Blame It On The Alcohol (Fringe)

[Alexis Braend]

The street was silent. Shadows enveloped nearly every street corner, gradually deepening as time passed, each second marked by another death of the sun’s pale rays. Sounds of revelry spilled into the gloom as a man stumbled from one of the buildings, the noise briefly piercing the silence of the evening. Unable to stand, he collapsed against the wall behind him. His drunken snores rose into the night, signaling the sun’s final death at the claws of darkness.

Inside, light and laughter continued to prevail against sunset’s sweet, chilling song. Fringe members lined the walls of the cantina, relaxing after a long day’s efforts. Alexis leaned against the bar, flirting with the bartender. She’d discovered early on that a girl could get almost anything if she spoke sweetly enough. Sometimes suggestively. It all depended on her mood. Tonight? Tonight she was practically humming with pent up energy. Tonight she wanted to have some fun.

With that goal in mind she quickly downed the last of her drink and, grabbing another from the selection he’d presented her, she saluted the bartender and headed to the dance floor.

 

[Marcus Tritum]

Corellian whiskey is good stuff, let me tell you. I sat at the bar stool, minding my own business. Fringe'd just come back from a successful op. I'd been able to change into civvie attire too. Much more comfortable than all that armor. Don't get me wrong, I love my armor, but there's just no room to breath, y'know? Wearing flannel, a t-shirt, casual pants, and some boots - like I was now - is good enough for me. The last remnants of the adrenaline that'd been flowing throughout my system for the course of the op were beginning to subside, leaving me a little drowsy. Which is what alcohol is for! I downed the whiskey shot and then ordered a beer.

The fiery liquid settled into my stomach and I felt a warm, happy glow. Er, no I'm not an alcoholic. Why do you - y'know what? Maybe I am. Maybe it's none of your damn business. Maybe I like to forget things like watching my thirteen year old sister get hit by a bomb. The image of shrapnel carving through the lower half of her body and then ripping away half her face to the bone is burned into my retinas. She didn't cry. She didn't scream. She didn't make a sound. They rushed her to the hospital, but it was too late. I'd caught part of the shrapnel in the shoulder. Still had the scars to prove it. That was my first introduction to war. Made me want to kill something.

The bartender got me a beer. I set it against the bartop and slammed my palm down on the lid. Pop. I lifted the glass and drank a long swig to drown out the demons.

[member="Alexis Braend"]

 

[Yasha Cadera]

Soldiers coming home and binding the members of this loose Confederacy together are all part of a day's work for High Councillor Sivas, the dude who likes pie. I got elected to help & heal people and keep the good times rolling, so what am I doing tonight per se? Knee deep in the dance floor and twice as likely to cut rugs.

The swell of emotions in this untempered place are buzzing in my empathic brain like the best of drinks, maybe this night is also an experiment on whether or not Anders can win out and I can leave a party as myself. Here's hoping [member="Jared Ovmar"] is either proud, or coming to the party. Hey, man put me in my head once he can do many, many things with the brain of his and I'm babbling but there's this skirt and …. ACHEM!

Laughing at a bizarre Twi'lek attempting to dance on a table (I say attempting, 'cause she's a bit too inebriated to get on the table with both feet), tall & lanky Anders Sivas walks to the bar and gets a shot of war trauma coming from the line of bar-bound wallflowers. A brunette I've yet to meet ([member="Alexis Braend"]) looks to be making goodly use of her… assets, and it makes the laughter come honest and glad.

Our people need to have fun tonight. I glance around suddenly - there are no porches, are there?

"Barman! Helllllo!" My laughter turns to a grin & wave at Frank, the head barman of this establishment. He snorts and trundles over - spry for a man his age - oh he hides it under face cream. "Sivas, looking for your special?" My nod throws dirty blonde hair into my face as I pat down my long sleeve t-shirt and grey canvas trousers. Reaching into my jacket's inner pocket, I pull out a wallet and throw some chits down. "Pass the love around to those who need it, kay? A free drink here or there, some of these guys are thirsty for quite a bit."

Frank nods and shoves a martini glass my way, the clear liquid speared through with essence of grapefruit and a strand of a grapefruit's peel. "Take care, kid."

