2065/Space Britain and Other Nonsense

Space Britain and Other Nonsense
Date of Scene:	20 April 2015
Location:	Bar and Grill at the Edge of the Multiverse
Synopsis:	Insert Random Walks Into a Bar Joke.
Cast of Characters:	20, 162, 428, 751, 752

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Peter Quill (751) has posed:
An odd thing happened. As Peter was entering his ship to try and fly to this Bar and Grill, he ended up walking through the door and -entering- the place immediately. "Well, that's convenient..." he says as he looks around, then stops and holds his hands out. "Oh yeah, I have no idea what she looks like..."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    There's usually a bit more life to Toph's step as she heads to this particular place in the multiverse. The Bar and Grill, a place for people of all sorts to meet up in on neutral ground, to chat, have a drink and some good food.

    Her appetite still hasn't returned.

    But still, just sitting still in one place feels wrong. She did that enough this weekend, and Pepper... hearing and feeling just how the woman had reacted doesn't make things better. And after discussing matters with the deity that owed her a boon, after catching up on reports, a plan has been made. But there's nothing to do until then.

    And she doesn't want to worry Pepper further either, so... might as well go here even if it's forced.

    The blind girl steps into the Bar and Grill, her face turned downwards as she steps forward, brushing past the other people by the entrance as she heads on towards the tables. Her steps are a bit quiet, and she bumps into a few people on her way, not even muttering an apology to the chagrin of some of them.

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"Hey!" Peter turns around to the first brooding teen he finds, Toph. "You the girl?" he asks as he holds up a small brown sack. "I got a sack of tokens. So you can play all the games you want!"

Korra (752) has posed:
    It was large, fuzzy, and white.

    And no, it wasn't the two year old wheel of gouda in the back of the fridge. This would happen to be a giant polar bear dog, its tongue lolling out of the corner of its mouth. And while that might be eye-catching enough, it had a harness as well, the design recalling one of the Southern Water Tribe - a band of waterbenders that live in the frozen poles of Korra's world.

    But the harness held something. A muscular young woman who ducks her head to enter the bar proper, both her hands holding onto the reins of the creature. There was a look of wonder and excitement in her features - wide eyes flickering this way and that - lingering upon every new sight, or strange (to her, at least) new style or lifeform.

    "Whoa, Naga," she says, tugging back on the reins a bit, the polar bear dog coming to a stop, ears perked forward, and nose working to pick up the smells too.

    With a little flip forward, Korra releases Naga's reins, does one perfect somersault, and lands before the polar bear dog, her eyes fixing on one person in general. She looked... a little shorter than her statue in Republic City, but it was still... "Toph? Toph Bei Fong?" she calls loudly across the place, waving her hand to her before moving towards the tables as well, Naga kinda... pushing people out of the way by sheer dint of her size.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
Juno Eclipse had been just about to head down the corridor of the Rogue Shadow into the commons, for a break from her work and a bite to eat. The door had slid open on its tracks, only to reveal--

--the Bar and Grill at the Edge of the Multiverse. Considering she was expecting a starship, it's a little disorienting whenever that happens. Also a little bizarre and surreal, too, but she's gotten used to that place cropping up when she's hungry, or when she intends to go there.

With some resignation, she steps into the building, reaching up and rubbing at her forehead. She'd been off-duty, thankfully, and isn't wearing her Imperial uniform; but the mercenary-like ensemble she favours when she's hiding her allegiance. Or messing with machine parts, as she has been; a bit of grease still smeared across one strong cheekbone.

"Hey, Toph." She strolls easily into the place, picking up on the blind girl immediately. Although she approaches, she doesn't invade the girl's personal space, instead hesitating somewhat awkwardly. "We should probably find a table..."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    While she hasn't met Peter Quill before, Toph's ears are sharp. And as he turns to face her as she pushes her way through the crowd she halts, not turning her face fully towards him. "I'm a girl at least, though yeah, Toph Beifong." When he holds up the sack of tokens she blinks before she nods her head a bit. "Haven't been to an arcade before, though." Though she was aware there is one at the Bar and Grill, she hasn't been inside there.

    The familiar voice of the space pilot does catch Toph's attention, and she gives a brief nod in greeting. "Hi." She does remember the woman from when they met before and she demonstrated her metal bending. It's a fair bit different girl that stands there now, her expression far more tired than it was before. And her eyes seem to lack that spark of life that's been present there despite her blindness. The suggestion to get a table seems to make sense, and she nods, about to follow Juno when something /big/ becomes visible through her seismic sense.

