Galaxy's Edge Space Bar

[Chad32]

"Thanks for the free refill, friend." Ike said, and ordered more scotch.

Maybe Rose and Elriss were from a different universe from him, instead of just a wayward member of his people. In which case it might be better not to interfere, aside from his usual attempt at converting people to his religion. That could be the answer he needed.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Rathien arches his eyebrow at the newcomer, but accepts a refill of his goblet.  His smile deepens as he nods at the BT and then returns his gaze to Elriss.  The BT sets a tall glass of red liquor in front of Rathien, and he grins again.  "Elriss..."  He slides the glass gently down the bar to stop a half-foot shy of Elriss's barstool.  "Anything, love."  He smirks again.

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Elriss frowns at the man Ike called 'Mar.' From the sound of things, Ike's a newcomer, but Mar certainly seems to have some idea of what's going on at this little bar. Either that, or he's going out of his way to make her feel uncomfortable here.

"What we do isn't as evil as you make it out to be," she says quietly, with a hint of her seductive demeanor. "It's better for everyone. It's not our fault if not everyone can see that."

<<Die in a fire.>>

"I'll try to make a good impression for my species," she says, smiling at Ike. "I find that what humans know of us comes from the Andalites, and, bless their hearts, they tend to be a little biased."

<<And right.>>

<<Why have you suddenly decided to pay attention?>> asks Elriss. Whenever her host is brooding and withdrawn, Elriss is looking for ways to engage her in the situation, but when Rose is actually paying attention all she ever wants to do is hurl insults. Elriss can't help but feel that Rose isn't putting the same effort into this relationship that she is.

<<This place is interesting. If I'm lucky, one of these Peace Movement guys they're talking about will shoot us.>>

<<It's the Peace Movement, dear.>>

She turns to look as the newcomer makes his way through the door. His face is scarred, he has a bird, and the way he's dressed... this really does seem to be an eclectic little mix. He orders a round for the bar and pays with... are those gold coins? She suppresses a smirk. This is getting absurd.

She turns to Haviss, her expression darkening. "Universes?" she parrots. "You're telling me this is actually a crossroads for beings from other universes?"

When Rathien slides her a glass, she looks at it dubiously. It certainly looks like Redin. She takes a sip and her jaw drops. It most certainly is. She looks to Rathien with wonder in her eyes.

She looks around. The bizarre mixture of clients, the drink that nobody should know about... even the fact that she's somehow ended up here again... Maybe this is a place with people from 'different universes.' That idiot Thienal has ranted about 'alternate universes' on a dozen occasions, and the Light has come to accept their existence as fact, but she'd never expected to actually experience one. If what Haviss has said is true, there's so much more at stake here than just some little Peace Movement hideout. By the Kandrona, if the Empire could get their hands on this place...

Still distracted by her thoughts, she responds "No, thanks," to Haviss' offer of assistance. She looks back at him and again dons her cold smile, ambition flaring in her eyes, "I don't expect I'll be staying long."

[Chad32]

"A guy I knew met an Andalite once, while he was repairing his ship. He sold the guy some parts, helped get the ship together, and the Andalite talked his ear off about the war. Though with the information on Andalites we've gotten from other species, I don't have all that high an opinion of them either. This isn't like the story books where you have black and white good and evil. Real life never is that simple. Smart people will take one side's story with a grain of salt." Ike said.

"Though maybe if I can spread the Word of God among Yeerks, Andalites, and other species, I'm sure we can find a solution to this war. Sin causes war, among other things, and in Heaven there will be no sin. Only bliss."

[General Squall Leonhart]

The man in leather raised his glass to the man who called him friend and responded "Its a simple pleasure my friend for a time a celebration is needed for the new age in my dimension. I sucessfully vanquished the Prime Evil Lords and now I feel the need to spread the word and the celebration. So a toast to the new age in Sactuary" The man in leather raised his glass high, even though he knew that these people had no clue what he was talking about and would probably think he was not mentally stable.

[Shenmue654]

Mar rolls his eyes, noting the peculiar man who was ordering everyone drinks. An aging "Crimson"---- yes, that was exactly what he needed to start off his likely long tenure at this Bar. Still, nonetheless---- as the white wine refill was slid in his general direction by the Bartender, Mar gave a slight nod and smile to the newcomer. "Thank you, sir. Much appreciated, although you should know that I've only seen someone pay the tab once. It did not end well. You seem...in excellent health for one who killed several other men."

