Coin-flip!UA

Chuckles is Wash; Wash is Chuckles
== Tomorrow ==
Date; Location: 11 January 2018; Chuck's quarters, Sydney Shatterdome, Vaucluse, New South Wales, Australia
Chuck, chin braced on his palm, sighs and flicks his eyes—
""It is five minutes later than the last time you looked, Cadet Hansen,"" says AGNIS.
With a frustrated huff, Chuck flips and catches his pencil, grumbles, "She said she'd call."
""Twenty minutes remain before Miss Mori's curfew.""
"I /know. 's why I'm worried."
""Perhaps you should distract yourself by completing the homework you've been evading for the last half-hour.""
"'s pointless."
""That, in itself, may be the point, Cadet.""
Chuck rolls his eyes, heaves himself out of his chair, ambles to his bunk, flops down.
Max stands, wags, rests his front half on Chuck's chest, whuffles.
Chuck absently scratches his chins.
Max pants happily.
/scritch-scritch-stritch
/pant-pant
/scritch-scritch-scritch
/pant—
""Incoming call—""
Chuck lifts Max—"Sorry, Handsome"—wiggles out from under, throws himself across the room—
""—from Miss Mako Mori, Anchorage Shatterdome.""
—into his desk chair, slaps his tablet awake.
The intercom speaker clears its throat.
"Thanks, AGNIS."
""You're welcome, Cadet.""
The tablet screen resolves, its speaker chimes.
""Chuck!""
"Mako!"
""I'm sorry I'm so late. I was helping the triplets with—"" Glances over her shoulder, turns back, grinning. ""—something.""
"Something fun, hopefully?"
""For them,"" she giggles.
"Are they gonna end up on the clothesline again?"
""Probably not?""
Chuck laughs. 
"It was mostly Chuck and I working out. Had our best Kwoon session ever. We were really in the same groove." Grimaces. "Until Ranger Scarface interrupted." 
Mako rolls her eyes. ""What did he say this time?"" 
"Called Chuck 'Affirmative Action' and told her to go home to the Outback. Again." 
""And she ...?"" 
"Planted her hanbo, leaned on it, and looked at him until—did I tell you what she did to his brother last month?" 
""I don't think so?"" 
"He /pulled /her /braid when she tried to ignore him, so she /hanged him with it." 
""He survived?"" 
"Unfortunately." 
""Do you think he'll /ever give up?"" 
"Doubt it. He's a total idiot." Chuck shrugs. "Aaaaanyway, she just looked at him until he got bored at took a swing at her." 
""And then?"" 
"She says, "You want what I did to your brother?" And he says, "If you're a one-trick kid, sure." Then she tried to hang /him, but he dodged and started laughing." 
""Then?"" 
"She cracked him across the head with her hanbo and clocked him 'til he /stopped laughing."
Mako sniffs approval. 
"Yea, she's almost as good as me." 
""Chuck ....""
"What? We're /good: the best Cadets without Jaegers." He grins like a loon. "Don't tell anyone, but we have a Drift Compatibility test tomorrow and then we'll officially be copilots!" He just avoids squeeing.
""You are so /lucky,"" sighs Mako. ""I still can't even start at the Academy.""
"We'll wear him down eventually."
""I hope so. I don't want you to get too far ahead of me.""
Chuck scoffs. "You'll catch up in no time. I'm happy I'm gettin' a head start."
Mako giggles.
Chuck grins.
Mako's face falls and she fiddles with the cuff of her jumper, eyes off to the left of the camera.
"What's wrong?"
""I'm remembering our Drift,"" she replies, quiet.
"Oh, uh, yea." Chuck rubs the back of his neck. "That ... I wish that'd gone differently."
""Me, too,"" she whispers.
Chuck picks up and fidgets with a pencil. "Brilliant as Chuck is, I wish /you were gonna be my copilot."
Mako says nothing.
"You'll get your Jaeger. I know you will."
""Thank you for saying that.""
"I'm not just /saying it: I /believe it." He leans closer to the screen, gestures forcefully. "They'd be stupid /not to give you one. Then we'll be /teammates."
Mako blushes and leans into her screen. ""What's that on your arm?""
"Wha?" Chuck looks down. "Oh! It's our logo! For our Jaeger. Chuck and I got tattoos." He offers his forearm to the camera.
Mako peers, then breaks out in sparkles. ""It's really cute!""
"It. is. not," growls Chuck. "It's /fierce."
""Whatever you say,"" snickers Mako.
"I'm gonna hang up—"
""Don't! Please!""
Chuck crosses his arms, huffs.
Mako attends something offscreen, pouts at whatever it is, then relents.
"Bedtime, ay?"
""Yes,"" she sulks. ""Goodnight and good luck on your test tomorrow.""
"Thanks! Goodnight to you, too!"
Mako reaches and the screen goes black.
Chuck pushes his chair into a slow spin, smiling to himself.
""Your homework will not complete itself, Cadet.""
"So?"
""So you will receive a zero for the lesson.""
"Who cares?"
""Judging from previous incidents, I believe your teacher and your father will care.""
"Well, /I don't 'cause tomorrow I'm gonna get my Jaeger."
AGNIS sighs. ""You should complete your assignment, just to be safe.""
Chuck rolls his eyes, but picks up the pencil and touches it to paper.
.
== Fall ==
Date; Location: 12 January 2018; Sydney Shatterdome, DriftSci
They're in the simulator: him on the right; Chuck on the left, and everything's how it's supposed to be, everything's synced and they're gonna be copilots and the Mark V is /theirs and Chuck's on the /right.
(Take /that, Old Man.)
""Neural Handshake: terminated,"" announces AGNIS.
Blue memories swirl, swirl down, away.
""Good job, Cadets. Go ahead and disconnect yourselves,"" says Director Donnelly.
They do (in sync).
She's grinning like a lunatic.
Chuck's pretty sure he is, too.
They float out to the anteroom, hover, internally squeeing (he can feel her panicky glee just like his), and basking in being /copilots.
Donnelly materializes, glowing. "Congratulations, you two."
"Thank you," they chorus.
"I've already sent your results to the Marshal so he can take the next steps."
Chuck's heart /sings!
"I need to duck into the lab to check on something, but I'll be right back to walk you down for the post-test check-up, alright?"
They nod.
Chuck's vision lags his head a fraction.
(Weird.)
"I /finally have a Jaeger," she says.
"/We finally have a Jaeger."
"Semantics."
"It's not—we're a-a-a—" He frowns.
She raises an eyebrow.
"A team. We're a /team." Puffs up. "And I'm in charge."
She rolls her eyes. "You won a coin-flip today. That's no guarantee—"
"You're—" Chuck points, but his left arm flops uselessly. "You're no' the 'oss!"
She scowls.
"Wha?"
"Just because you're twelve—"
"/Four'een!"
"—doesn't mean you have to /act twelve."
"'m no'!"
She turns a funny colour.
"Wha?!"
Her nose twitches.
Chuck touches his.
His fingers come away bloody.
""AGNIS! /Medics!""
His blood freezes, ears ring, vision goes—
.
== Trauma ==
Date; Location: 12 January 2018; Sydney-area hospital
Herc sighs to a stop, shields his eyes against the light for a better view of the crocs sunning themselves on the helipad—
Max trundles off to re-inspect a clump of brush.
—checks his watch, frowns.
"Shoulda brought the mobile," he mutters. "C'mon, Max." Tugs the lead.
"Whuff."
Halfway along the short-ish path back, a sweat-soaked trooper skids up.
Max woofs, wags his tail.
Herc stops, raises an eyebrow.
"Sir," they pant, "you need to come with me right away."
Herc's blood chills. "Wha—"
"You just need to come. Now."
He scoops up Max and they sprint to the motor pool.
The trooper eases Max from his arms; Henry stuffs him into a waiting car, dives in behind; the driver pulls off as soon as the door closes.
"Belt up," orders Henry.
