Night of the Jaeger
Prologue: In the year 2017 giant monsters known as Kaiju emerged from the depths of the ocean and attacked humanity. The world pooled their resources to create the Jaeger program, helmed by Shield. Jaegers are anthropomorphic war machines designed for one reason and one reason only, killing Kaiju. Jaegers must be operated by two pilots. The mental toll is too great for just one person. In order to work together pilots must be drift compatible. The stronger the bond, the better the fighter. While fighting the two pilots are connected in the drift. They take in their co-pilots every thought and memory. Together they protect humanity from monsters.
Ch. 1
2020. Year 3 of the Kaiju War. Alaskan Coastline.
A lone figure sloshes through the shallows of the Alaskan coastline. This figure is 25 stories tall. Forged from iron and steel. It is covered in paintings, almost like tattoos on metal. Roses surround the names Peggy and Mom. Dad sat under a surprisingly realistic rusted anchor. In the place of honor on the bicep was a wolf operating a machine gun and underneath the words "Howling Commando", the name of the machine. Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes walked in total unison. Their neural handshake was one of the strongest in Shield. They piloted their Jaeger toward Anchorage.
"Director Fury, this is Howler. We are 5 clicks south of Anchorage."
"Copy. Rogers." Director Fury said. "Just keep your eyes open." Bucky nearly choked trying not to laugh. "Leatherback was last reported heading south."
"Copy." Steve said. He switched off the comlink and glared at Bucky.
" Are you trying to get us grounded?"
"I'm sorry." Bucky said. "But eyes open? Was he trying to be funny?"
"The man lost an eye Buck."
"You thought it was funny too." Bucky tapped his helmet near his temple. "I know."
"Fine. Just keep it together. I'm turning the link back on." Steve said.
"Roger Rogers."
"You're the worst. "Steve said. He switched the link back on.
"-Howler do you—kkck—Can you—it's heading—"
"Fury? Fury!" Bucky said.
Eerie quiet filled the cockpit. There was no crackle from the comlink, all of the humming instruments and flashing lights seemed to stop for a moment. Bucky and Steve turned Howler around. Skin and scales and teeth filled their eyeline. The Kaiju was so immense that it was impossible for your eyes to gain purchase on it. Every time your eyes settled on a point and your brain tried to process what you were seeing, your eyes were already skittering away to another point like a pebble on a frozen pond.
"Shit!" Bucky yelled.
Howler dropped into a fighting stance. The kaiju, Leatherback, took no notice. It extended its claws, dripping with venom. Leatherback swiped at Howler. Howler jumped back but Leatherback still managed t graze Howler's chassis.
Howler swung at Leatherback. It connected with a solid hit that rocked Leatherback back on its heels. Does this thing have heels? The thought passed between Bucky and Steve instantaneously, neither of them sure from whom it had originated.
They followed this with another blow that drove Leatherback's face into the water. Leatherback rolled over onto its back. Howler blasted it with a plasma cannon. Blood and bile gushed from a gaping wound on Leatherback's stomach. A fatal blow, but it would take a while for the monster to bleed out. They needed to hit it again. They waited for the plasma cannon to be warmed up enough to shoot again.
Leatherback swipes at Howler's knees, knocking them out from underneath it's upper body. Howler crashes onto its back. Leatherback climbs on top of Howler and claws at its head. A crack opens in the cockpit. Water gushes in, soaking Steve. He spits water out but it comes faster than he can keep up with. He's drowining despite not being under water.
Steve makes a choked noise that Bucky remembers all too well. He jerks his arm and the torrent of water slows. He remembers that choking sound from when they were kids. Steve was always sick as a kid. Both of their mothers worked, so they left the boys together. The mothers thought it was so Steve could keep Bucky out of trouble, but it was actually the other way around. Steve had lung problems. Sometimes Bucky would stay up all night listening to Steve struggle to breath. Once the breathing stopped and-
"Bucky!" Steve screamed, snapping Bucky out of the memory. "Don't chase the rabbit."
Bucky wrestled his way back to the present. The screen showing their link was dead. Together they experimentally tried to move one of Howler's arms. It didn't work. The kaiju continued to pound away on Howler. They were protected for now, but they were immobile. Dead in the water.
Steve tried the comlink again. "Helicarrier, this is Howler. We have slipped out of alignment. Re-initiate neural handshake now."
Nothing happened.
"Helicarrier. We are immobilized. Do you read?" Steve yelled.
Nothing.
"Fury! Banner! Do something!" Bucky yelled.
"Kcck-kcuck-Howler. This is Fury. Say again."
"Initiate neural handshake. We are out of alignment."
"Godd-"Fury began.
"Just do it!" Bucky screamed.
There was silence. Then the screen in front of them whirred to life displaying their separate brains.
"Right hemisphere engaged." Steve said.
"Left hemisphere engaged." Bucky said.
The screen showed their two brains overlapped into a single consciousness.
"Okay Buck. Should we give 'em the razzle dazzle?" Steve said.
Bucky groaned. "You're such a square Steve. It's called the Skrull Thrasher, how many times do I—"
The kaiju ripped though the cockpit, completely obliterating Bucky's side and immobilizing Steve. Claws dragged Bucky underwater.
"Bucky. Bucky!" Steve screamed.
Bucky screamed in Steve's head but he was nowhere to be seen. The feeling of his best friend dying in his mind paralyzed Steve. Bucky's screams got weaker. His vision got dimmer. Steve desperately tried to chase Bucky through their minds. Steve would stick his hand out for Bucky to grab. Bucky scrambled to reach out to Steve's consciousness. To be caught. To stay alive. His grip was too weak. He fell.
Steve felt Bucky die just before the connection between the two was severed. He clutched his head screaming. His mind was too big to inhabit by himself, without Bucky.
"Howler. Come in Howler. Goddam it somebody tell me—"
The comlink went out again.
Steve let out a tortured grunt as he hauled himself, and the Howling Commando, to their feet. He whirled around, looking for the monster who had killed his friend. It laid a hundred feet away. Dead. Killing Bucky had simply been the final act in its elaborate death throes.
Steve walked Howler over to it, already feeling the strain of operating the Jaeger alone. He kicked it. Again. And again. And again, tears streaming down his face. No revenge. No justice. Just a dead animal and a dead man.
He heard Bucky's voice in his head. Not his real voice. He'd never hear that again. Just a pale imitation. "Steve. Leave it. It's over."
Steve wiped the tears from his face. He turned toward Anchorage. And walked.