Play Guitar!

Posted on Wed Mar 6, 2019 @ 4:50am by Civilian Jason Haines & Lieutenant Alanna Wells

2,200 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: Lt. Haines Quarters
Timeline: MD 7, 1900 Hrs

[ON]


...Well you can pump your iron and shine your shoes
And wear your hair just right
You go down out on cruisin' street
'Cause you want to score tonight
We all want to strut our stuff
And you really want to show your scars
Forget all about that macho shit
And learn how to play guitar...

Play Guitar - John Mellancamp


---
Between the half-bottle of Alerian whiskey that was coursing through his system and the guitar that operations had finished for him. Jason had lost sight of the reason why he had gone through half the bottle. Sitting on his couch, Jason smiled and hummed as he strummed the strings on the guitar absent mindedly at this point.

Alanna was concerned about Jason. It wasn't every day you had someone tell you she was your half-sister and she wanted to kill your father. Even if you knew he was a Lothario. So she decided to stop by his quarters and check on him.

She paused for a long moment outside his door, unsure if he wanted to see her. But then she decided she wouldn't know if she didn't ask. She rang the door chime and bounced a little on the balls of her feet in nervousness.

Jason looked to the door when it chimed. He had gotten so wrapped up in his little cocoon that he almost forgot there was an outside world. He slowly got up and went to the door, opening it.

"My lucky evening", he said. "Beautiful women ringing my door."

He looked left and right and then asked, "There aren't any more of you are there. I had a hard enough time walking to the door once. I am not sure I could do it again."

He paused a moment and asked, "So, what's your name lovely lady? Are you here for autographs after the show?"

Alanna raised an eyebrow, not sure if he was joking or not. By the strong scent of alcohol, probably not. "Jason? Are you okay?"

"I am more than ok", Jason answered. "I have good drink, a guitar finally, and now a beautiful lady to play for as I did say I would play you a song when I got my guitar. Come in, have a drink, prepare to be delighted."

She didn't believe the more than okay comment, but she walked in. She remembered that he was expecting his guitar, and that playing it was the way he coped with stress. "I'll pass on the drink, but I'm definitely ready to be delighted."

Jason led her in to his sparse quarters. Even though there wasn't much in it, how the few things were arranged, except for the guitar on the couch and bottle on the table seemed to have its own place. Spartan was definitely an accurate description.

Picking up the guitar, Jason tapped the couch, "Sit, sit. Time for being delighted."

Chuckling, she sat down on the couch and smiled. She was looking forward to hearing how he played.

"Hmmm", he said, briefly plucking each string on the guitar once. "A song to delight a lovely science officer. What to play, what to play? Oh, I know."

He then played a couple of refrains from, "The Ants Go Marching". He paused and then laughed a little.

"That's not quite delightful is it?" he asked playfully. It was quite the testament to either his skill or dexterity that he managed to play the song given the apparent amount he had drank.

"Not unless we're in the rain." She grinned. "That could be delightful."

"Ok, here's one that I think will be a bit more delightful", he replied. He took in a breath, looked down at the strings once, placed his fingers and began to play. The song seemed like it was probably a reflection as to what he was feeling, rather somber and melancholy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1Fw4Q79dZw

"Is that better?", he asked.

"It's an improvement on marching ants. What else can you play?"

"Not letting me off easy are you?" he asked playfully.

Alanna was pleased that his mood seemed to be lightening. "Not when I know you're amazing."

He laughed a little bit and then said, "Computer, play track 22, no lead guitar."

The music started up and he started playing. Although he did well, Alanna got the impression he would do better sober.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1hJYENTn3Y

"What do you think?", he asked.

"That's more like it." She went to the replicator and made a pot of coffee, black. Then she set it and a mug beside Jason and moved the bottle away. "Do you play more Jerry Lee Lewis?"

Jason smirked a little as she brought coffee, "Coffee does not mix well with whiskey."

"No, it doesn't, but I thought you'd like it better than water." She grinned and went to the replicator to get him a large glass of water so he wouldn't have as much of a hangover.

He chuckled a bit and said, "As far as Jerry Lee, I can't do him on acoustic, but let me give you one that I can do, that I found in some gems that came a bit after the Eugenics war started. I don't know how it survived or was made as a lot of creative things went on the back burner then."

He took a sip of the coffee, shook his head a bit, given how strong it was and then said, "Computer, track 35, no lead guitar." He began to play with the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS5Vc1wxeUw

"Does the good lady approve despite the mistakes?" he asked taking another sip of the coffee.

"Most definitely." She grinned. "I haven't heard that one before. I like it."

"Alrighty, I'll stay a little on the mushy side right now", Jason replied. "Plus I won't screw this one up quite so much. Computer track 61, no guitar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YcNzHOBmk8

"Ha, I only missed one chord", Jason said smiling afterwards.

He would be amazing sober. He was good drunk, but she had noticed the one mistake. Still, for not having played in a while, he was very good. "Nice." The words of the song made her think of the night before with the moon moss. "Do you play classic Earth rock?"

