Log Date: 12/15/96
Log Cast:
	Kevlan, Inanna, Maggie
Log Intro:
	The new Acting Deputy Guildmaster of the Heptite Guild, Kevlan
Sharr, has a fair amount of stress on his personal plate at the moment --
between slogging through the paperwork that has built up in Vyana's
absence, having his first official complaint be about Vyana herself,
and the ongoing problems with his wife, Galahad has had more anxiety
built up in him than he's had to experience in years.
	His stress over his wife, especially, has been needing outlets,
and for some weeks, he's been taking those outlets by extended jamming
sessions with his friends Tamber and Jerrik and whoever else shows up,
visits to the gym and pool on level three, jogging around the JPF, anything
he can think of to work off his excess energy and frustration -- for
above all else, he knows he can't direct it at Berni.
	Kevlan knows, too, and is bolstered by repeated encouragements
from Tamber and Jerrik as well as Kesya, that he can't let Bernadette
continue in her cycle of self-isolation and denial of whatever problems
are causing her nightmares. Kesya has encouraged him once again to seek
the help of the medics; remembering the one medic, Maggie, he'd talked
with about Berni's problems before they'd gone to Maxim's Planet, Kevlan
goes now down to the Infirmary to find her....

----------
You walk into the clinic of the infirmary.
Infirmary(#403RAM)
The main infirmary is a bustling place with medics, orderlies and patients 
  constantly moving about. The floor is covered with a sterile-looking white 
  tile, the walls painted with stripes of various colours. A velvet black 
  stripe leads past several medical offices to Long Term Care, while a dark 
  red stripe leads off in the direction of Short Term facilities. At the 
  nearest end to the lifts, a large administration area has been set up, 
  complete with monitors and computer equipment lining the walls behind the 
  long counter. Towards the other end of the room, several examination tables 
  sit quietly amongst movable privacy screens and sterile cabinets. Since the 
  infirmary is so buried so far underground, only the strongest Passover 
  storms produce any sub-vocal resonances. The ever-present smell of medicines 
  and antispetics hangs in the air. The lighting on this level has been set to 
  a muted glow for the evening hours. 
Contents:
Inanna
Maggie
Dr. Bear
Catering Unit
Obvious exits:
Private Door  Long Term Care  Short Term Care  Lift  

Kevlan pads into the Infirmary, looking around quietly.

Maggie nods briskly, helping you off the table while you get used to the feel 
  of the brace. "I'd recommend it. One of the recruits could do that too."

Kevlan, spying an injury getting treated, blinks, then folds his lean frame 
  into a chair, to wait.

Maggie lets the limping singer head off towards the lifts, and turns to the 
  next in line. She looks Kevlan up and down and smiles. "Can I help you, 
  Singer? You don't look quite as injured as the others who drag themselves 
  down here."

Kevlan rises, and says earnestly, "Ah-Ah ain't hurt, ma'am."

Inanna smiles shyly at the newcomer, and thanks Maggie again. "I'll stay off 
  of it. Thanks..."
Inanna hobbles out of the infirmary, wincing at every step.
Inanna heads toward the lift area.
Inanna has left.

Maggie smiles pleasantly, exuding a professional, somewhat bookish manner. But 
  somehow this slight woman seems easy-going and calming, too. "I can see 
  that," she grins, "Is there something else I can help you with?"

Kevlan, once on his feet again, straightens with a slight unconscious effort; 
  his hands alternate between clasping behind his back and fidgeting 
  restlessly at either side. Gravely, he bobs his head. "Yes'm. You're Miz 
  Maggie, aintcha?"

Maggie nods softly, her hands gently looped into the pockets of her lab coat. 
  "Maggie Gimmer, at your service. We met about a year ago I think."

The Singer's blue eyes lighten a little at this, and an anxious half-smile 
  plays about his mouth. "You do 'membah me, then, ma'am?" he pipes. "Ah-Ah'm 
  Kevlan Sharr..."

Maggie chuckles softly, her eyes showing amusement. "I do remember, Singer 
  Sharr. Congratulations on your new promotion." She frowns thoughtfully, eyes 
  downcast as she tries to recall something. "I think I remember the last time 
  we talked, you were about to head off to Maxim's."

Kevlan blushes just a bit, murmurs, "Thankee," and then, as if eager to skim 
  over the discussion of any position he might happen to be holding, goes on 
  quickly, "Yes'm, Ah-Ah went t' Maxim's, with mah wife, Bern'dette. That's 
  what Ah wanted t' talk with somebody 'bout, ma'am."

Maggie nods understandingly, motioning with one slight movement of her arm for 
  the disturbed singer to sit with her in a partitioned part of the room. 
  "What seems to be the problem?"

