View source for 2016-06-21 - Family Matters

{{Logsummary|
Title    = Family Matters
|Summary = The assembled crew discuss the rivalry between the Von Tilsen sisters.
|Who     = [[Ari]], [[Jack Karrde]], [[Lee]], [[Skeeve]], [[Violet]]
|Date    = June 21, 2016.
|Where   = The Unusual Restaurant
|Log=

Continued from [[2016-06-21 - Purple and Red]]

Karrde hmms as he thinks about it. "She made her choice.  But one day she's gonna figure out she let life pass her by and she'll have no one." he says with a shrug. "Bad place to be that, lonely..wondering why there's no one with her.  All the citations, medals, and awards mean nothing if you have no one to spend the rest of your life with." and he shrugs, "Once upon a time I may have been angry at what she did.  Now, I pity her."

Violet frowns, considering that.  "I suppose so.  I'd stick with Alexa now if I had to choose between her and the fleet now...   I think."   She frowns, now actually thinking about that as she makes her way to a booth in the more jungle themed area.   "Maybe it's too early to really say that."

Karrde nods as he follows Violet. But he looks at the bar and headtilts, "Oh god..that bar brings back memories." he says with a chuckle.

Violet looks over at the bar again.  "Oh?   It looks familiar, but I can't quite place my finger on why."

Karrde looks at Violet, "It's the bar from Chalum's on Tatooine. I've been there more than a few times." he says with a chuckle. "Ask Mina to tell you about the times we went there." he says as he goes to sit down.

Violet nods slowly, apparently still not able to place it exactly.   "Suuuure."  She picks up a menu that was left behind and ponders what she sees.   "Huh.   Strange menu, as well.  This place seems to be all about being as odd as it can be..."

Karrde nods and looks at Violet, "Star Wars.." he says as he looks at the menu and tilts his head and huhs.

Lee's jog comes to an abrupt feather-bouncing stop outside the Unusual just before they open the door and hop inside. Lee doesn't seem at all out of breath, but does happen to lean their nose near an armpit, under the guise of looking inside one of the pouches attached to the splatter-painted tactical vest. Lee then strides cheerily over to the bar to wave to the tender.

Violet looks confused at first, looking back to the bar again.  "Star Wa-  OH!  Now I see it!   From the first one, right?  That bar!"  She then blinks as she sees Lee walking right up to the bar.  "I guess Lee's here a lot, then."

Karrde nods, "Yeah..when things settle we can make a trip to one of those dimensions. I think there's one where I'm not the Empire's Worst Nightmare." he says as he looks over at Lee, "Huh..looks a little like a Pahkwa-thanh, but too many feathers."

Lee orders a perfectly normal beer, of all things, then thanks and pays the bartender. Looking out toward the restaurant, Lee catches sight of Violet examining the bar and waves enthusiastically to her and Karrde. Lee takes a swig before wandering on over toward their table.

Violet waves back to Lee.  "Hey, Lee!  We meet again!   You've been here every time I've come here, you know?"  She then motions towards Jack.  "This is my father, Jack.  Pops, this is Lee."  She doesn't elaborate more on Lee because...  well, Lee is Lee.  "Huh.   A vacation might be good, but you know I'll insist on 'Lexa coming, too."

Karrde looks at Violet, "'Lexa in that 'verse.  She'd be right at home." he says with a amused chuckle, "We'll take the Falcon.  It fits in better in that universe." and he nods to Lee, "Plesure." he says to the being before him. And he looks at the splatter covered tac vest, "Paintball?"

"Hiya! Both times?" Lee responds with a smile. Hearing who the guest is, Lee grins and stops to lean on the edge of the booth. "Oh, wow!" Lee says, looking between Karrde and Violet as if checking all the family resemblances. "Good t' meet you too!" Lee looks confused by his question for a moment before glancing down. "Oh, no," Lee explains playfully, "I make it a policy not to play machine-gun paintball. Paint job's totally intentional." Lee adds, motioning towards the other room, "Can head on over there if y'all need some private family time?"

Violet laughs and nods to Jack.  "Yeah, she probably would be.  Not with the major factions, though, I don't think."  She then tilts her head slightly as the painted tactical vest is brought up.  "Lee's an artist, Pops."   She then turns to Lee.  "In fact, you were hired for a mural in Minerva's ship, weren't you?"

Karrde has some features Violet does share, the smirk that appears on both their faces at the right time, shape of the eyes.  But however Lee might notice, looking at Jack, he's human..but more worldly.  Like he's seen a lot. "Eh..I have no problems.  Vi?" he asks as he leans back in the booth as he let's his daughter take over.  But he does answer, "...Vi, you think I was on any side during the Rebellion?  Hell no.  All Bean and I did was troll Vader and the Emperor because we could."

