6598/Ladies' Night

Ladies' Night
Date of Scene:	21 February 2019
Location:	Luke's Bar, Harlem, New York City
Synopsis:	Ladies' Night at Luke's Bar, though some of the women who make it would hardly qualify as ladies...
Cast of Characters:	Jessica Jones, Crimson Dynamo, Silver Sable

---

Jessica Jones has posed:
One thing that Jessica always admired about Luke's Bar is the readiness to do the occasional Ladies' Night when she really needed a break. So it happened that tonight just so happened to turn into an impromptu ladies' night. Drinks half off to ladies was a pretty solid deal. Not that anyone could accuse Jessica Jones of being a lady, but bars usually had lower standards than most social clubs. She is sat at the bar, empty spots on either side of her, because the regulars here know about her.

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    Galina Nemirovksy has been called many things, in many languages. Never has she been called a Lady, but well that isn't going to stop her either. I mean granted she spent the better part of the last two hours losing her FSB tail, so if we're honest she wasn't feeling terribly picky. Never the less she slips into the joint, nudging her cap up out of her eyes but well the shades stay on. She lingers for a moment, before slumping down in the nearest open seat which is incidentally the one right next to Jessica. She shakes one of those delicious american cigarettes free, before sparking that cherry to life with a happy sigh. That mechanical left hand lifting to flag down the bartender, before she slips a few well folded bills across the counter. "Whatever's on tap, and three fingers of vodka..da?"The Accent is unmistakable of course, gutter Russian.

Silver Sable has posed:
The door's shoved open and not far from Galina another woman enters. She's dressed in what might be considered office wear; iron-grey slacks, a subtly gold-colored pillow-yoke turtleneck, and what must be a designer trenchcoat that hangs to her calves. It's not quite grey and not quite ash, with a subtle silvery hue that is understated by difficult to miss.

She bellies up to the bar, palms resting on the edge of the lacquered wood. The woman moves and stands like she owns everything within three feet of her. It's not exactly projected hostility (though it easily could read that way). But it's definitely not 'demure' or 'polite'.

"Also vodka," she says, on the tail end of Galina's request. "Stolichnaya if you have it. And beer. Something dark and bitter," she adds. From a pocket she produces a slick leather wallet and digs out two twenties, laying them across the lacquered wood.

Jessica Jones has posed:
Jessica isn't used to people choosing to sit next her, at least not in Luke's where everybody knows her name. Or well, at least to stay away from the bitch. A less flattering way to put it. She looks curiously at Galina, trying to get a general feel for the woman. Tall, that much was obvious. Tough, judging by the scar, or at least fearless. Confidant posture, and then there's the tough and true Russian vouching drink order. "New around town, 'comrade'?" Jess just had a magical way to endear herself on people.

Then comes the Silver Sable, another woman that Jessica is utterly clueless about, but another one who projects like she's looking for trouble. Perhaps more so than Galina, who looks like she can hold her own, but doesn't seek attention. "So...you're with the LGBTQs?" Jess shoots at Silver's somewhat androgynous look and that fabulous silver hair. What? She can't just endear herself on Galina alone, she needs to make friends with EVERYONE.

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    Galina accepts her drinks, before well things get downright cuddly. She pounds down that Vodka in a pull, before sliding it across the bar with a pleased little sigh. "Idi na Khui."See funny thing about a good curse word, you don't need to know the language to recognize it usually. Anywho she casually spins on her bar stool, that mechanical arm snagging her beer bottle off the counter as she locks her gaze on Jessica. "Also nobody uses that word, Comrade. Is American invention for bullshit spy movies. We use "Tovarishch", da?"

Silver Sable has posed:
"Da, tovarisch," Silver says over Jessica's head. She gives Galina a look that's alternately chillingly calculating and coldly dismissive. "Privet v odnoy ruke, pistolet v drugoy ruke," she tells the Russian. It's hard to mistake what's clearly intended as an insult, even if only Galina is likely to understand the words. Her shot's slammed back, never taking her eyes off Galina, and then she looks back at the bartender as if dismissing the other woman entirely.

"I don't know who the Elgebeeteeqeues are," Silver tells Jessica, with a flickering assessment of the other woman. "Are they a new musical act or something?"

Jessica Jones has posed:
Jessica raises her shallow glass of Jim Beam at Galina's Russian slur, grinning at her, "merry Christmas to you too." She does tilt her head a bit at the unexpected lesson, perhaps surprised her tease was taken at face value. "I'll be sure to use that next time, sister."