Kevlan follows readily enough, then settles himself down in an appropriate 
  chair. "Well... y'see, ma'am, mah wife, she... still ain't sleepin', an' 
  Ah-Ah been... " He lets out a sigh, a nervous and shaky sound. "She won't 
  talk with me, much, ma'am, an' Ah-Ah cain't git 'er to come out of our 
  quarters."

Maggie casts the Singer a concerned look. "She is still having the 
  nightmares?" Frowning, she continues. "Hrm, that is a problem. Has there 
  been any light shed on what is *in* them? As I remember, she didn't know 
  what she was dreaming about, only that it was awfully frightening."

Kevlan's face projects an intense worry, though there's a tang to it that 
  makes him look like a young canine trying to inform someone ever so solemnly 
  that his mistress has fallen down a well. "She keeps _tellin'_ me th' 
  sleepin' meds take care of it, but she run out of 'em, ma'am, a-an' she kept 
  tryin' to have y'all give 'er more, but Ah-Ah-Ah know she ain't been gittin' 
  'em..." His voice goes a little ragged as he speaks, putting a husky edge on 
  the liquid baritone.

Maggie nods softly, her expression remaining calm as she encourages the singer 
  to continue. "I agree, there would be a complication of addiction if she 
  took them for too long. They are supposed to be a temporary remedy." She 
  frowns thoughtfully, "She seems to be using them as the 'cure', but there's 
  still the problem behind it that obviously hasn't been solved." Glancing 
  quickly up at Kevlan she asks, "I assume because you're here and not her, 
  that she doesn't want to see medics, either?"

Kevlan lowers his eyes. "She... ain't been too keen on seein' a medic 'less 
  they got sleepin' meds, no, ma'am."

Maggie nods thoughtfully, quite for a few moments. Finally she says, "Try to 
  talk her into coming to see me. Just to talk, I don't want to pick her brain 
  or anything. I may have a few techniques that will be able to help without 
  the sleeping pills."

Kevlan pulls in a breath, then asks worriedly, "Do... you know how Ah might 
  git 'er t' do that, ma'am? She ain't been wantin' t' come outta our rooms 
  'tall."

Maggie offers, "I could come see her." She rests a hand on the Singer's 
  shoulder, adding softly, "This will be a slow recovery, and it will only 
  happen when she realizes there's a problem here she needs to deal with. If 
  she thinks sleeping pills will solve it, then she doesn't see the problem, 
  or refuses to. "

Kevlan's broad slim shoulder is shivering, just a little. If this is the same 
  man who burst into tears over his wife's earlier troubles, he's somehow 
  managed to learn since then how to keep better control of himself. But his 
  eyes are still putting out a heartsick gaze, as he nods slowly. "Ah-Ah'll 
  see iffin Ah c'n git 'er to see yah, ma'am."

Maggie smiles encouargingly, giving the slightly shaking shoulder a pat. 
  "Emphasize that I only want to help, and that I've got a few ideas that will 
  make this whole thing perhaps a little easier for her."
Maggie looks at the Deputy Guildmaster analytically. "How are you holding up 
  under all this?"

Kevlan blinks. "Me, ma'am?"

Maggie nods, her expression frank. "Sure. It's hard going through what you 
  have been. An ill wife, new job, the length of time Bernadette has had this 
  problem... how do you feel about it all?"

Evidently, the notion of relaying how _he_ feels hadn't occurred to him; 
  Kevlan blinks again, swallows, and something of that composed veneer he 
  seems to have acquired in recent months cracks, for his eyes get rather more 
  anxious. "Ah... feel kinda jittery about it all, ma'am," he confesses.

Maggie simply nods smoothly. "That's completely understandable," she says with 
  some reassurance. "Anyone would. Do you feel you've changed because of this? 
  I have had patients in the past who have been through similar experiences, 
  and often felt frustrated with it. But then felt guilty, because they of 
  course, love their spouses."

Kevlan blurts out, "Ah... Ah-Ah kinda do feel guilty, ma'am...! Ah mean... Ah 
  keep thinkin', maybe somethin' Ah ain't doin' made 'er sick, an'... " His 
  voice gets rougher.

Maggie shakes her head firmly, covering the young Singer's hand with her own 
  small one. "You are not at fault here, Kevlan. It is normal and nature for 
  people in this situation to feel anger, resentment..." she slides her palm 
  through the air as she lists these off. "... guilt, hate or even fear about 
  what's going on. But it isn't her these people are directing these feelings 
  at, it's the situation. And nothing you did made her sick. In fact, you are 
  the one trying to make her get better, *and* you are the key to make her 
  *want* to get better." She punctuates this with a squeeze of his hand.

