Log Date: 3/25-26/96 Log Intro: At long last, Tance has regained something resembling good health, and has once more ventured into the Infirmary to get medical clearance to hightail it out into the Ranges. Little does he know there await more teddy bears.... ---------- You walk into the clinic of the infirmary. Infirmary(#403RAM) A complex array of computers monitor patient condition in the various rooms of the Infirmary. In front of this bank of terminals are two comfortable chairs for the medics on duty. Across the screens streams a constant flow of data. While there is 'monitor help', only fully trained, professional medical personnel are permitted to utilize this facility. Contents: Dr. Bear Catering Unit Obvious exits: Long Term Care Short Term Care Lift Dr. Bear A soft teddy bear about a foot in height, one of the few products that comes from the planet Haven. He is covered with short fine grey fur that is silky to the touch. Its eyes are a large black almost liquid in his expression of mournfulness as if not happy unless someone is holding him. He is wearing a thin black collar with a small golden charm attached to it. You read the inscripion: "Did you give your teddy bear a big hug today?" Flipping the charm around, you read: "Being a bear takes extra flair!" This bear is slightly different from all his brethen teddy bears, he wears a pair of gold-wire spectacles perched precariously on his button nose. His owner has even given him a miniature lab coat with a pin that reads | Dr. Bear | complete with a mini-medical scanner with blinking lights. Nadine walks softly from the lift area. Nadine pads in quietly, rolling the long sleeves of her lab coat to her elbows. She smiles, "Good morning, Tance, can I help you?" Tance blinkblinks at the bear, then blinks again at Nadine. "My, um, arm," he mutters, gruffly. Nadine slips off the snugli-pack and drops it to the desk, the creamy peach head of a teddy bear peeking out as she sets it down. Nodding, she turns back to you and asks, "How does it feel?" Nadine sets Mr. Bear down reluctantly. As if in response to being abandoned, Mr. Bear's head droops to one side despondantly, hunching over waiting for the next person to love him. Tance blinkblinks, now seeing TWO of the bears, and he answers in a startled tone, "Itches..." Nadine chuckles, "I'm sure. You've been wearing that cast now for quite a few weeks. Let's take the cast off first, then I'll scan it. I think it's been long enough for it to heal, though." Tance informs Nadine by way of brusque agreement, "I have to go cut." Nadine uses a small saw to remove the plasticast from Tance's arm, then pulls the scanner out of one of the pockets of her lab coat. "It looks good as new to me, Tance. I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to go out and cut again." Nadine slowly runs her medical scanner over Tance's body. You hear a slight hum and lights on the small, black gadget flicker. A single beep sounds, and a green light stabilizes, indicating no medical abnormality. Kesya walks softly from the lift area. Tance flexes the arm, and suddenly cackles, gleefully. "Hah....! 'Bout time..." He starts to whirl, and scurry off, before pausing, frowning absently to himself. Then he barks, "Thanks, Ears!" And whirls again. Nadine chuckles softly to herself as she pitches the remains of Tance's cast away. "You're quite welcome, Tance. Sing well." Kesya meanders in, gaze on the carpet as she pokes absently at hte bandage on her head. She doesn't seem nearly as dizzy as she did a few days ago, and looks up towards the two in the room. "Nadine, I--Oh, hi Tance." Tance cackles! "Crystal to find, crystal to cut, hah..." He skitters to a halt again, as Kesya arrives, and blinks at her in startlement. Nadine smiles at Kesya as she walks in, "Feeling better, Kesya?" Kesya nods, smiling at the meditech. "Um hmm." She prods gingerly at the bandages on her head again, "Still a little tender, but I think the swelling's mostly gone." Tance squints. "Banged your head, Jade?" Nadine nods, "Have a seat and let me take a look at it." Kesya nods to the uncommonly jubliant Singer, "Got buried in a landslide a few days back. Took half a day to dig myself out." She treads to a chair, sitting where Nadine indicates. Kesya continues