Adventures of an Employed Planeswalker

Pentecost sits opposite me, with the two armed soldiers at the door. In his hands are a stack of papers.

He looks at me for a while, examining the glow of my Aura and the exotic visage of the Scarab armor.

"Is that your skin? Are you some form of insectoid?" 

"Not at all! This is for protection while I am in potentially dangerous environments or situations. My appearance is not that different from humans, although with some aesthetic and internal differences." 

"So this could be considered some... armor. You said you were willing to help humanity, but what kind of help? Would you be willing to share this armor or its designs?" 

"No."

He grimaces. "My superiors and several governmental entities are very interested in you. Some representatives are coming to this base as we speak. They will ask things from you, just as I am asking. Maybe even more." He leans forward.

"My sole objective is to lead the defense against the Kaiju. Your armor would be of much help to accomplish that. If I can have it, I can try to stop them from harassing you too much."

"I appreciate the offer, but that is not negotiable. I have some observations about your robots and the health of your pilots... and your own." He widens his eyes for a moment and he sits back in his chair.

"So you noticed..."

"It was not difficult to notice the traces of radiation poisoning on your body. The amount of radiation your robots also exude is not easy to miss, either. Exposure to it for extended amounts of time could be dangerous." 

His face contorts a bit, but he soon schools his features.

"I want to know exactly how you could help humanity. Preferably, my own division." 

"I have means of understanding and improving technology and biological organisms." 

"Improving biological organisms?" He furrows his brows.

"Healing would be a better word, I believe."

"So you can heal... how exactly?"

"Personal means." Before he can ask more about that, I change subjects. "I can devise and teach you new ways of optimizing the Jaegers. I can also solve the radiation problem. That should augment the energy efficiency and diminish possible side effects and health issues to pilots." Thanks, Caby, for the idea.

He seems to be pondering. I can sweeten the deal.

I lean forward and speak softly, "I can heal your degenerative cells." This time he is actively gaping.

"...Ahem. Those are some compelling offers." He recovered faster than I expected. What does he want, then?

Looking into the eyes of the armor, he says, "Why do you want to help us?"

I tilt my head to the side. I could say so many things it's not even a joke. But there is one answer that fits the theme I'm going for, so here it goes.

"Because the monsters attacked me!" And that's that.

He looks incredulous for a moment. Then he almost chuckles. Not so tough now, huh?

"I suppose you're not that different from humans, then. Very well, you have roughly 10 hours to show some results before the other guys get here and try to either detain or recruit you." He says as he begins to get up.

Time to get to work then.

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What they did with these robots is really something interesting. While getting to know the engineers and scientists established here in the base, I may or may not have brushed my hands here and there... ok, maybe I invaded their system. I was just so curious!

So many data, so many blueprints. Jaegers Mark-5 are being projected and use a different power source than the ones I've seen. The Mark-3 and below are all powered by nuclear fission reactors while the Mark-4 and above are all powered by several batteries and generators. That has upsides and downsides.

The upsides would be that the pilots no longer have risks of radiation poisoning or developing cancer or tumors. They also need less intensive cooling agents. The generators and batteries are scattered throughout the robot so they theoretically can function even with different parts missing as opposed to the nuclear-powered ones that stop functioning if you take out their reactor or main energy supply cables.

The downsides are that they have far less energy output at any time and function for less time as well. They might do the job, but they do it in short bursts otherwise they can't keep up with the nuclear-powered ones. Hmm... an EMP would also disable these, wouldn't it?

Summing it up: Nuclear-powered is strong and hard but gives you cancer and runs hot. Batteries and generators are cooler, and have no radiation risks but don't have the same energy output.

Ok then. While I scan these Caby, please try to invade the encrypted and secured military channels. We need to stay on top of things and know if anything big happens. It's an Amalgamation of Worlds after all. 

Seriously, I have so many things I still need to do...

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"So you're telling me that in just 5 hours you not only improved the efficiency of the reactor by 30% but also got rid of the leaking radiation by introducing a different microscopic lead structure to the blueprint? That's INSANE!" This dude right here is called Jenkins. He is the head scientist here and I'm showing him the blueprint I just finished.

Honestly, it's nothing genius or anything like that, it's just a difference in analysis equipment and schematics construction. What can I say, Caby's da best!

