Lema looks sidelong at him as her laughter draws his attention, narrowing her eyes. "I don't know," she says, her grumbling tone barely carrying over the ambient chatter. "I could be older than you."
#Miner'sRespite – May 20, 2021
Shane blinks a few times, his big smile slowly pulling back into a line as his expression grows contemplative, brows furrowing. "Shit..." he mutters to himself, as if the concept just really sank in. After a moment, he gives a dismissive shake of his head, urging himself not to consider the depressing fact that his life is probably going to be a flash in the pan compared to the snippy child sipping hot cocoa beside him. "You
Steve makes his way back to Renala, her drink renewed. "Here ya go, asshole." he says, the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth betraying his attempt at maintaining a grumpy tone as he sets the glass in front of her. "Don't say I never did anything for ya."
Sam slugs back a healthy portion of her beer before setting the glass down a bit harder than intended, causing the table to rattle slightly. "What in the hell is taking him so long...?" she mutters, craning her whole body to peer over the back of the booth to look Shane's way.
Priya watches Sam for a moment, thoughtful frown etched into her features. Sam, of course, doesn't acknowledge her. Pointedly so. Seemingly accepting that she's not going to be able to get Sam's attention, she lets out a small sigh, shifting her attention back to Emma. "It... hasn't been the best year..." she adds as she seems to realize Emma's discomfort. As if that summary should, somehow, alleviate said discomfort.
Gage does his best to keep his heavy smile propped up, offering a small nod to Priya's words. "No. No it hasn't..." he agrees softly, shooting a quick glance Sam's way as she shifts in her seat. Ever perceptive, Emma's discomfort doesn't go unnoticed and he's quick to try and keep the mood from dipping too far with a quick change of subject. "But next year is gonna be better." he assures as he draws in a breath, his words seeming
as much like a reminder to himself as it is to the others and a sharp nod follows as he turns his focus back to Emma. "Just... waiting for them to put all our paperwork through. But once we've gotten all our licensing cleared up and-..." he gives a small, reflexive roll of his eyes, as if he's well aware that this is all that the Powers That Be really care about, "...fees paid?" He gives another nod as he settles back in
Priya manages to summon her smile back as Gage talks about brighter future endeavors, offering a small nod in agreement. "I am looking forward to spending more time on the Citadel..." she admits a bit sheepishly.
Varisa soon finishes the drink, placing it on the counter in front of Shane in the middle of his contemplation. "One vodka tonic!" she announces.
Emma 's gaze shifts to Sam as she near-enough slams her glass down, eyebrows furrowed, and Priya's words draw a faint, understanding nod from her. As Gage takes over her attention turns to him, listening silently. His final sentiment and the addition by the woman next to her draws out a small smile. "Well, best of luck. I can see the appeal in working with a small, familiar team. It has... been an adjustment, working with
strangers that all have different training, different backgrounds..." she muses with a vague gesture.
Priya seems to take the opportunity to ask a question that's been on her mind, shifting in her seat a little more to better face Emma. "I am curious..." she begins, her smile growing a bit brighter, "What is it that made you decide on Aite? You served with the Alliance for-... thirteen years, right?" she asks, having committed that small revelation from their first meeting to memory. She passes a glance Gage's way, as if for
confirmation. Not that she needs it. She's well aware that she's got it right. It's just a thing you do. Gage looks a bit put on the spot for a moment before quickly seeming to trust that Priya's probably right and nodding along. "Surely someone with your skills and time served would have their pick of jobs in the private sector. But you chose to come here."
Lema lets out a little snort at his question. "That'd be a good self-defence trick, wouldn't it?" she jokes. "Make you die a little inside so you can leave me alone?" While she is a grump tonight, her tone should convey that she's not being serious. She then shakes her head. "I'm not drinking anything for adults anyway and they didn't shoo me away, so I guess my answer is no."
Renala takes the glass with a smirk. "I've never said that," she says with a slight laugh in her voice. She lifts it up to take a small sip, and adds, "Thanks."
Emma looks a little caught off-guard by Priya's question, looking her way. "I, uh-..." her gaze flicks briefly out to the dark outside the window before returning to the woman next to her. "...well, it was mostly happenstance, I suppose. I met Markus - Linda's brother - when he was travelling out here for the wedding. We got to talking and he mentioned Redrock. I was looking for work and... aside from having ex-Alliance
leadership I suppose I liked the idea of working out in the Terminus. There's a lot of people that need help out here, outside of the Alliance's reach. E-... especially recently." She's unable to help the briefest of glances in Sam's direction.
