Log Date:
	10/22/97, 10/23/97, 10/24/97

Log Cast:
	Paul Nighman, Kendell, Shenneret Veery, Kadgie, Avalyshaar, Leeloo,
Excaliber, Solon Halwinder, Tylar

Log Intro:
	[Continued from log 'hot-date-II.txt'.]
	Moved by Shenner's continued emotional support of him, Paul has
impulsively purchased her a second dress, this one of black satin, and
taken her out on another date of dancing and dinner. A visit to Keepon
Casino has given way to a visit to Caspar's surface... and an unexpected
reunion with Kuxli on the streets of Plaxton City. Giddy at first over their
evening, Shenner greets Kuxli and the humans speaking with him eagerly and
tries her hand at innuendo... only to have it backfire when Paul doesn't
quite realize that she's not as good at such things as she is. The girl
grows quite embarrassed and finally extracts her beloved from the vicinity.
The two head off to explore the nearby Club Infinity, but it's an unsettled
Shenner who accompanies the Corellian into this second casino of their
evening...

----------
You step onto the slidestair leading up and are swiftly carried up to the 
  Infinity Casino.
Club Infinity - The Oceanside
        The entire scape of Plaxton City and the ocean is amazing. Being one 
  of the highest points in the city, the restraunt's encircling windows allow 
  you to see all the activity and buildings of the city below. No movement can 
  be felt, even though the restraunt's floor slowly rotates, changing the view 
  while you are here. Large exotic plants fill the room, and even hang down on 
  platforms from the domed ceiling. Several tables and booths are set in 
  various vantage points, and a high, black bar occupies one side of the 
  large, central column, that also serves as the kitchen, and where the 
  slidestair is located.
Type "Place Help" for help finding a table.
Type "Bar Help" for help obtaining a drink.
Type "Dining Help" for help ordering food.
                 -=-=-=-=-=-=<<Real Objects>>=-=-=-=-=-=-
=> Paul_Nighman
=> Kendell
=> Kadgie
=> Bianca
=> Moliari
                  -=-=-=-=-=<<Visible exits>>=-=-=-=-=-
 <S>lidestairs leads to Entertainment Center - The Oceanside.

Arriving from below, Paul looks about, still chuckling under his breath. 
  Glancing at Shen, he quirks an eyebrow, struggling valiantly for control. 
  "You think we should try out his tools?" He dodges an expected blow.

Kendell is sitting up on the platform, talking with Kadgie. He looks down and 
  around the room for a moment.
Kendell looks at you for a moment.

Shenner's blow comes, an indelicate slug from her slender arm. Glowering 
  indignantly, she grumbles at him, "What the kark did you mean, 'control', 
  ah, 'control cases'?! Like I'd need _his_ help!" She hmphs, blushing scarlet 
  at her companion.

Kendell
Standing before you is a trim young man in his mid-thirties. He stands at 
  about six feet tall, and looks to weigh approximately 170 pounds. He is 
  dressed conservatively in a sharp, well-tailored suit. Its black, 
  double-breasted jacket wraps comfortably around a neatly pressed, white 
  dress shirt and a brightly patterned necktie, the colors of which contrast 
  sharply with the black fabric of the jacket. The jacket tapers down to a 
  pair of matching slacks, which in turn fall to a pair of black, nicely 
  polished shoes. Covering the suit is a gray wool overcoat which falls 
  sharply from his shoulders to his calves. The collar is turned up, and 
  closely hugs his face, obscuring portions of it from view. The buttons are 
  left undone and the lapels are pushed away from his chest as he calmly 
  places his hands in the pockets of the pants. Looking back up, you see his 
  light blonde hair is cut closely on the sides and left a little longer on 
  top, where it falls smoothly across his forehead. At first glance, his eyes 
  appear to be a simple dark brown, but as you inspect them more closely, you 
  notice a ring of deep green circling each iris, and that his right eyelid 
  droops just a bit. His face is a handsome one, but not overly so. However, 
  his facial expression always seems to convey a feeling of calmness and 
  pleasant, pensive warmth. He seems to walk with an air of mild confidence. 
  As he turns and notices you, he offers a melancholy half-smile, and nods. 
  (OOC: If he is carrying any real objects, he is also carrying a medium-sized 
  canvas satchel.)

"Who was talking about you? Although if you keep hitting on me like that, I 
  may need someone to restrain you," he teases furiously. Drawing back and 
  holding his hands up placating, he offers, "So, can I buy you dinner or a 
  drink pretty lady?"

"Oh, yeah, stand there and tell me you were gonna... well, with _him_!" 
  Shenner blushes again, crossing her arms across her satin-clad front, but 
  she can't stop herself from stealing a peek at Paul.

Kadgie looks to the two that just walked in with a little bit of interest. She 
  watches the action below and then turns to her companion as he speaks to her.

The opportunity to yank the girl's chain is just too irresistable. Leaning 
  close to her, an arm slipping about her waist, Paul asks in a soft and 
  earnest voice, "Would you like that?"

Her eyes widening, Shenner yelps, reeling back from her companion, "What?! How 
  could you even _ask_ -- I -- don't tell me you -- as if I'd even consider 
  anybody else --!"

Kadgie looks to the woman on the floor yelling. She glances quickly at the two 
  and then turns her attention back to her companion as she lifts her glass 
  and takes a sip.

Laughing whole heartedly, Paul catches Shen's arms as she tries to back away 
  from him. "Easy easy, I'm just teasing you." He winks shortly, grining 
  unrepentantly. "Had you going there for a minute ... just goes to prove you 
  don't necessarily know everything about me ... or I you for that matter."

The redheaded girl lets her arms be grasped, but she still seems indignant -- 
  or perhaps more appropriately, mortified -- as she peers unsurely up at her 
  date. "Guess not," she mutters, once more blushing vividly.

Reining himself in, realizing that perhaps the joke was not so funny to Shen, 
  Paul murmurs gently, "Here, lets get that drink I promised ... think you 
  could use it just about now." He leads her over to a nearby table, drawing 
  back a chair for her to sit in, in proper gentlemanly fashion.