Mar then turns his attention to the peculiar Imperial named Elriss. Surrounded by rebels during his entire time as a human, he had never before run into a person who actually believed the Empire's propaganda. It would be interesting to see whether a different perspective shed a different light upon the war. The Bar's current clientele were certainly of a greater range than last he had come.

"This is indeed a crossroads into other universes, and several other things besides," says Mar. "Beings without a physical form can take one here, and those coming from worlds with incompatible physical laws can co-exist. The powerful are distant from their worries and vulnerable, and the weak can gain greater strength. As for your Yeerks, well...your opinion of their abilities is one I haven't heard before. What do you believe a human gains from the loss of control?"

[Chad32]

"Here here!" Ike said, raising his glass. Who knew if this guy was telling the truth or what, but it sounded like a tale worth getting a free refill for. Ignoring the fact that Ike had infinite money, of course. He listened to Mar's description of various powers, and could sense that something else was listening too. Some presence. It wasn't quite something he could see, but he could sense something trying...what? Like someone stretching after a long sleep. Then it was gone, as quietly as it came, as if it didn't really know it could attempt moving until Mar mentioned it was possible. Ike shrugged it off as more weirdness of the bar.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Rathien can almost see the gears turning in Elriss's little neural body.  Of course a member of the "Light" would see a tactical usage for the place.  "You're not the first to see this place in that light, Elriss.  But try as you might to bring an occupation force here, I can almost guarantee they'll never find their way in.  This place is just His playground."  He points his thumb toward the bartender.  "I think He just finds it entertaining.  I suppose...after all, what could an immortal really do to entertain Himself?  I'm pretty sure He's not willing to let you use this place for a military stronghold."

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Elriss nods distractedly as Ike talks about 'a guy' who traded ship parts with an Andalite. It seems, where Ike's from, that things are a little different, but next to the crazy with the bird and the gold coins talking about 'evil lords,' Ike's a paragon of normalcy. The fact that he still feels should be preaching the 'Word of God' to Yeerks, though, makes her laugh.

"You can keep your faith even in the presence of space aliens," she says, putting a hand on his shoulder with a smile. "You deserve some respect for that. My host had her doubts when she found out about us."

As she listens to Mar's assessment of the Bar, she can feel the world roll away, a tingling at the base of her spine, an excitement adrenaline. This... this was something new. Something exciting.

"A human," she says, "gains the chance to live a healthy, full life, free from pain and worry. Two minds are better than one, and together we can accomplish so much more. Now humanity..." she grins, "humanity at large gains so much more. The elimination of war, of crime, of disease, prejudice, violence, fear," she smirks, "slavery." She puts on an exaggerated, mocking pout, "But I suppose none of that matters in the slightest when it's someone else making the decisions."

She turns to Rathien, anger flashing in her eyes, before sliding back into her flirtatious demeanor. "The Light's been here once before, darlin'. They can be again." In spite of her confident words, she's beginning to doubt. They'd tried to find their way back, repeatedly in some cases. Her eyes flicker towards the bartender, so unassuming she'd almost forgotten he was there. If this place is really what Mar and Rathien claim it is, what does that make him?

[Chad32]

"I've never been one to disbelieve in aliens, just because the Bible didn't mention them. I have met God personally, in space, and that meeting has fueled my religious fervor. Now I serve Him more completely than ever."

"I doubt that Yeerks are of such a hive mond that your people don't have disagreements among yourselves. I think a problem is how much say do hosts have in how Yeerks run their government. No, how much say do the regular Yeerks have to say about how the government runs, when the government has control over the pools? What's the check and balance here?"

[Terenia]

Haviss watches Elriss for a moment, a small, knowing smile spreading across his features as he listens to her rant. "You have a lot of opinions," he observes. "Not that I necessarily disagree with them." He tilts his head a little, watching her, nodding in agreement with Rathien. "I would advise against getting too excited about this place, though. Even if you could get the coordinates to the Empire, by the time a fleet arrived they will have changed. It is an...annoying attribute of this bar, being unable to be found unless it wants you to find it. Trust me, I have tried alerting the Empire to its presence, and it did more harm than good."

