Date: Tue, 9 May 95 15:39:44 PDT From: "Angela 'Anna' Korra'ti (EDP)" To: crystal@duke.poly.edu Subject: (RESEND) PROSE&LOG: Jerrik Gets Kevlan to Work on His Sled Message-ID: <9505092255.AA25626@netmail2.microsoft.com> Archive-Name: jerrik-n-kevlan.log Anxious to do what he can to take the burden of caring for Kevlan - and now, Bernadette - off his exhausted friend Tamber, Jerrik Rawn Deegan starts coaxing Kevlan to accompany him up to the Hangar floor during the days, to let the boy help him work on damaged sleds. Corbin and the rest of the Hangar crew are pleased to have the experienced tech returning to regular duty - and more than one tech raises an eyebrow at the strangely shy Singer following Jerrik on his rounds. But nevertheless, having heard enough gossip to know what's been going on, they greet young Galahad cheerfully, allowing him to shelter in their ranks. Today, though, Jerrik has trouble coaxing Kevlan out of his quarters. Seeing that Bernadette isn't present - gone up to Shankill to see her brother, announces a note on the room terminal - Kevlan frets to his friend, requiring Jerrik to spend several minutes assuring him that Bernadette _will_ be back, it's alright, Bernadette isn't going to go anywhere without him. And at last Jerrik talks Kevlan into following him to the Hangar, though not without keeping a worried eye on the boy and noting that his movements and actions are starting to betray the shakiness of a Singer in need of crystal..... "Jerrik, hey there - and hey, Galahad," Corbin greets Jerrik and Kevlan as they arrive on the Hangar floor. In the middle of the morning, the Hangar is buzzing with activity. A Singer's sled roars out into the sky as Jerrik and his young friend come to greet his superior. Jerrik smiles a bit, and says to Corbin, "Just wanted to let you know Kev's going to be with me again today." Corbin nods gruffly, nodding pleasantly enough to the Singer; if he finds Kevlan's waiflike presence on the Hangar unusual, he doesn't show it. "Not a problem." He grins to Kevlan and tells him, "You're good at sled work, kid, you sure you adapted to the right job?" Kevlan doesn't seem to notice Corbin's gentle tease, as he stares blankly in the direction of the last Singer sled that vanished out into the sky outside. Jerrik frowns slightly, and nudges Kevlan; the young man jumps, and when his attention wavers back to the present, he turns scarlet. "Ah-Ah-Ah'm sorry," he mumbles. Corbin shakes his head cheerily, and waves the two off to the sled rack, pretending not to notice Kevlan's distraction. "Just find something to do, you two. If you need anything to do, let me know." Jerrik flashes his boss a grateful look, as he takes Kevlan's elbow and steers him over to the sled rack. One of Jerrik's fellow techs - lean, crophaired, slender Aje - waves at the two in passing, telling Kevlan cheerfully, "You want to shuck Jer here today and come help me, Galahad, you just say the word, okay?" Kevlan uncertainly nods at the woman as she ambles off to work on a crumpled vehicle's hull, not managing a response before she passes out of an easy place to read his lips. Jerrik considers, studying Kevlan's slouched frame and distracted gaze, and frowns to himself. 'Kid needs to be snapped out of this,' he thinks, 'and maybe I've got the thing to help... ' He nudges Kevlan's shoulder, again making him jump. Out of long reflex, though, Kevlan readily looks at him. "Hey, kid, I got a surprise for you today, c'mere... " Kevlan blinks, muttering, "S'prise?" Jerrik grins. "Yeah. Special job just for you and me, come on. We got a sled here that probably needs its engine crystals replaced." Keeping his face carefully amiable, he goes to punch up the control sequence to bring down a sled from the rack - and watches Kevlan out of the corner of his eye as the machinery fetches a sled with narrow black and pink pinstripe markings... and _Teesa Narie_ stencilled in white on the side. "M... m-m-m-mah sl-sled... " Kevlan barely breathes the words, though Jerrik catches the slight movements of the Singer's mouth, and Jerrik nods benignly to him. "Been a month or two since she had her last diagnostic scan, Kev. Her crystals might have gone sour." Kevlan pales. Jerrik prompts gently, "You wanna check her out, kid?" Long moments pass, and Kevlan remains frozen, as if rooted to the spot on the floor in which he stands. His gaze remains locked on the sled, as it comes down to the lowest level of the sled rack and within easy reach. Jerrik watches his young friend, and at last sighs softly as he sees Kevlan fighting back tears. Though he doesn't hear Kevlan's voice, he can read the words Kevlan stammers: "Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah cain't, Jer... not yet.... Ah cain't.... " Resignedly, Jerrik nods to Kevlan, and re-racks the sled, escorting the kid off to do some work with him on a less troubling vehicle. Kevlan obediently follows him, but the sled tech notices that the young Singer warily avoids getting anywhere near any sled's engine crystals. At this, Jerrik sighs to himself, but lets the kid help him as best he can. 