A Side of the Moon
For more then six month it had been a viral thing that had cruised through the Internet and the Interwave. Six month of videos, messages, blog posts and tweets about an event that would happen on March 1st 2014, near Lake Tetzuka in Kandor City.
The City council obviously knew what would happen, but no one had told anything about exactly what would happen.
Slowly some light had been shed on what would happen. It was going to involve music. It was going to be a big celebration of music and to a degree of the Fen. It was going to be a one time thing. They even would be broadcast live. On TV. On the ‘net and the ‘wave.
And the most important thing.
It was going to be Epic with a capital E.
And so Fen and ‘Dane found a prepared area near Lake Tezuka that had been off limits for days before the event.
A large stage, shrouded by dark energy fields and topped by a large inactive holographic display. Large sound system towers with smaller hologram projectors to make sure that everyone was going to see what was going to happen at the stage as if they were standing in front of it.
Everything had been set.
During the entire March 1st, people had gathered in front of the stage, Fen and ‘Dane alike, young people and elder ones, men and women, ‘mods and non-’mods, staring at the large stage, wondering what would happen. And most importantly when.
It weren’t even few people who had gathered. Later the Kandor PD would speak of at least fifty thousand people.
And they all had to wait for the artificial night of Kandor City to fall and Earth to slowly raise above the large stage when the first sounds could be heard from the massive speakers.
A low drone, combined with the cry of sea gulls, followed by a low drumming, knocking and some people talking.
It was right then and there that some of the people in the large audience realized what was happening. Some of then stared at the stage, some cheered, some cried out.
A long drawn out ‘Hello’ was then followed by a question.
Is anybody out there?
More people cheered out as the music finally started and the holographic display awoke to life showing scenes of the daily grind on Earth. People hastening over crowded streets, traffic jams, traders at the Wall Street.
Hello?
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?
Come on, now,
I hear you're feeling down.
Well I can ease your pain
And get you on your feet again.
Relax.
I need some information first.
Just the basic facts
Can you show me where it hurts?
The scenes on the hologram switched to show a black and white picture a small boy sitting in front of a TV, the Apollo 11 moon landing playing out on it.
There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.
When I was a child I had a fever
My head felt just like a balloon.
Again the scenes changed, this time showing two astronauts, John Young and Robert Crippen, standing in front of the Mission Symbol of STS-1. It switched to Columbia lifting off the pad, before going through a montage of different Space Shuttle missions.
Now I've got that feeling once again
I can't explain you would not understand
This is not how I am.
I have become comfortably numb.
More and more people on front of the stage began to cheer at the still dark stage, more and more realizing just what they were witnessing.
The scenes from shuttle missions up to docking with the ISS followed through the entire guitar solo.
I have become comfortably numb.
A short section of debris of the Columbia streaking across the sky followed by more daily grin on Earth followed, this time with some images of old politicians of all sorts cut in.
O.K.
Just a little pin prick.
There'll be no more AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
But you may feel a little sick.
Can you stand up?
I do believe its working. Good.
That'll keep you going through the show
Come on it's time to go.
The scenes changed again. Another young boy sat in front of another TV set, this time with an episode of the classic Star Trek playing out on it. Later it was exchanged for Star Wars and Babylon 5, each time with another boy sitting in front of another TV set.
There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown,
The dream has come.
Now the scenes changed to the YouTube video of the SS Uncertainty lifting off.
I have become comfortably numb.
Throughout the second guitar solo more YouTube videos and other videos followed, showing the wonders of Fenspace. A Jetta docking with Stellvia, Wave Convoy waving at the camera, Mal Fnord standing in front of Ptichka while giving an interview, Atlantis docking with the ISS one again, the Toy Box bringing in space debris, Grover’s Corners raising out of the atmosphere.
As the last notes of the song played, the dark energy field of the stage lifted and spotlights slowly faded in, illuminating the entire stage and the people standing on top of it.
Nick Mason, Roger Waters and David Gilmore smiled down at the audience, playing the last notes of this version of ‘Comfortably Numb’. The only one missing was Richard Wright. In his stead Lawrence Gowan played the keyboard.
"Welcome to Pink Floyd’s Side of the Moon!"
After more then three hours of pure Pink Floyd, including full length performances of ‘Echoes’ and ‘Shine on your Crazy Diamond’, the band finally stopped.
A spot illuminated an old radio and Gilmor stepped up towards it, turning it on, seeming to tune it, while Waters reached for an acoustic guitar.
Gowan stepped back from the keyboard, a holographic image of Richard Wright flickering to life next to him, only to nod at him and walk to the keyboard.
On the opposite side of the stage a holographic image of Syd Barrett flickered to life, walking up towards the rest of the group.
The audience fell silent as the radio began to play a familiar guitar sound, with Waters slowly joining.
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
The holographic display awoke to life again beginning to show a montage of images, flowing into each other. The first one to be shown was Robert Heinlein.
Blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
A switch to Isaac Asimov.
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Sir Arthur C. Clarke
Do you think you can tell?
Gene Roddenberry
Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
A scene of DeForrest Kelly with Leonard Nimoy as their best known characters, arguing about something.
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
A scene of James Doohan knocking his head against a beam from Star Trek V
And cold comfort for change?
Did you exchange
Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi.
A walk on part in the war,
For a lead role in a cage?
Finally a long switch from image to image, showing lesser and more well known deceased actors as their parade characters, authors and finally fen.
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.
With the final notes of the song, the lights slowly faded out, leaving the stage and everyone around in darkness, leaving the entire place in silence for minutes before a final cheer rose from everyone who had gathered.
