An Offer You Can't Refuse

Posted on Fri Apr 17th, 2020 @ 3:49pm by Captain Abigail Laurens & Lieutenant Colonel Johnathon Hayter

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A long sigh escaped his lips as Captain David Hawkins walked into his office and made his way around to the other side of his desk. There, he found his empty glass and special whiskey his new engineer had brought as a gift to his new commanding officer. It had been a long day, and their guests had finally been dropped off for their safety before his ship and crew finally returned to their planned round trip. He poured a couple fingers of liquor in his glass before sitting it on the table to keep near. He took a sip before he noticed a flash on his desk. Obviously it was the long range transmission that he had been waiting for to go through. Once he finished his gulp, he took tapped the controls and looked at the new glass monitor that rose from his desk. It came alive and he smirked at the beauty before him.

"Abigail, good to see a smiling face like yours," David started off as he took a small sip again, allowing the burning feeling to take charge. It was smooth, but the burn kicked in like a very delayed aftermath.

Abigail had no sooner poured her own drink from the decanter secreted in her desk drawer when the communication came through. The familiar face brought a smile to her face. "David," she said warmly. "It's good to see you again, it's been far too long. How's life back aboard the Gladiator?"

"Oh..." he started as he leaned slightly back to relax as he nodded at all the good that it felt. "...she maybe refitted with all new fancy tech, she still smells and feels the same. And no, that wasn't meant to sound wrong."

Abigail laughed softly, holding up her own glass toward the screen before taking a sip. "You know, the first moment I stepped into the halls of the Astraea it took me right back to the Gettysburg, that new ship smell, and knowing it was all mine..." She paused, looking down at her desk and then looked back at the screen again, somewhat sheepishly. "I may have cartwheeled through the halls," she laughed softly.

David laughed at this trying to keep the liquor in his mouth. Once he caught his breath, he swallowed the liquid and nodded. "Yeah, I don't think I did that. All I can say that came close was stand on the rear outer hall of the ship while it was still on Earth ready to launch. Nothing like fresh smell of a storm blow in the distance, looking over the rolling land on the back of a starship. That's when I knew the Gladiator was truly mine."

"Well, it's nice to know some things never change," Abigail replied with a warm smile, her gaze firmly fixed on the image in her screen. "It's been a long time David, but it's nice to hear from you again. I was watching your story as it unfolded, I tried to get messages to you a few times, but I guess you never got them. I'm glad to see you're back in command again."

"Yeah, for some reason, the whole framed for murder doesn't sit well when trying to keep a peace treaty in place with the questionable government," he shrugged as he pulled out a cigar from the box on his desk along with the lighter. "You are looking at a man that has been cleared of all charges and cleared his crew of it as well. Even got a pardon and cleared name of a man that had been on the run for years."

"I'm happy for you, I really am." She smiled genuinely as she took another sip of her drink. "Command suits you." She paused, watching him again. "So, why do I get the feeling that this isn't entirely a social call? Not that I don't enjoy talking to you, I do..." her voice trailed off as she raised her glass to her lips again.

"I saw a request to have marines assigned to your ship. Not sure if it was you or someone above you did that, but I saw it," he started as bit a small piece off the end of the cigar. "I thought I'd ask and see how much do you know about that?"

Abigail sighed, one hand moving to rub her temple with her fingertips. "The last few missions have been... difficult." she said quietly. "I was aware that Starfleet had discussed assigning a marine contingent to the Astraea, but I didn't know it had been decided or that the request had been made."

"Sorry to hear that. What are your thoughts on us marines?" David smirked slightly before he started to light the cigar. Once it was on fire at the end, he started to puff on the opposite side til he had it fully lit to his liking.

"I have no issue with Marines at all, you know that David," Abigail said with a smile. "I've served with them before, even here on the Astraea. I can't believe you're still smoking those things, don't you know they're bad for your health?"

"Its relaxing. What can I say?" The man smirked slightly before puffing another smoke into the air. "I'm sending you some of the marines from my task force. Won't explain in detail but if you have to have marines, I'm sending you some that I trust with my life. Hell, I trained them."

Abigail paused for a moment, her drink hovering at her lips before she lowered it. "Will they go up against Starfleet?" she asked quietly as she looked at him. "David, I think I'm over my head... I think I need help."

