Making It Official
Posted on Mon Oct 19th, 2015 @ 12:17pm by Lieutenant Raymond Benson & Jackson Banning V & Vic & Janice Gree
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: The Nexus Club - Jackson's Office
The Nexus Club - Jackson’s Office *
Jackson looked in the mirror and adjusted his bowtie. Finally he was satisfied and turned back to his desk. Beside it, a silver ice bucket on a stand, filled with ice and champagne, waited. He moved it back to the corner so it wasn’t so obvious, then checked the time. Jan and Ray were due to arrive any second so he opened a channel on his terminal to track down Vic. The computer informed him that Vic was not in his quarters but was rerouting, so he waited for him to answer.
Six was in the shower, so Vic felt okay to answer the chirp of the commbadge. “Jackson? I’m off tonight. Did someone call in?”
“Hey Vic. No, Sam’s on the bar and he’ll be just fine. I need to see you about somethin’ else and it’s important. I know yer off an’ I hope I’m not puttin’ ya out, but can ya swing by the office for a few?”
“I was headed to the Promenade anyway. I’ll be there shortly.” Vic closed the comm channel and called into the bathroom, “Six, I’m headed out for a few minutes; I’ll bring back dinner.”
She poked her head out of the shower and smiled. “Sure. Watch your back please.”
* The Nexus *
“He did say he was on his way, right?” Janice pestered Jackson again.
“Yes, he’s comin’. His first words were ‘Jackson I’m off tonight’ before I even spoke. Which means, I suspect, that there’s a woman involved.”
“With Vic?” Ray asked. “Hey, good for him.” About time too, he thought.
“Oh my,” Jan said, her tone sarcastic, “Is it possible that all three of us will be happily gettin’ some whenever we want?”
Ray cleared his throat. “What am I, chopped liver?” he asked. “I get mine, thank you very damn much.” But he was smiling at Jan.
Jan laughed, “The three I was referring to are Jackson, Vic and me. Who’re you seeing these days, Ray?”
“Somebody who’d kick my ass and has the ability to do so if I ran around telling tales, Jan. Let’s just say she wears gold shall we?”
Jackson began to laugh. “You weren’t kiddin’ about bein’ able to kick yer ass. I bet you have fun after hours.” He was still laughing when the doors opened for Vic.
“Ah! The wanderer arrives!” Jan turned to look at Vic...
...who very nearly turned and ran. “Ah, lovely to see you, too, Jan?” He looked at Jackson and Ray. “Hey - I was going to call you tomorrow. Or, have Six call you.”
“Me?” His words surprised Ray. “What about? I don’t think I’ve got any business with Six that I know of. What’s up?”
Vic’s mention of calling Ray, with his name and Six’s in the same sentence whetted Jackson’s curiosity and he glanced over to Jan.
Jan caught Jackson’s look and shrugged. Vic ignored them, “Six ran into some trouble with Suresh today. We’ll see how she feels about it tomorrow.” Now he looked at Jackson and Jan, “So... why are we all gathered here?”
“She did?” Jackson frowned at the mention of ‘trouble’. “What happened? And I take it she was with you when I called?”
“She was in the shower,” he answered, fueling their imaginations. “It seems that Suresh ...ah, was caught in flagrante with his wife.”
“Wife?” Jan echoed. “When the hell was he ever married? Who would marry him?”
“I take it Six wasn’t aware he had a wife. Awwww, shit. Poor kid.” Jackson frowned at Vic. “Just be careful, it may not turn out to be an easy situation. Just lookin’ out for ya, that’s all.”
Ray was also frowning. “Crappy situation, but what’s that got to do with me? Unless she’s wanting to keep him away?”
Again, Vic shrugged. “Yeah, we’ll see tomorrow whether she wants to talk to you or to Suresh.”
“Just call then and we’ll make it happen.” Ray nodded to Jackson.
“Anyhow, I went to see Jan early this mornin’ with an idea. You’ve been with us since we were on the Berkeley, through everything. We would never have gotten this place off the ground without ya either, Vic. We figured it’s high time you were rewarded. Jan?” Jackson inclined his head to her to take over.
