A little gunfighting never hurt anybody

[Ardenator]

Leo led Melody and Zelo along the street, leading them into one of the sleazy dives outside the docking area. They had just finished delivering all the cargo, and had received a hefty sum. As usual, they had to celebrate.

He stepped through the doorway, and was instantly bombarded by the smell of dirty barroom and smoke. His kind of place.

He took a seat at the bar, motioning for the others to do so, and ordered a shot. Distantly he wondered how long it had been since he last had gotten high. Only a few hours, at very most. He was already worrying again... Addict...

He needed to distract himself. He looked over to Melody. "So, what would you like? Drinks are on me." He winked, and threw back the shot the bartender had just set before him. It went down hard, and he had to keep from coughing. He hated the taste of alcohol...

"So, I think we'll hang tight for most of the day. Later on we'll go to the arena. You should come watch. Zelo and I have to practice for the show and fights tomorrow. After that we have a meeting with Gruuba the Hutt, and we'll head off on our next job. Sound good?" He smiled, and motioned for another shot.

[Squee]

Melody glanced around the planet she called home. Well, a portion of the planet Nar Shaddaa anyway. She was little when she was first moved here, sometime when her brain hadn’t developed the advanced part of memory just yet. There was a lot she didn’t remember. But she did remember much about growing up on the planet. Like the year her mother slowly died from the terminal illness her father had no control to fix, credits escaping through his fingers as his occupation at the time had not provided enough to supply Melody’s mother with the treatment. From there, Melody had fallen in love with ships and flying across the galaxy as Ranz switched to a more dangerous job with his daughter in tow.

Ranz had been a decent father to Melody. He probably wouldn’t have taken to smuggling if his other job had paid him enough to keep the apartment and support himself AND his daughter. He just about drained them with paying for Eagle Strike, but the first job pulled through and the credits came tumbling in. It had only surprised him how much Melody had taken a liking to it, like he had. She wasn’t receiving an education elsewhere, and he had only done what his parents had done to him. He taught her what he knew. It was fortunate Melody had some natural intellect.

And experience had hardened her intelligence. Though she knew little about sciences beyond how an power coupling worked, a shock her or a burn here or a near miss with a blaster bolt there… It taught Melody. And as she had mentioned to Leo before, she adapted quickly.

Melody took a sharp inhale at the smoke, as it was for the first time all the time in entering one of these places. The first breath was always the hardest, she always told herself. But the more she scented it, the easier it became to breathe. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes slightly and shake her head some at Leo’s choice of places.

Though Leo motioned for her to sit, she didn’t for a moment. Her gaze was further from their spot, probing the areas of the bar as if searching for someone. Her face was set out of a small interested and possibly a hint of hope. It was just moments after she seemed to give up looking around and looked over at Leo as he shot back whatever he was drinking. His eyes dilated in some surprise and the beginnings of a smirk crossed her face as she noticed the struggle on his face.

“Drinks really aren’t your thing, are they?” she asked as her hand drifted downward to touch her seat. She wasn’t looking and her hand just slipped past the edge and she gave a small stumble that she covered pretty nicely. Her hand caught the seat and she finally sat down, swinging around to lean on the bar’s edge.

“I want a taste of what he’s got,” Melody told the tender with a small toss of her head in Florian’s direction. To Leo, she added, “And if it isn’t strong enough or doesn’t taste good, I can always go for a Galaxy.” Drinker. Melody had always been a drinker. She could shoot back drinks that could catch a Mandolorian bounty hunter’s attention. There had been one or two cases she had had over her head and had to set the drink down and say no more. But those were rare occasions.

“I’ll come to the arena. You’ve mentioned this to me before. It’s either that or find some dancing club or activity, or hang out in more familiar territory.” Her hand gestured the smoke filled den as a sign of what she meant.

The shot was there by now and Melody tipped it back. Her head came level again and she lifted an eyebrow at him. “Oh please.” She turned to the tender. “Something stronger and that you like,” Melody said, sliding the small glass back to him.

[Ardenator]

He watched Melody as she sat, smiling as she cutely stumbled. "You ok there?" he teased. "What were you looking for earlier?" He glanced around, trying to see what she might be looking for, but saw nothing.

He laughed at her dismissal of his beverage. "We all have our drug of choice, don't we? But since mine isn't available at this very moment, I guess I'll give yours a try." He winked at her, and waved the bartender over.

