Log Date: 2/19/99 Log Cast: Athena, Blaze, Shenner, Ariani (NPC), Avy, Kendell, Emma (NPC), Webb, Acthpa, Mono, Daryth, Samantha Log Intro: The situation on Caspar is growing steadily worse. With the arrival of an Imperial fleet in Caspar space, a fleet that's putting on an unmistakable show of military might, Shenner has found herself abruptly setting aside the arguments she's been having with Gavin Hollister -- an NR Major -- in the face of the sudden need for what NR personnel are on the planet to get quickly and safely off of it. While the staff and the musicians of the Sandbar brace themselves for the increasing likelihood of war, Shenner has been astonished that the man with whom she's been clashing frequently over the last several days has suddenly turned to _her_ for help in getting off Caspar, for Hollister, who is in charge of Princess Leia's personal security, has been left behind in the wake of her covert evacuation. So, Shen has pointed him at Lando Calrissian, hoping that another of her NR friends can help the Major out... and in the meantime, she's sent a message to Trinumvira Base in the hopes that another of her friends might be a lead for helping Gavin if Calrissian can't, though she's heard a number of rumors that suggest that Jonathan Webb is deeply embroiled in troubles of his own. She hasn't heard, though, of the troubles involving one Chantinelle Thistleborn... ---------- You enter the Sandbar. The Sandbar A large circular room creates the main part of Caspar's infamous SandBar. Dark wood paneled walls adorned with all sorts of paraphanalia set the relaxed athmosphere of the bar. Photographs and holovids are pinned randomly around, seemingly with no order at all. Posters from years past hang proudly, displaying obscure bits of Plaxton's recent history. Several windows made from a deep blue glass allow light in from outside, while still keeping the appearance of the bar rather dark. Along one curved wall a marble bar stands proudly, where Ariani busies herself making drinks and cleaning occational spots of the bar. There is an abundant amount of seating in here. You notice quite a few booths and tables, as well as a loft which protrudes out over the bar. A popular local band plays smooth jazz in the background. ----For help with tables, type "PLACE HELP" ----For help with drinks, type "BAR HELP" -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Athena => Blaze => Kendell => Ariani => Emma -=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=- leads to Fountain Square - Plaxton City. Athena sits on her hoverchair at the table in the corner. Again Blaze raises her glass to her lips...she was already on the second bottle...And still not nearly drunk. It was almost amazing..she'd tried to get herself inebriated before..it had never worked. Of course..she wasn't offered the least of human weaknesses. Oh well. She barely looks up from her back booth as two more people walk in the bar...Just so long as they didnt' bother her, she'd be alright. All traces of her recent usual grumpy attitude have subsided out of the face of Shenneret Veery. As the young musician strides into the bar, her countenance is all sober business, and she scans the place for a) an unoccupied stool, and b) Ariani, in that order. The stool is found; Shen drops her tote bag full of data discs and her datapad and the two textbooks of the day, and starts wriggling out of her coat as she catches Ariani's eye. Just as Athena wants to raise her left hand to the bartender to order a drink for herlsef, she spots the other woman close coming in after herself. Athy watches her carefully before she coughs slightly and waves her left hand to the younger woman, trying to get her attention. "Shen, kid, aren't you supposed to be in class?" "The U started dismissing classes," the redheaded bard tells the bartender, as Ariani comes over to greet her. "Thought I'd check in to see what news--" The cough from over in the corner distracts Ariani, though. Seeing the older woman's attention divert, Shenner glances over her shoulder in that direction... and blinks. Athena A female human sitting in a modern hoverchair. The woman wears a simple white combination of a long and widely cutted plain jacket and fitting white trousers. The right sleeve of the jacket seems to be empty and falls losely down beside the young woman. Her left hand rests on a small remote control with which she control the motions of the hoverchair. The face of the woman had once been a beautiful one but pain and sorrow added a lot of wrinkles on the face, letting her appear much older than she is. Her short blond hair frames her oval face, but her lips under her small nose are pressed together, changing her mouth into a thin line of bitterness. There isn't any additional patch, jewlery or anything else except a small golden crest fixed to the jacket's