January 21st, 2186. It's nearly 10:45PM when the new shuttle enters the Redrock hangar. A long day has been capped off with a logistical nightmare. Unsure how long Va'ynna might be at the hospital, it was decided that Betsy would be left with Victoria so she can get Va'ynna and Uvena home once the all clear was given. Everyone else piled into the new shuttle, cramped amongst a deactivated YMIR mech. Renala and Zaylus have been dropped off
#RedrockAgency – May 28, 2026
at home and Leah at the Respite. Only the last of the stragglers- Jason, Phil, and Jasper- remain on the Kodiak as it touches down with Celyna expected to arrive with their other recent aquisition shortly.
Jason steps off the shuttle with his helmet under his arm, weapons holstered and plating reattached just for the sake of not having to carry it. He didn't get a whole lot of rest on the ride home and the exhaustion of the day is reflected in his tired eyes.
Philip had dozed off partway through the trip, sleeping soundly until the first drop-off, at which point he startled awake in time to offer the others goodbyes, sitting bleary-eyed as the shuttle finally made its way to Redrock. He unbuckles after Jason, grabbing his gear, long since discarded, with the intent of returning it to the Redrock armory. The long and eventful day has taken its toll on him too, and a heavy sigh slips
Jasper somehow still looks bright and chipper as ever as he steps out of the cockpit, posting up beside the open door of the shuttle. "Leah is still waitin' on a pickup, so as soon as Celyna gets here I reckon we'll try and get scootin'." he calls out to Phil, an unspoken request for him to not dilly dally.
Jason glances back when he hears Jasper's voice and slows his pace until Phil has caught up. "Hey..." he offers, gaze focused on the ground in front of him as he crosses the hangar beside Phil.
Philip offers Jasper an over-the-shoulder thumbs up in acknowledgement of his words, vest with the weapons attached to it held in the other arm. Jason's greeting draws his attention over to him as they continue on their way. "Sir," he offers with a nod.
Jason draws in a breath, gaze remaining low as they walk. "I-... uhh... just wanted to say nice job out there." he offers, shooting the younger man a quick glance. "I'm sure this probably isn't how you were expecting your first day back to go but-... but yeah..." he nods, "...you got the job done."
Philip lets out a breath, forcing a small smile. "Thank you, sir. It sure ain't what I expected when I came in, but I'm... I'm just glad we got Miss Va'ynna home."
Jason looks like he has more to say but doesn't. He simply nods as they continues across the hangar in silence and exit into the hallway. It's not until they're a good portion of the way down the hall that he speaks up again. "Actually I-..." he shoots a quick glance further down the hall, as if to make sure that Vasquez isn't around, before his pace slows to a stop and he asks: "...You got a minute?"
Jason props up a smile that doesn't quite manifest. Not fully. "I just-... I know that we didn't really get much of a chance to talk after Di Yu..." he starts, his own discomfort obvious.
Philip 's expression darkens slightly, gaze falling away as something like shame finds its way into his eyes. He shifts his weight and nods a couple of times.
Jason gives a couple of nods in turn, his own expression not all that different from Phil's. "I just want you to know that I get it." he offers. "Why you had to take some time?" he clarifies, a humorless snort following as he runs a hand through his hair. "Hell, I might've taken some myself if-... uhh-..." Vasquez wasn't in the wind. That discomfort creeps back into his expression. "...if shit wasn't so fucked." he
Philip frowns. "I wasn't cut out for all that. I'm only alive 'cause you guys dragged my unconscious ass out of there, I know that. I was luckier than most," he replies, uncharacteristically quiet and subdued. He scratches his neck and offers a shrug.
Jason furrows his brow, studying Philip for a moment, clearly not in agreement with the man's harsh assessment of himself. "You were shot, Phil." he says matter-of-factly. "And the way things played out...?" he shakes his head, "I mean-... that was the kind of op that would have anyone wondering if they're cut out for this shit. Every one of us that made it off of that planet was lucky."
Jason shakes his head once more. "There's no 'guessing'. If we didn't think you were 'cut out for all that' then you wouldn't be here. Simple as that." he shrugs, offering an apologetic tilt of his head for putting it so bluntly. He lets that linger for a moment before propping his smirk back up. "But we are gonna have to address your gear. Cuz I sure as shit don't want to have to drag your unconscious ass out of any more deep
dark pits if a firefight doesn't go our way." he continues, trying to steer things into less heavy waters. "Start looking into finding something that works for you. Redrock will pick up the bill for some of it and I'm sure we can work something out to help you with the rest, alright?" The sound of Celyna pulling into the hangar causes him to pass a quick glance out through the open door to the hangar.
Philip smile returns, faint, but more sincere, and he offers another nod. "I ain't gonna argue with that..." he says, before the sound of the arriving shuttle catches his attention too.
Celyna sets the captured craft down smoothly. The door slides open and she climbs out with an exclamation of "Fuuuuck me, I'm starving!", cracking her neck and rolling her shoulders before wandering through the hangar in search of someone to notify of her arrival. She's still fully armored up, and her coat is back on, although her helmet is carried under one arm.
