Log Date: 11/28/98 Log Cast: Tance, NPC sledtech, Ku-She, Sauscony, Luthe, Briana, Capria Log Intro: In the company of Rosa Scardino, Tance has returned from the second trip he's had to make under escort into the Ranges to recharge his depleted symbiont... only to be met in the Infirmary with the news from Chief Meditech Quinn Maloret that his fiancee, Kesya As'shoriah, didn't make it back from Verron IV. Devastated by this loss, Tance stumbles mechanically back to his suite. But Rosa, just as crushed by the loss of a woman who's been a good friend to her, quietly sends a small keg of polly to Tance's quarters, suspecting he'll need it. And indeed, the heartbroken Singer falls upon the alcohol in desperation, seizing the opportunity to ease his grief in the only way he can easily remember. Problem is, polly wine gets a Singer good and smashed... ---------- You head purposefully through the doors to the floor. 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 shadows are complete on the hangar floor as Scoria has passed her zenith. The blocks of the guild complex cast sharp shadows on the great plain. Contents: Tance, over by the wall. Ku-She, over by the wall. Ceara's sled Malorie's sled Ku-she's sled Raimier's sled Rosa's sled Inanna's sled Vyana's sled Xyvarra's sled Reaka's sled Hannah's sled Scorpion's sled Telandra's sled Sled Model Sled Tech Desk Repair Bay 1 Radar Corbin Hangar Terminal A large map, for instructional purposes Sled rack Obvious Commands ("." for list): .wait .sleds .desk .radar .map .hangar door .sit Obvious Exits: Workshop Processing WWSF Transport Met Transport Equipment Room Simulators Catwalk Sorting Ready Room In the midst of the Hangar's usual activity, a single Singer is easy to miss -- but not when he's staggering along with a lean of about fifteen degrees, and especially not when he's bellowing hoarsely at the top of his lungs, "Sled! I want my sled!" Tance Vokrim employs all the power a Singer's voice can carry, and never mind that the Hangar personnel are all deaf. Vokrim turns bleary eyes on the first technician that crosses his path, and startles the poor young man into dropping tools all over the floor when he abruptly seizes his arm. "_Sled_," growls the Singer in slurred accents, "gimme m'sled. I gotta get out inna Ranges...!" "Sir," blurts the technician, visibly reeling back from the heavy aroma of polly wine all over the Singer, "with all due respect, I don't think you're capable--" The dropped tools clang underfoot as Tance seizes the hapless technician by the front of his jumpsuit, hauling him bodily nearer. He bellows, shaking the fellow, "Don' you tell me 'mno' capable -- been flyin' since before y'were born... I _wan'_ my _SLED_!" Ku-She looks casually from the tech to Tance, and asks the tech, casually, "Want me to call security?" The technician swallows at the angry visage of the Singer who's seized him, and flashes a wide-eyed glance over Tance's shoulder at the other Singer behind him. It's enough of an affirmative -- and it's all the attention the young man can spare as Vokrim keeps shaking him. "Wha' part of 'gimme my sled' you not unnerstannin', pup?!" he snarls. "Wan' my sled, y'hear?" Ku-She lifts her good wrist and speaks into her comm unit, "Security - there's an inebriated siger in the hangar threatening techs." She makes sure her voice is loud enough for both Singer and the victimised technician to hear her. Then she looks over at Tance, "Vokrim, i've called Security, put the man down. You .are. in no condition to go flying." If he weren't so clearly intoxicated, Tance would whirl around in the direction of the unfamiliar voice. As it happens, he has to settle for swaying in that direction, blinking glazed eyes in Ku-She's direction. Ku-She Ku is wearing a pair of dungarees, rolled up at the ankles and wrists to accomodate her 5'3" stature. Her long black hair is twisted up into a bun, secured by three short, black hair pins. She smiles, despite the swipe of grime above her left eye, just discernible on her olive-dark Oriental skin. When Ku speaks, her voice is light and lyrical and she is respectful towrds those she does not know. After a few moments of consideration, you conclude that Ku is much older than the twenty-something years that you first guessed. Her left arm (and its triple fracture) is held in a cast of creamy purple, and a sling helps her support it. Carrying: Carton 6 - Ku-She Katz lamp OFF Back Pack Climbing Equipment(#5289d$) Ku-She talks calmly, but her voice is