Log Date:
	10/21/98

Log Cast:
	Tance Vokrim, Gyles Lee, Thomas, Relton, Ceara

Log Intro:
	Dazed, disheveled, and raving, Tance Vokrim has been found on
Verron IV by the Heptite Guild's Deputy Guildmaster and promptly hustled
back to Ballybran, for Vokrim's crystal resonance is at dangerously low
levels, and the man's mental state makes it obvious that he requires
supervision lest Guild secrets be divulged to bystanders who shouldn't
have them. Meditech Quinn Malloret, long familiar with Tance Vokrim's
medical record and deeply worried by the Singer's prolonged absence from
Ballybran, is even more deeply worried at the fact that Tance has been
found without Kesya... but for now, Quinn's concern is to get Tance's
resonance back up to reasonable levels. Quinn has summoned Gyles Lee to
the Infirmary, and with the offer of the usual bonus has persuaded the young
black-adapt to take Tance into the Ranges....

----------
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:
Gyles
Obvious exits:
Out  

Locating the suite of Tance Vokrim is easy enough. Getting the Singer into 
  it... that's another matter. The man stumbles in Gyles' wake to level 11, 
  starting at the slightest sound, and frequently getting gaped at by passing 
  personnel -- and no wonder, given his wild mop of hair and the shaggy beard 
  hiding most of his face. Brown eyes peer out from within his roughened 
  visage at everything he passes, and getting into the suite is a bit of an 
  adventure, since the Singer clearly doesn't recognize the location and it's 
  doubtful he remembers his own access code. But Medical, with its usual 
  efficiency, is already on the case. The suite's door responds to the 
  override commands that have been fed in from the Infirmary, and the suite is 
  revealed, furnished a bit on the shabby side, but comfortably enough. Vokrim 
  stops dead in the doorway.

A moment is all Gyles needs to orient himself within this strange singer's 
  apartment, and he turns to look Tance over with an eye toward dressing him 
  properly for the ranges. "Well, let's get you packed," he says, stepping 
  away from the door towards the room most likely to contain closets, or 
  dressers, or whatever this elderly singer uses for storage. "Let's grab a 
  few days' worth."

You get urges, small at first, you should to return to the ranges of Ballybran.

Oh, there's closets, alright, back in one little room that clearly serves as a 
  bedroom and just as clearly hasn't been used for some time, with the way 
  that bed's made. Tance, however, hasn't shown the slightest side of moving; 
  he's standing transfixed, staring at one of the pictures on the wall, the 
  one of a pair of people apparently happily engaged in sailing....

Framed by a border of rich, dark hardwood, this oil painting seems almost to 
  come to life. The shoulders and backs of two people can be seen at the 
  right, obviously soaked and disheveled -- but what really attracts the gaze 
  is what those two are obviously looking at. A reflection stares back at 
  them, and you can see in it the room they're standing in; a boathouse, sails 
  spread to dry in the background. But this is not what the artist was 
  painting. The gaze of the two in the reflection captures and holds yours, 
  the expressions on their faces jubliant and completely carefree. A 
  green-skinned woman, dressed in a soaked wetsuit, disheveled hair swept back 
  from her delicate face, has one arm looped around the waist of an equally 
  soaked man. He though, has a slight spattering of grey in his soaked and 
  messy hairdo, his face seeming a bit more weathered. Though he also seems 
  just in from a sail, his expression is what captivates the picture, and what 
  evidently has captivated the two being painted as well. One of surprise, 
  delight, and pure happiness, the artist has somehow managed to capture this 
  pair in a wonderful moment... just looking at it makes the observer want to 
  giggle aloud, for it tends to convey the same feeling right into the room.

Gyles strides into the next room and rummages briefly through the closet, 
  snagging a pair of worn but yet presentable jumpsuits and a pair of boots. 
  "I don't see your cutter in here," he calls, "did you leave it in storage?" 
  But Gyles doesn't really expect an answer at this point, as confused as 
  Tance seems to be. "Never mind, it's probably down in storage, like mine 
  probably is."

The man certainly seems to possess suitable gear for the Ranges, though it, 
  like the rest of the suite at large, doesn't appear to have been touched for 
  a while. There's a slight scent of disuse on the clothes, the sort of odor 
  things invariably get when shut away in a closet or drawer for months on 
  end. Vokrim possesses a battered carisak, too, into which Ranges garb can be 
  suitably stuffed. All the while, though, the disheveled and disoriented 
  Singer stands frozen, staring at that oil painting on the wall of the 
  suite's man room, his brown eyes looking suspiciously liquid behind the 
  tangled graying bangs fallen across them.

The younger singer spots an old carisak tossed into a corner and folds the 
  jumpers inside, along with a selection of other personal items from the 
  refresher. Gyles finally returns to the main room to find Tance staring at 
  the wall. He glances at the object of the man's gaze and sees a picture of a 
  grinning Tance and a green-skinned woman that Gyles only vaguely recognizes. 
  "Here's your boots, best put those on now. The rest can wait for later," he 
  says, hefting the carisak.

Lee's voice seems to jar the older man out of his reverie somehow; he turns 
  pained brown eyes round to the other Singer, and points a shaking finger at 
  the picture. "Jade," he croaks roughly. "Jade... I-I-I gotta find her... I 
  gotta..." And he turns, not seeming to register the carisak that has been 
  brought him or the general ridiculousness of his current attire for the 
  journey at hand.

"Yes, I know," Gyles soothes, "I heard you talking to Quinn. He said you could 
  search for Jade when we get back, remember?" He offers Tance the boots 
  again, "Let's get started, so you can get better quickly, eh?"

