Date: Fri, 7 Apr 1995 15:43:58 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: LOG: Meet Andros Marshall

Alexandra Behrens finds herself on Shankill, attending to some marketing
business with Guild Lawyer Collin Marshall (no relation to Andros or
Bernadette). After her meeting, she decides to spend some time in the
catering foyer before the shuttle for Ballybran is scheduled to depart.
While she's nursing a cup of tea, a new arrival to Shankill enters...

Catering Foyer
The catering area is divided into several sections by waist high walls lined
   with potted plants. The end nearest the entrance is taken by business
   cubicles and stalls, some screened for privacy, and a comfortable bar area.
   The walls surrounding the central dining area are lined with service slots
   and bright-orange menu panels. After dialing up a meal from the considerable
   selection available, diners can seat themselves at one of the many tables or
   booths. Cleaning 'bots whir unobtrusively through the room, removing used
   dishes and wiping tables.
Contents:
Catering Unit
Obvious exits:
Catering Offices  Lobby  

Andros enters from the lobby area.
Andros has arrived.

<Andros>
Slight of build yet a tall 6'2", Andros walks with an easy gait. From your
   first glance you would guess he's in his late-3rd to early-4th decade though
   he looks younger when he smiles. A shock of auburn hair occasionally falls
   from his fringe, covering bright hazel eyes. He has a long oval face that is
   tanned yet looks as though it might belong on a stage or screen. His smile
   is bright and often present and he speaks with a stong clear tenor voice,
   obviously suited to singing.
He is wearing dark brown pants and sensible black shoes. A tan shirt with white
   buttons hangs well on his frame, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
Andros is smiling pleasently, while constantly looking about him at the
   station.

Alexandra sits at a table by herself, sipping a cup of tea. She looks over as
   she hears footsteps and offers a smile to the newcomer.

Andros walks in, a carisak over his shoulder. He looks around the room before
   moving towards an unoccupied table.
Andros smiles back to you as he takes his seat.

Alexandra blinks and frowns just a little as she looks at the gentleman. She
   quickly pastes her smile into place again and asks, friendly enough, "Just
   arrived, huh?"

Andros pulls his carisak from his shoulder and places it on the table in fornt
   of him. He rummages around briefly before closing it again.
Andros looks up at your question. He nods, "Yes, I have. The last shuttle in."
Andros slides the carisak to the floor and briefly glances at a menu.

Alexandra nods. "Don't get many folks through heah this time o' night."

Andros says "It was the only shuttle I could get at the time. It was this one
   or I'd have to wait another week to connect with another transport."
Andros rubs his neck, "Though with the cramped seating, I might have been
   better off waiting." He smiles and shrugs.

Alexandra finds herself staring at Andros and blushes as she looks away
   quickly, hoping he doesn't notice. She stammers, "Well...uh...we-welcome t'
   Shankill." She chuckles a bit and looks at her tea.
Alexandra chuckles. "True 'nough, though Ah'd 'spect th' shuttle t've been
   fairly empty, so's you could stretch out ovah couple seats?"

Andros chuckles, "That's what I would have thought too. Pity no one told me it
   was a cargo transport. Probably explains why it was so cheap. I'll know
   better next time and thank-you for the welcome. Excuse me for asking, but do
   you work here?"

Alexandra raises her eyebrows at the question. "Well, not 'xactly, no. Came
   heah on bizness." She smiles with a little shrug. "Why d'ya ask?"

Andros nods, a little disappointed, "Oh, I was just hoping to find someone who
   worked here. The administration offices seem to be closed."

Alexandra smiles and nods. "Yeah, they won't be openin' ag'in 'til th'
   mornin'..." She looks at you again and suggests "Who ya lookin' fer? Ah know
   quite a few people what work heah..."

Andros smiles again, his face brightening. "You do? I was looking for my
   sister. Bernadette Marshall. She works here. I was going to surprise her."
Andros looks at you hopefully. "Do you know her?"

