A/N: I'm blown away by the response to Chapter 9! Thank you all so very much! Because I love my readers, a present: Chapter 10, early. And since this chapter is a tad short, I will try to post Chapter 11 tomorrow - but please don't forget to give me your thoughts on this chapter!
Chapter Ten: Up and Coming
Jaeger Academy, Class 2016-B, Term 3…
December 2016…
The Beckets landed another personal best in the simulator on December 9th, two days before Raleigh's birthday. Even Stacker Pentecost was heard to agree: they were good.
The candidates relaxed a little in those final days of Term Three, keeping up their drills and working on improving their simulation scores. It just so happened that on the 10th, the candidates were ordered to report to the proving ground for pre-testing in Brawler Yukon's conn-pod, with their first actual Jaeger operation to be the following day. Nobody said outright that it was timed deliberately, but there were an awful lot of grins and winks being thrown around.
Stephanie, Kennedy, and the Hassans nobly invited the Beckets to take the first slot in Brawler on the 11th, and stood in the proving grounds' LOCCENT with many classmates, all wearing shit-eating grins.
They were joined by Bruce and Trevin Gage, as well as Vic and Gunnar Tunari, the pilots of Coyote Tango, whose Mark Is were being refitted while the Mark IIs were shuffled around. The latter pair, despite being Marshall Pentecost's successor pilots, were as relaxed and friendly to the trainees as the Gage twins. They were all too happy to accept the Gages' invitation to a party in Romeo Blue's launch bay.
"Maybe it's wussy of me, but I hope they have a good first run," said Steffie. "It'd be shit to completely blow their first time in a real Jaeger and on Raleigh's birthday."
"This may be the military, but it's not that military," Gunnar told her. "Remember what they told you first term. No ranking of cadets, no competition against anything but yourself. This is about fighting kaiju, not each other, and part of the long-term plan is for the Jaegers to start acting in groups. So we've all got no reason not to want them to do well."
"Amen," said Tendo. They'd gotten that lecture multiple times during all the physical trials, but he wondered if anybody could have predicted coming out for graduation feeling like family, even the ones who hadn't made it. He grinned when Raleigh and Yancy's vitals came over the monitor. "Our boys are a little nervous!"
Especially Raleigh, but both Beckets had very high heart rates as the pod locked into place. "Aww!" said several of the girls.
They'd all had the chance to watch Jaegers launching for testing on the grounds after six months on base, but this was the first time two of their own had been in the conn-pod. Tendo had to admit his own heart rate was a little up as the bay doors opened and Brawler Yukon, the first Jaeger, glided into view.
It was interesting to see the neural handshake with the Jaeger on the LOCCENT screens. Tendo thought he wouldn't mind pursuing this controller's eye view of the mechs for himself.
"Right hemisphere, calibrating." Unsurprisingly, Yancy was on the right.
"Left hemisphere, calibrating." Raleigh's voice was level, even though his heart rate was higher than ever.
D'aww, he's all grown up! I think I might cry, Tendo thought.
They calibrated smoothly, and Tendo wasn't the only one who jumped as Brawler raised his massive arms and clasped his hands with a rumble outside. The techs applauded. "Lining up nicely, Brawler Yukon," said the controller.
"Brawler Yukon, ready for deployment," Raleigh announced, and now the candidates applauded.
"You may proceed with pre-combat diagnostic drills, gentlemen," said Marshall Pentecost.
"Copy that, sir. Initiating walk-through."
It wasn't as if the three remaining teams hadn't gone through these drills multiple times in the simulators – for multiple Jaegers, including Brawler. Tendo could probably have done it in his sleep, and he hadn't even made it to the sims, just watched the others. But it was still nerve-wracking as the Beckets took control of Brawler and exercised its limbs, joints, and weapons one after the other, then made the enormous mech take its first step under their control.
They had a few wobbles in the maneuvers. Brawler was older and a different design than all his offspring, one of the reasons he'd been decommissioned after nearly getting flattened a year ago. He'd been refurbished for training once all the Mark Is were up and running, but some of his systems still responded a little differently. But the star candidates of Class 2016-B kept him upright and under control. Tendo could see a lot of broad grins among the Academy staff – and on the faces of the active Rangers.
The final test was launching the shoulder rockets at offshore targets. "Do they know those missiles are live?" murmured someone.