{Hmph!} 

Understanding how the reactor works just by touching it also helped, but I wouldn't have been able to devise the changes he did myself. I just know how it works and how to use it, not how to improve it. 

"Neat, right?! Now you can use the big big robots with no concerns!" 

At this point, against my better judgment (and Caby's constant nagging) I'm not wearing the Scarab armor. I look like a cute lil' 10-year-old boy with short black hair and slight freckles. If the 10-year-old had glowing blue eyes and an anglerfish-like antenna. 

"Of course, if we have this much power we can increase the output of the plasma cutters and energy cannons. Maybe we can even increase the power of the limbs... But we still have to mind the problem of the reactor being in the chest area. Maybe increased armor plating?" 

This dude gives me mad Midoryia vibes with his muttering.

"Yeah! Hmm, I can see if I increase the structural integrity of the reactor further, to make it more resistant. If that works, I can try to do that to the exterior plating as well!" 

"That would be great! If we could work on the joints, maybe to handle more work?" This guy sure has ideas.

"Sure!" Honestly, I'm not that much of a grease monkey myself, but seeing this type of technology, being able to understand it, interact with it, and even improve it (even if it's not me yet...) is exciting to anyone, I bet.

Now... Caby said he could do much more, but why would I do that? I'll do the bare minimum necessary to look like I'm putting in work and if possible in small increments. Just enough to be useful, just enough to keep a cordial relationship with the government. 

But wait... I don't really need that if I just change my features, do I?

.

.

.

Dammit.

---------------------------------------------

Welp, it was worth a try. 

Maybe because it's a drawback? Like, I can change some facial features, skin pigmentation, slight bone structure adjustments, etc, but the glowing eyes and the antenna remain the same.

And they serve absolutely no purpose, just as the drawback said. 

The plan remains the same then. 

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(Yancy's POV)

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING YANCY!?" This is the tenth time dude, chill.

"I already told you, Raleigh. That little dude saved my life and you think I would stay there and watch as he comes to blows with half the base? Besides..." My face turns somber, "We don't even know who would win." 

"Still! You basically went against the general! General Pentecost nonetheless! Do you want to be court-martialed for treason against your species!? I haven't even heard about that, that's how fucking fucked you would be."

"... you done?"

"... no, I don't think so. Not for a long time." Rayley huffs from his bed. 

Laying on our beds in silence for a while, he turns his head towards me, "... That was too close, Yancy." 

Just remembering that moment makes my skin crawl.

"Yeah... way too close." Taking a deep breath I look Rayley in the eye.

"That's why I did what I did. It was risky and might've been dumb or crazy, but that little alien saved my life! Possibly all our lives out there."

I still feel that Rayley is on the fence about that little guy but I want to believe in it. If it wished us harm, why not just destroy the facility? Why not just kill us and destroy the Jaegers? 

"... you don't think we're getting invaded, do you?" Rayley voices his thoughts.

Shit... I haven't thought about that.

"Nah... I mean, I don't know, maybe? I'm not sure. Definitely hope not!" I try to put a bit of cheer in my voice. I know how down my brother can be when left to his thoughts for too long. "But did you see how he just wooshed and BAM and the Kaiju were gone!?"

"Yeah, that was quick... too quick."

"Come on dude, cheer up! We're alive! You know what?" I get up from my bed, grab a nearby T-shirt, and put it on. While I do this Rayley seems confused but then realizes what I'm about to do and groans.

"No, Yancy! I'm tired... I just want to lay in bed and-"

"Nope! You're coming with me. Let's grab some breakfast." I finish dressing and come to his bed, grabbing his arm and putting it around my shoulder. He, as always, groans and complains, but when I threaten to drag him there in his underwear he quickly gets dressed and we go our way.

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"Gooood morning people!" Cheering up the people of this base is my self-appointed job and I take it very seriously.

"Oh, fuck off Becket! I'm NOT in the mood for yer' shenanigans this mornin'." 

"Little Carina, I know you love me to bits! How'd you sleep?" She has a bad case of bed hair and she knows it. The stink eye she gives me is no joke.

"I see our buddy James is also doing well for himself this fine... shit, it's Tuesday today, right? Damn." I need to call Jasmine today.

"Good morning, Yancy, Raleigh." Came the deep voice of James Kellenham. Tall man, a tough guy, and a big softie. 

