Log Date:
3/1/97
Log Cast:
Skeezix, Shenner, Dillon, Kaley, Kuxli, Quick
Log Intro:
In the middle of fretfully waiting for the command brass of the
NRV _Alderaan_ to allow Grathix to land his ship in their docking bay,
Shenner has found herself in the uncomfortable position of finding out
all sorts of sensitive information -- not only of an intelligence nature,
like the whereabouts of Han Solo, but also of a personal nature, like
Jessalyn's feelings for Luke Skywalker and the death of the wife of
Captain Calhoun. Shenner is unnerved by all the stress she's been seeing
exhibited by the personnel on this ship, and also by a growing sense that
she has no real business being there, Luke Skywalker's concern for her
safety and the need to find the missing General Solo aside -- for after
all, now that she's offered up what information she has, what can a
street rat bard do to aid the effort to find the captive General?
It's in this frustrated frame of mind that Shenner hunkers down
for another practice session with her guitar in the crews' quarters....
----------
Skeezix walks into the Crew Quarters, his new Brigadier General's patch
shining in the dim light.
Skeezix
The man before you stands to about 5'11. He is bulky, agile and carries a
determined look in his vivid blue eyes. He is young, looking to be about 26,
his short brown hair just starting to show age. A gold wedding band is
always worn on his left hand ring finger.
He is currently dressed in a skin-tight black jumpsuit that runs from his neck
to feet, covering his arms and ending in a pair of black gloves. A dark
brown protective vest covers his upper body and the back of his neck.
Strapped around his waist is a jet black utility belt, carrying some
important field utilities, ration packs, a medpack, and numerous extras. His
durable leather holster is wrapped down a short length of his right leg and
slung low for quick access. Inside the holster, a heavy blaster pistol can
be seen. A pair of shiny black combat boots run up to his midcalf, tied
tightly.
A shiny, new rankplate has been placed over his left breast - the five pips
denoting him to be a Brigadier General.
Carrying:
R2-L1
NRGO_Lecture_Object
Tactical Roster
R2-L1 Remote/Datapad(#2774OVX)
The young redhead Shenner is parked again on 'his' bunk, crosslegged, guitar
in lap; the kid's scowling intently and is ripping a path through a
fast-paced melody line. Evidently Shenner doesn't quite have it down to
'his' satisfaction; once or twice, the kid's fingers fumble on the strings,
making the scowl deepen.
Skeezix grins as he walks over towards Shenner. "Kid," he says, "You've got it
all wrong. You can't approach a problem with a bad attitude."
Shenner jumps, looking up, and blinking distractedly. "What?" comes a blank
response.
He shakes his head and says, "You seem too frustrated, kid." The General nods
to 'his' guitar and says, "Take it easy, and try again."
Shenner's brow crinkles under that short forelock. "Karkin' right I'm
frustrated, been workin' on this all mornin'," the kid mutters. Another
attempt at the fast, complex passage produces a new variant on discords in
the key of G, and Shenner scowls anew.
Skeezix laughs, "Kid, you need to take a few minutes to relax. Go grab a drink
or something. Then you can come back and try again." He shakes his head, his
grin fading. "Scowling over it won't help."
Shenner studies the man, 'his' own look somewhere between peevish and vaguely
embarrassed, now. "I, uh... thought I should stay in here." Shen shrugs, and
starts fingering the measures again, slower this time, but the strings make
another unpleasant noise at 'him' as if in protest.
Skeezix shakes his head, "Nonsense... you're just not allowed in the Fore
Corridor or the Bridge."
"I know," Shenner mutters grumpily, "I'm just tryin' to stay out of the way,
see? Till y'all let Grath land. It ain't like I got a use on this boat." One
more time. Eighth note pair up, eighth note pair down, syncopate through
those next two beats -- miss the chord. The kid smacks the guitar, and lifts
clearly stiff hands off the strings to try and stretch them out.
Skeezix asks, "Who is this Grath character, anyway?"
Shenner rubs fretfully at the fingertips of 'his' right hand, and answers
without looking up, "My boss."
"You have a job?" the General asks, growing a bit perplexed. He walks over
towards the kid's bunk, his arms swinging lazily at his sides.
