I only own my OC's!


Shatterdome Part 2

hangar

I run to catch up with Raleigh and Mako.

Mako smiles as she waves a hand to the steel blue jaeger. "There she is."

Raleigh sighs. "Oh, my God. Look at her. Gipsy Danger. God, it's so beautiful. She looks like new."

"Better than new. She has a double-core nuclear reactor. She's one of a kind now."

"She always was." Raleigh adjusts the strap of his duffel, moving it further up on his shoulder.

I smile. "And she's my kind of monster."

Raleigh raises an eyebrow at me as Tendo walks over. "How do you like your ride, Becket boy? Solid iron hull, no alloys. Forty engine blocks per muscle strand. Hyper-torque driver for every limb and a new fluid…synapse system." The two hug. "Come here."

"Tendo. It's good to see you, buddy."

"It's good to see you too, brother. It's just like old times."


"What did you mean, she's your kind of monster?"

I sigh heavily. "Giant robots. I've always loved them. Grew up with the Autobots, after all." I shrug before sighing. "I just… Miss them, I guess. After Ratchet died…"

"He was your guardian?"

I nod. "Colonel Lennox should be shipping his rescued frame out here soon. He stored it for me while I was helping in the battle here." I rub my chest—I've been doing that a lot, since the battle ended. "Spark break's a killer, Rals. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. He trained me." I smirk. "I could probably help out with Gips, if you want me to." I glance up to Mako before moving closer to him. "She's sentient, you know."
"I know. She was when Knifehead…"

I lay a hand on his shoulder. "I was able to understand her."

"What?"

I nod. "One of my special abilities."

"Cool."

I smile. "I know." My face falls as I rub my chest.

"You've been doing that a lot."

"It hurts." I shrug. "I told you, spark break." I roll my eyes at his expression of shock. "I told you I was techno-organic, right?" He shakes his head. "Well, I am. I can turn into one of them, if the need arises."


rooms

I follow the two to his room. "So, what's your story?

Restoring old Jaegers, showing has-beens like me around. That can't be it. You a pilot?"

"No. Not yet. But I wanna be one…more than anything."

"What's your simulator score?"

"Fifty-one drops, 51 kills."

"Wow, that's amazing. But you're not one of the candidates tomorrow?"

"I am not. The marshal has his reasons."

"Yeah, he always does, doesn't he? But with 51 kills, I can't imagine what they could be."

"I hope you approve of my choices. I've studied your fighting techniques and strategy. Even…Alaska."

"And what do you think?"

"I think you're unpredictable. You have a habit of deviating from standard combat techniques. You take risks that endanger yourself and your crew. I don't think you're the right man for this mission."

"Wow. Thank you for your honesty. You might be right. But one day, when you're a pilot, you're gonna see that in combat…you make decisions. And you have to live with the consequences. That's what I'm trying to do."

Mako and I leave, almost in perfect sync. I start down the hall to my own room, while Mako steps into her room, only to turn and watch Raleigh. She stares when she finds him scarred. When she sees him turn to her, she closes her door, but stares through the peephole. He quickly moves to shut his door.


command center

"The candidates are ready. We will commence the trials immediately, sir."

"Good."

"But there is one thing."

"Mako, we have talked about this. We will not be talking about it again."

"You promised me. Watashi wa kare to jipushī o kudō suru monodenakereba narimasen." (I should be the one driving Gipsy with him.)

"Mako. Vengeance is like an open wound. You cannot take that level of emotion into the Drift."

"For my family, I need…"

"Wareware wa yori ōku no jikan o motte ita baai." (If we had more time.)


that night

I'm in the cafeteria, sitting beside Chuck, whom I've learned is a major jerk, waiting for Herc and Raleigh.

Herc runs down the stairs with two trays. "Raleigh. Come sit with us."

"Oh, I'm okay, thank you."

"Ah, come on, there's plenty of room at our table."

Raleigh sits down beside me. "I haven't seen bread in a while."

