Carmen/Logs/Explosive Birthday
| IC Date: | June 21, 2529 |
|---|---|
| OOC Date: | September 11, 2011 |
| Location: | Beaumonde |
| Participants: | Braedyn Calira Carmen Feria Kallahan Kyle Sink |
The Drunken Buddha - Beaumonde
Just inside the front door to the Drunken Buddha, a landing runs around the upper heights of the bar with a steel grid railing bordering it. A set of somewhat rickety wooden stairs lead down to the main level where the floor is dusty and the boards creak readily. Near the entrance is a rotary gun locker and a sign clearly stating that all firearms were to be stored during one's stay at the establishment. The actual bar has seen better days, the surface scratched up and deeply pitted and the various stools, tables and chairs scattered around are in no better condition. Part of the bar is made up of a set of booths set against the far wall from the entry, with automated drink pouring machines in place. In one corner is the happy Buddha statue, from which the bar takes its namesake, holding two mugs of ale aloft in his hands. There is always constant noise in here, whether it is from the crowds, the stream of music or the feeds of news, information or entertainment clips streaming across the large screens mounted over the bar and from multiple overhangs.
The evening is fair weather outside, with a mild breeze blowing. Within the bar, all is decorated with party favors. Knowing Kallahan, he'd probably rented the whole place for the evening. Either way, there are other guests here, mostly sitting in the few booths against the far wall and some scattered tables at that end of the place. Off to one end of the bar, tables have been pushed together, creating enough space for ten or twelve people, easily. At present, Kallahan and Carmen are already here, sitting at the table and sipping on beers. They both sit with their backs to the wall behind them, facing the door on the other end, but in the same chair, as Carmen seems to be occupying Kallahan's lap. Not that it bothers him. No, quite the opposite. He's got one arm curled around her, while the other hand feeds her fried cheese sticks dipped in ranch. Clancy and Revjak can both be seen nearby. The other security folks are probably somewhere nearby, most likely patrolling outside. <English>
Beaumonde. Sink doesn't have much reason to come to Beaumonde these days. It's been a long time since he's been on planet, but there's no better reason to come here then a friend's birthday. He arrives dressed in his usual duster and stetson. It takes him a moment to adjust to the decor of The Drunken Buddha and the lighting, but it's impossible to miss the happy couple in the middle of the room. Sink heads straight for them and smile broadly, "Hello you two, and happy birthday Carmen." He takes a look around the room and asks before sitting, "So, why here?" <English>
The 'birthday girl' (as it were), is wearing one of those classic little black dresses suitable for so many occasions including, but not limited to, being dandled on the lap of one's husband. Apparently. She seems quite relaxed, enjoying the finger fare as it is fed to her and keeping an eye out for the arrival of guests. "This was a good idea." she says to Kallahan, after swallowing a mouthful of masticated breaded cheese. "I hope it wasn't too inconvenient for anyone. We could have done it on Persephone you know..." she is silenced by another cheesestick pushed between her open lips. "Mmmf." she says, with good humor, biting down and going back to chewing, licking a bit of stray ranch from her lips in the process. Spotting Sink's approach, Carmen smiles and lifts a hand to wave to him. Then covers said mouth with her hand because she's still chewing. "We were in the area visiting family, and they expressed an interest in coming." <English>
Even mothers need a day off every once in a while, and Feria was no exception. It was a good thing that she had a few sitters on call, which is precisely what she used as a way to give Moira some company of kiddies her own age while she - herself - joined the party on Beaumonde. She walks in wearing her usual attire, her hair cut short and spikey, and she's carrying a sack that looks to be filled with an assortment of goodies. Once actually in The Drunken Buddha, she would look around and smile as she spotted the small group of friends in the corner, proceeding to veer in that direction. "Hey pals and gal... Happy Birthday, Cinnamon." This offered before she lifts and sets the goody bag on the table in front of the birthday girl. <English>
Kallahan quite enjoys the dandling of Carmen on his lap. Oh yes. He smiles at her words, and shrugs a little bit. "I know. But Mum 'n Da couldn't have made it to Persephone tonight." He shifts a little bit, leaning forward and kissing the side of her neck with gentle lips. Then settles again, and dips the cheese stick into the ranch again before feeding her another bite. He looks up as Sink approaches, and offers the man a smile and a nod. "Hello yourself, Sink. And what Carmen said," he says in answer to the question. He smiles again, and takes the next bite of cheese stick for himself. He looks up again as Feria comes in, and smiles. "Hey Fer. How goes?" He feeds another ranch dipped bite of fried cheese stick to Carmen. <English>
Sink takes off his duster and hat and places them on his chair as he takes a seat, and smiles, "Ah, family, understood. Speaking of family, Lirin things the world of you two and would have been here if it was at all possible." He takes a seat and orders a water, then gives Carmen a smile, "So any resolutions for the next year of your life?" Sink turns to Feria as she arrives and gives her a wave, "Hello. Wow, us running into each other has gone from rarity to a habit these past few weeks. How are you and yours doing?" <English>
Feria's arrival is cause for a second brightening of Carmen's expression, and she waves to Feria as well while chewing. Kallahan's keeping her mouth pretty busy, like maybe he doesn't want her talking overmuch. Or maybe he thinks she's too thin. Who can say? She waves off the next bite he offers, still chewing the one before. Also, lifting a napking to cover her mouth while she laughs. Then, she swallows. "Hey Fer." She greets, almost in sync with Kallahan. This provokes another bout of snickering. "Glad you could find a sitter on short notice... ooo, goodie bag?" She sits forward a little to peer into said bag, but doesn't start diving in immediately. Rather, she looks up and beams a smile at Feria. "You shouldn't have. But thank you." Her gaze shifts to Sink as he makes apologies for Lirin, smile lingering. "Understood. I'll catch up with her later, please give her a hug for me." With that said, and the guests now greeting each other, Carmen turns her head to look toward Kal again and opens her mouth expectantly. <English>
A brightly wrapped box of notable size and relative unwieldiness precedes Calira into the room. Now, a keen eye would see that the box is wrapped with precision that lacks artistic flair, but it's wrapped by golly. Over the top of the package Calira surveys the room then sets course for where the Shamaria's are located, spotting Sink & Feria en route and waving calling out a greeting as she moves forward. <Chinese>
"I'm alright..." Feria considers something and then adds, just so it's known to them that need it known. "I'm better. Thanks.." A smile given before she would glance to Sink and nod her head towards him. "Hey Sink. You're right, it is seeming to become a more common thing. Keep this up and our secret just might be out..." A grin along with the joke before she shrugs. "Me and mine are doing quite well thank you..." A glance back as she would spot Calira over..or more behind..the package she's carrying. "Hey Cal.." Though her eyes would glance to the door again before she shakes her head and goes to find a seat. <English>
Kallahan offers a nod to Sink when he mentions Lirin. "Maybe she'll make it before the party's over, hmm?" When the next bite is waved off, Kallahan smiles, and stuffs it into his own mouth instead. It's probably the 'too thin' thing. Most likely. Though he doesn't really think she is, honest! He smiles at Feria again, then glances over to the door as Calira enters. With a precisely wrapped package. He can't help it, he has to chuckle softly. He glances toward Sink and Feria and chuckles. "If we keep having parties, you two should expect to run into each other fairly often," he points out. <English>
The evening is fair weather outside, with a mild breeze blowing. Within the bar, all is decorated with party favors. Knowing Kallahan, he'd probably rented the whole place for the evening. Either way, there are other guests here, mostly sitting in the few booths against the far wall and some scattered tables at that end of the place. Off to one end of the bar, tables have been pushed together, creating enough space for ten or twelve people, easily.
