Session export: The Shame Corner: 024

“That one!” The boy pointed to the rainbow hats with the spinners on top. “I want that one.”

“Liam,” Avery said with a polite yet stern tone.

“Please?” he mumbled the correction, understanding his father’s que. After that came a light, reassuring, squeeze from his father’s hand. He looked up to see his father’s face and saw a tired yet warm smile.

“Of course.”

Liam twisted his face to one side, tapping his chin. “Are we going to get one for Matcha and Olive?”

For Avery, he knew he would never force his son to call the woman ‘mom’. It seemed both of them understood each other. Matcha wasn’t going to force it and Liam seemed more comfortable with the distance of calling her by name.

He lowered himself to a squat to be on the boy’s level.

“For Olive? Always. For Matcha…” He lowered his voice looked over his shoulder and around as if watching for someone who would be listening. “I don’t think there would be one big enough for her head.”

A giggle left Liam’s chest as he looked at his dad. “Hey, that’s not nice!”

“Only kidding. We can get her a hat too.”

“Yay!” Liam cheered with an infectious grin.

They each grabbed two of the hats brandished with a cartoonish tailring. Liam wasted no time putting his hat on before eagerly reaching for his father’s hand. Avery led the way to the checkout counter where the was a small line.

The matte black Chevlex landed with a soft, thump and the lone occupant stood and stretched. It had been quite some time since she’d been passing this way and much less needed to stop for something.

She disembarked from the ship and snapped at one of the droids tending the fueling station. Her soft, lyrical voice showed evidence of the smile hidden behind the black scarf covering most of her face. “Top it up for me, if you please.”

<<Do you really trust droids that much?>>

“I do, Pips. It’s part of why I haven’t sold you to a scrapper yet.”

<<Rude.>>

Miho shrugged and gave a soft laugh. “Don’t worry, I doubt they’ll do anything more than fuel it up. Maybe wash the view ports. You know, cause of all the space bugs we hit.”

The silence from Pips was deafening as the joke went by and was ignored.

“Spoilsport,” muttered the Human as she headed towards the rest of the station. “You gonna complain if I get a bite to eat and a couple of drinks?”

<<Define couple.>> Pips trilled without amusement.

The entire gang had met down on station for their final day of their layover at the Shame Corner.

They had taken over a couple corner booths at the back 7 Sins Bar. An eclectic bunch of friends if their ever was one. D-3PO, Kalen, Corra and her old retired Plagueian Warrant Officer turned tailor, father in one. Karracca, Treel, Reece and what turned out to be Treels wife, Ceesta the Gammorean showgirl.

Karracca grunted, “So where are you off to next boss?”

Kalen was a bit taken aback, they had a big mission they just heard about, and they would have to head straight back to Aliso. The way his big wookie buddy had said it made it sound like he had other plans.

“Back to Alisa, we just got an urgent rally call. Why, are you not coming with us?” The serial entrepenuer/part time ‘Jedi’/Aedile replied.

“Nah, I got that wrestling thing I told you about. Short run contract, high profit margin, apparently they need me to give one of these new, up and coming wrestlers the ‘rub’.”

“Oh that was this month?” Kalens shoulders shrank as he realized he had been one of the big proponents of Karracca using his notoriety to make a few big scores and finally retire.

“How much they paying you for those 4 live shows anyway?” Reece tootled beside him, as he had used his jump thrusters to take a spot in the crux of the U shaped booth.

“Well, I’ll say this, it ain’t quite fluff you money, but at my age, its close enough.” The wookie roared as everyone laughed.

“What about you Treel? You coming back to Aliso with us, we could use another mini gunboat in the flotilla.” Kalen looked to his Ugnaught business partner.

Treel turned to his wife who was easily 6 times his size and 8 times his mass. She winked and nodded. The old commando then stop on the cushiomed seat of the booth and said, “I will require a gunner from the Hawk to be combat effective, but I will join you on this endevour. I have spoken.” He raised his hand and took a seat and snuggled up to wife.

“Go ahead, all they do it talk nerfsith to eachother all day, we can spare one of your nephews.” Reece beeped and bonked.

Kalen offered a toast, “all set then, we’ll head out at 2300h tonight.”

D-3PO’s head bobbed about nervously as his eyes flickered erratically, a telltale sign he was worried about something.

