Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except the character's of Isabelle, Anna and Ebony Siren
A huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favourited this story, I'm so glad you're all enjoying it!
I should also apologise for my absence with this story, I've been a little busy lately, but hopefully this chapter is worth the wait.
As usual let me know what you think and if you think anything needs adjusting.
Chapter 10.
It felt good to be back in Hanger 5. Anna sat, cross legged, on the floor at Ebony Siren's massive feet. Her back rested on the armoured toes of the Jaeger's right foot, as she settled back, careful of her tender shoulder wound and regarded the other Hangers situated in the massive shatterdome. Hanger 4 would house the refurbished Gipsy Danger, once the Mark 3 was finished in the repair hanger.
Hanger 3 was home to the massive three armed Chinese Jaeger, Crimson Typhoon. Crimson's pilots the Wei Tang triplets, who were as usual immerged in a silent, quick paced game of basketball at the feet of their Jaeger. The game was played entirely on instinct and awareness of each brother and they're position. No words needed, with a drift hangover that strong. Anna didn't have a lot to do with the triplets, they kept to themselves. Something she could relate to being a twin, Isabelle and her bond was tight. Sometimes that bond was all they needed.
Listening to the steady 'thump' of the brother's basketball on the floor, Anna felt a small twinge of affection as her gaze trailed to Hanger 2, where the imposing Russian Jaeger, Cherno Alpha was housed. Even inactive the last surviving T90 was intimidating.
'Bloody Tank, on legs,' she mused with a smile.
The only thing that put, Anna on edge about the Mark 1 was the fact the Conn-Pod was actually designed at the center like the heart, rather than as the head like all the other Jaegers.
'No escape pods, either.'
She disagreed with the Russian's motto, 'Win or Die.' It was the only thing she had ever argued with Aleksis and Sasha about.
In Hanger 1, stood the impressive Striker Eureka the only Mark 5 Jaeger ever made. As she regarded the Australian Jaeger, Anna felt the inevitable flash of envy jolt her system.
'Who wouldn't want to jockey a Mark 5?'
She didn't know a single person during her years at the Academy who hadn't at one point or another, dreamed of piloting the Mark 5. That was before she and Isabelle were posted as the pilots for Ebony Siren, obviously.
She leaned back slightly, resting her head on her beloved Mark 4's foot. 'Don't worry, Ebony. I'm not going anywhere.' She mentally apologised, feeling guitly for her momentary traitorous thought.
'Woof!'
Raising her head again, Anna looked in the direction of the familiar bark, just in time to see Max, Herc and Chuck's bulldog notice her. The heavy set bulldog, trundled towards her a picture of delighted enthusiasm. His muscled body moving with a rolling fashion and his wrinkled face, giving the impression he was laughing as his long pink tongue lolled out the side of his mouth.
Anna laughed as she opened her arms, "hi, Maxi!" she greeted, wrapping her arms around him, as he clamboured onto her lap. "You're such a good boy," she cooed, hugging the dog close, careful to keep her left hand clear, encase the bouncy dog, should bump her fingers.
What was it about a dog that turned a person into a gooey mess?
In response, Max wagged his small stump of a tail, which in turn made his whole body wiggle with his enthusiasm.
His evident happiness, made her smile. "You are so bloody adoreable," she chuckled as Max promptly led across her lap, feeling like a small sack of potatoes. His large, dark eyes locked on her as he watched every movement. "You do know you're not a puppy anymore right?" Anna questioned the dog softly, as she rested a hand on top of his head.
"Max, no getting all worked up over a pretty girl," Herc called affectionately, flashing Anna a wink as he walked towards them.
"We don't mind, do we?" Anna once again cooed at the bulldog, sprawled in her lap. "Come and join me, Papa H," she smiled, patted the floor beside her, as the rugged Australian pilot regarded her and his dog with affection.
He chuckled with a shake of his head, "I'm too old for this," he groaned as he lowered himself to sit beside her, long legs stretched out in front him.
