Come Up And Sashimi Sometime (D1, EA)

[Astin Denive]

Taking his new beer in hand Astin took a sip. "Oh, I'd say I apply it to quite a few different things. Food for example, booze." He smirked. "A few other things as well."

"I suppose it just depends on the circumstances."

[Dove Gray]

"Ladies?" she asked with a teasing smile. "Or do you prefer gentlemen?"

[Astin Denive]

"Ladies." He raised an eyebrow. "I figured you would of guessed that one without even asking though.

"What about you? Same question."

[Dove Gray]

"Hey, never judge a speeder by it's shiny shell," she grinned. "Me? Eh, I enjoy the company of both, to be honest. Ladies and gentlemen alike."

[Astin Denive]

"Nothing wrong with that." Though if he was honest it was the answer he had been expecting as well. "Well not to me at least."

"Course it might be just me but folks are seeming a bit more bigoted about these days. That might just be more bigoted in general though."

[Dove Gray]

"Mm, you mean the Empire and the way some of them seem to enjoy stomping down those who don't look fully or mostly human?"

With a new beer opened, Dove wolfed down a few more pieces of the more exotic-looking sushi.

[Astin Denive]

"That would be it." He picked out a few pieces of sushi for himself. "I just think that type of thing tends to only get worse over time too. Spreads to other things as well."

[Dove Gray]

"Maybe. Probably." She hadn't thought that far about it. Dove tended to live more in the moment most of the time.

"I don't think this is the type of government that will tolerate peaceful protests and demonstrations though."

[Astin Denive]

"That dead girl from yesterday is likely all the proof we need of that too." Astin replied nodding in agreement.

He sighed. "This is gonna be a messy business, and like as not it's gonna take a while. There are quite a few troopers in this galaxy after all, and I'm thinking their numbers are growing more then shrinking."

[Dove Gray]

"That's probably true. Last I checked, they still had the clones - and they're opening up recruitment offices on a lot of worlds. For shitty backwater worlds that aren't worth occupying, like this one, then it's a meal-ticket and a way off a boring rock."

She took a long drink from her new beer.

"It's worlds like this that see that bad side of the Empire."

[Astin Denive]

"Yeah, and by the time the news make it back towards the Core world they can clean it up and make it look likey are saviors, just doing their best to serve the best interests of the galaxy." Propoganda was pretty rampant in the Core from what he had heard at least. He only knew what things had been like on Corellia.

"I guess why that's why we are here though. It's the best place to find people that are like minded. That see where things are going and want to try and put a stop to it."

[Dove Gray]

"Like with the Separatists, it will start in the outer rim worlds. The ones who will have the boots on their necks because of their resources; like Bankor. If it weren't for the hyperfuel, this place wouldn't really hold any value to the Imps."

It was a harsh but sad truth. Worlds lacking in resources wouldn't be of interest to them. "Makes you wonder if the Seps were right about some things, seeing where we are now in the galaxy, no?"

[Astin Denive]

"I suppose." He offered with a hint of a frown. "Honestly that's one I didn't give all too much thought about myself."

That brought out a bit of a chuckles. "I guess that makes your blind spot the future and mine the past. At least to a degree."

[Dove Gray]

"Oh, how do you mean?" she asked with an intrigued smile.

[Astin Denive]

"Well, we touched on both points so far. How I figure the bigotry of the Empire will only spread as the years go by, maybe get worse. While you are talking about the separatists and the reasons behind their rebellion."

"Seemed to meet you look more at lessons of the past then I do. Where I spend more time guessing at the future. Suppose I meant to say that can mean both of us are a little blind to the other side of the coin."

[Dove Gray]

"Aahh... right. I follow you." She had thought he had caught on to her being a former Sep or something, but his clarification eased her mind.

"I suppose you got a point there. I tend to look too much on the now and what I know - the past. The future is kind of this thing I'm trying to catch up to."

[Astin Denive]

She had certainly sounded like a recruitment officer for the separatists, but Astin wasnt really all that concerned about that, and certainly not going to go digging into it any more. It could make for a uncomfortable conversation to say the least.

"Probably isnt really a good way to catch up on the future. As for myself though?" He lifted his bottle to his lips and took a long drink. "I like to leave the past in the past when I can. Course there are exceptions. I dont really trust folks turn over a new leaf all to easily, and I've been known to hold a grudge or two."

[Dove Gray]

"Hah, that's some good healthy attitude to have there," she chuckled and sipped her beer.

"Is that kind of attitude part of the reason why you're here at Bankor?"

[Astin Denive]

"Kind of." He offered with a shrug. "I was on Coreilla before but things got pretty uncomfortable there. I got involved with some unsavory sorts among other things."

"Seemed like it was time to seek greener pastures."

[Dove Gray]

"And this is the place you chose?" she laughed. "Guess you bummed out on luck then. Crawling with Imps and that whole debacle earlier."

[Astin Denive]

"Pretty much every place is crawling with imps now days. Well all except those places no one wants to be at." He shrugged. "At least this place has less of them then Coreilla."

"You're right though about being out of luck. This place is about as boring as can be."

[Dove Gray]

She scoffed. "You got that right. Sure, there's some nice little nooks and crannies, like this place for food and imported beer, but overall? Meh. Natives with some kind of weird anti-technology religion, bunch of scrapyards that people sift through for pocket-change when they can't find a job, some small-time bounties to chase... it's not exactly a whoop-de-doo place of civilization."

Dove gave an almost melancholy sigh. "I wish there was some place for better music too. The Salty-place got some music nights, but I'd love a good piano-bar or something - somewhere I could play too."

[Astin Denive]

"Ain't likely to find anything like that here, most of the folk are trying to be hip so they can think the rest of the galaxy isn't leaving them behind when it comes to fashion and trends " He knew more then a little but about that himself.

"For something like that you're looking at a place where people have money and lots of it." He picked up a piece of fried shrimp and considered it a moment before eating. "Still interesting to hear you play. Is it the piano or just something that pairs well with it?"

[Dove Gray]

"A girl can dream of the high-life, no?" she sighed wistfully, thinking of a girl's best friends. Diamonds and fat stacks of credits, of course.

"I sing, play the piano, play the guitar. I mean, not as good as some of the full-time bands and performers, since you know I don't get booked on having my own night of performance at the Salty Nerf. Which is fine with me, I don't really want much to do with the Hutts anyway," Dove shrugged. "But I like to think I'm pretty decent."

[Astin Denive]

"Certainly, ain't anything wrong with that. I mean I've been known to dream of all kinds of things myself. Somethings a bit more realistic then the others. A dream of the high-life for a lady like you isn't even remotely out of the ordinary."

He reached a hand up to rub at his jaw. "Huh, you've piqued my interest now though. Ever thought about hosting a performance yourself, something small for just friends and the like?" You might be able to rent out someplace local for that, or maybe preform in a park?"