Log:Fringe Benefits

Rebel Yell explores The Guardian's amenities.

OOC Date: February 2, 2016
Location: Guardian
Participants: Stavros as GM and himself, Kasia Ciph, Kelnas, Sabella Lockheart, Sar Yavok, Uli Gosse, Zhu Yan, Rebel Yell

The Fast Credits Casino has survived its ownership transition. The kitchen has people cooking, the hosts and hostesses are hosting, the waiters are waiting, the bartenders are bartending - you get the idea. Or rather, they will be, once their first guests, their fellow members of Rebel Yell, arrive for the soft opening. You can tell who's on duty because they're dressed more nicely than the norm!

Stavros has appointed himself steward of the event, and is wandering around making sure everyone at least looks like they know what they're doing before he goes to the doors, opens them, and to the people waiting outside, announces, "The casino is now.. open for business! Go get 'em!"

Zhu Yan the Incomparable had thought he had left luxuries behind him when Rebel Yell had oh so sweetly seduced him with the promise of Action! Danger! Excitement! Even the wonderful repair montage of a YT-2000 he'd found abandoned in the Corellian sector had been lacking in the creature comforts besides a shower and a bottle of Whyren's. But now, here he was, onboard a giant-ass spaceship inside a giant-ass casino. His eyes lit up with proverbial dollar signs. Money! Babes! Money! "I want to live here," said the smuggler to the fancy dressed Zeltron. "And never leave."

Uli would have dressed up, but the truth is, he doesn't own anything dressier than a pair of pants that aren't ripped. He's still looking a little white from the flight, and remains a touch white because, well - space. He's sort of a feet-on-the-ground type. The only thing that calmed him throughout the flight were some shots from a flask tucked into his jacket. After the doors are opened, he looks around, then steps up to Stavros. "You do realize inviting a pickpocket to a casino owned by his employer with only his coworkers as patrons is a giant tease, yes?" Eyebrows up.

Stepping in behind Zhu comes Kelnas. Dressed not in his usual smugglers attire of loose fitting fibre armor, the Wroonian steps in dressed in a 3 piece gunmetal grey suit with a sky blue collarless shirt beneath the vest. Hair slicked back, the smuggler lets out a low whistle as he takes in the scenery. "Nice digs, Blue."

Sabella Lockheart isn't on to come to such things, and even less of a person to be picked on to help work the place. She knows next to nothing about gambling so really this is the last place she would honestly find herself. They had to dress up? Or well something different then the norm so she heard at least. The mechanic is not known for her eye of fashion either though she managed to get a dark blue blouse that rests just a bit off the shoulder and a skirt, her hair is pulled back just slightly save for a few curls. She peeks in curiously once the door is open and ohs osftly while scratching at her arm. "You worked on all this Stavros?" Just a guess.

Sar Yavok is dressed...like Sar Yavok. The Commander makes his way into the casino, a big grin on his face. "No, Sabella. You can direct all of your applause to me." He points at himself with the same big grin and makes his way through the crowd of his people, offering them all either a handshake or a pat on the back as he comes to the front of the crowd, where he turns. "Ladies and gentlemen of Rebel Yell; this organization was built on the back of your hard work. So...I figured we could take advantage of this vessel's current amenities and have a little fun."

"It's splendid, right?" Stavros enthuses to Zhu Yan. "They even left the lacquerware! Go order a drink, play a game. They need the practice to get some confidence before they hit the big time." He claps Zhu on his shoulder. His eyes roll skyward at Uli's question. "You can lead a man to free drinks, but you can't make him happy," he says with an overdramatic sigh. "Oh, right- EVERYBODY! First three drinks are free!" Unfortunately - fortunately? - the top shelf liquor is not on display. Fortunately - unfortunately? - there's plenty of everything else. "I know, the temptation must be terrible. But look on the bright side-" Stavros pauses to think of a side that would be bright for the pickpocket. "-you can practice your card shark ways?" Is Uli a card shark? Stavros has no idea.

"Thank Sar. It might be best not to know how he got it," the Zeltron surmises, in a meant-to-be-overheard stage whisper. "But," in a normal tone again, "Who else has a better crew lounge, eh?" He elbows the Wroonian lightly. "Sabella! Well, no. I'm helping. Managing, kind of. Lifting spirits. Coming up with drinks for a cocktail menu." He puts an arm around Sabella's shoulders and guides her towards the bar. "You can be a challenge for Menzo here. Menzo, she hates the taste of alcohol. Make her a drink she loves."