“Don’t worry buddy, you can stay at home with Corra and Stann.”

The protocol droid immediately relaxed, “Thank the maker. I don’t think the starhopping, thrill-seeking life you lead is for me, sir.”

Salni parked Sarcova, her Mankvim-814 interceptor, in the hangar bay of the Shame Corner and hopped down, her cyan digitigrade, taloned feet clacking against the metal ramp as she sort of walked a few steps, hopped a bit, then walked. The Mercenary’s large bat-like cyan colored wings wrapped around her like a cape with her green and gold outfit. The dress itself was a forest-green sleeveless half-dress with long pants, featuring golden roped tassels around the front of her chest and midsection. She also wore martial feet wraps around her legs to the base of her feet.

Salni kept her four-fingered, clawed cyan hands at her sides while her scarlet eyes looked around. It had been the first time since her Shani disguise had been destroyed from the Envoy’s mission and the Fossh hybrid’s true self was visible. Her rainbow feathered hair now was colored gray and scarlet antennae were styled back behind her, flowing behind her head and convex face. The nostrils on her lavender beak were now taking in the various smells about the station.

Making her way into the main hub, the tall 7ft.3 hybrid was quite a sight to behold, and she hated it. Trying not to bring attention to herself, she made her way towards the Seven Sins bar. Perhaps a drink after this whole ordeal might settle her nerves and feathers.

“Yes! We got all of these hats,” chimed Liam before his father. The young boy set the hats on the counter and looked up behind him. “Dad you have to put yours and Matcha’s down too!”

In the meantime, Avery was struck by the echani. He had seen a handful of them in his time and thought they were a beautiful people. Just… up close was almost enchanting.

Avery handed the hats to Liam and found himself staring at the woman who worked the counter. Suddenly, he was wishing he had shaved the stubble that was starting to form after a long work week.

The stubble would have to do. At least his hair was presentable.

He found himself smoothing the front of his tie.

“Looks like found everything alright, thank you,” he said, an easy smile setting on his face. “Though, I think my son is striving to single-handedly keep you in business.”

Liam beamed up at Avery as the man tussled boy’s the blonde locks.

Avery shifted his gaze to the woman at the register.

“How’s your day treating you, Miss Avalon?”

The question left his mouth before he could stop it. Old habits. He wasn’t trying to impress her, was he?

Marzy was waiting for him.

AT THE BAR: Salni walked in, sat in the farthest corner of the bar she could find, and tried to look small as she looked over the menu. Her mood feathers on her head were still colored grey. “Why did it break?” She sat her head on the table and sighed.

Meanwhile…

Weyr walked into the main hub with Laoch on his shoulder, the small, shoulder-sized blackish-red and blue-winged Keeradak rubbing his head against the doctor’s cheek. He wasn’t wearing his usual scrubs; instead, he was wearing a light blue jacket with a white undershirt, some plain black jeans, and half boots. His black and blue long straight hair cascaded behind him as he looked around the main hub of the Shame Corner; perhaps he could find something to eat and drink. It had been quite a long day of healing. Wars were never kind; still, the line his secretary told him was running in his mind.“I think you need to take a break, go out, meet people; you never know who you might find, Weyr.” And then the dang teasing smile she did to him to make him go. “Ugg, why Keytarra? Who would ever want me?” He kept walking about and looking around as Laoch began to make biscuits on his shoulder.

Yifei stepped from the transport ship, sharp featured face twisted in a scowl. He loathed public transportation, but his own chrome-plated ship was less than indiscreet. Black bantha leather boots clacked on the gangplank as the Lonto hybrid freed himself from the sight, smell, and stupidity that was close confinement with the general populace. One hand smoothed over his hair, checking the rope-like braid of deep crimson that fell past the small of his back was still mostly intact.

Food. He wanted food and space away from crying children and foul smelling passengers. Emerald eyes swept the station and he started toward the bar. Scratch that. He wanted a drink first, then food. He snapped his fingers out of habit before remembering he’d left B1-T3 behind for this excursion. Gold plated droids are just as ostentatious, if not more so than his own Tine Hunter, The Velvet Leash.

Covering the mistake by rolling his shoulders and stretching, he resumed his path to the bar. The sign read Seven Sins Bar and plush lips quirked at the corners, the faintest smile revealing itself. He would be right at home, he reasoned, with a name like that. Finding a spot at the far end of the bar, Yifei made eye contact with the bartender and motioned toward a deep burgundy colored glass bottle.

