Song In The Deep
Posted on Wed May 8th, 2024 @ 3:58am by Captain Takami Karibuchi & Commander Hikari Karibuchi & Yulena Shastakar & Beatrix Zephyrin
2,243 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
Season 1, Episode 0: "A Time To Heal"
Location: Moonlight Oasis Bar & Grill
Timeline: Shortly After "The Yellow Rider Rides Again?!"
From the single open door of the double doors of the Moonlight Oasis, music was trickling out, one song ending and another beginning, with the sound of someone playing a guitar.
"Funny we should meet, the three of us here on the street, you know I've wondered what I'd say," The voice was clarion clear, though a bit of husk was involved, "Now the moment's here and suddenly it's crystal clear Some things ain't never gonna change,"
Hikari glanced over at Takami. "Is that...?"
Takami smiled. "You bet it is."
She gestured towards the open door. "Why don't you go on ahead, Hikari? I know you're dying to meet her."
Hikari mulled it over for a good long minute before her curiosity eventually got the better of her; quickly bowing her head in a gesture of gratitude, she spun around on her heel and made her way inside the establishment.
"What was that all about?" Yulena inquired curiously.
"You could say that Beatrix Zephyrin's something of a local celebrity where we come from," Takami explained. "She's quite easily one of the single most recognizable Roma Nuevans in the entire Alpha Quadrant, with at least a dozen Top 40 singles and two albums that are certified platinum."
Yulena tilted her head to one side. "How exactly does one make music out of platinum?"
"Wha- No, General, you're taking that way too literally..."
The inside was clearly still a work in progress, with ridged columns placed in specific locations so as to not block sightlines to the stage, clearly living ivy starting the process of creeping up them. Sheer fabric was draped liberally around and the walls had Romanesque frescos hanging on them, although one half-wall-length 'window' looked out upon a night skyline of a lake with mountains in the back, a rising pair of full moons among the twinkling of stars, the moons superimposed on each other in the waters of the lake.
The woman in a dark blue blouse and skirt stood on the stage, guitar in hand, apparently just playing simply from how her fingers were moving, "From where I stand I see an old familiar story only last time, I was in your shoes, Now it's looking like it's my turn to be lonely and I'll tell ya', I don't like the view."
As if sensing the movement, the woman on stage looked over at the newcomers and smiled, the glasses on her face almost magnifying the delight that someone had walked in, "I was just like you, for me he left somebody too, And I didn't care if that was wrong. Oh, but now I've found the tears you cause come back a-round, And they're coming your way 'fore too long."
"From where I stand I see an old familiar story only last time, I was in your shoes, Now it's looking like it's my turn to be lonely and I'll tell ya', I don't like the view." She took a breath as the tone of the song changed into what was obviously the bridge, a flourish of the strings along with it, "From where I stand, we have a lot in common and, there's a good chance you'll be standing one day right here,"
And it was as if she changed to the moral of whatever the song was, "Where I stand I see an old familiar story only last time, I was in your shoes, now it's looking like it's my turn to be lonely and I'll tell ya' I don't like the view, Where I stand I see an old familiar story only last time, I was in your shoes, now it's looking like it's my turn to be lonely and I'll tell ya' I don't like the view." There were a few more flourishes of melody from the guitar before she played a final chord and let it trail off. Throughout, it was obvious that despite the apparent simplicity, she had been working to play almost two parts in harmony in addition to the singing.
The silence pervaded for just a few short seconds before it was eventually punctuated by a clapping noise off in the far corner of the room; the woman on the stage turned turned to find Hikari, propped up against one of the decorative columns dotting the premises, with a look of awe and amazement that was clearly evident in her expression, even from this distance.
The woman on the stage brightened and bowed her head in appreciation as she carefully placed the guitar in the stand that was right next to her and clasped her hands together in front of her as she descended the two steps up to the stage, "Good afternoon! I do apologize, but I'm the only one here right now, can I interest any of you in a drink of some sort? I could whip something snackish up to eat if you'd like as well, but I'm afraid I'm not the best cook, but she arrives in a couple days."
"Oh, uh- no, that'll be quite alright," Hikari hastily apologized. "Hikari Karibuchi, Commanding Officer for the Yorktown; it's truly an honor to meet you in person, Miss Zephyrin."
She chuckled to herself. "Man, if Davidson were here, he'd flip right about now..."
"Please, 'Miss Zephyrin' is just far too formal, plus if you get me and Minerva in the same room, we'd never be able to tell who you were trying to talk to!" Beatrix giggled at that, "Please call me Trixie or Bea, or Beatrix, any of those will do just fine for me." She finished her approach, leaned out and gave Hikari a faux-kiss on each cheek in Roma Nuevan tradition for greeting another woman, "And I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to run the Moonlight Oasis on board Yorktown, Minerva said that Commander Fan put in a good word for me."
Hikari blushed. "O-oh, no, the pleasure's all mine, Miss... um, Beatrix; This is my first real command and all that, so having a Top 40 artist endorse our main dining establishment is..."
She scratched the back of her neck. "...Well, not going to lie, I feel like the luckiest sonofabitch in the Alpha Quadrant right now."
