Bad Guys Only

[pugsmuggler]

Vercelli sat in the east wing's reception room. He had half of a burrito in his hand that he holding in a fold of tin foil. It looked hard as a rock, and he'd probably plucked it straight from the fridge before heading out of his bunk room. He idly tinkered with his watch, occasionally taking a bit out of the brick-like wrap. Once a good few minutes had passed, he glanced up at the seat across from him where Quelorie occupied a spot.

"The hell is keeping Joel? He called us in here a good thirty minutes ago," he said.

Comments

[kobacake]

Quelorie was a little surprised to see Joel so tense when he walked in, though she didn't show any signs of it. When the data appeared in front of her she looked carefully at the images, skimming the information that was available. Ah... Bentley Foster. That certainly explained Joel's demeanor. She recalled the incident with Daijia and wonder if Joel always got this ruffled when his brother was involved.

Regardless, Quelorie had to agree with Vercelli. There really wasn't much they could do when the First was involved. After all, how often would it be that they'd send a doctor to do field work? The other one, however... it was possible they'd run into him again. Saying nothing, she looked to Joel again.

[aphelionix]

"I'm in no mood for your attitude, Vercelli," Joel snapped, scowling at the foil-wrapped atrocity in his hand. "So shut up or I'll shove that thing down your throat."

He straightened and continued, "This incident happened yesterday, and very important information has been stolen, that the Circle can use to their advantage. The project the information pertains to has to do with mentally operating machinery, and at this time we have no reason to believe the Circle doesn't have the resources for such an endeavor.

"There isn't much we can do," he confirmed, hands flat on the table. "But it's our job to be well-informed and prepared. Our insiders are getting what information they can." Though, of course, insiders were short in number with the Seventh Circle excommunicated by the rest - smartly so.

[pugsmuggler]

"Alright, cool," Vercelli said in a dull tone, losing interest in Joel's spiel the longer it went on.

"Now that we're all in the know you should take some time to cool off. There's nothing we can do until some new information pops up."

[kobacake]

"I agree with Tootsie," Quelorie said, as rare as an occurrence as that was. She noticed a vein pulsing on Joel's temple and wondered momentarily if the stress wasn't going to give him an aneurysm. "It would be unwise to make any rash decisions. We should calm down first."

[aphelionix]

"Dismissed," he stated sharply, yanking the drive from the desk, the files in front of them disappearing. Tucking the information away, Joel turned back to the door. Before stepping out, he added, "I will be at the bar, and I highly advise you only interrupt me if there is an emergency you cannot handle yourselves."

[pugsmuggler]

"You mean we're not invited?" Vercelli teased. "Come on, you could use a little interrupting."

[kobacake]

Leave it to Vercelli to make light of the Commander's anger. Quelorie couldn't help but be a little impressed that Vercelli could always get away with that. Still, she wouldn't mind interrupting Joel during this... temper tantrum? Was that the right term for it?

[aphelionix]

Joel had his hand paused against the frame of the door, next to the touchpad.

"Do whatever you want."

It wasn't an invitation, but it wasn't a ban anymore either. Joel opened the door, going out into the hallway.

[pugsmuggler]

Vercelli waited until Joel had left the hallway. He stood up after, wrapping up the rest of his burrito and binning it. He extended a glance to Quelorie, his hand gesturing towards the door before burrowing away in his pocket.

"Come on. I'm sure we can get a free drink or two outta this."

[kobacake]

"Is that your way of expressing your curiosity?" Quelorie stood as well, heading towards the door. "Or are you actually showing a hint of concern?"

[pugsmuggler]

"Trust me, Joel's temper-tantrums are nothing to be concerned about."

[kobacake]

"Oh, so it is called a 'temper tantrum.'" The fins on the sides of her face ruffled slightly as she stepped out the door, pleased that she'd remembered correctly. "I was wondering earlier if that was the correct word to use in this situation."

[pugsmuggler]

"That's right, fishsticks, but don't tell him that or he's prone to throw another one," Vercelli replied, heading out through the hallway to the lounge where Joel was no doubt drinking at the bar.

[aphelionix]

In the residential area at the lounge - the nicer one, away from all the brutes and lower ranks - Joel was already camped at the bar with a tall glass of beer. He was hunched forward, a hand around his drink, staring down into it. His brow hadn't budged a millimeter, still bunched into frustrated creases, and frown still on his face. He didn't bother to look up and see if the approaching figures in the corner of his eye were in fact Quelorie and Vercelli, but he had a feeling he didn't need to confirm it.

Joel knew why Vercelli decided to tag along, in any case.

"I've got an open tab," he said as they walked up. "Don't go crazy. You're still on call, pilot."

[pugsmuggler]

"When am I not?" Vercelli mumbled back, swinging around to Joel's side and taking the seat there.

"I'll take a beer from the tap, thanks."

[kobacake]

"You weren't on call half the day on your birthday," Quelorie replied and sat down on Joel's opposite side. The open tab really didn't do her much good since she wasn't able to drink alcohol (she'd learned that the hard way very quickly), but.. "Seltzer water."

[aphelionix]

One less person to worry about paying for, at least. It was too bad - Joel would've been more willing to pay for Quelorie than Vercelli. (They all learned the hard way that day never to give her alcohol.)

The bartender got to work on their drinks, pouring the frothy beer first into a glass.

"Because he was sick," Joel reminded. "Or so he claimed."

[pugsmuggler]

Vercelli had the bar keep top off the mug, taking the first swig off his beer as soon as it arrived. He smirked wryly at Joel and Quelorie's conversation, shrugging away Joel's accusation.

"I'm allergic to birthdays," he said.

