Log Date: 4/24/98, 4/28/98 Log Cast: Sinjon Teague, Shenneret Veery Log Intro: An exhausted, frazzled, and desperate Shenner, in the grip of withdrawal from the stims she's forgotten to take over the last few days, has been running herself ragged on the streets of Calamari trying to find her missing, mysterious friend Nelun... who has disappeared out of her care for the second time in a row. Shen has been entirely unsuccessful in her search for Nelun... but she _has_ found the Horansi Jedi, Sinjon Teague. Immediately realizing that Shenner is in dire straits, Sinjon has taken the girl under his figurative wing, giving her herb-mixed water to settle her roiling stomach. And he's heeded her half-coherent plea to give her aid in sleeping -- for the distraught girl figures, everything will make sense to her again if she can only _sleep_. However, Sinjon has a far more involved definition of aid than Shenner does, and he has not only escorted her back to her dingy flat, he's _also_ gotten her safely collapsed onto her couch... and has delved into her mind to discover what has caused the girl to fall into such turmoil. And summoned his abilities in the Force to blunt what he's found... darkly disturbing memories, as well as damage, inflicted by the Force, to the girl's psyche. And Shenner, responding unknowingly to Sinjon's efforts, has fallen headlong into slumber. While she's slept, Sinjon has tended to her physically as well, taking off her grubby clothes, giving her a sponge bath, and wrapping her up deftly in a blanket. The silver necklace he's found around her neck has been removed and stored in a safe place... and Sinjon has carried out some other business as well.... ---------- Exhausted. That would be the best description of the Mashi Horansi who is sitting on a comfy green chair. One look around the apartment would show quite a change of the past 3 days. There are various new pieces of furniture and the place has been cleaned up. Fresh flowers adorn the new wooden table and there is a basket of fruit on it as well. Sinjon is sipping a mug of tea trying to regain some of the energy he has spent trying to help Shenner. He closes his eyes for a moment...just a moment... And during those three days, the owner of the tiny flat has remained insensible on the couch, unaware of what her benefactor has been doing to the room-and-a-half that has been serving as her home for the last few months. In his redecorating efforts, Sinjon can have noticed what few meager possessions the girl owns, or at least, what ones have been out to be viewed -- her guitar case, propped in a corner. The motley collection of books and data disks that have served in studies, along with the battered terminal that had been resting atop her equally battered desk. But there's also a collection of fiction books -- things with brightly hued covers, an apparent entire series of adventure tales featuring someone named "Thane Grayson". What food is in the flat is meager, too, simple packets of meals that can be popped into a heating unit and quickly eaten. There's a refresher closet in the flat -- that tiny nook can't really be graced with the word 'room', and barely has enough space within to hold a shower and other basic amenities. The Horansi can have noticed, too, that the neighborhood isn't exactly peaceful. During the nights, and sometimes during the day, sirens can be heard in the distance, and on the second night of Sinjon's vigil over the exhausted girl, shouts and noises of a scuffle can be heard breaking out in what's probably the apartment over Shenner's. But the only disturbance that reaches Shenner's own flat is the gruff, aging, overweight male human who owns the building, drawn by the odd sight of many new pieces of furniture making their way into his tenant's abode, demanding to know what's going on. Not even this, though, has disturbed Shen, as she's slept as if dead on the battered old couch. Sinjon jerks back to conciousness lightsaber quickly at the ready. He takes a few moments to look around, his eyes a bit muzzy from the brief sleep. Noticing nothing obvious to concern him he quickly replaces the saber at his hip. He walks over to the sleeping form of Shenner and for about the thousandth time he checks to make sure she is still within her healing sleep. Sinjon yawns widly as he makes his way to the kitchen. He puts a pan on the heating unit and begin to prepare some breakfast. Soon the gentle smell of brown sugar wafts about the room, contrasting with the tang of sizzling sausages. He hums softly to himself as he goes about preparing food, today a bit differently he makes a much larger quantity. And