Unexpected Reunion

Posted on Sun Aug 23rd, 2020 @ 2:21am by Centurion Nancy Gable & Major Ashley Rogers

2,689 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Shore Leave: Welcome to Drozana
Location: Drozana Station - Bar
Timeline: 238612.27

Gable rapped on the bar to get the bartender's attention. "Bloodwhiskey."

Getting a questioning look, she rolled her eyes - if this was really a haven of scum and misfits, they should know that order. "Three fingers of whiskey and a shot of bloodwine. Do not water it down," she warned. "I'm a doctor; I'll know."

The warning might have been delivered with a little more edge than she thought because the drink arrived immediately and the server backed away just as fast. If only I could inspire that reaction in that pain-in-the-Sa'Hut Kaol ... she thought as she took a long pull of the drink.

Ash made her way around the station, a chaotic place, but yet peaceful in its open debauchery. Speaking of debauchery... she glanced at the bar and her stomach turned in protest. She took note of the faces, some familiar some not. Some joining the Claw and some probably withering their lives away on Drozana forever... and... one very familiar face sitting at the bar. Is that Nancy Gable? She paused and looked closer. She hadn't see Gable in a very long time... a lifetime ago. What the hell is she doing out here? Ash tried to look away, hoping to not be seen. Avoiding one's past gets exponentially more difficult when people from it appear in your life.

Shit. Eye contact was made. Ash forced a smile, sighed internally, and made her way back into the bar. The last time she was here she ended up hurting physically in ways she's still trying to recover from... and now she's opening up to other kinds of pain.

As she got closer, she took a deep breath before reaching the doctor, "Nancy Gable, what the hell are you doing out here?"

Gable's eyes widened and an eyebrow rose to almost vulcanoid heights as she realized that the person she'd thought reminded her of Rogers was in fact Rogers. And she was wearing a Romulan uniform with Centurian rank. Dear Lord, of all the people from Starfleet I might have met as Galae... "Ash Rogers," she puffed a laugh, shaking her head. "No wonder there's so much mayhem in this Quadrant."

Ash couldn't help but smile at Gable's shock. "And here you are patching people back up," she replied back. "Last time I saw you, I think you wore a different rank than Centurion. Did you stand up to one too many Captains?" As much as she didn't want to feel it, there was a sense of comfort in seeing a familiar face.

"More like too many of them hacked me off." Nancy smirked. "How about you? Please tell me you didn't decide the Tal Shiar was more to your liking."

Ash's hand went up to feel her rank insignia... she forgot she, too, was wearing Romulan rank. She chuckled, "Long story. But I'm definitely not Tal Shiar. Not Starfleet. Not Section. I consider myself a freelancer now. A lot of things happened since we last saw each other, doc. Things I'm not proud of and things I'm still... trying to work though..."

She sat down next to Nancy and the bartender came by and asked what she wanted. "Water, just.... water," she said a little too quickly. "Good," the bartender said. "We don't want a repeat of the other night." Ash rubbed the bridge of her nose, "Neither do I... so just, water. Please. Thank you."

Ash sighed and looked up at Nancy, "So what brought you here? Were you on that gaggle of ships that came in?"

Ordering water surprised Nancy. At lot had gone wrong in Rogers' life - and probably more than just the number of thing she knew about - and she wondered for a moment if the woman was recovering from alcoholism as well, but the bartender's remark answered that question and a closer look revealed the telltales of not long passed hangover. Not that she could necessarily blame her if she'd been through anything like what Nancy had seen in the last weeks, and especially the last few days.

"Yes. I joined up with the flotilla transporting refugees." She shot the last of her drink. "We got harassed by some arrogant Tal Shiar ptak and no sooner got away from him than some piece of baktag attacked us. My ship managed to get away and limp here." Nancy frowned into her empty glass, and signaled for another. "I have no idea what happened to the rest."

The bartender returned with her glass of water and Ash took a sip, shaking her head. "It's chaos out here. We were meeting up with a freighter for some parts to fix our ship not too long ago and those assholes tried to swindle us. There's something or someone called Vulture that we think is selling folks into captivity. The cargo hold we saw on that ship..." Ash downed her water, simultaneously wishing it was something stronger yet glad it wasn't. She furrowed her brow at the glass as she put it down and sighed.

