Chapter 50 - Curtained from Conflict.

It must have been the fact that we knew the acting governor would hear about our performance. The intensity of Cleo, Mickey and me was palpable as we provided the music for the actors. There were a few sections and songs that had changed, but I barely heard the words as I played.

The audience was silent throughout the performance. At one break, I risked a quick glance at them and found that everyone was gazing raptly towards the stage. Alexis noticed that I had turned my head and flashed me a quick thumbs up before returning her gaze to the crowd.

Janice had a huge smile on her face as the show neared its end. We were approaching the scene where David would be getting abused once again in the twisted dance where Heather and Elle would get to punch, kick and bash him into unconsciousness. Up to this point, I had not seen Brittany or Kitty, but then my sister concubines strolled onto the stage dressed as bums. David stopped and faced them.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Just a couple of fellow travelers," Brittany responded. She sounded casual and yet like she expected something.

Kitty immediately stepped alongside her. "You wouldn't happen to have some chance would you?"

"Why?" David asked. "What could you do with it? Who are you? And what are you doing?"

"We have an important meeting to get to," Brittany said with a sniff.

"As if," David responded. "A couple of tramps like you."

"Tramps?" Kitty replied. "We aren't tramps."

"Then who are you?" David demanded again.

The music stand flickered and I watched the screen update to a new song. Cleo immediately gave us a soft beat. The song was very upbeat. I had to concentrate on the tune, but I could hear Brittany and Kitty start to sing.

"We're a couple of swells. We stop at the best hotels. But we prefer the country far away from the city smells," they sang.

The song kept on for a while. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the duo dancing around David. The show's star kept trying to stop them, but they ignored him and continued singing.

At the end of the song, Brittany and Kitty marched off the stage, leaving David standing alone at the edge of what appeared to be a beer garden. He walked forward, revealing Heather and Elle. Mickey had glanced up after the song and sighed. "Finally."

"It hasn't been that long," Cleo whispered back, "and the audience is enjoying it."

"It's longer than it used to be," Mickey replied. "I think I counted six new songs."

"Seven," the AI whispered in reply. "However, the final scenes are unchanged."

"Good," Cleo said. "My shoulders are getting sore. We need to play together more often."

"When we have time," I replied as the music stands flickered. We immediately got ready to play for the Guten-tag that started the show's finale.

The show finished and for a moment there was complete silence in the hall. Cleo and Mickey both glanced over at me, worried expressions on their faces, and then someone in the crowd began to clap.

Once the first person started, everyone began to cheer. There were only about forty people in the audience, but the hall rang with cheers as Janice and David led everyone onto the stage. They took their time bowing as the crew of Cabo San Lucas stood up and applauded.

Cleo, Mickey and I continued to play an overture as our friends accepted the applause. Finally, Janice led the cast forward. They waved towards the orchestra pit. Cleo nodded and as one we stopped playing and stood before bowing to the audience.

Janice and the others bowed one more time and then stepped back as the curtain closed. The lights came on in the theater. Cleo put a hand on my shoulder as the crowd immediately began to mill around. She leaned over to speak to me, but before she could, another voice rang out.

"Everyone, we arrived without much damage. By now, I'm sure our ship has been repaired and is ready to return to the fight. I know you want a longer rest, but the Sa'arm don't rest, so if we want to defeat them we have to get moving. I want all crew back on board in two hours and for third watch to be ready to take the ship on a jump to Ursus and then to Tufts," a voice commanded.

"Tufts?" Mickey asked quietly.

"One of the planets in Leo sector. The Sa'arm conquered it in the last few months," I said. "At least that's what I've overheard. I guess they've been asked to check out the situation."

Cleo shrugged. "Nothing that anyone here will be responsible for. However, let's wait here while the crowd clears out. If we head backstage, some of the others might try to follow."

"I didn't see anyone causing trouble," Mickey replied nervously.

"There shouldn't be any," Tyson said. He walked up to the railing separating us from the crowd and then leaned over to grab Cleo's hand. "Wonderful job, my love. I still say you should be on stage."

"I like being here," Cleo replied. "I get to beat on something."

I giggled as Tyson stood there shaking his head. Most of the crowd had headed out, but a couple made their way to the orchestra pit. One I recognized as Captain Dawn Travis, but the other two were wearing marine uniforms. Mickey tensed as they reached us.

Captain Travis ignored the other two as she looked at Tyson. "Will you keep having shows like this?" she asked.

Tyson looked confused and glanced towards the door. I was trying to think of what to say when Janice's voice called out. "We have some ideas for other plays, but for now we are still perfecting this one. Fortunately the format allows us to add or remove songs as needed."

I turned to look at where the voice came from. Janice was standing at the edge of the stage. Candi stood next to her, looking out into the theater.

"Who are you?" one of the marines asked.

Janice appeared to ignore the man. Instead she carefully knelt down and leaned over the orchestra pit. "Were the new songs easy to learn?" she asked.

I shrugged. "More time to practice would have been nice, and more warning that there were changes would have helped. But the AI is very helpful and we were able to get some practice in. I missed far too many notes."

"We all did," Mickey said. "We definitely need to have some real rehearsal time. So far, we've never gathered everyone to practice. Instead you practice to recordings and AI supplied music and we then try to provide live music during shows."

"Hey!" the marine called out. "I asked you a question."

"And it's pretty clear that they are ignoring you," Brad replied as he walked from the doorway to the orchestra pit.

"I thought they were concubines!" the marine called out again. "They aren't supposed to do that."

