Deidre O'Hara's Story

Cleaning some mugs with her calloused hands gripping the grimy bone-dry rag, the red head let out a long forgetful sigh, she was not even sure the guy she had been talking to was still listens, "Times been tough, the lock down on Northlight cut down the tourism, so this quaint little bar you preside in been less than busy. And well some o' me regulars came from New Canton, but not seen any in months, I don't even know how long we can stay open 'til really the booze getting more expensive to buy and O'Malley himself completely vanished off the face of planet, so I am left here staring into the shined up bar-top." she let out another long sigh, "You ain't even listening are you darling, ah well can't blame you same everywhere. What I would not do for a miracle." wearing an apron with 'I'm Irish Kiss me Quick' with lines around her eyes the young girl looked older and extremely tired, "Where did you fuck off too O'Malley, typical things go tits-up and you go galivanting off on some crazed adventure, well fuck you." there was her and a couple others, but because of this nasty business she had become the impromptu owner.

Lifting fresh glass she poured a bottle of cider and took a long swig, "Some drink to remember, some drink to forget, I drink because there is nothing else to do here, fuck sake... if I had the money I would go to a more populated planet!" the city was huge, but with this quarantine and food shortage if no one fixed the farms rationing would become a thing, and bars never survive in those times.

Aberash

A planet that, at first sight, is simply barren. With closer inspection, however, one can observe a growing, developing planet and all its wonders.

Carl Deglenn had arrived back home from a wonderful vacation off planet to what could have been the apocalypse. There was a food shortage, which was a growing problem when he left, but now it was a definite problem. Carl was reminded again why he needed a vacation as he passed by a bundled homeless citizen on his way into The O'Malley Pub. Maybe he could find the time for another one, sooner than later.

"Heyo, Deidre, whatcha doin' back there?" Carl waved to the red head behind the counter. Usually there was a robot named Rob working the joint, but apparently his programming had caused some rogue activity when his programmer seemingly disappeared. At least, that's what Carl assumed. Shedding his fourth and final layer Carl offered Deidre a grin and rummaged in a pocket for something.

"Say, you ever hear of Aberash?"

Noticing the one she had been addressing seemed to have fallen into oblivion she quickly hid the bottle. Carl knew she struggled with the sauce and also knew when miserable she was prone to drinking, of course she was not going to draw attention it, so instantly the open bottle of Cider vanished under the counter, "Well look what the dog dragged in, Carl Fucking Deglenn, last I heard you had gotten off this shithole and were sunning it up in some place that was not Cryo. Like who the fuck calls this planet Cryo, why not call it Ice Cube land or is that too subtle... seriously..." rolling her eyes she automatically lift the bottle back up and took a swig.

It did not register until she had done the act, sighing she stared at him, "O'Malley fucked off, leaving me in charge of here, I cannae help it Carl, I know I gotta a problem, but this is only way can handle it." letting out another long sigh, she gave a false smile, "Nope, but bet it's better than Cryo, sure sounds more fucking interesting, don't suppose you got credits?" of course she was half kidding, there was one thing, Deidre was rather sarcastic, "I guess better give you update, you had a cuz from New Canton, well whole place been abandoned, no one there, and there were concerns you are lucky to have gotten in Carl like really, the whole city in Quarantine and food-shortage just made issues worse, lil Mera Neilson, you know the girl you had thing for, she had some secret supplies of food, and when found out, she was arrested. I can't afford bail, but anyone hiding food nowadays considered a traitor. And where are our saviors, the Aschen, fucked off somewhere else. We need food, but our attempts to send message to them achieved naught. So things gotten worse, I guess you could say Carl."

"Hm," Carl paused in his digging around to give Deidre a look, but shook his head and thought better of saying anything. With the state of things around here, he couldn't blame a single soul for turning to the drink. Hell, he wanted to turn to the drink. That's why he was here.

"I had heard about Mera," He said with a hint of shame. It was true, he could have taken Mera with him on his vacation, ultimately saving her from such a fate. Why hadn't he? Because he was an emotional coward, a voice in the back of his head whispered, too afraid of even the commitment of a casual relationship. Guilt bubbled inside of him. He knew just the tool to get rid of that.

"Lemme ah, have some of that," Carl gestured towards the cider bottle Deidre was swigging on. A lot had happened while he was gone, how long was he gone? A month, two? He placed a couple credits on the counter, and something else. A small, red, rough rock. It was from the planet Aberash and for some reason was always a little warm to the tough. He had brought back a few. This one should have been for Mera. There was no way she was getting it now, so he figured he'd give it to the next best person. Good ol' Deidre.

