Author's note: Looks like I messed up. Mako does NOT have any living family. Went back and retconned the error.

Forged in Fire, Chapter 10

Hong Kong

Hannibal Chau's apothecary

May 7, 2025

1745

Newt was panicking. He wants the Pons and the Drift technology. Herc's going to kill me… "Wh-wh-why? What could you use them for?"

Chau's smiled wide, baring his gold-plated teeth. "The civilian market for the Drift… Can you imagine what it could be?"

"No, because you have to be compatible in order to Drift with someone…"

"Says the man who Drifted with two separate Kaiju brains. So obviously, you've got something new and improved up your sleeves. I want in on it. I'll even offer you a position with the new company I build. How does Chief Technology Officer sound? Huge R&D budget. Freedom to pursue any idea that comes to mind." Chau reached into his desk and pulled out a bottle of liquor and a pair of glasses. "So what do you say, Dr. Geizler?"

"What happens if I say no?"

Chau shrugged. "I let you leave and I find someone else."

"Can I think about it?"

"Yes, but the moment you leave, the offer is off the table."

Oh god. "Can I call someone?"

"No."

Newt's mind spun. "What direction did you want to take the company?"

Chau turned to the window. "To be honest, I'm kinda figuring this out as I go. I hadn't expected you to drop in like this." He turned to Newt. "Makes me wonder if the PPDC is still watching me."

"N-n-not that I-I-I'm aware of, no. Why would we?"

"Maybe because I funded you for the last days of the war. Maybe because I'm a war profiteer who make his bucks off of your enemies."

Newt walked to the window and looked out over the boneslum. I need to decide.

"So, what's the deal, Dr. Geizler? Yes or no?"

Newt turned to Chau and stuck out his hand. "Deal."

Chau grinned and took Newt's hand. They shook on it. "Well, then. Welcome aboard."

-.-.-

Hong Kong Shatterdome

Helipad

May 7, 2025

1800

Raleigh pulled out the slip of paper Mako had given him earlier. I know it's early in the morning in California… But Mako said do it tonight.

He dialed the number and hit the call button.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Click.

"RALEIGH BECKETT, YOU MISERABLE IDIOT! WHY DID YOU CUT ME OUT?"

Raleigh pulled the phone away from his ear as Jazmine continued to scream.

"I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU FOR OVER A YEAR!"

Raleigh waited. No more screaming came from the speaker. He slowly put the phone back to his ear. "Jazmine, I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorr-"

"I heard you Raleigh, it's just taking a little bit of time to process."

Raleigh waited.

"Okay, you were saying?"

Raleigh sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for not getting in touch with you. After Yancy died…"

Jazmine started to yell again. "THAT'S YOUR EXCUSE? I THOUGHT RANGERS LIVED OR DIED TOGETHER! YOU MADE IT HOME, AND HE DIDN'T! WHY DID YOU LET HIM DIE?!"

How do I explain this? "You done yelling for the moment, so I can explain?"

"… Yes. Doesn't mean I won't yell at you if I don't like the reason."

"Fair enough."

"So… How come only one of you came back?"

Raleigh's mind went back to that night in the Gulf of Alaska… "Jazmine, do you remember when the war started to take a turn for the worse?"

"Yeah. It was… After Yancy died. Why?"

"That night was the first signs that the Kaiju were aware that there was a far more delicate part to the Jaeger tucked inside the "head": The Rangers. Us." Raleigh fought back tears. The hull! It went through the hull! Raleigh, listen to me! You need AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOO!

"Raleigh, are you okay?"

"Yeah… I just… flashed back to that night. When he was taken."

"Taken?" Jazmine's voice broke. "Taken how?"

"The Kaiju… it managed to get one of its claws through the Conn Pod armor on Yancy's side. Hooked it in there real good. Then it tore part of the Conn Pod away… and it took Yancy with it."

"Oh my God… They never told me…"

"It's not the sort of thing they liked to share."

"How did you make it?"

"I nearly didn't. Jaegers are designed to be operated by two pilots, not one. I barely made it back to shore."

"But you killed the Kaiju?"

Raleigh grinned. "Did you hear about a Category III Kaiju making landfall in Anchorage?"

"No."

"Then yes, I killed it."

"I… I didn't know. I thought that you'd left him behind. When you crashed."

"Jazmine… I would never a family member behind. You know that."

Her voice hardened. "You left me behind. You disappeared from the face of the earth FOR FIVE YEARS!"

"I left the Ranger Corps and worked on the Wall."

"NOT AN EXCUSE! THERE WERE PLENTY OF WAYS TO CONTACT ME!"

"There were. I just wanted to be alone. You don't know what it's like. To be connected to someone on a deeper level than you could imagine… and then have them taken from you." He paused. "Jazmine, when Knifehead took Yancy… I could feel it. His fear, his pain, his helplessness… then he was gone." Raleigh, listen to me! You need AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! "He was trying to tell me something when the Kaiju took him. I never found out what it was."

Sobs began to come from the phone. "I… I'm sorry. I didn't know…"

"Not many do. Two people in the world have seen it. Myself… And my copilot, Mako."

Jazmine sniffled for a moment. "The Drift?"

"Yeah… She's seen it."

"Do you think… No, that's too much to ask."

"What is?"

Jazmine sighed. "Do you think you and I are Drift compatible? Could you take me back to that night in the Drift? It might help me get some closure… and forgive you."

That is a very good question. "I don't know. I can ask."

"Could you, please?"

"I'll ask. But keep this in mind: Drifting the way you ask to is rough. Ask Mako about our first Drift."

