Log Date: 1/10/97
Log Cast:
	Tance, Gyles, Jilayna, Himiko, Sabia, Kesya, Alpin, Dreatha, Rayne
Log Intro:
	Tance Vokrim and Kesya As'shoriah, much to Tance's astonishment
and delight, are going to be cutting duo in the Ranges. But for all their
intentions to get into the Ranges the day after this momentous decision,
Kesya is still a Trainer and still frequently called upon when issues
erupt with the recruits -- and class 2022 is still adapting. The emergence
of three more of that group from adaptation delays Tance and Kesya's
departure, and in the meantime, Tance occupies himself with an
uncharacteristic urge to do something artistic: make himself and Kesya
a duo paintmark.

----------
You walk into the lounge.
Singer Common Lounge
This is where Singers can meet and relax after a hard day of work. Chairs and 
  sofas are scattered around in conversational groupings. Several bright 
  stripes lead off to the various Singer accommodation quadrants.
Contents:
 Tance, just standing there
 Jilayna, sitting on one of the soft couches
 Gyles, sitting on one of the soft couches
 Sign: Catering for Special Events
 Parent Shepherding Manual
 Shepherd Board
 Planetary Brochure
 Catering Unit
Obvious Commands ("." for list):
 .wander  .look  .wait  .pace  .couch  .pillows  .table  .catering unit
Obvious Exits:
 Level 11  Level 10  Level 9

Tance wanders more or less into the room, muttering to himself as he goes. 
  "Green 'n' black? Somethin'.... definitely green 'n' black..."

Gyles lays sprawled upon his back on a couch, a mostly-empty bottle of porter 
  on the floor nearby. He notes the old singer's entry and stays quiet, not 
  drawing the fellow's attention.

"Wait f'r Jade, gotta wait. promised...." The older Singer continues his low 
  mutterings as he wanders towards the catering unit, brow furrowed in deep 
  thought.
Tance walks over to the catering unit.

Gyles decides to quietly find a different lounge to laze in. Being around 
  Tance makes him nervous.
Gyles stands up from his couch.
Gyles walks quietly out, giving the fellow a wide berth.
Gyles walks down to the senior singer level.
Gyles has left.

You transfer 15 credit(s) from your account to Catering Unit.
A thick, crockery bowl appears holding 3 large scoops of pale golden ice 
  cream with chunks of fresh peaches visible all over. The bowl has a slight 
  mist of condensation on the sides.

Jilayna stirs from her seat on the couch, and stands slowly, striding out of 
  the room.
Jilayna stands up from her couch.
Jilayna walks up to level 9.

Gyles walks in from the level 11 lift area.
Gyles has arrived.
Gyles pauses, seeing Tance is still here, and decides to wait a while before 
  ordering another beer.
Gyles plops down in a big pile of fluffy pillows on the floor.
Gyles adjusts his position amongst the fluffy pillows.

Tance is, indeed, still here, happily spooning away at a largish bowl of ice 
  cream. He's claimed a couch and is lying comfortably on it, feet propped up 
  on one end, his cutter on the floor beside him, and he looks as happy as a 
  child.
Tance sits down on one of the soft couches.
Tance swings his legs up onto his couch and stretches out.

Gyles watches the fellow eat, beginning to wonder if this is the same guy who 
  flies the Smeghead after all.

"Circle? Nah... gotta be green 'n' black though..." Tance finally finishes 
  the ice cream, and lies back, staring contemplatively at the ceiling.

Gyles glances up at the fellow relaxing on the couch, and puzzles over what 
  he's on about. Circles and colors?

Tance sets aside his bowl, ferrets through a pocket till he comes up with his 
  battered datapad, and flips it open, muttering all the while, "Put it in 
  here maybe.... musta had a paintmark... what the kark did it look like..."
Tance sits up on his couch.

Gyles keeps track of the fellow but doesn't look closely at him.

Tance leans up, continuing to poke intently at the datapad, making it bloop 
  and beep obediently. "Kark it... better put somethin' in... um..." Evidently 
  completely oblivious to the fact that he's under observation, he flicks on 
  the mike on the datapad and mutters at it, more ramblings about green and 
  black, circles or lines or something. Perhaps he's trying to invent a 
  design, but if he is, he's clearly not thinking about it very 
  straightforwardly.
"Green 'cause she's green, and I sing green, and black for her crystal... 
  know that much..." Tance grins vaguely to himself, satisfied for at least a 
  moment.

Gyles stifles an exclamation and just barely prevents himself from sitting up 
  to look at the guy. He's cutting duo?!

Himiko walks in from the level 11 lift area.
Himiko has arrived.

"Gotta check the market... she can't let me forget...." The older Singer 
  keeps up his muttered litany of self-reminders, and at last leans back 
  against the couch, staring consideringly at his datapad screen as he scrolls 
  through entries he must have made.