eventually, something changes in the quiet room... the girl on the couch begins to stir, her head turning slightly, her brows knitting over her closed eyes. Sinjon continues to stir about the kitchen. He places a pitcher of liquid on the table and begins to set out place settings for two. The whole area is filled with the pleasant smells of cooking foods. He does not make an attempt to cover his noise since his patient has not really stirred at any of the other disturbances. It takes some time for Shenner to return to consciousness, deep, heavy, velvet sleep rolling slowly away from her mind, in and out, like tides. The first thing that penetrates the blanket of slumber is the smells, and a vague startlement as her mind processes them as _good_, stirring up sensations of hunger somewhere within her belly. Then, with equal slowness, she finally opens her eyes, realizing as she does so that she feels... strange, her mind uncommonly clear, her thoughts seemingly washed through with clean, sparkling sunlight, Bemused, she begins to look around... and as she gets her first look at her surroundings, she lets out a yelp, involuntarily trying to sit up. "Wha-ooaaah?" Sinjon smiles at the waking of his patient. "Good morning!" he rumbles good naturedly, "I would suggest you move slowly for a bit since your body is in need of nurishment." He comes over to the couch and helps Shenner sit up. "How are you feeling today?" asks the Horansi with a look of concern on his face. Green eyes wide and dazed in her thin face, Shenner stares at her guest -- or host? -- then at her apartment, and then back at Sinjon. The first words out of her mouth, as she reflexively and dizzily grabs at his support, are, "Wh... where am I?" The Horansi smiles toothily again before speaking, "We are in your apartment on Calamari. I took the liberty of cleaning up and donating some more..suitable furniture for you. Call it a gift if you would. Do you think you can make it to the table for some breakfast? I have a robe you can wear until you feel you can put on your clothes." He places a fuzzy, fluffy jade green bathroom across her lap. Bemused, Shen squints down at herself, discovering the blanket draped over her too-thin form, and she unthinkingly grabs at that blanket, too, before the robe is placed before her. "Food... yeah... sure," she mumbles, aware of the emptiness of her belly, even as she manages to register that this jade robe is not the forest green robe she'd had hanging up in her 'fresher. Still looking rather shocked, she awkwardly fumbles into the robe, staring at her own hands as she does, her motions uncertain. Sinjon turns his back on the young woman to give her as much privacy as such cramped quarters will allow. After certain that she is fairly covered he turns about to help her to her feet. "I replaced many things that were old and worn but I did not throw them away since I was uncertain if you would still want them. I had a 'discussion' with your landlord about what I was doing. I think you should probably move to a.. nicer abode." he says diplomatically. Making it to her feet, Shen frowns down at her bare toes, not understanding why her legs seem made of water. She closes a fragile grip on Sinjon's befurred arm, and keeps frowning, her thoughts still scattered enough that all she says is a distracted, "Can't afford a better place..." Her voice comes out of her a little higher than is normal for her, as if she's only half-awake, dreaming. Sinjon guides the young woman over to the table and pulls out a chair for her. He helps her into her seat and pours her a glass of juice. The juice is a sweet orange strawberry blend and is an amazing reddish orange. "Drink this slowly or you are liable to make yourself sick." gently admonishes the Horansi. "Yeah," Shen mumbles again in confusion, "sure...." She sinks down into the chair, and then blinks owlishly at the glass she's handed. Sipping at it, she finds it amazingly good, and has to make herself remember to take it _slowly_. But she also peers uncertainly at the Horansi, and asks, "Wh... when did you... I don't remember..." "A couple of days.." answers Sinjon, "You have been ill. We had gotten back here after talking and you collapsed. I have been taking care of you.. Does that ring any bells?" He looks at you expectantly. The girl's brow furrows, and she stares down at the juice glass in her hands without really seeing it. "I... was in the marketplace," she begins uncertainly. "Lookin' for Nelun..." This brings a vague frown to her brow; this is, perhaps, significant, though Shenner still seems scattered. Her gaze lifts, then, and she