#Miner'sRespite – December 16, 2025

Halisi reaches the bar near Zaylus and Leah, addressing them as she waits for an opportunity to get Enila’s attention. “So I have,” she confirms with a small smile at her own serendipitous timing.

Sarze looks curious as Ilyna speaks. “About raising a human, you mean?”

Holly smiles a little at Ilyna’s appreciation for their work, clearly pleased to be acknowledged. The words that follow make her nod, expression turning softer. “She’s a remarkable woman. I’m not sure how she finds the energy to always be a helping hand. She’s taught me so much since I came here to Freedom Falls.”

Li seems to have grown bored with the adults at the table, slouching further and further in her seat, intent on slipping away under the table.

Crux smiles a bright smile, confidence bolstered. They plant their elbow on the bar as they respond. “Chief Vasquez told me to report to HQ in three days! More like two now, I guess. Looking forward to-”

Celyna , still waiting behind Crux, waves the fingers of her right hand in the air with an annoyed look. “You interrupted,” she says sharply.

Crux shivers like they felt something, reaching up to touch their neck before spinning around and noticing Celyna for the first time, wide eyes skimming down to her armor and then up to her face again. “Shit! Uh, sorry! Didn’t mean to!” they exclaim with a nervous chuckle.

RC ‘s gaze wanders for a while, but lingers on Crux when they turn to address Celyna, posture stiffening just a little, on alert because you never know.

Emma listens silently as Leah addresses Zaylus, continuing to people-watch as she sips her beer.

Nathan does an incredibly poor job of hiding the absolute glee that crosses his face. And it really, really doesn't help that he pretty much punches the air in victory as well. Such subtlety. Such grace. He clears his throat before resuming a comically neutral expression. "I'll get the ball rolling." Neutral. Neutral. Neutral. Excited grin. "Man, Jasper is going to be fucking pumped too. The ideas are already

Zaylus elevates his arm upon inspection, bending the elbow a few times as if testing its integrity. He goes to glance back at the doctor's table, visibly startled as she appears beside him. "Sh- Hey, Doc." He laughs, gesturing toward Halisi with a thumb and turning back to Leah. "You heard her. So you can stop hogging all the fun over here." He grins obnoxiously, sweeping a look over

Jason chuckles at Nathan's enthusiasm. "What do you think the timetable looks like on all that?" he asks, bringing his beer to his lips again. He peers across the table over the brim of his glass.

Leah offers the doctor a smile as she joins them, offering her a quick, cheerful, "Hey!" Zaylus' addition garners an awkward shift from her as she finds herself considering if it means he's heard about what transpired with her and Nathan and the others' last month. Or maybe her recent visit by the Talons? Are people talking about it? Has she been labeled the Redrock troublemaker? Deciding she's probably just reading too much

Nathan sets his glass down as he reaches over to his jacket, pulling out his datapad. The armourer furrows his brow as he flicks it open, chewing on his inner cheek. "Well, making sure we keep this all above board- which we will!- will add a bit of time to the delivery. Get the funds cleared, contact a few other suppliers for the critical parts and then start working with Jasp to get it up and running-...". His

Ilyna smiles at Holly's words, getting a bit emotional before she cached a glimpse Li sinking down to the table, which causes her to chuckle. She has no intention of stopping her from leaving, for there are many present that she trust to look after her. That doesn't mean she won't pay any attention herself, but that much is obvious. She looks back at Sarze to answer her question. "Yes," she says. "There's so much

Renala raises an eyebrow when Celyna interrupts Crux. To have all the time and no time simultaneously, such is the way of the maiden. "We'll see each other then, kid," she says. "If you're as good as you say you are, we'll get all the technical debt sorted in no time." And by no time, she means years compared to decades.

Enila confirms an order on a terminal before she walks over to Halisi. "What are you having?" she asks, not wanting to interrupt their conversation any more than necessary.

Jason nurses his beer as he listens. "And your-... uhh-... 'junker friend' will provide the transport?" he asks, trying to recall the details and logistics previously discussed as he sets his glass back down on the table beside him.

Nathan dips his head in a nod, setting the datapad down with a clatter. "Yeah, should do. I'll spin some yarn about how I'm doing him a favour buying it off of him, get it over here for us." He waves a hand in the air causally, smirk plastered alongside the motion. "Doing it up will be the mission. Obviously we want it loaded to bear, it's whether Redrock wants it to have troop capacity or not. Dedicated gunship

Crux lets out another laugh, trying not to let it show that they were startled as they nod and wave while backing away. "Hell yeah!" they agree, practically bouncing back, before realizing they were meant to make an order, and swiveling to get back to the bar at a different spot, opting for an opening closer to Halisi.