Herc fumbles, croaks, "What—"
"There was an accident—"
Herc's heart stops dead.
"—and Chuck's been airlifted to hospital."
His voice comes out tiny and strangled: "What—"
""Something went wrong with the test and he collapsed. We'll find out more when we get there.""
Herc might be breathing.
""Other Chuck seems alright and they're keeping a really close eye on her."" 
Herc might be breathing.
The car stops; Herc fumbles; Henry releases him, drags him through the entrance, down a hallway, pushes him through a door labeled 'Trauma'.
A person in hospital colours gets to their feet—
""Victor Martijn. How is he?""
""I'm sorry, I can't—""
""This's his father. He's in a bit of shock.""
Herc's ass meets a chair as he's shoved down.
""They're stabilising him. That's all we'll know until they do.""
""He's still alive, then?""
""Yes.""
Herc might be breathing.
Henry sits down next to him, whispers in his ear, "We're using that name—Martijn—to throw off Nosey Nans. Sure as fuck don't need them right now."
Herc acknowledges.
"He's in the best hands."
Herc hunches, hands between his knees, metal under his fingers.
""Mister—""
Herc startles—
"—Martijn—"
—blinks rapidly.
Henry tugs him upright.
"—the doctor will see you now," says the receptionist. "This way, please."
Herc plods after her, Henry at his heels, to a little room nestled behind the front desk.
Henry pushes him into a chair.
"Officer Martijn," greets the bright-eyed middle-aged man inside, with a bow. He sits. "Doctor Stephen Sticht. I'm treating Victor."
"Thank you," rasps Herc. "Where's my son?"
"He's being moved to the ICU."
Herc pushes to his feet. "Where's that?"
"You can't see him yet. We're still getting him settled."
Herc looms. "I'm /going to see him if I have to go through the bloody wall and /you."
Sticht holds his ground. "I can't let you do that. They need to concentrate on—"
"That's my son!"
Henry puts a hand on his shoulder.
Herc whirls—
"You're not helping your boy."
—deflates, mumbles, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now sit down."
Herc does. "What happened?"
"Your Doctor Lightcap is going over the information we have to figure out the 'why', but the 'what' is, simply, Victor's had a severe stroke."
Herc swallows, still croaks, "Neural surge."
Sticht nods. "Both your Doctor Donnelly and Lightcap mentioned that as a possible cause."
Herc stomach goes funnier.
"It happened right in front of Donnelly and medics got there in minutes, which probably saved his life."
"Thank God for them," murmurs Henry.
Sticht grunts. "Several blood vessels in Victor's brain ruptured and the resulting hemorrhage caused pressure to build up in his skull. We've put in drains to relieve the pressure and started him on drugs to reduce swelling."
Herc twists his ring, tries to breathe for the ribs crushing his lungs.
"There's certainly been some damage, but Victor's young so his chances for recovery are excellent. We're going to keep him in an induced coma until the swelling is gone and we can see the full extent of the damage with an MRI."
"How—" Herc swallows. Swallows again. "How bad?"
"We won't have an idea until the MRI and there's no way to know for certain, but it's likely life-changing. He has a long, hard road in front of him." Sticht spreads his hands. "I wish I had something more concrete and encouraging to tell you, but there's no point sugar-coating this sort of thing."
Herc nods.
Sticht offers a not-reassuring-enough smile, stands. "I'm going to go check on him. Someone will bring you up when Victor's ready for company."
"Thanks," whispers Herc.
Sticht smiles the same smile, leaves.
A long moment of silence.
"He's gonna make it," sighs Henry, sagging back.
"'Life-changing' ... what if he—" His throat closes.
"He's alive, son. The rest will sort itself out."
Herc bows his head, twists his ring.
.
== Can't ==
Date; Location: 12 January 2018; Sydney-area hospital
"Mister—"
Herc's on his feet.
"—Martijn, I can take you to see Victor now," says someone in hospital colours.
Herc's at the door out of the ward.
The staffer leads them to a lift, then out and into another waiting area. "Only one visitor at a time."
"I'll be right here," says Henry. "Take this—" Presses Herc's mobile into his hand. "—and call, text if you need /anything, alright?"
Herc swallows, nods, slides the thing into his pocket, nods to the staffer.
They steer him into the farthest patient room.
Chuck lies there, tied down with tubes and wires, under white sheets.
Herc collapses on the bedside chair.
Staffer slips out, leaves the door open a crack.
Machines beep, steady.
Herc hunches, hands between his knees, metal under his fingers.
Chuck lies there, pale and still.
Machines beep and hiss, steady.
Herc twists his wedding ring.
/squeak!
He startles, digs out and thumbs on his mobile.
/HdC: It's official: yr on leave long as you need.
/h_hansen: Thx
/HdC: All yr calls et c are going thru me
/HdC: Penny says vid anytime
Herc smiles, wipes his eyes on his shoulder.
/h_hansen: Thx
Herc looks—
Chuck lies there.
—opens the video call app, pokes the only contact.
The screen resolves the image of Stacker in front of the bookcase in his living room.
""Herc,"" he greets.
"Stacker." He takes a deep breath. "I don't know how much ...."
""Henry shared everything he knows.""
Herc grunts.
""I told Mako. I hope that alright.""
"'s fine," he croaks. "He'd want to know, if something happened to her."
""I thought as much.""
Machines hiss and beep, steady.
"I never thought—" Herc bows his head. "I never thought /this would be how—"
""He's his father's son. He'll make it.""
"I don't—" Herc laughs weakly. "He's never been bald before."
""Hmm?""
"He's had hair—ginger—from the first minute. Ang—" Swallows. "His mum used t'say it was a sign he was gonna grow up t'be—" Deep breath. "—be just like me. What would she say ...."
Stacker shifts. ""She'd say you're doing your best and she'd be right beside you.""
Herc shakes his head, mumbles, "Said 's 'life-changing'. He's—" His stomach jumps and blocks his throat.
""He'll pull through, Herc.""
"He has to."
""He will."" Stacker's conviction is absolute.
"I ... I /can't—" Herc wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. 
""You won't.""
.
== Awake ==
Date; Timing: 22 January 2018; Sydney-area hospital
Herc sits, twisting his wedding ring 'round and 'round his finger.
Nurse Chapman finishes her checks, pauses beside Herc's chair. "It shouldn't be much longer. You remember what to do when he does?"
"Press the button."
Chapman smiles, pats Herc's shoulder, pads out.
Herc sighs, shifts his attention back to Chuck: pale, fragile-looking, and still motionless, but for the steady rise and fall of his chest.
The heart monitor beeps, steady.
Tones from the somewhere on the ward.
The heart monitor beeps, steady.
Shoes squeak in the hallway.
The heart monitor beeps, steady.
Chuck's eyelids twitch.
Herc eases to his feet.
Chuck's eyes flutter open.
Herc thumbs the call button, drops it, shuffles to bedside, croaks, "Hey, Chuck."
Chuck's eyes pan around the room, searching—
Herc waves a hand.
—tracks the motion, finds Herc's face, then a slow blink and a query.
"You're in hospital. In the city."
A slow blink and the query deepens.
"There—" Herc steels himself. "There was a bad accident and you were really messed up. The 'Dome medics couldn't handle it."
Chuck twitches his hand; his eyes go panicky.
"You're drugged up."
He relaxes; so does Herc.
Doctor Sticht and Chapman creep in, poke and prod, shine lights in Chuck's eyes.
Herc squeezes Chuck's hand.
A twitch in reply.
Herc's eyes prick.
Sticht says stuff, leaves with Chapman.
Chuck blinks, barely gets his eyes open again.
"Go back to sleep. You need your rest."
The tiniest bit of a frown, but Chuck blinks and lets his eyes stay closed.
Herc hovers a moment, then retreats to his chair, wipes his eyes on the back of his hand. He takes a deep breath, digs out his mobile, sends the message.
/h_hansen: He woke up
The replies are instantaneous.