absently, "Big rock knocked me in the head. At least, that's what it felt like, I didn't see it coming." She glances at Tance, trying not to move her head while Nadine examines her. "Your arm all better?" Nadine carefully peels the bandage from the back of Kesya's head. "Well, Kesya, it looks a little tender, still just a bit swollen, but there's no real indication of the gash you came in with a couple of days ago. You probably ought to take it easy for another couple of days; I'd suggest going out to the ranges with a partner, if you go out at all. I'll leave it to your discretion, though." Kesya nods agreement, her lips pressed together in resignation. "Probably a good idea, 'sidering how badly I thrall. Probably worse with this bump." She chews absently at her lower lip, muttering to herself. "Now who to ask... haven't talked to Shana in a while... and Andi needs someone..." Kesya's gaze focuses on the bears strewn about. "Daron still hasn't gotten rid of his pile'o'bears yet, huh?" Tance stares at Kesya's bump for a bit, and after all that, yelps, "'MFine." Himiko walks softly from the lift area. Nadine chuckles, "Well, the peach one is mine, but I think the Dr. Bear is permanently stuck here." Himiko limps in Kesya gives Tance a long look, then blinks and reaches into her pocket for something. "Oh, I almost forgot." Withdrawing a slim black datapad, she passes it to Tance. "Meant to give you this earlier, but I haven't seen ya in a few days." Tance stares long at Kesya, starts to say something else, then blinks? Nadine turns at yet another set of footsteps and smiles to Himiko. "May I help you?" Himiko says "Hi, yeah. Sliced my leg a few days back, spraind my ankle and bumped my head. Wondering how I'm doing." Kesya looks at the datapad, then at Tance. "It's okay, isn't it? Voice activated. Speak into that little slot there and it'll record whatever you want." Tance glances at Himiko, momentarily distracted from Kesya's gift by the sight of yet another young Singer injured. "Switch," he mutters, before jumping a little at Kesya's explanation of the datapad. Then, he blinkblinks at her. "Mine?" Kesya nods blithely, "Of course." Himiko eases herself into a seat and snugs her teddybear. Seeing Himiko with yet ANOTHER bear, Tance blinks yet again, and then gingerly reaches for the black datapad. "Don't know what to put in it," he mutters. Kesya shrugs in reply, "Whatever you like. Whatever you want to remember." Tance turns the thing around in his hands, almost afraid he'll drop it perhaps. He flicks another look from it to the battered green-skinned Singer, then abruptly barks, "Careful!" And turns to slink out, muttering rather less loudly, "Thanks." [With that, Tance ventures once more into the Ranges. But, stunned by Kesya's gift, he first puts it to use.... "This is a new datapad. The green one gave it to me. Her name's Kesya. Don't know why she did it. But she said to use it." Perhaps it's impulse that drives Tance to add: "Maybe this thing'll keep me from crashing. You hear that, datapad? Remind me to fly straight!" And as luck would have it, Tance doesn't crash. He finds, in the middle of a quite mucky swamp, a vein of medium greens; after cutting it dry, he triumphantly returns to the base, much later.] You step out from the cramped interior of the sled "Smeghead." Hangar Floor The immense cavern that serves the guild faces the eastern sky. The blue sky merges with the harsh browns of the long plain of the Joslin Plataeu far to the east. The smoothly tiled floor is scarred by myriad gashes and scratches caused by wind-tossed sleds. The northern and southern walls contain over-large double doors while the western wall is set with observation windows. Looking around (+view), you notice several signs posted. The hangar is half hidden in shadows as Scoria graces the sky high above. The horizon merges with the sky in hazy bands of blue. The sled racks are illuminated slightly. Contents: Tance, over by the wall. Mason, over by the wall. Tance's sled Farris's sled Repair Bay Sled Tech Desk Radar Corbin Hangar Terminal A large map, for instructional purposes Sled rack Obvious Commands ("." for list): .wait .sleds .desk .radar .map .hangar door .floor Obvious Exits: WWSF Transport Met Transport Equipment