    As the large polar bear dog enters the bar it's a bit tough to ignore it, especially for a certain earthbender who blinks and turns her head. The voice is recognized, and Toph arches an eyebrow when Korra lands and seems to know her by sight. The other patrons draw away when the huge polar bear dog moves forward, many letting out scared yelps and pulling back. The blind girl doesn't move though. Then again, she's used to badgermoles, and they are larger than polar bear dogs. "Yeah, that's me," she responds. Perhaps a bit weird to see the inventor of metalbending in person... a five foot blind girl that looks like she hasn't slept in ages.

    "... what kinda creature is /that/?" she asks, making a slight face.

Zephyr Windstar (162) has posed:
    Zephyr's been training non-stop since the Naturals Election, gotta be at the top of her game to help Ryuko, after all. Dismissing her Barrier Jacket, and waving at Darma as she heads off to get something to eat, she doesn't even notice as she steps through the door, that she's arrived at the Bar and Grill.

    Voices nearby soon get Zephyr's attention though, and her mismatched eyes turn to those gathered. Oh huh, "Hey Toph, fancy meetin' you here." she offers, as she wipes her brow with the towel slung over one shoulder.

    She's wearing her usual Ground Forces uniform, though the jacket is missing, leaving her in just the black tank top. "This a party or somethin'?"

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"That looks like... is that the Abominable Snow Dog?" Peter asks, throwing his best guess out there. He looks between Korra and Juno for a long moment. He takes in features and does intense mental calculations. Bending sounds pretty painful, that could end badly...

"Heeey, come help me get a table?" he asks, tilting his head at Juno like a lost puppy, offering his arm to her."

Korra (752) has posed:
    Even if Korra had never quite met Toph before, she could tell that the woman was... tired. And it didn't take a secret Avatar power to see that the young woman was troubled. As weird as it was to see a Toph closer to her age then... well, let's just say that Korra was watching Toph closely. But the excitement in her face drains away as her smile falls, and her eyes soften a bit.

    "Hey..." she says, her tone of voice likewise softening. Casting a glance towards Peter Quill, then Juno, she kinda brings up a hand to scratch at the side of her neck. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I? I'm Korra - the Avatar," she says, her tone rich with pride - some might say arrogance.

    A beat. "Who, Naga?" she says, glancing back towards Naga. Naga whines and glances back. "She's a... uh... polar bear dog. And one of my best friends," she says, Naga nudging her with the top of her head, which brightens Korra's mood again.

    "It's so great to meet you! I mean..." Korra pauses. A pause, and Korra bows forward. "It's an honour to meet you in person," she says, her tone suddenly formal as well. Even if she can't help the smile nudging at the edge of her lips.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
Juno turns at the sound of something big approaching. And for about two seconds, she stares open-mouthed at the polar bear dog. Eventually she remembers to close her mouth, doing so with an audible click of teeth.

Well, it doesn't smell and it's not trying to eat her, so stranger things have happened in the galaxy and the multiverse.

Half a glance is cast to Quill when he singles her out for a table, and she shrugs, moving to join him. But she doesn't take his arm. Very pointedly, in fact. "Over here." Beckoning to the rest of the gathering, she picks out a particularly large table; a round one big enough to accomodate everybody. "Let's at least have a seat for our introductions, hmm?"

That said, she plunks down into a chair, eyeing the others. Names. Introductions. Right. "You can call me 'Blackout,'" she says simply.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Another familiar person, huh? Toph hears Zephyr's voice easily enough, and she raises her head a bit. And she does attempt a weak smile, though it's clear it's forced. At the question whether it's a party or not, Toph shakes her head a bit weakly.

    Polar bear dog, huh? "That explains why I haven't met one before," Toph states, clearly not disturbed nor nervous around Naga as she follows her owner. Though it's Korra Toph does show the most attention to it seems, as she actually bothers to turn towards the Avatar. "No, you're not interrupting. I told you to come here, didn't I?" Toph points out, and while it isn't her usual sense of bossiness, it's clear that Toph does have some of her spirit left despite recent events. Perhaps she would make a jab at Korra's comment and point out that obviously it's an honour to meet the greatest earthbender of all time. When she bows though, Toph arches an eyebrow. "... does this look like a formal restaurant? I obviously can't tell."

    Okay, at least she can still crack jokes.

    When Juno and Peter get them a table though, Toph does follow, flopping into a seat very much like a sack of potatoes. Oh right, introductions. "Toph Beifong." Simple and to the point.

