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In the small forestal settlement of Elsmere, on Planet Gran Canaria, lies a Bar that brings people around from near and far. Given the entire planet is governed, albeit liberally, by the CoF, the place is relatively peaceful. From here you can find the cheapest bottle of Sidewinder Fang around, as well as some of the best offerings of food in the Omegas (Not that there was much choice in the first place. The bar is looked after by a man named Franz Ulrich, a old ex-Rheinland national who was drawn to Gran Canaria by its' beauty, as were many people, both Zoner and Non-Zoner alike, only to be turned away not by legislation or the OSI or CoF, but by the fact that Gran Canaria was facing a imminent Ice Age. Franz, however, did not care for this, and continued running the bar, citing that there's no point in leaving for him, with his old age.


The Ravenwood bar is simple enough, spartan and fills its' purpose, welcoming all who come to the planet with open arms.


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Nodoka approaches the bar and walks inside, only to take a seat, the nanoweave suit glistening slightly in the light. She looks around, seeing the bar sparsely populated. She sighs and says to herself:

"I can't stand sitting here and doing nothing, but I have no choice. I have to wait for Erzie to send me that last message. "

She places her head down on the table, tired.

"I don't know why I bothered continuing to deal with this place if I can't do a god damn thing but sit here. I swear, just being in this bad of a mood makes me want to deck that damn Liberty Navy Admiral and use that Kusari Exile prick as a chainsaw cover.." She pulls her head up, a concerned look on her face. "God, that's more dark than I've ever been.. the Radiation from the Omicrons must be getting to my head.. I should ask Dr.Erzie if I could have his Medical team give me a once over."

She sighs once more, bored.
"Hopefully someone will notice me. Talking to myself is weird to do in public."

Doc said there should be a bar somewhere around...here you were!

Nerva enters hoping to find Franz Ulrich, the owner of the bar. He heard that he is really good at making apple cider, at least that is what Doc said.

The environment was really cozy. Except for the bar, the lights were really dim.

Hmm, hard wood floor. It's been a while since I've entered such an establishment. he went straight to the bar hoping to find Franz.

While getting closer to the bar, he saw something that made him instinctively reach for his gun and prepare for melee combat. Wooo there cowboy! thought Nerva. Is that a nano-armor? last time he saw one, things did not end well for the ones who were fighting against its wearer.

Neah, that can't be. They were destroyed long ago., continued Nerva in his head.

Let's hope I do not have to use that here.

The woman noticed him approaching the bar. Welp, there is no turning back from this one.

He continued walking and sat down at the bar...

"It's nanoweave armor made by Kishiro. They gave it to me before I left them." she says, her head buried in the table. She senses his gaze at her, assuming, like all the others, they're wondering about her armor, hugging her curves.

She pulls her head out from the cubby hole made from her arms, and turns to you.

"Where are my manners.. My apologies for not facing you directly, just depressed and bored, mainly. Name's Nodoka Hanamura. Yours?" She responds.

Nanoweave? Wasn't that discovered by Ageira? thought Nerva.

He then touched his watch in an inconspicuous manner. Nera, his AI companion, was ready to send rescue drones.
Worst case scenario means that I would have to fight until the drones arrive.

"My name is Nerva Regis. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu, Nodoka Hanamura-san." it was so long since his time studying at the New Tokyo University.
He didn't respond in Japanese just to show how smart he is , he was waiting to see how she will react. Since she was talking about Kishiro... that could mean she was... a test subject.

I came here for apple cider, not combat! thought Nerva, as his combat instinct prepared him for full melee combat.

It's now or never

She looks to you. "Thank you kindly. No need for formalities, Nerva, I personally prefer speaking in english, sans honorifics." She doesn't seem to be a threat. Sure, she has what looks like a ancient 50 caliber pistol on her hip, but the gun has its' safety on.

"I can sense something with you. Is something wrong?" She looks to you with some concern, noticing some kind of negative emotion or vibe from you.

She looks around for a second, only to speak up again. " Where's the bartender.. Herr Ulrich! You there?" She calls out, hoping to get a answer from the owner of the fine establishment.

Thank the Gods she did not attack. My reaction was pure PTSD driven. thought Nerva.
"I must apologize. After all this time in the Omicrons, I forgot that Canaria is a peaceful planet." Nerva started to calm down. Only after a few seconds he realized that he was almost in attack position.

Calm down Nerva... he kept repeating that in his head.

"Now then, I wonder where Herr Ulrich is. A friend told me he has the best apple cider you can get in this area of space." Something to drink, finally.

"I'll be right there! Stop yelling!",said a voice from a room behind the bar.

"Nodoka, are you a regular at this place? What drinks do you recommend me?", said Nerva.

She does not seem to be threat. But I thought the same thing about the woman on Shadowheaven. I should not let my guard completely.

Nodoka for a second realizes the name. There was a man named Nerva involved in the defense of Freeport 11 earlier that month.

