The Bar at the End of the World

[Mission Koht]

On Ansion, in one of the smaller Spaceport towns, there stood a bar with a lovely series of lights to make it inviting to guests. Most guests didn't find it inviting, however, and few people of any savory character went there alone for the first time. But it wasn't one person who trudged in amongst the evening regulars that cool night in late summer. A small redhead in a spacer suit marched in with her arm around a substantially taller woman with a dark complexion and bearing, and her other hand clasping the jacket of a reasonably taller Zeltron who looked cheerful, but like he'd seen rough times in his young life.

Mission Koht acted as if she owned the place the moment she walked in, but it mattered very little because most of the patrons did, and the barkeeper liked it that way. As agreed, the strapping zeltron purchased a round of creamy vodka drinks topped with clouds of sweet foam which the barman make with a chuckle and a flourish. Before he could hand them off, Mission hopped up on a bar stool and pounded the stools to either side of her by way of invitation before grasping her share of the round and taking a deep gulp from the bottom through a straw.

"You know Jules, I never figured you for the type to like froofy drinks. You're not assuming we're lightweights are you?"

She glanced at Nomi. "You're... not a lightweight are you?"

[Julian Orspach]

Julian smirked, his purple eyes narrowed sharply at Mission and he shot her a wry smile.

"Foofy drinks? Oh my young friend, you have no idea what you are in for. These drinks may very well be foofy, but they will knock you down when you're not looking."

He smirked.

"Well, they'll knock you guys down. I'm can hold my liquor..."

[Nomi Jonan]

The tallest of the trio kept her arm around Mission’s shoulders for the initial few moments, not-quite buzzing with livewire excitement as she glanced brightly around glanced brightly around the whole. Dark eyes sparkling, she grinned, she sat, and she took an appreciatively testing sip of the foamy drink.

"Nope. I weigh plenty.”

[Mission Koht]

It had occurred to Mission that Nomi had never had opportunity to find out what her drinking constitution was on Nexus... Tonight was going to be interesting. She turned to Julian.

I'll tell you what big guy, we'll see who can hold their liquor best. But you still owe the last round either way." She gave him a sly wink and took another long draw of her creamy vodka beverage. It was rather delicious.

[Julian Orspach]

Purple eyes darted between Mission and Nomi, he watched them and merely rolled his eyes. The half Zeltron then wrapped his pink fingers around his drink and chugged it in one gulp.

He smiled.

"It is of course my honor and duty to buy for the ladies at the bar this evening. That said...."

He motioned to his glass.

"I'm empty."

[Mission Koht]

Mission slapped the counter and downed hers as well, enjoying the fleeting sweet sharpness of the vodka.

"Murphs, my round, give us some of that honey whisky from the guys up-spin, the good stuff you shared with me last time? Yeah that. Make hers a double."

Mission turned her mischievous gaze on Nomi. "So?"

[Nomi Jonan]

Nomi took another long draught rather delightedly, though again — slowly—and considered the warmth down the back of her throat. She was stubborn yes. Stupid, no. Even if her eyes narrowed to slits at Julian's suddenly empty mug. Slits. Flat ones!

"Are we talking about the gameplan for the pod yet?"

[Julian Orspach]

"I thought we were drinking to put practical problems aside for a bit Nomi?"

Her eyes narrowed at him, and he of course enjoyed every single second of that. Why was he wanting to annoy her? He wasn't quite sure but of course he knew that it was fun. He offered Nomi a wide smile before shifting his gaze back to Mission.

"Settle something for me."

He took a long sip of his honey whiskey and smiled as the sweet burn hit his tongue

"Good stuff."

[Nomi Jonan]

Nomi rolled a kink from her neck before it could start, taking another contemplative sip from the first bubbly mug before anyone arrived with Mission’s recommendation. She snorted at Julian, then crinkled her nose a moment later in confusion and abruptly slid her gaze back to Mission.

“Why would any of us DO that? Put practical issues aside.”

[Mission Koht]

Julian's quarry piqued Mission's interest and she sipped her honey whisky. Before she could acquiesce, however, Nomi's suggestion pulled her up short. She glanced back to her left where the taller woman sat, practically a coiled tiger in human form. She understood.

"Honestly, I think it's really just a matter of pacing. You've been clammed up on that ship for so long you're just itching to get out do the things-" she squeezed Nomi's side again. "-But I've missed you both, and I have claimed you for the next few hours, then we can get back to saving the world... Unless Julian's about to break the rules again!"

The little redhead's face snapped back to Julian on her right. "What's on your mind?"

[Julian Orspach]

Julian knocked the shot back quickly and allowed the smoth and silky sweet honey whiskey sizzle down the back of this throat. The bite mide him squint ever so slightly and his purple eyes landed on Nomi, narrowing his gaze turned more serious.