You cross the black carpetting, take a small step down, and pick out a table 
  to sit at.
RIM
        About half a dozen small, square tables occupy this area, each with 
  three or four chairs around the three exposed edges, with the fourth side 
  bordering the window panels. Each one affords an excellent view of the 
  outside, which very subtly is changing with the rotation of the restaurant's 
  floor. The finely finished ThreadOak tables are set with simple table 
  settings and sparkling silverware.
Occupied:

Paul_Nighman searches out a seat among the window tables.

Shenner allows herself to be seated, as she struggles to resettle her 
  composure. Paul's abrupt gentling seems to get through to her, and she looks 
  up at him, offering him a wan, sheepish little smile.

Kadgie shakes her head at her companion and then gives him a reassuring smiles 
  as she speaks with him.

Signalling to a waitress, Paul considers for a moment and the requests a 
  bottle of Shantill Deuberu. The man nods, taking the order, one brow rising 
  slightly at the expensive champagne, but he makes no comment. "Anything to 
  eat sir?" he inquires pleasantly, which in turn causes Paul to raise a brow 
  in question to Shen.

Kendell leans forward a little bit, adjusting his collar.

The girl just shakes her head, and tries to look less off-balance.

Shaking his head, Paul dismisses the waiter with a polite smile, the man 
  backing away deferentially. Turning back to Shen, Paul's hands slip across 
  the table's length to capture hers. "I'm sorry ... I couldn't help myself." 
  Cocking his head, he murmurs softly, "You okay?"

Kendell blinks quickly, and nods to his companion.

Kadgie nods to her companion and then gives him a smile.

Kendell looks up at her smile, and offers a small one of his own.

Among the window tables, Shenner looks across the table to Paul, managing 
  another, larger grin, though a disconcerted air still lingers in her eyes, 
  making her look shy as well as youthful. But it's every ounce Shennish 
  bravado as she clasps the bigger hands twined around her own, as she claims, 
  "Yeah... sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

Among the window tables, Paul_Nighman leans closer, peering at her 
  wonderingly. "Well, you don't look okay ... you look shocked."

Among the window tables, Shenner blushes once more at that, under those hazel 
  eyes, and mumbles sheepishly, "Yeah. Um, yeah...." She tries on another wan 
  smile. "Sorry."

The Corellian leans closer to the woman across from him, drawing one of her 
  hands closer to him, brushing his lips against it.
Among the window tables, Paul_Nighman's mouth breathes against Shen's 
  knuckles as he draws her hand closer. The eyes soften and he reminds 
  himself, _this is no Ariana .... this kind of play isn't even in her 
  experience, let alone her league_ "No, -I'm- sorry," Paul murmurs, his eyes 
  softening and warming. "I didn't realize ... didn't think." Reaching across 
  the table with his other hand, he draws his fingers along the length of her 
  cheek, caressing the underside of her jaw.

Among the window tables, Shenner meets Paul's gaze with a lessening of the 
  unease in her own, her jaw trembling ever so slightly, delicately, in his 
  touch. "Hey, ain't your fault I need to check my humor circuits..." she 
  mumbles, mouth curling up tentatively on one end.

As the waiter returns, Paul draws back fractionally, nodding as he is shown 
  the bottle. There is a bright pop as the cork is loosed, and the contents of 
  the bottle are poured out into two fluted glasses. Thanking the waiter, Paul 
  takes the bottle, settling it into the proffered bucket of ice. Picking up 
  one of the glasses, Paul presses it into Shen's hand.
Among the window tables, Paul_Nighman says, "Here, I think you'll like this," 
  smiles affectionately, letting the topic just drop."

Kendell leans back and sighs deeply.
Kendell walks into the center, and glances around with a smile. He squints for 
  a moment, noticing Avy at the bar. He approaches quietly, standing behind 
  Avy as he leans forward with a grin.

Bianca works with grace as she makes a Dragonflower and serves it to 
  Avalyshaar.

Kadgie takes a drink from her Bonch_cider.

Avalyshaar begins to take a sip of her fresh drink as Kendell leans in behind 
  her and whispers something. She nearly fumbles and spills the drink as she 
  jumps with a gasp, turning around with surprised eyes and brows raised.

Kadgie puts her glass on the bar and turns as she hears the gasp of someone. 
  She focuses her eyes on the two making the commotion as she blinks several 
  times.

Leeloo frowns and finishes off her drink.

Off under the shaded trees, at her table with her tall blue-clad companion, 
  Shenner smiles crookedly as he presses a fluted glass of champagne into her 
  hand, and leans closer to him.

Avalyshaar looks at you for a moment.

Excaliber sits at the wetbar slowly sweeping his gaze over the crowd in the 
  club. He spots Solon and nods at him quickly before returning his eyes to 
  the bartender, "1 water please..."

Bianca works with grace as she makes a water and serves it to Excaliber.

Kendell straightens up, a little surprised. He waits for Avy to turn around, 
  then says with a tilt of his head, "Just asking."

Under the trees, Shenner smiles shyly across the table, and murmurs, as her 
  fingers curl around the glass, "Bubbly stuff, huh?"

Lifting a glass of his own, the Corellian holds it in mid air, considering the 
  woman across him thoughtfully. A warm smile curls his lips.

Under the trees, Paul_Nighman arching one brow knowingly chuckles and nods. 
  "Yes, and a very fine bottle of bubbly it is ... a toast?"

Avalyshaar's face softens as she recognises the familiar voice, and a smile 
  blossoms across her lips as she turns to see who it is. "Kendell." she says 
  in a breathless & surprised tone. "How did you know to find me here?"

Leeloo takes a sip from her Habassa_Draft.

Under the trees, Shenner gives her companion a slightly wider smile, lifting 
  the glass gamely. "Okay.... to what?"

Solon_Halwinder gulps down a drink from his Barkesh_Lager.

Excaliber takes a drink from his water.

Kadgie takes a couple of sips of her drink as she idly looks at her 
  chronometer.

Under the trees, Paul_Nighman , tilting his glass to chime lightly against 
  Shen's, murmurs in return, "To us, of course." He considers her again, his 
  eyes trailing down the long line of her throat, across the sheer fabric of 
  her dress, and back up again to stop first at her mouth and then her eyes. 
  "Or maybe just to you."

Kendell grins crookedly, taking a moment to glance at Bianca and point to a 
  bottle on the wall. Looking back down at Avy, he says, "I don't know...luck, 
  I guess." He leans against the bar and begins conversing with her more 
  quietly.

