When: Late at night, when all is quiet. (OOC: 1/18/97)
  Who: Taylor and Shane, later with Laurana
Where: Heptite Guild Common Lounge - Shankill

   This is a wonderful, airy room, bright with gentle but brilliant
shades of green and blue. Screens hang on the wall to provide the illusion
of landscapes, and hanging and potted plants thrive around the room,
softening the boxy corners. A number of table stand near the catering
unit, and more inviting pillowed loungers and chairs have been arranged in
several conversation pits.

   Taylor enters from the guest corridor.
   Taylor has arrived.
   Taylor clips in, cane tapping smartly on the floor. Making her way over 
to the lounge, she sits, resting her cane on her lap.
   Taylor walks over to the conversation pit.
   Taylor sits down on a couch.
   Shane rests easily on a couch towards the center of the room, holding a
mug of coffee in his hand that only faintly steams. Glancing up from an
unfocused study on mostly nothing, he levels his attention on the new 
entrant, recognizing the face if he doesn't know her.
   Taylor nods once again in greeting as she feels Shane's gaze fall upon
her. Apparently trying to form the words before she speaks them, her lips 
contort and she manages a slightly slured, "helllo."
   Shane seems just as willing to return to his thoughts--lengthy ones, if 
his expression is anything to judge by--though he cuts them off with a 
disarming smile at the woman's words. "Hello," he replies, quietly.
   Taylor bites her lower lip then, looking down at her lap, definitely 
becoming shy suddenly. She fidgets a bit, folding her hands into her lap,
facial features betraying her uncertainty of starting up a conversation 
beyond that of the initial greeting.
   Shane doesn't waste much time noticing that, and though he erases his 
smile, the pleasant demeanor remains. Adjusting his grip on his mug, he 
situates it to the low table alongside the couch, adding in that same quiet
voice. "Shane," he starts out, then cuts off. Fearing he gave too little 
detail, he corrects, "My name is Shane."
   You run a hand on the back of your neck to calm the hairs standing 
almost painfully on end, you can't help but notice this happens only when
Taylor is near.
   Taylor slides her gaze to you, long lashes fluttering and then brows 
furrowing she shakes her head, "I .. ain't.. stu-stupid." Swallowing she
smiles then, "Tay.. Taylor. Ni-nice t..t..ta meet y..you," she finally 
manages to stutter out much to her own frustration.
   It's probably a good thing Shane had set his mug down, judging by the 
soft start he gives, just barely avoiding slapping a hand to the back of 
his neck. Recovering, at least mostly, from that, he shakes his head and 
tries to cover. "I didn't mean to suggest," he starts out, then breaks off
with a helpless shrug. At least some recognition, or maybe realization, in
his gaze now, he nods once more and adds, "A similar pleasure. Really."
   Taylor nods almost imperceptively a rare smile crossing her features. 
"N..no pro-problem, re...really. It gets a bi..bittt bett..er each d..day,"
she tries to assure in her broken voice.
   Shane rests back into his former position at that, a measure of relief 
evident in his features. "I'm glad," he says, pausing at his lame offer of 
support. Again, giving up on trying, he moves for a switching of subjects. 
"Obviously, you're a Singer?"
   Taylor nods in response to your enthusiasm. "I.. am," she gets out 
without too much dificulty. "Y..you're join...ing the Gu-Guild then?"
   Shane mimics her nod, that hint of thought entering his face again. "In 
what capacity, I have no idea, but yes."
   Taylor focuses her blue-eyed gaze upon yours, intently. "D..don't, 
p..please. It is n..no g..good, d..dangerous!"
   Shane blinks at the strength in her words, leaning forward but not totally
as he watches her. Still thoughtful enough that hesitation might be read, 
his words are steady and the returned intensity cancels out whatever his 
face says. "I'm already going down. I decided that three months ago."
   Taylor deflates right before your very eyes. Her head shakes and her eyes 
show a faint trace of weariness. "St...still time to ba-back out." Her lashes 
flutter and her gaze traces over your form, "G..good b..boy like y-you, find 
oth..er wo-work, st..strong." Her face screws up at her lack of ability to 
get out exactly what she wants to say, "Pl..please," she says once more in 
her broken voice.
