Log Date: 1/11/99 Log Cast: Shenner, Chantinelle, Ariani Log Intro: From: Countess Chantinelle Thistleborn, Vice Director Subj: Ceremonial ball - Invitation Dear Lady, Dear Gentleman! I am happy and honored to be able to invite you to next weekends ceremonial ball at the imperial embassy in Plaxton City, Caspar. Please show this letter as proof of identification at the entrance and be sure not to wear any weapons except any ceremonials one. The Gentlemen should wear tuxedos or ceremonials uniforms, when the Ladies should wear long expensive evenings dresses (no exceptions allowed) The Embassy will offer you a large varity of buffet as well as life music. For a better planning I ask you polite to send any note in return whether you may come. Sincerely Chantinelle Well, it's official; Shenner has been asked, along with the rest of the musicians who work at the Sandbar, to play for an upcoming diplomatic function at the Imperial embassy. It's not exactly a performance to which Shenner is looking forward, either -- not only because it's the Imperial embassy, either. She will have, she's realized, to wear a _dress_. And not even the fact that she's just started classes at the University of Caspar is going to get her out of this one.... ---------- You walk into Fountain Square. Fountain Square - Plaxton City The huge buildings in the background threaten to take over this small patch of green that is the center of Plaxton City. A stone fountain -still in place from another time- sits in the center of the square. It depicts a young woman looking into the sky. water flares around her and bursts into a star pattern ten feet above her head. The inscription at the base of the fountain is written in the aging language of a more romantic time. 'Farewell, for all journeyers that leave this place shall always return to call it home.' Wandering the square throughout the day are Caspar Marines; some off-duty and enjoying their downtime while on-duty commandos in full armor and uniform keep watch over the area. Despite the commandos' aggresive appearance, they are viewed with admiration and respect from most of the citizens, some of them even joking and talking with families. The morning sky above is filled with puffy white clouds with snow falling quickly coating the area and forming drifts where it can collect. -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Chantinelle => IGNews Terminal - Caspar => Mail Terminal: Caspar -=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=- ndbar leads to The Sandbar. outh leads to South Mergansar Ave. - Plaxton City. ast leads to East Blake St. - Plaxton City. orth leads to North Mergansar Ave. - Plaxton City. est leads to West Blake St. - Plaxton City. The public transport skimming its way into the square cruises up to a desginated stop, and discharges several passengers. Among them, a rumpledly clad Shenner trudges off, booted feet meeting the snow and slush, heavy carrysack slung off one shoulder. Her breath hangs about her in the air in little clouds as she sets herself a course for the Sandbar, frowning with intent concentration as she goes. Chantinelle just left the Sand Bar as she didn't found the person she searched but smiles at she sees the young woman leaving the public transporter. She changes her direction to intercept the girl and smiles at her, carring some folders under her arm. It's difficult to miss someone heading into the same door you are, and thus, Shen catches sight of Chantinelle in time to keep from bumping into her. She blinks and then nods once, gruffly, by way of greeting, and lets the older woman preceed her into the bar. Chantinelle siighs slightly seeing that she wont gain the like by the girl but then she is her only for bussines. She nods and smiles polite, "Greetings, I hoped to meet you here. There are some things to discuss before sunday." Preceed her into the bar... or not. "What's to discuss?" the young musician blurts, sounding taken aback. She peers at the Ambassador, and then adds in that rough low voice of hers, "Look, let's get inside, okay, it's cold out here." With that, she tromps into the bar, anxious to set down her weighty satchel and get something hot in her belly. 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" -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Ariani => Emma -=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=- leads to Fountain Square - Plaxton City. Chantinelle enters the Sandbar. Chantinelle has arrived. Down comes the satchel, set on the floor by a stool; off comes Shen's coat, as the girl waves a greeting at Ariani. By now the bartender knows Shen's recently established habits, and it doesn't take long to get her a shakla and a warm, sweet roll to go with it, to serve her for something passing for breakfast before she scurries off to her next classes. As she sits down, though, Shenner warily eyes the Ambassador and asks again, "So what's to discuss...?" Chantinelle doesn't hurries and first brushes off some snowflakes from her jacket before she moves over to Shenner and first asks Ariani for a hot cacao, "Well I woul dlike to solve any open questions for the ball this sunday." Ever unflappable, Ariani gets both incoming women dealt with, flashing Shen a brief crooked smile of sympathy and nodding politely to Chantinelle. Shen, in the meantime, as she scoops up the sweet roll and starts tearing bites off it, lifts and drops her slender shoulders in a shrug. "It's a ball, it's at your Embassy, I'm gonna show up and play along with the band. Don't have any questions." Chantinelle smiles softly not being offended by the totally unprofessional behavior by Shenner, "Well I would like to see the list of the songs you wanted to play and give you too a list of other songs I would like to hear." she says before sipping on her hot steaming drink. Shenner says levelly, "The song list's up to Rekkie, not me. She's the leader of the group." She shifts on her stool, eyes slightly