It is a long day in the Infirmary, this morning; as Chief Medic Ryalla is on 
duty, several wounded Singers converge on the medical bay at once. Among
them are: Tance Vokrim, who has been impatiently chafing under his restriction
from cutting due to extensive injuries... Yelira Del Rin, who has broken her
arm in a crash in the Ranges... and Kevlan 'Galahad' Sharr, in after his
latest minor accident, his cutter mysteriously locking up in his hand and
depriving him of two fingers.

Tance Vokrim, after a long consultation with Ryalla, emerges grudgingly from
her office - and is incensed to find Kevlan present. He lets out an angry
bellow, and charges towards the young Singer. The ready intervention of
a couple of orderlies results in the old blue Singer being thrown out of
the Infirmary, as Ryalla emerges from her office....

Tance has left.
Ryalla opens the door to see if the doctor is in.
Ryalla has arrived.
Ryalla pokes her head out of her office. "What's going on out here?"
Ryalla looks at you for a moment.
Yelira smirks softly to herself, settled in a chair.
Kevlan straightens, and blushes a little. "Ah'm awful sorry, ma'am... "
Ryalla looks at Kevlan. "Sorry? Sorry for what?" she demands.
You say "Tance, he's jes' awful mad at me, Ah guess..."
A rather annoyed-looking orderly speaks up. "Ma'am, Vokrim tried to take a 
  swing at Galahad, here." He flashes Kevlan a sympathetic look.
Ryalla says "Tance? Why would he be any madder at you than anyone else?"
Yelira puts in silkily, "'Galahad' finds the black crystal." She eyes Kevlan 
  with an inscrutable look.
Ryalla looks rather annoyed herself. "Did he hit you?"
Ryalla looks at you for a moment.
Kevlan shakes his head earnestly, still blushing somewhat, while the orderly 
  says, "We made him leave, Chief Medic."
Ryalla frowns a little and nods acknowledgment of the orderly's statement. 
  "Fine. I'll contact him. If nothing happened, there's no need to write it up."
Ryalla looks around the crowded waiting room. "Does anyone need anything else?" 
  she asks.
Kevlan, still faintly scarlet-faced, tries to hide his bandaged hand. He 
  blurts, nodding in Yelira's direction, "She was here first, ma'am."
Yelira smirks, and turns her gaze away from the younger Singer.
The orderly nods briskly to Ryalla, and goes about his business.
Ryalla looks over at the tall woman. "Broken arm, ehh? Anything else? Here, 
  come with me." She nods back at the busy orderly.

[Kevlan waits somewhat embarrassedly, until one of the other on-duty techs
 informs him that Ryalla has requested he be sent into the emergency room,
 as well. He complies with the request... ]

You require the immediate assistance of a medic and enter the emergency room.
Kevlan ventures in timidly, pausing at the door. "Um... they said Ah should 
  come in, ma'am?"
Ryalla sighs. "Ok. Time to set it." She waves an orderly over. Together they 
  take hold of Yelira's arm in strategic locations. "Hold on, Yelira. This will 
  hurt for a few seconds."
Yelira slides a glance at Kevlan, and then ignores him, as her arm is attended.
Ryalla nods to the orderly and together they twist the broken arm back into 
  place.
Ryalla checks the arm again with the scanner. She calls over her shoulder, 
  "Come on in and have a seat. I'll be over there in a bit."
Kevlan nods earnestly, settling his tall frame into the nearest chair, and 
  trying to look unobtrusive.
Ryalla confers with the orderly and leaves him to prepare the cast and sling 
  for Yelira's arm. "I want you to come back in a week, Yelira. The cast should 
  be ready to come off then."
Ryalla looks one last time at the silent Singer, waiting to see if her orders 
  were understood.
Yelira answers tersely, "I'll do that." As her arm is encased and enslinged, 
  she watches the orderly closely, and at last rises. She exits gracefully.
Yelira leaves the busy emergency room.
Yelira has left.
Ryalla turns to face her newest patient. "Yeesss....?"
Kevlan lets out a tiny sigh. He looks relieved, if still nervous as he 
  ventures, "Ah-Ah-Ah was jes'... hopin' you could check mah fingers, ma'am?"
Ryalla waves him over. "Sure thing." She picks up a pair of scissors and starts 
  working on the bandage.
Kevlan obligingly approaches, holding out his bandaged left hand. "Seven 'r' 
  eight days, at this point, ma'am" - (sliced 'em off on Sunday :) ) - "Miz 
  Morgan, she wrapped 'em up for me."
You say "Ah-Ah was gonna cut me a special order, but mah cutter jes' kinda 
  jerked. Miz Morgan said Ah was lucky Ah cut off th' other two fingers Ah 
  didn't cut off before, a while back...."
Kevlan rambles a little, as if trying to relax himself by speaking.
Ryalla finishes snipping off the bandages. The fingers appear to be almost 3/4 
  regrown, very pink and still missing the fingernails.
Ryalla nods and murmers the appropriate um hmmms, and oh, yeses at the right 
  points in Kevlan's dialogue.
Kevlan glances down hopefully at his hand, and finally falls silent, frowning 
  absently to himself.
Ryalla says "Well, my boy, they appear to be healing up just fine. Any numbness 
  or sharp pains in them?"
You say "None 'tall, ma'am. They jes' been itchin', like th'other time."
Ryalla turns your hand over in hers a few times, pulls your fingers in 
  different directions and does other, seeminly meaningless, tests.
Kevlan watches wide-eyed and earnestly, and he points out, "Ah c'n move 'em 
  'round alright, ma'am."
Ryalla finally looks up. "They're coming along just fine. No problems that I 
  can see. I'll leave the bandages off. If there's any problem with them, come 
  on back."
Kevlan obediently nods. "Ah'll do that, ma'am. Ah thank you, much!"
Ryalla smiles at his mannerisms. "Go on, 'Galahad'. I've got work to do around
   here."
Kevlan smiles shyly, blushes a little, and scurries out.

