Sci Fi Smackdown

Round 1.2 | Group C | The Violinist Of Ursa Minor

A/N: I have used #1 as my prompt.

I must admit, working as a musician on a bar didn't really appeal to me. But yet again, who could deny such a pretty price they'd pay?

Working five hours at a club, dressed in whatever Xyrie had picked for me that day, and just playing my heart out on stage... It wasn't really that hard of a life. Of course, learning the violin was an arduous task, but soon, I had saved up enough to get a doctor to medically implant the memory and skills needed to play the instrument. 

Contrary to what the Earthlings believe, the violin was first created in the Andromeda Galaxy, on the planet Zzyyggnn, which most of us could only pronounce as zzz-eee-guuhnn, and one of the linguists there had brought the thing to Earth. Did you honestly think humans were that smart? Nope.

I stepped into the small dressing room, violin case slung over one shoulder. Xyrie had already draped a lacy vest, a dark red skirt and a crop top over the chair. With a small grimace, I slipped into the clothing. If I protested, the boss would cut my salary - not that I had a family to feed et cetera, but that I had to save up to get the nova out of here. Ursa Minor was basically a slum compared to the glamorous Ursa Major, and I was going to move there. Perhaps I would get a better job than a bar musician. Perhaps I could leave here tonight.

Opening my case, I took up the violin. Rubbing off a small smudge lovingly, I tested my bow by drawing it across the strings sharply. A high pitched note rang out. 

Perfect. I hadn't dulled my edge at all.

Xyrie's reptilian head popped in. "Ya ready, Kie? They're yelling for Prism already," she chuckled. Prism was my stage name, concocted by Xyrie herself. "Already? It's only eight!" I laughed. I knew I was one of the favourites - the regulars drooled over me. Thankfully, the bouncer Lek, Xyrie and the law kept me away from prying hands and/or tentacles. I pulled on knee high boots and followed Xyrie.

I stood confidently in front of the customers, skirt flaring up flirtatiously to reveal a tiny bit more thigh. The first note of my violin burst out, and I danced accordingly to the sultry beat. The crowd was already screaming for more after thirty seconds. I threw a few sensual winks over my shoulder, bow screeching off the strings nimbly. Someone had already thrown an envelope of money at me, the notes wrapped in a bundle and slipping out onto the floor.

I noticed a familiar pair of brown eyes. I nodded inconspicuously at him, who tipped his hat over his head and bowed. A smirk graced my lips. Ah, yes, he had to come watch the fun. I let the violin dip down as I leaned over - rehearsed many times in my previous shows.

Everyone whooped, half drunk on Uri's, the bartender, famous tentacle-brewed cordial. This was my biggest audience on Ursa Minor ever. Just as I hoped. Being all provocative was not my plan, and deep inside I was disgusted at myself for agreeing to do this for three months. But I pushed aside the revulsion and danced. 

The bar was already writhing to get their hands on me as I moved on to the next song. I sat cross-legged on the stage, eyes closed in concentration. I had to wait for that moment, the one time in the noise where everyone fell silent. The screaming died down, the air thick in suspense.

My eyes shot open as the violin whined out a note. The claps never started. 

I nodded at the bodies lying on the floor, motionless. The workers at the club uncovered their ears. The man at the back stepped over the fallen creatures towards me. 

"Hello, Kielake," he greeted.

"Merki," I acknowledged, snapping up my violin into the casing. "What are you doing here? Don't you have Deriua to take over?" 

He laughed. "Did that yesterday. The planet's ours, and this one will be too. Yatticus' team has already infiltrated the government, you've just taken out an entire faculty of the strongest warriors here." He gestured to the dead on the floor. I bowed. I was already trained to be able to withstand the notes that I could play.

At a certain frequency and pitch, a single note at a suitable volume could burst eardrums and send a person into a deep coma. At another frequency, people would spill out their innards. And at this particular note, it killed them instantly. My violin was crafted to amplify the effects of my music, especially for this purpose. 

I surveyed the corpses as we walked out of the bar. Indeed, my pitching had even claimed lives outside of the bar. Ursa Minor was an interesting place, indeed, but not my type. I was for glamour, fame, to be idolised by the galaxy. I knew Xyrie had plans to settle down in some quiet planet, maybe three or so light years away from this hellhole. But I... I craved - no, NEEDED - the starlet life.

I would no longer be just 'Kie' or 'Prism'. I would be the best violinist, perhaps in the galaxy, that everyone would ever see. People would worship me, they would know my name, and they would pine for just a glimpse, a laugh, a word of me - Kielake, the Violinist of fallen Ursa Minor. And Merki had promised to make it all possible - in exchange for my cooperation. 

He was the one that had signed me up in the bar, with Xyrie as my mentor. And he was the one who vowed to let me take a ride to Ursa Major, with my small fortune to begin my journey to fame.

I turned around, ready to gasp out my excitement to Xyrie.

And met with a gun barrel.

"I'm sorry, Kie."

Merki fired.

My dreams died with the light.

(996 words)