Even Androids play the blues, part 4
Rommie wondered the wide corridors that made up the 'streets' of Mendocino Drift, her saxophone secured in its case and hanging from her shoulder. Beka had given her the address of a Jazz Club she had once visited, and Dylan had all but insisted that she went to check it out.
Mackie's turned out to be a converted cargo bay, with a bar along one wall, opposite the stage. A Nietzschean sat at the piano, gently play a tune Rommie didn't recognise. He looked up when he saw Rommie, "Something I can help you with little lady?" Rommie nodded shyly, "A friend of mine told me that this was a good place to listen to Jazz." The Nietzschean nodded, "Well it is, but nothing really happens till the station reaches night- shift. Then this place really rocks. You play that or just carry it around?" He asked, motioning to her saxophone case.
Rommie blushed, "Kind of: I've never played in public." The Nietzschean smiled, climbing down off the stage and walking up to her, his hand held out, "Well, if it makes you feel any better, the names Mackie, and I own this place." Rommie shook his hand, "Rommie. Jazz Club owner is a strange job for a Nietzschean." Mackie smiled, "Well, I'm also the head of security here on Mendocino Drift. Anyway, let's hear you play something: there's no- one here but me and a few others from the band out back." Rommie took her saxophone from its case and started to play.
As Rommie played, several other people wondered in from behind the stage, and stood next to Mackie. She did her best to ignore them, instead concentrating on her playing. She closed her eyes and did the best she could to pretend she was alone. The song ended, and Rommie looked at the assembled band members. They started to clap, and Rommie felt herself starting to blush. Mackie shock his head, "How long have you been playing?" Rommie lowered here eyes, "About a year."
Mackie whistled, "Well, Rommie, you play like you where borne with a sax in your hand." Rommie smiled slightly, "I'm an A.I." A Perseid at the back of the band whistled, "An A.I. with soul? Groovy." Mackie laughed, "You'll have to forgive Tarkell there: he read a book about Earth music and now thinks he's a beatnik. He's a little strange, but he's the best drummer I've ever met." Tarkell smiled, "You're to kind." Mackie tuned back to Rommie, "How'd you like to play with us tonight?"
Rommie blushed, "I don't know: I've never played in front of an ordinance before." Tarkell smiled, "Relax baby, it's just the same as anything else: pick one person in the ordinance, and pretend you're only playing for them." Rommie nodded, "Ok, but I'll have to clear it with my captain before hand." Mackie nodded, "Well, we start at 2100-hours, so if you're not here by then, we'll take it as read that you couldn't make it. And one more thing: first night in the band, you have to sing at lest one song."
Rommie's eyes went wide, "I don't know if I could do that." Mackie smiled, "It's just like Tarkell said: pick someone in the ordinance and sing just for them. Maybe you could ask a friend to come along and you could focus on them." Rommie nodded, "I'll see what I can do."
TBC
Rommie wondered the wide corridors that made up the 'streets' of Mendocino Drift, her saxophone secured in its case and hanging from her shoulder. Beka had given her the address of a Jazz Club she had once visited, and Dylan had all but insisted that she went to check it out.
Mackie's turned out to be a converted cargo bay, with a bar along one wall, opposite the stage. A Nietzschean sat at the piano, gently play a tune Rommie didn't recognise. He looked up when he saw Rommie, "Something I can help you with little lady?" Rommie nodded shyly, "A friend of mine told me that this was a good place to listen to Jazz." The Nietzschean nodded, "Well it is, but nothing really happens till the station reaches night- shift. Then this place really rocks. You play that or just carry it around?" He asked, motioning to her saxophone case.
Rommie blushed, "Kind of: I've never played in public." The Nietzschean smiled, climbing down off the stage and walking up to her, his hand held out, "Well, if it makes you feel any better, the names Mackie, and I own this place." Rommie shook his hand, "Rommie. Jazz Club owner is a strange job for a Nietzschean." Mackie smiled, "Well, I'm also the head of security here on Mendocino Drift. Anyway, let's hear you play something: there's no- one here but me and a few others from the band out back." Rommie took her saxophone from its case and started to play.
As Rommie played, several other people wondered in from behind the stage, and stood next to Mackie. She did her best to ignore them, instead concentrating on her playing. She closed her eyes and did the best she could to pretend she was alone. The song ended, and Rommie looked at the assembled band members. They started to clap, and Rommie felt herself starting to blush. Mackie shock his head, "How long have you been playing?" Rommie lowered here eyes, "About a year."
Mackie whistled, "Well, Rommie, you play like you where borne with a sax in your hand." Rommie smiled slightly, "I'm an A.I." A Perseid at the back of the band whistled, "An A.I. with soul? Groovy." Mackie laughed, "You'll have to forgive Tarkell there: he read a book about Earth music and now thinks he's a beatnik. He's a little strange, but he's the best drummer I've ever met." Tarkell smiled, "You're to kind." Mackie tuned back to Rommie, "How'd you like to play with us tonight?"
Rommie blushed, "I don't know: I've never played in front of an ordinance before." Tarkell smiled, "Relax baby, it's just the same as anything else: pick one person in the ordinance, and pretend you're only playing for them." Rommie nodded, "Ok, but I'll have to clear it with my captain before hand." Mackie nodded, "Well, we start at 2100-hours, so if you're not here by then, we'll take it as read that you couldn't make it. And one more thing: first night in the band, you have to sing at lest one song."
Rommie's eyes went wide, "I don't know if I could do that." Mackie smiled, "It's just like Tarkell said: pick someone in the ordinance and sing just for them. Maybe you could ask a friend to come along and you could focus on them." Rommie nodded, "I'll see what I can do."
TBC