| I'm Sleeping With a Skinjob! |
| Summary: | A group of Marines grab dinner. Jaxon Swick appears. Hilarity and drama ensue. |
| Date: | 26/Sept/2016 |
| Related Logs: | None |
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| Checkpoint Charlie's |
| The first structure completed on Piraeus was a 'recreation center' that was thinly veiled as such. Checkpoint Charlie's is in every other way a blue collar bar with an unsurprising bent towards the military establishment. Camouflage netting hangs from the ceiling with some kind of dried vine tangled throughout. On the walls are pictures and mementos of times past on the planet they currently reside on. There are a few billiards tables smuggled out to Piraeus specifically for this location, along with card tables and an fully functional line of taps and kegs mounted to, perhaps unsurprisingly, a beat-up but taken-care-of oak bar. The matching stools and wood tables seem to indicate that the construction workers may have disassembled someone else's bar back on the Colonies. The story even goes that the name is taken from a former bar on Aerilon that happened to resemble, very closely, this particular establishment. |
| Thu Apr 13 2006 (AWD #462) |
New Corspman? That's enough of a reason to celebrate in Randy's mind that she's been recruiting people to come down and do just that, even opportunistically grabbing people on the way to the shuttle to shove into the Raptor. The gang grows. Randy makes sure to have her two new charges in tow, Miri and Gray. "Oi so this is the lovely place you can let your hair down in. Officers go in there," she points to the lounge entrance and then just flops her hand at it as she moves to the bar. She's in her standard civvie digs, an old black bomber jacket from the previous war that's a little too long in the sleeves, some fading black jeans, and a hoodie, thought his time it's a bright blue, still left open to her double tanks left over from her shift. The place is hopping tonight. Apparently they aren't the only people who have something to celebrate. More new transfers? Probably. Every one counts. When she gets to the bar, Randy leans over to get the tender's attention and murmur something to him. He nods and starts getting shotglasses ready.
Angelis is dressed in civvies too! A pair of jeans faded white with age, displaying more than a few patches and fixes, a faded blue tanktop covered over by an ancient brown leather jacket and her regular boots. She doesn't head straight for the bar though, bright blue eyes spotting someone across the room, and she heads in his direction instead, "Catch up with you in a minute," She says in passing to Randy. Reaching her target, Tabi pulls up a chair, and spins it around so that she can straddle it using the back as a rest for her arms and rocking it forward slightly as she strikes up a conversation with the poor soul.
Dressed in civilian clothing as well, Fischer steps inside, looking around before he starts heading towards the bar. He looks around, offering a grin and a nod to some of the people present. "Hey, Jenkins, how are you today?" he offers to one man in particular.
Miri happily follows her guide into the bar. She dressed up a little for the occasion, donning a light, fluttery sleeveless scoop-neck sundress in a rich burgundy. "You buying?" she asks Randy cheekily.
Gray is also in what is probably close to his only pair of civvies: He's got a leather jacket and a pair of jeans on over top of his double tank. He quietly follows Randy over to the bar proper and grins at Miri's question. "I sure won't object if she is."
Knox is the next in, stepping in behind the group. He's in his Marines parka against the cold with a red t-shirt and jeans. The guy looks casual as can be, tugging off his black and white stocking cap. The cap is tucked into the pocket of the jacket as he gets closer inside and moves towards the bar. Randy is made contact with and he gives an Upnod of Bro-Standing to her as he sidles up to order a beer.
"Yeah, this round is on me. I have some winnings from a triad game the other night," so everyone's reaping the benefits apparently. Randy grins and turns to lean against the bar standing between the stools. She nods in return to Knox, a brief dip of her head. "Oi, Knox. Meet our FNGs. This is Miri and Gray." Yeah, even with the Upnod of Bro-Standing, he can't get out of this routine. Now is when the shots arrive. It's some amberish yellow liquid that's been chilled. To those who've been around, it's a liquor made from a Piraean plant extract. It's got hints of Scorpian spices that move through the aftertaste. "Alright, everyone!" Then more people than their party lift their heads in her direction. "Not you and not you!" Randy points without an ounce of shyness. "Bottoms up. Come get your shots." There's at least two for everyone at first glance.
