Irchaet listened attentively as Alice vented about her work woes, her eyes filled with empathy for the mechanic. She could understand how frustrating it could be to deal with old, poorly maintained vessels. When Alice finished her rant and raised her glass for a toast, Irchaet smiled and lifted her own shot glass, clinking it gently against Alice's.
"Here's to better times indeed," Irchaet replied, savoring the last sip of her whiskey before setting the empty glass aside. "And thank you for the kind words. I do pride myself on maintaining a clean haven for weary souls."
As Alice turned her attention to Taharial, Irchaet observed their interaction with a warm smile, appreciating the camaraderie that was forming among the patrons. She admired Alice's offer to buy the next round, a gesture that exemplified the spirit of community in Ternifac. People were tough here but generous. The bartender brought them fresh glasses for their next round. She placed the glasses before them, a glimmer of appreciation in her eyes. "On the house again," she said with a wink. "Consider it a token of gratitude for the connections forged here tonight."
With that, Irchaet returned to her duties behind the bar, attending to the other patrons and ensuring the atmosphere of the Thirst Trap remained welcoming and vibrant. As the conversations flowed and the vibrant tapestry of Ternifac enveloped them all, the bartender's eyes sparkled with a joy that came from witnessing the connections and stories that unfolded within her realm.
Not long afterward, a gorgeous woman with plentiful pink ponytail hair and intense green eyes got off one of the constantly-arriving trains, followed by a few friends. She was dressed in a sleeveless shirt and shiny leather pants that showed off her curves, and wore this huge leather belt covered in studs that, in an attached holster, head what was obviously a standard-issue Star Army energy pistol, the Ketsurui Zaibatsu Type 33 NSP. She had a tattoo of an ancient "Gibson Girl" art on one arm and carried a leather jacket under one arm that was covered in military patches including the red diamond with caduceus symbol for Star Army medical personnel. She handed her jacket to a smiling anthro woman who sat with the other friends in a booth while she took a seat at the bar. "The first time I was here, I asked for something strong and you gave me a green Elfish drink that gave me x-ray vision," Poppy told barkeeper Irchaet. "I had to be carried out by Gabriela over there. This is my last night as an enlisted woman so we decided to celebrate! I'm officially a doctor now. We chose your bar because this is where it all seemed to start for us as a crew. It was just before the battle of Glimmergold that ended the Kuvexian War, and all the soldiers were moving around by train getting to their new assignments for the battle, kind of like what is happening now for the big exploration push." Noticing Alice and Tahariel, Poppy introduced herself to each of them. "Dr. Poppy Pink, at your service."