[kobacake]

"Why are you allergic?" Quelorie asked before taking a small sip of her seltzer water. Keeping track of exact dates of birth wasn't an Aqulios custom, so she'd never experienced a true human birthday. "Having a birthday sounds fun."

[aphelionix]

"It's impossible to be allergic to birthdays," he told Quelorie humorlessly, taking a large gulp of his own beer.

[pugsmuggler]

"It's not," Vercelli argued. "It's just like commander here is allergic to relaxing."

[kobacake]

"I see..." Quelorie nodded in response to Vercelli's retort. Of course she assumed one couldn't really be allergic to those kinds of things, but... "That makes sense. "

[aphelionix]

Joel didn't say anything, but if his grip got any tighter on his glass, it might just break. He did have some semblance of restraint, though, and let it go, tucking his arms into each other instead on top of the bar.

"That is also impossible, Quelorie."

[pugsmuggler]

Vercelli just smirked, taking another swig of alcohol.

"Keep on drinking, big guy."

[kobacake]

Quelorie glanced idly at the drink menu, reading over the various names of cocktails. There sure were some... creative drink names to say the least. When Joel finally finished off his drink she pointed to one on the menu and said, "You should get this one next."

...'Fisherman's Joy'? (The one called 'Dark and Stormy' seemed like it would fit his mood better, but she figured it was best not to go with that.)

[aphelionix]

A glare was directed at Vercelli before Joel's attention was pulled elsewhere. The 'Fisherman's Joy' was a tropical cocktail, with alcohol-soaked fruit at the bottom. It sounded more like a dessert, and his interest was immediately piqued by all the sweet flavors in it.

"All right," Joel said with a shrug, and finished the last of his beer. He ordered the cocktail, the bartender nodding and pulling out the needed ingredients. He expertly layered the alcohols, the colors teal, blue, and purple. The bottom layer was clear, showing off the orange fruit at the bottom. Joel looked between Quelorie and the drink.

"Huh. It looks like you."

[kobacake]

The fins on the side of Quelorie's face ruffled as she looked at the drink. He was right. The colors matched that of an Aquilos very well. "It does... Maybe the inventor visited Asteron."

[pugsmuggler]

"Or y'know, things in the ocean are blue," Vercelli mumbled to himself, ordering another beer.

[aphelionix]

Joel rolled his eyes at Vercelli's comment.

"Have you been to an ocean that wasn't on Asteron, Quelorie?"

[kobacake]

Quelorie turned to Vercelli and in the most monotone voice imaginable said, "You're so boring, Tootsie."

She then looked back to Joel with the slight shake of her head. "No. Coming to Gladsheim was my first time off Asteron..."

[pugsmuggler]

"I'm boring?" Tootsie sneered. "At least I'm not a fish."

[aphelionix]

"Wonderful comeback as always, Tootsie," Joel said, disrupting the layers with a swirl of his straw before trying it.

[kobacake]

"Fish aren't boring." Quelorie traced a finger around the mouth of her glass. "But I'm not a fish either."

[pugsmuggler]

"Close enough," Vercelli said.

[aphelionix]

"You should visit a beach," Joel said, ignoring their banter. "It's a lot different than Asteron."

[kobacake]

"Do we have a mission at a beach?" Quelorie asked. It wasn't like she'd have time or a reason unless they had a mission, but now that Joel was talking about it she couldn't help me a bit curious. She'd never thought the ocean could be different than it was on Asteron.

[aphelionix]

"Not right now," he answered with a shrug, sipping more of his drink. Vercelli had taken to his own. "When you have free time, I mean. Or perhaps even when you're relieved of your duties here on Gladsheim."

[kobacake]

"We have free time?" Quelorie had about as much off time as Vercelli, despite the fact that she was always under Joel's orders and had less actual duties. Or at least that's what she'd thought. She didn't even know if there were beaches on Gladsheim.

[aphelionix]

With a wry smirk, Joel shook his head. If Vercelli and Quelorie thought their work schedule was bad, they should spend a day in their commander's shoes, he thought. His last true vacation was years ago.

"No," he answered.

[kobacake]

"I thought so." Quelorie wasn't complaining, however. Vacation wasn't really a thing that soldiers on Asteron got anyways, so she was used to it. Although if she did have spare time, there were probably a lot of things she would want to see... (especially now that Joel piqued her curiosity about beaches.)

[aphelionix]

Joel was halfway through his drink by now. It was deceptively strong for all its sweetness, but he had been enjoying it and the warmth creeping into his veins.

"Any thoughts on beaches, Vercelli?" the commander asked, without glancing over, almost bored in tone.

[pugsmuggler]

"I think we should pack our bags and get going," Vercelli responded dully, swallowing a big gulp of beer before putting his empty cup down.

[kobacake]

"Do you like beaches, Tootsie?" Somehow that seemed a little surprising, but there were a lot of things Quelorie didn't understand about Vercelli. He kept his interests pretty well guarded.

[pugsmuggler]

"Well, not especially. But I like time off," Vercelli smirked. "Doesn't come easy around here."

[aphelionix]

Joel was fishing out the fruit from the bottom of his cocktail with his straw, stabbing through it and popping it into his mouth. It was juicy and definitely tropical - he supposed it resembled a fish in the bottom of the ocean that you've caught. The Fisherman's Joy, indeed.

"May take a few months to be approved, but you can apply for some days off. They can always change their mind, though."

[pugsmuggler]

"Ha! Are you kidding? They'd shoot it down by the time it reached the top, and you know it," Vercelli said. "But it doesn't matter. I'm only here for as long as it takes to take down the circle."