Gyles
Gyles is a thin fellow, on the small side, with close-cropped brown hair and 
  dark, almond-shaped eyes. He strikes you as friendly but reserved, and looks 
  to be in his third decade.  His hair is clean and neatly trimmed. He is 
  dressed in a black jump suit with dark blue patterns woven into the fabric. 
  The patterns are geometric shapes, triangles and hexagons mostly, and are 
  located only on the upper part of the jumpsuit, framing his shoulders. The 
  jump suit is cinched snug at his waist by a belt built into the suit, which 
  is the only other part of it that has the blue patterns sewn in. The rest of 
  the jump suit fits comfortably loose on his frame. His feet are shod in 
  flexible but sturdy range boots. He's in a very good mood.  
Carrying:
Jade Ring
 
Tance peers in evident confusion down at the shorter man, and rubs a hand 
  across his grizzled countenance. "Go... yes... Ranges, and then Jade... I-I 
  gotta find her, I gotta...." He peers then down at himself, frowns absently, 
  and mumbles, "Wrong clothes..."

Your thoughts are constantly on your last cut of crystal and you yearn to sing 
  crystal soon.

Gyles hands Tance the boots and reaches down for the carisak. "Jumpsuits are 
  in the bag, Tance. I grabbed your kit, too." He hands the fuzzed singer the 
  carisak and gestures toward the door. "I need to pick up my own things, 
  too," he says. "We won't be cutting right away, you can change later." He 
  steps back thoughtfully, considering leaving Tance here while Gyles collects 
  his own things, but decides against it. "I live on this floor, too, did you 
  know that?" he asks, an attempt to redirect Tance's attention from the 
  pictures. "Not too many people see my place, I usually keep to myself," he 
  chatters, holding the door open.

"Change," mumbles the older man. "I-I-I better change... I need my cutter..." 
  Apparently not quite registering Gyles' amiable chatter, Vokrim clings to 
  the items he's been handed, and he moves to stumble out the door... though 
  as he goes, his attention lingers on the green-skinned woman in that 
  painting, and he keeps gazing at her until he's vanished into the hall.

You go through the Out 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.
Obvious exits:
Lifts  

Gyles arrives from Tance's Suite.
Gyles has arrived.
Gyles locks the door behind him and heads off toward his own hallway, around 
  the corner from this one. Amethyst Quad, where he's lived for the past eight 
  years or so. "This way, not far at all."
Gyles goes through the Lifts exit.
Gyles has left.

[On around, then, to the Amethyst Quadrant...]

You go through the Amethyst Quadrant exit.
Amethyst Quadrant
A vibrant stripe of glittering amethyst runs down this hallway - the soothing 
  jewel tones echoed by the rich purple carpet that muffles sounds blissfully. 
  The stripe has a reflective quality that reminds you startlingly of sunlight 
  off a crystal face. Several recessed doorways indicate the quarters of some 
  singers.
Contents:
Gyles
Obvious exits:
Lifts  
To see a list of people living in this quadrant, type 'rooms'.

Gyles thumbs open the door to his own flat and steps inside, leaving the door 
  open in order to keep an eye on Tance while he gathers his own equipment.
Gyles steps inside the door leading to Gyles's rooms.
Gyles has left.

The door slides open, and you step inside.
Gyles's Suite
The owner of this suite appears to like warm, comfortable colors. A thick 
  carpet covers the floor, deep chestnut brown with a muted black herringbone 
  across it. A wide couch and deep armchair covered in smooth black fabric are 
  grouped around a low table of a gleaming mahogany material, and there are 
  small, warmly glowing lamps on each end. To one side, near the catering 
  unit, is a standard issue table flanked by two neat chairs with black-padded 
  seats. Early moonlight shines through the window holo as the evening 
  advances. 
Contents:
Gyles
Obvious exits:
Sleeping Area  Out  

Gyles walks into the bed chamber.
Gyles has left.
Gyles arrives from Sleeping Area.
Gyles has arrived.

The room doesn't seem to make much of an impact upon Tance Vokrim; he merely 
  stands there near the door, clinging to his carisak and boots, a forlorn 
  expression upon his face. He starts when Gyles vanishes into the sleeping 
  area, and starts again as he returns.

Gyles steps into his own sleeping area briefly, emerging shortly with a 
  collection of equipment one usually expects to see in airsleds. "Okay, I'm 
  set to go," he says, hefting his cutter over his shoulder. "Let's check 
  upstairs for your cutter."

Tance fixes Gyles with a plaintive kind of look, and mumbles obediently, 
  "Okay..." He shifts restlessly from foot to foot, shyness and fear wrestling 
  for place in his expression, and as he moves to follow the smaller man, he's 
  got a distinct air about him of latching onto a single source of steady 
  reality in the midst of chaos.

Gyles steps out into the hallway.
Gyles has left.

You step out into the hallway.
Amethyst Quadrant
< Desc deleted >
Contents:
Gyles
Obvious exits:
Lifts  

Gyles thumbs his door shut and locks it. He turns, hefts his cutter again when 
  it slides down his arm, and pads toward the lift. "Level 8, remember?" he 
  says, still chatting to keep Tance's mind occupied. "Cuttertechs' up there."

"Level eight... cuttertechs... m-my cutter.... is it broken? I-I-I don't have 
  any credits... I..." Vokrim keeps mumbling this disoriented litany to 
  himself as he trundles after the other Singer.

Gyles goes through the Lifts exit.
Gyles has left.

You go through the Lifts exit.
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:
Lift 1
Gyles
Obvious exits:
Common Lounge  Ocher Quadrant  Amethyst Quadrant  White Quadrant  

Lift 1 leaves with a soft *whoosh*.
Lift 1 has left.