Room Simulators Catwalk Cargo Storage Sorting Ready Room Tance tumbles out of his sled, wild-eyed, and reeking. "SORTER! SORTER! I NEED A SORTER!" Mason frowns "want me to get your sled unloaded? Kesya emerges from the ready room with purpose. Farris walks out of the storage area. Farris ducks into the ready room, escaping from the swirling wind. Tance staggers, then blinkblinks blankly at the unfamiliar face of Mason. He barks out, "Crystal! Watch it, my beauties... my lovely green beauties... I have to find a sorter...!" Mason steps into the airsled "Smeghead." Kesya wanders slowly in, her hands knotting her long green hair into a bun at the nape of her neck as she moves. That done, she looks about the Hangar, chin dropping for a moment as she spots Tance's condition. "Tance?" She moves forward towards him, offering a reassuring smile. "I'll help you get your crystal to a sorter, if you like. I'm sure one's on duty." Mason steps out from the cramped interior of the airsled "Smeghead" carrying a carton of crystal. Mason walks into the sorting area. Kesya looks at you for a moment. Aram emerges from the ready room with purpose. Aram flips through the notes on the counter. Tance stumbles to a halt, and blinks vaguely at the new arrival. "Sorter? You a Sorter? I need a Sorter -- my lovely green beauties..." Aram walks in and over to the sled tech desk sits in the chair and leans back. Mason walks out of the sorting area into the hangar. Kesya's expression falls for a moment, but then hardens before the exression can even be noticed. "I'm not a sorter Tance," she says softly. "Here, follow me and we'll find you one." She heads towards sorting, looking over her shoulder to see if the old Singer is following. Tance twitches visibly with crystal resonance, as he keeps a gimlet eye on the recruit and the boxes being hauled out of the sled. Shi emerges from the ready room with purpose. Mason steps into the airsled "Smeghead." Mason steps out from the cramped interior of the airsled "Smeghead" carrying a carton of crystal. Mason walks into the sorting area. Shi nods to all assembled. Shi looks at you for a moment. Mason walks out of the sorting area into the hangar. Mason steps into the airsled "Smeghead." Mason steps out from the cramped interior of the airsled "Smeghead" carrying a carton of crystal. Mason walks into the sorting area. Tance mumbles harshly, "My green beauty... yes... lovely green..." His eyes have a fey light to them, as he weaves from foot to foot. Mason walks out of the sorting area into the hangar. Kesya pauses, frowning as she clues in to the fact that Tance isn't following her. She moves back towards him, and gestures to the sled with an incline of her head. Her dark green features twist as she frowns at something, but at what it isn't clear. "Want me to help carry your cartons for you then?" Mason steps into the airsled "Smeghead." Mason steps out from the cramped interior of the airsled "Smeghead" carrying a carton of crystal. Mason walks into the sorting area. Mason walks out of the sorting area into the hangar. Mason steps into the airsled "Smeghead." Mason steps out from the cramped interior of the airsled "Smeghead" carrying a carton of crystal. Mason walks into the sorting area. Mason walks out of the sorting area into the hangar. Mason steps into the airsled "Smeghead." Mason steps out from the cramped interior of the airsled "Smeghead" carrying a carton of crystal. Kesya looks Tance up and down, her lips pressed together in frustration as she doesn't get an answer. Tance blinkblinks rapidly at Kesya. "Carry? Crystal? Why? You a recruit...?" He frowns uncertainly. "Why are you... green..." And he begins to trail off. Mason walks into the sorting area. Taylor descends from the catwalk. Shi rolls her eyes then heads for the sleds. Taylor looks around, scowling up at the status board. Taylor gazes up at the hangar status display for a moment. Mason walks out of the sorting area into the hangar. Corbin nods to Shi and manipulates the machinery to unload the sled from the racks. Mason steps into the airsled "Smeghead." Shi steps into the airsled "Dream Warrior." Mason steps out from the cramped interior of the airsled "Smeghead" carrying a carton of crystal. Kesya shakes her head, a sad smile