Logfile from Brass&Steel. KCK -- Downtown This is a blocks-long stretch of 7th Street, running the entire North-South length of Huron Park's west side from Minnesota to Ann avenues. The civic and historic center of downtown Kansas City, Kansas, the skyline here is dominated by the sizable cluster of City Hall, the County Courthouse, and the Sailors and Soldiers Memorial Hall at its southernmost end. At the north end one can look down Minnesota to the West at night and see the klieg lights of the newly renovated landmark Granada Theatre. Between the people scurrying in and out of the government buildings, to the tourists and local history buffs wandering in and out of the former-Indian-burial-grounds-turned-park, to the concergoers coming in and out of the legendary Memorial Hall venue, this area is rarely not busy, day or night. Contents: Roger Obvious exits: Granada Theatre Above 789 Minnesota <789> Huron Park East on Minnesota Along State Ave Side Streets Zach comes bouncing down the stairs from the little appartment above the newsstand on Minnesota. He seems to be in a good mood on this warm and pleasant day, humming an old Edit Piaf song. He starts walking at a swift pace along the pavement in the direction of Granada Theatre. Roger is busy dodging tourists as he walks. Pausing, he looks up at the theater marqee to see what is playing this week and is promply walked into by a woman. He appoligies quickly and moves out of the way to stand near the wall. Zach saunters along dodging the aforementioned tourists with ease, never losing a pace. He spots Roger trying to support a wall and smiles, pleased to see him apparently. "Hey Roger, what's wrong with that wall?" Roger looks up at the familar voice "Hmm? Oh hey Zach." He grins "Nothing wrong with the wall, it just happens to be out of the way of people attempting to make their way peacefuly down the sidewalk." Zach chuckles. "Oh is that what you're doing. I thought it needed love and support. So whatcha up to?" Roger chuckles "Just seeing what movie is playing here. You?" You say, "I was just gonna go out to get something to eat. Wanna join me?" Roger nods "Sure, where at? Zach smiles. "Let's go to Kathy's. Been a long time since I was there.." Roger nods "I was just there with Harriet yesterday." Zach ahs. "Oh, maybe you'd like to go to Rosemont instead?" Roger shakes his head "Naah, Kathy's will be fine." Zach nods and walks on. Kathy's Bar and Grill Off-white walls, decorated with photos of regular guests and the occasional state or county limits sign from somewhere else in the country. A picture of Jesus Christ, complete with beatific smile and halo, is hung apart from these other decorations near the swinging door to the kitchen. There is the smell of beer, coffee, and grease, in various combinations depending on the time of day. A jukebox plays blues, soul, and country tunes in various combinations that are likewise time-and-clientele-dependent. The tables and floors are chipped and cracked, but homey. Waitresses in flannel and denim mill about dropping down beers and burgers and coffee and pie on the tables of truckers and bikers who want to catch a quick meal or a quick buzz before passing out in their rigs or heading home. The overall effect is one of Early Modern White Trash; while the folks here may possess a civil sheen of politeness, do not ever mistake them for intellectual or cultural giants. Contents: Roger Roger looks over at Zach as they find a table, "So, what have you been up too?" Zach looks around and lowers his voice a bit. "Working day and night, my friend. Day and night. Mundane money-earning work and not-so-mundane soul-saving work.." He takes a seat at a table. Roger slides in across from him and picks up a menu. As he looks it over he mutters softly "Oh? What sort of Soul saving work? Zach eyes the menu in search of foody goodness. "Been abound the block a dozen times to find someone that might be able to help Goldie. No real luck so far.." Roger nods slowly "No one with the right abilities or something?" Zach puts the menu down on the table, having decided upon a course and leans back in his seat. He shakes his head sadly. "Not a single one. Part from a Soldier with only the faintest smattering of a Song that might help. But he's not mine to command and I wouldn't send him out into the Marches to fight a big Charlie anyway." Roger frowns slightly "Another Solider? Who's the other Solider in town?" Zach shakes his head. "I'm not at liberty to tell you that, Roger. I'm sorry. It was not an easy task to obtain that info. He's about as secret as they come. I could ask his superior if we could make