loud, and clear, as she says, "Tance, put the man down. You don't want to go out with the storms on the way?" "Stay outta this!" bellows Tance at the female Singer, still haphazardly clinging to the technician. "None o' your business!" The threat of storms doesn't seem to deter him in the slightest as he fixes a bizarrely bleak, forlorn dark gaze on the young woman, adding raggedly, "'Mgoin' out, bug outta this, girlie...!" The tech, in the meantime, deftly squirms out of the distracted Singer's grip, pouncing on his tools and trying to keep them from being trod underfoot. "Passover's coming, sir," he pipes helpfully. "Bad time to be headed out, trust us on this one...!" If you pay attention to it, the crystal resonance can be heard coursing through your body at all times. Ku-She shakes her head, but doesn't move closer to the other Singer, "Now he's right, you know what the weather's like, even before Passover gets here." She tries to keep her voice level as she shoots a glance to the hangar entrance, hoping for the arrival of Security. Sauscony emerges from the ready room with purpose. Sauscony has arrived. Sauscony walks in, quietly scanning the room, "Did someone call?" Luthe emerges from the ready room with purpose. Luthe has arrived. "Don' you freggin' patronize me, girlie!" Tance roars in Ku-She's direction, the hapless technician now forgotten as the young man scurries back out of the way. "I gods-damned freggin' know what Passover's like, don' freggin' care, I wan' my sled...!" Luthe walks in on the tail of the security personell. He eyes said person. Ku-She looks visibly relieved, "I did, over here," she holds up her hand, trying to keep an eye on Tance, in case he decides to vent his displeasure for the arrival of security on her. Sauscony looks at you for a moment. Ku-She has to be less mindful of her opinions, now she has backup, "Tance, you're so drunk you can't walk straight let alone point a sled forward." Luthe steps in front of security. "I'm the sledtech on duty. I'll handle this." Sauscony looks over at the obviously drunk man and nods, she walks towards him. Sauscony frowns at the sledtech, "Last time a sledtech handled a drunk anything, chaos erupted." Ku-She's diversion of attention, not to mention the sudden absence of the sledtech in his immediate vicinity, makes Tance Vokrim stumble about in the direction of the newcomers, his glazed eyes narrowing suspiciously. "G'way," he orders Sauscony blurrily. "Wan' my sled... you!" He thrusts an unsteady forefinger in Luthe's direction as the man identifies himself, and adds in loud rasping tones, "Wan' my sled...!" Luthe snorts at Sauscony. "That was a new one." He turns to Tance. "No." he says simply. Ku-She informs Luthe, "He was threatening one of your techs," She looks around for the abused. Briana emerges from the ready room with purpose. Briana has arrived. Briana ducks into the ready room, escaping from the swirling wind. Briana has left. With a wordless snarl of rage that doesn't _quite_ overwhelm his entirely bleak and lifeless eyes, Tance throws himself in Luthe's direction. Sauscony easily catches the singer before her reaches the sledtech and says simply, "Calm down." Luthe stands his ground, waiting for the right moment. He seems totally calm. Sauscony The woman that you see looks a bit out of the ordinary, she is very muscular and has numerous scars, she seems to be normal to tall in height and looks to be in her thirties. Her skin is rather unusual, it is a golden color and looks as though it is actually metal. She has curly medium shoulder length hair that shades from a pure black turning to a dark wine color about midway down and fading out to a golden color at the tips. She is wearing a pair of plain black shorts and a plain black t-shirt. Intercepted by Sauscony, Tance immediately starts writhing in her grasp, bent on reaching the sledtech and driving his point home. Even prevented from reaching Luthe, Vokrim growls thickly, "Wan' my freggin' sled, dammit... I gotta go out... lemme _go_... lemmego!" Luthe is still standing there, not even blinking. Sauscony hmms and murmurs softly, "Maybe I should just let him do what he wants." she smiles evilly. Ku-She shakes her head, "Really, Tance. Sled techs are your friends." She looks over at Luthe and rolls her eyes, sympathetically. "_Bullshit_," Tance bursts out raggedly at Ku-She's declaration, still struggling to break free of the young woman, though he's obviously having problems standing upright. "Go' no friends... go' no