Chapter One: She's A Commotion

A/N: Don't get me wrong, I love Raleigh and Mako! But I do see them as having more of a friendship than a romance. So yeah, Piper came into mind. I hope you enjoy this first chapter! Please review :) Any guesses about Robbie are more than welcome ;)

Piper Derby watched with her hands planted on her hips as the Striker Eureka was carefully lowered into the Shatterdome. She had been unfortunate in missing seeing it in Sydney when the Category IV kaiju broke through the Anti-Kaiju Wall. She couldn't help but scoff. What kind of idiots really thought a wall was going to stop a kaiju? Shaking her head, Piper turned away from the awe-inspiring sight and walked out to the helipad. The weather hadn't been great these last few days, but at least today the sun was shining.

Sure enough, Herc and Chuck Hansen were already striding towards the entrance to the Shatterdome, fresh off the helicopter. Piper couldn't quite suppress a grin as she strode over towards them. Australian by birth and upbringing, Piper had been at the Hong Kong Shatterdome for three months by request. They needed as many Jaeger technicians as they could get.

"Well, well," Herc chuckled as he pulled Piper into a warm hug. "Look who it is. We missed you at the Sydney Shatterdome on closing day."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there." Piper tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. "But you know, the Marshall wanted me here helping out. You guys did an amazing job though. I'm sorry about Vulcan Specter and Echo Saber."

Piper's eyes wandered towards Chuck without thinking. He was observing her closely, but didn't offer as warm a greeting as his father. She ignored the fact that it slightly upset her. She'd known the Hansens for what, more than five years now? If Chuck was going to be immature, than that was his own problem.

"How's Robbie?" Herc asked, eliciting a smile from Piper.

"He's good. Really keen to see you. I'll have to bring him around later."

She felt something nudge her leg and looked down to see Max, the Hansens' bulldog. She smiled and leaned down to pat him. She'd always liked him. Max licked at her hand and Piper couldn't help but laugh. She should have known the Hansens would bring Max. He was practically their means of communication.

Piper led the way into the Shatterdome, secretly hoping that Mako was somewhere around and could take over showing the Hansens around. But she knew the older girl was probably busy, so she'd just have to stick with Chuck's dislike for now. She trailed out onto the bay floor, smiling proudly as she gestured to the three Jaegers that had already been present when Striker Eureka arrived.

"Over here we've got Cherno Alpha." Piper gestured to the huge Russian Jaeger – the only Mark I left in existence, and the biggest and oldest Jaeger left. "I'm not sure where Sasha and Aleksis Kaidonovsky are…"

"Doing my job for me?"

Piper turned to see Mako crossing the bay floor, clipboard in hand. There was a smile across the young woman's face and Piper couldn't help but grin in return. She hadn't been at the Shatterdome long, but she'd befriended Mako easily, considering they were similar in age. She turned to the Hansens and gestured to Mako.

"Herc, Chuck, this is Mako Mori. She's one of the brightest around here, and is in charge of the Mark III restoration program."

"Mark III?" Chuck asked skeptically, folding his arms over his chest. "What Mark III are you talking about? They're all gone."

"Not all of them," Mako interjected, pointing over to where Gipsy Danger was situated. It was the only Jaeger to have been brought back from Oblivion Bay, where the destroyed Jaegers were dumped. "Gipsy Danger has been repaired and restored. We're hoping to use it in the plan to bomb the breach. Its pilot arrives tomorrow."

"What, you mean Raleigh Becket?" Chuck snorted derisively. "He's a relic now. Why do we need him? His days as a Ranger are over."

"Show some respect," Herc chastised him. Mako seemed a little awkward about watching the two argue, but Piper was somewhat used to seeing Herc and Chuck fight by now. All she could do was remain silent and wait until they were done.

"Whatever," Chuck hurled back at his father, "I'm going to check out the mess hall. I need a feed."

"Don't worry about him," Piper glanced at Mako, who was watching Chuck storm off with a startled expression. "He's usually like that when he doesn't get his way."