Angelis continues her conversation with the poor soul she's got pinned in the corner. She seems quite relaxed though, cheerfully chattering and laughing. Her partner - not so much. He actually looks a bit uncomfortable. But it's not long before they're shaking hands and Tabi pushes to her feet, leaving the table after a quick handshake. Then she's quickly heading over to join Randy and co. Because shots! She spots Knox and he gets a bright, friendly grin and a finger-wriggling wave, before she sidles up and reaches for her share of the shots. Of course, she waits before drinking, because shots are always more fun as a group.
The new corpsman gives Knox an upnod in kind, eyeing him curiously, but not unkindly. She picks up her first drink and leans over to Gray. "Next round's on you," she volunteers him with a playful grin, waiting for everyone else to get their hooch.
Gray picks up his shots, but also holds off on drinking. He does, however, take a sniff and smiles at the scent of it. Of course, that smile fades slightly when he's volunteered for the next round… "Fair enough as long as…Mary?…gets the third." Man, this is going to be a fun evening.
Cooper gets his beer and looks over to Gray and Miri. He sips it and looks them over a couple seconds and nods. "Welcome to the Three-Eighth. Tip of the spear and all that." The beer is placed to the side. "Sergeant Cooper Knox. If we're not in uniform, Coop works just fine." Looking over to Angelis, he grins at her, "Tabs. Good to see you here, too. Rolling up all the new blood into one place. I like it."
"I'm glad to hear that," Fischer offers to the man he was speaking with, before he moves over to join the others at the bar. "Ah, so this is where the fun is," he offers with a chuckle. There's a grin offered to Knox as well, "Nice to see you out and about too," he offers.
Clara was arm-twisted into showing up here tonight, naturally. Word is there's a new corpsman, and she'll no longer be eating quite so many bullets while trying to put her squadmates back together. She's in her scrubs tonight, having come straight from a duty shift in sickbay assisting with bedpans or birth control shots or whatever they have her doing in there. Spotting the gaggle of marines pretty easily, she hesitates a second then heads over.
Randy hands shots to the people waiting, being such a fantastic facilitator and all. Fischer and Miri get Randy-handed shots and she even nudges some between her and Knox, close enough should he wish to supplement his beer. She lifts the shot glass and raps a little on the bar top, "Alright alright. To fresh blood! And new brothers and sisters. Now slam it." She's a little too busy knocking the shotglass on the bar before downing it to notice Clara's entrance, at least at first. It isn't till the Three is closing the gap to the bar that Randy notices her. She lifts a hand to motion her over, grinning broadly.
Angelis nods to Knox, "Yup… it's kind of like hunting back home. Get your prey in one place, makes it easier to take them out. Sort of like pigeon hunting." She's only half serious, maybe. Blue eyes glint wickedly, accompanied by a low laugh. Tabi catches the bartenders attention and requests a beer to chase the shots with. "Or in this case… get them all drunk. Then make them do extra PT in the morning." It's quite possible that Tabi's quite evil. "Hear! Hear!" With Randy's 'go', she gathers up her shots, one in each hand, raising them in toast before knocking them back, one after the other.
Miri bats her eyes at Gray. "Mary can get the third round, if you can find her," she teases. She gives the new arrivals a winning smile, before turning that winning smile onto Knox, extending her hand. "A pleasure, Coop. Specialist Miri Zahav. Call me Miri, because Zahav sounds like a sneeze and we don't want people thinking you've come down with something." At Randy's signal, she throws back her shot and slides her empty over. "The frak's this made of?" she asks, rubbing her lips together. "My lips are a little numb and I think I like it."
