Renala nods slowly, still picking up the occasional pill among the pieces of the lamp. "What are the pills for, though?" she asks as she looks up at Steve. "I don't think you've told me that."
#Miner'sRespite – December 27, 2013
Steve sighs and leans his head against the wall. "Guess I owe you an explanation, huh?" he says, not particularly thrilled to be talking about the current subject. "I-... I have a condition." he says, absently reaching back and touching the implant interface, "The pills keep it under control. When I don't take them, things get-..." he stops, frustrated as he searches for the word to best describe it without sounding like a total headcase, "Confusing? Sometimes things just stop making sense. And I know it's happening, and I try to tell myself that it's just in my head... I thought I could control it without the pills." He sighs loudly again, "I'm sorry, Ren. I shouldn't have dragged you into my little freakshow..."
Renala sighs. "Nothing to worry about," she replies with a small smile, deciding not to pry further. "I hope you'll be fine now that you've taken the pills?" She pauses as she stands up, pouring the pills from her hand into a empty bottle on the counter. "So we can go downstairs, have a drink, and take it easy."
Steve nods a few times. "It'll be a little while before they really kick in... But I should be alright. You being here helped... I really didn't want you to see me like this, Ren." he says, a somber expression on his face, "Like I said, I know when it's happening. I know the things coming out of my mouth are just wrong but I can't get ahold of myself. If you hadn't shown up, I would've probably been cooped up in this room for another week. Or worse..." he sighs and picks up the lid to his pill bottle. He closes it up and shoves it into his pocket before standing up and leaving the bathroom.
Renala steps aside and follows after him. "I'm glad I could help," she says with a small smile as she pats his shoulder. She grows thoughtful for a moment before asking, "Did the shuttle show up before you stopped taking the pills?" Her tone is curious.
Steve shakes his head. "I stopped taking my meds the day you left... I was fine for the first couple days." he says, his tone is tired and weary. He grabs a white shirt off the floor and pulls it over his head, "Was just like a switch flipped or something..."
Renala frowns. "Oh," she says. "At least you know now what happens when you don't take them." She pauses, glancing towards the door. "Do you believe there's a chance Eclipse might send people after you here?"
Steve presses the wall panel, causing the door to slide open. "If they find out I'm here, they'll come." he says, stepping out into the hall.
Renala walks out into the hallway after him. "Better now than when you're asleep," she says with a frown. "Maybe the bartender's still there if you want to know whether she's involved."
Steve glances back at Renala, an eyebrow raised. "Ren... You don't need to treat me like a child." he says, mild frustration setting into his voice as he makes his way towards the staircase, "Stop humoring me. I had an episode, but I'll be fine. Just-... Just forget about all this. Please?"
Renala nods. "Okay, sorry," she says with a slight apologetic smile. "I won't mention it again." She catches up with him before trying to change the topic. "Anyway, have you heard from the others while I was away?"
Steve shakes his head. "No. But I was a little... preoccupied." he says, giving her a weak smirk, "Need to talk to them or something?"
Renala shakes her head. "Nah, just curious, that's all," she replies as she starts descending the staircase.
Steve glances around the bar with an uneasy expression on his face as they reach the bottom. He pauses momentarily, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "So... How was your trip?" he asks, attempting to keep his mind occupied.
Renala lets out a small smile. "I enjoyed it," she says. "It was good spending time with my kid in person, without a worry in the world." She pauses as she looks over the bar briefly, the smile fading. "It was... difficult leaving her again." As Renala said earlier, the familiar tall asari is serving drinks, though this shift is a bit too busy for her to idly chat.
Steve 's stare lingers on the bartender for a few moments before he finally snaps out of it. "Yeah... Yeah, I'm sure it was rough... So what did you do together?" he asks as he continues towards the bar.
Renala ponders for a moment. "A lot," she begins. "Went out to eat, to see a vid, or simply a walk at least once very day. We went to Sanves for two days too, which wasn't easy on my credit balance." She takes a seat as they reach the bar. "But I regret nothing," she adds with a smile.
Steve takes the seat beside her and passes another lingering glance at the bartender before putting a smile back up and returning his attention to Renala. "Spared no expenses, huh? Did the ex tag along, or was it just you and the kid?" he asks.
Renala | "Just me and the kid on Sanves," she says, "but I stayed at the ex' place for the rest of it." She signals the bartender for service before adding, "And yeah, finding a job is a little bit more urgent right now."
Va'ynna is returning from the back of the bar with a bottle of beer to serve another patron, but nods acknowledging to Renala's wave. She's wearing a dark green dress, only hugging her features vaguely.
Renala nods. "Yeah, I'd say so," she says. "Things were a little... awkward, but mostly civil between us. She was hesitant to let me take Aeyna to Sanves, but she let me in the end."
Steve drums his fingers against the counter and nervously glances around the bar as he listens to Renala. "I'd say that sounds like progress... Oh, speaking of 'jobs'... Have you checked back in with the place you were interested in?" he asks, attempting to keep the conversation going without many gaps in hopes of keeping his mind occupied, "Didn't you say they were going to have some open positions soon?"
