Ties that Bind
Ties that Bind
Summary: Kharon's Air Wing goes to let off a bit of steam on Solon II.
Date: PHD #211 (11/15/09)
Related Logs: None
Players:
Kai..Legacy..Eddie..Jupiter..Martin..Absalom..Antioch..Salazar..Roubani..Matto..Sparro..Samantha..

D i g g e r s, as the flashing neon sign over the door proclaims, is dingy, even as far as third-rate, backwater, shantytown outpost bars go. The place is dug, appropriately enough, into the rock, with only the southwestern portion being elevated above ground. There are no windows, only narrow, grimy portholes into which dust and rock debris are caked. A moderately sized bar dominates the back of the room, cabinets long cleared of alcohol; empty bottles line the dusty shelves, and if this place were any less inhospitable to life forms, there would be insects crawling inside them.

Several circular tables are arranged about the room, each bolted to the floor and boasting a beer bottle with fake flowers, a handwritten list of drinks and a pub-style menu underneath the table's laminate surface. An old jukebox machine is situated near the back, between the short hallway leading to the washrooms — indicated by overhead neon signage reading 'L dies' and 'Gents' respectively — and the dancefloor, which mostly consists of a small section of laminate floor and what looks suspiciously like a stripper pole.

The bar has been transformed, this evening, from a regular bar to…well, it kind of looks like a speakeasy. The lights are dimmed a bit, the tables are covered with simple cloths, and there's even an open bar set up. A few more tables have been brought in - which means the room's a little more crowded than usual. All that's missing is candles on the tables and tommyguns in arms. Even the walls have been decorated - only these decorations are a bit more somber. Somewhere, somehow, someone has found enough paper and pictures to make a collage of all the Air-Wing members who've gone before. While certainly somber - there's something almost celebratory about the other 'people' present. In the background, quiet jazz is playing, even the type of music one would hear at a dark little back-corner club - for the time being. There's a pole in a place of honor atop a small stage. Oh, yeah, it's on now.

Yes, all of the elements are present - music, booze, snacks, triad cards, a stage and a stripper pole. Welcome to Air-Wing Event, PHD #211.

Eddie's fashionably late to all events, and this one's no different. She shows up in the hatch, pausing for a moment with her hip hitched to one side and a bottle of booze resting on that bony jut. The still-produced 'Viper Fuel' is her contribution to the evening, that and the two sickies she's dragging behind her. Some where in her wake are the Black siblings, both cheating death after a touch of the flu. "Nice set up." She says to everyone and no one as she pushes through. The plaid of her short skirt tick tocks as she swaggers over to the bar and roughly plops down the bottle, taking no time at all in pouring herself a glass of liquid courage.

The jazz music coming from the bar has attracted Absalom. Or, maybe its just the promise of booze. Either way, he's here in the speakeasy joint, leaning up against the bar and sipping on something fizzy and clear and with a lime in it. He occasionally eyes some of his fellow pilots, but, remains at the bar for the time being.

Stepping in behind Eddie, Martin glances down to her skirt-swaying feminine wiles angle and tilts his eyes a different direction. Mumuring something quietly to Jupiter, the last remaining male of the Black family looks better than he did in the morning. Perhaps the shower's done wonders, but his energy is still not quite there. No longer contagious but dragging his heels, he runs a hand through his hair on his way to the bar set up. "Shit…a pole? Tell me why I couldn't be one hundred percent for this…" He comments to himself, grabbing a bottle. Staring at it, he takes a deep breath and mixes some orange juice with the drink. That's what you do when you're sick. "Jupiter? Promise me you won't let me do something stupid."

Antioch emerges from the depths of the ship like a post-hibernation bear, wandering into the room quietly. Hands thrust in his pockets, he peers around, taking stock of who's already here and what's on tap at the bar.

Jupiter's in her hot little red dress, and the effect, under a little extra makeup, is still pretty decent. Except if she doesn't have something to lean against, she looks like she might pass out. Maybe it was doing stairs in those heels. "Boner, babe, everything you do is stupid. I'ma be too drunk to stop you anyhow." She snickers at something her brother says quietly to her.

Thea, dressed in something comfortable and light that will swing nicely when her body's flipping around a pole, slides out from behind the last sim, tape in hand. Looks as though the last of the decorations have gone up. "We've got good booze, good music, card games, and a whole slate of pilots who are going to show their gods-given talents tonight. Grab your drinks, grab someting to eat to soak up the alcohol. Fingers, you look amazing - whose neck is getting broken?"

Coming in in what constitutes as his own civilian wear-which makes him look no better than some of the people they let off at Solon II, let alone than some who also joined when the call to enlist went out. Yeah, Virgil Gresham looks awesome in his garrish fall line. The burnt orange, brown and of course his lucky t-shirt underneath it all. One hand reaching to run a thumb over the faded name patch, before his hand is raking through his red mess of hair.

Remaining by the door to the bar. "I.." a pause. "I shouldn't be here.." Or so he feels..Probably wrong, being a nugget. But still-out of place? He feels it.

Eddie gets a drink and stands off to the side as she eyes the pole. Maybe she's contemplating actually getting up there, herself, but either way she's going to ply herself with liquor prior to making any rash decisions. She finds something to lean against, hooking one stocky heel up behind her. "We have talent?" Good thing for the airwing there's not a piano in the bar, otherwise they might be treated to some Mooner on the keys.

Antioch glances to Gresham, looking him up and down. "You a pilot?" he asks. He's never seen Gresham. But then again, Antioch sightings are akin to Bigfoot sightings: invariably discredited. "If so, you should be here." Shrug. Easy as that. "If not, you can be the bartender," he adds with dry humor.

Jupiter happens by Gresham just as she needs something to lean against, so she throws an arm around his neck and commands, "Nugget. Lead me to the bar." She nods to Antioch. "Screamer." She's not drunk yet, but she gives Gresh most of her weight to support anyway.

"Not everything I do is stupid." Martin corrects his sister, lighting a cigarette to go along with his alcohol. "You wanna talk stupid, let's talk the time you tried to drive a car blindfolded." Leaning against the bar, he turns around to scan the faces in the room. Giving an upwards nod to Legacy, he walks past Eddie. Giving her the cold shoulder, it seems, he drops himself into a seat in view of the stripper pole. He's exhausted, so gods help him if BangBang gets roamy. He just wants to relax. Sipping his drink, he rests the glass on his knee.

Thea moves to take up a spot next to the bar, drink in hand, grin on her lips. "You're part of the Air Wing, Gresham," she calls. "So get your ass in here and get a drink. We're going to need you later for the auction." Wait, auction? Who said anything about an auction? "I'm just waiting for people to get drinks and finish trickling in before getting the festivities started."

"Huh." comes a few words from Gresham and he looks back towards Jupiter. A nod given as he's suddenly impressed upon for support. "Uh-sure. Right, I can handle that.." A blink or perhaps a blank look is given to Antioch "I'm an ECO- or something.." Gresham responds, before he's slightly leaning down and moving to lead Jupiter off to the bar. No apologies there, though he will most assuredly try to come back for conversation. Or something.

"An Auction?" Oh Gods, what in the nine hells has he found himself in..Maybe he should just hide in the bathroom.

Absalom finishes off his first drink, and then orders a second. Once it arrives, he meanders out to mingle, though, he's heading in the vague direction of the wall of former pilots. He nods absently to Thea, and then looks over at Martin for a moment, smirking just a bit. He changes direction and goes to sit by the younger of the Black siblings, "Gonna give the pole there a go later?" he asks lightly.

"You a screamer like Screamer, nugget?" Jupiter asks Gresham the all important pre-auction question. She grins a little bit, and is led off to the bar, where she can find a barstool to prop herself up. And then there will be drinking! Once at the bar, she does just that.

Antioch peers at Jupiter, giving her a properly appreciative look, given the sexy red dress and all that. "Hey," he greets her by way of reply. Back to Gresham, he comments, "ECO is almost like being a pilot. Just means you sit in the carseat instead of the driver's seat." He watches the two move off, silently wishing Gresham good luck at keeping Jupiter upright. Off Antioch goes towards the bar himself, veering to greet Thea with a smile.

Eddie narrows her eyes just a bit as Martin brushes past her without so much as a word now that they're down on the surface. She snorts an unladylike sound, and pushes away from her lean. The glass of liquor gets shot back in one fail swoop now, and she wanders back to get it refilled. "Auction? Better be worth the cigarettes." Because that's all that's worth bargaining with, nowadays. Mooner's in her little plaid skirt get-up and her black arm sheaths tugged up tight to her biceps.

Martin leans his head back, slowly bringing it forward to bring his reply to Shadow to fruition. "….annnnnnd no." Martin replies, glancing to Shadow warily. "Normally I would. Honestly? At this point I'm trying to figure a way out of here. I've caused enough shit on this ship that if an auction does happen you have no idea just how dead meat I am. Black Cat and the Bra, the failed Poppy experiment, my sister. Mooner's got right to break three of my fingers for half the shit I've done to her and Spider, who I hope doesn't show up, probably got alot of shit from Black Cat after I punched with Thorn." Martin pauses, sighing a cloud of smoke. "Thorn might show up with Case, which that right there's a hotbed for trouble like my white blood cells are after this week. I'm drinking, I've got very little self control, and I'm trapped down here with you all while the girl I'm dating is somewhere up on the Kharon. It all goes even more downhill if Bangbang makes an appearance." Sighing, he glances back to Mooner. When he turns back to eye the pole, he bites the side of his lip. "Gods help me."

"I uh." and yes there is another look of brief confusion there. Perhaps it is all of the chatter coming from Antioch- added to the fact he's got a woman all weighted on him-that is till he can get her ass right there on a stool for a moment. A pause as he looks back towards Jupiter, and it is clear that Gresham is in right on over his head. One could easily imagine, that Master Sgt. Nikos has seen this look a hundred and one times already throughout the basic courses.

"Depends. Am I being shot, or stabbed? I might scream then.." Unless this is perhaps meaning something else entirely. Like of the SexyTimes(tm) variaton… in which the nugget would be rendered speechless. As hard as that is to believe. "I feel as if we're on two different wave-lengths."