Himiko pauses at the threshold, surveying the crowd size.

Sabia wakes up at one of the tables because her stomach is growling. She rubs 
  her face and glances around the room.

Gyles leans back in his pile of pillows and closes his eyes.

Himiko looks at you for a moment.
Himiko marches over to the catering unit.

It is doubtful that Tance Vokrim notices anybody else in the room. He sits on 
  the couch he's on, fiddling with a datapad, his cutter propped against the 
  couch's front; not once does he look up, as he mutters to himself, something 
  about being sure to take his cutter in when he brings in the black...

Sabia rises from the chair and walks over to the catering unit, her mind 
  focused on one thing, food.

Gyles lays there as if asleep, but listening to the mutterings from the 
  couch. Tance is cutting Black? Who with, Cori?

Sabia spins the menufax around to display the veggie selections.
Sabia peruses the vegetarian selections and orders the Gado Gado.

Tance finally shifts, shoves a frustrated hand through his hair, and flops 
  back down along the couch. "Kark it!"
Tance swings his legs up onto his couch and stretches out.

Himiko turns around at the sound of the all too familiar elder singer's 
  voice, and looks around for the suspect.

Sabia grabs the plate of steaming food and walks over to the table and starts 
  eating. Around a mouthful, she says, "Hello, Tance...Gyles..." Then she nods 
  at the other singer.

Tance looks up at the sound of his name, and blinkblinks at Sabia, a trifle 
  blankly. "Um... I met you before, girlie?" he asks, in a sheepish tone.

Himiko stares at the voice and face and her mouth drops open a little bit as 
  her eyes go wide.

Tance, only then, seems to realize that there are indeed people in the room. 
  Slowly, he sits up.
Tance sits up on his couch.

Gyles looks up and nods at the woman, glances at Tance, and settles back on 
  his pillows.

Sabia grins at Tance and nods. This time she chews and nods, "Bought you 
  dinner yesterday, then we all ate peach ice cream" SHe takes another bite of 
  the Gado Gado.

One corner of Tance's mouth crooks up at the mention of ice cream, though his 
  gaze is still confused at the young woman's informing him of such. "Don't 
  remember you," he admits dolefully.

Sabia shrugs softly. "Well, I'm Sabia, though I doubt that you will remember 
  it." She smiles as she continues to feed her face.

Himiko raises a hand weakly and limpy point it at the older singer, "Tance... 
  Vokrim?"

Tance offers to Sabia, "I, um, I'll put you in here..." He holds up the 
  datapad. And then, immediately after, blinks brownly at the other woman in 
  the room. "Uh... I met _you_, before?"

Sabia watches as the unknown singer points at Tance, fascinated.

Himiko manages to close her mouth, with some effort. "Only in passing," she 
  says, her eyes looking you over.

Sabia finishes her plate and returns it to the diposal, she dials up a 
  steaming cup of coffee ands lots of cream and sweetner, then settles in on 
  the pillows, watching.
Sabia stands up from her table.
Sabia plops down in a big pile of fluffy pillows on the floor.

Gyles decides Tance is, for some unfathomable reason, nonviolent this month, 
  and he relaxes enough to actually drift off to sleep. He doesn't notice when 
  Sabia steals a few of his pillows to make a nest of her own.

Tance, looking much the same as when Himiko had walked in -- 
  grey-brown-haired, brown-eyed, a trifle too lean of face still but 
  nevertheless clean-shaven, and clad in reasonably clean and new-looking 
  clothes -- stares back bemusedly at the woman. "Um... 'kay... 'fraid I don't 
  remember you, either, but not like that's karkin' new..." He ducks his head, 
  half-smiling in something like embarrassment, and starts playing with the 
  datapad again. Beep beep bloop.

Himiko shakes her head, finally pulling her eyes from Tance's rather changed 
  appearance and makes her order, glancing at him every once in a while as she 
  tries to decide on an order.

Sabia grins and debates the wisdom of stealing just one more pillow from 
  Gyles.

Himiko spins the menufax around to display the soup selections.
Himiko peruses the selection of soups, and orders some fish chowder.

Gyles snores through a pillow. <KaHahAh-zzzzzzzzzz> <KaHahAh-zzzzzzzzzz>

"Gotta be green, green 'n' black," Tance mutters intently at the datapad, and 
  after a moment, he fiddles with its keys, perhaps rearranging words.

Himiko picks up her order and finds a place to sit
Himiko sits down on one of the soft couches.

Sabia sips her coffee and watches Gyles napping. Her eyes narrow, in thought. 
  Sabia watches as the unkwon singer settles in and nods politely.

Kesya walks in from the level 11 lift area.
Kesya has arrived.

Sabia nods politely as Kesya enters.

Type. Type. Hunt 'n' peck, type, type. Tance squints at the little screen 
  before him, and mutters decisively, "Can't paint _that_..."

