#Miner'sRespite – March 16, 2014

Jason is seated in a booth near the bar, reading on a datapad. He's dressed as usual, in his blue-and-white hardsuit, with a nearly full glass on the table in front of him.

Kim steps into the Respite and glances around momentarily. She's in fairly standard casual garb and her hair has been let down. She notices Jason almost immediately upon a quick sweep of her eyes over the establishment, but makes a stop at the bar first to get a drink before heading over.

Jason glances up from his datapad as Kim approaches, "Hey..." he says, nodding towards the seat across from him. "Everything alright?" he asks with a bit of concern in his voice.

Kim places the glass on the table and slips to the opposite side. Her expression is fairly serious. "I'm not sure yet. I mostly just want a second opinion on what I'm finding out. It's... about my sister."

Jason sets the datapad down on the table and slides it off to the side. "Yeah, sure." he says with a nod, "So what's this about?"

Jason gives a short shrug and reaches for his drink. "Maybe she's just worried about you. Aite is a pretty dangerous place, Te-... Kim. What's so strange about that?"

Kim shakes her head. "If that was it, I would've been able to call it that. She's also been much more secretive of her own activities, as well as instantly aggressive when I ask about it." She stops momentarily to bring up her omni-tool.

Jason takes a long sip from his drink, spilling a bit on the table as he does. "You think she's hiding something?" he asks as he places his glass back down and wipes at the spilled liquid with a gauntleted hand.

Kim nods absently for a couple seconds before finally stopping with the omni-tool. "Yes, I do. I also found out recently that she's been trying to hack into my omni-tool starting at roughly the same time. I tried pinging around her own on a whim and found that it's been heavily locked down. A few unimportant systems are under standard protection, but that's what makes it stand out

Kim holds out the display of her omni-tool. The screen currently shows a small section of a list showing an external address trying to access her message history with various people from several days ago.

Jason raises an eyebrow, leaning forward across the table to get a better look at the display. "Why would she do that?" he asks, "Have you confronted her about it?"

Kim shakes her head. "It's easier to figure out what someone is planning when they think you don't suspect it. If my gut is right, then there's every chance it will blow up in my face."

Jason looks slightly confused for a moment. "If your gut is right...?" he asks, letting the question linger for a moment before pressing further, "What's your gut telling you?"

Kim gets a dark gaze in her face. "I don't know. That's the problem. She obviously wants to keep something important from me enough to upgrade her omni-tool's security, and the way she responds to me when the subject goes anywhere near it suggests more than something innocent..."

Va'ynna takes the stairs down to the Respite's first floor. She does notice Jason and Tess on her way to the bar, but decides not to interrupt them. The asari claims a seat at the bar and orders a glass of water. Va'ynna is wearing her familiar red dress, holding a datapad-sized bag in her right hand.

Jason sighs, giving a shake of his head. "I'm not sure how close to your chest you want to play this, but..." he shrugs, "Renala is a bit of a nerd. Why not talk to her about it? I know it sounds pretty shitty-... Spying on your sister like that... But maybe she can help you check her omni-tool? Make sure she's not in some kind of trouble?"

Kim thinks for a moment. "Hm... How much do you trust Renala?"

Jason goes to answer, but quickly changes his mind, instead sitting back in his seat. After thinking on the question for a moment, he sighs once again. "I-... I don't know. She seems to be trustworthy, but I guess if I'm entirely honest, I don't really know her all that well."

Kim grins softly and leans back in turn. "I'll have to pass on that one, then. It's a distant line between careful and paranoid."

Jason shrugs once again, crossing his arms as he speaks. "So... What are you gonna do about it, then?" he asks, "If you can't talk to her about it, and can't get outside help... What's left?"

Kim shrugs. "Probably try to follow her and see what happens."

Jason frowns at the response, "Don't get yourself into trouble, Kim... If there's something I, or the rest of us can do... Just ask. I know you're trying to keep things private, but I'll make sure the others understand it's a no-questions sort of situation. Just-... Be careful."

Va'ynna gets her ordered glass of water, but remains at the bar for now, glancing once over to the two at the table.

Kim grins softly. "I've managed to keep out of trouble this long, haven't I?"

Jason snorts loudly. "I'd say that's debatable." he says.

Kim laughs. "Well... I managed to survive them, at least. Close enough."

Jason chuckles and gives a nod, "Fair enough, I guess." he says, giving a quick glance towards the bar. "Mind if I invite a friend to join us?" he asks as he spots Va'ynna.

Kim nods and takes a drink from her glass. "Fine with me. That's all I really needed to talk about either way."

Jason nods once again, "Just keep me in the loop. Like I said, I'll help any way I can." He turns to face the bar and cups his hands around his mouth, shouting at the asari, "Hey! What're you sitting alone for, loser!?" he teases, garnering a few strange looks from other patrons, "Get over here!"