   Shane breaks off his study of her at that, probably more unused to such 
feeling behind words than he'd normally claim, unable to hold her gaze. 
Pausing a shade longer to decipher her words, he speaks slowly. "I don't 
want to back out. The mystery.." he adds lamely, shrugging to a similar 
effect. "I can't word it. But those rocks.. I mean, the crystals. Are so 
facinating. And that in just a working environment." Drawing his study back 
to her, he finishes, "I want to know what it's like, up close."
   Being around Taylor is disconcerting from the static coming off her.
   Taylor's close for a moment and then slowly open. Nodding to you, she 
obviously understands the mystery and fascination crystal has, for it is, 
along with the wealth a person can achieve, those are some of the same 
reasons she joined. "Y..you wi-will sssee, wh-when it is tooo late! I 
can-not st..stop a st..stranger and their des-stiny. I w..w..was just 
as stu-stuborn as y..you." She flashes you a smile, her amusement at her 
last words very evident within their blue depths.
   Shane gives a wan smile, almost tired in the way it bends his face, 
nodding very slightly. Swallowing before he speaks, he watches her face 
as he opens his mouth. "That too. It can't be a thing understandable until 
it's experienced. The reactions are too similar to be insincere.. but they 
don't effect me." Sinking back into the couch, he adds, "Not like they 
should. They just make me want more."
   Taylor reaches up and scores her fingers through her hair, a broad smile 
on her face directed at you and your words. "Ah, y..yes. I.. k..know the 
feel..ing well. I was off..ered,' she breaths, calming herself in hopes 
to help her stuttering, "a kingss, ransom in c..credits t..to not j..join." 
There, that appeared to help a bit, now if the stuttering would just 
completely go away...
   Shane tilts his head as he sorts out the words, his smile altering to 
something more inward as he listens. "I'm not here for the credits," he 
claims. Almost unneccesarily, he adds, "I'm here for me."
   Taylor nods in her own understanding. "Y..yes. I came he-here wi..with 
the same intent-tions." A flurish of her cane upon her lap draws you down 
to her appearance, "Bu..but I did'nt bar-bargain..f..for th-this."
   Shane follows the motion, giving an obvious swallow though his words 
indicate a measure of braveness only an inexperienced person can have. 
"It is a code four planet."
   Taylor shakes her head almost violently, "NO!" Shocked at her outburst, 
she slumps into her chair, flushing in embarassment. "S...s..sorry."
   Even after the apology, the use of the word wasn't totally lost on Shane, 
and he leans back into the couch almost as a vauge retreat. Something close 
to shame, he just replies with a nod, sitting silent for a long moment before
he defends with a meek accent, "I am going to the planet."
   Taylor gives you a side-long glance out of the corner of her eye. 
"S..s'alright.. I apo..apologize, re-really." She then goes about fidgeting 
with the cane in her lap, looking totally defeated in a way, sad.
   Shane shakes his head at that, making his own objection of spoken words. 
"I do understand, as much as I can. I've only lingering hopes I won't regret 
this.. but now." Shrugging at a loss for words, he echos ones already used. 
"I am going to the planet."
   Taylor nods absently at your determination to go down planet. Very 
quietly, without a hint of stutter, in a voice very soothing to the ears, 
she replies simply, "I understand."
   Shane smiles, a gesture absent off his face for several moments, pleased. 
"Thank you," he says in his quiet voice. He does return to his objective 
study of her as the stutter dissapears, adding to the smile a very slight nod.
   Taylor shifts lightly on the couch, nose wrinkling a little in her 
discomfort, bodily or mentally, that is undecipherable. Her eyes skim the 
room, taking in the other Guild hopefuls before once again resting upon 
your form, studying you quietly and without reserve.
   Shane rests in that silence for a shade longer, returning the regard for 
a short moment before he asks, "What is your name?"
   Taylor shakes herself out of her stare and smiles shyly, "Tay..lor."
   "Shane," he repeats from earlier and with an echo of her smile.
   Smoothing a hand along the back of your neck to make the hairs lie down, 
you notice odd things happening to Taylor's face.
   Taylor grins at you. "H..hello," she starts over, trying to make a 
better impression this time obviously.