Sink looks toward the door and seeing Cal he returns her wave, beckoning her towards the table, "Hey Cal, I'm glad you could make it." He glances at the gifts people brought, and then at his empty hands and then shrugs and smiles, then nods to Feria, "Folks notice, even when you think they don't. We better keep it subtle, don't want folks to start talking." He then raises an eyebrow at Kal, "More parties? We expect more parties? This good news to all but my waist line." <English>
Distracted from her baby bird impression by the arrival of another dinner guest, Carmen turns her head to smile at Calira, expression brightening once more. And, if those around the table are not mistaken, there is a hint of surprise in her expression. As though she might not have expected Calira to appear. But is nonetheless pleased to see her. "Cali, you made it!" she exclaims with a bright smile, waving her friend over. "Everyone grab a seat and a menu. The food here is great, I can vouch for more than just the cheese sticks." Speaking of which, she makes a snap with her teeth in the direction of one that is passing her by on its way to Kallahan's mouth. Hopefully the fellow doesn't lose any fingers tonight. She's holding court from Kallahan's lap, wearing the quintiessential little black dress--suitable for so many occasions. "We'll make sure there's dancing at some of them." she assures Sink, flashing the gent a wink. <English>
"Says the cook!" declares with a laugh at Sink's last words, shaking her head at him. "Feria," she says next with a smile to the pilot/jane-of-all-trades, "how's your family faring?" she wonders even as she shifts her attention forward again toward Kallahan and Carmen. "I did indeed," Calira confirms proudly, "and managed to get this through customs on two worlds, no less," she declares with a fine thread of 'take-that!' tone to the luggage screeners - in absentia, of course. Laughing as she watches Carmen do the baby-bird impression, "Careful, Kallahan, she may have to bite your fingertips off if you keep starving her like you're doing," she teases as she carries the package forward and sets it with the others that are waiting to be unwrapped. <English>
That Braedyn is late is perhaps not surprising at least to one person at the gathering. After all, Feria knew that he was taking care of a few details on Ariel before catching a shuttle here. So he arrives here, looking a bit travel worn if one were to judge by the slightly worse than normal limp he brings with him. He uses his cane, at least, which is an improvement over the alternative. Once within, he takes a moment of pause, his violet gaze passing over those already here, in search of... the elusive group of those he knows, including his wife. He carries with him a neatly wrapped box with a bow fastened atop of it, purple ribbon secured around the sides to contrast to the embossed white-on-white paper. The group isn't difficult to spot, thankfully, and so he starts to make his way towards them. <English>
Feria smiles as she finally sees her husband make his way to the party. Walking over towards him then to give him a hug, and a kiss, and then removes the burden of the present from him to take it to the table. "Come have a seat, love. How did things go on Ariel? You take care of everything?" This asked as she would pull a seat out for him and then seat herself, nabbing a menu to look over idly. Though she would glance to the others and smirk. "Guess our secrets out after all, Sink..." A grin and a chuckle then before she would look to Kal and Carmen once again. "If you're about to tell me you're throwing a party for the kitties because you've given them all birthdays I'm going to label the lot of you the cat couple." A nod then as she would lean back in her chair and lifts a leg to rest on her chair, wrapping her arms around it. "Though... dancing sounds like it could be fun." <English>
Kallahan chuckles and nods. "Of course. It's only June. There's several holidays left yet to plan parties for this year," he says, grinning. He glances toward Carmen and smiles at her, and obligingly passes the next bite of cheese stick her way. He doesn't seem to be too worried about losing fingers. He laughs at her words. "There should be dancing, of course, at a few of them, at least." He looks to Calira and laughs. "She just might try. I'm not too worried, though. I don't think she'll actually do it. She likes what I do with those fingers too much." He grins impishly. The limping arrival of Braedyn draws Kallahan's eyes to the entrance once more, and he offers the doctor a nod and a smile. He looks back to Feria and laughs, shakes his head. "Nah, not cat birthday parties. We might well throw a Halloween party this year, though." They hadn't done for a few years. <English>
As instructed Sink grabs a menu, and starts to go through it. "I must say I'm in the mood, even with my waste line comment, to have something massively sinful. Fried, with gravy...", he starts digging his way through the list the he looks over at Cal, "Yes, as cook! I know, they say never to trust a skinny cook, but I'm trying to prove them wrong!" He give her a grin then looks over to Carmen, "Oh, dancing? An excellent way to burn off the extra party pounds. How much dancing will there be tonight? That'll determine if the pile of calories I plan to order can have cheese too." <English>
Carmen doesn't quite notice Braedyn's arrival until others call attention to it. But when they do, her eyes pick out the doctor easily enough and she smiles brightly to him, lifting a hand to wave. "Aw, the *both* of you didn't have to bring a gift... but thank you, Braedyn." she says as the gift is placed with the others, then is silenced for a few moments by the bite of cheese stick offered (finally) by her husband. She chuckles over the banter being bantied about while she chews, blinking playfully at Feria's admonishment about feline birthdays. "Of *course* we celebrate the birthdays of our furry children. But that tends to be a more quiet affair involving catnip and string." She winks at her friend, not at all afraid of being labeled a 'cat person'. She does, after all, own four cats. Jointly anyway. At the question of dancing, she smiles. "As much or as little as you like. There's music, so we can all cut a rug after dinner if we're feeling so inclined." Then, to Kallahan, she grins. "We did so have a Halloween party last year. We just called it a wedding. Everyone did come in such fine costumes." <English>
Braedyn meets Feria's hug with one of his own, giving her a smooch and a smile. "Things went fairly well. Almost everything's been taken care of, but there's still more to do yet," he says softly. He gives a nod in return to Kallahan's, then follows Feria over to the table and hanging his cane on the back of the seat she pulled out for him. His duster gets draped over the back of it, and then he sits down, stretching out his left leg a bit to ease it. "Cheese is always a good choice. And it pairs well with gravy and fries," he says, quirking a smile as he nods to Sink. Then his violet gaze turns to Carmen, and he gives her a nod. "Happy birthday, Carmen... and you're welcome," he offers with a smile, his eyes showing a sparkle to them. His attention returns to Feria, and he tilts his head a little to one side. "Have you ordered yet, or still figuring out what to get?" he asks, curiosity to his voice. <English>
Feria nods a little to Braedyn's words. "That's good. We'll probably go back to Ariel in a few days and start looking at plots for sale. Get that little leg of our journey together started..." A smile then as she watches him get comfortable and speak to those around the table. Looking to Kal and Carmen she would nod. "A halloween party sounds awesome... oooh! Will it be kid friendly? I would just -love- to dress Moira up in something!" The mother-shine in her eyes comes through and she giggles a little before turning her attention back to her husband fair. "No. Haven't ordered. Was waiting on you actually. Slow poke." <English>
"As much dancing as you want, Sink," says Kallahan at just about the same time as Carmen says pretty much the same thing. He looks to Carmen and laughs. "Touche, Canary. Touche." This about the Halloween party/wedding thing. He glances toward everybody here, eyes eventually settling on Carmen. He feeds her another piece of cheese stick smothered in ranch dressing. He glances to Feria. "Uh. Probably not, but we can arrange for the party to be after normal Trick-or-Treating hours, if you like?" <English>