Himiko tosses the butter into her stew and continues to glance at Tance every 
  once in a while.

Kesya strides up the ramp, a small carisak over her shoulder. She nods to 
  various people she passes in the lounge, and grins as she sees the older 
  singer seated on a couch. She quietly sidles up to him, and sits herself 
  down beside him with a bright, "Hi there."

Tance looks up, and quite abruptly, his face lights up. "Jade!"

Himiko chokes on her spoonful of stew and nearly upsets the bowl as she 
  watches Tance look and sound happy.

Kesya leans back against the soft couch cushions, her hands linked behind her 
  head. Her gaze passes amusedly over the sleeping Gyles before she responds 
  to Tance with an answering grin. "How're you doing? Sorry we couldn't go out 
  this morning... the recruits picked today to come up all at once."

Tance's brown gaze locks on Kesya and stays there, as he presents the datapad 
  to her and says plaintively, "Can't get it to work right. It's gotta be 
  green 'n' black, see, but, but, it's just kinda jumbled in my head..."

Kesya peers at the screen, curious. "What has to be green and black?"

Sabia watches the Tance and Kesya together. She wriggles slightly and makes 
  herself more comfortable.

From somewhere, evidently, Tance has managed to acquire a drawing program, and 
  Kesya can see random squiggles of color on the pad's screen. Tance clarifies 
  earnestly, "Well, um, you said we, ah, needed a paintmark, right?"

Himiko appears to have forgotten her dinner as she openly stares at Kesya and 
  Tance, her hazel eyes wide with amazement.

Gyles mumbles something unintelligible and shifts position, pulling a pillow 
  up into a snug grip.

Kesya's brows shoot up, and she casts the green-adapted Singer a look of 
  amazement. "So you've been working on it?" She peers at the screen, and 
  touches a few keys. "You can do it like fingerpainting I think, if you..." 
  Her voice trails off as she prods keys, "... if you set it touch-sensitive. 
  There. The little blobs of green and black on the right are paint, so you 
  touch the colour you want, and draw it on the screen." She links her hand in 
  yours, giving it a tight squeeze. "That's so neat that you've been working 
  on that!"

Tance Vokrim actually blushes, but he smiles a bit, crookedly, as well. "Can't 
  karkin' draw to save my life..."
Tance lights up further as his hand is taken, though. Evidently, he has 
  decided not being able to draw isn't all _that_ bad, for he looks like a 
  very elated man.

Kesya doesn't immediately notice Himiko's open stare, but after a moment she 
  apparently gets that 'feeling' of someone elses eyes on her, and she glances 
  around. Meeting Himiko's gaze, she smiles sheepishly and goes back to the 
  datapad. "Well," she says amusedly, "It's a paintmark, not a gallery piece. 
  Lines and squiggles do fine, so long as it doesn't look like anyone elses'."

Tance follows Kesya's gaze over to the young woman he doesn't remember, and 
  blinks, twice. "What?"

Himiko scratches her nose and glances absently at her meal.

Alpin comes in from the lift area.
Alpin has arrived.

Himiko mutters to herself, "If..."

Alpin waves a greeting.

Sabia smiles from the pillows as Alpin enters, "Evening partner."

Kesya repeats, "It doesn't have to look good, just has to... be easy to 
  paint." She winks, and prods the little green dot on the screen, drawing a 
  comical happy face apart from the squiggles already there.

Alpin smiles and walks over to Sabia. "Hi partner."
Alpin plops down in a big pile of fluffy pillows on the floor.

Tance looks back at Kesya, and after grinning at her again, captivated, he 
  points out, "But it has to be green 'n' black, see...."

Sabia points at the sleeping Gyles. "WOuldn't want to wake him up. What have 
  you been up to?"

Alpin smiles. "Just reading, and trying to figure things out is all."

Kesya's attention is diverted by the newly adapted Singer walking in. She 
  arches a brow, seeming amused. "Not even shepherded yet and partners 
  already? That's pretty enterprising." Her voice is light, teasing. At 
  Tance's statement, she nods, and gestures to the little paint icons on the 
  side of the screen. "Right, that's what's there. Good idea on that, by the 
  way."

Jilayna comes in from the lift area.
Jilayna has arrived.

Gyles sits up in his pile of pillows, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Alpin smiles at Kesya, his eyes light in good humor. "It never hurts to plan 
  ahead."

Jilayna slips in quietly, the door closing behind her. She nods politely to 
  everyone she knows..though her eyes are obviously more happier than 'fore. 
  "Evening."

Tance looks up as Kesya does, and, realizing there are rather more people 
  around, he suddenly blinks, expression turning shyer.

Sabia smiles at Keysa, "Well it seemed like a good idea at the time. D" She 
  grins as Jila enters, "Evening."

