Forged in Fire, Chapter 3

Hong Kong Shatterdome

Gipsy Danger Repair Bay

April 27, 2025

1417

Ting.

Ting.

Ting.

Raleigh set the hammer down, and Mako put the steel back into the furnace. She looked at it as it reheated, going from the color of the morning sunrise to a bright yellow. "We're close. Just one more round and it should be ready."

"So, should I get that wedge tool yet?"

"Not yet… But soon."

Raleigh nodded, grabbed his water bottle, and took a long drink from it. This was proving to be a time-intensive process. He then put the bottle back down, picked up the hammer again, and stood at the anvil. "Ready when you are."

Mako nodded once, removed the steel bar from the furnace, and quickly placed it on the anvil. Raleigh began to hammer away at it again, drawing it out a little bit longer. Finally, Mako saw it reach the desired length. "That's good." She grabbed the bar and stuck it back into the furnace. "Want to go get some lunch?"

"Sounds good."

The two Rangers walked back to the mess hall. Mako realized that she still had that piece of confetti in her pocket. And now I know just what to do with it…

Raleigh and Mako grabbed some food and headed out to the helipad to enjoy the spring afternoon. With the reduced helicopter traffic in and out of the Shatterdome, several helipad landing spaces had been turned into either Kwoon areas or, in the case of the one Mako and Raleigh headed towards, an outdoor dining area. They sat down and watched the ship traffic in the harbor as they ate.

After a while of silently eating and enjoying each other's company, Raleigh decided it was time to ask a question that had been nagging him for weeks. "Mako?"

"Yes?"

"I've been thinking about this for a few weeks now, and I have a question for you."

Mako looked at Raleigh, her face a mix of curiosity and confusion.

Raleigh paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "Where do you think you'll go, now that the PPDC is being stood down?"

Mako blinked, not sure what to make of the surprise question. For a moment there, I was positive he was going to ask something else. Something more… Hollywood. "I… I haven't really given it any thought." She stared out at the seagulls wheeling around in the sky near the spot where they had killed Leatherback over four months prior. The bones were still being broken down and removed. "I guess I hadn't expected to ever make it this far. Closing the Breach."

Raleigh looked out over Hong Kong, remembering the fight with Otachi. "I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do in the future. Going back to Alaska is certainly on my to-do list. Beyond that, I'm not sure." He paused for a moment, then looked at Mako. "Maybe get back in touch with my sister."

Mako continued to stare out over the harbor. Raleigh could almost hear the gears turning in her head. Hell, I can almost hear her thoughts. Ghost-Drifting is weird like that. He scooted around the table and sat next to her. She leaned on him, seemingly from habit. Her mind was clearly elsewhere. Raleigh sat and waited.

A few minutes passed before Mako shook her head slightly as if to clear away a mosquito. "Sorry about that. I was thinking about what I should do with my future."

"No worries. I figured that's what was going on."

Mako stood up from the table and grabbed her tray. "Want to go work on making the first fold?"

"Sure."

They walked back to the hangar, unconsciously holding hands.

-.-.-

Hong Kong Shatterdome

LOCCENT
April 27, 2025

1614

Max trundled up to Herc, dropped his ball, and whined. The message was clear: Boss, let's go play!

Herc looked up from his work, then down at Max. "You silly dog. Let's go." He stood up, grabbed the Chuckit (A gift from Tendo to make it easier to throw the ball for Max while his collarbone healed), and whistled at Max as he headed out the door of the LOCCENT. "Come on, boy." Max trotted along at Herc's heels.

Herc and Max entered the elevator, and Herc hit the button for the Shatterdome floor. Max sat down and looked at Herc, expectant. Herc stooped down and scratched Max between the ears. "Who's a good boy?" Max barked once. "Yes you are!"

Ding.

The doors of the elevator opened up, and Max sauntered out onto the floor, looking around for all the people that he was used to seeing. Confused, he turned back to Herc, whining.

"I know, they're all gone, aren't they, boy. Here, GO FETCH!"

