Part
Chuck called in the link, letting the others know that we're on our spot.
"You alright there, Birdy?" He stole a quick glance at me when I lost myself in a moment of thought.
"Peachy." I answered and then buzzed us on the intercom. "Hey, Marshal!"
There was a second before Pentecost answered:
"Yes, Miss West?"
"You've got an exceptional pilot there. Use his potential."
"I intend to, Miss West." Came his reply.
Chuck didn't ask anything, he saw it in the drift. Phoenix was a very unique Jaeger and Rico was the only one beside me who knew all the promise she had to offer.
The three Jaegers shook the bottom of the ocean with their heavy steps as we made our way to the breach. To say that we couldn't see anything was an understatement. We couldn't see neither Gypsy nor Phoenix.
"Two signatures are in your line, one more emerging." Tendo called.
Chuck and I stopped. Gypsy did the same while Phoenix went on though it was evident that both Rico and Pentecost were as good as blind in those waters.
"One Kaiju is right near you!" We all heard Herc's firm voice but still were not attacked. "It's very fast!"
"We can't detect him!" Chuck called in the intercom.
"It's too fast." I added.
"What category?" Raleigh asked.
"Five…" Tendo didn't finish what he was about to say when Raiju, the Kaiju that was playing with as using his fast as the speed of bullet nature attacked Gypsy.
We reacted promptly moving our bodies in sync to get to Mako and Raleigh but as soon as we were in the zone of the two fighting creatures, Striker experienced a wind being knocked out of her as we fell backwards.
Chuck and I both regrouped immediately and came face to face with Scunner with its ugly visage, tentacles similar to the ones of the octopus only if you can imagine an octopus the size of two skyscrapers and disgusting glowing blue slime that was oozing from its huge trap.
"Oh, this one's ugly." Chuck declared as we took a stance and momentary activated Striker's twin blades, waiting for it to move forwards ready to assault.
Scunner didn't make us wait long and darted in our direction. Striker Eureka hit hard, using one of the sting-blades to make a hole in the aggressor. The monster let out a shrilling noise as the razor pierced its skin. Recovering the next moment the Kaiju used its tripled tail to throw us a good thirty feet away, damaging the Jaeger's left arm with the toxic slime.
"Shit!" I let out as I felt that my side of Striker was dented.
"Henley! You alright?" I heard Chuck as the systems of the Jaeger started going off.
"Fine! On the right!" I shouted back and our minds worked fast as Striker delivered the strongest blow to once again attacking Scunner, sending it summersaulting in the other direction.
"The systems are restoring." Chuck said as Striker straightened.
"Tendo, how are the others?"
"Not good!" The chief technician answered on the other end. "Gypsy lost a hand and one leg's injured. Phoenix is beat up pretty good too."
"We're on our way!" Chuck said into the com link.
"No stay there!" We both heard Pentecost's voice as we saw Phoenix delivering punches to Slattern who was the last from the three Kaiju to emerge. I noticed that the fighting style of my Jaeger changed: the usual Asian martial arts were laced with Coyote Tango's kickass counterstrike. It was deathly efficient. If only it wasn't a Kaiju category five they were fighting with.
We turned Striker in the direction of Gypsy to point her six-barreled WMB2x90 Anti-Kaiju Missile chest launcher at the other Jaeger's attacker. We were able to fire at Raiju but missed Scunner who has recovered and was lucky in grabbing Striker by the legs as we fall face down on the ocean floor.
"Get up! Get up!" It was Chuck only I wasn't sure if it was in our shared headspace or if he really was shouting the words. Either way we simultaneously willed our Jaeger to kick as hard as possible to set ourselves free from the Kaiju's hold. It wasn't so easy as one of Striker's legs was in a strong clasp. Having freed one leg we were able to turn the Jaeger's body so we could deliver a punch with the brass knuckles, shattering half of monster's face into pieces with glowing goo all over it.
There were a lot of voices in the link suddenly. Newton…Tendo…Dr Gottlieb…Herc…I couldn't concentrate on them and could only grasp what they were saying thanks to Chuck's focus. We couldn't just send the bomb flying into the breach….we needed to mask it as a Kaiju.
Meanwhile Gypsy was able to kill Raiju burning its head in the lava having previously pierced the creature with the sword. That I felt very proud of: I was the one to design the blade after Mako asked to install one in Gypsy's built.
"The payload is damaged!" We all heard Pentecost as he buzzed Phoenix in.
"And Phoenix is far beyond repair!" Rico echoed, his voice not wavering. "The systems are screaming demanding the attention."
"We won't make it to the breach and fire the payload manually." It was evident. "Gypsy, you're gonna have to use your nuclear reactor. Do you get me, Raleigh?"
There was a second of silence while I was trying to process what was going on while me and Chuck were still delivering punches at the Kaiju that by then was lying in front of Striker badly banged but still alive.
