Last Night on Earth

Posted on Mon Apr 7th, 2025 @ 6:38pm by Commander Mindo & Lieutenant Commander Greep & Lieutenant Zo & Lieutenant Commander Caradan Eunidas & Lieutenant Daniel Keith & Lieutenant Krysia Kaleri-Smith & Lieutenant JG Olivia Keith & Lieutenant JG Aeryn Jameson & Ensign Ian Milkovich & Ensign Aenardha Sh'vastarth & Petty Officer 3rd Class Raven Mattel

Mission: Outside the Box
Location: Rachel Garrett Memorial Park
Timeline: After "Way Under," 1900 hrs

ON

It was a nice night for a concert at Rachel Garrett Memorial Park, a modest-sized outdoor venue sitting atop a hill overlooking the sprawling Pacific, which now reflected the setting sun's cavalcade of vibrant reds and yellows, blues and violets. Located on the southwest side of San Fransisco, tonight it would be the venue for the "Last Night on Earth" concert, featuring Pandora's own Warp Nine. The band was made up of four officers from the former Luna-Class starship who had become immensely popular in the last three years after the release of their first album, "Boldly Going." It was their first concert on Earth in nearly two years. No one attending knew there was a good chance it could be their very last. News of the concert had gotten around since the show's booking only two weeks prior, and within hours the show was sold out.

The air was a nice seventy-five degrees with a slight cool ocean breeze filling the venue with the sounds, sights, and scents of Earth's largest ocean. The former Pandora crew, now the crew of the Mindo Star Ship (MSS) Qaraq, had front row center seats. Commander Mindo had arrived a little early to beat the crowd, not realizing there were already dozens of fans camped out waiting for the doors to open. Soon the place was very crowded. The small venue sat about twelve thousand people, and Mindo found it difficult navigating the place. A man of only three and a half feet could literally be stepped on and trampled in a place this crowded, and his rocket boots would be no good at pushing through the crowd. Eventually he found his seat and planted himself in it, waiting for the rest of the crew to arrive.

Daniel and Olivia arrived next hand in hand. The concert was a nice way to spend their last night on Earth. They both loved music and being outdoors. Plus, the band was made up the Pandora's own Warp Nine. It was a spectacular night for a concert. The sky was clear with a slight breeze. More than that was the fact Daniel was with the love of his life; Olivia and he could have no better company than her. Arriving, they were surprised to find a crowd already had formed. However, holding Olivia's hand tightly, the pair worked their way through the crowd until they reached the front row and found Commander Mindo already in his seat. "Commander Mindo, good to see you! A perfect night for a concert wouldn't you agree?" Daniel ventured as he and Olivia sat down.

“It’s nice to see you again Mindo” Olivia smiled warmly as she took a seat next to Daniel. “It’s a busy evening isn’t it?”

"It is," Mindo replied. "I'm not crazy over outdoor venues, but I wouldn't miss this show for anything!"

"I think this is going to be a show we are all going to remember for a long time as well as whose company we were in when we saw it." Daniel added.

Caradan showed at the end of the aisle and started down it toward Mindo's location and the others. As usual, she was in all black, head to two, to include her black al-amira head covering. The only thing not black was her showing face and the white gloves on her hands. While making her way to their location, she was constantly looking around. Her security training was coming out as she was scouting out avenues of escape, areas of advantage for adversaries should they attempt a strike. In like manner, her lack of training against anxiety was also showing as she was taking in constant inventory of who was around her, how close someone was. She actively leaned away so as to not bump elbows with another fan.

Caradan found a vacant seat near Mindo and the Keiths and claimed it. "Evening all," was all she said.

Daniel saw Caradan approaching. he also saw her eyes darting all about, no doubt checking out the venue as well as possible escape routes. he also noted her aversion to touching anyone else or being touched. She was really going to have to work on relaxing just a bit. He leaned forward around Olivia and replied, "Hi Caradan." He left off 'relax' instead he said, "Enjoy the show."

"I shall," she said, but in her mind, Caradan finished the thought with 'not.' Taking her counselor's advice, she would at least try. She continued to look around. The stage was still being set up and instruments laid out. People were still flowing in. A few familiar faces, many not.

Raven Mattel was a walking Warp 9 merchandise stand. She was wearing a slouch beanie with the Warp 9 logo on the front, a distressed black denim jacket with logo patches across the arms and the band's authentic signatures on the back, a black crop top with 'Warp 9' written in bright green and pink letters, a black and pink plaid skirt, black knee-high socks with more band patches sewn on, and a pair of retro-style Chuck Taylors she had hand-painted 'Warp 9' onto with bold green letters. She was also carrying a water bottle and a replica vinyl of 'Boldly Go' for the band to sign later.

"WAAAARRP NIIIIIINNNEEE!" Raven shouted at the top of her lungs as she approached the front of the venue, eliciting a loud and sustained cheer from the audience members around them. She practically jumped over people as she made her way to the VIP seats. "I am so freaking pumped, you guys!" She exclaimed.

