Commander Bill Grey

// Art by the wonderfully talented @/mattbyles

@SpacieWolf in charge of the CDF now," Bill said with a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Don't think I'll be doin' it as long as Pepper did. But it's been nice makin' sure that the people on our side of the war who did bad things end up payin' for their crimes like Andross' side did."

@SpacieWolf "Heh, well, I don't know about all that, but I try my best to be a good person. It ain't easy, and there's a lot of people out there who think they can take advantage of me bein' kind, but I've managed not to sell my soul just yet. We'll see if I can keep that up bein' the man -

⠀ Checking his contact list ... He sees @corneriangrey and decides to hit call. ❛ Hey, Grey. Hope I'm not interrupting anything, ❜ he says if Bill picks up the phone.

@SpacieWolf the glass, if only for a moment, before looking back up at Pirate. "I try to keep a positive attitude since we've all been through worse, yeah?"

@SpacieWolf "Well, it's a lot easier to be chill when the galaxy isn't on fire anymore," the canine said with a low chuckle. He took the old pair of pilot goggles from atop his head and set them on the table, eyes following them for a moment as if seeing pictures of the past flash across -

@SpacieWolf "Hey, I know how ya are. Still, appreciate hearin' it from ya out loud for the first time. Means a lot, Pirate. Happy ya don't mind hangin' with a CDF stiff nowadays." He nodded and set his own menu aside, having decided for himself what he wanted too.

@corneriangrey ⠀ ❛ Yeah ... ❜ Pirate glanced down at the menu, but he had already decided what he wanted. ❛ I just uh ... never really know if I said how much I appreciate you, Bill. I don't care if it's sappy, but ... I'm glad you agreed to come here. ❜

@SpacieWolf "Geez, it's been years now I think," Bill said, rubbing the back of his head and looking at the window at the vast field of stars stretching out into the inky blackness of the horizon. "Doesn't feel that long ago, but I guess it's been a long time, huh?"

@corneriangrey ⠀ Meanwhile Wolf examined the menu. ❛ Yeah, I forgot ... ❜ He shrugged. ❛ When was the last time you and I ever did something like this anyway ? I haven't spent time with anyone very much lately. ❜

@SpacieWolf “I remember how we’d meet up at diners like this before and that you always wanted to sit in a booth, not at a table,” Bill said, shaking his head. “I didn’t forget.” Bill already knew what he planned on ordering, so he set his menu aside and took a drink from his water instead.

@corneriangrey ⠀ Wolf's ear flopped back. ❛ You remember ? I guess I'm the one getting old, because I don't remember saying anything like that. ❜ He shakes his head and picks up the menu. ❛ Order whatever. I want a shake after we eat. ❜

@SpacieWolf "I remember," Bill said, grinning with a clear wag of his tail as he did. "I might be gettin' old now, but I'm not /that/ old, Pirate. I didn't forget." A waitress came by the table with cold glasses of water alongside with a pair of menus she placed in front of them.

@corneriangrey to wait too long, and Pirate entered the diner. ❛ Hey, Bill, ❜ Wolf calls as he sees him and goes to sit across the table. ❛ Thanks for getting us in a booth. I actually like booths. ❜

@SpacieWolf old rock bands, jeans, and one of his old set of flight goggles that doubled as sun glasses. The trip to the diner only took a few minutes, and Bill grabbed a small booth by one of the space windows to wait for Wolf to arrive at.

@SpacieWolf "Hah, meet ya there, hot shot." Click! The call abruptly ended now that Bill knew exactly where they were going and what to expect. He got out of his work attire quickly and donned something much more casual: a modified flight vest with patches from various space stations and -

@SpacieWolf undone to see what the former mercenary was considering. Bill wasn't opposed to going somewhere nice, but he never wanted to presume that was what someone else wanted.

@SpacieWolf "Oh, well hey, if ya wanted to get dressed up and go somewhere nice, we could do that! I ain't picky either way. Just didn't think ya'd wanna go somewhere like that. It's up to you, Pirate." Since now he wasn't so certain Wolf wanted to go somewhere casual, he left his tie half-

@SpacieWolf “Well, I’ll take ya up on that dinner you offered. Just let me get changed out of this suit and into somethin’ less formal. Meet ya there? Wherever there is?” Bill was already in the process of undoing his tie using the playback video of his side of the call as a mirror.

@corneriangrey ⠀ Pirate grumbled a bit. ❛ ... Maybe. I found something in my drawer recently and it got me thinking to ... talk to people more. Work or not, just get out there more. I've been kinda going through the motions while nobody is making any moves. ❜

@SpacieWolf “Gettin’ ya to say out loud that you like me’s probably the biggest award I’ve gotten since takin’ this position,” he said with another laugh. “I like ya too, Pirate. Feelin’ sentimental tonight?”

@corneriangrey ⠀ ❛ Hey, that's not fair, I respect titles when I have to. ❜ He exhaled a bit sharp, but taking it on the chin well. ❛ You're just lucky I like you enough to even ask about it. I don't like a lot of people especially in the CDF or even adjacent. ❜

@SpacieWolf “Pfft. C’mon Pirate, when’s the last time you’ve /ever/ given me any respect?” The words were harsh, but Bill’s big doggy grin showed they didn’t come from a place of malice, rather one of affection. “A title’s not gonna change what we’ve gone through together.”

@corneriangrey ⠀ ❛ ... Pepper retired ? And YOU'RE the big dog now ? ❜ Pirate's eye widened a bit. ❛ So, what, do I have to call you "sir" in front of everyone or ? I don't want people thinking "Star Wolf is disrespecting our new head of household" or whatever. ❜

@SpacieWolf Say loosened up as much as buttoned up in this case,” Bill said with a laugh. “Kind of been doin’ the whole leader thing since the CDF’s been restructured. Didn’t ask for it, but guess I’m the man in charge now with Pepper retired.”

@SpacieWolf By contrast, Bill was sporting a much more formal look than Pirate had ever seen the canine in, looking like a true politician at a formal event rather than the old dog pilot he was used to seeing. The dog grinned at the camera and adjusted his tie with another hand. “I wouldn’t

@SpacieWolf “Oh yeah, I’d love to!” There was an audible laugh from the other line before a request for video was sent from Bill’s end to Pirate’s. “Lemme get a look at ya though. Itchin’ to see what ya’ve been up to. Promise ya’ll be shocked to see what I’m dressin’ up like these days.”

@corneriangrey ⠀ ❛ Maybe a bit too long ... I was uh ... just checking in, I guess. Maybe I can take you out to eat or drink or something. ... Not like a date but just to hang out. I could use more company. ❜ Wolf stumbled a bit, but the offer sounded sincere.