Max tore down Scramble Alley after the ball. Herc chuckled as Max skidded on the polished floor trying to turn around at speed. After a quick jog to the ball, Max came galumphing back happily towards Herc. Herc picked up the slobbery ball with the Chuckit, wound up, and once again launched the ball down Scramble Alley. Max tore off after it.

Ting.

Ting.

Ting.

Max and Herc both stopped, seeking the source of the sound. It seems like it's coming from Gipsy's bay… What's going on? Herc and Max both converged on the source of the sound, curious. Still, the sound continued.

Ting.

Ting.

Ting.

Max waited for Herc, then they both rounded the corner to see Mako stabilizing a wedge of hardened steel, while Raleigh took what looked like a sledgehammer to it, driving it into a bar of yellow-hot steel. Herc and Max looked at each other for a moment, then observed the two Rangers at work.

Mako spoke first. "Ok, that's good. Get ready to bend it."

Raleigh took the proffered wedge, set it aside, then took position with the sledge. "Ready."

Mako slid the bar of steel, now a bright orange, away from her until the notch they had just driven into it was aligned with the side of the anvil. "Go."

Raleigh wound up, then in a shower of sparks, delivered a powerful blow to the end of the bar off of the anvil, bending it at a right angle to the remaining piece. Mako expertly flipped the bar over, and Raleigh drove the tag end flat with two more precise blows. Mako then slipped it back into the furnace. "One down, three more to go for this piece."

Herc stepped into the work space. "Impressive work, you two."

Raleigh and Mako looked like they had been hit with cattle prods as the snapped to attention. "Sir."

"At ease, Rangers. You've earned some downtime." At this, Max happily swaggered over to Mako and offered her his ball, which she promptly tossed out into Scramble Alley. As expected, Max tore off after it, barking happily. Herc grinned at his beloved dog, then grimly turned to business. "As you know well, the Jaeger Program cost trillions of dollars. Yes, it did save the human race, but at the cost of nearly bankrupting several major economies." Herc paused for a moment to let that sink in. "The Secretary General has asked me to find some way to demonstrate that at least some of the R&D that was put into making the Jaegers has applications in the post-Kaiju world."

Max came back, dropped the ball at Raleigh's feet, and whimpered at him. "Okay, go get it!" The ball disappeared into Crimson Typhoon's old home, Max in hot pursuit. Raleigh thought for a moment. "Wasn't the Pons first intended to be a man-machine interface for a single operator, before we realized the neural load of operating a Jaeger?"

Herc nodded. "Yes, and Pentecost was actually one of the first to try out a basic version of it. A single arm, mind you, but yes. What's the point?"

Raleigh smiled. "Better prosthetic limbs for amputees, sir. Ones that respond to the thoughts of their users. I'm sure there are plenty of people who could use them."

Mako chimed in as well. "What about the power supply systems for the Mark IV and V Jaegers? They're far more safe and stable than a nuclear reactor. Baseline power generation at nuclear power plant levels without the meltdown risk or the stigma of nuclear power."

Herc grinned. "See, that's why I keep you around. Both of you have brought up some good points. I'll take them to Tendo and see what he can come up with. Ah, there you are, Max. C'mere, you rascal." Max flopped down at Herc's feet, worn out and happy. "I see the sword is coming along well?"

Mako nodded. "Thank you much for the steel. It means a lot to me."

"Least I could do for you."

Raleigh nodded at Herc's shoulder. "How's the collarbone doing?"

Herc sighed. "Taking its sweet time to knit itself back together. Downside of gettin' old. Bit of advice for you youngsters: Don't get old. It's no fun." He winked at them and turned to leave. "C'mon, Max, want some food?"

At the mention of food, Max got off the floor and tore off towards the elevator. Herc shook his head. "That dog has a second stomach instead of a brain, I swear." He walked off after Max.

Mako and Raleigh laughed heartily as they pulled the block of steel out of the furnace. Without a word, they looked at each other and nodded.

Ting.

Ting.

Ting.