Phase 07 – Chase the Rabbit

The selection for Mako's new co-pilot was scheduled for the next morning. I was excited to see who would be fighting together with her in the future. She deserved the best co-pilot out there. I unsuccessfully tried pushing my thoughts about Chuck aside for the moment.


After three long hours of sparring and paperwork, Mako had found three new rangers. One would be her co-pilot and the other two would be piloting the upcoming mark-6. Chuck, Newton and Raleigh had been in the training room for most of the morning, watching the one on one fights.

In the end, Mako chose a quirky Dutch girl as her co-pilot. Her name was Jenna and she had been born in the Netherlands. Her Dad was a scientist for the P.P.D.C. and had suggested her for the jaeger academy. She had been at the top 5% of her class. Unfortunately, the jaeger program had been phased out before she could ever fight a real battle. Raleigh liked her. She had a cute accent and seemed to be a very lively person unlike most jaeger academy graduates. Chuck seemed indifferent towards her but Max loved Jenna. Well, Max loved everyone, really, so it was no surprise.

The other team were twins from New Zealand. Chuck made some rude jokes that involved sexual intercourse and sheep, but otherwise he seemed to be fine with Mako's choice. Their names were Cody and Travis. Raleigh could not tell them apart at all. They were tall, tan and had dark brown hair, moved and spoke in unison and seemed to be very disciplined. Cody and Travis would spend most of their next days in the simulator to prepare them for the arrival of their jaeger.


Three days later, it happened. The siren woke them up again. It had been three months since the last kaiju attacked. Raleigh wasted no time and sped into the drivesuit room. Chuck arrived just a minute later.

"Guess we will have some fun again tonight," he said as the assistants connected his spinal cord. "Are you ready to save the world, Raleigh?" He grinned at his co-pilot. Raleigh wiped his messy hair out of his face and nodded.

"I am ready any time; day and night!"

"Kaiju category 4, codename: Cutter. 2,900 tons 390 feet," the voice announced via loudspeaker.

"Oh, a big one today, huh?" Chuck seemed surprised.

One of Tendo's assistants came rushing into the drive suit room.

"We will deploy Puma Real and Dragon Flare. You two are ordered to attack the kaiju. If any problem arises, Dragon Flare will assist you," he told them quickly. Chuck and Raleigh nodded.

"Well, at least the new ranger will get some hands on experience today. Or probably not. We will crush that thing!" Chuck shouted as he made his way into the Conn-Pod. Less than a minute later, he and Raleigh were hooked up to the jaeger equipment, awaiting Tendo's drift initiation.

"Initiating drift in three – two – one –"

The usual wave of emotions and memories washed over Chuck and Raleigh. The process became easier and easier each time. Raleigh felt the familiar surge of energy, and then they were synced.

"Neural handshake complete."

"Boys, be careful, this kaiju is a big one. Don't get cocky, okay?" they heard Tendo's voice.

"No problem, Tendo! We will do this!" Chuck and Raleigh called out in unison, as it had become their habit while in the drift.

Puma Real was hooked up to the transport helicopters and lifted into the air. Dragon Flare followed closely behind. Mako wished them all good luck. They were dropped into the ocean and waited side by side.

Then the kaiju appeared. They only saw a huge back and something that seemed to be a very long head. Puma Real charged at it, punching wildly at the back of the huge beast, trying to keep it from getting on its kind legs.

The kaiju roared and tried to push over the jaeger by ramming its head against the jaeger's legs. It is huge! Raleigh thought as he felt the impact with the kaiju against his own legs. Chuck was shouting as he kept throwing wild punches at the kaiju's back.

But then the kaiju thrust forward and managed to push Puma Real back. It got onto its feet and stood up to its full size. The roaring was deafening.

Suddenly, Raleigh froze as he saw the kaiju's silhouette against the night sky. He gasped and stared at the huge beast.

It was Knifehead.

But it was bigger. So much bigger.

He felt Chuck's confusion. Heard him calling Raleigh's name in his head. But Raleigh didn't move. He just stared at the kaiju in front of them and felt the memories rushing into his consciousness.

He was back in Gipsy Danger.

White hot pain in his left arm.

Knifehead's claw tearing through the Conn-Pod's roof.

Yancy.

No.

No. No. No.

He heard someone call his name.

Again and again.

"Shit!" Chuck swore loudly. "Raleigh is chasing the rabbit!" he yelled. "Send Dragon Flare for help, I can't move!"

"What?!" he heard Tendo's voice. "Damn it! Dragon Flare, go get that kaiju away from them! And Chuck, try to get Raleigh back!"

Then the huge kaiju threw itself at the jaeger. Chuck tried to get a stable stance. The jaeger was shaking wildly. Chuck managed to keep it on its legs, but it cost him way more energy than it should.

Then Dragon Flame hurled the huge monster away from Puma Real, grabbing the kaiju's arms and pushing it under water. The kaiju retreated a few hundred feet and Dragon Flare followed.

Chuck was breathing heavily. He looked at Raleigh who was still frozen in place, panting, sweating, shaking, staring out at the ocean in front of him.

"Shit, shit, shit" Chuck swore again.

The claws were digging through the steel.

Raleigh was shouting.

Then Yancy was torn from the Conn-Pod and Raleigh's head seemed to explode.

YANCY!

No!

"Raleigh! Please listen to me!"

The pain shot through Raleigh's body.

