Enila makes Emma's drink after grabbing the food order from the kitchen, and places them both on a tray. She picks them up and makes her way over to the group at the table after spotting where she went. She places the tray on the outer end of the table. "Your drink and cheese fries," she says, looking at Emma.
#Miner'sRespite – April 8, 2021
Renala nods a few times while listening to Tank speaks, frowning slightly. Full custody implies there's more going on here than just a separation, so she needs to tread carefully. "Oh, do you get to call them then?" she asks. "Or write?"
Wenera hasn't been at the Respite since she moved out. Natalie, who is right behind her, has been here quite often. Last time, Enila got her to send a message before leaving as she had had a few drinks too many without company. Nalota waves at them, and Wenera joins them at the table.
Natalie instead heads over to the bar, looking for a bartender. The beer pitcher on the Nalota and Kirev's table has dwindled substantially, so she may as well contribute.
Varisa is quick to notice Natalie, and hurries over since Enila is away. "Hi! What can I get you?" she asks with a smile. Given how new she is she hasn't really had time to learn any of the regular faces yet. She's wearing the clothes Enila helped her get from the market - a loose-fitting white crop top with slim black pants and simple but sleek black boots that are insulated for the cold but not really meant for trudging through snow.
Good thing she lives where she works! All in all, it's certainly an upgrade from a threadbare hoodie and sneakers about to lose their soles.
Steve casts a glance Tank's way as she speaks. Might be the most he's heard her say since joining Redrock. The booze probably helps with that. He turns off the tap and takes a sip from his glass as he steps back up to the counter near Renala. He passes a look Enila's way as she steps out from the kitchen, inching a bit closer to the counter to stay out of her way.
Gage looks between the two as they bicker back and forth, leaned back stiffly to remain out of the line of fire. Shane's final comment, and the antagonistic cackling Sam retorts with, draws a deep sigh out of him.
Sam stirs her drink, the ice cubes clinking about within as she does, a smug- if slightly drunken- look of victory on her face. Gage's sigh causes her to look his way, feigning innocence with a small raise of her shoulders. "Just sayin'!"
Shane seems to be taking it in stride. That big, friendly smile already decorating his features once more as he gives a shake of his head. It almost looks as if he's about to say more when Enila arrives, much to Gage's appreciation. Being on the outer seat, he quickly shifts one of the pitchers of beer further away from the edge of the table to give Enila more room to set the tray down.
Tank nods a few more times. "Mm. Calls. Messages. But things are... complicated. Visits, not so easy. Is, uh, is hard to be part of their lives like this." A bitter smile and a shrug before she takes another sip from her beer. "And you, hm?"
Emma tears her attention away from the verbal sparring as her order arrives, offering Enila an appreciative nod as she moves her hands off the table to make room for the tray. "Thank you."
Natalie is wearing up in dark green winter coat, gloves and a gray beanie with untidy brown long hair flowing out of the sides and back of it. She passed Varisa at the door when the asari first came to the Respite, but her state at the time doesn't lend itself to forming memories. "Evening," she says, returning her smile. "I don't think I've seen you before." She looks off to her left. "Anyway, you've probably got too
Varisa nods and throws in a confirmation of "I'm new." before she taps the order into the terminal. "Dark ale, on tap, uhm... right." she says as she turns towards the taps in search for the desired beverage, only to realize she doesn't have a pitcher, quickly turning again to grab one. It takes her a moment to locate the dark ale, but soon enough the pitcher is filling.
Renala nods in agreement, her frown persisting. "I know, my Aeyna has made it abundantly clear it's not the same as being there in person," she says with a sigh, "but I get to travel sometimes, and even though it costs a small fortune, I think it's worth every last credit."
Enila nods and maneuvers the tray in front of Emma before standing back up. She quickly snatches up a few of the empty shot glasses on the table and one of the bowls if any are empty, before starting on her way back to the bar.
Shane turns back to his drink once Enila has departed. "Wasn't a bootycall, by the way..." he offers in almost a mutter before quickly lifting his beer to his lips, almost as if he believes that if he can just busy himself with his beer before Sam can respond, that she'll have to accept that it's the end of the conversation and he got the last word in.
Samantha however, doesn't seem to be playing by the same rules. "Hmm?" she hums, brow furrowing as she nearly leans across Gage. "What was that?" she asks in a tone of utter confusion, as if what Shane just said makes no sense to her.
