What Happens on the Cruise

14. I Saw Her Standing There

"As some of you may have heard, Matt is leaving us at the end of this year so he can spend more time with his family," Chris said.

Sad and disappointed "awww"s filled the audience.

"But, we've already found an amazing singer to take his place full-time in January," Chris continued. "We saw him perform on a cruise where we were the guest entertainers and were blown away by his talent. He's from Tifton, Georgia, and has a beautiful tenor voice..."

"And, ladies, he's pretty easy on the eyes," Tim added, which prompted some laughter and a couple whoops.

"So let's get him up on stage," Chris picked back up. "Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Austin Brown!"

***

They dragged into the hotel late and a little tipsy. They stopped short as a couple in full Klingon regalia pushing a pastel pink stroller walked by, followed by a woman wearing exactly three rabbit pelts, and then four teens wearing tee shirts with geeky sayings on them.

"What fresh hell did we just walk into?" Tim asked.

"I think it's a con," Adam said.

"Like a scam?"

"No. A convention, most likely science fiction, though it could be just comic books or gaming."

Chris made his way past a wizard and a guy whose whole accommodation to the geeky environment appeared to be eyeliner. "Hi. We have a reservation for three rooms under Rupp -- Chris Rupp."

"Are you with the convention?" the desk clerk asked.

"No. We're a band."

"You're not performing at the convention?" she asked.

"No. We just got done performing at a separate venue. We're just here to sleep."

"Spell your name, please..."

A girl wearing a tee shirt that read "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate" walked up to the others, taking in their cowboy boots, jeans, and western jackets. "Nice cosplay. Is it from a book? Or a manga?"

"We're a band," Austin answered.

"Oh, cool. Which one is the drummer?"

"Me, sort of," Adam answered.

"Hi," Chris greeted her from behind. "Excuse me. Okay, Adam, you're with me, room 304. Tim and Matt, 306." He handed them each a key. "And Austin and Rob, 308."

"Oh, you're right across the hall from the room party. You should definitely check it out."

"Amber!" a guy in Jedi robes called.

"There's my boyfriend. Good night!"

"Hey," Adam stopped her. "Is there an expo hall at this con?"

"Sure. It opens..." She dug a folded up schedule out of her pocket and studied it, flipping it once or twice. "...Nine tomorrow morning."

"Thanks."

"No problem, drummer boy."

***

The third floor hallway was full of people in costumes or geeky tee shirts heading into or out of a party that took up two adjoining rooms, plus a few knots of conversations that had spilled out into the hall.

"Oh, wow!" Austin said, staring at a very large woman in a Wonder Woman costume.

She looked at him and considered his clothes. "Firefly?"