Shenner rolls one shoulder in another shrug. "Don't much look like it,
anymore, since your General Solo ain't on Etti IV anymore."
Skeezix nods gravely, "No kidding. You say he was sent to Palanhi, correct?"
Shenner does look up, then, brows drawing together over green eyes. "Well... I
thought Jess... um, Major Valios?" The youngster sounds a trifle uncertain
about the name, or the rank, or both. "... said that. We didn't find out
where he was."
Skeezix nods, "She must have..but nevertheless.... we know that's where he was
sent. I'm... just trying to figure out /how/ Palanhi fits in with all that's
happened so far.." He pauses, then chuckles despite himself. "Not like I
know everything already."
Shenner shifts to massaging the left hand with the right, while saying
wearily, "Well, you probably know a damn sight more 'n' I do, pal."
Skeezix plops down onto a cot nearby and offers a smirk over to Shenner.
"Yeah, yer probably right, like it matters?"
Skeezix shakes his head idly and says, "There's just so much more to be
learned."
Once more the youngster shrugs, as if sullen indifference were 'his' elected
Mood of the Day. "Yeah, so, well, that's why I'm stayin' out of your all's
way, so you can do it."
Skeezix grins, "Ya know.. you could be /in/ our way... and helpin' us do it."
Shenner lifts that green gaze, just slightly, clearly sliding the General a
look while trying to pretend not to -- a chord, perhaps, struck with the
youngster, if not with the guitar. But Shenner says neutrally, "Don't see
much use for a street bard with y'all."
The General's voice comes out somewhat contradicting. "Not true, kid... not
true at all. If I remember correctly... a farm boy from a dust ball called
Tattoine won the battle of Yavin... and we could use what info ya might
know."
Shenner, for no easily discernible reason, winces ever so slightly at the
mention of the desert world. And as if in haste to cover it, Shen parries,
"I told Luke -- er, um... the Jedi -- everything already."
The frown on Skeezix's face shows more than a bit of concern. "Shenner, you've
got to tell me what you told him." He looks over at Shenner with icy blue
eyes. "Please."
Dillon enters from the Aft Main Corridor.
Dillon has arrived.
Skeezix, from his seat on a cot next to Shenner's, looks over as Dillon
enters. His eyes show a deep concern as he takes a moment to recognize
Dillon. He then looks back to Shenner, slowly.
Dillon
Before you is a man about 6 feet in height. His hair is dark brown and combed
neatly. He is a handsome man, but none of his features are striking or
unusual. His face his mostly smooth, except for the crow's feet begining to
set in the corner's of his eyes. His eyes would be listed as hazel in any
form of ID but their true color is closer to grey. His jaw looks tough and
square.
He is wearing a pair of gleaming white trousers a light blue under shirt and a
lab technicians coat. In his left hand he carries a data pad, which is
looking down at every chance he gets. His hands look large and powerful, yet
not exageratedly so. They look very sooth, as if they have never encountered
manual labor and his finger nails are neat and trim. He is sporting a 5
oclock shadow, beard.
Shenner, at the soft swish of the door, looks up warily at the new arrival,
then back at the man questioning 'him'. "He didn't tell yah?"
Skeezix shakes his head and mutters quietly to Shenner.
Skeezix whispers, "No... he was in too much of a hurry to /leave/. It's got me
worried."
Dillon stammers in, looking down at his data pad. He looks around the room for
a bit and bites his lower lip. He takes a few more steps in notices Shenner
and Skeezix for the first time, he smiles at both of them and asks no one in
general, "Where can a fella get a decent meal around here?"
Shenner's brow crinkles at Skeezix's mutter, but the kid offers no reply,
glancing at the General to see if he'll handle this.
Skeezix glances up to Dillon and motions towards a food dispenser near the
door. "O'er there," he calls out, then looks back to Shenner, meeting his
gaze with a solid nod.
Dillon looks toward the dispenser and ohhs. He grins warmly and nods to
Skeezix before heading towards it. He reaches the machine and pause for a
few moments, as he looks over the choices available.
Shenner leans warily closer to Skeezix, frowning.
