A secret of happiness: Have lots of friends (Zeke's friends, open)

[Zeke]

Zeke kicked open the doors to the Bar and Grill, a jovial smile on his face. He'd have opened the door like any other patron, but he was carrying a girl in his arms.

"Hey guys! I found m'old friend from back in the day! May, meet the guys! Guys, meet May!"

[May Peris]

May's arms hung loosely around Zeke's neck as she looked over the bar. Still dressed in the tattered and oil-stained dress she wore at the other tavern, she felt slightly embaressed.

".. Are you sure it's okay?"

It was a stupid question - not to mention how happy he was - but it felt necessary to ask.

[Zeke]

"Whaddaya mean, o' course its ok! Ya never looked better in all your life! And I'll be m'peops feel the same way!"

He smiled so broadly his eyes squinted.

"Now we take a table and have people serve YOU drinks!"

He moved to a table and sat down, still holding May.

[May Peris]

"Uhm, Zeke? I can sit down by myself, you know."

She laughed and let her arms drop to her sides, sitting up. Droids scurried everywhere as she looked on with a slight awe.

"And to think I had to work back there! What do they serve?"

[Zeke]

Zeke put her in a chair next to him.

"Try them. Anything you can think of."

[May Peris]

"Let's see ... I don't know."

Her shoulders sagged slightly as she pursed her lips together in thoughtfullness.

"Wait, I know! ... You order."

She said it triumphantly as she leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Wandering up to the table, Cirr sat down...the usual clueless look on his face.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei smiled as he saw Zeke entertain a lady friend. Then a Cizerack joined him at the table. Wei smiled and walked over to Zeke.

"Zeke! How's it going? I see you have company. Well, 2's comany, 3's a crowd, and 4? Well, that;s a party, I do believe."

Wei sat down. "So, who is your lady friend?"

[Zeke]

"This is May! May, that guy's Wei Wu Wei."

He pointed at Cirr.

"He's Cirr. He tried to jump me once, but he's cool."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Nodding absentmindedly, Cirr sniffed in May's direction.

[Maia Tharrinn]

Maia wandered into the Bar and spotted Zeke and Wei. Wandering over she greeted them. "Hey guys what are you up to today? Hey Cirr how you doing?" She asked as she moved Ari's ouch of food over to the other side of her belt.

"Who's your Lady friend Zeke?"

[Ki-Adi Kindo]

" Greetings friends! "

Kindo strolled over towards his friends, making his familiar presence known to all who were gathered toghether. A broad smile reflected off of his features, for like always it was pleasant to be with his companions. He then noticed another admirable lady he had yet to be acquainted with, and she seem to know his current roomate and great friend, Zeke.

" Who is your friend, Zeke? "

[Zeke]

"May Peris! May, that's m'master, Maia Tharrinn! She teaches me the way of the Jedi. And he's Kindo, one o' my training partners."

Zeke ordered 2 plates of Yog's special for May and himself, and 2 bottles of soda.

"The rest of you gotta get your own. You especially," he said, glancing at Cirr.

[Krieger]

A tall casual figure walked in from the doors of the Bar. He strolled over to the new face. "Hey, baby! What's your name?! I'm Krieger!" He extended his hand in greeting, excited to meet a new friend. Then under his breath he said, "Quite the ladies man, eh, Kindo." with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei laughed as it soon became crowded. "Ok, Beef Lo Mein and a glass of tea." Wei looked around and smiled almost as broadly as Zeke always did. It really was good to be with friends.

[Zeke]

"Hey, hey! MINE!"

Zeke's voice was filled with happy sarcasm. He scooted May over closer to him.

[May Peris]

"Greetings Wei, Maia, Kindo, and Cirr. I see you're all friends of Zeke."

She nodded slightly and then looked at Krieger with both eyebrows raised.

"Careful, tiger, I'm owned property."

She grinned as she extended her hand to shake Krieger's and greeted him, too. It seemed comfortable here, with comfortable chairs and clean tables. Deciding that she rather liked it, May folded her hands in her lap and straightened up, trying to act like a proper lady.

And failed.

She bursted out laughing at her own silliness and then stopped herself, realizing just how odd she probably seemed. Ah, well, let them think what they wanted. It was nice to finally be with a long lost friend .....

[Zeke]

"Hey, food!"

The server droid set the plates down, but without May's grace.

"Third secret! Good food! Alcohol especially!" The sodas were brought. "Oh yeah, I ordered soda for a change of pace...I won't let that stop me!"

