#Miner'sRespite – February 22, 2014

Renala is sitting at the bar, with a small glass of beer on the counter before her. She's reading something on her omni-tool at the moment, not very attentive to her surroundings. The asari is wearing a dark blue top and gray pants.

Aylena is currently working at the bar, standing two feet away from the counter, attending to noone at the moment.

Steve descends the staircase in his armor, sans helmet, with his Tempest holstered on his thigh. He glances around the Respite and spots Renala. A small smile forms on his lips, but he turns his attention from her and moves towards the bar for a moment. "Ms. D'Inea?" he asks as he nears the asari, with practiced pronunciation.

Aylena nods and takes a step towards the counter. "That's me," she says. "I presume you're with Redrock Agency?"

Steve nods, casting a quick glance towards Renala. "Steve Briggs." he says, extending a hand across the counter.

Renala disables her omni-tool as he hears Steve and looks up at him, letting the interface dissipate. "Hey Steve," she says with a smile. "Wolfe told me you were hired. Congratulations."

Aylena takes his hand with a small smile. "Aylena D'Inea," she replies in kind. "Pleasure meeting you, Mr. Briggs."

Steve gives Aylena's hand a shake. "You too." he says, not wanting to be rude to his potential employer before addressing Renala with a nod and a smile of his own. "Looks like we'll be working together some more." he says. He returns his attention to Aylena, but the smile remains.

Renala reaches for her glass. "I'm glad to hear that," she says, but don't really comment any further to interrupt the other two.

Aylena nods, letting go off his hand. "Well, as long as you're ready if hell breaks loose, I'd say you'd be doing your job sitting out here," she says. "But have Mr. Wolfe given you any information on the job?"

Steve shakes his head. "Not really. All I know is I'll be out here keeping the peace." he says, glancing around the bar once, "I know there was an issue recently. I'm guessing that's why you found the need to hire some security?"

Aylena frowns slightly at the mention of it. "That's why, yes," she says. "I was lucky that several of your people", a glance towards Renala, "was here, but I can't really take that for granted, even how grateful I am for it."

Steve nods in understanding, "Probably not something worth leaving to chance." he says, "So what should I know?"

Aylena gestures towards the door in the back. "You'll have an office, through that door and the one in the end of the hall to the right," she says. "If you've done this sort of work in the past, using the computer systems there should be easy. If not, I've left the instructions manual on the desk." She pauses. "As per my agreement with the agency, your stay from this day on is free, and you'll have two meals and four non-alcoholic drinks per day free of charge."

Steve nods, but looks a bit perplexed by the mention of an office. "I was under the impression that this would be more of a hands-on job... Observe and act. What kind of work will I be doing that might require an office?"

Aylena nods. "You probably know the kind of job better than I do, so I suppose that works," she says. "The office has surveillance feeds, but you can have the VI linked with your omni-tool for its alerts."

Steve nods a few times to himself. "Sounds good to me." he says, "Do you come across issues often? Can't say I've noticed much since I've been around."

Aylena shakes her head. "There's the occasional loud drunk when it starts to get late, but that's the worst you'll have to deal with on most days," she replies. "Though, I fear what happened a while ago isn't the last we've seen of that, and I want my staff and patrons to feel at ease around here in light of it."

Steve gives another glance around the bar at the mix of familiar faces, "Of course." he agrees, "It shouldn't be an issue. It would be nice to have some info on those involved with the event, though. Hopefully we can prevent any further issues before they get serious."

Aylena nods. "I'm sure your boss, Mr. Wolfe, is more informed of it than I am," she begins, "and we have surveillance footage of it, and the VI should throw a notification of either of the two set foot in here."

Steve | "Then I guess I should check that out." he says, moving to round the counter, "End of the hall to the right?" he repeats as he nears the door behind the bar.

Renala returns to her drink, enabling her omni-tool again.

Aylena | "Yeah, that's it," she says. "Staff know to expect you, but please be so kind to say you're from Redrock if you bump into any of them."

Steve nods and enters through the door, "Will do." he says as he begins to follow the asari's directions.

Steve looks around to get his bearings. He ignores the other doors and simply heads towards the door indicated by the asari.

Va'ynna emerges from the kitchen, with a pizza box in her hand. She gasps as she notices the armored human makes his way to the door in the end, and takes a quick step back.

Steve spots Va'ynna and stops in his tracks. He stares at her for a moment, his brow furrowing as his previous inklings creep back up on him. After a short moment, he blinks hard a few times and relaxes a bit, even managing a smile. "Sorry. Didn't mean to catch you off guard." he says, taking a step towards the asari, "I'm from Redrock Agency. Ms. D'Inea hired us."