"Why? Because we are Jedi that's why and there is so much more to life than practicality. It's something you learn when you spend ten years trapped inside your own mind and your body seems to be under the control of another. Each moment in life counts Nomi, and sometimes you have to put aside practicality just for the moment so you can continue to be the person you need to be when the moment comes for you to embrace the practicality."

He motioned his empty glass at Nomi and smiled wrly.

"Yes Mission, tell me. Just because Nomi always loses duels to me, that doesn't mean I'm necessarily the better Guardian does it?"

He smirked.

[Mission Koht]

Mission didn't shoot the rest of her whisky, but she swirled it a little to put off the sweet scent and then slowly drained the small glass, savoring each drop. She could sense the tension between Julian and Nomi pulsing like radio waves. She'd put herself between them for a reason. After finishing her honey liquor, she met Julian's purple eyes with her grey and smiled.

"No, I don't think so. I think being the better guardian means knowing when you don't need to get the last word on something."

[Nomi Jonan]

Nomi finished off the remainder of the creamy smooth beverage with the foam, and finally tested Mission’s supposedly honey-based offering. She quirked an eyebrow the instant the whiskey hit the back of her throat, and the corner of the rusty-tanned complexioned woman’s lips curled into a delighted grin at the bite of it. This one was more fun.

She took another sip; slowly, and payed attention to the sensation at the back of her throat while she eyed Julian. His 10 years were worse. That wasn’t fair, but they were. Force, she hated that. She didn’t lose duels though. That was for sure.

“Every moment does count, Julian! I have worked, hard, to make the best out of the thousands of hours I had. You’re gonna have to put up with the practicality. That's staying put.”

[Julian Orspach]

He listened to Nomi, he did, and he still looked at her quizically.

"Okay sure whatever. I'll put up with practicality in every moment of life if you agree to...you known what. Nevermind. I'll just put up with it, but I do believe it's your turn to fill the drinks. Us Zeltrons are thirsty."

He smiled again warmly, in typical Zeltron Julian trademarked smile.

"See Mission, I didn't have to get the last word in."

[Mission Koht]

Mission reached up and cupped the back of Julian's neck in her hand, giving him a healthy shake. "And I'm proud of you for it. You're a better guardian already."

She glanced back at Nomi curiously. "Do you wanna get a round? These barkeepers types are really creative, you pretty much just tell them what sort of drink you're after and they'll craft something amazing for you."

(And I'l cover your tab) she added with a covert wink.

[Nomi Jonan]

Nomi smiled to herself watching Mission pat the back of Julian’s neck. It looked good for both of them. She finished off the honeyed whiskey drink, frankly enjoying the hot sting that was pricking around her tastes and esophagus.

“Sure,” she answered Misson’s suggestion about ordering something.
(Thanks, love. I have a cred chip from Pax.)

Springing to her feet, the lithe woman in grey athletic apparel caught eye contact from one of the keepers behind the counter.

“Anything fun with namana in it. You can choose.”

She’d heard about Namana. The euphoric peach from Bakura was nostalgic for plenty of the others; and she wondered about it. Rolling her shoulders, she stood behind Mission and mentally looked over her own muscle groups. They were.. fuzzy. Just barely. She wasn’t sure how well she liked that.

[Julian Orspach]

Julian motioned for another side drink, indicating a double shot of straight vodka while he waited for whatever conconcution Nomi just ordered. He took the vodka and downed the shot very quickly, wincing ever so slightly at the burn on the back of his throat. The truth was this was the first time he had drinks in years.

He smiled again, his head feeling a bit lighter than it had a few moments ago. His eyes caught both Mission and Nomi and a single eyebrow raised at the situation.

"What are you two doing?"

He thought about the absurdity of this situation for a second, yes they were Jedi, nothing was going on between them, but he wondered exactly what the bartender thought about him being alone with the two of them for company.

[Mission Koht]

The little redhead concealed a moment of surprise at Nomi's suggestion. The connection made sense enough, but the grin pushed to spread across her face. Namana fruit liquors were typically quite potent.

Julian helped himself to another drink of his own preference, and Mission took a moment to sample the emotions swirling around him. Her father had told her enough to be mindful of when she'd first mentioned bringing he and Nomi along, but she could now sense the spectrum of feelings in her long lost friend like a powerful aroma, finishing off with a touch of...? Mission glanced back at Nomi and then leaned back, using her taller companion as a seatback for a moment.

"What are you doing back there?"

[Nomi Jonan]

“Her hair.” Nomi answered them both with a shrug. She’d given Mission’s slimmer shoulders a slight squeeze, and was deftly picking her friend’s red tresses from their woven braid the remarkable skill until Mission’s hair hung loose against her back.

She glanced from the bar to Julian when their drinks arrived, and briefly let go of Mission to take the newest peach-and-purple concoction Julian passed over to her. It was…. glowing… And Nomi’s forehead creased slightly at the distinct impression that both of her companions knew something she didn’t. Oh well. She was going to have to catch up eventually.