collar showing a tiny flying dragon. Above the white combination the woman wears a much thicker cloak, protecting her from cold weather. -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Protective Vest Avy enters the Sandbar. Avy has arrived. Finishing off the glass, Blaze sets it down, contemplating pouring another, or perhaps ordering some food..it's not exactly like her schedule today isn't open. Her thoughts crowd around her again, darker than usual..well..usual was a strange word..she'd felt...different recently. Different from what was the question. She reaches for the menu placed by the waitress on her first go-round, reading over the selections..not particularly enthusiastic about any of it..especially the crowd that had suddenly formed near her secluded back table. A whirl of mid-day snow enters the SandBar along with two large men in snowjackets displaying the Casparian Presidental seal. Right behind them follows the quite bundled-up form of Avy Laarken. "Can I get you somethin' else, ma'am?" Ariani calls over to the woman in the hoverchair, politely. Shenner, in the meantime, straightens up where she stands by her stool, a bemused look flooding across her face. Athena oohs and blushs slightly at Ariani's question "Uh... I hot chocolate please." she orders with a low husky voice before she adds, "And one please for this young musician too." she frienldy looks at Shenner, indicating her with a nod to join her table. "You got it," Ariani says, moving to fill the order, even as Shen glances at her. The older woman nods slightly, and then Shenner turns back to the table, approaching it with green eyes gone a little wide. So far she hasn't noticed Avy's entrance into the place; all her attention is on the woman in the chair, and as she draws near the musician asks startledly, "I know you, don't I?" Her tone is devoid of her usual edge, though her voice is no less husky, no less low. Having nothing else to do, Blaze looks about at the new crowd assembling..slightly surprised to see the President of Caspar enter. Weird. Place at war, but yet the President is in a common bar. She could recognise noone else in the place, the last time she'd been on Caspar she hadn't been exactly in the mood for observation. She stops a passing waitress, putting in an order for something..she wasn't even sure what..something that didnt' sound like it would kill her. Well..she'd only been living off of mess hall food for the longest time now..nothing could kill her. Kendell stands behind the bar, wiping out a glass with a thin white towel and watching the events unfold before him with a bemused look on his face. He shakes his fair-haired head with a chuckle and exchanges the freshly-wiped-out glass for another one. "Hey! Ian! Brian!" he calls out with a raise of his hand as the two hulkingly familiar gaurds enter the bar with his wife. But as his eyes fall on the latter, looking a bit haggard, his face softens a bit. "Hon." he smiles, discarding the towel and the glass. Athena blushes at once and raise sher left hand , bringing her index finger on her lips quickly to indicate her to keep her voice low. the woman inthe hoverchair points to a free chair beside herself and invites Shenner to sits down as she waits for Ariani to bring the two drinks. She suddnely turns her head hearing the man behind the desk calling out and follow this glance to watch the President just enter the bar. She oohs surprised and tilts slightly her head, bringing up he rhand on her cheek to cover her face a little bit before Avy at least. Shenner's dark red eyebrows make crooks over her green eyes, but she settles down into the indicated chair, not even slouching for once, her posture alert, her eyes slightly narrowed in puzzlement. "What's on your mind?" she asks, blunt but not hostile, pitching her voice down low since the woman in the hoverchair seems nervous. Kendell steps out from the back room, a glass of wine held lightly between three fingers. His other hand residing in an overcoat pocket, he leans against the back of the bar, quietly surveying the feel of today's crowd. Athena hms and thankfully nods as Shenner keeps her voice low. She smiles friendly at the young musician and tells her in her husky voice, "Oh I might have something for you, if you would like to play and sing for me again?" she answers directly. Again? "I do know you," Shenner says then, and it's not a question, but rather a realization. Green eyes sweep their gaze along the figure in the hoverchair again, and then return to the woman's face, searchingly, stunned, curious. But despite the thunderstruck query in her expression, the young musician doesn't ask the obvious question, not yet. "I'm listenin'," she says, just as directly, while she tries to assimilate the altered appearance of the woman before her. Kendell's eyes passively scan the faces