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#Miner'sRespite – February 26, 2015
Tarlon walks into the Respite and takes a look around, always alert for anything worth jotting down. He doesn't seem to find anything, so he walks up to the bar. From his outfit, it looks like he's been out and about for a while - if he wasn't so scrawny and obviously unfit, one might think he'd been hiking.
Aylena walks over to the salarian. Unlike last time, she's not really formally dressed, wearing a dark blue shirt and cargoes. "Hello," she says. "Can I get you anything?"
Ah. Yes. Human, dark hair, about this tall... gestures with his hand to indicate Jason's height Jason Wolfe, said he was staying here.
Aylena steps over to a terminal. "I have seen you here before, but I can't remember if you were with him," she says. "Do you want me to send a message to him?"
Aylena nods. "He went upstairs not too long ago," she says, typing up a message saying there's a salarian asking for him, and sending it. "There, I sent a message. I don't tell room numbers without the guest's consent for security reasons. I hope you undestand."
Yes, yes, of course. Dangerous sector, a lot of unsavoury elements. sniffs Had to experience some of them firsthand.
Jason takes the stairs, two at a time. He's topless, zipping up his black cargo pants and holding a white shirt in his hand. His boots are unlaced as if he just tossed everything on in a hurry. He quickly pulls his shirt over his head once he's done with his pants. "Tarlon!?" he calls out from the bottom of the stairs as he makes his way across the room, "What's wrong!?"
Aylena shrugs. "That's standard practice pretty much everywhere," she says, but gets back to work once Jason arrives.
Ah... did not expect you to be so alarmed. Am quite well, thank you. Hope you have not been sleeping.
Jason 's worried expression turns to a smile. "Two drinks, Aylena." he calls out, "Rum and cola." He straightens out his clothes as he approaches the bar and hops on a stool. "Yeah. Right. Peculiar time of day to be sleeping. You even know what time it is, Tarlon? Last I heard from Ilyna was that you were out looking into how dangerous people bang, then you come visiting in the middle
of the night out of the blue." He removes his sidearm from the pocket of his cargo pants and sets it on the bar counter, "Figured you had done that thing you tend to do that gets you in trouble all the time. You know the thing.... Talking?"
Tarlon sniffs disapprovingly. "Perfectly fine time to be awake, cannot account for why humans sleep so much. Tried, you know. Studies. Suspect human brain simply inefficient, needs too much maintenance downtime."
Jason 's face contorts into a range of emotions. Starting with disinterest. Then offense. Then just flat-out confusion. "My brain works perfectly fine, I'll have you know!" he insists. A quick glance down confirms Jason's niggling fear: His shirt is on backwards. He tries as non-chalantly as possible to slip his arms back into the shirt and rotate it without taking it off, but it
becomes something of a spectacle, with a bit of struggling and grunting, "Perfectly fine!" he repeats once his shirt is successfully righted.
Tarlon nods, grinning. "Precisely my point. At any rate, glad to see you are still alive and have so far failed to strangle yourself on your own shirt. Hope Linda is well too." He irritably scratches one of his cranial horns, picking some dried flakes of mud off it.
Aylena returns with two glasses of Rum&Coke and places it on the counter, deciding to not interrupt their conversation. She's looking quite tired, since running this place with only one employee is taxing.
Jason frowns at the comment about his shirt. "Still kickin' for now. Had a bit of a bumpy ride these past couple weeks, though. Guessing you've probably heard about our office. Nothing left but rubble." he says with a sigh, "Linda took a bit of a shot during that whole ordeal, but she's doing fine. Upstairs sleeping, as a matter of fact. Speaking of which, I've got something I need
Ah, convenient that I turned up when I did, then. Had not heard about the office, only just got into town. Very busy. Can't believe no one is studying this planet's social dynamics, given how little time it has left.
You want social dynamics? Place is fucked. Had a salarian try and raze our shit to the ground over some petty shit!
Consider it unlikely that anyone would wish to raze your feces, but yes - very lawless place. Fascinating, if unhealthy. Odd choice of retirement plan.
Jason blinks a couple times. "I didn't-... No that's not what I-..." he gives a defeated sigh and shakes his head, "Not a retirement plan, Tarlon. I've still got a whole lot of fight left in the gas tank. All that-... lawlessness seemed like it would be good for business out here. 'Sides, Freedom Falls itself ain't so bad. Good folks around here." he lifts his drink towards Aylena
Yes, yes, quite calm compared to most of the planet. Good place to take a break and sort my notes, I suppose. Still... wanted to talk, you said? Something wrong? Something besides the obvious, that is.
