Log Date: 11/23/98 Log Cast: Chantinelle, Shenner, Ariani (NPC), Divk Log Intro: As if Shen didn't have enough to think about as of late with her strange encounters with Aidon Semmes, the visit of Trace Dimitrik to Caspar, and her ongoing cramming to try to qualify to get into the University of Caspar for the upcoming winter term, she seems to continually draw the attention of people in high places that she'd just as soon have ignore her. One of these is the Imperial ambassador to Caspar, Chantinelle Thistleborn, a woman she encountered a few times on Etti IV and who seems determined to be friendly to her now on Caspar. Problem is -- she's an Imperial. Only the knowledge that she has to be more or less neutral -- at least publically neutral -- on the issue of the Empire and the NR in order to do her job at the Sandbar has kept Shenner on the bare edge of politeness. But the woman's lofty status as an ambassador didn't stop Shen from roundly chastising her for an unthinking insult to one of Shen's own personal idols, Princess Leia Organa-Solo. Shenner hasn't quite admitted to herself, in the meantime, that the thought of an Imperial trying to be friendly to her troubles her deeply. It hasn't even occurred to her yet that an Imperial who has offended her might even apologize... ---------- You enter the Sandbar. The Sandbar A large circular room creates the main part of Caspar's infamous SandBar. Dark wood paneled walls adorned with all sorts of paraphanalia set the relaxed athmosphere of the bar. Photographs and holovids are pinned randomly around, seemingly with no order at all. Posters from years past hang proudly, displaying obscure bits of Plaxton's recent history. Several windows made from a deep blue glass allow light in from outside, while still keeping the appearance of the bar rather dark. Along one curved wall a marble bar stands proudly, where Ariani busies herself making drinks and cleaning occational spots of the bar. There is an abundant amount of seating in here. You notice quite a few booths and tables, as well as a loft which protrudes out over the bar. A popular local band plays smooth jazz in the background. ----For help with tables, type "PLACE HELP" ----For help with drinks, type "BAR HELP" -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Divk => Chantinelle => Ariani => Emma -=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=- leads to Fountain Square - Plaxton City. Chantinelle hmms and looks up form her drink, looking around she nods frienly to the man, "Well, I dont care if its rain the whole day, I have to do my training without any choice.." she smirks and looks back, letting her glance fall at the newcomer, seeing the young woman, she smiles polite at her. Skittering in from outside, tossing her russet head a little to shake off droplets of rain from her dampened hair, Shenner pauses momentarily at the door to keep from dripping on any patrons upon her entry. It doesn't take Ariani long to spot Shen, and the bartender barely manages to stifle a look of undisguised curiosity as she calls over to the redhead, "Need a shakla, kid?" Shenner bobs her head at the older woman, and as she does, catches sight of Chantinelle. A moment, and then she returns the woman's nod, her expression unreadable. Divk nods at her remark as he smiles and taps his stomach, "Just finished my workout myself...keeping the fat from forming...", he looks around at the voices near the door and sees Shenner talking with the waitress, smiles a bit and turns back fo face his hot cup of caf. Chantinelle sits down at the bar. Chantinelle smirks at the respsonse she gets by the young one and siighs, turning back too , focusing her attention on the drink, which she stirrs with a long spoon. From time to time she just look up and lets her glance wander thru the bar. Ariani starts mixing up one of Shenner's favored brandied cocoas, and as the young musician claims herself a stool, the bartender brings it over to her with such a straight face that Shenner eyes her warily. "What?" she can be heard to demand. "Did the rain turn my hair green or something?" Divk sips as he thinks he hears thunder outside. Chantinelle looks at you for a moment. "No, no, kid," Ariani replies blandly. "Just thought you might wanna know that you and that friend of yours you left with the other night raised a few eyebrows." Chantinelle stares in hder glass and contines to stirr it senselessly until she gathers all her courage and looks again over to the younegr woman, coughing slightly to catch her attention, after Shenner finished her conversation with Ariani. "Well, let 'em be raised, then, what, a girl can't go out for a walk with an old friend?" Shenner answers Ariani, tartly. Chantinelle's cough, though, makes the young musician turn her head. "Yeah?" she