Himiko glances at the newcomers then goes back to focusing on Kesya and Tance 
  who are much more interesting to her.

Tance mutters, very lowly, "Coulda sworn we were alone....."

Gyles stands up from his pile of pillows.

Kesya mutters back to the older singer, even more lowly and with an amused 
  tone, "Well... we are. On this couch." She smiles at the new Singers, and 
  asks, "Been practicing in the cutter practice room together then? It'll help 
  you get the feel for when you sing in the Ranges."
Kesya sits down on one of the soft couches.

Gyles drops the one pillow he had a grip on and quietly wanders off.
Gyles walks down to the senior singer level.
Gyles has left.

Alpin smiles and nods. "Yes ma'am. I sure have been."

Tance's answering smile to Kesya is much shyer this time, and he seems to 
  shrink back a little, as if trying to hide behind her -- though he can't do 
  anything of the kind, really, with both of them just sitting on a piece of 
  furniture.

Sabia nods at Keysa. "We were in there yesterday."

Jilayna wanders slowly about the room.

Sabia waves good bye to the departing Gyles.

Jilayna sits down on one of the soft couches.

Alpin smiles. "Hello Jila. I didn't see you come in."

Kesya nods to the newer Singers, and adds encouragingly, "That's great. It 
  gets boring after a while... spending so much time in there, but it's worth 
  it. If you need help finding a shepherd, let me know." She smiles at Tance 
  as she senses him shrink back, and she links her arm through his. "So 
  besides green and black, what's our paintmark look like?"

Jilayna curls up onto a seat with her datapad and blinks at Alpin, a slow 
  smirk on her face, "You missed me in the lift area also." she winks to show 
  it doesn't matter though, "H'lo though."

Alpin chuckles. "I'm sorry Jila. I've just had a lot on my mind."

With the datapad returned to him, Tance relaxes a bit as Kesya looks back at 
  him. "Um... ain't sure, gotta be somethin' simple or else I'll never 
  remember it..."

Sabia nods at Keysa, "Jezhrai has said that she will shepherd me. She was 
  going to find a claim to take me to." She smiles over at Jilayna, "How are 
  you doing?"

Alpin says softly to Sabia "I hope I find one soon."

Jilayna nods, "Fine..Nan's letting me borrow her sled till my is..fixed and 
  ungrounded." she wrinklies her nose. "And so I'm going cutting tomorrow."

Sabia nods at Alpin, "I know you will find one soon."

Kesya says simply, "Well, you pick then. You know what you'd remember better 
  than I would... and I take forever deciding on paintmarks anyway."

Himiko eyes Alpin speculatively from over her mostly untouched stew, Tance and 
  Kesya forgotten for now

Sabia smiles over at Jilayna, "I wish you luck finding crystal soon. What 
  caused your sled to be grounded?"

Tance nods slowly to Kesya and falls silent, as he pokes a fingertip around 
  the datapad screen.

Alpin asks Sabia. "When are you going out?"

Dreatha comes in from the lift area.
Dreatha has arrived.

Sabia shrugs, "Not sure, she will let me know when she gets back. Hopefully 
  soon."

Dreatha pads in quietly, a pair of blue slippers adorning her feet. "Hey, all."

Jilayna snorts derisively, "Azaria grounded it saying it needed an .annual. 
  checkup when I'd had it for only 5 months." she lifts a hand to Dree from 
  her seat, "Hiya."

Alpin smiles and waves from the pillows. "Hello."

Dreatha jaunts over to the catering unit.

The sound of a new voice -- and with it a new face coming into the room -- 
  makes Tance look up again. Beginning to look slightly unsettled, he inches 
  back on the couch, pressing into its back behind him.

Dreatha reads the menus for a few moments while deciding what she's in the 
  mood for. She turns to face the gathering, "Anyone want anything, perhaps 
  something to drink?"

Sabia nods politely as Dreatha enters, smiling at Jilayna, "And just what 
  caused Azaria to do this?"

Dreatha spins the menufax around to display the beverage selections.

Jilayna laughs, "Sabia..you were there..when I tracked orange prints on the 
  ground."

Alpin smiles. "No thank you."

Sabia nods as she remembers, "For that? Oh my." She looks over at Alpin, "Will 
  you remind me not to upset Azaria?"

Dreatha peruses the selection of drinks, and orders a cup of hot chocolate.
Dreatha sits down on one of the soft couches.

Alpin nods. "You can count on that." he says to Sabia.

Tance frowns unsurely, and leans over to whisper to Kesya, "Who's Azaria?"

Sabia belatedly raises her mug of coffee. "No thank youSinger."

Kesya notices Tance's uncomfortable expression, and begins to point people out 
  to him, leaning comfortably against him a bit as she murmurs, to hopefully 
  make him feel more at ease. "Those two that I was talking to are Alpin and 
  Sabia, and... hrm? Oh, Azaria is the head Sledtech. She's the one who 
  wouldn't let you have your sled at first, and you had to get me."