Then Silver turns out to be Russian as well, at least to Jessica's ears, and she snorts, "Russian hour special? Fuck me, guess I should have gone with a vodka just to blend in," Jess shrugs and sips more of her drink. She does wave her hand dismissively at Silver, "forget about it, hang around the village long enough, they'll come to you."

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    "She's not Russian, what is that accent hm? You're not Albanian, or you'd have shanked me by now."It's true the Albanians, do in fact hate the shit out Galina. "Serbian maybe, but you don't look like an inbred mental patient."And yeah, They're also not fans. Anywho Galina sips after her beer for a moment. "Not a Russian though, people back home don't talk shit like that. Certainly not in front of me."Not that Galina seems terribly upset, more curious if we're being perfectly fair.

    Anywho Galina offers Jessica a crooked grin. "is no problem, you need to learn how to speak 'mat' if you want to fuck with a Russian. American cursing just sounds silly, better off just getting physical. I appreciate good shit talk though, no matter language."She pitches another folded bill on the table, before motioning towards Jessica's glass. Hey free booze right?

Silver Sable has posed:
"Serbians didn't have inbreeding trouble until the Soviets moved the embassy there," Silver tells Galina. Despite the harsh words it doesn't seem like she's insulting Galina *specifically*. Just... she happens to be the most convenient Russian.

The silver-haired mercenary glances at Jessica-- she's not so tall as to be 'towering' by any means. "Not Russian. Symkaria," she tells Jessica. "You'd call it the Baltic states. My name is Silver Sablinova," she says. Despite her cut and dried military manner, there's a little rigid impeccability to her manners that furthur adds to that strange androgynity.

Jessica Jones has posed:
"Could have fooled me," Jess admits to Galina, which just means how little she knows about different Slavic nations. Before suddenly realizing it's more a Silver trying to start shit with Galina, than anything else, which is quite unexpected. Assuming she understood any of it, because most of the Russian before went flying over her head. Shrugging again, Jess notes to Silver, "name sounds Russian enough, but I'll take your word."

She then turns to Galina who is sitting next to her, "So what's this 'mat' I need to pick up?" She asks, with genuine interest, as she downs her drink and puts the empty glass aside, grinning as Galina does her favorite thing in the world and offers her a drink. "I'll certainly drink from one bitch to another, no better company for a drink, while we're at it...I know about nothing about vodka, so why won't I go with your drink? What's considered fuck my brains good?"

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    "Mat is like entire language in Russian, and every word of it is considered very offensive. It is how you -actually- start fights in Russia, but is difficult to learn. It does not show up in books, you must find somone to teach you."Galina sips after her beer casually. "Oh I get this stuff called uh, how is it called in America? Treasure, yes? Is great joke, comes in gallon plastic container like milk in America with little plastic lid? Cost about a dollar, and it is -most- terrible but it's quite strong."See, Galina knows stuff. "Quantity, has quality all it's own yes?"

    Galina clears her throat, ashing that cigarette casually in Sable's direction. "Oho a Mercenary, well of course you are eager for the instability of post-soviet Balkans. What are you doing in America, shouldn't you be bulldozing dirt into mass graves somewhere in Africa?"Galina smiles, setting that bottle down as she gives Silver a look over. "Certainly seems to pay well, conflict diamonds are so -in- this year. You know I hear Ivory is the next big thing."

Silver Sable has posed:
"Mass graves in Russia. Beet rations are lean this year," Silver smirks at Galina. "But that's Marxism for you, da?"

She turns and puts her back to the bartop, elbow resting on the dark stained wood behind her. "'Mat' is hard for Americans to pick up," she tells Jessica. "Like the 'fuck' word. Is good for all occasions, but it's men's humor. All about the--" she makes a jerking motion with one hand. "and sexing the mothers. Very good way to pick a fight with Russian bitch who sets up good beet rations joke. Which, like Russian beets, never enough to go around." She waves down the bartender and relieves him of the bottle. A drink is poured into a shot glass and she slides it down the bar towards Galina. Not a smile on Silver's hard-cut features, but there's suddenly an air of amusement. "Zazdaroyve," she tells Galina, and hoists her own glass in salute before throwing the gulp back.

Jessica Jones has posed:
"So...mat, is kinda like a collection of, fuck the fucking fuckers?" Jessica asks Galina as if this was some scholarly discussion of some sorts, "or do you make the distinction of: fuck the fucking fuckers in the cunt?" Very important distinction, to be sure.

Then it's back to the vodka matter, "suppose someone was more refined, I mean, I'm a pretty fucking demanding bitch when it comes to my alcohol, anything better than Treasure in plastic milk carton?" She wonders, "or should I just point at a random Russian sounding vodka and that should do?"