"I wonder if it's all connected... " Ash mumbled to herself before turning her attention back to Nancy. "Are you going to link up with another ship? Go back to saving lives and making a difference out here?"

The Doctor nodded, and took a swallow of the new drink that arrived in front of her. "Yes, though first I hope to help find the others. I signed on with the ship that met us here. The CO said she was supposed to have been our escort but didn't get the warbird meant for it in time." Her lips pursed, thinking about what Ash had just said and about Ash herself - maybe some good could come of a chance reunion. "Maybe if this Vulture is who attacked us, you can help. Or at least share what you know with us."

"Of course I'll help. Things like that are why I left Starfleet and everything behind. There's so much out here that needs to be done and so few willing to do it. I have a unique skillset that would be beneficial to a lot of people and no one to judge me for it." Ash paused and looked at her empty glass wistfully. She'd be working alone for so long... the crew of the Claw, the craziness of drinking with Hatham and Raven, and now talking to Nancy Gable... this is not what she thought her life would be when she went off the grid for the loner life.

She then thought about what Nancy said. Female CO? Could it be? "Wait... who's your CO?" Ash narrowed her eyes in curiosity, "Would she happen to have white hair, a preference for leather, and a flair for the dramatic?"

Nancy's jaw nearly dropped. Surely not? "Yeah... calls herself Raven. How did you know?"

Ash leaned back and laughed, "Why do you think I'm here?" She saw the look of surprise on Nancy's face. "We were supposed to be your escort, but we had that little hiccup with the freighter and Vulture." Ash got a refill on her water, the hydration and catching up with a familiar face has definitely made her feel a lot better than she did earlier.

"When I left Starfleet behind after what happened on Mars..." she paused and took a breath. "I came out here. I just couldn't do it anymore... you knew me back then. Trying so damn hard to be that Starfleet officer that Carlin... and Renee... wanted me to be..." She shook her head, "I'm not that person. I can't be and trying to be that person cost a lot of lives. I became a mercenary... freelancing... with a touch of vigilantism..." She smiled. "I'm trying to fix my karma. Then I met Raven a while back at a bar. She offered me a job and I've been with the Claw ever since. She gave me this Centurion rank to keep you flotilla people in line. Promoted me on Christmas Day... now that is it's own story. Looks like we'll be working together again. Why'd you join up with Raven? I know what I'm running from, what's your story now?"

"Damn. Almost like it's fate or something." Nancy took another drink. She was on the fence as to whether it was good or bad turn of fate. Rogers did have skills they'd need to take this Vulture down, but things she was involved in tended to also involve a LOT of casualties and collateral damage. Still, the woman was trying.

"I left after Mars too, or more properly after we abandoned the Romulan mission. I'd signed on to that and couldn't just turn my back on it because of orders," she nearly spat the word. When her superior in Medical had tried force the issue, she'd all but told him to kiss her ass. "I joined an NGO that was still helping, and when the UFP shut them down I was in the middle of the Neutral Zone, so I signed on with Romulan General who was running his own evacuation - with barely a figleaf of Empire approval. He had guts," She toasted his memory, and downed the rest of the drink. "But it didn't save him. Or the rest of flotilla he put together."

"Fate, indeed. Starfleet isn't the knight in shining armor it wants to pretend to be. For my entire career, I knew the dark underbelly that supported that facade... I was that dark underbelly. And if that doesn't keep you awake at night, there's an even darker underbelly beneath that," Ash clenched her jaw, took another drink of water, and tightened her grip on the glass. "More people are starting to realize it after we turned our back on the Romulans. I've run into more disenchanted former Starfleet than I ever thought existed. I'm glad you're out here though. There's a lot that needs to be done and knowing me... I'll keep you very engaged in the action," Ash chuckles. "We don't have any medical personnel on the crew, so hope you have a good staff."

