[IC] The Lovis Superbia (Luxury Space Travel for the 1%)

[Kingfisher]

“Tired of being constrained on earth? Tired of being held back by the shackles of mundane colony life?

Start over, with the Lovis Superbia; your chariot to the heavens.

Soar across the cosmos, and begin again on the far off world of Chyrodres.

Greatness cannot be contained. Forge your own fate, amongst the stars.”

“Blimey, they sure have a high opinion of themselves.” Luciano Way observed dryly, as he sat with his family in the Imperial Lounge, the holographic announcement at the centre of the table slowly evaporated into nothingness.

“I hope they don’t play that the entire time we’re here,” Luciano’s wife, Cathleen, said with a frown “that’s going to get really annoying after about three months.”

“It's already annoying.” Luciano grumbeled.

The Imperial Lounge was fairly quiet, given that it was still breakfast hours. An expensive looking buffet was set up not too far from the Way’s table, and a few members of staff flittered about the place.

“I think I might go grab some grub.” Andromeda Way declared, heaving herself up out of her chair.

“Alright, honey. Go easy on the pastries,” her mother began “you know how much-”

“Oh, for god’s sake, Cathleen. Let the girl eat what she wants.” Luciano cut in, rolling his eyes.

“Thank you, daddy.” Andromeda smirked, giving her father a light peck on the cheek.

The heavyset young woman skirted about the buffet, returning a few minutes later with a plate of Waffles, topped with cream and syrup.

“So, are you going to this club thing tonight, Andie?” Luciano asked, once she’d sat back down.

“Oh, the alt night at the Furnace? Yeah, I thought I might do.”

“Would you mind taking your cousin?” he asked “Marcello was saying that she’s having trouble fitting in.”

“Yeah, that should be fine,” Andromeda shrugged, tucking into her waffles “I dunno if its her kind of music, though.”

“Thanks, Andie. I’m sure she’ll manage.” Her father gave a little nod of appreciation, pulling a cigarette out of his jacket pocket.

“Luke, you know I don’t like you smoking around our daughter.” Cathleen hissed.

“Calm yourself, woman. Its synthetic, not tobacco.” He waved her away with one hand, taking out his lighter.

“Honestly. I’m surrounded by bloody Nazis.”

[MissCapnCrunch]

ᖆ ᗋ ᕧ

---

“Tired of being constrained on earth? Tired of being held back by the shackles of mundane colony life?

Start over, with the Lovis Superbia; your chariot to the heavens.

Soar across the cosmos, and begin again on the far off world of Chyrodres.

Greatness cannot be contained. Forge your own fate, amongst the stars.”

"We already on this shit, so why they keep saying that?" Rae stated, bluntly.

A murmur of agreements and nods came from the small entourage that surrounded the young petite woman. She had been spending most of the morning in The Tropics chamber, adorning a bright red bikini. The complimentary to her green dreads she had been wearing for about a year now. Her eyes were covered in large sunglasses and her body was drenched in tanning oil. Her caramel skin was dark enough to have good color, but light enough to where she could definitely get a tan if she tried. She was trying.

A large exasperated sigh escaped her lips as she switched from her back to her stomach, letting the rays pierce her skin with warm goodness. After a few minutes went by, a small gurgle came from her stomach. A signal that is was time for breakfast. She pondered for a moment whether she was going to go back to her room and eat something from her fridge, maybe order room service, or go to lounge so she could have some of the breakfast buffet. Another gurgle rumbled from her stomach, which answered her question for her.

"Yo, I'm hungry. I don't want any of you around me neither. So get lost for awhile. I'll see you later."

She waited until the group split off into their own tasks for the day before sitting up and reaching into a backpack she had brought with her to the chamber. She reached in and pulled out a black cover up. A mesh dress of sorts, and placed on her black flip flops. She definitely wasn't dressed for luxury, but when you have a lot of money a trash bag seems 'breath taking'.