Va'ynna can be seen descending the staircase, a plastic bag in hand. She is dressed similarly as earlier the same evening. She doesn't look around during her descent, however.
Jason gives a shake of his head. "Nah, nothing wrong." he says, "Well, I mean maybe. Suppose that depends on a few different factors. But before we get to that, what's all this about research regarding dangerous people's sex habits? You seriously come all the way out here just to perv on some batarians?"
Tarlon taps his fingers on the table and gives Jason his best disapproving look. "Not sure where you heard this. Very inaccurate thing to say - do not have other species' reproductive drive and thus quite incapable of 'perving'. Interesting term though, should note." He pulls out his omni-tool and starts typing.
Jason runs a hand across the top of his head. "Yeah, that ones free. Be sure to give me a mention in your next book." he teases. As he readjusts on his stool, he spots Va'ynna and gives a bit of an obnoxious shout, after all he has been drinking quite a bit throughout the night, "The hell you goin' at this time, V!?"
Believe you are in need of an antitoxin - drunkenness drastically decreases social adapatability, you know.
Va'ynna makes her way over to Jason. "Um..., I... I couldn't sleep, so... I called my mother," she says. "She... offered me to visit her."
Tarlon tsks and pulls out his scanner, pointing it in Jason's direction to detect his alcohol levels.
Jason gives Va'ynna a smile and a nod. "Good for you, V. I hope it all works out for you. If you need me, you know my contact info. A ride, anything... Just send a message my way."
Tch. Never ceases to amaze me how you can continue to function with so much toxin in your system. Clearly an acquired skill.
Va'ynna sits down on the stool beside him. "She'll... pick me up, soon," she says. "And... thank you." She looks at the salarian with a tilted head, somehow he was familiar, but she couldn't identify him.
Tarlon nods politely to the asari. "Pleasure to see you again, do excuse Jason, afraid is he terribly intoxicated."
Jason waves the salarian off. "I'm fine. This isn't intoxicated.... This is like-.... A healthy buzz."
Suppose he is not, by his usual standards? Intoxication levels are cumulative, have not seen him in a while, perhaps base line has shifted?
Jason frowns. "Okay, I've had a few to drink. It's been a pretty fucked up week, man!" he admits, "Chill!"
Jason gives a shrug. "Just that salarian, mainly. Dude had some serious anger issues. We go in and nab his brother..." he pauses and looks Tarlon straight in the eyes, "Just to have a little talk. And then here comes this asshole, refusing to negotiate. Loads up a shuttle, blows the hell out of our office-..." he puts up a single finger, "Nearly killing his own brother in the
proccess, mind you-..." he lowers the finger, "And sets Redrock back about, a gazillionty credits! It's just fucked."
Oh dear, oh dear. Mixing with dangerous elements, I see. Should point out that salarian synapses fire at about twice the speed of human ones, might be outmatched there. Still... wasteful, very wasteful. Explosives on a shuttle? Could have been done much more efficiently. Think you can rebuild?
Jason waves it off, "We can definitely rebuild. It'll just take time. The salarian issue is taken care of-..." he shrugs, "At least I think it's taken care of. I hope it's taken care of..."
Jason nods a couple times. "I think we came to an understanding. We didn't want to harm his brother. There was no reason for us to hold on to him. And I think we made it clear that we weren't going down without a fight. We chewed through enough of his people to show him it was a bad idea to keep coming.... But we'll see." he sighs.
Ah, tricky. Issue is likely not well-being of his brother, but challenge of authority. Hotly contested planet, superiority hard to establish. Cannot let insult of abduction stand if he wishes to retain reputation. Have been studying this, you know. Striking similarity to behaviour of canine pack animals.
Aylena frowns. "Don't keep stealing family of his while you stay here," she says, not sounding all that serious. "It's bad for business."
Those fuckers know that, too! That's why they don't fuck with us. Angry salarians, though? Definitely have opposable thumbs.
Quite, quite. Much more prehensile than human ones, too. Still, remains a highly inefficient method. Much safer and more reliable to rig up key structural points of the building. But suppose point was to assert authority, needed to be showy about it.