When Braedyn Sink smile at him, "Hello there, good to see you again." When Braedyn approves the cheese, Sink exclaims to the table, "Excellent! See? Cheese gravy, fried food, and cheese has a doctor's approval." He starts to dig through the menu again and grins, "There yam fry poutine with slow roasted pork. If that doesn't stop my heart nothing will." He slap the menu back on the table and then nods, "Excellent, dancing, wait dancing and promise of another halloween party. Today just keeps getting better!" <English>
Carmen nods along with Kallahan's words about the party, her mouth full agian. When able, she adds, "We usually do something for the kids in the shop downstairs during trick-or-treat time, then the party afterward upstairs is more for children of another age entirely." She chuckles at this, glancing over at Sink for some reason and winking. She laughs at his cheese/gravy debate, blue eyes a-twinkle. "Got my work cut out for me tonight." she remarks, to no one in particular. Her attention shifts to the gifts on the table in front of her, and she seems to decide that now is a good time to have at them. Since Feria's was the first to arrive, she starts there. Peering inside the bag and removing bits of tissue paper until she reaches the goodies inside. <English>
"Aye, the realtor is working on a short list of places for us to look at, and will send a wave as soon as it's together," Braedyn says, giving Feria a warm smile. "It'll be a start, at least," he adds, giving a nod. He eases his left leg a bit more, trying to settle down the muscles some. His left hand slips into a pocket of his duster, retrieving a thin metal tin which he opens and claims a pill from within. He reaches out to the glass of water at his place-setting and uses a drink of that to swallow the pill before settling the glass back into place. "Any ideas yet for what we should dress her up as this year?" he asks of his wife, curiosity to his voice. The small tin is returned to the pocket of his duster, and then he gives a nod to Kallahan. "After normal trick-or-treating hours would be good, if it's not going to be kid-friendly. We'll either drop Moira off at my parents' place or get a sitter for after the trick-or-treating," he says, his tone thoughtful. His attention turns to Sink, and he gives a laugh. "So long as it doesn't turn into an every day diet, it gets my approval. Besides, at least with the yam fry poutine, you get the benefit of the extra good stuff in yams as opposed to regular potatoes," he points out, quirking a grin. He lifts a hand to lightly brush his fingers over a bit of Feria's hair, his gaze turning to Carmen as she starts to open gifts. <English>
After maneuvering the big brightly colored precisely wrapped package into place and exchanging only a few moments of greetings and pleasantries, Calira's iCom had gone off and she'd taken the call outside to speak in a semblance of privacy. The conversation was the sort that lasted a wee bit of a lengthy time and when she finally wraps up the conversation and is tucking the iCom back into one pocket she chances to see Kyle approaching and flags him down. "Hey, welcome to Beaumonde," she calls out in a cordial tone of friendly greeting as she uses the same hand she'd waved with to gesture toward the room where the party is gathering, "come on in. I'd hate to have Lirin rake either of us over the coals for letting Sink wander around without his honor guard," and there's a fine measure of humor in her tone of voice as she adds: "My brother in law is the least likely man to be needing a guard detail, but we don't argue with Lirin. Plus," she says in a quieter voice, "I'd hate to be wrong - just once is enough after all. He's my favorite wingman, so keep an eye on him," this last is said as she's nudging the door open again and leading Kyle into the room. Not /quite/ like lamb to the sheering tent but the semblance is near enough as she points out the individuals gathered and puts names to faces for Kyle. <English>
Kallahan glances over to Feria and nods about looking at plots of land. "Why Ariel, just out of curiousity?" He chuckles about Sink's diet. "So long as you work it off, most food won't hurt you overly much," he says. Everybody is sitting at several tables pushed together, Carmen and Kal are snacking on fried cheese sticks dipped in ranch dressing, they each have a drink sitting in front of them. The others have yet to order food or drinks. A pile of presents is near Carmen and Kal. And Kallahan's lap has been claimed by Carmen. Of course, his arm is curled around her waist, and it's him feeding her bites of ranch dipped cheese stick. Speaking of which, he offers her another bite of ranch dipped cheese stick. <English>
Kyle bows before Calira as he approaches her, a warm smile twisting up into a little smirk. "I have a feeling that Captain Fist would give even me a run for my money if it came to something where he needed a guard, Ma'am." he tells her. "Speaking of Lirin, I don't suppose she's been around?" Looking inside, he picks out those he knows and bows greetings to Kallahan and Carmen, whom he hasn't had the chance to meet yet. "Shepard Kyle Cobain. It's a pleasure to meet you both, and congratulations." <Chinese>
Sink nods quickly to Doctor Braedyn then at to Kallahan, "Right, not every day. I have to remember that. Always skip a day in between poutine feedings." He grins and leans back in his chair, and onto his duster and looks about the table. He opens his mouth to start another line of conversation, when Kyle arrives. He grins at Kyle, "Welcome! Glad you could find your way here. How was the trip? Do you know everyone?" <English>
Absorbed for a few minutes in pulling out items from Feria's gift bag, Carmen absently accepts the bites of fried cheese that Kallahan offers and keeps an idle tab on the conversation going on around her but withdraws from it by and large while she's busy ooo'ing and ahh'ing over her goodies. There are quite a few things in that bag, as it turns out. Some are even for Kallahan. Maybe there was the concern he might be jealous of his lady getting all the swag? Nonetheless, Carmen grins and beams a thank you in Feria's direction right around the time that Calira returns plus one. Her pale blue eyes settle on the new arrival and she offers him a smile and a wave. "I know I've seen you around before but I don't think we've been properly introduced. You work for Lirin, right?" <English>
Calira favors Kyle with a narrow look, "Please don't call me Ma'am, it makes me feel older and more decrepit than I really qualify for," she says in a quiet voice that hovers on the edge of laughter. "I'm Cal, or if you prefer, Cali or Calira, any of the above is fine. Just not Ma'am," she adds with a firm shake of her head and makes her way back across the room and helps herself to a chair near Sink, standing ready with introductions but pleased that Kyle and Carmen handle it without needing her interference. "I've a sneaking suspicion that Lirin has more than just our corporeal health in mind, now that she has Kyle to lend a hand in the other matters," she says in a not so quiet voice, the remark backed with another smile at Kyle. <English>
As the door opens once again to admit a familiar face and an unfamiliar one, Kallahan offers a polite nod as introductions are made. "Kallahan Shamaria," he offers. Glances at Carmen, then back to Kyle. "And I'm the man lucky enough to be married to Carmen here," he adds. He glances over to Sink and nods, smiles. "Right. One healthy day, one not healthy day." He glances at Carmen and smiles sweetly at her. Of course, given his well defined musculature, one might wonder if Kallahan ever eats unhealthy. Then again, that he's eating cheese sticks dipped in ranch kind of gives the impression that he does, since he is now. He glances over at Calira. "But tormenting you with 'ma'am' is so much fun," he comments, with another of those grins. Somebody is in a really good mood today. <English>
Kyle rubs at the back of his neck, mollified by Calira's response. "Sorry. I'll still always be a soldier in a way, and you outrank me, so you'll just have to forgive me when I slip." he shoots back at her. "I'm sure I could read some nice scripture about hedonism and such, but I don't think that's really such good material on a birthday, do you?" His grey eyes look next to Carmen and Kallahan, and he gives a shake of his head to the former. "No, I technically work for Captain Fist, Misses Shamaria, but Lirin is a dear friend of mine. It's a pleasure to meet you. Perhaps you've seen me around the Dumont Manner, as Lirin has insited that I reside there for now." He gives a little laugh. "Also, a happy birthday to you." speaks the preacher in a scratchy voice. <Chinese>
