[Zakera Ward] Coffee Break (closed)

"Well not Reapers, but something else, there's always something nasty around the corner and they'll survive it just like we did." He tried to sound lighthearted about it...

"Well there's the biological of course, but I was referring... okay take turians because they are everywhere. Put a bunch of turians, that have never met together and they'll start to organizing themselves, even if they've never been in the hierarchy or something. There's a reason why the Blue Suns are seen as more professional compared to the other two. Same goes with salarians; no matter where or what, if you put something shiny in front of them, and they'll have to poke it,"

"I wonder what our poison is... it's hard to see if you're on the inside."

"It will be less bad than the Reapers." She tilted her head to the side, thoughtful for a second. "Is that something you want, children to be terrified for?"

"Why do we have to have some great tragic flaw? Why can't our planet just have been too dry and a little unstable to start with? It's not like the humans were careful during their industrial expansion, they just had better luck."

Kayana made a face. "...I just hate that idea because if there's something wrong with us then we like, deserve our subjugation."

"What? No, don't be silly. I'm just saying there's always new challenges, and while they might not be life or death as the reapers that doesn't make them less challenging."

"Not great tragic flaw, I never said anything about flaws, you're getting to defensive defending drellhood. I'm Just saying that all species have acquired certain idiosyncrasies over the life span of the species. These Idiosyncrasies even transcend culture and manifests itself on a biological level. Individuals within that species might not even be fully aware of them, because it would seem normal both on a cultural and biological level. And I just wonder what ours are."

Pffft. Kayana was not convinced. Nothing would top Reapers.

"Guilty as charged. But you know that's what aliens know: Good memory. Broke planet. Hanar Flunkies." She drained the last syrupy mouthful from her cup.

"You know, I got into a discussion like this once before-were the asari long lived before they met the Salarians, or were they writing poetry about how painfully short life is? If it's something that distinguishes us from them, it has to be memory. And that's horrifically dull, because I think I have a normal memory, yeah? It wasn't our defining trait before we met aliens."

Azure sighs, throwing his hands in the air, "You can be such a hard-ass."

"So, in the interest of not blowing this up in a full argument about nothing maybe we should change subject."

"No I'm not. I want a softer, easier life for my kids." She blushed a little. "Sorry. I like to argue. It's not like I think you're stupid."

"What else have you been up to? Sock away a lot of money during Bliss?"

Azure grinned, "yes I did," he rolled his shoulders, "I enjoyed it, it's so far away from the day-to-day. And it is practically the only time of the year that pretty much everyone considers me or at least talks about me as a professional and not a whore. Did you attend?"

She shrugged, smiling. "I couldn't afford to go just to gawk. When there's a convention of martial artists in town...""

"I'm glad you did well. I don't know why people give you so much grief. You make more than the philosophy majors. All of them. Combined."

"Probably because they think we'll steal their husband or wife. Oh and I know about those, there's always a few who are tempted to join the business, stupid kids."

"Do you know what people really hate? When I tell them that I actually like my job. They want to believe I secretly hate this job for some reason. Don't get me wrong, it's a job, yeah, and sometime I do things I wouldn't do otherwise, but as a whole I like it." He leans forward, adding in a hushed tone, "I even like the fact that some prudes hate it that I like it."

"That's more husbands and/or wives than you ould handle."

"See, you have the soul of a shit disturber." She grinned. "I don't feel how I'm supposed to either, so I emphasize."

There was roaring laughter, "exactly, although you would be surprised how few married people use my services. Which gives hope I guess, that or I'm not the right type."

He lifted his cup as if to toast, "to us screwballs and shit disturbers. So now you've got me wondering, what is it people expect you to feel?"

"Hard to find men like you?"

"Guilt, usually? Also I haven't felt like, squeemish in years.'

"There's something else we share, it's almost impossible to get me to be squeamish."

"I don't get your comment about it being hard to find men like me, I mean, drell are hard to find but other than that, there's ton of male prostitutes even if some like to call themselves gigolo." He shrugged, "personally I don't like the term, for some reason it connotes the idea of me pretending to love my clients and that con them out of their money."

"Dude. Not to put down your profession but you plan to quit in a couple years anyway." She gestured to him. "Then you've got a smart, witty, sexually adventurous yet religiously devout guy with very nice colouring. And an independent. So thin on the ground."

"So much praise, and you've not even seen me naked." He said with a sly grin.

"It'll be a big change, I just wonder..."

Azure looked off in the distance before refocusing on Kay,, "Do you think... Okay this is going to sound stupid, but do you think someone could become addicted to their job? Because, I'm afraid of it, I'm afraid that half-way through the first term I'll just give up and return working, just because I kind of miss it, or the easy money, or even because it's justart of who I am. I know it sounds stupid, but I've seen it happen, people who got an out and still continued to work. I should know my own mind better, shouldn't I?"

"I've seen you with your shirt off."

She blinked, answering without really thinking. "Yeah, it happens all the time."

"Or at least, we can get addicted to like, parts of our jobs. The power or the excitement." She leaned on her elbows. "I think that's part of why I burned my bridges so hard and so publicly, and even then I'm not completely honest. Like, I went after the guys who hurt Pickle..."

"What do you think you'll miss?"

"There's more good stuff below the waistline." He said leaning back into his chair, "I think, what I'll miss most, is well the variety. Not just stuff you do, but the people you meet. There's a wide reasons why someone goes seek a hooker."

"And the cash, I like the credits, it might not be the most profitable job out there but it puts food on the table. So is that what you miss, the excitement and the power?"

"Find some way to keep it in your life, I guess. Or I could keep you honest."

"Sure, but I think I liked to be flattered. That I was on the 'inside'."[/color] She rolled her eyes. "I was not on the inside."

"Well, it's not like I'm going to take a vow of chastity, I'm sure I'll meet many interesting people. Maybe learn what this 'dating' thing is all about."

"So you don't have like any dirty secrets? Boo, and here I was you could give me the skinny. I guess I'll have to settle for your wonderful company."

"I never got the difference between dating and just doing stuff you enjoyed with sexy people...I like being married."

"I killed people, that's the dirty secret." She rolled her eyes. "Reapers are real. But we'll probably be ok, 'cause Shepard is awesome. Has your sect promoted her to Enkindler status yet?"