Despite being off the ship and therefore not technically bound to uniform, Roubani is in plain offduties rather than any attempt at civilian clothing. Empty hands, those slid reservedly into his pockets. He's a few steps behind Matto, looking much like he usually does when the expectation is on him to behave like a normal member of society - that is, he's rather ill at ease. But look, he showed.

Absalom leans forward very slowly and says, "Word is," and, like all statements that start with 'word is' one should take this one under heavy advisement, "its either the pole, or the auction." Maybe he's saying it just to torment his CAPmate, or, maybe he's onto something. Either way, Absalom smiles a little, lifts his glass to Martin, and then downs its contents in a single gulp, before heading back to the bar. He calls over his shoulder, "Good luck gettin outta here in one peice Dash, I gotta go escort some ladies around, or, at least try and get as uproariously drunk as they are."

"Sure thing, Shadow. I'm not gonna get drunk. I have an iron stomach. I'm going to stay sober and use logic and problem solving skills to getting out of this one alive." Martin replies to Absalom, pausing for another drag from his cigarette. "Frak…pole or the auction. Now I'm thinking I'm safer with the gods-damned pole." He lowers his voice. "…Jupiter had better choose…" He pauses. "…frak. Jupiter!?" Martin calls back, looking over his shoulder. "I just got word you're needed for somethin up on the Special K!"

Matto wanders in looking more at home with the social situation than does the Poet on his proverbial wing. He has managed to get into some off-duties, though nothing spectacular. Jeans. Top. He seems to enjoy the vaguely more human mold he fits when in them, though. A strap over his shoulder lets a hard wooden case hang against his hip, one thumb tucked under the strap, his other hand in his pocket. He looks back toward Nadiv and gives him an easeful sort of smile before his eyes pass toward hte collage, and a more pensive look suffuses his features as he nods his head in that direction, indicating that the Poet ought to look.

Oh, yes. There's a grin on Thea's face that goes from ear to ear. "Come on in and grab your drinks, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the first…well…the first Air-Wing night of fun and relaxation." Uhoh. That's never a good thing, is it? "Poet, Madman, welcome and come on in. No one's biting - yet." Yet being the operative word, of course. "Sorry Dash - Fingers gets to stay. Any woman who'd go through what she and Eddie have to look that good gets her drinks for free and gets to direct some of the action tonight."

Gods only know who had to twist his arm to make him show up here, but Kharon's very own curmudgeonly CAG arrives right about on the dot of unfashionably late. Dark hair slightly askew, he's in the process of pulling off a pair of entirely unnecessary sunglasses— seeing as there's not much sunlight to speak of, that makes it through Solon's dense cloud cover. Dressed in jeans with a fit that's probably banned on a few colonies, heeled boots and a regulation fatigue jacket, Kai steps to the side of the door and cleans (aka fidgets with) the shades while he surveys the room. Breathe, breathe, polish.

Fun and relaxation, thy name is not Nadiv Roubani. You'd think he was standing in the ready room for a briefing. He clears his throat softly, nodding to Legacy. "Sir." His dark eyes glance around, flickering half a smile at Martin, Eddie, and Kai, and then turns his attention where it's being prodded by Kissy - to the collage on the wall.

Jupes shakes her head and says, "Don't worry, red. I don't accost the ones that don't see it coming. That's just no fun, and only ends in tears." She grins as Legacy put her brother in his place, and calls, "Boner's gonna have to go up on the block first!" And then she says directly to Legacy, "Thanks 'cat."

Absalom snaps his fingers a couple of times as he gets within speaking distance of the bar, and says to — apparently Gresham — "Get up Nugget, you're in my spot." Before ordering himself another drink from the bar. He seems to have missed Martin's last commentary to him.

Antioch helps himself to a drink at the bar, something to warm the soul and go down smooth. As he takes a sip, he gives the pole a rather dubious glance, clearly distrusting its ominous, unmoving intentions. He's heard rumors about the dangers of poles. A few more drinks, and he might loosen up.

"I Don't cry.." Okay, maybe Gresham cries a little, but right now- he doesn't cry. Instead he's getting a drink-and well Jupiter a drink as well, though it is likely to be something fruity ad colourful,(As colourful as Solon II can give at this moment…Same with fruity) before it is passed over to the woman. "Cheers." offered nervously back to fingers-that is till Absolam comes over. A look about the bar, and then back to his stool. "I'm pretty sure I'm not.. I don't see name tags…" Now the question remains..Is Virgil being serious with that comment?

Matto keeps near Nadiv, turning his course to wander closer to the wall, drifting closer into his proximity though his eyes remain more or less fixed on the wall, eyebeams wandering over the photographs. "This is great, Legsykitten," he tells her warmly. "Mad props for getting it all up here," he tells her, turning his eyes toward hers for a moment as she greets them, offering her a warm smile.

Martin simply closes his eyes at the mention of him going up first. "…I'll get you for this." He says under his breath. Downing his drink quickly, Martin stands and moves towards the bar to quickly refresh his drink. Glancing to Legacy, he lifts his eyebrow to her and gives her a mock, fake grin. "You're a total sweetheart you know that?" He raises both of his brows. "You be gentle, damnit." Martin warns, taking his glass. "I won't forget this Jupiter, so you better go easy." Martin warns her, half serious as he salutes the room with his glass in the air. Stepping towards the pole, he moves into position and rests against it. "I'm not contagious, I'm coming off of it, and I'm seeing double of everyone. So….I guess we're doing the auction….damnit."

A couple of glances are spotted, and a handful of greetings are returned in Kai's usual gruff fashion. Eye contact isn't really made, and it takes him a good few minutes to extricate himself from the doorway, and start ambling toward a table. On his way past Legacy, his hand closes over the woman's shoulder, and he leans in to murmur something while giving it a squeeze. He might even be smiling a little when he pulls away.

Kai whispers: Thanks for putting this together, Thea. The place looks amazing.

Roubani continues looking at photographs, eyes staying pinned on the walls until there's nothing left to see. His arms fold protectively over his chest, shoulder leaning against part of the wall.

Thea blows Matto a kiss, giving both he and Roubani warm smiles. "Grab your drinks," she tells the pair before looking over at Kai. Whatever he says has the smile softening and she dips her head, patting his arm. Finally she turns her attention back to Martin, eyes twinkling as she raises the glass in her hand. "You get to go up - after I take care of something." For a moment, the woman looks around, then lifts her voice. "Ladies and gentlemen, if I can have your attention, please?" Carefully, she moves to step up on the stage next to the pole. Uhoh.

The door swings open as Sparro walks in, glancing around the bar with a smile. Nods all around to the various wingmates, he sees Thea calling for attention and quietly sidesteps from the door, content for the moment to lean against the wall and observe what is going on.

Jupiter leans heavily against the bar, decked out but run down. She gets comfortable in her seat, orders up an alcoholic drink, and toasts the pilots around without a word. "Shut up, Boner. Like you could even begin to get revenge for our childhood." Scoff.

For the time being, Eddie's just a wall flower while people filter in. Her dark eyes are smudged over with black make-up, giving her a natural brooding look that might actually smolder if she put some effort into it. Right now she's too busy drinking to smolder, however, lubricating her soul with a bit of alcohol. There's a faint smile on her lips when she pulls the cup away, brought about by the newest additions to the room. Roubani, with his tentative nature. Matto, with his reassuring one. And then the CAG, with jeans the deck crew had paint on. Mmm. As Legacy calls for attention, her eyes swivel that way, ready to get the party started.

Absalom stares at the nugget for a moment, and then his attention is caught by Martin. It takes a moment, but, eventually Absalom cracks and starts back towards the man. He says over his shoulder, "Keep my seat warm nugget, I'll be back to discuss the finer points of ettiquite with you in a minute." He then says to Martin, "C'mon Dash, take a seat, I was just giving ya a hard time, and your sis is way more bark than bite in my experience," as he attempts to put an arm around the man's shoulder and lead him back towards the table he had been sitting at.

Matto seems in no particular hurry to get a drink, despite the number of times Legsy's told him to go ahead and do so. But he nods to her in any case, and, hand moving gently to the Poet's shoulder as he steps a little closer behind, he leans in. "Want me to get you something?" he asks gently, eyes flicking upward across to Legsy as she calls for attention, only to return to Nadiv.

Kai slips off shortly after he's said his piece, and scans for a table with a free spot. The dust and grime have been cleaned off for the most part, but this still ain't no classy lounge. He kicks a chair out with his boot and eases into it, digging for his pack of cigarettes while Thea gets up on top of the stage to speak. Eddie gets a glance and a nod, and Martin — whom he's sat down next to — a slightly amused look while the Captain lights up.

"Like hell I couldn't." Martin calls out to Jupiter while Thea tries to quiet the room. With all of the attention about to be focused on him, he takes a drag of his cigarette. Spotting Kai swoop past, he snorts out his smoke and throws up his hands in time, as if to say 'oh it figures'. "Frak me…" he murmurs under his breath and shakes his head at Shadow. "No I'm frakked now, Shadow. Just you wait though…you're gonna be up soon too."

"Check-mate." Virgil offers from the rim of his glass as he remains by Jupiter's side. However his own nerdy version of the word 'burn' probably just singly outs himself as not a jock. Hell he probably would never be a jock. Just the right person to have in someone's back seat. A faint look is given back towards Absalom for a moment and then over to Jupiter, a sip taken. "You okay-uh?" No, he doesn't rightly know this Black, from the other. However when the Captain asks, for attention, she gets it.

Roubani clears his throat softly, nodding to Kissy. "Juice or something, please." He might grow roots at the floor of this wall. Have to have something to nourish them. Doing his absolute best to relax in the anxiety-inducing noise, he forces his arms to at least loosen in their folded position, glancing back at the stage. Little better.

Matto bobs his chin downward with a little smile, letting the Poet's shoulder go and taking a half-step to the side before discreetly passing by toward where the drinks are, scoping out the non-liquorholic variety. Silently, so as not to detract from whatever Legsy's saying or doing.