Aeryn arrived alongside Krysia and James, to say she felt a bit like the odd one out not having Owen with her anymore was an understatement. “Hi everyone” she smiled warmly.

Krys looked around, to say the place was busy would have been a massive understatement, she tended to avoid rowdy crowds simply because they overwhelmed her senses. For this occasion she would make an exception.

Caradan sighed audibly, though there was never a need for a CHangeling to do so. She stood with an, "excuse me all," and started away. Once at the end of the aisle and walking fleely, she was working at something beneath the sleeve of her arm and seemed to be speaking with someone. Not someone around her, but remotely as though via a commbadge.

Mindo checked his chronometer and was surprised to find the time was five minutes past the time for the show to start, and over a half hour since the instruments had been tuned and arranged.

The time stretched another five minutes, then ten, until the crowd began chanting "Warp Nine! Warp Nine! Warp Nine!"

Suddenly, the high-pitched squeal of a transporter echoed through the park as the whole band was beamed onto the stage in the exact places where their respective instruments had been arranged.

The band interrupted the crowd's massive ovation by launching into the Beatles' song "Get Back." Listening to the lyrics, the former crew of the Pandora knew the song was for them. They were all making an effort to get back to where they once belonged.

During the song, Caradan waded her way back to her place.

At "Get Back's" conclusion, they quickly transitioned to Kansas' "Carry On My Wayward Son," followed by the title track from the band's most recent album, "To Boldly Go." The trifecta ended to huge applause from the crowd, who had remained standing the entire time.

After a quick hello to the audience, the band launched into some more songs, a mix of various twentieth-century rock covers with some more of their new stuff evenly mixed in, with the audience animated and singing along to every song.

Halfway through the set, Aenardha came out from the wings and Zo took her hands and turned to the audience.

"This is my girlfriend Ann," he said to the audience. The audience clapped and cheered, and it was obvious some of the more hardcore fans could tell what was coming next. Zo and Aenardha had done this act several times during their "tour." Zo would have her on stage and they would "break up" with Zo crooning Barenaked Ladies' "Break Your Heart." Aenardha had gotten better at playing the angry girlfriend with each performance, and tonight she was even more on fire. Aenardha would, time and again, start to provide backing vocals matching the pitch of Zo's voice. She had spotted Mindo in the crowd and multi-tasked a little as she attempted to send warming thoughts his way after recalling the cold feeling she had gotten from him before. Mindo probably did not even know this was happening at all as he was just...feeling better. The slow, operatic song was a strain on Zo's voice, but he had never faltered or blown out a vocal cord.

This time was different. As the song concluded, Aenardha turned to leave the stage, but Zo took her hand and as she turned back, he knelt in front of her.

"I changed my mind," Zo said, and launched into Beatles' "Oh! Darling." The two of them had always wanted to add this song after "Break Your Heart," but Zo was never confident enough his voice could take it. Tonight, he gave it a go. The band had known ahead of time, but Zo hadn't mentioned it to Aenardha. He wanted a genuine surprise.

She hardly knew how to react but improvised the best she could, building upon the act she had mastered from the times before. It was certainly a surprise. Aenardha had a surprise in return. She already knew the lyrics to the song and provided her voice for backing vocals again.

Zo made it to the end of the song, nailing every note. He smiled and stood, and the two hugged and bowed to the audience, who continued to cheer for Aenardha as she walked off stage.

The night ended to no surprise with "Freebird." As the band waved at was beamed out, Zo remained, holding a traditional brown acoustic guitar. The crowd quieted down, and Zo was bathed in a sole spotlight at the center of the stage.

"Who else had fun tonight?" Zo asked the audience. Whoops and hollers went up from the audience and Zo grinned widely. "Gotta be honest, this was probably the best night this band has ever had."

More cheers.

Aenardha made her way to the seating area and watched on from there, near to one of the exits. So late in the show, she decided not to wade her way into the crowd toward her crewmates. Instead, she relaxed herself by leaning against one of the guard railings, crossing her arms over it. She used the full range of public vision of everyone in the place to ensure she was looking toward the stage.

Zo continued. "I look out here at you tonight, on this beautiful planet Earth, and I see people with so many shapes, colors, and sizes, and I think about how we are all here from somewhere else. And we are all drawn here right now, to this moment. And it isn't the music that makes this. It's not what I play or sing. It's not about me and the band. It's about us. It's about the power of us together. Music isn't just art. It's movement. Tonight, I think we were all moved. Take as much of that as you can and hold on to it. Hold onto it, planet Earth. I hope this last song helps."

The lyrics began, and Zo regaled them with a solo acoustic version of the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love," seamlessly adding "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."

Zo beamed away, and the house lights came up.

Aenardha straightened and get an applause as did the rest of the crowd.

Daniel stood up and cheered and applauded long and hard. The show was amazing, and the performers needed to know their efforts were most appreciated.

As many started filing out after the show, Aenardha awaited her crewmates by the exit. Mindo was last to come out, having waited for the crowd to clear, and the whole crew went backstage to celebrate the concert with the band... not as friends, and not as a crew either. They did so as a family.

OFF