I'll Drink To That

Posted on Fri Oct 7th, 2011 @ 1:00pm by Jackson Banning V

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Holosuite 9

* * * Holosuite 9 * * *

As it turned out, some last minute business held Jackson at the Nexus till nearly 3 AM, so it was late when he stopped Sulan before the doors of the holosuite.

"Ready?"

She eyed him warily a moment, then nodded. "I suppose so. Lead on."

The doors slid open and they stepped in to find themselves in a street, just past dusk. Street lamps glowed along each side and only a few people were out and about, hurrying home. The dress of the residents, and the buildings, looked rather old-fashioned, and Sulan at once recognized it. The Ba'ku planet.

"Oh Jackson...."

He nodded soberly, pulling his gaze from the street and back to Sulan. He offered his arm and once she'd slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow, they began to walk. He led her around a corner and down a deserted side street.

"How long has it been?" It was as if time had folded back on itself. Their feet traveled the oh-so-familiar path towards the unmarked door at the end of the street. She knew how long, her question was merely a formality.

"Twelve years, Su." Jackson's tone was quiet. He'd wanted to bring her back to where it had all started. Su had been twenty-two then, just out of the Academy. Jackson himself had just turned....he preferred not to think about that at the moment.

"Twelve years." Her voice was soft. "How's that possible?" They reached the door and she stopped Jackson, turning him to face her. As she had done earlier in the evening, she studied his face, his handsome unlined face. Still so youthful. Without hesitation, she reached up, tracing the line of his jaw with her fingertip, moving it along to his temple, his smooth forehead. "Who knows now?"

"Only Li on the station. I've lost track of Natalia, I stopped reportin' in five years ago. Then I became rather difficult to track for a little while and I guess they finally gave up." He shrugged. "You?"

"I was transferred to Dr. Chong two years ago when I moved to the Gamma Quadrant. I saw him two months ago just before I left to come out here. He says I look disturbingly well."

"He sure is right about that." Jackson smiled. "He have anything enlightening to say?"

Su knew the question he was not asking. It was the one that always loomed foremost in their minds, asked so often, never answered.

"He says he has no idea. Their tests have revealed little new information of value. They are, in a word, mystified. The good news is, for us I suppose, that I am not regressing."

Jackson digested this news and hugged her close for a moment. It was indeed wonderful news. He could handle staying just the way he was, thank you very much. A more vain creature than Jackson did not exist on SB900. Finally, he opened the door.

"Ladies first."

She stepped in to a dim hallway. Jackson closed the door behind her and then, taking her hand, led her along through a cozy parlour and then out to a veranda that overlooked a lake. Dinner was laid out on a table lit by several candles. Su moved over to the low wall that surrounded the veranda, looking out over the water. It was as peaceful as it had been at the beginning of that night, the night before they'd left for Outpost 23 and everything had changed. Jackson had the setting perfect, right down to the last detail.

He appeared at her side and passed her a glass of wine. "Let's hope the end of this evening is better than the real thing twelve years ago."

"I'll drink to that." Sulan smiled as she touched her glass to his.

*********
Jackson Banning V
Owner & Erstwhile Romantic
The Nexus Club

Tora Sulan
House Manager & Hoping For Better Things
The Nexus Club