Menzo himself, a skinny human with a knowing smile, gets to work right away. "What flavors do you like, miss?"

Stavros points at Sar and adds, "Let's get a round of applause in for this man before you try out everything. And I mean _everything." He starts the clapping himself, with evident enthusiasm.

Zhu Yan was half-way towards the bar like a man with absolutely the correct priorities when the call for applause came out. With a spin on his heel he turned back to the group and CLAPCLAPCLAPCLAP. The guy had built a place for him to live... I mean, gamble. And drink. And whatnot. And as such that was exactly what was going to happen. It was during said raucous applause that he noticed the sabacc table. Having forgotten how terrible he was at sabacc, he altered his heading and set course for the table. Time to get FLEECED!

"I don't like games of chance," says Uli to Stavros. "Too risky. I like stacking the deck." He grins a bit wryly, but then Stavros is announcing that the first few drinks are free. Well. "Suddenly, flying in a space death trap was worthwhile." A beat, "...Sssssort of." He does the applause thing when it makes sense to, then he leans on the bar. "Something strong and not sweet." Such a sophisticate.

Chipping in for the round of applause, Kelnas places 2 fingers between his lips and lets out a sharp whistle. "Good job boss! Though I do want to know how you did it....it should be a fun story." Looking around the place, the wroonian grins and heads towards the bar quietly like the cat headed for the milk saucer.

Sabella Lockheart glances to Sar and smiles before nodding. "Ah... Well then I'll give you a round and tank you too." She offers and goes about clapping there a moment with the others. She blinks and glances to Stavros as she is guiding on over to the bar, another place she knows very little about. A slght sheepish smile is offered back to Menzo at the question. "Well... Something sweet and fruity? Cherry is good." Who doesn't like cherries?

"I'm never going to tell you how I got it. It'll lose the mystique. Won it in a bet. Or something. I dunno. Just come up with your own stories," Sar says with a grin, moving out of the way to let everyone go enjoy the room. He stands aside and crosses his arms, watching as everyone spills into the area.

Uli leans on the bar and takes his drink when it's prepared. He sniffs at it, sips once, then wobbles his head. Good enough. Then he starts to walk the floor. It's all he can do to keep his hands in his pockets and not have wandering fingers. Old habits. "The games are fixed, right?" he says to no one in particular.

Kasia moves along the red carpet that leads into the casino, not bothering to hide her amusement as she turns to move in Sar's direction. "Why am I unsurprised that you've managed to get a place that has a casino in it?" she asks while turning to survey both the place, and the people inside.

Sar Yavok grins and wraps an arm around Kasia, gesturing to the big room full of Yellers, "Ain't it just the coolest thing you've ever seen?" He chuckles softly and looks over to her, saying, "Though, I'm wondering how you're surprised after seeing the observation room with the hydroponics garden. C'mon, Kasi. Keep up." He grins widely and jerks his head towards the table where Zhu Yan is sitting. He moves that way and gestures to an open chair, "Mind if I join, Yan?"

"Please, take a seat Cap'n. Gotta burn a hole in my wallet," said Zhu Yan, with that idiot's grin on his face. Now that people were coming to the table, he gestured to the dealer droid to start handing out cards. "You'll have to go easy on me, though. Last time I played I wound up holding a hand of five pineapples." Hang on. "Wait. I was playing Pineapple Five. Nevermind."

Sabella Lockheart rubs her hands a bit before letting her arms fold pon the table while she waits for her drink to be made. Hearing Zhu she smirks a bit and glances over towards where he is at the table. "Do you want extra ice in it?" She calls out to him before her attention is sent to the drive she is given. A soft oh escapes her while she picks up the glass giving it a slight sniff even before sipping at it. So far so good.

Kasia leans into Sar as she finds herself pulled close and squeezed. The enthusiasm is infectious, and she can't help but to smile as a result. "It's impressive," she agrees, then laughs. "I said I was not surprised that you'd acquired a ship with a casino. The observation room is just as impressive." He heads for the table, and she follows along, though she doesn't claim a seat for herself.

