Session 27: Stray Cat Serenade Part B
Jet and Faye are sitting on barstools in a ritzy nightclub in a high-end
casino, chasing down a slim lead on information about Spike- his body was
rumored to have not been found.
"Well, what did she mean about the cat?"
"I don't know. Spike told me a story about a tiger-striped cat once, I
would guess that I'm not the only person he told it to. Or at least, not
the only person he told a version of it to."
Jet put out the cigarette as a striking young woman took the stage in the
corner, standing calmly at the microphone. The announcer smiled, and in
his deep voice, drew the attention of many of the club's customers.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, the one, the only, the beautiful Safana, singing in
her heavenly voice- the Stray Cat Serenade."
She smiled, closed her eyes, and began to sing, her soft low alto voice
full of emotion, with all the qualities of a *good* professional singer.
"Knokin' on Heaven's Door
sometimes I just want to be free
I can hear the stories down from heaven
Even though I'm not free
Sometimes it's the blues
The sweet Asteroid Blues
Or the ones I sing the most
Called the Real Folk Blues
There's the Stray Dog Strut
The Mushroom Mamba's soft
The Honky Tonk Hard Luck Woman
And Jupiter Jazz give me a hard time
My favorite- the Ballad of Fallen angels-
But damn if this one ain't mine
This song is mine
This is the Stray Cat Serenade
Now once I knew a guy
Ooohh he was the kind
Who'd sit in the rain for an hour
Only to walk away from the sad memories
He'd tell me the story of his life
By telling the story of a tiger-striped cat
Sometimes I'd find him brooding
His past had caught up with him
Knokin' on Heaven's Door
Sometimes I just want to be free
He was finally free
While I'm left to cry
This is the Stray Cat Serenade
No matter how the black jaguar cries
The white cat and the blue cat die
And the last one, the tiger-striped-cat-"
BANG!
A gunshot interrupted the singer, and killed the music as cleanly as if she
had fainted dead away. The singer herself ducked reflexively. A group of
five men worked their way in her direction as she slowly stood up, her face
unreadable.
"You're coming with us, the boss wants to see you personally."
She stood still, defiantly, and beautifully proudly, meeting the speaker's
gaze.
"No, I'm not. I'm working, or hadn't you noticed that? Leave me alone and
find your boss some poor girl of negotiable virt-"
"He wants you. He gets you. So come along nicely, Safana."
They moved in her direction as she bitterly smiled.
"If you're going to kidnap me, at least have the courtesy to not use my
stage name."
Jet and Faye exchanged a glance as the men began closing in on the singer.
Lose their one lead on Spike? Oh Really.
In unison, both stood and cocked their guns.
"Let the girl sing. I happened to have been enjoying that song before you
ruined it, you know."
She shot Jet an exasperated look as she sighed.
"Put those away, it's not like this is a first in my experience. (turning
to the still closing gangsters) Now boys, why don't you just go home and
let me do my job, ok?"
They continued to advance, despite her oh-so-sweet tone of voice. She
backed the four steps to the wall, and slowly put one hand on it, the other
reaching behind her back. Her gaze flicked to the barkeep- also the owner
of the place- who was glaring at her.
"Gomen-nasai, I'm about to cause a bit of a scene, I'm afraid."
Her gaze became flint hard as she looked from one to the other of the five
who had climbed onstage, still speaking in the too-sweet-and-innocent
voice.
"Now now, I gave you all fair warning, you know."
Ten seconds later, her five attackers were on the floor, the cause evident
by the tazer in her hand.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jet waited just outside the bar door, overhearing every word that passed
inside.
"Onegai, one more night. Just one."
"No! Next time it might cost me furniture or the bar instead of one
night's clients. Besides, I don't harbor people wanted by members of a
Syndicate, or syndicate members themselves, for that matter."
"What about my paycheck?"
"Forget it! You cost me more tonight in lost business than the woolongs
you would have earned!"
"Then you can forget about the rest of my end of the deal. I'm keeping the
music. Every last page of it."
"You can't do tha-"
"Shall I call the police? I'm sure they will find it interesting that
you're firing me without paying me for services already rendered. That's
a hefty fine by itself, I believe. Now let go of my wrist. *Thank you*."
Light brown hair and a black trench coat walked by in softly clicking high
heels.
"Hold on a moment. You sang Stray Cat Serenade, right?"
She whirled. Brilliantly violet eyes flashed at Jet.
"What do *you* want? I was just going to get my tail end off this planet."
Holding up his hands defensively, Jet stepped back a pace.
"Easy, I just wanted to talk."
"Alyce!"
The girl turned. Jet recognized Shin from that time in the bar- he was
using a crutch and was headed their way. She sighed with a smile.
