[center][h2][u]Hangar[/u][/h2][/center]

Serena couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as the Asari left.  "[color=hotpink]I'll do my best not to blow a hole in the ship[/color]." She called after the retreating biotic's back. She smiled as Tanya introduced herself, shaking the other mechanic's hand in a light, distracted way. She was busy staring at the remains of Sal, analyzing what she could salvage and what she couldn't.  She walked over with Vellios, shifiting the scrap into manageable piles, her little drones collecting the piles she was making and then taking them to her work station to be salvaged. 

Her head tilted over to look at Tanya, her mouth opening to reply. Vellios beat her to the punch, explaining their history together. She rolled her eyes, hands still gathering salvage, as she explained further. "[color=hotpink]He means to say that I take the stupidest jobs. The ones that benefit people, and often result in us being outmanned, gunned, and generally screwed. I worked for mercenary companies for a while and got tired of the blood money. So here I am, on a ruined ship, with a smart mouth Turian for a protector, trying to make the galaxy a better place by taking on these contracts.[/color]" 

"[color=Rosybrown]You still love me for it and what other Turian will save your sorry ass?[/color]" Vellios retorted, his tone not in the least bit angered by her light hearted insult. 

She shrugged, smirking at Vellios, tossing more salvage into a pile. "[color=hotpink]It'll give me a lot of time to work on Barat over there.[/color]" She inclined her head towards the blueprint above her workstation. [color=Hotpink]"I'm sure I could find someone else. Someone less inclined to talk back. But they wouldn't nearly be as fun."[/color] She smiled at Vellios, before turning her attention too Tanya again. In an all too casual voice, she continued. "[color=hotpink]Completely off topic,  but do you, by any chance, play chess? Not the Asari version, but honest to goodness human chess."[/color]

"[color=rosybrown]If you say yes, be sure to plug your ears. She squeals rather loudly since she's been looking for a partner for ages.[/color]" Vellios chuckled softly, knowing the woman's casual talk was leading up to this single point. Girl certianly was desperate for something so mellow, though some of his own habits were far less innocent that he couldn't see the harm in helping her along. 

Tanya smiled at the banter between the two partners, thinking back to the easy comradery she had with her platoon in the 63rd. The smile wavered somewhat when she realize that that felt like a lifetime ago, like it happened to a different person. Thankful for the distraction, she looked over at what Serena referred to as Barat, which was the schematic for what looked like some kind of mech. [color=cyan]"Chess? On the off occasion, usually there's shotglasses involved."[/color] she replied, tilting her head somewhat at Vellios. [color=cyan]"Oh fuck me, did I walk into a trap? Tell you what, you don't squeal loudly, and Shithead doesn't go through the entirety of the [I]Flames over Tuchanka[/I] catalog at full volume."[/color]

Vellios laughed, his voice bellowed out within the hangar while he plopped down to steady himself. His hip touched the metal and his right arm propping him upright, careful not to get sliced on the sharp. His mouth snapped shut abruptly when he spotted Serena going for a rather jagged piece then with surprising speed, his hand swatted out and smacked her soundly on the hand. "[color=rosybrown] Sorry darlin', but you're going to cut yourself again. I only have so much of the first aid kit left after all.[/color]" 

His hand then slid the metal to the same pile as the first, careful to make sure not to slice himself.   

Serena's face, scowling at Vellios for his chuckling, suddenly lit up as Tanya said she did, in fact, play chess. Her mouth opened up to say something (probably in that squeal Vellios was talking about.), when Tanya made her threat. Serena's jaw shut with an audible click. If the music currently playing was anything to judge by, the [i]Flames over Tuchanka[/i] catalog would be particularly horrible. 

[color=hotpink]"Alright. I'll make you a deal. I'll supply the alcohol and shot glasses, you play me on a regular basis."[/color] It was clear that she hoped regular meant daily. [color=hotpink]"I don't drink, however, so you'll be draining the alcohol all by you-ow! What was that for!?"[/color] She glared at Vellios for a moment, before reluctantly accepting his excuse. 

[color=hotpink]"Anyway, what's your story? I'm trying to be a modern day Paladin and Vellios doesn't have the good sense to stop following me around. Why are you on this junker?"[/color] Clearly, she thought the matter of chess and alcohol was finished. 

