Checking Coyote
JAEGER BAYS
I shift into my Cybertronian form after the others leave. It's azure blue and glittery with a white pearlescent star in the center of my chest plates and a pink Autobot logo in the center of the star. I have Praxian doorwings on my back, also with white pearlescent stars on them. I then motion for Boulder to follow me.
"What are you going to do about—"
"Keep it among as few humans as possible. No one here knows about Cybertronian tech yet—and I wasn't aware they could do something like that."
"Something like what?"
I look down. "Great. She's like Miko."
"Miko?"
"On a TV show. Go back with Mako."
"What are you?"
"Hold up, Boulder." I kneel to her. "I am the Star Healer. Graham is testing something Cybertronian he and I wanted to learn about. That's why he's in Boulder right now. I'm a techno-organic—Cybertronian and human."
"We can do that too."
I roll my eyes. "I know, Gips. That's why Mako let us come here." I sigh. "Just watch your step in your Jaeger form, and make sure the others know to as well. I'd really like to not find squished rescue bots, or a squished Bumblebee, and I'd really like to not have to save Optimus a third time." I sigh. "Or get squished myself."
"Okay." Gipsy scampers off to find the others.
"You've saved Optimus twice?"
I sigh. "Yes, Graham. It's not something I like talking about." I look down. "I had to help Sam when Megatron killed him and Sam, and I had to when we met the Yeager's, so yes, I saved Optimus twice." I start back toward the bays. "I just don't like to think about it, Graham. It still hurts."
"So that's why you were in Griffin Rock?"
I nod weakly. "Hiding from the past." I shrug. "Or, trying to, at least. Not really something we can hide from."
"I'm more worried about the future."
I sigh heavily. "Let's talk about this tonight, Graham. Gips almost blew things already."
He shrugs. "All right."
I sigh. "Stick with me, Boulder."
"Do you know where we're all staying?"
I nod. "Yes. Mako showed me around after Optimus…you know." I sigh. "But they also have a spare room for another Jaeger team."
"We faced two."
"I know. I was there." I sigh. "But category three kaiju are a lot more dangerous than Humungado and Ravenous, Boulder, and I remember Blades almost getting iced by Ravenous." I turn to him. "Boulder, Crimson's pilots were crushed and impaled—killed—by Leatherback. Cherno's pilots were drowned by Otachi after she all but caused a nuclear meltdown. Raiju critically wounded Gipsy—and that was after she was rebuilt from what Knifehead did. Raleigh still has little to no feeling in his left arm, and he's still scarred emotionally from losing Yancy while they were still connected." I cross my arms. "Need I go on?"
Boulder shakes his head. "No. I get it."
"People may be afraid of what they don't understand, Boulder, but other people are too excited about knowing everything to be afraid—like Newt and Kade. That's how I was with your kind. Kaiju are monsters, just like the Decepticons, whereas the Jaegers, though called monsters, are no more monsters than the four of you."
"She's got a point, Boulder."
I shrug before continuing on. "I know I do." I smirk. "It's all to answer the question "Who is the monster and who is the man?" Jaegers may be monstrous machines, but so are Cybertronians—and both are alive. The Jaegers are from this planet, much like KSI's robots—except those are true man-made monsters. Decepticons are monsters, but you guys are getting the bad rap for the devastation they caused. That's why I brought you all with me—to keep you safe. There are only six of you left, Boulder. Seven if you count me, eight if things work out the way I'm hoping." I walk over to Coyote in his jaeger form and kneel to Stacker. "We're just here to look at his reactor. We both have Cybertronium armor, which protects from radiation. Boulder can detect it, and will protect any humans around him from it." I turn to Boulder. "Stacker's been dealing with jaegers for years, Boulder. He—"
"I remember."
"Good." I smile to Graham as I point a thumb at Coyote. "And the good news is, there's no way for him to get a virus from them." I rub the back of my neck. "In theory. I have no idea how Kaiju Blue would affect a Cybertronian, but since their energon is just as devastating to humans, I would imagine things would be pretty equivalent."
"You're starting to remind me of Doc."
"My bad." I shake my head and sigh as I scan the reactor. "He's gonna need that replaced—again."
"Again?"
"Stacker and Tamsin were his first pilots. Stacker was banned from entering a jaeger again, Tamsin died. His second set came after his reactor was replaced once. Conn pod was crushed." I sigh. "He was the closest to sentience after Gipsy, and she became sentient—like Bumblebee—eight years ago."
"You know as much about them as Kade did about Humungado and Ravenous."
"Thank you." I smirk. "Gotta know what you're gonna be dealing with.
"How long have you been "researching"?"
Boulder smiles. "I've heard the movie playing every night for the last month."
I nod and cross my arms. "At least I didn't dream of a kaiju frog this time."
I get three confused looks—Graham, Stacker, and Boulder. "Kaiju frog?"
"Weird dream I had right after I lost Optimus—when he rocketed into space. It would have been creepy if it weren't some giant frog, and if I weren't the Star Healer in it."
I actually had a dream about a kaiju frog after watching Pacific Rim for a week and a half. Would have been terrifying if I weren't a superhero in it. As it stands, I still laugh about it!