Strolling her way down to The Imperial Lounge she was seated and before much time, getting up to help herself to a plate of food. She piled on the scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, grits and waffles. She wasn't too shy to eat, and when you have a buffet you have to utilize it. Sitting by herself she began digging into her food, enjoying the smells, the tastes, and the solitary for a moment.

[EurmalEye]

Jared McCaffrey

Location: The Painted Lady

Jared checked his knives on last time before he went out the door, they sparkled looking pristine in the overhead artificial light of the Lovis. He let out the tension from his chest with a deep sigh of relief, carefully sliding his blade into his carrying case. He tossed his apron over the shoulder of his chef's coat and went down to The Painted Lady his footsteps echoing slightly in the empty halls of the ship. He doubted he would be bothering any of the other members in the staff residential area, at this time most everyone was probably still asleep. As a Sous Chef, it fell to him to inspect the kitchen for cleanliness, preparations, and the ingredients for today's menu. This week the Executive Chef, Ramirez, had fallen ill from some malady or another and it had fallen to him to prepare the menu options for the day. He quickly glanced over the menu he had prepared, ensuring that it met his standards. Along with the usual buffet of standard breakfast fare, he had prepped up a menu of 10 separate items that could be ordered.

Greek Yogurt with Tandoori Honey and Fruit
Avocado Toast
Protein Packed Quinoa Clusters
Crispy Breakfast Pita
Sweet Crepes with Caramelized Pears
Onion and Arugula Frittata with Crumbled Goat Cheese
Applewood Smoked Bacon and Sausage
Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberries
Sausage, Egg, and Avocado Breakfast Salad
Sweet Potato and Egg Breakfast Hash

His Chef de Parties began to shuffle in about a half hour after he had arrived, taking their places and beginning their preparations. By the time the customers began to arrive, food was already out set on the buffet hot and ready.

While the serving staff began their complex dance around the tables, ensuring that each order was carried out to the customer's specifications, the very vision of calm order. In contrast, the kitchen staff were all moving at a frantic pace working to ensure the food was carried out as quickly as possible.

"Chef Yates! I need those pears done immediately! Chef Phillips! Eyes on your bacon! Any longer and it will burn." Jared flicked his wrist with his left hand, flipping the latest pancake while finishing up the plating on a breakfast salad with his other hand almost like a gesture of emphasis. Quick responses of "Yes Chef!" sounded around the room.

His eyes darted around the others, but always returned to watch his own work. He finished his work and put the meals on the counter ready to be served. He looked out on the crowd, they had a nearly full restaurant, but that was still not enough. If his customers were not here, then they were waiting in line for the chance to eat at the Imperial lounge. Jared turned back to his kitchen, jaw tense. With a moment to breathe, he walked around the kitchen ensuring the quality of his prepared menu. The chefs, despite his comments, were working well together. However, as he moved over the sinks, he saw plates building up.

"Chef Phillips! Where is Sanders? He needs to be on clean up!" Chef Phillips, a short black man with some of the best knife skills that Jared had ever seen, was acting as his temporary second in command until the actual Chef de Cuisine returned. He was in charge of managing the staff, a task he had little experience with. They had simply not had enough time to prepare before Head Chef Ramirez had fallen ill.

Chef Phillips paused for a moment, presumably using his holo-contact to check his messages. "Sick, Chef. Same thing that Ramirez has."

Jared cursed under his breath. Ramirez had been out for days, it seemed that Ramirez and Sanders had a less than strictly professional relationship. The dishes were building still however, the other dishwashers needed reinforcement. He went the office directly off the kitchen and waved his hand in front of the sensor embedded into the wall. A holographic display opened up, filled with information related to the restaurant. Jared waved a hand in front of it till he found the janitorial department. With a couple quick taps, he sent out an urgent request for one of the cleaning staff to come down to his restaurant. There was not much more time left in the breakfast rush, but till it ended they needed someone else to stay on top of it all.