[color=cyan]"Drink alone? Wouldn't be the first time."[/color] Tanya remarked, lean-sitting on one of the crates. [color=cyan]"Not much to say about me, really. Enlisted in the Alliance marines after my dad was killed in the First Contact War, kind of a family tradition going back to when my family marched into battle with red coats and shit. Did my time, had a few deployments, ended up getting some really shitty deployments, felt unfulfilled and left. Civilian life was making my skin crawl, I figured my place was out in the stars, fixing things and playing with weapons. Truth be told, I just missed being around people who have a similar focus. A team. Never been a merc before, so I set the bar low. Apparently that was ill-advised."[/color]

'[color=Rosybrown]Hahaa, what's the matter Serena? The last time I thought you did fairly well before you started to hit on that Volus and I had to stop you. I think you tried to seduce me but fell on your face, down on the sofa where you snored away and drooled on the cushions.[/color]" Vellios snickered. His mandibles wiggling again while he folded his hands in front of his navel, his figure relaxed in his laid back position. For some reason, be it from instinct or something else, his eyes tightened briefly at something off within her words. He had been around liars enough to have his BS sensors go off when it happened. However, he shrugged it off for later. 

[color=hotpink]"And that,"[/color] Serena said as she glared at Vellios, trying to shoot lightning from her eyes, [color=hotpink]"is why I don't drink. It ends badly."[/color] She shifted slightly, noticing Vellios' tension before relaxing as it faded away. 

'[color=Rosybrown]Practice makes perfect, Serena.[/color]" He said with a cheeky and encouraging smile. 

"[color=hotpink]No.[/color]" 

"[color=rosybrown]Really? It's going to happen again, and you know it. Especially if you want me to stop doing my meds again or at least improve on quiting my binge drinking.[/color]"

[color=hotpink]"I've given up trying to make you stop, and you promised you'd work on lessening the drug dependency. What I'm curious is how you plan to get me to drink again since I'm definitely not going to."[/color] Serena replied, cracking open Sal's chest to see what she could salvage. 

Vellios shrugged in defeat, for the moment. He turned back to matter they were all sharing their pasts with his next comment. 

'[color=rosybrown]We all have our reasons for being where we're at. No reason to explain it really unless to feed curiosity. I was born in space, on a ship. So it's pretty much all I know.[/color]" Vellios stated calmly as he stretched his legs out a bit more and the tension burned, then faded slightly. "[color=rosybrown]Since Serena doesn't drink often, I could always use a drinking buddy since she's just going to be scowling and watching. What do you say?[/color]"  

[color=hotpink]"I'll be scowling and working on Sal or Barat, thank you very much. You two can get hammered if you want, just don't touch the Ryncol, Del, Sarah, my workstation, or Barat."[/color] She gave the two of them the evil eye. [color=hotpink]"I have no problem turning overload down and zapping drunks."[/color] She finally opened Sal's chest and made a disappointed noise. [color=hotpink]"Dammit. Everything's fried."[/color]

Tanya pointed to Vellios. [color=cyan]"Yes, first pay cheque we'll find the sketchiest dive bar and see if we don't ruin some poor bastard's life. And wait wait wait,"[/color] she said, turning her attention to Serena with wide-eyed enthusiasm. [color=cyan][I]"You tried to hook up with a fucking volus?"[/I][/color] she exclaimed with a grin that could best be described as shit-eating.

Serena knew something bad was gonna happen when Tanya turned her attention back to her. She blushed bright red in embarassment, settling her tools down as she turned to fully face the grinning woman.

Vellios just enjoyed the display, his eyes turned to see Serena turn a deep red. 

 [color=cyan]"I mean, what do you do, unzip their trousers and watch as the sudden decompression makes them literally explode all over the room like an overpressurized can of aerosol cheese?"[/color] she crossed her arms, feeling somewhat triumphant. 
 
 Serena ignored the comment, trying not to remember the full details of the event herself. [color=hotpink]"You're never gonna let me live that down, are you...what if I said please?"[/color]
 
 '[color=rosybrown]Drink again and I might...[/color]" He said while starting to laugh, getting amusement out of Serena being the source of their laughter. 
 
 [color=hotpink]"Stop bringing it up and I might not fill your Omni-tool with Vorcha porn."[/color] Serena waved her omni-tool threateningly.
 
