VOICEMAIL

[siteboss]

Commander Sylvester Terrell Jones












Objective: NOT GIVEN




POD E

This is Commander Jones. Leave a message.

[ End of recording. ]

Comments

[siteboss]

“Ah, the next Hurricane.” Jones frowns. “I think I will pass.”

[trilluminati]

“The next Asad.”

[siteboss]

“Ah. I had thought that Pyunma was already occupying that position.”

[trilluminati]

Q frowns now, too.

“Kaya--”

[siteboss]

“Mr. Kirk.” Jones looks at him. “I’ve studied your patterns. I know your figureheads from your catalysts. There is only one component of the equation that I must be missing. Who could fill in for Dr. Roth? You know, even I was surprised when he betrayed you. His loyalty seemed absolute.”

[trilluminati]

“That don’t mean nothing,” Q hisses.

[siteboss]

“Ah, I knew he must be out there somewhere. Because of that, I wasn’t at all surprised when you came back from the dead again. You always have some sucker.”

Jones looks at Q, appraising just how angry he is.

“You’ve only ever hit me once. I remember that too. Is this moment comparable?”

[trilluminati]

Q’s nails grind into the railing. “Nothing is.”

[siteboss]

“You said that you can’t blame me.”

[trilluminati]

“I can still think you are a damn fool.”

[siteboss]

“There is no denying that Times took care of me.”

[trilluminati]

“Junior mislead you. He stuck a katana up Kaz’s nose.”

[siteboss]

Jones’s shoulders shake with a deeply private laughter.

[trilluminati]

“That ain’t even funny.”

[siteboss]

“It is if you make yourself believe that it was actually Itzhak.”

[trilluminati]

“Hah.” Q claps his hand over his mouth, glaring over his fingers.

[siteboss]

“Well.” Jones shrugs. “Will you join me then?”

[trilluminati]

“Never. You--”

[siteboss]

“Of course I know. But it’s important that I keep offering.”

[trilluminati]

Q shakes his head.

[siteboss]

“Is it really so worth it to turn your back on all of your people?”

[trilluminati]

“Most of the time.” Q squints.

[siteboss]

“I see. So I am on probation?”

[trilluminati]

“You’re on surviving, boy.” Q turns his head. “I don’t know that I’ll be able to stop them forever, and Ol’ Guan is finally closed up.”

[siteboss]

“You mean quarantined. It sounds exactly like a move your friends would make.”