Pacific Rim: The Official Movie Novelization by Alex Irvine Page A

still warm. The smell made his mouth water.
    “Hong Kong,” Herc said. “That’s the beauty of an open port. No rationing. We have potatoes, peas, sweet beans, some decent meatloaf...”
    They got to the table and Herc waved at the crew to scoot down and make space for Raleigh.
    “Sit down,” he said. “This is my son, Chuck. He’s my co-pilot now.”
    Raleigh nodded. He remembered Chuck from the night before and he figured that Herc was making the reintroduction as much for Chuck as for Raleigh. He was making a point: he’s one of us. Max the dog was under the table patrolling for scraps. A good guy, Herc. Raleigh remembered thinking that five years ago, and he appreciated the gesture now. Five years ago, Chuck was still in high school, or whatever Australians called it. Now he was looking at Raleigh like... well, like Raleigh had looked at Tommy back on the Wall.
    “He’s my co-pilot,” Chuck said. Then, as Raleigh sat down, he started talking to his father as if Raleigh wasn’t there. “This is the guy that’s supposed to run defense for me? In the steam engine? Is Pentecost actually working for the kaiju now?”
    Raleigh turned. He was having a bit of deja vu, like the scene in the Alaskan commissary was about to repeat itself.
    “When was the last time you jockeyed, Ray?” Chuck asked.
    Ray.
    “Five years,” Raleigh said.
    “And what did you do those five years?” Chuck pressed. “Something pretty important, I reckon.”
    “I was in construction,” Raleigh said. Here we go, he thought. In Alaska I took all kinds of shit because I used to pilot Jaegers and nobody believed in Jaegers. Now I’m going to take more shit because the cocky son with a chip on his shoulder doesn’t think I’ve got what it takes anymore. No matter where I go, I hear it from someone.
    It was enough to make a guy want to kill some kaiju.
    “Oh, well, that’s... that’s great,” Chuck said with great blustering sarcasm. He looked to the crew, trying to egg them on. To their credit, they didn’t react. “I’m sure that’ll be really helpful, Ray. If we ever need to build our way out of a fight.”
    Raleigh waited for him to finish, then calmly said, “It’s Raleigh.”
    “Whatever,” Chuck said. “You’re Pentecost’s idea, and my old man seems to like you, but from where I’m sitting, you’re a liability. You slow me down, I’m going to drop you like a sack of kaiju shit.”
    He stood with his tray and stepped back from the table. Raleigh watched him steadily, not reacting at all. There were plenty of guys like Chuck in the world.
    “Enjoy the rest of your vacation in Hong Kong, Ray,” Chuck said. He whistled and Max scrambled out from under the table. “C’mon, boy.”
    Trailed by the dog, Chuck swaggered off in the direction of the dishwashing station.
    After a moment, Herc cleared his throat.
    “You can blame me for that one,” he said. “I raised him on my own. Smart kid, but I never knew when to give him a hug or a kick in the ass.”
    Raleigh took his time enjoying a mouthful of the delicious bread. When he had finished chewing, he said, “With respect, sir, I’m pretty sure which one he needs.”
    ***
     
    The sun had barely peeked over the Jaeger bays when Mako found Marshal Pentecost in the LOCCENT.
    “The candidates are ready,” she said. “We will commence the trials immediately, sir.”
    She had gone to his quarters first, the spare quiet space that doubled as his personal office. Sensei—she had begun calling him that when he had first taken an interest in her, in Tokyo—had begun keeping unusual hours. Sleeping poorly, eating irregularly. He said nothing and Mako had not asked, but she could see others in the Shatterdome starting to glance uneasily at each other after he passed in the corridors. What was wrong with him? Was he sick? Everyone under Pentecost’s command was asking the same question, none of them out loud.
    She had to remind herself to call him Marshal. He had