Shut Up And Sing
Posted on Tue Mar 26th, 2024 @ 7:47pm by Tulilah Cel & Lieutenant JG Callin Mastrel & Karrun North
Mission:
Shakedown Shake-Up
Location: Esquimalt Lounge
2676 words - 5.4 OF Standard Post Measure
Was you ever in Quebec
Bonny laddie, hieland laddie
Callin sang along with his new best-friends-in-the-entire-galaxy in the lounge after they'd all downed another round of...what had they called it? Finagle's Folly? It had been dark green and deceptively strong, but they'd insisted the junior officer give it a try. Ten minutes later, here he was, in the middle of a crowd of them, arms flung over shoulders, singing away a shanty he'd picked up at the Academy.
Stowing timber on the deck
Bonny hieland ladie
Hey ho and away we go
Bonny laddie, hieland laddie
Hey ho and away we go
Bonny hieland ladie
He had a halfway decent voice too! Not enough that he should be thinking of giving up his day job. The young pilot had begun to dance some quick steps, thankfully still hanging on to others with how enthusiastically he kicked.
Was you ever in Merashee
Where you stayed fast to tree
Was you ever in Baltimore
Dancin' on that sanded floor
Was you ever in Balville bay
Where the girls are all the go!
Thankfully, perhaps, for the other patrons in there at the moment, the song had ended. Callin looked around with big smiles, panting, as the crowd dispersed some, and then a confused expression. Were they done with the singing? Where were his new besties going? Should he start up another song?
Karrun sat just down the aisle from where the now dispersing group of rather rowdy and drunken singers had just been belting their chorus. It had been rather entertaining to watch the entire thing go down. The group had formed only 15 minutes before when someone had spilt his drink on another, a fight had almost broken out between the group, but a hug here and an apology there and next thing she had seen they were belting out old shanties. Really old if she was remembering it correctly, Scottish from the 19th century. The El-Aurian had tapped along on the table, her own drink held snugly in her other hand. She shouted her own "Bravo!" with some of the other patrons as she watched.
With Tulilah and Aaron off in a public enough setting to not need a chaperone and therefore free of the 'Watchful Eye of Mom' (puppy love was so cute!), Safyrah had decided to do a little recon of the lounges that would be her lounge's primary competition. Based on what she'd seen so far, she was not worried (though she would make a recommendation for a karaoke night). The amateurs had been entertaining though, and she appreciated turning conflict to song, however, drunken. She did feel a pang of sympathy for the poor boy left standing there with a bewildered and slightly lost look on his face, and so joined in when someone else decided to offer him a cheer. "Yes, bravo!"
Alas, friendship made amidst adversity, burned so bright and faded away just as quickly! Callin turned and blinked confused black eyes in the direction of the ladies that had called out that peculiar word. It wasn't the first time he'd heard it, but at the moment there was this lovely haze that was increasing as the alcohol from earlier worked its pleasant way through his veins. Might as well figure it out, so he walked over between them, turning to look at them each in turn. "Hellooo," Callin was careful as he let the Standard flow from his tongue. Not his first language, his accent was strong as the chemicals did their number on him. "I hope that means you liked the song! Much better to dance and sing than throw punches. What does 'bravo' mean anyways? Does it come from something in partic-patricu- um, something special?" That word had nearly given him the hiccups.
"You know... I don't know," Safyrah laughed. "It's a Standard word from somewhere to tell an entertainer they did well. On Catulla, it would be," the lavender haired woman lifted a hand and snapped fingers, saying, "Zula!" Then flashed a grin. "But you'd have been even less likely to know that one."
"Comes from the Italian word of Brava, was adopted by the English-speaking world sometime during the post-colonial world," Karrun said as she shrugged and took a sip of her drink, "Was adapted into Bravo. Originally the Brava meant 'Good!'." The El-Aurian looked towards the man, his strong jaw and dark eyes. Definitely a Betazoid. "I have actually been to Catulla though, fascinating studies there on the effects of a full nuclear winter and how the civilization adapted to overcome the issues that it brought. Never heard Zula while I was there however, never did get to see any of the shows." She glanced over at the bright-haired woman before looking back at the Betazed, "Regardless, you were quite the singer there my friend, a bit off tune but not bad."