Menzo assembles his ingredients like a pro, free-pouring something blue and something transparent that glows into a shaker with a bit of ice. Before long, Sabella has a fancy glass with an umbrella giving shade to maraschino cherries floating atop a blue ocean of well-mixed (and watered-down) liquors. There is even a bit of light white atop the blue, in some places. "You like?" Stavros asks expectantly. "I call it a Foamy Sea." He hears Zhu. "I've got you, Zhu!" And he brings a glass of whiskey over to the sabacc table.

Meanwhile, the dealer droid gives out its cards in a disturbingly efficient manner. "Opening bids," it intones in a deep baritone voice.

"I hope the games aren't fixed, Uli," Stavros says. "If people want crooked games, Nar Shaddaa is that-a-way." He points.

"Yeah, I know. It happens to be my home. Are you saying there's something wrong with a decent crooked game?" Uli's tone is dripping with wryness. He watches the Zeltron as he gads about the room. "You're in your element. Maybe you should give up this life of crime and just be a casino host."

Sar Yavok moves to pull out a chair for Kasia, if she'll take it before he sets himself. He leans back in the comfortable chair and smiles across the table at Zhu. A look to the droid and he digs through his pockets, presenting a large handful of credits. "Let's call it at ten to start. Don't wanna break Yan too bad."

"Ten?!" asked Zhu Yan with the most gigantic mock aghast expression on his face. "Awww man!" he said, fumbling around in his pocket and pulling out a fistful of credits. "Hundred, hundred, hundred, hundred," he said, counting through them, and then called out "Ah! Ten!" in triumph. THAT one went on the table! Then his whiskey appeared. "Hey thanks man!" he said to Menzo, appreciating the good service.

Sabella Lockheart smiles and ods to Stavros after that sip to the glass. "It's very good. One you thought up?" She questions before he is off to the car table. With glass in hand she hsifts a bit to peer over towards the card table as she listens in for the moment from her spot.

The chair is drawn out for her, and after a moment, Kasia settles into it. "Thank you." Both hands settle in her lap as she merely watches the others, throwing no credits of her own on the table. When Zhu flashes all of his money, she can't help but to laugh. "It's good we're all friendly here tonight, otherwise doing that could be dangerous."

"Run a casino?" Stavros looks off into the distance of a potential future for a few moments. "Mmm. For you guys, yeah. But I can't miss out on those lovely missions and operations. Casinos frown on shooting people in the face with rifles, you know," the Zeltron explains. "I like doing that to bad and inconvenient people." He beams a cheerful smile, winks at Uli, and crooks a finger at the pickpocket, leading back to the bar. "You ever thought about going straight? You've got good hands. I bet you could manage some bartender flair," he suggests. "Flipping bottles, tossing glasses - you could be a showman yourself!" He opens the way to the back of the bar, gesturing Uli through it. "Watch Menzo and Verona. They know what's what." He leans in closer to whisper conspiratorially in Uli's ear, "Verona thinks you're cute, by the way. I bet she'd teach you." He all but pushes the man behind the bar.

"Buy-in is at ten." The droid's sonorous voice rumbles out of his vocoder. "Discards?" he queries.

Uli side-eyes Stavros, but he steps behind the bar nonetheless. Maybe he can sneak some of the hidden top-shelf stuff. "Maybe you could be like the holos. Intergalactic man of mystery. Spend half your time in casinos with women, and the other half out there, shooting people righteously in the face." He lifts his drink to Menzo and Verona, then takes a good swallow. "What makes you think I haven't been behind a bar before, hmm? I'm a man of many talents." He grabs the nearest bottle and flips it over deftly. "I can pull a pint. I can make a few basic cocktails. It's a good way to peg marks. People let their guards down around bartenders. Isn't that right?" That to Verona.

Zhu Yan also slid his credits forwards, as well as two cards he didn't particularly want. "These cards," he said, phrasing it to sound similar to the droid. Then he chuckled at himself. One day, Yan, you're going to get yourself into a lot of trouble doing that. "Now see, Kasia, I have to make absolutely sure I have all my creds in order! Like, properly, yo." Wink, finger point. Was he up to something?!

