Working Double Time

'Cause the walls start shaking
The earth was quaking
My mind was aching
And we were making it and you -
Shook me all night long
Yeah you shook me all night long
AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long

Continue from Comfort Coming.

The By Jove's jukebox was cranked to it's highest volume as the bar filled with people. Hallan sat at the bar and sipped slowly on a Quafe.

"You've got to have parties like this more often Hal," Flashfresh had some tatoo'd Brutor chick standing behind him. She'd been following him all night. He was grinning ear to ear.

"You don't think it's a little loud?" Hallan yelled over the noise.

"Hell no. Where did you get this music?"

"Came with the bar,"

"Cool," Flash had already moved down the bar and was standing just behind some Gallente girl who was sipping on a very colorful drink.

"Hal," Korvan sat down next to him, "What's up man?"

"Hey," Hallan stared down at his Quafe.

"She isn't worth you getting this upset over,"

"I dunno, I liked her,"

"There'll be others,"

Hallan toyed with a small box as he started at his drink.

"What's that?" Korvan said while leaning in closer.

"Another of the many things that came with the bar," Hallan held it up in the air in front of him. The box was small and black, with a red button on the top.

"Looks simple enough," Korvan said before taking a drink of his beer.

"You'd think so, but nothing about the previous owner was simple. He was Jovian. He told me to press it if I ever felt like things were hopeless,"

"Well?"

"I've never felt quite that bad but I've been thinking about it today. He says it only works once. It's all it ever needs,"

"That's hilarious. It probably doesn't do anything," Korvan smiled and stood up.

"Probably not," Hallan slipped the box into his jacket pocket and stood up as well.

"Hallan! Come over here," He heard Mynxee's voice through the crowd, which was growing somewhat more quiet.

He worked his way to the window that Mynxee was standing by. She was squinting at something in the distance.

"What's up Mynx?" Hallan said to her back.

"Do you see what I see?" She asked and moved to the side for Hallan. He leaned into the window and looked where she pointed. Tiny specks of darkness on the star were starting to appear.

"That's where we found that wormhole today. It's...," As he spoke the sun visibly darkened. A fleet of ships came out of warp next to the station. He didn't recognize their markings.

The entire room became quite in moments, the ancient music in the background the only ambiance. Lances of light struck out from the fleet as the entire station rocked. The lights went out and only the now dim light from the star lit the room. Suddenly the fleet fired a number of missiles at the station as well. Hallan spotted one that looked to be taking a very unfortunate course.

"Everyone get out of here!" He screamed as it streaked ever closer to the window.

The rush of people left him no room to maneuver and he reached into his pocket and pushed the button on the box the Jovian had left him. Nothing happened, and he cursed silently to himself.

There was a crash, then a rush of air. Then silence.

_______________

*CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP*

"Hallan! Hallan!" Resika shook him as she called his name, "Wake up!"

"Ugh," Hallan opened his left eye and squinted at her as he spoke, "What."

"Your alarm's going off,"

"What the hell?"