Shane turns his focus back to Varisa briefly, giving a small dip of his head in appreciation before looking back to Lema. He gives a snort of his own at her response. "Fair enough." he says, shooting an amused look Varisa's way. Getting told off by an alien child in a bar. Only in the Terminus. "You can put these-..." he gestures to the tray of shots and the vodka tonic with a small wave of his hand, "...on my tab. That's my
table." he continues with a lift of his arm to indicate their table, unsure if she's going to need that info to sort out which tab is his with this many customers crowding the bar. He takes a quick moment to balance the tray a little better before lifting it off the counter. "And you can throw my beautiful new friend's-..." he gives a dip of his head Renala's way, "...next round on there, too." he adds, shooting Renala a
Steve retakes his position, leaned against the counter opposite of Renala and takes a quick sip of his water. "Anytime, darlin'." he says. As the marine calls out to Varisa, he gives a small roll of his eyes, "Looks like you got yourself a new fan." he muses quietly.
Sam's gaze remains fixed on her nearly-empty glass, offering a few small, distant nods to Emma's words. "Yeah..." she says softly, almost as if to herself, thoughts elsewhere.
Priya gives a nod of her own. "There is." she agrees quietly. Especially recently. It's not hard to understand the implications behind Emma's words. She's had front row seats to some of the damage the Collector's have inflicted. "With the Collectors gone, I hope..." she begins but stops, seeming to rethink her words, "...Perhaps now the galaxy will have a chance to start healing." Despite the simple nature of her words,
they're clearly heartfelt, her thoughts on the subject undeniably impacted by having watched the life of someone so close to her ripped apart by the events of recent months.
Emma 's gaze falls to the table, and she ends up casting a glance in the direction of the bar before looking back to Priya as she finishes speaking. Her words garner a firm nod. She looks like she has a more elaborate response in store, but settles for a simple, half-sighed "Yeah...", perhaps not wanting to extend that particular conversation in the presence of someone that has clearly lost someone to the Collectors.
Lema returns her attention ahead when he leaves her alone. Her omni-tool gives off another beep, but she's not bothering to check that one either.
Renala returns the man's smile with an amused grin, and Varisa's glance her way will not yield any answer. "Are you sure about that?" she asks with a raise of an eyebrow. "I mean, if you insist...."
Priya gives another nod, a small silence permeating the table for a moment before she takes a sip from her beer. "I only wish it had happened sooner. I can't believe it took Cerberus, of all people, to finally bring us peace..." she offers, a bit of bewilderment in her voice.
Gage opens his mouth to speak, but immediately stops himself, deciding now isn't the place. This is a discussion they've had many times, and he certainly has his own feelings on it. Feelings he has voiced before. Instead, he busies himself with his drink.
Sam continues to watch her glass in silence before unexpectedly breaking the silence that has once more settled in. "I don't care." she offers in something of a mutter before finally lifting her gaze to the two women across the table from her. She gives a small, half-effort shrug. "Alliance. The Citadel fleet. The Hierarchy. Cerberus. I don't give a fuck." she repeats, glassy eyes turning between Priya and Emma. "They're
gone. They can't h-..." she swallows, blinking away the emotion that threatens to breach the alcohol-induced shield she put up for the night. "...They can't hurt anyone else. That's all that matters."
Shane returns Renala's question with a quick dip of his head, mischevious grin still plastered across his face. "And if you decide you want some good company? I'll be the good looking one over at that table right over there." he says, tilting towards his table and gesturing to it with his free hand, drink tray balanced on the palm of his other.
Emma looks a little surprised when Sam chimes in, but she nods firmly at her words. "Couldn't agree more." she says, a sharp severity in her voice. "It should never have been allowed to go on for so long in the first place."
Renala nods. "Duly noted," she says, following his gesture towards the table with a glance of her own. His earlier mention of Jason does help her recognize them from the wedding. While she had no plans of going over there in the first place, that solidifies her decision further. "Don't let me keep you here," she says and begins turning back towards the counter and Steve.
Sam meets Emma's eyes, holding her gaze. Even in her innebriated state it's not hard to see the fire boiling just beneath the surface. Thoughts and feelings she's biting back on. "No." she says through a clenched jaw, "No, it shouldn't have."