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"Peter Quill, you can call me Star-Lord. Legendary Outlaw from Earth, or Terra if you're from space." Peter introduces as he crosses his arms and sits back in his chair, nodding once to each of them. He settles on Juno and asks, "Ever see a spaceship before?" he wonders, then looks around as if trying to find something. "We can all go to the arcade after we eat. I'll pay for everyone."

Zephyr Windstar (162) has posed:
    Zephyr frowns a little at Toph's condition. She's read the reports, but to see the effects first hand. It's heartbreaking. The mage steps over, and places a hand on Toph's shoulder gently. "It'll take more than death to stop him, y'know. He'll be back before you know it." she offers... hey, she's not good with the word sounds, okay?

    Juno gets a nod, Korra too. Peter gets an odd look. "'Star-Lord'? Really?" she shrugs, and drags a chair over to sit in it backwards, using the backrest as a front leaning spot. "Name's Zephyr Windstar. I got a fancy title too. The Winddancer of March."

Korra (752) has posed:
    Korra seems taken aback a bit by the way Toph replies. Of course... well... it was hard for polar bear dogs to smile. But one could imagine that Naga was /trying/ by the way she lifts her chin and looks up towards Juno and Quill at their collective disbelief.

    That was a smile? It had a lot of slobber with it, at least, the beast licking her lips and sending a few droplets of drool in every direction.

    Korra seemed nonplussed by the effect. "Well, you did, but there are... wow - there's a lot of people here," says Korra, the corner of her lip lifting up in a grin. A handful of moments at the joke the Earthbender cracks. Korra's features kinda twist into a look of shock.

    "Well, um..." Another beat. "Well, it's just weirding me out a little bit. I mean... I know your daughter. And well, we..." A pause, and she kinda clears her throat, the last... exchange between herself and the chief of police playing in the back of her mind. "... got along? Sorta?" she says, kinda wincing at the fact.

    "So - what's there to eat here?" says Korra, kinda moving her way through the tables proper - moving to rest her hand on the back of the seat, Naga loping along behind her.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
Half a glance is cast somewhat dubiously toward Top. This isn't the same cheerful girl full of life that Juno had met before, and the contrast is somewhat unsettling. Eventually her attention turns back to Quill, since he's addressing her directly. "I'm a mercenary starship pilot," she states, blandly. "I think so."

"Maybe. We'll see if I have time for the arcade." She rolls a shoulder in a shrug, leaning back in her chair and eyeing the gathering somewhat appraisingly. "I've got a lot of work to do later... and thanks. That's generous of you, Mister Quill."

Naga is given another brief, unsettled glance. It's still too big for her comfort zone, but at least it's not hostile. Looks like the worst it could do is drool on her or something.

...Ew.

"Just about anyting you can imagine," 'Blackout' replies to Korra, skimming her a menu over the table's polished surface. "Here."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Of course Zephyr means well, but when she reaches out to place a hand on Toph's shoulder, the blind girl visibly tenses up and reaches out, intercepting Zeph's hand and stopping the other girl from touching her shoulder, all without a single word. Sure, there is the plan with the Dragon Balls, but that isn't enough to change what has happened and the reactions it has around the people who were the closest to Tony, now is it?.

    It's a bit easier to focus on other things. Toph does nod her head slightly. "I... did hear that the other me has a daughter." Which is kinda bizarre to think about. "Really? Sounds like you're not too sure there," Toph points out to Korra. As for food, she doesn't even reach out to pick up a menu. Instead she dresses Peter, even if she doesn't turn her head towards him. "... I'll have an iced tea."

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"It's a name. And nice to meet you, Zephyr." Peter listens to 'Blackout', raising an eyebrow when she mentions what she does. "Oh yeah? I'd love to see it some time. A ship from another universe. I have -got- to see how fast that thing is... Of course, you can see -mine- too. It's got a tape deck, you know."

He raises his hands and claps twice. When a waitress comes over, he leans in and offers a charming smile. "They can have everything they want, it's on me. I'll have a New York style deep dish pizza and a New Coke. I don't care what anyone says, New Coke is great."

Korra (752) has posed:
    It was too easy for Korra to focus in on Toph - Toph was the most familiar out of all of the others. Juno with her uniform, Zephyr with her fun camo trousers and vest and Peter Quill with his own odd clothing - they all looked vaguely similar in her mind, so they had to have been from the same portion of the multiverse. Not that it was strange, but a little offbalance like Korra was starting to feel? Even if Toph was Earth tribe (and /the/ Toph to boot), she was still from her edge of the universe.