Sabella Lockheart looks to Stavros and Uli as the two come back to the bar and leans against it curious like at the talk of apossible lessons. "Oh... Going to give drink making lessons?" This questioned with a glance to the two and then over to Menzo and Verona.

"Of course," allows Kasia, a smile turning the corners of her mouth as she looks back to Zhu. "But getting them in order in the middle of a casino is just begging for someone to try and take them in some way you probably wouldn't like." There's a pause, and then she adds, "Provided you had any by the time you left the table."

"I might be," Verona tells Sabella, before grinning at Uli. "Sure they do." Her smile turns wry. "Bartending is also the art of listening. People don't like to drink alone. Sometimes that means they're drinking with me." She pulls a bottle of rum and a bottle of an orange liqueur out of the quick-bar. "How many bottles can you handle, honey?" And she flips them in the air, one after the other, basically juggling, before catching both, uncorking, and free-pouring them across each other in an 'X', and then presenting the concoction to the pickpocket. Along with the two bottles, once again capped.

The dealer-droid flicks two new cards to Zhu, looking at him for a second longer than is necessary, after Zhu Yan imitates the droid's cadence. "Bets?" he asks.

Stavros steps back over to where a few people are eating. "First out of the kitchen - make sure to say if it doesn't taste right! Recipes are still a work in progress- the databanks were wiped clean when we-" He exchanges a few more words with the diners before stepping back over towards the sabacc table. "Ah, right. I'm not going to be majordomo for the casino full time." He grins. "I'm your go-to for any personnel issues or logistical quandaries. Gren and Sar can be intimidating, so-" He gestures at himself with both hands. "Me! 'Chief of staff', which are three syllables that mean the answer to 'who should I bring this problem to when the old guys have an evil glint in their eye' is 'Stavros Niarkos.' I'll get what you need," he promises. His step takes him past the bar again. "Especially in the casino!"

"Well, well, let them try. They're all secretly grenades." Was Zhu Yan, Chronic Liar, lying again? Do bears shit in the woods? The trick was sifting out the genuine lies from the joking lies. Though in this case he didn't think anyone had come up with an explosive credit chit. Unless... "Sar," he said, making sure his credits were forward and ready to play, "maybe make some grenades that look like credit chits. Or land mines. That might work better."

"I'm a better watcher than a listener," says Uli to Verona. "But I don't like to work for a living. And bartending is too much like work." He takes the bottles and gives her a confident, self-assured look. He does indeed have very nimble hands, if ones that aren't accustomed to handling slick bottles. He manages a few of the movements deftly and other ones less deftly. He's not there yet, but he does have the makings of being a good flare bartender. Before long, he's helping the staff with their drink orders. Hey, it keeps him out of trouble, and it keeps his hands out of the pockets of his allies.

Kasia's gaze is drawn to Stavros for a moment, smiling as she watches him, but her gaze returns to Zhu as he replies. "It sounds like it would prove to be a bd night for both the person who tried, and you, depending on precisely when your grenade credits explode, and what state you're in when they're taken."

Sabella Lockheart looks amused and nods as she hears Verona talk about possibly doing a lesson the drink making. She glance to Uli and then back to Verona as the conversation goes on. "I think I'll just stick to working on ships." She sips at her drink as Uli takes the lead and is back there keeping busy it seems while making drinks.

"I've found that grenades that look like grenades are far more intimidating," Sar remarks with a smirk, leaning forward to match bets. His eyes move over his cards once more and he sets them down, moving to pluck his cigarillos from his pocket. A grin at Kasia and Sar adds, "I doubt Zhu Yan has much control over when his grenade explodes."

Stavros is back at the sabacc table in time to laugh. "Zhu Yan, are you going to take that kind of talk? Make him bet big. Take him to the bank. Show him who's got the better grenade." Mixing metaphors as liberally as the bartenders and Uli are mixing cocktails, the Zeltron grins broadly, surveying the room.

"Your bets, gentlemen," the dealer-droid repeats. "Honor - is now on the line," he says in the same deep voice. You didn't think dealer-programming lacked the ability to drum up business, did you?

Zhu Yan was about to open his mouth with witty repartee when the droid ominously spoke. There was a dramatic pause before Yan said, "I like this droid." Good thing he lacked honour, though. Did he rise to the challenge? Well, a little bit. With a dramatic grin, he added ten credits, TEN WHOLE CREDITS, to the pot. The pride, the power, the FIREY PASSION of his skillful gambling would go down in legend for all time! "Control is nothing. All that matters is that it's a hell of a bang," was the dramatic counter to Sar Yavok's probe.

