Author's Notes: A little tidbit (or disclaimer) on the tone in parts of this chapter - writing from the POV of a teenaged boy sometimes necessitates holding my nose. Raleigh (and Yancy) are reasonably fair-minded lads who try to be good to everyone, but their perspective can sometimes be arrogant and immature, especially when it comes to women and minorities.
Canon Note: Yankee Star, Silver Lion, Tidal Dragon are original Jaeger characters, the Mark IIs for the United States, China, and Japan. At this stage in the story, four Shatterdomes have opened with four more still in progress. The discussion between the graduates and Dr. Schoenfeld in this chapter explains my theory on the "gender" of Jaegers.
Chapter Twelve: If Only In My Dreams
Jaeger Academy, Class 2016-B, Graduation Day…
December 24, 2016…
Class 2016-B could barely get a word out of the Beckets for the rest of the night. Stephanie, Kennedy, and the Hassans hid what disappointment they felt, congratulating their fellow Rangers and rejoicing that while they wouldn't be the first of the class assigned a mech, they now knew it would follow.
"It can wait," said Kennedy. "We weren't sure we'd make Ranger Ready. If this is the only Mark III that goes to the US, we'll wait for the Mark IVs."
"Are there any teams from the previous classes that haven't been placed yet? You two should be first in line," Tendo pointed out.
Captain D'onofrio spun a chair around and sat backwards on it. "There's a lot of political and strategic maneuvering going on over who gets each Jaeger - what country and where the pilots should come from. We've got Shatterdomes in progress in Sydney, LA, and Panama, and another in Japan. The goal is to try to get at least two Jaegers to every Shatterdome as soon as they're opened."
"We've got Romeo Blue and Yankee Star," Tendo mused, counting on his fingers. "And Brawler, really - no reason Big Daddy can't get back into it if he needs to." Their group snickered as D'onofrio preened. "China's got Horizon Brave and Silver Lion, Japan's got Tacit Ronan and Tidal Dragon... is Coyote Tango staying with them?"
"We are," confirmed Vic Tunari, scooting his own chair closer. "As soon as she's done with her refit, we're going back to Tokyo. Once Nagasaki's open, one of us will end up there. Japan's a little less rigid on the nationalism stuff, close to the Breach as they are. As long as we can speak the language and spent some time, they're glad to have us."
D'onofrio lowered his voice, and everyone leaned in, sensing juicy gossip was coming. "Not every national government is so flexible."
"Well, it's understandable to a point," Cady Spencer admitted. "If the Jaeger's flying their flag, protecting their people, they want to feel that the guys - or girls - in the conn-pod understand their mission in their heart."
"True. In most cases, we can manage to recruit some drift compatible people. But one of our Mark IIIs is probably going to fly the Mexican flag, and they are giving us hell over pilot candidates. Only natural-born Mexican citizens will do. We've got 'till late 2017 to find them and place them, but the Western Hemisphere Marshalls are tearing their hair out."
"So..." Kennedy bit her lip and looked at the Hassans. "Can we ask what country gets the next one? Do we know?"
D'onofrio feigned shiftiness, and they all snickered. "Well, the Engineers would have my head if I gave away names - it's bad luck, they say. And it could change. Negotiations are still in progress. But so far, the next Mark III looks like it will be China's - he's under assembly in Hong Kong, not here. The third is being built in Brisbane for Australia. There's also backing coming in from the Philippines and Indonesia for that one." He winked at the Hassans, who both got very still and quiet. "So, yeah, we have a team in mind for that crew already. Work in progress."
Indra Hassan leaned forward and slung an arm around each of his cousins' shoulders, giving them a squeeze. "I am taking the mission control training for LOCCENT assignment."
"Us too," said Tendo, gesturing to himself and Cady.
"Excellent. Governments like to see their own people on support as well. As for our other American team," Sergio grinned at Kennedy and Stephanie. "At least one, possibly two of the Mark IVs are slated for the US, to make sure we're covered in both of our Shatterdomes when they open."
"How far along are the Mark IVs?" asked Stephanie softly.