Lee without comments to the contrary, Lee hops over to take a seat next to Karrde, sitting on the edge and angling to let their tail hang off the end and around the side of the booth. Lee grins at the introduction. "Storyteller in paint and spare parts!" Lee confirms, but shakes their head at Violet's further words. "Haven't heard anything more from Minerva 'bout that. Figure Gloria must've gotten cold feet. Or uh... landing struts?" Lee looks curiously to Karrde as he shares history.


Violet laughs at Jack's comment about his time in the Star Wars universe.  "Yeah, that totally sounds like you."  She then frowns at the news that the mural deal apparently fell through.  "Oh, bummer...  Sorry to hear that..."   She then looks to Jack, then back to Lee again.  "Uhhh, Jack and Minerva are siblings.  Aaaaand Jack's ship, Falcon, is...  kinda Gloria's parent?"  She looks to Jack for clarification on that one.


Skeeve chooses this particular moment to push open the door to the Unusual, making his way through the restaurant, and passes the jungle zone on his way to the bar.  He offers a casual wave on his way past.  "Hi, Violet.  Evening, Lee, Jack."  He's halfway to the bar before he stops, slowly turns to look back at the booth.


And Jack hmms, "Gloria is kinda Falcon's daughter.  Back in the war we ran into a frigate, heavily damaged, that was running advanced AI systems.  The AI was damaged but Falcon managed to salvage it, but due to the 'mental' damage, we set her with the mentality of a child as to help her with the trauma." he says with a shrug. "As she gets older she can unlock more of her abilities and slowly recover the memories she lost as she gains the ability to cope with it all." and as Skeeve walks in, the Outlaw looks at Skeeve and nods in greeting.  Okay, he looks familiar and he searches his memories, "Skeeve, right?  You're Skeeve Plowse?"


Lee nods in reply to Karrde, giving Violet an unconcerned shrug of the shoulder. "Still hoping to visit sometime. Maybe I can ask personally 'bout decorating." Lee looks back to Karrde curiously. "Commander of a space battleship?" Lee surmises, "with your own private fighter?" As Skeeve speaks up, Lee salutes with the beer bottle and smiles.


Violet waves back to Skeeve.  "'Sup, Skeeve?"  she says before turning back to Lee.  "Well, that would describe me too, now."   She then pauses.  "Or it will describe me when all the bugs in Phoenix have been ironed out.  I swear, if it's not one thing, it's another..."


Karrde nods slowly to Lee, "Yeah...Battlestar.  A fusion of a Battleship and a carrier. A mile long and with the firepower to ruin someone's day." and he hmms, "Yeah..I do.  Haven't flown it yet.  Just assigned to me."


Skeeve nods a few times, strolling back to the booth.  "Yeah, that's me alright.  It's been a while, Jack, how've you been?  When did you decide to come back?"  He grabs a chair, pulls it up to the booth uninvited, and waves over a waitress.


Karrde hmms as Skeeve's questions.  How best to answer. "Well..I guess I'm okay.  If by okay I find I'm the alternate that spent 12 years trying to find his way home, and found out there was another version of me that got stupid drunk on power and knocked up a couple girls and decided to leave me to clean up his mess." and he sighs, "I really came back down to drop off something with Violet and maybe..maybe..start easing myself back into a life here.  Such as it is."


Lee listens intently as Karrde explains Gloria, but blinks at the description of his ship. "A mile long? Well ''that's'' a good-sized canvas! Also, there's gotta be a small army of janitors!" Lee glances cheerily to Skeeve as he sits. "What'd describe you, Violet?"


Violet raises an eyebrow.  "Oh, yeah, just dropping off a little something, nothing of any consequence, just a multi-billion dollar variable fighter."   She sighs and shakes her head before looking to Lee.  "The whole 'Captain of a warship with a private fighter' thing."


Skeeve can't help but chuckle a little bit, as he orders another round for the table.  "Yeah, must be tough, Vi, having a capital ship and a pimped-out ride at your disposal."  He shakes his head lightly, grinning.  "Well, you've always been good at making trouble for yourself, Jack.  Either way it's good to see you again.  You need any help acclimating, let me know.  As long as it doesn't involve a place to sleep, anyway."


"Uh..." Lee remarks, looking from Karrde to Violet. "So he's actually 'close enough Dad' who comes with fewer half-siblings?" Lee adds, "Anyway, congrats on the command!"