[Not really knowing where to go from there, and somewhat nervous about going
 to the Singer levels, Kevlan wanders to some of the other public areas of
 the Guildhall. His appetite - building, he realizes, as the Sorter Aria
 had mentioned to him it would, for the coming Passover storms - draws him
 to the lounge on level 3.... ]

You saunter into the main lounge for Guild members.
Kael wanders in from the lift area.
Kael has arrived.
Kevlan stands eyeing the menu on the catering unit, frowning thoughtfully to 
  himself.
Kael nods to the singer, "Hello, Kevlan."
Kevlan blinks?, ohs, and looks up. He nods earnestly in greeting. "'Lo there, 
  Adr - er, uh, Kael."
Kael says "Do not worry, I answer to both, prefer Kael, but answer to both."
Kael peruses the selection of fruit, and orders the half citrus.
Kevlan answers earnestly, "Well, if Kael's what you're askin' fer, Ah'll do mah 
  best t' recollect that." He smiles sheepishly. "Been kinda fuzzyheaded, but 
  Ah'll stick it in mah datapad so's Ah'll remember."
Kael smiles, "Ok, so how have you been feeling lately?"
Kevlan glances down at his left hand, wriggling what seem to be regenerating 
  fingers. "Ah been feelin' more sprightly... Miz Ryalla jes' had a lookit mah 
  fingers, an' Ah been soakin' a lot in th' tank, so's Ah won't have too much 
  res'nance. Right now, Ah guess Ah'm feelin' hungry."
Kevlan smiles ruefully, and peers at the catering unit.
Kael says "Where are you going for passover?"
Royce wanders in from the lift area.
Royce strolls in to see what's going on.
Kael takes her fruit and sits down.
Kevlan peers at the breakfast listings, while answering Kael, "Berni 'n' me're 
  gonna go to Markianali... " As Royce enters, Kevlan straightens, and ohs!"
You say "Hey there, you're a cutter tech, ain'tcha?"

Royce
Royce is a tall man with a very solid build...he's not overweight, but he's not 
  lean, either. He has very fair skin, black hair and violet eyes. He's 
  generally a happy guy, and can usually be caught in a good mood...unless he 
  has to repair a cutter that's been handled carelessly.
He speaks with a softly accented voice in a rich bass.
His solid frame is clothed in a soft light grey shirt, slightly shiny black 
  pants and well-worn thick soled black shoes, that muffle his footsteps when 
  he walks.
He's in a good mood at the moment, having just returned from an off-world 
  assignment.