"The first two are projected to be pilot-ready by summer. We're aiming for 2018 launch for the line. So keep yourselves in shape!" he admonished. The pair nodded vigorously.
Nobody assumed the kaiju would give them a Christmas truce, so all regular duties were still assigned. Even so, there was sappy holiday music playing in every room where it was permitted (and in plenty of rooms that it wasn't), the mess hall served turkey and cranberry sauce. There was also Chinese food for those who weren't interested, which many people decided was actually better than the turkey anyway, and there were lots of little presents being exchanged.
For their daily turn in the simulator, Raleigh and Yancy were presented with a new "virtual Jaeger" program whose systems needed to be learned: their own. Gipsy Danger.
"Merry Christmas!" Dr. Lightcap crowed as the techs applauded and the Beckets sputtered in the pod rig.
Raleigh was impatient with having to go through all the same boring drills and test simulations before getting to even attempt a combat sim, let alone actually pilot Gipsy in real life. "Hey, show some respect for a lady. Do you always go straight to third base the minute you meet?" Vic Tunari demanded.
There were raunchy noises in the lab, and to his right, Yancy snorted. "He's got you there, kiddo. Come on, let's earn this so we can show her a good time when we take her out."
They had a lot of spectators even in the non-combat sims. Everybody wanted to scope out the new Mark III's abilities. "Damn, she's gonna be fast," breathed Trevin Gage. "Even in the water. Some legs on her."
"Are those plasma cannons going to function in full immersion?" Lea Franklin wondered.
"Their range'll be less, but they'll still pack a punch," Dr. Schoenfeld told her. "The same goes for her propulsion rockets."
He and the engineers finally gave the go-ahead for the rest of the Corps personnel to get a look at their newest Jaeger, and Raleigh and Yancy led their entire class to the Assembly Building. It was all reverent lowered voices in the Bay, unable to get closer than just standing on the concrete beneath her, staring up.
"She's pretty, guys."
"She is that."
"How come some of the Jaegers are 'he'? Shouldn't they all be 'she'?"
"Probably, but I didn't really think of it as shipbuilding when we started," said Dr. Schoenfeld. "Brawler was a 'he,' so was Romeo. We started going by the names. They're humanoid mechs, after all, so why not?"
"Who gave her the name?" asked Lea.
"One of our senior R&D designers. He likes his history; he found that pinup at an antiques faire when we were sketching out the blueprints for the Mark IIIs. We had to wheedle the Marshalls to let us put the picture on her; some of them thought it was inappropriate." Schoenfeld snorted. "It gives her character. And you'll get the chance to design and redesign systems like hers if you take our offer!"
He and his team were wooing several former members of class 2016-B, and none more ferociously than Lea Franklin. But she kept telling them she hadn't made up her mind; a large number of the class was eagerly waiting to sign on train with Gipsy's support crew. "I'm thinking I might like to stay with my class," she explained.
From the way her eyes strayed to Yancy, Raleigh knew that it wasn't the rest of the class she wanted to stay with.
But a few days later, as they finished pre-testing and were finally cleared to start combat sims with Gipsy as their virtual mech, Yancy's side of the drift kept flickering with the same memory: him talking to Lea in the Kwoon. They managed not to chase that rabbit, but it was a near thing.
Raleigh was frustrated; he did not want to get killed in their first combat sim for their own Jaeger. Granted, there were very few pilots who didn't get beaten in their first try fighting with a new mech in the simulator, but he felt a superstition about it. Worse yet, they were bringing Virtual Gipsy against Belobog, an imaginary kaiju conceived by some truly sadistic K-Science goons - the one who'd kicked their asses when they were distracted by the mess with Naomi.
And now we're distracted by another girl. Damn it, Yance!
"Okay, seriously - what's it about?" he hissed as they suited up for the combat sim. "You might as well tell me. You keep drifting into it, so I'm gonna find out."
Yancy sighed. "That was me giving Lea 'The Talk.'"
Raleigh frowned. "What?"
"You know. The 'it's not you, it's me,' talk, the 'I'm just not that into you,' talk. The 'I still want to be friends even though I know I'm about to make you cry' talk."