I shove off from the bar and plaster a hopefully convincing grin on my face. "I'll be awesome. Thanks!"

"Mmmhmmm?" Frank goes to serve another customer, shoving chits in his pocket.

 

[Marcus Tritum]

I spared a glance for some kid with a stupid grin on his face who just ordered a grapefruit martini. That had to be just about the girliest drink I'd ever seen. I muttered something rather intolerant and not so pg-13 and rolled my eyes. The Fringe was full of weirdos. Still, the kid looked like he was having fun. Good for him. I try to have a good time, but when the laughter fades and it's just me sitting at the bar nursing my tenth beer... well... It's not so fun.

Wait a sec... wasn't that punk a High Councillor? I nearly choked on my beer. Well blow my stars. Shaking my head, I glanced toward the dance floor and noticed a familiar face. [member="Alexis Braend"] was getting, well... she uhm, she was dancing very suggestively if you catch my drift. Growling something incomprehensible I turned back to my drink, hoping the woman hadn't noticed me. I try to be a good guy and all, but man, she really knows how to push certain, ah, buttons. Like, all of them.

With a heavy sigh, I resumed drinking. My body was bruised from the op and just sitting around doing nothing felt pretty good. 'sides, I hate dancing. So many people bumping into me at such close proximity, the commando side of me goes nuts.

[member="Anders Sivas"]

 

[Yasha Cadera]

There's another well of emotion coming from the bar, and it's getting spiky enough to be nearly identifiable. Of course as my gift of empathy is strong it comes with challenges and I still can't tell who the spiked out soldier is. My gifts of observation however are narrowing it down a notch. There's this one guy, have I met him? I don't think it matters if I have, but dude, the man's all bruised up.

How can a self-professed healer & paramedic High Councillor continue in the fun night when there's a person who needs attention? I nod at him, and off Frank trots briskly as a stallion in the Champion's Pen to pour him a neat whiskey double. "For your Service, mate." Frank says as he shoves the glass at [member="Dak Canton"]. As he busies with the bottle pouring in another goodly slosh, he nods his head in my direction and I can't help but cease my laughter for a contented sigh and a small shrug. Guess that's my cue. I'm still not looking at him per se. I'm faintly aware that my cologne is roses and warm spices, a bouquet befitting of a gentler persona then Councillor for Military Affairs. Frank leans forward to the man and nods over to me, pointing. "He could heal those bruises if you like. Take the edge off the physical pain, help you enjoy the party better. Your choice. Go see him if you're game. Drink's on him."

The air alights with the Force, tiny glowing sparks flitter up my veins and for just a split moment, my arm fluoresces. I wink, and lean back to my seat, sipping on my martini and calling for another.

The music continues to strike beats into my spine, it's far more intoxicating than the grapefruit beverage in my glass. Rhythm is like breath, indicative of the conditions around us. For me the rhythm is bringing another side of life.

 

[Alexis Braend]

The music created a web around those within the building, drawing them ever closer to succumbing to the dark temptations it presented. Alexis entangled herself willingly within its cunning web. Becoming one with the music, she danced until the breath sawed in and out of her lungs and her legs shook from the exertion. She adored dancing. Nothing made a girl look better than hours moving her body to the seductive beat, and nothing made her more powerful. The language of the body was one she spoke well, and what better way to gain the upper hand than by using all of the resources she had at her disposal. Finally, exhausted and thirsty, the slender siren slipped from the dance floor. Her spot was quickly swallowed up by the press of people's bodies.

She was radiant; her eyes were alight with excitement, and her skin glowed with health and vitality. Dancers, male and female alike, paused to admire the sway of her hips as she sashayed past. As she reached the bar two male forms caught her attention. One of them she had never met before. His honeyed hair and olive skin made her curious to see his face. Would his eyes be a dark contrast to his caramel hair, or would they shine with a lighter color?

Returning her gaze to the second figure, Alexis slowly grinned. So, [member="Dak Canton"] had decided to join the party. This would be fun. She always enjoyed irritating him, and he tended to get flustered whenever she said anything flirty. The verdict? She made sure to flirt with him as often and as suggestively as possible. But first, the blond. She sauntered toward his lean frame and took the seat beside him. "Hello darling," she said with a wink. "What do you say you buy me a drink or two?"