Karrde looks at Lee for a moment and hmms,"Falcon might complain about that Lee," but he hmms and nods "I should introduce you to my Air Group Commander.  I allow most of my pilots to customize their fighters.  Perhaps a deal can be struck there." and he looks at Violet, "Well, you weren't complaining when you started petting the nose." he says in a teasing tone.  And to Skeeve, "I got a place...my ship's in orbit now." and at the mention of trouble he rolls his eyes, "Honestly, after ending up in a Neo Style dimension that was in a state of war and fighting in it, I'd much rather just not start trouble and just focus on as I said 'picking up the pieces'." and he nods to Lee's comment, "Close enough.  But I never had any kids..hell, I haven't dated in.." and he does some quick figuring, "Well..if you count the one date with Raven, before that..11 years.  Closest I went on was when I had to infiltrate a party held by a corrupt senator.  But my date was a agent as well."


Violet blinks and looks between Jack and Skeeve a moment.  "Huh.  I just realized you two are dating sisters.  Um...  Not that they're talking to each other, but..."  She then frowns, apparently considering talking about something when Lee gets her attention again.  "Huh?   Uh, I wouldn't put it like that.  He's my Pops, even if he's not from this dimension."   She then looks back Jack.  "Who said I wasn't incredibly thankful?!   Or unhappy about this in the slightest?  It's freaking awesome!"


Karrde hmms at Skeeve's offer, "I might take you up on it.  Honestly save for Violet and Raven everyone's still convinced I'm the Jack Karrde you all knew for years.  Tired of being judged."


Skeeve raises an eyebrow at that, as he accepts his drink from the waitress, who's come by with another drink for everyone.  "So... you've seen Raven, then."  He's quiet for a moment, staring down into his drink.   "How'd she seem, to you?"


Lee grins at the remark about Falcon, then nods as Karrde explains his background. "Gotcha," Lee says to Violet. "Sounds like a pretty sticky situation, overlapping univserses and all."


Violet bites her lower lip lightly, then looks up to Skeeve, then to Jack, then back to Skeeve again.  "Um...   Yeah...  About...  uh, nevermind..."   She blushes slightly and looks down at the drink now in front of her with a frown, torn with herself.


Karrde looks at Lee and Skeeve, "That's the response I was waiting for." he says with a familiar smirk appearing on his face.  At Skeeve's comment, "Save for having a panic attack when Lishra drug me to her place. " and he takes the drink with a nod and also makes his order for some fries...he's paying for that by the way. "Decent..I can tell there's some major problems going on.  I've seen it before during the war in people about to snap." he says with a grimace, "Right now I convinced her to get the kids and get off planet for a while.  They're on the Athena having a blast and Raven I think has forgotten her problems for now." he tilts his head, "...I think she wants to marry my ship." and to Lee, "It is Lee, it's a hassle finding out someone else lived your life.  LAst I remember I was dating Arikami.  Skeeve and Kawatta were helping with that, then she vanishes and I go after them.  Next thing I know..I'm in another world, and when I come here." he makes a vague gesture, "...What life?  I got kids I never had.  A bad reputation..and well..yeah. Sticky isn't the word for it."


Skeeve looks up at Violet, as though encouraging her to continue, but when she doesn't, he takes a sip of his drink, wishing there was alcohol in it.  "Well... the last time I spoke to her, she was ranting a little, waving a gun around.  Talked about some kind of faustian deal she'd made, but broken.  Got into her sister's head."  He sighs lightly.  "I'm hoping she's doing... better."


At those words something in Jack changes, it's a outward change.  He sits up a bit straighter, his eyes narrow and he looks at Skeeve, "Details now." he says in a tone that only Violet and maybe Skeeve have heard when they were around Kawatta, the voice of a commander. "I need to know everything about this situation. Both sides of it. All I got from her is that her sister drugged her and ran off with her and her kids.  LEaving the other Karrde alone which caused him to fade away.  I'm missing intelligence on this and I need to know all I can." he says as you can see his eyes flicker a bit, as he goes through all he knows and was told and is working up plans.  Yep, this Jack is a new existence.  More a thinker than raw power.


Lee looks curious, if confused, at the talk about Raven, busily inspecting the beer bottle meanwhile.


Violet bites her lip again, then looks up.  "It's...   Yeah, okay.  I've kinda...  been really bad at keeping an eye on her, I kept forgetting and..."   She looks over at Jack, then back to Skeeve.  "I was...  kinda thinking about moving out...  and in with Alexa, but, I don't know... I mean, then I'm spending even less time at the warehouse and..."  she trails off, feeling guilty about possibly abandoning Raven but clearly very much wanting to move in with Alexa.