Leeloo puts her elbows ont he table, resting her chin on her hands, talking to 
  Solon.

Under the trees, Shenner brightens subtly, her smile shyly flaring out and 
  back again, before she lifts her own glass to sip from it, a short sip 
  first, then a longer one. And at Paul's warm regard on her, she blushes once 
  more... but this time in reaction to that gaze. "Me?" she says, startled.

At the table under the trees, the redheaded girl in black and the tall 
  Corellian in blue clink together their fluted glasses; something the man 
  says to the young redhead makes her smile and blush, shyly.

Bianca works with grace as she makes a celanonnay and serves it to Kendell.

Avalyshaar smiles genuinely as the tall blonde man slips into a seat beside 
  her. She leans in and places a quick kiss on his cheek and murmers something 
  to him before pulling back and taking a sip of her drink.
Avalyshaar takes a sip from her Dragonflower.

Excaliber finishes off his water, stands up from his seat at the bar and 
  begins moving toward the door. On his way there he bumps into Solon but 
  apologizes quickly and continues out.

Kendell nods his thanks to Bianca as the drink arrives. He sits down and 
  kisses her back as she leans in. He grins as she says something to him, and 
  he leans back in to respond.

Excaliber steps onto the slidestair and is soon out of sight as it takes them 
  down.
Excaliber has left.
Excaliber steps off the slidestairs.
Excaliber has arrived.
Excaliber steps onto the slidestair and is soon out of sight as it takes them 
  down.
Excaliber has left.

Avalyshaar takes a sip from her Dragonflower.

Kadgie lifts her glass to her lips and takes a sip idly as she stares at the 
  back of the wall.

Kendell leans back with his glass and twitches an eyebrow comically. "But, 
  they say the medication's supposed to be helping that."
Kendell takes a sip from his celanonnay.

Avalyshaar laughs softly and nods. "I'll go with that second one." she says, 
  sipping idly at her drink. "I still have heard nothing from the military, by 
  the way... But I did put forth an inquiry."

Kadgie begins to take a sip as her comlink goes off. She looks down and curses 
  lightly as she picks it up and speaks into it.

Avalyshaar raises a slim hand to her forehead and pushes her still-damp red 
  curls from her face.

Kendell arches a brow with interest. "Really? In that case, I'm sure things'll 
  all become clear soon enough."
Kendell turns his head to the side and glances up. With a crooked grin, he 
  looks back down and asks Avy something.

Avalyshaar nods, her composure a bit more serious. "I hope so." She stops and 
  looks to Kendell as he speaks.

Kadgie puts away her comlink and continues to sip her drink.

Avalyshaar chuckles and nods, standing up from the bar and heading for the 
  stairs. "Sounds excellent." she says with a smile.

Kendell grins and takes his glass, brushing his coat away from his side as he 
  follows Avy to the stairs.

Avalyshaar leaves the general floor area and ascends the steps leading to the 
  platform above.

Under the trees, Paul_Nighman says, "Yeah, you," in a soft murmur, not seeing 
  the need for any elaboration. Clearly the embarassment is now past, or 
  quickly heading in that direction. The smile grows seductive and with a wink 
  over the edge of his glass, Paul queries, "Why not you?"

Kendell leaves the general floor area and ascends the steps leading to the 
  platform above.

Leeloo takes a sip from her Habassa_Draft.

Avalyshaar laughs audibly.

Kadgie glances at her chrono and then sighs as she reaches in her pocket and 
  puts some credits on the bar. She grabs her jacket from the floor and puts 
  it on, leaving it unzipped. She then gets off the bar and makes her way out 
  of the club.
Kadgie walks away from the wet bar.

Taking a sip from his chamapagne, Paul raises a brow at his companion, but 
  laughter from the bar temporarily distracts him, and he peers off to the 
  side curiously.

Under the trees, Shenner blinks and gulps down another swallow of her 
  champagne, and murmurs a touch blankly, "Just can't figure out why I'd wanna 
  drink to myself." But she steals another peek across the table.

Kadgie steps onto the slidestair and is soon out of sight as it takes them 
  down.
Kadgie has left.

Kendell raises a hand with a laugh and a grin, nodding.

Under the trees, Paul_Nighman says, "It's called self congratulation, and it's 
  a healthy thing." Cocking his head to one side, Paul places his glass down 
  carefully, reaching over and catching Shen's hand in his. "K'chaiya," he 
  rumbles, soft as velvet ... he looks out across the floor, frustrated 
  suddenly at the table's presence between them. "Wish this place had a
  dance floor ...."

Leeloo leans back in her seat again. "I'll have to visit some time...Sounds
  liek a big place..."
Leeloo leans back in her seat again.

Under the trees, Shenner breathes in a soft breath, evidently getting her 
  composure back. She takes down another drink of her champagne before she 
  lowers the glass again, tightening her grip slightly as his fingers close 
  around hers. "What'm I congratulatin' myself for?" she murmurs to him.

Leeloo chuckles loudly.

Solon_Halwinder laughs

Leeloo takes a sip from her Habassa_Draft.

Under the trees, Paul_Nighman raising her hand to again, Paul turns it over, 
  holding it palm up as his free hand traces fingers against it absently, his 
  golden-hazel gaze raising from his activities to her face again. For a 
  moment his smoldering gaze looks like he is going to say something else when 
  his mouth opens, but instead there is clearly a flicker of choice and 
  instead he murmurs, "Because you are so uniquely you ... because you have 
  dreams and you're not afraid to reach for them ... because you have ... " 
  and again that look comes into his eyes, only to be turned away once again. 
  "Just because."
 
Avalyshaar has left.

Kendell steps down the stairs from the platfrom above.
Kendell quietly steps out of the club.
Kendell steps onto the slidestair and is soon out of sight as it takes them 
  down.
Kendell has left.

Excaliber steps off the slidestairs.
Excaliber has arrived.
Excaliber looks at you for a moment.

Tylar steps off the slidestairs.
Tylar has arrived.
Tylar walks in and looks around.

Under the trees, Shenner gazes at Paul longly, her fingertips brushing against 
  Paul's own. Her eyes soften. She blinks a few times, opens her mouth and 
  closes it again, reaching for words; finally, she whispers back, "'Kay... to 
  me then, but -- to you, too." Her mouth quirks up into another smile. "And 
  us."