    So the seat that Korra chooses is nearish her.

    When Korra sits, Naga does too, the great beast bumping the next table over a meter or so with the impact of her butt alone, Naga resting her chin upon one side of Korra's chair. Korra lifts up a hand and kinda rubs the side of the polar bear dog's head idly, her eyes looking up towards Juno as the menu was handed over. "Thanks," she says, with a bright smile.

    A smile that fades a bit when she notes Toph's reaction to nearly being touched. Nodding her head to herself as if taking note of such a thing, she glances towards Toph, kinda looking sheepish. "Well... I'm just... not certain that Captain Beifong is so fond of the Avatar..." she clears her throat, taking on a sterner tone, "'Waltzing into her city and dispensing vigilante justice'," she says. A beat. "I /had/ to take action, though. There were these thugs, you see - they were terrorizing this... uh... shopowner guy," she says.

    "Nice to meet you, Zephyr, by the way. I'm Korra, of the Southern Water Tribe, and... I will have... the chilled fish over rice, please," she says. "And some water."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
The starfighter pilot waves a hand almost casually, closing her eyes in a brief expression of nonchalance. "Sorry, Mister Quill. The ship's something of a trade secret, and I don't offer tours. I'd have to charge you. And then I'd probably have to kill you." Is she being serious? Probably not. Then again, maybe. She's not laughing. "Technically, it's not even mine."

"As to what that ship can do, 'fast,'" she states, blandly. "That's all you really need to know about it." Hmm. Not her ship. A smuggler? Mercenary? Thief?

Tape deck? She just stares a little blankly, at that. Fortunately, the waitress is a convenient distraction. Glancing over to the waitress, she looks thoughtful. "Pashi noodles," she settles on. "And to drink? Something to negate those spices, I think. I don't care what." Her attention swivels back to the group.

Folding her arms, Juno leans back in her chair a bit, regarding the others as they explain themselves amongst themselves. She's content not to butt in unless somebody asks her something directly, though; and probably because she's going to have to verbally bludgeon Quill off the subject of 'her' ship. Still, there's something amusing about his almost child-like earnestness.

Zephyr Windstar (162) has posed:
    Zephyr shrugs a little as Toph stops her hand. She then smirks over at Peter. Then nods to Korra. "Southern Water Tribe huh? So, I guess you're a Waterbender then?" she didn't hear any of the radio stuff beforehand, or catch some of the preceeding conversation. "I'll take a Pa'ashra burger... or closest y'got to it." Pa'ashra doesn't have a direct translation, but it might come through as BirdLizard... maybe something native to her homeworld. "Glass of cola, dun matter what brand." she says to the waitress too, adding her own order to the list.

    "I'm a Aerial Combat Mage, asigned to the 493rd Ground Forces unit of the TSAB. I lead the Air wing that provides rapid response and cover." she offers up, shrugging a bit.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    At least Peter is buying! And while Toph isn't hungry, she can at least get something to drink, right?

    She is aware of Korra sitting down next to her, as well as the large polar behind her. Huh, at least that thing seems friendly. And as Korra explains what happened when she, the Avatar, met Chief Beifong, a person that's the daughter of another version of /her/, Toph can't help but look slightly surprised at first, her eyes widening just slightly. "So... she was saying you should have just let thugs terrorize a show owner?" she asks with a snort. Was this really /her/ daughter? Well, the daughter of an alternate her, at least.

    If Juno is telling the truth or not to Peter isn't something Toph will comment on, not out loud. And she is a bit quiet while the others talk, leaning heavily on the table, halfway propped on her elbows as she listens to the others talk.

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"Vigilante justice is the best kind of justice! On my Earth, we had Captain America. Well, I used to hear the stories and read the documentaries. He was the greatest American hero. I heard he punched Hitler." There's a pause, as Peter considers that. "If you don't know who Hitler is, just imagine the worst guy you've ever heard of who ever existed, and then imagine the guy who punched that guy in the face." If this is a true story or not, who knows, but Toph would certainly be able to tell that he -believes- it's true.

He then turns his attention back to Juno, raising an eyebrow. "Hey, I can respect a trade secret." he says as he puts that smile right back on, re-entering puppy mode while leaning on his elbows, arms folded, looking as if he's giving her his undivided attention. "My ship is an m-ship, for scouting and getting in and out really quickly. I've had mine modified a lot from the standard ships most of the Ravagers use, but they like to modify theirs too. If you'd like to pilot it some time, I'd love to see your skills."