Skeezix senses, "Shenner whispers, blankly, "Skywalker's gone?""
Dillon continues browsing over the choices and he raises his right hand up to
select one. He grumble, "Crap! That's not what I wanted, stupid machine. I
want the L'lahsh damnit!"
Skeezix nods slowly to Shenner, and mutters something back to him.
Skeezix whispers, "Yes.. he left late last night."
The youngster with the guitar glances over at the angry man at the caterer;
then, grudgingly, Shenner returns attention to the General.
Shenner might be seen to frown, looking worried, now, the earlier sullen mood
cracking.
You whisper, "Um.... I don't know where he went..." to Skeezix.
Skeezix perks an eyebrow at Shenner and nods slowly. He murmurs something to
the 'boy', intent drawn on his face.
Dillon watches as the machine dispenses the correct food this time. He takes
his L'lahsh and breaths in deeply, "Ah, I haven't had any of this in a long
time." He looks down at the plate of food that the machine had dispensed
originally and turns back to Skeezix and Shenner, "Anybody want some fried
Bantha crud? I sure as hell am not going to eat it."
Skeezix whispers, "Kid... I gotta know anything you can tell me about Solo."
Shenner's green gaze flicks around to the other man, and the kid's nose
crinkles on the word 'Bantha'. "No thanks," comes a wary mutter, though it's
clear most of the youngster's attention remains on the General.
Skeezix seems to politely ignore Dillon, his hands forming together to rest
across one knee as he sits, leaning forward, speaking with Shenner.
Skeezix senses, "Shenner is clearly wavering. The angry glower the kid had
been wearing has started to shift into a strange mingle of wariness... and
concern. "Look..." Pitching 'his' voice very low, Shen says huskily, "what I
know ain't much... and there ain't much of it that's about your General,
see?""
Dillon shrugs and leaves the Bantha crud near the dispenser. He turns back
toward the middle of the room and looks around. He sneers slightly and
mumbles, "This place isn't exactly a dining hall now is it? I guess I'll
just go find some place where I can sit down and eat my food."
Dillon walks towards the exit
You sense: Skeezix nods slowly, "Yeah, I gotcha. Just trying to dig up
anything I can.."
Dillon enters the Aft Main Corridor.
Dillon has left.
Shenner's gaze flicks after the departed stranger, and then the kid sighs.
Skeezix sighs and leans back into the cot. "I just hope we find out what we
need about this Lady Alora person.."
Shenner's brow furrows. "Uhm... Skywalker said... she's like him. A, uh...
Jedi."
Skeezix blinks and looks over to Shenner. "A Jedi Knight?" He frowns slightly
and asks, "Corrupted, or... like Luke?"
The youngster goes decidedly paler. In a small voice, Shenner says, "He
said...." 'He' closes his eyes a moment, consulting memory. "Luke said....
she wasn't 'completely consumed', yet. Whatever that means. I... asked Luke
about whether she coulda gotten out of my head that... my boss was lookin'
for Solo."
Skeezix nods slowly and says, "I see." He frowns deeply and mutters something
under his breath... something along the lines of, "Don't get yerself killed,
Skywalker.."
Shenner, looking up again -- and looking decidedly scared -- says almost
meekly, "So... see... all I know is.... my boss was lookin' for Solo, and...
I'm worried about this Lady, 'cause I can't think of any other reason she'da
been buggin' me, except if she knew what we were doin'. She tried to give me
money."
Shenner finishes, "But... we didn't find out nothin', see? I just kinda got in
the middle of Luke's fight, and, uh, well, here I am."
Skeezix folds his arms over his chest and says, "You know, this /might/ have
something to do with it all..." He looks away for a moment, thoughtfully,
then back to the kid next to him. "Well, ya can't go back to Etti... for all
you know, she could be waitin' there for you."
Shenner nods, unsettledly. "Grathix and I... gotta talk about that, I guess...
ain't got no reason to go back anyhow, since Solo ain't down there,
except..." The kid looks vaguely troubled for a moment, suddenly.
Skeezix leans forward, his fingers entwined together. "Except what?" he asks.
Shenner lowers 'his' eyes. "I kinda got a friend down there. I bet he's
worried."