"Give me one of what you are serving the beautiful lady, my good man." The bartender nodded, and poured him out a new shot. He smiled at the man as he took the drink. "Thank you."

He turned to her. "I'm glad you're coming. Practice won't be as grand as the show itself, but I think you'll be impressed regardless. We're good at what we do." He tossed down the shot, and this time he did cough. He set down and shot, wiping his mouth. "Good god, girl, how the hell do you handle that shit? It's like drinking damn engine coolant... Sorry, excuse my swearing." He shook his head. He was definitely not an alcohol guy. His stomach was practically on fire. He'd probably start feeling some effects soon...

He felt embarrassed at the thought, especially since Melody was going to see that he was a light-weight. Screw it, she already thinks you're pitiful anyway...

That was true. It couldn't get much worse than meeting him in a drug den high off his ass with a bunch of strippers. He decided that any respect that she might have lost for him because of poor drinking ability she had already lost for him then.

In that case... "Bartender, give me another."

[Squee]

“I was seeing if I recognized anyone. I consider this place my home. I’ve made a bunch of stop and go friends along the way as I came and went with Eagle Strike. And this so happened to be the planet some nerf herder stole my ship,” she ended it with a well placed growl.

The shot of the stronger ale still went by much too smoothly for Melody. It was up, it came back, and was gone in swift gulp. Her elbows hit the counter and she held up the glass to the bartender who was watching the two curiously. She tapped her finger on the glass, and pointed her thumb upward before drawing her fingers together until thumb and forefinger were about a centimeter apart.

And as she waited, she could only grin largely and lightly laugh at Leo’s exclamation about her type of drink. She did only what could be assumed as a modified victory dance in her seat. “Boy, your ass is hosed if you try sparring drinks with me. I however… Thanks.” The bartender had slid her something golden with a forth. It didn’t appear as anything she’d ever had before, so she gave it a taste test.

The drink was sour beyond belief. Her eye gave an involuntary twitch at the sour taste, but she kicked herself in gear and drank back. Leveling off again, her eyes were squinting. She slid the glass back. “Too sour. Something sweeter.” She demanded, clacking her tongue to the roof of her mouth and shuddering.

“Anyway, if I tried whatever drugs you actually shoot into your bloodstream, I’d be knocked out cold with the smallest of doses. Trust me. It was not a fun time for me then.”

She saw Leo calling for another of one of the drinks she had had before the sour one. “You, dear sir, are going to regret that flame going down your throat. I’ve worked hard to get rid of the feeling so I can spend some nights sparring drinks with the bounty hunters running through. It’s also amusing when you go to clubs with dancing floors. The people and aliens there lose their brains off of some of these drinks. And then it gets downright hysterical. Unless you too are on the floor, then you have to be wary of flailing limbs…”

Something more red came this time, and not quite as much froth. Another taste test, and Melody nodded approvingly this time. But she set down the shot. She wasn’t going to overload her senses with a sudden bombardment of drinks like some amateurs would. She found the drink she wanted, she could slow the shots down a few and watch Leo struggle with himself again with the shot.

“You’re sure that’s a good idea? Weren’t you just telling me of practice?” But Melody could imagine Leo walking into an arena high just as well.

[Ardenator]

Leo shrugged. The next shot came up, and he threw it down. It was a little better this time, at least. His stomach was liking it so well though... It could buck up though. It had ingested worst.

He winked at Melody. "It's not about winning the fight, it's about enjoying fighting it." He eyed the red shot she now had. Didn't look good at all... He wanted one. "Bartender, one of those."

He turned to her. "Looks like my bill tonight's gonna be pretty high, eh? So you said you used to live here? And you used to own a ship?"

He laughed as she spoke of practicing, waving off her comments. "We've still got almost the entire day before I have to be there. I'll sober up before then, no worries. Being drunk won't hurt me too much though, as long as I'm not drunk at show time, the crowds will still love it. And I can always fall back on Zelo here. Eh Zelo?" He grinned, sensing the Rodian shake it's head behind him.

Seemed that everyone he knew did that a lot. He knew why, too, but didn't really care.

The shot arrived, and Leo examined it a moment before throwing it back. A look of pure horror crossed his features as his consumed the beverage. He slowly set the glass back down on the counter. "B-bartender... another please..."

