Log Date: 2/21/97 Log Cast: Grathix, Shenner, Kian, Kaley, Calvin, Kayle, Akhaurakh Log Intro: Busking has started becoming more profitable for Shenner ever since she's begun carrying her guitar around with her... enough that it's started getting her a little more notice than she'd like, at least when it comes to a particular Imperial officer -- a lieutenant who has tried twice now to buy Shenner's services as entertainer. So far Shenner's managed to brush him off, and focus on the music and the money it's bringing her... and how it's getting her practice in for Grathix's plan. But she can't help but worry about that lieutenant.... ---------- Grathix comes from the residential area, rubbing his eyes as if trying to wake himself fully. A pair of smartly uniformed CSA types might be spotted lingering at a particular corner, listening to a scruffy redheaded kid warbling, in a surprisingly clear voice, some kind of syrupy love song that makes the two uniforms grin at one another. Grathix stops momentarily to get his bearing. He hears the the faint sound of what might be deemed a syrupy love song. Feeling in the mood to hear the sappynes of such songs, Grathix decides to head on over towards the source of the music and the voice. It's Shenner, alright; the kid is strumming the bass guitar with a confidence probably born of constant practice, though the melody being played is simple enough, without tricky rhythms or accidentals to trip up an inexperienced player. Shen sings, face utterly guileless save for a sardonic glint in 'his' green eyes that suggests 'he' isn't taking this little ditty the slightest bit seriously. But as 'he' sings of undying love that spans the stars and suchlike, the pair of uniformed types seems more than approving, and when the kid is done, they beam, leave a five-credit note in the guitar case, and wander off arm in arm. Grathix, after strangling his way through the crowd at this busy time of day, finally makes his way to where the smartly uniformed CSA types stand. He stands a few paces off from them and stands to listen to the bard's love song. After the pair departs, Shenner grins fiercely, shifts the guitar out of the way, and hunkers over to sweep loose notes and change up into 'his' vest pockets. Grathix claps as the tune of undying love that spans the stars and suchlike comes to an end. His expression contains what mmight be called a smile, though fringeing closely on being a smirk. He says, "Well played...you just might bring a tear to my eyes yet." Shenner looks up, quirks an eyebrow, and snickers. "What, you sniffling over a love ditty? I'd shell out a day's take to see that." A green eye winks. Grathix laughs, "You're not alone on that one, i'd wager." Grathix says, "You've gotten a whole lot better since last I heard you play...then again, you weren't totting a bass guitar then. You naturally musically inclined?" Kaley has connected. Shenner splutters softly to Grathix, as 'he' finishes cleaning credits out of the case, and lays the guitar in it. "Kind of a goofy question to be asking for somebody who wants me to play in the Dome, ain't it?" the redhead points out. Calvin comes through the District from the direction of the spaceport. Calvin has arrived. Grathix leans in cloer to Shenner and tells him, "This whole conversation is goofy...must be that sappy song of yours got to me." He wink to the youth as he finishes his statement. Shenner snaps the guitar case closed, hoists it up, and grins to Grathix. "I'll have yah handin' out roses to sweet young things yet, pal." Calvin walks in and surveys the area Grathix chuckles, "You do that, and I'll inherit you all I have." Shenner smirks, amusedly. "In the meantime," the redhead says sweetly, "what say you buy your bard a drink?" Grathix nods, "Sure..." Calvin looks at you for a moment. The redhead with the guitar case and the tall, dark man stride off, then, chatting pleasantly; the redhead's grinning fiercely all the way. [And later that day....] Kian comes through the District from the direction of the spaceport. Kian has arrived. Kian looks at you for a moment. Once more on a street corner, Shenner is busking, this time with flute rather than guitar; the melody is low-key, hovering on the edge of the noises made by sentients in transit. Kayle comes along the road to the southeast. Kayle has arrived. Kian comes out from a sweets shop with a big bag of his favorite candies and an equally sized satisfied smile. Ahkaurakh comes along the road to the southeast. Ahkaurakh has arrived. Kian opens the bag noisily and picks through the bag a couple of moments, finally producing a red, glow-in-the-dark bonbon and pops it in his mouth. Kayle looks at you for a moment. Ahkaurakh rolls a 23 for his SNEAK skill. An Excellent roll! Shenner, on 'his' street corner, continues playing that flute, occasionally scanning passersby. Sometimes, the redheaded musician gets