A lift obediently arrives at Gyles' call, and he trundles inside with his 
  stuff. He waits to see if Tance has the initiative to press the floor 
  button, or not.

Lift 1 arrives with a soft *whoosh*.
Lift 1 has arrived.

Gyles enters lift 1.
Gyles has left.

Lift 1
The smooth metallic walls surround you. You notice to your right is a control 
  panel which contains a row of darkened buttons indicating the levels of the 
  Guild complex ('look panel'). Just 'press' the desired level number and 
  you'll be on your way.
Contents:
Gyles
Control Panel
You enter lift 1.

Initiative seems to be rather beyond this man at the moment. He still has that 
  liquid dark gaze fixed on the smaller Singer, and he's clutching at his gear 
  as if it's a flotation device and he's bobbing in the middle of an ocean. As 
  he follows Gyles into the lift, he keeps starting a bit, sights and sounds 
  and scents apparently jarring upon his consciousness.

Urges, small at first, make you feel you should return to the ranges of 
  Ballybran.

Noting that Tance isn't firing on all cyclinders, Gyles reaches in front of 
  him to select the floor. The ride is short, and the doors open again. He 
  leads the way out of the lift, listening for footsteps behind him that tell 
  him Tance is still following.

The lift doors slide shut and you feel the slight *pop* of air pressure 
  changes.
A soft chime sounds and a computer-generated voice announces:
"Eighth Level (Crystal Tuning, Cutter Techs,  R & D)."
The doors *whoosh* open.

Gyles leaves lift 1.
Gyles has left.

You leave lift 1.
Lift Area - 8
This is a technical and training level. The cutter technician's work areas are 
  here and many training rooms to instruct recruits and continuing education 
  of guild members. From the corridors, you can hear the whine of crystal 
  being retuned and the shriek of cutters tuned to rich singer voices.
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 8. There is a 
  button set into the wall, you may summon a 'lift.'
Contents:
Gyles
Lift 1
Obvious exits:
Crystal Tuning  Cutter Technicians  Research and Development  

"Cutter... get my cutter... meet Jade at the claim? Green, can't cut green... 
  gotta remember, can't cut green..." His mumbling baritone and the shuffle of 
  his feet indicate that Tance is, indeed, still following his escort.

Gyles walks into the cutter technician area.
Gyles has left.

You walk into the cutter technician area.
Cutter Technician's Waiting Area
This small waiting area is full of people. By most of their reactions, the 
  inhabitants by and large seem to be Crystal Singers, all waiting to stow or 
  have their cutters repaired. Behind a counter is the door that leads to the 
  service area. On the other side of the room is a door that seems seldom 
  used, and wholely ignored. As you begin to comtemplate it you notice a 
  administrator looking at you.
Contents:
Gyles
Cuttertech Data Terminal
Service Counter
Computer
Obvious exits:
Lift  Office Area  Service/Storage  Patterning Room  Cutter Practice Room  

Gyles dumps his stuff on the floor before the counter and leads Tance into the 
  storage area. "Need your thumbprint here, too, you know."
Gyles goes through the Service/Storage exit.
Gyles has left.

You go through the Service/Storage exit.
Cutter Service/Storage
Here is where the technicians repair cutters damaged by their Singers. People 
  sit on benches around the room making small minute changes to the 
  complicated mechanisms before them. You also note the large storage 
  containers that are used to store cutters when singers go off world or are 
  inactive.
Contents:
Gyles
Cutter Storage Rack
Obvious exits:
Out  

Thumbprint. Right. Get the thumbprint read in. Go into the storage room. Get 
  the cutter... Vokrim seems to know this ritual well enough. He certainly 
  mumbles each and every step as he goes through it, his expression blanking 
  out, making him seem half-thralled.

This shelving contains all the crystal cutters being stored here. It currently 
  contains 15 cutters.
        Do a 'use rack' to see the commands'
Carrying:
Eilan's Crystal Cutter
Raimier's Crystal Cutter
Lukas's Crystal Cutter
Tavva's Crystal Cutter
Samira's Crystal Cutter
Farris's Crystal Cutter
J'lar's Crystal Cutter
Ibena's Crystal Cutter
Hanne's Crystal Cutter
Aria's Crystal Cutter
Xyvarra's Crystal Cutter
Yelira's Crystal Cutter
Robin's Crystal Cutter
Tance's Crystal Cutter
Kesya's Crystal Cutter
Cutter Storage Rack Help

Gyles peers at the rack and spots a dusty cutter with 'Vokrim' enscribed on 
  the handle. "There it is, down at the back."

Tance's Crystal Cutter has arrived.
You carefully lift Tance's Crystal Cutter from the storage rack.
Tance's Crystal Cutter looks at you for a moment.

Gyles nods approvingly and heads back into the lobby. "That's all we need, 
  Tance. Let's get going!"

"I can't cut green," Vokrim mumbles clearly enough. It takes him a few 
  moments, before he finally seems to get together enough to try to get his 
  cutter out. He drops the carisak and boots in the process, and very nearly 
  drops the cutter, too, as he tries to coordinate everything he's carrying at 
  once.

Gyles pauses in the door, a slight smile on his face, "Well, with any luck, we 
  won't be cutting any green this trip. But we'll have to see what the winds 
  have done to my paintmarks this season."
Gyles goes through the Out exit.
Gyles has left.

You go through the Out exit.
Cutter Technician's Waiting Area
< Desc deleted >
Contents:
Gyles
Cuttertech Data Terminal
Service Counter
Computer
Obvious exits:
Lift  Office Area  Service/Storage  Patterning Room  Cutter Practice Room  

Gyles gathers his stuff from the floor and heads back to the lifts, pausing to 
  ensure Tance follows.
Gyles walks out to the lift area.
Gyles has left.