Alexandra blinks in surprise. "Yer Berni's brother?" She grins. "That's why ya
   looked so familiar!" She chuckles. "Sure, Ah know Berni...though, uh...she
   ain't heah jes' now..." She hesitates a little over the subject of
   Bernadette's whereabouts.

Andros's shoulder slump a little. "She's not? She hasn't left has she?"

Alexandra idly tugs at her collar as she replies, "Well, uh...no, she ain't
   left 'xactly...she...well, Ah guess she kinda commutes..."

Andros frowns, confused. "Commutes? To where? We...that is..I thought she
   worked here. This is where all her mail came from."

Alexandra blushes and looks increasingly uncomfortable. "She don't know yer
   heah, does she?" She corrects herself quickly, "No, 'course not...y'jes'
   said y'were gonna surprise her..." She tugs at her collar again. "Fact is,
   she's, ummm...with her fiance jes' now...dunno when she'll be comin'
   back..."

Andros shakes his head, "No she didn't know I was coming. I didn't even have a
   chance to get in touch with her. She's with her fiancee? Kevlan, isn't it?
   Does he work somewhere else? Is that why she's not here?"

Alexandra nods, her blush deepening, and you can almost see the smoke rising
   from her ears as her mind whirls. "Um, yeah, Kevlan Sharr...he works
   elsewhere, sure 'nough. An' Ah heard he warn't feelin' too well raht now, so
   she's with him."

Andros frowns a little at your discomfort. He looks a little distressed as he
   asks, "There's nothing wrong, is there? She's not hurt?"

Alexandra shakes her head quickly. "No...no, she ain't hurt 'tall!"

Andros looks a little relieved, yet still puzzled. He stands and walks over to
   the catering unit.
Andros spins the menufax around to display the drink selections.
Andros peruses the selection of drinks, and orders a cup of coffee.

Alexandra fiddles with her teacup and blurts "Ah guess Ah jes' don't wanna
   invade her Privacy, y'know? Even with ya bein' her brothah, an' all...." She
   shrugs and lowers her gaze to her cup again.

Andros takes the coffee from the unit and adds sugar, leaving the milk behind.
   "She's coming back tho, isn't she? Unless you can tell me how to contact
   her...I mean that wouldn't invade her Privacy."
Andros holds the hot coffee, letting it cool a little. He moves back to the
   table where he left his bag.

Alexandra looks up at you and replies slowly "Yyyyeahhh....she'll be comin'
   back 'ventually..."

Andros sits down hard, his voice is a little stressed as he continues.
   "Eventually? But I needed to speak to her. Had to explain things to her, at
   the very least. Can...can you at least tell me where she and this kevlan
   are?"

Alexandra looks away from you again and adds "Ah don't rahtly know whar to you
   should send a message....Ah, um, Ah sometimes run inta her in my travelin's
   an, well, Ah c'n tell her yer lookin' fer 'er..." She looks at you again,
   still blushing and blurts "If'n Ah see her!"

Andros looks down into his coffee, obviously a little distraught. He looks back
   at you and smiles weakly. "I'd thank-you if you could tell her. I had hoped
   to be able to see her soon." He sighs, "I..I guess I could stay her a little
   while. I couldn't go back..at least not without talking to her first."

Alexandra blinkblinks and refuses to make eye contact as she mutters "Ah don'
   know whar Kevlan's fam'ly lives..."
Alexandra looks at you now and nods. "Ah'll tell 'er, if'n Ah see 'er..." She
   promises, looking sympathetic, relieved, and somewhat guilty all at the same
   time.

Andros smiles a little more enthusiastically at you. "Thank-you, miss. Just
   tell her Andy's looking for her." He looks back down at the cup, turning it
   slowly on the table. "Damn him for doing this," he whispers (too low for
   normal hearing to hear)

Alexandra smiles and repeats "Andy...will do," She frowns as her enhanced
   hearing catches the curse, but she quickly covers for it and pastes another
   smile on her face. "Ah'm Alex, by th' way. Alexandra Behrens."

