"I got leave Phil, Ale and keep it coming!" the handsome elf in a tripower officers military uniform loosened up his collar and sat at the bar. Uncorking the bottle of ale he was given, he poured a tall class full of it and tossed some coins on the bar which were quickly picked up by the bartender. Walking toward the bar I took a spot close enough to speak to him.
"Buy a lady a drink?" I asked of him my back to the bar but my eyes upon him.
"Of course," and he slid the glass down the bar into my hand without spilling a drop. Smooth, I thought to myself, he had a way about him that betrayed the grace of an experienced fighter. I amused myself with the thought that perhaps he could be a lover, not a fighter. But the Military Uniform squashed my sudden fancy. "Phil, seems a beautiful women has gone and stolen my drink again, 1 more." He winked at me.
After exchanging pleasantries and a few moments talking about my profession and his status as a Leader of the Tripower, I asked him questions that would hopefully let me figure out how long I had been imprisoned. After some deliberation my first few days out, I had made it a point not to ask anyone directly. It might not be wise to go around talking about how little I know of who I am or what I've done. "Everything seems so different in this city, suppose that's the Tripowers doing?" I asked trying to coax information.
"In a way, various factions rallied to oust the Vectorians from this city and an all out war was averted." He seemed caught in thought and drank more ale. "Suppose it's been quite a few months since the city has been Westbridge and not that infernal Kefkaberg."
"Forgive me for asking, but I've been away, how long has it been since they first attacked? Couldn't be that long with strong Tripower men like you around." I drank more ale, it wasn't the best disguised line, but it would do. A bald average older man walked into the bar and Ror seemed to know him. He got up and greeted the man by handing him an ale.
"Forgive me, where are my manners, Calliope, please meet my very good friend Hiroaki," Ror introduced his friend.
"Pleasure to meet a friend of Ror's," We sat back at the bar and I pressed them about when Vector had first entered Westbridge.
"Must be, four or five years now," Ror thought and Hiroaki agreed about the Time.
"Five years?" The world fell out from under me as I spoke. How could it be five years in that place, I knew it was long, and I should be thankful it wasn't twenty. But five years had been stolen from me. I stumbled off the stool and across the bar with a hand on the pool table and landed on the couch. Ror grabbed a glass from behind the bar and filled it with water from a spigot. Walking over to me he placed the glass in my hand and I drank it so fast I nearly choked.
"Easy now, what's gotten into you? Too much ale?" He grinned at her and Hiroaki made a joke about keeping the girl on top of the table rather than under when drinking with them. "No, I'm just shocked at how long it's been," They both looked at her quizzically and as she explained they both nodded and offered words of encouragement.