[And shortly...]

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. 
  Gyles, over by the wall.
  Sabreena's sled 
  Thomas's sled 
  Liralye's sled 
  Dariz's sled 
  Neva's sled 
  Malorie's sled 
  Hannah's sled 
  Telandra's sled 
  Samira's sled 
  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

Gyles stops just inside the cavernous hangar, his body liberally decorated 
  with equipment, cutter over one shoulder, climbing equipment over the other, 
  and a carisak in his left hand. Another singer trails behind him, and if any 
  of Gyles' classmates were around, they'd be properly startled by the 
  identity of the second singer.

Thomas comes out of the processing room, and strides purposefully into the 
  hangar area.
Thomas has arrived.
Thomas steps into the airsled "Aleksina."
Thomas has left.

Identity, hells; Vokrim's appearance is startling enough without anybody 
  recognizing him. But on the other hand, grizzled as he is, the beard and 
  shaggy hair make him look rather more familiar to a lot of the older techs 
  than his appearance had in the last several standard years, and there are a 
  few whispers exchanged surreptitiously behind sleds as Tance shuffles 
  uneasily out into the Hangar in Gyles' wake.

Thomas steps out from the cramped interior of the airsled "Aleksina."
Thomas has arrived.
Thomas corrals a handy recruit and directs them to the filthy sled.
Thomas ducks into the ready room, escaping from the swirling wind.
Thomas has left.

Gyles marches over to the sled rack.

Relton emerges from the ready room with purpose.
Relton has arrived.

Ceara emerges from the ready room with purpose.
Ceara has arrived.

Gyles allows most of his gear to drop to the floor near the foot of the rack, 
  and peers upwards, looking for his airsled. Seeing it parked safely out of 
  reach, he nods and chats with the nearest sledtech about retrieving it.

Ceara makes her way quietly through the crowd and requests her sled.
Ceara bustles around the hangar floor and unloads Ceara's sled from the racks.
Ceara's sled has arrived.

"I-I-I shouldn't fly," mumbles Tance as he lingers uncomfortably in Gyles' 
  shadow. The man's shooting glances in all directions, now, jumping at the 
  slightest little sound -- and in a place like the Hangar, there are sounds 
  all over the place.

Relton ambles across the hangar floor on an unerring course towards the 
  sledtechs' desk, apparently more concerned about tucking his shirt in than 
  the contents of the hangar. He does mutter something unintelligible when he 
  takes in the state of the hangar, and perhaps the name of our beloved head 
  sledtech is slightly more audible than the rest.

Thomas emerges from the ready room with purpose.
Thomas has arrived.

Ceara peers for a moment at the two older singers, and then giving a minute 
  shake of her head, clambers up into her own sled.

Thomas steps into the airsled "Aleksina."
Thomas has left.

Ceara steps into the airsled "Percheron."
Ceara has left.

Relton marches over to the sled tech desk.

Sled Percheron rises upwards and hovers a moment before it speeds away.
Ceara's sled has left.

Gyles shoots a glance at Tance, clearly not about to suggest such a thing. 
  "That's okay, mine seats two," he replies, looking rather disgusted as the 
  nearest sledtech turns out to be deaf as a post and walking away from the 
  waiting pair. "Hmph," he mutters, and turns back toward the desk. "Stay 
  right there, I'll be right back."

Vokrim doesn't look inclined to move. In fact, Vokrim looks terrified. He 
  stays standing there clutching his cutter and his carisak, and he is visibly 
  shivering as Gyles strides off.

Gyles walks over to the sled tech desk.

Relton flips through the notes on the counter and reaches beneath the desk and 
  rummages a bit, finaly emerging with a dusty, metal bound logbook which he 
  deposits on the counter with a loud thud, and a cloud of blowing dust from 
  the impact.

Urges, small at first, make you feel you should return to the ranges of 
  Ballybran.

Gyles pauses at the desk, "Say, would you have a scan map module available? 
  Mine burned out last year, and I want to get it repaired while I still have 
  the funds in my account," he says hopefully, watching the tech for signs of 
  annoyance.

Relton looks up from the log and quickly pushes it aside, managing to catch at 
  least part of the Singer's question. He seems far more bleary-eyed as if 
  roused from a nap, rather than in any apparent state of annoyance. "What was 
  that you needed, Singer?"

Gyles turns slightly to point toward the top of the rack. "My airsled needs 
  the scan map repaired, if you've got a spare one handy," he repeats. "But 
  only if it won't take long, I've a passenger to take into the ranges for 
  Medical and can't dally too long."

Relton nods as he follows Gyles' gesture toward his sled. "I can't tell you 
  how long it'll take to fix until I have a look at it, but you've come at the 
  right time. I just got in a new stock of components for the things. Always a 
  popular item. Tell you what, I'll have a look and let you know."
Relton bustles around the hangar floor and unloads Gyles's sled from the racks.

Gyles's sled has arrived.

Thomas steps out from the cramped interior of the airsled "Aleksina."
Thomas has arrived.
Thomas has left.

"Thanks," the singer replies, and heads back over toward his unlikely charge. 
  "What do you think, Tance? Busy place, isn't it?" he chatters, ongoing 
  effort to keep the other singer's mind engaged.

Relton rummages through a supply bin for a few likely tools, and makes for 
  Gyles' sled.
Relton steps into the airsled "Uptight Heptite."
Relton has left.

Tance starts yet again, refocusing his attention on Gyles as the younger 
  Singer returns to him. "Yeah," he mumbles. "Busy... real busy..."