/mako!: \(-ㅂ-)/
/sing/tell_nguyen: !!!
/HdC: Thk gd
/s_hansen: ε-(´・｀) ﾌ
/debra_h-h: Thank goodness
/pentecost: How is he?
Herc swallows.
/h_hansen: Straight bcak to sleep
/pentecost: Nt surprising.
/h_hansen: He cant move
/pentecost: ...
/h_hansen: They warned me but
/pentecost: The doctors said?
/h_hansen: Didnt listen
/pentecost: Herc ...
Anger bubbles up in his chest.
/h_hansen: He was awke!
/h_hansen: Focused on him!
/h_hansen: Talk to them later
/pentecost: I'm sorry.
/pentecost: Didn't shift from 'marshal' to 'father' there.
Herc huffs, lets his shoulders drop.
/pentecost: I would've done the same in your boots.
Herc bows his head, sucks a deep breath through his nose.
/h_hansen: What if he stays like this
/pentecost: Then he'll adjust.
/h_hansen: All he's wanted t do is fight
/pentecost: From experience, there are ways to fight other than as a pilot.
/h_hansen: Not sure he'll feel tht way
/pentecost: He'll learn to if he has to.
Herc sighs, glances up.
Chuck sleeps, pale, fragile-looking, and motionless but for the steady rise and fall of his chest.
Herc slides the mobile in a pocket, watches Chuck sleep.
.
== Visiting Hours ==
Date; Location: 25 - 27 January 2018; Sydney-area hospital
Chuck claws his way out of sleep.
"'mornin'," greets the Old Man.
Chuck blinks away some of the blurriness, scans the space, notes the bright square that's probably a window, queries the looming Old Man.
"'s a new room, regular ward." What might be a smile. "Folks're lining up to visit."
Max?
"The Marshal and Chantell're outside if you're ready?"
/Max?
A frustrating pause.
"Oh! We can't bring Max in, but Henry volunteered to set up a video-call if you want."
Please?
"I'll talk to him right away." Another maybe-smile. "Mind if I let the Marshal in?"
Whatever.
"Be right back."
Chuck lets his eyes slide shut.
Something nudges Chuck out of sleep.
He blinks away some of the blurriness, scans the space, notes the dark square that's probably a window.
"Evenin', young man," says a pale blob with Henry's voice.
Wasn't it ...?
Henry might smile. "Awake twice in eight hours. You're almost back to normal." 
Oh.
"Or maybe you're sick of hearing me talk."
Whatever.
"If you are, there's good reason, babbling ancient history at you like I am."
Chuck blinks, barely gets his eyes back open.
"Don't fight it. There's plenty of time to be awake later. I promise not to eat the mountain of TimTams Telly brought—or let anyone else at them, either."
TimTams?
Henry laughs a little. "No, you can't have any right now. You need to get your strength up some more first."
Please? One?
"Go back to sleep, kiddo. They'll be ready when you are."
Chuck huffs, let his eyes fall shut.
Something twitches Chuck out of sleep.
"Hey, Chu—there," says ....
Like the Old Man, but ... not.
Chuck blinks away most of the blurriness, scans the space, notes the yellowish light through the square window, queries blob beside the bed.
"You were starting to worry us again, sleeping for almost a full day."
Who?
"I had to throw your dad out so he could get some lunch 'fore he fainted."
/Scott.
"Would'ye believe the press is actually snooping 'round for you? 'parently you've got honest-to-God groupies already."
Whatever.
Scott sighs. "You'll appreciate that someday, kid."
Chuck rolls his eyes behind his lids.
Something ... /somethings Chuck out of sleep.
A surprised noise.
Chuck blinks away most of the blurriness, scans the space, notes the darkness outside the window.
"'ey, Chuckles," mumbles a blob in gold and black.
Chuck's nape prickles.
Blob shifts. "So ... Jamie, uh, told us dogs aren't allowed, so, ummm ...." 
Something soft, kinda warm nestles into his armpit.
"That looks more like you." There's a laugh in the voice.
Who?
"Maybe call it 'Maxine' so you don't have to remember another name, ay?" The laugh gets bigger. "Be a little easier on you?"
Chuck bristles.
"Well, you get better soon. It's not the same without you around, ay?"
Chuck growls.
"Easy, Chuckles. I'm not gonna try anything. 'm not Logan and gonna kick a guy when he's down."
Chuck lets his eyes close.
Something jostles Chuck from sleep.
"I'm sorry, Victor," says a feminine voice.
Who?
Chuck blinks away the blurriness, scans the space, notes the bright light through the window, queries.
"Just getting things ready for your trip to Anchorage," says a gray-haired person in hospital green.
Where?
"Doctor Lightcap'll be taking over your treatment."
Chuck shivers.
"You need another blanket, sweetheart?"
No, but—
Slightly more weight all over Chuck.
"There you go, sweetie."
But—
"Your dad will be back in a moment, he needed to stretch his legs a bit."
But—
Something squeezes his foot.
Nurse leaves.
Why?
Chuck blinks away the start of tears.
Something eases Chuck from sleep.
"'ey, Ducky," greets—
Copilot!
Chuck blinks away the blurriness, scans the space, notes the bright gray light through the window.
She locks eyes with him.
Chuck's heart trips; he smells blood.
"I wanted to be the one to tell you—"
Chuck's eyes slide closed, he forces them back open over the grit.
"—that you had a stroke after the test."
Chuck's breath rasps loudly in his ears.
"About twenty percent of your brain is dead, which's why you're going to Lightcap's."
Chuck's eyes prick.
"You'll need to learn to talk and move again and it's going to take months, maybe years."
Warm, dry brushes his hand.
"I'm fine."
Chuck's chest aches.
"Get some more sleep, Ducky."
She moves away.
""You'll need it if you want to jockey.""
Chuck clamps his eyes shut on hot, angry tears.
.
== Victor ==
Date; Location: 27 January 2018; DriftSci, Anchorage Shatterdome; Fire Island, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Mako patters along the hall to Drift Science, stepping triple time to match Sensei's long strides.
She doesn't ask him to slow down.
Nurse Tremblay closes the door of room at the back of the lab where Doctor Lightcap has been working for days. She bobs a greeting.
"Are they ready for visitors?" asks Sensei, halting.
"Doctor Lightcap is making some last checks and little Mister Martijn is still sleeping, but I'm pretty sure Ranger Hansen would welcome company." She smiles and steps aside.
Sensei acknowledges, knocks on the door, and opens it.
Doctor Lightcap, Ranger Hansen—
Mako slinks to the bed.
Doctor Lightcap hums rather tunelessly.
""Ranger.""
A stuffed bulldog nestles against the person lying there's side and Mako smiles, pats its head.
""Marshal.""
Mako studies the sleeping person.
""How was your trip?""
IV lines and monitors attached to their arms and hands and chest.
""Long. Coulda done with the turbulence.""
Sensei snorts. 
Freckles bold on the pale skin over their nose.
""Data~!"" sings Doctor Lightcap.
The door opens, closes.
""That's Caitlin,"" sighs Sensei.
Ranger Hansen grunts.
""How's he doing?""
A fuzz of reddish hair on their head.
""Not in front of him,"" mumbles Ranger Hansen. ""I know he's asleep, but.""
""Mako?""
She turns. "Yes, Sensei?"
"The Ranger and I are going to step outside for a few moments."
Mako nods, turns back to the sleeping person.
The door opens, closes.
She searches his face, finds nothing but sleep. With a sigh, she drags the visitor's chair over—bumps the side of the bed, rattling it.
Mako cringes.
The person's eyes flutter open, blink rapidly.
"Chuck?" croaks Mako.
Blue eyes wander, find her face, but don't /quite focus.
"Is that really you?"
He blinks again, slowly, flicks his eyes to his hand.
Mako takes it in hers.
"Chuck?"
A tiny squeeze.
Mako bites down tears. "I'm so sorry."