Ash wasn't saying anything Nancy didn't already know, or strongly suspect. In fact, she known it on some level long before leaving, but had been willing to overlook sometimes necessary evil for an organization she believed was ultimately dedicated to good. If it had seemed to have increasingly become more about protecting Starfleet than protecting the people they were theoretically out here to serve and protect, Picard's rescue mission had given new hope of returning to old ideals ...and that hoped had been smashed irretrievably when it was abandoned. "There are a lot of us that resigned in protest after the Admiral did; most in order to find other ways to continue the work. Though some stayed to continue it. Divash is still in Starfleet but a surprising amount of Starfleet medical supplies seem to wind up on refugee transports." She smirked, then sighed. "Unfortunately that means she's not here. All I have is the most arrogant, and oddly pacifist, Romulan doctor in the known universe."

"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting to run into you wearing Romulan rank on Drozana with both of us agreeing to work for a mercenary named Raven... yet... here we are. It's definitely interesting to see who has resigned in protest and who stayed. I'm glad Divash is still working the greater good... some days I wonder about everyone and what they're up to now..." Ash idly thought about her younger sister. Is she still in Starfleet? Did she follow her loyalties or her principles? No... that's the same line of thought that gave her the worst hangover she has experienced in decades.

"So, an arrogant, oddly pacifist Romulan doctor? Is he any good? Or do you need me to... say hello?" Ash smirks. "I do specialize in... solving problems."

"Don't tempt me," Gable laughed. "He is actually a decent surgeon, just not 'the best in the quadrant' as he styles himself." She rolled her eyes. "And he'd be a better one if he could see the big picture during a MassCal instead of insisting on fixing every injury with exacting precision instead of just keeping the most people alive. Of course, you here, maybe he'll get more practice," she teased. "Honestly, I never thought I'd meet a Romulan more reluctant to fight than Arnason."

Ash continues to smile, "A Romulan Arnason? That I've got to see! Well... if it makes a difference... I can just make triage easier by just getting rid of the bodies before you see them?" She was definitely testing the waters with her attempt at humor. If she's going to work with Nancy again, Ash isn't going to hide who she really is anymore. It wasn't exactly a secret that Ash was a Section 31 assassin before, but it wasn't a topic for open discussion either.

"Ha! Just the bad guys' bodies - except Vulture. I want to see him suffer." Nancy pursed her lips, thinking. "But you might have to knock Kaol out for that. He's not a Romulan Arnason, but only because Arnason was never arrogant, well, and Arnason never looked that horrified when one of us did fight."

Phew, she wasn't completely repulsed by her joke and she seems to be willing to look the other way if and when Ash meets Vulture. Good to know. "Now I really have to meet this guy. Seems like someone I'd just enjoy tormenting. But I guess with things the way they are, we can't exactly be picky about who we work with. Fortunately, it seems like Raven runs a good ship. She has a eye for talent. Although, we're probably in bed with the Tal Shiar... which... doesn't quite sit well with me. Anyone else on your ship joining up with us? Or do I just get to make this Kaol guy's life a living hell?" Ash grins.

"A couple nurses, some crew, but no one I know too well." Gable admitted. "Most of the officers are heading back to the Empire. Everyone else is a refugee too wounded to be sent on elsewhere."

Ash runs her hand through her hair, "Jeez... it's pretty bad out here, isn't it? Some days I wonder if it's all worth it, you know? A sun is about to go supernova and it's up to people like us to save them... no pressure at all." Ash shook her head, "Do you miss it? Starfleet? I know where I stand with them, but what about you? Working for NGOs and mercenaries isn't exactly at the forefront of medical advancement."

Gable looked at the third glass that had appeared in response to no more than sharp look in the bartender's direction. Apparently the man wasn't as dumb as he looked. "Medical advancement wasn't why I became a doctor, or joined Starfleet." She swallow a shot. "I suppose I should be happy the Section never cared enough about me for you to know that."

Ash took a drink from her glass as well, "Oh, I'm sure they actually do have a detailed file on you. I suppose we should be both happy that I never had a need to familiarize myself with your file." Ash forced a smile to try to lighten the mood, "But given our amicable relationship, I would have given you a heads up. Probably."

Probably? Nancy arched an eyebrow at her.

She looked at the doctor and raised her glass to her. Nancy Gable is clearly one of the good ones. Being out here isn't for those weak of heart. "Here's to doing the dirty work then. Saving lives and making a difference."

"Never thought I'd be joining you a toast like this, but,.." Gable lifted her glass, trying not to think about what it said about her that she thought Ash - in her own high functioning sociopath way - was alright. "to saving lives and making a difference."

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