Looking for a Venue
Posted on Fri Apr 11th, 2025 @ 1:45am by Sergeant Tyrigus Fry & Chloe de la Vega
Edited on on Fri Apr 11th, 2025 @ 6:51pm
1,584 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Episode 16 - Silent Cries
Location: After 11 - Deck 11 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD005 1000 hrs
Tyr was jamming, his fingers moving over the strings and fretboard, the band behind him all getting into the music as they belted out the Sound of Silence He was bathed in sweat from a nearly hour long performance. The crowd had been singing along to Uptown Funk and it was heady for Tyr. People were chanting his name and yelling of him to crowd surf. Unbuckling his guitar strap he turned to put Betty into a holder, then spread his arms wide.
Turned and fell back toward the mass of spectators crowding the stage. Glancing over his shoulder he cringed as the crowd turned into what he could only surmise was The Silence.
And they didn’t catch him.
He fell through them and then he was still falling. Through a strange alien sky he didn’t recognize from any world he’d ever heard of or seen. He tried to catch his breath but nothing came and he realized he must be too high in the atmosphere still, but he wasn’t freezing.
Then he was cold. Opening his mouth, he couldn’t scream.
No air.
Choking and gasping, he clutched at his throat and twisted to see the ground coming up. That too was alien and unrecognizable. He was definitely getting nearer and he tried to control his breathing like he’d been trained. But panic was overtaking him and his heart was fluttering due to lack of oxygen. Like he’d been told would happen in space if a ship’s hull ever lost integrity or his combat suit was compromised to the point where it couldn’t get air to him.
He’d suffocate.
The ground rushed up fast at him and he shut his eyes, starting to flinch.
And then he was awake. Breathing hard, and dripping with sweat in his quarters. He could remember falling…
Shuddering, he sat up and put his head between his knees as he tried to get his breathing under control.
Bringing his head up, he reached over and turned the air handler up slightly, then stood and stripped his bedding, feeding it into the recycler. Then he moved into the sonic shower and stood there, letting the waves of sound wash over him as he pulled on goggles and let the wave run.
Minutes later he had dressed in jeans, t-shirt, paisley vest and his grandfather’s hat, strapped the acoustic guitar he’d used the last of his Fed-Cred’s replicating and headed toward After 11. It was around 1000 and he didn’t have duty for a couple of hours. It was time to go ask Chloe for a favor.
Walking into the lounge, which was only lightly populated this time of day, Tyr made his way to the bar and leaned against It, thrumming his fingers to a beat in head. Glancing up, he caught Chloe’s eye and waived.
The mornings were easy in After 11, sometimes Chloe didn't even show up and left the place to one of the servers. How much trouble could they get into when they were just serving Starfleet? However, this morning she had decided to go in, her head a little achy from the night before.
Chloe had been up drinking with a security officer. She wasn't interested in him but what he knew about procedures on the ship. The best way to get contraband onto any ship or station, get the security staff drunk enough to spill secrets.
For the moment she'd knelt down and picked up a hypospray she kept behind the bar. This was her hangover cure, and she quickly injected herself on the arm with it and instant relief followed.
Grinning, Tyr watched Chloe moving around, he could tell she'd had a long night.
Or an early morning.
As she neared he said, "Heyo Chloe. Looks like you're burning the candle at both ends today. These shift rotations are murder, hey?"
Chloe glanced over at the voice from the other side of the bar. She recognised him as a marine but couldn't quite remember his name. "Got to live life while you can... I like to party." she grinned. "Bit early for a drink though? Or is it late? I can't tell..."
Tyr leaned both elbows on the bar and said, "Probably just non-alcoholic since I go back into rotation in a few. I'm Tyrigus Fry, by the way. Sergeant if that matters." Shrugging he bit his lip then steeled his mind and said, "Thought I'd see if you'd be open to having some live music here. Maybe a couple times a week. I'd like to get a ships band up, or just a place other than my quarters to play." He gestured toward the guitar in the seat next to him.
Chloe propped herself on the bar, her arms folded as she rested her chest on top of them. She didn't care for modesty and she liked making people hot under the collar if she could. It got her heart racing. "Well Sergeant Tyrigus Fry, since you asked so nicely I could be open to having some live music in here." she smirked devilishly. "Aside from bringing some more life to my bar, what do I get out of this?" she asked as she let out a large sigh causing her chest to rise and fall in one large motion before pulling back from the bar and getting him a water as he hadn't asked for anything specific and was being boring for not drinking properly.
Tyr purposely raked Chloe with his eyes and said, "Look at all those curves and me with no brakes." Keeping a straight face, he took the glass and sipped. "Thanks for the water. As to what's in it for you, well you named it pretty well. More butts in the seats for longer. Hopefully getting some food too. Plus my undying infatuation and appreciation. What more could you want?"
Chloe smirked and chuckled softly at his response. He was playful, that was good. "Oh honey, I could want a lot more." the words dripped from her mouth. "What kind of music do you play, and what kind of band are you wanting to bring in here?"
"Best answer there is we play what you like," Tyr said, trying to be cool. On the inside, he was nearly beside himself that she'd like his pickup line. "A better, honest answer is I play mostly old earth rock and roll. Music I like. But I've also played with the Brigade group doing the Karaoke / jukebox-band. So, pretty much anything everyone will like. As to the band. I want to try and start one on Pioneer, or at least have a session a couple times a week when we get together and play. Might just be me for a little while. I honestly don't really know if there are others aboard that would want to take part. I figured first things first: Talk to you and explore. Options. You know. For playing music," Tyr added, trying to be clever.
"I'm sure you make beautiful music. You know, with your hands." Chloe coped him as she glanced at the guitar case and then back at Tyr. "I don't mind rock, feeds my bad girl image." she smirked as her eyes twinkled under the lights of After 11. "I can clear a space for you on the upper level by the window there on the right. Kind of like a stage but we'd need to design it to what you'd need as well as what I want. Got to fit the aesthetic of my bar cariño (sweetheart)."
Warming to the topic, Tyr looked around and said, "To begin with, just need a small spot where I can just pull up a stool and be out of the way. Keep things nice and intimate. Tie into your sound system maybe. Any idea of when you'd let me start?" Looking her over again he asked, "What about you Chloe, do you play an instrument? Or sing?"
"Then where I've said is good." Chloe gestured to the location she had mentioned. "I'll have one of my staff set something up. Plus I've got a good view of you from here too..." she said tracing a figure of eight with her pointer finger along the top of the bar. "You can start whenever you like, as soon as this weekend so I can get things ready properly." she added before he spoke again. "No, these hands weren't meant for playing with that kind of stuff. Although, I can sing a little but I haven't for a long time."
"Once we're up and running, you'll have to sit in for a set or two. Show off your gifts," Tyr said with a grin, his back to the bar as he took in the space and dreamed.
"We'll see sergeant. I have many other gifts to show off and a girl has to keep some secrets." Chloe looked the man over from behind. He was alright, better than a Bolian. Sometimes she wondered why her mind when down the route of sizing up men, but... you were only young once.
A Joint Post By
Sergeant Tyrigus Fry
Rifleman, Team 1, The Cure
USS Pioneer
Chloe de la Vega
Owner, After 11, USS Pioneer
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