He turned to Melody, plastering on his best smile despite the horrible aftertaste. He hoped it was charming. "If I die, you totally don't get your cut..."

[Squee]

“You’re an idiot!” she gasped when he called for the ale she now possessed. “As much about enjoying the fight you say it’s all about, why continue on when you’re crippled? That’s as dangerous as sitting under a leaking hyperdrive and letting the fluid singe your skin right off your flesh. Only it works from the throat down.” She was referring to the beverages.

Melody was glad she hadn’t gone any stronger than what she had now. She had wanted something enough to give her a small buzz in her mouth as it went down, and nothing more. She blinked once as he lifted the red shot, and she did the same.

The comparisons were far to small. The grim face Melody had set on was as sturdy as ever as she set the glass down. She didn’t bat an eyelash. Leo, however, looked as if he was going to have heart problems. She shook her head the way women do when they conclude something about men.

”If I die, you totally don’t get your cut…”

“All the more for you to stop acting foolish,” Melody told him directly, brushing his hand aside when his order came and snatching up the glass quickly and draining its contents in one fluid motion. “And get drunk off of something you can handle. Get us both what he had before, please.” That poor bartender. He merely complied to his customer’s bidding.

Melody sat back with a small sigh, scratching her temple and pushing back a few waving locks of blonde hair, tossing them back over her shoulder. “Yes, I used to live here. I was born on Coruscant, but I ended up here, up until age of five. Five Is when I started shooting across the galaxy hauling whatever the Hutts wanted hauled to where. My father of course has set up a reputation with this ship he bought known as Eagle Strike. Beaten little thing that he fixed up increasingly the more jobs he took. She became my baby when he passed on a few years ago. Now she’s gone, and I don’t know by who or how. That’s why I was hunting for some kind of partnership. I need to get around, I still need a living, and I want to find Eagle again and put a blaster burn right through the brain of whoever took her.

“Then, I can continue my father’s reputation with one of my own. I was just starting to gain a little prestige among some of my father’s employers and then my ship vanishes and I’m turned down everywhere.” Despite this, she wore an intoxicating half smile on her face. “Just a series of unfortunate events.”

The shot came, but Melody was once again scanning the hazy room for any sign of someone she could possibly know. There was one individual in particular she would like to see while they were docked here and Nar Shaddaa, but it was a roll the dice kind of deal. Maybe she’d run into him, maybe she wouldn’t. Melody didn’t know why she bothered glancing around here, as this person always liked the classier dens, and with more tasteful music playing.

[Ardenator]

Idiot... His smile vanished, and sadness flashed across the man's eyes. He stared down at the bar. "I wasn't really going to die, it just tasted really bad..." He was beginning to feel the effects of the shots now. In fact, he had a pretty strong buzz. He reached out, palming the shot of the old liquor and drinking it down.

He shook his head, and suddenly the sadness was gone, replaced by the old charming smile once more.

Melody had begun talking about her history, perhaps she hadn't noticed...

He listened intently as she told her story, nodding as she plodded along. "Your ship was stolen? That's horrible. I can't imagine what we'd do if the Tantalance was taken from us."

He motioned for another shot. "Well, I'll talk to some friends at the arena tomorrow, and bring it up with Gruuba and some of his cronies. For a little bit of money, I'm certain we can find your ship. They've got feelers everywhere, especially on Nar Shaddaa. Until then, you can keep earning money and building up your resume with us." He smiled warmly.

His new shot arrived, and he quickly put that one down, as well. It was getting easier now that he was intoxicated. His stomach warmed as the liquor went down, and he swayed slightly in his seat. In his peripherals he could see Zelo shaking his head again. The movement wasn't very noticeable, but Zelo knew Leo better than anyone else, and knew when the man was changing states of mind.

Oh yes, he was going to be drunk...

[Squee]

Melody noticed his mood dim slightly and heard his low keyed response. He looked almost sad. For a moment, she wondered what she might’ve said that could have struck a cord and hindered his good mood. She even considered apologizing, but by the time the thought came around, Leo was smiling again; whatever sadness had been there evaporated, it seemed.

