Date: Fri,  9 Jun 95 10:26:08 PDT

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[Intro]:
Kevlan Sharr, his beloved Bernadette Marshall, and Kevlan's father 
Orynn have completed their preparations for their trip to Estenar, the 
Sharr's homeworld, and meet on Shankill Station to await the departure 
of their shuttle. Kevlan and Orynn, though, find themselves needing to 
wait in the catering lounge while Bernadette goes off for a while to 
find her brother Andros, presumably to say good-bye... but to the 
surprise of both men, she comes back to them in a clearly angry mood....

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Bernadette appears in the lounge and says to the Sharrs, "Let's
  go," in a slightly rough voice. She turns on her heel and stalks out of
  the room, presumably headed for the shuttle area.

"Berni honey....?" Kevlan calls tentatively after her. When she stalks
  on, he exchanges glances with his father; Orynn's bushy brows are up,
  but the older man just nods and nudges his son after his sweetheart.

Despite Berni's short legs, she's moves surprisingly quick. By the time
  the two men start after her, she's just disappearing through the door
  on the other end of the room; her steps are heavy, nearly a stomp,
  judging by the way her hair is bouncing along her back, and the cloud
  of anger surrounding her is almost visible.

Orynn Sharr keeps an even pace with his son, and regards Bernadette's
  stalking form with some bemusement. Glancing at Kevlan as they
  press after her, the older man mutters sidelong to him, "What's got 'er
  in a dither, boy?"

Kevlan frowns softly to himself, suspecting what might have happened,
  though he's not quite certain it's his place to talk about it with
  his sire... but then, it's been years since he saw Orynn. _And if the Lady
  smiles on us,_ he thinks, _he'll be her daddy, too... _
Kevlan murmurs at last to his father, pitching his voice to carry only to
  Orynn's ears, "Ah think... she had a fight with 'er brothah."

As the three head into the shuttlebay, the place hums with activity, as
  usual... and their shuttle is a sleek one, awaiting its liftoff out of
  Shankill with an almost proud air about its shining hull, as if the very
  ship is somehow aware it would be ferrying Singers and pleased
  to do so. _Blue Starcrest Traveler_, the name on the hull proclaims,
  perhaps ostentatiously... but then, it's not uncommon to see
  ostentatious ships on Shankill Station, catering to wealthy Singers
  who will pay anything to get anywhere, so long as it's off Ballybran.

Kevlan takes in the sights all around them, and it abruptly hits him
  that he's going _home_, for the first time in ten years. He'd never been
  able to afford passage home, before he was a Singer... and after,
  he'd never had the time. But now, the notion staggers him, and a
  wave of homesickness makes a lump rise in his throat.

Orynn glances at his son, and smiles crookedly. "Ah think," the
  older man says dryly, "that gittin' you an' your pledged off to some
  fresh air an' sunshine'll do you both some good."

Kevlan nods quickly, snapping his attention back, and follows Bernadette
  and his father onto the shuttle.

Orynn, Kevlan and Bernadette board the _Blue Starcrest Traveler_,
  Berni preceeding the two men into its cabin. A shuttle attendant stands
  near the entrance, cheerily welcoming the trio on board, her smile
  faltering slightly as Bernadette brushes past her with a mumbled "Yeah,
  yeah, whatever..." on the Singer's way to her seat, which she plops down
  into unceremoniously.

Kevlan turns crimson, and begins to stammer, before Orynn interrupts him
  with a smooth "Don't pay no nevah-mind t' her, she's got jitters on account
  o' she's gonna marry mah boy" to the attendant. Relieved by his father's
  intervention, Kevlan gives him a grateful smile, which Orynn returns
  readily enough, though the older man's gaze is plainly curious.

Bernadette grumble-mumbles quietly from her seat something about how
  she doesn't need anyone to make excuses for her.

Orynn looks unruffled, though he clearly notes Bernadette's mutter.

The two Sharrs follow Berni into the main cabin and to the seats by the
  viewport that she'd unceremoniously plopped into. Kevlan hesitates,
  as Orynn asks Bernadette gently, "Bern'dette, we gotta long flight t'
  Estenar. There's a room for us if you wanna git some shut-eye."

Bernadette turns her face away from the viewport to bestow a
  rather stony, though unintentionally so, gaze upon Orynn. Her lips
  are pressed tightly together and her cheeks are flushed, arms
  crossed tightly across her chest, one ankle resting on the knee of
  the opposite leg. She blinks, her expression softening slightly into
  one of mixed embarassment and guilt, muttering as she looks once
  more out the viewport, "I'm not sleepy..."

