Small Starts - Eice's Tale (Social Thread/Character Intro)

[Eice Frex]

((Sorry guys! I forgot it was my turn to post. >.<))
@Darasuum @The Captain @Loco @Insalius

Eice finished the plate of flatcakes, having - she instinctively knew - eaten far too quickly, a fact she would probably come to regret. Her heart, however was pounding at the stress of her new situation, and she chewed her lower lip, giving a slight whimper which the translator interpreted as a modulated squawk. The fact was that she was startled, and stressed, and still hungry, and the weight of her new situation was starting to bear down on her.

Eice was - had been - a valued employee of the Blackrow Hyperlogistics corporation, to the extent Blackrow valued anything besides profit. For her entire adult life, she had overseen the loading of cargo ships, making sure things went where they were supposed to go safely and efficiently. Her entire life had been orderly, well planned; everything seen to, nothing out of place.
Now she was sitting in a cantina somewhere in the back of beyond, surrounded by - admittedly friendly, it seemed - strangers. This was not the company; the company had cast her out. She was wanted in the Corellian systems, accused of crimes that were not her fault... and she was dependent on the kindness of strangers merely to feed herself.

With a sob, Eice buried her face in her palms, the full weight of her situation settling on her. How was she going to survive?!
"Th-Thank you for the flatcakes..." she finally managed to Daesha, drying her eyes. "...but I don't... really have a way to repay you. I sort of came here by accident and... I-I just found out I got... f-fired, because of it."
To someone who had not been raised within a monolithic corporation which demanded absolute loyalty from its employees and instilled it from kindergarten on, the word "fired" - even through the translator - seemed to carry undue weight.

 

[Daesha Keever]

This human really couldn't take a hint, could he? Trying to barge into a conversation taking pictures and prattling on when one of the women he was addressing was clearly on the verge of a breakdown and the other couldn't understand a word he was saying. She shot the man a glare that could cow a raging gundark before turning back to Eice, who was almost bent over in her chair shaking and sobbing. Daesha would be lying if she said she didn't see a little bit of herself in the Tintinna, a little girl lost and alone in a world that she didn't understand, surrounded by strange, often invasive or indifferent people. But Daesha at least had the mental luxury of choosing that hellish lifestyle, Eice wasn't a runaway, she was a victim of cruel circumstance, and she seemed terrified for it. And while Daesha would normally tell someone in a tight spot to haul themselves up by their spaceboot straps, it was clear that this particular person was in way too far and way too fast to simply pull themselves out of the situation. What struck Daesha, though, was the particular emphasis Eice put on being fired, like it was a Hutt deathmark or something. Where did she come from where business was so karking important?

"W-Well hey, listen. Its just some flatcakes, nothing to worry about." She began, tentatively placing one of her calloused engineer's hands on the rodent's shoulder. "But if you're in a tight spot, I could always use some reliable extra hands. What did you do before all of...uh...this?"

Now the truth of the matter was that Daesha didn't need another crewmate, in fact she had taken the Ossein job specifically because she had been running low on credits and supplies. But she couldn't bring herself, in whatever good conscience she had left, to abandon Eice on this rust-bucket without offering her something. A new job, a connection, some credits, even a friend, she just wouldn't be able to sleep tonight having gotten so invested in the little rodent just to leave her twisting in the wind, lost and alone.

 

[Dedric Ryker]

____________

The man with the bright shirt was almost as loud as his clothes. The blue skinned twi'lek seemed to be a bit annoyed by his presence and the smaller rodent-ish female was similarly off put by him. Dedric on the other hand was bored and not drunk enough to start dancing. "Screw it" he said to himself. It was loud enough for anyone sitting next to him to hear but otherwise went on unheard thanks to the music playing and the loud customers. Taking what was left of his drink he threw back his current serving of whiskey. The bartender came by and poured him another which he treated the same as his first.

Moving his neck from either side he cracked the joints and exhaled as he felt them pop. It was a personal habit that he just couldn't shake. Some people found such an act displeasing to witness or hear but for those that did such an act it was relieving. Tippi probably knew what was coming next. Dedric, unlike many men, was willing to get rejected. People were afraid of taking a chance, talking to a girl they saw, and getting shot down. But the bar was not hostile air-space and he was not a delicate flower. Aware of how attractive he was and the fact that he was going to have a good time regardless of success he stood up and walked over to the twi'lek and her new found friend.