David for but a fleeting moment, seemed to truly believe they were going to let it go after Enila's interruption. What a fool he was. He had already started to get comfortable again, forearms coming to the edge of the table when Sam leans over him to continue bickering. It causes him to sharply jerk against the backrest once more. He looks overtop Sam's head towards Emma and Priya with an exasperated lift of his brows, as if to
Shane shrugs his shoulders dismissively. "Wasn't a bootycall." he reaffirms matter-of-factly, as if that's all there is to it. Plain as day.
Shane nods, studying his beer with fake interest just to avoid giving Sam the satisfaction of eye contact. "Yep." he's quick to respond.
Sam studies him for a second, still very much invading Gage's personal space, as if expecting more from Shane. When it becomes obvious that he doesn't have more to say, she scoffs loudly, giving a roll of her glassy eyes. "Alright. Elaborate." she bites, the sheer indignation in her tone implying she's already expecting bullshit.
Shane shrugs once again. "It wasn't a bootycall!" he repeats once more. Noticing that Sam is not disappearing from his peripherals, he draws in a long breath. "Was just a-..." he gestures idly with his free hand, still looking into the mug of beer that his other hand is resting against, "...mutual interaction." he explains, dipping his head Sam's way with a dip of his shoulders, "That may-or-may-not have involved some booty."
Sam blinks a few times, her fake, antagonistic confusion growing into very real confusion. "Th-... That's a bootycall! You're just-... you're describing a-..."
Shane finally looks her way defiantly. "There was no call! There was-..." seemingly looking for backup, he shoots a glance Gage's way, "There was no call!" he repeats to him instead.
Gage is quick to put his hands up defensively, still leaning back. "I'm hanar." he says. Shorthand for 'Not getting involved.' 'Out here in my little corner of the galaxy just being a jellyfish.'
Priya who had, up until this point, merely been enjoying the show far afar, goes wide-eyed as Shane levels a look her way. She stammers for a moment, gaze turning back and forth from Shane's pleading face to Sam's death glare as she's forced to choose a side. "I-..." she winces, "...if there wasn't a call..." she trails off, looking Sam's way almost apologetically when it sounds like she may be taking Shane's side on the basis
Sam groans loudly. "You're an idiot." she levels at Shane, who merely shrugs in acceptance. "You're an idiot." she levels at Priya, her words a slight bit more barbed, as if she expected more out of her. Priya frowns, gaze turning back to her beer as she wraps both hands around her mug. "And you're a coward." she turns to Gage, who gives an accepting tilt of his head. With a shake of her head, she finally settles back
Shane gives another shrug, head tilting from one side to the other, as if to say, 'I beg to differ.' "Was technically two-..."
Sam raises her voice just a little, cutting Shane off mid-sentence. "TWO NIGHT STAND." she sharply corrects
Steve sips from his water, attention turning from Tank to Renala. His own expression turns thoughtful, something clearly on his mind, but he's quick to push those thoughts aside. Seeming to suddenly realize he's becoming an observer, he clears his throat, offering a small nod Tank's way. "Sounds like a-... uhh-..." he nods again, "...rough situation..."
Emma moves her newly arrived drink close and takes an assessing sip as the others get started again. It gets a 'not bad' nod. She leaves the fries where they are for the time being, more centrally located. Her attention briefly drifts towards the door with a distant frown on her face, but the increasingly ridiculous argument soon draws her back, eyebrows rising as she listens with an increasingly amused look on her face,
subdued smile wiping away the frown. Sam's round of insults and the correction that follows actually gets a snort of laughter out of her.
Natalie watches the asari make her order, a small grin slipping out as she makes a detour for the pitchers. She didn't need to confirm that. "And they gave you the busiest night this place has had in a long time?" she comments while waiting for the pitcher to fill.
Tank nods in agreement without a trace of hesitation. as Renala speaks. Steve's awkward addition gets a faint hum and a brief glance his way. "It is. Worth it." she says, the clarification added as her attention returns to the asari. "There is nothing I am wanting more than to be there for my boys. If you can, you-... if you can, even sometimes... take every chance." she encourages with a serious, albeit still inebriated
look, leaning a little closer for emphasis before pulling back to grab another drumstick to gnaw on.