The General's gaze suddenly turns apologetic. "I'm sorry... to hear that. Is
your friend in danger?"
Shenner's face turns more troubled. "I dunno," the kid mumbles.
Skeezix looks to the floor and asks, "Who's your friend?"
Shenner shifts a bit, moving the guitar in 'his' lap. "His name's Shikh..."
Skeezix hmmms and says, "I don't know if I can do anything to help... the CSA
knows about me already." He shakes his head and asks, "Maybe if Caspar
could... look into it?"
Shenner blinks and looks back at the General. "You... could contact him?"
Skeezix says, "I couldn't contact him through space... but I might have a
couple friends who could."
_That_, definitely, gets through to the kid; Shen's expression melts entirely
into something that's grateful, almost shy. And more than a little
surprised. "I ain't hardly told you nothin', though."
"I know the feeling," The General says curtly. "Besides, this might help key
in on this deal with Solo."
"I just... well, see, he got real worried about Alora buggin' me, see, I-I
just want him to know I'm okay," Shenner blurts.
Skeezix nods to Shenner. "I don't think getting the message to him is much of
a problem, kid."
Shenner smiles, crookedly, blinking a bit and looking as if 'he' doesn't quite
know what to say, now.
Kaley enters from the Aft Main Corridor.
Kaley has arrived.
Kaley smiles. "Hi. I'm not interupting am I?"
Skeezix leans back into the cot again, appearing a bit grateful for the hard
surface. He smirks as Shenner boggles and glances over to Kaley. "Not at
all.. Kaley was it?"
Shenner blinks a time or two more, then looks up startledly at Kaley's
entrance. "Uh... no... it's okay..."
Kuxli has connected.
Kaley smiles. "Yeah, and you are..." She pauses breifly, "Beaubos?"
Kaley looks at you for a moment.
Kaley sits near the boy. "And your Shenner."
Skeezix nods to Kaley, "Yep." To the wise idea, one might notice the
newer-looking five-pipped rankplate on his left breast, typical of a New
Republic General.
Shenner nods, smiling half-heartedly. "Yeah."
Kuxli sretches his furry arms from atop his bunk as he wakes up, blinking a
few times as he adjusts to the light. He sits up slowly, sliding his long
legs over the edge of the bunk.
Kaley smiles at Skeezix. "Hey, you've been promoted since we last talked. Way
to go."
Shenner does a bit of a double-take, and shoots a glance back at the man who
had been questioning 'him'. "Huh?"
Skeezix grins slightly, though he can't manage to hide his hint of
embarrasment. "Thanks... it was a complete surprise, really."
Dillon enters from the Aft Main Corridor.
Dillon has arrived.
Kaley moves closer to Shenner. "So how have you been handling yourself lately?"
Dillon walks into the crew quarters looking very intent and determined. He
walks right up to Skeezix and asks in a serious and urgent tone, "Sir, may I
have a word with you?"
Shenner shifts positions on the bunk, better settling the guitar in 'his' lap,
and offers gruffly, "Just tryin' to keep out of the way while everybody
works..." Then, the kid trails off at the new interruption.
Skeezix looks up to Dillon, his embarrased face covered by one of
determination. He stands up and nods before saying, "Certainly... Dillon,
right?"
Kaley frowns at the seriousness but stays uninvolved.
Kuxli blinks, still not totally awake. He glances over as the door opens,
sniffing the air lightly as he notices it's Dillon. He eyes the man, but
doesn't say anything.
Dillon nods to Skeezix, his determination unwavering and unaware of anyone
other than Skeezix, "That's right. Has Luke reported in from Palahni?"
Skeezix asks, "Well... that depends." He gives Dillon a long gaze before
adding, "How long ago /was/ Skywalker at Palanhi?"
Dillon stands rigid and continues speaking in an urgent tone, "When we both
saw him and Jessalyn storm out of the medsuite. That's when they left."
Skeezix nods and says, "No. They're still gone." One of his eyelids lower a
bit as he peers loosely at Dillon, almost as if scrutinizing him.
Kuxli itches behind one furry ear, he glances at Skeezix, "They let Jessalyn
off ship? 10 min's after almost /dying/?"
