[D1EE] The Real Thing

[Cal Arcton]

"Well." Cal drawled, smiling. "I suppose that depends on if you're gonna be coming by often enough that I'll need to put it up there."

A tattooed miralan woman came out of the kitchen. After Cal and her exchanged nods, he came around the counter, with her taking his spot at the bar. Cal eased himself casually into the seat next to Fey.

He shrugged. "Common enough. I let it be known that if folks need something done, they're more than welcome to ask here." He gave her a curious look. "Would that be the sort of thing your group'd be interested in? The pay isn't great, but you're not quite doing it just for the charity. Might be a good way to start to fit in. If you're planning on staying around for a while."

[Cefey Raneth]

"Hmm..." she studied him a bit more closely now that he was joining her on her side of the bar. "It is possible... credits are credits, oui. What do they usually need 'done'?"

[Cal Arcton]

Up closer, Cal's features were easy to make out. He had well-defined features, with solid lines for his cheekbones and jaw, lightly obscured by a bit of stubble. Lines were beginning to show on his face, but only just; mostly laugh lines, a bit around the eyes, mouth and forehead. Beneath the duster, Cal appeared slender (although not quite as slender as he once was!), perhaps the build of someone who was lightly active. His clothing was in a decidedly old-fashioned style, with white dress shirt, dark vest, and neckcloth. A dark green hankerchief peeked out of one vest pocket, and the silver chain of a watch dangled from another.

He shrugged, the motion exaggerated by his duster. "It's a long list. There's no denying that Noventa has it's share of troubles, and maybe a few other planet's shares, too. Comes from growing so fast, I reckon." He pursed his lips for a moment. "In this case, it's helping to hold off a nightly attack by a big group of Manka Cats. This job's a bit on the irregular side, I'll admit." Frowning, he scratched absently at his stubble.

[Cefey Raneth]

The fashion-style seemed like it only needed a hat to round of the ensemble, she thought with an amused smile. The flash of silver did not go unnoticed. It would be easy to take it. He would not notice until after I've left...

Likewise, the twi'lek was wearing a reinforced duster, but seemed decidedly casually dressed in comparison, with tight pants and a button-up shirt that was buttoned down to be barely within the bounds of modesty. Her belt seemed to be the kind with a few surprises hidden away, and holstered a pair of small blasters.

"I would not know what sort of troubles fast-growing brings, monsieur," she shrugged. "Manka cats are common danger here?"

[Cal Arcton]

Cal's eyes did flicker over the twi'lek's dress, both in professional and unprofessional curiosity. He noted both the small blasters and the number of undone buttons, and both professional and unprofessional sides wondered at what that belt might be concealing.

"Mmm." Cal grunted. "You may have noted that Noventa isn't exactly a bustling thoroughfare." He said, smiling wryly. "It's part of why I named the bar what I did. "For a long time, everything here was pretty much the same, from generation to generation. And then there was the Empire. And now the New Republic." He shook his head. "Feels to me that Noventa's just growing up too fast. It's not good when a kid does it, and I don't think it's good for a planet, either." Had it been good for him? His expression turned thoughtful.

He shook his head, clearing the thought away. "Manka cats are a common pest." He said. "And a danger if you catch them at the wrong time. Or they catch you." He grimaced. "A big group like this attacking is a bit unusual. Maybe someone smarter than me'll be able to figure out the why of that. I'll just help to hold them off."

[Cefey Raneth]

Her lips pursed slightly before a brief bite on her lower lip as she smiled. "Hm, Noventa City seem beaucoup better than Providencetown. Providence bustle in the wrong kind of way - les rangers against les locals." Fey gave a small shake of her head. "I know not much about growing up too fast, knowing only the way moi grew up."

Idly she tapped a finger against her cheek. "Mayhaps some person is doing something with all the cats?"

[Cal Arcton]

Cal was enjoying the expressiveness of Fey's face. It was a contrast to him, where except for occasional shifts in his lips or his eyebrows, not much changed. "Yeah." He nodded. "That's Providencetown, alright. I guess as Noventa grows, we'll get to find out which of those get to define the character of the planet. And it's not just 'cause I live here that I hope it's Noventa City."

He gave her a careful look. "That's the only way most people know, I guess. Up to them to decide if it's too fast or not." He hesitated, but didn't pry. Her past was her business until she decided otherwise.