Varisa chuckles a little awkwardly. "Well, uhm... I'm not alone. I'm assisting Enila." she explains as the pitcher is filled, glancing Natalie's way and flashing another smile. "It's still... a lot, but I'm just happy to be working." she admits, taking the pitcher back to the counter, one hand catching a bit of spillage - she's filled it a bit more than she probably should've. "Here you are." she says as she carefully sets it down.
Renala nods firmly at the last statement. "Believe me, I take every chance I get, and then some," she says with a smirk, and picks up her glass of beer. "How are your kids handling it then? Are they doing fine?" she asks.
Steve knows when he's being snubbed. Not that he particularly cares, of course. Drawing in a breath, he stands up a bit straighter, one palm resting on the counter as he brings his glass of water to his lips. He gives a cursory glance around the bar as he listens to the pair's exchange, doing his regular check to make sure nobody is being brutally beaten to death. Another job well done.
Shane seems to feel he came out of that exchange the victor, judging by the big ear-to-ear smile on his face as he loudly sips from his mug, as if just to further annoy Sam
Sam watches Shane in disbelief. "I just-... I hate you." she says simply. "I hate you so so much. I am going to-... to push you down a flight of steps."
Sam raises her voice to speak over Shane. "I am going to put my hands around your-..." she grips her drink in both hands, looking down at the glass with great disdain, nostrils flaring, "...throat. And I am going to squeeeeeeeze until you stop drawing air into your stupid, stupid lungs."
Shane scoffs loudly. "You're gonna kill me?" he asks, sounding far less threatened than someone who was just told they were going to be murdered should.
Samantha nods, still squeezing her glass as she looks Shane's way. "I'm going to kill you." she confirms with a charged calmness, the kind that implies a storm just beneath the surface, "You're not going to know when. You're not going to know where. But I'm gonna-..." she nods, drawing in a breath, as if suddenly convinced this is obviously the right course of action, a round of exasperated, frustrated snickers slipping out of
Shane pats his chest defiantly with one hand. "Kill me!" he taunts her. "I'm right here. You're gonna kill me just cuz I'm right? C'mon then! Kill me! I'd rather die right than live wrong!"
Sam warns Shane with a raised finger. "No. No. You're not right." she says as an aside, that drunken calm overtaking her, as if this is just the way it's gonna go down. "And if you haven't stopped breathing by the time I'm done choking you? Then I'm gonna grab her by the neck-..." she shoots a look across the table to Priya.
Sam nods gravely to Priya. "And I'm going to-... to-..." she looks back to Shane, motioning as if she's hitting the table with a hammer. "Beat you to death. With her."
Priya turns up her nose in distaste. "That's not even physically possible..." she offers in a mutter, as if that's the part that bothers her the most about Sam's threat.
Shane furrows his brow, nodding along with Priya's assessment. "Yeah!" he agrees, that ear-to-ear smile slowly slipping back out as he chambers his next words, looking past Gage to meet Sam's eyes. "Cuz you got those-..." he assesses her with a quick up and down, "...little noodle arms."
Sam tries her best to keep her glare propped up, but it very quickly slips into a loud snort. "I hate you soooo much." she repeats in a whine, bringing her hands up to rub at her eyes. But there's an undeniable affection in her tone that she doesn't even try hiding.
Gage lets out a long sigh that ends up turning into more of a groan as his amusement slowly shifts to exasperation the longer their bickering continues. No longer concerned with keeping a clear corridor for them to argue through, he leans forward, elbow resting against the edge of the table as he props his head up with his hand, looking Emma's way. "So." he says through a half-cocked smile, eyes briefly dipping towards the table
Shane lifts slightly off his seat to peer overtop Gage now that he has come between the bickering pair, all smiles again. "Love you, too, Sammy!" The response he gets comes in the form of a middle finger rising over Gage's head and waving back and forth.
Emma seems content with just listen to the arguing, a baffled, but entertained look on her face as she grabs a fry and washes it down with another sip from her drink. It's a tall glass, perhaps wishing to minimize the risk of having to leave her seat to order more. In the same way the basket of cheese fries is pretty large. Gage speaking up immediately makes her attention turn his way, before casting a reflexive glance around
the edge of the table at her leg when she realizes what he's wondering. "Transverse tibial shaft fracture." she replies, quoting Halisi's words.