A glance is given to Feria whilst Carmen opens the gift from her, and then Braedyn reaches to snag a menu. Opening it, he peruses the options of what to order, seeming not to be in any particular hurry. Lifting his left hand, he claims his glass of water, taking another drink of it. Calira's arrival draws his attention, and he gives a nod of greeting to her and her companion, but stays on the quiet side of things. Hisvioletgaze turns to Sink, and he gives a nod. "It's a balance -- a plate of cheese and gravy covered fries countered by a walk or other form of exercise," he comments, giving in his two cents worth. His violet gaze turns towards the man who chooses to speak Chinese amongst those already speaking English, and his attention returns to the menu to peruse the food type options. <English>
Sink sees that everyone seems to be handling their introductions, then grins at Kallahan, "Oh, no Lirin has given all of us clear instructions. If you didn't get the memo, let me know and I'll forward it to you. We are supposed to get Cal used to the face that she's a Marquesse. Bowing and curtsying, and calling her, her Grace, and all that. Even when she threatens bodily injury, we are to march onward, never fearing. It's for her own good you know." He nods quickly to Braedyn, "Excellent news. It's all about balance." Sink delivers all of that very dead pan, serious as a brass button. As Kyle starts to talk about scripture, Sink gives him a sudden glance, a warning, but it arrives too late. He swallows and looks across the table, hoping the comments have landed on well oiled feathers. <English>
"Thank you." Carmen says to Kyle, flashing him a smile and gesturing with one hand. "Have a seat, grab a menu. We're very informal tonight, just celebrating a bit with food, drinks and conversation. There was talk of dancing later, if you're so inclined." Once her new visitor is greeted, her attention wanders toward one of the other gifts sitting on the table. Reaching out, she gives it a little prod with one finger to see how heavy it might be. No, she's not too old to play the guessing game. Sink's revelation provokes a quirked brow. "Really?" She glances across the table to Calira with an all too amused smile. "What do you think about that, Your Grace?" Needle needle. Carmen tries not to grin. Is not entirely successful. <English>
Calira glances around the table, fixing one long look after another while trying - with all of her might - to keep from laughing. The 'ma'am' from Kal is the first brick to go in the wall of will power. Kyle's response, all to true and genuine, makes another brick fall out of place, her lips twitching even more by the time that Sink gets around to his own jabbity-jabs, to which he is graciously granted a subtle kick beneath the table. Carmen's words prove to be the last nudge and she bursts into laughter. "I give up," she declares, laughing hard enough that tears threaten to well over as she laughs herself silly. "This is why I love all of you. You make me laugh." <English>
The mention of scripture and hedonism brings a flash of... something, across Kallahan's features. Then it's gone, before it has much of a chance to be seen. Kallahan glances over to Sink, and blinks at the man's words for a moment, then shakes his head and laughs. "Uh. No. I didn't get the memo. But in truth, I don't even bow to Damian." It's the truth! He glances over to Calira and smiles. "Of course, this wouldn't stop me from calling you Your Grace at the most innapropriate of times," he points out, grinning practically from ear to ear. <English>
Kyle clears his throat as he spies Kallahan's reaction and takes the seat he's offered. "Dancing? Am I to understand then that I am to be the night's entertainment? A comedy show it is then. Atleast it isn't karaoke." he notes, having switched to speaking English now. Sink himself gets a mischievous grin. "Did she now?" he asks, turnign that look upon Calira. "I suppose I'll just have to keep that in mind and possibly take to wearing a cup from now on." <English>
"Like a lot of other things in life. Moderation is a key element," comments the redheaded doctor with a bit of a grin tugging at the corners of his lips as he looks to Sink. Eaten in too great of quantities, nearly any food can be bad for a person. A glance is given towards the gifts when Carmen pokes at one of them, and he can't help but to chuckle a little bit, perhaps because it's the gift from him that she's prodding at. He looks to Kallahan for a moment, taking note of the changing expression but making no comment. Braedyn eases his left leg a bit, then reaches for his glass of water to take another drink of it. It seems he's staying a little on the quiet side of things, for the time being. <English>
Sink gives Carmen a very quick nod, "Oh, there's no kidding here.". For a moment Sink sounds absolutely serious, as if Lirin did really send out a memo. But the twinkle in his eye quickly returns, and then mouths a 'Ouch', and looks at Cal, as he bend over the table low enough to give his leg a good rub. He looks over to Cal and smiles as she laughs, then nods to Kallahan, "I don't expect you to bows to Cal, if you don't want to, just... exactly. Call her Grace when she doesn't expect it, as to... get her used to it." He nods to Kyle, "I heard there would be dancing too, so don't be worried, we can both be the entertainment... not that we would dance together... not that there's anything wrong with that... just I was hoping the dancing would be with one of the ladies, you understand and all." <English>
Carmen laughs along with Calira, her expression bright. She nods at Kallahan's words about the Duke. "It's true, he never has. Then again, I haven't either and I used to work for the man... I never did get much education on protocols when nobles are involved. I just treat them as politely and respectfully as possible and hope they don't whack me with canes or fans or restraining orders." She chuckles, giving her head a little shake that causes her blond curls and dangly earrings to sway. Reaching for her beer, she takes a small sip before setting it back down. Rationing, perhaps. She hasn't eaten since... lunch. Cheese sticks notwithstanding. "It is." she says, nodding to Braedyn's words about moderation. "Though moderation has always been difficult with Kal." That's a loaded statement. She clarifies, "He's an awesome cook... I had to start working out more regularly after I moved in with him." She laughs suddenly, "Remember, Cali, how we used to 'complain' about needing to buy new jeans?" Her eyes meet her friend's across the table briefly, a sparkle held within their clear blue depths. Kyle is the next to make her laugh. Laughter and smiles come easily to Carmen. "Karaoke could probably be arranged. And there's always room on my dance card for you, Sink." <English>
It appears that Sink is not the only recipient of a kick to the shins as Calira casually kicks Kal beneath the table as well, lucky for him she isn't wearing steel-toed boots, though for her this must be some special wardrobe moment. "Hah," she emphasizes the kick with the single word, still wearing a grin of genuine amusement. She eyes Kyle, then Sink, a speculative gleam in her eyes. "So you guys are willing to sing AND dance for the entertainment portion of the evening? I like this," she casts a speculative look to Braedyn but grins before fixing the same look upon Carmen "We should make them sing and dance, it's totally your call, Birthday Girl." She laughs again as she nods, "Yeah, I know. Man's cooking made me have to run extra laps around the city just to keep from having to go shopping. I'd rather run my legs down to nubs that have to go shopping. Dreadful places," and she gives a small shudder while reaching for the glass that's in front of her and taking a cautious sip of it's contents while eyeing the nearest platter with cheese covered food on it. <English>
"Oh, I don't know. Karaoke could be entertaining," says Kallahan with a mischievious smirk. He glances over at Braedyn and nods his agreement. He looks between Sink and Kyle. "Maybe a combination of karaoke and dancing, hmm?" He glances over at Carmen and smiles at her. "I remember that," he says. "Maybe I should ease back on the cooking?" The kick to his shin draws his eyes over toward Calira, and he grins at her. He glances around the table and shrugs a little bit. "I'm willing to sing and dance both," he says. <English>
All is going along merrily at this point. Or, at least, it was until there's a soft sound, a whump, and then a loud roaring, like a tiger the size of a hornet ship. The soft sound and the whump sound again, then a louder roar, and fire englufs the far end of the place, near where the back entrance and stairs and such happen to be.
