The wind blew softly across the Countless Thousands of immobile little Audience Members. Thirty Thousand-odd sets of Lungs Vibrated while inhaling and exhaling. the Noise of this alone sounded like a Raging Ocean Storm, its waves breaking.
Mike, caught amid this colossal crowd, faces a daunting task: Fourteen more concerts just on Jellsius IV! The weight of that number presses upon him, and 16 more Planets!!!!Two Hundred Gigs in total!!! Yet there’s a glimmer of hope- a dormant happiness stirring within him. Perhaps it’s the anticipation of freedom, the prospect of escaping this cycle, against a Shingle Beach in a great Hiss.
Oblika, such a mysterious figure, talked of two hundred Concerts across a host of different FENGU-Populated Worlds. A VERY Grand Tour indeed, a grandiose endeavour. But whose life is Oblika living anyways? Is Mike’s life truly his own any longer, or is he now reduced to that of a Puppet, a mere vessel for the music, the crowds, and the relentless rhythm of existence?
As the winds continued to blow, Mike grappled with these questions. The softness of the breeze contrasts with the roaring ocean storm of emotions within him. And in this paradoxical moment, he finds himself both trapped and liberated. What lies beyond these concerts? What awaits Mike when the final note fades? Only time- and perhaps the pliability of the crowd- will reveal the answer.
Oblika's words reverberated in Mike’s mind, leaving an indelible mark. The prospect of performing "Fourteen more Concerts “, and then embarking on a journey to the next Planet, ‘HOLLIEN’, weighed heavily upon him. A total of two hundred gigs, such a formidable undertaking. And where was this place anyway? All will get revealing in the fullness of time. Would he survive that long? If the Crowd were as Pliable as these Creatures were, it did not seem so daunting a task, and offered up some solace. However, Mike did feel a crushing sense of despair; yet at the same time he was aware of a dormant happiness stirring within him. For at least he was free.
Mike’s newfound awareness of the surroundings on this part of Jelsius revealed a captivating landscape. He had not been given much luxury to take it all in. But now after this Gig where dream transformed into reality, maybe the after-effects of the Zart drink the night before, he could relax a little to take in his surroundings.
The Hilltops above the auditorium were crowned with tall, spindly palm Trees stood like sentinels, their giant leaves shaded in hues of blues and greens. The flora spread up to reach them, only to merge into a dense, green forest. When the wind swept through, the solid, fan-shaped leaves swayed and bowed, creating a rhythmic clatter. High above the auditorium, Mike’s gaze was drawn to distant formations of great white birds-majestic ‘V’ formations soaring at an altitude that seemed impervious to any dangers. Their height being their defense against any harm that might befall them. What a pristine and unspoiled Planet Mike had encountered! The distant Volcanic Mountain-range adds an element of mystery and adventure. He recalls these Mountain ranges which he observed through the clear view port inside of his capsule as he shot overhead preparatory to landing. I was as if Mike’s journey is just beginning, and he’s about to explore the secrets hidden within the topographical spine of this region.
The late afternoon Sun dazzled as it hovered slowly above the Horizon, beginning to slowly vanish as the Mountain-range seemed to gradually devour it's dying Glow. As Mike surveyed the scene, he felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. The fading sunlight painted a poignant picture of the day’s end, and the weariness in his bones seemed to amplify the weight of every task ahead. The scattered equipment and tired ‘Crew’ mirrored his own fatigue, reminding him of the reality beyond the euphoria of his performance. Yet, amidst the weariness and the looming chores, there was a sense of camaraderie. The Band and Crew, despite their fatigue, had shared the highs and lows of the performance together. As Mike looked around at his companions, he felt a surge of determination. They had worked hard to put on a great show, and now it was time to rally once more and tackle the clean-up together.
With a sigh, Mike pulled himself together and pushed forward to begin to de-construct the stage set-up. Time to clean up and pack the gear away now. Some of the FENGU crew were actively working, but strangely, some too were lethargic. Music is having an influencing effect on them also. Several were still flat on their backs in various positions about the rear of the stage and in the wings. This would not do. Time to get back to work and quit this lazing about he thought.
As Mike’s gaze fell upon the scattered equipment, he was reminded of so many Children’s stuffed toys lying about idle. That struck him with a pang of melancholy. This image painted a picture of vulnerability and disarray, a stark contrast to the energy and excitement of their performance. The realisation that they were now responsible for packing up much of their own gear added another layer of heaviness to his tired mind.
‘Oh! Dear! Mike muttered under his breath, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling in. I think we did this to our Crew. Every movement felt like a struggle against the pull of weariness, and he found himself drifting, both physically and mentally, as tiredness threatened to consume him. He was still Hung-over!