Noticing the look she grabbed two grimy glasses and poured them both the contents before handing it over. The gaze he had staring into the glass as if lost, she tried to be optimistic, "Word is if she keeps on good behavior could be out in two years, I know hella long time Carl, but surely you could do something then." of course reality hit her again, which ended in a sip from the glass, "You know in our day this place was packed, we had everyone here, and everyone was so friendly, even O'Malley though a lil' insane still was a friendly face. It was a place you never felt unwelcome, I remember those days..." as she appeared wistful, she continued, "I gave my best years to this place... Remember about ten years ago you persauded me to try for a waitressing job, I was just out of the Cryo Academy of Excellence, you of course had been expelled for illicit substances. Shame because you were damn smart... everything seemed better, we lived on a ice world, but the weather systems of Cryo allowed for an experience that was just wonderful..."

Sighing in nostalgic recollection she took another sip, "I liked Cryo, it was after all founded by Irish settlers, but nowadays I just wish I could get out, but I suppose until this bar gets too much to run, I am stuck here." raising her glass she gave sardonic grin, "Here's to the fucks like us, stuck on this sinking ship and sauced out oor minds, here's to us!" clinking them together she drank some more savouring the taste.

Pausing she noticed the rock and turned it over in her hands, it was certainly warm and it felt a little tingly, almost like it was some sort of energy surging through it's core, nonetheless she blushed as he gave it her, "Damn, Carl you always knew how to make me blush, I'll put it somewhere safe." realizing that time likely moved different to him on that planet she quickly did a mental estimate, "About roughly eight months you been gone, the problems had only started when you left, our government promised if they found new energy source they could restore power to the Farms and much of Northlight, of course we not found anything else since then and our vaunted source we currently use, will last then say ten more years if we conserve it. Of course scientists been trying to find new ones, but Cryo is literally a barren wasteland other than Northlight and New Canton..."

"Expelled right into excellence," Carl grinned, for it was true. While the academy didn't prove a fertile grounds for his life the business end of things sure did. He was very glad to have never graduated in his chosen field. Working with the farms would have been horrible, however... Energy was something he knew quite a bit about.

After his expulsion from the Academy of Excellence, Carl had gone to work low level construction. He had a knack for anything electrical, fiddling with different gadgets and getting into minor robotics.

"Here's to this frozen hell," He lifted his glass in a cheers, mind churning at work. Restore energy to the farms, was it really that simple?

Shrugging she took another sip, giving a forced grin, "Perhaps, but in the end we are stuck on this rock drinking ourselves to the oblivion as it was." drawing up the same bone-dry rag she then picked up a glass from the sink and began to rub the coarse material over it, while humming to some Irish ditty. This lasted a few seconds before she replied further, "Yes and they are less judging of being caught with illicit substances eh Carl?" chuckling her face was wry smirk while her fingers continued to wipe away at the glass as she felt the strange rock radiating warmth in her pocket, it was beautiful gesture and not something she had expected, be great conversation piece if she ever got time to herself.

That was as much a joke as her getting off this rock, nonetheless she continued to drink from the glass, while taking breaks to wipe away at the other, "Guess you been wishing to tell me about your trip, and well not got much else to discuss. I told you everything about this place. There is likely more, but I would rather hear about Aberash, guessing it's not in Aschen space, since I never seen it on any of the tourist locations..." another long wistful sigh, while the bone-dry rag rubbed away at the grimy glass, "I have considered if I could afford it to go for Illumene, seems great place."

"Aberash!" Carl grinned before downing his own drink. It certainly warmed him up going down! He gestured to Deidre for a refill and sighed deep. It was an interesting place. Opposite from here, almost completely.

"Nothin' like Illumene, though i'd imagine that a wonderful place. Here it was warm, during the day at least. Temps dropped at midnight, but nothing like here," He gave a shiver, "No snow, either. Oh and there was a sport! Great spectating, delicious fresh food - fresh meat!"

Nothing like Northlight.

Listening she thought wistfully of her days early as a waitress just wading through the tables with almost a waltz to her movements, tray in one hand with drinks and notebook in the other. Giving polite radiant smiles while her fiery hair shone in the lights, acting respectful and seeming to encourage others to come back. In fact early days the powerful of Northlight were beginning to come there and everything seemed to be going grand. Then again nothing lasts and nine years later, well truthfully seven years ago there were reports as the economy seemed to dropped overnight. Horror was evident, the papers spoke of a leaked document from the Government, it spoke of a huge issue... Apparently the source of power they used was near depleted. At the time, Deidre had not really focused but one year later the rationing started and New Canton began supplying them food. This was not perfect, but it kept the economy strong...

