There is a fair amount of OC back story in this chapter but I tried to make it as fluid as possible. It's vital to the future plot and explains a few details from the earlier chapters. Bear with me and I promise destruction and mayhem soon! And lots of feelings. Mainly Herc Hansen feelings cause he's so awesome.
Thank you to all my new followers and people who favorited the story though I got to say, I was a little depressed by the lack of reviews. Please review and let me know what you think about any little detail! Everything helps!
…..
Raleigh walked slowly through the halls towards the conference room; he had given himself extra time to get there and was in no hurry. He needed some time alone after the sparring session with Mako. It hadn't been combat but almost a form of drifting together without the equipment. Each pilot relied on what they knew of the other from drifting and put it into the exercise. It was a conversation of fluid movements rather than attacks or defending. It was also exhausting. Mentally and physically which is what had led Raleigh to seek some solitary time after they had finished rather than join Mako for lunch.
Reaching the now familiar door, Raliegh placed a hand on it, ready to push it open but froze when he heard Mako's voice inside followed by Nikki's. He knew he shouldn't listen in. He really did. But that didn't stop him. Trying to look as inconspicuous in the hallway as possible, he leaned on the wall next to the door and listened.
"You are restricting them. Holding them back. People like us need to be in a Jaeger." Mako's voice was calm, convincing.
"You think I don't know that!" Nikki was angry but it didn't seem to be directed at Mako. "I know that the simulations aren't enough! But can't I be selfish about this one thing?"
"No." Raleigh could almost see Mako shaking her head. "You were kept out of a conn-pod due to your incompatibility not because of your inability. You are keeping them out of a Jaeger out of fear and nothing else. They are going to be in one eventually, now it the safest time for them. The threat of attacks is as low as it may ever be. They are about to be legal adults and once that happens, you have no say in the matter. Give them time to adjust now, in relative safety, and they will thank you for it later." Raleigh was surprised by how convincing Mako was even without knowing the topic they were discussing. He leaned closer during the gap in the conversation trying to hear more.
"Heard enough?" The quiet words came from right by Raleigh's ear, causing him to spin away from the door and towards the voice. Choi stood behind him, an amused but still judging look on his face. "I'll explain later. We need to get started." Tendo slapped the pilot on the shoulder as he walked past and raised his voice before continuing so the room's occupants knew they were about to be interrupted. "So how was the sparring session?" Raleigh recovered quickly and followed the technician. "Good. Ladies." He directed the second part at Mako and Nikki, schooling his face into a slight grin, trying not to give his eavesdropping away. Mako narrowed her eyes, apparently unconvinced by his patented, charming grin while Nikki only greeted him with a simple "Beckett."
She had indeed changed since the morning meeting. Her hair almost a different color than the basic brown he had seen the last few days. It was closer to a deep red. Her skin was paler and the blue tattoo on her wrist and arm stood out much more. Apparently walking around dirty for days on end was part of her job. Raleigh was unsure of what to think. She wore a jacket similar to those of Jaeger pilots but patches ran down the arms, Raleigh recognized a few, including one for Gipsy, though the sheer number was unexpected. Support teams usually had jackets like those of the pilots for the Jaeger they worked with, but Nikki's implied that she had worked on roughly a dozen Jaegers in some form, leaving Raleigh with even more questions as the two men join the women at the table.
Tendo dove right in, relaying guide lines from Marshall Hansen. "We're looking at five new Jaegers excluding Green Beast but include your new one which is will be the first one into production. We have the option of simply reproducing the updated version of Gipsy that Mako oversaw, or we can update it further based any input you two have."
He looked expectantly at the pair of pilots who in turned looked at each other. It was silently decided that Raleigh would speak for them at the moment. "Same design would be best. It's the only one we're familiar with and I can't think of anything we would prefer. It would be useful to look into reinforcing some areas though. The conn-pod and arm joints specifically. I'm rather tired of having my arm's torn off." He added in the last part to lighten the mood. It earned him a few grins as they continued.
"We'll need to reinforce the knee joints too." Nikki added after a moment. "The little free fall stunt you two pulled exposed a few flaws in the mechanics. It's unlikely you'll be in a similar situation but I would more comfortable not having to deal with those repairs again."
Tendo nodded and made a note on his tablet as did Mako. Nikki began sketching something out on hers. Raleigh felt left out but knew he was out of his area of expertise. He could build a wall but that was about it the extent of his construction knowledge. He knew nothing about Jaeger mechanics or circuitry.
"You are both aware that staying with an analog system will restrict your speed and weapons strength." Tendo asked after a moment. Raleigh nodded, letting Mako speak for the pair this time. "Considering the knowledge that Kaiju are artificially created by some means and that at least one type has Electro Magnetic Pulse abilities, to produce only digital Jaegers would give us a crucial weakness. It might be possible to look into EMP secure Jaegers in the future but given the circumstances, analog is currently the most secure option."