Natalie takes the pitcher with a gloved hand, able to hold it steady. It's a good thing this isn't pitcher #3 or #4. "That's the right attitude," she says. "I've been out of work for a while, and it does no good for either soul or credit balance." She takes a step back and turns towards her table. "Thanks. I'll settle the tab at the end of the night." Natalie begins on her way over to the table where Wenera went,
Tank offers another firm nod of her own. The question makes her gaze fall, the half-eaten drumstick dropping back into the plate before she grabs her beer and takes a swig, delaying her response. "Ah, they..." A heavy sigh. "I do not know. Is hard to say when I am not there. It has been much for them. With press, and, eh..." a pause as she tries to find the word. "...courtrooms. Maybe better I am not there. How they are
Enila exchanges a brief look with Natalie when she spots her heading over to a table. At least she's not alone this time. She leaves the empty dishes on a tray beneath the counter before looking for another customer to serve.
Varisa frowns a little as Natalie heads off before she can get a word in. "Uhm-... I'm-... I'm not allowed to open a tab without asking-" her shoulders drop when she realizes that she's already out of earshot, although she's relieved when she notices that Enila is back, stepping over to her. "Uh, the-... the human woman that just-" she gestures over some patrons towards Natalie. "She said to put the pitcher on her tab, is that
Renala frowns at the mention of courtrooms. There's definitely something bigger going on there, and there are signs of discomfort. While it seems Tank is willing to share a lot of details, she still wants to be careful about prying into the details. "Oh, I hope you figure something out," she says. "You say you can still call them, right? With so much going on, maybe it could do some good to talk with them." She
Enila turns Varisa's way and follows her gesture. "Yeah, that's fine," she says. "She's a regular, and I think her tab from last time is still open."
Varisa looks a little embarrased. "Oh. I, uh, I didn't know. What's her name? I can add the pitcher!" she says, already moving back to the terminal.
Sam's attention shifts Emma's way as the fresh conversation sparks her interest. 'Boring medical talk' is only marginally below 'fighting with Shane' on her list. "Surgery?" she asks, reaching out for a tray of snacks near her and popping one into her mouth.
Shane on the other hand would much prefer Sam's threats to gory bone-breaky details and, soon enough, he's plucking his omni-tool from his pocket, partial smile still remaining on his face as he begins to poke through it.
Steve's gaze falls to the counter as Tank continues. He thinks better than to throw his own chips in. He'd rather keep his personal business close to the chest. Instead, he simply gives a dip of his head in understanding and a nod to Renala's words. "Yeah. They really dragged your name through the mud, huh? Buncha fuckin' vultures." he offers. Perhaps a bit insensitive, but certainly not intended to be antagonistic. He seems to
realize the implications, lifting a gauntleted hand, palm towards Tank, "I didn't really follow it. Just-... hard not to pick up bits and pieces, ya know?"
Enila follows her back to the terminal. "Natalie... Ww-something," she says, the name and a small picture popping up as a suggestion after Enila speaks it. The current outstanding balance is 55 credits. "This place has a pretty capable VI under the hood," she says. "Remind me to show you how to put it to good use the next time we have a quiet few hours."
Tank nods faintly in response to Renala's words, but it's not exactly enthusiastic. She has a little too much lubricant in her system to keep the words from flowing right now, and Steve's words make her snort. "Vultures. Yes. Is good story. Juicy." The words are bitter, and her accent butchers the last word. Her gaze falls to her beer, lost in the liquid for a moment before taking a swig. "Big star brought low. Does not
matter the details, or who is hurt by the, eh... picking." She falls silent briefly before a resigned smile crosses her lips. "I hope maybe in Terminus I am not news. But extranet is everywhere, yes? Still, is better than Earth." she says with a shrug.
Steve tilts his head to one side in a silent acknowledgement of Tank's words. News travels fast and far and nobody is fast enough to outrun their past. He's learned that lesson first hand more than once. "Just in our nature. Always lookin' for someone else to crucify." he adds in almost a mutter. That's a lesson he's learned first hand, too... He doesn't linger on the sentiment, deciding to bite his tongue rather than say any
more. With a disgruntled shake of his head he turns his gaze back out towards the many patrons filling the bar as he takes another long sip from his drink.