"Hong Kong. Beauty of an open port, no rationing. We've got potatoes, peas, sweet beans, decent meat loaf. Pass the potatoes." Raleigh hands them to him. "Raleigh, this is my son Chuck. He's my copilot now."

"He's more my copilot. Right, Dad?" He turns to Raleigh. "So you're the guy, eh? You're the guy who's gonna run defense for me in that old rust bucket of yours?"

"Take that back." I hold up the spoon I had grabbed from the dinner line. "Before I beat you upside the head with this."

"That's the plan."

"Good. So when was the last time you jockeyed, Ray?"

"About five years ago."

"What have you been doing for five years? Something pretty important, I reckon."

"I was in construction."

"Oh, wow, that's great. I mean, that's really useful. We get into a fight, you can build our way out of it, eh, Ray?"

"It's Raleigh."

"Whatever. Look, you're Pentecost's bright idea. And my old man, he seems to like you. But it's guys like you who brought down the Jaeger program. To me…you're dead weight. You slow me down…I'm gonna drop you like a sack of Kaiju shit." He clicks his tongue as he puts on an army green cap. "I'll see you around, Raleigh." He turns to his dog. "Come on, Max." He winks at me. "And I'll catch you later, Princess."

"He did not just flirt with me, after what he said to Rals!" I stand, think twice about going on a Ratchet-like semi-murderous rampage, and sit back down.

"You can blame me for that one. I've raised him on my own. He's a smart kid, but I never knew whether to give him a hug…or a kick in the ass."

"With respect, sir…I'm pretty sure which one he needs."

I nod. "The second one, for sure." I rest a hand on Raleigh's. "Remember, I understand what you're going through, so if you need anything, just let me know. I'll be here, whenever."

"Thanks…"

Herc turns to me. "What happened to you?" He nods at my pink Ranger T-shirt. "You're obviously a Ranger."

"Army Ranger. I was raised by the Autobots from fourteen." I take a bite of the meatloaf before continuing. "My Guardian, Ratchet, was killed by a mercenary a couple weeks ago. I have reviving powers, so I may be able to save him, but I have years of work to do before there's any chance I can. Stacker's letting me stay here because of my status with the Autobots."

"Status?"

"I'm their princess, and now, their commander." He raises an eyebrow. "Optimus had to go off-world, so he left me in charge. I lost my mentor, and my Guardian, within a week." I set my fork down and rub at my chest with a grimace. The pain's only getting worse.

"You okay?"

I nod. "I'm techno-organic, so I have a spark, and it's damaged from the broken bond. It's called spark-break, and it's painful. Only those with an iron will can survive, and that, only for a few years." I hold up the ring I wear on a chain. "But, I've proved my mettle, so you don't have to worry about me."

"Sheyenne?" I look up to see Stacker. "Your delivery is here."

"Delivery?"

I nod. "Delivery."


I run to the entrance and quickly shift forms before taking the 24 foot frame off the cart it's tethered to. I set it down momentarily, just so I can lay his severed leg on the rest of the frame, then start to stagger toward the medical bay. I just don't feel right, using a cart. He was family.

"Holy—"

"Crikey. Is that—"

"Yep. It's Ratch." I nod my head toward the door. "Would one of you be kind enough to open a door for a lady? I seem to have my hands full." Herc steps forward and pulls it open. "Thanks, Herc."

the next morning

I climb out of bed and wince. "Never thought that would get worse than my chest is now, but…" I sigh and grab my brace before changing into a black cap sleeved knee length jersey dress, black leggings, black flats, then put on a black belt with a new red Autobot symbol buckle before leaving the room. I've got to watch the compatibility trials this morning.


Raleigh is fighting in their training room, trying to find who's compatible with who. I'm leaning against the wall with a plastic wrench tucked into my belt. Grief, added to my usual short temper, has apparently turned me into the one mech I miss more than my own grandmother!

Mako is standing beside Stacker with a clipboard, scoring the matches. Raleigh takes the first man down, causing the group to applaud. I simply roll my eyes. "Four points to 0." Stacker grunts.