[aviendha]

Skye O'Connell - The Painted Lady

"Rich people..."

Skye frowned at the wall of the room, now devoid of decoration, and outlined in blue tape. The couple staying in this room had put in a special request prior to the start of the cruise to have a teal room. The color the janitorial staff had chosen was, apparently, just a shade or two too green.

"'No, our room is sea green. We want it to be teal, not sea green. It's sooooo important.' God damn rich people..."

She checked her watch- 1 AM. One girl, barely tall enough to reach the ceiling while on a stepladder, assigned to repaint an entire room before breakfast... that was definitely reasonable. With a renewed smile, she began to paint. Up, and down, parallel strokes, evenly covering the wall from floor to ceiling. The first layer needed an hour to dry, so she sat in the corner for a little while, closed her eyes, and meditated. An hour passed, and she painted the second layer. And so on, until it was nearly 6 AM.

By this point, the room was fully painted, though the last layer needed to dry, and the tape to be peeled. Satisfied with her work, Skye let out a sigh. That sigh became a yawn, as she realized that a full twenty four hours had passed since she had last slept. The overtime pay, at least, would make up for that.

Her pager rang in an ill timed moment, and she answered- the kitchens needed reinforcement. The call was labelled urgent- and few of the janitorial staff were awake so early, given that most of their work was to be accomplished during daylight hours. With another sigh turned yawn, Skye raced off towards the kitchens.

A few minutes later, breathless, Skye burst into the kitchen, nearly collapsing from exhaustion. Once again, she had pulled an overnight shift, and once again, she was called in for work just before she was meant to finish for the day. Bracing herself, placing her hands on her knees for a moment to catch her breath, Skye looked around at the familiar faces. All of the staff here were much more nicely dressed than she, in her spotty overalls nearly completely soaked with paint and dust alike. She felt out of place, but she was too tired to care. She spotted Jared, and her face lit up. Rushing over to the chef, she offered a playful salute.

"McCaffrey! You called? Needed one of us to fill in for someone? I might say, I am one hell of a sous chef."

With her signature cheeky grin, she lowered her hand to her side. She scanned the kitchen, and saw the piles upon piles of dirty dishes, amassed in the corner. Her eyes widened, and she rushed over.

"Now, this just won't do..."

Grabbing a pile of bowls caked with drying grime, Skye hoisted the lot into the sink. The other dishwashers made room for her. With the speed that only those who are sleep deprived and running on too much caffeine can muster, she began to clean. It was not an instantaneous transition, but it was noticeable rapid. Almost as though Skye was running her own individual assembly line, she managed to clear a significant portion of the dishes. Her mind wandered off, and she whistled as she worked, some lazy old tune from some forgotten folk song.

[Kingfisher]

I may not always love you

But long as there are stars above you

You never need to doubt it

I'll make you so sure about it

God only knows what I'd be without you

Some old timey song, from centuries gone by, whispered softly out of unseen speakers, whilst Andromeda and Queenie made their way over the enormous metal floor, and across the deck. Huge, ripe trees, bolstered by botanical sciences, were woven around the ship’s gigantic support beams, and the soft pattering of a nearby artificial waterfall, which sat at the heart of a great steel fountain, hummed gently beneath the music.

“I hope I’m not too under-dressed,” Queenie Way was saying, scampering ever onwards in high heels and a low cut black dress “I really didn’t know what to expect.”

“I’m sure you’ll be fine, Queenie.” Andromeda reassured her cousin, through the occasional rasped breath, as she huffed and puffed her way across the deck, her tubby face flustered bright red.

Despite being related, the two girls could not have looked more different. Andromeda was firmly on the heftier side of things, what with her protruding stomach and double-chin, whereas Queenie looked like a lamppost with two pillows fastened to it. Andromeda was dressed fairly casually, in a slightly punkish getup, and Queenie wouldn’t have looked out-of-place in an upmarket brothel.

