Posts: 8,386
Threads: 738
Joined: Aug 2008
Staff roles: Moderator
Picture perfect weather graced Tombstone and a good portion of the western continent. The suns burned brightly but the temperatur was a comfortable 23 degrees centigrade (75F) with no humidity and a steady breeze passing through the estate windows.
"Thank you, so much, for your hard work," Doc said as he shook the hand of the head builder whos crew had finished the repairs around the estate. He then made a credit transfer in front of him, "Here's what we agreed upon plus some extra for your hard work.
"Doc, it's been an honor to work for you," he answered, "I do hope that I get to do so again in the future."
With that, the man gathered his crew, got into a hovercraft and left the Estate grounds. After a brief look at the finished siding, Doc headed inside. There he found Midori, in a loose robe, making a cup of tea.
She gently smiled and softly said, [i]"Gu-tenmorugen."
"I was wondering if you were ever going to wake-up today," he commented with a smile. He then got more serious, "How are you feeling, Dahlin'?"
"My head feel fine," she answered. Doc then went behind her and examined the back of her head, parting her long hair with his fingers.
"Yes, the bump is gone..." he began.
"Ouch!" she interrupted, "but it still tender to touch."
"Mm," Doc groaned in agreement, "you got hit pretty hard so it may be another day or two. Still feel nauseous?"
"Only a little," she answered, taking a sip of her freshly brewed tea.
As she drank, Doc took a bio-scanner from a nearby counter that he had left the day before. He gave a scan behind her head.
"Interesting," he said as he withheld a smile.
"What interesting?" she asked him concerned.
He then made a scan down the front of her and then back up and began looking at it. Midori watched as he reviewed the pictures.
"I never see this before," she said, "please explain."
"Well, I did a bio scan of you," he explained, pointing out things as he mentioned them, "quite detailed pictures as you can see. It shows a video scan of your lungs as they breath, your heart as it beats, your blood as it flows, two babies growing in your womb, your stomach processing your tea and breakfast....."
"Say that again!" she demanded.
"Your stomach processing your tea..." he began to repeat.
"No, before that," she again demanded.
"Um, your blood as it flows..." he asked, a smile beginning to form.
"John Henry Holliday! You stop this instant," she again demanded, "please, say it again."
He did so softly, "Two babies growing in your womb." He then showed the video. Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she watched, tears of joy. He watched with pride as he let her hold the scanner just at her navel, watching a live feed. She then turned it off, placing it on the nearby counter and without another word, embraced her husband to which he returned.
Posts: 8,386
Threads: 738
Joined: Aug 2008
Staff roles: Moderator
Doc hadn't slept well since the information had been coming in from his medical teams at Freeport 1. As he sat on his deck, nursing morning coffee, familiar hands rested on his shoulders and began to massage them. He just closed his eyes, half-smiled and groaned in pleasure.
"Gu-tenmorugen," came the words from his wife's voice as she worked, "you very tense. Relax."
He didn't argue. After a few minutes, he began to talk while she worked. At this point, he was face down on the deck, a pad between him and the wood of the deck.
"I will be leaving for a few days," he began, "I have many meetings to make to include Dane Summers. I don't imagine it will be long."
"Hai," she answered as she pushed into the small of his back with the heel of her hands, "It been awhile since you have meetings. Just do not wear yourself out like you did before."
He groaned before answering, "Mmmm......if this is what I can expect when I get back then I'll make it a short trip."
She just smiled and whispered in his ear, her breasts just barely touching the skin of his back, "there be more than this, John Henry."
Finally, she finished and he felt totally relieved. Once to his feet, he held her, "Dahlin', that was awesome."
They returned to the kitchen where he poured her some coffee and then his own, "My shuttle will be here within the hour so I will need to get ready."
About this time, the sound of small feet came in as Emiko was looking for her parents.
"Daddy!" she yelled as she saw him and ran to him, Doc picking her up, hugging her and kissing her. Midori only watched with a smile and a chuckle, nursing her coffee as she watched. He tickled his girl.
"My shuttle can wait a bit," he said as he enjoyed his daughter, "I think I want to make her some breakfast."