Tendo glanced at Nikki who nodded and added her own thoughts. "Secure digital Jaegers will require a lot more planning and systems set up time. Something we cannot afford right now. It's a good option for the future, but not viable until after we have a strong defense program running again.
"What about weapons?" Raleigh moved the conversation along now that they had all agreed on analog systems when it seemed like the trio were about to be lost to their tablet displays.
"I'm concerned about outfitting any Jaegers with weaponry that isn't at least partially cauterizing. Gipsy was put into production before we understood the full effects of Kaiju Blue. No other Jaegers since the mark three's have had non-carrier rail or heated weapons like the Gipsy Danger's chain swords. They were effective in the outer atmosphere but if you had pulled that move in Hong Kong, half the city would have been exposed and poisoned." Nikki explained.
"We keep the blades." Mako's voice was cold as she refused the idea outright, surprising Raleigh.
Silence held the room as Mako refused to be swayed and Nikki glared. After several tense moments, Tendo cleared his throat. What if we try to design a system to heat the blade edges? Gipsy can keep the swords but they'll be capable of cauterizing wounds."
"They are the last choice weapons on Gipsy." Raleigh added, trying to help the LOCCENT officer defuse the sudden tension.
The two women seemed to ignore the pair, focusing on each other in a silent battle. Nikki was the first to back down. "We tried a similar option on Crimson's spin blades but the ability was weak. I'll revisit the designs and we can plan to install them on Gipsy Danger. They are one of the last pieces to be fitted on so I could have new generators designed in time" She admitted. "But if they can't effectively cauterize, we have to find another option." It seemed she would refuse to budge if the concession failed. After a hesitation Mako nodded tersely in agreement.
"The factories for Gipsy should be up and running in a month. We'll keep you notified on production times and details." Tendo informed the pair of Rangers. "Angel and I will busy overseeing Green Beast construction for the next few days but the simulation for her should be running in three days for you two to work with. Until then, if you will both review the designs for other Jaegers I'll send you now, we can meet again in about a week to discuss them."
Nikki nodded and stood, grabbing her tablet as soon as Tendo finished speaking. "Sounds good. I've got to go supervise the scaffolding if there isn't anything else." She left without waiting for a response.
Mako stood before the door had time to finish shutting behind the other woman. "I will be in my quarters reviewing the most recent satellite date if either of you should need me." She left with a slight bow to both men.
"Well okay then." Raleigh was unsure of what to think. Tendo snorted at his words and shook his head. "What's their deal?" Raleigh asked quickly. "One minute their giving each other advice, the next their furious at each other for a disagreement in a hypothetical design."
Tendo nodded. " They've been fighting over those chain swords since before restoration began on Gipsy. Angel didn't want them but Mako pushed for them and Pentecost agreed. It's complicated than that though, complicated enough that we need alcohol if we're going to get into it. C'mon."
Raleigh hesitated, Jaeger pilots were forbidden to drink. During the war, the constant threat of Kaiju meant you never real time off duty, and the possible damage inflicted by a drunk pilot in a giant war machine was enough to ensure the rule was followed without hesitation.
Tendo knew the rule though and convinced him with the reminder that even if there was a threat, there were no Jaegers to fight it at the moment. "Take advance of the chance to get drunk. You might not get another for a while. I sure as hell am." The last part was almost bitter.
"Nikki doesn't need you to help with whatever she's overseeing?" Raleigh double-checked before he agreed.
"No. I don't work with the physical reconstruction aspects. They don't need me until the drift wiring starts in a day or two. There is no way in hell they're getting me into one of those damn construction harnesses."
Raleigh shrugged and stood as Tendo gathered his stuff, following the technician out of the room. "Plus there are a few things you need to know before you spend more time with Angel. You've always been prone to foot in mouth disease and she's a bad one to provoke." Tendo added as they walked. Raleigh didn't bother to deny it, he did have a habit letting words escape too quickly. "Like what?" He prodded. "Alcohol first." Choi reminded him.
The pair reached Tendo's private rooms, and settled into a set of chairs as the technician produced a mostly full bottle of vodka. "Courtesy of the Kaidonovskys " Tendo told his friend grimly. Both men fell silent as they began drinking until Raleigh finally broke it. "So what do I need to know?"
Tendo signed and began. "Angel, Nikki Reese, is one of the longest running crew members in the Jaeger Corps. Her father, Mike Reese, was on the support team for Lucky Seven when Marshall Hansen piloted it. Her mother died in one of the Kaiju attacks, she doesn't talk about it and the twins don't remember it, so I don't think anyone but Hansen knows the details."
"The twins?" Raleigh interrupted. Tendo's words bringing one of his many questions to the forefront of his mind. He was silenced with a hand though as Tendo continued.
