"Was that 'Roid Rage?" Gems for Fools. Part 5
02 Aug 2016Stryker Aune
<<Part 4]Phiagre, Greeboski's Outpost
Personal log: Found myself in the station's brig. Not the first time I had to cool my heels, and probably won't be the last. Bail was made for me by Commander Higgens, to which I now owe 100,000 credits. Total fines amounted to just under 28,000 credits. Legal fees, damages, and medical costs to the plaintiff. Higgens informed me that he was aware of Commander Deaths false credentials. That he was part of an "Adventure Package" offered by Excellent Experiences who create memorable adventures of integrate, fantasy and subterfuge. They can even offer a "Nemesis" if your life is so damn boring it needs a bit of a kick. Turns out that Madam Tri'qua's husband had purchased a package for his wife as a parting gift. Some sort of final adventure the two could share. According to Higgens, she is not aware that all this is just some play and asked me to continue on and finish this out.
Stryker paid the claims office for the damages, a substantial hit to his pocket book, but he was happy to out of confinement but pissed that he had to pay out so much. He decided to hit the gym to work out some of that aggression. The workout was intense, leaving him sore and satisfied.
He made his way back to the Nova Star to clean up shave his head and make something to eat. He prepared a chicken breast, some rice, an apple and had just sat down in the crew gallwy to consume it when Evy walked in. The expression on her face was less then happy. She stood with her arms folded and foot tapping...
"When I said, 'play with him', I meant rattle his cage a bit. Mess with his head. Not breaking his frackin' neck. What the FRACK was that all about?" She made a quick gesture with her hand.
"I...." Stryker faulted. He wasn't prepared for an emotional confrontation.
"What the hell...." She continued hotly. "Was that 'roid-rage'? Are you doing steroids? Or worse, Fracking STIMS? Because seriously what happened back there really makes me wonder." Her voice raised an octave.
He regained his composure. He wasn't in the mood to go into this. Not now. "That's none of your damn business" He shot back.
She huffed. "Seriously? If your hopped up on shit Stryker, I swear...."
"Swear you'll do what?" He stared at her.
"Notify Thaddeus. Its against..." She continued but was interrupted.
"I'm aware of the regulations..." He dismissively waved her off "...do what you want."
Evy just stood there staring at him shaking her head. "This can't be thing. Not if your doing drugs." She gestured between two.
"Honestly, I could care less..." Clenching his fists closed, he stared back at her. "Your not the first chick I've had this conversation with. Quite honestly, I'm weary of it. I don't owe you any kind of explanation. So, piss off."
She turned quickly and disappeared back through the hatchway.
"They just don't get it..." He though bitterly... "I don't even know why I bother trying. It's always the same...." He savagely stabbed his chicken with the fork. "'You work out too much...' 'You care more about the gym then me...' 'Oh my God your doing steroids...' 'Blah blah blah'...." He took a deep breath trying to calm himself.
Commander Higgens' voice came over the PA and announced that they were clear to depart from Greeboski's Outpost. He felt the ship break contact with the station's pad and decided that he would go to the observation deck. He needed something, but couldn't identify it. Maybe just to look out among the stars.
He sat comfortably in a leather recliner looking out at the stars between jumps. Time just seem to slip away...
"My dear..." It was Madam Tri'qua. She sat down opposite to him. "I heard about your..." She paused for a moment "...altercation."
Stryker snorted.
"She means well dear." She continued.
That was not what he was expecting to hear. He sat up, looking at her.
"Oh, you though I meant Commander Dragon Tongue Death Licker or whatever his horrendous name was. Yes I know about that too..." She smiled a knowing smile, and sat opposite of him. "Dearie, I may be Eccentric but I'm not daft. Oh yes. I know that this whole adventure is some fabricated scheme..." She laughed. "My late husband was partial to Murder Mystery Dinners, and the like. I use to despise them... Such a waste of time..." She paused for a moment. "But as they years went on, I came to rather enjoy them..." She continued to smile. "...Or, more specifically, partake in the joy my husband had for such games."