The waitress takes all of these orders as if she perfectly understands them. One must get a -wide- variety of orders out here. So she nods once she's done, then heads to the back.

Korra (752) has posed:
    "I'm the avatar," answers Korra to Zephyr, giving her a brilliant grin. It takes a moment or two for her to realize that might not mean as much to someone not quite of her own world. "Well. Most of my family are waterbenders - but I can bend all of the elements," says Korra, quite distinctly leaving out the mention of her lack of airbending at the moment. Both of Korra's eyebrows lift up at what Zephyr says, though.

    "That sounds really military - have you been in the union long?" she asks. A beat.

    Korra's eyes swivel towards Toph. "I /know/ right!" she says, enthusiasically, pounding her fist on the table. Korra was a bit on the strong side, so the table probably jiggled at least a little bit. Naga flicks her ears back, but otherwise just releases a big polar bear dog sigh. "To make it worse, they were part of the triads! The thugs, that is. I'm the Avatar, I'm supposed to protect people!"

    A beat. "But... she was probably more concerned with the fact that I threw a guy through a shop. And... earthbent a car through a different shop," she says, her fire perhaps stifled by a bit of sheepishness.

    But Quill's statement gets a very enthusiastic nod from the Avatar. "He sounds a lot like some of these Triad people," she states, her eyes going a bit blank again as Quill starts talking about his ship. Korra didn't have any context for what he was saying, but... she was listening. And remembering. Somewhat.

    All this new stuff was so exciting!

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"Vigilante justice? Not really. It's terribly disorganised, and you run the risk of vigilantes attacking each other, or having their facts wrong, or any number of variables going awry." 'Blackout' waves a hand dismissively. "It's not a sustainable system, in the long run."

Quill is eyed somewhat dubiously. In fact, she looks dubious at the prospect of having his sole and undivided attention, or so it would seem. That's probably a bad thing.

"Scouting and speed?" Juno muses. "Sounds like my standard fare. Modified designs, for the most part, but I'll take a ship with fast response over an armoury with sublights strapped on any day. I've got no use for a bloody Star Destroyer."

Fingers drum on the surface of the table, and she squints sidelong at Quill. "Tell me more about these M-Ships. Standard transport? Freighter?"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    The blind earthbender lets out a huff. "Sounds to me like you need more practice with earthbending if you earthbent a car through a shop," she states suddenly, closing her eyes. "Never heard of any Triads either, something new in your time then?"

    But she will agree on one thing. "Avatar business is Avatar business, and I guess you're the only one who can decide what's right there." Protecting people... that does sound like something Aang would say. And sure, this isn't exactly Aang. But it /is/ his reincarnation.

    Meanwhile, talks about ships doesn't seem to interest Toph much. Instead she speaks to Zephyr, even if she seemingly has her attention on the table in front of her. "So what's new, Zeph...?"

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"You know, you have some really interesting points of view on that." Peter answers Juno, regarding vigilante justice. Though he quickly moves onto his ship. "They're very multi-purpose, but mostly standard transport. My ship is basically my apartment, but I can fit some cargo in there. It's pretty roomy." He pauses a moment, and holds up a finger. "So, do you live in a future world, then? Where the British just fly around space? Do you live in Space Britain?"

Korra (752) has posed:
    Avatar Korra kinda stiffens a bit at the thought of needing more practice, and the young woman kinda shrugs her shoulders, giving a wide grin. "I do need a little more training, it's true - I'm... pretty new at this whole thing still," she says.

    "Naga and I are going to finish our meal at that arcade everyone's talking about, if that's alright," she says.

    "It was nice to meet you all, however!" she says, snatching her bowl of rice and fish from the waitress who was on her way of bringing their food to their table. Korra immeadiately begins eating - they even provided chopsticks instead of those weird forks!

    Naga picks herself up, and with a long swish of her tail, follows along behind Korra. Korra flips her one of the fish as a favour, too.

    Mmmn fish.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"I speak from personal experience. I've seen a few places where vigilante justice is about the only form of justice, and it really isn't worth the bother." Juno twists one hand, absently adjusting the lay of her glove. "Rioting, mobs, that kind of thing. It doesn't do anything but hurt the people who aren't even involved. Then there's the whole issue of having the wrong person in the crosshairs, too."

She shrugs, settling back in her chair as a waitress brings the noodles she'd ordered. They're absolutely piping hot, and she sets into them eagerly.