"What time frame?" he asked. "I can do fifties, sixties early seventies folk rock, some heavy metal, a lot of the 1980's and early 90's pre-war and some of the stuff that get lost in that time frame."

"Though question. There are so many great songs in the 50's-80's era. "How about something from the Arena Rock era?"

"Well, that's a hard era to do with an acoustic guitar", Jason said taking a drink of the coffee. "Ok, let me think, let me think. Oh, ok, this band sort of spanned the bridge between arena rock and the hair rock. A band named Kiss. I have an acoustic version of one of their songs. Computer, play track 182, no guitar."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW6anV9t-XY

"They were very flashy for their time", Jason said. "Make up, costumes, they went all out."

"That was beautiful. Thank you." She smiled at Jason. "The rest can wait until you have an electric guitar. What would you like to play next?"

"Well, let's see this band, once again their stuff is lucky to have survived", Jason said. "And from what I understand, they were another group who would do large concerts after the war. A little like the feel of arena, but not quite. You can't really match the feel of arena rock, even in an arena. Computer, track 45, no guitar."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HZM0QiuUS8

She listened quietly, her eyes closed. When he finished she looked at him and smiled impishly. "Can I be your groupie?"

"By all means", Jason replied with a big grin. "However, you do understand that if my career explodes and I tour the galaxy, I could have many groupies on different planets and bases. Where you are my first groupie however, you will get preferential treatment of course."

"This is true. I'm not much on sharing, but for the foreseeable future, I'm definitely your number one fan."

"So, any requests or should I finish off the concert with something peppy?", he asked.

"Hmm..." She considered for a moment. "Can you do an acoustic version of Stairway to Heaven? Then finish off with whatever you want?"

"Well, lucky the acoustic version is shorter than the original or I wouldn't get finished until two a.m. given how long the solo is", Jason said with a laugh. "But after that, I will have to stop playing as heavy noise and drinking too much are not a good combination. Computer, track 211, no guitar track."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bWs8YWlCi4

"Now you can say that you received access to the exclusive Jason Haines Too Drunk to Walk tour", he said with a laugh setting his guitar down.

"I'm honored. Even if you're too drunk to walk." She smiled. "Seriously, though, you're very good. Thank you." She could tell that playing definitely helped. She hoped it wouldn't be the last time she got to hear him play.

Taking a big drink from the coffee, he said, "I'm sorry about earlier and well right now. I usually don't drink my troubles away, but today was much bigger trouble than what I am used to. I've spent he last seven years wondering about my dad and when it comes to light he is alive, I hear it from a previously unknown relative and not him. He was re-assigned with the location being classified, so once more I still don't know where the hell he is."

"I'm so sorry." She put a consoling hand on his arm. "N'varra would be a shock for anyone. But to find out that your father is really alive on top of that.. No one would deny you the need to escape. I'm glad you have your guitar to help. And I'm glad I was able to hear you play."

"Well, it wasn't my best playing", Jason replied laying his head back. "but, I am glad you liked it. I guess it is the audience's opinion that really matters."

"Yes, it is." She smiled and looked at his face, testing his emotional state. "Are you going to be okay? Do you want me to help you get to your bed?" If he fell asleep here, she'd help him lay down and cover him with a light blanket.

"I'll be fine, assuming Lieutenant Tessaro doesn't give us a test drill for the training we did this morning", Jason replied with a smile. "I haven't figured out where exactly I'll pass out. Probably the bed as it is closer to the bathroom if I get sick. I'll manage to get there, but I do appreciate you wanting to help."

He reached out and held onto her hand for a moment.

"I'm glad I was here, although I want another concert when you're sober." She squeezed his hand, half wanting to stay until he was asleep. She hesitated for a moment. "Do you need any help?"

"All sorts I imagine a counselor would say", Jason answered. "but you are doing all that you can do to help me right now. The answers for me are elsewhere, but I am definitely not in a condition to go elsewhere."

"That's true. But I'm here to help if you need me." He probably just wanted to sleep off the ale, but she wanted to offer.

"If you want to help me, give me a kiss right here", he said tapping his cheek. "Whiskey and coffee together tastes horrible in my mouth, I can't imagine what it would taste like on the other end of a kiss. Then, I want you to go enjoy the rest of your evening, doing something more fun then taking care of a drunk fool. That is what you can do to help me."

"You're drunk, but you're not a fool." She kissed him on one cheek, then the other. "Or you're no more fool than the rest of us." She kissed him on his forehead. "I'll go, but I'm just going to curl up with a book. So, if you need anything, just call. Okay?"

"You've got it", Jason replied with a smile. "Go read your book and enjoy it. I'm going to read the inside of my eyelids for a bit." He squeezed her hand, gave it a kiss, and then waved his hand, playfully shooing her away.

She smiled and stood. "All right. Goodnight, Jason." She kissed him on the cheek again and headed back to her quarters.

"Night, night, don't let the bed bugs bite", he said softly as he stretched out, closed his eyes, and soon started snoring.

____
[OFF]

Lieutenant JG Alanna Wells
Chief Science Officer

Lieutenant JG Jason Haines
Chief Intelligence Officer

 

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