She was nodding at his comment about how bad it was to lose her ship. “You don’t want to lose Tantalance. She’s a pretty ship, and I hope she stays with you. To lose Eagle… I was pissed off on one side and ready to cry on another. It was worse that I made a mistake of drinking two Liquid Galaxies afterward.” There was a flash of guilt that washed over her expression, recalling the rather painful experience. “One’s enough to send my head for a spin. You can say I wasn’t feeling so well the days that followed.

“Memories are not hard to come by. It’s the good ones that are. You should know about making memories with a ship. But your ship is a little more important when you travel by yourself. It’s like… It’s like a… What was it called? Oh, um…” If she couldn’t remember what she was going to say, Melody would go crazy. She had lifted her shot glass, but she put it back down as she thought quickly, trying desperately to remember what it was she was thinking before.

“Okay, you know, little boxes and you can put anything that means dear to you. Like… treasure…” Realization sparked her blue eyes. “That’s it, treasure box!” Her shoulders sagged in relief as some color sprang to her cheeks, embarrassed by her forgetfulness. “Yeah, so… to get my point across, I think of Eagle as a memorial treasure box. Way too much happened with her; drive falling apart, near crash landings with near deaths…” She trailed off again, lips tainted in another grin as she swallowed her shot. “All that fun stuff that never seems to end… Like repairs…”

Zelo was watching Leo and shaking his head. Again. She resisted raising a questioning eyebrow at the Rodian, allowing her eyes to look between him and Leo. She registered Zelo saw something Melody was obviously missing. She shrugged the drowning thought away, bringing full attention back on Leo. Her fingers tapered with the edge of her glass.

“And thanks. It’ll be nice to know someone will keep an eye out for her. I don’t know the chances of seeing her around, slim to none, I bet. It’s why I haven’t found her, I bet.” And down went another glass of mildly flavored alcohol. There was somewhat of a sigh at the end of this one. Her gaze had fixed forward, over the center of the bar and across the room.

Melody rolled her head to the side, cheek coming in contact with her shoulder. “All right, so, I’ve babbled plenty. What have you done besides carry some cargo and shoot a few targets?”

[Ardenator]

Leo was starting to feel fuzzy.

Thoughts weren't forming properly, as if his mind were mired in quick sand. Things seemed to blur slightly, and he found himself annoyed with his impaired senses.

Suddenly, he realized that Melody had stopped talking. He hoped there hadn't been too long a pause. He focused on responding. "Well, not a whole lot, actually. Born on Commenor. Good family. Parents were lowlifes, but good family. I miss them sometimes, I'll have to call them soon.

"Um, went to college for a while, majored in Astrophysics and Aerospace Engineering. Wanted to work on ships and study the stars. There were... issues, and I had to drop out. Spent the rest of my money on a rickety old boat and made it to the Outer Rim. I kind of floated for a while; I really had no idea what I was going to do."

"Well, my dad had been a big pistol officianado and avid hunter. He taught me how to shoot and track and such, and I always carried a pistol. One night I had drank a little too much, and mouthed off to some thug and his friends. Someone pulled a gun, and I ended up dropping them all pretty quick. Turned out that Neso Driad, a gun show owner and operator, was at the bar and saw the whole thing. He hired me as a trick shooter, and set it up so that I would learn all the tricks of the trade."

Leo paused, taking a moment to take another shot. The liquid poured hot down his throat, and settled warmly in his stomach. It went down much easier than previous shots. Leo didn't really notice the horrible taste so much anymore.

"I didn't have a whole lot to do other than practice, so I practiced a lot. I got good, too. Damned good. I started doing crazier tricks, got bigger blocks of time, and started getting paid really well. That's where I met Zelo, too. He's a Rodian Stalker, one of the best there is. If there is something to hunt, he'll get it. If there's something to kill, he'll kill it. He ended up working at the show somehow too, and we hit it off. Together we're the main attraction. It's a pretty cool gig, though we wanted to do more."

"We put our cash together and bought the Tantalance, and begun working as smugglers and bounty hunters. Nothing very big, just jobs to do between shows. We tweaked and upgraded her along the way. That ship has kind of grown up with us. We've been living like that ever since. Had a few ups and downs, developed a drug habit that I'm attempting to kick, but other than that we're just surviving. It's not exactly exciting or special, though we've had a few close calls along the way. Remember that rival bounty hunter on Ord Mantell Zelo?"

