Invading the Lounge
Posted on Tue Feb 5th, 2019 @ 10:35pm by Deveron Raziel & Nicolas "Nick" Giordano & Cadet Freshman Grade Gwen Morgan
Edited on on Tue Feb 5th, 2019 @ 10:37pm
Mission:
The First Step...
Location: Dev's Lounge
Timeline: 2388/08/29 1645 (Fri. August 29 2388 4:45pm)
Leaving the dorms with more pep in her step than she had displayed in the past weeks, Kelly paused to breathe in the fresh, clean air and sighed. "Finally...Free! Free at last! Ahahahaha!"
She stopped and did a full three hundred and sixty degree turn before looking at Gwen. "Umm...way?"
Gwen just smiled amused by Kelly's antics and pointed to the west.
"Paradise lies to the west! Wagons ho!" Kelly exclaimed and turned in that direction. "Forward, giddyup!"
With a bemused expression Gwen followed Kelly, hoping they knew what they were getting into.
Wandering along, Kelly looked over at Gwen and raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong? You're unusually quiet."
Gwen looked a little surprised. "Sorry I didn't realize." She paused and tried to explain, "If I don't ask a million questions when trying something new I'm busy just observing the whole thing. For long term memory.." She tapped her head. They walked for a bit before she mentioned something else, "I feel a bit like I'm on a spy op, bit worried it won't work out though.." She whispered the confession with quiet smile. She sounded quietly pleased about the spy op idea but concerned about their success.
Stopping, Kelly looked at her and chuckled. "But isn't the biggest part of the spy game about pretending that you know what you're doing and own the place?"
Gwen nodded, "The Professor..Intel professor.." She thought to explain, "Says that much of undercover is planning and attitude." She paused then continued "that's why I'm going for analyst I think. I don't lie very well..." She looked embarrassed about it.
"Who said you have to lie?" Kelly asked. "If you don't tell the whole truth, is it considered a lie or the truth? There are ways around it." She looked at Gwen. "I could say that I like you, which would be the truth, yet at the same time I could leave out that I'd like you better if you wore sparkle butt jeans."
"I..." She meant to reply to the first part then got distracted by the last part. "Guess that works" replied Gwen with a puzzled expression, not entirely sure she understood the reference as she stuck her hands in her pockets while they walked.
Laughing, Kelly nearly tripped before straightening herself. "Relax. It was just an example, but if you did wear something like that, every guy around would be after you. Where is this lounge at? I'm eager to show them the newest talent in the Delta Quadrant."
"Not that funny..." Gwen muttered good-naturedly even as she smiled a little at Kelly's laughter. She laughed a little herself as the mental image of her in sparkling pants was being chased by half the campus, "Lead On MacDuff..." She said good humor restored.
"Just wait until you replicate a new pair of pants," Kelly winked at her and paused by a campus directory. "Do you have a song in mind?"
She looked at her friend suspiciously as the thought suddenly occurred to her to check the settings next time she needed new pants. "Not really, I couldn't get a bead on the type of music they prefer. I was walking by once and thought I heard something that sounded like jazz though..." She offered.
"Hmm...I don't really know any jazz," Kelly admitted. "My style is a bit different from that, but I can improvise if needed."
Later at the promenade...
She peaked around the corner to see the club and looked a bit nervous. "I've never played in front of a bunch of people before, either."
"Well we can always ask and go from there." She patted Kelly's shoulder trying to be supportive, "Look at it this way, first we have get to the audition then pass it. One thing at a time..." She smiled. "It's how I get through things, good to plan ahead but not get bogged down."
Kelly bit her lip. "I've always been fast and furious," she admitted. "Which has gotten me in and out of trouble at the same time, but I'll follow your lead on this one. Shall we begin the invasion?"
"I have a lead?" She said reminding Kelly whose idea this was. She took a deep breath, "Remember look around without looking like you're doing it, we can figure out what we saw later the important part is to see it." She said remembering a recent lesson. Then she turned and walked with Kelly for the door, tossing a supporting smile over her shoulder. Normally she wouldn't of put herself forward but she was trying something new and it seemed like she was willing to go further to help a friend.
"We'll do it together," Kelly said as she stepped up to walk side by side with Gwen as they headed for the entrance, carrying her violin case. Not seeing a doorman, she put on a bright smile and looked at Gwen. "This should be easy. Let's roll, roomie." Taking a breath, she stepped through the doorway and took a surreptitious look around.
Gwen smiled and nodded determinedly as they headed in briskly.
Spotting a man at the bar area that looked like he may be on duty, Kelly decided to head over to him carrying her violin case in one hand and extending her free hand to him. "Hi. I'm Kelly Khan and this is Gwen Morgan. Together, we're Bardtastic and we're here to audition."
Gwen nodded and looked to be focusing on him entirely even as her eyes took in everything in their field of view.
The man sat down the glass he'd been polishing, and looking at the girls with an uncertain expression, he also smiled and took Kelly's hand. "Nick Giordano." and he eyed her, "What exactly would you be auditioning?"