   Shane picks up on it quickly enough, tilting his head and returning with 
his own, "Hello." The smooth 'greeting' muddied slightly by his hand lifting 
to run along the back of his neck long before it occurs to his mind to halt 
the motion.
   Heh, Taylor doesn't even notice the gesture, immune to the effects, it's 
'normal' behavior for others to smooth down their hair in her presence. "S.. 
so, keeping y'self bu-busy he-here? Pre..pretty bor..ing here, no?"
   Shane nods with a halfway annoyed glance about the room. "Very dull," he 
confirms. Erasing that, though, he looks back to her with a slow smile. 
"Spent my first months here pounding Guildmembers into flight with 
questions, but that's lost it's intrest for me."
   Taylor nodnods emphatically. "S..same responssses, over and o..over I'll 
bet." Wow, as she warms up, her stutter isn't as bad as when she first 
started talking, or at least she thinks so.
   Shane continues his smile, responses sped either by the lack of 'depth' 
to the topic, or indeed because she's speaking clearer. "Not quite. Some of 
them are not half as good at concealing information as they like to pretend. 
But they do try at their stock answers."
   Taylor scratches the end of her nose with a finger, pondering that. 
"S..suprised, the.. Gu-guild don't put..out a man..manual, st..standard 
answers for Guild wa-wa..wannabe's." She grins impishly and winks playfully 
at you.
   Shane returns the grin with one of his own, countering with, "What? And 
remove from me the chance to turn a Guildmember into a raging fit?"
   Taylor giggles. Oh dear, she must be losing that Singer 'edge', though 
you didn't know her before, so her behavior is perfectly normal. Perhaps 
that knock in the head gave her back her personality too? "Hmm, be.. ca..
careful. Wi..wicked folks Sin-singers can be."
   Shane allows himself a chuckle at that, fully relaxed for probably the 
first time in several minutes. "That, I have experienced. And I'd not call 
them wicked.. just.." and he watches her sidelong, still smiling. "Volatile."
   Taylor can't help but laugh, nodding her head emphatically in total 
agreement. "Yes! So t..true!"
   Shane grins at her reaction, letting the sound die down before nodding. 
"I've had people, in places other than on Shankill, suggest that the code 
four is set only because of those.. tendencies." A vaugely serious shrug, 
and he adds, "I don't think so, but it is a thought."
   Taylor continues to giggle in short spurts, managing to shake her head. 
Sweeping her good arm out in an arch, she invites you to peer around the 
room. "L..look, code four.. is n..not here. Wouldn't y..you presume," she 
forms her words carefully, "that if tr..true, Shanny would also be co..code 
four?"
   Shane shakes his head, still smiling. "Hadn't thought of it that way, 
but I'd've told people that if I had. Dangerous people can be found on any 
planet."
   Taylor settles, and nods solemnly. "Y..yes, very tr..true."
   Being around Taylor is disconcerting from the static coming off her.
   Shane lets a short pause lengthen out, his expression revealing a search 
for conversation. With little obvious intent, he looks back to her and says,
"Had someone mention the other day it's less than a month when this class is 
going down."
   Taylor takes out a datapad after you mention the next class going down. 
Tapping a few buttons she looks up to you and nods. "Y..yes. In about a 
mo-month. I wi-lll be one of yo-your trainers."
   Shane blinks at the apparently unexpected information, glancing briefly 
to the 'pad. Again, he smiles and nods. "Thank you," he says, and adds after 
taking a breath, "Training anything specific, or what?"
   Taylor grins and wriggles into the couch, relaxing visably. Now this is 
territory she's familiar with. "Y..yes, you get full dis..disclosure firsst. 
Explain-ation of co..code four and alll th..that good st-stuff."
   Shane breathes a soft sigh, a mix of longing and relief. "I've got so 
many conclusions in my head," he explains. "But they all feel totally 
wrong.. like something is missing."
   Taylor peers at you curiously, "Wr..wrong?"
   Shane shrugs, almost indecisive. Hesitating just briefly, he justifies 
that she did ask, and launches into it. "Like everything I've dragged out 
of a 'member or inferred from a file in the information banks has been 
ninety percent hypothesis. Everything's so.. logical, but just doesn't 
'feel' sound. I suppose incomplete answers are a part of learning, and 
I do know I'll know after Disclosure.. but it's a form of contest with 
myself. To see how close to the mark I can hit."