"Morning James, Carina. 5 hours of sleep is a normal Tuesday," I wink at Rayley for his unintended pun and he rolls his eyes, "But not nearly enough after yesterday."

"Yer' telling me, mate. I feel like a thousand bricks were dropped on my head a thousand times over. Noggin's killing me." 

"Yeah, yesterday was... intense." As soon as James finishes his thought, Carina slaps his back. "That's the understatement of da year!"

She turns to me and Rayley and quirks her eyebrows, "Did ya see the lil' alien yet? You think they keeping it to make experiments?" 

"I've heard that General Pentecost talked to it as soon as it got here but I don't know much more," said James.

We were having late breakfast and talking when I spotted a commotion over the other side of the mess hall. It seems like some scientists were huddled around each other at a table, making a ruckus. 

Carina, the lovely and dainty maiden she is, eyed each of us for a second, smirked, and got up to see what was happening there. I also got up, much to Rayley's protest. 

Getting near the table, we soon spotted a... is that a child? 

"So you're saying that Matt improved the Mark-3 Jaegers to be better than the Mark-4? And possibly even Mark-5? That's bullshit and you know it, Jenkins!" 

"I'm telling you! I was there, I saw it with my own eyes! Damn it, Mark, I showed it to you!"

"Still don't believe it."

"""This guy's full of shit!"""

In the middle of the arguing two, sat a child looking around with his round blue glowing eyes, munching on a biscuit. As he sees us approaching, he looks at me as if he knows me and waves, smiling. 

It takes me a little bit, not gonna lie, but I figure out who the child is.

"Huh, so that was not how you looked?" I ask, very smartly.

"Nope!" 

"And why do you look like a child? With an antenna?"

"Don't forget them glowing eyes!" Carina adds.

He shrugs, "I don't know. I've been like this since I can remember. But I know we're different inside!" Different inside?

Probably seeing my puzzled look, he points towards his general chest area. Looking at him properly now, he's wearing a light blue T-shirt and beige cargo shorts. Pretty meh, too many pastel tones.

"I see... so how did it go with General Pentecost?" Most conversations around seem to quiet down a bit as most here want to hear the answer.

"He asked me some questions, I answered what I was comfortable with and offered my help where I could! By now the Mark-5 Jaeger base blueprint is very different from when I first looked through it. Also, you guys will no longer have chances of getting this cancer thing!"

I grimace and see Carina doing the same. It's a pretty nasty thing, those Mark-3 reactors. We need to sign several waivers that say we know what we are getting into and even then... knowing that every time I get into a Jeager, even if I win the fight I might not make it to the war's end is... daunting. But if what this little guy is saying is true then...

"If yer not lying, then can't we lug around the big ol' things for longer now? Them Mark-4s only last as long as little Yancy here does in bed!"

"HEY! I'll have you know I'm perfectly healthy and last as long as is necessary-" 

"Yap yap yap. So, you solved the big problem in what, 6 hours? I guess you're somethin' alright..." 

I hear footsteps behind me and turn to see James and Rayley coming over. James stands to Carina's right side and stares at the ali- damn, at Matt for a while.

"... Thank you for what you did yesterday." Huh.

"Why are you thanking it!? We coulda solved it!" Carina expectedly raises her voice and turns to James, outraged.

"Even if we won that, it would be a pyrrhic victory at best and you know it, Miller." Yikes, surname calling... He turns to her and stares, hard. "We would need to leave Gypsy in a precarious state and would need to fight two Kaiju; one that could match Victorian in strength and another that could outspeed even the Gypsy."

Carina grits her teeth in frustration but at this point, anyone could see where this was going. 

"... fine. FINE!" She looks into Matt's eyes, "Thank you!" Then turns towards James again, "Happy now!?" 

"Yes, in fact." He turns to Matt, nods, and then turns to walk away. Matt does that weird head tilt thing again and smiles. Seeing his smile only made Carina fume harder as she turned away and stomped off.

"... that ended well." Rayley, so attentive!

"Yeah!" At least Matt's not offended, so I guess it's all good.

I was about to start a new conversation when Rayley beat me to it.

"I want to thank you as well. You saved us. You saved my brother. Thank you, truly." So intense, Brother... I think it might start raining in my eyes here soon...

"It's fine! They attacked me too. They must have been bad monsters! Oh, I said I would help to do what I could... do you think The General would let me go with you to fight the monsters!??" 

Touching moment officially ruined.