Stryker quizzically looked at her.
"Oh..." She continued "...I know there is no fabulous gem waiting for me at the end of this, but I rather suspect what there will be, and to me, something far more valuable. That's what relationships are about. Giving..."
"And taking." Stryker finished.
"Ah..." She looked bemused. "And that's the lie..." She tapped her nose knowingly.
He sat there listening to her.
"Evy is quite upset..." She continued. "...and rightfully so. What you did to that man....Brutality is the best word I can come up with. But I have a hard time believing that is who you are under all that muscle. Why would somebody, who is capable of such savagery, help a little old lady and her stranded ship?" She patted his tattooed arm. "Deep down, your a good person...and Evy knows that."
"Doesn't matter, she left..." He said. "...Just before we departed."
Madam Tri'qua tilted her head and smiled... "Did she now..." she pushed herself up out of the chair. "Sweety, it's getting late, and I rather need my beauty sleep. It's how I've stayed fabulous over the past several decades...." and nodded her goodnight.
Stryker decided that he too should hit the sack, though sleep was hard to come by. He was still upset with his earlier conversation with Evy. He shouldn't have told her to piss off and was regretting that choice of wording.
He was roused from his sleep when his door chimed. The chronometer indicated that it was well into the two o'clock hour. He took a glance out the window and noticed they had landed on some rocky planet. He heaved himself out of the bed wearing nothing except a pair of shorts. Pinching the bridge of his nose he opened the door; his hulking physique blocking the entrance. It was Evy. She was wearing a pair of comfortable looking sweats, arms folded across an overly large tee-shirt. Her silky hair tied into a simple pony tail and eyes were red and puffy from crying.
"I uh...I couldn't sleep." She said in a horse voice.
He stood there looking down at her, leaning on the door frame.
"I uh..." She faulted again "...I shouldn't have accused you. I was..pretty upset. And scared."
He was still feeling put out. "I got that."
"I'm sorry..." She suddenly said. "It was rude and disrespectful."
His posture softened. "I'm sorry for being a jerk."
She looked up at him. "I just..." She paused. "...I just wanted to know. What compelled you to choke that man?"
"I don't know." He said
"Is that the truth?" She responded, rubbing her arm.
He nodded. "I don't think it was roid-rage. I'm not on a stack right now. And I won't ever do stims. I..."
Evy stood there listening as he worked though his thoughts.
"...I don't know...." He was struggling to define the experience. She deserved some sort of explanation, even if he didn't know what it was himself. "I was feeling a lot of frustration. And anger. Anger at my past...." He took a further moment to choose his wording "...and, some part of me enjoyed extracting some sort of retribution from it."
She continued to rub her arm. "Would you ever do that to me?" She said honestly.
"No." He said. "I wouldn't do that to you."
She considered him. "Did you really mean it when you said piss off?"
Stryker grunted, and proceeded to answer her question. "Evy, I'm tired of having to explain and justify this lifestyle I choose to have with every person I've ever been in relationship with. The sport is time consuming. It demands a certain level of sacrifice..." He realized that he wasn't answering her question, took a breath and continued. "I would rather you not piss off."
She nodded again. "So, if I want to be with you, then I'm going to have to be okay with you doing 'supplements'?" She finger quoted.
He chose to be blunt. "They're steroids. I'm not going to give them some easy to swallow euphemism. And yes, you will have to be okay with that."
She considered him for a long moment. She was torn. In her brain logic was waging war with emotion. Finally she spoke. "I would like to have another crack at us being a thing..." then placed her hand on his chest a small weak smile drawing across her face.
Without so much as a word, he looked down at her and in a quick fluid movement effortlessly hoisted her over his shoulder in a a fireman lift.
"Hey, put me down you brute!" She teased as he turned and the door to the quarters closed behind them.
[Part 6>>
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