“Corellian wine, leave the bottle if you will.”

Miho stood at the entrance for a moment or two, looking back and forth between the Golden Griddle and Seven Sins. One had food but no alcohol, the other had alcohol but limited food.

Pips chirped from behind her shoulder, clearly voicing his opinion.

“No, Pips. I don’t want just food. You know boring drinks bore me. We go to the bar.”

The little droid whistled disapprovingly but didn’t seem to want to protest anymore than that as the small Human made her way towards the bar.

“Besides, it’s always too quiet in the Griddle. And maybe we’ll run into Reiden again. I’m sure all the glitter is out of his system by now. Or we’ll find old friends we haven’t met yet.”

Pips gave an unbelieving trill.

“Seriously. You never know who you’ll find in a place like this. Hell, even you might be able to make a friend if you stop being such a buzzkill.”

Salni, still with her beak on the table, finally decided to get some wine. She sat back up, her feathers slowly changing colors to blue and looked at the bartender. “Could I get some Correllian wine, please?”

Meanwhile, Weyr stepped inside the Seven Sins and went to the counter to sit for a moment. He began to peruse the drinks and food. After looking, he settled on getting some yip tips for him and Laoch. Some water for his companion and a Ryloth lager for himself.

Back at the docking bay.

Syk slithered off the ramp and into the main hub, her six-foot frame gliding gracefully across the ground as she headed towards the clothing store to see what they had. She wondered if they could tailor something for her.

Noticing Salni had taken a booth behind them, alone, Karracca turned and propped himself up over the divider and gently roared, “Hey, don’t I know you from somewhere?”

He had worked with several different Avian species over the decades, and the Sky'tri woman looked oddly familiar.

Salni’s feathers turned ashen gray as she looked at Karracca. She remembered him on Envoy Mission 33, but she had been a Shani. She thought for a brief moment about lying, but what good would that do anyway..Taking in a breath through her nostrils in her beak, she blinked a moment at the Wookie. Her now slightly higher pitch and natural birdlike click of her tongue was more prominent. “Yes, I was with you during an envoy mission; you were the Wookie that was really good at bouncing around.” Her feathers turned slightly green, now amused. “I uh, may have looked quite different, sort of looked different, I had rainbow feathered hair and green skin, looked far less birdlike; I still go by the name Salni.” And there it was: the moment of truth. She waited for the backlash and the rejection from someone that had worked with her before her disguise fell.

The round old wookie leaned further over the partition and squinted at Salni as if trying to peer into here very soul. He then sniffed her a few times before sliding back to his side.

“It is you. Yeah that was a bit of an lucid nightmare wasn’t it? As for the bouncing…” He slammed the rest of his drink and usage the Force to slide over the bottle the lazy blue haired bartender had delivered for him.

“I’ll just say that Mastery of gravity and telekinesis are the best skills my master ever taught me.”

Reece made a whistling sound, “Here comes another story about a little green dude who was the strongest Jedi ever, blah blah blah…”

Treel reached over and backhand slapped the droids torso, “Shush, it is disrespectful to speak ill of the departed.” He pointedly used the term.

“Why don’t you come and joint Salni of Skye? Plenty of room.” Karracca said.

Her feathers turned a very bright orange as she smiled. “Sure, beats sitting alone.” Getting up she kept her bat-like wings folded like a cape while walk-hopping over to karraccas table and sitting down. “Thank you for inviting me.”

Melek stepped through the station’s entrance, taking a moment to glance around at the gathering beyond.

A rest stop, a dozen different faces, and probably several dozen different stories.

With that, Melek wandered farther inside, looking over the various people gathered around the station. He didn’t seem particularly concerned about whether he knew anyone. If anything, the unfamiliar faces appeared to make the place more interesting.

Spotting a nearby group, he approached with an easy smile.

“Hey. Mind if I join you?”

<@1385116824814878940> <@1178915035049902120>

“Not at all. Grab a seat.” Kalen waved the winged man who appeared to be glowing in a some yellow light that emanated from him.

“Its been a while since I’ve shared a drink with a Angel. Let alone a Jedi Angel.” The gigantic wookie roared.

“My friend is offering you a drink…and called you an angel….wait, what was that last part?” Kalen turned back to Karracca and asked.