...They must be spicy hot, too, because her eyes are watering and her face flushes pretty much instantly.

"What?" Pausing, she cocks a bleary eye toward Quill, arching a brow in obvious puzzlement. "What's 'Britain?'"

Zephyr Windstar (162) has posed:
    "Not much Toph. Same old, y'know. TSAB trainin'. Practicin' some new spells with Darma, y'know, normal stuff." replies Zephyr glancing as the burger shows up. It looks like a normal beef patty, but it's a slightly odd colour of yellow-green.

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"You're British. You do realize that you're British, right?" Peter asks as the waitress sits his 1 square foot of personal pizza in front of him. It's got pepperoni and some spices sprinkled on it. And he has a glass of regular coke. Will he be able to tell the difference?!

"Your accent, it's British. Britain is a country on Earth. I'm American. We had a war like 200 years ago because America wanted to be its own country and succeed from Britain. So Americans sound like this..." He points to his mouth. "And British people sound like that." He points to her mouth. "Maybe you're so far into the future that you can't remember Britain anymore."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Korra heads off to check out the arcade, and Toph nods, offering a wave to the older girl. "Catch you later." Heh, a bit weird to meet another version of a person she's met before. But still, it's the multiverse.

    There's a blank, pensive expression on the girl's face, and she seems to drift off as the people around her speak. It's only after Zeph responds to her question that she is torn out of her thoughts, and she blinks once. "Huh? Oh." The iced tea she ordered is set out in front of her, and Toph reaches out with her hand, grabbing it and takes a sip from the straw. Lost are talks about space Britain, wars and training. At least until her radio gives a soft beep, and Toph is abruptly sitting up slightly as she raises it to her ear, listening for a moment before she sighs.

    "I... should get home." Without further explanation she pushes herself up, turning to the three people and offers one parting word. "... bye."

    Then the earthbender heads off, making her way past all the tables and towards the exit, leaving behind the three Elites as well as her mostly full glass of iced tea.

Zephyr Windstar (162) has posed:
    Zephyr lifts a hand. "Be good, Toph... I'll catch ya later." she replies. She then goes to stand herself, snagging her burger and drink. "I'll leave you two alone. Gonna eat then get back t'trainin'." she offers, waving to Peter and 'Blackout'.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
Half a glance is cast to Toph, and Juno looks a little unsettled at the girl's exanimate behaviour. This is not the lively girl she'd met, who had been pleased at the prospect of some exotic metals to hone her talents on. This girl is morose, as though she's missing a piece of herself. If the account she'd heard is true, though, Juno can hardly blame her.

She can relate to it, at least; the same had happened to her in her youth when her mother was killed during an incident. Official reports claimed Annafel Eclipse was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught between crossfire during insurgents and Imperials, but she wonders sometimes if that's the entire truth.

"Bye?" she offers, clearly a little puzzled at Toph's abrupt departure. Still, se's not going to stop her.

That leaves Mister Quill.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she snaps, although there's not as much heat to her voice as there could be. He hasn't really got on her nerves just yet. "I'm not from your world; not every world is Earth, you know. I'm not from Earth, or Britain, although it certainly seems to crop up quite often in the multiverse." She reaches for her drink, taking a moment to clear the burning out of her mouth. Hot stuff!

"Actually, I'm from Cor--" She hesitates, although the hitch in her voice is barely perceptible, "--Corellia. Not Earth. Nor Britain. I'm familiar with a few of the countries from your Earth, but only because I take the effort to study other worlds that seem to be common multiversal occurrances."

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"You sound like a really, -really- proper British person. I mean I have never heard a more British accent in my life. I'm sticking to the theory that Britain is just so damned stubborn that even when it doesn't exist, it does." Peter laughs at that, lifting a slice of his personal deep dish to offer to her.

He nods to Toph, then Zephr. Though he lingers a bit on Toph's departure. He shakes his head a little, taking a sip of his soda with his free hand. "I know what she's going through. I know there's not much I can do about it but try to cheer her up and give her space." He sounds a lot more serious than he did a moment ago.

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"Alright. Fine. I'm a British person who doesn't know she's British. There, does that make you happy and satisfy your extremely narrow world-view?" Juno arches a brow, staring the space outlaw in mild irritation. "No, thanks. I'll stick to the pashi."

She likes her food hot enough to make her breathe fire. Or maybe it just keeps her head clear. Who knows? Maybe she even likes the taste of it, although by her ruddy face and intermittently watering eyes, she probably can't taste anything but 'burning.'