"Shh!"
Yancy armed his launcher first. "Target acquired."
"Fire at will, Rangers."
"Preparing to fire in three…two…one…" Smoke obscured the grounds as the rocket launched, luckily not going wildly towards the Assembly Building or any other direction, and a second later, the right-hand target exploded.
"Direct hit," announced the instructors on the monitors.
"Left shoulder rocket preparing to launch," said Raleigh. "Three…two…one…" The second rocket fired and took out the target.
Tendo couldn't help it; he whooped and applauded, but he was drowned out by everybody else. Pentecost didn't even blink. "Test run complete, Brawler Yukon. Return to Bay One for power-down."
"Copy that. Returning to bay."
"Well done, gentlemen." That was the only comment that Pentecost had. Damn that poker face!
But Bruce and Trevin looked at Tendo and winked in unison. "We've got something special planned tonight. Bring the kid and the guests; we'll supply the entertainment."
Tendo raised his eyebrows, and wondered if they'd all get expelled for having strippers on-base.
Years later, when he met Raleigh Becket for the second time in Hong Kong, Herc Hansen refrained from telling him that their paths had almost crossed even before Manila. The Beckets made quite an impression on the then-pilot of Lucky Seven, but Herc had known that to bring it up would only cause Raleigh Becket pain. It really was a shame. That memory stuck in his head, and for years after, it always made him smile.
His visit to the newly-opened Anchorage Shatterdome wasn't planned. He'd been down in Lima working with the new Mark II pilots, and intended to head up to Panama and Los Angeles to assist in the continued planning and construction of their domes. But Southern California was being hit with severe storms, so the flight was diverted.
"We were planning to pick up Marshall Pentecost for his transfer down to Lima tomorrow, Ranger Hansen," his American escort had said. "Would you care for a detour to the Academy?"
It was quite a few hours out of their way, but Herc was glad to be doing something to do other than just twiddling his thumbs over a half-constructed facility in South America. The last time Herc had been to Kodiak, the PPDC facilities there had only been half-built, the Academy still very much a work in progress.
However, they surprised Marshall Pentecost, and perhaps it was Herc's Australian prejudices coming out, but it always struck him that the British (especially their military) didn't like surprises. Then again, if a coterie of suited-up brass had descended on Sydney with no warning, wanting a tour of Herc's domain, he supposed he'd be a little defensive too.
"Incredible job you've done with the place," he told Pentecost from the heart, as they toured the Academy facilities. "Two years ago, it was a couple of warehouses and an old airstrip."
"Where's Dr. Lightcap these days? Is her base of operations still here?" asked Secretary Krieger. "Or is she down in the Shatterdome?
"Pons Science is based in the Shatterdome, but she also has offices here." Pentecost glanced at his watch. "She's probably still in the Academy lab. Final tests are being completed on the latest class's Ranger Readiness."
"It's ten p.m.!" protested someone, laughing.
"No rest for the brilliant," Herc observed. "I wouldn't mind saying hello, but no need to disturb the masters at work."
"I doubt she'll mind. This way."
There was music playing in the laboratory, to the amusement of Herc and the dismay of Pentecost. They found Dr. Caitlin Lightcap and Captain Sergio D'onofrio with a few of their underlings at work, as expected, but there was video playing on the main screen of some festival or party somewhere.
Lightcap yelped and hurriedly muted her screen when her visitors entered, but not before Krieger exclaimed, "Is that Romeo Blue?"
The inaugural Jaeger pilots looked like deer in the headlights, and Pentecost was less than impressed. Herc looked at the screen again and realized that the party was a little closer to home - in a Shatterdome Jaeger Bay. Romeo Blue did indeed provide the backdrop of several dozen people, many in PPDC gear, drinking, dancing, and laughing.
As the saying goes: Busted! Herc thought, and couldn't keep a grin off his face.
D'onofrio explained, "One of the finalists is celebrating a birthday. This close to the end of term, most of the data is in."
Pentecost cleared his throat. "I'm aware that Mr. Becket turned eighteen today, and his friends wanted to acknowledge it, but a rave in a Jaeger Bay is not appropriate."
"It's hardly a rave, sir," D'onofrio protested, even as Lightcap exclaimed, "'Acknowledge' it?" in an incredulous voice.