Tylar looks at you for a moment.

Under the trees, Paul_Nighman says, "Okay," dropping a kiss to the extended 
  palm and reluctantly releasing it. Picking up his glass again, he touches it 
  to the rim of Shen's. "To you, to me, to us."

Tylar crosses the floor area and sits down at a window table on the rim.

Moliari goes to work in the kitchen, and after a short wait, sends the waiter 
  out with Pantolo_pasta for Tylar.

Under the trees, Shenner willingly clinks her glass, eyes beginning to shine, 
  and murmurs, "I'll drink to that...." And she does.

Bianca works with grace as she makes a water and serves it to Tylar.

Tylar takes a sip from his water.
Tylar takes a bite from his Pantolo_pasta.

Sipping from his glass, Paul can't seem to remove his eyes from the woman 
  across from him. Earlier he had taken her palm and laid a kiss upon it's 
  center. Now he sits, completely content just to be in her presence. Well, 
  almost completely content.

Tylar takes a sip from his water.
Tylar takes a bite from his Pantolo_pasta.

Under the trees, Paul_Nighman places his glass on the table and stands up 
  suddenly, offering Shen a hand and murmuring, "Dance with me?" There is a 
  devilish look in his eyes, and no dance floor in sight.
Paul_Nighman ducks under the tree leaves and steps from the table.

Tylar takes out a computer from a bag at his side and sets it down on the 
  table beside his food.

Standing up, Paul extends a hand to his companion, murmuring something softly 
  with a wicked gleam in his eye.

Tylar opens the laptop style computer and begins to type on it between bites.

Shenner blinks up at Paul as he lifts her to her feet, eyes wondering, though 
  she starts to smile.
Under the trees, Shenner says, ""But... there ain't no music....!"

Tylar begins using a stylus and seems to have forgotten about his food.

There is no dance floor, but there is music - soft, elegant, background music. 
  It's just loud enough to be heard, just soft enough to be unobtrusive. 
  Wrapping an arm about Shen's waist, his other hand catching up hers, he 
  slowly swings her into a slow seductive dance, moving easily about on of the 
  more open sections of the restaurant. Patrons turn to look, some of them 
  staring at the unusual behavior, while others smile indulgently at the 
  couple.

Shenner is clearly startled, and although she presses shyly close to her tall 
  companion, she also makes no move to stop him as he swirls her carefully 
  about the place. Green eyes lift to meet his hazel, and the girl murmurs, 
  half aghast and half delighted, "Paul...!"

Tylar looks up at the two but says nothing and goes back to his work.
Tylar takes a sip from his water.

Glancing down at the redhead, Paul chuckles softly, the romantic music adding 
  the perfect touch. "What?" he murmurs, his voice tinged with humor.

Tylar smiles to himself as he works on the computer.

"People are lookin' at us," the redheaded girl breathes.

Tylar nods and begins typing.

"They're just jealous," he purrs, his green-hazel gaze gleaming in the shadow 
  of the forested design of the restaurant.

Tylar smiles disapears and he shuts the computer off taking a last quick bite 
  of his meal and begins to put his computer away.
Tylar takes a bite from his Pantolo_pasta.
Tylar finishes off his water.
Tylar leaves the tables at the rim and crosses the black carpetting.

Shen, it would seem, takes heart from Paul's warm expression and warmer gaze. 
  She straightens a little in his arms, her chin coming up pridefully, her 
  posture relaxing into the Moment.

Tylar begins to exit the bar at a quick pace.
Tylar steps onto the slidestair and is soon out of sight as it takes them down.
Tylar has left.

Waiters patiently work their way around the pair, and as the one song draws to 
  a close, Paul dips Shen low, and then, with a mischeivious smile, he drags 
  her close, kissing her in front of the entire resturant. As he draws away a 
  minute later, there is a smattering of enthusiastic applause from the 
  approving patrons who have been watching the swath cut by the two of them. 
  Paul smiles at Shen, whispering softly, "Shall we make a dramatic exit?"

Shenner's cheeks are quite pink, but she's smiling in earnest now, and she 
  murmurs back after the kiss breaks off, "What, you got somethin' to top 
  this...?"

"How about a moonlit stroll along the beach?" he suggests softly.

"Yes...!" Shenner whispers immediately, enthralled.

Seven Hells, if the woman in his arms can't excite him with a single word. 
  There is such entrancement, delight in that lightly breathed response, that 
  Paul cannot help but feel enthralled himself. Unwilling to let go of her, 
  Paul holds Shen close, walking back to the table and laying down money - 
  enough to cover for the champagne -and- the two glasses, all of which he 
  gathers up before escorting Shen to the slidestairs.

[And with that, the two head out of the club, out through the Oceanside, and
 to the beach not too far away....]

You head for the beach.
Hideaway Beach - Plaxton City
        Surging whitecaps paint themselves onto the powderlike, white sands of 
  this sliver of beachfront, tucked between the two massive bluffs that 
  encircle Plaxton City. The waves have eaten into several places on the 
  shore, forming rocky outcroppings and small coves, but one long strip is 
  laden with pristine, whispy sand. A few Pula trees jut out, throwing their 
  branches toward the tides. A few hundred meters from shore, a jagged pebble 
  of an island stands defiantly in the surf, holding up an old, unused 
  lighthouse. The night sky above is heavy with rain cloudy that shower down 
  drenching the area.
                 -=-=-=-=-=-=<<Real Objects>>=-=-=-=-=-=-
=> Paul_Nighman
=> Lighthouse
                  -=-=-=-=-=<<Visible exits>>=-=-=-=-=-
 <E>ast leads to West Blake St. - Plaxton City.

Laughing, amazed that Paul actually got out of the restaurant with the 
  champagne _and_ the glasses, Shen entrancedly allows him to guide her. Her 
  mood brightens even more as the smell, scent and sound of the ocean wafts 
  towards her, and she asks, "Think they'll miss the glasses?"