Antioch quietly drinks while hanging out over vaguely near by the bar, trying to keep up with everything going on. Clearly, he's as curious as everyone else about what Thea wants the attention for.

Once Thea's gotten the attention of most of those present, she lifts her chin slightly, looking around at everyone. "For the past two hundred plus days, we have been flying for our lives. Each and every member of the Air Wing has given a hundred percent in defence of Kharon. Each pilot, each ECO has busted their ass and gone above and beyond to come back home on the other side." Her attention slowly moves among those present, focusing on each and every face. "Some of the wing didn't come home. Some of them have gone on to the next stage of their journey." Her glass raises first to a picture of Vendas. "Major Danika Vendas, Torch. Lieutenant JG Typhus Yuuri, Typhoon. Lieutenant JG Russell Kale the Third, Triple. Ensign Jake Fisher, Merlin." Down the list Thea goes, naming off the pilots killed in the line of duty and out since warday, including Dot and Crowbar. Her glass is lifted to each picture in turn. "You are all loved and missed. Tonight we celebrate your lives - and our own." Her voice goes quiet for a moment, expression solemn. "To the Kharon Air-Wing. Hell. YEAH." And back the drink goes in one fell shot.

While Legacy is talking, Eddie curves around the perimeter of the room. Her trip takes her back towards the bar where Jupiter is propped up, and she plops down next to the other dolled up Vigilante. While Mooner is definitely a girl, there's little about her that's feminine. As she sits, her knees are wide, her palm pressing down the plaid material between her legs and pinning it to the stool. Instead of a 'so say we all' when Leg's finishes, Eddie puts two fingers to her lips and gives a shrill whistle.

Sparro smiles and nods at Thea's toast. This calls for a shot. Heading over to the bar, he smiles. "I need something strong enough to have me make bad descisions in a hurry, please. Easy on the ice." As the required drink is placed in his hand he turns and raises it to his Captains, then with a nod, throws the drink. It has the potential to be a very long evening, and luckily he doesn't have CAP anytime soon…

Martin goes quiet during the toast for the fallen. Nodding his head with each name, even smiling out of the corner of his mouth at a few memories, he salutes with his drink and downs half of his cocktail in one pull. Blinking at the strength of it, he glances to the glass and puts two fingers of his own to his lips, letting out a similar shrill whistle in the direction of where Eddie's came from. Blinking twice, he runs a hand through his hair and turns to look at Legacy.

Absalom gives out a rather subdued "Hell yeah," at the end of Legacy's speech, apparently still affected by the list of names of pilots he's outlived. The man stands, and makes his way over to the wall, looking at faces that he had probably been trying to burn out of his memory for the last two hundred days.

Roubani accepts the juice that Matto finds, staying quiet through the rattling off of names. One doesn't slam a non-alcoholic drink and he doesn't pretend that it's anything other than that, taking a short but dedicated swallow of liquid once the end of the toast comes, and after he's murmured something in Kashmiri to seal it for himself.

Kai doesn't have a drink, but he does have someone's abandoned glass of alcoholic dregs. Dregs, as in fumes that he couldn't get drunk off if he tried. He hooks the thing with his pinky finger, slides it closer, and hoists it up as a few shouts and wolf whistles go up from the other pilots. "So say we all," he calls back, loud enough to be heard, though he'd never make a good drill instructor. Then, since there's nothing to swallow, he pushes the glass away and takes a hit of his cigarette instead.

Matto lingers by the bar for the first bit of what Legsy says, listening with his lower lip between his teeth. Then, as though his impending-toast sense were tingling, he lowers his eyes to the selection, taking up one liquorified drink, one non-so, and as the names of the dead are called he shuffles back along the wall to join up with Nadiv again, handing off the punch with a quirk of a smile, then lifting his own drink toward the Poet briefly before sipping it for the toast.

Silent, Gresham takes another sip. Where as others may be whistling or what not, he simply raises his glass, and gives it a swirl. People he does not know-yet they are part of the reason that he is still around here to talk, or what have you. Another sip, and the nugget chooses to remain seen and not heard for now.

Antioch salutes the fallen with the rest of his drink, downing it in one smooth gulp. He doesn't say anything, preferring to honor them with his silence. Some he knew, some he didn't, but they were all pilots, all family in their own way.

Once everyone who's saying something gets their say, Thea spins once around the pole then hops down. "And on that note. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Lieutenant Martin Dash Black as our first gentleman being auctioned off this evening? Lieutenant Black, get your ass up on the bar and shake it, please. We want to see what we're bidding on. Make it good - you're setting the stage for the rest of the men going up, and it's up to you to set the tone. No pressure, right?" At that she looks to everyone else, grinning.

"What am I being auctioned for?" Martin murmurs to Shadow, blinking as he tries to figure the situation out. Closing his eyes, he says a little prayer and then heads over to the bar. Tilting his head a few times to find a proper way up, he casts a scowling glance towards his sister. Pulling himself up, there's a moment of wobbling as he tries to maintain his balance. Glancing over the crowd, he squares his jaw and sets his drink down. Pulling off his shirt, he drops it onto his sister's head to show off his washboard abs and the hint of a pair of black boxer-briefs under his sagging jeans. Still unsure of what to do, he strikes his best 'pumping iron' pose and lets out a roar. "I am a human milk jug!" He snarls out across the crowd. "Gods help me."

Eddie pulls out her pack of smokes, shaking out two and then lofting them up in the air. "Two cigarettes." Hey, when you're the opening bid, you start off low. Just in case you have no other bidders, you get off cheap. Her voice is loud and clear, even over Dash's posturing.

"Sex. Who knows, get up there." Absalom says to Dash, before staring at his performance. The man leans his face forward into his palm, and then sighs quietly.

Roubani clearly has very little idea what's going on here, and is working on attempting to figure it out. He glances at Matto questioningly and then back at the stage, eyes slightly narrowed and one brow raised.

Kai raises a brow slightly, the cigarette pausing a hair's breadth away from his mouth when Legacy mentions someone being auctioned off. He aborts the drag he was about to take, and lifts his eyes to the stage as Martin ascends. And proceeds to.. oh, gods. He suddenly has a vicious itch that needs scratching on the bridge of his nose.

Sparro chuckles as he drinks, waving for another as he glances over at the stage. So that was the game, eh? "Four cigarettes!" he calls out. Glancing to the rest of the bar, he shrugs. "What? My Raptor could use a good cleaning, after all those bleeders from Scorpia…"

Luckily, or unluckily, the nugget has nothing of value on him to sell out for some Martin Black action. A slight look is given back to is silent companion for a second before he is shrugging. "I have nothing, sorry dude." Exactly what Martin, wanted to hear-right? At least BangBang isn't here, or lords know what would happen to poor Dash.

Matto is moderately confused a moment or two into the proceedings, when things sort of fall into place and he looks… some even combination of amused and horrified. He looks back toward Nadiv with a look that connotes some sort of apology for dragging him here after all. He shuffles a little closer, chin tipping down toward his shoulder as he offers a word or two of explanation in a quiet voice.

Jupes holds up her glass for the toast to the departed pilots. She glances over to Eddie when the other woman sits with her, grins, and nods. "You look hot." Goes without saying, really, but Jupiter says it anyway. "… The frak." She reaches up to pull a shift off of her head. She throws that across the bar again, and leans back to finish off her drink.

Martin kinda blanches as he hears a guy call out four cigarettes. Blinking, he seems to suddenly get the idea that he's going to get all of these cigarettes. Despite his fatigue, he starts to put on a show. Grabbing his drink, he downs the last of it and sets it on the edge of the bar. Picking up a bottle of water, he pour a bit of it atop his head to give him that calendar look. Then…he starts to chide the crowd. "What, you frakkin' bitches don't got more than four cigarettes? Eaaah!?!? I practically run this Squadron."

Absalom leans back in his seat, and shakes his head slowly at Martin's comment. He's keeping quiet for whatever reason — maybe saving his bids for later — but he does light up and take a few puffs off of a cigarette as he watches the spectacle.

Roubani listens to Matto, his expression running a gamut of flickered emotions that includes 'bewildered' quite prominently. "No…but…" He glances back at Martin, right as the man's dousing himself with water. "I mean, really. What could you pay Black to do that he wouldn't do for free?"

"Four cigs, and a pair of these!" Yes, one of the rowdier pilots in the crowd, quite possibly Bangbang, just hauled off her underwear and lobbed it at Martin.

Thea's quite happily playing auctioneer tonight, even though she's snickering a little at Martin's, ah, posing. She disappears for a moment and the music changes to a nice driving beat. Nope, he's not getting off easy with jazz. "Come on people, this is Dash. This is BONER, as his sister so lovingly calls him. Look at the man move! Imagine him sliding under your bird, scrubbing away at the underside with a toothbrush!" She waves a hand toward Martin like a game-show model showing off the prizes. "I hear four cigarettes. All proceeds from tonight's auction go to the Pilot's Goodie Cabinet." Thea watches the underwear and just sighs, shaking her head. "Whose did you steal now, Bangbang? Come on, get the bidding going! Y'all need to be rowdier for when Marek goes up on the block!"

There is a shake of his head, though upon seeing how this is going..mainly as a pair of BangBang underroos hits the stage, the nugget is slipping carefully from his stool, and moving to hide..Where? Of course-The Bathroom! That is where everyone goes to hide, so they do not get sold outright into Air-Wing Bondage. Cue the sneaking music, for Gresham.

"I got five cigarettes," Jupiter observes, idly swirling her glass. "But then you'd be doing my delicate laundry for a month." Jupes observes from her seat at the bar.

Wait what? Kai nearly chokes on his cigarette when he happens to catch his name thrown into the mix there. It doesn't really matter what the context was, it doesn't bode well. He sheds his jacket, tosses the broken sunglasses on the table, and starts threading his way toward the 'Gents' as well. Hey, why try to refuse the call of nature?

Matto chews on the inside of his cheek in an effort not to look too frightfully amused at the Poet's comment, but failing, for the better part of all his effort. "Wear Bangbang's knickers?" he finally posits an answer, eyeing the flying underwear and the dampened pilot both askance.