Jade, lemme _go_...!" Luthe raises an eyebrow. Tance is /really/ drunk. "Jade's dead," he says quietly, but loud enough for Tance to hear. Sauscony sighs and decides to let the guy go, he's obviously upset about the loss of somebody. And Luthe's declaration provokes an edged, pained groan out of the inebriated Singer, his grizzled features flaring with an unmistakable, crazed kind of grief. The moment Sauscony releases her hold upon him, Tance launches himself at the sledtech, the groan modulating into an incoherent howl. Luthe waits until the singer is half a moment away from him, then abruptly shifts sideways, seemingly by magic. His hands seek the singer's near wrist... Sauscony raises an eyebrow at the sledtech and singer. No doubt about it, Tance is drunk. And because he's drunk, his reflexes are hardly up to par. His wrist is easily seized. Luthe quickly rotates the wrist in a circle, applying lateral pressure to the joint. This /hurts/. And the only direction to escape the pressure is down. To Tance, it seems only a moment between when he is lunging at Luthe, and when he's suddenly lying on the Hangar floor, his arm numbed and throbbing, the world whirling overhead. To everyone else, the Singer can be seen to fall and fall hard, the same dulled reflexes that failed to elude Luthe's grasp failing to keeping him from landing at all gracefully. Luthe holds the wrist firmly. "And /that/ is how you deal with a drunk singer." he says to no one in particular. "Where would you like him?" Sauscony goes over to the singer and leans over him shaking her head, "I'll take care of him." Luthe nods. "If I release the hold, he'll be up. You ready?" Sauscony nods, "Yes." Luthe nods, and releases the hold, moving quickly away. Sauscony moves her hand to grab for the singer's neck at the pressure points on either side of it. Tance lies there stunned and breathless, one eye closed, the other revealing a bare glimpse of brown. As Luthe moves out of his field of vision, he lets out a blurred noise somewhere between groan and growl, but before he can move, Sauscony's closed in. If you pay attention to it, the crystal resonance can be heard coursing through your body at all times. Sauscony ignores the prickling. Luthe moves back over to the desk, brushing his hands off. "Wish they'd keep polly away from him. That's the second time I've had to do that." Sauscony moves to get Tance up, using the pressure points to try and keep control of the singer. The world around Tance closes down to the pressure points at his neck, making his already unreliable vision go gray around the edges. "Lemme go," he pleads, a startling amount of furor drained out of his voice, making him sound forlorn, bereft. "Wan' my sled..." Sauscony shakes her head, "You can't have your sled. If you take out your sled you'll just get dragged right back in when you crash." she loosens her grip almost imperceptibly and moves to help him to his feet. She sighs. Vokrim tilts alarmingly as he's hoisted up to a standing position, protesting thickly, "Gotta go out... nowhere else t' go... _should_ crash... outta ever'body's mis'ry...." Sauscony shakes her head at the singer's protests as she slowly starts to move towards the door with him, "You don't want to do that." "Nowhere else t' go," repeats Tance morosely, his voice creeping up to an oddly childlike register as the young woman escorts him off the floor. A message from sled "Night's Wing" is heard over the hangar floor speaker: Capria says, "On approach to land... don't want to hit anyone." Luthe speaks into the main sled communication unit, "JPF Base to occupants of sled 'Night's Wing', Copy that. Hangar floor is clearing now. Come on in." Capria's sled has arrived. A sled with 'Night's Wing' spelled out in bright paint on the hull slides precariously in for a landing. Capria steps out from the cramped interior of the airsled "Night's Wing" carrying a carton of crystal. Capria has arrived. Sauscony guides Tance slowly out the door. Sauscony ducks into the ready room, escaping from the swirling wind. Sauscony has left. You escape the swirling wind of the hangar. Hangar Observation Area The hangar ready room functions as an observation area for the hangar activities. Several ergonomic chairs ring a display console which debriefs the pilots before they leave the Joslin Plateau Facility. The muted red light of the hangar suffuses through the crystalline windows to bathe this area in deep red tinged shadows. The hangar is quiet during the night. You