Log Date: 10/8/97 Log Cast: Paul Nighman, Shenneret Veery, Xinj Silverthorn Log Intro: On Ithor, Shenner and Paul have undergone what has ultimately proven to be a fruitless search for Paul's missing ship, the _Quasar Bolt_. The failure to recover the _Bolt_, as well as worry over the condition of the ship's computer Alx, has only compounded Paul's worry over the sudden advancement of his relationship with Shenner into mutually declared love; the two have fought, albeit briefly, making Paul all the more aware that their relationship is far from balanced yet. For her part, Shenner has been miserable, trying to restrain herself from 'embarrassing' Paul as long as his colleague Marcus Crowley is on board the vessel, and only after their fight and its subsequent resolution has she become confident enough to resume sharing Paul's bed at night. But they have also given up -- at least for now -- on the search for the ship, and in the middle of preparing to head back to Ithor, Paul picks up an unexpected passenger to take with them back to Kichnar Station.... ---------- There is a clank on the hatch of the ship and Paul quirks a brow at Shen, muttering, "Well, looks like our ride has arrived ... you ready to hit Kichnar?" as he palms the security lock. Shenner is wearing the new green vest today -- and one of the shirts Paul had bought her on Tatooine. She smiles crookedly at him, shoving a hand reflexively up through her hair, and says, "Let's do it." Xinj has arrived. Xinj enters Main Ring -- Quasar Bolt Xinj smiles slightly, giving a slight nod to Paul. "Good evening." Xinj looks at you for a moment. Xinj looks over at Shenner, adding, "Good evening to you too, sir." Xinj This is a human male standing about 5'10. He looks to weigh around 160 LBS. He has short brown hair and light blue eyes, almost grey. He is wearing a black flight jacket and black pants. On his feet are a pair of tightly laced black boots. "Mr. Silverthrorn," Paul greets and an affable nod, extending a hand to indicate the redheaded woman at his side. "This is Shenner, my assistant. I gather everything is set and you are ready to leave?" Shenner's dark eyebrows crook, and the young redhead leans forward, saying in a low, wry near-tenor, "Hiya." Xinj nods, "Yes, thank you." Paul_Nighman looks at you for a moment. Casting an amused glance at Shen, in her new outfit which -clearly- hasn't made her sex any more determinable, Paul shrugs as if to say, _Hey, I -tried-_ and then heads for the cockpit. "Make yourselves comfortable, cause we're outta here." "We got food and drink, kitchen's small, but we got it stocked anyway," Shen says, tossing off a slender wave in the direction of the vessel's miniscule kitchenette. "You want anything?" Paul_Nighman heads fore to the Cockpit, the blast door shutting behind him. Paul_Nighman has left. The corners of Xinj's mouth fold outword as he casts a wide smile. He runs a hand down the front of his shirt as he takes a seat on one of the couchers. Paul_Nighman enters the room from the blast door leading to the cockpit. Paul_Nighman has arrived. Paul_Nighman enters Main Ring -- Quasar Bolt Xinj looks over at Shenner, "Umm, no thank you." Popping his head back in, Paul smiles and informs the two of them, "Just so you know, I'm giving Sullust a wide berth, what with all the Imperial activity there lately ... we're heading back via Pride 1," and with that he disappears back into the cockpit again. Paul_Nighman heads fore to the Cockpit, the blast door shutting behind him. Paul_Nighman has left. Xinj glances around the area, admiring the ship. He says, "This is a very nice ship." "Suit yourself," says the redhead, who parks on one of the ship's many small bunks, a guitar in her lap, and she begins to strum quietly at the strings, practicing scales. A grin quirks her mouth for a moment, as she adds, "It's pretty good, yeah." Xinj keeps an open ear to the guitar while he cotinues to visually inspect the ship from his seat on the couch. He shifts his position just a little to get comfortable. The ship takes off smoothly and it if only a few short moments before there is the telltale whine and gentle lurch as the ship enters hyperspace. A few more moment pass before the Corellian ambles back into the main deck. Paul_Nighman enters the room from the blast door leading to the cockpit. Paul_Nighman has arrived. Paul_Nighman enters Main Ring -- Quasar Bolt The ship takes off smoothly and it if only a few short moments before there is the telltale whine and gentle lurch as the ship enters hyperspace. A few more moment pass before the Corellian ambles back into the main deck. Xinj looks over at Paul as he