Those crisp blue eyes turn to watch Toph take her leave, and she also shakes her head, annoyance momentarily forgotten. "I know what she's going through. That's about the only anybody can do, is to give her space. Dealing with it on her own terms is the best thing for her..."

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"Oh, hey, I'm not saying you -are- British, just imagining if there's a world out there that's so far into the future that they forgot Earth. I think it's an interesting idea. I like to think about stuff." Peter motions his pizza around as if to indicate, well, everything. "It's -space-, the Multiverse, endless possibilities! It's fun to imagine things."

He takes a bite of his pizza, nodding in agreement about Toph. "No kid should have to go through that. When it, you know, happened to me, I got abducted right after. That's how all of this started for me."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"I suppose so." Juno's answer is a little dubious. She lifts some of the noodles to blow on them, although that won't help much for the searing sensation of biting into them. She wants until she's finished her mouthful, and until the hit of familiar and very powerful spices subsides enough to think straight again. "Maybe you'll find your world of forgotten British out there somewhere, but it's not in my galaxy, I can assure you that much."

She shrugs, nonchalant. "You can check for yourself. Most of the public databases extend for thousands of years, although the veracity of information is something else entirely. The further back you go, the less likely it's a clear or unbiased accounting of events."

"Your parents were killed, and then you were abducted?" Juno raises her brows, as though trying to decide whether this is fact or creative embellishment. Apparently she decides on the former. "I'm sorry. I was never abducted, but my mother died when I was very young." She pushes the noodles back and forth in her bowl. "I know what she's going through, at least a little bit."

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"Oh, not killed. Well, I don't know who my father is, I don't even know if he's alive or what. My mother died of a terminal illness. I was still a kid, still kind of dealing with it, but..." He shakes his head, continuing. "I ran out of the hospital, and right after that was when the Ravagers abducted me. So I spent the rest of my life in space. Didn't see Earth again until just the other day." He actually seems less flirtatious when he gets onto this topic, making less eye contact as he takes bites of his pizza still. "Well, if you're not British, I'm glad the accent pops up in different worlds. But I have that whole American flaw where everything you say sounds more intelligent because of it."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"I'm sorry to hear that." The answer seems genuine and gently-spoken, for all of Juno's earlier sniping. "No one should have to suffer through that. I wish there were more I could do for Toph, too."

She remembers what it was like to suddenly be devoid of a parent; even though she had been so young, she remembers it clearly. It had been the death knell of her family, and her father had never been the same after that crushing blow to his psyche.

Juno continues pushing her noodles from one side of the bowl to the other, watching them. "No, I'm actually from one of the Core Worlds. A lot of people sound that way, particularly those who live under Imperial rule. It's common, but there are subtle differences between planets. People who are good with dialects and languages can tell you whether someone comes from Corellia, Corulag, or Coruscant just by accent alone."

"I've never been a study of languages, I'm afraid. I can understand some of the chirping and squawking some of the common droid models use, but only if it's slow. I'm afraid that's about the extent of my linguistic knowledge."

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"I speak English. Hey, I wonder if it's my translator implant making you sound British, I have no idea how this thing works..." Peter rubs the side of his neck. "It threw me off because you're human, I'm not used to seeing other humans. Which is why, well..." He shrugs his shoulders a bit, thens miles a little apologetically. "I may have come on a bit strong." Then, as if dropping all flashy pretense, he offers his hand. "You can just call me Peter."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"I don't know. I don't think anybody quite knows how the translation effect works, to be honest." Juno reaches up and rubs at her jaw, frowning slightly. "In my galaxy, most people spoke Galactic Basic as the predominant language, although almost every species had their own language. Of course, not all of them were physically capable of speaking Basic..."

Suddenly a hand's being offered to her. Juno reaches out and takes it. Her grip is surprisingly strong. Handshakes, at least, seem to be universal.

"It's fine. I can understand that. Sorry, but I can't give you my name. Trade secret," she adds, with a wan smile. Maybe she's some kind of criminal on the run! "It's better if you just keep calling me 'Blackout.'"

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"I've heard about the translation effect, but see, I've also got a translator implant." Peter points at his neck, as if to indicate the spot. "Never bothered to get it taken out. Maybe I'll rent myself out to a language expert one day." He laughs at his idea, then nods, as if understanding. "A mysterious beautiful woman in a bar at the edge of the Multiverse, no name, vague job, a ship that may or may not be her's that I can't see."