“He’s a Jedi Padawan. And don’ offer him a drink, he looks way too young.” Karracca roared back as he seized his bottle and took a slam.

Kalen turned back to Melek, “Uh. So My friend Karracca, he says hello, its nice to meet you. He is wondering how old you are and if you’re a Jedi by chance?”

Corra patted Kalens thigh as she giggled. She knew he was far too kind of a soul to keep the company he did, but she loved him all the more for it.

“Nice to meet you too, Kalen and Karacca.” He conveyed the messege with more warmth than usual. His voice was harmonious, though he spoke little, preferring to use the Force to speak. It was faster and cleaner.

“I do not drink. Or rather, I cannot. We don’t eat either. For we have no need to. We draw nourishment in other ways. Sunlight, for instance.”

He looked at Atty who was pouring drinks for the others. For some there was some tension in the air, and he felt even small ripples of uneasiness in the ambient Force. He glanced at her and ther others in front of her, trying to find out why.

<@244244163002892288> <@1178915035049902120>

Weyr smiled as he took the glass and drank. He relaxed a bit more, allowing himself to enjoy the flavor of the drink. “Thanks; the long hours have been brutal with how many casualties of war are coming into my clinic lately.”

Laoch sniffed the air and the counter before hopping off onto the counter. He sat there a moment before twirling around a couple of times and sitting on his haunches.

“RAWWRP.” He let out a little confident roar and looked at the bartender with his sparkly dark eyes. Weyr chuckled. “Not everyone will fall for your

Meanwhile, Salni’s feathers turned green as she looked at the Diathim. “Never actually met an angel before. You seem like a nice individual. I am Salni, and well, for me, I am sort of a hybrid.” <@309550307921231872> <@244244163002892288> <@1178915035049902120>

“That’s really cool. You dont need to eat or drink at all?” Kalen leaned over and asked. The concept itself was intriguing.

“That’s why we call them Angels.” Reece booped and twittled from his perch in the corner of the booth.

Karracca eyed Salni, wondering what she was admitting to right there. He had recognized her scent, but the appearance had changed since their ill fated mission to Khor-Vala.

“I, on the other hand, have eaten enough that I should probably be considered a hybrid of some sort.” Karracca roared as stroked his bulbous belly.

Kalen tried to translate, “He says he ate so much He feels like a jelly bean.”

“That is not at all what he said.” Treel said dryly.

“No, because we don’t have any need for it. We don’t drink or eat, although our light does dim when we’re away from the light of heavenly bodies for too long. But we don’t starve if that’s taken away either. You could say we ‘drink’ cosmic light, if you want to put it that way.” elaborated the diathim, because he felt a better explanaiton needs to be put, otherwise he’d be confusing everyone else. Then he shook hands with Tasha, “Well met Salni, traveller of the stars. Oh yes, here I see and hear or many hybrids. I’m not yet sure what hybrids are, but I’m sure you are all wonderful. What is a hybrid?” The young diathim didn’t exactly jump out of his skin on hearing the sudden “RAWWRP”, but he almost did. His face did go a bit pale and his light flickered for a split second in sudden fright.

<@1178915035049902120> <@1385116824814878940> <@244244163002892288>

Karracca sneared and roared lightly at Loach, “Kkkkst! Leave him alone Loach, he’s just a youngling.”

Karracca wiggled himself out of the booth and stomped over to the bar and ordered himself another caraf of whatever rotgut he was always drinking.

“A hybrid is a person of mixed parentage my young friend. Have a seat, tell us, whats your name, and what brings you to the Shame Corner friend?” Kalen had had a few drinks at this point, and was feeling quite gregarious.

There was also something about this golden winged youngster that had him intrigued. He could feel a powerful connection to the Light side radiating from the man, but there was also an uneasiness and an aura of youthful ignorance that Kalen could sense. Unlike his physical powers, Kalen had continued to routinely use his mentalics abilities. And truth be told he was getting quite good at sizing up potential foes and friends alike through nothing other than his Force senses.

Miho raised an eyebrow from beneath her wide brimmed hat. The old, rotund Wookiee was curious and she had the feeling she had seen him before on a mission, but the last several had ended up with her staying in a hospital suite more often than not.

