Songs of Separation
Posted on Thu Apr 2nd, 2026 @ 6:00pm by Sergeant Audie Fitch & Lieutenant Jayak Zek
Edited on on Wed Apr 8th, 2026 @ 9:08am
2,098 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Episode 17 - Going Home
Location: The Quarters of Jayak Zek - Habitat Ring, Deck 11 - Empok Nor
Timeline: MD027 2200 hrs
Audie was gone and he knew that she would be gone for some time. He did not often like to get tied down, let alone in a long distance romance, yet here he was. At least last time, she left the damn cat. But this time, there was nothing but him and a bed when he could manage to lay down for sleep.
Finding nothing better to do, he sat down and sent a message to Audie. Their texting of songs and poetry seemed to be their thing. So, why not continue it.
He sent her, the following:
"But you're so far away
Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
Doesn't help to know you're so far away
Yeah, you're so far away"
"Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe—
Sailed on a river of crystal light,
Into a sea of dew.
'Where are you going, and what do you wish?'
The old moon asked the three.
'We have come to fish for the herring-fish
That live in this beautiful sea;
Nets of silver and gold have we!"
Zek wondered if Audie was tired. She implied that she was ready for sleep. He knew she could use it after her experience with the Silence, so he sent back:
"Darkness on the edge, shadows where I stand
I search for the time on a watch with no hands
I want to see you clearly, come closer than this
But all I remember are the dreams in the mist."
"One of our planes was missing
Two hours overdue
One of our planes was missing
With all it′s gallant crew
The radio sets were humming
They waited for the word
Then a voice broke through the humming
And this is what we heard:
"Comin' in on a wing and a prayer
Comin′ in on a wing and a prayer
With our one motor gone
We can still carry on
Comin' in on a wing and a prayer."
Zek returned:
"I hear her voice in the mornin' hour, she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
Drivin' down the road, I get a feelin'
That I should've been home yesterday, yesterday
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads."
Back to Zek:
Just what makes that little old ant
Think he'll move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant can't
Move a rubber tree plant
But he's got high hopes
He's got high hopes
He's got high apple pie
In the sky hopes
So any time you're gettin' low
'Stead of lettin' go
Just remember that ant
Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant!
Zek laughed hard out loud. Now that was a cute song. Well, at least she felt positively for their new situation. Neither had named it, but that did not matter to the Counselor.
"Workin' hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Some'll win, some will lose
Some are born to sing the blues
Whoa, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
Strangers waitin'
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searchin' in the night
Streetlights, people
Livin' just to find emotion
Hidin', somewhere in the night
Don't stop believin'
Hold on to that feelin'
Streetlights, people"
Reply from Audie:
"If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day
'Til eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you
If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then
Again, I would spend them with you
But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go
Through time with."
Zek's eyes raised at that response. She got serious rather quickly. That was quite the love song there and they had barely had one date, though it was a great deal of fun, but where did he stand? His hands shook a bit, as he reached for lyrics to express himself.
Finally, he sent back:
"This thing called love
I just can't handle it
This thing called love
I must get 'round to it
I ain't ready
Crazy little thing called love
This thing (this thing) called love (called love)
It cries (like a baby), in a cradle all night
It swings (woo), it jives (woo)
Shakes all over like a jellyfish
I kinda like it
Crazy little thing called love
There goes my baby
She knows how to rock and roll
She drives me crazy
She gives me hot and cold fever
She leaves me in a cool, cool sweat
I gotta be cool, relax
Get hip and get on my tracks
Take a back seat, hitchhike
And take a long ride on my motorbike
Until I'm ready
Crazy little thing called love."
Audie's next round!
"Come by the hills to the land where legend re-mains
Where stories of old fill the heart and may yet come a-gain
Where our past has been lost and the future has still to be won
Ah, the cares of to-morrow can wait 'til this day is done."
Zek thought to himself, Bah! Wait 'til the day is done, indeed. You started this. Mentally he stuck his tongue out at Audie and responded,
"I used to think maybe you loved me now baby I'm sure
And I just can't wait till the day when you knock on my door
Now everytime I go for the mailbox, gotta hold myself down
'Cause I just can't wait till you write me you're coming around
I'm walking on sunshine, wooah
I'm walking on sunshine, woooah
I'm walking on sunshine, woooah
And don't it feel good!"
"You and me go fishin' in the dark
Lyin' on our backs and countin' the stars
Where the cool grass grows
Down by the river in the full moonlight
We'll be fallin' in love in the middle of the night
Just movin' slow
Stayin' the whole night through
It feels so good to be with you."
Zek smiled. That sounded like fun and the promise was worthy.
