Log Date: 12/19/96
Log Cast:
	Kevlan, Bernadette
Log Intro:
	Aside from all the new duties and stresses heaped upon him with the
job of Deputy Guildmaster -- the temporary status of the job aside --
Kevlan has continued to be worried about his wife. With the advice of
Quinn and Maggie, as well as his own experiences with the traumatic time
he'd spent recovering from the assault he'd suffered on Hesperia, Kevlan
has been racking his brains for a way to properly encourage Bernadette to
do things again, to think for herself, to get over whatever psychological
problem has been forcing her into recurring nightmares....

----------
Kevlan and Bernadette's Suite(#3986RJ$)
These spacious Singer's quarters are sparsely but pleasantly furnished. 
  Offsetting the pale cream hue of the walls and the darker beige color of the 
  carpet, the three chairs here - one an upholstered desk chair near the 
  computer terminal, the other two amorphous and baglike of shape, perhaps 
  intended to be simply curled up on - and the pillows and linens scattered 
  over the bed are all of various harmoniously tasteful shades of blue and 
  green. Along the back wall stands a bookcase, and in the center of the floor 
  lies a fluffy, intricately patterned and multi-hued 'rug'. The wall screen 
  over the computer terminal is set to display a scene of an Estenari sunrise 
  over mountains, for the morning hours.
The primary door here leads out into the corridor; a smaller one back by the 
  bookcase leads into the bathing chamber.
Contents:
Bernadette
Obvious exits:
Sleeping Nook  Bathing Room  Out

Bernadette is sitting in one of the chairs in the dim room, feet tucked under 
  her. The flesh beneath her eyes is smudged, suggesting she's had little or 
  no sleep.

Kevlan rolls onto his side on the bed; he, at least, has been sleeping, right 
  where you can watch -- or watch over -- him for the duration of the night. 
  But as the morning creeps into the room, he stirs, softly.

Bernadette has indeed been watching you sleep and continues to watch now, her 
  eyes red and glassy with fatigue. She idly picks at the edge of her cast 
  near her fingers, doing no damage whatsoever to its casing.

Kevlan wakes up with little transition time between slumber and awareness; in 
  fact, he's gotten better at that, lately, something you might have noticed 
  in now-countless nights of studying his sleeping patterns. The moment his 
  eyes are open, his gaze seeks you out in the room, and he rolls off the bed 
  into standing. Clad only in flannel pajama bottoms, he pads barefootedly to 
  you, blinking drowsily, but awake.
Kevlan says softly, "Mornin', honey..."

Bernadette follows you with her eyes until she's looking up at you as you 
  stand before her and offers a small smile. "Good morning," she replies. 
  "Sleep well?"

"It was okay," Kevlan tells you gently, shrugging a bit. He knows better, by 
  now, to ask you if _you_ slept; it's quite apparent to him that you didn't. 
  "How's that arm?"

Bernadette lowers her eyes to it and shrugs one shoulder. "Hurts," she says 
  sullenly. "It aches..kept me awake," she adds, looking up at you again, her 
  tone of voice slightly whiney.

Kevlan crouches beside your chair, and after a moment's solemn thought says 
  sympathetically, "Mah ribs kept me 'wake, too. But your sym'll fix you up in 
  a few days, darlin." He doesn't mention that he expects you'd have been 
  awake _anyway_...

"Don't see why that medic couldn't have prescribed a pain killer," Bernadette 
  mutters glumly. She reaches out with her free hand and gently rubs her palm 
  across your stubbly cheek.

You can feel the small muscles under his skin shift under your touch, as he 
  smiles to you. "Aww, honey, you don't need no painkillah." He turns his face 
  slightly, to kiss your palm. "It'll be healed up afore yah know it."

Bernadette sighs, as she withdraws her hand, settling it into her lap. "I 
  suppose."
Bernadette sighs again and adds "You have to...work...today, don't you?" as 
  she turns liquid brown eyes to yours, looking somehow smaller and more 
  vulnerable than usual, the effects of her temper tantrum from the day before 
  having worn off.