"Fiiiine fine. Shots," Knox laughs. He holds his beer in one hand and the glass in the other. But with Randy's gesturing, he looks over to see his sister. Coop smiles easily to her and holds out the glass for her. "I insist you drink with us, my dear. At the very least to celebrate homecoming." He gives her an easy wink and reaches for another for himself. Angelis grabs his attention back and he laughs, eyes drifting over the female clientele. "Yes. Prey. I like the sound of that." He throws his shot back and then reaches to take Miri's hand. "Awesome. Always need more Corpsmen. Lemme introduce you to someone…" Coop aims Miri to Clara. "This is Specialist Clara Mercier. She's a Corpsman also. She's also fairly new. Maybe a couple months on you but she knows her shit. Damned proud of her."
Gray rolls his eyes at the comment back from Miri. "You know who I'm talking about…" He turns back to Randy's comment. "To brothers and sisters!" and he downs the shot quite happily. Looking over at Cooper he nods. "Nice to meet you, Coop. I've heard a lot about about you." With the hand now emptied of a shot, he extends a hand to him in greeting.
Leaving the empty shot glasses on the bar, Tabi picks up her beer and takes a swig, then shifts out the way so that the medical types can get their intro on. Knox's comment about 'Prey' just makes her laugh out loud. Head shaking a little, she moves letting introductions happen, taking it upon herself to pull a table up closer to the bar, making things a little more sociable than the turning back and forth. A stool is brought up next and Angelis hops up on that, giving herself a good view of the group she arrived with, and most of the bar too. Allowing for plenty people watching.
Nodding a bit as he takes the shot handed to him. "To fresh blood!" he echoes, raising the glass and downing the contents. "Ah…" he mutters, before he looks to the bartender. "Good stuff. Think it can be used in many interesting ways." Looking back to the others again, he grins.
"Homecoming?" Clara mouths to Knox once she draws close enough to be noticed, yet not quite within earshot. Then she's being introduced to someone new, and Miri's the brief recipient of a deer-in-headlights stare from the slender corpsman. "Two months, nine days," she clarifies, not sticking her hand out to shake. Nor smiling, really. "Excuse me," she tells Knox, slithering past her 'brother' to see what Randy wants.
Miri does a damned good job of schooling her expression as a second skinjob comes over. "Hey! I heard these chuckleheads can't seem to keep their blood on the inside and needed another babysitter. Glad to help." She offers Clara her hand.
"Plants!" Randy says way too enthusiastically. She /is/ a nerd…for this pastime. "It's native to the planet," she explains, only turning to Miri after answering. She grins and then starts passing out more for people to drink at will, which she makes very clear by knocking back two more shots as she distributes. Knox gets an eyebrow arched and then a wink.
Knox looks to Gray and takes the hand, giving a solid shake. "Whatever Sergeant Flynn told you is horseshit. I hide behind my radio and haven't fired a shot in anger in my life." Sagenod. Despite the right arm being a little stuff. GSW's do that. To Angelis, he grins. "Damned right. I'm a man with needs. No ring on the finger, now vows given, no knots tied. Finding women with similar goals in life isn't a bad effort, am I right?" Alright alright alright.
Angelis focuses her attention on Knox, giving him a firm nod and a brilliant grin. "Exactly!" She helps herself to one of the shots that Randy's so generously handing out, salutes Coop and knocks it back. Shrugging out of her jacket, she hangs it over the back of her chair, a bit haphazard-like, and chases the shot with a swig of beer. "So…" She sidles up to Randy, "Now we need to find Coop a girl. Or two. Or maybe three… we should totally take him fishing next time."
"Hey, none of us have ever been wounded, right?" Fischer calls out as he hears Miri's words, before he chuckles. "No, we appreciate anyone who glues us together out there." Taking another of those shots, and downs it.
Gray accepts the handshake. "Yeah, but we've all got roles to play and I get the value of someone good on radio. He said you've had his back and that's all I need to know." With that he raises a drink to Coop and nods to invite him to knock one back with him.