"The twins are Angel's younger siblings. Anyway, Hansen and Mike Reese were friends so, Mike Reese was moved to each support team as Hansen changed Jaegers. The Reese kids grew up in the shatterdomes with Chuck Hansen. Angel started out as a runner for the Jaeger crews but started the real work after only a few months and has been doing ever since, moving up the ranks quickly. Mike Reese died a few years back, radiation poisoning like most of the men who worked with the Mark 1s. Since then, Angel has been moving between shatterdomes while raising the twins. All three were tested for and found Drift Capable, but Angel has never been compatible with another pilot. She and Pentecost gave up testing after a while when her Jaeger knowledge became too valuable to put her into a conn-pod. The twins have been compatable since they were nine, and have been running simulations since then." Tendo stopped talking for a moment to catch his breath and break into the vodka again, leaving Raleigh to reflect.
He could vaguely remember rumors of a pair of twin protégées that started just before Knifehead's attack and his departure from the Corps. The timing fit. And now, Mako and Nikki's conversation earlier made sense. Nikki was fighting to keep the twins out of a Jaeger while everyone tried to put them in one. Her fear was understandable considering she had lost everyone else to the Kaiju in some way.
"What's up with the nickname you and Herc use? 'Angel?'" Raleigh heard his words before he realized what he was asking. He mentally shrugged and waited for an answer now that the question was out. He used the time to refill his glass.
"The full one is Angel of the Shatterdomes. It's pretentious but it stuck given her skill. Most crew and techs use it. Nikki is just so….basic. Angel fits her personality in a twisted way." Tendo informed him, screwing up his face as he used Nikki's real name.
"Angel…." Raleigh rolled the idea around in his head. "Where did it come from?" He could sense a story behind the name. No nickname like that stuck without a very specific reason.
"It was actually Chuck Hansen who came up with it. A few years back, Striker Eureka was badly damaged and there was a fair amount of talk of scrapping it and moving the Hansens into Vulcan Specter. It was Nikki who planned and succeeded in the repairs. Chuck called her that as a joke one night when he was out drinking with some of the support crew and it just stuck, especially after her work on Cherno Alpha and Tacit Ronin. She keeps things going long after they should have dropped. Angel and Chuck are also…" Tendo stopped and hesitated before corrected himself. "Were also close."
"How close?" Raleigh prodded, leaning forward in his seat.
The technician shrugged. "Not sure. Some bets were made and rumors circulated but there wasn't ever any proof one way or another which is hard to do in such a close environment like the shatterdomes.
Silence fell again as the reminder of Chuck Hansen required quite a bit more alcohol. He might have been an asshole, but he was still mourned by the Jaeger Corps.
"So the twins…" Raleigh trailed off, silently asking for more details.
"They're sixteen and as their legal guardian, Angel has the ability to stop their official enrollment in what is left of the Academy. They want to do it though and will join the minute they are adults. They've been running simulations for longer than pilots were in Jaegers. They are very very good." Tendo hesitated then continued. "Only a few people know this, but if Marshall Pentecost was unable to convince you to come back into the program, the twins were his second choice."
Raleigh's brows knit in confusion. "How? If they're underage…."
"He had the paper work all ready done to invoke a technical draft of anyone with Drift Compatability and Jaeger training." Tendo explained.
"Wouldn't that just affect me, Mako, and Nikki too then?"
"Yes, but Stacker had it outlined so the pilots who willingly joined the draft would be stationed in Jaegers first. The twins would have automatically and the draft would stop Angel from interfering."
"Why not put Mako and Nikki together?"
"That was tried about a year ago, the simulation ended in a disaster. Both killed, Jaeger destroyed, the entire sim city lost to the Kaiju. They're very similar in most ways but when it comes to combat, very different. Plus with Marshall Pentecost being so protective of Mako…"
"The twins were next in line." Raleigh finished Tendo's sentence for him. "So if I hadn't agreed to reenlist Nikki's siblings would have been in Gipsy."
Tendo nodded and refilled his glass again.
"Well Shit." Raleigh copied the LOCCENT officer's actions. "I get why she almost ignores me then."
"She's glad you're here but you almost cost her the twins." Tendo confirmed Raleigh's thoughts.
"So where are they now?"
"She sent them inland as soon as we got word that Pentecost was bringing you in. She got them away before you landed and the Marshall could block her. He would have tried to keep them in the dome as a backup." Tendo answered. "It was going to be a clusterfuck no matter what." The technician starred at the ceiling.
"Think she'll warm up to me?" Raleigh asked curiously. He liked Nikki despite how little they actually interacted.
"Depends on what happens with the twins. Marshall Hansen is still pushing to put them in one of the new Jaegers."
"That's what her meeting with the Marshall was about today?"
"Yup."
"What do you think will happen?"
"No clue."
Raleigh went for the bottle of vodka and realized it was empty. He settled from discarding his glass and leaned back in the chair. Across from him, Tendo was sunk into his chair; legs sprawled out in front of him, empty glass balanced precariously on the edge of one chair arm.
"Well Shit." The Jaeger pilot reiterated his former statement, accurately summarizing the entire story.
"Yup." Was the technician's only response.
…..
Does putting random bolded stuff down here make you more likely to review? Just asking.
