Version 2.0

Andrew makes his way into the tavern. He doesn't say anything for now, however, seeming to be satisfied with an initial survey of the place.

"You seem quite pleased with yourself," Rish observes quietly, glancing over at Andrew sidwise. Her expression is faintly amused.

"Of course I am pleased with myself." Andrew observes to her, not speaking too loudly either. "We should probably start with a drink, I would think."

Arizhel blinks, then nods. "Probably," she agrees. "Would you believe it's been awhile since I've actually done this?" The Terran gives a faint chuckle.

"Been so long since you have been out with someone? Not amusing at all." Andrew comments, heading towards a table next to the pool table. "We should wait for the place to fill up slightly more before playing, I would think."

"Mmh, probably," Rish replies, nodding as she follows after Andrew. "And I suppose it's not very amusing, really. Simply a bit ironic, all things considered."

"You have been kept in for a while. It must feel good to have an opportunity to leave." Andrew says, taking a seat near the pool tables.

Arizhel sits down across from Andrew, her expression again faintly amused. "That I have, and that it does," she agrees, nodding just a bit. "Then there's the fact that I'm in civilized company, hm? It's an interesting change."

"Perhaps." Andrew grants. "This is not such a bad place, right now, at least." he continues, occassionally looking at the door. "Any idea who else will show up, yet?"

"Unfortunately, no," Rish replies, shaking her head a bit. "I was working with some serious limitations." She gives a slight shrug, and glances toward the door herself. "Patience is a virtue, right?"

"We know anything of patience?" Andrew asks, maintaining a flat tone for this.

Arizhel blinks at Andrew for a couple of moments, then shakes her head. "Nothing," she deadpans. "Absolutely nothing."

At this point a specialist approaches the table. Andrew looks over at her, then at Rish, "Do we have any idea what we wanted yet?" he asks.

"I'll let you choose for me," Rish replies, looking across at Andrew and giving a faint smile. "I'm sure you're familiar enough with what I do and do not like."

Long smiles slightly with this as well. "Telepathy never has been one of my talents." but then he looks up towards the specialists, "Start off with a couple Ungstiri sunrises, then." which is noted before the specialist leaves the table again. Long and Rish are currently at a table near the pool tables.

Arizhel chuckles a bit. "A shame, that," she says, her tone slightly teasing. "I approve of the choice, though. Perhaps you've just got good instincts for this sort of thing. Stareyes comes strutting in, her tail flicking lazy arcs behind her. The Demarian femali lets out a little yawn and starts for the bar.

"A lucky guess, then." Andrew suggests. "I will not be bothered by my luck, perhaps it will hold out for later is all."

"Perhaps, and perhaps not," Rish replies, blinking and tapping on the table with one finger contemplatively. "Perhaps you will not need it - skill should suffice where luck fails, hm?"

A sleepy pair of blur eyes look over the bar's section. Stareyes blinks and twitches her whiskers in thought for a few moments. "Some wine, whatever is local is fine." She asks the bartender lowly. Stary is at the bar while Long and Rish are seated at a table near the pool tables.

"I certainly hope so, of course." Andrew admits to Rish. At this time the specialist returns, putting a couple Ungstiri sunrises on the table. "Thank you." he says flatly to her, a rather token gesture.

Arizhel smiles a bit. "You just like winning," she observes a touch archly, then picks up her drink and sips at it delicately. She gives a slight nod, apparently in approval.

Stareyes taps a claw on the bar and glances about. "Same as ever, Brakir this place is cold." She murmurs to herself, her ears tucking back slightly as she turns back around to wait for her wine.

Tiana slips into the Black and White by her lonesome, thumbs hooked into her belt and her hands hanging down loosely at either hip. A quick scan reveals Andrew and Arizhel to her, though she heads for the bar as opposed to the pair. Drink first, then people.

Andrew takes the Ungstiri sunrise, watching it for a couple moments, before taking a drink of it. "Of course I enjoy winning." he says with a smile. "It is what I do best, I do think."