A few loud thuds and the sound of a muffled curse emanate from Gyles's sled.

Relton steps out from the cramped interior of the airsled "Uptight Heptite."
Relton has arrived.

Gyles uses the moment to gather his equipment from the floor, again, and 
  stands quietly nearby, watching Tance watch the beehive of activity that's 
  normal for this area of the hangar. His gaze turns toward his vehicle as the 
  sledtech emerges.

Relton leaves the sled brandishing what looks like a piece of crumpled up tin 
  foil, his eyes immediatly seeking out the Singer. "It's all fixed. And, 
  would you have any idea who thought it might be a good idea to stuff the 
  remnants of their lunch in the console? It shorted out your map."

Without recognition, Tance stares dumbly at Relton, involuntarily shying back 
  a bit behind Gyles. Not Jade. This isn't Jade either. "Ranges," he can be 
  heard to mutter distantly. "Ranges. Then Jade... Ranges..."

Gyles snorts derisively. "Must have been that kid I shepherded last year." He 
  inspects the foil, looking pained. "I outta take it out of her hide, if I 
  ever see her again," he grumbles. "What's the bill?"

Relton tosses the offending detritus into a disposal bin, taking a closer look 
  at Gyles's charge as he does so. "I hope you're doing the flying. The bill's 
  no more than the usual, 500 hundred credits for scan map repair. I replaced 
  the module the trash was sitting on, to be on the safe side."

Wince. "Okay, thanks," Gyles replies. "Any recent announcements I need to know 
  about?"

Relton rapidly runs his fingers across the touchpad on his console and finally 
  shakes his head after following the scroll of data on his screen. "Met isn't 
  reporting anything unusual, you should have a few days of clear weather. No 
  travel advisories, or reports of turbulence in either the Milekey or the 
  Brerreton ranges. There's a new class just out of adaptation, so you might 
  want to hunt further out from the cube. Good cutting to you."

Gyles nods his thanks to the sledtech and turns back to Tance. "Ranges!" he 
  grins, and heads out toward his sled, its door invitingly open after 
  Relton's careful attentions.

The bewhiskered and visibly disoriented man keeping Gyles company reacts a bit 
  to the sledtech's report, murmuring something under his breath in his ragged 
  baritone -- and then starting at the magic word of 'Ranges', hollered at him 
  by his escort. "Ranges," he mumbles. "Jade..." And he stumbles after Gyles 
  towards the sled.

Relton lifts a hand to briefly wave at both the singers, before turning back 
  to the logbooks. "A good trip out to you both."

Gyles steps into the airsled "Uptight Heptite."
Gyles has left.

Gyles's sled
        The floor of this sled now shines, well scrubbed and sanitized, and a 
  speckled pattern is seen on the tiles. The controls and panels and dials are 
  now wiped clean, and it is easy to see out the front viewscreen. The 
  sleeping area has been swept, the sleeping pad aired out and replaced after 
  a good cleaning. The air zings with the smell of disinfectant and deep clean.
This is a 2 person capacity sled.  There is room in this sled for 8 cartons, 0 
  have been checked out.  One of the special new engines has been installed, 
  allowing for greater speeds.  The console is on.   The speaker is off.  The 
  auto-scanner is on.  A small metal plate is fastened to the upper left 
  corner, you can just make out "Uptight Heptite" scratched into the surface.
The weather is fine. A good day for flying.
  ( Type 'sled help' to see available commands. )
Contents:
Gyles
Note from Sami
GPS Receiver
Carisak
Dirt

Gyles dropped Katz lamp OFF.
Gyles places the climbing equipment on the ground in a neat pile.
Gyles sets the small communicator down.
Gyles's Crystal Cutter has arrived.
Gyles sets the cutter down.
Gyles secures his cutter carefully in its rack, then gently takes Tance's 
  cutter and secures it, too. The rest of the gear is stowed under the bunk, 
  and a small package is stored away in the catering area. "Buckle in, Tance," 
  he says as he clambers into the pilot's position. "I'll run the pre-flight."

The older Singer looks nervously at everything in this unfamiliar sled, too, 
  and finally trundles towards the passenger chair, approaching it as if it -- 
  or perhaps he -- were a feral animal. "That's me," he mutters. "Tance... 
  that's me...?"

Your thoughts are constantly on your last cut of crystal and you yearn to sing 
  crystal soon.

The younger singer confidently prepares his vehicle for flight, "Yes, that's 
  you," he replies, busily adjusting the power flow, cabin lighting, and 
  radio. The newly repaired scan map winks on, and off again. "Okay, we're 
  set." The vehicle rises steadily and rotates to point the nose toward the 
  waiting ranges. "Next stop, Milekey Range."

[And as the sled gets itself into the air at Gyles' direction, Tance strives
 to get his mental processes in order... while all the time, Gyles nudges
 and guides his vehicle into the Ranges...]

"Who're... you?" mutters the older Singer, attention on the pilot, rather than 
  on the control panel. His hands, though, have moved -- even if shakily -- t 
  buckle himself in despite the fact that he's staring plaintively at Gyles.

"I'm your shepherd for this trip," the pilot replies. "My name is Gyles Lee, 
  and Quinn asked me to take you with me, remember?"

"Doctor," mutters Tance. He involuntarily glances over his shoulder. "Back 
  there."

"Right," Gyles replies, peering out the viewscreen for his paintmark. "Look 
  around for a black paintmark, would you?" he asks glibly, another tactic to 
  keep Tance's mind occupied.

"Black," mumbles the older man, glancing out the window... and then shifting 
  uneasily. "Black... claim... maybe she's at the black... Jade..." He 
  trailsoff, his voice aching with palpable longing.

"Maybe she is," Gyles murmers.