“It’s not weird, Julian. Be only fun for an hour straight and I can do yours. I bet I could make it pretty.”

Nomi took a sip of the namana drink, finally. And she could tell from the first taste that this one was not her friend. It was swoony and swirling, and there was without-a-doubt too much other hidden behind the sweet fruit of it. She grimaced in dismay.

"Nope! Don't like that."

[Julian Orspach]

Julian eyed the drink skeptically and then noticed Nomi's reaction to it. He took a sip, swirling it around in his mouth for a brief moment before swallowing. He cocked his head to the side curiously unsure of whether or not he much cared for the beverage. Still feeling a bit light in the head after surpassing Nomi and Mission had already had, he took a large sip of the drink again. It was....it....served it's purpose.

"It's not too weird. Oh you're going to do my hair? That should be interesting."

He smiled again and took another drink, wincing and shutting his eyes tightly for no apparent reason to those around him he shivered for a moment and pulled himself back to the present, hopefully without anyone noticing too much.

"I can be fun for a full hour. I think it's in my DNA or something..."

[Mission Koht]

Mission smiled contentedly as Nomi began tugging her crimson locks loose of the practical braidwork and doing something new with them. She remarked something to the effect of Nomi being allowed to do that as long as she wished, but then she, too, was sampling the new and suspicious looking drink. It started off rather mellow to her pallet, and then almost as quickly gained a tart zing where she would have expected to feel a burn from a typical variety of liquor - and the color pallet of the lights over the bar shifted tones for just a moment.

"Oh my, this is super bad news." She said, glancing at Julian as she took another healthy sip. His skin was nearly neon pink at this point. She grinned at him, and wondered if the strange fruit was affecting them similarly. Apparently it was making Julian feel some type of way though. She felt a pang of something heavy cross his emotional spectrum, and then be excused by a force of humor. Mission gaped at the zeltron and very subtly pressed her free hand against Nomi in a preemptive restraint.

"Force around us, Julian, I thought you said you could hold your liquor!"

[Nomi Jonan]

Nomi set her drink flatly on the counter, not at all sure that she intended to pick it up again. Between the twinkling in her vision, the buzzing in her senses from the first two beverages, the subtle glow from even one decent sip of this last one.... No... She wasn't sure she liked this at all.

Mission's content relaxed-ness had had Nomi grinning too a moment ago — not to mention that she'd had a quip about pretty purple hair on the tip of her tongue — But then there was a shiver in Julian, and Nomi's instincts all flared to protective high alert faster than Mission could even press a hand against her.

"Hey," she dragged herself a half-step away from Mission and squeezed the Zeltron's arm. "Are you okay? When I said 'fun' I mean 'not a flirt.' Lemme know what you need."

[Julian Orspach]

Julian sighed as Nomi squeezed his arm, he tensed and looked at her. He wanted to be touched by her, but not in this way. He was greatful for her concern, but at the same time, needing it not only made him feel inadequate as a Jedi, but as a man. He shifted in his seat and quickly finished the odd drink and ordered a straight whiskey.

"I'm fine Nomi, I appreciate it. We're here to have fun right?"

He offered her a half smile.

"I haven't flirted since we've been in here, but I'll admit that's in my DNA as well, and you don't make it easy."

He looked to mission and chuckled.

"Dude. I so can hold my liquor, I just got a cold chill."

He motioned to his arms.

"No sleeves."

[Nomi Jonan]

Julian sighed and tensed up at her. Nomi immediately pulled her hand away and stepped back to Mission. Her quick-moving fingers deftly worked at twisting a distinctive rope-like braid into just the right side of Mission’s hair from just above her temple and moving backwards. She'd get to the rest of it soon enough.

She breathed sharply through her nose, watching Julian throw back the rest of his namana concoction and order another drink. The half-smile from him felt like a peace offering, and she more or less responded in kind with a tight chuckle.

“…Fine. Sorry, Julian. Okay... Mission; here. Pinch this spot for me?”

She didn’t even quip and tell Julian to take her jacket if he was chilly. Nomi certainly wasn't chilly. She was feeling plenty warm enough. See? She was being CONSIDERATE and not baiting him. She was.

“So. Do we eat anything while we’re enjoying each other’s presence and not yet talking about the gameplan? Or is it more about the social beverage drinking?”

[Julian Orspach]

Quickly he downed his shot of whiskey the burning sensation as the liquid slinked it's way down his throat was something that made him feel. He ordered a double of the same thing, his purple eyes widened and he glanced towards Nomi

"Why are you apologizing?"

He downed his second drink as quickly as it arrived. His smile turned warm and his purple eyes narrowed slightly, but in more of a wry and typically Julian way than anything else.

"You did nothing wrong. I just remembered being a Sith for two seconds and getting touched shocked me, that's all."

He took the third drink and downed it quickly, before his eyes shifted to Mission.

"You two need to keep up here. I'm off on this island of burning liqour all by myself."