“So, which deck is this club on again?” Queenie asked, waddling like a penguin, in her expensive heels.

“Hold your horses, cowgirl,” Andromeda blurted out, rather quickly “if we’re going out drinking, you’ll want to line your stomach first. Come on, there’s this place I’ve been meaning to try out.”

The pair made their way over to the Painted Lady, and were shown to a table without too much hassle.

“What’re you getting, Andie?” Queenie asked in her usual bubbly voice, skimming over the menu “I think the chicken avocado salad looks pretty yummy.”

“Knock yourself out with the rabbit food, cuz,” Andromeda laughed “I’m in the mood for a steak.”

Queenie gave her cousin the once over, looking her up and down disapprovingly.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Andie?”

“Oh fuck off, you bloody twig.”

[EurmalEye]

Jared McCaffrey

Location: The Painted Lady

Interacting with: @Kingfisher@aviendha

MORNING

The rest of he breakfast shift passed without any more incidents. The addition of Skye, the most enthusiastic janitorial staff member that Jared had ever see, seemed to make a huge difference in the speed the rest of the dirty dishes were completed. At first, Jared kept a careful eye on Skye from his cooking station, however as the stacks of dishes began to clear rapidly and no sound of breaking plates was heard, Jared was able to relax and focus on his own tasks completely. Jared had met a Skye a few times as she went about her business and she seemed a hard worker as well as rather personable.

As the rush of customers began to die down, Jared finished his last dish and glanced around the room. He registered the fact that he had been hearing whistling coming from the dishwasher's station for quite a while now. The tune was old and slightly familiar, though Jared could not but a name to the lazy notes that wafted by. He turned to the source of the sound and, rather unsurprisingly, found Skye. He looked closely at her for the first time since she had entered his kitchen.

Her overalls were covered in dust and paint, her blue hair oddly in tune with rather unique outfit. Under her overalls, Jared could make out her oddly, muscular legs a sure sign of significant strength training and protein intake. Her eyes told the real story though, they had heavy bags underneath speaking of her exhaustion. Her movements while efficient were starting to slow down. 'How long has she been working?'

He turned back to his station, gesturing for Chef Yates to bring him some of her ingredients over. Sky had worked hard for him without complaint when she was obviously exhausted, impressing him. That would not go unrewarded. Based on what he knew of her and what he had observed of her, he grabbed ingredient from various dishes to combine them into something new. It needed to be dense in nutrients and protein in order for her to keep up her strength. He made one large salad with applewood smoked bacon, crumbled goat cheese, avocado and eggs. Tossing it all together so each bite would have the flavors of all the ingredients, he placed it into the largest to go container they had. Jared would have offered her a table to sit down at, but he felt as though Sky deserved to go home as soon as possible.

After he was finished the meal, he retrieved an apron monogrammed with the The Painted Lady logo on it. After some scrounnging, he found an envelope and slipped in the full pay that Sanders would have received. He slipped the envelope into the apron pocket, folded the apron over his arm, grabbed the salad bowl and walked back out to Skye.

"That's enough, O'Connell. I must warn you, here at The Painted Lady, we have a strict dress code." His tone was serious, but his expression gave away the humor, corners of his lips twitching. Slight hints of his natural accent crept into his voice. "So if you'd like to work here, you best be coming in uniform." He handed over the items he had prepared for her. "Thank you for your help, and if you ever want it, there's a job for you here." With that he turned and began to prepare for the lunch crowd.

EVENING

Jared looked up as Samantha, the head hostess, frantically waved in his direction trying to get his attention. He frowned at her and raised an eyebrow. Wordlessly, she pointed out to the tables. He looked over and stood frozen in surprise. Sitting in his restaurant was a member of the Way family. The Ways were all extremely well known and were among the truly elite passengers on board the Lovis. 'One word from one of them can make or break my career.' His heart thudded heavily against his chest, focusing him into action.