Gage falls silent for a moment after the exchange. He's found himself torn regarding the Alliance's response- or lack thereof- regarding the Collectors. He's a soldier. He doesn't like the bureaucracy. Get boots on the ground- or, in this case, ships in the sector- and deal with the problem. If he's not even allowed to be put in the fight, then he has no control over the situation. He doesn't like not having control over the
situation. Sitting and waiting while the politicians make choices, sacrificing the lives of fellow humans as they take their sweet time. But he also understands that there's more at stake. They're a part of a galactic society and the rules are different out here. And the last thing anyone needed was for the Alliance to cut through the red tape and launch a full scale attack on the Collectors only to ignite a war with someone
else. But none of that matters. Not really. Not right now. What matters now is that his teammate- his friend- was the one hurt by all of this bureaucracy and red tape. She doesn't need a voice of reason. She doesn't need explanations or reminders of how complicated and delicate the situation can be. She needs a friend. "Think that's something we can all agree on..." he says quietly, and it's an honest response. Regardless of
the Alliance's reasoning for the way they handled things, there's few that would say they couldn't have done better.
Steve gives a small roll of his eyes at Shane's theatrics, shifting his weight against the counter onto one of his forearms. A watchful eye might notice the slightest of blue shimmers for but a moment as he reaches up to run a hand through his hair, a fleeting little twist of his wrist accompanying his hand's journey upwards.
Shane's grin only widens at Renala's response. "Oh, you're not keeping-..." he begins before all of the shots suddenly slide towards one side of the tray and the vodka tonic teeters dangerously close to toppling over. A surprised, "OOP!" escapes him as his free hand shoots back to the tray and he clasps his hand around the glass to keep it from tipping. His eyes go wide and he lets out an amused little snicker. "Balance must be
Steve's only reaction is a slight tug at the corner of his mouth, seemingly pleased enough with the little disturbance even if Shane's tray didn't flat out crash to the ground. He could, of course, yeet the entire thing across the room and through the chest cavity of a customer if he so desired, so the knowledge that the safety and well-being of Shane's drinks lies in his hands is comfort enough.
Lema did not notice the biotics at play, but the the noise from the tray and the 'oop' does draw her attention. "Are you okay?" she asks. "I can carry it for you."
Renala can both see the faint shimmer as she turned back, not to mention feeling the biotic field pass her by. She stragically moves the pizza slice up to hide the effort she's going to in order to contain laughter which might jeapordise Steve's cover. "Alcohol has that side effect," she says after regaining her composure. "You better get that tray to the table before the floor takes it all."
Emma doesn't look away from Sam, and for a moment it almost seems like she's going to ask something before she thinks better of it. As Gage speaks she lets out a quiet sigh, nearly reaching for her drink before remembering it's not there yet. Her gaze travels out across the bar. "The Alliance's response to Mindoir is what made me enlist." she says quietly. "A-... a lot of people were killed, or... taken, in the initial
attack." The latter option draws out a particular hitch in her voice. "Nobody expected something like that back then." Mindoir had been part of the first wave of batarian raids on human worlds. A devastating shock, but one that was swiftly met in force. "But... the Alliance rolled in and fought like hell to save those of us that were still holding out and kick those monsters off our world. And they made fucking
sure nothing like that would happen again." Her hand on the table clenches into a fist and she jabs a finger against the table as she looks back to Gage and Sam, voice shaking a little. "At least they used to." she adds, quieter as she deflates a little. "That was the Alliance I fought for. Not the thumb-twiddling cowards that just sit and watch as-" Her voice starts to grow louder again and she seems to realize
that she's on the verge of resuming her ranting, forcing herself to stop and letting out a long breath through gritted teeth.
Shane has far too little shame to be too bothered by Renala's jab, grin ever present as he adjusts his grip on the tray to better stabilize it. "Funny. You're trying to say I can't hold my booze." he scoffs in mock offense, that small jolt of adrenaline from the near-drop still coursing through him. As he hears Lema's offer, he gives it a dismissive wave. "Nah. Appreciated, but I think I can handle it." he offers, his grin
softening. He glances back across the bar, seeking Varisa out once more with his eyes. "I'm feeling generous." he calls out to the bartender, raising his voice to be heard over the crowd, "How about you toss my angry little asari friend's next soda or-..." he furrows his brow as he glances towards Lema's mug, "...hot chocolate...?" he guesses before shrugging. "Whatever it is she's having, toss it on the tab, too." he
The drunkard from earlier's interest seems to be piqued as the friendly marine begins footing the bill on drinks. He leans way back on his stool to peer around the person beside him, looking Shane's way and lifting his own nearly-empty mug to get his attention. He gives the mug a little shake for emphasis. "Since you're handin' out free drinks..." he slurs through a drunken grin.
