Galaxy's Edge Space Bar (archive)

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Al looked at Jackson's cards and laughed. "Yeah, deuces are wild, so that's a straight flush. Good hand. You've got awesome luck. I fold, by the way."

Salem raised an eyebrow at Rayker when Mar described himself. "You're an immortal? Or... a pawn of one?" He didn't fully understand what Mar was trying to tell him, but he was starting to get the right impression. "And a powerful one from the sound of things. Not a nice one, either. That feeling of abandonment... I know what you're talking about. I'm just... not exactly powerful enough to do what you describe. All I can do is try to turn the feeling to my advantage as best I can."

[RAFrukh]

Vogefak
––––––––

We walked in. Bear growled. With lightning reflexes, Fenebok jumped to the other side of the Ops panel.

"Brother." He said. "I see you are in league with that petty human even now. You will never win."

I stared into his eyes like I could lift him with my mind. "Fenebok. You might as well surrender. Your Sol-Claws are the only thing protecting you now. Your ERA-pads are useless against particle beams." I countered, then added, "Brother, I do not wish to kill you."

Fenebok lept into the air towards me, "And you'll not!!!!!"

His Sol-Claws came towards my forehead…

––––––––
Fenebok
––––––––

The impotent dog growled.

I smirked, "Brother. I see you are in league with that petty human even now. You will never win."

Vogefak looked like he was going to kill me on the spot. But no, not Vogefak. He was to stupid to do that. Instead, he said, ""Fenebok. You might as well surrender. Your Sol-Claws are the only thing protecting you now. Your ERA-pads are useless against particle beams……Brother, I do not wish to kill you."

That arrogant, ignorant imbecile! He was in no place to challenge me, or profess to kill me.

I lept, and yelled, "And you'll not!!!!!"

My Sol-Claw was at his forehead...

[Cobra (Gymn)]

John's tringer finger was fast and his aim was impecable as he shot at Fenebok's Hands. I snarled and lunged for the vital vein in his leg.

Dara said, "Yea, Hruthin aren't any help to us."

[warren_bearclaw]

"Oh. Now what's next again?" Jackson  asked. He ignored the conversation going on beside him... he was actually understanding "Poker" this time! And all thanks to some kind, random stranger.

Rayker was confused. He rubbed his forehead, something he'd done a lot of recently. Here he was, chatting with somebody who would be described as a god to anyone back on earth. At least, that was what the guy was saying. "So... where do you come from? What is your home universe like? Are there lots of beings like you?" And can they all travel across the dimensional boundaries? he wondered with a feeling of concern. Mar seemed like a decent person, but you could never tell by first impressions. And in almost every story with immortal characters, they're several of them that aren't too pleasant.

[Shenmue654]

 Mar gives Salem a strange, tired expression. It is as if he has been filled with rage so long about the subject that he can't even deal with being in that state anymore. "Highest do not change bodies, as you mortals do," Mar says with a chuckle. "Probably because usually we have no bodies to speak of. Our memories are long, but the event still seems fresh and raw. Maybe it defines me."

Mar then smiles at him oddly. Talking about it is helping him figure out what's going on, and the wine is helping to loosen him up. "You're lucky that you can do nothing about the feeling. You don't have millions of people counting on you to do something impossible. I will fail, but I'm too far in to stop now."

Mar then notes the soldier's comment with interest. It's as if he just noticed the man existed. He says carefully, "The universe where I first emerged is a place I call the Source, but I suppose any universe could be called that. I've been kicked out of the place I actually came from, and can never go back. As for Highest..."

Mar laughs out loud. "...there are many of us, yes. Many like me and many having nothing to do with me. It's just a general term for anyone that exists on more dimensions than four. There are those that are my equals in power, and those far greater than myself. Saying that all of us come from one place is like saying all the mortals in this Bar do."

[RAFrukh]

Fenebok's hand had almost reached Vogefak's head. To Vogefak time seemed to slow down. To Fenebok, time sped up.

But neither of them saw the next part coming. John fired his Particle-beams as Fenebok's Sol-Claw. It stuttered and sparked in protest, and then died. Bear, at almost the same instant, lunged for Fenebok's leg. He bit down.

Fenebok fell to the floor gasping.

"My right leg…brother, it's broken!"

Vogefak, as he should, took no pity on Fenebok. He turned to John, but Fenebok had lied. He got back to his feet. He started to lunge for Vogefak's throat again, when Vogefak turned with lightning speed and knocked Fenebok's long claws out of the way. Then he stabbed Fenebok in both his shoulders, and both his ankles. He fell to the floor again. This time, he simply begged to be killed.

Vogefak walked up to him and said, "No brother. I'm taking you back to Reptilina. No…that would be to much out of my way. You are a dishonorable man. I will call up a Xittoli freighter to carry you home as soon as we get back to the bar." He hit one of the comm panels, "Doctor Hirojan. Please come up to the bridge and escort Fenebok to sickbay."

He turned to John again, "It would not have been so easy without you. Thank you. I will tell the tale of your selfless journey to save my honor throughout the Reptilinod Galactic Authority."

He knelt down to pet Bear, "And thank you too."

The Ops console chirped synchronously with the tactical panel. Vogefak walked to the Ops console.

"No……a Kqorrian Star-Hawk!!" He turned to John. "If you remain docked with my ship, can your Z-Space translator carry both of us to Z-Space?"

As he waited for John's calculations, he keyed the Ops panel to put the Star-Hawk on screen.

It looked as deadly as ever.

[Cobra (Gymn)]

<Your welcome.> I said as John thought about the Z-space question. "Yes, I think so. It will be somewhat unpredictable though."

[RAFrukh]

The doctor took Fenebok to sickbay. It was good to be rid of that nuisance.