He had another of the chefs take over finishing the meal he was preparing. There could be no errors if Andromeda Way had decided to eat here, he would handle her dish himself. He was not certain who Andromeda Way's companion was, but her opinion as Andromeda's companion made her opinion no less valuable, so he assigned Chef Phillips to the task. When he order came in he snatched it up immediately. "Steak- perfect!"

He entered the meat locker and emerged with one of their most prized, and expensive ingredients. Wagyu beef was well known for being the highest quality of beef there was, each cow coming with full certification to prove it was raised with the highest of standards from the Matsusaka region of Japan. The rich marbling of fat on steak ensured both the incredibly rich flavor and the sensation of melting in your mouth. He seasoned the steak with their house steak sauce that Chef Ramirez had created, delicately grilled it atop of white oak and charcoal, and let it rest briefly as he prepared a light side to go with the meal so as to not overpower the flavor. The rest long period done he tossed in the new high tech broiler and flashed it. He pulled it out and tested the meat simply by touching it with his constantly cleaned hands. "Excellent." Finally, he lightly brushed the steak with garlic butter and fleur de sel.

Chef Phillips had in a stroke of creativity used some of leftover pears from the morning to create a light, but complexly flavored Aragula and Pear Salad with crumbled gorgonzola cheese topped with extra virgin olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper. Jared nodded in approval flashing him a smile before sending the dishes out. He waited for a time, pacing slightly and glancing out occasionally from the kitchen to get a glance.

He sighed, washed his hands again and changed out his well used apron for a clean one. Jared walked out the kitchen onto the restaurant floor and began talking to each table exchanging small talk and pleasantries. The worst thing that could happen was that Miss Way thought he was singling her out to curry her family's favor. Of course, he was doing that, but it would not benefit him if she thought that. So he patiently went to each table before heading to hers.

"Good evening! How are the two of you enjoying your meals?"

[Kingfisher]

Location: The Painted Lady

Interacting with: @EurmalEye

“Lovely, thanks,” Andromeda smiled cordially at the red-haired chef, swallowing the piece of steak that she’d been chewing on “its honestly really delicious, and that’s coming from someone who loves her grub.”

She gave a soft laugh, slicing into the wagyu beef with her steak knife.

“The salads really nice, too!” Queenie chirped “I hate it when you people use too much salt, but the balance is juste à droite.”

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes at Queenie, Andromeda spoke up suddenly.

“What would you suggest for dessert? I don’t know if my cousin will partake, but I’ve certainly still got some space left.”

[EurmalEye]

Jared McCaffrey

Location: The Painted Lady - Staff Common Room

Interacting with: @Kingfisher

Jared beamed at Andromeda, always pleased to hear his food complimented. "I am fierce glad to hear you say that Miss."

He was going to continue speaking, but the table's other occupant, the smaller of the two, chirped up instead. "The salads really nice, too!” Queenie chirped “I hate it when you people use too much salt, but the balance is juste à droite.”

His smile faltered for a moment at the words and implication of "you people." He recovered it quickly reminding himself that, aboard the Lovis Superbia, one of the cost of employment was your pride. Still, the unthinking way the woman had insulted both himself and his staff...

Andromeda's question broke him from going any further into that dangerous brood. He looked over at her and in a gentle, polite tone replied, "Ah, for dessert this evening we are unfortunately limited in our options due to our Head Chef being out ill for several days, but we have two options that you might be interested in. For a more decadent option, we have a warm chocolate raspberry pudding cake, my own variation of the recipe that my grandmother used. If you would prefer something lighter, we also have a raspberry lemon sorbet prosecco float. I will send a display platter out so that you might have a look at what you would prefer. If you will excuse me, I must return to the kitchen. Have a lovely rest of your evening."

He turned around and walked back to his kitchen, gesturing at their waitress a smile he passed her so she would bring around the dessert tray. He glanced at the clock and towards his dirty station. His shift was done for the night, Phillips who had arrived later than him could handle the rest. He grabbed a sponge and began to scrub down his area. "You people."