ventures, "I... remember... finding you. I've been sick?" Nodding Sinjon goes back to finishing breakfast. "Yes, you have been sick. It may have been a relapse of something you had before, I do not know for sure." rumbles the Horansi, "I have been here taking care of you for a while, 3 days to be exact." Shenner unsteadily gulps down another mouthful or two of the juice, smiling unconsciously; the fruity blend still tastes glorious to her, and it's distracting her a little from Sinjon's words. But only a little. "Yeah," she murmurs distantly. "I... I was sick, a few months ago, too... damn... I thought I was over that..." _By the Light.. I hope this has worked.._ thinks the Horansi. He picks up a bowl and places it in front of Shenner. The smell that wafts from the bowl can only be described as a heavenly brown sugar, cinnimon, maple scent. The bowl is filled with a gruel of some sort. It's moderatly thick and brown. "Eat this slowly, a spoonful at a time and pause between spoonfuls." he solomnly says his expression serious but still an underlying mirth is present. There's something oddly childlike, oddly innocent about Shen's expression, as one corner of her mouth curves up at the bowl set before her. "That smells great," she blurts out. A roll of laughter falls from Sinjon's mouth and trickles to a chuckling. "I should hope so! It is a recipe my mother taught me. I was always shocked when people said they did not like gruel or oatmeal or whatever grain cereal they had because my mother's was so very wonderful!" He hurries back to the stove to rescue the sausages that had been cooking. He scoops them up quickly onto a plate and places them on the table as well as some toasted bread. Sinjon grabs a bowl of his own and ladles a goodly amount of gruel into it as well. "You can try some of the sausage and bread as well but stick with the cereal for a bit. There is plenty to go around." Shenner's green eyes go wide again, and she stares with undisguised wonder at the assembling breakfast. "Wow," she breathes, setting down the juice glass, and unconsciously shoving a hand through her disheveled hair, shoving unkempt brown... and red-rooted... locks out of her face. Then she leans slightly forward, peering at the bowl of hot cereal, and she starts in on a few experimental spoonfuls. This, too, tastes unaccountably marvelous to the girl, and in between swallows she mutters, "Feel like I haven't eaten in a month..." "You probably have not. When I encountered you, you were under the influence of some stimulants. I cleaned your system of these by speeding up your body's processes. It tends to burn a lot of excess energy you have stored within your body. I am quite sure your body will need lots of substance in the next couple of days. I have stocked your larder with food stuffs as well as your refrigeration unit. As I said, I am not sure how long you should stay here since the neighborhood is rather.. downtrodden. I have paid for an adequet apartment in a better part of town for 4 months." Sinjon puts up a paw to avoid any protests, "I do this as a friend so please do not be offended by this gesture. I know that you are quite capable of fending for yourself but this will give you the chance to study without the distractions and it is a safe place." He picks up his spoon and begins to eat slowly. Shenner blinks a few times, pausing in her exploration of the hot cereal. A hot flush suffuses her cheeks at the mention of the stims, and this apparently even distracts her from vocalizing any protests to the news of a new apartment. Once more looking rather shellshocked, the girl drops her spoon with a clatter against the side of the bowl, and she struggles for several long moments to try to find words. Her gaze then drops down towards her lap; she's still blushing. Sinjon continues to eat his cereal but watching her with a sideways glance every now and then. Shenner finally asks, haltingly, "I... I was on stims?" Shrugging Sinjon answers, "I do not know exactly what you were taking but it was not doing good things to your body. I have purged your system of any of their effects so there is no worry." He refills Shen's glass with more of the juice. He stands and goes to get his cup of tea, which is now quite cold. Sinjon warms his mug from a pot on the heater then sits back down, spearing a sausage onto his plate. The young woman rubs the back of her hand across her eyes, frowning vaguely. "I... think I remember that, but... I... don't... don't remember _why_," she mutters fretfully. Her gaze returns to her companion, and she plaintively concludes, "I really have been sick, haven't I?" Sinjon nods sagely, "It would