Log Date: 7/15/98 Log Cast: Stalh, Shenneret Veery Log Intro: Still leading her fairly quiet life on Calamari, Shenner has been spending her days busking, studying -- and indulging in the collection of Thane Grayson novels. It's a guilty pleasure, knowing as she does that the Twi'lek-penned adventure novels are the very same ones that were based on one drunken conversation Paul had had with the author in question... and because they're a tie to Paul, remote and dubious they may be, the young musician can't stop herself from collecting each one she can get her hands on. And besides -- she's discovered she _likes_ reading cheap adventure novels. Even aside from the fact that this particular series has a suspiciously Paul-like hero.... ---------- Stalh arrives from North Coral Avenue. Stalh has arrived. Striding confidently out from North Coral Avenue, a human male dressed in Vermillion whistles happily. After six months on Calamari, the redheaded young woman with her flutes and guitar has almost become a fixture in the city square. Shenner has claimed her usual bench, though this morning her guitar is lying dormant for now, tail resting in its case, its neck propped against the bench she's sitting on. The girl herself is, of all things, engrossed in a... book. Noticing the red headed girl once more, Stalh smiles to himself, letting out a jovial laugh. Ceasing the whistling during mid stride, the human male walk as quietly as possible up towards to bench and tries to sit down before the street rat notices. The book's apparently an engrossing one -- it's got a vividly hued cover, and the title _Thieves of the Sacred Scrolls_ splashed across it, along with a picture of a rakish-looking fellow in desert garb -- but it doesn't take the redhead very long to notice somebody's claimed the other half of the bench. Her head lifts; green eyes narrow. But all she says is, exactly as if she'd been consulted on the matter of whether the seat could be taken, "Nah, don't mind me, help yourself." And she refastens her attention on the page before her. Stalh tilts his head appreciatively and smiles. "Thankyou..." He pauses slightly, and you are not sure if he is smiling or laughing as he continues, "...Miss." She clearly heard the comment; one dark red eyebrow crooks over green eyes, just after it's uttered. The redhead turns her head just enough to put forth the most noncommittal of small, narrow smiles. Otherwise, her posture and position remain unchanged, and her gaze remains on the book while she flips a page. The man sits on the bench ever so lightly as not to disturb you. After a few moments however, he turns to you and says in a tone of voice that has not been heard before. His tone appeared to be almost sincere as he spoke the words; "You continue to amaze me, Miss." He nods slowly as if agreeing with himself. "Yes, you certainly do." "What," drawls the redheaded musician, "never seen a guitar player read a book before?" Stalh laughs out loud, an obviously fake laugh which is soon recovered by the male. "No that's it! The fact that..." Holding his words for a moment he gazes into your eyes, the green of yours roughly matching the green in his. The man's face is solemn as he continues..."the fact that you can actually read..." And almost for a moment, the man looked as if he was going to hold his composure, but at the last moment he bursts out into caljoling laughter that is indeed sincere. The girl has looked up, those green eyes of hers narrowing, and they spark indignantly, but also stay up so that the man sitting on the other end of the bench can actually meet them. Her thin pale mouth curls in a smirk, and she replies in a blandly sardonic voice, "Why yes, and I can wash my own clothes, put my boots on the right feet, and buy my own food with the right change." Back goes her gaze to the book, and it stays there. The man, though continuing to laugh somewhat replies, his manner revealing the out right contempt for the girl that is before him. "Why, I must of been mistaken...All along I thought you had only minimal schooling - but your areas of expertise..." Smiling, the man raises his forefinger to his chin in a mock academic pose, "...especially in washing clothes must make you surely a genious in your own right." A brief pause to turn slightly more towards you on the bench is all the time Stalh needed for a rest from laughing. "Perhaps," he says coldly, "we should make you Galactic Emperor instead?" The laughter produced from the vermillion clad man grows louder as he continues. Finally on the top of his voice he yells, "All hail Empress Trash! She will deliver us from the temptation of not washing!!" AHA! The redheaded girl keeps her indifferent posture on the bench, apparently unbothered or perhaps even oblivious to the taunts; the only change in her expression that shows she's even heard them is a decided boredom