Slightly stronger squeeze.
"You-you've lost weight."
A flinch which might be a shrug.
"You look so /different—"
Chuck blinks slowly.
"—and Sensei says I'm supposed to call you 'Victor' while you're here."
Chuck's eyelids flutter.
"Is that who you are now? Victor?"
He squeezes her hand; his mouth twitches down.
"You're still Chuck."
He huffs.
""Mako,"" calls Sensei.
She smiles weakly at Chuck, eases her fingers loose, pats his arm. "I'll leave you to sleep." Slips around the chair. "I'll visit again soon."
Chuck might smile, does close his eyes.
With a last look over her shoulder, Mako joins Sensei and an exhausted-looking Ranger Hansen at the door.
Ranger Hansen goes in; she and Sensei go out, walk together away from Drift Science toward their quarters.
She keeps her eyes on her shoes.
「What's wrong, Mako?」
「I don't think that's Chuck.」
「What?」
「The boy in that room. He's not Chuck.」
「Mako, it is.」
She shakes her head with conviction. 「I don't know who he is, but he's not Chuck. Not really.」
Sensei steers them into an alcove. 「Why do you say that?」
「Because he would /never lie that still or be so quiet or look that tired or—」
「Mako ....」 Sensei crouches to meet her gaze. 「I told you how badly he's hurt. He can't do those things right now, but he will.」
「But—」
「That boy is Chuck Ha—」
「No!」 Mako does not stamp her foot. 「His eyes! He's not—they're not like Chuck's at all! They're /dull!」
「He's on medications to keep him calm and quiet so he doesn't hurt himself. When the dose's reduced, he'll be more like you remember.」
Mako chews her lip.
「Trust me.」
「I do, /Sensei.」 She scuffs a shoe against the deck. 「Do you think he'll still get his Jaeger?」
「We'll have to wait and see what happens.」
「You don't think he will.」
Sensei looks away and says, 「We have to wait and see, Mako.」
Mako hears the doubt in his voice, takes a deep breath.
「You may be able to help him along.」
She brightens, queries.
Sensei smiles, straightens. 「If I understand Doctor Lightcap properly, any interaction—like talking to him or touching his hand—will help his brain repair itself.」
Mako hums, starts them walking again. 「May I visit him again tomorrow?」
「You may, if Doctor Lightcap allows it.」
「Yes, /Sensei,」 says Mako, already planning which book to bring to read aloud.
.
== Protection ==
Date; Location: 31 January 2018; DriftSci, Anchorage Shatterdome, Fire Island, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Mako says, ""Hello—""
Herc startles, attends the door.
"—Victor! Hello, Ranger Hansen."
"Hi, Mako."
She bows, turns to Chuck. "I have our book. Shall I sit beside you?"
Chuck nods.
Herc pushes to his feet. "Let me—"
Chuck glares.
Herc steps back, mumbles a 'sorry'.
Mako frowns at Chuck.
He ignores her, whacks the call button with his palm.
Herc rubs his neck, plunks back into his chair.
Mako keeps frowning; Chuck keeps ignoring.
"You rang?" laughs Nurse Levine from the door.
Herc says, "He wants—"
Chuck hisses—
Mako, grimacing, pokes him.
—thumps the mattress next to the guardrail. 
"Need to make a li'l room for Miss Mako, eh?"
Chuck nods, shifts his arms away from his body.
Levine gets him by the armpits, eases him a Mako-width to the side, gently lifts and resettles his legs. "There we go! Anything else, Vic?"
Chuck shakes his head.
"You know how to find me if ye need me~!"
Chuck nods and Levine skips out.
Mako climbs onto the bed, nestles beside Chuck, helps him drape his arm around her shoulders.
Herc swallows the lump in his throat, forces his eyes to his paperback.
""Do you remember where we were?""
Chuck grunts.
Mako hums.
Herc stares at his book.
""He wins his battles by making no mistakes,"" reads Mako. ""Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.""
Herc refocuses on the top of the page.
""Hence the skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy.""
The words squirm into the margin and hide.
""Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat—""
Stacker intones, ""—first fights and afterwards looks for victory."" He stands at ease. "Sun Tzu. Good choice."
Mako and Chuck beam at him.
Herc hangs his head.
"Miss Mori, Mister Martijn, would you mind if I borrowed Ranger Hansen for a few moments?"
Chuck shrugs; Mako says, "It's alright."
"Thank you." Stacker bows, then looks to Herc and inclines his head toward the door. "If you would, Ranger."
Herc sets aside his book, heaves himself to his feet, plods out and over to a nearby couch, drops—
"Let's use Doctor Lightcap's office."
—straightens, trudges into the glass-fronted cubicle, swivels the visitor's chair so the door in sight, drops down. He scrubs at his face with both hands.
Stacker closes the door, pulls over the desk chair, and settles in looking at him with concern. "When did you last sleep?"
"Uh, on the flight?" Snorts. "Think the medics put something in my drink."
"Your room not comfortable?"
"'s fine. I just ... I can't sleep when I try. Nightmares."
"About?"
Herc gives him a Look.
"Of course. Should I have Medical try a repeat performance?"
Herc shrugs.
Stacker shifts. "Do you mind if Caitlin keeps me in the loop about Chuck?"
"You don't have to ask."
Stacker grunts.
Herc smothers a yawn in his shoulder.
"She's impressed with how much he's already improved."
Herc smiles to himself. "Always in a hurry, that one."
Stacker chuckles, settles back.
Herc gives a little smile, sprawls.
Shadows—probably a knot of DriftSci techs—scurry by outside.
"You should know that Command wants to issue press releases on his recovery."
"Wha?"
"A handful of /very persistent reporters have started looking into the reasons no one's seen /Lucky Seven in action for over a fortnight." 
"Can't they just say she's in for repairs?"
"Unfortunately, the presence of so many PPDC personnel at a certain Sydney hospital didn't go unnoticed."
"Oh."
"Nguyen's people have them chasing their tails, but they can't hold them off forever."
"So Command wants to feed 'em something controlled, ay?"
Stacker grunts an affirmative. "Just a few words: an accident, private hospital, excellent prognosis—"
"Me being the devoted dad ...."
"Exactly. Give the press enough to keep them from poking too deeply."
"And put a positive spin on what happened," mutters Herc.
Stacker sighs.
"I hate Suits."
"That makes two of us."
Herc laughs weakly.
Clattering and yelps from the lab.
Stacker rolls his eyes, pushes—
Upset stops.
—eases down, says, "Mako's returning to Hong Kong on Saturday."
"She told me. Max should get outta quarantine on Monday."
"They'll both be happy about that."
Herc grunts.
"Have thought about when you'll go back to Sydney?"
"When he's ready to."
"That could take the rest of the year."
Herc hunches. "'m not leaving without him for anything but a Kaiju."
"We have jobs to do, Herc."
"Got kids to mind, too."
"You may have to leave the minding to someone else for a while."
Herc twists his wedding ring. "We're not like you an' Mako. I'm all he's got."
"There's Debra and her family."
Herc pries his hand from the metal, raises his eyes to Stacker's. "I'm not giving him up. Not now. Not when he needs me."
"This isn't giving—"
"/No."
Stacker meets his gaze levelly. "Is that what's best for him or for you?"
"You ask yourself that about Mako?"
"Every day."
Herc looks away.
"What's best for her is to spend most of her time away from me and this life."
Metal under his fingers.
"I can't lose anyone else." Curls tighter into himself. "I /can't."
"Moving him to Debra's is nothing like 'losing' him, Herc."
"He won't have it."
"This may change things. You have to consider whether it'd be—"
Herc snaps straight, sets his jaw. "I'm not giving him up. He's my /son."
"Even though—"
"/Don't."
Stacker puts up his palms, surrendering.
Herc bows his head, drags a hand down his face. "Listen, I promised his mum—last thing I—I'd keep him safe." 
Stacker's hands twitch on his thighs.