"Oh. OH!" Raleigh grimaced, but restrained himself from asking, That's IT? That's what you're all angsty about? Jesus, man, it's not like you asked her to follow you around like a puppy! What was Yance supposed to do? Date her out of pity?
Sure, he felt sorry for Lea. Anybody with a heart in their chest would. And he'd had unrequited crushes over the years; it sucked, no question. It ached. He got that. But he'd had to turn girls down sometimes, just like girls had turned him down, and they always seemed to get so mad, like he owed them something. It tended to kill any sympathy he felt pretty quick.
"How'd she take it?" he finally asked.
"Like she took scrubbing out in Term Two. Gracious. Just made me feel like more of a jerk."
"You didn't ask her to like you, Yance."
Yancy shot him a withering look. "That doesn't mean I like hurting people either, kid. Try a little empathy now and then!" That stung, and Raleigh scowled at his feet, but Yancy relented. "Sorry. I'm in a bad mood. Devi Hassan thought I should tell her flat-out, and she was right, but it wasn't easy."
"We gonna be okay in the sim?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I've got it." His brother smirked faintly at him as they got into their drive suit mock-ups. "Just mix up Marvel and DC for me again if I start drifting."
"Deal."
This time, they kept it together. Keeping instinctive control of Gipsy's weapons and systems with a virtual kaiju harassing them wasn't easy. It definitely wasn't their cleanest run, but they did come out with a kill and with themselves and Gipsy mostly undamaged.
As they were powering down, going through the motions of retrieval and return to base, the slacking-off adrenaline brought the images in the drift a little more to the forefront.
Yancy had pulled Lea aside after evening exercises. Damn, she was such a kid. "How come you're thinking about turning down Engineering R&D?"
She was so much smarter than people assumed. So much older, really. He felt like an asshole. Her eyes brimmed; she knew where this was going. It took her a minute to muster it up, but finally she whispered, "I think you know."
The images faded as the drift powered down, but Raleigh caught flashes of it.
"... If I did anything to lead you on... I'm sorry, I don't want to ruin your Christmas."
That got a little flash of annoyance. "I'm Jewish, Yancy," she pointed out, a little sour. But then she sighed and looked down again. "You didn't lead me on. I... it's okay. I understand. I'm a big girl, I'll get over it. You didn't - you were just you. Don't stop being you, okay?"
She'd been sweet, Raleigh admitted as the handshake deactivated. Gracious. She'd barely even cried. Why weren't more girls like that? Or more people, he corrected himself.
He wasn't really sure why Yancy associated memories of Lea with memories of Jazmine so much. Lea looked almost nothing like Jazmine, and acted still less like her. But for some reason, Yancy seemed to superimpose Jazmine on the other girl in his mind. He hadn't told Lea that part, but it was certainly one of the reasons he'd never be able to get romantic with her.
He had to tell 'em both something they didn't want to hear, Raleigh finally realized. And there was the big difference.
Raleigh had seen the little gift box of Lush cosmetics - Jazmine's favorite - that must have stretched Yance's budget to send for Christmas. And he'd seen the box come back a few days after with "Return to Sender" scribbled on it in Jazmine's handwriting.
Ironic. Yance used to be the one who insisted to Raleigh, "She can only hurt you if you let her." Now he was laying himself out to her claws.
Too bad Lea's really not our sister. Maybe she and I would've gotten along better. Certainly more like Yancy deserves. Maybe Raleigh could've been a better brother if he'd had a sister like that.
He felt a lot warmer towards Lea Franklin as New Year's approached, especially when she did end up taking J-Tech R&D's offer to follow their top-tier, fastest-track engineering degree that would probably have her building Jaegers of her own by the time she was twenty-one. Yancy had been forcing a smile as he applauded along with the others, nervous and uncomfortable, but she shot him a grin and a quick nod, an unmistakable message that there were no hard feelings.
Raleigh felt guilty then for his own attitude towards her. She'd never been anything but sweet to everyone. Raleigh had even less an excuse than Yance to make her into a sister-by-proxy.