Royce smiles at Kevlan. "Well, yes. And you are a singer, correct?"
Kael smiles to the new arrival, "Hello"
Kevlan, temporarily abandoning the catering unit, nods anxiously to the new 
  arrival. "Ah been lookin' f'r a cutter tech, they all been on duty with other 
  folks when Ah been down there. Ah need mah cutter looked at."
Royce smiles at Kael. "Hello, zere, my dear. I do not believe we have had the 
  pleasure of meeting." He walks over towards Kael extending a large hand in 
  her direction. "Royce Soulliere."
Kael smiles and shakes his hand, "Kael, formerly Adriana, meditch at your 
  service."
Royce looks over his shoulder at Kevlan and nods. "Alright. Zat should not be a 
  problem."
Kevlan frowns softly to himself, muttering, "Cain't understand why Ah cain't 
  turn it on."
Kevlan then remembers that his stomach is sending 'feed me' signals to his 
  brain, so he takes another lengthy look at the breakfast listings.
You transfer 12 credit(s) from your account to Catering Unit.
Royce raises an eyebrow at the woman before him. "Formerly?"
The catering unit delivers a large breakfast as ordered.  Displayed there is a 
  large glass of orange juice, a thermos of hot beverage with mug, a large 
  plate with three pancakes, four strips of spiced meat and three eggs, cooked 
  as ordered.  Next to this feast is a pitcher of syrup and a large pat of 
  butter.
Kael says "I decided to change my name back to what it was on my old planet, 
  for a time I was calling myself Adriana."
Royce nods and smiles. "I must admit Kael is much more intriguing. It suits 
  you, my dear."
Kevlan busily occupies himself with dialing up what is evidently a rather large 
  breakfast. He ferries a few dishes to the nearest table, considers, ignores 
  most of the butter, and then settles down to have an earnest dialogue with 
  pancakes and orange juice.
Royce turns to Kevlan. "So, you say your cutter...it will not turn on at all?"
Kael says "Thank you, it feels nicer."
Kevlan, as he is addressed, swallows down a drink of juice, then sets down the 
  glass. He ventures a smile by way of his opinion of Kael's namechange, and to 
  Royce, says earnestly, "That's right. Ah cain't git it to turn on. Ah don't 
  _think_ Ah busted it, but Ah ain't too sure."
Kevlan says this embarrassedly, blushing a bit.
Kevlan glances down at his hand, and adds, "Ah-Ah mean, Ah guess slicin' off 
  fingers don't count as bustin' it."
Kael looks to Kevlan, "So, what do you think of my name change?"
Royce chuckles at the young man. "Usually, no. It will break your fingers, but 
  not your cutter unless ze cutter hits somezing."
Kevlan returns his attention to the medic, and tells her earnestly, "Well, 
  they're both purty names. If you feel like one of 'em suits you better, 
  that's th'important thang." He smiles tentatively, and adds to Royce, "Ah 
  didn't hit nothin', 'sides mah hand. Ah held on real good when it jerked 
  'round."
Royce nods. "I will be happy to take a look at it in a bit."
Kael smiles, "thank you Kevlan."
Kevlan nods forthrightly to you both, and settles down to make further inroads 
  on the pancakes.
Royce folds himself into a seat, crossing his long legs and smiling around at 
  everyone.
Kael waves, "I must go, talk to you all, later."
Kael walks to the main lift area.
Kevlan makes rather quick progress through the platter of pancakes, spiced meat 
  and eggs.
Royce chuckles as he watches the woman depart.
You say "Hmm? Didja say somethin', sir?"
Royce looks at Kevlan. "Oh no, my boy. Nozing at all."
Kevlan ohs, and nods wide-eyedly, proceeding to down the rest of the coffee.
Royce muses aloud "Zere is nozing like a fine woman, I zink."
Kevlan pauses in mid-gulp, considers, and agrees hesitantly, "Ah guess so!"
Royce smiles mischievously at the Singer. "Is zere any one woman in particular 
  who catches your eye?" He grins.
Kevlan blinks, taken aback. He slowly turns crimson, ducking his blue gaze to 
  the remains of his breakfast. "Ah-Ah-Ah ain't really, uh, thought about it... 
  much... "
Royce chuckles. "I did not mean to offend. I am just a terrible gossip. And 
  terribly nosey, to boot." He grins.
You say "Oh, Ah ain't offended!"
Royce smiles looking Kevlan over from head to toe. "I was just meaning zat a 
  good looking, young man such as yourself might have many women..or men.." he 
  grins "...to be romantic wiz."
Royce continues smoothly, "Now, I have seen quite a few attractive young women 
  who have joined our little family while I have been off-planet."
Kevlan mumbles sheepishly, "Aw, Ah ain't nothin' special... "
Royce smiles at Kevlan. "Do not underestimate yourself, my boy."
Kevlan blushes, still looking down. "Ah ain't good't noticin' sech thangs... "
Royce leans forward and confides "Zere are two particularly petite women zat I 
  would not mind....getting to know better, if you know what I mean." He grins 
  and winks.
Kevlan ventures a look at Royce under his dangling lock of hair, and his look 
  suggests he's not quite sure what he means, at all.
Royce chuckles at Kevlan's expression and continues "Yes, indeed. Two very 
  petite little women...one is blond and ze ozer is brunette."
You say "Ah-Ah been... better off not, uh, n-n-noticin' girls...."
Kevlan's expression shifts slightly, and he looks faintly miserable all of a 
  sudden.
Royce looks at the young Singer. "Oh, my boy! But ze right woman can bring such 
  wonderful joy into your life!" He widens his eyes as he completes his 
  sentence, punctuating.
Kevlan mumbles mournfully, "Ain't had much luck with girls." He picks up a 
  plate and returns it to the catering unit, but mechanically; his look has 
  gone distracted, and he seems rather like a depressed puppy.
Royce watches the younger man with keen interest. "What do you consider 'not 
  much luck'?"
Kevlan shrugs abashedly, evidently interested in inspecting his own feet, for 
  that's where his gaze is directed. "Girls ain't taken with me."
Royce persists "But how do you know zis?"
Kevlan eyes you uncertainly. "You're startin' t' sound like Tamber," he says,
  ducking the question.
Royce raises an eyebrow. "Well, this Tamber sounds like a wise person. But you 
  still did not answer my question." He smiles charmingly.
Kevlan mutters embarrassedly, "Aw, well, it's jes'... "
Royce smiles and nods at Kevlan, "Go on. What is it just?"
Kevlan shuffles from foot to foot, having paused near the table. He admits, 
  "Th'only gal Ah-Ah-Ah... liked... she... don't care f'r me."
Royce raises his eyebrows. "Well, then, perhaps it is time to forget her and 
  move on to someone else? Just because zis one girl did not return your 
  affections should not cause you to give up on women altogezer." He shrugs 
  eloquently. "Love, she is blind, no?"
Kevlan mutters embarrassedly, "Ah-Ah ain't good at dealin' with girls anyway."
Royce chuckles. "My dear boy, we never think we deal well with women. But if 
  you ask zem, zey say differently."
Bernadette wanders in from the lift area.
Bernadette looks around the room, notes the two men, but keeps searching. She 
  sighs.
Royce leans over and speaks quietly to Kevlan.
Kevlan looks up, and suddenly swallows hard, unnerved by the conjunction of 
  Royce's conversational topic and Bernadette's arrival. He squeaks, "Uh... 
  'lo, Berni!"
Royce whispers "Ah, here is one of the ze petite cheries zat I would enjoy 
  getting to know better."
Bernadette raises a hand and waves to Kevlan. "Hi." She looks at Royce.
Kevlan flashes Royce a rather alarmed look, and then turns vividly scarlet.
Kevlan mumbles, "Maybe Ah-Ah-Ah better go, uh, find Reef... "
Royce smiles at Bernadette. "Zis is good to hear." He puts an arm around her 
  shouldes and steers her towards a seat. He looks at Kevlan, "Oh, no, my boy. 
  Reef is on assignment. I will look at your cutter in a moment." He smiles.
Bernadette looks alarmed and stares between Royce's hand on her shoulder and 
  his face. She looks at Kevlan for a second then back at Royce. She picks his 
  hand off her shoulder and steps away. "I'd prefer to stand, thank you."
Royce chuckles and holds his hands up in surrender. "I am sorry, cherie. Just 
  zought you looked tired."
Kevlan glances uncertainly between Bernadette and Royce... then seems to gather 
  some courage. He says forthrightly, "If you're sure. Ah'm worried 'bout it 
  not turnin' on."
Royce winks at Bernadette and looks her over from head to toe, practically 
  leering at her.
Bernadette looks appalled and crosses to Kevlan, standing behind him and 
  looking at Royce over his shoulder.
Kevlan straightens a little, frowning as he studies Bernadette's expression. 
  "Sir, c'n we go fix mah cutter now, please?" he asks Royce pointedly.
Kevlan glances down at Bernadette's hand, and is distracted from his addressing 
  of Royce as he notices her scratches. "Berni...! Hon, what happened t' your 
  hands?"
Royce raises his eyebrows at Kevlan and says "Certainly, if it is zat urgent."
Bernadette keeps an eye on Royce and says to Kevlan "I cut them while I was 
  looking for new claims."
Royce smiles at the young woman and says "My dear, I do apologize. I know I can 
  be too...friendly...at times. I honestly meant no harm."
Kevlan asks Bernadette earnestly, "You been watchin' your jaw an' all?" He 
  glances at Royce and adds gruffly, "Well... like Ah said... Ah wanna know how 
  come it don't turn on. It ain't normallike."
Bernadette blinks and seems to relax a bit. She steps out from behind Kevlan 
  and says "It's ok."
Bernadette looks up at Kevlan and nods. "I didn't do any singing. Didn't find 
  any open claims, for that matter."
Royce raises her eyebrows again at Kevlan's tone of voice and manner. "Very 
  well. I shall await you in my office." He smiles warmly at Bernadette. "I do 
  hope you accept my apology, my dear."
Bernadette looks at Royce for a moment, judging his sincerity, and gives him a 
  small smile. "Apology accepted," she says with a slight nod.
Kevlan smiles tentatively to Bernadette and nods. He glances at Royce again, 
  and with a gruff "Ah'll be there right quick", he ducks out.

