Saarlan

"Not to be rude by not answering your questions because I don't know exactly what you're talking about," Tess said to the gangly woman without so much as a twitch. "But did you know those two? If so, what the hell did you do to them to make them run away like that? We went through a lot to get to this point, if you want to hear the story I can give you the short version later, and it is incredibly frustrating to watch those punks run away like that. Then again, I can expect that from Markus since he isn't exactly the shiniest spoon in the pool, but I expected more from the Sarge. Oh." Tess paused, examining the bored expression on the dark haired woman's face. "Pardon my ramblings. I'm Tess." She extended a hand. "I'm new here and don't know where's what or who I should speak to. Would you like to go to a cantina and fill me in about this area or even those losers? First round's on me."

Tess dropped her hand after feeling silly for holding it out for as long as she did. There is usually a notable differene betwixt rudeness and curtness, but with this woman it was a little more challenging to figure out which adjective described her best. Tess was of course cautiously on guard but she tried her best as to giving the airs of a confident and naive traveler- obviously there was bad blood between this woman who had yet to give her name and her two brief party members. For them to run away from one person like that after conspiring with a sort-of criminal meant that something bad could potentially happen. Tess did her best to smile despite the risk of looking like a complete idiot and possibly even a complete phony. She lifted the supply case Markus had abandoned and followed the woman down the street. 

It didn't take long to arrive at their destination. The walk there was a bit of a somber procession, both women were silent as passersby avoided them. Tess had observed the inhabitants of the town and their stange behaviors when they saw the raven haired woman; the citizens of Saarlan barely looked up from whatever they were doing as she and the other woman walked, and those who were walking towards them did their best to jump out of their way or even run to the other side of the street (one man almost got hit by a speeder after he gasped and jumped into oncoming traffic). Tess was used to the occasional quizzical look, but this was ridiculous. As the double doors of the club opened with a flourish, the swell of live jazz music filled the air. Tess believed she saw the woman's lips curl into a momentary smile, but it could have just been the dim lighting mildly distorting her features.

The club was decently inhabited and none of the tables seemed available. A man in all black with a silver vest saw the women arrive and instantly snapped his fingers. Two tall muscular men came from seemingly out of thin air and immediately came to his aid. He whispered something very quickly and walked towards the women as the two men went the opposite way towards the left side of the club. "It is an honor to see you again, dear Major!" the man said mirthfully. "I apologize for not having a table prepared for you, as I didn't know you were back on Shili. You'll have to excuse me, but we're about to clear the best seats in the house for you and your companion. It should only take a moment." As the owner (Tess assumed he was the owner, anyway) of the eatablishment went on with his praises, Tess watched as a table "conviently" became available- the owner's men had grabbed two patrons by their collars and proceeded to drag them out of the club by a side exit after their protests against being told to leave in the middle of their drinks. Tess couldn't quite make out how the conversation played out over the blare of the trumpet, but it clearly hadn't gone well. The owner heard the door slam, and led them to a corner booth close to the foot of the stage. A waitress at a nearby table ran over to clear away the half empty glasses and quickly wiped the table down with the rag in her back pocket. The owner smiled and thanked them for coming in. He insisted all drinks were on the house and made his way back to the front of the club while wiping the beads of sweat from his brow with this sleeve of his shirt sleeve before they could thank him or even protest.

"You know a lot of people around here, don't you?" Tess asked stupidly. She tried to make the question seem converstaional rather than non-rhetorical. She then asked, "Is Major your real name, or a nickname?"

As Major spoke, Tess did her best to pay close attention to the words being spoken as well as the ones unspoken."So far so good," she thought, slowly sipping her cocktail. "She doesn't want to kill me... yet."  Tess also pondered upon who in the galaxy this woman could be- in fact, how the hell didn't she know her when everyone else seemed to? People literally shook at seeing her approach and ran away faster than Jawas caught in a scam. Yes, she wore the symbols of a person of the rank she claimed to be, but was there more to it than that? Bounty hunter? Escaped convict? A monarch of some sort? Even though Tess couldn't exactly match a name to her face, something about her seemed oddly familiar....

