Whew, been a busy few days and I’ve neglected to complete this little untold story. Now…where was I?

Oh yes, that’s right, Vick and Danny. Well, as we saw in my previous post, Vick and Danny’s origins were somewhat cobbled together, but quite a story. I had developed the characters, I had developed the general outline really, but the question was, now what? I had Danny and I had Vick; I stuck the two together in my head and what came about was really quite surprising.

Vick and Danny are not PB and J. They’re not Peanut Butter and Chocolate. They resemble an odd mix, a thing that really has no chance to survive  but somehow, someway, does. Vick and Danny are like Spam and Chocolate Milk.

Let that sink in for a second as I explain this; Spam and Chocolate Milk is a horrible, horrible thing. You take the Spam, you take the Chocolate Milk, you stick them in a blender and you make a concoction that will have the toughest person on Earth (Chuck Norris) crying tears. It. Is. Disgusting. How do I know this?

Uh…well, I had some. A lot of some, actually. It was a kinda “Fear Factor” food thing challenge between a few of the local church groups. It was me versus some poor kid from the Presbyterian church. The one who drank the most Spam/Chocolate Milk mixes in the allotted time won the contest and got bragging rights. It was church pride on the line, people, I had no choice…plus I was stupid and only 14. Factor that in please when you judge. Anyway, I chugged the most in the allotted time, won the contest, and was promptly ill for the rest of the night/next day. Being lactose intolerant did not help me in the contest, but I won anyway; I just paid mightily for it as one can imagine.

That’s why Danny and Vick are, to me, the Spam/Chocolate Milk mix. They shouldn’t exist. They shouldn’t work and it’s sickening, in some respects, to watch them work together. Danny, being the eternal hopeless romantic and optimist, is constantly trying to redeem Vick, no matter what his actions really. Vick, being as depressed and guilt ridden he is, is constantly diving deeper into the abyss. The problem is that, together, the two achieve some weird balance that keeps them from going TOO far in one direction or the other. They kind of tether one another to the middle and if you remove one from the equation, the other goes sliding into their chosen extreme with reckless abandon.

Screwed up? Sure. A total mess? Absolutely. Completely up my alley? Hell yeah.

There’s a reason I’m called “The King of Character Torture”. The tragedies and travesties of our lives play a role in helping shape us. It’s why my characters have them in spades, because we all do frankly, some more than others. These two were a weird, unsustainable, unholy mix of a partnership that strangely managed to survive despite the long odds that it would.

I was quite enamored with them and still am, to some extent. I had plans for them to have their own spin off book that would explore that seedy, unclean side of Starfleet and the Federation more in depth, but it never really developed. I only got down the one chapter before the idea, like many ideas, fizzled out for me. I did make a smashing book cover though, one I really quite liked…maybe it’ll get used in the future. Here’s that.

Vick is Clive Owen (huge fan of his) and Danny is Ryan Reynolds (Also a huge fan). I’ve always like the idea of the two actors together in a movie but it seems quite unlikely. But I can see both of them fulfilling the roles quite well.

And finally, here’s the only chapter I have for them, featuring the very familiar antics of one Danny Scott…and a few other things of course. 😉

Star Trek Lost Souls: Damnation

Ch. 1

“You know, I really do like what you’ve done with the place…it adds a great bit of flare to it.” He smiled at the wall in front of him, his eyes focused on it. “It reminds me of a bar on Archer III I used to go to…a very exotic bar. Not much décor but certainly more than enough…extracurricular activities.”

No one responded-still. By his clock he had been in here for over two hours now without a word from anyone or anything. The room itself was a standard interrogation room. One table, two chairs, a door, and a depressing paint scheme. He’d have thought after three years they’d have repainted it but sadly he was mistaken. 

“You know, in that bar I met a lady by the name of Brenda. Now Brenda…ah, she was a looker if there was one. I mean, you ever meet a girl who just seemed to glow when you saw her…a girl who just seemed to pop in a boring world of noise and confusion? That was Brenda. She had a lot of pop…and certainly spunk.” He smiled at the wall and leaned back in his chair. “She could talk your ear off though…but I didn’t mind. We complimented each other well and we never had a dull conversation.”

He glanced back at the wall, still receiving no indication from the other side that someone was watching. He didn’t see any obvious recording devices in the room but he knew there had to be one somewhere; they rarely stuck him anywhere where he was truly alone. They were always waiting and watching him for any hint of what he knew.

“So, Brenda and me seemed to work out…at first. But after a few weeks I realized she liked those extracurricular activities more than being a single lady, so we parted ways.” He smiled at himself. “Though anytime I’m in that system I do visit her to catch up on old times.”