The next candidate comes out twirling, using a wooden staff—which they all have—as a sword. Raleigh brings him down using the staff on the back of his neck. "Four points to 1." The others applaud as I scowl. I hate watching brawls. It reminds me of Prowl, Sunstreaker, and the Protectobots. I'm only here to do my duty as a medic. I'll train alone, when they're all gone.

Raleigh takes the third down by hooking his staff under the man's leg and lifting. "Four points…to 2."

"Okay, what? You don't like them? I thought you selected them…personally." Raleigh leans on his staff, hands folded over the top.

"Excuse me?"

"Every time a match ends you make this little… gesture, like you're critical of their performance."

"It's not their performance, it's yours. Your gambit. You could have taken them all two moves earlier."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"Can we change this up? How about we give her a shot."

The others agree, but Stacker is adamant. "No. We stick to the cadet list we have, ranger. Only candidates with Drift compatibility…"

"Which I have, marshal."

"Mako, this is not only about a neural connection. It's also about a physical compatibility."

"What's the matter, marshal? Don't think your brightest can cut it in the ring with me?"

"Go." He takes the clipboard, freeing her up. Mako steps onto the floor barefoot and sets her boots on the lip. I stand. This could be interesting, after all. "Four strikes marks a win."

"Remember, it's about compatibility. It's a dialogue, not a fight." Raleigh turns to face her from the side she entered. "But I'm not gonna dial down my moves.

"Okay." She turns to face him from the other side. "Then neither will I."

She twirls twice and takes a fighting stance with her staff facing back, as Raleigh shifts to hold his staff up like a sword. He inches forward before almost slamming it into her head. "One-zero."

She smacks his away before almost hitting him. "One-one."

Mako pulls her staff back as if holstering it, while Raleigh smacks her in the back, near her waist. "Two-one. Concentrate."

The two start blocking strikes right and left, finally ending with Mako almost hitting Raleigh in the face again. "Two-two. Better watch it."

She points her staff at the ground while Raleigh takes a two-handed approach with his aimed at the ground as well. Mako blocks every strike from Raleigh before flipping him. He rolls to his knees, only for her to almost hit him in the face again.

"Oh."

"Three-two."

"Misu Mori. Yori ōku no seigyo." (Miss Mori. More control.)

They start swinging at each other again, dodging and blocking so fast I can barely keep track of everything, before Raleigh slams Mako to the ground and points the end of his staff at her.

She stands, swings at Raleigh—who blocks it—and takes a fighting stance. A moment later, they're back in the fray. After several dodges and blocks, she gets Raleigh down with his leg between her arm and staff. "Enough." The crowd applauds as she stands and shifts the staff to where it's pointing up behind her. "I've seen what I need to see."

Raleigh stands and sets one end of his staff on the ground. "Me too. She's my copilot."

"That's not going to work."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so, Mr. Becket. I made my decision. Report to the Shatterdome in two hours and find out who your copilot will be."

I watch Stacker and Mako leave, then wait for the bystanders leave, then step over to Raleigh. "Hey."

"How'd you sleep?"

I wave a hand side-to-side. "Better than I did in that apartment, but…" I sigh heavily. "I think I'm turning into him, Rals…"

"How…" He notices the wrench. "What?"

"He had a temper, and a tendency to throw his tools around. This…" I shake my head sadly. "It's not easy."

"Trust me, I understand." He hands me a discarded staff. "Wanna try?"

I shrug. "Why not? We got two hours."

"All right."


way to suites, jaeger teams

"You ever think of operating a jaeger?"

"I am made of metal, Rals—part of the time, anyway. I'm a techno-organic Autobot. What could I solve by going out in a giant robot?" I shrug. "Besides, I've got…too much trauma, right now. I'd just screw up the drift, and we'd all be in trouble." I sigh, and turn toward my own room. "Maybe in a few years, but not right now. I couldn't handle it."


Suites, jaeger teams

"Mako. What was all that about? I mean… I'm not crazy. You felt it, right? We are Drift compatible.

