(Untitled)

[last_talon]

It is common practice on Earth that bars are often neighboring one another. It is much the same on the other side of the universe--

--just not inside the New Republic's pilot academy

Comments

[i_love_kettch]

"Lieutenant!"

Wes grins from a table nearby. (Inyri's around, somewhere in the area, but since it's downstairs he doesn't feel the same need to be her shadow.)

"You're late. You must have missed the memo."

[last_talon]

"Captain, actu--" He turns toward the familiar voice.

Blink. Blink again.

"I just left you. You're in the other room. We were--" Donos looks COMPLETELY bewildered, and as he speaks, his voice becomes unsteady and trails a bit. "We were celebrating..."

[i_love_kettch]

Wes snorts and says, "I remember the promotion."

Beat.

"...celebrating what?"

He lowers his glass of whiskey and eyes Myn.

[last_talon]

"What do you mean, celebrating what?" Myn stares incredulously. "How much have you been drinking? We just got declared operational. Shavit, you two even named me leader." He leans back a bit and sips at his lomin-ale.

"Also, I wouldn't have been late had you actually told me this place was IN the building."

[i_love_kettch]

"Leader--" He puts the glass down and stares at Myn, head tilted a little. "Leader of what?"

He shakes his head at the last bit; he's too interested in hearing this answer.

At least, he thinks he is.

[last_talon]

Myn chuckles and shakes his head. "Talon Squad. The one you just finished training."

He eyes Wes' drink, then looks at his instructor closely. "It smells like Whyren's... but what is it really? Because you have one hell of a case of amnesia."

[i_love_kettch]

"Oh," Wes says, and puts a hand to his head as if he's suddenly acquired a headache. "Oh."

This isn't good. This isn't good at all.

[last_talon]

Uh oh.

"Rough night, Lieutenant? Or did you forget your brain?"

[i_love_kettch]

"Someone prob'ly stole it," he murmurs, and shakes his head. "I'd blame the whiskey but 's my first glass."

He's only had one sip, too.

"This isn't a joke, is it? Because your sense of comic timing is really, really bad, and I'm pretty sure I taught you better. I guess I should have put it in an exam."

[last_talon]

"Lieutenant, you told me you made me leader because I failed the test for squadron comedian." He leans his right shoulder forward and points to the patch that's just been added--with a sigil on it that is DEFINITELY Talon Squadron. "I'm not joking."

There is a Wary Pause, and Myn is still trying to discern whether or not his CO is joking. "Is... there something I should know?"

[i_love_kettch]

"Oh, that's right," he says vaguely, eyeing the patch with dismay.

He swallows at the question. Something he should know? Oh, just the next few months worth of doom, gloom, and added gloomy doom. He could tell him, he thinks idly, staring at his glass now instead of Myn. Could warn him, could save the squad, could change history.

"...nope. Not a thing."

He looks up suddenly and manages a smile before adding, "Except welcome to Milliways."

[last_talon]

Myn opens his mouth to reply to the first part, but deicides that if it bothers Wes, he probably doesn't want to know.

Especially--"What's Milliways? Aside from where I am?"

[i_love_kettch]

"Milliways," Wes says, and tries to concentrate on this, because if he concentrates on his usual non-sensical Milliways introduction, he doesn't have to think about anything else, "is a bar at the end of the universe. Figure one: the Bar; figure two: the ending universe."

It's easy to slip into it, like acting a role, and he waves at each of the examples in turn.

"Universe is on a loop of varying lengths, an' Bar's magic, sentient, and worst of all, female. Don't annoy her if you wanna keep getting food and drink."

[last_talon]

Myn raises a hand with a puzzled expression. "Uh, Lieutenant, mind slowing down? I think I missed the part where Bar is sentient and female. How'd that happen?"

[i_love_kettch]

"Major," he corrects by reflex, and covers his wince by waving down the raised hand.

"I dunno. 's been like ever since I was here, almost two years now. Don't worry," he says with added cheer, "that's the first thing you get used to. Ready for the rest? You should really just take notes."

[last_talon]

He blinks, and gives Wes a close look. "Major? When the hell did you get your pips? 20 minutes ago, I saw you lounging around with Lt. Klivian trying to best the other for why each of you deserved Captain first."

"I can handle that, I think." He waves at his CO. "Talk ahead, Major."