crossing her lips as she answers the old Singer. "No Tance, I'm just a friend." Sighing, she turns towards Sorting, her hands stuffed dejectedly into her pockets. Mason walks into the sorting area. Sled Dream Warrior rises upwards and hovers a moment before it speeds away. Tance barks, startled, "Friends? I don't..." Then he blinks again, several times, and one hand fumbles to a pocket of his filthy clothing. Mason walks out of the sorting area into the hangar. Tance pulls out a little black datapad, frowns to himself, then squawks, "JADE!" Taylor turns at Tance's bark, narrowing her eyes and grimacing at the filthy looking Singer, watching him for a bit, obviously stalling from cleaning sleds. Kesya turns, hair falling out of the makeshift bun to curl around her shoulders. She arches her brows as she looks back at the singer, "You remember?" Mason ducks into the ready room, escaping from the swirling wind. Tance waves the datapad around, cackles, and charges after Kesya. "This! I have this! You gave me this! It helped me remember, yes, not to crash and to find the green... hah!" Kesya beams at the Singer, nodding. "You *do* remember! That's great, Tance!" Taylor giggles as she watches the scene before her. Tance veritably capers, and declares firmly, "Green. More green. Not enough credits yet, I have to find..." He turns, eyeing his sled, a trifle absently. Taylor gazes up at the hangar status display for a moment. Taylor shrugs to herself, loosing interest in the two singer's conversations and heads towards a dirty sled. Taylor steps into the airsled "Smeghead." Kesya smiles brightly at the Singer, "Told you you'd find some more. Looks like you brought back lots, too." Her eyes trail the recruits carrying cartons towards sorting. Tance jerks a mesmerized gaze back to Kesya. "Green," he croons, voice vague. Kesya gestures to Sorting with a nod of her head, "Well, you gonna get it sorted, or sit here staring at your sled?" She adds with an amiable smile, "I think Mason got all your crystal out." Aram hikes over to the sled tech desk. Aram seing wat was said says. "He is buisy I can take care of the crystal" Aram walks over to the sled rack. Aram says "If that is alright with you." Tance jerks. "Sort... sort!" Bobbing his head rapidly, Tance wanders off towards the Sorting bay. You leave behind the wind of the hangar to dive into the activity of the sorting floor. Main Sorting The moment you walk in you are assailed by a kaleidoscope of sight and sound. People are running to and fro at an exhausting pace. Sorters run to the shed to fill in crystal segments, handlers bring cargo in from storage, and Singers come raging in from the cargo bay. The sorters seem hard pressed to deal with Singer anger, as well as their jobs, yet they move with a calmness and care when handling crystal. Obvious exits: Aria's Office Processing Hangar Observation Cargo Storage The Shed 3rd Table 2nd Table 1st Table Kesya comes into sorting smoothing hair down from the wind-swept look. Tance croons absently to himself, over and over, about his green beauties. Kesya follows along behind Tance, looking about. "Do you know where Mason put the other cartons?" One glance at you tells her no, so she goes in search of them herself. "Maybe in the shed, or proc." Kesya steps lively, moving towards the partially sorted crystal "Shed". The door opens at her approach. Kesya enters the area looking slightly pained at the Singers present. Kesya goes through the Processing exit. Aram comes into sorting smoothing hair down from the wind-swept look. Aram moves determinedly toward the 3rd table. Kesya arrives from Processing. Tance wanders about, still twitching, his glazed regard clearly not taking in much around him. Kesya gestures to Processing. "They're in there." Aram walks away from the 3rd table. Aram walks across the sorting area and disappears through the swinging door to the hangar. Feyr walks away from the 2nd table, her face expressionless. Feyr moves toward the unsorted crystal cargo bay. Tance blinkblinks at Kesya. "Sorter?" he asks, almost plaintively. Feyr steps out of the storage area, wincing slightly at the noise. Kesya arches a brow at the singer, "You're not asking if I'm a sorter, are you?" She gestures to table two, "I think