"Oh. Well, the sledtechs all think I'm karkin' cracked anyhow..." Tance 
  murmurs, not quite looking as if he's properly registered who the head 
  sledtech _is_.

Kesya stiffles a wry chuckle, tossing back, "The sledtechs think everybody's 
  cracked."

Sabia softly speaks to Alpin, "You know he doesn't remember us." She gestures 
  over to Tance.

Tance's mouth twists in a faint self-directed smirk as he mutters to Kesya, 
  while glancing abashedly about the room, "Little more cracked than these 
  kids here..."

Alpin smiles softly "Perhaps not after one time, somtimes things take time I 
  guess."

Himiko finally gets around to eating her now cold stew.

Sabia nods.
Sabia says "Probably true." She looks at Tance before she turns back to Alpin, 
  "So did anyone else adapt today? I haven't heard anything.""

Kesya wrinkles her nose, her expression showing her opinion of what Tance had 
  just muttered to her. "Not likely. You're as good a singer as anybody." She 
  peers at the shapes Tance has made on the screen, then shrugs. "You just 
  have to use your datapad more, that's all."

Jilayna catches Sabia's voice and nods, though speaking up, "Daline..I saw her 
  earlier in here." she continues to fiddle with her pad.

Alpin hmms and thinks for a moment. "Daline and Astaris made singer, and Kirin 
  made sorter."

Sabia raises her eyebrow slightly, "Wonder how she took it?" She bites her lip 
  slightly as she was thinks.

Dreatha smiles, "Quite a few Singers in this class, there were only a couple 
  in the last."

Tance meets Sabia's glance as he swings his own slowly around the room; 
  perhaps embarrassed that he's already forgotten the young woman's name 
  _again_, he smiles wanly, before lowering his gaze back to the datapad. 
  Kesya's assurances seem to relax him, just a bit.

Jilayna nods, "Only Hannah 'n me. in 2021."

Alpin smiles and nods at Dreatha. "There have been 6 or 7 so far."

Dreatha chuckles, "There were quite a few in mine, as well. Running about as a 
  horde trying to find techs of all varieties is a fond memory."

Jilayna counts on her fingers, "Six, in your class, lucky yous." she grins and 
  untucks her legs to dangle off the couch. Her grin widens at Dree's comment.

Sabia nods at the news, she counts off the singers, "You, Neil, Daline, 
  Tassen, Astaris and me. Anyone I missed?"

Kesya nods in Alpin's direction, "Six," she clarifies, "Of the fifteen. A 
  slightly higher number than usual. Usually there's four or five in a class 
  this size."

Sabia grins at Jilayna, "Guess I didn't."

Alpin grins thinking of his own 'adventures' getting his equipment. "That's 
  true Dreatha." then to Sabia. "I think that's it."

Tance looks around mutely at everyone, trying to follow the chatter.

Kesya's attention is directed back to Tance's datapad again. "Got us a 
  paintmark yet?"

Tance blinkblinks. "Um... the, um, green circle? Black x on it, maybe...?"

Jilayna nods to Sabia, "Y'didn't." she focuses her attention briefly to the 
  green singer and the older one. "How are you Dree?"

Sabia nudges Alpin, "I guess that we should start thinking about making our 
  paint mark."

Kesya grins slyly at you, and asks, "X marks the spot? Sounds good to me."

Tance smiles again, looking surprised that Kesya actually seems to like the 
  idea.

Alpin blinks. "Um, yes as a matter of fact. What did you have in mind?"

Tance pipes up hesitantly to the younger Singers, "Um... you, um, wanna use my 
  drawing program?"

Sabia shrugs and smiles, "Hadn't really thought about it. We should pick out 
  favorite colors and combine them somehow."

Alpin hmms. "Or bright ones."

Sabia blinks at Tance. She opens her mouth to say something but nothing comes 
  out. She stops and swallows, "Thank you Tance, that is very kind."

Dreatha glances at the two new singers and smiles, "Try to pick something that 
  won't take too much time or difficulty to paint."

Kesya smiles in pleased surprise as Tance offers his datapad, and her gaze 
  goes to the recruits, nodding at Dreatha's words. "Right, circles, squares, 
  squiggles.. whatever would take just a second."

Tance's faltering smile steadies a bit -- hrmm, maybe the kids will think he's 
  alright? He stammers out, "I, um, lemme save this..." He pokes at the pad 
  again, then awkwardly gets up and offers it to Sabia, with a blank canvas to 
  draw on visible on the screen.

Sabia nods, "Hmmm...How about a triangle. On some sort of a background?"

Alpin smiles. "Or just a really bright triangle for that matter."