"Some person?" Cal's brow furrowed. "Like some sort of... I don't know, Cat Lord? Or Cat Lady?" He glanced at the beer and sighed; he probably shouldn't have one himself, not if he was about to be driving. "That..." he scratched at his stubble, "well, I suppose I've seen stranger things out there."

[Cefey Raneth]

"It is not impossible," she offered with a chuckle, realising that it did sound a little silly. Another bite of her lip before she took one more sip from the beer. "I wonder now what more stranger things tu have seen, monsieur."

[Cal Arcton]

Watching Fey drink the beer, Cal waved the bartender over. "Hey, Kaylee." He said. "Get her another, would you?" The mirilan nodded agreement, although she also rolled her eyes. Grinning, Cal turned back to Fey.

"D... Honey." He corrected himself with a smile. "I had a ten year career as a sector marshal. I've seen all manner of strange things. Besides the usual travel, bein' on the run from the law makes folk try to do strange things. I might be able to come up with a good one..." He smirked. "If you would then regale me with a tale of your groups exploits."

[Cefey Raneth]

"Much appriciated, monsieur," she couldn't help but to poke him gently on the chest with a finger. It didn't hurt to flirt to get free drinks. "You have good manners."

Fey made a soft sing-song humming noise as she considered the proposition. "Ah, very well, it is a deal. Tell your story, and one shall be told in return."

[Cal Arcton]

Cal smiled, watching as her finger gently poked his chest. "I know how to treat a lady, anyway." For his part, he didn't mind trading drinks for a bit of harmless flirting. It was a fine way to pass the time.

"Well, for this, I'm gonna need a drink." He waved down the bartender, who brought over a drink for each of them, rolling her eyes again. Cal paused a moment, taking a deep drink of the Classic Red. He turned to Fey as he set it down with a sigh, smiling even as his eyes went distant in reminiscence.

"This would have been about six years ago. By this time, I didn't usually have a partner, so it was just me. I was tracking a Jawa criminal of all things. That fact was strange enough; you don't usually get them travelling around. This one liked to travel around and blow things up, so, well, that's where I came in."

He paused again, taking another drink. "I tracked him to some desert world, can't remember the name, where he had some compatriots. Thought I had him tracked to their little homestead. I even got someone who said she saw him on the property. But both of the owners said they'd never seen him before, although I could tell they were as nervous as anything. But I searched high and low, and couldn't find a trace of him. It looked like a dead end."

Another pause for a drink; his brown eyes danced merrily as he looked at her. "But on my way out, I noticed one of their banthas was drooling a lot. And I mean a lot. Don't know if you can imagine how much drool a creature the size of a bantha can make. So I decided to take a closer look..."

He shook his head, grinning. "He'd covered himself in fodder, put on a rebreather, and climbed inside the poor bantha's mouth. Figured he could hide out there until I left. Or until the bantha finally figured out how to swallow him, I suppose." Cal shrugged. "Either way, he didn't seem all that disappointed that I found him. Meant he could come out."

[Cefey Raneth]

Fey listened with great interest to the story, and he got her attention early with something as crazy as Jawa-criminal being the culprit in the story. She had to go through some effort to not spit out her beer while laughing over the mental image of a jawa hiding in a bantha's mouth.

"Oh, my word... I never thought anyone would think to hide in some creature's mouth, monsieur!" she laughed some more, wiping her lips even if she had not spilled any of the beer earlier. "Our stories have not been quite as bizarre, I would only disappoint you now, non?"

[Cal Arcton]

Cal laughed along with her, enjoying the simple pleasure of sharing the enjoyment with someone else. His shoulders shook as he laughed, leaning over his own mug. "If you're surprised now, just think how surprised I was when I thumped the bantha on the side, and she spit up a jawa." He shook his head, grinning.

He turned to her with a sigh, the grin fading to a more usual smile. "Well, I wouldn't expect a perfect match. After all, I've had, what, I'd wager a dozen years more'n you to gather up stories." At least; more's the pity. "So just tell me something ordinary about your crew. Or about yourself." He smirked. "I'm not gonna consider time spent listening to a fine lady such as yourself a disappointment, I'll promise you that."

[Cefey Raneth]

"Ah, it can't be a dozen, monsieur, you don't look that old," she remarked with a coy smile. Of course, it was all part of keeping his guard low around her... Fey knew that older men liked to hear that kind of thing. "But, you do seem a man of experience."

