C. D. - character development

"Our news paper is kept at a six grade reading level...that's sad." said Evan.

Skipper whistles. "I have no idea what that means, but it sounds bad."

"it is," said evan, shaking his head.

Skipper shivers. "Do you want to hear some Nuska poetry?"

((I have to go now, sorry.))

"Sure," said Cassie, looking up from the book.

(AWWWW bye!)

Skipper places the book back on the shelf and takes another one. She leafs through it. "I'll have to translate as I go along, so it might be a bit clunky."
Skipper clears her throat and stares blankly at the page before starting to speak slowly and heavily.
"The guns of Hoort Up-Ka sound
among the ground-sorrel.
Your tears fall like freezing rain on my shoulders.
You move and your spines clatter with the machine-guns.
I fall face-down in the dirt
And love you still."
Skipper holds the book for a moment, still silent.
"It rhymed in Nuska."

"I like it," said Cassie.

"It sounded better in the original language."

"Still it's really good!"

"Oh, yeah! It's one of my favourites. It's by Ak-Tro Sle. I think I might actually be descended from him, but I'm not sure. I could probably find a book written by Justick, if you wanted."

"Ok!" said Cassie cheerfully.

Skipper replaces the poetry book and skips down the aisles. She comes to another shelf, and removes a heavy tome bound in deep, dark purple leather.
"The Wheels of Justice, by Es-Ka Justick."
Skipper turns the pages almost reverentially.
"'Our fear drives us, and makes us strong,' he says here. 'Without it, we would be as the leaves in the wind. But we must not let that fear take us into its power. it is essential that the driver does not become the driven, and vice versa.'"

"I like that one," said Evan. "Is that your favorite?"

"Yeah..." Skipper trails her fingers across the page, then presses them to her lips. She suddenly remembers that she has company. "And not just because of the author."

"What's the other reason?" asked Evan.

"I reckon he's right. I think he makes some valid points about our selves, both collective and individual. He has a very good insight into how people think."

"Ah...any other reasons?....you kinda spaced out for a moment..." asked Evan.

"No. The author is the reason it's special to me," replies Skipper. "He's... Oh, it's him, you know?"

"Ah...I see..." said Evan.

"Who's "he"?" asked Cassie.

"Justick. The guy I told you about. The one who loves someone else."

"Ah..." said Cassie.

"Yeah. But now you know why I love this book so much."

"Has he written anything?" asked Cassie.

"He wrote this book. I just told you. He's also responsible for the Crime and Mercy quartet, in which he delves into the ethical issues surrounding galactic law. He also wrote a slim volume of humorous land taxation stories."

"Oh...but you said a....." said Cassie.

"She thought it was a diffrent author...you used a diffrent name for his nick name," said Evan.