There's no hiding Raleigh's reaction when Alex says Mako's name. His whole expression softens, eyes warm and a hint of a smile curling his lips. He gives a little nod, then quickly glances back towards the replicator to watch its progress as if meeting Alex's gaze will out him somehow.

"You could say that. Mako's my copilot. You can't actually pilot a Jaeger alone safely... only two of us have ever done it without dying, and it fucks you up pretty badly. The neural load is too much. So they developed the pons system, it's a neural bridge that links your mind to a partner's and you control it together through the Drift."

The replicator finishes and beeps, and Raleigh takes the second plate and tilts his head towards the seating. Let's find a table, new buddy.

"I shouldn't be surprised you met her already, she's more social than me." Which... really isn't saying much, honestly. Raleigh's just a traumatized shut in.