The waitress came by the table with two more drinks before Tess had finished the one that was still in her hand. It wasn't until then did she realize that Major had finished speaking and looked as if she were expecting some sort of answer to the question she had just asked. "Uh. Major seems perfect, actually," Tess said, hoping she had heard correctly. "It's just the name that demands respect and declares your no-nonsense attitude without giving much personal information. You're basically reminding everyone that you're the boss, and that's that." Tess finished her drink with a long swill and began to work on the next one. "As for my story, there isn't much to tell. I woke up in a POW camp not far from here and managed to come to this town by accident. Our mutual friends Markus and the Sarge, as I like to call her, were making our way to Corvala, but our vehicle crapped out. Then we ran into you, in an interesting turn of events. What brings you to this town anyway, if you don't mind me asking?"

Major's response was both vague and broad whether she was telling the truth or not. Regardless, she struck a chord in Tess's mind. Something about reality became off putting for Tess years ago, as it became harder for her to discern what were dreams and what were actual memories. She felt for the bespectacled woman in that regard. Her pale face looked worn from exhaustion and disappointment, maybe even tired of life itself. What tragedies has this woman seen? How much misery from others has she endured? She still held her head up and spine straight, so that looked hopeful enough at least. 

"We may have something in common in that regard," Tess remarked. "I've been going through some deep routed reality issues as well." Tess snorted- it sounded both jubilant and sardonic. An oxymoronic plethora of emotions encompassed in a single huff of air. "Reality bites. All one can do is cruise through life hoping to be small enough to not be noticed by some jerk with a blaster, try to not get shot, then die. That isn't living, it's a prison sentence. In my case, I go about my day, minding my own business, and wake up days later with a splitting headache not knowing where I am or what day it is or even what planet I'm on. That's not living either." Tess finished the second drink, feeling refreshed and energetic. "I like you," she said to Major. She signaled the waitress. "You look as if you stomp on anyone that gets in your way. Maybe I was meant to meet you. Maybe we can be friends."

Tess was at a momentary loss for words. How does one respond to a statement such as that? She genuinely felt a pang ebbing in to her abdomen- should she tell this stranger what her life is actually about to help aide her with her own struggles? The Major clearly has led a long and arduous life, so anything Tess could say runs the risk of cheesiness or even mockery. 

"It... isn't that I would forget you," Tess says, wiping a lock of hair from her face. "I don't have amnesia or anything like that. Not exactly. It's difficult to explain, really." The waitress, still acting as if the day was as normal as any other, placed upon the table an open wine bottle along with two glasses. She removed the other two ice filled glasses, nearly dropping them in her nervousness. "Shall I pour, Ma'am?" she asked in trepidation. Seeing the Major unresponsive made her leave just as quickly as the other times she came to the table.

Tess took it upon herself to pour the wine. As she tilted Major's glass she said, "I'm sorry if I come across as impetuous, or even over stepping my boundaries. I'm clearly missing something in the big picture, but I feel I can trust you. Don't ask me how, and no, I'm not into religlious mumbo-jumbo, but there's a similarity between us. There's more to me than what I seem, and that is both my burden and salvation. I'm not a simpleton either, because I know there's more to you than I can perceive at this club." Tess placed Major's glass on the table and began pouring her own. "Misery aside, is there anything else you would like to discuss? I feel as if I just keep rambling and that you're too polite to tell me to shut up."

Tess felt as if she awoke from a long nightmare. Maybe it was the alcohol, but something about the evening seemed pristine and promising. The past few months, years even, were hellish. This was the first night in a long time where she finally felt herself. Free to do or say whatever she wanted, go where ever she wanted and even make her own mistakes. She refused to be the zombie she normally was- groggily trying to grasp at consciousness, wondering who she was the night before. 

Elbows on the table, Tess raised her glass in the air to Major. "I'll be happy to help a fellow sleepwalker," Tess said with a half smile. "Maybe you can help me in return." She shrugged slightly. "Hell, maybe we can figure out what's plauging us and finally move on from this nonsense."

Tess scoffed at Major's inquiry- not out of derision, but in female comradity. "Guilt? Why the hell should you feel guilty?" she asked vehemently. "What's wrong with men in this galaxy? Because he did a favor for you he expects you to be his indentured servant? Maybe on his planet that's acceptable, but it isn't as if you two are lovers. Hell, it barely sounds as if you two are friends anymore. If this really is his last year of existence, he shouldn't have wasted it being hell bent on, what's the colloquialism I'm looking for? Oh right, machismo." Tess's voice began to raise, sounding as if she were in competition with the saxophonist's solo. "What makes him think he can walk all over you and expect you to always come back to him? You don't look like a rubber band to me! He made you feel worthless, you said? What power is he trying to lord over you? Why should you abandon your principles for someone unworthy of you? If he really felt any type of love for you or even respected you, he shouldn't make you feel compromised. In fact-" 