Calluses on that big hand you're grasping; not surprising, for a Singer, 
  though the hard tips of his fingers might be. His hand, too, shakes a bit. 
  "Ah... Ah'm scared, ma'am," he breathes. "Ah-Ah ain't sure if... she's more 
  riled 'bout me breakin' a leg in th' Ranges, or me gittin' ever'body mad at 
  me with th' new job... " At that, he trails off.

Maggie gives the rough hand a squeeze again, reassuringly. "Bernadette is 
  undoubtedly scared as well. A lot of times, fear comes out as anger. If it 
  seems she is angry all the time, it could be just her way of covering up the 
  fact that she doesn't know what's happening to her, and she's scared about 
  it. Offering her love and support is the way to counter this, and will help 
  her feel more secure. But ultimately, getting help for it is the only way it 
  will end. It's been going on for over a /year/ now," she finishes softly. 
  "Of course she's scared."

Kevlan offers timidly, "She... seems t' sleep a little better when Ah sing to 
  'er. Ah been doin' that."

Maggie smiles, her large eyes warming to that idea. "She probably depends on 
  that. You have to be strong for her, but it's come time now where she needs 
  to find the solution, instead of leaning on you and your talent for music," 
  she winks.

Kevlan murmurs, not looking at you, "Ah ain't th' Lady, t' heal 'er with mah 
  song, ma'am." He nods, too, evidently agreeing with you, despite the oddity 
  of the statement. Then he looks up again, and says huskily, "Ah wanna be 
  strong for 'er, too."

Maggie smiles pleasantly, patting your hand almost as one would to reassure a 
  small child. "She needs you to be. And though she may not act like it now, 
  I'm sure she depends on that more than on anything. Will you talk to her, 
  try to convince her to see me? It would be nice to get her on the road to 
  being well again."

Kevlan nods, firmly. "Ah'll do it, ma'am."

Maggie smiles, standing from her chair. "And if /you/ ever need a good ear to 
  talk to, I'm here. That new job must be very stressful, and there aren't 
  many people you can talk to about that sort of thing." She crosses her 
  finger with a smile, "Professional confidance."

Kevlan gets up, while admitting sheepishly, "Ah... cain't 'xactly talk t' th' 
  Guildmastah..." At that, he blushes, quite vividly. "Yes'm. I-i-it's kinda 
  stressful, ma'am."

Maggie's eyes seem bright as she nods emphatically. "I've no doubt. I'll be 
  the paperwork has been piling up, and now that there's news of someone new 
  in the hot seat, there are probably people taking advantage of someone in a 
  new position."

Kevlan's voice comes out in a tiny squeak that completely contradicts his 
  size. "Ain't nobody come talk t' me 'cept Sledtech Aralan... yet..."

Maggie smiles wryly, her hands looping gently into the pockets of her lab coat 
  again. The slight young woman seems like a child beside the taller Singer. 
  No wonder she used to treat children back on her home planet. "Well, perhaps 
  you're getting a gradual introduction to the dealing with Guildmembers bit 
  then," she says lightly. "I'm sure it takes a practiced knack, but you'll 
  get the hang of it. Do you feel you're settling in, or are you still at the 
  'overwhelmed' stage?"

Kevlan considers this, then leans closer and murmurs, as if desperate not to 
  be overheard, "Ah'm... kinda overwhelmed, ma'am." It's not to difficult to 
  discern that this lad has a talent for understatement, along with his 
  reputed talent for music, for his gaze seems quite stricken.

Maggie looks at you speculatively for a moment, "I can see why. But tell me... 
  did Maxwell just dump this job in your lap, or did he offer an assistant to 
  help and advice you in the beginning, and to train you?"

Kevlan blinks, rapidly, and blurts as if quite horrified at the implication 
  that Maxwell Farantine might have done ANYTHING with less than utmost 
  intelligence and professionalism, "An... a-a-assistant, ma'am?"

Maggie nods blithely. "Sure. It's pretty standard to offer you an assistant to 
  help you get the hang of things, particularly when the job is of such 
  importance and there's no real training time. He didn't offer one?"

Kevlan wilts a little, immediately nevertheless protesting, "He... he seemed 
  t' think Ah-Ah-Ah could handle it, ma'am, Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah gotta handle it, Ah 
  cain't let th' Guild down again, not aftah..." The stammer is back. So's the 
  blush, and he seems to have utterly lost his prior composure. He then seems 
  to catch himself, and his gaze plummets to his toes.