   Taylor ahs, more to herself than to you in particular. Confusion 
altering her facial features for a moment, she appears to contemplate 
your words, then finally nods. "Wha..Why, a con-test?" She asks curiously 
in her broken voice.
   Shane probably didn't expect that, hesitating a noticeable length as he 
sorts out the answer to a question he's never been asked. "I guess it keeps 
me from getting bored while on Shankill, but since I've always done it, 
that's probably wrong. It's just.." he pauses, taking a breath and again 
forming his words before speaking. "An easier way to learn then reading a 
manual or a better way of using the answers I get from questions I ask."
   Taylor looks thoughtful for a minute or two, then nods, seeing the 
validity to the way you prefer to do things.
   Shane uses her silence, and almost jumps on it, continuing. "Came from 
dad, I guess. He swears he never read a manual. And he'd be all over Blue 
Sky as the preferred tech on the miner's machines."
   Taylor grins broadly at the reference to your dad. "He so..ounds like a 
bri-ght m..mm..man," she manages to spit out.
   Shane watches her reaction, and slowly, echos the smile. "He is. Taught 
me how to handle a crystal drive. And after ten years, I've yet to sour one."
   You unconsciously shiver at the look on Taylor's face.
   Taylor's brows raise at your declaration of not ever souring a crystal 
drive. "Y..you know how to s..s..sing?"
   Shane blinks at the question, and gives another shrug, this one a shade 
disarming. "I had no idea I'd 'perfect pitch' until I came here, and beyond 
that, I'd never done anything but the bellowing kids do in school. I suppose 
it makes sense.. I could always tell when something was off. I just never 
knew why."
   Taylor nods again, figuring nodding is better than trying to force out 
words that just don't wanna come out right the first time.
   Shane again uses that silence, and a second time, drags his parentage 
into it. "My mother taught elementary music at a local school. I do remember 
her asking if I wanted to learn.. but.." he smiles at her, finishing, "The 
bolts of a land vehicle were so much more interesting to me."
   Taylor gives you a quirky grin. "I was a sp-spoiled br-brat, ra-raised 
wi..with mon..ey. Ha-ve the temp-er to prove it too," she winks playfully.
   Shane flashes her a quick grin, nodding. "I've not noticed," he 
comments, just barely echoing the wink.
   Taylor gives a light laugh, "Ju..just ask my sing-ing part-ner.." A 
shadow crosses her face and she suddenly looks disturbed, all former 
laughter gone, even from her eyes and she looks away.
   Shane notes the change that even the most ignorant would probably 
notice, studying her face until she turns it away. With a shade of 
sensitivity, he doesn't draw any more attention to the subject, and in 
fact, doesn't draw attention to any subject. Instead, he rests in a stoic 
silence until she recovers.
   Laurana enters from the guest corridor.
   Laurana has arrived.
   Laurana wanders in quietly, and stays right in front of the door, just 
barely letting it close behind her.
   Shane looks up from an unobtrusive study of Taylor as Laurana enters, 
for now, most of his smiles and brevity nonexistant in his expression. 
Slowly, he nods to her, and murmurs her name. "Laurana."
   Taylor licks her lips, eyelashes fluttering conspicuously, keeping back 
the tears that threaten to spill. Taking in a deap, silent breath, she 
appears to recover, and turns a smile back at Shane. The smile however, 
doesn't quite reach her eyes and she allows her gaze to follow Shane's and 
she smiles a greeting to the other woman.
   Laurana blinks and nods to Taylor, "Evening.." she nods to her fellow 
classmate, "Shane." a faint smile emerging on her lips.
   Shane seems to look to Laurana with the faint recognition of a savior, 
carefully not looking at Taylor if very few would call him ignorant of her, 
or her expression. "How are you?" he asks.
   Laurana touches her finger to the back of her head, "Tired..and I have a 
crink in my neck..slept wrong." she manages a half-grin, eyes still on the 
woman.