may view the activity of the hangar floor by asking the computer to relay the activity to you. Type or . Contents: Sauscony Obvious exits: Hangar Floor Lifts Sauscony guides Tance towards the lifts, heading for his suite. [And shortly...] You leave lift 2. Lift Area - 11 Muted lighting fills the area, giving a soft, comforting glow. The light accents the brilliant white stripe that leads off to the white quadrant. The stripe is not merely white, but rather a composition of all the colors of the spectrum. Situated on this floor are the quarters for the senior singers of the Heptite Guild. This well carpeted area circumscribes a circle with the center being filled by a shiny lift tube. On the doors to the tube is the number 11. There is a button set into the wall, you may summon a 'lift.' Contents: Sauscony Lift 2 Obvious exits: Common Lounge Ocher Quadrant Amethyst Quadrant White Quadrant "Don' wanna go this way," complains the drunken Singer, feebly wrestling against the woman's brisk and businesslike grasp as she hauls him along. Sauscony shakes her head at Tance, "You'll feel better as soon as you've slept it off. Trust me, it helps." she tries to make her voice sound reassuring as she continues to guide him towards his suite, she loosens her grip a bit more, not wanting to deaden the nerves. Sauscony goes through the Ocher Quadrant exit. Sauscony has left. You go through the Ocher Quadrant exit. Ocher Quadrant Swirling shades of rich golden brown and soft orange stripe this hallway, soothing to the eyes. A warm gold carpet muffles your steps and lends a regal feel to the entire quadrant. Several recessed doorways indicate the quarters of some singers. Contents: Sauscony Obvious exits: Lifts Sauscony steps inside the door leading to Tance's rooms. Sauscony has left. The door slides open, and you step inside. Tance's Suite(#3189R$) This large central suite seems comfortably airy, and by the stylish decorations and sheer size of the area, it obviously belongs to a senior Singer. The walls are a pleasant shade of forest green, the carpeting a neutral beige shade that compliments the other nicely. Trim in rich polished wood here and there -- in picture frames, railings and bits of furniture -- give the place a more natural, fresh feel. Though you can see several doors leading off into still more rooms, this one has been split into multi-levels to allow for greater function. One side is partitioned off by a low, polished wooden rail, one step leading into a modest dining area. At the opposite side of the room, a dark green couch and a few large, over-stuffed chairs of the same color rest in a circle, perfect for friendly conversation. The art on the walls is all tastefully done, mostly pen and inks and oil paintings of landscapes. Although the room is currently spotless and comfortable, there are subtle indications -- to the very observant -- that it may not always have been so. A few cheerful throw rugs cover old stains on the floor, as do some oversized pillows that rest against the wall here and there. Contents: Sauscony Obvious exits: Out "No' gonna help, I don' wanna... I don'..." The moment Tance is hauled int the room, he trails off, making an odd little choking sound. Sauscony looks over at Tance pityingly, "It will help, trust me. just try and relax." Vokrim clearly doesn't register the assurance. His bleary brown gaze has riveted itself solidly on a painting on the wall -- of two figures, one of them himself, one of them of a green-skinned, green-haired, young-looking woman. Tance shudders in Sauscony's grasp, that pained expression slicing across his features again. Sauscony releases Tance's neck and trys to urge the poor man away from the painting. All resistance drains out of the Singer's form. Now looking as if someone has clubbed him in the stomach, Tance stumbles along mutely under Sauscony's guiding. His expression is stricken, his eyes entirely without life. Sauscony quietly guides Tance over to his bed and urges him to lie down on it, doing her best to be reassuring and helpful. Off into the little bedroom... that's easy enough. Tance collapses onto the bed, and that's easy enough too with all the alcohol that must be coursing through his system. He says nothing, but only stares hollowly past Sauscony, back the way they'd come, as she settles him down. Sauscony looks sympathetically at Tance and makes him as comfortable as possible, she quietly says, "What's wrong?" The question seems to rouse him, just a little. The Singer lifts his