"Excuse me..." he leaned in just enough so that the twi'lek and the tintinna knew he was talking to them. "I thought i'd come over here and say hello. My friend and I think you lovely ladies are rather pretty and we'd like to buy you two a drink." He left it open to see if they accepted. He glanced over at Tippi to see what his expression was. Half of the fun with attending cantinas was to enjoy the company of your friends and either the Chadra'fan was loathing him, ashamed of him, or completely embarrassed. Hopefully not disappointed in him but it wouldn't be the first time Tippi had indicated as much.

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[Eice Frex]

Eice reached up to wipe her eyes with the back of her forearm, blinking a little and adjusting her glasses. She took a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm herself before she replied, resisting a squeak at the feel of the twi'lek's unexpected but kind hand on her shoulder.

"Th-Thank you..." she murmured, feeling slightly guilty. "Well... I used to work for Blackrow Hyperlogistics... third generation."
There was a bit of lingering pride in her voice as Eice spoke the words "third generation," but it was reflex, and the remembrance of her current standing with the company caused her ears to droop a bit.
"B-Blackrow is a big shipping firm out of Corellia. I... suppose you Ossein might call them 'the competition,' that's what the bosses always said you were. Anyway, I'm-... er, used to be, one of their loadmasters at the local company spaceport. Just like my parents were, and their parents before them."
She curled her small hands into fists, fighting back a fresh wave of anguish. Mixed in, though, was a new feeling... betrayal? She supposed it was appropriate, actually. She had given her life, her dreams to the company! How could they accuse her of-
She shook her head.
"I got sent out to take a survey of our big freight marshaling yard... my flight crew never showed, b-but I've had pilot training, so I went out myself. One moment, I'm filling out a report on a container that had drifted out of position, the next-"
She shuddered, and gritted her teeth.
"Th-The next, I wake up with my skiff lying on its side in the hold of a drone barge, already well on its way to the Outer Rim. The company fleet execs are cheapskates; there wasn't even a hypercomm aboard, no way I could contact anyone and say what happened..."

Eice was finishing her story when she heard someone else's voice. Turning, she waited for the translator to interpret, and felt a blush color the insides of her ears. Blinking, she looked up at the Morganian, and then at the Tintinna sitting next to him.
"A-A drink?"

 

[Tippi Snibit]

Oh boy, Tippi thought as he Dedric moved in for his first pass, here we go. These usually went one of two ways- either Dedric went home with someone other than Tippi, or the duo got in a cantina brawl. Tippi hoped that second option wasn't in the stars for them tonight, because the big man in the bright funny shirt looked awfully dangerous, even though he seemed friendly enough. Tippi hated getting into brawls here- at his height, the best he could do was squeal and hit people in the shins with his wrench- but he was duty bound to stick with his wingman. Hopefully it would be fun this time.

Tippi waddled back to the bar and climbed up onto his stool to sit down again, legs kicking freely under him as he waved to the females Dedric had swooped in on. A wave was probably a weird choice, but Tippi didn't really know what to do in these sorts of situation. He took a long gulp of his lomin-ale, the froth sticking to his snout. He didn't feel nearly drunk enough for this, but oh well, he thought. Maybe it would be an adventure.

 

[Daesha Keever]

Blackrow Kriffing Hyperlogistics, now that was a name Daesha knew well. The Blackrow company had large-scale shipping outside of Republic and Hutt space by the throat, to put it politely, and were even less forgiving of competition and smugglers like her. A lot of buddies were splattered all over the galaxy by Blackrow, so it was shocking to say the least that someone as sweet as Eice was working for them, let alone for three generations of the Frex family. She refrained from saying that she was pleased that Eice wasn't working for sociopaths anymore, as she seemed to value the job more than just an employee. That wasn't the only thing Eice said that caught her off guard though, as the little Tintinna seemed to think she was an Ossein pilot. She wasn't, just working with them for their independent jobs, but she could see how someone not fully versed with their ways might think that. Usually Ossein pilots had some identifying marks of their culture, unique accessories or patches indicating their affiliation or home ship.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not Ossein. I'm an independent captain." She hated to correct Eice while she was clearly in distress, but hopefully it might take her mind off of what happened. Being left behind and abandoned by her company seemed like a betrayal, and if her family was as loyal to the company as they seemed odds were Eice was a Frex in name only as of today. Damn.

She would have offered a sympathetic line, or at least something similar to one, when someone else decided to barge into a clearly emotionally charged conversation featuring a highly distressed young Tintinna. Some Morganian clown whose carefully calculated lean and strained attempt at a smooth tone told Daesha that he was interested in one very specific thing. The little Chadra-Fan with the froth-moustache and the comical wave who the Morganian gestured too seemed harmless enough, but she doubted that Aurek: He was just being friendly and Besh: That he was interested in the Rutian. Turning back to Eice, she pointed at the less-than-dynamic duo dismissively and cocked an eyebrow.