Tess paused. Her anger was rising exponentially. She shivered as the sickly hot familar feeling coursed through her body. Her face was flushed and there was a slight tremor in her hands. She remained silent while waiting for her heartbeat to slow down. "I-I'm sorry," she breathed. "I get mad really easy and really fast. It takes a lot to not go overboard." She tugged on the white ribbon around her wrist absentmindedly. She then exhaled and slowly sipped the cool crimson liquid. She smiled weakly at Major. "Even if you say you're a terrible person, you shouldn't have to settle with the first bad person you encounter. The easy answer would be to stay away, for your own health and sanity. Maybe you guys can work things out before his time is up. Friends just don't treat each other abhorently like that. If he tries to repent, that's great. If you both can't come to an understanding soon, then, how can you really measure up your friendship or partnership or however you want to call it?"

Tess poured another glass of wine for herself. "Eh, but what do I know? I'm not an expert. I am an expert of ruining my own life though. Heh. Take what I say with a grain of salt or something. Hell, use it as inspiration. Just let me know how it ends up or how I can actually help. I'm real good at punching people."

The final notes of the song being played were blurted out by the latent trombonist in the back row of the ensemble. The leader of the band announced the promise of their return in twenty minute's time. It was then that the women noticed that the band was only half of the night's attraction. The other patrons of the club were speaking in barely audible tones, eyes flying in their direction every so often. Perhaps these jazz enthusiasts were afraid to stay but more afraid to leave. They all knew who the raven haired woman was and feared to rile up her passions of offense.

Tess poured the final dregs of the wine into Major's glass. "I can see you just fine," she said. "You're no ghost. Just the opposite, really. Just look around the room a bit. Everyone notices and has noticed that you're here, but most importantly they have noticed that you're you. Because others in your life are so self interested and don't give the praises due doesn't make you a ghost. It just solidifies their pathetic selves. Don't be upset about these people anymore, these liars and cheaters, backstabbing harpies. Let them wallow in the consequences of their own regretful actions. Walk away knowing that your pride and will are unscathed." 

Tess chuckled. "You know, sometimes I think I can dish out better advice for others than I can for myself. Not that I'm saying you should discredit what I'm saying, I hope you don't actually, but maybe you can overcome this situation sooner rather than later. You seem charismatic enough to defy expectaions, so do just that." Tess then finished the remains of her drink. "You know, there's this song I remember from when I was little that really speaks true to this situation. I won't torture you by singing the whole song but this is what I like best-

Sick and tired of  what to say
No one listens anyway
Sing, that's all you can
Ramblin' years of lousy luck
You miss the smell of burnin' turf
Dream, that's all you can

Ah but don't, no don't sink the boat
That you built, you built to keep afloat

Singled out for who you are
Takes all types to judge a man
Dream, that's all you can
Filthy suits with bigot ears
Hide behind their own worst fears
Live, that's all you can
It's all you can
It's all you can... do.

The nearby tables had looked on as Tess sang her excerpt, possibly curious more with Major's reaction than the song itself. Tess laughed full heartedly. "I must be buzzed! Or I'm paranoid because everyone's staring at me, or aren't they? Ah, who cares? Let's get more wine and see if they have anything to eat here!" The onlookers turned away at the mention of Tess's suspicions. Two things held their curiousities admist their fears: how suicidal must this overly bold woman be to sit and even sing at the notorious leader's table,  and how had Major had let her be at said table for this long without maiming someone or even shooting a single bullet?

Tess laughed warmly at Major's gesture and mildly wondered about it. "How could she afford to that?" she thought whilst the owner passed their table, mumbling to himself about numbers and figures. "She must be rich. What if she's Shilian royalty?! I must look like such a simpleton!" Tess shrugged. The night was too fine and still young to ponder details as of yet. Besides, tonight was a night for friendships to be rooted and solidified. When her companion returned with the waitress and the promise of food, Tess gladly accepted the offer of procuring some of the local flavor. Sensing still the waitress's apprehension about the entire situation, Tess decided against adding more stress for the employees. "Actually, miss," she called over just as the waitress was about to head out of the side door. "Nevermind. I can get food myself. I need some air anyway." The waitress sighed with relief and went back to clearing tables. Tess rose from her seat. "Want to go for a walk?" Tess asked Major. "Maybe show me around town a bit while looking for some dinner? We can come back here afterwards if you'd like."