[center][h1][b][i][color=ed1c24]...meanwhile...[/color][/i][/b][/h1][/center][hr]
	Ashton poured another half glass of the lightly carbonated, orange-brown beverage, and immediately took a sip. [color=steelblue]"Impressive."[/color] he quipped about the burp. His delivery could be equally taken as sarcastic or serious. [color=steelblue]"I don't, um... talk much. Least, not unless I'm drinking. Congrats, you can tell folks you heard me make a speech."[/color] Thana glanced over towards him and smirked a bit. He held the bottle up, offering Thana more of the mystery fermentation. [color=steelblue]"You'd think sisters would be closer."[/color]

	Holding her glass out she let Ash refill her as she pulled the chair out and took a seat. Running her finger along the rim of it she nodded slightly. [color=0072bc]"You would think that and don't get me wrong, would've like that but..."[/color] she said as she stared at the liquid frothing in her cup, [color=0072bc]"Zoie didn't like competition."[/color] Her voice was flat as she spoke, rather emotionless but there was a twinge of pain in her eyes. 

	The statement drew a touch of curiosity out of Ash. [color=steelblue]"Didn't seem like the type. But what do [i]you[/i] mean by that?"[/color] 

	Thana's eyes darted up to Ash's. That had been the first time anyone had ever asked her that question. When she was growing up no one ever seemed to care about her opinion on anything. [color=0072bc]"Ever heard of the term [i]the spare heir?[/i]"[/color]

	[color=steelblue]"I've heard the "Heir and a Spare" phrase. Secondborn male's the Spare, takes over in case the first son gets hit by a truck or..."[/color] He moved his free hand in a circle, denoting that he was elaborating with something mildly absurd. [color=steelblue]...eaten by dingoes or something. Literally the only reason a lot of noble families even bothered having more children."[/color] Ash took a sip of his thick, foamy beverage. [color=steelblue]"Not sure how that applies directly, unless your people were bluebloods."[/color] 

	Chuckling mildly Thana understood the confusion but she had a method to the madness. [color=0072bc]"Well as blue-blooded as a Southern family can get. Plantation and all. Zoie was born before me, that whole eight minutes made the difference between being the golden child and well, me."[/color] Taking a long pull of the beverage she shrugged a bit. [color=0072bc]"Zoie was fawned over and I was more or less kicked aside. Made for one very spoiled but charismatic child. Older she got the better at manipulation she got. On the surface everyone thought she was wonderful but if I dared do anything to take the attention off her for even a split second she turned vengeful."[/color] Leaning back in her seat she crossed her legs left over right and looked up from her glass to Ash, locking eyes with him as they narrowed slightly. [color=0072bc]"Everythin' from guttin' my carebears to uprootin' my begonias to wailin' on me physically. She was a monster but no one saw it but me, and no one believed anythan' I said,"[/color] she said with bile and spite in her voice. 

	Shaking her head she downed the rest of it and barely kept from crushing the mug in her fingers. [color=0072bc]"So I lashed out, got in a lot of trouble but hey, bad attention from my parents and the cops was better than making Zoie feel [i]inferior[/i]. Grounding and juvi were easier to deal with than Zoie on a rampage. So, when shit hit the fan for joy ridin' when I was eighteen I was given a choice. Prison or the military. Was an easy choice, both got me away from her; only one gave me a future. Joined the Navy and never looked back."[/color]

	Pushing the empty glass back over towards Ash she closed her eyes and let out a disheartening sigh. [color=0072bc]"So here I am, the spare."[/color]

	Nodding thoughtfully, Ash took his time trying to phrase his response. [color=steelblue]"Sounds like your formative years were FUBAR, thanks to your sister."[/color] stated Ash simply. [color=steelblue]"She made her own decisions. I saw plenty I wasn't happy about in her personality. She did her job satisfactorily and helped train our security, but I cannot say that we associated much outside of work. She confided most in Froggy... er, Victor Bonheur, our present Second and Medical Lead. You might want to speak with him, if you decide you want to know more about her life recently."[/color] 

	[color=0072bc]"Thank ya but no. I have no desire to deal with people who's had the wool pulled over their eyes,"[/color] Thana stated flatly. After everything Zoie had put her through until the day she left home, there was nothing anyone could say to her to make her think better of her now deceased sister nor did she have any want to know what Zoie's life had been like since she had moved away from Leesburg. 