Giving Nick an enthusiastic handshake, Kelly smiled. "For the entertainment, of course." She held up her violin case. "I'm a violinist and my erstwhile companion Miss Morgan is a vocalist. Let the others know they don't have to come for any other auditions."
Gwen nodded impressed by Kelly's confidence. Trying to look like she had the same.
"Oh really?" Nick chuckled, taken in by her enthusiasm. "Then why don't you show me," he directed to the stage where a piano and a guitar sat.
"Thank you," Kelly said as she motioned for Gwen to join her. Going to the stage, she knelt and opened her violin case and pulled out the translucent electric green violin and a battered PADD that looked like it had been around a few quadrants. Hooking the patch cable up to it, she waited for Gwen to join her as she set the case aside. "I call this one Elements."
She'd been fine but now that they were here she was confronted by the reality of their plan. She honestly had not expected to get this far. Gwen took a deep breath trying not to freeze onstage. She looked out over the empty room with just the Bartender but her mind filled it with people, what if they didn't like it? What if she was horrible? What if she couldn't sing? She took another breath and tried to take a cue from Kelly's book. Her mother was fond of saying whenever things got overwhelming, "Focus on one thing at a time, the rest will tend to itself.". She smiled at Nick then focused on Kelly, "Ready when you are." she said, "Just focus on the music..." She told herself as a kind of mantra.
Loading the music program on the PADD, Kelly tucked the violin under her chin and drew the bow over the strings, creating a haunting melody as she began to play Elements . She swayed to the music slowly at first, then began to move her hips and legs in sync with the music, her eyes closed as the music flowed. While she hadn't rehearsed with Gwen, Kelly felt confident that she would do fine.
Back over at the bar Nick looked up from what he was doing, an expression of pleasant surprise settling across his features as he leaned against the bar taking in Kelly's performance.
Gwen's heart was beating a million times a minute as the music began to play. Her brain spun swiftly she knew this song there were no lyrics! She panicked as her mind whirled with possibles in desperation she pulled one of the first that seemed like she could make it fit.
The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,
And in the glade a light was seen
Of stars in shadow shimmering.
Tin?viel was dancing there
To music of a pipe unseen,
And light of stars was in her hair,
And in her raiment glimmering."
Her voice became more confident as she weaved the words with the music, instinctively blending the music seemed to grab a part of her soul and she couldn't help but move to the beat. Hand movements accompanied the words as they flowed rapid but clear in a beautiful singing voice.
Keeping his eyes on the girls, Nick tapped and spoke into his combadge, "Dev, I...think you should come out here." as Gwen continued to sing. He breathed in "Wow", for he had never heard of such an unusual beat, one that flowed with an electronic mix added in, and Gwen had a beautiful voice.
And lost he wandered under leaves,
And where the Elven-river rolled
He walked alone and sorrowing.
He peered between the hemlock-leaves
And saw in wonder flowers of gold
Upon her mantle and her sleeves,
And her hair like shadow following.
Enchantment healed his weary feet
That over hills were doomed to roam;
And forth he hastened, strong and fleet,
And grasped at moonbeams glistening.
Through woven woods in Elvenhome
She lightly fled on dancing feet,
And left him lonely still to roam
In the silent forest listening.
As Gwen sang, Kelly's expression and movement changed with the stanzas of her song. She looked forlorn as the music she played flowed along a sad tangent and she wandered about the stage as if lost, turning around slowly and cast her gaze seekingly.
Nick had come around from behind the bar and leaned back on a barstool, just as Dev came walking out from somewhere in the back of the club and joined him. Needing to pry his eyes away, Nick glanced over to Dev, "So what do you think? They call themselves Bardtastic."
Dev smiled as he stared at the girls thoughtfully. "They're very good." he said, "More than good, " and glanced back over at him and raised an eyebrow.
""But..?" Nick sighed, he understood. The girls were incredible but their style of music wasn't what they played there at Dev's Place. "Yeah.." he nodded, his eyes returning to them.
Of feet as light as linden-leaves,
Or music welling underground,
In hidden hollows quavering.
Now withered lay the hemlock-sheaves,
And one by one with sighing sound
Whispering fell the beechen leaves
In the wintry woodland wavering.
He sought her ever, wandering far
Where leaves of years were thickly strewn,
By light of moon and ray of star
In frosty heavens shivering.
Her mantle glinted in the moon,
As on a hilltop high and far
She danced, and at her feet was strewn
A mist of silver quivering.
Kelly's movements slowed as the song spoke of winter and withered leaves, but picked up along with her music as Gwen's voice lifted in joy. She began to spin about the stage, her bow flying over the strings as she strove to keep pace with the song and blend it with her music.
And her song released the sudden spring,
Like rising lark, and falling rain,
And melting water bubbling.
He saw the elven-flowers spring
About her feet, and healed again
He longed by her to dance and sing
Upon the grass untroubling.
Again she fled, but swift he came.
Tin?viel! Tin?viel!
He called her by her elvish name,
And there she halted listening.
One moment stood she, and a spell
His voice laid on her: Beren came,
And doom fell on Tin?viel
That in his arms lay glistening.
An expression of pure joy leaped to Kelly's face as the song rose to a crescendo. She spun about as her bow drew notes from the violin in a rapture of sound and she halted as the song fell once again. A lost look crossed her features before she perked up again and began to dance once more.
