This scene takes place immediately after Bernadette's talk with Michael
about a possible way to help Kevlan recover.

----------
	Visions ripple uneasily through his head, images of disdainful,
	indistinct faces... each with a sardonic voice that sounds in his
	thoughts. Lamb-eyed fool calls himself a Singer. Disgrace to
	the Guild. Not worth the trouble the symbiont's gone to in him.

	More familiar faces show themselves, and each of these wear
	expressions of disappointment and rejection. One by one they
	frown and scowl at him, and turn away; he tries to call out to stop
	them, but no sound emerges from his throat. It's as if someone
	has ripped out his vocal cords.

	There's sound all around him, voices, the crystalline hums of
	engines, the rush of wind across a rock face... but within him, and
	wherever he moves, there is silence. Panic grips him - why can't he
	make any sound?

	Desperate, he runs, and all at once he's up on a ridge. The wind
	thrums with a low rumble of a note, and a flare of light catches his 
	eye. A memory of what those signs should mean flashes up within him;
	awkwardly, clumsily, he scrambles down the ridge towards the source of
	the sound and the light.

	But as soon as he approaches the rock face, the black crystal changes.
	Its vibration ceases - and to his alarm, its very surface begins to 
	vanish under a creeping, mute blanket of stone. He strives to utter a 
	note, any note, to sing the crystal into life... but nothing happens. 
	And when he claws with frantic fingers at the receding black glimmer, 
	the flow of stone accelerates. It closes around his hands, up his 
	arms, to his throat. Terrified, he struggles to wriggle free as the 
	rock rises up to seal him in a soundless, songless cage....

*Thump!*

"Kevlan! Shh, Kevlan, dear boy, it's alright, you're only dreaming... "

He blinks, confused, and slowly realizes that his blankets, rather than 
  stone, have tangled around his limbs. As he wakes, the bedroom 
  coalesces into reality around him: the desk, the Estenari hangings on 
  the walls, books and holos on the nearby shelves. The side of his head 
  is hurting, he realizes dimly... he's lying in a crumpled heap on the floor.

"Kevlan? Are you alright? Look at me, now."

The voice startles him, and he jerks in reflexive fright before he 
  focuses on Tamber's worried face just above him. _Tamber_, he then 
  thinks, in a rush of relief, as his friend crouches concernedly near 
  him. Slowly, embarrassed by the way his body shakes with weakness, 
  Kevlan sits up, automatically fumbling for the comfort of Tamber's 
  physical contact. _I'm scared, Tam..._

Tamber smiles to him, but not until Kevlan actually makes contact 
  himself does the Sorter cradle him and murmur encouragingly, "Shh, now, 
  my lad. Talk to me. It's alright."

Why is it so hard for him to talk, to think? Kevlan frowns; his throat 
  feels as if it's filled with plascrete, his thoughts insubstantial as 
  moonlight. Still trembling, he huddles in Tamber's arms, and struggles 
  to voice the first notion that enters his head. "F... fell?"

"Off the bed," Tamber agrees solemnly. "You were dreaming." He pauses, 
  and then adds gently, "Can you tell me about your dream, Kevlan?"

_Stone choking off his breath..._ Kevlan can't hold back the whimper 
  that creeps out of him, nor the shudder that racks his body at Tamber's 
  question. _Silence drowning him... _ "Ah... Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah c... cain't 
  si... " The plascrete lump in his throat seems to swell, and his vision 
  blurs with tears. Abashed, Kevlan tries to hide his face against 
  Tamber's shoulder.

"Oh, my dear boy, shh, it's alright... " There's a sigh near his ear, 
  and at last Tamber tells him, "You do not need to speak of it if you 
  cannot, Kevlan. But we do need to get you off the floor. Can you get up 
  for me?"

Feeling uncomfortably as if he's suddenly returned to age five, Kevlan 
  sniffles, and looks awkardly up. Tamber repeats his question, and 
  reluctantly, Kevlan uncurls from him. His head spins, but slowly, 
  clutching at Tamber's arms the entire time, Kevlan makes it to his feet.