Skeeve sets his drink down, lacing his fingers together and steepling them, elbows on the table.  "Alright, here's what little I know."  He takes a deep breath.  "Raven makes a deal; save her family, in exchange she's gotta kill a lotta people.  She makes the deal, declines to honor her half.  After shit went down, Ari drags Raven and the kids to France, with some highly questionable methods.  Raven gets in the habit of using her sister for magical target practice when she's frustrated.  About ten years later, they come back to NeoTokyo.  At some point in this intervening time, either Raven or her totem has a spell hooked into Ari's head, feeding her all this poisonous stuff in her own voice.  And it's been done delicately enough that I can't get it out, not without risking hurting her.  We've taken steps to isolate the damage, but I for one would like to lift whatever geas Raven's under so maybe the two of them can reconcile."


With a nods Jack leans back crosses his arms over his chest as he mulls this over, "...I see." he says simply as he closes his eyes. "The biggest problem is it seems that Ari was the trigger that caused the...degeneration of her state.  According to what I know, she was fighting it for years and Ari's stunt caused the situation to collapse in on itself." and he sighs slowly, "Putting them into the same room now would be a disaster waiting to happen." and he hmms, "Unless..we make it so Raven can't do anything to her." he says with a thoughtful look on his face.


Lee frowns and rubs at the back of their neck, remaining uncharacteristically quiet. With condensation from the beer bottle, Lee doodles something like a tree seen from above on the surface of the table.


Violet adds quietly, "The way Ari put it to me...  She's been purposefully antagonizing Raven to be an outlet for Raven's anger...  so it doesn't build up.  If you...  put them in the same room and made it so Ari couldn't get hurt...  Then it might just piss Raven off to the tipping point."


Skeeve nods a little bit at that.  "Yeah, I think pushing them together would be unwise.  Vi's right, I think."  He drains his drink, says, "What I'd really like to do is see if Raven will let me take a look at her, to see if I can break the geas, or even just determine that's what's really going on.  She's not too fond of me right now, I'm led to understand."


Karrde nods, "Agreed on all points." and he looks at Skeeve as he orders another beer for Lee, "Sorry Lee, didn't expect this to get serious." he says with a shrug and a apologetic grin.  And the Skeeve, "I could talk to her on your behalf.  I'm the neutral party here.  So..maybe."


Lee looks up at Karrde and grins weakly. "So... don't suppose anybody knows a family counselor who's a magic expert. And maybe indestructable?"


Violet nods slowly to Jack, still not making eye contact with anyone.  "And I'm afraid if Raven found out I was still friends with Ari, she'd flip out on me..."  She sighs, shaking her head, then groans.  "I hate the whole sneaking around behind someone thing.  I want this whole mess done and over with!"


Skeeve nods a little bit at that.  "Well, if she seems stable for now, maybe it's better to let her and the kids have some peace before we start poking the metaphorical hornet's nest."  He shakes his head lightly at that.  "I don't blame you, Vi.  It's a pretty untenable situation."


Karrde looks at Lee, "They need it..and the counselor needs to be armed to the teeth." and he grimaces a bit. "And yeah..I hate to say this but the situation, even from my outsider standpoint is..it's pretty horrible."


Skeeve has pulled a chair up to the edge of the Jungle booth, where Violet, Jack, and Lee all sit.  There appears to be conversation going on.


Violet sighs and slumps significantly.  "I feel like...   like I've got three people pulling me three different directions in all this.  And I'm afraid I'm being pulled in a direction that's...  the least honorable."


"As another neutral party, I'm gonna have t' say the folks who're the most stable," Lee taps the side of their head, "probably ought t' be the ones taking most of the emotional hits so the ones who look like they're 'bout to lose it, don't. 'Specially if kids're involved." Lee adds, "By the way, I'm totally cool with moving on over there," Lee says, motioning to the other room, "if ya wanna talk about even more private stuff."


Skeeve shakes his head a little bit at that.  "Follow your heart, Vi.  You deserve some happiness after everything that's happened."  He smiles at her.  "Move in with your girl.  Make each other deliriously happy."  He shakes his head lightly, glancing over at Lee. "No, don't worry about it.  I apologize for bringing this up, it was rude of me."


It's about this time that a certain half-elf literally dances into the place, earbuds blaring as she's doing who knows what on her PDA, making a beeline for the bar.


Karrde nods to Skeeve as he glances to Violet, "I'm with Skeeve here.  Be happy. Not everyone gets that chance, and you'll kick yourself for not taking it." he says as a shadow passes over his face.  Yeah, he's thinking of the life that he feels was taken from him.  And he grimaces as he goes to dig out a cigarette. Yeah, he only smokes when he needs to think. "Not one word..I don't even drink anymore so allow me this."