   Taylor looks from the woman named Laurana to Shane, flushing slightly as 
if she senses Shane's discomfort at her show of emotions, no matter how 
brief it was. Fidgeting, she turns and looks down at her lap, twisting the 
wooden cane in her lap, half listening to the other woman without 
looking up.
   Shane tilts his head, understanding. He too looks back to Taylor, 
following Laurana's focus.
   "Mind if I join you?" Laurana asks ildly of Shane and Taylor.
   Shane blinks, flashing his eyes back to Laurana at her question and 
deferring to Taylor's wishes. Quietly, he introduces, "Laurana, this is 
Taylor." Then, as an obvious afterthought, he adds, "A Guildmember."
   Shaking her head, she looks up and waves a hand to a chair, "P..please," 
she stutters out to Laurana. She then flashes a quick smile to Shane in a 
silent thank you for the introduction.
   Laurana arches a brow at the 'Guildmember' and purses her lips faintly, 
"Thank you." she slips into the seat near Shane. "Are you alright, ma'am?"
   Taylor tilts her head to the side, gazing at this woman curiously. 
"Wh-what? Wr-wrong?" Yeah, like playing innocent is really appropriate 
considering her missing limbs and broken voice.
   Shane slips into the silence he seems to adopt when amongst groups 
larger than two people, gaze moving back and forth between the others as 
they talk.
   Laurana's gaze flicks across the other woman, eyes pausing on the 
injuries, her eyes widening slightly. She shrugs slightly at the 
guildmember, "Just..if you don't wish to speak of it, that's fine 
too." she offers a smile to the lady.
   Taylor shakes her head, smiling in a friendly way to Laurana, 
"I..re..really sh-should find m..m.my quarters. Am a b..bit tir-ed."
   Laurana marches over to the conversation pit.
   Laurana sits down on a couch.
   Laurana shifts slightly and offers the woman a hand, her eyes softening 
on her, "Do you need assistance?"
   Shane looks alert at Taylor's declaration, studying the woman and slowly 
offering a nod. A smile eventually follows, and he says, "Thank you again, 
Taylor. And do rest well."
   You run a hand on the back of your neck to calm the hairs standing 
almost painfully on end, you can't help but notice this happens only 
when Taylor is near.
   Taylor scoots to the edge of the couch, placing the cane firmly on the 
floor in front of her, she pauses just before she hefts herself up off the 
couch. "I am.. f..fine," she says, mildly frustrated and put out by the offer 
but adds anyways, "Th-thanks."
   Laurana nods and stays seated, "Have a nice night, ma'am."
   Taylor stands, catching her equalibrium more than for any other reason. 
She nods to Laurana and turns her head and smiles at Shane. "Y..your we..
welcome, it w-was a ple-pleasure." With that, leaning heavily on her cane, 
spine ramrod straight and with as much dignaty she can muster, limps out of 
the lounge.
   Taylor steps out into the corridor in the direction of the training rooms.
   Taylor has left.
   Shane watches the Guildmember depart, keeping silent until after she 
fades from view, and looking to Laurana as she does. Again, he attempts a 
smile as his study rests on her.
   Laurana tilts her head towards Shane, "Umm..will she be alright?"
   Shane nods slowly, resting back into the cushions of the couch. "She's 
been walking enough the past few days to get herself around. Seen her a 
couple times, but that's the first I've talked to her."
   Laurana nods thoughtfully, "Her injuries looked...bad." understatement 
of the year.
   Shane turns his smile into a vaugely wry one, nodding. "Not the first 
Guildmember I've seen with horrendous injuries."
   Laurana nods and sits in silence.
   Shane doesn't seem to object to the lull in conversation, and after 
another pause, he leans forward to peer into a mug of coffee. Frowning 
just faintly at the obviously cold contents, he leaves the mug where it 
lies, and rests back into the couch, relaxing his head against the cushions.
   Shane takes his relaxation far enough to even fold his hands behind his 
head, drawing out his study of the lounge before his eyes swing back towards 
Laurana. Intaking a breath readable only as indecision of whether to talk or
not, he eventually worms out, "I want to sing crystal."
   Laurana blinks, "You want to what?" she frowns, "As in be a Singer?"
   Shane just nods, unfocusing his gaze again to a point in the ceiling. 
