06-14-2016, 11:10 PM
Less than thirty seconds after being reunited with Christa, Abner had watched her sucker punch one of the Omniverse’s greatest celebrities like they were in the midst of a bar room brawl. Within those same thirty seconds he’d also learned that Christa was here to rescue Katia, who desperately needed her big sister’s help. Boy, some things never changed.
Abner had decided against commenting on Christa’s favorite pastime in the manner that first came to mind, and instead relished the opportunity to be reunited her, even under these extreme circumstances. Admittedly, to both of them, danger and chaos seemed to follow the other. He’d also hurried her away from the situation with Ron, shooting a glance over his shoulder as he did. Tough gig for Burgundy, this time around.
Before Christa had explained much more, Karl Jak announced it was time to board the plane. With pursed lips and a forlorn glance towards the teleporter back to Darkshire, Abner had guided Christa onboard the luxury jet. He couldn’t believe this crap was happening.
By the time the luxury jet had made it into the air, Christa and Abner were both on the upper level VIP bar. Abner had reasoned that if they had to make this godforsaken trip, he might as well get some free booze out of it. Christa sat at a stool at one of the bars, exhausted from her travels. Abner, meanwhile, stood across from her, leaning against the bar and listening intently to a recount of everything Christa had done since the former secondaries had parted ways after the return from the Oververse. As he did, he munched on some greasy nachos that he’d made the grumbling server fetch from the sports bar just below them, and sipped at some powerful concoction the bartender had whipped up. Beside his plate sat his tin of chew tobacco, for after he finished his snack. He was going to need plenty of that, too.
“And you have no idea who the girl in the picture is?” Abner repeated his question from earlier once Christa finished, feeling the need to ask again now that he had a little context.
“None,” Christa admitted, having racked her brain for answers already. “And you saw what happened next.”
“Son of a…” Abner rubbed his face as he spoke. What a mess.
“You never said what you were doing here,” Christa turned the subject to her friend.
“Following you,” Abner responded sternly as he dropped his hand back to the counter. “You don’t have to watch a whole lot of TV to know what happened in this damn Verse last year, and when I heard you were coming, I had to look into it.”
“And how did you know I was even here?” Christa’s face twisted to a confused expression.
“Well, I came back from our little journey with a few more friends in Coruscant than I remember having,” Abner replied. “Real secret squirrel types. Questioned the hell out of me, went through all my records, dug through my mail. Probably my apartment, too. The typical spooked spook shakedown.”
“…And what did you tell them?” Christa was hesitant with her questioning. She trusted Abner, but certainly not the Empire.
Abner’s response was a look of humored disbelief, like she should already know he gave them the runaround. Of course, that’s what she figured, but it was nice to confirm it. She nodded in understanding.
“So, they sent you here, instead,” Christa concluded, realizing Abner wouldn’t have responded to Karl Jak’s call if not for her. Still, she couldn’t and wouldn’t apologize for anything she did in rescuing Katia. “Can’t get you to talk, so they just send you on another mission.”
“Jokers at the armory started calling me ‘Retread,’” Abner joked with a grin. When he didn’t see a matching smile from Christa, he just placed one hand over hers and got serious for a moment. “Hey, we’ll find her.”
Christa nodded with a forced smile, and he nodded back. Not that he had even convinced himself, yet, but he felt pretty good about their chances. There was an unknown confidence that stirred in him when he was near Christa.
Or maybe that was just the alcohol. Damn, this stuff was strong.
Abner had decided against commenting on Christa’s favorite pastime in the manner that first came to mind, and instead relished the opportunity to be reunited her, even under these extreme circumstances. Admittedly, to both of them, danger and chaos seemed to follow the other. He’d also hurried her away from the situation with Ron, shooting a glance over his shoulder as he did. Tough gig for Burgundy, this time around.
Before Christa had explained much more, Karl Jak announced it was time to board the plane. With pursed lips and a forlorn glance towards the teleporter back to Darkshire, Abner had guided Christa onboard the luxury jet. He couldn’t believe this crap was happening.
By the time the luxury jet had made it into the air, Christa and Abner were both on the upper level VIP bar. Abner had reasoned that if they had to make this godforsaken trip, he might as well get some free booze out of it. Christa sat at a stool at one of the bars, exhausted from her travels. Abner, meanwhile, stood across from her, leaning against the bar and listening intently to a recount of everything Christa had done since the former secondaries had parted ways after the return from the Oververse. As he did, he munched on some greasy nachos that he’d made the grumbling server fetch from the sports bar just below them, and sipped at some powerful concoction the bartender had whipped up. Beside his plate sat his tin of chew tobacco, for after he finished his snack. He was going to need plenty of that, too.
“And you have no idea who the girl in the picture is?” Abner repeated his question from earlier once Christa finished, feeling the need to ask again now that he had a little context.
“None,” Christa admitted, having racked her brain for answers already. “And you saw what happened next.”
“Son of a…” Abner rubbed his face as he spoke. What a mess.
“You never said what you were doing here,” Christa turned the subject to her friend.
“Following you,” Abner responded sternly as he dropped his hand back to the counter. “You don’t have to watch a whole lot of TV to know what happened in this damn Verse last year, and when I heard you were coming, I had to look into it.”
“And how did you know I was even here?” Christa’s face twisted to a confused expression.
“Well, I came back from our little journey with a few more friends in Coruscant than I remember having,” Abner replied. “Real secret squirrel types. Questioned the hell out of me, went through all my records, dug through my mail. Probably my apartment, too. The typical spooked spook shakedown.”
“…And what did you tell them?” Christa was hesitant with her questioning. She trusted Abner, but certainly not the Empire.
Abner’s response was a look of humored disbelief, like she should already know he gave them the runaround. Of course, that’s what she figured, but it was nice to confirm it. She nodded in understanding.
“So, they sent you here, instead,” Christa concluded, realizing Abner wouldn’t have responded to Karl Jak’s call if not for her. Still, she couldn’t and wouldn’t apologize for anything she did in rescuing Katia. “Can’t get you to talk, so they just send you on another mission.”
“Jokers at the armory started calling me ‘Retread,’” Abner joked with a grin. When he didn’t see a matching smile from Christa, he just placed one hand over hers and got serious for a moment. “Hey, we’ll find her.”
Christa nodded with a forced smile, and he nodded back. Not that he had even convinced himself, yet, but he felt pretty good about their chances. There was an unknown confidence that stirred in him when he was near Christa.
Or maybe that was just the alcohol. Damn, this stuff was strong.