In that moment of drifting, Mike allowed himself a brief respite, letting the weariness wash over him like a gentle wave. But even in this condition, a sense of duty nudged him back to reality. With a sigh, he roused himself from his momentary reverie, knowing that the task ahead wouldn’t accomplish itself.
Summoning the last reserves of his energy, Mike joined his bandmates and crew in the laborious task of packing up. Despite the fatigue and the challenges ahead, he found encouragement in the shared effort. Knowing that they were all in it together. With each piece of gear stowed safely away, they moved one step closer to the end of another chapter in their journey, ready to face whatever came next.
It all seemed too much…. And Mike felt himself drifting again…. drifting away…
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......Aware and moving....and as Mike’s awareness sharpened, he realized he wasn’t in the now familiar surroundings of the housing complex following the Concert. Instead, he found himself reclined in a capsule, surrounded by his bandmates and the imposing figure of Oblika. The sight of Oblika with an apparatus hovering over him, seemingly engaged in some sort of control system, sparked a mixture of curiosity and concern within Mike. With a slight furrow of his brow, Mike glanced around the capsule, taking in the scene before him. Mark, Neil, and Patrick were present, but sleeping, while some FENGU crew members seemed also to be asleep. There were ten Seats in all. All forms seemed to be relaxed in these reclined seats. The dim lighting cast shadows across the faces of his companions, adding an eerie ambience to the moment. Feeling a sense of disorientation lingering from his drifting consciousness, Mike’s thoughts raced as he tried to make sense of this situation. And so, what happened after the concert? How had they ended up here, in this capsule? And what was Oblika doing with that apparatus?
Gathering his wits, Mike decided it was time to rouse his bandmates and piece together the puzzle of their current predicament. With a determined nod, he prepared to confront whatever mysteries awaited them in this unfamiliar setting.
["Ah! You are awake Mike, good. We shall be approaching the Planet called 'HOLLIEN' shortly. The others will wake up soon too. There are a great many transplanted FENGU on that Planet-- almost as many as on Jellsius. I am so thrilled with the Concerts that you and other Lads have done. Most of Jellsius has been shielded by your 'Turning' of the FENGU Populace, and they will be able to resist the Evil influences of the Shadow Man and his Lakeys if, or when, they may show up. Our Ardoccan Forces will do our best to steer them away and back out into deeper Space, or destroy them if they can?"], said Oblika grimly.
"Hello Oblika, so we are such a Tool in the Ardoccan Tool-Box of Defenses against these Evil Forces?", asked Mike inquisitively. He felt weak, and it sounded as if he were rambling dialogue that he already knew.
[" Precisely dear friend. We fight them in many ways, at many different Levels. In our domain, we fight them with Music- Rock and Roll!"], Oblika stated, letting out a strange Wail which passed for laughter.
" Where is all our Equipment and the gear we shall need to move ahead with new Concerts?", Mike sensibly asked.
["In Stowage. We have three large Capsules; I am Monitoring their Trajectory and passage on this Journey with this Console in front of me. All of us are here in the first Largest Capsule. Our FENGU helpers and some of the Equipment is in the Capsule following us. The Capsule behind that one, the last of the three, houses various smaller Equipment, and all our Supplies, Food, etc. We are a 'Travelin' Band’."], Oblika said, letting out that strange Wail / Laugh again.
"Nothing has been left to chance then?", said Mike.
["I have had to pre-empt Concerts on Hollien before we did further ones on Jellsius. This was due to a countering strategy being necessary as the direction of the Shadow Man and his forces had altered course and shifted closer to Hollien. We had to ‘bump-up’ the Hollien Gigs—and accelerate our concert dates between these too. I have attempted to consider everything we should need and have already arranged much ahead of us. Accommodation, supplies, back-up Equipment even--we'll be fine. Everything will be good”]. Looking at the Band members in a sweeping grin. “[And who knows, maybe your Missions with us will end faster than we planned for and predicted? “], Oblika said assuredly.
["The Gravity on Hollien is more like that of your Earth, so you will be able to move about the Stages better without the risk of bouncing out into the Audience when you feel like Jumping."], continued Oblika.
"That is a REALLY good thing to hear! I have felt so restrained in my Movements, we all have, taking ‘Baby-steps’", said Mike.
["Not to worry my friend. I recommend you get a little more rest before we arrive--you will need it as today, on HOLLIEN, it will be a longer day than we have on Jellsius. They enjoy Thirty-six Hour Days! So, can get far more things achieved"], Oblika said helpfully. ["And it is not so hot though at their time of year"], added Oblika.
Mike decided to take some of Oblika's advice and catch a few more Naps, and he closed his Eyes again. Soon he felt himself Drifting off...drifting away...
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