The Reploid Room - Bar

As you enter the bar area, you notice the fine chrome rail that stretches almost all the way around the pseudo-circular room. The bar is a full service station, equipped with not one, but two menus - reploid and human. A few back doors imply a kitchen in the back. The rest of the room is set up in lavish velvet booths and tables. A few very sweetly dressed female reploids and humans wait on folks, here to serve you. Kick back and enjoy!

Chess Board <Reploid Room>

Dance Floor <DF> leads to The Reploid Room - Dance Floor.

Pool Hall <PH> leads to The Reploid Room - Pool Hall.

[Radio] You send Michael Eildath a direct message: "...hey Mike?"

[Radio] Michael Eildath sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Yeah?"

[Radio] You send Michael Eildath a direct message: "Ya got a few minutes? Ah thank ah need t'talk."

[Radio] Michael Eildath sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Sure thing. In person, or you wanna stick to the radio?"

[Radio] You send Michael Eildath a direct message: "Druther it be in person, if ya can get away."

[Radio] Michael Eildath sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Sure. Where to?"

[Radio] You send Michael Eildath a direct message: "Reploid Room?"

[Radio] Michael Eildath sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Sure thing. Give me a few to get something on over this bloody scar."

[Radio] You send Michael Eildath a direct message: "Geez, why didn't ya tell me yer hurt?"

[Radio] Michael Eildath sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Meh, it's just a flesh wound."

[Radio] You send Michael Eildath a direct message: "If ya say so."

Michael Eildath arrives from The Reploid Room - Dance Floor.

Michael Eildath has arrived.

Bowie is seated in one of the corner booths, with a glass of some dark drink and ice for company. Maybe soda with something else for a kick. His hat is absent, his hair cut short in a vaguely Rick Hunter sort of way.

Michael Eildath wanders in, dressed in an extremely loose black shirt, but other than a little bit of bruising on his face, he doesn't look like he's bad off at all. He raises a hand as he walks in. "Hey there, Bowie... nice haircut."

Bowie raises a hand in return. He's dressed in his usual manner, save that it looks like he's slept a night or two in these particular clothes. There's a vaguely haunted look about him, but nothing that can be pinned down. Being reploid, he doesn't exactly carry physical stress like humans do. "Howdy," he says quietly.

Michael Eildath nods, slipping into a seat and ordering some bourbon. "Damn, you've looked better, other than the hair." he asks, turning to look at his friend. "What's on your mind?"

"Ah've felt better," Bowie admits. He takes a sip of his drink, then sets it back down, idly tracing a line through the condensation. "Y'know, this is one a those times Ah wish Ah actually could get drunk."

Michael Eildath nods. "Well, I'd get drunk for you, but I'm trying not to get hammered until I'm all healed up."

Bowie attempts a smile at Mike's humor, but it never quite forms. He'll have to settle for a twitch of the lips. "Good idea." He pauses, but it's not one of his usual long, thoughful ones. "Ah thank Ah'm losin mah mind, Mike...whut Ah've got left, anyway."

Michael Eildath frowns. "Go on..." He's automatically worried about his friend, of course, and doesn't even touch his drink as he listens.

Bowie more plays with his glass than drinks from it. It gives his hands something to do. "Ah feel like such a dumb, blind fool. Ah didn't want t'pay attention to whut Cossack wus doin. Didn't want t'see whut wus happenin between him an Kali."

Michael Eildath sighs. "I don't think any of us did... and now I'm not sure if there's anything that can be done make peace... let alone repair the damage that was done."

Bowie frowns. "If Cossack ever speaks t'her again, Ah'm requestin a restrainin order on him."

Michael Eildath nods grabbing his drink and sloshing it uncomfortably. "I understand... look, he didn't have any right to say what he did... I only know a little of what happened, but he overstepped his bounds."

Bowie tightens his grip on the glass, the ice clinking along its sides. "He's orchestrated her whole life, set goals fer her that no one could ever reach...not fer lack a her tryin. Ya know how many times she skimped on sleep, tryin t'keep up with her schoolwerk an her Hunter duties? How much she did jus t'try an please him?"