Shrugging, Paul smiles down at Shen winningly. "They have to allow for 
  breakage costs ... this way they lose two glasses, but they don't have to 
  pay for the replacements ... a reasonable deal if you ask me." The night is 
  cool, but not cold, the breeze blowing off the ocean pleasantly warm in 
  fact. The sky is clear, and although the lights of the city don't allow for 
  a multitude of stars to be visible, there are still enough to be able to 
  recognize constellations. Keeping an arm about her shoulders now, Paul 
  guides them down to the water's edge, walking just short of where the waves 
  break against the shore.

"Can't say I mind...!" Happily hugging Paul's waist with one of her own arms, 
  and keeping her other hand up on the arm encircling her, she adds, "It's 
  beautiful out tonight...! Never get enough of the stars...!"

Tilting his head so that is rests against her auburn curls, Paul reaches out 
  with one hand, still holding the bottle and glasses, pointing upward. 
  "There's Corellia," he identifies for her benefit.

Shenner giggles softly. "You can tell all the way from _here_?" she demands, 
  sounding disbelieving.

Considering Shen with all seriousness, Paul exclaims, "Of course I can, see 
  how it clearly outshines all the other planets?!" Which, of course, it 
  doesn't. Chuckling, he murmurs in a more conversational manner, "I am a 
  navigator after all ... and I've spent about half of my life probably on 
  Caspar, so the stars and planets here are very familiar to me."

Her eyes twinkling softly, Shen looks up at her beloved, and says in a prim 
  tone, "So you can pick out Corellia itself as well as Corell?"

"Mmmmmmhmmm," he confirms, pointing out a steady pinpoint of light not too far 
  off, relatively speaking from the first one identified. "Planet's tend to 
  flicker, while stars don't ... and planets that are in our system are 
  brighter than stars," he notes, pointing out another reddish looking 
  pinpoint. "See, that's Mergansar, that's where the Sarians come from," he 
  elucidates, "and there is Trettinar and Olumekar."

"You got good eyes," Shen murmurs, her gaze lifting skyward again as she leans 
  close to the man beside her. "Olumekar, like the shuttle...!"

Shifting his grasp on her, his arm drifing downward wrapping about her hips, 
  Paul settles himself in front of Shenner, pulling her close against him 
  again. "So do you," he comments, looking into her emerald gaze, "And yeah 
  ... just like the shuttle."

"You don't look too bad either," Shen answers huskily, giving a little shiver 
  at the combination of warm wind, the black satin of her dress, and the touch 
  of Paul's arms about her.

The bottle drops to the ground with a deep thump, the glasses are lightly 
  tossed aside with a soft ching of crystal against sand. Paul's arm, hand now 
  free, wraps about Shen's shoulders, his fingers delving up into her hair. 
  Lowering his mouth to hers, he ever so lightly brushes against her own, 
  before claiming her lips as his own, demanding entry. The black fabric slips 
  against Shen's flesh as their torsos meet, not unlike the sensation of 
  soap, slick against her.

Her mouth is soft, tasting of the champagne, and her lips slip gently against 
  Paul's own even as the satin rubs against her skin. Shen's breath catches in 
  her throat; after she comes up again for air, she lifts her gaze back up to 
  Paul and whispers shyly, her brow furrowed, "You wouldn't, would yah? I 
  mean... well, you know?"

Her meaning is not clear to the Corellian, and leaning his brow against 
  Shen's, he offers her a perplexed look, querying, "I wouldn't .... what?"

"With the, uhm, that guy? You _were_ just teasin'?" Shen's voice is very small 
  now.

There is a lazy purr that rumbles from Paul's chest, recognizable to Shen as a 
  laugh, as her Corellian buries his head into the corner of her shoulder, 
  nipping lightly at her neck before assuring her, "I wouldn't share you with 
  anyone."

The girl's arms squeeze about Paul, and her head turns in towards his as well, 
  safety in his arms reaffirmed. "Good," she whispers. "Don't want nobody 
  else..."

The Corellian resists the urge to add "No matter how good looking he is," 
  knowing it would only break the moment. It's a strong urge though, and it 
  takes a moment, his lips curling in a smile. There is a follow up surge of 
  possessiveness that Paul didn't think was part of his make up ... a smug 
  little voice purring at him, _She's -mine-_ His hand trails down her back, 
  over the curves and the satin of her skirt till it reaches the bare flesh of 
  her thigh. It pauses there, stroking as if comparing the texture, the raises 
  up again, delving beneath the skirt this time. His golden-green gaze holds 
  her own turned one as he makes his exploration .... he cannot help but growl 
  in reply, "Good."

Shenner dips her head, resting it against Paul's chest, rubbing her cheek 
  against the fabric of his shirt. She trembles at the caress of both his 
  fingers and the displaced satin, and the tremble turns into a slight sway 
  from foot to foot, as though she moves to her own unheard music.

One hand beneath, one hand above, Paul stokes Shen's thigh and back 
  respectively, his jaw brushing the head upon his chest. There is a soft 
  sigh, both content and aroused, the Corellian settling for holding the woman 
  against him close, his fingers only seeking to please her as they begin 
  their informal dance, torso's sliding against one another, thighs brushing 
  as he sways along with Shen, following her lead for a change.

There might be no music playing, but Shenner dances nonetheless, gently, as 
  though she floats with nothing of substance beneath her feet. But she 
  eventually begins to hum, low and throaty, but pure of key... and as she 
  slowly grows more audible, the tune can be heard to be one once sung with 
  the words "Fall into the light" woven into it. The girl's head lifts, and 
  she looks raptly up into Paul's face.

The song is slow ... rolling ... and Paul's eyes warm and soften as Shen 
  begins to hum it softly. His rich tenor breaks out, coasting over the air 
  softly as he joins her, singing the lyrics, his eyes locked onto hers. "It's 
  in this moment, hold on, when everything has come apart. It's in this 
  moment, right now, when it can come together ...." The lyrics and the melody 
  are moody, seductive, and Paul's body grinds and presses against Shen, 
  dancing with subtle enticing movements.

She can't help but shift from humming to outright song herself, her voice 
  joining Paul's in a harmony that needs no conscious effort from the girl to 
  hit exactly the right pitch, exactly the right volume. Captivated, she looks 
  nowhere else but Paul's face, even as the two of them pirouette slowly there 
  on the sands, her eyes taking in everything from the windruffled strands of 
  hair across her lover's brow to the small motions of his lips as he sings 
  with her.