Eight months later after promise of progress with LogicRoad opening facility near New Canton, both places went dark, completely, an investigation of New Canton turned up nothing. Thus it began, round about this time O'Malley spoke of some source he had heard about and in the night he left. Leaving Deidre in charge and that is how it had been. Eight years of prosperous pleasures and now everything had gone to utter shit.

"From what I hear LogicRoad are from Illumene, strange they not sent anyone to investigate what happened... and well from your description sounds amazing place, but then anywhere better than Northlight currently in my view... Illumene is a very industrialized planet with beautiful weather biomes." for a few seconds Deidre seemed slightly lost before returning to reality, "I would love having no snow and fresh meat, fuck here we are rationing so much the meat is pretty much worths my years salary. What I would not give for some chicken or hell even sausages..."

Carl's mind wandered back to the fresh meat on Aberash. It was delicious, juicy, hot. A smile brushed his face and quickly disappeared as the memory of a stick of the stuff crossed his mind. He wished he had bothered to bring back food, something his friends could truly use, instead of just warm rocks.

But, those warm rocks.

The engineer inside of Carl set to work on various ideas while Deidre rattled on about the woes of Northlight. Abandoned from the make of it, completely by everyone and everything. The more she talked, the more he thought, the concept seemed to really ring true: Anywhere would be better than here. But, those warm rocks.

"Say, Deidre. D'ya think there's any hope for this place?"

She gave a small shrug sighing heavily, "There is talk about getting into deal with Lochcrest, but you know what they are like, they have always resented Northlight because we have far better scientific team and also our space port in the past got more traffic. I would love if they could ignore everything and just move on, providing us food. The sad thing is they use similar resource, they just hunt as well in the Icy Tundra, it's far too dangerous for us." pausing she took a fresh drink of the cider, refilling Carl's glass before continuing, "To answer, I don't know. I keep debating on selling this place and seeing if it could get me a one-way ticket out of this hole. I really no idea, I would love for some miracle truthfully..."

Hearing the bell ring, she forced a bright smile on, "Greetings Sir, welcome to O'Malley's what will you be having?" it was clear evidently that Deidre was going to be busy again, nonetheless something had gotten Carl's mind working, now whether it would prove fruitful, well that was very much uncertain.

Their eyes blinked a bit to get used to the lighting, not entirely sure what to make of the place. They examined it with a critical eye, quiet at first as the inner workings of their mind remained silent. It was as if they did not hear the greeting at all. Slowly, the stranger's eyes settled onto the pair and the quiet demeanor the stranger portrayed dissipated in a manner of seconds. "Greetings, kind woman, how lovely you look today!" The stranger swaggered over, their bag beating against their back as they approached. A hand reached out, taking hers and patting it between theirs. "I thank you very much for your greeting. It has been a long day and a quiet one at that."

The stranger's hands felt coarse as hers did but a different kind of course. The fingertips rough, the in betweens of their fingers bumpy and slightly dabbed in ink. They had smiled brightly back at her, overlooking the forcing of her own smile. The stranger finally pulled away. "Well, yes, I am here to have a drink as it were. What would you recommend?" They said this as they took a seat at the table right next to the man's.

"Id recommend the cider we're drinkin'," Carl Deglenn said to the stranger who sat beside him. He gestured for another glass, for he had just emptied his. Where could this person had come from, between sips, and what was it that they were carrying. I wonder, Carl thought, regarding the stranger up and down.

A little startled by the action, Deidre gave a look to Carl as if to say 'Help me' before nodding and snatching her hand back, rather quick as she immediately prepared a bottle before speaking, "Look, we just met, no hand holding unless I ask it... would be nice..." pouring fresh glass she handed it the strange person, "Surprised to see new face here, I am Deidre, this is Carl and this is O'Malley's hope you did not choose to come here on Holiday, Northlight is largely suffering economic troubles, I figured there would no more ships coming in, guess I was wrong... well anyway, enjoy your poison."

Lifting the bone-dry rag she began to rub away at an empty glass, while occasionally taking a drink from her own, "If you need anything just say and well welcome for what it is worth."

"The cider then, ma'am! I would be most grateful." The stranger shifted, moving the bag on top of dark pants. They moved their bangs to the side, their bangs tapping at the corner of their brow. Noticing the silent glance from the man, they smiled at him. "Like what you see?" A lilting laugh escaped. "I jest." Fingers itched at the bag's flap, not too obvious but ever so tempted.