His hands squeezed tightly around the sponge, forcing out more bubbles as he aggresively eliminated the mess and returned his station to its natural order. With a wave to rest of staff, he grabbed his tools and headed back down through the employee passageways to one of the many staff common rooms. He grabbed an unoccupied couch, flipped on a Holoscreen to a random newstation for some background noise, and began to sharpen his knives as per his normal end of the day routine.

[Kingfisher]

Location: The Painted Lady

Interacting with: @EurmalEye

Queenie at least had the apparent decency to wait until Jared was out of earshot before she decided to blather on.

“What sort of toss service is this?” she moaned “The price we’re paying, and the head chef isn’t bloody here.” She crossed her arms like a stroppy child, pouting.

“Queenie, do you even want dessert?” Andromeda asked, more than a little perplexed.

“Well, no...but it's the principle!”

Andromeda laughed despite herself, rolling her eyes.

“If it's upsetting you this much, I’m sure we can stop for ice cream or something on the way.”

Andie finished her meal not too long after, just in time for the dessert cart to appear.

“Fuuuck, I’m stuffed,” she moaned, placing one hand on her engorged stomach “but that chocolate pudding looks soooooooo good.”

“Christ, I’m gonna have to roll you into the club at this point.” Queenie teased.

“Oh sod off,” Andromeda chuckled, flipping her cousin off, before turning to the waiter behind the cart “I’ll have the pudding, please.”

“Urgh, fine,” Queenie groaned “but I’m not letting you get ice cream, now.”

[aviendha]

Skye O'Connell - The Painted Lady

Interacting with: @EurmalEye

MORNING

Skye stared at McCaffrey for a moment, before she remembered the grime. Quickly, she grabbed one of the washrags, and wiped the soap suds off of her forearms and hands. Once they were almost clean, she accepted the fabric and the salad bowl with a smile. Running a finger over the embroidered words, a smile spread across her face, satisfaction evident in her exhausted eyes.

"McCaffrey... you do know I'm gay, right?"

She let out a little laugh, that melted into a yawn.

"Thank you, though. I do really appreciate this- I was just doing my job."

Lifting a hand in a wave of thanks, she sighed. Adjusting the straps of her overalls, she carried her little bundle under her arm, leaving the kitchen with a spring in her step. However, with each turn of a corner, each passed door, the exhaustion became more and more evident, pulling on her skin and causing each movement to sag to the ground as though the gravity had been increased.

Once she reached her room, she collapsed onto her cot. Her residence was little more than a broom closet, really. One wall was just large enough to host the door, one other held a sink, a mirror, and toilet, another, her cot, which could be lowered from the wall. The final wall rested on the outer edge of the ship, a window that revealed the beauty of the universe outside. Right now, though, it was all too bright.

She sat cross-legged on her cot, and set the salad bowl in her lap. With the provided chopsticks, she began to enjoy her meal. It was the first time she had gotten the chance to eat in over ten hours, and the nourishment was enough to help her relax, filling the void she had not noticed in her stomach. Fulfilled, she placed the empty bowl on the edge of her sink, making a mental reminder to return it to the restaurant whenever she woke.

Setting an alarm for nine hours, Skye curled up onto her cot, and pulled her blankets up to cover herself entirely. She closed her eyes, and in seconds, fell fast asleep.

EVENING

Skye woke an hour before her alarm went off, and laid in bed for several minutes. Still groggy, she stared out of her window with wide eyes, watching a nebula pass by in its cloudy ambivalence. With a yawn, she finally stood, and set her cot back up against the wall, revealing a trunk beneath the bed.