Kevlan cups your face in his large gentle hands, and tells you, "Yeah, honey, 
  Ah do... " Then he smiles. "You wanna come with me?"

The corners of her lips tip downward in a small frown. "There'd be a lot of 
  people coming and going," she says.

You say "Ah know, honey, and Ah gotta talk to 'em. But you don't hafta, if you 
  don't wanna." He gives you another shy, self-deprecating grin. "Ah could do 
  it a l'il better, maybe, if you're there t' he'p me be brave... an' you 
  could he'p me figger stuff out. Miz Maggie says Ah oughtta have an assistant 
  anyhow."

Bernadette wrinkles her nose slightly. "An assistant? I don't know about that, 
  Kev..." though she doesn't sound quite as displeased by the notion as her 
  words would make you think.

Kevlan grins a little. "Well, that's jes' all Ah'm doin', really, till Miz 
  Vyana comes back..."

_Maybe if I had something else to concentrate on, I wouldn't be so scared all 
  the time_. The expressionson Bernadette's face as she thinks about your 
  proposal are easy to read...especially since you know her so well. She looks 
  at you, still unconvinced and repeats slowly, "I don't know..."

Kevlan prompts encouragingly, his palms and fingers still light and warm 
  against your cheeks, "Why not?"

Bernadette blinks, eyes large and round in her small face. "What if something 
  bad happens?" she whispers.

Kevlan appears to consider this, with due sobriety. "Like what, darlin'?" He 
  keeps his voice quite steady; you might, for the tone of his reply, have 
  gotten a comment on the weather from him, or the state of his gitar strings, 
  or the price of a cut.

"Like..." she begins, but then stiffens and shakes her head. "I don't know," 
  she says quickly, "Just something bad!" She blinks rapidly.

"Well..." His brow furrowed a bit, Kevlan ponders, then tells you, "Well, 
  honey, if somethin' bad happens... it'd be jes' like any othah time. We'd 
  work togethah t' fix it. You an' me."

Bernadette frowns and continues to look worried. "Wellll....." she says, still 
  not appearing to be totally convinced this is a good idea, "I guess I can 
  give it a try...." Her words are spoken haltingly...another indication of 
  her reluctance.

Kevlan smiles, then leans forward to kiss your forehead. "That's mah Berni," 
  he tells you approvingly, and then rises.

With an exaggerated sigh, Bernadette unfolds herself from her seat and pads 
  about, washing up and getting dressed.

Kevlan lets you do so, then, moving in the comfortable routines of such things 
  beside you, taking the time to shave and run a brush through his hair, and 
  haul out clean clothing.

After some time passes, Bernadette declares herself as ready as she's going to 
  be and paces with a nervous energy as she waits for you to be ready, as well.

Your husband doesn't take long. Smiling, then, taking up with little 
  inconsequential items he wants with him in his pockets, he ventures, "Ready?"

Bernadette scratches idly at the cast on her arm....more out of anxiety than 
  because her arm actually itches beneath its casing...and nods. "I guess so."

Kevlan reaches to clasp your free hand, nodding. Ordering the room computer to 
  lock the suite behind them, he guides you out, then, his step and the grip 
  of his hand sure.

[The two Singers head up to Administration on Level 5....]

Lift 2
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:
Control Panel
You enter lift 2.

Bernadette enters lift 2 after the doors *whoosh* open.
Bernadette has arrived.

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:
"Fifth Level (Administration  Research  Control  Marketing)."
The doors *whoosh* open.

Bernadette sighs again, her small palm in yours cold and clammy.

Kevlan murmurs, "It's okay, darlin'...." As the lift doors open onto level 5, 
  he steps out ahead of you, then turns back and smiles.