"I don't know that there's enought beer in the 'verse to get me to..." Kyle begins, grinning to Sink, a grin which quickly fades away when he hears the noises, to be replaced with genuine concern, and then fear. "Down!" he shouts, diving out of his chair to the floor, feeling the heat of the fire from across the room. "Get everyone out!" <English>
Sink nods to Carmen, "Oh, I can sing. Lirin doesn't think so, but I can. I hope they got something this old sea dog knows...", he's about to go on but there's that odd sound, that defining sound, and the sudden fire, and Sink freezes, then does as Kyle yells, at least the first part, he reaches to his chest and crumples to the floor. <English>
Braedyn raises an eyebrow slightly as he looks to Carmen, and he gives a nod. "I've never really bowed to nobles either. I tend to just do like you -- go with being respectful and polite. So far, at least, I've never been hit with anything either," he comments, quirking a smile. His violet gaze turns to Sink, and he chuckles softly. "I'll have to try to keep that in mind, to be able to use at the most... inopportune times," he comments, in regards to calling Calira 'Your Grace'. He chuckles and gives a nod of agreement. "Oh, aye... I've had the fair fortune of sampling Kallahan's cooking a time or a few, though it's been a while," he says, quirking a smile. Sampling, and enjoying. He doesn't delve into the topic of clothing shopping, though that could be because he shares the ladies' opinion or has the opposite problem in regards to clothing. In the midst of taking a sip of water, Braedyn snerks and nearly chokes on it, as the particular phrasing that Kallahan chooses happens to remind him of an old comedy song. He gives a glance towards the door of the place, where Feria had excused herself to get some air. The softer sounds of the impending explosion are easily missed by the red-headed man, but then there's the louder roaring of it, along with flying shrapnel and fire. D'oh, crap. It doesn't take him much to scoot off his chair and put his back to the direction of the blast, catching a glimpse of Sink's collapse along the way. That just didn't look good. At all. And with that thought crossing his mind, he keeps low rather than getting back to his feet and moves around behind the few chairs in between in order to reach Sink. <English>
Kallahan blinks at the sounds, eyes widening as he looks toward the other end. He's not even wearing his duster, having left it at the door along with his weapons. Outside, shouting can be heard, as the sounds were heard from out there, too, and the majority of Kallahan and Carmen's security team is there. However, Clancy and Revjak are both here. Revjak sitting at the bar with his back to it and facing the rest of the room. Clancy sitting at the table with the other guests. Kallahan reacts fairly quickly, his other arm snaking around Carmen and drawing her closer against him and down toward the floor. That's when he spots Sink touch his chest and crumple. "Brae, Sink!" Of course, his shout proves to be unnecessary, but there it is. <English>
Calira is rising from her chair as soon as the first basso whump of sound and the coughing roar that follows it rumbles through the room. By the time the second set rumbles through she has swept the room with another of those searching looks, discerning the viable exit options that do NOT lead to them trying a leap 'o the fire. She's turning to her brother in law, words forming on her lips as she sees him reach for his chest and crumple to the floor. "Washcloths, soak them with water, tie them over your mouth and nose," she calls into the unfolding chaos and dumps her glass of water over her napkin, does the same for Sink's then goes to one knee beside her brother in law. She is torn, visibly so, between wanting to help Sink and wanting to figure out how get everyone out of the room and away from danger. She sends a pleading look at Brae and hastily moves out of the way, one hand itching to hold a gun and knowing this particular instinct will tie her hands instead of being helpful in this exact moment. She crouches then pans another look around the room, "Napkins, water, cover mouths and nose," she barks again in a harsh voice as she ties hers in place and moves at a cautious pace away from the table, seeking the way out of the room. <English>
It all happens so fast. From Carmen's perspective, anyway. One moment she's sitting in Kal's lap, enjoying her birthday dinner, and the next the room is rocked by the explosion and she finds herself on the floor as chaos erupts around her. Brae? Sink? She blinks in confusion and rising panic, not entirely sure of much but pretty sure she's not going to be having cake tonight after all. Calira's command does penetrate the veil of confusion clouding her thoughts, and after a brief hesitation she reaches up to fumble atop the table for napkins. Water, well, she'll have to get free of Kal's hold for that, there isn't any down here under the table. <English>
That soft sound and basso whump comes again, followed by another coughing roar. This one comes across the entrance, perhaps halfway between where the party is and the other end. It would seem that whoever is behind this doesn't mean anybody to escape. One might begin to wonder how anybody is going to get out of this place. There's obviously been an explosion in the back, cutting off that exit. One by the doors, cutting that off. Fire is between them and the stairs leading up. But there's another opening behind the bar. Maybe they can get out that way?
Coughing, Kyle gets up onto his knees and does as Calira orders, finding a napkin and pressing it over his mouth and nose before he starts preparing a few for Carmen and Kallahan, tossing them over towards the couple. Grey eyes dart around only briefly before he crawls his way over to Calira, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Ma'am, we can't help him here. We need to get out! Door behind the bar." he shouts. "Someone needs to cover the others and draw fire. <English>
Braedyn holds his attention on Sink, reaching out to feel for a pulse at the other man's neck. While he's doing that, he's looking to the man's chest to watch for signs of breathing. His violet gaze lifts to Calira, and he makes a slight nod towards the rest of the room. "Go and help if you want to, Calira -- I'll do what I can for him, I promise you that," he says, giving a nod to her, his words heavy with the weight of that promise. The basics of training take over by instinct -- airway, breathing, circulation. Anything missing will bring further action from him, naturally enough. When the next explosions come, this time from the entrance, he shifts his position to try to shield Sink as much as possible from it. No pulse, no breathing, and Braedyn is starting to wish that he had at least a few medical supplies. Ah well! Cardiopulmonary resuscitation can still be done even without them! He doesn't pay much mind to the fire, as it's far enough away to not be an immediate concern, and he starts doing CPR on Sink. <English>
It was all fun and games, and Feria had taken some time to freshen herself up in the ladies room. She's finishing up in the bathroom stall when the first explosion shakes the foundation, and slams up against the door, knocking her head against it. Okay, so that wasn't so much fun, and she exits the stall, making sure to keep herself braced against the wall. Slow motions, easy movements, until the ground is rocked again and she lurches in one direction and then another. Losing her footing, she at least is able to roll herself so she lands face first into the floor. It crushes her face against the ground, but at least it meant her face broke her fall, and even as pain sears through her nose and stomach, she manages to pull herself to her elbows and knees, crawling towards the bathroom door. More explosions, and she stops herself, looking around, seeing that the bathroom seems to still be intact, so that's a plus. Unless, of course, the daze in her rapidly clouding head is making her imagine things. It doesn't -feel- like the bathroom is falling apart...so if she could just reach the door..... <English>
Calira is torn, this is evident from the expression that is stamped on her face. But she's not a medic or a first responder or in any way shape or form useful to Brae at this time, so she gives the doc a nod and turns back to Kyle, having a vague moment of feeling like a half-masked bandit as she turns to him. "I'll draw fire, you help Brae with Sink. Come hell or high water, make sure Sink gets out of this building alive," and she refuses to dwell on the nightmare of what this will do to Lirin even as she draws Anubis with one hand and slips the Xiao out of the holster it was concealed in. "Take care of him," she says as she presses the small handgun into Kyle's palm and starts edging toward the entrance, Anubis held in one hand while the other seeks along the nearest wall to gague the temperature with every step. <English>
Once his initial reaction is done, Kallahan eases his hold on Carmen. After Calira's words, he exchanges a brief, wordless glance with his lady wife, and peeks his head up over the table, grabbing for water and passing it to Carmen, as she has the napkins. "Brae, how's Sink?" he calls out, eyes scanning the area, looking for a way out. His eyes fall on the opening behind the bar. It probably leads to the kitchen or something. He glances toward Braedyn and Sink again, lamenting, for the first time, that he'd had that transplant. He has no cardiac medication on him at all anymore. He looks back to Carmen, briefly, meeting her eyes, and nods toward Sink. Of them all, he's probably the only one big enough to carry Sink out of here without much of a problem. <English>
Meanwhile, behind the bar, the bartender tentatively sticks hs head up, and does as Calira had instructed too, having heard her words. He gets a cloth and douses it with water, putting it over his nose and mouth. "Pierre, Charles, Lucy, you heard the woman! Water on cloth, cover nose and mouth!" he calls into that opening, then moves that way, to ensure that it happens. For the moment, nobody seems to be shooting or anything.