introductions later though. It might be good for you both to get to know another human in the same situation." Roger nods "Yeah, that would be great. How long has he been a Solider? Advice is always useful." Zach shakes his head again. "I have no idea, Roge. No idea." Roger sighs and sets the menu down "Oh well. Do ask his superior if I can talk to his Solider." Zach nods and smiles. "I'll do that Roge. I'll do that. So what've you been up tp these last few days then?" Roger shrugs a bit "Umm...I met Delia." Zach smiles and tilts his head. "Oh, okay. How'd it go?" Roger shrugs "It was only a few minutes while she was leaving her office. She gave me her card and hold me to call her. Any idea what she want's to talk to me about? Zach shakes his head. "Nope. I think she just wants to meet you. She wants to meet all of our people in town, I think. Mostly because she works for who she works for, but also because she is genuinely friendly. As far as her nature allows her to." Roger grins slightly "What's her nature?" Zach quiets down even more. "To be objective. I don't have a deep understanding of it, so I suggest you ask her when next you meet her. I am sure she'll tell you all about it." He smiles slightly. Roger chuckles "Ok I will." He looks up as the waitress finaly shows up at their table and orders a BLT and a diet coke." The current time in Kansas City is 7:50 PM, Tue Oct 01, 2002. Zach is ready for a big plate of chicken with fries and salad and some salsa to dip said chicken in. And a bottle of Carlsberg beer. When the waitress has left, he asks: "You heard anything form your friends in vice, yet?" in a low voice. Roger shakes his head "I'll ask tonight." Zach nods. "Allright. Thanks, mate. Say - you haven't heard anything from the Sword yet?" Roger makes a face "I'm afraid not, damn it. I'd really like to talk to them...I mean not that I have anything against your boss or anything, it's just that I think I'd fit in better with the Sword." Roger says, "by the way, I'll bet that we've spent enough time for me to learn the Song you were talking about."" Roger says, "err we're teaching me :PP" Zach smiles kindly. "Yeah, you're right. But I hope you don't consider the time spent with me a waste, though." Zach says, "How many corp forces have you got?" Roger chuckles "Nope, it's an interesting view of things. Roger says, "2" Zach says, "Right. And we've been training every day, bar the week Zach was Elsewhere... Started Aug 16th. ... You'll be ready to roll vs TN 5 on thursday/friday this week. But if Fid says it's ok, you could do it now. :)" Roger says, "hmm I can wait untill then."" Zach grins. "It has been a very interesting experience for me too. You're the forst Soldier I've ever initiated and trained. But I can't give you their type of training whatever that is. I just have to try to make it fit you as best as I can. And it's always good to have a friend here and there who understands Creation better than the average Swordie.." He winks. Roger laughs and nods "Yeah, cross training is always useful. I'm flattered to be your first solider. As food arrives, Zach asks if Roger had heard anything from Roxanne yet? Roger sighs "Nope, not for months. I just don't know what happened there." Zach shighs and shakes his head philosophically. "Oh well, c'est la Vie. Women come and women go." He narrows his eyes and mock-glares. "And wash your brain! I didn't mean it like /that/!" Roger chuckles "Ah come on, let me indulduge my imanagtion." Zach hmphs. "Not if you wanna work for the Sword. They demand a certain purity of thougth and soul." He smiles again and adds, "Not many of them that indulges in Creationer's rites I'm afraid. Well, indulge in anything. They are the classical knights in shining armors. I respect them grately, but they can be a pain somethimes. But they /are/ some of the most dilligent and hardworking of all our kind. And the Commander... I suppose he's the ultimate malakite. Even above David." His voice is soft and quiet. Roger nods "That sounds like something I would like....eer how do I tell them about Traci though?" Zach looks him straight in the eye. "Up front and immediately. Be absolutely honest and repentant. You do /not/ want to try to hide this from them." Roger winces slightly "Yeah, I can see that. Umm do you think they'll care?" Zach smiles slightly and leans forward to whisper, "A grown man boinking an underage girl? I should very much think so. Nevermind the infernal bit of the story. But they will see you through and you'll be strenghtened by the experience." Roger closes his eyes and sighs "Yeah, that was dumb question I suppose. How will they