Miri downs another shot, before turning her attention to Angelis. "I might not be a mathemagician, but I ocunt at least four girls here. Let's go fishing," she says, shifting her weight against the bar and crossing her arms. She tilts her head a little at Fischer's comment. "Fresh outta glue today. Try not to get shot." Leaning back against Gray's shoulder, she tells him, "Yeah, yeah, round three'll be on me."
Randy's busy being the life of the party, so Mercier's installed herself at a bar stool nearby, slim fingers busying themselves sliding pins out of her carefully coiled bun, and tucking them in a pocket of her scrubs. She half listens to the conversation going on around her, dark eyes never remaining on one face for long.
Coop chuckles to Gray. "I'm a JTAC. It gets a little hectic when I've also gotta get the NCO going. Ever had to do trig in a firefight? It sucks," he laughs. But the shot? Hell yeah. He grabs one up and takes it with Gray. "Where are you coming from, anyway? Aerilon? Picon?"
"Coop?" Last Randy heard, he was still with Afton, though that was a long time ago. When Miri points out the count of women, Randy leans back against the bar on the stool and chuckles. "I like those odds. Sign me up," she says to Miri and Angelis as she grabs some of the last shots between her and Knox and slides off her stool. She relocates over to a seat by Clara and extends a shot glass. "How was your day?" Now that she's gotten the party started, she semi-leaves the scene of the crime like an arsonist ready to watch their handiwork.
Angelis gives Miri a grin, "Well, I think they might object to us hijacking a boat at this time… but maybe we can convince the el-tee we need another fishing trip. The last one was so much fun! I'm currently Queen of the Boat." Randy gets a grin as she moves off to join Clara. "Tabi Angelis, by the way… nice to meet you." The beer gets switched into her off hand, the right one being stuck out along with the introduction, Miri getting a cheerful grin from the Lance Corporal.
Clara looks up when Randy approaches, and a rare smile flickers across her lips. "Hey," she murmurs, fishing a hair elastic festooned with pink sparkles out of her pocket and winding it several times around her newly-created ponytail. "Heard you got a new medic. And some guy who grabbed the bunk above mine." That part causes her to frown slightly. "He'd better not have noisy sex."
Gray nods. "Originally? Scorpia. Since then…got in there once, but not in my home part of the planet. Other than that, mainly Picon."
Miri shakes Tabi's hand. "Hey, Tabi. Miri. See, that's why you don't ask before hijacking the boat…"
Coop nods to Gray. "Picon was an ugly bitch. We did a lot of work there. Glad you made it up." The guy reaches out a fist to bump. He then looks over at Randy and leans on the bar, taking a long pull of the beer. "Speaking of methods of conveyance… I heard Picon has a tank school now. At Crandall. They've got a range set up." He waggles his brow, looking to the others. "Now I'm just a lowly JTAC, but I'm pretty sure Randy could get us on the range because she knows how to boomboom. Isn't that right, Sergeant Flynn." he sliiiiides that look right back at her.
"I can get us a damn boat," Randy sounds pretty sure of herself as she moves along towards Clara. "Then we we don't just have to bring a half full cooler either." She turns her attention back on Clara and smiles in return. "Hey," she says as she sits down. "We did, she's right here. Yep." Griiin. It's just a little too big. She leans to murmur something to Clara. But then Knox is talking about tanks and this seems to get the small Marine's attention just as Angelis introduces herself to Clara. "Maaaybe." Being EOD does have its perks. She didn't go through that damned gauntlet /after/ boot and /after/ tours for nothing! "I'll see what I can do."
Angelis grins at Miri, "See… Sarge is awesome." She fires a fierce grin in Randy's direction, lifting her hand and sending a high five across the space. "And yes… the cooler will be full. We might even need two coolers." She takes a swig on her beer then and looks around, because Knox is mentioning blowing things up, and that's always fun, even for non-EOD-types.
Gray fistbumps Coop right back. "I'd heard that. Not been there, but heard about it." Beat and a hopeful glance to Randy. "I'd love a shot at that if it could be arranged." Then he turns back to Coop. "So, how long you been in?"