During the flight, Vokrim falls into another reverie, mumbling only vaguely 
  audibly, his black-sleeved arms curling around his thin frame. Only when the 
  sled lands does he seem to snap out of it, muttering anxiously, "Jade?"

"Gyles," the singer corrects gently. "I'm Gyles. Jade isn't here, this is one 
  of my old claims, and it's empty." Gyles clambers back into his seat and 
  launches the sled again. "Nothing for it, we'll have to find a fresh one."

Restlessly, Tance subsides into the seat he occupies. He'd probably be rocking 
  in it if he weren't strapped in, and he keeps up mumbling to himself, 
  staring out the viewport, his expression blank and anguished.

[And eventually...]

Gyles brings the sled around into a hover, peering at glints of crystal flash 
  visible in the moonlight. "That looks promising," he exclaims excitedly. 
  "Did you see it?

Tance's straightened a little in the chair; indeed, his dark gaze has swung 
  off in the direction of the glint, though his expression's still a blank 
  one, and his mumbling hasn't raised or lowered in volume. But now he's 
  mumbling, "Ranges... find the crystal... cut 'n' pack... can't thrall..."

You start to get urges, small at first, to return to the ranges of Ballybran.

[It takes some time, but Gyles is a deft pilot. Steadily and surely he
 narrows his field of search in until he can set his craft back down to
 continue the search on foot...]

Gyles brings the sled to a gentle landing.
Gyles presses a button and the scan map display darkens.
Gyles slides from his seat and opens the storage area under his bunk to root 
  about for much of the equipment he'd stored there earlier. The rope and 
  harness, and especially the communicator, all get stored into a backpack. 
  The lamp goes on his head, to light the way and help uncover crystal flash.
Gyles's Communication Unit has left.
Gyles picks up the small communicator.
Katz lamp OFF has left.
Climbing Equipment has left.
Gyles gathers all of the climbing equipment up.

Landing. Stopped. This means crystal. And Tance Vokrim seems to remember this, 
  or at least remember something, as he hesitantly pulls his battered frame up 
  out of the passenger chair, his hands fumbling at the safety belts. He 
  immediately heads for his cutter, apparently forgetting again that he's 
  rather improperly clad for this jaunt and has yet to actually change his 
  clothes.

Gyles hands Tance his carisak, a solid thump on the ribs to get his attention. 
  "You have to change, first!" He points toward the back of the sled, the 
  widest area for a wobbly singer to stand in. "You change, while I have a 
  look around." With that, Gyles ducks out of the sled to have a look-see.
Gyles has left.

Tance(#3209POQce)
This man stands at about 5'10" in height, though the way he seems prone to 
  slouching over often disguises how tall he actually is. His height is 
  further confused by the state of his undernourished frame; from the look of 
  him, he probably hasn't eaten decently in several days. Despite a deep 
  coppery tan to his weathered skin, there's an unhealthy pallor beneath it, 
  suggesting recent illness or injury, and the brown eyes within that face 
  meet the galaxy with a wild, disoriented, and frequently anguished gaze.
Tance's hair has grown out into a shaggy unkempt mop, that at one time might 
  have been a dark shade of brown. Now it's shot through with grey, and 
  lightened into paler yellowish streaks as well from exposure to sunlight. 
  He's had a beard and mustache grow in, equally unkempt, showing that he 
  hasn't been near a razor in weeks. He's wearing a simple standard-issue 
  jumpsuit, the kind the Guild Infirmary hands out to Singers who come in with 
  their own clothing destroyed beyond re-use, and a battered pair of 
  workboots. 
 Tance appears to be mentally elsewhere. 

You step out from the cramped interior of the sled "Uptight Heptite."
Flat Rock
You are on a flat area of rock big enough to contain a couple sleds. From the 
  sounds bouncing back to your ears, it is a small canyon-like area, with 
  walls to every side except the west, where sounds of water can be heard.
All about you can see freshly painted a large black hexagon on a black 
  vertical stem. 
Contents:
Gyles
Gyles's sled
Obvious exits:
Beach  

Eventually, more reasonably clad in one of those jumpsuits and his boots, 
  clinging to his cutter like a small boy might cling to a teddy bear, Tance 
  stumbles out of the sled.

Gyles returns from the beach, soaked up to his waist. "Well, it's crystal, but 
  I don't like where the high-water-mark is on the inside. We'd drown if we 
  didn't get out fast enough." He eyes the singer thoughtfully. "But, we may 
  as well camp here for the night, anyway. The proximity, and the fresh air, 
  will do us both good."

Vokrim stands there, staring at the younger man in a manner that suggests he 
  can't quite understand why he's being addressed as if he were a coherent 
  individual. "Um... okay," he mumbles, his voice coming out of him tremulous, 
  probably overhigh.

Gyles eyes the older singer a moment, then ducks into his sled to change into 
  dry clothes. The unneeded equipment gets dumped back into its locker. 
  Additinal clatter soon ceases, and two lumpy packs sail through the door to 
  land at Tance's feet.

Urges, small at first, make you feel you should return to the ranges of 
  Ballybran.

"Ummm..." Turning round to mark the noises coming out of the sled, Tance 
  stands there watching Gyles tossing the gear out. His gaze goes absent 
  again, and only when the packs land at his feet does he gingerly set down 
  his cutter. "I... I should... w-what should I do...?"

"Find yourself a soft patch of beach," Gyles calls, "And make yourself 
  comfortable. But don't get too close to the tide line!"
Gyles emerges from the sled, clad now is a dry coverall. He spends a few 
  moments pacing down the beach, and returns shortly with an armful of 
  driftwood which he uses to build a small, cozy fire.

