The Tales of Jackson Stone

[nOmnomnOm]

Chapter 7

Things get messy


Jackson returns from his ship still is a foul mood.
"So many things to do.... plans to be made...”
He mutters to himself grunting looking up, he sees the bar filled with people.
"Evening...”
He spots the girl that he met before, hearing from people her name was Amy.
“Um Amy, I’ve been meaning to talk to yea... unless you are still sad and all that...."
He notices another girls sitting next to her, white hair and blue eyes. For a split second he stops and smirks a bit, admiring her beauty.
"Oh hello...”
He looks at the other girl thinking to himself how beautiful she looked. He nods a hello.
“And you are?"

She grins.
"I’m Thing.... And you are?"

"Thing huh? Beautiful name... I’m Jackson. I don’t believe we met before?"

Jackson doesn’t notice a man next to her until he speaks up.
The man smiles.
“Not really, yourself?”

"I'm not myself no. Pissed off at the moment actually..."
Jackson shakes it off and looks back at Thing.
"Is Thing a nickname or..."

She shrugs.
"I don't believe so, I’m kind of new around here."
Thing looks at Jackson.
"It’s my ships call sign, Wild Thing."

"Ah, so you’re afraid to give out your identity Ms. Thing?"

She raises an eyebrow.
"Afraid? No. But there isn't a need for me to be giving my identity out either."

"Ah I see. Well if we are sharing nick names here then you can call me Blood. That’s part of my ship’s call sign... I'm new here too."

She nods.
"Nice to meet you."

"Aye same to you...so what ship class is this ‘Wild Thing’ of yours? I heard some rumor about you earlier but..."

The man next to Thing looks at Jackson slightly annoyed.
“Was talking to Thing here.”

"It’s alright Kevin, I can talk to both of ya."
She grins
"My ships an arrow..... and rumours? Wow, I feel loved now!"

Jackson turns to Kevin.
"Oh sorry, I’m just in a bad mood, my apologies if anything"

Kevin smiles.
“It's alright we are all in a bad mood. It's our job.”
He laughs.
“That be an Arrow last time I checked.”

"An arrow? You don’t say? Huh... interesting choice, I bet you’re a good pilot then?"

She shrugs.
"That depends on your definition of 'good'. And what the rumors say."

"The rumors say you annoy the hell out of Turtles. I'd say that be good since you are still alive and in one piece."

She cracks up laughing.
"Well, they aren't far off from the truth..... That’s for sure."

"So Thing, you do anything for fun besides annoying Rheinlanders?"
Jackson says smirking.

"Does drinking count?"
She thinks for a moment.
"What else is there to do here that’s fun anyway?"

He laughs.
"Drinking? Ha! You don’t say? I got this tradition whenever I enter a Rogue base. Dates back to my VR years. Care for a taste of it Thing? It’s on me."

She looks at her glass before back at Jackson
"Sure. Why not."

"Adda girl!"
Jackson laughs again and grabs the bartender’s attention.
"Bartender! Vodka-extra, 90%! Make it 2 shots!"
He turns back to Thing as the shots slide to him.
"Aye normally I take only one if I’m new in a bar. Already had 2 today, but I say this is a special occasion."
He hands Thing a shot glass.
"Now to enjoy the full experience you drink it all at once! No fussing! Cheers!"
Chuckling, he takes a swing and empties the glass.

She raises the glass before shotting the drink and making a face.
"Well.... That’s got... a bite to it."

"Oh let it sink in you your gut! It’s damn good!"

Kevin looks at his PDA.
“Woops got to get going guys.”
He walks out of the bar.

Jackson nods.
“Take care.”

Thing nods as well.
"I'll talk to you again later Kevin."
She shakes her head and looks at Jackson.
"I think I like your tradition."

"Aye! Lovely is it? Just don’t take too much or you will.....*hick* Damn it."

Thing giggles.

"That's what I get for having three in the span on an hour. It’s ok... I'm good...*hick*... uughh..."

She shakes her head, giggling, before waving the bar tender over and ordering 2 vodka drinks, she slides one across the table for Jackson.

