High Noon and Ready to Ride Again
Posted on Sat Jan 23rd, 2021 @ 1:51pm by Fleet Admiral Mike K`Wor Bremer & Captain Paul MacLeod & Commander Leksander Draven & Lieutenant K`Wor
697 words; about a 3 minute read
Mission:
Episode 109 - The Dust Settles
Location: Starbase 400
Timeline: MD1 - 1200hrs
ON:
"So he went aboard the Pegasus?" Mac asked.
K'Wor nodded, "Yeah. He came out, went aboard the Pegasus-C, stayed aboard about an hour, then went back into the Holo-suite."
"He did send engineering a message, changes he wants to the Pegasus." K'Temoc added.
"I saw it. He said he hated the large open bridge the ship was designed with. Wanted Deck One redesigned with a smaller, traditional bridge design, a modified Sovereign one, with the rest of the facilities like the transporter room, ready rooms, observation room, et cetera on Deck One outside of there with an egress corridor." Draven replied.
Mac nodded, "So what do we do now?"
Back inside the Holo-suite, it was high noon. The sun was hot as Mike sat high on the back of his buck skin horse. As the horse took a drink from a spring, Mike heard someone riding up slowly. He pulled his Colt-.45 and looked back.
"On the horse, easy, I just waned to get a drink from the spring for my horse and refile my canteen as well." The man rode a black horse, wore all black, with a black mustache and black hair.
Mike nodded then slowly holstered his gun. The man rode up beside Mike's horse and gave a nod as his horse started to drink before he climbed down and fill his canteen.
After a moment, the man in black remounted his horse. "What's your name?"
Mike eyed him for a moment, "It's Mike. Your's?
The man pulled out a business card and handed it to Mike. It read, 'Have Gun...Will Travel' over a Knight chess piece and below it read 'Wire Paladin San Francisco'.
"You're Paladin?" Mike asked, as he put the card in his shirt pocket.
The man nodded. "I am."
"Are you trailing someone, or heading back to San Francisco?" Mike asked.
"Heading home. A man in Sedalia said there was a cattle drive near here, the Gil Favor outfit. They were joined up with the Major Adams wagon train. I thought I'd ride along with them until the beef broke north then stay with the train for a few more days until they get to Pueblo, then take the stage to Denver, then a train back to San Francisco." Paladin explained.
Mike nodded, then reached his had out to shake Paladin's, "Alright, I guess I'll tag along time. I've never seen San Francisco before."
Paladin nodded with a smile. "When we get to the Hotel Charlton, I'll make sure Hey Boy sets you up in one of the best rooms."
The two men rode off and within the hour they caught up to the wagon train and cattle drive. They spent a few minutes talking to Major Adams, Flint McCullough, and Bill Hawks of the wagon train and Gil Favor and Rowdy Yates of the cattle drive....before they were interrupted by Wooster and Wishbone arguing over which outfit's food was better.
Mike offered to ride out to scout ahead, he wanted a little alone time. It had been almost a week since he took his last drink, and while he still had a few withdrawal symptoms, he was feeling better.
Mike knew he needed to exit the holo-suite. He was feeling better. The time he'd spent in the old west had helped to clear his head, but while he still felt the hurt and the weight of the responsibility of the war and the casualties, he'd finally forgiven himself.
Riding around a large bolder Mike came to a sign that didn't fit the era. 'Exit' was printed at the top with 'Ops' and 'Pegasus' were also posted under. Mike smirked and shook his head. He took a deep breath, and decided when work was done he'd return to the program to finish out the journey he started.
"Computer, pause program and save. Exit." Mike said as he dismounted his horse.
As the doors opened Mike said K'Wor, K'Temoc, Mac, and Draven waiting for him. He flashed a smile.
"How are you feeling Dad?" K'Wor asked.
Mike hugged his son.
"I need a shower." Mike added as dust settled.
"Yes, you do." K'Temoc added with a smile.
OFF:
RSS Feed