They both burst into laughter, and Leo nearly fell off his stool. "We had a contract out for a smuggler who had dropped a shipment of cargo and never reimbursed the Hutts. Another guy was on his trail, too. Mandalorian. He didn't take too kindly to us moving in on his game, and he jumped us on Ord Mantell. It was pretty crazy and hilarious. Let's just say we're lucky to have made it out alive. I'll tell you the story sometime, maybe." He winked at her, and motioned for another drink.

"So, have any fun stories yourself?"

[Squee]

Melody nodded several times during his story, letting him know she was listening even if her gaze rooted elsewhere for a few moments. She fingered the glass to that one shot for a while, as if contemplating something or another. At their sudden burst of laughter, it made Melody jump, surprised. Half the shot poured over her hand. For a moment she didn’t realize the spilt liquid dripping from her hand as she listened to understand what the heck was so funny about a hunter coming after you. She didn’t find it funny at all.

But Leo almost falling off the stool made her smile wide.

“Fun stories?” she echoed the question. The bartender made a passing sweep, mopping up the spilled drink. Before he could go, Melody snatched the cloth and wiped it over her hand, sipping down the rest of the shot as she did so. She tossed it back to the bartender and then motioned for another shot. “Oh, I don’t know. Depends on your type of humor. Morbid, kicks and giggles, or you laugh just cuz, or coincidences…”

“How’s about the one with the mouse droid? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything funnier.”

That bleak look of surprise crossed Melody’s forward vision again. Only this time, her jaw dropped. “No freakin’ way. Absolutely… No… oh GOD.” She was saying even as she turned around to peer fully over her shoulder. Mock horror rested on her features. “NO. What’re you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” the deep, somewhat gravelly voice asked back, a light chuckle in his voice. Average sized man, but broad in the shoulders, with hands large enough it looked like he could break any other man as if they were a toothpick. He had maybe what might’ve been jet black hair when he was younger, but the white flakes laced through it gave away his older age. “But that would be repeating, and who wants to hear the same thing twice? … Girl, if I had known you were into drunkards, I could’ve set you up a long time ago.”

Melody had been trying to down another shot. She didn’t get very far. Upon that comment, she nearly spewed the beverage. Instead, her hand clamped over her mouth and she leaned forward, her face turning red under strain… or the woman was truly blushing. Melody managed to swallow, coughing, and croaked out, “You’re awful.”

She got a grin in return. “No, seriously, tell them about the mouse droid.” He winked at Leo. “Eh, just nag at her ‘bout it. She’ll start spluttering before long.”

“Leo, Zelo, this is Jay ‘Nerve’ Basta, one of my father’s oldest friends for as long as I remember. If I call him ‘uncle’, that’s why. Though I couldn’t imagine why he’s here…”

“Job, milady. Someone to shoot, someone to loot from, I don’t know. My friends are getting the details. And me? I’m getting a drink. What’re you doing drinking the cheap stuff?” Jay motioned at her glass. “No, wait, the boy can’t drink. I get it. I outta smack you upside the head.”

“He’s just a partner…”

“In what?”

Melody didn’t respond. She tipped another glass up so she didn’t have to reply.

Jay shrugged. “Won’t be here long anyway. The boys should be coming any moment now. Now, what’s this story on a mouse droid?”

Melody gave Jaw a sideways glance, spun so her back was to him, and addressed Zelo and Leo. “Okay, so, this was when I was younger. Maybe seven. Dad found this malfunctioning mouse droid, ‘kay? He figured he could get it working and I could have a little something to mess around with. He got it online all right. The thing had a spaz and was going out of its way running away and making loops everywhere. Dad and I ended up trying to chase the damn thing down.”

“Key word there is ‘trying’, boy.” Jaw added, snickering heavily. “They chased it all right. The mouse droid ended up finding its way off the ship. Melody comes charging down the ramp, arms flailing and screeching. Ranz isn’t too far behind. The mouse droid hits reverse, and starts going back up the ramp.”

“I swear that thing tried to trip me. It’s making all kinds of noises,” Melody continued. “It ends up tripping Dad. He falls on his butt.”

“And THEN it gets Mel. She does a face plant going back UP the ramp.”

“The mouse droid’s in overload, making the squeaky noises it does. And the bloody thing explodes, right there.”

“I’m sure it laughed its way into destruction.”

