What Now?
Posted on Wed Apr 15th, 2015 @ 10:09pm by Jackson Banning V & Marine Captain Quentin Harrison
Mission:
Breaking New Ground
Location: The Wormhole Bar
Timeline: Following End Of An Era II
Jackson waited outside Admiral Hawke's office till Quentin emerged and fell in step at his side.
"So, how's it going big man?" Jackson's tone was casual as he looked back at Quentin.
"I'm headin' to the Alpha Quadrant, Jack! Gonna take over for Davey as his brother's head security ape!"
Jackson raised an eyebrow and grinned. "With Arjem? How long before I get a call to bail you outta jail for killin' him?"
Quentin laughed along with Jackson. "Admiral Lucius offered to reinstate me to the Fleet, but I cannae accept. As for the lil' fruit Arjem, as long as he is payin me I cannae kill him...but on the safe side, make it three weeks!"
"A hundred credits says two," Jackson answered. He patted Quentin on the back. "How about a drink before you hit the trail and I head home to Oz?"
Quentin nodded. "I could use a belt, and I believe you have one of me bottles of Dunnigan's behind the bar!"
Jackson and Quentin entered the bar and the noise level rose considerably. They were two of the Wormhole's most well-known (rowdy) patrons whose presence always livened thing up. Behind the bar Jono whistled loudly.
"Jackson! Quentin! Come here!." He shooed two men away from the bar to clear stools for them.
"Jono, how's tricks?" Jackson settled on a barstool. "You still have Q's bottle back there?"
"Indeed I do, mon." Jono reached down and pulled out a bottle and two glasses. "And no fighting tonight. I got new tables."
Jackson shook his head. "No fightin', I promise. I've already been arrested once tonight." He turned back to Quentin and pushed the bottle to him.
"I could be persuaded to stay here, but I have no job, and certain diplo-geeks do pay well, even if they be pansies!" Quentin took the bottle and poured two stiff drinks. "In yer eye!" he smiled and shotgunned the tumbler of booze.
"An yers too." Jackson drained the glass and set it down for another. "So why take off? Had enough of the Fleet life?"
"The walls is closing in, Jack. E'er since that bullshit with Tricia, Jimmy and me have nae been eye-to-eye, and even tho I helped keep the site secure until Davey blew it up, the tension has reached a boilin' point." Quentin filled his glass again. "I fucked over me best friends, and it's gettin' to me!"
"We all do things that we might wonder about later. Ya can't change history, Q but ya can't let it rule the future either." Jackson shrugged. "Besides, she's still at home with Jim, yeah?"
"I cannae see her again, by her request. I think me being Arjem's body guard may be a good thing. At least I can go home and see me folks occasionally,"
"Well, seein' the folks is good. As for Tricia, no offense to Jim, but not seein' her doesn't sound like a bad thing. It's a big-ass station, Q. But ya gotta do what ya gotta do." Jackson studied Quentin a moment. "Sure there's not some other reason?"
"Aye, but I'm keepin it to meself," Quentin answered, his voice suddenly brittle. He was watching a male customer berate an Orion waitress, his eyes were locked onto the man.
"I promised Jono we wouldn't fight tonight," Jackson said siaftly, following Quentin's gaze. "I didn't make that same promise about Saturnalia, however. Just sayin'. You sure you don't care to share? Maybe I can help. It's what I do around here."
"Jack, I'm tired of everything! Tired in a way sleep can't cure! I am nae a damn security training monkey. I am a security expert! I have nae been utilized because of me size and temper, and I am nae willin' to change either!"
"Make that one week with Arjem instead of two." Jackson smiled, then nodded. "I get that, my friend, really. Just be sure that this is what you want. Why not take a vacation down below before ya take off to Dormeil Prime? Flex the muscles...so to speak."
Quentin nodded. "It may do me some good, I have been at it non-stop for five years. Might be nice to chase some women me own size!"
that got a laugh from Jackson. "Just remember how to say 'yes ma'am'. You'll get a lot farther. But you didn't hear that from me. " He winked, then refilled their glasses.
"Indeed!" Quentin coughed, then looked at Jackson. "Ye want me to stay here, don't ye? I can see it all over yer simple face!"
"Who the hell you callin' simple?" Jackson grinned again. "You can simply kiss my ass." He clinked his glass to Quentin's. "I think you oughta do what you need to do. Trust me when I say...for a long time I didn't and I was miserable."
"Ye didn't answer me question, ya artful dodger!"
Jackson considered the question, then shook his head. " Right now? No. I think you've got an itch and ya won't be happy till ya scratch it. Wonderin' what if sucks. Been there, done that. Learn from my past experience. Just don't take as long as I did to figure it out."
"I'll make you a deal: I will vacation on Amazonia and mull things over. Dave's ship is scheduled for a week layover for repairs I'll just have em do it here. If I wanna stay at the end I'll come to ye."
"Fair enough." Jackson raised his glass. "One more for me, then I gotta get home."
Quentin filled his friend's glass, then his, gunned down the liquor, and then marched over to the bull who had shoved the waitress. "Try shovin' me, arsehole!"
"Oh hell, here we go," Jackson muttered. "I'm sorry, Jono." He jumped off his stool and bellowed for the bouncer. "Rio!"
Quentin launched a roundhouse right and sent the bully smashing through two tables onto the deck. Gotta love this place!
"Noooooo!" came Jono's howl from behind the bar.
Then....Chaos.
Quentin Harrison
On The Horns Of a Dilemma
&
Jackson Banning V
Owner & Barroom