But Silver takes it too far when she brings up Marxism, as Jessica snorts, "for fuck's sake, can you cut it with the Marxism bullshit? That's all propoganda meant to drive assholes crazy. Every country's the same, douchebags with money, power or both fuck everyone else to varying degrees. Please don't tell me you think any one place is better than another..."

At the explanation of Mat from Silver Sablinova, Jess seems more skeptical than before, "so what? It's some sacred men's humor? Fuck that, I tell guys to suck my dick all the time. No law says I can't use whatever goddamn humor I please..."

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    "Oh it's true everything is better in Russia, even the mass graves."Galina accepts that shot with a snirk "To war, eh?"And then knocks it back like it's water. "Well Marxism was dumb, so was communism generally. Good intentions faulter under black hearts, as the saying go. Evil men corrupted a good enough idea, as they always do. The hammer used to shatter the Czarists was used freely, almost eagerly against the people. I know I fight in bright red, but do not take me for a communist. The suit is red because I endeavor to attract attention, makes it easier to protect the people when all eyes are focused on me."

    Galina slides those smokes down the bar, offering them to her new friends it seems. "Oh Mat is every sexist, awful thing you can imagine rolled up into a sentence. It is beautiful, and necessary currency for a good Russian soldier. It's a pity it's useless in America, everyone is so easily offended it seems. Mayor's office of New York is now asking them to scrub off the profanities scribbled on my suit, as if that matters. Still, is nice place to visit."

    And a blink, as Galina realizes Jessica likely has no idea who the fuck she is. So well, she offers a hand and a smile. "I have been rude to you my friend. I am called Senior Sergeant Galina Lobvoskoya, better known as the Crimson Dynamo."There have been Dynamos who's come to New York before of course, granted they were -usually- trying to apprehend the Titanium man and drag his KGB ass back to Moscow."I am last of Winter Guard, like Russian Avengers yes?"

Silver Sable has posed:
Silver grins at Jessica's bawdy response. "There, you have the spirit of mat down correctly," she assures Jessica. "I'd tell you never let anyone tell you what you can or cannot say, but I think you don't need to hear that from me," she adds, complimenting Jessica's self-assurance. "And no. Is not any 'good' vodka. That's why we drink it fast. Sip whiskey, drink vodka."

She transfers her gaze to Galina. "So, why is a sergeant of the Winter Guard drinking vodka in New York?" she inquires, lifting a silver brow at the woman. "You're a very long way from Moscow. I wouldn't think they use the Winter Guard for something as banal as embassy security."

Jessica Jones has posed:
Jessica looks skeptically at Galina, looking to have her own take on the matter, but instead of going to length she just spits out, "if you ask me, Marxism never was as communism never was, all different wrappers to the same old dictatorship. Rule of force, of power, history repeats itself..." as the tip on the proper vodka is delayed, whether intentionally or not, Jess turns to the bartender, "just hit me with a J&B," best stick to what is familiar.

"Yeah...they all have hammers, and they all break things, it's what they do." Jessica rambles, though now it's getting doubtful she's still on topic. She shrugs at how easily offended most Americans are, at least perceptively if one follows the media, "I'm here, you can insult me all you like, 'tovarishch'," she takes the word offered by Galina earlier, "some Americans will still give as good as they get."

When introduction is offered, Jessica takes the offered hand for a firm handshake, she may not be a Russian soldier, but she's woman in a distinctly masculine field, she's grown used to asserting herself without a thought. "Jessica fucking Jones, no fucking rank, because no military in the world will ever take me." Not that Jess ever tried to sign up, fuck that. She laughs when it turns out her newly met Russian friend happens to be a hero. Of fucking course. And a Russian Avenger at that, well, Winter Guard, semantics. "That's incredible...I'm still Jessica fucking Jones," people will need to torture her to the brink of death to admit otherwise. "So what is a Russian Avenger doing in the US?" She asks the obvious follow up.

She nods at Silver Sable's words of encouragement, but adds nothing to them, rather she happily takes the glass of J&B she's handed and starts to nurse her drink.

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    "Politics"Galina returns, coldly. She dips her head to chain up another smoke, and well. She knows she should leave it there but..."Russian Army is not happy with the Mutant policy, see them as at very least recruitable resource. Winter Guard is of course an Army program, and it had many Mutants in it's ranks over the years. Russian security services do not like this, and are very much closer with president. So Winter Guard has been slowly reduced in funding, recruiting efforts stopped. So when most of the team died, they were not replaced. Mutant team members were allowed to retire with pension, and then rounded up and thrown god knows where. Dynamo program too, defunded entirely. They said they did not need Winter Guard, but Moscow was still being attacked and people were dying. I swore oath, so I put the suit on and I go."

