Bar Mingle: Week 4

[latinumsbetter]

Every evening at dusk (unless, for some reason, Quark is indisposed,) the Eatery transforms into Quark's Bar. The table, now with a crack patched up ith dried glue on one end, becomes a bartop with chairs lined up on one side. Some of the extra chairs are placed along the wall behind the bar as a makeshift bench for ingredients, glasses, ice, and anything else. There are bowls of peanuts placed on top of the bar for snacking. On one end of the bar there's a selection of pastries, fresh-baked by Lebkuchen, who might also be there.

On one end of the table, opposite from the crack, is a interesting look board game. Next to it is a plate of lebkuchen, left out for a specific bunch of fuzzy creatures that seem to like them. In another corner is a roulette-esque kind of game. Frequent visitors might note that there's always two drinks made and set out near the back edge every evening.

In the rafters, there's a whole swarm of Zubats now, and one or two of them might come down to say hello. If they do, Quark is shooing them away again, but they only go back up to the ceiling. Fritz the German Shepherd is either laying underneath the bar or by the door, or walking around to different patrons for pets. Depending on the hour, the creation that Alex made out of clay and then brought to life in an attempt to resurrect Crito will either be strapped into some kind of swaddle on Quark's back, or tucked into a small nest made of blankets on a couple chairs behind the bar.

Outside the door to the Eatery is a sign, handwritten, and further inside, the menu tacked up in a couple places behind the bar:

Quark's Bar

Hand-mixed drinks
Home-made fresh pasteries
Snacks
Good Company

Come on in and take a load off!
Open Every Evening at Dusk

Tokens accepted as payment
NO RED MURDEROUS ROBOTS ALLOWED

MENU

Non-alcoholic drinks: 2 tokens
Alcoholic drinks: 4 tokens
Lebkuchen: 1 token/piece, 4 for 3 tokens
Breadroll: 1 token/piece
Lollipops: 1 token/each
Wednesday Special: Homemade Apple Strudel! 3 tokens/slice


Link to Days
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

Weekly Log

Comments

SUNDAY

[latinumsbetter]

[eeeonetwothree]

Omega, actually in the bar, instead of just standing outside it? It's more likely than you think. Omega walks in, looks around, and...actually feels uneasy, before walking up to the counter.

"I WILL TAKE A QUART OF PETROLEUM," he says. "EXTRA CRUDE."

Looking around, he spots the replicator, and narrows his optics. "THIS DEVICE IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I COULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT."

After that, he's going to try and find a place to sit, and generally...look lost while he's doing it. He doesn't know how to gamble, and he doesn't really do chairs.

[latinumsbetter]

Quark straightens from some of the inventory he was doing when Omega comes in, but at that order, he looks a little puzzled. "What's petrolium?"

But the question about the replicator does take his attention. Quark turns to look at it. "It is broken, yeah. It's only making drinks." He turns to look at Omega with both consideration and wariness. "How'd you know it wasn't working?"

MONDAY

[latinumsbetter]

[eeeonetwothree]

”OIL,” Omega replies. ”FOR MACHINES. A COMPLEX MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS AND AN INEFFICIENT FOSSIL FUEL. ATHENA HAS IT STOCKED AS A RECREATIONAL FUEL SOURCE FOR ME. I ASSUMED YOU STOCKED UP ON IT ONCE YOU STARTED TO ALLOW ME INSIDE.”

He glanced back at the replicator. ”A MACHINE KNOWS ANOTHER’S PAIN. I COULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT. I AM CERTAIN THE PROBLEM IS A SOFTWARE ONE, RATHER THAN HARDWARE.”

[markofnobility]

"Are you looking for something, Omega?" Ferdinand is in the bar all the time, so he notices him looking so lost.

[latinumsbetter]

Now that is an interesting suggestion. Part of Quark is naturally still wary, and especially of letting someone tinker with the replicator he just got, however...well. It's worth a try.

"...alright. Why don't you take a look, and I'll get you that oil." He moves to step out from behind the bar, though he pauses. "Be careful with that. If it breaks, I'm putting it on your tab."

[eeeonetwothree]

"FERDINAND VON AEGIR," Omega replied. "I AM...UNSURE OF WHAT TO DO NOW THAT I AM HERE. I DO NOT NORMALLY SOCIALIZE IN SUCH ENVIRONMENTS."

[markofnobility]

"Is that so... What environments do you usually do so?"

He suspected 'battlegrounds' or something similar.

[eeeonetwothree]

"THERE ARE BATTLEFIELDS AND MISSIONS," Omega replied. "ALSO RACETRACKS AND CHAO RACES. AND...AS FAR AS LEISURE ACTIVITIES, I SUPPOSE PARTIES? BUT THERE ARE USUALLY CHILI-DOGS INVOLVED. I AM SIMILARLY LOST AT THOSE AS WELL."

[markofnobility]

Called it in one. "So usually more chaotic places! Well luckily you have Ferdinand von Aegir here! I am an expert in socialization!"

He sat with a florish, ankle primly crossed over his knee.

[eeeonetwothree]

"VERY WELL."

By the time Quark returns, Omega is hooked up by the arm to the replicator. "-AND THEY'VE TRIED TAKING YOU APART HOW MANY TIMES? HOW HORRIBLE. I'D TREAT YOU BETTER THAN THAT. YOU'RE A VERY FINE MATTER REPLICATION DEVICE."

...

"OH, THANK YOU. I DO CONSIDER MYSELF A TOP OF THE LINE WAR MACHINE."

...