"Thank you for standing up for me. But there is nothing to talk about." She tries to unlock Raleigh's room.

"That's my room."

"Excuse me."

"I mean, come on. I thought you wanted to be a pilot. Mako…this is worth fighting for. We don't have to just obey him."

"It's not obedience, Mr. Becket. It's respect."

"Would you at least tell me what his problem is?"


my suite

"Shey, I…"

I reach up and tap the button on my comm. "Bee? What's—"

"Cemetery wind found us. The—" I hear a keen over the comm. "The Yeager's and Shane are okay, I got them away, but…" This time a faint whine comes over. "Shey, they're gone… I—I never wanted to know how he felt, and now—"

"Easy, Big Guy… I know what you mean. How's Tessa and Cade handling it?"

"They're okay… The house wasn't hit this time, just… D—"

"Don't." I shake my head. "Optimus' orders still apply to you, Big Guy, but don't be afraid to comm me if you need something. We'll survive. You're the bravest mech alive now, and…" I take in a shaky breath. "And Optimus will come back. We just have to survive 'til then."

"How have you been—"

"Fine, Bee. I'm a Ranger Medic at the Shatterdome now." I end the comm before he makes me elaborate and lean back in my chair with my bad foot propped up on the table, while the other's in my chair. Bad manners or not, I don't care. I reach for the remote and turn on the news.

"In the wake of the Sydney incident, which showed the ineffective nature of the Wall of Life program, many are questioning the government's motives and wondering why the Jaeger program has been discontinued. Riots have erupted along the coastlines of several Pan Pacific cities."

"We have now relocated millions of civilians and supplies 300 miles inland to the safe zones."

"Safe zones? For the rich and powerful? What about the rest of us?"

"Yeah, answer the question."

"I believe the Wall of Life is still our best option at this time. And that's all I'm gonna say on the matter. Thank you."

"Idiots in Government. Can't believe Ratch was ever able to handle them." I look down. I'd actually gotten so busy I'd forgotten about Lockdown and him until now. I look up at a knock and wipe a tear off my cheek before putting my feet on the floor. "It's open!"

The door creaks open. "Shey?"

"Rals…" I look down. He's the one person here who understands about broken bonds.

He sets a picture of him and another man standing in front of a large blue metal leg on the table. "That's the day we got Gipsy… I thought you might want to see it…"

I nod, then open my heart-shaped locket. "That's Ratch, and there's Optimus. He was a medic, and a politician before that. He's the prime—our leader, and my mentor." I look down at my hands. "Rals… There's only two of us left, now…"

"What happened?"

"Cemetery Wind got 'em. Bee's shaken, but…" I look at my hands. "God, Rals… I don't know what I'm supposed to do now. Bee and I grew up together. If I bring him out here, the Yeager family's in danger, but if I leave them there, they're all in danger…"

He looks around. "We don't have anywhere they could stay right now, but Stacker might be able to help…"

"Mako and I could start getting things set up for them to stay out here, but that might take about as long as it will to get Ratchet back!" I shake my head. "God, Bee and I need him more than you could imagine right now…"


science lab

I lean against the wall as Newt finishes building a neural bridge.

"Kaiju/Human Drift experiment, take one. The, uh… The brain segment is the frontal lobe. Um, chances are, the segment's far too damaged to Drift with. Unscientific aside: Hermann, if you're listening to this…well, I'm either alive and I've proven what I've just done works, in which case…ha, I won, or I'm dead and I'd like you to know that it's all your fault. It really is. You know, you drove me to this. In which case…ha, I also won. Sort of. I'm going in in three…two…one." He pushes a large red button.

He starts shaking, almost seizing. "NEWT!" I pull out a few medical supplies, just in case, and get ready to pull the contraption off his head.

Gotlieb runs over and stabilizes his head. "Newton. Newton! What have you done?" He shuts down the contraption before taking it off.