You leave lift 2.
Lift Area - 5
Plush red carpet speckled with gold fibers absorbs your footsteps. The names 
  of the executive areas are inlaid in white crystal. They resonate, and you 
  wonder what they are transmitting. 
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 5. There is a 
  button set into the wall, you may summon a 'lift.'
Contents:
Lift 2
Obvious exits:
Administration  Research  Control  Marketing  

Bernadette emerges from the efficient lift.
Bernadette has arrived.

Kevlan points off down the hall. "Thissaway..."

You have a business with the administration.
Administration Foyer
Plush red carpet speckled with gold fibers runs from wall to wall, muffling 
  the sound of footsteps to a dull thud for the most enthusiastic stepper. A 
  crystal chandelier lights the room with a soft incandescent glow, soothing 
  to the eyes and more relaxing than the harsh glare of fluorescent bulbs. The 
  walls have been tinted a soft ivory which shades toward cream. The soft 
  color also lends to the comforting atmosphere of the room. A circle of 
  low-slung armchairs ring a round coffee table in one corner, giving the 
  sense that the Guild conducts business out here on occasion. 
A wing of offices leads off to the north while in the east is the Guild 
  Master's Office. Directly opposite the Guild Master's office, to the west, 
  is the lift area.
Obvious exits:
GuildMaster  Office Wing  Lift  

Bernadette emerges from the lift area.
Bernadette has arrived.

Kevlan watches you as he leads you into the Administration wing, to see how 
  you'll react to the place.

Bernadette gazes about with wide eyes, stepping aside to let other people pass 
  her by in a shrinking manner against Kevlan. She's been in this wing 
  before....when Kevlan was lost on Hesperia...but you wouldn't know it by the 
  way she stares around, as though seeing the place for the first time.

Kevlan guides you steadily into the Guildmaster's section of the wing, his own 
  expression gone quietly respectful of the place.

You go through the set of glass double doors towards the Guildmaster's Office.
Assistant's Area
A subtle motif of brown and beige saturates the room, making everything seem 
  calmer and more relaxing. Hanging from the ceiling is a crystal chandelier, 
  crafted by the Guild artisans. Soft luminescence radiates from the 
  chandelier, causing the crystals to wink and dance hypnotically. Deep red 
  carpet, flecked with rich gold fibers runs from wall to wall, muffling any 
  heavy sounds. However, the chandelier seems to pick up the slightest echo 
  and re-direct the sound toward a desk situated near the back-center of the 
  room. The desk is composed of a rich, dark mahogany that upon closer 
  inspection is revealed to be synthetic. To one side of the desk is a 
  computer terminal. A comfortable chair on rollers sits behind the desk, 
  allowing easy access to the computer as well as a phone and intercom system. 
Obvious exits:
Deputy  Guildmaster  Foyer  

Bernadette comes through the glass double doors from the foyer.
Bernadette has arrived.

Kevlan murmurs, "And heah we are..." He keeps his voice down, more out of awe 
  of Maxwell Farantine -- _is_ the Guildmaster present behind the closed door 
  to his office? -- than of any real need, with the soundproofing in this 
  place, to keep quiet. But he lets you into the Deputy's office readily.

You walk into the Deputy Guildmaster's office.
Deputy Guildmaster's Office
A single large desk dominates the middle of the room, covered with recessed 
  displays flashing information to be filtered before heading for the 
  Guildmaster's similar desk. Off to one side is a collection of comfortable 
  chairs clustered around a low table, obviously a place to discuss important 
  matters a little more casually. The room is decorated in shades of soft 
  silver and mint green, a rather deep and rich green carpet muffles most 
  noise, and a sparkling silver stripe leads out the door to the rest of the 
  administration wing. 
Contents:
Heptite Guild Laws
Online Terminal
Obvious exits:
Out  

Bernadette walks in from the outer office.
Bernadette has arrived.
Bernadette follows Kevlan into the office and makes her way to a far corner, 
  away from as much activity as she can.