"It's okay. Given, if my memory is correct, the trouble you've encountered recently, I'm not surprised with how you've been reacting. I think I saw your ship head involved in the Defense of Freeport 11 recently.. I was watching the battle from there." she continues briefly, reflecting on her tenure. "No, I've only been to Gran Canaria a few times, and this is my second time here. Franz is infamous for his strong drinks. He makes bootleg versions of stuff like Liberty Ale which you can't really get here in the Omegas. Rumor has it that it's so good that it puts the real Liberty Ale to shame."

Oh, she knows about the Nomad attack that took place couple of weeks ago. thought Nerva.
"Oh, yes... the Nomad attack. It was more of a combined effort. Nevertheless, although Unity is a research ship, she does manage to fight on par with other dreadnoughts." let's see how she reacts to this...

"I thoroughly despise war and violence , I like to think that my ship is a moving freeport. Everyone is welcome, but if someone starts to be violent... they shall be peacefully removed; and, of course. barred from ever docking with Unity."

"But enough about me, what about you? What brought you so deep into the Omicrons?"

Herr Ulrich enters behind the counter. "So what do my noisy costumers want to drink?"

"I honestly feel honored to see someone who helped slug it out with the other ships, especially since you were defending my home. I would have joined the fray, but Honya told me it was a deathwish for snubs. I didn't believe it until.. well, whatever on god's earth killed off all those smaller ships. " She says to Nerva.

"The Omicrons are my home, Freeport 11 in Delta, to be precise. A close friend of mine, Marisa, she lives there too, but she's been away from home for a while. The people and the place itself have grown on me. I aided them with repairs by bringing supplies in. I've pretty much sworn my allegiance to the people of 11, short of calling myself a Zoner. Marisa told me, that I was a born Zoner, especially since the more rural and uncharted systems fascinated me so much. I agree that war isn't a good thing, but I feel compelled to help hinder it and set things right here in Sirius, even if I might only have a small impact. I'd rather die fighting against Gallia's crown and their malintent than sit idly by and do nothing. They've displaced the people of Bretonia and Crayteria, and threaten Liberty..

She looks to a nearby screen, showing a video of Gallic ships approaching California. She looks on with a conviction of a thousand suns. "They think they can march into Sirius and wage a war of attrition against us all because of a ages old incident. Their King and his associates are Childish. Not to mention the way their treat their denizens. Especially those who dissent.. Makes the French Revolution on earth look like a god damn pea-shooter fight, it's despicable. And Kusari is no better. Can't stand the Keisatsu-cho, Can't stand the Kusari Kaigun, can't stand Kishiro, can't stand the government. They sit idly by and play nice with Gallia when at any moment, Kusari's Civil War would turn from Internal to Hybrid, and I'm pretty sure Gallia won't be working with the Exiles or the Republicans." She pauses for a second. "I think given your actions in Delta, you know my stance on the Nomads, as with any sane human.. " she scoffs. " But that implies there still sane people in this hellhole outside of you, me and probably 1/4ths of the human population. Things weren't like this on earth. I should know, I was there."

She turns to Franz. "Sorry about the trouble - A Special Liberty Ale and one of your Beerburgers, everything on it."

She turns back to Nerva. "My apologies for the rant.. things like this get me heated like nothing else.

That confirms my guess... she is from Sol, just like my parents.
"My parents used to tell me stories about Earth. I was always fascinated by that Planet." Hah, who am I kidding... most people don't even believe that Earth ever existed.

"They died while trying to stop the madness that was started on Gamma by some nosy scientists. You know... when some Zoner/Order morons thought they could cash in some easy money with relics found on the Surface of Gammu." I will never forget what my parents said: It wasn't the AI's fault, it was our own stupidity and greed that started this.

"Those greedy bastards didn't bother to check for any defense mechanisms; they just wanted to land as fast as they could and plunder the planet."

Nerva stared into the distance, but he quickly came back to his senses. "As for Gallia... I used to have an estate there. I studied at the University of New Paris." Poor Pierre... was dragged out of his house by military while his family watched the whole thing unravel.

"Not everyone there is as bad as you would imagine. Most of them are normal people, most civilians live almost identical lives with the people from New Berlin, New Tokyo, New London or Manhattan." And food and wine... exemplary.

Nerva turns to the bartender. "Herr Ulrich, what do you think about the wine from Gallia?"

Herr Ulrich : "No wine in Sirius can compare to the quality of Gallician Wine!"

"See, something is ..." Nerva did not manage to finish his sentence.

"To bad it's wasted on the rich bourgeois Galliacian scums..." said Ulrich, while clenching his fist.

After a few minutes, Ulrich brings Nodoka's order. Then he turns towards Nerva , "So, what would you kind gentleman like to order?"

"Something to eat, something consistent... Bring me your house speciality!"

"And what would you like to drink?", asked Ulrich.

"A friend of mine told me you have the best Apple Cider in this part of Sirius". Nerva smiles.

"Oh, you are one of Doc's friends? You should have said that faster! Wait here, I will bring you my best batch of Apple Cider, reserved only for special guests!" said Ulrich while starting to sing something that seemed to be a drinking song.

Nerva turns to Nodoka "Well then, it seems my little Cider chat has made him forget about his anger!"