Zeke started eating with a happy smile.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei recieved hos own plate of beef lo mein and his tea. Pulling his chopsticks from his sleeve, Wei set to work devouring his meal.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr blinked, watching all the people around him, and ordered food of his own. A whole, raw grouper, 20 pounds of raw tenderloin, 4 rabbits and a dozen sajoi mice, all live. As the droid skittered away, he watched May, his large ears turning to her as a course of habit.

[May Peris]

"Mhm..."

May picked up her fork and poked the food before scooping some up and trying it. She didn't know what it was, but it smelled good. She took a forkfull and chewed throughtfully before digging in.

A squeak caught her attention.

She turned her head in Cirr's direction, still chewing, and blinked. Not only was he watching her, but his ears were focused in on her. Squirming slightly in her seat, May swallowed and then looked at the mice.

"You're going to eat those?"

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr had already caught a straggler by the tail, and was halfway back up to his mouth when May asked her question. He paused, looking at the squirming mouse, and extended it to her.

jYou can have thjisss one.

[May Peris]

"Thanks!"

May grabbed the mouse around its midsection and brought it to her face, inspecting it. It squeaked and tried to squirm out of her hand.

"Lively little bugger, isn't he?"

After living on various pirate ships and working in dirty taverns, the salary had been low and almost no food. Eating rodents was nothing new to her.

[Zeke]

Zeke looked quizically at May.

"Are you seriously gonna eat it?"

[May Peris]

She shrugged.

"Not now, since I have all this food, but-"

She stopped, noticing the quizzical looks from others, and disgust from Zeke.

"I, uh ... I mean, here Cirr, it was nice of you to offer, but I'm afraid I have to decline."

Letting out a nervous chuckle, she held the mouse up to the cat-like man.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr shrugged, taking the sajoi back, and promptly popped it in his mouth

[Zeke]

Zeke raised a brow, then shrugged.

"I was gonna start taking bets if you were considering it."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei tried not to spit his tea out all over May, who was sitting across from him. Wei swallowed with difficulty and turned to Zeke with a large grin.

"Using your girlfriend to make a few credits? Why didn;t I think of that?" Wei laughed, but knew if Ange was there, he would probably not be laughing.

[Zeke]

"What? No!"

Zeke sat bolt upright, a worried look on his face. He glanced at May, checking her reaction to Wei's statement...

[imported_Lance Stormrider]

:: A hand touched Maia's shoulder as a head popped out of her right arm.::

"Zekey! Your not gonna itroduce me your old buddy Lance to your girlfriend."

:: Lance said sarcastically and laughing a bit.::

"My my seems like the kid I once met grew up" He said putting his hand in front of his mouth not to laugh too hard.

[Zeke]

Zeke grinned, a bit of embarrassment in the expression. They seemed to have a knack for embarrassing him in front of her.

"Um...Lance, this is May...."

[May Peris]

She was about to take another forkful of food when Wei made his comment. Nearly choking on it, she lifted up her napkin and spat the food in it, then laughed. Folding it up to hide the sight from others, she looked at Lance as Zeke introduced them.

"Hello Lance, nice to meet you," she said with a smile.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei noticed May gag, and frowned. "Well if i had known that comment was going to make yuo choke on your food, I would have waited till you were finished eating."

[Zeke]

"Probably shouldn'ta made it at all..." Zeke mumbled. "Aaaand anyway, how's life treating everyone?"

[imported_Lance Stormrider]

:: Lance gave up a wink and chuckled lightly then getting up to look at her, he gave a light bow of the head.::

"Nice to meet you too dear" He said with a smile he then turned around to walk towards the counter and sit down at the bar.

"Yo hippi! Gimmeh a fire dancer" Lance said slipping a few coins out of his pockets.

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Probably right. At any rate, life is good. I'm learning things, as always." Wei smiled and finished his food.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

[delete me :x]

[Torriana Marx]

A sudden burst of loud, raucous laughter erupted from a table behind the ensemble, and all heads turned to stare at the girl perched by herself on a low stool. She had been attempting to apply another thick layer of black to her lips whilst engrossed in some magazine, and now the color was smudged across her nose and cheek. Not that she'd noticed it.

The silence jerked Torriana back to reality and she looked up, blinking stupidly. A humanoid feline was seated with the group, and this caused the Padawan to squeak shrilly with delight.

"Aww - CUTIE!!!"

Then, realizing that Zeke was probably trying desperately to keep up appearances in front of his girlfriend, she shrugged and waved her hand dismissively.

"Eh. So sorry. You can go back to sleep now."

She pushed her face into the book.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei looked around confusedly. "Pardon? What was all that about?"

OOC: Who said, "Awww. CUTIE!"

[Zeke]

Zeke grinned.

"Hey, its the burpin' girl! How ya doin? May, that's Tori. She's another Padawan. Rated a 9 on the galley crew's old burp scale."