A Day at the Beach

[Eliza Steele]

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Tanquilla Beach - Kathol Sector - Outer Rim Coalition Territory​

[member="Rash"]​

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Tanquilla Beach.... Quite the spot, well not really as it wasn't a real beach with sand, sun, and surf, but nonetheless it was a sight for sore eyes when reverting to real space after coming from either Shintel or Pembric II as travel anywhere in the Kathol sector or beyond was not easy nor a safe bet.

The fifteen level, vertical space station is built into an asteroid located just within a small nebulae in one corner of the wilds of the Kathol sector. The "Beach" as spacers simply call it is set up to service the technical needs of smugglers and pirates as well as a place to do business both professional and otherwise.

The name grew out of a joke about the huge amount of sunlight the shadowport gets even though it's far from any star. The bright light of the nearby nebulae illuminates it from all sides; basically an oasis amongst the dark reaches of the expanse.

Captain Steele feathered the controls of the YT-1930 light freighter through the magcon, then brought the Corellian Dawn down to rest on its landing struts with well practiced ease in one of the huge central bays designed to hold a large number of smuggler craft. After paying the docking fee and slipping a little extra to the administrator for security purposes, the petite smuggler left the ship and made way to the Hard Rock Cantina on level two while her Wookiee co-pilot saw to their cargo being offloaded.

Entering the Hard Rock just inside the main intercourse next to ConJob's Trifles, Eliza dressed in spacer attire with a DL-44 heavy blaster pistol slung low off her shapely right hip peered around with chocolate drop orbs at the usual scum and villainy one would expect in a shadowport. The brunette quickly sized the place up before heading to the bar. She ordered a whiskey neat with an ale back, then pulled out a Sweet Theed cigar from her vest worn.

"Now damn... Where's my lighter?" the fiery Corellisi grumbled as she patted the other pocket down in frustration.

 

[Rash]

Rash stepped into the bar, letting out a faint sigh, not sure if it was out of relief or disappointment. He was alone. Nobody was following him, talking to him and unintentionally made him laugh a bit before sitting down with him and ordering two drinks. Two. Hell, why not three? Rash had a blank expression on his face as he made his way to the counter. The tall man didn't look over his shoulder to make sure his partner was there and gave them a small smile but instead made sure his weapons were both in their holsters under his long, white coat and took a seat, looking down at the dirty counter and leaning against it with his elbows. His eyes were closed for a moment, but he managed to shake the deep feeling of loneliness off himself and looked up with a very light smirk on his face, motioning for the bartender to come closer and take his order. He had always... well, most of his lifetime walked down the road without anyone next to him.

This wasn't his first time on Tanguilla Beach after all, although the last time he saw the huge and quite ugly space station was a few- no, at least 8 years ago. He wasn't alone then, not at all. He had at least six people to share drinks and laugh with. Huh. Those were the good old days... and most likely the worst times of his life so far. Rash shook his head and tried to forget the past when the bartender finally made his way in front of him.

"Give me something to drink would ya'? Perhaps some... Ardees if you have that here?"

Rash looked at the bartender for a second before frowning lightly and looking suddenly looking like he realised something. He motioned for the man to not leave just yet before continuing.

"Hell, give me a shot of whiskey too."

Rash looked at the silent man for a few seconds before offering him a small nod. Rash watched as the man left and looked down at the counter again. He saw his own reflection on it in front of his face. He saw his face... his young and gullible face. No. He didn't want to remember the last time he visited this bar. Rash just stared at the counter for a moment before he had to look away, blinking faster and trying to wipe the vision from his mind. The lonely man didn't feel right, but he knew that drinking something stronger usually helped in situations like these.

Rash finally decided to look around. The bar was a typical shadowport one. Dimly lit and the minimalist music that was playing was way more quiet than the voices of the people talking. Rash couldn't help but take a deep breath before looking at the bartender to see if he had mixed his drink already. He just absolutely loved the atmosphere bars like this had no matter if he had unpleasant memories of them.