Another sip of beer helped her rearrange her thoughts a little for a story time. There were things that was just not for sharing with outsiders, about the crew. Like about Sweetie, or where they all came from. But she could still share the part of her story that would be sure to draw sympathy.

"J'étais... a slave, before the Empire's defeat." Her nails tapped gently against the mug. "All my life. As a child, work that children do well - in petite spaces, handiwork with petite hands. Growing older, I suppose you could say my problem is becoming a très beau lady, as you pointed out. Those who are do not work with labour, you see." It was obvious what she meant, considering the popularity of female twi'leks as slaves. Fey sipped her beer as she let it sink in a bit.

"So, we have not had many years as un crew, but it has been a good time. For me. As that was mon escape from the Empire. From slavery. No one is perfect, but, they are good people."

[Cal Arcton]

Cal chuckled wryly. "You are sweet, aren't you?" Beer in hand, he sat back to listen to her story, leaning casually against the bar.

As she spoke, though, the smile gradually faded, the look in his dark brown eyes growing softer. He sat up a bit straighter, his pose no longer quite so casual. When she finally finished, he didn't say anything at first. Just took a long, strong, sip of his beer. "Thought you said you didn't know anything about growing up too fast." He said, his voice gravelly, soft.

Another moment passed, and he smiled gently. "Well. The past is the past, right?" He gestured upwards. "I really outta get that put on a sign. Right there. It'd look good, don't you think? Save me the trouble of saying it all the time, too."

Smiling again, just as he had before, Cal shook his head. "Well, you're with a good crew now. I had a good feeling about Jelna. She seems like the sort who takes good care of her crew. I like that." He nodded.

[Cefey Raneth]

"It would make for a nice sign," she chuckled warmly. The past being the past was something she, Kai, Jelna, and Lena needed to hear from time to time. Maybe they could find a new life around these parts. "She is good, oui. It is a good crew... we look out for eachother, and trust eachother. Je cannot speak for the others, but to moi, they are family."

Fey's expression was more relaxed, though distant.

"The Empire touched everyone one way or another in this galaxy it seems..." she sighed. "Do you think this noveau Republic will be better?"

[Cal Arcton]

"It's good to have people like that." Carefully, Cal raised his mug, clinking it against hers. "Just so you know, you're all welcome here anytime. Sounds like you've got a family, and a place, but one more's never bad, right?"

Solemnly, he nodded. "I do. I spent some time with them, back when it was the Rebellion. And there's a lot of good folk. Noventa's a long ways out, but like you said, the Empire had a long reach. But the Rebellion still tried to help. Smuggle people to safety. Get supplies to those in need."

He took another drink. "So they mean well. And they try to get things done. I guess... we'll see if they can keep it up. They've got big, nasty, boots to fill."

[Cefey Raneth]

"Much appriciated," she nodded, the tips of her lekku curling ever so little upwards. "If vous ever need help with computers, only happy to help, oui. Je have a good knack for those things."

Drinking her beer, Fey considered his assessement of the new Republic. It sounded... hopeful, which she liked, but... if it was just like the old Republic, it meant it was people who hadn't done anything to stop the enslavement of many of her people in the galaxy.

"That they do." A nod of agreement. "So you were part of the rebellion?"

[Cal Arcton]

Cal gave her a respectful nod. "I'll keep that in mind." He said.

And another nod, his expression neutral. "I was. Although it started small. At first, I just looked the other way. Empire threw a lot of bounties at me. I wouldn't touch'em. Folk trying to make their way in life, and the Empire wasn't okay with that." His lips twisted in disgust. "Then people object, and the Empire tries to put them down and call it justice. I wasn't about to put my name on any of that."

He shook his head. "But that wasn't enough. Soon, I started helpin' out. Sneakin' folks out, or findin' places for them to hide. And then, just before Endor, that wasn't enough either. I joined up officially. Fought and everything."

Swiveling his stool, Cal faced her, his expression serious. "For things like that, sooner or later, everyone has to pick a side. Sittin' it out just means pickin' the wrong one, if you ask me."

[Cefey Raneth]

Fey nodded slightly as she listened to him, filing those details away for later.

""Hmm... but if I may ask, monsieur, are tu not worried that the new Republic will be just another Empire? The Empire, from what I understand, did not happen soudain."