"Talking to Taylor was what made the decision, I think. It's been in my 
head for days.. but I didn't know for sure."
   Laurana hmms, "What..did she say?" she stutters out. "Was she a singer?"
   Shane nods, slowly, and unfolds his arms from behind his head, resting 
them against his stomach. "She is, and also one of our trainers." A thin 
smile, and he adds, "With a date. Less than a month, now."
   Shane continues slowly. "As for what she said.. I don't know, yet."
   Laurana nods, mainly to herself, "Less than a month.." she sighs, "So 
close, and yet..I don't feel as if I know my classmates any better."
   "Well enough," Shane says, his tone still laden with thought. "At least 
the ones with any kind of personality."
   Laurana smiles faintly, "I believe I knew the last class better than 
this one." chuckles faintly, "The ones with personality..do you consider 
yourself with personality?" her voice subtly teasing.
   Shane chuckles at her tone, drawing his study back to the present. "Not 
neccesarily a good one, but yes." Laurana nods, "Same for me."
   Shane smiles evenly, watching her. "Too bad. I claimed the bad 
personality first."
   Laurana sticks her tongue out..oh very mature here.."Well, I claimed it 
second, and I'm a lady..what's the saying? Ladies first?"
   Shane chuckles softly, "If you're so certain you want the distinction, 
it's all yours."
   Laurana sits back smugly, quiet for a while, and then laughs cheerfully, 
"Nope..I relinquish my claim to you."
   Shane grins at her, then, nodding with a hint of triumph. "The Lady is 
generous," he says with that same note of tease.
   "But of course." Laurana's eyes twinkle in amusement, "And..call me 
Laur..it's what I prefer, usually."
   Shane nods in acceptance, lips curved into a slow smile as his eyes move 
back to their point in the ceiling. "If I can remember. I've had two 
Guildmembers already commenting on my not recognizing them."
   Laurana nods slowly, "If you remember me?" she chuckles, "I didn't know 
I was so easy to forget." she winks and stands moving to the catering unit, 
and dialing-up a pitcher of water and a glass, moving back to her seat. "Do 
you think..the guild will accept you as a singer?"
   Shane lifts his head as she moves, grinning once more. "You I'll 
remember. The abbreviation on the name I can't guarantee." Then moving 
into a shrug, he continues, "I'll make a point of asking. I'd rather not 
bloat the market, and it seems that most 'members hint that what one wishes 
doesn't always come in to play, anyways. I'll just take it as it comes."
   Laurana carefully tips some water into the glass, sets the pitcher down 
and leans back into her seat, "I actually, haven't thought of becoming a 
singer..something to think about I s'ppose."
   Shane nods, agreeing. "That too. If there's no guarantee for any one 
thing.. there's the possibility of anything, as well."
   Laurana nods and idly sips her drink, silence prevailing again.
   Shane lets that silence linger out, for the third time, his eyes 
directed towards the ceiling. For reasons unsure until he speaks, he 
chuckles, voice a soft murmurs. "Less than a month. Feels like a graduation 
is approaching."
   Laurana lifts her eyes in surprise to Shane and nervously smiles, 
"Yeah..I guess." her eyes study him for a moment, steadily, and then 
turns back to her glass, twirling the cup in her hand.
   Shane shakes his head out of whatever thoughts cascade through his mind, 
leaning forward on the couch. A wry smile, and he says, "Either I'm tired, 
or there's nothing left to think about. Fearing the second, I'll try to 
solve the first." Rising stiffly, he turns to Laurana, and adds, "Thanks 
for listening to the rambling."
   Laurana nods vaguely, "G'night then?"
   Shane halts a stretch, nodding down to her with a smile. "Or morning, or 
whatever schedule one happens to be on."
   Laurana nods, eyes straying up, "Going to go keep Jaenne safe?" she asks 
curiously.
   Shane hesitates at that, studying her face. "I suppose so," he answers 
lamely, notably discomforted.
   Laurana nods, "I think..it's time for my bedtime also. G'night and see 
you tomorrow." she stands and quickly slips out
   Laurana gets up from the couch.
   Laurana jaunts out of the conversation pit.
   Laurana steps out into the corridor towards the location of the guest 
rooms.
   Laurana has left.