Halisi allows her thoughts on all the 'fun' Leah has gotten up to in the past month go unvoiced, instead offering Enila a polite smile. "Some more of that wine for our table, please. One more beer. And... oh, a juicebox," she requests with a glance back towards the table, furrowing her eyebrows at Li's sudden disappearance from her field of view.

Crux jumps in and tries to catch Enila before the asari can leave with "Hey! Can I get our usual sandwiches and, uh... two warp torpedoes to our table?" they ask, pointing a thumb at the table RC is occupying. Given that they've been living off of Leah's charity up until now, the pair have never ordered drinks before. But today, it's time to celebrate! Because they're about to have credits!

Celyna watches Crux scurry off before turning her attention back to Renala. "Where were we?" she asks over her glass, before taking a sip.

Varisa stops by the empty booth by the bathrooms while making her rounds, collecting the near-empty glass there, and a moment later it fills up with a group of cheerful, rowdy miners that just came in from the cold.

Li slips off to run between booths and tables in search of something that will catch her interest, the pub a maze of towering tables and loud grown-ups.

Sarze snickers in commiseration. "The hair! It's a hard thing to get used to, and it grows so very fast. It requires so much care at that kind of length, as well."

Holly shoots the two asari an amused look, shaking her head to herself. She seems more relaxed here, surrounded by co-workers. Or maybe it's the alcohol.

Aeral glances up from his datapad to nod in agreement with Sarze. "I don't understand why they wouldn't just keep it shorn. It serves no purpose," he huffs, before looking at Holly. "No offense."

Holly snorts loudly, not seeming particularly offended. "It's meant to look nice, Ae. But I do agree it's a lot of work, that's why I keep mine short."

Zaylus cocks his head slightly, clearly having expected a lighthearted reaction to his offhand quip. Ignorant of the woman's worries, though, he can only wave a dismissive hand in response. "I don't mind the security post here, until its this packed full. I hope you're making tips if they've got you serving too."

Jason snickers, though his brows furrow in thought as Nathan begins to verbalize his thoughts. His gaze briefly turns to the group settling into the table beside them that was previously occupied by Tara, but he doesn't pay them much mind. "Based on those estimates you sent us it looks like it's gonna be expensive either way." he muses, bringing his arm down from the back of the booth as to not invade the space of the strangers

Leah avoids looking Halisi's way, well aware of where her thoughts must be. But the turian's response seems to be enough to ease her concerns, her smile fully re-emerging with a snort. "Well no one has me serving. I am not angling for a bartending job!" She tilts her head to the side, pointedly raising her voice as if to make it clear to Enila, though the lingering smile makes it clear that it's in jest. "I just... help

Nathan nods along, taking his idle glass and finishing off the drink. It isn't long before he's pouring another one, talking as he does. "Loaded to bear, got it," he says, setting the dwindling pitcher down with a clunk. "I should be able to get the bits from Sandbeck as well as from friends I made outside the company. Heavy Cannons, missiles, shielding; plenty of options, just pricing is the problem. I can

Jason offers a few nods of his own at Nathan's suggestions. But the final comment causes him to look away, a subtle discomfort entering his expression. "Yeah..." he agrees quietly, studying the foam head on his beer for a moment, culminating in a heavy sigh escaping him. But he's quick to push aside the thoughts that threaten to creep in and prop that lopsided grin right back into place before it can fall away. "Sounds like we've

Enila looks down at her terminal as it fills in the order. "How many glasses of wine?" she asks as she grabs a juicebox (orange flavored) from the fridge under the counter and begins to pour the beer. Crux' order makes her glance back to the terminal. "Got it, Crux," she says to them quickly, confirming the order with her free hand just after pouring the beer.

Renala chuckles as she watches Crux leave for a moment before Celyna takes her attention back at her. She grabs her glass when she hums thoughtfully. "Oh, yeah, we brought back a few... former colleagues of yours that was holed up at the old communications tower," she says. "I don't know where they went when we got back, though."

Ilyna watches Li run off for a moment, trying to see where (or who) she's running to, before looking back at the others and nodding along with Holly. "It really is a lot of work," she says, "but she likes it this way, so I'm happy to be learning together with her how to maintain it." She casts another glance towards the bar. "Another thing that surprised me is how fast she will grow up," she says. "That's why the

Nathan hums a little at the initial affirmative, before it breaks into a more energetic nod. With a single tap upon his datapad, he makes a grand gesture followed by a bit of his drink sloshing over the rim and onto his hand. Muttered curses are followed by, "Yeah, I'll make time for a quick trip out to him, though he's usually pretty upfront about conditions. Could take someone else with me if they fancy a

Halisi briefly watches Crux rush off before answering Enila. "Oh, two small glasses will do."