Candi glared at the man. "I might be a concubine, but I'm not YOUR concubine," she spat. She then jumped over the orchestra pit and into Brad's arms.

I stifled another giggle as Captain Travis shook her head. "You mentioned other shows? And I guess I should ask how would you know?"

"She's the director," Mickey chirped.

Janice nodded. "For my sins in some past life, I was asked to organize some bands that could perform and entertain the citizens. So I've become the one in charge of making the shows happen. The other ones are still being written. One will probably be a version of Cinderella, but with the heroine being a concubine rather than a put upon step-daughter."

"Oh gawd!" Cleo said with a giggle. "Instead of a ball with a prince, the finale will be some kind of pickup and the prince will be the man the concubine wants to have take her, but something will disrupt the pickup."

"How did you know?" Janice asked.

"Because that sounds like something Bonnie would come up with," Cleo said. "She's got a twisted sense of humor."

Captain Travis giggled. "Sounds interesting. But you aren't going to make it..." she paused.

"Ick!" Candi said. "Why would we add much of that? We wouldn't be performing with our owners. Even if they said it was fine, it wouldn't be right."

"Why not?" the second marine asked. "Who's going to care if a slut concubine gets fucked on stage?"

"You have no music in your soul," Tyson said with a sigh. He shook his head.

I glanced around and noticed that the theater was now empty. Other than Alexis, who was standing near the door, the only occupants in the room were gathered around the orchestra pit.

Candi seemed to notice that everyone had left. "Master, I need to go and feed my baby. Come home soon though."

Candi scrambled out of Brad's arms. Once on the floor she jumped over the railing. From the orchestra pit, she climbed to the edge of the stage. Janice had to reach down to pull her up, but a moment later she was standing on the stage. The woman immediately vanished into the back.

"Where is she going?" one of the marines asked.

"I'd guess she's going home," Captain Travis replied. "That's what she told us."

"What?" the other marine asked. "We were told we were guarding the only way through."

Tyson snorted. "The only way usable by visitors. Someone must have noticed that we could come and go without passing through the entrance."

The marines glared at Tyson, but said nothing more. Captain Travis turned to look at him. "Do you think I could talk to a couple of citizens for a short time? Perhaps in the bar area you have set up for visitors. I have a few questions."

Brad answered her with a shrug. "I guess I could spend a few minutes with you."

"Is that wise?" Tyson asked. He rolled his eyes toward the marines.

Brad shrugged again. "I don't expect that there will be a problem."

"I'll go with him," Alexis replied.

"You?" Mickey asked.

Alexis blushed. "Look, I know I've been a problem for everyone since I arrived. Manuel and his men hurt me. I didn't trust anyone, and couldn't believe that you weren't going to try to enslave me again. But I can't live in fear forever. I don't expect there to be a problem either, but I'll go as well."

"Does that mean you'll take me?" Monique's voice rang out in a question.

"What?" it seemed everyone cried out. I spun around to see Monique standing next to Janice. Monique was wearing a diaphanous green silk chemise that barely reached mid-thigh. The woman had tears in her eyes as she gazed at Alexis.

"I'll what?" Alexis asked back.

Monique started to climb down, but Janice reached out and held her back. My sister concubine nodded her head towards the marines and then spoke. "We can take care of the details later," she stated. "Right now we should be heading home, there are a lot of babies that need to be taken care of."

"Janice!" Tyson called out. "That sounds like you don't trust the citizens to take care of the babies."

"I'm sure they tried," Janice said, "but I doubt my master can breastfeed."

Mickey giggled. "I know my master can't do that. And I do want to go and see Bruce."

Tyson shrugged. "Fine, I'll collect the weapons and go with you. These other two can come back later. Be careful though."

Alexis nodded and handed her gun to Tyson, who quickly secured it. Brad then handed his gun over before he turned to take Alexis' hand. The duo then began leading Captain Travis to the door.

Cleo took this as a sign and led Mickey and me out of the orchestra pit. Janice quickly turned and headed for the curtain.

Tyson pointed over to a corner of the theater. "Some changes were made," he said. "Head there and I'll lead you backstage."

Mickey glanced over at Cleo. Tyson's concubine answered with a shrug and then we started walking along the front of the theater. We had almost reached the corner when a section of the wall swung out with a soft click.

Cleo reached out to touch the panel that had moved. "It's a door," she stated needlessly.

"Go through," Tyson said. "It leads backstage. And can't be opened from this side, so once we are through, those marines will have nothing to do."

Cleo and I immediately walked through the doorway. Mickey paused for a moment. "What about the marines climbing onto the stage?"

Tyson merely laughed as he pushed Mickey through the doorway. "Listen closely, you'll hear how that works."

The door was swinging closed, but we could hear shouting in from the theater hall. "Fuck! What's with this curtain? We were told to find out how we might get to the guns," someone was shouting.

"What?" Mickey asked as the door swung closed, cutting us off from the arguing marines.

"The curtain doubles as a wall," Tyson said. "It's a combination of magnets and special wires that stiffen when current is run through them. Those marines could get through if they brought out knives, but nothing else will get them through."

"And when we are performing, the AI unit controls the curtain so that we can move through it," I said as we entered the backstage area.

"Exactly," Tyson said as we approached the airlock that would allow us to return to our homes. "It was another feature we added after the good governor declared that he was in charge."

"He doesn't seem to be in charge of much," Mickey said as we entered the airlock. "Maybe he needs to find a new colony."

"May it happen soon," I whispered as we entered the airlock.