Mia sat at a corner booth in the empty bar on Arecibo waiting for an old friend to arrive. She sipped the gin she had ordered; the intention was to have one to calm her nerves. The jukebox was louder than usual, a song she hated was playing. Seeing her friend was back was a relief, she hadn't heard from him in some time. However, after seeing his company she couldn't help but be concerned. She was worried for him; the last thing she wanted was to see him fall in with the wrong crowd only to be exiled from their homes - or worse - dead. While she trusted his decisions, she couldn't help but fear for the safety of Puerto Rico. She wanted his reassurance they were not there to cause harm. This was especially important considering they had never been particularly friendly towards Junkers before this.
She had almost finished her drink and was debating whether to order another, or if it were time to go and try to find him again another day. After all, it was getting late and she wasn't sure how long he had been back for - he was likely wanting sleep as much as she was. She finished the contents of the glass and placed it on the table before standing, deciding one more wouldn't hurt - if nothing else it would help her sleep.
Vaelin
Vaelin stepped from the Nephthys fighter, it wasn’t exactly to his style of flying anymore but he kept the thing for the history and novelty rather than practicality. Finding the bar was a effortless job for a station so small and music so loud. While he first noticed Mia, whose back was to him moving back to her seating with a glass in hand, he moved to the Juke box. Plugging his data device to it he uploaded a tune and sought to forcefully change it.
[Music]
Vaelin made his way to sat across from Mia, he looked no different from he had the other times she met him. Black clothing with a coat around his body.
“Seems like you need to spend more time in bed.” He gave a rueful but hallow grin.
“The citizens are being transferred over as we speak, The Anubis will leave and relocate elsewhere but I can stay for a while. What is it you were seeking to talk to me about?” He hadn't opted in aquiring a beverage. He settled back into the seat though his eyes still looking over the locals (If any were in sight). Ever paranoid.
The change in music startled her, she turned to see who it was. She smiled, realizing no one else here would care enough to consider it - let-alone try to make it happen. She knew he would have seen her already, so took a seat back in the corner.
She could only shrug at his comment about needing sleep. With her husband still absent, things were stressful. She was learning to cope and had appointed two Congressmen roles which would provide her some much needed support. The thought of him being gone still upset her and she chose not to mention it.
"Thank you... We.... I appreciate your help. I am hoping they settle in well to Junkers Town." After a pause she added "And now we can put this behind us.... move forward in our lives." She managed a smile, sipping her drink again.
"Straight into business.... As always." She paused, trying to think of a way to word what she was about to say without causing offence. "Your.... company..... That you had back there. First of all.... They aren't particularly welcomed due to recent hostilities.... We have already lost ships to them. I need your word nothing more will come of this, that they aren't here to cause harm. I cannot risk anymore lives over welcoming people like that into our homes." She looked across at him, while she had developed a better 'poker face' since they last met, it was still obvious she was concerned.
Vaelin
He puffed out his cheeks, his expression changed none plus a raised eyebrow at her mention of losing ships to those he had been with previously. His grin remained all the same, though his eyes always held scrutiny. “For all their preaching of being against the nomads, it seems they make as much headroom as the Order does towards the threat. I suspect it was Cardamine shipments they were after.”
Her poker face was admirable but it was always the eyes he looked and he could see the concern she wished to hide. He thought for a moment to organize his words in his mind. “I wouldn’t have cared if you came with an attack squadron to destroy them. It was a breaking of the ice, being that I had met one of their ships. The Fighter is the captain of a commandeered liberty dreadnought, just so you don’t get surprised with that later. Had I known of their disposition towards the Junkers I wouldn’t have been as foolish as to invite them into Puerto Rico and nor do I like Raven.” He inclined his head at the closing of his statement.
He still nursed a petty grievance of Hunt’s disruption of his cloak. “I hope they do settle down well, while my ship was a good haven. I doubt it's a good environment for people use to liberal freedoms. When it comes to my ship, I am a dictator.” He looked at the spots just under her eyes and he shook his head. Part in sympathy but also guilt in his own failing in helping her, nothing had come to fruition and only a string of complications that seemed more like excuses. “My intuition is asking me to ask you if you’ve been eating.”
"I would rather keep trouble away from our homes.... many here have seen their fair share, and they did not appear to be such a threat this time." She pulled her ponytail loose before tying it again. A sub-conscious attempt to make herself appear as if she was holding together. "You weren't to know... But next time we will be a little less welcoming."
She frowned, having just processed what he had said "Wait... Liberty dreadnaught? Should I expect an attack?"
Mia was unable to help herself from giggling as he referred to himself as a dictator, she shrugged before speaking "You offered help when we needed it most. If all they can complain about is that.... I think you did well."
His question of how she had been taking care of herself threw her. She had intentionally been keeping herself busy, while it meant she hadn't been eating well, it kept her mind on looking out for the Congress rather than wandering back into the darkness she knew all too well. "I... Does it matter?"
