PACIFIC RIM : RAJAH

Chapter 21

The ocean trembled as the massive Kaiju lunged forward, closing the distance between itself and the two Jaegers in seconds. Gipsy Danger and Striker Eureka stood firm, their pilots bracing for impact. Herc Hansen narrowed his eyes, preparing for the fight of his life.

But then—

Tendo Choi's voice crackled through the comms.

"Tendo, give me a reading!" Herc barked, his grip tightening on the controls.

There was a short pause, followed by something they never expected to hear.

"Wait—no, no, no—this isn't right."

"Tendo?" Raleigh asked, sweat forming on his brow.

Tendo's voice came back, urgent and alarmed. "This isn't a Category 4—it's a Category 5!"

The words sent a cold shiver down both Herc and Raleigh's spines.

"A what?" Raleigh's voice was filled with disbelief.

"A Category 5 Kaiju! This is the first one we've ever encountered!" Tendo confirmed.

Both pilots stared at the massive beast in front of them. It towered over any Kaiju they had ever seen before. Spines lined its back, pulsating with an ominous, bioluminescent glow. Its sheer size distorted the ocean currents around it, creating powerful waves. Its razor-sharp claws flexed, cutting through the water like air.

This was something entirely new.

And it wasn't slowing down.

"Hold steady!" Herc shouted. "We take this thing together!"

The battle had just begun.

---------

Meanwhile, Shane had his problems. The Kaiju he was fighting was fast.

Too fast.

Even with his upgraded radar and sensors, visibility was still a nightmare in the deep, murky waters. The ocean current was relentless, pushing against his Jaeger, slowing down his movements, while the Kaiju moved freely.

Shane cursed under his breath. "Damn it, this isn't working."

He analyzed the situation quickly. Three major problems:

Darkness. Even with enhancements, there was still a limit to what he could see. The deep ocean remained a battleground stacked against him.

The currents. Unlike on land, every move he made was met with resistance, slowing him down, while the Kaiju adapted naturally to its environment.

Speed. The Kaiju moved fast. Too fast for him to keep up in a head-on battle.

He needed a different approach.

And then it hit him—

A trap.

The deep-sea terrain was filled with massive rock formations. If he could manipulate the environment, he could control where the Kaiju moved.

And that's when he remembered—the cable system.

Before this mission, Shane had requested that his Jaeger be equipped with reinforced grappling cables. They were meant for recovery operations, but now, he had a different use for them.

"Time to gamble," he muttered. He had no idea if this would work, but he had to try.

Setting the Trap

Using his thrusters, Shane maneuvered Rajah around the rocky battlefield, weaving between the massive stones.

He fired the cables, anchoring them onto the largest rocks. He worked quickly, using the terrain to create a narrow passageway—a hallway-like formation.

Now, he just had to lure the Kaiju in.

He turned, facing the monster. His sensors locked onto it.

And then, he charged.

The Kaiju, sensing the provocation, roared in fury and rushed forward.

Perfect.

Shane skidded to a halt at the entrance of his trap, waiting until the Kaiju was inside the narrow area.

Then—

He pulled the cables.

The reinforced wires snapped into place, sealing off both ends of the passageway. The Kaiju let out a confused growl, turning to find its escape routes cut off.

"Got you."

With nowhere to run, the Kaiju had no choice but to face Shane head-on.

Shane moved first, launching forward. His metal fist slammed into the Kaiju's skull, sending a shockwave through the water. The beast shrieked and retaliated, whipping its massive tail toward him.

Shane anticipated the move—

He caught the tail.

With all the strength Rajah could muster, Shane twisted sharply, wrenching the tail to the side and slicing it off with his Jaeger's plasma blade.

The Kaiju screamed, blood clouding the water.

It was furious now.

With blind rage, the monster lunged, jaws open wide, ready to tear Rajah apart—

But Shane was faster.

He sidestepped, grabbed the Kaiju by the neck, and—

Drove his blade deep into its side.

He ripped it upward, slicing through muscle and bone.

The Kaiju let out one final, agonized howl—

Then, its body went limp.

Shane took a deep breath, watching as the lifeless corpse drifted in the water.

The gamble had paid off.

But there was no time to rest.

Tendo's voice came through the comms again—urgency clear.

"Shane, get back to the others—now!"

He turned, his sensors scanning the battlefield.

And that's when he saw it—

The Category 5 Kaiju, looming over Gipsy Danger and Striker Eureka.

Bigger. Stronger. Unlike anything they had ever fought before.

Shane's eyes narrowed.

This wasn't over.

End of Chapter 21