Stripping down, she analyzed the contents of the trunk for a minute, before producing from it a set of clothes. Like the rest of her wardrobe, her selection was old, and splattered with paint. A little blue dress, a few shades darker than her hair yet lighter than a blueberry, it was loose fitting, and splattered with little marks of red and orange paint at the hem. Slipping the dress over her head, she debated whether or not to shave her legs. Voting against it, she stuffed her feet into some tall combat boots, and walked out.

The halls were bustling with activity now, and she still had two hours before she would be on the clock. Bowl tucked under her arm, Skye walked along the wall with her head held down. No one seemed to notice her, even as she hummed something softly, a familiar aria she had heard in the lounge a few nights ago.

She arrived in the Painted Lady, at the service entrance, with the bowl, and a grin. Looking around for McCaffrey, the grin disappeared, and she left, leaving the bowl in the sink. Hands in her pockets- every dress should have pockets- Skye watched the rich people as they laughed and lounged, her eyes taking in the sights and her ears taking in the sounds, looking for inspiration.

Instead, she found two rude girls, one audibly insulting the service. Frowning, Skye thought about approaching them, but decided against it. She did not need another mark against her, on her record.

She asked around for a little while, friendly faces who might know where the man was. Searching for McCaffrey, so that she could properly thank him, Skye stumbled upon his hiding spot in one of the common rooms. Taking out her sketchbook, she hid in the corner for a little while, unusually quiet. After a few minutes, she finished sketching something- a little picture of McCaffrey's knives, juggled by delicate hands. She cleared her throat, and stood, presenting the picture to McCaffrey.

"Hey, thanks for dinner. I appreciate it- I was fucking starving, exhausted to boot. So thanks. You ok?"

[MissCapnCrunch]

ᖆ ᗋ ᕧ

---

Morning - Afternoon

As Rae's breakfast came to an end, she paid and went on her merry way through out the ship. With over a hundred activities to partake in, the young woman was still terribly bored. She often found entertainment in making other people do things. She rounded up her posse of people she had been bossing around since the start of the journey and had them do things for her pleasure. "You two, kiss one another." she'd demand as the two would begin making out. She'd watch as the significant other from one of the participators would watch in agony as their beloved exchanged tender kisses and touch with a complete stranger. Rae would keep her eyes on the outsider, their pain bringing her a sense of accomplishment. She had grown up with nothing so now that she had something she liked to use it.

"I'm done with it, be done." she stated, waving her hand.

She'd watch as the participant would run after their lover, yelling apologies of inappropriate behavior. Rae chuckled to herself, the commoners we're so easy to manipulate for a little attention and cash. She wondered how easily some of them would throw their bodies into death's arms if she were to promise them a good time and some spending money for their remaining family. She pondered on it before shaking the thought away, she wasn't that heartless.

Skipping lunch Rae indulged herself in some of the new and improved self downloading hallucinogens. She laid in her bed as things around her changed color and shape. Her body felt like a million particles floating in the air, then suddenly they felt heavy and melting in her plush top bed. What seemed to be a few minutes ended up being a few hours as she came down from her high. One of her posse members shook her shoulder gently.

"You've got a show tonight"

"Bitch, I know."

Rae shooed the young girl out of the room as she looked through her suitcase to reveal a very low cut maroon dress. The back was an intricate cut out design so both sides of the petite woman was shown. She paired it with a black pair of high heels and pulled her dreaded hair into a high pony tail. She commanded the girl she had referred to as bitch to do her makeup and do something a little special with her hair. She wanted to look good for her performance at The Furnace tonight.

---

Evening

After practicing a few times, Rae prepared herself for the set she would be performing that night. When it came to her craft she was more on the serious and sensitive side. Walking out to the stage she nodded towards everyone, pulling out a small interface on her device the music started as she began moving her hips slowly from side to side, pressing her hand up to her ear she turned on her microphone as she began to sing:

Just for a moment

I went along, lost my focus

You already know this

'Cause in a blink of an eye I was flying

Rae continued on with her set, singing songs of fun and carefree nature, and dancing along with the guests.