SIM:Lt.JG Ethan Brice (as Jim Jackson) - To Love a King

Jim Jackson was the leader of the Fiefs, a prominent rebellious group in Alice, Wheeler Colony. This is his death.

((Wheeler Colony - Alice))

::Jackson stood up, scuffing the edge of his hat with his glove and placed it down on the table, thankful a bullet hadn't blown its way through it. It was expensive. He nodded to Daydan and made a small smile on his almost-young face. What he'd seen in the saloon that day would more or less change him for life. He'd seen a beam of fire come from one of the men's hand. Was that normal for these people?::

Jackson: We owe you and your posse big my friend..

Taboo: ::smiling.:: You think you owe us big now, you just wait and see..

::Daydan held out his hand and smiled. Jim took it gratefully and shook, feeling the hard grip Daydan used in his everyday life.::

Taboo: It was a pleasure to meet you Jim..

Jackson: Likewise, stranger.

::The two stood together shaking hands as Daydan tapped the emblem on his chest. Jim watched with the fascination of a child as Daydan just spoke to thin air.::

Taboo: Hammond. Five to beam up, beam us straight onto the bridge, I need to see the Captain, urgently.

::Jackson looked at him oddly, the other members of his team seemed to have more than a little look of relief on their faces.. Daydan smiled at each one of them as they all moved closer to him. Letting go of Jim's hand almost immediately the blue shimmering lights of the transporter took them.::

::When the blue shimmer and the stranger's team of people had fully disappeared, a few of his men waved there hands over the area where they'd just been standing to find there was nothing there. Nothing invisible so they hadn't just disappeared. They were gone back to wherever they came from.::

::Jim picked his hat back up off the table and placed it on his head. He walked to the two corpses on the floor of his men and quickly ran his hands over the bullet wounds imbedded in both of their chests. Yep, they'd gone down deep. He sighed and stood up to his full height again, glancing round at his men. Rifling his hand into his long dust coat pockets, he pulled out a green tobacco tin and lit up a rolled up cigarette. Taking a quick drag, he placed it back between his lips and signalled at two of the others to pick up he bodies.::

Jackson: See they get a funeral and inform their families. Make sure its today.

::He pushed open the saloon swinging doors, blowing and puffing away on the cigarette into the night's sky. When he was outside, he kicked at the wooden post at the end of the banister rail a few times, releasing his anger into the wooden and down into the ground. It shook for a few moments then stopped. He couldn't believe he'd lost two of them. He'd promised he wouldn't lose anymore the last time King decided to make his way into their town and mess things up.::

::Leaning the small of his back against the banister, he folded his arms as he took another drag, watching the smoke curl into the dark and spiral round. He didn't want the bloodshed. He didn't want the deaths on his doorstep every time he made a move without consulting the Prefects. Touching slightly on his arm, Jim swore aloud as a small jolt of pain rippled through him from the bullet wound.::

May: I'm sorry about that...

::Jim turned his head slightly, looking over his shoulder at the young woman stood behind him on the dust floor, the Winchester rifle slung over her back with the nuzzle just sticking up prominently over her shoulder. She smiled weakly at him and folded her arms over her chest protectively.::

::Jim laughed slightly.:: Jackson: You're sorry... yeah, well that's real nice.

May: I am, Jim, I'm sorry...

::He stood up and looked at her, the raised platform of the saloon deck making hi at least a few feet taller, looking down at her from the small balcony.::

Jackson: You've just blown away two of my men in there... two of my friends and you have the audacity to tell me you're sorry? ::he shook his head:: Get out of here.

::May looked at the floor, the dust blowing over the tips of her boots. She knew this would happen. She came back to explain herself and let it all be finished with but he wouldn't have it.::

May: Jim...

::He shook his head.::

May: Jim, listen to me goddamnit!

::Silence fell between them as their eyes locked. Jim walked round to the steps and stepped down from the deck, walking up to her until he could easily reach out an inch and touch the edge of her boot with his. He took the cigarette out of his mouth as he took another drag then threw the burning butt to the floor.::

Jackson: What's the point in talking when you're just going to me an excuse.

::It was a statement, not a question to which May seemed to close up at. She unfolded her arms as her gaze landed on his shoulder over the top of the coat. She knew what was beneath and a pang of guilt ran through her. Tentatively, she reached out her hand and touched over his shoulder, watching him flinch in silence but still let her. Slipping her fingers under his coat, she pulled it down off his shoulder to take a proper look, the gauze and bandage in the way.::

May: Someone's patched you up well.

Jackson: ::chuckles:: Think I needed it. Didn't want to be leaking.

::May smiled, looking up at him as she pulled the coat back over his shoulder, hiding away the fact that he was human then flattened her hand on his chest, the black silk shirt beneath her fingertips.::

May: He's my father...

::Jim frowned.:: Jackson: Who is?

May: ::sighs:: King... King's my father. Mom told me before the...

::She stopped and just looked at the lapels on Jim's waistcoat. He stepped a little closer to her and pulled her to him, his hand on her back as she let her head rest on his uninjured shoulder. There was a moment of complete silence, just the whistling of the wind around them and the clicking of heels and spurs on the wooden decking outside stores and homes.::

::May pulled back, stepping away from him. Those moments were gone now, there was no time for them anymore and she couldn't be seen holding him in such a fashion. With a look of regret and missed times, May looked carefully into Jim's clouded eyes and instantly knew he was still there; that the young Jim was still there waiting for her.::

May: King's started riding up to the North, at best he'll be there by morning. He wants to know where your friends are.

::Jim shook his head.:: Jackson: You know I won't tell you, May.

::She took her pistol from her belt and pointed it at him, cocking it and knowing exactly how many bullets were in the six chamber. A look of remorse no where to be found. He couldn't tell her though. Who would believe that they just happened to vanish into thin air? That they had weapons that had beams coming from them?::

May: Where are they?

::He didn't flinch.:: Jackson: I don't know.

::She seemed to grip the pistol tighter and walked forward until it was sticking into his stomach.::

May: Where are they, Jackson?

::He couldn't remember when she'd used his last name. She'd always called him Jim, even as children, it'd been Jim and May. Never Jackson. She was distancing herself from him, pretty soon he'd be another body lying on the floor in the dust, laid to waste by her bullet.::

Jackson: I don't know.

::A tear ran down the side of her cheek.::

May: There's something in that mine that King needs, Jackson. I don't know what it is, or how it got there but it's more powerful then you or me or this whole planet put together. You saw the burning comet in the sky the other night?

::Jim nodded, still feeling the prod of the pistol on his underside. He'd watched it from his bedroom window in the saloon while May was sleeping.::

May: And the two children that went missing? King says they're linked and it's to that mine you've got the deeds to. Please, just hand it over.

::Shaking his head defiantly and definitely.:: Jackson: He'll do more harm than good...

May: ::sobs:: You're so bloody stubborn!

::Jim felt her hand at the back of his neck as she pulled him forward, kissing him just as the gunpowder exploded in the chamber.::

TBC
Jim Jackson
Fief Leader
Alice, Wheeler Colony