"Yes." Raliegh answered firmly though it was clear that the decision wasn't the easiest one.
"What? What are you saying?" I screamed into the link, still focused on beating the crap out of a semi-alive monster under Striker's legs.
"It's time for Phoenix to become ashes again." Rico called out.
"But you still can…"
"No time, H! Don't worry, I'll keep looking after you." At that Phoenix buzzed out.
"Rico!" My scream got mixed with Chuck's firm "Hold on" as one of Striker's sting blades spiked through the ocean floor right in time to be hit with a massive wave from the explosion Phoenix Tsunami arranged to clear the path for Gypsy.
True to the black Jaeger's name the second wave was a Tsunami. Striker was bended on one leg. Both Chuck and I screamed as we were holding on with all the power that was left in us, both damaged physically and mentally.
As our surrounding cleared and we finally could unclench Striker's hands, my eyes flew to where Phoenix has been standing previously. Where there was nothing in its place. Slattern and Scunner appeared to be dead.
"Gypsy?" I called.
"We're standing, Striker." Raleigh's determined reply came.
But as we looked at our comrades we realized just in how much bad shape they were.
"Get a hold on that thing, Becket, we have to save the world right about now." Chuck said from beside me.
"No worries there, Hansen, we're all set." Raleigh produced a humorless chuckle but there was no more real enmity between the two men, no hatred. All of that was directed at the invaders who tried to destroy us, to enslave our world.
"As you say." Chuck uttered, pushing the buttons on his side of the pad.
Striker moved to a handless Jaeger and threw Raiju's corps and limps at its feet. "Then go get them."
Just as Gypsy was about to pick up the dead Kaiju a pretty much still alive but wounded Slattern emerged from the Jaeger's behind, mulling at its shoulder. Gypsy didn't lose it and mortally stabbing the Kaiju fell down the breach holding at the assaulter.
Chuck and I watched the scene mesmerized knowing that we couldn't do anything else. Though I had to admit that the apocalypse from the front row was a damn hypnotic thing.
"Striker!" Herc's voice came from the link. "Get back to the surface."
"What about Mori and Becket?" Chuck asked the question that was on my tongue.
"You can't help them, they have to do it on their own." Herc said firmly, the weight of being the new leader obvious. But then he added, letting himself something very rare. "Son, get yourselves out of there."
Chuck stirred. An out-of-their-pattern moment of his father's concerned voice asking him to come back home. My co-pilot regained his compose. There was no point to wait near the breach, Striker turned and we limped back using the bits of strength we had left.
-\-
The sun was setting painting the sky in the most amazing colors. Or maybe it seemed so in the wake of our recent victory.
Something was telling me that we were far from the end but for the time being we had to be happy with what we were able to achieve.
"You ok?" I didn't need to turn to know that it was Chuck who joined me at the window or rather an opening in between the stone blocks that was a substitute for a window; the drift brought us even closer than we've been.
I let myself a little smile still watching a finally still ocean. "Yes, I am."
"I have something for you." He pulled something small from his pants pocket as I eyed him curiously.
Chuck opened his arm to reveal a small Origami paper crane. I raised my eyebrows at him, urging to explain:
"There a tradition to burn the bodies of the fallen and give then to the sea…that's how their souls come to rest in peace.. Imagine that this is Phoenix." He pulled a lighter from the other pocket. "That is if you feel that you didn't say a proper goodbye."
I looked him in the eyes. He knew, he felt it on our way back from the ocean bed that I was conflicted, that I didn't know if we did everything we could, if I should have said goodbye to my best friend when we still were in the hangers.
I took the paper crane in my hand, reaching for the lighter with the other.
It was a very thoughtful gesture and I knew for a fact (thank you very much to the Drift) that it was a big step for Chuck Hansen in showing his emotions to other human being.
As the flames were eating the small paper bird, my eyes followed the ash that flew away touching the ocean's surface, resting in invisible pieces on the waves. As the last bit fell from my hands before the fire could start biting at my fingers, my eyes closed for a second before a smile rested firmly on my features.
I would always find him in the Drift. He'd forever be with me. He promised. And Ricardo Wizinsky has never broken a promise. Sure enough most of the time he avoided giving one. But that time there was nowhere to run. If he wanted to pull a sprinter he made a promise to a wrong girl.
My head found Chuck's shoulder as we, both tired but ready to overcome the exhaustion for a bit more to witness the result of our what seemed to be endless struggle, watched the last rays of the setting sun and the newly tranquil ocean.
A\N – Well, my lovelies! We're almost done! One last chapter/Epilogue and that's pretty much it!
I'm trying to post everything as fast as I can bcs I won't be able to use my laptop for God knows how long so I'm finishing it in advance.
Anyway, tell me! Tell me teeeeeell me! Like it? Love it? Poor Rico(