Maggie puts a steadying hand on the singer's arm. "Hey, hey! You were shoved 
  into this job with no training and very little in the way of support staff. 
  Maxwell has assistants and junior admins coming out of every orifice, he can 
  certainly spare you one. And taking an assistant to help out until you get 
  your feet on the ground isn't 'letting the Guild down'. It's getting the 
  training here that you deserve."

Kevlan looks up anxiously. "He d-d-d-didn't shove me, ma'am..." Something did, 
  though, even if it wasn't the Guildmaster....

Maggie wrinkles her nose at the minor distinction. "Well, placed then. Does it 
  matter? You're used to singing crystal, not adminning the most powerful 
  Guild in the FSP. I'll ask that you be given an assistant, and at least that 
  will save you for the more important problems instead of dealing with piddly 
  paperwork. Sound good?" Her brows arch -- for a woman so small and 
  fragile-looking, this Dr. Gimmer can be quite determined.

You can almost see the neurons firing behind this boy's translucent gaze, and 
  the patterns are spelling a clear relief as he seizes on your words. "If 
  there's anybody 'vailable, ma'am... Tamber, h-he been he'pin' me, but he's 
  gotta be a Sortah..."

Maggie nods smoothly, a hint of a smile projecting reassurance. "You've seen 
  all the junior admins running about. Maxwell can spare one, I'm sure. I'm 
  /rather/ surprised he didn't think of assigning you one." Her expression 
  shows there's something lacking there, where she's concerned. "Nobody can 
  expect you to leap into a new job and know all the ins and outs. I couldn't 
  do it."

"Ah... um.... kinda sorta been makin' sense of it all... " The words come out 
  unsurely; is he trying to exaggerate to save the Guildmaster's dignity, or 
  understating his own handling of the job again? Kevlan doesn't elaborate.

Maggie makes a few notes on her datapad, talking casually all the while. "Just 
  making a few notes to remind me of our conversation, Kevlan. And yes, I'm 
  sure you're doing a fine job. But there's no reason to throw yourself to the 
  four winds doing it when you can get an assistant to help, is there?"

Kevlan, fidgeting again, his work-roughened hands twitching at one another, 
  shakes his head shyly. "No ma'am...."

Maggie gives Kevlan's shoulder a friendly pat. "See what you think. We'll get 
  you an assistant, and that will give you a chance to get some rest and time 
  with Berni as well. If it doesn't work out, then you haven't lost anything." 
  She shrugs, casting you a smile.

Ah. Yes, you're hitting the right buttons with him, for a smile creeps back 
  out across his face. "W-worth a shot, Ah guess... 'specially since Ah'm jes' 
  standin' in f'r Miz Vyana anyhow..."

Maggie seems bouyantly reassured by the Singer's newfound confidence in his 
  situation. "Exactly. I'll leave a message with Guildmaster Maxwell, and 
  he'll get it first thing in the morning."

Kevlan asks, in the manner of a little boy asking a teacher if he's done 
  something right, "Maybe... he'll 'ppreciate me handlin' it, iffin Ah need 
  th' he'p?"

Maggie chuckles softly, her short, boyish bangs bobbing as she nods. "I'm sure 
  he'd be impressed by that, yes. A wise person, someone once said, is one who 
  knows to ask for help when he needs it."

That makes him smile again, startledly: blue-drenched sunlight peeking out 
  from behind clouds. "Ah... Ah guess so, ma'am...."

Maggie chuckles softly. "I thought you'd agree." Glancing at her chrono, she 
  adds,"My, it's later than I thought. Is there anything else you wanted to 
  talk about before you head back to Bernadette?"

Kevlan shakes his head quickly. "You done gimme a lot to think on, ma'am..." 
  he murmurs.

Maggie grins at the singer amiably, "Not too much, I hope."

Kevlan giggles a little. "It's awful easy t' cram mah head fulla stuff, ma'am, 
  Ah ain't all that bright." He blushes again, but not nearly so brightly as 
  before.

Maggie tosses back dryly, "Oh, I wouldn't say that... what kind of a Guild 
  would this be, if its Deputy Guildmaster weren't sharp? You're coming from a 
  biased perspective," she points out, aiming a finger at him. "But it's late, 
  and I have to continue rounds. You can leave a message for me via computer 
  after you talk to you wife. Either way.. even if she's still rejecting the 
  idea, will you let me know?"

Kevlan blushes again, smiles lopsidedly, then as his smile fades back into 
  earnestness, he nods. "Thank you, ma'am...."
Kevlan, with that, bobs his head politely to you, then turns and makes his way 
  out, a bit of the confidence coaxed back into him making its way down to his 
  step.

[End log.]