"Comfortable," mutters Tance, apparently dubious about the concept. He sinks 
  down into a crouch exactly where he stands, arms wrapping around himself 
  once more, his gaze roving around his surroundings.

The fire isn't large, but it's enough to cook a meal over, and Gyles proceeds 
  to do just that, using several packets of preserved meats and another of 
  vegetables to make a hearty stew. He ladles some into two bowls and hands 
  one to Tance before settling down cross-legged to consume his own.

Tance doesn't seem to snap back into attention until food is placed before 
  him. Once that happens, though, he fixes wide brown eyes on the bowl, and 
  then blinks several times at the younger Singer. "Thanks," he mumbles, 
  fumbling at the bowl and starting to drink it right out of the dish itself, 
  rather than bothering with anything like a spoon.

Stew consumed, Gyles collects both bowls and tosses them into his airsled's 
  recycler. The bedrolls are spread out near the fire, but not so close as to 
  be a danger should one of them roll over in the night. Gyles crawls under 
  his blankets and wads some of it up sufficiently to serve for a pillow. It 
  isn't long before his breathing falls into the slow, even pattern of sleep.

Vokrim stares long and plaintively at the bedrolls... and at the fire, too. 
  The little impromptu campsite, and perhaps even the bowl of stew he gulps 
  down, draw forth an uncomfortable little whimper out of him... and 
  eventually, in growing restlessness, he drops the bowl and lurches to his 
  feet. Eyes absent, mumbling the name of "Jade" over and over, he starts 
  wandering off.

The sound of the bowl clattering against the rocks surrounding the fire 
  rouses Gyles, and he sits up to find Tance has disappeared. He rises and 
  hurries down toward the beach, the only accessible path from this point.

You walk across the smooth rock, which starts having more cracks as you near 
  the water, until it crumbles into a plethora of boulders and rocks, embedded 
  in the rough, white sand of the beach.
Beach
You are on a beach. The sounds of water is nearby, but all you can see is an 
  inky blackness where the water should be. The beach is strewn with various 
  boulders.
The beach is a good size, and the water is well below the high water mark. An 
  area out just a little ways in the water seems oddly devoid of any boulders 
  or rocks, like the dry ones surrounding the area.
All about you can see freshly painted a large black hexagon on a black 
  vertical stem. 
Obvious exits:
Flat Rock  

You can almost feel your claims calling to you and the urge to return to them 
  is too strong to be ignored.

Gyles wanders in from the smooth rock area.
Gyles has arrived.
Gyles hurries down the path from the camp and heads up the beach until he 
  spots Tance loitering near the pit. Rather than jar the man, he simply 
  approaches within Tance's view and stands there quietly watching what he 
  does.

Tance has, indeed, disappeared. He's stumbled off down the beach, looking 
  about wildly in several directions, and calling out in broken tones, "Jade? 
  Honey...? Come back... Jade... please..."

"Jade isn't here, Tance," Gyles calls, softly. "Come back to camp and go to 
  sleep, eh?" He doesn't know if Tance will respond or not, and isn't too keen 
  on the thought of having to drag the bigger man back to the vehicle. "We can 
  cut crystal when the sun comes up!" Perhaps the reminder of cutting will 
  help.

A frightened howl rises out of Vokrim's throat as he gets a good look out at 
  the water, and he jabs a hand in that direction, babbling, "That's... that's 
  not right... there wasn't... no water, no... didn't see any water...."

You hear an odd, shuffling noise down, along the beach, but it does not return.

There is a sound of a small rock fall somewhere back along the canyon.

Gyles turns quickly to look for the source of the noises. "That's odd," he 
  mutters to himself distractedly. When the noise doesn't repeat he turns back 
  to Tance, to tug gently at the man's wrist. "Come on, Jade isn't here. Come 
  back to came and get some sleep, okay?" he coaxes. "We can look for her when 
  the sun comes up."

"But... but... she mighta drowned," protests the older Singer. That's 
  undoubtedly terror and worry in his expression, and he wrestles a little 
  with Gyles, his gaz flashing back out towards the water. "I gotta find 
  'er... lemme go... lemme go...!"

Gyles' grip on Tance's wrist tightens slightly. "Tance, she isn't here!" he 
  argues. "You're having a flashback, that's all. Now will you please come 
  back to camp?"

You hear an odd, shuffling noise down, along the beach, but it does not return.

The wind picks up for a bit, howling softly, then dies back down.

"Lemme _go_," growls Tance in desperation. He pulls himself out of Gyles' 
  grip, and cries out raggedly, "_Jade_!" He starts stumbling off again, the 
  wind whipping against his emaciated frame. At least now he's wearing a 
  jumpsuit instead of that civilian suit he'd had on before. Surely that 
  hadn't been his idea -- not that sober, conversative suit, not in his 
  condition.

Gyles growls his frustration, and stalks off to follow behind Tance. Maybe
  the old karker will tire himself out.

You see a few boulders and rocks peeking up around an area of water.

You jump down into the pit, landing in water.
Sea Cave
You are standing in water coming up to your waist in some sort of pit. The 
  sides of this pit are of rock, rough enough to climb out of fairly easily, 
  and any falls would land you in fairly soft water. Your feet rest on a sandy 
  bottom beneath the water. In the eastern wall of the pit, there is an 
  entrance or passageway of sorts into the rock.
Obvious exits:
Cave  Beach  

You can almost feel your claims calling to you and the urge to return to them 
  is too strong to be ignored.

Gyles drops down from above, landing in the water with a splash.
Gyles has arrived.

Urges, small at first, make you feel you should return to the ranges of 
  Ballybran.

