Lightning

Lightning
(Lucky Break: One)
18 March 2018
-March 14, 2018-
It's a lightning bolt striking the Kaiju he's punching in the face that shakes Lucky awake. He {wordlessly} roars as he slams his servo into the now-burnt Kaiju, pulling the spine right out of [its] throat. Kaiju blue stains his servo and he shakes it off with an irritated growl. A surprised voice alerts him to the fact that maybe he shouldn't be moving on his own.
Herc! Our bloody Jaeger moved by itself! the first voice yelped as Lucky followed the command to lower his arms.
Scott quit tellin' me a furphy will ya? We got bloody yakka ta-Holy shit! The second voice barked at the one named Scott and Lucky decided to take matters into his own servos.
Slow down there, tiger. You're gonna scare the living bejeezus out of your poor pilots. the laughing voice isn't like his pilots nor does it feel threatening so he waits for it to continue. You're taking this pretty well.
What? he's utterly lost by this point, his frame starting back towards the Sydney 'dome under Herc and Scott's control.
What's your name? the voice is kind and waits for him to dredge up the strength.
He's really tired right now and it aches everywhere from the strike that was so close to his frame. Lucky Seven.
Mark I. Huh, I guess Romeo wasn't right. the voice sounds mildly put-out by that. I'm Coyote Tango but you can call me Coyote. You need to tell your pilots that you're aware. Can you do that? Coyote asks warmly.
Yeah. he answers with a rasp. Can try it later?
Sure, Lucky, you can tell 'em later. He slips into recharge with the assurance that he's safe.
The second awakening is far warmer than the first and Lucky wakes up with both pilots sitting on his shoulder pauldrons, the spikes that jut out supporting their weight.
"I'm tellin' ya, Herc, it moved. I'm not nuts and I'm not making it up." Scott tells Herc as they balance with their backs to one spike and plant their feet on another.
"You're bein' completely serious, ya bastard? Alright. I'll give it a fair go." Herc concedes with a huff.
"Lucky? If you're in there, I need ya to move." Scott asks softly, as though he's expecting not to get an answer.
Can do one better. he says dryly over the link. Herc loses his footing and Lucky reaches up before the thought registers, catching his pilot in his servo. Sorry? Not... used to link.
"What the actual fuck?!" Herc snarled as he struggled to sit up in Lucky's servo. "Scott, you drongo, I am seriously considerin' leaving you woop woop!"
Not Scott. Lucky. Herc turns to look up at Lucky's Conn-pod.
"See? It's alive." Scott murmured smugly as he tapped his foot against Lucky's pauldron spike.
He.
"Huh?"
The questioning noise came from both pilots and he huffed softly as he continued, Lucky male, not an it.
"Oh. Our Jaeger's a boy." Herc patted his chest plate and he rumbled softly. "You like that?"
Feels nice. Lucky gently pressed the bubbly feeling it produced down the bond. See?
Herc laughed softly as he agreed. It does. Hey, sorry about not believing you Scott.
Why would I lie to you? We're in this together until we get killed by Kaiju or we kill them. the light tone didn't disguise the fact that underneath his words Lucky sensed a darker meaning. He scooted closer to Herc, humming softly as the man's mental presence enveloped him into warmth.
He's a bit like Chuck when he was little except he's got a link to us. Herc cooed as Lucky curled close to the parental touch. You mind bein' called a sprog?
No. he practically lolls in Herc's warmth, happy to stay where he was cradled.
Why's he cuddled up to you?
Scott, I'm the parent. It's bloody obvious who he'd head for in a pinch. Herc pointed out dryly with a memory slipping down the link unintentionally, showing a smaller human his pilot labeled Chuck.
Right.
Lucky spent more time alone than with either of his pilots. The arguments hurt the bond they shared, rattling the foundations that he depended on something fierce. He tends to stay with Herc for the most part but he's been drawn to a certain tablet in the K-sci department when his pilot passes it. One day he gets... curious and slips into the coding, absently humming the Australian national anthem as he explores the crevices. Lucky peers into the camera function and sees a slender man with strange figures originating from his fingertips.
They're called equations and it's math. I didn't expect to see you here for another month at least. the voice that had soothed him into recharge was back.
Coyote, right? he asks as he's not too sure of the name since they'd met for a brief moment.
Yeah. You okay, Lucky? Coyote asks quietly as he nudges Lucky's coding with his own.
Well, it wasn't easy gettin' their attention. Is there somethin'... dunno, wrong with me? he grumbles as he accepts the comm. link offered to him.
Why? I don't detect a glitch in anything. comes the confused response.
My pilots fight. Lucky reluctantly states.
Humans argue a lot but it's nothing bad. Coyote offers simply, showing him several memories with minor arguments easily via their link.
Oh. So mine are normal? he thought it had been just him.
Depends on your definition of normal, Lucky. Can you show me? Coyote murmurs as Lucky feels other, different coding in the tablet that he didn't recognize. He presses the latest fight between Scott and Herc down the link with hesitation. Lucky, that's not normal for humans.
Thought as much.
That doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you. Can I introduce you to some more Jaegers like us, Lucky? Coyote insists seriously before his tone turns lighter. Maybe we can come up with ways to calm down your pilots together?
I could use some mates. he commented with a surge of teasing.
Hey, Coyote-Whoa. Hey new Jaeger? You a bro or a bunny? Other's cool too, y'know. Lucky already liked this one. Name's Romeo Blue but I answer to Romeo or 'hey you' all the same. He had the distinct feeling that the other was smiling if they could smile in code form.
I'm not a sheila, mate, but thanks for tellin' me you're a bloke. Are all of us blokes? he asked as he faced the other codes in the ethernet.