Crux offers Enila a smile and a wave and then slips away to drop into one of the chairs at RCs table with a grin, drumming their hands against the table. "Order's on the way!"

RC shoots a curious look over to Renala and Celyna. "And your cent? Put your foot in your mouth yet?"

Crux furrows their eyebrows. "Hey! You know I made a good impression! What's not to love?" they ask, gesturing at themself with a flourish.

RC snorts skeptically. "The other asari looked pissed."

Crux looks back over their shoulder briefly. "Eclipse," they say simple, lips a thin line as they share a look with the batarian.

Celyna raises an eyebrow. "Huh... no shit. Wonder if it was anyone I've heard of."

Aeral scoffs at Holly's words, going back to his datapad.

Sarze nods somberly. "I can only imagine. I would on occasion babysit some turian relatives when they were young, and it was truly remarkable how much they changed between each visit. To have it be your own daughter... it seems challenging."

Holly smiles a little at Ilyna's words, but what Dr. T'Ala has to say makes her go quiet and frown.

Li is still weaving between tables, destination unknown.

Zaylus grins, head bobbing in an inaudible snicker. "Too bad, floating bottles and plates would be a great bartending trick." He insists semi-seriously, eyes wandering up as he imagines the inevitable mishaps biotic bartending could have. Suddenly a different thought hits him and he refocuses, leaning in closer to ask, "Hey, is Va'ynna okay? I heard... well, maybe she wasn't feeling

Jason reaches out and scoops his omni-tool up, idly giving it a quick check as he listens to Nathan. The lack of any sort of response draws a furrow of his brow, but he doesn't comment on it, instead simply setting the device back down on the table. Nathan's final remark draws a snicker out of him. "How small of a trip are we talking...?" he asks, seeming to realize he doesn't exactly know where this 'junker friend' of Nathan's

Leah tilts her head, leveling a playfully unamused look on the turian. But his sudden change in topic causes her to furrow her brow before she can respond. She passes a glance to Enila then back to Zaylus. "I... think she's fine." she says, now sounding as if she's not so sure. "Enila said she's back in the kitchen, so..." she trails off with a shrug, a flash of concern on her face, wondering if she's missed something.

Nathan does a little waggle of his hand, the universal measuring tool of time that ranges from a day to howeverthefucklongittakes. "Couple days there and back, not too long. He ain't out that far, truth be told. Be there and back in a flash, just like that." He lowers his hand as he watches Jason's discarding of his omni-tool, motioning to it with the silent question of 'You good?'

Jason gives his omni-tool a quick glance, offering a few nods, though he looks a bit uncertain. "Uhh... yeah." he assures, shooting a brief look towards the counter, unaware of the similar topic shaping the conversation over there. "Just-... Enila mentioned that I should talk to V." he explains. "Kinda wondering what that's about. I sent her a message to let her know I'm out here but-..." he gives a dip of his head, "...haven't

Enila nods and places the beer glass a tray, and goes to fetch the wine bottle along the back wall. "So, you're the Halisi I've heard so much about," she says with a smile as she pours the glass. "I'm Enila, I served with Ilyna in the Serrice military." Her eyes aren't really in her smile, though, as she cannot shake her obvious worries that she cannot discuss here. Once poured, she puts the tray up on the counter.

Va'ynna is currently in the kitchen, doing her best to catch up on the backlog of orders.

Renala takes a sip of her drink. "It's probably best if you don't find out," she says, "especially if it turns out you did know some of them them, because they didn't all make it." She leaves the obvious reason of not provoking Eclipse's attention out, of course.

Ilyna glances off to Li and smiles fondly, though it is a bit heavy. It's the price one pays for a long lifespan. "It is," she says, "but... it will be meaningful time together." She may be talking about more than just Li now. She clears her throat and composes herself, offering an awkward, "Sorry."

Nathan purses his lips as he leans a little to peer around to the bar, looking past toward the kitchen. His eyebrow perks, turning to Jase while maintaining his delicate lean. "You wanna go check on her? I can hold the fort here, no problem. I have company." He thumbs towards the pitcher. "You look concerned, Jase."

Jason does his best to play down whatever concerns he may or may not have, slapping that charming smile of his overtop it. "I'm sure it's nothing, but-... uhh-... yeah. You good with me stepping away for a few...?" he asks, gesturing idly towards the counter.

Li comes to an abrupt stop by Jason and Nathan's booth. She seems to have been about to charge right at Jason, but Nathan's presence gives her pause, and she stands there and looks up at them. "Hi."

Celyna shrugs, not seeming particularly invested in finding out.