With a shrug, she walked over to the bar and sat down beside the Everni with a broad smile. “It seems your little friend is making new friends. Name’s Miho. And this,” she jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the eyes peeking out. “Is Pips. Say hello, boltbucket.”

Pips trilled softly at Weyr. <<I am not a bolt bucket. But, hello.>>

The small Kyataran grinned and looked around at the empty bar. “Serve ourselves, hm?”

A slender hand reached behind the counter and felt around for a moment before producing a large mug and shook it towards the man she had just pounced upon. “You want one too? Then we can just use the taps and get drinks without bothering anyone.”

<@1385116824814878940>

Yifei was not at all bothered by the bartender. In fact he much preferred to tend his own drink rather than having to wait and make small talk with the staff. Smoothly leaning in, slender fingers grasped the neck of the bottle and drew it across the bar. He reached over and plucked a long stemmed glass from the other side before settling back into his chair. This was indeed the type of bar he preferred.

Popping the cork and pouring for himself, the soothing sound of liquid splashing into the crystalline glass was practically a symphony. After suffering the ordeal that was public transport, this was to be the first of several well deserved treats before he was forced to board another shuttle bound for some backwater planet that surely lacked his preferred amenities.

The first taste was always the best. The wine like liquid velvet, filled with dark fruit notes and a warm earthen undertone, washed over his tongue. A heavy sigh escaped Yifei, the braided length of his hair slipping over his shoulder as he leaned back in the high, cushioned bar chair. One hand reaching in his pocket, he tossed a credit stick over the bar toward the clearly disinterested bartender knowing full well it more than covered the bottle.

“My thanks. Keep the rest and continue pretending I don’t exist.”

Weyr smiled at Pips. “Well, hello to you too, and no, I think you are a really amazing little droid. I actually haven’t encountered one of your type before.” He then smiled at Miho. “And hello as well. I am Weyr Suil, doctor of the Weyr’s mobile clinic, and my Keeradak companion is Laoch. He likes to greet everyone, it seems, with loud hellos.” He took another drink as he tilted his head slightly, looking more at Pips.

“I do like the droid companion; glad I took binary. Then again, I had to work with a few droids while I was studying. ” Laoch meanwhile let out a soft growl at Karracca before running over to Pips and began to sniff him out.

Meanwhile, Salni looked over at the slightly frightened Diathim. “It’s all right; Laoch likes to say hello really loudly when he greets. Don’t worry, he is a very nice little Keeradak. Though seems Karracca made him stop.”She smiled as her feathers remained green. “So you don’t really eat, and yes, Karracca is correct; hybrid just means I have parents of different species. My mother was a Sy’kteri and father a Fossh.” <@227653769842655233> <@1178915035049902120> <@309550307921231872>

Karracca walked over to the bar with his jug and casually walked behind the bar as the pale skinned blue haired bartender was busy staring at her datalink and chewing her bubble gum.

“One more of each.” He gently roared at her, as he filled his jug with some of the strong Ale that was on special and grabbed another bottle of the rotgut ‘Shame Corner Cognac’.

She waved dismissively and double popped her gum.

“Thanks.” He trilled as he walked back to their table in the back, sipping gingerly from the jug as if it was a tiny teacup.

<@244244163002892288>

As the night was drawing to a close, Karracca was helping a thoroughly drunk Kalen out of the booth while Treel and wife continued their rampart display of PDAs.

“Come on gents. We gotta get to bed we have to head out first thing in the morning and make a pit stop at Corellia to pick up our new ships.”

“To the Corra VII!” Kalen shouted as he raised his glace and toasted his own recently purchased, custom heavy freighter.

Treel stopped sucking face with his showgirl wife to say, “Hire a good pilot.”

“Jjjh, I’ll have you hick know, that I piloted a dreadnaught a million and a half lightyear across the intergalactic medium riding the wake of a pod of space whales, okay. So I’m obviously a pretty good sithin pilot hick…but yes I have hired a pilot burp engineer, loadmaster, and a couple gunners.” Kalen retorted defensively.

After trading a few bar’s the group got up to leave.

Karracca turned to the ‘Angel’ kid who had said with them nearly the whole night, “So young Padawan, got any plans for the next few days. We got a mission coming up I could use a hand with, if you’re into it.”

Treel translated for the wookie, “My friend wants to know if you would like to join him on a mission.”

<@309550307921231872>