    She pauses there, exchanging one beer for another almost casually. "I have no powers, I am just soldier with armor. I need money to remain operational, and I do not want to become power man's pet hero. So we sold shirts and took donations, but it was not enough. Had to sortie without armor many times, just with rifle. I was losing fights, so army thought it could free up money with overseas postings. That money was good, but armor was in bad condition. Lost my leg, my arm."And well she finally takes those shades off.

    That left eye was dug out of her skull with a hot poker, the scar tissue is absolutely as radical as you could expect. The mechnical eye set in it's place is a uniform bright cherry red sphere, no attempt made at blending it in. "And eye. Have reason to believe operations were compromised by security services, get rid of me. Now I am here for diplomatic corps, who supply funding to fix the suit. It is demeaning, humilitating work. Moscow has been attacked and people have died, and here I am in America. The Winter Guard has fought too hard, and bled too much to go away because of -funding-. The Dynamo is important, it deserves to live on. So I here I am in America, an attack dog on a diplomat's leash."And a slow pull of that beer. "Pays the bills, da?"

Silver Sable has posed:
Silver frowns thoughtfully at Galina. Her capacious memory is digging through personnel files-- even as secretive as the Russian Federation is, Silver Sable International travels everywhere and keeps tabs on people like Galina for reasons just like this.

"Sounds like Russia doesn't know what they need," she tells Galina. "The leaders, anyway. Perhaps the people understand better?" She doesn't seem bothered by the grotestque cybernetics, but then again, Silver didn't earn her scars with high-risk games of touch football, either.

"I like how the Americans do it," she says, nodding at Jessica. "Yes you have your Captain Rogers and others draped in the flag. But many ... freelancers. No, that's not the right word," she frowns. "They aid the nation and protect the people. With masks?" she says, palm waving in front of her face. "But they're not official. More like my people; private contractors, or volunteers. I am technically a colonel in the Symkarian military, but I feel I can serve my country better when not in uniform," she explains.

Jessica Jones has posed:
When Galina reveals her gruesome eye injury, is when Jessica unintentionally reveals that she's seen some shit in her time, because she doesn't appear fazed in the least. The level of alcohol from who knows how much drinking she's been doing before Galina entered, is apparently sufficiently enough to make Jessica forget to feign a shocked reaction to appear more normal. Instead, she just looks and nods, "your eye got fucked up good, so that eye...you the only one seeing through it?" Jessica asks, showing she's not entirely oblivious to tech and spycraft, as she mutters, "apologies, Galina, but just to be safe..." she holds up her middle finger before her cybernetic eye, "fuck you too everyone spying on us right now, Galina will give you a better 'mat' rendition later on, promise. Mazada Rover Ya," she tries an approximation of the word Sable used before, as she drinks down the rest of her J&B.

Slamming the empty glass on the counter to the point it almost shatters, Jessica holds up a gloved hand, "easy Howard, put it all on my tab, you know I'm good for it..." she then gets up, "was lovely meeting you ladies, but, time for this magical ball to wrap up. My chariot will turn to a pumpkin soon, or something like that, try not to get fucked on the way out..." she notes, and starts to leave, before turning to look back, "that was to you creeping dirtbags, by the way, not the ladies," and with that she goes.

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    "No, no transmitter, no recorder."Galina offers a grin, sipping her beer and giving a little wave towards Jessica as she slips out. "Be safe, and remember if you have need? A red flare is enough to summon the Dynamo, presuming I am not passed out or asleep."See, caveats.

    "Russia knows what it wants, Politicians want something different. Makes things difficult, which is bad."Galina offers, casually chaining up yet another cigarette. "American system does indeed seem better, but it does not pay unfortunately. Not all of us are Tony Stark,which means it's just as bad."

Silver Sable has posed:
"Wrong part of town to be looking for a hook up," Silver tells Jessica-- but she grins a little. Not much, but its real. "You watch yourself too. Can't be too careful in this town."

She finishes her drink and sets it down. Abruptly a business card appears in her fingers and she offers it to Galina. "That red flag makes a cold blanket during winter nights," she tells Galina. "If you want work-- real work? Come to my offices in New York sometime. Can't promise you won't do babysitting, but we'll pay you what you're worth. Potatoes and steak instead of beets and stale water. Keep your head down out there, tovarisch, da? Same to lose the *other* eye." Another flickering grin that almost goes unnoticed as she baits Galina once more ,then waves farewell and follows Jessica's path out the door, turning in the opposite direction the detective had taken.