"It's all in the underwear," Eddie says as an aside to Jupiter to account for her hotness, the borrowed pair thankfully /doesn't/ get thrown up onto the makeshift stage. "Ten cigarettes! And he has to sterilize Case's toy stash!" Hah! There. Eddie actually gets into it a little bit.

Roubani also glances at the flying underwear, indifferently. "Are you certain that wasn't a proxy bid from Leda?"

Antioch just shakes his head as he watches Martin up on the stage. "I'm so not bidding on -that-" he says with a chuckle. "I'm saving my cigarettes for a better cause."

"Twenty cigarettes." The voice comes from the back, but a Raptor pilot's voice can be clearly identified. "Agree that I don't have to say what I want him for, and it's twenty-five."

The elder Black sibling turns to cross her arms on the bar. She tips her head down and takes a lean, head cradled in the crook of her arm. Just a brief rest, you understand. As the big goes up to 25, her shoulders start to shake. Maybe she's having convulsions. More likely, she's laughing.

Absalom booos a little at the latest bid, or maybe at the secrecy clause. Either way, he's booing a little, and then drinking more.

Martin grins, basking in the limelight for the moment. Of course, like most men with his mindset, it's suddenly becoming important to him to drum up as much in the goodie-bin for his services as possible. Laughing as a pair of panties hits him, he blinks and holds the skimpy undergarment up for the crowd to see, almost paling as it dawns on him that they came from the predatory Bangbang. The laundry proposal almost gets him to lose his balance, casting an eye glare towards his sister. Laughing, he lets the mood grow infectious as he leans down to steal Eddie's drink and pops it back. Handing the empty glass to her, he gives her a look of total evil. "Shit twenty five?" He blinks, gazing to Kassia.

"Eh?" Kissy wonders at Nadiv's further commentary, but he relaxes a little as the Poet's morality doesn't seem unduly affronted by the proceedings, tipping a heel up against the wall and slouching there comfortably nearby to sip at his drink and watch as people begin to have fun with it.

Thea pops her hand on the stage, making a loud thwacking sound. "Twenty five and a secrecy clause, what do you say people? Do we let her have the secrecy, or go with twenty?" That thwacking hand circles in the air as she tries to drum up enthusiasm. "Come on folks. Dash, shake that ass. These people have no idea what they're getting." Eyes watch the CAG go for a moment, then move back over the crowd. "I have twenty going once…"

Eddie's eyes narrow at Martin, the smirk on her lips twisting in a dark and devilish way as he steals her glass, empties, and hands it back. As the bidding goes up to a pack and then some, things start to get serious. "Two packs. And you better ask the CAG for forty-eight hours of leave." For those of you playing at home, that's up to forty smokes.

"Nothing," Roubani replies, in a privately prim sort of way. If Matto didn't get that, all the better for sanity. The wall is still an excellent place to be, and there's juice to sip. He stays cautiously removed from all the antics going on, his eyes flickering back to the collage on the wall for a time before going back to the loudness in the other sphere of things.

Absalom sits up a bit at Eddie's bid, and then calls out, "Two packs…plus one," as he counts out the cigarettes he's brought with, "I aint covering two days for that rat again for at least a month."

Jupes turns her head a little to glance over at Eddie. She grins. And then Absalom outbids Eddie. She slides a hand under her skirt, what there is of it, and drags out a crinkled up half pack, then slyly slides it over to Mooner under the bar, sleight of hand style.

Two days sickness, nearly three with himself sweating out most of his body's water? Check. Three drinks within the last thirty minutes, check. Blood alcohol content rising, check. Gigantic Ego? Double Check. When Thea tells Martin to shake his money maker, he bites his lip and glances between Absalom and Eddie as the bidding war continues. In a moment of awkward hillarity, he pops the button on his jeans in front of Jupiter and shrugs his jeans down his hips to show off his boxers. "Beat this bet, sister?" He challenges, starting to shrug-walk across the bar, hoping to the gods that he doesn't trip up on the denim ankle cuffs. Reaching down, he plucks a beer from the ice and pops the top, kinda strutting down the bar for all to see.

After careful consideration, Sparro starts taking his time with the drinks. He has no idea what Legs is up to but just in case she has something special in mind for him, it seems a good idea to keep his wits about him, now that he thinks about it. His four cigarettes are slipped back into the pack… just in case, it seems a good idea to hold on to them for now.

Matto has, indeed, never been on the receiving end of Castor's attempts to peddle ladies' undergarments, for one reason or another. He takes the neverminding of the topic well enough, though, eyes staying with Nadiv a moment before looking out to the crowd. His free hand moves from where it sits on top of the wooden box at his flank, stretching out to take one of Nadiv's close by the wall if he's let, eyes nearing the stage before his attention is drawn by— where on earth was Marty's sister keeping those cigs?

The earlier Raptor pilot stands up, an evil look in her eyes. "Ok, I have two and a half packs… and forget the secrecy. The whole wing will get to watch, if they want to."

Eddie looks down as cigarettes are pressed into her hand, then looks up to Jupiter. Now they have to beat two and a half packs together. Giving a brief shake of her head, Eddie tries to push them back. Let that Raptor win, if she's that determined. Wait. Eddie counts it out. "Fifty two cigarettes. Final offer."

Even Thea's a little taken aback by Martin's actually shaking his ass. She blinks for a moment, then gives a wolf whistle. "Look at that, ladies and gentlemen! The great Dash Black actually wears underwear! Who would have guessed?" Back and forth in front of the bar she paces, keeping up the stream of patter. "We have fifty cig…and now fifty two! Looks like this one is going to Mooner! Remember folks - safe, sane and consentual! Going to Mooner in three…two…SOLD to Mooner. You can claim your prize after you take your turn on the catwalk." Oh, yes, there's that grin.

"Oh, put the happy trail away. PUT IT AWAY." Jupiter waves Marting away with a hand. Finally, when her brother is won, the elder Black breathes a sigh of relief. "Get dressed, you nasty whore."

Kai watches the 'bidding' from the very edge of the little hallway leading to the washrooms. Shoulder and hip settled against the wall, he's half-lit in the glare of flickering neon while he smokes and observes— half amused, half wary.

"Of course I wear underwear, silly." Martin says, calling out to Thea. "Something has to nestle the…package. It's like a…you know…thing. Dude in a…" He blinks, looking down to his sister with a broad grin. Shrug-walking past her once more, he shakes his ass a little and makes his way to the end of the bar. Leaning down to grab his jeans, Martin bends over…loses his balance…and falls to the floor with a loud thud. Landing on his back, Martin holds his beer up to show that not only did he not spill, but that he's okay. "OOOOwwwww…." Pants half down and shirtless in a bar. Black family pride at it's finest.

Roubani is sort of out of it for the end of the auction. His attention's not doing very well tonight with all the sensory overload. Which turns out to be good for Matto, as barely notices his hand being taken. Martin's falling on the floor has him blinking a bit. "She's going to need to pay extra for shipping and handling, I see."

Hey, the biker contingent has arrived late, and there's barely anything to smash up with barstools. Dang. No wait, that's just the S2 doing a little party crashing. She's out of uniforms, and sans weaponry to a first glance appraisal. Her eyes scan the room briefly, eyes practiced at confiscating. A bottle of something is spotted, and the marine slinks along the outer edge of the room.

Eddie tosses the half of a pack on the counter, adds the one from her waist band, and will have to pay up the rest once they get back on the ship. She glances down to the prone Martin, "Don't worry, I'm donating your body to science." Whatever the hell /that/ is supposed to mean. Mooner the leans over the bar, retrieving an officer's hat that got stashed gods know when, and she plops it onto her head. Maybe she had this worked out with Legacy since the beginning. Instead of the bar, Eddie's heading to the pole. She nods at someone in the corner who changes the music, and soon 'You Can Leave Your Hat On.' Starts over the speakers as Eddie approaches the pole.

<OOC> Eddie says, "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tunvwCvu2NY"

Absalom shakes his head a little, and then whistles a bit as the next contestant is announced. He stands and moves back towards the bar, obviously needing a refil, and takes Eddie's still warm spot next to Jupiter. "You owe me a shift for that," he informs the woman. "I've been flyin with nuggets for four days now and its driving me to drink," he explains, while ordering said beverage.

Matto hardly sees the spill, himself, attention drawn that way more by Nadiv's comment and the concomitant commotion than by the event iself. He laughs, then, "Let's hope she bought the post insurance," he murmurs, playing along. His hand remains in Nadiv's, his eyes up on the stage as Moonshine goes to show what she's got, giving her an encouraging sort of smile from across the way.

Thea just grins as Eddie takes to the pole. A drink gets cadged from the bar as she heads over to where Kai is lurking, sipping as she walks. "Ladies and gentlemen," she calls over her shoulder in her best announcer voice. "The incomperable Lieutenant. Eddie. Morales!"

Groaning, Martin turns his head to watch Eddie heading towards the pole. Pushing himself up, he leans against the bar near Absalom and Jupiter as he buttons his jeans back on. "Oh that was a vindication bid?" Martin laughs, suddenly realizing that he should slow down before he becomes the local lush. Weak and tired, he smacks Absalom on the back and gives his sister a one armed hug from behind. Heading down the row, he offers a few fist-bumps to people as he passes before tossing Bangbang's panties into the box. Snatching up his shirt, he throws it over his head and pulls it on as he takes a seat near the collective crowd centered around the pole.

Kai needs more than a cigarette, he needs a few drinks to make it through a night like this. Not that Eddie mounting a stripper pole isn't something worth looking at— and hey, maybe Legacy was just bluffing. He exhales somewhat shakily, and ashes his smoke out in a shower of sparks that briefly flare in the dark, and then die. His eyes come up as the redhead herself approaches, with a wry twist of his lips that isn't quite a smile. "Good party," he murmurs.

Roubani actually chuckles at Matto. Maybe the sugar in the juice is doing something for him, as he doesn't even pull his hand away once he finally notices it's touching another person. And now Eddie's on a pole. Huh. He tilts his chin up, watching curiously. He'll probably regret that.

Absalom calls out, "Three cigs," to start the bidding at least.