Sabia takes the datapad and smiles at Tance, "Thank you again Tance. Alpin and 
  I appreciate it."

Tance smiles a little more, first to Sabia, then over to Kesya, as if to relay 
  to her a triumphant unspoken message of 'Hey, look what I did...!'

Alpin smiles and looks at the datapad. "Yes, thanks Tance. That's very kind of 
  you."

Tance then looks back anxiously to the youngsters and blurts, "Um... don't let 
  me forget to get it back, I-I need it, 'kay?"
Tance gestures fretfully at his own head. "Won't stay in here, gotta put in 
  there..."

Alpin smiles. "Yes sir, we will get it back to you in just a few minutes."

Sabia nods at Tance as she starts to play around with it. "Promise to give it 
  back, Tance." She draws apicture on the screen and grins, "this is neat."

Kesya can't help but giggle at Tance's expression, her own brightly alight. 
  She snugs his arm reassurringly, "The way you hang onto that thing, I don't 
  think you'd be able to forget it."

Himiko catches the movement at the edge of her vision and gapes even more at 
  Kesya ant Tance.

Tance resettles on the couch next to Kesya and tells her plaintively, "I, uh, 
  been puttin' everything in there... playin' it when I sleep so I can try to 
  remember better..."

Alpin smiles, looking at the neon blue triangle. "That looks good. If someone 
  already has that I guess we could put a bright red dot in the middle of it.

Kesya has registered a duo paintmark for Tance and Kesya.  It has been 
  recorded as:  a large green circle, crossed in the center with a jet-black X.
Kesya's blue gaze rests on Tance's for a long moment, again oblivious to 
  Himiko's gaping. "Really? Do you think it works?"

Sabia nods and adds at dot of bright red in the center on the screen. "Like 
  that?"

Alpin looks at the design and thinks for a moment. "That should be quick to 
  draw, and easy to spot. What do you think of it?"

Sabia nods. "I like it. Now we just have to get both of us out into the 
  ranges. Hope Jezhrai gets back soon."

Tance smiles tentatively at Kesya, offering, "Um... I, um, I ain't quite sure 
  yet." He thinks, then goes on, groping for an example, "Gotta remember 
  something... like, ah... sailing?"

Kesya's smile widens, and she nods emphatically. "Um hmm! That was just the 
  /best/ time. S'why I painted that picture that's in your suite."

Alpin grins and nods agreement. "I'm looking forward to that too. As far in 
  the hole as we are it's pretty important."

Kesya glances over at the newer Singers, and shrugs. "You'll find it isn't 
  /too/ long to dig yourself out."

Himiko sets her tray aside.
Himiko stands up from her couch.

Sabia looks over at Alpin, "Are agreed then?"

"Sailing," repeats Tance, almost... dreamily. "And... the snowball fight, 
  yeah!"

Himiko walks over to the shepherd board and studies it for a bit

Alpin looks over at Kesya and nods. "I hope not, it's just a little daunting 
  as I've never had so much debt before."
Alpin looks at Sabia and nods. "Agreed." :)

Tance blinks distractedly up at Alpin and says in utter straightforwardness, 
  "Can't be any worse off 'n' me, kid..."

Himiko mutters to herself, "... singers...."

Sabia rises from the pillows and holds the datapad out for Tance to take, 
  "Thank you that was very helpful."

Tance starts a bit, then nods, a bit more at ease, to Sabia. "Welcome," he 
  mutters gruffly.

Kesya bursts into a laugh at the mention of a snowball fight, and happily she 
  leans to plant a soft kiss on Tance's cheek. "That's right! Man, you really 
  nailed me in the side of the head with that snowball..." She rubs at her 
  hair, remembering. As she's spoken to, she smiles over at Alpin. "I know the 
  feeling. But it only took me a week to get out of debt, so it shouldn't take 
  you too long."

Tance turns towards Kesya, and suddenly his face has lit again, practically 
  incandescant.

Himiko scowls a bit at Keysa, "Only if you find white or black. Too damned 
  elusive."

Alpin looks relieved at Kesya's words. "I feel better now, thanks."

Sabia nods and sits back down on the pillows near Alpin, "Well even if it 
  takes us a year, it will be worth every penny. I think that I am as happy as 
  I have ever been." Her smile only verifies her statement.

Kesya shrugs mutely at Himiko, unwilling to mention exactly how much of those 
  colours she /has/ found. "But still, considering everything, it doesn't take 
  too long to pay off."

Tance continues gazing raptly at Kesya, grinning ear to ear, datapad in one 
  hand and Kesya's own green fingers in the other.

Himiko smirks at Kesya. "If you're lucky."

Rayne enters the lounge.
Rayne has arrived.

Dreatha smiles, "Getting out of debt really wasn't all that hard. I was out in 
  a couple of months, and not on a lucky find of some of the rarer colors."

