Stardate: 80125:0900
Title: "Hard Knocks"
Author: Ensign Alex Ross
Time: Current; Following "Gathering"
Scene: Turnquistia


The last thing any of the assembled officers of the USS Horizon expected to see as they readied themselves to search for and find Emma Smith and Autumn Falls, was Ensign Alex Ross to come flying out the wrong door of the casino and land face down in the dirt some ten meters away. A crowd of Turnquistian 'toughs' followed him out and stood in front of him as he regained his feet and wiped the blood from his nose and the corners of his mouth.

Alex smiled. "That all ya got?"

"Buggar," Captain Deadilus mumbled nearby as he held his captive informant by the lapels of his clothing. He looked at Remmick. They had both seen the crowd that was forming about them. Somehow, though, Scott didn't think it was all on account of Ross.

Alex, for his part, looked both angry and quite pleased with himself. A distraction, such as the one he was currently putting on, would enable the other members of the crew to slip away unnoticed and locate their missing crewmates. He was quite pleased about that. The fight, however, was rapidly becoming more than he had bargained for. He was just a little angry over that fact.

One of the Turnquistians smashed a bottle on the casino doorframe and brandished it towards Alex. "I gots a lotta mo' for ya, Big Mouth."

The thugs followed as the Turnquistian with the broken liquor bottle advanced on Alex. They brandished pool cues as well as brass knuckles along with several other accoutrements of pain.

Alex sighed, then readied himself. "I am NEVER going to make lieutenant..."


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Ensign Alex Ross
Operations Officer
USS Horizon
NCC-72400
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