goes on, this time clearly to Chantinelle rather than Ariani, even as the bartender slides the customer a look just to make sure her attention isn't needed here. Divk listens to the hum of activity in the bar and drinks his caf with two hands. He thinks deeply. Chantinelle oohs and blushes embrassed as she sees Ariani looking at her not very pleased and raises at once defensively her open palm to her, showing she doesn't wanted to start any troubles, saying softly, "Oh sorry.. I didn't wanted to interrupt anything!" she says and stands up from the bar chair moving to a different table. Chantinelle walks away from the bar. Chantinelle sits down at the corner booth. Shenner rolls her eyes a little at the older woman's hasty retreat, and is about to turn back to the bar when she catches sight of Ariani giving her a silent Look -- the 'you're supposed to be polite to customers, remember, Shen?' Look. Grimacing, Shen turns on her stool, tracking Chantinelle's movements, and she calls over, "You're not interruptin' anything except me tellin' 'Ani here that certain people can keep their eyebrows down. You got somethin' to say, out with it." Divk is deep in thought and stares lightly at the back of the bar as his caf sits before him. He evidently doesn't care to talk much at the moment. Chantinelle hmms and smirks on her table, "It's okay.. I am used to his, especially on this planet here." she sighs, remembering that she is only a "hated imp" on a neutral planet. She forces a weak smile on her face and says softly, "You know, I only wanted to apologize. But I bet this is something you never expect by an _imp_" she speaks out the "imp" with all the dislike she hears it normally. Ariani gives the customer a patently neutral expression, staying out of this exchange -- though she surreptitiously watches Shenner like a hawk. Shenner, with her back to the bartender now, doesn't appear to notice. All her attention is on Chantinelle, as she takes down a big gulp of her steaming drink and eyes the older woman over the top of her mug. When the mug comes down again, she asks, with neither overt hostility nor overt friendliness, "what're you apologizing for?" Chantinelle oohs astonished and blinks, she always thought the younger one would still hate her for her joke at the last meeting, "I...I.." she stops blushing and pauses for a second, "You dont know, you _really_ dont know?" she pauses again, using the time to sip on her drink, before she continues... "I mean.. you know" she stammers nervously not being used to apologize often and esp. not about this subject, but this time she really cares about it, ".. the Leia joke." Nothing can be immediately gleaned from Shenner's expression, neither that she's forgotten the incident, nor that she remembers it and holds a grudge against Chantinelle for it. She sits there with her mug gripped in her slender fingeres, casting off further tendrils of steam, and she simply stares over at the older woman, her gaze measuring and inscrutable. "If you mean it," she observes finally, "it's Princess Organa-Solo you owe the apology, not me." Chantinelle smirks again, knowing absolutely she wont never have a chance for this so she answers friendly, "She didn't heard it at all, and I am not sure she would ever drag by here to listening for it. So I just may only hope she once recieves it by other soucres then me." she brings again her smile on her face and nods to you, showing her respect for your behaviors in the short nod. Shenner seems to consider this, and at last, she bobs her slender shoulders in a seemingly indifferent shrug. "It ain't exactly like I regularly converse with royalty, lady," she points out. "I'm a bar singer." A pause, and then she adds, glancing off while drinking down more of her shakla, "But thanks for the thought." Chantinelle shows the first time this day a true smile on her face, "Then why dont you please the guests her with a performance by you?" she friendly asks, before sipping again on her drink. To the request for a song, Shenner eyes Chantinelle again, with that same sort of unreadable, neither hostile nor particularly friendly expression. "I don't generally sing till nightfall," she points out, "when the rest of the band gets in." Chantinelle oohs slightly sad but nods understanding, "Somehow I must then convice the guards at me door to let me out, after the sun is down!" she grins. Shenner chugs down the rest of her shakla, and turns to hand the mug off to Ariani, who's still surreptitiously watching her... and who smiles in something that might be approval at the redhead's display of calm. "I'll be back come nightfall," she says gruffly. "If you'll excuse me." With that, Shen gets to her feet, and lopes outside, back into the inevitable rainshowers that frequent the city. [End log.]