I Meet Ash
Janie Cantarubia and I walked into the Mayflower’s Lounge; it was already starting to fill up. People looked our way but I don’t think they were looking at me. I glanced around and spotted Andy and Mariana sitting at a large table with a few others who had been in on the Cruiser action, and one guy I couldn’t remember ever seeing before.
We walked on over and the first thing Andy said was, “Good to see ya Bart, let me introduce you to my cousin Ash here. Ash was the Captain of the Cruiser we just captured.”
I launched myself across the table yelling, “You Sonofabitch!”, glasses and bottles flying everywhere. I had him by the collar and had gotten in one good punch when three or four of the others pinned my arms and wrestled us apart.
“That Bastard tried to kill us all and you sit drinking with him!”, I exclaimed while trying to break free.
“Hey, hey. I was doing my best not to kill anyone.“ Ash said, wiping blood from a badly cut lip.
Still struggling, but slowly cooling down, Janie explained about the power plant being set to explode. I could see the confusion showing in Ash’s face and said, “Ok let me go but I want some answers and they better be the right ones.”
“Political Officer. It had to be the Political Officer, I didn’t know a thing about it.”
Ash’s tone of consternated bewilderment was so convincing I almost believed him.
“Let’s get this table together and get Bart and Janie a drink”, Mariana said, “Then I think Ash has got some explaining to do.”