Va'ynna places the bottle under the counter before wandering over to the two recent arrivals. "Is there anything I can get for you two?" she asks, looking between them.
Steve glances up at the bartender but quickly turns his focus back to Renala. "Uhh... Just a coffee for me." he says without looking at Va`ynna.
Renala nods. "Yeah, I did, and sent in an application," she says. "I haven't heard from them since, though, which can either mean they're waiting for options to pile up, or they've found someone else..." She looks up at the bartender. "One beer, please."
Steve continues batting his fingertips against the counter, a nervous habit, as he speaks, "I didn't get around to checking into that agency I told you about..." he says, somewhat embarrassed, "But I plan on doing it first thing in the morning. Would be nice to have a steady job. The less time I have on my hands, the better..."
Renala glances towards the bartender before returning her gaze to Steve. "Yeah, it would," she says. "Keep me updated on the agency in case my plan goes south." She pauses. "What sort of work did they offer, again?"
Steve shrugs. "I don't know the full extent of their work, but they were advertising as a security agency, so I'm guessing that will be the focus. But you can never tell with freelance agencies, ya know?" He leans back in his seat and stretches.
Renala nods. "True," she says. "People usually have a reason to pay for security, but then again, we probably won't be as easily caught off guard as last time."
Steve 's smile returns. "We? Sounds like you're coming around to the idea of working with me again." he chuckles.
Renala chuckles along with him. "Yeah, I'm planning for the case I don't get that IT job," she says. "I'd rather be with people I know and trust with these kinds of jobs."
Va'ynna emerges from the kitchen with a cup of coffee on a small plate, heading towards the pair. She places the cup on the counter, "Here you go." After that, she grabs the beer bottle she poured from earlier and finds and empty glass. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" she asks while filling up Renala's glass.
Steve looks up at Va'ynna, appearing a bit more comfortable. "No, I'm good." he says with a smile, "Thanks." He takes a sip of his coffee and shifts in his seat a bit.
Steve rotates the coffee cup in place on t he small plate. "Know and trust..." he repeats Renala's words, "You still think you can trust me? Even after..." he clears his throat, "Well... You know. You still think I'm dependable?"
Renala shrugs. "I thought that was just a one-time thing with a known cause?" she says before a sip of her beer. "We all fuck up once in a while, after all."
Steve nods slowly. "It won't happen again." he says, "I won't let it." He immediately moves on to the next subject, not willing to give Renala a chance to respond to his words, "So. How about it? You want the extranet address to the agency? Put in an application... Just in case things fall through with the IT position?" he asks with a wink.
Renala nods. "Yeah, not much to lose in trying, is it?" she says. "Aside from time spent agonizing over what to write on the application, of course." A smirk follows and she adds, "I don't have any military service to refer to."
Steve pats his pockets. Unable to find what he's looking for, he stands from his seat and begins patting down his cargo pockets. His slips his hand into one of them and pulls out his omni-tool. The orange interface surrounds his forearm and he taps at the screen a few times, forwarding the information to Renala before placing the omni-tool back into his pocket and retaking his seat. "There ya go, all set. I wouldn't worry about the lack of a military background. You don't decide on opening a freelance agency out in the Terminus hoping to find distinguished professionals." he says with a smile and takes a sip of his coffee, "Besides... You have field experience. Field experience trumps training any day of the week."
Renala sips her drink and nods as her omni-tool makes a low ping as it receives the forwarded information. "Thanks," she says. "And oh, right. The agency sounds more professional than all I did during my maiden years. I suppose they could use a tech, though, so I can focus on that in my application."
Steve continues fiddling with his coffee cup. "Yeah... I'm not looking forward to filling out an application. I was hoping they'd just talk to me when I went in. You know, ask me about my qualifications and such. I never know what to say on those things..."
Renala chuckles. "Yeah, It takes me the better part of a day to write one of those, guessing what the employer want to know and not know," she says. "I got in easy on my last job on Thessia, and I don't think I ever wrote a formal application before that... not that I can remember off the top of my head, anyway."
Steve nods, "Think you mentioned that. Worked with the ex, right?" he asks, taking another drink from his cup.
Renala shakes her head. "I think I did, but it was with her sister," she says, "in a company owned by her family." A long sip of her beer follows.
Steve seems to be, for the most part, back to his usual self, the medication having taken effect some time ago. "Right, right." he nods, "Hey, I was close." he adds with a smile,
Renala chuckles. "You were," she says before taking a long sip of her beer. "Anyway, it's been a long day, so I best get some sleep." She stands up, still looking towards the human. "I'll see you again soon."
Steve rotates in his seat to better face Renala. "Yeah, it's good to have you back, Ren." he says with a smile before adding uncomfortably, "And thanks again..."
Renala downs the remainder of her beer and places it on the counter-top. She leans in and gives him a quick hug without much advance warning. "Don't mention it," she replies with a smile as she pulled away.
Steve pats the asari on the back as she catches him off guard with the hug. "Hard not to mention it when you just seem to always be there when I need you." he says bluntly, but the smile on his face remains, "I'll talk to you later, Ren."