a credit note or coin for the playing -- sometimes not. Kian rolls a 17 for his PERCEPTION skill. A Good roll! Shenner rolls a 11 for her PERCEPTION skill. An Average roll! Kayle rolls a 12 for his PERCEPTION skill. An Average roll! Kayle strolls on toward the spaceport. Ahkaurakh heads through crowds and into the Government District to the southeast. Ahkaurakh has left. Kayle moves through the District into the Spaceport to the west. Kayle has left. Kian notices the musician and walks downstreet to him, loudly licking his candy. Shenner dips that cropped red head at the clink of a coin in 'his' open guitar case, by way of acknowledgement and thanks; after the human who gave the credit strides on, Shenner plays for a time longer. Kian casts a non-chalant blue glance at Shenner and gives him an encouraging smile. "I know you can't talk," he chatters, "I'll do it all for you." Shenner, at the hail, looks up from where 'he' is sitting crosslegged on the pavement. A brow goes up, and the green eyes narrow slightly, but the song doesn't stop. Yet. Kian grins and blinks the way old gurus blink. "I won't be asking any questions, at least. Could tell you a couple of stories though, to help your concentration." His grin smoothly morphs into the most innocent of all smiles. Shenner finally lowers the flute enough to smirk narrowly, and inform 'his' small audience, "Look, kid, I'm workin', ain't you got anything better to do than harass people tryin' to earn enough money to eat?" Ahkaurakh comes along the road to the southeast. Ahkaurakh has arrived. Ahkaurakh makes his way into the Free-Flight Dance Dome. Ahkaurakh has left. Ahkaurakh comes out of the Free-Flight Dance Dome. Ahkaurakh has arrived. Kian blinks, puts his index finger on his chin and frowns to think, then smiles. "Of course." He closes an eye and glances into Shenner's box, judging the sum of money. Kian searches through his pocket and pulls out a bunch of crumpled credits and placess them in the guitar box gently, increasing the whole sum for about five times. One or two credit notes and an assortment of change can be seen in the guitar case, aside from the guitar itself and the leather sheath for Shenner's flute. Roughly speaking, there might be ten credits total, give or take a few smaller coins. Green eyes wary, Shenner eyes the younger human eying the take in the case -- and then gapes. Shenner opens 'his' mouth to speak, closes it, then finally croaks, "Uh... yeah. That's enough." The surprised speculation of 'what the heck is a runt like you doing with that kind of money stuffed in your pockets anyway?' is more than clear on the musician's face. Ahkaurakh heads through crowds and into the Government District to the southeast. Ahkaurakh has left. Kian releases a flock of soprano giggles at Shenner's expression. "You didn't really think I'd be humming around such an expensive place without some support in greenery, huh?" he notes sarcastically. Shenner's eyes narrow a bit, but the 'youth' just shrugs, drawls, "No business o' mine. But you wanna throw that kinda pile at me, you got my attention. You want me to play, or what?" Kian shakes his head. "Nah." The vein in his brow makes a random beat. "I just want to know who you are, for start." His thin lips spread into a tricky smile, but just for a part of a moment. "You see, I am a very curious kid." Shenner replies readily, "Shenner. Next question?" Kian blinks in mock puzzlement. "You're a name? And a question?" Kian chuckles sort of naughtily. "And a miss, too?" Kian looks up into your face, still smiling, but watching it carefully. Shenner says dryly to Kian, "You're such a bright kid, _you_ figure it out." With a soft, light laughter, Kian shakes his head, wrapping it in a momentary halo of his glowing red hair. Then stops, puts on a misterious smile and nods. "Okay... I just wanted to be sure. Now I am." Shenner smirks, rippling slender fingertips up and down the holes of the flute, before drawling, "Anything else you wanna know while you're payin' for my play time, kid?" Kian wraps his hands around his Wookie doll and nods with a serious mien, his tone changes and becomes less twittering. "Aye. There is. How do you travel? I mean, from planet to planet." His smile looks almost shy this time. "If I am not too curious." The redheaded musician considers the question -- and the expression of the one delivering the question. One dark eyebrow stays quirked, till at last Shenner says, "I don't travel from planet to planet much, yet. But there are such things as passenger ships, ya know." Kian grins. "Okay. That's all I wanted to know... For now." Winks. And pops another candy in his mouth. "Sheeya," he mumbles and floats away. Shenner's brow stays quirked, but the musician answers, "Yeah, kid... seeya." The tone's a curious one, but Shenner offers no reason for the younger human to do anything but float off on his way. [End log.]