Violet doesn't look too happy about the cigarette, but in the end just nods in response to the both of them.  She definitely looks like she feels guilty about it still.  She should be happy about having this kind of blessing to move in with Alexa, but she can't quite summon a smile yet.  She finally looks up, about to say something, but then completely freezes up as she watches Ari walk past.   "Uhhhh..."   She then motions towards the aforementioned half-elf.


Lee shrugs a shoulder at Skeeve's apology. "Eh, sounds like a family talk was waaay overdue. I'm not gonna get in the way of that."  Lee doesn't seem to notice Ari's arrival until Violet gestures toward her and also looks a little uncertain about what to say to her.


Skeeve chuckles a little bit at that.  "Far be it for me to deny a man his vices."  He turns, as Ari enters the room, and can't help but smile just a little.  "I'll be right back."  He hops up out of his chair, makes his way through the restaurant to come up behind her and pop one of her earphones out.  "Hey, hot stuff!"


Ari jumps a little, then grins, taking the other earbud out. "Hey handsome!" she leans over and kisses Skeeve on the cheek. "Didn't know you were gonna be here."  She smiles before ordering a beer.


Karrde looks at Skeeve and Ari, and to Skeeve he nods, "Ari, right?" he asks as he arches his eyebrow. And he notices Vi's look and puts the cig away and shrugs. Well, smoke later.  He's sure he's still got a cigar on the Athena.  One Falcon hasn't found yet.

And meanwhile, on the last Battlestar, Falcon grins as she flips down a panel on the planning table and pulls out the cigar, "Gotcha." and she crushes it with a satified smirk on her face.


Violet sighs and sits up.  "I...  probably should get myself back home, I...   should get some sleep and think on this..."   No, she's definitely still feeling guilty about it, despite what the two have told her.


Karrde nods to Vi, "...All right.  I'll get with you later." he says with a look at his firstborn, "We can talk more if you want Vi.  You know where to find me."
"I'll let ya know if I find that well-armed and immortal and non-judgemental family counselor," Lee says to Violet with an encouraging smile. "Catch ya later!"


Skeeve laces his fingers in with Ari's.  "Well, neither did I.  Out for a walk, wanted to try something new."   Still holding on tight to Ari's hand, he offers a light wave to Vi and says, "Get some rest, then make the right choice, ok?  Remember, happy is good."  Glancing back at Ari he adds, casually, "Anyway, as a favour to me, no immediate pummeling, okay?"


Ari arches a brow at that. "Wait, what?" she notices the squeezing of the hand. "Pummeling? Who or what would I want to pummel?" she grabs the beer with her non-held hand.


Violet nods and waves to the others as she stands up.  "I'll...   I'll see you all later..."  She then makes her way to the exit.


Karrde looks at Ari, "Hi..Ari right, Jack Karrde." Yeah, different aura..totally different look. "Remember Skeeve, I'm not him.  Even you had to do a doubletake to make sure I was Jack Karrde." he says with a idle shrug.


Skeeve slips his other arm around Ari's waist as Jack reintroduces himself.  "Maybe I'm remembering an outdated threat?"  He smiles disarmingly at Ari, then glances back at Jack, "Oh, I recognized you alright."


Lee isn't sure what Ari and Skeeve are talking about over there, but still leans out from the booth to offer a smile and a wave to her.


Ari immediately tenses, and she puts the beer back on the bar before she slips her hand into her bag, and would try to hide behind Skeeve, but the whole arm around the waist thing prevents that.


Karrde looks at Skeeve, "Huh..I was told I looked different.  What with the shorter hair..the fact I stopped wearing a long coat about 3 years ago." and he does some quick math, "About the time I woke up and decided being a hero was so not worth it.  Better to be practical." and he notes Ari's reactions and you can see him give a long suffering sigh, "Skeeve, don't tell me, I can guess.  She hated the other me, and as such she's scared of what he'd do to her or something like that." and he looks down into his drink and munches on his fries softly.  "Let me finish this and I'll leave."


Skeeve just shoots Ari this look.  "Ari... please don't do anything..."  He pauses for the right word.  "...hastily.  It's really not the same guy, and he is trying to do the right thing."  He glances sideways at Jack.  "Long story, not sure it's for me to tell."


Ari takes a deep breath, and her hands slips back out of her bag, empty.  She kind of narrows her eyes at Jack.  It's not in a threatening way, but like she's trying to read him. "You... you're not the same Jack, are you?"  She seems to relax a little.


