[Day 9 - LN] Party like there is no Tomorrow

[Dapper Dog]

The Resistance was elated the Mahon and the Mon Calmar engaged the Dictator and with the shields down it had to jump to hyperspace or face even worse damage leaving the space station and what was left as easy pickings…

Now the Resistance was home and there was much rejoicing to do, sure the Empire would come back but who would have thought they would come this far?

It was time to enjoy the moment.

[Dapper Dog]

Liua had felt Master Hin’s passing but she did not feel sad, it was peaceful. She knew explaining that to Veras would be difficult but for now she felt at peace as she chewed her gum and poured drinks for the Resistance.

Between her mother and Xanna she would give this whole not smoking thing a chance… or until she got annoyed by some sleemo.

[Jurdak Surt]

Dak had changed clothes into a pretty simple pair of dark pants and a tan shirt with no shoes on his cat like feet. He was in good spirits with just the hint of a limp as he walked around the celebration.

[Sacha Ordo]

Sacha was only wearing an alternate bodyglove, the armor pieces set aside for now aside from the helmet to let her body start to heal from the blaster shots. Stims only did so much after all. She was kicked back on a couch rather than wandering around, nursing a drink through a straw. After all that, she wanted a moment to relax.

[Xanna Teevou]

Xanna helped to pass the drinks out and even brought out a batch of bullgoat ribs that they had prepared earlier courtesy of one of Daunt's hunting trips.

Master Hin would be missed but she had felt his peaceful transition as he joined the force. It was enough to know that she had given him a few extra weeks with his daughter, enough to watch the five Padawans become the newest Jedi Knights. She suspected that she would see him again one day.

News of the heroic actions across the planet and beyond was spreading. Hope had returned. She smiled as she served the elated troops and took a moment to watch them all celebrating a victory well earned.

[Dove Gray]

Dove had limped in, and collapsed herself in one of the chairs available. Her natural regeneration had stopped any bleeding, internal or external, her wounds may have suffered from, and she had at least been polite enough to not wear her now very dirty jacket. Though her outfit wasn't really clean... there just hadn't been time or energy to change.

Sighing, she looked around. So many who were still here, yet there were faces missing too, that she was certain of. As she looked up, at a sky she couldn't see, she wondered what was the status of Valus, Neela, and Oraka. Maybe now, with the Empire chased off, she could go see the Moon Temple too, soon...

The pleasant thought calmed her down, and she began to doze off in her chair. It had been a very, very long day for Agent Gray.

[Zerras Blume]

She had refused treatment, asking the medics to focus on the others. They had all but given their lives to protect her. Zerras could wait until they were stable to see. She relented to a few bandages, including some covering her eyes. Then she left, to avoid being a distraction any further.

She was wounded. That was obvious. But, Zerras could walk and she could hear the music. Following it, she soon found her way to the party.

[Petrus Karath]

Liua had felt Master Hin’s passing but she did not feel sad, it was peaceful. She knew explaining that to Veras would be difficult but for now she felt at peace as she chewed her gum and poured drinks for the Resistance.

Between her mother and Xanna she would give this whole not smoking thing a chance… or until she got annoyed by some sleemo.

Petrus would be there with Liua and Xanna. Although he wasn't serving drinks; he'd promised to wash up afterwards. It's possible that no one believed that would happen.

His expression wasn't exactly overjoyed, but neither was it downcast. Perhaps it was best described as serene.

"Get me a drink, Liua?" He asked, smiling. "Surprise me?"

[Dapper Dog]

Liua gave him an incredulous look and then poured some booze the King had brought back from the desert and then poured just a little bit of sweet juice over it and then mixed it up and put a pretty umbrella on it. She offered it and said, “I call it the Petrus.”

[Sacha Ordo]

Petrus would be there with Liua and Xanna. Although he wasn't serving drinks; he'd promised to wash up afterwards. It's possible that no one believed that would happen.

His expression wasn't exactly overjoyed, but neither was it downcast. Perhaps it was best described as serene.

"Get me a drink, Liua?" He asked, smiling. "Surprise me?"

Sacha waved at Petrus from where she rested. "You should put Warrior's Heart up on the vidscreen," she suggested, sounding amused and mostly joking.

[Astin Denive]

Astin had claimed a free spot on the wall to lean against, a glass of bourbon in his hand. He seemed to mostly be watching the others over celebrating. Though he offered a smile and a tip of his glass to any who stopped by.

[Petrus Karath]

Liua gave him an incredulous look and then poured some booze the King had brought back from the desert and then poured just a little bit of sweet juice over it and then mixed it up and put a pretty umbrella on it. She offered it and said, “I call it the Petrus.”

Petrus snorted. "Perfect. It's great." He took a drink, coughed, and made a face. "Yeah. Great." He said, his voice a little hoarse. "What sort of alcohol even is that, anyway?"

He looked at her. "You know, I came over here to see if you're doing okay. But... I feel like I didn't need to do that, huh?"

Sacha waved at Petrus from where she rested. "You should put Warrior's Heart up on the vidscreen," she suggested, sounding amused and mostly joking.