"HAHA! Another? Well I can refuse the offer. I'm a Rogue, but mama *hick* taught me manners. Don't mind if I do! On the count of three and we drink it whole. No drops remaining!"
"1, 2,..."

Thing grins.
"Now, that’s what I like to hear..."

"3!"
Jackson shoots the drink into his mouth, empties the shot glass, slamming it on the table.

She drinks the drink, not quite finishing it before Jackson. Realizing this, she pokes out her tongue and brushes her hair out of her eyes.

Jackson notices her eyes and starts to admire them.
"Aye those eyes are marvelous..."

She grins before covering them with her hands.
"No they aren't!"

Jackson reaches over and moves her hand away and stares into her eyes.
"Aye, they are... like small diamonds... more precious than bloodstones."

Jackson notices a man waking up at a table, seeming to have dozed off before. He ignores it though.

Thing shakes her head.
"Nah, nothing that special about them."
She orders another drink for the two of them.

Just then, Fluffy walks happily into the room dragging a broken chain with bite marks on the end. Jackson turns around hearing the jingling sound of the chain and sighs when he sees him.
"Fluffy! I thought I told you to stay put! Damn it something might happen to you!"

Another man not far away takes a look at Fluffy and remembers he is starving.
“Mmmm.”
He proceeds to orders the usual mystery meat at the bar and sits back on his distant table.

Amy stands up and walks over to the door, being preoccupied with something else.
“I'll see you guy's later.”
She leaves the bar.

Jackson doesn’t notice Amy but then turns to the man that ordered the meat. He then recognizes him as one of the men, named Romario, that killed Snowball. He sees him staring at the bear and quickly gets angered as he is still intoxicated now.
"DONT you LAY a FINGER on him PAL!!”
He takes out one of his 44 Magnums.
" Or there is A BULLET WAITING FOR YOU!"

Romario grins and keeps eating.
“Be puttin' dat in di dam place again or yu bi gettin hurt mon.”

Thing looks sideways at Jackson.
"Put that away. Don't need no trouble here."

"God damn it! He's the trouble! He in his two friends murdered my other one! And he was just a cub!"

“Where be de proof?”
Romario replies back.

Jackson puts the gun away.

Romario grins at him. (secretly putting a screwdriver back in its place, unnoticed.)

"Where’s the proof!? Ask the people that wear his skin!"

Thing leans back in her seat and takes a sip of her drink. She glances around the bar to see who else was about in case this got messy.

Jackson grumbles and purchases a rare steak from the bartender, who is staring at the bear too for a few moments as well, and then goes back to his bear. He cuddles Fluffy.

Romario keeps looking at Fluffy and decides it's not worth the shot. He lights a spliff.

"OK Fluffy, I’m gonna give you some food and you shoo out of here and back on the ship. Got it?"

*Fluffy nods*

“It understands? Pft.”
Romario rolls his eyes.

"Adda boy!"
Jackson pets the bear’s head and watches Fluffy grabbing the steak and running off happily. He turns seeing still Romario staring at the bear and close towards him.
"You so dare as you %*#$ up that one, I’ll personally skin you alive just like you did with snowball. I'm a nice guy but animal cruelty in my parts is beyond seriously stupid, even for us."

Romario exhales in Jackson's face and says nothing.
“Sit. This started wrong. Sit.”

Jackson hicks again.

Thing watches them and moves her hand to her gun, turning the safety off.

Jackson, hearing the click, spins around taking his gun out and aims it for Thing's head.
"Now easy there girl...”

Romario looks around confused.
“Wut?”

“I heard that click."
Jackson squints.

“All calm down!”

"We are all drunk here...well.. I am..."

Romario says something in his comms. Seconds later a slave enters the room with a crate of luxury goods.
“Look what I got. Have some. Chill.”
He lights the spliff again and lies back exhaling.

Thing raises an eyebrow and pulls her gun out, resting it on the table, her finger still on the trigger pointed at Jackson.

Jackson walks up to Thing still with a gun pointing at her.

"Now, now... I like a girl that can defend herself... but don’t try anything crazy."

Romario sees this has no effect and simply watches.