The stranger paused as the woman spoke, turning their eyes to her. A smile came on his face. "No. I come because my work requires me to do so. It is strange how the tides turn, in truth. However, I shall only take a glass and pay for a bottle's worth if the need be." the stranger leaned back in their chair, siping idly the glass offered. "I'll pay double a bottles worth if you tell me a story along with it."

Vercerigo walked through the doors, his hair frozen in place. He looked over everyone he saw as he headed directly toward the bartenders. He heard the strange man ask for a story and sighed. He loved to tell stories.
Upon reaching the bartenders, he sat down on one of the benches and gestured to one of them.
"Sir, I'll have a glass of pinot noir if you have it. Tell me, have you seen a young lady by the name of Alice Raine?"

Noting a regular had stepped inside, Deidre sighed before walking over to the table, "Okay Kekkonen, you can stay, but please don't maim or hurt anyone again. Everything bad enough without me having to reimburse people." sighing she forced a smile on, "You are looking especially jolly today, so since I got nothing else to care about, how about you lay it on me. What's the story..." pausing she added, "Oh and whats your poison? Here in O'Malley the wine will keep flowing until Northlight closes us down. Come rain, shine or whatever else this hellhole will throw on us."

It had not always been like this, in fact, Northlight was a gorgeous achievement, but nowadays with fewer people coming and Lochcrest having effectively sealed itself to anyone, Northlight was having to subsist with resource drops from various Nations. Although New Canton was still a problem, they had sent out countless parties to try to find out information and achieved nothing...

It was a cruel twisted cycle...

Kekonnen smiled at the barkeep. "Don't worry, I won't pull anything. Probably." Kekonnen tossed Deidre a canteen and 11 gold pieces. "Keep the change, and fill it up with your finest Pinot Noir. I'll need it for an upcoming job. Also, get me a sandwich to go.", Kekonnen stated. "I'm going to New Canton. All the stories tell of great danger, yeah, but I'm sure there's a crap ton of cash and sellable equipment. I'm meeting up with a team."

Kekonnen continued reading. Once he finished the book, he put it back in his rucksack. He was waiting for the team to meet him.

The sound of an opening door with distant howling then silence introduced a tic-tack noise of toe-claws as another entered the bar. A cyan slit-eyed kobold in an improvised insulated trenchcoat looked about then over at the other kobold. Leather hood pulled back shows a wyrmcrowned head with several spiral horns among the fine cornflower blue scales. Though a faint moving shaded pattern broke her silhouette with random black speckling appearing among scales. Most of her garb looked assembled from various bits of other larger clothing but adeptly so with robust stitching. Her pack was small though a large musket sticks out of some strange wood carved with relief and . Some chaotic war scene only apparent at close range the fine detail leaving it looking otherwise worn, scruffy, and improvised as herself. Weapons used by arcane gunslingers were less specific about material quality and ammo even if she was a sniper. The compact stock super-shorty peeking out one side of her pack looked far more conventional.

Her cough deepened from a smooth if frozen soprano as her complexion paled in a squirm of frigid flesh unconsciously moving to imitate Kekonnen if at a foot taller.

She mutters darkly in some distant accent, "Fine'ly warm. Why's it hadda be on a planet where air's face stabbin!"

Vrisz walked over and sat down opposite Kekkonen his own voice if said with a shiver but in Vrisz's accented slang, "I'm here but I'm freezin! Take a minute 'fore I can feel my scales again to get out of yer skin. Least the cold mirror didn't shrink m'clothes off this time."

Currently grey-white hands reached into her leather coat to take out a silver piece and looked to Deidre, "Hot caff! N' milk."

Deidre walked over to prepare both, not often you saw two kobolds one was mad enough. Shrugging she would turn on the kettle to boil the water while grabbing a tray. Grabbing champagne flute she poured from Pinot Noir. The water now boiled she prepared the coffee being sure to keep it decaffeinated. Finishing she walked over to finally reply, "New Canton huh, every time Northlight Government sent anyone to that rock they have never returned, so hell mend ya, Kobold."

Shrugging she would hand him the flute before turning to the other, "Welcome to O'Malley, the only place in Northlight where --- oh fuck it... I ain't O'Malley times are bad and just pay with coin and you can do what you want." sighing, she shook her head before giving the mug over, "Kek, if you do actually manage to solve New Canton issue, you will be richly reimbursed no doubt... because we desperately need New Canton reopened as it was the main spaceport as Lochcrest locked itself tighter than a Nun's Virginity." rolling her eyes she would pick up a glass from a nearby table and start cleaning with her bone-dry cloth, "Just both of you behave and you can do whatever you wish, but no fucking in my bar, I may be only one here, but you want to screw, go do it elsewhere, I don't have wishes to hear or see the O-Face of your species."