Between the napkins Kyle has helped with and the water Kallahan passes to Carmen, there are soon plenty of wet cloths to go around. Carmen ties one on herself before making sure Kallahan is taken care of. She's noticed Braedyn performing CPR on Sink by now, and it is a pair of worried blue eyes that meet Kallahan's, exchanging that silent communication over Sink's predicament. She nods slightly, cupping the side of his face through the napkin briefly. The tight smile she offers is hidden by her own napkin, but it's there nonetheless. Turning, she crawls under the table toward Braedyn and Sink to see if she can help. The woman knows enough First Aid that she could probably be certified as an EMT if she wanted to. Clancy and Revjak have taken cover behind the bar, and are having a brief but tense conversation with the team outside--or what's left of it--about the situation. <English>
Kyle takes the gun from Calira and unlocks the safety, making sure a round is chambered before he gives her a sharp, curt nod. "Aye, Ma'am. I'll get them out. Be careful and come back to us." Weapon ready, Kyle springs to his feet and dashes across the room to the bar in order to check that doorway to make sure it's safe. "Probably going to be an ambush waiting for us out there." Grasping the bartender's arm, he turns him about. "Is there any other way out?" <English>
CPR, nothing like the hard honest work of good old CPR. It takes a few cycles of breaths and and chest compressions, Sink goes from not breathing to gasping for air. There is coughing too, and a roll to his side. At first he blinks slowly, then more rapidly, and coughs some more. W - words start to come out of his mouth "Wher... why... what... fire". He's a touch out of it, even classifying words in the wrong part of the alphabet, but he's alive, and quite possibly able to slightly helpful in his own locomotion if it's required. <English>
Braedyn glances towards Calira when she leaves to head towards helping others, though the look is only brief. His attention is pulled back to Sink, and Kallahan's inquiry draws him to shake his head slightly. "No breathing, no pulse," he replies, in a neutral sort of voice. It's his doctor mode having kicked in, and he continues with the CPR. Though in between, he does cast a worried glance towards the door of the ladies' room, wondering about how his lady wife is faring. Focussed, though, he's given a pleasant surprise when Sink comes around in response to the CPR, which leads to him stopping the action. He brings the fingers of his left hand to the side of Sink's neck, feeling for a pulse to get a measure of it. "Just stay here and rest a moment... once we're out of here, you're going to the hospital for some monitoring to make sure you're heart's all right. Explosions," he offers, helpfully. He looks to Carmen, then manages a faint smile. "Get him one of those wet napkins, please?" he requests of her. With the fires still burning, the smoke is likely getting thicker. "Help get him over to wherever the safest exit is, and stay with him. Keep an eye on his heartrate. I have to find Feria," he says. He's not as worried now that Sink's got a heartbeat and is breathing. But with that having been said, he struggles a bit to get to his feet so that he can head towards the ladies' room where Feria was when the explosions went off. <English>
At the bar, all is quiet, as it were. Smoke is starting to fill the room as the fire spreads, rolling along the walls toward the pushed together tables where the majority of the party still is. An ambush is likely. However, it doesn't happen. Not here, not now. The back room, it proves to be a kitchen, is hot, but clear. The bartender, and the three who have to be Pierre (obviously a cook), Charles and Lucy, are already heading out a door that leads onto blessedly cool, evening air. Two of Kal and Carmen's security team are already there, helping them out.
It's a struggle, a hard one as well, trying to spit out what blood tries to seep into her mouth as she focuses on getting to the door of the bathroom. One hand moves up, bracing against the door as she finally reaches it and uses what little adrenaline she has left pushing through her to get the door open. She manages to squeeze herself through on elbows and knees, coughing immidiately upon getting into what seems to be a smoke filled room. It blackens her already hazed gaze, which is already hindered by her being half blind. Driven by adrenaline, weakened substantially by pain, the last thing she sees is Braedyn trying to make his way to the door before falling to his knees and passing out right beside her. Her eyes go wide, and through the blood and the smoke, she hauls herself close to her lover fair and nearly collapses immidiately beside him, one hand managing to drape over Braedyn as she does. <English>
Calira gives a measured nod, though her agreement of Kyle's words is unnecessary. She strains to hear the words from the bartender regarding the other ways out of the room even as she steadily approaches the flames that are blocking their way out of the room into the main entrance and, from her read on things, blocking the other logical way out. The closer she gets the more she can feel the heat prickling along her skin, leeching the moisture from the air and wicking it from her lungs as she draws shallow breaths behind the water soaked napkin covering her nose and mouth. Anubis is held steady in one hand, the other continuing to quest along the wall, using it as a way to measure the temperature that's rising in the building. Her eyes narrow as she sweeps the area again and again, searching for anyone to shoot at, anything to shoot at, not pushing herself immediately into the line of fire. She presumes that the building has the standard fire/smoke/CO2 detectors and that the alarm has sounded somewhere useful. "Fine time to put the grenades away, could've blown a hole through the wall," she mutters to herself, noting to never go anywhere without grenades again. <English>
Kallahan smiles back to Carmen, and though the smile itself is hidden, the effect on his eyes isn't, and he raises his own hand up to brush her cheek. Then he's turning and crawling with her toward Braedyn and Sink. He gets there just about the time Braedyn's hard work brings Sink back to the land of the living. He reaches up a hand and touches his icomm. "Sanyu, is the back clear?" he can be heard to ask. Whatever the answer, he nods. "Sanyu says the back is clear, but be cautious, there could be other bombs they haven't found yet." He nods to Braedyn's words, as he kneels down next to Sink and Carmen and Braedyn. He watches Braedyn move away with worried eyes, but he remains where he'd been asked to stay and keeps an eye on Sink. However, he does continue glancing around, keeping an eye on the others too. And so it is that he sees both Braedyn and Feria collapse. "Clancy," he says, touching his icomm again. "I need you and Kris to retrieve Braedyn and Feria. They've collapsed at the door to the women's restroom." His voice is perfectly calm. He glances over to Calira and a faint smile curves his lips. He used to carry grenades. Maybe it's time to start again. <English>
Relief floods Carmen's face as Sink comes to, though much of that relief is hidden by her makeshift mask. Her eyes meet Braedyn's briefly and her head bobs in a little nod in answer to his request. Turning, she finds a spare napkin from the great napkin-wetting collaboration and scoots over so she can bend down near Sink's head. "Hey Sink, there's a lot of smoke in here, so I'm going to tie this wet napkin over your nose and mouth okay?" she tells him, as she proceeds to do just that. She does her best to keep her voice calm and even, though the fact that she can hear the crackling of flame and feel the heat of the encroaching fire is not helping her nerves at all. Her eyes are drawn toward the restroom when Kal mentions Braedyn and Feria being down, but she also notes Clancy and Kris coming over the bar immediately to get them clear. "Okay, let's get out of here. Sink, Kal and the nice preacher fellow are going to help you up." She shifts to get her own feet under her, but lingers in a crouch below the worst of the smoke. She's not moving until Sink does. <English>
Taking point, Kyle waves the others to come along. "There's a door out. Follow behind me, five seconds." he calls out, apparently to Kallahan and Carmen. He takes a last quick check of the kitchen before moving in, ignoring cover and heading for the doorway. With the little composite gun in his hand, he peeks around the frame to look for any overt attackers and nearby cover. Taking one quick breath, he bails out of the doorway and heads for the nearest place he can find to crouch behind just in case. <English>
When Kyle heads out the doorway.... Nothing happens. The crickets chirp, audible over the flames, but that's it. No explosions. No gunshots. No nothing at all. The bartender and waitstaff and cook all bail out on Kyle's heels, not waiting for him to get further out. Nope, not at all. Inside, the smoke is getting thicker. It's thick enough now to make people's eyes start to burn from it. They'd be coughing, were it not for the wet rags. Flames are climbing the walls now, as well as flowing down along them and the floor. Getting closer and closer.