[member="Anders Sivas"]

 

[Sheff Zee]

To say the Crown Prince hated places like these would be a lie, at one point in his life perhaps he would have. Most probably a few years ago, but now that he was a Sith, and he himself had been in several brawls in places such as these, he was certainly enjoying such places. Most of the time when he was in them he was the antagonizer to start the supposed brawls, or he had just been happening to walk past and saw inside, (or heard) the fight ensuing and he just had to investigate.

Investigate meaning join, and then do as much damage to the place, and occupants as he could. Because that's what Aeon Caedus did.

Destroy things.

This one time at a cantina there were like five Sith in it, including himself when he had entered, there were several droids, and bounty hunters. And all hell was breaking loose, ever since then well, Aeon Caedus couldn't let himself go of such places. Bit of an exaggeration. Most of the times he went to them was to see if he could find someone who would work for him. Be on call for a string of missions, see if they could do anything useful before they actually became privy to his plans.

Walking through the dance floor after he had entered, he sauntered over to the bar where [member="Alexis Braend"], [member="Anders Sivas"], and [member="Dak Canton"] were occupying and sat down somewhere in their general vicinity. He nodded to each of them respectively and asked, "enjoying the evening?"

 

[Teslar Rantarus]

Teslar had just recently gotten back from the Cestus Droid Expo and he was still entertaining his idea from earlier. Because of his earlier purchases at the expo it was becoming a very real idea. Walking from his ship he had found a seemingly popular cantina in which he could get a drink taking a dark corner booth he order a bottle of Bloodsour, a drink made from a black skinned fruit native to Barab 1. Paying for it he pulled out his datapad to go over what he would need to get for this new idea of his and perhaps if he was lucky he would find someone here to sell to.

 

[Marcus Tritum]

My eyes narrowed as the barman set a cold one down right in front of me. Where I'm from, there ain't such a thing as a free drink. Unless you were really good at your job. Slowly, eyes still narrowed, I drained the last of my beer and reached to grab the one the barman had just set down in front of me. Just as my fingers began to wrap around that hauntingly refreshing, cool, condensation laden surface the barman added another line into the conversation. Yeah, and there was the strings attached. I grunted.

"I'll be just fine, thanks."

Not meaning to be rude, I raised my glass toward the kid who'd just bought me a drink. Dang. Was that the guy in charge of military affairs? Hmph. Needed to drink some stronger stuff. It'd put hair on his chest. Now, was I feeling a little battered? Hell yeah. But I'm not about to take some charity. Other people needed healing more than I do. 'sides, I got sins to atone for n' all. Goin' through hell is part of the package. That said, I appreciated the punk's offer. Not that I was ever gonna take him up on it. It wasn't just about my psych issues. I just wasn't a big fan of the Force in general, see. And I sure didn't want it touching any more part of me than it had to. Damn space wizards.

Then I watched as [member="Alexis Braend"] sidled up to [member="Anders Sivas"] and started layin' it on thick n' smooth. My eyes might've done a bit of roving. So what? I was half drunk, give me a break. She eyed the kid with those googoo eyes. I shifted on my stool uncomfortably and looked away. At about that same moment, some high rollin' fop strolled through the front entrance and asked how everyone was doing. I grunted and resumed staring at the countertop, sippin' away at my new drink.

[member="Aeon Caedus"]

 

[Yasha Cadera]

"Your loss. Dude's a paramedic." Frank says, trundling off to serve [member="Aeon Caedus"] and [member="Teslar Rantarus"].

Rhythm sinks into the crowd like an artificial heartbeat joining the masses in thrall. Often wonder why it's been the thrall for me, since childhood, well better put since infancy but tonight the thrall is mindless. It's perfumes and relief at newly won battles and less names on the injured list. Tonight is a night of bonding and running in a pack enforced by the fringes and maintained by the common will. I can dig it, and for the most part the crowd's giving me a laughing buzz, artificial happiness where my stomach should be twisting in gut rolls.

