Log Date: 9/16/98 Log Cast: Morganna Tazecks, Ariani (NPC), Karm (NPC), Tethra (NPC), Aa'leet (NPC), Paul Nighman, Morrison Van Sen, Shenneret Veery, Loren (NPC) Log Intro: Shenner's memory has begun to return. She doesn't know why or how, but ever since the terrifying confrontration between a man she did not recognize and Princess Leia Organa-Solo, the young musician's blurred recollection of her first six months on Calamari has started to come back into focus. She now recalls how she'd spent those weeks, gripped in nightmares, growing steadily addicted to coffee and more dangerous stimulants, clinging to the young Corellian Trace who'd volunteered to tutor her as an anchor into a saner, steadier existence... disguised as the dark-haired Kiriel Andurin. And she's remembered how Paul left her, drawn unerringly to the letter she'd hidden away in the lining of her guitar case... the letter he'd left with her when he left her the silver-and-brass necklace. Now all the more afraid of the rumor she'd heard of Paul's presence on Caspar -- not to mention the dark individual who'd attacked Leia -- Shenner has been stumbling through the days since then tense and nervous, her dreams uneasy. Her temper with Rekkie Sheldon's band has been uncertain, but they've also provided her her one outlet for her tension and nervous energy: song. Tonight, though, Shenner has no idea that the Corellian she's been pining for has against his better judgement come into the Sandbar again. But then again, Paul Nighman's better judgement, along with the rest of his rational faculties, seems to have been thoroughly drowned in a wash of alcohol.... [Song Credits: Shenner's rendition of "Fever" is based on the recording of the same done by Elvis Presley on the album _Elvis is Back!_] ---------- Morganna drains her ale and plays idly with the glass, her gaze shifts back towards the bar, as though hoping to summon a server with her mere presence, "The beach house is nice, but I have a great view from the roof of the embassy. I like to sit up there and watch the sunsets." Ariani re-emerges from the kitchen, bringing with her bottles from the storerooms... and in the meantime, up on stage, the band begins to come back from its break. The two black-skinned twins are first to return to their instruments, followed shortly thereafter by the Twi'lek keyboard player. The drink is passed to him as the tender peers at the Corellian uncertainly. "You sure you want that sir?" she inquires. But Paul simply offers the lady a bright smile and a wink. That ... and keep 'em coming," he rasps. Dragging an unsteady hand through his hair, Paul drops his satchel, which crashes to the ground heavily, at least one object in side audibly breaking. He glances down, almost in surprise before he dismisses the event, returning to the tender and adding, "And I'll need a Corellian brandy chaser pleazze." From the corner of his eye Morrison notes Paul's enterance and apparent impaired state. He also see's shenner, but his eyes soon return to Morganna, "casparian Sunsets are beautiful, but I must say I'm quite taken by the Kallan variety. More color." he drains his glass and says, "Tell me about your life here." Shenner is following on the heels of the band's young Corellian drummer, grinning ferally to herself as she pockets a handful of credits the boy's reluctantly handed over to her. "Bet you can't do it again," Loren mutters to the girl, as the two of them take the stage. In their wake at last comes the fair-haired lead singer, who leans over and purrs to the two of them, "Shen can sing circles around you any day of the week, bucko. Does she need to bet you again to prove it?" The crashing even attracts Morganna's attention, she raises her eyebrow, "The musician looks a little on the inebriated side.." she comments as though noone really noticed. She waves a hand to attract one of the passing staff members and she almost growls, "I hate it when it's busy.." she returns her attention to Morrison, and that creepy eye flashes as she pops her knuckles "Life is Life. It's good, I'm happy, I'm fed, i'm busy. A little control was all I needed." "Ha," grumbles young Loren, "I'd like to see her sing 'Fever'..." "You're on," growls Shenner defiantly, and amused looks are exchanged between the older members of the band. "You heard her," says the lead singer to the others, "let's get warmed up!" And the group begins to warm up, Shenner powering on her guitar and Aa'leet her keyboard, while Loren takes his seat behind his drums and peers out at Shenner expectantly. Morrison nods and then glances down at his silver watch. "Control is good. My position within the CSA has helped me do things I never could accomplish otherwise. I've had my hand in dealing major blows to the slaving industry in the CSA, we have alot of space to police, but we are finally getting to where we can police it all enough to enforce the major laws." He rubs his hair slowly, smiling. "It's good to finally get to talk to you in a more comfortable environment. I felt like we were being monitored in the Embassy." Taking up the drink, Paul stares at it for a moment, luxuriating in it's brilliant orange and red color. It's a disturbing drink, the two forms of alcohol almost like water and oil. The orange and red fluids swirl, eternally trying to repell the other and get away. It's a drink that many people don't like, because it seems more alive than anything you drink -should- be. Normally Paul wouldn't touch the stuff for the world. But now he stares at it like a lover, and