Gage shifts a bit against the backrest of his seat as Emma speaks, her words drawing out a gentle smile. "...Or some knucklehead marines that you served a few tours with." he adds to her final sentiment with a small dip of his head as an acknowledgement that he gets what she's getting at. It's more than just people's roots that bind them together. It's about shared experiences. The struggles. And their tight knit group is every
#Miner'sRespite – May 6, 2021
bit as much of a reflection of that fact. A group of people who probably wouldn't have had much of a reason to even interact with one another in the civilian world. An orphan with a penchant for the night life and beautiful women. A laid back father at odds with the onset of middle age and the struggles of marriage who, at times, feels more like an out-of-place chaperone to his younger teammates. A rowdy Texas woman who only
found herself enlisted as an alternative to an assault charge after punching out her teacher in her final year of high school. And a child prodigy from India who scored perfect marks all throughout school and could most certainly land a job at the top of any major tech corp but turned her back on it all for a chance to see the galaxy. But month after month on that floating sardine can gave them a common struggle. Or maybe
just a common trauma, depending on who you ask. Whatever the case may be, it bound them together. Made them a family.
Priya gains a bit of a sheepish look with Gage's addition, quickly picking up what he's trying to imply. She wouldn't be here if that wasn't the case, after all. These days she has more in common with this ragtag group of marines than with anyone back home. Perhaps that should be a depressing thought, but it merely causes her to shoot a brief, fond look towards the others. "It does." she answers Emma's question as she looks back
her way. "I suppose you don't see all of the intricacies and moving parts that make up a community like that when you're a part of it. All of the nuances and the colliding of cultures. It just becomes-..." her brows furrow in thought as she considers her words, thumb idly running back and forth across the condensation that has built up on the side of her glass, "...a new culture. Your culture."
Steve shoots Tank's beer a pointed look before offering her a wink as if his point has been proven. He settles a bit heavier against the counter and turns his focus back to Renala once it's clear that Tank has nothing more to say. "So what was that about some contract Christmas work? You takin' side gigs without me, Ren?" he asks with a tone of mock offense.
Renala lets out a sigh at Steve's question, but her smile doesn't fade. "It's nothing that exciting, I assure you," she says. "T'Rea wanted me to go over the gift for her kid so that it's ready to go tonight without poking a hole in our security. And then there's Uvena...." The smile fades. "I've told you already that I'm fixing her old crap, but I put in the extra effort today to get the last one done."
Enila is walking past with a couple of glasses of beer while Renala speaks, and her words about the gift for Li does bring a grin out of her.
Emma smiles a little at Gage's addition, gaze scanning briefly at the three across the table before going back to Priya as she replies. She nods a couple of times as she speaks, smile returning. "Right. Mindoir's-" An awkward, sudden pause, eyes closing for a moment as she lets out a breath. After so many years it should be easier to get it right, but it still feels so alive in her memories. "...was a special place. I never
really... found anywhere else like it." she says, voice growing quieter, expression turning somber. "I mean, the colony's still there. Resettled. Rebuilt." she clarifies with a faint shrug, looking down at the glass in her hand again. "But... a place is defined by the people that live there, right? It's not the same anymore. It's a weird feeling, knowing that... no matter what, you can never go home again." She swallows,
a faint reflective shine to her blue eyes as they shift from one person to the next among the others, looking uncomfortable in her seat as she realizes she's both oversharing and probably dragging the mood down. She clears her throat and pushes out a "Uh... sorry." before shaking her head and shifting her gaze out towards the bar, wondering whether to curse the alcohol in her system or the leg that keeps her from going
Tank furrows her eyebrows at the idea of a Christmas present being a security risk, casting a curious glance Renala's way, but she doesn't get involved in the conversation again.
Steve gains a brief look of curiosity over the mention of a gift allowing for a potential hole in their security. But he knows better than to ask. It'd probably just set her off on a rant that'd just go over his head anyways, so he merely snickers and gives a shake of his head, taking a moment to have a sip of his water. "Well, shit. Sounds like you've had yourself somethin' of a busy day already."
Priya listens as Emma speaks, her smile slipping slightly as the emotion behind the woman's words become obvious. It's a foreign thought. As averse as she may be to spending extended periods back home, it's still always there for her. Ready to welcome her back with open arms. There's an undeniable comfort in that. The thought brings on a sudden bout of homesickness, and a bit of guilt to go along with it for not getting home
nearly as often as she should. She gives a few small shakes of her head, brows briefly furrowing. "You have nothing to apologize for." she offers, that kind smile returning to her features.
Shane remains quiet as Emma speaks, his own expression growing a bit somber in turn. When he catches her look towards the bar, he reaches out towards one of the pitchers of beer, nudging it slightly closer to her in a silent offer. As his brown eyes tilt towards her glass he seems to realize she wasn't drinking beer and quickly cocks a thumb back over his shoulder to the bar, "...Unless you're looking for something a bit
stronger?" he asks, friendly smile returning before continuing with an implied offer, "...I don't mind."
Sam continues to stare into her drink as Emma speaks, her own thoughts not far from Emma's. Maybe she should be home right now. Grieving with the rest of her family. But as Emma said. A place is defined by the people that are there. And home just isn't what it once was... The Collectors made damn sure of that. She takes another long swig of her drink to help drown out the guilt that comes with another ignored call as her
Emma 's attention turns back to the table as Shane nudges the pitcher closer, eyes staying on it for a moment with an apprehensive look. The unspoken offer makes her gaze turn to him, hesitating a little, not wanting to inconvenience him, but after a moment she sighs and nods, pushing her empty glass his way. "Please. Vodka tonic."
Renala nods. "I couldn't ignore the day-to-day maintenance and alerts either while I was there," she says, lifting up her glass and drinking the remainder of it. "I don't think my Christmas work is done yet," she continues. "T'Rea's little girl is going to spend all evening and then some unwrapping presents, and I have no idea how many cameras and antennas are hiding within."
Lema does cast a few curious glances towards the conversation next to her while scarfing down the pizza slices. Her omni-tool beeps another time, but it still goes ignored by the young asari.