Jared's still a void on my senses. My fingers wrap around the grapefruit martini and I suck it down as [member="Alexis Braend"] sidles up with slick ivory hips and the knowledge of a Nexu on Vendaxa. Not overeager yet, she's 'fed' but playful. If only it were that sort of night. I order another martini for myself and it comes to me - it is that sort of night.

Maybe it's the new guy who walked into the bar, maybe it's the change in the DJ's tune but my smile softens and I glance over at this gorgeous girl. "A drink for a name. Sounds fair, eh? Frank? What the lady wants." Frank grumbles under his breath and throws another martini together, sliding it over mouthing 'be careful, or I'll call him'. Good ole Frank. Nanny Goat Frank.

Hey, at least I left Bucket at home. "Having a good time at the party, Miss? Seems were attracting one glorious crowd." Speaking of the crowd, one of the new ones pipes up and I slide my hips on the stool, angling to catch a glimpse as my throat tightens a twitch. Strong emotions, rife in memory's shadow, are circling the room. From whence they came I have no clue, but I take a deep breath before I pipe up, one hand going down to shove in the pocket of my trousers.
"It's a fantastic evening to enjoy. Have you met --ah.. wow I don't know your name, Miss. Don't know yours either, Sir. Anders. That's me, Anders Sivas. Hey, enjoy you two." [member="Aeon Caedus"]

There's a pull at the side of my neck, a real crick I snap and still feel after standing up with a stretch and a laugh as the roof seems to tilt ever so slightly to the right. I'm not as think as I'm drunk I am… it's the crowd and it's incredible. Collecting the shambles of my dignity & balance, I walk over to [member="Dak Canton"] and plunk down in a stool beside him.

"Frank, can we have some more?" I nod to Dak's glass. The bartender slides the bottle over and rummages underneath the bar.

"Drink up lightweight." Frank shoves a glass of water in my face and I grab it with a short laugh. "Yes, yes, more booze for my associate here. Hey. I'm Anders. You?" I offer a slim hand. If he shakes it, he'd discover just how much of a wimp I really am.

 

[Sheff Zee]

He got a grunt in reply, and another man who had the woman [member="Alexis Braend"] all over him. He glanced around the dance floor for a moment before he heard the man, [member="Anders Sivas"] speaking of not knowing him. Of course he wouldn't know him, they hadn't even met yet! But in reply, before he could have gone enough and sat down next to [member="Dak Canton"], he said, "Aeon." But he doubted the man heard him. He was too caught up in the soldier.

Fine with him.

Letting his tundra-like gaze glance over the bar again, his eyes set down upon [member="Alexis Braend"] and he smiled softly. A smile that showed kindness, a smile that harboured the experience and enjoyment of many nights in cantinas and an inclination of his head in greeting. His gaze soon dropped to the stool next to his own as if inviting her to join him, but he wouldn't have been surprised if she had decided to make her attempts at drawing another male's attention.

If she did or didn't, he still inquired with, "and the name of a woman like yourself is?"

 

[Marcus Tritum]

Oh. A paramedic. See, it's moment like this when I feel downright stupid. Well, maybe he was a Forcer paramedic, because I'd never seen a paramedic wave a magic stick and make bruises evaporate. Some weird jungle juju crap right there.

Alcohol burnt a fiery trail down my throat, blazing down to the warm glow in my stomach. Just warm enough to burn away the pain. Nothing like some good old fashioned survivor's guilt, right? I mean, it's not like I should be ashamed, y'know, for living, right? What'd they expect me to do, die? Maybe I should die. Maybe I deserved to die, after what I did. But a whole lotta people out there didn't. There were monsters out there, see. Lots of 'em. People in the Core would never believe, but out here in the Fringe we hunt those damn things. Terentateks, Ssi-Ruu. We hunt all kinds of monsters. Sometimes, sometimes I even don't hunt monsters. Sometimes I get a little confused about who is a monster and who isn't. Images of a Nautolan's burning body flash through my mind.

And that's why I drink.

Well, partially, anyway. The rest is just 'cause it's fun. I gulped down more of my booze, then the kid popped outta nowhere and planted himself in the barstool right next to me. I watched the kid get me another drink, then get handed a water from the bartender, Frank. A soft snort escaped my nose. Grapefruit martini. Can't handle his liquor. Well, color me surprised and paint me a pony.