"Promised her I'd come back—"
Metal under his fingers.
"—and keep him—" Herc chokes on the word.
Stacker takes—clears his throat.
Herc looks up.
"We have an audience," says Stacker, throwing a Look through the glass.
Techs—who a second before were Not. Watching—are suddenly very, very busy.
Herc cringes away, face heating.
Stacker grunts, satisfied.
Herc twists his ring.
"You /have kept him safe, Herc," says Stacker gently.
Herc shakes his head. "I let them both down."
"You've always done everything you could."
"Wasn't enough." Herc takes a deep, shuddery breath. "He's—" Gestures vaguely near his head. "—and she's de—gone."
"He's /recovering and she /chose to stay behind."
"I still should've—"
Stacker holds up a hand.
Herc stutters to a stop.
"You need sleep."
"But—"
"You're not thinking clearly because you're exhausted."
"But—"
"Mako will keep him company until he falls asleep."
Herc—
"You know I'm right."
—slumps, nods.
"Let's wish him goodnight and get you to bed." Stacker glides to his feet.
Herc follows suit, less gracefully, trudges into Chuck's room.
Mako and Chuck—eyes already half-closed—glance up.
"I'm—" Herc yawns. "I'm gonna turn in. See you both in the morning?"
They nod.
"Goodnight, Ranger Hansen," says Mako.
Chuck bobs his head.
"Same to you." Herc sketches a wave, retreats, closes the door behind.
Stacker falls into step as Herc heads for his bunk.
"Uh, don't you have something ...?"
"It's my bedtime, as well."
Herc grunts.
"Although ... I have just enough time before AGNIS starts scolding for a nightcap in my quarters. Care to join me?" Stacker's eyes twinkle.
"I can probably stay awake for that."
"Good."
.
== Seclusion ==
Date; Location: 4 February 2018; DriftSci, Anchorage Shatterdome, Fire Island, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Tremblay smooths another piece of tape down over the capped IV needle in Chuck's arm. "That feel okay?"
Chuck nods.
"Big day for you today. Actual /food."
He looks to the boxes of Tim Tams on the shelf.
"Now, now, you can't have those /just yet. We have to start feeding you carefully or you'll get sick."
"'ease?"
"No, kiddo." She pats his arm, says, "I'll bring your smoothie," and pads out.
Chuck settles back into his pillows, forces his fingers to close into fists, slowly unfolds them.
""Morning, Caitlin,"" yawns someone near the door.
Chuck pricks his ears 'cause something's familiar about the voice.
""Yancy! Good to see you!"" Lightcap yelps as she skids to block the doorway.
Chuck's heart gives a happy skip.
""You okay?""
""Uh, project. Not going well.""  
Chuck bristles.
""Anything I can do to help—""
""Nope. Sorry, no, it's fine, thank you, though. 'bye!"" Lightcap slips inside Chuck's room, slams the door, turns and sags against it, pants, "That was close."
Chuck grumps.
"You wanted to meet him?"
Chuck nods.
"Well, it's not gonna happen." She moves to Chuck's side. "We have to keep the circle small."
"Wha?"
"We can't have someone recognizing 'Victor' as you-know-who."
Chuck presses his lips thin. "Inn'd do'l man a gi'away?"
"He could be, but we're telling everyone he's here for a study on the effects of Drifting on mature brains."
Chuck gives his best skeptical look.
"I'm hoping it'll give me an excuse to collect data on the rest of the Rangers," she twinkles. 
Chuck rolls his eyes.
Lightcap fishes in her pocket, comes up with something. "Tahdah! Check out your new bling!" Brandishes a thin strip of red silicone, then fastens it around his left wrist. "It's a vitals monitor-slash-locator chip! If anything goes wonky it tells us and we can find you!"
Chuck glowers at the thing.
"At least it's not buried an inch deep in your back like Logan Jones's."
"Tha's 'eal?"
"Yep! Nguyen had him microchipped like a pet cat /and they stuck it in a place where Logan can't get at it without surgery." Lightcap grins. "Marshals don't screw around."
Chuck grunts, impressed.
"You can take it off if you need to, but it'll squeal to AGNIS when you do."
Chuck stops frowning at the wristband to query with an eyebrow.
"Remember how I said you might have seizures for a while?"
He acknowledges, stomach twisting.
"If one happens when you're out of sight, this'll make sure we can get help to you. Which's really good, right?"
Chuck concedes.
"So we'll just sync this with my phone ...." Lightcap fumbles a mobile from her pocket, then fights with the screen.
""Devices synced,"" drawls AGNIS.
"Thanks, AGNIS."
""You're welcome, Doctor. I have also linked Mister Martijn's tracking device—""
"Health monitor!"
""—tracking device—""
Chuck huffs.
""—with the duty nurses' and Ranger D'onofrio's communicators.""
"Thank you, AGNIS," sighs Lightcap.
A knock at the door and the Old Man slouches in with a sports bottle-looking thing in his hand, greets, "'mornin'."
"'mornin', Herc~!"
Chuck bobs his head.
"I, uh, the nurse gave me your brekkie."
Lightcap bounces on her toes. "Ooo! Smoothie!"
Chuck makes mitten-y grabby hands.
"'s a little late 'cause Becket cornered me." 
"Busybody," mutters Lightcap.
The Old Man passes over the thing, retreats to his chair, plunks down.
Chuck clutches the bottle with both hands, hunches over the straw, sucks a mouthful. 
"How is it?"
Chuck swallows, wrinkles his nose.
"It's /good for you!" squeaks Lightcap. "Packed full of nutrients and protein to get your energy up and muscles back!"
Chuck makes the 'yuck' face.
Lightcap scolds, "Drink it."
Chuck scowls, resumes slurping.
Lightcap thumbs up, skips out.
The door /thunks closed.
Chuck comes up for air. 
"So ... Max should be here tomorrow ...."
Chuck grunts through smoothie.
"You'll be glad of that, yea?"
'No, really,' says Chuck's eyebrow.
The Old Man starts playing with his damn ring.
Chuck drains the bottle, grimaces, sets it aside.
"Stayed bad, ay?"
"No."
"Hopefully the biscuits are better."
"Yea."
Old Man keeps with the ring thing.
Chuck contemplates Tim Tams.
Old Man's silent.
Chuck drags his attention back around.
Old Man keeps with the ring thing.
Chuck breaks. "Why're you 'ill 'ere?"
Old Man startles. "What?"
"You 'ould go 'ome. Do yer job."
"But—"
"Don' nee' you. Go 'ome."
"Won't you be lone—"
Chuck scoffs, "Mak."
"But—"
"I don' nee' you. Fu' off."
"Chuck, I want—"
"You 'ave a job a'do. Go do ih."
"Did ... Did Stack—Marshal Pentecost put you up to this?"
Chuck sneers, snarls, "/I wan' you 'o /go. /'ome."
Old Man looks at the floor.
"I 'an do thi' withou' you."
"You don't have to, though."
"I don' wan' you here!"
Old Man cringes.
""Mister Martijn, your heart rate and blood pressure have risen considerably in the last minute. May I suggest you take deep, calming breaths before I am forced to bother medical staff on your behalf?""
"Fu' off!"
""As I lack corporeal form, I am unable to do that.""
Chuck grinds his teeth—
"AGNIS, let us talk a minute, yea?"
""I'm sorry, Ranger, but Doctor Lightcap's order to monitor and report changes in Mister Martijn's condition—supported as it is by Marshal Pentecost—overrules your request.""
—sucks lungfuls of air through them.
""Much better, Mister Martijn.""
Chuck glowers at the intercom speaker.
The Old Man's chair creaks.
Chuck flexes his hands in his lap, works to even his breathing.
"You really want me to go." The Old Man's voice and expression're flat.
"Yea."
"You're sure."
"/Yea."
The Old Man heaves himself to his feet, turns on his heel, lets himself out, closes the door behind.
