Manhattan Bar and Lounge

[Xing]

Isabelle shook slowly her head, sending her long black hair - somewhat slightly longer than what was normally allowed in the navy, from one shoulder to another.
"Been trying to. The outcasts bastards keep ranting how great cardamine is over global channel. But with all the traffic going on... we'd need a whole defence fleet deployed all around the planet to forbid completely the cardamine from getting on planet!"
She sighed, and shook her glass, looking at the golden coloured liquid
"But, if we did that - which neither Mr. President nor the Admiral would allow mind you, the people of Liberty would scream "Fascism!!" at the sight of so much military vessel."
She smiled a bit tired looking at the bartender,
"Ironic how those you protect turns against you, eh?"

---

[Airhead]

Solo sighs. "I need to stop thinking so hard." He began to look around the place and spots a guy gorging down a lobster. Man, he is really going to town on that thing. Hey I dont I know that guy. Before Solo could do anything else, his food came and he began eating as well.

Man this good! Solo thinks to himself.

After Solo takes a few bites of his burger, he looks up at the guy and says "Victor! Thats your name. Now I remember you."

Victor stops and looks at Solo and says "Didnt you hear me say hello?"

Solo shrugs "Sorry pal, I was thinking too hard."

[ivr56]

"Yup" He replies to Isabelle, "Well you can always use communication satilites, cheaper and just as effective in tracking shipments and ships."

Andrews watches the two men at the other side of the bar as they gobble down there delicious food and talk about past time it seems.


Andrew looks at the dront door and then one of the monitors
The civilians are starting to come in more and more as the minutes go by. Mostly Cricket fans as everyone is watching one of the the monitors and a Cricket match is on, New London versus Cambridge, 3:4 for NL. Andrews isnt fond of Cricket but loves the buisness it brings in each Saturday Night.

---

[mwerte]

Victor sees that Solo was ignoring him. humph. Oh well, I didn't need him anyway.

Finishing up his second Lobster Victor looks up and becones Andrews over.

"Could I please have 1 more? For the hotel later tonight."

"Of course sir, that'll be right up. And another Liberty Ale as well?"

"Sure, why not?"

As Andrews hands Victor his 3rd ale he looks around the room to see it filling up with regulars and visitors. He's extreamly suprised when his friend Alan Groteck walks in. Alan works for RepEx Shipping but is a computer genious...who can't find work in his field. But him and Victor had become good friends within a few months.

Alan quickly spots Victor and heads for him with a shout.

"Hey Victor!! What are you doing on this Kanzler-forsaken rock?"

Victor grins at Alan's ever-present exuberism.

"Hello friend, and welcome to this little place. It has Lobster!! Get something, I'll pay"

After Victor glares at him, Alan orders a Rheinland Beer, and after muttering something about Liberty-restrictive menu choices, a New York Steak.

Andrews sends the order back to the kitchen with the promise of; "You will not be disapointed"

Still a little confused Victor askes Alan what brings him all the way to Liberty, and long enough for some food and drinks.

"Well Victor, I was coming from Honshu to NY when the port engine started making funny noises. My engineer said that it would hold till we got to Alster, but we'd have to wait the night there so we couldn't take any passangers. On his recomendation I pulled back to half power to ease the engine a little bit. Well...things never go according to plan.

We dropped out of the Denver JumpGate into a group of 15 Rouges and 9 Xeno's eyeing each other up. Of course, there were no Navy patrols around, and of course, they both attack me. I had to run the engines at 110% to get away from them, and it was 15 minutes before the LN showed up. I wish those lazy doughnut eating cops would get off their fat touchies and do something.

Anyway, as if running the engine that much wasn't enough an Outcast codenamed Basilisk showed up. 2 of his shots slipped through my shielding and buckled the starboard engine cowling. I managed to limp it to the Manhatten dockyard but instead of it being a priority job for free at Alster they're charging me 2mil and it won't be done till tomorrow morning. Argh. But ill be able to pick up passangers tomorrow anyway.

To the inept LN!!" And Alan tosted his Rheinland Beer with Victor's Liberty Ale, ignoring the looks of other, obviously military personell, around them.

"Hey Victor, don't I recognize him?" Alan pointed at Solo.

"Yeah, he used to work for BT but he quit, and I think he wants to be left alone."

"oh, ok. You know, I haven't seen Stephine in ages..."

And the 2 friends talked late into the night, getting drunker and drunker, but having good fun.

Later a message flashed across the infomercial screen:

Bulletin Board

• Synth Foods, Inc. are hiring full time escorts. Apply on bounties board. [Here]
  
• Synth Foods, Inc. are looking for full time employees.

Victor looked over at it, and then at Solo, and then at the infomercial.

"Hey Solo!! That might be something for you." Victor gestures at the bulletin board.

"Huh? What?" Solo asks then looks at the bullitetin board and reads the message.