Eddie approaches the pole slowly as if she's stalking it, and when she finally gets there, her leg hooks around the pole and she does a lazy sort of circle around it. There's a hint that maybe this isn't her first encounter like this, but she's still an amateur. "Three cigarettes?" She questions the first bid, even as she's unsapping one clip of her garter casually. Her eyes are now shadowed by the hat, but the smile on her lips is clear.

Sparro sits back and enjoys that first turn with a bit of a smile on his face. Well, nothing ventured… "One pack," he says with a smile, putting the promised pack on the bar in front of him. "Good Picon fumarella, too. Not that cheap Caprican stuff."

Ah, a leggy pilot danging on the pole. The perfect distraction to keep piloty eyes off of her. Salazar swipes a small bottle on her way past the edge of the bar. She slides a hand into the pocket of her jacket after tucking the bottle in, and slips out a little paper envelope from her pocket, finally locates the CAG with her eyes, and lifts that hand to him. Then her eyes turn to the woman owning the pole. "Huh."

Jupiter glances up from resting her head on her arm as Abs slides over and takes a seat next to her. "… Tellin ya. Just ram a few into astroids and you'll feel a lot better about the whole thing." She lifts her head, glances over toward Eddie. "Uh oh. She's going to the garters." Jupiter finds her glass empty. Crud. "If the nuggets are driving you to drink, what do you think would happen if you got on the wing of someone who can actually fly?"

Thea props her shoulder against the wall and chuckles softly as she glances at Kai. "I think it helps that we've got people wanting to play." Silence for a moment as she glances out over the crowd. "And I think there's someone looking for you." Fingers lightly poke Kai in the ribs. "So get off the wall and go get her."

Dragging off of a newly lit cigarette, Martin glances into his pockets and makes a count. Having brought some of his own stash down, just in case, he looks back to Eddie on the pole. It's an almost curious look, strange to see her so…open. It's almost intimidating to the man, and it shows. Smirking towards Eddie, he calls out. "One pack of smokes, a handy from my sister, and an autographed pyramid ball."

Matto dips his chin a little bit, grinning cheekily as Moonshine goes into her routine and the bidders come out swinging. He draws a thumb along the pinky side of Nadiv's hand, turning to glance his way, just checking to see how he's doing.

Roubani is just watching this spectacle with his usual sort of detachment, though he does look more amused this round than he did for Martin's. He comments to Matto lightly, "I would almost bid. But I'm sure she'd reject a chess set."

Absalom glances over at the bidding going on, and then turns to Jupiter to reply, "Well, I'd if they're someone just coming off the sick list, I'd probably have to keep an eye out that they're not falling asleep on the stick." He orders himself, and Jupiter another drink, and when they're deposited in front of him he smiles a little and asks, "Why?"

Eddie might be stacked like a twelve year old boy, but she can move to the music. Mooner gives over to the song playing with the heavy brass influence, and indeed she's leaving her hat on. One more garter clip is undone, the top of one stocking starting to roll down her leg. The value of items is up to the auctioneer, not the auctionee, so she let's them duke it out. "Who gets the handy?" Comes Eddie's response, before she's trying something a little more daring on the pole with her swinging. Hopefully she won't fall on her ass.

"No offense, Thea, but I don't think most of these kids need much motivation to get up there-" Kai tips his chin toward the stage. "-and let loose." He exhales politely away from the woman, then drops his cigarette and crushes it out with the heel of his boot. At least he's not looking like death warmed over, any longer. Progress. "The frak are you talking about? Going to start calling me tiger, next?" He cuts his eyes through the crowd however, spots Salazar, and keeps his eyes on the woman for a full ten seconds or so before shifting them back to Eddie. "Have you met Nikos, by the way?"

"It's not for her," Kisseus reminds Nadiv, "It goes in with the rest for common pilot use. Go on, then, it's for a good cause," he encourages, finishing up his drink and leaning in as close as the box between them will let him. It's a handy barrier, that.

Salazar slides her hands into her pockets, and takes a lean against a table, just perching on the edge of it. She watches Eddie on the pole, with a little grin. Seems most of the attention in the room is on that dark haired beauty warming up the stripper pole. Bidding would draw a little attention, so she crosses her arms and resists the urge.

"Why? Cos it's a lot harder to keep up when you're not the SL and someone's pushing your ass. Having a dippy tagalong isn't the hardest thing that could happen to you." Jupes reaches for her refill, and salutes Shadow with it. "You got stuck on my wing, you'd be crying for mercy." She grins, and slouches a little against the bar before she lifts the glass to her lips to take a long sip. Wait, did Martin just… "… What? BONER. You do not want to start this war. I mean, I'd bet with your willy, but half the wing's already handled it. Means I gotta get creative over here. You want me to get creative?"

Roubani makes a slight wince at Matto. "This will be ridiculous." Which ordinarily would stop him, of course. But oh well. Slightly uncomfortable at the prospect of calling attention anywhere near himself, he nevertheless calls out. "One pack of cigarettes, and a Vipers-versus-Raptors handmade chess set." There, he did it.

"Yeah, I have," Thea says softly, looking from Kai to Eddie and smiling a bit. "Go for it, Tiger. And don't forget that you're going up on stage probably once Mooner's done." At Eddie's dancing, Thea lets loose a wolf whistle - gotta drum up the business for Eddie. Of course, it's clear that Eddie's doing damned fine on her own.

Absalom barks a laugh at Jupiter, and shoots back, "You keep sayin that, but there's exceedingly little evidence that that would be the case." He looks over at the dancing Eddie, and lets his eyes linger for a few moments, while Jupiter yells at Martin.

"Whoever casts the winning bid." Martin replies, quickly. It's a reply that comes perhaps too quickly, but he suddenly realizes the error of his move and changes his bid a little bit. "…and isn't me." He adds, causing him to laugh. "FRAK OFF, Peanut I'm workin here. Okay, Poet, you're on. A pack and a half of cigarettes, a hand job from my sister to the next person that bums me a smoke, a Sam Anders autographed pyramid ball, and a bag of beef jerky." He calls out, folding his arms as he watches Eddie.

Jupiter reaches down her dress. She slides another half pack out, taps out a cigarette, and brings it to her lips. She digs out a lighter and flicks it, the flame jumping to life before dancing a little. She touches it to the flame, inhales long enough to be sure the cig catches, then tucks the lighter back from whence it came. There's a pause, a puff of smoke, then the elder Black tucks the cig between curled thumb and middle finger, lines up, and flicks it, end over end, at her brother. Yes, lit. "Looks like I'll be my own hot date, asshole."

Legacy just gets a dark look from the CAG — possibly for the 'tiger' remark — before he pushes off the wall and steps past her to approach the lurking Salazar. Sneaky marine. He's already in the process of lighting another cig as he threads his way over.

Eddie points at Roubani through the haze of the dim lighting and the clouding cigarette smoke. Just then, she peels off one of the long arms sheaths that hide her scars and flings it at Nadiv. If she were that concerned any more about the state of her skin, she wouldn't be up here in the first place. FLING! Martin bumps the bet again, and Mooner gives a full on laugh that comes from deep within. It feels good to let your hair down once in a while. If, ya know, your hair is long enough for that sort of thing.

"Um." Roubani doesn't quite seem to know what to do with that. "A…pack of cigarettes, the chess set, and my circular slide rule." And tacked on, primly: "…they don't make them like that anymore, you know." Who the nerd? HE THE NERD.

Sparro grins, then leans back. "Ok. TWO packs of cigarettes, I volunteer for the next two double CAP shifts, and the unabridged story of Captain Legacy's first encounter with alcohol when her daddy wasn't supervising." Gotta bring that Captain back into the game somehow, right?

Roubani also gets hit in the face with an arm sheath. It's draped nicely around his neck. Mine.

Matto eyes Marty, brows lowering a little bit even if he's trying very obviously to fight back a smile, and he leans even further over the box, licking his lower lip in a manner more of concentration than salaciousness, though he's cast his eyes back on Moonshine as he murmurs aside to the Poet.

Absalom sits up a little at Martin's offer, but, as the cigarette is flicked from Jupiter to Dash he sighs a bit, before leaning back against the bar and watching Eddie dance.

Martin jumps as the lit cigarette bounces off of his shoulder. There's a sudden splattering of hot ashes as Martin starts to furiously sweep his hand across his shirt to brush them out. Picking up the cigarette, he takes a drag off of it. Narrowing his eyes at Jupiter with a look that would burn her to a crisp if he had heat vision, he turns back to watch Eddie as he calculates. Turning, he looks to Absalom, and gives him a conspiratorial look. Folding his arm, he squares his jaw, and ups the ante once more. "Two packs of cigarettes, a bag of beef jerky, and my sister gets to take Shadow's virginity."

Sal glances over as the CAG approaches. She leans in a little as he says something quietly to her. She replies, gestures briefly to Eddie, and hands over the little paper envelope in hand, tucking it against his palm. "Is everyone going up there for sale to the collective?" She gives him a look. "You're not going to — " But the rest is lost in an amused murmur.

Roubani is in the middle of sipping juice when Matto whispers to him. A brow raises and he half-smiles, clearing his throat. "One down for dignity." Raising his voice again, he calls with no shame, "Two packs of cigarettes, the chess set, my slide rule, a set of knitting needles, and a tin whistle in B-flat." Oh good gods.

Absalom shakes his head a little and comments to Jupiter, "Saving my smokes for someone else. Though, she's not a bad bid," he says nodding up to Eddie, before glaring outright at Martin. "I told you, and CIC that in confidence!" Who knew the barn was listening all that time.

"The frak," Jupiter intones, noting the tenacity with which Roubani has entered and is staying in the fight. "Maybe Mooner's more bendy that I originally suspected." She coughs a little to clear her lungs of the booze previously inhaled. And then she chokes on the next drink when Absalom glares at Martin. She has a little more trouble with that one. She might actually be choking this time. Ice cube.

Kai accepts whatever's in the envelope, and turns it over in his hand a couple of times. Whatever else Salazar says gets a dark look, a soft mutter, and he pulls away to go retrieve his jacket and shrug it on. Either it's cold in here, or he's preparing for a stealth departure now that he's put in his token appearance.