creeping across her slender features. "Pity I'm not in charge," she replies calmly. "I could fire whatever idiot tried to teach you how to be funny, because they clearly did a rotten job." With the last remark setting in, the laughing and outrageous antics of the formerly blonde man cease. Spinning around he tries to grab the arm of the bardbrat. Stalh rolls a 22 for his DEXTERITY skill. An Excellent roll! Shenner rolls a 17 for her DODGE skill. A Good roll! Apparently, she was expecting... something. As her arm is seized, Shenner's suddenly sitting as if ready to spring to her feet, though she doesn't react in time to elude the grab. But her eyes do shoot up, sparking anew, and she growls, "I dunno what your problem is, pal, but you better let go of me. Now." Speaking vehemently as he holds on _tightly_ to the girl, Stalh stares at you intently, his eyes awash with anger. "Listen here you little brat," Although spitting his words like a viper, the volume of Stalh's voice is surprising low. "You have already cost me one devotion in my life, and by the Gods if you stop me from gaining my goals this time no amount of aid..." He stares almost through you with such a depised manner, " whether it is Force linked, Republic or even Imperial will save you!!" His voice trails off into a distorted gurgle, as if he was choked up by emotions. "Cost you--? What the nine karkin' hells are you talkin' about, you freak?" Shen shoots back, features crinkling in apparent total surprise. "I've never done a freggin' thing to you!" Her captured arm tightens reflexively, though, her entire stance wary. She doesn't try anything, not yet -- it's a public place, after all, and there's always the chance that one good scream will bring help running if she needs it. Tightning his hand around your arm instinctively, Stalh pulls you in closer. "Because of you I lost _everything_!" He pauses, his face reddenned due to his explosive nature. "I lost my fiancee, my career..." He raises his voice slightly, but is still low enough as not to cause too much a disturbance in public. "Why do you think I am on this hole of a planet?! BecauseI like it?! I couldn't give a rat's arse about your rebellion...I am here because I was forced to come here!..." Another pause, this time to catch his breath. "All because of you and your manager..." His voice seems softer now, and he releases the grip on your arm. If, you thought, that this man was capable of crying he would be, but alas, not tear is shed...Just silence. Through all of this, the girl stares incredulously, the kind of stare one might have if a troop of battle-hardened veterans suddenly stripped off all their armor, tossed away their weapons, and started dancing. Her stance stays wary, alert, but the release of her arm is enough to dissuade her from trying to shout or do anything else rash. Instead, she says bluntly, "Look pal, it ain't my rebellion, and sorry you're stuck here and lost your fiancee and your job, but shit happens to all of us, and far as I know, I never did a damn thing to you, so lay the hell off." Stalh says bluntly, "You do not recognise me?" "I recognize ya," Shenner counters. "I recognize plenty of people. You got a point with this?" The thought that she recognizes the man because he'd been a loudmouthed, pompous, overbearing jerk on Etti IV and hasn't appeared to change his behavior now, she keeps to herself. She might be in a public place, but she's not about to provoke him further if she can avoid it. Not when, as far as she can tell, he has a few gaskets loose.... Stalh grins lopsidedly at the girl, apparently none worse for wear from the preceeding outburst. "You recognise plenty of people do you? Well then," he says as he stands up and uncreases his uniform, "you therefore know that not all seems what it appears, and more importantly..." He leans in closer to your, close enough that you can feel the heat from off his face. "Some things," his whispers ever so softly, "are nothing but an act." Straightning his gloves,the man turns smartly on his heels and walks away slowly, his pace remaining slow just in case a comment is given. Shenner's nose crinkles, her free hand tightening and ready to deliver a blow in case this apparently insane individual doesn't get out of her face -- when he does, and swiftly, it's enough to rattle her for a second or two. She scowls, and makes no attempt to keep the man from moving off, and she has no idea how she might reply -- what can she say to something like _that_, anyway? But she watches him go, and only until he seems safely out of range does she return her attention to the book still clutched in her other hand. The adventures of Thane Grayson seem almost mild in comparison to what just transpired, and even as she resumes reading, she keeps one eye up and watchful. Stalh heads northward up Coral Avenue. Stalh has left. [End log.]