Necessary Evil by John Erik Ege - HTML preview

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Would you, ouija board Would you, ouija board Would you help me ? And I just can’t find My place in this world

She has now gone From this unhappy planet With all the carnivores And the destructors of it

Oh hear my voice (hear my voice) Oh hear my voice (hear my voice) Hear my voice (hear my voice) Hear my voice (hear my voice) The table is rumbling ... The table is rumbling The glass is moving
No, I was not pushing that time It spells : s.t.e.v.e.n

The table is rumbling The glass is moving No, I was not pushing that time : P.u.s.h.o. double f.

Well, she has now gone From this unhappy planet
With all the carnivores
And the destructors of it

While Tama was singing, the bar tender for this particular program pulled up a seat next to Garcia and sat down. He was listening intently to the singer and shaking his head, sadly.

“She’s got a rough road ahead of her,” the bar tender said.

 

“Excuse me?” Garcia asked, giving his attention to the bar tender.

The man was green, but not like Ori was green. At closer inspection, his skin seemed to be comprised of scales. The horns on his head were also not typical of an Orion. And, given the time frame the karaoke bar came from, Earth wouldn’t have known about Orions and so, he could only imagine that it was a ‘trick or treat’ costume. It made sense since his birthday translated into Earth time to be in October.

“It’s what I do. I give readings for people who sing,” the bar tender said. “I thought that was why you summoned me.”
“Summoned you?” Garcia asked, returning his attention back to Tama Orleans. He smiled at her.
“You know, I don’t appreciate being kidnapped at the best of times, but the least you could do since you went through all the trouble and magic to summon me here is acknowledge me,” he said. He grimaced, hearing exactly what Garcia heard. “Whatever your friend did to fool the others wasn’t enough to help me. She can’t sing worth crap.”
“What?” Garcia almost snapped. He managed to keep his voice down.
“I mean, no offense, I’ve heard worse,” he said. “Much worse. I’d prefer her and this song to any of those others. It’s just, you would think she would have gotten some music ability from you.”
Garcia shot him a look. “Identify yourself,” Garcia said.
“Lorne, at your service,” the demon extended a hand.
“Are you real or a holographic projection?” Garcia asked.
“Are any of us real?” Lorne asked, sipping at a drink intended for a customer.
The song ended and everyone applauded. Garcia stood, applauding, and then welcomed Tama Orleans into his arms as she approached seeking his approval and acknowledgment.
“Thank you for singing for me,” Garcia said. “I know how hard it was for you to do that in front of an audience. You are one brave girl.”
“I love you,” Tama Orleans said, crying against him.
Lorne stood up and gave Tama Orleans his chair. “What would you like to drink, my lady?”
“I want what Garcia’s having,” Tama Orleans said.
“I’ll be right back,” Lorne said.
Niki took the stage, drawing a guitar out of thin air, using holodeck magic. “And this is my present to Captain Garcia. His new theme song, Kryptonite, by Three Doors Down…”
Garcia felt a hand on his and he turned to see Persis. She sat in his lap and leaned into him, whispering “thank you,” in his ear. She put her arms around him and hugged him fiercely. “And, happy birthday.”
Everyone present took a turn singing karaoke style, choosing twentieth century music to play along with the night’s theme. There were a few Officer’s that were really quite good, but most were average. Only a few were really awful, but what made it worse was that they were awful in the way that no one had ever told them just how awful, which made it down right dreadful to those listening, as they unashamedly and un-timidly belted out their songs. Garcia hugged Tama Orleans to reassure her. Losira appeared and approached Garcia.
“May I participate?” Losira asked.
“Sure,” Garcia said. “You want a chair? Something to eat?”
“I want to sing,” Losira said.
“You know twentieth century music?” Tama Orleans asked.
“I know everything,” Losira said, matter of fact. “I’m the ship’s computer. I know everything in my memory banks. I know everything in Garcia’s memory banks. And I have even chosen my own theme song.”
Garcia invited her to proceed. Losira took the stage with power, ready to outshine everyone who had sung so far. She picked a song by No Doubt, ‘Underneath it All,’ and she played it up good, being sexy, sultry, and was almost too much, but she definitely appeared to be enjoying herself.

There's times where I want something more Someone more like me
There's times when this dress rehearsal Seems incomplete
But, you see the colors in me like no one else And behind your dark glasses you're... You're something else

You're really lovely Underneath it all
You want to love me Underneath it all I'm really lucky Underneath it all
You're really lovely

You know some real bad tricks And you need some discipline But, lately you've been trying real hard And giving me your best
And, you give me the most gorgeous sleep That I've ever had
And when it's really bad
I guess it's not that bad

(chorus)

So many moons that we have seen Stumbling back next to me I've seen right through and underneath And you make me better I've seen right through and underneath And you make me better Better... better...

[Lady Saw:]
You are my real Prince Charmin' Like the heat from the fire You were always burnin' And each time you're around My body keeps stalin'
For your touch
Your kisses and your sweet romancin' There's an underside to you

That so many adore Aside from your temper Everything else secure You're good for me, baby Oh that, I'm sure Over and over again I want more

[Gwen:]
You've used up all your coupons And all you've got left is me And somehow I'm full of forgiveness I guess it's meant to be

You're really lovely Underneath it all
You want to love me Underneath it all I'm really lovely Underneath it all And you're really lovely

“Wow,” Tama Orleans said. “I think the ship’s computer is in love with you,

Dad.”
“Dad?” Garcia repeated. He laughed. “Dad is the nicest present ever. Thank you,
Tama Orleans.”
Rivan leaned into Garcia as the next person started to sing. “You sure managed to
avoid that conversation,” Rivan said, referring to Tama Orlean’s observation that the
ship’s computer was indeed in love with him.
Ori pulled Garcia up from his chair, wanting him to dance with her. He complied
and soon, all the tables were being erased one by one to make more room for the dancers.
Garcia was surprised by the fact that Sendak and Persis danced together. First, he was
surprised that Sendak could dance at all; it was stiff, and robotic, as if each movement
had to be logical, but it surprisingly fit the music. It was the fact that it was Persis and
Sendak dancing together that had reminded him of his rivalry for her when they were
younger. Indeed, Garcia had to work hard at suppressing his jealousy that had been
growing since Persis had kissed Sendak earlier. He knew where it came from, but it
made no sense for him to feel this way. Persis was free of any obligation to him, beside
the fact that she was still married to a Deltan, and though that didn’t have the same
boundaries that human marriages often came with; he had no claim of her. And he knew
that he should be the last person to be affected by petty jealousies considering his nature. The song changed, distracting him from his emotional tangent. Kitara actually
found a song that she was willing to give a try. It was a punk rock song which fit her
perfectly. After that, someone asked Garcia to sing a song to close out the evening, and
then two people, and then everyone chanted for Garcia to sing. He conceded and took the
stage, contemplating what song would be fitting. And did it have to fit? Could it just be
any song? He was saved from the dilemma by Niki picking up her guitar and started
playing a little rift. He recognized it and looked to her, for she had already performed it
earlier in the evening.
“It’s your theme song, you might as well sing it, too,” Niki said, starting the intro
to the song over so that he could start the song right.
“Kryptonite, performed by Three Doors Down,” Garcia said, getting in his
recognition to the artist who performed hundreds of years before he was even born, and
then committed himself to the song.