Suddenly, Rash noticed the person next to him. They were clearly looking for something and eventually Rash heard the voice of the person too. A woman, eh? Rash looked at the clearly frustrated and petite woman next to him. She was an outlaw for sure... perhaps a pilot? Maybe even a smuggler? Suddenly, the gentleman inside Rash took control of him, and he just had to check if he had a lighter on him. He let his right hand run through all the pockets inside his opened and long coat before he finally found one, quickly placing it on to the counter and gently sliding it in front of the woman.

"There ya' go"

A light hint of a kind smile appeared on Rash's face as he looked at the brunette again, waiting for her possible response.



[member="Eliza Steele"]

 

[Eliza Steele]

Eliza had been too busy looking for her lighter to give the man sliding into the seat next to her at the bar a proper screen. That's how much she needed a smoke to calm her frazzled nerves. The last smuggling run further south in the Outback had been a bit too exciting for her taste, and that was saying a lot for a Corellian.

The petite smuggler's dark head turned and a pair of chocolate drop orbs gazed over to [member="Rash"], then to the old dog's lighter that lay atop the counter. An appreciative smile crept onto the brunette's face as she picked up the gentlemanly offer.

"Why thank you... Don't mind if I do," Lizzy expressed, then held out the moderately thick tobacco roll horizontally as the lighter was activated with the flame near the foot of the cigar, but not actually touching it. A true connoisseur would coast the end with the heat to an even, smoldering red glow rather than just char it.

The clipped head of the Sweet Theed was then brought to the freighter pilot's lips and a slow, controlled draw was taken. Eliza held the smoke in her mouth for a few moments, relishing in the taste of the tobacco leaf waffling about her tongue and rush of nicotine lessening the stress in her body, then the smoke was pushed back out her mouth, not inhaled.

A content sigh came from those same lips as the lighter was slid back over to the man with a nod.

"Would you care for one... Mister?" the fiery Corellisi inquired as she picked up the shot of whiskey the bartender had dropped off with a glass of ale. "Pairs real well with this here smooth spirit after a long days work... Well at least I think so," she grinned before throwing back the dark amber liquid with well practiced ease followed by another draw from the cigar shortly after.

 

[Rash]

A really mild feeling of euphoria went through Rash, sending slight shivers down his spine as the brunette smuggler took the small lighter he had generously slid to her. Rash couldn't exactly describe what the pleasant feeling actually was or what caused it to himself. Helping out a lovely damsel in distress? That was the most likely cause. Before the shivers disappeared, the old man turned his head away with a quiet and warm chuckle leaving his grinning lips. His eyes were still on the woman, after all, seeing someone like her wasn't too common for Rash. The Corellian was clearly moderately... worn out, but she still managed to look pleasing in Rand's eyes.

Don't mind if I do... The words bounced around the old dog's head, but his thoughts were cut by the sound of a small glass of whiskey being placed on the counter. His eyes slowly dragged themselves off the mature woman and his right hand reached forwards to grab the glass.

No Ardees, eh? Well...That was quite expected.

A slight nod to the shady bartender to thank him and Rash was good to go. He looked at the dirty glass, gently shaking it a bit before downing the blank and colorless drink inside it in one slight move of his arm and head. It made him cough slightly, but the old-timer didn't flinch a bit. The whiskey was strong, but... he was stronger than it. Or so he thought at least.

Rash leaned forward, his arms crossed on the counter as the lighter was slid back to him. The raw and powerful whiskey left a burning sensation in his throat, and he could feel it tearing his intestines apart too. It was quite strong, but it was exactly what the smuggler needed.

The unexpected question the Corellian promptly asked him after pushing out a cloud of smoke out of her mouth was enough for Rash to slowly turn his head toward her again. He nodded slightly, gently raising his eyebrows in an approving way, before taking the lighter.

"I would never decline an offer like that... and by someone like ya'"

A slight smile made its way to Rash's face again and he fidgeted the lighter in his other hand, waiting for the Corellian to give him something to smoke. He could really feel the whiskey starting to kick in already.

[member="Eliza Steele"]