around the relatively quiet room; a few stray rays of sunlight cut soft, warm razor slashes through the dust and across the downcast eyes of a patron here and there. He absently trails past two women at a nearby table, the glass tilted to his lips. And then they turn back. Athena nods again at Shenner being gladly that the young woman isn't starting any scene in the bar. Athy sighs and looks down at he rlap, where she places or better hides her single hand, if she just doesn't sip on her drink. As she looks up at Shenner, she tries to force her usual smile on her lips but fails and only creates a odd expression. "Somebody got angered about me..." she sighs, "Well yes you know me." she says softly and removes a strain of hair out of her face a gesture what was typical to Chanti. Blaze turns her attention from the conversation of the two women, lancing her eyes across the bar once more before turning back to her own booth, reaching for the bottle of whiskey, pouring herself yet another glass. She'd have to stop it soon...it wasn't exactly helping her liver very much, and it was obvious she couldn't drown her sorrows in the bottle this time. Oh well..perhaps the food would come soon..and she could always attempt to get work done..No, that would be impossible..She definately wasn't in the mood for work...that's why she was here, right? Shenner's features go quite still, save for a widening of her eyes as the identity of the woman in the hoverchair is confirmed. The young musician stares hard at the older woman for a few moments, before saying in a significantly blunter although no less soft tone, "If this has anything to do with your friends in the ships closin' in on this planet, you can forget it." Still no hostility in her tone, but the hard, level look in the bard's eyes is without hesitation. Kendell sets the glass down slowly as his own personal internal movie projector coughs itself into life. His finger taps the side of the glass in a quick, erratic rhythm. Athena hmmpfts and blows out her breath forcefully through her nose, "If you mean the Empire....it was the Empire who did _this_ to me, so calm down I am finished with this topic. No, its for the Taj Org to celebrate the winners of the last swoop race." Kendell's lips tighten slightly, and he lets out a quiet sigh. Leaning over a little, he turns to Emma, whispering something in her ear. With a nod, the girl weaves around the bar and heads for the table. Shenner, who has neither raised her voice nor gotten angry, not yet at any rate, just stares hard at the other woman at the request to 'calm down'; her only noticeable reply is a clear smirk. But then she huhs, looking her table companion up and down again, and something seems to click behind her eyes. It doesn't make her stare any less blunt, but it does seem to accomplish _something_, for Shen's next word is simply, "When, where, and how much are you willin' to pay me and the others?" Blaze lets the bottle come back down to the table, hitting the wooden surface with a sudden 'clank', the remaining liquid swishing about the bottle. She takes a long sip from the cup...inebriated or not, the drink wasn't helping her thoughts much either..instead of forcing her to think of other things, they always come back to the same topics..the ones she's been trying to avoid. At least she got away from the squadron for a while, even if she had very sketchy detials on what she was doing here. What she wouldn't give to be an independant again..making your own contracts... Emma reaches the table, standing a somewhat safe distance away so as to avoid interruption. He eyes trail to the floor, back up to Athena, and back to the floor. As Athy hears Shenner's answer she gets the first time a real true smile on her lips, "Oh fine... well I know it will come a little but fast to you: Its tomorrow, in the showroom of the Taj company and I have no idea how much money you and the band want..." she answers as directly as Shenners asked. As Emma reaches her table, she turns around from Shenner after a quicky, "'Cuse me." and looks down on Emma, "Yes dear, you need somehting?" she asks softly the girl, being not able to become angered anytime by them, even if they stare at her for being a cripple. Emma blinks quickly, nodding with a polite smile as she leans into the booth and imparts Kendell's message. Turning slightly, she points behind the bar. "My, uh...my employer was inquiring as to your name...he said you..." She stops a little short, "...well, he said you looked a bit familiar." Shenner lifts both her eyebrows at Emma, and then glances at Athena, not yet answering her question, waiting to see how she'll answer the waitress instead. Kendell pulls back a stool behind the bar and slides into the seat. Leaning down on his elbows, he lifts the glass, watching the conversation from over the rim. Athena ooohs