enters. Nodding to him once, he rests his arm on the arm of the couch, leaning back into the soft cushions. Giving the man a curious look, Paul settles into a chair not too far from the cockpit, casting Shen a smile and a glance, jerking with his head toward the passenger and giving her a nonchalant shrug. Thinking better of it, he lurches back out of the seat and makes his way toward the small kitchen, calling back as he does so, "Anyone want anything?" Xinj licks his lips, staring over at the kitchen. "No thanks!" Shen's scales proceed up through several keys and down again, as Paul rejoins them, and she shakes her head cheerfully. "Nah. Later. After I'm done practicin'. So..." Her green gaze swings back over to their passenger, in unabashed curiosity. "Whaddya do, pal?" Xinj looks right over at Shen's eyes, "I am going to Kichnar to apply for a bodyguard position. I used to be a captain for a NEw Republic trading company before it went bankrupt." Wandering back in, a sizeable mug in one hand, steam and the tantalizing aroma of freshly brewed coffee rising from it's rim, and what appears to be a cookiee in the other, Paul nibbles and then sips, leaning against a nearby wall. "With the station or some private enterprise?" he asks in turn. "Huh... well, good luck on that." The young woman's fingers on the guitar strings segue from scales into a simple melody, three-four time, C major. There is a soft chirrup from the cockpit, and the ship once again gently lurches, dropping out of hyperspace. Paul toasts the two briefly with his mug, muttering, "Hold that thought," has he moves with swift but unhurried paces to the cockpit. Xinj looks at the floor momentarly before answering, "From my understanding it's for a woman whom sells ships." Paul_Nighman heads fore to the Cockpit, the blast door shutting behind him. Paul_Nighman has left. Paul_Nighman enters the room from the blast door leading to the cockpit. Paul_Nighman has arrived. Paul_Nighman enters Main Ring -- Quasar Bolt Re-emerging, the cookiee now gone, and only an errant crumb on his shirt to hint it was ever there, Paul takes another sip from the mug as the ship surges forward into hyperspace yet again. "Be there in about, oh twenty minutes I think," he informs their passenger smugly. Shen nods affably enough to their passenger's last words, settling down to strum her way through her song with one hand, plucking out individual notes with the other. Wondering if he missed anything, Paul leans against the hatchway, questioning, "Finelines spaceway? Can't seem to recall the woman's name ... something with a D ...." Xinj scratches his head, "I honestly don't remember her name either." He thinks about if for a little longer before giving up on it. There is yet another chime and Paul shakes his head, wondering why he even bothers leaving the cockpit. "Just a moment ... be right back," he quips before vanishing again. Paul_Nighman heads fore to the Cockpit, the blast door shutting behind him. Paul_Nighman has left. The girl with the guitar slips after a while into another tune, this one faster-paced, something to keep the blood flowing in the fingers as they pluck out the melody line. Xinj listens to the music, tapping out a beat with his foot as he relaxes in thought. Paul_Nighman enters the room from the blast door leading to the cockpit. Paul_Nighman has arrived. Paul_Nighman enters Main Ring -- Quasar Bolt Stifling a slight yawn, Paul takes a warding sip of caffiene and turns to the passenger. "Alright, so it is Kichnar that you're heading for, yes?" Xinj nods quickly, breaking his concentration. "Yes...By the way, how much did you want to be paid for this trip?" "It's 100 credits a jump, and a three jump trip, so it comes to a grand total of 300 credits," he murmurs over the rim of his mug. Another swallow, this one more substantial than the previous, due to the fact that the liquid is finally beginning to cool off some. Xinj smiles, reaching into his pocket. He pulls out some credits and counts out 300. "Here ya go." He walks over to Paul, holding out the money. Xinj gives Paul_Nighman some Galactic Standard Credits. Xinj returns to his seat after paying Paul. He takes a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh as he starts to relax. Paul takes the credits and pockets them, a slight air of surprise about him. The Corellian has been so used to the recent company that he has been keeping, that the idea that someone would pay him and not quibble about the price nearly startles him. He gives Xinj a friendly smile, and mumbles, "Thanks." Watching the man settle down, Paul chuckles, heading back toward the cockpit and murmuring, "Don't