Kevlan's father nods sagely. "Well, you don't need t' git shut-eye right
  now, though it's gonna take at least two days f'r us t' git theah even
  with that newfangled engine in this craft."

Kevlan nods, putting in, "Um, two rooms, Berni honey... one f'r Pa an'
  one f'r us... " He offers this tentatively, as if not quite certain she
  wants to be in his company right now.

Once again, she turns her head to look at the Sharr who's addressing her,
  her gaze less harsh and she nods. "Okay," is all she replies. Her tone
  is rather noncommittal. She continues looking at father and son, though,
  as if waiting for them to say something more, or join her near the
  viewport.

Gingerly Kevlan settles himself into the seat beside his beloved, and asks,
  "You want anythin' t' eat, Berni honey?"

Bernadette unfolds her arms and leans her shoulder against Kevlan beside
  her. With a little sigh, she shakes her head and looks out the viewport one
  more time. "I'm not very hungry." The words are very quiet and she sits
  silently for a good while....long after Orynn has also settled into
  a seat and the _Blue Starcrest Traveler_ has launched from its docking bay
  on its way to Estenar.

Finally, Berni looks away from the viewport to take in the two Sharrs.
  Another little sigh escapes her lips as she looks apologetically at the
  men. "I'm sorry I'm not very good company right now," she begins
  quietly, "Just that...well, Andros..." she looks at Orynn and explains,
  "My brother," before continuing, "...won't tell me what's going on.
  He's shutting me out, and that's just not like him." She frowns and
  looks down at her hands in her lap. "I'm worried, but if he's not going
  to talk to me, I'm not going to hang around waiting." She looks up again,
  her expression a little firmer, as she says in an obstinate tone "He
  _knows_ that."

Orynn's eyebrows go up. The older man has settled himself into a seat
  opposite the two young Singers, far enough away to give a bit of space
  to them, but well within earshot. He gets a look on his face rather similar
  to his son's, one of gravely considering the words he is about to speak,
  though all he says is, "If you jes' need t' sit quiet f'r a while,
  Bern'dette, that'll be all right with me."

Kevlan shifts slightly, trying to arrange his shoulder into the best possible
  leaning-against position. He ventures, gently, "Me too, honey... we
  c'n jes' sit an' look out at th' stars... "

As Kevlan speaks, the starcraft wings out and well away from Ballybran's
  orbit, into the seemingly endless field of stars. The captain's voice, a
  strong husky contralto, comes over the _Traveller_'s intercom,
  announcing, "Honored travellers, the _Blue Starcrest Traveller_ is now
  underway, en route to the Andurin system via Fuerte. I am your captain,
  Sionna Mallory, and my crew and I wish to welcome you aboard.... "
  The woman's voice goes on in brief but polite pleasantries, following her
  welcome message with a brief description of the craft's intended
  route.

Bernadette smiles at her travel companions, a welcome sight from the angry,
  sullen expression that had been plastered on her face, and she nods.
  "Thanks. I don't want to talk about it just now, anyway. Besides, it'd
  just put a damper on the trip..." She tips her head back to smile again
  at Kevlan and leans forward a bit, drawing his arm around her shoulders,
  and settles back comfortably against him, watching the passing stars and
  listening quietly to the captain's recitation.

Kevlan holds Bernadette gently, while Orynn seems approving, and offers up
   tidbits of small talk about the Sharr family - which consists of not only
  Kevlan's two brothers, but his oldest brother's wife and two children,
  Orynn's own older and grizzled brother, all the family that came in with the
  oldest brother's wife, and the two old maiden sisters of Orynn's own deceased
  wife, Kevlan's mother. From the explanation, it's almost as if the Sharrs
  are related to half the province - "'Course, ever'body's kinda related
  t' ever'body else if you go back far 'nough," Orynn elaborates. "Folks
  in Farann Province tend t' keep t' one 'nothah."

Slowly, Bernadette's dark mood disipates and soon she's smiling genuinely,
  asking questions about the family and laughing at some of the tales Orynn
  tells. She volunteers no information on herself or her family, however,
  content to learn all she can about the Sharrs.

Kevlan remains mostly quiet as his father makes pleasant small talk,
  seeming pleased to just absorb all of Orynn's familial gossip, and
  hold Berni to him. Only when the older man says, a shrewd knowing
  glint in his eyes, "Ever'body's lookin' forward t' seein' you two.
  They're hopin' we'll be havin' a proper weddin' - and Ah cain't count
  how many folks've asked me if you're singin' diff'rent now, son,
  now that you're in th' Heptite Guild an' all."