and follows the little girl's finger to the bar and sees Kendell there. Seeing him so suddenly without any warning evokes some thoughts inher mind and her jaw opens slowly seeing him looking at her and Shenner's table. Athy sighs and smiles at the little girl, "Tell him my name is Athena O'laurin." and puts a coin into the girl's little hand, "But dont use it only for cigarettes, you heard me?" Webb enters the Sandbar. Webb has arrived. Emma Emma is Ariani's younger sister who has recently relocated to Plaxton City. She beams as she talks to you, and seems to be a neverending fount of energy. The physical simalarities between Emma and her sister are few, except for the same sparkling grey eyes. Emma's long, fine blonde hair is pulled up in a high pony-tail and a smattering of light freckles adorn her nose and cheeks. She wears a light-blue tunic underneath a brown vest, and deep brown leggings. Athena sits with Shen , Emma just standing beside her. Emma nods, a bright, satisfied smile coming over her like a wave that crests as she straightens back up. "Thank you, ma'am...sorry to disturb you both." She nods to Shenner with familiarity and a wink and heads back to the bar to send the message back. Kendell sets the now-empty glass down as Emma returns to the bar. She delivers the message, the man listening intently as his eyes track back and forth between the two. Emma mutters, "O'Laurin," and Kendell gazes upon Athena for a pensive moment, as though trying hard to convince himself that really *is* her name. After a bit, he nods to Emma with a smile, his eyes turned to the rivulets of thick wine still trailing down the sides of the glass like rain onto a windowsill. "Thanks, Emma...offer her something from the back for her trouble...anything she decides on." Standing, he throws on his coat and heads for the back door. _Athena O'Laurin, huh?_ Shenner absorbs this information without so much as a blink. She flicks Emma a brief lopsided smile before returning her green regard to the woman in the hoverchair, to whom she says, "Tomorrow might be too soon, especially given the... situation." She lifts her gaze skyward for a moment, significantly. "If our boss needs us, that'll have to take priority." Webb drifts silently into the Sandbar, huddled beneath the heavy, featureless grey garnment which serves to (hopefully) offer some protection from the fearsome winter weather brewing outside. His hood is drawn up, shading his head and probably helping to save him from a bout with hypothermia. Shivering faintly from his exposure to the bone-chilling cold, he begins to trudge towards Shenner after taking a moment to surveil the various customers. Acthpa looks at you for a moment. Athena hms and looks at Shenner, "Your boss?" she asks softly, already thinking how she can persuade her boss to give Shen tomorrow free. She smirks and shrugs, a very odd gesture when done with only one shoulder, "Well I would be very honored and pleased if you would make it and to for your consious, "None of my type will come and I doubt that I will make it too, esp in such an apperance." she smirks and looks down at herself again. "Miz Laarken's our boss," Shenner states, slouching a bit in her chair -- a slight sign, perhaps, that she's let down at least some of her guard with the woman at her table. She then glances up, noticing the figure coming toward her and the other woman, and her eyebrows go up again. Mono enters the Sandbar. Mono has arrived. Snow, always snow there. The young blond woman wipes out some snow of her clean dress and combs her hair. She looks around at people, there in a well-known place for her, and notices nothing special, more exactly nobody she has ever seen. She makes her way quietly towards the Bar. Daryth enters the Sandbar. Daryth has arrived. Mono walks into the place and see's how crowded it is. Than walks over to the bar to get a drink. Daryth strides into the bar a little uncertainly, although his new uniform seems to put a bit of a swagger in his step. He pauses at the entrance and looks around Athena sits in her hoverchair together with Shenner, while Webb just arrived at Shen. The bartender, Ariani, is keeping up a steady stream of drinks for the influx of customers -- and in some cases, some of the simple edibles the Sandbar serves, too, sandwiches and the like. Emma, the waitress, scampers back and forth to ferry trays between tables. Mono sits down at the bar. Webb's approach brings him up directly behind Athena. In spite of his apparent shivering, this is done with eerie silence, until a stifled sneeze and several rather chilled sounding sniffles shatter the effect as simply as a brick crashing through plate-glass. He rubs his hands together in an attempt to impart some form of warmth in them as he peers across at Shenner, politely waiting for a lull in the musician's conversation before