2,500 tons of awesome

"But drifting with one would tell us so much more than we already know," Newt stated.

"You want to drift with a kaiju?!" Hermann exclaimed incredulously, "Have you gone insane?"

"I'm sorry I didn't think you cared about my work," Newt kneeled down to mop something up off the floor. "I mean, not after you met me in person."

Hermann spluttered, not actually replying as he fought to find something to say that wouldn't make it sound like he actually cared.

Newt straightened up again and motioned to Hermann's blackboard. "Also dude, did anyone tell you it's the 21st century? Ever hear of a dry wipe marker?"

"I prefer chalk to write with," Hermann explained, still sounding like he wanted to throttle Newt. He balled his fists in an attempt to dissipate his frustration.

"The dust makes me sneeze," Newt complained. He took off his glasses and rubbed at his eye with a tightly balled fist.

"Stay over on your side of the lab then," Hermann suggested, a little spitefully.

"Your side is bigger than mine," Newt replied. He jammed his glasses back on. "And I need more space for my samples than you do for your blackboard."

"No, it's not. We have half each," Hermann retorted.

"Whatever dude," Newt looked up at Hermann. "You know, I don't think I've ever said this but you were way cooler when we were pen pals."

Hermann made a hmph noise and was about to reply when the door swung open and Mako entered.
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" She asked, lurking in the doorway until she was sure she was welcome.

"No, no," Newt looked up and smiled at her. "Not interrupting anything." He ran a hand through his hair, accidentally smearing kaiju junk in it.

As she was well past the point of cringing at the bits of kaiju, Mako giggled. She glanced over at Hermann, smiling when she caught his eye as if to say 'what a fool.'
"You've got a bit of kaiju in your hair."

“I… I what?” Newt’s gaze flickered upwards, like he was going to see it. Then he paused, shrugged, and waved it off. “I’ll get it out later. You need us for anything?” he asked.

"I think the Marshall's going to let me restore Gipsy Danger," Mako confided, almost grinning as she broke her news to him.

Mako’s smile threw Newt for a moment or two because, though he would never under any circumstances admit it or otherwise act upon it, he did kind of have a little thing for her. He managed to pull himself together enough in order to reply to her. “That’s awesome, Mako. I’m er really pleased for you?” he glanced up at Hermann, “it’s great news, isn’t it Hermann?”

"As long as you can find a pilot team," Hermann stated, thinking that it was a good idea if properly managed and carried out, but reluctant to agree with Newt on anything.
"Well done," He then added, as Mako was a lovely young woman and was likely the best candidate to restore the jaeger.

"Thank you," Mako smiled at both of the scientists, before letting her gaze wander over the workspaces.
"What are you working on?"

“Pretty sure one half of the pilot team is standing right in front of us,” Newt said. “I’m um, I’m not really working on anything, experiment I wanted to do kind of fell through because it died. Though… can I have a word with you?” He glanced up at Hermann, his stupid numbers sitting behind him, and then looked at Mako again. “In private is probably best.”

Mako was very pleased that Newt thought she was capable of being one of the pilots, although she tried to keep it professional and hide her feelings. When he asked for a word in private, her curiosity was piqued and so she nodded, gesturing behind her to the corridor.
"I think the training room down the corridor is free at the moment?"