The man that was sleeping before, Buster, appears behind Jackson. Jackson only knew of him a bit. The man reaches forward and crushes the barrel of his weapon with one robotic hand.
“Now now...we don't need any of that here.”

Romario nods.
“Dat works too.”

"Buster! WHAT THE HELL!"
Jackson yells still drunk.

“I’ll buy you a bigger one. Now sit down.”
Buster replies.

Jackson doesn’t do so but pulls out his other 44 magnum.

Thing watches the two, her gun still in hand.
"Sit down before you hurt yourself."

Jokingly, Buster sticks his metallic pointer finger into the barrel.

“See this? This here is a 44 magnum and it can blow you head clean off.”

“Pull it. I dare ya.”

Thing points the gun at Jackson again, before looking at Buster, slightly confused.

A malevolent look washes over Busters eyes and he gives Jackson an evil smirk. He curls his index finger and the barrel curls with it.

"You do understand a man when he is &#%$in’ annoyed and drunk, do yea?"

“You do understand your barrel is now pointed at the ground do you not?”

Romario takes out a AG-BS sawed off plasma shotgun.

Thing realizes her gun is probably pointless at this moment and puts it away, clicking the safety on again.

With the other hand, Buster places a hand on Jackson’s shoulders and presses down.
"Sit."

Jackson sighs unwinding and sits down again.

“If you plan on shooting your Boss in the face, make sure hes far enough away not to ruin your weapons. Ok?”

Jackson points a figure at Romario.

"You *hick* better watch it pall *hick*.... YOU DAMN MURDERED MY BEAR!"

Jackson starts lunging at Romario.

Buster grabs Jackson by the collar and slams him down, Hard.
“The next step is I throw you out.... the exhaust port.”

Upon hearing the commotion, Fluffy appears in a dead runs and run and covers Jackson's whole body

Buster looking at Romario shakes his head.
”Put the damn gun down Rommie.”

"There’s a good boy Fluffy..."
Jackson says quietly.

*Romario puts it back.*
“Okay, okay... It be a nice gun I be stealin' of dem LPI SWAT teams.”

Buster lets go of jacksons shoulders and returns to his table.
“God damn kids...”

Thing glares at Jackson and stands, walking up to the bar to order some cola.

Jackson manages to get out of Fluffy’s grip and stands up to dust himself off, picks up his 44 magnum and hides it away.
"Ok Fluffy, now shoo. I mean it. I’ll be fine." He says quietly.
The bear walks off.
" Ughh... that slam woke me up..."

Romaniro shakes his head and finishes off the spliff.

Thing takes the cola and goes to sit at an empty table. As Thing passes Buster's table, he pushes a chair at his out with his foot.

She flinches slightly before taking a seat at Busters table. She shakes her head.
"Thanks for that, before.... I didn't actually mean to cause trouble this time."

“Not a problem. How have you been?"

Jackson sighs, still with his damn problem pulsating in the back of his mind.

She shrugs.
"Alright, I guess. How about you?"

Jackson mutters to himself but load enough so the whole bar can hear him.
"Damn you Hellfire... Damn you to hell."

Romario looks up.
“Hm?”

"Oh... You don’t know? IS it just me that knows? They invaded Humbolt not long ago damn it!"

Romario shrugs at this.
“I been stayin' away for a while. My son be knowin' more. Maybe. He's out huntin' dam traders again."

"They claim to be 'protecting' the DSE."
Jackson grunts.
"To hell with them! They are ruining my income! I plan to finish them off! Even if I will have to murder each DSE member one, by one, by one..."

Thing glances across at Jackson, shaking her head slightly, refraining from commenting.

Jackson looks back and around.
"What? You seem to be quite about this. I though HF the damn enemies of the Rogues! Bah! guess it’s just me."

Romario glares for a while but is too stoned to react.
”...Yes.”

"You know who the Hellfire Legion is!? They are cunning damn f**kin terrorist scum ruinin’ business! I know cause i got history against them... Damn it if it weren't for them... VR would be still up and running."

Romario keeps staring and smiling foolishly.

"Oh keep smiling man! Keep doing it!"

Romario goes back to his seat in some sort of drug induced trance.

Jackson sighs and gets up. He goes to the bar and orders a milk in a glass and another liter of milk to go.

