#Miner'sRespite – July 13, 2013

Inez walks into the inn and over to the bar. She drops her bag with an audible clunk and slaps a credit chit on the counter. The barman looks up at her. "Rough day, Inez?" She glares at him. "Room. Week. Bottle of vodka."

Inez | This is obviously a typical conversation. The barman pushes the bottle over to her.

Inez settles back at the bar, unscrewing the bottle and taking a swig.

Galatea enters the pub, walking purposefully up to the bar and standing patiently with her hands clasped behind her back while the barman serves the other woman.

Inez turns around and looks at Galatea, glaring slightly, then turning away again to focus on her vodka.

Inez ignores Galatea for a few seconds, before realising that she was talking to her.

Inez puts one hand up and scratches under her hat for a second.

Inez |The barman calls over to Galatea. "Don't worry, she always looks like that"

Inez scowls at the barman.

Inez sticks one hand out to Galatea. <Hi. I'm Inez. Did you want a drink?>

Renala wanders down the staircase, looking around the establishment's first floor. She spots Galatea at the bar, talking with another human. She is wearing a similar outfit as the first time she was there: dark green pants, blue top, half-way zipped up brown leather jacket over. She walks over to the bar and takes the seat beside Galatea with a nod of greeting, but does not interrupt the conversation.

Galatea shakes the offered hand with a seemingly well-practiced grasp.

Inez takes her hand back and adjusts her Stetson.

Inez looks slightly incredulous, but orders a bottle of water from the barman, who pushes it over.

Inez nods.

Inez stretches back on the stool and glances down her jacket and leather trousers.

Galatea glances down.

Renala waves down a bartender. "Just a beer," she says her order before returning to listening to Galatea interacting with Inez with a slight amused smile she fails to hide. The bartender serves her beer shortly after.

Inez looks over to Renala, waving at her.

Renala returns the wave. "It's just how 'Tea here speaks."

Inez looks a little bemused, and nods.

Renala returns the smile, turning to face the two others. "Renala," she says. "I just arrived in town a few days back."

Inez nods. She seems to be worn out with making polite conversation. She stares glumly at her vodka bottle.

Renala picks up her drink and takes a sip of it. "So, what do you do around here, Inez?"

Renala | "Ah," Renala says, looking at Inez. "Found anything interesting up there, then?"

Inez shrugs.

Renala nods. "That's what your job is about finding out, isn't it?" she asks before taking another sip of her drink. "I don't know crap about archeology, I have to add."

Inez grins.

Renala | "Still trying to figure that out," she says with a thoughtful frown. "Worked as a programmer back on Thessia for a few decades, while trying to start a family. Didn't work out too well."

Renala | "Just looking around," she replies. "Was pretty much kicked out the door back home." She pauses and takes a long sip of her drink. "I'll probably look for merc or security work, but I need to get myself some gear first."

Inez pats her Katana.

Renala takes a long swig of the beer. "I think I'll go look for that store one of the next days, then," she says. "It's not a big town, so I doubt it's hard to find."

Inez shrugs, and takes another gulp of vodka.

Renala | "Would be much appreciated," she says, smling slightly. "It's somewhat near the other stores, right?"

Renala nods. "Don't worry, I didn't think of going there tonight anyway," she says. "I guess we'll see about it one of the next days."

Inez takes another swig of vodka. She is getting slightly glassy-eyed.

Renala chuckles as Galatea chimes in with that remark, and looks at the other human woman. "You need some help, Inez?"

Renala | "Sure. I'll see you around, Inez," Renala says before watching her walk away and then turning back to the counter.

Steve descends the stairs two at a time. A good night's rest seems to have made a world of difference. Although still dressed down in a casual tshirt and jeans, the wear from the night before seems to have vanished. Making his way over to the bar, he passes by Inez as she staggers her way out. "I'll have whatever she had." he says with a smile before leaning against the counter.

Renala shakes her head and turns back to the counter. "I think I told you yesterday we have our reasons to chug down such poison."

Steve digs through his pocket for a moment before he finds his credit chit and slides it across the counter. "Everything in moderation." he says, turning to face Galatea and shifting his weight onto one elbow.

Galatea nods.

Steve takes a sip of his drink as it arrives before quickly setting it back and and standing straight up, as if something had suddenly occurred to him. "Haven't had much rest lately, must've forgotten my manners." he says, offering a genuine smile as he hurriedly wipes the palm of his hand off on his jeans and extends it towards the woman. "Steve." he says, "My friends call me Thumper."

Galatea shakes the offered hand politely.

Steve nods and turns back to his drink. "Galatea, huh? Well, that's a new one. I like it." he says, nodding a few more times to himself. He takes a quick sip of his drink before continuing. "You from around here?"

Steve stares into his drink for a moment before turning his attention back to Galatea. "Sounds fancy. What kind of work do they have you doin'?"

Renala takes a sip of her beer, content to let the other two talk.

Steve nods once again. "Fair enough. You enjoy it here? Thinking about-..." he begins before glancing around the bar, "Thinking about maybe settling down here if things work out..." he finishes, a satisfied look on his face.