For an awkward second, Jan didn’t catch Jackson’s intent. Finally, she did, “Oh, yes, we did figure that, Vic. So we’re naming you as a partner in the Nexus.”
“A partner?” Vic frowned. “What if I say no? Thanks but no?”
Jackson looked over to Jan for a second, then turned to Vic. “Would you? It would mean more time for yourself and a nice cut of the profits. It would also help us out too so none of us are havin’ to live here like we’ve been doin’.”
Vic laughed, “Jack, you think I’m stupid? Of course I wouldn’t say no!” He grabbed Janice and hugged her. “Partner! That’s fantastic!”
Janice laughed with him, “Yeah, now you get to worry just like we do!”
Jackson laughed and moved around the desk to hug Vic. “Welcome to the family yet again.” He clapped Vic on the back. “You think Sam’ll be a good replacement for you at the main bar?”
“Won’t I be able to stay behind the bar? Most of the time?” Vic looked from one to the other.
“Oh sure, usually, but some nights, like when Jackson wants time with Oz and her weird little brood, we’ll need you out on the floor.” Jan avoided mentioning the nights when she’d want to be home with Raj.
“That way we can split up the floor nights.” Jackson nodded. “To get to the fine print, what we’ve done is re-divide the business into three parts instead of half. Ray’s got all the legal stuff, he just wants ya to sign on the dotted line.”
“In blood,” Ray grinned as he passed Vic a padd.
Taking it from Ray, Vic made a few swipes and passed it back. “And thus it’s official,” he grinned broadly.
Ray took the padd back, checked it all over and nodded. “Done and done. So how’s it feel to be one of the owners of one of the most profitable businesses on this massive bucket of bolts?”
“Pretty damned good,” Vic acknowledged, still smiling. That smile faded, though, and he said, “Much as I’d like to celebrate this, I have a young woman waiting for me to bring dinner to her.”
“Dinner, really?” Jan looked him over and noted the bit of blood on Vic’s shirt. She chose not to mention it.
He nodded, “Dinner. Gotta go.”
“Is she okay?” Jackson asked. “Anything we can do to help? An’ have Hillaire pack up dinner for ya here before ya go.”
“Good plan. Hang on,” he called the kitchen and placed an order. Once he was done, he turned to Jackson to respond, “She’s angry. She went right to the holodeck and beat the tar out of some ‘graphic Klingons. I shouldn’t be giving her advice, though, all things considered.”
“No, you shouldn’t be, but aren’t you just about the only one she’ll turn to?” Jan asked. “Does she have friends on the Station?”
“I’ve seen ‘er here a time or two with Reva and Riley,” Jackson answered. “But mostly just with Suresh.”
Vic nodded. “And Reva hates Suresh, so she’s not really a good one to talk to about this.”
“She is a girlfriend, though,” Jan said, “Her shoulder might be a better one to cry on.”
“Well, good luck, Vic.” Jackson smiled. “Or should I say good luck partner? Call us if we can help out.”
Ray rose with his padds in hand. “Ditto that Vic. You know where to find me. I’m out kids.” He waved and strolled out through the office doors.
Suddenly Jackson recalled the champagne. “Damn. I meant to open this. Wanna take with you?”
“Champagne?” Vic gave Jackson the stink eye. “That’s a serious thanks but no thanks. I will take a bottle of wine, though. Maybe Janice could take it to her friend?” He winked at her.
“My... Jackson! Did you tell him already!?”
“I haven’t breathed a word, I swear!” Jackson grinned at Vic, then tapped the side of his head.
Vic read Jackson and looked at Jan, mouth agape. “Raj? He’s ... what? He’s like twelve, Jan!”
She sighed. “He’s over the age of consent for his species, so don’t start with me!”, she warned, wagging a finger at him. “And now I’m going to go do a few scales,” she rolled her eyes and left the office.
“And so, pardner, I’m heading back to Six. See you tomorrow,” Vic touched his forehead in a salute.
“Call me tomorrow,” Jackson requested as Vic departed.
******************
Jackson Banning V
Janice Gree
Vic
Owners, The Nexus Club
Lt Ray Benson
Making It Happen
