Author's note: I've found that I can write for Mako easily, so I'm going to challenge myself to try and write more from Raleigh's POV. Also, you can expect to start to see some time skips in the near future as the sword progresses. Speaking of which, I need to drag Mako and Raleigh back to working on that soon.
Forged in Fire, Chapter 7
Hong Kong Shatterdome
LOCCENT
April 28, 2025
1130
The Kaiju alarms continued to howl as Mako and Raleigh rushed into the room. The two Rangers looked at the displays, then at Tendo.
Tendo was clearly in a panic, trying to figure out what was going on. "You two!" He pointed at the Rangers. "Check every sensor you can. We need to find out what's going on."
Mako and Raleigh bolted to separate stations and pulled up feeds from the new sensor network. They began to go through them.
Herc stormed in, face dark with rage. "WHAT THE BLODDY HELL IS GOING ON?!"
Tendo paled. "I don't know, sir. The alarm system seems to think that there's a Kaiju emerging from the Breach."
"I thought the Breach was closed."
"I did too."
Mako then saw something that made her flop back in her chair, scoot across the LOCCENT, and kill the alarm.
Everyone turned to look at her.
"It was seismic activity in Challenger's Deep. An earthquake."
Raleigh put a camera feed up on the main display. It was grey.
Tendo sat down in a chair. "That camera is basically right on top of the Breach… or at least where it used to be."
Newt dashed in. "What's going on? Is there another Kaiju? Did the Breach reopen?"
Herc stared at the screen. "If it is an earthquake, would it stir up the silt on the bottom?"
Raleigh and Mako looked at each other, concerned. The nuke might have glassed it all.
Tendo was scrambling to find something on the computer. "Aha! Samples taken from the site of the Breach revealed that, despite the nuclear detonation, there was still significant amounts of silt and sediment in the area. It was described as being a grey color." He hit a few buttons, and the camera feed went black. "If the Breach was open, that feed would now be an orange color." He slicked back his hair, calmer by the second.
Herc relaxed. "Well, good to know that the sensors work… and that it was a false alarm."
Raleigh thought for a second. "What if it hadn't been a false alarm?"
Everyone froze.
Herc slowly turned to face Raleigh, his gaze like ice. "Mr. Beckett. You had better pray that never happens, because that would be the end of the world… and all the sacrifices made over the last twelve years would have been for nothing."
Raleigh gulped.
"Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes sir."
Herc smiled. "Good! Now, can you take Max for a walk? I have a phone call to make. Several, actually."
Raleigh and Mako both looked at each other and shrugged. Max sauntered over with his ball. His expression was easy to read. Play?!
Raleigh grabbed the ball from Max. "Come on, Max. Let's go play fetch in Scramble Alley."
-.-.-
Scramble Alley
5 minutes later
Raleigh wound up and threw the ball down Scramble Alley, and Max tore off in hot pursuit, barking joyfully the whole while. Sometimes I wish I was a dog. Life seems simpler, and a heck of a lot more joyful.
Mako walked past, headed towards the workspace where she had been spending many of her waking hours the last few days. Me too, I guess.
A whine at his feet snapped him out of his daze. Max sat at Raleigh's feet, ball in his mouth. "Who's a good boy?" He took the ball from Max and threw it down into Cherno Alpha's old repair bay. Max raced after it.
Mako reappeared in the corner of Raleigh's vision, bathed in a yellow glow. She looks beautiful like that. Really makes her blue tips stand out, too.
Ting.
Ting.
Ting.
Ting.
Raleigh looked back down Scramble Alley to see Max swagger up to him, clearly worn out. "Alright, let's take you back to Herc."
Max laid down and gave Raleigh a pitiful look. But I'm tired!
Raleigh sighed. Hate to do this to Herc, but this is the only way other than carrying him… "Food?"
Max predictably tore off towards the door, happily barking and once again full of energy. Raleigh shook his head and followed him. After all, bulldogs can't operate elevators.
-.-.-
Herc was still on the phone with someone when Raleigh walked into the LOCCENT. "Yeah, I hear you on that one. I know we weren't as expensive as that bloody Wall. It's just that the Wall didn't get wrecked as often as a Jaeger did." A pause. "I was there, remember? Who put down Mutavore?" Another pause. "Uh-huh. Look, all I'm asking is just look at the specs for these. They're the future of your field, mate. I'm offering you guys first crack at the tech because I trust you." Herc saw Raleigh and Max and held up a finger. One moment. "If you don't want it, fine. I've got three others lined up to talk to about this. It'll be your loss." Herc's eyes rolled and he groaned. "Whatever, mate. Just don't come crying to me when your company gets bit by this decision to turn down Jaeger Tech." He hung up. Max, sensing his master was upset, sauntered over, whining. "C'mere, you silly dog. You're at least smarter than those guys in Europe."
Raleigh turned to leave.
"Hang on, Raleigh. I need your opinion." Herc pulled out a chair and a dog biscuit, which he gave to Raleigh and Max, respectively.
Raleigh sat down. "About what, sir?"
Herc put his head in the palm of his left hand and rubbed his face. "I'm trying to pitch some of the Jaeger tech for use in the civilian market. The Pons, the digital plasma batteries… Hell, even some of the proprietary alloys we used to make the Jaegers strong enough to support their own weight."