The kid introduced himself and held out a hand. I shook it. It's impolite not to shake, see. Anders, huh.

"Dak Canton," I rasped, reaching into my pocket and drawing out a deathstick as I replied. I lit up. Frank gave me a leveling stare that I interpreted as "You know those things are bad for you." I replied with a shrug, then took a long toke on the deathstick. I spared a glance back at Alexis, then flicked back to Anders. Wait a second. Was he- was I- "Looks like you left just when things started getting interesting." I fished.

[member="Anders Sivas"] [member="Alexis Braend"]

 

[Yasha Cadera]

"Aeon, well met! Have fun tonight. Get to know some people, go dance, fun fun fun." I pat [member="Aeon Caedus"]' shoulder on the way past, for the moment needing to extricate myself from a potentially catastrophic situation.

"Canton, eh? Please t'meetcha Dak." Halfway through my glass of water the fog rolls into the peripherals and I know. It's him. [member="Dak Canton"] is the persona I've been tweaking on, his emotions so repressed they're seething out of him into his fingers and into the glass, onto the floor by his feet, into the air he's obliterating with the death stick's curling smoke. I gulp and finish my water, sliding it to Frank with a cheesy grin. "I love you too, Frank." He grumbles and nabs the glass, sticking two fingers toward my face then back to his eyes. "Nanny Goat's gruff tonight." I bleat under my breath and Dak takes my hand and shakes it.

Oh gosh are my fingers broken!? Where did that guy learn to grip? The fiery pits of Sullust!? I cough into my drink and set the glass down with a chink. Such a similar night, this one and the one I met Jared. He'd put me in my mind, we flirted with various women and he'd killed some glitterstim dealers by the end of it. Memorable and dark. I'd made him do it, oh it was his choice but I told him to make them go away. I was angry, upset. I should have known better. I should have kept better control, I should have been the one staying in the bar not walking out with two girls to an apartment in Coruscant to wait for the one who left part of himself behind. Why am I remembering this? I stare at the booze in my drink, the curl of grapefruit peel and glance over at Dak. The Canton name sounds familiar but I can't remember where. The injuries I feel however give me a better glimpse.

He's either a brawler or a soldier. A warm chuckle bursts from my throat, tinny and coated with the ichor of the swelling groove of emotions inhabiting the place. "Not hard for things to get interesting with me around, not bad though, eh? A woman like that's worth a couple of drinks and a dance or three. . . Don't think I've got my dancing legs on tonight. Let someone else have the field of plenty… how long you been planet side?"

 

[Teslar Rantarus]

As Teslar went through his list of things need for his idea he found that he still needed to find a place to base his new company as he as well as mining rights for the Roche asteroid field. With some researching on the holonet he found a gand named Torke who could get him the mining rights, he also figured out the best place for basing his up in coming company. The first asteroid mined would be turned into the headquarters of Thaxis Frontiers. The ball was truely rolling now, the barabel slipped his datapad into his robes and knocked back the remaining Bloodsour in his glass. Getting up he grabbed and corked the half empty bottle deciding to save it for another time when he missed home or needed a drink. Then made his way to the bar to order a water which he drank as he eyed up [member="Alexis Braend"].
[member="Anders Sivas"]
[member="Dak Canton"]
[member="Aeon Caedus"]

 

[Alexis Braend]

Rage curled like ribbons within Alexis’ chest. The ease with which the blonde had dismissed her struck a chord that lay embedded deep within her painful past. Forgotten feelings of worthlessness bubbled from the pits of her subconscious, sending her spiraling out of control. Her childhood may have been filled with cruelty and disregard, but to have it once again manifest within her adulthood was something she couldn’t handle.

Reparations must be made, and the need for vengeance must be appeased. [member="Anders Sivas"] needed to be given a lesson in how she expected to be treated. No longer would she allow people to treat her as if were no better than the dirt beneath their feet. Those days had ended with the death of her father; she was no longer that scared child content to live off the scraps of affection carelessly thrown her way. She deserved better, and she now had the ability to demand it.

