#Miner'sRespite – June 27, 2014

Halisi is sitting at an empty booth in the Respite. She's wearing her doctor's outfit, apparently not having changed out of it. A cup of coffee sits on the table untouched. She is reading from a datapad held in her left hand.

Barry pushes the door open and takes a gander around. He hadn't really checked out the area around his new quarters, but the local pub seemed the best place to start. He'd just been transfered to this part of town, and was keen to get his bearings. He heads towards the bar and orders a pint of whatever beer they had on tap. He's a tall, well built but scruffy looking male, with a shaggy beard, matching his equally shaggy hair. He wears a fairly dirty jumpsuit, with a hefty toolbelt around his waist.

Halisi looks up at Barry as he enters, studying him keenly with silver eyes as he heads across the pub and up to the bar. She glances down at her datapad and types a bit, but it is only a temporary distraction.

Gregorij is seated on a barstool with a drink in hand. He looks to his left at the new arrival and lets out an annoyed grunt. His mech is sitting to his right - apparently things aren't too busy for it to be granted a seat.

Barry runs a strong, gloved hand through his hair, smoothing it back. He looka t Halisi and smiles. "Evening." He says, waiting for his beer.

Halisi doesn't seem to have expected being noticed. After a brief pause she nods faintly and then turns her attention back to her datapad.

Barry looks around the bar again. It seemed to be just the three of them there. He swigs his beer and hums to himself. "Sure is dead in here tonight." He says.

Gregorij sips his drink and then looks up at the news report playing on the screen above - something about an Alliance raid on a smuggler hideout. He shakes his head to himself but watches on, despite the barely audible volume. His mech is largely inert due to the lack of direction.

Barry looks over at Gregorij and spots his mech. He tilts his head and narrows his eyes. "Never seen a mech like that, mate." He says, looking it over.

Gregorij glances to his side. "No you haven't. That's Anna. She helps me out. And keeps me company." He sips his drink again, his eyes moving back to the screen.

Barry chuckles. "Keeps you company, eh?" He says, sipping his bear. "I'm sure. Build her yourself?" he asks.

Anna turns to face Barry. "Greetings, I am a Synthetic Insights class-three disability mech belonging to Gregorij Sakamoto."

Barry gives a small, two fingered salute. "Barry Stanford. Or Bazza, Baz, or Sabertooth. Take your pick."

Gregorij hushes his mech and then shakes his head. "No, no... bought her. Had to save up. Sure as hell didn't get any help with that."

Barry sips his beer again and scratches his beard. "Yeah? What is it you do?"

Gregorij seems to ponder the question for a while. "I drink."

Barry chuckles. "Don't get paid to drink. If you do... are you hiring?"

Halisi is still reading on her datapad and hasn't touched her coffee yet. She sighs and starts to type.

Gregorij shakes his head once more. "No... but I have enough credits for now. Took out a... bonus when I left the Alliance."

Barry smiles. "Ah, an Alliance man." He says. "Seen my fill of you guys. Took me a while to get away from everyone telling me to sign up."

Gregorij scoffs. "At least you were able to say no." He takes a long swig from his drink.

Barry chuckles and nods. "Yep. It was either head out here, or become an engineer in the Alliance. I chose the, uh... easy... life of a rig engineer."

Gregorij grunts. "They took us as kids, you know. Couldn't really run out here back then."

Barry winces. "Ouch. Didn't know that." He says, sipping his drink. "Sounds rough."

Gregorij shrugs. "Could say that." His gaze goes distant for a moment and he takes another long swig of his drink. "Rig engineer, huh?"

Barry nods. "yep. I operate the Sabretooth rig out over yonder." He waves off to the north. "Not going to well though. Only a few of us left. Jus got relocated to cheaper workers' accomodation nearby.

Gregorij nods his head faintly as Barry speaks. "So what's the problem? No demand for... uh, what are you drilling for?"

Barry shakes his head. "There is, but there are other companies out for it. Corporate espionage, stuff like that." He says. "Not going to stop me though."

Gregorij sips his drink before responding. "Corporate bullshit. Not much better than the Alliance."

Barry shrugs. "Its not my part of the company. I've just gotta keep my rig up and running, and hope for the best."

Halisi puts the datapad down and brings up her omni-tool, making a call to someone. "Hello. Dr. Halisi. ...yes, actually..."

Gregorij nods. "I hear you. You just wanna work without getting screwed over."

Barry nods. "Eeeeexactly." He says, and goes back to looking around. "So what's the going's on around this town?"

Barry blinks as he hears installation, and looks over at Halisi. He waits for her to finish her call, and look back at Greg.

Gregorij turns to look over his shoulder, briefly letting his gaze wander around the place. "Same shit as always. People working. Assholes fighting. Freighters flying in and out. Those Redrock mercs seem to be getting pretty established."

Halisi 's omni-tool interface fades away and she puts the device away with a sigh before returning to her datapad.

Barry hmmms and looks back at Halisi. "Hey, uh, couldn't help but overhear that you might need a technician? Will an engineer do?" he asks.

Halisi looks up from her datapad. "What? Oh-... I'm not sure that's-... what kind of work do you do?"

Barry points at his toolbelt. "Look mate, I'm an engineer, that means I solve problems. Not problems like... well, what is beauty. Because that would fall within the purview of your conundrums of philosophy." He chuckles and takes a swig of his beer. "I solve practical problems."