“Oh, shut up. Stupid mouse droids. I’m sure that’s they’re goal in life. How many face plants they can get me to do while I’m alive. How many near misses on a broken nose I can take. I have better luck with the gizkas. NO. I am not telling that story.”

Jay was once more snickering into his sleeve.

[Ardenator]

Leo examined the shot as Melody responded, analyzing the little chips and grind stains that seemed to cover the glass, and the cool, golden fluid inside of it. Slowly, still eyeing the glass, he lifted it to his lips. He let his bleary eyes close as he tipped it up... and ended up spilling the drink all over himself as Melody cried out in surprise.

"Oh! What the fu-" He looked over, and caught site of a rather large man; not tall, but rather broad, standing behind her. He seemed older, and familiar with the smuggler girl. Leo distantly wondered what was going on; his mind was still attempting to catch up with the unfolding situation.

He raised his hand to reply to the 'boy can't drink' comment, but stopped half-way, shrugged, and smiled. "No use in denying the obvious, eh?"

He looked at Melody in mock-surprise at her response. "Just a partner? Is that all I am to you? I thought we were more babe. Not cool." He shot her a wink and laughed. Zelo chuckled along, too. Had he had a couple drinks too? Leo couldn't quite recall...

He laughed as the duo recounted their mouse droid story. Maybe it was because he was drunk, but that story seemed pretty damned funny. "That's great." He perked up as she mentioned the gizkas, and how she would refuse to tell that story. Naturally, he asked about it. "Gizkas? Do tell Melody. I'd love to hear it." He motioned for another shot. He would have to stop soon, he knew, or he might spend the rest of the day puking in the refresher. The bartender set another shot of golden liquor on the counter before him.

Not quite yet, he decided.

He tossed back the shot and turned back to Melody, putting on his best charming smile. "Please?"

[Squee]

((Endings a little rushed. I'm tired. Hang with me, here.))

"No." She wanted to be stubborn. She wanted to be sturdy and unmoving. But Leo's smile was just as intoxicating as the liquor. Though she tried holding a stern gaze, she couldn't dodge the hopefulness of his gaze or the charm of his grin. Her slight frown turned into pursed lips and tilted to one side as she glanced away. There was a few seconds paused and the next thing out of her mouth was, "Fine."

"Now, now," Jay instantly began tsking. "What's the theory on gizkas?"

"Uncle..."

"What is it?"

The gaze that had been on her face flashed once more, this time toward Jay. "I can handle it. But, anyway, the theory is: Gizkas are trying to rule to galaxy."

"And?"

"Petting zoos are the worst places to run into gizka. Especially when the treat earlier was the live thing fried. Can gizkas smell? That thing was all over me before the next mouse droid could trip me. I can't believe you're making me tell this."

"I didn't bring it up," Jay muttered, sounding innocent. "That's your own fault. You're being probed into it."

Melody, by now, had had enough with her trench coat. It was far too hot in here anyway. While Nerve was talking, Melody was standing and strugging out of the coat that showed her as an individual. Or, many of the one things that made her different. She liked her trench coats. Folding it in half, she flipped it over the stool and sat on it. No where else better to put it.

"So, I didn't have the gizka tripping me everywhere, but this one followed me home. I don't know if it was one of those from the exact petting zoo Dad took me, or whether just randomly appeared and decided I was its new caretaker. I have no clue." Her hands were part of the story telling, too. At this point, they were thrown into the air, showing a sign of utter carelessness to the gizka's whereabouts. "The thing haunted me. There was an odd set of coincidences before I actually uncovered there was gizka following me around. I think I finally noticed when I stepped on the thing and got a nice dying croak out of it.

"It's not exactly as funny as the mouse droid tale. But, after having a handful of gizka's jumping you in the petting zoo, well, as a little girl. I had nightmares about lightsaber weilding gizkas trying to take over the universe. And then one followed me home..."

"She wanted to come live with me." Jay grinned. "Ranz wouldn't get rid of it. And come on, gizkas handling lightsabers is a damned good reason to scream at the one at your refresher door, eh?"

Melody shook her head, wondering how her childhood stories were pulled into this mess. She reached for her glass and threw back another shot. Her eyes grew wide and her lips twisted. From wide, her eyes squeezed shut, and she had some difficulty swallowing. The glass was rudely tossed onto the counter as she swallowed and just about doubled over coughing.