Rayne enters the room and imediately starts fiddling with the catering unit, 
  ingnoring the singers.

Kesya, known to be one of the luckest Singers in the guild, merely shrugs. "I 
  suppose... but I haven't seen anyone have /serious/ trouble getting out of 
  debt as a new singer."

Jilayna nods, "Luck.." she sighs wistfully, "I got out of debt in less 'n a 
  year I think..with some help admittedly from my shepherd." she grins.

Himiko says "They'd have to be one of the worst clutz's ever born true."

"Been in debt for longer 'n' you pups have been alive," Tance Vokrim 
  announces, but his statement is utterly incongruous with both his tone and 
  his expression, for he's still gazing at Kesya radiantly.

Sabia nods as Rayne enters, hoping that she saw that.

Jilayna's ears catch Tance's statement and she turns her study on him and 
  blinks, chuckling softly.

Sabia grins over at Dreatha, suddenly remembering, "You are the singer that 
  bought me peach ice cream."

Himiko's mouth drops at the kiss.

Rayne pauses for a moment to look at the singers, and catches Sabia's nod and 
  nods back, "Singer..." she seems rather intent on working, or rather upset...

Sabia winks at Jilayna as the confusion is resolved from the other evening.

Dreatha smiles and nods, "It was Briana's going away party up on Shanny if I 
  remember correctly. Just before you guys went through disclosure."

Sabia nods. "It was. Lots of singers and other Guild Members were there. I 
  couldn't remember."

Jilayna ahhs, "Briana.." she pouts, "Y'know I didn't see her once when we went 
  to Taal'en?"

Kesya snorts softly at Tance's statement, "Not for much longer, then."
Kesya's gaze snaps to Jilayna as she hears her home mentioned, and she listens 
  curiously.

Dreatha nods, "Aeric and I didn't run into her on Hesperia, either. She should 
  be back fairly soon, I think."

Jilayna nods, "I hope so. She's the one who helped me out of debt, at the 
  beginning."

Dreatha grins, "Bree shepherded me, too. By the time that was done, we had 
  matching injuries. Must have looked really cute in the infirmary with 
  identical wounds."

Rayne seems to be catching the singers comments every so often, looking up, 
  but then returning to her faulty catering unit.

Alpin chuckles. "How did that happen Dreatha?"

Sabia listens carefully to the stories.

Dreatha wrinkles her nose slightly, "There was a really narrow crack to 
  negotiate, and it was just a litt;e too narrow and sharp-edged to make it 
  through unscathed." She smiles encouragingly, "Nothing major."

Jilayna ahhs, "Neither of us got injured when she shepherded me..though she 
  already had a banged up leg I think."

Rayne seems to have fixed the unit, she then walks over to the singers, 
  balancing many trays, "Would any of you like some of this food?" she is 
  carrying a pitcher of yarren and assorted snack type foods.

Alpin smiles. "I'm glad to hear that."

Tance jerks his gaze away from Kesya, but only when the word 'food' is uttered 
  in his hearing.

Alpin waits until the older singers have responded.

Himiko shakes her head at the wondrous sights she's beheld tonight and picks 
  up her tray depositing it into the recycler

Tance then automatically glances at Kesya, as if expecting her to speak up 
  before him.

Rayne is carrying enough food for everyone she looks at Sabia, "No Mystery 
  Meat even..."

Kesya shakes her head at the Singer beside her, one hand opening as though 
  encouraging him to speak up if he wants some. She doesn't seem hungry.. 
  though she usually eats very little anyway.

Himiko makes her way out of the lounge
Himiko walks down to the senior singer level.
Himiko has left.

Rayne allows everyone to take food and trays from her, she then returns with 
  glasses for the yarren.

Alpin smiles. "Well, if no one else will speak up I will." then heads over to 
  the trays.
Alpin stands up from his pile of pillows.

Sabia smiles at Rayne, "THank you." She picks up one of the snacks and starts 
  nibbling."

Tance mutters a gruff "Thank you" in the direction of the young lady with the 
  food, and takes up a handful of the munchies.

Alpin getting some of the munchies he says to Rayne "Thank you."

Dreatha contentedly sips her hot chocolate, but reaches for some smaller snack 
  from the tray. "Thanks."

Rayne rubs the back of her neck and mumbles..."...singers...crazy..."

Kesya smiles wryly at the supply tech, and waits for Tance to finish his 
  handful of snacks before speaking. "Well, I s'pose we'll be heading out 
  first thing in the morning then. You have everything just 'bout ready?"

Sabia looks pointedly at her stomach as it rumbles, "Oh hush, I am taking care 
  of it now." She grabs lots of snacks and starts eating, not caring how it 
  looks.

Tance blinks, remembers to swallow, and blurts, "Gonna go cut?"

Rayne chuckles at the old singer.