Bernadette enters the suite, a tense look on her face; her eyes hard. She
  quickly masks this, however, as she notices Kevlan awake and standing up
  next to Tamber. She places a smile on her face and tries to relax,
  but doesn't completely succeed.

Kevlan stands near the bed, leaning unsteadily against Tamber, and both 
  men look up as the door abruptly slides open - Kevlan with startlement, 
  Tamber without surprise as the latter man knows that Bernadette is the 
  only party who could enter this room unannounced. Clad only in pajama 
  bottoms, Kevlan looks shaken and frightened, his sandy hair in a wild tumble.

Tamber holds the taller, younger man upright and wears a clearly 
  deliberately relaxed expression as he promptly tells Kevlan, "Look 
  here, my boy... Berni's here." He adds quietly, "Hello, my dear."

Kevlan blinkblinks and sways as he turns a plaintive gaze to his sweetheart.

Bernadette steps a little farther into the room and the door slides shut
  behind her. Again, she smiles, her eyes softening just a little, as she
  looks steadily back at Kevlan. "Hello, Kevlan. Good to see you up..." She
  shifts her eyes to Tamber and nods, returning his greeting. "Hello,
  Tamber." She moves no farther, although her legs twitch the slightest bit
  as she restrains herself from going to Kevlan. She clasps her hands tightly
  in front of her. "What's going on?" She looks between the two men and
  raises one hand to rub lightly at her temple.

Kevlan stumbles a little in Tamber's grasp as the Sorter says with a sigh, 
  "Kevlan was having a nightmare, my dear."

Bernadette looks concerned, and speaks directly to Kevlan. "Are you okay, Kev?"

Kevlan blushes visibly, and clutches at Tamber - apparently to keep from 
  falling down, as a dizzy look sweeps across his face. With the same 
  difficulty he's had every time he's tried to speak in the last several days, 
  he mumbles out hoarsely, "Dr... dr... dreamin'."

Bernadette continues looking at Kevlan for a moment more silently then she nods 
  and mutters "Okay...as long as you're alright..." She takes a couple more 
  steps closer to the two men.

Kevlan promptly pales, and looks very troubled. Tamber frowns at him quietly 
  and glances at Bernadette sidelong as he suggests to the younger man, "Do you 
  want to sit down, my lad?"
Kevlan stumbles a little and then clutches awkwardly for Bernadette, as he 
  tells her plaintively, "Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah c-c-cain't si... s.... " His face twists 
  in worry.

Bernadette blinks and stops herself a few steps awy from Kevlan, trying to keep 
  in mind Michael's advice and holds her hands out towards her love. "You can't 
  what, Kevlan?" she asks gently.

Tamber frowns very unobtrusively to himself as Kevlan's teary regard falls on 
  Berni. Careful to remain ostensibly relaxed, Tamber lets Kevlan step away 
  from him, but hovers immediately nearby.

Kevlan stumbles into Bernadette's arms and lurches against her clumsily as his 
  body, for the first time in many days, reacquaints itself with the idea of 
  being vertical for more than a few moments at a time.

Bernadette takes a small step backwards as she's momentarily knocked slightly 
  off-balance, but recovers quickly, readjusting her stance and holding Kevlan. 
  She tips her head back to look up at him and ask again gently "Can you tell 
  me, Kevlan? What can't you do?"

Kevlan looks mournfully down at Berni, and again tries to stammer, "C-c-cain't 
  si... " But the word trails off, and he fumbles with an awkward hand at his 
  throat.

Tamber straightens, eyeing Kevlan carefully... and then flicking a brief glance 
  to Kevlan's battered gitar, propped in its usual corner.

Bernadette's eyes drop to his throat before traveling up his face to his eyes 
  once more, as it dawns on her what he's trying to say. "You can't sing?"

Tamber gets a look rather clearly translating to, "Dear gods, I'd feared this," 
  but he says nothing, only takes a step nearer and gazes at both Singers in 
  heartfelt sympathy.

Kevlan blinks through tears, looking utterly heartbroken, before he utters a 
  tiny whimper and tries to hide his face in Berni's hair.