Shenner's attention flicks to Kuxli as the young Horansi steps into the
conversation; Shen's eyes widen at Kuxli's words, though.
Dillon looks down from Skeezix and swallows hard. He looks back up and his
voice sound more urgent than ever, "I have reason to fear that they may not
be returning, unless we can get to them in time."
Kuxli shakes his head slowly, "I dont think she's in any state to go anywhere,
after almost killing herself on an overdose.."
Skeezix looks over to Kuxli and asks, "We've not seen Major Valios anywhere...
but that doesn't mean that she left with them." He looks abck to Dillion,
thinking that it might be possible that she did. "Well," he speaks slowly to
Dillion, "Now I'll have to think about that one... won't I?"
Dillon responds immidiately, in an almost desperate tone, "We don't have time
to think. They may all be dead!"
Kuxli pauses a moment, his ears lay back as he glances at Dillon then back to
Skeezix, "And no one is worried about her? The head of Milops just
disappears, 10 mins after OD'ing on drugs, and no one looks for her?"
Skeezix narrows his eyes as he watches Dillon. "And what happens if this is a
trap, Dillon? You /did/ work for the CSA, didn't you?"
Dillon nods quickly, "Yes, yes I did and I am almost sure this was a trap. If
this was a trap the Empire may already be holding Luke, Princess Leia,
Winter, Jessalyn and Solo."
Skeezix chews on his lower lip, his eyes narrowing in distant anger, perhaps
frustration. He looks over to Shenner for a long moment, saying nothing.
Shenner, getting glanced at, frowns, and gets up. "I know a cue to leave when
I see one," the kid mutters.
Skeezix shakes his head, "No, kid.... it's.." He shakes his head, "Nevermind."
He looks back to Dillon and asks, "Well, tell me something. How do you
expect to deal with this problem?"
Kuxli lets out a growl-sigh, then leans back against the wall, he gaze dancing
between Skeezix and Dillon as they speak, ears perked back up.
Dillon looks at Skeezix with a sense of urgency and speaks as if every word is
of paramount importance, "General, sir. I think that a support team should
be sent to Palahni to back them up. Just incase they have walked into the
Empire's snare."
Skeezix asks, "A support team?" His eyelashes seem to flutter as his eyes
narrow again. "And do /you/ know how strong the Empire is at Palanhi?" he
asks, growing a bit convincing himself. "Tell me how large of a force you
think we'll /need/ to turn a mission of this calibre from a suicide mission
into one that could actually work."
Dillon stands firm and resolved, "Sir, I know this much. The Empire has no
functional outpost on Palahni. The team need not be very big, only large
enough to lay down enough supressing fire to allow Luke, the Princess,
Jessalyn, and Winter time to escape."
Shenner eyes that door again -- but doesn't flee, not yet, having registered
the General's comment. And Shenner quietly puts in, "Doncha'll think you
oughtta find out if the Empire actually has 'em first, before you start
shootin'?"
Kuxli tilts his head back, running his tounge over his front fangs before he
speaks, "Before we go jumping into a big ole battle.. why dont we send
someone to find out if their even captured..."
Kuxli glances at Shenner as 'he' speaks exactly what was thinking, a small
grin forming on his face.
Shenner suddenly grins broadly at Kuxli.
The General nods, as if in agreement. "You are absolutely correct, Dillon.
However," he says, acknowledging Shenner's comment, "we don't know if the
Imperials /have/ taken them to Palanhi. It could be one big rumor. And
wouldn't be surprised if the Empire'd reinforce Palanhi with one big
garrison /full/ of Stormtroopers."
Dillon turns toward Shenner and Kuxli and states in a serious tone, "And how
do you propose we do that? Simply ask the Empire if they have them? We still
aren't even sure if they have Solo."
Kuxli looks back to Dillon, a smirk now on his furry face, "Oh come on, it'd
be easy. Send a few people there, if they got arressted im sure /someone/
would have noticed."
Skeezix slowly folds his arms over his chest and quiets himself with a scowl
as the others begin to speak.
Dillon looks back at Kuxli no expression other than urgency obvious on his
face, "A few people have already gone to Palahni and we are not sure as to
what has happend to them. If they were arrested, no one noticed."