"Nerve." Cough. "I'm gonna..." Cough. "Are you trying..." Cough. "To poison me?" Hack. She wiped her eyes and drew in as many deep breaths as she could. "Oh my God. What the hell was that?" A visible shudder passed down her spine, shaking down her arms and finishing at the finger tips, sound emitting from her mouth.

"Ah... you still can't handle what I drink then." He rapped his fingers on his glass, grinned, and swallowed the dark contents of the drink. "And you still are very observant when nearly under the influence, medear."

"NERVE! The Hutt's gonna send his goons to skin your hide if we don't get movin'!" Jay swiveled around, shared a glance with someone, and then stood.

"Told ya I wasn't here for long. Gotta go, sweatheart. Work calls. Boy, ask her about the pazaak den or dancing lessons. Those'll be good tales."

"Jay, I'm going to kill you someday."

"That'll be the day," he answered hurriedly, getting called for once again. He nodded Leo and Zelo's way and then turned to march quickly from the bar and after a group of four that just fled.

Melody once more wiped her face, shuddering once more from the drink Jay had slipped under her fingers.

[Ardenator]

Leo laughed, attempting to follow the quick exchange through the haze of drunkenness. He caught the major points, even if the details were a little lost to him. The old man turned to leave, and he lazily waved goodbye.

He turned his attention back on Melody. "So what's this about a pazaak den? And dancing lessons? I find myself extremely interested. Do tell."

He took another drink, and this time barely held it down. It was getting difficult to stay in his seat now. He leaned forward onto the counter to keep from falling off. Maybe he had drank a little too much...

Wait, how could you drink too much?

[Squee]

Melody was slowly getting over the shock of the drink Nerve had trickily made her drink. He knew her too well. As someone who enjoyed drinking, she would reach for her glass thinking it was just a refill. She wouldn’t bother checking scent or look. That or she was just too drunk to care. She wasn’t completely intoxicated yet, and that allowed her to taste the heavy liquor with much sensitivity. If she had been drunk, she wouldn’t’ve had responded quite as much. Maybe a little grimace.

She didn’t want to leave it to fate on what the water would be like. She really didn’t. If the taste didn’t leave her mouth in the next minutes, she would have to. She didn’t like the spicy tingling sensation tickling her tongue and throat, making her feel as if she needed to cough repeatedly. Or scratch her tongue. Silliness.

Melody waved off the refilled shot glass from the bartender. She needed a little break. Releasing a soft sigh, she too leaned forward. Her head turned in Leo’s direction as she braced her weight on her forearms.

“Eh… they’re just random short tales I’ll never go into much detail about. Well, the pazaak den may be a bit longer because something happened long after the night spent there. Dancing lessons… Nerve just wants to embarrass me. Further, that is.”

Her hands rose and clasped over one another, her thumbs playing with one another. Almost thoughtfully, she touched her chin to them. Now she noticed a heaviness over her. Perhaps it was a good thing she had stopped drinking for a little while. Much more and she’d be like Leo: intoxicated completely beyond help. That thought, a smile reached her face. Yes, drunk, but different from Leo. In comparison, she would be much more in control of her body movements.

Which could be a good or a bad thing, depending on your opinion. Most males found it to be a good thing.

Except the band stunk. Melody began to wonder why she didn’t suggest going to a better place. It would be fun to dance now. And while no one by the band did anything but watch a couple of scantily clad women…

Not that Melody was doing any better in a tank top and shorts that ended mid-thigh. With a head of blond hair, attention from the Twi-lek and brunette would be easily transferred over to her: someone who danced in more than one spot. And it was much more than just going up and down, fluidly moving the hips. Much, much more… And much more fun if you asked Melody.

The tune changed and she started to snap her fingers, trying to find some kind of rhythm. There was none and she stopped, defeated, and shook her head. Muttering something about “absolutely none”, she fingered the glass.

“We should have gone to some place exciting. I don’t know how they find anything to move to over thar.” She gestured sharply towards the couple of dancers. Everywhere. Every cantina. Even if there was nothing to step to, the women dance because they’re paid. Probably not for fun. That’s what Melody found wrong with the picture. “Next time, I’m choosing. And I’ll get a kick out of something more than just watching your face twist around in circles at the drinks you barely manage to swallow.” She topped it off with a grin.

“So… any mouse droids ever try to trip you up or gizkas invade your brain?”