-headed Jaeger opened its left palm. A silver-white cylindrical metal body roughly one meter in radius gently popped out from its hand, slid across the deck for a short distance, and stopped before Stacker and the others waiting there.

The next moment, a door slid open on the cylindrical metal body, and a young figure emerged while removing a silver-white helmet.

"Cool, I like that kind of entrance!" Hermann Gottlieb, looking rather neurotic, clearly liked the unconventional arrival. He lowered his voice as he spoke to his colleague and friend beside him, Newton Geiszler. However, Newton Geiszler did not respond at all. Instead, he stared in delighted surprise at the silver-white Mechanical Body that emerged behind the young man. That was right! Knifehead! The very first Kaiju!

"A show of force." Stacker Pentecost looked at the approaching man, tossed the remark to his friend General Haik, and stepped forward to greet him.

"I think it's more of a display of strength." Cai Tiantong, who had rarely come out to greet a guest, added before glancing around and moving over toward Newton and the others.

"Welcome, Dr. Luke! I thought you would be arriving by helicopter," Stacker Pentecost said.

"Mr. Shao is taking a helicopter, but he will not arrive until the afternoon after he finishes his work. I was too impatient, so I piloted Kulturo here ahead of him." Luke Field shook the hand Stacker offered, then let go after two swings. A dense crowd around them spread out and escorted the two toward the interior of the base.

Inside the elevator, Newton Geiszler watched Mechanical Knifehead follow them in step by step and could not help asking, "Is this the First Generation Kaiju, Knifehead?"

"Obviously." Luke Field nodded.

"Is someone controlling it?"

"I wrote an Intelligent System for it. It can move on its own."

"That is so cool! I love it. I mean, can I touch it? I won't trigger any of its security protocols, will I?"

"Touch it however you like. Its programming is rigorous and stable. Its logical judgment is fine."

"Wonderful! It's really beautiful. I never imagined a combination of Kaiju and machinery could be this beautiful! Do you like Kaiju too? I've always wanted to study a live specimen, but unfortunately, everything I get to study is dead."

"All right, Newton, let me speak with Dr. Luke first. You'll have plenty of time to talk during lunch when we host him. And if today's discussion goes well, Dr. Luke may be visiting the Shatterdome base often in the future." When the elevator stopped, Stacker Pentecost interrupted Newton's endless questions as he walked.

Luke followed Stacker to the Shatterdome's main control room, which also served as Stacker's office. After bringing Luke into his private office and sitting down, he looked at Luke Field and said, "Can you tell me Shao Industries'—or rather, your—purpose now? Or do we wait for Mr. Shao?"

"The PPDC is in a difficult situation, isn't it? Shao Industries may be powerless to resolve the PPDC's predicament, but we are willing to contribute what we can."

"Funding?" Stacker's eyes lit up. Although he knew Shao Industries was wealthy, it could not possibly afford to support the PPDC outright. But if Shao Industries was willing to provide some financial assistance, at the very least it would make things easier for the PPDC. Even in the worst case, it could help them hold on for a few more days.

"Not just that." Luke Field took out his phone, tapped the screen, then placed it on the table beside him and connected it to the office's Virtual Projection equipment. "Shao Industries will also provide full technical support!"

"What do you—or Shao Industries—want?" Stacker Pentecost's eyes remained calm. He knew such an offer could not come without expecting something in return.

"The PPDC's complete Jaeger technology," Luke Field said.

"That's impossible!" Stacker Pentecost's expression changed drastically as he refused without hesitation. It was not as though the PPDC had never had people secretly sell Jaeger blueprints and technology before. Most of those people were now in prison.

"Why not take a look at what I can bring you first?" Luke Field calmly began working with the Virtual Projection.

"Every Jaeger's construction technology is classified! And complete Jaeger construction technology is the crystallization of the combined wisdom of all member and non-member nations over the past ten years! Though Shao Industries' technology is powerful, compared to that of so many countries..." Stacker Pentecost was about to continue refusing, but the next moment, when he saw the technical information Luke projected, his mind went blank!