"Oh you do, do you?" Rish inquires, obviously amused as she gives a short laugh. "We'll have to see about that, then."

Stareyes shakes her head slowly and sighs as the glass of wine is placed in front of her. "Sssiipft m'Mroowll Rrawl Grwawwl Sssiipft mrrrroowl mrrrroowl Rrawl PruurRrr Mrrrerree Sssiipft Mrrrerree wroWall m'Mroowll Mmrroow  Tthhhfft" She says softly to herself. The human girk next to her get a brief nod of her head as she takes a sip of her wine.

"Hi." Tia murmurs quietly in Stareyes' general direction, a faint smile passed to the bartender as he pulls up, "I'd like an orange juice, please." Payment for the beverage is set on the counter as Tia awaits the order to be filled.

"So much doubt, so little faith." Andrew continues. "Of course, would it really be so bad if you lost this game?" he asks, drink still in hand.

Arizhel quirks a brow, then sips at her drink again. "Don't tell me you'd rather I threw the game," she says, her tone faintly mocking. "I wouldn't want to do you that sort of disservice. You understand, I'm sure."

"Hello." The Demarian replies, tail flicking behind her. "Interesting clothing, I must know your tailor." She laughs lightly. "Something worth seeing on Sivad for a change." She almost purs in good humor.

"Oh, thank you." Tia offers Stary a faint smile, "I got this one made on Demaria, I think. Move around too much to have a dedicated tailor, you see." Her juice arrives a moment later, the Martian taking it in hand before nodding towards Andrew and Rish, "Uh, do you want to join me in joinin' them?"

"Of course not." Andrew says, "It would be an incredible disservice to throw a match." he takes another drink, "It is only fun if you are defeated in a fair way, of course." then a slight smile, "Of course we could play cards instead, that could go well enough."

Arizhel chuckles. "Perhaps next time," she says, smiling just a bit. "I haven't played pool against a worthwhile opponent in..." She trails off, her expression pensive. "Long enough that I cannot remember precisely when it was."

Stareyes brings the red fluid up to her lips and takes a long sip then glances over to the two mentioned. "I suppose not. Nothing really else to do here other than wait for the OATO to work themselves out and set up a worthwhile metting." She replies as she picks up her glass and nods to Tiana.

Tiana simply nods in reply before she makes her way through the crowd towards Long and Rish. She seems to gain a touch of apprehension as she nears, but pulls up beside Arizhel none the less, "Hi Rishy." Andrew, is completely ignored.

"Good competetion after a certain level is always so difficult to find." Andrew laments, with another drink. "It does sadden me somewhat, makes me so glad you were available in time for tonight."

"Good evening," Rish greets, looking up at Tiana and nodding, her brow creasing only briefly before a small smile replaces it. Her gaze rests on the Demarian for a moment, then shifts back to Andrew. "A shame, really, but all too true. I am pleased that you were able to get in contact with me, I must admit."

"Good afternoon." Stareyes replies in a smooth calm voice. "Mind if we join you?" She asks, her tail once again flicking in lazy arcs behind her.

Tiana seems put out at the somewhat dispersonal greeting, a faint twitch touching her lips as though she were suppressing a smirk, or something of the like. Unlike Stareyes, Tia doesn't ask, just sits, a spot taken silently next to Arizhel.

"I will not stop you." Andrew says to the Demarian, still holding onto his drink. "I know when I have found someone like me is all." he says to Rish with a slight smile. "That is all."

Arizhel blinks at Tiana, her expression softening slightly. "Have you been well?" she inquires, her head tilting slightly to the side. "I have missed you since we talked last." She looks toward the Demarian again, curious if nothing else, then back at Andrew, a matching smile coming to her face. "An unlikely meeting, to be sure, but perhaps there was some degree of luck involved there, hm?" She chuckles a bit, then sips at her drink. "In any case, we are here now, and that in itself is a good start."