with one long pull, he drains half the glass. Eyes immediately water and one hand grasps the table, the power of the drink forgotten in the state of inebriation. But like a mother, the pain of childbirth is eventually forgotten, and another pregnancy occurs. It's only a few minutes before Paul smiles at the remains in the glass yet again. The ambassador, too, looks at her watch and she tilts her ehad to one side, yawning, she looks tired, "We probably were bein' monitored, that's why" she shrugs, "I try to conduct all of my business there, but I leave my aides at home when I want to be out on my own, I'll probably get in trouble for that sometime." her eyes flicker towards the stage and they rest on the young giorl with the guitar, her eye flashes and she inhales sharply, "There's a band.." she sounds a little nervous. It doesn't take Shenner long to assume the center of the stage. The band's lead singer gestures out into the room, and the group's sound tech, a burly alien with iridescent dots all over the back of her neck, starts bringing the bar's sound system online again. As she does, the band begins to play, a slow, sultry beat comprised of very soft notes and a sly beat laid down by Loren on his snare drum. Shenner holds out one hand to her side, snapping her fingers, and four measures in she begins to sing: Never know how much I love ya Never know how much I care When you put your arms around me I get a fever that's so hard to bear You give me fever.... Loren strikes a riff on his drum, and Shen continues: When you kiss me Fever when you hold me tight Fever! In the mornin' Fever all through the night... Morrison looks at morganna and notices the nervousness in her voice. He doesn't say anything about it, but he does wheel around in his chair so he can see the stage. "Yeah, she's good. The band is always making bets with her and she always wins...Funny little stage show they have going. But the music is good." He taps a finger along with the music. "The twi'lek is pretty good too..for an alien." As Shenner begins to sing, Morganna's eye widens and she clenches her fingers around the table, listening, fixed in place by the tunes, "She's good.." comes a tight statement from Morganna's voice.. "I can't stay." she swiftly rises to her feet and half bows, "Thank you for meeting me again, I'll see you around.." she spins around, facing thr crowd and taking a deep breath, she clsoes her organic eye as though it will aid her in blocking out the noise. Morrison nods and waves, "Good meeting you." the look in his eyes reveal more then he lets on, but he has long since stopped wearing his heart on his sleave.. It takes awhile before the sultry song and the voice singing it penetrates Paul's haze. Glazed hazel eyes raise to the stage, frowning as he tries to focus on the lead singer, as if his ears were telling him one thing and his eyes another. He rubs at his face and blinks a few times more, reaching for the poisoned glass of lava. He finishes it, but it does not improve his eyesight ... or his health, as a sharp fit of coughing follows the scored flesh of his throat. Shenner's growling out her lyrics at the very bottom of her range, pinning the audience in her immediate line of sight with a hard, defiant green glare. She throws out each syllable as if in sardonic challenge, a strange contrast to the come-hither rasp of her voice. Sun lights up the daytime Moon lights up the night I light up when you call my name 'Cause I know you're gonna treat me right... Morganna closes her eye tightly and pushes through the crowd, getting her some nasty comments. Something isn't right her., Morganna hasn't heard music in so long that it's affecting her big time.. and the lyrics, at least it isn't a song about losing love, she's be gone right there and then. Her course takes her right by the bar. The Corellian is reeling, but he catches himself against the bar, the coughing fit subsiding. Through watering eyes, he gazes up again, his view of the stage cut off by Morganna's approaching form. He frowns again, something niggling his conscience, something about not being here ... or not being near her? Or was it someone else? He blinks again, shaking his head. The scarred Ambassador pushes her way out of the Sandbar and enters the rainy street, she presses a button on her comlink, perhaps to summon an Aide.. and she is gone.. Morganna walks out of the Sandbar and the door closes automatically. Morganna has left. A couple of the patrons nearest the stage whistle in apparent approval, while the redheaded singer keeps her time by slashing at the air with the back of one hand on each downbeat, snapping the fingers of the other. The blonde lead singer is laying down a sly little rhythm line on her guitar, interspersed between sharp little chords off the Twi'lek female's keyboard. You give me fever When you kiss me Fever when you hold me tight Fever! In the mornin' Fever all through the night Everybody's got the fever That is somethin' you all know Fever isn't such a new thing Fever started long ago... The shadow with the glowing eye passes him by like a tornado passing by a house, tearing the field about it apart, but leaving the house untouched. Wiping at his eyes Paul stares up at the stage, eyes still not quite focusing. Picking up the brandy he slips off his seat, literally. An annoyed Rodian patron shoves Paul away hard, the Corellian just barely catching himself before weaving his way through the crowd as best as he can, drawing closer to the stage step by staggering step. About four