The Late Shift - Inro (Open)

[Corsten V. Fenlin]

Crsten didn't so much as walk into work as he did -roll- into work. The old man polishing glass behind the spotless bar rose a brow as he made his less then graceful arrival into the silent, not-yet-open pub.

"You really gotta stop trying to win contests on the clock," the wrinkled gentleman said.

The larger youth shrugged before pouring himself a glass of water, probably his fortieth that day as he was desperately trying to rehydrate his brain. "What, they're payin' for it. It's not like I'm waistin' money. Besides, that's why you make so much money, the ladies love me. There are people who -talk- about this place on their travels."

The other man said nothing and continued to polish his freshly cleaning glasses, starring at them intently over wire-rimmed frames. Seamus was a pretty relaxed old guy, even if he did sound like a stick in the mud 99% of the time. His talk could fool you, he was pretty damn efficient at packing away those shots, and could nail a bullseye from behind the counter. He knew most of their tips came from the younger bar-tender's charming, fun, boisterous personality that got the whole place on their toes.

He just wished he would stop turning the damn music up. Not everyone wanted to work in an Irish pub party all the damn time.

"Are you sticking around after your shift then tonight?" Seamus asked him. "I know, it's a dumb question."

"That's a dumb question," Corsten echoed after the glass of water had disappeared. "It's beer pong night, can't miss that. Promised my partner I would be here, and by god I'll be here."

"Don't make me have to carry you out, my knees aren't what the used to be."

A hand changed the 'closed' sign to 'open' with a push of a button under the counter. With that action he picked up a bottle in each hand, spun them on his palms and began to pour the first drink of the night. As soon as the little red 'open' sign began to glow it was like a signal went off all over the Colony, alerting the usual suspects that the night was on. Like an alarm clock.

And he knew exactly who would be the first to grace their stools. The proprietor of that first drink, the drink Cor invented and named just for them.

He called it a 'Psychic'.

[Sega Siino]

As Corsten predicted, Sega was among the first to enter the bar that evening, if a bit later than usual. A number of his fellow cargo workers had beaten him to the bar and had already belly-upped to it. But Sega had a good reason for being late. The smirk over his face said plenty as he elbowed his way between to patrons.

"'Ey! Seamas!" He called to the owner, "miss me?"

"What took you so long, Sega?"

"Aww, ya know," Sega answered with a shrug, but a giant shit eating grin. "But hey! Good news! I'ts pay day!" He held up the little plastic card his payment for doing cargo work was placed on every other week. "First rounds on me!" A cheer went up from his fellow cargo workers and a few others who had already entered the bar.

"Keep that up and you won't be able to afford much else," Seamus warned.

"What goes 'round comes 'round, Seamus, my friend." Sega nodded sagely, still wearing that shit eating grin. "An I gotta lotta Karma t' burn off."

[Corsten V. Fenlin]

"Well then if you're feelin' so karma-ish then yer my partner tonight, right?" Corsten more confirmed as fact then asked his friend. The pair made a wicked team, losing purposely if they felt like getting real drunk real quick, but coming back at the eleventh hour to sink an appeal. "I mean, we'd be doin' everyone a favor, yeah? Getting them drunk fast, that sounds like good karma to me."

Seamus rolled his eyes, the sound of a bottle cap hitting the floor before sliding the drink down to its awaiting owner. "Your logic is all sorts of back-asswards, boys. Sega, you see my wining lotto numbers yet?"

Cor snorted. "If he did you'd be the first to know, we'd have a bar like this on every planet and be raking in the cash! Specially off Neptune... soldiers -need- to get drunk! We'd make a killing!"

[Sega Siino]

"...yer my partner tonight, right?"

"Uh huh," Sega answered his friend's question without much thought. He was eyeing the girl who had walked in with two of her friends. He hadn't ever seen her before, and she smacked of tourist. Her clothes were enough to give her away. Over his life, Sega had learned to distinguish those who lived on planets from those who lived in space just by the kinds of clothes they wore. He couldn't tell what planet she was from, but she definitely was not from space. Not with those natural fabrics and that nice tanned looking skin. She probably was from one of the Inner Planets. And, damn, she was a babe! Long honey blond hair. Almond shaped blue eyes. Her two friends weren't bad either. One a redhead, the other a brunette.

He wasn't paying much attention to either Seamus or Corsten as the two talked about winning the lotto. He had gotten used to ignoring Seamus's jokes about lotto numbers. Like Sega would tell anyone if he knew. Dammit, if he could figure those out, he'd be fucking loaded!

But there were more pressing matters. Matters concerning a hot blond and her two friends. "Hey, Cor." Sega slung an arm around the larger man's shoulders, "I know yer raring t' go. But first, 'ow ya feel 'bout gettin' a different kinda lucky, hm?"

[Corsten V. Fenlin]

Corsten's eyes followed in the direction Sega nodded. A brow rose at the three ladies who were clearly just passing through the outpost. Passing though meant less of a chance he and Sega would a) run into their current or ex-boyfriends, and b) see them again.

"Invite them over for a drink," Cor nodded already bringing out three large hurricane glasses. Pretty girls like that liked fruity drinks, drinks where they couldn't taste their drunk. "Tell'em it's on us, eh? I think you found our cheerleaders for tonight."

Seamus eyed the boys. "On who exactly?"

"Take it out of my tips," Cor called back to him, a grin on his face and his eyes sparkling. "Trust me!"

[Sega Siino]

All Sega needed to hear was the "invite them over for a drink" art of Corsten's statement before he had pushed himself from the bar and was making his way towards the young women. Instantly a wide smile was pulling across his lips.

"Ladies, welcome to The Inn," he grinned at them. Sega may as well made charming women a career. Within a few short minutes he had the blond and the red head on each arm and was coming back to the bar with them. The brunette was following behind, her arms crossed and a displeased look on her face. Ah, well, you couldn't win them all. Two out of three weren't bad odds at all.

"This is my bartender friend I was tellin' ya 'bout," Sega introduced the young women to Corsten. "Best bartender on the outpost, believe you me! Cor, this is Violet," he motioned to the redhead. "This is Carrola," he motioned to the blond. "And this June," he nodded to the disgruntled looking brunette. "They're from Earth, can ya believe that?"

"We wanted to travel. We'd never been off world before," Violet was blushing a color to match her hair. She was a shy one, that much was obvious. Could probably be talked into anything, which was why she was standing in this kind of bar right then.

"Well you've certainly come t' the right place," Sega beamed at her. One of his arms was already familiarly around her shoulders, "the best way to get a taste for the solar system is right here! Cor! Show'em what I mean, eh?"