He can't help but find all of this amusing with that smile of his. "Why don't I take you to my ship, we can watch a few movies, and you don't have to tell me anything about your mysterious past that you don't want to? I'm a need to know kind of guy, and if you've got any mysterious assassins after you, well, I've got two blasters and a gravity grenade."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"An implant? Hm. I've never needed to resort to anything that drastic. Even before the multiverse, most species in my home galaxy at least understand Galactic Basic." She considers for a moment, mulling over all she can remember from the trade routes and the hyperlanes.

"Even if they can't or won't speak it." She shrugs, taking another bite of insufferably hot noodles. If they're that hot, one wonders why she does that to herself. Maybe she's got more tolerance to it than she lets on. Or maybe they're just that delicious.

"Now you're just using flattery. Poorly," she adds, with a grin. "Flattery's not a cudgel, you know; you've got to use it like you would use a fine-pointed vibroblade. Needle it. Finesse it. Otherwise you're just going to come off ham-fisted and clumsy."

Pushing aside the mostly-empty bowl, she folds one arm on the table, cupping her chin in her hand. "Let me give you some more advice, free of charge: It's not going to work on me. Save your breath and your time. You seem like a nice person, but I'm really not interested. I've got a pretty ferocious guard dog." Whether she means this literally or whether she means she has a significant other possessed of a jealous temperament, it's hard to say.

"No assassins, at least not that I know of." Still, something clouds her expression, briefly. That's the rub, isn't it? Knowing they're there. The Inquisition has all sorts of inter-factional rivalry and it usually tends to be lethal. She forces herself to smile. "I'm a bit paranoid, so I'd know."

Leaning back, she prods at her empty bowl. "I appreciate not prying too deeply, though. It's easier that way. And I'd just have to hit you if you didn't take 'no' for an answer, anyway," she adds, cheerfully.

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"Most species in my galaxy have a translator implant." Peter laughs at the difference, considering for a moment. "Your galaxy's probably more advanced than mine. I can't imagine half the species in my galaxy getting together and creating a trade language. Too busy shooting each other, having religious wars, having xenophobia, or feeling superior to everyone else."

He says all of this as if it's normal, everyday life, almost as if he's fond of it. "Hey, I like to think my ham-fisted clumsiness is a part of my charm." He raises the hand he's been using for his drink to rub his stubble. "That and my rugged good looks. But, hey, you're a nice lady, so let's keep in touch, huh? Nothing that'll get me stabbed."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
"Don't be too quick to put my galaxy on a pedestal, Peter." Juno laughs, too, although it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "There's still rampant shooting, religious wars, xenophobia, speciesist superiority, and all of that going on. It's just hidden under a thin layer of politics and neutral trading."

"Go too far out into the Outer Rim, or into Wild Space, and you'll see the veneer of galactic civilisation stripped away." There's no laughter in her, this time; she seems somber for a moment. "The Galactic Empire struggles to keep peace throughout the galaxy, but it's a pretty big place. That's a lot of sentient species, all wanting to do things their own way. Maybe I'm a pessimist, but I don't think even the Empire can hold things together for too long..."

She shrugs at his quip. "I'd as soon shoot you as stab you. Vibroblades are incredibly messy, you know." Still, a half-smile. "Of course. I work for the Syndicate, and the Starbound Flotilla, too, so you can always contact either of them if you need me. It's probably more reliable a method than contacting me directly."

Peter Quill (751) has posed:
"I'm actually in the Syndicate myself, so I guess we'll work together some time. Maybe I'll get my own little crew together some time. So far I've got a raccoon and a talking tree, so... that's something." Peter stands, closing his little pizza box and taking a long chug of his soda. "If you ever need any help with a job, need to taklk, or your guard dog loses his bite, give me a call."

Juno Eclipse (428) has posed:
Although she isn't familiar with anything called a raccoon, she can imagine a talking tree, if only because there are probably weirder things in the galaxy than talking flora.

"Maybe." Juno pushes herself to her feet, stretching a litle. "I'll be sure to let you know. And if you need the same, contact me... although, sorry, I can't see my guard dog losing his teeth. He's a very good guard dog, and I wouldn't have him any other way." Ah, so maybe she's referring to a significant other, and not an actual guard dog.

She tosses one hand in a lazy sort of salute as she walks off, chuckling. "Be seeing you. Stay out of trouble, Peter."

With that, provided nobody tries to stop her, she'll head back out the way she came in. If he studies the table, though, he'll find she's left payment for her own fare regardless -- some sort of data-chit, presumably with credits loaded on it.