McCool's Tavern - Freeport 1

[Dane Summers]

Dane held the drink in his hand, swirled the glass, watched as the amber liquid blended together, creating golden swells, waves the color of sunlight. It took him to memories of Los Angeles, of sitting out for hours, just washing the waves crash, counting every single second, passing by like a year. As he watched the drink, and heard the words, a small voice whispered about freedom. About how he had lost it. ...never were the man for this job...you gave away freedom...summer is over...its all gone...all gone...all gone...

He let out a breath, and downed the drink, crushing the voice in a flare of anger and righteous vigor. It wasnt hard to let loose the gates and turn all that emotion from a drip into a swell. Into a crashing sea. And he did, drowning out that voice. Drowning out that part of him that wanted nothing more then to wrap itself in all his mistakes, like a blanket. Embracing that pain like an old friend. That part of himself he always hated.

"If you go to Gran Canaria, Doc, to negotiate this thing...hell...I cant leave here. But i'll never let another man speak my words. It aint about pride, and beleive me, i'd trust you in this...its just...i beleive a man owns every word he speaks. Its my responsibility...."

Dane smiled, thought of a few friends who meant the most to him, those friends who picked him up off the ground, dusted him off, told him how proud they were, and convinced him to stop listening to the wrong people.

"I started this thing. Im doing the right thing, no matter what anyone says. The crown wants this freeport? They have to be willing to murder free men and women who wont bow to house government oppression, to get it. I wont let it go without a fight Doc. I owe it to everyone here..."

"Let me talk to Genine. I may go with you, or she might, or we both might. Either way..."

Dane looked around at everyone in the bar, and even the bar itself, so half built, so rough and unfinished, it pulled at his heart. He heard laughter. He heard music. He heard life. It brought a smile to his face. And he knew, in his heart, that this place deserved it. Everything he was doing was so right. He could do nothing else.

"...Either way...nothing is going to stop me fighting for this place. fighting for its people. until every last one of us can stop worrying, and just live our lives. Until then, yeah, we'll hold this ground. hold it against anything that comes. Bretonia. Liberty. Rheinland. Kusari. Even the damn nomads and the whole damn universe itself. Freedom is worth that, i think."

---