Kesya nods reassuringly, "Sure. That... er.. claim we didn't finish, then 
  maybe hunt for another."

Tance leans close to Kesya, and asks her softly, plaintively, "Won't let me 
  forget, right?"

Kesya shakes her head, gently ruffling the other Singer's hair. "Don't worry, 
  I won't. You handled that black just fine, remember?"

Sabia watches the two singers discussing cutting, her eyes slide to Alpin, 
  just for a second."

Alpin notices the look and returns it.

There's a look to Tance's face that suggests he regards Kesya as not only a 
  cutting partner, but also a means of rescue from unnamed, unspecified utter 
  disaster. Clinging to her hand, he smiles weakly, and gives an 'I'll take 
  your word for it' nod.

Rayne smiles sweetly with a slight longing at the two singers being so sweet 
  *awwww*

Jilayna walks up to level 9.
Jilayna has left.

Kesya stiffles a yawn, her eyes closing a moment. "Mrm. If we're leaving 
  early, I'll need some sleep." She stands, her hand still clasped with 
  Tance's, and smiles tiredly at him. "Dawn, in the Hangar then?"

Tance rises with Kesya, grinning hopefully. "Rest... yeah... ah, kark, where 
  the hells're my rooms...."
Tance looks about for a moment, disoriented, eyeing the colored stripes 
  leading out of the lounge.

Sabia grins at Tance, "Remember the location is in your datapad."

A blink to Sabia, then down to his datapad, and Tance bobs his greying head. 
  "Yeah. Gotta remember, though, gotta practice... um.... Tan? No... it's 
  like, brown..."

Kesya says dutifully, "Ochre, down one." She steps towards the ramp leading to 
  the senior Singer's floor, murmuring a g'night to those left in the room.

Tance blinks, then grins and hastens after Kesya. "That way!" he calls after 
  her.

Rayne takes a glass of yarran and walks off to one of the singers levels.

Kesya walks down to the senior singer level.
Kesya has left.

You walk down to level 11.
Lift Area - 11
Muted lighting fills the area, giving a soft, comforting glow. The light 
  accents the brilliant white stripe that leads off to the white quadrant. The 
  stripe is not merely white, but rather a composition of all the colors of 
  the spectrum. Situated on this floor are the quarters for the senior singers 
  of the Heptite Guild.
This well carpeted area circumscribes a circle with the center being filled by 
  a shiny lift tube. On the doors to the tube is the number 11. There is a 
  button set into the wall, you may summon a 'lift.'
Contents:
Kesya
Obvious exits:
Common Lounge  Ocher Quadrant  Amethyst Quadrant  White Quadrant  

Kesya chuckles softly at you, and asks, "You got your datapad, right?"

Tance follows after you, studying the stripes, then he holds up the pad.
Tance eyes the White Quadrant stripe and announces, "You live that way."

Kesya's brows arch again in surprise. That seems to be happening often 
  tonight. "Yeah, I do," she agrees, and asks, "How'd you remember that? 
  You've only been there... what, twice, I think."

Tance turns as though he might then eye the brown stripe leading off to Ocher 
  Quadrant, but his gaze lingers on you instead. He smiles a little, 
  uncertainly. "I, um... I don't have problems remembering stuff about you, 
  Jade..."

Kesya's expression melts as she gazes at you, and she squeezes your hand, a 
  warm smile on her face. Finally she leans forward to give you a gentle kiss 
  on the cheek, and she says softly, "That's sweet, Tance."

Tance's smile broadens shyly; then, greatly daring, he leans to you, pocketing 
  the datapad, and lifting his now-free right hand to your cheek.
Tance then, quite gently, leans closer still. His eyes, meeting your own, are 
  full of shy hope and yearning -- and when did they get so brown? "You're 
  sweet, too, Jade," he murmurs reverently.

Kesya's breath stills as you raise your hand to her cheek, and her blue eyes 
  widen just slightly as she looks into your brown ones. Suddenly she seems 
  perhaps a bit nervous, her hand in yours almost clammy. After you speak 
  though, she finds herself smiling, her gaze a bit more at ease. "Nah," she 
  murmurs softly, seeming... distracted, at best... "You only catch me at my 
  best, s'all..."

Tance, at last, reciprocates the simple kiss on the cheek, chastely, before 
  pulling slightly back again to gaze at you with those very full eyes. 
  "You're sweet," he repeats quite firmly.
Tance then smiles quirkily at you, anxiously studying your face. "Dawn, then?"

Kesya swallows before responding, and nods, her gaze going to look down the 
  white corridor. "Um hmm," she finally says, and seems to snap back to 
  herself. "Yeah, dawn." She smiles, "Sled's ready... just bring some of those 
  new shipsuits of yours."

Tance grins, then releases your hand, and offers, "G'night...." before backing 
  off down the Ocher Quadrant corridor, watching you as he goes.

[End log.]