Sparro glances over at Roubani with a smile, then laughs and downs his shot. "Knitting needles and a tin whistle? Next they'll be wanting my guitar! Too rich for my blood."

The Raptor Captain gives Sparro A Look as he makes his bid, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Just you wait, Birdman," she calls, laughing. "Your turn on the bar is coming soon enough. Or on the pole, your choice. We'll see how much your ass is worth then." Pushing off the wall, she starts over toward Jupiter, reaching out to pat the woman on the back. "Come on, folks - he's throwing in the tin whistle! Who can beat that?" She glances at Eddie, briefly.

Eddie is up on the pole, yes, actually up on it now. She's scaled the thing and is slowly twining her way back down. For those closest to the stage, they get a glimpse of purple thong that Mooner had borrowed from Jupiter for the occasion. The bidding just continues, getting more creative, so so does Mooner. When the song finally ends, she gives a sharp whistle. "Hey Spider!" And then, that hat finally does come off, and she frisbies it to Marek. The thing clearly has the Captain's insignia on it.

There's just a smirk from the S2 in response to the CAG's look. She murmurs something, then shakes her head. "Hydrate, yeah? I —" She pauses to step aside, lest the frisbee hat find her instead of Karim. "Party crashed, booze acquired. Don't let me stop you from taking the stage." And then she's high trailing it for the door, since she's already out of melee range.

"Well…sex with my sister clearly doesn't beat that. Shit…" Martin says loudly, dragging off of his cigarette. "Well…the only thing I got is the uh…videotape." Martin says to himself, scratching his chest as he considers for the moment. Watching Eddie, he seems to still not believe this vein of bravery she's found. Turning around, he glances across everyone and offers his extra lit smoke to Bangbang. "Uhhh…."

Matto laughs aloud over to Birdie, squeezing Nadiv's hand and turning to beam at him with a bright smile as it seems victory's within reach.

Roubani coughs quietly. No more bids from him, that'll have to stand. Whatever that 'videotape' is, he's reasonably sure he can't top it. He scratches his nose with his pinky, taking a sip of juice.

Samantha comes into the room JUSt in time to hear about… The Videotape. Sam's jaw drops. Granted, she's looking pale and a bit shaky just for having been outside alone, a strange look on her usually cocky, confident features, but now she's inside, away from it all, and in shock to hear those words…"Holy frak…what -about- the video tape?" She's in her only piece of civilian clothing, of course…that red polka dot dress of which she is so fond.

Kai's quick reflexes are all that save him from being beaned in the head by Eddie's hat. His hand snaps up quickly enough to catch, fumble, then catch it again, and he frowns slightly as he spots the pins slid into it. The marine gets a parting glance, nothing more.

"No, no no I'm not actually throwing the videotape up there." Martin blurts out, scratching the side of his head. Lowering his brows, he stretches his arms out before him and rises. Looking from Eddie to Roubani, Samantha, Jupiter and finally Absalom, he scratches the side of his head. "I could crush Jupiter forever with this…what to risk, what to risk…"

Another song comes on, and Eddie keeps dancing until Legacy declares a winner. This is getting exhausting. There's only so much Mooner can take off without actually taking anything substantial off.

Matto either had missed the videotape bid altogether or had thought it was merely a reckoning-up on Marty's behalf— in either event, the look on Sam's face is enough to wipe the smile off of his. Ohdear. He looks for Legsy, giving her something of a sad-puppy look while Marty goes hemming over options.

Thea doesn't linger over the choking Jupiter - clearly believing that someone will give her the maneuver if needed. "And it looks like we have a winner, folks! Lieutenant Roubani has won this round." She grins, broadly, and starts the applause. "That paves the way for our next lucky gentleman to be auctioned off. Though I'm not so sure if he's the lucky one, or we are for the chance to bid." Ahhh, cheese. Moving around behind the bar, Thea's only gone a moment before she rests a guitar case on the edge of the stage. "Captain Karim Marek! This is a man worth more than cigarettes, ladies and gentlemen. Now it's time to show what you're really made of. Not only is he our CAG, he's supremely talented to boot." Yep, she's looking at Kai.

Samantha shakes her head, sounding ashamed…"Damn… and I wanted to see the video tape. Gotta figure out what i can put up for auction for that sucker, finally." Sam tsks gently to Martin, though she falls quiet then and weaves her way just a bit deeper into the room, taking the nearest available seat as she settles to watch the insanity that is soon ensuing on the auction block. She's breathing a bit easier now that she's inside, but she's still looking oddly grey around the gills.

Roubani turns slightly red when that collection of incredibly unmanly bids wins this. Whatever 'this' actually was. He keeps his mouth busy with juice rather than comment, expecting this new round to get extremely loud.

Absalom whistles a little bit for Eddie as her round on the bar comes to an end, and then turns his attention to the CAG as he is called out up to the stage. He raises an eyebrow.

Lowering himself back down into the seat, Martin stretches his arms over his head until he feels his shoulder pop. "Awwwww damn." Martin calls out loudly. The CAG himself is on the chopping block. Dragging off of his cigarette, he grins broadly to Eddie and applauds her performance as he leans over to Sam. "It just occurred to me that if I offered that up, I would have zero control over who gets to rent it from the Air Wing's …" He pauses, whipping head around. "SHADOW. DO THE GODDAMNED MANEUVER ON MY SISTER SHE'S CH—" Martin gets out, suddenly rising. The dizziness forces him to stumble towards the stage.

Eddie puts her fingers to her lips again, whistling both for the winner of her auction, and the next auctionee. She slips off the little stage, already fumbling with her stocking to get it reattached to her garter. Mooner makes her way over to Roubani and Matto, giving the former a little whisper of a kiss to the air just on the right of his cheek. "Looks like you won a One Hundred Percent authentic Moonshine Morales. Collect at your leisure." She gives a wink and squeezes Matto's arm, then is off to find Jupiter again. She must conspire. The CAG must be won.

Kai's just in the process of tossing the hat on the table, finishing dragging on his jacket, and worrying later about where Eddie got those pins. Maybe it's the dregs of catching ill that've made him even less sociable than usual tonight, but one can practically spot the moment where his gut does a little flip-flop. He clears his throat, and watches Legacy steadily while he finishes pulling on his jacket. "Sorry to be a party pooper, but I can't dance, I can't sing, and I'm sure as frak not taking any clothes off." He didn't say 'can't'. Then again, every pilot knows how to take their clothes off. "I will however take donations of cigarettes."

"Will do, dear," Roubani gives Eddie a minute half-smile, offering her back her arm sheath if she wants it. Back to his juice, shifting his back against the wall so his shoulder rests against Matto's.

Matto looks satisfied enough to have helped out, and relaxes as all this videotape nonsense fades away. He bumps against the box a little, making the box bump gently at Nadiv's hip in turn, and he gives the boy a playful grin as Moonshine comes over. "Nice dancing, Moonshine," he tells her when she's by, sharing a flushed-cheeked little smile with her, too, before she's off on another mission. He leans against the Nadiv, turning to whisper something close to his ear.

Sparro leans back, a relieved look on his face. He thought for sure that when the guitar came out… looks like Thea had just been bluffing, thank the Gods. He calls over two shots and downs one in a second, holding the second for a moment before all the shouting concerning Jupiter registers. "Frak," he mutters, then stands and moves over to her, looking her in the eyes. "Fingers? You need help?"

Jupes is a little busy turning a slightly funny color to join Eddie in the oggling of the CAG just at the moment. Looks like she could use some help. Maybe she's just angling for a grope.

The CAG gets a little moue of disappointment from Thea. She glances briefly at the guitar left on the stage then back to him before offering a little smile. "And there we have it, folks. Moving on to our next auctionee - The amazing Lieutenant JG Kyle Sparro, also known as the Birdman of Raptor country. Come on up, Birdman and strut your stuff. I'm going to start the bidding off at one bottle of Picon Brandy. Come on, ladies and gentlemen…" Her voice trails off, though, as Jupes chokes. "Heimlich, Sparro," she calls, the levity gone from her voice.

Absalom gives a one finger salute to the obviously intoxicated Martin, and then, noticing the changing color Jupiter, he stands up quickly from the barstool and says, "Gods," before moving in to wrap his arms around her midsection, and administer the heimlich maneuver.

The shine is somewhat taken off the pretty girl in the pretty red dress when she choke-sputters out a giant ice cube that ricochets off the bar, and skitters across the floor. Jupes sucks in a rush of air after a moment, "Frak." Pilot virgins freak her out that much.

Martin watches as the ice cube goes skidding across the filthy floor. Looking to Samantha, Martin gets that mischievous look on his face as he walks over to where the cube is. Picking it up, he lets out an audible moan of complaint as Spider declines auction. "Alright. Two packs of smoke and I'll eat this ice cube!" He calls out.

Whoa, Jupiter was choking. That much becomes evident when the ice cube gets shot out like a viper out of the tubes. "Whoa there, Spanky, you okay?" Eddie asks, her eyes flicking up momentarily as she realizes that the CAG just turned down being in the auction. Damn. And he was worth her last candy bar too.

Kai zeroes in finally on the hubbub surrounding Jupiter and her choking fit, though he doesn't rush in to join the throng and make matters even worse. Concerned? Definitely. He takes two steps toward the nearest wireless handset when Jupiter spits out the ice cube and promptly swears. Swearing is good. Swearing means she's still breathing. After lurking a few moments more to ensure she's all right, the CAG begins making his way unobtrusively for the doors leading out.

Sparro ducks backward to dodge the frozen projectile as it is dislodged, but puts a hand on Jupiter's shoulder for a moment to make sure that she is okay before, reluctantly, using his bar stool to clamber up on the Bar, picking up the guitar Thea left there as he does so. Making a quick gesture for the music to get cut off, he starts playing it. What did you expect, him to wave his bony ass? Glancing over at Thea, he glares. "Sorry, the eltee JG couldn't make it, you'll have to make due with me." Whippersnappers.

