"Rescue Rejected"

Log Date:
	8/18/97

Log Cast:
	Thomas Drake, Rellawy Woodlake, Jhunta

Log Intro:
	More than anything else in the galaxy, the two constants in Rell's
life ever since her childhood were her father's protective insistence that
her abilities remain hidden lest the discovery of them threaten them both--
and his sad but firm refusal to tell her anything of her mysterious mother.
In recent days, though, her abilities have been far too obvious, bringing
her to the attention of potential friends and obvious foes alike. And 
leading her to wonder exactly _who_ her mysterious mother might have been.
	As she dreamed, exhausted, her thoughts roiling with the aftermath of 
healing the Gamorrean Tabak as well as the Jedi called Thomas Drake, it was
all she could do to try to break through the alien memories and emotions
pulled into her from other minds. Past them... to the faceless presence of
her mother somewhere beyond them. A presence which, Rellawy was certain,
could only be identified if she managed to figure out a way to find out
where her mother had come from. It was a course she couldn't follow on 
Nar Shaddaa... but the problem was, could she follow it taking up Thomas
Drake on his offer of passage into the territory of the Rebel Alliance?
	She wanted to believe it. The _sense_ of him she'd gotten tried to
argue in favor. But she'd lived too long on the Smugglers' Moon to give 
much faith in something as ephemeral as her own haphazard gift....
  
----------
Crew Quarters -- Rampart
Although hardly large enough to be called 'quarters,' this area could be 
  nothing else; a juvenile bunk-bed fills one corner, and a pair of bureaus 
  fill the opposite one. A pathway has been cleared between the door and the 
  bunks, but the majority of the floor is cluttered with jackets, trinkets, 
  bits of undescribable material, and perhaps even last Tuesday's mystery 
  entree. The lighting is adequete, but only barely. A low doorway leads out 
  in to the corridor.
Contents:
Drake
Obvious exits:
Corridor  

Drake ducks into the cabin, holding a pitcher and a glass, heading over to 
  the bunk where Rellawy has been unceremoniously deposited. "Hey," he doesn't 
  say 'kid,' just nearly, "You awake yet?"

The fair-haired girl lies there -- but is apparently conscious, for she's got 
  a hand lifted to her head, palm pressed there as though fighting off a 
  migraine. "Aye," she croaks. "I'm awake."

"You thirsty?" Drake asks politely. "What d'you need? What do you usually 
  do--or take--after ... this happens?"

"If ye have somethin' for the headache, that would do," Rell mutters. She 
  considers a moment, then moves. Her legs swing stiffly down to plant feet on 
  the deck, and her hands grab the edge of the book to support her as she sits 
  there a moment, her head bowed forward.

Drake puts the pitcher and the glass on the bureau next to the bunk. "As a 
  matter of fact, I do," he lays a hand on Rellawy's shoulder and winks. 
  "Think happy thoughts."

The girl snaps her head up, starting a wince at the movement; then, the 
  expression arrests itself halfway in forming. Rell lets out a slow breath, 
  then, some of the lines of tension easing from her features -- some, not 
  all. "Thank ye," she says huskily. "Thrice, now."

"Don't mention it," Drake replies grumpily. "Those friends of yours don't play 
  very nice."

Smirking, Rell lifts her slender fingers and pinches the bridge of her nose 
  between them, perhaps more reflex than to ward off any remaining pain, now. 
  "They'll be no friends o' mine."

"I've no love for them either," Drake replies sourly, leaning against the 
  wall. "You know them, then, or not?"

Not meeting the Jedi's gaze, Rellawy sighs, and tautly replies, "I healed the 
  man. He'd nearly died. In a fight. That was a week past. They've been 
  lookin' for me, ever since."

"Not very grateful," Drake observes astutely, "I can see where that'd get you 
  in trouble. Forget whatever dangers I could tell you about, it looks like 
  you've got your hands full already."

"Aye. That I do." Experimentally, Rellawy gets to her feet, as if to test 
  whether she can stand; still not looking at Drake, she adds, "It is Nar 
  Shaddaa I'm livin' on, after all."

Jhunta ducks inside from the corridor.
Jhunta has arrived.
Jhunta says "Evening...hope I'm not disturbing you."

"You don't want to," Drake says, as if accusing her; no trick of the mind gave 
  him that conclusion. He looks over at Jhunta as he enters, and says simply: 
  "You are quartered in the Cargo bay, pilot--give me a moment?"

Jhunta ducks out into the corridor.
Jhunta has left.

Rellawy tenses momentarily, startled -- reacting like a nervous young animal, 
  almost, at the brief interruption. She closes her eyes, then, frowning. 
  "No," she replies, tone sharpening. "I do not."

"This ship is headed to the territory of the Rebel Alliance," Drake says after 
  a moment's consideration. "You have an open invitation to come with us, and 
  get off wherever you care to."

Rell stiffens, but her expression is not one of surprise -- rather, perhaps, 
  more like one of someone who's just braced for an expected jolt and has just 
  received it. She sucks in a breath, releases it, and then murmurs, "You 
  wouldnae be able to take me where I need to be goin', Thomas Drake."

"Try me," Drake offers blandly. "You tell me. Maybe I've been there."

At that, Rell turns, finally looking at the man who rescued her, fully. 
  There's a skittishness in her eyes, focused on this tall fair-haired, 
  blue-eyed one before her, but her gaze remains steady for all the 
  nervousness within it. She studies him for a moment, and another, before she 
  says, "I cannae tell ye. Not when I dinnae know a name for the world myself."

"I can take you anywhere where this ship can go," Drake shrugs. "If you can 
  show it to me, I can go there. Even if it's not -- where you /need/ to go."

Rell's blue-green gaze stays on Drake, her brow slowly furrowing. Then, 
  finally, she looks away, saying only, "No." It comes out of her very soft.

"Your 'friends' will not come unprepared, next time." Drake says quietly. "But 
  it is your decision. I do not know how soon I can return, but I will, 
  eventually. I'm not going to talk you out of it again."

"Go your way, then, Thomas Drake... and fly safely." Rell turns away towards 
  the hatch, then pauses a moment and almost smiles. But she does not voice 
  the reason why.

Drake watches Rellawy leave without moving from his spot against the wall; "I 
  will. May the Force Be With You, Rell of Nar Shaddaa."

She turns once, long enough to glance back, smiling a little at that. She 
  doesn't voice the 'and with you', but it's clear enough in her gaze... then, 
  with that, she's gone, with barely a whisper of her worn boots.

[End log.]