uttering a word, so as to not interrupt. When such a lull does come, he nods his head towards Shenner beneath the concealment of his hood, and finally speaks, "You sent for me, Miss Veery?" in a voice which would seem quite different from the one most commonly associated with him by those who'd thought themselves aquainted with him weeks ago. This voice is more suited to a significantly older, perhaps slightly more weary individual. Athena sees Shenner change her focus from herself. She frowns and wonders who came in turning her head to look carefully at the newcomer, not knowing this man, but somehow not liking at once his appearance. She raises an eyebrow as she watchs him talking with Shenm but remains quiet herself. Daryth looks around, but sees no familiar faces and departs quietly Daryth walks out of the Sandbar and the door closes automatically. Daryth has left. Shenner blinks, sitting up and looking past her companion to the figure in the cloak. Much the same bemusement that had crossed her face for Athena O'Laurin happens again in the musician's expression; however, it's swiftly followed by something clicking into place behind her green eyes, as she figures out who this person must be. "Yeah," she says at last, "thanks for comin'. Miz... uh, O'Laurin, 'scuse me a moment, will ya?" Acthpa looks at you for a moment. Athena nods quickly and but remains quiet not wanting to say anything. She waves slightly with her left hand at shenner, "Well Dont make any thoughts about your boss, Cuz she will come too, well she is paying the half of it." she grins and nods thankfully to Shen, indicating her thank for her discussion. Arriving at the Bar, Acthpa takes a seat, not even glancing at the persons already there. She just gazes a little at the three persons at the table forming a quite odd trio according to their attitudes, wearings, voices. She folds her arms in order to forget the cold outside and makes a sign to Ariana. As she arrives, she finally decides not to drink, and flashes a smile to the last sentence heard. Webb offers Shen a remarkably serene smile, in spite of his sniffling and shivering, and gives Athena a momentary glance as well, suddenly seeming quite aloof as he regards the latter of the two women. Patiently he awaits the end of the conversation, so that he might attend to whatever his business with Shenner might be this afternoon. Shenner rises, gesturing the man in the cloak off to another table out of earshot, and nodding in gruff politeness to the woman in the hoverchair. Mono truns his stool around and asks "Anyone up to a game of sabacc?" In a very deep voice. Than Orders a blackmoon from the bar tender. Shenner leans in close then to the cloaked man, eyebrows raised, murmuring something softly to him. You whisper, "Glad you could get here, pal, didn't know if you'd get the message." to Webb. Ariani works with grace as she makes a blackmoon and serves it to Mono. Mono takes a sip from his blackmoon. Athena just sits quietly onher table, sippping with her left hand her drink, sighing about the Sabbac offer, something she would have never refused, but playing sabbac is one arm is not easy. Webb follows Shenner to the previously mentioned table, and smiles serenely beneath his hood at whatever Shen's remark was. His response is a matter of fact, "I've gotten good at being where I am needed, Miss Veery, now what seems to be troubling you this blustery afternoon?" before his voice lowers to a tone more suitable for a discussion of some nature of sensitivity. Shenner slides herself into a chair, keeping her expression carefully neutral, though she can't entirely hide flickers of surprise at the manner in which she's being addressed. Her voice drops again, down to a low murmur. Webb senses, "Shenner glances around just to be sure no one is within earshot, and then looks square into the cloaked visage before her. "I need to ask you if there's any way you know of to get someone affiliated with the NR offworld, fast."" Putting her hand in her pocket, Acthpa takes out a little watch very quietly, as she doesn't seem to really want to know the hour and she shakes her head like she is talking to herself. She sighs deeply, stands up from the Bar and walks towards the exit, ready to meet the snow and the wind again. She pauses just before the door, and finally opens it. Acthpa walks out of the Sandbar and the door closes automatically. Acthpa has left. Mono takes a sip from his blackmoon. Athena sips slowly on her hot chocolate, looking curiously around. Mono takes a sip from his blackmoon. Samantha enters the Sandbar. Samantha has arrived. Shenner's own hot chocolate, dutifully brought her by Ariani but now temporarily forgotten, remains on the table she's just left, growing slowly cooler. Shenner herself leans one elbow onto the top of the table at which she now sits, her gaze