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[oohforeshadowing]

Let me get back to you, darling.

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[tetractys]

Bill bypasses the choice completely and heads to the sinks; his key goes into the side of a mirror and it swings open. He makes a grand, bowing gesture at the revealed secret passage. Ta daaaaa!

"AT THE MOMENT, THIS THING DOESN'T APPEAR UNLESS YOU'VE GOT THE KEY. WE'RE WORKING ON A FIX FOR THAT!"

[oohforeshadowing]

"....I see. Well, please, lead on."

They're still wondering if this is worth it.

"How will this jaunt look on my warden's item?"

[tetractys]

"HAVEN'T TOLD ANY WARDENS ABOUT THIS PLACE ENOUGH TO KNOW. AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO, EITHER!"

Bill floats down the spiral staircase - the door should swing shut behind them both.

[oohforeshadowing]

"Well, if mine asks if I'm having digestive problems, perhaps I'll let you know."

Trouble glances over their shoulder as the door closes, but without...much concern. Time to follow a triangle down a mystery staircase.

[tetractys]

The stairs bottom out into a set of doors, a speakeasy with bottles lining the walls, lightbulbs bare, seating wooden and 1940sish.

"TA DAAA. ... WE'RE GONNA REMODEL SOME OF IT, THIS IS HOW IT CAME!"

Bill slides in behind the bar - the space back there is clearly meant to only fit Bill, considering how much of the floor has been appropriated as storage.

[oohforeshadowing]

"Well, this is...quaint," Trouble decides, taking a seat. "Was it stocked when you rediscovered it?"

[tetractys]

"YEAH, BUT THIS IS ALL MANAGEMENT'S STUFF, WE HAD IT BEFORE! TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT TO GET THIS, Y'KNOW!"

[oohforeshadowing]

"I trust you," says Trouble, who doesn't, but at least believes this kind of stocking must be a challenge. "Do I have time for a drink, while you're hosting?"

[tetractys]

"SURE, YEAH, THAT'S THE OTHER REASON I'M HERE! I'M THE BARTENDER! WE DON'T KEEP SOMEONE IN HERE ON STAFF ALL THE TIME, SO IF YOU CALL AHEAD WE CAN MAKE SURE SOMEONE'S POURING DRINKS! WHAT'LL IT BE?"

[oohforeshadowing]

"Surprise me," they decide. "Something from outside Earth, if you've got it."

[tetractys]

"SURE DO. I'VE BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH CORDIALS FROM REDWALL ABBEY! THEY'RE ALL REALLY SWEET, BUT YOU CAN MAKE 'EM BALANCE WITH SOME OTHER INGREDIENTS..."

Bill gets out a shaker, seltzer, a bottle of something bright red, and starts mixing a cocktail.

[oohforeshadowing]

"Thank you."

They fold their hands under their chin and watch.

"So what's the reasoning behind this little speakeasy? Just to have somewhere away from wardens' prying eyes?"

[tetractys]

"I GUESS! I JUST GOT HIRED ON BECAUSE I WAS MAKING ENOUGH OF A FUSS ABOUT HAVING THE TRAINING BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO WORK IN THE LOUNGE. I'M THE ONE THAT NOTICED THERE'S NOWHERE ON THE SHIP TO GET DRUGS, THOUGH. PEOPLE WANT DRUGS!"

Ice goes in the cup, mixing mixing.

[oohforeshadowing]

"....Mmhm. And what did you do to the Lounge that you're not allowed to work in there any more?" Trouble wonders.

[tetractys]

Bill scoffs.

"I TURNED THE SHIP INSIDE OUT! WHICH I DIDN'T DO FROM THE LOUNGE, OR USING THE LOUNGE, BY THE WAY. PUNISHMENT DOESN'T FIT THE CRIME!"

Bill finishes the drink off, puts an inappropriate but mandatory little paper umbrella in it, and teleports over to hand it to DT.

"TA DAAAA."

[oohforeshadowing]

"Thank you, darling. Cheers," Trouble murmurs, and lifts the glass slightly before taking a sip.

Their eyebrows lift marginally.

"...Mm. Does this have a name?"

[tetractys]

"NOPE. YOU CAN NAME IT! I'VE MADE SOME VARIANTS, BUT 'THE BONE-BOILER' KEEPS GETTING SHOT DOWN FOR NOT BEING REPRESENTATIVE ENOUGH!"

Even if everything else about it is down to how drinks in Redwall work, this drink is not capable of boiling anyone's bones.

[oohforeshadowing]

"In that case, I suppose 'Black Brew' is no good either. Although you should have a signature cocktail, and the name is so...evocative."

[tetractys]

"NAMED AFTER ONE OF THE SHIP'S FIRST PASSENGERS! ALTHOUGH YOU'RE RIGHT, I SHOULD REALLY MAKE A SIGNATURE COCKTAIL. MAYBE WITH BLACK VODKA, THAT'S A THING! JUST HAVE TO GET AHOLD OF IT SOMEHOW..."

Bill sighs.

"WE'RE GETTING SOME SUPPLY LINES IN, WHICH IS NICE AT LEAST! PEOPLE MAKING THEIR OWN STUFF!"

[oohforeshadowing]

"Huh."

They sip their drink shallowly.

"Is that...safe?"

[tetractys]

"I'M GOING TO FIND OUT! ... I'M GONNA MAKE THE HUMANS THAT MADE IT TEST, BECAUSE WHAT'S POISONOUS TO ME IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S POISONOUS TO MOST OF OUR CUSTOMERS! ... BUT I'M GONNA FIND OOOUT~ "

He sounds so excited to either poison someone or have a new kind of alcohol to drink, both are equally fun.

"HEY, HOW'S THE CLOTHES ROOM, BY THE WAY? YOU TWO LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE FUN UP THERE."

[oohforeshadowing]

"Oh, we do! We're between supervisors at present, so if any of the laundry machines are broken then I guess it's in the lap of the gods."

As if they're going to work out how an Earth washing machine works.

[tetractys]

"HAH! THAT'S FOR MAINTENANCE TO FIGURE OUT AND ME TO NOT CARE ABOUT. I DON'T EVEN HAVE CLOTHES, THIS IS A SKIN PARASITE!

Bill indicates his tie. It definitely just looks like a tie.

[oohforeshadowing]

Trouble peers at his tie.

"I believe you unconditionally, darling. People only ever think I'm wearing clothes because I'm making the effort to make it look like I am."

This may or may not be true.

[tetractys]

"SO YOU COULD CHANGE YOUR OUTFIT ANY TIME YOU WANTED? AW, THAT'S THE BEST! I MISS SHAPESHIFTING! ... YOU KNOW WHAT THIS PLACE OUGHTTA HAVE? A DRINK THAT CAN CHANGE WHILE YOU'RE HAVING IT."