"British are allergic to having fun," muttered one of Herc's travel companions, even as Pentecost was turning stiffly to Krieger and the brass.
"My apologies. I'll have the instigators put on report."
Herc was debating whether to speak up as D'onofrio and Lightcap exchanged dismayed looks, but to his surprise, even Krieger smiled. "That might be an overreaction, Marshall. I see the Gages are well aware of this event."
He nodded to the screen, and sure enough, Herc spied the twins taking over the center of the room, making some kind of speech along with the Tunaris. Once they pulled a laughing, blushing youth up to join them and began pompously directing the crowd, it was obvious that it was sing-along time. J-tech crews in Coyote Tango and Romeo Blue jumpsuits swayed arm-in-arm with a crowd of Academy trainees.
Lightcap shot the brass a challenging look. "We went earlier this evening, sirs. For cake."
Stacker Pentecost Was Not Amused, but D'onofrio stared his superior down. "To ease your concerns, Marshall, I can tell you that there's very little alcohol being consumed, and no drugs. They're simply enjoying the moment."
Someone accidentally (or otherwise) toggled the sound back on. " - ap-py birrrrthday, deeeeear Raaaaaleeeeigh! Haaap-py Biiiiirthday toooo youuuu!"
The bay descended into bellows and applause as party-goers crowded around the honoree for embraces, claps on the back, and knuckles on the head. Herc was smiling until then, but a second look at the birthday boy gave him a sudden pang. Christ, he was young. "How old's that kid?"
"Rangers aren't kids," Pentecost pointed out crossly as some horrid pop dance song started up and the whole group erupted into motion.
"No, but even we regular military men had to unwind sometime," said one of the other senior officers - who was generally a stickler for decorum, so Herc found that a hopeful sign.
Pentecost made what he probably considered a concession. "No reports if they're not breaking regulations, but I think it's time to break it up."
"Sir!" Everyone looked at Lightcap. First Ranger or not, Herc knew she was no soldier and would never have made one. Probably too much heart for regular military, but Herc didn't consider it a failing; that heart had driven that head to humanity's first defeat of the kaiju. Since then, she'd gotten bolder. From what Herc had known of her two years ago, she would never have had the guts to challenge the superiors then. She was nervous now, but she didn't back down. "It's not necessary!"
The dancing was getting wilder, and Pentecost looked from her back to the feed. "I don't want this getting out of hand. Alcohol isn't banned on-base, but there are limits."
Herc spoke up. "They're not drunk, Marshall. I've seen enough base parties get out of hand." Considering Scott had had no interest in joining him for this trip, and they both knew why, a genuinely out of hand party might well be going on somewhere back in Sydney. Herc knew well what a problem situation looked like. "This isn't one."
"They're happy," said Lightcap, sounding exasperated. "Our finalists are all on the brink of being Ranger Ready, and they know it. They've worked very hard, met every demand we've put on them. It's almost Christmas, there's no movement in the Breach, and everyone at that party is off duty." She took a step forward, her voice entreating. "Let them dance!"
Pentecost eyed her, not liking his call being questioned at all, even less in front of so many visitors. But most of said visitors were giving him looks like they were in Lightcap's corner. He looked again at the party scene.
The birthday boy was in the center of a mass of gyrating bodies. There were quite a few women around him, but Herc couldn't even see much twerking going on, just men and women surrendering to music and motion all with the same crazed, energetic grins and shouts of joy. Every kid should have a moment like this. He wondered if Chuck ever would. Like so many attack survivors, he was wary at best around his peers, not that he saw many of them. The closest he'd come to being carefree were when he had the chance to run around outside with his puppy. And he's got the notion of being a Ranger. It might not bother me so much if his class could end the term like this.
One of the American generals shook his head, but he was smiling. "My wife gave me a bumper sticker for the car we keep at our daughter's house. It says ,'It's not that I'm old, your music really does suck.'" Nearly everyone chuckled.
"Likes her pop music, your daughter?" Herc asked.
"Oh, yes. She's twenty. Back before K-Day, in high school, it was all One Direction, all the time. The things we tolerate for our teenagers."
"My boy is thirteen," said Herc. "Not quite into the music scene yet."
"Give him time, Hansen," warned one of the other Aussies. "So, where's our up and coming team in that lot?"
