Bitterness Sets In

Posted on Thu Apr 9th, 2015 @ 8:16pm by James Holbridge & Major David Lorenz & Marine Captain Quentin Harrison & Admiral Lucius Hawke

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: ISOLATION CELL, BRIG, STARBASE 900

It had been over four hours since David had been escorted to this room and left by himself. The room wasn't bad, as far as prison cells went. There was a bunk, a sink, a sonic shower-head, and the entire forward wall was a force field, locked blank space. David had been on the other side of several fields, but he had never been in a Starfleet cell like this one. He was trained to attempt escape from places like this, but without time and tools and a plan, escape was not possible, unless of course he beat the holy shit out of whoever came to interrogate him.

It was not easy being a Marine, or a security operator in a shitty little private military company. David had held NGSC together for several months while Jim Holbridge played mining magnate. A goddamned sensor reading caused this whole fucking mess, and David was reliving the last days of the disastrous Oppenheimer mission in his head.

what the hell happened to me? I was a Marine officer! I led men in combat! I commanded my own battalion, four companies of mean, green killing machines who ate concertina and pissed drive plasma. Now I'm the CEO of some rinky-dink PMC founded by my best bud to locate his brother! Fuck that, the mission was over! Wyatt was safe and secure and sucking Mommy's bosom back on Gault IV. I don't want to be doing this shit forever. I am gonna tell Jim to take this job and cram it up his ass.

The doors opened to reveal a pale-skinned officer in Security gold. "Mr. Lorenz, have you been fed?"

"No," was the curt reply.

"I can get you what you want from the Replimat."

"Steak Dianne, mashed potatoes and gravy, green salad with Italian, and some chocolate cake," David's mother, governor of Dormeil Prime, often ate chocolate cake when she was upset. It seemed to be a Lorenz family tradition.

"I'll be right back," the ensign replied, turning on her heel; and leaving. A moment later, she returned with David's tray of food and set it inside the cell, her body phasing in and out of the crackling energy field. as soon as she was clear, David took the tray to his little desk and sat down, eating with gusto. It had been awhile since he had eaten anything beyond sandwiches and coffee.

The ensign simply left the room, not waiting for a thank-you. David cut his steak, adding onions and sauce to the bite and then put the fork in his mouth. Food's good, someone knows how to program a replicator. he thought.

30 MINUTES LATER

As David pushed away from his table, the door opened. David faced the wall, unwilling to look at who had come to see him. "I know it's you Jack, I can smell your cheap-ass cologne! why aren't you in a cell?"

"I wasn't aware my cologne smelled cheap." The voice that reached Dave's ears wasn't Jackson's and it held an unmistakable tone of command.

David turned to see the stern face of Admiral Lucius Hawke. "Wow, wasn't expecting you, sir. How's things in the Intel biz? You know, we get some of your stuff for our protective detail assignments....rather interesting tidbit about the Cytherian Horde." Davis decided to thank the man who authorized NGSC to guard the Prefect of Cytheria and save him from assassination by providing an anthropological and sociological clue.

"I'm glad it was of help to you." Lucius paused and glanced through the force field. Seeing the corridor empty, he turned back to Dave, his voice wuieter as he spoke. "Any issues with the recovery?"

"Yeah, the Dominion knew what we were doing and sent a reception committee, Jim Holbridge was bound and determined to mine that place despite my sabottagery, the woman regained consciousness but attempts to restore cryostatsis were partially successful. We can't stuff the shit back in the goose, Admiral. Someone is gonna find out!"

Lucius raised his hand to stop Dave and smiled. "Dr Harding has already taken care of her. She is, as of twenty minutes ago, safely tucked away. The only ones who know her whereabouts are me, the doctor, and Ronin. You and Jackson will be informed shortly. The oath sworn will continue, Dave."

"Admiral, this whole mess has fucked up my life here. I can't go back to Jim, he doesn't trust me, and he is going to lose his mining interests and probably his PMC. I am out in the cold!"

"Not necessarily. I have an idea but we will discuss that later, once we've met with the rest. I have arranged for your release. You are to go straight to my office and don't stop to talk to anyone. Understood?"

"Aye aye, sir!" Dave replied, switching to his Marine form of address.

"Derfail!" Lucius called out. The brig officer appeared and entered a code that dropped the force field. Lucius nodded and the officer went back down the corridor. "I'll see you all shortly. If you'd like a drink, Kai will see to it. I have to go see Mr. Holbridge and Mr. Harrison. "

"Good luck, sir." Dave replied, feeling a premonition come over him.

* * *

Admiral Hawke left Dave and moved down the corridor to two adjoining cells. He stood silent, observing the two (who were surprisingly quiet for the moment). Finally he spoke.

"Good evening, gentlemen."

Jim kept his eyes closed as he recognized the voice. "Well, hello! Slumming, Admiral?"

"You been in prison too many times, Jimmy-boy! Admirals dinnae come down here, that's Derfail with a vocalizer!" Quentin laughed. "Bloody fool!"

The force fields covering the fronts of the cells vanished, leaving Lucius standing before them. "My apologies, I'm not Derfail. Though I can get him to restore the fields if you like."

Jim opened his eyes and saw that the force fields were down. "Oh shit!"

Quentin came off his bunk like a shot, but was stopped by a cold look from Lucius.

"That wasn't an invitation to hit the trail, Quentin. I would, however, like to speak to the both of you. So, my office. Fifteen minutes. And if either of you are late, you'll be back here so fast you won't have time to blink. Are we clear?"

"I dinnae answer to the likes of ye, or to the pretty boy over there," Quentin shot back. "I'll be there."

Jim just rolled his eyes at Quentin's antics. "I'll be there, sir." he said quietly.

Lucius nodded. "As for you Quentin? You may no longer be Fleet but that won't stop them from pursuing you for your recent activities. Trust me when I say, you want to hear what I have to say. I'll see you both in fifteen minutes. "

He turned away from Jim and Quentin, preparing to leave.

"Admiral, I have had all the bloody admirals, pencil-neck administrators, and chicken-dick bosses I can handle. I'll listen, but I cannae guarantee much more than that, especially with this bampot in the room stinkin' up the air!"

Lucius' voice took on a sharp edge. "I don't care what your differences are with Mr. Holbridge. What I care about is saving your ass. So consider your priorities."

With those words, Lucius was gone. Jim didn't even turn around, leaving the room. As he walked by Derfail's office, he took a padd and tapped a message to Derfail, who simply nodded.

As Quentin walked up to the door, it buzzed. "Access denied. Please wait for decontamination of the cranial areas!"

"DAMN YOU, HOLBRIDGE!!!!" Quentin bellowed.






**************
Admiral Lucius Hawke
A Man With An Agenda

Jim Holbridge
Resigned to Confinement For Life

Quentin Harrison
Regressing to His Animal Side