appear so. I do not personally know much about it other than what I have observed from treating you. I think that you should seek out the assitance of a greater Jedi than myself. I have done my best to treat you but Luke Skywalker would be able to heal you completely of what ails you. From what I understand he is quite accomplished in his healing ability." he says while munching on his breakfast. Shenner blinks a few times at that, her confusion deepening. "What... Luke? But... if I've been sick... he's a Jedi, not a doctor.." "Ahh..but I healed you with Jedi methods, or at least I helped you temporarily with Jedi methods. That is where Mr. Skywalker would come in..." Sinjon says thoughtfully. "Oh," says Shen, rather blankly. "Well... if you say so, pal... I-I dunno where Luke is, I ain't seen him in... a long time..." She blinks disorientedly again, and then remembers the breakfast before her, and returns to trying to eat some of it. With her hair as rumpled as it is, and her face so thin, the girl looks significantly younger. "I know this is all confusing to you but you have been very sick. It is quite important that you get into contact with Mr. Skywalker as soon as you are able... You will promise me that please?" says the Horansi looking intently at Shenner. The girl's brow crinkles under her lank dark bangs, and she looks up again, staring uncertainly back at her unexpected caregiver. She'd been avoiding Luke, she remembers -- Luke, and the Princess, and Winter and Jessalyn. It takes her a few moments, but she brings up a flash of memory: Mon Mothma, asking her graciously if she'd like a message delivered to Luke or his sister or his sister's aide... and herself, refusing. But for the life of her, she can't quite remember _why_. "I... I guess I can do that, sure," she murmurs in bemusement. Sinjon sighs for a moment before dropping his gaze. "If you do not... you may die..." he states simply. He plays with his gruel a bit before plopping the spoon back into the bowl. He meets Shenner's gaze again, "This is a very serious thing and I was only able to stop it temporarily. I do not wish to use my influence upon you any more than I have. Please seek out his help." implores the ebon Horansi. Shenner goes rather more paler than she already is. "Die?" she echoes, her voice very small. "It is very possible, yes. That is why I was glad I was here and able to help you." admits Sinjon with a small shrug of his shoulders. He begins to eat again slowly nibbling on sausage and toast between converstation. "As I have said, you have been very ill. It is a Force induced and that is why I was able to contain it for now...but I am not sure for how long. That is why I wish for you to promise me that you will seek Mr. Skywalker's assitance. I have no wish for you to die..but rather to live a long and fruitful existance." He smiles warmly at Shenner before going back to eating. Her already faltering appetite now fleeing entirely, Shen gapes at the creature sitting across from her, the spoon dropped from her hand, forgotten. "_Force_-induced... wh-what happened to me?" She begins to tremble. "I don't, I don't remember..." Sinjon reaches over and places a warm paw on her hand. "Correct. You will have to take my word on this as a Jedi. You have been ill... gravely ill. I do not even have all the pieces of this puzzle so I am unable to answer you. You are safe for now, and out of immediate danger. Part of the disorientation is caused by the illness. You should eat and rest for now, I will be here for the next couple of days recovering myself and then I have to leave on business." Sinjon lets her hand go, picks up his mug of tea and takes a long sip. "But...." Fear bubbles up in the young human's eyes, and the hand covered by the paw can be felt to quiver violently. Before Shen can stop herself, or even think about the words or whether Sinjon can answer them, she blurts out, "Paul -- is Paul alright? Is he okay?" The Horansi nods slowly. "Yes, he is fine." he comments shortly before taking another sip of his tea. Shenner pauses, still trembling, relief surging through her at the Horansi's assurance. Hard on the heels of that relief, however, comes the realization that she can't quite recall the last time she _saw_ Paul. In the strange, sunlit, liquid clarity of her thoughts, Shen's memories feel curiosly light and insubstantial, and she has to concentrate hard before she can produce a clear recollection of her and the Corellian together on a Caspar beach. But after that... nothing. Frightened anew, she unconsciously hugs herself, her eyes beginning to turn damp. "He..." This comes out of her in a hoarse rasp, and she has to cough before she can go on, "He went... away, didn't he?" Sinjon hands her her cup of juice before answering, "Yes. Yes he did." he again states simply. He looks down at his own paws, "Again I do not know why exactly, so I will not make any assumptions or come to any conclusions. I know this is all very scary and I wish I could tell you that everything will work out in the end, but I simply do not know. I only tried to save a person who was in need..." His voice trails off. Shenner, clearly, doesn't really _see_ the juice, though her fingers mechanically accept the glass. 