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#RedrockAgency – February 23, 2017
Nathan immediately lights his cigarette as soon as they pass out into the crisp, cold air. He flicks the lighter shut, inhaling the flavoured taste of the cigarette. "Varren kebabs seem to be a specialty around here. I swear, no one seems to eat anything else." He stops at the car, leaning against the roof of it as he waits for Jason to unlock it. "Hey, have you
spoken to anyone else about the whole, you know?" He asks, waving the hand with the cigarette in in a small circle. "Subterfuge, espionage thing that the owner has got going on? I've kept quiet about it."
Jason continues towards the car, giving a sigh and a brief shake of his head. "Not really much to say. If Aylena was being honest with us, then it sounds like all of this should blow over soon. For now, we just keep our eyes open, beef up security at the Respite a bit, and hope for the best." As he reaches the car he activates his omni-tool and holds a finger up to Nathan before dictating a message aloud. "Message contact: Vee."
he says, anunciating the simple nickname he has for her in his omni-tool. "Hey, V. I'm not sure if the kitchen is open, but Linda has a taste for some varren kebabs. Possible to whip up a batch without causing too much trouble?" He pauses for a moment before adding, "Send." Once finished, he unlocks the car doors and returns his attention to Nathan.
Nathan pauses as Jason indicates, taking the moment to take another drag and send a small ringlet of smoke into the air, only for it to be whisked away in the breeze. When Jason concludes, he nods slightly and pops open the car door. "I'm clinging onto the hope that it will blow over. But knowing our luck, I don't think it'll be that simple," he says, slipping into
the car and pulling the door closed behind him. He winds down the window and sighs, brow creasing into a frown. "My gut is telling me there is a lot more to this than what we've been told." He taps some ash out onto the ground through the open window, turning his gaze to Jason. "You know?"
Jason climbs into the driver's seat and closes the door behind him. "I'm right there with you, Ten." he sighs, "Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot we can do about it. Aylena is going to tell us what she wants us to know. But it doesn't change the facts. As pissed as it might make me to think that she's knowingly putting all of those people in danger by hiding behind us at the Respite, distancing ourselves from the Respite is
only going to give the people after her a better chance at collateral damage." He starts up the car with a shake of his head and begins the journey towards the Respite. "If any of what she was saying is true, then it sounds like she's going through with this for the right reasons... So for now we keep it simple: Keep Aylena alive until the legal proceedings are handled. Done."
Nathan nods in agreement, patting the side of his coat where his predator is holstered. He takes another drag, blowing the cloud through the slightly open window before replying. "Not going to lie to you, Jase, I hate having my hands tied behind my back like this. I'm a soldier. Someone tells me to jump, I ask how high. But all this skulduggery makes my skin itch."
He tisks, tapping the ash out of the window whilst keeping a fair grip on the cigarette. "You're right, of course. Keep it simple and just... wait until it all blows over. But if a mess of innocent people get caught in this crossfire, I will be having words with her and the other fucker who's sending goddamn people on supposed one way trips."
Jason keeps his eyes forward as he listens. "You and me both, Ten. You and me both..." He gives a humorless chuckle as he glances in Nathan's direction quickly, "I'm not gonna lie, Ten. I'm at a loss with all of this. But aside from all of this crap, Aylena has never given me any reason to doubt her. And what she said seemed to line up with what we heard from miss psychopants. I'm a soldier." he repeats Nathan's words with a
shrug, "Never thought I'd be making decisions like this." he sighs. Of course he's talking about Redrock in general. Not just with the Respite situation. "So I'm just running with what feels right here..." he pats his stomach with a synthetic hand. "And my gut is telling me we probably haven't seen the last of these people. But that doesn't change anything. If they come? We fight them off. Simple as that."
Nathan smiles faintly at Jason, leaning back in his seat as the cigarette smoulders quietly between his fingers. "Well, I go where you go, Jase. If they do come, they'll find themselves staring down the barrel of 'Lil' Lucy'." He stares out the window for a few moments, his brow knitted in thought. "I got a message the other day. From Sandbeck." He takes another
drag, inhaling the smoke and letting it roll around in his lungs before blowing a cloud through the open window. "A few strings have been pulled and there's a chance I could be allowed back into the company. With my old unit to boot."
Jason glances Nathan's way again. His initial comment brings about a genuine smile, but also a small amount of discomfort. As Nathan continues, he returns his focus to the road. "...Oh. Shit. Is that, uhh-... Are you thinking of....?"
Nathan wets his lips and takes a final drag from his cigarette before pulling out a small, rectangular tin from his jacket pocket. He stubs it out inside before snapping it shut and stuffing it back into his jacket. "...No. Well, I... ah, I'm not sure. It's not guaranteed in the slightest, but the possibility is there." He shrugs faintly, rolling up the window.
"I've been away from Sandbeck for a long time. Honestly, getting into Redrock was a feat on its own. I didn't think I would work for a company again after... what happened before. So... I'm not sure. But I felt like you should know so... surprise?"
Jason remains silent for a few moments, keeping his focus on the road. "You've gotta do what feels right, Ten." he finally says. "Sounded like Sandbeck meant a lot to you. And if you think that's where you belong?" he gives a quick shrug of his shoulders, "Then don't pass up the opportunity to go back." He gives a glance Nathan's way, not wanting it to seem like he's avoiding looking his way, "Seriously. No hard feelings there. I
mean, do I want you to go? Of course not. But I'm not going to stop you. And.... If it doesn't work out? You'll always have a place here with Redrock."
Nathan laughs softly, but there is no mirth behind it. "I don't know what feels right, Jase. Trust me when I say that there are some memories there that I do not want to reopen. But, at the same time... I do miss it." He leans his head back onto the headrest, running a hand down his face. "I need more time to think about it before I make any final decisions. There
isn't any time constraint on it, so I can give it a lot of thought at least. But, uh-". He looks Jason's way, offering the man a genuine smile. "Thanks. I know I've been a bit of a pain in the ass, so the offer is appreciated. Seriously."
Jason gives a dismissive wave of his hand. "Shit. I'd be worried if you weren't a pain in the ass considering the crap we've been through." he says with a snicker. "I know you haven't been around too long, but I consider myself a pretty good judge of character..." he pauses, sucking in a deep breath, "...Usually... Anyway, the point is it's hard to spend a week stranded on a desert planet with somebody without getting to know
them a bit. You're a good soldier and-... well, Redrock is better off with you around." He gives another dismissive wave, not wanting to linger on the compliment for too long, "That's all. Don't let it go to your head." he teases as he begins to pull over out front of the Respite.
Nathan now allows a much more genuine laugh, looking at the Respite with a smile. "You're a charmer, aren't you? And don't worry, I'm letting every single word of that go to my head," he replies with an equally teasing tone as the car is pulled to a stop. "Also sounds like there might be a story behind that 'usually'. Buuuuut that can wait for another time. Right
now, I'm starving." He reaches to open the door, but hesitates for a moment as he looks out of his window. He follows a man with his gaze, brow furrowing in thought. He swears that he almost looks... he shakes it off, playing it off as a trick of his hunger. "Do they have BBQ sauce here? I've never deigned to ask."