Lee looks from Ari to Karrde with an uncomfortable expression after noticing her reaction. While Karrde is still eating, Lee stays on the end of his seat, unintentionally providing some more barrier between him and Ari than the distance between the bar and jungle-themes booth provides.


Karrde sighs and looks at Ari, "No." he says simply. And he grimaces, he knows that sounded short and tense but he's had to deal with this a lot. "Sorry, since I got to MU a couple years back I've been dealing with the crap he left in his wake. You didn't deserve that." he says softly.  As for read, well..he's a walking tense nerve.  He just now seems to be able to relax but yeah...frustration is his middle name.


Skeeve, still with one arm around Ari and the other hand in hers, looks back at the bartender.  "Another round, please?"  He starts meandering through the restaurant, back towards the booth.


Karrde says, "..Whiskey here.  I think I need a drink...a strong one."


Ari thinks about this for a long moment, then actually smiles a little. "Well, then it's nice to actually meet you. I did hear of your existence, just well, nervous about running into you, is all."  She leans into Skeeve.


Skeeve takes a seat on his chair, at the end of the booth, and pulls Ari down into his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist.  "Sure, whiskey for everybody.  A bottle, four glasses please."


Lee, for their part, is still hanging onto their original bottle of beer and hasn't yet gotten around to the second round that Skeeve ordered. "So's Violet the only one who's interested in how much ya ''do'' have in common with the other guy?" Lee asks Karrde.


Skeeve interjects after Lee's question, "Hey, speak for yourself.  I already played this game once - we've actually met before, this Jack and I."


Karrde looks at Skeeve, "When? This is the first time I was on planet for any length of time. Usually I looked around and shot outta here.  Falcon's been planetside more than I.  I've been..well..on the rim of the known galaxy." and he tilts his head at Lee, "Not really, she's more interested in well, rebuilding our relationship.  The other me I heard was a bastard." and he gives Ari a look, gauging her almost. "From all I heard...I can understand. Here." and he reaches into his coat and pulls out a familiar blaster (Han Solo style), pulling the power cell he sets it on the counter and slides it to Ari and Skeeve, "Only weapon I got.."


Ari blinks at the blaster, then kind of pokes it back towards Jack. "Er.. don't need that.  You haven't given  me a reason to not trust you. Full disclosure, I have two combat knives on me.  I haven't drawn them, so.. truce?"


"''Re-''building?" Lee says to Karrde with a confused look. Lee doesn't seem to have enough experience to worry about him reaching into a pocket, but does look mildly worried when they actually notice him putting it on the table.


Karrde nods and grins, "Fair enough.  I just been dealing with people passing judgments due to what the..Phoenix did." he says as he picks up the blaster and slides the clip in place and holsters it in his coat again. "...I normally carry a arsenal but well, packed light. I was just dropping Violet's fighter off for her." and he looks at Lee, "Oh." and he pulls out notepad and writes something down and offers him the page, "Contact info for my Air Group Commander.  Maybe you and him can work out a deal for custom paintjobs for the fighters in my Squadrons." he grins, "I have over 1000 fighters." he says with a smirk.  And at Lee's comment of rebuilding. "In my timeline, Violet and I..our relationship was not the best.  After well...all that happened I felt I should take the chances given to me and well..fix things.  Violet's one of them." and he nods to Ari, "Seems she's another one that hated his guts."


Skeeve chuckles lightly at that, shaking his head lightly.  "Yeah, I remember the conversation you and I and Kawatta had right before you took off.  It didn't go well.  There are some... issues, when it comes to your alternate self and Ari, but nothing unresolvable, I think."  He sighs a little bit, rolling his shoulders.  "Either way, tomorrow is a new day, full of more opportunities to do things better, right?"  He murmurs a quiet spell, and his drink floats up off the table to his mouth, before setting back down.


Ari gives the patented von Tilsen nose wrinkle as she thinks a moment. Jack would notice that well, Raven wrinkles her nose in the exact same way.  "I was nineteen, I did something extremely stupid."  She sighs softly. "I've been paying for it for a decade." She takes a glass of the whiskey and chugs it.


Lee blinks at Karrde's employment opportunity. "Woah..." Lee takes the piece of paper, looking from it to Karrde. "Thanks!" Still somewhat distracted by that, Lee mentions, "Maybe it'd be better to say you're starting something new even with her? I mean, I'd be really glad to have even someone sorta like family here, so I can see where Violet's coming from. But I dunno about claiming some alternate-universe-twin's relationships as your own, 'specially when a lot of people aren't too thrilled with the guy."