'Stricken' is the only word that can really describe her expression now, and as she sits there with the juice in her hands, she manages only a hoarse "thanks" before tears start rolling down her cheeks. Sinjon takes the juice from Shenner and puts it on the table next to them. He wipes away the tears the best he can speaking all the while, "I empathize with your feelings and I wish there was something I can say about everything. You are alive and your mental state is not longer in jeopardy. Those are the two most important things right now, no matter what else you would like to believe." He gathers Shenner up in an embrace, rubbing her back and speaking softly to her, "There, there.. it will be okay. Let it all out.." As the Horansi scoops her up into his befurred arms, that seems to be enough to make Shenner break down completely. Sinjon is not Paul, but Sinjon is _here_, and he is offering comfort, and if there's anything that Sinjon Teague can have learned from his quest into the girl's troubled mind, it's that she desperately craves comfort, safety, and the presence of a friend. She begins sobbing, clutching at the feline with feeble strength, as the impact of everything she's been told so far since her awakening slams into her. Sinjon lets the warmth and kindness that makes him a Jedi seep forth and cover the pair. He hold Shenner close, murmuring words of comfort as well as stroking her hair with a paw. When Shenner finally has cried herself out he detaches himself from her and hands her a hankie and some more juice. _Sunlight,_ thinks Shenner muzzily, _he's just like sunlight...._ The last few sniffles leave her drained and reeling, and in childlike obedience, she accepts the handkerchief and dabs awkwardly at her face with it, then takes the juice in both her hands, trapping the kerchief between her palm and the glass. Now, fear and loneliness subside somewhat in her feelings, giving way to acute embarrassment, and she can't meet Sinjon's eyes as she croaks, "Thanks..." Sinjon smiles toothily at the young woman. He gives her hand a squeeze and lifts her chin so that she is at least facing him. "You know it is alright to be sad, afraid and even lonely from time to time, as long as you do not let those emotions rule you and run your life for you." he rumbles, "I can imagine that your life has not been the easiest," he says looking around the apartment, "I cannot tell you how to go about your life but I can give your suggestions, advice and do what I can to make your life a better thing than it has been in the past." He sits back down on his chair still looking at Shenner. "This is not to say what you have experienced have not been good things, but rather you have much more to look forward to in your lifetime. You have friends who care about you and want you to do well." He smiles once again. _Oh yeah? -Where-?_ is Shen's immediate instinctive reply, but she manages to keep her mouth shut... not only out of sudden gratitude to this being who has apparently gone out of his way to transform the dingy hole that was her flat and to take care of her in illness... but also because she can remember, quite vividly, that Paul at least wants what Sinjon describes. _But Paul ain't here,_ her mind protests tinily. _Trace, then...? He ain't here either..._ Her expression grows bleaker as she can't keep herself from thinking that everybody who's seemed like a friend to her to date has left her. But all she says to Sinjon is a tiny, "What do you think I should do?" Sinjon watches the thoughts as they flicker across the young woman's brow before she speaks the simple phrase. He ponders for a moment before answering, "I think that you should continue with your studies and live your life. I am sorry if that is not exactly what you would like to hear...but I do not know that much about you. I think you have a wonderful voice and music ability and that should be explored but not neglecting other subjects that interest you." He clears his throat before reinterrating, "You should also seek Luke Skywalker. I