there's one there. If you want, I'll repack your other cartons and bring 'em." Tance mumbles, "Not Sorter... Jade, right... I need a Sorter..." Feyr weaves through the bustling sorting floor, carton set in her thin fingers. She almost bumps into the old Singer. Kesya takes Tance's shouldres and steers him towards Feyr. "There's one." Tance yelps, "AIGH!" as he's nearly collided with, but as soon as he's pointed at Feyr he barks anxiously, "Sorter!" Feyr looks up, "Hmmm?" but continues on her way to the second table. Kesya chuckles softly, patting Tance's dirty shoulder reassuringly. "I'll get the others, you just follow her." Kesya goes through the Processing exit. Feyr calls out over her shoulder, "That's me..." Feyr moves steadily toward the 2nd sorting table Tance dashes to Feyr, wobbling on his feet. He reeks even more pungently in close range, but this doesn't seem to deter him. "My greens... my lovely greens..." Kesya arrives from Processing. Cee walks away from the 3rd table. Cee moves toward the unsorted crystal cargo bay. Kesya looks around for the sorter, and spots her near table two. She looks at Tance curiously, hefting the carton more securely. "I've got the rest of your crystals here. Lead the way." Cee steps out of the storage area, wincing slightly at the noise. Tance abruptly beams. "Sort," he declares happily, and totters off after Feyr. Cee clomps cheerily back through, carrying a carton this time. Catching sight of Tance, she grins. "I bet," she murmurs, bemused. You move toward the second of the sorting tables, the crowd seems to have split between the first table and the third, you hope to get through this room today! 2nd Table Area This area has a line that only takes you about five minutes to get through. Waiting it out, you glance about the area. You notice the multi-colored jumpsuit the sorter wears the nondescript table and computer before them, and the crystal of the previous singer! Then the sorter looks at you and waits. Contents: Storage Carton - Mikael Feyr Sorting Table Obvious exits: Out Feyr looks up from setting another carton down, straightening the gloves on her hands. She blinks at you absently, "Something I can do for you?" Kesya comes up to the table from the main area. Kesya sets the carton down with care. Tance asks hopefully, fretfully, "Sort? Please sort... my lovely greens... I want to see them..." Feyr takes a quick glance into the carton. Kesya takes a quiet seat next to the table, arching a brow at the Singer and Sorter. "You don't mind if I watch?" Tance plops down on the floor, patting his storage carton worshipfully. "Mine..." Feyr opens Storage Carton - Tance Label: Med green whatevers, whatever whatever. Tance's. and looks inside. Feyr carefully lifts each of the 31 crystals out. She arranges them reverently on the sorting table. Feyr runs a hand through the air above the crystal on the table, "Watch away... Neither I nor the Shadows would ever mind." Feyr Feyr's hair, once carefully washed and trimmed, has now reverted back to being a tangled mess. It frames her thin face where her dark eyes stare out from the depths of her sockets. Covering her eyes is a thin veil of black gauze. She is wearing a black dress made out of some kind of warm material. The cowl is pulled up over her head, leaving her face in shadow. Her feet are bare. Peeking out from the sleeves and over her hands and feet are a myriad of bite marks, somewhat reptilian in nature, but only faint scars now. Her eyes are misted over, rather vague. Listening carefully, you might just hear her mumbling to herself, though the occasional snarl gets out. Periodically she glances behind her, concerned about something. Kesya chuckles softly, resting one hand on the table edge. "Oh right, the Shadows. Forgot about them." Setting computer scale to F sharp major. Scale set. Valid notes: F sharp G sharp A sharp B C sharp D sharp F F sharp Feyr doesn't look up, but her next comment holds an edge to it, "Never forget about them. Scorpion forgot, apparently..." Tance mumbles something about plenty of shadows at that mucking swamp he was in, but by gods, he found the green! Kesya gives Feyr a dry look, then cocks her head to one side with a wry smile. "I thought you said the Dark Ones were blessing me, Feyr." Tance