Jasper is still posted up just outside of the Kodiak and offers a lift of his arm in greeting as Celyna arrives. "You an' me both!" he agrees. "Soon as Phil is finished up here we'll get ya home."
Jason snickers, but the commotion from the hangar causes him to realize he should probably wrap things up for Phil's sake. "Alright, I'm not gonna keep you any longer. But-..." he gives an awkward shrug, "...if you ever wanna get a few beers at the Respite? Maybe let off some steam? Hell, just shoot the shit...?" Discuss shared trauma from near death experiences? "You got my contact info." He gives Phil a quick pat
Celyna heads over to the Kodiak and slumps into one of the outermost seats, putting her helmet in her lap. "This town have any late night food joints?"
Jasper gives a deep dip of his head in affirmation. "I know of a place not too far from the Respite. Gotta head out that way to pick up Leah an' Tara anyhow, so if you wanna tag along until then we can swing on by."
Jason continues into his office, taking a few minutes to shed and store his armor and Revenant. As good as it feels to get out of his gear, he decides he probably shouldn't go stomping through the halls in his underclothes and opts to reclaim his boots and the clothing he started the day in from where it was slung atop his armor locker. "Fergus, where's Linda...?" he asks, giving his Phalanx a quick once over before tucking it
The door to Jason's office opens with a hiss, and Vasquez steps through, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorway. "Good job out there," she says, a small, tired smile on her lips.
Jason's head snaps over to the door when it slides open, lopsided grin crossing his lips as he sees who it is. Fergus' response causes his expression to turn blank. "Yeah." he says flatly, "I got that, Fergus." With a shake of his head he begins to round his desk. "Wasn't sure you'd still be up."
Vasquez glances up briefly, eyebrows furrowing her the exchange with Fergus, before her attention returns to Jason. "Really think there was any chance of me sleeping while we had a team deployed?" she asks, raising an eyebrow. Her hair is down, and her headset has come off - she's mostly shifted out of work mode after the shuttles reached Freedom Falls airspace and she sent Emma home - the sniper had spent the better part of the
day keeping watch, just in case. She reaches out as soon as Jason is close enough, grabbing him by the fabric of his shirt and tugging him closer for a slow, light kiss.
Jason snickers, pressing into the kiss when he's pulled in, his smirk felt as his arms slip around Vasquez' waist. "Heads up, I'm pretty ripe." he warns as he pulls back. The downside of being wrapped up in an undersuit for 16 hours. One of the many downsides.
Vasquez scrunches up her nose. "No kidding," she says, but she doesn't mind too much judging by the smirk on her face. "Go get washed up, we can talk after," she instructs, well aware of what a relief a hot shower is after a full day in armor. She nods in the direction of the corridor and gives his butt a pat to nudge him into motion.
Jason cocks an eyebrow as he's sent off, though his attempt at looking offended is undercut by the dopey grin he's wearing. "You treat all your employees like this, Chief?" he scoffs playfully as he shuffles backwards through his office door.
Vasquez scoffs quietly. "Only the ones I'm married to," she assures through a small grin, remaining where she is in the doorway for the moment, watching Jason leave.
Jason snickers, shooting Vasquez a wink before starting off down the hallway towards their apartment.
Vasquez heads off to give the newly acquired vehicles a quick look, offering Jasper and the others a brief goodbye as they depart, and then she heads upstairs, disappearing into the rec room.
Jason takes his sweet time, a nice hot shower exactly what he needed after a long day. That, on top of taking some time to give Justice a bit of attention before setting out from their apartment, means it's pushing 11:20PM by the time he appears in the rec room doorway, his arrival announced by a stifled yawn as he scans the room for Vasquez. Owing to the late hour, he's traded one set of sleepwear for another. His simple white
Vasquez is slumped in the couch when Jason finally enters the rec room, head resting against a propped up arm. It quickly because apparent that she's actually fallen asleep, able to relax fully now that Jason and the others have returned. On the TV, an ANN talk show is discussing rising tensions with the Batarian Hegemony - hardly an uncommon topic.
Jason's smirk returns as he spots Vasquez clonked out on the couch. He gives a passing glance to the TV as he approaches the couch, leaning his forearms on the back of it. "Hey..." he whispers, trying not to give her too much of a jolt.
Vasquez jerks awake, lifting her head and rubbing her face with her hand as she lets out a grunt. "Shit." She blinks the sleep from her eyes and straightens up, turning her head to look Jason's way. "Uh, there's takeout in the fridge," she informs with a vague gesture in its direction, guessing he's probably eager for something other than nutrient paste.
Jason snickers, glancing in the general direction of the fridge but he just leans a bit heavier on the back of the couch, looking in no rush to move despite the rumble in the pit of his stomach. After a moment he lets out a heavy breath. "Why don't you come to bed." he suggests, nodding in the general direction of their room, "We can go over everything in the morning. I think we've both had a long day..."