'Best he do this at his own pace,' Jerrik assures himself. And at last, after a few hours of work, he escorts the exhausted Galahad back to his quarters. Jerrik's failure to get Kevlan to work on his sled doesn't leave him daunted long. He didn't miss the look on the kid's face as he saw the familiar lines of the _Teesa_ - he knows that if he can just Kevlan to admit it that he needs to, he can get him to break out of his mental prison. Doing familiar things is the best remedy Jerrik can think of - and working on the _Teesa_ surely couldn't be as stressful as flying her. And so, the next day, he tries again.... this time, meeting up with one of his less-encountered fellow techs as he does so.... ---------- Azaria At 5'6", Azaria is made up of soft, full curves. White-blonde hair is pulled back from a classically beautiful face into a french braid, and her dark brown eyes are neither friendly nor unfriendly, but quietly assessing. Narrow, long fingers are incongruously matched with short fingernails. The tips of her fingers are slightly pink, as though from a recent scrubbing. A dark brown, very greasy coverall curves over her form, and her feet are protected by sturdy, ankle high black boots. She seems to be avoiding your gaze, and her face is strained. Carrying: Repair Manual Azaria looks up from the log book with a slight nod for Jerrik and an even slighter one for Kevlan. Jerrik> Azaria looks at you for a moment. Jerrik smiles affably, if somewhat tiredly, tugging the Singer behind him. Kevlan seems absentminded of gaze, and only realizes that someone's here to say hello to when Jerrik nudges him. Azaria looks at you for a moment. Jerrik says cordially, "Evening... quiet on the deck?" He gestures around, while keeping an eye on the shaggyhaired young man beside him. Azaria shrugs. "Most of the Singers are in. Keeps down on the noise." Kevlan ducks his gaze, and from the movements of his lips he's probably muttering something along the lines of "Howdy ma'am," except that he's not looking up. Jerrik sighs a bit, and to his colleague, says, "Well, Galahad here and I are gonna find something to do... hope we won't disturb you?" Azaria sighs and moves around the desk. She firmly takes Kevlan's chin in her hand and lifts it until he's looking at her and she can see his mouth. "You can't talk to a sledtech like that, you know." Her voice is not unkind. To Jerrik, she shrugs a bit again. "You belong here. He's fine if he's with you... and talks UP." Kevlan blinks, blushes, and stammers abashedly, "Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah'm sorry... " Azaria shakes her head. Her voice is matter-of-fact. "Don't be sorry. Just don't do it." Jerrik quirks a half-grin - his own black gaze steady, as he looks directly at everyone he's talking to - and says, "The kid's with me. He's still having some problems talking, but he means well. Anyhow, we have some diagnostic scans left over to do... " Kevlan swallows hard, and nods rapidly. As Jerrik talks, his gaze wanders up to the sled rack, and one of the vehicles that has been in long-term storage up there. The slight animation leaves Azaria's face, and she steps back. In a more impersonal tone, she murmurs, "Don't let me keep you," and goes back to the log she was working on on the desk. Jerrik blinks, quirks an eyebrow, but decides not to press the matter. He just nods, and nudges Kevlan again; the boy seems to snap out of a daze, and looks embarrassed again as Jerrik escorts him over to the rack. Jerrik> You check Kevlan's sled out, and it is lifted down from the huge rack. Jerrik bustles around the hangar floor and unloads Kevlan's sled from the racks. Kevlan's sled has arrived. Kevlan's expression turns wary and woeful, but the older man encourages him to the sleek-looking sled as the _Teesa Narie_ is hauled down to where the two can work on it. You say "Ah-Ah-Ah don' wanna... " "Don't worry, kid, those engine crystals _do_ need replacing.... and besides, it'll probably do you good if you thrall over 'em." Kevlan doesn't look like he buys his friend's assurance... but nevertheless, Jerrik fetches several tools, and after a time, the two are elbow-deep in the engine of the sled, and the chime of tested crystal fills their section of the Hangar. Your thoughts often turn to your last cut of crystal. Non-singers around you see: Kevlan seems to be distracted. Azaria glances over at Kevlan and Jerrik thoughtfully, then shrugs her shoulders and goes back to her log. Azaria sighs, rubs her back, and waves, heading for the catwalk. Azaria climbs the metal stairs to the catwalk on the western wall. Azaria has left. ---------- Jerrik pretends to pay attention to the handheld scanner he's carrying, as he taps each engine crystal in the _Teesa Narie_ and eyes the readout that measures the trueness of the produced note. Beside the sled tech, Kevlan stares wide-eyedly at the crystals - greens of a respectably dark hue, more than enough to give the _Teesa_ the speed to match the maneuvering systems Jerrik himself installed into the thing. With each tested note, Kevlan's expression flickers between fright and longing, and more than once, Jerrik catches him unconsciously drawing in a breath, as if about to let out a note to accompany the greens' ringing pitch. The kid's reaction time slows, and Jerrik has to nudge him more than once in order to get him to pass him this or that tool, or help make a proper adjustment. But considering the visible relief - which Jerrik suspects Galahad has no idea is so clear in his gaze - in the kid's eyes, Jerrik finds himself not minding the kid's near-thrall. And this time, when he finally hauls the young man off to rest again, Kevlan's sleep is peaceful, and without bad dreams. [End log.]