---

[centauri5pirate]

The few patrons turn as the door to the tavern opens up, and they see a man walk in. Dressed in camoflage pants and a worn jacket with a Lane Security patch sewn on the sleeve, the look in his eyes tell that he has seen more in his short life than he should have.

He walks up to the bar and nods to the people sitting there. Signaling the bartender, he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a smoke.

"Greetings!" The bartender says to him. "Welcome to the Manhattan Bar and Lounge! What can I get for you today?"
"Liberty Ale and a Bretonia scotch to back it up." he replies. His eyes glance at the numerous screens behind the bar, stopping on the gate race being broadcast from the Hood in Dublin.

The bartender returns with his drinks and smiles at him. "Been a rough day huh?" he asked him.
"You have no idea." the man replied. He picks up his scotch and downs it, then reaches for his ale. Two swallows and a half bottle later, he says "Better bring another round, and while you're at it, set up everybody." He reaches in his pocket and flips a $1,000 Sirius credit card on the bar.

"Better order a platter of that Kusari Sushi too." he added.

He looks back to the race, smiling as he sees a titan clip his wing on a gate and explore in a fiery ball.
Almost bought it on that turn myself one time, he thinks to himself, smiling.

---

You ask me why Im weary, why I cant speak to you.
You blame me for my silence, say Its time I changed and grew.
But the war's still going on dear, and theres no end that I know...
And I cant say if were ever...
I cant say if were ever gonna be free.

[Xing]

Isabelle chuckled as she saw the LS man throwing a 1000 sirius cred card on the table. She shook slowly her head, as she herself ordered another round of Liberty Ale,
"Feeling lucky today, pilot?" she said, her stare fixed on her golden beverage with a certain amusement.

---

[centauri5pirate]

"Luck wouldn't even begin to describe it." he said as he knocked back his 2nd Bretonia Scotch. "A five system sweep with a new recruit, with no problems until Leeds. The dirty *&$%'s came tearing out of the Stokes Asteroid Field... 8 of 'em." he shook his head. "We didn't see 'em 'till they were on us. Peeled my recruit's hull apart like paper. I managed to get 3 of 'em, then high-tailed it to the Magellan jumphole on auxiliary power."
"Strange tho, all were flying Sabres but speaking a language over the comms I'd never heard before..."

He grabs his ale and drains it in 3 swallows. The bartender, always attentive, has another round ready for him before the glass hits the table.

"Here you are buddy, this one's on me." He said with a look on sincerity in his eyes.

The man pushes the credit chip towards the bartender and says "Everyone...'till it's gone. And check on that sushi..."

---

You ask me why Im weary, why I cant speak to you.
You blame me for my silence, say Its time I changed and grew.
But the war's still going on dear, and theres no end that I know...
And I cant say if were ever...
I cant say if were ever gonna be free.

[mjolnir]

From: Bob Swaffar, Manhattan bartender

Public announcement


My supply ship along with the pilot were lost in todays massacre. To cover the expenses needed to obtain a new ship, all prices in Manhattan bar have to be increased by 150%. I hope there will be no further mishaps, so that I can decrease the prices to former level in near future. But due to the number of attacks on commercial vessels these days.. I cannot guarantee when and if this will take place

Swaffar out

---

Igiss says: Martin, you give them a finger, they bite off your arm.

[Tabris]

Mathew Anobi sighed as he walked into the Bar/Lounge, he was wearing his Navy Uniform, his Lt.Commander pips still on his collar, he ran a hand through his short blonde hair and his brown eyes tiredly scanned the area, he was moderatly heighted at 5.11 ft and had a moderate build, the type one would expect from one who has been in the Navy, muscular yet lean enough to fit into a fighter without a problem.

He had just come from his ship, the LNS Luna after a days patrol, he was tired and needed to relax, otherwise he would go 'nuts' as his dead father would say it, he walked up to the bar, not paying the man drinking Britonian scotch any mind and nodded to the Bartender, his voice soft yet audible, exhaustion clear in his voice.

"Liberty Ale please" he spoke softly as he slid a credit chip towards the Bartender, as he was served he forced himself to relax and took a drink of his ale, he sighed as he remembered a previous operation he had flown not long ago in his fighter, taking out some renagade navy pilots, but after that their commander told him and the other pilots that they couldn't make a report about it, wanting to keep it 'hush hush'...sighing and letting out a Rheinlander curse of 'schiess' he downed the rest of his ale...

[Xing]

Isabelle listened to the announcement with disgust, as she drank from the ale.
"Great, we really needed these idiots doing some random manifestations, whining about getting shot for disrupting trade lanes... at that rate we'll believe it's a f-... err, conspiracy to raise the prices..."
She turned to get a better look at the man sitting next to her, the lane security pilot.
"Say, at that rate you won't be able to fly for quite a long while eh?"
The smell of food being prepared in the bar made her hungry, and she ordered a New York steak. Finally some fine food after the dull kitchen aboard her dreadnaught...

---