dulled brown eyes up to the woman leaning over him, and gives her a single slow, bemused blink as if surprised that she'd think to make that query. But it seems to get through somehow, and he informs her in tiny crestfallen tones, "She's gone..." Sauscony sits down lightly on the edge of the bed, "Who is?" "Jade," mumbles the drunken man, his gaze wandering back out of the little bedroom once more. If you pay attention to it, the crystal resonance can be heard coursing through your body at all times. Sauscony continues to gently probe, "Who's Jade?" Tance rolls over on his side, trying to curl up there on his bed, his arms wrapping about himself. "Loved 'er," he slurs. "Gon' marry 'er. I was gonna marry 'er an' she didn't make it back an' now she's gone..." Sauscony brushes a stand of hair out of Tance's eyes and quietly says, "I'm sorry." she knows what that's like. The dazed brown eyes manage another blink. "Y'are?" Tance mumbles thickly. Sauscony nods, "I know what it's like. My second husband died after we had been married just 6 months." Comprehension struggles to flicker into life in Tance's grizzled visage, but all he manages by way of reply is, "Then... how come... y'won' lemme have my sled...? I godda go t'er..." Sauscony sighs softly and says, "When he died, he was, in my arms. It broke my heart. I wanted to die, I also wanted to kill the people responsible for it. I did in fact. But suicide isn't the way. it just makes things worse." "Bu... but she's... _gone_," mumbles the Singer, his face crumpling with further anguish. It seems to be the only response he can muster to the woman's soft advice. Sauscony nods sympathetically, "I know. Heavens know that I wish that there was something that I could do about it, but there isn't. The best thing to do now if just say goodbye and move on with life." she places a hand gantly on his shoulder. Tance looks up at Sauscony, his eyes growing progressively more confused at this display of kindness... and progressively more liquid, as the gesture seems to get past the temper he'd been hurling around the Hangar, and past the alcohol in his system. "Bu' I _miss_ 'er," he blurts hoarsely, his voice mournfully edged. Sauscony nods sympathetically, "I know. It hurts." she brushes some of his hair gently back, "But it'll get better. I promise." "Maybe I shou' have more polly?" suggests the drunken man, musing upon the reassurance. Sauscony shakes her head, "Absolutely not." Tance's brow furrows as his disheveled gray-streaked hair is pushed back from it, giving a better view of his heartsick eyes. "Then wha'm gonna do?" he asks plaintively. Sauscony sighs sorrowfully, "I wish that I could tell you. just please, promise me that you won't go getting drunk anymore." You can hear crystal resonance coursing gently through your body. "Didn't go," Tance corrects blurrily. "Was here. Th' polly came here. An' I drank it." Sauscony nods, "Please, just promise me that you'll stay away fromm the polly from now on. "But I... I..." Tance frowns, trying to focus his glassy gaze upon the young woman, and finally he manages to pull the thought together. "I dunno who y'are, girlie. I'll... forget..." Sauscony smiles softly, "I'm Sauscony, but everyone calls me Soz. And you are...?" "M-my name's Tance," the Singer answers, his voice gone small and gruff. Sauscony smiles, "I'm pleased to meet you Tance." she says quietly as she stands up, "You look pretty tired, why don't you go ahead and get some sleep now?" Tance agrees foggily, "'Mtired... ever'thing's spinnin'..." Sauscony nods and gently lays a blanket over Tance, she brushes some hair out of his face and says softly in a soothing voice, "I'll check in in the morning, sleep. It's the best thing that you can do right now." The man's eyes go heavy under the smoothing touch to his hair and his brow, and he murmurs, "Sounds... good idea... l'il' nap..." Sauscony nods and says quietly, "Sleep, things'll be better in the morning, just sleep." she continues to stroke his forehead as it seems to relax him. The grizzled Singer's eyes go closed at last, his lined face easing, although not entirely. "Okay," he obediently mumbles. "'ll sleep..." Sauscony nods and smiles, she gives him a final reassuring pat and turns to leave. Tance shifts in the bed, curling up under the blanket, and in very short order he has plummeted into slumber. Sauscony sighs softly, lines of sadness showing on her face, she walks out the door. Sauscony goes through the Out exit. Sauscony has left. [End log.]