Va'ynna relaxes her shoulders as she takes a step out in the hall, still holding the pizza box. "Oh, um, yeah, she... told me," she says. "I'm sorry. I... didn't recognize you, Briggs."

Steve retains his smile and gives the asari a shrug, "I'll try not to take that as an insult." he says, "You know... On account of the fact that I've only been staying here for about six months or so. Can't expect you to remember everyone." he teases.

Va'ynna frowns, looking very nervous. "I just... the... back of your head, I di-didn't recognize it." She sighs. "I'm so sorry."

Steve reaches up and pats at the back of his head absently. Noticing Va'ynna's discomfort, he tilts his head to the side, "You seem a bit on edge. Something wrong?" he asks. His smile remains, but there's a hint of accusation in his voice.

Va'ynna shakes her head. "No... it's just...," she says. "I'm just-.... Yeah, a bit on edge." She takes a deep breath. "I'm Va'ynna Atana," she introduces herself, a tiny smile forming. "It's good to meet you."

Steve nods and looks at the pizza box in Va'ynna's hand. "Well, I don't want to keep you from your work, Va'ynna." he says, cocking a thumb towards the door he was about to enter, "Got a bit to do myself, as a matter of fact."

Va'ynna nods. "We'll... talk later, then," she says as she makes her out to the bar, walking towards one of the booths near along middle of the wall to her left.

Steve turns wordlessly and continues to the instructed door, giving the wall panel beside it a quick press.

Steve glances around the office and nods to himself. He walks across the room and grabs the datapad. Setting it beside the terminal, he takes a seat in the chair and starts up the terminal, hoping to do as advised: link the VI to his omni-tool.

Steve logs in and follows the steps required for the link. He then proceeds to change the password. Satisfied that there's nothing else that needs to be addressed in the office, he gives his omni-tool one quick check to make sure the process worked and exits the room the way he came.

Renala is still sitting at the bar, the glass of beer almost empty. She's not reading on her omni-tool at the moment, though.

Va'ynna makes her way through to the kitchen at the time Steve leaves the office, increasing her pace a little at the sound of the security office door opening.

Steve catches site of the scampering asari and watches her disappear through the kitchen door. Shaking his head, he returns down the hallway and returns to the bar. Remaining behind the counter, he approaches Renala with a smile. "How you been, Ren?" he asks, "Been a little while, everything going alright?"

Renala nods as she looks up at Steve, smiling slightly. "Yeah," she says. "Had another little job recently, but I'm not sure if I can talk about it yet." She takes a sip of her beer glass while a smirk forms. "You serving drinks now, huh?" Renala jokes.

Aylena is attending to another patron at the moment. "You settled in alright?" she asks with a glance towards him as she makes her way along the rack of bottles.

Steve gives Aylena a nod before returning his attention to Renala. "Ooh, top secret jobs." he teases, "Someone's important." He gives a glance around at the bottles of liquor behind him and shakes his head at the asari, "You say that like it would be a bad thing. I think I'd make a hell of a bartender!" he boasts, "Speaking of which..." he lowers his voice, "...I could really go for a drink right now." he sighs. He begins rounding the counter and takes a seat on a stool beside Renala and swivels around to face away from the bar. He leans back, using the counter as a backrest, and glances at the asari. "Wolfe has me working security down here. I know I said I was hoping for something low key when I came here but-... Well, getting a job with a company of mercs usually implies something a bit more exciting." he says with a shrug.

Renala chuckles, turning to face him. "I would have enjoyed an assignment like this," she says, "but it seems Jason don't agree there." She sips the rest of her drink and places the empty glass on the counter. "I don't really feel that important. I'm playing investigator because someone knows their contract is important."

Steve gives another shrug as he taps his gauntlets against the counter rhythmically, "I get the impression that he doesn't care for me all that much. Think he's just sticking me here to keep me out of the way. We had an interesting talk..." he says, leaving it at that, "At least he seems to trust you enough to put you on an important contract."

Renala | "I'm probably not the one to speak, but think of it positively," she says, emphasizing the last word a little. "He's giving you chance. Maybe after this contract, we'll be working together on a job again. At least I hope so." She smiles.

Steve nods a few times, giving a look around the bar. "Yeah... Whenever you're done playing private investigator, you mean?" he asks, smiling a bit. "Sounds like you should've joined C-Sec." he continues teasing, "I think you'd look cute in one of their little uniforms."

Renala smirks, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. "I don't think I have what it takes for that," she says. "Little Aeyna would have liked it, I think, but I think I need a good excuse for lacking a shiny military service record."