It's akin to being wrapped up in a cocoon of perfection ... not like the 
  Corellian would have anything to judge this moment against. Shen's body 
  bends pliantly to his own, their voices rising in harmony along with their 
  forms. A gentle gust sends the now long red tresses blowing back from her 
  throat. The sand beneath their feet shifts obligingly, and even the ocean 
  seems willing to keep time with their music, the soft crashes of waves a 
  gentle percussion in tandem with their hearts and lyrics.

She can scarcely credit it, if the amazed wonderment in Shen's eyes is any 
  indication. But this doesn't stop her from singing on, till the song drifts 
  to its close, and she hits a note a flawless fifth above Paul's for a final, 
  sweetly ringing chord. Nor does it stop her from standing up on her toes, 
  just enough to tenderly kiss him. Fall into the Light.

"K'chaiya," he breathes against her lips ... a blessing, a benediction. The 
  burning in his loins and his heart sear the Corellian, but his mouth is 
  gentle, giving rather than taking.

Shenner murmurs that same word back to him, her voice full, breath taken in 
  almost as if she meant to sing it rather than simply speak the endearment to 
  him. The kiss is answered, too, satin-soft... but with just enough deftness 
  for it to be relayed that Shen wants this, too, to be Music, and that she 
  has begun to figure out exactly how best to compose _this_ particular form 
  of melody.

Sliding down the length of her slim figure, Paul kneels at Shen's feet, his 
  face pressed against her belly, laying a kiss there before looking up. In 
  husky strained tones he confesses almost silently, "I wrote you a new song." 
  The hazel eyes burn with intensity, his hands clasping her hips. Music 
  always came from what Paul feels passionately about .... and at the moment 
  lyrics and rhythms fill their shared corner of the universe, dizzying the 
  Corellian with the complexity and pureness of their mutual song.

His sudden kneeling widens Shen's eyes, and her head dips to track his descent 
  in wonderment. For a moment she pauses, unsure whether she should kneel too, 
  but his confession makes her draw in her breath. Eyes full now, too, she 
  cups the planes of Paul's cheeks in her palms, drinking in his features, and 
  entreating as she must with that gaze upon her, "Lemme hear it?"

Flushing under her touch and request, Paul pulls at her palms, bringing her 
  down to him. "Let me hold you then."

More than willingly, she sinks down into his embrace, wrapping her arms about 
  his lean frame, and letting that be her assent.

Gathering her close, Paul presses Shen's back against his chest, settling her 
  into his lap. Wrapping his arms about her frame, bringing them close together 
  and keep her warm, he drops his lips to brush her shoulder for a moment, 
  murmuring, "It's better with guitar, but you'll get the idea I think ...." 
  He then clears his throat, and begins to sing.

        I walked out this morning,
        It was like a veil had been removed from before my eyes.
        For the first time I saw the work of heaven,
        In the line where the hills had been married to the sky.
        And all around me, every blade of singing grass,
        Was calling out your name,
        And that our love would always last.
        And inside every turning leaf,
        Is the pattern of an older tree.
        The shape of our future,
        The shape of all our history.
        And out of the confusion,
        Where the river meets the sea,
        Came things I'd never seen,
        Things I'd never seen ...

She nestles snug in Paul's enfolding arms, and does not look at him as he 
  sings; rather, her head rests once more against his shoulder, and she closes 
  her eyes as she listens. Four lines in, and the girl feels a warmth 
  spreading through her; eight, and there's a catch in her throat. Twelve, and 
  it's enough to make her giddy, a song of trees and rivers and seas, sung by 
  Paul.

His voice reverberates from his body and into Shen's, his words drifting 
  lightly over her shoulder. It's hard to get the full effect of the melody, 
  with only Paul's voice for definition, but the words are sung in a upbeat 
  line, one that has a touch of surprise to it, as if the words, even though 
  they had clearly already been written, were still like newly realized 
  impressions. Breaking into the chorus, Paul continues, his arms rubbing 
  along the slender length of Shenner's own.

        I was brought to my senses.
        I was blind but now that I can see,
        Every signpost in nature,
        Said you belong to me.
        And we'd be like the moon and sun,
        And when our courtly dance had run,
        It's course across the sky,
        Then together we would lie.
        And out of the confusion,
        Where the river meets the sea,
        Something new would arrive,
        Something better would arrive.
        I was brought to my senses.
        I was blind but now that I can see,
        Every signpost in nature,
        Says you belong to me.

The chorus rings out twice and then Paul's voice stops, the quiet night air 
  rushing into the gap, the waves lapping conspicuously.

Only when it is clear that he is finished does Shenner lift her head once 
  more, a tightness pulling at her throat, tears pricking at her eyes. "Paul," 
  is all she says, but it's with her pleasure and joy and love all rolled into
  that single syllable.

The hands about her tighten, and Paul dips his head again to her shoulder, 
  avoiding her gaze. There is a small tremor, the enormity of what he has just 
  done rippling through him. His words all used up for once, he places a 
  tender kiss at the junction of her throat and shoulder.

Shen doesn't speak, either, but rather, happily presses into another hug. Her 
  left hand lifts to run through Paul's hair, and her right strokes tenderly 
  along his back, while she dips her head slightly sideways for that kiss.
Shenner then begins to alternate between brushing her hand through Paul's hair 
  and brushing kisses across his face, her eyes shining all the while, her 
  lips curved in a small smile made no less radiant for its size.

The flames sputter and flare at her attentions on the heels of his lyrical 
  confession, and capturing her face a little roughly, Paul demands the 
  attention of her lips on his own, plundering the tender flesh and urging 
  them to part. His hands ravish, one claiming the silken flesh of her thighs, 
  the other holding her head captive to his assault on her senses.

More than willing to go with this, too, the young bardling loses herself 
  headlong in answering those demands. She doesn't need to voice any opinion 
  of the song; all her answers are in her lips and her hands, and they do her 
  talking for her.

Falling back slowly, Paul brings Shen with him, settling her on top of 
  himself, his hands free now to roam her body at will. Sliding along the 
  sleek fabric, they glide from her hips to her breasts, where he strokes and 
  rubs through the dress, slipping back down along her sides to the slight 
  curve of her belly, the hollows of her pelvis. His mouth avid on her own, he 
  steals Shen's breath ruthlessly, a soft growl forming at the base of his 
  throat.