"Maybe later," Absalom says to Jupiter, sliding back into his seat at the bar. He waits for her to recover a bit, before he adds in a lower tone, "Your brother told me to tell you…" and he murmurs quietly into the woman's ear.

Jupes does indeed seem somewhat recovered now that the lack of oxygen has ceased to be an issue. She nods to Sparro slightly, and tips her head just a bit as Absalom leans in to whisper to her. About the only thing that saves the other pilot from a broken jaw is how slow Jupiter is on the suckerpunching when she's a) just almost choked to death and b) wearing heels, and c) about ready to drop from being tired. "The frak is wrong with you!"

As it becomes clear that Jupiter's alright, Thea hops away from the stage, giving Sparro a wink as she does. It's back to the bar, and another drink, as Sparro begins to play. "Come on, folks. One bottle of brandy has been bid for this fine LIEUTENANT. Listen to him play…" Drink acquired, she leans back against the bar, though ends up glancing over toward Jupiter and Absalom. "Now now," she calls to the two of them. "No fighting tonight. I couldn't get enough jello from the mess."

Eddie steps up closer to Jupiter and Absalom. "Shadow, why don't you take that ice cube Martin's holding and drop it down your pants. Fingers, you wanna get out of here?" She offers her hand to the elder black, prepared to drag Jupiter out of here before she teeters over from need of rest.

Absalom is not as stupid as he looks. When he finishes whispering to Jupiter, he pulls back quickly and avoids the punch entirely. The man picks up his drink, grins, and replies, "A number of things, but, that's an entirely different conversation." He slides off the stool he'd been sitting on, and glides off in the direction of one of the booths, waving off Thea's words.

Roubani has no idea what just happened here, but when punches get thrown his back and shoulders stiffen. Juice finished, he abandons it readily on the table, taking a few steps away from the beginning violence.

"Oh Casey I'm so dead." Martin says, watching Jupiter start to yell at Shadow. "Please don't let him tell her I told him to say that." He whispers to the wind before turning his attention back to the auction. Sitting back down, he listens to the guitar music, and he suddenly gets an idea. Raising his voice, he exhales his smoke to the ceiling. "I bid my handheld video game system and all of my video discs to the Air Wing to secure Sparro's services."

Samantha furrows her brow quietly, frowning deeply. "What the frak did you say to him, Martin?" She asks as he tells her that he is dead. She's just in shock at the whole little altercation as she stands, readying to flee the room or get involved if she has to. She then looks over towards Sparro, giving him a half smile of good luck, but she's more concerned with the altercation for the moment.

Eddie to the rescue. Jupes takes Eddie's hand to keep herself on her feet as a little teetering happens. "Right. Yeah, Mooner." Maybe it has something to do with Legacy's words. She's not usually one to give up on violence so easily. "Boner." That one word is a warning to her brother. And then she nods to Eddie. "Yeah." So apparently Absalom did tell Jupes that Martin told him to say it.

Sparro glances down at the almost altercation and shakes his head, sending a rueful shrug towards Legacy. He was an old Raptor jock… this was never gonna end well. Still, he smiles, and switches to a different song, full of energy and minor keys. Hey, if there was gonna be a good fight, there might as well be a good soundtrack, right?

Matto hasn't got the faintest, either, his attention having been more or less deevoted to whatsoever he'd been telling Nadiv. As he turns away, a shy sort of smile playing at his lips, the sudden display of violence in his peripheral vision causes his frame to jerk a little with a half-stifled jump. His cup, now long empty, joins Nadiv's on the table, and he swings the box around to his other shoulder, following after the few steps eagerly enough, making sure the table gets well between them and the hitting. But it seems to calm down, and so he just lights up with a meagre smile, "The liquor's been flowing tonight," he supposes, "People are getting a little punchy. Oh!" he adds, in a pleasant bit of surprise as Marty offers such a generous donation. "So, uh," he then grins toward Nadiv, "What are your plans for your prize?" he wonders, smile turning playful, almost teasing.

The auction will just have to wait. Which means Eddie can't return the favor of bidding on Sparro, can't claim her prize, and can't currently be a prize herself. No doubt she'll make good on all of that soon. Right now, she's gotta do what she does best, and be a wingman. As Jupiter takes her hand and steps closer, Eddie then slings her arm around her waist and guides her to the exit.

Samantha just swats Martin upside the back of the head — hard — as he whispers to her what he told the man. "You are an idiot. She shoulda hit him for that one! Stupid boys." She smirks teasingly to him, shaking her head slowly and leaning against the bar there as she looks around for someone who might get her a drink…If there is any drink behind the bar.

Thea exchanges a wry little smile with Sparro and shakes her head slightly, a silent communication passing between the two. She takes another slug of the drink in her hand and simply settles back to listen to the music being so thoughtfully provided. There's an open bar, plenty of alcohol available and flowing, so libations shouldn't be an issue.

"I'll have to consider, surely," Roubani answers Matto quietly. And Eddie's on her way out, so he adds, "And I've time to think about it." he clears his throat quietly, glancing back at what's continuing behind him, then asks Matto something more quietly.

And out the door they go, Jupiter being led along by the woman with garters. She grouses something under her breath, then notes, "Nice pole dance. You look like you had some practice sometime or another…"

Matto tilts his head down, eyes shifting to one side as he listens, then his head wavers quietly in an ambivalent sort of gesture, and heturns to reply in kind, smiling sweetly.

Samantha tilts her head, considering…"Is there a way to get on the list? I might as well…put my body to good use for the air wing…" Sam states with a small grin, looking back towards that pole of danger, thoughtful now.

Smacked upside the head, Martin gets dizzy and has to reach to his chair to hold himself upright. Between the amount of alcohol he's imbibed and the fatigue from the sickness that's still working its way out of his system, he nearly falls over. "I didn't know he'd actually go through with it." Martin protests, bringing his palm to his forehead to stave off the dizziness. "What, you know how to rock the pole?"

"Why wouldn't I? Its always fun to fan the flames of sibling rivalry." Absalom says as he comes within earshot of Martin. He nods once to Sam, and then takes a long drink from his glass. The man is smiling just a little from behind the glass.

Eddie hugs Jupiter closer, "I'll tell you about it sometime. It's a long sordid story, and right now we ought to get you back in bed. Not that you don't look killer in that dress, but it would look better pooled on the floor." /That/ is how to deliver a cheesy line, boys. And out they go.

Roubani glances back at Sparro, then down towards his feet. He answers Matto in return, quietly.

Samantha smirks deeply to Martin…"Know how to rock the pole? I might be the sluttiest person on the ship, if you ask most of the air wing… Bang Bang is my only competition! And if I'm gonna get labeled as a slut, I might as well do it well." Sam states with that same long, half amused and half bitter line to her lips.

Matto looks back toward Sparro as well, then back to Nadiv, shaking his head in accompaniment to whatever he's saying next. Are they plotting further biddage over there?

"Aw, if I wasn't so tired, I'd take you to my bed, Mooner." Sniff. Jupes certainly appreciates the sentiment. She grins and wanders out with the other pilot, surely headed off to bed.

Sparro just smiles back at Thea with a bit of a grin before returning to his playing. If he's not gonna be bid on, he may as well be the entertainment. "Sold, to the poor captain who thought she'd be outbid," his voice says with a laugh. "Next up?"

Martin glances back to Eddie leading his sister out of the bar, and their words. A look of terror crosses his face. "No…" He shakes his head, reassuring himself. "She wouldn't". He adds, clearing his troat. That's when Jupiter speaks. The look of horror returns. "Oh gods. No…that can't happen." Martin protests, bringing his beer to his lips for a pull. Blinking, Martin turns to the stage. "Wait. Dude I bid." He protests, scowling. "Sam you're not slutty and Shadow if that shit gets back to me it's your ass."

Antioch loiters, lurks, and otherwise hangs out in the corner, drinking. Apparently the never-social-at-best-of-times Screamer has failed to find his inner social butterfly even with the application of alcohol. Sad, really. Said butterfly's probably pinned to a collection case somewhere.

"Next up," Thea calls, laughing quietly. "A break for some dancing." Back behind the bar she goes to turn the music on. Again, it's a nice, driving beat that people can get down to. Grabbing the hand of an NPC Viper pilot, Thea heads out to the cleared section to dance. No, it's not a pole, but she's shaking her ass.

Roubani looks mildly relieved at whatever Matto just said. His arm forms a V over his chest as he rubs at the opposite side of his neck and nods, murmuring back.

Sparro jumps down from the stage, then with a smile walks over to Martin. "And so you did… so what do you need me for, chief?"

Absalom scratches at his neck a little, finishes off his drink, and shakes his head slowly, "You're welcome to try any time Dash, but, really, you're gonna hear it one way or the other." He sets his glass down, and starts out onto the dance floor himself, muttering, "Virgin my ass."

Martin laughs. "No shit. Hey man, don't say I didn't try, brother. Gotta watch my wingman even if does come in the form of a human sacrifice for my sister." Martin adds, rubbing the back of his sore head as he turns his attention to Sparro. "Hey, yeah, when we get back up I want to borrow your musical abilities for something. Think we can arrange that? It'll be well worth it."

Matto draws his lips into a quiet smile of understanding at the last message sent his way from Nadiv, and he sets the further of his two hands atop the wooden case now on that hip, the closer of them reaching out to touch just at the Poet's waist as he begins to move for the door, the two evidently out for some fresh air. If any air around here could be called fresh, at all.

"Deal," Sparro says, then puts the guitar down on a table before walking over to Thea, holding out a hand. "You know, this looks a lot like that bar I found you in when you were fifteen, little Cat."

Thea's out on the dance floor, laughing quietly at what her partner says. As Sparro breaks in, she turns toward him, head tilting to the side. "You think," she asks, looking up at the other Raptor pilot. Glancing around, she seems to give the place a second look. "Well, damned if you aren't right," she replies, lips pursing. "Now go get Case and get out here on the dance floor."

Samantha lofts a brow as she hears her call sign behind her from Thea's lips, but doesn't entirely catch what is being said. She turns her eyes in the pair's direction, studying thoughtfully as she nurses a beer that's finally been set in front of her. Flat as all hell, but it's got alcoholic content. that's all that matters!