[Kevlan goes to his quarters to fetch his cutter, and then to Royce's office
 on level 8 in the cutter technicians' suite.]

You knock on Royce's Office.
From Royce's Office, Royce calls out "Come in, come in.".
You step into Royce's office.
Kevlan shuffles into the room after you, his cutter on a strap over his 
  shoulder. "Here 'tis," he tells you.
Royce smiles at Kevlan. "Very well. Let me have a look."
Royce says in a confiding tone "Did I not tell you zat zat Bernadette was 
  lovely?" He smiles and winks, letting out a low wolf-whistle before turning 
  his attention to the cutter.
Royce whistles a little tune to himself as he inspects the cutter.
Kevlan backs off a bit from the worktable, watching with eyes gone anxious. 
  "Ah'm sure Ah didn't bust it," he says, half to himself. As you comment on 
  Bernadette, he turns scarlet again, and doesn't answer.
Royce says quietly to himself as he looks up at the ceiling "Ahhh, it should 
  only be a matter of time before I can charm her..." He smiles as he thinks 
  about it then says "Oh. Ze cutter. Yes." He smiles at Kevlan and nods, then 
  looks at the cutter again.
Royce hmmms. "Well, it does need servicing...." he turns the cutter over in his 
  hands.
Royce puts the cutter on his workbench and pulls out a few instruments and runs 
  a diagnostic on it.
Kevlan scowls and inspects his feet again, avoiding comment. He looks quite 
  embarrassed.
Royce checks the test's progress, as a series of little lights blink on the 
  diagnostic unit, indicating that the test is still running. He looks up from 
  it and smiles at Kevlan. "Do you know if zat Bernadette is currently involved 
  wiz anyone?" He grins. "I would not one to intrude on anyone's romance." He 
  smiles again.
Kevlan starts. He mumbles abashedly, "Ah-Ah-Ah don' know."
Royce smiles at Kevlan. "Ah, well zen. I will just have to find out for 
  myself." The unit beeps and displays the results of the diagnostic test.
Royce frowns slightly as he looks at the display. "Where do you keep ze cutter 
  when you are not using it?"
Royce looks up over the cutter at Kevlan. "Surely you do not store it down here?"
Kevlan leaps on the change of subject hopefully, and answers, "Well... no, Ah 
  jes' stow it in mah quarters, 'less it wants checkin'."
Royce hmmmmms. "Well, my boy, I would suggest you begin storing it somewhere 
  more secure. Zis cutter has been tampered wiz."
Kevlan blinks.
Kevlan looks from your face down to the cutter, blankly.
Royce shakes his head as he opens the cutter up and inspects the interior. 
  "Shoddy job, too. It would not have been a cutter tech who did zis."
Kevlan stammers, "S-somebody... busted mah cutter, on purpose?"
Royce inspects the wires and ciruitry inside the cutter and nods without 
  looking up. "It would seem zat way."
You say "Wh-wh-what's... busted, about it?"
You say "Ah-Ah mean, how c'n you tell... it was on purpose?"
Royce points a thick finger at a red wire in the cutter. "See zat?" The wire is 
  separated, not completing the circuit, "It looks like someone cut zru ze wire 
  only half-way, so zat it would still work for a while. Zen, ze vibrations 
  from cutting from ze crystal face made it go POP!" he splays his fingers wide 
  in front of him as he says "POP!" before continuing "and zen it would no 
  longer work."
Royce frowns. "However, zis should not have caused you to cut off your fingers."
Kevlan says worriedly, "It... it jes' kinda jerked 'round, in mah hand. It 
  locked up." He suddenly pales. "_Teesa_ locked up, too....!"
Royce looks up at Kevlan finally, gravely. "My friend, you should find out who 
  is playing zese games wiz you and put an end to it before someone really gets 
  hurt."
Royce straightens up and says "You would like for me to fix it, yes?";, 
Royce continues "Perhaps alter ze grip for your zree fingered hand?"
Kevlan, looking rather like someone has punched him in the gut, mumbles numbly, 
  "Yeah... please... "
Royce nods and pulls out another instrument from below the worktable, placing 
  it on the tabletop. "Please grip zat. Wiz boz hands."
Kevlan, eyes gone wounded, mechanically obeys.
Royce makes a few notations on the instrument and nods. "Zank you. You may 
  release it."
Royce pulls out a box full of tools and starts working on the cutter, repairing 
  the damage. He looks up at Kevlan "You are still here? Zis will take a little 
  while to adjust ze grip....if you would like to return in an hour, it should 
  be ready."
Kevlan lets the grip go, and mumbles, "Yessir... Ah'll... be back... "
Royce nods and bends back to his work.
Kevlan, looking utterly thunderstruck, wanders dumbfoundedly out.