Emma nods, gaze shifting to Sam. "Not a big one, but yes. Synth-weave bindings." She offers the information freely and matter-of-factly, taking another sip of her drink afterwards. It's quality care, the same tech used for permanent bone reinforcements, although less elaborate. Redrock is certainly above average in providing for their people. Emma's eyebrows furrow slightly in thought, and she speaks up again a moment
later. "Oh. Right. You're the medic." she comments with a faint hint of a smirk as she realizes the reason for her sudden interest.
Varisa smiles a little as the name comes up. "Oh. Guess I've still got a lot to learn." she comments with a quiet, slightly awkward laugh, hastily adding the pitcher of ale, not wanting to take up Enila's time by making her babysit her when the bar's as crowded as it is.
Sam gives a bit of a humble-not-so-humble shrug as Emma comes to her realization before leaning against the wall in an attempt at getting comfortable. But a small smile tugs at the corner of her mouth for Emma having remembered. "Can't imagine a procedure like that is cheap all the way out here." she muses.
Gage merely listens and nurses his drink as the two talk, satisfied that Sam has aimed her energy elsewhere for the moment.
Shane has also lost interest in the bickering, all of his attention currently turned to his omni-tool.
Emma frowns a little, gaze turning towards the window for a moment. "Probably not, but Redrock is covering it." she says, neglecting to add that she's been made aware that it's coming out of Leah's pay - lucky for her Vasquez' focus laid more on the organizer of their little unauthorized excursion than the people that were rallied for it - maybe the injuries helped them get off easy. Priya's question makes her turn her head
her way, a faint sigh following. "Longer than I would prefer." she admits, glancing down at her leg before her attention wanders out the bar again, scanning two patrons passing each other at the doors, one entering and another leaving. "The crutch is staying for a couple of weeks. The brace, longer. Dr. Halisi estimated two months for a full recovery."
Renala takes a sip of her beer while the other two speak. She does raise an eyebrow at Steve's mutter, but she knows better than to pry into that in public. "Then you should stay in touch with them," she says. "You can't let the shit tabloids write about you be the only thing they hear about their mother, right?" She holds up her free hand as she adds in pre-emptive defence as she adds, "You know the situation
Enila nods. "That's fine," she says with a small smile. "I think you're doing well." Enila catches sight of someone trying to get her attention further down the bar and she makes her way over.
Tank hums quietly in acknowledgement of Steve's mutter, sipping her beer again. She remains quiet after Renala speaks, picking up her half-eaten drumstick and gnawing a bit. She doesn't seem in a rush to respond, if she intends to at all, gaze distant as she eats.
Gage shakes his head as he takes a sip from his beer. "Nobody likes getting sidelined." he offers, sounding as if he's speaking from experience.
Sam nods along. "Leg injuries can be tricky. Just try and keep weight off of it and, assuming the people out here know what in the hell they're doing, you'll be back in action in no time." she says, unable to keep from giving armchair medical advice even in her innebriated state. She reaches out, sliding her drink closer to the edge of the table so she can better reach it without having to actually move much. Her beer seems
mostly forgotten, abandoned in favor of the mixed drink. As she leans down- lazily dipping her head forward to sip from the absolute end of the straw in order to avoid any unnecessary moving- the reason becomes clear from the grimace that briefly crosses her face: whatever she's drinking has some kick to it. She licks at the roof of her mouth for a moment as the liquid leaves a burn in the back of her throat. "Hell,
this dumbass-..." she indicates Gage with a flick of her head but, as her eyes find him, a soft, fond smile tugs at her features, "...had his leg blown half-way across a cargo hold. If he was able to make a full recovery? I'm sure you'll be fine."
Gage has far less ego than Shane and barely even reacts to the light hearted ribbing beyond a brief snicker. "Just don't try to rush it. Recovery takes time."
Steve falls quiet in turn, a bit of awkwardness taking hold with the conversation turning so meloncholy. Suppose his assessment of 'miserable assholes' was pretty spot on.
Emma seems mildly amused by the unsolicited medical advice, the growing gloom in her expression easing before it can take hold, her attention returning to the trio across the table. The mention of Gage's injury garners a curious glance but she doesn't comment, not yet at least. "I know better than to ignore doctor's orders." she assures, the almost imperceptible smirk making its return, tugging at the corner of her mouth
for a brief moment before fading. "I know the drill. I'm still not fond of spending my days just sitting around." she admits, gaze going out the dark window as she sips her drink and waits for someone to poke fun at her - she's well aware of what stereotypes the rest of the Marines have about snipers.