Chapter Four

Where everyone knows your name ...

The owner shows me to my seat. It's the same seat every night. A quiet booth a way from anyone. And everyone.

I eat here every night. It's comfortable. Quiet. And the food is very good.

And on nights when life, … memories get to be too much, I always wake up at home.

The owner, Drusnus Galmius, is a retired C-Sec detective. Which explains both knowing where I live, and how to get in.

As I savor my first cocktail I see Drusnus hovering near the entrance, directing employees. I can somewhat hear shouting outside, but I go back to the menu.

I decide to order something different when the server arrives.

"The usual, sir?"

"Sure." Well, so much for variety.

"Very good. Another cocktail?"

"Sure. Uh, … what's going on?" I point in the general vicinity of the entrance.

"Nothing to trouble you sir. It's that human again. Very annoying." He closed his OT with the usual servers flourish, then. "Anything else, sir?"

"Human? Seems odd ..." I trailed off. Why would a human cause trouble at a small restaurant in Cipritine?

"I couldn't really answer that, sir." Are servers specifically bred for their officious tone? Or is it a learned thing?

"Certainly. But, if you get a chance, ..." He paused in his return to … well wherever servers go when they're not … serving. "Could you ask Mr Galmius to stop by?"

Even more pause from the server. "Is everything OK, sir?"

I was watching the commotion at the entrance, not entirely worried about his tone or being in server pause-mode. "Um, yes. Just if you could, I would appreciate it. Thank you."

Server nod, and he was off to … somewhere. Hopefully drinks and food.

I open my OT, try and peruse the news. Nothing of interest. At least to me.

I settle on an article recapping the efforts on the reopening of the relays. The author surmises the Quarians took the lead on the repairs mostly to further geth research. There's a sidebar by that sociopath Admiral Xen castigating Shepard for 'killing' the geth.

I respond that Xen's only upset because Shepard cheated her out of that act, and has taken to pulling the wings off nanocopters instead.

My drink arrives, I order another. I don't feel like dreaming tonight.

Drusnus arrives halfway through my meal.

I ask him about the disturbance earlier. Like the server, he apologizes, and states it's nothing to worry about.

"I have to admit I'm curious why a human would bother a small restaurant on Cipritine. No offense intended."

"None taken." With a shrug. "Who knows why. Maybe we're one of several." He said looking past me towards … ?

Interesting. He was lying.

I was debating whether to call him on his lie, when he spoke.

Pointing at my drink. "Will you require a ride home, later?"

I shook my head. "No, thank you. It's a short walk."

In a moment of good timing, the server arrives with another drink. I nod my thanks.

As I finish my drink and reach for the fresh one, Drusnus sighs.

"It may not be my place, but I don't really think that's the answer."

I answered around the crunching of ice. "Depends on the question then doesn't it."

He took a deep breath. "Well … true. But, I do know one thing." I arched a brow in response. "It will end up killing you."

Looking at him through the bottom of the glass. "When?"