The door to the room opened briskly and he smiled at the person who had just entered. She was rather good looking and he didn’t mind that at all. He leaned forward in his chair as she sat down and winked at her. “Well, they may not have changed the paint scheme but they did change my case worker; you’re far prettier than my old one was.”

She looked down at the PADD in her hands and then back at him. “You’re Daniel Scott?”

He nodded. “The one and only-though you can call me Danny.”

She put the PADD down on the table and eyed him suspiciously. “You’ve been read your rights?”

“I have…though if you’d like to read them to me again I will support that decision fully,” he said playfully.

“Your accused of treason, murder, espionage, and a myriad of other charges-you realize the situation you’re in?”

He smiled at her again. “The situation I’m in? Of course I realize it. I’m in a bland room with a beautiful woman…such a situation many men would dream of…well, maybe they’d wish for a less bland room.”

She slammed her hands on the table, getting his attention. “Don’t play games with me Scott! Where is he?!”

He wagged a finger at her. “Angry really doesn’t suit you at all…I think you need to relax more. I know a place on Gravak V that has a beautiful view of the ancient city there. In fact, if you look really hard you can see some of the ancient imagery built into the architecture—”

“Where is Johansson?” She interrupted.

He put on a look of innocence. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

She picked up the PADD and scrolled down to a picture of a man. “Him,” she said showing the picture to Danny, “where is he?”

Danny stared at the picture and shrugged. “Afraid I can’t say I know him-though I doubt he would like that picture. He looks like a filthy criminal.”

“He is a criminal, like you,” she said strongly. “If you don’t cooperate, I’ll be forced to recommend you be charged to the full extent of the law.”

Danny feigned consideration. He then grinned. “Okay…if I cooperate will you give me a date? Because that imagery on Gravak V is really something—”

She tapped her combadge and two security officers entered into the room. “Take him to his cell.”

Danny shook his head. “You’re going to miss out on a great time-I swear Gravak V is just as I promised.”

She stepped into his personal space, barely a few inches from his face. “I know Gravak V…the city you’re talking about isn’t allowed to be visited by tourists. Even if it was,” she said with venom, “the imagery you’re talking about built into the architecture is pornographic.”

Danny smiled shamelessly. “You looked like you needed to see how it was done…I doubt you’ve had much experience with fun lately with that kind of attitude; you must surely eat the weaker men.”

“Get him out,” she snarled.

Danny was roughly escorted out of the room and thrown into his cell down the corridor. After a moment of picking himself off the floor he mock saluted the leaving guards.

He sat down on the brigs sparse bench and looked around the room. The usual arrangements; nothing fancy. He figured he get at least a nice brig…after all this was the third time he was a guest here on Starbase 67. He figured he’d get some sort of repeat offender special.

“A side of eggs and a nice thick piece of bacon would be good right now,” he called out to the guard on duty. The guard ignored him, paying him no mind.

Danny sighed and leaned back against the wall. “This reminds me of the time I was a guest on board an Orion freighter…nasty place those freighters. They really have no sense of cleanliness and utterly disregard other species smell preferences. Have you ever smelled a sweaty Orion? It smells like someone died and was bathed in Klingon bath water.”

The guard looked up and raised an eyebrow.

Danny nodded in understanding. “You’re right; Klingons don’t take baths.”

He watched her exit the room in a huff and closed his eyes. She had lost her cool and allowed Scott all the room he needed to distract her.

“I want her off the case,” the admiral behind him demanded.

Nathan rubbed his eyes and turned to face the admiral. “Sir, please, give her—”

“No more pleading with me, Captain Brennan. I want her off-now.”

“Yes, Admiral,” Nathan said slowly. He had feared Noble would make this difficult and he was right. Admiral Francis Noble was a man many disliked and many feared; he wielded great power as head of Starfleet’s Department of Internal Affairs. Noble’s authority was backed up by Starfleet Intelligence and that didn’t help the man’s image.

But for whatever aspects Nathan disliked Noble for, he did respect the man; he had a winning record and closed out cases quickly back when he was an investigator. Nathan was promoted to captain due in no small part to Noble’s influence in the department. As an investigator himself, Nathan had a lot to learn from Noble; there were just some days he wished the admiral was a little more understanding.

A quick tap of his combadge summoned Commander Gala Fresnel into the room and Nathan made sure to look her directly in the eyes; it wasn’t easy for him to pull her off the case…they were involved at the moment and Admiral Noble wasn’t too pleased about that either. “Commander, I’m afraid you’re being removed from this case. It is the opinion of myself and the admiral that Scott doesn’t see you as a threat…he sees you as a plaything.”

Gala’s eyes burned with anger, but she remained calm-at least on the exterior. “Sir, respectfully, I’d like another crack at him; I think I can get to him.”