Fall into the light... fall onto the sands. Shenner answers kiss for kiss and 
  touch for touch, her breath taking on a husky edge in echo of that growl 
  rumbling within Paul. Her only hesitation comes when she seems to register 
  that she and her lover are in fact out on a beach, not too far away from a 
  city's streets... for she makes no move to try to separate either herself or 
  Paul from their clothing, though she does reflexively kick off her sandals. 
  Perhaps as if to make up for her shyness, she moves with faint rustles of 
  her satin skirts to try to caress Paul with all of her slim young form, not 
  just her hands.

Her Corellian has no such concerns about the public eye, but oddly enough, he 
  does have concerns about being outdoors, exposed to the elements. His hands 
  slip beneath the skirt, which is full and more than willing to spread out 
  over them both. He reaches beneath, stroking her boldly, pressing her 
  against himself.

Dimly suspecting that her skirt was _not_ made to hold up long to this kind of 
  activity, Shen lets out a brief breathless giggle, as black satin shifts out 
  to pool around both their sides, to bunch up between their torsos. But she 
  doesn't seem to mind in the slightest, alternating between caressing, 
  kissing, and simply gazing down rapturously at her man.

Paul murmurs softly at her touch, his hands showing her that clothes are no 
  barrier in the face of determination. He works beneath the flowing skirt, 
  which swirls and rolls against the skin of his arms and Shen's thighs, 
  urging her to help him remove what little she is wearing beneath. He slows 
  for a moment, his eyes holding hers, gauging her reaction to his brazen 
  choice of locale. "This okay ... I mean, if you'd rather ....?" he rasps 
  softly ... not really sure he can wait, but feeling that the offer should be 
  made nonetheless.

With her earlier eagerness for Paul's touch back in force, bubbling up out of 
  her at the encouragement of dance and champagne and ocean breezes and song, 
  Shenner is loathe to move and risk somehow spoiling her recaptured 
  giddiness. By way of reply, she gazes down meltingly at him, before 
  anointing his brow and both his eyelids with kisses. She finishes by 
  whispering shyly, "Here...."

His body flares, arching against Shen greedily and he drags her close, his 
  hands searing her through the satin, urging her up fast, but unwilling to 
  take her fast. Sliding one thigh between hers he presses against her, 
  sighing heavily with desire as he places her palms against his chest, 
  dragging her mouth to his. "You're mine," he growls possessively, nipping 
  her collarbone before savaging her throat.

She is not about to argue, losing herself in the heated attentions. Neither 
  the ongoing rush of the nearby ocean nor the rustles of her skirt are quite 
  loud enough to drown out the tiny breathless whimper she releases, a flutter 
  that travels down the length of her throat beneath Paul's mouth.

There is a call and response groan from deep within the Corellian's chest, his 
  hands raising to capture her breasts, stroking them through and with the 
  satin, using the fabric to pleasure her as much as his fingers. He presses a 
  kiss beneath her ear, following the line of her jaw, over her chin, and 
  laying seige to her mouth. "Do you know .... how .... mad I am .... for 
  you?" he manages to growl against her flesh breathlessly, his mind awhirl 
  with the feel of her weight against him, her hands caressing him, and that 
  beckoning warmth pressed to his thigh. His frame clenches with need, with 
  unbridled passion. Shen's Corellian is enthralled.

And Shenner herself is flooded through with another surge of wonder. A marvel 
  enough that Paul was attracted to her in the first place; marvel twice, that 
  he came to the same emotions she has been feeling for him; and here and now, 
  a marvel all over again, that the man she's been adoring is now lavishing 
  her with such words... indeed, gifting her with an entire evening such as 
  this. Her throat gone dry enough that she can barely speak, she twines as 
  close as she can to him, and whispers into his ear, "Show me?" From another 
  woman, it might be simply a teasing come on; from Shenner, in the voice in 
  which she puts it forth, it is soft, shy plea and loving invitation.

Groaning again, Paul shifts her form over his own, the brush of her body alone 
  inciting riots along the length of him. Pressing her thighs apart, Paul 
  pulls her knees to his sides, his hands guiding her hips to press her 
  against himself, to demonstrate the depth of his need for her physically. 
  His mouth catpures her again, and pouring what was in the song into that 
  kiss, he demonstrates the depth of this need for her emotionally. There is 
  another strangled groan then as the Corellian shifts her up, struggling with 
  his own clothes now.

Shen's hands move to loosen that fine blue shirt, to slip her palms in along 
  his heated skin. Knowing she's not getting that bodice off without the rest 
  of the dress going too, she runs her hands over as much of him as she can 
  reach before the sheer need for his proximity drives her back to twine 
  around him, her slender frame quivering with need of her own.

Breathing heavily, the muscles of his torso jumping beneath her fingertips, 
  Paul's hands capture Shen's hips, guiding her firmly, surely, till she is 
  poised above him. He brings her down, surging up, giving each of them what 
  they are searching for, his hands helping her move over him.

Her arms loop behind his neck, and in another rustle of now well-crinkled 
  satin, Shenner presses as tightly to her beloved as she possibly can, moving 
  against him and with him in this, their third dance of the evening. She 
  doesn't speak, but her breath comes out in shallow, rapid bursts as she 
  reflexively seeks places to put her lips: his forehead, a cheekbone, his 
  jawline, that sensitive spot behind his ear.

His hands abandon her hips, trusting Shen to stay with him, to keep the tempo 
  and the rhythm of their dance. Instead they trap her face, her soft quick 
  breath breaking against his features. His palms do not hinder her pursuits, 
  but instead encourage them, stroking along the tender flesh beneath her jaw, 
  trailing up into her hair to hold her close, the rapturously sliding over 
  the silk of her skin, the satin of her dress, reaching finally to capture 
  her hips again, the pace quickening as the fuse burns faster, hotter. 
  Finally with a hoarse cry against her mouth, Paul surges against Shen, his 
  senses overwhelmed by the explosive sensations that tear through him as that 
  sizzling line reaches it's tinder.

Only a breath behind, Shenner lets out another sharp little whimper, then she 
  subsides, trembling all over in Paul's arms, her head burrowing against his 
  shoulder.