Petrus just chuckled and waved. "Tomorrow!" He said, grinning.

[Dapper Dog]

"He's not really gone, not like we think," she said with a nod.

[Sacha Ordo]

Petrus just chuckled and waved. "Tomorrow!" He said, grinning.

Sacha put down her drink to throw up her arms. "Yay!"

[Zerras Blume]

Slowly, Zerras made her way to the bar. Finally sitting down and just listening to the celebration. She was smiling.

[Xanna Teevou]

Slowly, Zerras made her way to the bar. Finally sitting down and just listening to the celebration. She was smiling.

Xanna noticed her fellow Jedi and went over to her offering a firm hug. "Zerras! Why are you not in a bacta tank right now?! We heard... you faced him down, Vader!" She noticed that the young woman did not seem to be following her movements.

[Zerras Blume]

"I will heal in time." she replied, turning towards Xanna's general direction.. "The others need the full attention of the medics and I was just getting in the way."

[Djanik]

There was one man who didn't seem to be partying like he should. Outwardly, at first, he had seemed jubilant like the others, leading his squad in, hosting a rousing toast to victory and the fallen, giving an emotional speech about his lost pilots.

Eventually, he had split them up to relax with their friends.

Then he had drifted, alone, to a booth out of the way.

There he sat, gazing at the glow of the phosphorescence in his dark red drink. His knuckles were white, betraying an internal tension. It was the victory party - yet he was struggling to keep up jubilant appearances.

He wondered- he had cried a single, brief, intense... pouring of emotion, on the flight home.

Now the tears couldn't come. He couldn't understand why.

[Dapper Dog]

There he sat, gazing at the glow of the phosphorescence in his dark red drink. His knuckles were white, betraying an internal tension. It was the victory party - yet he was struggling to keep up jubilant appearances.

He wondered- he had cried a single, brief, intense... pouring of emotion, on the flight home.

Now the tears couldn't come. He couldn't understand why.

She was above the clouds, she had flown in a real live space battle and had done quite well. Even Maxxy had given her a toast, but she tempered that with the knowledge that Dkanik had to kill someone he was close to.

She fought with herself to speak with him and then before she knew it she was there at his side and said, “Hey you okay, Captain?”

[Jenna Karath]

Moving around the party she drifted in thought about the cylinder in her pocket. Guarding it jealously because it meant something more, it was something more than just what it was. It kept her alive. It could be her way out. This, while it distracted her at times, allowed her the breath of fresh air she needed to enjoy seeing everyone.

Everyone she'd come to care for, and her brother, her family, all together in this Bistro. Well, there was one person that couldn't be here, one she more and more figured out she cared for. Helping around the part, she focused on giving the biggest break to those who fought. She'd done her part, same as the rest of them, but her part wasn't a risk.

Not like what they all risked, they were heroes and she was just happy to be able to do what little she could.

Tonight, maybe, Jenna's problems were solved, fixed.. for a time.

Tonight she could relax, and enjoy the victory.

[Djanik]

Djanik blinked.

He hadn't even seen her come sit down.

An answer came to his lips, and then died there.

Staring at his hands, at the faint reflection of his eyes, he found himself struggling to eject the empty platitudes he felt were expected.

Finally, he admitted. "No."

A slow breath.

"You know, there was a time she looked up to me. When I taught her how to fly?"

[Dapper Dog]

"Her choices are not your fault, you know," she said after a lengthy pause.

[Djanik]

"I... I know that. I still can't help but feel that I failed her. I guess stopping her was my last duty as her commander."

A slow, steadying breath.

"She was a lot like you - a natural talent. She pushed ahead, and I focused so much on her skills, I never... I never taught her why she should fly. Not just how."

Rubbing at the bridge of his nose, he said, with a sudden intensity, "You have real talent - your flying today was spectacular. You've got the weak points of a green pilot - too eager sometimes... but you've got the knack. I swear, Veras, I won't let you fall. Some day, you'll be a big damn hero. I promise. I'll do it right this time. I won't let you down."

To his shock, that desire, and that fear, for her future, brought moisture to his eyes. Blinking it away, he added, "Sorry... I guess I'm a bit of a mood killer tonight."

[Petrus Karath]

"He's not really gone, not like we think," she said with a nod.

Slowly Petrus nodded. "Yeah. That's right. He's rejoined the Force, and the Force is always with us. Whether we can feel it or not."

He smiled. "You know, I don't think I really got that until just yesterday. Maybe that makes today easier. But hey, if you already know it..." He shrugged. "Guess I'll just enjoy my drink. The Petrus, huh? Has a bit of a kick to it?" He took another sip, nudging aside the cutesy umbrella with his nose.

[Dapper Dog]

"I know you won't and thanks, Captain, just... you need to take care of you too," she said kindly. "Not even my dad can save everyone, I just want you to know that you're not flying out there alone. You're the big damn hero, today."


"I felt him guiding me, all of us, I want to think a little piece of him helped us in our darkest moments. He was that kind of selfless," she admitted.