“You did get to him,” Noble replied abrasively, “and he got to you, Commander. I expect an unwavering amount of self control from my officers, especially when overseeing a case such as this; he’s a dangerous man, Commander, and his partner is ten times more lethal than he. He’s playing games with you and that means he doesn’t take you seriously; I’m pulling the plug,” he said as he narrowed his eyes at her, “and that’s final; understood?”

Gala gave a curt nod of acknowledgement, though Nathan could see in her eyes how angry she was.

“Good,” Noble said quickly, “dismissed.”

Gala about faced and walked out of the room briskly, her calm exterior beginning to crumble slowly. Nathan knew he’d find her in the holodeck later, probably killing some poor simulation. She didn’t take losing well and this would qualify as a loss in her book.

Noble turned to Nathan and scowled. “I hope you have a suggestion who to put on this case.”

“I recommend myself—”

“Absolutely not!” Noble insisted strongly. “You’ve worked this case for the last nine years, nearly ten now…as head of this station’s Internal Affairs division, you’re place is authoritative, not leading an investigation.”

Nathan’s face flushed red briefly, but he controlled himself. “Sir, I have more experience than my entire staff-overseeing this investigation to its conclusion is something I swore to myself I’d do.”

“Overseeing it is something you will do,” Noble responded harshly, “but that’s all; taking an active part in this investigation will draw unneeded attention to it. Request denied, Captain; try again.”

Nathan locked his jaw and contemplated the question at hand. Noble wouldn’t allow him to do it and Noble wouldn’t allow Gala to do it; that left few options. “Sir, you’ve seen my entire staff and you know that no one here is qualified to work this case as well as I or Commander Fresnel; you’ve eliminated all the options I have available.

Noble shook his head. “You have someone arriving later today that would suit the case fine; he’s just as much a man who likes to play as Mister Scott is.”

Nathan looked at Noble in surprise. “Sir…you vehemently dislike Harrison—”

“I dislike his brother; I like him a little more. He at least understands his job and does it well…his brother, as evidenced by his capture, did not. I want him on this case and in a room with Scott tomorrow morning. You’ll send Commander Fresnel to brief him upon arrival.”

“Sir, respectfully, I’m the best person to brief him,” Nathan argued quickly.

“Commander Fresnel was in that room with Scott…she’ll have insight you or I don’t. I want her to brief Harrison-you and I have another meeting tonight.” Noble glared into the glass. “It’s not one either of us should look forward to, but it will help speed this case along.”

“Who are we meeting, sir?”

Noble frowned. “Carry out my orders and meet me at my quarters at 1800 hours; don’t be late.” He walked out of the room briskly and Nathan let loose a deep sigh.

“Smug bastard,” he said under his breath, careful to vent his frustration slowly. He had to inform Gala and then he had to prepare himself for a night out on the town with Admiral Noble.

Fate was out to torment him today.

 

And that’s it. As you can see, Danny is himself there, very much as he is still himself now. Not much has changed with Danny in nearly two years. Vick is briefly referred to there a few times but he wasn’t supposed to play a big role until a a few chapters down the line as I had it planned out.

The set-up, at least how I had it planned anyway, was that Danny had purposefully gotten captured. Vick needed him on the inside of the station to help them steal a Defiant class there for repairs. It was going to be very Star Trek III-esqe that particular scene (probably with a few references to that movie in the scene as well). They were going to need the firepower of the ship to bring down a Section 31 ship that carried none other than everyone’s favorite agent, Sloan. It was Vick’s plan to capture Sloan, get him to clear him and Danny’s names (a lot of things had been blamed on the two that weren’t true) and get S31 to reveal the location of Vick’s wife-he strongly suspected they knew where she was.

As for the other characters, well, they’re roles were somewhat undefined. Commander Fresnel was going to be Danny’s love interest, Captain Brennan was going to be the guy who wanted to see Danny and Vick behind bars no matter what, and Admiral Noble was the guy who had the connections to S31 and the shady dealings. Anyone who’s read my Star Trek Chronicles series knows that Admiral Noble is not a nice man; he’s pretty much a dick.

And who is the Harrison that Admiral Noble was referencing in the chapter? That was Hank’s youngest brother, Jake Harrison, also a fellow Starfleet officer. This book was, more or less, going to debut Jake and would allow him to get out there on his own. Hank’s other siblings don’t get a lot of mention in the main books, or even in the prompts; they’re kind of glossed over, sadly, but each is distinctive in their own way and certainly worth writing about.

But none of it really came to pass sadly. That was the only chapter written and though I quite like it, the idea never got off the ground really. The story, like so many others before it, got red shirted, and now lies on the harddrive of my computer, waiting for me to get back to it.

Today though, it’s story has been told, and hopefully it has been somewhat enjoyable for you folks. As always, any and all comments are welcome. Thanks for reading.