see me though?" Zach hmms. "That would depend somewhat on what kind of angel gets assigned to you. Each choir have a different point of view. But all in all - you had a weakness and it was exploited. You genuinely wish to serve the Sword, you agree with what the Sword stands for and you try to live it every day. You'll be fine, Roger.Soon as you show them what's inside of you." He starts digging in his pockets. Harriet enters. Roger and Zach are sitting at a table, eating and speaking in low voices. Zach hunts around in his pockets and pulls out a small object which he hands over to Roger. Harriet walks in, looking like she passed Cloud Nine a while ago, and is heading straight for Cloud Fifty. She looks around, spots Roger and Zach, and waves. She moves in that direction. "May I join you gentlemen?" Roger takes the object and glance down at it. Zach mutters to Roger, "Here,... I should... the ritual.... It's... Sign... your blood... the... a... who brought..." You whisper "Here, this is yours. I should have given it to you at the ritual. I didn't realise then. It's your Sign of service. It's got your blood on it - it's part of the bonding. It's not a Laurentian dagger, but then it was no Laurentian who brought you into the light." to Roger. Roger senses "Zach hands over a swiss army knife." Roger chuckles and slips it into a pocket. Zach looks up upon hearing a familiar voice and smiles. "Harriet! How nice to see you! Sure you can join." Roger waves at Harriet "Hey there Harriet, you sure seem to be in a good mood." Harriet says, "Yay!" and slips into an empty chair. "How are you two tonight?" She looks at Roger, a slightly goofy grin on her face. "Yeah, isn't it great?" Roger grins "I'm good. What's got you grinning like a loon?" Roger needs to go. Harriet laughs and picks up a menu. "Life is good, you know?" Her cheeks flush just a little. Harriet says, "Awwww. So little time! Oh, well." Zach twinkles a smile to Harriet. "What's up? Heart's aflutter?" Roger looks down as his beeper goes off "Damn, have to run." Harriet watches Roger leave over the top of her menu. "The life of a public servant." She grins at Zach. "Yes, actually. I think I'll have a cheeseburger and fries." Zach waves goodbye to Roger and watches him run. A waitress comes by and takes Harriet's order. "So who's the lucky guy then?" He smiles. Harriet hesitates, looking at Zach with a hint of wariness. "Lucian," she says carefully, then quickly turns and orders, adding a chocolate milkshake to the burger and fries. Zach tries mightily to hide the horror in his eyes. He lowers them an swallows, fidgeting with his napkin. But there's still the matter of his paling face for all to see. Harriet blinks, not at all expecting this strong of a reaction. She puts a hand on Zach's shoulder. "Are you okay? Zach?" Zach shakes his head as his eyes moisten just a little bit and swallows again. "I... I'll be ok, Harriet. Don't...worry about me." A lingering hint of pain lurks deep in his eyes, though he tries to force it away from the light of day. Harriet stares into his face, her expression worried. "Are you sure? Do you need some water or something? Or a doctor, you know?" Zach shakes his head again. "No. Nothing like that." Harriet still looks concerned. "Well, don't scare me like that," she says with a feeble chuckle. "I thought you were choking or something, you know?" Zach sighs softly. "I am, but not /that/ way. I'm sorry." Harriet sighs. "That was about Lucian, then, wasn't it?" She looks down at the table, her hands coming together and holding each other. Zach looks terribly uncomfortable and chews some salad instead of answering straight away. Harriet doesn't seem terribly unhappy about the lack of confrontation, and accepts her order from the waitress with a rather forced smile. She chews on a fry, and watches Zach with worried eyes. Zach says, "Will roll" AutoJudge: Zach rolls: 4 + 4 = 8 . Check die: 4 Zach says, "Bleh! :)" Zach says, "Wonder what kind of Intervention a 444 is.. :)" Harriet says, "The most feared of all: IRS!" Zach says, "EEEK!!!" [Public] Zach RUNS! [Public] Fidelity says, "WHere?" [Public] Harriet says, "Away from the celestial auditors, I presume. Mwuhahahaha!" [Public] Zach says, "In hiding!! I got a 444. Harriet says it's an IRS intervention!" [Public] Zach sprints toward the Mexican border! [Public] Harriet steals his salad. "My evil plan worked! The greenery is mine!" Zach fidgets with his napkin. Fidget, fidget, fidget. He seems to be fighting an inner battle, which he loses. "You're too good for him, Harriet," he says quietly. Harriet swallows her fry, and looks at Zach. "So you've