He knew he was going to die.

"Raleigh! Don't chase the rabbit! Don't hold on to the memory!"

He could not pilot the jaeger alone.

And the silence in his head was terrifying.

Blood ran down his face.

"It is not real! Can you hear me?!"

Yancy…

You can't be dead.

You just can't leave me like this.

"Please, Raleigh, listen to me!"

Raleigh felt someone pulling at him.

Someone was still in his head – and it was not just Yancy.

There was so much pain.

He could not breathe.

"I just can't get through to him, Tendo! We have to disconnect him!" Chuck yelled.

"No! If we do that and you get attacked by the kaiju, you will both be dead, Chuck! You have to stay in the drift. Use the drift to get to him. You are in his head, for God's sake!"

Outside, Chuck saw that Dragon Flare was still fighting the kaiju. The kaiju was very resistant, but it didn't seem like the other jaeger was in trouble – yet.

Chuck looked at Raleigh again and felt his own panic rising. He had to get Raleigh out of there or they might both die. At the moment, they were nothing more kaiju dinner on a silver plate.

Chuck tried to calm his racing mind down. It was hard because he could feel Raleigh's panic and helplessness. Closing his eyes, he began to wander through Raleigh's mind, reaching out to his co-pilot.

Then he was there, right in Raleigh's terrible memory. He felt the ocean water splash into the Conn-Pod. He felt Raleigh's anger and his terror. He could hear Knifehead's roaring. Breathing became harder.

He reached out and tried to grab Raleigh's arm. But he could not get him. He tried again and finally felt like he was holding onto Raleigh's arm. He knew it was only happening in his head, but he had no other idea how to get through to Raleigh.

The Raleigh inside the memory was screaming in pain and anger. Sparks were flying around them. Chuck grabbed Raleigh's other arm and tried to keep him from moving. But Raleigh didn't even seem to see him.

"Raleigh!" Chuck shouted over the noise of the kaiju and the ocean. "Raleigh, look at me!" For a second, nothing happened. Then Raleigh seemed to notice him. He looked at Chuck and panted. But he didn't react to anything Chuck was saying. Everything around them seemed to slow down. The noise became a muffled roaring.

But Raleigh still did not snap out of it.

Chuck now held on to Raleigh's shoulders and kept him perfectly still. Raleigh froze. Carefully, Chuck reached up to Raleigh's head and removed his helmet, throwing it on the floor of the Conn-Pod.

When Raleigh still didn't seem to react, Chuck removed his own helmet and brought his face right in front of Raleigh's. He looked into the other's eyes, trying to find a spark or recognition. Any reaction at all. There was none.

"Raleigh, please look at me. This is not real. Nothing of this is real. Don't chase the rabbit, do you hear me?" Raleigh was just breathing heavily and stared right through Chuck.

Chuck felt cold fear grip his heart like an icy claw. He had never seen anyone get so lost in a memory. What if Raleigh never snapped back out of it? No, he would not let that happen! He had called Raleigh a coward for fleeing after this. He could not abandon him in that exact memory. But what the hell could he do?

Chuck lifted his hand and gently stroked Raleigh's head. He moved his fingers through the other man's messy hair, watching him intently. Raleigh's breathing slowed down a bit.

"Raleigh, come back to me," Chuck whispered. "I am here with you. Nothing will happen to you. Just get the hell out of there!" He shouted the last bit, frustrated that he did not know what to do.

"… Yancy…?"

Chuck's heart skipped a beat.

"No, it's me. Chuck. Your co-pilot."

"Chuck…?"

Raleigh's voice was no more than a hoarse whisper. He didn't show any recognition when he repeated Chuck's name.

"Damn it, Becket! What are you doing?!" Chuck shook him.

Chuck was thinking hard. Each touch seemed to show a tiny effect on Raleigh. He could get him back out of there, Chuck was sure. His face grim, he gently put his finger under Raleigh's chin and turned Raleigh's face slightly upwards.

Shit, I am going to regret this. What the hell; who cares; it's just in our heads!

Chuck slowly leaned forward, keeping his eyes locked on Raleigh's. He carefully touched Raleigh's lips with his own. The touch was so light that he hardly felt it. But he felt Raleigh's heart beat speed up.

Leaning in more, he carefully kissed Raleigh. He tasted blood and sea water.

Chuck was still looking into Raleigh's eyes, waiting for a reaction. Raleigh blinked. And then he blinked again.

Chuck's hand wandered to the back of Raleigh's head, clutching the blonde hair. Chuck couldn't resist. He closed his eyes. Then suddenly, he felt Raleigh return the kiss. But it only lasted a second. Then Raleigh jerked away from Chuck and pushed against his chest, sending the other man stumbling a few steps backwards.

"Chuck?! What… what is going on?!" Raleigh stared at Chuck in disbelief.

"You chased the rabbit, Raleigh," Chuck told him. His voice sounded weird even in his own ears.

Raleigh's realization flooded through Chuck's mind and the next second they were back in Puma Reals Conn-Pod, still hooked up to the equipment.

" – you there, Chuck? Raleigh?" Tendo's voice came through the loud speakers.

"We are back," Chuck coughed and tried to calm his racing heart.

Raleigh was quiet. When Chuck looked out of the Conn-Pod, he saw that Dragon Flare was standing about one hundred feet from them, waiting for orders. There was no sign of the kaiju.


Uuuh, tell me what you think? ;P