"Zula!" he repeated with a renewed grin and snap of his fingers. "I like that. Almost like 'Bravo Zulu' but not." The pilot found that immensely funny. English, Italian, post-colonial, there wasn't even a vague recognition in his expression for these terms, but he shrugged and just assumed it was another of humanity's little quirks of history. They had so many, and his education had never gone into that. "Thank you, thank you. Do either of you know any fun songs? Or something else good to drink? I think I need to sit down now." He promptly took a seat nearby but at neither of their tables; if the lady wanted a gentleman to sit with them, she would tell him to do so, such were Betazoid manners.
Safyrah cast a glance at the other woman. She might just be a historian of some type, but there was something about how she'd referred to an incident far in Catulla's past that made her think long-lived species, Lanthanite or El-Aurian maybe. Both of those had a tendency to sit back and just watch though, and it struck her that the young man who'd barely managed to sit down before he fell down seemed at a loss. She'd worked enough clubs on starbases to have seen it many times, among customers and staff as well. He was probably just blowing off steam, or trying to make the most of a leave, so the best thing would be to make sure he didn't wander off and fall over a promenade balcony or something. Not that he looked especially capable of walking anywhere right now. "Actually, I'm a professional singer," she said, coming over to join him at the table. "So I know quite a few songs. Some similar to the earth tune you were singing, like 'Irish Rover'." There were a lot of humans in Starfleet so she'd gotten to know several old drinking songs by heart. "Though for funny, I'd say 'Finnigan's Wake' or 'Donal Where's Your Trousers'."
Should they get to know him, they'd find out that Callin could get like this at any time off duty, leave or not, though typically he restricted himself to synthehol if he had a duty shift coming up. He stood up out of his seat as Safyrah joined him, still remembering his manners, and only sat once she had again. "A professional singer? Praise the Divines! If it isn't an imposition, would you be willing to share a song or two yourself? Pilots seem to know all the shanties, trade them back and forth, it's a fun tradition, but I bet you could blow the rest of us out of the sky!"
A pilot. That explains a lot. The thought was mostly amused - flyboys had a reputation, but most of the ones she'd known were good sorts. She almost regretted not having her circle harp, but she hadn't come here to perform. "Well, are you sweet. I wouldn't mind joining in on a round of 'Banned from Argo' or 'Hanrahan's Bar', but I'm contracted for the new lounge opening next week. I can't go offering free solos in the competition," she demurred.
"Hanrahan's Bar, I learned that one even before going to Earth!" he said excitedly and popped back up to his feet. Perhaps he hadn't noticed the part about not singing in the competition? The pilot swayed just a little bit as the bar underwent special turbulence - whoever was at the helm really should be more careful. He cleared his throat and launched right into another song.
We pride ourselves on our well-stocked shelves
Wine from Deneb and whiskey from Carr
Any world you can think of, we carry the drink of
We serve the universe at Hanrahan's Bar!
Safyrah suppressed a laugh at how he swayed, not quite to the beat, but took pity on the man. And anyone sensitive to where he went off tune. Judging that a drunken duet wouldn't violate her contract, she stood and put an arm around his shoulders to keep him from falling, and with a strong practiced voice, belted out,
The bartender's Irish, Mike Flanagan by name
Killed a dozen men on a rimworld, they claim
The barmaid's a gentle, elegant lass
As long as you keep your hands on your glass!
She could hear some murmurs from others and motioned for them to join in. "Don't be shy!" she called out before continuing.
Now, the Patrollers drop by every hour or two
Just to keep the place quiet and to belt down a few
If a fight breaks out, then they're always in
Unfortunately, they seldom win
Now the pride of Coe is the engineers' corps
They've been stationed here for a century or more
They make good money and they know how to spend
And if you've got troubles, there are no finer friends
We pride ourselves on our well-stocked shelves
Wine from Deneb and whiskey from Carr
Any world you can think of, we carry the drink of
We serve the universe at Hanrahan's Bar!
Some had joined at her urging, but several other voices had come in on the chorus. Safyrah raised her hands, snapping applause and nodding around to the other patrons. "Thank you all."
"Another!" someone called, followed by a more inebriated voice yelling 'Do Banned from Argo!" That suggestion was quickly echoed by several others with calls of "Yeah, Argo!"
