Respect

April 2019
Sydney, Australia
“/Triton Tasmania in position on the Miracle Mile. Tracking beacon engaged,” announces Iorangi.
Trip the comm. “/Striker Eureka on the ground. Trackin's on.”
“We have point. /Striker, take our right flank at five hundred meters. Standard two-team formation.”
“Copy, /Triton. Movin' t' flank.” Snap off the mics. “This's a bad plan. We're too far apart.”
'Orders,' shrugs Pietr.
“Did they even /look at th' scans? This's like the Quezon one that beat up th' /Brave so bad! It'll cripple 'em 'fore we kin get there t' help!”
'Maybe.'
Huff. “If they die, 's'not our fault.”
/Striker tromps where she's told.
/Proximity alert
The Kaiju erupts from the water right in front of her, roars, swipes for her Conn-pod.
/Striker blocks left—
Claws scrape point, shower sparks—
Punches right—
Kaiju staggers, regroups, charges /Striker's knees—
Knocks her on her ass—
She kicks right—
Kaiju jumps back—
Rolls left, clambers to—
Kaiju leaps for her back, misjudges, clips a wing—
Her knees, grabs a left-handful of seabed, throws it into the beast's eyes—
Kaiju freezes, roars, scrapes at the mud—
Scrambles back to her feet, charges in swinging—
Kaiju shakes head, locks its jaws around /Striker's right gauntlet—
Breaks an orbital bone with the first left-handed punch, cracks a tusk with the second—
“/Striker, open yer comm!”
“Li'l busy right now, asswipe!”
'Got it?'
Nod.
Pietr drops his right hand, flips the switch, right back to helping.
“Where th' fuck are ye?!”
/Triton lumbers into view, grabs the Kaiju by the tail, yanks it away.
Hiss as the thing takes some armor and hydraulic lines with it. “'bout time!”
“Do yer job, Hansen!”
/Triton smashes both fists overhanded into the Kaiju's armored skull.
Kaiju wobbles, drops into the water, disappears.
'Behind us!'
/Striker spins one-eighty.
“What're y' doin'?! Don't—”
Kaiju explodes out of the water, aiming right for /Striker—
But /Striker catches it by the shoulders, tosses it aside.
“Never turn yer back!”
“Give us a break! We did th' ri—”
“By th' book, Hansen!”
'Fight about it later.'
Grind teeth, glare at the damage indicators flashing. “We've got a fluid leak, /Triton. We need t' end this quick.”
“Fall back. Protect yerself.”
“So we kin bleed t' death waitin' fer ye? No, thanks!”
“Hansen!”
The Kaiju's back on its feet, snaking its head back and forth on its stubby neck.
/Triton plods toward it.
“We've got a shot, /Triton. Hold up!”
/Triton keeps moving forward—
/Striker shifts, tries to maintain her bead—
Kaiju leaps for /Triton—
Jaeger punches its exposed throat—
Kaiju chokes, rocks back onto its hind legs—
/Triton winds up another strike—
Kaiju shoves /Triton out of melee range—
The heavy Jaeger flails, goes over backward—
Kaiju leaps onto /Triton's chest, launches off at /Striker, clamps its jaws on the Conn-pod—
Visor glass shatters, whistles through the Conn-pod air, tinkles across the floor—
/Striker wrenches free, flicks out her blades, stabs for the Kaiju's throat—
Kaiju roars, strikes again for the Conn-pod—
Severs one carotid, misses the other—
Blue sizzles off the blades—
Kaiju tosses its head—
Blue splashes through the broken visor—
'Your armor!'
“I know, I know! 'm fine!”
/Striker throws the Kaiju again—
Lands right in front of /Triton—
Drives an elbow into its throat, punches the broken facial bone over and over—
Kaiju thrashes, weaker and weaker—
Completely caves in the skull—
Kaiju slumps into the water.
“LOCCENT, confirm loss of Kaiju signal.”
“Confirmed, /Triton. Prepare for extraction.”
“Copy, LOCCENT.”
“Hansen, we're showing a Drivesuit compromise. Ye alright?”
“Mostly. Got some Blue eatin' through th' armor on my side.”
“Copy. We'll give you priority.”
Sniff. “Copy.”
“Jaegers to standby.”
“Powerin' down.”
“/Triton to standby.”
/Neural handshake terminated.
Flip the comm closed, rip off the helmet. “I /knew that wasn't gonna work! We close up at th' start an' we /both git out fine, end it in a minute.” Scratch at the itch from the nerve excitation.
::We still won.::
“But if any of us wreck, there' no replacement! We need to win clean!”
Pietr sighs, nods.
“We need a new book. Less predictable. More like th' Beckets, less like those guys.”
'Maybe,' shrugs Pietr.
“Good move with th' dirt, by th' way.”
'Thanks.'
Step into the control room.
Io's a storm cloud.
Liz has her arms crossed and a frown.
“Ye disobeyed an' nearly got yerself killed.”
“We did th' right thing! That thing would—”
“Hansen! In the field, I'm in charge, after th' Marshal. Ye do what /I say, understand?” Crosses /his arms. “I don' care what yer Academy scores are, I'm yer senior.”
Glare. “If ye'd rather we let y' die out there, fine. Next time we will.” Clench fists.
“Ye need t' learn respect, Hansen.”
“I respect skill, Parata. Today y' din't show much.”
A vein throbs in Io's forehead. “Y' need t' watch yer tone.” He turns, leaves.
Liz follows.
Glare at their backs. “Asshole.” Deep breath. “Ye've gotta /adapt. They're changin'. We need te, too.”
::That's why /Striker's different than /Triton.::
Nod. “An' why /Striker needs t' fight different, too.”
Category:Ficlet
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Category:Pietr
Category:Pietr (ficlet) 
Category:Jaeger simulator (The Shed)
Category:Chuck H
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Category:Elizabeth (ficlet)
Category:Iorangi
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