Bernadette shhhs and ducks her head away, so Kevlan can't hide his face. She 
  gazes up at him, one hand laid gently along the side of his face, then she 
  looks at Tamber for a moment before her eyes flick to the two stringed 
  instruments propped against the wall. She returns her gaze to Kevlan's face 
  and stands on tiptoe to place a gentle kiss on his lips. "Are you sure?" The 
  question is very quietly spoken.

Kevlan mumbles abashedly, "'S...s-s-sall gone... n-n-n-n-no good...!"

Tamber says at last, gently, "What is no good, dear boy?"

Bernadette looks at Tamber and waits for Kevlan to answer.

Thoughts of your claims pass through your head every once in awhile.
Non-singers around you see: You feel something is wrong as you gaze upon the 
  pale face of Kevlan.

Bernadette blinks and shakes her head just a little as she's momentarily 
  distracted, refocusing her attention on the two men.

Kevlan by way of reply simply deeply blushes, lowering his gaze in visible 
  embarrassment.

Bernadette glances at the guitars again. "Do you want to sit down, Kevlan?"

Kevlan gives a rough, ashamed nod.

Tamber immediately clasps one of Kevlan's arms, allowing Berni to take the 
  other. "Chair or bed, dear boy?"

Bernadette links her arm through Kevlan's free arm and brushes his hair back 
  from his face. "It's okay, love..."

Kevlan, as if confused by the choice, looks helplessly between his two 
  companions. As Berni's hand smooths his wild hair out of his eyes, he finally 
  sniffles a little, and looks at the nearest chair.

Bernadette looks up at Tamber for a moment, then helps guide Kevlan towards the 
  indicated chair.

Kevlan is still unsteady on his feet, and he sinks into the beanbag gratefully, 
  fumbling for Bernadette the moment he is all the way down.

Bernadette lowers herself onto the bean bag, as well, sitting near the edge but 
  next to Kevlan. She glances once again at her guitar then asks "May I play 
  for you, Kevlan?"

Tamber lifts his eyebrows, and regards Bernadette consideringly when Kevlan 
  isn't looking in his direction. His look suggests he's wondering if 
  Bernadette knows what she's doing.

Kevlan starts, and stares at Berni for a long moment. He starts to tremble, 
  seeming frightened again.

Bernadette says quickly, "It's okay if you don't want me to...just say so, 
  love." She meets Tamber's eyes, her own suggesting that no, she doesn't 
  really know what she's doing, but she was hoping.

Kevlan swallows hard; his expression is palpably torn, fear mingled with 
  yearning. Once more he struggles to speak, but what emerges from him is a 
  hoarse rasp. ".... 'll... g-g-g-go 'way!"

Bernadette frowns a little, looking the slightest bit confused "What will go 
  away?"

Kevlan begins to weep again, and tries to curl into his love's lap, shaking.
Kevlan repeats despondently, "'llgoway!"

Tamber murmurs very softly, "I think he means your playing, my dear."

Bernadette makes another shushing noise and moves her arms to let him curl on 
  her lap, rubbing his back and smoothing his hair again. "It's okay, 
  Kev...It's okay. I won't play...don't worry..." She looks up at Tamber with a 
  helpless shrug, clearly not understanding what he means, even with the 
  Sorter's translation.

Tamber frowns musingly, resting a hand on Kevlan's shoulder. He murmurs to him, 
  "Dear boy, do you _want_ Bernadette to sing for you?"

Kevlan peeks timidly up, at that.

Bernadette leans forward and kisses Kevlan on the head, affirming "I'll do 
  whatever you want, Kevlan."

Kevlan finally, slowly nods to Tamber, but the fearful look hasn't left his 
  eyes as he mumbles, "'ll g-go 'way." He sits up a little, but still clutches 
  at Bernadette as if afraid that she, too, will vanish.

Bernadette hugs Kevlan to her a little bit. "I'm not going anywhere, love..." 
  she murmurs gently.

Kevlan slowly seems to calm a bit as Tamber agrees gently, "Nor I, my friend, 
  nor I."

Bernadette raises her eyes slowly to look at Tamber. She looks troubled and a 
  bit defeated, but she looks away again, back to Kevlan, before the Sorter can 
  be really sure.

[Log ends here.]