Dan E's Restaurant - Summerlands - East Water Front - Beaumonde
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is a podium near the door to ensure that customers are greeted and seated quickly. The room itself spreads out in a half circle around the door and spans at least three levels. The tables to the left must be reached by stairs that climb about five feet from the ground while the middle section has been sunk down about four feet. The remaining section rises six feet and commands a view of the street outside.
The stairs that connect the various levels and weave between areas are wrought iron and set with white lights. The atmosphere is subdued, the staff attentive, and the food, as a rule, exquisite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Nathan Roman]
-----
The man is somewhat tall, capping out at about 5'11. His brown hair bears the marks of gray at the temples, despite a youthful looking face. His nose is angular, his lips a little thin, and his eyes are a curious shade of green. While he cannot be called muscular, his form is of decent proportions to his height and he seems at least capable.
A leather duster, darkened by time and use to a very dark brown, seems a decent match for the boots he also wears. The coat makes judgements about his clothing and his weapons hard to make. But the shirt is dark gray, the weave loose and rough. His pants are black and every once and a while one can catch sight of the holster at his hip.
-----
Nathan Roman walks in a pair of sunglasses on his face and a slouch to his step. His clothing is sub-par to the establishments usual, but he doesn't seem to notice. He waves off an attempt to be seated and instead points to the table he intends to take.

Cole rolls Perception with a 0 modifier. Result: 13

Cole picks the Captain out and watches him take his seat before picking up his protein cube and following the man over to his table. "If you're trying to blend in, you might try something a little less out of place," he notes with a playful, wry smirk. "An elephant costume, maybe."

Nathan Roman continues towards his table despite the dirty look of the staff. He glances to Cole as the boy comes to pace, "Yes. And if I were trying to blend in, likely I would have," he says, voice still mild. He glances to the door breifly and sits down. He looks to the protein cubes. "Dinner? Or lunch?"

Cole places the plate on the table's corner, but doesn't sit down yet. "It's that blind spot in between that doesn't have it's own name. Linner or Dunch or whatever." He pauses a moment, quietly contemplating the man and glancing over his shoulder, back towards the door. "You expecting company?" he asks curiously.

Nathan Roman nods, "In a few moments," he allows. The sun glasses are unfolded and slightly red eyes are revealed. He studies Cole rather critically for a moment, though the only sign of that would be the slight thinning of his lips. The rest of his expression and body language remain very casual. "You look well."

Cole shrugs, patting his stomach. "Sometimes solid food is painful, but I'm not one for coddlin' it. Feelin' right better anyway." His eyes again shift around a moment, this time to make sure no one's in earshot. "Heard about your log troubles."

"Ah," Nathan says and then nods, "It isn't insurmountable."

Cole nods his agreement, a trace of disappointment in his eyes. "No, s'pose not," he cedes. "Hope you make it work, I'd not want to see the Alliance come down so gruffly with y'all."

Nathan Roman nods, "Godin and Maistar know enough to pull it together. I've got some faith in them." If the disappointment was noticed, or speculated on, he gives little sign of it. "Regardless, the Alliance has more things to worry about."

"Mei talk to you yet?" Cole asks, apparently as much to change the subject as out of curiousity.

"About what, specifically." Nathan asks. He slouches back into the chair and glances down so breifly that the target of his glance can't be determined.

Cole lifts and lowers a single shoulder, apparently for no reason as he recites the answer anyway. "Well, 'bout Mister Jackson's interests, I meant, but I reckon' she wants t'add on about gettin' us to hack out again." He smiles uncertainly. "Someone so stubborn like she is, you'd think she'd get two other stubborn folk."

"Nothing was mentioned about Mr. Jackson's interests." Nathan says, "And while she did relate a bit of her conversation with you, it was more the jist of it than anything else." He cocks his head to the side faintly, as if prompting Cole to fill in the gaps that Nathan apparently does not have the information for.

Cole rolls Perception with a 0 modifier. Result: 12

Cole gets the idea behind that prompt, shaking his head slightly in response. "I'm sure she'll get a chance soon. I'd prob'ly be best movin' away 'fore your company gets here."