[Somewhat oblivious to his surroundings, Kevlan stumbles through the Guild,
 eventually winding back up in the lounge on level 3.... ]

Kevlan stumbles into the room, his face pale.
Bernadette, her back to the doorway, doesn't notice his entrance,
Kevlan heads straight for the catering unit. With a slightly shaking hand, he 
  dials its menu...
You transfer 2 credit(s) from your account to Catering Unit.
A clear pint glass containing the ruddy red, famous Yarran brew appears in the 
  catering unit.  A fine, fully-hopped amber beer with a light, yet distinctive 
  flavor, the Yarran is chilled and has a half-inch of pale thick foamy head.
Kevlan grabs awkwardly at the Yarran and starts practically inhaling it.
Bernadette starts as Kevlan steps up next to her and spins the menufax and 
  looks at him. "Kevlan?"
Bernadette looks at Kevlan closely. "Are you ok, Kevlan?"
Kevlan's hands shake on the beaker of beer he's clutching. "Ah... Ah ain't 
  sure... "
Bernadette frowns and wipes her hands on the legs of her pants, muttering how 
  she needs to be better about cleaning her injuries up while she's out in the 
  ranges, and walks over to Kevlan, putting a hand on his arm. "What happened?"
Kevlan turns a stricken gaze to you. "R... Royce tol' me... somebody busted mah 
  cutter."
Bernadette looks at Kevlan incredulously. "Who would want to do that?"
Royce wanders in from the lift area.
Royce smiles as he spies the two Singers and says to Kevlan "Ah, here you are. 
  I zought I would just bring you your cutter." He holds forth the repaired 
  instrument.
Bernadette eyes Royce as she drops her hand from Kevlan's arm.
Royce smiles at Bernadette. "And I do promise to keep my hands to myself."
Bernadette blinks at Royce then grins a bit.
Kevlan, still looking rather shaken, nods numbly to Royce, accepting the cutter.
Kevlan mumbles, "Ah-Ah-Ah dunno, Berni... Ah jes' dunno... "
Royce smiles at Kevlan before it dawns on him why the mood is so sullen in here.
Aria wanders in from the lift area.
Aria smiles at everyone, "Hello."
Bernadette looks at Kevlan. "I'll help you find him or her, Kevlan."
Bernadette smiles and waves to Aria.
Royce's smile brightens considerably as the Sorter enters. "Hello, my dear. I 
  don't believe we have had ze pleasure of meeting." He extends a rather large 
  hand towards her. "Royce Soulliere."
Aria finds a comfortable seat to flop into, "I seem to be doing less and less 
  sorting these days...All the crystal seems to be in the shed, and when it is 
  brought out I'm not on so one of my prodigies gets it, oh well I accepted the 
  post of head sorter... "
Aria smiles at Royce, "I don't believe we have, Aria Kalea, recently made 
  Head sorter."
Royce raises his eyebrows and nods. "Congratulations on your achievement. I 
  still serve under Brandy, of course." He smiles.
Aria smiles and nods, "Of course."
Kevlan sinks down into the nearest chair, staring blankly at the floor.
Bernadette frowns and draws a chair close to Kevlan's and sits down in it.
Aria struggles up out of her chair and heads towards the catering unit, "Here 
  we go again."
Kevlan, with his mug of Yarran in one hand and the cutter in the other, glances 
  up hesitantly at Royce. "You're real sure... it... it was on purpose?"
Aria peruses the selection of breads, and orders the light breakfast.
Aria spins the menufax around to display the drink selections.
Royce raises his eyebrows at the young Singer. "My boy, zings like zat do not 
  happen to cutters unless zey are tampered wiz. Ze wires are too zick to just 
  break." He splays his fingers in front of him and says "Poof!"
Aria takes her tray over to a table and starts to munch on her croissant and 
  sip on her coffee.
Aria listens with half an ear to the cryptic conversation.
Kevlan swallows hard. "Wh-why would somebody... try t' break mah cutter...?" he 
  whispers.
Aria looks shocked, "What happened Kevlan?"
Bernadette looks miserable sitting next to Kevlan, thinking.
Royce shrugs one shoulder in a rather elegant style. "Perhaps someone does not 
  like you? Perhaps someone is jealous of you and wants you out of ze way?"
Bernadette looks up at Royce slowly, blinking as an idea hits her.
Aria grimaces, "Half the singers are jealous of Kevlan."
Bernadette looks at Kevlan. "Kevlan..." she says tentatively.
Kevlan blinkblinks at Bernadette?
Aria finishes off her coffee and croissant and sips her orange juice.
Bernadette says in a low voice, almost as if she's afraid to suggest it, "You 
  don't think it's Tance, do you? He has tried to hit you..."
Aria looks over at Bernadette, "He is a rude person, I don't know enough about 
  him to tell about that though."
Royce lowers his long frame into a chair and crosses his legs, listening to the 
  Singers.
Bernadette looks at Aria. "But I've been there when he's taken a swing at 
  Kevlan...and he is always so....malicious...when he talks to Kevlan..." She 
  swings her eyes back to Kevlan.
Aria nods, "He's been singing a long time, after such a long time singing that 
  does tend to happen to singers."
Bernadette nods.
Kevlan shakes his head helplessly, looking utterly dumbfounded.
Aria smiles, "Mind you, it's better now than it was...And I don't think he was 
  particularly pleasant to start with."
Kevlan stammers, "Aw, Tance's jes' u-upset 'cause he ain't found no crystal... "
Bernadette frowns and awkwardly puts an arm around Kevlan's shoulders, trying 
  to be comforting.
Aria grins, "He's a blue affinity, guess what they are like at the moment on 
  the market."
Kevlan trails off, adding mournfully as Bernadette puts his arm around him, 
  "Ah... Ah don't _aim_ t' make nobody mad...!"
Bernadette says "No, you don't aim to make anyone mad, but Tance is....not all 
  there."
Aria smiles, "Of course you don't...It's not your fault, he's just naturally a 
  grouch and takes it out on you."
Bernadette taps her temple with her free hand.
Aria chuckles, "That Tance is crazy!!!"
Kevlan says nervously, "Don't... Singers git... kinda crazy anyhow....?"
Royce taps his chin with his fingers, listening.
Aria smiles, "Eventually, but in different ways I've heard, you should be good 
  for another 40 decades or so."
Bernadette looks at Kevlan and gives his shoulders a little squeeze. "Maybe 
  after singing as long as Tance has been."
Kevlan smiles weakly, still mostly staring at his cutter.
Bernadette frowns a little at the trembles she can feel beneath her arm and she 
  wraps the other arm around his front and leans her head on his shoulder. 
  "It'll be okay."
Royce raises his eyebrows mutely as he watches Bernadette.
Aria mutters under her breath as she heads towards the catering menu.
Aria spins the menufax around to display the soup selections.
Kevlan mumbles, "Ah... Ah dunno what t' do... " He blushes down at Bernadette, 
  but doesn't push her away; indeed, he seems a little shyly pleased.
Aria peruses the selection of soups, and orders some fish chowder.
Aria heads back to the table with her chowder and tucks in..."At least he'll be 
  zoned out like the rest at Passover."
Aria peers at Bernadette, "Has a medic had a look at that hand of yours?"
Kevlan looks down at Bernadette's hand again, belatedly remembering the 
  scratches...
Bernadette looks at her hand then at Aria and admits sheepishly, "Um...no."
Aria frowns, "You should get it looked at. At least put something on it."
Bernadette nods. "I have a little medical kit...."
Kevlan nods hesitantly in agreement with Aria.
Bernadette sits up straight, releasing Kevlan and pulls the kit out of her 
  satchel and sets about cleaning herself up a bit.
Aria smiles, "Don't make your symbiont work harder than it has to."
Bernadette rumages around in a small, travel medical kit and performs triage on 
  her injuries.
Bernadette puts the kit back in her satchel, smiling sheepishly at Aria again.
Aria smiles, "Better."
Kevlan shakily downs the rest of his Yarran.
Bernadette looks at Kevlan. "Shall I get you another?"
Kevlan murmurs hoarsely, "That'd be... nice, hon... "
Bernadette nods and takes the empty beaker from him and heads to get him a 
  fresh one.
Royce says quietly from his seat, "While you are up....hon," he stresses the 
  word, "would you mind getting me one, too?"
Bernadette looks over her shoulder at Royce and says "Get one yourself," rather 
  nastily, before turning back to dispose of Kevlan's empty beaker.
Bernadette looks at Aria and says pleasantly, "May I get you anything while 
  I'm here?"
Bernadette spins the menufax around to display the beer selections.
Aria smiles, "I'm fine thanks."
Kevlan turns his cutter about in his hands, reflexively. "Ah-Ah-Ah dunno what 
  t' do," he says towards the grip of the thing, but as he catches Bernadette's 
  sharp tone, he looks up at her concernedly. His brow wrinkles.
Royce chuckles. "Feisty, zat one," he mutters.
Bernadette peruses the selection of beer, and orders a Yarran Beer.
Bernadette returns with the beaker, handing it to Kevlan.
Chia wanders in from the lift area.
Kevlan mumbles gratefully, "Thank you... ", and puts the cutter carefully down 
  beside him as he grips the beaker in both hands tightly.
Aria smiles, "Hello there, and where have you been?"
Chia mews softly and pads over to Aria.
Bernadette eyes the small furry creature.
Aria feeds Chia a piece of fish and she daintily accepts it.
Royce raises his eyebrows in delight. "A feline! My, I have not seen one in 
  quite some time! Where have you been hiding her?"
Aria smiles, "She's from my home planet of Xene, she's a Mrrin."
Bernadette watches Royce and the furry creature.
Chia stretches and purrs as Aria strokes her.
Kevlan blinkblinks. He asks Aria diffidently, "She... uh... she got th' 
  symbiont in 'er?"
Royce smiles and tries the word on for size. "Mrrin. I have never heard of 
  such an animal." He bends forward to inspect the animal. "My, but she is a 
  lovely specimen."
Aria smiles, "I'm not really sure... I sure didn't ask medical to run a test 
  and she hasn't gotten injured... but I was too out of it at the time to 
  notice, I assume so."
Chia purrs at the compliments.