Absalom dances, fairly well actually, out on the floor with a no-name Raptor ECO.

Sparro nods, then walks over to Sam with a smile. "I don't suppose that I can drag you away from your beer long enough to dance, could I?" He puts on the charm old school Gemenese style, even offering a small bow as his hand extends towards her.

The song changes and, laughing, Thea turns toward Absalom, grinning. "Can I have this dance," she asks him, cheeks bright, eyes shining thanks to the alcohol - and exertion. "Good to see someone else out on the floor.

Samantha looks up towards Sparro, lofting a brow with a half smile…"Sure your hips can take it, old man?" she teases him gently as she stands up, a touch taller than usual in her red pumps that were clearly picked to match the dress. if she was carrying one piece of civilian clothing on her tour of duty, she was carrying it in style! "I think I can handle a dance myself… "

Absalom slips an arm around Thea's waist, and complies with her request, saying, "Well of course you can, and, there's plenty of folk out here, despite some recent departures." He seems to be enjoying himself, and the alcohol as well, as his voice is slurred just a bit.

Sparro is also starting to feel the drink in him, but never say that he let it interfere with his style. He is a musician, after all. One hand taking hers, he gives her a spin out onto the floor, a move almost swing era but oddly fitted to the music. As he spins her back towards him, he grins. "These hips can handle a lot, little girl." he says with a devilish smile.

Martin leans back in his chair. Folding his arms across his chest, he finishes the last of his cigarette and stubs it out. Exhaling the fumes, he brings his beer bottle to his lips and finishes the last of it as well. Dizzy and already far dehydrated, it occurs to him that he's going to be far worse in the morning unless he acts fast. Rising slowly from his chair, he zombie walks to the bar and loads himself up a giant glass of iced water.

There's a low, quiet laugh as Thea hooks an arm around Absalom's neck, moving rather decently with the beat. She's not a professional, but for an old broad, she moves pretty well. "There sure are," she says with a grin. "Enjoying yourself?" Yes, she's trying to keep an eye on the others, to make sure people are having fun.

Samantha lofts a brow, grinning rather wider. She's not drunk yet, but she lets him take the lead, easily moving in a spin, her polka dot skirt flaring everywhere around her legs. She knows how to dance, shockingly so. Or at least how to follow a lead. "…Really? I'll make certain my other half knows you're reassuring me of that fact…" She teases, but also drops that subtle reminder. She is, supposedly, a taken woman.

Absalom continues the dance with Thea, and seems more than able to keep up with the older woman. He nods, "Indeed I am. A bit drunk, nearly got my jaw broke, and now dancing with a nice lookin lady." He winks, and then asks, "You?"

"Of course, be sure to let him know," Sparro laughs as he leads her into a dip before pulling her back up, eyes to eyes before another spin starts. His dance style is either horrifically old fashioned or just designed to suit her attire. "We're pilots, after all. What's a dance without a little danger?"

Thea looks up at Absalom - she has to, given the respective height difference - and grins. "A nice looking lady? Where," she asks, eyes twinkling. "Damn, you dancing with two of us at once?"

Antioch snickers quietly at Legacy's teasing of Absalom. Were he asked, he might suggest that some would consider Thea to be worth two women. Or maybe that's just because of her rank. He doesn't voice this, since there's just no good way to yell it out, and he's not drunk enough to go for random blurting. And thus the world continues to be spared Antioch's own wittiness.

Absalom twists and turns with Thea, and then squeezes her closer for just a moment as he replies, "Well, we all have to have our talents, but I'm not quite /that/ good." He then adds, "You never answered my question, though. Enjoying yourself?"

Samantha continues in that dance with Sparro and it's -good-. They're damned fun to watch, old fashion, all spins, fast feet, turning heads. In the old fashioned style, a style that was popular during the first cylon war, they pull it off damned well. By the end of the music, Sam is breathless and smiling, cheeks high with warm enjoyment. "Damn…for an old man, you -can- move those hips. That was… quite lovely, Birdman."

Sparro bows low afterwards. "And you know your moves pretty well for an infant, Case." He grins. "Thank you for the dance, Sam. And my best to that significant of yours." Kissing her hand before releasing it, Sparro heads over to the bar for another drink.

The Captain grins wryly at Absalom. "Now that I know other people are having fun," she admits quietly. "Yes." She grins over at Sam and Sparro, eyes twinkling. "So, tell me. What's your favorite part about tonight, other than dodging Fingers?"

Samantha bows her head gently to him, smiling warmly as he kisses her hand. "It was my pleasure, bird man." And with that, she lets him go. she then looks towards Legacy, chuckling softly…"Probably that dance…the old man knows his stuff. I'm gonna have to get him to train Thorn. Speaking of…I might brave out there and track Thorn down."

"Other than dodging Fingers? Really? That would be the highlight of my night and /not/ dancing with you?" Absalom asks in a mock innocent voice. He glances over at the dance of Sam and Sparro as it finishes, and then gives Legacy another light squeeze against him for a moment as the beat picks up just a bit.

Sparro walks back over, nursing a beer. "I'd have to say the dance as well…" he grins. "I've played bars before, but never on that kind of notice. For starters, I'd have brought my own frakking guitar…"

Samantha gives a smooth curtsey to the room, "Alright. I am going to go hunt down my man and frak him until he passes out now that Birdman's gotten me all hot and bothered. I shall see you all -later-." So much for being a lady! With that, she turns in a whirl of skirts, and moves for the door. Sam's steps only slow down when she's almost there, pausing… not wanting to go out, strangely. She takes in a deep, steadying breath, but she forces herself outside, her smile totally gone.

Thea just grins up at Absalom, head tilting back a little as she picks up her movements to match the beat. "You silver tongued devil," the woman teases, impish. Both arms go over her head and her eyes close as she starts to turn in Absalom's arms - not pulling away, just dancing.

Antioch eyes his empty drink, frowning a little. He weighs his desire for more against his ability to walk and talk, shrugging after a moment when he finally comes to a decision. He's had enough. "Great party," he comments, tossing the words into the air as he begins to head out. He might be saying it to Thea, but he's not about to interrupt her fun with Absalom.

Guzzling the water, Martin looks over to Thea and Sparro after wishing Sam his best with a wave. Glassy eyed and exhausted, he's starting to look just a tad bit green around the gills. Glancing back to Shadow and Black Cat, a smirk falls over his lips. "Yeah take it easy, Antioch." Martin calls out, leaning against the bar heavily. "I'm gonna hurt in the morning, aren't I?"

Sparro glances at Martin and can only smile and nod. "I'm afraid some serious pain is in your future, kiddo. The only way it could be worse would be if you said something horrific about your sister to Abs over there and he went over to her and passed on the message after saving her from some Ice." He takes a long tug on his mug. "Wait…"

Absalom shrugs just a bit and lets Thea turn in his arms. He leans his head down to rest it on her shoulder and just follows the beat as she dances with him.

The Captain continues to dance until the song's over, and then she turns to face Absalom, grinning at him. "More, or are you heading for another drink," she asks, voice low and quiet. A hand is raised to Antioch. "Thanks for coming," she calls out.

"Yeah, no shit, right?" Martin says with a chuckle, taking another large drink from his glass of water. The man was already dehydrated to begin with, and the alcohol surely wouldn't be helping the situation. Resting an elbow on the bar, he grins to himself as he speaks with Sparro. "I'm gonna head up. I'll get back to you on that idea of mine." Martin says, quickly downing the last of his water as he turns to leave. Waving, he calls out to Shadow and Black Cat. "I'm headin back up. I need to sleep before this hits me."

Absalom waves to Martin and calls, "Get better Dash," before he smiles down to Thea for a moment, "I'm feeling good right now, and, who am I to let a lady go after just one dance?" he asks, smiling back down at her.

Sparro sighs as he leans back against the bar, waving to all of those heading out, sitting alone with his thoughts as he drinks. It was, when he thought about it, very much like that one bar.

Turning, Martin heads towards the door with a wobble to his step. Looking to his watch, he turns and beams a grin at Black Cat before lumbering up to the door. Pushing it open, he disappears into the night.

And like in that one bar, Thea's out on the dance floor with a cute, drunk man, having a blast. The music slows down and Thea drapes her arms over Absalom's shoulders. "So, tell me more about you," she asks quietly.

Absalom tugs Legacy just a little bit closer and asks, "Anything in perticular you want to know? Born on Scorpia, grew up there, lived all my life there til I went to the Academy. My pa was a grunt all his life in the Marines, my brother joined up with them, and probably bought it on Day Zero on the Columbia. I always said Battlestars were for chumps. And what about you?" He asks as he turns with Thea more slowly under the lights and music.

"Mmmm," Thea murmurs quietly, listening. "Interesting story, Shadow," she replies, relaxing into the beat. "Born and raised a pilot. Da was the commandant of the academy on Gemenon. S'where I met Birdman. He used to drag my ass out of bars when I was kid." The smile grows a little. "Been with Kharon almost a year now. Came aboard with the Riders a few months before warday. Brought my platoon of elite fliers to one of the best ships in the fleet."

Suddenly realizing that he is looking a little bit like a chaperon, Sparro finishes his beer and sets about collecting his things. Shooting a smile to the dancers, he begins to move towards the door, then takes a moment to put the guitar back where Thea had put it originally. He then does what he can about sneaking out to avoid notice.

"We try, anyways." Absalom replies lightly, adding, "But, the past isn't part of tonight, I'd rather dwell on this dance and make sure I'm not stomping your toes too much." He winks, before he leans his head down a little and rests his forhead against Thea's for a moment as he murmurs something to her, and then pulls away to look down at her as the pair turn slowly.

Absalom whispers: I know its your party and all, but, care to go for a walk under the stars?

Thea's quiet as Absalom asks what he does, then she smiles and dips her head slightly. "I would," she says quietly, then steps away. "Night Ky," she calls, catching Birdman sneaking out.

Caught, Sparro turns and waves, then walks through the door. Old man oughta sleep, anyway.

Absalom grins a little, and then holds out an arm for Thea, murmuring something else to her as they walk for the exit.

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