Va'ynna looks up at them, blushing a little and looking otherwise embarrased as some looks do follow Jason's gaze. She gets out of her seat and approaches their booth, stopping a meter away from the table. "Hey," is all she says.

Kim raises an arm in a small wave, but continues sipping her drink otherwise.

Jason scoots further into the booth and slaps a gauntleted hand down on the seat, suggesting she sits down. "What's the matter? Am I not good enough for you anymore?" he asks, looking up at the asari.

Va'ynna frowns. "N-No," she says, sounding a little nervous. "I...I just thought I'd... not bother you two." She places her drink down on the counter and takes the seat beside Jason, letting the datapad-bag rest on her lap; still looking at Jason.

Kim shrugs. "We're done with what we were talking about now, so I'm fine with company."

Jason offers the asari a smirk, "You know you're never a bother, V." he says, "What's going on with you? No work today?"

Va'ynna smiles slightly. "No, I worked in the morning," she says, "and I'm going to assist in the kitchen in a while." She pauses, reaching for her glass. "My training contract ends tomorrow... so I'm a little nervous."

Jason shakes his head, "Nothing to worry about. You've got it in the bag. Besides, after what you went through here, Aylena would have to be completely heartless to toss you out." After a short pause, he slams a hand against the table as he recalls a question he had, "I almost forgot!" he begins, glancing across the table towards the human, "Did you ever stop by the firing range?"

Kim shakes her head. "I've been busy with a few things. I'll try to get there tomorrow."

Jason frowns. "Could come in handy, Kim... Imagine how much smoother things may have went during that last job if we didn't need to charge a dug-in sniper." he says, absently rubbing a gauntlet across his chestplate with a pained expression on his face.

Va'ynna nods, taking a while to answer to not interrupt the others. "I suppose so, unless D'Inea only go by merit," she says, "because if that,... extending the training would be... the most I could ask for."

Jason raises an eyebrow, "Are you doubting your bartending skills?" he asks, "You're the best Aylena's got!" he exaggerates, "I mean that guy that works sometimes during the night shifts? The short guy with the weird eye? I swear he waters down the drinks. If anyone needs to go, it's him."

Kim snorts to hide a laugh before taking another swig of her drink. "I know who you mean. He's fun to mess with sometimes."

Va'ynna fronws. "But he's the... only educated chef working here," she says. "Firing him is... maybe not a good idea."

Jason shrugs.

Kim hangs her mouth slightly as she stares at the asari.

Jason nods towards Kim, "Yeah. Kind of like that."

Kim glances over to a nearby customer eating and shakes her head before taking another drink.

Va'ynna raises an eyebrow at Kim, but doesn't inquire about it. "But... I want to work more in the kitchen. I'm... not good at bartending. Have... you seen extranet reviews of this place?"

Jason shakes his head, "I didn't even know there ^Bwere^B reviews. What do they say?"

Jason 's smirk widens, "No, no, no... You're not getting out of this that easily. I want some specifics. What do they say that seems so bad?"

Va'ynna looks at the table, sighing. "I'm... not really a... people person; if... you didn't know already," she says. "Some can tell that I'm... not comfortable standing there. A review said they felt almost sorry for waving me down, and questioned why I had this job."

Jason frowns, regretting his decision to further prod. "Alright... Send me the site. I'll put up a review of my own." he says, a determined look on his face. He pokes a finger towards Kim, "You too. Operation: Save V's Job is in full swing."

Va'ynna smiles. "Thanks, but... I... want to work in the kitchen, mostly," she says. "That's... most of what I've studied for since half a month before... your kind's new years was it?"

Jason shrugs, pulling his omni-tool up and poking at the interface feverishly. "Few months back? When all the fireworks were going off?" he asks, fixated on the screen, "Yeah, that was new years." he pauses for a moment, glancing towards the asari, "Don't you guys have anything like it?"

Va'ynna nods, looking back at Jason. "Yeah, that's the day," she says. "And we do, but... it's a lot less exciting. We make wreathes of flowers and give them to loved ones... and friends." She pauses. "It's tommorow, actually."

Jason pokes at his omni-tool a few more times, juggling his attention between it and Va'ynna. "Tomorrow?" he asks, "What are you doing to celebrate?"

Va'ynna | "I'm going to worry about my meeting with D'Inea," she says. "Back on Thessia... I... usually made wreathes for the few friends where I worked."

Kim raises an eyebrow. "So... what, you're not going to take at least some time to celebrate it?"

Jason allows the omni-tool interface to dissipate, a satisfied smile on his face. "Alright. I think I found the site. Let all those assholes know that you're the best thing about this place. I used six exclamation points." he says plainly with a smug nod, "Because it's better than five!"