Trance and Harper found an empty space at the bar right next to Rev and a depressed young man. Harper signaled the bartender for refills and as they waited for their drinks he and Trance listened to Rev try to help the young man.
"Ah yes, I understand how your girlfriend leaving you for your best friend could cause you great pain. The Divine works in ways that are not always clear at first, but the Way can help you understand and show you your place in the universe. For example it is possible the Divine was using you as a conduit to help bring two people meant for each other together, and that the pain which you curse is in actuality an invitation and your path to the greater happiness and peace to be found through the Way."
The young man did not appear at all soothed by Rev's wisdom and, as Beka predicted, was so drunk he was hardly even hearing the magog's words. Harper wasn't falling for Rev's philosophizing either. "Yeah, it could be that, or it could just be that the universe hates you. So get used to it and move on to the next girl who'll dump you for Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome next week and enjoy the ride."
"Mr. Harper…" "Harper!" Rev Bem and Trance were not amused by the engineer's cynical outlook and advice. The depressed man however raised his head from the bar for the first time and looked at Harper. " You are so right! We were together for only a week, and he was tall dark and handsome! And this isn't the first time this has happened to me. The universe does hate me!"
"You aren't the only buddy, trust me on that." Harper shook his head a little and drained half of his beer in one go.
As he got up to leave the man grabbed his arm. "Wait! I'm Malek. I want to hear more about how you can survive, and get women, in a universe that hates you. Let me buy you a shot to go with your beer."
At the mention of free alcohol Harper sat down again, and began to preach his own peculiar philosophy to the man. Trance couldn't believe that Malek was actually seeking comfort from Harper rather than Rev. But Harper seemed to be getting a lot of things off his chest and Malek was much more responsive, so maybe everything was for the best. Rev Bem was looking shaken though, an expression Trance would've though impossible for the magog physiology.
"I can't believe that you man is searching for comfort in a doctrine of a hostile and maleficent universe. I can't believe he is seeking counsel from Harper. I can't believe he is asking for relationship advice from Harper!! Our engineer has many talents Trance, but comfort, counsel, and girls are not any of them." The reverend looked around the bar for a moment as if seeking an anchor to reality. Fortunately he saw the other lonely man at the opposite end of the bar. "Excuse me Trance, I see another young person in need of help. Perhaps I can be of use to him."
Trance gave Rev a mischievous little smile, "Afraid of losing another convert to Harper?"
"Trance, you know that Wayists don't convert people, we just show them…Ah yes", Rev returned Trance's small smile "a joke. Very amusing." He looked over at the now widely gesticulating engineer. "I will rejoin you and the others later, until then try to keep Mr. Harper out of trouble." Trance turned back to Harper and Malek as Rev Bem made his way down to the other end of the bar. Realizing that it was going to be awhile before Harper was ready to return to the table Trance arranged with the bartender to have several rather strong drinks delivered to the table at regular intervals. Hopefully by the time they returned to the others everyone would be in an equally jovial mood.