This was one Callin hadn't heard yet! He looked over at Safyrah, black eyes shining with a combination of excitement and drink. Since he couldn't join in on the next song, he waved at the bartender and gestured around, to put another round on his own tab please. Perhaps he'd had enough, maybe not, he'd find out after the next!
"Alright, but I need a drink for that one," Safyrah laughed, lifting a glass from the tray that appeared from ordered round and taking a big swig. "And you ALL have to join in!" she added, pointing around at the ones who'd asked for it.
"We're in! Sing!" a guy nearly as drunk as the Betazoid man called back. "Yeah, sing!" others echoed.
The enthusiasm was infectious and Safyrah couldn't help enjoy leading the song. She began to tap/stomp with one foot, setting a beat, and raised her head with shake of lavender hair as she began the tune, and this time the crowd needed to no encouragement, jumping in at the first note past her lips.
When we pulled into Argo Port in need of R & R
The crew set out investigating every joint and bar
We had high expectations of their hospitality
But found too late it wasn't geared for spacers such as we.
Even more joined in on the more well-known chorus.
And we're banned from Argo every one
Banned from Argo just for having a little fun
We spent a jolly shoreleave there for just three days or four
But Argo doesn't want us anymore!
Our captain's tastes were simple but his methods were complex
We found him with five partners each of a different world and sex
The shore police were on the way -- we had no second chance
We beamed him up in the nick of time in the remnants of his pants
And we're banned from Argo every one
Banned from Argo just for having a little fun
We spent a jolly shoreleave there for just three days or four
But Argo doesn't want us anymore
Our engineer would yield to none in putting down the brew
He outdrank seven space marines and a demolition crew
The navigator didn't win but he outdrank almost all
And now they've got a shuttlecraft on the roof of city hall
And we're banned from Argo every one
Banned from Argo just for having a little fun
We spent a jolly shoreleave there for just three days or four
But Argo doesn't want us anymore
Our proper cool first officer was drugged with something green
And hauled into an alley where he suffered things obscene
He sobered up in sickbay and he's none the worse for wear
Except he somehow taught the bridge computer how to swear
And we're banned from Argo every one
Banned from Argo just for having a little fun
We spent a jolly shoreleave there for just three days or four
But Argo doesn't want us anymore
The head nurse disappeared a while in the major dope bazaar
Buying an odd green potion guaranteed to cause pon farr
She came home with no uniform and an oddly cheerful heart
And a painful way of walking with her feet a yard apart
And we're banned from Argo every one
Banned from Argo just for having a little fun
We spent a jolly shoreleave there for just three days or four
But Argo doesn't want us any-moooore!
With the end, Safyrah dramatically downed the last of her drink and flopped into a chair with a bright laugh.
Karrun chuckled as the bright-haired woman downed the drink in one swift gulp before collapsing into her chair with a laugh, a smile crept onto her face as she clapped lightly. "Brava my friend, wonderful singing and you seem to have captivated the audience," Karrun said as she gestured towards the bar and then to the Betazoid in front of them, "You'll have a few more admirers after tonight. Maybe some new regulars where ever you end up in residence."
"Thank you," Safyrah said with a nod. "I won't be rude and pitch another lounge in this one, but I do hope to see some of here over there," she replied with a smile. "How about you? Do you sing?"
"Only after far more to drink than what I currently have in my system," Karrun laughed as she gave her response, "And unfortunately it would take a lot stronger of a beverage than what this lounge is currently capable of serving. They need to expand their collection a bit." She looked over at the bar and then shook her head, to be fair, it was a relatively recently reopened lounge, she couldn't fault them there.
"I have however spent more than my fair share of time in lounges across the galaxy, a good singer at any establishment is worth their weight in gold press latinium or the local equivalent. Wherever you end up taking residence will be lucky for sure." Karrun added as she sipped at her own drink.
"That was lovely!" Callin beamed. "Okay, obviously we need another round -" he gestured at the bartender to start pouring for himself and his new friends "-and another song!" With cheeks flushed, from excitement, from all the singing, and no small amount of synthahol, he launched into an old Betazoid shanty to share, happy to keep the party going long into the night.
Safyrah nodded appreciation to both but declined another drink, since she would need to head back for the kids soon. But she could join in on one last shanty...