Kevlan pauses, letting you do that, then he appears to steady himself. Closing 
  the door behind him, he says brightly, "Well... Ah guess Ah ain't quite used 
  t' bein' in heah yet, what with Miz Vyana's stuff in heah an' all" -- and he 
  gestures around to personal artifacts on the office shelves, as he settles 
  himself into the chair behind the desk. "Ah mostly been pilin' up papers." 
  And he has; arranged on the desks are somewhat haphazard stacks of hardcopy; 
  many are scribbled across their tops with URGENT or LATER or HECK NO in 
  assorted colors of ink, in Kevlan's handwriting.
Kevlan smiles crookedly, and goes on as he flicks on the terminals, "Don't see 
  too many folks in heah yet, though Alexandra ducked in heah, an' I gotta 
  sledtech come lookin' for me.... you wouldn't believe who was in heah 
  yestahday, though...!"

Bernadette looks mildly curious. "Who?" she asks, politely.

Kevlan glances over at you, and grins. "Tance Vokrim, th' ol' dog. Ah heard 
  'im more than Ah saw 'im, but he was pitchin' a fit when Mr. Maxwell called 
  'im in."
As he skims over waiting messages, Kevlan adds, shaking his head wonderingly, 
  "Mr. Maxwell musta said somethin' t' blow that storm ovah, 'cause he snuck 
  outta heah like he'd been whupped."

Bernadette's face conveys her dislike for the man in question and she 
  comments, "He probably needed a good whipping," before she looks around for 
  a chair.

There's a soft-looking padded chair on the side of the desk across from 
  Kevlan, and as you claim it, your husband says mildly, "Well... aftah he was 
  gone, Mr. Maxwell called _me_ in, tol' me what was goin' on. Seems like 
  Tance's been havin' problems, an' he's even gotta be shepherded all ovah 
  'gain."

"Sounds like a good idea, if you ask me," Bernadette replies, as she settles
  herself into the seat. "I pity the Singer who's stuck shepherding him,
  though."

Kevlan bobs his head. "Cain't say Ah'd be too thrilled 'bout th' job, 
  mahse'f." He half-smiles. "Anyhow...." He scans more messages, and says to 
  you conversationally, "Well, lessee.... looks like th' Tuners're bein' awful 
  slow lately... an' Ah still gotta decide what t' do 'bout th' complaint Ah 
  got on Miz Vyana..." At this, he frowns, gravely.

Bernadette shrugs noncommitally in response to your comment about Tance.
"Rather quiet in here," she comments, as she looks around again before her 
  eyes rest on you. "What do you want me to do to help?" she offers, though 
  she doesn't sound very enthusiastic about it.

Kevlan turns to you, and thinks. "Well..." He taps the paperwork stacked on 
  the desk. "Ah gotta go through alla these, an' find out what all ever'body 
  needs me t' come talk t' 'em about. But this thing with Miz Vyana...."

Bernadette stands and comes to stand next to you and leaf through one of the 
  piles. "What thing with Vyana?" she asks, as she scans.

Kevlan turns to you, earnestly, in his chair. "This's buggin' me. It's like 
  this." He goes on to explain to you that Sledtech Aralan had come to him 
  with a complaint: Vyana, on duty, had apparently been soundly chastised by 
  Azaria for a bad landing, and Vyana had responded by ordering Azaria to take 
  the sled sim tests _and_ be 'shepherded' into the Ranges. Aralan, it seems, 
  is infuriated by the loss of Azaria's work time, and not only wants back pay 
  for her, but new rules to prevent such things from happening again, _and_ a 
  public query into Vyana's behavior.

Bernadette blinks. "Why on Ballybran would a sled tech need to be shepherded 
  into the Ranges?"

Kevlan sighs. "_Apparently_," he tells you, drawing out the word so that he 
  actually clearly pronounces it, "Miz Vyana thought 'zaria needed t' see how 
  hard it was t' handle a sled."
Kevlan goes on, "An' with 'er on leave, Ah cain't exactly sic a hearin' on 
  'er. Ah ain't sure what t' do heah. Ar'lan says she endangahed th' Hangar 
  an' th' techs, but... " He trails off, shrugging, worriedly.