She inhaled sharply, threw the blankets off of her and sat up. She then turned. John Henry wasn't in bed. She then looked at the clock; 7:06 AM.
*BOOM*
She jumped out of bed hurriedly. She grabbed her bathrobe, threw it around herself and ran through the house to where she heard the noise....in the back yard. She stopped at Emiko's room long enough to peak in on her daughter who was sleeping and then continued on. Down the stairs, through the diningving room, through the kitchen to the sliding doors to the deck that looked over the back lawns of the Estate. Quietly, she stepped out onto the grass and watched, her arms folded in front of her to keep her robe closed. She watched as her husband and some others were practicing some firearms practice, many of whom were the Klingon guard around the Estate. For the time, she wasn't noticed.
John was on his caballa (/horse) as he spoke, his pistols in his belt towards his front, an old style, lever action rifle in his hand and his favorite shot gun holstered on his caballa.
"OK, Doc," said one of the guards, "I'm impressed. Now, can you hit those moving targets while moving yourself with say, your pistols?"
Doc could only grin as he holstered his rifle and in the blink of an eye, drew both pistols.
"If I miss, you get a million credits per miss," he smirked.
"Deal!" said the guard as they sealed it with a handshake. John then rode out a ways and prepped himself to keep his bet.
He made sure his feet were secure as he wouldn't have his hands to hold the reigns which would be securely strapped to the saddle horn. He then kicked his feet, sending the horse on a full run. As he approached the target area, targets were launched into the air. As they flew, he fired, first with his left, then his right. One by one, he got them all until he ran out of ammo. Still, the targets flew. Holstering his pistols, he then grabbed his rifle and again began firing, hitting all the targets. Finally, they stopped and he had his caballa walk over to the guard whom he bet. His rifle stood on his leg as he held it.
"I am sorry to inform you, Suh, that you gained nothing," he said with a grin.
Those around him started laughing. Finally, he noticed the oriental woman standing by the porch, watching the festivities with her arms crossed.
"If you will excuse me, Gentlemen, I do believe I have disturbed someone," he excused and walked the horse over to her, the rifle still standing up on his leg.
"Miss Sato," he smiled affectionately.
"John Henry-san," she answered, her hair still bed headed.
"Did I wake you, Miss Sato?" he asked her.
"Hai," she answered, "I hear shots and became scared.
After a brief pause, he holstered the rifle, climbed off the caballa and took her in his hands.
"My apologies, Miss Sato," he said softly.
"That OK," she answered with a smile, looking up at him.
He gently put his hands inside the robe on her stomach.
"How are my kids doing?" he asked, noticing that she was already starting to show.
"They are well," she answered, "Emiko is still sleeping."
"Breakfast, Miss Sato?" he asked.
"Hai," she nodded.
Doc then turned, yelling to the entourage behind him, "Gentlemen, I will be back out in about a half hour."
He held true to his word after a nice breakfast with her.
Married to Ambassador John Henry "Doc" Holliday
Posts: 8,386
Threads: 738
Joined: Aug 2008
Staff roles: Moderator
The Hollidays took a night to themselves, disappearing to the small lakeside camp on the far end of the Estate. The night was pleasant as they dined and loved one another.
The night was pleasantly cool and moonlit as they stood on a small, sandy area at the water's edge. He stood behind her, her back to his chest, while his arms held her with his open hands upon the bare skin of her stomach. Still, it was obvious he had much on his mind.
"Talk to me, John Henry," she asked of him, "you have much on your mind."
"I do," he nodded.
"All that hand to hand and shooting," she inquired.
"A necessity," he answered softly.
He pulled her a bit tighter as they stared into the Canarian moon. His hands gently caressed her stomach which was now just beginning to show as the twins grew within her.
"Dahlin'," he began, "you're not going to want to hear this but you must. I will be leaving for Shasta tomorrow for a few days. There is much work to be done, meetings to be conducted and defensive plans to consider. With the Gallic threat becoming a reality and not really knowing when or where they will strike, I'd rather you not go there as I fear for your safety....."
He paused a moment as he cuddled her a bit, spreading an open hand over her stomach, "......and that of our kids."