Chuck blinks some grit from his eyes, sags back into his pillows, lets his eyes fall shut.
Quiet.
Chuck sighs.
Everything gets kinda warm and fuzzy.
AGNIS says, ""Shall I—""
Chuck snorts awake.
""—recite a bedtime story?""
"Fu' off!"
""As I've already explained, I can't do that, Mister Martijn.""
"Le' me slee' in 'eace, ay?"
""That is within my capabilities.""
"Then do ih."
""Where are your manners?""
"'ease le' me slee'?"
""Sweet dreams, Mister Martijn.""
"Than's."
""You're welcome.""
.
== Prototyping ==
Date; Location: 22 February 2018; DriftSci, Anchorage Shatterdome, Fire Island, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Chuck, bundled in a henley and a jumper and a blanket /and two pairs of socks (which feels like something he should mock but he just. can't. remember.), drags himself after Max into Lightcap's lab.
Lightcap babbles science with a new person (who also tickles Chuck's memory, dammit), who immediately turns to Chuck and smiles warmly.
"Good afternoon, Mister Martijn," they greet.
Chuck grunts, shtumps to the couch, flops down, hoists Max into his lap.
New person sparkles at Chuck, turns back to Lightcap. "As I was saying, we became aware of the lack of assistive equipment available after a colleague of the paternal unit experienced a stroke. One of our research teams had some time between major projects, so we asked them to come up with as many practical tools as they could. This—" Pulls something from their bag, puts the pack of thick, coloured pencils on the edge of Chuck's desk. "—is the first item ready for testing." Says to Chuck, "Care to give them a try?"
"No."
New person smiles, continues to Lightcap, "Their other development ready for human subjects is a line of clothing to maximize the comfort of those in long-term recovery. The prototypes are designed with less material in areas which place pressure on the skin and the fabric used is impregnated with silver to absorb odors."
"No more nerd smell!" cheers Lightcap.
Chuck huffs.
The new person smiles a laugh, smooths a mylar bag of something blue-green down next to the pencils. "We would greatly appreciate your help with real-world testing."
"Sure thing!" says Lightcap. "Vic, change."
Chuck scowls as he blushes.
"You're the only one here."
"You don't have anything I haven't seen before, honey," adds the new person.
"No," growls Chuck, ears catching fire.
"After exercises, then." Lightcap attends the new person. "Would you like to stay for some tea?"
"I'd /love to. We can discuss the items you'd like to see in the next development cycle."
Lightcap squees.
Chuck sulks deeper into the cushions as they head around a corner, babbling science-y stuff again. With a sigh, he grabs his tablet from the table, but his fingers don't close right and the stupid thing clatters to the floor.
""You need help?"" calls Lightcap.
"/No." Chuck slides Max to his own cushion, scoots to the edge of the couch, folds at the waist, gets both hands around the goddamn tablet, tightens his fingers on it until his nails turn white, straightens. 
The tablet sits on his lap, right where it should.
He exhales, slouches back.
Max gets his front half onto the tablet, drools on the screen.
Chuck sighs.
Max licks his nose, wiggles until he's comfortable, then closes his eyes with a huff.
Chuck scans the lab for signs of life—
Empty.
—squeezes his hand under Max, powers on the tablet.
"AGNIS?"
Muffled by Max's wrinkles: ""How may I assist you, Mister Martijn?""
"Who the Hell was that?"
""If, by 'that', you're referring to the humanoid life sign not normally found in this lab—""
"Who th'fuck else?"
""Unfortunately, Mister Martijn, my sensors are limited to the corporeal. As such, the only being who satisfies the conditions of being humanoid, in the laboratory, and corporeal is Ms Natalie Barclay-Harvey, a consultant from Shinohara Heavy Industries.""
"Why'd I know her?"
""Shinohara Heavy Industries builds Jaeger—""
"I know /that."
The tablet sighs. ""It is possible you were introduced to Ms Barclay-Harvey at an official function as she often—""
Footsteps.
Chuck jabs the power button.
""—been up to lately?"" says Lightcap.
Max snorts awake, gives Chuck a reproachful look.
"Sorry, Handsome." He rubs Max's head.
""Oh, just the usual: parties, meetings,  too many nights alone ...."" Harvey appears, flips her hair.
Max pants happily.
"/You? Alone?"
"I'm running out of fresh challenges and low-hanging fruit. All that remains, I'm afraid, are the hardcases."
Lightcap snorts into her tea. "If that's not a reason to build more Jaegers I don't know /what is," she snickers.
Harvey laughs—
Chuck snaps up straight, blood chilling—
Max slides to the floor with a whine.
—"I can't believe I didn't think of using that line at the last fundraiser. It certainly would've enlivened—"
—heaves himself to his feet, trips over Max, goes down in a tangle.
Lightcap materializes over him. "Oh my goodness, are you okay?"
Max scrambles off, claws digging into Chuck's arm.
"'m fine." He pushes to sitting.
Lightcap reaches.
"I'm said I'm /fine!"
"Let us help, honey," says Harvey, getting a hand under his armpit.
"Let. go," Chuck snarls, then wrenches loose, throws himself upright, scurries from the lab, down the hall—
Max barks, actually /barks.
—down the stairs— 
Something's popped in his shoulder, all he can smell is blood, everything's slipping everywhere—
""AGNIS, alert Medical, please.""
""They are already en route, Ms Barclay-Harvey.""
Footsteps hurry down the stairs, "You're alright, you're alright," then hands rolling him onto his back.
Max licks his face.
Chuck bats him away, scowls up at Harvey.
"I suspect your sudden departure has something to do with me and my 'relations' with your family," she drawls, holding him against something warm, not hard, and with angles.
Chuck scowls harder, gets a foot braced, pushes—
The grip on his less-achey shoulder tightens, pinning him down, and Harvey says, low, "Lest you're drawing any conclusions about the purity of my intentions in that ginger head of yours, you're beneath my notice, /Cadet."
Chuck blinks.
"I know exactly who you are, honey, and I won't tell a soul." She smiles. "In the meantime, Mister Martijn, you've bumped your nose and I believe you've dislocated your shoulder."
Chuck grinds his teeth.
A Medical person runs into view.
"Hello, cavalry!" greets Harvey.
"Hi," replies the nurse. "Taken a tumble have we? What hurts?"
"I believe your shoulder is the worst, correct?"
Chuck's tongue won't cooperate.
Medical kneels. "Well, it certainly looks like it—"
Chuck flinches.
"Yep, just a dislocation." Medical digs a sling from their kit. "Hold on, just like that, please."
Chuck pulls away—
"This'll hurt—"
Chuck scoffs, 'no shit'.
"—for just a moment, and—"
/pop!
"—done!"
Chuck pulls away—
"Let's get you to Medical for an x-ray, just to be sure, alright?"
Chuck protests, shoves—
"Wouldn't it be wise to make sure there's no deep damage which could impact your return to full health?"
—sulks, lets Medical and Harvey get him on his feet and guide him toward the infirmary.
.
== Solicitous ==
Date; Location: 5 March 2018; DriftSci, Anchorage Shatterdome, Fire Island, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
The lab door opens; Max shifts, snorts.
""'mornin', Doctor~!"" sings an Aussie.
Chuck pokes his head from under the blankets, pricks his ears.
""Good /morning! How're my favourite brains this morning?"" replies Lightcap.
""We're your favourites? Really?""
""You're /some of my favourites.""
""Aww—oi!—/ow! Lachlan, that /hurt!""
""Don't hurt his brain! I need it!""
""He deserved it,"" sniffs a second Aussie.
Chuck sits up, rolls his shoulders to resettle his scratchy jumpers.
""Before we start the science, is Youngest Hansen around?""
""Who're you—""
""Ginger kid, 'bout yay tall, ego the size of a small planet—""
Chuck glowers.
""—and an unhealthy fascination with Jaegers?""
""I don't—""
""Chantell told us he's here.""
