Forged in Fire, Chapter 6
Hong Kong Shatterdome
Former Kaiju Science labs
April 28, 2025
1100
Mako and Raleigh walked through the door of the Kaiju Science lab and froze, surprise and confusion clearly written on their faces. Hermann's side of the lab was as spotless as ever, but Newt's side… Mako was tongue tied. It was clean. No Kaiju bits sitting all over the tables. No mad-scientist experiments running under the fume hood. Even the papers were stacked neatly on Newt's desk. "Wow."
Raleigh scratched his head. "Either Hermann finally snapped, or someone has hired a housekeeper for Newt." His gaze settled on a pair of recliners on Newt's side of the room. Each had a squid cap resting on the headrest and numerous sensor leads draped over the arms. Before he could take a step in the direction of the chairs, a voice came from behind them.
"Neither."
Mako and Raleigh whirled around, instinctively dropping into mirrored ready stances.
"Wow, I didn't realize I'd scared you that bad." Newt smirked and took a sip from his coffee cup. "Before you ask, yes, I cleaned up my side. There's no Kaiju anymore, so why study them or fantasize about them? After all, I'm not so fond of them after that encounter with Otachi. Thanks for the save, by the way. Anyways, you have no idea how elated Hermann was to see me cleaning up my side. If he could have danced, he would have been dancing all over the Shatterdome. Really, though, I think some of his cleanliness rubbed off in that Drift with Baby Otachi, 'cause it really started after we closed the Breach." He paused to take another sip of coffee, and Raleigh took the opportunity to jam a word in edgewise.
"So, the Drift experiment?"
"Oh, right, yeah." Newt darted over to the chairs and gestured to them. "Whichever side you're comfortable with."
Mako and Raleigh instinctively took the same sides as they had in Gipsy Danger. They slipped on the squid caps and laid back. Newt attached the leads to them. "These are to monitor vitals. I doubt anything unusual will happen, but it's better to be safe than sorry, right?" The two Rangers looked at him, concerned. "Okay. Here's how it's going to go. It's going to start out like a normal Drift. Once you get synched and the handshake is strong, I'm going to ask one of you to chase the RABIT."
Mako and Raleigh looked at each other, clearly not liking where this was headed. Raleigh spoke up. "You do recall what happened last time one of us chased the RABIT."
"I do. Which is why I've configured the interface slightly differently than it had been in Gipsy. This time, you're not blindly chasing the RABIT. It's more like you're a hawk, hunting it, herding it to a particular point. You'll be totally in control."
"You don't herd rabbits."
"Just bear with me, okay? Unlike last time, you can pull out at any time. Just say, 'I want out', and I'll end the handshake."
Raleigh looked at Mako. She shrugged. "No sense in not trying it." She turned to Newt. "Ready."
Raleigh laid his head back. Might as well get it over with. "Ready."
Newt picked up the remote, thumb poised over the button to start the handshake. What did Tendo always say? Ah, yes. "Prepare for Neural Handshake in 15… 14… 13…"
Raleigh spoke up. "Ready to step into my head, kid?"
Mako grinned. "Please, you first. Age before beauty, old man."
Raleigh laughed with Mako, then let his mind go blank.
"5… 4… 3… 2… 1…"
The universe imploded around the Rangers as the Drift took hold.
-.-.-
Driftspace
Raleigh cast the line out over the river-like curves in the metallic booming sound as the Conn Pod had been compromised water was spraying everywhere are we going Mori, Mako please step forward and face the camera flash as Jasmine took a photograph this moment let me get the camera wait, what are those alarms are going off, brace for impact Mako, watch me work the two pieces of steel together they will make a sword deploying will it be fast enough yes, it is let's get this son I love her just as much as if she were a son why is it so import no rationing weld the two steels together we are whole…
-.-.-
Kaiju Sciences lab
Reality reasserted itself and both the Rangers eyes snapped open. Newt watched the neural handshake on a holographic monitor. Wow, their neural activity is even higher than Baby Otachi's was! How can they withstand that and still drive a Jaeger? Incredible. "Okay, handshake is strong and holding at 100%." He hit the "record" button on the Geizler Array, then looked back to Mako and Raleigh. "Alright. Who wants to chase the RABIT?"
Mako and Raleigh looked at each other. I'll do it, Mako.
Okay.
Raleigh closed his eyes and dragged up a memory from a recent TV interview.
-.-.-
Driftspace
New York City
Studio 1A, 30 Rockefeller Center
January 23, 2025
0800 EST
Mako and Raleigh looked around at the hustle and bustle of the studio. It was so much like the LOCCENT during a drop, with people running around checking monitors, talking into headsets, and wires everywhere. Raleigh was nervous. He looked at Mako. She looked beautiful, with the blue tips framing her face. Her uniform, however, was clearly uncomfortable for her. I've never seen her wear one before. It doesn't look as good as the Drivesuit does.
Embarrassment radiated from Mako… wait, not from her. Raleigh turned around to see Mako behind him. This one was in her more usual cargo pants and t-shirt, not a uniform. Right, this is a Drift. Wait, Did I just chase the RABIT? "Sorry, let me get back in control. I lost focus. I chased the RABIT."
No you didn't lose focus. Remember, we're supposed to chase the RABIT this time. A sly grin spread across the real Mako's face.