Halisi looks rather sceptical, but can't help but gain a faint smirk. "Okay then... I'm installing medical interfaces and medi-gel delivery systems in combat hardsuits. You know anything about that?"

Barry hums, stroking his beard. "I'm not a doctor, but with some simple programming, I reckon I could do something about that." He says.

Gregorij is sitting in silence, nursing his drink. It is unclear if he's listening to the conversation or not.

Barry scratches his beard again. "Well... what time?"

Halisi ponders the question for a while. "I'm... not sure. Two? Don't think her schedule's too full tomorrow."

Barry shakes his head. "No can do. I can do anytime after quitting time. Six pm." He says.

Halisi nods. "I'll make sure to let her know."

Barry chuckles. "Cool. Hope I'll get paid." He says.

Halisi has already returned to her datapad.

Barry blinks and frowns. "Well. Alright then." He says, looking back at Greg. "So... Not sure I caught your name."

Gregorij is apparently deep in thought. He stirs and turns to answer, but winces in pain instead, closing his eyes and letting out an "Ngh..." He takes out a box of pills from one of his jacket's many pockets and washes a handful of them down with what's left of his drink. He grimaces and extends a hand to Barry. "Gregorij Sakamoto."

Barry hmmms. "Well, Gregorij." He says. "I'm Barry Stanford. My friends call me Barry, Baz, Bazza, or Sabretooth." He says, introducing himself. "Now, what seems to be ailing you?"

Gregorij lets out a short, joyless chuckle and taps the side of his head. "That'd be implants the Alliance stuck in my brain."

Barry winces again. "eeeerm... I've been told those aren't as compatible with the human brain."

Gregorij shakes his head. "They are not." He stands up, almost falling over but Anna moves very quickly to support him. He wraps an arm around the mech and nods at Barry. "Another time."

Barry gives him a little salute. "See you later, mate. Good luck and godspeed."

Gregorij turns around and leaves, heading off towards the stairs with Anna's help.

Barry sips his beer again and looks over at Halisi. "Not really the talkative type, are ya?"

Halisi looks up once more. "Oh, I'm sorry. Just... a lot of work. But I think I'm about done for the day." She puts the datapad away and slides out of the booth, heading over to the seat formely occupied by Greg and sitting down.

Barry looks at the bartender and smiles. "Drink for the lady, please." He says. "You need to relaaaax. What time do you start work? Nine? Well, its..." He checks his omnitool. "Seven-thirty. you're working overtime, sister."

Halisi smirks slightly. "Clinic takes up a lot of my time. Not a lot of medical personnel out here on the frontier, but there's a lot of people that need help. And, well, my job at the Agency can't go ignored either."

Barry chuckles. "I work 7am to 7 pm. If I work a minute overtime, you can be damn sure I demand extra pay over it." He says. "Unless the machines are falling apart that is."

Barry chuckles. "Its not about creds, its about overworking, which causes overstress." He says as the bartender arrives with Halisi's new drink, paid for by Barry. "Ah, here we are. Time to relax for the evening, eh?"

Halisi ponders for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Suppose I see your point." She grabs the drink and raises it with a faint smile. "Cheers."

Barry lifts his own pint and chuckles. "Cheers, darling." He says, downing the last of it. He then orders another one. "So you're a doctor?"

Halisi sips her drink and then nods. "Mhm. Mostly for humans. But I'm trying to brush up on xenomedicine."

Barry chuckles and sips his new beer. "Don't know anything about xeno-biology. Haven't actually seen many aliens around here." He says. "all of the rigs at work are operated by humans."

Halisi listens in silence and sips her drink once more. After a short while she asks: "What's it like working out there?"

Barry takes a deep breath and sighs. "Its... hard." He says. "Very hard. Working under the sun, keeping the machines running, looking after your fellow engineers..." He cracks his knuckles. "Sometimes the machines can take hours to get running. One loose nut can cause one hell of a problem. Good thing we're on our toes, all the time." he then smiles and chuckles. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Halisi shakes her head with a grin. "You miners are all alike. I used to work on an asteroid mine. One of the guys, Henrich, he sounded just like-..." She goes quiet as her expression changes to a clearly troubled one. She stares at her drink in silence.

Barry tilts his head and places a hand on her shoulder. "Hey," He says in a soft voice. "you alright, friend?" he asks.

Halisi remains distant, not really reacting at first. Eventually she manages a "No..."

Barry gives her a gentle squeeze before letting go. "Well... I'm not going anywhere any time soon. Want to talk about it? Machines might be loud, but I can still listen perfectly fine."

Halisi freezes up and then blurts out "They're dead." rather bluntly.

Barry 's eyes shoot open. "Oh my god..." he says, softly. "I'm really sorry to hear that... May... May I ask how?" he asks. "Mining accidents... wow..."

Halisi shakes her head. "No. I-... I should go." She lets go of the drink and looks over her shoulder.

Barry sits back in his chair with a sigh. "sorry... shouldn't have pushed." He says, sipping on his drink.

Halisi gets up from her barstool and heading off towards the exit at a quick pace.

Barry waves as she leaves. "I'll uh... see you tomorrow, I guess..." he mutters, going back to his drink. "Real smooth, Baz..." he mutters to himself.