"Jade!" screams Tance hoarsely, forcing his way through the water, his 
  progress slow but determined.

You jump into the pool, take a big breath and try swimming down the 
  passageway, but you soon realize you will not be able to hold your breath 
  the entire way and turn around. You barely make it back, crawling out of the 
  water, gasping for air.

"Jade," Vokrim tries again, barely audibly this time, as his shaggy and now 
  thoroughly soaked head breaks the surface of the water. He's flailing now, 
  and his strength seems to be giving out.

Gyles swears luridly and steps into the pool, soaking yet another outfit in 
  the process. Reasoning with the old fool hasn't worked, so let's try a plain 
  old lie, instead. "Tance! Jade isn't here, she's at the camp." He splashes 
  over to the tiring singer and hauls him upright. "Will you come back, now?"

"Didn't see her," croaks the older Singer. "I gotta find... I gotta... "

"Quinn owes me double, for all this!" Gyles mutters as he drags Tance through 
  the pool and struggles to heave him up to the beach itself. "You certainly 
  won't help her by drowning yourself!"

The older Singer splutters, but indeed, his strength is ebbing. Despite his 
  greater size, Gyles can haul the man away with relative ease. His mumbles 
  have given way to racking coughs now; perhaps he's swallowed a lot of that 
  water into which he tried to jump.

You clamber out of the pit.
Beach
You are on a beach. The sounds of water is nearby, but all you can see is an 
  inky blackness where the water should be. The beach is strewn with various 
  boulders.
The beach is a good size, and the water is well below the high water mark. An 
  area out just a little ways in the water seems oddly devoid of any boulders 
  or rocks, like the dry ones surrounding the area.
All about you can see freshly painted a large black hexagon on a black 
  vertical stem. 
Obvious exits:
Flat Rock  

Gyles reappears from the pit.
Gyles has arrived.
Gyles crawls out of the rapidly deepening water and stands, brushing the sand 
  from his knees. He stands up and hauls Tance to his feet, supporting him in 
  a half carry, one of Tance's arms across his shoulders, and his own arm 
  behind Tance's waist, helping him back toward the sled. "Let's go dry off."

The water laps quietly at the shore.

"Jade," is Tance's plaintively muttered refrain. Hauled along by the smaller 
  -- and currently, doubtless far healthier -- Singer, he stumbles 
  unresistingly back towards the sled.

The water laps quietly at the shore.

You climb up onto the rock platform.
Flat Rock
You are on a flat area of rock big enough to contain a couple sleds. From the 
  sounds bouncing back to your ears, it is a small canyon-like area, with 
  walls to every side except the west, where sounds of water can be heard.
All about you can see freshly painted a large black hexagon on a black 
  vertical stem. 
Contents:
Gyles's sled
Obvious exits:
Beach  

Gyles climbs up from the beach.
Gyles has arrived.

By the time he's been wrestled back towards the improvised campsite, Vokrim is 
  shivering violently, and his mumbles have lost strength along with the rest 
  of him. His hair hangs in damp gray-brown tendrils about his face, and he's 
  slouching down as he staggers, losing inches from his height.

Gyles guides Tance back toward the sled, opens the door, and hauls Tance back 
  inside. "Here, after that chill you've taken, you'd best sleep in here 
  tonight, on the bunk." And where I can lock the door and keep you from 
  wondering off again! Gyles pulls blankets out of storage and throws them 
  across the bunk, urging the drenched Tance to disrobe and crawl into the 
  warm, dry bunk.

Gyles's sled
< Desc deleted >

The weather is fine. A good day for flying.
  ( Type 'sled help' to see available commands. )
Contents:
GPS Receiver
Gyles's Crystal Cutter
Note from Sami
Carisak
Dirt

Gyles has arrived.

"Tired," Vokrim mumbles thickly, huddling down on the bunk. He fumbles with 
  sluggish hands at the zipper of his jumpsuit; his eyes have gone dull in his 
  haggard, bewhiskered face.

You feel strong urgings to return to Ballybran.

Gyles adjusts the sled's internal environment to make sure the drowned rat on 
  his bunk doesn't take further chill, then locks down the controls against 
  any night-time tampering. The two cutters are locked down as well, for 
  safety's sake. All this is accomplished while Tance fumbles with his 
  clothing. Finally, Gyles helps him out of the soggy jumper and hangs it in 
  the 'fresher to dry out.
Gyles looks at you for a moment.

Getting him stripped is something of an adventure, too, especially as Tance 
  seems distinctly bothered by the idea of taking his clothes off. He fumbles 
  between the jumper's fasteners and grabbing the blanket, and between them, 
  it's generally revealed that without clothing, at least the upper portion of 
  him is rather wiry despite his thinness. His torso sports a large number of 
  scars -- including a luridly pale one slashing around diagonally on his side.

Gyles gets Tance settled into the bunk with several blankets, tucked tightly 
  at the foot of the bunk to minimize dream-induced thrashing that might throw 
  the old singer out of the bunk. As Tance finally begins to nod off, Gyles 
  quietly departs, carefully locking the hatch behind him to prevent any 
  further nocturnal escapades.

Shuddering, muttering incoherently, the Singer huddles up beneath the 
  blankets... doing his best to curl himself into a ball on the relative 
  narrowness of the bunk. Shortly, all that's visible of him is his shaggy 
  damp head, and a quivering shoulder.

And, probably unsurprisingly, the recurring theme of Vokrim's ramblings is a 
  single mournful word: "Jade...."

Outside, on the beach, Gyles tosses sand on the fire, reducing it to red 
  glowing embers, and drags himself tiredly into his bedroll. A few odd 
  ramblings of his own escape as well, about karkers and medics and favors.

[To be continued...]