"And about time. Help me rescue the music?"
Shin sighed and looked at her.
"All I need is you there. The owner's dead scared of anyone that even
remotely smells of 'syndicate' and I need the guard."
"Oh all right."
At that point, Shin recognized Jet, as they both trailed Alyce back inside.
Jet looked Shin over, placing the memory.
"You knew Spike, didn't you? You saved our asses in the bar."
Shin shook his head.
"I covered for Spike. We had too much history, and he was a good guy. A
pity Julia died, I wish I could have helped them more."
Alyce picked up the papers scattered around the piano.
"I saw your grave. What happened?"
Shin laughed quietly, the laugh turning into a cough for a few seconds.
"An angel from the underworld saved me. Until I get better, I'm not
officially alive again. I was given a way out, no strings attached, and I
didn't want it."
"Why didn't you take it?"
Alyce walked over.
"Let's say that the angel who saved me had a better offer."
"What ange- oh. You're talking about the devil from paradise, Shin?"
Jet blinked, confused.
"I've heard that before."
Alyce shrugged.
"It's a turn of phrase used to describe the people who throw wrenches in
the workings of a Syndicate. Especially if it's in the machiene called the
Red Dragon Syndicate."
She looked at Jet, as they started to walk away from the night club.
"You wanted to talk?"
"Did you write that song, the-"
"Yes. I wrote the Stray Cat Serenade."
"Why?"
She handed the rolled up music to Shin.
"Go ahead of me. I'll meet you there."
Another familiar phrase, Jet thought. When shin left, she answered his
question.
"Because I'm a stray black cat who's chained to a place I can't leave
because it's a scenery I'm familiar with."
She walked away, footsteps silent.
"Sayonara, Black Dog. Or is it Running Rock?"
Jet started to call after her, but she vanished into the midnight crowds.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Didja get anything?"
Faye munched a can of dog food.
"No, not really."
"Damn."
"Well, we'd better get the bounty if we want to eat again. The repairs
took us down to the last woolong."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Leave that carpet."
The low-ranking Dragons looked up, mortally confused. As usual, since the
new leader took over.
"But-"
"I want to have a reminder of exactly why a coup is a terrible idea and
should never be tried again. Too many good people died in the resulting
chaos, including to end it."
The red carpet with a deeper crimson stain was left on the staircase.
See ya, Space Siren
Outlaw woman.
Jet and Faye are sitting on barstools in a ritzy nightclub in a high-end
casino, chasing down a slim lead on information about Spike- his body was
rumored to have not been found.
"Well, what did she mean about the cat?"
"I don't know. Spike told me a story about a tiger-striped cat once, I
would guess that I'm not the only person he told it to. Or at least, not
the only person he told a version of it to."
Jet put out the cigarette as a striking young woman took the stage in the
corner, standing calmly at the microphone. The announcer smiled, and in
his deep voice, drew the attention of many of the club's customers.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, the one, the only, the beautiful Safana, singing in
her heavenly voice- the Stray Cat Serenade."
She smiled, closed her eyes, and began to sing, her soft low alto voice
full of emotion, with all the qualities of a *good* professional singer.
"Knokin' on Heaven's Door
sometimes I just want to be free
I can hear the stories down from heaven
Even though I'm not free
Sometimes it's the blues
The sweet Asteroid Blues
Or the ones I sing the most
Called the Real Folk Blues
There's the Stray Dog Strut
The Mushroom Mamba's soft
The Honky Tonk Hard Luck Woman
And Jupiter Jazz give me a hard time
My favorite- the Ballad of Fallen angels-
But damn if this one ain't mine
This song is mine
This is the Stray Cat Serenade
Now once I knew a guy
Ooohh he was the kind
Who'd sit in the rain for an hour
Only to walk away from the sad memories
He'd tell me the story of his life
By telling the story of a tiger-striped cat
Sometimes I'd find him brooding
His past had caught up with him
Knokin' on Heaven's Door
Sometimes I just want to be free
He was finally free
While I'm left to cry
This is the Stray Cat Serenade
No matter how the black jaguar cries
The white cat and the blue cat die
And the last one, the tiger-striped-cat-"
BANG!
A gunshot interrupted the singer, and killed the music as cleanly as if she
had fainted dead away. The singer herself ducked reflexively. A group of
five men worked their way in her direction as she slowly stood up, her face
unreadable.
"You're coming with us, the boss wants to see you personally."
She stood still, defiantly, and beautifully proudly, meeting the speaker's
gaze.
"No, I'm not. I'm working, or hadn't you noticed that? Leave me alone and
find your boss some poor girl of negotiable virt-"
"He wants you. He gets you. So come along nicely, Safana."
