Brinkley enters wearing shorts and carrying a bucket and spade. His face is sunburned.
"Spot of r and r, chaps."
He shakes sand from his sandals.
"Egad. Brandy anyone?"
He plops down in a chair by the roaring fire, and proffers cigars.
"From Gaia, unusual smelling things. Now what have I missed? Quiet as usual I suppose."
He picks up a copy of the Times.
"I mean it's not as if there's been a civil war brewing between the corsairs, is it? Or as if some pretender to the Bretonian throne has emerged? I mean, it's safe to say that....."
Samantha docked, giggling hysterically...
She hoped out of the ship, and fudged the landing...Stumbled.
Popped a few pills, and wandered around the concourse, eventually settling onto a bench overlooking the docks...still giggling.
"Dammit. I can't get a break. Guarding Mariko all day, and now a girl that can't even talk."
Marzoruki's train of thought was interrupted by the sounds of sobs as he was headed towards his Blood Dragon.
He realized Captain Windsor was crying hysterically sobbing on a bench, on her lonesome.
Not a very social person, Marzoruki didn't feel comfortable about the idea of speaking with her, in her current state.
"Sammy, is something wrong?" Marzoruki inquired, his words roughly accented.
Samantha didn't hear the young dragon over her sobs.
Marzoruki moved inches away from her, she seemed not to take notice.
Slowly leaning over, he repeated his question in her ear, startling her.
In shock Samantha smacked Marzoruki.
"DAMMIT! OUCH!" Marzoruki howled in obvious pain.
His screams seemed to have temporarily gained the attention of Captain Windsor, as she looked up to assess the damage she had done.
Marzoruki's chin and ear framed a bright red handprint, bright red lines beginning to show near his eye, where her nails had bit.
*sniff*
"Oh...oh...Sorry...sorry..."
*sniff*
"You don't happen to have a snackbar, do you?"
Looking up, she saw a crowd beginning to cluster around the concourse, watching them, embarrassed.
"Oh my god...I'm making a scene..oh...oh my god...This is too much..."
Sobbing, Samantha Windsor, Captain in Queen Carina's Own, fished a bottle out of her bag, and popped three doses of synthetic marijuana, in front of a growing crowd on the main concourse of Glasglow Outpost, Bowex Headquarters.
The hospital van drew up in a cloud of dust. A young man, in the dishevelled uniform of a QCO pilot got out and waved goodbye. "Thanks awfully! he said.
He came towards the bench and saluted.
"Aubrey Mainwaring reporting for duty ma'am" he said.
"Terribly sorry, but after you left space last night, a KGL fighter came in, damaged Southampton storage depot and challenged me to combat. I didn't bother telling him I was a junior pilot, but engaged at once. He outclassed me, I'm afraid. Then I........captain? Are you all right?"
The Captain's eyes were flickering, the pupils wide.
Aubrey turned looked at the gathering crowd of idlers, pointing and laughing.
"I say, er, Marz? Would you mind awfully helping me with the Captain? Take an arm, there's a nice chap. Let's get her to somewhere she can, er, recover. Hot tea or coffee and a lie down might be nice. Tell me, do they have a psychiatrist or counsellor on this site?"
Fotunatus strode into the bar. He'd heard about the incident involving Captain Windsor through the Admiralty. He'd be damned if he was going to stand by if they really tried to make an example of her. Things were stressful enough already for the Queens Fleet, without the obnoxious buffoons within the admiralty stirring up resentment in the ranks. But first a drink or four. By god he needed it today.
Mark McKenna was sitting hunched over his glass of brandy. He was quite tired. An ordinary day on duty changed in an unusual one when his commanding officer started giggling and babbling in the comms. It was quite hard keeping pace with Samantha and trying to protect her from the results of her decisions. Her impulsive excursion to Arranmore resulted in a battle with the KGL. Then she tried to invade Kusari with three fighters... Fortunately she changed her mind on that one before it was too late.
Of course, he didn't talk about that with anyone outside the group involved, but that didn't help much. The whole station was talking about a scene in the docks, some pilots recollected parts of communication Sam broadcasted system-wide...
He knew she used Synth as a painkiller lately. But never before in space. Today she was dangerous to herself and to others. He wanted to stop her, she needed to be stopped, but he feared to do that. Insubordination is a serious offense. And he also didn't want to harm her. Stopping her could result in an even bigger scandal.
"Commodore Wright." Mark looked up from his glass and straightened. No matter how he tried to hide it, he looked weary.
Fortunatus nodded to the QCR officer. The signs of extreme stress showed clearly in his young eyes, dispite his attempts to hide it. This was not good, not at all.
Finishing his drink he stood and headed for the exit.
"Mr McKenna!" he said as he passed. "Good to see you again. You know where I am should the need ever arise."
He snapped a quick salute to the young officer before moving on.
Mark stopped in his steps for a moment, suprised by the Commodore. It seemed like he could hear Marks thoughts.
How much did Wright know? And what would he do if he knew what happened out there? He is Samantha's friend. But still... It was a quick thought. "Yes, sir. I do." he mumbled more to himself than to the Commodore. He forgot to return the salute and walked slowly out of the room.
Fortuntus checked his watch. 17:50. Hmmm, he thought, time to leave the shadows behind. He stepped out of his hiding place and quickly moved to the entrance of the Crown and Coin. He wasnt quite sure how hed managed to avoid the admiralty goons that were looking for him, but he had. Now it was time to say goodbye to an old friend. He pushed open the doors and stopped in disbelief. The place was heaving. Hed never seen so many of the Queens forces in one place before. He turned to the doorman.
Henry, lock the doors. No-one, and I mean no-one, other than the Queens men get access tonight. Ok?
Henry smiled, and nodded, turning to close the doors to the pub. Fortunatus pushed his way to the bar and ordered a large shot of the finest malt on offer. He took a deep breath, and then climbed up onto the polished mahogany.
Ladies and gentlemen! he roared. Officers and recruits and engineers and friends! Tonight we say farewell to one of our best. Sadly we cannot commit his remains to the stars as he is already there. Instead we shall bury ourselves with alcohol! Remember Isaac Brock, and drink with me until we can remember no more! To Isaac! May he rest in peace! He raised his glass and drained the contents, as the rest of the pub followed suit.
To Isaac! they roared, and the floor shook at the sound.
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