"Well they will stand up against whoever, even if they are corrupt. But what makes you say that?" Hawkins asked a he focused more on his equal on the Astraea.

"Admiral Lockwood," Abigail replied quietly. "I'm sure you've heard of him." She shook her head and finished her drink in one swallow before reaching for the bottle to pour another.

"Yeah, he is on a long list of sticklers," he replied as he puffed on his cigar and then took a sip of his liquor. "But how did you get on his radar?"

"That, my friend, is a very long story. I'm supposed to be meeting with Admiral T'Lara on Earth in a few days to hand over evidence of his wrongdoings, but the evidence was erased in a mysterious computer malfunction. So now it's my word against his, and he has the upper hand." Abigail shook her head slightly and sipped her own drink.

"Well, is your evidence overwhelming?" David asked as he wandered about the details. But in the end, he knew that it wasn't his place to pry. "If it is, even Admiral Deadwood won't have much grounds. From what I have heard, Admiral T'Lara is pretty by the evidence driven. So don't think you are shafted right away."

"We'll see," Abigail said with a shrug. "No point stressing over it until I get there." She lapsed into silence, finishing her drink and reaching for the bottle to pour another. "So tell me more about these Marines of yours?"

"Stubborn, head strong, don't put up with shit, and loyal as hell," David remarked as he looked at her for a moment. "You won't have anything to worry about for who these members work for. But that is only a third of them. The others, I couldn't plug in. The rest of them seemed to have been pulled straight from graduation and final field work to your boat. So your marine commander and his leadership will have some work cut out for them."

"So, in other words, he's the marine version of you?" she teased as she took a sip of her drink.

Captain Hawkins chuckled for a moment. "He has the same ideals, but is a handful. Has a mouth on him, but the girls like him."

"So should I warn the female members of my crew to be wary?" She raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I usually have, but to mess with him. But he won't hurt them. If anything mattered to him more than messing with people or even women, it would have to be doing what is right in his job," he stated honestly. "So whatever you have going on, he won't let you down. Hell, he will probably sneak away from your sight and do something to someone. But who knows."

Abigail smiled. "Have medical plant a tracking device on him, check."

"Funny thing, while under cover, he was captured once. They placed one in his shoulder. crazy bastard dug it out with a knife," he countered but then chuckled at the thought.

She cringed visibly at the thought and shook her head. "Do I need to refer him for a psych eval as well?"

"Did that a couple times. He was referred to a different counselor once or twice. Turned out, he seriously had them completely confused till they found a betazoid," David chuckled before continuing. "He is smart, but you can't prove it on paper."

Abigail watched the screen in silence for the longest of moments, taking a few sips of her drink. "I'm trying to work out if sending him to me is because you're concerned about me or because you want to punish me," she finally concluded.

"Why can't it be a little of both?" he remarked with an eyebrow raised before smirking ever so slightly.

"You're incorrigible," Abigail admonished gently as she sipped her drink again. "You know that? Declan would be proud."

"Yes, I completely agree. He would be more proud of you and your work you have done. And this is no different."

"It is, but I won't argue," Abigail said with a smile. "Thank you David, I appreciate it." She paused for a moment, swirling her drink. "So, when are we going to be in the same space again? You owe me a drink."

"We are wrapping up with things here and will be heading to Earth. The Task Force leadership aren't listening to my recommendations on a possible threat, so I'm going to take it straight to the head honchos themselves. So sooner than you think if you are still there when we get there," David explained before returning back to his cigar. He puffed out a ring and smirked. He wasn't sure if he could still do that.

"Well hopefully I'll be there long enough to catch you. It'd be nice." Finishing her second drink, Abigail set the empty glass down. "Just remember, smoking is disgusting and those things will kill you," she chided.

"So will Admirals," He murmered before shrugging. "I'll keep that in mind. Sound fair as long as you keep your nose clean... for now."

Abigail smiled and blew a kiss in the direction of the screen. "Be safe David, and don't be a stranger, okay?" Reaching out, she closed the communication before pouring herself another drink leaning back in her seat, contemplating over the conversation as it had happened.

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Captain Abigail Laurens
Commanding Officer
U.S.S. Astraea

&

Captain David Hawkins
Commanding Officer
U.S.S. Gladiator-A
(played by Lt Col John Hayter)