Karrde looks at Skeeve and his eyes narrow as he remembers that, "...Yeah. I think I remember that. I'm wishing you guys HAD stunned me or knocked me out." he sighs, "Sorry Skeeve, I know I screwed up now.  Back then..bad place.  UN dismissed me, 'Kami went missing.  I wanted to go." and he shakes his head, "And look what it got me.  Twelve years fighting someone else's war.  And when I finally get back.  Well, what life.  I find the Phoenix took over my life and hell nuked every bridge he could.  I heard Kawatta hated my guts.  I'm banned from working with the NTSDF in any official capacity." he looks at Ari, "Seems we're both paying for things. Me, the sins of someone else and you, for being young and stupid." and he tips his glass in her direction.  And he looks at Lee, "..Lee, it was my life before he ruined it.  I.." he sighs, "I feel I have to fix it or else I'll never be able to HAVE a life.  Call it stupidly naive and idealistic.  But...it's me.  A lot of these people used to be my friends.  And also..Violet is my daughter.  Like I said, it's rebuilding it.  As Skeeve put it, I am from Neo..but my timeline is skewed as I left some years back.  Well, I managed to return and well..you can guess the rest.  Some other version fucked up everything.  And again, some of these people were friends so I feel I should try to fix it."


Skeeve shakes his head a little bit.  "Well, I remember some of that too.  It was a tense time, but, it's in the past.  As far as I'm concerned, Jack, you and I, we're still cool."  He shrugs lightly, says, "We've all done stupid things that we regret.  But we're still around to fix our mistakes, right?"


Ari kind of runs her finger around the rim of the glass. "Yeah, but there's no fixing what I did. Fairly sure I'm not done paying my due on that." she bites her lip a little.


And that's about the time a wad of paper goes to hit Ari between the eyes.  Yes, Jack threw it, "None of that.  You're alive so you have a chance." he points out.  "And as for stupid stunts.  Talk to Falcon and my fleet, they have a list of dumb things I've done." Yes, he said fleet.


Skeeve catches the paper before it can hit the ground with telekinesis, flicks it back towards Jack.  "Hey... no sense losing hope until it's impossible, right?  You're both still alive, so there's still hope."  He leans in to kiss Ari lightly on the back of the head.


Ari shakes her head at Jack. "You don't know my sister.  Once she's got her sights on someone..." she sighs. "It's kind of what she does.  I'm fairly sure the only reason I'm still breathing is because of the kids.  Though she hasn't threatened me lately, so maybe there's a chance." she leans back into Skeeve.


And Jack catches the paper and hmms as he stuffs it into his jacket. "Well, if it helps she's off the grid now.  Thanks to Lishra pulling a stunt I met her." he shrugs, "I saw someone with a lotta problems so right now." he points up, "Off planet on my ship." he sighs a bit and slumps, "I think Raven wants to marry my Battlestar.  She took one look at it and I swear I saw hearts in her eyes."


Lee frowns slightly at Ari's theory, but then looks over to Karrde. "Guess the important first question's whether your Battlestar's single and into humanoids," Lee remarks amiably.


Karrde looks at Lee, "....Lee, for my sanity I am not going to say much save my ship is sentient.  It's a woman..and due to the fact she has a holo avatar so she can look like anyone and yes, even give the right equipment." and he downs the whiskey in a single gulp.  And he winces as he looks at the bar, you can see him debating how much he's gonna have to drink forget that mental image.


Skeeve chuckles a little bit at that... well, really, it's more of a snicker, or even a giggle.  "Remember when Arikami thought you were cheating on her with your spaceship?"  He snickers some more.


Ari blinks a little at Jack. "Wait... Raven's been with you this whole time?"  She takes a moment to process that. "You were the one Lish was excited about hanging out with.  Her blog doesn't name names."


Lee looks intrigued by Karrde's remark about the ship, but at least for the moment respects his 'not going to say much'. And apparently Skeeve has some details of his own to add. Lee asks Skeeve curiously after Ari's question, "Lish's one of the kids?"


Skeeve, still giggling a little bit, nods at that.  "Yeah, one of the twins."  He seems to be mostly calming down.


Ari nods. "The selfie loving, blogging, mechanically inclined preteen." she smiles a little.  "She will take your picture if she meets you.  It's just what she does.  That and trying to sneak in the Usual."


Skeeve says, with a tone of fond reminisence, "I haven't seen the twins since they were toddler little... hope they're doing okay."


Karrde looks at Skeeve, "Yeah, she didn't know who Falcon was at that point." he chuckles a bit, "God that was just wrong." and she nods to Ari, "Yeah.  From what Falcon and I gather, she wanted to do a selfie on a space ship.  Well, it took off with her in it.  Thankfully the crew worked for me so they contacted me and told me where she was.  She almost ended up getting caught by slavers had Falcon and I not interceded on her behalf." he shrugs. "After a out of nowhere glomp and figuring out what was going on.  I took her home, which led to me meeting Raven." he sighs, "Poor woman thought I was gonna cuss her out when she saw me."