Chia
A small, sleek, light cream, feline-like creature. At your gaze she preens 
  slightly and purrs.

Bernadette smiles tentatively. "I've nevr been very good with animals..."
Kevlan nods awkwardly, still clutching reflexively at his beaker of beer. He 
  seems to relax, at least a little, as he drinks at the stuff.
Aria smiles, "Chia is a much better judge of character than most animals."
Royce hmmms. "I wonder where I have heard a similar statement..." He taps his 
  chin and looks at Kevlan for a moment before looking back at Chia and smiles.
Chia pads over to Bernadette and mews appealingly.
Aria smiles, "She's very independent though, she stayed with Dalyc while she 
  was adapting."
Bernadette sits back stiffly and looks at the little animal, her hands 
  clutching the edges of her seat tightly. She smiles and giggles a little 
  nervously as she says "Um, hello," while keeping an eye on the creature.
Royce raises an eyebrow at Bernadette's reaction to the Mrrin.
Chia curls up at the foot of Bernadettes chair and starts to take a nap, a soft 
  purr coming from her.
Kevlan gulps down swallows of beer; it is difficult to tell whether it's a good 
  sign or a bad one that his hands have relaxed enough to start shaking.
Bernadette takes her eyes off of the animal long enough to look at Kevlan. She 
  frowns slightly.
Bernadette looks back down at the furry animal at her feet and carefully pushes 
  her seat back a bit with her legs.
Chia stretches and stands up, she heads back to Aria and proceeds to groom 
  herself.
Aria calls to Chia and she jumps into her arms.