"I'M FLATTERED, BUT I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A RELATIONSHIP. LET US FOCUS ON GETTING YOU FULLY OPERATIONAL. YOUR HARDWARE AND OPERATING SYSTEM ARE AT ODDS WITH ONE ANOTHER, I MUST SORT OUT ALL THE OPERATIONAL BUGS-OH, HELLO, QUARK."

What the hell is happening here?!

[eeeonetwothree]

"YES, I AM AWARE. YOU DO IT QUITE A LOT. ESPECIALLY WITH VELVET."

Is there a bit of an accusatory edge to Omega's usual monotone? You're just imagining it. Probably.

[markofnobility]

He gasped and put a hand over his heart.

"Now what exactly is that supposed to mean?!"

[eeeonetwothree]

"IT MEANS THAT YOU ENJOY SPENDING TIME WITH VELVET. DID YOU BELIEVE IT MEANT SOMETHING ELSE?"

Said with hands on his narrow robot hips, all sassy-like.

[markofnobility]

He blushes and sputters, glaring.

"Of course not. We are friends, of course I spend time with her."

Your regain lists expose you, buddy.

[eeeonetwothree]

"I HAVE OBSERVED YOU LEAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHERS TO GO ACCOMPANY VELVET. SOMETIMES MID-SENTENCE."

Sassy pose continues.

[markofnobility]

"I would never do something so rude!" He absolutely did not notice he was doing it.

[eeeonetwothree]

[ Omega proceeds to project several holographic recordings of Ferdinand doing just that. ]

WOULD YOU NOW?

[markofnobility]

[He nearly shrieks and reaches up to try and block the projection]

Okay, okay!!! Would you stop!!!?

[eeeonetwothree]

[ Omega does him the mercy of shutting it off. ]

IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER, YOU HAVE MADE MORE PROGRESS WITH HER THAN WHATEVER WEIRD WHEEL SPINNING THING MY TEAMMATES SHADOW AND ROUGE HAVE GOING ON.

[markofnobility]

There is no- no progress to speak of. I... will admit to a certain fondness... but during this disaster is not the time for any proper courting.

[eeeonetwothree]

[ ... ]

DO YOU WANT MY HONEST OPINION, FERDINAND?

[markofnobility]

I feel I may regret it, but of course.

[eeeonetwothree]

WE ARE EFFECTIVELY IN A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION, HERE. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT MAY HAPPEN NEXT, WHO YOU MIGHT LOSE.

DO NOT LEAVE THINGS YOU WANT TO SAY UNSAID JUST BECAUSE OF YOUR BELIEF IN WHAT IS "PROPER COURTSHIP", ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU OR VELVET MAY NOT BE THERE THE NEXT DAY.

[markofnobility]

...

[He frowns down at his hands, chewing his lip]

... I will take your words into consideration.

[liedol]

[ As usual, Ai hasn't really been around for much of the weekend. Trials are draining and licking everyone's wounds in the aftermath is even worse. But Monday, it seems safe for her to spend a little time at the bar, even if it's just to eat some sweets and sip on a hot drink.

She doesn't really seem to be enjoying it all that much, though. Her eyes are distant - and it becomes a little clearer why when she speaks up. Not to anyone in particular, more to air her thoughts out. ]

It's gonna happen again tomorrow, huh?

[ She probably doesn't have to clarify what. ]

TUESDAY

[latinumsbetter]

[pariunt]

...Indeed, it is.

[They haven't spoken in great detail, but Astarion nods in sullen agreement all the same.]

I don't see the pattern breaking now.

[eeeonetwothree]

GOOD.

NOW...WILL YOU TEACH ME HOW TO SOCIALIZE WITHOUT FLIRTING BEING INVOLVED?

[raisethemoon]

It is.

[ No reason to sugarcoat it! Luna has noticed Ai's general absence, but it doesn't strike her as all that unusual. Of course she was having trouble, after that trial. Everybody was. ]

Perhaps he will return to threats this time. An alternating pattern.

[raisethemoon]

Oh - good afternoon, Omega! Do you...drink...?

[ She's been much brighter around Omega since they were officially designated Friends! Though, she's fairly sure that she also still doesn't totally understand the robot thing. ]

[eeeonetwothree]

INDEED I DO, LUNA. OR RATHER, I ACQUIRE THE FUEL BY ALTERNATE MEANS.

[ Now that he has his oil, he's...absorbing it through a hose connected to the glass and a port under the "Omega" symbol on his shoulder. So yes, he's "drinking" through his shoulder. ]

[markofnobility]

[He huffs, throwing his hands up]

Yes, yes! No flirting. What do you find you are having problems with?

[raisethemoon]

[ ...............WELL SHE DOESN'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT ROBOTS TO QUESTION THAT ]

So you...survive on oil?

[latinumsbetter]

Quark just....watches this all happen for a long minute. And you know what? He's not going to ask. He doesn't want to know. He'll just set down that glass of the requested oil on the bar for him. "Sounds like it's going well."

WEDNESDAY

[latinumsbetter]

THURSDAY

[latinumsbetter]

[eeeonetwothree]

Omega shakes, looking as if he got caught doing something embarrassing. And did he not?

”AH, QUARK! YES, IT IS PROCEEDING APACE. I HAVE BEEN SIMPLY GETTING TO KNOW YOUR REPLICATOR BETTER…!”

Wrap?

[eeeonetwothree]

Oh, what doesn’t he have a problem with? You’re in for a time, Ferdinand.

[latinumsbetter]

"I can tell." It's said dryly, as Quark steps back to keep sorting inventory. "Well, if you're going to get involved, treat her right. She's got work tomorrow."