said, Zach," she says, not unkindly, "but..." She shrugs. Zach looks guilty and bites his lip. "But it's none of my business, right?" Harriet shakes her head. "That wasn't what I was going to say at all." She smiles at him. "You're my friend. I'd be more unhappy if you /didn't/ point out when you thought I was making a mistake." She sips the milkshake. "I just don't really know what to say. You don't like him, and he doesn't like you, and I have no idea why, when I like you both, you know?" Zach nods sadly. "I know.. It must be difficult for you. My problem with Lucian is that it's so much....hate in him. So much darkness." Harriet looks down at her fries, and chews on another one while she thinks. Finally, she says, "I haven't seen that." She holds up a hand. "Which is not to say that you're not right, but I haven't seen it. I can only judge people on what I find them to be, or on some sort of evidence, you know?" She shakes her head. "He's a fairly strange man, but you make it sound like he's evil." Zach sighs and takes a swig of his water. "Yes I do.." he says softly. "I'm worried about you." Harriet smiles at Zach. "You're a sweet man, you know? But," she shrugs, "I care about him. He's...I don't know. But today, you'd think nobody had ever given him something before." She smiles at the memory. "He's...Lucian, you know?" Zach nods. "Indeed he is. I'm not gonna give you a lot of flack here.. I don't want to piss you off. Just...be careful, Harriet. I.." He reaches out and touches her cheek gently as he looks her in the eyes. The love and the worry is plain to see. He pauses and swallows whatever it was he was about to say. "I'm gonna leave it alone, now." He withdraws his hand. You paged Harriet with 'But while touching, he tries to resonate. +2 CD for touch. :)'. AutoJudge: Zach rolls: 4 + 2 = 6 . Check die: 5 Zach grins! Harriet pages: Do I have to roll anything? Harriet pages: And..you sneaky person, you. :) You paged Harriet with 'Nope. No resiting this, I'm afraid. :)'. From afar, Harriet hangs her head. "What's being done to poor Harriet's mind now?" You paged Harriet with 'Okay: Least and most honorable thing (singularum, yes:) done last week. 3 least and most honorable things done last year. Most and lest honorable acts EVER. Highest and lowest potential in the Symphony. (This last one is iffy, feel free to consult a wiz.)'. You paged Harriet with 'Nothing is being done. Part from some gentle mind/heartprobing. ;P'. Harriet pages: Good god. Okay. Last week: Had a minor temper tantrum at a supplier's secretary that the woman did not deserve, and gave a twenty to a homeless man. Last year: Ignored a friend when he was having serious trouble because of work, donated the proceeds of an entire show to a battered women's shelter. Ever...question, does this count what she /believes/ she's done, or what was really her fault? You paged Harriet with 'Hm. IT goes to what she herself sees as right and wrong. So even if it wasn't her fault per se, it might show up.'. Harriet pages: Okay, then. Best thing was probably taking in a homeless family for several months while she was in Vermont, until the parents could get a job. Worse thing...she believes that she was directly responsible for her fiance committing suicide in college. Now I have to talk to Ye Old Wiz. You paged Harriet with 'And there's still 2 noble and 2 ignoble acts last year left unmentioned. But if it's be only smallstuff, you don't have to make it up:)'. Harriet pages: Consider it small stuff. Her good stuff tends to be helping out anyone who seems unhappy, and her bad stuff tends to be related to work-obsession. Long distance to Harriet: Zach nods. Thanks.:) Harriet pages: Fidelity is thinking too much. I'm scared. :) Harriet pages: You have a complicated resonance to answer. :) You paged Harriet with 'He's cool when Gabe puts Visions in his head! :) And yes, angelic resonances can be a pain. This is one of the easier, I think. It goes to what the resonated one feels to be Right and Wrong. Elohites and mercurians are a Pain. :) But I'm biased...'