Shane furrows his brow as the stranger speaks up. "Wha-... You're a grown-ass man! Buy your own hot chocolate!" he responds with a dismissive shake of his head before looking back to Lema. "Merry Christmas, kid." he says in a lower voice since he doesn't need to shout to be heard by her. He reaches out with his free hand, about to give her the ol' attaboy hair-rustle classic but suddenly jerks his hand back- as if he almost came
in contact with an electrified fence- as he realizes that rustling an asari's headcrests very well may be some cultural sign of great disrespect that he's unaware of or something. "Uhh-... stay in school." he adds before sharply turning on his heels and starting back towards his table.
The drunkard's face is once again overtaken by a frown as he leans forward against the counter and waits for a bartender to come by to fetch him a refill. Looks like he'll be paying for his own drinks tonight.
Gage falls silent as Emma begins to speak, but he doesn't look away. It's certainly understandable that she'd be angry over the Alliance's handling of things after everything she's been through, and he has no intention of telling her otherwise. She's not wrong, after all. He gave a good portion of his life to the Alliance. He practically gave his marriage. He gave his leg. He fought and bled for them. Was damn good at it, too.
And in the end all he got was a pat on the back as they tried to sideline him when he became too much of a burden. That's not the Alliance that he enlisted with. The Alliance that looked after its people. The Alliance that came out swinging against a terrifying, unknown enemy during the occupation of Shanxi. As much as he'd like to hope that their recent misstep regarding the Collectors was little more than a lapse of
Sam's expression only seems to grow harsher as Emma speaks and it's not hard to tell that her opinion of the Alliance isn't all that different. "You asked me something when we first met, you remember that...?" she asks with a lift of her head, indicating Emma with her chin. "You asked me if I-... if I felt like I was abandoning my duty by leaving the Alliance. If I felt like I was letting down humanity.
Remember?" she repeats with a dip of her head. The question seems to have stuck with her, able to recall it even after putting down an impressive lineup of drinks. "Been thinking a lot about that. About-... about what that means. Gave a lot to the Alliance. Shit, I gave everything. And in the end? Those fucks wouldn't even look out for us. Fuck letting them down. They let us down! All of us!" she continues, her
Priya's frown resurfaces as Emma speaks, and only grows heavier when Sam takes over. "Sam..." she offers softly, attempting to calm her friend down.
Sam scoffs, giving a dismissive tilt of her head when Priya tries to get a word in, "Fuck you, Pree!" she snaps. "I love you, but fuck you! She's right! They're a bunch of fucking cowards. Their heads are too far up the Council's ass to do shit. We-... humanity?!" she corrects herself, "We're on our own! Time to get used to it. Fuck the Alliance." With a scowl firmly on her face, she lifts her beer up, draining what
Varisa is in the middle of delivering a beer to another patron when Shane addresses her again, but his words get a distracted nod and a thumb's up.
Emma 's focus turns to Sam as she's addressed, nodding. Of course she remembers. An echo of her own fears. Contextualizing her own actions by asking someone else the questions she's asking herself, and getting a glimpse of who Sam is in the process. As the fiery rant continues she nods in agreement, expression dead-serious, mouth a thin, bitter line. It's hard to reconcile - the Alliance saved her life, and for a long time
she was proud of the work she did in its name, but the last couple of years it became harder and harder to ignore that things had changed. That the Alliance had changed. "It took me a long time to accept it, but... if the Alliance won't protect humanity then it's up to us to do whatever we can, however we can. ...Commander Shepard obviously saw that." Although things have been very quiet since the destruction of the
Collector Base, it's more or less accepted fact at this point that humanity's first Spectre has been combating the Collectors with the aid of Cerberus, and rumors abound that it was Shepard that led the team that struck the final blow against the alien abductors.
Renala grins at Shane. "Oh, you got me there," she says before returning her attention to Steve. "I saw that," she says quietly before taking a bite of the pizza slice in her hands.
Lema does frown at being called an angry asari, but the offer of another drink does more than make up for it. She does glance the drunkard's way as he tries to take advantage of his generosity, but she doesn't show much of a reaction to it. "Merry Christmas," she says back, before raising her brows at the awkwardness that follows. It's by no means a first, so it does cause a soft laugh as she recognizes it. "Uh,