As Kal and Carmen crawl his way, and Sink is left by the doctor for other patients, Sink tries to sit up, a hand reaching for his chair. He collapses after the first attempt. Here he lies on the floor, and coughs, and looks defeated. Then an angel with a applies a cool mask to his face and after a few damp breaths, the fight seems to have returned to him, and he tries to sit up again, and once again he tries to grasp for his chair. This time he only gets as high as the legs and instead of using it to stand it just falls on top of him. Well, what was that Indy saying? 'When you can't run, you crawl.' There's nothing left for it now. Sink grabs his stetson off the fallen chair and pulls his duster over him to protect his back, and starts crawling, like they drilled into him in the military. Arm over arm. The angel indicated a direction, or he thought she did. Arm over arm... that way. <English>
Eyes watering, literally welling over with smoke and heat driven tears that evaporate instantly, Calira blinks constantly to try to clear her vision and crouches tensly while waiting for the first wave of evacuees to make it to the egress point, this being the exit from behind the bar. She wipes her forehead against the sleeve of her shirt, casting a single wary glance over her shoulder and seeing Kyle go through the door, counting in a low voice to herself the five precious seconds it takes for him to secure this exit. The span of heartbeats seems forever, but the lack of immediate gunfire is one sure sign that he didn't walk into a withering cross-fire of bullets. This is her cue and she begins to retreat back along the same path she'd traced. Snags a bottle of water off of the floor and dumps it over the top of her head, soaking the cloth again and rinsing some of the smoke out of her eyes as she tosses it aside and continues to retreat. She holds the line, waiting until everyone else makes it to the door before she falls back as well. A glance is sent to the birthday gifts piled up and she gives a fleeting though to chucking them through the door into the kitchen, seeing the bright paper already melting and warping in the heat of the fire. <English>
It was hazy, and smokey, and Feria would begin to cough as the smoke thickened, as it became harder to breathe. She wasn't quite out of it, not fully anyway, but when Clancy and Kris make their way over, she rolls herself off of Braedyn. The only other problem is that being on her back, her head tilted slightly, she would also begin choking on the blood she can't spit out of her mouth. Pouring from her very noticeably broken nose. Clancy would pick up Feria, since she was the shorter perhaps lighter of the couple, while Kris would probably be better at carrying Braedyn. Braedyn's out like a light, hardly responsive, barely breathing while Feria is struggling to remain even semi coherent, yet even with a napkin-wrap against her face it wouldn't really help. No one makes a sound as the rescuers make their way to the found exit with the couple in tow. <English>
Relief is on Kallahan's face too, with Sink conscious again. Of course, Kallahan is his usual quite self, save for when giving the occasional order to somebody. He glances over as Clancy and Kris get to Braedyn and Feria, and watches them gather up the pair, and start helping them toward the bar and the doorway out. As Sink tries to get up, and then tries to start crawling, Kallahan reaches for him to help him up, and the crawling man slips from his grasp. Wriggling. That's right. Wriggling. Then Kallahan tries it again, and lifts the man, picking him up bodily and into a fireman's carry. He glances toward Carmen, then Calira, before starting to head for the exit. Trusting them both to be on his heels. <English>
Carmen blinks as Sink tries to pull himself up. "Hey, careful..." she says, even going so far as to help him move the chair when it falls over on him. Then he's crawling away like a determined toddler. Even managing to wriggle away from Kallahan at first. This might be an amusing memory some day, but right now she settles for being grateful Kal does manage to get a hold of their injured friend, whose heart had actually stopped beating moments ago. Holy crap. Carmen does indeed follow Kallahan to the door, with one hand on Sink's back as they move. She murmurs something reassuring to him, though the exact words are lost in the noise and chaos. She doesn't spare a glance for the gifts on the table, though she will no doubt be sad for their loss when all is said and done. Nonetheless, things can be replaced. People can't. Smoke stings her eyes as she makes her way to the door with the others, and she'd definitely be coughing more than she is if not for the wet napkin. <English>
Finding no one outside shooting guns or missiles or even so much as a mortar at them, Kyle looks a little embarassed and then turns back to the doorway. Making sure that his cloth is secured over his mouth and nose, he heads back inside though the smoke, ducking down low to minimize his exposure. "This way! Come on." he calls out, helping get the others headed in the right direction as visiblity begins to rapidly decline. Blinking against the smokey irritation, he ushers Carmen and Kallahan with Sink outside, leaving him to watch Calira's exit behind them, placing a hand on her back as she nears to guide her the rest of the way. <English>
As Calira's heading toward the exit, fire engulfs the area they'd all just left. That same soft sound can be heard, just above the edge of hearing. Then that whump, and another coughing roar. And the kitchen is engulfed in flames as another bomb goes off. While Kyle is still outside, before he reaches where Calira is. It sends the hapless woman soaring out of the building, trailing smoke and bits of flaming detritus, as she lands some ten feet past the door in a smouldering heap. Kyle, as close as he is, is rained upon with shrapnel.