[Radio: (B) H-Chat] Rock transmits, "Serges is mine..."

Michael Eildath looks down at the bar for a long minute, and nods. "I do. I know he drove her like a slave, and I was afraid something like this would happen... but I don't know what can be done about it anymore..."

"Ya wan t'know the real kicker? Ah went along with it." Bowie takes a slug of the jack & coke. "Jus because Ah wanted Cossack t'like me."

Michael Eildath nods. "Yeah... noone wants to be on his bad side... he's too... well, you know how he was, and you've probably got an inkling of how he /is/ right now. I don't know what we're going to do."

Bowie sighs. "Me neither. Least it's over fer Kali. He's completely disowned her, an ordered she never be allowed near the Hunters again."

Michael Eildath hrms. "About that... he doesn't have the authority to say that. Only Commander X does. I know Kali probably won't ever want to be a Hunter again after this... and I can't even say whether or not Commander X would allow her back, but Dr. Cossack overstepped his authority."

Bowie snorts. "He thanks he owns the Hunters an erryone in it. That's why Ah moved out. An now he thanks he can play god."

Michael Eildath frowns, and takes a drink of his bourbon. "Bowie... don't drag Sasha into this, please. I know /why/ he built her, but she doesn't, not fully. She doesn't deserve to be used like a pawn. Neither has any of Cossack's children, despite what /he's/ done."

"Then somebody better get her out a Cossack's grasp," Bowie replies. "Sooner the better."

Michael Eildath nods. "We're already trying. She's in Phoenixflame now... and I don't think she trusts him anymore, either."

Bowie drains the last of his drink, then rolls the remaining ice around in the glass. "Ah had words with her las night. At the time, Ah didn't know Kalinka had invited her in, so Ah wus rather rude."

Michael Eildath nods. "She... she was upset. She found me afterwards, and I talked to her about it for a long time. She's as worried about letting the Doctor down as Kali was... and that doesn't speak well for Cossack."

"Lord Ah'm sorry, Mike." He runs his fingers through his shortened hair. "But when Ah saw her all Ah could thank wus that Cossack made her because Kalinka had disappointed him too many times."

Michael Eildath nods sympathetically. "I know... and I'm pretty sure that /is/ why he made her. He's a vindicative bastard. He did what he did to Kali because Vile went Maverick... what else could you expect? I'm just asking that you try and leave her out of this."

Bowie says "Ah'll try not t'take it out on her. She didn't ask t'be created any more than the rest a us." The glass is set back on the table. "Ah don't want t'leave the Hunters, Mike. But with thangs as thay are now..."

Michael Eildath nods. "I know... but we're working on something. I need to talk with Zero again, but we'll figure something out. Just don't quit yet, okay?"

Bowie gives a small, cautious nod. "Ah'll trust ya, Mike. Though Ah guess ya can't tell me whut this 'somethang' is?"

Michael Eildath hehs. "I'm not sure what it's gonna be, yet. I still need to talk to Zero, but after tonight."

"All right." Bowie's nod is stronger this time. "Ah haven't changed mah personal frequency. An so long as y'all don't lock me out a the netwerk, Ah can still get mah messages....jus don't ask me t'step on base fer a good long while."

Michael Eildath nods. "I more than understand... I was half tempted to leave, too, but I can't. I don't have anywhere else to go."

"Ah guess Ah'd find somethang..." though by the tone of his voice, even Bowie doesn't sound convinced. "..Ah don't regret a word Ah said to him. In a way, Ah wish Ah'd said it sooner."

Michael Eildath nods again, just letting Bowie talk for the moment. "I can't blame you for anything you said. I can see he deserved it just from the way he's acted."

Bowie must have been desperate to talk - this is probably the most he's spoken at once in weeks. "He said plenty in return. He's disgusted by the fact Ah love her." He snorts again, moving his glass over to the end of the table. "Ah mock errythang he believes in. An here Ah was, wantin t'show Ah could could take care a her, be the good son..."