With an expression of mild disbelief, Bernadette looks at you with one eyebrow 
  quirked. "Well, I don't think Vyana should have had Azaria shepherded. In my 
  opinion, she has no business being out there." She shrugs.

Kevlan nods slowly, consideringly. "Ah c'n... kinda see why she musta done it, 
  but Ah don't know Miz Vyana _too_ well, or Miz 'zaria neithah, so Ah cain't 
  really make a call on what they musta been thinkin'. Cain't see Ah like th' 
  idea o' takin' a sledtech out though, mahse'lf..."

Bernadette shakes her head and, after a moment of contemplation, says, "I can 
  see Vyana's thinking with having Azaria pass her sims. That should have 
  sufficed as far as showing her how difficult it can be to fly a sled." She 
  shakes her head again, as she rifles through a few more files, "But no, I 
  can't see sending a sledtech out to the Ranges. Azaria could have gotten 
  hurt unnecessarily. At least if she crashes during bad weather in the sims, 
  she can't get hurt. Azaria doesn't get paid the big credits for the add 
  risks of flying like the Singers do."
Bernadette puts her hand on top of the files and looks evenly at you. "I think 
  they are both at fault to some degree. And that Aralan is over reacting. I 
  certainly wouldn't call a hearing." She shrugs again and then moves on to 
  rifle through a different pile of files.
Bernadette mumbles to the files, "Of course, I'm not the Guildmaster...or 
  Deputy Guildmaster, so..." She shrugs once more.

Kevlan reaches over and strokes your hand. "Ah ain't really th' Deupty 
  neithah, Ah'm jes' usin' 'er office." He smiles sheepishly. "You _are_ mah 
  wife, though, and you got more smarts than me."

This elicits a half smile out of her as she looks at you again. She leans 
  forward and kisses your forhead. "No, I wouldn't say that I'm smarter than 
  you." The smile turns into a wry grin, "Otherwise, I'd think Maxwell would 
  have given this job to me." She grins at you for another moment before she 
  scoops a bundle of files under her good arm and retreats to her seat to go 
  through them one by one.

Giggling a little, lowly, Kevlan caresses your hand. "Ah tol' Mr. Maxwell Ah'd 
  do it, honey, or else Ah'd letcha take over." He then nods levelly to your 
  earli words and goes on, "Ah guess Ah bettah talk t' him 'bout the sled 
  thing. Ah ain't really Deputy, so Ah feel kinda funny 'bout tryin' t' tell 
  folks t' siddown an' shut up." His voice turns a trifle embarrassed, and he 
  blushes a bit, looking very much like the Kevlan you know.

Bernadette chuckles softly...a sound you haven't heard in quite some time. 
  "I'd love to see the day when YOU tell someone to sit down and shut up, 
  Kev," she looks up from the files and grins: an actual, genuine grin.
Bernadette's grin widens and she adds, "Besides me, that is," with another 
  small chuckle.

Kevlan beams at that expression of yours; he can't help it. "It'd still feel 
  funny," he confides. "Ah-Ah kinda know how Tamber feels, though, now, 
  dealin' with us ornery Singers when we come in from th' Ranges!"

Bernadette smiles again and nods, "Yeah, I guess we can be ornery at times," 
  she agrees, then quietly goes back to the files. She chuckles again as she 
  reads one, "This Singer is lodging a complaint against the cuttertech who 
  serviced his cutter because he's cutting nothing but flaws now."

[Kevlan finds himself noticing that as Berni warms to the task of going over
 all his work with him, she becomes more animated, more conversational...
 and more like the Bernadette he married. Inwardly thrilled, he settles
 down to debate with her the nuances of all the problems he must handle,
 and for the first time in months, feels encouraged about his wife's mental
 health. To be continued.....]