She was silent a moment before only answering, "Hai." She knew what was coming and it frightened her. A tear fell down her face. Thoughts of losing her brother, Kentaro, to a war with Bretonia crossed her mind. She missed him terribly. The thought of becoming a widow frightened her more. She spoke softly of her thoughts, still nestled against her husband in the moonlit night.
"I married a man of peace, a man of care and love and I fear that I am losing him to hauntings of his past, a past he try to avoid. The shooting, the blades, the pilot training...."
She then turned, still in his arms, and looked into his face, "....I frightened. I do not want to raise our children alone." The tears began to roll down her face as she gently shook her head, "But I understand why. I just do not like it."
The silence was deafening as he held her as her head rested on his chest. Doc wrestled with his own feelings, sighing again as he tried to keep himself composed.
"I don't like it either," he softly answered, "and I'm just as frightened myself." He then softly asked, "would it help if I said that all this practice, all this preparation, is of a defensive nature?"
"Not really," she answered through her tears.
"Well it is," he sighed, "I didn't ask for what's to come nor did I pick the Royals as enemies." He held her back enough to where she could look at him as he was starting to get upset, "DeFrance betrayed the Zoner people, SHE bombed a base over a Zoner ship in Gallia, SHE sent a ship into Baffin that attacked my people, SHE expected people to just submit...." He then pulled her tight to him again and softened his tone again, "...and somehow it's all my fault." He then shook his head skyward a bit and gave a soft chuckle, "Bitch!"
Midori chuckled herself at the comment.
A bit re-composed, she asked, "What shall I do? Where do I go?"
"Dahlin', you can stay right here on the Estate," he answered, "and if for some reason things get sticky, head for my lab since only you and I know where it is, that and it's deep enough underground to not be a problem."
"How about Honshu?" she softly asked.
"If you wish," he replied, "but with this threat, I wouldn't want you to be targeted in space."
"Hai," she softly answered.
With the subject adequately covered, they just stood quietly, enjoying the evening before taking to the water for a skinny dip and back to the cabin for more time with each other.
Posts: 8,386
Threads: 738
Joined: Aug 2008
Staff roles: Moderator
It was late. John quietly came in the front door, hushing the guard as he didn't want to disturb anyone. John was tired, the bags under his eyes bigger the size of the saddle bags of his cabala. He removed his robes and hung them in the coat closet near the door. Then, heading to the bar, he poured himself a glass on Scotch and nursed it while he reviewed the pile of mail that was received. He tossed the pile aside and made a slow walk through the Estate House just checking for those unusual things for signs of trouble. Though the house was dimly lit, he saw nothing. All was like he left it two weeks prior. As he got to the base of the stairs, a soft voice spoke.
"John Henry," she said softly, caring not to wake the child sleeping in a room nearbly.
He looked up the stairs where Midori stood in her kibuki gown, her hands resting together over her belly which was now 6 months along, her hair let down over her shoulders. He just whispered, "Dahlin'"
"That a long couple of days," she commented, referring to when he left for a trip to Honshu and then New Berlin, "I give up. I take medical crew to Freeport 2 and come home."
He just nodded, sipping his Scotch, "Yes, I know."
"You know?" she repeated with a rare hint of sarcasm, "You know? John Henry, I worry sick about you when I not hear from you. How I not know that Gallia or even Bretonia not kill you?"
He put his now empty glass down and stood with an arm on the bannister and one foot at the bottom step. He looked up, "I'm sorry."
"I sorry?" she repeated again with sarcasm, "a man of peace you may be but there are still many who still wish to punish you for others. I read your ship logs, John Henry. I know about Silver Reaver. She could have killed you on spot."
"But she didn't," he interrupted.
"That not point!" she silently yelled, "there are others like her that would not have let you go."
John himself began to get upset, "So what do you want from me? I'm an Ambassador of peace and good will. That's what I do. I'm a doctor. Saving a life somewhere is why Silver let me go. Those two things are all I know."
"Bretonia? Gallia? What about them?" she asked, "what you often say fall on deaf ears there."
