After all's said and done

[Reidly]

Mandalore hangar bay, late afternoon.

Terri had just gotten back from a mission, and was very keen on relaxing. Her muscles ached, her fur was a mess, and she was dead tired. The mission had taken a lot out of her, but not her appetite. She could eat a bantha, she was so hungry. Rubbing her sore arm, she wandered around the hangar, towards the mess hall. Maybe the cooks would fix something good, for once. She was tired of dehydrated rations.

Shaking of her growling stomach, she held her head high and went inside the mess hall and got in line. Not many people were eating at the moment, mostly just maintenance staff after a long day of doing... whatever it was they did. Her prayers went unanswered when she got her food, simply an unattractive steak, and some greens that looked overdone, along with a cup of water. Understandable, since it was the dead of winter, but still not savory.

Taking her food and sitting down at a table by herself, she began to eat slowly. Eating too fast gave her cramps sometimes, and she didn't want to make a fool of herself. She sat and ate like this for several minutes, bored that there was no one to talk to. She would have to keep herself company tonight, if the lack of friends was anything to go by. Not that she was complaining. She didn't like many other people, but there were a few exceptions.

@TheHook1

 

[The Captain]

Shore leave, one of the few joys in the average mercenaries life, and one of the many burdens in their C.O.'s career. Andor and his squad were being given time off on the planet Mandalore to recharge after the string of varyingly successful mission they had been running. Stepping onto the hanger with his men was akin to babysitting, as the Zabrak was forced to constantly keep his soldiers from scrambling off into the city, since he knew exactly what would happen if he did. Issuing the usual safety's on, pants up warning he gave to his squadmates everytime he cut them loose, he watched the gaggle of grunts split off in every direction.

Deciding not to join in their wandering for the moment, Andor made his way over to the hanger mess and got in line, waiting for the agonizingly slow Besalisk to fill plates.

 

[Reidly]

Terri had her eyes lazily wandering around the cafeteria, seeing if anyone interesting had decided to stop by. What she didn't expect, was a familiar scent to waft into the room, one she had all but forgotten. She quickly pinpointed the source, grinning.

It was Andor, the mercenary she had fun with a while back. Maybe today wouldn't end up so boring after all...

She stood up and sauntered over to the food line, grinningand letting her tail wag. "Well well, look what the nerf dragged in. How've you been?" She stuck out a friendly hand, the other on her hips.

 

[The Captain]

The sound of a rather familiar voice caught Andor by surprise, as he hadn't expected to ever see the speaker ever again. Turning to face the orange furred wolf who had addressed him, Andor smirked and took her extended hand in his own. As he did this, the Besalisk finally got around to topping off his tray, with a rather unappealing portion of who-knows-what. Deciding that talking with Terrany was preferable to waiting in line for more gruel, Andor slipped out of line and moved over to the pilot.

"I've been doing quite alright, how about you? How's the front treating you?"

 

[Reidly]

"I'm doing fine. I'm not dead yet, so that's a plus. Couple close calls, though." She turned to show off a fresh bandage on her leg, presumably from a battle of some kind.

"What brought you here? Or were you just so lonely you sought me out?" She teased. She was curious as to why a mercenary would be all the way out to the front, especially someone who looked as competent as him. Turning back to face him, she took in his aromatic scent that she enjoyed so much before raising an eyebrow.

 

[The Captain]

"Nah, me and my company got shore leave, so I decided to get a decent meal." Looking down at his disappointing meal, he pushed it away slightly. "I guess that isn't happening, though."

Laughing for a second, Andor fixed his gaze on Terrany's leg, showing visible concern at her injury. Thankfully that seemed to be the extent of the injuries she had received since their last encounter. Remembering this, combined with her suggestive comments, caused the mercenary to visibly blush.

 

[Reidly]

"Someone's nervous~" She laughed and punched his shoulder playfully. "So how long do you plan on staying? A better question is, you need a place to stay?" Boy, she loved teasing him, almost as much as she did to her siblings.

"Don't get too attached," She thought to herself.

 

[The Captain]

"N-no, no, we have a place set up for the squad for a few days." She was toying with him, it was plastered all over her face. If she was going to tease him, he was more than willing to play. "How about you? We've got plenty of space in the barracks, and I'm no one will object." He leaned in a bit, smirking and raising an eyebrow.

 

[Reidly]

She couldn't help but chuckle at that. She leabed in close to the Zabrak, close enough to where he could smell her breath. "Maybe later, hornhead. Can't have you too wound up for your shore leave. Would ruin the point of a relaxing break, wouldn't it?" She poked his shoulder lightly and grinned. "Why don't you introduce me to your company? Maybe get to know each other more."

 

[The Captain]

"Hah! You really wanna meet the lunatics I got saddled with?" Andor might talk smack about his squad, but they were good people. Except Merun, that guy was an idiot. However, if Terrany really wanted to meet his squadmates, he wouldn't stop her. But first, he needed some food, even if that food looked like the smoldering remains of a garbage squid.

 

[Reidly]

"They sound like my kinda people." She grinned finishing up her meal quickly. Military life had all but numbed her tastebuds, but she could still tell a good meal over a bad one. "Maybe I'll show you mine afterwards." Her own squad was also kn shire leave, so maybe a little competition could be in order...

 

[The Captain]

"If you insist, just let me finish this gruel here." Chuckling for a second, Andor carved into his pile of unidentifiable food stuffs, trying hard to look like he was savoring every bite.