John said that his Z-Space translator could work. And I found out bear is actually another species in morph. Not sure which.

"Good. Run down to your ship and get the sequence started. I'll hold off the Kqorrians for now."

I punched a comm panel. "All bridge crew, report to your stations."

I watched as Nefenok(Ops), Xedulan(Tactical), Ckaaby(My new first officer), and Waqoron(Communications) walked on the bridge and promptly took their stations.

The Kqorrians fired. We fired back...

[Terenia]

<I'll be your prisoner, I won't give you away, I promise!> Tamora whimpers, <Please, don't leave me alone. I can't stand it! I can't stand the silence!>


Surprising herself, Terenia laughs.

"Well, a long time is still better off than I am," she says, "This is...it's all new." She licks her lips and looks down at the floor, "I never...I mean...it would really be better, for Corliss and you both, if we didn't feel this way about one another. The people I care about have a tendency of winding up dead."

<<That was rather free from projections or uneveness,>> Efaen says dryly.

<<I think you mean to say "smooth",>> Terenia responds.

<<That is what I said.>>

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Al grinned. "Now, since you're the only one left, you take the pot, I'll shuffle your cards back in, and then we can play again, if you like. Ready to try betting?" He called to the bartender, "Hey, you have any poker chips or anything around here we could use?" To his surprise, the bartender pulled a pristine set of casino-grade poker chips from behind the bar and brought them to the table, plunking them down and writing a price on his pad of paper. Al nodded and shrugged. "Not my money. I'll take 'em."

Salem listened to Mar with growing interest. "A whole universe filled with immortals? Doesn't sound like a dream vacation. Of course, the potential gains to someone like me..." he trailed off for a second, lost in thought, before he shook his head and seemed to come back to reality. "So... you're... what... a mortal incarnation of an immortal? Is that possible? With... millions of people depending on you for something? Is it prying if I ask what you're doing in a place like this?"

[Cobra (Gymn)]

"Stay here." John said to me as he ran down the the Traveler and kicked into Z-space. Both ships shook but eventually went into Z-space when we came out we spiraled around the bar and settled into orbit.

[Myitt]

Myitt considers.  "Perhaps...perhaps the girl could be host to one of our pool brothers," she says hesitantly.  "There are many good soldiers, decent people, who do not have the benefit of a voluntary host."

"You're not seriously considering letting her live with us?" Tara interrupts.  "She just shot me, and tried to kill you!"

"She would have to be under strict observation," Myitt continues, putting a hand to Tamora's chin.  She glances at Ossanlin.  "I can't answer that question, it will have to go to Reven.  I will return to Tara, but I leave Tamora's life in your hands, my friend.  I only hope you won't make the same mistakes I've made."

She turns to Tara and draws the human girl in a sideways hug, pressing Tamora's ear against Tara's. 

"Hey, watch it, my neck!" Tara yelps, wincing.


---

Mike steps a bit closer to Terenia, shrugging. 

"I reckon the whole 'imminent death' thing is something you get rather used to in this line of work," he replies with a small smile.  "What I mean to say is, I like how this feels.  It's so much better than being...well, not alone, exactly, but..."  He sighs, exasperated, and turns away.  "This is so ridiculous.  We've only known each other for..."  He shakes his head.  "Corliss, he's bloody brilliant, but sometimes he's like a...like a kid, you know?  He's so curious about love and the human condition all that rot, and he just wants to learn." 

Mike turns back to Terenia, itching at his hands idly.  His gaze meets hers.

"But he and I both want to give this a chance."  He swallows, and steels his nerves.  "We...we're really fond of you.  Even that git of an Andalite you inhabit, reckon she could use some real companionship, she's so rigid.  Even if it doesn't work out, at least we'll all gain a few new allies.  Friends."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin blinks at the swiftness with which Myitt begins to make the transfer back to Tara.  He steps around behind Tamora and attempts to restrain her, wrapping an arm around her chest, not so coincidentally bringing an arm-blade within inches of the human girl's throat.  He moves his other hand to restrain Tamora's free hand, pressing himself forward until her shoulders and head are firmly held against his chest, careful not to actually move her body due to the transfer.

He speaks in rough English.  "Move and you will die, human."

[Terenia]

The moment that Tamora feels control seep back into her limbs she nearly collapses. She only barely manages to keep herself upright as tears begin to pour out of her wide eyes. She lets out a low, animalistic groan at the Andalite's proximity and begins to shake with fear. She is trembling so badly that one of his blades nicks her side, drawing blood. She does not seem to notice, though.


Terenia's smile is genuine, and she takes a nervous step towards Mike. "I'd like that. Giving this a chane, I mean. Maybe...maybe coming to this bar is a turning point. Maybe I've used up all my bad luck for awhile. It would be nice to have allies and...and maybe more."

<<Do not count on it, Terenia,>> Efaen warns, <<Do not allow yourself to become too comfortable.>>

Terenia shifts uncomfortably, "That 'git of an Andalite' you're talking about is a little less open to the idea, though."

[Shenmue654]

Mar takes a sip of his wine carefully. He is starting to realize that he can no longer drink as heavily as he could in an immortal state. He's already losing most of his hesitance to speak to Salem about himself. After all, it's a Bar in space. What harm could one patron do?

"It's completely possible for nearly any Highest to form a mortal avatar," says Mar, shrugging. "In fact there are recorded instances of this happening in many cultures in many universes. Ordinarily the avatar must be born to an existing mortal and loses all memory of having once been Highest. I do it more frequently than almost any other entity I know. However..."

Mar glances off. "...this is the only place I've been to where it's possible to form an exact mortal copy of the Highest.  I think it worked because of this place's unnatural location in space-time. Though...it doesn't really matter that I'm here. While I'm busy in the Bar, the rest of me is no doubt working somewhere."