Renala drinks what little remains off her beer and asks for a glass of 'whatever it wsa the two humans had'. She then turns around in her stool to watch the two others' conversation, a faint smile visible on her face.

Steve runs a hand through his hair and drums his fingertips against the counter for a moment. "I'm just-..." he begins, struggling with finding the right words, "I'm getting the impression that you're not all too interested in having a chat." he manages to spit out, doing his best to sound as polite as possible.

Steve stares at Galatea for a moment, a quizzical expression on his face. "You pulling my leg?" he asks, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Galatea glances down at his leg for a moment.

Renala manages to stifle laughter successfully, but a faint chuckle escapes her, as she listens to the two of them.

Steve follows her gaze, staring at his own leg for a second before his attention is pulled away by Renala's laughter. "This a thing she does? Pick on the new guy?" he says with a confused, if somewhat amused, smile as he glances at the asari.

Renala glances behind her shoulder as a glass is placed on the counter behind her, but she returns her gaze to Briggs. "That's just how 'Tea talks," she answers him. "She's using interaction in here to gather data for her VI program."

Steve glances between the two women for a moment. "Not sure I follow..."

Renala | "Her VI programs don't come talking organically out of the box," Renala chimes in, hoping to describe it well. "They learn from actual conversation."

Steve stares at Galatea for a moment longer. "Oh... Right... I just thought-... Nevermind. My apologies." he stammers before turning back to his drink, standing quite rigid as he takes a few quick sips.

Steve drums his fingers against the counter once again, "It's nothing. Really. I just thought you-..." He looks past Galatea to the asari once again. "VI? Really?" he asks.

Renala | "Yeah," Renala nods. "You're talking to a VI program right now." She picks up her glass of vodka. "Unless Galatea's messing with all of us," she adds jokingly.

Steve nods and shifts uncomfortably, becoming slightly more rigid. "Oh... I just... I wasn't aware I was ta-..." he starts, suddenly much more aware of his terrible vocabulary, "Conversating... With a VI-... A virtual intelligence. It's my fault. I didn't mean any offense."

Renala | "I think she's doing well," Renala says before bringing the glass of vodka up to her lips. "It's only been a few days since she started gathering data." She takes a tentative sip of her glass, clearing her throat a little in response to the slight though unexpected burn.

Steve nods in agreeance, allowing his stare to linger on Galatea for a moment longer. "Yeah... Color me impressed. What about you?" he asks, locking his eyes on the asari, "What do you do around here?"

Renala takes another sip of her drink, and places the glass on the counter and returns the human's gaze. "Nothing for now. I arrived here just a few days ago," she answers his question. "I'm hoping to find some merc or security work, though, even if my skills have become somewhat rusty over the last few years."

Steve clears his throat and breaks eye contact for a split second. "Yeah, just got here myself. Merc work, you say? Dangerous work, isn't it? I'm looking for something a bit more... Uneventful." he says with a chuckle.

Renala | "Tried setting down once, without much success," Renala says. "The reason why I'm here, actually." She takes another sip of the glass.

Galatea drinks out her water and suddenly gets up with no visible cue. "My socializing hours are over, I must now compile data. Thank you for your input."

Steve nods a few times and returns his attention back to the asari. "Seems like as good a place as any to call home. Lost my job a few weeks back. Figured it was the universe trying to tell me something." he says, his familiar smirk returning, "A chance to start fresh somewhere new."

Steve turns to Galatea and nods. "Nice meetin' ya, Galatea. Suppose I'll be seeing you around." he says with a friendly smile.

Renala nods to Galatea. "I'll see you again, 'Tea."

Galatea nods at the asari and then leaves the pub with a purposeful stride.

Steve glances at Galatea as she exits the Respite before looking back at Renala. "Well, that was interesting." he says, setting his drink down. "Sorry, I'm having a bit of an off day. Steve," he begins, extending a hand towards the asari, "But everyone calls me Thumper."

Renala watches the human woman leave until she's a good few steps away before she turns back to the Steve, and she takes his hand in hers with a firm handshake. "Renala," she says. "Goot to meet you, Steve."

Renala hums in contemplation. "I think Galatea implied there were more options here in town," she says, "but yeah, I'm staying at a room upstairs here."

Steve lowers his tone a bit and leans in. "How is it? Any issues? What's the noise situation? Seemed alright last night... Then again, I could have slept through a bomb..."

Renala nods. "It's been good, so far," she replies. "Not everyone cleans the communal kitchen, though." She glances at the clock on one of the screens. "I think I'll get going now," the asari continues. "It was nice talking with you, Steve."

Steve finishes off his drink and sets down the empty glass, "Sure thing." he says, offering the asari a friendly smile, "I'll see ya around."

Renala nods, returning the smile, and downs the rest of the glass of vodka she ordered, evoking a cough as she momentarily forgot the potency of the alcoholic beverage. She places the glass on the counter while enabling her omni-tool to pay for her drink. "See you," she responds as she finishes paying. She lets her omni-tool's interface dissipate and makes for the staircase up to the second floor.