Leveling her gaze at the two men, Alexis reached for the connection she had with the force. Frissons of ecstasy suffused her senses as its power became entwined with her fury. A bolt of energy shot across the bar, arrowing in on the stool on which the blond was seated. The seat shattered, hopefully sending him to the floor.

A Cheshire smile curved her lips. Her triumph at breaking his stool was short lived, however, as she recalled the two males whose eyes were upon her. Keeping an eye on [member="Dak Canton"] and Sivas and preparing for the worst, she turned to address those closer at hand.

“The name’s Alexis,” she purred. “What brings you boys here tonight?”

[member="Aeon Caedus"]
[member="Teslar Rantarus"]

 

[Sheff Zee]

"A pretty name for a pretty woman." He replied to Alexis when she had given her name. He remained quiet however when she had asked her question of what they were doing there. He thought for a more moments of why he was there before he said, "is there a reason to be seeking entertainment?" He replied with an amused look on his face. He didn't think so.

"You seem to be a person who enjoys being entertained, and being the...Performance for lack of a better word."

[member="Alexis Braend"]

 

[Teslar Rantarus]

"A drink was all," Teslar said lifting up his bottle of Bloodsour from early and as he finished his water he poured another glass of Bloodsour for himself "But I think I'll stay a little longer." He was not entirely sure if it was the alcohol or if the girl actually did have a connection to the force. "How about a drink on me?"[member="Alexis Braend"] [member="Aeon Caedus"]
[member="Dak Canton"] [member="Anders Sivas"]

 

[Yasha Cadera]

It's easy enough for the layman to think I'm drunk in this space. Fact is, the crowd's making me drunk on emotional fumes and [member="Alexis Braend"] is one heck of a projectionist. A surging influx of negative emotions hits my brain so hard I feel the waves before the sickly energy filters through her. As the stool disappears, my feet hit the ground and I stumble slightly before righting myself. I grab the bar top and take another sip of my grapefruit 'martini'. Almost makes me feel sorry for her, to think someone could get that upset over someone not wanting her particular brand of hip swinging flirtation. I move to another stool and shrug. "What a temper." It's not worth the effort to take the woman on a healer's ride to mental health and clarity. Probably wouldn't accept it anyway.

Dusting off my hands, I glance to the men in the bar who are giving her the attention she craves. Why can't people be content with that? A blonde passes by and I make no secret of checking the woman out. She goes to dance. I might follow eventually, I might not. For now, I sip my drink on a new stool.

 

[Marcus Tritum]

"Uh. Not long."

2 days, 13 hours and seven dead hostiles, to be exact. Asking about my recent actions, or about my past really should've gotten the answer of "classified." But I wasn't exactly sure what a High Councillor knew. Especially the secondary coordinator of Military Affairs. Maybe he knew exactly how long I'd been here. Maybe he didn't. I just follow orders, not looking to get involved in politics.

I tried to ignore her comments about Alexis. That girl was a heart breaker if I ever saw one. Probably liked it. Dunno what took it to make a dame want to play with a guy's emotions like that, but she obviously enjoyed it.

Crack.

The stool underneath the Councillor snapped underneath him. Both my eyebrows shot up and I glanced around. "The hell?"

The kid got another stool, muttering something about a temper. I blinked. Uuuuuh. H'okay. "How 'bout you?" I rasped, continuing our earlier conversation.

[member="Anders Sivas"]

 

[Yasha Cadera]

"Got back from Thakwaa yesterday, me. After the zombie horde was dealt with took a couple days to patch up our soldiers. Something chilling about a field after battle, for a medic like me I mean. I know it's a whole different kind of chilling for our soldiers. Got to the dying before they passed over. Regret I couldn't heal all our people but cuts, bruises and broken bones will knit in time." I dont know why I'm bringing out serious conversation with Dak tonight, feels like the counterpoint to the songs thrilling the dancers.

"I'd like to pick your brain soon. Working on some new r&d to increase shielding on commandos. Kit out our boys and girls a bit more defensively, but I'm a paramedic by trade, not a soldier." I shrug and sip my drink dry, pouring some of the whiskey into the empty martini glass. "That can wait. What's your poison? Blonde, brunette, redhead, raven, liquor... What'd make your night more celebratory and less sigh?"