Steve shifts a bit, attempting to get comfortable. "You think you'd like that line of work?" he asks, genuinely curious, "If you could land a job with them, you think you'd take it?"

Renala shakes her head. "Nah, I don't think I would like it there," she says with a shrug. "It's reputed to be rather strict, to the point of it getting in the way of doing the job."

Steve nods, "I couldn't handle the Alliance. No way I'd stand a chance with C-Sec." he chuckles, "You said the little one would've liked that? You see her getting involved in a field like that one day?"

Renala looks a little thoughtful for a moment. "Oh, that wasn't what I meant," she says, "but to answer your question, I don't know. She's at the stage where she wants to be a spectre or a justicar.... I can't honestly say where I see her in fifty years. If she's anything like me, she'll be out seeing the galaxy."

Steve raises an eyebrow, tilting his head to face the asari. "Justicar?" he asks, "Branch of asari military?"

Renala shakes her head. "No, they're their own thing, independent from the military," she says. "It's an ancient order of asari living by a very rigid answer to what's right and wrong. They're reputed to enforce it brutally, too. They're rarely seen outside asari space, though."

Steve chuckles dryly, "Sounds like they'd have a field day out here." he says, "Can't imagine a visit to the Terminus would end well for 'em." He returns his attention to the rest of the bar, "Doesn't sound very 'asari', to be honest. Sounds a bit barbaric for your people."

Renala frowns. "Yeah, but we asari trust and respect them," she says. "Children view them as heroes, which several action vids do nothing but affirm. They have their place in our society, but I can't really say they fit in the rest of the galaxy."

Steve continues to tap out some imaginary rhythm with his gauntlets as he watches over the room. "What do you think about them?"

Renala looks thoughtful. "I think they put the turians to shame when it comes to having a stick up their ass," she says. "Back on Thessia I wouldn't have anything to fear, but out here... I would take a detour if I ever saw one."

Steve chuckles loudly, "I'll keep that in mind." he says, "But yeah, I think we're all that way when we're kids. When I was her age, I saw myself one day being a member of the Alliance special forces." he says with mock enthusiasm.

Renala chuckles, as well. "I think I aimed for secret agent when I was young," she says, smiling sheepishly. "But after graduating, I just wanted to get out as soon as I was able, and find out on my own."

Steve nods and takes on a bit of a distant look, "I guess mine stuck with me for a while... Even joined the Alliance." he says before quickly correcting himself, "Well... I suppose they recruited me..." He gives a shrug and the smile returns to his face, "Like I told ya before, that just didn't work out for me."

Renala nods. "Yeah, you did," she says. "My dad wanted me to join the military, though I think I've said that before. It just didn't seem tempting to me, even if I enjoyed practicing biotics."

Steve | "Did he accept your decision?" he asks, lifting his omni-tool to check a few things as he speaks, "Or did he keep trying to push you?"

Renala shakes her head. "She did not," she replies, sneaking in a correction in there. "Me and my parents still don't really see eye to eye, but we barely talked during my maiden years after sixty."

Steve clears his throat. "She..." he corrects, "Right." he nods. "But I know how all that goes. I split a short while after leaving the Alliance... Haven't spoken to my folks since."

Renala frowns. "I've spoken to them twice since coming here," she says. "They're not happy about what happened between me and Nalena."

Steve snorts loudly, "I take it Nalena is the ex?" he assumes, "And they're not happy with how things went? That's where I'd tell 'em to mind their own business..."

Renala nods. "Right, and right," she says. "I told them that it was unavoidable and that I still care about the little one. Not sure if they believe me, though, but if not, that's their problem."

Steve sighs, "Are they close to... Aeyna?" he asks, attempting to recall the child's name, "Do they play an active role in the kid's life?"

Renala | "No, can't say they do," she says. "I brought her with me visiting them, but that wasn't often." Her omni-tool interrupts her before shge can say anything more and she glances down at it, a sheepish smile appearing. "You just had to say her name, didn't you?" Renala smirks.

Steve laughs and nods, "Go. Talk to her." he insists, "I'll just be down here wasting my day away with the drunks." he says, giving a nod to a particularly sloshed patron. He sighs, but a smile forms at his lips.

Renala nods. "Have fun," she says with a chuckle. "I'll see you around, Steve."

Steve nods and waves her off, "Yeah, yeah... Enjoy your evening while I'm doing the tedious work." he teases, "I'll see you later, Ren."

Renala smiles, lingering for a few seconds before making her way back to her room.

Steve remains at the bar watching over the room, wishing he could have a drink.