Thing sighs and looks at Buster.
"So, you're...."
She thinks for a moment.
"Ah, never mind. I dunno what I'm trying to say."

Jackson grabs the milk, drinks his glass, pays for the drinks and the broken shot glasses.

Buster smiles back at Thing.
“What?”

Amy walks back to the bar and goes to sit at a table back in to corner.

Thing smiles sheepishly.
"No, it doesn't matter."

Meanwhile, a younger rogue enters the bar clearly looking for someone. He then notices the wreck called his father and slowly helps his old man get out of the bar.
“Apologies if he caused trouble. Let’s put you to bed. See you tomorrow. I guess.”
They both walk out of the bar, Romario trying to light another spliff and his son face-palming.

Buster smiles.
“You don’t seem the type to be bashful.”

Meanwhile, Jackson sees Amy again and walks up to her to sit at her table.
"Amy dear, we still didn’t have a chance to finish our talk about this brother of yours."

She looks at Jackson.
“That's because I told you I don't want to.”

"What if I said I could help?"

“Excuse me?”

Thing thinks for a moment before shrugging.
"Who I am and who I make people believe I am, are generally two completely different people."

"You heard me right. I mean it."

“You best get to leaving me alone. If you know what’s good for ya.”

"Funny thing. I don’t. Now...."
He attempts to sit.
"Can I help or not, if he means that much to you."

She smiles back.
“Damn straight you don't.”
Amy stands up walking away from Jackson.

Seeing this, Jackson becomes confused. He runs and softly hold Amy’s shoulder, making her stop.
"I don’t get it, why can't I help find him?"

Amy stops mid place.
“Get your %&$#ing hand off me.”

"I got the experience; I got the tracking abilities to get him back..."
He sighs.
"Fine, but I bet he was a fine fellow... what I could make out.... And it’s a shame that you keep all this sadness in you and won’t let anyone help."

Thing takes a sip of her cola, leaning back in the chair she looked deep in thought.

Amy thinks for a sec before wiping out here pistol and knocking Jackson in the face with the pistol butt.
“I am telling you this once. Keep my brother out your &$%#ing mouth you don't know shit about him."
She continues to walk over to the bar, her hands now shaking.

Jackson steps to the side from the hit and coughs a bit. He speaks load enough so everyone can here.

"Oh look here you have a pretty little gun. Such a shame that I got MINE broken... O wait I have another... but BUSTER doesn’t allow me to protect myself!"
Jackson takes a few steps following Amy.
"Amy, don’t do this to yourself. I might not know him, but I’m as loyal as can be to any Rogue out there. Just... think about it.”

She stares angrily at Jackson.
“What the hell did I just say!”
She points her gun at his head.
“You don't know HALF the shit what I have been through. I would not even be here if it was not for Nathan. I suggest you shut the fuck up and get on with your sad life, before I end it right now!”
Tears are seen rolling down her eyes.

"END IT THEN! I KNOW how it is to loose someone too! END IT FOR ME! Just know when you do then hell is gonna break loose!"

Amy pulls the trigger.

In a split second Jackson makes a move and sweeps his hand against Amy's arm. The bullet goes flying to the other side of the bad and breaks open an expensive wine.
"GOD DAMN IT"
Jackson sweeps around and holds Amy in a death grip.
"CALM THE #$%& DOWN!"

“Telling me to calm down after I tell you to not talk about my brother.”
She kicks him in the balls.
“Calm THIS @#&% down!”

"ugghh... real nice...."
Jackson being hit, falls on the floor cringing in pain.

Amy throws here gun on him and runs out the room crying.

"Damn my luck.....ugghhh...every time i try to help someone I get injured....
*cough* *cough* "is that... blood? uuughhh can... *cough* anyone give me a hand? Damn it......"

Thing shakes her head and sighs. She stands up and walks over to him, holding out her hand, offering to help him up.

"uughhhh.... I think I’m in heaven... I see an angel in front of me...."

Thing raises an eyebrow.
"Yeah. Alright. You want a hand up or not?"