Clara looks a little lost with all the fistbumping and talk of tanks and.. coolers? Social settings are obviously not her cup of tea. Though whatever Randy whispers to her causes her to kick the EOD in the shin, under the bar, with the toe of her boot. "Frak you, Flynn." And then she promptly tips back the beer that magically appeared in front of her, for a healthy swallow.
Coop grins to Randy and tilts his beer that direction. "Damned right. You need to make this happen, Rands." He brow waggles and takes a hearty sip before looking back to Gray. "Depends on how you're asking. Technically, at this point, I think about six and a half years. The Cylons dropped me in five years before the bombs went. First wave, Fifth Column. I defected in my own head about three years later. I count my enlisted date as the day I gave them all the middle finger. So probably about three and a half years." He shakes his head a little. "You can train and train and follow your own secret orders. But when you actually lose people close to you in a combat engagement? You feel that visceral loss not just to the people around you, but to you personally? No, frak 'em. They don't know the meaning of loss. They never will. Life is cheap to them. It's bits and code on a wifi connection." he snorts and shakes his head. "Three and a half years. All told, think I've been shot or wounded about two dozen times. You?"
Suddenly all alone at the bar, but Tabi doesn't seem to mind in the slightest. She goes back to people watching, smiling to herself as she drinks down her first beer and orders herself a second. She listens to the boys comparing war wounds with half an ear, occasionally slipping a glance in their direction, which naturally bounces away to land on Randy and Clara, who also get watched for a moment or two. But then it's back to the bar in general.
"Oww." Get shot? Grit through it. Get kicked in the shin? Well. Randy pulls her leg up to rub her shin and makes a mock sad face at Clara, jutting out her lower lip. Then she grins broadly before flagging down the bartender for a beer. "He had to go somewhere." Randy air-high-fives Angelis belatedly, only half paying attention. "How was your day?"
Gray gets another round of shots. It's /technically/ his turn, so that's a good enough excuse, and he actually did like the first two rounds of stuff. "I…no, I get that." Pause. "Bit over two years myself. I was…eight months out of AIT when the nukes flew." Shrug. "Only really had a pair of flesh wounds. Hurt like a bitch both times, but if I'm honest with myself neither was worse than anything I endured growing up. Just wasn't in a position to have happy pills at the time since the fight didn't really stop so I could catch my breath so I felt it more."
Knox nods easily to Gray, understanding. He finishes off his beer and orders another before looking back, "Sucks. I've got implanted memories of my mother beating the shit out of me. I remember it. I can feel it. Here's the grip, though." He reaches for the newly supplied beer and looks back. "In the Three-Eight? Nothing hurts worse than seeing your brother or sister down because you weren't there. You don't show, you wonder if you could have made the difference. You want to be there. We don't frak around." He looks to the other Marines cloistered around. "Brothers and Sisters. All of us. We do not accept less than one hundred percent. Give and take. It doesn't matter the colony, colonial blood in the mud. We put it down." He reaches out to cheers. "Welcome to Orion, The Hunter."
"You deserved it," Clara informs the littler marine remorselessly, before downing more of her drink. It sends a tingly little flush of warmth through her, and there's a soft sigh and shuttering of her eyes for a moment. When they reopen, it's to meet Angelis's glance for a beat before returning her attention to Randy. "Huh? Oh.. I dunno. Fine. I'm helping a pilot with some rehabilitative therapy on her hand, after doctors had to reconstruct the fourth profundus and superficialis tendons.. it's going pretty well, I think." Pause. "How 'bout you?"
"Yeah. It was worth it. Tonight he's sleeping a den of skinjobs and I get to tell him sweet dreams," which Randy seems to get a huge kick out of based on the pleased-as-punch smile she gets while grabbing the beer that's been waiting for her. "What's the fourth profundus and superfic-" she hesitates to say the word, as if almost in a stutter. "Whatever you said…I had to help do some small arms ordnance checks and then played tour guide for the new guys. Pick 'em up, brainwash them in the Orion ways," she half-ass teases before taking a sip of her beer.
