Space Ace and His Back Up Band
The space station diner/club was packed for the newest sensation, Space Ace and his Back up Band. Space Ace himself being some self appointed rock Guru of the 29th century, hiding code phrases to self enlightenment in his songs. (Some banned in thirteen different countries in various galaxies.) This was my first time to see his awe inspiring show, I sat in the back of the club, seated in the most hidden of booths. I can see evidence his word has spread out beyond my own galaxy, there are about fifteen different species crowded into this room.
The lights dimmed. Slowly the stage lights began to glow making the smoke in the room more apparent. The Back Up Band began with their opening chorus. On cue Space stood, center stage, as the light shone down directly on him. The words flowed from his lips, he must have done this a thousand times. It was like a rhythmic trance chanted over and over. He stood as if he wasn’t even here, singing words he knew there were no way we could comprehend. Words known only to him in the secret places that he goes when no dares to glance his way.
The crowd took on a different hue as they swayed back and forth, their eyes slightly glazed. Mesmerized by the melodic rhythm and melody that now filled their ears and chambers. Once in a while, as if in some sort of cosmic awareness one of the aliens would shout out a single word in perfect unison with the songs’ beat and tempo. Reminding me of some far off long forgotten church. The music seemed endless, I too could feel something luring me to sleep Not restful sleep, but the relaxation of the mind. The pleasure of letting go, slipping into the cosmic awareness.
I blinked my eyes as I glanced up at the stage, the room has become blurry. The only coherent thing is that his words are constant. Soothing and beckoning me onward into this state of nothingness. A place I can not afford to go to, but desperately long to go.
From one to another in no particular order or time, one by one the aliens would take their turn echoing the words of their leader. The waitress now too seemed to be part of the act, picking up the lack in her own voice.
Space opened his eyes and glanced into the room, at his creation. They loved him, to no END they loved him. Worshiped him, adored him. Would be his slaves if he so desired. With one exception, in the back.
I watched him closely, him so aware of me sitting here. If he only knew I was just like them. Worshiping him, adoring him, willing to do anything for him, and all for the same reason. Just mine is not forced or lured, it’s true.
He continued with the next verse, then the next song. But it would seem like an eternity. Til finally my eyes would gaze into his…and an inevitable Journey would begin.
(footnote – i wrote this back in the 90s to a song called “looking for satellites” by david bowie off his earthling album. i just heard the song and saw this going down. i posted this story on bowie.net when it first started….back when i could afford to be on bowie net. i edited it this morning because of the run on sentences, bad grammar, and mixing of second and third with first person.. blah blah tekkie talk make it stop…. enjoy)