"Yea, yea, beautiful. Just give me a sec here...."
He finally notices Thing is in front of him, he feels embarrassed and slightly blushing a bit.
"Actually I’m fine.....Good as ever."
He tries his best to ignore the pain and manages to stand up on his own.
"There... no need for... *cough* assistance...."

"Uh huh, your fine... Don't need my help then."
She turns and walks back over to Busters table.

Buster looks back to her.
“Very noble of you.”

Thing looks slightly confused.
"He... I... What?"

Buster smiles.

Walking ever so slightly, Jackson manages to walk into the washroom.
Inside however Jackson can be heard panicking but his voice is muffled a bit in the washroom.
"HOLY @$%& WHAT DID THAT WOMAN DO TO ME!!!! I THINK IM GONNA DIE! AHHhhh.....!!!”

Thing takes a seat again, and another sip of her drink, trying not to react to Jackson's outburst. She looks across at Buster.
"So, is it always like this here?"

Buster shrugs.
“More or less. I like it when it’s quiet. But it seems that just isn’t in the cards today.”

From the washroom.
"THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN HERE, AND I'M BLEEDING IN PLACES I HAVE NOT BLED BEFORE!"

Thing nods, kind of glad he wasn't asking questions about her comment earlier.
"I don't think you'll be so lucky."
She put her glass down on the table and brushed her hair out of her eyes again.
"Think hes ok in there?"

“He will live.”

Out of nowhere Fluffy comes into the bar, confused and sniffing all over. He goes to Buster and Thing and starts whining, confused about where his master is and seeing some blood on the floor.

Buster points to the washroom and Fluffy runs in.

“So what were you saying before we were interrupted?”
Buster asks.

Fluffy he emerges and runs out and comes back with a role of band aids and cloth and goes back into the washroom.

She shrugs watching Fluffy head back into the washroom.
"I dunno"

Buster looks at Thing, catching a dose of how beautiful she is before switching his gaze to a more quizzical one.

Fluffy then runs out again, and comes back pulling what appears to be a big sled and pulls it into the washroom.

Thing stops for a moment watching Fluffy with the sled.
"I’m not gunna ask...."
She smiles and looks at Buster.
"Whats on your mind?"

*Abrupt*
“Huh? What? nothin. err. nothin. daydreaming I guess.... haven't slept. ya know."
His gaze wanders elsewhere.

She nods.
"Something keeping you up....."
Thing looks up at the bar, before back at Buster.
"I... uh... You don't... actually needa tell me, if you don't want to."

“I suppose not. perhaps I should sleep. They gave me a new room. And I hate it. So I haven’t been sleeping in it.”

Fluffy comes out again, this time with a note in his mouth. He walks up to Thing and hands it to her, forcing it in her hands.
The note reads:
"Sorry for the misconfusion my Angel, but first impressions are not my sort of thing. Hopefully next time if we meet will be different, maybe in space......"
The rest is smudged or bite off by the bear.

Thing looks at Fluffy, taking the note. She reads it and goes to scratch him under the chin with a smile before folding it carefully and putting it in her pocket.

The bear stares at Thing and stands on two legs. On his belly is another note reading:
“A little bear hug for your troubles.”
Fluffy then covers Thing with his body and cuddles into her, pressing his weight and fluffy hair against Thing.

Thing sees Fluffy getting closer and quickly covers her face before he cuddles into her. She manages to slide off the chair away from the hug and stand up putting her hand out with one finger raised.
"All right, that’s too far into my bubble....."
She looks at Fluffy sideways before shaking her head and talking quietly.
"I dunno, tell him I'll see him later, and if he ever pulls a gun on me again... I'll blow his foot off."
Nodding, fluffy licks Thing happily and runs back into the washroom.
She sighs before grinning and looks at Buster.
"Why not go back to your old room?"

“I never had a room in ‘Traz. Mine was on Fortaleza. I suppose I should get over my phobia of bed bugs and hit the hay. Goodnight, M'lady.”

She wipes her face, failing in her effort not to look disappointed.
“You have a good sleep.... Oh, before you go. One more thing..."

From inside the washroom.
“MUSH!!!!!!! YYYYYEEEEHHAAAA!!!!!”
The washroom door bursts open and Fluffy appears pulling the sled with Jackson strapped in and lying down.