tables deep from the stage his eyes can finally witness the testimony of his ears. Shen. There is again a strong niggle of warning, something that he should be doing or not be doing, but the details are as blurred as his vision seems to be. Vel'ka'far loved Andress Andress, she felt the same When she put her arms around him She said "Oh Vel'ka-liah, you're my flame You give me fever When you kiss me Fever with thy flaming youth Fever! I'm on fire Fever, yea I burn, forsooth..." Shenner keeps up the song, that hard edge roughening her voice and adding sparks to her gaze... and apparently delighting at least three males in the audience. The drummer is practically gaping at her now; Loren, it would seem, is in love or at least an ardent infatuation, and barely managing to keep the beat. The potent drinks, all eleven of them, have put a powerful spell over the Corellian, one that allows him to shift emotions like turning on and off a lightglobe. One minute wallowing, the next blissful, one minute angry and bitter, the next loving and content. At her passionate words and clear energy, Paul finds a grin curling his lips as he gazes up at the girl, waiting for the song to finish. The brandy goes down in two hefty gulps, Paul seating himself at a table with a young raven haired beauty, no inquiries made, no permission granted. But with twelve drinks, who needs an invitation? Captain Han and Princess Leia Had themselves a mad affair When Lord Jabba tried to kill him She said-a "Jabba, oh don't you dare He gives me fever With his kisses Fever when he holds me tight Fever! I'm his misses And we ain't down without a fight..." _This_ verse gets mixed reactions. Two sharp whistles of approval sound out in the audience, as well as one jeering catcall; apparently, there are differences of opinion amongst the bar's patrons tonight as to the particular personages in this part of the song. Shenner grins sarcastically, and doesn't miss a beat, swinging her glinting gaze slowly over the audience before her. Towards Paul. At the lyrics, Paul is part of the approving group, a bright laugh escaping him at the silly homage. The raven haired woman turns to stare at him, her nose wrinkling in disapproval of his drunken state, as well as his apparently over-loud laugh. But the Corellian is oblivious to her charms ... indeed to her very person. He lifts his glass to his lips, only then frowning as he finds it empty. Loren gets more interesting on his drums, snapping out a more complicated riff this time to punctuate the end of the verse. Shenner's gaze makes it round to Paul's table... and for one measure and one measure only, she flubs the song. The band members notice, but recover quickly, keeping up the beat, Loren sliding in another riff. The smile drops off Shenner's face, and there's a heavier growl in her voice when she finally begins to sing again: Now you've listened to my story Here's the point that I have made Corellians, they give you fever Be it Farenheit or Centigrade.... That's not the way the verse is _supposed_ to go, and the black-skinned brother and sister in the band flick baffled glances over at the Twi'lek keyboardist, who is just as baffled as they are. Placing the glass on the table, Paul's gaze is wrested away from Shen only in order per pursue a seperate interest. Refilling his glass. He grabs a waitresses arm, his hand too hard, his own strength an alien concept to the man. She winces, tries to jerk her arm away, but that makes Paul simply grip the struggling appendage harder. Biting her lip she nods as he waves his glass at her, getting the gist that he wants it refilled, even if she doesn't quite understand with -what-. Taking up the offending empty glass seems to trigger Paul to release her, and the waitress moves with all due haste, finding one of the bouncers and pointing out the drunk Corellian to him to deal with. Yes, Paul Nighman is definitely going to get one for the road. They gimme a fever When they kiss you Fever if you live and learn Fever! Till you sizzle But what a lovely way to burn What a lovely way to burn Whaaaat a lovely way to burn.... The band fades down towards the close, Loren doing a soft slice on his cymbals, but to the surprise of everybody in the band as well as the onlookers closest to the stage, Shenner doesn't stay up there to neatly finish the song. A strange twisted look crossing her countenance, she leaps down off the stage, her eyes on the intoxicated Corellian. As the redhead has her eyes affixed to Paul's front, the large bouncer is closing in on the mans back. It's just a question of which can get there first. Paul claps loudly, whistling as she finishes. But as Shen leaps down off of the stage, he blinks, his hands slowing uncertainly. Again there is that annoying niggle, the distinct sensation of _danger, danger Paul Nighman!