Within the shadows of her hair,
The trembling starlight of the skies
He saw there mirrored shimmering.
Tin?viel the elven-fair,
Immortal maiden elven-wise,
About him cast her shadowy hair
And arms like silver glimmering.
Long was the way that fate them bore,
O'er stony mountains cold and grey,
Through halls of iron and darkling door,
And woods of nightshade morrowless.
The Sundering Seas between them lay,
And yet at last they met once more,
And long ago they passed away
In the forest singing sorrowless."
Kelly twisted, bowed, stretched towards the stars on her toes, twirled and took flight back and forth while her bow and fingers flew over the strings. Finally, she knelt and closed her eyes before looking up at Gwen as she brought the song to a finish. "That was fantastic, Gwen," she said softly.
Gwen was breathing heavily but with a wide grin on her face, joy obvious in her features "I did I really did it! feel like I could fly" she confessed just as quietly fighting the urge to spin around. She actually managed to forget their audience of two.
Actually there were more, the place was filling in.
"We got this," Kelly said with confidence as she came to her feet. "You're wonderful, Gwen, and a perfect partner." She looked out over the nearly empty bar and pictured it full of people there to listen to them.
Gwen just looked a bit embarrassed even as she smiled. The smile still held a hint of surprise as those she couldn't quite believe what they had done. "You too" was all she couldn't manage as she turned her attention to their audience of two, curious what they thought. It was easy for them to get transported by their own music but how would an outside entity view them?
Her thoughts were answered by the sound of clapping. Dev was smiling, and still clapping as he started walking towards them, Nicolas joining in. Then a few others did. "That was really good." he said, reaching them and looking between the two thoughtfully. "Bardtastic...that's a catchy name, I really like it."
Seeing the new man, Kelly smiled and turned to him as he approached. "Thank you. I'm Kelly Khan and this is my partner, Gwen Morgan."
"Kelly..." Dev put out his hand to shake hers and then to Gwen, "and Gwen. It's a pleasure to meet the both of you."
Gwen smiled with a shy but still pleased expression and nodded acknowledgement. "Pleasure." She said politely trying not to bounce on her heels, oddly energized by the performance especially since she could see how much their audience seemed to like it.
Dev smiled back and then held his hands together in front of him. "So Nick tells me that the both of you were auditioning."
Kelly cast a quick look at Gwen, then back at the man in front of her. "That is correct, Sir," she said with a smile. "So what is our schedule going to be?"
Dev's eyes widened, then he nodded and smiled, directing them over to a nearby booth. "Well, why don't we have a seat and talk about it."
"Certainly," Kelly said, heading to the booth with her violin in one hand. "C'mon, Gwen. Our futures await."
Gwen followed a little excited but very nervous.
As they all sat down, Dev across from the two girls, he smiled. "First, as I haven't introduce myself, I think I should. I'm Deveron Raziel, owner of this establishment."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mister Raziel," Kelly said, shaking his hand. "This place is absolutely amazing."
"Thank you..and so is Bardtastic, but..." he began to explain, "as amazing as they both are, they aren't right for each other..."
"Thank....wait...what?" Kelly said, feeling as if her chance of getting to play on a somewhat professional level had just been shot down, and it showed on her face.
Gwen's face fell and her eyes dropped to table, she didn't know what made her think they could perform in public.
"Now girls." Dev put up his hand and said with a strict expression, "I'm not finished." and decided maybe a lesson in patience was needed. He continued to smile, "I have another business that opens up this weekend; the Subspace Cafe. It has an atmosphere I feel is much more suited to your style of music. Show up tomorrow and give another audition in front of an audience, and I'll give you my decision on whether or not to offer you a job."
Gwen's head snapped up and she managed to look both pleased and terrified, "Audience..." Then looked at Kelly.
Seeing the look on her friends face, Kelly patted Gwen's leg under the table with one hand. "We can do that, Mister Raziel. Gwen's a natural and I'm looking forward to it."
Gwen just tried to breathe deep as she looked at Dev, trying to just remember the music not thinking about all those people looking at her.
Looking between the two, Deveron nodded seemingly satisfied, "Then I'll see you both in tomorrow, nineteen hundred hours," he started getting out of his seat, "and I'll provide the audience."
"Yes, Sir, Mister Raziel!" Kelly said happily, repressing the urge to jump up and down. "We'll be there." She looked at Gwen to see her reaction and vowed to help her through it.
Gwen looked a cross between terrified and pleased as she tried to breathe evenly, nodding her thanks.
Dev couldn't help but smile. He nodded his head, "Have a good evening, Cadets." and walked away.
Grabbing her violin case and PADD with a smile from ear to ear, Kelly motioned for Gwen and headed out.
Gwen gave another thankful head bob and quickly followed.
Cadet Kelly Khan
Flight
Magellan Campus
&
Cadet Gwen Morgan
Intel Cadet Magellan Campus
&
Nicolas Giordano
Bartender at Dev's Place
Magellan Station
&
Deveron Raziel
Club & Cafe Owner
Magellan Station