Stareyes gracefully slides into a open chair despite her slightly large form. Her blue eyes glance from human to human in turn. "Stareyes Sharpear, errant Demarian Militia reporter. Maybe you have seen some of my coverage over the years?" She asks, her ears perking up in anticipation.

"I've been fine." Tia replies quietly, reaching forward to set her juice down on the table, the Martian taking a somewhat slumped position in her chair, "You've been feeling better?"

"Perhaps." Andrew notes to the Demarian. "I have seen so many things over years, so do forgive me if I do not recall right away." then to Rish. "I thought we estalished I did not need luck." he says with a slight laugh.

"Hm," Rish says, blinking contemplatively at the Demarian. "I, too, am unsure. But you said you are from New Luna?" She smiles a bit. "It is a small universe, it seems, as I also live there." She nods at Tiana then. "I have been well, yes, thank you for asking." The Terran looks over at Andrew then, and laughs softly. "In a game of pool, perhaps, but a chance meeting? Are you saying it was some sort of skill of yours, then?"

Stareyes grins and nods. "Yes, well I covered the Birthright War, the Thul Virus and most of the OATO meetings." She offers.

"You don't have to be so formal with me." Tia mutters, her arms folding over her stomach. At the same time a leg comes up to cross over it's counter-part, though in the style generally reserved for men.

"Sounds rather dull." Andrew finally comments to the Demarian. "I used to work for such agencies, punditry is a nice position, but the compensation is lacking." then he smiles at Rish. "Of course it was skill." he finally says. "Well, perhaps that and mutual attraction, but either way I do not object to the end result."

Arizhel blinks at Tiana, her expression somewhat taken aback. "Of course not," she says, nodding a bit. "But I would rather like to be polite in front of your friend here, hm?" She reaches over to give Tiana's arm a small, reassuring squeeze, then turns back to Andrew, smiling as well. "There was a bit of that, admittedly. I can't say that I'm in a position to object either, really. But skill? Hm."

Bright white teeth are flashed for a breif moment before Stareyes nods slowly. "It can be at times but it is -my- passion." Her tail has stopped its movement at this point.

There's a small curl to Tia's upper lip, "Yeah, sure." She murmurs in reply before reaching out to take her orange juice in hand. She takes a sip then holds it to her chest, her chin brought down and her hat mostly hiding her expression. It's not the happiest of expressions.

"To the table." Andrew says, finishing his drink now. "And I will demonstrate skill to you." he says with a slight smile. "And I will enjoy the reward of winning. Not that it is much of a penalty to you, it will all end the same either way, I suppose."

"Oh my, it seems I'm being rude after all," Rish says, covering her mouth with one hand. She smiles at the Demarian. "I haven't even introduced myself. Arizhel Velasquez, a musician of little import, really. I wouldn't expect you to have heard of me, even being from New Luna." She quirks a faintly worried brow at Tiana and again reaches over to pat the girl's arm, before turning back to Andrew and nodding. She finishes off the last sip of her own drink, then stands, heading for the pool table.

Stareyes nods to the human woman and gives Long a glances. A whisker twitches as she sips her wine.

"Heh." Tia mutters to herself, eyes following Arizhel as she stands to go to the pool table. She doesn't even think to introduce herself to her 'friend', instead just turning her back on the game not yet commenced and keeping to herself.

Andrew stands as well, heading to the table, "I am sure people have heard of you." he says with a smile, "You are too attractive to not be noticed."

"It's very sweet of you to say so, Andrew," Rish replies, smiling back and having the good grace to blush just a bit. "But it won't make me go easy on you." She adopts an expression of feigned innocence, blinking coquettishly. "Will you let a lady go first, then?"

Tiana snorts, the girl reaching out to set her orange juice, now half empty, back on the table. Commentary is refrained from and she continues to sit in tense silence. think

"Of course." Andrew agrees with a slight smile. "Even if this likely is a horrible manipulation on your part." taking up a pool stick at this point.