Anna snorted, "That's bollocks."
Herc's laughter echoed around the relatively quiet space and Max barked in response.
They sat in a gentle silence and Anna returned her attention to Striker Eureka.
"Should I tell Chuck, you're making eyes at our Jaeger?" Herc questioned with a laugh.
With a grin, Anna ran her fingers over Max's head, as the bulldog let out a heavy sigh of contentment on her lap, "Tired baby," she whispered. Flicking her gaze to Herc, she shrugged lightly, "I was just admiring the single stroke of genius, from the Australian Government and wondering how the 'Wall of Life' managed to beat us."
"We're not beaten yet, sweetheart," Herc reminded firmly, a frown pulling at his mouth.
"We're on our knees, so I'd say we're pretty bloody close," Anna sighed, "I knew things were bad, but I never thought they were desperate enough to warrant putting my terminally ill twin back in a Jaeger."
Herc hesitated, not sure if the other pilots were privy to what Gottlieb had told him and Pentecost in the lab. Then again, it was pilots like Anna whose asses were on the line everytime they jockied a Jaeger.
"Okay, you're hesitating. Do you have any idea how nervous that makes me?" Anna warned him, those ever expressive sapphire eyes of hers gleaming at him.
Blowing a heavy sigh from his mouth, Herc shifted beside her, "Ah shit, look Gottlieb being doing some calculations, he thinks we're in for a rise in kaiju attacks."
Anna stilled, her hand resting on Max's sleeping head, "A rise?"
"MmHmm, he expects an attack to occur every four days and to continue rising until the Kaiju are coming through the breach every four hours then minutes. He predicts double event and then a triple event…"
She blinked, eyes widening with realisation, "Holy Shit."
He chuckled bitterly, "Yeah, I reckon."
"Shitting hell, we haven't got the Jaegers to with stand that kind of onslaught," Anna hissed in a sharp whisper. "Jesus, no wonder Pentecost jumped at the chance for Isabelle to be reinstated."
Herc nodded, "Where is she, by the way? I assumed she'd be here with you."
With a shake of her head, Anna wriggled, trying to get the blood flowing back into her folded legs, where Max lay sprawled dozing. "No she's gone to medical, Pentecost wanted her to have a routine scan after our neural test. Make sure there were no repercussions."
Herc nodded again, eyeing her critically, "What about you?"
With a small scowl, she gave a half hearted shrug. "I'm alright, fingers are sore."
He frowned and shook his head, "that's not what I meant."
"I know," Anna pursed her lips and sighed slightly, "I have a headache and no amount of asprin seems to be able to shift it. But I couldn't tell you if it's down to the drift or just the general stress of the last few days." She admitted quietly, "Still there is a tiny part of me and it is the tinest part of me, worries," she paused and offered him a sad smile. "Isabelle's first symtoms were headaches."
"You want the Doc, to look you over?" Herc questioned gently.
Immediately Anna shook her head, "Don't be ridiculous. We both know it's more than likely drift overhang, I'm just being melodramatic."
At her words Herc let the subject drop, he knew both the Duncan girls well enough if you push them into something they don't want to do, the harder they'll dig their heels in.
Instead he cleared his throat and returned his attention to Striker Eureka, "So did that boy of mine pay for breakfast?"
Anna blushed slightly, but her smile brightened, "Yes, you'll be pleased to know he was the perfect gentleman."
Herc laughed at her choice of words, "You sure we're talking about the same bloke? I don't reckon I've ever heard anyone call him a gentleman."
She shifted against Ebony's foot and felt her chest tighten, with a swirl of unease. Chuck Hansen had a reputation, especially among the ladies, "I can imagine."
Catching the downcast nature of her tone, Herc turned to look at her and gave her arm a gentle squeeze, "hey, you're good for him. Since he met you, my drift space has been practically PG rated."
Before she could open her mouth to reply, he immediately cut her off, "No I don't have to tell you anything, but I am telling you this because I know my son and you are the best thing, since Striker, to happen to him." He paused and offered a gentle smile, "don't let his reputation frighten you away."
