More than half an hour has passed since Ilyna went with Enila to her office, and lunch has been ordered and consumed in the meantime. Enila has popped out every now and then to handle a payment or take an order.
#Miner'sRespite – November 28, 2019
Va'ynna was away for a moment to run and get some already prepared lunch items for their food, but has otherwise stayed with Li trying to keep the topic to Christmas. Va'ynna has most of her knowledge from eavesdropping on guests, asking some of them, and Victoria. She has not taken the other cookie.
Ilyna enters the bar, followed shortly by Enila. She has not put on her jacket again, and is wearing a simple black shirt and warm gray pants. She starts making her way towards the booth where Va'ynna and Li sits.
Li has more or less finished up her lunch at this point, listening to Va'ynna's wisdom on the subject of Christmas. Busy listening, she doesn't notice Ilyna and Enila.
Va'ynna does notice them and glances their way, but she doesn't say anything. "There's also so many kinds of cookies associated with Christmas," she says. "My land-... the person that owns the building where I live said she used to make seven kinds of cookies every year for Christmas when her kids were younger."
Ilyna rounds the bar and reaches their table, a smile showing up as she notices the empty plates on the table. She suppresses a sigh at the discussion of cookies, and the smile persists.
Enila stops beside Ilyna. "Hey," she says, her attention on the young girl. "I'm Enila. I served with your mother in the military on Thessia."
Li nods as she listens to Va'ynna, a serious, focused look on her face. Enila's voice draws her attention, and her gaze darts between her and Ilyna when she notices them. "Hi." she says, studying the unfamiliar asari. "I'm Li."
Va'ynna notices a patron impatiently standing in front of the bar. "I'll take over," she says to Enila and slips out of the booth to head over to the bar before she has a chance to object. She'll probably have another chance to speak with Li before they leave, so she doesn't say her goodbyes.
Enila takes the seat across from Li. "Good to meet you," she says with a small smile. "Has Ilyna told you anything about her time in the military, or her friends?" There is a pointed look at Ilyna as she asks.
Ilyna rubs the back of her neck, a bit embarassed as she most definitely has not. Her time with Enila and the others were a fond recent memory, but the tail end of her military service was not.
Enila raises her brows. "Ilyna...," she says, giving the asari an accusatory look. "I can't believe you hadn't told her about us. Not even Nat or Illeh?" She shakes her head, but it doesn't wipe the smile of her face as she turns her attention back to Li. "Ilyna was the best barrier one could ask for in the field," she says. "I knew that her spirit would outlast her body, which was a problem when I took too
Ilyna lowers her head at the admonishment, but she can't help but chuckle. She looks a bit uncertain as this gives Enila free reign to say just about anything and have Li accept it as the truth. At her last part, she adds a mutter of "which you did more often than not."
Li tilts her head a little at the unfamiliar names, looking over to Ilyna and then back to Enila when the latter speaks again.
Enila snorts. "No, I didn't," she says with a playful glare Ilyna's way, then lets out a sigh. "It wasn't the same when your mother left the military, and the rest of us left too one by one. We still stayed in touch, though, as you can see." Theres no need to get into the specifics about the team falling apart; that would only sour the mood. "I may have offered both Natia and Illeya a free room here," she says
with a grin, "but don't get your hopes up, Ilyna. Nat is busy, and Illeh said she'd visit when the winter is over."
Li seems to grow a little distracted as Enila speaks with Ilyna, pulling her legs up into her seat and leaning to the side to look out the window idly.
Ilyna shifts a little closer to Li, and throws an arm around her shoulder as she starts to look distracted. "The travel time would take up too much of the meager vacations she usually gets," she says, "and the same can be said for me right now."
Enila nods. "What about Nos Astra?" she says. "I don't like the place much, but it's warm and easier to get to from Thessia. You take Li with you, and I'll round up the team."
Ilyna hums thoughtfully. "Maybe," she says. "Jason do owe me more than enough time off." She looks down at Li. "It would be a while after Christmas, though."
Li looks up with a blink when she notices Ilyna looking at her - it's pretty clear by the questioning look on her face that she wasn't listening.
Va'ynna casts a few glances their way from the bar, and listening in when she's able to. The Christmas hat is still present on her head.
Ilyna raises a brow at the girl having tuned them out so soon. "I just said that Jason owes us time off for a vacation, and Enila suggested we meet the rest of the team on Illium," she explains with a smile, "but that will be a while after Christmas." Ilyna and Li were on Illium during the trip to and from the Citadel, but they didn't see much beyond the spaceport and the views it offered in the waiting areas.