Cantina adventures that take a turn

[notallofus]

For all that the climates of different regions and planets are vastly different, there's something comfortingly the same about every cantina Kanan's been in.

Maybe it's the smell.

Maybe it's the grumbling of pilots and criminals the galaxy over, insults and friendly banter jumbling in and over each other until a body can't tell which is which.

Maybe it's the drink.

And the drink -- and the cheap food that isn't protein paste -- is what gets Kanan to leave his seat at the table with Hera to go fetch them some more of both.

"I'll be right back."

Comments

[for_everyone]

Hera gives him a short, two-fingered salute, leaning back into their booth.

Her drink is getting low, after all, and she wouldn't say no to more of the fried walda blossoms this place seems more partial to.

[notallofus]

He comes back a little later than he meant to, due to the crush at the bar, and the fact that the bartender has a little trouble hearing the frequencies at which humans speak. Kanan's falsetto is not that great, but he got the food!

And the drink.

He sets one glass and the basket of fried walda in front of Hera, holding tight to his own drink as he swings into his seat.

"Well, that was an adventure and a half."

[for_everyone]

Has Hera been spending the time discreetly scoping out the other patrons? Maybe.

But she's quick enough to look up, and smile, when Kanan returns. "It's only getting more crowded in here."

[notallofus]

Surely she would never! (Or, you know, it's fun and occasionally useful.

"Yeah, you'd think people'd have more work to be doing late in the evening."

What?

[for_everyone]

Hera rolls her eyes.

"All right, but we're leaving before any fistfights start."

She'd like to not have to fly off-planet tonight.

[notallofus]

Now it's Kanan's turn to salute her with a lazy two-fingered gesture.

"I'll keep my ear to the ground so we can definitely avoid that problem."

And by ear he means . . . the Force. Obviously.

[for_everyone]

"How many drinks can your ear take?"

She sounds curious, not concerned.

[notallofus]

"Probably none, that's why it will stay sober?"

That's . . . the right answer, right?

Wait, what was the question?

[for_everyone]

"That's reassuring."

But she grins, picking out a walda blossom.

[notallofus]

Kanan makes a face at her, snagging one of the blossoms for himself, because they're there and Hera deserves to have one less to eat just because.

Or something.

"I'm good at reassuring!"

Right?

[for_everyone]

"I'm sure you can -"

"Twi'lek!" The shout comes before she can finish, and without any other kind of greeting, a tall, sandy-haired human pulls a chair up to their booth, sitting down next to Hera.

She ducks down, startled, hand halfway to her ankle holster before she gets a good look at the man. But she composes herself quickly, folding her hands over the table and putting on her well-honed disinterested face.

"Can we help you?"

[notallofus]

Kanan scowls, reflexively.

"This is a private conversation."

. . . . it occurs to him, belatedly, that what he just said is most definitely not going to help. Damn.

The sandy-haired human grins, a flash of teeth that he doubtless thinks is charming.

"Oh, I bet I can make it worth your while. How's about it?"

[for_everyone]

"No, we're really not interested."

"Ha!" The man slams the table, his hand coming so close to Hera's that she flinches back. Yet she doesn't move when he leans in, closer to her. "Look, Twi'lek, I have a bet going on with my crew -" He thumbs toward another table, where two humans and a Pantoran are drinking and occasionally glancing in their direction. "- that I can get some decent entertainment going on in this place."

Hera props her elbows on the table, folding her hands again and resting her head over them. "You can leave now."

[notallofus]

"Look, human," Kanan says, resting one hand flat on the table. Just in case he needs to get to his feet really fast.

"She said go."

The other human's smile remains pasted on, caught between jocular and frustrated. "I'm just trying to be friendly. And everyone here's starved enough for entertainment you could make a pretty pile of creds real easy."

[for_everyone]

"I'm not trying to be friendly," she says. "Go."

The man taps his foot on the ground, still leaning close to Hera, perhaps trying to think of something else to say. His gray eyes turn to Kanan.

"Your Twi'lek's not much fun, is she?"

[notallofus]

"Hey, guys," Kanan calls, to the asshole's friends a couple tables over.

"Come pick up your human, he's making a mess."

[for_everyone]

Hera lowers her arms, leaning back in her seat, her hand moving close to but not touching Kanan. She keeps watching the man, but she doesn't speak again, merely lets the seconds pass until at least, he seems to get bored.

"Eh, whatever." He rises from the chair, hooking his left hand around its back to pull it with him as he leaves. But as he does, he reaches out to Hera, dragging two curled fingers quick across her collarbone. It's over before she can jerk away, and the man doesn't even glance back at them.

[notallofus]

It's funny how he trips just as he gets back to his table, slamming his chin down hard as he goes.

Looks like he bit through his lip.

"You wanna introduce him to Chopper?"

[for_everyone]

Hera shakes her head, her eyes on the table now.

"He couldn't get anything out of me, so he tried to start a fight with you."

It's not a rebuke, but there's a shade of warning to it.

[notallofus]

"And I'm still sitting right here."

It's kind of a promise, because the last thing Hera needs is someone else handling this for her. Probably the last thing, anyway.

"It's not my fault if he can't walk in a straight line."

[for_everyone]

"All right." She definitely believes you, Kanan.

Hera reaches out, her fingers tapping the side of her glass, curling around as though she might lift it, but instead she shakes her head again.

"It's no use, I can't concentrate anymore."

[notallofus]

"Yeah."

Hey, she's met him before. Plausible deniability only works on other people.

Anyway.

"Want to work on tuning up the shield generator when we get back? It's going to involve lots of banging stuff with wrenches."

And then scrubbing corrosion off the connectors. The wrench part seems like it might be cathartic. That, and this maintenance task has been slipping down the list because it's not that urgent. But it'll be nice to have it done. It's probably the only peace of mind he can try to give her.

[for_everyone]

"Sounds like a good idea."

Her eyes are still down. It does help, as she imagines the steps she'll take, the systems she'll work on. But she's still glancing across the room, checking that the path the door is clear, that no one's approaching them again.

[notallofus]

Kanan sticks behind Hera and a little to one side, just to keep her sight lines as clear as he can.

And, maybe, to keep any other assholes in the cantina from staring at her. Not that it isn't too late for that.

"I may need two hands to count my ideas soon."

Maybe after the next three . . .

[for_everyone]

Hera closes her eyes for a moment, then looks up at Kanan.

"Let's just go now."

She knows she shouldn't have to leave. That maybe it's 'giving in.' But she also doubts she's going to be able to relax as long as she's still in here.