"And?"
Herc sighed. "Not many companies are interested. Seems that the PR war we lost to the Wall has still left us with a stigma. Even after we closed the Breach."
"I didn't know it was that bad."
"Yeah. Me neither… until today."
"What can I do?"
"Actually, it's not your help I need… It's Mako's. She's familiar with the human-machine interface used to drive a Jaeger. That's one of the technologies that I'm trying to pitch. We've got a few interested parties, but no takers yet. They want a demo first."
Raleigh got up and walked to the windows of the LOCCENT. He looked down on Mako, still bathed in the yellow glow of the furnace and steel. He watched her work for a moment. Then, an idea came to him. "Sir, I have just the thing…"
-.-.-
Hong Kong Shatterdome
Gipsy Danger repair bay
May 7, 2025
1045
"You sure about this?"
"Yes. It is the only way."
"You positOW!"
"Newt, you are a pest some times. Now, Dr. Gottlieb, can you help me get this steel ready?"
"Hermann, stay back. She'll…"
"Newton, we've had this discussion… Don't call me…"
"By your first name, ten years of experience, blah blah blah. Yeah, I know."
Raleigh walked around the corner to see Mako wearing a squid cap and a circuitry sleeve on her right arm, which were both connected to a small, waist-mounted computer. This then fed to a robot arm about a meter away. Newt was hopping up and down, holding his right foot in his hands, and Hermann was sticking a bar of steel into the furnace. Raleigh could piece together what had gone down. He sighed, shook his head, and walked over to Mako. "You look good."
Mako blushed. "You're just saying that to make me relax."
Raleigh leaned in as if to kiss her, but Newt tripped over a loose cable and fell to the floor before he could.
"I could use a hand up… and a roll of duct tape." Newt looked at Mako and Raleigh, doubled over with laughter. Gee, they're no help. "Hermann?"
"Hmph."
"Guys? Please?"
Raleigh walked over and hoisted Newt off the floor.
"Thanks."
"No problem. And next time, stay away from her when she's stressed and wearing combat boots."
"No need to tell me that again."
Hermann has started to walk towards the door leading to the elevators. "Come along, Raleigh. We're going to be late."
Raleigh walked to Mako, hugged her, then kissed her on the forehead briefly. "I love you."
Mako looked up at him. "Go, or you'll be late."
Raleigh raced after Hermann.
Newt sat down on a toolbox. "You know, you two make a cute couple."
Mako sighed. He's out of reach. He learns quickly. "Do we now."
Newt grinned wide. "Yep."
Mako gave a feral grin. "Good. Because you don't want to see us when we're angry."
Newt scrambled backwards. "Uh, yeah." He looked at his watch. "Right, checklist time. Let's get ready to demo that arm interface."
Mako grabbed a tablet with her left hand. "Item number one…"
-.-.-
Shatterdome Helipad
1100
The executive helicopter settled to the pad as the rotors whined to a stop. Onboard were the Chief Technology Officers of a half-dozen firms specializing in prosthetics and bionics. Herc had invited them to see the technology that the Jaeger program had used to interface man and machine.
Raleigh waited for them with Herc, Hermann, and Tendo. We've had this tech for a decade. Why haven't we done this sooner? It would have been a PR coup for us. "Jaeger Tech allows boy with missing legs to walk again."
The CTOs stepped out and onto the helipad. One of them was visibly green. Raleigh made a mental note to check on him later. Herc stepped forward to meet them. "Welcome to Hong Kong, and welcome to the Shatterdome. I know you want to see the Pons in action as soon as possible, so if you'll follow me…" He headed towards the doors. The CTOs followed.
Raleigh was about to step through the door when his phone rang out with a bit of Shibuya Pop. Oh no… Please, don't be your shoulder having an episode. Not now… "What's up?"
"Raleigh… I'm nervous."
Come on, not the shoulder…
"My right shoulder… I'm getting the warning signs of another episode."
Damn. "Do you think you can do the demo?"
"Maybe. I don't know."
"Hang on a sec. I'm on my way." He hung up, and sprinted after Herc. He reached him a few moments later.
"Raleigh, you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Raleigh leaned over to whisper in Herc's ear. "We all might be seeing them if I can't get Mako's shoulder to relax."
Herc paled.
The CTOs began to mutter to themselves.
Raleigh needed some way to buy him and Mako a few minutes. Wait… Mr. Green Face… "Sir, one of the VIPs doesn't look so hot."
Herc nodded slowly. "Go. You've got five minutes, tops."
"Thank you."
Raleigh slid to the back of the group, while Herc approached the airsick CTO.
"Hey, mate. You don't like helicopters, do you?"
"No. I hate them. They make me air sick."
"Tendo, don't we have something to help with nausea in the med bay?"
Tendo thought for a moment. "Yeah, but it's normally used to help treat more severe cases… like from a botched Drift."
The CTO turned to face Tendo. "I'll take it."
Herc winked at Raleigh, then led the group down a different corridor. "See, we've got a number of other things you might be able to market. Anti-radiation, anti-nausea, really powerful headache treatments…"
Raleigh ran to the hangar as if his life depended on it. It kinda does, in a way. We can't fail this demo…
And for the first time in years, Raleigh found himself praying.