Halisi 's eyes widen slightly. "Oh, of course! I'd heard-... I'm afraid I don't often find the time to get away from work. It's a pleasure to meet you." She offers her hand to shake. "I hadn't realized my reputation preceded me," she says, a hint of bashfulness in her smile.

Sarze nods and offers a reassuring smile. "Nothing to be sorry about," she dismisses, although there's a bit of curiosity. Ilyna seems like she finds it harder than average for someone her age. Regardless, she doesn't prod.

Holly looks thoughtful, as if giving some of the implications of Ilyna's age deeper thought for the first time, remaining silent.

Tara emerges from the bathroom, startling on her way back to her booth when she realizes its occupied. She stands frozen in place, looking around uncertainly.

Crux notices Tara standing around and stands halfway from their seat to catch her eye and wave her over, pointing at one of the empty chairs and their table.

Tara blinks, looking over her shoulder in search of someone behind her, but in the absence of such a someone she eventually concludes they must mean her, and cautiously but swiftly makes her way over, greeting Crux and RC with a polite tilt of her head. "You... wish to order?" she guesses, presuming they must believe her on the clock, and not about to correct that mistaken assumption.

Crux furrows their eyebrows. "Huh? No, I was-... wait, are you working?"

Tara shuffles uncomfortably, looking down. "Uhm... no."

Crux just looks more confused at this. "Then wh-.... uh."

RC sighs. "What they meant to say is, you can sit with us, if you'd like."

Crux nods. "Right. That!" they agree, looking at the chair again.

Tara looks a little baffled, hesitating, but declining seems rude, so she gingerly takes the indicated seat, shooting the two of them restrained, uneasy looks.

Emma watches Li for a moment, and then turns her attention to Tara, about to give Leah a nudge when it seems like the girl is lost on where to go, but on the invite to Crux and RCs table she goes back to silent, cautious observation instead, a sip of her beer and a sweep of her eyes across the room obscuring her focus.

Nathan nods, motioning with his hand for Jason to go. However, the sudden appearance of Li causes Nathan to very quickly alter his hands trajectory so he doesn't accidentally backhand the girl in the face. He pivots sharply and offers a disarming smile to Li, using the maneuvered hand to offer a friendly wave to Li instead. "Hey, uh, Li." He flicks a somewhat confused glance to Jason, but keeps the smile

Zaylus scratches his chin, but nods in acceptance and leans back to more a comfortable pose. "Well, I might've misunderstood. Thought maybe she was sick or something. Honestly I'm starving, but I didn't expect the crowd in here today." He droops a little with obvious dramatic weariness, momentarily piggybacking Emma's watchful gaze. "I'd head out, but it is nice to see everybody.

Jason scoops up his omni-tool, shifting in the booth when he's suddenly met with the presence of their stealthiest of operators. He pauses, shooting an amused glance to Nathan before his attention settles back on Li. "Hey, small fry!" he greets, "What's up? You getting into trouble?"

Leah casts a brief glance back over her shoulder towards the kitchen door. "Yeah. Guess the weather has everyone out and about." she muses. She shifts in place, smile spreading back across her lips. "Buuut~ since it sounds like Va'ynna is back in the kitchen~" she dangles, kicking her boot idly against the floor. "What can we get ya?" she asks, delivering it as if playing the part of a waitress.

Wade is seated at the bar nursing a beer. He's a human, light skinned and bald with a solid white goatee. He's one of the regulars, an old miner that's probably familiar to anyone who has spent any significant amount of time at the Respite. He's often hidden away in a booth with a beer or perched atop a barstool to watch whatever sporting event happens to be on until last call. He's quick to lean forward, craning his head to peer down

Leah is quick to pivot in the man's direction. "Welllll~ unfortunately for you? I'm not a waitress!" she announces, beaming a big bright, weaponized smile on Wade. "So wait your turn and Enila will get to you." A spark of blue glimmers around her and Wade's bowl of pretzels slides across the counter like a hockey puck, coming to a stop against Leah's palm. She scoops a pretzel from the bowl and pops it into her mouth as she

Wade scoffs as he watches his pretzels escape. "Preferential treatment!" he calls out, though there's a sense of playful familiarity from the regular.

Enila shakes her hand briefly. "Likewise," she says before taking a step back, casting a glance to the side. "I've only heard good things, I promise," she says light-heartedly. She did overheard Leah and Wade, and makes a mental note to confirm his order afterwards. "You should get back to her." she says. "Don't let me keep you here."

Renala lets the topic go as the other asari dismisses her and she taes the last sip of her drink. She sits up and glances around the room. Her eyes land on the asari that's with Nalota, and she narrows her eyes briefly.

Ilyna glances off to Li again with a thoughtful look, though a smile shows up as she sees her at Jason's table. "One thing that does worry me is that she doesn't know many people around her age," she comments.