Date: Wed, 25 Jan 1995 08:39:54 -0800 (PST) From: "Lori Hansen" To: crystal@duke.poly.edu (Crystal) Subject: LOG: In Search of Rhys Message-ID: [ When we last left Alexandra, she was just arriving on Yarro, in pursuit of Rhys Kell. ] Exhaustedly, Alex finally disembarks the shuttle in Yarro. A smiling attendant checks her ident card at the security arch. "Welcome to Yarro, Ms. Behrens." She hands the generic card back to Alex. No one knows she is with the Heptite Guild. That's the way she wants it. "Thankee," she replies, smiling tiredly back at the attendant. She turns to walk through the arch and abruptly turns back. "May Ah ask ya a question?" she asks impulsively. The attendant's smile falters a moment as she looks out at the line of other passengers waiting to exit security. She nods and says "Of course." Alex steps back in front of the girl's desk. "Ah'm heah tryin' t' meet up wit' a fr'en o' mine," she fakes an embarassed smile and confides "We're heah on vacation," before continuing in a light, nonchalant tone. "Anyway, Ah fergot t' write down wheah Ah was s'posed t' meet 'im, an' Ah fergot which shuttle he was even comin' in on." She looks apologetically at the girl, who gazes back, nodding a little impatiently to prompt Ms. Behrens to continue. Alex takes a breath, "Well, ya wouldn't happen t' 'member a tall guy, 'bout this height," Alex holds her hand flat roughly five inches above her head, "He got green eyes, handsome," she smiles again and the girl takes a breath, beginning "Ma'am, we get many tall visitors through here that fit that description.." Alex smoothly cuts her off, "Now, wait a second...heah me out... He's got...white hair..." A spark of recognition crosses the girl's face. Alex nearly passes out with relief at the sheer luck she's had that the girl was working the day Rhys passed through this very arch. "Now that you mention it, yes." The girl smiles. "Ordinarily, I wouldn't have taken any notice, I've seen lots of people with white hair...but never any albinos with such shocking green eyes." Alex smiles. "That's him, a'right! Ya don't hap'en t' know whar he went once he passed through heah?" The girl shakes her head. "No, sorry. I wasn't the one who checked him through." Alex smiles and shrugs. "Well, it was worth a shot. Thankee, kindly." The girl nods and turns to the next customer in line, who shoots a very dirty look at Alex's back, as she walks away. *Whar now?* she thinks, standing in the center of the bustling space- port, looking around herself. She heads for the hostel first, asking around for a person who matches Rhys' new description. No luck. Next, to the many different eateries...no luck. The hovercar rental booths... no sightings. Newstands, gift shops, bars...no one's seen him. She sighs and leaves the spaceport, sitting on a bench outside. People and hovercars hurry and whoosh past her. Mass transit vehicles glide by. She props her chin in her hands, elbows on her knees, hoping for an idea to strike her. *He dint rent any veehickles...Ah s'pose he coulda taken a cab somewhar...Lady Bright! How th' blazed c'n he've jes' dis'peared?* A roaming, advertisement 'bot rolls past. Alex glances at the words printed on its little marquee and glances away. The 'bot rolls merrily on its way, spreading its message to all of Yarro. Alex sits up straight, eyes wide and looks after the retreating shape of the 'bot. *Welcome to Yarro! Come to Kashir's used hovercraft lot! Best prices in town!* *He wouldn't BUY a craft, now, would he?* *It's worth a try...* She flags down a speeding cab and hops inside. "Take me t' Kashir's, please," she tells the driver who nods and speeds away, cutting off a number of other cabs and civilian craft alike. Alex digs her fingers into the armrests of her seat, fearing for her life. Finally, mercifully, her cabride from hell comes to an end as the cabby screams into the used hovercraft lot. She stick her ident card into the receptacle and transfers the appropriate amount of credit, plus a small tip, from her balance. Having barely removed her bag from the cab, the vehicle speeds away, its rear bumper missing Alex's knees by mere centimeters. "Freg!" she cries in surprise, "Fardlin' cab drivers...thank th' Lady we ain't gotta deal wit' that on Ballybran," she mutters to herself. A slimy looking salesman hurries out to greet her, a huge, false smile plastered across his pudgy, greasy little face. "Welcome!" He bellows. "Welcome to Yarro, my fair lady! What can I interest you in?" He blinks up at her, eagerly. Alex gazes down at the short, little fat man in the bad suit and says "Ah ain't heah to buy nothin'..." she begins, and as the man's smile disappears and he mutters "Oh...well..." and starts to leave her, she adds "..yet." The man stops and turns around again, his phoney smile returning once more. "Well, what type of transportation are you looking for, my dear?" Alex sighs. "Let's git somethin' straight raht now," she says quietly, politely. The man nods, smiling. "Ah ain't yer dear. An' afore Ah agree t' purchase any o' th' veehickles on this heah lot, Ah'd like t' ask ya a few questions..." The man nods again, his smile not budging an inch. "I'll be happy to fill you in on any of the fine craft on my lot," he says. He extends a pudgy hand towards Alex, "Kashir's the name." Alex looks down at the proffered hand and nods. "Ya c'n call me Alex," she offers, ignoring the meaty little hand being held out to her. Unaffected, Kashir lowers his hand. "So, Alex, what can I tell you?" She launches into her explanation of being on vacation and having missed connection with her friend, describing him in detail. Kashir puts a fat, sausage-link finger to his triple-chin and thinks for a few moments. Finally, he shakes his head slowly. "Nnnooo...sorry. Can't say I've seen anyone who matches the description come through here." He smiles almost apologetically. "But right over here," he turns and starts leading her towards a bright purple vehicle, "is the best craft on my lot." He turns, smiling. His smile fades quickly as his little eyes search for the blonde woman, who had been standing behind him. She's nowhere to be found. "Damn...I lose more customers this way..." he scowls. "What do I look like? An information booth?" He wanders among his crafts and, spotting another browser, makes a beeline for the poor soul. Later, in the relative privacy of her hotel room, Alex sprawls across the bed, resting her body, but working her already exhausted mind further, trying to figure out where Rhys could possibly be. *It's gonna be impos'ble t'find 'im heah,* she thinks to herself as she stares up at the ceiling. She finally drifts off to sleep...the first real sleep she's had in about seven days...her mind going over the gameplan for the next few days. In the morning, she rises, her body and mind still incredibly tired. She jumps into the shower and turns the taps on full--cold, and tries to shake off some of the sluggishness and fatigue. She's got a busy day ahead of her...a busy week. Her first order of business is to get some art supplies, so she heads to the general mercantile and buys some colored pencils and paper. Returning to her room she makes a full-color sketch of what she believes Rhys looks like with his new disguise. Then she rents her the cheapest hovercraft she possible can--after all, she doesn't have a Singer's line of credit--and travels to as many public places as she can, showing the sketch to anyone who'll listen...anyone who'll look. Before long, people are talking amongst themselves of the crazy blonde foreigner who talks funny, looking for a white-haired man. Alex ignores the chatter around her, her only concern to find him before it's too late.