On the Docks [Henriks/Matthew]

[Docking Bay]

He had packed his things and was fully prepared to leave when A.T.L.a.S.'s voice spoke up. "Sir, there's been a malfunction on the ship so I arranged for an old friend of yours to meet you here in the meantime."

Matthew let out a sigh. "Fine. But I just want to get out of here as soon as possible. I'm done with politics." Matthew commented stepping of his ship and back on to the station. "Let's just hope I don't have to deal with another prick. Or any of the same pricks." He thought to himself. His anger had been brewing since he left the gym, what he needed was a good hunt. Hopefully he could meet up with Normandy and Blitz for a contract when he got home. He looked over his ship, it'd been awhile since it was used to full capacity. The paint had started to ware off over one of the three engines on the left wing and the inscription "N05-A" had begun to fade. The airlock was slow to open on its own than it use to be. The ship just needed maintenance.

As a slight smile passed over his face he heard footsteps behind him and turned to see a familiar face. "Hello. It's been a..very..long time. I've changed a lot since we last saw each other. Fiancé died. Thought about getting on a ship with the self-destruct on. One last bang. Well, kind of. No sound in space. No oxygen to feed the fire with either. Poor planning on my part I guess. I'm leaving Starfleet old friend."

[Docking Bay]

Henriks strolled through the doors to the docking bay, eager to see his good friend. He had received a message, informing him that his friend's departure had been delayed, to past the time when Henriks got off duty for the day. Though it was a bit of an inconvenience to Matt, Henriks was glad he would at least be able to see him off.

"Sveiks, my friend!" Henriks said with a smile. "It is good to see you again. I have missed your company." He paused, trying to collect his thoughts. His mouth began to open, but it was a moment before the words actually came out. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Matt. The loss of a loved one..." His words caught in his throat.

He knew how his friend felt, but this he did not say. He had lost several loved ones in the war, and there was a time when he thought he had lost Jiseth. "But I would be just as sorry if you were to leave. Friends are a thing to be cherrished," he said at last. "Is there nothing I can do to convince you to stay? At least permit me to invite you for a drink."

He glanced down to his watch. "Yeah, sure. I haves little time. My ship has to repair itself before I leave."

[Bar]

He ordered a bottle of rum as he sat at a table. "I want adventure without politics. Is that to much to ask? I've been trying to get my mind off of Amanda's death. She's the only woman I've ever loved. Dated off and on after my parents died up until I was captured. Then when I broke out we got back together. I miss her. Her brother Thomas is all I have left of her."

The bottle had extremely little time on the table. "I don't have the time in my day to deal with pricks anymore." He said with a slight growl as he took a drink.

[Bar]

Henriks was quiet as they sat an empty table. He ordered some spearmint tea, Matt opting for some rum. Henriks wasn't all that fond of spirits, but perhaps it would calm his friends nerves some. Matt seemed ill at ease. "No," Henriks agreed. "It's not too much to ask. Perhaps you should switch to medical, my friend," he said with a slight chuckle. "There are no politics in sickbay. Rank plays less importance than experience, and we seldom see the command staff. No pricks allowed."

Swishing his tea around a little, he took a sip. Perfect. Nothing like a good cup of tea. "It's hard to lose someone so dear," he added quietly. How did she die, he wondered. But he did not feel it was his place to ask. As a friend, it was his job to give support, not pry. "I lost a cousin and an uncle during the war. My cousin died in an explosion that nearly killed me too. And those of my friends that survived, dispersed, save Chira."

Henriks frowned, melancholy. "I can't make you stay, but it will be sad to see you leave, my friend. Is there anything I can do?"

"Me? A doctor? Seems like a bad idea. I threaten doctors." He offered a slight smile at the joke. "I don't really know if anything can be done. I hear Amanda's voice echo out in the distance. It haunts my dreams 'Save me Matthew.' I hear her calling out all the time. If I had been on Earth I could have protected her. Alas, I ride into darkness searching for answers. One truth I know; next time I step foot on Earth those mercenaries will pay for what they've done." His eyes had a hint of red in them as he took a drink.

"No. Am I no different than her killers? On a quest for blood. I seem to have lost who I am, don't know myself from a murderer." He shook his head. "I suppose this is no more than the ramblings of a madman. After all, everyone has a darkness about them, some just tend to hide it behind light."

"I remember," Henriks replied, glad to see some sort of smile on his friend's face, even if it wasn't for long. But the talk once again darkened, and Henriks frantically searched for ways to make Matt feel better. Dreams could be a terrible thing, he knew. Sometimes he was still haunted by faces in the night, but none spoke, none could. They had been blasted to smithereens before they could cry out. And those dreams were slowly beginning to decrease in frequency. "Perhaps I could give you something for dreamless sleep?" he suggested. But what could he do about anything else.

Henriks shook his head. "No, my friend. You are not a madman, just hurting. Blood won't solve anything. Forgiveness is a better route, but that's just the ramblings of a pacifist doctor. All I can say is that you must do what's best for you, and I can only hope it doesn't require leaving. I will miss your company sorely, my friend."

"After twenty-six years if I've learned any truth in the universe it's that I AM a madman. The assassins were after me." He looked down. "Dreamless sleep? No. It may hurt but it's the only way I can hear her voice again."

His eyes had become a deep shade of green. "I'd miss you too old friend. But we're not even stationed at the same place. I thought my request was fairly clear but it didn't click. But you know me; I live for adventure with friends. But alas; my friends won't be by my side if I stay. Maybe you should join me. Being a bounty hunter is more glamorous than it seems. Riding around the galaxy in luxury. No no. Bounty hunting isn't the kind of life for you. You're a good man. I succeeded because I'm not a good man.

Henriks nodded solemnly. It pained him to see other people hurt. "As much as I would love to join you on these adventures, you're right. I would make a terrible bounty hunter. And I couldn't do it to my family, especially not Chira. It'd kill them. Anyways, what good is a doctor on a bounty ship?" he laughed. He imagined there was more inflicting harm than patching up.

But his friend was a good man, though. How was he to convince him of this? It was starting to seem more and more like an uphill battle, one that he was losing terribly. But as a friend, he had to try. Henriks swirled his tea 'round the mug, only about half of it remaining now. He took a sip before adding, "You may not see yourself as a good man, Matt, but certainly you can see that there are so many people out there that are worse. You're not really a bad man. Everyone is a bit of both."

"That's what Amanda always said. But old friend; I've done horrible, unspeakable things." He paused. "The reason I did what I did was to protect people. When I took in a contract that person had to be responsible for substantial evil and I would never kill. After all; I didn't do it for the money, I have money." His head shook as he took another drink.

His eyes suddenly shifted to a crystal blue. "Chira. Is she here? It's been a very long time since I've seen her."