 '[color=Rosybrown] I'll just tell our resident Vorcha you had me deliver a gift from an admirer...[/color]" Vellios threatened playfully, knowing he could make it convincing like the last time she attempted a similar move last time. 
 
 [color=Hotpink]"...You win this round you radiation resistant bastard."[/color]
 
 '[color=Rosybrown]Should've known better darlin'. I usually win.[/color]" Anymore teasing interrupted by Tanya's next words. 
 
 [color=cyan]"What, and lose sight of the most beautiful love affair in galactic history? Fat chance. So, it's settled then. You two are getting trashed, and I am going to enjoy every goddamn minute of it. I'll even hack into the security feed so I can show the vid recording to the entire crew, maybe I'll hang up a projector right there, use the cargo ramp as a screen..."[/color] she mused, framing her fingers and thumbs into a box shape and holding it in that direction, encasing the door. 
 
 [color=hotpink]"Hahahahahano."[/color] Serena shook her head vehemently. [color=hotpink]"I'm not drinking again. Not a chance in hell."[/color] In desperation to change the subject, she turned to the agreement Tanya and she had made. [color=hotpink]"So...chess sometime tonight? We can use my custom board..."[/color]

[color=cyan]"As you wish, try not to mop the floor with me. Although..."[/color] a mischievious smile creased her lips. [color=cyan]"End of the week, we have some stakes. You beat me, I never bother you about drinking or volus again, poof! Forgotten. I'll even go and hit on anyone you point out in the bar just so I can make an ass of myself in front of everyone. However, if I win... we'll just say you don't stop drinking until the floor looks like an oil slick of terrible life decisions. How's that sound, utterly regrettable?"[/color] She asked, entirely too cheerfully. 

[color=hotpink]"Deal![/color] Serena replied, grinning as she stuck out her hand for Tanya to shake. As the other mechanic shook, serena called out to her protocol drone. [color=hotpink]Sarah, please set the date and bet stakes down on record."[/color] She smirked at Tanya. [color=hotpink]"I'm thinking Hanar. Maybe Elcor."[/color]

[color=cyan]"Tentacles are a girl's best friend, but elcor? C'mon. You trying to put me to sleep? The bar would close before he even got an ice breaker out."[/color] Tanya said, brushing her hair back, not looking forward to either possibility. [color=cyan]"Anyways, we better finish stowing shit before we head off to Omega to watch that sour-ass asari make pouty faces the whole time."[/color]

"[color=rosybrown]I have to agree. I think you humans have a saying: idle hands make for the devil's work or something like that.[/color]" Vellios said, his body getting upward and slowly standing to his feet. Part of his muscle ached from being on the hard metal for so long and not moving around much to ease it. Quickly he collected the scrape that deemed most dangerous to Serena and looked for a spot to deposite it.  

Tanya stood and turned, opening the crate she was sitting on. Reaching inside, a half-empty bottle of Sampson whisky shone in the light, reflecting a warm red-brown colour in the surrounding area. [color=cyan]"This helps steady the idle hands. I'd offer some, but I'm pretty sure that would kill you. Dextro and all that."[/color] she said to the turian, unscrewing the lid, taking a deep swig, and heading off to unpack her gear for the assignment ahead.

'[color=rosybrown]I've eaten a lot of things that have nearly killed me to be honest. Though personally, me getting sick right now isn't the best idea. How about you drink, Serena looks pretty, and I'll do the heavy lifting. We should have this stuff all neat and stowed before no time, deal?[/color]" Vellios said while he shoved the parts into the nearest disposal container, his hands already reaching to shove a heavy cargo crate to the side. 

[color=cyan]"Now that sounds like an arrangement if I ever heard one."[/color] Tanya grinned over her shoulder at Vellios. [color=cyan]"Don't worry about me, serve in the Alliance long enough and you can pretty much pack and unpack your entire life in record time. Figure we might as well look good while everyone else is busy picking their asses."[/color] she replied, only realizing after she said it how literally packing up her life on a whim could just as easily apply to both her gear and herself. Looking at the whisky bottle, she decided it might be a little lower than intended by the time she got that particularly cheerful thought out of her mind as she opened up a compartment to find her exceptionally well maintained shotgun sitting in foam. Time to get busy.