Ari frowns slightly, hunching her shoulders and adverting her eyes. "Yeah, that was my fault. Completely."


Lee looks curiously to Skeeve trying to suppress laughter, then grins at Ari's description. "Not supposed to be in the Restaurant?" Lee guesses.  As Karrde tells the story, Lee leans in to listen.


Karrde looks at Skeeve, "Skeeve..bop her upside the head please." he sighs, "Listen, saying this now.  I don't know what happened..and yes, later on I might ask so I have the full picture so I know how to help fix it." and he looks at Lee, "Raven made her recite the rules of going into the UR, which sometimes, unless that changes. Is a place you don't go into unless you have body armor and are armed to the teeth." he grimaces, "Most of my plans involving going to the UR on a bad day start with 'After the strafing runs and orbital bombardment are done'.


Skeeve squeezes Ari around the waist in a hug.  "It happens, Ari.  But it's not to say that we can't make amends."  He leans in to kiss her upside the head - he figures that's technical enough to count.  At Lee's question, he adds, "If I had a kid, I wouldn't let her in the Usual either..."  He's quiet for a moment, then, after staring at it just a moment too long picks his glass of whiskey up off the table and drains it in one go.


Ari wrinkles her nose a bit, still frowning. "I grew up with Raven. Once she wants someone... taken care of, it'll happen.  Even if it's the long game." she blinks at what Skeeve says, then snuggles back into him, hugging his arms around her.


Karrde looks at Ari, "Yeah..well, you forget something. You're not alone.." he points out as he finishes his drink. "Anyway, I need to get on.  I need to check my fighter over before heading back to the Athena." he sighs, "Dammit..I promised Em a flight."


"Huh," Lee remarks thoughtfully Karrde and Skeeve's assessment of the restaurant. "Guess I've been lucky." Lee frowns at Ari's characterization. "Maybe delegate some worrying?" Lee suggests. As Karrde excuses himself, Lee slides out of the seat and hops to their feet. "Nice meeting ya." Lee waves the paper. "And thanks!"


Skeeve sets the glass back down on the table.  "And besides, Ari... she didn't kill him, did she?"  He angles his head towards Jack.  "So it's entirely possible she could change her mind."  Looking up and over at Jack, he adds, "Don't be a stranger, okay?  I've lost enough old friends for one lifetime."


Ari sighs. "It's not him she's mad at." she looks at Jack. "Nice meeting you.  And please... tell the kids I said hi?  I miss them."


Karrde nods as he gets out of the booth, "No problem.  Like I said, get with him and work out something." and he nods to Skeeve, "I'll be around." and he pulls out a comlink, "Here..satcom link.  Even if I'm at the Outlaw Base as Laconis Prime you can reach me via that.  When we get settled in I'll show you both around." and he looks at Ari and nods at the comlink he's offering, "Any messages just let me know and I'll pass them along." and he hmms, "As for Raven..I'll keep her occupied."


Skeeve takes the satcom link thoughtfully, tucks it into his breast pocket.  "Thanks.  And Jack... it's good to have you back."


Ari nods a little. "It is... and thanks." she says quietly.


Karrde nods, "Well..I would say it's good to be back but..I don't wanna jinx it.  I have 12 years missing.  It.." he sighs, "It's gonna be interesting." he grimaces, "...Skeeve, if you see Akiya and them, don't tell them.  Not ready yet." he says as he reaches into his coat and drops some bills on the table, "Covering the bill.  Anyway." he gives a nod, "Later." and like that he heads on.


Lee plops back down on the edge of the seat after Karrde vacates it and curls their tail over the end. Lee smiles and nods at his reminder about the job tip. Lee looks from Ari back to Karrde with Ari's request.


Skeeve lets out a sigh, then smiles lightly.  "Well, that went better than I expected.  But..."  and here he stands, scooping Ari up enough in his arms to avoid dumping her onto the floor.  "We should probably get home, should we not?"


Ari eeps! and blinks from the sudden scooping. "Er.. okay?" she chuckles a little, then looks at Lee. "We need to get together and talk about color pallets for the club.  Catch up with you later?"


Lee grins at Ari's surprise. "Sure thing!" Lee replies to her. "And catch ya later, Skeeve!"


Skeeve, still holding Ari rather close, pulls out his D-Hopper, and, saluting Lee with it, hits the 'return' button, and the two disappear in a burst of smoke.

|}}