<Public> Beef. Cheese. Dropkick says, "Read: Every nWoD game to this point."
Gray raises his drink alongside Coop's. "The Hunter!" He downs his drink and nods. "No, you're right. Even if you /shouldn't/ be there because you're barfing or got a broken ankle or whatever, you want to be." He smiles. "Wouldn't trade it for the world. By the way, you smoke?" Gray asks, producing a pair of cigars and offering one to Coop.
Angelis catches Clara's eye and offers a slightly hesitant smile, before looking away. The fresh beer is picked up, and she takes a long gulp, idly reaching with her free hand to tug on the end of her ponytail. Not really thinking about it, she twists her back, keeping her focus on the room in general, still with her slightly obsessive people watching. Twisting until there's a distinct popping sound, then a short sigh as she straightens again.
"Hell yes, Gray," Coop gives with a solid appreciation. "Hangovers happen and we don't always get twenty-four hours warning on a mission. We roll with who we have." One single brow quirks at the question, though. "Cigarettes? No. Cigars? Absolutely." He holds out a hand and sips the beer before setting it aside. "But if we are smoking cigars, we're drinking whiskey." He reaches into a heavy pocket and pulls out a few chits to toss down, then looking back to Gray. "First time I had one, I hated it. Smoked it because my Captain insisted. Second time?" He chuckles. "We set up a post on Gemenon, evaluating an Air Wing on bombing. We parked at the OP with beers, liquor, and a radio. This Staff from Virgon cracks open a box of cigars. Insists we open his whiskey with it. Godsdamn, one of the best nights." He then seems to catch an idea and looks to the others assembled, all of them. "Hey. Any of you interested in close air support certifications? Sorta-quasi JTAC training?"
Clara gives Randy a look like she objects to being used as a prop for her hazing rituals, and finishes off her beer before instantly asking for another. She is, it seems, determined to get pleasantly drunk tonight. Randy's description of her day gets an equally blank look, though her brows knit slightly when she's reminded of the new corpsman. "She'd better know her shit," she murmurs into her fresh drink. Knox's question gains a quirk of a brow in curiosity, though she's not about to toss her hat in the ring just yet.
"Frak, that sounds like a good time." The value of those nights (and the ensuing hangovers) is something that is hard to place too high in one's mind. And then Coop's idea comes in. "I'll take whatever's on offer." Gray says that with the benefit of three shots (and a fourth inbound) opening him up for a mystery box (which is /never/ a good idea). However…frak it, he's got a good vibe on Coop. "Ok, maybe not /anything/, but…if it can be useful I'll give it a shot."
The mention of her home gets a slight wince from the silent Tabi. She gets a kind of blank look on her face, staring off into space for a few moments. Then turns and orders herself a couple of shots from the bartender, taking a swig of her beer while she waits, no longer watching the room. Apparently the surface of the bar counter is really quite fascinating. Once her shots arrive, she downs them quickly, pushing payment across with her free hand while the other is occupied with glasses. Angelis then seems to return to herself and sends a crooked grin in Knox's direction, "I'm just a dumb rifleman… drink and fight. That's me." She lifts her beer in a sort of mock salute before taking a gulp. That wasn't exactly a no, though, either.
Randy worries her lip at Clara's look, slightly cowed from her enthusiasm just a moment ago. "Sorry," she mutters before working on her beer. Her attention drifts for a moment towards Angelis, finally noticing her still being there and quiet. She arches a brow, watching the woman move to the bar before looking back to Clara. "We keep charges in the small arms lockers. I had to go through them to make sure they were safe," she explains with a little more detail before Clara starts a conversation with her drink. "Don't have time. LT's got me bombing the pilots. I have a feeling he's going to tell me to do a bunch of things just because he can and I'm his shiny new toy and old good friend."
"Oh it was great. We had our DD working the radio while the rest of us had a party." Coop laughs, holding his grin. But he looks to the others and shrugs. "Up to you guys. Offer is on the table." Looking ot Gray, he nods easily. "Cool. Once I work off my hangover tomorrow I'll slide you a test to work on. Open book. Just finish it when you have time. What we do is rare so it's actually in the charter for our units to try and teach it where we can." He looks back to Angelis, though.