They moved in her direction as she bitterly smiled.
"If you're going to kidnap me, at least have the courtesy to not use my
stage name."
Jet and Faye exchanged a glance as the men began closing in on the singer.
Lose their one lead on Spike? Oh Really.
In unison, both stood and cocked their guns.
"Let the girl sing. I happened to have been enjoying that song before you
ruined it, you know."
She shot Jet an exasperated look as she sighed.
"Put those away, it's not like this is a first in my experience. (turning
to the still closing gangsters) Now boys, why don't you just go home and
let me do my job, ok?"
They continued to advance, despite her oh-so-sweet tone of voice. She
backed the four steps to the wall, and slowly put one hand on it, the other
reaching behind her back. Her gaze flicked to the barkeep- also the owner
of the place- who was glaring at her.
"Gomen-nasai, I'm about to cause a bit of a scene, I'm afraid."
Her gaze became flint hard as she looked from one to the other of the five
who had climbed onstage, still speaking in the too-sweet-and-innocent
voice.
"Now now, I gave you all fair warning, you know."
Ten seconds later, her five attackers were on the floor, the cause evident
by the tazer in her hand.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jet waited just outside the bar door, overhearing every word that passed
inside.
"Onegai, one more night. Just one."
"No! Next time it might cost me furniture or the bar instead of one
night's clients. Besides, I don't harbor people wanted by members of a
Syndicate, or syndicate members themselves, for that matter."
"What about my paycheck?"
"Forget it! You cost me more tonight in lost business than the woolongs
you would have earned!"
"Then you can forget about the rest of my end of the deal. I'm keeping the
music. Every last page of it."
"You can't do tha-"
"Shall I call the police? I'm sure they will find it interesting that
you're firing me without paying me for services already rendered. That's
a hefty fine by itself, I believe. Now let go of my wrist. *Thank you*."
Light brown hair and a black trench coat walked by in softly clicking high
heels.
"Hold on a moment. You sang Stray Cat Serenade, right?"
She whirled. Brilliantly violet eyes flashed at Jet.
"What do *you* want? I was just going to get my tail end off this planet."
Holding up his hands defensively, Jet stepped back a pace.
"Easy, I just wanted to talk."
"Alyce!"
The girl turned. Jet recognized Shin from that time in the bar- he was
using a crutch and was headed their way. She sighed with a smile.
"And about time. Help me rescue the music?"
Shin sighed and looked at her.
"All I need is you there. The owner's dead scared of anyone that even
remotely smells of 'syndicate' and I need the guard."
"Oh all right."
At that point, Shin recognized Jet, as they both trailed Alyce back inside.
Jet looked Shin over, placing the memory.
"You knew Spike, didn't you? You saved our asses in the bar."
Shin shook his head.
"I covered for Spike. We had too much history, and he was a good guy. A
pity Julia died, I wish I could have helped them more."
Alyce picked up the papers scattered around the piano.
"I saw your grave. What happened?"
Shin laughed quietly, the laugh turning into a cough for a few seconds.
"An angel from the underworld saved me. Until I get better, I'm not
officially alive again. I was given a way out, no strings attached, and I
didn't want it."
"Why didn't you take it?"
Alyce walked over.
"Let's say that the angel who saved me had a better offer."
"What ange- oh. You're talking about the devil from paradise, Shin?"
Jet blinked, confused.
"I've heard that before."
Alyce shrugged.
"It's a turn of phrase used to describe the people who throw wrenches in
the workings of a Syndicate. Especially if it's in the machiene called the
Red Dragon Syndicate."
She looked at Jet, as they started to walk away from the night club.
"You wanted to talk?"
"Did you write that song, the-"
"Yes. I wrote the Stray Cat Serenade."
"Why?"
She handed the rolled up music to Shin.
"Go ahead of me. I'll meet you there."
Another familiar phrase, Jet thought. When shin left, she answered his
question.
"Because I'm a stray black cat who's chained to a place I can't leave
because it's a scenery I'm familiar with."
She walked away, footsteps silent.
"Sayonara, Black Dog. Or is it Running Rock?"
Jet started to call after her, but she vanished into the midnight crowds.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Didja get anything?"
Faye munched a can of dog food.
"No, not really."
"Damn."
"Well, we'd better get the bounty if we want to eat again. The repairs
took us down to the last woolong."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Leave that carpet."
The low-ranking Dragons looked up, mortally confused. As usual, since the
new leader took over.
"But-"
"I want to have a reminder of exactly why a coup is a terrible idea and
should never be tried again. Too many good people died in the resulting
chaos, including to end it."
The red carpet with a deeper crimson stain was left on the staircase.
See ya, Space Siren
Outlaw woman.