"So few men do," Kasia tosses that back to Sar, along with a smile, and then she looks back to Zhu. She shakes her head slightly, refraining from further remark on the matter for the moment. She lifts her gaze from those at the table, to find Stavros instead. "You look like you're enjoying this quite a bit."

Sabella Lockheart may not be much in the way of a card player, though with glass in hand she will wander on over to take a closer seat to watch the game. "Oh go on and go higher with the bet there ice man." An with that said she'll just sit back and watch to see what happens.

"It's an exclusive party with the best people in the best place," Stavros answers Kasia with a wide smile. "No one's a stranger, not really, and most have worked with each other." He looks around the casino. "Or fought beside each other. That togetherness, it's really-" Words fail him. "Nice. It's better than sex. Well, not really," he backtracks immediately, "But it's an amazing feeling. Just imagine what it's like when you combine them both!" The Zeltron winks at Kasia.

Stavros looks down at his hands. "I need a showman's cane," he exclaims suddenly.

"First hand? Mister Yavok, I am an idiot. Not a moron," Zhu Yan said, doing a very good impression of a Coruscanti aristocrat who's feathers had been ruffled. Haw haw haw! But then he heard HERESY! "Hey!" he called, spinning on his chair to point a finger at Stavros. "Ain't nothing better than sex, alright? Except maybe getting paid. Now those are two things you should combine! Oh sithspit I gotta play cards." Whoops! Yan turned back around on his chair and tapped the table. His betting was done.

"I imagine that it would be glorious," Kasia replies to the Zeltron, her smile growing just a bit wider as she watches him. "Utterly unforgettable." It's only at Zhu's protest that she looks back, trying not to laugh too much. "If you're very keen to get paid for having sex, I'm sure there are a few people that I could introduce you to back on Nar," she replies, blithely.

"Had me fooled," Sar responds to Zhu Yan with a smirk, taking another long drag from his cigarillo. He exhales the smoke in a long stream and waggles his eyebrows, offering to the droid, "I fold." He tosses his credits over to the smuggler and says, "I'm /very/ wealthy." He chuckles loudly and stands up, patting the table top and looking towards Kasia with a smirk. "I think I'm gonna return to my captainly duties. Somebody's gotta keep this company running while you losers get drunk and have fun."

"You sure, Sar? It's not like we're going anywhere." Stavros points a finger at Menzo without looking. "Nightcap for the Captain, quick. One with a lid." He says sternly to Sar, "Drink it. You haven't had your three." He raises an eyebrow at the Corellian, then adds, "Oh, if you go by the bridge, remind them the shift is changing early so they can get down here and have some fun themselves." He bows to Sar. "Good night."

The dealer-droid intones, "Opponents fold. You are the winner, sir." He moves the credits to Zhu, minus the house's cut.

For being ten whole credits richer, Zhu Yan looked like he'd won a million. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you everyone for watching my hard-earned win!" Laying it on a bit thick, mate. Standing up, he continued his Oscar Award Winning Speech(TM). "I just want to thank my mother on F... Corellia, she helped me so much on the streets of Coronet as I grew up and..." did that droid really just ask him if he wanted to play Thermonuclear War? "What? Oh. Later. When we're orbiting Corellia." Yep. That's how much he thought of his homeworld.

"Already?" Kasia sits up just a little bit more as she looks up at Sar, brows lifting a touch. "What good is having a ship with a casino if you don't take time to enjoy it?" She nods toward Stavros. "You haven't even had all of your drinks." Not that she's had any at all. She can't help but to look back to Zhu as he starts giving his speech, and again she just shakes her head with amusement. "If that's your idea of hard earned, what do you count as easy?"

"This'll all be here, too" Sar responds to Stavros, taking another long drag from his cigarillo. He exhales the smoke and moves to collect the house's cut of what the smuggler just won. He smirks and nods to Stavros, gladly accepting the drink that's run over to him. In response to Kasia's question to Yan, Sar says, "Every woman he's ever laid." He raises his glass in a silent to toast those gathered and moves to head towards the door.