Arm over arm, it's the only way, or so Sink's mind goes. That is until he's lifted on high. Some how he snags his stetson in the sudden lift and hangs there. The little blond angel has brought a archangel, with bells in his hair. That's familiar. Was a archangel with bells from the Bible? If it wasn't for this damned smoke and the noise he could remember. That's better... outside... right? Sink almost allows himself to take a deep breath, then there is another exposition, and he mutters nonsense, "Like a bat out of hell, on the back of a angel with bells." <English>
Outside. In fresh air. Yet is it enough? Feria seems to be doing a little better. Coughing a bit, breathing some, her mouth, chin and the front of her shirt are covered with what little blood seeped from her nose from the impact inside the bathroom. Her head is also - not bleeding - but since her hair has been cut short there's an obvious contusion on the side where she made contact with the bathroom door. Fighting for conciousness, she still somehow manages to sputter-speak while looking around from the comfort of Clancy's arms. "B-brae..wh-where's...where's Braedyn?" Oblivious to not only the fact that her husband is unconscious in Rejvak's arms, but of the bomb explosion that just went off behind them. "So...pretty... the lights... flashing..." Or the stars that are going off around her head since she's about lost herself. <English>
Calira had turned slightly, still eyeing the table with the gifts on it and waiting while everyone else is making it through the door. Perhaps it's this slight turn, looking away from the entrance and toward the door to the kitchen that proves most fortuitous to her. In truth, she will have no memory of the next couple seconds of time. The whump and coughing roar and the explosion of heat and the blast wave that picks her up like a toy and hurls her forward is forever lost to her conscious mind. It's only training and years of muscle memory that tightens her grip on Anubis even as her body drops into boneless - rigorously drilled - relaxation. The voice of a long ago gunnery sergeant is droning in a rasping voice in her mind about mass multiplied by inertia. The same voice is muttering, "In space we call inelastic collisions 'crashes'," as Calira lands in a heap on the pavement. That the back of her clothing is smoldering in patches, the ends of her hair sparking up with licks of flame is entirely unnoticed by the lump of flesh and bone sprawled mostly face first, her head tucked down to one arm - flung outward by accident, the other saving grace that keeps her from having pavement induced abrasions covering her entire face, though it's scraped raw from cheek bone to chin along the left side of her face all the same. <English>
Kallahan glances down at the man he's carrying, a smile curving his lips. "That's right, Sink. An angel with bells," he says softly. And then the world is exploding again, but luckily, they're far enough away that a few burning bits reach them, but that's all. There's not even the heat of a concussion blast where they are. He does see Calira land, though, as he glances over his shoulder. "Carmen, can you go check Cal?" He's not sure if she'd seen their friend land or not. Either way, Kallahan gets Sink over to a distance of safety, and then gently eases him down to a seated position on the ground. He kneels near Sink, reaches a hand up to check the man's pulse. <English>
Carmen staggers a bit when she gains the alley, largely due to catching a heel on a rock. But she manages not to go down, watery blue eyes blinking a bit over the sudden absence of smoke. She keeps moving until they are well clear of the door, only then turning to look back and make sure everyone made it out. "Where's..." she's about to say 'Calira' but right about then her friend is violently ejected from the building to land messily in the alley. "Cali!" she finishes/exclaims, rushing to the aid of the still-smoldering Calira. She whips off her napkin and uses it to pat out the flames on Calira's back and hair. "It's okay Cali, you're clear. Don't try to move, okay?" she says, not even sure if the woman is conscious. After a moment, it occurs to her to check for a pulse. <English>
Unfortunately for Kyle, he's actually facing inwards and standing right in front of the door when the bomb goes off, as he's watching and waiting for Calira, and she sure comes in a hurry, literally launched out the door over his head. Burning bits of wood and metal spray outwards all over the preacher, puncturing skin and taking him down. Fate, as it happens, has a nasty habit of kicking one in the gonads when they're already down, and so in one final insult to add to the injury, the soup ladel nails the poor blonde man square in the forehead, leaving him groaning and bleeding on the pavement. <English>
The married couple are laid out on the ground away from the fray of the final blast behind them. Braedyn has a pulse, and labored breaths, but otherwise he's in better shape than his wife. Though the immediate bleeding has stopped from her nose, she's still dazed from the blow to her head, and coughing up a splattering of blood and grasps for clean air. Though it wouldn't last for long as she heaves a final deep breath, coughs, and then passes out completely. <English>
Sink looks blankly at Kal as he sits. His pulse, is weak but it's there. It takes him a moment to let go of his stetson and to pull the wet napkin off his face. "Kallahan.", he finally manages. He blinks several times then he turns his head to look at the restaurant. "Cal? Kyle? Oh, there's Carmen, Feria and the Doc? The team? Everyone okay? What happened?" Sink is no longer speaking non-sense but still not up to full steam. <English>
Calira is not, in fact, breathing at first. But as the force of the impact literally body slammed her against the pavement - which, to note, is not the most elastic OR forgiving of surfaces to be body slammed into - her breath was thoroughly knocked out of her with the concussive force of impact. The stopped breath makes her pulse hiccup erratically, starving her brain for a span of a handful of seconds and it's only when her head tilts ever so subtly to the side that a shallow breath is rasped into oxygen starved lungs, coughed back out, rasped in again just as slowly. Her eyelids flutter, left hand still curled around Anubis in what can best be termed a death-grip. Blood begins to well upward from the raw abrasions along the side of her face and she makes a semi-coherent sound that forms the first part of Carmen's name, her eyes unfocused, vision blurred, all lights and colors smearing and running together in untidy and nauseating hues. "Ba..ck .. up.." she coughs the syllables out and can't seem to make the connections between neurons and synaptic pathways to let go of her gun to reach for her iCom, and it's perhaps a telling moment that she CAN'T let go of her gun to accomplish this. "..'bulance.." she slurs next before slipping down the fire charred slope into unconsciousness. <English>
The question now becomes how much to tell to the man. Kallahan takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, removing his own mostly dry (now) napkin from his face. "Cal's down," he says. He glances around and spots Kyle. "Kyle's down. Feria and the Doc appear to be unconscious. Carmen and I, and the team, are in the best shape, from the looks of things. There were explosions inside. Your heart stopped. Next stop after here is the nearest emergency room. For you, Cal, Braedyn and Feria.. Kyle..." Kallahan's voice trails off as he looks over his shoulder toward Carmen and Calira and Kyle. One hand remains casually resting on Sink's shoulder. Should the man try to rise, Kallahan's hand there will prevent him from doing so. He hears the words, and raises his hand to his ear, speaking into his own icomm. "Mayday, mayday. Backup and an ambulance is needed at the Drunken Buddha on Beaumonde. There have been explosions. We have several people down." <English>
As the moments pass Sink's mind starts to work quicker, "Emergency treatment, yes, that's good. But... but... I suspect I'll need a better facility then what they have here." He continues to look at the restaurant and to where the other are. "Give me a moment and I can help." He doesn't move his head, just sites there, hunched over, looking at the trail of fallen bodies, "Why Kal?" <English>
Kallahan gently pats the other man's shoulder as the security team takes care of getting everybody clear of the building. They even move Calira, carefully, making sure to keep her neck from moving around just in case something is broken. He nods his agreement. "Roberto at Lirin's place would probably be your best bet," he says to the man. "I'll shoot him a Wave after we get everybody to emergency. And Brenn, too, for Cali. And Lirin, of course." He falls quiet for a moment, then shakes his head. "No, my friend. You're just going to sit right here and rest. You're not going to help anybody right now without risking your heart stopping again. We don't know why it stopped in the bar. There's plenty of hands to help out. You just rest, okay?" That's probably the most Sink has ever heard Kallahan talk at once. He looks over at the fallen bodies, hand still on Sink's shoulder. Then Kallahan looks back to Sink and shakes his head. "I don't know why. We'll find out, though. I promise you that." <English>
Sink nods slowly to Kal, "Right. Sitting. I can do that." He pauses then nods, "Lirin would be best, she's the most familiar with... what I think this is. Roberto would also be good." Sink drifts off a bit then frowns, "The fact we are alive, says something about the attackers. They staged the explosions or were too incompetent to synchronize the bombs. Or they were herding us to one exit, then didn't follow up with an ambush. All important information." He stops looking at the restaurant, but instead down, at his feet. <English>
Everyone was hustled off to the hospital.