Haviss glances at Ike. "Every Yeerk has the same opportunity to rise through the ranks to a position of power and influence," he says with a small shrug. "The Vissers and Sub-Vissers of the Empire spend enough time screwing one another over that there's almost always an open position, if one is patient enough. Of course the true influence comes from below the figureheads, and true success is not born from a rank."

[Shenmue654]

"I am a fundamental believer in self-determination," states Mar with a contemplative, serious look unbefitting the arrogant man. He's suddenly given her his full attention. "In the place and mode of existence that I arise from, you might say that I was one of those who gave human beings the option. I don't dispute that a human controlled by a Yeerk might behave in healthier ways toward themselves and their lives. Or that the introduction of human beings into your society would eliminate their petty squabbles. However..."

Mar lingers momentarily, as if thinking. He taps his odd, evidently prosthetic left hand on the Bar's surface. "...you cannot expect them to be as happy as they are healthy, in that case. Their sense of Self, either as a person or as a member of a group, often both...is paramount to them. That is what they would be trading for security, and that is why most will not make the deal."

It was peculiar and possibly hypocritical of him, he knew, to be making such remarks when he had done much to oppress and eliminate choice for the same race. Yet the Yeerk did not realize that, and all the same...Myitt's race eliminated even the option of choice. Of thinking differently. And that option, he felt, was what was crucial to the entire Game having meaning.

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Elriss raises her eyebrows when Ike talks about 'meeting God personally in space.' Poor man seems to be suffering from delusions.

She turns to Haviss, a confident smile playing across her features, "You don't know the Light like I do. If there's a way into this place, they'll find it."

As Haviss speaks about the Vissers and their power games, Elriss nods and smiles. "Exactly," she says. She's starting to like this Yeerk. At no point does she realize that his talk of Yeerks obsessed with rank could just as easily be referring to her.

She turns to Ike, "There are disagreements between Yeerks, sure. The point is that Yeerks won't kill each other over those disagreements. Well..." she pauses, thinking of a few notable Vissers... and of the Rebellion... "there are a few exceptions. We're still nowhere near as bad as your people."

When Mar speaks, a look of anger crosses her face. She's really, really starting to dislike this man. "And what would you have instead? You'd give the humans their self-determination, their freedom, and ask my people to give up ours? You'd ask us to confine ourselves to Yeerk pools, to live out our lives as nothing more than creatures in the muck? We're so much more than that. We deserve so much more than that!" Her voice sounds angry, but her eyes are brimming with tears. This is clearly something she's quite passionate about.

"Where's the freedom for the Yeerks, then, ****?" she growls. "Why are your freedoms more important than ours? Where's the choice for all the dead humans, killed by those who did have a choice? You think our hosts have no self-determination, no right to choose? You forget that we share a head with them twenty-four seven. What they think, what they want... it's a hard thing to ignore."

<<I want you out of my brain. How's that sound?>>

<<Shut up.>>

"Our hosts lose a little freedom. They still see and feel and live fuller lives than we do without them. And Yeerks... we gain... an entire world. Our own lives. The ability to live up to our potential. And we can help them to better lives in the process. But please," she leans forward, feigned interest barely concealing her anger, "explain to me how things are better your way."

She sits back, and looks around, a little worried. She's never ranted like this before. She's never really had the opportunity.

[Chad32]

"It's good to hear of a species that didn't spend much of its history killing each other over resources or beliefs." Ike said, though he took her words with a grain of salt. "What system do you use to gain voluntary hosts? How do you let them know of the positive sides, and look past any negatives?" He was genuinely interested in finding out more. He could tell she was sensitive about criticism, but seemed to open up when he talked favorably about her.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Rathien laughs out loud at Elriss's rant before speaking.  "Did it not occur to you that the only reason your species doesn't have a war-like history is precisely because you were confined to swimming around in localized pools?"  He shrugs his shoulders and puts on a consoling expression.  "But maybe your right...I mean...it's not like the first thing you did immediately after gaining multiple hosts and space-flight was to launch a long, bloody, destructive, oppressive, tyrannical, horribly violent, and deadly war against the entire Galaxy that's cost millions of lives or anything. "  He sips at his goblet innocently.