Family and favours

Posted on Sat Feb 12th, 2022 @ 9:51pm by

969 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 4 - The Fires Of Hades
Location: The Ferryman
Timeline: R&R day 5

ON:

“I was wondering when you were going to appear,” Niska stated. He looked like Liam but sensed completely different.

“Well, I debated bringing Eddie but as he’s already referring to you as his green goddess half cousin and I need to talk about something serious with you I didn’t think having a love strung teenager in toe would be beneficial. So, I had to find a time he was with his mum,” Jon shrugged.

He didn't say it out loud but he had wondered about bringing Harper but he had just unleashed Eddie on her. He wasn't sure how she would have reacted to the idea of Cassie and Sydney as well. Hell he wasn't even sure how Liam was going to react to this one. He had been supportive of SB50 but this .. was right on his doorstep now.

“Well,” she softened a little, “He sounds to have good taste.” Memories of a far deeper meaning of “green goddess” flooded her mind which she hoped Jon couldn’t sense pushing them and her deeds in that role far far away again.

“You won’t mind when I bring him for dinner tomorrow then,” he said simply. “Otherwise, he’s just going to show up here on his own accord.”

“Naturally, all the men do,” Niska said with a hint of a smile.
She poured two drinks and slid one over to him. “Sometimes I get lucky and the girls come too ....

So, cousin. Who I have only spoken with briefly on subspace with your very chatty mother as well …”

“Yeah, she does like to talk. You learn to zone out and nod and smile,” Jon said raising the glass towards the beautiful Orion hybrid.

“What do you want?” she said simply deciding it was enough small talk.

“I knew I would like you. I mean actually like you. Not cause Liam likes you. Not because we have some weird obscure family connection now,” he stated. “I just prefer it when a female cuts to the chase.”

“Your buttering me up,” Niska rolled her eyes tossing her shot back. She returned to her bar and grabbed the bottle.

“I have a daughter, and she and her mother need to get out of where they are. I was working on getting them to SB50 but …”

“But Liam’s here now, I’m here now, they are open for civilians and your ship is in the area anchored here for supplies and the like …..” she looked at him the penny dropping where this was going. “It makes sense to put something precious where you can keep them flanked by …”

“Family,” Jon finished.

“I’m barely family,”

“That’s not how Liam sees it. Its not how mother sees it and its not how I see it. You are begrudgingly family,”

“Well can you blame me?” she asked.

“Nope. Not at all which is why I come baring latinuim too …..”

“You know I knew I would like you. I mean actually like you. Not cause Liam likes you. Not because we have some weird obscure family connection now,” she repeated back his earlier words.

Jon laughed. “Sydney will need a job. To get a transfer here. That’s all I’m asking. Just help her get set up?”

Niska knocked back another shot. She had to weigh this up. How could she come out the best in this?

The Reynolds family were not going away. No matter what she did fate keep her it seemed binded to them. And as much as she tried she didn’t truly dislike all of them. Liam and Kaylee were okay. Jon had his failings that she was aware of, yet nothing she had witnessed herself and he might be useful to keep on side.

Did she want to have to babysit an old ex-girlfriend and kid? Heck no. Did she actually want to take Betazoid 101 … no but Liam was determined. Perhaps if she could talk to people in their heads, it would be useful. She had reconciled that. And Alena was in the same boat. Perhaps they might strike a friendship. Ok she had lost Aer as a lover, but they did have a friendship. She missed that aspect of things. Not as much as the other relationship but dam it Jack Patton …. But it was frontier out here ….. Having a few more folks to watch her back would be useful.

She knocked back another shot really trying to weigh this up. She could sense Jon’s confidence on his belief this was a good idea was waning.

Finally, she spoke. “Save your latinuim to set her up later if she lets you. If she takes to this sort of work and she’s good okay. If not she’s going to need everything you have to set her up with something she decides to do after she’s stuck it out a bit and got her start.

She didn’t smile outright but no one had given her a chance like this. It was nice to be able to do something good for a fellow woman trying to make it in this shit hole of a universe. Not just because of family of course.

“What you can do for me …. You have ops people yes? You can set up trade as you continue on your seeking out new worlds and civilisations mission?"

Jon smiled he had anticipated this as a potential back up or sweetener. And it actually was something he could legally put into practice .. “Your aquil liquor?”

She nodded. “I do you a favour, you do me a favour.”

He smiled. “I will drink to that Cousin.”

“Your still leaving me a hell of tip after dinner tomorrow.”

OFF:

Niska O'Trei
NPC Mel D'BrooNi

Jon Reynolds
CO Uss Andromeda

 

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