""Oh, /him. He's napping—""
""Aww ....""
Chuck scowls, flops down on the cushions of his nest.
""—in back. Why do you ask?""
""We're supposed to report to Chantell on how he's doing.""
""He's actually a little ahead of schedule—""
Chuck puffs up a bit—
""—and we might be able to let him go home soon.""
—cringes, pulls the quilt up to his chin.
""That's awesome!""
""Everyone'll be glad to hear it.""
""Can I go talk to him?""
""What part of 'he's napping'—""
""I wouldn't—""
""Egan! Don't!""
A strawberry-blond pops their head over the servers, grins down at Chuck, and chirps, "'mornin', Chuckling! How're you feeling?"
"Th' Hell're you?" snaps Chuck.
The venom rolls off the blond like water off a fish.
"Jason Egan, he-him-his: Cadet-without-a-Jaeger, Kaiju tracker-in-training, and concerned citizen."
"Also, a total idiot," drawls the Indigenous person who looms up, smacking the back of Egan's head.
"Maybe, but I'm your favourite idiot." He rubs the spot, bats his eyelashes at Indigenous.
Chuck wrinkles his nose.
"So ... you didn't answer—"
"Introduce yourself, Lachlan, sheesh."
Indigenous rolls his eyes. "Lachlan Riley, he-him-his."
"He's /also a Cadet-without-a-Jaeger, but he's a hand-to-hand instructor," adds Egan.
"You're a Pair?"
"Yep!"
"Unfortunately."
Chuck grunts, digs himself deeper into the cushions.
"Doctor Lightcap says you're doing better? Might be ready to come home soon?"
Chuck shrugs.
"Home's good, right?"
Chuck shrugs again.
Egan blinks at him, kinda squeaks, "Better's good?"
"Fuck off and lemme sleep," huffs Chuck and he yanks the blankets over his head.
""Oookaaay—""
""That's a good—""
""Shut. up. Egan.""
"Shutting~! Sleep well, little Chuckling!""
""Stop /thinking about it!""
""Too late~!""
Riley makes a loud, frustrated noise.
"Nutjobs," mumbles Chuck, letting his eyes fall shut.
.
== Introductions ==
Date; Location: 14 December 2020; Anchorage Shatterdome, Fire Island, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Raleigh and Yancy roll into Chief Mays' office, with its increasingly bare walls and growing collection of packed boxes.
The redhead in Corps olive in the far corner is new, too.
Mays hops to his feet with a cheerful "Beckets!"—
"Chief!"
"Lew!" 
—waves them to his rickety spare chairs.
They ease themselves down.
"So right I'm retiring—but you know that—so I want to introduce you to my replace—"
"No one could replace you," teases Raleigh.
The redhead sniffs, muscles along their jaw tensing.
Mays giggles, waves off the comment. "My /successor as /Danger's chief, Becket boys this's Lieutenant Chuck Hansen he-him-his."
The redhead steps forward, bows. "Rangers."
There's something off in his tone—beside the Aussie accent, that is.
Yancy stands, returns the bow.
Raleigh mimics, but a half-beat behind.
"I'm Yancy, he's Raleigh; both he-him-his. We're pretty informal, so you can use first names with us, if you want."
Hansen nods.
"Uh, what would you like to be called?"
"'Chief's fine."
"Noted. Welcome aboard."
"Thanks," grumbles Hansen.
"Chief Hansen's coming up from L.A. and being the assistant chief on /Daring so he's already got a good idea of how  /Danger works and me and the crew'll be teaching him her quirks over the next couple weeks, then I'll be outta your hair and he'll be in it."
"More like we'll be in /his," drawls Yancy.
Mays laughs, "You don't get up to nearly as much mayhem as some of the Hong Kong folks and that's /not a challenge hear?"
"We'll behave."
"Good good, now Mister Hansen and I have a lot to do so get out and go do whatever it is you boys do all day." Mays shoos them toward the door.
"We're going, we're going," snickers Yancy.
"Thanks, Chief."
"You're welcome~!"
"Good to meet you, New Chief."
Hansen grunts, bobs his chin.
Yancy and Raleigh stroll out.
""Now let's talk about the trouble we've been having with the left shoulder rams since Knifehead—""
Raleigh holds out until they're out of the hangar and halfway to gym, then squeaks, "A redhead? With that accent? '/Hansen'?"
"Yeah ... it's either the weirdest coincidence ever or that's the captain's kid."
"He has one, does—" Raleigh stops cold. "Wasn't he ...?"
Yancy nods. "First in line for the Mark V and lost her ...."
"Neural surge-induced stroke," breathes Raleigh.
Yancy chews his lip, murmurs, "Now he's J-Tech and in charge of our lady."
"Are you /worried?"
"Kinda?" Yancy ducks his head, scuffs his boot against the deck. "He's, like, twenty and, uh, well, brain-damaged."
Raleigh soothes his twitching hackles. "We trust the chief and he wouldn't bring in someone who couldn't do the job, right?"
Yancy concedes.
"The marshal wouldn't, either."
Yancy agrees.
"So, everything'll work out. We probably won't even notice the change."
"I hope you're right, Ray."
.
== Red Terror ==
Date; Location: 16 December 2020; Anchorage Shatterdome, Fire Island, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Raleigh slides in next to Clarice and the rest of the Drivesuit team with his tray of breakfast, jams his fork into his eggs.
"Mornin', Raleigh."
"'ornin'!"
"Surprised to see you this early, after that overnight patrol."
Raleigh shrugs, swallows. "'m okay. Hungry, though."
"Sleepyhead's still sleeping, I take it?"
Raleigh snorts around another mouthful.
"Figure he'll wake up in time for that reserve fitting session we've got?"
"He'll be there if Mako and I have to drag him by his toes."
Clarice laughs.
Raleigh smiles, attacks his grapefruit.
"Well, speak of the devil herself."
Mako floats down across from them, shaking her head.
"Though if the last couple of days are any indication, you're more the devil's /sister," amends Clarice.
Raleigh queries.
"You kinda grew up with the Red Terror of J-Tech, right?"
Mako sighs.
"Who're you two talking about?"
"/Chief Hansen." 
"Yes, I've known him a long time," says Mako quietly. "Our fathers are close—"
Clarice snorks.
Mako shoots her a look, continues, "—so we've gotten to know each other rather well."
"Was he always this big an asshole?"
"He hasn't changed," sighs Mako.
"He didn't seem so bad when we were introduced?"
"Wait 'til you try to /work with him. He almost had Macie /crying yesterday."
Mako, very deliberately, focuses on her meal.
"Macie? She's so /good—"
"When she's focused, she's /great. Unfortunately, his Chief-ness was distracting enough she dropped half her tools into the Well."
Raleigh cringes.
"Yeah, not her best moment, but he absolutely lit her /up for it."
Mako huffs. "What did he do that caused such a problem for her?"
"He was handsome in her vicinity."
Raleigh wrinkles his nose.
Mako rolls her eyes.
Clarice shrugs.
"You, uh, want me to talk to him about it? Ask him to tone it down a little?"
"It won't work," says Mako.
"It's worth a shot. Even Chiefs usually back down from Rangers."
"He won't."
"I'll try anyway. I need to get to know him, too." To Mako, "Where'd he be about now?"
"I'm not his Handler, Raleigh."
"What's your sibling intuition say?"
She frowns, but says, "He's probably somewhere near /Danger, working."
"Or terrorising the crew."
"Yeah, that's gotta stop." Raleigh pushes to his feet.
"Good luck~!" sings Clarice.
Raleigh grins, grabs his tray, drops it off near the door, strolls to the hangar, then over to /Danger's bay.
He buttonholes Nelson, the first tech to cross his path. "You seen Chief Hansen this morning?"
"Last I heard he was digging around in the Conn-pod. If you want to find him, look for the bulldog."
Raleigh raises an eyebrow. "Bulldog?"
"Fat, wrinkly thing wearing a little safety vest. Goes everywhere Hansen does."