"To hell with them!" he bellowed in a low tone. "If Bretonia wants to be bullheaded even after I offer to mediate with Rheinland then so be it. If Aurelia DeFrance finds her betrayal acceptable but an independent action against her life for it wrong so be it. If they want to blame me so be it. Why do you think I make every effort to avoid them let alone communicate." He then took a deep breath and softly added, "I will not be pushed by either."
"You know that people say you try starting war?" she asked him.
"That's the rumor," he answered.
"John Henry, are you?" she demanded as tears filled her eyes.
"If holding your ground against people who push and dictate demands to you is waging war then I guess I'm guilty," he answered.
She then began to cry in frustration. Two weeks of hearing little of him, the rumors circulating about him and the Reaver had gotten to her. She fell to one knee at the top of the steps. He did what any good husband would do and went to her aid. As he got half way up the stairs, she let out a sharp moan. Her eyes opened wide as she moaned.
"Oh God!" she cried, "John Henry help me."
He came up the rest of the stairs and looked at her.
"My stomach" she said almost silently but with a face of pain as she began to fall onto him in support. He gently laid her back to examine her. Pulling up her kibuki, he noticed blood coming from her cervix.
"Gothar!" he yelled to the guard at the front door, "get my limo!"
Doc himself picked up his wife and carried her to the limo. Wearing her blood, he got her to Canaria Medical.
It was un-judged by the time of the day when off in the distance vehicle more made for speed and escape come closing down towards the Estates front gates. As the black vehicle came close enough it landed within a stones throw the door of the transportation device opens and out would step a man in a black robe draped over him that covered around his entire body the hood up as per usual which wasn't for the effect but more these type of clothing mostly gave him better privacy. Two swords rest at the underside of his back, the blades them selves looking well kept if any one skilled in such use was to look at them.
Dangen shifts his head around looking at the gates having remebered creatures having been there last time he'd approach it and if they were there he'd approach them without hesitation."I am here to see Miss and Mister Holliday."his voice formal with a lack of emotion to it.
Posts: 8,386
Threads: 738
Joined: Aug 2008
Staff roles: Moderator
Grady answered the door when the stranger knocked.
"I'm not expecting anyone," he said aloud to himself as he opened the door. He then looked up at the robed man.
"I am here to see Mr. and Mrs. Holliday," he said
Grady could only sigh and wear a face of discouragement as he vaguely recognized the man from before. Still, the memory was vague.
"I'm sorry, Sir," he explained with his thick, Bretonian accent, "but Mr. and Mrs. Holliday are both at Canaria Medical. I shouldn't tell you this, Sir, but, Mrs. Holliday isn't well. If you want more information, you will have to get it from Mr. Holliday himself."
He stood, awaiting whatever question he would have next of him.
Nods looking off to the side, the most that was ever seen was what was below the ridge of his nose which had a cover over it."Very well."He gives a nod as his jaw clench. "This... Medical Facility... What sector and place is it?"His voice was tight and firm, not being one to ever like such places with doctors or medical orientated places.
Posts: 8,386
Threads: 738
Joined: Aug 2008
Staff roles: Moderator
Grady simply answered the man, "not so much as a grid co-ordinate, Sir, but an address. Here."
He wrote on a piece of paper the address of the center. "I'm sure, Sir, that if you enter the information into your navigation system, you will find it, eh, rather easily." He then handed the man the paper.
He then excused himself, "I'm terribly sorry, Sir, but I am holding down the home in the Doctor's absence to include watching his young daughter so I must bid you farewell. You should have little trouble finding it."
With that, he closed the door.
And in doing so he would leave without another word. there wasn't much to the mans demeanor but a stoic voice. Climbing back into the vehicle and starting up the engine the small craft would take off towards the concordance but not before making a small stop off some where else.
![[Image: 7Md2x4D.png]](https://i.imgur.com/7Md2x4D.png)
![[Image: DocSig.jpg]](http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b204/Beowulf58/Freelancer/DocSig.jpg)
![[Image: Ptb1Ogm.png]](http://i.imgur.com/Ptb1Ogm.png)
![[Image: IIMB-Chairman-Steven-Ferry.jpg]](http://www.modernbutlers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IIMB-Chairman-Steven-Ferry.jpg)