A big crowd of personnel left just before New Years for the Lima Shatterdome, including Marshall Pentecost. With them were Brian Patrick and Janet McDonald, the pair who hadn't made the third cut. "We're going to miss you," Janet told them as they said their goodbyes. "But some of our family is still with the allied forces in Panama, so we'll train with the Corps responders at Lima, then transfer when Panama Shatterdome opens."
"Keep in touch, our Irish brethren," Tendo admonished them. "We'll send you a bunch of stupid green stuff for St. Patrick's day."
"Please, only Americans celebrate that, and if I hear any of you singing Oh Danny Boy, I'll sic a kaiju on you!" Brian groaned.
"Excellent - we'll have Vic and Gunnar organize an a capella performance!" Cady crowed.
"Take those two with you, please!" Devi Hassan pleaded. "Just drop-kick them both out the window when you reach cruising altitude." Cady and Tendo feigned outrage as Raleigh and Yancy joined the chorus of approval.
Most of the crowd from the Southern climates headed indoors, but Raleigh and Yancy hung out with a few sterner souls until it was time for the plane to load up. "There's a huge group heading down there," Yancy mused. "Not just personnel - families too."
"Permanent staff can have their families on-base," Brian pointed out. "The usual military housing rules."
"Eh, got someone in mind?" Raleigh asked slyly.
Brian shook his head, good-natured. "My girl and me broke it off after K-Day. She was from the UK and went back home when NATO started moving everyone. You never know, though. There goes Pentecost," he added, seeing the tall Marshall among another group heading for the plane.
Janet was observing some of the families accompanying the personnel, and murmured, "Aww, did you see that little girl?"
"Hm?" Raleigh asked, looking in the direction she was gazing.
"With the blonde woman, the little Asian girl in the parka. One of the youngest kids I've seen around here."
Raleigh caught a quick glimpse of the pair, in a group of families a few paces behind Pentecost, but the little dark head above the furry coat was turned away from him. Two gangly boys in their early teens went running to catch up with the group, and he found himself grinning at Yancy. A page went out for the next group, and that was for Brian and Janet.
"Take care of yourselves," Yancy told them.
"You two, Rangers. I hope we'll see you again." Janet grinned easily. "I have a feeling we will." She leaned in and kissed each of them on the cheek, making Raleigh blush, and he hurriedly gave Brian a firm handshake.
To be continued...
Coming Soon: The Jaeger Academy Class 2016-B moves into new quarters as everyone prepares for life as PPDC officers. But first... it's New Year's Eve! Party in the Anchorage Shatterdome (again)! This one is hosted by the pilots of Coyote Tango, and everyone's invited in Chapter Thirteen: New Everything!
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 teams including the Beckets to graduate Class 2016-B and become Jaeger pilots.
Indra Hassan - Devi and Susanti's cousin, age 37, from Jakarta, Indonesia. Failed second cut, but now training to be a LOCCENT officer with Tendo Choi and Cady Spencer.
Cady Spencer - mid-20s, Filipino-American from Portland, Oregon. Failed the second cut, but stayed with PPDC for officer training. Now training as a LOCCENT technician along with Tendo Choi.
Lea Franklin - age 17, lived in San Jose, California. Sole survivor of K-Day out of her family because she was traveling abroad with a school group. Extremely gifted, but has intense social anxiety due to PTSD. Failed the second cut, but stayed with PPDC for officer training.
Brian Patrick and Janet McDonald - First cousins, Irish nationals, mid-20s. One of four teams (including the Beckets) to survive the second cut, but failed to make the third cut.
Familiar Faces
Dr. Caitlin Lightcap - age 30ish, from Pittsburgh, PA, 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.)
Dr. Jasper Schoenfeld - engineer who created and designed the first Jaegers, now head of Jaeger Engineering in the PPDC. Had an affair with Caitlin Lightcap when she was his graduate student and he was married, which they resumed after his divorce while they were working on the Jaeger project. Caitlin ended the relationship after drifting and falling in love with the test pilot, Sergio D'onofrio.