Time To Hide Out

Posted on Fri Jun 8th, 2012 @ 7:11pm by Jackson Banning V & Tora Sulan

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: Jackson's Office - The Nexus Club

Jackson hurried across his quarters to the comm panel but before he could touch it, it beeped. Incoming message from Sulan. Pressing the button, her face appeared and Jackson spoke.

"You sure you're not psychic? I was just comin' to call you."

Sulan smiled. "Then I have good timing, it seems. There is something I want to talk to you about."

"Oh boy, honey, there's somethin' I need to talk to you about too. Where are you?"

"I'm at the Club, why?"

"Oh! Don't go anywhere. Get into my office and lock the door. Don't let anyone in but Jan or me. I'll be there as soon as I get dressed. And go now." Jackson was at least a little relieved. Hopefully she hadn't been spotted on the Promenade, since Harding had been down here.

Sulan smiled. "I heard you had quite an evening with the new girl last night. But why all the caution?"

New girl? Sulan had already heard? Jeez. Jackson grumbled and shook his head. "I'll explain when I get there. See you in ten." He ended the transmission and hurried to his bedroom.

* * *

Jackson reached his office in eight minutes flat and banged on the door. "Sulan, it's me. Open up." The door slid open and he rushed in, tapping the panel to lock it behind him. He turned to find her leaning back against his desk, her arms crossed. "How'd you know it was really me?"

"Oh Jackson, come on, who else has that twang in their voice?" She gave him a wicked grin. "Well, besides your new girl. Vic says she's quite a charmer and from your 'neck of the woods' is how he put it."

"Yeah, she is." He moved across the office to check the little-used back entrance and was satisfied to find it was locked as well.

"Well good. Maybe you'll finally be happy Jackson. Goodness knows, Jan and I keep hoping that you'll find someone uncomplicated who understands you."

Jackson rolled his eyes. 'It's not like that, Su, it's just --" He frowned. "Never mind, that's not the issue right now. We've got bigger things to worry about."

"Such as?" Something in his tone set off her alarm bells immediately.

"Harding." Jackson got right down to business. "He is here on the station."

Sulan paled at the news and reached down, gripping the edge of his desk. "What's he doing here?"

"Tracked Nat as far as I know. He had no idea you and I were here....till he checked the station crew. He called when Nat and I were just wakin' up yesterday mornin' to arrange a meetin' with her. That was when she told me it would be best if I stayed away from her. He didn't see me then, but he was apparently having her quarters watched and saw me leave."

"Oh Jackson, you don't think that she would...." Sulan began, but he cut her off.

"No, I don't. She was frightened at the very idea of seein' him. Then last night at the Wormhole Cass an' I saw him. He tried throwin' his weight around till I had Rio show him the door." He paused to let that sink in.

"And I suspect there's more?"

"Yeah. Just after Cass left my quarters this mornin' he showed up."

Sulan held up her hands then. "Wait....wait. You were at Natalia's the night before, and Cass stayed with you last night? Jackson, what are you doing?"

"Not nearly as much as you think, Su. Cass got me home when I was so plastered I was seein' double and stayed over to make sure I was okay. I passed out about five minutes after we got home."

"I see." Sulan's gaze was sympathetic. "So the woman you did sleep with told you to stay away, and the woman you didn't sleep with is staying close and will now be working for you. I give up. Continue please."

"So Harding showed up. Apparently he and Cass had words out in the hall and she popped him in the nose. Actually, that's the best part of my mornin' so far. Anyhow, he came in makin' threats about what he'd do if I didn't stay away from Nat, sayin' that since both Nat and I swore there was nothin' between us, he was going to pursue her as he'd wanted to do all along. Then he ordered me to report in to him in Sickbay. And he intends to make sure he gets to you too."

"Oh, Jackson, what are you going to do? About Natalia?"

Jackson shrugged. "Dunno. I'm debatin' now. Knowin' that asshole, he was serious and if I don't stay away from her, he'll make her life miserable. If I do, then he won't be able to use me against her and she'll be able to deal with him better since she won't be worried about me."

Sulan nodded. "Makes sense. As for me seeing him? Natalia's got all my up to date records, so he has no reason to call me in."

"Well, he's plannin' to anyhow. Which is why I wanted you here ASAP. Yer timin' was perfect since he was down in my quarters. I have an idea but first, why'd you call me?"

Sulan shifted slightly as she sat on the edge of his desk. "I came to talk to you about taking a leave of absence. It's important at this phase with Kit'rin'e. My long absences are affecting him physically at a time when he needs me there for the bonding to complete. Do you think you can manage?"

"I understand." Jackson considered her question, then nodded. "I can, yeah. I think Cass will be better at your job while you're out than waitressin'. But, and I want to make sure you understand this. When you are ready to come back, it's still your job. Got it?"

"Got it." Sulan smiled at him. "So, what's your idea?"

"I want you out of Harding The Horrible's reach. I'm gonna call Nenita and have her take you up to one of the guest rooms on the Intel decks. They can arrange for Kit'rin'e to come up and see you, they did it for Connor when Oz was up there. No one can get to those floors without the code so he can't get to you."

"Do you really think this is necessary Jackson?"

"I do. I have no clue what he's up to yet, but it's somethin' and he needs us for it. I don't doubt it has to do with that old project but I'm not in the mood to play anymore. An' with you and Kit'rin'e startin' yer life together, you don't need it either unless ya want yer new mate to eat Harding. We retired, we are no longer Starfleet. We're not gonna be guinea pigs again, Su."

"So, when?"

"Now. I'll call Nenita an' she can meet us here, take you out the back exit so yer not seen. You can call Kit'rin'e later when he's done with classes and have him bring what you need."

Sulan was silent for a few beats, then nodded. "It's just like old times, J, just some of the players have changed. Some, not all." She sighed aloud. "Call her and let's get going."

Jackson rested his hand on her shoulder. "Try not to worry, he's not gettin' through me." He hugged her tight, then moved behind his desk to his terminal.

_____________________
Jackson Banning V
Tora Sulan
Doing An End Run
The Nexus Club