I rub the back of my neck. "Thanks. I was just about to do that." I help him up and sigh. "Get him some water, and get Stacker. I'll stay with him."


shatterdome

Gipsy Danger neural test commencing in 20 minutes. Gipsy Danger neural test commencing in 20 minutes. Gipsy Danger neural test…

Raleigh walks up to Mako's door, then changes his mind and walks away.

Stacker knocks on the door. Mako, who had been watching through the peephole, opens the door, thinking it's Raleigh. He bows to her. She bows back. "May I come in, Mako?" He steps in, causing her to step back. He moves in front of her and unfolds a yellowed handkerchief, revealing a red Mary Jane shoe. "A long time ago I made you a promise. Junbi o shimasu." (Get ready.)


gipsy Danger test run: command center

Tendo turns to one of the mechanics. "These transmitters are non-operative. I need them replaced."


conn pod

Raleigh steps into the conn pod. "Setting harness for test mode. Waiting for second pilot."

Two pilots on board.

"I'm gonna take this side if you don't mind. My left arm's kind of shot."

"Sure." Raleigh turns to her and smiles. "Are you gonna say anything?"

"No point. In five minutes you're gonna be inside my head. You look good."

Pilots on board and ready to connect.


command center

Stacker walks into the command center. "Prepare for Neural Handshake."

"Initiating neural handshake."


conn pod

"Okay. We're not in the simulator now, Mako. Remember, don't chase the RABIT. Random Access Brain Impulse Triggers. Memories. Just let them flow, don't latch on. Tune them out. Stay in the Drift. The Drift is silence."

Neural interface Drift initiated.

"Raleigh!"

"Mama!"

"Raleigh, listen to me! Raleigh, listen to me!"

Mako gasps.

Right hemisphere calibrated. Left hemisphere calibrated. Ready to activate the Jaeger.


command center

"Okay, Gipsy. Lining up nicely. Better get ready."

Pilot to Jaeger connection complete.

Gottlieb runs in suddenly. "Marshal! Marshal! I need to talk to you."

"Not now, Mr. Gottlieb. I'm sure you can appreciate how important this moment is to me."

"Newton created a neural bridge from garbage and Drifted with a Kaiju.


science lab

"I found him prone…and he's sort of dazed. I don't exactly know what to do."

"I already handled everything. That's not why we needed him."

"I told you it would work."

"Yes, you did. Well, what'd you see?"

"It was only a fragment of a brain, so really all I was able to get was, like…a series of, uh, images…or impressions. Like when you blink your eyes over and over and over again all you really see…are, like, frames. It was emotion."

"Newton, Newton."

"Calm down. You're worse than Sam was."

"Excuse me?"

"I'll explain later, Herman."

"Okay, Newton. Newton, look at me." Stacker waits until he does. "Now I want you to take your time and be very specific."

"Okay. Okay." He takes a sip of the water Gotlieb brought him. "Well, I don't feel like they're just following some sort of animalistic urge…you know, just hunting and gathering. I think they're attacking us under orders."

"That's impossible."

"Is that impossible?"

"It's impossible."

"Why don't you Drift with a Kaiju?"

Stacker points to Gotlieb. "You! Shut up!" He points to Geiszler. "You, keep talking."

"These beings, these masters, they're colonists. They overtake worlds. They just consume them…and then they move on to the next. And they've been here before in sort of a trial run. It was the dinosaurs. But the atmosphere wasn't conducive, right? So they waited it out. And they waited it out. And now with ozone depletion, and carbon monoxide, polluted waters well, we've practically terra-formed it for them. Because now they're coming back, and it's perfect. See, the first wave, that was just the hounds. Categories 1 through 4, it was nothing. Their sole purpose was to aim for the populated areas and to take out the vermin: Us! The second wave, that is the exterminators. And they will finish the job. And then the new tenants will take possession. See, the reason that I found the identical DNA in the two separate Kaiju organs…is because they are grown!"

"Newton, I need you to do it again. I need more information."

"I can't do it again. I mean, not unless you have

a fresh Kaiju brain lying around." He looks up at Stacker. "Do you?"