Holding Shen's slender form, now collapsed over his chest, Paul presses a kiss 
  against her neck, settling her trembling body against him carefully. 
  Breathing deeply, his body still shuddering with the aftermath of their 
  passion, Paul strokes his hands lightly over the girl's back, gentling her 
  trembling as well as his own. Closing his eyes, Paul rasps softly against 
  her cheek, "K'chaiya ..." the endearment touching upon them both with only 
  the moon and the stars, the wind and the sea, for witnesses.

Shenner does eventually still, the rhythm of her breathing settling back down 
  to a normal pace, barely audible syncopation against Paul's own breaths and 
  the rolling of the waves. Her hand comes up for a while to find the far side 
  of Paul's face; loathe to break the silence and the contact, she simply 
  strokes his jawline for a while.

Sighing softly, Paul soaks in the sensation of the sand at his back, Shen 
  against his front, the wind blowing gently around them, tossing hair and 
  clothing about playfully. "Are you cold?" he murmurs gently, his hands 
  content to wrap about her slender ribcage.

"Uh uh.... not yet," comes her soft reply. "You?"

"Are you kidding?" he rasps softly, "after that?" Paul sighs again, an 
  incredibly contented sound, his lips pressing against Shen's throat. "You 
  feel wonderful," he whispers against her ear, his lips brushing it gently.

She giggles, more felt than heard, returning that gentle brushing with a 
  nuzzle of her own, before lifting her head up slightly to smile down into 
  hazel eyes. "You feel pretty karkin' fine too."

"I don't dare roll you over," he murmurs, his eyes steady on Shen's greengreen 
  gaze. "The sand will ruin your dress ....." he explains. Running his fingers 
  along her sides, up and down, he rumbles, "Nothing could feel finer than you 
  ... you're so sleek, soft ...." One hand comes up over her shoulder, cupping 
  her cheek, his eyes burning as they scan over her features, drinking in the 
  color of her hair, the upturned tip of her nose, the shape of her eye.

This is a new Paul, this man who not seems utterly captivated by her, and not 
  only unhesitant in telling her so, but even eager in the voicing. She can't 
  help but gaze in affectionate amazement at his lean handsome face, 
  wondering, _What have I done?_ Her mouth curving in a smile, her eyes warm 
  and full, she tells him archly, "It's 'cause of the dress, silly..."

Arching a brow in return, Paul slips a hand down the length of her dress, 
  slipping beneath the skirt again to explore her thighs. "I beg to differ," 
  he murmurs, his hand doing delicious things to her legs. His mouth presses 
  against her neck, testing its satiny texture. "My research," he murmurs 
  between nibbles, "only supports my theory further."

_That's_ not the dress! Shen's eyes go wide, and a flush steals across her 
  cheeks, born of surprise. A little gasp escapes her as well, and it's with a 
  slightly dryer mouth that she murmurs back, "Gotta be... somethin' softer, 
  someplace..."

The Corellian's eyes glitter like the stars above, the hand sliding slowly up 
  up ... up. Cupping her softly, he slips his fingers inside, murmuring 
  thoughtfully, "Found it."

Forgetting to breathe, Shenner freezes, unable to think anything except, 
  _What, again?_ And a beat after, _Again...!_ Her throat goes drier, and she 
  stares at her lover, eyes gone round.

Smiling up at her obvious shock, Paul's smile curls fiendishly, those fingers 
  now moving with deliberation, rubbing and stroking, teasing and tempting. 
  "Something wrong?" he purrs richly.

Shen has to lick her lips before she can manage to whisper hoarsely in reply, 
  "Uh uh..." And her voice has gone slightly higher than usual, the two tiny 
  syllables barely more than squeaks.

"You sure?" he rasps darkly, the other hand sliding along her length to slip 
  beneath the satin drape of her skirt as well. This second hand picks up 
  where the first one had been forced to leave off. Not content to leave it at 
  that, Paul shifts Shenner up, his mouth laving down the length of her 
  collarbones, along the scarf neckline of her dress, and across the satin 
  front to find her breast, lips and teeth arousing her through the thin 
  fabric.

"N... no... I mean... sure... I...." Completely thrown off, Shen gasps tinily 
  again as she is shifted, unsure whether her k'chaiya really intends to get 
  amorous all over again.

No Corellian is ever sated ... just isn't part of their nature. Paul is, 
  however, in control of his body ... and Shen's apparently. "It's okay Shen," 
  he murmurs against her breast, "this is for you ... just for you." The hands 
  continue to tease, giving and then withdrawing, making their return touches 
  even more electric for the wait ... like a break of silence in a composition 
  will only intensify the return to sound.

Her eyes find his face again, and her gaze has turned deeper and darker. She 
  starts to say something, some kind of acknowledgement, but can't succeed in 
  getting even one word out before Paul steals her breath once more. The girl 
  begins to tremble, and fumbles for a way to keep from falling over.

The first hand continues it's attentions, never missing a beat. The other 
  shifts to catch her hips ... to hold her to him so she won't fall ... and to 
  hold her so she can't shift to try to escape his pleasuring fingers. His 
  voice rumbles at her, claws of seduction sheathed in velvet, urging her on, 
  murmuring encouragement, praise. His eyes are now avid on her face, watching 
  her contort under the onslaught.

How long it takes, Shenner has no idea. Assailed by Paul's hands and voice, 
  she turns pliant in his grasp, her eyes closing and her arms wrapping about 
  his neck, unheeding of the scratching of sand. When his victory is achieved, 
  she is not only trembling over every square centimeter of her body, she is 
  sheened over in sweat as well, and clinging to the Corellian as though fused 
  to his form.

Closing his eyes, Paul reins in his own desire, Shen's responsiveness arousing 
  him deeply. Holding her to him Paul shifts upward, settling her bottom on 
  his thighs, hugging her intensely. He pulls back, settling Shen's arms 
  beneath his vest and around him, shifting the clothing off. "It's not much," 
  he murmurs as he wraps it about her shoulders to keep her from being 
  chilled. Wrapping arms about her legs and waist, Paul slowly shifts to his 
  knees and then to his feet. "Rest easy Shen," he murmurs reverently, 
  pressing a kiss to her brow as he walks back toward civilization. The only 
  trace left behind of their passion is the champagne and glasses, forgotten 
  in favor of the sweeter drink of their love.

[End log.]