get -too- comfortable ... we're almost there," and slips back to the fore. Paul_Nighman heads fore to the Cockpit, the blast door shutting behind him. Paul_Nighman has left. Paul_Nighman enters the room from the blast door leading to the cockpit. Paul_Nighman has arrived. Paul_Nighman enters Main Ring -- Quasar Bolt Re-emerging for the last time on this voyage, Paul coughs lightly and then announces. "Kichnar station." Xinj nods as he stands. Approching Paul he holds out his right hand, "Thank you for the lift, I'll try to contact you if I need any other rides. It was nice to meet you Mr. Nighman." Then he looks at Shenner, "Ma'am." Xinj looks at you for a moment. Taking the proffered hand, Paul shakes it somberly, but offers a wry smile. "My pleasure ... any time." Shenner rises, stilling her guitar, and bobs her head. "Seeya." Xinj turns and leaves promptly, not looking back. Xinj has left. Turning to Shen, the smile that was held firmly in check breaks loose, a snide and sarcastic beast of a grin. "Ah, sir, ma'am .... damn Shen, you should be a spy ... you could be almost anything! 'Cept a Jawa ... you're too tall to be a Jawa." Shenner bursts into giggles, slumping back down on the bunk. "I've seen more talkative bulkheads..." Grunting in agreement, the Corellian settles down next to her. "Mmm. Course the chatty ones can be a lot more annoying, trust me. There was this one woman who prattled on endlessly about her pet Vrol. Gross." Alone on the ship again, at last. Shen grins at Paul's words, but the thought blazes across her mind as he sits down beside her, and the girl turns to him, lifting a green-clad arm to wrap around him. And she smirks. "'Sir'. Do I still look like a 'sir'?" The Corellian can't resist an invitation like that, and settling one arm about Shen in a reciprocating gesture, he reaches up with the other one to plant it firmly on one of her breasts, stroking it through the shirt. "Nope, unless you've got one hell of a growth ... s'cuse me, -two- growths." The green vest, and Shen's green shirt, softly and just barely rustle under the contact. Shen's eyes, made all the greener by her garb, lift to her lover's face, and she grins lopsidedly. "Uhm, nope, not standard 'sir' equipment, at least not for _my_ species..." "Thank goodness," Paul murmurs, leaning closer to the girl. Marcus has only been gone an hour and already Paul feels liberated. "You still are kind of pixie-ish - I could see someone not too bright mistaking you for a boy ... in the right light ... maybe." His hand seems completely content to stay right where it is, rubbing in teasing circles, waiting to see what the redhead plans to do about it. Leaning the guitar carefully against the bunk, Shen brings up her other arm to twine around Paul's neck, releasing a soft 'mmm' of contentment. "By the way," she murmurs, as she brushes her lips across his, "it fits..." She dips her gaze down towards herself, indicating the green vest. "Uh huh," he mumbles, distracted by the touch of her mouth on his. "That's nice ... take it off ...." he suggests, the hand sliding up the slope of her breast to her shoulder, slipping beneath the sleeve and drawing it back and down. Shen inhales through her slim nose, bringing her hands down again to press softly against Paul's own front, fingertips trailing down his breastbone. "You could help," she murmurs back. "I'm working on it, I'm working on it," he chides her, drawing one of her arm's away so that he can slip the sleeve off of it, then the other, letting the vest fall unheeded to the couch and then the floor. One hand reaches for the buttons of her shirt, the other catching the nape of her neck, drawing her close. "Think the shirt doesn't do you justice either, off with it," he murmurs before catching her lips and covering them. Paul's shoulders, too, are bared as Shen's hands work at the business of unclothing _him_. She settles for getting the shirt all the way unbuttoned before she presses herself to him, front to front, arms twining around him once more. Her mouth begins a line of nibbles along Paul's jaw. With Shen's arms tightly wrapped about him, Paul leans over, pressing her backward and onto the couch, supporting his weight on his arms. He rubs against her breasts, one hand stroking down from breast to hip, fingers sliding tantalizingly beneath the waistline of her pants, stoking the satiny flesh. He other hand has to be content with delving into her hair and caressing the length of her neck. [Overjoyed to be alone again, Paul and Shenner lose themselves in one another's company, shunting aside the worries still possessing them both, at least for the moment. End log.]