'A fan, that's for sure.' Beatrix thought to herself, reaching up to remove her glasses, which involved taking the stem from over her right ear, causing the glasses to vanish like the holograms they were. She brushed a few loose strands of hair behind her ear before replacing the stem, the glasses reappearing once more and everything came back into focus, "I'm glad I can be of some help with that. I do hope you don't mind that I did my own hiring for the Oasis? I was looking for some specific types of staff, since I didn't want to burden you with purely performers. It does mean we'll have some growing pains with the entertainment, but give us some time to practice and we'll be able to put on a good show. Also... Would you have objections to me and my band doing some outreach on worlds and stations we visit? It's been one of my pet projects these last few years."
"Oh, no, not at all," Hikari shook her head. "So long as we aren't in a dangerous situation and your band is willing to abide by the local customs, I can't see it being too much of an issue; however, seeing as this is an active Starfleet vessel, any Civilian employees hired under your terms will be required to fill out a non-disclosure agreement regarding the terms and conditions of living and working on a Starfleet Vessel."
"That is already in the contracts that I've had them sign and just so happens to have been in the one I signed myself." Beatrix smiled softly, "I've had some performances on a few larger starships myself and three of my employees have been on one or another for a few months. All standard, our battle stations are either in our quarters or with one of the aid stations to assist in transporting casualties to sickbay if the situation warrants it and we have the proper certifications, which I do. We are not to be armed and if we are boarded are to remain strictly out of the way unless we have no other alternative. 'Hunker down and wait to be rescued' was how it was put to me in my briefing, am I correct?"
"Pretty much down to the letter," Hikari smiled. "I can see you've been doing your homework; is this really your first time running a business?"
Beatrix blushed and looked down, “I wanted to be prepared, so I’m probably over-prepared for this. I’ve helped organize events for several non-profit organizations, including my own, but most of the details I’ve usually left to the actual staff and executives.” She looked back up at Hikari, “I may have even overstaffed by a person or two, but that just leans that if you need help with the other lounge on board, keeping it stocked up and cleaned and the works, that I could help with that as well.” Her eyes lit up as another thought hit her, “Oh, and I’d like to host karaoke nights on the regular! Maybe even offer to sing duets and the like with anyone who wants to!”
"I'm sure that can be arranged," Hikari chuckled. "After all, we've gotta have some way of keeping the crew from stir-crazy around here..."
“How long are we going to be here at the station?” Trixie asked curiously, “I just want to see if I can order a few bits of equipment to help with that? Probably four days on some of the shipping if what I’m looking for isn’t available in-system.” She started ticking off items on her fingers, “Foosball-pool table combo,, maybe a couple arcade style games, a couple card tables, and don’t let Minerva deal, she can stack a deck ice-cold, another couple things I can’t think of off the top of my head, too.”
"Not sure, to be honest," Hikari admitted. "So far as I'm aware, we haven't yet received orders concerning our eventual deployment, but with the level of work we still have ahead of us, I can't imagine we'll be ready in four days' time."
“Excellent! I’ll still plan on that as the outside for shipments, but I’ll make sure it’s all here as soon as possible.” Beatrix looked even happier, if that were possible and she again swept the holographic glasses off her face to adjust them once more, “This is going to be fun! I will make sure that you’ve got the highest morale in Starfleet if it’s the last thing I do!”
"It'd be an honor," Hikari smiled. "Truly, an honor; it's not every day that a Top 40 Artist approaches you with a request to be operating a dining establishment aboard a Federation Starship and actually be as committed to running a business as you are."
"You can blame your medical officer for this one." Beatrix couldn't stifle the giggle, "As soon as she got recruited by your Exec, she gave me a call to make this suggestion. That gave me a month to get my bid into play and submitted, then I asked Shuren to put in a good word for me with your Logistics people and voila, here I am!"
"Well, regardless, I'm sure that your presence here will be welcome change of pace," Hikari repiled. "Well, as much as I hate to be cutting this conversation short, my sister is waiting for me outside and I really should be getting back to her; I take it if you need anything else before we set off, you'll be sure to speak with either Doctor Zephyrin or myself?"
"Oh, of course." Beatrix reached out to grasp Hikari's hands and squeezed them gently, "And if you ever need anything from me, please don't hesitate. If you know someone that needs a bit of a pep-up or a special occasion, I'm here to do everything I can to make life on board as happy as possible."
Hikari smiled. Though she had no intention of sharing it with Beatrix at the moment- she did have the more pressing task of getting the Yorktown ready to ship out, after all- she was very appreciative of the offer, as she had missed out on her own birthday last month to attend to four different funerals- including Davidson's- so once things had begun to settle down around here, perhaps she could take Beatrix up on that offer to have a late birthday party of sorts? It was certainly a thought worth entertaining.
"I'll be sure to consider it, Beatrix," she stated simply. "Be seeing you, then?"
"You'd better!" Beatrix grinned broadly, "Otherwise I'm going to have to hunt you down on your own ship and drag you back here! Even Captains have to have fun sometimes and you're no exception."
Posting By (In Order Of Appearance):
Beatrix Zephyrin
Manager, Moonlight Oasis Bar & Grill
Commander Hikari Karibuchi
Commanding Officer, USS Yorktown (NCC-91781)
Captain Takami Karibuchi
Commanding Officer, USS Hornet (NCC-42025)
General Yulena Shastakar
Annexari Special Representative
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