Nathan Roman nods but does not look to the door, "Ten minutes." He says simply.

Cole nods. "Oh." He looks to the door and back, hovering hesitantly for quite a few moments. Apparently at a loss.

"What do you want, Cole?" Nathan asks, not unkindly. His usual mild tone is rather suited for such quietness, after all.

Cole sighs at the directness of the question, finally collapsing into the seat across from his former boss. "I want t'still be friend-like," he says earnestly. "I still got my quarrels, ain't no way I was abidin' a threat to be kicked out, not after'n it was becomin' all home-like. An' I know you still got your quarrels too 'bout how I handled things, all that's fine. Cept'n I reckon' all that's business, an' not nothin' t'do wit' us the people."

Nathan Roman is silent for a few moments, "I have no intention of treating you any differently than I have done since the moment I met you."

"Don't 'pose that means you've got a cigarette t'spare?" Cole asks, seemingly a cross between a tease and a serious request.

Nathan Roman reaches into a pocket and tosses out a battered pack, cellophane crumbled. About five remain within.

Cole removes two, tucking one under his ear and leaving the other one nestled in his left hand before pushing the other back. "Thanks," he offers sincerely. "So what'll you do after the Alliance is done, got any jobs lined up?"
"Ship has to be repaired. After that we'll take the obs as they come." Nathan says with a shrug. Without looking at his watch he quietly adds, "Five minutes. That's too close to risk and you aren't dressed exactly right to be at this table Cole. We'll talk another time?"

Cole nods, picking up the protein cube. "O' course," he agrees, moving to a table he hopes is far enough away to assume he can't overhear.. yet close enough to overhear. Curiousity is abound as to what business might /require/ he look out of place.

Nathan Roman slouches down further into his chair and takes out one of the cigarettes for himself. He doesn't light it, perhaps knowing that the place isn't that permissive. He waits.

Cole munches on the protein cube verrrrrry slowly. Not wanting to lose his excuse for sitting.

- Cole rolls Stealth with a modifier of -2. Result: 11
- Rolled Stealth with modifier of -2. Result: 0+1+-2+12=11

It is about seven minutes later when a slender Asian man, face pockmarked with scars, walks in. He is impeccably dressed, wearing a three piece suit that easily stands out as completely custom made for him. Rubies are set for the cufflinks. He, unlike Nathan, allows himself to be seated. He picks up his menu and appears to scan it. Nathan stands up with an exhale, lighting up the cigarette now as he goes. He bumps his own table, making the water in the glass shimmy as he does so.

The path from Nathan's table to the door leads past the Asian man. And, Nathan's unsteady steps and attempts to relight an already lit cigarette cause him to bump a second table, this one unoccupied and, yes, that of the Asian man's. Nathan grunts as his lighter falls on the table. The Asian man stiffens, hand reaching out as if to stop the lighter from falling or to, perhaps, keep Nathan from leaning over to reach for it. The first goal is successful, the second is not. Nathan fumbles and hand smacking at the man's for a moment before he retrieves his lighter with a glare, "Moron." He grumbles as he goes to walk off, pocketting the lighter again. The Asian man sniffs and straightens his sleeves. He then placidly picks up a menu.

Cole rolls Perception with a 0 modifier. Result: 17

Cole tries to determine whether a pass off has been made, but, of course, sitting at that distance and trying to look inconspicuous to the Asian man, it's challenging.

The determination of that fact is left up to Cole's judgement on the matter. Given what Cole already knows about the situation, it is not a far leap to make. Nathan leaves the area and the Asian waves the waiter over to take an order.

Cole rubs his chin thoughtfully, the fundamental question flickering in his head - dropping off or picking up? Deciding that it's his friend and ex-boss and that he's not going to learn much more without a lot of unwanted attention anyway, Cole merely sets about taking a minute to memorize as much about the Asian man's features as he can - height, weight, dress, face. Then he gets up and heads out himself.