December 7th, AD 2880
L1 Colony Branch, Clockflower Colony
Nergal Stadium
9:30 PM
The air was heavy with excitement. The lights were dimmed, and for the thousands that had flocked there, their raucous calls and cheers fell into silence. A faintly glowing mist flowed across their feet, and it wasn't long before thin beams of light, lasers and holo-axis projectors, arced gracefully through the still silence. It was as if a spell had been cast, and all now waited breathlessly for their object of desire.
Out from the dreary darkness of reality plumed fantasy, painted in vivid, hallucinatory streaks, golds, reds and whites mingling with softer, whispered blues and greens, weaving and winding into one another, taking shape as if all present were pulled into another world, down into the deep depths of a warm, numbing ocean.
And this world, like all others, had its ruler.
The appearance of the apparition was greeted not with cheers, nor with hoots of jubliation, but only the murmured sighs of content. Her illusory fingers brushed their cheeks, beckoning them closer, her features as surreal as the landscape that surrounded them. Eyes that adored swept over the crowd, and all present felt in their heart of hearts, as though Sharon Apple were looking - speaking - directly to them.
Her hand reached out towards them, and her lips moved.
"Won't you come with me?" She asked, softly.
And then... began to sing.
"I sa ya, I sa ya..."
Elsewhere, yet not far from the festivities, a metallic form towered over the surroundings. The Bernard and Felix manufactured NEXT turned its head slowly to the side in the manufactured evening, bright blue cycloptic eye rolling about, keen and alert for danger. Within its cockpit, the Lynx drummed his fingers in synch with the tune emanating from the stadium. Wasn't his jam, he thought privately to himself - seemed like the kind of thing you'd listen to if you wanted to put people to sleep, not hype them up.
Still. At least he wouldn't have to worry about any UNACs bumbling into his line of fire - The League had seen to that. No, security was a job best left to a company man - and his wallet couldn't be more grateful for their skepticism.
Some things you just couldn't trust to a rust-bucket.
Also Elsewhere...
Nergal Industries
Nadesico Dry Dock
"Move it! I can't hear Sharon!"
"I can't hear her either!"
On the roof of Nergal's fantastically expensive and elaborate artifical lake-concealed factory, a pair of figures strained in the direction of the distant lights, listening for even the slightest hint of their angel's voice. They could always catch the recording later - but it wasn't the same. Sharon Apple live was an experience, they had been told. And because of her, because of that woman... they were missing out.
"Why oh why did the boss have to pick tonight?" Moaned one, letting his head fall into his hands as his companion joined his wailing.
"My tickets... My poor, poor tickets..."
Fortunately, or perhaps, unfortunately, their woe was short lived.
Quick as lightning and almost as loud, a pair of hands snapped out behind them, seizing each man by the ear and dragging him back. A very familiar voice raised itself, stern and proud, as if it had never known the bending of a knee.
"If you have time to to worry about your imaginary girlfriend, you have time to finish adjustments on the ship."
"Yes Miss Blachefleur!"
"Yes, Boss!"
Faustine Blanchefleur, Chief Executive Officer of Nergal Industries, released the two hapless technicians, letting them scuttle back towards the dock in a storm of apologies. Her black hair fluttered in the artificial wind, and she sucked in a breath of the cool air. Sharp, almost eagle like eyes registered the performance in the distance. Giving a low sigh, a lighter flicked open and closed in her palm, as she lit up a cigarette.
"What does a machine think it knows about music, anyway?" She muttered, turning her back on the spectacle and stalking back indoors.
Today was the big day... and screwups would not be tolerated.
L1 Colony Branch, Clockflower Colony
Nergal Stadium
9:30 PM
idol
The air was heavy with excitement. The lights were dimmed, and for the thousands that had flocked there, their raucous calls and cheers fell into silence. A faintly glowing mist flowed across their feet, and it wasn't long before thin beams of light, lasers and holo-axis projectors, arced gracefully through the still silence. It was as if a spell had been cast, and all now waited breathlessly for their object of desire.
Out from the dreary darkness of reality plumed fantasy, painted in vivid, hallucinatory streaks, golds, reds and whites mingling with softer, whispered blues and greens, weaving and winding into one another, taking shape as if all present were pulled into another world, down into the deep depths of a warm, numbing ocean.
And this world, like all others, had its ruler.
The appearance of the apparition was greeted not with cheers, nor with hoots of jubliation, but only the murmured sighs of content. Her illusory fingers brushed their cheeks, beckoning them closer, her features as surreal as the landscape that surrounded them. Eyes that adored swept over the crowd, and all present felt in their heart of hearts, as though Sharon Apple were looking - speaking - directly to them.
Her hand reached out towards them, and her lips moved.
"Won't you come with me?" She asked, softly.
And then... began to sing.
"I sa ya, I sa ya..."
Elsewhere, yet not far from the festivities, a metallic form towered over the surroundings. The Bernard and Felix manufactured NEXT turned its head slowly to the side in the manufactured evening, bright blue cycloptic eye rolling about, keen and alert for danger. Within its cockpit, the Lynx drummed his fingers in synch with the tune emanating from the stadium. Wasn't his jam, he thought privately to himself - seemed like the kind of thing you'd listen to if you wanted to put people to sleep, not hype them up.
Still. At least he wouldn't have to worry about any UNACs bumbling into his line of fire - The League had seen to that. No, security was a job best left to a company man - and his wallet couldn't be more grateful for their skepticism.
Some things you just couldn't trust to a rust-bucket.
Also Elsewhere...
Nergal Industries
Nadesico Dry Dock
"Move it! I can't hear Sharon!"
"I can't hear her either!"
On the roof of Nergal's fantastically expensive and elaborate artifical lake-concealed factory, a pair of figures strained in the direction of the distant lights, listening for even the slightest hint of their angel's voice. They could always catch the recording later - but it wasn't the same. Sharon Apple live was an experience, they had been told. And because of her, because of that woman... they were missing out.
"Why oh why did the boss have to pick tonight?" Moaned one, letting his head fall into his hands as his companion joined his wailing.
"My tickets... My poor, poor tickets..."
Fortunately, or perhaps, unfortunately, their woe was short lived.
Quick as lightning and almost as loud, a pair of hands snapped out behind them, seizing each man by the ear and dragging him back. A very familiar voice raised itself, stern and proud, as if it had never known the bending of a knee.
"If you have time to to worry about your imaginary girlfriend, you have time to finish adjustments on the ship."
"Yes Miss Blachefleur!"
"Yes, Boss!"
Faustine Blanchefleur, Chief Executive Officer of Nergal Industries, released the two hapless technicians, letting them scuttle back towards the dock in a storm of apologies. Her black hair fluttered in the artificial wind, and she sucked in a breath of the cool air. Sharp, almost eagle like eyes registered the performance in the distance. Giving a low sigh, a lighter flicked open and closed in her palm, as she lit up a cigarette.
"What does a machine think it knows about music, anyway?" She muttered, turning her back on the spectacle and stalking back indoors.
Today was the big day... and screwups would not be tolerated.
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