Andros looks back up from the table, smiling again. "Pleased to meet you, Alex.
   I guess it was fortunate I met you, you knowing Berni, and all."

Alexandra chuckles and shrugs, "Lotsa people know Berni...she's kinda pop'lar."

Andros's smile broadens a little. "She is?"
Andros points to a chait at the table you're sitting at "May I?"

Alexandra smiles and holds a hand out towards the chair you're pointing at. "By
   all means." She grins and nods, "Yep, Berni's pretty well liked."

Andros picks up his cup in one hand and his carisak in the other. He moves
   quickly across the room and sits at you table, the carisak on the floor and
   the coffee set before him. He looks a little eager as he asks, "How is she?
   I mean is she well? Is she happy? It's been so long since we last saw each
   other."

Alexandra arches her brows elegantly at the barrage of questions, but chuckles.
   "She's fine, sofar's Ah know...an' yes, she's healthy..." Her smile fades
   just the tiniest bit as she says "She's fairly happy, Ah'd guess."
Alexandra takes another sip from her almost forgotten tea. "You two purty
   close?"

Andros laughs softly, "Sorry, didn't mean to interrogate you. Just, like I
   said, its been a long time. I'm glad she's happy. Um, d you know her
   fiancee?" Andros's smile flickers a little at your question. "We were, at
   one stage we were really close...then, well it was sort of my fault." He
   shakes his head, "She didn't say anything when she left."
Andros looks at you, a little concerned. "Sorry, you don't want to hear all
   this."

Alexandra frowns a little. "Ah'm sorry t'hear that," she says in reference to
   Bernadette's parting. She scratches her head "Kevlan? Ah kind of know
   him...not all that well, though he hails from mah home planet..." She
   smiles. "Ah like t' listen. 'sides, Berni's mah friend."

Andros shrugs, "We didn't speak much before she left. Things hadn't been the
   same for a while. I had hoped to be able to explain things to her." He
   finally takes a mouthful of the cooling coffee. "Um, tell me...is she happy
   with this Kevlan?"

Alexandra smiles sympathetically and nods. "Mah brothers an' sisters an' Ah
   didn't talk much 'fore Ah left home, neithah." Her smile brightens as she
   says earnesty, "Ah ain't nevah seen 'er happier 'n when she's with 'im."

Andros smiles warmly, "I'm glad. If he makes her happy, that's all that
   matters. It'll be nice to see her smile again." He takes another mouthful to
   try and cover the emotion of his response.

Alexandra watches you closely and returns the smile, saying again, very
   honestly "She smiles a lot."

Andros nods. "She always used to." He laughs softly again. "It was as though
   she could make things better, just by smiling sometimes. That smile got her
   out of trouble with our mother so many times."

Alexandra grins and says softly "You miss her somethin' ter'ble, doncha?"

Andros looks across to you, his smile becoming a little more awkward. "Yeah, I
   do. I guess its kinda obvious. I was really hoping to see her here."

Alexandra smiles sympathetically once more. "T'be honest, she don't spend much
   time heah...she travels 'lot."
Alexandra adds "But she always comes heah at one point or 'nothah, so Ah'm sure
   you'll run inta her."

Andros looks down at the table again. "Even after, we still talked. It's been
   over two years since I've even seen her, let alone talked." He looks up
   again a little distressed again. "I hope so...I'll have to try and find
   her."

Alexandra puts a hand up. "Ah'd rec'mend waitin' heah, rather 'n tryin' t'
   track her down....purty much all her roads lead heah event'lly.."

Andros frowns again, "Wha..what's she doing, that she has to travel so much."
   He shakes his head. "I don't even know what work she does."

Alexandra presses her lips together and says, after a long pause, "She's in th'
   crystal bizness...like me. 'sall Ah c'n really say 'bout it." She smiles
   apologetically.