<Public> Beef. Cheese. Dropkick says, "Here's what I need updated:"
You paged Knox with 'OOCly how're we going to handle this?'
"Bombing the pilots?" Clara repeats, running her fingertip around the rim of her glass while Randy is fixed with a puzzled look. She doesn't seem particularly put out about the bunk thing, or the 'den of skinjobs'; it's not really like her to take offense to things that are.. well, true. "Coop's just buzzed," she tells Gray with a sardonic look. "This is his version of I love you guys." She tries to put on Knox's voice there, complete with a fingergun or two for emphasis.
Angelis stares down into the bottom of her beer glass, shrugs to herself and downs the drink like it's water. She sets her now empty glass on the counter and pushes away. She catches Knox's look and just offers a diluted version of her usual smile as she moves to reclaim her jacket off the back of the long since abandoned chair. Sliding it on, she looks over at Randy, Tabi offers her a quick nod before making toward the exit, hands finding themselves stuffed into pockets, head down. Quick, clean exit.
"In the Killhouse. Marines vs Pilots. We hunt, they try to survive through it. I can't tell if he's joking or not but he said that's how he's going to test my skills," Randy rolls her eyes. "I /disarm/ bombs. I'm not some special forces rockstar, but whatever." She shrugs and tips back the rest of that beer, then gets the bartender's attention for another one. Her awkwardness seems to pass as she notices Clara isn't hanging onto anything. As Angelis gets up to leave, Randy nods to the woman and grins. Then Clara's impression sends her into a small, impulisve fit of laughter.
"Sounds like a plan." Gray glances over at Clara and shrugs. "If he's buzzed already then he's a real lightweight. I don't think he's /that/ light…" And then Randy's suggestion also crosses his ears, and all he can think of is that if /half/ of what's being talked about tonight happens this is one of the best nights he'll have ever been part of if only for what it started. "But if all else fails, what's the right way to say 'I love you too'?"
Coop looks to Clara and smirks. "Its a family thing. You do it more now than I do." And then.. then he does it. Both hands. Hammers cocked, kerpow. "Gotcha." He just laughs.
Clara tries, really tries not to smile when Knox pulls out his own fingerguns. She takes a sip of her drink, and sputters on it when he 'shoots' her. Hand clutched to her chest, she collapses bonelessly against Randy's shoulder, and gives Angelis a flutter of her fingers in farewell. "Uh.." She starts to sit up again, fingertips brushing her bangs out of her eyes. "..I think that does make you a special forces rockstar, Flynn."
Randy's laughter only renews at the small theatre being played out. When Clara collapses against Randy's shoulder, she sets her beer down and applies make-believe bandaids to the 'exit wound' in Clara's back. "All better." She's all smiles, eyes shining when Clara starts to withdraw. Her compliment is received with silence, a wide-eyed sip of beer, and fiery cheeks..oh and ears.
"Thank you, nurse," chirps Mercier in a falsetto that's a few notes higher than her usual voice. She's had a few drinks, which are probably to blame for her uncharacteristic silliness tonight. Then, of course, her MP escort has to put a pin in her fun and inform her it's time to go. Before she turns into a pumpkin. The medic leans in to tell Randy something, then slides off her stool and shuffles off for the door. Knox and Gray are bid farewell with a mumbled "Seeya," as she passes.
Finishing his last drink, and feeling the effects start to catch up to him, Gray also mumbles something before making his way out and towards sleep. "Night, everyone."
"Lame," Randy declares when the MP steps in to deliver Clara back to the Orion, just trying to recover from turning into something resembling a tomato. She blinks a few times at whatever Clara tells her and then turns to stare after the Three a touch wide-eyed. "Bye." As soon as Clara is gone, Randy takes a deep breath and orders a nightcap to nurse until she's ready to get into a Raptor.