Vaelin
Again he decided to address the visitors especially now she feared an attack. “Not that I know of no, but if they become increasingly more hostile, at least now you know of some of their arsenal. It's in the Omicrons as of yesterday, but it could have moved elsewhere by now.” Thinking on what he said he supposed it didn’t exactly help her but it was better to give forewarning if they were indeed hostiles
“People can only be so grateful for so long. I helped but I doubt those who are close to Zoners in desire for freedom enjoy having a dictator for a Captain, well I mean as a Captain of a military background. Bit harsh for them to get use to the strictures.”
At first he could only lift a brow at her stampering. Standing he would hold his index finger out to her, motioning for her to wait. He went to the Bar to order some food and then pointed toward the table. Walking back and sitting he relaxed into his seat. “Without nourishment, life withers. Running from your own mind only works for so long. Friends are there for when you are low, pays not to run yourself into the ground otherwise they end up having to collect the pieces and yes I do lecture too, another point that made me bad with your people.”
"I will alert security. It is better we are ready for something that never happens, than be caught off guard." she fell silent, hoping that they were able to be reasoned with if it came to it. "thank you"
She shook her head slightly, "Many don't like being told what to do... especially by someone who does not fly Junker colors... but I still stand by what I said. I'm sure given the situation, most understand."
She didn't say a word as he stood, nor when he returned. She knew he was right, but she also knew breaking down into tears would not be a good look. There were those doubting her capabilities as it was, weakness would not help her cause. Eventually she nodded, and thanked him. "you are right... I just don't know what to do about it. If I stop.... my thoughts go places they should not go.... dark places."
Vaelin
He inclined his head to her worries as a plate of food arrived, for her, it was a pretty standard meal.
"I am sure but I am at least able to exagerate on how horrid it was for them. My one reward." Smiling briefly before speaking his next words.
"I know what thats like but really you can only run for so long until you fall from exhgustion. Take the time to try confront some of the dakrness or even have a friend help in listening and talking with you about it. I myself am introspective, If I have a problem with something internally i dea lwith it then and there if I can. You cope in your own way, I just wish it was a healthier way." He motioned down to her plate that he would expect her to eat it.
He lent back in his chair seeking to allow her to think if she so wished, looking around the bar he looked for any of those focusing on them or any who appeared busy but were infact doing nothing. Being a blunt in most things often didn't strive well for the people around him as he was to willing to confront things that others were not ready for, a trait that had caught others out before and not in a good way. He looked towards the juke box and got up once again choosing a song as his first selection ended. He returned to his seat.
Gimmie Shelter
She was quiet, thinking about what he had said while picking at the food. She was hungry but she wasn't sure she could bring herself to eat any. She didn't notice him leave, only looking up once the music changed again.
Once he returned she sighed and lent back in her chair "We were under the impression he was in a cell, under the watchful eye of the police....." She shook her head, looking up toward the roof for a moment in an attempt to keep herself in check "We've since come to find out that this was not the case."
With this, she pushed the plate away from her slightly. She wasn't sure if upset or angry would be a better term to describe how she felt - but it wasn't something she enjoyed. "What makes it even better is no one thought it'd be a good idea to tell us...... I mean...... We don't need to know. Right?"
After falling silent for a moment, she continued "There have been small searches for him. On the quiet. I didn't want everyone to worry..... I was hoping we would find him and bring him home.... As you can tell by the fact he is not here, this didn't happen. I've now started a large scale search and I am worried about what we will find. A police officer - one I trust - has already mentioned he may have run into some trouble. "
Vaelin
Vaelin's first response was was to reach a hand across to her and..... push the plate back toward her. His expression took on one of not being impressed and while what she said was pressing.
"Force it down if you have to, if you were one of my crew I'd have to locked in the brig with the food until you ate it and have it replaced if you decided to throw it away." Sighing he would then roll up his left sleeve, showing a data-pad holo-projector, after some finger work a map became active.
"I had thought that they had moved him from the station, i did infiltrate it but didn't find him - I went to search for others but the problem that was. That a full fledged Prison station never does like outsiders docking and their transports are always the same. Now all for naught." Vaelin lent back into the seat once more and this time when the music changed he preferred to leave it.
"There is much to speculate but if you can I would like a list of those that he had conflict with, be it small or large and the conversation logs if possible as well, especially those who he 'sticked' it to. Alongside any known enemies or places out of your reach to search."
He managed a weak momentary smile. "Would have been good, but the assumption was that he was with the police. Not the case it seems. As bad as it feels Mia you'll get through it, there was a time when those few who I had as family was scattered to the wind. We will find him if he is to be found or find closure, but in my experience in all this. the worst thing I did was give myself to grief and refuse to look after myself, almost got myself killed and nor did I ever preform at my best. The better you look after yourself the better you'll be able to operate. Eat even if you don't feel like it, because your body will need it. If you have any friends in the Order than reach out to them, but -only- if you have friends. The Order should have sleeper cells everywhere.