Arizhel chuckles and picks up another cue, sliding it through her fingers absently a couple of times. "Perhaps," she notes, then starts off the game. It could be added that she starts off the game in a less than spectacular fashion, really. The Terran wrinkles her nose a bit. "Then again, perhaps not," she observes, laughing a bit despite herself. The Demarian female seems to loose intrest with the humans and starts to make her way back to the bar. The wine glass is refilled and she starts to flick her tail again in boredom.

A smirk displays the Martian's distaste for the current set of events, Tia shifting her hips down a bit more to slouch further in her chair. Her eyes shift to watch Stareyes for a moment, then back to her lap.

Long smiles slightly, "My turn, it does seem." Andrew says, taking aim, and sinking in a ball. "I will take stripes, it seems." before moving about the table to line up another shot.

"Indeed," Rish replies, quirking a brow. "I feel almost as though I'm the one that's been manipulated, though," she continues, chuckling as she stands behind and to the side of Andrew, watching him. She rubs at the back of her neck for a moment, giving only the slightest of winces.

Henry walks in, hair mussed, huming a short melody that repeats, changing slightly in rhythm and pitch each time Stareyes' tail keeps flicking as she sips her wine at the bar. She reaches into her red clutch on the bar and pulls out a PDA.

"Why'd I bother?" Tia mutters to herself, arms crossing over her chest tightly. Her shoulders drop a bit, and after those intial words, she returns to sitting quietly.

Long takes another shot, sinking another ball, finally moves to take a third shot, but doesn't seem to be in position to do anything, instead knocking the ball towards a rather inconvenient spot for Rish. "Your turn." he says. Then he looks at Rish again, "I certainly would not mind some more manipulation after this." seeming agreeable enough.

Arizhel quirks a brow, then chuckles. That spot turns out to be most inconvenient indeed, the Terran being unable to pull anything resembling a decent shot out of it. She misses, of course, then commences chewing on her lip for a few moments. "It's going to take a miracle for me to win this, playing the way I am," she notes, giving a self-depreciatory sort of laugh. "Perhaps I'll chalk it up to being distracted. Hm. Yes, I think I like that."

Stareyes shakes her head and continues to sip away at her wine. Tiana gets a blue eyed glance from time to time.

Tiana reaches out to again take her orange juice in hand, though it's pulled to her chest rather than drank from for the time being. She continues keeping to herself, and ignoring the pool game.

Andrew takes advantae of his position, lining up a couple quick shots that seem to be the beginning of a run for him. He keeps going, taking down a couple more balls after that, leaving him with one striped ball and the 8. "I still think you have won." he says to her, seeming amused. "At least I do not think our terms are too bad for the loser."

"Well, it's a good thing you were polite enough to let me start," Rish replies, chuckling. "Or you mightaswell not have had an opponent." She affects a dramatic sigh. "I need practice, it seems." She smirks then, and teases, "Of course you'd think that. You're full of yourself. But I forgive you that."

Stareyes doesn't do much at the momenet other than type a few notes into her PDA. Tail still swaying, though she waves for the smaller human woman to join her.

Tiana sucks in her bottom lip, teeth set to somewhat harsly chomping on it, though to no real harm. It takes her a full few long minutes to realise Stareyes is gesturing her over, and with a scarce glance towards Long and Arizhel, she gets up and heads for the Demarian.

Andrew finishes the game quickly after that, putting his stick down on the table and heading towards Rish. "Pity I lost interest in the game, then." he says to her. "That was most rude of me."

Arizhel quirks a brow at Andrew, her expression somewhat arch. "Am I boring you already? That's a shame," she says, then gives a bit of a sigh before crossing her arms over her chest and affecting a fairly convincing pout. "I suppose that means you won't want to see me again then." Stareyes types a bit more info into her PDA and glances up with a smile. "Long and Rish?" She almost purs in delight. "Almost made this stay worth it." The female muses, her tail flicking behind her. "Is something on your mind? Seem bothered, but this is Sivad and I suppose that is natural around these assholes."