At that, Kevlan blinkblinks, and his arm tightens somewhat around his
  love. "Ah-Ah don't think Ah sound too diff'rent, Pa... "

Bernadette smiles and pats Kevlan's knee, as she says softly, "It's been
  a while since I've heard him sing, Mr. Sharr, but I don't think folks
  will be disappointed if he does sing for them." She smiles at Kevlan,
  then blinks as something else Orynn said sinks in. She looks at the
  older Sharr curiously. "Proper wedding?" she asks cautiously with a
  slightly nervous giggle. "We, um, we hadn't discussed when the ceremony
  would be..." She looks up at Kevlan again, grasping his hand on her
  shoulder with her own, looking slightly panicked at the realization that,
  yes, she finally _will_ be marrying the handsome young man beside her.

Orynn beams at his son, declaring, "Mah boy's nevah disappointed
  me with 'is singin'. Evah since th' day he stepped up at th' fair an' sung
  us all a song about his dog Teesa - he was jes' eight years old.
  'Course, that's a Standard year, not how we count 'em on Estenar... "

"Aww, Pa...!" Kevlan blushes scarlet.

His father gives a bass chuckle, continuing, "An' he was fourteen when
  th' Lady started movin' 'im in song, as it were.... " Orynn winks at the
  younger Sharr as Kevlan, embarrassed, tries to hide his blush behind
  his beloved's hair.

Bernadette grins and chuckles, visibly relieved that the conversation has
  been steered away from the wedding for the time being. She shakes her hair
  loose of Kevlan's grasp dispelling his hiding place, and cranes her neck
  around to grin at him. "The _Teesa Narie_ is named after your dog? How
  sweet!" She chuckles again and winks at Orynn, then declares "I think I
  _am_ hungry, after all..." and flags the attendant down, requesting a
  sizeable meal for the three travelers.

Kevlan mumbles "Both dogs... "

Bernadette smiles at Kevlan again and twists in her seat to give him a
  peck on the cheek.

"Fine ol' hounds they were, too, sprung five or six litters each before
  they passed on last summer," Orynn remarks. "Their pups're all ovah th'
  Province, now. Got some of 'em at home, son."

Bernadette finally makes a reference to her own home life on Chanuuk.
  "We had hound dogs, too. Slept out in the barn, mostly, except when
  I could sneak them inside to sleep in my room." She chuckles. "They
  usually lost fights with the more carniverous animals that occasionally
  decided to invade the ranch, so we never really got too attached to
  them." She shrugs a little.

Orynn nods sagely. "Ain't nevah had no trouble with carnivores, f'r which
  we thank th' Lady." He smiles.

Kevlan perks up a bit, his expression softening immediately at the notion
  of puppies. Right about then the attendant arrives, smiles winningly at the
  trio, and cheerfully inquires as to desired orders. Orynn nods approvingly
  at Bernadette's requested amount of food - "both o' y'all look like a good
  stiff wind'd knock you ovah" - and orders enough himself to feed, if not
  a Singer's metabolism, then at least one of a hale farming man.

With a grin, Bernadette shrugs again. "My mom would probably scold me for
  trying to ruin my figure if she knew how much I ate sometimes."

Kevlan says tenderly, "Y' don't show it, honey... "

Orynn grins, as the two Sharrs set to the food, and the meal begins to pass
  pleasantly....

Bernadette grins at Kevlan and gives a little laugh. "In fact, only
  time I think I could ever have been termed heavy was while I was pre...."
  She cuts herself off, blinkblinks and blushes, looks down at her food and
  mutters "Never mind..." as she starts attacking her food.

As Bernadette has shifted slightly away from him to get to the food, she
  can't feel Kevlan stiffen, but he _does_ start as she cuts off her own words.
  He frowns softly, and Orynn's eyebrows go up as the two men exchange glances,
  Kevlan's uncertain and his father's slightly startled. But Kevlan seems to
  decide to go along with the "Never mind," and determinedly if somewhat
  stammeringly engages his father in small talk about the folk of
  their province even as his hand shyly seeks a resting place on Berni's knee.

Still extremely red-faced and seemingly thoroughly engrossed in her dinner,
  which she now picks at, as opposed to eating heartily, Bernadette
  trembles slightly, keeping her eyes glued to the plate in front of her,
  her hand moving to cover yours on her knee. She gives it a gently squeeze.
  Eventually, as the two continue their small talk, she lifts her head
  again and listens quietly, contributing hesitantly to the conversation
  now and then, until her faux pas is, so she thinks, forgotten.

The trio continue chatting long after they've completed their meals until
  late in the night when they all head for their rooms to get some sleep.
  Orynn bids the young couple a good evening's rest and slips into his
  room while the two Singers enter their shared room.

[End log.]
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