Indeed. We have yet to come across a female or a Jaeger with a gender that is non-binary. the drawl was like nothing he'd heard yet and he's surprised that it felt like he belonged. My apologies if I startled you. My name is Brawler Yukon but I prefer the shorter form of Brawler.
We have got to get a sheila around here then. I'm Lucky Seven but ya can call me Lucky. he introduces himself after the others have.
Now that we have all be properly introduced, we'll tell you what we know and you can ask us any question that crosses your mind. Coyote's voice held a quiet sort of authority that Lucky's pretty sure both of his pilots would listen to immediately if they heard it. If that's alright with you?
Yeah mate, that's fine. I don't like bein' stuck in woop woop when it comes to info I need ta know. Lucky concedes as he listens to information come from three different sources with a soft and contented rumble coming from him the entire time.
When he's all caught up on everything the other Jaegers know, he wants to tell Herc all of it immediately.
Herc, I found- Herc? he nudges his pilot through the bond and gets an answer.
Sorry sprog. I'm just lost in thought about that publicity stunt they want us to pull. What was it you wanted to tell me? He always paid more attention to Lucky than Scott and he pressed affection down the link solely for Herc.
I found other Jaegers. he blurts, pleased when Herc turns his full attention to Lucky.
Other... Jaegers? Herc asks faintly, his link full of shock and a flashback to Lucky's second awakening. Ones that woke up like you did?
Yeah. Romeo, Brawler and Coyote said that it's not something all the Jaegers do. It's just us four so far and all of us are blokes. Hope we get a sheila in there because it's not fair to them havin' all brothers. Coyote's oldest an' he woke up in battle against Onibaba. Lucky practically bounced in the bond with his excitement. They gave me some good oil.
Like what?
About humans, mostly. How to deal with people and they introduced me to my old man. he states this last fact rather proudly and knows that his end of the link is full of affection. He's pretty skinny but I like him.
He? I didn't know Jaegers had a set of oldies. Herc commented with a wash of confusion.
He wrote our coding. All of us call him Dad or some
variation thereof. Lucky murmured absently as he soothed the deeply worried part of the bond.
... You mean Dr. Gottlieb?! Herc dropped his Vegemite and toast onto the desk as he asked the question.
Of course.
Did he start this? Herc's concern is touching but he dispels the undercurrent of unease with his next words.
No. We wake up on our own. Something to do with the Pons, the Drift and our coding. Brawler woke up fightin' too. Can ya imagine? Lucky asks as the link flashes with his first awakening.
That was one ugly Kaiju you woke up to sprog.
Too right, mate. What was that about a publicity stunt? Lucky decides that switching topics is the safer bet at the moment.
They want us to pilot you to some kid's charity function and pick up rich little brats for Jaeger program money. Herc sighs as the bond flares with restlessness. I want to be out there killin' Kaiju in your frame.
But they pulled us off to the side for a publicity stunt that lasts for a half a day tops. Plus we get to leave if there's a Kaiju attack on the anniversary, mate. Herc hums thoughtfully when Lucky points it out from another viewpoint. Ya got a clue as why Scott's goin' all shifty on us?
None. My sprog should be gettin' back from school soon.
"Hey, old man, you in here?"
Not even a g'day from my brat. The amusement's clear in Herc's tone. "In here, Chuck." Herc says fondly as he directs Chuck into the office provided solely for paperwork.
"Mmm, Vegemite." Chuck snagged the piece of toast off the paperwork and bit into it, glancing at Herc almost as if it's an afterthought. "This yours?"
"It was. Go make yourself a sandwich before you eat my office supplies ya boomer. How was-Again? Why didn't I get a ring?" Herc sighs at the black eye and split lip but just digs around in his desk for a first-aid kit.
He was probably defending you again. It seems to happen more an' more often. Lucky offered as he sent a surge of affection.
"Cause you're a busy pilot an' they didn't want ta bother you in case there was a Kaiju." comes the mumbled reply around the corner piece of the toast. "Anyway, those ratbags deserved it."
"What did they say this time?" the tone Lucky's pilot takes means that he's just given up on scolding Chuck.
"That you're a shite oldie and you're never there for me." Chuck grumbles as he makes two sandwiches and brings one back to Herc. "Have you been here since I left for school?"
"Yeah. That headache of a bloody publicity stunt is causin' more work than it's worth." Herc admits as he wolfs down his food and takes a long drink of the flat lolly water. "You got homework?"
"Yeah. But I got Mako to vid-con in thirty seconds so she can help me out." Chuck replied as he schlumped in Herc's chair, his muddy boots smearing on the lacquered wood armrests.
"Boots off the chair, sprog. I may not be around much but you have manners cause I taught 'em to ya." Herc barked and Chuck's feet were down before the teen even realized it. "I know it ain't easy, Chuck." The man's tone softens as he walks around the desk and crouches down so that he's eye level with the younger Hansen.
"Ain't easy for you or Uncle Scott either ya know." Chuck muttered back as Herc practically scooped up the teen and held onto him. "I'm not five anymore, old bastard."
"Just shut up and sit here for a sec, would ya?" Lucky's warmer pilot grumbles as he closes his eyes. The Hansens are a bag of tangled emotions on a good day so Herc takes every moment of family time he can wring from Scott and Chuck. Lucky tended to agree with that; if he could manage a form that wasn't giant robot, he was pretty sure he'd be mediating between the Hansens as a never-ending job. As it was, Lucky could yell through the bond he shared with both pilots and it often got them to pause long enough to spit out an apology before one of them would start up a different argument. His life was always interesting.
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