Jason gives Aylena a wink. "Sure, but just because you asked so nicely." he offers. He gives Tarlon a shrug, "I don't give a shit why he did it. The asshole fucked up my home. Just a shitty thing to do! But I guess that's not really what's on my mind right now anyway..."
Aylena chuckles. "I'll hold you to that," she says. "I'll know how much data they stole, if they did, once you send a tech my way."
Jason sighs, "Suppose what's really been running through my mind is-..." he reaches into his pocket, but hesitates and pulls his hand back. "Been thinking a bit about family." he glances over at Va'ynna. He gives Aylena a nod, but doesn't respond, instead simply taking a sip of his drink, "Just..." he halts his sentence and shrugs.
Jason chuckles and looks over his drink for a moment before continuing, "My dad. After he died, I just wanted to have some sort of... closeness to him, ya know? I remember when I joined the Alliance. Figured that was a good way to honor him. Was something he would've been proud of." he smiles pridefully and gives a nod, mostly to himself, "My first tour out in the Traverse... I remember
my first boarding party. Ship of batarian slavers we had been trailing for a few days. We requested to board, and they complied. Didn't really have much choice, they knew we weren't giving up. So I'm gearing up, and I get a shotgun thrusted at me. My buddy, Gage, tells me, 'Rookies in the front.' Was a sort of hazing ritual they had. Brutal, but it's trial by fire out there, ya know?"
he pauses, looking over Tarlon for a moment, "Sink or swim. We had been briefed on these kind of situations situations. Ran through scenarios. Batarians like to... Line up when they're being boarded. Such tight quarters, they bring out the Kishocks, make a sort of firing line. Soon as the doors open, they just let loose. I literally had tears as I waited for that door to open, just
streaming down my face. Glad I was wearing a helmet, or I'd of never heard the end of it. So, the doors open, and BAM" he slams a fist into the counter, making a loud noise, "I feel this white, hot, burning. Took a shot to the shoulder. Must've sent me back about eight feet."
Jason gives a nod and raises his drink. "Clearly." he agrees and sets his drink back down. "There's not much to do out there, though. I mean, you can't just be shuffled off the front lines for medical attention. So I do the only thing I could do. I pass the shotgun off to someone who can better use it, draw my sidearm, and help my team clear the ship. I remember when we opened the
containment cell, they had to of had thirty people in there. This woman runs up and just throws her arms around me, thanking me for rescuing their family. I looked across the room and Gage was getting the same sort of celebration. He shouted to me-..." Jason cups his hands around his mouth and raises his voice, "Welcome to Echo company!" He gives a short chuckle. "I guess it was pretty
much right then that I realized that family wasn't just the people you share blood with, right? And I figured out the type of man I wanted to be. I wanted to be the man taking the harpoon so his family behind him doesn't need to." He sticks his hand back into his pocket and removes a small ring before tossing it over to Tarlon. "I want her to be a permanent part of my life. I want to
be able to protect her, just like she protects me. And I'd really like for you to be standing by my side when it happens."
Tarlon blinks, catching the ring with quick reflexes and studying it with some puzzlement, seemingly quite touched. He gives Jason a little grin. "Quite certain? Seem to recall I was rather annoying to protect before. Hiding in corners, draining shields, and such."
Absolutely certain. We've been through some shit, brother, but there's nobody I'd rather have by my side as my best man.
Jason coughs into his hand. "Uhh.... Assuming she doesn't tell me to fuck off when I pop the question. A very real possibility."
Ah! Ceremony, yes. Much research this, would be quite unacceptable to embarrass you with inadequate knowledge of human marriage customs. Can also have a look into mating ritual patterns that may increase the question's chance of success, if you like. Always happy to help.
Jason furrows his brow. "No! I do perfectly fine on my own!" he insists. After a moment of scowling, he adds in a hushed tone, "But.... If you have any reading material on the subject....."
Aaaah. Yes. Of course. tries and totally fails at giving Jason a conspiratorial eyebrow-ridge-waggle Shall dig up some lighter treatises on the matter.
Jason forces a few coughs in an awkward attempt at making noise over Tarlon's speaking. "Well... Now that we've got that out of the way, how about you? What's been going on in the world of Tarlon?"
Oh... been travelling, most exciting planet, Aite. Cannot say the climate agrees with me, though. Nor the majority of the inhabitants, but that is the point, yes?