	Another sip. Ash was taking his drink with less haste than his guest. It was still early yet, so getting sloshed wasn't the priority. [color=steelblue]"If it helps matter any, I don't deal in spare people. You're Dr. Thana Martin, not Zoie's sister. Even if she was still with us, ma'am."[/color] 

	[color=0072bc]"Good to know, but I doubt from the reaction earlier other's would be willin' to give me that type of chance. And frankly I have no issues speakin' ill of the dead. Death does not wipe away the evil's of yesterday. With all due respect sir, I don't think my presence would make yer job with keepin' the peace an easy task."[/color]

	[color=steelblue]"I'll be blunt, Lieutenant Commander."[/color] said Ash, putting on a more authoritarian voice. He was good with blunt; far better than he was with subtle. [color=steelblue]"I don't need more people overly swayed by sentimentality advising me. I have those. And my [i]tasks[/i] aren't easy, anyway. Not one of them. Point of fact, it's a hell of a burden on good days. But I am the person in charge, and I'm the one who distributes who gets chances and who doesn't. If the peace is not maintained in this community, the offending parties will be removed from it, one way or another."[/color] His voice softened, [color=steelblue]"But I meant it when I told you that Newnan might surprise you. Lot of good people here."[/color] 

	[color=0072bc]"Well, at least one,"[/color] Thana said with a sort of smirk on her lips. Looking around the room for a moment in thought before looking back over towards him. From her initial introduction with the town she wasn't sure about what he was saying but she would give the place the benefit of the doubt, for his sake. He seemed to be a straight shooter. [color=0072bc]"We'll see about the rest, only time will tell there. Will reserve a decision on my opinion for the town as a whole until later. I make no promises on whether or not I will remain until I can make a full assessment after some experience other than this; as long as I remain in the walls, you'll have the same loyalty I gave my country."[/color] 

	Ashton took the compliment and following promise of (temporary at present) loyalty with a slight nod. [color=steelblue]"I appreciate that, Thana. Really do. We need to discuss your sleeping arrangements next; I don't think that standard visitor quarters are appropriate, considering. But we can get to that a little later. We're having a wedding today. First one in at least four years, I'm betting. Hell of a reception planned. In the meantime, my house is at your disposal if you want to rest."[/color] 

	A wedding? Well that was not something she had been to in sometime. The last one she had attended was between a friend of hers from college and some jarhead. They didn't seem to really have anything between them other than well agreeing on a lot of things. Granted that was years ago. A wedding in this day and age seemed rare affair indeed but was he inviting her to the wedding? Cocking a questioning brow Thana looked Ash up and down a few times before saying anything. [color=0072bc]"Sir, considerin' it would probably be inappropriate for you to invite me on behalf of the marryin' couple I have to ask... Are you askin' me to be yer plus one?"[/color] 

	Well, that came out of nowhere. Not that the man generally spoke much, but Ash found himself speechless. The thought of bringing a "Plus One" had never occurred to him, let alone asking a lady he'd known for about an hour or so. This showed very transparently on his face, along with a smallish amount of embarrassment. After a couple seconds of trying to get words to come out of his face, Ash responded, [color=steelblue]"I really hadn't considered that. Or even staying very long at the reception. But I did recommend that you attend, and until the situation calms some you're going to want escort."[/color] With a mere sliver of forced formality, Ash concluded, [color=steelblue]"Yes ma'am. Plus One."[/color] 

	Thana watched the change in his features and was torn between laughing out right and holding her composure. She was able able to present the more respectful of the two thankfully. She hadn't meant to throw him off like that, she was just genuinely asking a relevant question in her mind. Nothing more, nothing less. Feeling the situation was a bit tense, Thana did what she usually did in such situations; made an inappropriate joke quoting something that might not get caught on about. [color=0072bc]"Glad to know it is on the up and up, because I could never fall in love with someone who didn't outrank me."[/color]