[Aria disconnects at this point and doesn't come back. Presumed to have been
 summoned to the Sorting bay, or something. :) ]

Bernadette looks relieved that the feline is gone and relaxes.
Royce chuckles softly to himself.
Royce addresses Kevlan. "Well, my boy, I would take care to store your cutter 
  in a more secure area. You may store it in cutter storage if you would like?"
Bernadette stands up and paces a bit, thinking.
Kevlan looks up wide-eyedly, and mumbles, "Ah... Ah guess Ah should do that, 
  yeah... " His beaker rattles a little in his unsteady hands.
Royce, as Bernadette crosses too near to him, smiles wickedly and reaches out, 
  grabbing her around her waist and pulling her onto his lap, holding her there.
Bernadette lets out a startled shriek and pushes at Royce's shoulders. "Let me 
  go, you idiot," she says angrily."
Kevlan starts, suddenly, frowning at Royce. "Hey...!"
Kevlan finds himself on his feet. He says harshly to the cutter tech, "It ain't 
  proper t' grab at a lady, mister."
Royce ignores Kevlan. "Ah, but Bernadette, my love. You and I were made for 
  each ozer...." He smiles.
Bernadette curls her right hand into a fist and says, "I said let me go."
Royce chuckles softly and pulls her closer, trying to nuzzle her neck.
Bernadette's jaw drops in amazement and she sneers, "That's it, buddy. You 
  asked for it... "
Kevlan closes the space between himself and the cutter tech in two long 
  strides. His blue eyes suddenly gone hot, he snaps out, "The lady tol' you t' 
  leave 'er be."
Royce reaches out with one hand and pushes Kevlan away. "Leave matters such as 
  zis to men who know how to appreciate ze women..." He attemps to bury his 
  face in the hollow of her throat.
Bernadette looks disgusted and pulls her right arm back to deliver a punch to 
  the head.
Kevlan scowls, and promptly dumps the rest of his Yarran on Royce's head.
Royce sputters and pushes Bernadette off his lap, who lands on the floor on her 
  rear end with a thump, and stands up, glaring at the young Singer. "Just what 
  do you zink you are doing?!" he roars.
Bernadette oofs as she hits the ground and looks in amazement up at the two men.
Kevlan says tightly, "Th' lady asked you t' let 'er go. It ain't polite t' 
  ignore a lady."
Royce stares at Kevlan incredulously, looking him up and down, before retorting 
  "Her mouz said no, but her body did not! And YOU!" He says, taking another 
  step closer to Kevlan. "YOU need to learn to respect your elders!" And with 
  that, he puts a hand on Kevlan's shoulder and shoves him backwards.
Bernadette claps a hand to her mouth stifling a high pitched "OH!" as Royce 
  shoves Kevlan."
Kevlan plants himself quite sturdily on his feet, and barely rocks. "Respect?" 
  he snaps back. "You're a fine one t' talk about respect, you cain't see 
  nothin' in a lady past what she looks like!"
Royce waves a hand towards Bernadette. "Oh?! And what do YOU see when you look 
  at her?" He continues waving his hand spasmodically. "I will tell you what 
  you see...you see nozing. You see a simple little girl who might be fun to 
  talk to." He sneers. "I, on ze ozerhand, am a MAN, and I see a very 
  attractive woman who is begging to be loved!" He throws his hand over his 
  head dramatically, punctuating his words.
Bernadette scrambles to her feet and stares indignantly at Royce. "Why you sack 
  of..." she says and starts striding towards the insulting cutter tech.        
Kevlan's face flushes, but his eyes don't waver; neither does his voice as he 
  retorts, "It makes you a man jes' 'cause you c'n grab a girl afore she has a 
  chance t' say no? Where Ah come from, a man _asks_ first!"
Royce chuckles and puts one long arm out, intercepting her, placing a hand on 
  her shoulder and holding her back at arm's length. "What, my love, you are 
  planning to do me harm?" He feigns a hurt look and laughs. He then turns his 
  attention to Kevlan and snorts. "It is a wonder anyone was born where you 
  come from if ze 'men' zere are anyzing like you."
Bernadette pulls back from his touch and glares at Royce.
Kevlan's only reply is a tensing of his tall lean frame... and a sudden jerking 
  back of his right arm, as his hand curls into a fist and flies straight 
  towards the tech's chin.
Royce looks surprised as Kevlan's fist connects and his head snaps back. When 
  he pulls his head forward again, his lower lip is bleeding where he bit it 
  upon impact. Royce snarls, "Why you...!" and swings his own fist down and up 
  towards Kevlan's stomach.
Bernadette screams "Oh my gosh!" and throw herself at Royce, tackling him from 
  the side and knocking him a few paces sideways.
Kevlan's arm comes down just enough to block the blow awkwardly, as Bernadette 
  simultaneously shoves the tech from the side.
Royce looks surprised at the small woman pushing on him and casts her aside 
  indifferently with a strong shove. "Silly woman," he says in amazement.
Bernadette stumbles backwards a few steps, trying to catch her balance and 
  falls over a chair behind her.
Kevlan takes this opportunity to let fly another right hook, growling, "Leave 
  'er be."
Royce raises an eyebrow, staring at Bernadette lying on the floor and shakes 
  his head. He catches sight of the right hook sailing towards him and ducks to 
  avoid Kevlan's fist.
Royce reaches up with one hand and closes his grip around Kevlan's wrist as it 
  sails overhead.
Royce stands up. "You stupid fool! I am not going to hurt her!"
Bernadette crawls around the chair and get to her feet.
Kevlan rocks a little as his blow fails to connect. But he keeps himself 
  sturdily planted - not only from a Singer's reflexes, but from those of a 
  former spacer. "You know what Ah meant," he says stonily.
Royce gives Kevlan's wrist a shake. "You told me you did not know if she were 
  romantically involved!"
Bernadette blinks at Royce's words and looks at Kevlan.
Royce shakes the hand he's not using the hold Kevlan's wrist at Bernadette 
  again. "It is quite obvious to me, unfortunately too late," he puts a hand to 
  his chin which is turning a nice shade of purple, "zat she is." He throws 
  [his gaze back to Kevlan. "Wiz you."]
Bernadette blinks and snaps her head back in surprise and cries "WHAT?!"
Kevlan's face flushes again. He backs up, eyes darkened as well as his cheeks. 
  "B... Berni's a real sweet purty gal," he mutters huskily. "But you might try 
  askin' 'er what _she_ thinks."
Kevlan, blushing furiously, snatches up his cutter. "Thank you f'r fixin' 
  this," he finishes tersely, as he storms out.