blinks, peers at the Sorter, and his brow furrows; what's a Sorter doing as bedraggled-looking as him? "What?" he barks. Crystal 28 assigned to note 'do'. Crystal 14 assigned to note 're'. Crystal 10 assigned to note 'mi'. Crystal 15 assigned to note 'fa'. Crystal 26 assigned to note 'so'. Crystal 24 assigned to note 'la'. Crystal 12 assigned to note 'dx'. Crystal 5 assigned to note 'ti'. Tance stares dreamily at the crystals now, his attention diverted. His gaze starts fogging over. Feyr reaches up a hand to scritch absently at her matted hair, "No..." She punches something in on the computer, checking the market. Replying to Kesya, she nods vaguely, "They'll protect, so long as you believe..." Feyr says "Mediums down... Better to have them very small. Even medium small... Tune. Recut the rocks. Appease the Darkness." Feyr gathers her thoughts and looks down over the table to Tance, "Happy for these to be retuned? For the market..." Tance says staunchly, "Got 'em outta filthy mucky darkness -- hah! -- lovely greens..." He bobs his head absently, just staring at the cylinders. Feyr's lips thin, "Filthy darkness?" Her eyes narrow, "You'll be the next, unbeliever. The Darkness is pure and it protects its own." Tance squints at Feyr and barks puzzledly, "What the kark are you talking about?" Kesya chuckles softly, shaking her head at the two. "You're quite a pair." To Feyr she adds, "I think we'll both do okay, darkness or no darkness." Feyr starts to busily remove the crystals out of the current grouping, packing them into a new carton for tuning. As she does so, she begins to expound her philosophy, "The Shadows. They're here and all around... The Darkness calls. Answer the call, or the grapes will burst." Crystal removed from note do. Crystal removed from note re. Tance, for once, is distracted _away_ from the crystals, and he stares at Feyr amazedly. Crystal removed from note mi. Crystal removed from note fa. Crystal removed from note so. Crystal removed from note la. Crystal removed from note ti. Crystal removed from note dx. Kesya gives Feyr a quizzical glance. "_Grapes_? When'd fruit come into this?" Feyr pauses, looking at Kesya, baffled. "You tell me. You were the one who started talking about them!" Tance mutters, baffledly, "Thralled. 'MThralled." Kesya shoots Feyr a _look_, then glances over her shoulder to see if something there might've confused the sorter. "Grapes? Heck no. Don't think so." She shakes her head, getting to her feet. Kesya nudges Tance with one elbow. "Hey, gimmee your datapad for a second." Tance blinkblinks, startled out of his confused reverie. "Huh?" Feyr shrugs, turning her attention back to the table, "Talking about grapes indeed. Listen to the Masters of Midnight. They might talk." Kesya holds out her hand expectantly. "Your datapad." She smiles reassuringly. Tance draws it hesitantly out of his pocket, frowning. "What're you..." Feyr carefully repacks 8 crystal(s) into a storage carton to be sorted at another time. Kesya cocks her head at Feyr, expression obviously amused. "The masters of midnight like eating grapes too?" She takes Tance's datapad, punches a few keys on it, and records a little note. Feyr ignores you both, making sure she gets the sort right. Aram comes up to the table from the main area. Aram walks in a bit flushesd and exosted looking. Kesya hands the datapad back, "I have to go, but there's a note on there to meet me in the lounge for dinner, in an hour and a half. Enough time to finish up here and wash up." She grins, "It'll beep too, so you won't miss it." Tance blinkblinks. "Dinner? Wash?" Suddenly wide-eyed, he looks down at himself. "No clothes..." Kesya shrugs, "Order some. You'll have enough credits now to do that." She gestures to the crystal on the table. "Anyway, I'll see you later." Kesya steps back from the table and moves into the rest of the sorting area Feyr carefully repacks 8 crystal(s) into a storage carton to be sorted at another time. Feyr seems caught up in the tiny world of the table and the crystals on it, not reacting to any of the people around her, except to murmur an occasional, "Shadows" or "Darkness" Tance stares after Kesya for a while, then mumbles, "Clothes?" And, baffledly staring at his datapad, wanders out. [End log.]