_ He shakes his head to clear the confusion, but that just makes his head spin unpleasantly. "Shen, hey, Shen--" It's the voice of the band's lead singer, concerned; Shenner, without looking back at the blonde woman, waves dismissingly at her, in a 'gimme a minute' gesture. And then she immediately waves at the bouncer, trying to get his attention, calling out brusquely, "Friend o' mine... hey, lemme get him outta here, huh?" Only her eyes seem out of place with her terse demeanor, overbright, liquid, pained. The bouncer slows, staring at the slim figure of a singer and then the lanky tall form of the Corellian. He stops, standing just behind and to one side of Paul, ready for trouble, but willing to let the girl give it a shot. Paul blinks, shifting in his seat to try to look behind him before looking at Shen again. A ripple of displacement washes through him, prompting the Corellian to ask falteringly, "Shen? What are -you- doin' here?" Morganna hadn't lied. Shenner knows this, and had known it ever since she saw the _Hawk's Wing_ in the hangar bay up on Kichnar Station. Still, seeing Paul Nighman _here_, in the flesh and inebriated to boot, brings up a powerful surge of reaction in the girl, and it's all she can do to keep her voice steady and audible with the sharp lump that's arisen in her throat. Keeping her features impassive -- all save her overbright eyes -- she takes Paul's hand while telling him huskily, "I sing here now. C'mon, pal, you need to leave, okay?" Trying to give the redhead they've adopted a bit of moral support, the band starts into something in the family of soothing, unobtrusive background music, hoping to distract the patrons away from the disturbance surrounding the drunken Corellian. A few heads turn away, but by and large, many pairs of curious eyes of several species are still peering in Paul and Shenner's direction. The Corellian is oblivious to anyone other than the redhead before him. Something deep within him commands Paul to rise, to obey. Because he owes her that much. Without thinking Paul shifts, leaning against the table to catch his balance as his hazel gaze rest on Shen's emerald green. "You sang good," he compliments, grammar drowning with the rest of his inebriated brain. "Can I buy you a drink?" he asks, the Corellian perking up at the idea. Yes indeed, a drink would be just the ticket. "Some other time," rasps Shenner. It's easy and achingly familiar to take Paul's arm and drape it around her shoulders, to turn him towards the door, while pointing out, "You better get back to your ship right now, pal." She ignores the compliment to her song, for all that the slurred words manage to sear themselves right through her awareness, lingering for a while, like wisps of heated ash. Frowning, Paul mutters, "No, I don't want to go back to my ship. No." Somehow that seems like a very bad idea ... and one that he had decided on before he had started drinking ... although the reason for that is rather hazy now as well. He does, however, allow Shen to guide him out of the bar, unaware that the bouncer is trailing them the whole way out. Ariani opens the door, giving Shen a sympathetic look as she steers the sodden man out. Paul steps outside and abruptly stops, the sudden darkness taking him by surprise and he mutters sharply, "Can't see nothin'!" Shenner's eyes are growing increasingly more liquid. Trying to ignore the moisture beading into being around her lashes, she advises Paul in soft, rough tones, "That's 'cause it's night, Paul. Go find a motel, if you don't wanna go to your ship, okay?" She steps just outside with him, long enough to scan the square and see if she can catch sight of any passing public transport. "Oh, yeah," he replies on reflection, his gaze shifting up to peer at the array of stars visible. "Night." He then pulls away from the girl, frowning down at her puzzledly. "A motel ... I guess so. Wher' you goin'?" He actually has other plans, but he doesn't voice them. Somehow it just don't seem prudent. "Back inside," Shenner replies as calmly as she can manage, closing her eyes for a moment and hoping that'll dispel enough of the tears to make her gaze look more or less normal. It doesn't work; a couple of droplets trickle down her cheek. "I gotta sing tonight. Go to a motel, Paul." _Do not,_ she orders herself sternly, _call him k'chaiya... do -not- reach for the necklace... do -not- cry... dammit, street rat...!_ Very reasonable, and for a drunk man, Paul takes the straightforward answer very reasonably, a soft, "Oh," emitting before he moves away from Shen. He hums a little as he strolls away, rasping out a few words to himself before he starts singing a little ditty. The original writer had a voice that sounded like a hooka pipe and shredded the tissues of his throat to ribbons. Paul cannot help but notice that is voice sounds much the same, and he warbles out the song that sounds like a man who is drunk singing ... or maybe that's just the way it's written. It's hard to tell. It's such a sad old feeling the fields are soft and green it's memories that I'm stealing but you're innocent when you dream you're innocent when you dream Running through the graveyard we laughed my love and I we swore we'd be together until the day we died until the day we died ... As Paul stumbles away, Shenner whirls back towards the Sandbar's entrance, squeezing her eyes shut, hard. The Corellian's uneven singing breaks down the final barrier between her and her tears, and only the knowledge that he's now moving away lets her lower her guard enough to let the water well up in her eyes and do what it will. Blinking rapidly, trying to keep her vision clear, she slaps open the door and stalks back into the establishment, every fiber of her being focused on not running after the figure vanishing into the night. Ariani meets her when she comes in, and frowns down at her young friend, pressing a shot glass of something stiff enough to settle her and light enough not to knock her flat into her fingers. With this gesture dealt her, Shen unbends enough to let Ariani quietly lead her back into the Sandbar's kitchen. And only there, claiming a chair out of the sight of patrons and band members and any other eyes, does she let herself sob. [End log.]