"Are you /kidding me?"
"Nope." Nelson shrugs. "It's, like, the one human thing the guy does. I'm starting to think he's more machine than the Lady."
Raleigh chuckles, waves. "Thanks for the tip. See you 'round!"
"Later, Ranger!"
Raleigh joins a gang headed up in the elevator; they get out at shoulder-level and he rides it the rest of the way to the armoring level and the Conn-pod.
The hatch is open and there's a bulldog in a reflective vest snoozing on the floor.
"Oookaaay ...." Raleigh saunters over.
The dog lifts its head, then scrambles to its feet and /woofs, tail wagging.
Raleigh crouches, tousles its ears. "Hey there, boy. Your person around here somewhere?"
A /bang.
The dog turns toward the noise.
A string of garbled obscenities floats out of the Well.
"/Whoof!"
""'m fine, Max! Go back to sleep!""
Max pants and wags at Raleigh.
He gives him a last scratch, straightens, steps to the edge of the Well, calls, "Chief Hansen?"
""What d'you want?""
"It's Raleigh Becket. I want to talk to you."
""Go ahead!""
"It's about Technician Key and yesterday."
""Yea? What about her?""
"You yelled at her."
""'cause she dumped half a tool belt in here!""
"We don't yell at our crew."
""Well, /I do when they /screw /up!"
Raleigh grinds his teeth. "Can you come up here so we don't have to keep yelling?"
""I'll climb out when I'm done!""
Raleigh rolls his eyes. "How 'bout I join you?"
""Don't ya dare! I'm not gonna be responsible for you breaking your precious Ranger neck!""
"Chief Mays—"
""I'm not him and you're /not coming down here!""
Raleigh asks for patience. "How long will you be?"
""Long as it takes!""
Raleigh asks for /more patience.
""It'll only be a couple minutes! Chat with Max or come back later!""
"I'll wait."
Something like a scoff bubbles up from the Well.
Raleigh shakes his head, plops down next to Max.
The dog immediately heaves himself up, gets his front paws on Raleigh's thigh, and licks his face.
Raleigh nudges him away, scratches under his chins.
Max slobbers on him with enthusiasm.
Raleigh loves every /second of it.
Max tilts his head, then woffles and waddles to the lip of the Well, peers down.
Raleigh stands, dusts off his pants, straightens in time to see Hansen push his top half into the Conn-pod proper. He offers a hand up.
Hansen ignores it, swings himself the rest of the way, and stands, tools on his belt clanking and a meter-long steel bar in his hand. "You wanted to talk?"
"/Man, do you look like your dad," Raleigh blurts.
Hansen's eyelid twitches. "What. do. you. want."
Raleigh rubs the side of his neck. "You see, we've always made it a point not to yell at teammates because everything goes smoother when we get along."
Hansen sets his teeth, spits, "Listen, /Ranger, I'm not gonna tell you how to fight and /you're not gonna tell me how to run my crew, ay?"
"They're our crew, Chief."
"Well, /our crew's sloppy. Here." Hansen shoves the bar against Raleigh's chest.
He takes it, gives it a once-over. "It's a rod-arm from the pedal rig."
"It /was a rod-arm. Now it's scrap."
"It looks fi—"
"'cause you're not looking /right." He points to a spot a third of the way along the rod's length. "Right there."
Raleigh peers.
A tiny line, like a eyelash.
"What's that?"
"Brittle fracture." Hansen crosses his arms. "/That's what Key did when she dropped her gear."
Raleigh grimaces.
"If you'd found trouble last night, the first time you braced your legs it would've snapped, started as cascade failure, and you may as well've nailed /your foot to the seabed. How long would you last like that?" He yanks the steel away. "You'd be wrecked or /dead because Key had a 'moment' and then folks doing /both the pre- /and post-deployment checks missed it. It's only not /gonna kill you because I crawled down there and did the job."
Raleigh swallows hard.
"Now, I don't give a toss what you think of me, but I'm gonna do everything I can to keep your ass alive, because it's my /job to keep your ass alive."
Raleigh manages a smile. "Isn't your job to keep the /Jaeger alive?"
"You're part of the Jaeger once you're connected, ay? Instant the handshake terminates, kill yourself however you like." Smirks. "Just don't leave a mess for /our crew to clean up." Hansen settles the rod-arm against his shoulder, snaps a turn. "C'mon, Max!"
The bulldog scrambles after him.
Raleigh watches them cross the Drivesuit room and vanish through the far door before he heads for his quarters, eyes on his boots and chest tight.
Water runs in the washroom as he closes up and flops on the sofa, lets his head fall back.
Raleigh contemplates the ceiling.
Water stops.
He pushes off and to the kitchenette, makes with coffee prep: water, beans, press, cups, cream (for himself).
Washroom door opens.
"Hey, kid," greets Yancy, strolling over.
"'ey. Coffee's ready."
Yancy makes a happy sound, ruffles Raleigh's hair. "You're the best little brother ever."
"You only think that when I make coffee."
"'course. Rest of the time you're only average."
Raleigh shoves him off-balance, hands him a cup when he straightens up.
Yancy sips, makes the 'I could die happy now that I've had coffee' noise.
"I do alright?"
Yancy smirks—"Good enough."—strolls to the couch, and folds down.
Raleigh fills his own mug and drops beside him.
"How's your morning been so far?"
"I, uh, talked to Chief Hansen."
"Oh lord."
"What?"
"/Please tell me you're not trying to adopt the guy like he's another stray."
"Swear t'God," assures Raleigh. "Clarice mentioned something at breakfast about him yelling at her team and making Macie cry."
Yancy grunts.
"So, I went to ask him to dial it back."
"Lemme guess, he told you to go fuck yourself?"
Raleigh rubs the back of his head. "He showed me the part of the pedal rig that broke when Macie dropped her tools yesterday morning, which's why he reamed her out."
Yancy wrinkles his forehead. "It worked fine last night."
"Partial fracture. It would've given under high stress." Raleigh swallows. "When it did, we'd be screwed."
Yancy gives a low whistle.
"He just saved our asses."
"And it's only his third day on the job." Yancy sips coffee. "Guess Chief was right about him."
"Yeah ...." Raleigh takes a mouthful.
They drain their mugs in companionable quiet.
Yancy breaks it: "What's our first appointment again?"
"Checking the fit on our reserve circuitry suits with Clarice and company."
Yancy grimaces. "Great. Getting naked first thing in the morning."
"You're—"
Raleigh and Yancy attend the now-open door.
"—going to be late for it if you don't leave now," calls Mako.
Yancy and Raleigh groan, set their cups on the table, heave themselves to their feet, shuffle to their boots.
"Hey, guys," greets Clarice as they step out.
"Hey."
"What's up?"
"Walk and talk," prompts Mako.
Everyone else rolls their eyes and starts their mosey to the hangar.
"As for what's up, Chief Hansen and I had a chat. He must've come straight to me after you talked to him, Raleigh."
His heart sinks.
Clarice makes a calming gesture. "Don't look so worried! It's all good!"
"Really?"
"Yeah, it's cool. He showed me what he found in the Well and we agreed that my team would take /only the tools they need into the Conn-pod. He also said his people'll start using an inspection checklist so they don't miss damage like it again." She grins. "He also explained he was trying to 'put the fear of Chief' in the team and kinda, half-assedly apologized for losing his temper."
Mako sighs.
"Everything worked out, then, huh?" says Yancy.
"Yeah. Maybe he's not so terrifying after all."
"As long as you don't bother the dog," amends Mako.
Yancy raises an eyebrow. "Dog?"
"He's got this bulldog, Max, that follows him everywhere."
"What, like, a shadow?"
"A /fat shadow," giggles Clarice.
Mako says, "Think of Max more like his daemon."
"And you don't mess with a man's soul."
"No, you don't."
.
== The Gift Bit ==
See it on AO3 or at "The Gift Bit".
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