After he finished his...slop...Andor lead Terrany to the facility that the ADI and Mandalorian government had set up for shore leave. While the barracks wasn't owned by the ADI, they were allowed to use it as a sort of hotel or stopping point for traveling squads. Standing at the entrance of the barracks Andor's squad was using, was a massive Trandoshan male smoking a cigar.

"Hey, Grasshok!"

"Lt. Hais!" The soldier straightened up almost instantly, before a brief salute from Andor seemed to make him relax. The reptile watched with genuine interest as his C.O. brought a Shistavanen woman to the barracks door. He looked her over with obvious skepticism, his cigar still clenched between his fangs.

 

[Reidly]

Terrany raised an eyebrow at the much taller Trandoshan, meeting his skeptical gaze with a similarly curious gaze. "Smoking kills, you know. Ever thought of quitting?" Even with complete strangers, her playful attitude reigned supreme over manners.

"My name's Terri. I met with Andor a while back, and he's showing me around." She stuck out a hand to shake. "I'm with the Border Alliance, as welll, so no funny buisness, you hear?" Best to get that detail out of the way, so it doesn't bite her tail later.

 

[The Captain]

Grallock simply took another puff of his cigar, blowing the smoke off to the side and into the wind, trying to be courteous to someone with an obviously heightened sense of smell. He waited her entire statement to end before responding, as if measuring her words before replying.

"So your BA huh? Good to see someone doing something about those nutters on the fringes, nice to meet you." The reptile took her hand firmly in his own, shifting his incredulous expression to a warm, toothy smile. "C'mon in, the boys are getting settled in."

Holding the door open, both Andor and Grallock allowed Terrany to enter the barracks first. The first room was undecorated, with sparse accomedations and rather unpleasant looking bunks. A few crates of supplies and personal suitcases were situated around certain bunks, indicating who might be sleeping there. The door to the second room was closed, with lights and sounds pouing through the door.

 

[Reidly]

"You guys put up with living like this? I don't give you mercenary folk enough credit." With a laugh, her attention soon focused on the door with the sounds. "I take it that's your plan for relaxation?" She raised an eyebrow and let her tail wag. If there was a party, that usually meant dancing, and she loved to dance.

 

[The Captain]

Party might have been a stretch, as what was actually happening was the remainder of the squad standing around in the mess hall with a holo-radio playing, drinking and shooting the breeze. As the door pushed open, the assembled soldiers turned to the door to see who was coming in. Grallock entered first, and was greeted like an old friend, with smiles and lighthearted gestures. When Andor entered the room, the group tried to snap to attention, but a simple hand gesture told them there was no need. It was Terrany, however, who seemed to catch them all off-guard.

The assembled soldiers were a mix of men and women, with a few different species being present in their ranks. Their clothes, expressions, and what they were doing each told a story about who they were, but right now there was only one story on their collective minds; Terrany's. Well, perhaps not all their minds, as a male Chiss private slid off his seat, setting down his pazzack cards, before sauntering up to Terrany, grinning.

"Well hello there, little lady."

 

[Reidly]

Terrany gave the Chiss private a once-over, chuckling. "Hello to you too," She said, "My name's Terrany, not 'little lady'. I would prefer a more polite term, if you were going to hit on me the first second i walked through the door. I'll let it slide this time, but you best be wary on flirting with a senior officer." She strode past the private, glancing up to the others. "Don't let me get in the way of your fun!" She said, smiling brightly.

 

[The Captain]

And there was the inevitable flirtation backfire that the squad was waiting for, and they burst into laughter as Merun snapped to shaky attention. He hadn't expected an ADI officer to show up here, and he was completely embarrassed for his statement.

"S-sir-er...I mean ma'am, I-"

"At ease, Merun, she's BA, not ADI."

The statement that Terrany was Border Alliance garnered...mixed reactions from the present soldiers. Some seemed approving a supportive, some seemed contemptuous and disregarding, and some just didn't give a visible damn. Grallock and two human women gestured over to Terrany, nodding for her to join them in their game of sabbac. There were the people who seemed to agree with Terrany being in the BA. Merun joined another Chiss, a woman, and a Twi'Lek man standing near the back of the barracks, simply chatting and drinking. They had shown neutrality to Terrany's association. The remaining two members of the squad were a human and Pantoran male, who had both shown visible dislike for Terrany's status as a BA soldier.

 

[Reidly]

Terri smiled and sat down at the table, chatting with the others happily. She wasn't too good at keeping a poker face, so her earnings went... out the window. It didn't matter, it was more fun than sitting around all day. "So, how's life been treating you all?" She asked the people who approved of her. "I can't imagine it's the safest job, mercenary work. Then again, all work in the line of fire isn't safe, is it?" She ignored the growing pain in her leg. The wound was acting up, but it wasn't too bad. Not yet at least.

 

[The Captain]

Andor had joined in with the sabbac game alongside Terrany, but quickly backed out when Grallock began wiping the floor with everyone. In his own words, 'I know when I'm beat.' Sitting behind a small pile of wages, valuables, and miscellaneous items that other gamblers had put up, Grallock was grinning from ear hole to ear hole.

"Well, in light of recent events I'm doing pretty good!"

"Oh shut up, scales." The bronze-skinned human, a woman who identified herself simply as Jones, slugged Grallock teasingly on the arm, barely moving the massive reptile. "You risk your hide in every line of work, its just that getting shot at is more fun than getting caught in factory machinery."

"Amen to that!" A short, somewhat pale woman, identified only as Foggs, piped up, showing no regard for the credits she had lost.