Andros looks a little surprised. "Crystal business? But...but she didn't know
   anything about crystal."

Alexandra smiles again. "You'd be s'prised 'bout how much people really do know
   'bout crystal...pract'ly ever'body uses it in one form or anothah." She
   shrugs.

Andros nods, "I know that, but you don't need ta know how something works to
   use it. If..if she's involved in the 'crystal business' as you say then
   she'd have to know something about it." He sighs, "Though I guess she could
   have learned...in all that time." He looks back at you, "You said you were
   in the crystal business too?"

Alexandra nods, apparantly relieved to turn the subject away from Bernadette
   for a while. "Ah'm a marketin' person. Ah sell th' stuff."

Andros smiles, "That must be interesting."

Alexandra grins. "It c'n be, certainly. Meet int'resting people, at least."

Andros nods, finishing off his coffee. "I guess you would. Is that how you met
   Berni, through work?

Alexandra follows suit and takes another sip of her tea, grimacing at its cold
   temperature and pushes it away from herself with a grin and a nod. "Yep. Met
   her in mah travels, so t' speak, an' see her kinda frequently."

Andros yawns and quickly covers his mouth. "Excuse me. Um..is there somewhere I
   can stay here?"

Alexandra smiles and nods. "Thar's the transient hostel....not very fancy, but
   it serves th' purpose."
Alexandra looks surprised at herself. "Mah word, but you must be tired, an'
   heah Ah am, keepin' ya up!" She looks apologetic. "Ah c'n show ya t' th'
   hostel, if'n ya'd like?"

Andros rubs his neck again, "At the moment, any sort of bed would do."
Andros nods, "If you wouldn't mind."

Alexandra shakes her head quickly, as she gets to her feet and disposes of the
   remainder of her tea. "Not in th' least...it's raht this way..." And she
   heads for the door.

Andros stands and grabs his carisak. He disposes of his own cup and follows
   you.

You step down out of the catering area to return to the lobby of the moon base.
Lobby of Shankill Station(#0RJs)
This is the small lobby area on Shankill, one of the three moons of Ballybran.
   There are five irised exits leading off into the rest of the moon station,
   and an archway which leads to the shuttle area. The arch has an opaque force
   screen below it which occasionally dilates to let people through. This is a
   central spot on the moon base and there seems to always be someone walking
   swiftly through the small area, intent upon their business.
Obvious exits:
Shuttle Area  Meeting Hall  Administration  Transients' hostel  Catering Foyer
   Guild Hall

Andros steps out of the catering foyer.
Andros has arrived.

You head towards the Transients' hostel.
Hostel Reception Area(#11RV)
This is a large open area with a high ceiling. The entire room is lined with
   holograms of trees lightly stirring in an absent breeze. On one end is a
   reception counter. There is an exit back to the lobby of the moon base, and
   a door that apparently leads to the rooms in the hostel. This is the place
   where visitors stay when they're on Shankill. (+View counter for Hostel
   information.) The plasglassed skylight overhead is dark now, simulating the
   evening sky. There are two brightly lit moons in the pretend evening sky,
   just enough illumination so you can see where you are going. There is a
   bright lamp on the receptionists' counter.
Obvious exits:
Lobby  Corridor  

Andros enters from the lobby area.
Andros has arrived.

Alexandra waves towards the corridor. "Straight through theah...then y'll see
   th' men's dorms."
Alexandra smiles as she looks up at you. "Nice meetin' ya, Andy. Ah'll be sure
   t' tell Berni yer lookin' fer her when Ah see her."

Andros smiles, stifling another yawn, "Thank-you Alex."
Andros heads off down the corridor.
Andros has left.

Alexandra frowns a bit as she retraces her steps back to the catering foyer to
   await the next shuttle to Ballybran's departure, certain that she likes
   Bernadette's brother, but not at all sure if now is a good time for her to
   know he's here...