Axel nodded again. Yes, he too had a somewhat similar background when he first joined up the Rheinland Militar along with his childhood friend, Xing. Their ideals were still those of the law... they wanted peace, order, a world where the people were safe - no, a world where the people would finally receive the world it deserved.
"I'm a captain. For a mobile shipyard craft, actually a reconverted Daumann Super Heavy Train freight. We buy raw materials, we refine them, we assemble the ships nearly all by ourselves. Then we sell these ships at respectable prices to... humanitarian organisations... I guess we can call them that. I get to see a lot of people with that job. It's not easy, we are large target for pirates and many of the more delicate components can only be found at decent quality in the borderworlds. Dangerous, but its a living I wouldn't trade for any other" he said, smiling genuinely.
"Sounds interesting," Andrea says. She gets up, then promptly falls over. "Ow. I'm OK." She climbs back up using the barstool as support. "That's the problem with Liberty Ale, you never know when you've had too much... well, no, you know you've had too much after your first glass, but then you keep going." She sits back up on the stool and rests her blonde head on the bar until the world stops spinning.
"My, not good for health either, that fool liquid, eh?"
Axel mumbled something in german,
"Barman, get some water for the girl!"
He puts the glass of water in front of her,
"And you are drinking this thing since how long already?" he said, looking at the ale with renewed suspicion, definitively crossing Liberty Ale from his list of "drinkable liquid in case of emergency" and instead placing it in his list of "definitively poisonous things not to drink"
"Thankyou," she said, drinking the water. "I've been drinking it on a regular basis since I was legally old enough. And occasionally before that. I still have no idea why... Don't worry, I'm fine. Just drunk is all." She hiccuped. "Nothin' I can't sleep off."
Takara Hakase took a sip of his sake. He turned to Svenson on his left, "You know friend, they have your imports in stock, just have to ask the right person. That new bartender you just met knows nothing of this place. Now, Andrews there, he'll pour out what you want," he slides over the menu [first post], "Here, take look at that. I suggest the Burger. Liberty may not have the drinks, but they sure do know beef. They don't use that systhetic slop."
Hakase looked over at Andrea and sighed. "Putting kids up in space now?"
The 50 year old Luxury Liner captain paid his bill and instructed Andrews to put the crew's bill to his account when they arrived. As he retrieved his coat, he stole another glance at Andrea, "Ayaka should be about her age now...". He turned, bid good-bye to Svenson and Toliman, and quietly left the bar.
Andrea unglues her head from the bar the next morning and unkinks her neck. "Ugh..." She pays her tab and heads for the launchpad. A few hours later, she returns and orders.
Axel was there that day as well, talking in barely audible voice with another man, clothed plainly. A very "generic" looking man, so casual looking he was.
Someone paying close attention to their conversation would get slightly suspcious, as he could hear in hushed voice;
"... teleguided missile systems... delivery done..."
"... armored? Of course... yes yes, diamond-sharpened head roc..."
"... weaponnery could... yes I understand, as soon as possible then."
They finished talking, and went away, both men seemingly happy, a scene that repeated a thousand times with all the freelancer, mercenary and bounty hunter pilots who seeked a good deal with a large corporation or the lawful authority. Nothing seemed wrong there.
He went back to his stool, opening a new bottle of vodka, and as he noticed Andrea, went next to her,
"Fine, so far... only managed to get blown up once, but-"
Her comm beeped. "'Scuse me." She opened the message, and her face lit up. "They've... they've accepted me! I'm in the LPI!"
Axel nodded gently. He didn't liked Liberty much - he didn't liked any of the Houses at all. It was his reason to fight alongside his comrade Xing in the coalition... but it didn't meant he hated the people of Liberty, even if they served their corrupt political machine.
It couldn't be helped if not all could see the light like he did.
This girl' heart was pure and wasn't animated by greed, that much he could feel.
"congratulation, girl..."
He smiled, and took an empty glass without asking the bartender, poured a glass of his "red liquor" and handed it to Andrea
"There, I guess you've earned it, and, it'll certainly make you feel better than that libertonian thing you call drink!"
She took the glass and drank it, then coughed. "Wow. That has a kick."
Her comm beeped again. "Hey... I just won the lottery, too! That's... way more than enough for a Liberator." She looked stunned. "I need to sit down a moment..." She sat down for a moment, then sprang to her feet. "I'm off to get geared up! See you in space!" She ran out.