. Harriet pages: Okay. Let's see. I guess highest potential would be crafting a masterpiece that lifts people's hearts for decades to come. Lowest...suicide. You paged Harriet with 'Gotcha! :)' Harriet pages: Gotcha? Eek. Harriet pages: Wait, take that lowest back. Argh. You paged Harriet with 'Nonono:) No eeks for you. But Certain Others, otoh... >:)'. Harriet pages: All right! We've got it. Lowest potential= to abandon someone who desperately needed help, who she could help, because she simply Could Not Deal. Running away is kind of a speciality of hers. You paged Harriet with 'Oki:)'. From afar, Harriet wipes sweat from her brow. "That's /hard/, especially since she's so alien to me. Whew." Long distance to Harriet: Zach cheers! Well done! :) Harriet pages: Now, where were we? Oh, right. :) Harriet sighs and closes her eyes. "That's probably wise," she says softly. Her eyes open again, and she looks at him pleadingly, "We're still friends, you know?" Zach nods silently, eyes lingering on her for a while longer. Then he lowers them. "You're such a generous soul." Harriet laughs, a shade uncomfortably. "Not really. You should see me when I have a chocolate sundae. Anyone trying to snitch a bite loses a hand, you know?" Her eyes twinkle as she pops a fry into her mouth. Zach smiles softly, his eyes glitter lovingly. "Well yes, but that's a special case. You don't /share/ a chockolate sundae - you make more than one." Harriet grins. "Yeah, then you have one to taunt people with." She laughs, and sips from her milkshake. "So, have any unusual mechanical problems today?" Zach shakes his head. "None so far. How 'bout you? Any artistic troubles today?" Harriet thinks about it, then shakes her head. "Not recently, really. I sent some projects off to New York for a showing there...that's never dull, but nothing unusual went wrong, you know?" She looks around. "I like this place. Jukeboxes are great, you know?" Zach smiles and chuckles softly. "Yeah, they're like DIY deejays - if you have the coinage. I'm glad your projects went allright. Are they showing right now, or?" Harriet nods. "The show should be going on right now. I probably won't know what happened to them until I get a check, or," she chuckles, "more likely, I get the projects back. The venue is a little above me, you know? I wouldn't have gotten in if a friend hadn't recommended me." She turns a little pink. "Uh, I guess that sounds terribly unfair, you know?" Zach shakes his head and smiles. "No it doesn't. That's what friends are for. To give a little help every now and then. You'd do the same in a heartbeat. Generosity is never unfair." Harriet purses her lips. "I don't know. Where does generosity to a friend end, and unfair partisanship begin?" She takes a bite from her burger, and chews it with satisfaction. Zach shrugs. "With said helpful friend's motives." Harriet snorts, and grins. "Because people's motives are written on their face in twenty-point font?" She blinks, and sighs. "And why am I debating this? Philosophy is not my thing, you know?" She looks at him. "What kind of music do you like, Zach?" Zach smiles to Harriet. "It's written across the heart, that's were it ultimately counts." He considers her question. "Music? Oh I like a lot of stuff. In fact there is very little I don't like. I would say that my biggest soft spot is for South American music. Tango, samba, Peruvian and Chilean folk music..." Harriet grins. "That's nifty. Have you been to South America?" Zach nods smilingly. "Yes I have. But it's been a few years since." Harriet is noticibly wistful. "I want to go, one day. I've heard it's beautiful." Zach smiles enthusiastically. "Oh yes! It definitely is worth a trip. If you have the chance you should stay a while. Get to know the people." Harriet laughs. "I probably will, if I ever get down there. After a winter here, I mgight even feel the need for it, you know?" She winks at him. Zach chuckles softly. "True enough. It can get bitter in the winter. I gotta split now, Harriet. I was lovely to see you again." Harriet nods and smiles. "It was good to see you again, too." Her expression turns serious. "It's always good to talk to a friend." Harriet is a woman in her early twenties. She's below average in height, and thin and pale, as if she doesn't get out much. She has short-cropped, unruly, dark brown hair, and green eyes. Her round, open face seems as if it's used to doing a lot of smiling. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses perch--slightly askew--on her nose. Harriet is wearing a pink, sleeveless, turtleneck shirt and paint-splattered blue jeans, along with her trashed sneakers. She's also wearing a faded denim jacket, patched with a variety of rainbow colors, apparently whether it needed it or not. Her glasses have tiny smiley-face stickers on the upper corners of the lenses. Zach reaches out and strokes her cheek with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes. "Anytime Harriet. Anytime," he says sincerely. Zach puts money and tips on the table and stands to leave. "I'll see you later, doll." Harriet chuckles, and says, "'Doll'? See you later, Zach..." Zach winks and leaves. Zach says, "See you later! Bye:)" You step outside.