can leave him a note if you would like..." He lets the question hang in the air. "If you... um... know how to get in touch with him... sure," Shen mumbles. Her gaunt features settle into stoic, joyless lines, her eyes still hollow, for all that they're a little less ringed with dark, after her long sleep. She moves her face out of Sinjon's grasp so that she can gulp down a few mouthfuls of the juice, before she rasps out, "Study... yeah... find out if a school'll take me..." "Surely! I will leave word with one of my contacts here on Calamari. I am sure that one of them will put you into touch with him, although I know that he is currently..indisposed..but should be back soonly." smiles the Horansi once again. "You should eat some more if you are able and then get back to sleep." he says as he stands. Sinjon goes over to the corner of the room and pulls the sheets back on a large-ish futon. The futon is covered with new blankets and bed sheets. "I have also arranged for some temporary sleeping quarters." he says pointing at the futonbed. _Wha? I hadn't noticed..._ Shen blinks, startled at herself, and then blinks a few more times at the bed that's been set up in her corner. "I got a bed," she mumbles, her expression threatening to turn overwhelmed again, at this new sign of Sinjon's largesse. Sinjon nods, "Sure, if you wish to continue using it that is fine with me. I mearly was offering you a much more comfortable not to mention a much more cleaner sleeping place. It was mine while you were sleeping on the couch but I have really no use for it currently. Keep it as a guest bed if you wish." He shrugs and heads back to the table, plopping down in his chair his own weariness obvious. "Your new apartment has been set up and they will come and move whatever you wish out of here in the next week or so, you just need to contact Jystim Denniger. She will help you out with any concerns you might have." He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a keycard and a holo-business card, and places the pair near Shenner's plate. "Oh," Shen says, blankly, still reeling under this notion that the Jedi Horansi has simply... acquired her a new apartment. "Um... you... said you're goin' away...?" "Yes, I have business elsewhere that needs attending. I am not sure when I will need to leave but I know that I am not going to be around for more than a few weeks. I will come and visit when I am able or you can always visit my home on Caspar if you would like." he says between sips on his tea. He begins to eat again, slowly savoring the flavour. "I.. yeah... wh-whatever," Shen mumbles out. Dimly, she considers that she really just doesn't want to think about All This right now.. rather easier to just subside for a while into the light that's suffused her mind, to fall silent, to fumble her way through eating the rest of the breakfast. And this she begins to do. Ill though she might be, still, her old habits die hard -- she eats every scrap before her, as if it might be her last meal. Sinjon finishes his meal and watches as the young Corellian mechanically finishes hers. "Maybe you should sleep for a while.." he asks with some concern, "since it will do you good, healing wise. I will be here when you wake so have no worry of being left alone..." "Yeah..." mumble the girl, "Yeah... that'd be... nice..." She gulps down the last of her juice and sways to her feet, grabbing at the table as she does so. Sinjon is at her side in flash, holding her up and support her. "Let me help you. Where do you wish to sleep?" he inquires. _With Paul,_ thinks one corner of Shen's mind. But she only vocalizes something indistinct, glancing towards the futon merely because it's nearest. Helping the weak young woman over to the futon, Sinjon lowers her to the pad and tucks her in. He places a large fluffy comforter over her and give her hair a quick rumple with a large paw. "Sleep well Ms. Shenner, tomorrow is yet another day." he intones solomly before standing up and moving to clean up the dishes. It's clear the young human is still quite exhausted. But at least she's exhausted and full of food. The moment she's horizontal, the moment blankets have been laid over her, she is asleep, curling up into a ball where she lies, looking quite young and defenseless. Feeling like he's been run over by a herd of Bantha Sinjon quickly places the dishes in the cleaner. Turning the machine on he pads over to the couch. Noticing that Shenner has gone back to sleep the Jedi makes a quick look around and secure in the knowledge they are safe for the meantime he goes to sleep on the couch covered in an old blanket. [To be continued...]