Kuxli leans forward, his gaze still on Dillon, he quarks a toothy grin, "They
haven't? What makes you so sure eh? Like he said, Palanhi is an Imperial
planet, now why would Imps go and tell the NR fleet that they have
prisoners? I dont think so, just send a few people over there. "
Skeezix nods slowly and speaks to Dillon, "Then we don't know taht they are at
Palanhi. Where is the logic in /going/ there?" He doesn't yell these words,
yet they do come out at a higher velocity, a bit of an edge to them.
Shenner, at Dillon's words, just shrugs. "All this is way over _my_ head,
pal," the kid says to the man. "Just thought I'd point it out." Looking
uneasy, again, Shenner shrugs, and quietly slips out.
[However, apparently, Dillon and Skeezix decide to take their conversation
to a more private location, as Kaley and Kuxli remain in the crews' quarters.
Out in the hall, Shenner sees the two men go by, so opts to head back
into the crews' quarters....]
You enter the Crew Quarters.
Crew Quarters -- NRV Alderaan
This is the crew quarters for the RAF Alderaan. A few bunks line the
walls.
Contents:
Kaley
Kuxli
Lelila's Bunk
Mistral's bunk
Obvious exits:
Starboard leads to Aft Corridor -- NRV Alderaan.
Shenner, glancing warily over 'his' shoulder as 'he' enters, steps through the
door.
Kaley watches Shenner and smiles. "Can you not find a place to sit?"
Quick enters from the Aft Main Corridor.
Quick has arrived.
Quick enters the Aft Main Corridor.
Quick has left.
Shenner, restlessly, pads back towards 'his' bunk and the abandoned guitar.
"Just wanted to make sure the brass weren't gonna come back in here and
talk, I guess," the kid says shortly.
Kaley says, "Nah, they noticed I was paying attention and decided to find a
new place to talk. Oh well, I didn't understand most of what they were
saying any way."
Kuxli lets out a growl-sigh, then runs his claws over the fur atop his head.
"Oh well.." he mumbles out. He sniffs the air lightly, glancing around the
other's in the room before contenting himself with looking down at the floor.
Shenner half-smiles and moves 'his' guitar out of the way before flopping down
onto 'his' claimed bunk.
Kuxli hops off the bunk, he looks between the two, "You guys wanna go get
somethin eat. I dunno about you two, but I can't stand being in this room
much longer."
Shenner looks up, restlessly. "Got any ideas on where, pal?"
Kuxli pauses a moment, then shrugs with a toothy grin, "Mess hall maybe?"
Shenner gets up, laying the guitar aside. "You know where one is, I'm with
yah. Let's go."
Kuxli tilts his head back, then replies with the grin still on his face, "Well
I know where the kitchen is, mess hall can't be to far from that."
Skeezix enters from the Aft Main Corridor.
Skeezix has arrived.
Quick enters from the Aft Main Corridor.
Quick has arrived.
The starboard doors whisk open and General Calhoun steps in, eyeing those
present quietly.
Shenner grins to Kuxli, then pauses in the middle of following Kuxli out.
Kuxli is standing by his bunk, his back to the door, ears perked up and his
tail swaying behind him.
Quick sticks his head in the door as it opens and steps in, he quickly side
steps to allow the people out.
Kuxli glances over as the door opens, studying Skeezix for a moment before
heading out the door, motioning with his hand for Shenner to follow, "Come
on" he says.
"Um. 'Scuse us?" Shenner offers, sheepishly, moving to step past the newcomers
along with Kux.
Skeezix looks over to Kaley, the only one left who he knows, and walks over
towards her.
Quick moves even more over to allow the people past.
Kuxli enters the Aft Main Corridor.
Kuxli has left.
You step out into the Aft Main Corridor.
Aft Corridor -- NRV Alderaan
You are in the Aft Main Corridor of Deck 2. This deck is the ship's
heart. You can find Engineering on this deck. The crew's and XO's quarters are
also located on this deck.
Contents:
Kuxli
Damiar_Porkins
Obvious exits:
Starboard leads to X.O. Quarters / Office -- NRV Alderaan.
Port