No 12343, Thursday 14 Jun 2018, KrisKross

A Red Indian theme perhaps?

ACROSS
1   They fight using arrows, firm at heart (8) WARRIORS {ARROWS+fIRm}* &lit
5   I would fish, having free time (6) IDLING {I'D}{LING}
9   Indian leader's minor ego problem (8) GERONIMO*
10 Engineer with a perfect score gets defeated (6) BEATEN {BE}{A}{TEN}
12 Make-up lady uses a bit of rouge, of course (9) ASSUREDLY {LADY+USES+Ro..e}*
13 Old engine driver (5) STEAM [CD]
14 Dark Lord perhaps returns, crossing lake (4) EBON NOBlE<=
16 Store worker wraps sub loosely (7) HUSBAND {H{SUB*}AND}
19 Wild cats close to being destroyed (7) OCELOTS*
21 Clean energy causes misery (4) MOPE {MOP}{E}
24 Say, one wearing coat of arms for protection (5) AEGIS {EG}{1} in {ArmS}
25 Ceaseless work with passion by North Australian (9) TASMANIAN {TASk}{MANIA}{N}
27 To some extent, I express disinterest over accepting article (2,1,3) IN A WAY {I}{YAW{A}N<=}
28 A goblin's new knife (8) BALISONG*

29 Miss Lee's odd jabber (6) NEEDLE {NEED}{LeE}
30 Lacking knowledge, Italian lady heading off with books (8) IGNORANT {sIGNORA}{NT}

DOWN
1   Maybe 9's home where Idli goes with Aloo Mutter for starters (6) WIGWAM Acrostic

2   Translating Sartre is most uncommon (6) RAREST*
3   Characters in Spain, nervous near the bull... (5) INNER [T]
4   ...hit man in the middle and moved fast (7) RAMADAN {RAM}{mAn}{AND*}
6   Urs speeds away and prepares for a party (7,2) DRESSES UP*
7   Doctor: "I want to protect that woman, naturally" (2,3,3) IN THE RAW {I+WANT}* over {HER}
8   Terribly angry, shedding resistance, KrisKross starts to display extremely shiny revolver (8) GANYMEDE (ANGrY*}{ME}{Di...y}{Ex...y}
11 Some dreamy, thrilling story (4) MYTH [T]
15 Bishop casually took selfies, primarily with everyone in a small shop (9) BOOKSTALL {B}{TOOK+Se...s}*{ALL}
17 Transformation of Nova Scotia — not a small job (8) VOCATION {NOVa+sCOTIA}*
18 Unclear, garbled English in European city (8) BELGRADE {GARBLED*}{E}
20 Spot auditor's name (4) SITE (~sight) (Addendum - (~cite) - See comments)
21 Should "nag" cryptically mean "horse"? (7) MUSTANG {MUST}{NAG*}
22 Mosaic, mostly cracked, seen behind entrance of manufacturing plant (6) MIMOSA {Ma...g}{MOSAIc*} Touch-me-not

23 A jumper that could be black or white? (6) KNIGHT [CD]

26 I am sorry to leave a friend (5) AMIGO {I+AM}*{GO}

GRID

Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 62

ALTERCATION IN GEMINI.

What on earth was happening in Gemini?

The next dance was Kayal's. But only three persons knew the plan...

Kayal alerted the bouncer GERONIMO (with a BALISONG) who as usual was IDLING around.

She tells him: "AMIGO. Be watchful. I shall do my best."

The song began. Besame Besame mucho. Kayal thought it sounded like - MI-MO-SA MIMOSA PUDICA.

Her strip tease was the RAREST of the rare.  Soon IN A WAY she was almost naked.

Meanwhile Geronimo had moved towards the INNER rows. He needles a charming onlooker GANYMEDE who shouts: "Come on. Pick up STEAM. We want you IN THE RAW!!" Two more join him vociferously. They are BEATEN up by Geronimo,  Kayal quickly DRESSES UP and disappears.

Uncle Sam is taken aback and in the melee two men had quietly slipped out and jumped into the waiting jeep.

What happened next?

Some trivia:

1. Mimosa pudica is also known as the TOUCH-ME-NOT plant.

2. Besame mucho ("kiss me a lot') is a famous song of yesteryears. One can say Kalyanji-Anandji were inspired by it. Ye sama sama hai pyar ka in the movie Jab Jab Phool Khile. The actress is Nanda.

3. MSV has used the tune in the song Anubhavam pudhumai in the movie Kadhalikka neramillai.

4. Those who are interested may listen to: Besame mucho and Anubhavam pudhumai by Latha and her fusion band (youtube)