"We get it on most every night
When that moon is big and bright
It's a supernatural delight
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight
Everybody here is out of sight
They don't bark and they don't bite
They keep things loose, they keep 'em tight
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight
Dancing in the moonlight
Everybody's feelin' warm and bright
It's such a fine and natural sight
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight."
Audie grinned. Dancing, something they hadn't done yet!
"Dance with me
I want to be your partner
Can't you see?
The music is just starting
Night is calling and I am falling
Dance with me
Fantasy
Could never be so killing
I feel free
I hope that you are willing
Pick the beat up and kick your feet up
Dance with me!"
Zek laughed out loud. Oh, alright. Time to tease her some, then:
"Do you wanna dance and hold my hand?
Tell me, baby, I'm your lover man
Oh baby, do you wanna dance?
Do you wanna dance under the moonlight
Hold me, baby, all through the night
Oh baby, do you wanna dance?
Do you, do you, do you, do you wanna dance
Do you, do you, do you, do you wanna dance
Do you, do you, do you, do you wanna dance?
Do you wanna dance under the moonlight
Kiss me, baby, all through the night
Oh baby, do you wanna dance?
Do you want to dance under the moonlight
Squeeze me, squeeze me all through the night
Oh baby, do you wanna dance?
Do you, do you, do you, do you wanna dance?
Do you, do you, do you, do you wanna dance?
Do you, do you, do you, do you wanna dance?"
Audie really didn't know how to dance, but she'd be willing to learn!
"There may be trouble ahead
But while there's music and moonlight
And love and romance
Let's face the music and dance
Before the fiddlers have fled
Before they ask us to pay the bill
And while we still have that chance
Let's face the music and dance."
Zek laughed. Trouble ahead? Whatever would that be? Well, he was all for finding out.
"I never miss a beat
I'm lightnin' on my feet
And that's what they don't see, mm-mm
That's what they don't see, mm-mm
I'm dancin' on my own (dancin' on my own)
I make the moves up as I go (moves up as I go)
And that's what they don't know, mm-mm
That's what they don't know, mm-mm
But I keep cruisin'
Can't stop, won't stop groovin'
It's like I got this music in my mind
Sayin', "It's gonna be alright"
'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off!"
"I'd like to thank the guy who wrote the song
That made my baby fall in love with me.
Who put the bomp in the bomp-bah-bomp-bah-bomp?
Who put the ram in the rama-lama-ding-dong?
Who put the bop in the bop-shoo-bop-shoo-bop?
Who put the dip in the dip-da-dip-da-dip?
Who was that man? I'd like to shake his hand
He made my baby fall in love with me!"
Going to have to change some words here, but this will work, Zek considered to himself...
"Shot like an arrow through my heart
That's the pain I feel, I feel whenever we're apart
Not to say that I'm in love with you
But who's to say that I'm not
I just know that it feels wrong when I'm away too long
And it makes my body hot
So let me tell ya baby
I'll tell your mama, I'll tell your friends
I'll tell anyone whose heart can comprehend
Send it in a letter, baby tell you on the phone
I'm not the kinda [guy] who likes to be alone
I miss ya much (boy, oh, I, miss you much)
I really miss you much (M-I-S-S you much)
I miss ya much (boy, oh, I, miss you much)
I really miss you much (M-I-S-S you much)"
Audie was teasing!
"One, two, three!
Here we go!
Bedlam, bedlam!
Knock, knock, knock!
Come right in!
You´re the people from the looney bin!
How´d you guys get here so soon?
Did you spot my toy balloon?
Please don´t make the straps too snug.
I´ve always been a fragile bug.
Glad to see that we´re on time
But must you always speak in rhyme?
Lock the door and hide the key,
´Cause if I get loose, you won´t catch me!"
This one, Zek did know. When he was introduced to Napoleon XIV, he always was humored. He laughed heartily and replied with another song he thought was quite popular at the time by the same artist:
"Remember when you ran away
And I got on my knees and begged you
Not to leave because I´d go beserk?
WELL,
You left me anyhow and
Then the days got worse and worse
And now you see I´ve gone completely
out of my mind
AND
They´re coming to take me away,
Haha, they´re coming to take me away,
Ho ho, hee hee, ha ha,
To the funny farm
Where life is beautiful all the time
And I´ll be happy to see
Those nice young men
In their clean white coats
And they´re coming to take me AWAY,
HA HAAAA"
"And I'm happy I live in a split level head!
Really, I have to be going. 'Till we meet again!
I'll see you in my dreams."
Zek hated to let Audie go, but seeing her in his dreams and vice versa seemed like a reasonable compromise. He sent back, "I'll meet you there, then."
A Joint Post By
Sergeant Audie Fitch
Corpsman Team 2, The Cure
USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Jayak Zek
Chief Counselor, Empok Nor
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