"They are trying to pick us up, right?"

 

[Dedric Ryker]

____________

Looking between the two, Dedric cocked an eyebrow that accompanied half smile. The twi'lek ignored him as she spoke in Huttese. The man was able to understand what she said and spoke up in response. Hutt space was a large area of the galaxy so knowing how to speak with one's client was useful. However the blue skinned woman was not a client. <"Indeed I am. I don't think I've seen you before. Dedric Ryker"> He extended a hand that had only been covered in grime minutes ago but now was washed clean. The jazaq would wait until it was clear the woman wanted to shake it or not before continuing.

Next he waved for Tippi to come over and join the small group. Dedric could see his friend talk to Eice as he conversed with the Twi'lek. The man was more than capable holding two conversations simultaniously in an environment such as this. But he also did not want to leave his friend out of the picture. The more the merrier was an apropriate saying in Dedric's book.


The bartender droid was moving around between patrons. It's photorecpetors must have picked up eye contact with Dedric because it came over. Continuing to speak in huttese he placed an order <"An Ithorian Mist, Lomin Ale, and for these ladies..."> He turned back to look at both the twi'lek and the tintinna for an answer of their desired beverage. He had indicated he was already buying. The bartender would grab glasses and make Dedric's and Tippi's drink as it waited for the following libation orders.

@The Captain @AutoFox @Loco ​

 

[Eice Frex]

Eice's face fell slightly at Daesha's words. "Ah! S-Sorry... I'd just heard there was an Ossein home ship in dock today and-..."
The petite female shook her head, and glanced over at the two males.
"...um..."
The Tintinna glanced around for a menu holo, but the little station cantina didn't appear to have one. Biting her lip, she tried to think back on drinks she knew; she didn't usually drink, but in this setting, she felt it appropriate.
Maybe it'll make things easier.
"Er... a syrspirit old fashioned, I-I guess?" She said, a little nervous.

 

[Daesha Keever]

Figures that the first person in this bar that she met would be some seedy Morganian kriffer looking to peel her out of her flightsuit. For some reason beyond her comprehension Twi'leks seemed to be natural head turners, Rutians in particular, and most of her trips to the cantina ended up with some poor fool doubled over on the floor trying to make sure she hadn't broken anything. Of course, she was sure there hadn't been much there to damage in the first place, but still. At least this one seemed to have some semblance of charm and self-awareness, not displeasing to the eye either. And as long as he was offering to pay for drinks, she could afford to spend some time getting wasted at his expense. So, taking his faintly greasy hand, she gestured to the open seat next to her.

"Corellian rum, as long as he's paying for it." She joked, patting the Morganian on the back as she placed her order. Instantly the bartender droid went to work preparing their drinks, bustling back and forth behind the bar. As the Chadra-Fan took a seat next to Eice, Daesha turned to her would-be date for the evening to perhaps clarify her response to the bartender, smooth over Eice's situation, and maybe wring some free credits from the man for sympathy.

"Poor girl is having one of the worst days of her life." She muttered, trying to ensure neither rodent overheard her. "Had to cover some flatcakes and that busted translator 'cause she was broke, so I figured a gentlebeing like you wouldn't mind picking up the tab a little."

 

[Dedric Ryker]

____________

The man cocked his head at the small female's choice of libation. "You have decent taste." The bartender automtion heard the Tintinna's order and made it without the Ossein having to repeat it. "There is an Ossein flagship docked actually. It's quite the sight." For Dedric the flagship was home but it was still a marvel. He could literally look out a viewport and actually say 'i can see my house from here' without it being an exaggeration or joke.

The blue skinned twi'lek chimmed in explaining the situation. From her tone of voice though he was not sure whether to make it as a type of con. The man was not easily swindled and he did not find himself in the mood to deal with women who thought they would take advantage of someone's generosity just because it was a drinking establishment. That was the type of thing young women did when they learned they could use sex as a weapon and Dedric found it to be a turn off. It was just glorified panhandling which he did not indulge anyways. But Dedric would not let that possibility kill his buzz. Hopefully she was telling the truth and there was still some fun to be had.

"I learned very early on not to volunteer others. I'm all for buying drinks but if you want food then you'll have to wait until I make you dinner." It was a way of him trying to weed out the type of person the woman was. He attire and posture said enough but Dedric was still curious. He would not dismiss her so easily. In truth he had never really made any food but flatcakes. Most of his dishes had been purchased from the shipboard mess or store bought non-perishables. Flat cakes, and flat cakes with syrup where what he knew how to make. It was not like he had a kitchen of his own back on board the Flagship anyways.

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