"Nevermind." Tia replies to the Demarian flatly, taking a seat on a stool as her half-empty glass hits the counter with a light thud. her fingers loose from around the cup, hand resting limply beside. think

"The game." Andrew says to her, "You are far too interesting to simply judge on a game." a pause, "Perhaps come back soon and I will try to help you with the technique if you are still out of practice." he offers to her.

Arizhel smiles, then nods. "I think I'll do that," she says. "For the practice, of course, as well as the company." She chuckles then, her expression taking a turn toward wry. "When did you want me to fulfill my end of the wager, then?" the Terran inquires, her head tilting ever so slightly to the side. "I know you're a busy man. Perhaps I ought to see your secretary about scheduling it, hmm?"

Stareyes nods her head and slips her PDA away. "Alright then." She replies.

Tiana smirks lightly to herself, the juice taken in her grasp once more and drained. Her grip seems a bit tight, knuckles starting to fade to a shade whiter than her usual skin tone.

"I am quite busy." Andrew admits. "Perhaps something more immediate would be prudent, temporarily, of course."

"Going to pencil me in, then?" Rish inquires, gently teasing. "I'm flattered." She quirks a brow, then smiles. "At your leisure, then. It's your schedule we're trying to work around, after all."

Tiana is sitting at the bar, tensly silent with Stareyes beside her. Long and Rish are near a pool table chatting. Tia sets the now empty glass down again, pushing it a bit forward and away from herself. Turning to face her back to the bar, she practically glares towards Long from beneath the shadow of her hat.

Andrew smiles slightly at Rish with this, "Why not do something right now?" he asks. "Nothing too much, but, just for a moment, until we can pencil that time in." then he looks around slightly, making a point of whispering to her, "I did decide, you are still better than a human."

"Andrew," Rish replies, covering her mouth with one hand and blushing a bit. "Look, you're making me all flustered. See? It's no wonder I lost so badly." She blinks, and bites her lip thoughtfully. "Hm... why not, indeed. Shall we, then?" She takes a couple of tentative, backwards steps toward the exit, her hands held behind her back.

Stareyes' perk up and she glances back over to the two with blue eyes full of wonder. She pulls out her PDA and types a few notes in quickly then slides down over to Tiana. The Demarian female then purs lowly to her.

Joshua strides in the bar with his civilian attire, though his disciplined strides would betray him as a Sivadian officer to those who perceive such signs. Lingering at the door, he makes a quick scan of the room and his already dower face grows glummer. With a resigned sigh, he continues on in and takes a seat along the bar.

"I don't care." Tia says flatly to Stary as she stands, a half realised snarl on her lips. Gritting her teeth, her lips pull into a thin line, the girl making her way over to Arizhel, "I'm going home. I've had enough."

"You saw through my plan." Andrew says to Rish, smiling slightly, "I do think it would be well to be on our way, Miss Velasquez."

Arizhel nods at Tiana, then gives a smile. "We're going to be on our way too. I'll drop you a message?" She nods at Andrew, then turns and starts toward the exit.

Stareyes glances over to the leaving woman. "Your tailor was on Demaria right? Any name I should look for?" She calls out.

"Rum if you will," Joshua says to the bartender gesturing with raised index finger, "Straight." He leans forward on the counter with both hands and stares off at the bottles amongst the shelves.

"Don't bother." Tia snarls, throwing a shrug Stareyes' way, "Unless you actually want to spend time with -me-, then don't bloody bother. Don't bloody claim you miss me either, it's pretty obvious you don't. I'm just here to play witness to your sordid romance."

"I will be waiting." Andrew says to Rish, as he continues to head out.

"I..." Rish replies, looking back over her shoulder, her expression crestfallen, perhaps even hurt. "That's not true. That's not true at all, Tiana. You just don't understand at all." She sighs and shakes her head, then looks down at her boots and stalks out after Andrew, her hands clenched into white-knuckled fists at her sides.