"You know him?" Mako asked, a little surprised. She knew that Piper was from Australian, but she'd never known she knew the Striker Eureka pilots so well. Piper just shrugged in response, before glancing at Herc, who had his arms folded, clearly unimpressed with his son's behaviour.

"Yeah. Herc, did you want to see Robbie now?"

A slightly strained smile crossed Herc's face. "Sure."

"Have you ever thought about becoming a pilot?" Mako inquired as she and Piper entered the mess hall for dinner. It had been a very busy day, and Piper felt like she'd been on her feet for most of it. Her blonde hair was braided out of her eyes. First she and Mako had done a check-up on Gipsy Danger, then she'd gone over to do some checks on the Striker Eureka. She was just happy to be getting some food in her stomach at last.

"What do you mean?" Piper asked, grabbing one of the standard trays and dishing herself up some beef stroganoff, tonight's meal. Yes, she'd considered becoming a Jaeger pilot – but she'd always been too damn young. Even when Striker Eureka was launched in 2019, she'd been fifteen years old. She was nearly twenty-one now, but she couldn't ever see herself piloting a Jaeger.

"Well, when you think about it, Gipsy Danger only has one pilot," Mako pointed out as they crossed over to an empty table and sat down. Piper could feel Chuck's eyes burning on her back, but she ignored it. "Raleigh Becket. His brother Yancy died in '20. I've been assembling a list of possible co-pilots for him…and I was wondering if you wanted to be part of that list."

"Oh." Piper thought it was very generous of Mako to offer her a place, to even consider her, but she really didn't think she was right for the job. She was only a technician. She knew a few things from judo classes as a kid, but that had been years ago now, and was only really self-defense. There was no way she had enough combat experience to make it as a pilot. Then there was Robbie…"Thanks, Mako. I appreciate the offer, but I don't really think I'm cut out for it. Are you going to try?"

Mako sighed wistfully. "I want to. But I don't think the Marshall is going to let me."

Piper bit her lip, but immediately set about eating her food. Over at their table, Herc and Chuck seemed to be involved in another argument. Piper would bet anything it was something to do with Robbie. She looked down at her tray of half-eaten food, and suddenly she didn't feel so hungry anymore.

"Excuse me, Mako. I don't feel so good. I might call it a night. Let me know if you need any Jaeger check-ups before I go to bed."

Raleigh Becket had to admit that he was pretty impressed with the Hong Kong Shatterdome. It was the first built and could house the most Jaegers, so it made sense that it would be the last to shut down. Mako Mori led him around the Shatterdome, and Raleigh couldn't help but be amazed when he saw Gipsy Danger. It had been five long years, but she looked good as new.

"Polishes up pretty nice, huh?"

Raleigh turned at the sound of a female voice with an Australian accent, noticing a young blonde woman walking up to him and Mako. She looked about the same age as Mako, and could have passed for a surfer with her tanned skin, bright blue eyes and golden hair. She offered him a warm smile and held out a hand. It was surprisingly tough and worn, and he could tell that she was a manual worker.

"Piper Derby. You must be Raleigh Becket. I'm one of the technicians under your friend Tendo Choi."

"Piper's been a big help with Gipsy Danger." Mako smiled as Piper brushed her hair behind her ear and waved a modest hand. "She helped get all the systems online once we'd put her back together."

"Mama! Mama!"

The yell resonated through the bay and everyone looked around. Piper groaned as she saw a copper-haired eighteen-month-old toddling down the corridor. The small child almost tripped over his own feet, and Piper stepped forward, picking the baby up and kissing his cheek.

"You have a kid here?" Raleigh couldn't help but be surprised. The Shatterdome didn't really seem like the sort of place to raise a child, not to mention that Piper would be barely out of her teens. However, he knew better than to question her. He'd only just met the girl, he didn't want her to get irritated at his curiosity.

Piper smiled tightly. "Say hello to my son Robbie."