"About Mako…"

Raleigh groaned. Not another relationship question… I'm tired of those. "What about her?"

"Are you two… you know…"

"No, Jazmine, we are not sleeping together."

"Uhm… that's not what I was going to ask."

Whoops. Raleigh grabbed the bridge of his nose. "Sorry. We get asked that a lot, so it's an automatic response. So, what was your question?"

"Are you two in a relationship?"

"Yes, we are."

"Is it serious?"

Raleigh paused. "Yeah, now that I think about it. It is."

"My big brother has finally settled down with a girl? Now I have to meet her."

"Whoawhoawhoa… No, not like that."

"Then it's not serious."

Raleigh groaned. "Jazmine…"

"Yes or no: Would you want to spend the rest of your life together with her?"

Good question… "Uhm… Yeah. Yeah, I would."

"Then it's serious. Thus, I need to get to know my potential sister-in-law."

"Aren't you getting ahead of yourself, Jazmine? We're not engaged yet, and we're still getting the relationship started."

"Define 'Just getting started.'"

"About a week since we both admitted to the other that we love them."

"Aww… How sweet."

Raleigh turned as red as Crimson Typhoon's armor. "Shut up, Jazmine. It's different for copilots."

"Why, because it's a relationship with a coworker?"

"Because there are no secrets in the Drift. You lay your heart and mind bare to the other."

"Oh. Maybe I don't want to do the Drift, then."

"I'll still ask if you can… But you may not like what you find out if you do. It took me five years and a few more Drifts with a new copilot to get over Anchorage."

"Oh, crud."

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, there's an accident that just happened on the route to my work. Looks bad. It'll take longer to get to work this morning. I'm going to have to let you go if I want to make it on time."

"Okay. I don't want to make you late. Talk to you soon?"

"Count on it, big brother."

Click.

Raleigh looked out over Victoria Harbor for a few minutes. Why did I block her out? She's so much fun sometimes. He turned back to the entrance to the Shatterdome. Mako was waiting right behind him. "Gyah! How long have you been there?"

Mako grinned. "Not long. You've been staring into space the whole time I was here. How'd it go?"

Raleigh dug a finger into his ear. "She yelled at me a bit."

"I wouldn't blame her. Five years is a long time to not talk to your family."

Well, if we're going to tear the bandage off of my old wounds, hers are fair game too. "You're one to talk."

Mako went pale, her gaze furious.

Raleigh instantly regretted the comment. Oops.

Mako ground her teeth. "My family is dead. All of them."

Raleigh blanched. "I'm sorry, Mako. I didn't know."

Mako's expression softened as she realized that Raleigh was being honest.

Mako's phone rang. She took the call. "Sir? … Yes, I'll be right there." She hung up. "Herc wants to see me in the LOCCENT."

"Go. I'll save you a seat in the mess hall."

"Thanks."

"Oh, and Mako?"

She turned around.

"Thank you for pushing me to talk to Jazmine."

Mako smiled, then started off towards LOCCENT.

Raleigh headed towards the mess hall. I wonder what they're offering tonight?

-.-.-

LOCCENT

1815

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

Herc turned around to see Mako in the doorway. "Yeah. Come in."

Mako came and took a seat beside him. "What is it?"

Herc powered up the holodisplay. On it were three images, one of each contender for the Ranger Memorial. He gestured at them. "These are the final three candidates for the Ranger Memorial. I want your opinion."

"Do you have a favorite?"

"Yes, but I want your opinion, too."

"Okay." Mako scooted forward and "grabbed" one of them.

The image was centered Gipsy Danger with her Chain Swords deployed, closing in on Otachi. To the left of Gipsy, Cherno Alpha was stomping Leatherback into the ground. Striker Eureka was to the right, Sting Blades extended and dug into Trespasser's shoulders. Finally, Crimson Typhoon was digging into Onibaba with the saws of the Thundercloud Formation. Behind them stood a city with an unfinished Wall. It was titled "Guardians at the Gate".

"Not accurate, but impressive." Mako pushed it back, causing it to shrink back to its original size. She grabbed the next one.

A tiny figure stood in the streets behind Gipsy Danger, which had its Chain Swords dug into a Kaiju. It was titled, "For the Lady".

Mako sighed as she pushed it back. "Simple, poignant, but not a good fit." She grabbed the last one. It was titled "VICTORY." She pulled it forward… and her jaw dropped.

Three vignettes made up the primary part of the memorial. They were wrapped equidistant around a globe.

First was Brawler Yukon battling Karloff through Vancouver. The Kaiju was bleeding, clearly about to fall. At the Jaeger's feet was a sign. "HOPE".

Second was Striker Eureka. The bomb from Operation Pitfall was tucked between the Angel Wings. Striker was clearly badly damaged. His chest was caved in, and there were swirls of fluids and parts around him. Despite the damage, he still stood his ground against the Kaiju Slattern. It was more of an artistic impression based off of Tendo's scans, but it was still close. At Striker's feet was another sign. "SACRIFICE".

What had taken Mako's breath away was the third set. It was the inside of a Conn Pod. A very particular one. Mako would know, having killed four Kaiju while strapped into the motion capture rig. The displays showed a missing arm and a crippled knee, and the Self-Destruct countdown timer counting down. One Ranger was being loaded into the escape pod, unconscious. The other stood firm, continuing the fight as he watched his copilot was being encapsulated. Mako wiped tears from her eyes as she saw the sign.

The sign read "LOVE".

"It's perfect."