Newt's voice sounded like God, coming from everywhere, yet nowhere. "No, don't reign it in, Raleigh. Chase the rabbit to your heart's content. Just remember, if you want to stop, just say, 'I want out'."
One of the techs came over to Memory Mako and Raleigh. "You're on in five minutes. Remember, you don't have to answer everything. If it's too uncomfortable, just… kind of shift in your seat and redirect the conversation." He looked over his shoulder. "Come on, let's get you seated."
Raleigh's form suddenly split in two: One in uniform, walking with Memory Mako, the other standing there in the t-shirt and cargo pants he was wearing in real life. Real Mako walked over to Real Raleigh.
"Well, this is new."
Newt's voice rang out in its God-like fashion. "Tell me what's going on. Remember, I can't see inside the Drift."
Real Raleigh looked around. Everything had was not in the line of sight of his Memory self began to blur and fade to black. "It seems like I can't see anything that I couldn't see when the memory took place."
"Where are you?
"New York, at that morning show interview. January 23."
"Great details. Those will help me interpret the recordings later. Keep going."
Mako chimed in. "Raleigh and I have been duplicated. One set is us, in the Drift. The other set is Raleigh's memory of the event. Although… Raleigh's face is blurred, and the back of his head doesn't exist." Mako walked around. "I'm walking over towards myself… We're on the… well, the interview couch." What the… "The side of my face away from Raleigh is still there, though."
"Probably because he has it fixed in his memory from elsewhere."
The hosts of the TV show came over. One of them, a woman, came over and shook both of their hands. "Before we go on the air, I just want to say thank you for your service… and sacrifices." She looked at Mako as she said the last. Memory Mako's face darkened in sorrow. Memory Raleigh's anger flared. Leave her alone. She's reminded of that every time we do an interview.
Real Mako was surprised by this, and turned to Real Raleigh with wide eyes. I didn't realize you were so protective of me.
You're the closest thing I have to a family now.
What about Jazmine?
Real Raleigh got a pained expression on his face. "I Want Out."
Raleigh, I'm sorr…
The Drift faded away.
-.-.-
Kaiju Sciences lab
"…rry."
Newt looked at Mako. "What?"
Raleigh pulled the leads off and yanked off the squid cap, and stormed out of the lab.
Mako, who had begun to sit up, flopped back in the chair, fighting back tears. Raleigh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It just slipped out.
Newt gently removed the leads and squid cap. "You okay?"
Mako nodded, dazed. "I said something I shouldn't have. It really upset Raleigh."
Newt gave her a puzzled look. "Anything I can do?"
"No, Newt. But thank you for the offer."
Mako forced herself to get up from the chair and follow Raleigh, even though she just wanted to go run to her room and curl up. Why did I say that? Is that even the right term in the Drift? "Saying" something? And how did I know about Jazmine? He's never spoken of her. Did I get a tiny fragment from him in the Drift? Whoever she is, there must be some seriously bad blood between Raleigh and this Jazmine to cause that reaction.
-.-.-
Hong Kong Shatterdome
Security walkway above Scramble Alley exit
5 minutes after Drift termination
Raleigh sighed as he sat with his feet over the edge of the walkway. Why did Mako have to bring up Jazmine? How did she know about her at all? My files, or the Drift?
"Raleigh?"
Raleigh would recognize Mako's voice anywhere. He could also tell that she was really upset. He didn't care.
Mako walked closer. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It just… slipped out."
"Leave me alone."
"Okay."
Mako turned around and walked a few meters down the walkway, then sat down with her feet over the edge.
Raleigh sighed again. That's not what I meant by "leave me alone," Mako. But you knew that already. You know me better than anyone else in the world now. Better than Yancy, even.
They sat in silence, watching the traffic in Victoria Harbor.
Mako got up and walked towards Raleigh. He didn't protest. What's the point? I'm going to have to explain this eventually. He continued to stare out over the harbor.
Mako leaned down to whisper in his ear. "No pulse."
Raleigh's head whipped around. "What?"
Mako laughed as she stood back up.
Raleigh groaned. Dang it, why is it so hard to be mad at her for long?
She leaned back against the Shatterdome's structure. "Who's Jazmine?"
"My sister."
"Why is she such a sore point for you?"
"What is this, an interrogation?"
"Only if you make it into one. Which you seem intent on doing."
Raleigh gritted his teeth. "She never contacted us after Dad left. Never contacted me after Yancy died…" Raleigh paused. "She. Doesn't. Care. About. Me," he ground out.
"But you still consider her family, which is why I got that snippet in the Drift."
Raleigh sighed. "Yes, she's still family."
Mako shrugged. "So, why haven't you contacted her?"
Raleigh opened his mouth to say that he didn't care for her either, then stopped. Mako's right. Why haven't I tried to reach out to her?
Mako saw the shame creep across Raleigh's face. I've done enough damage today. She turned to leave.
"Wait."
She did.
"I'm sorry for being so rude after you brought up Jazmine. That was wrong of me."
Mako turned around. Raleigh looked sheepish. "Apology accepted."
Suddenly, the Kaiju sirens began to howl all across the Shatterdome. The two Rangers looked at each other in fear. No, this can't be happening. Not possible. They tore off towards the LOCCENT, afraid of what they would see when they got there.
All the while, the sirens continued to howl.