Michael Eildath sighs, nodding sourly. He figured as much.

Bowie says rhetorically, "If robots shouldn't fall in love, then why'd thay bother givin us emotions in the first place?"

Bowie says "Yeah, jus so long as she's not human." He shakes his head, scowling. "T'hell with him, Mike. He can give me orders, but he can't tell me how Ah should feel."

Michael Eildath nods. "I agree with you. Nobody can tell you how to feel, Bowie. NOBODY."

Bowie forces himself to calm down. Thankfully for all involved, the Texan has a much longer fuse than the Russian. Otherwise, the altercation in Light Labs could have been much worse. "Kali an Ah are goin t'move in together, least until her trial...Ah jus hope Ah can help her unlearn some a her bad habits."

[Radio: (B) H-Chat] Blues transmits, "Which one of you needs more help? Or should I just pick and choose?"

Michael Eildath nods. "I hope you can... she's been through a lot, and I don't want to see her have to go through any more like what just happened."

"Me neither," Bowie agrees. "Mah nerves are about shot." A pause. "Ah hope she'll unnerstand she doesn't have t'prove herself t'me like she had to fer /him/. Ya know that's why she did half the crazy stuff she did."

Michael Eildath nods. "I know. I think you guys may have to argue that in court, too. I can't guess how that's going to turn out."

"She didn't actually kill anyone," Bowie points out. "More than can be said fer a lot a us."

Michael Eildath sighs. "Yeah. A lot of what happened is stuff that only affects us as Hunters... the thing with Tengu Man and all. Has anyone talked with the Director about all of this?"

Bowie says "Kalinka's talked with him. His secretary won't give me the time a day."

Michael Eildath didn't expect that. "What'd he have to say?"

Bowie explains, "She went to apologize fer whut she did. She regrets it all....she didn't tell me whut he said."

Michael Eildath nods. "Good... I dunno... dunno if he'll do anything, but that can't hurt." He frowns, downing his drink. "I hope the best, I really do... I just don't know how the UN courts work."

Bowie gives a small, helpless shrug. "All Ah can hope fer is a fair trial. Ah know her lawyer's tryin t'werk out a plea bargain for her."

Michael Eildath nods. "That might be a good thing, especially considering she's more or less admitted guilt, right? Maybe they'll be lenient. I hope so, given the circumstances." Urge to punch Cossack growing further.

Bowie nods. "She's admitted her guilt to about erryone. She feels very badly fer it. An otherwise, she's got a really good reputation...." Another sigh. "...Ah know she's got t'serve her penance. She'll be werse off if she doesn't."

Michael Eildath nods. "Any clue what they're gonna try and bargain for?"

Bowie shakes his head. "Reduced time, Ah thank. Dunno the details."

Michael Eildath turns back to the bar. "Hmm... he's kind of at a loss for words.

"If she has t'serve time, well..." Bowie gives another small shrug, "we'll get through it somehow."

Michael Eildath nods. "I'm sure you will."

[Radio: (B) H-Chat] Blues transmits, "Beat."

Bowie reaches into his back pocket for his wallet and fishes out a few zenny bills. "Ah'll let ya know how it goes, Mike. You've been a good friend t'both a us."

[Radio: (B) H-Chat] Michael Eildath transmits, "Beat? Something wrong with the thing? Or the other thing?"

Michael Eildath grins hopefully. "I hope it goes for the best... just remember, if either you need anything, if I can help, I will."

[Radio: (B) H-Chat] Blues transmits, "No. Beat. As in bird. Bird that Fetches Rock."

[Radio: (B) H-Chat] Rock transmits, "Beat whoots..."

Is that a smile? No. But it's about the closest that Bowie can muster. "Well, we might need some help movin furniture once we find a place t'live."

Michael Eildath laughs. "Consider me there." He pauses. "And, er... if you can't find a place, let me know... I may be able to arrange something."