She looks across at the rest room giggling quietly when she hears his outburst and shaking her head when she sees him lying in the sled.

“Yes?”

Jackson nods a farewell seeing Thing watching him. Jackson with Fluffy exit the bar, but not until a few chairs are turned upright and on the floor.
"My bad!....”

Thing stands up and heads over to Buster, giving him a kiss on the cheek and a hug.
"Again... Thanks for earlier. I didn't really feel like getting my head blown off today."

Buster blushes.
“...uh...anytime.”
He gets up hurriedly and rushes out.

She watches him leave in a hurry with a grin. She sits down again and finishes her cola.

From the docking bay.
“FLUFFY! SLOW DOWN! YOUR GONNA HIT THE.....”
*BOOOOOMM*
".... MY SHIP!"

Thing laughs and covers her face with her hands muttering "Wow....."

"THE WING! ITS GONNA TAKE WEEKS TO FIX BY MYSLEF!..... oh my GOD! NOT THE HEIMBALLS! YEA yea its ok Fluffy.... just get me on the ship please! Don’t worry I'm not mad, I'll find money to fix it later...
Wait a sec the rope it tangled.... no, NO, FLUFFY NO! AAAHHHH MY LEG! Damn it where is a docktor on a Rogue base when you need them!... Ahhggg.... ok ill be fine....you will be fine Jackson... no broken bones.... just a flesh wound....Am I hung over???"


Kevin enters the bar and goes to grab a Grape V-Shot
“Hey, wow what did I miss?”
He says seeing the blood on the ground.

Thing looks at Kevin.
"Take a seat, its a long story."

Kevin sits down and smiles.
“I'm all ears, Thing.”

She takes a sip of her cola, finishing it, and puts the glass down.
"Well. I'll give you the short story..... I got Jackson drunk. His bear came in eventually. Um, Him and some guy at the bar got lippy... Guns got drawn, had one pointed my direction, Buster stepped in and cooled everything off.
Thats the first part..."
She smirks.
"Then this guy decided to hassle Amy. I didn't hear what was said, but she beat him up pretty good."

Kevin is surpised by this.
“Wow... So I did miss it.”

Thing looks at the blood then up at the bar.
"Yeah."

“Heck.”
Kevin downs his drink.

"I dunno, this place is pretty rough really. I wasn't expecting this. I might need to get my other gun out if I plan on staying around here."

“What? You plan on leaving?”

She shrugs.
"I dunno. See what happens I guess."

Kevin smiles.
“Alright.”

From the hanger.
"I dunno Fluffy... looks like we might be here for a while.... Aaahhhhh.... actually.........if you can get... I can heal quicker and get ou.... a bit..."

He looks at Thing.
“Wanna drink?”

Thing thinks for a moment.
"Sure, if you’re paying."
She pokes out her tongue.

Fluffy re-enters carrying a basket and two notes and money inside. The bear walks over to the counter, stands on two feet, and gets the bar tenders attention. The bartender looks at the note and starts loading a small bottle of Vodka into the basket. He then walks behind the bar door into the back of the bar and comes out with what appears to be a heavily decorated bottle. The bar man helps fluffy stick the second note to the expensive bottle and loads it on second basket, smaller than the first.

Kevin laughs not noticing the bear.
“Alright I'll pay this time.”

She grins.
"Thanks. My shout next round then."

“Alright, Tender Round us up on me.”

Thing rubs her eyes and yawns before frowning and moving hair out of her face again, muttering something about how it’s a pain in the ass.

Kelvin looks at Thing.
“What?”

She shrugs.
"My hair has a mind of its own.... I swear."

He laughs.
“My little sister had hair like that once.”

Fluffy holds the handles of the two baskets in his mouth and starts walking first to the table with Kevin and Thing. He drops gently the smaller basket, then heads out the door. The bottle is an expensive wine and the note reads:

"To Angel,
My deepest apologies for the gun in your face; my reflexes kicked in. Hope this helps, it’s on me.”

Back at the docking bay Jackson yells.
"Ahhh it burrnnsss!!!!!"

---