narrowed as she considers the woman before her. "We were planning instrumentals, mostly. And we're a band, not an orchestra, so you're gonna have to deal with it if we don't show up with violins and cellos. But we're not bringing the guitars or Loren's drum set." Chantinelle nodders, "Of course it isn't a whole orchestra, we wont even have enough free room for one there. And instrumentals are fine too, since I want the people to be able to talk togethers..." Perhaps she expected to be challenged or corrected somehow, on her words? One might judge such, from the wary look that lingers on Shenner's face. But she grunts once by way of acknowledgement, while wolfing down her sweet roll. Chantinelle wells and sips again before she comes to the next topic, "Um btw I didn't asked before. The band and you are equiped with fitting clothes for the ball? If not, it wont be a problem, just get one and send me the bill. the Empire stands for every credit you use." Shenner, her expression deadpan, drawls, "We'll dress right." Ignoring the refusing behavior of the younger woman Chanti simply simles back and says, "Fine... btw are you common with the CDU hymme? you know Avy err President Laarken is the honor guest and therefor the band had to play the right song." Shenner doesn't bother to point out that Avalyshaar Laarken, as the band's employer, motivated Rekkie Sheldon's original group to learn the CDU hymn a long time ago even before Shenner joined their ranks... and that Shenner herself made a quiet point of learning the song, too. "We know it," she says tersely. Chantinelle nods and says, "Fine... one problem less. you know not man imperial bands are known to know other planet's hymns! " she blushes suddenly "The other way not many knows how to play the Imperial March in return. I brought you the music notes of it. "placing the folder on the table before you, the notes written in the ancient way on real paper. Shenner points out, in a very quiet, inflectionless tone, "We're not an Imperial band." Shenner's eyes flick to the folder, and her face remains unreadable as she adds, "I'll give it to Rekkie." Chantinelle nodders, "I know I know.. therefor I brought you the notes! You understand the same way the local government is honored in the person of the President, the same happens with the Government which does the inviation. Its nothing big, just normal diplomatic behavior to play both hymns." Shen's young face remains very, very still, though the set of her shoulders suggests she's grown rather more tense. She turns to wash down the last of her sweet roll with a long gulp of her hot shakla, and only after this is done does she simply repeat, "I'll give the music to Rekkie." Chantinelle nods, "Fine to me.. oh btw another thing which concerned me.. during the free dancing phase at the ball, the guests are welcomed to choose their favourite songs by the band. Well I hope it shows some diplomatical skill not to play _ by accident_ the New Republic's (she doesn't say rebel) hymn. If there is any question for the songs, the ban dis always free to ask me for my decision. Other songs of course are all free to be played." Chanti looks around and lowers her voice as she does a statement, "I personally am a great fan of the ancient Alderaan love songs. Its a pity..." she smirks. Shenner's green eyes darken, and her mouth curls in something of a smirk. But her voice is still in the general neighborhood of politeness as she answers, "We won't play anything you'll want to throw us out for." Chantinelle nods, "Fine for me then... Well okay.. I think the last point is then to make a visting at the locations since somebody with knowledge of music must tell me where to place the band." Shenner doesn't quite start at this, though she does go still again for a moment, before chugging down the last of her drink. "That'll be Rekkie's call. But it'll hafta be somewhere with room for Aa'leet's keyboards and the drum Loren's gonna bring. The rest of us, we can sit." Chantinelle hmms "Thats okay, on an elevated base, this would be okay?" she asks thinkg alread yinher thought where to place the band. "Anything you got like that" -- Shenner jerks a thumb off in the direction of the low stage that claims a wall of the room -- "should do us." Chantinelle hms and takes a final sip from her cacao, "Okay, then I think all questions are solved? Or do you have anything left? Of course the band members have free drinks and access to the buffet...." Shenner rolls a shoulder in a one-sided shrug. "Like I said -- Rekkie's in charge. You'll wanna work out stuff like that with her." A pause, and then she adds grudgingly, "I'll tell her you need to know that stuff." Chantinelle hmms and nods to you understanding, "Well okay... But anything left you want to know?" she asks softly. The shakla mug drained, Shenner waves at Ariani to get her attention, and returns the mug to her. Then, the young musician peers back at the Ambassador; those green eyes of hers remain veiled, shielded. Not hostile, necessarily, but definitely wary. All she says in reply, though, is "Nope." Chantinelle shrugs and nods, knowing she can't do more then Shenner would ever allow. She so simply nods to her and smiles at Ariani, "please put it on my bill as usual!" she slowly climbs down her bar chair and smiles at shenner, offering her her right hand, "It's my pleasure to be able to win you for the ball." Shenner's dark red brows draw together at the proferred hand. But after a moment, she does take the hand and shake it; her own is hard and callused, a hand which gets a lot of wear from work, and her grip is firm. "Yeah," she says gruffly, all that she permits herself by way of reply. Chantinelle shakes her hand in a firm grip, not the usual Lady-like soft shaking. She bows her head in a quick but still respectfully way before she leaves the bar again. Chantinelle walks out of the Sandbar and the door closes automatically. Chantinelle has left. [End log.]