intent upon the cloaked visage of her companion. Samantha strolls in casually and scans the cantina for people she knows. She finds none and makes her way towards the bar. Samantha sits down at the bar. Webb scratches his chin faintly at whatever Shenner just asked of him, and partakes a moment of contemplative silence, before finally giving a nod in response. Athena sits for herself on her hoverchair in the corner. The young musician's mouth curls up into a wisp of a smile, on one end, and there is a slight lightening of her sharp green gaze as she continues her softly murmured conversation. Samantha looks at the bar for a few moments before making her order, she waves the bartender to come closer and orders a Blackmoon. Ariani works with grace as she makes a blackmoon and serves it to Samantha. You whisper, "His name's Hollister... he's a Major. And he works for the Princess." to Webb. Mono takes a sip from his blackmoon. Webb whispers, "I know the man. I'm certain that something can be done for him. It may take a moment for me to figure out what." Athena smirks as the second mug on her table gets slow and slow cooler. She sighs and waves at Ariani. mentioning her to bring the drink after Shenner, something what she would have done normally herself if not being in the hover chair. Samantha turns around to face the patrons, and looks at each with curiosity. She seems to be looking for something, as her glances are close to staring. A flicker of relief, then, in Shenner's expression. She doesn't notice Ariani's sending Emma over to move that hot chocolate, at Athena's request; only when Emma actually draws near enough to the table for the musician to spot her does Shen seem to pause for a moment, catching herself. When Emma hurries off again, perhaps sensing that her friend needs privacy, Shenner looks once more at her companion and murmurs to him. Webb senses, "Shenner says softly, I'm to tell you that he doesn't want to pull anybody off of dealin' with..." And she pauses, glancing meaningfully skyward. "He'll sit tight if he has to, till his people come back for him. But he also says to tell you that if y'all need him, he'll help in any way he can."" Mono finishes off his blackmoon. From afar, Webb nods slightly, his eyes seeming to grow more steely as the discussion draws on, and his expression hardens into one more suited for a Ranger than for some kind of monk, "Damn right I can use his assistance if he's willing to stick his neck out a little... maybe I can even get him offworld in the process." His eyes too cast skywards for an instant, "Who knows. I might even be able to do something about all that." Webb gestures faintly towards the ceiling, or perhaps the sky beyond it, in accompanyment of whatever he is presently saying to Shenner. Mono get's up from his stool and than walks out of the cantina. Mono walks out of the Sandbar and the door closes automatically. Mono has left. Shenner bobs her head slightly, in comprehension. She might be barely on the edge of her teens, but the musician's eyes now have a certain age about them, at odds with her youthful lines of her features. Webb senses, "Shenner asks bluntly, but without her all-too-frequent sardonic edge, "Whaddya want me to tell him for getting in touch with ya? I got a number, too, where he called me from."" After a lengthy pause in the conversation, Webb snatches up a neaby bar napkin, and produces a pen seemingly from thin air, and begins to scrawl down something with a slightly shakey hand for the musician, his voice (seemingly carelessly) slipping once again into the audible range, "Yes... I think this could help you find what you're looking for Miss Veery. Do feel free to contact me if you have any more such pressing questions..." Shen's green eyes flick to follow the motions of her companion's hands, and then she nods, perhaps to him, perhaps to herself. "I'll do that," she says gruffly, casting the napkin no more than a mild casual glance. Mono enters the Sandbar. Mono has arrived. Mono walks into the cantina, and goes to the stool he was seating at earlier. Mono sits down at the bar. Webb covers his mouth as he emits an unhealthy sounding cough, and rises slowly to his feet, "Contact me if you need anything, Miss Veery, even if just a friendly ear. I'm afraid that now, I must be on my way though. Much to do before I can get out of this dreadful cold." The last line, if you think hard enough about it, could be one of the last things you'd have expected to hear from the mouth of Webb, but then, there is much about these times which can be considered to be hardly ordinary. Shenner smiles faintly. The crooked smile is her normal one, but her eyes are still very intent, and she says only as she gets to her feet, "I'll keep in touch." Webb walks out of the Sandbar and the door closes automatically. Webb has left. [End log.]