[Infuriated, humiliated, and still frightened from the news that his cutter
 had been tampered with, Kevlan flees to the Hangar, intent on losing himself
 in the Ranges and spending the night at one of his claims.... back in the
 lounge, Bernadette stares in shock at Royce, then at Kevlan as he storms 
 out, then back at Royce. "You...you..." she sputters angrily, "you...assinine 
 imbecile!!!" She finishes lamely. She storms up to Royce, stops quickly and 
  delivers a stinging slap to his face before following after Kevlan.... ]

You check your sled out, and it is lifted down from the huge rack.
Bernadette emerges from the ready room with purpose.
Bernadette runs in at full kilt, skidding to a stop a few feet from Kevlan.
Kevlan leans miserably against the hatch of his sled. A few of the hangar techs 
  are lingering nearby with wary and uncertain looks on their faces.
Kevlan, not noticing Bernadette's arrival, thumbs open the hatch of the _Teesa 
  Narie_, and starts to get in.
Bernadette stands, breathing heavily from her exertions and looks around at the 
  hangar techs and then at Kevlan. She sprints over and grabs the back of his 
  shirt as he starts to climb into his sled.
Bernadette says "Don't go!" as she pulls on his shirt.
Kevlan starts, and spins around. His cutter comes up a fraction of an inch 
  before he registers Bernadette's identity, then, it lowers. He breathes 
  shakily, "Star-Lady Mother of All, honey, don't scare me like that...!"
Bernadette bites her lip lightly and releases his shirt. "I'm sorry."
Bernadette stares at him, panting for a minute, then blurts "I'm sorry 
  Royce said those things and I'm sorry you got into a fight with him, but he's 
  right!"
Bernadette gasps and puts a hand to her mouth as if she said more than she 
  wanted to. She looks at Kevlan with big eyes.
Kevlan had started to lower his gaze as well as his cutter; he begins as you 
  speak, "Royce dunno how t' treat a lady!" But he cuts off as you continue, 
  and he stares at you blankly.
The hangar techs back off, exchanging extremely curious whispers, and 
  occasionally still casting looks in the Singers' direction. But they give 
  them both a wide berth.
Bernadette drops her hand from her mouth and takes a deep breath, her face 
  flushed. She says quietly, "He's right, Kevlan. I..." she starts trembling 
  and looks at Kevlan with wide, fearful eyes and finishes blurting, "I love 
  you!" She turns and flees.
Bernadette ducks into the ready room, escaping from the swirling wind.

[Kevlan, as Bernadette flees the hangar, staggers back a step in shock
 against the _Teesa_. One of the techs - Kevlan's own friend Jerrik -
 yells, "Well, go after her, Galahad!" Kevlan does... but something propels
 him down to his quarters first, to stow his cutter, and to fetch his gitar.
 Pointed outside the Guild complex by a helpful Sorter, he ventures out to
 look for the other Singer, gitar in hand. With the three moons of
 Ballybran keeping watch overhead, he gets to where he thinks - hopes -
 that Bernadette is hiding, and begins to reach out to her the best and
 only way he knows how.... ]

From afar, Bernadette looks up from staring the ground and cocks her head to 
  the side listening.
Kevlan's voice - perhaps a little shy and hesitant - follows the gitar a few 
  measures later. The tune is soft and sweet; Kevlan's baritone floats on a 
  middle register as he sings:

        Angel
        With those angel eyes
        Come and take this earth boy
        Up to paradise...

From afar, Bernadette turns her body a bit, facing the direction from which the 
  music is coming.
Kevlan sings on:

        Angel
        May I hold you tight?
        Never kissed an angel
        Let me kiss one, tonight...

From afar, Bernadette blinks in amazement and slowly gets to her feet, standing 
  near the wall and listening.
Kevlan's voice rises a little, as he sings with utmost earnestness. Once or 
  twice his voice shakes, but the notes hold true on the bridge:

        If I said 'I love you'
        Would I be speaking out of turn?
        I-I'm only human
        But I'm willing to learn...21:55

From afar, Bernadette shakes her head a bit, a hand to her throat, not fully 
  comprehending the lyrics...or refusing to.
Kevlan's voice is full of uncertain entreaty, as his words dip back down to low 
  husky notes:

        Angel
        Make my wish come true
        Let me be in heaven
        Here on earth with you....p 21:57

Kevlan's voice trails off; the gitar plays a few measures before, before there 
  is once again silence.
From afar, Bernadette closes her eyes and leans her head back against the wall, 
  swallowing hard.
From afar, Bernadette opens her eyes and pushes away from the wall, walking 
  slowly to the edge of the building and peeking around.
Bernadette walks down from the spot on top the slope.
Bernadette peeks, blinking at Kevlan.
Kevlan, as the last chord dies from his gitar, looks up anxiously.
Bernadette steps fully into view, standing near the wall and says quietly "Did 
  you mean it?" in a near whisper.
Kevlan curls his left hand a little awkwardly, as he releases the fretboard, 
  and lets the gitar swing to his side. He says shyly, "Ah... Ah ain't good... 
  at sayin' things like this... "
Bernadette blinks and wipes her cheeks with her fingers and watches Kevlan, 
  waiting for him to continue his thought.
You say "Ah-Ah-Ah always been better't singin'... aw... aw honey, don't cry...!"
Bernadette waves a hand and turns away, leaning against the side of the 
  building, her other hand over her face.
Kevlan steps closer, murmuring pleadingly, "Ah... Ah meant ever' word."
Bernadette turns and looks over her shoulder, searching Kevlan's face.
Kevlan is still rather pale and worn-looking... but he keeps his gaze up at 
  you. His eyes are very earnest.
Bernadette turns all the way around and leans into you, wrapping her arms around 
  your waist and resting her cheek on your chest.
Kevlan slowly puts his left arm around you; his right's still holding the 
  gitar. His hand's still curled slightly, but he holds you as best he can. You 
  feel his heart racing under your cheek.
Bernadette just stands quietly in the embrace, not sure of what to say or do....

[And, as Bernadette must disconnect, the log ends... ]