Pentecost shook his head once more, but turned towards one of the other screens and made no more mention of calling in MPs or putting anyone on report. Grinning, Lightcap muted the pop music and scanned the group, then pointed. "There they are. Susanti Hassan," (the one dancing next to Vic Tunari, who was playing DJ), "and Devi Hassan in the conga line." Pentecost face-palmed, and several of the visitors snorted and grinned. "Sisters, ages twenty-four and twenty-six."
Pentecost pulled up their biographical stats. "First generation. The parents immigrated from Indonesia shortly after marrying and naturalized after the first daughter was born. They live in Brisbane, identify as Muslim. The father teaches at Queensland University of Technology - computer science, and both have degrees from there. Environmental science for the older, information technology for the younger."
"Damn. I'm almost sorry those two are Ranger Ready; we could use them in R&D," mused one of the Americans.
"There's plenty of science undergrads out there, sir," said Lightcap with a smile. "And not enough drift compatible people with the physical and mental stamina to handle a Jaeger."
"No arguments here, Dr. Lightcap. We've got two more teams coming out of this class?"
"We do, including our birthday boy," she informed him slyly. "They're our front runners - well, they are!" she protested, seeing Pentecost's irritated look.
"I hope to God that birthday boy's the younger one," muttered Herc.
"Don't worry, he is. Today is his eighteenth. Raleigh Becket. His brother Yancy is twenty-one." She took pity on Pentecost and turned the Jaeger Bay camera feed off and brought up the candidate biography pages with their lines of statistics and neutral headshots instead.
They went over the Beckets' information with the Americans, and reviewed the third pair of candidates, also American. As Pentecost went on with the brass about future deployment and coverage, Herc couldn't resist peering over Lightcap's shoulder at one of her small screens, where she was watching the party again.
Four active Rangers and six future Rangers were leading the Electric Slide. Herc grinned, and she winked at him. "Nice to know we haven't forgotten to have fun," he murmured.
"My thought exactly. You could go down there, you know. I'm sure they'd be thrilled to meet you."
"Nah, I won't crash their party. It'll keep."
To be continued...
Coming Soon:The visitors to Anchorage thought that party was pretty funny, but Stacker Pentecost Is Not Amused. Uh-oh! But just when our Marshall's hard philosophy on life seems etched in stone, a chance encounter between his adoptive daughter and a Ranger team just might change his outlook. Mako Mori is in the house in Chapter Eleven: Graduation Day!
PLEASE don't forget to review!
Original Character Guide
Devi and Susanti Hassan - First-generation daughters of Indonesian immigrants to Australia, ages 26 and 24. One of three remaining candidate teams (including the Beckets) in this Academy class.
Familiar Faces
Kennedy LaRue and Stephanie Lanphier - childhood friends from Seattle, age 18, former high school athletes and cheerleaders. (If you don't know more than that, well, wait and see!) One of three remaining teams including the Beckets in contention to become Rangers, they developed a romantic relationship after drift training began.
Dr. Caitlin Lightcap - age 30ish, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, inventor of the pons neural bridge and co-pilot of Brawler Yukon until its destruction. Retired from piloting to supervise pons training and drift sync testing at the Jaeger Academy. Now married to her co-pilot, Sergio D'onofrio.
Captain Sergio D'onofrio - age 30ish, test pilot and then co-pilot of Brawler Yukon,until its destruction, and moved on to a training position at the Jaeger Academy. (He was a Lieutenant in Pacific Rim: Tales From Year Zero - I'm assuming he got promoted. He and Caitlin Lightcap fell in love, and Stacker Pentecost referred to them as "the D'onofrios" a year later.)
Vic and Gunnar Tunari - brothers, successor pilots of Coyote Tango. In this fic, they are Americans of Bolivian ancestry, late 20s, sons of a US Marine who lived for several years in Okinawa, hence their being assigned to a Japanese Jaeger. They graduated Class 2016-A of the Jaeger Academy directly before the current class.
Secretary General Dustin Krieger - Secretary General of the PPDC, immediate superior of Stacker Pentecost. PPDC liaison to the UN.
Scott Hansen - Herc Hansen's younger brother and co-pilot of Lucky Seven, their first Jaeger. This fic assumes Lucky Seven was a Mark I, though canon doesn't make it clear.