	[color=steelblue]"Thank you, Major Houlihan."[/color] quipped Ash, hoping to God that she was making a M*A*S*H reference. He was familiar with the television show from back when he was a boy; it continued to be one of his favorites into adulthood. If she wasn't referencing the program, Ash was certain that he was in trouble. Keeping with the assumption, he prodded further. [color=steelblue]"Hey, was that a MythBusters reference earlier? [i]'Science'[/i]!"[/color] he inquired, raising his hand and pointing a finger skyward.  

	Thana couldn't help it at this point, she let out a small laugh and nodded. [color=0072bc]"Oh thank sweet Jesus you got the references, that would have been really damn awkward if you hadn't,"[/color] Thana said with a light continued laugh and a nod of her head. [color=0072bc]"But if you hadn't, I guess it just proves that failure is always an option."[/color]                           

	It was pleasant, guessing quotes from television programs of yesteryear. It was a little sad, there would be no new programming coming out again, probably in his lifetime. And what few reruns that were available were limited to whatever could be found on older format, and even then if one had the means to produce electricity. It did make for conversation once in a while, if you could find someone with similar tastes that was still among the living. [color=steelblue]"Yeah."[/color] he agreed noncommittally but wistfully. [color=steelblue]"Maybe for scientists. Us engineers don't always have that luxury."[/color] He smiled back and wet his palate with more of his homemade fermentation. [color=steelblue]"Still... Science!"[/color] 

	Thana half comically gave the science salute of the old TV show before her mind went back to when she had entered Newnan. [color=0072bc]"Speakin' of science, since I will be remainin' at least the evenin' with y'all permission to go get my ride and place it somewhere. That and disarm it,"[/color] Thana asked, knowing it probably wasn't the best idea to keep it out there under guard like that all night. 

	[color=steelblue]"Absolutely ma'am. It is a little irresponsible to keep live explosives around a populated area. I'll escort you down to the gate, show you someplace you can stash your vehicle."[/color] He thought for a moment, [color=steelblue]"And considering everything, you have permission to recover your possessions."[/color] Ash tapped his sidearm before intoning, [color=steelblue][i]All[/i] of them."[/color]

[hr][hr][center][h1][color=firebrick]Black James(!)[/color][/h1]
[img]https://v.cdn.vine.co/r/avatars/6AE78329E91063505631975227392_pic-r-1396533712688c4afde8ecf.jpg.jpg?versionId=ZnGOSit0zozlhxpJk0w6QVx4cSozVRdq[/img][/center]
[hr][center][b]Location:[/b] Building [b]A[/b] (Ash's House, exterior front) -> Parking Lot between [b]10[/b] and Gilbert Street (present location of his smoker) 
[/center][hr][hr]

	James didn't hear exactly what Ash and Miss Sally were discussing. All he knew was that the Captain had a disappointed look on his face, Thana had said something about leaving as soon as she could, and Miss Sally had asserted herself in a manner she usually did not, unless something was going down. 

	He was given a direct order to return to his smoker by a woman outside of his food chain, without the granted authority to tell him to blow his nose. But it was Miss Sally, so naturally James hopped to it with speed and exuberance. Like hell he was crossing that woman. Especially now. 

	It wasn't quite a run, wasn't quite a jog, but it was faster than James like to travel under his own power most of the time. He rounded the corner and threw open his precious, wood-powered meat cooker. The fire was still extremely low, the smoke respectable, and it still smelled lightly of seasoning and corn mash. Were those fragrances not present, James might have been concerned - it would have been indicative of a buildup of heat and/or scorching. Luckily, the Big Reveal only took a few minutes. 

	James opened the vents a little more, allowing more air to get into the bottom most chamber and thusly increasing the heat getting to the meat above. Now that he was back, he could keep a better eye on all of the lovelies he was in the process of cooking off for the blessed event later on that day. 

	Next: Blackneck Apocalypse Grits and Red Eye Gravy!