The sound of crisp footfalls, cut through their conversation and Herc turned to catch sight of Pentecost heading in their direction. "Ah, that's my cue," he nodded, rising to his feet with a groan that Anna was certain he was putting on. "Fancy watching, Max?" He questioned peering down at her.
With a small smile, she nodded, "Sure."
With a mirrored smile, Herc turned towards Pentecost. Glancing over his shoulder he fixed her a pointed stare that was both reasurring and kind, "Think about what I said, sweetheart."
As she watched him walk away with Marshal Pentecost, Anna sighed slightly and turned her attention back to the dozing bulldog in her lap, "you're a good judge of character, right?" she whispered, stroking the dog's ears. No matter how much she tried to tell herself Chuck Hansen was bad news, she couldn't seem to keep him at arms length.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
Lifting her head in surprise, Anna realised Raleigh Becket was leaning against Ebony's left foot, regarding her curiously. She smiled warmly up at him, "hey, Raleigh. Sorry I was miles away."
Raleigh sat beside her in the space recently vacated by Herc and offered a small smirk. "Yeah, I noticed. They looked like some pretty heavy thoughts rolling around in there," he commented, letting his left arm rest in his lap.
Anna nodded, feeling the smile slip from her lips, "this isn't exactly the place for setting a light and airy mood," she commented nodding her head at their surroundings, "It's gotten pretty ugly over the last few years, particularly the last couple of months."
"I guess I've been living in ignorance, huh?" Raleigh murmured his blue eyes catching hers. "After, Yancy…" he broke off and shook his head.
Watching him, Anna offered him a soft smile and placed her hand on his arm. "No one blames you for leaving, Raleigh. What you went through, no one has the right to judge your decisions."
Raleigh didn't speak for a moment, he gaze drifting over her and committing every detail to memory. "Now I know what Yancy saw in you, other than the pretty looks," he finally commented, flashing her a smirk.
Anna felt her cheeks heat with a blush, as she recalled a particularly vivid drift memory of a, very naked, Yancy Becket. It was one of those, one night stand, memories, she had literally brushed over and tried not to look to closely at. Hesitating she cleared her throat, "Isabelle. The drift memory was of Isabelle, not me."
Raleigh's grin widened before he laughed, "hey I had a fifty/fifty shot, right?"
She laughed, "true."
"Sorry," he apologised, the smile still on his lips.
Anna chuckled, "No you're not, but don't worry you're not the first person to get us confused." Leaning back against Ebony's foot, Anna sighed softly, "It feels good to laugh," she admitted.
Raleigh nodded, offering her a small smile, "y'know I always regretted not getting to know you better," he told her, his gaze drawn to the imposing shadow of Striker Eureka, "Isabelle too," he added with a rueful chuckle.
Anna felt her heart trip in surprise at his confession, but equally she knew what he meant. It wasn't easy to make lasting ties in the Jaeger Corps, it was simply the way it was. Life as a pilot was fast paced, brutal and often short.
She'd already heard from Sasha, that while Raleigh was a decorated pilot he was in a grey area, due to his five year absence. No one was particularly eager to offer the hand of friendship, to a ex pilot who had yet to prove himself in the current situation.
Offering him a gentle smile, she nodded, "Maybe we'll have chance this time around."
Matching her smile, Raleigh nodded, "maybe."
"Am I interrupting?"
Anna mentally flinched at the Australian lilt, the question practically dripping in possessive jealousy, as Max squirmed off her lap eager to see his master. Glancing in the direction, Max was scampering, Anna watched as Chuck strolled to a lazy stop before them, his blue eyes turning icy as he glared at Raleigh.
That glare had one defiant throught stomping through her head, as she caught the Australian's narrowed eyes. She was not going to be the object of some primative, territorital display. She shifted, stretching out her legs now that Max had departed and pinned Chuck with a glare of her own, a glare that clearly stated.
Don't you, fucking dare.