Studying what type of society a doomed world breeds. Not as fatalistic as expected, but rushed atmosphere in how they fight over what resources they can still get their hands on.
Jason gives a nod. "Ain't that the truth. And Tarlon here definitely doesn't need any help getting shot at."
Jason scoops his pistol off the counter and places it back into his cargo pocket. "Well, you ever dig yourself a hole too deep, don't hesitate to ask for a little help. People around here seem to hold one helluva grudge."
Yes, have noticed that. Characteristic for criminal elements, of course. But shall certainly do so. Much to study still.
Jason seems to recall something important, and his eyes suddenly light up. "Oh, shit! I haven't even filled you in!" he says, his voice full of excitement, "I've got Ilyna running a job for Redrock right now. If it all works out, this could be the first step to not only rebuilding, but really making a name for ourself. We're running security for-..." he leans his weight against the
counter and pauses for dramatic effect, "Devin. Tanner. And no, I'm not fucking with you! Can you believe that?"
Tarlon taps his chin thoughtfully. "Ordinarily, would say no. Have a hard time picturing you doing anything that respectable." He smirks at Jason. "But must assume you would not be this excited if it weren't true, unless you improved your aptitude at lying considerably while I was gone."
Va'ynna brings up her omni-tool and taps on it until finding an article with a picture of him with Ilyna and Leah in tow. "Um, it's... not hard to find proof."
Jason gives Va'ynna a short nudge, "You want a drink?" he offers before glancing back over to Tarlon, "You telling me after all that 'research' you did back on Omega... Looking through people's windows and shit, you still haven't figured out how it works?" he teases.
Got much further than you, I think, unless you negotiated a reproduction contract while I wasn't looking.
Jason snorts loudly, "Oh, I negotiate some reproduction contracts." he says suggestively. "If you know what I mean." he adds, not even knowing himself exactly what he means.
Yes, yes. Humans mate for fun rather than reproduction. Afraid I cannot compete with you on that count.
In regards to human mating? Yes, afraid I lack the necessary parts. Have reproduced successfully, though.
Interesting... comparison. However, daughter is considerably bigger than that by now. Already speaking quite well, I am informed.
Jason gives a sigh, "You at least planning on sticking around for a bit? Or you running off again after tonight?"
Short life, Jason. Have to make good use of it. But would be extremely bad form to run off with your ring and leave you high and dry when proposing to Linda, yes?
Jason looks over at Va'ynna who keeps looking towards the door. "When is she supposed to be here?" he asks.
Va'ynna frowns. "Um, no need to... keep yourself awake because of me," she says. "I... thought you had gone to bed anyway."
Jason gives a nod. "I did. Then my old pal here showed up in the middle of he night and dragged me out of bed." he says with a smirk, "Had me worried shitless."
Jason gives Tarlon the finger, but his smile remains. "Well, if you're sure you don't need me to stick around..." he says to V, "Then I'm gonna head off before I faceplant off this barstool. You know the drill, though. You need a ride or anything, hit me with a message."
Va'ynna places a hand on his shoulder. "I'll... try letting you sleep, though," she says, "but... I'll keep it in mind, thank you."
Jason stands from his stool and leans over to give Va'ynna a quick hug. "Good luck, V. I'm sure everything will work out." He turns from her and approaches Tarlon, "Alright, bring it in, buddy." he says, leaning over to give Tarlon a hug as well, "We'll talk more later about all this marriage shit. You know, when I'm less not-drunk."
Jason leans over and drains the last of his drink. "Toss it on my tab, Aylena." he calls out before heading back towards the stairs. "Night!" he shouts to Tarlon and Va'ynna before ascending the steps and disappearing out of sight.
Va'ynna thinks for a moment. "I'd... say so," she says, "but... I... don't know many humans as well as him,... and Victoria."
Va'ynna nods. "You... salarians too," she says, fidgeting a little nervously, "are... different too... to us others." She pauses, and frowns. "I-I... I mean no offense."
Va'ynna frowns. "Oh... right," she says. She glances towards the exit and gets up. "I... got to get going," she says. "It was nice to... see you again."
Va'ynna nods once more before making her way over to the door, where an asari resembling her to some extent waits for her. They both leave.
Tarlon sips suspiciously at the alcoholic drink Jason got him, but eventually grimaces and leaves without finishing it.