It was before dawn when Scotty went out, the key firmly tucked in his coat pocket from, of all things, the Ark of the Covenant. He'd gone to bed a bit late, still trying to absorb all this that Tara handed him, but he was fairly alert despite that. Determined.
He retrieved his and Harold's Fresians from the boarding stable and borrowed the cart and harness for the horses, and he managed to have them drag the Ark up a jury-rigged ramp into the back of the cart. Curiously, the floorboards it had splintered in the Red Dragon were repaired. Scotty didn't even blink; it wasn't the first time the bar had done something like that.
It was just getting towards dawn when the Ark was on its way into the West End. Scotty had his phaser, but all was quiet in the section of the city everyone warned him to avoid. He did have to stop and ask directions, and once he got them, it wasn't that far. Brian Ravenlock had pointed him here, and in all honestly, he'd be glad to allow far older, likely wiser, hopefully trustworthy people handle these things.
The shop itself wasn't open yet. So, he sat and waited. The Ark was covered with a couple of old blankets. And inside were the Spear of Destiny (or Holy Lance), supposedly the one that had speared Christ. And inside were three golden apples, Gaia's gift to Zeus and Hera at their wedding, fabled to grant immortality.
There was one thing that wasn't, though.
Hope remained at home, in a jar that was deceptively simple looking.
Scotty didn't really know if he believed in God; he was mostly an agnostic, not really believing one way or the other. And he didn't really want immortality, either. The Ark, the Lance and the Apples were items of fascination, curiosity. And thoughtful gifts, Tara had given him.
But the last...
It didn't matter if it was real or not. Scotty would treat it like it was. Hope remained at home.
The sunrise broke as he waited.
He retrieved his and Harold's Fresians from the boarding stable and borrowed the cart and harness for the horses, and he managed to have them drag the Ark up a jury-rigged ramp into the back of the cart. Curiously, the floorboards it had splintered in the Red Dragon were repaired. Scotty didn't even blink; it wasn't the first time the bar had done something like that.
It was just getting towards dawn when the Ark was on its way into the West End. Scotty had his phaser, but all was quiet in the section of the city everyone warned him to avoid. He did have to stop and ask directions, and once he got them, it wasn't that far. Brian Ravenlock had pointed him here, and in all honestly, he'd be glad to allow far older, likely wiser, hopefully trustworthy people handle these things.
The shop itself wasn't open yet. So, he sat and waited. The Ark was covered with a couple of old blankets. And inside were the Spear of Destiny (or Holy Lance), supposedly the one that had speared Christ. And inside were three golden apples, Gaia's gift to Zeus and Hera at their wedding, fabled to grant immortality.
There was one thing that wasn't, though.
Hope remained at home, in a jar that was deceptively simple looking.
Scotty didn't really know if he believed in God; he was mostly an agnostic, not really believing one way or the other. And he didn't really want immortality, either. The Ark, the Lance and the Apples were items of fascination, curiosity. And thoughtful gifts, Tara had given him.
But the last...
It didn't matter if it was real or not. Scotty would treat it like it was. Hope remained at home.
The sunrise broke as he waited.